قِفا واِنظراني كي نزورَ ونسألا

قِفا واِنظراني كي نزورَ ونسألا

مقاماً من الأحباب مربعُه خلا

مقاماً من الأحباب مربعُه خلا

Halt, you two, and look with me, that we may visit and ask—

Stop, both of you, and wait for me, that we may visit and ask

a dwelling of the beloved, whose campsite now lies empty.

a dwelling of loved ones whose spring campsite lies empty.

مقام تعفَّى من خليطٍ تحمَّلُوا

مقام تعفَّى من خليطٍ تحمَّلُوا

وكانوا به من قبل ذلك نُزَّلا

وكانوا به من قبل ذلك نُزَّلا

A dwelling effaced since the companions departed,

A faded dwelling of companions who departed,

though once they had lodged there.

and before then they had been lodgers there.

تحمَّل صبري واِستطارت حشاشتي

تحمَّل صبري واِستطارت حشاشتي

غداةَ فريق الحيِّ منه تحمَّلا

غداةَ فريق الحيِّ منه تحمَّلا

My endurance departed, and my very heart flew apart

My patience departed, and my remaining life flew away

the morning a band of the tribe left that place.

on the morning the clan's company departed from it.

ولولا هوى أسما لما زرتُ رسمَه

ولولا هوى أسما لما زرتُ رسمَه

ولا اِنصبَّ دمعي في مغانيهِ مسبلا

ولا اِنصبَّ دمعي في مغانيهِ مسبلا

Were it not for love of Asma, I would not have visited its trace,

But for love of Asma, I would not have visited its traces,

nor would my tears have streamed over its abodes.

nor would my tears have poured in streams in its dwelling places.

فتاة لها أخلصت ودِّي ولوعتي

فتاة لها أخلصت ودِّي ولوعتي

وأكثرت نسيبي بها والتَّغزُّلا

وأكثرت نسيبي بها والتَّغزُّلا

A maiden to whom I gave my pure devotion and passion,

A maiden to whom I devoted my affection and burning longing,

and of whom I made abundant love-song and praise.

and composed much love poetry and amorous verse about her.

وضنَّت علينا بالسَّلامِ وحرَّمت

وضنَّت علينا بالسَّلامِ وحرَّمت

عَلينا بحكمِ الهجر شيئاً محلَّلا

عَلينا بحكمِ الهجر شيئاً محلَّلا

She grudged us even a greeting, and forbade

Yet she begrudged us a greeting, and forbade

by the law of estrangement what once had been lawful to us.

us, by estrangement's decree, something lawful.

فَما لها أبدت صدوداً لنا وقد

فَما لها أبدت صدوداً لنا وقد

سلبت عن محبٍّ قطّ ما سلا

سلبت عن محبٍّ قطّ ما سلا

Why has she shown us such aversion, after

Why, then, has she shown us aversion, when

stripping from a lover every comfort he possessed?

she has been taken from a lover who has never found solace?

فما اِحتَجبت عنّي ولا غاب شخصها

فما اِحتَجبت عنّي ولا غاب شخصها

من العينِ إِلّا في ضميري تمثَّلا

من العينِ إِلّا في ضميري تمثَّلا

She never veiled herself from me, nor did her figure vanish

She never hid from me, nor did her form vanish

from my eye—except to take shape within my breast.

from sight, without taking shape within my mind.

إِذا نفحت نشراً حكت في أريجها

إِذا نفحت نشراً حكت في أريجها

ونكهتها مسكاً ذكيّاً وصندَلا

ونكهتها مسكاً ذكيّاً وصندَلا

When she breathes fragrance, she rivals it in perfume,

When she wafts fragrance, she resembles, in her scent

and her breath is musk, fragrant sandalwood, and sweetness.

and her breath, strong-scented musk and sandalwood.

وإن وشّحت أو خلخلت خلن وشحها

وإن وشّحت أو خلخلت خلن وشحها

بها واِشتكى الخلخالُ منها المخلخلا

بها واِشتكى الخلخالُ منها المخلخلا

Whether she dons a sash or an anklet, they think her sash adorned by her,

And if she is girdled or ankleted, her sashes take pride

while the anklet complains of the ankleted beauty.

in her, while the anklet complains of her ankle.

