Poems
- أتانا بالنجاشة مجلبوهاThose who mustered the host brought it against us,
- أدركتها تأفر دون العنتوتI overtook her as she bounded this side of the lofty hill—
- إذا المرء علبى ثم أصبح جلدهWhen a man grows old, and then his skin becomes
- إذا أنت لم تنفع فضر فإنماIf you do not help, then do harm; for it is only
- أرار الله مخك في السلامىMay God melt the marrow in your joint bones.
- أضحت ينفرها الولدان من سبإBy morning, the boys of Sheba were driving her onward;
- أضل الله سعي بني قريعMay God lead the endeavors of the sons of Qurayʿ astray;
- أغر قسامي كميت محجلA white-blazed, handsome bay with white stockings,
- أقاموا بها حتى أبنت ديارهمThey stayed there until their dwellings reeked,
- أكظك آبائي فحولت عنهمMy forefathers overwhelmed you, so you turned away from them,
- ألا حييا ليلى وقولا لها هلاCome, you two, greet Layla and tell her, "Whoa!"
- ألا ديار الحي بين محجرAh, the tribe’s dwellings, between Muḥajjar
- ألا يا ليتني والمرء ميتAh, if only I—and man is mortal—
- الحمد لله لا شريك لهPraise be to God; He has no partner.
- ألم تأت أهل المشرقين رسالتيHas my message not reached the people of the two Easts?
- ألم تسأل الدار الغداة متى هياDid you not ask the dwelling this morning how long it had been?
- المرء يرغب في الحيا ةA man longs for life,
- إما تري ظلل الأيام قد حسرتIf you see the days' shades have receded
- إن قومي عز نصرهمIndeed, victory backs my people
- أيا دار سلمى بالحرورية اسلميO dwelling of Salma at al-Haruriyya, be safe!
- أين الشظاظان وأين المربعهWhere are the two load-fastening pins, and where is the lifting pole?
- باتت تذكرني بالله قاعدةShe sat through the night, reminding me of God,
- بالأرض أستاهم عجزا وأنفهمTheir backsides are on the ground in helplessness, while their noses
- بجيهلا يزجون كل مطيةWith cries of 'Onward!' they urge each riding camel,
- بحرك بحر الجود ما أعقهYour sea is the sea of generosity, not made bitter
- بقية أفراس عتاق نمينهThe remnant of a docile mare we have nurtured
- بمارنة الخرصان زرق نصالهاWith lances blue as the wild plum
- بيضاء من عسل ذروة ضربWhite, thick honey from Dharwa’s bees,
- تأبد من ليلى رماح فعاذبSpears were left behind from Layla, so I reproached
- تذكرت والذكرى تهيج للفتىI remembered—and remembrance stirs a young man—
- تركن بطالة وأخذن جذاThey left idleness and took earnestly
- تواعدنا أضاخهم صباحاWe agreed to meet at their Uḍākh in the morning,
- جزعت وقد نالتك حد رماحناYou quailed when the points of our spears struck you,
- جزى الله عنا رهط قرة نصرةMay God reward Qurra's clan, on our behalf, with aid,
- جهلت علي ابن الحيا وظلمتنيYou were insolent toward me, son of al-Haya, and wronged me,
- حكيت لنا الصديق لما وليتناYou mirrored al-Siddiq for us when you took charge of us,
- خليلي عوجا ساعة وتهجراMy two friends, turn aside a while and journey at midday.
- خليلي غضا ساعة وتهجراMy two friends, lower your gaze a while and travel at noon.
