تُعاتِبُ سُعدى أَن تنقَّل دارَها

تُعاتِبُ سُعدى أَن تنقَّل دارَها

وَأَيَّة شَمسٍ يَستَقرُّ قَرارَها

وَأَيَّة شَمسٍ يَستَقرُّ قَرارَها

You reproach Su'da for changing her dwelling;

You blame Su’da that she moves her abode,

yet what sun ever stays in one place?

And which sun steadies its abode?

أَعارَتك سَقم الجفن وَالجفن ضامِن

أَعارَتك سَقم الجفن وَالجفن ضامِن

مَحاسِن أُخرى جَمَّة ما يُعارها

مَحاسِن أُخرى جَمَّة ما يُعارها

She lent you her eyelid's languor; the eyelid holds

Your sick eyelids lent you her beauty,

many other beauties that are never lent.

And other perfections, abundant, that adorn her.

يمقلتها يَقضي غِرارٌ مِنَ الكَرى

يمقلتها يَقضي غِرارٌ مِنَ الكَرى

وَما يٌقطَعُ الأَسياف إِلّا غِرارها

وَما يٌقطَعُ الأَسياف إِلّا غِرارها

A sliver of slumber in her eye slays,

Time passes away with its vicissitudes,

and swords cut only with their edges.

And nothing interrupts the passage of time but its vicissitudes.

إِذا نَزَلتَ أَرضاً أَضاءَت بِوَجهِها

إِذا نَزَلتَ أَرضاً أَضاءَت بِوَجهِها

فَسيّانَ مِنها لَيلُها وَنَهارُها

فَسيّانَ مِنها لَيلُها وَنَهارُها

When you alight in a land, she lights it with her face;

When she descended on a land, it shone with her face,

its night and day are alike because of her.

Her night and day were equalized from it.

كَواكِب لَكِنَّ الحدوج بروجها

كَواكِب لَكِنَّ الحدوج بروجها

بُدورٌ وَلَكِنَّ الخُدور سِرارُها

بُدورٌ وَلَكِنَّ الخُدور سِرارُها

Stars, but their howdahs are their celestial houses;

The planets, though lofty in their mansions,

full moons, but their curtained chambers are their dark phase.

Revolve, but their orbits are unknown.

تَأَلَّقُ مِن تَحتِ النِقاب كَأَنَّما

تَأَلَّقُ مِن تَحتِ النِقاب كَأَنَّما

يلاث عَلى شَمس النَهار خِمارُها

يلاث عَلى شَمس النَهار خِمارُها

She gleams beneath her face-veil, as though

She gleams from beneath the veil as though

her head-veil were wrapped around the daytime sun.

Over the midday sun a cloak is thrown.

يَضُمُّ قَضيباً مِن أَراكٍ وِشاحِها

يَضُمُّ قَضيباً مِن أَراكٍ وِشاحِها

وَيَضمَن دِعصاً مِن زَرودٍ إِزارُها

وَيَضمَن دِعصاً مِن زَرودٍ إِزارُها

Her sash embraces an arak bough,

She holds a staff of spears in the folds of her mantle,

and her waist-wrap encloses a sand mound from Zarud.

And grasps a rod of oppression in the trains of her skirt.

إِذا انتقبت أَعشى النَواظِرَ وَجهُها

إِذا انتقبت أَعشى النَواظِرَ وَجهُها

ضِياء وَإِشراقاً فَكَيفَ انسفارها

ضِياء وَإِشراقاً فَكَيفَ انسفارها

When she veils herself, her face blinds the eyes

When she unveils, she blinds the eyes,

with brightness and radiance—what then when she unveils?

Her shining and illumination, then how is her concealment?

فَلا تعذلا في حُبِّها إِنَّ حُبَّها

فَلا تعذلا في حُبِّها إِنَّ حُبَّها

سلافة خَمرٍ وَالحَنين خُمارُها

سلافة خَمرٍ وَالحَنين خُمارُها

You two, do not reproach me for loving her: her love

So persist not in loving her, verily her love

is wine's purest essence, and longing its hangover.

