عوارض آس ما أرى أم زبرجد

عوارض آس ما أرى أم زبرجد

وياقوتة أم ذاك خدّ مورّد

وياقوتة أم ذاك خدّ مورّد

Is that myrtle-like cheek-down I see, or chrysolite?

What are these flashes that I see - are they emeralds?

And is that a ruby, or a rose-tinted cheek?

Or are they rubies, or that rosy cheek?

وطل أقاح أم رحيق معطر

وطل أقاح أم رحيق معطر

وأسهم لحظ أم حسام مجرد

وأسهم لحظ أم حسام مجرد

And is that dew on daisies, or fragrant wine?

Is it pure honey, or sweet-smelling perfume?

And are those arrows of a glance, or a drawn sword?

Or are they the glances of one with a bare sword?

بروحي أغن فاتر اللحظ فتنة

بروحي أغن فاتر اللحظ فتنة

رقيق المباني أزهر اللون أغيد

رقيق المباني أزهر اللون أغيد

My soul for a sweet-voiced charmer, languid of gaze,

My soul sings though her glance troubles me,

delicate of form, radiant of complexion, supple and graceful.

Delicate in build, rosy in color, tender.

يعنفني فيه العذول بجهله

يعنفني فيه العذول بجهله

وهل يبصر الشمس المنيرة أرمد

وهل يبصر الشمس المنيرة أرمد

In his ignorance, the reproacher rebukes me over him.

The zealot accuses me in his ignorance -

And can one with sore eyes see the shining sun?

Can the shining sun be accused of blindness?

وقد شهدت كل الأنام بأنه

وقد شهدت كل الأنام بأنه

أغنى وقلبي في هواه مقيد

أغنى وقلبي في هواه مقيد

And all mankind has borne witness that he

All people witness that he

is the richest, while my heart is fettered by love for him.

Is most generous, though my heart is captive to his love,

كما شهدت لابن الحبيب بأنه

كما شهدت لابن الحبيب بأنه

همام إليه المجد يعزى ويسند

همام إليه المجد يعزى ويسند

Just as they have testified of Ibn al-Habib that he

As they witness for the beloved's son that he

is a noble hero, to whom glory is ascribed and credited.

Is the refuge of glory, its foundation and support,

جواد ترى في كفه البحر تارة

جواد ترى في كفه البحر تارة

وأخرى ترى ناراً بها تتوقد

وأخرى ترى ناراً بها تتوقد

A generous man: sometimes you see the sea in his palm,

A generous one - in his hand you see the sea at times

and at other times you see a fire blazing there.

And at others a blazing fire flares up,

وفي صدره بحر من العلم وافر

وفي صدره بحر من العلم وافر

طويل مديد كامل لا يحدّد

طويل مديد كامل لا يحدّد

And in his breast lies an abundant sea of knowledge,

And in his chest a copious sea of knowledge,

long, far-reaching, complete, and unbounded.

Long, unending, complete, unlimited,

كفيل بتوضيح المعاني بيانه

كفيل بتوضيح المعاني بيانه

وألفاظه در فريد منضد

وألفاظه در فريد منضد

His eloquence is sure to make meanings clear,

His eloquence able to clarify meanings,

and his words are matchless pearls, neatly arrayed.

His unique phrases like strung pearls,

فيا واحد الدنيا مثناك لم يرد

فيا واحد الدنيا مثناك لم يرد

وجمع العلى يقضي بأنك مفرد

وجمع العلى يقضي بأنك مفرد

So, O unique one of the world, your counterpart has never appeared;

O One in this world, none can equal you,

and the sum of lofty honors declares you singular.

The sum of the high conclude you are peerless,

وأمرك ماض ما له من مضارع

وأمرك ماض ما له من مضارع

وحمع العلى يقضي بأنك مفرد

وحمع العلى يقضي بأنك مفرد

And your command takes effect, with none to rival it;

Your command is absolute, none contends it,

and the sum of lofty honors declares you singular.

The assembly of the lofty rule you have no equal,

خفضت العدا لما انتصبت لجزمهم

خفضت العدا لما انتصبت لجزمهم

وقدرك مرفوع البناء مشيد

وقدرك مرفوع البناء مشيد

You brought the foes low when you rose to cut them down,

You humbled the enemies when you stood up to assert them,

and your stature is a lofty, firmly built edifice.

Your destiny, a lofty edifice, remains intact,

قطعت رقاباً طهّر الأرض قطعها

قطعت رقاباً طهّر الأرض قطعها

وواصلها منك الحسام المهند

وواصلها منك الحسام المهند

You severed necks whose severing purified the earth,

You cut off the heads that purified the land by cutting them

and your Indian-forged sword united with them.

And your sharp sword joined them,

كأن ذباب السيف مغرىً بحبها

كأن ذباب السيف مغرىً بحبها

وتقبيلها فرض عليه مؤكد

وتقبيلها فرض عليه مؤكد

As though the sword's point were enthralled by love for them,

As if the sword's insects were tempted by love of them

and kissing them were a binding duty upon it.

And kissing them an obligation imposed,

ولما براه الشوق ألقى بنفسه

ولما براه الشوق ألقى بنفسه

عليها كأن الحرب للوصل موعد

عليها كأن الحرب للوصل موعد

And when longing wore it thin, it flung itself

When passion showed them to him he flung himself upon them

upon them, as though battle were a tryst for union.

As if war's tryst were for union,

وكم جرع الأبطال نجلك في الوغى

وكم جرع الأبطال نجلك في الوغى

كؤوس المنايا والحسام لها يد

كؤوس المنايا والحسام لها يد

And how often your son made champions drain, in battle,

How your son made the champions drink in the fray

cups of death, the sword their handle!

The cups of demise while the sword was his hand!

وهل تلد الآساد إلا ضراغماً

وهل تلد الآساد إلا ضراغماً

تصول وتحظى بالثناء وتحمد

تصول وتحظى بالثناء وتحمد

And do lions beget anything but fierce lions

Do lions not beget but fierce cubs

that charge, win praise, and are lauded?

Who rage and gain praise and acclaim?

وجاد ولم يبخل أخوك بنفسه

وجاد ولم يبخل أخوك بنفسه

فلله فضل قد حواه وسؤدد

فلله فضل قد حواه وسؤدد

And your brother gave freely, not withholding his own life.

Your brother was generous and did not stint with himself

So to God belong the excellence and nobility he attained!

So to God belongs virtue he gathered and hoarded,

وحسن ختام المرء فكيف من

وحسن ختام المرء فكيف من

قضى في سبيل الله وهو مجاهد

قضى في سبيل الله وهو مجاهد

And a man's good ending—how much more for one

How fine is the ending of one who

who died in God's cause while fighting for Him?

Died in God's way, striving and battling!