1. They turned aside and greeted the boons of the inhabited abode
What are you greeting of intentions and stones?
١. عَوجوا فَحَيّوا لِنُعمٍ دُمنَةَ الدارِ
ماذا تُحَيّونَ مِن نُؤيٍ وَأَحجارِ
2. Stronger and more desolate than boons which change it
Is the tumult of winds with clouds of dust whirling
٢. أَقوى وَأَقفَرَ مِن نُعمٍ وَغَيَّرَهُ
هوجُ الرِياحِ بِهابي التُربِ مَوّارِ
3. I stood in it one day asking it
About the family of boons who lived safely across travels
٣. وَقَفتُ فيها سَراةَ اليَومِ أَسأَلُها
عَن آلِ نُعمٍ أَموناً عَبرَ أَسفارِ
4. So the house of boons was quickened without speaking to us
If only the house had spoken to us, it would have had stories
٤. فَاِستَعجَمَت دارُ نُعمٍ ما تُكَلِّمُنا
وَالدارُ لَو كَلَّمَتنا ذاتُ أَخبارِ
5. So I did not find in it anything to take refuge in
Except some grief and except a fireplace
٥. فَما وَجَدتُ بِها شَيئاً أَلوذُ بِهِ
إِلّا الثُمامَ وَإِلّا مَوقِدَ النارِ
6. And boons and I used to play in it
While fate and life did not care for passage
٦. وَقَد أَراني وَنُعماً لاهِيَينِ بِها
وَالدَهرُ وَالعَيشُ لَم يَهمُم بِإِمرارِ
7. Days tell me of boons and I tell them
I do not conceal anything from people of my concerns and secrets
٧. أَيامَ تُخبِرُني نُعمٌ وَأُخبِرُها
ما أَكتُمُ الناسَ مِن حاجي وَأَسراري
8. If it were not for the ties of boons I clung to
My heart would have fallen short, no matter how short
٨. لَولا حَبائِلُ مِن نُعمٍ عَلِقتُ بِها
لَأَقصَرَ القَلبُ عَنها أَيَّ إِقصارِ
9. If it was conscious, its unconsciousness had certainly lengthened
And a person creates a phase after phases
٩. فَإِن أَفاقَ لَقَد طالَت عَمايَتُهُ
وَالمَرءُ يُخلِقُ طَوراً بَعدَ أَطوارِ
10. I was told boons blamed me for estrangement
Watering and grazing that blaming forlorn one
١٠. نُبِّئتُ نُعماً عَلى الهِجرانِ عاتِبَةً
سَقياً وَرَعياً لِذاكَ العاتِبِ الزاري
11. I saw boons and my companions in a hurry
While the camel litter was tightened with straps
١١. رَأَيتُ نُعماً وَأَصحابي عَلى عَجَلٍ
وَالعيسُ لِلبَينِ قَد شُدَّت بِأَكوارِ
12. So my heart quivered and it was a glance that occurred
For a while and harmonizing of fates with fates
١٢. فَريعَ قَلبي وَكانَت نَظرَةٌ عَرَضَت
حَيناً وَتَوفيقَ أَقدارٍ لِأَقدارِ
13. White like the sun, she came on her happiest day
She did not harm anyone and did not overstep on a neighbor
١٣. بَيضاءُ كَالشَمسِ وافَت يَومَ أَسعَدِها
لَم تُؤذِ أَهلاً وَلَم تُفحِش عَلى جارِ
14. The skirts of her wrap became sullied after the cold's departure
With mud like the train of a restless red camel
١٤. تَلوثُ بَعدَ اِفتِضالِ البُردِ مِئزَرَها
لَوثاً عَلى مِثلِ دِعصِ الرَملَةِ الهاري
15. And perfume becomes more fragrant if it is on her
On the smooth cheek of the aromatic-faced one
١٥. وَالطيبُ يَزدادُ طيباً أَن يَكونَ بِها
في جيدِ واضِحَةِ الخَدَّينِ مِعطارِ
16. She waters the sleeper when he asks with the sweetest
Taste after sleep that is somewhat intoxicated
١٦. تَسقي الضَجيعَ إِذا اِستَسقى بِذي أَشَرٍ
عَذبِ المَذاقَةِ بَعدَ النَومِ مِخمارِ
17. As if she is pure extract with her saliva
After her rest, or honey of bees
١٧. كَأَنَّ مَشمولَةً صِرفاً بِريقَتِها
مِن بَعدِ رَقدَتِها أَو شَهدَ مُشتارِ
18. I say and the stars have inclined their ends
Toward the disappearing west with a burning look
١٨. أَقولُ وَالنَجمُ قَد مالَت أَواخِرُهُ
إِلى المَغيبِ تَثَبَّت نَظرَةً حارِ
19. A glimpse from the radiance of lightning my eyes saw
Or was it the face of boons that appeared to me or lightning fire?