Is a draft of wine, and yearning her fermentation.

جَرَحتُ بِلَحظي خَدِّها فَتَعَمَّدَت

جَرَحتُ بِلَحظي خَدِّها فَتَعَمَّدَت

فُؤادي فأصمَته وَذاكَ انتِصارُها

فُؤادي فأصمَته وَذاكَ انتِصارُها

I wounded her cheek with my glance, so she deliberately aimed at

I wounded her cheek with my glance, so she intentionally

my heart and killed it outright: that was her revenge.

Wounded my heart, and that was her triumph.

فَدَعها وَقَتلي إِنَّها مِن قَبيلَةٍ

فَدَعها وَقَتلي إِنَّها مِن قَبيلَةٍ

إِذا وَتَرَت لَم يُمطِل الدَهر ثارُها

إِذا وَتَرَت لَم يُمطِل الدَهر ثارُها

So let her kill me; she belongs to a tribe

So leave her be, though she killed me, she is of a tribe,

whose blood revenge, when wronged, time never delays.

If they become hostile, time will not delay their vengeance.

إِذا نَزَلَ الأَضياف كاسَت عَقيرها

إِذا نَزَلَ الأَضياف كاسَت عَقيرها

وَدارَت بِلا ذَنب كؤوس عُقارُها

وَدارَت بِلا ذَنب كؤوس عُقارُها

When guests alight, its hamstrung beast limps on three legs,

If guests descend, she pours her goblet,

and cups of its wine circulate without guilt.

And circulates without guilt the cups of her wine.

بَكيتُ فَحَنَّت ناقَتي فَأَجابَها

بَكيتُ فَحَنَّت ناقَتي فَأَجابَها

صَهيل جوادي حينَ لاحَت دِيارُها

صَهيل جوادي حينَ لاحَت دِيارُها

I wept, and my she-camel moaned; she was answered

I wept, so my she-camel showed sympathy,

by my steed's neigh when her dwellings appeared.

Answered by the neighing of my steed when her abode appeared.

خططنا بأطراف الأَسِنَّةِ أَرضها

خططنا بأطراف الأَسِنَّةِ أَرضها

فأهدَت إِلَينا مِسك دارين دارُها

فأهدَت إِلَينا مِسك دارين دارُها

We scored her ground with the tips of our spearheads,

We roamed the extremities of the earth, so she gifted us

so her dwelling gave us musk of Darin.

The musk of the two abodes and their perfume.

وَلاحَت ثَنايا الأُقحوانِ وَلَو رأت

وَلاحَت ثَنايا الأُقحوانِ وَلَو رأت

ثَنايا الَّذي أَهواه طال استِتارُها

ثَنايا الَّذي أَهواه طال استِتارُها

The chrysanthemums' front teeth gleamed; but had they seen

And the undulations of the sand dunes appeared, but had they seen

the teeth of the one I love, they would have stayed hidden long.

The undulations of the one I love, prolonged would be his concealment.

وَإِنّي وَإِن عاصيت في بيشة الهَوى

وَإِنّي وَإِن عاصيت في بيشة الهَوى

ليعجبني غُزلانها وَصوارُها

ليعجبني غُزلانها وَصوارُها

And though I defied passion in Bisha,

And though I am disobedient in the wilderness of love,

I surely delight in its gazelles and its herds of wild cattle;

I love her gazelles and fawns.

وَيعجبني جثجاثُها وَعَرارُها

وَيعجبني جثجاثُها وَعَرارُها

وَحنوتُها أَو شيحُها وَبهارُها

وَحنوتُها أَو شيحُها وَبهارُها

and I delight in its jithjath shrubs and arar flowers,

And I love her bustard and partridge and springtime,

and its hanwa flowers, or its wormwood and bahar flowers.

Her warbling and trilling and blossoms.

