عَزَم الحيُّ اِرتحالا

عَزَم الحيُّ اِرتحالا

واِنتضوا تلك الجمَالا

واِنتضوا تلك الجمَالا

The tribe resolved to depart,

The living man decided to depart,

and brought forth those camels.

And they saddled those beauties.

فَأطاشوا العقلَ لمَّا

فَأطاشوا العقلَ لمَّا

أَلزموا العيسَ الرحالا

أَلزموا العيسَ الرحالا

So they sent my reason reeling when

So they confused reason when

they fastened saddles onto the pale camels.

They equipped the stallions.

فَتداعت زفراتي

فَتداعت زفراتي

واِنهمى الدمعُ اِنهمالا

واِنهمى الدمعُ اِنهمالا

Then my sighs came one after another,

My sighs came in succession,

and tears poured down in torrents.

And my tears flowed profusely.

رَحلوا عنّي ببدرٍ

رَحلوا عنّي ببدرٍ

لم يلج إلّا الحجالا

لم يلج إلّا الحجالا

They departed from me with a full moon

They left me at the full moon,

who had entered only curtained chambers.

Where only the howdahs remained.

بدرُ تمّ لم يكن في

بدرُ تمّ لم يكن في

غرَّةِ الشهرِ الهلالا

غرَّةِ الشهرِ الهلالا

A moon at its full, never, at

The full moon rose, it was not

the month's beginning, a crescent.

The crescent of early month.

حلَّ فيه الحسنُ حتّى

حلَّ فيه الحسنُ حتّى

لم يرد منه اِنتِقالا

لم يرد منه اِنتِقالا

Beauty settled in him, so that

Beauty descended in it until

it wished no departure from him.

It did not want to move away from it.

أغيد يشبه غصنَ ال

أغيد يشبه غصنَ ال

بانِ ليناً واِعتدالا

بانِ ليناً واِعتدالا

A graceful youth, like a bough of the

A bending branch, soft and moderate,

moringa tree in suppleness and uprightness.

Resembling a gazelle’s neck.

ما رنَا إلّا رمى عن

ما رنَا إلّا رمى عن

قوس عينيه النِّبالا

قوس عينيه النِّبالا

He never gazed without shooting from

It did not neigh except it shot

the bow of his eyes arrows.

Arrows from its eyes.

أبدع اللَه بديع ال

أبدع اللَه بديع ال

حسنِ فيهِ والجمالا

حسنِ فيهِ والجمالا

God fashioned wondrous

God created the unique beauty in it,

beauty and loveliness in him.

And the perfection and beauty.

أهضم لو لبس الخل

أهضم لو لبس الخل

خال في الخصرِ لجالا

خال في الخصرِ لجالا

Slender-waisted: were he to wear an

I bite if it wore kohl,

anklet round his waist, it would slip about.

A mole on its waist would shine.

قَد جرى ماء الصِّبا في

قَد جرى ماء الصِّبا في

صحنِ خدّيه ومالا

صحنِ خدّيه ومالا

The water of youth has flowed across

The water of youth flows

the expanse of his cheeks and meandered.

In the plains of its cheeks inclined.

ريقُه في الرَّشفِ شهدٌ

ريقُه في الرَّشفِ شهدٌ

مازجَ الماءَ الزّلالا

مازجَ الماءَ الزّلالا

His saliva, when sipped, is honey

Its saliva in eagerness is honey

mingled with pure, clear water.

Mixed with pure water.

أحورُ العينين معسو

أحورُ العينين معسو

لُ اللّمى يحكي الغزالا

لُ اللّمى يحكي الغزالا

With dark eyes against bright whites, and honeyed

The most beautiful eyes promising

dusky lips, he resembles a gazelle.

Telling the adventures of a gazelle.

رشأٌ أوثقني في ال

رشأٌ أوثقني في ال

حبِّ قيداً وعقالا

حبِّ قيداً وعقالا

A gazelle fawn who has bound me in

A legendary creature tied me

love with a fetter and a tether.

In love, in shackles and fetters.

يَرتعي روضَ الحشالا

يَرتعي روضَ الحشالا

يرتعي زنداً وضالا

يرتعي زنداً وضالا

He grazes in the meadow of the heart, not

It pastures on the prairie of wild plants,

on fire-stick wood and wild lote trees.

It pastures wandering and lost.

قَد براني حبُّه حت

قَد براني حبُّه حت

تى حَكى جسمي الخلالا

تى حَكى جسمي الخلالا

His love wore me away until

His love showed me to the extent

my body resembled a toothpick.

