وَظَلماءَ مِن لَيلِ التَّمامِ طَوَيتُها

وَظَلماءَ مِن لَيلِ التَّمامِ طَوَيتُها

لأَلْقى أَناةَ الخَطوِ مِن سَلَفَيْ سَعدِ

لأَلْقى أَناةَ الخَطوِ مِن سَلَفَيْ سَعدِ

A dark wilderness, beneath the full moon, I crossed,

And I traversed a dark stretch of winter's longest night,

to meet one slow of step, of Saʿd’s ancestral line.

to meet a slow-stepping maiden descended from Sa'd's two forebears.

أُمَزِّقُ جِلبابَ الظَّلامِ كَما فَرى

أُمَزِّقُ جِلبابَ الظَّلامِ كَما فَرى

أَخو الحُزنِ ما نالَت يَداهُ مِنَ البُردِ

أَخو الحُزنِ ما نالَت يَداهُ مِنَ البُردِ

I rend the cloak of darkness, just as

I tear the cloak of darkness, just as

grief’s brother rends every robe his hands can reach.

a grief-stricken man tore whatever mantle his hands could grasp.

وَقَد عَبَّ في كأسِ الكَرى كُلُّ راكِبٍ

وَقَد عَبَّ في كأسِ الكَرى كُلُّ راكِبٍ

فَمالَ نَزيفاً وَالجيادُ بِنا تَردِي

فَمالَ نَزيفاً وَالجيادُ بِنا تَردِي

Every rider had drunk deep from slumber’s cup,

And every rider had drunk deeply from the cup of slumber,

then sagged, spent, while the steeds raced on with us.

then swayed, intoxicated, while the steeds galloped with us.

وَحَلَّ عِقالَ الوَجدِ شَوقٌ كَأَنَّهُ

وَحَلَّ عِقالَ الوَجدِ شَوقٌ كَأَنَّهُ

شَرارَةُ ما يَرفَضُّ مِن طَرَفِ الزَندِ

شَرارَةُ ما يَرفَضُّ مِن طَرَفِ الزَندِ

Longing loosed passion’s tether—a longing as though it were

And longing loosed the tether of passion, as though it were

a spark flying from the firestick’s tip.

a spark scattered from the tip of a firestick.

وَأَوقَرَ أَجفاني دُموعٌ نَثَرتُها

وَأَوقَرَ أَجفاني دُموعٌ نَثَرتُها

عَلى مِحمَلي نَثرَ الجُمانِ مِنَ العِقدِ

عَلى مِحمَلي نَثرَ الجُمانِ مِنَ العِقدِ

Tears I scattered weighed my eyelids down,

And tears weighed down my eyelids; I scattered them

over my camel-litter like pearls strewn from a necklace.

upon my litter, like pearls scattered from a necklace.

فَلَم يُبقِ مِنّي الحُبُّ إِلّا حشاشَةً

فَلَم يُبقِ مِنّي الحُبُّ إِلّا حشاشَةً

يُجاذِبنيها ما أُعاني مِنَ الوَجدِ

يُجاذِبنيها ما أُعاني مِنَ الوَجدِ

Love left of me nothing but life’s last flicker,

So love left nothing of me but a remnant of life,

and the passion I endure wrestles me for even that.

which the anguish I endure struggles to wrest from me.

وَظَمياءَ لا تَجزي المُحِبَّ بِوُدِّهِ

وَظَمياءَ لا تَجزي المُحِبَّ بِوُدِّهِ

وَلِلَّهِ ما يُخفيهِ مِنهُ وَما يُبدي

وَلِلَّهِ ما يُخفيهِ مِنهُ وَما يُبدي

And a thirsty beauty does not requite her lover’s devotion—

And a woman with thin, dusky lips does not repay her lover's affection;

by God—neither what he hides of it nor what he reveals.

and to God belongs what he hides of that love and what he reveals.

وَتوهِي مَريراتِ العهودِ خِيانَةً

وَتوهِي مَريراتِ العهودِ خِيانَةً

لِمُصفي الهَوى راعي المَوَدَّةِ وَالعَهدِ

لِمُصفي الهَوى راعي المَوَدَّةِ وَالعَهدِ

Through treachery she frays the stout-twisted cords of vows

And she weakens the stout cords of pledges, betraying

to one pure in love, a keeper of affection and covenant.

one sincere in love, who guards affection and covenant.

وَتَرتاحُ لِلواشي بأُذنٍ سَمِيعَةٍ

وَتَرتاحُ لِلواشي بأُذنٍ سَمِيعَةٍ

تَلَقَّفُ مِنهُ ما يُنيرُ وَما يُسدي

تَلَقَّفُ مِنهُ ما يُنيرُ وَما يُسدي

She gladly lends the slanderer a receptive ear,

And she welcomes the slanderer with an attentive ear,

snatching from him whatever he weaves or spins out.

seizing from him all that he weaves, warp and weft.

وَتُنكِرُ حَتىّ لَيلَةَ الجِزعِ بِالحِمى

وَتُنكِرُ حَتىّ لَيلَةَ الجِزعِ بِالحِمى

لَيالينا بِالسَّفحِ مِن عَلَمَيْ نَجدِ

لَيالينا بِالسَّفحِ مِن عَلَمَيْ نَجدِ

She denies even our night at al-Jazʿ, within the sanctuary,

And she denies—even the night at al-Jiz' in al-Hima—

our nights on the slope beside Najd’s two landmarks.

our nights on the slope below Najd's two landmark hills.

وَقَد زُرتُها وَالباتِراتُ هَواتِفٌ

وَقَد زُرتُها وَالباتِراتُ هَواتِفٌ

بِنا وَأَنابيبُ الرُدَينيَّةِ المُلْدُ

بِنا وَأَنابيبُ الرُدَينيَّةِ المُلْدُ

I visited her while cutting swords cried out

And I had visited her while keen swords cried out

against us, and the supple shafts of Rudaynī spears.

at us, and the supple shafts of Rudayni spears.

