يَقَرُّ بعيني أن أرى الربعَ والدارا

يَقَرُّ بعيني أن أرى الربعَ والدارا

واِنْ جدَّدا عندي رسيساً وتَذكارا

واِنْ جدَّدا عندي رسيساً وتَذكارا

It gladdens my eye to see the dwelling-place and the house,

My eyes find pleasure in seeing the meadows and homes

even though they rekindle in me lingering love and remembrance.

Even if they renewed at me a wound and memories

ربوعٌ وأوطانٌ بها وبأهِلها

ربوعٌ وأوطانٌ بها وبأهِلها

بلغتُ لُباناتٍ وقضَّيتُ أوطارا

بلغتُ لُباناتٍ وقضَّيتُ أوطارا

Dwelling-places and homelands: in them and with their people

Meadows and homelands in which are its people

I attained my desires and fulfilled my wishes.

I reached fragrances and spent periods

ومازالَ هذا الدهرُ في كلَّ ما أرى

ومازالَ هذا الدهرُ في كلَّ ما أرى

مِنَ الوصلِ والتفريقِ في الناسِ أطوارا

مِنَ الوصلِ والتفريقِ في الناسِ أطوارا

And time has always been, in all that I see

And this life constantly in all I see

of union and separation among people, a succession of phases.

Of connections and separations among people circles

أُعلَّلُ آمالي بما كنتُ آنِفاً

أُعلَّلُ آمالي بما كنتُ آنِفاً

أرى فيه وجهَ العيشِ أبلجَ مختارا

أرى فيه وجهَ العيشِ أبلجَ مختارا

I sustain my hopes with that in which, not long ago,

I justify my hopes in what I recently

I saw life's face, radiant and choice.

Saw in it the face of life most radiant

وما كنتُ لولا البينُ والبينُ محوِجُ

وما كنتُ لولا البينُ والبينُ محوِجُ

أساهرُ نجماً لا يغورُ وسُمّارا

أساهرُ نجماً لا يغورُ وسُمّارا

And but for parting—which leaves one in need—I would not

And I would not have, were it not for the separation and the separation insisting

keep vigil with a star that never sets and companions of the night.

Stay up a star that does not set and gossip

يميناً بمَنْ غاروا وأتهمتُ سُحرةً

يميناً بمَنْ غاروا وأتهمتُ سُحرةً

عنِ الجِزعِ والنجمُ اليمانيُّ ما غارا

عنِ الجِزعِ والنجمُ اليمانيُّ ما غارا

I swear by those who went down to the lowlands, while I entered Tihama before dawn,

A right by those who were jealous and I accused sorcerers

away from the valley bend, while the Yemeni star had not set:

Of impatience and the star of the right has not hidden

اِذا بانَ مَن أهوى ولم تَجرِ أدمعي

اِذا بانَ مَن أهوى ولم تَجرِ أدمعي

مِنَ البينِ غُدراناً فقد صِرتُ غدّارا

مِنَ البينِ غُدراناً فقد صِرتُ غدّارا

if the one I love departs and my tears do not flow

When the one I love appeared and my tears did not flow

in pools at parting, then I have become a traitor.

From separation deceitfully, I have become a traitor

وفي حبَّهمْ أبليتُ بُردَ شبيبتي

وفي حبَّهمْ أبليتُ بُردَ شبيبتي

فهلاّ اُراعى بعدَ ما صارَ أطمارا

فهلاّ اُراعى بعدَ ما صارَ أطمارا

And in loving them I wore out the cloak of my youth;

And in their love I wasted the freshness of my youth

why, then, am I not shown regard, now that it has become rags?

Why am I not taken care of after what became ruins

وأزهارُ شيبي في غصونِ شبابِهم

وأزهارُ شيبي في غصونِ شبابِهم

حملنَ لنا مِن مؤلمِ الهجرِ أثمار

حملنَ لنا مِن مؤلمِ الهجرِ أثمار

And the blossoms of my gray hair, amid the boughs of their youth,

And the flowers of my white hair in the branches of their youth

have borne us fruits of painful estrangement.

