عَفا مِمَّن عَهِدتَ بِهِ حَفيرُ

عَفا مِمَّن عَهِدتَ بِهِ حَفيرُ

فَأَجبالُ السَيالِيَ فَالعَويرُ

فَأَجبالُ السَيالِيَ فَالعَويرُ

Ḥafīr lies effaced of those you once knew there,

Hafir lies effaced of those you once knew there,

then the hills of al-Siyāl, then al-ʿUwayr,

and the mountains of al-Sayali, and al-'Awir;

فَشاماتٌ فَذاتُ الرِمثِ قَفرٌ

فَشاماتٌ فَذاتُ الرِمثِ قَفرٌ

عَفاها بَعدَنا قَطرٌ وَمورُ

عَفاها بَعدَنا قَطرٌ وَمورُ

then Shamāt, then Dhāt al-Rimth—all desolate,

and Shamat, and Dhat al-Rimth lie empty,

effaced since our departure by rain and swirling dust.

effaced after us by rain and windblown dust.

مُلِحُّ القَطرِ مُنسَكِبُ العَزالي

مُلِحُّ القَطرِ مُنسَكِبُ العَزالي

إِذا ما قُلتُ أَقلَعَ يَستَحيرُ

إِذا ما قُلتُ أَقلَعَ يَستَحيرُ

Unrelenting rain, its cloudbursts streaming down—

Relentless in rain, its waterskin-spouts pouring,

whenever I said it had relented, it surged anew.

whenever I say, "It has ceased," it swells anew.

كَأَنَّ المَشرَفِيَّةَ في ذُراهُ

كَأَنَّ المَشرَفِيَّةَ في ذُراهُ

وَنيرانَ الحَجيجِ لَها سَعيرُ

وَنيرانَ الحَجيجِ لَها سَعيرُ

As though Mashrafī blades flashed upon its heights,

As though Mashrafi swords were in its heights,

and pilgrims’ fires blazed fiercely there,

and the pilgrims' fires, fiercely blazing.

بِكُلِّ قَرارَةٍ مِنها وَفَجٍّ

بِكُلِّ قَرارَةٍ مِنها وَفَجٍّ

أَضاةٌ ماؤُها ضَرِرٌ يَمورُ

أَضاةٌ ماؤُها ضَرِرٌ يَمورُ

in every hollow and every mountain pass—

In every hollow there and every pass

a flood-pool whose dense, brimming water heaves.

lies a pool whose brimming water surges.

وَأَقفَرَتِ الفَراشَةُ وَالحُبَيّا

وَأَقفَرَتِ الفَراشَةُ وَالحُبَيّا

وَأَقفَرَ بَعدَ فاطِمَةَ الشَقيرُ

وَأَقفَرَ بَعدَ فاطِمَةَ الشَقيرُ

Al-Farāsha and al-Ḥubyā too lie deserted,

Al-Farashah and al-Hubayya lie deserted,

and after Fāṭima, al-Shuqayr lies waste.

and al-Shaqir is empty since Fatimah left.

تَنَقَّلَتِ الدِيارُ بِها فَحَلَّت

تَنَقَّلَتِ الدِيارُ بِها فَحَلَّت

بِحَزَّةَ حَيثُ يُمتَسَغُ البَعيرُ

بِحَزَّةَ حَيثُ يُمتَسَغُ البَعيرُ

The encampments journeyed away with her, then settled

The shifting camps carried her along; she settled

at Ḥazza, where the camel ranges freely.

at Hazzah, where a camel is swallowed whole.

نَأَينَ بِنا غَداةَ دَنونَ مِنها

نَأَينَ بِنا غَداةَ دَنونَ مِنها

وَهُنَّ إِلَيكَ بِالجَولانِ صورُ

وَهُنَّ إِلَيكَ بِالجَولانِ صورُ

They carried us far away the morning they drew near it,

They bore us far away the morn they neared her,

while at al-Jawlān the she-camels yearned toward you.

while in al-Jawlan they inclined toward you.

كَرِهنَ ذُبابَ دومَةَ إِذ عَفاها

كَرِهنَ ذُبابَ دومَةَ إِذ عَفاها

غَداةَ تُثارُ لِلمَوتى القُبورُ

غَداةَ تُثارُ لِلمَوتى القُبورُ

They loathed the flies of Dūma when they passed it,

They loathed Dumah's flies when they swept over it,

that morning when graves were opened for the dead.

the morning graves were dug for the dead.

