غَشيتُ لِلَيلى رَسمَ دارٍ وَمَنزِلا

غَشيتُ لِلَيلى رَسمَ دارٍ وَمَنزِلا

أَبى بِاللِوى فَالتِبرِ أَن يَتَحَوَّلا

أَبى بِاللِوى فَالتِبرِ أَن يَتَحَوَّلا

I visited the trace of Layla's dwelling and campsite,

I passed by the abode of Layla though it was in ruins,

which refused to vanish at al-Liwa and then al-Tibr.

Refusing with determination to change and transform.

تَكادُ مَغانيها تَقولُ مِنَ البِلى

تَكادُ مَغانيها تَقولُ مِنَ البِلى

لِسائِلِها عَن أَهلِها لا تَغَيَّلا

لِسائِلِها عَن أَهلِها لا تَغَيَّلا

Her dwelling-places almost speak through their decay

Its love songs almost speak out of lamentation

to one asking about their people: "Do not be beguiled."

To its questioner about its people, “Do not pretend!”

وَقَفتُ بِها لا قاضِياً لِيَ حاجَةً

وَقَفتُ بِها لا قاضِياً لِيَ حاجَةً

وَلا أَن تُبينَ الدارُ شَيئَاً فَأَسأَلا

وَلا أَن تُبينَ الدارُ شَيئَاً فَأَسأَلا

I stood there, not to fulfill a need of my own,

I stood there, not as a judge, for I had no need,

nor for the dwelling to reveal something that I might ask about,

Nor for the house to reveal anything, that I might ask.

سِوى أَنَّني قَد قُلتُ يا لَيتَ أَهلَها

سِوى أَنَّني قَد قُلتُ يا لَيتَ أَهلَها

بِها وَالمُنى كانَت أَضَلَّ وَأَجهَلا

بِها وَالمُنى كانَت أَضَلَّ وَأَجهَلا

except that I said, "Would that its people

Except that I said, “Would that its people might be

were here!" Yet wishes were more misguided and more foolish.

With it while Fortune was more erring and confused!”

بَكَيتَ وَما يُبكيكَ مِن رَسمِ دِمنَةٍ

بَكَيتَ وَما يُبكيكَ مِن رَسمِ دِمنَةٍ

مُبِنّاً حَمامٌ بَينَها مُتَظَلِّلا

مُبِنّاً حَمامٌ بَينَها مُتَظَلِّلا

You wept—but what makes you weep over an abandoned campsite's traces?

You cried, though no half-razed abode should make you weep

A dove cooing among them, taking shelter in the shade.

With a sheltering pigeon tower between its shadowed side apartments.

عَهَدتُ بِها الحَيَّ الجَميعَ فَأَصبَحوا

عَهَدتُ بِها الحَيَّ الجَميعَ فَأَصبَحوا

أَتَوا داعِياً لِلَّهِ عَمَّ وَخَلَّلا

أَتَوا داعِياً لِلَّهِ عَمَّ وَخَلَّلا

I knew the whole tribe there; now they have

I commended it in its entirety to the Ever-Living who maintains,

answered a caller to God, who reached all and each.

They came, supplicating God who envelops and pervades.

عَهِدتُ بَها فِتيانَ حَربٍ وَشَتوَةٍ

عَهِدتُ بَها فِتيانَ حَربٍ وَشَتوَةٍ

كَراماً يَفُكّونَ الأَسيرَ المُكَبَّلا

كَراماً يَفُكّونَ الأَسيرَ المُكَبَّلا

I knew there young men of war and winter,

I commended it to youths of war and vigor

noble men who freed the fettered captive.

As noble ransomers releasing the enchained captive.

وَكَم دونَ لَيلى مِن فَلاةٍ كَأَنَّما

وَكَم دونَ لَيلى مِن فَلاةٍ كَأَنَّما

تَجَلَّلَ أَعلاها مُلاءً مُعَضَّلا

تَجَلَّلَ أَعلاها مُلاءً مُعَضَّلا

And how many a wilderness lies before Layla, as though

How many desolate sands are below Layla’s abode, as though

its surface had wrapped itself in thick cloth.

