دمٌ أريقَ بأسيافِ الهوى هَدَرُ

دمٌ أريقَ بأسيافِ الهوى هَدَرُ

في يومِ رامةَ والأظعانُ تبتكِرُ

في يومِ رامةَ والأظعانُ تبتكِرُ

Blood was spilled by the swords of passion, unavenged,

Blood spilled by the swords of love goes unavenged

on the day at Ramah, when the camel trains set out at dawn.

on the day at Rāma, as the caravans depart at dawn.

زَمُّوا المطيَّ فكم مِن مقلةٍ ثَعَبَتْ

زَمُّوا المطيَّ فكم مِن مقلةٍ ثَعَبَتْ

في عَرْصَةِ الدارِ ما لا يَتْعَبُ النَهَرُ

في عَرْصَةِ الدارِ ما لا يَتْعَبُ النَهَرُ

They bridled the mounts—how many an eye then poured forth

They haltered the mounts—how many an eye gushed

into the dwelling's courtyard what no river could rival.

in the dwelling's courtyard, a flood no river could pour forth.

وأجَّجَ البينُ في الأحشاءِ نارَ هوًى

وأجَّجَ البينُ في الأحشاءِ نارَ هوًى

بعدَ الحبائبِ أمستْ وهي تَستعِرُ

بعدَ الحبائبِ أمستْ وهي تَستعِرُ

Separation kindled in the entrails a fire of longing;

Parting kindled a fire of passion in my entrails;

after the beloved departed, it remained there blazing.

after the beloveds departed, it burned fiercely on.

أضحتْ مُمَنَّعةً بالسمهريِّ فلو

أضحتْ مُمَنَّعةً بالسمهريِّ فلو

زالَ الوشيجُ تولَّى منعَها الخَفَرُ

زالَ الوشيجُ تولَّى منعَها الخَفَرُ

She was guarded by spears of hard samhar wood; yet if

She has become inaccessible behind Samhari spears; if

the spear shafts vanished, modesty itself would guard her.

the spear-shafts vanished, modesty would guard her.

وكلمَّا اضطرمتْ أطفأتُ سورتَها

وكلمَّا اضطرمتْ أطفأتُ سورتَها

بأدمعٍِ في الربوعِ العُجمِ تنتصرُ

بأدمعٍِ في الربوعِ العُجمِ تنتصرُ

Whenever that fire flares, you quench its violence

Whenever it flared, I quenched its fury

with your tears; among the speechless ruins, you take your revenge.

with tears that triumph amid the mute dwellings.

تُسمي وتصبحُ قي الأطلالِ دافقةً

تُسمي وتصبحُ قي الأطلالِ دافقةً

فليس تُخشى إذا ما أخلفَ المطرُ

فليس تُخشى إذا ما أخلفَ المطرُ

Evening and morning they stream through the ruins,

They gush among the ruins at evening and dawn;

so there is nothing to fear when the rain fails.

so there is no fear if the rain should fail.

أحبَّةٌ رحلوا فالدمعُ مستبقٌ

أحبَّةٌ رحلوا فالدمعُ مستبقٌ

من مقلتَّي على الأثارِ يَبتدِرُ

من مقلتَّي على الأثارِ يَبتدِرُ

Beloved ones departed, and the tears raced ahead,

Beloveds have departed, and tears race

hastening from my eyes toward their traces—

from my two eyes, rushing over their traces,

في منزلٍ تُرْبُهُ مِن بعدِما ذهبتْ

في منزلٍ تُرْبُهُ مِن بعدِما ذهبتْ

كرُّ السنينَ على أصابِه عَطِرُ

كرُّ السنينَ على أصابِه عَطِرُ

toward a dwelling whose soil, after

in a dwelling whose soil, even after

the circling years passed over its people, is fragrant.

the passage of years over it, remains fragrant.

لا ذنبَ لي عندَ مَنْ رثَّتْ عهودُهمُ

لا ذنبَ لي عندَ مَنْ رثَّتْ عهودُهمُ

اِلاّ بوادرُ شيبٍ جَرَّهُ الكِبَرُ

اِلاّ بوادرُ شيبٍ جَرَّهُ الكِبَرُ

Those whose affection has turned away find no fault in me

I have no fault in the eyes of those whose pledges have frayed,

except the first gray hairs that age has drawn forth.

except the first signs of gray hair that old age brought.

