بِروحي جَمالاً صوّرته يَد القُدره

بِروحي جَمالاً صوّرته يَد القُدره

سَقاه البَها ماءَ المَحاسن وَالنضرَه

سَقاه البَها ماءَ المَحاسن وَالنضرَه

My soul for a beauty fashioned by the hand of divine power,

With my soul he pictured beauty, the hand of destiny molded it

watered by splendor with the water of loveliness and freshness.

The Creator quenched it with the water of charms and radiance

مَصون عَن الآمال إِلّا لِناظِرٍ

مَصون عَن الآمال إِلّا لِناظِرٍ

فَلا نَظرةٌ إِلّا وَقَد أَعقبَت حَسرَه

فَلا نَظرةٌ إِلّا وَقَد أَعقبَت حَسرَه

Guarded beyond the reach of hopes, save for a beholder,

Safeguarded from hopes unless for the onlooker

yet every glance leaves heartache in its wake.

So no glance without subsequent regret ensued

سَبَت مُهجَتي خودٌ حَوَت كُلَّ بَهجَةٍ

سَبَت مُهجَتي خودٌ حَوَت كُلَّ بَهجَةٍ

فَما تَرَكَت لِلشَمس في مُقلَةٍ أسره

فَما تَرَكَت لِلشَمس في مُقلَةٍ أسره

A delicate maiden, possessing every delight, captured my heart;

My essence captivated a self that comprised all delight

she left the sun no hold upon a single eye.

Leaving no cheer for the sun in any eye's pupil

مَهاة عَراني أُلفةٌ بِاِمتناعِها

مَهاة عَراني أُلفةٌ بِاِمتناعِها

كَما قَد عَراها بِاِنقِيادي لَها نَفرَه

كَما قَد عَراها بِاِنقِيادي لَها نَفرَه

An oryx doe—her aloofness filled me with affection,

A coy beloved, familiar in her aloofness

just as my submission to her filled her with aversion.

As though her avoidance endeared her to me

تَمَنَّيت سرّاً أَن أَرى وَجهَها كَما

تَمَنَّيت سرّاً أَن أَرى وَجهَها كَما

تَمَنّى أُناس أَن يَروا رَبَّهُم جَهرَه

تَمَنّى أُناس أَن يَروا رَبَّهُم جَهرَه

In secret I wished to see her face, just as

Secretly I wished to see her face as

some people wished to see their Lord openly.

People wish openly to see their Lord apparent

مِن الظَبيات الآنسات إِذا بَدَت

مِن الظَبيات الآنسات إِذا بَدَت

مِن الخِدر أَنستني مَعاني ظِبا وَجره

مِن الخِدر أَنستني مَعاني ظِبا وَجره

One of the gentle gazelles—when she emerged

Of the lovely gazelles, when she appeared

from her secluded chamber, she made me forget the charms of Wajra's gazelles.

From the cheeks, she made me forget the charms of a gazelle and flock

رَنَت فَدَعانا مُرسل اللَحظ لِلهَوى

رَنَت فَدَعانا مُرسل اللَحظ لِلهَوى

فَآمنت خَوفاً مِن هَلاكيَ بِالفتره

فَآمنت خَوفاً مِن هَلاكيَ بِالفتره

She gazed, and the messenger of her glance called us to love;

She glanced, so the messenger of the eyes summoned me to passion

so I believed in its languor, fearing my own destruction.

And I believed in fear of my ruin in separation

وَما كُنتُ أَدري أَنَّ في الخَدِّ جنّةً

وَما كُنتُ أَدري أَنَّ في الخَدِّ جنّةً

إِلى أَن نَظَرت الوَرد وَالماءَ وَالخُضره

إِلى أَن نَظَرت الوَرد وَالماءَ وَالخُضره

I had not known that a cheek could hold a paradise,

I did not know there was a garden in the cheek

until I saw the roses, the water, and the greenery

Until I saw the rose, water and green

بِوجنتها وَالثَغر ما في حشاشَتي

بِوجنتها وَالثَغر ما في حشاشَتي

لِأَنّي مَتى صَحّفته خِلتهُ جَمره

لِأَنّي مَتى صَحّفته خِلتهُ جَمره

upon her cheek; her mouth is what lies within my soul,

With her cheek and mouth, nothing in my passion for her

for whenever I misread its letters, I take it for an ember.

