تَعَشَّقتُهُ واهي المَواعيدِ مَذّاقا

تَعَشَّقتُهُ واهي المَواعيدِ مَذّاقا

نَرى كُلَّ يَومٍ في الهَوى مِنهُ أَخلاقا

نَرى كُلَّ يَومٍ في الهَوى مِنهُ أَخلاقا

I fell in love with him—frail in promise, false in affection;

I fell in love with him, though he is weak in keeping promises,

Each day we see his moods in love.

We see in love every day from him a new character,

أَشَدَّ نَفاراً مِن جُفوني عَنِ الكَرى

أَشَدَّ نَفاراً مِن جُفوني عَنِ الكَرى

وَأَضعَفَ مِن عَزمي عَلى الصَبرِ مُشتاقا

وَأَضعَفَ مِن عَزمي عَلى الصَبرِ مُشتاقا

More averse than my eyelids are to sleep,

More averse than my eyelids from seeing him,

And frailer than my resolve for patience while I yearn.

And weaker than my resolve on patience, longing for him.

كَثيرَ التَجَنّي كُلَّما قَلَّ عَطفُهُ

كَثيرَ التَجَنّي كُلَّما قَلَّ عَطفُهُ

عَلى عاشِقيهِ زادَهُ اللَهُ عُشّاقا

عَلى عاشِقيهِ زادَهُ اللَهُ عُشّاقا

Full of unjust reproaches: whenever his tenderness wanes

Often blaming whenever his kindness to his lovers lessened,

Toward his lovers, God grants him more lovers.

God increases for him lovers.

يَجولُ عَلى مَتنَيهِ سودُ غَدائِرٍ

يَجولُ عَلى مَتنَيهِ سودُ غَدائِرٍ

كَما نَفَضَ الغُصنُ المُرَنِّحُ أَوراقا

كَما نَفَضَ الغُصنُ المُرَنِّحُ أَوراقا

Black tresses roam over both sides of his back,

Misfortunes roam on his forehead,

As a swaying branch shakes off leaves.

As the bending branch sheds its leaves.

وَقالوا نَجا مِن عَقرَبِ الصُدغِ خَدُّهُ

وَقالوا نَجا مِن عَقرَبِ الصُدغِ خَدُّهُ

فَقُلتُ اِعتَرَفتُم أَنَّ في فيهِ دِرياقا

فَقُلتُ اِعتَرَفتُم أَنَّ في فيهِ دِرياقا

And they said: his cheek escaped the temple's scorpion.

And they said he escaped from the sting of death on his cheek,

So I said: you admit his mouth holds an antidote.

So I said you have admitted that in his mouth there is an antidote.

شَكَوتُ إِلَيهِ ما أُجَنُّ فَقالَ لي

شَكَوتُ إِلَيهِ ما أُجَنُّ فَقالَ لي

هَلِ الوَجدُ إِلّا أَن تُجَنَّ وَتَشتاقا

هَلِ الوَجدُ إِلّا أَن تُجَنَّ وَتَشتاقا

I complained to him of my madness; he said to me:

I complained to him of my agony, and he said to me,

Is passion anything but to go mad and yearn?

Is there agony unless you suffer and long?

إِذا ما تَعَشَّقتَ الحِسانَ وَلَم تَكُن

إِذا ما تَعَشَّقتَ الحِسانَ وَلَم تَكُن

صَبوراً عَلى البَلوى فَلا تَكُ عَشّاقا

صَبوراً عَلى البَلوى فَلا تَكُ عَشّاقا

If you fall in love with beauties and are not

If you fall for the beautiful but have no

Patient under affliction, do not be an ardent lover.

Patience for ordeals, then do not be a lover.

أَجيرانَنا بِالغَورِ لَو أَنصَفَ الهَوى

أَجيرانَنا بِالغَورِ لَو أَنصَفَ الهَوى

جَزَيناكُمُ فيهِ دُموعاً وَأَشواقا

جَزَيناكُمُ فيهِ دُموعاً وَأَشواقا

O our neighbors in al-Ghawr, if love were fair,

We would repay you in love with tears and longing.

