بَكى صُردٌ لَمّا رَأى الحَيَّ أَعرَضَت

بَكى صُردٌ لَمّا رَأى الحَيَّ أَعرَضَت

مَهامِهُ رَملٍ دونَهُم وَسُهوبُ

مَهامِهُ رَملٍ دونَهُم وَسُهوبُ

Ṣurad wept when he saw the tribe; there stretched

A sorrad wept when he saw the abandoned campsite

between him and them vast sandy wastes and open plains.

Its supports in the sands below them and whirlwinds

وُخَوَّفَهُ رَيبِ الزَمانِ وَفَقرُهُ

وُخَوَّفَهُ رَيبِ الزَمانِ وَفَقرُهُ

بِلادَ عَدُوٍّ حاضِرٍ وَجَدوبُ

بِلادَ عَدُوٍّ حاضِرٍ وَجَدوبُ

Time's vicissitudes and his poverty made him fear

He was frightened by the inconstancy of fate and his poverty

the lands of an enemy close at hand, and barren wastes,

In an enemy land, present and aggressive

وَنَأيٌ بَعيدٌ عَن بِلادِ مُقاعِسٍ

وَنَأيٌ بَعيدٌ عَن بِلادِ مُقاعِسٍ

وَإِنَّ مَخاريقَ الأُمورِ تُريبُ

وَإِنَّ مَخاريقَ الأُمورِ تُريبُ

and far separation from the lands of Muqāʿis.

And a long distance from the abodes of rest

And indeed the tricks of circumstance arouse misgivings.

And the cups of fate are surely deceptive

فَقُلتُ لَهُ لا تُبكِ عَينَكَ إِنَّها

فَقُلتُ لَهُ لا تُبكِ عَينَكَ إِنَّها

قَضيَّةٌ ما يُقضى لَها فَتَنوبُ

قَضيَّةٌ ما يُقضى لَها فَتَنوبُ

So I told him, “Do not make your eye weep; it is

So I said to him, do not weep your eye over what

a matter of fate: what is decreed for it comes to pass.

Is destined and cannot be avoided

سَيَكفيكَ فَقدَ الحَيِّ لَحمُ مَغَرَّضٌ

سَيَكفيكَ فَقدَ الحَيِّ لَحمُ مَغَرَّضٌ

وَماءُ قُدورٍ في الجِفانِ مَشوبُ

وَماءُ قُدورٍ في الجِفانِ مَشوبُ

Meat cut into pieces will make up for the tribe's absence,

The abandoned meat of the campsite will suffice you

and cooking-pot broth, mixed in the great bowls.

And the murky water in the pots

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الدَهرَ لَونانِ لَونُهُ

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الدَهرَ لَونانِ لَونُهُ

وَطَورانِ بِشرٌ مَرَّةً وَكَذوبُ

وَطَورانِ بِشرٌ مَرَّةً وَكَذوبُ

Have you not seen that time wears two colors,

Do you not see that fate has two colors?

and has two phases: now cheerful, now deceitful?

At times it favors and at times it deceives

فَما خَيرُ مَن لا يَرتَجي خَيرَ أَوبَةٍ

فَما خَيرُ مَن لا يَرتَجي خَيرَ أَوبَةٍ

وَيَخشى عَلَيهِ مِريَةٌ وَحُروبُ

وَيَخشى عَلَيهِ مِريَةٌ وَحُروبُ

So what good is one who does not hope for a good return,

So what good is one who does not hope for the goodness of the return

and fears uncertainty and war befalling him?”

And fears for himself doubt and wars?

رَدَدتُ عَلَيهِ نَفسَهُ فَكَأَنَّما

رَدَدتُ عَلَيهِ نَفسَهُ فَكَأَنَّما

تَلاقى عَلَيهِ مِنسَرٌ وَسُروبُ

تَلاقى عَلَيهِ مِنسَرٌ وَسُروبُ

I restored his spirit to him, and it was as though

I turned his soul back to him as though

a raiding troop and bands had gathered around him.

A cloak and coat fell upon him

فَما ذَرَّ قَرنُ الشَمسِ حَتّى رَأَيتُهُ

فَما ذَرَّ قَرنُ الشَمسِ حَتّى رَأَيتُهُ

مُضادَ المَنايا وَالغُبارُ يَثوبُ

مُضادَ المَنايا وَالغُبارُ يَثوبُ

And the sun's rim had scarcely risen when I saw him

Before the sun set I saw him

defying death, while the dust surged back.

Confronting fate as the dust rose up

وَضارَبتُ عَنهُ القَومَ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

وَضارَبتُ عَنهُ القَومَ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

يُصَعِّدُ في آثارِهِم وَيَصوبُ

يُصَعِّدُ في آثارِهِم وَيَصوبُ

And I fought the men in his defense, until it was as though

And I struck against the people until it was as though

he were soaring and swooping in their wake.

He followed in their tracks and took aim

وَقُلتُ لَهُ خُذ هَجمَةً جَبريَّةً

وَقُلتُ لَهُ خُذ هَجمَةً جَبريَّةً

وَأَهلاً وَلا يَبعُد عَلَيكَ شَروبُ

وَأَهلاً وَلا يَبعُد عَلَيكَ شَروبُ

And I told him, “Take a herd of large-bodied camels,

And I said to him, take a bold attack

and a household; may drinkable brackish water never be far from you.”

Hello, and may drink never be far from you

وَلَيلَةَ جابانٍ كَرَرتُ عَلَيهِمُ

وَلَيلَةَ جابانٍ كَرَرتُ عَلَيهِمُ

عَلى ساحَةٍ فيها الإِيَابُ حَبيبُ

عَلى ساحَةٍ فيها الإِيَابُ حَبيبُ

And on the night of Jābān I charged at them again,

And on a night of abundant rain I returned against them

on an open field where a return was dearly prized,

On a plain on which the returning was dear

عَشيَّة كَدَّت بِالحَراميِّ ناقَةٌ

عَشيَّة كَدَّت بِالحَراميِّ ناقَةٌ

بِحَيِّهَلا يَدعو بِها فَتُجيبُ

بِحَيِّهَلا يَدعو بِها فَتُجيبُ

that evening, when a she-camel strained beneath al-Ḥarāmī;

One evening a thief led off a she-camel

he called to her, “Come on!” and she answered.

Calling her by name and she answered

فَضارَبتُ أُولَى الخَيلِ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

فَضارَبتُ أُولَى الخَيلِ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

أُميلَ عَلَيها أَيدَعٌ وَصَبيبُ

أُميلَ عَلَيها أَيدَعٌ وَصَبيبُ

So I fought the foremost horsemen, until it was as though

So I struck the lead camel until it was as though

red pigment and dye-juice had been poured over them.

Ropes and a boy pulled her along