يا نَديمي ما لوم ذي الوَجد يُجدي

يا نَديمي ما لوم ذي الوَجد يُجدي

في هَوى أَغيد رَشيق القدّ

في هَوى أَغيد رَشيق القدّ

O my companion, what good is blaming one possessed by passion,

O my boon companion, reproaching the lovelorn is of no avail

in love with a lissome beloved, graceful and slender-waisted?

In love with a supple beloved, slender of form.

لا تَلمني فَالقَلب أَضحى مَعنّىً

لا تَلمني فَالقَلب أَضحى مَعنّىً

بِهَواه وَلَو تَصدى لِصدِّي

بِهَواه وَلَو تَصدى لِصدِّي

Do not blame me: my heart has become tormented

Do not reproach me, for my heart has become tormented

by love of him, even if he sets himself to turn me away.

By love for him, even if he sets out to repel me.

كَيفَ أَسلو وَكُلَّما طالَ هَجري

كَيفَ أَسلو وَكُلَّما طالَ هَجري

وَصُدودي وَلَوعَتي زادَ وَجدي

وَصُدودي وَلَوعَتي زادَ وَجدي

How could I forget him, when the longer my abandonment,

How can I find solace? Whenever my estrangement lengthens,

my estrangement, and my anguish, the more my passion grows?

Along with my rejection and anguish, my passion grows.

وَعَجيب أَكلف النَفس طَبعاً

وَعَجيب أَكلف النَفس طَبعاً

طابَ لي دُونَهُ المَقام بلحدي

طابَ لي دُونَهُ المَقام بلحدي

How strange—a soul enamored by its very nature;

And a wondrous one has naturally filled my soul with passion;

without him, dwelling in my grave has become sweet to me.

Without him, dwelling in my grave seems sweet to me.

مَع أَني عبرت بَحر غَرام

مَع أَني عبرت بَحر غَرام

ما تَصدَّى لبره المتصدي

ما تَصدَّى لبره المتصدي

Though I have crossed a sea of passion

Though I have crossed a sea of passion,

whose shore no adventurer ever dared approach,

Whose shore no venturer has dared approach.

وَلعمري ما قُلت إِن طالَ هَجر

وَلعمري ما قُلت إِن طالَ هَجر

يا ملاحاً أذهبتمُ صدق ودي

يا ملاحاً أذهبتمُ صدق ودي

by my life, however long the separation, I have never said:

And by my life, however long separation lasts, I have never said:

“O beauties, you have banished the sincerity of my love.”

O fair ones, you have destroyed my sincere affection.

فَاِعتَزلني فَإِنَّني أَنا راضٍ

فَاِعتَزلني فَإِنَّني أَنا راضٍ

مِنهُ بِالجور وَالجَفا وَالتَعدّي

مِنهُ بِالجور وَالجَفا وَالتَعدّي

So leave me be, for I am content

So leave me alone, for I myself am content

with his injustice, his coldness, and his transgression.

With his injustice, coldness, and mistreatment.

عَلَّه بِالوِصال يَسمَحُ يَوماً

عَلَّه بِالوِصال يَسمَحُ يَوماً

لِعزيز أَذلَّه طُولُ بعد

لِعزيز أَذلَّه طُولُ بعد

Beguile him with the promise of union—perhaps one day he will grant it

Perhaps one day he will grant reunion

to a proud man whom long separation has humbled—

To an honored man whom long separation has humbled.

وَيُداوي مِني فُؤادي بِكاسٍ

وَيُداوي مِني فُؤادي بِكاسٍ

يَحتسيها مِن ماء ثَغر وَخد

يَحتسيها مِن ماء ثَغر وَخد

and heal my heart within me with a cup

And heal this heart of mine with a cup

sipped from the nectar of mouth and cheek.

Which it sips from the water of mouth and cheek;

يَحتسيها في مَدح أَسنى وَزير

يَحتسيها في مَدح أَسنى وَزير

فازَ في عَصرِهِ بِشُكر وَحمد

فازَ في عَصرِهِ بِشُكر وَحمد

Let him drink it in praise of the most exalted vizier,

It sips it in praise of the most illustrious minister,

who in his age has won both gratitude and praise.

