تَوَقَّعي أَن يُقالَ قَد ظَعَنا

تَوَقَّعي أَن يُقالَ قَد ظَعَنا

ما أَنتِ لي مَنزِلاً وَلا سَكَنا

ما أَنتِ لي مَنزِلاً وَلا سَكَنا

Be ready for it to be said: “They have departed.”

Expect it to be said: 'He has departed.'

You are neither lodging nor home to me.

You are no home to me, nor a haven.

يا دارُ قَلَّ الصَديقُ فيكِ فَما

يا دارُ قَلَّ الصَديقُ فيكِ فَما

أُحِسُّ وِدّاً وَلا أَرى سَكَنا

أُحِسُّ وِدّاً وَلا أَرى سَكَنا

O dwelling, loyal friends have grown few within you, and so

O dwelling, friends have grown few within you, so I

I feel no affection and see no one with whom to dwell.

Feel no affection, nor see a source of comfort.

ما لِيَ مِثلَ المَذودِ عَن أَرَبي

ما لِيَ مِثلَ المَذودِ عَن أَرَبي

وَلي عُرامٌ يُجِرُّني الرَسَنا

وَلي عُرامٌ يُجِرُّني الرَسَنا

Why am I like one driven back from his aim,

Why am I like one driven away from my desire,

when I have a fierceness that makes me swallow the reins?

Though my wild spirit lets me trail the rein?

أَلينُ عَن ذِلَّةٍ وَمِثلِيَ مَن

أَلينُ عَن ذِلَّةٍ وَمِثلِيَ مَن

وَلّى المَقاديرَ جانِباً خَشِنا

وَلّى المَقاديرَ جانِباً خَشِنا

Should I yield to humiliation, when one such as I

Shall I yield in abasement, when one such as I

turns a rugged flank toward the decrees of fate,

Turns a rugged flank toward fate,

مُعَطِّلاً بَعدَ طولِ مَلبَثِهِ

مُعَطِّلاً بَعدَ طولِ مَلبَثِهِ

مَنازِلاً قَد عَمَرتُها زَمَنا

مَنازِلاً قَد عَمَرتُها زَمَنا

leaving dwellings desolate after his long residence—

Leaving deserted, after his long sojourn,

homes I had inhabited for an age?

Dwellings I inhabited for a time?

تَلعَبُ بي الغائِباتُ واغِلَةً

تَلعَبُ بي الغائِباتُ واغِلَةً

كَما تَهُزُّ الزَعازِعُ الغُضُنا

كَما تَهُزُّ الزَعازِعُ الغُضُنا

The unseen turns of fate toyed with me and treacherously assailed me,

Unseen events intrude and toy with me,

as violent winds shake a bough.

As storm winds shake the boughs.

أَيقَظنَ مِنّي مُهَنَّداً ذَكَراً

أَيقَظنَ مِنّي مُهَنَّداً ذَكَراً

إِلى المَعالي وَسائِقاً أَرِنا

إِلى المَعالي وَسائِقاً أَرِنا

They roused within me a keen Indian-forged blade

They have roused in me a keen Indian-steel sword,

and a fierce driver toward the heights.

And a spirited driver toward lofty deeds.

كَيفَ يَهابُ الحِمامَ مُنصَلِتٌ

كَيفَ يَهابُ الحِمامَ مُنصَلِتٌ

مُذ خافَ غَدرَ الزَمانِ ما أَمِنا

مُذ خافَ غَدرَ الزَمانِ ما أَمِنا

How can death frighten one charging with blade drawn,

How can one charging forth fear death,

when, once he fears Time’s treachery, he is never safe?

Who, since fearing Time's treachery, has known no safety?

لَم يَلبَسِ الثَوبَ مِن تَوَقُّعِهِ

لَم يَلبَسِ الثَوبَ مِن تَوَقُّعِهِ

الأَمرَ إِلّا وَظَنَّهُ كَفَنا

الأَمرَ إِلّا وَظَنَّهُ كَفَنا

No man, expecting death, puts on a garment

He never donned a robe, expecting

but imagines it a shroud.

Calamity, without thinking it a shroud.

