هذا اللّوى لا حُطّ منه لواءُ

هذا اللّوى لا حُطّ منه لواءُ

يرتاد عنه هوىً وهواءُ

يرتاد عنه هوىً وهواءُ

This is al-Liwa—may no banner be lowered from it!

This passion cannot be diminished,

Love and wind go scouting on its behalf.

It seeks love and desire.

فاحْلُل عقودَ الدمعِ في عقداتِه

فاحْلُل عقودَ الدمعِ في عقداتِه

إن جرّعَتْك غرامَك الجَرعاءُ

إن جرّعَتْك غرامَك الجَرعاءُ

So loosen the knots of tears amid its knotted dunes,

Unravel the tears' knots into its knots,

if al-Jar'a has made you drink your passion.

If its love has made you drink the bitter cup.

والعبْ بعِطفِك كالقضيب فإنما

والعبْ بعِطفِك كالقضيب فإنما

أهدَتْ بوارِحَها لك البُرَحاءُ

أهدَتْ بوارِحَها لك البُرَحاءُ

And sway your side like a twig, for only

Play with your cloak like a wand, for

love's anguish has gifted you its scorching winds.

Its limbs have gifted you open spaces.

لم يبقَ من آثارِ أنجُمِ غِيدِه

لم يبقَ من آثارِ أنجُمِ غِيدِه

إلا الدموع فإنها أنواءُ

إلا الدموع فإنها أنواءُ

Nothing remains of the traces of its supple beauties' stars

Of the traces of his shining stars, nothing remains

except tears, for they are rain-bearing stars.

Except tears, for they are lights.

جعلوا الحُماةَ حِماهُم وترحّلوا

جعلوا الحُماةَ حِماهُم وترحّلوا

فبحيثُ ما حلّوا ظُبىً وظِباءُ

فبحيثُ ما حلّوا ظُبىً وظِباءُ

They made their defenders their sanctuary and departed;

They made the protectors their protection and migrated,

wherever they settled were sword-edges and gazelles.

So wherever they settled were gazelles and mountain goats.

وتكنّسوا قصَبَ الوشيجِ وتفعل ال

وتكنّسوا قصَبَ الوشيجِ وتفعل ال

سّمراءُ ما لا تفعلُ السّمراءُ

سّمراءُ ما لا تفعلُ السّمراءُ

They sheltered amid the shafts of spears; and the

They swept the reed beds and the black did

dusky beauty does what the brown spear cannot.

What the black does not do.

هذي المنازلُ كالمنازل فاسألوا

هذي المنازلُ كالمنازل فاسألوا

عن بدرها فلقد دجَتْ ظلماءُ

عن بدرها فلقد دجَتْ ظلماءُ

These dwellings are like the lunar stations, so ask

These dwellings are like dwellings, so ask

after their full moon, for a dark night has fallen.

About their full moons, for they have darkened.

ذُمَّ الفِراقُ وما علقْتَ بذمّةٍ

ذُمَّ الفِراقُ وما علقْتَ بذمّةٍ

من سلوةٍ فمتى يُذمّ لقاءُ

من سلوةٍ فمتى يُذمّ لقاءُ

Separation is reviled, and you have held to no pledge

Blame separation, though you have not bound

of consolation—when, then, is reunion reviled?

Any agreement of solace, so when will gathering be blamed?

لله ذاك العيشُ إذ لا بيننا

لله ذاك العيشُ إذ لا بيننا

بينٌ ولا عاداتُنا عُدَواءُ

بينٌ ولا عاداتُنا عُدَواءُ

How splendid that life, when between us there was no

That life is for God, for between us

separation, nor were our ways at odds!

There is no enmity and our habits are not hostile.

والجوّ صافٍ والمواردُ عذبةٌ

والجوّ صافٍ والمواردُ عذبةٌ

والروضُ نضْرٌ والنسيمُ رُخاءُ

والروضُ نضْرٌ والنسيمُ رُخاءُ

The air was clear, and the watering places sweet;

The air is clear, the springs are sweet,

the garden fresh, and the breeze gentle.

The meadows verdant, and the breeze gentle.

