إِنَّ النَضيرَةَ رَبَّةَ الخِدرِ

إِنَّ النَضيرَةَ رَبَّةَ الخِدرِ

أَسرَت إِلَيكَ وَلَم تَكُن تُسري

أَسرَت إِلَيكَ وَلَم تَكُن تُسري

Indeed, al-Nadirah, mistress of the secluded chamber,

The beautiful Nadira, mistress of the tent,

came to you by night, though she did not usually travel by night.

Yearned for you though you didn’t reciprocate.

فَوَقَفتُ بِالبَيداءِ أَسأَلُها

فَوَقَفتُ بِالبَيداءِ أَسأَلُها

أَنّى اِهتَدَيتِ لِمَنزِلِ السَفرِ

أَنّى اِهتَدَيتِ لِمَنزِلِ السَفرِ

So I stopped in the desert, asking her:

So I stood in the wilderness to ask her,

How did you find your way to the travelers' camp?

“How did you find your way to the home of travel?”

وَالعيسُ قَد رُفِضَت أَزِمَّتُها

وَالعيسُ قَد رُفِضَت أَزِمَّتُها

مِمّا يَرَونَ بِها مِنَ الفَترِ

مِمّا يَرَونَ بِها مِنَ الفَترِ

And the pale camels' reins had been let fall

The camel saddle’s straps are slackened

for the weariness they saw in them;

By all they see of her exhaustion.

وَعَلَت مَساوِئُها مَحاسِنَها

وَعَلَت مَساوِئُها مَحاسِنَها

مِمّا أَضَرَّ بِها مِنَ الضُمرِ

مِمّا أَضَرَّ بِها مِنَ الضُمرِ

and their flaws outweighed their beauties

Her faults have outweighed her virtues

from the wasting that had harmed them.

From the harm that melancholy brought her.

كُنّا إِذا رَكَدَ النَهارُ لَنا

كُنّا إِذا رَكَدَ النَهارُ لَنا

نَغتالُهُ بِنَجائِبٍ صُعرِ

نَغتالُهُ بِنَجائِبٍ صُعرِ

We used, when the day stood still for us,

When the day would wane for us

to steal it away on choice, wry-necked camels—

We’d ambush it with curving scimitars,

عوجٍ نَواجٍ يَغتَلينَ بِنا

عوجٍ نَواجٍ يَغتَلينَ بِنا

يُعفينَ دونَ النَصِّ وَالزَجرِ

يُعفينَ دونَ النَصِّ وَالزَجرِ

bent-limbed and swift, stealing onward with us,

Far-strung bows to waylay it, making sport of us,

sparing us hard driving and shouted urging,

Sparing us neither advice nor rebuke.

مُستَقبِلاتٍ كُلَّ هاجِرَةٍ

مُستَقبِلاتٍ كُلَّ هاجِرَةٍ

يَنفَحنَ في حَلقٍ مِنَ الصُفرِ

يَنفَحنَ في حَلقٍ مِنَ الصُفرِ

facing every scorching noon,

She-camels going forward, each an emigrant

blowing into rings of brass.

Breathing through a throat bleached pale.

وَمَناخُها في كُلِّ مَنزِلَةٍ

وَمَناخُها في كُلِّ مَنزِلَةٍ

كَمَبيتِ جونِيِّ القَطا الكُدرِ

كَمَبيتِ جونِيِّ القَطا الكُدرِ

And their kneeling-place at every halt

And her halting place at every stopover

was like the night-roost of dark-bellied, dusky sandgrouse.

Is like where a hyena, mangy and foul, slept.

وَسَما عَلى عودٍ فَعارَضَنا

وَسَما عَلى عودٍ فَعارَضَنا

حِرباؤُها أَو هَمَّ بِالخَطَرِ

حِرباؤُها أَو هَمَّ بِالخَطَرِ

Up onto a branch it climbed and faced us—

One day she stood on a peg and challenged us,

the desert's chameleon—or made ready to sway.