Who in his age won gratitude and praise.

يا وَزير الزَمان مَدحك فَرضٌ

يا وَزير الزَمان مَدحك فَرضٌ

تَركه لا يَسوغ في أَي عَهد

تَركه لا يَسوغ في أَي عَهد

O vizier of the age, praising you is my duty;

O minister of the age, praising you is a duty;

to neglect it is impermissible in any age.

Neglecting it is not permissible in any age.

أَنتَ في دَولة العَزيز بِمَصر

أَنتَ في دَولة العَزيز بِمَصر

وَافر الحَزم ذو سداد وَرُشد

وَافر الحَزم ذو سداد وَرُشد

In al-ʿAzīz’s realm in Egypt, you are

Under al-Aziz's rule in Egypt, you are

abundant in resolve, possessed of sound judgment and rectitude.

Full of resolve, possessed of sound judgment and wisdom.

فَقت مَعناً وَحاتماً في سَخاءٍ

فَقت مَعناً وَحاتماً في سَخاءٍ

وَلَك انقاد في الحُروب ابن مَعدي

وَلَك انقاد في الحُروب ابن مَعدي

You surpassed Maʿn and Ḥātim in generosity,

You surpassed Ma'n and Hatim in generosity,

and in war Ibn Maʿdī yielded to you.

And Ibn Ma'di yielded to you in war.

وَعَلى حلمك الأَدلةُ قامَت

وَعَلى حلمك الأَدلةُ قامَت

في جَميع الأُمور مِن غَير رد

في جَميع الأُمور مِن غَير رد

The proofs have arisen in support of your judgment

And proofs of your forbearance stand established

in every affair, without possibility of rebuttal.

In all affairs, without refutation.

وَلذا كُنت بِالمَعالي جَديراً

وَلذا كُنت بِالمَعالي جَديراً

حَيث قابلت بِالرضا كُلَّ عَبد

حَيث قابلت بِالرضا كُلَّ عَبد

For this you are worthy of the highest honors,

And thus you have been worthy of high honors,

for you receive every subject with favor.

Since you received every servant with favor.

وَإِلى مَصر أَنتَ أَهديت خصباً

وَإِلى مَصر أَنتَ أَهديت خصباً

كُل يَوم يَزداد فيها بِجَد

كُل يَوم يَزداد فيها بِجَد

To Egypt you have brought abundance

And you have bestowed abundance upon Egypt,

that increases there steadily with every passing day.

Which grows there every day through good fortune.

وَبتدبيرك الخَزائن أَضحت

وَبتدبيرك الخَزائن أَضحت

تَتَباهى بحفظ أَحسن نقد

تَتَباهى بحفظ أَحسن نقد

Through your governance, the treasuries have come

And through your management the treasuries have come

to pride themselves on safeguarding the finest coin.

To boast of preserving the finest coinage.

فَاِبقَ في نعمة ورفعة قَدر

فَاِبقَ في نعمة ورفعة قَدر

وَمَقام يَسمو بِطالع سَعد

وَمَقام يَسمو بِطالع سَعد

So remain in prosperity and exalted rank,

So remain in blessings and lofty rank,

and in a station rising beneath an auspicious star.

And in a station rising under an auspicious star.

وَتقبّل مني بَديعة فكر

وَتقبّل مني بَديعة فكر

تَرتَجي مِنكَ قُربَها بَعد بُعد

تَرتَجي مِنكَ قُربَها بَعد بُعد

Accept from me an exquisite creation of thought

And accept from me a wondrous creation of thought,

that hopes you will draw it near after long distance.

Hoping you will draw it close after it has been far away.

زادَكَ اللَه بَهجَة وَقبولاً

زادَكَ اللَه بَهجَة وَقبولاً

ما تَحلَّى جيد المَديح بِعقد

ما تَحلَّى جيد المَديح بِعقد

May God increase you in splendor and favor

May God increase your joy and favor,

as long as the neck of praise is adorned with a necklace.

As long as the neck of praise is adorned with a necklace.