دعْ عنكَ ما زخرفَ الواشي وما زَعَما

دعْ عنكَ ما زخرفَ الواشي وما زَعَما

لم يَصْحُ قلبي مِنَ البلوى ولا عَزَما

لم يَصْحُ قلبي مِنَ البلوى ولا عَزَما

Leave aside what the slanderer embellished and what he claimed.

Leave what the slanderer embellished and what he claimed,

My heart has neither recovered from affliction nor found resolve.

My heart did not recover from affliction, nor became resolute.

أمارَةُ الوجدِ عندي أدمعٌ ذُرُفٌ

أمارَةُ الوجدِ عندي أدمعٌ ذُرُفٌ

على الديارِ وجسمٌ يألَفُ السَّقما

على الديارِ وجسمٌ يألَفُ السَّقما

The signs of passion in me are freely flowing tears

The sign of passion in me is flowing tears

Over the dwellings, and a body accustomed to sickness,

For the abode, and a body that bears sickness.

ومسمعٌ كلَّما زادَ العذولُ على

ومسمعٌ كلَّما زادَ العذولُ على

وجدي بليلى ملامًا زادَهُ صَمَما

وجدي بليلى ملامًا زادَهُ صَمَما

And an ear that, whenever the reproacher heaps upon

And hearing - whenever estrangement increased upon

My love for Layla more reproach, he makes still deafer.

My passion for Layla - blaming, it increased his stubbornness.

لم أنسَ يومَ النوى والعيسُ مُحدَجَةٌ

لم أنسَ يومَ النوى والعيسُ مُحدَجَةٌ

والبينُ قد جَمَعَ التوديعَ والعَنَما

والبينُ قد جَمَعَ التوديعَ والعَنَما

I have not forgotten the day of departure, with the pale camels saddled,

I do not forget the day of parting while the camels are loaded,

When parting joined farewells with fingers red as ʿanam berries.

And the separation gathered farewell and gloom.

وكلَّما أرمضتْني مِن ملامتهِ

وكلَّما أرمضتْني مِن ملامتهِ

قوارصٌ أضرمتْ في مهجتي ضَرَما

قوارصٌ أضرمتْ في مهجتي ضَرَما

And whenever I am scorched by his reproach,

And whenever she blamed me for my passion,

Its biting words kindle a blaze within my soul.

Hot coals kindled in my entrails a burning.

يا حارِ والحرُّ مَنْ لم يُضْحِ في شُغُلٍ

يا حارِ والحرُّ مَنْ لم يُضْحِ في شُغُلٍ

مِنَ الغرامِ ومَنْ لم يُمسِ مُهتَضَما

مِنَ الغرامِ ومَنْ لم يُمسِ مُهتَضَما

O Harith, free is he who does not spend the day engrossed

O critic! Passion is difficult for those

In passion, and who does not spend the evening oppressed.

Who are not preoccupied with love or touched with grief.

اِنْ كنتَ أنكرتَ مِنْ دمعي نميمتَهُ

اِنْ كنتَ أنكرتَ مِنْ دمعي نميمتَهُ

والقومُ عن حاجرٍ قد قوَّضوا الخِيَما

والقومُ عن حاجرٍ قد قوَّضوا الخِيَما

If you have condemned the tale-telling of my tears,

If you denied the tears I shed in lamenting,

While the people had struck their tents to leave Hajir,

While people eroded mountains with their critiques.

فما تحدَّرَ إلا مِن هوًى ونوًى

فما تحدَّرَ إلا مِن هوًى ونوًى

قد أحوجاه إلى اِظهارِ ما كتما

قد أحوجاه إلى اِظهارِ ما كتما

They streamed down only from love and separation,

It only flowed from an affection and a yearning,

Which both compelled them to reveal what both had concealed.

That made it reveal what was hidden.

حالٌ تَذِلُ لها غلْبُ الأُسودِ وقد

حالٌ تَذِلُ لها غلْبُ الأُسودِ وقد

أعزَّ اِقدامُهُنَّ الغِيلَ والأَجَما

أعزَّ اِقدامُهُنَّ الغِيلَ والأَجَما

A plight before which thick-necked lions bow, though

A condition that humiliates, overcoming the bravery of lions,

Their boldness has made the groves and thickets unassailable.

And their feet made strong the fleeing cowards.