ولقد نزعتُ عن الغرامِ فشاقَني

ولقد نزعتُ عن الغرامِ فشاقَني

أرَجٌ نماهُ مندلٌ وكِباءُ

أرَجٌ نماهُ مندلٌ وكِباءُ

I had renounced passion, but I was stirred to longing by

I tried to remove passion but it clung to me,

a fragrance fostered by aloeswood and incense.

A man pulled at it and so did an old woman.

هبّتْ صَبا نجدٍ وهبّ لي الصِّبا

هبّتْ صَبا نجدٍ وهبّ لي الصِّبا

فتلاقَتِ الأهواءُ والأهواءُ

فتلاقَتِ الأهواءُ والأهواءُ

Najd's east wind blew, and youth awoke in me;

The zephyr of Najd blew, and youth blew for me,

so the breezes and the passions met.

So passions met passions.

ماذا على العذّال أن خلعَ الهوى

ماذا على العذّال أن خلعَ الهوى

عُذري وعُذري غادةٌ عذراءُ

عُذري وعُذري غادةٌ عذراءُ

What harm is it to the reproachers if love strips off

What fault is it of the critic that he stripped

my excuse, when my excuse is a graceful virgin?

My excuse away and my excuse is an innocent damsel?

بل كيف يحسنُ بي الهوى ومحلّهُ

بل كيف يحسنُ بي الهوى ومحلّهُ

دون الحضيضِ ودونيَ الجوزاء

دون الحضيضِ ودونيَ الجوزاء

Rather, how can love befit me, when its dwelling lies

Rather, how can love suit me and its abode

below the lowest depths, while al-Jawza lies beneath me?

Is below the lowly, and I below the Gemini?

يا حبّذا رِيُّ الكئيب من الظّما

يا حبّذا رِيُّ الكئيب من الظّما

لا حبّذا أروى ولا ظَمياءُ

لا حبّذا أروى ولا ظَمياءُ

O, how sweet the grieving man's slaking after thirst!

Would that the rain of clouds sates me, not

No welcome to Arwa, nor to Zamya!

Would that I sate and not the thirsty.

هو منكِبُ العزمِ الذي لو أنّهُ

هو منكِبُ العزمِ الذي لو أنّهُ

ريحٌ لقالوا إنها النّكْباءُ

ريحٌ لقالوا إنها النّكْباءُ

It is resolve's shoulder: if it were

It is the shoulder of resolve which if

a wind, they would call it the crosswind.

It were a wind, they'd say it was fate.

ولديّ فكرٌ إن تبلّج نورُه

ولديّ فكرٌ إن تبلّج نورُه

شهد الذكاءُ بأن ذاك ذُكاءُ

شهد الذكاءُ بأن ذاك ذُكاءُ

I possess a mind whose light, if it breaks forth,

And I have a thought which if its light shines forth

makes intelligence testify that it is Dhuka, the sun.

The intelligent would witness it is intelligence.

ألقى القريضُ له مقالدَ أمره

ألقى القريضُ له مقالدَ أمره

فاختارَ وهو المانعُ كالأبّاءُ

فاختارَ وهو المانعُ كالأبّاءُ

Poetry has handed it the keys to its affairs;

Fate cast its ropes and he chose,

so it chose, a withholder like the unyielding.

And he prevents like an unwedded person.

كم بيتِ شعرٍ قد علا بنيانُه

كم بيتِ شعرٍ قد علا بنيانُه

بيتاً دعائمُ سَمكِه العلياءُ

بيتاً دعائمُ سَمكِه العلياءُ

Many a verse has raised its structure above

How many a verse whose structure is raised

a house whose roof is supported by the heights.

By pillars, its highest being the lofty.

يُحيي به الأمواتَ بعد فنائها

يُحيي به الأمواتَ بعد فنائها

ولربّما ماتت به الأحياءُ

ولربّما ماتت به الأحياءُ

Through it he revives the dead after their passing,

It brings the dead to life after their demise

and sometimes the living die through it.

And sometimes it kills the living by it.