The pleats of its upper wraps were clad in intertwisted coatings!

مَهامِهَ تِيهٍ مِن عُنَيزَةَ أَصبَحَت

مَهامِهَ تِيهٍ مِن عُنَيزَةَ أَصبَحَت

تَخالُ بِها القَعقاعَ غارِبَ أَجزَلا

تَخالُ بِها القَعقاعَ غارِبَ أَجزَلا

Bewildering wastes from Unayzah have become such that

The confused, mazy sands of ‘Unayzah in the morning

you would take their rugged track for a sore-backed camel's withers.

Are delusion wherein the mirage glistens as the most prolific of all.

مُخَفِّقَةٌ لا يَهتَدي لِفَلاتِها

مُخَفِّقَةٌ لا يَهتَدي لِفَلاتِها

مِنَ القَومِ إِلّا مَن مَضى وَتَوَكَّلا

مِنَ القَومِ إِلّا مَن مَضى وَتَوَكَّلا

Desolate—none can find his way through their wilderness

Fluttering about, none attains deliverance from its wastes

among the travelers, save one who presses on and trusts.

Save those who have passed away or those who trust in God.

يُهالُ بِها رَكبُ الفَلاةِ مِنَ الرَدى

يُهالُ بِها رَكبُ الفَلاةِ مِنَ الرَدى

وَمِن خَوفِ هاديهِم وَما قَد تَحَمَّلا

وَمِن خَوفِ هاديهِم وَما قَد تَحَمَّلا

There the desert riders are terrified of death,

The travelers in its barren wastes stagger along

and by their guide's fear and the burden he has taken on.

Fearing for their guide, bearing what he has borne.

إِذا جالَ فيها الثَورُ شَبَّهتَ شَخصَهُ

إِذا جالَ فيها الثَورُ شَبَّهتَ شَخصَهُ

بَجَوزِ الفَلاةِ بَربَرِيّاً مُجَلَّلا

بَجَوزِ الفَلاةِ بَربَرِيّاً مُجَلَّلا

When a wild bull roams there, you would liken its shape

When the bull wanders in confusion, you liken its figure

in the heart of the wilderness to a cloaked Berber.

To a wild ox of the wastes, shaggy and disheveled.

تَقَطَّعَ جونِيُّ القَطا دونَ مائِها

تَقَطَّعَ جونِيُّ القَطا دونَ مائِها

إِذا الآلُ بِالبيدِ البَسابِسِ هَروَلا

إِذا الآلُ بِالبيدِ البَسابِسِ هَروَلا

The dark sandgrouse fall exhausted before reaching its water,

The canal of Junayy splits before its waters.

when the mirage races across the flat, empty wastes.

When the vessels strive with poles, the beasts stampede.

إِذا حانَ فيها وَقعَةُ الرَكبِ لَم تَجِد

إِذا حانَ فيها وَقعَةُ الرَكبِ لَم تَجِد

بِها العيسُ إِلّا جِلدَها مُتَعَلَّلا

بِها العيسُ إِلّا جِلدَها مُتَعَلَّلا

When the riders' halting-time comes there, nothing is found

When the caravan is waylaid therein, you find

by the pale camels to sustain them but their own hides.

No trace save its lower stones disjointed and scattered about.

قَطَعتُ إِلى مَعروفِها مُنكَراتِها

قَطَعتُ إِلى مَعروفِها مُنكَراتِها

إِذا البيدُ هَمَّت بِالضُحى أَن تَغَوَّلا

إِذا البيدُ هَمَّت بِالضُحى أَن تَغَوَّلا

I crossed its unfamiliar reaches to those I knew,

I crossed its known parts and the parts unknown,

when the wastes threatened at forenoon to devour me,

When the beasts ceased their prowling at dawn to advance.

بِأَدماءَ حُرجوجٍ كَأَنَّ بِدَفِّها

بِأَدماءَ حُرجوجٍ كَأَنَّ بِدَفِّها

تَهاويلَ هِرٍّ أَو تَهاويلَ أَخيلا

تَهاويلَ هِرٍّ أَو تَهاويلَ أَخيلا

on a pale, tall, lean she-camel, as though at her flank

With the blood of Zamzam’s valiant defenders, as though

were frightening visions of a cat, or of a roller bird.

