لَعِبَت بَعدَ ما انقَضَى الرَّيعَانُ

لَعِبَت بَعدَ ما انقَضَى الرَّيعَانُ

مِن شَبَابي بِحِلمِىِّ الأظعَانِ

مِن شَبَابي بِحِلمِىِّ الأظعَانِ

They toyed, after the bloom had faded

She played after youth had passed,

from my youth, with my composure—the departing caravans.

With my dreams that were most dear.

فتَنَتني غَدَاةَ وَلَّت فَوَلَّى الص

فتَنَتني غَدَاةَ وَلَّت فَوَلَّى الص

صَبرُ وانهَلَّ المَدمَعُ المُصطَانُ

صَبرُ وانهَلَّ المَدمَعُ المُصطَانُ

They bewitched me the morning they departed; away went

She tempted me one morning then turned away,

my patience, and my guarded tears poured down.

Patience gave way and tears began to flow.

غَادَرَتني بَينَ الدِّيَارِ وكَم غُو

غَادَرَتني بَينَ الدِّيَارِ وكَم غُو

دِرَ بَينَ المَنَازِلِ الحَيرَانِ

دِرَ بَينَ المَنَازِلِ الحَيرَانِ

They left me amid the dwellings; how many have been left

She left me among the homes - how many

bewildered among the homes!

Were perplexed between the dwellings!

رُمتَ إخفَاءَ مَا رَمَانِي بِهِ ال

رُمتَ إخفَاءَ مَا رَمَانِي بِهِ ال

بَينُ ولِلسِّرِّ بالدُّمُوعِ بَيَانُ

بَينُ ولِلسِّرِّ بالدُّمُوعِ بَيَانُ

You sought to conceal what

You tried to hide what the white days had afflicted me with,

parting hurled at me; tears disclose the secret.

And for the secret, tears make clear.

ظَلتُ في الدُّورِ بَعدَهُنَّ لِعَيني

ظَلتُ في الدُّورِ بَعدَهُنَّ لِعَيني

جَرَيَانٌ ولِلحَشَا غَلَيَانُ

جَرَيَانٌ ولِلحَشَا غَلَيَانُ

I remained in the dwellings after them, my eye

In the houses after them my eyes

streaming and my heart seething.

Became two streams and passion a blaze.

فَكَأنَّ الدُّمُوعَ عَندَمٌ أودَم

فَكَأنَّ الدُّمُوعَ عَندَمٌ أودَم

مُ نَجِيعٌ أووَرسٌ أو أُرجُوانُ

مُ نَجِيعٌ أووَرسٌ أو أُرجُوانُ

My tears seemed dragon's-blood dye, or blood,

So it was as if the tears were a lifeblood

freshly shed—or wars dye, or crimson.

Or a wound's purge or purple dye.

أو جُمُانٌ فَالدَّمعُ يَجرِى كَمَا يَر

أو جُمُانٌ فَالدَّمعُ يَجرِى كَمَا يَر

فَضُّ ِإذَا خَانَهُ النِّظَامُ الجُمَانُ

فَضُّ ِإذَا خَانَهُ النِّظَامُ الجُمَانُ

Or pearls: the tears flow just as

Or a torrent when structure was lost

pearls scatter when their string betrays them.

And the dykes were betrayed by order.

أو شَعِيبٌ مَفرِيةٌ لَم يُخَامِر

أو شَعِيبٌ مَفرِيةٌ لَم يُخَامِر

كُتَبَ الخُرقِ في كُلاَهَا دِهَانُ

كُتَبَ الخُرقِ في كُلاَهَا دِهَانُ

Or a slit waterskin: no grease has seeped

Or an unlined Saibian cloak that did

into the stitching-holes in its side-patches.

Not trouble to patch any part.

وكَأني غَدَاةَ رَدَّت إِلَى البَي

وكَأني غَدَاةَ رَدَّت إِلَى البَي

نِ مَرَاسِلَها الهِجَانَ القِيَانُ

نِ مَرَاسِلَها الهِجَانَ القِيَانُ

And I was, the morning they turned toward departure

And as if in the morning she returned

their swift white camels—the singing girls—

Her intractable messenger, the wild camels.

وتَمَطَّت كَالسُّفُنِ تَجدِ فُهافي

وتَمَطَّت كَالسُّفُنِ تَجدِ فُهافي

لُحَجِ الخِضرِمِ النَّواتِى الهِجَانُ

لُحَجِ الخِضرِمِ النَّواتِى الهِجَانُ

and those camels stretched out like ships rowed

And swayed like ships when they enter

through the ocean's depths by fair-skinned sailors,

The green tides' dashing places.

