أُنظُر خَليلي بِبَطنِ جِلِّقَ هَل

أُنظُر خَليلي بِبَطنِ جِلِّقَ هَل

تُؤنِسُ دونَ البَلقاءِ مِن أَحَدِ

تُؤنِسُ دونَ البَلقاءِ مِن أَحَدِ

Look, my friend, in the valley of Jilliq—do

Look, my friend, at the belly of the wine skin.

you discern anyone on this side of al-Balqāʾ?

Does it entertain without beauty from anyone?

جِمالَ شَعثاءَ قَد هَبَطنَ مِنَ ال

جِمالَ شَعثاءَ قَد هَبَطنَ مِنَ ال

مَحبِسِ بَينَ الكُثْيب فَالسَنَدِ

مَحبِسِ بَينَ الكُثْيب فَالسَنَدِ

Shaʿthāʾ’s camels have descended from

The beauty of disheveled hair has descended from

al-Maḥbis, between al-Kuthayb and al-Sanad.

imprisonment between the dune and the pillow.

يَحمِلنَ حُوّاً حورَ المَدامِعِ في ال

يَحمِلنَ حُوّاً حورَ المَدامِعِ في ال

رَيطِ وَبيضَ الوُجوهِ كَالبَرَدِ

رَيطِ وَبيضَ الوُجوهِ كَالبَرَدِ

They carry dark-lipped women, with eyes of vivid black and white, in the

They carry tears, like pearls, in the

fine wraps, their faces white as hail.

cloth, and faces white like hailstones.

مِن دونِ بُصرى وَخَلفَها جَبَلُ الثَل

مِن دونِ بُصرى وَخَلفَها جَبَلُ الثَل

جِ عَلَيهِ السَحابُ كَالقِدَدِ

جِ عَلَيهِ السَحابُ كَالقِدَدِ

From this side of Buṣrā; behind it stands the mountain of

Beyond my abode and behind it Mount Thalj

snow, with clouds upon it like strips.

upon which clouds like coats of mail.

إِنّي وَرَبِّ المُخَيِّساتِ وَما

إِنّي وَرَبِّ المُخَيِّساتِ وَما

يَقطَعنَ مِن كُلِّ سَربَخٍ جَدَدِ

يَقطَعنَ مِن كُلِّ سَربَخٍ جَدَدِ

Indeed, by the Lord of the tamed camels and all

By the Lord of the terrified camels, and those

the vast, hard, level wastes they cross,

that cut through every tough thorn bush,

وَالبُدنِ إِذ قُرِّبَت لِمَنحَرِها

وَالبُدنِ إِذ قُرِّبَت لِمَنحَرِها

حِلفَةَ بَرِّ اليَمينِ مُجتَهِدِ

حِلفَةَ بَرِّ اليَمينِ مُجتَهِدِ

and by the sacrificial camels when brought to their slaughter-place—

And the sacrificial camels, when brought near to their slaughter,

an earnest oath from one true to his word—

swore the oath of innocence sincerely.

ما حُلتُ عَن خَيرِ ما عَهِدتِ وَلا

ما حُلتُ عَن خَيرِ ما عَهِدتِ وَلا

أَحبَبتُ حُبّي إِيّاكِ مِن أَحَدِ

أَحبَبتُ حُبّي إِيّاكِ مِن أَحَدِ

I have not changed from the best you knew of me, nor

I have not abandoned the best of what I knew,

have I loved anyone as I love you.

Nor loved anyone but you, my love.

تَقولُ شَعثاءُ لَو تُفيقُ مِنَ ال

تَقولُ شَعثاءُ لَو تُفيقُ مِنَ ال

كَأسِ لَأُلفيتَ مُثرِيَ العَدَدِ

كَأسِ لَأُلفيتَ مُثرِيَ العَدَدِ

Shaʿthāʾ says, “If you would sober up from the

Disheveled hair says, "If you were to awake

cup, you would be found rich in possessions.”

from your drunkenness, you would find my number abundant."

أَهوَى حَديثَ النَدمانِ في فَلَقِ ال

أَهوَى حَديثَ النَدمانِ في فَلَقِ ال

صُبحِ وَصَوتَ المُسامِرِ الغَرِدِ

صُبحِ وَصَوتَ المُسامِرِ الغَرِدِ

I love the drinking companion’s talk at the break of

It refuses the conversation of the remorseful in the cleft of

dawn, and the tuneful voice of the night companion.

dawn and the voice of the chirping stringed lute,

يَأبى لِيَ السَيفُ وَاللِسانُ وَقَو

يَأبى لِيَ السَيفُ وَاللِسانُ وَقَو

مٌ لَم يُضاموا كَلِبدَةِ الأَسَدِ

مٌ لَم يُضاموا كَلِبدَةِ الأَسَدِ

My sword and tongue forbid it to me, as do

My sword, tongue and a people who were not cowed

a people never oppressed, like a lion’s mane.

refuse, like the speckles of a lion.

لا أَخدِشُ الخَدشَ بِالنَديمِ وَلا

لا أَخدِشُ الخَدشَ بِالنَديمِ وَلا

يَخشى جَليسي إِذا انتشَيْتُ يَدي

يَخشى جَليسي إِذا انتشَيْتُ يَدي

I do not so much as scratch my drinking companion, nor

I do not scratch the scratch with an entertainer, and

does my companion fear my hand when I grow tipsy.

my companion does not fear when I wield my hand.

وَلا نَديمي العِضُّ البَخيلُ وَلا

وَلا نَديمي العِضُّ البَخيلُ وَلا

يَخافُ جاري ما عِشتُ مِن وَبَدِ

يَخافُ جاري ما عِشتُ مِن وَبَدِ

Nor is my drinking companion a mean-spirited miser, nor

Neither does my stingy entertainer fear being bitten,

does my neighbor fear hardship as long as I live.

Nor does my neighbor fear me as long as I live.