لِمَنْ ظعنٌ سوائِرٌ كالحِرَاجِ

لِمَنْ ظعنٌ سوائِرٌ كالحِرَاجِ

رَمى الحَادي بها عُرضَ الفِجَاجِ

رَمى الحَادي بها عُرضَ الفِجَاجِ

Whose are these journeying litters, like dense groves?

For whom are flowing robes like silk curtains,

The camel-driver drove them across the broad passes.

Cast by fate upon the expanse of the deserts,

تَنَازَعْنَ الدُّجى ولَبِسنَ منه

تَنَازَعْنَ الدُّجى ولَبِسنَ منه

خَميصَةَ مُعْلَمِ الطَّرفينِ دَاجِ

خَميصَةَ مُعْلَمِ الطَّرفينِ دَاجِ

They contended with the darkness and donned from it

They contended with darkness and from it dawned

a dark cloak, patterned at both edges.

A shirt whose edges were fringed by the dawn light,

أَاِنْ صاحَ الغرابُ بآلِ سُعْدَى

أَاِنْ صاحَ الغرابُ بآلِ سُعْدَى

جَزعْتَ وكلُّ آَمْنٍ لانْزِعَاجِ

جَزعْتَ وكلُّ آَمْنٍ لانْزِعَاجِ

Was it because the crow cried over Su'da's household

If the raven cries over the abode of Sa'dah

that you grew distraught? Everyone secure is liable to alarm.

You become anxious while all else remain undisturbed,

عشيةَ فارقتكَ ولم تُودعْ

عشيةَ فارقتكَ ولم تُودعْ

وأَينَ من الوَداعِ طِلابُ حاج

وأَينَ من الوَداعِ طِلابُ حاج

On the evening she left you without bidding farewell—

One evening I left you without bidding farewell,

what room is there for farewell in pursuing needs?

But where is farewell needed for seekers of union?

فما وَجَدْ بها وجدي فَتَاةٌ

فما وَجَدْ بها وجدي فَتَاةٌ

أُصِيْبَ شَقيقُها يومَ الهِيَاجِ

أُصِيْبَ شَقيقُها يومَ الهِيَاجِ

No maiden has grieved as I have for her,

So I found no solace in her, a delicate damsel

whose brother was struck down on a day of battle.

Whose brother was slain on the day of turmoil,

غدا في فتيةٍ ثكلوا مناهم

غدا في فتيةٍ ثكلوا مناهم

ولاقوا فورةَ الطَّعنِ الخِلاجِ

ولاقوا فورةَ الطَّعنِ الخِلاجِ

He went forth among young men bereaved of their hopes

On the morrow among the youths who lost their loved ones

and met the fury of wrenching spear-thrusts.

And met with the heat of piercing, deadly lances,

تعارضتِ الغلولُ على ارتياعٍ

تعارضتِ الغلولُ على ارتياعٍ

لتسأَلَ عن أَخيها كلَّ نَاجِ

لتسأَلَ عن أَخيها كلَّ نَاجِ

She crossed among the stolen spoils in alarm,

The rolling folds contended in perturbation

to ask every survivor about her brother.

To ask about her brother each wailing woman,

أَرى النَّسْرين وهي ترى سُهيلاً

أَرى النَّسْرين وهي ترى سُهيلاً

مُغِذ الأُمَّهاتِ عن النِتاجِ

مُغِذ الأُمَّهاتِ عن النِتاجِ

I see the two Eagles, while she sees Suhayl,

I look upon Capella, and it looks upon Suhail,

which hastens mothers away from their young.

Feeder of mothers, from the newborn separated,

وبين النَّسْرِ والنَّجْمِ اليَماني

وبين النَّسْرِ والنَّجْمِ اليَماني

كما بين الأَسنةِ والزُّجَاجِ

كما بين الأَسنةِ والزُّجَاجِ

And between the Eagle and the Yemeni star

And between the star and star of al-Yaman

is a separation like that between spearheads and butt-spikes.