فَلَيتَ الراسِماتِ بَلَغنَ هِنداً

فَلَيتَ الراسِماتِ بَلَغنَ هِنداً

فَتَعلَمَ ما يُكِنُّ لَها الضَميرُ

فَتَعلَمَ ما يُكِنُّ لَها الضَميرُ

Would that the swift she-camels had brought Hind,

If only the trotting camels had reached Hind,

so she might learn what the heart conceals for her.

so she might know what my heart conceals for her.

كَأَنَّ غَمامَةً غَرّاءَ باتَت

كَأَنَّ غَمامَةً غَرّاءَ باتَت

تَكَشَّفُ عَن مَحاسِنِها الخُدورُ

تَكَشَّفُ عَن مَحاسِنِها الخُدورُ

As though she were a radiant white cloud that spent the night

As though a radiant cloud had spent the night,

unveiling her beauty from behind the curtains.

the curtains parting to reveal her charms.

وَقَد بَلَغَ المَطِيُّ وَهُنَّ خوصٌ

وَقَد بَلَغَ المَطِيُّ وَهُنَّ خوصٌ

بِلاداً لا تَحُلُّ بِها قَذورُ

بِلاداً لا تَحُلُّ بِها قَذورُ

The riding-camels have now arrived, hollow-eyed with travel,

The riding camels had now reached, sunken-eyed,

in a land where nothing foul may dwell.

lands where the fastidious never settle.

حَلَفتُ بِمَن تُساقُ لَهُ الهَدايا

حَلَفتُ بِمَن تُساقُ لَهُ الهَدايا

وَمَن حَلَّت بِكَعبَتِهِ النُذورُ

وَمَن حَلَّت بِكَعبَتِهِ النُذورُ

I swear by Him to whom the sacrificial beasts are driven,

I swore by Him to whom the offerings are driven,

and by Him at whose Kaaba vows are fulfilled:

and Him at whose Kaaba vows are fulfilled:

لَقَد وَلَدَت جَذيمَةُ مِن قُرَيشٍ

لَقَد وَلَدَت جَذيمَةُ مِن قُرَيشٍ

فَتاها حينَ تَحزُبُها الأُمورُ

فَتاها حينَ تَحزُبُها الأُمورُ

Juzayma has indeed borne, from Quraysh,

Judhaymah has indeed borne, from among Quraysh,

her young champion, when grave crises close around him—

its champion when troubles beset it,

وَأَكرَمَها مَواطِنَ حينَ تُبلى

وَأَكرَمَها مَواطِنَ حينَ تُبلى

ضَرائِبُها وَتَختَضِبُ النُحورُ

ضَرائِبُها وَتَختَضِبُ النُحورُ

the noblest of her men in fields of trial, when

and its noblest in battle, when put to the test

their mettle is tested and throats are dyed with blood;

are its inborn qualities, and throats are dyed with blood;

وَأَسرَعَها إِلى الأَعداءِ سَيراً

وَأَسرَعَها إِلى الأَعداءِ سَيراً

إِذا ما اِستُبطِئَ الفَرَسُ الجَرورُ

إِذا ما اِستُبطِئَ الفَرَسُ الجَرورُ

the swiftest of them in marching toward the foe,

and its swiftest in marching against enemies,

when even the plodding horse is judged too slow.

when the hard-pulling horse is deemed too slow.

بِهِ تَرمي أَعاديها قُرَيشٌ

بِهِ تَرمي أَعاديها قُرَيشٌ

إِذا ما نابَها أَمرٌ كَبيرُ

إِذا ما نابَها أَمرٌ كَبيرُ

With him Quraysh strikes at her enemies

With him Quraysh strikes at its enemies,

whenever some momentous affair befalls her.

whenever some great affair befalls it.

لَهُ يَومانِ يَومُ قِراعِ كَبشٍ

لَهُ يَومانِ يَومُ قِراعِ كَبشٍ

وَيَومٌ يُستَظَلُّ بِهِ مَطيرُ

وَيَومٌ يُستَظَلُّ بِهِ مَطيرُ

Two kinds of day are his: a day of clashing with champions,

He has two days: one of clashing with a ram of war,

and one when a rain-drenched man shelters beneath him.

and a rain-giving day beneath whose shade men shelter.