For if I made an error, I found it a live coal

وَما خَفضت قَدري لِرفعةِ قَدرِها

وَما خَفضت قَدري لِرفعةِ قَدرِها

على نصبِ أَشراك الجُفون سِوى كسرَه

على نصبِ أَشراك الجُفون سِوى كسرَه

Nothing humbled my worth before her lofty worth,

I lowered my worth only to raise hers

as her eyelids set their snares, except a heart's breaking.

By setting up the tent pegs of the eyelids save for humility

وَما طرَّ عَقلي في هَواها وَغَرَّني

وَما طرَّ عَقلي في هَواها وَغَرَّني

بِها قطّ إِلّا طرّةٌ تَحتَها غرَّه

بِها قطّ إِلّا طرّةٌ تَحتَها غرَّه

Nothing stole my wits in loving her, or beguiled me

Never did my mind wander madly for her love

through her, ever, save a forelock with a radiant brow beneath.

Except a wander enwrapped in madness

وَكافر خالٍ حَلَّ جَنّة خَدِّها

وَكافر خالٍ حَلَّ جَنّة خَدِّها

مَتى اِنسابَ فَحل العيس في مثقب الإبرَه

مَتى اِنسابَ فَحل العيس في مثقب الإبرَه

An unbelieving mole has settled in the paradise of her cheek—

An unbelieving mole breached the garden of her cheek

when did a pale camel bull slip through a needle's eye?

When it crept in, so the staff entered the eye of the needle

لَها مِن بَني الرَيّان قَدّ غَرامنا

لَها مِن بَني الرَيّان قَدّ غَرامنا

بِهِ يَنتَمي في حُبِّها لِبَني عذرَه

بِهِ يَنتَمي في حُبِّها لِبَني عذرَه

Her figure belongs to Banu al-Rayyan; our passion

For her, we who love the well-watered land are enamored

for it, in loving her, claims kinship with Banu ʿUdhra.

Through it, in love for her we belong to the people of excuse

وَلي في هَواها مِن كِلاب عَواذلٌ

وَلي في هَواها مِن كِلاب عَواذلٌ

مَلامتهم في السَمع تعزى إِلى مرّه

مَلامتهم في السَمع تعزى إِلى مرّه

In loving her I have reprovers from Kilab,

And for me in love for her are reproachers

whose blame, in the ear, is traced to Murra.

Blaming them is excused for bitterness

خَليّون لَو ذاقوا الهَوى أَحرَقتهم

خَليّون لَو ذاقوا الهَوى أَحرَقتهم

بِهِ زَفرة أَو أَغرقتهم لَهُ عَبرَه

بِهِ زَفرة أَو أَغرقتهم لَهُ عَبرَه

Untouched by love—if they tasted passion, they would be burned

Had they tasted love, it would have burnt them

by a sigh for it, or drowned by a tear shed for it.

With a groan or drowned them, teaching them a lesson

كَثيرون لَكن جَمعهم جَمع قلّةٍ

كَثيرون لَكن جَمعهم جَمع قلّةٍ

لتأنيثه لا خير في هَذِهِ الكثرَه

لتأنيثه لا خير في هَذِهِ الكثرَه

They are many, yet their plural is a plural of paucity,

Many they are, though their group is few

because it is feminine; no good lies in this multitude.

For its femininity, no good is in this multitude

وَلا شين في نَجل الحسين محمّد

وَلا شين في نَجل الحسين محمّد

فَلا رَأبنا فيهِ الزَمان بِما نَكرَه

فَلا رَأبنا فيهِ الزَمان بِما نَكرَه

No blemish lies in Muhammad, son of al-Husayn;

No blemish is in the progeny of Hussein, Muhammad

may time never trouble us concerning him with what we abhor.