أحبابَنا سُقيتْ أيامُ قربِكمْ

أحبابَنا سُقيتْ أيامُ قربِكمْ

وجادَها الغيثُ منهلاًّ ومُنسجِما

وجادَها الغيثُ منهلاًّ ومُنسجِما

Our loved ones, may the days of your nearness be watered,

Our loved ones, the days of your nearness were quenched,

And may rain lavish its bounty upon them, pouring and streaming.

And the rain generously watered it, harmoniously.

مَضَتْ سِراعًا وما أدرى لسرعتها

مَضَتْ سِراعًا وما أدرى لسرعتها

أيقظةً ما أراني الدهرُ أم حُلُما

أيقظةً ما أراني الدهرُ أم حُلُما

They passed swiftly; because of their speed, I cannot tell

They passed quickly - I know not in their swiftness

Whether what Time showed me was waking life or a dream.

Whether I saw them awake or in a dream.

لا تَتْهَمُوا القلبَ بالسُّلوانِ بعدَكُمُ

لا تَتْهَمُوا القلبَ بالسُّلوانِ بعدَكُمُ

فمذ عَرَفْتُ الهوى ما كنتُ متَّهَما

فمذ عَرَفْتُ الهوى ما كنتُ متَّهَما

Do not accuse my heart of finding solace after your departure;

Do not blame my heart for passion after you,

For since I came to know love, I have never been suspect.

For since I knew love, I have not been blamed.

لم يبقَ لي أملٌ مِن بعدِ بينكمُ

لم يبقَ لي أملٌ مِن بعدِ بينكمُ

اِلاّ وغادرَهُ صَرْفُ النوى أَلَما

اِلاّ وغادرَهُ صَرْفُ النوى أَلَما

No hope remained for me after your departure

No hope remains for me after being among you

That separation's vicissitudes had not turned into pain.

Except what the turning of fate made painful.

أكادُ أبكي إذا سطَّرتُ مشتكياً

أكادُ أبكي إذا سطَّرتُ مشتكياً

مِنَ الفراقِ ومِن أفعالِه القَلَما

مِنَ الفراقِ ومِن أفعالِه القَلَما

I almost bring to tears, as I write in complaint

I almost weep when I write complaining

Of parting and its deeds, the pen itself.

Of separation, and of its heartless deeds.

ما للخيالِ ومالي ما ألمَّ بنا

ما للخيالِ ومالي ما ألمَّ بنا

اِلاّ وأورثَني اِلمامُه لَمَما

اِلاّ وأورثَني اِلمامُه لَمَما

What is it with the phantom and me? It never visited us

What is with my imagination? Why did he pain me

Without its visit leaving me a touch of madness.

Except that his imaginations always brought anxieties?

حيّا وفارقَني في الحالِ مُنصرِفاً

حيّا وفارقَني في الحالِ مُنصرِفاً

عنَّي فمتُّ على آثارِه نَدَما

عنَّي فمتُّ على آثارِه نَدَما

It greeted me and at once left me, turning away

He greeted me and left suddenly thereafter,

From me; I died of regret in its wake.

Turning away from me, so I regretted his tracks.

طوى المهامهَ حتى جاءَ منفرِداً

طوى المهامهَ حتى جاءَ منفرِداً

اليَّ لم يَهَبِ البيداءَ والظُّلمَا

اليَّ لم يَهَبِ البيداءَ والظُّلمَا

It traversed the trackless wastes until it came, alone,

He folded the tent until he came alone

To me, fearing neither the desert nor the darkness.

To me - he did not bestow the barren land or the darkness.

ودونهُ مِن فِجاجَ البيدِ مُنطمِسٌ

ودونهُ مِن فِجاجَ البيدِ مُنطمِسٌ

كاليمَّ مَجْهَلُه يستوقفُ الهِمَما

كاليمَّ مَجْهَلُه يستوقفُ الهِمَما

And before it, among the desert passes, lay an unmarked stretch,

With him among the crevices of the desert was a faded one

Its uncharted vastness like the sea, checking all resolve.

Like an unknown, dubious guide.

ما أوجفَ الركبُ أو ضلَّ الدليلُ به

ما أوجفَ الركبُ أو ضلَّ الدليلُ به

اِلاّ وشيَّبَ مِنْ رُكبانِه اللَّمَما

اِلاّ وشيَّبَ مِنْ رُكبانِه اللَّمَما

No caravan hastened through it, or guide lost his way there,

No caravan became lost or guide went astray with him

Without it greying the locks of its riders.