ألفاظه كالشهبِ إلا أنها

ألفاظه كالشهبِ إلا أنها

في كل خطبٍ فيلقٌ شهباءُ

في كل خطبٍ فيلقٌ شهباءُ

Its words are like meteors, except that they are

Its words like meteors except

in every crisis a gray-white army.

In every discourse, a shower of meteors.

والى سَراةِ بني عديٍّ أنتمي

والى سَراةِ بني عديٍّ أنتمي

في حيثُ تُنمى العزةُ القعساءُ

في حيثُ تُنمى العزةُ القعساءُ

And to the nobles of Banu Adi I belong,

And I belong to the elite of Bani Uday,

where unassailable might is rooted.

Where glory grows stout.

قومٌ همُ غُررُ الزمان وأهله

قومٌ همُ غُررُ الزمان وأهله

والعالمونَ جِبلّةٌ دهماءُ

والعالمونَ جِبلّةٌ دهماءُ

A people who are the bright brows of time and its people,

A people who are the caves of the age and its people,

while the world's people are a dark throng.

And a people naturally courageous.

يتورّدون الخطبَ وهو مهالكٌ

يتورّدون الخطبَ وهو مهالكٌ

ويبادرون الحربَ وهي فناءُ

ويبادرون الحربَ وهي فناءُ

They plunge into calamity, though it holds deadly perils,

They fetch orations though it is perilous

and hasten into war, though it is annihilation.

And hasten to war though it is demise.

ويخاطبون بألسنِ البيضِ التي

ويخاطبون بألسنِ البيضِ التي

من دونها يتلجلجُ الخُطباءُ

من دونها يتلجلجُ الخُطباءُ

They address others with the tongues of white swords,

They address with tongues of blades which

before which the orators stammer.

Without them the orators would stammer.

من كل أروعَ ضاربٍ بحسامه

من كل أروعَ ضاربٍ بحسامه

رأس الكميّ إذا التظَتْ هيجاءُ

رأس الكميّ إذا التظَتْ هيجاءُ

Each is an imposing warrior, striking with his keen sword

With each well-aimed sword that

the armored champion's head when battle blazes.

Severs the head of the tyrant when the clamor arises.

ناءٍ مناطُ نجادِه فكأنه

ناءٍ مناطُ نجادِه فكأنه

من تحت منعقِد اللواءِ لواءُ

من تحت منعقِد اللواءِ لواءُ

Far above is his baldric's fastening, so he seems

A shoot whose origin is protected, as though

a banner beneath the banner's knot.

Under the standard's fold there is a standard.

متناسبِ الأجزاءِ أجمعُ صدرِه

متناسبِ الأجزاءِ أجمعُ صدرِه

قلبٌ وأجمعُ قلبِه سوداءُ

قلبٌ وأجمعُ قلبِه سوداءُ

Well proportioned in his parts, his entire breast

Proportionate in all limbs, his chest

is heart, and his entire heart a black core.

A heart, and his heart altogether dark.

إن تظلِم الأفدارُ فهو مهنّدٌ

إن تظلِم الأفدارُ فهو مهنّدٌ

أو تُظلِم الأخطارُ فهو ضياءُ

أو تُظلِم الأخطارُ فهو ضياءُ

If the fates do wrong, he is an Indian-forged sword;

If the horizons darken, he is a flame,

or if dangers darken, he is light.

Or if dangers darken, he is a light.

يصبو الى نار الوغى فيُشبُّها

يصبو الى نار الوغى فيُشبُّها

بأناملٍ منها يفيضُ الماءُ

بأناملٍ منها يفيضُ الماءُ

He yearns for battle's fire and kindles it

He rushes to the fire of turmoil, likening it

with fingertips from which water pours.

To fingers from which water overflows.

ويهزّه هزَجُ الصهيل كأنما

ويهزّه هزَجُ الصهيل كأنما

حكمتْ عليه القهوةُ الصّهباءُ

حكمتْ عليه القهوةُ الصّهباءُ

The lilt of neighing stirs him, as though

The neighing din shakes him as though

tawny wine had ruled over him.

The grey mare judged against him.

