ومُستثقلٍ للشّامِ عزمي وربّما

ومُستثقلٍ للشّامِ عزمي وربّما

سَبَقتُ إلى الوِردِ القَطا وهو سادِكُ

سَبَقتُ إلى الوِردِ القَطا وهو سادِكُ

One who thinks my resolve for Syria slow—though often

And many a man finds my resolve for Syria burdensome, though often

I have outstripped the sandgrouse to the watering-place, though they kept their steady course.

I have beaten the sandgrouse to the watering-place, though it was settled there.

لَعَمركَ ما خلّفتُ في أرضِ بابلٍ

لَعَمركَ ما خلّفتُ في أرضِ بابلٍ

هَوايَ ولا ضاقتْ عليّ المسالِكُ

هَوايَ ولا ضاقتْ عليّ المسالِكُ

By your life, I left no longing behind in the land of Babylon,

By your life, I did not leave behind in the land of Babylon

nor were the roads too narrow for me.

my heart's desire, nor did the roads close in upon me.

تبيتُ مَطايا الهَمِّ وهي شَوارِدٌ

تبيتُ مَطايا الهَمِّ وهي شَوارِدٌ

لها بين قلبي والضُّلوعِ مَبارِكُ

لها بين قلبي والضُّلوعِ مَبارِكُ

The mounts of care pass the night roaming astray;

The mounts of care spend the night, though they are strays,

between my heart and ribs lie their blessed kneeling grounds.

with resting-places between my heart and ribs.

أبَى الضيمَ لي أنْ أقبلَ الضيمَ صارمٌ

أبَى الضيمَ لي أنْ أقبلَ الضيمَ صارمٌ

وقلبٌ إذا سيمَ الدنيّةَ فاتِكُ

وقلبٌ إذا سيمَ الدنيّةَ فاتِكُ

A keen sword of mine refuses to let me accept humiliation,

A keen sword wards off humiliation for me, forbidding me to accept it,

and a heart, when offered baseness, turns deadly.

and a heart ruthless whenever it is offered abasement.

وكفٌّ بفعلِ الخيرِ والشّرِ ثرَّةٌ

وكفٌّ بفعلِ الخيرِ والشّرِ ثرَّةٌ

وسنٌ على ما أحدثَ الدهرُ ضاحِكُ

وسنٌ على ما أحدثَ الدهرُ ضاحِكُ

A hand pours richly forth in deeds of good and ill,

And a hand lavish in doing good and evil,

and teeth laugh at whatever time brings forth.

and a tooth that laughs at whatever time has brought.

يَودُّ الردى لي مَعشرٌ بنفوسِهم

يَودُّ الردى لي مَعشرٌ بنفوسِهم

وإنْ سَلكوا الفجَّ الذي أنا سالِكُ

وإنْ سَلكوا الفجَّ الذي أنا سالِكُ

A company wishes death upon me, staking their own souls,

Some wish me death at the cost of their own lives,

even should they enter the very mountain pass I take.

even if they take the pass that I am taking.

فكيفَ تردونَ القصائدَ بعدَما

فكيفَ تردونَ القصائدَ بعدَما

شَرَدْنَ وهنّ المُحصَناتُ الفَوارِكُ

شَرَدْنَ وهنّ المُحصَناتُ الفَوارِكُ

How can poems bound for their goal be turned back, after

How, then, will you bring the poems back once

they have bolted—guarded, chaste women who spurn their husbands?

they have fled—those chaste wives who hate their husbands?

