سَما كَبُطونِ الأُتنِ رَيعانُ عارِضٍ

سَما كَبُطونِ الأُتنِ رَيعانُ عارِضٍ

تَزَجّيهِ لَوثاءُ النَسيمِ جَنوبُ

تَزَجّيهِ لَوثاءُ النَسيمِ جَنوبُ

A cloud-bank’s crest rose like the bellies of wild asses,

A raincloud's fresh swell rose, like she-asses' bellies,

driven onward by a south wind, heavy with the breath of the breeze.

driven gently by a south wind of languid breath.

رَغا بَينَ دَوحِ الوادِيَينِ بِرَعدِهِ

رَغا بَينَ دَوحِ الوادِيَينِ بِرَعدِهِ

رُغاءَ مَطايا مَسَّهُنَّ لُغوبُ

رُغاءَ مَطايا مَسَّهُنَّ لُغوبُ

Between the groves of the two valleys it roared with thunder,

It bellowed with thunder among the great trees of the two valleys,

like the braying of mounts weariness had touched.

like the bellowing of riding camels touched by weariness.

بَصيرٌ بِرَميِ القَطرِ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ

بَصيرٌ بِرَميِ القَطرِ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ

عَلى الرَملِ قاريُّ السِهامِ نَجيبُ

عَلى الرَملِ قاريُّ السِهامِ نَجيبُ

So skilled was it at shooting raindrops that it seemed

Skilled in casting rain, so much that it seemed

a noble archer upon the sand, casting arrows.

a noble Qari bowman upon the sand.

تَدافَعَ أَمّا بَرقُهُ فَصَوارِمٌ

تَدافَعَ أَمّا بَرقُهُ فَصَوارِمٌ

جَلاءً وَأَمّا عَرضُهُ فَكَثيبُ

جَلاءً وَأَمّا عَرضُهُ فَكَثيبُ

Cloud pressed upon cloud; its lightning was drawn swords,

It surged onward: its lightning was keen swords,

bright-polished, while its broad mass was a dune.

brightly polished, while its broad mass was a dune.

إِذا ما أَراقَ الماءَ أَسفَرَ وَجهُهُ

إِذا ما أَراقَ الماءَ أَسفَرَ وَجهُهُ

وَيَغدو بِعِبءِ الماءِ وَهوَ قَطوبُ

وَيَغدو بِعِبءِ الماءِ وَهوَ قَطوبُ

Whenever it poured out its water, its face grew bright;

When it pours out water, its face brightens,

yet at dawn it came burdened with water, scowling.

yet it goes forth under water's burden, scowling.

سَهِرتُ لَهُ نابي الوِسادَةِ بَرقُهُ

سَهِرتُ لَهُ نابي الوِسادَةِ بَرقُهُ

يَحومُ عَلى أَعناقِهِ وَيَلوبُ

يَحومُ عَلى أَعناقِهِ وَيَلوبُ

I watched it sleepless, my head shunning the pillow, while its lightning

I stayed awake for it, shunning my pillow; its lightning

hovered about its shoulders and wheeled around.

hovered about its necks and circled.

فُؤادي بِنَجدٍ وَالفَتى حَيثُ قَلبُهُ

فُؤادي بِنَجدٍ وَالفَتى حَيثُ قَلبُهُ

أَسيرٌ وَما نَجدٌ إِلَيَّ حَبيبُ

أَسيرٌ وَما نَجدٌ إِلَيَّ حَبيبُ

My heart is in Najd—and a man dwells wherever his heart is,

My heart is in Najd; and a man, wherever his heart lies,

a captive; and how dear Najd is to him!

is captive—yet Najd is not dear to me.

وَما لي فيهِ صَبوَةٌ غَيرَ أَنَّني

وَما لي فيهِ صَبوَةٌ غَيرَ أَنَّني

خَلَعتُ شَبابي فيهِ وَهوَ رَطيبُ

خَلَعتُ شَبابي فيهِ وَهوَ رَطيبُ

I have no youthful passion there, except that

I have no yearning for it, except that I

there I cast off my youth while it was still fresh.

shed my youth there while it was still fresh.

بَلَى إِنَّ قَلباً رُبَّما التاحَ لَوحَةً

بَلَى إِنَّ قَلباً رُبَّما التاحَ لَوحَةً

فَهَل ماؤُهُ لِلوارِدينَ قَريبُ

فَهَل ماؤُهُ لِلوارِدينَ قَريبُ

Yes—a heart may sometimes let its surface gleam;

Yes, a heart has sometimes burned with searing thirst;

but is its water within reach of those who come to drink?

so is its water near for those who come to drink?

