سَلا دارَها أن أَنبأ الطَلَلُ القفرُ

سَلا دارَها أن أَنبأ الطَلَلُ القفرُ

أَجادَ فروّاها سِوى أَدمعي قطرُ

أَجادَ فروّاها سِوى أَدمعي قطرُ

Ask, you two, her dwelling—if the desolate ruin can tell:

The ruins told the desert about her abode,

has any rain but my tears poured down and watered it?

And it excellently narrated, except for my falling tears.

وَهَل أَوقدَ السارون ناراً بأرضها

وَهَل أَوقدَ السارون ناراً بأرضها

فَكانَ لَها إلّا لظى كَبِدي جَمرُ

فَكانَ لَها إلّا لظى كَبِدي جَمرُ

Have night travelers kindled a fire upon its ground,

Did the tyrants ignite a fire in her land?

and were its embers anything but the blaze of my liver?

For only the embers of my liver were its flames.

وَما شَغَفي بالدار أَبكي رسُومَها

وَما شَغَفي بالدار أَبكي رسُومَها

وأَندبُها لَولا الصَبابةُ وَالذِكرُ

وأَندبُها لَولا الصَبابةُ وَالذِكرُ

What makes me love the dwelling, weeping over its traces

It is not passion for the house that makes me weep for its traces

and lamenting it, if not longing and remembrance?

And lament it, were it not for the youths and the memories.

ذكرتُ بها أَيّامَ جُملٍ وعهدُها

ذكرتُ بها أَيّامَ جُملٍ وعهدُها

جَميلٌ وَفينانُ الصِبا مونقٌ نَضرُ

جَميلٌ وَفينانُ الصِبا مونقٌ نَضرُ

There I recalled the days of Juml, when her time was

I remembered through it the days of beauty, and its epoch

beautiful, and luxuriant youth was delightful and fresh.

Was beautiful, and the prime of youth adorned with blossoms.

إِذِ العيشُ صَفوٌ والحَبائِبُ جيرةٌ

إِذِ العيشُ صَفوٌ والحَبائِبُ جيرةٌ

وَروضُ الهَوى غضٌّ حدائقه خُضرُ

وَروضُ الهَوى غضٌّ حدائقه خُضرُ

When life was untroubled and beloveds were neighbors,

When living was pure, and the loved ones were neighbors,

and love's meadow was tender, its gardens green.

And the meadow of passion was fresh, its gardens green.

أَميسُ اِرتياحاً في بُلهنية الصِبا

أَميسُ اِرتياحاً في بُلهنية الصِبا

تعانقني شَمسٌ وَيلثمني بَدرُ

تعانقني شَمسٌ وَيلثمني بَدرُ

I swayed in delight amid youth's carefree ease,

I lived in comfort in the prime of my youth,

a sun embracing me, and a full moon kissing me.

Cuddled by a sun, kissed by a full moon.

وَغَيداء من عُليا لؤيِّ بن غالبٍ

وَغَيداء من عُليا لؤيِّ بن غالبٍ

حَمتها المواضي والمثقَّفةُ السُمرُ

حَمتها المواضي والمثقَّفةُ السُمرُ

And a graceful maiden from Lu'ayy ibn Ghalib's noblest line:

The white-skinned beauty, daughter of Ulya bin Ghalib,

keen swords and straightened, dusky spears guarded her.

Protected by plains and perfumed blond hair.

وأقسمُ لو لَم تحمِها البيضُ والقَنا

وأقسمُ لو لَم تحمِها البيضُ والقَنا

لأغنى غناها الخُنزوانةُ والكبرُ

لأغنى غناها الخُنزوانةُ والكبرُ

And I swear, had bright swords and lances not guarded her,

I swear, if the eggs and arrows did not protect her,

haughtiness and pride would have served their purpose.

Her singing and poetry would have been enough.

هيَ الظبيةُ الأدماءُ لَولا قوامُها

هيَ الظبيةُ الأدماءُ لَولا قوامُها

وَشَمسُ الضُحى لَولا المباسمُ وَالثغرُ

وَشَمسُ الضُحى لَولا المباسمُ وَالثغرُ

She is a pale, tawny-tinged gazelle, but for her stature,

She is a rosy gazelle, were it not for her figure,

and the midmorning sun, but for her smiles and mouth.

And the morning sun, were it not for her smile and mouth.

تُطاولُ زُهرَ الأفق أَزهارُ نَعتها

تُطاولُ زُهرَ الأفق أَزهارُ نَعتها

وَيستنزلُ الشِعرى لأَوصافها الشِعرُ

وَيستنزلُ الشِعرى لأَوصافها الشِعرُ

The blossoms of her description rival the horizon's bright stars,

The flowers of the horizon vie with the flowers of her attributes,

and poetry draws Sirius down to portray her.

And poetry comes down to describe her in verse.