والبيضُ عندَهمُ كالبيضِ مصلتةً

والبيضُ عندَهمُ كالبيضِ مصلتةً

على الرءوسِ وذنبٌ ليس يُغْتَفَرُ

على الرءوسِ وذنبٌ ليس يُغْتَفَرُ

To them, gray hairs are like white swords unsheathed

To them, white hairs are like bright swords, drawn

upon the head—and a sin that cannot be forgiven.

over heads—and a fault that cannot be forgiven.

آليتُ لاحِلتُ عن دينِ الوفاءِ كما

آليتُ لاحِلتُ عن دينِ الوفاءِ كما

قد كانَ يعهدُ من حالي واِنْ غدروا

قد كانَ يعهدُ من حالي واِنْ غدروا

I swore never to turn from the creed of fidelity,

I swore never to forsake the creed of fidelity, as

as they have always known my way, even if they betray.

has always been known of me, even if they betray me.

ياريحُ لا أرجٌ منهمُ وقد رحلوا

ياريحُ لا أرجٌ منهمُ وقد رحلوا

عن الجَنابِ ولاعِلمٌ ولاخَبَرُ

عن الجَنابِ ولاعِلمٌ ولاخَبَرُ

O wind, since they departed, no fragrance of them remains

O wind, no fragrance comes from them, now they have departed

in the precinct, nor is there word or news.

from these precincts, nor any word or news.

مُرِّي على أَثَرِ الأحبابِ واحتملي

مُرِّي على أَثَرِ الأحبابِ واحتملي

الَّي نشراً يحاكي عَرْفَهُ القَطُرُ

الَّي نشراً يحاكي عَرْفَهُ القَطُرُ

Pass over the beloved's traces, and carry

Pass over the traces of the beloveds, and carry

to me a scent whose perfume the rain emulates.

to me a perfume whose scent aloeswood rivals.

يضوعُ طيباً وقد مَّرتْ سعادُ بهِ

يضوعُ طيباً وقد مَّرتْ سعادُ بهِ

كما تَضَوَّعَ غِبَّ الدِّيمةِ الزَّهَرُ

كما تَضَوَّعَ غِبَّ الدِّيمةِ الزَّهَرُ

It breathes sweetness wherever Suʿād has passed,

It wafts fragrance, for Suʿād has passed that way,

as flowers breathe fragrance after steady rain.

as flowers breathe fragrance after a steady rain.

أشكو الفراقَ اليها وَهْيَ لاهيةٌ

أشكو الفراقَ اليها وَهْيَ لاهيةٌ

كأنَّما قلبُها مِن قسوةٍ حجرُ

كأنَّما قلبُها مِن قسوةٍ حجرُ

I complain to her of parting, but she remains heedless,

I complain to her of parting, while she is heedless,

as though her heart, from hardness, were stone.

as though her heart, in its hardness, were stone.

أسأتْ مِن بِعدِها إذا لم أمتْ كمداً

أسأتْ مِن بِعدِها إذا لم أمتْ كمداً

يوَم الرَّحيلِ فقلْ ليكيف أعتذرُ

يوَم الرَّحيلِ فقلْ ليكيف أعتذرُ

I did wrong, after her, if I did not die of grief

I did wrong after she left, when I failed to die of grief

on the day of departure—tell me, how can I be excused?

on the day of departure; tell me, how can I excuse myself?

وبا زمانَ تناجينا على أمَمٍ

وبا زمانَ تناجينا على أمَمٍ

تُراكَ بعدَ تمادي البينِ تَنْتَظِرُ

تُراكَ بعدَ تمادي البينِ تَنْتَظِرُ

Ah, the time when we conversed together at close range—

And O time when we whispered together at close quarters,

I see you, after separation has stretched so long, still waiting.

are you still waiting, after separation has dragged on?

هيهاتَ ساروا وأبقَوا للنوى حَرَقاً

هيهاتَ ساروا وأبقَوا للنوى حَرَقاً

تبيتُ تُضرِمُها الأشجانُ والفِكَرُ

تبيتُ تُضرِمُها الأشجانُ والفِكَرُ

Far from it! They left, bequeathing separation a burning grief

Far from it! They departed, leaving separation's burning pangs,

that sorrows and thoughts keep kindled through the night.

which sorrows and thoughts keep kindling through the night.

