سَقى دارَها منْ مُنْحَنى الأجْرَعِ الفَرْدِ

سَقى دارَها منْ مُنْحَنى الأجْرَعِ الفَرْدِ

أجَشُّ نَمومُ البَرْقِ مُرْتَجِزُ الرَّعْدِ

أجَشُّ نَمومُ البَرْقِ مُرْتَجِزُ الرَّعْدِ

May her dwelling at the bend of the lone sandy ridge be watered

He watered her abode from the bend of the lone hillock,

by a deep-voiced cloud, with telltale lightning and chanting thunder.

The lightning more brilliant, the thunder reverberating.

فَباتَ يُحَيّي بالحَيا عَرَصاتِها

فَباتَ يُحَيّي بالحَيا عَرَصاتِها

وهُنَّ على الهُوجِ المَراويدِ تَسْتَعْدي

وهُنَّ على الهُوجِ المَراويدِ تَسْتَعْدي

So it spent the night greeting her courtyards with rain,

So he spent the night cheering its meadows,

while they sought its aid against the wild, roaming winds.

While they, above the water-skins, prepared to receive.

فلا زالَ يَكسوها الرّبيعُ وشائِعاً

فلا زالَ يَكسوها الرّبيعُ وشائِعاً

تَرِفُّ حَواشِيها على عَلَمَيْ نَجْدِ

تَرِفُّ حَواشِيها على عَلَمَيْ نَجْدِ

May spring ever clothe it in woven robes,

So Spring never ceased clothing it, flowers spreading

whose borders flutter over Najd's two peaks,

And overflowing at its edges upon the banners of Nejd.

ويُفْعِمُ غُدْراناً كأنّ يَدَ الصَّبا

ويُفْعِمُ غُدْراناً كأنّ يَدَ الصَّبا

تَجُرُّ علَيْها رَفْرَفَ النَّثْرَةِ السَّرْدِ

تَجُرُّ علَيْها رَفْرَفَ النَّثْرَةِ السَّرْدِ

and fill pools to the brim, as though the east wind's hand

As though the hand of the morning breeze

were drawing across them the skirt of closely linked mail.

Drew over it the fluttering of leaves gently falling.

بِها تَسْحَبُ الأرْماحَ فِهْرُ بنُ مالِكٍ

بِها تَسْحَبُ الأرْماحَ فِهْرُ بنُ مالِكٍ

إذا ما شَحا الرّاعي ليَكْرَعَ في الوِرْدِ

إذا ما شَحا الرّاعي ليَكْرَعَ في الوِرْدِ

There Fihr ibn Malik trails the spears,

With it the lances are drawn by the gallant son of Malik

when the shepherd opens his mouth to drink at the watering-place,

When the shepherd moves to graze in the myrtle.

وتَدْفَعُ عنهُ كلَّ أشْوَسَ باسِلٍ

وتَدْفَعُ عنهُ كلَّ أشْوَسَ باسِلٍ

بمَسْنونَةٍ زُرْقٍ ومَلْبونَةٍ جُردِ

بمَسْنونَةٍ زُرْقٍ ومَلْبونَةٍ جُردِ

and drives away from him every grim-eyed, fearless warrior,

And it turns from him all the evils of every adversary

with sharpened, blue-grey spears and milk-fed, sleek horses.

With a burnished sword and a polished coat of mail.

يَصوبُ بأيديهِمْ نَجيعٌ ونائِلٌ

يَصوبُ بأيديهِمْ نَجيعٌ ونائِلٌ

ولولا الندىً لم تَسْتَنِرْ صَفْحَةُ المَجْدِ

ولولا الندىً لم تَسْتَنِرْ صَفْحَةُ المَجْدِ

Blood and bounty pour from their hands,

Their hands direct the companionable and the attainable

and without generosity the face of glory would not shine.

And were it not for the dew, the page of glory would not shine.

بكى حَضَنٌ إذْ عُرِّيَتْ هَضباتُهُ

بكى حَضَنٌ إذْ عُرِّيَتْ هَضباتُهُ

منَ البَطَلِ الجَحجاحِ والفَرَسِ النَّهْدِ

منَ البَطَلِ الجَحجاحِ والفَرَسِ النَّهْدِ

Hadan wept when its hills were stripped

A bosom wept when its hillsides were stripped

of the mighty hero and the powerfully built horse.

Of the dashing horseman and the bending, pliant steed.

وفي الجيرَةِ الغادينَ هَيْفاءُ غادَةٌ

وفي الجيرَةِ الغادينَ هَيْفاءُ غادَةٌ

نَأَتْ لا دَنا قُرْطٌ لظَمْياءَ منْ عِقْدِ

نَأَتْ لا دَنا قُرْطٌ لظَمْياءَ منْ عِقْدِ

Among the neighbors departing at dawn was a slender-waisted, graceful maiden.

And in the departed caravan a lovely beauty departed

She went far away—may a dark-lipped beauty's earring never draw near her necklace.

Who never drew near, no anklet to a thirsty one.

