أَسيرُ تيهيكَ صبٌّ دَمعُه جاري

أَسيرُ تيهيكَ صبٌّ دَمعُه جاري

هَل ملتَ للهجر لَما نمَّ بي جاري

هَل ملتَ للهجر لَما نمَّ بي جاري

A lovesick captive of your proud airs, his tears flowing.

I wander lost in your abandonment, my tears flowing

Did you turn to estrangement when my neighbor told tales about me?

Will your estrangement ever cease, now that my tears stream?

ناشدتك الودّ لا تركن إِلَيه فَما

ناشدتك الودّ لا تركن إِلَيه فَما

وَجدي سِوى وجد مَشغوفٍ بِأَقمار

وَجدي سِوى وجد مَشغوفٍ بِأَقمار

I implore you by affection: do not heed him, for

I implored your affection—do not leave me to it

My yearning is only the yearning of one enamored of moons.

I found only a heart enamored with moons

أَطلقت قَلبي بِميدان الهَوى فَجري

أَطلقت قَلبي بِميدان الهَوى فَجري

كرهاً وَما دبّ بي إلا على النار

كرهاً وَما دبّ بي إلا على النار

You let my heart loose in love's arena, and it ran

I set my heart free in the field of passion—so it ran

Unwillingly, and it crept within me only upon fire.

Against its will, stoking nothing but fire within me

لا كان نَأي لميل أَو لفرط قلىً

لا كان نَأي لميل أَو لفرط قلىً

نَعوذ بالودّ مِن ميل لأغيار

نَعوذ بالودّ مِن ميل لأغيار

May no separation spring from fickleness or excessive aversion;

Neither distance nor passion's excess was my misstep

We seek refuge in affection from turning toward others.

By friendship we take refuge from leaning toward others

حَسبي لَدى ناعس الأَجفان ما فَعلت

حَسبي لَدى ناعس الأَجفان ما فَعلت

زوراً لواحظُه في قَلب صبار

زوراً لواحظُه في قَلب صبار

Enough for me, with the drowsy-eyed one, is what

It suffices me that my deeds are known to the sleepless eyed one

His glances unjustly wrought in a long-enduring heart.

He watches for my devotion in a patient heart

لولا معاهدتي للدمع ما علمت

لولا معاهدتي للدمع ما علمت

مني الوشاة عَلى سُقمي بِأَسراري

مني الوشاة عَلى سُقمي بِأَسراري

But for my pact with tears, they would not have learned

If not for my pact with tears, the gossips would not know

My secrets from me—those tale-bearers—despite my sickness.

Of my sickness—my secrets remain hidden

يا لَيتَني مِلتُ مُذ زاغَت عَقيدتُه

يا لَيتَني مِلتُ مُذ زاغَت عَقيدتُه

عَنهُ وَفهمي اِنتَهى عَن دين أَوزار

عَنهُ وَفهمي اِنتَهى عَن دين أَوزار

If only I had turned, once his faith went astray,

If only I had refused since his faith strayed

Away from him, and my understanding had renounced a creed of sins.

From me and my reason ceased to shoulder burdens

ما حيلَتي بيته قَلبي وَلا أَحد

ما حيلَتي بيته قَلبي وَلا أَحد

رَثى لِوَجدي وَما يَجري بِأَفكاري

رَثى لِوَجدي وَما يَجري بِأَفكاري

What can I do? My heart is his home, and no one

Neither did my trick make him love me nor did anyone

Has pitied my anguish or what passes through my thoughts.

Eulogize my torment and the course of my thoughts

ما بالُها دَمعتي تَجري وَها جلدي

ما بالُها دَمعتي تَجري وَها جلدي

وَهَى وَقَد تاه في الأَدواء زوّاري

وَهَى وَقَد تاه في الأَدواء زوّاري

What ails my tear, that it flows? Behold, my endurance

Why do my tears flow while my patience remains?

Has weakened, and my visitors have lost their way among ailments.

