أَبى القَلبُ إِلّا أَن يَهِيمَ بِها وَجداً

أَبى القَلبُ إِلّا أَن يَهِيمَ بِها وَجداً

وَيُذكِرَنِيها وَهيَ ساكِنَةٌ نَجدا

وَيُذكِرَنِيها وَهيَ ساكِنَةٌ نَجدا

The heart refuses all but to wander madly in love with her,

My heart would do nothing but be mad with longing for her,

And makes me remember her while she dwells in Najd.

and remind me of her, while she dwells in Najd.

رِياحِيَّةٌ أَهدى مَعَ الرِيحِ نَشرُها

رِياحِيَّةٌ أَهدى مَعَ الرِيحِ نَشرُها

إِلَيَّ مِنَ الأَنفاسِ أَطيَبَ ما يُهدى

إِلَيَّ مِنَ الأَنفاسِ أَطيَبَ ما يُهدى

A fragrant one, whose perfume, borne upon the wind, has wafted

A Riyahiyya, whose fragrance, borne along with the wind,

To me the sweetest gift that any breath could bear.

brought me the sweetest fragrant breath that could be offered,

وَأَرَّجَ غِيطانَ الفَلا فَكَأَنَّما

وَأَرَّجَ غِيطانَ الفَلا فَكَأَنَّما

يَسُوفُ الَّذي يَسري بِأَرجائِها نَدّا

يَسُوفُ الَّذي يَسري بِأَرجائِها نَدّا

She perfumed the meadows of the open waste until it seemed

and perfumed the desert hollows, so that it is as though

That one traveling by night through their reaches inhaled ambergris.

one traveling by night through its reaches inhales nadd incense.

ولَمّا اِعتَنَقَنا لِلوَداعِ وَقَلبُها

ولَمّا اِعتَنَقَنا لِلوَداعِ وَقَلبُها

وَقَلبِي يَفيِضانِ الصَبابَةَ وَالوَجدا

وَقَلبِي يَفيِضانِ الصَبابَةَ وَالوَجدا

When we embraced at farewell, her heart

And when we embraced in farewell, her heart

And mine overflowed with longing and passion,

and mine were overflowing with yearning and longing.

بَكَت لُؤلُؤاً رَطباً فَفاضَت مَدامِعِي

بَكَت لُؤلُؤاً رَطباً فَفاضَت مَدامِعِي

عَقيقاً فَصارَ الكُلُّ في نَحرِها عِقدا

عَقيقاً فَصارَ الكُلُّ في نَحرِها عِقدا

She wept moist pearls, and my own tears poured forth

She wept moist pearls, and my tear ducts poured forth

As carnelians, until all became a necklace at her throat.

carnelian, and all became a necklace at her throat.

أَنا كِثَةً عَهدِي لَكِ اللَهُ حِلفَةً

أَنا كِثَةً عَهدِي لَكِ اللَهُ حِلفَةً

مَدى الدَهرِ إِنّي لانَكَثتُ لَكُم عَهدا

مَدى الدَهرِ إِنّي لانَكَثتُ لَكُم عَهدا

As for me, God is witness to the constancy I pledged you—an oath

O breaker of my pledge, by God I swear to you:

For all time: may I never break a covenant with you,

through all time, I have never broken a pledge to you,

وَلا حُلتُ عَن حِفظِ المَوَدَّةِ في الهَوى

وَلا حُلتُ عَن حِفظِ المَوَدَّةِ في الهَوى

وَإن كُنتُمُ لا تَحفَظُونَ لَنا وُدّا

وَإن كُنتُمُ لا تَحفَظُونَ لَنا وُدّا

Nor turn from preserving love’s affection,

nor turned away from preserving affection in love,

Though you preserve no affection for us.

though you preserve no affection for us.

لَعَمرِي وَما عَمرِي عَلَيَّ بِهَيِّنٍ

لَعَمرِي وَما عَمرِي عَلَيَّ بِهَيِّنٍ

وَإِن لَم أَجِد لِي مِن تَحِيَّتِكُم بُدّا

وَإِن لَم أَجِد لِي مِن تَحِيَّتِكُم بُدّا

By my life—and my life is no slight thing to me—

By my life—and my life is not trifling to me—

Though I could find no escape from you.

though I cannot dispense with your greeting,

لَقَد كُنتُ جَلداً قَبلَ أَن تَشحَطَ النَوى

لَقَد كُنتُ جَلداً قَبلَ أَن تَشحَطَ النَوى

فَأَمّا وَقَد فارَقتُكُم لَم أَعُد جَلدا

فَأَمّا وَقَد فارَقتُكُم لَم أَعُد جَلدا

I had been steadfast before distance carried you far away;

I was indeed steadfast before separation drove us far apart;

But now that I have parted from you, I am steadfast no more.

but now that I have parted from you, I am no longer steadfast.

