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 a mere phantom of him;

The phantom came by night and visited a phantom of him;

then journeyed on, wooing a gazelle in sleep.

then journeyed by night, wooing a gazelle in sleep.

يا كَشفَةً لِلكَربِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ

يا كَشفَةً لِلكَربِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ

وَلّى عَلى دُبُرِ الظَلامِ فَزالا

وَلّى عَلى دُبُرِ الظَلامِ فَزالا

O relief from anguish!—except that it

O relief from anguish—except that it

turned away as darkness retreated, and vanished.

turned away at darkness's end and vanished.

فَغَدا المُيَتَّمُ وَهوَ أَكثَرُ صَبوَةً

فَغَدا المُيَتَّمُ وَهوَ أَكثَرُ صَبوَةً

وَأَشَدُّ بَلبالاً وَأَكسَفُ بالا

وَأَشَدُّ بَلبالاً وَأَكسَفُ بالا

By morning the love-enslaved man was still more ardent,

So at dawn the bereft one was more ardent in love,

more sorely distraught, and gloomier of heart.

and more distraught, and gloomier in spirit.

وَاِستَنهَضَتكَ إِلى المَآثِرِ وَالعُلا

وَاِستَنهَضَتكَ إِلى المَآثِرِ وَالعُلا

هِمَمٌ تَخالُ زَهاؤُهُنَّ جِبالا

هِمَمٌ تَخالُ زَهاؤُهُنَّ جِبالا

Aspirations roused you toward glorious deeds and lofty heights—

And you were roused toward glorious deeds and high rank

aspirations whose grandeur you would take for mountains.

by ambitions whose grandeur you would take for mountains.

أَردَفتَهُنَّ عَزائِماً فَكَأَنَّما

أَردَفتَهُنَّ عَزائِماً فَكَأَنَّما

أَردَفتَ مُرهَفَةَ النِصالِ نِصالا

أَردَفتَ مُرهَفَةَ النِصالِ نِصالا

You backed them with firm resolves, as though

You reinforced them with firm resolves, so it was as though

you had backed weapons keen of point with blades.

you had reinforced keen-edged blades with blades.

حَمَّلتَها قُلُصَ الرِكابِ كَأَنَّها

حَمَّلتَها قُلُصَ الرِكابِ كَأَنَّها

قُلُصُ النَعامِ إِذا تَبِعنَ رِيالا

قُلُصُ النَعامِ إِذا تَبِعنَ رِيالا

You loaded them upon young riding-camels, as though they were

You loaded them onto young riding camels, as though they were

ostrich hens following their chicks.

young ostrich hens when they follow chicks.

مُهرِيَةٌ أَودى السِفارُ بِنَحضِها

مُهرِيَةٌ أَودى السِفارُ بِنَحضِها

فَتَخالَها تَحتَ الرِحالِ رِحالا

فَتَخالَها تَحتَ الرِحالِ رِحالا

A Mahri she-camel, her flesh wasted away by travel,

Mahri she-camels, their flesh wasted by journeying,

so that beneath the saddle-gear you would take her for mere saddle-gear.

so you would take them, beneath the saddles, for saddles.

أَمِنَت بِساحَةِ أَحمَدَ اِبنِ مُحَمَّدٍ

أَمِنَت بِساحَةِ أَحمَدَ اِبنِ مُحَمَّدٍ

مِن أَن يَذِلَّ عَزيزُها وَيُذالا

مِن أَن يَذِلَّ عَزيزُها وَيُذالا

She found safety in the court of Ahmad son of Muhammad,

They were safe in the courtyard of Ahmad ibn Muhammad

safe from having her honored one humbled and abased.

from their honored one being humbled and debased.

وَلَقَد تَقودُ الخَيلَ تَخطُرُ بِالقَنا

وَلَقَد تَقودُ الخَيلَ تَخطُرُ بِالقَنا

فَتَصُبُّهُنَّ عَلى العِدا آجالا

فَتَصُبُّهُنَّ عَلى العِدا آجالا

Indeed, you lead the cavalry, prancing with lances,

And indeed you lead the cavalry, strutting with lances,

then pour them upon the foe as their appointed deaths.

then pour them upon the foes as so many deaths.

ما إِن يَلينُ لَها مَدى فَتَخالَها

ما إِن يَلينُ لَها مَدى فَتَخالَها

تَجري بِطاءً إِذ جَرينَ عِجالا

تَجري بِطاءً إِذ جَرينَ عِجالا

No stretch of ground grows easy for them; you would think them

No distance yields to them, so you would think them

running slowly even as they race swiftly.

running slowly, even as they run swiftly.