رحل الفريق فأسرعوا الوخدا

ورمت بهم أجمالهم بعدا

The company departed, hastening their brisk trot,

and their camels bore them far away.

قطعت بهم بزل الركاب ضحى

أرضا يحار دليلها القصدا

In the forenoon, their mature riding camels carried them across

a land whose guide is baffled about the right course.

من كل مقفرة تخال نعامها

متقاطرات نظمت عقدا

Through every desolate waste, you would think its ostriches,

following one another, were strung into a necklace.

ربداء طامسة الصوايا تأتلي

بالله خلت سرابها وردا

A gray-brown waste, its landmarks effaced—you would swear

by God you had taken its mirage for a watering place.

أتبعتهم نظري وفرّق بيننا

بعد المدى وجد النوى الوجدا

I followed them with my gaze, and we were parted by

the long distance; separation renewed the anguish.

فتقاطرت في الخدّ من كلفي بهم

سرب الدموع فخدّت الخدّا

From my passion for them, down my cheek trickled

a stream of tears that furrowed the cheek.

رحلوا بعاطلة كأن قوامها

غصنٌ نما خضرا وما اشتدّا

They departed with an unadorned beauty, whose figure was like

a branch grown green, not yet hardened.

يهتزّ من مرذ النسيم وربّما

هزّت روادف قدّها القدّا

It sways in the light spray of the breeze, and sometimes

her hips set her figure swaying.

يتحمّل العبق النسيم لنا بها

عنها فنحسب نشرها ندّا

Through her, the breeze bears fragrance to us,

from her, and we take her scent for nadd perfume.

وكأنما العطار أوسعنا لها

طيبا إذا نشرت قفا جعدا

It is as though the perfumer lavishes on us, for her sake,

perfume whenever she uncovers her curly-haired nape.

وهي التي وعدتك قبل رحيلهم

وعدا فأخلف نأيها الوعدا

She is the one who, before their departure, promised you

a promise that her remoteness left unfulfilled.

يا ظبية الحيّ التي أمّت به

جلل الخطوب مهامها ريدا

O gazelle of the tribe, who set out with it

through great perils and desert wastes, gently [wording uncertain],

هل أنت سائلةٌ كما أنا سائل

وفد الجزيرة إذ أتوا وفدا

do you question, as I question,

the envoys from al-Jazira when they came as a delegation?

أم هل علوت الحقف سائلة

عنّي الجنائب والصبا عمدا

Or have you climbed the curved sand ridge, asking

the south winds and the east wind about me, deliberately,

كتشوّفي للريح إن شملت

متنسّما بممرّها بردا

as I watch eagerly for the wind when it blows from the north,

breathing in coolness as it passes?

لا أنزل النشر اليفاع مرجيّا

خيرا وأهبط بعده الوهدا

I do not alight on the lofty upland, hoping

for good; and afterward I descend into the hollows.

وأعارض الركبان من أمم

ولهان أنشد من رأي دعدا

And I approach the riders at close quarters,

distraught, questioning anyone who has seen Da'd.

وأقول واكبدي مقالة موجع

لم يبق فقد مواله كبدا

And I cry, 'Alas, my liver!'—the cry of one in pain,

whose loss of his companions has left him no liver.

ومن العناء وقد تحوّل أبيضا

رأسي أحنّ وكان مسودا

And it is anguish, now that it has turned white—

my head—to yearn; it was once black-haired.

ما للشيوخ وللتصابي والصبا

وهل الزمان يعيد ما أبدا

What have old men to do with feigning youth and youthful passion?

And can time restore what it once brought forth [reading uncertain]?

لله ما أنا فيه فقر لازم

وصبابة توهي الصفا الصلدا

Good God, what I endure: unrelenting poverty,

and yearning that weakens smooth, hard rock.

ومعيشة بالحرف قد قرنت

أدعو إليها معشرا نكدا

And a livelihood coupled with deprivation,

to which I summon a grudging company.

فإذا دعوتهم مشوا هزؤا

مشيَ النعام أهميف فاجتلدا

When I summon them, they walk mockingly,

with the gait of ostriches [unclear word], then fighting one another.

وأشدّ ذلك كله حنف

ينفي السرور ويوهن الزندا

And worse than all this is my clubfoot,

which banishes joy and weakens the forearm.

فإذا مشيت حكيت في ظلعي

مشي الحضاجر خافت الطرد

When I walk, my limping imitates

the gait of hyenas frightened of pursuit.

مالي وللتنجم أذكر أمره

وأشيم فيه النحس والسعدا

What have I to do with astrology, that I mention its affairs

and look in it for ill fortune and good?

