أَلاah لاdo not تَلومونيblame me بِتَقبيلfor kissing خالهِhis beauty spot
أَلا لا تَلوموني بِتَقبيل خالهِ
أَماis it not? هُوَhe قَدindeed فاقَsurpassed الوَرىhumankind بِجَمالهِin his beauty
أَما هُوَ قَد فاقَ الوَرى بِجَمالهِ
Ah, do not blame me for kissing his beauty spot.
Blame me not for kissing his cheek,
Has he not surpassed all humankind in beauty?
For he surpasses all in his beauty.
فَماso ... not لومكمyour reproach عِنديfor me يزيلdispels تولُّعيmy infatuation
فَما لومكم عِندي يزيل تولُّعي
بِهِfor him إِذsince رَمىhe shot منيof me الحَشاthe heart بِنبالهwith his arrows
بِهِ إِذ رَمى مني الحَشا بِنباله
So your reproaches do not dispel my passion
Your blame cannot make me turn from him,
For him, since he shot his arrows into my heart.
When his glance has pierced my heart with arrows.
نعمyes هُوَhe تربُpeer of البَدرthe full moon لَكنّهbut he غَداhas become
نعم هُوَ تربُ البَدر لَكنّه غَدا
عَلىabove البَدرthe full moon يَسموrises بِاِزديادthrough the increase of كَمالهhis perfection
عَلى البَدر يَسمو بِاِزدياد كَماله
Yes, he is the full moon's peer, yet now he
Yes, he is the full moon, but he rose
Rises above the full moon as his perfection grows.
Above the full moon, with his perfect beauty increased.
دَعونيleave me عَليلاًailing فيin الغَرامpassion متيَّماًenslaved by love
دَعوني عَليلاً في الغَرام متيَّماً
عَسىperhaps أَنthat يَجودbestows generously الدَهرtime ليon me بِوصالهwith union with him
عَسى أَن يَجود الدَهر لي بِوصاله
Leave me ailing in passion, enslaved by love;
Leave me lovesick and longing,
Perhaps time will grant me union with him.
May time be kind and unite us.
يَقولsays عَذوليmy reproacher كَيفَhow تَزهدyou turn away فيfrom الهُدىright guidance
يَقول عَذولي كَيفَ تَزهد في الهُدى
وَتَرغبand you yearn فيfor دينthe creed of الهَوىpassion وَضَلالهand its error
وَتَرغب في دين الهَوى وَضَلاله
My reproacher says: How can you spurn right guidance
The preacher says, how can you neglect guidance
And desire the creed of passion and its error?
And desire the religion of passion and error?
نَجاتكyour salvation فيin السُلونforgetting love فاسلكso follow سَبيلهits path
نَجاتك في السُلون فاسلك سَبيله
فَقُلتso I said وَقَدand already سفَّهتُهI deemed him foolish فيin مَقالهhis words
فَقُلت وَقَد سفَّهتُه في مَقاله
Your salvation lies in forgetting love; follow its path.
I said, puzzled by his talk,
So I replied, having deemed him foolish for his words:
Shall I neglect his love, unique in beauty,
أَأَسلوshould I forget هَواهlove for him وَهوَwhile he فيin الحسنbeauty مُفردٌmatchless
أَأَسلو هَواه وَهوَ في الحسن مُفردٌ
كَماjust as الداوريthe sovereign (al-Dawari) فيin عَدلهhis justice وَاعتِدالهand his moderation
كَما الداوري في عَدله وَاعتِداله
Should I forget my love for him, when he is matchless in beauty,
As Al-Dawri in his justice and temperance?
As al-Dawari is in his justice and moderation?
Muhammad the generous, who attained
محمدMuhammad الصدرthe chief الكَريمthe noble الَّذيwho سَماrose high
محمد الصدر الكَريم الَّذي سَما
بِإِحسانهthrough his kindness الوافيabundant وَبَذلand the bestowal of نَوالهhis bounty
بِإِحسانه الوافي وَبَذل نَواله
Muhammad, the noble chief, who rose high
Through his unfailing kindness, and gave his bounty.
Through his abundant kindness and the bounty he bestowed.
In battle he bore the awe of ‘Antarah,
حَوىpossessed فيin مَقامthe arena of الحَربwar هَيبةَthe fearsome presence of عَنترٍAntar
حَوى في مَقام الحَرب هَيبةَ عَنترٍ
وَإقدامand the boldness of عمروٍAmr عندَat وَقعthe impact of نصالهhis blades
وَإقدام عمروٍ عندَ وَقع نصاله
In battle he possessed Antar's fearsome presence
And the courage of ‘Amr during the clashing of swords.
And Amr's daring when his blades struck.