بِكَفَّيهِ الأَعِنَّةُ لا سَؤومٌ

بِكَفَّيهِ الأَعِنَّةُ لا سَؤومٌ

قِتالَ الأَعجَمينَ وَلا ضَجورُ

قِتالَ الأَعجَمينَ وَلا ضَجورُ

The reins are in his hands; he never wearies—

In his hands are the reins; he never wearies

a mighty slayer of non-Arabs, neither fretful nor complaining.

of fighting non-Arabs, nor grows impatient.

قَتَلتَ الرومَ حَتّى شَذَّ مِنها

قَتَلتَ الرومَ حَتّى شَذَّ مِنها

عَصائِبُ ما تُحَوِّرُها القُصورُ

عَصائِبُ ما تُحَوِّرُها القُصورُ

You slew the Romans until bands broke away from them—

You slew the Romans until there broke away

bands that no longer circled the palaces.

bands that no palaces could recall.

وَلَو كانَ الحُروبُ حُروبَ عادٍ

وَلَو كانَ الحُروبُ حُروبَ عادٍ

لَقامَ عَلى مَواطِنِها صَبورُ

لَقامَ عَلى مَواطِنِها صَبورُ

Even were the wars like the wars of ancient ʿĀd,

Even were these wars the wars of 'Ad,

he would stand steadfast upon their battlefields.

he would stand steadfast on their battlefields.

وَقَد عَلِمَت أُمَيَّةُ أَنَّ ضِغني

وَقَد عَلِمَت أُمَيَّةُ أَنَّ ضِغني

إِلَيها وَالعُداةُ لَها هَريرُ

إِلَيها وَالعُداةُ لَها هَريرُ

Umayya well knows the rancor I bear toward her,

Umayyah knows that my allegiance

while her enemies snarl against her;

is to her, while her enemies snarl at her;

وَأَنّي ما حَيِيتُ عَلى هَواها

وَأَنّي ما حَيِيتُ عَلى هَواها

وَأَنّي بِالمَغيبِ لَها نَصورُ

وَأَنّي بِالمَغيبِ لَها نَصورُ

and that, as long as I live, I follow her cause,

and that, while I live, I remain devoted to her,

and in her absence remain her champion.

and that, even when absent, I am her staunch defender.

وَما يَبقى عَلى الأَيّامِ إِلّا

وَما يَبقى عَلى الأَيّامِ إِلّا

بَناتُ الدَهرِ وَالكَلِمُ العَقورُ

بَناتُ الدَهرِ وَالكَلِمُ العَقورُ

Nothing survives the ravages of time except

Nothing endures through the days except

fate’s calamities and grievous, biting wounds.

the daughters of Time and biting words.

فَمَن يَكُ قاطِعاً قَرناً فَإِنّي

فَمَن يَكُ قاطِعاً قَرناً فَإِنّي

لِفَضلِ بَني أَبي العاصي شَكورُ

لِفَضلِ بَني أَبي العاصي شَكورُ

Whoever may strike down some mighty rival, I

Whoever may sever a bond, I, for my part,

remain grateful for the favor of Banū Abī al-ʿĀṣ.

am grateful for the bounty of Banu Abi al-'Asi.

عَلِقتُ بِحَبلِكُم فَشَدَدتُموهُ

عَلِقتُ بِحَبلِكُم فَشَدَدتُموهُ

فَلا واهٍ قُواهُ وَلا قَصيرُ

فَلا واهٍ قُواهُ وَلا قَصيرُ

I clung to your rope, and you made it fast:

I clung to your rope, and you strengthened it,

its strands are neither frayed nor short.

neither weak in its strands nor short.

إِمامُ الناسِ وَالخُلَفاءُ مِنهُم

إِمامُ الناسِ وَالخُلَفاءُ مِنهُم

وَفِتيانٌ تُسَدُّ بِها الثُغورُ

وَفِتيانٌ تُسَدُّ بِها الثُغورُ

An imam of the people—from among them come the caliphs—

The people's leader and the caliphs are of them,

and young heroes by whom frontier breaches are secured;

and young warriors through whom the frontiers are secured.

