تَروحُ بِنَجدِ تَغصِبُ الذِّئبَ زادَهُ

تَروحُ بِنَجدِ تَغصِبُ الذِّئبَ زادَهُ

وَقَومُكَ بِالرَّوحاءِ في المَنزِلِ الرَّحبِ

وَقَومُكَ بِالرَّوحاءِ في المَنزِلِ الرَّحبِ

You roam Najd at evening, robbing the wolf of his provisions,

You travel in Najd forcing the wolf to carry provisions,

while your people are at al-Rawha, in a spacious dwelling.

While your people are in spacious dwellings in Rawha.

وَما ذاكَ إِلَّا نَفحَةٌ حاجِرِيَّةٌ

وَما ذاكَ إِلَّا نَفحَةٌ حاجِرِيَّةٌ

هَوَيتَ لَها عَيشَ الأَعاريبِ وَالجَدبِ

هَوَيتَ لَها عَيشَ الأَعاريبِ وَالجَدبِ

And that is only a scented breath from Hajir,

That is nothing but a whiff of ungracious wind

for whose sake you loved Bedouin life and drought.

Which has ruined the lives of nomads in the wilderness.

تَبيتُ خَميصَ البَطنِ إِلَّا مِنَ الجَوى

تَبيتُ خَميصَ البَطنِ إِلَّا مِنَ الجَوى

وَتَغدو رَخِيَّ البالِ إِلَّا مِنَ الحُبِّ

وَتَغدو رَخِيَّ البالِ إِلَّا مِنَ الحُبِّ

You spend the night empty-bellied, except for burning anguish,

You sleep with a hungry belly except what you get from love,

and go out at dawn carefree, except for love.

And you wake up with a worried mind except for passion.

وَهَيَّجَكَ البَرقُ اليَمانِيُّ مَوهِناً

وَهَيَّجَكَ البَرقُ اليَمانِيُّ مَوهِناً

صَلا لَكَ ما لِلبَرقِ وَيبَكَ وَالقَلبِ

صَلا لَكَ ما لِلبَرقِ وَيبَكَ وَالقَلبِ

And the lightning from Yemen stirred you late at night.

The Yemeni lightning agitated you while it was raining,

May you burn! What has lightning—woe to you—to do with the heart?

Praying for you. What can lightning do? It weeps while the heart grieves.

وَأَشعَثَ حَيَّينا بِهِ غُرَّةَ الدُّجى

وَأَشعَثَ حَيَّينا بِهِ غُرَّةَ الدُّجى

وَقَد نَشِطَ التَّهويمُ عَن مُقَلِ الرَّكبِ

وَقَد نَشِطَ التَّهويمُ عَن مُقَلِ الرَّكبِ

And a tousled one, with whom we greeted the onset of darkness,

The untidy Hayyan woke us up at the break of dawn

when drowsiness had already slipped from the riders' eyes.

When the camels had rested from the fatigue of traveling.

إِذا ما تَغَنَّت بَينَ أَبرادِهِ الصَّبا

إِذا ما تَغَنَّت بَينَ أَبرادِهِ الصَّبا

تَرَنَّحَ مَرُّ الرِّيحِ بِالغُصُنِ الرَّطبِ

تَرَنَّحَ مَرُّ الرِّيحِ بِالغُصُنِ الرَّطبِ

Whenever the east wind sang between his cloaks,

When the morning breeze sings between its coolness,

he swayed as a passing wind sways a supple bough.

The passing wind sighs in the moist branch.

قَرُبتَ وَأَنواء الغَمامِ بَخيلَةٌ

قَرُبتَ وَأَنواء الغَمامِ بَخيلَةٌ

بَعيد بِأَيام الغَضارَةِ وَالخِصبِ

بَعيد بِأَيام الغَضارَةِ وَالخِصبِ

You drew near when the clouds' rain-seasons were miserly,

You drew near while rain clouds are stingy

far away in days of prosperity and plenty.

Far are the days of fertility and prosperity.

أَبى اتِّخاذَ الزَّادِ ما لا يَنالُهُ

أَبى اتِّخاذَ الزَّادِ ما لا يَنالُهُ

مِنَ الغَصبِ أَو يأسوبِهِ سَغَبَ الصَّحبِ

مِنَ الغَصبِ أَو يأسوبِهِ سَغَبَ الصَّحبِ

He refused to take provisions unless he won them

He refused to take provisions that cannot be attained

by plunder, or used them to ease his companions' hunger.

