أَلا ما لِقَلبي لا يَزولُ عَنِ الهَوى

أَلا ما لِقَلبي لا يَزولُ عَنِ الهَوى

وَقَد زَعَموا أَنَّ القُلوبَ تُقَلَّبُ

وَقَد زَعَموا أَنَّ القُلوبَ تُقَلَّبُ

Ah, why does my heart not turn away from love,

Alas! Why does my heart not desist from passion

Though they have claimed that hearts can change?

Though they claimed that hearts are apt to change

أَصَفراءُ ما لي في المَدامَةِ سُلوَةٌ

أَصَفراءُ ما لي في المَدامَةِ سُلوَةٌ

فَأَسلو وَلا في الغانِياتِ مُعَقَّبُ

فَأَسلو وَلا في الغانِياتِ مُعَقَّبُ

O Safra, I find no solace in wine,

Pale-faced one, I find no solace in wine

To let me forget, nor any recourse among beautiful women.

So I drink, but find no joy in singers

إِذا لَم تَرَ الذُهلِيَّ أَنوَكَ فَاِلتَمِس

إِذا لَم تَرَ الذُهلِيَّ أَنوَكَ فَاِلتَمِس

لَهُ نَسَباً غَيرَ الَّذي يَتَنَسَّبُ

لَهُ نَسَباً غَيرَ الَّذي يَتَنَسَّبُ

If you do not find the Dhuhli foolish, then seek

If you do not see Duhul yearning for you

For him a lineage other than the one he claims.

Then attribute to him another lineage

وَأَمّا بَنو قَيسٍ فَإِنَّ نَبيذَهُم

وَأَمّا بَنو قَيسٍ فَإِنَّ نَبيذَهُم

كَثيرٌ وَلَكِن دِرهَمُ القَومِ كَوكَبُ

كَثيرٌ وَلَكِن دِرهَمُ القَومِ كَوكَبُ

As for the sons of Qays, their fermented drink

As for the clan of Qais, their wine is plentiful

Is plentiful, but the tribe's dirham is a star.

But the people's coins are as rare as stars

وَسَيِّدُ تَيمِ اللاتِ تَحتَ غِذائِهِ

وَسَيِّدُ تَيمِ اللاتِ تَحتَ غِذائِهِ

هِزبَرٌ وَأَمّا في اللِقاءِ فَثَعلَبُ

هِزبَرٌ وَأَمّا في اللِقاءِ فَثَعلَبُ

And the chief of Taym al-Lat, at his meal,

The chief of Lat's Taym beneath his food

Is a lion, but in battle a fox.

Is a rodent, but in battle a fox

وَقَد كانَ في شَيبانَ عِزٌّ فَحَلَّقَت

وَقَد كانَ في شَيبانَ عِزٌّ فَحَلَّقَت

بِهِ في قَديمِ الدَهرِ عَنقاءُ مُغرِبُ

بِهِ في قَديمِ الدَهرِ عَنقاءُ مُغرِبُ

And Shayban once had glory, but away flew

Glory to Lujaym and Qaswaran whose

With it, long ago, the far-flying 'Anqa bird.

Tusks and claws are gone, no fang or talon remains

وَحَيّا لُجَيمٍ قَسوَرانِ تُنُزِّعَت

وَحَيّا لُجَيمٍ قَسوَرانِ تُنُزِّعَت

شَباتُهُما لَم يَبقَ نابٌ وَمِخلَبُ

شَباتُهُما لَم يَبقَ نابٌ وَمِخلَبُ

And Lujaym's two clans are two lions, stripped

Most disgraced are those visited by Duba'a

Of their sharp points; no fang or claw remains.

They are reptiles to whom no veiled one proposed

وَأَنذَلُ مَن يَمشي ضُبَيعَةُ إِنَّهُم

وَأَنذَلُ مَن يَمشي ضُبَيعَةُ إِنَّهُم

زَعانِفُ لَم يَخطُب إِلَيهِم مُحَجَّبُ

زَعانِفُ لَم يَخطُب إِلَيهِم مُحَجَّبُ

And the basest of all who walk are Dubay'a; they are

Eunuchs thank them for the honor

Riffraff, from whom no secluded nobleman has sought a bride.

Can the castrated attain glory in seclusion?

وَيَشكُرُ خِصيانٌ عَلَيهِم غَضارَةٌ

وَيَشكُرُ خِصيانٌ عَلَيهِم غَضارَةٌ

وَهَل يُدرِكُ المَجدَ الخَصِيُّ المُحَجَّبُ

وَهَل يُدرِكُ المَجدَ الخَصِيُّ المُحَجَّبُ

And Yashkur are eunuchs enjoying prosperity;

Ibn Hatim has increased the nobility of Iraq

And can a secluded eunuch attain glory?

As the adorned one exalted the East and West

لَقَد زادَ أَشرافَ العِراقِ اِبنُ حاتِمٍ

لَقَد زادَ أَشرافَ العِراقِ اِبنُ حاتِمٍ

كَما سادَ أَهلَ المَشرِقَينِ المُهَلَّبُ

كَما سادَ أَهلَ المَشرِقَينِ المُهَلَّبُ

Ibn Hatim has indeed surpassed the nobles of Iraq,

The hand of the generous Rawh son of Hatim

As al-Muhallab held sway over the people of the two Easts.

Blessed me with a kingdom in a generous and pleasing hand

صَفَت لي يَدُ الفَيّاضِ رَوحِ بنِ حاتِمٍ

صَفَت لي يَدُ الفَيّاضِ رَوحِ بنِ حاتِمٍ

بِمُلكِ يَدٍ كَالماءِ يَصفو وَيَعذُبُ

بِمُلكِ يَدٍ كَالماءِ يَصفو وَيَعذُبُ

The hand of munificent Rawh ibn Hatim has shown me pure favor,

Seek him in the morning, he is the sought

With wealth in hand, like water growing clear and sweet.

The seeker of your best friend is the sought

طَلوبٌ وَمِطلابٌ إِلَيهِ إِذا غَدا

طَلوبٌ وَمِطلابٌ إِلَيهِ إِذا غَدا

وَخَيرُ خَليلَيكَ الطَلوبُ المُطَلَّبُ

وَخَيرُ خَليلَيكَ الطَلوبُ المُطَلَّبُ

An eager seeker, and much sought when he goes forth;

And the better of your two friends is he who seeks and is sought.