أَعطَشَهُ الدَهرُ مِن مَطالِبِهِ

أَعطَشَهُ الدَهرُ مِن مَطالِبِهِ

فَراحَ يَستَمطِرُ القَنا اللُدُنا

فَراحَ يَستَمطِرُ القَنا اللُدُنا

Time left him thirsting for his aims,

Time has left him thirsty for his goals,

so he went asking the supple spears for rain.

So he went forth seeking rain from supple spears.

لي مَهجَةٌ لا أَرى لَها عِوَضاً

لي مَهجَةٌ لا أَرى لَها عِوَضاً

غَيرَ بُلوغِ العُلى وَلا ثَمَنا

غَيرَ بُلوغِ العُلى وَلا ثَمَنا

I have a soul for which I see no recompense

Mine is a soul for which I see no recompense,

save attaining the heights, and no other price.

Nor any price, save attainment of the heights.

وَكَيفَ تَرجو البَقاءَ نَفسُ فَتىً

وَكَيفَ تَرجو البَقاءَ نَفسُ فَتىً

وَدَأبُها أَن تُضَعضِعَ البَدَنا

وَدَأبُها أَن تُضَعضِعَ البَدَنا

How can a young man’s soul hope to survive

And how can a young man's soul hope to endure,

when its constant habit is to wear bodies down?

When its constant practice is to wear the body down?

فَيما مُقامي عَلى مُعَطَّلَةٍ

فَيما مُقامي عَلى مُعَطَّلَةٍ

رُنِّقَ لي ماؤُها وَقَد أَجَنا

رُنِّقَ لي ماؤُها وَقَد أَجَنا

Why, then, should I remain beside an abandoned well

Why, then, do I linger in a forsaken place

whose water was muddied for me and had already grown foul?

Whose water has been muddied for me and grown foul?

أَكُرُّ طَرفي فَلا أَرى أَحَداً

أَكُرُّ طَرفي فَلا أَرى أَحَداً

إِلّا مُغيظاً عَلَيَّ مُضطَغِنا

إِلّا مُغيظاً عَلَيَّ مُضطَغِنا

I wheel my gaze, yet see no one

I turn my gaze about, and see no one

but a man enraged at me, nursing rancor,

But one enraged against me, harboring a grudge.

يُنبِضُ لي مِن لِسانِهِ أَبداً

يُنبِضُ لي مِن لِسانِهِ أَبداً

نِصالَ ذَمٍّ تُمَزَّقُ الجُنَنا

نِصالَ ذَمٍّ تُمَزَّقُ الجُنَنا

forever sending from his tongue against me

Forever loosing at me from his tongue

arrowheads of blame that pierce shields;

Arrowheads of slander, before which shields are rent.

وَكُلُّ مُستَنفِرٍ تَرائِبُهُ

وَكُلُّ مُستَنفِرٍ تَرائِبُهُ

تَحمِلُ ضَبّاً عَلَيَّ قَد كَمَنا

تَحمِلُ ضَبّاً عَلَيَّ قَد كَمَنا

and every bristling enemy whose breast

And every skittish man—his breast

bears against me a grudge long concealed.

Harbors a lizard lying hidden against me.

إِن مَرَّ بي لَم أَعُج بِهِ بَصَراً

إِن مَرَّ بي لَم أَعُج بِهِ بَصَراً

أَو قالَ لي لَم أُمِل لَهُ أُذُنا

أَو قالَ لي لَم أُمِل لَهُ أُذُنا

If he passes me, I do not turn a glance toward him;

If he passes me, I do not turn my gaze toward him,

if he speaks to me, I incline no ear to him.

Or if he speaks to me, I do not incline an ear to him.

مِن مَعشَرٍ أَظهَروا الشَجاعَةَ في ال

مِن مَعشَرٍ أَظهَروا الشَجاعَةَ في ال

بُخلِ وَعِندَ المَكارِمِ الجُبُنا

بُخلِ وَعِندَ المَكارِمِ الجُبُنا

They are a people who displayed their courage in—

From a people who have shown courage in

—stinginess, and cowardice before noble deeds.

Stinginess, and cowardice in acts of generosity.

