خليليَّ لا تستعجِلا وَدَعَاني

خليليَّ لا تستعجِلا وَدَعَاني

وحلاّ بدارِ الحزمِ وانتظِراني

وحلاّ بدارِ الحزمِ وانتظِراني

My two friends, do not hurry, and leave me,

My beloved, do not hurry me, let me be

And lodge in the abode of prudence, and wait for me.

And settle in the abode of wisdom and wait for me

لَم يكُ هَذا الدّينُ سنةَ واحدٍ

لَم يكُ هَذا الدّينُ سنةَ واحدٍ

وأصبحَ منهُ اليومَ ما تريانِ

وأصبحَ منهُ اليومَ ما تريانِ

This faith was not the practice of one man,

This religion has not been for one year

And from it has arisen today what you both see.

Yet today it is what you see

تُحرقُ دوحَ الواديينِ شرارةٌ

تُحرقُ دوحَ الواديينِ شرارةٌ

ويجمعُ جَدَّ المرءِ بعدَ حِرانِ

ويجمعُ جَدَّ المرءِ بعدَ حِرانِ

A spark burns the great trees of the two valleys,

The flames burn the sand dunes of the two valleys

And gathers a man's fortune after balking.

And a man's zeal is gathered after confusion

كأنّكما لم تعلَما حربَ وائلٍ

كأنّكما لم تعلَما حربَ وائلٍ

وما استلبتْ من صَعدَةٍ وحِصانِ

وما استلبتْ من صَعدَةٍ وحِصانِ

As though you two did not know the war of Wāʾil,

It is as if you both did not know the war of Wa'il

And what it carried off of spear and stallion,

And what it seized from Sa'dah and horses

وقتلَ كليبٍ في جريرةِ ناقةٍ

وقتلَ كليبٍ في جريرةِ ناقةٍ

وقد كانَ لا يَخشى جِنايةَ جانِ

وقد كانَ لا يَخشى جِنايةَ جانِ

And Kulayb's killing over a she-camel's offense,

And the killing of Kalib over the she-camel of Jirrirah

Though he had feared no offender's crime.

When he did not fear the crime of demons

وعبسٌ أذاعُوا في الرّهانِ سيوفَهُم

وعبسٌ أذاعُوا في الرّهانِ سيوفَهُم

فافنوا بها الإعمارَ وهي فَوانِ

فافنوا بها الإعمارَ وهي فَوانِ

And ʿAbs unleashed their swords over a wager,

And 'Abs spread their swords in the wager

So with them they ended lives, though the swords themselves perish.

So they perished by them while they were transient

وأسندتِ الشَّعرَ الرقابُ نحورُها

وأسندتِ الشَّعرَ الرقابُ نحورُها

إلى حَرِّ ضربٍ صادقٍ وطِعانِ

إلى حَرِّ ضربٍ صادقٍ وطِعانِ

And the shaggy-necked pressed their throats

And the necks inclined poetry toward their throats

Against the heat of unerring blows and spear-thrusts.

To the heat of a true and piercing strike

ألا رَجُلٌ يستلُّني من هَويّةٍ

ألا رَجُلٌ يستلُّني من هَويّةٍ

تهدَّمَ بي في قعرِها الرَّجَوانِ

تهدَّمَ بي في قعرِها الرَّجَوانِ

Is there no man to draw me out of an abyss

Oh a man who humbles me from passion

Whose two sides have collapsed upon me in its depths?

Which in its depths my glory is destroyed

ومولىً كمولى الذئبِ شمَ نجيعَهُ

ومولىً كمولى الذئبِ شمَ نجيعَهُ

رأى الدهرَ يَرمي صفحتي فرَماني

رأى الدهرَ يَرمي صفحتي فرَماني

And an ally, like the wolf's ally, scented his fresh blood;

And a master like the master of a wolf who smelled his howl

He saw Time shooting at my flank, and shot at me too.

He saw time throwing my cheeks spears

دعاني وعَرضُ الرملِ بين وبينَه

دعاني وعَرضُ الرملِ بين وبينَه

فألاّ دَعاني والرماحُ دوانِ

فألاّ دَعاني والرماحُ دوانِ

He challenged me with the breadth of sand between us;

He called me while the sands were between us

Why not challenge me when the spears were near?

So why did he call me while the spears were close?

فإنْ كانَ رمحي ليس يبلُغُ قلبَه

فإنْ كانَ رمحي ليس يبلُغُ قلبَه

فإنّ سِناني في القُلوبِ لساني

فإنّ سِناني في القُلوبِ لساني

If my spear cannot reach his heart,

If my spear does not reach his heart

Then my tongue is my spearpoint in people's hearts.

