مَحَلَّ الحَيِّ مالك لا تَبِينُ

مَحَلَّ الحَيِّ مالك لا تَبِينُ

متى دُفع الظعائنُ والقَطِينُ

متى دُفع الظعائنُ والقَطِينُ

O dwelling of the tribe, why do you not speak plainly?

The abode of the living, my friend, is not apparent

When were the women's litters and the camp folk driven away?

When will calamities and sorrows be repelled?

شَجيتُ بغصَّةٍ كمنتْ زفيراً

شَجيتُ بغصَّةٍ كمنتْ زفيراً

وقد يَشجى بغصَّتهِ الحَزِينُ

وقد يَشجى بغصَّتهِ الحَزِينُ

I grieved with a choking pang that lurked as a sigh,

I whimpered with a sigh that uttered a groan

and the sorrowful sometimes chokes on his own grief.

And the grieving may whimper with their sigh

وما أبقى المنُازكُ من دموعي

وما أبقى المنُازكُ من دموعي

سوى عَلَقٍ تُبرضُهُ الجفونُ

سوى عَلَقٍ تُبرضُهُ الجفونُ

The assailant left nothing of my tears

My tears left nothing on my cheeks

except blood that the eyelids draw out drop by drop.

Except traces that eyelids blot out

ويوم الشرج غَنَّتني بفلجٍ

ويوم الشرج غَنَّتني بفلجٍ

حماماتٌ ترنحها الغُصونُ

حماماتٌ ترنحها الغُصونُ

And on the day at al-Sharj, at Falj there sang to me

On the day of departure, ring-necked doves sang to me in a creek

doves whom the branches rocked.

With branches swaying under them

لهجن من اللحونِ بساقِ حُرٍ

لهجن من اللحونِ بساقِ حُرٍ

وما أطيارُ فلجٍ واللحونُ

وما أطيارُ فلجٍ واللحونُ

Among their melodies they kept repeating 'Sāq ḥurr';

The cheeks of the doves gleam with the legs of the wild cows

and what have Falj's birds to do with melodies?

And neither are the birds of the creek nor the wild cows

وفي الاحداجِ اذْ جرعت رسيساً

وفي الاحداجِ اذْ جرعت رسيساً

مهاً خذلت مآكمها المتونُ

مهاً خذلت مآكمها المتونُ

And in the litters, as I swallowed love's lingering ache,

And when in the thickets I took a deep draught

were oryxes whose backs failed to support their haunches.

Of oblivion, the resolutions were abandoned by the drunk

لها من رقْمِ رُوْميةٍ خِلالٌ

لها من رقْمِ رُوْميةٍ خِلالٌ

ومن ذَرّ البحارِ لها عُهونُ

ومن ذَرّ البحارِ لها عُهونُ

She has ornamental fastenings of a Roman woman's embroidery,

She has, from the Rqm (wine) of Rome, tattoos

and woolen tassels of the seas' seed pearls.

And from the seeds of oceans she has kohl in her eyes

فما لبستْ ثيابَ الآلِ حتى

فما لبستْ ثيابَ الآلِ حتى

تشابهتْ الأزمةُ والبُرينُ

تشابهتْ الأزمةُ والبُرينُ

No sooner had they donned the garments of the mirage

She did not wear fine clothes until

than reins and nose-rings became indistinguishable.

Crisis and injustice became indistinguishable

ومالَ بها الحداةُ الى أَتَانُ

ومالَ بها الحداةُ الى أَتَانُ

فضاقتْ عن تناولِها العُيونُ

فضاقتْ عن تناولِها العُيونُ

The camel-drivers turned with them toward Atān,

With her the jesters inclined towards certain camels

and eyes fell short of reaching them.

Too narrow were their eyes to behold her

سقى الرحلاءَ مضمَرةً حِداجاً

سقى الرحلاءَ مضمَرةً حِداجاً

لها من غير لقحتِها جَنِينُ

لها من غير لقحتِها جَنِينُ

May al-Raḥlāʾ be watered by one concealing litters,

She watered the travelers with a filled cistern

bearing an embryo without having conceived—

Though not pollinated, she had a fetus

يمانيةٌ كأن البرقَ فيها

يمانيةٌ كأن البرقَ فيها

سيوفُ الهندِ هَزَّتها القُيونُ

سيوفُ الهندِ هَزَّتها القُيونُ

a Yemeni cloud, whose lightning seems

A right-handed one, as if lightning in her

Indian swords shaken by smiths.