ووكلوني برعي الفرقدينِ وقد

ووكلوني برعي الفرقدينِ وقد

نامتْ عيونُ تحامَي أهلَها السَّهَرُ

نامتْ عيونُ تحامَي أهلَها السَّهَرُ

They charged me with watching the two Farqad stars, while

And they charged me with watching the two Farqad stars, while

the eyes of those who spared themselves wakefulness slept.

eyes whose owners sleeplessness had spared lay asleep.

واليومَ لم يبقَ لي إلا تذكُّرهُمْ

واليومَ لم يبقَ لي إلا تذكُّرهُمْ

اِنَّ التحرُّقَ يُذكي جمَرهُ الذِّكَرُ

اِنَّ التحرُّقَ يُذكي جمَرهُ الذِّكَرُ

Today nothing remains to me but remembering them,

And today, nothing remains to me but remembering them;

for burning anguish makes memory's embers flare.

indeed, memories stoke the embers of burning longing.

للّهِ كم في الديارِ الخُرسِ مِن وَصَبٍ

للّهِ كم في الديارِ الخُرسِ مِن وَصَبٍ

فيه لأهلِ الهوى والوجدِ معتبرُ

فيه لأهلِ الهوى والوجدِ معتبرُ

By God, how much suffering lies in the speechless dwellings,

By God, how much anguish lies in the mute dwellings,

where those who love and yearn may take their lesson.

with a lesson in it for those who love and yearn.

صبُّ يُرى أبداً مِن بعدِ بعدِهمُ

صبُّ يُرى أبداً مِن بعدِ بعدِهمُ

عِقْدُ الدموعِ على خدَّيهِ يَنْتثَرُ

عِقْدُ الدموعِ على خدَّيهِ يَنْتثَرُ

A lover is always seen, since they went far away,

A lovelorn man is always seen, since their departure,

with a necklace of tears scattered over his cheeks.

with the necklace of tears scattering down his cheeks.

براهُ بريَ المُدى بُعْدُ الخليطِ فما

براهُ بريَ المُدى بُعْدُ الخليطِ فما

يكادُ يُثبِتَه مِن سُقمِه النَّظَرُ

يكادُ يُثبِتَه مِن سُقمِه النَّظَرُ

Calamities deliberately wear him down as a blade is honed, until

Distance from his companions whittled him away like knives, so

the eye can scarcely discern him through his wasting sickness.

that, from his sickness, the eye can scarcely discern him.

يبكي على أَثَرِ الأظعانِ في دِمَنٍ

يبكي على أَثَرِ الأظعانِ في دِمَنٍ

وفي رسومِ ديارٍ مالها أثرُ

وفي رسومِ ديارٍ مالها أثرُ

He weeps over the camel train's tracks in deserted camps

He weeps over the caravans' traces among old campsites,

and over the outlines of dwellings that now bear no trace.

and among the remnants of dwellings whose traces are gone.

عفَّى معالِمَها طولُ الزمانِ وما

عفَّى معالِمَها طولُ الزمانِ وما

تَبيتُ تُحدِثُه للأربعِ الغِيَرُ

تَبيتُ تُحدِثُه للأربعِ الغِيَرُ

Long ages have effaced their landmarks, as has whatever

The long passage of time erased their landmarks, along with what

the four changing winds renew upon the camps through the night.

fortune's changes keep working upon the dwellings through the night.

وعاذلٍ دأْبهُ عَذْلي فقلتُ له

وعاذلٍ دأْبهُ عَذْلي فقلتُ له

مالي على العذلِ والتأنيبِ مُصْطَبرُ

مالي على العذلِ والتأنيبِ مُصْطَبرُ

A rebuker, whose habit is to chide me—I said to him:

And to a reproacher, forever reproaching me, I said:

I have no patience for rebuke and reproach.

I have no patience for reproach and rebuke.

بَلومُني وزنَادُ الحبِّ مضطرمٌ

بَلومُني وزنَادُ الحبِّ مضطرمٌ

في القلبِ يَقدحُ ما لا يقدحُ العُشَرُ

في القلبِ يَقدحُ ما لا يقدحُ العُشَرُ

He blames me while love's fire-striker blazes,

He blames me while love's fire-stick blazes

sparking in my heart what even ushar wood cannot spark.

in my heart, striking sparks that ʿushar wood cannot strike.

خَفِّضْ عليكَ فمالي عنهمُ عِوَضٌ

خَفِّضْ عليكَ فمالي عنهمُ عِوَضٌ

يا مَنْ يلومُ ولا في عيرِهمْ وَطَرُ

يا مَنْ يلومُ ولا في عيرِهمْ وَطَرُ

Ease off: I have no substitute for them,

Ease up; I have no substitute for them,

O you who blame me, and I desire no one but them.