١٩. أَلَمحَةٌ مِن سَنا بَرقٍ رَأى بَصَري
أَم وَجهُ نُعمٍ بَدا لي أَم سَنا نارِ
20. But the face of boons appeared and the night was covered in darkness
So it shone from between clothes and veils
٢٠. بَل وَجهُ نُعمٍ بَدا وَاللَيلُ مُعتَكِرٌ
فَلاحَ مِن بَينِ أَثوابٍ وَأَستارِ
21. Indeed the caravans that traveled estranged
Are followed by every foolish opinionated one
٢١. إِنَّ الحُمولَ الَّتي راحَت مُهَجِّرَةً
يَتبَعنَ كُلَّ سَفيهِ الرَأيِ مِغيارِ
22. Gazelles like white eggs bend
Inciting thereby an unjust one in soft sand
٢٢. نَواعِمٌ مِثلُ بَيضاتٍ بِمَحنِيَةٍ
يَحفِزنَ مِنهُ ظَليماً في نَقاً هارِ
23. When the doves coo, the leaves stir me
And when I am far from it, mother of building
٢٣. إِذا تَغَنّى الحَمامُ الوُرقُ هَيَّجَني
وَإِن تَغَرَّبتُ عَنها أُمِّ عَمّارِ
24. And an owl that the wolves howl with
Far from water at the abandoned station
٢٤. وَمَهمَهٍ نازِحٍ تَعوي الذِئابُ بِهِ
نائي المِياهِ عَنِ الوُرّادِ مِقفارِ
25. I passed it with a travelling caravan
And the road’s nakedness on the track of sorrow
٢٥. جاوَزتُهُ بِعَلَنداةٍ مُناقِلَةٍ
وَعرَ الطَريقِ عَلى الإِحزانِ مِضمارِ
26. Roaming from land to land with heavy feet
Walking steadily, neither confused nor hesitant
٢٦. تَجتابُ أَرضاً إِلى أَرضٍ بِذي زَجَلٍ
ماضٍ عَلى الهَولِ هادٍ غَيرِ مِحيارِ
27. When its riders depart from it, its mounts
Scatter in the distance haughtily
٢٧. إِذا الرِكابُ وَنَت عَنها رَكائِبُها
تَشَذَّرَت بِبَعيدِ الفَترِ خَطّارِ
28. As if the luggage on it above renewal
Deceived the watcher toward phantoms watching
٢٨. كَأَنَّما الرَحلُ مِنها فَوقَ ذي جُدَدٍ
ذَبَّ الرِيادِ إِلى الأَشباحِ نَظّارِ
29. An outcast whose accessories were removed from it
From a frightening wasteland or a frightening plateau
٢٩. مُطَرَّدٌ أُفرِدَت عَنهُ حَلائِلُهُ
مِن وَحشِ وَجرَةَ أَو مِن وَحشِ ذي قارِ
30. Enclosed and alone compelled, for it
Vegetation of rain obeyed from the lush
٣٠. مُجَرَّسٌ وَحَدٌ جَأبٌ أَطاعَ لَهُ
نَباتُ غَيثٍ مِنَ الوَسميِّ مِبكارِ
31. Its sustainers except for its milk are ardent
And on its legs like a tattoo with tar
٣١. سَراتُهُ ما خَلا لَبانَهُ لَهِقٌ
وَفي القَوائِمِ مِثلُ الوَشمِ بِالقارِ
32. A starry night spent with it, striking it
With hailstorms of flames and rain
٣٢. باتَت لَهُ لَيلَةٌ شَهباءُ تَسفَعُهُ
بِحاصِبٍ ذاتِ إِشعانٍ وَأَمطارِ
33. And it spent the night a guest of a pavement and its darkness
