أَقولُ لِعَنسٍ كَالعَلاةِ أَمونِ

أَقولُ لِعَنسٍ كَالعَلاةِ أَمونِ

مُضَبَّرَةٍ في نِسعَةٍ وَوَضينِ

مُضَبَّرَةٍ في نِسعَةٍ وَوَضينِ

I say to a sturdy she-camel, anvil-like and dependable,

I say to a coquettish idol like the towering palm tree

Thick-muscled, within a saddle strap and woven girth:

Embroidered in luxury and comfort

تَقي السَيفَ إِن جاوَزتِ قُلَّةَ ساطِحٍ

تَقي السَيفَ إِن جاوَزتِ قُلَّةَ ساطِحٍ

وَضَمَّكِ وَالمَعروفَ بَطنُ طَرونِ

وَضَمَّكِ وَالمَعروفَ بَطنُ طَرونِ

Beware the sword if you pass Satih's summit

Beware of the sword if you go beyond the boundary of a chief

And Tarun's valley enfolds you and goodness together.

Who will protect you, and virtue is the belly of the noble stead

وَلا توغِلي في أَرسَناسَ فَتَعثُري

وَلا توغِلي في أَرسَناسَ فَتَعثُري

بِمُندَرِسِ الأَحجارِ ثَمَّ دَفينِ

بِمُندَرِسِ الأَحجارِ ثَمَّ دَفينِ

Do not venture deep into Arsanas, lest you stumble

Do not delve deep into the citadels lest you stumble

Upon one buried there beneath weathered stones.

On worn out stones, then buried

فَغَيرُ عَجيبٍ إِن رَأَيتيهِ أَن تَرى

فَغَيرُ عَجيبٍ إِن رَأَيتيهِ أَن تَرى

تَلَهُّبَ ضَربٍ في شَواكِ مُبينِ

تَلَهُّبَ ضَربٍ في شَواكِ مُبينِ

For it is no wonder, if you see him, that you should see

It is not strange if you see it, that you see

The blaze of unmistakable blows upon your limbs.

The flames of adversity in clear thorns

حَنيني إِلى ذاكَ القَليبِ وَلَوعَتي

حَنيني إِلى ذاكَ القَليبِ وَلَوعَتي

عَلَيهِ وَقَلَّت لَوعَتي وَحَنيني

عَلَيهِ وَقَلَّت لَوعَتي وَحَنيني

My yearning for that well-pit, and my anguish

My yearning for that heart, and my agony over it

Over him—yet scant are my anguish and yearning!

My agony intensified and my yearning

أَعاذِلَتي ما الدَمعُ مِن فَرطِ صَبوَةٍ

أَعاذِلَتي ما الدَمعُ مِن فَرطِ صَبوَةٍ

وَلا مِن تَنائي خُلَّةٍ فَذَريني

وَلا مِن تَنائي خُلَّةٍ فَذَريني

O my reproacher, these tears are not from excessive passion,

My eyes reproach not from excessive flowing tears

Nor from a beloved's distance, so leave me be.

Nor from the emergence of seclusion, so leave me

وَلا تَسأَلي عَمّا بَكَيتُ فَإِنَّهُ

وَلا تَسأَلي عَمّا بَكَيتُ فَإِنَّهُ

عَلى ماءِ وَجهي جادَ ماءُ جُفوني

عَلى ماءِ وَجهي جادَ ماءُ جُفوني

And do not ask what I wept over, for

Do not ask what made me cry, for verily

My eyelids' water poured out for my face's water—my honor.

What poured from my eyes, made my eyelids flow

خَلا أَمَلي مِن يوسُفَ بنِ مُحَمَّدٍ

خَلا أَمَلي مِن يوسُفَ بنِ مُحَمَّدٍ

وَأَوحَشَ فِكري بَعدَهُ وَظُنوني

وَأَوحَشَ فِكري بَعدَهُ وَظُنوني

My hope was emptied of Yusuf ibn Muhammad,

Except my hope in Yusuf ibn Muhammad

And my thoughts and expectations grew desolate after him.

