أقام الوجدُ بعدهمُ وساروا

أقام الوجدُ بعدهمُ وساروا

فحلفُ السُّقم جسمي والدّيارُ

فحلفُ السُّقم جسمي والدّيارُ

Longing remained after them, while they departed.

After them stayed melancholy, and they departed,

So my body and the dwellings are allied with sickness.

So sickness swore off my body and homes.

عدمتُ تصبّري والحيُّ دانٍ

عدمتُ تصبّري والحيُّ دانٍ

فكيف بهِ وقد شطَّ المزار

فكيف بهِ وقد شطَّ المزار

I lost my patience even while the tribe was near;

I lost my patience, while the living bow down,

how, then, can I have it when the meeting-place lies far away?

So how can it be for him, when the pilgrimage paths were blocked?

ولي قلبٌ يبتهج هواه نجدٌ

ولي قلبٌ يبتهج هواه نجدٌ

وقدماً كان يطربهُ الحيار

وقدماً كان يطربهُ الحيار

I have a heart that rejoices; Najd is its love,

And I have a heart that rejoices in yearning for Najd,

and long ago al-Hiyar used to delight it.

And feet that were delighted by confusion.

تمنّى ساكنيهِ وهم بعيدٌ

تمنّى ساكنيهِ وهم بعيدٌ

ولم تُجدِ المنى وهم جوار

ولم تُجدِ المنى وهم جوار

It longed for its inhabitants, though they were distant,

I wished for its dwellers, while they are far away,

and wishes had not helped even when they were neighbors.

But I found no wishes, while they are neighbors.

حذرتُ من الهوى أو كان يغني

حذرتُ من الهوى أو كان يغني

وهل يُنجي من القدر الحذار

وهل يُنجي من القدر الحذار

I guarded against love—or could that avail?

I was wary of passion, or else it would sing,

Can caution save one from fate?

Yet does wariness ever save from fate?

تناءوا عن جفوني وهي ماءٌ

تناءوا عن جفوني وهي ماءٌ

وقد سكنوا فؤادي وهو نار

وقد سكنوا فؤادي وهو نار

They withdrew far from my eyelids, which are water,

They turned away from my eyelids, and they are water,

yet they have settled in my heart, which is fire.

And they settled into my heart, and it is fire.

غنيتُ عن الورى إلاّ إليهم

غنيتُ عن الورى إلاّ إليهم

فبي حاجٌ شديدٌ وافتقار

فبي حاجٌ شديدٌ وافتقار

I had no need of mankind, except for them;

I sing without people except them,

for I am beset by intense need and want.

So I have severe need and poverty.

أما والبُدنِ تُهدى يومَ جمعٍ

أما والبُدنِ تُهدى يومَ جمعٍ

ومن تُرمى لطاعتهِ الجمار

ومن تُرمى لطاعتهِ الجمار

Indeed, by the sacrificial camels led forth on the day of Jamʿ,

But the corpses will be guided on the day of gathering,

and by Him in obedience to whom the pebbles are thrown,

And those for whose obedience the neighing camel is let loose,

ومكّة والحطيم وساكنيها

ومكّة والحطيم وساكنيها

لقد حكموا على ضعفي فجاروا

لقد حكموا على ضعفي فجاروا

and by Mecca, al-Hatim, and its inhabitants,

And Mecca, al-Hateem, and their dwellers -

they have passed judgment on my weakness and dealt unjustly.

They have judged my weakness vicious.

فعندي منهمُ ولهٌ وحزنٌ

فعندي منهمُ ولهٌ وحزنٌ

وعندهمُ هُدوّي والقرار

وعندهمُ هُدوّي والقرار

From them I have bewildered longing and sorrow,

So with them I have a turn, sorrow,

while with them lie my calm and repose.

And with me they have solace and settlement.

أهيم إلى زرودَ هوىً وشوقاً

أهيم إلى زرودَ هوىً وشوقاً

وغيرُ زرودَ لي وطنٌ ودار

وغيرُ زرودَ لي وطنٌ ودار

I roam toward Zarud in love and longing,

I roam to the beloved land of passion and yearning,

though somewhere other than Zarud is my homeland and abode.