My visitors wander lost, sickened

حلفت ما رق قَبل الآن لي كَبدٌ

حلفت ما رق قَبل الآن لي كَبدٌ

في الحُب للوالِهِ الآتي بِأَعذار

في الحُب للوالِهِ الآتي بِأَعذار

I swore: before now, no liver had ever softened for me

I swore none grieved like me before in love

In love, for the distraught one who comes with excuses.

For an absent beloved who comes with excuses

ما نالَني من مَلامي غَير مُشكلة

ما نالَني من مَلامي غَير مُشكلة

وَقعت مِن أَمرِها في لَيل أَوعار

وَقعت مِن أَمرِها في لَيل أَوعار

Nothing befell me from my reproach but a quandary;

I gained no blame but the problem which befell

Through its trouble I fell into a night of rugged terrain.

Me in a shameful night from his affairs

دَعني فَما نشوَتي إِلّا بِهِ أَبَداً

دَعني فَما نشوَتي إِلّا بِهِ أَبَداً

كَم دَلّ مِن وَلَهِ الأَحشا بِمُختار

كَم دَلّ مِن وَلَهِ الأَحشا بِمُختار

Leave me: my intoxication is forever through him alone.

Leave me be—my delight is through him for all time

How often the entrails' rapture has pointed to a chosen one!

How many signs of sincere madness lead to the chosen

إِن كانَ دائي يَشفى بِالوِصال فَصِل

إِن كانَ دائي يَشفى بِالوِصال فَصِل

عَسى بِهِ رَمَقي يَبقى وَتِذكاري

عَسى بِهِ رَمَقي يَبقى وَتِذكاري

If union can heal my ailment, then join me;

If my illness is cured by union, then join

Perhaps through it my last spark of life and my remembrance will remain.

That my spirit might remain and my memory

ما أَبتَغي ردَّ نَفسي عَن غِوايتها

ما أَبتَغي ردَّ نَفسي عَن غِوايتها

بِأَهيفٍ قُربُه نُورٌ لأبصاري

بِأَهيفٍ قُربُه نُورٌ لأبصاري

I do not seek to turn my soul from its infatuation

I do not seek to divert my passion—his nearness

With a slender-waisted one whose nearness is light to my eyes.

Is light that illuminates my sight

نعم لَقَد قامَ لي في الحُب ذو عَذل

نعم لَقَد قامَ لي في الحُب ذو عَذل

تَبيت مِن غَدره رُوحي بِأخطار

تَبيت مِن غَدره رُوحي بِأخطار

Yes, a reproacher has indeed risen against me in love;

Yes, one blameworthy in love has risen against me

My soul spends the night endangered by his treachery.

My soul imperiled by his betrayal

ما أَشتكي دهم أَيامي لِغَير فَتىً

ما أَشتكي دهم أَيامي لِغَير فَتىً

وَلَّيتُهُ صدقَ أَحوالي وَأَطواري

وَلَّيتُهُ صدقَ أَحوالي وَأَطواري

I complain of my days' darkness to no one but a youth

I complain of none but a youth for my woes

Whom I entrusted with the truth of my circumstances and changing states.

I wish he were true in state and deed

عَبد إِلى بارئ الناس الحَليم وَمن

عَبد إِلى بارئ الناس الحَليم وَمن

أَغنى وَأَقنى بِتَقدير وَأَقدار

أَغنى وَأَقنى بِتَقدير وَأَقدار

A servant to mankind's Creator, the Forbearing, and Him who

A servant to the Clement Creator of men, and one

Enriches and grants possessions through apportionment and decrees.

Enriched and content in decree and ordainment

شِراع مَجد فَريد في عَشيرته

شِراع مَجد فَريد في عَشيرته

فَتىً لَهُ هِمَمٌ شاعَت بِأمصار

فَتىً لَهُ هِمَمٌ شاعَت بِأمصار

A sail of glory, peerless among his clan,

The sail of unique glory among his clan

A youth whose aspirations have become renowned in cities.

A man whose resolve spread through lands

رَقيت يا أَكرَم الأَبناء شَأوَ أَبٍ

رَقيت يا أَكرَم الأَبناء شَأوَ أَبٍ

دَعا العِدا أَمنه للروع وَالعار

دَعا العِدا أَمنه للروع وَالعار

You rose, O noblest of sons, to a father's stature,

You have ascended, O best of sons, the renown of a father

Whose security summoned his foes to terror and disgrace.