أبناء لخمَ الأكرمينَ عصابةً

أبناء لخمَ الأكرمينَ عصابةً

لا ينثنون وفي الثّباتِ ثناءُ

لا ينثنون وفي الثّباتِ ثناءُ

The noblest sons of Lakhm, a band

The sons of honored Lakhm, a group

that never turns back—steadfastness earns praise.

Who do not waver and in firmness lies praise.

نشروا أمام خميسِهم أحسابَهم

نشروا أمام خميسِهم أحسابَهم

في الحرب وهي الرايةُ البيضاءُ

في الحرب وهي الرايةُ البيضاءُ

They unfurled their ancestral honors before their army

They spread their accounts before their Khamis

in war, and these are the white banner.

In war, which is the white banner.

أخذوا عن النعمان شرعَ مكارمٍ

أخذوا عن النعمان شرعَ مكارمٍ

دامَتْ لضيفِهم بها النِّعْماءُ

دامَتْ لضيفِهم بها النِّعْماءُ

They took from al-Nu'man a code of noble deeds,

They took from Al-Nu'man a canon of virtues

through which bounty has endured for their guest.

By which bounty lasted for their guest.

ضربوا بمُستنِّ الركابِ قبابَهم

ضربوا بمُستنِّ الركابِ قبابَهم

فتساوتِ الغُرباءُ والقُرباءُ

فتساوتِ الغُرباءُ والقُرباءُ

They pitched their domed tents beside the riding camels' track,

They struck their abodes with travelers' whips, so

so strangers and kinsmen were equal.

The stranger and the near were equal.

وتحكّم الضيفانُ في أموالهم

وتحكّم الضيفانُ في أموالهم

حتى كأنهمُ لهم شُركاءُ

حتى كأنهمُ لهم شُركاءُ

The guests ruled over their wealth,

And the two guests controlled their wealth

as though they were their partners.

As though they were their partners.

يخشاهم ريبُ الزمان فجارُهم

يخشاهم ريبُ الزمان فجارُهم

لم يدْرِ في السّراءِ ما الضرّاءُ

لم يدْرِ في السّراءِ ما الضرّاءُ

Time's reversals fear them; thus their neighbor

The shame of time fears them so its sinner

has never known, amid prosperity, what adversity is.

Did not know in ease what distress was.

نسبٌ لو انّ الزهرَ في إشراقِه

نسبٌ لو انّ الزهرَ في إشراقِه

لتشابَه الإصباحُ والإمساءُ

لتشابَه الإصباحُ والإمساءُ

A lineage—if the stars possessed its radiance,

A lineage, if bloom were in its shining

dawn and dusk would look alike.

Dawn and dusk would resemble one another.

أبهى من القمر المنير وإنما

أبهى من القمر المنير وإنما

أقوالُ عبد الله فيه عُواءُ

أقوالُ عبد الله فيه عُواءُ

More splendid than the shining moon; but

More magnificent than the shining moon, but

Abd Allah's words about it are mere howling.

The words of Abdullah about it are howling.

أملفّقَ الأحسابِ جِئ بقبيلة

أملفّقَ الأحسابِ جِئ بقبيلة

تُنمى لها ولو انّها العنقاءُ

تُنمى لها ولو انّها العنقاءُ

You patcher of pedigrees, produce a tribe

I have gathered the accounts, so come with a tribe

to which you can trace yourself, even if it is the Anqa.

To which the eloquent assign nobility even if it is a female ostrich.

زوّرْ كعادتك القديمة نسبةً

زوّرْ كعادتك القديمة نسبةً

واتركْ عديّاً وامضِ كيف تشاءُ

واتركْ عديّاً وامضِ كيف تشاءُ

Forge a lineage, as is your old habit,

Forge as is your old habit a lineage

leave Adi alone, and go as you please.

And leave Udayy and go as you wish.

وأظنّ أمكَ يا مذَبذبُ خلّطَتْ

وأظنّ أمكَ يا مذَبذبُ خلّطَتْ

فالناسُ فيك جمعُهم خُلَطاءُ

فالناسُ فيك جمعُهم خُلَطاءُ

I suspect your mother, you vacillator, mingled freely,

And I reckon your mother, o wavering one, mixed

for all people together are partners in you.