Were Indian swords, stirred by the spears

عجبتُ لمن يضيعُ لصنع فيه

عجبتُ لمن يضيعُ لصنع فيه

فلا غَثٌّ لديهِ ولا سَمينُ

فلا غَثٌّ لديهِ ولا سَمينُ

I marvel at one who neglects a kindness shown him,

I wondered at one who wastes his effort on her

with neither lean nor fat in his keeping;

With neither fat nor flesh within him

ومن يمشي العِرَضْنَةَ وهو كَلٌّ

ومن يمشي العِرَضْنَةَ وهو كَلٌّ

على الفتيانِ يُكرمُ أَو يَهونُ

على الفتيانِ يُكرمُ أَو يَهونُ

and at one who struts, though he is a burden

And one who walks with conceit while incapacitated

upon the young men, whether honored or despised.

To honor or disdain the youth

اذا لم يَسْعَ في طَلَبِ المعالي

اذا لم يَسْعَ في طَلَبِ المعالي

فما حركاتُه اِلاَّ سُكونُ

فما حركاتُه اِلاَّ سُكونُ

If he does not strive in pursuit of lofty deeds,

If he does not set out seeking glory

then all his movement is but stillness.

His movements are but stillness

وعِرضَكَ انْ أَذَلْتَ فلم تَصُنْهُ

وعِرضَكَ انْ أَذَلْتَ فلم تَصُنْهُ

فأَيُّ حِجَالِ غانيةٍ تَصُونُ

فأَيُّ حِجَالِ غانيةٍ تَصُونُ

And if you abase your honor and fail to guard it,

And your honor, if you degrade but do not protect it

then which beautiful woman's curtained chambers will you protect?

Then which singing slavegirl will protect it?

لكل فَتى قرينٌ حينَ يَسْمُو

لكل فَتى قرينٌ حينَ يَسْمُو

وفخرُ الملكِ ليسَ له قَرِينُ

وفخرُ الملكِ ليسَ له قَرِينُ

Every young man has a peer when he rises,

For every young man there is a match when he excels

but Fakhr al-Mulk has no peer.

And the pride of a king has no match

أَنخْ بفنائِه وانزلْ حميداً

أَنخْ بفنائِه وانزلْ حميداً

على حكم المُنى وأنا الضَّمِينُ

على حكم المُنى وأنا الضَّمِينُ

Kneel your camel in his courtyard and alight with honor,

Descend into his courtyard nobly

as your wishes decree; I stand surety.

Regarding the edict of fate, and I am the sympathizer

ولا تعرض لِلُجَّتِهِ اذا ما

ولا تعرض لِلُجَّتِهِ اذا ما

تحامتْها المعابرُ والسَّفِينُ

تحامتْها المعابرُ والسَّفِينُ

But do not venture into his depths when

And do not expose yourself to her intoxication if

ferries and ships shun them.

The routes and ships have brought her together

فانَّكَ راكبٌ من شيمتيهِ

فانَّكَ راكبٌ من شيمتيهِ

سُهولاً في مسالِكها حُزُونُ

سُهولاً في مسالِكها حُزُونُ

For amid his two natures you will ride

You ride the easy paths of his disposition

over plains whose paths contain rugged ground.

Downcast within its roadways

تَزيدُ حَصَاتُه في المس ليناً

تَزيدُ حَصَاتُه في المس ليناً

وتغمزُ بالضروسِ فَلا تَلِينُ

وتغمزُ بالضروسِ فَلا تَلِينُ

His pebble grows softer to the touch,

Its pebbles increase suppleness with touch

yet under the pressure of molars it will not yield.

And it bites with its molars yet does not stiffen

سَرى من دارِه البيضاءِ سارٍ

سَرى من دارِه البيضاءِ سارٍ

تُناخُ له المَعَاقِلُ والحُصُونُ

تُناخُ له المَعَاقِلُ والحُصُونُ

A night-traveler departed from his white abode,

He rode from his white abode freely

for whom strongholds and fortresses are made to kneel.