Through tyranny or plunder or greed of companions.

دَعا آلَ حَزنٍ وَالرِّماحُ تَنوشُهُ

دَعا آلَ حَزنٍ وَالرِّماحُ تَنوشُهُ

فَيا قُربَ ما لَبَّيتَ بِالطَّعنِ وَالضَّربِ

فَيا قُربَ ما لَبَّيتَ بِالطَّعنِ وَالضَّربِ

He called on the clan of Hazn as spears assailed him;

The troubles and spears have invited him

how swiftly you answered with thrusts and blows!

So O the near one, you have not responded to stabbing and striking.

وَلَو أَنَّني أَدعوهُ كانَ جَوابُهُ

وَلَو أَنَّني أَدعوهُ كانَ جَوابُهُ

بِأَسرَعَ مِن سَلّي لِحادِثَةٍ عَضبي

بِأَسرَعَ مِن سَلّي لِحادِثَةٍ عَضبي

And were I to call him, his answer would be

Had I called him, his reply would have been

swifter than my drawing my keen sword against calamity.

Swifter than my drawing a sword in anger.

وَجَدتُكَ أَحلَى في جُفوني مِنَ الكَرى

وَجَدتُكَ أَحلَى في جُفوني مِنَ الكَرى

وَأَعذَبَ في نَفسي مِنَ البارِدِ العَذبِ

وَأَعذَبَ في نَفسي مِنَ البارِدِ العَذبِ

I found you sweeter to my eyelids than slumber,

I found you sweeter in my eyes than others

and sweeter to my soul than cool, fresh water.

And more delightful in my soul than fresh sweet water.

فَقُل لِجَناب بِالغُوَيرِ تَضَوَّعَت

فَقُل لِجَناب بِالغُوَيرِ تَضَوَّعَت

عَلَيكَ الخُزامى وَهيَ تَلعَبُ بِاللُّبِّ

عَلَيكَ الخُزامى وَهيَ تَلعَبُ بِاللُّبِّ

So say to an abode at al-Ghuwayr: fragrance has wafted

Tell my side at Ghuwair drizzling

over you from lavender, while it toys with the mind.

That Khuzama are playing with wood.

سَقاكَ رَسِيلُ الدَّمعِ تَحسبُ جُودَهُ

سَقاكَ رَسِيلُ الدَّمعِ تَحسبُ جُودَهُ

أَكُفُّ الخَفاجِيين فاضِحَةَ السُّحبِ

أَكُفُّ الخَفاجِيين فاضِحَةَ السُّحبِ

May a stream of tears water you; you would take its bounty

The flow of tears has quenched you thinking its generosity

for the Khafajis' hands, putting the clouds to shame.

Exposes the hidden rainbows.

إِذا خِلتَهُ إِيمانَهُم فَبروقُهُ

إِذا خِلتَهُ إِيمانَهُم فَبروقُهُ

سُيوف وَهَل إِيمانُ قَومي بِلا قَضبِ

سُيوف وَهَل إِيمانُ قَومي بِلا قَضبِ

If you take it for their faith, then its lightning flashes

When their faith is tested, its lightning

are swords—and is my people's faith ever without blades?

Are swords. Is the faith of my people without staves?

وَما كُنتُ أَهوى أَن يَحُلَّ فَناءَهُ

وَما كُنتُ أَهوى أَن يَحُلَّ فَناءَهُ

سِوى الدَّمع إِلَّا أَنَّها عادَةُ العُربِ

سِوى الدَّمع إِلَّا أَنَّها عادَةُ العُربِ

And I did not wish anything to settle in its courtyard

I did not like that it would end but with tears

but tears—yet such is the Arabs' custom.

Except that this is the habit of Arabs.

يَعُزُّ مَديحي دونَ إِعراضِ مَعشَرٍ

يَعُزُّ مَديحي دونَ إِعراضِ مَعشَرٍ

يَهمُّونَ بي حَتّى يَغُرُّهُمُ سَبيِّ

يَهمُّونَ بي حَتّى يَغُرُّهُمُ سَبيِّ

My praise stands firm before a people's disdain,

My praise is difficult for a group

who plot against me until the thought of capturing me beguiles them.

