أَلَمَّ خَيالٌ مِن قُتَيلَةَ بَعدَما

أَلَمَّ خَيالٌ مِن قُتَيلَةَ بَعدَما

وَهى حَبلُها مِن حَبلِنا فَتَصَرَّما

وَهى حَبلُها مِن حَبلِنا فَتَصَرَّما

A phantom of Qutaylah visited me after

A vision of Qutaila haunted me after she passed,

her bond with ours had weakened and snapped.

Though her tent rope was of our rope, so they intertwined.

فَبِتُّ كَأَنّي شارِبٌ بَعدَ هَجعَةٍ

فَبِتُّ كَأَنّي شارِبٌ بَعدَ هَجعَةٍ

سُخامِيَّةً حَمراءَ تُحسَبُ عَندَما

سُخامِيَّةً حَمراءَ تُحسَبُ عَندَما

So I spent the night as though, after a sleep, I had drunk

I spent the night as if I were drinking, after dozing,

a silky red wine, seeming like dragon's blood.

A red hangover thought to be pure when poured.

إِذا بُزِلَت مِن دَنِّها فاحَ ريحُها

إِذا بُزِلَت مِن دَنِّها فاحَ ريحُها

وَقَد أُخرِجَت مِن أَسوَدِ الجَوفِ أَدهَما

وَقَد أُخرِجَت مِن أَسوَدِ الجَوفِ أَدهَما

When tapped from its jar, its fragrance spread,

When it is decanted from its vat, its odor emerges,

drawn from a vessel black within, jet-dark.

Having been brought out from the darkness of the bowels.

لَها حارِسٌ ما يَبرَحُ الدَهرَ بَيتَها

لَها حارِسٌ ما يَبرَحُ الدَهرَ بَيتَها

إِذا ذُبِحَت صَلّى عَلَيها وَزَمزَما

إِذا ذُبِحَت صَلّى عَلَيها وَزَمزَما

It has a guardian who never leaves its dwelling;

It has a guard who does not leave its home through time;

when it is slaughtered, he prays over it and murmurs.

When slaughtered he prays over it and glorifies it.

بِبابِلَ لَم تُعصَر فَجاءَت سُلافَةً

بِبابِلَ لَم تُعصَر فَجاءَت سُلافَةً

تُخالِطُ قِنديداً وَمِسكاً مُخَتَّما

تُخالِطُ قِنديداً وَمِسكاً مُخَتَّما

In Babylon, unpressed, it came as free-run wine,

In Babylon it was not pressed, so it came choice

mingling with sugarcane syrup and sealed musk.

Mingling with cloves and sealed musk.

يَطوفُ بِها ساقٍ عَلَينا مُتَوَّمٌ

يَطوفُ بِها ساقٍ عَلَينا مُتَوَّمٌ

خَفيفٌ ذَفيفٌ ما يَزالُ مُفَدَّما

خَفيفٌ ذَفيفٌ ما يَزالُ مُفَدَّما

A pearl-adorned cupbearer circulates it among us,

A cupbearer circles us, one of persistent ill omen,

light-footed and swift, his mouth always veiled,

Light, gliding, his hands ever bloodstained.

بِكَأسٍ وَإِبريقٍ كَأَنَّ شَرابَهُ

بِكَأسٍ وَإِبريقٍ كَأَنَّ شَرابَهُ

إِذا صُبَّ في المِصحاةِ خالَطَ بَقَّما

إِذا صُبَّ في المِصحاةِ خالَطَ بَقَّما

with a goblet and a pitcher, as though his drink,

With a goblet and ewer as if its drink,

when poured into the bowl, were mixed with brazilwood dye.

When poured in the bowl, mingled with ruins.

لَنا جُلَّسانٌ عِندَها وَبَنَفسَجٌ

لَنا جُلَّسانٌ عِندَها وَبَنَفسَجٌ

وَسيسِنبَرٌ وَالمَرزَجوشُ مُنَمنَما

وَسيسِنبَرٌ وَالمَرزَجوشُ مُنَمنَما

Beside it we have roses and violets,

We have two parlors by it and bougainvillea

and wild mint and finely patterned marjoram,

And lilies and marjoram murmuring.

