نَظَرْتُ كما جَلّتْ عُقابٌ على إرَمْ

نَظَرْتُ كما جَلّتْ عُقابٌ على إرَمْ

وإنّي لَفرَدٌ مثل ما انفرَدَ الزَّلَمْ

وإنّي لَفرَدٌ مثل ما انفرَدَ الزَّلَمْ

I gazed as an eagle surveys from a cairn,

I looked as an eagle soared over Irma,

and I was utterly alone, like a divining arrow singled out.

And I am alone like the separated colt.

بمَرْقَبَةٍ مثلَ السِّنانِ تَقَدّمَتْ

بمَرْقَبَةٍ مثلَ السِّنانِ تَقَدّمَتْ

خياشِيمُهُ واستُرْدِفَ العاملُ الأصَمّ

خياشِيمُهُ واستُرْدِفَ العاملُ الأصَمّ

At a lookout like a spearhead: ahead projected

With a gaze like teeth proceeding,

its tips, with the solid shaft set behind.

Its nostrils and the worker followed deaf.

فلا قُلّةٌ شَهْبَاءُ إلاّ رَبَأتُهَا

فلا قُلّةٌ شَهْبَاءُ إلاّ رَبَأتُهَا

ولا عَلَمٌ إلاّ رقَأتُ ذُرَى العَلَم

ولا عَلَمٌ إلاّ رقَأتُ ذُرَى العَلَم

No gray summit but I kept watch from it,

So I have no little gray but I have guided it,

nor any mountain whose heights I did not climb.

Nor a flag but I have combed the flag's motes.

فقلتُ أدارُ المالِكِيّةِ ما أرى

فقلتُ أدارُ المالِكِيّةِ ما أرى

بأسفَلِ ذا الوادي أم الطَّلْحُ والسلَم

بأسفَلِ ذا الوادي أم الطَّلْحُ والسلَم

I said: Is what I see al-Malikiyya's dwelling

So I said I would turn Al-Malikiyah as I see,

at the bottom of this valley, or talh and salam acacias?

At the bottom of this valley or the acacia and peace.

وأكذَبَني طَرْفي فخَفّضْتُ كَلْكَلاً

وأكذَبَني طَرْفي فخَفّضْتُ كَلْكَلاً

وأطْرَقْتُ إطراقَ الشجاع ولم أرِم

وأطْرَقْتُ إطراقَ الشجاع ولم أرِم

My sight proved me wrong, so I lowered my breast,

And my eyes belied me so I bent my anklet,

and bowed my head like a serpent, without stirring.

And I bowed the bowing of the brave and did not throw.

فلمّا أجَنّ الشمسَ رَيبٌ من الدُّجى

فلمّا أجَنّ الشمسَ رَيبٌ من الدُّجى

ولفَّ سوامَ الحَيّ سَيْلٌ من العَتَم

ولفَّ سوامَ الحَيّ سَيْلٌ من العَتَم

When a menace of darkness concealed the sun,

So when the sun inclined with doubt from dusk,

and a flood of gloom enveloped the tribe's grazing herds,

And the stallions of life were wrapped in a flood of darkness.

عرفْتُ دِيارَ الحَيّ بالنّارِ للقِرَى

عرفْتُ دِيارَ الحَيّ بالنّارِ للقِرَى

تُشَبُّ وبالأنجوجِ يُذكَى ويَضْطرَم

تُشَبُّ وبالأنجوجِ يُذكَى ويَضْطرَم

I recognized the tribe's dwellings by the fire for guests,

I knew the homes of life by the fire for homes

being kindled, and by aloeswood set alight and blazing.

Kindling, and by the lamps, igniting and blazing.

وأرعَيْتُها سَمْعي وقد راعَني لها

وأرعَيْتُها سَمْعي وقد راعَني لها

صَهِيلُ المَذاكي قبلَ قَرقرةِ النَّعَم

صَهِيلُ المَذاكي قبلَ قَرقرةِ النَّعَم

I lent them my hearing; already I had been startled there

And I pastured them my hearing, and the neighing of the camels pastured me before the bleating of the sheep.

by the neighing of full-grown steeds before the herds' rumbling.