Flaunting her saddle or hinting of danger.

وَتَكَلُّفي اليَومَ الطَويلَ وَقَد

وَتَكَلُّفي اليَومَ الطَويلَ وَقَد

صَرَّت جَنادِبُهُ مِنَ الظُهرِ

صَرَّت جَنادِبُهُ مِنَ الظُهرِ

And my braving the long day, when already

And I exerted myself through the long day though

its grasshoppers shrilled from the noonday heat,

Her shoulder blades were prominent from leanness.

وَاللَيلَةَ الظَلماءَ أُدلِجُها

وَاللَيلَةَ الظَلماءَ أُدلِجُها

بِالقَومِ في الدَيمومَةِ القَفرِ

بِالقَومِ في الدَيمومَةِ القَفرِ

and the pitch-dark night, which I travel through

On the dark night I penetrate it

with the company in the barren wilderness,

With my comrades in pitch-black desolation,

يَنعى الصَدى فيها أَخاهُ كَما

يَنعى الصَدى فيها أَخاهُ كَما

يَنعى المُفَجَّعُ صاحِبَ القَبرِ

يَنعى المُفَجَّعُ صاحِبَ القَبرِ

where the owl laments its brother, as

Where each echo calls to its brother

the bereaved laments the grave's occupant.

As a bereaved woman calls at the grave.

وَتَحولُ دونَ الكَفِّ ظُلمَتُها

وَتَحولُ دونَ الكَفِّ ظُلمَتُها

حَتّى تَشُقَّ عَلى الَّذي يَسري

حَتّى تَشُقَّ عَلى الَّذي يَسري

And its darkness hides even the hand,

Its darkness blocks my palm

so that it burdens whoever travels by night.

Until it's hard on one walking there,

وَلَقَد أَرَيتُ الرَكبَ أَهلَهُمُ

وَلَقَد أَرَيتُ الرَكبَ أَهلَهُمُ

وَهَدَيتُهُم بِمَهامِهٍ غُبرِ

وَهَدَيتُهُم بِمَهامِهٍ غُبرِ

And I have brought the riders within sight of their families,

And I have seen the caravan—its people—

and guided them through dusty desert wastes.

And guided them, their paths obscured by dust.

وَبَذَلتُ ذا رَحلي وَكُنتُ بِهِ

وَبَذَلتُ ذا رَحلي وَكُنتُ بِهِ

سَمحاً لَهُم في العُسرِ وَاليُسرِ

سَمحاً لَهُم في العُسرِ وَاليُسرِ

And I offered my saddle-beast, and with it was

I shared my mount, being gracious to them

generous to them in hardship and ease.

In difficulty and ease.

فَإِذا الحَوادِثُ ما تُضَعضِعُني

فَإِذا الحَوادِثُ ما تُضَعضِعُني

وَلا يَضيقُ بِحاجَتي صَدري

وَلا يَضيقُ بِحاجَتي صَدري

So calamities do not shake me,

So when misfortunes shake me

nor does my breast tighten over my need.

And my chest feels no constraint from their need,

إِنّي أُكارِمُ مَن يُكارِمُني

إِنّي أُكارِمُ مَن يُكارِمُني

وَعَلى المُكاشِحِ يَنتَحي ظُفري

وَعَلى المُكاشِحِ يَنتَحي ظُفري

Indeed, I vie in generosity with whoever is generous to me,

I repay those who show me honor,

and my claw bears down upon the spiteful foe.

And from those who quarrel with me my sword keeps its distance.

يُعيِي سِقاطي مَن يُوازِنُني

يُعيِي سِقاطي مَن يُوازِنُني

إِنّي لَعَمرُكَ لَستُ بِالهَذرِ

إِنّي لَعَمرُكَ لَستُ بِالهَذرِ

My poetic scraps confound whoever rivals me;

My determination exhausts those who would test me.

indeed, by your life, I am no idle babbler.