أَرى الحُبَّ ناراً في القُلوبِ وَإِنَّما

أَرى الحُبَّ ناراً في القُلوبِ وَإِنَّما

يصعِّد أَنفاس المحب شرارُها

يصعِّد أَنفاس المحب شرارُها

I see love as a fire in hearts, and it is only

I see that love is fire in hearts, though in truth

its sparks that send the lover's breaths rising.

It makes the breaths of lovers glow like embers.

تَوَقَّ عُيون الغانِيات فَإِنَّها

تَوَقَّ عُيون الغانِيات فَإِنَّها

سُيوف وَأَشفار الجُفون شِفارُها

سُيوف وَأَشفار الجُفون شِفارُها

Beware the eyes of beautiful women, for they are

Restrain your eyes, O singers, for they

swords, and their eyelids' lashes are their cutting edges.

Are swords, and the lashes of eyelids their scabbards.

نفرن وَقَد عاينَّ شَخصيَ وَالمَها

نفرن وَقَد عاينَّ شَخصيَ وَالمَها

إِذا أَبصرت لَيثاً تَمادى نِفارها

إِذا أَبصرت لَيثاً تَمادى نِفارها

They fled after seeing my figure; and oryx,

They fled though they saw my person, and to them

when they see a lion, prolong their flight.

When a lion appears, protracted is their flight.

بِنَفسي طيف جاد وَهناً بِمَوعِدٍ

بِنَفسي طيف جاد وَهناً بِمَوعِدٍ

غُرور وَقَد خاضَ الجُفونَ غِرارُها

غُرور وَقَد خاضَ الجُفونَ غِرارُها

My life for a phantom that, late at night, bestowed a promise—

I swear by my soul the image of a noble steed though frail,

a deceptive one—while a trace of slumber had waded through my eyelids.

Deceitful its promise, hot embers its eyelashes.

أَلَمَّ وَرَحلي في فِناءينِ أَخصَبا

أَلَمَّ وَرَحلي في فِناءينِ أَخصَبا

بِحَيث غُصونِ المَجدِ تَجنى ثِمارُها

بِحَيث غُصونِ المَجدِ تَجنى ثِمارُها

It visited while my saddle was in two flourishing courtyards,

It touched and departed, while my two abodes flourished

where the fruits of glory's branches are gathered.

Where the branches of glory bear fruit.

وَهَل للمنى إِلّا أَبو الفَضلِ كعبة

وَهَل للمنى إِلّا أَبو الفَضلِ كعبة

يَكونُ إِلَيهِ حَجُّها واِعتِمارُها

يَكونُ إِلَيهِ حَجُّها واِعتِمارُها

Have hopes any Kaaba but Abu al-Fadl,

Is there any wish except Abu Al-Fadl Ka’b

to whom they make their pilgrimage and lesser pilgrimage?

As its shrine, to which its pilgrimage and visit are?

تَخَيَّرتُهُ إِن الكِرام مَناهِلٌ

تَخَيَّرتُهُ إِن الكِرام مَناهِلٌ

وَما يَستَوي غُدرانها وَبِحارُها

وَما يَستَوي غُدرانها وَبِحارُها

I chose him: the generous are watering places,

I chose him, for the generous are springs,

and their pools and their seas are not alike.

Not equal are their sweet and bitter waters.

فَقَبَّلتُ إِذ عاينته خُفَّ ناقَةٍ

فَقَبَّلتُ إِذ عاينته خُفَّ ناقَةٍ

حباني بِهِ تهجيرها وابتِكارها

حباني بِهِ تهجيرها وابتِكارها

So, when I saw him, I kissed a she-camel's hoof;

I kissed, when I saw him, the fetlock of a she-camel

her midday and dawn journeys had bestowed him upon me.

Who brought us together, by her driving and maneuvering,

تعرَّق رَحلي ظَهرِها فَكَأَنَّما

تعرَّق رَحلي ظَهرِها فَكَأَنَّما

تَضَمَّن مِنهُ ذا الفِقارِ فِقارها

تَضَمَّن مِنهُ ذا الفِقارِ فِقارها

My saddle stripped the flesh from her back, as though

The strap of my saddle chafed her back, as though

her spine had thereby housed Dhu al-Fiqar.

