طافَ الخَيالُ مِن اِبنِ شَيبَةَ وَاِعتَرى

طافَ الخَيالُ مِن اِبنِ شَيبَةَ وَاِعتَرى

وَالقَومُ مِن سِنَةٍ نَشاوى بِالكَرى

وَالقَومُ مِن سِنَةٍ نَشاوى بِالكَرى

The phantom from Ibn Shayba passed by and visited,

The phantom of Ibn Shihab passed by and was distressed,

while the company, drowsy, were drunk with sleep.

While the people because of old age were bent over with affliction.

طافَت بِخوصٍ كَالقِسيِّ وَفِتيَةٍ

طافَت بِخوصٍ كَالقِسيِّ وَفِتيَةٍ

هَجَعوا قَليلاً بَعدَ ما مَلّوا السُرى

هَجَعوا قَليلاً بَعدَ ما مَلّوا السُرى

She passed among sunken-eyed camels bent like bows, and young men

It roamed about the withered plants like felt cloth,

who slept a little after tiring of night travel,

And youth who rested little after the journeys.

حَتّى إِذا هَجَدوا أَلَمَّ خَيالُها

حَتّى إِذا هَجَدوا أَلَمَّ خَيالُها

سِرّاً أَلا بِلِمامِه كانَ المُنى

سِرّاً أَلا بِلِمامِه كانَ المُنى

until, when they had fallen asleep, her phantom came

Until when they became downcast, its thoughts pained it,

in secret—ah, in its brief visit lay all desire.

Secretly, unless by its turban was its purpose.

طَرَقَت بريّا رَوضَةٍ مِن عالِجٍ

طَرَقَت بريّا رَوضَةٍ مِن عالِجٍ

وَسميّةٍ عَذُبَت وَبَيَّتها النَدى

وَسميّةٍ عَذُبَت وَبَيَّتها النَدى

She came by night bearing the fragrance of a meadow in ʿAlij,

It wandered into a garden of lofty trees and Named,

watered by autumn’s first rains, grown sweet, with dew lodging there overnight.

Whose freshness intoxicated it and the dew lodged it.

يا أمَّ شَيبَةَ أَيَّ ساعَةِ مطرقٍ

يا أمَّ شَيبَةَ أَيَّ ساعَةِ مطرقٍ

نَبَّهتنا أَينَ المَدينَةُ مِن بُدا

نَبَّهتنا أَينَ المَدينَةُ مِن بُدا

O Umm Shayba, what an hour for a night-visitor—

O mother of Shihab, what a time when you knocked,

you woke us! How far Medina lies from Buda!

Did you wake us? Where is the city from the homes?

إِنّي مَتى أَقضِ اللُبانَةَ أَجتَهد

إِنّي مَتى أَقضِ اللُبانَةَ أَجتَهد

عَنَقَ العِتاقِ الناجِياتِ عَلى الوَجى

عَنَقَ العِتاقِ الناجِياتِ عَلى الوَجى

Indeed, once I fulfill my need, I shall urge on

When I finish my prayers, I will strive

the noble, fleet camels at a brisk pace, despite their sore feet,

To visit the emancipated long necks in the sanctuary,

حَتّى أَزورَكِ إِن تَيَسَّرَ طائِري

حَتّى أَزورَكِ إِن تَيَسَّرَ طائِري

وَسَلِمتُ مِن رَيبِ الحَوادِثِ وَالرَدى

وَسَلِمتُ مِن رَيبِ الحَوادِثِ وَالرَدى

until I visit you, if my fortune proves favorable

Until I visit you, if my star allows,

and I escape the hazards of misfortune and death.

And I am safe from the uncertainty of time and returning.

فَلَأَمدَحَنَّ بَني عَطِيَّةَ كُلَّهُم

فَلَأَمدَحَنَّ بَني عَطِيَّةَ كُلَّهُم

مَدحاً يُوافي في المَواسِمِ وَالقرى

مَدحاً يُوافي في المَواسِمِ وَالقرى

Then I shall surely praise all the sons of ʿAtiyya,

So I will praise the family of ‘Uthman, all of them,

with praise that reaches the seasonal gatherings and the towns:

A praise that meets in seasons and homes.

الأَكرَمينَ أَوائِلاً وَأَواخِراً

الأَكرَمينَ أَوائِلاً وَأَواخِراً

وَالأَحلَمينَ إِذا تُخولجتِ الحُبا

وَالأَحلَمينَ إِذا تُخولجتِ الحُبا

the most generous, from first to last,

The most generous first and last

and the most forbearing when the knee-wraps are tugged loose;

And the most forbearing if passions are aroused

وَالمانِعينَ مِنَ الهَضيمَةِ جارَهُم

وَالمانِعينَ مِنَ الهَضيمَةِ جارَهُم

وَالجامِعينَ الرّاقعينَ لما وَهى

وَالجامِعينَ الرّاقعينَ لما وَهى

and who protect their neighbor from oppression,

And the preventers of wronging their neighbor

and who unite and mend whatever has frayed,

And the repairers of that which is corrupt

وَالعاطِفينَ عَلى الضَريكِ بِفَضلِهِم

وَالعاطِفينَ عَلى الضَريكِ بِفَضلِهِم

وَالسابِقينَ إِلى المَكارِمِ مَن سَعى

وَالسابِقينَ إِلى المَكارِمِ مَن سَعى

and who turn compassionately to the destitute with their bounty,

And the ones who show kindness to the miserable in their generosity

and who outstrip all who strive toward noble deeds.

And the foremost in noble deeds when one sets out

قَد قُلتُ وَالعيسُ النَجائِبُ تَفتَلي

قَد قُلتُ وَالعيسُ النَجائِبُ تَفتَلي

بِالقَومِ عاصِفَةً خَوانِفَ في البُرى

بِالقَومِ عاصِفَةً خَوانِفَ في البُرى

I said, while the noble pale camels pressed onward,

I have spoken, and the falcon wanders

bearing the men storm-swift, necks bent against their nose-rings:

Among the people, unsettled, in the expanse.

شَدَّ الوَليدُ غَداةَ لُدَّ شدَّةً

شَدَّ الوَليدُ غَداةَ لُدَّ شدَّةً

فَكَفى بِها أَهلَ البَصيرَةِ وَاِكتَفى

فَكَفى بِها أَهلَ البَصيرَةِ وَاِكتَفى

Al-Walid made a mighty charge that morning at Ludd,

Al-Walid yanked the next morning, yanking strongly,

and with it satisfied the discerning, and was himself content.

And it was enough for the people of Basra, and they were content.