مَتى يُرعي لِقَولِكَ أَو يُنيبُ

مَتى يُرعي لِقَولِكَ أَو يُنيبُ

وَخِدناهُ الكَآبَةُ وَالنَحيبُ

وَخِدناهُ الكَآبَةُ وَالنَحيبُ

When will he heed your words, or turn back,

When will he heed your words or repent,

when gloom and sobbing are his two companions?

While grief and wailing have worn us down.

وَما أَبقى عَلى إِدمانِ هَذا

وَما أَبقى عَلى إِدمانِ هَذا

وَلا هاتا العُيونُ وَلا القُلوبُ

وَلا هاتا العُيونُ وَلا القُلوبُ

And nothing survives constant indulgence in this,

None remain addicted to this love,

or in this other—neither eyes nor hearts.

Neither these eyes, nor these hearts.

عَلى أَنَّ الغَريبَ إِذا اِستَمَرَّت

عَلى أَنَّ الغَريبَ إِذا اِستَمَرَّت

بِهِ مِرَرُ النَوى أَسِيَ الغَريبُ

بِهِ مِرَرُ النَوى أَسِيَ الغَريبُ

Yet, when the stranger is gripped relentlessly

For when hardships befall a stranger,

by separation's cords, the stranger grieves.

Bitter destinies afflict the stranger.

وَنِعمَ مُسَكِّنُ البُرَحاءِ حَلَّت

وَنِعمَ مُسَكِّنُ البُرَحاءِ حَلَّت

بِهِ فَأَقامَتِ الدَمعُ السَكوبُ

بِهِ فَأَقامَتِ الدَمعُ السَكوبُ

How fine a soother of the anguish that descended

How excellent a refuge the wilderness was,

upon him and stayed are freely flowing tears!

Where tears flowed and sobbing lingered.

أَرومُ حِمى العِراقِ فَتَدَّريني

أَرومُ حِمى العِراقِ فَتَدَّريني

رُماةَ جَوىً لِشَجوٍ ما تُصيبُ

رُماةَ جَوىً لِشَجوٍ ما تُصيبُ

I seek Iraq's sheltered lands, but I am stalked

I long for Iraq's sanctuary, so guide me

by archers of heartache, striking at some sorrow.

To one who can soothe my plaintive love song.

وَتُسعِفُني دِمَشقُ وَساكِنوها

وَتُسعِفُني دِمَشقُ وَساكِنوها

وَلا صَدَدٌ دِمَشقُ وَلا قَريبُ

وَلا صَدَدٌ دِمَشقُ وَلا قَريبُ

Damascus and its inhabitants come to my aid,

Damascus and its people give me respite,

though Damascus is neither at hand nor nearby.

In Damascus, neither relatives nor strangers object.

سَقى اللَهُ البِقاعَ فَحَيثُ راقَت

سَقى اللَهُ البِقاعَ فَحَيثُ راقَت

جِبالُ الثَلجِ رَحباً وَالرَحيبُ

جِبالُ الثَلجِ رَحباً وَالرَحيبُ

May God water al-Biqāʿ, and the places graced by

May God water the land, wherever

the snowy mountains—Raḥb and al-Raḥīb.

Snowy mountains and meadows spread wide.

وَصابَ الغوطَةَ الخَضراءَ أَعدى

وَصابَ الغوطَةَ الخَضراءَ أَعدى

وَأَغزَرَ ما يَجودُ وَما يَصوبُ

وَأَغزَرَ ما يَجودُ وَما يَصوبُ

And may the green Ghouta receive the widest-ranging

May the verdant Ghouta be watered by clouds

and most abundant of what pours generously and falls:

Raining down generously all they contain.

مِنَ الأَنواءِ مُنهَمِرٌ مُلِتٌّ

مِنَ الأَنواءِ مُنهَمِرٌ مُلِتٌّ

لِفَودَيهِ الكَثافَةُ وَالهُدوبُ

لِفَودَيهِ الكَثافَةُ وَالهُدوبُ

from the rain-stars, a streaming, unrelenting cloud,

With thick, heavy downpours

its two temples thick with trailing fringes.

And rumbling thunder and lightning.

