مَن لِصَبّ لَم يَنَل أَرَبا

مَن لِصَبّ لَم يَنَل أَرَبا

مُستهلّ الدَمع ساكبُه

مُستهلّ الدَمع ساكبُه

Who will help a lovelorn man who has not attained his desire,

Whose tears stream forth as he pours them out?

ذو غَرامٍ سامَهُ شَجَنا

ذو غَرامٍ سامَهُ شَجَنا

وَهَوى الآرام غالبُه

وَهَوى الآرام غالبُه

Possessed of a passion that has dealt him sorrow,

And overcome by love of the gazelles.

وَاللواحي حمّلته عَنا

وَاللواحي حمّلته عَنا

لَم يَزَل دَوماً يصاحبُه

لَم يَزَل دَوماً يصاحبُه

And the reproaching women have burdened him with anguish,

Which has never ceased to be his constant companion.

وَيح قَلبي ظَلّ مُرتهنا

وَيح قَلبي ظَلّ مُرتهنا

وَالظبا تيهاً تُعاقبُه

وَالظبا تيهاً تُعاقبُه

Alas for my heart, which has remained captive,

While the gazelles punish it in their haughtiness.

وَغَزال هزّ قَدّ قَنا

وَغَزال هزّ قَدّ قَنا

فتنَ الأَلبابَ حاجبُه

فتنَ الأَلبابَ حاجبُه

And a gazelle swayed his spear-like form;

His eyebrow bewitched the minds.

بِأَبي مِنهُ بَديع سَنا

بِأَبي مِنهُ بَديع سَنا

قَمر تَزهو مواكبُه

قَمر تَزهو مواكبُه

May my father ransom him, wondrous in radiance,

A moon whose retinues shine in splendor.

خَدّهُ الوَرديّ طابَ جَنى

خَدّهُ الوَرديّ طابَ جَنى

جَلّ عَن رَيب يقاربُه

جَلّ عَن رَيب يقاربُه

Sweet is the fruit of his rosy cheek,

Too exalted for doubt to approach him.

صُنت عَمَّن لامني أذنا

صُنت عَمَّن لامني أذنا

رَيثَما أَنّي أجانبُه

رَيثَما أَنّي أجانبُه

I kept my ear from whoever reproached me,

All the while keeping my distance from him.

وَمدام الثَغر كَأس هَنا

وَمدام الثَغر كَأس هَنا

أَترى نِدّاً يناسبُه

أَترى نِدّاً يناسبُه

And the wine of his mouth is a cup of bliss;

Do you see an equal who could match him,

غَير ما أَمّلت فيه مُنى

غَير ما أَمّلت فيه مُنى

وَأَمين المَجد واهبُه

وَأَمين المَجد واهبُه

Save the one in whom I have cherished hopes?

And glory’s guardian is its bestower.

مَن إِذا أَتلو لَدَيهِ ثَنا

مَن إِذا أَتلو لَدَيهِ ثَنا

رَتّلت مَدحي مناقبُه

رَتّلت مَدحي مناقبُه

When I recite praise before this man,

His virtues intone my words of praise.

أَريحيّ كَم حَبا مننا

أَريحيّ كَم حَبا مننا

من ندىً جادَت سحائبُه

من ندىً جادَت سحائبُه

A generous soul—how many favors he has bestowed,

From the bounty his clouds have poured forth!

كُلّ مَعنى حازَهُ حسنا

كُلّ مَعنى حازَهُ حسنا

عِندَما باهَت مراتبُه

عِندَما باهَت مراتبُه

Every quality he possessed grew beautiful,

When his ranks vied in glory.

فَهوَ غَيث البرِّ إِن هَتَنا

فَهوَ غَيث البرِّ إِن هَتَنا

لَمَعت بَطشاَ قواضبُه

لَمَعت بَطشاَ قواضبُه

For he is the rain of goodness; should it pour,

His keen swords flash in fierce assault.

لا اِنبرَى يَلقى هنا وَمنى

لا اِنبرَى يَلقى هنا وَمنى

ظافِراً فيما يراقبُه

ظافِراً فيما يراقبُه

May he remain unwearied, finding bliss and fulfilled hopes,

Victorious in what he awaits.