Who calls the foe to fear and shame

شَربت مِن يَمّ عرفانٍ أَزلتَ بِهِ

شَربت مِن يَمّ عرفانٍ أَزلتَ بِهِ

هُموم أَهوال جهّال وَأَشرار

هُموم أَهوال جهّال وَأَشرار

You drank from a sea of knowledge, with which you dispelled

You have drunk from the bounty of recognition, cleansing with it

The cares caused by the terrors of the ignorant and the wicked.

The concerns of ignorant and evil folk's terrors

رجمت بِالزجر حزب الجَهل فَاِنصَدعوا

رجمت بِالزجر حزب الجَهل فَاِنصَدعوا

وَأَصبَح الظُلم في ذل وَأَكدار

وَأَصبَح الظُلم في ذل وَأَكدار

You pelted the faction of ignorance with rebukes, and they split apart;

You have rebuffed with warning the party of ignorance—they scattered

And oppression fell into humiliation and distress.

And injustice became lowly and gloomy

فَما وَهَت همة الإِنصاف في زَمَن

فَما وَهَت همة الإِنصاف في زَمَن

حَبوتَنا لحظةً فيهِ بِأَنظار

حَبوتَنا لحظةً فيهِ بِأَنظار

Thus the resolve for justice never faltered in a time

The resolve of equity did not falter in an era

When, for a moment, you favored us with your glances.

Whose moments you graced with your sight

تَاللَه ما وَاحد الدُنيا سِوى رَجُلٍ

تَاللَه ما وَاحد الدُنيا سِوى رَجُلٍ

صَبت إِلى أنسه أَلبابُ أَخيار

صَبت إِلى أنسه أَلبابُ أَخيار

By God, the world's peerless one is none but a man

By God, none in existence compares to a man

Whose companionship the minds of the virtuous longed for.

Whose being the elite of the noble desire

بَنيت للبر في شَبراكَ بَيتَ قِرىً

بَنيت للبر في شَبراكَ بَيتَ قِرىً

نَوال أَقلامه يَجري كَأَنهار

نَوال أَقلامه يَجري كَأَنهار

You built, for benevolence in your Shubra, a house of hospitality;

You built in your land for benevolence a home

The bounty of its pens flows like rivers.

Whose pens flow like rivers

هُنِّئتَ يا ناشر الإِحسان في بَلَد

هُنِّئتَ يا ناشر الإِحسان في بَلَد

ما أَنتَ فيهِ سِوى خَير لإِبرار

ما أَنتَ فيهِ سِوى خَير لإِبرار

May you be congratulated, O spreader of beneficence in a land

Congratulations spread, O you who spread good

Where you are nothing but a blessing for good works.

In a land where you are the best of the righteous

مَنحتنا وَابِلاً مِن راحة خُلقَت

مَنحتنا وَابِلاً مِن راحة خُلقَت

صَديقةً أَينما حلَّت لمدرار

صَديقةً أَينما حلَّت لمدرار

You bestowed on us a downpour from a palm created

You have granted us abundant tranquility created

As a friend, wherever it alights, to abundant rain.

As a sincere friend wherever settled, for the bitter

مَهَّدت بِالرشد أَركان العلوم لَنا

مَهَّدت بِالرشد أَركان العلوم لَنا

رَغبت في عتق مَملوك وَأَحرار

رَغبت في عتق مَملوك وَأَحرار

With right guidance you laid for us the foundations of the sciences;

You have paved the way in your enclosure for sciences

You sought emancipation for the enslaved and the free.

Seeking to free slaves and freemen alike

صرفت بِالعدل عَنا جَور من غدروا

صرفت بِالعدل عَنا جَور من غدروا

وَسالموا مَعشَراً جادوا بِدينار

وَسالموا مَعشَراً جادوا بِدينار

Through justice you warded off from us the oppression of those who betrayed

You have turned injustice from us with justice from betrayers

And made peace with a company who were generous with a dinar.