Took it along with the downpour of rain
٣٣. وَباتَ ضَيفاً لِأَرطاةٍ وَأَلجَأَهُ
مَعَ الظَلامِ إِلَيها وابِلٌ سارِ
34. Until when the darkness of its night uncovered
And morning shone upon it, what a shining
٣٤. حَتّى إِذا ما اِنجَلَت ظَلماءُ لَيلَتِهِ
وَأَسفَرَ الصُبحُ عَنهُ أَيَّ إِسفارِ
35. A hunter came down to it, hurrying with his dogs
Bare arms, a hunter of leopards
٣٥. أَهوى لَهُ قانِصٌ يَسعى بِأَكلُبِهِ
عاري الأَشاجِعِ مِن قُنّاصِ أَنمارِ
36. Sworn to hunting, his flesh is for him a garment
He has no clothes but loincloths
٣٦. مُحالِفُ الصَيدِ هَبّاشٌ لَهُ لَحمٌ
ما إِن عَلَيهِ ثِيابٌ غَيرُ أَطمارِ
37. He runs with young dogs he trained so they are obedient
The length of travelling with him and roaming
٣٧. يَسعى بِغُضفٍ بَراها فَهيَ طاوِيَةٌ
طولُ اِرتِحالٍ بِها مِنهُ وَتَسيارِ
38. Until when the bulls scattered after startling
He released the young dogs, all harmful
٣٨. حَتّى إِذا الثَورُ بَعدَ النَفرِ أَمكَنَهُ
أَشلى وَأَرسَلَ غُضفاً كُلَّها ضارِ
39. He turned, guarding against scattering like
An advocate guards fearing disgrace
٣٩. فَكَرَّ مَحمِيَّةً مِن أَن يَفِرَّ كَما
كَرَّ المُحامي حِفاظاً خَشيَةَ العارِ
40. So the first of them doubted with stopping
The doubt of one who delays in tenths by tenths
٤٠. فَشَكَّ بِالرَوقِ مِنهُ صَدرَ أَوَّلِها
شَكُّ المُشاعِبِ أَعشاراً بِأَعشارِ
41. Then he bent to the second and aimed it
With a wide, deep-holed wound
٤١. ثُمَّ اِنثَنى بَعدُ لِلثاني فَأَقصَدَهُ
بِذاتِ ثَغرٍ بَعيدِ القَعرِ نَعّارِ
42. And he fixed the remaining third with an opening
Of a hero, knowledgeable in repetitive stabbing
٤٢. وَأَثبَتَ الثالِثَ الباقي بِنافِذَةٍ
مِن باسِلٍ عالِمٍ بِالطَعنِ كَرّارِ
43. And he busied himself with seven of them
Circling them like the circling of bracelets
٤٣. وَظَلَّ في سَبعَةٍ مِنها لَحِقنَ بِهِ
يَكُرُّ بِالرَوقِ فيها كَرَّ إِسوارِ
44. Until when he finished their fresh milk from them
And returned to them with zeal and retreat
٤٤. حَتّى إِذا ما قَضى مِنها لُبانَتَهُ
وَعادَ فيها بِإِقبالٍ وَإِدبارِ
45. He pounced like a shooting star
Falling and almost mixing with bringing close
٤٥. اِنقَضَّ كَالكَوكَبِ الدُرِّيِّ مُنصَلِتاً
يَهوي وَيَخلِطُ تَقريباً بِإِحضارِ
46. That is the likeness of my separation when it harmed them
The length of travel and travel after journeys
٤٦. فَذاكَ شِبهُ قَلوصي إِذ أَضَرَّ بِها
طولُ السُرى وَالسُرى مِن بَعدِ أَسفارِ