يا عاذراً لامرئٍ قد هام في الحضر

يا عاذراً لامرئٍ قد هام في الحضر

وعاذلاً لمحبّ البدو والقفر

وعاذلاً لمحبّ البدو والقفر

O you who excuse a man enamored of settled life,

O you who reproach a man who is infatuated in settled areas,

O you who make excuses for one enamored with city life, yet blame the lover of the desert and the wild lands,

and reproach a lover of nomad life and wilderness,

And blame the lover of deserts and wilderness,

Do not disparage dwellings whose loads are light, while praising homes made of mud and stone.

لا تذممنّ بيوتاً خفّ محملها

لا تذممنّ بيوتاً خفّ محملها

وتمدحنّ بيوت الطين والحجر

وتمدحنّ بيوت الطين والحجر

do not condemn dwellings that are light to carry,

Do not condemn lightly loaded houses,

If you knew what lies within the desert, you would excuse me; but you are ignorant, and ignorance brings great harm.

while praising houses of mud and stone.

And praise houses of clay and stone.

Or had you awakened in the Sahara, ascending a carpet of sand where pebbles shine like pearls,

لو كنت تعلم ما في البدو تعذرني

لو كنت تعلم ما في البدو تعذرني

لكن جهلت وكم في الجهل من ضرر

لكن جهلت وكم في الجهل من ضرر

If you knew what nomad life holds, you would excuse me;

If you knew what troubles me in the desert,

Or roamed through a meadow whose vista delights, teeming with every beautiful, fragrant hue,

yet you were ignorant—and how much harm lies in ignorance!

But you were ignorant and how much harm there is in ignorance,

Inhaling a breeze so pure to the breath, reviving the spirit, untainted by filth,

أو كنتَ أصبحت في الصحراء مرتقياً

أو كنتَ أصبحت في الصحراء مرتقياً

بساط رملٍ به الحصباء كالدرر

بساط رملٍ به الحصباء كالدرر

Or had you awoken in the desert, ascending

Or you would wake up in the morning in the desert

Or had you, at the dawn following a night of pouring rain, climbed a high lookout or cast your gaze about,

a carpet of sand, its pebbles like pearls;

On a sandy carpet strewn with pebbles like pearls,

You would see, across every expanse of its plains, herds of wild game grazing on the finest shrubs.

أو جلتَ في روضةٍ قد راق منظرها

أو جلتَ في روضةٍ قد راق منظرها

بكل لونٍ جميل شيّق عطر

بكل لونٍ جميل شيّق عطر

or roamed through a meadow whose view delighted,

Or you would wander in a meadow with a pleasant scene

Oh, what a moment! It leaves no trace of sorrow in a weary heart, nor burden for the distressed.

with every beautiful, enchanting, fragrant hue,

With every beautiful, fascinating, fragrant color,

At times we set out early to ambush the hunt, keeping the prey in constant terror of us.

تستنشقنّ نسيماً طاب منتشقاً

تستنشقنّ نسيماً طاب منتشقاً

يزيد في الروح لم يمرر على قذَر

يزيد في الروح لم يمرر على قذَر

you would surely inhale a breeze sweet to breathe,

You inhale a gentle breeze, smelling sweet,

How often we have overtaken the ostrich in its stride, even if it were to fly through the air like a hawk.

that enlivens the spirit, having passed over no filth;

Increasing joy in the soul, never passing anything rotten.

On the day of departure, when our howdahs are fastened, they resemble anemones bathed in rain clouds.

أو كنت في صبح ليل هاج هاتنه

أو كنت في صبح ليل هاج هاتنه

علوت في مرقبٍ أو جلت بالنظر

علوت في مرقبٍ أو جلت بالنظر

or had you, at dawn after a night whose downpour raged,

Or you were on a passionate night

Within them are maidens who have fashioned small windows, stitched with the gaze of wide, lovely eyes.

climbed a lookout or let your gaze roam,

At the top of a watchtower or wandering with sight,

The camel drivers march, chanting a song behind them sweeter than the flute, the dulcimer, or the lute.

