يا ذات طرق في الضحى شاديه

أنت لقلبي ذي الهوى شاجيه

O you who knock while singing in the forenoon,

you stir sorrow in my heart, possessed of love.

ذكرتني أهل وادي الأولى

بانوا وخلوا مهجتي داميه

You reminded me of the valley's people, who

departed and left my heart bleeding.

أولئك الجيرة يا جارتي

جاروا وفيهم ادمعي جاريه

Those neighbors, O my neighbor,

were unjust, and for them my tears flow.

بانوا بها في البدو في دلجة

واحرموني لذة العافيه

They departed with her into the desert on a night journey,

and deprived me of the pleasure of well-being.

لم يبق لي من جلد بعدها

وفي جلودي اعظمي باديه

No endurance remained to me after she was gone,

and my bones show through my skin.

قد شغلوا بالي بها دائماً

بل اشعلوا عظامي الباليه

They have kept my mind constantly occupied with her,

nay, they have set my worn-out bones aflame.

يا ذات جيد عاطل من حلى

في كل حال أنت لي حاليه

O you whose neck is bare of jewels,

in every state you are adorned to me.

هل عهد انس بيننا في اللوى

في الفكر أم أنت له ناسيه

Is our time of intimacy at al-Liwā

in your thoughts, or have you forgotten it?

وهل أرى عندك من رحمة

لي أم على طول النوى ناويه

And shall I find any mercy in you

for me, or are you intent on prolonged separation?

من لي بلقياك ولو انني

أرى بها اشياءَ لي شاويه

Who will grant me a meeting with you, even if I

see in it things that scorch me?

جفناك يا وبل الحشا منهما

مضارعان النصلة الماضيه

Your eyelids—oh, their torrent upon the heart—

are like a keen blade.

وقدك العسال كم طعنةٍ

من صدره في كبدي كاويه

And your swaying stature—how many a thrust

from its breast has scorched my liver!

وخالك النقطة من عنبر

له فعال النقطة الغاشيه

And your beauty mark, a dot of ambergris,

has the effect of a fit that makes one swoon.

ما ضر لو زرت على غفلة

جنح الدجى كالنجمة الساريه

What harm would there be if you visited unannounced

under cover of darkness, like a star traveling by night,

ودرت في داري ولو ساعة

حاملة الكأس ولي ساقيه

and went about my house, if only for an hour,

carrying the cup and pouring for me,

حتى اراني واحداً في الورى

كانني ذو الرتبة الثانية

so that I might see myself unique among mankind,

as though I held the second rank?

فذاك ابراهيم من قد سما

إلى العلا بالهمة العاليه

For that is Ibrahim, who has risen

to eminence through lofty resolve.

انا نهنيه وان الهنا

لنا به والنعمة الوافيه

Indeed, we congratulate him, and the joy

is ours through him, along with abundant blessing.

إذا مدحناه نرى مدحه

كقولنا ان السما ساميه

When we praise him, we see that praising him

is like our saying that the sky is high.

لكننا شكراً لمعروفه

نذكر من أوصافه الزاهيه

But, in gratitude for his kindness,

we mention some of his splendid qualities.

غالية أوصافه عندنا

ازكى من العنبر والغاليه

His qualities are precious to us,

more fragrant than ambergris and ghāliyah perfume.

تحققت فيه المعالي فما

يلقى المغالي مدحة لاغيه

Lofty virtues are embodied in him, so

even an extravagant praiser finds no praise unfounded.

ان لم يكن فيه سوى نسبة

إلى أب له تكن كافيه

If he had nothing but his descent

from his father, that would suffice.

لكن له نفس كل العلا

من طارف أو تالد حأويه

Yet he has a soul encompassing all glory,

whether newly acquired or inherited.

فجوده يتلو لنا بشره

كالبرق قبل الديمة الهاميه

Thus his bounty follows his cheerful welcome to us,

as lightning precedes the steady pouring rain.

وحفظه للود ذو شهرة

يصحبه بنية صافيه

And his fidelity in friendship is renowned;

he accompanies it with pure intent.

لا زال في أوج العلا كاملاً

كالبدر لا تعدو له عاديه

May he remain perfect at the summit of glory,

like the full moon; may no calamity assail him.