تمنَّى فكنتُمْ جُلَّ ما يتمناهُ

تمنَّى فكنتُمْ جُلَّ ما يتمناهُ

أخو وَلَهٍ مضنى الفؤادِ مُعنّاهُ

أخو وَلَهٍ مضنى الفؤادِ مُعنّاهُ

He wished, and you were the greater part of all he wished for—

You were my wish, so you became all I wish for,

a man distraught with love, heart-worn and tormented.

A loving brother, afflicted at heart because of you.

دعا لُبَّهُ داعي الغرامِ ودونكمْ

دعا لُبَّهُ داعي الغرامِ ودونكمْ

مفاوزُ تَعني الناجياتِ فلبّاهُ

مفاوزُ تَعني الناجياتِ فلبّاهُ

Love's summoner called his mind, though between him and you

His fervor called him, blinded by passion for you,

lay deserts that weary swift she-camels; yet it answered the call.

Beyond the deserts that save the survivors he went seeking you.

مشوقٌ إذا ما الليلُ جُنَّ ظلامهُ

مشوقٌ إذا ما الليلُ جُنَّ ظلامهُ

تضاعفَ فيه بالأحبَّةِ بلواهُ

تضاعفَ فيه بالأحبَّةِ بلواهُ

A yearning man: when the night's darkness deepens,

Alluring when the night spreads its darkness,

his anguish for his loved ones doubles in it.

Intensifying in it his torment for his loved ones.

دعاهُ اليهم قائدُ الشوقِ عَنْوَةً

دعاهُ اليهم قائدُ الشوقِ عَنْوَةً

ودونهمُ رملُ العُذَيبِ ومَرْماهُ

ودونهمُ رملُ العُذَيبِ ومَرْماهُ

Longing's leader summoned him to them by force,

The guide of longing forcibly called him to them

though before them lay the sands of al-ʿUdhayb and their far reaches.

Beyond the sands of Al-Udhayb and its expanse he urged him.

موامٍ تَكِلُّ النُّجبُ في جنباتِها

موامٍ تَكِلُّ النُّجبُ في جنباتِها

وخَرْقٌ يهولُ الأرحبيَّةَ مسراهُ

وخَرْقٌ يهولُ الأرحبيَّةَ مسراهُ

Desert expanses where noble camels tire along their sides,

Terrains where the hills are humiliated at their sides,

and a wasteland whose passage terrifies the Arhabi camels;

And a valley that terrifies the wide wilderness is its path.

وهَجْلٌ إذا ما قلتُ للعيسِهذه

وهَجْلٌ إذا ما قلتُ للعيسِهذه

أواخرُه كانتْ مِن البعدِ أُولاهُ

أواخرُه كانتْ مِن البعدِ أُولاهُ

and an open plain: whenever I tell the pale camels, 'These

And mirage, when I described it to the scout,

are its last reaches,' its vastness makes them its first.

Its ending was, from afar, its beginning.

يحاذرُه الخِرَّيتُ مِن بعدِ خرقهِ

يحاذرُه الخِرَّيتُ مِن بعدِ خرقهِ

اِذا ما طمى لُجُّ السَّرابِ ويخشاهُ

اِذا ما طمى لُجُّ السَّرابِ ويخشاهُ

The expert guide dreads it for the vastness of its waste,

The guide avoids it after its deception,

when the ocean of mirage swells, and fears it.

When the surface of the mirage is blurred and frightening.

كأنَّ عتاقَ النُّجبِ فيه سفائنٌ

كأنَّ عتاقَ النُّجبِ فيه سفائنٌ

وموّارَ آذيَّ العساقيلِ أمواهُ

وموّارَ آذيَّ العساقيلِ أمواهُ

As though the thoroughbred camels in it were ships,

As if the tall hills within it are ships

and the churning waves of mirage were its waters.

And the twisting sands are its overwhelming waves.