إِذا اِلتَمَعَت صَواعِقُهُ وَطارَت

إِذا اِلتَمَعَت صَواعِقُهُ وَطارَت

عَقائِقُهُ وَفَضَّتهُ الجَنوبُ

عَقائِقُهُ وَفَضَّتهُ الجَنوبُ

When its thunderbolts flash, and fly

You would think the meadows contained

its lightning streaks, and the south wind breaks it open,

Flocks of white birds, driven there by an unlucky day.

حَسِبتَ البيضَ فيهِ مُصلَتاتٍ

حَسِبتَ البيضَ فيهِ مُصلَتاتٍ

هَجيراً سَلَّها يَومٌ عَصيبُ

هَجيراً سَلَّها يَومٌ عَصيبُ

you would think its bright swords stood unsheathed

It has glades where gazelles appear and vanish,

in midday heat, drawn by a dire day.

Wilderness and thickets beyond.

وَكانَ بِهِ سَواحينٌ تُهَمّي

وَكانَ بِهِ سَواحينٌ تُهَمّي

عَزالَيهِ الظَواهِرُ وَالغُيوبُ

عَزالَيهِ الظَواهِرُ وَالغُيوبُ

And within it were flowing streams; pouring down

A land which yearning deprived me of,

were its spouts, visible and unseen.

Its sorrows make the youth turn gray.

بِلادٌ أَفقَدَتنيها هَناتٌ

بِلادٌ أَفقَدَتنيها هَناتٌ

يُشَيِّبُ كَرُّها مَن لا يَشيبُ

يُشَيِّبُ كَرُّها مَن لا يَشيبُ

Lands that misfortunes have made me lose,

With relics too precious

whose recurrence would gray even one who never grays.

For any newcomer to touch.

وَآثارٌ مُوَكَّلَةٌ بِأَلّا

وَآثارٌ مُوَكَّلَةٌ بِأَلّا

يُجاوِزُ ما رَقَشنَ لَهُ عَريبُ

يُجاوِزُ ما رَقَشنَ لَهُ عَريبُ

And marks charged to ensure that

How many enemies of the clan of ‘Amr

no soul exceeds what they have inscribed for him.

Of noble lineage and proud ancestry!

وَكَم عَدَوِيَّةٍ مِن سِرِّ عَمرٍو

وَكَم عَدَوِيَّةٍ مِن سِرِّ عَمرٍو

لَها حَسَبٌ إِذا اِنتَسَبَت حَسيبُ

لَها حَسَبٌ إِذا اِنتَسَبَت حَسيبُ

And many an ʿAdawī woman, from ʿAmr's choicest stock,

Their mother was a virtuous woman of Tayy,

has honored ancestry when she names her descent.

Their father a man of dignity and honor.

لَها مِن طَيِّئٍ أُمٌّ حَصانٌ

لَها مِن طَيِّئٍ أُمٌّ حَصانٌ

نَجيبَةُ مَعشَرٍ وَأَبٌ نَجيبُ

نَجيبَةُ مَعشَرٍ وَأَبٌ نَجيبُ

She has a chaste mother from Ṭayyiʾ,

She hoped a lover would return to her,

noble among her kin, and a noble father.

A wish gone astray - where is her lover?

تَمَنّى أَن يَعودَ لَها حَبيبٌ

تَمَنّى أَن يَعودَ لَها حَبيبٌ

مُنىً شَطَطاً وَأَينَ لَها حَبيبُ

مُنىً شَطَطاً وَأَينَ لَها حَبيبُ

She wishes that Ḥabīb would return to her:

If she saw him, she would find him emaciated,

far-fetched wishes—and where can she find Ḥabīb?

Robed by the waters of fate in gloom.

وَلَو بَصُرَت بِهِ لَرَأَت جَريضاً

وَلَو بَصُرَت بِهِ لَرَأَت جَريضاً

بِماءِ الدَهرِ حِليَتُهُ الشُحوبُ

بِماءِ الدَهرِ حِليَتُهُ الشُحوبُ

If she saw him, she would see him choking

Like a sword stripped of its sheath,

on time's water, his adornment pallor.

Its assaults and strikes all gone.

كَنَصلِ السَيفِ عُرِّيَ مِن كِساهُ

كَنَصلِ السَيفِ عُرِّيَ مِن كِساهُ

وَفَلَّت مِن مَضارِبِهِ الخُطوبُ

وَفَلَّت مِن مَضارِبِهِ الخُطوبُ

Like a sword-blade stripped of its covering,

Once wealthy, now a bereaved man lamenting,

whose cutting edges calamities have chipped.