وَرَقَبتُ الهِجَانَ تَعتسِفُ الكُث

وَرَقَبتُ الهِجَانَ تَعتسِفُ الكُث

بانَ تَنهَارُ تَحتَها الكُثبَانُ

بانَ تَنهَارُ تَحتَها الكُثبَانُ

as I watched the white camels force their way through

And my neck bore the onslaught

the dunes, which collapsed beneath them,

Of the camels till the sand-dunes collapsed beneath them -

نَاقِفٌ حنظَلاً أوَ أبلَهُ أو مَا

نَاقِفٌ حنظَلاً أوَ أبلَهُ أو مَا

مُومٌ أو ذُو اختِبَالٍ أو نَشوَانُ

مُومٌ أو ذُو اختِبَالٍ أو نَشوَانُ

like a man splitting colocynth, or a fool, or one

A cock-eyed Nahjali, or Babrah amulet,

head-wounded, deranged, or drunk.

Or trinket, or having some madness or arousal.

وَكَأَنَّ الحَمُولَ والآلُ كَالمِر

وَكَأَنَّ الحَمُولَ والآلُ كَالمِر

آةِ فَوقَ الصُّوَى لَهُ لَمَعَانُ

آةِ فَوقَ الصُّوَى لَهُ لَمَعَانُ

The laden camel-train seemed, with the mirage like a mirror

And as if the luggage and paraphenalia were

gleaming above the waymark cairns,

Like mirrors above the plains in their flashing.

سُفُنٌ أو إٍثلٌ أوِ النَّخلُ مَن شَو

سُفُنٌ أو إٍثلٌ أوِ النَّخلُ مَن شَو

كَانَ إِذ أتَت أُكلَهَا شَوكَانُ

كَانَ إِذ أتَت أُكلَهَا شَوكَانُ

ships, or tamarisks, or the palms from

Ships or sculptures or palm-trees from Shawkan

Shawkan, when Shawkan yielded its fruit.

When their ripening dates were brought to them by the thorns.

وكَأنَّ الرَّقمَ المُعَالَى نَجِيعٌ

وكَأنَّ الرَّقمَ المُعَالَى نَجِيعٌ

فَهوَ لِلطَّيرِ فَوقَهُ طَيرَانُ

فَهوَ لِلطَّيرِ فَوقَهُ طَيرَانُ

The embroidered cloth raised aloft seemed fresh blood,

And as if the high-stacked litter were a blaze

so birds were flying above it.

So above it the birds circled.

وكَأنَّ الحِسَانَ مُحتَجِبَاتٍ

وكَأنَّ الحِسَانَ مُحتَجِبَاتٍ

في الخُدُورِ اليَاقُوتُ والمُرجَانُ

في الخُدُورِ اليَاقُوتُ والمُرجَانُ

And the beauties, secluded

And as if the beauties were secluded

in their curtained chambers, seemed rubies and coral.

In the tents, the ruby and the coral.

إِنَّ فِيهِنَّ شَادِناً أدعَجَ العَي

إِنَّ فِيهِنَّ شَادِناً أدعَجَ العَي

نَينِ لِي مِنهُ بالرُّنُوِّ افتِتَانُ

نَينِ لِي مِنهُ بالرُّنُوِّ افتِتَانُ

Among them is a young gazelle with deep-black

Among them one, whose languishing has ensnared

eyes; gazing upon that gazelle enchants me.

My eyes through his bending, slender and pale.

أسوَدَ الفَرعِ أبلَجَ الوَجهِ بَر

أسوَدَ الفَرعِ أبلَجَ الوَجهِ بَر

قييَ المُحَيَّا ثُدِيُّهُ الرُّمَانُ

قييَ المُحَيَّا ثُدِيُّهُ الرُّمَانُ

Black of hair, radiant of face, lightning-bright

Black of branch, white of face, gleaming forehead,

of countenance, with breasts like pomegranates.

His breast pomegranates, his buttocks quinces.

قَرقفي الرُّصابِ بَاني مَيسٍ

قَرقفي الرُّصابِ بَاني مَيسٍ

يَتَثَنَّى كَمَا يَمِيسُ أَلبَانُ

يَتَثَنَّى كَمَا يَمِيسُ أَلبَانُ

With wine-like saliva, ben-tree-like in sway,

Bow-legged, with a Maysan gap-toothed mouth,

bending as the ben-tree sways.

Bent as camel's milk bends.

