عَواذِلُ ذاتِ الخالِ فيَّ حَواسِدُ

عَواذِلُ ذاتِ الخالِ فيَّ حَواسِدُ

وَإِنَّ ضَجيعَ الخَودِ مِنّي لَماجِدُ

وَإِنَّ ضَجيعَ الخَودِ مِنّي لَماجِدُ

The beauty-marked woman's reprovers are jealous of me;

The coquettish one with the mole incites jealousy in me

The critics of that beauty with the mole are filled with envy,

and the maiden has in me a truly noble bedfellow.

While the cheek's lover is eulogized by me

And truly, he who shares the maiden's bed—myself—is glorious.

يَرُدُّ يَداً عَن ثَوبِها وَهوَ قادِرٌ

يَرُدُّ يَداً عَن ثَوبِها وَهوَ قادِرٌ

وَيَعصي الهَوى في طَيفِها وَهوَ راقِدُ

وَيَعصي الهَوى في طَيفِها وَهوَ راقِدُ

He draws his hand back from her dress, though he is able,

He holds back his hand from her dress though able

He holds his hand back from her robe, though he has the power,

and defies desire in her dream-image, even while asleep.

And disobeys desire though under her spell

And defies desire regarding her phantom, even while he sleeps.

مَتى يَشتَفي مِن لاعِجِ الشَوقِ في الحَشى

مَتى يَشتَفي مِن لاعِجِ الشَوقِ في الحَشى

مُحِبٌّ لَها في قُربِهِ مُتَباعِدُ

مُحِبٌّ لَها في قُربِهِ مُتَباعِدُ

When can he find relief from longing's blaze in his breast—

When will a lover find relief from the burning of passion in his chest

When shall the burning longing in the heart ever find a cure,

a lover of hers who keeps his distance even when near?

When he is near yet so far from his beloved?

For a lover who, despite his nearness to her, remains far removed?

إِذا كُنتَ تَخشى العارَ في كُلِّ خَلوَةٍ

إِذا كُنتَ تَخشى العارَ في كُلِّ خَلوَةٍ

فَلِم تَتَصَبّاكَ الحِسانُ الخَرائِدُ

فَلِم تَتَصَبّاكَ الحِسانُ الخَرائِدُ

If you fear disgrace in every private meeting,

If you fear disgrace in every tryst

If you act in fear of shame in every moment of seclusion,

why do beautiful, secluded maidens kindle your desire?

Why do you hunt the beautiful gazelles?

Why then do these shy, beautiful maidens captivate your soul?

أَلَحَّ عَلَيَّ السُقمُ حَتّى أَلِفتُهُ

أَلَحَّ عَلَيَّ السُقمُ حَتّى أَلِفتُهُ

وَمَلَّ طَبيبي جانِبي وَالعَوائِدُ

وَمَلَّ طَبيبي جانِبي وَالعَوائِدُ

Illness pressed upon me until I grew used to it,

Illness persisted until I grew accustomed to it

Sickness has pressed upon me until I have grown fond of it,

and my physician and the visiting women grew weary of my bedside.

And my physician gave up on my recovery

And my physician and the visiting women have wearied of my side.

مَرَرتُ عَلى دارِ الحَبيبِ فَحَمحَمَت

مَرَرتُ عَلى دارِ الحَبيبِ فَحَمحَمَت

جَوادي وَهَل تَشجو الجِيادَ المَعاهِدُ

جَوادي وَهَل تَشجو الجِيادَ المَعاهِدُ

I passed the beloved's house, and there nickered

I passed by the home of the beloved so my steed neighed

I passed the beloved’s abode, and my steed began to neigh;

my mare—can familiar haunts make horses grieve?

Do trained steeds lament separation?

Does the sight of familiar ruins stir sorrow even in horses?