رأيت في كلّ وجهٍ من بسائطها

رأيت في كلّ وجهٍ من بسائطها

سرباً من الوحش يرعى أطيب الشجر

سرباً من الوحش يرعى أطيب الشجر

you would see in every direction across its plains

You would see in every part of its plain,

While we, atop noble steeds, gallop them forward, their saddle-cloths adorning their flanks and croups.

a herd of wild beasts browsing the finest trees.

A flock of beasts grazing the most delicious trees.

We chase the wild game and overtake the gazelles from afar, for nothing escapes our lean, swift mounts.

فيا لها وقفة لم تبق من حزن

فيا لها وقفة لم تبق من حزن

في قلب مضنى ولا كدّا لذي ضجر

في قلب مضنى ولا كدّا لذي ضجر

Oh, what a pause, leaving no sorrow

Oh what a standstill, no sadness remains

We return to the tribe at nightfall after they have settled in encampments unstained by any filth.

in a sufferer's heart, nor weariness for one distressed!

In the heart of the distressed, nor worry for the bored.

Their soil is musk—nay, even purer—blessed by the pouring rain clouds at dusk and at dawn.

نباكرُ الصيد أحيانا فنبغته

نباكرُ الصيد أحيانا فنبغته

فالصيد منّا مدى الأوقات في ذعر

فالصيد منّا مدى الأوقات في ذعر

Sometimes we hunt at dawn, taking the game by surprise;

We hunt sometimes excelling,

We find the tents pitched in rows, appearing like the heavens adorned with bright, shining stars.

so game is always in terror of us.

For hunting is ours most of the time in alarm.

The ancients spoke a truth confirmed by both tradition and reason, for the truth remains unchanged:

فكم ظلمنا ظليما في نعامته

فكم ظلمنا ظليما في نعامته

وإن يكن طائراً في الجو كالصقر

وإن يكن طائراً في الجو كالصقر

How often we have wronged a male ostrich beside his hen,

How unjust we were to the oppressed,

Splendor reveals its true beauty in two types of 'houses': the house of verse, and the house of hair.

even if he were flying through the air like a falcon.

Be it a bird in the sky like an eagle.

When our flocks return in the evening, you would mistake their lowing for the rumble of thunder before dawn.

يوم الرحيل إذا شدّت هوادجنا

يوم الرحيل إذا شدّت هوادجنا

شقائق عمّها مزنٌ من المطر

شقائق عمّها مزنٌ من المطر

On departure day, when our howdahs are strapped on,

On the day of departure, when our litters were loaded,

They are the ships of the desert—safer for the rider than the ships of the sea, which are fraught with peril.

they are anemones drenched by clouds of rain.

Hyacinths covered them with drizzling rain.

We possess Mahari camels whose speed the gazelle cannot match; through them and our horses, we claim every glory.

فيها العذارى وفيها قد جعلن كوىً

فيها العذارى وفيها قد جعلن كوىً

مرقعاتٍ بأحداقٍ من الحور

مرقعاتٍ بأحداقٍ من الحور

Within them are maidens, and there they have made windows,

In them are maidens, and they made camps

Our steeds are forever saddled for war; whoever seeks our aid, give him the glad tidings of victory.

patched with the eyes of dark-eyed beauties.

With pillows and languorous eyed houries.

We are the true kings, so compare no one to us; for what life is there for one who lives under another's guard?

تمشي الحداة لها من خلفها زجلٌ

تمشي الحداة لها من خلفها زجلٌ

أشهى من الناي والسنطير والوتر

أشهى من الناي والسنطير والوتر

The camel-drivers walk behind them, chanting aloud,

The lutes walk behind them, more delicious than flute, zither and strings

We bear no injustice; if one oppresses, we abandon him and his land, for all honor lies in journeying.

sweeter than flute, dulcimer, and strings.

While we on horses race them,

And if a neighbor sours his companionship with us, we depart from him, neither harming nor suffering harm.

ونحن فوقَ جياد الخيل نركضها

ونحن فوقَ جياد الخيل نركضها

شليلها زينة الأكفال والخصر

شليلها زينة الأكفال والخصر

And we ride atop noble horses, urging them to gallop,

Swaying their anklets and waist.

