عَسى وَطن أَودى بِأَلفتنا شَحطا

عَسى وَطن أَودى بِأَلفتنا شَحطا

يُقَرِبُنا زُلفى وَيُنَظِمُنا سِمطا

يُقَرِبُنا زُلفى وَيُنَظِمُنا سِمطا

May the homeland that laid our fellowship low through distance

Perhaps a homeland whose separation has pained us

bring us close again and string us together like a necklace.

Will bring us close and organize us as companions,

لِأَسرَعُ ما أَمضى التَفَرُق سَهمه

لِأَسرَعُ ما أَمضى التَفَرُق سَهمه

فَأَصمى فُؤاد القُرب مِنا وَما أَخطا

فَأَصمى فُؤاد القُرب مِنا وَما أَخطا

How swiftly separation loosed its arrow,

So the quicker separation's arrow passes

striking dead the heart of our closeness, never missing!

The closer my heart will be to you, having made no mistakes.

وَوَصلتُكُم كانَت مِن الدَهر منحَةً

وَوَصلتُكُم كانَت مِن الدَهر منحَةً

فَما باله اليَوم اِستَرَدَ الَّذي أَعطى

فَما باله اليَوم اِستَرَدَ الَّذي أَعطى

Union with you was a gift from Time;

Your being connected was a gift of fate,

why has it reclaimed today what it gave?

So why does it want back today what it once gave?

أَلا لَيت شعري هَل يُرى بعدُ سامِحاً

أَلا لَيت شعري هَل يُرى بعدُ سامِحاً

بِعَهد تُصاب كنت في عَقده وَسطى

بِعَهد تُصاب كنت في عَقده وَسطى

Ah, would I knew: will it ever again be generous

Oh, how I wish I knew, will it ever be forgiving

with days of youthful dalliance, in whose necklace I was the central bead?

Of a pact which I was at the middle of when it was broken?

وَهَل يُسعفني فيكَ يَوماً بِأَوبَةٍ

وَهَل يُسعفني فيكَ يَوماً بِأَوبَةٍ

يَضيء بِها أَرجاء شيقَر وَالشَطا

يَضيء بِها أَرجاء شيقَر وَالشَطا

And will it one day grant me a return to you,

And will it ever help me, one day with a return

lighting up the reaches of Shayqar and al-Shata?

That lights up the expanses of Shayqar and al-Shatta?

أَتذكُر كَم مِن طيبَةٍ اثر طيبَةٍ

أَتذكُر كَم مِن طيبَةٍ اثر طيبَةٍ

سَحَبنا لَها في فَنتنيط العُلا مِرطا

سَحَبنا لَها في فَنتنيط العُلا مِرطا

Do you remember how many a delight, one after another,

Do you remember how many pleasures, the trace of pleasure,

for which we trailed glory like a mantle in Fantanit?

We drew in the wraps of al-‘Ulā softly?

وَكَم فتكَةٍ للراح جازَت بِنا المَدى

وَكَم فتكَةٍ للراح جازَت بِنا المَدى

بِحَيثُ وَشيج الحُب وَالأَثل وَالأَرطى

بِحَيثُ وَشيج الحُب وَالأَثل وَالأَرطى

And how many an onslaught of wine swept us beyond all bounds,

And how many times the wind passed with us over the plain

where love's close bonds lay amid tamarisks and arta shrubs?

Where the love, family, and kinsmen dwelled?

وَمَقصَبةٍ تَهفو الرِياحُ فَتَنثَني

وَمَقصَبةٍ تَهفو الرِياحُ فَتَنثَني

فَتَحسبها تَحتَ الرِياح قَنا خَطّا

فَتَحسبها تَحتَ الرِياح قَنا خَطّا

And a reed bed: the winds stir, and it bends,

And an irrigation channel the winds blow about, bending it,

till beneath the winds you take it for spears of Khatt.

So you’d think it was a reed-pen beneath the winds.

وَجَدول ماء كَالمَجَرة أَسبَغَت

وَجَدول ماء كَالمَجَرة أَسبَغَت

بِحافاتِها الأَنواءُ مِن نَسجِها بَسطا

بِحافاتِها الأَنواءُ مِن نَسجِها بَسطا

And a watercourse like the Milky Way, richly draped

And a water-brook like an outstretched galaxy

along its banks by the rains with carpets of their weaving.

Upon whose banks the stars wove their carpets.

