أَتَحسَبونَ غَربَ أَجفانِيَ جَف

أَتَحسَبونَ غَربَ أَجفانِيَ جَف

بَعدَ النَوى لا وَضريحٍ بِالنَجَف

بَعدَ النَوى لا وَضريحٍ بِالنَجَف

Do you think the flood from my eyelids has dried up?

Do you think my eyelids have dried after the intention, no, not even at the shrine in Najaf,

After separation? No, by a tomb at Najaf!

I wipe the tears on my cheeks in sorrow, so my palms fill up whenever I wipe,

أُكَفكِفُ الدَّمعَ بِخَدَّيَّ أَسىً

أُكَفكِفُ الدَّمعَ بِخَدَّيَّ أَسىً

فَيَملَأُ الكَفَّينِ كُلَّما وَكَف

فَيَملَأُ الكَفَّينِ كُلَّما وَكَف

In sorrow I wipe the tears from my cheeks;

If I were able to visit you, I would have visited until I saw the fattened one after leanness,

and they fill both palms whenever they drip.

And how can a wretched old man visit while shackled by worries if worries lead him astray,

لَو أَستَطيعُ زَورَةً زُرتُكُمُ

لَو أَستَطيعُ زَورَةً زُرتُكُمُ

حَتّى أَرى ذا سِمَنٍ بَعدَ العَجَف

حَتّى أَرى ذا سِمَنٍ بَعدَ العَجَف

If I could make a visit, I would visit you,

I said to the one who blamed me excessively, you have exaggerated in blaming, woe to you, be lenient,

to see one grown plump after emaciation.

They who tortured my heart with reproach, my heart did not deviate from them nor sway,

وَكَيفَ يَسطيعُ مَزاراً يَفَنٌ

وَكَيفَ يَسطيعُ مَزاراً يَفَنٌ

شَيخٌ بِقَيدِ الهَمِّ إِن هَمَّ رَسَف

شَيخٌ بِقَيدِ الهَمِّ إِن هَمَّ رَسَف

And how can a decrepit man manage a visit—

I yearn for Huzwa and al-Naqa when shadows descend, at the countryside of Ghoutah or drifts,

an old man fettered by care, shuffling in chains if he stirs?

O, the aroma of censors on moustaches of prominent noses with their glory,

قُلتُ لِمَن أَكثَرَ مِن مَلامَتي

قُلتُ لِمَن أَكثَرَ مِن مَلامَتي

أَطنَبتَ في المَلامِ يا وَيحَكَ خَف

أَطنَبتَ في المَلامِ يا وَيحَكَ خَف

I told the one who blamed me overmuch:

A people, whenever called to raid, they block the passes with warriors and barricades,

'You have drawn out your blame—alas for you, beware!'

And every swimming eyelid sets out in the morning with an Indian sword, polished and encased,

إِنَّ الَّذينِ بِالعُذَيبِ عَذَّبوا

إِنَّ الَّذينِ بِالعُذَيبِ عَذَّبوا

قَلبي وَعَنهُم لَم يَحِد وَلا اِنحَرَف

قَلبي وَعَنهُم لَم يَحِد وَلا اِنحَرَف

Indeed, those at al-Udhayb have tormented

So you see only swords dripping blood from striking, and a horseman fluttering his garment,

my heart; yet from them it has neither swerved nor turned aside.

The prayer of an oppressed person pierces the puffing of an attacker, time casts him with scattering,

أَشتاقُ حَزوى وَالنَقا إِذا ضَفا

أَشتاقُ حَزوى وَالنَقا إِذا ضَفا

ظِلٌّ بِريفِ الغوطَتَينِ أَو وَطَف

ظِلٌّ بِريفِ الغوطَتَينِ أَو وَطَف

I long for Hazwa and al-Naqa when spreading

And he hoped the decrease in his fortune would dissipate, with the heavyweight and most honored,

shade fills the countryside of the two Ghoutas, or thickens.

That was Imru’ al-Qais, an equitable poet and disseminator, my saying is known by the learned,

يا لأُعَيرابٍ عَلى كاظِمَةٍ

يا لأُعَيرابٍ عَلى كاظِمَةٍ

شُمِّ عَرانينِ الأُنوفِ بِالأَنَف

شُمِّ عَرانينِ الأُنوفِ بِالأَنَف

O, for a little band of Arabs at Kazima,

The strands of pearls are only his stringing, not the threading of coincidental imperfect pearls from an oyster,

their high-bridged noses lifted in proud disdain!

