قفْ بي على منزلٍ بالربعِ قد دَثَرا

قفْ بي على منزلٍ بالربعِ قد دَثَرا

أبدى الزمانُ لنا في طيَّهِ عِبَرا

أبدى الزمانُ لنا في طيَّهِ عِبَرا

Stop with me at a dwelling in the encampment, now fallen to ruin;

Stop with me at a dwelling in the wilderness that time has laid waste

time has revealed to us lessons within its folds.

Fate has shown us its lessons in its folds

أين الأحبَّةُ قد كانت وجوهُهمُ

أين الأحبَّةُ قد كانت وجوهُهمُ

حسناً تُخَجَّلُ فيه الشمسَ والقمرا

حسناً تُخَجَّلُ فيه الشمسَ والقمرا

Where are the loved ones whose faces once

Where are the loved ones whose faces were so beautiful

put the sun and moon to shame with their beauty?

That they shamed the sun and the moon

وقفتُ فيه فلم ألمحْ لهم أثراً

وقفتُ فيه فلم ألمحْ لهم أثراً

بين الطلولِ ولم أسمعْ لهم خَبَرا

بين الطلولِ ولم أسمعْ لهم خَبَرا

I stood there but glimpsed no trace of them

I stood there but found no trace of them

among the ruins, nor heard any news of them.

Among the sand dunes, nor did I hear news of them

أحبَّةٌ كان مستوراً حديثُهمُ

أحبَّةٌ كان مستوراً حديثُهمُ

حتى تطاولَ عمرُ البينِ فاشتهرا

حتى تطاولَ عمرُ البينِ فاشتهرا

Loved ones whose story was kept hidden,

Loved ones whose talk was kept secret

until separation's span lengthened and it became widely known.

Until the long separation between us became notorious

لولاهمُ ما نهاني الوجدُ مقتدراً

لولاهمُ ما نهاني الوجدُ مقتدراً

عما يحاولهُ منّي ولا امَرا

عما يحاولهُ منّي ولا امَرا

Were it not for them, longing would not, in its power, have forbidden me

Had it not been for them, passion would not have prevented me

what it seeks from me, nor commanded me.

From what it attempts with me, nor would I resist

أجَّجتُ نارَ غرامي في ملاعبهِ

أجَّجتُ نارَ غرامي في ملاعبهِ

بفائضِ الدمعِ في الأطلالِ فاستقرا

بفائضِ الدمعِ في الأطلالِ فاستقرا

I stoked the fire of my passion in its playgrounds

I kindled the fire of my passion in its playgrounds

with overflowing tears amid the ruins, and it took firm hold.

With copious tears at the ruins, so it settled

وأَخْجَلَتْ سُحُبُ الجفانِ هاطلةً

وأَخْجَلَتْ سُحُبُ الجفانِ هاطلةً

سُحْباً حملنَ لسُقيا تُربهِ المطرا

سُحْباً حملنَ لسُقيا تُربهِ المطرا

And the clouds of my eyelids, pouring down, put to shame

And the clouds of my eyelids pouring down

clouds that carried rain to water its soil.

Brought rain to irrigate its soil

يا ربعُ قد كنتَ لي قبلَ النوى وطناً

يا ربعُ قد كنتَ لي قبلَ النوى وطناً

بلغتُ فيكَ على رغمِ العِدى وَطَرا

بلغتُ فيكَ على رغمِ العِدى وَطَرا

O encampment, before separation you were a homeland to me;

Oh wilderness, you were my homeland before intention

in you I fulfilled a desire, despite the enemies.

I reached you despite hostility and crossed rugged terrain

أشكو إليكَ نوًى باتتْ تُؤرّقُني

أشكو إليكَ نوًى باتتْ تُؤرّقُني

وكنتُ مِن قبلِها لا أعرفُ السَّهَرا

وكنتُ مِن قبلِها لا أعرفُ السَّهَرا

I complain to you of a separation that keeps me awake all night,

I complain to you of an ardour that keeps me awake

though before it I knew no sleeplessness.

When before I did not know sleeplessness

ما لي ومالكَ قد جدَّدتُ لي شَجَناً

ما لي ومالكَ قد جدَّدتُ لي شَجَناً

بالراحلينَ وقد أحدثتَ لي ذِكّرا

بالراحلينَ وقد أحدثتَ لي ذِكّرا

What have I to do with you? I have renewed sorrow for myself

Why do you and I renew a yearning in me

over those who departed, and you have stirred remembrance in me.

For the departed, and remind me of them?

عُلالةً أشكتي ما بي إلى طللٍ

عُلالةً أشكتي ما بي إلى طللٍ

مثلي عليه دليلُ الشوقِ قد ظهرا

مثلي عليه دليلُ الشوقِ قد ظهرا

For solace, I complain of my plight to a ruin,

To the ruins I complained of what was in me

on which, as on me, the sign of longing has appeared.