Is as between the spearpoint and mirror image,

فلا يُدنيكَ الاَّ مُدنياتٌ

فلا يُدنيكَ الاَّ مُدنياتٌ

أَنِفنَ من التأوّه والضِجَاجِ

أَنِفنَ من التأوّه والضِجَاجِ

Nothing brings you near but distance-shortening she-camels,

So none may approach you but noble ladies

which scorn groaning and noisy complaint.

Who disdain sighing and loud lamentations,

ملكنَ على المفاوزِ كلَّ تِيْهٍ

ملكنَ على المفاوزِ كلَّ تِيْهٍ

خَفِيّ السَّمْتِ مُنْخَرِقِ الفِجَاجِ

خَفِيّ السَّمْتِ مُنْخَرِقِ الفِجَاجِ

They mastered every wilderness amid the deserts,

They ruled the desolate valleys and every wilderness

whose course is hidden and whose passes spread wide.

Of hidden trails and cleft ravines,

كأَطرافِ الرِّماحِ مُسدَّدَاتٍ

كأَطرافِ الرِّماحِ مُسدَّدَاتٍ

الى ثُغَرِ الهَواجرِ والدَّياجِي

الى ثُغَرِ الهَواجرِ والدَّياجِي

Like lance-tips, they were aimed straight

Like spear-tips, leveled,

at the breaches of scorching noons and dark nights.

At the cheeks of maidens and chaste ladies,

دَمُ الأَجوافِ بعدَ حليّ نجدٍ

دَمُ الأَجوافِ بعدَ حليّ نجدٍ

رواجع جِرَّةِ القُلُصِ النَّواجِي

رواجع جِرَّةِ القُلُصِ النَّواجِي

The blood in their bellies, after Najd's feather grass,

The blood of maidens after the necklaces of Nejd

was the regurgitated cud of the fleet young she-camels.

Were displaced by the pulling of the twisted ropes,

دَفَعْنَ ذَلاذِلَ الظلماءِ حتى

دَفَعْنَ ذَلاذِلَ الظلماءِ حتى

بدَا منهن وِرْدٌ ذو انبِلاجِ

بدَا منهن وِرْدٌ ذو انبِلاجِ

They thrust aside the trailing hems of darkness until

They repelled the slaves of darkness until

a dawn-bright watering place appeared through them.

From them appeared a bouquet with gleaming flowers,

وقد شَرَدَتْ نُجُومُ الليلِ منهُ

وقد شَرَدَتْ نُجُومُ الليلِ منهُ

شُرودَ الخاذلاتِ من النَعَاجِ

شُرودَ الخاذلاتِ من النَعَاجِ

And already the stars of night had fled from it,

And the stars of night were scattered by it

as flee wild does that abandon the herd.

Like sheep scattered by their shepherd,

جَوافل والسُّها من آلِ نعشٍ

جَوافل والسُّها من آلِ نعشٍ

مكانَ القُرطِ من أُذنِ المناجِي

مكانَ القُرطِ من أُذنِ المناجِي

Fleeing swiftly; and al-Suha, among Na'sh's family,

Companies of cavalry from the clan of Na'sh

lay like an earring at a whisperer's ear.

Took the place of earrings on the ear of the beloved,

وأَعرضتِ العَوائدُ واستدارتْ

وأَعرضتِ العَوائدُ واستدارتْ

عواطف ما يَعُجنَ الى مَعَاجِ

عواطف ما يَعُجنَ الى مَعَاجِ

The returning stars turned aside and wheeled round,

The returning messengers turned away

bending back, yet turning toward no place of return.

From passions that ferment into affliction,

كأَنَّ البدرَ تعلوه الثُّريَّا

كأَنَّ البدرَ تعلوه الثُّريَّا

مليكٌ فوقهُ خَرَزَاتُ تَاجِ

مليكٌ فوقهُ خَرَزَاتُ تَاجِ

It was as though the full moon, with the Pleiades above it,

As if the full moon wore above it the Pleiades

were a king with a crown's jewels above him.