Then my teeth in the hearts are my tongue

وحمّلَ ركبانَ الطريقِ وعيده

وحمّلَ ركبانَ الطريقِ وعيده

فعلم سنى الضّحكَ حين أتاني

فعلم سنى الضّحكَ حين أتاني

He burdened the riders of the road with his threat;

And he carried the travelers of the road his threats

And when it reached me, it taught my tooth to laugh.

So he knew the far off laughter when I came to him

وقلتُ لمن أدى الرّسالةَ قل لهُ

وقلتُ لمن أدى الرّسالةَ قل لهُ

ستُنكِرُ هَذا القولَ حين تَراني

ستُنكِرُ هَذا القولَ حين تَراني

I told whoever delivered the message: Tell him,

And I said to the one who delivered the message, tell him

‘You will disown this utterance when you see me.’

I will deny these words when I see him

فخرّ صَريعاً للوعيد كأنّني

فخرّ صَريعاً للوعيد كأنّني

ثَنيتُ له بالسّمهريِّ بَناني

ثَنيتُ له بالسّمهريِّ بَناني

He fell, struck down by the threat, as though I

So he fell slain to the threat as if I

Had curled my fingers around a Samharī spear against him.

Bent the slim-waisted spear for him

أأنْ غلبتْ سعدٌ على المجدِ كلِّه

أأنْ غلبتْ سعدٌ على المجدِ كلِّه

غلبتَ على البغضاءِ والشنآنِ

غلبتَ على البغضاءِ والشنآنِ

Is it because Saʿd gained all glory

What! Did Sa'd conquer all the glory?

That you have prevailed in hatred and rancor?

You conquered hatred and malice

فقد بَليتْ تحت الترابِ عِظامُهُمْ

فقد بَليتْ تحت الترابِ عِظامُهُمْ

وغيظُك لا يَبلى على الحَدثانِ

وغيظُك لا يَبلى على الحَدثانِ

Their bones have decayed beneath the earth,

Indeed, their bones have worn out under the dust

Yet your rage does not decay through time's vicissitudes.

While your hatred does not wear out over time

تُلفَّتُ في أعطافِها وبُرودِها

تُلفَّتُ في أعطافِها وبُرودِها

بني وائلٍ تعساً لشرِّ زَمانِ

بني وائلٍ تعساً لشرِّ زَمانِ

Turning about in their folds and striped cloaks—

They toss and turn in its folds and coldness

O sons of Wāʾil—woe to the worst of times!

The clan of Wa'il miserably in the evil of times

وهل ينفعُ الفتيانَ حسنُ جسومِهِمْ

وهل ينفعُ الفتيانَ حسنُ جسومِهِمْ

إذا كانت الأعراضُ غيرَ حِسانِ

إذا كانت الأعراضُ غيرَ حِسانِ

Does the beauty of young men's bodies benefit them

Does the beauty of their bodies benefit the youth

When their reputations are not fair?

When morals are not good?

فلا تجعل الحسنَ الدليلَ على الفتى

فلا تجعل الحسنَ الدليلَ على الفتى

فما كلُّ مصقولِ الحديدِ يمانِ

فما كلُّ مصقولِ الحديدِ يمانِ

Do not make beauty your measure of a young man:

So do not take beauty as evidence of the young man

Not every polished blade of iron is Yemeni.

Not every polished iron is Yemani

لعَمري لقد قادَ الضلالُ ركابَنا

لعَمري لقد قادَ الضلالُ ركابَنا

إلى شرِّ مخلوقٍ من الحَيوانِ

إلى شرِّ مخلوقٍ من الحَيوانِ

By my life, error led our riding beasts

By my life, misguidance surely led our riding beasts

To the worst creature among living things.

To the worst of creatures from animals

أبَوا أنْ يبلوا في الهَجيرِ حلوقنا

أبَوا أنْ يبلوا في الهَجيرِ حلوقنا

وأعينُها تَدمى من الهَمَلانِ

وأعينُها تَدمى من الهَمَلانِ

They refused to moisten our throats in the midday heat,

They refused to temper our necks with estrangement

While the beasts' eyes bled from streaming tears.

While their eyes weep from affection

ولو جاورتْ وهباً لقصَّ حِبالَها

ولو جاورتْ وهباً لقصَّ حِبالَها

وأثقالَها عن منكبٍ وجِرانِ

وأثقالَها عن منكبٍ وجِرانِ

Had they lodged beside Wahb, he would have cut their ropes

Had they neighbored Wahb, he would have cut their ropes

And their burdens from shoulder and throat.