وَما تُنكِرُ الدَهماءَ مِن رَسمِ مَنزِلٍ

وَما تُنكِرُ الدَهماءَ مِن رَسمِ مَنزِلٍ

سَقَتها ضَريبَ الشَولِ فيها الوَلائِدُ

سَقَتها ضَريبَ الشَولِ فيها الوَلائِدُ

And what could the black mare fail to recognize in a dwelling's traces,

The abode does not deny the vestige of an encampment

Why should the dark mare deny the traces of a dwelling

where the maidservants gave her blended milk from scant-milking camels?

Watered by the rain of parting and childbirth

Where the maidens once watered her with the milk of camels?

أَهُمُّ بِشَيءٍ وَاللَيالي كَأَنَّها

أَهُمُّ بِشَيءٍ وَاللَيالي كَأَنَّها

تُطارِدُني عَن كَونِهِ وَأُطارِدُ

تُطارِدُني عَن كَونِهِ وَأُطارِدُ

I set my heart on something, and the nights seem

What do I care for when the nights seem to

I aspire to a goal, yet the nights seem to act

to drive me from its fulfillment, while I fight them back.

Chase me from existing, and I chase them

To chase me from its realization, while I give chase in turn.

وَحيدٌ مِنَ الخُلّانِ في كُلِّ بَلدَةٍ

وَحيدٌ مِنَ الخُلّانِ في كُلِّ بَلدَةٍ

إِذا عَظُمَ المَطلوبُ قَلَّ المُساعِدُ

إِذا عَظُمَ المَطلوبُ قَلَّ المُساعِدُ

Alone, bereft of friends in every town:

Isolated among groups in every town

I am solitary, without friends, in every land I tread;

when the goal is great, helpers are few.

When hopes are high, supporters are few

When the quest is great, the helpers are always few.

وَتُسعِدُني في غَمرَةٍ بَعدَ غَمرَةٍ

وَتُسعِدُني في غَمرَةٍ بَعدَ غَمرَةٍ

سَبوحٌ لَها مِنها عَليها شَواهِدُ

سَبوحٌ لَها مِنها عَليها شَواهِدُ

And aiding me through peril after peril is

And moments of joy come to me after moments of gloom

She aids me through one deluge of battle after another,

a swimming-strided mare, whose own traits bear witness to her worth.

Extolling, witnessing, proofs for her, of her, from her

A swift swimmer of a steed, bearing witness to her own might.

تَثَنّى عَلى قَدرِ الطِعانِ كَأَنَّما

تَثَنّى عَلى قَدرِ الطِعانِ كَأَنَّما

مَفاصِلُها تَحتَ الرِماحِ مَراوِدُ

مَفاصِلُها تَحتَ الرِماحِ مَراوِدُ

She bends to match the spear-thrusts, as though

It walks steadily with the gait of one speared

She bends and twists with the rhythm of the thrusts, as though

her joints beneath the spears were swivels.

As if its joints spur the spears to strike

Her joints beneath the spears were spinning pivots.

مُحَرَّمَةٌ أَكفالُ خَيلي عَلى القَنا

مُحَرَّمَةٌ أَكفالُ خَيلي عَلى القَنا

مُحَلَّلَةٌ لَبّاتُها وَالقَلائِدُ

مُحَلَّلَةٌ لَبّاتُها وَالقَلائِدُ

The hindquarters of my horses are forbidden to the lances;

My horses’ ankles are forbidden at the spear

The haunches of my steeds are forbidden territory to spears,

their upper chests and necklaces are lawful targets.

While their forelocks are adorned with beads

While their chests and necklace-adorned throats are lawful targets.

وَأَورِدُ نَفسي وَالمُهَنَّدُ في يَدي

وَأَورِدُ نَفسي وَالمُهَنَّدُ في يَدي

مَوارِدَ لا يُصدِرنَ مَن لا يُجالِدُ

مَوارِدَ لا يُصدِرنَ مَن لا يُجالِدُ

And I lead myself, the Indian-steel sword in my hand,

I take my soul and the lance in my hand

I lead my soul to the watering-place of death, sword in hand,

to watering places that send none back unless he fights.