Our neighbors in love, if love was just

سَهِرنا وَنِمتُم لا تَنالونَ سَلوَةً

سَهِرنا وَنِمتُم لا تَنالونَ سَلوَةً

بِمَن باتَ مِنّا وَالِهَ القَلبِ مُشتاقا

بِمَن باتَ مِنّا وَالِهَ القَلبِ مُشتاقا

We stayed awake while you slept; you find no solace

We would reward you with tears and passions.

In one of us who spent the night distraught at heart and yearning.

We stayed up while you slept, you will not find comfort,

وَلَمّا تَوافَقنا وَقَرَّبنَ لِلنَوى

وَلَمّا تَوافَقنا وَقَرَّبنَ لِلنَوى

تَرَحَّلنَ أَقماراً وَغادَرنَ أَرماقا

تَرَحَّلنَ أَقماراً وَغادَرنَ أَرماقا

And when we met and they made ready for departure,

In one who spends the night with a heart longing.

They departed as moons and left us mere remnants of life.

وَلَم أَدرِ قَبلَ البَينِ أَنَّ مِنَ الهَوى

وَلَم أَدرِ قَبلَ البَينِ أَنَّ مِنَ الهَوى

قُدوداً وَمِن بيضِ الصَوارِمِ أَحداقا

قُدوداً وَمِن بيضِ الصَوارِمِ أَحداقا

And before parting, I did not know that love could be

When we got along and made ready for intimacy,

Slender forms, and gleaming sword-blades could be eyes.

You traveled away as moons and left behind yearning.

عَلَيَّ لَهُم أَن يَشرَقَ الرَبعُ بَعدَهُم

عَلَيَّ لَهُم أَن يَشرَقَ الرَبعُ بَعدَهُم

بِدَمعِيَ إِن أَبقى لِيَ الدَمعُ آماقا

بِدَمعِيَ إِن أَبقى لِيَ الدَمعُ آماقا

I owe them this: after they leave, their dwelling must choke

I did not know before separation that from love there is

On my tears, if tears have left me any eye-corners.

A cutting of necks and from white swords, slaughter.

وَلا غَروَ إِن أَشرَق بِبَهجَةِ أَدمُعي

وَلا غَروَ إِن أَشرَق بِبَهجَةِ أَدمُعي

غَراماً بِوَجهٍ يُبهَرُ الشَمسَ إِشراقا

غَراماً بِوَجهٍ يُبهَرُ الشَمسَ إِشراقا

And no wonder if it shines with the splendor of my tears,

On them may the horizon, after them, shine

In passion for a face whose radiance dazzles the sun.

With my tears if tears remain overflowing for me.

وَلَيسَ عَجيباً أَنَّ نارَ جَوانِحي

وَلَيسَ عَجيباً أَنَّ نارَ جَوانِحي

تَزيدُ بِماءِ الدَمعِ وَقداً وَإِحراقا

تَزيدُ بِماءِ الدَمعِ وَقداً وَإِحراقا

Nor is it strange that the fire within my ribs

It is no wonder that my tearing passions

Burns and scorches more fiercely with the water of tears.

Increase with the water of tears, burning and igniting.

فَفي خَدِّ مَن أَهواهُ نارٌ ضِرامُها

فَفي خَدِّ مَن أَهواهُ نارٌ ضِرامُها

يُخالِطُهُ ماءُ الشَبيبَةِ رِقراقا

يُخالِطُهُ ماءُ الشَبيبَةِ رِقراقا

For on the cheek of the one I love burns a fire whose blaze

For in the cheek of my beloved there is a fire whose burning

Mingles with the shimmering water of youth.

Is mixed with the water of youth dripping.