The fortresses and citadels bow to him

يقودُ الى الطعانِ مسوماتٍ

يقودُ الى الطعانِ مسوماتٍ

ضوامرَ ما لأَظْهُرِهَا بطونُ

ضوامرَ ما لأَظْهُرِهَا بطونُ

He leads marked steeds into spear-fighting,

He leads deadly white swords to the thrust

gaunt steeds with no bellies beneath their backs.

Whose sheaths have no bellies

نضت ثوبَ النضارة واسلهمتْ

نضت ثوبَ النضارة واسلهمتْ

وكان يزينها الشعرُ الدَّهِينُ

وكان يزينها الشعرُ الدَّهِينُ

They shed the robe of freshness and grew wan,

She took off the dress of finery and donned weapons

though oiled hair once adorned them.

While the soft hair adorned her

معقدة السبيبِ على قطاها

معقدة السبيبِ على قطاها

دِلاصٌ في مطاويها غُصونُ

دِلاصٌ في مطاويها غُصونُ

Their tail-hair is knotted over their croups;

With plaited braids upon her veil

smooth coats of mail hold branches within their folds.

Branches are woven into her tresses

يَفُلُّ أسنةَ المُران عنها

يَفُلُّ أسنةَ المُران عنها

خفِي السَّكِ والسردِ الأَمينُ

خفِي السَّكِ والسردِ الأَمينُ

Ashwood spearheads are blunted away from them

The tongues of spears evade her

by trusty mail whose rivets and links are hidden.

Concealed are the lithe and trusted blades

الى الماهينَ يَحْفِدُ من حُويمٍ

الى الماهينَ يَحْفِدُ من حُويمٍ

مزارٌ نازحٌ ونوى شَطُونُ

مزارٌ نازحٌ ونوى شَطُونُ

He hastens from Ḥuwaym toward al-Māhayn:

To the swift she-camels flowed a tribe

a remote destination and a far-reaching separation.

Moving camps and the An-Nawā’s fires

تداركَ ركضهَا الأدنى هِلالا

تداركَ ركضهَا الأدنى هِلالا

على الروعاءِ وهو بها ضَنينُ

على الروعاءِ وهو بها ضَنينُ

Their earliest gallop overtook Hilāl,

The crescent accompanied her run at dusk

riding al-Rawʿāʾ, whom he jealously cherished.

Yearning over the pastures and bleating for her

وقد أخذتْ رماحُ الخطّ منه

وقد أخذتْ رماحُ الخطّ منه

فطاعن دونه الأجلُ الحصينُ

فطاعن دونه الأجلُ الحصينُ

The spears of al-Khaṭṭ had already taken their toll of him,

And the lines of poetry took from him

but his inviolable span of life fought in his defense.

Spear thrusts, while the eternal death was his shield

وباتَ يكفُّ بسْطَتَهْ اِليه

وباتَ يكفُّ بسْطَتَهْ اِليه

مِراسُ القِدِّ والخُلقُ الرَّزِينُ

مِراسُ القِدِّ والخُلقُ الرَّزِينُ

And all night his reach toward him was restrained

And he began restraining the palm of his generosity

by the resistance of leather bonds and a steady temper.

The spears of manners and sound nature subdued him

يئنُ اذا الحدائدُ أَوجعتْهُ

يئنُ اذا الحدائدُ أَوجعتْهُ

ولا يَشفي من الوجعِ الأنينُ

ولا يَشفي من الوجعِ الأنينُ

He groans when the irons hurt him,

He groans when the iron weapons hurt him

but groaning does not cure the pain.

And no moaning relieves the pain

وقال الى العراق خذي وحُنِّي

وقال الى العراق خذي وحُنِّي

فانَّ علامةَ الشَّوقِ الحَنينُ

فانَّ علامةَ الشَّوقِ الحَنينُ

He said, 'Make for Iraq, and cry in longing,

And he said to Iraq, “Take me and yearn for me”

for yearning's sign is the cry of longing.'