So people altogether are your mixed-race.

لا تنكرنّ ففي قريضك عُجمةٌ

لا تنكرنّ ففي قريضك عُجمةٌ

ألفاظُه أبداً بها شُهداء

ألفاظُه أبداً بها شُهداء

Do not deny it: your verse has a foreign awkwardness;

Do not deny, for in your poem there is solecism,

its words are always witnesses to it.

Its words will forever testify against you.

نظِّفْه من خطأٍ ولحنٍ فاحشٍ

نظِّفْه من خطأٍ ولحنٍ فاحشٍ

واذهبْ تصوّبْهُ لك العلماءُ

واذهبْ تصوّبْهُ لك العلماءُ

Clean it of error and gross grammatical faults,

Cleanse it of terrible mistakes and solecisms

and go—let the learned correct it for you.

And go, let the scholars correct it for you.

وانقُلهُ مضبوطَ الحروفِ فطالما

وانقُلهُ مضبوطَ الحروفِ فطالما

صحّفْتَ ما نظمَتْ لك الشعراءُ

صحّفْتَ ما نظمَتْ لك الشعراءُ

Copy it with its letters precisely marked, for often

And transmit it fully voweled for too often

you have miscopied what the poets composed for you.

You misspelled what the poets composed for you.

واردُدْ سهامك في صميمك إنما

واردُدْ سهامك في صميمك إنما

تتناضلُ الأمثالُ والأكفاءُ

تتناضلُ الأمثالُ والأكفاءُ

Turn your arrows back into your own heart; only

And direct your arrows into your core, for

peers and equals compete in shooting.

Only equals and peers compete.

أعُبَيْدُ ما خابَ امرؤٌ عونٌ له

أعُبَيْدُ ما خابَ امرؤٌ عونٌ له

عونٌ إذا ما هزّتِ اللأواءُ

عونٌ إذا ما هزّتِ اللأواءُ

O Ubayd, no man fails who has Awn

Ubayd, no man has lost who has a supporter

as a helper when hardship shakes him.

When banners tremble.

ولقد نزعتْ لأمةٍ نبطيّة

ولقد نزعتْ لأمةٍ نبطيّة

تُبديك آنفةً لها الفُصَحاءُ

تُبديك آنفةً لها الفُصَحاءُ

Indeed, she took after a Nabataean slave-woman,

And zeal has roused for a Nabataean tribe

revealing you, while the eloquent speakers disdain her.

To show you enmity, o eloquent one.

أعُبيدُ ما لجريرَ فيك جريرةٌ

أعُبيدُ ما لجريرَ فيك جريرةٌ

لو بصّرتْك طريقَها الآراءُ

لو بصّرتْك طريقَها الآراءُ

O Ubayd, Jarir bears no guilt toward you,

Ubayd, Jarir has no grudge against you

if judgments had shown you their path.

If views showed you his path.

غرّتك بارقةُ اللقاءِ فخفتَها

غرّتك بارقةُ اللقاءِ فخفتَها

خوراً ولم تهطِلْ عليك سماءُ

خوراً ولم تهطِلْ عليك سماءُ

The lightning-flash of the encounter deceived you, and you feared it

The lightning of meeting deceived you, so you feared it

out of cowardice, though no sky rained upon you.

As a mountain gap though no clouds poured upon you.

وسألتَ في إنجاءِ نفسك عندما

وسألتَ في إنجاءِ نفسك عندما

ظنّيتَ جُبناً أنهم مُدحاءُ

ظنّيتَ جُبناً أنهم مُدحاءُ

You pleaded for your own deliverance when

And you asked in delivering yourself when

you supposed, in cowardice, that they were [unclear: mudha'].

You supposed cowardice that they were panegyrists.

فركبتَ قادمةَ الفرارِ وضاقتِ ال

فركبتَ قادمةَ الفرارِ وضاقتِ ال

غبراءُ في عينيك والخضراءُ

غبراءُ في عينيك والخضراءُ

So you mounted flight's leading feather, and the

So you mounted the departing camel and the horizons narrowed

dust-gray earth and green sky narrowed in your eyes.