So when I saw the horizon walking

فلمّا رأيتُ الأفقَ قد سارَ سِيرَةً

فلمّا رأيتُ الأفقَ قد سارَ سِيرَةً

مجوسِيّةً واسحنْكَكَ اللوح وادلهمّ

مجوسِيّةً واسحنْكَكَ اللوح وادلهمّ

When I saw the horizon follow a course

A Magian course, and the tablet stumbled and was erased.

of Magian fashion, and the sky blacken and grow dark,

And there remained only the nightly entertainer

ولم يَبْقَ إلاّ سامِرُ الليلِ هادِرٌ

ولم يَبْقَ إلاّ سامِرُ الليلِ هادِرٌ

من البُزلِ أو غِرّيدُ سِرْبٍ من البَهَم

من البُزلِ أو غِرّيدُ سِرْبٍ من البَهَم

and none remained but a bellowing companion of the night,

Of the tents, or the chirping of a flock of ringdoves.

among mature camels, or a singer in a flock of lambs and kids,

I knocked on the girl of life when her family slept,

طرقْتُ فتاةَ الحيّ إذ نامَ أهلُهَا

طرقْتُ فتاةَ الحيّ إذ نامَ أهلُهَا

وقد قامَ ليلُ العاشقينَ على قَدَم

وقد قامَ ليلُ العاشقينَ على قَدَم

I visited the tribe's maiden by night, when her kin slept,

And the night of lovers arose steady.

while the lovers' night stood on its feet.

She said, "Each time you came knocking,

فقالتْ أحَقّاً كلما جئتَ طارقاً

فقالتْ أحَقّاً كلما جئتَ طارقاً

هتكتَ حجابَ المَجْدِ عن ظبية الحرَم

هتكتَ حجابَ المَجْدِ عن ظبية الحرَم

She said: Do you truly, whenever you come by night,

You stripped the veil of glory from the gazelle of the harem."

tear the veil of honor from the sanctuary's gazelle?

So I calmed down from her threat - she is an easy,

فسكّنْتُ من إرْعادِهَا وهْيَ هَونَةٌ

فسكّنْتُ من إرْعادِهَا وهْيَ هَونَةٌ

ضَعيفةُ طَيّ الخَصرِ في لحظِها سَقَم

ضَعيفةُ طَيّ الخَصرِ في لحظِها سَقَم

I stilled some of her trembling; she was gentle,

Weak girl with a slender waist and sickly in her glance.

delicate in the fold of her waist, with languor in her gaze.

I hug my ribs to her as if from fear,

أضُمُّ عليْهَا أضْلُعي وكأنّهَا

أضُمُّ عليْهَا أضْلُعي وكأنّهَا

من الذُّعْرِ نَشْوَى أو تطَرّقَها لَمَم

من الذُّعْرِ نَشْوَى أو تطَرّقَها لَمَم

I clasp my ribs around her, and she seems

She shuddered or a disaster struck her.

drunk with terror, or visited by a touch of madness.

I incline her the incline of the swaying branch, leaning

أمِيلُ بها مَيْلَ النّزيفَةِ مُسْنِداً

أمِيلُ بها مَيْلَ النّزيفَةِ مُسْنِداً

إلى الصّدرِ منها ناعمَ الصّدر قد نجَم

إلى الصّدرِ منها ناعمَ الصّدر قد نجَم

I sway her as a drunken woman sways, supporting

Against her soft chest, blossomed.

against my chest her tender breast, which had budded.

And I did not forget her folding my hands with a

ولم أنْسَها تَثني يدَي بمُطَرَّفٍ

ولم أنْسَها تَثني يدَي بمُطَرَّفٍ

لطيفٍ على المِسْواك مُختضِبٍ بدَم

لطيفٍ على المِسْواك مُختضِبٍ بدَم

Nor have I forgotten her bending back my hands with a dyed fingertip,

Delicate perfumed miswak stained with blood.

delicate upon the tooth-stick, stained with blood.

So I spent the night diverting myself from what disturbs me,

فبِتُّ أُداري النفسَ عمّا يُريبُهَا

فبِتُّ أُداري النفسَ عمّا يُريبُهَا

ونامَ القَطا من طُولِ لَيلي ولم أنَم

ونامَ القَطا من طُولِ لَيلي ولم أنَم

I spent the night coaxing my soul away from what troubled it,

And the cat slept from the length of my night and I did not sleep.

and the sandgrouse slept, so long was my night, while I did not sleep.