وَآسٌ وَخيرِيٌّ وَمَروٌ وَسَوسَنٌ

وَآسٌ وَخيرِيٌّ وَمَروٌ وَسَوسَنٌ

إِذا كانَ هِنزَمنٌ وَرُحتُ مُخَشَّما

إِذا كانَ هِنزَمنٌ وَرُحتُ مُخَشَّما

and myrtle, wallflowers, marw, and irises,

Myrtle, and Syrian pear, and bittersweet,

when a feast is held and I come away tipsy,

When spring has come and aromatic herbs exhale.

وَشاهَسفَرِم وَالياسَمينُ وَنَرجِسٌ

وَشاهَسفَرِم وَالياسَمينُ وَنَرجِسٌ

يُصَبِّحُنا في كُلِّ دَجنٍ تَغَيَّما

يُصَبِّحُنا في كُلِّ دَجنٍ تَغَيَّما

and royal basil, jasmine, and narcissus

Yellow jasmine and lily and narcissus

greeting us each morning of cloud-dark gloom.

Give us good morning in every darkened valley.

وَمُستُقُ سينينٍ وَوَنٌّ وَبَربَطٌ

وَمُستُقُ سينينٍ وَوَنٌّ وَبَربَطٌ

يُجاوِبُهُ صَنجٌ إِذا ما تَرَنَّما

يُجاوِبُهُ صَنجٌ إِذا ما تَرَنَّما

And a fur cloak from Sinīn, a wann instrument, and a barbat lute,

The pipe of the lutes and flutes and the tambourine

answered by a harp whenever it sings,

Answering the cymbals when they resonate.

وَفِتيانُ صِدقٍ لا ضَغائِنَ بَينَهُم

وَفِتيانُ صِدقٍ لا ضَغائِنَ بَينَهُم

وَقَد جَعَلوني فَيسَحاهاً مُكَرَّما

وَقَد جَعَلوني فَيسَحاهاً مُكَرَّما

and trustworthy young men with no grudges between them,

And honest lads, no rancor among them,

who have made me an honored master of the feast.

Who have made me their paragon, honored.

فَدَع ذا وَلَكِن رُبَّ أَرضٍ مُتيهَةٍ

فَدَع ذا وَلَكِن رُبَّ أَرضٍ مُتيهَةٍ

قَطَعتُ بِحُرجوجٍ إِذا اللَيلُ أَظلَما

قَطَعتُ بِحُرجوجٍ إِذا اللَيلُ أَظلَما

But leave that: many a bewildering land

Leave this be! But how many a bewildered land

I crossed on a tall, lean she-camel when night grew dark,

Have I traversed with my zebra when night darkened,

بِناجِيَةٍ كَالفَحلِ فيها تَجاسُرٌ

بِناجِيَةٍ كَالفَحلِ فيها تَجاسُرٌ

إِذا الراكِبُ الناجي اِستَقى وَتَعَمَّما

إِذا الراكِبُ الناجي اِستَقى وَتَعَمَّما

a swift one, stallion-like, with boldness in her,

With a she-camel like a stallion, bold in it,

when the swift-traveling rider draws water and winds his turban.

When the praying rider paused and donned his headcloth.

تَرى عَينَها صَغواءَ في جَنبِ مُؤقَها

تَرى عَينَها صَغواءَ في جَنبِ مُؤقَها

تُراقِبُ في كَفّي القَطيعَ المُحَرَّما

تُراقِبُ في كَفّي القَطيعَ المُحَرَّما

You see her eye slanting toward its inner corner,

You see her little eye on the side of her forehead

watching the stiff, unused whip in my hand.

Watching in my hands the forbidden herd

كَأَنّي وَرَحلي وَالفِتانَ وَنُمرُقي

كَأَنّي وَرَحلي وَالفِتانَ وَنُمرُقي

عَلى ظَهرِ طاوٍ أَسفَعِ الخَدِّ أَخثَما

عَلى ظَهرِ طاوٍ أَسفَعِ الخَدِّ أَخثَما

As though I, my saddle, its leather cover, and my cushion

As if my saddlebags, the boys, and belongings

were on a lean-bellied, dark-cheeked, broad-snouted bull,

Were on the back of a shaggy-necked unruly camel.

عَلَيهِ دَيابوذٌ تَسَربَلَ تَحتَهُ

عَلَيهِ دَيابوذٌ تَسَربَلَ تَحتَهُ

أَرَندَجَ إِسكافٍ يُخالِطُ عِظلِما

أَرَندَجَ إِسكافٍ يُخالِطُ عِظلِما

wearing a white robe, beneath which he has donned

Over it a striped cloth beneath which

a cobbler's black leather mingled with indigo.