The gurgling of hawks or the gurgling of sandgrouse flocks.

تَدافَعُ في ثِنيِ الجَديلِ وَتَنتَحي

تَدافَعُ في ثِنيِ الجَديلِ وَتَنتَحي

إإِذا ما غَدَت دَفواءَ في المَشيِ عَيهَلا

إإِذا ما غَدَت دَفواءَ في المَشيِ عَيهَلا

She surges against the loop of the plaited rein and presses onward,

Crowding together in the folds of little dunes, advancing

when she sets out, long-necked and swift of gait,

When the trackers went searching at dawn for lost camels.

تَدافُعَ غَسّانِيَّةٍ وَسطَ لُجَّةٍ

تَدافُعَ غَسّانِيَّةٍ وَسطَ لُجَّةٍ

إِذا هِيَ هَمَّت يَومَ ريحٍ لِتُرسِلا

إِذا هِيَ هَمَّت يَومَ ريحٍ لِتُرسِلا

surging like a Ghassani vessel amid deep water

Jostling dead centre within mirk, launching forth

when it makes ready on a windy day to sail free.

When the wind on a day of storm gave the command to set out.

كَأَنَّ بِها شَيطانَةً مِن نَجائِها

كَأَنَّ بِها شَيطانَةً مِن نَجائِها

إِذا واكِفُ الذِّفرى عَلى اللَيتِ شُلشِلا

إِذا واكِفُ الذِّفرى عَلى اللَيتِ شُلشِلا

As though a she-demon were in her, so swift is her pace,

As if she were a demon of the waste belong to it

when sweat from behind her ears streams down her neck.

When the bamboo rods creaked “Alas” with their bending.

وَتُصبِحُ عَن غِبِّ السُرى وَكَأَنَّها

وَتُصبِحُ عَن غِبِّ السُرى وَكَأَنَّها

فَنيقٌ تَناهى عَن رِحالٍ فَأَرقَلا

فَنيقٌ تَناهى عَن رِحالٍ فَأَرقَلا

After a night's journey, morning finds her as though she were

And with the dawn she turned away from haunts of beasts, appearing

a pampered camel-stallion, spared the saddles, now trotting briskly.

A Nabataean dog too tired to raise its chained foreleg.

وَتَنجو إِذا زالَ النَهارُ كَما نَجا

وَتَنجو إِذا زالَ النَهارُ كَما نَجا

هِجَفٍّ أَبورَ أَلَينِ ريعَ فَأَجفَلا

هِجَفٍّ أَبورَ أَلَينِ ريعَ فَأَجفَلا

And when the day declines, she speeds away as sped

She escaped when the day departed as a terrified

a great, bounding ostrich of Alayn, startled into flight.

Oryx had escaped, grazing freely then turning to flee.

كَأَنّي كَسَوتُ الرَحلَ أَخنَسَ ناشِطاً

كَأَنّي كَسَوتُ الرَحلَ أَخنَسَ ناشِطاً

أَحَمَّ الشَوى فَرداً بِأَجمادِ حَومَلا

أَحَمَّ الشَوى فَرداً بِأَجمادِ حَومَلا

As though I had draped my saddle over a snub-nosed, roaming bull,

As though I had clothed a departing groom, gathering provisions,

dark-limbed and solitary on the hard ground of Hawmal.

Bearing the fiery heat, alone with shaggy camels.

رَعى مِن دَخولَيها لُعاعاً فَراقَهُ

رَعى مِن دَخولَيها لُعاعاً فَراقَهُ

لَدُن غُدوَةً حَتّى تَرَوَّحَ موصِلا

لَدُن غُدوَةً حَتّى تَرَوَّحَ موصِلا

He grazed tender shoots from its two Dakhuls, which pleased him,

He pastured amid its steep tracks from early morning

from early morning until he moved on toward dusk.

Till late afternoon, then climbed its mountain passes.

