أَمِن رَيحانَةَ الداعي السميعُ

أَمِن رَيحانَةَ الداعي السميعُ

يُؤرِّقُني وَأًحابي هُجُوعُ

يُؤرِّقُني وَأًحابي هُجُوعُ

Is it the resounding caller from Rayhanah

Is it from Rayhana's sweet scent, the hearing caller,

who keeps me awake while my companions sleep?

That troubles me and my downhearted companions?

يُنادي مِن بَراقِشَ أَو مَعِينٍ

يُنادي مِن بَراقِشَ أَو مَعِينٍ

فَأَسمَعَ واتلأَبَّ بنا مَلِيعُ

فَأَسمَعَ واتلأَبَّ بنا مَلِيعُ

He calls from Baraqish or Ma‘in,

He calls from Braqish or Ma'in,

so he made himself heard, while Mali‘ stretched along our way.

So we hear and he intertwines with us, the smooth.

وَقد جَاوَزنَ من غُمدانَ داراً

وَقد جَاوَزنَ من غُمدانَ داراً

لأَبوالِ البغالِ بها وَقيعُ

لأَبوالِ البغالِ بها وَقيعُ

They had already passed a dwelling in Ghumdan,

And he has passed beyond Ghmadan, a house

where the mules' urine falls with a splash.

For camels, where sand grouse alight.

وَرُبَّ مُحَرِّشٍ في جَنبِ سلمى

وَرُبَّ مُحَرِّشٍ في جَنبِ سلمى

يَعُلُّ بَعَيبِها عندي شَفيعُ

يَعُلُّ بَعَيبِها عندي شَفيعُ

And many a meddler in Salma's affairs,

And how often a love-sick man by Salma's side

an intercessor, keeps dosing me with her faults.

Makes her faults before me an intercessor.

كأنّ الإِثمِدَ الحارِيَّ فيها

كأنّ الإِثمِدَ الحارِيَّ فيها

يُسَفُّ بحيثُ تَبتَدِرُ الدُموعُ

يُسَفُّ بحيثُ تَبتَدِرُ الدُموعُ

As though the kohl of Hirah in her eyes

As if the hot lover in it

were sprinkled where the tears rush forth.

Melts wherever tears start to pour.

وأبكارٍ لَهَوتُ بِهنَّ حيناً

وأبكارٍ لَهَوتُ بِهنَّ حيناً

نَوَاعِمَ في أَسِرَّتِها الرُّدُوعُ

نَوَاعِمَ في أَسِرَّتِها الرُّدُوعُ

And maidens with whom I dallied for a time,

And virgins I once toyed with,

soft-skinned, with perfume stains in their brow-lines.

Soft, delicate girls hidden in their rooms.

أُمَشّي حولها وأَطوفُ فيها

أُمَشّي حولها وأَطوفُ فيها

وتُعجبني المَحاجِرُ والفُروعُ

وتُعجبني المَحاجِرُ والفُروعُ

I stroll around them and wander among them,

I walk around it and roam in it

and their eyes and tresses delight me.

And I love the walls and branches.

إِذا يَضحَكنَ أَو يَبسِمنَ يوماً

إِذا يَضحَكنَ أَو يَبسِمنَ يوماً

ترى بَرَداً أَلَحَّ به الصَّقيعُ

ترى بَرَداً أَلَحَّ به الصَّقيعُ

When they laugh or smile some day,

When they laugh or smile one day,

you see hailstones on which the frost lies thick.

You see a coldness that piercing winter brought.

كأنَّ على عَوارِضِهنَّ راحاً

كأنَّ على عَوارِضِهنَّ راحاً

يُفَضُّ عليه رُمَّانٌ يَنِيعُ

يُفَضُّ عليه رُمَّانٌ يَنِيعُ

As though wine lay on their side teeth,

As if on their cheeks a breeze

with ripe pomegranates split open over it.

Pours upon it dripping pomegranates.