We have not seen the days malign what we dislike in him

هِلالٌ لَهُ بَدران في فلك العُلى

هِلالٌ لَهُ بَدران في فلك العُلى

هُما لَقب عَن وَصفه أَغنَت الشُهرَه

هُما لَقب عَن وَصفه أَغنَت الشُهرَه

A crescent with two full moons—Badran—in the sphere of eminence;

A crescent moon, for him two full moons in the celestial orbit

the two form a title; his renown makes description needless.

Fame for his traits has made titles redundant

فَتىً طَبعُهُ أَندى مِن الماء رقّةً

فَتىً طَبعُهُ أَندى مِن الماء رقّةً

وَأَخلاقُهُ أَذكى شَميماً مِن الزهرَه

وَأَخلاقُهُ أَذكى شَميماً مِن الزهرَه

A youth whose tender nature is dewier than water,

A youth whose nature is gentler than water

and whose character is more fragrant than a flower.

And whose manners are more fragrant than blossoms

تَهذّب إِلّا أَنَّ تَهذيب لُطفه

تَهذّب إِلّا أَنَّ تَهذيب لُطفه

بَجوهر تِلكَ الذات كانَ مِن الفطرَه

بَجوهر تِلكَ الذات كانَ مِن الفطرَه

He became refined, yet the refinement of his gentleness

Well-mannered but that his gentle upbringing

was innate in the very essence of that being.

Was of the innate essence of that being

رَوى عَن أَبيهِ كُلَّ لُطف فَلَم يَدَع

رَوى عَن أَبيهِ كُلَّ لُطف فَلَم يَدَع

مِن اللُطف ما يَحوي النَسيم وَلا ذَرَّه

مِن اللُطف ما يَحوي النَسيم وَلا ذَرَّه

He transmitted every grace from his father, leaving none

He related from his father every subtlety, leaving

of the gentleness the breeze contains—not even a mote.

No subtlety that air or mote contains

وَغار عَلى بَذل الكَمالِ كَأَنَّما

وَغار عَلى بَذل الكَمالِ كَأَنَّما

يجهّز جَيش المَجد في زَمَن العُسرَه

يجهّز جَيش المَجد في زَمَن العُسرَه

He was zealous in bestowing perfection, as though

And he was jealous in bestowing perfection as though

equipping the army of glory in a time of hardship.

He marshalled the army of glory in the time of hardship

وَلا بدعٍ فيهِ إِنَّ والده لَهُ

وَلا بدعٍ فيهِ إِنَّ والده لَهُ

مِن الرَأي سهماً نافِذاً يَثقب الشَعرَه

مِن الرَأي سهماً نافِذاً يَثقب الشَعرَه

This is no wonder in him: his father has

No innovation in him, for his father is for him

a penetrating arrow of judgment that pierces a single hair.

A penetrating arrow that pierces the hair

حَليف تُقىً باهي السَجيّة وَالنُهى

حَليف تُقىً باهي السَجيّة وَالنُهى

أليف هُدىً صافي السَريرة وَالفِكرَه

أليف هُدىً صافي السَريرة وَالفِكرَه

An ally of piety, splendid in disposition and intellect,

Ally of piety, of splendid morals and prohibition

a friend of guidance, pure in heart and thought.

Familiar with guidance, pure in conscience and thought

أَبى عشرة الأدنى فَظَلَّ مُكرّماً

أَبى عشرة الأدنى فَظَلَّ مُكرّماً

وَما يُنزل الأَعلى سِوى خسّة العشرَه

وَما يُنزل الأَعلى سِوى خسّة العشرَه

He refused the company of the lowly and remained honored;

He refused the company of the lowly so remained revered

nothing brings down the lofty but base companionship.

For the Most High brings down none but the lowest of the ten

وَقَد طَرَح الأنذال مِن جَمع ودّهِ

وَقَد طَرَح الأنذال مِن جَمع ودّهِ

كَما يَطرَح الجاني النَواة مِن التَمرَه

كَما يَطرَح الجاني النَواة مِن التَمرَه

He has cast the vile out of the sum of his affection,

He discarded the riffraff from the circle of his affection

as a fruit-picker casts the stone out of a date.