To pastures none but the valiant dare to tread

To springs that grant no return to one who will not fight.

وَلَكِن إِذا لَم يَحمِلِ القَلبُ كَفَّهُ

وَلَكِن إِذا لَم يَحمِلِ القَلبُ كَفَّهُ

عَلى حالَةٍ لَم يَحمِلِ الكَفَّ ساعِدُ

عَلى حالَةٍ لَم يَحمِلِ الكَفَّ ساعِدُ

But if the heart does not uphold its hand

But if the heart cannot bear a state

Yet if the heart does not bear up the hand in courage,

in a given situation, no forearm can uphold the hand.

The hand cannot bear the burden either

The forearm will never suffice to bear up the hand.

خَليلَيَّ إِنّي لا أَرى غَيرَ شاعِرٍ

خَليلَيَّ إِنّي لا أَرى غَيرَ شاعِرٍ

فَلِم مِنهُمُ الدَعوى وَمِنّي القَصائِدُ

فَلِم مِنهُمُ الدَعوى وَمِنّي القَصائِدُ

My two friends, I see none but poets;

My friend, I see none but the poets

O my two friends, I see nothing but poets everywhere,

why, then, are the claims theirs, but the poems mine?

Why do they claim and I compose?

So why is the mere claim theirs, while the true poems are mine?

فَلا تَعجَبا إِنَّ السُيوفَ كَثيرَةٌ

فَلا تَعجَبا إِنَّ السُيوفَ كَثيرَةٌ

وَلَكِنَّ سَيفَ الدَولَةِ اليَومَ واحِدٌ

وَلَكِنَّ سَيفَ الدَولَةِ اليَومَ واحِدٌ

So do not marvel: swords are many,

So wonder not, many swords exist

Do not marvel at this, for indeed swords are plentiful,

but today there is only one Sayf al-Dawla, Sword of the State.

But the Sword of State today is one

Yet the Sword of the State—Saif al-Dawla—is unique today.

لَهُ مِن كَريمِ الطَبعِ في الحَربِ مُنتَضٍ

لَهُ مِن كَريمِ الطَبعِ في الحَربِ مُنتَضٍ

وَمِن عادَةِ الإِحسانِ وَالصَفحِ غامِدُ

وَمِن عادَةِ الإِحسانِ وَالصَفحِ غامِدُ

His noble nature is what unsheathes him in war,

Unsheathed in noble nature during war

He has a noble nature that unsheathes him in war,

and his habit of kindness and pardon is what sheathes him.

And sheathed in pardon and grace during peace

And a habit of kindness and pardon that sheathes him.

وَلَمّا رَأَيتُ الناسَ دونَ مَحَلِّهِ

وَلَمّا رَأَيتُ الناسَ دونَ مَحَلِّهِ

تَيَقَّنتُ أَنَّ الدَهرَ لِلناسِ ناقِدُ

تَيَقَّنتُ أَنَّ الدَهرَ لِلناسِ ناقِدُ

And when I saw mankind beneath his station,

When I saw people below their worth

And when I saw that all mankind fell short of his station,

I knew for certain that Time is the assayer of men.

I knew fate appraises men

I knew with certainty that Time itself is a critic of men.

أَحَقُّهُمُ بِالسَيفِ مَن ضَرَبَ الطُلى

أَحَقُّهُمُ بِالسَيفِ مَن ضَرَبَ الطُلى

وَبِالأَمنِ مَن هانَت عَلَيهِ الشَدائِدُ

وَبِالأَمنِ مَن هانَت عَلَيهِ الشَدائِدُ

Most deserving of the sword is he who strikes necks,

The most deserving of the sword: he who drew it

The most deserving of the name 'Sword' is he who strikes necks,

and of safety, he to whom hardships are slight.

