عَرَفتُ الدِيارَ كَرَقمِ الدَوا

عَرَفتُ الدِيارَ كَرَقمِ الدَوا

ةِ يَزبِرُها الكاتِبُ الحِميَرِيُّ

ةِ يَزبِرُها الكاتِبُ الحِميَرِيُّ

I recognized the dwellings, like script from an inkwell,

I knew the abodes like pages of prose

inscribed by the Himyarite scribe,

Inscribed by the Himyarite writer

بِرَقمٍ وَوَشىٍ كَما زُخرِفَت

بِرَقمٍ وَوَشىٍ كَما زُخرِفَت

بِميشَمِها المُزدَهاةُ الهَدِيُّ

بِميشَمِها المُزدَهاةُ الهَدِيُّ

with writing and ornament, as she was adorned

With symbols and embellishments as decorated

with her tattooing needle—the proud bride.

By its adorning, gifted artisan

أَدانَ وَأَنبَأَهُ الأَوَّلو

أَدانَ وَأَنبَأَهُ الأَوَّلو

نَ أَنَّ المُدانَ المَلِيُّ الوَفِيُّ

نَ أَنَّ المُدانَ المَلِيُّ الوَفِيُّ

He lent on credit, and those of old told him

The elders informed and predicted

that the man to lend to is solvent and trustworthy.

That the settled, faithful homeland

فَيَنظُرُ في صُحُفٍ كَالرِيا

فَيَنظُرُ في صُحُفٍ كَالرِيا

طِ فيهِنَّ إِرثُ كِتابٍ مَحِيُّ

طِ فيهِنَّ إِرثُ كِتابٍ مَحِيُّ

So he looks through pages like sheets of cloth,

Views scrolls like speckled shawls

bearing remnants of writing effaced.

In them lies the inheritance of an effaced book

عَلَى أَطرِقا بالِياتُ الخِيا

عَلَى أَطرِقا بالِياتُ الخِيا

مِ إِلّا الثُمامُ وَإِلّا العِصِيُّ

مِ إِلّا الثُمامُ وَإِلّا العِصِيُّ

At Atraqa, the tents have decayed,

Upon the relics of tents, the ruins of glory

save the thumam grass, and save the poles.

Save for the resolute and the steadfast

فَلَم يَبقَ مِنها سِوى هامِدٍ

فَلَم يَبقَ مِنها سِوى هامِدٍ

وَسُفعُ الخُدودِ مَعاً وَالنُؤِيُّ

وَسُفعُ الخُدودِ مَعاً وَالنُؤِيُّ

So nothing remained of them but cold ashes,

So nothing remains but the submissive

and dark-cheeked hearthstones together, and the tent-ditch,

And the bowed cheeks together with the pining

وَأَشعَثَ في الدارِ ذي لِمَّةٍ

وَأَشعَثَ في الدارِ ذي لِمَّةٍ

لَدى إِرِثِ حَوضٍ نَفاهُ الأَتِيُّ

لَدى إِرِثِ حَوضٍ نَفاهُ الأَتِيُّ

and a shaggy one in the dwelling, bearing a tuft,

And unkempt in the house of a community

beside the remnant of a basin swept away by the torrent.

Beside the inheritance of a basin, emptied by the coming

كَعوذِ المُعَطِّفِ أَحزى لَها

كَعوذِ المُعَطِّفِ أَحزى لَها

بِمَصدَرَةِ الماءِ رَأمٌ رَذِيُّ

بِمَصدَرَةِ الماءِ رَأمٌ رَذِيُّ

Like the fosterer's newly calved she-camels, for which was set

Like the cloak's lapwing, saddened for it

at the water's outlet an exhausted calf.

By the spring's outlet, a gazelle, lovely and tender

فَهُنَّ عُكوفٌ كَنَوحِ الكَري

فَهُنَّ عُكوفٌ كَنَوحِ الكَري

مِ قَد لاحَ أَكبادَهُنَّ الهَوِيُّ

مِ قَد لاحَ أَكبادَهُنَّ الهَوِيُّ

So they remain gathered, like mourners for a noble man,

There they are, hunched like the bending palm trees

whose livers have been scorched by longing.

Whose hearts have been ignited by passion

وَأَنسى نُشَيبَةَ وَالجاهِلُ ال

وَأَنسى نُشَيبَةَ وَالجاهِلُ ال

مُغَمَّرُ يَحِسَبُ أَنّي نَسِيُّ

مُغَمَّرُ يَحِسَبُ أَنّي نَسِيُّ

And shall I forget Nushayba? The ignorant,

And forgot old age, and the ignorant immersed one

inexperienced fellow thinks me forgetful.

Thinks I have forgotten

يَسُرُّ الصَديقَ وَيَنكي العَدُوَّ

يَسُرُّ الصَديقَ وَيَنكي العَدُوَّ

وَمِردى حُروبٍ رَضِيٌّ نَدِيُّ

وَمِردى حُروبٍ رَضِيٌّ نَدِيُّ

He gladdens his friend and wounds his foe,

Gladdening the friend and grieving the enemy

and is a scourge in war, esteemed and generous,

And the disputes of wars, agreeable and gentle

عَلى حينِ أَن تَمَّ فيهِ الثَلا

عَلى حينِ أَن تَمَّ فيهِ الثَلا

ثُ حَدٌّ وَجودٌ وَلُبٌّ رَخِيُّ

ثُ حَدٌّ وَجودٌ وَلُبٌّ رَخِيُّ

at the time when the three were perfected in him:

At a time when the three have been perfected in him

vigor, generosity, and an ample mind.

Zeal, generosity, and a soul kind and easy

وَمِن خَيرِ ما عَمِلَ الناشِىءُ ال

وَمِن خَيرِ ما عَمِلَ الناشِىءُ ال

مُعَمَّمُ خَيرٌ وَزَندٌ وَرِيُّ

مُعَمَّمُ خَيرٌ وَزَندٌ وَرِيُّ

And among the best deeds of the young man,

Of the best of what the youth has done

the turbaned one, are goodness and a firestick quick to kindle,

The turbaned one, goodness, dignity, and well-bred

وَصَبرٌ عَلى حَدَثِ النائِباتِ

وَصَبرٌ عَلى حَدَثِ النائِباتِ

وَحِلمٌ رَزينٌ وَقَلبٌ ذَكِيُّ

وَحِلمٌ رَزينٌ وَقَلبٌ ذَكِيُّ

and patience when calamities strike,

And patience for the occurrence of tribulations

and steady forbearance, and a keen heart.

And composure, grace, and a heart wise