Except that he brought worries to its riders.

يا دارُ ما لكِ قد عُوَّضتِ بعدهمُ

يا دارُ ما لكِ قد عُوَّضتِ بعدهمُ

كُرْهاً بحكمِ النوى الغِربانَ والرَّخَما

كُرْهاً بحكمِ النوى الغِربانَ والرَّخَما

O dwelling, what ails you? In their stead you have been given,

O abode! Why are you compensated after them

Against your will, by parting's decree, crows and vultures.

Perforce with the judgments of fate - the ravens and rubble?

لو كنتِ مِن حَدَثانِ الدهرِ سالمةً

لو كنتِ مِن حَدَثانِ الدهرِ سالمةً

لكانَ فيكِ فؤادي ربَّما سَلِما

لكانَ فيكِ فؤادي ربَّما سَلِما

Had you been safe from the vicissitudes of time,

If you were safe from the occurrences of time

My heart might perhaps have been safe within you.

My heart might have found peace within you.

ومنزلٍ عجتُ مِن بعدِ الخليطِ ضحًى

ومنزلٍ عجتُ مِن بعدِ الخليطِ ضحًى

عليه أسألُ مِن أطلالِه الرُّسُما

عليه أسألُ مِن أطلالِه الرُّسُما

And many a dwelling I turned aside to one forenoon, after the companions left,

And a house whose traces I asked at dawn

There to question the remaining trace among its ruins.

As travelers halted there - seeking its ruins.

فلم يُجبني وكم في الصَّمتِ من لَسَنٍ

فلم يُجبني وكم في الصَّمتِ من لَسَنٍ

فَهِمْتُه فجرى دمعي له وهَمَى

فَهِمْتُه فجرى دمعي له وهَمَى

It did not answer me; yet how much eloquence there is in silence!

So it did not answer me, yet how eloquent is silence!

I understood it; my tears flowed for it and poured.

I understood it, so my tears flowed profusely.

لمّا ذكرتُ به هنداً وجيرتَها

لمّا ذكرتُ به هنداً وجيرتَها

أيامَ قد كان شملُ الحيَّ ملتئما

أيامَ قد كان شملُ الحيَّ ملتئما

When there I remembered Hind and her neighbors,

When I recalled Hind and her neighbor -

In the days when the tribe's company was united,

Days when the thread of the living was harmoniously joined.

تحدَّرتْ مِن جفوني فوقَهُ دِيَمٌ

تحدَّرتْ مِن جفوني فوقَهُ دِيَمٌ

اِذا استهلَّ حياها أخجلُ الدَّيَما

اِذا استهلَّ حياها أخجلُ الدَّيَما

Steady rains streamed from my eyelids onto it;

Tears flowed down my eyelids abundantly

When their rain began to pour, I put steady rains to shame.

When it recalled her life - outshining tears.

اِنَّ الكريمَ يرى ذكرَ الذين نأوا

اِنَّ الكريمَ يرى ذكرَ الذين نأوا

وان أضاعوا عهودَ المنحنى ذِمَما

وان أضاعوا عهودَ المنحنى ذِمَما

The noble man regards remembrance of those far away

Indeed the generous one sees the memory of those who are distant

As a binding duty, even if they squandered the pledges at the bend.

Even if they forfeited the covenants of the bent one blamefully.

أين الحبائبُ في أيامِ جِدَّتِه

أين الحبائبُ في أيامِ جِدَّتِه

أولَينَهُ بشفاعاتِ الهوى نِعَما

أولَينَهُ بشفاعاتِ الهوى نِعَما

Where are the beloved women who, in his youthful prime,

Where are the sweethearts in the days of her grandmother -

Bestowed favors upon him through love's intercession?

Should he win their mediation through passion's bounty?

نُفَرنَ عنه وهذي شيمةٌ عُرِفتْ

نُفَرنَ عنه وهذي شيمةٌ عُرِفتْ

مِنَ الأوانسِ لمّا شارفَ الهَرَما

مِنَ الأوانسِ لمّا شارفَ الهَرَما

They shied away from him—this is a familiar trait

They abandoned him - and this is a trait known

Of young women—when he approached old age.

Of girlfriends when old age draws near.