Who slander me until slander makes them arrogant.

وَما كُنتُ أَرضى بِالدَّنِيَّةِ مِنهُمُ

وَما كُنتُ أَرضى بِالدَّنِيَّةِ مِنهُمُ

سُبابي فَهَّلا حاكَموني إِلى الحَربِ

سُبابي فَهَّلا حاكَموني إِلى الحَربِ

And I would not accept such baseness from them—

I was not pleased with their meanness towards me

their abusing me; why not bring me before war's judgment?

Why did they not make me the judge if they blamed me?

وَا وَعَدَني مِنهُم رِجالٌ بِغارَةٍ

وَا وَعَدَني مِنهُم رِجالٌ بِغارَةٍ

تُشَنُّ فَأَمنا يا لقاحَ بَني كَعبِ

تُشَنُّ فَأَمنا يا لقاحَ بَني كَعبِ

Ah! Men among them promised me a raid

A man among them promised me a raid

to be launched—so rest secure, O milch camels of Banu Ka'b!

That will be launched. How excellent the meeting of Bani Kaab!

وَقَد عَلِموا أَنِّي جَعَلتُ صُدورَهُم

وَقَد عَلِموا أَنِّي جَعَلتُ صُدورَهُم

مَقَرِّي فَخالوني خُلِقتُ مِنَ الرُّعبِ

مَقَرِّي فَخالوني خُلِقتُ مِنَ الرُّعبِ

And they already knew that I had made their breasts

They knew I made their chests

my abode, so they imagined I was created from terror.

My shelter. They left me; I am created from fright.

أَضاعوا المَعالي كَالضُّيوفِ وَجارُهُم

أَضاعوا المَعالي كَالضُّيوفِ وَجارُهُم

بَعيدُ القِرى غَيرُ الرَّبيلَةِ وَالعُشبِ

بَعيدُ القِرى غَيرُ الرَّبيلَةِ وَالعُشبِ

They neglected noble deeds as they did their guests; their neighbor

They forgot the sublime acts like guests while their neighbor

is far from hospitality, save lush herbage and grass.

Is far from settlements other than Rabeelah and Ushb.

تَصَفَّحتُ إِخواني فَلَم أَرَ فيهِمُ

تَصَفَّحتُ إِخواني فَلَم أَرَ فيهِمُ

صَفِيَّ وِدادٍ لا يَقِرُّ عَلى ذَنبِ

صَفِيَّ وِدادٍ لا يَقِرُّ عَلى ذَنبِ

I examined my brothers, but did not find among them

I examined my brethren but did not see among them

a friend true in affection who would not persist in wrongdoing.

A loyal affectionate friend who does not insist on a fault.

وَقالَ فُؤادي لا تُطِع مُتَجَنِّباً

وَقالَ فُؤادي لا تُطِع مُتَجَنِّباً

فَخالَفتُهُ وَاِختَرتُ قَومي عَلى قَلبي

فَخالَفتُهُ وَاِختَرتُ قَومي عَلى قَلبي

My heart said, 'Do not obey one who shuns you.'

My heart said do not obey an estranged one.

Yet I defied it and chose my people over my heart.

But I opposed it and chose my people over my heart.

وَلَكِن أَخٌ لي مِن تَنوخُ يَوَدُّني

وَلَكِن أَخٌ لي مِن تَنوخُ يَوَدُّني

عَلى البُعدِ إِن خانَ الصَّدِيقُ عَلى القُربِ

عَلى البُعدِ إِن خانَ الصَّدِيقُ عَلى القُربِ

But a brother of mine from Tanukh loves me

But I have a brother from Tanookh who wants me

despite the distance, if a nearby friend betrays me.

Despite the distance if a friend betrays in proximity.

أَلِفنا ظَلامَ اللَّيلِ حَتّى كَأَنَّنا

أَلِفنا ظَلامَ اللَّيلِ حَتّى كَأَنَّنا

وَجَدِّكَ أَولى بِاللَّيالي مِنَ الشُّهبِ

وَجَدِّكَ أَولى بِاللَّيالي مِنَ الشُّهبِ

We grew familiar with night's darkness, until we seemed—

We got accustomed to the darkness of night as if we

by your fortune!—more entitled to the nights than the bright stars.

And your nightly journeys are better than meteors.