Yet other than the beloved land is home and house.

تُباعدها النّوى واليأس عنّي

تُباعدها النّوى واليأس عنّي

وتُدنيها المنى والأدّكار

وتُدنيها المنى والأدّكار

Separation and despair keep it far from me,

My wishes and despair distance it from me,

while wishes and remembrance bring it near.

And my hopes and thoughts bring it near.

تُعلّل بالخيال لدى ليال

تُعلّل بالخيال لدى ليال

طوال البثِّ أجفانٌ قصار

طوال البثِّ أجفانٌ قصار

An apparition brings comfort through nights

My brief slumber is excused with imagination through nights

long with anguish, to eyelids whose sleep is brief.

Of constant wakefulness and short dozing.

إذا ما زار غُمضٌ صدَّ عتباً

إذا ما زار غُمضٌ صدَّ عتباً

عليَّ كأنّهُ منهُ يغار

عليَّ كأنّهُ منهُ يغار

Whenever sleep visits, the phantom turns away, vexed

If drowsiness comes to me, it stops, jealous,

with me, as though jealous of sleep.

As if it is envious of it.

فمالي والفراقُ يبيحُ فتلي

فمالي والفراقُ يبيحُ فتلي

وليس له على العشّاق ثار

وليس له على العشّاق ثار

What have I to do with separation, which sanctions [my killing],

So why should separation allow my murder

though it has no blood-feud against lovers?

When it has no vengeance upon lovers?

وكيف يضيمني خطبٌ ودوني

وكيف يضيمني خطبٌ ودوني

عليٌّ والمطايا والقفار

عليٌّ والمطايا والقفار

How could calamity wrong me, when before me stand

And how can it confine me when below me

Ali, the mounts, and the deserts?

Is Ali, mounts, and the empty deserts?

شجاعٌ لا يبلُّ لهُ طعينٌ

شجاعٌ لا يبلُّ لهُ طعينٌ

وذمر لا يباح لهُ ذمار

وذمر لا يباح لهُ ذمار

A brave man whose pierced victim never recovers,

A brave one whose thrusts no shields stop

and a champion whose protected honor is never violated.

And a sword no coats of mail can resist,

إذا شهد الوقيعة وهي ضنكٌ

إذا شهد الوقيعة وهي ضنكٌ

تكنّى والنداءُ بها سرار

تكنّى والنداءُ بها سرار

When he attends a battle, though it is dire,

If he witnesses war and it is straitened,

he proclaims his byname while the calls there are whispers.

He is satisfied and calling it is a secret.

وأن خفّتْ تداركها بجيشٍ

وأن خفّتْ تداركها بجيشٍ

وجأشٍ ثابتٍ لا يُستطار

وجأشٍ ثابتٍ لا يُستطار

And if it slackens, he renews it with an army

And if it wanes, he makes up for it with an army

and a steadfast heart that cannot be shaken.

And horde, steady, that cannot be resisted,

وإن سُلّتْ ظباهُ في خميسٍ

وإن سُلّتْ ظباهُ في خميسٍ

فهنَّ النار والهامُ الشِّرار

فهنَّ النار والهامُ الشِّرار

If his blades are drawn amid an army,

And if its forelocks are let loose in Thursday,

they are fire, and heads are sparks.

Then they are fire and burning sparks.

يجود بنفسهِ والجواد فقرٌ

يجود بنفسهِ والجواد فقرٌ

يقيناً منهُ لأن البخلَ عار

يقيناً منهُ لأن البخلَ عار

He gives his own life; poverty is the generous man's lot,

He gives his soul and the generous man is needy,

in his firm conviction, for stinginess is disgrace.

Surely, because stinginess is disgraceful from him,

ويطلعُ في ظلام الحرب بدراً

ويطلعُ في ظلام الحرب بدراً

منيراً ليس يخفيهِ السّرار

منيراً ليس يخفيهِ السّرار

He rises as a full moon in war's darkness,

And he appears in the dark of war like a shining

radiant, not hidden by the moon's dark phase.