فَصَعَّدَ في وَعسائِها ثُمَّتَ اِنتَمى

فَصَعَّدَ في وَعسائِها ثُمَّتَ اِنتَمى

إِلى أَحبُلٍ مِنها وَجاوَزَ أَحبُلا

إِلى أَحبُلٍ مِنها وَجاوَزَ أَحبُلا

He climbed through its soft sands, then made his way

He clung to one of its cables and got beyond

to its sand-ridges, and passed beyond other ridges.

Other cables, lodging on the high crag of a cliff notched by time.

فَباتَ إِلى أَرطاةِ حِقفٍ تَلُفُّهُ

فَباتَ إِلى أَرطاةِ حِقفٍ تَلُفُّهُ

شَآمِيَّةٌ تُذري الجُمانَ المُفَصَّلا

شَآمِيَّةٌ تُذري الجُمانَ المُفَصَّلا

He spent the night beside an arta bush on a curved dune, enveloped by

Bathed by a north wind, never in his life had he known

a wind from al-Sham scattering pearls, bead by bead.

A night more painful and longer than it in suffering.

يُوائِلُ مِن وَطفاءَ لَم يَرَ لَيلَةً

يُوائِلُ مِن وَطفاءَ لَم يَرَ لَيلَةً

أَشَدَّ أَذىً مِنها عَلَيهِ وَأَطوَلا

أَشَدَّ أَذىً مِنها عَلَيهِ وَأَطوَلا

He sought refuge from a dense rain-cloud; never had he known a night

Throughout the night, the Pleiades immersed him

more afflicting to him than this, or longer.

Into a flock of sheep from a shepherd's cooked bones.

وَباتَ وَباتَ السارِياتُ يُضِفنَهُ

وَباتَ وَباتَ السارِياتُ يُضِفنَهُ

إِلى نَعِجٍ مِن ضائِنِ الرَملِ أَهيَلا

إِلى نَعِجٍ مِن ضائِنِ الرَملِ أَهيَلا

He passed the night, and the night-clouds passed it driving him

Dark of eyebrow, as if a glowing coal

to a pale, loose-piled mound, one of the sand's sheep-like dunes.

In the evening had been his night fire and morning collyrium.

شَديدَ سَوادِ الحاجِبَينِ كَأَنَّما

شَديدَ سَوادِ الحاجِبَينِ كَأَنَّما

أُسِفَّ صَلى نارٍ فَأَصبَحَ أَكحَلا

أُسِفَّ صَلى نارٍ فَأَصبَحَ أَكحَلا

His brows were intensely black, as though

At dawn the north wind greeted him,

he had been dusted with fire's scorch and become kohl-eyed.

A brother of the bow who bends twigs of wild plum for arrows.

فَصَبَّحَهُ عِندَ الشُروقِ غُدَيَّةً

فَصَبَّحَهُ عِندَ الشُروقِ غُدَيَّةً

أَخو قَنَصٍ يُشلي عِطافاً وَأَجبُلا

أَخو قَنَصٍ يُشلي عِطافاً وَأَجبُلا

At sunrise, early that morning, he was met by

When he saw he could do naught but endure,

a huntsman urging on Itaf and Ajbul.

He intended to confront them with evil first.

فَلَمّا رَأى أَن لا يُحاوِلنَ غَيرَهُ

فَلَمّا رَأى أَن لا يُحاوِلنَ غَيرَهُ

أَرادَ لِيَلقاهُنَّ بِالشَرِّ أَوَّلا

أَرادَ لِيَلقاهُنَّ بِالشَرِّ أَوَّلا

When he saw they sought no prey but him,

He attacked his hardy mount as if it were

he resolved to be first to confront them with harm.

Wild game that had dallied behind while he halted.

فَجالَ عَلى وَحشِيَّهِ وَكَأَنَّها

فَجالَ عَلى وَحشِيَّهِ وَكَأَنَّها

يَعاسيبُ صَيفٍ إِثرَهُ إِذ تَمَهَّلا

يَعاسيبُ صَيفٍ إِثرَهُ إِذ تَمَهَّلا

He wheeled to his outer flank, while they seemed

He wheeled about as the monk wheeled about, hoping

like summer dragonflies behind him when he slowed.

Through God to gain proximity though he were slain.

