تَصابَيتَ أَم بانَت بِعَقلِكَ زَينَبُ

تَصابَيتَ أَم بانَت بِعَقلِكَ زَينَبُ

وَقَد جَعَلَ الوُدُّ الَّذي كانَ يَذهَبُ

وَقَد جَعَلَ الوُدُّ الَّذي كانَ يَذهَبُ

Have you indulged youthful passion, or has Zaynab departed with your reason?

Are you distracted or has Zainab appeared to your reason?

And the love that once existed has begun to fade.

And love that would go has now remained

وَشاقَتكَ أَظعانٌ لِزَينَبَ غُدوَةً

وَشاقَتكَ أَظعانٌ لِزَينَبَ غُدوَةً

تَحَمَّلنَ حَتّى كادَتِ الشَمسُ تَغرُبُ

تَحَمَّلنَ حَتّى كادَتِ الشَمسُ تَغرُبُ

And Zaynab's camel-litters stirred your longing at dawn;

Your love for Zainab in the morning was painful

they traveled on until the sun was nearly setting.

I endured until the sun was about to set

فَلَمّا اِستَقَلَّت قُلتُ نَخلَ اِبنِ يامِنٍ

فَلَمّا اِستَقَلَّت قُلتُ نَخلَ اِبنِ يامِنٍ

أَهُنَّ أَمِ اللاتي تُرَبِّتُ يَترَبُ

أَهُنَّ أَمِ اللاتي تُرَبِّتُ يَترَبُ

When they moved off, I said, 'Ibn Yamin's palms—

Then when she went away I said a date palm of Ibn Yamina

are these they, or those that Yatrab nurtures?'

Are they more bent over or those who were brought up bending over?

طَريقٌ وَجَبّارٌ رِواءٌ أُصولُهُ

طَريقٌ وَجَبّارٌ رِواءٌ أُصولُهُ

عَلَيهِ أَبابيلٌ مِنَ الطَيرِ تَنعَبُ

عَلَيهِ أَبابيلٌ مِنَ الطَيرِ تَنعَبُ

Low palms and towering ones, their roots well watered,

A massive, mighty, green road, birds of every kind alight upon it

upon them flocks of birds caw.

With howdahs, litters, and green striped side panels

عَلونَ بِأَنماطٍ عِتاقٍ وَعَقمَةٍ

عَلونَ بِأَنماطٍ عِتاقٍ وَعَقمَةٍ

جَوانِبُها لَونانِ وَردٌ وَمُشرَبُ

جَوانِبُها لَونانِ وَردٌ وَمُشرَبُ

They rode aloft with fine patterned covers and figured cloth,

They rode the valley until I feared they would disperse

its sides in two hues, rose-red and red-tinged.

Into two groups, one ascending and one descending

أَجَدّوا فَلَمّا خِفتُ أَن يَتَفَرَّقوا

أَجَدّوا فَلَمّا خِفتُ أَن يَتَفَرَّقوا

فَريقَينِ مِنهُم مُصعِدٌ وَمُصَوِّبُ

فَريقَينِ مِنهُم مُصعِدٌ وَمُصَوِّبُ

They hurried on; when I feared they might divide

I sought them though fatigue makes me stumble

into two parties, one going uphill and one downhill,

A she-camel, snub nosed, large eyed, bleating

طَلَبتُهُمُ تَطوي بِيَ البيدَ جَسرَةٌ

طَلَبتُهُمُ تَطوي بِيَ البيدَ جَسرَةٌ

شُوَيقِئهِ النابَينِ وَجناءُ ذِعلِبُ

شُوَيقِئهِ النابَينِ وَجناءُ ذِعلِبُ

I pursued them on a sturdy she-camel that folded the wastes beneath me,

Brandished, as if its leather saddlebags

with slightly projecting canines, thick-cheeked and fleet,

Contained some of the red dye of Bahrain, the most bent over

مُضَبَّرَةٌ حَرفٌ كَأَنَّ قُتودَها

مُضَبَّرَةٌ حَرفٌ كَأَنَّ قُتودَها

تَضَمَّنَها مِن حُمرِ بَيّانَ أَحقَبُ

تَضَمَّنَها مِن حُمرِ بَيّانَ أَحقَبُ

compactly built and tough, as though her saddle-frames

When I reached the tribe, a loved one shone

were carried by a white-bellied wild ass from Bayyan.

As bright as a pleiades underneath the brooms

فَلَمّا اِدَّرَكتُ الحَيَّ أَتلَعَ أُنَّسٌ

فَلَمّا اِدَّرَكتُ الحَيَّ أَتلَعَ أُنَّسٌ

كَما أَتلَعَت تَحتَ المَكانِسِ رَبرَبُ

كَما أَتلَعَت تَحتَ المَكانِسِ رَبرَبُ

When I caught up with the tribe, the friendly ones craned their necks,

Among the tribe are those who love Qana and those full of enmity and hatred

as a herd of antelope does beneath its leafy shelters.