ولطالما عاديته زمنا

أقفو المنى وأنازل الأسدا

For many years I have opposed it,

pursuing hopes and confronting lions.

في كل يوم ابتدي سفرا له

وأعود احكي الجزر والمدّا

Every day I begin a journey for it,

and return, imitating the ebb and flow.

فرد العزيمة حيث كنت رأيتني

متوحّدا بتحيّتي وحدا

Alone in resolve, wherever I was, I found myself

solitary with my greeting, all alone.

متنقل طلب الغنى أطوي السرى

وأواصل الإدلاج والكدّا

Roaming in search of wealth, I cover the nighttime road,

and continue my night journeys and toil.

يا للعشائر من تميم أنحدوا

رجلا أضيم ولم يزل نجدا

O tribes of Tamim, come to the aid of

a man oppressed, who has always been valiant.

كالسيف لولم يعله صدأ

لفرت مضارب حدّه الغمدا

Like a sword: had rust not covered it,

the striking parts of its edge would have slit the sheath.

قد خير الرزق الورى فترى الفتى

جزلا خيولا ناهضا جلدا

Livelihood has chosen among mortals: you see a young man

sound in judgment, proud, energetic, and hardy,

لا تستبلّ من الفرات لهاته

حرفا ولم تملك له ردا

whose throat cannot grow moist even from the Euphrates,

ill-fortuned, and you cannot reverse his lot.

وترى الغنيّ على الونى أمواله

تزداد بعد بداءة عودا

Yet you see the rich man, despite his indolence, whose wealth

grows again after its first beginning.

كم ماجد أضحى كما أضحيته

متلدّدا ذا حيرة جهدا

How many a noble man has become as I have [wording uncertain],

looking about bewildered, perplexed, and exhausted,

متأسّفا أن لو أصيب له غنى

لبذلته متكسّبا حمدا

regretful that, if wealth were found for him,

I would give it freely, earning praise.

وأرى المكارم والمغارم رأي من

لا يستطيع لخرمها سدّا

And I look upon noble deeds and their costs as one

who cannot seal their breach.

ولطالما أبضعت في طلب الغنى

وكسيت فيه الحمد والمحدا

How often I have entrusted goods for trade in pursuit of wealth,

and in it been clothed in praise and commendation.

وحملت عن قومي مغارمهم ضحى

وشددت من ذي الأزمة العضدا

And I bore my people's financial burdens for them in the forenoon,

and strengthened the arm of one in hardship.

وإذا دهت طخياء قد نزلت بنا

نهنهتا وكشفتها نقدا

When a dark calamity struck and descended upon us,

I checked it and dispelled it with ready money.

وغذا الصديق هفا غفرت ذنوبه

وصرفت عنه الغل والحقدا

And when a friend slipped, I forgave his sins,

and put aside malice and resentment toward him.

وأسرّ بالإنسان أبغضه

فإذا أمرّ أذقته شهدا

And I show delight toward someone I dislike;

when he turns bitter, I give him honey to taste.

أغدو وأهل الدهر في قرن معا

وغذا صدرت رأيتني فردا

I set out with the people of my time, yoked together,

and when I return, I find myself alone.

والجار الحفظ فيه حرمة بيته

وغذا أقل منحته رفدا

As for my neighbor, I preserve the sanctity of his home,

and when he falls into poverty, I grant him support.

عاجمت أيامي وقد عاجمنني

فتركتهنّ عواريا جردا

I tested my days, and they tested me,

so I left them stripped and bare.

وتركنني ذا حيرة بمصارعي

لا أشتكي سأما ولا حدا

And they left me bewildered at my downfalls,

complaining neither of weariness nor anger [reading uncertain].

من عارض الطمع الكذوب ببأسه

وقنا الحيا ما يعتدي عبدا

Whoever confronts lying greed with his courage

and the spears of modesty is not reckoned a slave [reading uncertain].

تستعبد الأطماع قوما طلما

طمع النفوس أذلهم حدّا

Greedy hopes enslave people; how often

has the greed of souls utterly humbled them.

من لم يجد من فقره هربا

فليهجر الدنيا إذن زهدا

Whoever finds no escape from his poverty,

let him then renounce the world in ascetic detachment.

من حاد عن سبل الهوى ملك العزا

من جاد صار له الورى جندا

Whoever turns from the paths of desire wins honor.

Whoever gives freely makes humankind his army.

ويسود في الناس الذليل بحوده

والجود يمهد للفتى مهدا

The lowly man gains mastery among people through his generosity,

and generosity makes a bed ready for a young man.