My passion was a guide that appeared

نهنهتُ دمعي وخاطبتُ الديارَ أسًى

نهنهتُ دمعي وخاطبتُ الديارَ أسًى

حتى إذا لم يُجبني رسمُهنَّ جرى

حتى إذا لم يُجبني رسمُهنَّ جرى

I restrained my tears and addressed the dwellings in sorrow,

I checked my tears and addressed the dwellings in sorrow

until, when their traces failed to answer me, my tears flowed.

But when their outlines did not answer me, they flowed

ونحتُ في جنباتِ الربعِ مِن وَلَهٍ

ونحتُ في جنباتِ الربعِ مِن وَلَهٍ

شوقاً فكدتُ به أستنطقُ الحجرا

شوقاً فكدتُ به أستنطقُ الحجرا

And I wailed in the encampment's reaches, in lovesick grief,

And I carved from deep longing in the sides of the wilderness

out of longing, almost making the stones speak through it.

Nearly making the rock speak

وهبَّ معتلُّ أنفاسِ النسيمِ على

وهبَّ معتلُّ أنفاسِ النسيمِ على

تلكَ الرياضِ بليلاً نشرُه عَطِرا

تلكَ الرياضِ بليلاً نشرُه عَطِرا

And the breeze's languid breath blew over

The sighs of the gentle breeze blew

those meadows, moist, its wafted scent fragrant.

Upon those meadows, its scent spreading in the night

منازلٌ طابَ نفّاحُ النسيمِ بها

منازلٌ طابَ نفّاحُ النسيمِ بها

وطابَ سكانُها قِدْماً فطِبنَ ثرى

وطابَ سكانُها قِدْماً فطِبنَ ثرى

Dwellings where the breeze's fragrant waft was sweet;

Abodes made fragrant by the breeze’s breath

and their inhabitants were sweet of old, making their soil sweet too.

And its people blessed of old, so the soil was hallowed

تلكَ الديارُ سقاها الدمعُ مُنبجِساً

تلكَ الديارُ سقاها الدمعُ مُنبجِساً

شؤبوبُه دائمَ التسكابِ منهمرا

شؤبوبُه دائمَ التسكابِ منهمرا

Those dwellings were watered by gushing tears,

Those homes my spilling tears watered

their downpour streaming in a ceaseless flow.

Their showers ever pouring down heavily

وبارقٍ ما روتْ ليلاً شرارتُه

وبارقٍ ما روتْ ليلاً شرارتُه

اِلاّ وقابلَ مِن وجدي بكم شررا

اِلاّ وقابلَ مِن وجدي بكم شررا

And many a lightning flash whose spark never spoke at night

And lightning that did not give drink to the night

without meeting sparks from my longing for you.

Except that my passion returned its sparks twofold

ضاءَ الظلامَ وقد كانتْ ذوائبُه

ضاءَ الظلامَ وقد كانتْ ذوائبُه

في الأفقِ عاقدةً مِن شَعرِه طُرَرا

في الأفقِ عاقدةً مِن شَعرِه طُرَرا

It lit the darkness, whose tresses had been

It illuminated the darkness, though its tresses

tying forelocks from its hair along the horizon.

Were contracted on the horizon in plaits

فما خَبا البرقُ إلا مِن زِنادِ هوًى

فما خَبا البرقُ إلا مِن زِنادِ هوًى

ما بين جنبَّي أبدى نُورَه وورى

ما بين جنبَّي أبدى نُورَه وورى

So lightning dimmed only before love's firesteel,

So the lightning did not fail except from the flint

which, between my sides, showed its light and kindled fire.

Of passion that showed its light and kindled

وزارني طيفُ مَن أهوى زيارتَه

وزارني طيفُ مَن أهوى زيارتَه

حتى إذا ما رآني ساهراً نَفَرا

حتى إذا ما رآني ساهراً نَفَرا

The phantom of the one whose visit I desire visited me,

The phantom of the one I loved visited me

but when it saw me wakeful, it fled.

Until when he saw me keeping vigil, he fled

سرى اليَّ ودونَ الملتقى قَذَفٌ

سرى اليَّ ودونَ الملتقى قَذَفٌ

في الليلِ يركبُ من أهوالِه الخَطَرا

في الليلِ يركبُ من أهوالِه الخَطَرا

It traveled to me by night, with a vast wilderness before our meeting,

He came to me, though between the meeting place

in the night, riding danger amid its terrors.

In the night is a gulf fraught with perils

عجبتُ كيف سرى والليلُ مُنْسَدِلٌ

عجبتُ كيف سرى والليلُ مُنْسَدِلٌ

جِلبابُه نحوَ عينٍ ما تذوقُ كَرَى

جِلبابُه نحوَ عينٍ ما تذوقُ كَرَى

I marveled how it traveled, with night letting fall

I wondered how he came though the night had

its cloak, toward an eye that tastes no sleep.

Lowered its cloak over an eye that knows no sleep

فلستُ أدرى وقد شابتْ مفارقُه

فلستُ أدرى وقد شابتْ مفارقُه

أضوءُ برقٍ بدا أم وجهُه بَدَرا

أضوءُ برقٍ بدا أم وجهُه بَدَرا

I cannot tell, now that night's hair-partings have turned gray,

And I know not, after his departure that mottled

whether lightning's light appeared, or his face as a full moon.