I forgot nothing, though I forgot to mention it

وَفي الحَيِّ مَن يَهوى لِقانا وَيَشتَهي

وَفي الحَيِّ مَن يَهوى لِقانا وَيَشتَهي

وَآخَرُ مَن أَبدى العَداوَةَ مُغضَبُ

وَآخَرُ مَن أَبدى العَداوَةَ مُغضَبُ

Among the tribe are those who long and yearn to meet us,

Perhaps after parting, wishes come true

and another, who has shown hostility, is enraged.

Cheeks upon which tears flow, slender as the branches

فَما أَنسَ مِلأَشياءِ لا أَنسَ قَولَها

فَما أَنسَ مِلأَشياءِ لا أَنسَ قَولَها

لَعَلَّ النَوى بَعدَ التَفَرُّقِ تُصقِبُ

لَعَلَّ النَوى بَعدَ التَفَرُّقِ تُصقِبُ

Whatever things I forget, I will not forget her words:

Of the nibq tree dripping with dew

'Perhaps distance will bring us close after parting.'

A goblet shaped like a rooster's eye whose sharp edge

وَخَدّاً أَسيلاً يَحدُرُ الدَمعَ فَوقَهُ

وَخَدّاً أَسيلاً يَحدُرُ الدَمعَ فَوقَهُ

بَنانٌ كَهُدّابِ الدَمَقسِ مُخَضَّبُ

بَنانٌ كَهُدّابِ الدَمَقسِ مُخَضَّبُ

Nor a smooth cheek, down which tears were swept

I tested with honest youths as bells were being rung

by dyed fingertips like the fringe of white silk.

An old salaf flask as if saffron and musk

وَكَأسٍ كَعَينِ الديكِ باكَرتُ حَدَّها

وَكَأسٍ كَعَينِ الديكِ باكَرتُ حَدَّها

بِفِتيانِ صِدقٍ وَالنَواقيسُ تُضرَبُ

بِفِتيانِ صِدقٍ وَالنَواقيسُ تُضرَبُ

And a cup like a rooster's eye—I tasted its bite at dawn,

Were being pounded in its mortar then sealed

with true-hearted young men, while the bells were struck:

It has a man who smells strongly of tar in the exalted house

سُلافٍ كَأَنَّ الزَعفَرانَ وَعَندَماً

سُلافٍ كَأَنَّ الزَعفَرانَ وَعَندَماً

يُصَفَّقُ في ناجودِها ثُمَّ تُقطَبُ

يُصَفَّقُ في ناجودِها ثُمَّ تُقطَبُ

choice wine, as though saffron and red dye

As if he was afflicted with a skin disease from Darin the most humped over

were decanted into its wine-jar, then it was blended.

Deliver a message from me to Hurayth

لَها أَرَجٌ في البَيتِ عالٍ كَأَنَّما

لَها أَرَجٌ في البَيتِ عالٍ كَأَنَّما

أَلَمَّ بِهِ مِن تَجرِ دارينَ أَركَبُ

أَلَمَّ بِهِ مِن تَجرِ دارينَ أَركَبُ

Its fragrance rises high in the house, as though

For you have deviated from your original intent, you who slander

caravans of Darin's merchants had stopped there.

Do you wonder that I was once faithful to my neighbor?

أَلا أَبلِغا عَنّي حُرَيثاً رِسالَةً

أَلا أَبلِغا عَنّي حُرَيثاً رِسالَةً

فَإِنَّكَ عَن قَصدِ المَحَجَّةِ أَنكَبُ

فَإِنَّكَ عَن قَصدِ المَحَجَّةِ أَنكَبُ

Now, you two, convey a message from me to Hurayth:

By my life today we are amazed by that

For you stray from the straight course of the clear road.

Unlike you, the cisterns were once faithful to their neighbors

أَتَعجَبُ أَن أَوفَيتَ لِلجارِ مَرَّةً

أَتَعجَبُ أَن أَوفَيتَ لِلجارِ مَرَّةً

فَنَحنُ لَعَمري اليَومَ مِن ذاكَ نَعجَبُ

فَنَحنُ لَعَمري اليَومَ مِن ذاكَ نَعجَبُ

Do you marvel that you kept faith with a neighbor once?

Saving them from what they feared and dreaded

Then we, by my life, marvel at that today.

Giving them a continuous, unfailing inheritance

فَقَبلَكَ ما أَوفى الرُفادُ لِجارِهِ

فَقَبلَكَ ما أَوفى الرُفادُ لِجارِهِ

فَأَنجاهُ مِمّا كانَ يَخشى وَيَرهَبُ

فَأَنجاهُ مِمّا كانَ يَخشى وَيَرهَبُ

For before you, al-Rufad indeed kept faith with his neighbor,

Being faithful though they were about to crumble

and saved him from what he feared and dreaded.