إذا أعظُمي زارتْ من الأرضِ حُفرةً

إذا أعظُمي زارتْ من الأرضِ حُفرةً

ولاكَ كُساها من فمِ التربِ لائِكُ

ولاكَ كُساها من فمِ التربِ لائِكُ

When my bones have visited a hollow in the earth

When my bones visit a hollow in the earth,

and there a black shroud of earth has clothed them,

and a chewer from the mouth of dust has gnawed their coverings,

فَمَنْ يجمعُ الألفاظَ وهي شَتائِتٌ

فَمَنْ يجمعُ الألفاظَ وهي شَتائِتٌ

ومن يَملِكُ اللّذّاتِ وهي مَوالِكُ

ومن يَملِكُ اللّذّاتِ وهي مَوالِكُ

who then will gather words when they lie scattered,

who, then, will gather words when they are scattered,

and who will possess delights that are themselves passing away?

and who will master pleasures when they are themselves masters?

وإنّي لأغْضي الطّرْفَ عن كلِّ منظَرٍ

وإنّي لأغْضي الطّرْفَ عن كلِّ منظَرٍ

يَصَبُّ إله الناسكُ المتماسِكُ

يَصَبُّ إله الناسكُ المتماسِكُ

I lower my gaze before every sight

I surely lower my gaze from every sight

toward which even the steadfast ascetic might yearn.

toward which even the self-restrained ascetic yearns.

وما ذاكَ من جهلٍ به غيرَ أنّني

وما ذاكَ من جهلٍ به غيرَ أنّني

عيوفٌ لأخلاقِ الألائمِ تارِكُ

عيوفٌ لأخلاقِ الألائمِ تارِكُ

That is not through ignorance of its worth; rather,

Not from ignorance of it, but because I

I am fastidious, forsaking the ways of base men.

disdain and abandon the ways of the basest.

فهلْ رجلٌ يشرى هوايَ بغارةٍ

فهلْ رجلٌ يشرى هوايَ بغارةٍ

تُفدّي عِتاقَ الخيلِ فيها النَيازِكُ

تُفدّي عِتاقَ الخيلِ فيها النَيازِكُ

Is there a man who will purchase my devotion with a raid

Is there a man who will buy my affection with a raid,

in which noble horses pound even the meteors beneath them?

in which javelins ransom the thoroughbred horses?

وهلْ تعْصِمَنّي بالعواصمِ رحلةٌ

وهلْ تعْصِمَنّي بالعواصمِ رحلةٌ

إذا ارتكبتْ فيها القِلاصُ الرواتِكُ

إذا ارتكبتْ فيها القِلاصُ الرواتِكُ

Might a journey to the frontier fortresses shelter me

And will a journey protect me in al-'Awasim,

when sturdy she-camels undertake its crushing course?

when swift-trotting young she-camels are mounted upon it?

تَحِنُّ رِكابي بالعِراقِ صَبابةً

تَحِنُّ رِكابي بالعِراقِ صَبابةً

وماشاكَ منها موضعَ الرجْلِ شائِكُ

وماشاكَ منها موضعَ الرجْلِ شائِكُ

My riding beasts in Iraq yearn with passionate longing,

My riding-camels in Iraq moan with longing,

though no thorn has ever pricked the saddle-place upon them.

though no thorn has pricked their feet.

صِلِ الأرضَ واقطعْها وإنْ بعُدَ المَدى

صِلِ الأرضَ واقطعْها وإنْ بعُدَ المَدى

من العيسِ أوْصالاً ولانتْ عرائِكُ

من العيسِ أوْصالاً ولانتْ عرائِكُ

Join the lands together and traverse them, even if the distance

Link the earth's reaches and cross them, however far the distance,

wears apart the pale camels’ joints and softens their stubborn tempers.

using the pale camels' limbs, even when their tough spirits soften.

لعلكَ يوماً أنْ تَروحَ ببلدةٍ

لعلكَ يوماً أنْ تَروحَ ببلدةٍ

ومالُكَ مملوكٌ وسيفُكَ مالِكُ

ومالُكَ مملوكٌ وسيفُكَ مالِكُ

Perhaps one day you will reach a city

Perhaps one day you will arrive in a land

where your wealth is possessed, but your sword remains master.

where your wealth is a slave, and your sword a master.