Full moon that obscurity does not conceal.

كواكبهُ الأسنّةُ لامعانُ

كواكبهُ الأسنّةُ لامعانُ

السّنا وسماؤها النقعُ المثار

السّنا وسماؤها النقعُ المثار

Its stars are spearheads, gleaming

Its planets are shining blades

with radiance, and their sky is the stirred-up dust.

Polished, and their sky is stirring dust,

جوادٌ عن جرى معهُ مناوٍ

جوادٌ عن جرى معهُ مناوٍ

ثناه وملءُ عينيهِ الغبار

ثناه وملءُ عينيهِ الغبار

A noble steed: [if] a rival runs beside him,

A steed diverted with him from its course,

he turns him back, the rival's eyes filled with dust.

Its bending and the filling of its eyes with dust,

وما سمّوهُ سيفَ الدين حتى

وما سمّوهُ سيفَ الدين حتى

مضى وسميّهُ منهُ يحار

مضى وسميّهُ منهُ يحار

They did not name him Sword of the Faith until

And they only named it Sword of the Faith until

he advanced, leaving his namesake bewildered by him;

It passed and naming it became confused,

وحتى سُلُّ والغبراءُ يبسٌ

وحتى سُلُّ والغبراءُ يبسٌ

وشيمَ وكالبحار دمٌ ممار

وشيمَ وكالبحار دمٌ ممار

and until he was drawn while the dusty earth was dry,

Until it is unsheathed and the dust is dry

then sheathed while blood surged like seas.

And it is drawn and like seas a stirring blood,

وعلَّ السمهريّةَ وهي نشوى

وعلَّ السمهريّةَ وهي نشوى

تثنّى والدّماءُ لها عُقار

تثنّى والدّماءُ لها عُقار

He gave the Samhari spears drink again; intoxicated,

And it straightened the curved Indian swords,

they swayed, with blood their wine.

Cups circulated among them forever turned,

إذا غنّتْ سيوف الهند دارت

إذا غنّتْ سيوف الهند دارت

كؤوسٌ بالهنا أبداً تدار

كؤوسٌ بالهنا أبداً تدار

When India's swords sang, round went

He gave them to drink and the year is a place of rest,

cups, forever passed around in joy.

So they returned and for them the heads were fruits.

سقاها ريَّها والعامُ محلٌ

سقاها ريَّها والعامُ محلٌ

فعادت والرؤوسُ لها ثمار

فعادت والرؤوسُ لها ثمار

He gave them their fill of drink in a barren year,

And he pressed down its eggs upon the blacks of death,

and they emerged with heads as their fruit.

And they had not been permitted loincloths,

وأوطأ بيضهُ سود المنايا

وأوطأ بيضهُ سود المنايا

وكانت لا يحلّ لها إزار

وكانت لا يحلّ لها إزار

He made his white blades bed the black forms of death,

And he stripped them, and the garment of velvet was narrow,

whose waistcloths had never been loosened.

So the night set out accompanying daylight.

وجرّدها وثوب النقع ضافٍ

وجرّدها وثوب النقع ضافٍ

فسار الليلُ يصحبهُ النهار

فسار الليلُ يصحبهُ النهار

He bared them while dust's robe hung full,

Of the resolute people, if rain is stingy,

so night moved on accompanied by day.

They bring benefit, or if time lights up, they illuminate,

من القومِ الألى إن ضنّ غيثٌ

من القومِ الألى إن ضنّ غيثٌ

أفادوا أو دجا زمنٌ أناروا

أفادوا أو دجا زمنٌ أناروا

He is of the people who, when rain withholds,

If havoc strikes, they are mountains,

bestow gifts, or light up an age grown dark.

And if the land is in despair, they are seas.

إذا هبّ الرّدى فهمُ جبالٌ

إذا هبّ الرّدى فهمُ جبالٌ

وإن قنط الثرى فهمُ بحارُ

وإن قنط الثرى فهمُ بحارُ

When death blows, they are mountains;

Their horses raided east and west,

and when the earth despairs, they are seas.