صَفا ماؤه حَتّى كَأن اِنصِبابه

صَفا ماؤه حَتّى كَأن اِنصِبابه

حسام إِذا يُستَل أَو حيّة رَقطا

حسام إِذا يُستَل أَو حيّة رَقطا

Its water grew so clear that its flowing seemed

Its water was clear until its pouring

a sword being drawn, or a speckled snake.

Seemed like an Indian sword being drawn or a gliding serpent.

كَأَن نُثيرَ النور تَحتَ يَد الصبا

كَأَن نُثيرَ النور تَحتَ يَد الصبا

فصوص مَها أَو لُؤلؤٌ أَعوَز السَمطا

فصوص مَها أَو لُؤلؤٌ أَعوَز السَمطا

As though the blossoms scattered beneath the east wind's hand

As if we had stirred up light beneath the hand of the morning breeze

were crystal gems, or pearls beyond a necklace's reach.

Pearls or gems with chips and cracks.

إِذا ما الرِياح الهَوج نَثَرن عَقده

إِذا ما الرِياح الهَوج نَثَرن عَقده

ظَلَلنا نُفدِّيه وَنلقطه لَقطا

ظَلَلنا نُفدِّيه وَنلقطه لَقطا

Whenever the wild winds scattered its necklace,

When the violent winds scattered its necklace,

we kept offering ourselves as its ransom and gathering it bead by bead.

We ransomed it, gathering it piece by piece.

فَيا لَكَ مَرأى ما أسرَّ لِناظر

فَيا لَكَ مَرأى ما أسرَّ لِناظر

وِيالك فَرشاً ما أَجدّ وَما أَوطا

وِيالك فَرشاً ما أَجدّ وَما أَوطا

What a sight—how delightful to the eye!

What sights have delighted the onlooker’s eye!

And what a carpet—how fresh, how soft underfoot!

What lodgings have I found most hospitable!

بَساتين بَزت حسن جَنة مَأربٍ

بَساتين بَزت حسن جَنة مَأربٍ

لِذيذ حَلاها لَيسَ أَثلاً وَلا خَمطا

لِذيذ حَلاها لَيسَ أَثلاً وَلا خَمطا

Gardens that surpassed the beauty of Ma'rib's garden,

Gardens blooming, handsome as the gardens of Ma‘rib,

their sweet produce delicious—not tamarisk or bitter khamt.

With sweet, undefiled pleasures, no bitterness or tartness,

وَأَربعُ عُرفٍ لَم يَشنها بِمُنكَرٍ

وَأَربعُ عُرفٍ لَم يَشنها بِمُنكَرٍ

وَلَم تَسمَع الآذان مِنها بِها لَغطا

وَلَم تَسمَع الآذان مِنها بِها لَغطا

And abodes of goodness, unsullied by wrongdoing,

And four well-known meadows, unsullied by sin,

where ears heard no clamor arising within them.

Nor has the call to prayer been heard from them clamoring.

لَو إِن أَمرأ القَيس بِن حَجر يَحلُّها

لَو إِن أَمرأ القَيس بِن حَجر يَحلُّها

لأَقصر عَن أَن يَذكر الجَزع وَالسِقطا

لأَقصر عَن أَن يَذكر الجَزع وَالسِقطا

Had Imru' al-Qays ibn Hujr dwelt there,

If Imru’ al-Qays ibn Hujr were to describe them,

he would have stopped invoking al-Jaz' and al-Siqt.

He would fall short of mentioning anguish and misfortune.

وَعَذراء دنٍ بنتِ تسعين حجة

وَعَذراء دنٍ بنتِ تسعين حجة

بَذَلنا لَها الأَرواح في مَهرِها شَرطا

بَذَلنا لَها الأَرواح في مَهرِها شَرطا

And a wine-jar's virgin, ninety years old,

And an unmarried girl, ninety years of pilgrimage,

for whose dowry we pledged our souls as the stipulated price.

We gave our souls for her bride price unconditionally.

أَقَمنا بِها سوق التَصابي فَما وَنت

أَقَمنا بِها سوق التَصابي فَما وَنت

تَرد البَنان الجَعد مِن يَومِها سَبطا

تَرد البَنان الجَعد مِن يَومِها سَبطا

With her we set up a market of youthful revelry; she never tired

We held market there continuously, but she

of turning tight-curled fingers open from her very first day.

Would not accept the curly-haired youths time after time.

وَملنا إِلى خَلع العِذار فَما ونت

وَملنا إِلى خَلع العِذار فَما ونت

أَطاف بِها ذو العَذل فيها لَنا ضَبطا

أَطاف بِها ذو العَذل فيها لَنا ضَبطا

And we inclined to cast off the bridle; she did not falter,

We were about to unveil her, but she

though a censor circled her, seeking to hold us in check.