As the sinner discards the pits from dates

لَهُ زُفّت الأَفراح بِالعزّ درَّةً

لَهُ زُفّت الأَفراح بِالعزّ درَّةً

عَلى تاج هَذا العَصر ما مِثلها دُرَّه

عَلى تاج هَذا العَصر ما مِثلها دُرَّه

Joys were led to him in honor as a pearl,

For him the prime of joys in honor as a pearl

upon this age's crown—no pearl is her equal.

Upon the crown of this age, unmatched in its singularity

إِلى الرَوض تعزى وَالسَماءِ وَإِنَّما

إِلى الرَوض تعزى وَالسَماءِ وَإِنَّما

يُفَسِّرُ ما قُلتُ اللَبيب أَخو الخِبرَه

يُفَسِّرُ ما قُلتُ اللَبيب أَخو الخِبرَه

She is traced to the garden and the sky; only

It is attributed to the garden and heaven, but truly

the discerning man of experience explains what I have said.

The intelligent brother of experience explains what I said

ففُز بِالتَهاني يا مُحَمَّد وَاِغتَنم

ففُز بِالتَهاني يا مُحَمَّد وَاِغتَنم

بُلوغ الأَماني بِالصبيحة وَالبُكرَه

بُلوغ الأَماني بِالصبيحة وَالبُكرَه

So rejoice in congratulations, O Muhammad, and seize

So congratulations Muhammad, and attain

the fulfillment of wishes in the morning and at daybreak.

The realization of hopes in the morn and early days

تَكافَئتُما وَزنَ الكَمال لياقَة

تَكافَئتُما وَزنَ الكَمال لياقَة

وَلا رَيبَ أنَّ الحرَّ أليق بِالحرَّه

وَلا رَيبَ أنَّ الحرَّ أليق بِالحرَّه

You two are fittingly matched in the measure of perfection;

You two equated in weight to perfection, compatibility

no doubt a noble man is more fitting for a noble woman.

Surely the free is most suited to the noble

وَخابَت ظُنون الحاسِدين وَطالَما

وَخابَت ظُنون الحاسِدين وَطالَما

بآدَمَ قَد خابَت ظُنونُ أَبي مرَّه

بآدَمَ قَد خابَت ظُنونُ أَبي مرَّه

The expectations of the envious failed; how often

The hopes of the envious failed, and how much

have Abu Murra's expectations failed through Adam!

With Adam failed the hopes of Father Murrah

فَسَوفَ نهنّي بِالبَنين بِعَونهِ

فَسَوفَ نهنّي بِالبَنين بِعَونهِ

تَعالى وَنَأتي بَعد ذا الحَجّ بِالعُمرَه

تَعالى وَنَأتي بَعد ذا الحَجّ بِالعُمرَه

So we shall congratulate you on sons, with His help,

We will congratulate with children, by His

exalted is He—and follow this Hajj with an Umrah.

Help exalted, and come after this pilgrimage with umrah

زَفافك قَد زفَّ الهَناءَ فَلَم يَزَل

زَفافك قَد زفَّ الهَناءَ فَلَم يَزَل

لآمالنا فَوزاً وَأَعيُننا قرّه

لآمالنا فَوزاً وَأَعيُننا قرّه

Your wedding has ushered in happiness, and remains

Your wedding has ushered in joy, it did not cease

a triumph for our hopes and cooling comfort for our eyes.

To grant our hopes success, and our eyes delight

زَفاف لَهُ في طالع السَعد أَرّخوا

زَفاف لَهُ في طالع السَعد أَرّخوا

هِلال سُرور لاحَ قَد قارن الزهرَه

هِلال سُرور لاحَ قَد قارن الزهرَه

A wedding under a lucky ascendant; they inscribed its date:

A wedding for it in the stars of fortune they recorded

A crescent of joy has appeared, conjoined with Venus.

The crescent of joy rose, coinciding with Venus