فَلا تَعذُلَن مَن لَم يَتُب بِغَرامِهِ

فَلا تَعذُلَن مَن لَم يَتُب بِغَرامِهِ

فَلا ذُقتَ مِن بَينِ الأَحِبَّةِ ما ذاقا

فَلا ذُقتَ مِن بَينِ الأَحِبَّةِ ما ذاقا

So do not reproach one who has not repented of his passion;

So do not blame one who does not repent of his passion,

May you never taste what he tasted in parting from loved ones.

Unless you have tasted the separation of lovers.

وَلا تَرجُ لِلعاني بِها وَلِمَن غَدا

وَلا تَرجُ لِلعاني بِها وَلِمَن غَدا

أَسيراً بِشُكرِ اِبنِ المُظَفَّرِ إِطلاقا

أَسيراً بِشُكرِ اِبنِ المُظَفَّرِ إِطلاقا

And do not hope that its captive, or one who has become

And do not hope for relief for one seized

A prisoner of gratitude to Ibn al-Muẓaffar, will be freed.

By gratitude to the son of al-Muzaffar a release.

فَتىً لا يُرى دُنياهُ إِلّا مَفازَةً

فَتىً لا يُرى دُنياهُ إِلّا مَفازَةً

وَلا يَقتَني إِلّا مِنَ الحَمدِ إِعلاقا

وَلا يَقتَني إِلّا مِنَ الحَمدِ إِعلاقا

A youth whose world appears as nothing but a desert,

A young man whose world is seen only as an expanse,

And who acquires only the precious treasures of praise.

And gains only praise which lifts him high.

إِذا قَعَدَت سوقُ المَديحِ بِشاعِرٍ

إِذا قَعَدَت سوقُ المَديحِ بِشاعِرٍ

أَقامَ نَداهُ لِلمَدائِحِ أَسواقا

أَقامَ نَداهُ لِلمَدائِحِ أَسواقا

When the market for praise fails a poet,

When the market of praise is crowded with a poet

His generosity sets up markets for panegyrics.

Who established for praises his call.

أَقولُ لِسارٍ يَعسِفُ البيدَ خَبطَةً

أَقولُ لِسارٍ يَعسِفُ البيدَ خَبطَةً

وَيُنضي مَطاياهُ رَسيماً وَإِعناقا

وَيُنضي مَطاياهُ رَسيماً وَإِعناقا

I say to a night traveler who crosses the wastes blindly,

I say to one who hits the desert recklessly and

And wears out his mounts with trotting and swift strides,

Makes his mounts swim with the evening breeze and necks swaying,

كَأَنَّ سُراهُ يَركَبُ الهَولَ في الدُجى

كَأَنَّ سُراهُ يَركَبُ الهَولَ في الدُجى

سُرى الطَيفِ يَعتادُ المَضاجِعَ طَرّاقا

سُرى الطَيفِ يَعتادُ المَضاجِعَ طَرّاقا

As though his night journey, riding terror through darkness,

As if his pack animal rides terror in the darkness,

Were a dream-phantom's passage, haunting beds as a night visitor:

The specter of night who is used to beds creaking.

أَنِخ بِأَبي نَصرٍ تُنِخ بِمُعَدَّلٍ

أَنِخ بِأَبي نَصرٍ تُنِخ بِمُعَدَّلٍ

يَغَصُّ مَغانيهِ وُفوداً وَطُرّاقا

يَغَصُّ مَغانيهِ وُفوداً وَطُرّاقا

Make your mount kneel at Abū Naṣr's; you will halt at a refuge

Sing of Abu Nasr you sing of one balanced,

Whose dwellings teem with delegations and night visitors—

Whose glories overflow with delegations and creaking.

أَعَزِّ الوَرى جاراً وَأَمنَعِهِم حِمىً

أَعَزِّ الوَرى جاراً وَأَمنَعِهِم حِمىً

وَأَكرَمِهِم بَيتاً قَديماً وَأَعراقا

وَأَكرَمِهِم بَيتاً قَديماً وَأَعراقا

Mankind's mightiest protector, with the most inviolable sanctuary,

The most honored of people as a neighbor, the most protected a ward,

And noblest in ancient house and ancestral roots.

