ماذا عَلَيكَ وَقَد نَأَيتَ دِياراً

ماذا عَلَيكَ وَقَد نَأَيتَ دِياراً

لَو طافَ بي ذاكَ الخَيالُ فَزارا

لَو طافَ بي ذاكَ الخَيالُ فَزارا

What would it cost you, though your dwelling lies far away,

What is it to you, now that you've left the homelands

if that phantom came my way and paid a visit?

If that apparition were to roam around and visit me

وَنَظَمتُ مِن قُبَلٍ بِصَفحَةِ جيدِهِ

وَنَظَمتُ مِن قُبَلٍ بِصَفحَةِ جيدِهِ

عِقداً وَقَد لَبِسَ العِناقَ شِعارا

عِقداً وَقَد لَبِسَ العِناقَ شِعارا

And I strung, from kisses along the side of his neck,

And I had threaded a necklace on the page of his cheek

a necklace, while he wore the embrace next to his skin.

Wearing a scarf around his slender neck

فيمَ التَعَلُّلُ في هَواكَ وَقَد طَوى

فيمَ التَعَلُّلُ في هَواكَ وَقَد طَوى

مِنّي الضَنى وَبِكَ النَوى أَسرارا

مِنّي الضَنى وَبِكَ النَوى أَسرارا

Why seek solace in my love for you, when

Why the excuses in your love when sorrow

wasting sickness hides secrets in me, and separation in you?

Has folded its hems around me and your intention secrets

وَلَرُبَّما مَنَّ النَسيمُ بِنَفحَةٍ

وَلَرُبَّما مَنَّ النَسيمُ بِنَفحَةٍ

تَندى عَلى كَبِدٍ تَذوبُ أُوارا

تَندى عَلى كَبِدٍ تَذوبُ أُوارا

And often the breeze bestowed a fragrant breath,

And sometimes the breeze would blow a breath

bedewing a liver that melts with burning heat.

That dews over a melting liver fragments

وَسَأَلتُ فيكَ اللَيلَ عَن سِنَةِ الكَرى

وَسَأَلتُ فيكَ اللَيلَ عَن سِنَةِ الكَرى

حَتّى أَجابَني الصَباحُ سِرارا

حَتّى أَجابَني الصَباحُ سِرارا

And for you I questioned the night about a drowse of sleep,

And I asked the night about the caprice of time

until morning answered me in a whisper.

Until dawn answered me with mysteries

وَسَحَبتُ أَردانَ الظَلامِ عَلى السُرى

وَسَحَبتُ أَردانَ الظَلامِ عَلى السُرى

طولاً وَمزَّقتُ الذُيولَ عِثارا

طولاً وَمزَّقتُ الذُيولَ عِثارا

I dragged the sleeves of darkness through my night journey

And I dragged the tent walls of darkness

at length, and tore its trailing hems as I stumbled.

At length and tore up the skirts frayed

وَوَطِئتُ دونَ الظَبيِ غابَةَ ضَيغَمٍ

وَوَطِئتُ دونَ الظَبيِ غابَةَ ضَيغَمٍ

غَيرانَ أَنجَدَ في الوَعيدِ وَغارا

غَيرانَ أَنجَدَ في الوَعيدِ وَغارا

And before reaching the gazelle, I trod a lion's thicket—

And I walked below the gazelle thicket of Dhigham

a jealous lion, ranging high and low in his threats.

Angry unsheathed in threat and war

أَذكى الدُجى عَن نَظرَةٍ ناراً كَما

أَذكى الدُجى عَن نَظرَةٍ ناراً كَما

هَزَّ الفَلا عَن زَأرَةٍ أَقطارا

هَزَّ الفَلا عَن زَأرَةٍ أَقطارا

He kindled the darkness into fire with a glance, just as

I kindled the darkness about a fiery look

he shook the desert's regions with a roar.

As the axe had shaken from a roar frontiers

فَصَمَمتُ عَنهُ وَقَد سَمِعتُ حَمامَةً

فَصَمَمتُ عَنهُ وَقَد سَمِعتُ حَمامَةً

فَاِغرَورَقَت عَيني لَها اِستِعبارا

فَاِغرَورَقَت عَيني لَها اِستِعبارا

So I turned a deaf ear to him, though I heard a dove,

So I ignored it when I heard a dove

and my eye brimmed with tears for her.

My eyes flashed at it with defiance

هَزَّت كَهَزّي نَصلَ سَيفي لَوعَةً

هَزَّت كَهَزّي نَصلَ سَيفي لَوعَةً

فَرَقَقتُ حاشِيَةً وَرَقَّ غِرارا

فَرَقَقتُ حاشِيَةً وَرَقَّ غِرارا

She stirred anguish as I shook my sword's blade,

It shook me as the blade of my sword shook with agony

so I grew tender in feeling, and it grew tender at the edge.

