عَذيرِيَ مِن طَوالِعَ في عِذاري

عَذيرِيَ مِن طَوالِعَ في عِذاري

وَمِن رَدِّ الشَبابِ المُستَعارِ

وَمِن رَدِّ الشَبابِ المُستَعارِ

Who will plead my cause against the first gray hairs in my cheek-locks,

My excuse for the misfortunes of my fate,

and against the return of my borrowed youth,

And for the loss of borrowed youthfulness;

وَثَوبٍ كُنتُ أَلبَسُهُ أَنيقٍ

وَثَوبٍ كُنتُ أَلبَسُهُ أَنيقٍ

أُجَرِّرُ ذَيلَهُ بَينَ الجَواري

أُجَرِّرُ ذَيلَهُ بَينَ الجَواري

and of the elegant robe I used to wear,

The elegant garment I used to wear,

trailing its hem among young women?

Dragging its train amidst the maidens.

وَما زادَت عَلى العِشرينَ سِنّي

وَما زادَت عَلى العِشرينَ سِنّي

فَما عُذرُ المَشيبِ إِلى عِذاري

فَما عُذرُ المَشيبِ إِلى عِذاري

Yet my age has not exceeded twenty;

I've not yet passed twenty years,

what excuse can gray hair offer my cheek-locks?

So graying hair cannot excuse my errors.

وَما اِستَمتَعتُ مِن داعي التَصابي

وَما اِستَمتَعتُ مِن داعي التَصابي

إِلى أَن جاءَني داعي الوَقارِ

إِلى أَن جاءَني داعي الوَقارِ

I had not yet enjoyed the summons to youthful dalliance

I did not enjoy the call to recklessness,

when the summons to dignity came to me.

Until the call to dignity came upon me.

أَيا شَيبي ظَلَمتَ وَياشَبابي

أَيا شَيبي ظَلَمتَ وَياشَبابي

لَقَد جاوَرتُ مِنكَ بِشَرِّ جارِ

لَقَد جاوَرتُ مِنكَ بِشَرِّ جارِ

O my gray hair, you have wronged me! And O my youth,

Oh my gray hair you have wronged me, and my youth,

in you I have lived beside the worst of neighbors:

You have brought me the worst of neighbors.

يُرَحِّلُ كُلَّ مَن يَأوي إِلَيهِ

يُرَحِّلُ كُلَّ مَن يَأوي إِلَيهِ

وَيَختِمُها بِتَرحيلِ الدِيارِ

وَيَختِمُها بِتَرحيلِ الدِيارِ

it sends away everyone who takes shelter with it,

It carries off all who seek refuge in it,

and concludes by banishing the dwellings themselves.

And ends with the abandonment of homes.

أَمَرتُ بِقَصِّهِ وَكَفَفتُ عَنهُ

أَمَرتُ بِقَصِّهِ وَكَفَفتُ عَنهُ

وَقَرَّ عَلى تَحَمُّلِهِ قَراري

وَقَرَّ عَلى تَحَمُّلِهِ قَراري

I ordered it cut, then refrained from doing so;

I commanded it be cut, and stopped indulging it,

my resolve settled on bearing it.

And found peace in enduring it.

وَقُلتُ الشَيبُ أَهوَنُ ما أُلاقي

وَقُلتُ الشَيبُ أَهوَنُ ما أُلاقي

مِنَ الدُنيا وَأَيسَرُ ما أُداري

مِنَ الدُنيا وَأَيسَرُ ما أُداري

I said: Gray hair is the least burdensome thing I encounter

I said gray hair is the easiest thing,

in this world, and the easiest thing I must humor.

I must face in life and manage.

وَلا يَبقى رَفيقي الفَجرُ حَتّى

وَلا يَبقى رَفيقي الفَجرُ حَتّى

يُضَمُّ إِلَيهِ مُنبَلِجَ النَهارِ

يُضَمُّ إِلَيهِ مُنبَلِجَ النَهارِ

Nor will my companion, dawn, remain alone:

My companion dawn does not remain,

the brightening day will be joined to it.

Until the rising day embraces it.

