أرَاعَكَ أنْ قيلَ الفراقُ يرُوعُها

أرَاعَكَ أنْ قيلَ الفراقُ يرُوعُها

فتعصي النَّوى مِنْ أجلها أو تُطِيعُها

فتعصي النَّوى مِنْ أجلها أو تُطِيعُها

Did it frighten you to be told that parting frightens her,

You worried that parting was said, so it disturbs her,

so you defy separation for her sake, or obey it?

So the intent disobeys for her sake or obeys her.

تلاقَيْتَها عند الوَداعِ فأخْضَلَتْ

تلاقَيْتَها عند الوَداعِ فأخْضَلَتْ

عيونٌ تلاقَتْ في الخدودِ دُموعُها

عيونٌ تلاقَتْ في الخدودِ دُموعُها

You met her at farewell, and there brimmed

You met her at the farewell so she was downcast,

eyes whose tears mingled upon the cheeks.

Eyes met in the cheeks, their tears.

وأنَّى استطعتَ البينَ خُطَّةٌ

وأنَّى استطعتَ البينَ خُطَّةٌ

إذا كُلِّفَتْها النفسُ لا تَسْتَطيعها

إذا كُلِّفَتْها النفسُ لا تَسْتَطيعها

And how could you endure parting—a course

And how could you withstand the separation, a plan,

the soul cannot bear when burdened with it?

If the soul is tasked with it, it cannot withstand it.

لعلَّ ليالينا القصارَ التي مَضَتْ

لعلَّ ليالينا القصارَ التي مَضَتْ

يَجَرْعاءِ حُزْوَى عن قليلٍ رُجُوعُها

يَجَرْعاءِ حُزْوَى عن قليلٍ رُجُوعُها

Perhaps our brief nights that have passed

Perhaps our short nights that passed

at Jar'a' Huzwa will return before long.

Will relieve a little of their sadness.

سقى باكرُ الوسميِّ رَسْمَ منازلٍ

سقى باكرُ الوسميِّ رَسْمَ منازلٍ

تَنَكَّرَ منْ بعدِ الجميعِ جميعُها

تَنَكَّرَ منْ بعدِ الجميعِ جميعُها

May the first autumn rain water the traces of dwellings,

The tattooist of Al-Wasmiyy drew the track of homes

all grown unrecognizable after the company had gone.

That after everyone became unrecognizable.

قفوا إِنَّ منْ حقِّ الديار إذا عَفَتْ

قفوا إِنَّ منْ حقِّ الديار إذا عَفَتْ

تُحَيَّا مغانيها وتُبْكى رُبُوعُها

تُحَيَّا مغانيها وتُبْكى رُبُوعُها

Stop: it is the right of dwellings, when effaced,

Stop! It is the right of the homes, if they are deserted,

that their haunts be greeted and their quarters mourned.

To greet their melodies and cry for their meadows.

وشاسعةِ الأقطارِ لو ينبري لها

وشاسعةِ الأقطارِ لو ينبري لها

سُلَيْكٌ إِذنْ أعيا سُلَيْكاً شيُوعها

سُلَيْكٌ إِذنْ أعيا سُلَيْكاً شيُوعها

And many a land of vast reaches—if it were tackled by

If the vast lands, if only a brave one would rise for it,

Sulayk, then its breadth would weary even Sulayk—

Then a brave one is tired, another takes his place.

حَلَلْتُ بها عُقل المهارى فأوْغَلَتْ

حَلَلْتُ بها عُقل المهارى فأوْغَلَتْ

كما أَوْغَلَتْ سُفْنٌ تُشَالُ قُلُوعها

كما أَوْغَلَتْ سُفْنٌ تُشَالُ قُلُوعها

I loosed the Mahri camels' hobbles there, and they pressed on,

I confused the minds of the skilled, so she was confused,

as ships press on when their sails are hoisted.

As ships that haul their supplies became confused.

إليك قَرَيْنَا الوَخْدَ تامكةَ الذُّرَى

إليك قَرَيْنَا الوَخْدَ تامكةَ الذُّرَى

تَضيقُ بها أغراضها وَنُسُوعها

تَضيقُ بها أغراضها وَنُسُوعها

Toward you we fed the swift trot with high-humped camels,

To you, close friend of intimacy, perfect in glory,

their girths and straps stretched tight around them.

Its purposes become narrow and forgotten.

فما وردتْ حتى تَحَسَّر نِيُّها

فما وردتْ حتى تَحَسَّر نِيُّها

ورثَّت حَواياهَا وَمَحَّتْ قُطُوعها

ورثَّت حَواياهَا وَمَحَّتْ قُطُوعها

They did not arrive until their fat had wasted away,

She did not arrive until her intention grieved,

their saddle-pads grown shabby and their saddlecloths worn thin.

Ridding its corners and erasing its lines.

أتتك بنا تُهْدي قوافيَ لم تكنْ

أتتك بنا تُهْدي قوافيَ لم تكنْ

ليُهدَى إلى غيرِ الأمير بديعها

ليُهدَى إلى غيرِ الأمير بديعها

They brought us to you, offering rhymes whose

She brought us rhymes that were not

exquisite beauty was meant for no one but the prince.