And so they submitted, a group who bargained in dinars

رَمَيتهم لَيسَ مِن شَكٍّ بداهية

رَمَيتهم لَيسَ مِن شَكٍّ بداهية

عَموا بِها تُرِكوا في سجن جبار

عَموا بِها تُرِكوا في سجن جبار

You struck them, beyond doubt, with a calamity;

You have cast them with no doubt in plain sight

Blinded by it, they were left in a mighty ruler's prison.

They are left blind in a tyrant's prison

وَمات مِن وَهمِهِ في الحال أَكثرُهم

وَمات مِن وَهمِهِ في الحال أَكثرُهم

زَوالُهم وَفناهم عجَّل الباري

زَوالُهم وَفناهم عجَّل الباري

And most of them died at once from dread of him;

Most of them died of delusion in the moment

The Creator hastened their passing and annihilation.

Their loss and demise made swift by the Maker

زعيمهم ما دَرى أَن الظلوم لَهُ

زعيمهم ما دَرى أَن الظلوم لَهُ

همّ محيط بِهِ يَأتي بِمقدار

همّ محيط بِهِ يَأتي بِمقدار

Their leader did not know that the unjust man has

Their leader did not know the unjust have

A grief encompassing him, coming in allotted measure.

Endless worries that will come to pass

أَما تَرى هامةَ المَعروف قَد رفعت

أَما تَرى هامةَ المَعروف قَد رفعت

إِلى السُهى أَمس إقبال وَإدبار

إِلى السُهى أَمس إقبال وَإدبار

Do you not see the head of beneficence raised

Do you not see the resolve of benefaction raised

To Suha yesterday, in advance and retreat?

Yesterday to glory, in ascendance and decline?

دامَت لَنا وَعلت أَسوار مَعرفة

دامَت لَنا وَعلت أَسوار مَعرفة

وَرقاؤها باكرتنا فَوق أَشجار

وَرقاؤها باكرتنا فَوق أَشجار

May it endure for us, and may the ramparts of knowledge rise;

The edifices of knowledge for us have lasted and towered—

Its gray dove came to us at dawn above the trees,

Its expanse greeted us above trees

عَزيزة سجعت تومي لأوحدنا

عَزيزة سجعت تومي لأوحدنا

حليمٍ السَيف مَولانا بِأَزهار

حليمٍ السَيف مَولانا بِأَزهار

Cherished, she cooed, gesturing toward our peerless one,

Dear friend, your chant made us one

Halim of the sword, our lord, with blossoms.

A clement man whose sword adorns with flowers

لَهُ أَمانيه لا تنفك طائعة

لَهُ أَمانيه لا تنفك طائعة

مَدى المَدى ما تَوالى نَشر أَخبار

مَدى المَدى ما تَوالى نَشر أَخبار

His wishes never cease to obey him,

His hopes undividedly obedient

Through all time, so long as news continues to spread.

However far the horizon that news traverses

إِني وَإِن أَلفت نَفسي القَريض فَما

إِني وَإِن أَلفت نَفسي القَريض فَما

أَبغي مِن الأجر إلا قربَ أَشعاري

أَبغي مِن الأجر إلا قربَ أَشعاري

Indeed, though my soul has grown familiar with poetry, I

If I was inclined to verse, my aim

Seek no reward but the nearness of my verses.

Is not reward but nearness to my poems

ها بكري أَمهِرْ بِأَنواع القبول عَسى

ها بكري أَمهِرْ بِأَنواع القبول عَسى

هِلال جاه الثَنا يَسمو بِأَنوار

هِلال جاه الثَنا يَسمو بِأَنوار

Here is my maiden poem: give it a dowry of varied acceptance, in hope that

The crescent moon of glory sublime with light

The crescent of praise's prestige may rise in radiance.

Rejoice! Egypt has sung you chronicled

أَبشر فَقَد أَنشدت مَصرٌ مؤرخةً

أَبشر فَقَد أَنشدت مَصرٌ مؤرخةً

الحلم في أَهل بَيت الأَمر أَنصاري

الحلم في أَهل بَيت الأَمر أَنصاري

Rejoice, for Egypt has recited a chronogram:

As forbearance among the people, my partisans

Forbearance among the people of the ruling house is my support.