وَإِنّي مافُجِعتُ بِهِ لَأَلقى

وَإِنّي مافُجِعتُ بِهِ لَأَلقى

بِهِ مَلقى العِثارِ مِنَ الشِعارِ

بِهِ مَلقى العِثارِ مِنَ الشِعارِ

I am not so stricken by it that I should cast

I was not saddened when it came,

it off like an undergarment that makes one stumble.

I met it like the stumbling of the blind.

وَكَم مِن زائِرٍ بِالكُرهِ مِنّي

وَكَم مِن زائِرٍ بِالكُرهِ مِنّي

كَرِهتُ فِراقَهُ بَعدَ المَزارِ

كَرِهتُ فِراقَهُ بَعدَ المَزارِ

How many a visitor I received unwillingly

How many visitors I disliked,

I hated to part with after his visit!

Then after their visit mourned their parting.

مَتى أَسلو بِلا خِلٍّ وَصولٍ

مَتى أَسلو بِلا خِلٍّ وَصولٍ

يُوافِقني وَلا قَدَحٍ مُدارِ

يُوافِقني وَلا قَدَحٍ مُدارِ

When can I find solace without a devoted friend

When will I live without fault or arrival,

who agrees with me, or a cup passed around?

That pleases me, without a moving abode?

وَكُنتُ إِذا الهُمومُ تَناوَبَتني

وَكُنتُ إِذا الهُمومُ تَناوَبَتني

فَزِعتُ مِنَ الهُمومِ إِلى العُقارِ

فَزِعتُ مِنَ الهُمومِ إِلى العُقارِ

Whenever cares took turns besetting me,

When worries took turns with me,

I used to seek refuge from cares in wine.

I took refuge from worries in poison.

أَنَختُ وَصاحِبايَ بِذي طُلوحٍ

أَنَختُ وَصاحِبايَ بِذي طُلوحٍ

طَلائِحَ شَفَّها وَخدُ القِفارِ

طَلائِحَ شَفَّها وَخدُ القِفارِ

My two companions and I halted at Dhu Tuluh,

My friend and I camped in barren lands,

our weary mounts worn thin by trotting through the wastelands.

With cracked lips and cheeks like desert hills.

وَلا ماءٌ سِوى نُطفِ الأَداوي

وَلا ماءٌ سِوى نُطفِ الأَداوي

وَلا زادٌ سِوى القَنَصِ المُثارِ

وَلا زادٌ سِوى القَنَصِ المُثارِ

There was no water save drops in the water-skins,

No water except the drops we gathered,

and no provisions save the game flushed out.

No food except what we hunted and foraged.

فَلَمّا لاحَ بَعدَ الأَينِ سَلعٌ

فَلَمّا لاحَ بَعدَ الأَينِ سَلعٌ

ذَكَرتُ مَنازِلي وَعَرَفتُ داري

ذَكَرتُ مَنازِلي وَعَرَفتُ داري

When Salʿ appeared after our weariness,

When signs of life appeared in the distance,

I remembered my dwellings and recognized my home.

I remembered my dwellings and recognized my homes.

أَلَمَّ بِنا وَجُنحُ اللَيلِ داجٍ

أَلَمَّ بِنا وَجُنحُ اللَيلِ داجٍ

خَيالٌ زارَ وَهناً مِن نَوارِ

خَيالٌ زارَ وَهناً مِن نَوارِ

There came to us, while the wing of night was dark,

The wings of night covered us,

a phantom of Nawar, visiting late at night.

A specter visited, weakening our strength.

أَباخِلَةٌ عَلَيَّ وَأَنتِ جارٌ

أَباخِلَةٌ عَلَيَّ وَأَنتِ جارٌ

وَواصِلَةٌ عَلى بُعدِ المَزارِ

وَواصِلَةٌ عَلى بُعدِ المَزارِ

Are you grudging toward me while you are a neighbor,

Stingy yet you are my neighbor,

yet keeping our bond despite the long journey to you?

And faithful though far away.

تَلاعَبُ بي عَلى هَوجِ المَطايا

تَلاعَبُ بي عَلى هَوجِ المَطايا

خَلائِقُ لاتَقُرُّ عَلى الصَغارِ

خَلائِقُ لاتَقُرُّ عَلى الصَغارِ

Upon headlong mounts, I am tossed about

My soul plays with me on the back of horses,

by traits that will not abide humiliation,

Whims that do not settle for small things.

