1. حتى الطلا شهدت أن اللما عذبُ

    فكيف أينع فيه اللؤلؤ الرطِبُ

    Even wine has testified that dark lips are sweet;

    how, then, did moist pearls ripen there,

  2. ودام والشفة الحمراء تكنفه

    بالنار أبرد مما تقذف السحب

    and remain, with the red lip enfolding them,

    amid fire, cooler than what the clouds cast down?

  3. واحرَّ قلباه من نار يجاورها

    برد اللما ولها في مهجتي لهب

    Ah, how my heart burns from a fire beside which

    lies the coolness of dark lips, while its flame burns in my soul!

  4. ومن عجائبها أن العذاب بها

    يحلو ويعذب وهو الويل والحرب

    And among its wonders is that the torment it brings

    grows sweet and pleasant, though it is woe and ruin.

  5. لعل سحر الهوى حلى العذاب به

    فليس يوجد شيءٌ ما له سبب

    Perhaps love's magic has made its torment sweet;

    for nothing exists without a cause.

  6. من ذا يقربني منها ومبعدتي

    عنها عيونك لا بيضٌ ولا يلب

    Who will bring me near her, when what keeps me

    from her is your eyes, not bright swords or leather shields?

  7. في فيك للري يا لمياء سالفةٌ

    لم يعر راشفها ظمءٌ ولا سغب

    In your mouth, Lamya, is an aged wine to quench thirst;

    neither thirst nor hunger has beset the one who sips it.

  8. داوي بها دنفاً تجري حشاشته

    من غرب ناظره الدامي وتنسكب

    Heal with it an ailing lover whose last lifeblood flows

    from the corner of his bleeding eye and pours away.

  9. يميته الشوق أحياناً وينشره

    فكم يموت ويحيى وهو يضطرب

    Longing sometimes kills him and brings him back to life;

    how often he dies and lives again, writhing all the while!

  10. قد هزني الضر يا ليلى وعاذلتي

    تقول يا ويلها قد هزه الطرب

    Affliction has shaken me, Layla, while my censurer

    says—woe to her!—'Rapture has shaken him!'

  11. وجاورتني همومٌ خفّضت هممي

    ما جاور الهام لولا جورها الشهب

    Sorrows have settled beside me and brought my ambitions low;

    but for their tyranny, the stars would not have stood beside my head.

  12. وأنتِ أنتِ كريمٍ فر من شركٍ

    لا الرفق يدنيه يا ليلى ولا الصخب

    And you—you are like a gazelle that fled a snare;

    neither gentleness draws it near, Layla, nor clamor.

  13. جودي بوصلك لي والمهر يا أملي

    الشكر والحمد والأشعار والخطب

    Grant me union with you; the bridal gift, O my hope,

    is gratitude and praise, poems and orations.

  14. فالمال مالٌ ولكن عند عودة مو

    لانا الأمير يعود الورق والذهب

    For wealth is wealth; yet with the return of

    our lord the prince, silver and gold return.

  15. كأن عيني به والحي مبتهجٌ

    بفارس لم تلد أمثاله الحقب

    I seem to see him, the clan rejoicing

    in a horseman whose like the ages have never borne.

  16. يسعى به فرس في سرجه أسدٌ

    في وجهه قمرٌ في كفه نشب

    A horse speeds with him, a lion in its saddle;

    in his face is a moon, in his palm is wealth.

  17. إن جال يتَّم أنجال العدا الرهب

    أو صال قطع أوصال الريا العطب

    If he wheels about, terror orphans the enemy's sons;

    or if he attacks, destruction severs the limbs of [unclear in the Arabic].

  18. تعزى وتنسب أقيال الرجال له

    وهو الذي لرسول اللَه ينتسب

    Men's princes are linked to him in kinship and descent,

    while he traces his descent to the Messenger of God.

  19. وهو الجسور الهصور الفاضل السمح ال

    بر الغيور الصبور العادل الدرب

    He is bold, a mighty lion, virtuous and generous,

    righteous, zealous, patient, just, and seasoned.

  20. وهو الذي بدعاه الغيث ينسكب

    ومن يديه أخو الحاجات يكتسب

    He is the one at whose prayer the rain pours down,

    and from whose hands the needy gain their livelihood.

  21. المنجز الوعد والمسبوق موعده

    بالرفد والمتثني عنده الأرب

    The fulfiller of promises, whose appointed time is outstripped

    by bounty, and with whom wishes are doubled.

  22. لا العذل يمنعه عن سير قدرته

    سير السحاب ولا الهندية القضب

    Neither reproach keeps him from advancing in his might,

    like clouds advancing, nor do sharp Indian swords.

  23. من سادةٍ لا يمل الحرب أمردهم

    ولا تُملُّ لهم شيبٌ إذا خطبوا

    He is of lords whose beardless youth never tires of war,

    and whose graybeards are never wearisome when they speak.

  24. شم الأنوف سموا واستوزرت لهم ال

    تقوى السيوف فنالوا كلما طلبوا

    Proud of nose, they rose high; and for them, as ministers,

    piety appointed swords, so they attained whatever they sought.

  25. يرضى الإله بما ترضى أئمتهم

    وليس يغضب إلا إن هم غضبوا

    God is pleased with what their imams approve,

    and He grows angry only when they are angry.

  26. يا زائر البيت لو لم تأت حجرته

    سعى إليك كما تسعى له العرب

    O visitor to the House, had you not come to its enclosure,

    it would have hastened to you, as the Arabs hasten to it.

  27. أنت ابن ياسين بيت اللَه يعرفكم

    يا آل ياسين والأقلام والكتب

    You are Yasin's son; God's House knows you,

    O family of Yasin, as do the pens and books.

  28. عودتني الخير في حلٍّ وفي سفرٍ

    فدعوةً تتحاماني بها النوب

    You have accustomed me to kindness, at home and in travel;

    so grant a prayer by which calamities will shun me.

  29. عسى يبدل إعساري بميسرةٍ

    ويصلح اللَه أيامي فتنقلب

    May He replace my hardship with ease,

    and may God set my days right, so they are transformed.

  30. أنت الذي تقبل الدنيا بدعوته

    تقبل اللَهُ ما يولي وما يهب

    You are the one at whose prayer worldly fortune comes;

    may God accept what he bestows and gives.

  31. زر حج طف واعتمر وارم الجمار على

    قلب الحسود وعد لا فاتك الأرب

    Visit, perform Hajj, circle the House, perform Umrah, and cast the pebbles upon

    the envier's heart, and return; may no wish elude you.

  32. لا زلت أفضل حجاجٍ لخالقهم

    لبوا على عرفات المجد واقتربوا

    May you ever remain the finest of pilgrims who, to their Creator,

    answered the call upon glory's Arafat and drew near.