In your eyes, both dusty and green.

وتركتَ كمالك يا لئيمُ ولم يكنْ

وتركتَ كمالك يا لئيمُ ولم يكنْ

للمال إلا المعشرُ الكرماءُ

للمال إلا المعشرُ الكرماءُ

You abandoned your wealth, vile man; none were

And you left your perfection, o despicable one, though

fit for wealth but the noble company.

The cattle were only for the generous community.

قد كان من نهبٍ فعاد لأصلِه

قد كان من نهبٍ فعاد لأصلِه

في فضلِه وكذلك الأشياءُ

في فضلِه وكذلك الأشياءُ

It came from plunder, and returned to its source

It was from plunder so returns to its origin

in its bounty; and so it is with things.

In his bounty, and so are things.

ها إنّ ظِلفَك ساقَ حتفَك عنوةً

ها إنّ ظِلفَك ساقَ حتفَك عنوةً

مُتْ حسرةً قد حاقَ فيك الداءُ

مُتْ حسرةً قد حاقَ فيك الداءُ

See: your hoof has forcibly driven on your doom.

Behold, your misdeeds have led your ruin by force.

Die of grief: the sickness has seized you.

Die in sorrow, for illness has befallen you.

لا تُصلحُ النعماءُ سيرةَ مُفسدٍ

لا تُصلحُ النعماءُ سيرةَ مُفسدٍ

إصلاحُ سيرةِ سيرِه البأساءُ

إصلاحُ سيرةِ سيرِه البأساءُ

Prosperity cannot reform a corrupt man's conduct;

Virtuous deeds do not improve the conduct of a corrupt one;

hardship reforms the manner of his course.

Improving the conduct of his walk are calamities.

والله أعلمُ بالعبادِ وحكمُه

والله أعلمُ بالعبادِ وحكمُه

عدلٌ ورُبّ شقاً وفيه شِفاءُ

عدلٌ ورُبّ شقاً وفيه شِفاءُ

And God knows His servants best, and His judgment

And God knows best about worshippers, and His judgment

is just; many a misery contains a cure.

Is just, and perhaps in agony lies healing.

ومعرّضينَ لخاطري عِرضَيهِما

ومعرّضينَ لخاطري عِرضَيهِما

والنارُ لا تقوى بها الحَلْفاءُ

والنارُ لا تقوى بها الحَلْفاءُ

And two men exposing their reputations to my mind—

And they turned their backs on my feelings,

halfa-grass cannot grow strong in fire.

And the fire cannot be kindled by allies.

أغضيْتُ عيني عنهما حتى لقد

أغضيْتُ عيني عنهما حتى لقد

خلنا بجهل أنها عمياءُ

خلنا بجهل أنها عمياءُ

I averted my eye from them both, until indeed

I ignored them until we were ignorant in folly

we thought, in ignorance, that it was blind.

That they were blind.

والأصدقاء إذا همُ لم يُنصَفوا

والأصدقاء إذا همُ لم يُنصَفوا

فاعلَمْ بأنهم هم الأعداء

فاعلَمْ بأنهم هم الأعداء

And friends, if they are not treated fairly—

And if friends are not equitable,

know that they are the enemies.

Know them to be enemies.

إن لم يقُمْ بالعدل ميلُ ودادِهم

إن لم يقُمْ بالعدل ميلُ ودادِهم

فلديّ في أثر العتابِ هِجاءُ

فلديّ في أثر العتابِ هِجاءُ

If the bent of their affection does not stand upright through justice,

If the inclination of their love does not stand with justice,

then I have satire to follow reproach.

Then I have blame in the wake of reproach.

وعداوة الشعراء ما سمعوا به

وعداوة الشعراء ما سمعوا به

فليفعلوا من بعد ذا ما شاءوا

فليفعلوا من بعد ذا ما شاءوا

Poets' enmity is what they have heard of;

And the enmity of poets, what they have heard of it,

so after this, let them do whatever they please.

So let them do after this what they wish.