His pockets draped in mourning's gown.

زَعيماً بِالغِنى أَو نَدبِ نَوحٍ

زَعيماً بِالغِنى أَو نَدبِ نَوحٍ

تُعَطَّطُ في مَآتِمِهِ الجُيوبُ

تُعَطَّطُ في مَآتِمِهِ الجُيوبُ

A guarantor of riches, or of a mourning lament,

Thus he lives where no host helps a guest,

with garment fronts torn at his funeral gatherings.

And no friend shelters an outcast.

فَأَصبَحَ حَيثُ لا نَقعٌ لِصادٍ

فَأَصبَحَ حَيثُ لا نَقعٌ لِصادٍ

وَلا نَشَبٌ يَلوذُ بِهِ حَريبُ

وَلا نَشَبٌ يَلوذُ بِهِ حَريبُ

So he came to be where the thirsty find no relief,

In Egypt - but what haven exists in Egypt

nor wealth for a dispossessed man to take refuge in.

When its elders are divided into factions?

بِمِصرَ وَأَيُّ مَأرُبَةٍ بِمِصرٍ

بِمِصرَ وَأَيُّ مَأرُبَةٍ بِمِصرٍ

وَقَد شَعَبَت أَكابِرَها شَعوبُ

وَقَد شَعَبَت أَكابِرَها شَعوبُ

In Egypt—and what purpose is there in Egypt,

It has parted with its youth like no other land parted,

when Death has scattered its great men?

Subjugated but answering its subjugator with defiance.

وَوَدَّأَ سَيبَها ما وَدَّأَتهُ

وَوَدَّأَ سَيبَها ما وَدَّأَتهُ

يَحابِرُ في المُقَطَّمِ بَل تُجيبُ

يَحابِرُ في المُقَطَّمِ بَل تُجيبُ

And its bounty was buried with those whom

Nay, Hail to Hadhramaut's living people,

Yaḥābir buried in al-Muqaṭṭam—rather, Tujīb,

Its lords and youthful warriors.

بَلِ الحَيّانِ حَيّا حَضرَمَوتٍ

بَلِ الحَيّانِ حَيّا حَضرَمَوتٍ

فَحارِثُها وَإِخوَتُها شَبيبُ

فَحارِثُها وَإِخوَتُها شَبيبُ

rather, the two tribes, the two tribes of Ḥaḍramawt:

Khaulan went forth without cowardice disgracing them,

its Ḥārith, and its brethren Shabīb;

Or fruitlessness making their actions barren.

فَخَولانٌ فَيَحصُبُ كانَ فيهِم

فَخَولانٌ فَيَحصُبُ كانَ فيهِم

وَفيها غالَهُم عَجبٌ عَجيبُ

وَفيها غالَهُم عَجبٌ عَجيبُ

then Khawlān, then Yaḥṣub—there was among them

None but them were rewarded with gifts,

and in it a strange marvel that carried them off.

None but them had sins forgiven.

مَضَوا لَم يُخزِ قائِلَهُم خُمولٌ

مَضَوا لَم يُخزِ قائِلَهُم خُمولٌ

وَلَم يُجدِب فَعالَهُمُ جُدوبُ

وَلَم يُجدِب فَعالَهُمُ جُدوبُ

They passed away; obscurity never shamed their spokesman,

They are lions in the dark night when they roar,

nor did drought ever make their deeds barren.

And preying wolves when they attack mounted.

وَلَم تُجزَل بِغَيرِهِمُ العَطايا

وَلَم تُجزَل بِغَيرِهِمُ العَطايا

وَلَم تُغفَر بِغَيرِهِمُ الذُنوبُ

وَلَم تُغفَر بِغَيرِهِمُ الذُنوبُ

And gifts were made lavish through none but them,

They left no weak offspring behind them,

and sins were forgiven through none but them.

As the valleys left only strong gazelles.

بُدورُ المُظلِماتِ إِذا أَنادَوا

بُدورُ المُظلِماتِ إِذا أَنادَوا

وَأُسدُ الغابِ أَزعَلَها الرُكوبُ

وَأُسدُ الغابِ أَزعَلَها الرُكوبُ

Full moons in darkness when they gathered in council,

Only the worthless remained,

and lions of the thickets, goaded by riders.

Prey for time's humiliation and hardship.