حَيثُمَأ افتَرَّ اُقحُوَانٍ

حَيثُمَأ افتَرَّ اُقحُوَانٍ

في لِثَاتٍ كَأَنَّهَا الطَّيلَسَانُ

في لِثَاتٍ كَأَنَّهَا الطَّيلَسَانُ

Whenever the lips part in a smile, there are daisies

Wherever the gum showed from his teeth

in gums resembling a shawl.

Like the wormwood - and upon his skin perfume censed.

قَالَ لِى صَاحبي ولِلدَّمعِ فَوقَ الن

قَالَ لِى صَاحبي ولِلدَّمعِ فَوقَ الن

نَحرِ مِن لَوعَةِ النَّوَى جَرَيَانُ

نَحرِ مِن لَوعَةِ النَّوَى جَرَيَانُ

My companion said to me, with tears upon

My friend said to me, and tears were flowing down his breast

my breast streaming from the anguish of separation:

From the burning anguish of passion:

هَانَ مَن أُشرِبَ الهَوَى إِنَّ كَأسَ ال

هَانَ مَن أُشرِبَ الهَوَى إِنَّ كَأسَ ال

حُبِّ فِيهَا لِشارِبيها إمتِهَانُ

حُبِّ فِيهَا لِشارِبيها إمتِهَانُ

“Whoever is steeped in passion is abased; the cup of

"He who was made to drink love is despised,

love brings humiliation to its drinkers.”

For in the cup of love there is degradation for its drinkers."

قُلتُ أصلُ الهَوَى هَوَانٌ عَلَى أن

قُلتُ أصلُ الهَوَى هَوَانٌ عَلَى أن

لَم يَكن في الهَوَانِ فِيهِ هَوَانُ

لَم يَكن في الهَوَانِ فِيهِ هَوَانُ

I said: “The root of love is lowliness, though

I said: "The origin of passion is abasement, unless

there is no disgrace in the lowliness it brings.

There was no abasement in it."

لَيسَ هُوناً أن تُنضِىَّ العِيسَ في ال

لَيسَ هُوناً أن تُنضِىَّ العِيسَ في ال

بيدِ إِلى البِيضِ الخُرَّدِ الفُتيَانُ

بيدِ إِلى البِيضِ الخُرَّدِ الفُتيَانُ

It is no disgrace to drive pale camels to exhaustion in

It's no slight thing to drive the ram to the ruin

the deserts, young men seeking fair, shy maidens,

Or the white chickens, the delicate boys.

وتُجِيدَ الشِّعرَ المُهَذَّبَ كَالدُّر

وتُجِيدَ الشِّعرَ المُهَذَّبَ كَالدُّر

رِ لَهُ بالأصدَافِ اكتِنَانُ

رِ لَهُ بالأصدَافِ اكتِنَانُ

and to perfect refined verse like pearls

And to excel in poetry, refined like pearls,

hidden within their shells.”

Adorned for them in shells.

هَجَرَتني أمَامُ فَأَختُلِبَ ال

هَجَرَتني أمَامُ فَأَختُلِبَ ال

عَقلُ وذَادَ التَّصبُّرَ الهِجرَانُ

عَقلُ وذَادَ التَّصبُّرَ الهِجرَانُ

Umam abandoned me, and stolen away was

She deserted me in public and my reason slipped away

my reason; separation drove out endurance.

As endurance was overcome by separation.

وَعَدتني فَمَا وَقَت وَبَدالِى

وَعَدتني فَمَا وَقَت وَبَدالِى

أنَّ عُقبَى عِدَاتِهَا الرَّوغَانُ

أنَّ عُقبَى عِدَاتِهَا الرَّوغَانُ

She promised me but did not keep her word; it became clear to me

She promised then failed to keep the time,

that the outcome of her promises was evasion.

And instead her promises were filled with treachery.

ثُمَّ قَالَت ألَمتَ إِذ رُمتَ إنجَا

ثُمَّ قَالَت ألَمتَ إِذ رُمتَ إنجَا

زَ وُعُودٍ مِن قَبلُ دَأباً تُخَانُ

زَ وُعُودٍ مِن قَبلُ دَأباً تُخَانُ

Then she said: “Did you reproach me when you sought fulfillment

Then she said: "Do you blame me for breaking faith?

of promises already habitually broken?

The ways of girls are breaking faith and reversals."

لاَ تَلُم في الإخلاَفِ إِنَّ الغَواني

لاَ تَلُم في الإخلاَفِ إِنَّ الغَواني

دَأبُهُنَّ الإِخلاَفُ واللَّيَّانُ

دَأبُهُنَّ الإِخلاَفُ واللَّيَّانُ

Do not blame me for breaking promises; beautiful women

So the fires of regret blazed in my heart

habitually break their word and delay.”