أَلا هَل تَرُدُّ الريحُ يا جَوَّ ضارِجٍ

أَلا هَل تَرُدُّ الريحُ يا جَوَّ ضارِجٍ

نَسيمَكَ يَحلولي لَنا وَيَطيبُ

نَسيمَكَ يَحلولي لَنا وَيَطيبُ

Ah, will the wind bring back, O air of Ḍārij,

Ah, valley of Darij, will the wind bring back

your breeze, which grows sweet and wholesome to me?

your breeze, so sweet and pleasant to us?

وَهَل تَنظُرُ العَينُ الطَليحَةُ نَظرَةً

وَهَل تَنظُرُ العَينُ الطَليحَةُ نَظرَةً

إِلَيكَ وَما في الماقِيَينِ غُروبُ

إِلَيكَ وَما في الماقِيَينِ غُروبُ

And will the weary eye ever look once

And will the weary eye cast a glance

toward you, while its two tear-ducts know no drying?

toward you, with no tears at its two corners?

وَما وَجدُ أَدماءِ الإِهابِ مَروعَةٍ

وَما وَجدُ أَدماءِ الإِهابِ مَروعَةٍ

لِأَحشائِها تَحتَ الظَلامِ وَجيبُ

لِأَحشائِها تَحتَ الظَلامِ وَجيبُ

Nor is the yearning of a tawny-hide doe, terrified,

No grief of a terrified, pale-hided doe—

whose entrails throb beneath the darkness—

her innards pounding beneath the darkness,

تَرودُ طَلاً أَودَت بِهِ غَفَلاتُها

تَرودُ طَلاً أَودَت بِهِ غَفَلاتُها

وَفي كُلِّ حَيٌّ لِلمَنونِ نَصيبُ

وَفي كُلِّ حَيٌّ لِلمَنونِ نَصيبُ

roaming in search of a fawn her heedlessness had doomed,

seeking a fawn her heedlessness had doomed

for Death has an allotted share in every living thing—

(and death has a share in every living thing),

بِغَومٍ عَلى آثارِهِ وَقَدِ اِكتَسى

بِغَومٍ عَلى آثارِهِ وَقَدِ اِكتَسى

ظَلامَ الدَياجي غائِطٌ وَسُهوبُ

ظَلامَ الدَياجي غائِطٌ وَسُهوبُ

moaning over its tracks, while night had clothed

moaning along its tracks, while

both lowland and open upland in darkness.

hollows and plains had donned the darkness of night;

فَلَمّا أَضاءَ الصُبحُ لاحَ لِعَينِها

فَلَمّا أَضاءَ الصُبحُ لاحَ لِعَينِها

دَمٌ بَينَ أَيدي الضارِياتِ صَبيبُ

دَمٌ بَينَ أَيدي الضارِياتِ صَبيبُ

Then, when morning shone, there appeared before her eyes

then, when morning shone, her eye beheld

blood streaming between the hunting beasts’ paws—

blood streaming between the paws of beasts of prey—

كَوَجدي وَقَد عَرّى الشَبابُ جَوادَه

كَوَجدي وَقَد عَرّى الشَبابُ جَوادَه

وَغَيَّرَ لَونَ العارِضَينِ مَشيبُ

وَغَيَّرَ لَونَ العارِضَينِ مَشيبُ

like my own anguish, now that youth has stripped its steed bare

is like my grief, now youth has unsaddled its steed

and gray hair has changed the color of my temples.

and grey hair has changed the color of my side-whiskers.

وَلَكِنَّها الأَيامُ أَمّا قَليبُها

وَلَكِنَّها الأَيامُ أَمّا قَليبُها

فَمُكدٍ وَأَما بَرقُها فَخَلوبُ

فَمُكدٍ وَأَما بَرقُها فَخَلوبُ

But such are the days: their well

But such are the days: their well

is turbid, and their lightning a rainless lure.

yields nothing, and their lightning deceives.

إِذا ما بَدَأنَ الأَمرَ أَفسَدنَ عَقبَهُ

إِذا ما بَدَأنَ الأَمرَ أَفسَدنَ عَقبَهُ

وَعَفّى عَلى إِحسانِهِنَّ ذُنوبُ

وَعَفّى عَلى إِحسانِهِنَّ ذُنوبُ

Whenever they begin a matter, they corrupt its end,

Whenever they begin a matter, they spoil its ending,

and their offenses efface whatever good they did.

and sins efface their kindnesses.