The most deserving of safety: he who faced perils

And deserving of 'Safety' is he to whom hardships are trivial.

وَأَشقى بِلادِ اللَهِ ما الرومُ أَهلُها

وَأَشقى بِلادِ اللَهِ ما الرومُ أَهلُها

بِهَذا وَما فيها لِمَجدِكَ جاحِدُ

بِهَذا وَما فيها لِمَجدِكَ جاحِدُ

And the most wretched of God's lands are those inhabited by the Romans,

The most wretched of Allah's lands are those

The most wretched of God’s lands are those where the Byzantines dwell,

because of this man; yet none there denies your glory.

Whose people reject your glory, deny your might

Because of this prince, while nothing within them denies your glory.

شَنَنتَ بِها الغاراتِ حَتّى تَرَكتَها

شَنَنتَ بِها الغاراتِ حَتّى تَرَكتَها

وَجَفنُ الَّذي خَلفَ الفَرَنجَةَ ساهِدُ

وَجَفنُ الَّذي خَلفَ الفَرَنجَةَ ساهِدُ

You unleashed raids upon them until you left them—

You raided them until you left their eyes

You launched raid after raid upon them until you left them

while the eyelid of one beyond the Franks stays sleepless—

Awakening behind the Franks, tearless, unblinking

With the eyelids of those beyond the Franks sleepless in terror.

مُخَضَّبَةٌ وَالقَومُ صَرعى كَأَنَّها

مُخَضَّبَةٌ وَالقَومُ صَرعى كَأَنَّها

وَإِن لَم يَكونوا ساجِدينَ مَساجِدُ

وَإِن لَم يَكونوا ساجِدينَ مَساجِدُ

blood-dyed, their people slain, as though these lands were

Crimsoned yet their men lie dead as if

The land was dyed crimson, the people struck down, as if

mosques, though the fallen were not prostrating in prayer.

Prostrating in prayer, not prone from war

They were mosques of worship, though the fallen were not in prayer.

تُنَكِّسُهُم وَالسابِقاتُ جِبالُهُم

تُنَكِّسُهُم وَالسابِقاتُ جِبالُهُم

وَتَطعَنُ فيهِم وَالرِماحُ المَكايِدُ

وَتَطعَنُ فيهِم وَالرِماحُ المَكايِدُ

You cast them headlong, their mountains serving as racing steeds,

You invert them while their mountains race them

You overturn them, while the racing steeds become their mountains,

and pierce them, with stratagems for spears.

And spears pierce them while plots elude them

And you strike among them, your spears acting as your stratagems.

وَتَضرِبَهُم هَبراً وَقَد سَكَنوا الكُدى

وَتَضرِبَهُم هَبراً وَقَد سَكَنوا الكُدى

كَما سَكَنَت بَطنَ التُرابِ الأَساوِدُ

كَما سَكَنَت بَطنَ التُرابِ الأَساوِدُ

And you hew them to pieces, though they have settled in rocky hills,

You pummel them to dust though they rest in graves

You strike them, hacking flesh, though they dwelt on the hillocks,

as black serpents dwell in the earth's belly.

As the lions rest in earthen beds

Just as black serpents dwell within the belly of the earth.

وَتُضحي الحُصونُ المُشمَخِرّاتُ في الذُرى

وَتُضحي الحُصونُ المُشمَخِرّاتُ في الذُرى

وَخَيلُكَ في أَعناقِهِنَّ قَلائِدُ

وَخَيلُكَ في أَعناقِهِنَّ قَلائِدُ

And the fortresses towering on the peaks come to stand

The towering citadels crumble into ruins

And the towering fortresses upon the peaks greet the morning

with your horses as necklaces about their necks.

While your horses adorn their necks with necklaces

With your cavalry encircling their necks like necklaces.