And I said: "Loss has afflicted me!"

فتَلَظَّت جُدَا النَّدَامَةِ في قَلبي

فتَلَظَّت جُدَا النَّدَامَةِ في قَلبي

وقُلتُ ارتَمَى بي الخُسرَانُ

وقُلتُ ارتَمَى بي الخُسرَانُ

Then the embers of regret blazed in my heart,

But praise be to God, I hold to belief

and I said: “Ruin has cast me down.”

And that is safety.

غَيرَ أني والحَمدُ للَّهِ بالإِيمَا

غَيرَ أني والحَمدُ للَّهِ بالإِيمَا

نِ مُستَمسِكٌ وذَاكَ أمَانُ

نِ مُستَمسِكٌ وذَاكَ أمَانُ

Yet I—praise be to God—cling to

I am certain that the pure prophets

faith, and that is safety,

Cannot conceal what they were ordered to convey,

جَازِمٌ أنَّ الأنبَيَاءَ الطًّهَارَى

جَازِمٌ أنَّ الأنبَيَاءَ الطًّهَارَى

مُستَحِيلُ عَلَيهِمُ الكِتمَانُ

مُستَحِيلُ عَلَيهِمُ الكِتمَانُ

certain that the pure prophets

Nor did they hide anything they were commanded

could never conceal their message.

Or forget anything they were entrusted with.

بَلَّغُوا كُلَّ مَابِهِ أُمِرُوا مَأ

بَلَّغُوا كُلَّ مَابِهِ أُمِرُوا مَأ

كَتَمُوهُ ومَانَسُوا مَا خَانُوا

كَتَمُوهُ ومَانَسُوا مَا خَانُوا

They conveyed everything they were commanded to; they did not

I do not restrict my pool, inadequate as it may be before me,

conceal it, nor forget, nor betray.

Perhaps the Qur'an will make up for it.

لَستُ أحجُو وِردِى وإن حَلَّ عِندِى

لَستُ أحجُو وِردِى وإن حَلَّ عِندِى

قَاصِراً عسى إدرَاكِهِ القُرَآنُ

قَاصِراً عسى إدرَاكِهِ القُرَآنُ

I do not deem my litany—even if it finds a place with me—

And I take the Shaykh Ahmad Qutb* as my chief support,

deficient; perhaps the Qur'an may attain it [syntax unclear].

He whose affair partakes of the Divine.

وَبشيخي أستَمسَكتُ أحمَدَ قُطبِ ال

وَبشيخي أستَمسَكتُ أحمَدَ قُطبِ ال

أَرضِ مَن شَأنُه الإِلَهِىُّ شَانُ

أَرضِ مَن شَأنُه الإِلَهِىُّ شَانُ

And I have held fast to my shaykh, Ahmad, the pole of

The nights of his coming were for hopes

the earth, whose divine station is great;

And joys and bliss the heading.

مَن لَيَالِى قُدُومِهِ لِلأمَاني

مَن لَيَالِى قُدُومِهِ لِلأمَاني

والمَسَرَّاتِ والهَنَا عُنوَانُ

والمَسَرَّاتِ والهَنَا عُنوَانُ

whose nights of arrival herald hopes,

Sorrows and gloom have recoiled from him

joys, and happiness;

And the possessors of prohibition have been silenced before him.

مَن تَنآءى عَنَّابِهِ الهَمُّ والغم

مَن تَنآءى عَنَّابِهِ الهَمُّ والغم

مُ وشِيفَت عَن ذِى النُّهَى الأَدرَانُ

مُ وشِيفَت عَن ذِى النُّهَى الأَدرَانُ

through whom worry and grief receded from us,

Before his hands the evildoers and the corrupt

and blemishes were cleansed from the discerning.

And my family have the protection of his neighbourhood.

لِيَدَيهِ عَلَى العُفَاةِ والأَضيا

لِيَدَيهِ عَلَى العُفَاةِ والأَضيا

فِ وأهلِى جِوَارِهِ هَطلاَنُ

فِ وأهلِى جِوَارِهِ هَطلاَنُ

His hands, upon petitioners and

O censurer, assailing the Shaykh! Are you

guests and his neighbors, pour like rain.

Awake or asleep, toothless or ready to bite?

أيُّهَا الرَّائمُ التَّصَدِّيَ لِلش

أيُّهَا الرَّائمُ التَّصَدِّيَ لِلش

شَيخِ أيَقظَانٌ أنتَ أم وَسنَانُ

شَيخِ أيَقظَانٌ أنتَ أم وَسنَانُ

O you who seek to confront

You ventured the ocean depths and touched the sun,

the shaykh: are you awake or drowsy?