That it told the story of my ruins.

ساحر الألحاظِ ما من

ساحر الألحاظِ ما من

وصلِه نلتُ منالا

وصلِه نلتُ منالا

His glances bewitch; no

The sorcerer of glances, I never

share of union with him have I attained.

Attained any union from his connections.

جئته أشكو هواهُ

جئته أشكو هواهُ

فَاِنثنى عنّي ومالا

فَاِنثنى عنّي ومالا

I came to him, complaining of love for him;

I came to him complaining of his love,

so he turned away from me and drew aside.

So he turned away from me and inclined.

وَرنا عمداً لقتلي

وَرنا عمداً لقتلي

وتصدّى لي دلالا

وتصدّى لي دلالا

And he gazed, intent on killing me,

He intentionally threw himself at me

and presented himself to me with coy allure.

To kill me, with coquetry.

قلتُ هل لي منك وصل

قلتُ هل لي منك وصل

قالَ لا يا عزّ لا لا

قالَ لا يا عزّ لا لا

I said, 'May I have union with you?'

I said: “Is there any union from you for me?”

He said, 'No, O ʿIzz, no, no.'

He said: “No, oh honorable one, no, no.”

قلت هل لي منك رزقٌ

قلت هل لي منك رزقٌ

قال دَع هذا المقالا

قال دَع هذا المقالا

I said, 'Is there sustenance from you for me?'

I said: “Is there any livelihood from you for me?”

He said, 'Leave off this talk.'

He said: “Leave this talk.”

قلتُ أرجو منك لطفاً

قلتُ أرجو منك لطفاً

قال ذا كان المحالا

قال ذا كان المحالا

I said, 'I hope for kindness from you.'

I said: “I hope for some kindness from you.”

He said, 'That would be impossible.'

He said: “If it is impossible.”

قلتُ ما لي عنك صبرٌ

قلتُ ما لي عنك صبرٌ

قال لا ترجو وصالا

قال لا ترجو وصالا

I said, 'I cannot bear being away from you.'

I said: “I have no patience without you.”

He said, 'Do not hope for union.'

He said: “Do not wish for union.”

قلت قد ذبتُ اِشتياقاً

قلت قد ذبتُ اِشتياقاً

قال ذُب واِزدد خبالا

قال ذُب واِزدد خبالا

I said, 'I have melted with longing.'

I said: “I am melting from yearning.”

He said, 'Melt, and grow more maddened.'

He said: “Melt and increase in delusion.”

قلت قد متّ غراماً

قلت قد متّ غراماً

قال مُت واِذهب نكالا

قال مُت واِذهب نكالا

I said, 'I have died of consuming love.'

I said: “I am dying from passion.”

He said, 'Die, and go as a warning.'

He said: “Die and go in misery.”

قلت هل ذنباً ترى لي

قلت هل ذنباً ترى لي

قال ذنباً لن يقالا

قال ذنباً لن يقالا

I said, 'Do you see a fault in me?'

I said: “Do you see any sin of mine?”

He said, 'A fault that shall go unspoken.'

He said: “A sin that cannot be rectified.”

قلتُ ماذا قال وخط

قلتُ ماذا قال وخط

يحتوي الداءَ العضالا

يحتوي الداءَ العضالا

I said, 'What?' He said, 'Gray hair

I said: “What did he say to contain

that harbors an incurable disease.'

The incurable disease?”

فتأهّبتُ وقلتُ ال

فتأهّبتُ وقلتُ ال

حقّ أولى أن يقالا

حقّ أولى أن يقالا

So I braced myself and said, 'The

So I prepared myself and said:

truth is worthier of being spoken.'

“The truth deserves to be said.”

لَيسَ يهوى البيضَ مَن قد

لَيسَ يهوى البيضَ مَن قد

شابَ واِبيضَّ قذالا

شابَ واِبيضَّ قذالا

One does not love fair women when he has

“He who has gray hair does not love the white.

grown gray and the back of his head has whitened.

He has become an old mocking man.”

قَد ذوى روض التصابي

قَد ذوى روض التصابي

وحواه الاِعتدالا

وحواه الاِعتدالا

The garden of youthful dalliance has withered,

“The prairie of youth has vanished

and moderation has encompassed it.

And moderation has changed.”

قَد ذوى روض الصِبا من

قَد ذوى روض الصِبا من

ني فظِلُّ اللهوِ زالا

ني فظِلُّ اللهوِ زالا

The garden of youth has withered in

“The prairie of youth vanished because of me.

me, so the shade of merriment has vanished.

