هَل حَبلُ شَمّاءَ قَبلَ البَينِ مَوصولُ

هَل حَبلُ شَمّاءَ قَبلَ البَينِ مَوصولُ

أَم لَيسَ لِلصُرمِ عَن شَمّاءَ مَعدولُ

أَم لَيسَ لِلصُرمِ عَن شَمّاءَ مَعدولُ

Is Shamma’s bond, from before our parting, still unbroken?

Is Shamma's cord still joined before parting,

Or is there no turning away from severance with Shamma?

Or is there no avoiding a break with Shamma?

أَم ما تُسائِلُ عَن شَمّاءَ ما فَعَلَت

أَم ما تُسائِلُ عَن شَمّاءَ ما فَعَلَت

وَما تُحاذِرُ مِن شَمّاءَ مَفعولُ

وَما تُحاذِرُ مِن شَمّاءَ مَفعولُ

Or why do you ask about Shamma—what she has done,

Or do you not inquire about Shamma—what she has done?

when what you fear from Shamma is bound to be done?

And what you dread from Shamma has been done.

إِذ هِيَ أَحوى مِنَ الرِبعِيِّ حاجِبُهُ

إِذ هِيَ أَحوى مِنَ الرِبعِيِّ حاجِبُهُ

وَالعَينُ بِالإِثمِدِ الحارِيِّ مَكحولُ

وَالعَينُ بِالإِثمِدِ الحارِيِّ مَكحولُ

When her brow was duskier than the spring-born gazelle’s,

When she was a dusky gazelle of the spring brood, its brow

and her eye was lined with keen ithmid kohl,

And eye lined with antimony kohl from al-Hira,

تَرعى مَنابِتَ وَسمِيٍّ أَطاعَ لَهُ

تَرعى مَنابِتَ وَسمِيٍّ أَطاعَ لَهُ

بِالجِزعِ حَيثُ عَصى أَصحابَهُ الفيلُ

بِالجِزعِ حَيثُ عَصى أَصحابَهُ الفيلُ

grazing the shoots that sprang obedient to the seasonal rain

Grazing the pastures of autumn rain, to which the earth yielded,

in the valley bend where the elephant disobeyed its keepers.

At the valley bend, where the elephant disobeyed its keepers.

بانَت وَكانَت إِذا بانَت يَكونُ لَها

بانَت وَكانَت إِذا بانَت يَكونُ لَها

رَهنٌ بِما أَحكَمَت شَمّاءَ مَبتولُ

رَهنٌ بِما أَحكَمَت شَمّاءَ مَبتولُ

She has gone; and whenever she goes, she has

She departed; and whenever she departed, she would have

a hostage to the bonds Shamma made fast, cut off from all else.

A pledge, set wholly apart, held by the bond Shamma had made fast.

إِن تُمسِ قَد سَمِعَت قيلَ الوُشاةِ بِنا

إِن تُمسِ قَد سَمِعَت قيلَ الوُشاةِ بِنا

وَكُلُّ ما نَطَقَ الواشونَ تَضليلُ

وَكُلُّ ما نَطَقَ الواشونَ تَضليلُ

If by evening she has heard what the slanderers say of us,

If by evening she has heard the slanderers' talk about us—

then everything the tale-bearers have uttered is falsehood.

And everything the slanderers utter is deception—

فَما تَجودُ بمَوعودٍ فَتُنجِزَهُ

فَما تَجودُ بمَوعودٍ فَتُنجِزَهُ

أَم لا فَيَأسٌ وَإِعراضٌ وَتَجميلُ

أَم لا فَيَأسٌ وَإِعراضٌ وَتَجميلُ

She grants no promise that she might then fulfill,

Then does she not grant a promise and fulfill it,

nor a “no,” which would bring despair, withdrawal, and dignified endurance.

Or not? Then despair, withdrawal, and gracious restraint.

فَإِنَّ قَصرَكِ قَومي إِن سَألتِهِمُ

فَإِنَّ قَصرَكِ قَومي إِن سَألتِهِمُ

وَالمَرءُ مُستَنبَأٌ عَنهُ وَمَسؤولُ

وَالمَرءُ مُستَنبَأٌ عَنهُ وَمَسؤولُ

For my people are your recourse, if you ask them;

For my people are enough for you, if you ask them;

a man is one whose news is sought and who is asked about.

And a man is one whose news is sought and about whom questions are asked.

إِنّي وَإِن قَلَّ مالي لا يُفارِقُني

إِنّي وَإِن قَلَّ مالي لا يُفارِقُني

مِثلُ النَعامَةِ في أَوصالِها طولُ

مِثلُ النَعامَةِ في أَوصالِها طولُ

Though my wealth is scant, I am never without

Indeed, though my wealth is scant, I am never without

one like the ostrich, long in her limbs.

One like an ostrich, long in her limbs.

تَقريبُها المَرَطى وَالجَوزُ مُعتَدِلٌ

تَقريبُها المَرَطى وَالجَوزُ مُعتَدِلٌ

كَأَنَّها سُبَدٌ بِالماءِ مَغسولُ

كَأَنَّها سُبَدٌ بِالماءِ مَغسولُ

Her gathered gallop is swift, her middle well-proportioned,

Her canter is a swift running gait, her midsection well-proportioned,

as though her sleek coat were washed with water.

As though she were a nightjar washed with water.