Which desolated my thoughts after him and suspicions

فَوا سوءَتي تَردى وَأَحيا وَلَم أَكُن

فَوا سوءَتي تَردى وَأَحيا وَلَم أَكُن

عَلى عِذرَةٍ مِن قَبلِها بِظَنينِ

عَلى عِذرَةٍ مِن قَبلِها بِظَنينِ

Alas, my shame! You perish while I live, though I had never

So evil is my misfortune that relapsed, and I live and was not

Before this been mistrusted in offering an excuse.

Expecting any excuse before it with assurance

وَكانَ يَدي شُلَّت وَنَفسي تُخُرِّمَت

وَكانَ يَدي شُلَّت وَنَفسي تُخُرِّمَت

وَدُنيايَ بانَت يَومَ بانَ وَديني

وَدُنيايَ بانَت يَومَ بانَ وَديني

He was my hand, now paralyzed, and my soul, now snatched away,

My hand was paralyzed, my soul wrecked

And my world, which departed the day he did, and my faith.

And my world was destroyed the day my faith was destroyed

فَوا أَسَفي أَلّا أَكونَ شَهِدتُهُ

فَوا أَسَفي أَلّا أَكونَ شَهِدتُهُ

فَخاسَت شِمالي عِندَهُ وَيَميني

فَخاسَت شِمالي عِندَهُ وَيَميني

Alas, my sorrow that I was not there with him,

Oh my regret that I did not witness him

So that my left hand and my right might have rotted beside him;

So my left hand failed with him and my right

وَأَلّا لَقيتُ المَوتَ أَحمَرَ دونَهُ

وَأَلّا لَقيتُ المَوتَ أَحمَرَ دونَهُ

كَما كانَ يَلقى الدَهرَ أَغبَرَ دوني

كَما كانَ يَلقى الدَهرَ أَغبَرَ دوني

And that I did not meet red death in his defense,

And that I did not meet death ruddier than him

As he used to face dust-gray Time in mine.

As fate used to meet me more cowardly than him

وَإِنَّ بَقائي بَعدَهُ لَخِيانَةٌ

وَإِنَّ بَقائي بَعدَهُ لَخِيانَةٌ

وَما كُنتُ يَوماً قَبلَهُ بِخَئونِ

وَما كُنتُ يَوماً قَبلَهُ بِخَئونِ

And my survival after him is surely treachery,

And that remaining after him is a betrayal

And before his passing I was never treacherous.

And I was never before him a traitor

فَلا ثَأرَ حَتّى تَطلُعَ الخَيلُ مُرتَقى

فَلا ثَأرَ حَتّى تَطلُعَ الخَيلُ مُرتَقى

خُوَيتُ بِأُسدٍ في السَنَوَّرِ جونِ

خُوَيتُ بِأُسدٍ في السَنَوَّرِ جونِ

There is no vengeance until the horses climb the ascent

There will be no rest until the horses rise up

Of Khuwayt, bearing dark lions in armor;

I was wronged with a lion in the courtyard of Joun

وَحَتّى تُصيبَ المُرهَفاتُ بِساطِحٍ

وَحَتّى تُصيبَ المُرهَفاتُ بِساطِحٍ

شِفاءَ النُفوسِ مِن طُلىً وَشُؤونِ

شِفاءَ النُفوسِ مِن طُلىً وَشُؤونِ

And until the keen blades at Satih attain

Until the swift she-camels strike Saatih

Healing for souls from necks and skull-seams;

Healing the souls from wounds and sorrows

وَحَتّى تُحَشَّ النارُ ما بَينَ أَرزَنٍ

وَحَتّى تُحَشَّ النارُ ما بَينَ أَرزَنٍ

وَأَرضِ جُواخٍ مِن قُرىً وَحُصونِ

وَأَرضِ جُواخٍ مِن قُرىً وَحُصونِ

And until fire is fed with all that lies between Arzan

Until the fire fills what is between Arzan

And the land of Juwakh—villages and fortresses;

And the land of Juwakh of towns and fortresses

وَحَتّى يَنالُ السَيفُ موسى فَيَختَلي

وَحَتّى يَنالُ السَيفُ موسى فَيَختَلي

جُزازَةَ عِلجٍ بِالتُخومِ سَمينِ

جُزازَةَ عِلجٍ بِالتُخومِ سَمينِ

And until the sword reaches Musa and shears

Until the sword takes Musa to split

The tuft of a fat barbarian at the frontiers.