To be gifted except to the excellent Amir.

فلاقَتْ سماءَ الجودِ يَنشو سحابُها

فلاقَتْ سماءَ الجودِ يَنشو سحابُها

ووافَتْ رياضَ المجدِ يبدو ربيعها

ووافَتْ رياضَ المجدِ يبدو ربيعها

They met the sky of generosity, its clouds rising,

She met the generous sky where its clouds rise

and reached the gardens of glory, their spring appearing.

And reached the meadows of glory where its spring appears.

إذا ما دجا خطبٌ فأنت نهاره

إذا ما دجا خطبٌ فأنت نهاره

وإن أجدبتْ أرضٌ فأنتَ مَريعها

وإن أجدبتْ أرضٌ فأنتَ مَريعها

When a calamity grows dark, you are its daylight,

When discourse went dark, you are its daylight,

and when a land turns barren, you are its fertile pasture.

And if a land withered, you are its pasture.

وما زلتَ ترقى في رفيع مناقبٍ

وما زلتَ ترقى في رفيع مناقبٍ

أَنافَ على النجم الرَّفيعِ رفيعُها

أَنافَ على النجم الرَّفيعِ رفيعُها

You have never ceased ascending through lofty virtues,

You continued to rise in the high virtues,

whose loftiest tower above the lofty star.

Higher than the high star is its rise.

لسانُكَ بالقولِ الجميلِ وَلُوعُهُ

لسانُكَ بالقولِ الجميلِ وَلُوعُهُ

وكفُّكَ بالفعلِ الجميلِ وَلُوعُها

وكفُّكَ بالفعلِ الجميلِ وَلُوعُها

Your tongue's passion is for beautiful speech,

Your tongue is tender in beautiful words, and ardent is it,

and your hand's passion is for beautiful deeds.

Your palm is tender in beautiful deeds, and ardent is it.

منحتَ بني العباسِ منكَ نصيحةً

منحتَ بني العباسِ منكَ نصيحةً

تبيعُ لها الدنيا وليس تبيعُها

تبيعُ لها الدنيا وليس تبيعُها

You bestowed on the sons of al-Abbas your sincere loyalty,

You gave the Abbasids sincere advice from you

for which you sell the world, but which you never sell.

That would sell the world for it, not sell it.

ولو لم تُذعْ منك النصيحةَ جاهداً

ولو لم تُذعْ منك النصيحةَ جاهداً

لكان لسانُ الحقِّ عنك يُذيعها

لكان لسانُ الحقِّ عنك يُذيعها

Even had you not earnestly proclaimed your loyalty,

Had you not loudly declared advice from you

the tongue of truth would have proclaimed it on your behalf.

The tongue of truth about you would declare it.

تركتَ عميدَ الكُفرِ حينَ تركتَهُ

تركتَ عميدَ الكُفرِ حينَ تركتَهُ

ضجيعَ همومٍ ما ينامُ ضجيعُها

ضجيعَ همومٍ ما ينامُ ضجيعُها

You left the leader of unbelief, when you left him,

You left the pillar of unbelief when you left him

a bedfellow of sorrows whose bedfellow cannot sleep.

Lying with concerns that don’t let its lying down sleep.

أبيتَ تُضيعُ السُّمرَ والبيضَ فيهم

أبيتَ تُضيعُ السُّمرَ والبيضَ فيهم

ومثلُكَ في أمثالِهمْ لا يُضيعُها

ومثلُكَ في أمثالِهمْ لا يُضيعُها

You refused to waste the brown spears and white swords on them,

You refused to waste on them the white and the black

and one like you does not waste them on their like.

And the like of you among their likes does not waste it.

وأحْجِ بهم أن يَستطيرَ صفاتَهُمْ

وأحْجِ بهم أن يَستطيرَ صفاتَهُمْ

قراعُك ممَّا تستطيرُ صُدُوعها

قراعُك ممَّا تستطيرُ صُدُوعها

How fitting that their bedrock should be shattered

I fear for them to consult their characteristics

by your blows, which send its fissures flying apart.

Your strength is what consults its concealed places.

تغادرهم فوق الجذوعِ عصائباً

تغادرهم فوق الجذوعِ عصائباً

تُغادرُها للخامعات جذوعها

تُغادرُها للخامعات جذوعها

You leave them in bands upon tree trunks,

You leave them atop the trunks, deprived

their tree trunks abandoning them to the limping beasts.

Leaving them for the shining trunks.

أليس إذا ما الأرضُ ذلَّ شريفها

أليس إذا ما الأرضُ ذلَّ شريفها

لقومٍ فأحرى أن يذلَّ وضيعها

لقومٍ فأحرى أن يذلَّ وضيعها

Is it not so: when a land's highest are humbled

Is it not when the honored land is humiliated

before a people, its lowest should be humbled all the more?

For a people that it is more fitting that its disgrace be humiliated?

لأسمَعتَ آذانَ القبائل كلِّها

لأسمَعتَ آذانَ القبائل كلِّها

ببأسك حتى قد وعاهُ سميعها

ببأسك حتى قد وعاهُ سميعها

You have made the ears of all the tribes hear

You would have made the ears of all the tribes hear

through your might, until their listeners have grasped it.