إِذا هَبَّتِ النَكباءُ بَينِي وَبَينَكُم

إِذا هَبَّتِ النَكباءُ بَينِي وَبَينَكُم

وَجَدتُ لَها مِنكُم عَلى كَبِدِي بَردا

وَجَدتُ لَها مِنكُم عَلى كَبِدِي بَردا

Whenever an adverse wind blew between me and you,

Whenever the crosswind blows between me and you,

I found from you a cooling balm upon my heart.

I feel its coolness, coming from you, upon my liver.

خَلِيلَيَّ إِنَّ الحُبَّ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ

خَلِيلَيَّ إِنَّ الحُبَّ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ

مِزاحٌ وَيَغدُو بَعدَ ذَلِكُمُ جِدّا

مِزاحٌ وَيَغدُو بَعدَ ذَلِكُمُ جِدّا

My two companions, love at its first beginning

My two friends, love, at its first onset,

Is jest, but afterward it grows earnest.

is play, but afterward it becomes earnest.

وَإِنَّ هَوى البِيضِ الكَواعِبِ كَاسمِهِ

وَإِنَّ هَوى البِيضِ الكَواعِبِ كَاسمِهِ

هَوانٌ يَرى فيهِ الفَتى غَيَّهُ رُشدا

هَوانٌ يَرى فيهِ الفَتى غَيَّهُ رُشدا

The passion for fair, full-breasted maidens is true to its name:

And passion for fair, full-breasted maidens is, like its name,

Desire—in it a youth mistakes his error for right guidance.

abasement: a youth sees his error in it as right guidance.

أَلا أَيُّها الغادِي عَلى شَدَنِيَّةٍ

أَلا أَيُّها الغادِي عَلى شَدَنِيَّةٍ

يَقُدُّ بِها أَجوازَ عَرضِ الفَلا قَدّا

يَقُدُّ بِها أَجوازَ عَرضِ الفَلا قَدّا

O you departing upon a Shadaniyya she-camel,

Ho, you who set out at dawn upon a Shadani she-camel,

Driving her straight across the breadth of the wilderness,

cleaving clean through the desert's broad interior,

أَلِكنِي إِلى عِيسى الفِزارِي رِسالَةً

أَلِكنِي إِلى عِيسى الفِزارِي رِسالَةً

جَعَلتُ بِها قَولِي عَلى قَولِهِ رَدّا

جَعَلتُ بِها قَولِي عَلى قَولِهِ رَدّا

Convey from me to ʿĪsā al-Fazārī a message

carry from me to Isa al-Fazari a message

In which I set my words as an answer to his.

in which I have made my words a reply to his.

وَقُل أَيُّها الشَيخُ الَّذي ضَلَّ سَعيُهُ

وَقُل أَيُّها الشَيخُ الَّذي ضَلَّ سَعيُهُ

فَأَصبَحَ لا مالاً يُفيدُ وَلا حَمدا

فَأَصبَحَ لا مالاً يُفيدُ وَلا حَمدا

Say: O old man whose striving has gone astray,

And say: O elder whose striving has gone astray,

Who has ended gaining neither wealth nor praise,

so that he gains neither wealth nor praise:

تُهَدِّدُنِي فِيما زَعَمتَ بِحَيَّةٍ

تُهَدِّدُنِي فِيما زَعَمتَ بِحَيَّةٍ

إِذا نَهَشَت لَم تُبقِ لَحماً وَلا جِلدا

إِذا نَهَشَت لَم تُبقِ لَحماً وَلا جِلدا

You threaten me, as you claim, with a serpent

you threaten me, as you claim, with a serpent

Whose bite leaves neither flesh nor skin.

whose bite leaves neither flesh nor skin.

وَحَيُّكَ ما يُخشى فَما بالُ حَيَّةٍ

وَحَيُّكَ ما يُخشى فَما بالُ حَيَّةٍ

نَحُطُّ عَلى يافُوخِها حَجَراً صَلدا

نَحُطُّ عَلى يافُوخِها حَجَراً صَلدا

Your clan is not feared—so what of a mere snake?

Yet your clan is not feared; what, then, of a serpent

We crush its crown beneath a solid stone

on whose crown we bring down a solid stone?

وَنَترُكُها مَعضُوضَةَ الوَجهِ بُرهَةً

وَنَترُكُها مَعضُوضَةَ الوَجهِ بُرهَةً

مِنَ الدَهرِ لا سَمّاً بِفِيها وَلا شَهدا

مِنَ الدَهرِ لا سَمّاً بِفِيها وَلا شَهدا

And leave it awhile with its face battered,

And we leave it with its face bitten, for a stretch

For an age with neither venom nor honey in its mouth.

of time, with neither venom in its mouth nor honey.