أحبَّتَنا بِنتمْ فلي بعد بينكمْ

أحبَّتَنا بِنتمْ فلي بعد بينكمْ

فؤادٌ أَجَدَّ الوجدُ لي فيه ذِكراهُ

فؤادٌ أَجَدَّ الوجدُ لي فيه ذِكراهُ

Our beloved ones, you have parted; since your departure I have

My loved ones, how I miss you after the separation,

a heart where passion has renewed its memory for me.

A heart that strongly feels the pain of your memory.

نأيتمْ فلي قلبٌ شديدٌ خُفُوقُه

نأيتمْ فلي قلبٌ شديدٌ خُفُوقُه

وبِنتمْ فلي طرفٌ جفا النومَ جفناهُ

وبِنتمْ فلي طرفٌ جفا النومَ جفناهُ

You have gone far; I have a heart that pounds fiercely,

You are gone, and I have a steadfast heart, wounded,

and you have parted; I have an eye whose lids shun sleep.

And you left, and I have an eye sleepless, its eyelid torn.

أُسائلُ عنكمْ كلَّ ربعٍ رأيتُه

أُسائلُ عنكمْ كلَّ ربعٍ رأيتُه

لكم مُقْفِراً قد أنهجَ الدهرُ مغناهُ

لكم مُقْفِراً قد أنهجَ الدهرُ مغناهُ

About you I question every abode I have seen

I ask about you from every land I see,

of yours, deserted, its habitation worn away by time.

Emptied for you, and fate has ended its prosperity.

وأبكي بجفنٍ مِن أليمِ نواكمُ

وأبكي بجفنٍ مِن أليمِ نواكمُ

قريحٍ ألحَّ الدمعُ فيه فادماهُ

قريحٍ ألحَّ الدمعُ فيه فادماهُ

And I weep with an eyelid, from your painful absence,

And I cry with an eye, hurt by your wailing,

wounded; ceaseless tears have made it bleed.

A casualties eye, pouring tears, bloodying it.

تُجدَّدُ لي ربّاهُ كلُّ صبابةٍ

تُجدَّدُ لي ربّاهُ كلُّ صبابةٍ

وتُذْكِرُني عهداً تقادمَ رؤياهُ

وتُذْكِرُني عهداً تقادمَ رؤياهُ

Its hills renew every yearning in me,

Renewed for me through every youthful gazelle,

and remind me of a time whose vision is long past.

Reminding me of a time past, its vision gone.

وتُسعِدُني عينايَ فيه بدمعِها

وتُسعِدُني عينايَ فيه بدمعِها

فيا ويحَ مَنْ أمسى وعيناهُ عوناهُ

فيا ويحَ مَنْ أمسى وعيناهُ عوناهُ

My eyes aid me there with their tears;

It makes my eyes happy with its tears,

alas for one whose eyes are his helpers at evening!

So woe to him whose eyes have lost their helper at separation!

لقد قلَّ أنصارُ الذي قد غدتْ له

لقد قلَّ أنصارُ الذي قد غدتْ له

على البينِ عوناً في المحبَّةِ عيناهُ

على البينِ عوناً في المحبَّةِ عيناهُ

Few indeed are the helpers of one whose

Indeed, the supporters of whom I have become,

eyes have become his aid in love against separation.

His eye at distance, a helper in love, have diminished.

وأرخصَ في يومِ التفرُّقِ دمعَهُ

وأرخصَ في يومِ التفرُّقِ دمعَهُ

بحكمِ النوى والهجرِ ما كانَ أغلاهُ

بحكمِ النوى والهجرِ ما كانَ أغلاهُ

And he made his tears cheap on the day of parting,

And he undervalued his tears the day we parted,

under distance and estrangement's decree—how precious they once were!

By the will of purpose and separation, though they were so dear.