And I did not forget a glance from her when she bid farewell,

ولم أنسَ منها نَظرةً حينَ ودَّعَتْ

ولم أنسَ منها نَظرةً حينَ ودَّعَتْ

وقد مُلِئَتْ دَلوُ الصّباح إلى الوَذَم

وقد مُلِئَتْ دَلوُ الصّباح إلى الوَذَم

Nor have I forgotten a glance of hers when she bade farewell,

And the bucket of dawn had been filled to the brim.

and dawn's bucket had been filled up to its straps.

I compete with her secretly with glances as if

أُنازِعُها باللَحْظِ سِرّاً كأنّمَا

أُنازِعُها باللَحْظِ سِرّاً كأنّمَا

تعلّمَ منها اللحظُ ما نَسيَ القَلَم

تعلّمَ منها اللحظُ ما نَسيَ القَلَم

I exchange a secret with her through glances, as though

The glance learned what the pen forgot.

the gaze had learned from her what the pen had forgotten.

And jealousy assured in its ill thinking,

وقدْ أحْكَمَ الغَيرانُ في سوءِ ظَنّهِ

وقدْ أحْكَمَ الغَيرانُ في سوءِ ظَنّهِ

فما شَكّ في قَتلي وإن كان قد حَلُم

فما شَكّ في قَتلي وإن كان قد حَلُم

The jealous man had grown firm in his dark suspicion,

So it did not doubt killing me even if it was forbearing.

and had no doubts about killing me, though he had been forbearing.

So it spent the night with a heart, its deceit kindled against me,

فباتَ بقلْبٍ قد تَوَغّرَ خِلْبُهُ

فباتَ بقلْبٍ قد تَوَغّرَ خِلْبُهُ

عليّ وشُبّتْ نارُهُ ليَ واحْتَدَم

عليّ وشُبّتْ نارُهُ ليَ واحْتَدَم

He spent the night with a heart whose membrane had grown inflamed

And its fire blazed for me and raged.

against me; his fire was kindled for me, and he raged.

And it came stripping the ground from my steps

وأقبَلَ يَسْتافُ الثّرَى من مَدارِجي

وأقبَلَ يَسْتافُ الثّرَى من مَدارِجي

ومَسْحَبِ أذيالي على الرُّغْلِ واليَنَم

ومَسْحَبِ أذيالي على الرُّغْلِ واليَنَم

He came sniffing the earth along my tracks,

And trails of my robes on the path and settlement.

and where my trailing hems brushed the saltbush and yanam plants.

So nothing alerted it but my leaning place

فما راعَهُ إلاّ مكانُ تَوكّؤي

فما راعَهُ إلاّ مكانُ تَوكّؤي

على سِيَةِ القوسِ المُغَشّاةِ بالأدَم

على سِيَةِ القوسِ المُغَشّاةِ بالأدَم

Nothing startled him except the spot where I had leaned

On the spine of the bow covered in red leather.

on the curved tip of the bow sheathed in leather,

And a mark of my drinking cup on the ground

ومَسقطُ قِدْح من قِداحي على الثّرَى

ومَسقطُ قِدْح من قِداحي على الثّرَى

ومُنْقَدُّ ذَيْلٍ من ذُيولي على الأكَم

ومُنْقَدُّ ذَيْلٍ من ذُيولي على الأكَم

and where an arrow-shaft of mine had fallen on the earth,

And the trailing of a tail of my robes on the thicket.

and the tear in one of my trailing hems upon the hillocks.

And it verified what the whiff of a lonely one suggested,

وقد صَدّقَتْ ما ظنَّ نَفحَةَ عازِبٍ

وقد صَدّقَتْ ما ظنَّ نَفحَةَ عازِبٍ

من الرّوضِ دَلّتْهُ على الطارقِ المُلِمّ

من الرّوضِ دَلّتْهُ على الطارقِ المُلِمّ

A far-off waft confirmed what he suspected—

Roaming about the fringes of domes, sniffing,

from the meadow, it guided him to the night visitor who had come.

Then the scent of the lion splits, and the lion in the thickets.

يُطيفُ بأطنابِ القِبابِ مُسَهَّداً

يُطيفُ بأطنابِ القِبابِ مُسَهَّداً

فيَنشَقُ ريحَ اللّيثِ والليثُ في الأجَم

فيَنشَقُ ريحَ اللّيثِ والليثُ في الأجَم

He circles the pavilions' guy ropes, sleepless,

At the daughter of Qayl who gave sanctuary to her protector,

and inhales the lion's scent, while the lion is in the thickets,

So she spared the protector of life from it even if it was enraged.