عَصَفنَ بِهِم يَومَ اللُقانِ وَسُقنَهُم

عَصَفنَ بِهِم يَومَ اللُقانِ وَسُقنَهُم

بِهِنريطَ حَتّى اِبيَضَّ بِالسَبيِ آمِدُ

بِهِنريطَ حَتّى اِبيَضَّ بِالسَبيِ آمِدُ

They swept over them on the day of al-Luqan, and drove them

They routed them at Luccan and led them

They stormed them on the day of Luqan and drove them on

at Hinrit, until Amid turned white with captives.

To Henrict till clothed in white from captives' gowns

With Henry, until Amid turned white with the throngs of captives.

وَأَلحَقنَ بِالصَفصافِ سابورَ فَاِنهَوى

وَأَلحَقنَ بِالصَفصافِ سابورَ فَاِنهَوى

وَذاقَ الرَدى أَهلاهُما وَالجَلامِدُ

وَذاقَ الرَدى أَهلاهُما وَالجَلامِدُ

And they made Sabur share al-Safsaf's fate, and it fell,

They joined Lucain to Sapor till both lacked

They drove Sabur to the Willows, where he collapsed,

and the people of both, and their boulders, tasted death.

Inhabitants, garrisoned troops, living souls

And the inhabitants of both, and the very rocks, tasted death.

وَغَلَّسَ في الوادي بِهِنَّ مُشَيَّعٌ

وَغَلَّسَ في الوادي بِهِنَّ مُشَيَّعٌ

مُبارَكُ ما تَحتَ اللِثامَينِ عابِدُ

مُبارَكُ ما تَحتَ اللِثامَينِ عابِدُ

And with them a fearless man rode through the valley before dawn,

At the valley he buried them, the revered imam

And a valiant warrior moved them through the valley in the dark,

blessed in what lies beneath his two face-veils, devout.

Blessed is he behind the veils, devout and chaste

Blessed is the face beneath the two veils, a true worshiper.

فَتىً يَشتَهي طولَ البِلادِ وَوَقتِهِ

فَتىً يَشتَهي طولَ البِلادِ وَوَقتِهِ

تَضيقُ بِهِ أَوقاتُهُ وَالمَقاصِدُ

تَضيقُ بِهِ أَوقاتُهُ وَالمَقاصِدُ

A youth who longs for vaster lands and more time,

A warrior who desires lands without end

A youth who craves the expanse of all lands and all time,

his hours and goals too narrow to contain him.

Whose desires cannot be contained by time

Yet his times and his destinations are too narrow to contain him.

أَخو غَزَواتٍ ما تُغِبُّ سُيوفُهُ

أَخو غَزَواتٍ ما تُغِبُّ سُيوفُهُ

رِقابَهُمُ إِلّا وَسَيحانُ جامِدُ

رِقابَهُمُ إِلّا وَسَيحانُ جامِدُ

A man of campaigns, whose swords never leave

Brother of raids whose swords spare no necks

A brother of raids, whose swords do not cease to visit

their necks alone unless the Sayhan is frozen.

Unless blades are sheathed, sharp edges blunted

Their necks, unless the River Sayhan itself stands frozen.

فَلَم يَبقَ إِلّا مَن حَماها مِنَ الظُبا

فَلَم يَبقَ إِلّا مَن حَماها مِنَ الظُبا

لَمى شَفَتَيها وَالثُدِيُّ النَواهِدُ

لَمى شَفَتَيها وَالثُدِيُّ النَواهِدُ

So none remained but women shielded from sword-edges by

Until none survived but those the hyenas' mouths

So none remained but those protected from the blades

their lips' dusky tint and their budding breasts.

And suckling breasts of gazelles protected

By the dark hue of their lips and their swelling breasts.