تَفوقُ غزالَ الريم منها مقلَّدا

تَفوقُ غزالَ الريم منها مقلَّدا

ولحظاً بسحرِ الحسنِ منها مكحَّلا

ولحظاً بسحرِ الحسنِ منها مكحَّلا

She surpasses the gazelle of the sands in her necklace,

She surpasses the white gazelle in her neck,

and in her glance, darkened with the magic kohl of beauty.

and in her glance, kohled with beauty's magic.

لَها مبسمٌ عذبُ الرّضابِ كأنَّه

لَها مبسمٌ عذبُ الرّضابِ كأنَّه

يروحُ ويغدو بالعبير معلّلا

يروحُ ويغدو بالعبير معلّلا

She has a mouth of sweet saliva, as though

She has a smiling mouth with sweet saliva, as though it

it came and went continually perfumed with amber.

were refreshed with perfume each evening and morning.

فهيهات عنها القلبُ يذهل بعدما

فهيهات عنها القلبُ يذهل بعدما

قد اِتّخذت منه مقاماً ومنزِلا

قد اِتّخذت منه مقاماً ومنزِلا

Far from it—the heart cannot forget her, after

How could the heart ever forget her, after

she has made within it a dwelling and a home.

she has made it her dwelling and abode?

أرى كيف هذا الدهر أخلفَ طبعَهُ

أرى كيف هذا الدهر أخلفَ طبعَهُ

وأدبر عنِّي بعدَ ما كانَ مُقبلا

وأدبر عنِّي بعدَ ما كانَ مُقبلا

I see how Time has broken with its former nature

I see how this Time has changed its nature,

and turned away from me after once approaching.

and turned away from me after it had turned toward me.

فلا تتَّثق يوماً بما أنت في الوَرى

فلا تتَّثق يوماً بما أنت في الوَرى

له كنتَ من كدشِ الزَّمانِ محصّلا

له كنتَ من كدشِ الزَّمانِ محصّلا

Never put your trust in what you possess among humankind,

So never trust what you, among humankind,

however much of Time’s hard-won gain you have amassed.

have acquired through the toil of Time.

وإنّي حلبتُ الدَّهرَ ضرباً فتارةً

وإنّي حلبتُ الدَّهرَ ضرباً فتارةً

أمرَّ وطوراً في مذاقتِهِ حلا

أمرَّ وطوراً في مذاقتِهِ حلا

I have milked Time in two different ways: at times

And I have milked Time in one fashion: sometimes

it was bitter, and at times its taste was sweet.

it turned bitter, and at other times was sweet to the taste.

وحاسيت كأسيه جميعاً وكان لي

وحاسيت كأسيه جميعاً وكان لي

مزاجهما أريا لذيذاً وحنظلا

مزاجهما أريا لذيذاً وحنظلا

I tasted both its cups together, and for me

And I sipped both its cups, and to me

their mingling was honey, delicious—and colocynth.

their mixture was delicious honey and bitter colocynth.

تقدَّمني ناس فأصبحتُ آخراً

تقدَّمني ناس فأصبحتُ آخراً

على إثرهم من بعد ما كنتُ أوّلا

على إثرهم من بعد ما كنتُ أوّلا

Others passed ahead of me, and I became the last,

Some people went ahead of me, and I became last,

following them after I had once been first.

in their wake, after I had once been first.

وكم حاسد أضحى يلجلج مضغتي

وكم حاسد أضحى يلجلج مضغتي

وينظرني باللَّحظِ نظرة أحولا

وينظرني باللَّحظِ نظرة أحولا

How many an envier chews me like a morsel

And many an envier now chews my flesh,

and looks at me sidelong with a squinting gaze.

and eyes me with a cross-eyed stare.

ولا ذنب لي فيهِ سوى أنَّني له

ولا ذنب لي فيهِ سوى أنَّني له

سناد إذا ما الأمر أصبح معضلا

سناد إذا ما الأمر أصبح معضلا

Yet I bear no fault toward him except that I was

I have no fault toward him, except that I am his

his support whenever an affair became difficult.

support whenever the matter becomes intractable.