فَلِلَّهِ دَرّي يَومَ أَنعَتُ قَولَةً

فَلِلَّهِ دَرّي يَومَ أَنعَتُ قَولَةً

لَها في رُؤوسِ السامِعينَ دَبيبُ

لَها في رُؤوسِ السامِعينَ دَبيبُ

How splendid I was the day I fashioned a saying

So God bless me when I frame an utterance

whose subtle force crept through the listeners’ minds!

that creeps into the heads of those who hear;

وَلِلَّهِ دَرّي يَومَ أَركَبُ هِمَّةً

وَلِلَّهِ دَرّي يَومَ أَركَبُ هِمَّةً

إِلى كُلِّ أَرضٍ أَغتَدي وَأَؤوبُ

إِلى كُلِّ أَرضٍ أَغتَدي وَأَؤوبُ

And how splendid the day I mounted a soaring ambition,

and God bless me when I mount a high resolve,

setting out at dawn for every land and returning!

to every land I set out at dawn and return.

وَكَم مَهمَهٍ جاذَبتُ بِالسَيرِ عَرضَهُ

وَكَم مَهمَهٍ جاذَبتُ بِالسَيرِ عَرضَهُ

وَغالَبتُهُ بِالعَزمِ وَهوَ غَلوبُ

وَغالَبتُهُ بِالعَزمِ وَهوَ غَلوبُ

How many a trackless waste I matched, through travel, breadth for breadth,

How many a trackless waste I have wrestled across in travel,

and mastered by resolve, though it was hard to master;

and fought with resolve, though it was a mighty conqueror;

وَلَيلٍ رَأَيتُ الصُبحَ في أُخرَياتِهِ

وَلَيلٍ رَأَيتُ الصُبحَ في أُخرَياتِهِ

كَما اِنسَلَّ مِن سِرِّ النَجادِ قَضيبُ

كَما اِنسَلَّ مِن سِرِّ النَجادِ قَضيبُ

and many a night whose final hours showed me the dawn

and a night in whose last hours I saw the dawn

like a blade slipping from the hidden fold of its baldric.

like a slender blade slipping from the sword-belt's depths.

سَرَيتُ بِهِ أوفي عَلى كُلِّ رَبوَةٍ

سَرَيتُ بِهِ أوفي عَلى كُلِّ رَبوَةٍ

وَليسَ سِوى نَجمٍ عَلَيَّ رَقيبُ

وَليسَ سِوى نَجمٍ عَلَيَّ رَقيبُ

I journeyed through it, rising over every hill,

I journeyed through it by night, cresting every rise,

with no watcher over me but a star;

with none but a star watching over me.

وَأَزرَقِ ماءٍ قَد سَلَبتُ جُمامَهُ

وَأَزرَقِ ماءٍ قَد سَلَبتُ جُمامَهُ

يَعومُ الَشَوى في غَمرِهِ وَيَغيبُ

يَعومُ الَشَوى في غَمرِهِ وَيَغيبُ

and many a blue expanse of water whose gathered fullness I drained,

And many a blue pool have I robbed of its gathered water,

where legs swam in its depths and disappeared;

where legs swam in its depths and vanished;

وَهاجِرَةٍ فَلَّلتُ بِالسَيرِ حَدَّها

وَهاجِرَةٍ فَلَّلتُ بِالسَيرِ حَدَّها

وَلا ظِلَّ إِلّا ذابِلٌ وَنَجيبُ

وَلا ظِلَّ إِلّا ذابِلٌ وَنَجيبُ

and many a blazing noon whose edge I blunted by traveling,

and a noonday heat whose edge I blunted by journeying,

with no shade but a slender spear and a noble mount;

with no shade but a slender lance and a highbred camel;

وَيَومٍ بِلا ضَوءٍ يُتَرجِمُ نَقعُهُ

وَيَومٍ بِلا ضَوءٍ يُتَرجِمُ نَقعُهُ

عَنِ الرَوعِ وَالإِصباحُ فيهِ مُريبُ

عَنِ الرَوعِ وَالإِصباحُ فيهِ مُريبُ

and many a lightless day whose dust proclaimed

and a lightless day, its dust speaking

its terror, while even daybreak there was doubtful.

of terror, when even morning was ominous;

حَبَستُ بِهِ قَلباً جَرِيّاً عَلى الرَدى

حَبَستُ بِهِ قَلباً جَرِيّاً عَلى الرَدى

وَقَد رَجَفَت تَحتَ الصُدورِ قُلوبُ

وَقَد رَجَفَت تَحتَ الصُدورِ قُلوبُ

There I held a heart bold enough to face death steadfast,

I held firm there a heart that dared death,

while other hearts trembled beneath their breasts;

while hearts beneath men's breasts were quaking;