ومَن كان سيفُ الدولةِ العَضْبُ سيفه

ومَن كان سيفُ الدولةِ العَضْبُ سيفه

وناصرهُ لم تنتهِكه النّواهِكُ

وناصرهُ لم تنتهِكه النّواهِكُ

Whoever has Sayf al-Dawla’s trenchant sword for his own sword,

Whoever has Sayf al-Dawla, the keen blade, as his sword

and has him as defender, cannot be violated by ravagers.

and champion is not worn down by wasting afflictions.

رَمى بصدورِ الخيلِ هاجرةَ الوَغى

رَمى بصدورِ الخيلِ هاجرةَ الوَغى

وللموتِ ظِلٌّ تبتنيهِ السّنابِكُ

وللموتِ ظِلٌّ تبتنيهِ السّنابِكُ

He flung the breasts of his horses into the noonday heat of battle,

He hurled the horses' breasts into battle's midday heat,

while death had shade built for it by their hooves.

while the hooves build a shade for death.

يموتُ إذا ما قيلَ إنّكَ عائِشٌ

يموتُ إذا ما قيلَ إنّكَ عائِشٌ

ويَحْيا إذا ما قيلَ إنّكَ هالِكُ

ويَحْيا إذا ما قيلَ إنّكَ هالِكُ

The foe dies when told that you are living,

Death dies whenever it is said, 'You are alive,'

and lives only when told that you have perished.

and lives whenever it is said, 'You are dead.'

فتى الحربِ ما للحربِ عندكَ بُغيةٌ

فتى الحربِ ما للحربِ عندكَ بُغيةٌ

إذا رَويتْ خِرْصانُها والبَوانِكُ

إذا رَويتْ خِرْصانُها والبَوانِكُ

Warrior of battle, what desire can warfare retain in your presence

O youth of war, war has nothing more to seek from you

once you have watered its spearheads and its stout lances?

when its spearheads and massed troops have drunk their fill.

مدى الحربِ سلماً والرحيلِ إقامةً

مدى الحربِ سلماً والرحيلِ إقامةً

وبَذْلُكَ ما تحوي الأكُفُّ المَسابِكُ

وبَذْلُكَ ما تحوي الأكُفُّ المَسابِكُ

The furthest course of war becomes peace, and departure becomes residence,

For you, war's duration is peace, and departure a settled stay,

while your largesse is all the gold that hands can hold.

and your giving is all that hands—those crucibles—contain.

تَعُدُّ جموعُ الرومِ سلمَكَ مَعْرَكاً

تَعُدُّ جموعُ الرومِ سلمَكَ مَعْرَكاً

ألا إنّ سِلمَ الغالبينَ مَعارِكُ

ألا إنّ سِلمَ الغالبينَ مَعارِكُ

The assembled Romans count your peace itself a battle;

The Roman hosts count your peace a battle;

indeed, the peace of conquerors consists of battles.

indeed, the victors' peace is battles.

لهم منكَ أسيافٌ حِدادٌ وذُبَّلٌ

لهم منكَ أسيافٌ حِدادٌ وذُبَّلٌ

مِدادٌ وخيلٌ تعتليها الصعالِكُ

مِدادٌ وخيلٌ تعتليها الصعالِكُ

From you they have keen-edged swords and supple spears,

For them you have sharp swords and slender,

reinforcements and horses mounted by fierce raiders.

long spears, and horses mounted by outlaws.

إذا أشرقتْ أسيافُهم ووُجوهُهُمْ

إذا أشرقتْ أسيافُهم ووُجوهُهُمْ

فيومُكَ فيهم أبيضُ اللونِ حالِكُ

فيومُكَ فيهم أبيضُ اللونِ حالِكُ

When their swords and their faces blaze forth,

When their swords and their faces shine,

your day among them is radiant white—and black with doom.

your day among them is white in hue, yet black as night.

