لَقَد غَدَوتَ عَلى النَدمانِ لا حَصِرُ

لَقَد غَدَوتَ عَلى النَدمانِ لا حَصِرُ

يُخشى أَذاهُ وَلا مُستَبطَأٌ زَمِرُ

يُخشى أَذاهُ وَلا مُستَبطَأٌ زَمِرُ

You have indeed gone early to the drinking companions—not a miser

You have become accustomed to regret without limit,

whose harm is feared, nor a sluggish, mean-spirited man;

Its harm is feared and its bitterness endures,

طَلقُ اليَدَينِ كَبِشرٍ أَو أَبي حَنَشٍ

طَلقُ اليَدَينِ كَبِشرٍ أَو أَبي حَنَشٍ

لا واغِلٌ حينَ تَلقاهُ وَلا حَصِرُ

لا واغِلٌ حينَ تَلقاهُ وَلا حَصِرُ

openhanded as Bishr or Abu Hanash,

With hands as loose as a happy reveller's or Abi Hanash's,

no uninvited drinker when you meet him, nor a miser.

Unconstrained when you encounter it and without limit,

وَقَد يُغادي أَبو غَيلانَ رُفقَتَهُ

وَقَد يُغادي أَبو غَيلانَ رُفقَتَهُ

بِقَهوَةٍ لَيسَ في ناجودِها كَدَرُ

بِقَهوَةٍ لَيسَ في ناجودِها كَدَرُ

And Abu Ghaylan sometimes visits his companions at dawn

And Abu Ghailan might roam with his companions

with wine whose vessel holds no sediment:

With coffee without a speck of bitterness in its pot,

سُلافَةٍ حَصَلَت مِن شارِفٍ خَلَقٍ

سُلافَةٍ حَصَلَت مِن شارِفٍ خَلَقٍ

كَأَنَّما فارَ مِنها أَبجَلٌ نَعِرُ

كَأَنَّما فارَ مِنها أَبجَلٌ نَعِرُ

pure first-run wine drawn from an old, worn wineskin,

A pipe made by a highly-skilled craftsman

as though a great, spurting vein were gushing from it.

As if an ibex bleated from it,

عانِيَّةٌ تَرفَعُ الأَرواحُ نَفحَتَها

عانِيَّةٌ تَرفَعُ الأَرواحُ نَفحَتَها

لَو كانَ تُسقى بِها الأَمواتُ قَد نَشَروا

لَو كانَ تُسقى بِها الأَمواتُ قَد نَشَروا

Wine of ʿAna, whose fragrance the breezes bear aloft—

It raises the soul with its scent,

if the dead were given it to drink, they would rise again.

If the dead were revived by it, they would spread out,

وَقَد أُحادِثُ أَروى وَهيَ خالِيَةٌ

وَقَد أُحادِثُ أَروى وَهيَ خالِيَةٌ

فَلا الحَديثُ شَفى مِنها وَلا النَظَرُ

فَلا الحَديثُ شَفى مِنها وَلا النَظَرُ

At times I talk with Arwa when she is alone,

And I converse with Arwa while she is empty,

yet neither talking nor looking has satisfied my longing for her.

Neither the talk cures me of her, nor the gazing,

لَيسَت تُداويكَ مِن داءٍ تُخامِرُهُ

لَيسَت تُداويكَ مِن داءٍ تُخامِرُهُ

أَروى وَلا أَنتَ مِمّا عِندَها تَقِرُ

أَروى وَلا أَنتَ مِمّا عِندَها تَقِرُ

She does not cure you of the sickness you harbor—

Arwa cannot cure you of the sickness that plagues you,

Arwa—nor do you find contentment in what she has.

Nor are you with what she has, content,

كَأَنَّ فارَةَ مِسكٍ غارَ تاجِرُها

كَأَنَّ فارَةَ مِسكٍ غارَ تاجِرُها

حَتّى اِشتَراها بِأَغلى بَيعِهِ التَجِرُ

حَتّى اِشتَراها بِأَغلى بَيعِهِ التَجِرُ

As though a musk pod, whose dealer went down to the lowlands

As if the musk pearl's scent escaped,

until the trader bought it at the highest price in his dealings,

Until its merchant bought it at the highest price,

عَلى مُقَبَّلِ أَروى أَو مُشَعشَعَةً

عَلى مُقَبَّلِ أَروى أَو مُشَعشَعَةً

يَعلو الزُجاجَةَ مِنها كَوكَبٌ خَصِرُ

يَعلو الزُجاجَةَ مِنها كَوكَبٌ خَصِرُ

were on Arwa's lips—or wine mixed with water,

Above Arwa's kiss or brightening,

from which a cool star rises above the glass.