So they missed in the world places to ride.

أغارت خيلهم شرقاً وغرباً

أغارت خيلهم شرقاً وغرباً

فأعوزهنَّ في الدنيا المسار

فأعوزهنَّ في الدنيا المسار

Their cavalry raided east and west,

If dawn rose and the sun of the horizon leaned sideways,

until the world had no course left for them.

They straightened, with no refuge attainable.

إذا بكرتْ وشمسُ الأفق ردفٌ

إذا بكرتْ وشمسُ الأفق ردفٌ

فألّتْ لا ينال لها مغار

فألّتْ لا ينال لها مغار

When they set out at dawn, the horizon's sun riding behind them,

With them is thirst toward the enemies they destroy

they sped, their raiding course beyond reach.

The watering places, while they are burning hot.

بها ظمأٌ إلى الأعداءِ تُفني

بها ظمأٌ إلى الأعداءِ تُفني

المواردَ وهي ظامئةٌ حرارُ

المواردَ وهي ظامئةٌ حرارُ

They thirst for enemies and exhaust

O son of the early ones to the high ranks,

the watering places, yet remain thirsty and burning.

And those who have pride over the world,

أيا ابنَ السابقينَ إلى المعالي

أيا ابنَ السابقينَ إلى المعالي

ومن لهمُ على الدنيا الفخار

ومن لهمُ على الدنيا الفخار

O son of those who raced ahead to lofty deeds,

If asked, then generosity and apology,

and of those whose glory towers over the world!

And if angry, then patience and power,

إذا سئلوا فجودٌ واعتذارٌ

إذا سئلوا فجودٌ واعتذارٌ

وإن غضبوا فحلمٌ واقتدار

وإن غضبوا فحلمٌ واقتدار

When asked, they offer generosity and apology;

And if the living is stingy, they are spring,

when angered, forbearance and power.

And if the world goes astray, they are beacons.

وإن ضنَّ الحيا فهمُ ربيعٌ

وإن ضنَّ الحيا فهمُ ربيعٌ

وإن ضلَّ الورى فهمُ منارُ

وإن ضلَّ الورى فهمُ منارُ

When rain withholds, they are springtime;

Your love has been exclusive to me over the people of earth,

when mankind goes astray, they are a beacon.

Loves from which they recoiled.

حبوتكَ دونَ أهل الأرض طرّاً

حبوتكَ دونَ أهل الأرض طرّاً

أوانس عنهمُ فيها نفار

أوانس عنهمُ فيها نفار

I have bestowed on you, apart from all people on earth,

Its chicks, I protected them from them, so they grew strong,

gentle beauties that shy away from them—

And if not for protection, the delicate do not grow.

شواردَ صنتها عنهم فعزّتْ

شواردَ صنتها عنهم فعزّتْ

ولولا الصّونُ ما عزَّ النّضار

ولولا الصّونُ ما عزَّ النّضار

wayward verses I guarded from them, making them precious;

It hid, and its fragrance to it is a breeze,

but for safekeeping, pure gold would not be precious.

And it appears, and for it the morning is a veil,

توارى والعبيرُ لها نسيمٌ

توارى والعبيرُ لها نسيمٌ

وتبدو والصباحُ لها خمار

وتبدو والصباحُ لها خمار

They hide, with perfume as their breeze,

If the envious one desired it, it said,

and appear, with morning as their veil.

The long spears, its stabs at them are short.

إذا ما رامها الحسّادُ قالت

إذا ما رامها الحسّادُ قالت

طوالُ قنا تطاعنها قصار

طوالُ قنا تطاعنها قصار

Whenever the envious seek them, they declare

I see the days deny my merit,

the long spears jousting against them to be short.

And the dawn's light has no concealment.

أرى الأيام تنكر حقَّ فضلي

أرى الأيام تنكر حقَّ فضلي

وضوءُ الصّبح ليس له استتار

وضوءُ الصّبح ليس له استتار

I see the days deny my excellence its due,

Fortunes from the noble houses are barren,

though morning's light cannot be hidden.

