لا يَرِم رَبعَكَ السَحابَ يَجودُه

لا يَرِم رَبعَكَ السَحابَ يَجودُه

تَبتَدي سوقَهُ الصَبا وَتَقودُه

تَبتَدي سوقَهُ الصَبا وَتَقودُه

May the clouds never leave your dwelling, but rain their bounty upon it.

May the cloud never leave your dwelling, drenching it;

The east wind first drives them, then leads them onward.

the east wind begins driving it and guides it.

غَدِقَن يَستَجِدُّ صَنعَةَ رَوضٍ

غَدِقَن يَستَجِدُّ صَنعَةَ رَوضٍ

صَنعَةَ البُردِ عامِلٌ يَستَجيدُه

صَنعَةَ البُردِ عامِلٌ يَستَجيدُه

A copious downpour renews the artistry of a garden—

Abundant with rain, it renews a meadow's workmanship,

the artistry of a figured robe elaborately patterned by a craftsman.

as a craftsman perfects the making of a striped mantle.

كُلَّما بَكَّرَت عَلَيهِ سَماءٌ

كُلَّما بَكَّرَت عَلَيهِ سَماءٌ

حيكَ إِفرِندُهُ وَصيغَ فَريدُه

حيكَ إِفرِندُهُ وَصيغَ فَريدُه

Whenever a raincloud comes early over it,

Whenever a rain cloud comes upon it at dawn,

its lustrous pattern is woven, its peerless fabric fashioned.

its brocade is woven and its pearls are fashioned.

قَد أَراهُ مَغنىً لِأَرآمِ سِربٍ

قَد أَراهُ مَغنىً لِأَرآمِ سِربٍ

مائِلاتٍ إِلى التَصابي خُدودُه

مائِلاتٍ إِلى التَصابي خُدودُه

I have seen it as a haunt for a herd of white gazelles,

Indeed, I see it as a haunt for a herd of gazelles,

its cheeks inclined toward youthful dalliance—

their cheeks inclined toward youthful dalliance.

مِن غَزالٍ يَصيدُني أَو غَزالٍ

مِن غَزالٍ يَصيدُني أَو غَزالٍ

يَتَأَبّى مُمانِعَن لا أَصيدُه

يَتَأَبّى مُمانِعَن لا أَصيدُه

one gazelle hunting me, another gazelle

Among them, a gazelle that hunts me, or a gazelle

holding coyly aloof, resisting so I cannot hunt him.

that holds aloof, resisting, whom I cannot hunt.

يَسَّرَتني لَهُ الصَبابَةُ حَتّى اِسـ

يَسَّرَتني لَهُ الصَبابَةُ حَتّى اِسـ

ـتَأسَرَت مُقلَتاهُ لُبّي وَجيدُه

ـتَأسَرَت مُقلَتاهُ لُبّي وَجيدُه

My passion for him delights me until his—

Passion made me easy prey for him, until

—eyes and graceful neck take my heart captive.

his eyes and neck took my mind captive.

خَلَقُ العَيشِ في المَشيبِ وَإِن كا

خَلَقُ العَيشِ في المَشيبِ وَإِن كا

نَ نَضيراً وَفي الشَبابِ جَديدُه

نَ نَضيراً وَفي الشَبابِ جَديدُه

Life in gray old age is threadbare, even if it is—

Life is threadbare in gray-haired age, though it be

—fresh; in youth, it is new.

fresh; its newness lies in youth.

لَيتَ أَنَّ الأَيّامَ قامَ عَلَيها

لَيتَ أَنَّ الأَيّامَ قامَ عَلَيها

مِن إِذا اِنقَضى زَمانٌ يُعيدُه

مِن إِذا اِنقَضى زَمانٌ يُعيدُه

Would that there stood over the days

Would that the days had someone watching over them,

one who, whenever an age had passed, would restore it.

who restores an age whenever it passes.

وَلَو أَنَّ البَقاءَ يَختارُ فينا

وَلَو أَنَّ البَقاءَ يَختارُ فينا

كانَ ما تَهدِمُ اللَيالي تَشيدُه

كانَ ما تَهدِمُ اللَيالي تَشيدُه

And if immortality could choose among us,

And if lasting life could choose among us,

it would rebuild whatever the nights tear down.

the nights would rebuild what they tear down.

شَيَّخَتني الخُطوبُ إِلّا بَقايا

شَيَّخَتني الخُطوبُ إِلّا بَقايا

مِن شَبابٍ لَم يَبقَ إِلّا شَريدُه

مِن شَبابٍ لَم يَبقَ إِلّا شَريدُه

Calamities have aged me, save for remnants

Calamities have aged me, save for remnants

of youth, of which only a fugitive survives.

of youth, of which only a stray remnant remains.

لا تُنَقِّب عَنِ الصِبا فَخَليقٌ

لا تُنَقِّب عَنِ الصِبا فَخَليقٌ

إِن طَلَبناهُ أَن يَعِزَّ وُجودُه

إِن طَلَبناهُ أَن يَعِزَّ وُجودُه

Do not search deeply for youth; it is likely,

Do not search for youth, for it is likely,

if we seek it, to prove hard to find.

if we seek it, that finding it will be hard.

