بانَت سُعادُ وَأَمسى حَبلُها رابا

بانَت سُعادُ وَأَمسى حَبلُها رابا

وَأَحدَثَ النَأيُ لي شَوقاً وَأَوصابا

وَأَحدَثَ النَأيُ لي شَوقاً وَأَوصابا

Su'ad has departed, and her bond has grown slack;

Happiness has appeared, though its rope has become worn,

distance has brought me longing and pains.

And separation has created in me longing and sleeplessness.

وَأَجمَعَت صُرمَنا سُعدى وَهِجرَتَنا

وَأَجمَعَت صُرمَنا سُعدى وَهِجرَتَنا

لَمّا رَأَت أَنَّ رَأسي اليَومَ قَد شابا

لَمّا رَأَت أَنَّ رَأسي اليَومَ قَد شابا

Su'da resolved to sever our bond and forsake us

My good fortune and my abandonment have gathered,

when she saw that my head had now turned gray.

When it saw that today my head has become white-haired.

أَيّامَ تَجلو لَنا عَن بارِدٍ رَتِلٍ

أَيّامَ تَجلو لَنا عَن بارِدٍ رَتِلٍ

تَخالُ نَكهَتَها بِاللَيلِ سُيّابا

تَخالُ نَكهَتَها بِاللَيلِ سُيّابا

In the days when she revealed to us a cool, well-set mouth,

Days used to be bright for us instead of cold and monotonous,

you would take her breath by night for unripe dates;

Their taste by night seemed to be perfumed.

وَجيدِ مُغزِلَةٍ تَقرو نَواجِذُها

وَجيدِ مُغزِلَةٍ تَقرو نَواجِذُها

مِن يانِعِ المَردِ ما اِحلَولى وَما طابا

مِن يانِعِ المَردِ ما اِحلَولى وَما طابا

and the neck of a doe with a fawn, whose molars seek

And the cheek of a weaver girl reciting her spindles

among ripe arak fruit whatever has grown sweet and good;

With the soft, pliant ogamy and whatever is pleasant.

وَعَينِ وَحشِيَّةٍ أَغفَت فَأَرَّقَها

وَعَينِ وَحشِيَّةٍ أَغفَت فَأَرَّقَها

صَوتُ الذِئابِ فَأَوفَت نَحوَهُ دابا

صَوتُ الذِئابِ فَأَوفَت نَحوَهُ دابا

and a wild doe's eye—she dozed, then was kept awake

And the eye of a wild animal that fell asleep but was kept awake

by the wolves' cry, so she stood facing it intently.

By the sound of wolves, so she came hurrying towards them.

هِركَولَةٌ مِثلُ دِعصِ الرَملِ أَسفَلُها

هِركَولَةٌ مِثلُ دِعصِ الرَملِ أَسفَلُها

مَكسُوَّةٌ مِن جَمالِ الحُسنِ جِلبابا

مَكسُوَّةٌ مِن جَمالِ الحُسنِ جِلبابا

Full-hipped, her lower body is like a mound of sand,

A gazelle like a ram of shifting sands, its lower part

clothed in a mantle of splendid beauty.

Covered with the beauty of decoration and long robes.

تُميلُ جَثلاً عَلى المَتنَينِ ذا خُصَلٍ

تُميلُ جَثلاً عَلى المَتنَينِ ذا خُصَلٍ

يَحبو مَواشِطَهُ مِسكاً وَتَطيابا

يَحبو مَواشِطَهُ مِسكاً وَتَطيابا

She lets thick hair, rich in tresses, sway over both sides of her back,

She inclines languidly on the litter with braided tresses

bestowing musk and perfumes on those who comb it.

That give off perfume when she moves them.

رُعبوبَةٌ فُنُقٌ خُمصانَةٌ رَدَحٌ

رُعبوبَةٌ فُنُقٌ خُمصانَةٌ رَدَحٌ

قَد أُشرِبَت مِثلَ ماءِ الدُرِّ إِشرابا

قَد أُشرِبَت مِثلَ ماءِ الدُرِّ إِشرابا

Soft-skinned, pampered, slender-waisted, ample-hipped,

A doe, restless, brisk, plump, fleshy,

she is suffused through and through with a lustre like that of pearls.

That was saturated as if with liquid pearls.

وَمَهمَهٍ نازِحٍ قَفرٍ مَسارِبُهُ

وَمَهمَهٍ نازِحٍ قَفرٍ مَسارِبُهُ

كَلَّفتُ أَعيَسَ تَحتَ الرَحلِ نَعّابا

كَلَّفتُ أَعيَسَ تَحتَ الرَحلِ نَعّابا

And a distant waste, whose paths lie deserted,

And a roving, fleeing, barren hyena whose

I made a tawny-white camel cross, swift-striding beneath the saddle.

Watering places I have burdened an old she-ass with.