And the most generous of house, ancient and noble roots.

إِذا خَفَقَت مَسعاةُ كُلِّ مُؤَمِلٍّ

إِذا خَفَقَت مَسعاةُ كُلِّ مُؤَمِلٍّ

فَلا تَخشَ ما أَمَّلتَ جَدواهُ إِخفاقا

فَلا تَخشَ ما أَمَّلتَ جَدواهُ إِخفاقا

If every hopeful seeker's striving fails,

If the hopes of every hopeful fail,

Fear no failure so long as you hope for his bounty.

Do not fear what you hoped, its flowing is failing.

كَريمٌ تَساوى جودُهُ وَحَياؤُهُ

كَريمٌ تَساوى جودُهُ وَحَياؤُهُ

فَتَلقاهُ مِعطاءً لِراجيهِ مِطراقا

فَتَلقاهُ مِعطاءً لِراجيهِ مِطراقا

A generous man whose bounty and modesty are equal;

Generous, his generosity equals his bashfulness,

So you find him lavish toward his petitioner, with eyes lowered.

So you find him giving to his hopefuls rain pouring.

إِذا أَلحَمَ الحَربَ العَوانَ إِباؤُهُ

إِذا أَلحَمَ الحَربَ العَوانَ إِباؤُهُ

أَعادَت ظِباهُ الهامَ في البيضِ أَفلاقا

أَعادَت ظِباهُ الهامَ في البيضِ أَفلاقا

When his proud defiance draws him into renewed war,

When war brings helpers close, his charging turns

His sword-edges reduce heads inside helmets to fragments.

The necks of heroes among the whites to split open.

لَكَ الخَيرُ ما أَخَّرتُ مَدحي لِنائِلٍ

لَكَ الخَيرُ ما أَخَّرتُ مَدحي لِنائِلٍ

عَداني وَلا رَسمٍ غَدا لِيَ مُعتاقا

عَداني وَلا رَسمٍ غَدا لِيَ مُعتاقا

May good be yours! I did not delay my praise because of a gift

Good for you, I delayed my praises for an obtainer

That passed me by, nor a customary allowance that held me back.

Who bestowed on me and no ties tomorrow are freeing me.

وَلا أَنَّ ذاكَ المَورِدَ العَذبَ رَنَّقَت

وَلا أَنَّ ذاكَ المَورِدَ العَذبَ رَنَّقَت

مَشارِبُهُ وَالمَنزِلُ الرَحبُ قَد ضاقا

مَشارِبُهُ وَالمَنزِلُ الرَحبُ قَد ضاقا

Nor because that sweet watering-place had grown turbid

Not that the fresh well sweetened

In its pools, or the spacious dwelling had grown cramped.

Its drinks, and the spacious house became narrow.

وَلا أَنَّ أَسبابَ المَوَدَّةِ بَينَنا

وَلا أَنَّ أَسبابَ المَوَدَّةِ بَينَنا

وَحاشا لَها صارَت رِماماً وَأَخلاقا

وَحاشا لَها صارَت رِماماً وَأَخلاقا

Nor because the cords of affection between us

Nor that the causes of affection between us

—Far be it from them!—had become rotten remnants and tatters.

Became—God forbid—specks and morals.

وَلَكِنَّهُ لَمّا أَضَرَّ بِكَ النَدى

وَلَكِنَّهُ لَمّا أَضَرَّ بِكَ النَدى

وَأورَثَكَ الإِسرافُ في الجودِ إِملاقا

وَأورَثَكَ الإِسرافُ في الجودِ إِملاقا

But rather, when generosity harmed you

But when the Nile flood harmed you

And excessive giving left you in poverty,

And spending excessively brought you to debt.