So I softened its cover and the cocoon scattered

وَمَلَأتُ جَفني عَبرَةً وَلَرُبَّما

وَمَلَأتُ جَفني عَبرَةً وَلَرُبَّما

أَبكَيتُهُ فَجَرى دَماً مَوّارا

أَبكَيتُهُ فَجَرى دَماً مَوّارا

And I filled my eyelid with tears; and often

And I filled my eyelids with tears and sometimes

I had made it weep, and it streamed with surging blood.

I would cry so it flows Copiously

وَصَبا إِلَيها أَسمَرٌ أَعدَيتُهُ

وَصَبا إِلَيها أَسمَرٌ أَعدَيتُهُ

فَلَوى مَعاطِفَهُ لَها تَخطارا

فَلَوى مَعاطِفَهُ لَها تَخطارا

And a brown spear, infected by me, yearned for her,

And morning came to it, I resented it

and bent its flanks for her in a swaggering sway.

So it folded its cloaks for it pretentiously

وَإِذا رَقى وَرقاءَ تَحسِبُ مُقلَةً

وَإِذا رَقى وَرقاءَ تَحسِبُ مُقلَةً

زَرقاءَ لَم تُطبِق لَها أَشفارا

زَرقاءَ لَم تُطبِق لَها أَشفارا

And when it charmed a gray dove, you would think it an eye,

And if it climbed the hill you'd think it a blue glance

blue, whose lashes had never closed for her.

That hasn't closed its eyelids

وَمَشى يَتيهُ بِها اِختِيالاً أَجرَدٌ

وَمَشى يَتيهُ بِها اِختِيالاً أَجرَدٌ

في شُقرَةٍ لَو سالَ سالَ نُضارا

في شُقرَةٍ لَو سالَ سالَ نُضارا

And a sleek horse walked, glorying in her, in a proud strut,

And an unadorned one walked conceited

chestnut-colored: were it to flow, it would flow as pure gold.

In blondeness, had it inclined it would have inclined beautifully

تَستَرقِصُ الأَعطافَ مِن طَرَبٍ بِهِ

تَستَرقِصُ الأَعطافَ مِن طَرَبٍ بِهِ

شِيَةٌ تَدورُ عَلى العُيونِ عُقارا

شِيَةٌ تَدورُ عَلى العُيونِ عُقارا

It sets the flanks dancing with delight in him—

You examine the bends out of his infatuation

a coloring passed round before the eyes like wine.

Fears circulating around the eyes harmfully

لَو كُنتَ شاهِدَهُ وَقَد مَلَأَ الفَضا

لَو كُنتَ شاهِدَهُ وَقَد مَلَأَ الفَضا

رَكضاً وَسُدَّ عَلى الكَمِيِّ قِفارا

رَكضاً وَسُدَّ عَلى الكَمِيِّ قِفارا

Had you witnessed him, when he filled the open expanse

If you had witnessed it when it had filled space

with galloping, and the wastes were barred to the armored warrior,

Galloping and the wasteland closed around the palms

لَرَأَيتَ في ما قَد رَأَيتَ وَقَد بَدا

لَرَأَيتَ في ما قَد رَأَيتَ وَقَد بَدا

ناراً تَكونُ إِذا جَرى إِعصارا

ناراً تَكونُ إِذا جَرى إِعصارا

you would have seen, amid all you saw, as he appeared,

You would have seen in what you have seen when it appeared

a fire that becomes a whirlwind when he runs.

A fire that would be when the storm flows

أَستَعطِفُ الأَسماعَ إِطراءً لَهُ

أَستَعطِفُ الأَسماعَ إِطراءً لَهُ

في صورَةٍ تَستَعطِفُ الأَبصارا

في صورَةٍ تَستَعطِفُ الأَبصارا

I court the ears with praise of him,

I entice the ears to adulate it

in a form that courts the eyes.

In an image that entices sights

وَغَمامَةٍ نَشَرَت جَناحَ حَمامَةٍ

وَغَمامَةٍ نَشَرَت جَناحَ حَمامَةٍ

وَالبَرقُ قَد نَسَجَ الظَلامَ نَهارا

وَالبَرقُ قَد نَسَجَ الظَلامَ نَهارا

And many a cloud spread a dove's wing,

And a cloud that spread the wing of a dove

while lightning had woven the darkness into day.