أَطعتُ هَواها ما اِستَطَعتُ ولم يكن

أَطعتُ هَواها ما اِستَطَعتُ ولم يكن

لغير الهَوى نهيٌ عليَّ ولا أَمرُ

لغير الهَوى نهيٌ عليَّ ولا أَمرُ

I obeyed my love for her as far as I could; there was

I obeyed her love as much as I could, and none had

no prohibition or command over me except love's.

Over me concerning her love any prohibition or order.

لَقَد ضَلَّ مشغوفُ الفؤاد بغادَةٍ

لَقَد ضَلَّ مشغوفُ الفؤاد بغادَةٍ

معدُّ بن عَدنانٍ بن أدٍّ لها نَجرُ

معدُّ بن عَدنانٍ بن أدٍّ لها نَجرُ

Truly, he has gone astray whose heart is besotted with a maiden

Lost indeed is he, whose heart is obsessed with Ghada,

whose ancestral stock is Ma'add ibn Adnan ibn Udd.

Mu'addi bin 'Adnan bin Udad, her neighbor.

إِذا نُثِرَت يَوماً كِنانةُ ناظرٍ

إِذا نُثِرَت يَوماً كِنانةُ ناظرٍ

لعاشِقها ثارَت كِنانةُ وَالنضرُ

لعاشِقها ثارَت كِنانةُ وَالنضرُ

If one day a glance's quiver is emptied

If the coquetry of her eyes is scattered one day,

for her lover, Kinanah and al-Nadr rise in anger.

For her lover, her coquetry and sight arise.

يَغارون أَن يَهوى فَتاهم فتاتَهم

يَغارون أَن يَهوى فَتاهم فتاتَهم

وَهَل في هوى خلٍّ لخلَّته نُكرُ

وَهَل في هوى خلٍّ لخلَّته نُكرُ

They grow jealous that their young man should love their maiden;

They resent that their handsome youth should love their belle,

yet is there any wrong in a lover's love for his beloved?

Is there any shame in a confidant loving his confidante?

وَما ضَرَّهم لو لُفَّ شَملي بشَملها

وَما ضَرَّهم لو لُفَّ شَملي بشَملها

وَقَد لَفَّت الأَعراقَ ما بيننا فِهرُ

وَقَد لَفَّت الأَعراقَ ما بيننا فِهرُ

What harm would it do them if my life were joined to hers,

It would not have harmed them had my relationship embraced hers,

when Fihr has already bound our bloodlines together?

While estrangement has separated what is between us.

إِلى اللَه من حُبّي فَتاةً مَنيعةً

إِلى اللَه من حُبّي فَتاةً مَنيعةً

وَفائي لها ما بين أَقوامها غدرُ

وَفائي لها ما بين أَقوامها غدرُ

To God I appeal over my love for an unassailable maiden:

I seek refuge in God from my love of an aloof beauty,

my faithfulness to her is treachery among her clans.

And my loyalty to her, while treason spreads among her folk.

تُطِلُّ دماء العاشقين لعلمها

تُطِلُّ دماء العاشقين لعلمها

بأَنَّ دماءَ العاشقين لها هَدرُ

بأَنَّ دماءَ العاشقين لها هَدرُ

She sheds lovers' blood with impunity, knowing

She sheds the blood of lovers, knowing

that lovers' blood goes unavenged for her.

That shedding the blood of lovers is easy for her.

كأَنَّ لها وتراً على كُلِّ عاشقٍ

كأَنَّ لها وتراً على كُلِّ عاشقٍ

وَقَد أَقسمت أَن لا ينامَ لها وترُ

وَقَد أَقسمت أَن لا ينامَ لها وترُ

As though she had a blood-debt against every lover,

As if she has a string on every lover,

and had sworn that no blood-debt owed her should sleep.

She swore his string would not sleep.

أعاذلُ مَهلاً غيرُ سَمعي للائمٍ

أعاذلُ مَهلاً غيرُ سَمعي للائمٍ

فَقَد ظهر المكنونُ واِتَّضح العُذرُ

فَقَد ظهر المكنونُ واِتَّضح العُذرُ

O censurer, gently! My ear is not for reproach,

I excuse lengthily, while none hear the blamer,

for what was hidden is revealed, and my excuse is clear.

So the hidden is revealed and the excuse exposed.

لعمري لَقَد حاولتَ نُصحي وإنَّما

لعمري لَقَد حاولتَ نُصحي وإنَّما

بِسَمعيَ عمّا أَنتَ مُسمعُهُ وقرُ

بِسَمعيَ عمّا أَنتَ مُسمعُهُ وقرُ

By my life, you have indeed tried to counsel me, but

By my life, you have tried to advise me, but

my ear is deaf to what you tell me.

My ear turns only to what you allow it to hear.