إذا نَظَرَتْ أغْضى لها الرّيمُ طَرْفَهُ

إذا نَظَرَتْ أغْضى لها الرّيمُ طَرْفَهُ

وإنْ سَفَرَتْ أخْفى سَنا البَدْرِ ما تُبْدي

وإنْ سَفَرَتْ أخْفى سَنا البَدْرِ ما تُبْدي

When she looks, the white gazelle lowers its gaze before her,

When she looked, the gazelle lowered its eyes from her,

and if she unveils, what she reveals eclipses the full moon's light.

And when she traveled, she hid the crescent moon's jewels.

خَليليَّ إنْ علّلْتُماني فعَرِّضا

خَليليَّ إنْ علّلْتُماني فعَرِّضا

بِها قَبلَ تَصْريحِ الفؤادِ عنِ الوَجْدِ

بِها قَبلَ تَصْريحِ الفؤادِ عنِ الوَجْدِ

My two friends, if you would console me, then allude

My two friends, if you find me infatuated, make excuses

to her before the heart openly declares its longing.

For me before my heart reveals its secret passion.

فما هَبَّ عُلْويُّ الرّياحِ ولا بَدا

فما هَبَّ عُلْويُّ الرّياحِ ولا بَدا

سَنا بارِقٍ إلا طَرِبْتُ إِلى هِنْدِ

سَنا بارِقٍ إلا طَرِبْتُ إِلى هِنْدِ

For no upland wind has blown, nor has there appeared

No lofty wind blew nor brilliant lightning flashed

the gleam of lightning, without my yearning for Hind.

But I was disturbed, yearning for India.

وقد كَمَنَتْ في القَلْبِ منّي صَبابَةٌ

وقد كَمَنَتْ في القَلْبِ منّي صَبابَةٌ

إليها كُمونَ النارِ في طَرَفِ الزَّنْدِ

إليها كُمونَ النارِ في طَرَفِ الزَّنْدِ

And an ardent longing has lain hidden in my heart,

For in my heart smoldered an ember

for her, as fire lies hidden in the tip of a fire-stick.

Like the hidden fire in the edge of the flint.

أأنْقُضُ عهْدَ المالِكيَّةِ باللِّوى

أأنْقُضُ عهْدَ المالِكيَّةِ باللِّوى

إذاً لا رَعى العَلْياءَ إنْ خُنْتُها عَهْدي

إذاً لا رَعى العَلْياءَ إنْ خُنْتُها عَهْدي

Shall I break my pledge to the Malikite woman at al-Liwa?

Should I break the covenant of Malikia in the twisting valleys?

Then, if I betray her, may my pledge never uphold high honor.

Never would I herd the high grounds if I betrayed it!

وأغْدِرُ وابْنا خِنْدِفٍ يَهْتِفانِ بي

وأغْدِرُ وابْنا خِنْدِفٍ يَهْتِفانِ بي

ويَلْمَعُ حَدُّ السّيفِ منْ خِلَلِ الغِمدِ

ويَلْمَعُ حَدُّ السّيفِ منْ خِلَلِ الغِمدِ

And shall I betray, while Khindif's two sons call out to me,

Rather I and the two sons of Khundif shout at me

and the sword's edge gleams through gaps in its scabbard?

As the gleam of the sword flashes from the edge of the scabbard—

ولو لمْ يَكُنْ فيَّ الوَفاءُ سجِيّةً

ولو لمْ يَكُنْ فيَّ الوَفاءُ سجِيّةً

دَعاني إليها الأرْيَحيُّ أبو سَعْدِ

دَعاني إليها الأرْيَحيُّ أبو سَعْدِ

Even if fidelity were not an innate trait in me,

Had there not been loyalty within me instinctively,

the generous Abu Sa'd would summon me to it:

Ariha's Abu Sa'd would have summoned me to it—

فتىً يَفْتَري شَأْوَ المعالي بهِمّةٍ

فتىً يَفْتَري شَأْوَ المعالي بهِمّةٍ

تُناجي غِرارَ السّيْفِ في طَلَبِ الجَمْدِ

تُناجي غِرارَ السّيْفِ في طَلَبِ الجَمْدِ

a youth who cuts through the farthest reach of greatness with a resolve

A gallant who pretends to lofty qualities with resolution

that communes with the sword's edge in pursuit of high ground.

Addressing the murmurs of the sword, seeking glory—

وما رَوْضَةٌ حَلَّ الرّبيعُ نِطاقَها

وما رَوْضَةٌ حَلَّ الرّبيعُ نِطاقَها

وجَرَّتْ بِها الأنْواءُ حاشِيَةَ البُرْدِ

وجَرَّتْ بِها الأنْواءُ حاشِيَةَ البُرْدِ

And no meadow whose girdle spring has loosened,

No meadow where Spring stretched its folds

and over which the seasonal rains have trailed the mantle's hem,

And the gusts drew on it a lining of cold—

إذا حَدَرَتْ فيها النُّعامى لِثامَها

إذا حَدَرَتْ فيها النُّعامى لِثامَها

ثَنى عِطْفَهُ الحَوْذانُ والْتَفَّ بالرَّنْدِ

ثَنى عِطْفَهُ الحَوْذانُ والْتَفَّ بالرَّنْدِ

where, when the south wind lowers its veil,

When the ostriches gathered there, folding their wrappings—

the buttercup bends its side and entwines with the laurel,

The doe and roebuck twisted and mingled confusedly—

بأطْيَبَ نَشْراً منْ شَمائِلِهِ التي

بأطْيَبَ نَشْراً منْ شَمائِلِهِ التي

تَنُمُّ بِرَيّاها على العَنْبَرِ الوَرْدِ

تَنُمُّ بِرَيّاها على العَنْبَرِ الوَرْدِ

is sweeter in fragrance than his virtues, which

With the sweetest aroma of his features

betray, by their perfume, rose-hued ambergris.

