نامَ الخليُّ وما أُحسّ رُقادي

نامَ الخليُّ وما أُحسّ رُقادي

والهمُّ مُحتَضرٌ لَدَي وِبادي

والهمُّ مُحتَضرٌ لَدَي وِبادي

The carefree man has slept, but I feel no slumber.

The fate of the clan and my restless nights

And grief is present beside me, and apparent [uncertain reading].

And worries lie in wait for me and my lonely abode

من غير ما سَقمٍ ولكن شفّني

من غير ما سَقمٍ ولكن شفّني

همٌّ أراهُ قد أصابَ فؤادي

همٌّ أراهُ قد أصابَ فؤادي

Not from any illness, but I am wasted by

Without illness that made me frail, yet some worries

A grief I see has struck my heart.

Have stricken, I feel, and seized my heart

وَمن الحوادث لا أبالك أنني

وَمن الحوادث لا أبالك أنني

ضُربت عليَّ الأرضُ بالأسدادِ

ضُربت عليَّ الأرضُ بالأسدادِ

And among calamities—no father to you!—is this:

And of events, I care not that I am

The earth has been closed against me with barriers.

Struck down upon this earth with misfortunes

لا أهتدي فيها لِموضع تَلعَةٍ

لا أهتدي فيها لِموضع تَلعَةٍ

بينَ العراق وبين أرض مُرادِ

بينَ العراق وبين أرض مُرادِ

I cannot find my way there to the site of a ravine,

I cannot find my way in it to a place of refuge

Between Iraq and the land of Murād.

Between Iraq and the land of Murad

ولقد علمتُ سِوى الذي نبأتِنى

ولقد علمتُ سِوى الذي نبأتِنى

أنَّ السبيلَ سبيلُ ذي الأعوادِ

أنَّ السبيلَ سبيلُ ذي الأعوادِ

And I have learned, apart from what you told me,

And certainly I knew, apart from what you told me

That the path is the path of one upon the wooden bier.

That the path is the path of one beset with calamities

إن المنيّةَ والحتُوفَ كلاهما

إن المنيّةَ والحتُوفَ كلاهما

يُوفي المخارمَ يرقيان سوادي

يُوفي المخارمَ يرقيان سوادي

Surely death and fatal dooms, both of them,

Verily death and misfortunes both

Loom over the mountain passes, climbing toward my dark form.

Fulfill their pledge, climbing my darkness

لن يَرضيا مني وفاءَ رَهينةٍ

لن يَرضيا مني وفاءَ رَهينةٍ

من دُونِ نَفسي طارفي وتِلادى

من دُونِ نَفسي طارفي وتِلادى

They will not accept from me, in redemption of a pledge,

They will not be pleased with me unless

My newly gained and inherited wealth instead of my own life.

I ransom myself, my freshness and offspring

ماذا أُؤملُ بَعدَ آلِ مُحرِّقٍ

ماذا أُؤملُ بَعدَ آلِ مُحرِّقٍ

تَركوا مَنازِلَهُم وبعدَ أيادِ

تَركوا مَنازِلَهُم وبعدَ أيادِ

What can I hope for after the house of Muḥarriq,

What can I hope for after the kin of Muharraq

Who left their dwellings—and after Iyād?

Who left their dwellings and after their hands' work

أهل الخَوَرنق والسدير وبَارقٍ

أهل الخَوَرنق والسدير وبَارقٍ

والقصر ذي الشُرُفاتِ من سندادِ

والقصر ذي الشُرُفاتِ من سندادِ

The people of al-Khawarnaq, al-Sadīr, and Bāriq,

The people of Khawarnaq, Sudair and Baraq

And the palace with its battlements at Sindād.

And the palace with the honorable chambers from Sindad

أرضاً تخيّرها لدار أبيهم

أرضاً تخيّرها لدار أبيهم

كعبُ بنُ مامَة وابنُ أمِّ دُؤادِ

كعبُ بنُ مامَة وابنُ أمِّ دُؤادِ

A land chosen for their father's dwelling by

A land they chose for their father's abode

Kaʿb son of Māma and the son of Umm Duʾād.

Ka'b bin Zuhair and son of Umm Du'ad

جَرت الرياحُ على مكان ديارهم

جَرت الرياحُ على مكان ديارهم

فكأنما كانوا على ميعادِ

فكأنما كانوا على ميعادِ

The winds swept over the site of their dwellings,

The winds blew upon the place of their dwellings

As though they had been there by appointment.

As though they were there for an appointed time

ولَقد غَنوا فيها بأنعَم عيشةٍ

ولَقد غَنوا فيها بأنعَم عيشةٍ

في ظلِّ مُلكٍ ثابت الأوتادِ

في ظلِّ مُلكٍ ثابت الأوتادِ

And indeed they had lived there the most blissful life,

And they sang in it with the most pleasant living

In the shade of a kingdom with firmly planted stakes.