ما روضةٌ وشَّعتْها كلُّ غاديةٍ

ما روضةٌ وشَّعتْها كلُّ غاديةٍ

فوشَّحتْها الثُّمامَ الغَضَّ واليَنَما

فوشَّحتْها الثُّمامَ الغَضَّ واليَنَما

No meadow adorned by every morning raincloud,

No garden blossomed with flowers that every passerby

Then draped in tender thumam grass and yanam,

Plucked - adorned with tender greenery and violets.

حاكَ الغمامُ لها مِن وشيهِ حُلَلاً

حاكَ الغمامُ لها مِن وشيهِ حُلَلاً

فيها فيا حسنَ ما وشَّى وما رَقَما

فيها فيا حسنَ ما وشَّى وما رَقَما

For which the clouds wove robes from their embroidery

The clouds wove for it garments of interwoven rains

Within it—how lovely what they embroidered and patterned!—

In which - how excellent is its adornment and embroidery!

هِمْنا وقد هبَّ معتلُّ النسيمِ بها

هِمْنا وقد هبَّ معتلُّ النسيمِ بها

كأنَّه بأحاديثِ الحِمى نَسَما

كأنَّه بأحاديثِ الحِمى نَسَما

Where we were enraptured as a languid breeze blew through it,

We yearned when the gentle breeze blew upon it

As though it breathed tales of the protected pasture,

As if it breathed to us the conversations of love.

وخصَّني دونَ أصحابي بسَّرِهمُ

وخصَّني دونَ أصحابي بسَّرِهمُ

كأنَّه بالذي ألقاه قد عَلِما

كأنَّه بالذي ألقاه قد عَلِما

And singled me out, apart from my companions, with their secret,

And it imparted me - apart from my companions - its secret

As though it knew what I endure,

As if it knew what it cast upon me.

يوماً بأحسنَ مِن تفويفِ ما نَظَمَتْ

يوماً بأحسنَ مِن تفويفِ ما نَظَمَتْ

قرائحي مِن كلامٍ يُنتِجُ الحِكَما

قرائحي مِن كلامٍ يُنتِجُ الحِكَما

Is ever lovelier than the variegated pattern of what was composed

One day in poetry more beautiful than the rhythmic songs

By my poetic faculties—words that bring forth wisdom.

My talents have composed of articulate words.

حوى العلومَ فأضحى في جزالتهِ

حوى العلومَ فأضحى في جزالتهِ

وسبكهِ بينَ أشعارِ الورى عَلَما

وسبكهِ بينَ أشعارِ الورى عَلَما

It encompassed learning, and so became, in its forceful diction

It contained knowledge thus its words are weighted,

And its casting, a landmark among humankind's poems.

And its style among the poets' verses is a flag.

ولا الفراتُ كدمعي في غواربهِ

ولا الفراتُ كدمعي في غواربهِ

يوماً إذا جاشَ في تيّارِه وطَمَا

يوماً إذا جاشَ في تيّارِه وطَمَا

Nor does the Euphrates, in its wave-crests, match my tears

Neither is the Euphrates like my tears in its swirling pools

On any day when its current surges and overflows.

When it surges in its currents, turbulent.

ولا الحمائمُ في نوحي ولا قلقي

ولا الحمائمُ في نوحي ولا قلقي

غداةَ أضحتْ تُبكَّي الضّالَ والسَّلَما

غداةَ أضحتْ تُبكَّي الضّالَ والسَّلَما

Nor do the doves equal my wailing or my unrest,

Nor are the doves in my laments and worries

At morn, when they made the wild lote trees and salam acacias weep.

Tomorrow when they weep for the lost and departed.

متى ترنَّمَ منها طائرٌ غَرِدٌ

متى ترنَّمَ منها طائرٌ غَرِدٌ

وقلتُ شعراً غدونا نَنْشُرُ الرَّمَما

وقلتُ شعراً غدونا نَنْشُرُ الرَّمَما

Whenever a tuneful bird among them sings,

Whenever a singing bird chirped from it

And I recite verse, we bring mouldering bones back to life.

And I recited poetry, we spread our verse.

وقد رضيتُ بقاضي العقلِ لي حَكَماً

وقد رضيتُ بقاضي العقلِ لي حَكَماً

فيما أقولُ وحسبي رأيُه حَكَما

فيما أقولُ وحسبي رأيُه حَكَما

And I have accepted Reason, the judge, as my arbiter

And I have been content with reason's judgment for me

In what I say; its opinion is arbiter enough for me.

In what I say, and its opinion suffices as judge.