1. Are they whitened eyelids, or is the white of eyelids?
Your beauty leaves no trace on a grieving heart.

2. Swords of lovers that slay the passionate,
And other swords of horsemen just the same.

3. We passed by al-Nu'man, and fragrance still
comes from Nu'man's belly folds until next year.

4. It sailed among the meadow’s greenery, sailed
like boughs that bent into the leaves an arm.

5. The rose of cheeks shone radiantly,
while close behind, the prickly pear was to blame.

6. Nothing compares to my days in Udhayb and
when I looked, the far-off lightning began.

7. I yearned for her among an Arab tribe-
youths grew mustaches, start of manliness.

8. How many times we were teased by a flirt
who leaned toward us, by a frisky gazelle.

9. Those times are gone, vanished
like tracks time’s hooves have trampled and dispersed.

10. Of Layla at dawn naught remains for my eyes
but ruins - if I visit, the brambles stir grief in me.

11. So, greet the valley of al-Dawm, Juayrah’s camp,
though it’s deserted, no riders stop anymore.

12. I stood there one morn, calling out to my friends,
reciting my poems, my love songs as well.

13. And when I made out the abandoned abodes,
longing gripped me - I recalled bygone days and friends.

14. Those days have passed, and they left me, so I said
in regret: “Stop, let us weep for people and days of old.”

15. Remembrance of loved ones crept up on me at night
and the night halted, confused, on the horizons.

16. It deprived me of sleep - while still dark, lightning
kindled fires, awakening sorrows in me.

17. Three eyelids, yet a single fold contains
but two others apart from each other.

18. I imagine the grey hair seems, in the gloom,
to be my eyelids, fastened to them.

19. I looked at the faint lightning as though it were
whispers between a secret and open proclamation.

20. It stayed the night with me, and gloom wrapped it
like the darkness covers what isn’t bright.

21. It has a brow where teardrops form a brow,
and a cheek - one cheek next to another cheek, and two eyes.

22. Go give my greetings to Sulaymah where she dwells
and see what answers you get, you two.

23. By the signet when she shows her face, a knot on her brow
and on her lip, two knots.

24. She sealed me off from all who look on,
though I wasn’t made guardian of concealed secrets.

25. With the seal of her lips - its gemstone from Yemen,
inscribed with two lines of pearls.

26. When she kissed my eyes she said: “For others,
seeing me again is forbidden until we meet.”

27. So I said: “Make it brief, O daughter of ‘Amr, shorten it,
for your love has totally absorbed me.”

28. A seal on my eyes, not a heart in my breast,
I’m no guardian of what’s in your possession.

29. She said: “May God spare you from one who travels,
whom passion detains with me, and longing.”

30. Maybe travel will wear you out, and you’ll pasture
far away, though enticed by vicinity of me.

31. How many a gazer from a distant place
looked here without a second glance.

32. Enough sorrow! Do not persist
in renewing memories of me and loved ones, forgetting me.

33. You came to me from the far end of town, arriving
by night while my friends were east in al-Baghdad.

34. I wiped my eyes in doubt when I saw you -
my eyelids were not halfway open or fully awake.

35. Even if my enemies ally against me,
it’s but because of the cowardice of my supporters.

36. What saddened me, O maiden folk, is that
I called on my brethren and traitors answered.

37. I didn’t call an intimate for friendship, and he responded,
nor did I want a boon companion, and he gratified me.

38. Oh, would that I hadn’t known what time and fate are!
For I dislike my knowledge of time and people.

39. I stayed up late, drunk on remembering traitors,
and regret filled me with twofold regret.

40. I resort to resolve - when it’s firm, its firmness
enriches me, beyond needing supporters.

41. I pardon my brethren all offence
and take revenge on my peers if I desire.

42. I don’t wish for the death and loss of my foe
as the two sons of Qanan and Turan once did.

43. But by God, I will defend what’s right,
protect from slander and take my due from slanderers.

44. Days keep expressing wonder
at my status in life, what I can and cannot do.

45. I lied not - my honor is great,
my faith secure, and lack of money no disgrace.

46. My sayings stand forever, glory bears witness,
necklaces on necks and earrings on ears.

47. The kingdom of merit - if I made my integrity
its minister, contentment its sultan.

48. So sheltering shade came my way, ennobling me.
Gifts reached me, enriching me.

49. For my lowly wants, I didn’t gather provision,
while the sons of fate sank into misery and deprivation.

50. I found myself among folk
who tested me, so time fully tested me.

51. To them, the abode of the noble
is like the sun’s rays cast on the eyes of the blind.

52. A promise came but its arrival lagged behind,
wasting my moments and homelands for me.

53. I have a defense - its conclusion
came at the Pilgrimage with the world's people in two days.

54. Its nights were long for me,
passing by one who complained of fate and humiliation.

55. When the promised time ended,
I knew that its lengthy duration knit two ends together.

56. Blame none but those who waste
their days on other than earnestness or play.

57. I say, as night’s slaughter turns the horizon red one eve,
its upper lip appears circled by snakes.

58. Are they glimmering mirror shapes in its veil,
or a crescent moon gleaming for the onlooker?

59. Or has the revolving sphere now adorned itself
with the last letter of Uthman’s name?

60. A prince forever mounted on celestial spheres and steeds -
branded with lights and branded with fires.

61. A sovereign before whom time halts,
submitter to his every piercing spear.

62. If not for the sun of kings' radiance and generosity,
no tribe would shake the pillars of Kieran's land.

63. By him the glorious state grew luminous -
so, the singers never lost their tunes.

64. A prince, the difference between people and him
is that between blasphemy and faith.

65. His palm was created for only two things:
withholding goodness, or granting goodness.

66. Yemen's praise doesn't vie with my praise of his glory
like Hassan's praise of Ghassan's possessions.

67. None linked roar to sword sheathed
or to two unsheathed swords, as I did for his valor.

68. He has a past of strength and excellence,
swords prepared to feed warriors' spears.

69. No lion had we seen before seeing him
brandishing canines in his grip for horns.

70. I say to someone irked standing in the shade of trees,
intruder between a lion cub and its rage:

71. Don't provoke him from contentment, enemies,
or embarrass him - he and fate are equals.

72. With lofty ambitions he guides to ascendancy,
awake, generous, open-handed, felicitous.

73. In the spear-thrust, the ship of hope survives
when the days' tribulations bring a deluge.

74. A departing guest pleases him as though
he were a loved one come after estrangement.

75. Most truly slandered by one who withers is he
when to the steeds he extends the spear between ears.

76. In every strike his heart bears
spear-points that rival pythons in length.

77. O you when strayed among folk
and my hopes rested in your palms bringing solace.

78. When a year's days are reviewed, you make
feasts for me while people get but two feasts.

79. Since the eye of night was created and opened
to people, none bound me as you did to another.

80. Among the Abbasids you hold centre place,
as though you were the Sacred House ringed by cornerstones.

81. Yours is bounty. You are munificence and its rain,
while I have fetters - so rain on the thirsty ground.

82. And your like doesn't buy a poet's praise
or a prosodist's, but with amplest prices.

83. Thus your register is never devoid of my livelihood,
while you all are kings whose praise fills a register.

84. You remain eternal in the shade of a state,
glory renewed perpetually with the new.