تُبَكّي عَلَيهِنَّ البَطاريقُ في الدُجى

تُبَكّي عَلَيهِنَّ البَطاريقُ في الدُجى

وَهُنَّ لَدَينا مُلقَياتٌ كَواسِدُ

وَهُنَّ لَدَينا مُلقَياتٌ كَواسِدُ

The patricians weep bitterly for them in the dark,

Over them the Patriarchs weep in the gloom

The Patricians weep over them in the gloom of night,

while among us they lie cast aside, unsold.

While here they lie, discarded like pillows

While with us they are cast down, abundant and cheap.

بِذا قَضَتِ الأَيّامُ مابَينَ أَهلِها

بِذا قَضَتِ الأَيّامُ مابَينَ أَهلِها

مَصائِبُ قَومٍ عِندَ قَومٍ فَوائِدُ

مَصائِبُ قَومٍ عِندَ قَومٍ فَوائِدُ

Thus have the days decreed among their people:

Thus the days decreed what was between peoples

Thus have the days decreed among their people:

one people's calamities are another people's gains.

Some's misfortunes, others' gains

The misfortunes of one people are benefits to another.

وَمِن شَرَفِ الإِقدامِ أَنَّكَ فيهِمِ

وَمِن شَرَفِ الإِقدامِ أَنَّكَ فيهِمِ

عَلى القَتلِ مَوموقٌ كَأَنَّكَ شاكِدُ

عَلى القَتلِ مَوموقٌ كَأَنَّكَ شاكِدُ

And such is the nobility of daring that, among them,

Of valor's nobility: you walk towards death

And such is the honor of your advance, that among them

you are loved despite the killing, as though you were a generous giver;

As if eager, though you'd be mourned if you fell

You are loved even as you slay, as if you were bestowing gifts.

وَأَنَّ دَماً أَجرَيتَهُ بِكَ فاخِرٌ

وَأَنَّ دَماً أَجرَيتَهُ بِكَ فاخِرٌ

وَأَنَّ فُؤاداً رُعتَهُ لَكَ حامِدُ

وَأَنَّ فُؤاداً رُعتَهُ لَكَ حامِدُ

and blood you have spilled takes pride in you,

You let blood flow in dignity, aware

And that the blood you have shed is proud of you,

and a heart you have terrified praises you.

Some hearts would stop beating if yours stilled

And the heart you have struck with terror sings your praise.

وَكُلٌّ يَرى طُرقَ الشَجاعَةِ وَالنَدى

وَكُلٌّ يَرى طُرقَ الشَجاعَةِ وَالنَدى

وَلَكِنَّ طَبعَ النَفسِ لِلنَفسِ قائِدُ

وَلَكِنَّ طَبعَ النَفسِ لِلنَفسِ قائِدُ

And everyone sees the paths of courage and generosity,

All see the paths of courage and munificence

Every man sees the paths of courage and generosity,

but the soul's own nature is the soul's guide.

But one's nature for one's self is the guide

But the nature of the soul is the soul’s only guide.

نَهَبتَ مِنَ الأَعمارِ ما لَو حَوَيتَهُ

نَهَبتَ مِنَ الأَعمارِ ما لَو حَوَيتَهُ

لَهُنِّئَتِ الدُنيا بِأَنَّكَ خالِدُ

لَهُنِّئَتِ الدُنيا بِأَنَّكَ خالِدُ

You have plundered such spans of life that, had you possessed them,

You seized from life what - had you kept -

You have plundered such years from lives, that had you kept them,

the world would have been congratulated on your immortality.

Would have granted you eternity in this world

The world would rejoice that you are immortal.

فَأَنتَ حُسامُ المُلكِ وَاللَهُ ضارِبٌ

فَأَنتَ حُسامُ المُلكِ وَاللَهُ ضارِبٌ

وَأَنتَ لِواءُ الدينِ وَاللَهُ عاقِدُ

وَأَنتَ لِواءُ الدينِ وَاللَهُ عاقِدُ

Thus you are kingship's keen sword, and God strikes with it;

You are the sword of sovereignty, and God wields

For you are the Sword of the Realm, and God is the Striker;

and you are faith's banner, and God ties it fast.

