نَظَرتُ وَسَهبٌ مِن بُوانَةَ بَينَنا

نَظَرتُ وَسَهبٌ مِن بُوانَةَ بَينَنا

وَأَفيَحُ مِن رَوضِ الرُبابِ عَميقُ

وَأَفيَحُ مِن رَوضِ الرُبابِ عَميقُ

I gazed—though Buwāna’s broad plain lay between us,

I looked, with a plain of Buwānah between us,

and the wide, deep reaches of Rawḍ al-Rubāb—

and a broad, deep expanse of the meadows of al-Rabāb,

إِلى ظُعُنٍ هاجَت عَلَيَّ صَبابَةً

إِلى ظُعُنٍ هاجَت عَلَيَّ صَبابَةً

لَهُنَّ بِأَعلى القُرنَتَينِ حَريقُ

لَهُنَّ بِأَعلى القُرنَتَينِ حَريقُ

toward departing camel-litters that stirred longing within me;

toward howdah-borne women who stirred longing in me;

their fire blazed on the heights of al-Qarnatayn.

their blaze was high on al-Qurnatayn.

فَقُلتُ خَليلَيَّ اُنظُرا اليَومَ نَظرَةً

فَقُلتُ خَليلَيَّ اُنظُرا اليَومَ نَظرَةً

لِعَهدِ الصِبا إِذ كُنتُ لَستُ أَفيقُ

لِعَهدِ الصِبا إِذ كُنتُ لَستُ أَفيقُ

I said, “My two companions, look today—just one look—

So I said: My two friends, cast a glance today

at youth’s bygone days, when I could not come to my senses:

back to the days of youth, when I never came to my senses,

إِلى بَقَرٍ فيهِنَّ لِلعَينِ مَنظَرٌ

إِلى بَقَرٍ فيهِنَّ لِلعَينِ مَنظَرٌ

وَمَلهىً لِمَن يَلهو بِهِنَّ أَنيقُ

وَمَلهىً لِمَن يَلهو بِهِنَّ أَنيقُ

at wild-cow-eyed beauties—a spectacle for the eye,

at those wild cows, a lovely sight for the eye,

an exquisite delight for anyone who dallies with them.”

and a charming diversion for whoever dallies with them.

رَعَينَ النَدى حَتّى إِذا وَقَدَ الحَصى

رَعَينَ النَدى حَتّى إِذا وَقَدَ الحَصى

وَلَم يَبقَ مِن نَوءِ السِماكِ بُروقُ

وَلَم يَبقَ مِن نَوءِ السِماكِ بُروقُ

They grazed upon the dew until the pebbles burned with heat,

They grazed on dew-fed growth until the pebbles blazed with heat,

and no lightning remained from al-Simāk’s rain.

and no lightning remained from al-Simāk's rainy season.

تَصَدَّعَ فيهِ الحَيُّ وَاِنشَقَّتِ العَصا

تَصَدَّعَ فيهِ الحَيُّ وَاِنشَقَّتِ العَصا

كَذاكَ النَوى بَينَ الخَليطِ شَقوقُ

كَذاكَ النَوى بَينَ الخَليطِ شَقوقُ

There the community broke apart, and the staff was split;

The tribe dispersed then, and the staff of unity split:

thus separation cleaves companions apart.

thus separation tears close companions apart.

وَلَمّا رَأَيتُ الدارَ قَفراً تَبادَرَت

وَلَمّا رَأَيتُ الدارَ قَفراً تَبادَرَت

دُموعٌ لِلَومِ العاذِلاتِ سَبوقُ

دُموعٌ لِلَومِ العاذِلاتِ سَبوقُ

When I saw the dwelling desolate, there hastened forth

And when I saw the dwelling deserted, there came rushing

my tears, racing ahead of the reproaching women.

tears that outran the reproaches of the scolding women.

فَظَلَّ غُرابُ البَينِ مُؤتَبِضَ النَسى

فَظَلَّ غُرابُ البَينِ مُؤتَبِضَ النَسى

لَهُ في دِيارِ الجارَتَينِ نَعيقُ

لَهُ في دِيارِ الجارَتَينِ نَعيقُ

The raven of parting remained, its leg-sinews drawn taut,

So the raven of parting remained, its leg-sinew bent,

croaking among the dwellings of the two neighboring women.

its croak ringing in the homes of the two neighboring women.