وَكانَت عَلى الحالاتِ كَفُّكَ ثَرَّةً

وَكانَت عَلى الحالاتِ كَفُّكَ ثَرَّةً

تَزيدُ عَلى الإِعسارِ جوداً وَإِنفاقا

تَزيدُ عَلى الإِعسارِ جوداً وَإِنفاقا

And your hand stayed overflowing in every circumstance,

And your palm was full with states overflowing

Giving and spending ever more despite hardship,

Beyond destitution, giving and spending.

تَكَرَّهتُ أَن تَجني عَلَيكَ مَدائِحي

تَكَرَّهتُ أَن تَجني عَلَيكَ مَدائِحي

فَأَخَّرتُها بَقياً عَلَيكَ وَإِشفاقا

فَأَخَّرتُها بَقياً عَلَيكَ وَإِشفاقا

I was loath to let my panegyrics harm you,

I disliked that my praises bring you

So I delayed them out of care and compassion for you.

Profit, so I delayed them for you in compassion.

فَلِلَّهِ كَم قَلَّدتَنا مِن صَنيعَةٍ

فَلِلَّهِ كَم قَلَّدتَنا مِن صَنيعَةٍ

كَما لَبِسَت وُرقُ الحَمائِمِ أَطواقا

كَما لَبِسَت وُرقُ الحَمائِمِ أَطواقا

By God, how many favors you have hung around our necks,

By God, how you adorned us with deeds

As gray doves wear their collars.

As necklaces adorn the necks of doves.

فَإِن كُنتَ قَد خَفَّفتَ بِالجودِ أَظهُراً

فَإِن كُنتَ قَد خَفَّفتَ بِالجودِ أَظهُراً

ثِقالاً فَقَد أَثقَلتَ بِالجودِ أَعناقا

ثِقالاً فَقَد أَثقَلتَ بِالجودِ أَعناقا

For if, through generosity, you have lightened backs

If you lightened with giving burdens

Once heavy, you have through generosity weighed down necks.

Heavy, then you weighed down with giving necks.

تَهَنَّ عِمادَ الدينِ وَاِبقَ مَمَلَّكاً

تَهَنَّ عِمادَ الدينِ وَاِبقَ مَمَلَّكاً

يَمُدُّ عَلى الأَفاقِ ظِلُّكَ أَفاقا

يَمُدُّ عَلى الأَفاقِ ظِلُّكَ أَفاقا

Enjoy happiness, ʿImād al-Dīn, and remain enthroned,

Glory weakened and you remained a ruler

Your shade stretching over the horizons, horizon upon horizon.

Extending over horizons your shade spreading.

يُرَدُّ إِلى أَقلامِكَ الحُكمُ في الوَرى

يُرَدُّ إِلى أَقلامِكَ الحُكمُ في الوَرى

فَتَقسِمُ آجالاً بِهِنَّ وَأَرزاقا

فَتَقسِمُ آجالاً بِهِنَّ وَأَرزاقا

Judgment among mankind is referred to your pens,

To your pens, judgments in the world return

So with them you apportion lifespans and livelihoods.

So you distribute terms for them and sustenance.

وَلا زِلتَ تَجري مُدرِكاً كُلَّ غايَةٍ

وَلا زِلتَ تَجري مُدرِكاً كُلَّ غايَةٍ

مِنَ المَجدِ خَفّاقَ الذَوائِبِ سَبّاقا

مِنَ المَجدِ خَفّاقَ الذَوائِبِ سَبّاقا

And may you ever race, reaching every goal

You still run accomplishing every limit

Of glory, your tresses flying, ever in the lead.

Of glory, your tail waving, outpacing.

وَلا عَدِمَت مِنكَ المَكارِمُ عادَةً

وَلا عَدِمَت مِنكَ المَكارِمُ عادَةً

وَلا أَنكَرَت مِنكَ المَدائِحُ أَخلاقا

وَلا أَنكَرَت مِنكَ المَدائِحُ أَخلاقا

And may noble deeds never lack their accustomed ways in you,

From you, virtues do not lack custom

Nor may panegyrics ever find your character strange.

Nor praises, your morals denying.