يا أَبا بَكرٍ الَّذي إِن تَغِب با

يا أَبا بَكرٍ الَّذي إِن تَغِب با

كِرَةُ القَطرِ يَغنِ عَنها شُهودُه

كِرَةُ القَطرِ يَغنِ عَنها شُهودُه

O Abu Bakr, whose presence, if the rain’s early—

O Abu Bakr, who, if the early

—shower is absent, suffices in its stead.

rain is absent, replaces it with his presence.

نِعَمُ اللَهِ عِندَهُ وَعَلَيهِ

نِعَمُ اللَهِ عِندَهُ وَعَلَيهِ

عَلَلٌ ما يُبَلُّ مِنها حَسودُه

عَلَلٌ ما يُبَلُّ مِنها حَسودُه

God’s blessings attend him and rest upon him—

God's blessings are with him and upon him,

draught after draught, from which his envier never recovers.

repeated draughts from which his envier finds no refreshment.

حَسَنٌ مِنكَ أَن يَصورَ قَناتي

حَسَنٌ مِنكَ أَن يَصورَ قَناتي

مَيَلانُ الزَمانِ أَو تَأويدُه

مَيَلانُ الزَمانِ أَو تَأويدُه

Is it fair of you that my spear-shaft should be bent

Is it right of you that my spear-shaft be bent

by time’s swaying, or its oppressive weight?

by time's swerving or its warping?

يَذهَبُ الدَهرُ بَينَنا تَتَوالى

يَذهَبُ الدَهرُ بَينَنا تَتَوالى

بيضُهُ لَم تُوالِ نَفعاً وَسودُه

بيضُهُ لَم تُوالِ نَفعاً وَسودُه

Time passes between us, in succession

Time passes between us; there follow, one by one,

its white days and black nights, yielding no benefit.

its bright days and dark, yielding no continuing benefit.

وَأَرى أَنَّني أَكيدُ بِكَ الأَمـ

وَأَرى أَنَّني أَكيدُ بِكَ الأَمـ

ـرَ الَّذي لا أَراكَ بِتَّ تَكيدُه

ـرَ الَّذي لا أَراكَ بِتَّ تَكيدُه

I see myself seeking through you to secure the mat—

And I see that I seek, through you, to outwit the trouble

—ter that I do not see you spending the night to secure.

that I do not see you staying up to outwit.

أَيُّ حَمدٍ تَحوزُهُ إِن تَعايَيـ

أَيُّ حَمدٍ تَحوزُهُ إِن تَعايَيـ

ـتَ بِشَأني أَم أَيُّ ذِكرٍ تُفيدُه

ـتَ بِشَأني أَم أَيُّ ذِكرٍ تُفيدُه

What praise will you win if you take—

What praise will you win if you prove helpless

—pains over my affair? What renown will you gain?

in my affair, or what renown will you gain?

قَد يُنَسّي الصَديقَ عَمدُ تَناسيـ

قَد يُنَسّي الصَديقَ عَمدُ تَناسيـ

ـهِ وَيُسلى عَنِ الحَبيبِ صُدودُه

ـهِ وَيُسلى عَنِ الحَبيبِ صُدودُه

A friend’s deliberate feigning of forgetful—

A friend's deliberate neglect may make one forget him;

—ness may make one forget him; a beloved’s rejection consoles one for his loss.

a beloved's rejection can console one for his loss.

وَالفَتى مَن إِذا تَزَيَّدَ خَطبٌ

وَالفَتى مَن إِذا تَزَيَّدَ خَطبٌ

أَشرَقَت راحَتاهُ وَاِهتَزَّ عودُه

أَشرَقَت راحَتاهُ وَاِهتَزَّ عودُه

The true gallant is he whose palms, when calamity mounts,

And the noble man is one who, when calamity grows,

shine with giving, while his frame stirs vigorously.

has palms that shine and a bough that stirs.

لا اللَفا رَفدُهُ وَلا خَبَرَ الغَي

لا اللَفا رَفدُهُ وَلا خَبَرَ الغَي

بِ نَداهُ وَلا النَسيئَةُ جودُه

بِ نَداهُ وَلا النَسيئَةُ جودُه

His aid is no paltry scrap, nor is his generosity mere news of the un—

His gift is no paltry trifle, nor his bounty a report

—seen, nor is his bounty a deferred payment.

of the unseen, nor his generosity something deferred.

كَأَبي الصَقرِ حينَ أَشياخُ بَكرٍ

كَأَبي الصَقرِ حينَ أَشياخُ بَكرٍ

فارِطوهُ إِلى العُلا وَوُفودُه

فارِطوهُ إِلى العُلا وَوُفودُه

Such is Abu al-Saqr, when Bakr’s elders

Like Abu al-Saqr, when the elders of Bakr

and its delegations preceded him toward glory.

are his forerunners to glory and his deputations.