Carried for us from the pain of estrangement fruits

ولمّا غدا النّوارُ في الروضِ باسماً

ولمّا غدا النّوارُ في الروضِ باسماً

وعاينتُ مِن ومضِ المباسمِ أنوارا

وعاينتُ مِن ومضِ المباسمِ أنوارا

And when the blossoms in the garden smiled

And when the flowers bloomed in the garden beautifully

and I beheld lights gleaming from smiling lips,

And I saw from the twinkle of smiles lights

خلعتُ عذاري في الغرامِ وذو الهوى

خلعتُ عذاري في الغرامِ وذو الهوى

حنانيكَ مَنْ لم يُبْلِ في الحبَّ اعذارا

حنانيكَ مَنْ لم يُبْلِ في الحبَّ اعذارا

I cast off my bridle in passion; a lover is—

I took off my excuse in love and the passionate one

have mercy!—one who offers no excuses in love.

Who did not dress up excuses in love

وأعوزَني الأنصارُ يومَ سويقةِ

وأعوزَني الأنصارُ يومَ سويقةِ

ومن ذا الذي يلقى على البين أنصارا

ومن ذا الذي يلقى على البين أنصارا

And helpers failed me on the day at Suwayqa;

And I lacked supporters the day of Suwaiqah

and who can find helpers against parting?

And who faces separation and finds supporters

ومَنْ عاشَ في الدنيا فطوراً تذيقُه

ومَنْ عاشَ في الدنيا فطوراً تذيقُه

جنى العيشِ اِحلاءً يَلَذُّ واِمرارا

جنى العيشِ اِحلاءً يَلَذُّ واِمرارا

And whoever lives in this world, it makes him taste by turns

And whoever lived in life for a while tasting

life's harvest: delightful sweetness and bitterness.

The fruits of life sometimes sweet and sometimes bitter

ولمّا تذاكرنا مِنَ العيشِ طيبَهُ

ولمّا تذاكرنا مِنَ العيشِ طيبَهُ

وصفوَ وصالٍ لم نجدْ فيه أكدارا

وصفوَ وصالٍ لم نجدْ فيه أكدارا

And when we recalled together the sweetness of life

And when we recalled the goodness of life

and the purity of a union in which we found no troubles,

And described the pleasure of reunion in which we found no disgrace

طَرِبتُ إلى أن خُيَّلَ الذكرُ نشوةً

طَرِبتُ إلى أن خُيَّلَ الذكرُ نشوةً

كما كنتُ أستسقي المُدامةَ خَمّارا

كما كنتُ أستسقي المُدامةَ خَمّارا

I thrilled until remembrance seemed intoxication,

I was disturbed until the memory seemed an intoxication

as when I used to ask a vintner for wine.

As if I was drinking wine from a pot

فواللهِ ما أدرى أخمراً سقيتُها

فواللهِ ما أدرى أخمراً سقيتُها

وقد ملتُ سكراً أم سلافُ الهوى دارا

وقد ملتُ سكراً أم سلافُ الهوى دارا

So, by God, I cannot tell: was it wine I was given,

By Allah, I do not know if I drank wine

as I swayed drunk, or had love's pure wine gone round?

Or if the saliva of passion was enough

أجيرانَنا صارتْ احاديثُ وصلِنا

أجيرانَنا صارتْ احاديثُ وصلِنا

لأهلِ الحمى بعدَ التفرُّقِ أسمارا

لأهلِ الحمى بعدَ التفرُّقِ أسمارا

O our neighbors, the tales of our union have become

Our neighbors have become the conversations of our reunion

evening stories for the people of the protected pasture, after our parting.

To the people of passion after separation like evening conversations

وفي الجيرةِ الغادينَ مِن بطنِ وجرة

وفي الجيرةِ الغادينَ مِن بطنِ وجرة

غزالٌ على نقضِ المواثيقِ قد جارا

غزالٌ على نقضِ المواثيقِ قد جارا

And among the neighbors departing from the hollow of Wajra

And in the neighborhood the visiting one from the belly of the vessel

is a gazelle who has wronged me by breaking the pledges.

A gazelle violating the covenants has flowed

يُكَلَّفُني الأخطارَ حتى أرى له

يُكَلَّفُني الأخطارَ حتى أرى له

معاطفَ قَدّ تُخْجِلُ الرمحَ خطّارا

معاطفَ قَدّ تُخْجِلُ الرمحَ خطّارا

He burdens me with perils until I see in him

It risks me until I see for it

the curves of a figure that shame a swaying spear.

