وَدِدتُ وَما تُغني الوِدادَةُ أَنَّني

وَدِدتُ وَما تُغني الوِدادَةُ أَنَّني

بِما في ضَميرِ الحاجِبِبَّةِ عالِمُ

بِما في ضَميرِ الحاجِبِبَّةِ عالِمُ

I wished—though wishing avails nothing—that I

I yearned, though yearning avails not, that I knew

knew what lies in al-Hajibibbah's heart.

What's in the mind of the frowning, veiled belle;

فَإِن كانَ خَيراً سَرَّني وَعَلِمتُهُ

فَإِن كانَ خَيراً سَرَّني وَعَلِمتُهُ

وَإِن كانَ شَرّاً لَم تَلُمني اللَوائِمُ

وَإِن كانَ شَرّاً لَم تَلُمني اللَوائِمُ

Then, if it were good, it would gladden me, and I would know it;

If 'twere but good, it gladdened me, and I learned it;

and if it were bad, the reproaching women would not blame me.

If ill, no blame from blamers came on me to dwell.

وَما ذَكَرَتكِ النَفسُ إِلّا تَفَرَّقَت

وَما ذَكَرَتكِ النَفسُ إِلّا تَفَرَّقَت

فَريقَينِ مِنها عاذِرٌ لي وَلائِمُ

فَريقَينِ مِنها عاذِرٌ لي وَلائِمُ

My soul never remembered you without dividing

Whene'er my soul did mention thee, it parted

into two parts: one excusing me, the other reproaching.

In twain: one half excused me, one did chide and quell.

فَريقٌ أَبى أَن يَقبَلَ الضَيمَ عَنوَةً

فَريقٌ أَبى أَن يَقبَلَ الضَيمَ عَنوَةً

وَآخِرُ مِنها قابِلُ الضَيمِ راغِمُ

وَآخِرُ مِنها قابِلُ الضَيمِ راغِمُ

One part refused to accept oppression under compulsion;

One half refused capriciously to swallow

another part accepted oppression, humbled against its will.

Insult; one half was swallowing insults fell.

أَروحُ وَأَغدو مِن هَواكِ وَأَستَري

أَروحُ وَأَغدو مِن هَواكِ وَأَستَري

وَفي النَفسِ مِمّا قَد عَلِمتِ عَلاقِمُ

وَفي النَفسِ مِمّا قَد عَلِمتِ عَلاقِمُ

For love of you, I go at dusk and dawn and travel by night,

I visit thee and hie me home, by passion driven,

with bitter colocynths in my soul from what you already know,

And in my soul is that which shall for aye remain.

إِلى أَهلِ أَجنادَينِ مِن أَرضِ مَنبِجٍ

إِلى أَهلِ أَجنادَينِ مِن أَرضِ مَنبِجٍ

عَلى الهَولِ إِذ ضَفرُ القُوى مُتَلاحِمُ

عَلى الهَولِ إِذ ضَفرُ القُوى مُتَلاحِمُ

to the people of Ajnadayn, from the land of Manbij,

To Anjádán's lord in Mambij's land I'm faring

amid terror, when the braided rope-strands are tightly interwoven.

For fear, when warrior tribes be dashed together fain.

وَما لَستُ مِن نُصحي أَخاكَ بِمُنكَرٍ

وَما لَستُ مِن نُصحي أَخاكَ بِمُنكَرٍ

بِبُطنانَ إِذ أَهلُ القِبابِ عَماعِمُ

بِبُطنانَ إِذ أَهلُ القِبابِ عَماعِمُ

And what I do not disavow of my sincere counsel to your brother,

No ignoble friend am I to chide thee basely

at Butnan, when the people of the pavilions were in throngs,

When mail-coats glint and glaives in war their lightnings rain.

سَيَأتي أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ وَدونَهُ

سَيَأتي أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ وَدونَهُ

رُحابٌ وَأَنهارُ البُضَيعِ وَجاسِمُ

رُحابٌ وَأَنهارُ البُضَيعِ وَجاسِمُ

will reach the Commander of the Faithful, though before him lie

The Prince of True Believers soon shall lead his armies

Ruhab, the rivers of al-Budayʿ, and Jasim:

And in his rear be mansions wide and gardens sweet and fain,

ثَنائي تُنَمّيهِ عَلَيَّ وَمِدحَتي

ثَنائي تُنَمّيهِ عَلَيَّ وَمِدحَتي

سَمامٌ عَلى رُكبانِهِنَّ العَمائِمُ

سَمامٌ عَلى رُكبانِهِنَّ العَمائِمُ

my praise and my panegyric, carried onward on my behalf by

While daily my adversity and praise of thee

swift-like she-camels, with turbans upon their riders.

Like saddle-bags shall carry those who robes of honor gain.