How amazing! And my hopes are commoners!

حظوظٌ من بني العلياءِ عقمٌ

حظوظٌ من بني العلياءِ عقمٌ

ويا عجباً وآمالٌ عشار

ويا عجباً وآمالٌ عشار

Fortunes from the sons of eminence are barren,

I will attain what I strive for, after when

and—how strange!—hopes are camels heavy with young.

The swift steed that obstacles make slip.

سأدرك ما أحاول بعد لأيٍّ

سأدرك ما أحاول بعد لأيٍّ

سريعُ الخيل يعروه العثار

سريعُ الخيل يعروه العثار

I shall attain what I seek after hardship;

And I do not complain of the hardship of life,

even a swift horse is overtaken by stumbling.

And if not for merit, the prisoner would not laugh.

وما أشكو غليها ضنكَ عيشٍ

وما أشكو غليها ضنكَ عيشٍ

ولولا الفضلُ ما سجن الهزار

ولولا الفضلُ ما سجن الهزار

I do not complain [to them] of straitened living;

The gardens of the meadow did not smile until

but for excellence, the nightingale would not be caged.

The abundant drizzle wept because of it.

وما ضحكتْ ثغورُ الرّوض حتى

وما ضحكتْ ثغورُ الرّوض حتى

بكتْ من اجلها الدّميمُ الغزار

بكتْ من اجلها الدّميمُ الغزار

The garden's mouths did not smile until

The guidance of poetry did not fully reach

the copious [rain clouds] wept for their sake.

Its right, even if the stars were to scatter upon it.

وما بلغتْ هديُّ الشعر حقاً

وما بلغتْ هديُّ الشعر حقاً

ولو أنَّ النجوم لها نثار

ولو أنَّ النجوم لها نثار

The bride of poetry has not attained her due,

And how could this be when there has arisen in its comfort

even were the stars scattered as bridal gifts for her.

A sword that does not fail to have no sheath,

وكيف وقد غدا في راحتيها

وكيف وقد غدا في راحتيها

حسامٌ لا يُفلُّ له غرار

حسامٌ لا يُفلُّ له غرار

And how could she, now that in her two palms there is

Dignified, while hearts pass unsteadily,

a sword whose cutting edge can never be blunted?

Just so is its nature, dignity its trait,

وقورٌ والقلوبُ تزول طيشاً

وقورٌ والقلوبُ تزول طيشاً

كذاك الطّودُ شيمتهُ الوقار

كذاك الطّودُ شيمتهُ الوقار

Dignified, while hearts reel in agitation,

You are the rain whose gifts are sought,

like the mountain, whose nature is dignity.

So if it withholds, it has no excuse,

وأنت الغيثُ يستجدى نداهُ

وأنت الغيثُ يستجدى نداهُ

فإن يَمنعْ فليس لهُ اعتذار

فإن يَمنعْ فليس لهُ اعتذار

You are the raincloud whose bounty is begged;

And if I am abundant in praising creation,

if it withholds, it has no excuse.

Then it is from You and Your attributes I borrow.

وإنْ أكُ محسناً في مدح خلق

وإنْ أكُ محسناً في مدح خلق

فمنكَ ومن صفاتك مستعار

فمنكَ ومن صفاتك مستعار

If I excel in praising any creature,

If ability falls short, and its speakers,

it is borrowed from you and your qualities.

Then elaboration is nothing but conciseness.

إذا عجزَ القريضُ وقائلوهُ

إذا عجزَ القريضُ وقائلوهُ

فما إسهابهُ إلاّ اختصار

فما إسهابهُ إلاّ اختصار

When verse and its speakers fall short,

For You are the necklace of the generous of this time,

even its elaboration is nothing but brevity.

And You are the bracelet for the world's wrist.

فأنت لجيد هذا الدهر عقدٌ

فأنت لجيد هذا الدهر عقدٌ

وأنت لمعصم الدنيا سوار

وأنت لمعصم الدنيا سوار

You are a necklace for the neck of this age,

and a bracelet for the wrist of the world.