From it the celestial sphere gained its power.

وَزنَّاه بِالدُنيا فَزادَ وَإِنَّما

وَزنَّاه بِالدُنيا فَزادَ وَإِنَّما

يُبَيِّنُ أَقدار الرِجال اختِبارُها

يُبَيِّنُ أَقدار الرِجال اختِبارُها

We weighed him against the world; he outweighed it, and only

And we blamed the world, yet he surpassed, but in truth

trial reveals the worth of men.

Men’s qualities are manifested through trials.

وَما يَعرف الإِنسان إِلّا بِغَيرِهِ

وَما يَعرف الإِنسان إِلّا بِغَيرِهِ

وَما فضلت يُمناك لَولا يَسارُها

وَما فضلت يُمناك لَولا يَسارُها

A person is known only by comparison with another,

One knows not mankind except through others,

and your right hand would have no superiority but for your left.

Your right hand has no merit without your left.

أَقَلَّت ثراه همة يَمنيَّة

أَقَلَّت ثراه همة يَمنيَّة

إِذا زارَت العيوق طالَ انحِدارها

إِذا زارَت العيوق طالَ انحِدارها

A Yemeni resolve carried his dust aloft;

Lesser efforts diminish the ambitions of the auspicious,

when it visits al-Ayyuq, its descent is long.

When eagles descend, prolonged is their descent.

لَهُ ماءَ وَجهٍ مُخبِرٍ عَن مَضائِهِ

لَهُ ماءَ وَجهٍ مُخبِرٍ عَن مَضائِهِ

وَرَونَق ماء الماضِيات غِرارُها

وَرَونَق ماء الماضِيات غِرارُها

His face has a sheen that tells of his keenness,

He has the water of an indicative face,

and keen swords' luster lies in their edges.

And the freshness of past waters are its beams.

يَخاف عَداه سيفه وَلِسانِهِ

يَخاف عَداه سيفه وَلِسانِهِ

وَيُرهِب أَنياب الليوث وزارُها

وَيُرهِب أَنياب الليوث وزارُها

His foes fear his sword and tongue,

His sword and tongue frighten his enemies,

and lions' fangs and their roaring strike terror.

And terrify the fangs of lions and their wrist.

صِلاتُ يَدَيه كالصَلاة فَتَركُها

صِلاتُ يَدَيه كالصَلاة فَتَركُها

ذنوب لَدَيهِ ما يُرجّى اغتِفارُها

ذنوب لَدَيهِ ما يُرجّى اغتِفارُها

The gifts of his hands are like prayer; abandoning them

His hands’ generosity is like prayer, to neglect it

is sin to him, with no hope of forgiveness.

Are sins for him, for which pardon is hoped.

سَجيَّة نَفسٍ بَينَ جَنبيه حُرَّة

سَجيَّة نَفسٍ بَينَ جَنبيه حُرَّة

تُباحُ أَياديها وبحمى ذمارِها

تُباحُ أَياديها وبحمى ذمارِها

The nature of a noble soul between his ribs:

A free soul between his sides,

its favors are freely given, and its honor is guarded.

Whose hands are permitted and protected by his prestige.

تَرى جودها بُخلاً بدون حَياتِها

تَرى جودها بُخلاً بدون حَياتِها

فَيأتيكَ مِنها نَيلُها واِعتِذارُها

فَيأتيكَ مِنها نَيلُها واِعتِذارُها

It considers its generosity stingy if it stops short of its life;

You see his generosity as stinginess without his life,

so both its gift and its apology come to you.

So from it you take his flow and apology.

وَلو جَرَّ نَفعاً دفعه النَفس لَم يَكُن

وَلو جَرَّ نَفعاً دفعه النَفس لَم يَكُن

عَلى مالِها دونَ الحياةِ اقتِصارُها

عَلى مالِها دونَ الحياةِ اقتِصارُها

And if offering his life brought benefit, it would not

Had gain pulled him to benevolence, his soul would not be

confine itself to its wealth, stopping short of life.