And lightning that wove darkness daylight

مُتَأَلِّقٌ صَدعَ الدُجى وَسَقى الثَرى

مُتَأَلِّقٌ صَدعَ الدُجى وَسَقى الثَرى

فَاِبيَضَّ ذا نوراً وَذا أَنوارا

فَاِبيَضَّ ذا نوراً وَذا أَنوارا

Gleaming, it split the darkness and watered the soil,

Glistening, it cracked the gloom and quenched the land

and this grew white with light, and that with blossoms.

So the one shone brightly and the other lights

في أَجرُعٍ خَلفَ الرَبيعُ بِهِ اِبنَهُ

في أَجرُعٍ خَلفَ الرَبيعُ بِهِ اِبنَهُ

كَرَماً فَأَخصَبَ رَبوَةً وَقَرارا

كَرَماً فَأَخصَبَ رَبوَةً وَقَرارا

in a sandy tract where Spring succeeded his son

In a meadow, spring left behind its son

in generosity, and made hill and lowland fertile.

A vineyard, so it prospered a hill and settlements

هَفَتِ الصَبا مِنهُ بِمَسرى ديمَةٍ

هَفَتِ الصَبا مِنهُ بِمَسرى ديمَةٍ

هَطلاءَ قَرَّ بِها العَجاجُ وَقارا

هَطلاءَ قَرَّ بِها العَجاجُ وَقارا

The east wind stirred from it along a steady rain's night-course,

The morning breeze shook it with a lasting felicity

pouring heavily, beneath which the dust settled in solemn calm.

Pouring which the clouds restricted and settled

وَكَفَت فَسالَت فِضَّةً وَلَرُبَّما

وَكَفَت فَسالَت فِضَّةً وَلَرُبَّما

طَبَعَت بِكُلِّ قَرارَةٍ دينارا

طَبَعَت بِكُلِّ قَرارَةٍ دينارا

It dripped, then flowed as silver; and often

And it flowed molten silver and sometimes

it minted a dinar in every hollow.

Stamped on every nugget a dinar

نَثَلَت بِهِ زُرقُ النِطافِ سَوابِغاً

نَثَلَت بِهِ زُرقُ النِطافِ سَوابِغاً

زُرقاً وَجَرَّدَتِ الشِعابُ شِفارا

زُرقاً وَجَرَّدَتِ الشِعابُ شِفارا

Upon it blue waterdrops shed full coats of mail,

It smelted with it the blue pond fully

blue, while the ravines unsheathed blades.

Blue and the crests stripped their rims

فَكَأَنَّما فُلَّت هُناكَ كَتيبَةٌ

فَكَأَنَّما فُلَّت هُناكَ كَتيبَةٌ

فَرَمَت بِهِ عَنها السِلاحَ فِرارا

فَرَمَت بِهِ عَنها السِلاحَ فِرارا

as though a battalion had been routed there,

As if a band had charged there

and cast its weapons off upon it in flight.

And cast off its weapons fleeing

أَرضٌ هَبَطَت بِها سَماءً طَلقَةً

أَرضٌ هَبَطَت بِها سَماءً طَلقَةً

وَخَبَطتُ مِن سَدَفٍ بِها أَنوارا

وَخَبَطتُ مِن سَدَفٍ بِها أَنوارا

A land where I descended into a radiant sky,

A land descended with it serenely open

and shook down lights from the darkness there.

And I extracted from its ceiling its lights

عاطَيتُ ذِكرَ أَبي الحُسَينِ بِها السُرى

عاطَيتُ ذِكرَ أَبي الحُسَينِ بِها السُرى

رَيحانَةً يَشَتَمُّها مِعطارا

رَيحانَةً يَشَتَمُّها مِعطارا

I shared with night travel there the memory of Abu al-Husayn,

I gave mention of my father al-Hussein therein fortunes

a basil sprig for it to breathe in, richly perfumed,

Basil one smells and a pleat that had softened us euphoria

وَسُلافَةً خَفَّت بِنا طَرَباً لَها

وَسُلافَةً خَفَّت بِنا طَرَباً لَها

وَاِستَرقَصَت مِن فِتيَةٍ وَمَهارى

وَاِستَرقَصَت مِن فِتيَةٍ وَمَهارى

and choice wine that lifted us with delight in it,

And examined some youths and singers

and set young men and young she-camels dancing.

The caprice of time toyed with it so it swayed

عَبِثَت بِها سِنَةُ الكَرى فَتَمايَدَت

عَبِثَت بِها سِنَةُ الكَرى فَتَمايَدَت

في مُلتَقى أَسحارِها أَشجارا

في مُلتَقى أَسحارِها أَشجارا

A drowse of sleep played with them, and they swayed

At the meeting point of its dawn trees

at the joining of their chests, like trees.