تَراها الدَهرَ مُقتِرَةً كِباءً

تَراها الدَهرَ مُقتِرَةً كِباءً

وَتَقدحُ صَحفةً فيها نَقيعُ

وَتَقدحُ صَحفةً فيها نَقيعُ

You always find her scented with incense,

You see time humble them,

and she ladles out a bowl of steeped drink.

And a flood sweeps in which pelicans splash.

وصِبغُ ثِيابها في زَعفَرانٍ

وصِبغُ ثِيابها في زَعفَرانٍ

بِجُدَّتِها كما احمرَّ النَجيعُ

بِجُدَّتِها كما احمرَّ النَجيعُ

And the dye of her clothes is saffron,

And their clothes are dyed saffron

in their freshness, red as newly shed blood.

Like the redness that dyes fingernails.

وقد عجِبَت أُمامَةُ أَن رأَتني

وقد عجِبَت أُمامَةُ أَن رأَتني

تَفَرَّعَ لِمَّتي شَيبٌ فَظيعُ

تَفَرَّعَ لِمَّتي شَيبٌ فَظيعُ

And Umamah marveled when she saw me,

And Umma salma was amazed when she saw me

with alarming gray hair spreading over my locks.

With white overlapping abundantly in my beard.

وقد أغدو يُدافعُني سَبُوحٌ

وقد أغدو يُدافعُني سَبُوحٌ

شديدٌ أَسرُهُ فعمٌ سريعُ

شديدٌ أَسرُهُ فعمٌ سريعُ

And often I ride out at dawn, thrust forward by a swimming-strided steed,

And I face in the morning a roaring Sabuh

strong-framed, full-bodied, swift.

A strong barrier - dumb, swift.

وأَحمِرَةُ الهُجَيرَةِ كلَّ يومٍ

وأَحمِرَةُ الهُجَيرَةِ كلَّ يومٍ

يَضُوعُ جِحاشَهُنَّ بما يَضُوعُ

يَضُوعُ جِحاشَهُنَّ بما يَضُوعُ

And each day the wild asses in the noonday heat—

The red she-camels every day

he startles their foals as he is wont to do.

Their udders swell with what they swell.

فأَرسلنا رَبيئَتَنا فأَوفى

فأَرسلنا رَبيئَتَنا فأَوفى

فقال ألا أُولى خَمسٌ رُتُوعُ

فقال ألا أُولى خَمسٌ رُتُوعُ

So we sent out our lookout, and he climbed to a vantage point;

So we sent our herdsman and he brought

then said, 'Look! Here are five grazing:

Five pregnant she-camels, he said.

رَبَاعِيَةٌ وقارِحُها وجَحشٌ

رَبَاعِيَةٌ وقارِحُها وجَحشٌ

وهاديةٌ وتاليةٌ زَمُوعُ

وهاديةٌ وتاليةٌ زَمُوعُ

a four-year-old she-ass, her full-grown mate, and a foal,

A four year old, and her new born, and a male

a leading she-ass, and a swift follower.'

And a guide, and a following yearling.

فنادانا أَنَكمُنُ أَم نُبادي

فنادانا أَنَكمُنُ أَم نُبادي

فلمّا مَسَّ حالِبَهُ القطيعُ

فلمّا مَسَّ حالِبَهُ القطيعُ

Then he called to us, 'Shall we lie hidden, or show ourselves?'

So he called to us, “Shall we ambush or race?”

When the whip touched his flank,

When their milker touched the herd,

أَرَنَّ عَشِيَّةً فاستَعجَلَتهُ

أَرَنَّ عَشِيَّةً فاستَعجَلَتهُ

قوائمُ كُلُّها رَبِذٌ سَطُوعُ

قوائمُ كُلُّها رَبِذٌ سَطُوعُ

he neighed at dusk, and was sped onward

Their feet in the evening hurried him,

by legs, each nimble and high-lifting.

All of them striding and flowing.