وَذُقتُ لَها أَستَغفِرُ اللَهَ ريقَةً

وَذُقتُ لَها أَستَغفِرُ اللَهَ ريقَةً

كَبَيضاءَ قَد شيبَت بِحَمراءَ كالوَردِ

كَبَيضاءَ قَد شيبَت بِحَمراءَ كالوَردِ

I tasted her saliva—God forgive me—

And I tasted her saliva—I ask God's forgiveness—

like white wine blended with red, rose-colored.

like a white draught mixed with a red one, red as roses.

وَنِلتُ حَديثاً كادَ يَغشى مَواقِفي

وَنِلتُ حَديثاً كادَ يَغشى مَواقِفي

مِنَ القُلَّةِ الشَّماءِ بالأَعصَمِ الفَردِ

مِنَ القُلَّةِ الشَّماءِ بالأَعصَمِ الفَردِ

I won an encounter that nearly eclipsed my exploits

And I enjoyed words that almost drew to where I stood,

on the towering peak beside its lone white-legged ibex.

from the towering summit, the lone white-footed ibex.

وَلَمّا اِفتَرَقنا كانَ ما وَعَدَتْ بِهِ

وَلَمّا اِفتَرَقنا كانَ ما وَعَدَتْ بِهِ

سَراباً وَمَن بِالماءِ مِن حَجَرٍ صَلْدِ

سَراباً وَمَن بِالماءِ مِن حَجَرٍ صَلْدِ

When we parted, what she had promised proved

And when we parted, what she had promised was

a mirage—and who can draw water from solid stone?

a mirage; who can draw water from solid stone?

وَمِن عَجَبٍ أَن تُخلِفَ العَهدَ غادَةٌ

وَمِن عَجَبٍ أَن تُخلِفَ العَهدَ غادَةٌ

أَبي وَأَبوها مِن بَني صادِقِ الوَعدِ

أَبي وَأَبوها مِن بَني صادِقِ الوَعدِ

Is it any wonder that a graceful maiden breaks her pledge,

And it is a marvel that a graceful maiden should break a pledge,

though my father and hers come of people true to their word?

when my father and hers descend from the one true to his promise.

وَبِالقَلبِ وَشمٌ مِن هَواها وَلَم يَكُن

وَبِالقَلبِ وَشمٌ مِن هَواها وَلَم يَكُن

لِيَمحُوَهُ غَدري حَياءً مِن المَجدِ

لِيَمحُوَهُ غَدري حَياءً مِن المَجدِ

My heart bears a tattoo left by her love, and never could

And in my heart is a tattoo of love for her; never would

my own betrayal erase it, for shame before honor.

my betrayal blot it out, for shame before honor.

أَحِنُّ إِلَيها وَالعُلَيمِيُّ عاذِلي

أَحِنُّ إِلَيها وَالعُلَيمِيُّ عاذِلي

هُذَيمُ أَفِقْ مِن مَنطِقٍ حَزَّ في جِلدي

هُذَيمُ أَفِقْ مِن مَنطِقٍ حَزَّ في جِلدي

I yearn for her while the ʿUlaymī woman, reproaching me, cries:

I yearn for her while al-'Ulaymi reproaches me;

“Hudhaym, wake from words that have cut into my skin!”

Hudhaym, come to your senses—your talk has cut into my skin!

فَلَولا ابنَةُ السَعيدِّ لَم يَكُ مَنزِلي

فَلَولا ابنَةُ السَعيدِّ لَم يَكُ مَنزِلي

بِحَيثُ العَرارُ الغَضُّ يَلتَفُّ بِالرَّندِ

بِحَيثُ العَرارُ الغَضُّ يَلتَفُّ بِالرَّندِ

But for al-Saʿīdī’s daughter, my dwelling would not be

Were it not for the daughter of al-Sa'id, my dwelling would not be

where fresh ʿarār twines around fragrant rand.

where fresh ‘arar entwines with rand.

وَلا هاجَ شَوقي نَفحَةٌ غَضَوِيَّةٌ

وَلا هاجَ شَوقي نَفحَةٌ غَضَوِيَّةٌ

غَداةَ تَلَقَّتها العَرانينُ مِن نَجدِ

غَداةَ تَلَقَّتها العَرانينُ مِن نَجدِ

Nor would a Ghaḍawī breeze have stirred my longing

Nor would a ghada-scented breeze have stirred my longing,

the morning the high ridges caught it from Najd.

that morning when noses caught it wafting from Najd.

وَمن أَجلِها أُبدي الخُضوعَ لِقَومِها

وَمن أَجلِها أُبدي الخُضوعَ لِقَومِها

وَأَمحَضُهُم وُدِّي وَأُوطِئُهُم خَدّي

وَأَمحَضُهُم وُدِّي وَأُوطِئُهُم خَدّي

For her sake I humble myself before her people,

And for her sake I show submission to her people,

give them my pure affection, and lay my cheek beneath their feet.

and give them my pure affection, and let them tread my cheek.

وَلي شيمَةٌ عَسراءُ تَرأَمُ نَخوَةً

وَلي شيمَةٌ عَسراءُ تَرأَمُ نَخوَةً

تُحَلِّىءُ سَيفي عَن مُضاجَعَةِ الغِمدِ

تُحَلِّىءُ سَيفي عَن مُضاجَعَةِ الغِمدِ

Yet mine is a hard, unbending nature that feeds ravenously on pride,

Yet I have an unyielding nature that nurses pride,

and drives my sword away from sharing the sheath’s bed.

which keeps my sword from lying with its sheath.