The amusement has passed.”

هكذا مَن عاشَ يلقى

هكذا مَن عاشَ يلقى

رونق العيشةِ آلا

رونق العيشةِ آلا

Thus whoever lives finds

“Thus, he who lives will find

the splendor of life a mirage.

The pleasure of life changes.”

هكذا الدنيا تذيقُ ال

هكذا الدنيا تذيقُ ال

مرَّ والحلوَ الرِجالا

مرَّ والحلوَ الرِجالا

Thus the world gives a taste of

“Thus is the life that gives men

bitterness and sweetness to men.

Bitterness and sweetness.”

فَالفتى لا بدّ يلقَى

فَالفتى لا بدّ يلقَى

ما توقَّاه اِغتيالا

ما توقَّاه اِغتيالا

Thus a man must inevitably meet

“So the young man will inevitably

what he guarded against, striking him unawares.

Find what he feared by assassination.”

يا عديماً إن ترد في ال

يا عديماً إن ترد في ال

عيشِ أن تنعمَ بالا

عيشِ أن تنعمَ بالا

O destitute one, if you wish in

“Oh deprived one, if you want to live

life to enjoy peace of mind,

Comfortably without any effort,”

سل أَبا سلطان تحظى

سل أَبا سلطان تحظى

عندَه جاهاً ومالا

عندَه جاهاً ومالا

ask Abu Sultan, and you will gain

“Ask Abu Sultan, you will gain

prestige and wealth in his presence.

Glory and wealth with him.”

ملك عمَّ جميع الن

ملك عمَّ جميع الن

ناسِ بأساً ونوالا

ناسِ بأساً ونوالا

A king who has reached all

“He ruled all people

people with might and bounty.

With might and bestowal.”

عمَّ أهلَ الشام والأع

عمَّ أهلَ الشام والأع

داء فضلاً ووبالا

داء فضلاً ووبالا

He reaches the people of al-Sham and his

“He ruled the people of Syria and enemies

enemies with bounty and ruin, respectively.

With bounty and affliction.”

وشأى كعباً وزيد ال

وشأى كعباً وزيد ال

خيل جوداً وبذالا

خيل جوداً وبذالا

And he surpassed Kaʿb and Zayd al-

“He exalted the Kabaa and Zaid’s horses

Khayl in generosity and lavish giving.

With generosity and sacrifice.”

ما يرى اللّه له في

ما يرى اللّه له في

جملة الخلقِ مثالا

جملة الخلقِ مثالا

God sees no equal to him in

“God does not see the like of him

the whole of creation.

Amongst all the creatures.”

وكأنَّ الناسُ طُرّاً

وكأنَّ الناسُ طُرّاً

عندَه أضحوا عيالا

عندَه أضحوا عيالا

And it is as though all people

“It is as if people are birds

have become dependents in his care.

In his presence, they became his children.”

أسدٌ متّخذٌ غا

أسدٌ متّخذٌ غا

بتهُ السُمر الطِوالا

بتهُ السُمر الطِوالا

A lion who has made his

“A lion taking as his dwelling

thicket of long, tawny spears.

The tall pinnacles.”

وَحسام باتر كا

وَحسام باتر كا

نَ لهُ الفضل صقالا

نَ لهُ الفضل صقالا

And a severing sword, whose

“And a cutting sword whose merit

polish has been excellence.

Was sharpening.”

وَغمام ما عدِمنا

وَغمام ما عدِمنا

من عزاليهِ اِنهطالا

من عزاليهِ اِنهطالا

And a rain cloud—we have never lacked

“And clouds whose downpour

a downpour from its spouts.

We did not lack from its pouring.”

جلَّ من ملك همام

جلَّ من ملك همام

أن يسامى أو يُعالا

أن يسامى أو يُعالا

Exalted is he, a magnanimous king,

“The eminent king is too proud

beyond being rivaled or surpassed.

To be called eminent or exalted.”

يا أعزَّ الناسِ نفساً

يا أعزَّ الناسِ نفساً

وأجلّ الناسِ آلا

وأجلّ الناسِ آلا

O most honored of people in spirit,

“Oh most honorable of people in self

and most illustrious of people in lineage,

And most majestic in family.”

عش وحيدَ العصرِ واِلبس

عش وحيدَ العصرِ واِلبس

يا اِبن نبهانَ الجَلالا

يا اِبن نبهانَ الجَلالا

live, peerless in your age, and clothe yourself,

“Live alone in the time and wear,

O son of Nabhan, in majesty.

Oh son of Nubahan, the glory.”