You are the banner of faith, and God upholds

You are the Banner of the Faith, and God binds the knot.

وَأَنتَ أَبو الهَيجا اِبنُ حَمدانَ يا اِبنَهُ

وَأَنتَ أَبو الهَيجا اِبنُ حَمدانَ يا اِبنَهُ

تَشابَهَ مَولودٌ كَريمٌ وَوالِدُ

تَشابَهَ مَولودٌ كَريمٌ وَوالِدُ

And you are Abu al-Hayja ibn Hamdan, O his son:

You are Abu Al-Hayja', son of Hamdan O son

You are Abu al-Hayja, son of Hamdan—O son of his,

a noble son and father are alike.

An heir resembling his noble father

How the noble son and the father resemble one another!

وَحَمدانُ حَمدونٌ وَحَمدونُ حارِثٌ

وَحَمدانُ حَمدونٌ وَحَمدونُ حارِثٌ

وَحارِثُ لُقمانٌ وَلُقمانُ راشِدُ

وَحارِثُ لُقمانٌ وَلُقمانُ راشِدُ

And Hamdan is Hamdun, and Hamdun is Harith;

Hamdan begot Hamdun, and Hamdun Harith

And Hamdan is Hamdun, and Hamdun is Harith,

and Harith is Luqman, and Luqman is Rashid.

Harith begot Luqman, and Luqman was rightly-guided

And Harith is Luqman, and Luqman is Rashid.

أولَئِكَ أَنيابُ الخِلافَةِ كُلُّها

أولَئِكَ أَنيابُ الخِلافَةِ كُلُّها

وَسائِرُ أَملاكِ البِلادِ الزَوائِدُ

وَسائِرُ أَملاكِ البِلادِ الزَوائِدُ

Those are all the fangs of the caliphate;

They were all caliphs' fangs, and other

These men are the very fangs of the Caliphate,

and the rest of the lands' kings are superfluous teeth.

Lands were mere additions to their realms

While all other kings of the lands are but superfluous.

أُحِبُّكَ يا شَمسَ الزَمانِ وَبَدرَهُ

أُحِبُّكَ يا شَمسَ الزَمانِ وَبَدرَهُ

وَإِن لامَني فيكَ السُهى وَالفَراقِدُ

وَإِن لامَني فيكَ السُهى وَالفَراقِدُ

I love you, O sun of the age and its full moon,

I love you, sun of the age and its full moon

I love you, O Sun of the Age and its Full Moon,

even if al-Suha and the Faraqid stars reproach me for you.

Though I am blamed, ardent in passion for you

Though the distant stars and constellations may blame me for it.

وَذاكَ لِأَنَّ الفَضلَ عِندَكَ باهِرٌ

وَذاكَ لِأَنَّ الفَضلَ عِندَكَ باهِرٌ

وَلَيسَ لِأَنَّ العَيشُ عِندَكَ بارِدُ

وَلَيسَ لِأَنَّ العَيشُ عِندَكَ بارِدُ

And that is because excellence in you is dazzling,

I love you for your overflowing grace,

This is because virtue in your presence is dazzling,

not because life with you is cool and easy.

Not because life with you is desolate and cold

And not merely because life beside you is comfortable.

فَإِنَّ قَليلَ الحُبِّ بِالعَقلِ صالِحٌ

فَإِنَّ قَليلَ الحُبِّ بِالعَقلِ صالِحٌ

وَإِنَّ كَثيرَ الحُبِّ بِالجَهلِ فاسِدُ

وَإِنَّ كَثيرَ الحُبِّ بِالجَهلِ فاسِدُ

For a little love guided by reason is sound,

For loving a little with wisdom is proper

For a little love, guided by reason, is sound,

and much love grounded in ignorance is unsound.

But loving too much in ignorance ruins one

But a vast love, born of ignorance, is corrupt.