وَمُظلِمَةٍ تَضيقُ بِها ذِراعي

وَمُظلِمَةٍ تَضيقُ بِها ذِراعي

وَيَترُكُني بِها الحَدِبُ النَصورُ

وَيَترُكُني بِها الحَدِبُ النَصورُ

and many a dark wrong my strength cannot encompass,

And many a dark ordeal that cramped my arm,

for which even the solicitous champion leaves me to act—

in which a caring defender would abandon me,

كَفَونيها وَلَم يَتَواكَلوها

كَفَونيها وَلَم يَتَواكَلوها

بِخُلقٍ لا أَلَفُّ وَلا عَثورُ

بِخُلقٍ لا أَلَفُّ وَلا عَثورُ

they spared me that burden and did not pass it among themselves,

they handled for me, not leaving it to one another,

with mettle neither feeble nor prone to stumble.

with a character neither hesitant nor faltering.

وَلَولا أَنتُمُ كَرِهَت مَعَدٌّ

وَلَولا أَنتُمُ كَرِهَت مَعَدٌّ

عِضاضي حينَ لاحَ بِيَ القَتيرُ

عِضاضي حينَ لاحَ بِيَ القَتيرُ

Were it not for you, I would hate my Maʿaddite kin—

Were it not for you, Ma'add would loathe

you are my refuge now that grayness shows upon me.

my biting, once gray hairs began to show on me.

وَلَكِنّي أَهابُ وَأَرتَجيكُم

وَلَكِنّي أَهابُ وَأَرتَجيكُم

وَيَأتيني عَنِ الأَسَدِ الزَئيرُ

وَيَأتيني عَنِ الأَسَدِ الزَئيرُ

Yet I stand in awe of you and place my hopes in you,

But I feel fear and place my hopes in you,

though the roaring of the lion reaches me.

and the lion's roar reaches me.

وَأَنتُم حينَ حارَبَ كُلُّ أُفقٍ

وَأَنتُم حينَ حارَبَ كُلُّ أُفقٍ

وَحينَ غَلَت بِما فيها القُدورُ

وَحينَ غَلَت بِما فيها القُدورُ

And you—when every quarter fought against you,

And you, when every region went to war,

and the cauldrons boiled with all they held—

and the pots boiled with all they held,

غَشَمتُم بِالسُيوفِ الصيدَ حَتّى

غَشَمتُم بِالسُيوفِ الصيدَ حَتّى

خَبا مِنها القَباقِبُ وَالهَديرُ

خَبا مِنها القَباقِبُ وَالهَديرُ

struck down the proud with swords until

struck the proud-necked chiefs ruthlessly with swords, until

their clatter and their roaring died away.

their rumbling and roaring died away.

إِذا ما حَيَّةٌ مِنكُم تَوارى

إِذا ما حَيَّةٌ مِنكُم تَوارى

تَنَمَّرَ حَيَّةٌ مِنكُم ذَكيرُ

تَنَمَّرَ حَيَّةٌ مِنكُم ذَكيرُ

Whenever one serpent among you disappears,

Whenever a serpent from among you disappears,

another rises fiercely among you, full-grown and male.

a male serpent of yours takes on a leopard's fury.

وَأُعطيتُم عَلى الأَعداءِ نَصراً

وَأُعطيتُم عَلى الأَعداءِ نَصراً

فَأَبصَرتُم بِهِ وَالناسُ عورُ

فَأَبصَرتُم بِهِ وَالناسُ عورُ

You were granted victory over your enemies,

You were granted victory over your enemies,

and through it you saw clearly while the people were blind.

and through it saw clearly, while others were one-eyed.

وَكانَت ظُلمَةٌ فَكَشَفتُموها

وَكانَت ظُلمَةٌ فَكَشَفتُموها

وَكانَ لَها بِأَيديكُم سُفورُ

وَكانَ لَها بِأَيديكُم سُفورُ

It had been darkness, and you swept it away;

There was darkness, and you dispelled it,

by your hands its veil was drawn aside.

and through your hands it was unveiled.

فَلَو أَنَّ الشُهورَ بَكَينَ قَوماً

فَلَو أَنَّ الشُهورَ بَكَينَ قَوماً

إِذاً لَبَكَت لِفَقدِكُمُ الشُهورُ

إِذاً لَبَكَت لِفَقدِكُمُ الشُهورُ

If the months themselves could mourn my people,

If the months could weep for a people,

the months would surely weep to lose you.

then the months would weep at losing you.