وَلَو كُنتَ ذا لُبٍّ لَما كُنتَ طالِباً

وَلَو كُنتَ ذا لُبٍّ لَما كُنتَ طالِباً

لَكَ الوَيلُ عَفواً ثُمَّ أَتبَعتَهُ وَعدا

لَكَ الوَيلُ عَفواً ثُمَّ أَتبَعتَهُ وَعدا

Had you possessed good sense, you would not have sought—

Had you possessed sense, you would not have asked

Woe upon you—a pardon, then followed it with a threat.

—woe to you—for pardon, then followed it with a threat.

وَأَيُّ قَبِيحٍ في سُلالَةِ صالِحٍ

وَأَيُّ قَبِيحٍ في سُلالَةِ صالِحٍ

فَيَحذَرَ بَرقاً مِن وَعِيدِكَ أَو رَعدا

فَيَحذَرَ بَرقاً مِن وَعِيدِكَ أَو رَعدا

What disgrace could there be in the lineage of Ṣāliḥ

And what base fellow is there in Salih's line

That a righteous man should fear your threat or thunder?

who would fear lightning from your menace, or thunder?

وَهُم في غِنىً عَن كُلِّ قَولٍ تَقُولُهُ

وَهُم في غِنىً عَن كُلِّ قَولٍ تَقُولُهُ

وَأَنتَ فَمُحتاجٌ إِلى فَضلِهِم جِدّا

وَأَنتَ فَمُحتاجٌ إِلى فَضلِهِم جِدّا

They have no need of anything you may say,

They have no need of any words you speak,

But you are sorely in need of their bounty.

while you are sorely in need of their bounty.

وَإِنَّ لَنا سَيفاً مِنَ العِزِّ إِن نَشَأ

وَإِنَّ لَنا سَيفاً مِنَ العِزِّ إِن نَشَأ

ضَرَبنا بِهِ صَفحاً كَما قُلتَ أَو حَدّا

ضَرَبنا بِهِ صَفحاً كَما قُلتَ أَو حَدّا

We possess a sword of might which, if we wish,

We have a sword of might; if we wish,

We wield with its flat—or with its edge, as you said.

we strike with its flat, as you said, or its edge.

وَإِن شِئتَ قُرباً مِن بِنانا فَإِنَّنا

وَإِن شِئتَ قُرباً مِن بِنانا فَإِنَّنا

لَعَمرُكَ غَرٌّ لا تَعافُ لَنا وِردا

لَعَمرُكَ غَرٌّ لا تَعافُ لَنا وِردا

If you desire nearness to our hands, then we are,

And if you wish to come close to our fingertips, we are—

By your life, noble men who never shun our watering place.

by your life—bright-faced nobles whose watering-place you will not disdain.

وَإِن شِئتَ بُعداً مِن نَدانا وَفَضلِنا

وَإِن شِئتَ بُعداً مِن نَدانا وَفَضلِنا

فَزادَكَ رَبُّ العَرشِ مِن فَضلِنا بُعدا

فَزادَكَ رَبُّ العَرشِ مِن فَضلِنا بُعدا

But if you desire distance from our generosity and bounty,

But if you seek distance from our generosity and bounty,

May the Lord of the Throne increase your distance from our bounty.

may the Lord of the Throne set you farther from our bounty.

فَنَحنُ ذَوُ الفَضلِ الَّذي لَم تُصِب لَنا

فَنَحنُ ذَوُ الفَضلِ الَّذي لَم تُصِب لَنا

بَنُو آدَمٍ فِيهِ نَظيراً وَلا نِدّا

بَنُو آدَمٍ فِيهِ نَظيراً وَلا نِدّا

For we possess an excellence in which no child of Adam

For we possess an excellence in which none

Has ever found our equal or our peer.

of Adam's sons has found us an equal or peer.

وَأَوصافُنا مِثلُ النُجومِ كَثِيرَةٌ

وَأَوصافُنا مِثلُ النُجومِ كَثِيرَةٌ

إِذا عُدِّدَت لَم يُحصِ خَلقٌ لَها عَدّا

إِذا عُدِّدَت لَم يُحصِ خَلقٌ لَها عَدّا

Our qualities are as numerous as the stars;

Our qualities are numerous as the stars;

Were they counted, no creature could encompass their number.

when enumerated, no creature can reckon their number.

