1. لا أَنتَ أَنتَ وَلا الدِيارُ دِيارُ

    خَفَّ الهَوى وَتَوَلَّتِ الأَوطارُ

    You are not you, nor are the dwellings dwellings.

    Passion has waned, and desires have departed.

  2. كانَت مُجاوَرَةُ الطُلولِ وَأَهلِها

    زَمَناً عِذابَ الوِردِ فَهيَ بِحارُ

    Dwelling beside the ruins and their people was

    For a time, sweet waters to drink; now seas.

  3. أَيّامَ تُدمي عَينَهُ تِلكَ الدُمى

    فيها وَتَقمُرُ لُبَّهُ الأَقمارُ

    In the days when those idols made his eye bleed

    There, and the moons won his mind at gambling.

  4. إِذ لا صَدوفُ وَلا كَنودُ اَسماهُما

    كَالمَعنَيَينِ وَلا نَوارُ نَوارُ

    When neither Saduf's nor Kanud's name was

    True to its meaning, nor was Nawar averse.

  5. بيضٌ فَهُنَّ إِذا رُمِقنَ سَوافِراً

    صُوَرٌ وَهُنَّ إِذا رَمَقنَ صِوارُ

    Fair women: when seen unveiled, they are

    Images; when they gaze, they are a herd of wild cows.

  6. في حَيثُ يُمتَهَنُ الحَديثُ لِذي الصِبا

    وَتُحَصَّنُ الأَسرارُ وَالأَسرارُ

    Where conversation is freely offered to the lover,

    And secrets and secret parts are kept inviolate.

  7. إِذ في القَتادَةِ وَهيَ أَبخَلُ أَيكَةٍ

    ثَمَرٌ وَإِذ عودُ الزَمانِ نُضارُ

    When the thorn-tree, though the stingiest of thickets,

    Bore fruit, and the wood of time was pure gold.

  8. قَد صَرَّحَت عَن مَحضِها الأَخبارُ

    وَاِستَبشَرَت بِفُتوحِكَ الأَمصارُ

    The tidings have revealed their unalloyed truth,

    And the cities rejoice in your conquests.

  9. خَبَرٌ جَلا صَدَأَ القُلوبِ ضِياؤُهُ

    إِذ لاحَ أَنَّ الصِدقَ مِنهُ نَهارُ

    A report whose radiance polished the rust from hearts,

    When it became clear that its truth was daylight.

  10. لَولا جِلادُ أَبي سَعيدٍ لَم يَزَل

    لِلثَغرِ صَدرٌ ما عَلَيهِ صِدارُ

    But for Abu Sa'id's fighting, there would still be

    A breast at the frontier with no breastplate.

  11. قُدتَ الجِيادَ كَأَنَّهُنَّ أَجادِلٌ

    بِقُرى دَرَولِيَةٍ لَها أَوكارُ

    You led the steeds as though they were falcons,

    With nests in the villages of Darawliyya.

  12. حَتّى اِلتَوى مِن نَقعِ قَسطَلِها عَلى

    حيطانِ قُسطَنطينَةَ الإِعصارُ

    Until from their thick battle-dust there coiled around

    The walls of Constantinople a whirlwind.

  13. أَوقَدتَ مِن دونِ الخَليجِ لِأَهلِها

    ناراً لَها خَلفَ الخَليجِ شَرارُ

    On the near side of the gulf you kindled for its people

    A fire whose sparks were beyond the gulf.

  14. إِلّا تَكُن حُصِرَت فَقَد أَضحى لَها

    مِن خَوفِ قارِعَةِ الحِصارِ حِصارُ

    If it has not been besieged, it has come to have

    A siege from fear of siege's crushing blow.

  15. لَو طاوَعَتكَ الخَيلُ لَم تَقفُل بِها

    وَالقُفلُ فيهِ شَباً وَلا مِسمارُ

    Had the horses obeyed you, you would not have returned with them

    While the lock still held a sharp point or a nail.

  16. لَمّا لَقوكَ تَواكَلوكَ وَأَعذَروا

    هَرَباً فَلَم يَنفَعهُمُ الإِعذارُ

    When they met you, each left you to the others, and strove

    To flee; their utmost effort did not help them.