Confined to his wealth without life.

وَيُنجِز نعماه فَتَصفو وَرُبَّما

وَيُنجِز نعماه فَتَصفو وَرُبَّما

يُكَدِّر نُعماءَ الجَواد انتِظارُها

يُكَدِّر نُعماءَ الجَواد انتِظارُها

He fulfills his favors, keeping them unclouded; and sometimes

He fulfills his favors so they are pure, while sometimes

waiting clouds a generous man's favor.

Waiting taints the favors of the generous.

وَيحقر ما يُبدي فيعظم قدره

وَيحقر ما يُبدي فيعظم قدره

إِلّا إِنَّ تَعظيم الأَيادي احتِقارُها

إِلّا إِنَّ تَعظيم الأَيادي احتِقارُها

He makes little of what he gives, so its worth grows;

He deems negligible what he reveals, so elevates his worth,

but truly, magnifying favors means thinking little of them.

Except that appreciating givers is their deprecation.

وَإِن عَرَّسَت أَسيافه في معرسٍ

وَإِن عَرَّسَت أَسيافه في معرسٍ

مِنَ الحَربِ أَمسَت وَالرؤوس نِثارُها

مِنَ الحَربِ أَمسَت وَالرؤوس نِثارُها

And if his swords encamp in a lodging

If his swords spread carnage at the battle,

of war, by evening heads are their scattered offerings.

And the heads rolled, that would be their harvest.

حَكى دَعفَلاً في بأسِهِ وَنَواله

حَكى دَعفَلاً في بأسِهِ وَنَواله

كَما يَتبَع الخيل الجِياد مهارها

كَما يَتبَع الخيل الجِياد مهارها

He mirrored Da'fal in his might and bounty,

He narrated Da’fil in his courage and assaults,

as fine-bred horses are followed by their foals.

As horses pursue steeds in their gallop.

إِذا طالَت الآجال في حومَة الوَغى

إِذا طالَت الآجال في حومَة الوَغى

فَفي شَفرَتي ما يَنتضيه اختِصارها

فَفي شَفرَتي ما يَنتضيه اختِصارها

If lifetimes lengthen in the thick of battle,

If respites stretch in the heat of battle,

then the two edges of what he draws cut them short.

Then in my blades is that which shortens them.

وَإِن عدلت عَنه العلى نَحوَ غَيرِهِ

وَإِن عدلت عَنه العلى نَحوَ غَيرِهِ

وَحاشاه أَلجاها إِلَيهِ اضطِرارُها

وَحاشاه أَلجاها إِلَيهِ اضطِرارُها

And if glory should turn from him toward another—

If the most high veers toward another,

far be it from him!—necessity would drive it to him.

Far be it! Necessity drove it toward him.

يَحوز المَنايا وَالمنى مِنه أَنمِلٌ

يَحوز المَنايا وَالمنى مِنه أَنمِلٌ

طِوال القَنا تَزهى بِها وَقِصارُها

طِوال القَنا تَزهى بِها وَقِصارُها

Fingers of his hold deaths and hopes;

He seizes glories and wishes, of them slightest,

long spears and short alike take pride in them.

Tall of build vie through him, and shortest.

حَمَّيته أَسر بِهِ يثبت الوَغى

حَمَّيته أَسر بِهِ يثبت الوَغى

وَإِقدامه قطب عليه مَدارُها

وَإِقدامه قطب عليه مَدارُها

His zeal is a bond through which battle stands firm,

I defended him, captivated by him, firm in battle,

and his daring is the axis upon which it turns.

And his daring is the axis upon which it revolves.

وَيَرضاه ضَحضاح المَنيَّة خائِضاً

وَيَرضاه ضَحضاح المَنيَّة خائِضاً

وَيَشكوهُ في بحر الثَناءِ غِمارُها

وَيَشكوهُ في بحر الثَناءِ غِمارُها

Death's shallows welcome him as he wades,

He is pleased by the warbling of death, submerged,

while, in the sea of praise, its depths complain of him.