Rested a rug of Askar mingled with darkness.

فَباتَ عَذوباً لِلسَماءِ كَأَنَّما

فَباتَ عَذوباً لِلسَماءِ كَأَنَّما

يُوائِمُ رَهطاً لِلعَزوبَةِ صُيَّما

يُوائِمُ رَهطاً لِلعَزوبَةِ صُيَّما

So he spent the night fasting beneath the open sky, as though

So he passed the night gentle to the heavens as if

emulating a band fasting in celibate abstinence.

Accommodating a group of the solitary dejected.

يَلوذُ إِلى أَرطاةِ حِقفٍ تَلُفُّهُ

يَلوذُ إِلى أَرطاةِ حِقفٍ تَلُفُّهُ

خَريقُ شَمالٍ تَترُكُ الوَجهَ أَقتَما

خَريقُ شَمالٍ تَترُكُ الوَجهَ أَقتَما

He takes refuge beside an arṭā shrub on a curved dune, enveloped

Taking refuge in the arms of a windswept dune

by a fierce north wind that leaves his face dust-darkened,

Enveloping him, the draft of a north wind leaving the face darker.

مُكِبّاً عَلى رَوقَيهِ يَحفِرُ عِرقَها

مُكِبّاً عَلى رَوقَيهِ يَحفِرُ عِرقَها

عَلى ظَهرِ عُريانِ الطَريقَةِ أَهيَما

عَلى ظَهرِ عُريانِ الطَريقَةِ أَهيَما

bending over his two horns to dig its root

Leaning on his side he dug its veins

on a loose-sanded dune, bare along its ridge.

On the back of the naked road, confused.

فَلَمّا أَضاءَ الصُبحُ قامَ مُبادِراً

فَلَمّا أَضاءَ الصُبحُ قامَ مُبادِراً

وَحانَ اِنطِلاقُ الشاةِ مِن حَيثُ خَيَّما

وَحانَ اِنطِلاقُ الشاةِ مِن حَيثُ خَيَّما

When dawn shone, he rose in haste,

So when dawn lit up he rose hastily

and the time came for the wild bull to leave where he had bedded.

And the moment came to unleash the flock from where it camped.

فَصَبَّحَهُ عِندَ الشُروقِ غُدَيَّةً

فَصَبَّحَهُ عِندَ الشُروقِ غُدَيَّةً

كِلابُ الفَتى البَكرِيُّ عَوفِ بنِ أَرقَما

كِلابُ الفَتى البَكرِيُّ عَوفِ بنِ أَرقَما

At sunrise, early one morning, he was assailed

The dogs of the young man, ‘Awf ibn al-Aram, met it

by the hounds of the young Bakrī, ʿAwf ibn Arqam.

At daybreak and released it from his enclosure.

فَأَطلَقَ عَن مَجنوبِها فَاِتَّبَعنَهُ

فَأَطلَقَ عَن مَجنوبِها فَاِتَّبَعنَهُ

كَما هَيَّجَ السامي المُعَسِّلُ خَشرَما

كَما هَيَّجَ السامي المُعَسِّلُ خَشرَما

He untethered the hound kept at his side, and they pursued the bull,

They hounded it from morn till the night overtook it

as a climbing honey-gatherer rouses a swarm of bees.

And it endured patiently the afternoon, so it persevered.

لَدُن غُدوَةً حَتّى أَتى اللَيلُ دونَهُ

لَدُن غُدوَةً حَتّى أَتى اللَيلُ دونَهُ

وَجَشَّمَ صَبراً رَوقَهُ فَتَجَشَّما

وَجَشَّمَ صَبراً رَوقَهُ فَتَجَشَّما

From early morning until night came between them and him,

And I inclined toward the ill-omened one my hands, so I repelled it

he tasked his horn with steadfast resistance, and it bore the burden.

With more ardent than the branch of the tree of sadness.

وَأَنحى عَلى شُؤمى يَدَيهِ فَذادَها

وَأَنحى عَلى شُؤمى يَدَيهِ فَذادَها

بِأَظمَأَ مِن فَرعِ الذُؤابَةِ أَسحَما

بِأَظمَأَ مِن فَرعِ الذُؤابَةِ أَسحَما

He turned toward his left foreleg and drove her back

And I inclined toward it when he shook in the chest his throat

with a slender, black horn rising from his tufted crown.