وأبدى عليه مِن سرائرِ حبَّهِ

وأبدى عليه مِن سرائرِ حبَّهِ

بما فاضَ منه كلُّ ما كانَ أخفاهُ

بما فاضَ منه كلُّ ما كانَ أخفاهُ

And they betrayed the secrets of his love,

And he showed, of his love’s secrets,

their overflow revealing all that he had hidden.

All that he had kept hidden by what overflowed from him.

حنيناً على بعدِ الديارِ وقربِها

حنيناً على بعدِ الديارِ وقربِها

الى جيرةٍ بالمنحنى يتقاضاهُ

الى جيرةٍ بالمنحنى يتقاضاهُ

Out of longing, whether the dwellings are far or near,

Yearning for the distant homeland and its nearness,

for neighbors at al-Munhana—a longing that demands its due from him;

To a neighbor at Al-Manahah he appeals for it.

وشوقاً إلى أهلِ العقيقِ كثيرُه

وشوقاً إلى أهلِ العقيقِ كثيرُه

يذودُ الكرى عن مقلتيِه وأدناهُ

يذودُ الكرى عن مقلتيِه وأدناهُ

and yearning for the people of al-ʿAqiq, whose abundance

And longing for the people of Al-Uqayq, so much

drives sleep from his eyes, as does its slightest measure.

It protects his eyelids and draws them near.

أمِنْ بعدِ ما شابَ في الوجدِ فَودُهُ

أمِنْ بعدِ ما شابَ في الوجدِ فَودُهُ

وأبلى الشبابَ الغضَّ فيهم وأفناهُ

وأبلى الشبابَ الغضَّ فيهم وأفناهُ

Is it after his temple-lock has greyed in passion,

After the youth in him was marred by passion’s scorching,

and he has worn out and spent his tender youth for them,

And time made the exuberance in them infertile and ended it.

تناءوا وأمسى قانعاً بسلامِهم

تناءوا وأمسى قانعاً بسلامِهم

على النأي أو طيفٍ إذا نامَ يغشاه

على النأي أو طيفٍ إذا نامَ يغشاه

that they have gone far, leaving him content with their greetings

They went far, and he was content with their greeting

across the distance, or a vision that visits him in sleep?

From afar, or a phantom that comes to him when he sleeps.

وما كانَ في ظنَّ المحبَّ بأنَّه

وما كانَ في ظنَّ المحبَّ بأنَّه

تخيبُ أمانيهِ ويُخفِقُ مسعاهُ

تخيبُ أمانيهِ ويُخفِقُ مسعاهُ

The lover never imagined that

And it was not in a lover's mind that

his hopes would fail and his striving come to nothing.

His hopes would fail and his endeavor disappoint.

وقد كانَ لا يرضى على قربِ دارِهمْ

وقد كانَ لا يرضى على قربِ دارِهمْ

بما كانَ يرجوه وما يتوخّاهُ

بما كانَ يرجوه وما يتوخّاهُ

And he had never been content, despite their dwelling's nearness,

He had not been pleased, when near their homes,

with what he hoped for and what he sought.

With what he had wished and sought from them.

ولمّا نأى ذاكَ الفريقُ عنِ الحِمى

ولمّا نأى ذاكَ الفريقُ عنِ الحِمى

وسارتْ تؤمُّ المازِمَيْنِ مطاياهُ

وسارتْ تؤمُّ المازِمَيْنِ مطاياهُ

When that company went far from the protected grounds,

And when that company went far from the sanctuary,

and its mounts set out toward al-Maʾzimayn,

And the camels of the two groups set out,

وسارَ غزالٌ كانَ يَهدي مع الصبَّا

وسارَ غزالٌ كانَ يَهدي مع الصبَّا

اِذا منعوه مِن وصالي تحاياهُ

اِذا منعوه مِن وصالي تحاياهُ

and a gazelle departed, who used to send with the east wind,

And a gazelle that used to be led, with the morning breeze,

when they barred him from meeting me, his greetings;

When they prevented me from union, went its way.