A sovereign over which jeweled crowns shine,

يُحيي الليلَ وهو له عدوٌّ

يُحيي الليلَ وهو له عدوٌّ

كما يلقاكَ بالبِشْرِ المُدَاجي

كما يلقاكَ بالبِشْرِ المُدَاجي

It greets the night, though it is its enemy,

It greets the night though night is its enemy

as a dissembler meets you with a smile.

Just as you greet me though I make you suffer,

دَعَاني للغِنَى فَصَدَدْتُ عنه

دَعَاني للغِنَى فَصَدَدْتُ عنه

فتىً أَعيا مقالِدَه رِتَاجِي

فتىً أَعيا مقالِدَه رِتَاجِي

He invited me to riches, but I turned away from him:

He called me to wealth but I turned away,

a young man whose keys my barred door defeated.

A youth who could not grasp the reins of his mount,

وما يُدْرِيه ما عدَمي وَوفرِي

وما يُدْرِيه ما عدَمي وَوفرِي

وما مقدارُ فَقْرِي واحتياجِي

وما مقدارُ فَقْرِي واحتياجِي

And what tells him of my want and plenty,

He knows not what I lack and what abounds in me

or the measure of my poverty and need?

Nor the extent of my poverty and need,

كلا الحالينِ رامَ أَبو شُجَاعٍ

كلا الحالينِ رامَ أَبو شُجَاعٍ

فلم يظْفَر بحزني وابتهاجي

فلم يظْفَر بحزني وابتهاجي

Abu Shuja' sought to fathom both my states,

Abu Shujaa tried both conditions

but could not grasp my sorrow or my joy.

But grasped neither my joy nor my sorrow,

لَعَمرُ أَبيكَ انَّ بني تميمٍ

لَعَمرُ أَبيكَ انَّ بني تميمٍ

أَحقُ بأَنْ يُسَامِحَهُمْ لجاجِي

أَحقُ بأَنْ يُسَامِحَهُمْ لجاجِي

By your father's life, surely the sons of Tamim

By your father's life, the clan of Tamim

have the stronger claim to have my obstinacy relent toward them.

Most deserves that I make peace with them,

وقبلكَ ما عصيتُ ثِقافُ سعدٍ

وقبلكَ ما عصيتُ ثِقافُ سعدٍ

فزادَ ثقافُ سعدٍ في اعوجاجِي

فزادَ ثقافُ سعدٍ في اعوجاجِي

Even before you, I defied Sa'd's spear-straightener,

And before you none of Thaqaf ibn Sa'd's kin

so Sa'd's straightener increased my crookedness.

Disobeyed me, so Thaqaf ibn Sa'd increased my crookedness,

سأُهدي لابنِ حَمْدٍ مُحكماتٍ

سأُهدي لابنِ حَمْدٍ مُحكماتٍ

من الكلمِ المصونِ بلا مِزَاجِ

من الكلمِ المصونِ بلا مِزَاجِ

I shall offer Ibn Hamd finely wrought verses

I will gift to Ibn Hamd's son some wise sayings

of carefully guarded words, without admixture.

Of words guarded without corruption,

أَلا للهِ والعَلياءِ قومٌ

أَلا للهِ والعَلياءِ قومٌ

أَهابَ بوردِ جارِهم المُحَاجِي

أَهابَ بوردِ جارِهم المُحَاجِي

Ah, to God and high glory belong a people

Lo! By God and the virtuous, a people

whose neighbor the challenger summoned to water.

Who esteem the rose garden of their neighbor,

لجأتُ فأَيُّ عصمةِ مستجيرٍ

لجأتُ فأَيُّ عصمةِ مستجيرٍ

عَلِقْتُ بِحُجْرَتيه وأيُّ لاجِ

عَلِقْتُ بِحُجْرَتيه وأيُّ لاجِ

I sought refuge—what protection for a suppliant

I sought refuge so which refuge of one seeking protection

I clung to at his two sides—and what a refuge-seeker!

Did I cling to, and which shelter gave me peace?