بُلهٌ عَنِ المَجدِ غَيرَ أَنَّهُمُ

بُلهٌ عَنِ المَجدِ غَيرَ أَنَّهُمُ

قَد شَغَلوا بِالمَعايِبِ الفِطَنا

قَد شَغَلوا بِالمَعايِبِ الفِطَنا

Fools where glory is concerned—yet they

Fools where glory is concerned, except that they

have kept discerning minds occupied with their faults.

Have busied their wits with vices.

يَستَحقِبونَ المَلامَ إِن رَكِبوا

يَستَحقِبونَ المَلامَ إِن رَكِبوا

وَيَحمِلونَ الظُنونَ وَالظِنَنا

وَيَحمِلونَ الظُنونَ وَالظِنَنا

They carry blame as baggage whenever they mount,

They load reproach behind their saddles whenever they ride,

and bear suspicions—and women in camel-litters.

And carry suspicions and accusations.

نَحنُ أُسودُ الوَغى إِذا قَصَفَ ال

نَحنُ أُسودُ الوَغى إِذا قَصَفَ ال

طَعنُ قَنا الخَطِّ في جَوانِبِنا

طَعنُ قَنا الخَطِّ في جَوانِبِنا

We are the lions of battle when the—

We are battle's lions when thrusts shatter

—thrust of al-Khatt’s spears crashes against our flanks.

The lances of al-Khatt along our flanks.

مُلتَفُّ أَعياصِنا إِلى مُضَرٍ

مُلتَفُّ أَعياصِنا إِلى مُضَرٍ

أَمَرَّ عيدانَنا لِعاجِمِنا

أَمَرَّ عيدانَنا لِعاجِمِنا

Our noble roots, entwined, reach back to Mudar—

Our interwoven ancestral thickets, reaching back to Mudar,

the bitterest of Adnan’s stock to anyone who tests us.

Have made our branches bitter to whoever bites to test us.

نَجُرُّ ما شِئتَ مِن لِسانِ فَتىً

نَجُرُّ ما شِئتَ مِن لِسانِ فَتىً

إِن هَدَرَت ساعَةً شَقاشِقُنا

إِن هَدَرَت ساعَةً شَقاشِقُنا

We draw from a young man’s tongue whatever words you wish

We silence any young man's tongue you choose,

when the torrents of our eloquence roar for an hour.

If our camel throat-sacs roar for a moment.

إِنَّ أَبانا الَّذي سَمِعتَ بِهِ

إِنَّ أَبانا الَّذي سَمِعتَ بِهِ

أَسَّسَ في هَضبَةِ العُلى وَبَنى

أَسَّسَ في هَضبَةِ العُلى وَبَنى

Indeed, that forefather of ours whom you have heard of

Indeed, our father, of whom you have heard,

laid foundations on glory’s plateau and built there.

Laid foundations on glory's high hill and built.

ما ضَرَّنا أَنَّنا بِلا جِدَةٍ

ما ضَرَّنا أَنَّنا بِلا جِدَةٍ

وَالبَيتُ وَالرُكنُ وَالمَقامُ لَنا

وَالبَيتُ وَالرُكنُ وَالمَقامُ لَنا

It has not harmed us that we lack wealth:

It does us no harm that we have no wealth,

the Sacred House, the Corner, and the Station are ours,

While the House, the Corner, and the Station are ours.

وَهِمَّةٌ في العَلاءِ لازِمَةٌ

وَهِمَّةٌ في العَلاءِ لازِمَةٌ

تُلزِمُ صُمَّ الرِماحِ أَيدِيَنا

تُلزِمُ صُمَّ الرِماحِ أَيدِيَنا

as is an ambition inseparably fixed upon the heights,

And steadfast resolve for eminence

binding the hard shafts of spears to our hands.

Binds stout spears to our hands.

طِلابُنا المَجدَ مِن ذَوائِبِهِ

طِلابُنا المَجدَ مِن ذَوائِبِهِ

رَوَّحَنا بَعدَ أَن أَضَرَّ بِنا

رَوَّحَنا بَعدَ أَن أَضَرَّ بِنا

Our grasping after glory by its very forelocks

Our pursuit of glory by its forelocks

revived us after it had worn us down.

Has refreshed us after bringing us harm.