ولمَّا اِصطنعت الصبرَ في مستحقِّه

ولمَّا اِصطنعت الصبرَ في مستحقِّه

لنفسي وجدتُ الصبرَ للنفس أجملا

لنفسي وجدتُ الصبرَ للنفس أجملا

When I trained myself in patience where patience was due,

And when I cultivated patience where it was due

I found patience the fairest thing for the soul.

for myself, I found patience more becoming to the soul.

وربَّ رجاء خاب ممَّن رجوته

وربَّ رجاء خاب ممَّن رجوته

وقد كنتُ دونَ الناسِ منه مؤمّلا

وقد كنتُ دونَ الناسِ منه مؤمّلا

Many a hope has failed in one from whom I hoped,

And many a hope was dashed by one in whom I had hoped,

though beyond all others I had placed my hopes in him.

though I had hoped in him rather than in others.

ومن عاشر الأيّامَ دهراً فإنَّه

ومن عاشر الأيّامَ دهراً فإنَّه

على طائلِ الأيَّامِ لا بُدّ يُبتلى

على طائلِ الأيَّامِ لا بُدّ يُبتلى

Whoever keeps company with the days for a long age

And whoever keeps company with the days for a long time

must inevitably be tested by the vicissitudes of days.

must be tried over the long course of those days.

وأرضٌ من الغيطانِ قفراءُ هوجلٌ

وأرضٌ من الغيطانِ قفراءُ هوجلٌ

تواصل أرضاً وحشة البيدِ هوجلا

تواصل أرضاً وحشة البيدِ هوجلا

And a land among the lowlands—barren, vast, and desolate—

And a land among the lowlands, barren and trackless,

adjoining another land, a lonely, trackless waste.

adjoining another wild land of desert, vast and trackless—

قطعتُ فلاها واِرتكبتُ مخوفَها

قطعتُ فلاها واِرتكبتُ مخوفَها

بذات وصف صامت الكفِّ أفتلا

بذات وصف صامت الكفِّ أفتلا

I crossed its emptiness and braved its terrors

I crossed its wastes and braved its terrors

upon a taut-sinewed mount, firm-built and silent-footed.

on a she-camel described as silent-footed and broad-elbowed.

إذا خرجت من عسقلٍ متواصلٍ

إذا خرجت من عسقلٍ متواصلٍ

ولجَّت بها من بعدِ ذلكِ عسقلا

ولجَّت بها من بعدِ ذلكِ عسقلا

Whenever she emerged from one unbroken stretch of rugged going,

Whenever I emerged from an unbroken mirage,

she plunged with me into another after it.

I entered another mirage with her after that.

تمحنتها في السَّير حتّى أنختها

تمحنتها في السَّير حتّى أنختها

بباب مليكٍ خُصَّ بالمجدِ والعُلا

بباب مليكٍ خُصَّ بالمجدِ والعُلا

I pressed her onward through the march until I made her kneel

I tested her on the road until I made her kneel

at the door of a king uniquely endowed with glory and grandeur—

at the gate of a king singled out for glory and high rank,

بباب فلاح كعبة الوفدِ حيثُ لا

بباب فلاح كعبة الوفدِ حيثُ لا

يرى وفدُه روضَ السماحةِ ممحلا

يرى وفدُه روضَ السماحةِ ممحلا

at the door of Fallaj, the Kaaba of delegations, where

at Falah's gate, the delegations' Kaaba, where no

his visitors never find the meadow of generosity barren.

delegation of his sees generosity's garden barren.

فتى ما أتاه سائل منه مرتجي

فتى ما أتاه سائل منه مرتجي

جزيل العطا إلّا وأعطى وأجزلا

جزيل العطا إلّا وأعطى وأجزلا

A young lord: no petitioner seeking abundant bounty comes to him

A young man whom no petitioner approaches, seeking from him

without his giving—and giving lavishly.

abundant gifts, without his giving—and giving lavishly.

همامٌ بتاجِ الفخرِ أضحى متوّجاً

همامٌ بتاجِ الفخرِ أضحى متوّجاً

ويُمسي بإِكليل المعالي مكلّلا

ويُمسي بإِكليل المعالي مكلّلا

A great one who stands crowned with the diadem of pride

A great-hearted man, crowned by day with the crown of glory,

and passes the evening garlanded with the wreath of excellence.

and wreathed by evening with the garland of high honors.