وَنَفسٌ دونَ مَطلَبِها الثُرَيّا

وَنَفسٌ دونَ مَطلَبِها الثُرَيّا

وَكَفٌّ دونَها فَيضُ البِحارِ

وَكَفٌّ دونَها فَيضُ البِحارِ

and a soul whose aim leaves the Pleiades beneath it,

A soul unsatisfied without glory,

and a hand beside which the flood of seas falls short.

And hands unable to contain the seas.

أَرى نَفسي تُطالِبُني بِأَمرٍ

أَرى نَفسي تُطالِبُني بِأَمرٍ

قَليلٌ دونَ غايَتِهِ اِقتِصاري

قَليلٌ دونَ غايَتِهِ اِقتِصاري

I find my soul demanding something of me;

I see myself demanding the impossible,

to stop short of its goal is too little for me.

My aspirations fall short of my dreams.

وَما يُغنيكَ مِن هِمَمٍ طِوالٍ

وَما يُغنيكَ مِن هِمَمٍ طِوالٍ

إِذا قُرِنَت بِأَعمارٍ قِصارِ

إِذا قُرِنَت بِأَعمارٍ قِصارِ

What use are lofty ambitions to you

Of what use are lofty ambitions,

when paired with short lifetimes?

When paired with short lifespans?

وَمُعتَكِفٍ عَلى حَلَبٍ بَكِيٌّ

وَمُعتَكِفٍ عَلى حَلَبٍ بَكِيٌّ

يَقوتُ عِطاشَ آمالٍ غِزارِ

يَقوتُ عِطاشَ آمالٍ غِزارِ

And one bent on milking a scanty yield

A weeping pilgrim chants at a shrine,

feeds abundant, thirsty hopes.

Quenching the thirst of copious hopes.

يَقولُ لِيَ اِنتَظِر فَرَجاً وَمَن لي

يَقولُ لِيَ اِنتَظِر فَرَجاً وَمَن لي

بِأَنَّ المَوتَ يَنتَظِرُ اِنتِظاري

بِأَنَّ المَوتَ يَنتَظِرُ اِنتِظاري

He tells me, 'Wait for relief'; but who can assure me

He says to me wait for relief, but who can tell

that death will wait through my waiting?

That death itself waits in anticipation of me?

عَلَيَّ لِكُلِّ هَمٍّ كُلُّ عيسٍ

عَلَيَّ لِكُلِّ هَمٍّ كُلُّ عيسٍ

أَمونُ الرَحلِ مُؤجَدَةُ الفَقارِ

أَمونُ الرَحلِ مُؤجَدَةُ الفَقارِ

Bring me, for every care, pale camels, each one

For every worry I have hosts of misfortunes,

sure beneath the saddle, with a firmly knit spine,

Calamities piercing like arrows.

وَخَرّاجٌ مِنَ الغَمَراتِ خِرقٌ

وَخَرّاجٌ مِنَ الغَمَراتِ خِرقٌ

أَبو شِبلَينِ مَحمِيُّ الذِمارِ

أَبو شِبلَينِ مَحمِيُّ الذِمارِ

and a resourceful man, ever escaping from perils,

There is a remedy for every illness,

father of two lion cubs, his honor guarded,

Except the rending of the loincloth.

شَديدُ تَجَنُّبِ الآثامِ وافٍ

شَديدُ تَجَنُّبِ الآثامِ وافٍ

عَلى عِلّاتِهِ عَفُّ الإِزارِ

عَلى عِلّاتِهِ عَفُّ الإِزارِ

resolutely shunning sins, faithful

So I do not settle unless,

despite his faults, chaste of loincloth.

I settle like the expanse of the seas.

فَلا نَزَلَت بِيَ الجيرانُ إِن لَم

فَلا نَزَلَت بِيَ الجيرانُ إِن لَم

أُجاوِرها مُجاوَرَةَ البِحارِ

أُجاوِرها مُجاوَرَةَ البِحارِ

May neighbors never settle beside me unless

Nor am I accompanied by horsemen, unless

I prove a neighbor to them like the seas.

I accompany with the security of escape.