وأصبحَ قلبي وهو في الحبَّ مُوثَقٌ

وأصبحَ قلبي وهو في الحبَّ مُوثَقٌ

يروحُ ويغدو وهو مِن بعضِ أسراهُ

يروحُ ويغدو وهو مِن بعضِ أسراهُ

and my heart was left, bound fast in love,

And my heart remained, though bound by love,

going out evening and morning as one of its captives,

Coming and going, while still partly shackled.

سَمَحتُ بدمعي والسحابُ بدمعهِ

سَمَحتُ بدمعي والسحابُ بدمعهِ

ضنينٌ على الربعِ المُحيلِ فرّواهُ

ضنينٌ على الربعِ المُحيلِ فرّواهُ

I freely gave my tears, while the cloud, with its tears,

I allowed my tears, and the clouds their tears,

was stingy toward the timeworn abode; mine watered it.

Grief for the departing land to flow profusely.

وأجريتُ دمعاً في الطلولِ مورَّداً

وأجريتُ دمعاً في الطلولِ مورَّداً

غزيرَ الحيا لا يبلغُ القطرُ شرواهُ

غزيرَ الحيا لا يبلغُ القطرُ شرواهُ

And I let rose-red tears flow among the ruins,

And I shed a pouring tear, abundant, pure,

abundant in rain, beyond anything rainfall could match.

Whose drops the shower cannot match in flow.

وقلتُ لقلبيطالَ عهدُكَ باللَّوى

وقلتُ لقلبيطالَ عهدُكَ باللَّوى

فأين لياليهِ ومَنْ كنتَ تهواهُ

فأين لياليهِ ومَنْ كنتَ تهواهُ

And I said to my heart, 'Long has it been since your time at al-Liwa;

And I said to my heart, “Long has your affliction been with anguish,

where are its nights, and the one you used to love?'

Where are its nights, and whom were you infatuated with?”

وقلتُ لِمَنْ قد كانَ يَعذِلُني على

وقلتُ لِمَنْ قد كانَ يَعذِلُني على

غرامي بهدعْ عنكَ ما لستُ أرضاهُ

غرامي بهدعْ عنكَ ما لستُ أرضاهُ

And I said to him who used to blame me for

And I said, “Refrain from blaming me for

my passion for him, 'Leave off what I do not accept.'

A passion I do not approve or accept.”

فما لجَّ بالمشتاقِ في مذهبِ الهوى

فما لجَّ بالمشتاقِ في مذهبِ الهوى

على ما أراه العَذْلُ إلا وأغراهُ

على ما أراه العَذْلُ إلا وأغراهُ

For never has a yearning lover on love's path been persistently pressed,

So how can an ardent lover, in love's doctrine,

as I see it, by blame without being spurred on.

Stop what the blame, though he sees it, urges him to?!

وما كنتُ قبلَ البينِ والشمل جامعٌ

وما كنتُ قبلَ البينِ والشمل جامعٌ

أرى العيشَ مخضرَّ الجنابِ بلقياهُ

أرى العيشَ مخضرَّ الجنابِ بلقياهُ

And before parting, while we were still united, I did not

I was not, before separation and union, someone who

see life as green in its reaches through meeting him,

Saw life flourishing and green through meeting them.

حميداً إذا ما ربعُه عادَ مُكِثباً

حميداً إذا ما ربعُه عادَ مُكِثباً

شهيّاً إذا لم تفقدِ العينُ مرآهُ

شهيّاً إذا لم تفقدِ العينُ مرآهُ

blessed whenever his dwelling lay near,

Praiseworthy, when his land revived, lively,

sweet when my eyes did not lose sight of him.

Appealing, when the eye did not lose its vision.

فما كانَ أصفى ذلكَ العيشَ برهةً

فما كانَ أصفى ذلكَ العيشَ برهةً

وقد غابَ واشيه وما كانَ أسناهُ

وقد غابَ واشيه وما كانَ أسناهُ

How pure that life was for a time,

That life was never as pure for a moment,

with its talebearer absent—and how radiant it was!