نَأخُذُ مِن جُمَّةِ العُلى أَبَداً

نَأخُذُ مِن جُمَّةِ العُلى أَبَداً

ما أَخَذَ الضَربُ مِن جَماجِمِنا

ما أَخَذَ الضَربُ مِن جَماجِمِنا

From the whole sum of glory we forever take

We ever take from the thick locks of glory

as much as weapon-blows take from our skulls.

What blows have taken from our skulls.

سَوفَ تَرى أَنَّ نَيلَ آخِرِنا

سَوفَ تَرى أَنَّ نَيلَ آخِرِنا

مِنَ العُلى فَوقَ نَيلِ أَوَّلِنا

مِنَ العُلى فَوقَ نَيلِ أَوَّلِنا

In time you shall see that our latter generation’s attainment

You will see that what the last of us attains

of glory surpasses our first generation’s,

Of glory surpasses what the first of us attained,

وَأَنَّ ما بُزُّ مِن مَقادِمِنا

وَأَنَّ ما بُزُّ مِن مَقادِمِنا

يُخلِفُهُ اللَهُ في عَقائِلِنا

يُخلِفُهُ اللَهُ في عَقائِلِنا

and that whatever was wrested from our forebears

And that what was wrested from our foremost men

God will restore among those who come after us.

God restores among our noblest ones.

ذَلِكَ وِردُ قَذىً لِسابِقِنا

ذَلِكَ وِردُ قَذىً لِسابِقِنا

وَالآنَ يُجلى القَذى لِلاحِقِنا

وَالآنَ يُجلى القَذى لِلاحِقِنا

That was a watering place clouded with grit for our forerunners;

That was a drink full of motes for our predecessors,

now the grit is cleared away for those who follow us.

And now the motes are cleared for our successors.

دَينٌ عَلى اللَهِ لا نُماطِلُهُ ال

دَينٌ عَلى اللَهِ لا نُماطِلُهُ ال

شُكرَ عَليهِ وَلا يُماطِلُنا

شُكرَ عَليهِ وَلا يُماطِلُنا

A debt incumbent upon God: we do not defer the—

A debt upon God: we do not keep Him waiting for

—thanks for it, nor does He keep us waiting.

Thanks for it, nor does He keep us waiting.

لَأوقِرَنَّ الرُكابَ سائِرَةً

لَأوقِرَنَّ الرُكابَ سائِرَةً

عَزماً يَكُدُّ الأَبدانَ وَالبُدُنا

عَزماً يَكُدُّ الأَبدانَ وَالبُدُنا

I shall surely load the mounts as they journey onward

I shall surely load the riding camels as they travel

with a resolve that exhausts bodies and stout camels,

With resolve that wears out bodies and stout camels,

حَتّى تَهاوى مِنَ اللُغوبِ وَتَس

حَتّى تَهاوى مِنَ اللُغوبِ وَتَس

تَنجِدُ بَعدَ المَناسِمِ الثَفَنا

تَنجِدُ بَعدَ المَناسِمِ الثَفَنا

until the beasts collapse one after another from weariness and—

Until they collapse from exhaustion and seek

—their knee-calluses swell high behind their hoof-pads,

Help from their knee-calluses after their foot-pads.

حَزّاً إِلى المَجدِ مِن أَزِمَّتِها

حَزّاً إِلى المَجدِ مِن أَزِمَّتِها

لَيسَ كَحَزِّ الأَعاجِزِ الظُعُنا

لَيسَ كَحَزِّ الأَعاجِزِ الظُعُنا

driving them sharply toward glory by their reins,

Urging them toward glory with a sawing of their reins,

not as weaklings urge on the women’s camel-litters.

Not as weaklings urge on their litter-camels.

لَأَبلُغُ العِزَّ أَو يُقالُ فَتىً

لَأَبلُغُ العِزَّ أَو يُقالُ فَتىً

جَنَت عَلَيهِ يَدُ الرَدى وَجَنى

جَنَت عَلَيهِ يَدُ الرَدى وَجَنى

I shall attain glory—or else it will be said: “A young man

I shall surely attain honor, or it shall be said: 'A young man

whom death’s hand struck, and who struck back.”

Whom death's hand harmed, and who himself wrought harm.'