The meat of Ilj by the borders, plump

أَأَللَهَ تَرجونَ البَقاءَ وَقَد جَرَت

أَأَللَهَ تَرجونَ البَقاءَ وَقَد جَرَت

دِماءٌ لَنا فيكُم قُضينَ لِحينِ

دِماءٌ لَنا فيكُم قُضينَ لِحينِ

By God, do you hope to survive, when there has flowed

Will you seek survival after our blood has flowed

Blood of ours among you, consigned to destruction?

Among you, fulfilling the decree for a time?

فَأَينَ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ فَإِنَّهُ

فَأَينَ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ فَإِنَّهُ

كَفيلي عَلى ما ساءَكُم وَضَميني

كَفيلي عَلى ما ساءَكُم وَضَميني

Where, then, is the Commander of the Faithful? For he

So where is the Commander of the Faithful? Verily he

Is my guarantor for what will grieve you, and my surety.

Is my guarantor for what displeased you and my ally

سَتَأتيكُمُ الجُردُ الخَناذيذُ تَقتَري

سَتَأتيكُمُ الجُردُ الخَناذيذُ تَقتَري

جُنوبَ سُهولٍ في الفَلا وَحُزونِ

جُنوبَ سُهولٍ في الفَلا وَحُزونِ

The sleek thoroughbreds will come to you, traversing

The small emaciated horses will come to you

The flanks of plains and rugged lands in the wilderness,

Grazing the flanks of plains in desolation and grief

عَوابِسَ تَغشى الرَوعَ في كُلِّ ماقِطٍ

عَوابِسَ تَغشى الرَوعَ في كُلِّ ماقِطٍ

مُناقِلَةً فيهِ بِأُسدِ عَرينِ

مُناقِلَةً فيهِ بِأُسدِ عَرينِ

Grim-faced, plunging into terror on every battlefield,

Frowning, covering the expanse in every scattered region

Shifting their strides there, bearing lions of the lair,

Moving among them with the lions of the lair

طَوالِبَ ثَأرٍ مِن فَتىً غَيرَ واهِنٍ

طَوالِبَ ثَأرٍ مِن فَتىً غَيرَ واهِنٍ

وَلا وَكَلٍ في النائِباتِ مَهينِ

وَلا وَكَلٍ في النائِباتِ مَهينِ

Seeking vengeance for a young man who was neither feeble

Seeking revenge of a steadfast hero

Nor helpless or abject amid calamities;

Not submissive in disasters, not disgraced

مَعارِكِ حَربٍ لا يَزالُ مُوَكَّلاً

مَعارِكِ حَربٍ لا يَزالُ مُوَكَّلاً

بِقُطبِ رَحىً لِلدارِعينَ طُحونِ

بِقُطبِ رَحىً لِلدارِعينَ طُحونِ

A veteran of war, ever entrusted

Arenas of war ceaselessly commissioned

With the axle of a mill that grinds men in armor;

With the pole of the millstone for the combatants to grind

وَسائِسُ جَيشٍ يَرجَعُ الحَزمَ وَالحِجى

وَسائِسُ جَيشٍ يَرجَعُ الحَزمَ وَالحِجى

إِلى شِدَّةٍ مِن جانِبَيهِ وَلينِ

إِلى شِدَّةٍ مِن جانِبَيهِ وَلينِ

And an army's commander, who brings prudence and reason

And the leader of an army who restores reason and dignity

To firmness and gentleness on his two sides.

