أَقفَرَ مِن أَهلِهِ مَلحوبُ

أَقفَرَ مِن أَهلِهِ مَلحوبُ

فَالقُطَبِيّاتُ فَالذَنوبُ

فَالقُطَبِيّاتُ فَالذَنوبُ

Malhub lies deserted of its people,

Abandoned by its people, Malhoub lies desolate

And al-Qutabiyyat, and al-Dhanub,

The wintry stars above it, the sins below

فَراكِسٌ فَثُعَيلِباتٌ

فَراكِسٌ فَثُعَيلِباتٌ

فَذاتُ فِرقَينِ فَالقَليبُ

فَذاتُ فِرقَينِ فَالقَليبُ

And Rakis, and Thu'aylibat,

With camels kneeling, gazelles resting

And Dhat Firqayn, and al-Qalib,

Groups of does, and fawns leaping to and fro

فَعَردَةٌ فَقَفا حِبِرٍّ

فَعَردَةٌ فَقَفا حِبِرٍّ

لَيسَ بِها مِنهُمُ عَريبُ

لَيسَ بِها مِنهُمُ عَريبُ

And 'Ardah, and the rear of Hibirr:

A barren desert, rough terrain left behind

Not a single soul of them is there.

Not one Arab remains, they have all had to go

إِن بُدِّلَت أَهلُها وُحوشاً

إِن بُدِّلَت أَهلُها وُحوشاً

وَغَيَّرَت حالَها الخُطوبُ

وَغَيَّرَت حالَها الخُطوبُ

If its people have been replaced by wild beasts,

If its people are replaced with beasts

And calamities have changed its state—

And disaster has changed its fortunes and woe

أَرضٌ تَوارَثُها شُعوبُ

أَرضٌ تَوارَثُها شُعوبُ

وَكُلُّ مَن حَلَّها مَحروبُ

وَكُلُّ مَن حَلَّها مَحروبُ

A land that peoples inherit in succession,

A land successive nations have inherited

And everyone who settles there is despoiled,

Each one who enters is opposed by a foe

إِمّا قَتيلاً وَإِمّا هالِكاً

إِمّا قَتيلاً وَإِمّا هالِكاً

وَالشَيبُ شَينٌ لِمَن يَشيبُ

وَالشَيبُ شَينٌ لِمَن يَشيبُ

Either slain or perishing;

Either killed or destroyed

And gray hair is a blemish on whoever grows gray.

And gray hair is disgrace for him with locks snow

عَيناكَ دَمعُهُما سَروبُ

عَيناكَ دَمعُهُما سَروبُ

كَأَنَّ شَأنَيهِما شَعيبُ

كَأَنَّ شَأنَيهِما شَعيبُ

The tears of your two eyes stream freely,

Your eyes, their tears like a flood

As though their tear-ducts were a waterskin,

As if their condition causes you grief and foreboding

واهِيَةٌ أَو مَعينٌ مُمعِنٌ

واهِيَةٌ أَو مَعينٌ مُمعِنٌ

أَو هَضبَةٌ دونَها لُهوبُ

أَو هَضبَةٌ دونَها لُهوبُ

Leaking, or a spring flowing far,

A desert plain or a surging spring

Or a downpour with ravines beneath it,

A hill beyond it with flashes of lightning aglow

أَو فَلَجٌ ما بِبَطنِ وادٍ

أَو فَلَجٌ ما بِبَطنِ وادٍ

لِلماءِ مِن بَينِهِ سُكوبُ

لِلماءِ مِن بَينِهِ سُكوبُ

Or some watercourse in a valley's bed,

Or a hollow between valleys holding water

With water pouring from its midst,

With streams flowing beneath as it ebbs to and fro

أَو جَدوَلٌ في ظِلالِ نَخلٍ

أَو جَدوَلٌ في ظِلالِ نَخلٍ

لِلماءِ مِن تَحتِهِ قَسيبُ

لِلماءِ مِن تَحتِهِ قَسيبُ

Or a brook in the shade of palms,

Or a brook amid palm tree shade

With water murmuring beneath it.

With water trickling below it soft and slow

تَصبو فَأَنّى لَكَ التَصابي

تَصبو فَأَنّى لَكَ التَصابي

أَنّى وَقَد راعَكَ المَشيبُ

أَنّى وَقَد راعَكَ المَشيبُ

You feel youthful longing—but how can you play the youth?

You cry out, but how can there be a response?

How, when gray hair has already alarmed you?