By your life, I am no idle boaster!

لا أَسرِقُ الشُعَراءَ ما نَطَقوا

لا أَسرِقُ الشُعَراءَ ما نَطَقوا

بَل لا يُوافِقُ شِعرَهُم شِعري

بَل لا يُوافِقُ شِعرَهُم شِعري

I do not steal from poets what they utter;

I do not steal what the poets have uttered,

rather, their poetry does not match mine.

But their poetry does not accord with mine.

إِنّي أَبى لي ذَلِكُم حَسَبي

إِنّي أَبى لي ذَلِكُم حَسَبي

وَمَقالَةٌ كَمَقالِعِ الصَخرِ

وَمَقالَةٌ كَمَقالِعِ الصَخرِ

Indeed, my ancestral honor has forbidden me that,

This lineage of mine contents me;

and speech like stone-hurling slings,

My speech is like the splitting of rock.

وَأَخي مِنَ الجِنِّ البَصيرُ إِذا

وَأَخي مِنَ الجِنِّ البَصيرُ إِذا

حاكَ الكَلامَ بِأَحسَنَ الحَبرِ

حاكَ الكَلامَ بِأَحسَنَ الحَبرِ

and my discerning brother among the jinn, when

My brother among the jinn, the keen-sighted one,

he weaves speech with the finest adornment.

Weaves the finest speech.

أَنَضيرَ ما بَيني وَبَينَكُمُ

أَنَضيرَ ما بَيني وَبَينَكُمُ

صُرَمٌ وَما أَحدَثتُ مِن هَجرِ

صُرَمٌ وَما أَحدَثتُ مِن هَجرِ

O Nadirah, between me and you there are no

Distance lies between me and you,

breaches, nor have I caused estrangement.

An interval, after I departed.

وَلَقَد شَكَرتُ نَوالَكُم وَبَلاكُمُ

وَلَقَد شَكَرتُ نَوالَكُم وَبَلاكُمُ

إِن كانَ عِندَكَ نافِعاً شُكري

إِن كانَ عِندَكَ نافِعاً شُكري

And I have thanked you for your gifts and your kindness,

I thanked you for your gifts and your testing me.

if my thanks are of any use to you.

If my thanks benefit you, do not sever

لا تَقطَعي وَصلي وَتَلتَمِسي

لا تَقطَعي وَصلي وَتَلتَمِسي

غَيري وَلَمّا تَعلَمي خُبري

غَيري وَلَمّا تَعلَمي خُبري

Do not sever my bond with you and seek

My tie to you, do not seek

someone else before you have learned my character.

Another in my stead unless you know my news.

جودي فَإِنَّ الجودَ مَكرُمَةٌ

جودي فَإِنَّ الجودَ مَكرُمَةٌ

وَاِجزي الحُسامَ بِبَعضِ ما يَفري

وَاِجزي الحُسامَ بِبَعضِ ما يَفري

Be generous, for generosity is a noble virtue,

Be generous, for generosity is noble,

and reward the keen sword with some of what it cleaves.

And requite the swords for some of what they reap.

وَحَلَفتُ لا أَنساكُمُ أَبَداً

وَحَلَفتُ لا أَنساكُمُ أَبَداً

ما رَدَّ طَرفَ العَينِ ذو شُفرِ

ما رَدَّ طَرفَ العَينِ ذو شُفرِ

And I swore never to forget you,

I swore I shall never forget you

as long as anyone with eyelids turns his gaze.

So long as the sharp-bladed sword flashes.

وَحَلَفتُ لا أَنسى حَديثَكِ ما

وَحَلَفتُ لا أَنسى حَديثَكِ ما

ذَكَرَ الغَوِيُّ لَذاذَةَ الخَمرِ

ذَكَرَ الغَوِيُّ لَذاذَةَ الخَمرِ

And I swore not to forget your talk, as long as

And I swore I shall not forget your words

the wayward man recalls the pleasure of wine.