And removed their burdens from the shoulder and cloak

لضمّ على أحشائِها رُكباتِها

لضمّ على أحشائِها رُكباتِها

وقال رِدي قبلَ الحياضِ جِناني

وقال رِدي قبلَ الحياضِ جِناني

He would have tucked their knees against their bellies

He would have pressed their knees to his bosom

And said: ‘Come to my gardens before the watering pools.’

And said, "Return before the courtyards, my heavens!"

وإنّ فتىً بعدَ القطيعةِ زرتُه

وإنّ فتىً بعدَ القطيعةِ زرتُه

لأكرمُ من تمشي بهِ قدمانِ

لأكرمُ من تمشي بهِ قدمانِ

Indeed, the young man I visited after our estrangement

Yet after estrangement, I visited a young man

Is the most generous man who walks on two feet.

Who is more generous than one whose feet lead him

سَقانيَ في كأسِ البشاشةِ مرحباً

سَقانيَ في كأسِ البشاشةِ مرحباً

ألا مرحبا أكرمتَ غيرَ مُهانِ

ألا مرحبا أكرمتَ غيرَ مُهانِ

He served me welcome in a cup of cheerfulness:

He welcomed me in a cup of joy, saying

‘Welcome indeed! You are honored, not humiliated.’

"Welcome!" He honored without humiliation

فقلْ للطّوالِ الشُّمِّ كعبِ بنِ عامرٍ

فقلْ للطّوالِ الشُّمِّ كعبِ بنِ عامرٍ

وخُصَّ سَراةَ الحيِّ من غَطَفانِ

وخُصَّ سَراةَ الحيِّ من غَطَفانِ

Tell the tall, proud men of Kaʿb ibn ʿĀmir,

So say to the Tall Ones, Ka'b bin 'Aamir

And single out the clan's chiefs among Ghaṭafān,

And especially the horsemen of Hayy from Ghatafan,

وبكراً ومن حلّ القَنانَ وطيئاً

وبكراً ومن حلّ القَنانَ وطيئاً

ومن ضَمَّ من أشياعِها الجَبَلانِ

ومن ضَمَّ من أشياعِها الجَبَلانِ

And Bakr, those dwelling in al-Qanān, and Ṭayyiʾ,

And Bakr and those who carried spears from Tayy'

And its followers whom the two mountains embrace:

And those who gathered its branches, the two mountains

رِدوا وانزلوا عَرضَ البلادِ فأنّى

رِدوا وانزلوا عَرضَ البلادِ فأنّى

نزلتْ من الدُنْيا أعزَّ مكانِ

نزلتْ من الدُنْيا أعزَّ مكانِ

Go forth and settle across the land, for I

Return and descend to the expanse of the country, for I

Have settled in this world's mightiest place.

Have descended to the most honorable place in the world

علِقتُ على ضعفِ الحِبالِ وذلِّها

علِقتُ على ضعفِ الحِبالِ وذلِّها

بأمنعِ حبلٍ علقته يدانِ

بأمنعِ حبلٍ علقته يدانِ

Despite the weakness and frailty of the ropes, I have clung

I hung on the weakness of ropes and their disgrace

To the strongest rope that two hands have ever grasped.

With the strongest rope my hands tied

فأصبحتِ الأقدارُ ترهبُ أسهمي

فأصبحتِ الأقدارُ ترهبُ أسهمي

وتأخذُ أحداثُ الزّمانِ أماني

وتأخذُ أحداثُ الزّمانِ أماني

Now the fates fear my arrows,

So fate became afraid of my arrows

And Time's calamities seek safe-conduct from me.

And the events of time took my wishes

وإنّ الخَنا والغدرَ في الناسِ شيمةٌ

وإنّ الخَنا والغدرَ في الناسِ شيمةٌ

كَفى اللهُ وهبا شرَّها وكفاني

كَفى اللهُ وهبا شرَّها وكفاني

Baseness and treachery are a habit among people;

Verily, betrayal and treachery are traits in people

God has spared Wahb their evil, and spared me.

May God protect me from their evil and suffice me

حماني من الظّنِّ الكذوبِ وقال لي

حماني من الظّنِّ الكذوبِ وقال لي

همومُك من همي وشانُك شاني

همومُك من همي وشانُك شاني

He guarded me against deceitful suspicion and told me,

He protected me from false suspicions and said

‘Your cares are among my cares; your affairs are mine.’