Garments that embarrass the spear, very risky

فلمْ لا يُراعيني وقد أسهلَ الهوى

فلمْ لا يُراعيني وقد أسهلَ الهوى

بغيري وطُرْقي فيه أمسينَ أوعارا

بغيري وطُرْقي فيه أمسينَ أوعارا

Why, then, does he not care for me, when love has made the way smooth

Why does he not consider me when passion has eased

for others, while my paths in it have grown rugged?

The way for others while my ways in it became disabled

ومالي نظيرٌ في هواهُ واِنْ غدا

ومالي نظيرٌ في هواهُ واِنْ غدا

رجالُ الهوى في مدنفِ الحبَّ أنظارا

رجالُ الهوى في مدنفِ الحبَّ أنظارا

And I have no equal in my love for him, though

And I have no equal in his love even if

men of passion have become peers in love's wasting affliction.

The men of passion became sights in the battle of love

وغيدٍ غدا قلبي بهنَّ مروعَّاً

وغيدٍ غدا قلبي بهنَّ مروعَّاً

على كلَّ ما يلقاهُ منهنَّ صبّارا

على كلَّ ما يلقاهُ منهنَّ صبّارا

And for many slender maidens my heart has become terrified,

And he became the core of my heart terrified

yet patient with all it endures from them.

For everything he faces from them patient

رقمنَ البرى بالخطوِ نحوي عشيَّةً

رقمنَ البرى بالخطوِ نحوي عشيَّةً

فللهِ كم أهدينَ للعينِ أقمارا

فللهِ كم أهدينَ للعينِ أقمارا

One evening they embroidered the earth with their steps toward me;

They numbered the land with their steps towards me one evening

God, how many moons they offered to the eye!

By Allah how much they gifted eyes moons

واِنّي واِنْ جاوزتُ في الوجدِ حدَّه

واِنّي واِنْ جاوزتُ في الوجدِ حدَّه

وأنجدَبي شوقي اليهنَّ أو غارا

وأنجدَبي شوقي اليهنَّ أو غارا

And I, though I have gone beyond passion's limit,

And even if I exceeded the limit of passion

and my longing for them has borne me to highlands or lowlands,

Or my longing for them raved or hid

فلستُ أرى وجدي عليهنَّ سُبَّةً

فلستُ أرى وجدي عليهنَّ سُبَّةً

ولا كَلَفي نقصاً ولا أدمعي عارا

ولا كَلَفي نقصاً ولا أدمعي عارا

yet do not consider my passion for them a disgrace,

I do not see my passion for them as disgrace

nor my infatuation a failing, nor my tears a shame.

Nor does my fervor detract or my tears shame

ولما رأيتُ العيسَ وهي مثارةٌ

ولما رأيتُ العيسَ وهي مثارةٌ

لوشكِ النوى يحملن حُدْجاً وأكوارا

لوشكِ النوى يحملن حُدْجاً وأكوارا

And when I saw the pale camels being roused

And when I saw the doe and she was

for imminent parting, bearing howdahs and saddles,

Carrying fruits to feed the offspring and pots

تنوءُ وفي تلكَ الحدوجِ حبائبٌ

تنوءُ وفي تلكَ الحدوجِ حبائبٌ

بهنَّ قطعنا رَيَّقَ العيشِ أعمارا

بهنَّ قطعنا رَيَّقَ العيشِ أعمارا

straining under their loads, while those howdahs held beloved women

Bending and in those pots are loves

with whom we had spent lifetimes in life's freshest joys,

With whom we spent the comfort of life

وسرنَ وقد كنَّ الأداني مودَّةً

وسرنَ وقد كنَّ الأداني مودَّةً

يَخُضْنَ سراباً بالنجائبِ مَوّارا

يَخُضْنَ سراباً بالنجائبِ مَوّارا

and they set off, though once the nearest in affection,

And they walked and the nearby ones were affectionately

wading on swift camels through a surging mirage,

Picking a mirage with glances wavy

رجعتُ إلى الأجفانِ مستنصراً بها

رجعتُ إلى الأجفانِ مستنصراً بها

فأسبلنَ دمعاً في المنازلِ مدرار

فأسبلنَ دمعاً في المنازلِ مدرار

I turned back to my eyelids, seeking their help,

I returned to the eyelids seeking their help

and they shed tears in torrents among the dwellings.