ولمّا رأوا ألاّ معاذَ وإنّما

ولمّا رأوا ألاّ معاذَ وإنّما

طويلُ شَمامٍ عند خيلِكِ حاتِكُ

طويلُ شَمامٍ عند خيلِكِ حاتِكُ

When they saw that there was no refuge, and that only

And when they saw there was no refuge, and that

lofty Shamam, beneath your cavalry, was being rent open,

lofty Shamam was merely low beside your horses,

وإنّكَ للبحرِ المُسَخّرِ خائِضٌ

وإنّكَ للبحرِ المُسَخّرِ خائِضٌ

إليْهِ وللسدِّ المُمنّعِ هاتِكُ

إليْهِ وللسدِّ المُمنّعِ هاتِكُ

they knew that you would wade into the subjected sea

and that you would wade through the tamed sea

and break through the most impregnable barrier.

to reach it, and tear through the impregnable barrier,

نَضَوْكَ ثيابَ الحقدِ غيرَ مُفاضةٍ

نَضَوْكَ ثيابَ الحقدِ غيرَ مُفاضةٍ

وأعطوكَ ما أعطتْ هواكَ الممالِكُ

وأعطوكَ ما أعطتْ هواكَ الممالِكُ

They stripped away their garments of hatred before you, though close-fitting,

they stripped you of hatred's close-fitting robes,

and gave you what kingdoms had granted to my longing.

and yielded you what kingdoms had yielded to your desire.

سَما بكَ همٌ لو سَما النجمُ نَحوَهُ

سَما بكَ همٌ لو سَما النجمُ نَحوَهُ

ثناهُ كَلالٌ أو فَناءٌ مُواشِكُ

ثناهُ كَلالٌ أو فَناءٌ مُواشِكُ

A care of mine soared toward you as a star soars,

An ambition raised you so high that, had a star risen toward it,

until exhaustion—or swiftly approaching death—turned it back.

weariness or imminent extinction would have turned it back.

بعيدُ المدى نوءُ العَطايا سِجالُهُ

بعيدُ المدى نوءُ العَطايا سِجالُهُ

ونوءُ المَنايا طُرْقُهُ والمسالِكُ

ونوءُ المَنايا طُرْقُهُ والمسالِكُ

Far-reaching are his gifts, whose rains pour down by turns;

Far-reaching—its buckets are the rainstorm of gifts,

and the storms of death fill his roads and pathways.

and its roads and paths are death's rainstorm.

فما لقيتْ منكَ الرّغائِبُ واللها

فما لقيتْ منكَ الرّغائِبُ واللها

وما لقيتْ منكَ الدماءُ السّوافِكُ

وما لقيتْ منكَ الدماءُ السّوافِكُ

Whatever desires and delights have encountered at your hands

What a fate lavish gifts and bounties have met at your hands,

is matched by what streaming blood has encountered there.

and what a fate flowing blood has met at your hands!

بنفسي وأهْلي والصّوارمُ والقَنا

بنفسي وأهْلي والصّوارمُ والقَنا

فتىً شِعْبُهُ للزّائِرينَ مَناسِكُ

فتىً شِعْبُهُ للزّائِرينَ مَناسِكُ

By my life, my family, the keen swords, and the spears—

With my life, my kin, keen swords, and spears, I would ransom

he is a hero whose valley is a sanctuary for visitors.

a youth whose valley is a place of pilgrimage for visitors.

أقامَ على ما بينَ مصرٍ وبصرةٍ

أقامَ على ما بينَ مصرٍ وبصرةٍ

مُقاماً تَحاماهُ الليوثُ الفَواتِكُ

مُقاماً تَحاماهُ الليوثُ الفَواتِكُ

Between Egypt and Basra he has taken up

He held his ground over the land between Egypt and Basra,

a station that even deadly lions avoid.

in a station that murderous lions shunned.