متى تلقه تلق اِمرءاً متنبّهاً

متى تلقه تلق اِمرءاً متنبّهاً

أخا مشكلات قلّب القلب حوّلا

أخا مشكلات قلّب القلب حوّلا

Whenever you meet him, you meet a man alert,

Whenever you meet him, you meet an alert man,

a master of difficulties, discerning and resourceful.

one versed in difficulties, agile of heart and resourceful.

تناجيه آراء له عن سكينةٍ

تناجيه آراء له عن سكينةٍ

وحلم له لو قيس وزناً بيذبلا

وحلم له لو قيس وزناً بيذبلا

His counsels commune with him in tranquillity,

His thoughts whisper to him from serenity

and his forbearance, if weighed, would outweigh Yadhbul.

and his forbearance, which might be weighed against Yadhbul.

سطا في البغاة المعتدين بدولةٍ

سطا في البغاة المعتدين بدولةٍ

يصير لها الصعبُ الجموحُ مذلَّلا

يصير لها الصعبُ الجموحُ مذلَّلا

He struck the rebellious aggressors with a power

He struck at rebellious aggressors with a sovereign power

that makes every difficult, unbridled thing submit.

before which the unruly and headstrong become subdued.

وأصبح منهم كلُّ فحلٍ غشمشم

وأصبح منهم كلُّ فحلٍ غشمشم

تُحسّ به من شدّةِ الخوفِ أفكلا

تُحسّ به من شدّةِ الخوفِ أفكلا

Every mighty, overbearing champion among them became one

And every fierce stallion among them has become one

whom you could feel trembling from the intensity of fear.

in whom you sense a shudder from the force of fear.

إليك ابن نبهان المتوَّج جاوزت

إليك ابن نبهان المتوَّج جاوزت

بنا في السرى فجّاً من الأرضِ مجهلا

بنا في السرى فجّاً من الأرضِ مجهلا

To you, crowned Ibn Nabhan, I have journeyed,

Toward you, crowned Ibn Nabhan, she crossed

borne through the night across an unknown mountain pass.

with us by night a trackless pass through the land.

فما القول منك اليوم في شاعر حلا

فما القول منك اليوم في شاعر حلا

علاك قريضاً كالجمان مفصَّلا

علاك قريضاً كالجمان مفصَّلا

What, then, will you say today of a poet who has alighted before you?

What, then, will you say today of a poet who adorned

My verse has risen over you like a necklace of articulated pearls,

your high station with verse, strung like pearls,

وأولاك من سحر الكلام بضائعاً

وأولاك من سحر الكلام بضائعاً

غرائبها تُنسي الوليدَ وجرولا

غرائبها تُنسي الوليدَ وجرولا

bestowing upon you wares fashioned from the magic of speech,

and offered you wares from the magic of words,

whose marvels make al-Walid and Jarwal be forgotten.

whose marvels make one forget al-Walid and Jarwal?

أتى فرأى منك الغديّة طلعةً

أتى فرأى منك الغديّة طلعةً

فكبّر إجلالا لديك وهلّلا

فكبّر إجلالا لديك وهلّلا

He came and saw your countenance that morning;

He came and saw your countenance in the early morning,

he cried “God is greatest” in reverence before you, and proclaimed His oneness.

and in awe before you proclaimed God's greatness and oneness.

وخرّ لوجه الأرضِ في الدّست ساجداً

وخرّ لوجه الأرضِ في الدّست ساجداً

وصافح بالوجه البساطَ وقبَّلا

وصافح بالوجه البساطَ وقبَّلا

He fell prostrate, face to the ground before the dais,

And he fell to the ground in the royal court, prostrating himself,

and pressed his face to the carpet and kissed it.

and with his face shook hands with the carpet, and kissed it.

وقال ألا ذا اليوم يوم مبارك

وقال ألا ذا اليوم يوم مبارك

نراه لنا يوماً أغرَّ محجَّلا

نراه لنا يوماً أغرَّ محجَّلا

And he said: “Behold, this is a blessed day—

And he said: Behold, this day is a blessed day;

we see it as ours: radiant, white-blazed, and splendid.”

we see it as a day for us, white-blazed and white-stockinged.