هاجَ الوُقوفُ بَرَسمِ المَنزِلِ الخالي

هاجَ الوُقوفُ بَرَسمِ المَنزِلِ الخالي

صَبابَةً لَم تَكُن مِنِّي عَلى بالِ

صَبابَةً لَم تَكُن مِنِّي عَلى بالِ

Standing at the traces of the deserted dwelling stirred

The abodes of solitude aroused my passion though it was not my intent

a yearning that had not been on my mind.

Had it not been for the alluring glance of the gazelles, I'd not have yearned

لَولا ظِباءُ رِماحٍ لَم أَمُت شَغَفاً

لَولا ظِباءُ رِماحٍ لَم أَمُت شَغَفاً

بِظَبيَةٍ مِن ظِباءِ السِربِ مِعطالِ

بِظَبيَةٍ مِن ظِباءِ السِربِ مِعطالِ

Were it not for the gazelles of Rimah, I would not have died of passion

For a beautiful one from among the graceful herd

for an unadorned doe among the gazelles of the herd.

Had you wanted safety from her, you'd be saved by every alluring, large-eyed one

لَو شِئتَ نَجَّتكَ مِنها كُلُّ ناجِيَةٍ

لَو شِئتَ نَجَّتكَ مِنها كُلُّ ناجِيَةٍ

مِرقالَةٍ بِنتِ سامي الطَرفِ مِرقالِ

مِرقالَةٍ بِنتِ سامي الطَرفِ مِرقالِ

Had you wished, any swift she-camel would have saved you from her—

A smooth-walking, daughter of noble gait and glance

a swift trotter, daughter of a high-gazing, swift-trotting sire,

Riding a blond she-camel, her rider appearing enfeebled

صَهباءَ مالَ مِنَ التَأَويبِ راكِبُها

صَهباءَ مالَ مِنَ التَأَويبِ راكِبُها

مِثلَ المُعَلَّلِ مِن صَهباءَ جِريالِ

مِثلَ المُعَلَّلِ مِن صَهباءَ جِريالِ

a tawny she-camel whose rider swayed from all-day travel,

She traverses great distances as if tightly twisted

like a man plied with crimson wine.

Like the bitter plant intricately intertwined

تَطوي البَعيدَ وَيَطويها فَقَد جُدِلَت

تَطوي البَعيدَ وَيَطويها فَقَد جُدِلَت

جَدلَ المَريرَةِ مِن حَطٍّ وَتَرحالِ

جَدلَ المَريرَةِ مِن حَطٍّ وَتَرحالِ

She folds up the far distance, and it folds her in turn, for she has been twisted

Towards a young man of the Shaddad, his ambition

like a tightly wound cord through halts and journeys,

Coupled with the radiance of the following planet

إِلى فَتىً مِن بَني الشَدادِ هِمَّتُهُ

إِلى فَتىً مِن بَني الشَدادِ هِمَّتُهُ

مَقرُونَةٌ بِشُعاعِ الكَوكَبِ التالي

مَقرُونَةٌ بِشُعاعِ الكَوكَبِ التالي

to a young man of Banu al-Shaddad, whose ambition

Blessed of face, his smile's charm is not hidden

is bound to the radiance of the following star.

Like a polished sword, burnished and gleaming

مُبارَكُ الوَجهِ لا يَخفى تَهَلُّلُهُ

مُبارَكُ الوَجهِ لا يَخفى تَهَلُّلُهُ

مِثلُ الحُسامِ جَلاهُ الصَيقَلُ الجالي

مِثلُ الحُسامِ جَلاهُ الصَيقَلُ الجالي

Blessed in countenance, his beaming radiance cannot be hidden,

He meets the honored and all the people

like a keen sword made bright by a burnishing craftsman.

Yet scorns the lowly by the towering lofty one

تَلقى المُعِزَّ وَتَلقى الناسَ كُلَّهُمُ

تَلقى المُعِزَّ وَتَلقى الناسَ كُلَّهُمُ

فَتَزدَري الوَهدَ عِندَ الباذِخِ العالي

فَتَزدَري الوَهدَ عِندَ الباذِخِ العالي

You meet al-Muizz, and you meet all men,

I was not wealthy, yet his friendship made me

then scorn the low ground beside the lofty, towering peak.

Through his palms' generosity, a man of status and means

صَحِبتُهُ غَيرَ ذِي مالٍ فَصَيَّرَني

صَحِبتُهُ غَيرَ ذِي مالٍ فَصَيَّرَني

مِن جُودِ كَفَّيهِ ذا جاهٍ وَذا مالِ

مِن جُودِ كَفَّيهِ ذا جاهٍ وَذا مالِ

I kept his company without wealth, and he made me,

And he continued to bestow on me from his comfort's pasture

through the generosity of his hands, a man of standing and wealth.

Generosity upon generosity and favor upon favor

وَباتَ يُردِفُ لي مِن سَيبِ راحَتِهِ

وَباتَ يُردِفُ لي مِن سَيبِ راحَتِهِ

جُوداً بِجُودٍ وَإِفضالاً بِإِفضالِ

جُوداً بِجُودٍ وَإِفضالاً بِإِفضالِ

And through the night he kept bestowing on me, from his palm's bounty,

A disposition from a generous tent, his stance

generosity upon generosity, and favor upon favor.

Composed of bounty, not stingy or withholding

سَجِيَّةٌ مِن كَريمِ الخِيمِ مَنصِبُهُ

سَجِيَّةٌ مِن كَريمِ الخِيمِ مَنصِبُهُ

مُرَكَّبٌ في كِرامٍ غَيرِ بُخّالِ

مُرَكَّبٌ في كِرامٍ غَيرِ بُخّالِ

An inborn trait of one of noble nature, whose lineage

Warriors in battle, though if you attempt their superiority in peace

is rooted among noble men who are no misers.

You find them to be nothing less than warriors

أَبطالُ حَربٍ وَإِن حاوَلتَ فَضلَهُمُ

أَبطالُ حَربٍ وَإِن حاوَلتَ فَضلَهُمُ

في السِلمِ أَلفَيتَ مِنهُم غَيرَ اِبطالِ

في السِلمِ أَلفَيتَ مِنهُم غَيرَ اِبطالِ

Heroes in war; and if you seek their bounty

I set forth my steps, and their clouds did not cease

in peace, you find no disappointment at their hands.

To rain my wishes until my aspirations were fulfilled

أَمحَلتُ قِدماً فَما زالَت غَمائِمُهُم

أَمحَلتُ قِدماً فَما زالَت غَمائِمُهُم

تَجُودُ مَغنايَ حَتّى زالَ إِمحالي

تَجُودُ مَغنايَ حَتّى زالَ إِمحالي

Long ago I suffered drought, and their clouds never ceased

So may God protect them from what I fear

raining bountifully on my dwelling until my drought was gone.

Truly the Overseer is the perfect Eternal Preserver

فَاللَهُ يَكلَأَهُم مِمّا أُحاذِرُهُ

فَاللَهُ يَكلَأَهُم مِمّا أُحاذِرُهُ

إِنَّ المُهَيمِنَ نِعمَ الحافِظُ الكالي

إِنَّ المُهَيمِنَ نِعمَ الحافِظُ الكالي

So may God guard them against what I fear;

truly, the Watchful One is an excellent protector and keeper.