"Your worries are my worries and your affair is my affair"

وكانتْ ضُلوعي لا يقرُّ قرارُها

وكانتْ ضُلوعي لا يقرُّ قرارُها

وقلبي لا يهدأ من الخَفَقانِ

وقلبي لا يهدأ من الخَفَقانِ

My ribs had been unable to settle,

My ribs did not settle from pounding

And my heart would not rest from its pounding.

Nor did my heart calm from palpitations

دعوتُ سواهُ للعُلا فأجابَني

دعوتُ سواهُ للعُلا فأجابَني

وأجللتُه عن مَطلَبي فَبداني

وأجللتُه عن مَطلَبي فَبداني

I called another to noble deeds, yet he answered me;

I called upon Him for elevation, so He answered me

I deemed him above my request, so he took the initiative with me.

And I avoided asking Him, yet He initiated with me

وجاءَ بها كعبيةً حاتِميّةً

وجاءَ بها كعبيةً حاتِميّةً

سجيّةَ ماضي الشفرتين هِجانِ

سجيّةَ ماضي الشفرتين هِجانِ

He brought it as a deed worthy of Kaʿb and Ḥātim,

And brought it as a generous Hatemian gift

The innate nature of a purebred, keen on both edges.

Austere, with the two sharpened blades roaring

ومكرمةً في ذا الزمانِ غريبةً

ومكرمةً في ذا الزمانِ غريبةً

تَدارَكها تجري بغيرِ عِنانِ

تَدارَكها تجري بغيرِ عِنانِ

And a noble deed, rare in this age,

An honored gift in this time, strange

He caught as it ran without a rein.

Taken care of, running without restraint

ولي حاجةٌ لولاكَ عزَّ طِلابُها

ولي حاجةٌ لولاكَ عزَّ طِلابُها

على كلِّ قاصٍ في البِلادِ ودانِ

على كلِّ قاصٍ في البِلادِ ودانِ

I have a need whose pursuit, without you, would be hard

And I have a need that, were it not for you, its seeker

For everyone in the land, distant or near.

Would be difficult for every settler in the lands

سعى نحوَها الساعونَ يبتدرونَها

سعى نحوَها الساعونَ يبتدرونَها

ولكنّه سَعيٌ لعمرُكَ وانِ

ولكنّه سَعيٌ لعمرُكَ وانِ

Those who strive hurried toward it, racing to attain it,

Those seeking it hastened to obtain it

Yet theirs, by your life, is a feeble striving.

But by your life, it is an effort in vain

هم كرِهوا الأقرانَ حينَ تزعزعَتْ

هم كرِهوا الأقرانَ حينَ تزعزعَتْ

صدورُ القَنا والتفتِ الفئتانِ

صدورُ القَنا والتفتِ الفئتانِ

They shrank from their opponents when there shook

They disliked equals when the hearts of the Qan split

The spear-points, and the two forces met.

And the two parties inclined

إلى أينَ وليتُم وجارُ بيوتكُم

إلى أينَ وليتُم وجارُ بيوتكُم

يجاذبُ حبلي ذِمّةً وضَمانِ

يجاذبُ حبلي ذِمّةً وضَمانِ

Where did you turn away, while the neighbor of your houses

To where are you heading while the neighbor of your homes

Tugs at the two ropes of pledged protection and surety?

Pulls my pact of protection and guarantee?

وباتَ على الجُدرانِ يَرمُقُ قوتَها

وباتَ على الجُدرانِ يَرمُقُ قوتَها

جناحا غرابٍ هَمَّ بالطّيرانِ

جناحا غرابٍ هَمَّ بالطّيرانِ

He spent the night on the walls, watching their strength—

And stays up on the walls eyeing their food

The two wings of a raven about to fly.

Like the wing of a crow that intended to fly

إذا اللهُ لم يأذنْ لِما أنتَ طالبٌ

إذا اللهُ لم يأذنْ لِما أنتَ طالبٌ

أعانكَ في الحاجاتِ غيرُ معانِ

أعانكَ في الحاجاتِ غيرُ معانِ

If God does not permit what you seek,

If God does not permit what you seek

An unaided man helps you with your needs.

No helper aids you in needs other than Him

تلافَ بها حقَّ المروءةِ وارعَها

تلافَ بها حقَّ المروءةِ وارعَها

فَما يُمكن الأحصانُ كلَّ أوانِ

فَما يُمكن الأحصانُ كلَّ أوانِ

Make good through this the claim of noble conduct, and uphold it;

It missed the right of manliness and watched over it

For stallions are not available at every moment.

