طافَ الخَيالُ مِن اِبنِ شَيبَةَ وَاِعتَرى

طافَ الخَيالُ مِن اِبنِ شَيبَةَ وَاِعتَرى

وَالقَومُ مِن سِنَةٍ نَشاوى بِالكَرى

وَالقَومُ مِن سِنَةٍ نَشاوى بِالكَرى

A phantom from Ibn Shayba passed by and assailed me,

A phantom from Ibn Shaybah came round and visited us,

while the company, dazed with drowsiness, lay drunk on sleep.

While the company, drowsy, were drunk with sleep.

طافَت بِخوصٍ كَالقِسيِّ وَفِتيَةٍ

طافَت بِخوصٍ كَالقِسيِّ وَفِتيَةٍ

هَجَعوا قَليلاً بَعدَ ما مَلّوا السُرى

هَجَعوا قَليلاً بَعدَ ما مَلّوا السُرى

She passed among hollow-eyed mounts curved like bows, and young men

She visited narrow-eyed camels, curved like bows, and youths

who slumbered briefly after weariness of night travel.

Who slept a little after tiring of night travel.

حَتّى إِذا هَجَدوا أَلَمَّ خَيالُها

حَتّى إِذا هَجَدوا أَلَمَّ خَيالُها

سِرّاً أَلا بِلِمامِه كانَ المُنى

سِرّاً أَلا بِلِمامِه كانَ المُنى

Then, once they slept soundly, her apparition drew near,

Until, when they fell asleep, her phantom came

secretly—ah, in its visitation lay all desire.

Secretly—ah, in its brief visit lay our wishes.

طَرَقَت بريّا رَوضَةٍ مِن عالِجٍ

طَرَقَت بريّا رَوضَةٍ مِن عالِجٍ

وَسميّةٍ عَذُبَت وَبَيَّتها النَدى

وَسميّةٍ عَذُبَت وَبَيَّتها النَدى

She came by night with the fragrance of a meadow in ʿĀlij,

She came by night with the fragrance of a meadow in Alij,

watered by the seasonal rains, grown sweet, and bedded down by dew.

Watered by the first rains, grown sweet, and visited by dew at night.

يا أمَّ شَيبَةَ أَيَّ ساعَةِ مطرقٍ

يا أمَّ شَيبَةَ أَيَّ ساعَةِ مطرقٍ

نَبَّهتنا أَينَ المَدينَةُ مِن بُدا

نَبَّهتنا أَينَ المَدينَةُ مِن بُدا

O mother of Shayba, at what hour did your night visit

O Umm Shaybah, what an hour for a night visitor—

awaken us? How far is Medina from Budā!

You roused us! How far Medina lies from Buda!

إِنّي مَتى أَقضِ اللُبانَةَ أَجتَهد

إِنّي مَتى أَقضِ اللُبانَةَ أَجتَهد

عَنَقَ العِتاقِ الناجِياتِ عَلى الوَجى

عَنَقَ العِتاقِ الناجِياتِ عَلى الوَجى

Once I have fulfilled my longing, I shall strive on,

Whenever I fulfill my need, I shall press

urging the noble, sure-delivering camels at a brisk pace despite their sore feet,

Noble, fleet camels into a brisk pace, despite their sore feet,

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 favors me

Until I visit you, if my bird of omen proves auspicious,

and I am spared the uncertainties of fate and death.

And remain safe from the hazards of events and death.

فَلَأَمدَحَنَّ بَني عَطِيَّةَ كُلَّهُم

فَلَأَمدَحَنَّ بَني عَطِيَّةَ كُلَّهُم

مَدحاً يُوافي في المَواسِمِ وَالقرى

مَدحاً يُوافي في المَواسِمِ وَالقرى

Then surely I shall praise all the sons of ʿAṭiyya

Then I shall surely praise the sons of Atiyyah, all of them,

with praise that will reach the seasonal gatherings and settlements:

With praise that reaches festivals and villages:

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,

the most forbearing when counsels become entangled;

And the most forbearing when the knee-bands are wrenched loose,

وَالمانِعينَ مِنَ الهَضيمَةِ جارَهُم

وَالمانِعينَ مِنَ الهَضيمَةِ جارَهُم

وَالجامِعينَ الرّاقعينَ لما وَهى

وَالجامِعينَ الرّاقعينَ لما وَهى

those who shield their neighbor from humiliation;

And those who protect their neighbor from oppression,

those who reunite and mend whatever has frayed;

And those who unite and patch whatever has frayed,

وَالعاطِفينَ عَلى الضَريكِ بِفَضلِهِم

وَالعاطِفينَ عَلى الضَريكِ بِفَضلِهِم

وَالسابِقينَ إِلى المَكارِمِ مَن سَعى

وَالسابِقينَ إِلى المَكارِمِ مَن سَعى

those who turn in generosity toward the destitute;

And those who turn kindly toward the destitute with their bounty,

and those who outstrip every striver in deeds of honor.

And those who outstrip all who strive toward noble deeds.

قَد قُلتُ وَالعيسُ النَجائِبُ تَفتَلي

قَد قُلتُ وَالعيسُ النَجائِبُ تَفتَلي

بِالقَومِ عاصِفَةً خَوانِفَ في البُرى

بِالقَومِ عاصِفَةً خَوانِفَ في البُرى

I spoke these words as the noble white camels sped onward,

I said, while the choice pale camels pressed onward,

bearing the company storm-swift, their noses bent within the nose-rings:

Bearing the company, storm-swift, twisting against their nose-rings:

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 on the morning of Ludd—

Al-Walid made a mighty effort the morning he was challenged;

a charge sufficient proof for the discerning, sufficient in itself.

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