مُبتَدي سُؤدُدٍ وَشانوهُ أَتبا

مُبتَدي سُؤدُدٍ وَشانوهُ أَتبا

عٌ وَمَولىً وَالكاشِحونَ عَبيدُه

عٌ وَمَولىً وَالكاشِحونَ عَبيدُه

An originator of lordship: those who hate him are follow—

A founder of eminence, whose detractors are followers,

—ers and clients, while spiteful foes are his slaves.

and a lord, whose haters are his slaves.

وَلَقَد سادَ مُفضِلينَ وَأَعلى

وَلَقَد سادَ مُفضِلينَ وَأَعلى

مُستَقَرّاً مِن سَيِّدٍ مَن يَسودُه

مُستَقَرّاً مِن سَيِّدٍ مَن يَسودُه

Indeed, he has ruled men of merit and raised

He has indeed become lord of generous men; and higher

his stations above those of every lord he rules.

in station than a lord is one whom he rules.

كَيفَ يُرضيكَ مِنهُ تَنكيبُهُ

كَيفَ يُرضيكَ مِنهُ تَنكيبُهُ

عَنّي فَلا نَيلُهُ وَلا مَوعودُه

عَنّي فَلا نَيلُهُ وَلا مَوعودُه

How can you be pleased by his turning aside

How can you be pleased by his turning away

from me, so that neither his gift nor his promise reaches me?

from me—with neither his gift nor his promise?

وَهُوَ الغَيثُ مُستَهِلّاً إِذا الغَيـ

وَهُوَ الغَيثُ مُستَهِلّاً إِذا الغَيـ

ـثُ مِطِلّاً حَليفُهُ وَعَقيدُه

ـثُ مِطِلّاً حَليفُهُ وَعَقيدُه

He is the raincloud, pouring freely when the rain it—

Yet he is pouring rain when the rain—

—self delays—its sworn ally and confederate.

his ally and sworn companion—is slow to come,

وَإِنِ اِلتَحتُ مِن شَآبيبِهِ وَاِنحَز

وَإِنِ اِلتَحتُ مِن شَآبيبِهِ وَاِنحَز

تُ عَن غَضِّ نَبتِهِ لا أَرودُه

تُ عَن غَضِّ نَبتِهِ لا أَرودُه

Though I sought shelter from his showers and with—

even though I thirst far from his showers and have withdrawn

—drew from his tender growth, I do not seek him.

from his tender growth, seeking no pasture there.

غُزرَهُ وِجهَةَ العِدى وَتِجاهي

غُزرَهُ وِجهَةَ العِدى وَتِجاهي

خُلفَ إيماضِ بَرقِهِ وَخُمودُه

خُلفَ إيماضِ بَرقِهِ وَخُمودُه

His copious rain faces the enemy; toward me there is only

His abundance flows toward my foes, while toward me

the broken promise of his lightning’s flash and its dying.

come the false promise of his lightning's flash, and its fading.

رَكَدَت راحَتاهُ عَنّي وَلَن يَنفَ

رَكَدَت راحَتاهُ عَنّي وَلَن يَنفَ

عَكَ البَحرُ ما تَمادى رُكودُه

عَكَ البَحرُ ما تَمادى رُكودُه

His palms have grown still toward me, and never will the sea bene—

His palms lie idle toward me; the sea will not

—fit you while its stillness lasts.

benefit you while its stillness endures.

لَم يَسِر ذِكرُ ما أَنالَ وَقَد سا

لَم يَسِر ذِكرُ ما أَنالَ وَقَد سا

رَ مِنَ الشِعرِ في البِلادِ قَصيدُه

رَ مِنَ الشِعرِ في البِلادِ قَصيدُه

No report has traveled of what he granted me, although there has trav—

No report of what he bestowed has spread, though

—eled among the poetry of every land an ode praising him.

the ode for him has traveled throughout the lands.

عَلَّ عُذراً يَدنو بِهِ مِن مَداهُ

عَلَّ عُذراً يَدنو بِهِ مِن مَداهُ

في نَداهُ أَو عَلَّ ثِقلاً يَؤودُه

في نَداهُ أَو عَلَّ ثِقلاً يَؤودُه

Offer an excuse by which he may draw near the furthest reach

Perhaps an excuse keeps him short of his full reach

of his generosity—or perhaps a burden weighs him down.

in generosity, or perhaps a burden weighs him down.

لا أُعَنّيهِ بِاِقتِضاءٍ وَلا أُر

لا أُعَنّيهِ بِاِقتِضاءٍ وَلا أُر

هِقَهُ طالِباً وَلا أَستَزيدُه

هِقَهُ طالِباً وَلا أَستَزيدُه

I do not trouble him by demanding payment, nor do I bur—

I do not trouble him by pressing a claim, nor

—den him as a petitioner or ask him for more,

burden him as a petitioner, nor ask him for more,

خَشيَةً أَن أَرى الَّذي لا يَراهُ

خَشيَةً أَن أَرى الَّذي لا يَراهُ

لي أَو أَن أُريدَ ما لا يُريدُه

لي أَو أَن أُريدَ ما لا يُريدُه

for fear that I may see what he does not see

for fear that I may expect what he does not consider

for me, or that I may desire what he does not desire.

due to me, or desire what he does not desire.