خَليلَيَّ إِنّي لا يَزالُ تَروعُني

خَليلَيَّ إِنّي لا يَزالُ تَروعُني

نَواعِبُ تَبدو بِالفِراقِ تَشوقُ

نَواعِبُ تَبدو بِالفِراقِ تَشوقُ

My two companions, my alarm is ceaselessly renewed

My two friends, I am still startled

by calamities that appear with parting and reawaken longing.

by croaking ravens that appear with parting and stir longing.

إِذا أَنا عَزَّيتُ الفُؤادَ عَنِ الصَبا

إِذا أَنا عَزَّيتُ الفُؤادَ عَنِ الصَبا

أَبَت عَبَراتٌ بِالدُموعِ تَفوقُ

أَبَت عَبَراتٌ بِالدُموعِ تَفوقُ

Whenever I console my heart for the days of youth,

Whenever I console my heart against youthful passion,

surges of grief refuse anything but to overflow in tears.

sobs refuse, surging with tears.

وَأَغبَرَ وَرّادِ الثَنايا كَأَنَّهُ

وَأَغبَرَ وَرّادِ الثَنايا كَأَنَّهُ

إِذا اِشتَقَّ في جَوزِ الفَلاةِ فَليقُ

إِذا اِشتَقَّ في جَوزِ الفَلاةِ فَليقُ

And many a dusty road of passersby—as though it,

And a dust-gray track that enters the mountain passes—as though,

when it cuts through the wasteland’s midst, were a cleft—

when it cuts through the wilderness's heart, it were a cleft—

عَلَوتُ بِهَوجاءِ النَجاءِ شِمِلَّةٍ

عَلَوتُ بِهَوجاءِ النَجاءِ شِمِلَّةٍ

بِها مِن عُلوبِ النِسعَتَينِ طُروقُ

بِها مِن عُلوبِ النِسعَتَينِ طُروقُ

I crossed on a lean, hard-cheeked she-camel, swift in escape,

I crossed on a she-camel, headlong in speed and fleet-footed,

bearing welt upon welt from her two girth-straps.

bearing streaks scarred by the two girth-straps.

خَطورٍ بِرَيّانِ العَسيبِ كَأَنَّهُ

خَطورٍ بِرَيّانِ العَسيبِ كَأَنَّهُ

إِهانُ عُذوقٍ فَوقَهُنَّ عُذوقُ

إِهانُ عُذوقٍ فَوقَهُنَّ عُذوقُ

Her full tail-stalk sways as she strides, as though it were

She swishes her thick-rooted tail, as though it were

a young palm with clusters heaped above clusters.

stalks of date clusters, with more clusters above them.

تَلُطُّ بِهِ الحاذَينَ طَوراً وَتارَةً

تَلُطُّ بِهِ الحاذَينَ طَوراً وَتارَةً

لَهُ خَلفَ أَثوابِ الرَديفِ بُروقُ

لَهُ خَلفَ أَثوابِ الرَديفِ بُروقُ

With it she strikes both thighs again and again,

At one time she slaps her two haunches with it; at another,

and behind the pillion-rider’s clothes it flashes brightly.

it flashes behind the garments of the rear rider.

مُؤَتَّرَةِ الأَنساءِ مُعوَجَّةِ الشَوى

مُؤَتَّرَةِ الأَنساءِ مُعوَجَّةِ الشَوى

سَفينَةُ بَرٍّ بِالنَجاءِ دَفوقُ

سَفينَةُ بَرٍّ بِالنَجاءِ دَفوقُ

Her haunch-sinews are taut, her lower legs curved:

Taut in her leg-sinews, bowed in her limbs,

a ship of the land, surging swiftly forward.

a ship of dry land, surging forward at speed.