يُنبي القُتودَ بِمِثلِ البُرجِ مُتَّصِلاً

يُنبي القُتودَ بِمِثلِ البُرجِ مُتَّصِلاً

مُؤَيَّداً قَد أَنافوا فَوقَهُ بابا

مُؤَيَّداً قَد أَنافوا فَوقَهُ بابا

He raises the saddle-frames on a mass like a closely built tower,

It neighs to awaken the nomads with a sound like thunder, connected,

strongly buttressed, above which they have raised a doorway.

Supported above it with a door.

كَأَنَّ كوري وَميسادي وَميثَرَتي

كَأَنَّ كوري وَميسادي وَميثَرَتي

كَسَوتُها أَسفَعَ الخَدَّينِ عَبعابا

كَسَوتُها أَسفَعَ الخَدَّينِ عَبعابا

It is as though, with my saddle, bolster, and saddlecloth,

As if its saddle and its pillow and its cloak

I had clothed a massive wild bull with dusky cheeks.

Were black adornments upon the cheeks.

أَلجاهُ قَطرٌ وَشَفّانٌ لِمُرتَكِمٍ

أَلجاهُ قَطرٌ وَشَفّانٌ لِمُرتَكِمٍ

مِنَ الأَميلِ عَلَيهِ البَغرُ إِكثابا

مِنَ الأَميلِ عَلَيهِ البَغرُ إِكثابا

Rain and a chill wind drove him to a piled-up mass

I diverted it with a shower and a downpour towards a rider

of dune-sand, while rain poured close upon him.

Upon it whose mouth was concealed with the headcloth.

وَباتَ في دَفِّ أَرطاةٍ يَلوذُ بِها

وَباتَ في دَفِّ أَرطاةٍ يَلوذُ بِها

يَجري الرَبابُ عَلى مَتنَيهِ تَسكابا

يَجري الرَبابُ عَلى مَتنَيهِ تَسكابا

He spent the night beside an arta shrub, seeking shelter in it,

And it spent the night in a howdah it sought refuge in

as rain from the clouds streamed in torrents over both sides of his back.

While the litter pole flowed over its back pouring down.

تَجلو البَوارِقُ عَن طَيّانَ مُضطَمِرٍ

تَجلو البَوارِقُ عَن طَيّانَ مُضطَمِرٍ

تَخالُهُ كَوكَباً في الأُفقِ ثَقّابا

تَخالُهُ كَوكَباً في الأُفقِ ثَقّابا

Lightning flashes reveal a hollow-bellied, lean bull;

The lightning flashed from a heavy laden cloud,

you would take him for a piercingly bright star on the horizon.

Its zigzag seemed like a star in the horizon.

حَتّى إِذا ذَرَّ قَرنُ الشَمسِ أَو كَرَبَت

حَتّى إِذا ذَرَّ قَرنُ الشَمسِ أَو كَرَبَت

أَحَسَّ مِن ثُعَلٍ بِالفَجرِ كَلّابا

أَحَسَّ مِن ثُعَلٍ بِالفَجرِ كَلّابا

Until, when the sun's rim rose, or was about to,

Until when the horn of the sun shone or it grew large,

he sensed at dawn a hound-master from Thu'al,

It felt some great heat at dawn snarling.

يُشلي عِطافاً وَمَجدولاً وَسَلهَبَةً

يُشلي عِطافاً وَمَجدولاً وَسَلهَبَةً

وَذا القِلادَةِ مَحصوفاً وَكَسّابا

وَذا القِلادَةِ مَحصوفاً وَكَسّابا

urging on 'Itaf, Majdul, and Salhaba,

So it began snorting, trotting briskly, kicking,

and the collared Mahsuf, and Kassab:

With necklaces on its chest it shook off and scattered.

ذو صِبيَةٍ كَسبُ تِلكَ الضارِياتِ لَهُم

ذو صِبيَةٍ كَسبُ تِلكَ الضارِياتِ لَهُم

قَد حالَفوا الفَقرَ وَاللَأواءَ أَحقابا

قَد حالَفوا الفَقرَ وَاللَأواءَ أَحقابا

a man with young children, for whom those hunting hounds make their catch,

Some boys whose livelihood was raiding those wild cows

children long allied with poverty and hardship.

For they were bound to poverty and misery for lifetimes.

فَاِنصاعَ لا يَأتَلي شَدّاً بِخَذرَفَةٍ

فَاِنصاعَ لا يَأتَلي شَدّاً بِخَذرَفَةٍ

تَرى لَهُ مِن يَقينِ الخَوفِ إِهذابا

تَرى لَهُ مِن يَقينِ الخَوفِ إِهذابا

Then he bolted, sparing no effort in a rapid run;

So it surrendered, not ceasing its pace out of panic,

you see him racing, driven by certain fear.

You could see the certainty of fear in its retreat.

وَهُنَّ مُنتَصِلاتٌ كُلَّها ثَقِفٌ

وَهُنَّ مُنتَصِلاتٌ كُلَّها ثَقِفٌ

تَخالُهُنَّ وَقَد أُرهِقنَ نَشّابا

تَخالُهُنَّ وَقَد أُرهِقنَ نَشّابا

And they dart forward, every one quick and skilful;

And they are connected, all of them branded,

you would take them, driven hard, for arrows.