As long as the reveler recalls the sweetness of wine,

وَلَأَنتِ أَحسَنُ إِذ بَرَزتِ لَنا

وَلَأَنتِ أَحسَنُ إِذ بَرَزتِ لَنا

يَومَ الخُروجِ بِساحَةِ القَصرِ

يَومَ الخُروجِ بِساحَةِ القَصرِ

And surely you were fairer when you appeared before us,

For you are the most beautiful when you come forth to us

on the day of departure, in the palace courtyard,

On the day of departure in the field of the palace,

مِن دُرَّةٍ أَغلى المُلوكُ بِها

مِن دُرَّةٍ أَغلى المُلوكُ بِها

مِمّا تَرَبَّبَ حائِرُ البَحرِ

مِمّا تَرَبَّبَ حائِرُ البَحرِ

than a pearl whose price kings drove high,

Like a pearl the kings pay dearly for

from those nurtured by the sea's basin.

From the pearl diver wandering the depths of the sea,

بَيضاءُ لَو مَرَّت بِذي نُسُكٍ

بَيضاءُ لَو مَرَّت بِذي نُسُكٍ

يَتلو البَيانَ يَلوحُ في الزُبرِ

يَتلو البَيانَ يَلوحُ في الزُبرِ

Fair-skinned—were she to pass a devout man

Pearly white—if she passed by one

reciting the clear teaching shining in the scriptures,

Reciting scripture, the clarity shining in his prayer book,

مُتَبَتِّلٍ عَن كُلِّ فاحِشَةٍ

مُتَبَتِّلٍ عَن كُلِّ فاحِشَةٍ

سَكَنَ الصَوامِعَ رَهبَةَ الوِزرِ

سَكَنَ الصَوامِعَ رَهبَةَ الوِزرِ

an ascetic aloof from every shameful deed,

Devoutly avoiding all disgrace,

dwelling in hermit cells for fear of sin,

Living in hermitages in awe of sin—

لَرَأَيتَهُ حَرّانَ يَذكُرُها

لَرَأَيتَهُ حَرّانَ يَذكُرُها

يَجتازُ رُؤيَتَها عَلى الذِكرِ

يَجتازُ رُؤيَتَها عَلى الذِكرِ

you would see him burning with longing, remembering her,

You would see him impassioned, remembering her,

passing beyond sacred remembrance to the sight of her.

Her sight interrupting his devotions.

بَذَّت نِساءَ العالَمينَ كَما

بَذَّت نِساءَ العالَمينَ كَما

بَذَّ الكَواكِبَ مَطلَعُ البَدرِ

بَذَّ الكَواكِبَ مَطلَعُ البَدرِ

She surpassed the women of all worlds, as

She eclipsed the women of all worlds

the full moon's rising outshines the stars.

As the rising moon eclipses the stars,

مَمكورَةُ الساقَينِ شِبهُهُما

مَمكورَةُ الساقَينِ شِبهُهُما

بَردِيَّتا مُتَحَيِّرٍ غَمرِ

بَردِيَّتا مُتَحَيِّرٍ غَمرِ

Her calves are full and rounded; the pair resembles

Smooth of leg, the two like columns

two papyrus stalks in a deep, still pool.

Of pearl meandering, immersed.

تَنمي كَما تَنمي أَرومَتُها

تَنمي كَما تَنمي أَرومَتُها

بِمَحَلِّ أَهلِ المَجدِ وَالفَخرِ

بِمَحَلِّ أَهلِ المَجدِ وَالفَخرِ

She flourishes as her ancestral stock flourishes,

She grows like her buttocks grow

in the abode of those of glory and pride.

In the abode of the splendid and proud.

