طَرَقَ الخَيالُ فَزارَ مِنهُ خَيالاً

طَرَقَ الخَيالُ فَزارَ مِنهُ خَيالاً

فَسَرى يُغازِلُ في الرُقادِ غَزالا

فَسَرى يُغازِلُ في الرُقادِ غَزالا

The phantom came by night and visited him—a phantom too;

Imagination knocked and from it came an apparition

Then he roamed by night, wooing a gazelle in sleep.

That traveled at night seducing a doe in slumber

يا كَشفَةً لِلكَربِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ

يا كَشفَةً لِلكَربِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ

وَلّى عَلى دُبُرِ الظَلامِ فَزالا

وَلّى عَلى دُبُرِ الظَلامِ فَزالا

What a relief from anguish! Yet it

O fleeting respite from distress, alas it

Turned away at darkness's end and vanished.

Turned away into the darkness and vanished

فَغَدا المُيَتَّمُ وَهوَ أَكثَرُ صَبوَةً

فَغَدا المُيَتَّمُ وَهوَ أَكثَرُ صَبوَةً

وَأَشَدُّ بَلبالاً وَأَكسَفُ بالا

وَأَشَدُّ بَلبالاً وَأَكسَفُ بالا

So the lovelorn man awoke with greater yearning,

The orphan rose at dawn, now sadder

More distraught and gloomier in spirit.

More tearful and gloomy with sorrow

وَاِستَنهَضَتكَ إِلى المَآثِرِ وَالعُلا

وَاِستَنهَضَتكَ إِلى المَآثِرِ وَالعُلا

هِمَمٌ تَخالُ زَهاؤُهُنَّ جِبالا

هِمَمٌ تَخالُ زَهاؤُهُنَّ جِبالا

And you were roused toward noble deeds and lofty rank

But determination lifted you to glory and nobility

By ambitions so vast you would take them for mountains.

Ambitions that seemed as high as mountains

أَردَفتَهُنَّ عَزائِماً فَكَأَنَّما

أَردَفتَهُنَّ عَزائِماً فَكَأَنَّما

أَردَفتَ مُرهَفَةَ النِصالِ نِصالا

أَردَفتَ مُرهَفَةَ النِصالِ نِصالا

You reinforced them with firm resolves, as though

You followed them with resolves as if

You had reinforced sharpened blades with blades.

You followed the drawn swords with more swords

حَمَّلتَها قُلُصَ الرِكابِ كَأَنَّها

حَمَّلتَها قُلُصَ الرِكابِ كَأَنَّها

قُلُصُ النَعامِ إِذا تَبِعنَ رِيالا

قُلُصُ النَعامِ إِذا تَبِعنَ رِيالا

You mounted them on young riding she-camels, as though they

You loaded them with sturdy mounts as if they were

Were young ostrich hens when they follow their chicks.

The mounts of ostriches when they pursue a caravan

مُهرِيَةٌ أَودى السِفارُ بِنَحضِها

مُهرِيَةٌ أَودى السِفارُ بِنَحضِها

فَتَخالَها تَحتَ الرِحالِ رِحالا

فَتَخالَها تَحتَ الرِحالِ رِحالا

Mahri-bred, their flesh wasted away by travel,

A gift-mare whose running exhausted the messengers

So beneath the saddles you would take them for saddles.

And they imagined her beneath the saddlebags another saddlebag

أَمِنَت بِساحَةِ أَحمَدَ اِبنِ مُحَمَّدٍ

أَمِنَت بِساحَةِ أَحمَدَ اِبنِ مُحَمَّدٍ

مِن أَن يَذِلَّ عَزيزُها وَيُذالا

مِن أَن يَذِلَّ عَزيزُها وَيُذالا

They felt secure in the court of Ahmad, son of Muhammad,

She felt safe in the domain of Ahmad son of Muhammad

That their honored one would not be humbled or debased.

That his mighty one would not be disgraced or humbled

وَلَقَد تَقودُ الخَيلَ تَخطُرُ بِالقَنا

وَلَقَد تَقودُ الخَيلَ تَخطُرُ بِالقَنا

فَتَصُبُّهُنَّ عَلى العِدا آجالا

فَتَصُبُّهُنَّ عَلى العِدا آجالا

And indeed you lead the steeds, prancing with lances,

Indeed, she leads the steeds, emerging with the spear

Then pour them upon the foe as so many dooms.

Pouring them upon the foe with death

ما إِن يَلينُ لَها مَدى فَتَخالَها

ما إِن يَلينُ لَها مَدى فَتَخالَها

تَجري بِطاءً إِذ جَرينَ عِجالا

تَجري بِطاءً إِذ جَرينَ عِجالا

No distance yields to them, so you would think them

Whenever an expanse opens up she imagines it

Running slowly, though they race along.

Closing while the others race away