فأَوفى عندَ أَقصاهُنَّ شخصٌ

فأَوفى عندَ أَقصاهُنَّ شخصٌ

يَلوحُ كأنه سيفٌ صَنيعُ

يَلوحُ كأنه سيفٌ صَنيعُ

Then a figure rose into view beside the furthest of them,

He arrived at the furthest and a person appeared

gleaming like a finely wrought sword.

Waving as if a sharpened sword.

تَراهُ حينَ يَعثُرُ في دماءٍ

تَراهُ حينَ يَعثُرُ في دماءٍ

كما يمشي بأَقدُحِهِ الخَلِيعُ

كما يمشي بأَقدُحِهِ الخَلِيعُ

You see him, when he stumbles in blood,

You’d see him when he stumbles in blood

like a reckless gambler walking with his gaming arrows.

Like a drunkard walking with his cups.

أَشابَ الرأسَ أَيّامٌ طِوالٌ

أَشابَ الرأسَ أَيّامٌ طِوالٌ

وَهَمذٌ ما تَبَلَّعُهُ الضُلوعُ

وَهَمذٌ ما تَبَلَّعُهُ الضُلوعُ

Long days have turned my head gray,

Days have made my hair white,

and anguish that the ribs cannot swallow;

And worries that do not subside in ribs.

وَسَوقُ كتيبةٍ دَلَفَت لأُخرى

وَسَوقُ كتيبةٍ دَلَفَت لأُخرى

كأنَّ زُهاءَها رأسٌ صَلِيعُ

كأنَّ زُهاءَها رأسٌ صَلِيعُ

and driving a battalion advancing against another,

And a battalion marched to another

its mass like a bald head.

As if their vanity is a bare head.

دَنَت واستأخَرَ الأَوغالُ عنها

دَنَت واستأخَرَ الأَوغالُ عنها

وخُلِّيَ بينهم إِلَّا الوَرِيعُ

وخُلِّيَ بينهم إِلَّا الوَرِيعُ

It drew near, while the weaklings hung back from it,

They approached and the forests retreated from them,

and none was left between them but the fearless warrior.

Leaving between them only the valley.

فِدىً لهمُ معاً عمّي وخالي

فِدىً لهمُ معاً عمّي وخالي

وشَرخُ شبابِهم إِن لم يُضيعُوا

وشَرخُ شبابِهم إِن لم يُضيعُوا

May my paternal and maternal uncles together be their ransom,

Ransom to them together, my uncle and brother,

and the prime of their youth, if they do not squander it;

The prime of their youth if they do not waste it.

وإِسنادُ الأَسِنَّةِ نحوَ نَحري

وإِسنادُ الأَسِنَّةِ نحوَ نَحري

وَهَزُّ المَشرَفِيَّةِ والوُقوعُ

وَهَزُّ المَشرَفِيَّةِ والوُقوعُ

and spearpoints leveled toward my throat,

And the support of spears toward my throat,

and brandished Mashrafi swords and falling blows.

And shaking the lances and falling.

فإِن تَنُبِ النَّوائِبُ آلَ عُصمٍ

فإِن تَنُبِ النَّوائِبُ آلَ عُصمٍ

تُرَى حَكَماتُهم فيها رُفُوعُ

تُرَى حَكَماتُهم فيها رُفُوعُ

And if calamities befall the clan of ‘Usm,

If calamities avoid the people of Ousm,

their bridles are seen held high amid them.

You will see their judgments in them exalted.

إِذا لم تستطع شيئاً فَدَعهُ

إِذا لم تستطع شيئاً فَدَعهُ

وَجاوِزهُ إِلى ما تستطيعُ

وَجاوِزهُ إِلى ما تستطيعُ

If you cannot do a thing, leave it,

If you cannot do something then leave it

and pass beyond it to what you can do.

And move on to what you can do.

وَصِلهُ بالزِّماعِ فكلُّ أَمرٍ

وَصِلهُ بالزِّماعِ فكلُّ أَمرٍ

سَمَا لَكَ أَو سَمَوتَ له وَلُوعُ

سَمَا لَكَ أَو سَمَوتَ له وَلُوعُ

And join it to resolve, for every undertaking

And reconcile it with composure, for every matter,

that rises before you, or that you aspire to, is engrossing.