With your might until its hearing comprehended it.

إذا ما ارتدى النَّصْلَ اليمانيَّ في الوغى

إذا ما ارتدى النَّصْلَ اليمانيَّ في الوغى

أبو مضرٍ والخيل يَمْري نجيعُها

أبو مضرٍ والخيل يَمْري نجيعُها

When he girds on the Yemeni blade in battle—

When the Yemeni sword wears in battle

Abu Mudar, while the horses' blood is drawn forth—

Abu Mudar and the horses race its meadows

فأيّ ملوكٍ لا يذلُّ عزيزُها

فأيّ ملوكٍ لا يذلُّ عزيزُها

وأيّ حصونٍ لا يُباحُ منيعها

وأيّ حصونٍ لا يُباحُ منيعها

what kings do not have their mighty ones humbled,

So which kings will not be humiliated, their honored?

and what fortresses do not have their strong defenses breached?

And which fortresses will not be violated, their stronghold?

تخرُّ الظُّبا فيها سجوداً وإِنما

تخرُّ الظُّبا فيها سجوداً وإِنما

سجودُ الظُّبا في هامِهمْ وركوعها

سجودُ الظُّبا في هامِهمْ وركوعها

The blades fall prostrate within them, yet

The gazelles kneel before it in prostration, but

the blades' prostration and bowing are only in their skulls.

The gazelle’s prostration is to their resolve and kneeling.

وكم مَعْقِلٍ قد زاره بجحافلٍ

وكم مَعْقِلٍ قد زاره بجحافلٍ

معاقِلُها عند الطِّعانِ دروعها

معاقِلُها عند الطِّعانِ دروعها

How many a stronghold he has visited with vast armies,

And how many fortresses which hosts visited

whose strongholds in spear combat are their armor!

Their fortresses when spears thrust are shields?

تميميّةٌ سَعْديّةٌ أغلبيةٌ

تميميّةٌ سَعْديّةٌ أغلبيةٌ

صنيعُ الأسودِ المُخْدَراتِ صَنيعها

صنيعُ الأسودِ المُخْدَراتِ صَنيعها

Tamimi, Sa'di, Aghlabi—

Tameem, Sa’d, and Ghalib

their deeds are those of lions in their lairs.

The making of the heavily-armed lions is their making.

إذا أجمعتْ يوماً لقاءَ كتيبةٍ

إذا أجمعتْ يوماً لقاءَ كتيبةٍ

تشتَّتُ من قبلِ اللقاءِ جموعها

تشتَّتُ من قبلِ اللقاءِ جموعها

When they resolve one day to meet a battalion,

If they gathered one day for the meeting of a battalion

its hosts scatter before the encounter.

They would scatter before the meeting of their groups.

شجاعُ ضميرٍ لا يهابُ ضميرُهُ

شجاعُ ضميرٍ لا يهابُ ضميرُهُ

وقوعَ مُلِمَّاتٍ يُهابُ وقوعُها

وقوعَ مُلِمَّاتٍ يُهابُ وقوعُها

Brave of heart, his heart does not fear

The brave of conscience who does not fear his conscience

the onset of afflictions whose onset is feared.

Or the occurrence of disasters that would be feared if they occurred.

ثُلاثُ خطوبُ الدهر منه بماجدٍ

ثُلاثُ خطوبُ الدهر منه بماجدٍ

سواءٌ عليه سَلُها وقطيعُها

سواءٌ عليه سَلُها وقطيعُها

[Reading uncertain:] Fate's trials entwine his noble self,

Threereatest concerns of fate from it with glories

their lashes and scourges alike to him.

Equal to it are its asking and its flock.

هو البدرُ وافى ليلَ تِمٍّ طلوعُهُ

هو البدرُ وافى ليلَ تِمٍّ طلوعُهُ

أو الشمس وافى يومَ دَجنٍ طلوعها

أو الشمس وافى يومَ دَجنٍ طلوعها

He is the full moon whose rising comes on a night of fullness,

It is the full moon that fulfilled the night of completion, its rise,

or the sun whose rising comes on a clouded day.

Or the sun that fulfilled the dark day, its rise.

مدبِّرُ مُلْكٍ ما يزالُ موكِّلاً

مدبِّرُ مُلْكٍ ما يزالُ موكِّلاً

بأطرافِه عَيناً قليلاً هُجُوعُها

بأطرافِه عَيناً قليلاً هُجُوعُها

A governor of a kingdom, ever stationing

Ruler of a kingdom that continues appointing

at its borders an eye that sleeps but little.

Eyes a few, blinkered, to its outskirts.

رسا في المعالي حيث تُرْسى أُصولُها

رسا في المعالي حيث تُرْسى أُصولُها

وأوفى عليها حيثُ توفي فُروعُها

وأوفى عليها حيثُ توفي فُروعُها

He stands firm in lofty honors, where their roots are fixed,

Firm in the heights where its principles are anchored

and rises above them where their branches soar.

And loyal to it where its branches are fulfilled.