أَمِن رَسمِ دارٍ مَربَعٌ وَمَصيفُ

أَمِن رَسمِ دارٍ مَربَعٌ وَمَصيفُ

لِعَينَيكَ مِن ماءِ الشُؤونِ وَكيفُ

لِعَينَيكَ مِن ماءِ الشُؤونِ وَكيفُ

Is it the trace of a dwelling, a spring and summer abode,

A square house with a summer lodge for your eyes

that draws a steady flow of tears from your eyes' ducts?

With water flowing from the spring of life

رَشاشٌ كَغَربَي هاجِرِيٍّ كِلاهُما

رَشاشٌ كَغَربَي هاجِرِيٍّ كِلاهُما

لَهُ داجِنٌ بِالكَرَّتَينِ عَليفُ

لَهُ داجِنٌ بِالكَرَّتَينِ عَليفُ

A spray like that from a Hajari's two great buckets, each

A shower like two migrant doves

worked by a tame, stall-fed beast going out and back.

Each carrying twigs in their beaks to build a nest

إِذا كَرَّ غَرباً بَعدَ غَربٍ أَعادَهُ

إِذا كَرَّ غَرباً بَعدَ غَربٍ أَعادَهُ

عَلى رَغمِهِ وافي السِبالِ عَنيفُ

عَلى رَغمِهِ وافي السِبالِ عَنيفُ

When it draws up bucket after bucket, it is sent back,

If one turns west after west he makes it return

against its will, by a harsh man with a full mustache.

Against its will, a sandgrouse loyal to its chick

تَذَكَّرتُ فيها الجَهلَ حَتّى تَبادَرَت

تَذَكَّرتُ فيها الجَهلَ حَتّى تَبادَرَت

دُموعي وَأَصحابي عَلَيَّ وُقوفُ

دُموعي وَأَصحابي عَلَيَّ وُقوفُ

There I recalled youthful folly, until there rushed forth

I remembered ignorance here until my tears welled up

my tears, while my companions stood around me.

And my friends gathered around me

يَقولونَ هَل يَبكي مِنَ الشَوقِ مُسلِمٌ

يَقولونَ هَل يَبكي مِنَ الشَوقِ مُسلِمٌ

تَخَلّى إِلى وَجهِ الإِلَهِ حَنيفُ

تَخَلّى إِلى وَجهِ الإِلَهِ حَنيفُ

They say, "Does a Muslim weep from longing—

They say does a Muslim cry from yearning

one devoted to the face of God, upright in faith?"

When his face is turned in devotion to God?

فَلَأياً أَزاحَت عِلَّتي ذاتُ مَنسِمٍ

فَلَأياً أَزاحَت عِلَّتي ذاتُ مَنسِمٍ

نَكيبٍ تَغالى في الزِمامِ خَنوفُ

نَكيبٍ تَغالى في الزِمامِ خَنوفُ

Then, with difficulty, a she-camel eased my affliction—her hoof

So away with the one whose blame erased my weakness

bruised, she strains upward against the rein, swinging her forelegs outward.

A kneeling camel turned away in the reins

مُقَذَّفَةٌ بِاللَحمِ وَجناءُ عَدوُها

مُقَذَّفَةٌ بِاللَحمِ وَجناءُ عَدوُها

عَلى الأَينِ إِرقالٌ مَعاً وَوَجيفُ

عَلى الأَينِ إِرقالٌ مَعاً وَوَجيفُ

Packed with flesh, thick-cheeked; her running

Casting flesh and the slain of its enemy

despite fatigue, combines a swift trot with a rapid rush.

On each other, entrails and carcass intertwined

إِلَيكَ سَعيدَ الخَيرِ جُبتُ مَهامِهاً

إِلَيكَ سَعيدَ الخَيرِ جُبتُ مَهامِهاً

يُقابِلُني آلٌ بِها وَتَنوفُ

يُقابِلُني آلٌ بِها وَتَنوفُ

To you, Sa'id the Good, I crossed trackless wastes,

To you happy one I came burdened

where mirage and barren wilderness confront me.

With concerns met by kin and fatigue

وَلَولا الَّذي العاصي أَبوهُ لَعُلِّقَت

وَلَولا الَّذي العاصي أَبوهُ لَعُلِّقَت

بِحَورانَ مِجذامُ العَشِيِّ عَصوفُ

بِحَورانَ مِجذامُ العَشِيِّ عَصوفُ

And were it not for him whose father is al-'Asi, she would have been given fodder

Were it not for He whose disobedient father

in Hawran—a camel racing through the evening, swift as a gale.