A planet shines above the bottle's waist,

هَل تُدنِيَنَّكَ مِن أَروى مُقَتَّلَةٌ

هَل تُدنِيَنَّكَ مِن أَروى مُقَتَّلَةٌ

لا ناكِتٌ يُشتَكى مِنها وَلا زَوَرُ

لا ناكِتٌ يُشتَكى مِنها وَلا زَوَرُ

Will a well-broken she-camel bring you close to Arwa,

Can a slaughtered, miserable Arwa bring you close,

with no lameness or crookedness to complain of?

Neither moaning, nor to be complained of, nor false?

كَأَنَّها أَخدَرِيٌّ في حَلائِلِهِ

كَأَنَّها أَخدَرِيٌّ في حَلائِلِهِ

لَهُ بِكُلِّ مَكانٍ عازِبٍ أَثَرُ

لَهُ بِكُلِّ مَكانٍ عازِبٍ أَثَرُ

She is like an Akhdari wild ass among his mates,

As if she were a brown hyena in its lairs,

whose tracks lie in every distant place:

Having in each desolate place a track,

أَحفَظُ غَيرانُ ما تُسطاعُ عانَتُهُ

أَحفَظُ غَيرانُ ما تُسطاعُ عانَتُهُ

لا الوِردُ وِردٌ وَلا إِصدارُهُ صَدَرُ

لا الوِردُ وِردٌ وَلا إِصدارُهُ صَدَرُ

irascible and jealous, his herd cannot be approached;

I remember what of her troubles can be borne,

no watering is true watering, nor his leading them away true departure.

Neither roses a gift, nor their issuing, a breast,

أَحمَرُ تَحسِبُ لَونَ الوَرسِ خالَطَهُ

أَحمَرُ تَحسِبُ لَونَ الوَرسِ خالَطَهُ

كَأَنَّهُ حينَ يَهوي مُدبِراً حَجَرُ

كَأَنَّهُ حينَ يَهوي مُدبِراً حَجَرُ

Ruddy—you would think the hue of wars-dye had mingled with him,

Red, you would think the wild ox's color mixed with it,

as though he were a stone when he hurtles away.

As if when it falls back, it is a stone,

في عانَةٍ رَعَتِ الأَوعارَ صَيفَتَها

في عانَةٍ رَعَتِ الأَوعارَ صَيفَتَها

حَتّى إِذا زَهِمَ الأَكفالُ وَالسُرَرُ

حَتّى إِذا زَهِمَ الأَكفالُ وَالسُرَرُ

Amid a herd that grazed the rugged ground through its summer,

In a passion that the seasons of summer nurtured,

until, when their rumps and navels grew fat,

Until when the ankle-bracelets and necklaces dried out,

صارَت سَماحيجَ قُبّاً ساعَةَ اِدَّرَعَت

صارَت سَماحيجَ قُبّاً ساعَةَ اِدَّرَعَت

شَعبانَ وَاِنجابَ عَن أَكفالِها الوَبَرُ

شَعبانَ وَاِنجابَ عَن أَكفالِها الوَبَرُ

they became long-bodied and lean-bellied as they donned

It became a skin bottle for an hour when Shaban clothed it,

Shaʿban, and the fur fell away from their rumps.

And it brought forth young after being barren,

كَأَنَّ أَقرابَها القُبطِيُّ إِذ ضَمَرَت

كَأَنَّ أَقرابَها القُبطِيُّ إِذ ضَمَرَت

وَكادَ مِنها بَقايا الماءِ يُعتَصَرُ

وَكادَ مِنها بَقايا الماءِ يُعتَصَرُ

Their flanks seemed Coptic linen once they grew lean,

As if its relative the Copt, when it shrivelled,

and the last of their moisture could almost be wrung out.