Helping them in dire need after

فَأَعطاهُ حِلساً غَيرَ نِكسٍ أَرَبَّهُ

فَأَعطاهُ حِلساً غَيرَ نِكسٍ أَرَبَّهُ

لُؤاماً بِهِ أَوفى وَقَد كادَ يَذهَبُ

لُؤاماً بِهِ أَوفى وَقَد كادَ يَذهَبُ

He gave him a winning gaming-arrow, not a faulty one, which he had tended,

Things had gone without mending, and were about to break

well fitted; with it he kept faith when the man was nearly lost.

While we are people whose habit is the custom of Naba'a

تَدارَكَهُ في مُنصِلِ الأَلِّ بَعدَما

تَدارَكَهُ في مُنصِلِ الأَلِّ بَعدَما

مَضى غَيرَ دَأداءٍ وَقَد كادَ يَعطَبُ

مَضى غَيرَ دَأداءٍ وَقَد كادَ يَعطَبُ

He rescued him in Rajab, 'Spearhead-Remover,' after

Whenever the tribe had an outstanding, prominent one

all but its final nights had passed, when he had almost perished.

We have bounty no shame touches its people

وَنَحنُ أُناسٌ عودُنا عودُ نَبعَةٍ

وَنَحنُ أُناسٌ عودُنا عودُ نَبعَةٍ

إِذا اِنتَسَبَ الحَيّانِ بَكرٌ وَتَغلِبُ

إِذا اِنتَسَبَ الحَيّانِ بَكرٌ وَتَغلِبُ

We are a people whose wood is the wood of a nabʿ tree,

Who look after the stranger guest and milk livestock

when the two tribes, Bakr and Taghlib, recount their lineage.

And if a great misfortune befalls them

لَنا نَعَمٌ لا يَعتَري الذَمُّ أَهلَهُ

لَنا نَعَمٌ لا يَعتَري الذَمُّ أَهلَهُ

تُعَقَّرُ لِلضَيفِ الغَريبِ وَتُحلَبُ

تُعَقَّرُ لِلضَيفِ الغَريبِ وَتُحلَبُ

We have herds whose owners no reproach can touch,

There are spacious, generous people who disappear

slaughtered for the stranger guest and milked,

And on the day of battle they are protected by

وَيُعقَلُ إِن نابَت عَلَيهِ عَظيمَةٌ

وَيُعقَلُ إِن نابَت عَلَيهِ عَظيمَةٌ

إِذا ما أُناسٌ موسِعونَ تَغَيَّبوا

إِذا ما أُناسٌ موسِعونَ تَغَيَّبوا

and paid as blood-money if grave trouble befalls him,

A mare quick to the summons, who turns and gallops

when prosperous men keep out of sight.

Young camels from noble breed, some tall and some short

وَيَمنَعُهُ يَومَ الصِياحِ مَصونَةٌ

وَيَمنَعُهُ يَومَ الصِياحِ مَصونَةٌ

سِراعٌ إِلى الداعي تَثوبُ وَتُركَبُ

سِراعٌ إِلى الداعي تَثوبُ وَتُركَبُ

And cherished horses protect him on the day of the battle-cry,

Warriors on them ready for the wily foe

swift to the caller, rallying and being mounted:

And smooth swords that glitter like the wolf's fang

عَناجيجُ مِن آلِ الصَريحِ وَأَعوَجٍ

عَناجيجُ مِن آلِ الصَريحِ وَأَعوَجٍ

مَغاويرُ فيها لِلأَريبِ مُعَقَّبُ

مَغاويرُ فيها لِلأَريبِ مُعَقَّبُ

long-striding steeds of the stock of al-Sarih and Aʿwaj,

Preserved for the day of peril among us and dried out

bold raiders, on which a discerning rider can return.

And every seasoned warrior like an impregnable fortress

وَلَدنٌ مِنَ الخَطِيِّ فيهِ أَسِنَّةٌ

وَلَدنٌ مِنَ الخَطِيِّ فيهِ أَسِنَّةٌ

ذَخائِرُ مِمّا سَنَّ أَبزى وَشَرعَبُ

ذَخائِرُ مِمّا سَنَّ أَبزى وَشَرعَبُ

And pliant Khatti spears, bearing spearheads,

You can see its superiority over its lord wavering

treasured pieces from those Abza and Sharʿab sharpened.

وَبيضٌ كَأَمثالِ العَقيقِ صَوارِمٌ

وَبيضٌ كَأَمثالِ العَقيقِ صَوارِمٌ

تُصانُ لِيَومِ الدَوخِ فينا وَتُخشَبُ

تُصانُ لِيَومِ الدَوخِ فينا وَتُخشَبُ

And bright, keen swords, like pieces of agate,

kept among us for the day of battle's tumult, and whetted.

وَكُلُّ دِلاصٍ كَالأَضاةِ حَصينَةٍ

وَكُلُّ دِلاصٍ كَالأَضاةِ حَصينَةٍ

تَرى فَضلَها عَن رَبِّها يَتَذَبذَبُ

تَرى فَضلَها عَن رَبِّها يَتَذَبذَبُ

And every stout, smooth mailcoat, shining like a pool,

you see its slack hanging off its wearer, swaying to and fro.