As the one with the lute excites the singing girls.

وَأَنحى لَها إِذ هَزَّ في الصَدرِ رَوقَهُ

وَأَنحى لَها إِذ هَزَّ في الصَدرِ رَوقَهُ

كَما شَكَّ ذو العودِ الجَرادَ المُخَزَّما

كَما شَكَّ ذو العودِ الجَرادَ المُخَزَّما

He lunged at her, shaking his horn in her chest,

So the panels of its chest shook with the throat of his zebra

as one with a stick skewers threaded locusts.

As the one with the lute excites the aligned girls.

فَشَكَّ لَها صَفحاتِها صَدرُ رَوقِهِ

فَشَكَّ لَها صَفحاتِها صَدرُ رَوقِهِ

كَما شَكَّ ذو العودِ الجَرادَ المُنَظَّما

كَما شَكَّ ذو العودِ الجَرادَ المُنَظَّما

The point of his horn skewered her flanks,

And he wheeled about like a wounded ostrich, fleeing and wary,

as one with a stick skewers locusts strung in a row.

Shielding from the heat of Sirima, respected.

وَأَدبَرَ كَالشَعرى وُضوحاً وَنُقبَةً

وَأَدبَرَ كَالشَعرى وُضوحاً وَنُقبَةً

يُواعِنُ مِن حَرِّ الصَريمَةِ مُعظَما

يُواعِنُ مِن حَرِّ الصَريمَةِ مُعظَما

He went off, like Sirius in brightness and hue,

That was after the struggle when I compared my she-camel,

hastening from the dune's heat toward a great mass of sand.

If the sheep one day in the meadow brays,

فَذَلِكَ بَعدَ الجَهدِ شَبَّهتُ ناقَتي

فَذَلِكَ بَعدَ الجَهدِ شَبَّهتُ ناقَتي

إِذا الشاةُ يَوماً في الكِناسِ تَجَرثَما

إِذا الشاةُ يَوماً في الكِناسِ تَجَرثَما

To that creature, after its ordeal, I likened my she-camel,

Despairing that my Lord has denied it

when the wild bull one day settled in its covert.

The days of time, but honor and nobility.

تَؤُمُّ إِياساً إِنَّ رَبّي أَبى لَهُ

تَؤُمُّ إِياساً إِنَّ رَبّي أَبى لَهُ

يَدَ الدَهرِ إِلّا عِزَّةً وَتَكَرُّما

يَدَ الدَهرِ إِلّا عِزَّةً وَتَكَرُّما

She heads for Iyās: my Lord decrees for him

God made it grow above every tribe,

for all time nothing but might and noble generosity.

A father, then a father who disdains baseness wherever.

نَماهُ الإِلَهُ فَوقَ كُلَّ قَبيلَةٍ

نَماهُ الإِلَهُ فَوقَ كُلَّ قَبيلَةٍ

أَباً فَأَباً يَأبى الدَنِيَّةَ أَينَما

أَباً فَأَباً يَأبى الدَنِيَّةَ أَينَما

God raised him above every tribe,

And it never retreats one day to oppress and its face darkens

father after father; he rejects baseness wherever he is.

To ride disability or contend with sin.

وَلَم يَنتَكِس يَوماً فَيُظلِمَ وَجهُهُ

وَلَم يَنتَكِس يَوماً فَيُظلِمَ وَجهُهُ

لِيَركَبَ عَجزاً أَو يُضارِعَ مَأثَما

لِيَركَبَ عَجزاً أَو يُضارِعَ مَأثَما

Never has he fallen low, darkening his face,

If the honor of mankind were on the top of a craggy

to embrace weakness or stoop toward wrongdoing.

Jagged rock perceiving the one who limps,

وَلَو أَنَّ عِزَّ الناسِ في رَأسِ صَخرَةٍ

وَلَو أَنَّ عِزَّ الناسِ في رَأسِ صَخرَةٍ

مُلَملَمَةٍ تُعيّ الأَرَحَّ المُخَدَّما

مُلَملَمَةٍ تُعيّ الأَرَحَّ المُخَدَّما

Were mankind's honor on the summit of a rock,

The Lord of men would give you the key to its gate,

rounded and smooth, exhausting the broad-hoofed, white-ankleted ibex,

And if there were no gate, He would give you a ladder.