And the remnants of water were about to be squeezed out,

يَشُلُّهُنَّ عَلى الأَهواءِ ذو ضَرَرٍ

يَشُلُّهُنَّ عَلى الأَهواءِ ذو ضَرَرٍ

عَلى الضَغائِنِ حَتّى يَذهَبَ الأَشَرُ

عَلى الضَغائِنِ حَتّى يَذهَبَ الأَشَرُ

He drives them as his whims dictate, a harsh beast,

Suspended them in the air, one of harm

despite their resentment, until their friskiness is gone.

Upon resentments until the harm goes away,

دامي الخَياشيمِ قَد أَوجَعنَ حاجِبَهُ

دامي الخَياشيمِ قَد أَوجَعنَ حاجِبَهُ

فَهوَ يُعاقِبُ أَحياناً فَيَنتَصِرُ

فَهوَ يُعاقِبُ أَحياناً فَيَنتَصِرُ

His nostrils bleed; they have wounded his brow,

Checkering its eyebrows, its gills have pained it,

so he sometimes punishes them and takes revenge.

So it punishes them sometimes and takes revenge,

مِسحاجُ عونٍ طَوَتهُ البيدُ صَيفَتَهُ

مِسحاجُ عونٍ طَوَتهُ البيدُ صَيفَتَهُ

فَالضِلعُ كاسِيَةٌ وَالكَشحُ مُضطَمِرٌ

فَالضِلعُ كاسِيَةٌ وَالكَشحُ مُضطَمِرٌ

A loud brayer among mature she-asses—the deserts have thinned him through his summer;

An Eel whose coat the worms of summer wasted,

so his ribs are fleshed, while his flank is drawn in.

So the ribs are bare and the belly sunken,

قَد آلَ مِنهُ وَأَبدى مِن جَناجِنِهِ

قَد آلَ مِنهُ وَأَبدى مِن جَناجِنِهِ

طولُ النَهارِ وَلَيلٌ دائِبٌ سَهِرُ

طولُ النَهارِ وَلَيلٌ دائِبٌ سَهِرُ

He has been worn down, some of his breastbones laid bare,

It has tired him and shown from his sides,

by the day's length and an unrelenting, sleepless night.

The length of day and a persistent, sleepless night,

حَتّى إِذا وَضَحَت في الصُبحِ واضِحَةً

حَتّى إِذا وَضَحَت في الصُبحِ واضِحَةً

جَوزاؤُهُ وَأَكَبَّ الشاةُ يَحتَفِرُ

جَوزاؤُهُ وَأَكَبَّ الشاةُ يَحتَفِرُ

Until, when there shone out clearly in the dawn

Until when at dawn, dawn rose clearly,

his al-Jawza, and the wild ass bent over, digging,

Its knot and the sheep dug up,

وَزَمَّتِ الريحُ بِالبُهمى جَحافِلُهُ

وَزَمَّتِ الريحُ بِالبُهمى جَحافِلُهُ

وَاِجتَمَعَ الفَيضُ مِن نَعمانَ وَالخُضَرُ

وَاِجتَمَعَ الفَيضُ مِن نَعمانَ وَالخُضَرُ

and the wind bound his thick lips with buhma-grass,

And the wind blew evil in Al-Bohoma its regiments,

and Naʿman's floodwater and greenery gathered,

And the flood gathered from Na’man and Al-Khadhr,

وَظَلَّ بِالوَعرِ الظَمآنُ يَعصِبُهُ

وَظَلَّ بِالوَعرِ الظَمآنُ يَعصِبُهُ

يَومٌ تَكادُ شُحومُ الوَحشِ تَصطَهِرُ

يَومٌ تَكادُ شُحومُ الوَحشِ تَصطَهِرُ

the thirsty beast remained on rugged ground, beset

And the thirsty remained in the wilderness provoked,

by a day when the wild beasts' fat almost melted.

A day on which the wild beasts’ fats almost melt,

يَبحَثُ الأَحساءَ مِن ظَبيٍ وَقَد عَلِمَت

يَبحَثُ الأَحساءَ مِن ظَبيٍ وَقَد عَلِمَت

مِن حَيثُ يُفرِغُ فيهِ ماءَهُ الوَعِرُ

مِن حَيثُ يُفرِغُ فيهِ ماءَهُ الوَعِرُ

He digs for seep-wells at Ẓaby; they already know

It searches Al-Ahsa’ from gazelles, and it had known,

from where the rugged ground pours its water into it.