نَجُودُ بِما نَحوي مِنَ المالِ وَاللُها

نَجُودُ بِما نَحوي مِنَ المالِ وَاللُها

وَنُعطِي الأَغَرَّ الزَولَ وَالأَجرَدَ النَهدَا

وَنُعطِي الأَغَرَّ الزَولَ وَالأَجرَدَ النَهدَا

We lavish whatever wealth and gifts are ours,

We give freely of the wealth and lavish gifts we possess,

And give the blaze-faced, spirited steed and the sleek, broad-chested horse.

and bestow the splendid, white-blazed steed and the sleek, mighty one.

وَنَقرِي الهُمومَ الطارِقاتِ عَزائِماً

وَنَقرِي الهُمومَ الطارِقاتِ عَزائِماً

تُهَدُّ الجِبالُ الراسِياتُ بِها هَدّا

تُهَدُّ الجِبالُ الراسِياتُ بِها هَدّا

We receive the cares that knock at night with firm resolves

We entertain night-visiting cares with resolves

By which the deep-rooted mountains would be shattered.

by which firmly rooted mountains are utterly shattered.

وَإِن نابَنا خَطبٌ مِنَ الدَهرِ لَم تَجِد

وَإِن نابَنا خَطبٌ مِنَ الدَهرِ لَم تَجِد

بَني صالِحٍ إِلّا غَطارِفَةً لُدّا

بَني صالِحٍ إِلّا غَطارِفَةً لُدّا

Should some calamity of time befall us, you would find

If a calamity of time befalls us, you will find

The sons of Ṣāliḥ nothing but towering, indomitable lords.

the sons of Salih only noble lords, fierce in contention.

يَشِيمُونَ قَبلَ المُرهَفاتِ صَوارِماً

يَشِيمُونَ قَبلَ المُرهَفاتِ صَوارِماً

مِنَ البَأسِ بِيضاً لا تَكِلُّ وَلا تَصدا

مِنَ البَأسِ بِيضاً لا تَكِلُّ وَلا تَصدا

They bare swords before the keen-edged blades—

They draw, before their keen-edged blades, swords

White with valor, never dulled and never rusted.

of valor, gleaming white, that neither dull nor rust.

إِذا اِنتُجِعُوا كانُوا غُيُوثاً مِنَ النَدى

إِذا اِنتُجِعُوا كانُوا غُيُوثاً مِنَ النَدى

وَإشن غَضِبُوا كانُوا إِذا غَضِبوا أُسدا

وَإشن غَضِبُوا كانُوا إِذا غَضِبوا أُسدا

When sought in need, they are rains of liberality;

When sought for aid, they are rains of generosity;

And when angered, they are lions in their anger.

and when angered, they are lions in their anger.

يَحُلُّونَ في العَلياءِ كُلَّ ثَنِيَّةٍ

يَحُلُّونَ في العَلياءِ كُلَّ ثَنِيَّةٍ

إِذا الناسُ حَلُّوا مِن مَعالِيهِمِ الوَهدا

إِذا الناسُ حَلُّوا مِن مَعالِيهِمِ الوَهدا

They settle upon every high pass of glory,

They settle upon every mountain pass in the heights,

While other people settle in the lowlands beneath their heights.

while others occupy the hollows below their lofty places.

أَما وَالقِلاصِ البُدنِ في كُلِّ فَدفَدٍ

أَما وَالقِلاصِ البُدنِ في كُلِّ فَدفَدٍ

تُكابِدُهُ حَثّاً وَتقطَعُهُ وَخدا

تُكابِدُهُ حَثّاً وَتقطَعُهُ وَخدا

By the stout she-camels upon every trackless waste,

Ah, by the plump young she-camels on every barren plain,

Laboring across it at a driven, rapid pace,

struggling through it under urging, crossing it at a brisk trot,

إِلى آلِ مِرداسٍ لِكُلِّ سَمَيدَعٍ

إِلى آلِ مِرداسٍ لِكُلِّ سَمَيدَعٍ

نَجِيبٍ تُرَجّي مِن مَكارِمِهِم رِفدا

نَجِيبٍ تُرَجّي مِن مَكارِمِهِم رِفدا

Bound for the house of Mirdās—to every noble lord

toward the house of Mirdas, carrying every noble lord,

From whose abundant virtues one hopes for aid—

of high birth, hoping for a gift from their generosity—

لَقَد سَبَقُوا بِالفَخرِ قَيساً وَعامِراً

لَقَد سَبَقُوا بِالفَخرِ قَيساً وَعامِراً

وَطَيّا وَسادُوا مِنهُمُ الشِيبَ وَالمُردا

وَطَيّا وَسادُوا مِنهُمُ الشِيبَ وَالمُردا

They have surpassed Qays and ʿĀmir in glory,

they have outstripped Qays and Amir in glory,

And Ṭayyiʾ too, ruling their gray-haired men and their beardless youths.

and Tayy, and become lords over their graybeards and beardless youths.