أُمِرَّت لِقاحاً عَن حِيالٍ فَدِرصُها

أُمِرَّت لِقاحاً عَن حِيالٍ فَدِرصُها

لِشَهرَينِ في ماءِ الحُلاقِ غَريقُ

لِشَهرَينِ في ماءِ الحُلاقِ غَريقُ

She carried a pregnancy after going unbred, and her fetus

She was made pregnant after barrenness; her fetus,

for two months lay immersed in the waters of the birth-sac.

two months old, lies immersed in the fetal sac's fluid.

كَأَنّي كَسَوتُ الرَحلَ أَحقَبَ سَهوَقاً

كَأَنّي كَسَوتُ الرَحلَ أَحقَبَ سَهوَقاً

أَطاعَ لَهُ في رامَتَينِ حَديقُ

أَطاعَ لَهُ في رامَتَينِ حَديقُ

It is as though I had set the saddle upon a tall, white-girdled wild ass,

It is as though I had saddled a tall, white-bellied wild ass,

obeyed by a close-circling herd at Rāmatayn.

to whom the gardens at Rāmatayn yielded.

يُطَرِّدُ عاناتٍ وَيَنفي جِحاشَها

يُطَرِّدُ عاناتٍ وَيَنفي جِحاشَها

كَما كانَ شُذّانَ البِكارِ فَتيقُ

كَما كانَ شُذّانَ البِكارِ فَتيقُ

He drives whole herds before him and banishes their young,

He drives herds of she-asses and banishes their foals,

like a virile stallion loosed among scattered young she-camels.

as a vigorous camel-stallion does stray young she-camels.

أَضَرَّ بِهِ التَعداءُ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ

أَضَرَّ بِهِ التَعداءُ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ

مَنيحُ قِداحٍ في اليَدَينِ مَشيقُ

مَنيحُ قِداحٍ في اليَدَينِ مَشيقُ

Relentless running has gaunted him until he seems

Hard running has worn him down until he seems

a gaming-arrow passed between two hands and polished sleek.

a slender blank gaming-arrow held in two hands.

رَعَت بارِضَ الوَسمِيِّ حَتّى تَحَملَجَت

رَعَت بارِضَ الوَسمِيِّ حَتّى تَحَملَجَت

وَطُيِّرَ عَن أَقرابِهِنَّ عَقيقُ

وَطُيِّرَ عَن أَقرابِهِنَّ عَقيقُ

They grazed the first growth of the seasonal rains until they grew heavy,

They grazed the first shoots of autumn rain until they grew plump,

and reddish old hair was sent flying from their flanks.

and their first-grown hair was blown from their flanks.

كَأَنَّ نُسالاً في المَراغِ وَفَوقَهُ

كَأَنَّ نُسالاً في المَراغِ وَفَوقَهُ

شَماطيطُ سِربالٍ عَلَيهِ مَزيقُ

شَماطيطُ سِربالٍ عَلَيهِ مَزيقُ

As though shed hair lay upon the wallowing-ground, and over him

As though the shed hair in the dust-wallow and above it

hung strips of a garment torn across his body.

were scattered rags of a tunic, with rents all over it.

يُصادي ذَواتِ الضِغنِ مِنها بِثائِبٍ

يُصادي ذَواتِ الضِغنِ مِنها بِثائِبٍ

مِنَ الشَدِّ مِلهابُ الحِضارِ فَتيقُ

مِنَ الشَدِّ مِلهابُ الحِضارِ فَتيقُ

He confronts the refractory females among them with a renewed charge,

He coaxes the resentful ones among them with renewed bursts

a virile runner whose onrush makes the stones blaze.

of running, fiery in his gallop and broad-flanked.

قَطوفٌ شَحوجٌ بِاليَفاعِ كَأَنَّهُ

قَطوفٌ شَحوجٌ بِاليَفاعِ كَأَنَّهُ

لِما رَدَّ لَحياهُ السَحيلَ خَنيقُ

لِما رَدَّ لَحياهُ السَحيلَ خَنيقُ

Slow-stepping and harshly braying upon the heights, he seems,

Short-stepping and loud-braying on the high ground, he seems,

when the rasping cry rolls back through his jaws, to be choking.

from the rasping bray his jaws repeat, a strangled creature.