وَعَوَّدَني الهُجُومَ على نَدَاهُ

وَعَوَّدَني الهُجُومَ على نَدَاهُ

كريمٌ لا يُخَيِّبُ ظنَّ رَاجِ

كريمٌ لا يُخَيِّبُ ظنَّ رَاجِ

And he accustomed me to rushing upon his bounty:

And your noble one accustomed me to charge against spears

a generous man who disappoints no hopeful seeker.

A generous man who never disappoints one who hopes,

له وجهٌ يَشِفُّ البِشْرُ فيهِ

له وجهٌ يَشِفُّ البِشْرُ فيهِ

شفيفَ البابليةِ في الزُّجَاجِ

شفيفَ البابليةِ في الزُّجَاجِ

His is a face through which cheerfulness shines,

His face brings joy, the smile upon it

as Babylonian wine gleams through glass.

Is like light upon Babylonian glass,

فقل لبهاءِ دولةِ آل كِسْرى

فقل لبهاءِ دولةِ آل كِسْرى

أَعنْ حَسَنٍ عنيتَ بمن تُناجي

أَعنْ حَسَنٍ عنيتَ بمن تُناجي

So say to Baha' al-Dawla of Kisra's house:

Say to the splendor of Al-Kisra's family

Was it Hasan you meant by the one you address in confidence?

"Aid Hasan whom you addressed in intimacy,"

ستذكره انِ اندَرعتْ خُطُوبٌ

ستذكره انِ اندَرعتْ خُطُوبٌ

تجلُّ عن التثبُّطِ والرَّواجِ

تجلُّ عن التثبُّطِ والرَّواجِ

You will remember him if calamities rush forth,

You will remember him if events donned

too grave for hesitation or coming and going.

Their mantles, negating depression and grief,

وأَيُّ الناسِ مثلُ أَبي عليٍّ

وأَيُّ الناسِ مثلُ أَبي عليٍّ

اذا فَجَأَتْ بروعتها الفواجي

اذا فَجَأَتْ بروعتها الفواجي

And who among men is like Abu Ali

And which person is like my father 'Ali

when sudden calamities strike in all their terror?

If natural talents surpass expectations?

أَقَلُّهُمُ بما يَحوي سروراً

أَقَلُّهُمُ بما يَحوي سروراً

وأَبصرُهم بكيٍّ أَو نِضَاجِ

وأَبصرُهم بكيٍّ أَو نِضَاجِ

Least delighted among them by what he possesses,

He who contains in life the least joy

and their keenest judge of cautery or ripening.

And is most perceptive of misery or mirth,

رِشَاءٌ نُطْتَهُ والوِرْدُ نَهْرٌ

رِشَاءٌ نُطْتَهُ والوِرْدُ نَهْرٌ

الى ذاتِ العَراقي والعِنَاجِ

الى ذاتِ العَراقي والعِنَاجِ

A well-rope you fastened—though your water is a river—

A flowered meadow is my visit to him and roses a river

to a bucket with crossbars and a supporting rope.

To one with an Iraqi accent and bent branches,

يُريكَ سِوَاكَ وهو اليكَ دَانٍ

يُريكَ سِوَاكَ وهو اليكَ دَانٍ

دُنُوَّ الأَيمِ قَصْداً في انعِرَاجِ

دُنُوَّ الأَيمِ قَصْداً في انعِرَاجِ

He shows you someone else, while drawing close to you,

He shows you nothing but kindness though he is yours

like a serpent's approach: straight in purpose, winding in course.

Forever devoted in his inclination,

به انفرجتْ هُمومُكَ بعدَ ضِيْقٍ

به انفرجتْ هُمومُكَ بعدَ ضِيْقٍ

وغاياتِ الهُمومِ الى انِفرَاجِ

وغاياتِ الهُمومِ الى انِفرَاجِ

Through him your cares were eased after distress,

Through him your anxiety was relieved after distress

and the ends of cares lead toward relief.

And tribulations reached their conclusion,

ويومَ البَصْرةِ استَلَبَتْ يَدَاهُ

ويومَ البَصْرةِ استَلَبَتْ يَدَاهُ

رميضَ الشفرتينِ عن الوداجِ

رميضَ الشفرتينِ عن الوداجِ

And on the day of Basra his two hands snatched

And the day at Basra his hands stripped away

the blade, honed on both edges, from the jugular.