Once it was hidden, and its lightning gone.

وليلةَ وافاني على غيرِ موعدٍ

وليلةَ وافاني على غيرِ موعدٍ

يجوبُ الدجى لا أصغرَ اللهُ ممشاهُ

يجوبُ الدجى لا أصغرَ اللهُ ممشاهُ

And on a night he came to me without an appointment,

On a night he came to me unexpectedly,

crossing the darkness—may God never belittle his journey!

Crossing the darkness, may God not make his course small!

وباتَ وذاكَ الحسنُ يجلوه طائعاً

وباتَ وذاكَ الحسنُ يجلوه طائعاً

على ناظري في الليلِ نورُ محيّاهُ

على ناظري في الليلِ نورُ محيّاهُ

He stayed the night, and that beauty was willingly unveiled

He stayed, and that beauty shone willingly

to my eyes in the darkness by the light of his face.

Upon my eyes in the night, the light of his cheek.

فبتُّ ولي ضوءانِضوءُ جبينهِ

فبتُّ ولي ضوءانِضوءُ جبينهِ

على غرَّةِ الواشي وضوءُ ثناياهُ

على غرَّةِ الواشي وضوءُ ثناياهُ

So I spent the night with two lights: the light of his brow,

I spent the night, and I had two lights:

with the talebearer unaware, and the light of his front teeth.

The light of his forehead in the darkness, and the light of his smile.

أُعاطيهِ كأساً مِن مُدامٍ كأنَّما

أُعاطيهِ كأساً مِن مُدامٍ كأنَّما

عصارةُ خدَّيهِ الذي يتعاطاهُ

عصارةُ خدَّيهِ الذي يتعاطاهُ

I pass him a cup of wine, as though

I give him a cup of wine, as though

what he drinks were the juice pressed from his cheeks.

It is the extract of his cheek that he sips.

مُدامٌ إذا راقتْ ورقَّتْ حسبتَها

مُدامٌ إذا راقتْ ورقَّتْ حسبتَها

جنى ظَلْمِه مقطوبةً وسجاياهُ

جنى ظَلْمِه مقطوبةً وسجاياهُ

Wine that, when clear and delicate, you would think

A wine, that when it flows gently and sparkles, you'd think it

the gathered nectar of his teeth, blended with his character.

The produce of his oppression, plucked while still unripe.

وحيّاً بها صبّاً أماتَ سرورَهُ

وحيّاً بها صبّاً أماتَ سرورَهُ

تطاولُ أيامِ البعادِ فأحياهُ

تطاولُ أيامِ البعادِ فأحياهُ

And with it he greeted a lover whose joy had been killed

I greeted him with it, pouring until it killed his sadness,

by the lengthening days of absence, and revived him.

The prolonged days of distance giving him life.

وروَّحَ قلباً طالَ بالبينِ هَمُّهُ

وروَّحَ قلباً طالَ بالبينِ هَمُّهُ

وصبّاً به طولُ التفرُّقِ أضناهُ

وصبّاً به طولُ التفرُّقِ أضناهُ

And he soothed a heart whose sorrow had long endured in separation,

It comforted a heart long burdened with concerns,

and a lover of him whom long parting had wasted,

The long separation had made it distraught.

ومضنًى يُراعي النيَّراتِ لأجلِه

ومضنًى يُراعي النيَّراتِ لأجلِه

غراماً فهلاّ في المحبَّةِ يرعاهُ

غراماً فهلاّ في المحبَّةِ يرعاهُ

and a worn-out man who watches the bright stars for his sake,

And distraught, he regards the gazelles because of it,

out of passion—why does he not care for him in love?

Passionately in love, so sublime in his passion.