So they shed tears in the dwellings flowing

وناجيتُأطلالَ الديارِ وما الذي

وناجيتُأطلالَ الديارِ وما الذي

أفادَ وقد خاطبتُ ترباً وأحجارا

أفادَ وقد خاطبتُ ترباً وأحجارا

And I confided in the ruins of the dwellings—but what

And I confided to the ruins of the houses but what

good did it do, when I had addressed dust and stones?

Benefited when I spoke to dust and stones

فما لعهودِ الغانيات مضاعةً

فما لعهودِ الغانيات مضاعةً

وقد صارَ اِعلاناً غرامي واِسرارا

وقد صارَ اِعلاناً غرامي واِسرارا

Why, then, are the pledges of lovely women wasted,

Why are the promises of the singing girls violated

while my passion has become both openly declared and secretly kept?

When my love and secrets have become public

وزادَ غرامي في الظلامِ حمامةٌ

وزادَ غرامي في الظلامِ حمامةٌ

تغنَّتْ فأذكتْ في جوانحنا نارا

تغنَّتْ فأذكتْ في جوانحنا نارا

And a dove in the darkness heightened my passion;

And my passion in the darkness increased by a dove

she sang and kindled a fire within our breasts.

That sang so it ignited in our feelings a fire

أثارتْ دفينَ الشوقِ حتى كأنَّنا

أثارتْ دفينَ الشوقِ حتى كأنَّنا

رأينا لليلى في المنازلِ آثارا

رأينا لليلى في المنازلِ آثارا

She stirred buried longing, until it was as though

It aroused the buried longing until it was as if

we had seen traces of Layla among the dwellings.

We saw Laila’s traces in the dwellings

اِذا الريحُ هبَّتْ عن ديارٍ تحلُّها

اِذا الريحُ هبَّتْ عن ديارٍ تحلُّها

حسبتُ الفضاءَ الرحبَ قد صار عطّارا

حسبتُ الفضاءَ الرحبَ قد صار عطّارا

When the wind blows from dwellings she inhabits,

When the wind blows from dwellings decorated with her

I imagine the wide expanse has become a perfumer.

I imagined the vast space has become fragrant

تَهُبُّ كأنْ مرَّتْ بدارِيْنَ سُحْرةً

تَهُبُّ كأنْ مرَّتْ بدارِيْنَ سُحْرةً

مُعَنْبَرَةَ الضوعاتِ والنشرِ معطارا

مُعَنْبَرَةَ الضوعاتِ والنشرِ معطارا

It blows as though it passed by Darin before dawn,

Blowing as if sorceresses have passed

ambergris-scented in its wafts and fragrance, richly perfumed.

By my house, aromatic and spreading fragrance

وزائرةٍ بعد الهدوَّ كأنمَّا

وزائرةٍ بعد الهدوَّ كأنمَّا

وضعتُ بها عن كاهلِ الشوقِ أوزارا

وضعتُ بها عن كاهلِ الشوقِ أوزارا

And a woman came visiting after all fell still, as though

And a visitor after calmness as if she

through her I had lifted burdens from longing's shoulders.

Relieved off my shoulder the burden of longing

منعَّمةٍ قابلة منها شمائلاً

منعَّمةٍ قابلة منها شمائلاً

فما عاينتْ عينايَ للحظَّ اِدبارا

فما عاينتْ عينايَ للحظَّ اِدبارا

A pampered woman, welcoming in her ways;

Gorgeous, facing from her features

so my eyes saw no turning away of fortune.

My eyes have never seen in a glance departure

غدا غزلي وقفاً عليها بديعُهُ

غدا غزلي وقفاً عليها بديعُهُ

شَرُوداً وخيرُ الشَّعرِ ما كانَ سَبّارا

شَرُوداً وخيرُ الشَّعرِ ما كانَ سَبّارا

My love poetry has become devoted to her, its exquisite verse

My poetry has become a waqf dedicated to her in its beauty

far-ranging; and the best poetry is that which probes deeply.

Distracted, and the best poetry is liberating