أُولَئِكَ لا خَوالِفَ أَعقَبَتهُم

أُولَئِكَ لا خَوالِفَ أَعقَبَتهُم

كَما خَلَفَت هَوادِيَها العُجوبُ

كَما خَلَفَت هَوادِيَها العُجوبُ

Those were the men—not the laggards who succeeded them,

Neither can the youth replace their elders,

as tailbones follow their foreparts.

Nor the old replace the departed youth.

حَواقِلَةٌ وَأَصبِيَةٌ تَرامَت

حَواقِلَةٌ وَأَصبِيَةٌ تَرامَت

بِهِم بيدُ الدَخالَةِ وَالسُهوبُ

بِهِم بيدُ الدَخالَةِ وَالسُهوبُ

Feeble old men and children, tossed about

Both are defective goods and damaged merchandise,

by the deserts and steppes of interloping.

Which taste of the two is more palatable?

فَلا الأَحداثُ بِالأَحداثِ تُرجى

فَلا الأَحداثُ بِالأَحداثِ تُرجى

فَواضِلُهُم وَلا الشيخانُ شيبُ

فَواضِلُهُم وَلا الشيخانُ شيبُ

So, amid calamities, the young inspire no hope

Of what value are freed slaves when

of their bounty; nor are the old men true graybeards.

Flaws begin to show within them?

كِلا طَعمَيهِمُ سَلَعٌ وَصابٌ

كِلا طَعمَيهِمُ سَلَعٌ وَصابٌ

فَأَيُّ مَذاقَتَيهِم تَستَطيبُ

فَأَيُّ مَذاقَتَيهِم تَستَطيبُ

Both their flavors are salaʿ and ṣāb, bitter plants;

Can the untested be judged except by merit?

which of their two tastes, then, do you find pleasant?

Or can the examiner err or judge right?

وَما فَضلُ العِتاقِ إِذا أَلَظَّت

وَما فَضلُ العِتاقِ إِذا أَلَظَّت

بِها وَتَأَثَّلَت فيها العُيوبُ

بِها وَتَأَثَّلَت فيها العُيوبُ

And what merit have thoroughbreds if there cling

Is drawing the polished sword blameworthy,

to them, and take root within them, defects?

When its edge was not meant to be blunt?

أَتُمتَحَنُ القِسِيُّ بِغَيرِ نَبلٍ

أَتُمتَحَنُ القِسِيُّ بِغَيرِ نَبلٍ

أَيُخطِئُ مُبتَليها أَم يُصيبُ

أَيُخطِئُ مُبتَليها أَم يُصيبُ

Are bows tested without arrows—

Circumstances have changed, Abu Saeed,

does their tester miss, or hit?

Sustenance has narrowed for people.

أَلِلغِمدِ المَشوفِ عَلَيكَ رَدٌّ

أَلِلغِمدِ المَشوفِ عَلَيكَ رَدٌّ

وَلَيسَ لُبابَهُ ذَكَرٌ خَشيبُ

وَلَيسَ لُبابَهُ ذَكَرٌ خَشيبُ

Does a polished scabbard bring you any benefit,

Mankind is lost in dark turmoil,

when its core is no hard, freshly forged blade?

With its stars and suns setting.

تَحَيَّفَتِ الأُمورُ أَبا سَعيدٍ

تَحَيَّفَتِ الأُمورُ أَبا سَعيدٍ

وَضاقَ بِأَهلِهِ اللَقمُ الرَكوبُ

وَضاقَ بِأَهلِهِ اللَقمُ الرَكوبُ

Adversities have worn down Abū Saʿīd,

They have lineage but no deeds,

and the well-traveled highway narrowed for his people.

Bodies, but no hearts.

وَأَمسى الناسُ في عَمياءَ أَلوى

وَأَمسى الناسُ في عَمياءَ أَلوى

بِأَنجُمِها وَأَشمُسِها الغُروبُ

بِأَنجُمِها وَأَشمُسِها الغُروبُ

And the people passed into blind darkness, stripped

of its stars and suns by their setting.

لَهُم نَسَبٌ وَلَيسَ لَهُم فَعالٌ

لَهُم نَسَبٌ وَلَيسَ لَهُم فَعالٌ

وَأَجسامٌ وَلَيسَ لَهُم قُلوبُ

وَأَجسامٌ وَلَيسَ لَهُم قُلوبُ

They have lineage, but they have no deeds,

and bodies, but they have no hearts.