The flinging to and fro of the two swords,

وقد رَبَضتْ لوثبتها رجالٌ

وقد رَبَضتْ لوثبتها رجالٌ

تَحامَوا عَدوةَ الأَسدِ المُهَاجِ

تَحامَوا عَدوةَ الأَسدِ المُهَاجِ

While men had crouched, awaiting its leap,

And men crouched to leap, lions

they shunned the charge of the roused lion.

Against the enemy's assault like angry lions,

وذلك اِنْ شكرتَ له مُقامٌ

وذلك اِنْ شكرتَ له مُقامٌ

أَقر قرارَ عينِكَ في الحِجَاجِ

أَقر قرارَ عينِكَ في الحِجَاجِ

And that—if you thank him—was a stand

And so reward him with an abode

that settled your eye firmly in its socket.

To soothe your eye in the Hijaz,

وبالأهوازِ قادِ مسوماتٍ

وبالأهوازِ قادِ مسوماتٍ

طَفَحْنَ من المَحاني والشِّراجِ

طَفَحْنَ من المَحاني والشِّراجِ

And at al-Ahwaz he led marked steeds

At Ahvaz leading spirited horses

that poured forth from winding hollows and watercourses.

Who gushed forth from the troughs and paddocks,

اذا مَرَّتْ سنابكُها بقاعٍ

اذا مَرَّتْ سنابكُها بقاعٍ

خلعن عليه أرديةَ العَجَاجِ

خلعن عليه أرديةَ العَجَاجِ

When their hooves crossed a level plain,

When their hybrids passed through a land

they bestowed upon it robes of swirling dust.

They adorned it with gowns of varied colors,

تخايلَ في المراكزِ كلُّ رمحٍ

تخايلَ في المراكزِ كلُّ رمحٍ

كأَنَّ سِنَانَهُ لَهَبُ السِّراجِ

كأَنَّ سِنَانَهُ لَهَبُ السِّراجِ

Every lance swaggered where it stood planted,

Prancing at the halting places, every spear

as though its spearhead were a lamp's flame.

As if its point were the flame of a lamp,

فذاكَ فتىً تنالُ الكأسُ منه

فذاكَ فتىً تنالُ الكأسُ منه

وتعرِفُ همَّه المقلُ السَّواجي

وتعرِفُ همَّه المقلُ السَّواجي

That is a young man whom the winecup can sway,

That is the youth from whom goblets are passed

and languid eyes know his concern.

And his care is known to intimate friends,

فانكَ لا تَرى في العيشِ فَرقاً

فانكَ لا تَرى في العيشِ فَرقاً

يُرى بين العُذُوبةِ والأُجَاجِ

يُرى بين العُذُوبةِ والأُجَاجِ

For you see no difference in life

For you see no difference in life

like that seen between sweetness and bitter brine.

Between sweetness and bitterness,

وأكثرُ هذه الشهواتِ خبلٌ

وأكثرُ هذه الشهواتِ خبلٌ

وأَمراضٌ تُدَاوى بالعِلاجِ

وأَمراضٌ تُدَاوى بالعِلاجِ

And most of these appetites are madness

Most of these passions are madness

and ailments healed by treatment.

And illness cured only by remedies,

وكلُّ الناسِ غيرُكَ يا بن حمدٍ

وكلُّ الناسِ غيرُكَ يا بن حمدٍ

وغَيري خائفٌ للدَّهرِ راجِ

وغَيري خائفٌ للدَّهرِ راجِ

And all people but you, O Ibn Hamd,

All people other than you, Ibn Hamd,

and me, fear Time and hope in it.

And other than I fear the fickle days,

وليس لأَننا فيهِ سَواءٌ

وليس لأَننا فيهِ سَواءٌ

وبعضُ القومِ يَمْدَحُ وهو هَاجِ

وبعضُ القومِ يَمْدَحُ وهو هَاجِ

Yet not because we are equal in it:

It's not because we're equal in them

some people praise while satirizing.

Though some praise while in rage,