فَكَرَّ كَما كَرَّ الحَوارِيُّ يَبتَغي

فَكَرَّ كَما كَرَّ الحَوارِيُّ يَبتَغي

إِلى اللَهِ زُلفى أَن يَكُرَّ فَيُقتَلا

إِلى اللَهِ زُلفى أَن يَكُرَّ فَيُقتَلا

He charged back, as the disciple charged, seeking

He wheeled about, but they did not catch him, for

nearness to God by charging and being slain.

He was too proud; instead he drew near and confronted them.

وَكَرَّ وَما أَدرَكنَهُ غَيرَ أَنَّهُ

وَكَرَّ وَما أَدرَكنَهُ غَيرَ أَنَّهُ

كَريمٌ عَلَيهِ كِبرياءُ فَأَقبَلا

كَريمٌ عَلَيهِ كِبرياءُ فَأَقبَلا

He charged, though they had not caught him, for

Brandishing a weapon the like of which none had seen—

he was noble, bearing pride, and so came at them.

The weapon of his brother Hayja, the keenest and most just.

يَهُزُّ سِلاحاً لَم يَرَ الناسُ مِثلَهُ

يَهُزُّ سِلاحاً لَم يَرَ الناسُ مِثلَهُ

سِلاحَ أَخي هَيجا أَدَقَّ وَأَعدَلا

سِلاحَ أَخي هَيجا أَدَقَّ وَأَعدَلا

He brandished a weapon whose like no one had seen,

He fenced with them until his throat grew crimson,

a warrior's weapon, but more slender and straighter.

And he had filled his inner depths with their blood and quenched his thirst.

فَمارَسَها حَتّى إِذا اِحمَرَّ رَوقُهُ

فَمارَسَها حَتّى إِذا اِحمَرَّ رَوقُهُ

وَقَد عُلَّ مِن أَجوافِهِنَّ وَأُنهِلا

وَقَد عُلَّ مِن أَجوافِهِنَّ وَأُنهِلا

He fought them until his horn turned red,

His throat cast off their throats, undulating,

already watered and watered again from deep within their bellies.

The casting off of the smooth file that reciprocates movement.

يُساقِطُ عَنهُ رَوقُهُ ضارِياتِها

يُساقِطُ عَنهُ رَوقُهُ ضارِياتِها

سِقاطَ حَديدِ القَينِ أَخوَلَ أَخوَلا

سِقاطَ حَديدِ القَينِ أَخوَلَ أَخوَلا

His horn knocked the pack's fierce hounds off him,

He remained the day long, his shadow pierced

as a smith's iron falls, piece after piece.

By the tips of their swords, until he was all atremble.

فَظَلَّ سَراةَ اليَومِ يَطعُنُ ظِلَّهُ

فَظَلَّ سَراةَ اليَومِ يَطعُنُ ظِلَّهُ

بِأَطرافِ مَدرِيَّينِ حَتّى تَفَلَّلا

بِأَطرافِ مَدرِيَّينِ حَتّى تَفَلَّلا

Through the height of the day he kept stabbing at his shadow

His palm went forth, as the Yemeni sword in its sheath

with the tips of his two bodkins, until they were chipped.

Pure and bare, and he gave it a smooth polish.

وَراحَ كَسَيفِ الحِميَرِيِّ بِكَفِّهِ

وَراحَ كَسَيفِ الحِميَرِيِّ بِكَفِّهِ

نَضا غِمدَهُ عَنهُ وَأَعطاهُ صَيقَلا

نَضا غِمدَهُ عَنهُ وَأَعطاهُ صَيقَلا

He went off like the Himyarite's sword held in his hand:

The proud man of noble soul, defending his flesh,

he had stripped its sheath away and given it to a polisher.

When he wished to distance himself from it, took his time.

وَآبَ عَزيزَ النَفسِ مانِعَ لَحمِهِ

وَآبَ عَزيزَ النَفسِ مانِعَ لَحمِهِ

إِذا ما أَرادَ البُعدَ مِنها تَمَهَّلا

إِذا ما أَرادَ البُعدَ مِنها تَمَهَّلا

He returned proud of spirit, defending his flesh;

whenever he wished to distance himself from them, he took his time.