تقول وقد سقطت على حماها

سقوطاً زادني شرفاً وجاها

She says, after I have alighted within her sanctuary,

an alighting that added to my honor and standing:

أضيفٌ قلتُ ضيفٌ مستهامٌ

يريد العامرية لا سواها

'A guest?' I said, 'A love-stricken guest

who desires al-ʿĀmiriyyah, and her alone.'

فأسفر وجهها بعد انقباضٍ

وقالت وهي تبسم في خباها

Then her face brightened after its reserve,

and she said, smiling within her tent:

بكاس الراح تقنع قلت حاشا

أريد الكاس فارغةً حشاها

'Will a cup of wine content you?' I said, 'By no means!

I want the cup with its belly empty.'

فكاد يصدها عني اقتراحي

ويحرمني الورودَ على لماها

My proposal almost turned her away from me

and deprived me of coming to drink at her dusky lips.

ولكن قابلت جهلي بحلمٍ

ينوِّل كل جارحةٍ مناها

But she met my rashness with forbearance

that grants every limb its wish.

ورقَّ حديثنا ودنوت منها

وقد مدت لتدفئتي كساها

Our talk grew tender, and I drew close to her,

while she spread her cloak to warm me.

فبت معانقاً منها غزالاً

يبرِّد باللمى مُهَجاً كواها

So I spent the night embracing her, a gazelle

that cools with dusky lips the hearts it scorched.

أشاهد من محاسنها رياضاً

تفرِّح كل محزونٍ رآها

In her beauties I behold gardens

that gladden every sorrowful person who sees them,

كأن عبيرها أنفاس شكري

له ولكل جائزةٍ حباها

as though their fragrance were the breath of my gratitude

to him, and for every reward he bestowed:

فتى لسماحه نفسٌ نفيسٌ

ينفس عن حشى العاني عناها

a youth whose generosity has a precious breath

that relieves the captive's heart of its anguish.

وآراءٍ حسانٍ لو جلاها

على البيضاء ما حسدت سواها

And fine counsels—were he to set them forth

upon the white page, it would envy no other.

بثانية المراتب حلَّ لكن

يد الأولى له ألقت بُرَاها

He holds the second rank, yet

the hand of the first has cast its bracelets to him.

ولو تعطى على قدر المزايا ال

مراتبُ صار للظرفاء شاها

And if, according to merit, one bestowed the

ranks, he would become shah of the men of wit.

تهنَّ ابنَ الكرام بعيد فطر

بنورك لا بفطرته تباهى

Rejoice, son of the noble, in Eid al-Fitr;

it glories in your light, not in its own nature.

يود هلاله لو صار سيفاً

تشق لك الشآم به الشياها

Its crescent wishes it could become a sword

with which al-Shām would cleave the sheep for you.

فقد باهت بك الأعيادَ نفسٌ

نَهاها عن سوى التقوى نُهاها

For a soul has vied with the festivals in boasting of you,

its reason keeping it from all but piety.

بقيت لنا وللأعياد عيداً

يبلِّغ كلَّ نفسٍ مشتهاها

May you remain a festival for us and for the festivals,

bringing every soul to what it desires.