يَعتادُني شَوقٌ فَأَذكُرُها

يَعتادُني شَوقٌ فَأَذكُرُها

مِن غَيرِ ما نَسَبٍ وَلا صِهرِ

مِن غَيرِ ما نَسَبٍ وَلا صِهرِ

Longing returns to me, so I remember her,

Longing takes hold of me, so I recall her

without any blood kinship or marriage tie,

With no kinship or marriage tie between us,

كَتَذَكُّرِ الصادي وَلَيسَ لَهُ

كَتَذَكُّرِ الصادي وَلَيسَ لَهُ

ماءٌ بِقُنَّةِ شاهِقٍ وَعرِ

ماءٌ بِقُنَّةِ شاهِقٍ وَعرِ

like a thirsty man's remembering, when he has no

Like the thirsty man’s recall though he has no

water atop a rugged, towering peak.

Water skin or towering, barren crag.

وَلَقَد تُجالِسُني فَيَمنَعُني

وَلَقَد تُجالِسُني فَيَمنَعُني

ضيقُ الذِراعِ وَعِلَّةُ الخَفرِ

ضيقُ الذِراعِ وَعِلَّةُ الخَفرِ

And she does sit beside me, yet I am held back by

She would sit with me but then my cramped arm and fear of disgrace

the limits of my reach and the malady of bashfulness.

Would stop me.

لَو كُنتِ لا تَهوَينَ لَم تَرِدي

لَو كُنتِ لا تَهوَينَ لَم تَرِدي

أَو كانَ ما تَلوينَ في وَكرِ

أَو كانَ ما تَلوينَ في وَكرِ

Were you not in love, you would not have come,

If you didn’t passionately love, you wouldn’t have come.

or were what you withhold in a nest,

Or if what you twisted and coiled in your den

لَأَتَيتُهُ لا بُدَّ طالِبَهُ

لَأَتَيتُهُ لا بُدَّ طالِبَهُ

فَاِقنَي حَياءَكِ وَاِقبَلي عُذري

فَاِقنَي حَياءَكِ وَاِقبَلي عُذري

I would reach it without fail, seeking it.

Were not there, I’d inevitably come, seeking it.

So retain your modesty, and accept my excuse.

So spare me your shame and accept my excuse!

قُل لِلنَضيرَةِ إِن عَرَضتَ لَها

قُل لِلنَضيرَةِ إِن عَرَضتَ لَها

لَيسَ الجَوادُ بِصاحِبِ النَزرِ

لَيسَ الجَوادُ بِصاحِبِ النَزرِ

Say to al-Nadirah, if you encounter her:

Say to Nadira, if you happen upon her:

The generous man is no giver of scant gifts.

The generous man is no holder of riches.

قَومي بَنو النَجّارِ رِفدُهُمُ

قَومي بَنو النَجّارِ رِفدُهُمُ

حَسَنٌ وَهُم لي حاضِرو النَصرِ

حَسَنٌ وَهُم لي حاضِرو النَصرِ

My people are Banu al-Najjar; their aid

Rise, O Banu Najjar, their backup

is good, and they stand ready to support me.

Is excellent, and they are my ready help.

المَوتُ دوني لَستُ مُهتَضِماً

المَوتُ دوني لَستُ مُهتَضِماً

وَذَوُو المَكارِمِ مِن بَني عَمروِ

وَذَوُو المَكارِمِ مِن بَني عَمروِ

Death stands before me; I am no oppressor,

Death is beneath me, I cannot be subdued,

and the men of noble virtues from Banu Amr—

And the noble souls of Banu ‘Amr—

جُرثومَةٌ عِزٌّ مَعاقِلُها

جُرثومَةٌ عِزٌّ مَعاقِلُها

كانَت لَنا في سالِفِ الدَهرِ

كانَت لَنا في سالِفِ الدَهرِ

a mighty ancestral stock, whose strongholds

A knee-haltered camel herd whose fortresses

were ours in bygone ages.

Once sheltered us in days gone by.