And the sea of praise complains of his turbidity.

وَمَعرَكَة لِلنَّقعِ وَالطَير فَوقَها

وَمَعرَكَة لِلنَّقعِ وَالطَير فَوقَها

سَحائِب لَكِنَّ النَجيع قِطارُها

سَحائِب لَكِنَّ النَجيع قِطارُها

And a battlefield, where dust and birds above it

A battlefield for the eagles and birds above it,

are clouds, but their rain is blood.

Though the pickings are its convoy.

سَماءٌ نعال الخيل فيها أَهِلَّة

سَماءٌ نعال الخيل فيها أَهِلَّة

وَلَكِنَّها لا تَستَدير صِغارُها

وَلَكِنَّها لا تَستَدير صِغارُها

A sky where horseshoes are crescent moons,

A sky in which the shoes of horses are permitted,

but its little crescents never grow round.

But its smallness cannot be encompassed.

وَقَد أَلبس الفرسان مِن دكن نَسجِهِ

وَقَد أَلبس الفرسان مِن دكن نَسجِهِ

غَلائِل مِن فوق الدُروعِ غُبارُها

غَلائِل مِن فوق الدُروعِ غُبارُها

And the horsemen have been clothed from its dusky weaving

The knights donned from his weaving

in gauzy tunics over their armor, by its dust.

Mantles over the coats of mail and their dust.

حَلَفتَ بِصدر الرُمح في صَدرِ كَبشِها

حَلَفتَ بِصدر الرُمح في صَدرِ كَبشِها

فَما مَيَّزَ الأَفواهَ عَنهُ خُوارُها

فَما مَيَّزَ الأَفواهَ عَنهُ خُوارُها

You swore by the spear's point in the breast of its champion-ram;

You swore by the breast of the lance in the chest of its rams,

their bellowing did not distinguish the mouths from that breast.

So the mouths did not distinguish them from their shame.

فَغَصَّت بِصَدرِ الرُمح ثغرة نَحرِهِ

فَغَصَّت بِصَدرِ الرُمح ثغرة نَحرِهِ

كَما غَصَّ يَوماً بِالذِراعِ سِوارُها

كَما غَصَّ يَوماً بِالذِراعِ سِوارُها

The hollow of his throat choked on the spear's point,

The breast of the lance lodged in the slit of its throat,

as her bracelet once choked on her arm.

As its bracelet once lodged on the forearm.

وَضَمَّ الدَم المَسفوح أَرجاء درعه

وَضَمَّ الدَم المَسفوح أَرجاء درعه

كَما ضَمَّ أَرجاء السَفينَة قارُها

كَما ضَمَّ أَرجاء السَفينَة قارُها

Spilled blood held the edges of his armor together,

The spilt blood enveloped the corners of his armor

as pitch held together the sides of a ship.

As the pitch enveloped the corners of the vessel.

يَرُدُّ سِنان الرُمح مقلة أَزرَقٍ

يَرُدُّ سِنان الرُمح مقلة أَزرَقٍ

بِها رَمَدٌ يَشتَد مِنهُ احمِرارُها

بِها رَمَدٌ يَشتَد مِنهُ احمِرارُها

It turns the spearhead into a blue-eyed man's eye,

The point of the lance repels the blue blade

afflicted with inflammation that makes its redness more intense.

In which is chronic inflammation and its redness.

فَدتك رِجالٌ تحذر الفقر في النَدى

فَدتك رِجالٌ تحذر الفقر في النَدى

وَفي البُخلِ فَقرٌ لَيسَ مِنهُ حِذارُها

وَفي البُخلِ فَقرٌ لَيسَ مِنهُ حِذارُها

May men who fear poverty in generosity be your ransom,

Men ransom you who fear destitution despite wealth,

though stinginess holds a poverty they do not fear.

And in stinginess is poverty, from which there is no caution.