وَطَعنَةِ رُمحٍ قَد خَرَطتُ نَجيعَها

وَطَعنَةِ رُمحٍ قَد خَرَطتُ نَجيعَها

كَما ماجَ فَرغٌ في الإِناءِ ذَنوبُ

كَما ماجَ فَرغٌ في الإِناءِ ذَنوبُ

and many a spear-thrust whose dark blood I drew forth,

and a spear-thrust whose dark blood I sent gushing,

surging like a great bucketful in a vessel;

as a full bucket's outpouring surges in a vessel;

وَضَربَةِ سَيفٍ قَد تَرَكتُ مُبينَةً

وَضَربَةِ سَيفٍ قَد تَرَكتُ مُبينَةً

وَحامِلُها عُمرَ الزَمانِ مَعيبُ

وَحامِلُها عُمرَ الزَمانِ مَعيبُ

and many a sword-stroke whose victim I left plainly marked,

and a sword-blow I left plain to see,

its bearer maimed for all his remaining days;

its bearer disfigured for all time;

وَأَلأَمِ مَصحوبٍ قَذَفتُ إِخاءَهُ

وَأَلأَمِ مَصحوبٍ قَذَفتُ إِخاءَهُ

كَما قَذَفَ الماءَ المَريضَ شَروبُ

كَما قَذَفَ الماءَ المَريضَ شَروبُ

and many a vile companion whose friendship I cast away,

and a most ignoble companion whose friendship I cast off,

as a sickly drinker spits out water.

as a drinker spits out tainted water.

وَمَن كانَ ما فَوقَ النُجومِ طِلابُه

وَمَن كانَ ما فَوقَ النُجومِ طِلابُه

أَمَلَّ عَناءٌ قَلبَهُ وَدُؤوبُ

أَمَلَّ عَناءٌ قَلبَهُ وَدُؤوبُ

Whoever sets his quests beyond the stars

Whoever seeks what lies above the stars,

wearies his heart with toil and unrelenting effort.

toil and ceaseless effort weary his heart.

نَظَرتُ إِلى الدُنيا بِعَينٍ مَريضَةٍ

نَظَرتُ إِلى الدُنيا بِعَينٍ مَريضَةٍ

وَما لِيَ مِن داءِ الرَجاءِ طَبيبُ

وَما لِيَ مِن داءِ الرَجاءِ طَبيبُ

I looked upon the world with an ailing eye,

I looked upon the world with a sickened eye,

and for the sickness of hope I have no physician.

and I have no physician for the sickness of hope.

وَمَن كانَ في شُغلِ المُنى فَفَراغُهُ

وَمَن كانَ في شُغلِ المُنى فَفَراغُهُ

مَنالُ الأَماني أَو رَدىً وَشَعوبُ

مَنالُ الأَماني أَو رَدىً وَشَعوبُ

Whoever is occupied with Death finds release

Whoever is occupied with wishes finds his release

only in attaining his hopes—or in ruin and Death.

in wishes attained, or in ruin and death.

فَما لِيَ طولَ الدَهرِأَمشي كَأَنَّني

فَما لِيَ طولَ الدَهرِأَمشي كَأَنَّني

لِفَضلِيَ في هَذا الزَمانِ غَريبُ

لِفَضلِيَ في هَذا الزَمانِ غَريبُ

Why, then, do I go all my life as though

Why, then, do I walk all my life as though I were,

my very merit made me a stranger in this age?

for my excellence, a stranger in this age?

إِذا قُلتُ قَد عَلَّقتُ كَفّي بِصاحِبٍ

إِذا قُلتُ قَد عَلَّقتُ كَفّي بِصاحِبٍ

تَعودُ عَوادٍ بَينَنا وَخُطوبُ

تَعودُ عَوادٍ بَينَنا وَخُطوبُ

Whenever I say, “Now my hand has fastened upon a friend,”

Whenever I say, 'I have linked my hand to a friend,'

recurring adversities and calamities come between us.

adversities and calamities return between us.

وَما فيهِ شَيءٌ خالِدٌ لِمُكادِحٍ

وَما فيهِ شَيءٌ خالِدٌ لِمُكادِحٍ

وَكُلٌّ لِغاياتِ الأُمورِ طَلوبُ

وَكُلٌّ لِغاياتِ الأُمورِ طَلوبُ

Nothing in this world endures for those who strive,

Nothing in it lasts for one who toils,

and everyone pursues some ultimate end.

yet everyone avidly seeks the furthest ends of things.