When old age has overtaken you, stifled and low

إِن تَكُ حالَت وَحُوِّلَ أَهلُها

إِن تَكُ حالَت وَحُوِّلَ أَهلُها

فَلا بَديءٌ وَلا عَجيبُ

فَلا بَديءٌ وَلا عَجيبُ

If it has changed and its people have been displaced,

If its state is transformed and its people changed

That is neither new nor strange;

There is nothing novel or strange in this ebb and flow

أَو يَكُ أَقفَرَ مِنها جَوُّها

أَو يَكُ أَقفَرَ مِنها جَوُّها

وَعادَها المَحلُ وَالجُدوبُ

وَعادَها المَحلُ وَالجُدوبُ

Or if its interior has become desolate,

Or if its air is left vacant

And drought and barrenness have visited it—

As desolation and decay return anew

فَكُلُّ ذي نِعمَةٍ مَخلوسٌ

فَكُلُّ ذي نِعمَةٍ مَخلوسٌ

وَكُلُّ ذي أَمَلٍ مَكذوبُ

وَكُلُّ ذي أَمَلٍ مَكذوبُ

For every possessor of bounty is despoiled,

Then all who enjoyed bounty are now destitute

And every bearer of hope is disappointed,

And every hopeful one is denied and laid low

وَكُلُّ ذي إِبِلٍ مَوروثٌ

وَكُلُّ ذي إِبِلٍ مَوروثٌ

وَكُلُّ ذي سَلَبٍ مَسلوبُ

وَكُلُّ ذي سَلَبٍ مَسلوبُ

And every camel-owner will leave his herd to heirs,

All owners of camels inherit but beasts

And every possessor of spoils is despoiled.

And every looted one is plundered of what they owe

وَكُلُّ ذي غَيبَةٍ يَؤوبُ

وَكُلُّ ذي غَيبَةٍ يَؤوبُ

وَغائِبُ المَوتِ لا يَؤوبُ

وَغائِبُ المَوتِ لا يَؤوبُ

And everyone who goes away returns,

All who are absent will eventually return

But whoever is absent in death does not return.

Except those dead who will never come back from below

أَعاقِرٌ مِثلُ ذاتِ رِحمٍ

أَعاقِرٌ مِثلُ ذاتِ رِحمٍ

أَم غَنِمٌ مِثلُ مَن يَخيبُ

أَم غَنِمٌ مِثلُ مَن يَخيبُ

Is a barren woman like one who bears children,

Is it like a barren woman or a fertile womb?

Or one who prospers like one who fails?

Or sheep gone astray, unlike one with a shepherd close?

أَفلِح بِما شِئتَ فَقَد يُبلَغُ بِال

أَفلِح بِما شِئتَ فَقَد يُبلَغُ بِال

ضَعفِ وَقَد يُخدَعُ الأَريبُ

ضَعفِ وَقَد يُخدَعُ الأَريبُ

Succeed however you wish: the goal is sometimes reached through

You may succeed as you wish, but weakness can frustrate

Weakness, and sometimes the shrewd man is deceived.

And the wary one is sometimes duped by the clever foe

لا يَعِظُ الناسُ مَن لَم يَعِظِ ال

لا يَعِظُ الناسُ مَن لَم يَعِظِ ال

دَهرُ وَلا يَنفَعُ التَلبيبُ

دَهرُ وَلا يَنفَعُ التَلبيبُ

People cannot admonish one not admonished by

People are not admonished unless fate admonishes them

Time; nor does imparting wisdom help—

And blaming brings no benefit or balm for their woes

إِلّا سَجِيّاتِ ما القُلوبِ

إِلّا سَجِيّاتِ ما القُلوبِ

وَكَم يَصيرَنَّ شانِئاً حَبيبُ

وَكَم يَصيرَنَّ شانِئاً حَبيبُ

Only the hearts' innate dispositions do.

Except for resolute hearts unwilling to bend or change

And how often a beloved friend becomes a hater!

And how many a loved one later becomes a bitter foe?

ساعِد بِأَرضٍ إِذا كُنتَ بِها

ساعِد بِأَرضٍ إِذا كُنتَ بِها

وَلا تَقُل إِنَّني غَريبُ

وَلا تَقُل إِنَّني غَريبُ

Cooperate in a land when you are there,

Help those in a land where you reside

And do not say, 'I am a stranger.'

And say not: “I am a stranger kept far from those I know.”

قَد يوصَلُ النازِحُ النائي وَقَد

قَد يوصَلُ النازِحُ النائي وَقَد

يُقطَعُ ذو السُهمَةِ القَريبُ

يُقطَعُ ذو السُهمَةِ القَريبُ

The far-removed, distant man may be befriended, while

An outcast far away may be reunited, while

The close kinsman may be cut off.