In the shade of established kingship

نَزلوا بأنقرة يسيلُ عليهمُ

نَزلوا بأنقرة يسيلُ عليهمُ

ماءُ الفراتِ يجيءُ من أطوادِ

ماءُ الفراتِ يجيءُ من أطوادِ

They settled at Anqara; toward them flowed

They dwelled in Anqarah with Euphrates' water

The water of the Euphrates, coming from lofty mountains.

Flowing upon them coming from springs

أين الذَين بنوا فطال بناؤهم

أين الذَين بنوا فطال بناؤهم

وتَمتّعوا بالأهل والأولادِ

وتَمتّعوا بالأهل والأولادِ

Where are those who built, whose buildings rose high,

Where are those who built, so long their building lasted,

And delighted in family and children?

And enjoyed family and children?

فإذا النعيمُ وكلُّ ما يُلهى به

فإذا النعيمُ وكلُّ ما يُلهى به

يوماً يَصيرُ إِلى بِلى ونفَادِ

يوماً يَصيرُ إِلى بِلى ونفَادِ

Then behold: bliss and all that gives diversion

Lo, luxury and all they were diverted by

One day pass into decay and depletion.

One day turns into decay and depletion

في آل غَرف لو بَغيتَ لي الأسى

في آل غَرف لو بَغيتَ لي الأسى

لوجدتَ فيهم أسوةَ العُدّادِ

لوجدتَ فيهم أسوةَ العُدّادِ

If you sought consolation for me in the house of Gharf,

In the clan of Gharaf, if you wished me sorrow

You would find among them an example for those who count.

You would find in them the example of counters

ما بَعد زَيد في فتاةٍ فُرّقوا

ما بَعد زَيد في فتاةٍ فُرّقوا

قتلاً ونفياً بعدَ حُسنِ تآدي

قتلاً ونفياً بعدَ حُسنِ تآدي

What remains after Zayd, in a young woman [unclear phrase]? They were scattered,

After Zayd among the damsels they were separated

By killing and exile, after their fine preparedness.

Killed and exiled after fair accord

فتخيَّروا الأرض الفضاءَ لِعزّهم

فتخيَّروا الأرض الفضاءَ لِعزّهم

ويَزيدُ رافدُهم على الرُفادِ

ويَزيدُ رافدُهم على الرُفادِ

So they chose the open land because of their might,

So they chose the open land for their glory

And their benefactor surpasses other benefactors.

With its streams increasing over meadows

أما تَريني قد بَليتُ وغاضَني

أما تَريني قد بَليتُ وغاضَني

ما نيل من بَصَري ومن أجلادي

ما نيل من بَصَري ومن أجلادي

Do you not see me worn out and diminished by

Do you not see me, I am worn out and it saddened me

What has been taken from my sight and my strength?

What I gained from my sight and skin

وعَصيتُ أَصحابَ الصَّبابةِ والصّبا

وعَصيتُ أَصحابَ الصَّبابةِ والصّبا

وأطعتُ عاذلتي ولانَ قِيادي

وأطعتُ عاذلتي ولانَ قِيادي

And I disobeyed the companions of longing and youth,

And I disobeyed the hoodwinkers and youth

And obeyed my female reprover; my reins grew pliant.

And obeyed my blamer though pliant her rein

وَلقد أروُح عَلى التّجار مُرَجِّلاً

وَلقد أروُح عَلى التّجار مُرَجِّلاً

مَذِلاً بِمالي لَيِّناً أَجيادي

مَذِلاً بِمالي لَيِّناً أَجيادي

And I would visit the merchants at evening, my hair combed,

And I would go to the merchants stumbling

Lavish with my wealth, my neck supple.

Debased in my money, submissive my steeds

ولقد لَهوتُ وللشباب لذاذةٌ

ولقد لَهوتُ وللشباب لذاذةٌ

بسُلافَةٍ مُزجَت بماءِ غَوادي

بسُلافَةٍ مُزجَت بماءِ غَوادي

And I made merry—youth has its sweetness—

And I sported, and for youth is sweetness

With choice wine mixed with water from morning rains,

With fine wine mixed with water from streams

من خَمر ذي نَطف أغَنَّ مُنطق

من خَمر ذي نَطف أغَنَّ مُنطق

وافى بها لدراهِم الأسجادِ

وافى بها لدراهِم الأسجادِ

Wine from an earringed, nasal-voiced, belted man,

Wine whose buds inspired speech

Who brought it in exchange for image-stamped dirhams.

And for dirhams it presented carpets

يَسعى بها ذو تُومتين مُشَمِّرٌ

يَسعى بها ذو تُومتين مُشَمِّرٌ

قنَأَت أناملُهُ منَ الفُرصادِ

قنَأَت أناملُهُ منَ الفُرصادِ

A man with two pearl earrings hastens with it, his garments tucked up,

With it, one with curled locks exerted effort

His fingertips reddened by mulberries.

His fingers calloused from knocking on doors

والبيضُ تَمشي كالبدُورِ وكالدُّمى

والبيضُ تَمشي كالبدُورِ وكالدُّمى

ونواعمٌ يَمشينَ بِالأَرفادِ

ونواعمٌ يَمشينَ بِالأَرفادِ

And fair women walk like full moons and statues,

And the white ones walked like moons and like statues

And delicate women walk with great goblets.