The people of merit have the finest abodes for their leisure, in Aleppo the most generous palm,

قَومٌ مَتى دُعوا لِشَنِّ غارَةٍ

قَومٌ مَتى دُعوا لِشَنِّ غارَةٍ

سَدّوا الفِجاجَ بِالعَجاجِ وَالحَجَف

سَدّوا الفِجاجَ بِالعَجاجِ وَالحَجَف

A people who, whenever summoned to launch a raid,

With the victorious king, abundant in bounty, heir of kings, succeeding those past,

block the passes with dust and leather shields.

When the Aleppan saw a rich sea, he called it “Come safe, do not be afraid!”,

وَكُلُّ طِرفٍ سابِحٍ يَغدو بِذِم

وَكُلُّ طِرفٍ سابِحٍ يَغدو بِذِم

رٍ باسِلٍ بِالزَرَدِ الصافي التَحَف

رٍ باسِلٍ بِالزَرَدِ الصافي التَحَف

And every steed, swimming in its stride, goes forth with

The companions visited him, like Asma’i, Hakim, Hammad, and the virtuous successor,

a fearless warrior, wrapped in gleaming chain mail.

News of him came to me, relating his passing, so the zeal of denying his death left me,

فَما تَرى إِلّا حُساماً قَطَرَ ال

فَما تَرى إِلّا حُساماً قَطَرَ ال

دِماءَ بِالضَربِ وَعَسّالاً رَعَف

دِماءَ بِالضَربِ وَعَسّالاً رَعَف

So you see only a keen sword dripping

And how many good tidings came to me about him, whose bride was sent to me adorned,

blood from its blows, and a quivering spear bleeding.

So people came congratulating me about it, while the envious one burned in the fire of sorrow,

دَعوَةُ مَظلومٍ تَلَت نَفثَةَ مَص

دَعوَةُ مَظلومٍ تَلَت نَفثَةَ مَص

دورٍ لَهُ الدَهرُ بِجَعجاعٍ قَذَف

دورٍ لَهُ الدَهرُ بِجَعجاعٍ قَذَف

A wronged man's plea follows the outpouring of one

And everyone stood praying for the victorious king in the mosque, row after row,

burdened at heart, whom Time has flung into a cramped place.

And they said: “Favor is placed in the sites of gifts,” so he won grace,

وَقَد رَجا ذَهابَ نَقصِ حَظِّهِ

وَقَد رَجا ذَهابَ نَقصِ حَظِّهِ

بِراجِحِ القيمَةِ راجِحِ الشَرَف

بِراجِحِ القيمَةِ راجِحِ الشَرَف

And he has hoped to end the scantness of his fortune

And the rattling of mills has deafened my hearing, while my children cluster,

through one weighty in worth, weighty in honor.

So fulfill the promise to them from a king whose only vice in his generosity is extravagance,

ذاكَ اِمرُؤُ القَيسِ وَقِسٌّ ناظِماً

ذاكَ اِمرُؤُ القَيسِ وَقِسٌّ ناظِماً

وَناثِراً يَعرِفُ قَولي مَن عَرَف

وَناثِراً يَعرِفُ قَولي مَن عَرَف

That man is Imru' al-Qays as a poet, and Quss

The people gave me tidings of a thousand dirhams, if it does not arrive, every sorrow will come to me,

as a prose-writer; whoever knows understands my words.

And I have an abstinence which its bird has not approached vileness or sorrow,

ما لُؤلُؤُ العُقودِ إِلّا نَظمُهُ

ما لُؤلُؤُ العُقودِ إِلّا نَظمُهُ

لا نَظمُ دُرٍّ صادِفٍ عَنِ الصَدَف

لا نَظمُ دُرٍّ صادِفٍ عَنِ الصَدَف

The pearls of necklaces are nothing but his verse,

If the feathers of my steed glisten for the vultures in the desert, who will provide fodder?

not strings of pearls parted from their shells.

إِنَّ لِأَهلِ الفَضلِ مِن عَيمَتِهِم

إِنَّ لِأَهلِ الفَضلِ مِن عَيمَتِهِم

بِراجِحٍ في حَلَبٍ أَسمَحُ كَف

بِراجِحٍ في حَلَبٍ أَسمَحُ كَف

Indeed, men of merit, in their craving for milk,

have in Rajih at Aleppo the most generous hand,

عِندَ المَليكِ الظاهِرِ الجَمِّ النَدى

عِندَ المَليكِ الظاهِرِ الجَمِّ النَدى

نَجلِ مُلوكٍ خَلَفاً بَعدَ سَلَف

نَجلِ مُلوكٍ خَلَفاً بَعدَ سَلَف

at the court of King al-Zahir, lavish in bounty,

a scion of kings, successor after forebears.