وَنِعمَ الحَيُّ في اللَزَباتِ عَبسٌ

وَنِعمَ الحَيُّ في اللَزَباتِ عَبسٌ

إِذا ما الطَلحُ أَرجَفَهُ الدَبورُ

إِذا ما الطَلحُ أَرجَفَهُ الدَبورُ

Excellent in times of crisis is the tribe of ʿAbs,

How excellent a tribe in hardship is 'Abs,

when the west wind makes the acacias tremble—

when the west wind makes the acacias tremble.

مَساميحُ الشِتاءِ إِذا اِجرَهَدَّت

مَساميحُ الشِتاءِ إِذا اِجرَهَدَّت

وَعَزَّت عِندَ مَقسِمِها الجَزورُ

وَعَزَّت عِندَ مَقسِمِها الجَزورُ

open-handed through the winter when hardship bears down,

Generous in winter when it grows harsh,

and the slaughter-camel grows scarce when it must be shared.

and the slaughter-camel is scarce when portions are shared.

بَنو عَبسٍ فَوارِسُ كُلِّ يَومٍ

بَنو عَبسٍ فَوارِسُ كُلِّ يَومٍ

تَكادُ الهامُ خَشيَتَهُ تَطيرُ

تَكادُ الهامُ خَشيَتَهُ تَطيرُ

The sons of ʿAbs are horsemen every day;

The sons of 'Abs are horsemen for every battle-day

heads nearly fly away for fear of them.

whose terror nearly sends heads flying.

وُفاةٌ تَنزِلُ الأَضيافُ مِنهُم

وُفاةٌ تَنزِلُ الأَضيافُ مِنهُم

مَنازِلَ ما يَحُلُّ بِها الضَريرُ

مَنازِلَ ما يَحُلُّ بِها الضَريرُ

Faithful to their obligations, they lodge their guests among them

Men true to their word: guests alight among them

in dwellings where misery never comes to stay.

in dwellings where no distress can settle.

هُمُ عَطَفوا عَلى النُعمانِ لَمّا

هُمُ عَطَفوا عَلى النُعمانِ لَمّا

أَتاهُ بِتاجِ ذي مُلكٍ بَشيرُ

أَتاهُ بِتاجِ ذي مُلكٍ بَشيرُ

They were the ones who rallied to al-Nuʿmān when

They rallied to al-Nu'man when

a herald brought him the crown of kingship;

a herald brought him a sovereign's crown.

فَجازَوهُ بِنُعماهُ عَلَيهِم

فَجازَوهُ بِنُعماهُ عَلَيهِم

غَداةَ لَهُ الخَوَرنَقُ وَالسَديرُ

غَداةَ لَهُ الخَوَرنَقُ وَالسَديرُ

thus they repaid him for his favors toward them,

So they repaid him for his favors toward them,

on the day al-Khawarnaq and al-Sadīr were his.

on the morn when al-Khawarnaq and al-Sadir were his.

كِلا أَبَوَيكَ مِن كَعبٍ وَعَبسٍ

كِلا أَبَوَيكَ مِن كَعبٍ وَعَبسٍ

بُحورٌ ما تُوازِنُها بُحورُ

بُحورٌ ما تُوازِنُها بُحورُ

Both your ancestral houses, Kaʿb and ʿAbs,

Both your parents, from Ka'b and 'Abs,

are seas no other seas can equal.

are seas no other seas can match.

فَمَن يَكُ مِن أَوائِلِهِ مُخِتّاً

فَمَن يَكُ مِن أَوائِلِهِ مُخِتّاً

فَإِنَّكَ يا وَليدُ بِهِم فَخورُ

فَإِنَّكَ يا وَليدُ بِهِم فَخورُ

Whichever of his earliest forebears may be chosen—

Whoever may be ashamed of his forebears,

I, O Walīd, take pride in them.

you, O Walid, are proud of them.

وَتَأوي لِاِبنِ زِنباعٍ إِذا ما

وَتَأوي لِاِبنِ زِنباعٍ إِذا ما

تَراخى الريفُ كاسَ لَهُ عَقيرُ

تَراخى الريفُ كاسَ لَهُ عَقيرُ

And refuge is sought with Ibn Zinbāʿ whenever

And you take pity on Ibn Zinba'; whenever

the countryside’s abundance recedes: his are the cup and the slaughtered camel.

fertile country lies far off, a hamstrung camel falls for him.