We pass the night with the fire of hospitality visible to the traveler, holding the cure for both hunger and biting cold.

their saddlecloths adorning their rumps and waists.

We chase beasts and gazelles catching up with them

Our enemy finds no refuge nor shelter, while we possess the swift chargers of conquest and triumph.

نطارد الوحش والغزلان نلحقها

نطارد الوحش والغزلان نلحقها

على البعاد وما تنجو من الضمر

على البعاد وما تنجو من الضمر

We chase wild beasts and gazelles, overtaking them

From afar, and none escapes from our pursuit.

Their drink is pure milk, unmixed with water; and truly, the milk of camels is unlike that of cows.

however far away; they cannot escape the lean steeds.

We go to encamp after they alight

We are ever distributing the spoils of our enemies, dividing them with justice and fair measure.

نروح للحيّليلا بعدما نزلوا

نروح للحيّليلا بعدما نزلوا

منازلاً ما بها لطخٌ من الوضر

منازلاً ما بها لطخٌ من الوضر

We return to the camp at night, after they have settled

In places without any trace of harm.

There is no flaw in the Bedouin life to be scorned, save for its excess of chivalry and boundless generosity.

in campsites without a stain of grime.

Its soil is musk, even purer, shooting

The health of the body therein is undeniable, while infirmity and disease are confined to the city.

ترابها المسك بل أنقى وجاد بها

ترابها المسك بل أنقى وجاد بها

صوب الغمائم بالآصال والبكر

صوب الغمائم بالآصال والبكر

Their dust is musk—purer still—and they are lavishly watered

Towards clouds with spikes and first rain.

He who does not die by the spear among us lives long, for we are the longest-lived of God's creation.

by clouds' downpours at evening and dawn.

We pitch tents lined up thereby becoming

نلقى الخيام وقد صفّت بها فغدت

نلقى الخيام وقد صفّت بها فغدت

مثل السماء زهت بالأنجم الزهر

مثل السماء زهت بالأنجم الزهر

We find the tents arrayed there, and they have become

Like the sky studded with sparkling stars.

like the sky, resplendent with shining stars.

The wise one said they have passed genuinely

قال الألى قد مضوا قولا يصدّقه

قال الألى قد مضوا قولا يصدّقه

نقلٌ وعقلٌ وما للحق من غير

نقلٌ وعقلٌ وما للحق من غير

Those who have gone before spoke a saying confirmed

In speech, conveyance and mind, and the truth has no other.

by tradition and reason; truth is unchanging:

Beauty shows its brilliance in two verses

الحسن يظهر في بيتين رونقه

الحسن يظهر في بيتين رونقه

بيتٌ من الشعرِ أو بيتٌ من الشعَر

بيتٌ من الشعرِ أو بيتٌ من الشعَر

Beauty reveals its splendor in two kinds of 'house':

A verse of poetry or a house of hair.

a verse of poetry, or a tent of hair.

When our cattle return at night, their voices

أنعامنا إن أتت عند العشيّ تخل

أنعامنا إن أتت عند العشيّ تخل

أصواتها كدويّ الرعد بالسحر

أصواتها كدويّ الرعد بالسحر

When our livestock come in at evening, you would think

Sound like thunder in the stillness of dark.

their voices were like thunder's rumble before dawn.

Ships of land but safer for their rider

سفائن البرّ بل أنجى لراكبها

سفائن البرّ بل أنجى لراكبها

سفائن البحر كم فيها من الخطر

سفائن البحر كم فيها من الخطر

Ships of the land—indeed safer for their riders

Than ships at sea, how much danger lies therein.

than ships of the sea: how much peril those hold!

To us belong the fillies, nothing matches their speed,

لنا المهارى وما للريم سرعتها

لنا المهارى وما للريم سرعتها

بها وبالخيل نلنا كل مفتخر

بها وبالخيل نلنا كل مفتخر

Ours are Mahri camels; no gazelle has their speed.