O reproacher, nor any desire for others.

وفي الهوادجِ أقمارٌ إذا سَفَرَتْ

وفي الهوادجِ أقمارٌ إذا سَفَرَتْ

تُغنيكَ أنوارُها أن يَطْلُعَ القمرُ

تُغنيكَ أنوارُها أن يَطْلُعَ القمرُ

Within the howdahs are moons; whenever they unveil,

And in the howdahs are moons; when they unveil,

their radiance makes the moon's rising needless.

their radiance spares you any need for the moon to rise.

هِيفُ المعاطفِ كالباناتِ رنَّحها

هِيفُ المعاطفِ كالباناتِ رنَّحها

مرُّ النسيمِ غدا أوراقَها الشَّعَرُ

مرُّ النسيمِ غدا أوراقَها الشَّعَرُ

Slender-waisted, like ben trees made to sway

Slender of waist, like bān trees swayed

by the passing breeze, with hair serving as their leaves.

by the passing breeze, their hair has become their leaves.

بانوا فعادَ زمانُ القربِ مذ هجروا

بانوا فعادَ زمانُ القربِ مذ هجروا

بعداً وعانيتُ ليلاً مالَهُ سَحَرُ

بعداً وعانيتُ ليلاً مالَهُ سَحَرُ

They left, and since they deserted me, the age of closeness turned

They departed; since they forsook me, the time of nearness has turned

to distance; I endured a night that had no dawn.

to distance, and I endured a night without dawn.

وكادَ مِن سَهَري فيه ومِن قَلقَي

وكادَ مِن سَهَري فيه ومِن قَلقَي

يمَلُّ في جنحهِ تعليلَي السّمَرُ

يمَلُّ في جنحهِ تعليلَي السّمَرُ

Through my sleeplessness and the anxiety within it, the night

And my sleeplessness in it, and my unrest, nearly

in its darkness nearly tired of my beguiling it with talk.

made night-talk tire of comforting me in its darkness.

كم كانَ في عنفوانِ الوصلِ يُذكِرنُي

كم كانَ في عنفوانِ الوصلِ يُذكِرنُي

هذا الصدودَ الذى جُرِّعتُه الحَذَرُ

هذا الصدودَ الذى جُرِّعتُه الحَذَرُ

How often, in union's first bloom, wariness reminded me

How often, in the prime of union, I was reminded

of this cold turning-away that I have now been made to drink.

by caution of this rejection I have been made to swallow.

سقاكَ يا مَنحنى الوادي القطارُ فكم

سقاكَ يا مَنحنى الوادي القطارُ فكم

أظلنَّي في ذراكَ البانُ والسَّمُرُ

أظلنَّي في ذراكَ البانُ والسَّمُرُ

May the train of rain clouds water you, O bend of the valley—how often

May showers water you, O bend of the valley! How often

within your shelter the ben trees and acacias shaded me.

bān trees and samur acacias shaded me in your shelter.

أين الأحبَّةُ لاحتْ لي معالِمَها

أين الأحبَّةُ لاحتْ لي معالِمَها

مجهولةً قد محا آثارَها الدَّهَرُ

مجهولةً قد محا آثارَها الدَّهَرُ

Where are the beloved, whose landmarks appeared to me

Where are the beloveds? Their dwellings' landmarks appeared to me

unrecognizable, their traces erased by time?

unrecognizable; time has erased their traces.

وأين تلكَ القدودُ الملدُ مائسةً

وأين تلكَ القدودُ الملدُ مائسةً

تكادُ مِن ثِقَلِ الأردافِ تنأَطِرُ

تكادُ مِن ثِقَلِ الأردافِ تنأَطِرُ

And where are those supple figures, swaying like branches,

And where are those supple figures, swaying,

almost bent double beneath the weight of their hips?

almost bending under the weight of their buttocks?

غابوا فأضحتْ مغاني الأنسِ خاليةً

غابوا فأضحتْ مغاني الأنسِ خاليةً

حتى كأنهَّمُ فيهنَّ ما حضروا

حتى كأنهَّمُ فيهنَّ ما حضروا

They vanished, and the abodes of intimacy became empty,

They vanished, and the haunts of fellowship fell empty,

as though they had never once been present there.

as though they had never been there.