بين البقاعي وبين التاج من شرف

ما بين معترك الأحداق والمهج

Between al-Biqa‘i and al-Taj of Sharaf

is what lies amid the battlefield of eyes and hearts.

يقول من صح فيه سهم صاحبه

أنا القتيل بلا إثم ولا حرج

The one struck true by his companion’s arrow says:

I am the slain one, with neither sin nor blame.

كلاهما مدح خوضا بفكرته

في كل معنى لطيف رائق بهج

Each praised delving with his thought

into every subtle, lucid, delightful meaning.

يقول هذا لهذا غير مكترث

دع عنك لومي وعج من نصحك السمج

This one says to that one, unconcerned:

Leave off blaming me, and desist from your distasteful counsel.

ماذا تقول ولي في الشرع أجوبة

عنى تقوم بها عند الهوى حججي

What do you say, when I have answers in religious law,

through which my arguments stand for me in matters of passion?

دع التعارض لا تشهر بواتره

فكم أماتت وأحيت فيه من مهج

Abandon contention; do not brandish its cutting swords.

For how many hearts have they slain and revived in it!

فلو سلكت سبيلي كنت متبعا

أوفى محب بما يرضيك مبتهج

So had you walked my path, you would have followed

the most faithful lover, rejoicing in what pleases you.

لو سلم المقتدى للمهتدى لوعا

قول المبشر بعد الياس بالفرج

Had the follower yielded to the rightly guided, he would have understood

the herald’s words promising relief after despair.

فمن يكن منهما تاج فعصبته

هم أهل بدرٍ فلا يخشون من حرجٍ

So whichever of the two is Taj, his band

are the people of Badr, so they fear no blame.