Where the wilderness spills its water,

وَغَرَّهُ كُلُّ ظَنٍّ كانَ يَأمُلُهُ

وَغَرَّهُ كُلُّ ظَنٍّ كانَ يَأمُلُهُ

مِنَ الثِمادِ وَنَشَّت ماءَها الغُدُرُ

مِنَ الثِمادِ وَنَشَّت ماءَها الغُدُرُ

And every hope he had cherished deceived him—

And every notion it had hoped for misled it,

hope of scant pools; the ponds had dried up their water.

From Al-Samad and its water bubbles betrayed it,

فَهوَ بِها سَيِّئٌ ظَنّاً وَلَيسَ لَهُ

فَهوَ بِها سَيِّئٌ ظَنّاً وَلَيسَ لَهُ

بِالبَيضَتَينِ وَلا بِالعيصِ مُدَّخَرُ

بِالبَيضَتَينِ وَلا بِالعيصِ مُدَّخَرُ

So he expects little from them, and he has no

So it is evil in its thinking about it, and has for it,

water in reserve at al-Bayḍatayn or al-ʿĪṣ.

Neither in Al-Baida not stored, nor in Al-Ays,

ذَكَّرَها مَنهَلاً زُرقاً شَرائِعُهُ

ذَكَّرَها مَنهَلاً زُرقاً شَرائِعُهُ

لَهُ إِذا الريحُ لَفَّت بَينَها نَهَرُ

لَهُ إِذا الريحُ لَفَّت بَينَها نَهَرُ

He reminded them of a watering-place whose drinking reaches were blue;

It reminded it of a blue waterhole, its banks,

there is a roar when the wind swirls among them.

For it, when the wind twists between them, a river,

فَحلٌ عَذومٌ إِذا بَصبَصنَ أَلحَقَهُ

فَحلٌ عَذومٌ إِذا بَصبَصنَ أَلحَقَهُ

شَدٌّ يُقَصِّرُ عَنهُ المِعبَلُ الحَشِرُ

شَدٌّ يُقَصِّرُ عَنهُ المِعبَلُ الحَشِرُ

A hard-biting stallion—when they flick their tails, he catches up

So a salty marsh, if it perceived and followed it,

with a gallop that the keen, broad-headed arrow cannot match.

Would fall short, the riding camel in mustering,

يَشُلُّهُنَّ بِصَلصالٍ يُحَشرِجُهُ

يَشُلُّهُنَّ بِصَلصالٍ يُحَشرِجُهُ

بَينَ الضُلوعِ وَشَدٍّ لَيسَ يَنبَهِرُ

بَينَ الضُلوعِ وَشَدٍّ لَيسَ يَنبَهِرُ

He drives them with a ringing bray that he rattles

Suspending them in slippery clay that it kneads,

between his ribs, and a gallop that never leaves him breathless.

Between the ribs and a power not to be fazed,

صُلبُ النُسورِ فَلَيسَ المَروُ يَرهَصُهُ

صُلبُ النُسورِ فَلَيسَ المَروُ يَرهَصُهُ

وَلا المَضائِغُ مِن رُصغَيهِ تَنتَشِرُ

وَلا المَضائِغُ مِن رُصغَيهِ تَنتَشِرُ

His hoof-frogs are hard, so flint cannot bruise him,

The hardness of eagles, so neither the ostrich provokes it,

nor do the fleshy pads at his two pasterns spread.

Nor the chewing (animals) from its flanks scatter,

يَذودُ عَنها إِذا أَمسَت بِمَخشِيَةٍ

يَذودُ عَنها إِذا أَمسَت بِمَخشِيَةٍ

طَرفَ حَديدٌ وَقَلبٌ خائِفٌ حَذِرُ

طَرفَ حَديدٌ وَقَلبٌ خائِفٌ حَذِرُ

Protecting them when evening finds them in a fearsome place

It protects them when they spend the night fearfully,

are a keen eye and a fearful, watchful heart.

An iron edge and a fearful, cautious heart,

فَهُنَّ مُستَوحِشاتٌ يَتَّقينَ بِهِ

فَهُنَّ مُستَوحِشاتٌ يَتَّقينَ بِهِ

وَهوَ عَلى الخَوفِ مُستافٌ وَمُقتَفِرُ

وَهوَ عَلى الخَوفِ مُستافٌ وَمُقتَفِرُ

So they are fearful, shielding themselves with him,

So they are frightened, wary because of it,

while he, amid fear, sniffs and follows tracks.

While it is prepared and ready for fear,