And delicate ones walked with a gentle gait

والبيضُ يَرمينَ القلوبَ كأنَّها

والبيضُ يَرمينَ القلوبَ كأنَّها

أُدحِيُّ بينَ صَريمةٍ وجَمَادِ

أُدحِيُّ بينَ صَريمةٍ وجَمَادِ

And fair women shoot at hearts, as though they were

And the white ones cast hearts as if they

An ostrich's nest between a sand dune and barren ground.

Were a flock between battle and inanimate nature

يَنطقنَ مَعرُوفاً وهُنَّ نَواعِمٌ

يَنطقنَ مَعرُوفاً وهُنَّ نَواعِمٌ

بيضُ الوُجوهِ رقيقةُ الأكبادِ

بيضُ الوُجوهِ رقيقةُ الأكبادِ

They speak graciously, and they are delicate,

They speak softly and they are delicate

Fair of face and tender of liver.

White of face, tender of liver

يَنطقنَ مخفوضَ الحديثِ تَهامُساً

يَنطقنَ مخفوضَ الحديثِ تَهامُساً

فَبلَغنَ ما حاوَلنَ غَير تَنادي

فَبلَغنَ ما حاوَلنَ غَير تَنادي

They speak in lowered voices, whispering,

They speak in hushed whispers, voices lowered

Thus they attained what they sought without calling aloud.

And so attained what they attempted without calling out

ولَقَد غَدوتُ لِعازبٍ مُتَناذِرٍ

ولَقَد غَدوتُ لِعازبٍ مُتَناذِرٍ

أَحوَى المَذانبِ مُؤنَق الرّوادِ

أَحوَى المَذانبِ مُؤنَق الرّوادِ

And I went at dawn to a remote pasture, one people warn against,

And I frequented a dissolute bachelor

Its watercourses dark green, delighting pasture-seekers.

Who twisted his mustache, pliant his visitors

جادَت سَواريهِ وآزرَ نبتُهُ

جادَت سَواريهِ وآزرَ نبتُهُ

نُفأً مِن الصَّفراءِ والزُّبادِ

نُفأً مِن الصَّفراءِ والزُّبادِ

Its night rainclouds poured generously, and its vegetation strengthened

His bracelets generous and his cloak scented

Clumps of ṣafrāʾ and zubād plants.

With wafts of yellow and grey

بالجو فالأموات حَول مغامرٍ

بالجو فالأموات حَول مغامرٍ

فبِضارج فقصيمَة الطُّرادِ

فبِضارج فقصيمَة الطُّرادِ

At al-Jaww, then al-Amwāt, around Maghāmir,

At midday, around a daredevil, the dead

Then at Ḍārij, then the hunters' sandy thicket,

So, with his sheath, short spear and horses

بمُشَمرٍ عِند جَهيز شدُّهُ

بمُشَمرٍ عِند جَهيز شدُّهُ

قيد الأوابدِ والرهانِ جوادِ

قيد الأوابدِ والرهانِ جوادِ

On a fleet, sturdy mount, swift in its gallop,

With a turbaned one, his tightening at preparation

A fetter for wild beasts and racing rivals, a noble steed.

Binding the ropes and wagering his steed

يشوي لنا الوحَدَ المُدلَّ بحُضرهِ

يشوي لنا الوحَدَ المُدلَّ بحُضرهِ

بشريج بين الشدِّ والإيرادِ

بشريج بين الشدِّ والإيرادِ

It makes roast meat for us of the solitary beast, proud of its swift running,

He grills for us the fatling slaughtered in his presence

With a mixed gait, between full gallop and an easier pace.

A cooking between tightening and letting loose

ولَقد تلوتُ الظاعِنينَ بجسرةٍ

ولَقد تلوتُ الظاعِنينَ بجسرةٍ

أجد مهاجرةِ السقَاب جَمادِ

أجد مهاجرةِ السقَاب جَمادِ

And I followed the departing travelers on a sturdy she-camel,

And I followed those madly in love in a night

Strong-bodied, shunning young male camels, dry of milk,

I found the emigration of hawks mute rocks

عَيرانةٍ سَدّ الربيعُ خصاصَها

عَيرانةٍ سَدّ الربيعُ خصاصَها

ما يَستبين بها مَقيلُ قُرادِ

ما يَستبين بها مَقيلُ قُرادِ

Wild-ass-like, spring had filled the hollows of her body,

A caravan whom spring obstructed their maintenance

No midday resting place for a tick is visible upon her.

With them the resting place of caravans is not clear

فإذا وذلك لا مهاهَ لذِكرهِ

فإذا وذلك لا مهاهَ لذِكرهِ

والدهرُ يُعقبُ صالِحاً بفسادِ

والدهرُ يُعقبُ صالِحاً بفسادِ

Then behold—and that is no joy to recall—

And when that has no end to its mention

And time replaces what is good with decay.

And fate makes righteousness follow corruption