- دار حي كانت لهم زمن التوA tribe’s dwelling, theirs once in the age of repentance;
- رأيت البكر بكر بني ثمودI saw the youth of the tribe of Thamud
- زمير الهبانيق في زمخرThe piping of servant boys through reeds,
- سار فينا الولاة بعد رسول اللهRoamed among us the rulers after Allah's Messenger
- سقيناه بأهوى كأس حنفAt Ahwā, we made him drink a cup of bitter colocynth;
- سما لك هم ولم تطربA care rose within you, though you felt no joy,
- شيخ كبير قد تخدد لحمهA very old man, whose flesh has grown furrowed,
- عفا أبرق المردوم منها وقد يرىAbraq al-Mardum lies desolate, bereft of her, though once there could be seen
- عقيلية أو من هلال بن عامرA woman of ʿUqayl, or of Hilāl ibn ʿĀmir;
- على لاحب كحصير الصناOn a clear road, like a craftswoman's mat,
- فأقبل على رهطي ورهطك نبتحثSo turn to my clan and yours; let us examine
- فإن صدقوا قالوا جواد مجربSo if they speak truth, they say: “A tried and tested steed,
- فتى كان يدنيه الغنى من صديقهA young man whom wealth would draw closer to his friend,
- فقلت لها عيثي جعار وجرريSo I said to her: Ravage, O Jaʿār, and tug
- فما بزيت من عصبة عامريةSo no band of ʿĀmir was ever bested
- فما نطفة كانت صبير غمامةSo no drop of water, once gathered in a dense raincloud,
- فما يعدمك لا يعدمك منهWhatever you may lack, you will not lack in him
- فمن يك سائلا عني فإنيSo whoever asks about me: I was
- قالت أمامة كم عمرت زمانةUmāmah said, “How long have you lived,
- قد علم المصران والعراقThe two cities and Iraq have indeed learned
- كأن تبسمها موهناHer smile late at night is like
- كأن حجاج مقلتها قليبAs though the socket of her eye were a well
- كأن رعالهن بوارداتTheir bands at Waridat seemed—
- كأن عذيرهم بجنوب سلىTheir throng along the flanks of Sillā is like
- كأن قطا العين الذي خلف ضارحAs though the sandgrouse at the spring behind Ḍāriḥ
- كأن قطاتها كردوس فحلAs though her rump were a bull camel's bony joint,
- كأن لم تربع في الخليط مقيمةAs though she had never spent the spring settled among the company,
- كما انفلت الظبي بعد الجريAs the gazelle escaped after choking,
- كيف ترى الكامل يفضي فرقاHow do you find al-Kamil, advancing in fear
- لبست أناسا فأفنيتهمI lived among people, then outlived them,
- لدن غدوة حتى ألآذ بخفهاEnglish translation available
- لمن الدار كأنضاء الخللWhose dwelling is this, like worn-out scabbard covers?
- لمن الديار عفون بالتهطالWhose are the dwellings, effaced by pouring rain?
- ما لي وما لإبنة المجنون تطرقنيWhat have I to do with the madman's daughter, who comes to me
- مقيم مع الحي المقيم وقلبهHe remains with the tribe that remains, while his heart
- نحن بنو جعدة أرباب الفلجWe are the sons of Jaʿdah, lords of al-Falaj.
- هذا ويوم لنا قصيرThis—and a brief day of ours,
- هل بالديار الغداة من صممIs there deafness in the dwellings this morning?
- هوي السيد من شؤبوب غيثThe wolf’s headlong rush from a burst of rain,
- وأخرج من تحت العجاجة صدرهHe thrust his chest out from beneath the dust cloud,
- وأصبحن كالدوم النواعم غدوةAnd at dawn they were like luxuriant doum palms,
- وأي فتى ودعت يوم طويلعAnd what a young man I bade farewell to on the day of Ṭuwayliʿ,
- ودعوت ربي بالسلامة جاهداAnd I earnestly prayed to my Lord for well-being,
- ودلاثع حمر لثاتهمAnd thick-lipped men whose gums are red,
- وذكرت من لبن المحلق شربةAnd you recalled a draught of al-Muhallaq’s milk,
- وعمي الذي حامى غداة مناجلAnd my uncle, who fought on the morning of Manajil
- وقد أكون أمام القوم تحملنيAnd at times I am ahead of the company, borne
- وكأن فاها بات مغتبقاAnd her mouth seemed to have taken a night-time draught,
- ولقد أغدو بشرب أنفAnd indeed I would set out at dawn with drinkers still fresh,
- وليست بشوهاء مقبوحةAnd she is not misshapen and ugly,
- وما لقيت ذات الصفا من حليفهاAnd what she of the smooth rock endured at her ally’s hands!
- ومن أيامنا يوم عجيبAnd among our days was a wondrous day,
- ومولى جفت عنه الموالي كأنماAnd a kinsman whom his kinsmen shunned, as though
- وهم دلفوا لهجر في خميسAnd did they march upon Hajar in a mighty host,
- ووعادية سوم الجراد شهدتهاAnd I witnessed a raiding troop sweeping along like locusts;
- يا كعب هل لك في كلاO Kaʿb, have you any interest in Kilā—
- يثبون أرحاما وما يجفلونهاThey knit together bonds of kinship and do not scatter them,
- يدعو الهديل وساق حر فوقهSilence calls, and the leg of the free man above it
No poems found.