لَمّا رَأى الحِلِّيَّ بَحراً زاخِراً

لَمّا رَأى الحِلِّيَّ بَحراً زاخِراً

ناداهُ أَقبِل آمِناً وَلا تَخَف

ناداهُ أَقبِل آمِناً وَلا تَخَف

When he saw al-Hilli as a surging sea,

he called to him: 'Come in safety, and do not fear.'

نادَمَ مِنهُ الأَصمَعِيَّ حاكِياً

نادَمَ مِنهُ الأَصمَعِيَّ حاكِياً

أَجَل وَحَمّاداً وَذا الفَضلِ خَلَف

أَجَل وَحَمّاداً وَذا الفَضلِ خَلَف

He took him as boon companion, an al-Asma'i in narration—

yes, and Hammad, and the distinguished Khalaf.

وافى إِلَيَّ نَبَأٌ عَنهُ تَلا

وافى إِلَيَّ نَبَأٌ عَنهُ تَلا

فاني حِمى تَكذيبِهِ مِنَ التَلَف

فاني حِمى تَكذيبِهِ مِنَ التَلَف

News of him reached me; I was saved

from ruin by the refuge of disbelieving it.

وَكَم أَتَتني عَنهُ مِن بِشارَةٍ

وَكَم أَتَتني عَنهُ مِن بِشارَةٍ

عَروسُها تُهدى إِلَيَّ وَتُزَف

عَروسُها تُهدى إِلَيَّ وَتُزَف

And how many a glad tiding of him has reached me,

its bride presented to me and escorted in bridal procession!

فَأَقبَلَ الناسُ فَهَنّوني بِها

فَأَقبَلَ الناسُ فَهَنّوني بِها

وَاِحتَرَقَ الحاسِدُ في نارِ الأَسَف

وَاِحتَرَقَ الحاسِدُ في نارِ الأَسَف

So the people came and congratulated me on it,

and the envious man burned in the fire of grief.

وَقامَ كُلٌّ داعِياً لِلمَلِكِ ال

وَقامَ كُلٌّ داعِياً لِلمَلِكِ ال

ظاهِرِ بِالجامِعِ صَفّاً دونَ صَف

ظاهِرِ بِالجامِعِ صَفّاً دونَ صَف

And everyone rose to pray for King

al-Zahir in the congregational mosque, row behind row.

وَقَولهُم قَد وُضِعَ الهِناءُ في

وَقَولهُم قَد وُضِعَ الهِناءُ في

مَواضِعِ النُقبِ فَفازَ بِالزَلَف

مَواضِعِ النُقبِ فَفازَ بِالزَلَف

And they said: 'The tar salve has been placed

on the sores'; thus he gained favor.

وَقَد أَصَمَّت مَسمَعي جَعجَعَةٌ

وَقَد أَصَمَّت مَسمَعي جَعجَعَةٌ

مِن غَيرِ ما طَحنٍ وَأَطفالي ضَفَف

مِن غَيرِ ما طَحنٍ وَأَطفالي ضَفَف

Yet mill-clatter has deafened my ears,

without any grinding, while my children are many and food is scant.

فَاِستَنجِزِ الوَعدَ لَهُم مِن مَلِكٍ

فَاِستَنجِزِ الوَعدَ لَهُم مِن مَلِكٍ

ما عَيبُهُ في جودِهِ سِوى السَرَف

ما عَيبُهُ في جودِهِ سِوى السَرَف

So secure the promise's fulfillment for them from a king

whose only fault in generosity is excess.

بَشَّرَني الناسُ بِأَلفِ دِرهَمٍ

بَشَّرَني الناسُ بِأَلفِ دِرهَمٍ

إِن لَم تَصِل واصَلَني كُلُّ أَسَف

إِن لَم تَصِل واصَلَني كُلُّ أَسَف

The people gave me glad news of a thousand dirhams;

if they do not arrive, every grief will keep me company.

وَإِنَّ لي تَصَوُّناً طائِرُهُ

وَإِنَّ لي تَصَوُّناً طائِرُهُ

لَم يَدنُ مِن دَناءةٍ وَلا أَسَف

لَم يَدنُ مِن دَناءةٍ وَلا أَسَف

And I have self-respect whose bird

has neither approached baseness nor flown low.

إِن حَصَّ ريشي زارق النَعّابِ في ال

إِن حَصَّ ريشي زارق النَعّابِ في ال

وَكرِ فَمَن قَصَّ يَجودُ بِالعَلَف

وَكرِ فَمَن قَصَّ يَجودُ بِالعَلَف

If the cawing zāriq strips my feathers in the

nest, let whoever clips them be generous with feed.