وفي كلِّ يومٍ سيّدٌ من عبيدِهِ

وفي كلِّ يومٍ سيّدٌ من عبيدِهِ

به الثّغْرُ ثَغرٌ كشّفته المضاحِكُ

به الثّغْرُ ثَغرٌ كشّفته المضاحِكُ

Each day a lord stands there among his servants;

And every day there is a lord among his slaves,

through him the frontier is a smiling mouth whose laughter he has revealed.

through whom the frontier becomes a mouth bared by smiling teeth.

سقى اللهُ من أسقى من العزّ آملاً

سقى اللهُ من أسقى من العزّ آملاً

سحائِبَ تَمريها الرِّياحُ السّواهِكُ

سحائِبَ تَمريها الرِّياحُ السّواهِكُ

May God rain upon the giver who waters hopes from honor

May God water him who gave a hopeful seeker a drink of glory,

with clouds milked by the coursing winds.

with clouds milked by fiercely blowing winds,

وأعطى المُنى والسؤلَ من حقّقَ المُنى

وأعطى المُنى والسؤلَ من حقّقَ المُنى

بساكنِها والظُّلْمُ أرعنُ ماحِكُ

بساكنِها والظُّلْمُ أرعنُ ماحِكُ

He granted wishes and petitions to whoever truly sought them,

and grant wishes and desires to him who made wishes come true

through the land’s inhabitant, while oppression towered destructively.

through its inhabitant, while oppression was reckless and contentious.

سِناناً أعارته يَمينَكَ صَعْدَةً

سِناناً أعارته يَمينَكَ صَعْدَةً

لها في قلوبِ الدارِعينَ مَسالِكُ

لها في قلوبِ الدارِعينَ مَسالِكُ

A spearhead to which your right hand lent a shaft

A spearhead that a straight lance lent your right hand,

finds pathways through the hearts of armored men.

with pathways through the hearts of armored men.

ومن لكَ في الدُنْيا بأروعَ ماجدٍ

ومن لكَ في الدُنْيا بأروعَ ماجدٍ

يُواسيكَ في أهوالِها ويُشاركُ

يُواسيكَ في أهوالِها ويُشاركُ

Who in this world can offer you a more splendid nobleman,

And who in this world can offer you a splendid, noble man

one who consoles you in its terrors and shares them with you?

who supports you in its terrors and shares them?

إذا شامَ برقاً من سمائِكَ شائِمٌ

إذا شامَ برقاً من سمائِكَ شائِمٌ

تَعرَّضَ منك العارضُ المُتدارِكُ

تَعرَّضَ منك العارضُ المُتدارِكُ

Whenever a watcher glimpses lightning from your sky,

When a watcher sights lightning from your sky,

a swiftly following rain cloud comes forth from you.

a swiftly following rain-cloud appears from you.

إليكمْ بَني اليونانِ منّي نصيحةً

إليكمْ بَني اليونانِ منّي نصيحةً

منحتُكُموها والدِّيارُ دَكادِكُ

منحتُكُموها والدِّيارُ دَكادِكُ

To you, sons of Greece, I offer counsel,

To you, sons of Greece, a counsel from me,

while your homelands lie in heaps of rubble:

which I offer you while the dwellings lie in rubble.

دَعوا الليثَ لا يَفْرِسْكُم الليثُ إنّهُ

دَعوا الليثَ لا يَفْرِسْكُم الليثُ إنّهُ

متى ما يُصرِّفْ نابَه فهو صائِكُ

متى ما يُصرِّفْ نابَه فهو صائِكُ

leave the lion alone, lest the lion devour you—alas!

Leave the lion alone, lest the lion devour you; for he,

Whenever he turns his fang upon you, it pierces.

whenever he turns his fang, strikes.

أبى اللهُ إلاّ آلَ حمدانَ إنّهمْ

أبى اللهُ إلاّ آلَ حمدانَ إنّهمْ

غَواربُ سادتْ تغلِباً وحوارِكُ

غَواربُ سادتْ تغلِباً وحوارِكُ

God has willed none but the House of Hamdan; truly they are

God would have none but the house of Hamdan; they are

lofty crests risen over Taghlib and every proud withholder.

crests and withers that have ruled Taghlib.

