1. I give my friend advice though he is stubborn,
And your love has captivated me entirely.
١. بِتُّ أُرائي صاحِبَيَّ تَجَلُّداً
وَقَد عَلِقَني مِن هَواكِ عَلوقُ
2. So how can it gather a heart torn between
Iraq and the Sudan, though you are ever awake?
٢. فَكَيفَ بِها لا الدارُ جامِعَةُ الهَوى
وَلا أَنتَ عَصراً عَن صِباكِ مُفيقُ
3. It was as though the zephyrs had not perfumed me one evening,
Nor touched anyone in Iraq or awakened desire.
٣. أَتَجمَعُ قَلباً بِالعِراقِ فَريقُهُ
وَمِنهُ بِأَظلالِ الأَراكِ فَريقُ
4. I control my passion for you, yet my heart throbs
Whenever you are recalled. I shun whoever wishes me ill,
٤. كَأَن لَم تَرُقني الرائِحاتُ عَشِيَّةً
وَلَم تُمسِ في أَهلِ العِراقِ وَميقُ
5. And leave free whoever releases me.
They summoned up love, then shot our hearts
٥. أُعالِجُ بَرحاً مِن هَواكِ وَشَفَّني
فُؤادٌ إِذا ما تُذكَرينَ خَفوقُ
6. With the arrows of foe, though they are friend.
I am amazed by the two visitants when
٦. أَوانِسُ أَمّا مَن أَرَدنَ عَناءَهُ
فَعانٍ وَمَن أَطلَقنَ فَهوَ طَليقُ
7. A beauty provokes wonder in the holy and profane.
Who feels safe from al-Hajjaj? His punishment is bitter,
٧. دَعَونَ الهَوى ثُمَّ اِرتَمَينَ قُلوبَنا
بِأَسهُمِ أَعداءَ وَهُنَّ صَديقُ
8. His bond secure.
I have tasted sleep only as a provocation,
٨. عَجِبتُ مِنَ الغَيرانِ لَمّا تَدارَكَت
جِمالٌ يُخالِجنَ البُرينَ وَنوقُ
9. And nothing has agreed with me among quick-witted companions.
I shouldered my burdens as means to escape, which,
٩. وَمَن يَأمَنُ الحَجّاجُ أَمّا عِقابُهُ
فَمُرٌّ وَأَمّا عَقدُهُ فَوَثيقُ
10. When weary after exhaustion, are a relief.
You see the milch she-camels' streaming train,
١٠. وَما ذُقتُ طَعمَ النَومِ إِلّا مُفَزَّعاً
وَما ساغَ لي بَينَ الحَيازِمِ ريقُ
11. As though they were bracelets on the wrist, hastening down canyons,
Hastening down the roads to the hillsides, their routes
١١. وَحَمَّلتُ أَثقالي نَجاةً كَأَنَّها
إِذا ضَمَرَت بَعدَ الكَلالِ فَنيقُ
12. Visible to the two thirsty herds over their ridges
And above the camel drivers. You can see
١٢. مِنَ الهوجِ مِصلاتاً كَأَنَّ جِرانَها
يَمانٍ نَضا جَفنَينِ فَهوَ دَلوقُ
13. The train of the two thirsty herds with their females
Going down the holy hillsides. Their roads
١٣. يُبَيِّنُ لِلنِسعَينِ فَوقَ دُفوفِها
وَفَوقَ مُتونِ الحالِبَينِ طَريقُ
14. Are folded like Indian wickerwork; they are plunder.
When the tribe says that the next morning they will arrive at the watering place,
١٤. تَرى لِمَجَرِّ النِسعَتَينِ بِجَوزِها
مَوارِدَ حِرمِيٍّ لَهُنَّ طَريقُ
15. They press on until at nightfall they reach the watering place.
I feared you until my fear brought me down,
١٥. طَوى أُمَّهاتِ الدَرِّ حَتّى كَأَنَّها
فَلافِلُ هِندِيٍّ فَهُنَّ لَصوقُ
16. While blindness stood between me and piercing sight.
Every hypocrite is happy to see you hated,
١٦. إِذا القَومُ قالوا وِردُهُنَّ ضُحى غَدٍ
يُغالَينَ حَتّى وِردُهُنَّ طُروقُ
17. While everyone with religion loves you loyally.
You have extinguished the fires of Iraq, though still for them
١٧. وَخِفتُكَ حَتّى اِستَنزَلَتني مَخافَتي
وَقَد حالَ دوني مِن عَمايَةَ نيقُ
18. There is smoke rising high, and burning embers.
A man seeking booty who has seen
١٨. يُسِرُّ لَكَ البَغضاءَ كُلُّ مُنافِقٍ
كَما كُلُّ ذي دينٍ عَلَيكَ شَفيقُ
19. Your punishment of past deeds will refrain from stealing.
For us you are light, rain, and protection.
١٩. وَأَطفَأتَ نيرانَ العِراقِ وَقَد عَلا
لَهُنَّ دُخانٌ ساطِعٌ وَحَريقُ
20. You are hope's harvest for whoever hopes in you and is pious.
How many wrongdoing oppressors have you left
٢٠. وَإِنَّ اِمرَأً يَرجو الغُلولَ وَقَد رَأى
نِكالَكَ فيما قَد مَضى لَسَروقُ
21. To their heaving chests that pant and sigh!
٢١. وَأَنتَ لَنا نورٌ وَغَيثٌ وَعِصمَةٌ
وَنَبتٌ لِمَن يَرجو نَداكَ وَريقُ
٢٢. أَلا رُبَّ عاصٍ ظالِمٍ قَد تَرَكتَهُ
لِأَوداجِهِ المُستَنزِفاتِ شَهيقُ