دَؤولٌ إِذا ما اِستافَ مِنها مَصامَةً

دَؤولٌ إِذا ما اِستافَ مِنها مَصامَةً

لَهُ مِن ثَرى أَبوالِهِنَّ نَشيقُ

لَهُ مِن ثَرى أَبوالِهِنَّ نَشيقُ

Persistent whenever he scents a resolute female among them,

Quick-trotting whenever he scents a standing-place of theirs,

he draws a deep breath from soil dampened by their urine.

he sniffs the earth damp with their urine.

فَقَد لَصِقَت مِنها البُطونُ وَتارَةً

فَقَد لَصِقَت مِنها البُطونُ وَتارَةً

لَهُ حينَ يَستَولي بِهِنَّ نَهيقُ

لَهُ حينَ يَستَولي بِهِنَّ نَهيقُ

Their bellies are drawn tightly toward their backs from exertion because of him; and at times,

For their bellies have drawn tight, and at times,

when he gains mastery over them, he brays.

when he takes command of them, a bray rings out from him.

رَأَيتُ سَنا بَرقٍ فَقُلتُ لِصاحِبي

رَأَيتُ سَنا بَرقٍ فَقُلتُ لِصاحِبي

بَعيدٌ بِفَلجٍ ما رَأَيتُ سَحيقُ

بَعيدٌ بِفَلجٍ ما رَأَيتُ سَحيقُ

I saw the gleam of lightning and said to my companion,

I saw the gleam of lightning and said to my companion:

“Far off at Falj—what I have seen is distant indeed.”

Far off, at Falj, is what I saw—remote indeed.

فَباتَ مُهِمّاً لي يُذَكِّرُني الهَوى

فَباتَ مُهِمّاً لي يُذَكِّرُني الهَوى

كَأَنّي لِبَرقٍ بِالحِجازِ صَديقُ

كَأَنّي لِبَرقٍ بِالحِجازِ صَديقُ

I passed the night troubled; it kept reminding me of desire,

It troubled me all night, reminding me of love,

as though I were the intimate friend of that lightning in the Hijaz.

as though I were a friend to lightning in the Ḥijāz.

وَباتَ فُؤادي مُستَخَفّاً كَأَنَّهُ

وَباتَ فُؤادي مُستَخَفّاً كَأَنَّهُ

خَوافي عُقابٍ بِالجَناحِ خَفوقُ

خَوافي عُقابٍ بِالجَناحِ خَفوقُ

My heart passed the night made light and restless, as though it were

And all night my heart was agitated, as though it were

an eagle’s covert feathers, beating with the wing.

an eagle's inner flight-feathers, fluttering in its wing.

يُغَرِّدُ آناءَ النَهارِ كَأَنَّهُ

يُغَرِّدُ آناءَ النَهارِ كَأَنَّهُ

إِذا رَدَّ لَحياهُ السَحيلِ خَنيقُ

إِذا رَدَّ لَحياهُ السَحيلِ خَنيقُ

It trills throughout the hours of daylight, as though

He sings out through the hours of daylight, as though,

the drawn-out rasp, recoiling through its jaws, were choking.

when his jaws repeat the rasping bray, he were strangled.

كَروفٌ إِذا ما اِستافَ مِنها مَصامَةً

كَروفٌ إِذا ما اِستافَ مِنها مَصامَةً

لَهُ مِن ثَرى أَبوالِهِنَّ نَشوقُ

لَهُ مِن ثَرى أَبوالِهِنَّ نَشوقُ

A keen sniffer whenever he scents a resolute female among them,

Ever-sniffing whenever he scents a standing-place of theirs,

drawing an inhalation from soil dampened by their urine.

he draws in a scent from the earth damp with their urine.

فَقَد لَحِقَ مِنهُ البَطنُ بِالصُلبِ غَيرَةً

فَقَد لَحِقَ مِنهُ البَطنُ بِالصُلبِ غَيرَةً

لَهُ حينَ يَستَولي بِهِنَّ نَهيقُ

لَهُ حينَ يَستَولي بِهِنَّ نَهيقُ

So their bellies cling, drawn up toward their backbones because of him;

For jealousy has drawn his belly tight against his backbone;

when he gains mastery over them, he brays.

when he takes command of them, a bray rings out from him.