وما كانَ يدري ما الفراقُ ولا الهوى

وما كانَ يدري ما الفراقُ ولا الهوى

ولا مؤلماتُ الصدَّ والبينِ لولاهُ

ولا مؤلماتُ الصدَّ والبينِ لولاهُ

He would not have known what separation or love were,

He did not know what separation, love,

or the agonies of rejection and parting, were it not for him.

Or the pains of estrangement and distance were, had it not been for him.

وما الروضُ سقّاهُ الغمامُ بمائهِ

وما الروضُ سقّاهُ الغمامُ بمائهِ

فطرَّزهُ دمعُ السحابُ ووشّاهُ

فطرَّزهُ دمعُ السحابُ ووشّاهُ

And no garden, watered by the cloud with its water,

The meadow was not watered by the clouds with its water,

embroidered and brocaded by the cloud's tears,

Embroidered by the weeping of the clouds, were it not for him.

تأرَّجَ طيباً عندما هبَّتِ الصبَّا

تأرَّجَ طيباً عندما هبَّتِ الصبَّا

على جانبيهِ نَوْرُه وخُزماهُ

على جانبيهِ نَوْرُه وخُزماهُ

with fragrance rising when the east wind blows

It exuded fragrance when the morning breeze

over its two sides, from its blossoms and lavender,

Blew upon its sides, his brilliance and his flowers.

وأطلعَ فيه الزهرَ أخلافُ دَرَّهِ

وأطلعَ فيه الزهرَ أخلافُ دَرَّهِ

كشعري إذا ما دبَّجَ الفكرُ معناهُ

كشعري إذا ما دبَّجَ الفكرُ معناهُ

where the teats of the cloud's flowing milk bring forth flowers,

The succession of his beauty's seeds spawned blossoms in it,

is like my poetry when thought embroiders its meaning.

Like my poetry when the mind composes its meaning.

يصوغُ له اللفظَ الصحيحَ فيغتدي

يصوغُ له اللفظَ الصحيحَ فيغتدي

جلياً على الفَهمِ السقيمِ مُعمّاهُ

جلياً على الفَهمِ السقيمِ مُعمّاهُ

Thought fashions sound wording for it, so that

It casts for it the proper words eloquently,

its obscure meaning becomes clear even to a feeble mind.

Clear to the feeble mind, comprehensive in meaning.

له نشواتٌ في العقولِ كأنَّما

له نشواتٌ في العقولِ كأنَّما

أُديرتْ على الأذهانِ منه حُميّاهُ

أُديرتْ على الأذهانِ منه حُميّاهُ

It stirs intoxication in minds, as though

It has joys in the minds, as though

its heady wine had been passed around among their thoughts.

Its passionate imaginings were stirred about them.

ويلعبُ بالألبابِ سِحْرُ كلامِه

ويلعبُ بالألبابِ سِحْرُ كلامِه

متى أوردتْهُ في المحافلِ أفواهُ

متى أوردتْهُ في المحافلِ أفواهُ

And the magic of its words plays with the intellects

The sorcery of his words plays with intellects,

whenever mouths recite it in assemblies.

When uttered in assemblies, by mouths.

قريضٌ إذا فصَّلتُ جوهرَ لفظهِ

قريضٌ إذا فصَّلتُ جوهرَ لفظهِ

وبينَّتُ معناهُ وأحكمتُ مبناهُ

وبينَّتُ معناهُ وأحكمتُ مبناهُ

Verse: when I arrange the jewels of its wording,

A poem, when I articulate the essence of its words

and clarify its meaning and perfect its structure,

And explain its meaning and perfect its composition,

دنا جيدُ هذا الدهرِ منه وطالما

دنا جيدُ هذا الدهرِ منه وطالما

غدا عاطلاً مِن قبلِ شعري فحلاّهُ

غدا عاطلاً مِن قبلِ شعري فحلاّهُ

this age's neck draws near to it; for long

The prime of this age comes near to it, and often

it had been bare before my poetry adorned it.

It succeeds while my poetry fails and embarrasses it.