لَدَى بِنْتِ قَيْلٍ قد أجارَتْ عميدَها

لَدَى بِنْتِ قَيْلٍ قد أجارَتْ عميدَها

فكَفّتْ عميدَ الحّي عنْهُ وإن رُغم

فكَفّتْ عميدَ الحّي عنْهُ وإن رُغم

beside a chieftain's daughter, who had sheltered her love-stricken lover,

And she is shy that it barges into her room,

and kept the tribe's chief from him, against his will.

So the awe of glory and generosity banishes it from us.

وتَقْنى حَياءً أن يُلِمّ بخِدْرِهَا

وتَقْنى حَياءً أن يُلِمّ بخِدْرِهَا

فتَنْفِيه عنّا هيبةُ المجدِ والكرَم

فتَنْفِيه عنّا هيبةُ المجدِ والكرَم

She guards her modesty lest he approach her curtained chamber;

So we spent the night confiding in the mothers of its conscience,

the awe of honor and nobility drives him away from us.

And it was tired of the stoning of suspicions and had enough.

فبِتْنا نُناجي أُمّهاتِ ضمِيرِهِ

فبِتْنا نُناجي أُمّهاتِ ضمِيرِهِ

وقد مَلّ من رَجمِ الظنونِ وقد سَئِم

وقد مَلّ من رَجمِ الظنونِ وقد سَئِم

We spent the night communing with his innermost thoughts,

I unveiled the inside of the room and it was on guard,

while he had wearied of hurling conjectures and grown sick of them.

So when we got acquainted I decided to confront it and it decided.

هَتكتُ سُجوفَ الخِدرِ وهو بمَرصَدٍ

هَتكتُ سُجوفَ الخِدرِ وهو بمَرصَدٍ

فلمّا تَعَارَفْنَا هممتُ به وهَمّ

فلمّا تَعَارَفْنَا هممتُ به وهَمّ

I tore open the chamber's curtains while he lay in wait;

So I drew my sword when it drew its sword,

when we recognized each other, I made to attack him, and he me.

And it surged to the past and I surged to the foe.

فبادَرْتُ سَيفي حينَ بادَرَ سيْفَهُ

فبادَرْتُ سَيفي حينَ بادَرَ سيْفَهُ

فثارَ إلى ماضٍ وثُرتُ إلى خَذِم

فثارَ إلى ماضٍ وثُرتُ إلى خَذِم

I rushed to my sword as he rushed to his,

And it alerted the end of life that I and their group

and he sprang for a keen blade, while I sprang for a cleaving one.

And the breast of the sword rose from the glorious pillar.

ونَبّهَ أقصَى الحيّ أنّي وتَرتُهُم

ونَبّهَ أقصَى الحيّ أنّي وتَرتُهُم

وقد علّ صَدُر السيفِ من ماجِدٍ عَمَم

وقد علّ صَدُر السيفِ من ماجِدٍ عَمَم

The farthest reaches of the tribe were roused: I had bereaved them,

So they did not saddle until I stumbled over the spear

and the sword's breast had drunk again from a tall, well-built noble man.

And they did not bridle until I slipped from the tents.

فما أسْرَجُوا حتى تَعَثّرْتُ بالقَنَا

فما أسْرَجُوا حتى تَعَثّرْتُ بالقَنَا

ولا ألجَموا حتى مَرَقْتُ من الخِيَم

ولا ألجَموا حتى مَرَقْتُ من الخِيَم

They had not yet saddled when I stumbled among the spears,

And from between the two mantles you see them,

nor bridled when I darted out of the tents.

The soul's fringes and nature and propriety are delicate.

ومِن بَينِ بُرْدَيَّ اللذينِ تراهُما

ومِن بَينِ بُرْدَيَّ اللذينِ تراهُما

رقيقُ حواشي النفس والطبْع والشّيَم

رقيقُ حواشي النفس والطبْع والشّيَم

And between these two cloaks of mine that you see

It walks the course of Ibn 'Amr so it takes

is one tender in the contours of soul, temperament, and character,

The most splendid collection in its virtue as an example.

يَسيرُ على نَهْجِ ابنِ عَمْرٍو فيَقْتَدي

يَسيرُ على نَهْجِ ابنِ عَمْرٍو فيَقْتَدي

بأروَعَ مجْموعٍ على فَضْلِهِ الأُمَم

بأروَعَ مجْموعٍ على فَضْلِهِ الأُمَم

who walks the path of Ibn Amr, taking his example

from an awe-inspiring man on whose excellence the nations agree.