لَأَعطاكَ رَبُّ الناسِ مِفتاحَ بابِها

لَأَعطاكَ رَبُّ الناسِ مِفتاحَ بابِها

وَلَو لَم يَكُن بابٌ لَأَعطاكَ سُلَّما

وَلَو لَم يَكُن بابٌ لَأَعطاكَ سُلَّما

the Lord of mankind would give you its door's key;

So the Nile of Egypt when its torrents rise,

and if there were no door, He would give you a ladder.

And the sea of Baniqya when it flows abundantly,

فَما نيلُ مِصرٍ إِذ تَسامى عُبابُهُ

فَما نيلُ مِصرٍ إِذ تَسامى عُبابُهُ

وَلا بَحرُ بانِقيا إِذا راحَ مُفعَما

وَلا بَحرُ بانِقيا إِذا راحَ مُفعَما

Neither Egypt's Nile, when its surging waters rise,

With more generous than it, obtaining. Some of them,

nor the sea of Bāniqyā, when it grows brimful,

When asked a kindness, turn away and frown.

بِأَجوَدَ مِنهُ نائِلاً إِنَّ بَعضَهُم

بِأَجوَدَ مِنهُ نائِلاً إِنَّ بَعضَهُم

إِذا سُئِلَ المَعروفَ صَدَّ وَجَمجَما

إِذا سُئِلَ المَعروفَ صَدَّ وَجَمجَما

is more generous in bounty than he; indeed, some men,

He is the giver of the perfections of character to his neighbor

when asked for kindness, turn away and mutter evasively.

Likened always to a constant downpour or heavily laden palms.

هُوَ الواهِبُ الكومَ الصَفايا لِجارِهِ

هُوَ الواهِبُ الكومَ الصَفايا لِجارِهِ

يُشَبَّهنَ دَوماً أَو نَخيلاً مُكَمَّما

يُشَبَّهنَ دَوماً أَو نَخيلاً مُكَمَّما

He gives his neighbor choice, high-humped milch camels,

And every full pool is limited in its extent

likened to doum palms or date palms bearing flower-spathes,

And every torrent like the plowshare, blackish.

وَكُلَّ كُمَيتٍ كَالقَناةِ مَحالُهُ

وَكُلَّ كُمَيتٍ كَالقَناةِ مَحالُهُ

وَكُلَّ طِمِرٍّ كَالهِراوَةِ أَدهَما

وَكُلَّ طِمِرٍّ كَالهِراوَةِ أَدهَما

and every bay horse whose backbone is like a spear-shaft,

And every source of honor like the channel of a torrent

and every fleet, jet-black horse like a club,

And the most generous hand of the servant, debased.

وَكُلَّ مِزاقٍ كَالقَناةِ طِمِرِّةٍ

وَكُلَّ مِزاقٍ كَالقَناةِ طِمِرِّةٍ

وَأَجرَدَ جَيّاشَ الأَجارِيِّ مِرجَما

وَأَجرَدَ جَيّاشَ الأَجارِيِّ مِرجَما

and every swift, nimble mare like a spear-shaft,

And every high-mettled one like the Phoenician parcel

and a sleek horse, surging through its gallops and flinging stones,

Dragging to the shop a sack, marked.

وَكُلَّ ذَمولٍ كَالفَنيقِ وَقَينَةٍ

وَكُلَّ ذَمولٍ كَالفَنيقِ وَقَينَةٍ

تَجُرُّ إِلى الحانوتِ بُرداً مُسَهَّما

تَجُرُّ إِلى الحانوتِ بُرداً مُسَهَّما

and every trotting camel like a pampered sire, and a singing girl

And he left no desperate man among people like him

trailing an arrow-patterned mantle to the wine-shop.

To remedy a wrong or undertake a debt.

وَلَم يَدعُ مَلهوفٌ مِنَ الناسِ مِثلَهُ

وَلَم يَدعُ مَلهوفٌ مِنَ الناسِ مِثلَهُ

لِيَدفَعَ ضَيماً أَو لِيَحمِلَ مَغرَما

لِيَدفَعَ ضَيماً أَو لِيَحمِلَ مَغرَما

And no distressed person among men has ever called upon his equal

to repel an injustice or shoulder a debt.