وَقبلَك لامَ اللائمون فَلَم يَكن

وَقبلَك لامَ اللائمون فَلَم يَكن

لهم عند أَهل العشق حمدٌ ولا أَجرُ

لهم عند أَهل العشق حمدٌ ولا أَجرُ

Before you, reproachers reproached, but there was

Before you blamed the lovers, but

neither praise nor reward for them among lovers.

They have with the people of passion no praise or reward.

وَمِن قَبلُ ما لَجَّ المحبُّون في الهَوى

وَمِن قَبلُ ما لَجَّ المحبُّون في الهَوى

وَما جَهِلوا أَنَّ الهوى مركبٌ وَعرُ

وَما جَهِلوا أَنَّ الهوى مركبٌ وَعرُ

And long before, lovers persisted stubbornly in love,

Before this, the enamored entered into love,

and were not ignorant that love is a rough ride.

Not knowing that love is a bumpy ride.

وَأَمسوا يَرومون الوصال فأَصبحوا

وَأَمسوا يَرومون الوصال فأَصبحوا

وأَيديهمُ مِمّا يَرومونَه صِفرُ

وأَيديهمُ مِمّا يَرومونَه صِفرُ

And they spent the evening seeking union, then faced the morning

They harbored hopes of union, but awoke

with their hands empty of what they sought.

With hands empty of what they sought.

وَما نَكِرَ العشّاق هَجراً ولا قِلىً

وَما نَكِرَ العشّاق هَجراً ولا قِلىً

فَما طابَ وصلٌ قطُّ لَو لَم يكن هَجرُ

فَما طابَ وصلٌ قطُّ لَو لَم يكن هَجرُ

And lovers never found estrangement or aversion strange,

The lovers do not deny estrangement or torment,

for union could never be sweet were there no estrangement.

For no union tastes good unless estrangement precedes it.

وإِنّي على ما بي من الوَجدِ والأَسى

وإِنّي على ما بي من الوَجدِ والأَسى

لذو مِرَّة لا يستفزُّنيَ الدَهرُ

لذو مِرَّة لا يستفزُّنيَ الدَهرُ

Yet I, despite the longing and sorrow within me,

And I, with the passion and sorrow within me,

am strong of resolve; time cannot unsettle me.

Am of bitter disposition, which fate cannot provoke.

أَرى الصَبرَ مِثلَ الشهد طعماً إذا عرت

أَرى الصَبرَ مِثلَ الشهد طعماً إذا عرت

مُلمَّاتهُ وَالصَبرُ مثلُ اسمِه صَبرُ

مُلمَّاتهُ وَالصَبرُ مثلُ اسمِه صَبرُ

I find patience sweet as honey when I am struck by

I see patience as the taste of honey when

time's afflictions—though patience, like its namesake aloe, is bitter.

You lick it, and patience is like its name, patience.

وإنّي من القَوم الألى شيَّدوا العُلى

وإنّي من القَوم الألى شيَّدوا العُلى

إِذا نقموا ضرّوا وإِن نعموا بَرّوا

إِذا نقموا ضرّوا وإِن نعموا بَرّوا

And I am of the people who built up lofty glory:

And I am of the exalted people who,

when they take vengeance, they harm; if they prosper, they do good.

When offended, were harmful, and when blessed, were righteous.

وإِن وَعَدوا أَوفوا وإِن أَوعَدوا عَفوا

وإِن وَعَدوا أَوفوا وإِن أَوعَدوا عَفوا

وإِن غَضِبوا ساؤوا وإِن حلموا سَرّوا

وإِن غَضِبوا ساؤوا وإِن حلموا سَرّوا

And if they promise, they fulfill; if they threaten, they pardon.

When they promised, they fulfilled, and when they threatened, they forgave.

And if they grow angry, they distress; if they forbear, they bring joy.

When angry, they were evil, and when forbearing, they were good.

هُمُ سادةُ الدنيا وَساسَةُ أَهلها

هُمُ سادةُ الدنيا وَساسَةُ أَهلها

وهم غررُ العَليا وأَنجمُها الزُهرُ

وهم غررُ العَليا وأَنجمُها الزُهرُ

They are the masters of the world and the rulers of its people,

They are the masters of the world and itsstatesmen,

and they are glory's radiant brows and its bright stars.

And the finest of the exalted, their blossoms most fragrant.

بَنو هاشمٍ رهطُ النَبيِّ محمَّدٍ

بَنو هاشمٍ رهطُ النَبيِّ محمَّدٍ

به لهم دون الوَرى وَجَبَ الفَخرُ

به لهم دون الوَرى وَجَبَ الفَخرُ

The sons of Hashim, the clan of the Prophet Muhammad:

The clan of Hashim, kin of the Prophet Mohammed,

through him, pride became their due above all humankind.

Through him, above all creation, excellence was due.