Whether it went smoothly or roughly for you, is wretched.

فكم من غائطٍ من دون سلمى

فكم من غائطٍ من دون سلمى

قليلِ الأُنسِ ليس به كَتِيعُ

قليلِ الأُنسِ ليس به كَتِيعُ

And many a hollow on this side of Salma,

So how many toilet pits are there without Salma

scant of human company, with not a soul within it,

Of little company and no covers on them.

بهِ السِّرحانُ مُفترِشاً يَدَيهِ

بهِ السِّرحانُ مُفترِشاً يَدَيهِ

كأَنَّ بياضَ لَبَّتِهِ الصَّديعُ

كأَنَّ بياضَ لَبَّتِهِ الصَّديعُ

has a wolf lying with his forelegs spread,

The sihran lies in them spreading his hands

the white of his throat like a torn strip of cloth.

As if the whiteness of his forehead glistens.

وأَرضٍ قد قطعتُ بها الهَوَاهي

وأَرضٍ قد قطعتُ بها الهَوَاهي

من الجِنَّانِ سَربَخُها مَلِيعُ

من الجِنَّانِ سَربَخُها مَلِيعُ

And a land where I passed through the howling cries

And a land I crossed, in it ravines,

of the jinn, its barren expanse vast and open.

From gardens - its terrain is smooth.

ترى جِيَفَ المَطيِّ بحافَتَيهِ

ترى جِيَفَ المَطيِّ بحافَتَيهِ

كأَنَّ عِظامَها الرَّخَمُ الوُقوعُ

كأَنَّ عِظامَها الرَّخَمُ الوُقوعُ

You see camel carcasses along its two edges,

You see the dead horses at its edges

their bones like vultures settled there.

As if their bones are scattered debris.

لَعَمرُكَ ما ثلاثٌ حائماتٌ

لَعَمرُكَ ما ثلاثٌ حائماتٌ

على رُبَعٍ يَرِعنَ وما يَرِيعُ

على رُبَعٍ يَرِعنَ وما يَرِيعُ

By your life, neither three circling she-camels

By your life, not three wandering

around a spring-born calf—they return, but he does not—

In a open space, grazing and not grazing.

ونابٌ ما يَعيشُ لها حُوارٌ

ونابٌ ما يَعيشُ لها حُوارٌ

شَديدُ الطَعنِ مِثكالٌ جَزُوعُ

شَديدُ الطَعنِ مِثكالٌ جَزُوعُ

nor an aged she-camel whose calf does not survive,

And a camel bull whom no friend remains

far advanced in age, oft-bereaved and distraught,

Strong of bite, blunt nosed.

سَدِيسٌ نَضَّجَتهُ بعدَ حَملٍ

سَدِيسٌ نَضَّجَتهُ بعدَ حَملٍ

تَحَرَّى في الحَنينِ وَتَستَلِيعُ

تَحَرَّى في الحَنينِ وَتَستَلِيعُ

a six-toothed one she reared after carrying him,

A flat rock its pregnancy ripened after conception

striving in her moans and burning with grief,

It writhes in yearning and twists.

بِأَوجَعَ لَوعَةً منّي وَوَجداً

بِأَوجَعَ لَوعَةً منّي وَوَجداً

غَداةَ تَحَمَّلَ الأَنَسُ الجميعُ

غَداةَ تَحَمَّلَ الأَنَسُ الجميعُ

can feel sharper anguish and longing than I

With a pain that hurts me and passion

on the morning all the familiar company moved away.

The next morning when all blame me.

فَإِمَّا كنتِ سائلَةً بِمُهري

فَإِمَّا كنتِ سائلَةً بِمُهري

فَمُهري إِن سألتِ به الرَّفيعُ

فَمُهري إِن سألتِ به الرَّفيعُ

And if you should ask about my colt,

So either you asked about my bride price

my colt, if you ask after him, is al-Rafi‘.

And my bride price, if you ask the noble,