And sometimes its ground oozed with it

وَلَرُبَّما سالَت أَباطِحُها بِها

وَلَرُبَّما سالَت أَباطِحُها بِها

في مُنتَحى أَنهارِها أَنهارا

في مُنتَحى أَنهارِها أَنهارا

And often its broad valleys flowed with it,

In the grove of its rivers, rivers

as rivers along the course of its streams.

My father al-Hussein, and I haven't called you small

أَأَبا الحُسَينِ وَما دَعَوتُ مُصَغَّراً

أَأَبا الحُسَينِ وَما دَعَوتُ مُصَغَّراً

بِأَبي الحُسَينِ وَقَد دَعَوتُ كُبارا

بِأَبي الحُسَينِ وَقَد دَعَوتُ كُبارا

O Abu al-Husayn! I have called no little man

With my father al-Hussein, while I called the great

in calling 'Abu al-Husayn'; I have called the great.

Most generous to me, as you've resolved a relationship

أَعزِز عَلَيَّ وَقَد حَلَلتَ عَلاقَةً

أَعزِز عَلَيَّ وَقَد حَلَلتَ عَلاقَةً

بَينَ الجَوانِحِ أَن شَحَطَت جِوارا

بَينَ الجَوانِحِ أَن شَحَطَت جِوارا

How hard for me, when you have lodged as love

Between the innards if it had cast neighbourhood

between my ribs, that you should dwell so far away!

And I have beamed in you with a drawn out weeping

وَشَرِقتُ فيكَ بِعَبرَةٍ مَشبوبَةٍ

وَشَرِقتُ فيكَ بِعَبرَةٍ مَشبوبَةٍ

كَالبَرقِ يَقدَحُ في الغَمامَةِ نارا

كَالبَرقِ يَقدَحُ في الغَمامَةِ نارا

And for you I choked on a blazing tear,

Like lightning that strikes the cloud fire

like lightning striking fire within a cloud.

And your summit, had fate allowed one night

وَعُلاكَ لَو سَمَحَ الزَمانُ بِلَيلَةٍ

وَعُلاكَ لَو سَمَحَ الزَمانُ بِلَيلَةٍ

مِنهُ لَظَلَّ بِصَفحَتَيهِ عِذارا

مِنهُ لَظَلَّ بِصَفحَتَيهِ عِذارا

By your eminence, if Time would grant a night

Would have stayed with its double meaning glory

of its span, that night would linger as dark down on Time's two cheeks.

Its cloaks fold with cheerful trembling

تَثني مَعاطِفَها اِهتِزازَ بَشاشَةٍ

تَثني مَعاطِفَها اِهتِزازَ بَشاشَةٍ

تَترى وَخَفَّ بِها السُرورُ وَقارا

تَترى وَخَفَّ بِها السُرورُ وَقارا

It would sway its flanks with a tremor of gladness,

Speculated and joy in it settled with dignity.

ever renewed, while joy lightened its solemnity.

So it deemed carrying the Pleiades a flaw

فَاِستَهجَنَت حَملَ الثُرَيّا تومَةً

فَاِستَهجَنَت حَملَ الثُرَيّا تومَةً

وَاِستَصغَرَت لُبسَ الهِلالِ سِوارا

وَاِستَصغَرَت لُبسَ الهِلالِ سِوارا

Then it would scorn to wear the Pleiades as a pearl,

And considered wearing the crescent’s bracelet inferior

and deem the crescent too small to wear as a bracelet.

And time may, even in a case

وَعَسى الزَمانُ وَإِن عَسا في حالَةٍ

وَعَسى الزَمانُ وَإِن عَسا في حالَةٍ

يَحنو فَيَدنو بِالوَزيرِ مَزارا

يَحنو فَيَدنو بِالوَزيرِ مَزارا

And perhaps Time, though harsh for a while,

Incline so the minister comes closer

will soften and bring the vizier within visiting distance.

Thus blessings, which are the doe habits

فَمِنَ المُنى وَهوَ الغَزالَةُ سُنَّةً

فَمِنَ المُنى وَهوَ الغَزالَةُ سُنَّةً

لَو أَنَّني كُنتُ الهِلالَ سِرارا

لَو أَنَّني كُنتُ الهِلالَ سِرارا

Among my wishes—he being the sun in countenance—

If only I were the concealed crescent

is that I might be the crescent in its hidden phase.

You sought eulogies the length of most magnificent laudator

طُلتَ المَدائِحَ طولَ أَروَعَ ماجِدٍ

طُلتَ المَدائِحَ طولَ أَروَعَ ماجِدٍ

فَلَبِستَها حُلَلاً عَلَيكَ قِصارا

فَلَبِستَها حُلَلاً عَلَيكَ قِصارا

You tower above praises with a splendid nobleman's stature,

So you wore them on you short robes

and have worn them as robes too short for you.