For yearning is the mark of ardent love

يُريدُ طِلاَبَ كعبٍ حيث كانت

يُريدُ طِلاَبَ كعبٍ حيث كانت

وكعب دونها البلد البطينُ

وكعب دونها البلد البطينُ

He seeks to pursue Kaʿb wherever it may be,

He seeks the abode of Kaʿb wherever it was

and broad-bellied country stands between him and Kaʿb.

While the land of Būtīn was beneath it

وما أَنا مولعٌ بملام كعبٍ

وما أَنا مولعٌ بملام كعبٍ

ولكن الحديثَ له شُجونُ

ولكن الحديثَ له شُجونُ

I am not enamored of reproaching Kaʿb,

And I do not indulge in blaming Kaʿb

but talk has branches of its own.

But talk of it has passions

رعت من غَيضهِ الطَّرفاءَ مَرعى

رعت من غَيضهِ الطَّرفاءَ مَرعى

تَشعُ له الممالحةُ اللبونُ

تَشعُ له الممالحةُ اللبونُ

It grazed tamarisk from his thicket—a pasture

She pastured the breast-spots from his wrath

for which salt-grazing milch camels scatter.

To which the saltlands were illuminated

اذا رأيٌّ أَضاءَ لها صريحٌ

اذا رأيٌّ أَضاءَ لها صريحٌ

تَعقبَ جُرمَهُ شكٌّ هَجينُ

تَعقبَ جُرمَهُ شكٌّ هَجينُ

If a clear opinion shone for it,

When a viewpoint shone brilliantly for her

a base-born doubt followed its orb.

Suspicion, gloomy and dark, followed its crime

فهم مثل القماحِ على صداها

فهم مثل القماحِ على صداها

تعافُ الماءَ وهو بها جُنُونُ

تعافُ الماءَ وهو بها جُنُونُ

They are like drink-refusing camels despite their thirst,

Thus they are like the delirious toward her coolness

shunning water while their thirst drives them mad.

Shunning the water while crazed with it

قَلاكم عن ضَمائركم لبيبٌ

قَلاكم عن ضَمائركم لبيبٌ

على ذاتِ الصُّدورِ له كمينُ

على ذاتِ الصُّدورِ له كمينُ

A discerning man loathed you for your hidden thoughts;

You have a shrewd guardian over your conscience

he keeps an ambush for the secrets of the breasts.

Lying in wait within the breast

فنمَّ على عيونكم قذاها

فنمَّ على عيونكم قذاها

وقد يتطلعُ الداءُ الدَّفِينُ

وقد يتطلعُ الداءُ الدَّفِينُ

So their own grit betrayed your eyes,

Who masked their eyes with its eyeliner

and a buried malady sometimes peeps out.

And hidden disease may look

له من سِرِّ ما طبعت عريبٌ

له من سِرِّ ما طبعت عريبٌ

رفيقٌ لا يُخانُ ولا يَخُونُ

رفيقٌ لا يُخانُ ولا يَخُونُ

He has, from the choicest of what ʿArīb forged,

He has, from the secret you were created with

a companion who is neither betrayed nor betrays.

A companion, neither betraying nor betraying

وعَسَّالُ المذاقَةِ حينَ سَلّى

وعَسَّالُ المذاقَةِ حينَ سَلّى

بسِرِّكَ قسوةٌ فيه وَلِينُ

بسِرِّكَ قسوةٌ فيه وَلِينُ

And honey-sweet in taste when giving solace

And the taster, when he sweetened

with your secret—within it are hardness and softness.

Your secret, was harsh yet gentle to it

الى سامٍ على ألأطوادِ طامٍ

الى سامٍ على ألأطوادِ طامٍ

تذل له الهضابُ وتَستكِينُ

تذل له الهضابُ وتَستكِينُ

To one lofty and surging above the mountains,

To a lofty one, above the hillocks of a protector

before whom the hills abase themselves and submit.

Hills and dunes submit and yield to him

كأنَّ خوافقَ الراياتِ فيه

كأنَّ خوافقَ الراياتِ فيه

عتاقُ الطيرِ ليس لها وُكونُ

عتاقُ الطيرِ ليس لها وُكونُ

As though the fluttering banners in his midst

As if the feathers of standards in him

were noble birds that have no roosts.