And returned when the testing was done.

رُمتَ غَرفَ البَحرِ المُحِيطِ ولَمسَ الش

رُمتَ غَرفَ البَحرِ المُحِيطِ ولَمسَ الش

شَمسِ والهُونَ حَيثُ كَانَ امتِحَانُ

شَمسِ والهُونَ حَيثُ كَانَ امتِحَانُ

You sought to scoop out the encompassing ocean and touch

So my Shaykh turned away from personal goals,

the sun; humiliation awaits wherever such a trial is attempted.

And time turned away from him.

اتّئِدوَانِيًّا فشيخي وَنَى عَن

اتّئِدوَانِيًّا فشيخي وَنَى عَن

أولَيَاتِ الهِمَّاتِ مِنهُ الزَّمَانُ

أولَيَاتِ الهِمَّاتِ مِنهُ الزَّمَانُ

Proceed slowly, faltering one: time has fallen short of my shaykh's

He was not of the men of that field, my Shaykh,

very first aspirations.

For that field to fault him.

لَم تَكُن مِن رِجَالِ مَيدَانِ ذَاكَ الش

لَم تَكُن مِن رِجَالِ مَيدَانِ ذَاكَ الش

شَيخِ يُعيِبكَ ذَلِكَ المَيدانُ

شَيخِ يُعيِبكَ ذَلِكَ المَيدانُ

You were not among the men in the arena of that

Rather, you attacked a group that had turned away before

shaykh; that arena shames you.

And when they recoiled, they showed their decline,

إِنَّمَا رُمتَ رَامَهُ قَبلُ أقَوا

إِنَّمَا رُمتَ رَامَهُ قَبلُ أقَوا

مٌ ولَمَّا انثَنَوا خَزَايَا استَكَانُوا

مٌ ولَمَّا انثَنَوا خَزَايَا استَكَانُوا

The very thing you sought was sought before by

Then professed allegiance and sought the protection

others; when they turned back disgraced, they submitted.

Of the Shaykh from what the young ones would bring.

ثُمَّ دَانُوا واستعصَمُوا بِجوَارِ الش

ثُمَّ دَانُوا واستعصَمُوا بِجوَارِ الش

شَيخِ مِمَّا يَأتِي بِه الحدثَانُ

شَيخِ مِمَّا يَأتِي بِه الحدثَانُ

Then they yielded and sought refuge in the shelter of

And they refrained from opposing him, turned away,

the shaykh, from what time's vicissitudes bring.

And abandoned what they had been.

وَتوَانَوا عَن شَاوِهِ وتَوَلَّوا

وَتوَانَوا عَن شَاوِهِ وتَوَلَّوا

وتَخَلَّوا عَنِ الذي فِيهِ كَانُوا

وتَخَلَّوا عَنِ الذي فِيهِ كَانُوا

They lagged behind his reach and turned away,

If the waves have continued in singing his excellence,

abandoning what they had been engaged in.

Then the sun has rivalled his light, and so the blind!

إِن تَمَارَ في فَضلِهِ الغُمرُ فَالش

إِن تَمَارَ في فَضلِهِ الغُمرُ فَالش

شَمسُ تَمَارَى في ضَوئِهَا العميَانُ

شَمسُ تَمَارَى في ضَوئِهَا العميَانُ

If an ignorant man disputes his excellence, even the sun

No idle wind made light of his wisdom.

has its radiance disputed by the blind.

Who cares for the passing of the winds of youth?

مَا استَخَفَّ حِلمَهُ رِيحُ طَيشٍ

مَا استَخَفَّ حِلمَهُ رِيحُ طَيشٍ

لاَ يُبَالِى مَرَّ الصَّبَا ثَهلاَنُ

لاَ يُبَالِى مَرَّ الصَّبَا ثَهلاَنُ

No wind of recklessness has shaken his forbearance;

He attained the utmost attainment, thus he inherits

Thahlan pays no heed to the east wind's passing.

Those whom the heights of glory embraced.

نَالَ مَانَالَ فَهوَ وَارِثُ مَن نَا

نَالَ مَانَالَ فَهوَ وَارِثُ مَن نَا

لَت بِهِ مُنتَهى العُلاَ عَدنَانُ

لَت بِهِ مُنتَهى العُلاَ عَدنَانُ

He attained what he attained, for he is the heir of the one

through whom Adnan reached the summit of glory.