همُ الشّمسُ في صدرِ النّهارِ ترفّعتْ

همُ الشّمسُ في صدرِ النّهارِ ترفّعتْ

وفي هامةِ الليلِ النّجومُ الشّوابِكُ

وفي هامةِ الليلِ النّجومُ الشّوابِكُ

They are the sun raised high in the heart of day,

They are the sun, risen high at the forefront of day,

and, at the crown of night, the interwoven stars.

and at the crown of night, the interwoven stars.

مدحتُكَ لا إني لغيركَ مادِحٌ

مدحتُكَ لا إني لغيركَ مادِحٌ

أبَتْ هِمَمٌ لي في السّماءِ سَوامِكُ

أبَتْ هِمَمٌ لي في السّماءِ سَوامِكُ

I have praised you—not because I would praise another;

I praised you—not that I am one to praise anyone else;

ambitions towering into the sky forbid me that.

my aspirations, towering in the sky, refused that,

وعزمٌ بأطرافِ الهمومِ معرِسٌ

وعزمٌ بأطرافِ الهمومِ معرِسٌ

وهمٌّ لأطْرافِ الرّماحِ مشابِكُ

وهمٌّ لأطْرافِ الرّماحِ مشابِكُ

Mine is a resolve that camps at the remotest edges of care,

and a resolve encamped at ambition's furthest bounds,

and a purpose that grapples with the points of spears.

and an ambition locked with the spearpoints.

ولكنكَ المقدارُ سَلَمَ فضلَهُ

ولكنكَ المقدارُ سَلَمَ فضلَهُ

لكَ الملكُ والمَملوكُ والمتمالِكُ

لكَ الملكُ والمَملوكُ والمتمالِكُ

Yet fate itself has surrendered its excellence to you;

But you are destiny; its supremacy has been conceded

yours are king, subject, and every would-be king.

to you by king, slave, and the self-mastered man.

وما اعتاضَ مدحٌ أنتَ ربّ كلامِهِ

وما اعتاضَ مدحٌ أنتَ ربّ كلامِهِ

نَداكَ مُسَدِّيةِ ومجدُكَ حائِكُ

نَداكَ مُسَدِّيةِ ومجدُكَ حائِكُ

My praise takes no recompense elsewhere when you are lord of its speech:

No praise has taken recompense: you are master of its words,

your bounty supplies its warp, and your glory is its weaver.

your bounty sets the warp, and your glory is the weaver.

وشَطبةِ مَلكٍ للجِيادِ سُيوفُهُ

وشَطبةِ مَلكٍ للجِيادِ سُيوفُهُ

وإنْ سبقتْها المُدْرَكاتُ الركائِكُ

وإنْ سبقتْها المُدْرَكاتُ الركائِكُ

A kingly blade whose swords are his steeds—

And a king's ridged blade—his swords are for the noble steeds,

even if the slender, armored mares should outstrip them.

even if feeble pursuers have outrun them.

إذا أعجبتْ صملاخة أعجبَ النّدى

إذا أعجبتْ صملاخة أعجبَ النّدى

تمايلُه في مالهِ وهو تامِكُ

تمايلُه في مالهِ وهو تامِكُ

When a dove’s swaying song delights him, generosity delights him still more—

If an ear is delighted, generosity admires

his own graceful swaying amid his wealth, tall and full.

his swaying amid his wealth, towering as he is.

تناهبها الحيانِ بَكْرٌ وتغلِبٌ

تناهبها الحيانِ بَكْرٌ وتغلِبٌ

وأسلمَها الحيانِ سعدٌ ومالِكُ

وأسلمَها الحيانِ سعدٌ ومالِكُ

The two tribes, Bakr and Taghlib, plunder that wealth,

The two clans, Bakr and Taghlib, competed to plunder it,

while the two tribes, Sa‘d and Malik, surrender it freely.

and the two clans, Sa'd and Malik, surrendered it.