Were hawks of the desert, having no necks

عسى قطعُ الرياضِ اذا تناهتْ

عسى قطعُ الرياضِ اذا تناهتْ

وَربَّتْها السحائبُ والدُّجُونُ

وَربَّتْها السحائبُ والدُّجُونُ

Perhaps the meadow-patches, when they reach their fullness

May the cutting through of meadows, when distant,

and clouds and dark rainclouds have nurtured them,

And the hills’ racing clouds and darkness

تصب على رؤوسكمُ سُيوفاً

تصب على رؤوسكمُ سُيوفاً

بها تُفلي المَفَارقُ والشُّؤونُ

بها تُفلي المَفَارقُ والشُّؤونُ

will pour swords upon your heads,

Rain down swords upon your heads

with which your hair-partings and skull seams are deloused.

With which separation and misfortune are routed

فان قَعَدَ اليقينُ بكم فظنوا

فان قَعَدَ اليقينُ بكم فظنوا

ألا بالظنِّ يفتتحُ اليَقينُ

ألا بالظنِّ يفتتحُ اليَقينُ

If certainty fails you, then conjecture:

And if conviction resides with you, then think

take heed, certainty begins with conjecture.

Beware, certainty begins with assumption

فانَّ قفا الكَحِيلِ الى دُجَيلٍ

فانَّ قفا الكَحِيلِ الى دُجَيلٍ

أحَلَّ حريمهُ الأسدُ الحَرُونُ

أحَلَّ حريمهُ الأسدُ الحَرُونُ

For from behind al-Kaḥīl as far as Dujayl,

For the walking of Kahīl to Dijāl

the unyielding lion has established his sanctuary.

Allowed the lion passage in its sanctuary

له نابٌ بوحدتِهِ غنى

له نابٌ بوحدتِهِ غنى

وظفرٌ ما يُفَلُ فيستعِينُ

وظفرٌ ما يُفَلُ فيستعِينُ

He has a fang sufficient on its own,

His fangs are sufficient in their solitude

and a claw not blunted into needing aid.

And a grip never enfeebled so as to seek aid

أَطافوا بالعرينِ ليظهروه

أَطافوا بالعرينِ ليظهروه

وما يَدرونَ ما كَتَمَ العَرينُ

وما يَدرونَ ما كَتَمَ العَرينُ

They circled the den to bring him out,

They circled around the lair to expose him

not knowing what the den concealed.

Not knowing what the lair concealed

وكيف تطاقُ رؤيته اذا ما

وكيف تطاقُ رؤيته اذا ما

تراءتْ في لواحظهِ المُنونُ

تراءتْ في لواحظهِ المُنونُ

And how could the sight of him be borne when

And how can beholding him be endured if

death appears in his sidelong glances?

Death peered through his terrifying eyes?

أمامكمُ الأَسنةُ والمواضي

أمامكمُ الأَسنةُ والمواضي

وخلفكُم المَهَامِهُ والصُّحُونُ

وخلفكُم المَهَامِهُ والصُّحُونُ

Before you are spearheads and keen blades,

Before you are the plains and resting places

and behind you, trackless deserts and open plains.

And behind you are the skulls and cairns

كِلابٌ بالعَواصمِ عاويات

كِلابٌ بالعَواصمِ عاويات

وبالخابورِ رامحةٌ زَبُونُ

وبالخابورِ رامحةٌ زَبُونُ

Howling dogs in al-ʿAwāṣim,

Dogs, howling in the strongholds

and by the Khābūr, a kicking, unruly beast.

And in the wasteland, a roaming wolf

ورِيثٌ كلها وبنو كلابٍ

ورِيثٌ كلها وبنو كلابٍ

شِمالٌ ما تساندُها يَمينُ

شِمالٌ ما تساندُها يَمينُ

And Rīth in its entirety, and the Banū Kilāb,

An heir, yet all of them the sons of dogs

are a left hand unsupported by a right.

The left unsupported by the right

أَعِدها كالقِداحِ مُقَلْقَلاتٍ

أَعِدها كالقِداحِ مُقَلْقَلاتٍ

أَعان على اعاذَتِكَ المُعينُ

أَعان على اعاذَتِكَ المُعينُ

Prepare them like arrow-shafts shaken together;

Ready them like the striking of flints

the Helper has helped to protect you.

The helper aided you in their prevention