With them and horses we surpass all pride.

With them and with horses, we have won every glory.

Our steeds are always adorned for war.

فخيلنا دائما للحرب مسرجةٌ

فخيلنا دائما للحرب مسرجةٌ

من استغاث بنا بشّره بالظفر

من استغاث بنا بشّره بالظفر

So our horses are always saddled for war;

Whoever calls upon us, give him good tidings of victory.

whoever calls on us for help—give him glad tidings of victory.

We are kings so match none with us

نحن الملوك فلا تعدل بنا أحداً

نحن الملوك فلا تعدل بنا أحداً

وأيّ عيشٍ لمن قد بات في خفر

وأيّ عيشٍ لمن قد بات في خفر

We are kings; compare no one with us;

And what living is there for one who spent night standing guard?

and what life is there for one who sleeps under protection?

We do not bear grudges against a neighbor, leaving

لا نحمل الضيم ممن جار نتركه

لا نحمل الضيم ممن جار نتركه

وأرضه وجيمع العزّ في السفر

وأرضه وجيمع العزّ في السفر

We bear no injustice from an oppressor; we leave him

Him and his land while honor gathers on travel.

and his land; all honor lies in travel.

If a neighbor does evil, his company

وإن أساء علينا الجار عشرته

وإن أساء علينا الجار عشرته

نبين عنه بلا ضرٍّ ولا ضرَر

نبين عنه بلا ضرٍّ ولا ضرَر

And if a neighbor ill-treats us in his dealings,

We shun without harm or penalty.

we part from him without harm or injury.

We pass villages, their fires appear at night to our visitors

نبيت نار القرى تبدو لطارقتنا

نبيت نار القرى تبدو لطارقتنا

فيها المداواة من جوع ومن خصر

فيها المداواة من جوع ومن خصر

We pass the night with hospitality's fire shining for our night visitors;

Therein relief from hunger and privation.

in it is relief from hunger and from cold.

Our enemy has no refuge or burden

عدوّنا ما له ملجا ولا وزرٌ

عدوّنا ما له ملجا ولا وزرٌ

وعندنا عاديات السبق والظفر

وعندنا عاديات السبق والظفر

Our enemy has neither refuge nor shelter,

While with us are racers of outstrip and victory.

and ours are steeds that race ahead and win.

Its drink is from milk, nothing mixes with it,

شرابها من حليبٍ ما يخالطه

شرابها من حليبٍ ما يخالطه

ماء وليس حليب النوق كالبقر

ماء وليس حليب النوق كالبقر

Their drink is milk, unmixed

Not the milk of she-camels like cows.

with water; the milk of she-camels is not like cows' milk.

Properties of enemies every while

أموال أعدائنا في كلّ آونة

أموال أعدائنا في كلّ آونة

نقضي بقسمتها بالعدل والقدر

نقضي بقسمتها بالعدل والقدر

Our enemies' wealth, on every occasion,

We dispense dividing justly by share.

we decree to be divided with justice and due measure.

No defect in nomadism to blame it

ما في البداوة من عيب تذمّ به

ما في البداوة من عيب تذمّ به

إلّا المروءة والإحسان بالبدرِ

إلّا المروءة والإحسان بالبدرِ

There is no fault in nomad life for which to censure it,

Except honor and charity like the full moon.

except noble character and generosity by the purseful.

Bodily health therein is not hidden

وصحّة الجسم فيها غير خافيةٍ

وصحّة الجسم فيها غير خافيةٍ

والعيب والداء مقصورٌ على الحضَر

والعيب والداء مقصورٌ على الحضَر

And bodily health there is plain to see,

While defect and disease confined to settlements.

while infirmity and disease are confined to settled folk.

Whoever did not die by our spears, lived to the end

من لم يمت عندنا بالطعن عاش مدى

من لم يمت عندنا بالطعن عاش مدى

فنحن أطول خلق اللَه في العمر

فنحن أطول خلق اللَه في العمر

Whoever among us does not die by spear-thrust lives for ages;

For we are God’s longest living creatures.

for we are the longest-lived of God's creatures.