شَهِدنا لطيٍّ أَنَّهُ خَير عُصبَة

شَهِدنا لطيٍّ أَنَّهُ خَير عُصبَة

وَصَحَّ لَنا أَن الأَمير خيارُها

وَصَحَّ لَنا أَن الأَمير خيارُها

We testified that Tayy is the finest company,

We testify that Lu’ayy is the best tribe,

and we know for certain that the emir is its finest.

And it is correct for us that the commander is its best.

وَلَم أَرَ أُسدا غَيرَ آلُ مُفَرِّجِ

وَلَم أَرَ أُسدا غَيرَ آلُ مُفَرِّجِ

تَرَجّى عَطاياها وَيؤمِن زارُها

تَرَجّى عَطاياها وَيؤمِن زارُها

I have seen no lions but the house of Mufarrij

I have not seen lions other than the family of Mufraj

whose gifts are hoped for and whose roar need not be feared.

Whose gifts are hoped for and their visitors secured.

إِذا أَبرَمَت أَمراً فَلِلجودِ أَمرها

إِذا أَبرَمَت أَمراً فَلِلجودِ أَمرها

وَإِن هيَ لَم تُبرَم فَفيهِ اشتوارُها

وَإِن هيَ لَم تُبرَم فَفيهِ اشتوارُها

When they decide a matter, their decision serves generosity;

When they determine a matter it is for generosity,

and if they have not decided, they deliberate about it.

And if not determined, deliberation remains in it.

جِبالُ حَلومٍ أَثقَلَ الحلم سَمعها

جِبالُ حَلومٍ أَثقَلَ الحلم سَمعها

عَن اللَغوِ حَتّى قيلَ وقَرٌ وَقارُها

عَن اللَغوِ حَتّى قيلَ وقَرٌ وَقارُها

Mountains of forbearance: forbearance has weighed down their hearing

The mountains of Hilm made patience so weighty

against idle talk, till their dignity was called deafness.

Silence was attributed to them and their dignity.

وَمِن شأنها إِسرافها في عَطائِها

وَمِن شأنها إِسرافها في عَطائِها

فَإِن قيلَ ذا عارٌ فَذَلِكَ عارُها

فَإِن قيلَ ذا عارٌ فَذَلِكَ عارُها

Their way is extravagance in their giving;

And of their quality is excess in giving,

if this is called a disgrace, that is their disgrace.

If it said this is shameful, that is their shame.

غَدا بِنجوم السَعد مِن شدَّ رَحله

غَدا بِنجوم السَعد مِن شدَّ رَحله

إِلَيكَ وَإِن باتَت وَشَطَّ مَزارُها

إِلَيكَ وَإِن باتَت وَشَطَّ مَزارُها

Whoever binds his saddle journeys with stars of good fortune

Tomorrow the stars of fortune lead his traveling,

toward you, though by night their visiting-place is far away.

To you, though the night darkened and its journey swayed.

وَأحمد في مَدحيك وَالمَدح حلية

وَأحمد في مَدحيك وَالمَدح حلية

صياغتها منّي وَمِنكَ نُضارها

صياغتها منّي وَمِنكَ نُضارها

I earn praise in praising you; praise is an ornament,

I praise you in my praise, and praise is an adornment

its workmanship mine, its pure gold yours.

Whose crafting is from me, and its blossoms from you.

وَقَد يَمدَح الناس النُجومَ لِضوئِها

وَقَد يَمدَح الناس النُجومَ لِضوئِها

وَإِن كانَ مِن شَمس النَهار امتيارها

وَإِن كانَ مِن شَمس النَهار امتيارها

People may praise the stars for their light,

People may praise the stars for their light,

though they draw their provisions from the daytime sun.

Though their preference is from the sun of daytime.

معين النَدى عالي المَدى وآكف الجَدا

معين النَدى عالي المَدى وآكف الجَدا

مَريق الدِما وَالحَرب تسعر نارُها

مَريق الدِما وَالحَرب تسعر نارُها

A wellspring of generosity, lofty in reach and showering bounty,

Helper of dew, of lofty purpose, protector of borders,

a shedder of blood while war's fire blazes.

Shedder of blood, battle igniting its fire.