Did not allow the critic to circle about her, controlling us.

تَطوف بِها غَصنية القَد كاعب

تَطوف بِها غَصنية القَد كاعب

لَها مُقلة كَالخَمر سَطوَةً أَو أَسطى

لَها مُقلة كَالخَمر سَطوَةً أَو أَسطى

A budding-breasted maiden, branch-slender, carries her around;

She circles about, a slim branch, playing,

her eye is as overpowering as wine, or more so.

With a sway like wine, or still stronger.

وَخَدٍ كَمثل البَدر لَيلة تِمِّه

وَخَدٍ كَمثل البَدر لَيلة تِمِّه

تخال سَواد الخال في صَفحه نَقطا

تخال سَواد الخال في صَفحه نَقطا

And a cheek like the moon on the night of its fullness:

And a cheek like the full moon on its night of perfection,

you take the black mole upon its face for a speck.

You’d think the darkness of the mole therein was a dot.

وَساقٍ شَكا الخلخالَ ضيقاً كَما شَكت

وَساقٍ شَكا الخلخالَ ضيقاً كَما شَكت

مَعاصِمُها شح السوار لضها ضَغطا

مَعاصِمُها شح السوار لضها ضَغطا

And a leg complaining of the anklet's tightness, just as

And a leg whose anklet complains of tightness, just as

her wrists complained of the bracelet's stinginess in squeezing them tight.

Her wrists complain of the bracelets being too tight.

وَفرعِ يَغشى المتنَ أَسود فاحم

وَفرعِ يَغشى المتنَ أَسود فاحم

تَضَل المَدارى في غدائره مَشطا

تَضَل المَدارى في غدائره مَشطا

And coal-black hair covering her back,

And hair that covers her back, black, copious,

in whose braids the combs lose their way as they comb.

So that the plaits therein are like combs.

إِلى مثلها يَصبو الَّذي كانَ صَابياً

إِلى مثلها يَصبو الَّذي كانَ صَابياً

وَإِلّا فَما وَفّى الصِبا في الهَوى قِسطا

وَإِلّا فَما وَفّى الصِبا في الهَوى قِسطا

Toward one like her inclines whoever is truly love-struck;

One who was a youth aspires to the likes of her,

otherwise he has not given youthful passion its due in love.

Else passion has not dealt justly with him in love.

وَدونَكها عَذراء أَحكمتُ سَردَها

وَدونَكها عَذراء أَحكمتُ سَردَها

وَقَلدتُ آذان القَوافي بِها قَرطا

وَقَلدتُ آذان القَوافي بِها قَرطا

And take her—a virgin whose weaving I have perfected,

And inferior to her, a maiden I have versified perfectly

and with her adorned the ears of rhyme as with an earring.

And strung the ears of rhyme with her name like ear-rings

وإِني وَإِن أَهديتُها بحترية

وإِني وَإِن أَهديتُها بحترية

كَمُهد إِلى صَنعاء مِن وَشيها مِرطا

كَمُهد إِلى صَنعاء مِن وَشيها مِرطا

And I, though I offer her in al-Buhturi's style,

And even if I gave her as a gift a Howdah

am like one giving Sana'a a mantle of its own brocade.

To take her from Washiya to San‘a as finery,

وَعُذراً لِتَأخير الجَواب فَإِنَّني

وَعُذراً لِتَأخير الجَواب فَإِنَّني

ضَعفت فَلا قَبضاً أَطَقت وَلا بَسطا

ضَعفت فَلا قَبضاً أَطَقت وَلا بَسطا

And pardon the delay in replying, for I

And as an excuse for delay in replying, I have been weak

have grown weak: I can neither clench nor open my hand.

And can bear no burden nor extend any.

تَوالى عَليَّ السَقم عاماً فَحَطَني

تَوالى عَليَّ السَقم عاماً فَحَطَني

عَلى رَغم أَنفي عَن جِدى صحتي حِطا

عَلى رَغم أَنفي عَن جِدى صحتي حِطا

Illness has assailed me for a year and brought me low,

Illness has come upon me for a year, so it has brought me down

against my will, down from the bounty of my health.

Against my will, from my earnestness, laid low.

وَطالَت مُعاناة الأُساة وَكُلَهُم

وَطالَت مُعاناة الأُساة وَكُلَهُم

عَمٍ خابِطٌ عَشواء في علتي خَبطا

عَمٍ خابِطٌ عَشواء في علتي خَبطا

The physicians' efforts dragged on, and every one of them

And suffering of constant worries has gone on, and all of them

was blind, fumbling at random through my illness.