Would have been hung from the thorns of al-‘Ushsh

وَلَولا أَصيلُ اللُبِ غَضٌّ شَبابُهُ

وَلَولا أَصيلُ اللُبِ غَضٌّ شَبابُهُ

كَريمٌ لِأَيّامِ المَنونِ عَروفُ

كَريمٌ لِأَيّامِ المَنونِ عَروفُ

And were it not for a man of sound judgment, his youth still fresh,

Were it not for the noble true-hearted youth

noble, steadfast through the days of death,

Generous through days of adversity well-known

إِذا هَمَّ بِالأَعداءِ لَم يَثنِ هَمَّهُ

إِذا هَمَّ بِالأَعداءِ لَم يَثنِ هَمَّهُ

كَعابٌ عَلَيها لُؤلُؤٌ وَشُنوفُ

كَعابٌ عَلَيها لُؤلُؤٌ وَشُنوفُ

whose resolve, when directed against enemies, is never swayed

When he turns with determination to the enemy

by a budding-breasted maiden wearing pearls and earrings,

His resolve is not weakened, pearls and petals interlaced

حَصانٌ لَها في البَيتِ زِيٌّ وَبَهجَةٌ

حَصانٌ لَها في البَيتِ زِيٌّ وَبَهجَةٌ

وَمَشيٌ كَما تَمشي القَطاةُ قَطوفُ

وَمَشيٌ كَما تَمشي القَطاةُ قَطوفُ

chaste, with finery and splendor within her house,

A steed for them in the abode, excellent and joyous

and a short-stepped gait, like the sandgrouse's walk.

And a gait like the walk of a smooth-stepping wild cat

وَلَو شاءَ وارى الشَمسَ مِن دونِ وَجهِهِ

وَلَو شاءَ وارى الشَمسَ مِن دونِ وَجهِهِ

حِجابٌ وَمَطوِيُّ السَراةِ مُنيفُ

حِجابٌ وَمَطوِيُّ السَراةِ مُنيفُ

And if he wished, the sun could be screened from his face

Had he wished he could veil the sun from view

by a curtain and a lofty shelter, its roof firmly built.

With a screen, the folded cloak a protection

وَلَكِنَّ إِدلاجاً بِشَهباءَ فَخمَةٍ

وَلَكِنَّ إِدلاجاً بِشَهباءَ فَخمَةٍ

لَها لَقَحٌ في الأَعجَمينَ كَشوفُ

لَها لَقَحٌ في الأَعجَمينَ كَشوفُ

But he chooses a night march with a vast gray host,

But he preferred to reveal it with noble white horses

pregnant with war among the non-Arabs, conceiving again and again.

Purebred, piercing the non-Arabs

إِذا قادَها لِلمَوتِ يَوماً تَتابَعَت

إِذا قادَها لِلمَوتِ يَوماً تَتابَعَت

أُلوفٌ عَلى آثارِهِنَّ أُلوفُ

أُلوفٌ عَلى آثارِهِنَّ أُلوفُ

When one day he leads it to death, there follow

When one day he leads them to death row upon row

thousands, with thousands following in their tracks.

Will follow in their tracks rows upon rows

فَصُفّوا وَماذِيُّ الحَديدِ عَلَيهِمُ

فَصُفّوا وَماذِيُّ الحَديدِ عَلَيهِمُ

وَبَيضٌ كَأَولادِ النَعامِ كَثيفُ

وَبَيضٌ كَأَولادِ النَعامِ كَثيفُ

Then they were drawn up in ranks, with fine iron mail upon them,

So they lined up and what can iron do against them

and densely massed helmets, like ostrich chicks.

And whites like the chicks of ostriches abundant

أَنابَت إِلى جَنّاتِ عَدنٍ نُفوسُهُم

أَنابَت إِلى جَنّاتِ عَدنٍ نُفوسُهُم

وَما بَعدَها لِلصالِحينَ حُتوفُ

وَما بَعدَها لِلصالِحينَ حُتوفُ

Their souls turned toward the gardens of Eden,

Their souls turned to the gardens of Eden

and afterward there is no death for the righteous.

With beyond them only good things for the righteous

خَفيفِ المِعى لا يَملَأُ الهَمُّ صَدرَهُ

خَفيفِ المِعى لا يَملَأُ الهَمُّ صَدرَهُ

إِذا سُمتَهُ الزادَ الخَبيثَ عَيوفُ

إِذا سُمتَهُ الزادَ الخَبيثَ عَيوفُ

Lean-bellied, no care fills his breast;

Light in step, worry cannot fill his chest

when you offer him foul fare, he spurns it.

When foul food is his lot, he's not discontent