He erased ignorance from Egypt and taught its people
محاerased الجَهلignorance مِنfrom مَصرٍEgypt وَعلَّمand taught أَهلَهاits people
محا الجَهل مِن مَصرٍ وَعلَّم أَهلَها
بِماthrough what بَثَّهلِلناسhe distributed it to the people مِنof خَيرthe bounty of مالهhis wealth
بِما بَثَّهلِلناس مِن خَير ماله
He erased ignorance from Egypt and taught its people
The good he disseminated among all people.
Through the bounty of his wealth that he spread among the people.
He approached the crowds of polytheists and their distress increased,
دَناdrew near مِنto جُموعthe hosts of الشركidolatry فاشتدّso intensified كربُهمtheir anguish
دَنا مِن جُموع الشرك فاشتدّ كربُهم
وَقَدand already فارَقواthey left الأَوطانthe homelands خَوفfor fear of نِزالهcombat with him
وَقَد فارَقوا الأَوطان خَوف نِزاله
He neared the hosts of idolatry, and their anguish grew,
When they left their homes fearing his might.
And they had left their homelands for fear of fighting him.
His stature rose among kings through his lion cub,
عَلاrose قَدرُهhis standing بَينَamong المُلوكkings بشبلِهthrough his lion-cub
عَلا قَدرُه بَينَ المُلوك بشبلِه
أَبيfather of النَصرvictory إِبراهيمIbrahim رَأسِthe chief of رِجالهhis men
أَبي النَصر إِبراهيم رَأسِ رِجاله
His standing rose among kings through his lion-cub,
Abu Al-Nasr Ibrahim, chief of his men.
Abu al-Nasr Ibrahim, chief of his men.
To him God gave a spirit that humbles champions
لَهُfor him اللَهGod مِنwhat a شَهمgallant man يَجولcharges about بهمةwith resolve
لَهُ اللَه مِن شَهم يَجول بهمة
تَذلbow لَهاbefore it الأَبطالthe champions عِندَduring قِتالهhis fighting
تَذل لَها الأَبطال عِندَ قِتاله
God be with him! What a gallant man, charging with resolve,
When it attacks in war.
Before which champions bow when he fights.
It destroys the enemy with swords in the fray,
يبيدannihilates العداthe foes بِالسمهرياتwith Samhari spears فيin الوَغىbattle
يبيد العدا بِالسمهريات في الوَغى
وَعضبٍand a keen sword إِلىtoward قَطعcutting down المضلينthose who lead astray وَالهenamored
وَعضبٍ إِلى قَطع المضلين وَاله
He annihilates the foes with Samhari spears in battle,
And with a wrath that severs the misguided.
And a keen sword enamored of cutting down those who lead astray.
Through him and Abbas glory shone
بِهِthrough him وبعباسٍand through Abbas زَهَتgrew resplendent وَتَفاخرتand took pride
بِهِ وبعباسٍ زَهَت وَتَفاخرت
عَشيرةُa clan of مَجدٍglory تُوّجتwas crowned بِجَلالهwith his majesty
عَشيرةُ مَجدٍ تُوّجت بِجَلاله
Through him and Abbas it shone and took pride—
And the noble tribe exulted in its majesty.
A clan of glory, crowned with his majesty.
Indeed through Sa’eed Muhammad
أَماindeed إِنtruly مَصراًEgypt بِالسَعيدthrough Sa'id (the fortunate) محمدMuhammad
أَما إِن مَصراً بِالسَعيد محمد
نَماgrew سَعدُهاits good fortune مُذsince لاحَappeared نُورthe light of هِلالهhis crescent
نَما سَعدُها مُذ لاحَ نُور هِلاله
Indeed, through Muhammad Sa'id, Egypt
The good fortune of Egypt blossomed since the crescent of his state shone.
Has seen its good fortune grow since his crescent's light appeared.
The courage of this lion cub made clear to the world,
شَهامةthe gallantry of هَذاthis الشبلlion-cub فيat البَحرthe sea أَصبحتhas become
شَهامة هَذا الشبل في البَحر أَصبحت
يَدلpoints عَلَيهاto it فيamong الوَرىhumankind حسنthe goodness of فالهhis omen
يَدل عَلَيها في الوَرى حسن فاله
The gallantry of this lion-cub at sea has come
Through his outstanding achievements, the nobleness of his origin.
To be shown to humankind by his auspicious omen.
I seek refuge for Hussein and the wise Muhammad,
أَعيذI seek protection for حسيناًHusayn وَالحليمَand Halim (the forbearing) محمداًMuhammad
أَعيذ حسيناً وَالحليمَ محمداً
بربِّيby my Lord وَبِالهاديand by the Guide الشَفيعthe Intercessor وَآلهand his family
بربِّي وَبِالهادي الشَفيع وَآله
I seek protection for Husayn and Muhammad Halim
With my Lord, the Guide, the Intercessor, and his family.
By my Lord, by the guiding Intercessor, and by his family.
Partial English translation: 35 of 36 Arabic lines translated.