One near is severed, though his hopes were high before

مَن يَسَلِ الناسَ يَحرِموهُ

مَن يَسَلِ الناسَ يَحرِموهُ

وَسائِلُ اللَهِ لا يَخيبُ

وَسائِلُ اللَهِ لا يَخيبُ

Whoever asks people, they deny him,

If you ask people, they may forbid you,

But whoever asks God is not disappointed.

But asking God, you will never be denied or left empty-handed, no

وَالمَرءُ ما عاشَ في تَكذيبٍ

وَالمَرءُ ما عاشَ في تَكذيبٍ

طولُ الحَياةِ لَهُ تَعذيبُ

طولُ الحَياةِ لَهُ تَعذيبُ

And a man, as long as he lives, sees his hopes belied;

As long as one lives embroiled in lies

Long life is torment for him.

Life for him is torture, anguish and heavy woe

بَل رُبَّ ماءٍ وَرَدتُ آجِنٍ

بَل رُبَّ ماءٍ وَرَدتُ آجِنٍ

سَبيلُهُ خائِفٌ جَديبُ

سَبيلُهُ خائِفٌ جَديبُ

But many a stagnant waterhole have I reached,

Nay, but I have oft reached meadows, traveling

Its approach perilous and barren.

While my camel, fearing highway thieves, plodded careful and slow

ريشُ الحَمامِ عَلى أَرجائِهِ

ريشُ الحَمامِ عَلى أَرجائِهِ

لِلقَلبِ مِن خَوفِهِ وَجيبُ

لِلقَلبِ مِن خَوفِهِ وَجيبُ

Dove feathers lie along its edges;

Its feathers trembling and fluttering all over

The heart throbs with fear of it.

From a heart afraid and filled with dread of the foe

قَطَعتُهُ غُدوَةً مُشيحاً

قَطَعتُهُ غُدوَةً مُشيحاً

وَصاحِبي بادِنٌ خَبوبُ

وَصاحِبي بادِنٌ خَبوبُ

I crossed it at daybreak, alert,

One dawn, traveling briskly, my companion wise

And my companion was stout, a brisk trotter:

My camel delicate, gentle and following close

عَيرانَةٌ مُؤجَدٌ فَقارُها

عَيرانَةٌ مُؤجَدٌ فَقارُها

كَأَنَّ حارِكَها كَثيبُ

كَأَنَّ حارِكَها كَثيبُ

A sturdy she-camel, her spine strongly built,

An ugly train, its saddlebags sagging

As though her withers were a dune.

As if its driver were an unsteady, drunk dromedary unforeknowing

أَخلَفَ ما بازِلاً سَديسُها

أَخلَفَ ما بازِلاً سَديسُها

لا حِقَّةٌ هِي وَلا نَيوبُ

لا حِقَّةٌ هِي وَلا نَيوبُ

Her sixth tooth has given way; she is fully mature,

Its litter tossed aside, neither stately nor elegant

She is neither a young she-camel nor an old one.

No embellishment there, nor adornment for a show

كَأَنَّها مِن حَميرِ غابٍ

كَأَنَّها مِن حَميرِ غابٍ

جَونٌ بِصَفحَتِهِ نُدوبُ

جَونٌ بِصَفحَتِهِ نُدوبُ

As though she were one of Ghab's wild asses:

As if it were wild donkeys’ foals

A dark one, its flank marked with scars,

Faces scarred, bearing the marks of brands to and fro

أَو شَبَبٌ يَحفِرُ الرُخامى

أَو شَبَبٌ يَحفِرُ الرُخامى

تَلُفُّهُ شَمأَلٌ هُبوبُ

تَلُفُّهُ شَمأَلٌ هُبوبُ

Or a full-grown wild bull digging up rukhama,

Or youths digging into marble

A gusting north wind wrapping around him.

Blown about by gusts of wind that wildly blow

فَذاكَ عَصرٌ وَقَد أَراني

فَذاكَ عَصرٌ وَقَد أَراني

تَحمِلُني نَهدَةٌ سُرحوبُ

تَحمِلُني نَهدَةٌ سُرحوبُ

That was one time; I have also seen myself

That was an era that saw me carried

Carried by a powerful, long-limbed mare,

By a she-camel, striding surefooted and strong in her prime, aglow

مُضَبَّرٌ خَلقُها تَضبيراً

مُضَبَّرٌ خَلقُها تَضبيراً

يَنشَقُّ عَن وَجهِها السَبيبُ

يَنشَقُّ عَن وَجهِها السَبيبُ

Her frame firmly and compactly knit,

Her face veiled, shrouded completely

Her long forelock parting from her face,

Her plaits parted, the locks falling to and fro

زَيتِيَّةٌ ناعِمٌ عُروقُها

زَيتِيَّةٌ ناعِمٌ عُروقُها

وَلَيِّنٌ أَسرُها رَطيبُ

وَلَيِّنٌ أَسرُها رَطيبُ

Glossy as oil, her sinews supple,

Smooth, supple were her limbs

And her frame pliant and supple.