  17. فَهُناكَ نارُ وَغى تُشَبُّ وَهاهُنا

    جَيشٌ لَهُ لَجَبٌ وَثَمَّ مُغارُ

    There a fire of battle is kindled, and here

    An army clamors, and yonder lies a raiding-ground.

  18. خَشَعوا لِصَولَتِكَ الَّتي هِيَ عِندَهُم

    كَالمَوتِ يَأتي لَيسَ فيهِ عارُ

    They bowed before your onslaught, which to them is

    Like death arriving, with no shame in it.

  19. لَمّا فَصَلتَ مِنَ الدُروبِ إِلَيهِمِ

    بِعَرَمرَمٍ لِلأَرضِ مِنهُ خُوارُ

    When you set out from the passes toward them

    With a vast host that made the earth bellow,

  20. إِن يَبتَكِر تُرشِدهُ أَعلامُ الصُوى

    أَو يَسرِ لَيلاً فَالنُجومُ مَنارُ

    If it marches early, the cairn-markers guide it;

    Or, if it travels by night, the stars are beacons.

  21. فَالحَمَّةُ البَيضاءُ ميعادٌ لَهُم

    وَالقُفلُ حَتمٌ وَالخَليجُ شِعارُ

    So al-Hamma al-Bayda is their appointed meeting-place,

    And return is certain, and the gulf is the watchword.

  22. عَلِموا بِأَنَّ الغَزوَ كانَ كَمِثلِهِ

    غَزواً وَأَنَّ الغَزوَ مِنكَ بَوارُ

    They knew that a raid, like others of its kind, had been

    A raid, but that a raid from you was annihilation.

  23. فَالمَشيُ هَمسٌ وَالنِداءُ إِشارَةٌ

    خَوفَ اِنتِقامِكَ وَالحَديثُ سِرارُ

    So walking is a whisper, and calling is a gesture,

    For fear of your vengeance, and speech is whispered.

  24. إِلّا تَنَل مَنويلَ أَطرافُ القَنا

    أَو تُثنَ عَنهُ البيضُ وَهيَ حِرارُ

    If the spearpoints fail to reach Manuel,

    Or the bright swords are turned from him, though burning hot,

  25. فَلَقَد تَمَنّى أَنَّ كُلَّ مَدينَةٍ

    جَبَلٌ أَصَمُّ وَكُلَّ حِصنٍ غارُ

    He has indeed wished that every city were

    A solid mountain, and every fortress a cave.

  26. إِلّا تَفِرَّ فَقَد أَقَمتَ وَقَد رَأَت

    عَيناكَ قِدرَ الحَربِ كَيفَ تُفارُ

    If you have not fled, you have stayed, and

    Your eyes have seen how war's cauldron is made to boil.

  27. في حَيثُ تَستَمِعُ الهَريرَ إِذا عَلا

    وَتَرى عَجاجَ المَوتِ حينَ يُثارُ

    Where you hear the growling when it rises,

    And see death's dust-cloud when it is stirred.

  28. فَاُنظُر بِعَينِ شَجاعَةٍ فَلَتَعلَمَن

    أَنَّ المُقامَ بِحَيثُ كُنتَ فِرارُ

    Then look with the eye of courage: you will surely know

    That remaining where you were is flight.

  29. لَمّا أَتَتكَ فُلولُهُم أَمدَدتَهُم

    بِسَوابِقِ العَبَراتِ وَهيَ غِزارُ

    When their routed remnants came to you, you reinforced them

    With racing tears, abundant as they were.

  30. وَضَرَبتَ أَمثالَ الذَليلِ وَقَد تَرى

    أَن غَيرُ ذاكَ النَقضُ وَالإِمرارُ

    And you uttered the sayings of the abased, though you see

    That loosening and binding call for something else:

  31. الصَبرُ أَجمَلُ وَالقَضاءُ مُسَلَّطٌ

    فَاِرضَوا بِهِ وَالشَرُّ فيهِ خِيارُ

    "Patience is more fitting, and fate holds sway;

    So accept it; even in evil there is a choice."

  32. هَيهاتَ جاذَبَكَ الأَعِنَّةَ باسِلٌ

    يُعطي الأَسِنَّةَ كُلَّ ما تَختارُ

    Far from it! A brave man wrestled with you for the reins,

    Giving the spearpoints everything they choose.