For the steeds cannot do everything at all times

وكم من عزيزٍ قد تخطيتُ نصرَهُ

وكم من عزيزٍ قد تخطيتُ نصرَهُ

إليكَ وباقي الريقِ غيرُ جَنانِ

إليكَ وباقي الريقِ غيرُ جَنانِ

How many a powerful man's help I have passed over

And how many honored ones have I passed over their support

To come to you, with saliva remaining but no courage.

To you, while the rest are not paradises

تُجيرُ على الأعداءِ والطعنُ فائرُ

تُجيرُ على الأعداءِ والطعنُ فائرُ

وبيضُ الظُّبا والهامُ يَعْتَلِجانِ

وبيضُ الظُّبا والهامُ يَعْتَلِجانِ

You grant protection against enemies while spear-thrusts rage,

You give refuge against enemies while the piercing spears are raging

And white blades and heads clash together.

And the hyenas and wild cows are thrashing about

وكنتُ إذا ما حاجةٌ حالَ دونَها

وكنتُ إذا ما حاجةٌ حالَ دونَها

نهارٌ وليلٌ ليسَ يَعتذرانِ

نهارٌ وليلٌ ليسَ يَعتذرانِ

Whenever a need of mine was barred

I used to, if an obstacle hindered a need

By day and night, neither offering an excuse,

For a day and night that do not apologize

حَملتُ على سوءِ القضاءِ ملامَها

حَملتُ على سوءِ القضاءِ ملامَها

ولم أُلزمِ الإخوانَ ذنبَ زَماني

ولم أُلزمِ الإخوانَ ذنبَ زَماني

I laid its blame upon cruel fate,

I blamed its bad fate

And did not charge my friends with my time's guilt.

And did not obligate the brothers for the sin of my time

عجِبتُ لِهذا الدهرِ كيفَ يَضيمُنا

عجِبتُ لِهذا الدهرِ كيفَ يَضيمُنا

على ما بهِ من ذِلّةٍ وهَوانِ

على ما بهِ من ذِلّةٍ وهَوانِ

I marvel at this age: how can it oppress us

I wonder at this life, how it wrongs us

With all its own abasement and disgrace?

For the humiliation and lowliness in it

وتَطرُقُنا فيه المناحِسُ بعدَما

وتَطرُقُنا فيه المناحِسُ بعدَما

رأتكَ نجومُ الليلِ والقمرانِ

رأتكَ نجومُ الليلِ والقمرانِ

And ill omens visit us in it, even after

And misfortunes strike us in it after

The stars of night and the two luminaries have seen you.

The stars of night and the two moons saw you

ولو كان خَلقٌ فوقَها كنتَ فوقَه

ولو كان خَلقٌ فوقَها كنتَ فوقَه

فما هذه الدنيا وما الثَّقلانِ

فما هذه الدنيا وما الثَّقلانِ

Were there a creature above them, you would be above it;

Had there been a creation above it, you would be above it

What is this world, and what are humans and jinn?

For this world is nothing, nor are the two burdens

رأيتُ لساني فيكَ يحسِدُ خاطري

رأيتُ لساني فيكَ يحسِدُ خاطري

وتحسُدُه في مدحِكَ الشّفتانِ

وتحسُدُه في مدحِكَ الشّفتانِ

I saw my tongue envy my thoughts of you,

I saw my tongue envying my conscience about you

And my two lips envy it in praising you.

And my lips envying it in praising you

فيا ربِّ هَبْ لي وصلَ وهبٍ وقربَهُ

فيا ربِّ هَبْ لي وصلَ وهبٍ وقربَهُ

وصدعْ هَوى من شئتَ بعد تَدانِ

وصدعْ هَوى من شئتَ بعد تَدانِ

O Lord, grant me union with Wahb and nearness to him,

So oh God, grant me the companionship of Wahb and his nearness

And shatter the love of whomever You will, after closeness.

And rupture after bringing close whom You will

فأقْسِمُ لوْلا بذلُه ووفاؤهُ

فأقْسِمُ لوْلا بذلُه ووفاؤهُ

لصافحتُ سيفي واعتنقتُ سِناني

لصافحتُ سيفي واعتنقتُ سِناني

I swear: but for his generosity and fidelity,

For I swear had it not been for his generosity and loyalty

I would have shaken hands with my sword and embraced my spearpoint.

I would have greeted my sword and embraced my spear