هُمُ أَصلُه الزاكي ومحتِدُه الَّذي

هُمُ أَصلُه الزاكي ومحتِدُه الَّذي

زَكا فَزَكا فَرعٌ له وَذكا نشرُ

زَكا فَزَكا فَرعٌ له وَذكا نشرُ

They are his pure root and the ancestral stock that

He is their pure root and their sharp one, who

was pure; its branch was thus pure, and its fragrance grew strong.

When purified, produced a branch, and when keen, published far and wide.

وَهَل يُنبِتُ الخَطّيَّ إِلّا وَشيجُهُ

وَهَل يُنبِتُ الخَطّيَّ إِلّا وَشيجُهُ

وَيطلع إلّا في حدائقه الزَهرُ

وَيطلع إلّا في حدائقه الزَهرُ

And does a Khatti lance grow from anything but its reed stock,

Does a sweet basil plant grow but from its seed?

and do flowers bloom anywhere but in their own gardens?

Or bloom, but in its own gardens?

أَلا أَيُّها الساعي ليُدرِكَ شأوَهم

أَلا أَيُّها الساعي ليُدرِكَ شأوَهم

رويدَك لا تجهَد فَقَد قُضيَ الأَمرُ

رويدَك لا تجهَد فَقَد قُضيَ الأَمرُ

Listen, you who strive to match their reach:

Beware, O you who seek to attain their glory,

easy now; do not strain—the matter is already settled.

Go slowly, do not exert, for the matter is settled.

وَإِن كنتَ في شَكٍّ مُريبٍ فَسَل بهم

وَإِن كنتَ في شَكٍّ مُريبٍ فَسَل بهم

خَبيراً فعنهم صدَّق الخَبَر الخُبرُ

خَبيراً فعنهم صدَّق الخَبَر الخُبرُ

And if you are in troubling doubt, ask about them

If you are in troubling doubt about them, then ask

one who knows: experience has confirmed what is told of them.

An expert, for the reports have proven truthful about them.

وَقَد ينكرُ الصبحَ المنير أَخو عمىً

وَقَد ينكرُ الصبحَ المنير أَخو عمىً

وإِلّا فما بالصُبح عن ناظِرٍ سَترُ

وإِلّا فما بالصُبح عن ناظِرٍ سَترُ

And a blind man may deny the radiant morning;

The brilliant dawn may be denied by a blind kinsman,

otherwise, no veil hides the morning from a seeing eye.

But else, why would the dawn conceal from a seer?

إِذا عُدَّ منهم أَحمدٌ واِبنُ عمِّه

إِذا عُدَّ منهم أَحمدٌ واِبنُ عمِّه

وَعَمّاهُ واِبناهُ وبضعَتُهُ الطُهرُ

وَعَمّاهُ واِبناهُ وبضعَتُهُ الطُهرُ

If among them are counted Ahmad and his cousin,

When counted among them are Ahmed, his cousin,

and his two uncles, his two sons, and his pure flesh-and-blood daughter,

His uncle, his sons, and his immaculate daughter.

وعترتُه الغرُّ الهداةُ ومن لهم

وعترتُه الغرُّ الهداةُ ومن لهم

مَناقبُ لا تَفنى وإِن فَنيَ الدهرُ

مَناقبُ لا تَفنى وإِن فَنيَ الدهرُ

and his radiant kindred, the guides, and those whose

And his chaste family, the finest guides, and those who

virtues never perish, even if time perishes,

Have merits that do not vanish, though time vanishes.

فَقَد أَحرَزوا دونَ الأنام مفاخراً

فَقَد أَحرَزوا دونَ الأنام مفاخراً

تَضيق لأدناها البَسيطةُ والبَحرُ

تَضيق لأدناها البَسيطةُ والبَحرُ

then they have won, beyond all mankind, glories

Then they have secured, beyond all people, glories

for the least of which earth and sea are too small.

Too narrow for the plain or the sea at its widest.

أولئك آبائي فجئني بمثلهم

أولئك آبائي فجئني بمثلهم

إِذا جمع الأَقيالَ أَنديةٌ زُهرُ

إِذا جمع الأَقيالَ أَنديةٌ زُهرُ

Those are my forefathers—so bring me their like

They are my forefathers, so bring me their equals,

when radiant assemblies gather the chieftains.

If gatherings of nobles are adorned with blossoms.

عليهم صَلاةُ اللَه ما ذرَّ شارِقٌ

عليهم صَلاةُ اللَه ما ذرَّ شارِقٌ

وَما لاحَ في الآفاق من نورهم فجرُ

وَما لاحَ في الآفاق من نورهم فجرُ

God's blessing be upon them as long as the sun rises,

May the prayers of God be upon them, as long as the east glows,

and as long as a dawn of their light gleams across the horizons.

And as long as their light shines in the horizons from dawn.