Are quack doctors probing blindly into my sickness.

فَهَذا يَراها علةً دَمَويَةً

فَهَذا يَراها علةً دَمَويَةً

وَهَذا يَراها مَرَةً خالَطَت خِلطا

وَهَذا يَراها مَرَةً خالَطَت خِلطا

One considers it a disorder of the blood,

So this one sees it as a blood disease,

and another considers it bile mingled with a bodily humor.

And that one sees it as bile that has mixed in.

يُعانيك هَذا ثم إِن سيل غَيره

يُعانيك هَذا ثم إِن سيل غَيره

يَقول وَإِن كانَ المُصيب لَقد أَخَطا

يَقول وَإِن كانَ المُصيب لَقد أَخَطا

This one treats you; then, if another is asked,

This one recommends you, then a flood of others

he says—even if the first was right—'He certainly erred.'

Say, though the diagnosis was wrong, the effort was noble.

فَلَو أَبصَرت عَيناك لَونيَ أَغبَراً

فَلَو أَبصَرت عَيناك لَونيَ أَغبَراً

وَرَونَق وَجهي قَد تَغَير وَاِنحَطا

وَرَونَق وَجهي قَد تَغَير وَاِنحَطا

If your eyes were to see my ashen complexion,

If your eyes could see my complexion has grayed

and my face's radiance, changed and diminished,

And the glow of my face has changed and diminished,

وَرَأسيَ قَد شابَت ذَوائب لَيلِهِ

وَرَأسيَ قَد شابَت ذَوائب لَيلِهِ

وَلاحَ صَباح الشَيب في جَنحِهِ وَخَطا

وَلاحَ صَباح الشَيب في جَنحِهِ وَخَطا

and my head, the tresses of its night gone gray,

And my hair the shadows of night have streaked

and the dawn of gray hair gleaming in streaks within its dark wing,

And the dawn of white hairs has gleamed in its wings and combed,

لِأَبصَرت مِن مرآيَ خَلقاً مُشَوَهاً

لِأَبصَرت مِن مرآيَ خَلقاً مُشَوَهاً

وَأَنكَرت مِن مَرآيَ أَنزع مُشمطا

وَأَنكَرت مِن مَرآيَ أَنزع مُشمطا

you would see in my appearance a disfigured form,

You would have seen, from the mirror, a distorted creature

and find me unrecognizable: balding and gray-streaked.

And, from the mirror, you would reject a disheveled, mussed form.

إِلى اللَه أَشكو ما دَهاني فَقَد عَدا

إِلى اللَه أَشكو ما دَهاني فَقَد عَدا

وَأَسألهُ تَعجيل برءٍ فَقَد أَبطا

وَأَسألهُ تَعجيل برءٍ فَقَد أَبطا

To God I complain of what befell me, for it has gone too far,

To God I complain of what has afflicted me, for it has transgressed,

and ask Him to hasten recovery, for it has been slow.

And I ask Him to hasten recovery, for it has lingered.

وَلما تَراخى عَهدُ أُنسِ خِطابَكُم

وَلما تَراخى عَهدُ أُنسِ خِطابَكُم

وَنَكرتِ الدُنيا معارِفَه شحطا

وَنَكرتِ الدُنيا معارِفَه شحطا

And when the time of your comforting words grew distant,

And when the era of your sweet correspondence grew distant

and the world, through distance, made its familiar features strange,

And the world refused its friendships, drifting far,

تَطَلعتُ مِن أُفقي أَشيمُ بروقه

تَطَلعتُ مِن أُفقي أَشيمُ بروقه

وَذبتُ اِشتِياقاً إِن تجشمَ لي خَطا

وَذبتُ اِشتِياقاً إِن تجشمَ لي خَطا

I peered from my horizon, watching for its lightning flashes,

I peered out over my horizon, its lightening flashing,

and melted with longing, should it trouble itself to take steps toward me.

And melted in yearning if it would take some risks for me,

لَعَلك أَن تُحيي بِهِ نَفس شَيقٍ

لَعَلك أَن تُحيي بِهِ نَفس شَيقٍ

كَما أَحيت الأَمطار أَرضاً بَدَت قَحطا

كَما أَحيت الأَمطار أَرضاً بَدَت قَحطا

Perhaps through it you may revive a yearning soul,

Perhaps it could revive the soul of one who pines

as rains revived a land that seemed drought-stricken.

As rains have revived land that seemed infertile.