Growing with its greenery in the rosebuds—

أغَرُّ إذا هَزَّتْهُ نَغْمَةُ مُعْتَفٍ

أغَرُّ إذا هَزَّتْهُ نَغْمَةُ مُعْتَفٍ

تَبَلَّجَ عنْ أُكْرومَةٍ وندىً عِدِّ

تَبَلَّجَ عنْ أُكْرومَةٍ وندىً عِدِّ

Radiant-faced, when a supplicant's voice stirs him,

I yearned when the tune of a lute struck him

he beams with a noble gift and inexhaustible bounty.

And he shone through an 'ukruma robe and dewy splendor—

إليكَ زَجَرْتُ العِيسَ بين عِصابَةٍ

إليكَ زَجَرْتُ العِيسَ بين عِصابَةٍ

كُهولٍ وشُبّان وأغْلِمةٍ مُرْدِ

كُهولٍ وشُبّان وأغْلِمةٍ مُرْدِ

Toward you I urged the tawny-white camels, amid a band

To you I drove the camels through a horde

of middle-aged men, young men, and beardless boys,

Of mature, young, and beardless men—

تَخوضُ خُدارِيَّ الظّلامِ بأوْجُهٍ

تَخوضُ خُدارِيَّ الظّلامِ بأوْجُهٍ

تُقايِضُ غَيَّ الدّاعِرِيَّةِ بالرُّشْدِ

تُقايِضُ غَيَّ الدّاعِرِيَّةِ بالرُّشْدِ

wading through pitch-black night with faces

They penetrate the darkness' pavilions with faces

that trade the candle's errancy for true guidance,

That trade the blindness of Du'ayriya for composure—

على كُلِّ فَتْلاءِ الذِّراعِ كأنّها

على كُلِّ فَتْلاءِ الذِّراعِ كأنّها

منْ الضُّمْرِ شِلْوُ الأصْبَحيِّ منَ القِدِّ

منْ الضُّمْرِ شِلْوُ الأصْبَحيِّ منَ القِدِّ

on every sinewy-forelegged she-camel, as though she were

On each muscle of the forearm as though it were

a piece of an Asbahi leather whip, so lean is she.

TheSyncytium of the early morning from plaited fibers—

تَرَكْنا وَراءَ الرّمْلِ دارَ إقامَةٍ

تَرَكْنا وَراءَ الرّمْلِ دارَ إقامَةٍ

ملأْتُ بِها كَفَّيَّ منْ لَبَدِ الأُسْدِ

ملأْتُ بِها كَفَّيَّ منْ لَبَدِ الأُسْدِ

We left beyond the sands a settled home

We left behind, beyond the sands, an abode

where I filled both my hands with lions' manes.

Where I filled my hands with the lion's fangs—

ولولاكَ لم تَخطرْ بِبالي قَصائِدٌ

ولولاكَ لم تَخطرْ بِبالي قَصائِدٌ

هَوابِطُ في غَوْرٍ طَوالِعُ منْ نَجْدِ

هَوابِطُ في غَوْرٍ طَوالِعُ منْ نَجْدِ

But for you, no odes would have crossed my mind,

Were it not for you, no descending poems in a valley

descending into Ghawr, rising from Najd.

Or rising from Nejd would have crossed my mind—

لَحِقْتُ بِها شأْوَ المُجيدينَ قَبْلَها

لَحِقْتُ بِها شأْوَ المُجيدينَ قَبْلَها

وهَيْهاتَ أن يُؤْتَى بأمثالِها بَعْدي

وهَيْهاتَ أن يُؤْتَى بأمثالِها بَعْدي

With them I have matched the reach of the earlier masters,

I would have attained, before them, the glory of the excellent

and far be it that their like be brought forth after me.

And alas, none like them will be brought after me—

فهُنَّ عَذارى مَهْرُها الوُدُّ لا الندىً

فهُنَّ عَذارى مَهْرُها الوُدُّ لا الندىً

وما كُلُّ مَنْ يُعْزى إِلى الشِّعْرِ يَسْتَجْدي

وما كُلُّ مَنْ يُعْزى إِلى الشِّعْرِ يَسْتَجْدي

For they are virgins whose bride-price is love, not largesse,

They are maidens whose bride-price is love, not rain,

and not everyone affiliated with poetry begs for gifts.

And not all who are credited with poetry seek gifts—