Gentle her gait, graceful and pleasing to behold

كَأَنَّها لِقوَةٌ طَلوبُ

كَأَنَّها لِقوَةٌ طَلوبُ

تُخزَنُ في وَكرِها القُلوبُ

تُخزَنُ في وَكرِها القُلوبُ

As though she were a she-eagle seeking prey,

As if she were a fortress, her heart a den

Hearts stored away in her eyrie.

Where hearts are kept safe from every foe

باتَت عَلى إِرَمٍ عَذوباً

باتَت عَلى إِرَمٍ عَذوباً

كَأَنَّها شَيخَةٌ رَقوبُ

كَأَنَّها شَيخَةٌ رَقوبُ

She passed the night on a cairn, without food or drink,

She rested on soft, fragrant sand

As though she were an old woman bereft of children.

As if she were an old, revered sheikh resting close

فَأَصبَحَت في غَداةِ قِرَّةٍ

فَأَصبَحَت في غَداةِ قِرَّةٍ

يَسقُطُ عَن ريشِها الضَريبُ

يَسقُطُ عَن ريشِها الضَريبُ

Then morning found her amid bitter cold,

In the morning after a night of tranquility

Frost falling off her feathers.

Molting feathers dropped away with her shake and throw

فَأَبصَرَت ثَعلَباً مِن ساعَةٍ

فَأَبصَرَت ثَعلَباً مِن ساعَةٍ

وَدونَهُ سَبسَبٌ جَديبُ

وَدونَهُ سَبسَبٌ جَديبُ

Then, after a little while, she caught sight of a fox,

She spied a fox from afar

With a barren, level waste between them.

With fluffy cubs playing to and fro close by

فَنَفَضَت ريشَها وَاِنتَفَضَت

فَنَفَضَت ريشَها وَاِنتَفَضَت

وَهيَ مِن نَهضَةٍ قَريبُ

وَهيَ مِن نَهضَةٍ قَريبُ

Then she shook out her feathers and shook herself,

She shook her feathers and shuddered in agitation

And she was on the verge of taking flight.

Preparing to rise, the threat near and danger drawing nigh

يَدِبُّ مِن حِسِّها دَبيباً

يَدِبُّ مِن حِسِّها دَبيباً

وَالعَينُ حِملاقُها مَقلوبُ

وَالعَينُ حِملاقُها مَقلوبُ

He creeps at the sound of her, inch by inch,

She crept toward it with bubbly intensity

And his eye's inner lid is turned back.

Charging and flapping vigorously to the foe

فَنَهَضَت نَحوَهُ حَثيثَةً

فَنَهَضَت نَحوَهُ حَثيثَةً

وَحَرَدَت حَردَةً تَسيبُ

وَحَرَدَت حَردَةً تَسيبُ

Then she rose toward him in haste,

It was startled and terrified by her approach

And made a determined rush, sweeping onward.

And reacted like one severity has melted and laid low

فَاِشتالَ وَاِرتاعَ مِن حَسيسِها

فَاِشتالَ وَاِرتاعَ مِن حَسيسِها

وَفِعلَهُ يَفعَلُ المَذؤوبُ

وَفِعلَهُ يَفعَلُ المَذؤوبُ

Then he raised his tail and took fright at her rustle,

She overtook and pinned it down

And one terrorized by a wolf acts as he did.

The prey captured and suffering blows

فَأَدرَكَتهُ فَطَرَّحَتهُ

فَأَدرَكَتهُ فَطَرَّحَتهُ

وَالصَيدُ مِن تَحتِها مَكروبُ

وَالصَيدُ مِن تَحتِها مَكروبُ

Then she overtook him and hurled him down,

She pummeled and thrashed it about

The prey beneath her in anguish.

Its cheeks thumped by her fierce, unbridled blows

فَجَدَّلَتهُ فَطَرَّحَتهُ

فَجَدَّلَتهُ فَطَرَّحَتهُ

فَكَدَّحَت وَجهَهُ الجَبوبُ

فَكَدَّحَت وَجهَهُ الجَبوبُ

Then she felled him and flung him down,

It struggled helplessly as her claws gashed its flesh

And the hard earth gashed his face.

No respite, its throat slashed and torn open by the deadly foe

يَضغو وَمِخلَبُها في دَفِّهِ

يَضغو وَمِخلَبُها في دَفِّهِ

لا بُدَّ حَيزومُهُ مَنقوبُ

لا بُدَّ حَيزومُهُ مَنقوبُ

He yelps, with her talon in his flank;

His breast is surely pierced.