They seemed to be worn out with branding.

لَأياً يُجاهِدُها لا يَأتَلي طَلَباً

لَأياً يُجاهِدُها لا يَأتَلي طَلَباً

حَتّى إِذا عَقلُهُ بَعدَ الوَنى ثابا

حَتّى إِذا عَقلُهُ بَعدَ الوَنى ثابا

With difficulty he struggles against them, unflagging in the chase,

For a moment it resists not ceasing its pursuit

until, when his wits returned after weariness,

Until when its intellect, after passion, returns.

فَكَرَّ ذو حَربَةٍ تَحمي مَقاتِلَهُ

فَكَرَّ ذو حَربَةٍ تَحمي مَقاتِلَهُ

إِذا نَحا لِكُلاها رَوقَهُ صابا

إِذا نَحا لِكُلاها رَوقَهُ صابا

the spear-bearer turned to charge, his spear guarding his vital parts:

So the one with a spear that protects its owner

whenever he aimed his horn at their kidneys, it struck true.

When it turns to confront them, wards it off and drives it away.

لَمّا رَأَيتُ زَماناً كالِحاً شَبِماً

لَمّا رَأَيتُ زَماناً كالِحاً شَبِماً

قَد صارَ فيهِ رُؤوسُ الناسِ أَذنابا

قَد صارَ فيهِ رُؤوسُ الناسِ أَذنابا

When I saw an age grim-faced and cold,

When I saw a vulgar, impudent time

in which the heads of men had become tails,

In which the heads of the people had become tails.

يَمَّمتُ خَيرَ فَتىً في الناسِ كُلَّهُمُ

يَمَّمتُ خَيرَ فَتىً في الناسِ كُلَّهُمُ

الشاهِدينَ بِهِ أَعني وَمَن غابا

الشاهِدينَ بِهِ أَعني وَمَن غابا

I made for the best young man among all people,

I set my mind on the best youth of all the people,

those present there, I mean, and those absent.

Those present and absent I intended him as witness.

لَمّا رَآني إِياسٌ في مُرَجَّمَةٍ

لَمّا رَآني إِياسٌ في مُرَجَّمَةٍ

رَثَّ الشَوارِ قَليلَ المالِ مُنشابا

رَثَّ الشَوارِ قَليلَ المالِ مُنشابا

When Iyas saw me in troubled straits,

When Iyas saw me in poverty,

with shabby belongings, little wealth, and mired in trouble,

With little money and a worn-out saddle blanket.

أَثوى ثَواءَ كَريمٍ ثُمَّ مَتَّعَني

أَثوى ثَواءَ كَريمٍ ثُمَّ مَتَّعَني

يَومَ العُروبَةِ إِذ وَدَّعتُ أَصحابا

يَومَ العُروبَةِ إِذ وَدَّعتُ أَصحابا

he gave me generous lodging, then equipped me,

He lodged me with the hospitality of a generous man, then he equipped me

on 'Arubah day, when I bade companions farewell,

On the day I bid farewell to my companions.

بِعَنتَريسٍ كَأَنَّ الحُصَّ ليطَ بِها

بِعَنتَريسٍ كَأَنَّ الحُصَّ ليطَ بِها

أَدماءَ لا بَكرَةً تُدعى وَلا نابا

أَدماءَ لا بَكرَةً تُدعى وَلا نابا

with a powerful she-camel, as though yellow dye had been smeared upon her:

With a horse like high ground horses whose plains,

white-coated, called neither a young she-camel nor an aged one.

No virgins are called to but blood.

وَالرِجلُ كَالرَوضَةِ المِحلالِ زَيَّنَها

وَالرِجلُ كَالرَوضَةِ المِحلالِ زَيَّنَها

نَبتُ الخَريفِ وَكانَت قَبلُ مِعشابا

نَبتُ الخَريفِ وَكانَت قَبلُ مِعشابا

And the herd was like a meadow fit for camping, adorned

And the man is like a meadow adorned

by autumn growth; it had already been rich in grass.

With autumn plants though it had been barren before.

جَزى الإِلَهُ إِياساً خَيرَ نِعمَتِهِ

جَزى الإِلَهُ إِياساً خَيرَ نِعمَتِهِ

كَما جَزى المَرءَ نوحاً بَعدَما شابا

كَما جَزى المَرءَ نوحاً بَعدَما شابا

May God reward Iyas with His choicest bounty,

May God reward Iyas with the best of His blessings

as He rewarded the man Noah after he had grown gray,

As He rewarded Noah after he grew old.

في فُلكِهِ إِذ تَبَدّاها لِيَصنَعَها

في فُلكِهِ إِذ تَبَدّاها لِيَصنَعَها

وَظَلَّ يَجمَعُ أَلواحاً وَأَبوابا

وَظَلَّ يَجمَعُ أَلواحاً وَأَبوابا

in his ark, when he first undertook to make it,

In his ship when He commanded him to build it

and kept gathering planks and doors.

And he kept gathering boards and doors.