وَلا صَحِبَتنِيَ الفُرسانُ إِن لَم

وَلا صَحِبَتنِيَ الفُرسانُ إِن لَم

أُصاحِبها بِمَأمونِ الفِرارِ

أُصاحِبها بِمَأمونِ الفِرارِ

Nor may horsemen ever accompany me unless

Nor do realms fear me, unless

I accompany them as one they can trust not to flee.

I greet them with billowing dust.

وَلا خافَتنِيَ الأَملاكُ إِن لَم

وَلا خافَتنِيَ الأَملاكُ إِن لَم

أُصَبِّحها بِمُلتَفِّ الغُبارِ

أُصَبِّحها بِمُلتَفِّ الغُبارِ

Nor may kings ever fear me unless

With an army that does not allow a raid,

I attack them at dawn amid thick, swirling dust,

And a view that does not elude them from caves.

بِجَيشٍ لايَحِلُّ بِهِم مُغيرٌ

بِجَيشٍ لايَحِلُّ بِهِم مُغيرٌ

وَرَأيٍ لايَغِبُّهُمُ مُغارِ

وَرَأيٍ لايَغِبُّهُمُ مُغارِ

with an army no raider can descend upon,

I tightened the noose of travel,

and a strategy that gives them no respite from raids.

A distant untying, not easily undone.

شَدَدتُ عَلى الحَمامَةِ كورَ رَحلٍ

شَدَدتُ عَلى الحَمامَةِ كورَ رَحلٍ

بَعيدٌ حَلُّهُ دونَ اليَسارِ

بَعيدٌ حَلُّهُ دونَ اليَسارِ

I fastened a saddle-frame upon al-Hamamah,

Tongues and peaks sing of it,

its unfastening far off unless I win prosperity.

As do the suppressed talents and the skilled.

تَحُفُّ بِهِ الأَسِنَّةُ وَالعَوالي

تَحُفُّ بِهِ الأَسِنَّةُ وَالعَوالي

وَمُضمَرَةُ المَهارى وَالمَهاري

وَمُضمَرَةُ المَهارى وَالمَهاري

Around it gather spearheads and long spears,

They return after long estrangement disheveled,

and lean Mahri camels and Mahri riding-mounts.

Due to the great distance of the caves.

يَعُدنَ بُعَيدَ طولِ الصَونِ شُعثاً

يَعُدنَ بُعَيدَ طولِ الصَونِ شُعثاً

لِما كُلِّفنَ مِن بُعدِ المَغارِ

لِما كُلِّفنَ مِن بُعدِ المَغارِ

They return disheveled soon after their long safekeeping,

The banners around me flutter red,

because of the far-ranging raids imposed on them.

And the brave follow me closely.

وَتَخفِقُ حَولِيَ الراياتُ حُمراً

وَتَخفِقُ حَولِيَ الراياتُ حُمراً

وَتَتبَعُني الخَضارِمُ مِن نِزارِ

وَتَتبَعُني الخَضارِمُ مِن نِزارِ

Red banners flutter around me,

If a bold enemy approaches,

and the great chiefs of Nizar follow me.

The men repel them vigorously.

وَإِن طُرِقَت بِداهِيَةٍ نَآدٍ

وَإِن طُرِقَت بِداهِيَةٍ نَآدٍ

تُدافِعُها الرِجالُ بِكُلِّ جارِ

تُدافِعُها الرِجالُ بِكُلِّ جارِ

And if beset at night by a grievous calamity

When my journey came to rest, I became dear,

that men ward off with every neighbor's help,

And people treated me with utmost care.

عَزيزٌ حَيثُ حَطَّ السَيرُ رَحلي

عَزيزٌ حَيثُ حَطَّ السَيرُ رَحلي

تُداريني الأَنامُ وَلا أُداري

تُداريني الأَنامُ وَلا أُداري

I am mighty wherever travel sets my saddle down;

My family are those I camped with,

people humor me; I humor no one.

And my home wherever I stayed.

وَأَهلي مَن أَنَختُ إِلَيهِ عيسي

وَأَهلي مَن أَنَختُ إِلَيهِ عيسي

وَداري حَيثُ كُنتُ مِنَ الدِيارِ

وَداري حَيثُ كُنتُ مِنَ الدِيارِ

My kin are those beside whom I make my pale camels kneel,

and my home is any dwelling where I happen to be.