My cheek, if it was a bright lightning or his face the moon

وقائلٍ ودموعي بعدَ فرقتهِ

وقائلٍ ودموعي بعدَ فرقتهِ

في الخدَّ تُخْجِلُ مِن تَسكابِها النهرا

في الخدَّ تُخْجِلُ مِن تَسكابِها النهرا

And someone said, while my tears after his departure

And I asked, while my tears after his separation

upon my cheek put the river to shame with their pouring:

Poured down my cheek, shaming rivers in their flow

ما بالُ دمعكَ ما ينفكُّ منسفحاً

ما بالُ دمعكَ ما ينفكُّ منسفحاً

اِمّا على مربعٍ أو ظاعنٍ هَجَرا

اِمّا على مربعٍ أو ظاعنٍ هَجَرا

What is wrong with your tears, never ceasing to stream,

Why do your tears not cease spilling

either over an encampment or one who departed and forsook you?

Whether on a paved floor or one in rubble?

تُبدي بتَذكارِ أيامٍ به سَلَفَتْ

تُبدي بتَذكارِ أيامٍ به سَلَفَتْ

اِن غابَ عن منتدى الأوطانِ أو حضرا

اِن غابَ عن منتدى الأوطانِ أو حضرا

You show them as you recall days gone by with him,

They show, in remembering days gone by with him

whether he is absent from the homelands' gathering-place or present.

If he is absent from the land’s assembly or present

وما يفيدُكَ مِن بعدِ الفراقِ اِذا اتخذتَ

وما يفيدُكَ مِن بعدِ الفراقِ اِذا اتخذتَ

ذكرَ ليالي المنحنى سَمَرا

ذكرَ ليالي المنحنى سَمَرا

And what does it gain you, after parting, if you make

And of what use after separation is making

the memory of nights at the bend your evening talk?

Memories of the wavy nights a companion?

وهل تردُّ لكَ الذكرى زمانَ هوًى

وهل تردُّ لكَ الذكرى زمانَ هوًى

قد كنتَ تَحمَدُ فيه الوِردَ والصَّدَرا

قد كنتَ تَحمَدُ فيه الوِردَ والصَّدَرا

And can remembrance restore to you a time of love

Can reminiscence restore for you a time of passion

when you praised both coming to water and returning?

When you praised the flowers and full moons?

فقلتُلي راحةٌ في الدمعِ أسفحُه

فقلتُلي راحةٌ في الدمعِ أسفحُه

اِذا مُنِعْتُ إلى أهلِ الحِمى النظرا

اِذا مُنِعْتُ إلى أهلِ الحِمى النظرا

I said: I find relief in the tears I shed

So I said there is comfort in tears I spill

when I am denied a look toward the people of the protected grounds,

When I am barred from gazing on the encampment’s folk

وفي الربوعِ إذا خاطبتُ أرسمَها

وفي الربوعِ إذا خاطبتُ أرسمَها

بالشَّعرِ وانحلَّ خيطُ الدمعِ فانتثرا

بالشَّعرِ وانحلَّ خيطُ الدمعِ فانتثرا

and in the encampments, when I address their traces

And in the meadows, when I address their outlines

with poetry, and the thread of tears unravels and scatters,

In verse, and the string of tears scatters and disperses

ووشَّحتْ كلماتي كلَّ ناحيةٍ

ووشَّحتْ كلماتي كلَّ ناحيةٍ

منها فصارتْ على لَبّاتِها دُرَرا

منها فصارتْ على لَبّاتِها دُرَرا

and my words adorn every part

My words adorned every spot among them

of them, becoming pearls upon their throats.

And became upon their slopes pearls

شِعرٌ له نفثاتُ السحرِ خالصةً

شِعرٌ له نفثاتُ السحرِ خالصةً

مِن دونِ شعرِ أُناسٍ قلَّما سَحَرا

مِن دونِ شعرِ أُناسٍ قلَّما سَحَرا

Poetry with pure breaths of magic,

Poetry with the essence of pure sorcery

unlike the verse of others, which seldom enchants.

Unlike other people’s verse, which seldom enchants

له إذا أنشدوه في مجالسهمْ

له إذا أنشدوه في مجالسهمْ

عَرْفٌ يُخَجَّلُ في ناديهمُ القُطُرا

عَرْفٌ يُخَجَّلُ في ناديهمُ القُطُرا

When they recite it in their gatherings, it has

When they recite it in their gatherings

a fragrance that puts aloeswood to shame in their assembly.

It has a fragrance that shames their perfumes

فلستُ أخشى عليه أن يُمَلَّ اِذا

فلستُ أخشى عليه أن يُمَلَّ اِذا

فاه الرواةُ به أن قلَّ أو كَثُرا

فاه الرواةُ به أن قلَّ أو كَثُرا

So I do not fear that it will grow tiresome when

So I do not fear it will pall when narrators

reciters utter it, whether little or much.

Speak it, be they few or many