  33. فَمَضى لَو اَنَّ النارَ دونَكَ خاضَها

    بِالسَيفِ إِلّا أَن تَكونَ النارُ

    He went on; were fire between him and you, he would plunge through it

    With his sword—unless it were the Fire.

  34. حَتّى يَؤوبَ الحَقُّ وَهُوَ المُشتَفي

    مِنكُم وَما لِلدينِ فيكُم ثارُ

    Until justice returns, satisfied with its vengeance

    On you, with no revenge for the faith left to take on you.

  35. لِلَّهِ دَرُّ أَبي سَعيدٍ إِنَّهُ

    لِلضَيفِ مَحضٌ لَيسَ فيهِ سَمارُ

    God's is the bounty of Abu Sa'id! He is

    Pure milk for the guest, with no watery admixture.

  36. لَمّا حَلَلتَ الثَغرَ أَصبَحَ عالِياً

    لِلرومِ مِن ذاكَ الجِوارِ جُوارُ

    When you settled on the frontier, there rose high

    The Romans' cries at having such a neighbor.

  37. وَاِستَيقَنوا إِذ جاشَ بَحرُكَ وَاِرتَقى

    ذاكَ الزَئيرُ وَعَزَّ ذاكَ الزارُ

    And they knew for certain, when your sea surged and there rose

    That roaring, and that roar grew mighty,

  38. أَن لَستَ نِعمَ الجارُ لِلسُنَنِ الأولى

    إِلّا إِذا ما كُنتَ بِئسَ الجارُ

    That you are no good neighbor to the ancient ways

    Except when you are a bad neighbor.

  39. يَقِظٌ يَخافُ المُشرِكونَ شَذاتَهُ

    مُتَواضِعٌ يَعنو لَهُ الجَبّارُ

    Vigilant: the polytheists fear his fierceness;

    Humble: the tyrant bows to him.

  40. ذُلُلٌ رَكائِبُهُ إِذا ما اِستَأخَرَت

    أَسفارُهُ فَهُمومُهُ أَسفارُ

    His mounts are docile; when there is delay in

    His journeys, then his cares are journeys.

  41. يَسري إِذا سَرَتِ الهُمومُ كَأَنَّهُ

    نَجمُ الدُجى وَيُغيرُ حينَ يُغارُ

    He travels by night when cares travel, as though he were

    A star of the dark, and raids when raids are made.

  42. سَمَقَت بِهِ أَعراقُهُ في مَعشَرٍ

    قُطبُ الوَغى نُصُبٌ لَهُم وَدَوارُ

    His ancestry raised him high among a people

    For whom war's pivot is an idol-stone and Duwar.

  43. لا يَأسَفونَ إِذا هُمُ سَمِنَت لَهُم

    أَحسابُهُم أَن تُهزَلَ الأَعمارُ

    They do not grieve, if for them there have grown fat

    Their ancestral honors, that their lifespans grow lean.

  44. مُتَبَهِّمٌ في غَرسِهِ أَنصارُهُ

    عِندَ النِزالِ كَأَنَّهُم أَنصارُ

    Formidable in his rooted stock; his supporters

    In battle seem like the Ansar.

  45. لُفُظٌ لِأَخلاقِ التِجارِ وَإِنَّهُم

    لَغَداً بِما اِدَّخَروا لَهُ لَتِجارُ

    They spurn the merchants' ways, yet they

    Are indeed traders tomorrow with what they have stored for it.

  46. وَمُجَرِّبونَ سَقاهُمُ مِن بَأسِهِ

    فَإِذا لُقوا فَكَأَنَّهُم أَغمارُ

    And veterans—he gave them a draught of his might—

    When confronted, seem like raw recruits.

  47. عُكُفٌ بِجِذلٍ لِلطِعانِ لِقاؤُهُ

    خَطَرٌ إِذا خَطَرَ القَنا الخَطّارُ

    They cluster round a stalwart trunk; meeting him in spear-combat

    Is peril when the swaying spears sway.

  48. وَالبيضُ تَعلَمُ أَنَّ ديناً لَم يَضِع

    مُذ سَلَّهُنَّ وَلا أُضيعَ ذِمارُ

    And the bright swords know that the faith has not been lost

    Since he drew them, nor has honor been neglected.