And it suffices you that you are from the full moons of fellowships

وَكَفاكَ أَنَّكَ مِن بُدورِ مَعاشِرٍ

وَكَفاكَ أَنَّكَ مِن بُدورِ مَعاشِرٍ

طَلَعوا لِأَوَّلِ لَيلَةٍ أَقمارا

طَلَعوا لِأَوَّلِ لَيلَةٍ أَقمارا

It is enough that you are among a people's full moons,

That rose to the first night stars

who rose as moons on the very first night.

And if every fading away from you

وَلَئِن عَدَتني عَنكَ كُلُّ تَنوفَةٍ

وَلَئِن عَدَتني عَنكَ كُلُّ تَنوفَةٍ

يَهفو لَها قَلبُ السَرابِ حِذارا

يَهفو لَها قَلبُ السَرابِ حِذارا

And though every wasteland keeps me from you,

To which the mirage’s heart fearful flees

at which the mirage's heart flutters in fear,

Sometimes noble youths have frequented my side

فَلَرُبَّما طَرَقَت جَنابي فِتيَةٌ

فَلَرُبَّما طَرَقَت جَنابي فِتيَةٌ

كَرُموا جِواراً في العُلا وَنِجارا

كَرُموا جِواراً في العُلا وَنِجارا

yet often young men have come by night to my abode,

Who honored vicinity whether gloriously or carpentering

noble in their fellowship in glory, and in lineage.

Nobles fluttering in the backs of howdahs

نُجَباءُ تَخفِقُ في ظُهورِ نَجائِبٍ

نُجَباءُ تَخفِقُ في ظُهورِ نَجائِبٍ

ما إِن تَضِلُّ وَقَد مَثَلنَ مَنارا

ما إِن تَضِلُّ وَقَد مَثَلنَ مَنارا

Noble men, swaying on the backs of noble camels,

Whom when they stray have exemplified lighthouses

that never stray, having themselves stood forth as beacons.

With them they split the darkness’s ceiling midnights

صَدَعَت بِهِم سُجفَ الظَلامِ أَجادِلٌ

صَدَعَت بِهِم سُجفَ الظَلامِ أَجادِلٌ

لَزِمَت بِهِم أَكوارَها أَوكارا

لَزِمَت بِهِم أَكوارَها أَوكارا

Falcons cleft the curtains of darkness with them,

Its dens have clung unto them burrows

keeping with them to their saddles as nests.

So a hello stretched out to me with the convoy

فَسَرَت إِلَيَّ مَعَ الرِكابِ تَحِيَّةٌ

فَسَرَت إِلَيَّ مَعَ الرِكابِ تَحِيَّةٌ

عَقَدَت عَلَيَّ لَها العُلى أَزرارا

عَقَدَت عَلَيَّ لَها العُلى أَزرارا

So a greeting traveled by night to me with the caravan,

Which for it highness a bracelet knotted

whose buttons Glory fastened upon me.

A jolting one bent to me with honor’s kindness

هَزّازَةٌ ناءَت بِعَطفي عِزَّةٍ

هَزّازَةٌ ناءَت بِعَطفي عِزَّةٍ

حَتّى جَرَرتُ عَلى المَجَرِّ إِزارا

حَتّى جَرَرتُ عَلى المَجَرِّ إِزارا

A stirring greeting that lifted my side in pride,

Until I dragged on the course a garment

until I trailed a robe across the Milky Way.

The felony of a tyrannous time’s disposal roared

هَدَرَت جِنايَةُ صَرفِ دَهرٍ جائِرٍ

هَدَرَت جِنايَةُ صَرفِ دَهرٍ جائِرٍ

نَفَضَ المَشيبَ بِعارِضَيَّ غُبارا

نَفَضَ المَشيبَ بِعارِضَيَّ غُبارا

The wrong of a cruel age's reversals was annulled—

Having shaken gray hair on my temples soil

an age that shook gray hair like dust upon my cheeks.

So when I incline, I have no comfort, but

فَإِذا حَنَوتُ فَلا سَلَوتُ فَإِنَّما

فَإِذا حَنَوتُ فَلا سَلَوتُ فَإِنَّما

أَنتَ القَريبُ وَإِن شَحَطتَ دِيارا

أَنتَ القَريبُ وَإِن شَحَطتَ دِيارا

So if I yearn, may I never forget; for

You are near even if homelands have receded

you alone are near, though your dwelling lies far away.