To the firmness of its flanks and softness

رَأى المَوتَ رَأيَ العَينِ لا سِترَ دونَهُ

رَأى المَوتَ رَأيَ العَينِ لا سِترَ دونَهُ

وَما مَوتُ شَكٍّ مِثلُ مَوتِ يَقينِ

وَما مَوتُ شَكٍّ مِثلُ مَوتِ يَقينِ

He saw death with his own eyes, no veil before it,

He saw death as clearly as the eye sees, with no veil before it

And doubtful death is not like certain death.

And the death of certainty is not like the death of doubt

وَقيلَ اُنجُ مِن غَمّائِها فَأَبَت لَهُ

وَقيلَ اُنجُ مِن غَمّائِها فَأَبَت لَهُ

سَجِيَّةُ شَكسٍ في اللِقاءِ حَرونِ

سَجِيَّةُ شَكسٍ في اللِقاءِ حَرونِ

And he was told, "Escape its turmoil!" Yet he was denied

And it was said "escape from its sorrows" but for him

By a nature stubborn in battle and unyielding.

The nature of a steadfast lion in battle refused

وَلَمّا اِستَخَفّوا لِلنَجاءِ تَوَقَّرَت

وَلَمّا اِستَخَفّوا لِلنَجاءِ تَوَقَّرَت

جَوانِبُ ثَبتٍ لِلسُيوفِ رَكينِ

جَوانِبُ ثَبتٍ لِلسُيوفِ رَكينِ

And when they hastened lightly to escape, there stood firm

And when they took lightly surviving, the sides

The flanks of a steadfast man, unshaken before swords.

Of firmness recoiled for the swords, pillar-like

وَقى كَتِفَيهِ وَالرِماحُ شَوارِعٌ

وَقى كَتِفَيهِ وَالرِماحُ شَوارِعٌ

بِثُغرَةِ نَحرٍ واضِحٍ وَجَبينِ

بِثُغرَةِ نَحرٍ واضِحٍ وَجَبينِ

He shielded his shoulders, while the spears were leveled,

He protected his shoulders as the spears poured

With the hollow of his fair throat and his brow.

Into the gaping wound of his clear neck

أَأَنساكَ أَم أَنسى مُصابَكَ بَعدَما

أَأَنساكَ أَم أَنسى مُصابَكَ بَعدَما

عَلِقتُ بِحَبلٍ مِن نَداكَ مَتينِ

عَلِقتُ بِحَبلٍ مِن نَداكَ مَتينِ

Shall I forget you, or forget your tragic loss, after

Did I forget you after what

I clung to a strong rope of your generosity?

I held fast to a rope from your call, tenacious?

وَلَو كُنتَ ذا عِلمٍ بِفَرطِ صَبابَتي

وَلَو كُنتَ ذا عِلمٍ بِفَرطِ صَبابَتي

وَما عِلمُ ثاوٍ في التُرابِ دَفينِ

وَما عِلمُ ثاوٍ في التُرابِ دَفينِ

And if you knew the intensity of my yearning—

If you had knowledge of my overflowing passion

Yet what knowledge has one lying buried in the dust?—

And the knowledge of soil in burial, hidden

تَيَقَّنتَ أَنَّ العَينَ جِدُّ غَزيرَةٍ

تَيَقَّنتَ أَنَّ العَينَ جِدُّ غَزيرَةٍ

عَلَيكَ وَأَنَّ القَلبَ جِدُّ حَزينِ

عَلَيكَ وَأَنَّ القَلبَ جِدُّ حَزينِ

You would know for certain that my eye is truly overflowing

You would be certain that the eye is genuinely

For you, and that my heart is truly sorrowful.

Flowing over you and the heart genuinely grieving

إِذا أَنا لَم أَشكُركَ نُعماكَ بِالبُكا

إِذا أَنا لَم أَشكُركَ نُعماكَ بِالبُكا

فَلَستُ عَلى نُعمى اِمرِئٍ بِأَمينِ

فَلَستُ عَلى نُعمى اِمرِئٍ بِأَمينِ

If I do not thank you for your bounty with weeping,

When I do not thank you for your blessings with tears

Then I am not faithful to any man's kindness.

Then I am not over my blessings a trustee