  49. وَإِذا القِسِيُّ العوجُ طارَت نَبلُها

    سَومَ الجَرادَ يَسيحُ حينَ يُطارُ

    And when the curved bows send their arrows flying

    Like locusts spreading when they are startled into flight,

  50. ضَمِنَت لَهُ أَعجاسُها وَتَكَفَّلَت

    أَوتارُها أَن تُنقَضَ الأَوتارُ

    Their grips have given him assurance, and a pledge comes from

    Their strings that the debts of vengeance will be settled.

  51. فَدَعوا الطَريقَ بَني الطَريقِ لِعالِمٍ

    أَنّي يُقادُ الجَحفَلُ الجَرّارُ

    So clear the road, sons of the road, for one who knows

    How the immense, sweeping host is led.

  52. لَو أَنَّ أَيدِيَكُم طِوالٌ قَصَّرَت

    عَنهُ فَكَيفَ تَكونُ وَهيَ قِصارُ

    If your hands were long, they would fall short

    Of him; how then would they fare when short?

  53. هُوَ كَوكَبُ الإِسلامِ أَيَّةَ ظُلمَةٍ

    يَخرِق فَمُخُّ الكُفرِ فيها رارُ

    He is the star of Islam: whatever darkness

    He pierces, unbelief's marrow there is liquefied.

  54. غادَرتَ أَرضَهُمُ بِخَيلِكَ في الوَغى

    وَكَأَنَّ أَمنَعَها لَها مِضمارُ

    With your horses in battle, you left their land

    As though its most impregnable reaches were their racecourse.

  55. وَأَقَمتَ فيها وادِعاً مُتَمَهِّلاً

    حَتّى ظَنَنّا أَنَّها لَكَ دارُ

    And you stayed there at ease, taking your time,

    Until we thought it was your home.

  56. بِالمُلكِ عَنكَ رِضاً وَجابِرُ عَظمِهِ

    أَرضى وَبِالدُنيا عَلَيكَ قَرارُ

    The kingdom is pleased with you, and the mender of its bone

    More pleased still; the world rests secure on you.

  57. وَأَرى الرِياضَ حَوامِلاً وَمَطافِلاً

    مُذ كُنتَ فيها وَالسَحابُ عِشارُ

    And I see the gardens pregnant and nursing young

    Since you have been there, and the clouds are pregnant she-camels.

  58. أَيّامُنا مَصقولَةٌ أَطرافُها

    بِكَ وَاللَيالي كُلُّها أَسحارُ

    Our days have their edges polished

    By you, and the nights are all pre-dawn hours.

  59. تَندى عُفاتُكَ لِلعُفاةِ وَتَغتَدي

    رِفقاً إِلى زُوّارِكَ الزُوّارُ

    Your petitioners give generously to petitioners; at dawn set out

    Visitors in companies to your visitors.

  60. هِمَمي مُعَلَّقَةٌ عَلَيكَ رِقابُها

    مَغلولَةٌ إِنَّ الوَفاءَ إِسارُ

    My aspirations hang upon you, their necks

    Shackled; loyalty is a bond.

  61. وَمَوَدَّتي لَكَ لا تُعارُ بَلى إِذا

    ما كانَ تامورُ الفُؤادِ يُعارُ

    And my affection for you is not lent away—yes, only if

    The heart's life-blood could ever be lent.

  62. وَالناسُ غَيرَكَ ما تَغَيَّرُ حُبوَتي

    لِفِراقِهِم هَل أَنجَدوا أَو غاروا

    For people other than you, my knee-clasped posture does not change

    At their departure, whether they go upland or lowland.

  63. وَلِذاكَ شِعري فيكَ قَد سَمِعوا بِهِ

    سِحرٌ وَأَشعاري لَهُم أَشعارُ

    Thus my poetry about you—they have heard of it—

    Is magic, while my poems for them are poems.

  64. فَاِسلَم وَلا يَنفَكُّ يَحظوكَ الرَدى

    فينا وَتَسقُطُ دونَكَ الأَقدارُ

    So live unharmed; may death never cease to spare you

    Among us, and may fate's decrees fall short of you.