أَقوى وَعُرِّيَ واسِطٌ فَبَرامُ

أَقوى وَعُرِّيَ واسِطٌ فَبَرامُ

مِن أَهلِهِ فَصُوائِقٌ فَخِزامُ

مِن أَهلِهِ فَصُوائِقٌ فَخِزامُ

Wāsiṭ lies desolate and stripped bare, and so does Barām,

Wasit, then Baram, lie deserted and stripped bare

bereft of its people—then Ṣawāʾiq, then Khuzām,

Of their people; then Suwa'iq, then Khizam,

فَالوادِيانِ فَكُلُّ مَغنىً مِنهُمُ

فَالوادِيانِ فَكُلُّ مَغنىً مِنهُمُ

وَعَلى المِياهِ مَحاضِرٌ وَخِيامُ

وَعَلى المِياهِ مَحاضِرٌ وَخِيامُ

then the two valleys, then every dwelling place of theirs,

Then the two valleys and every dwelling of theirs,

and beside the watering places, their encampments and tents.

And encampments and tents beside the waterholes.

عَهدي بِها الإِنسَ الجَميعَ وَفيهُمُ

عَهدي بِها الإِنسَ الجَميعَ وَفيهُمُ

قَبلَ التَفَرُّقِ مَيسِرٌ وَنِدامُ

قَبلَ التَفَرُّقِ مَيسِرٌ وَنِدامُ

I remember it when all the people were gathered there, and among them,

I recall the people gathered there, and among them,

before they scattered, were players of maysir and boon companions.

Before they scattered, arrow-gambling and drinking companions.

لا تُنشَدُ الحُمرُ الأَوالِفُ فيهُمُ

لا تُنشَدُ الحُمرُ الأَوالِفُ فيهُمُ

إِذ لا تُرَوَّحُ بِالعَشِيِّ بِهامُ

إِذ لا تُرَوَّحُ بِالعَشِيِّ بِهامُ

No familiar red she-camels were sought among them,

No tame asses were sought among them,

for no young livestock was driven home there at evening—

When no lambs or kids were driven home at evening—

إِلّا فَلاءَ الخَيلِ مِنها مُرسَلٌ

إِلّا فَلاءَ الخَيلِ مِنها مُرسَلٌ

وَمُرَبَّطاتٌ بِالفِناءِ صِيامُ

وَمُرَبَّطاتٌ بِالفِناءِ صِيامُ

only the horses’ foals, some of them let loose,

Only horse-foals, some let loose,

and others tethered in the courtyard, fasting without fodder;

And tethered mares standing without grazing in the forecourt;

وَجَوارِنٌ بيضٌ وَكُلُّ طِمِرَّةٍ

وَجَوارِنٌ بيضٌ وَكُلُّ طِمِرَّةٍ

يَعدو عَلَيها القَرَّتَينِ غُلامُ

يَعدو عَلَيها القَرَّتَينِ غُلامُ

fair young women too, and every mettlesome mare

And white, supple coats of mail, and each swift mare

ridden hard by her young master in morning’s and evening’s cool.

That a lad galloped in the cool of morning and evening.

وَمُدَفَّعٌ طَرَقَ النُبوحَ فَلَم يَجِد

وَمُدَفَّعٌ طَرَقَ النُبوحَ فَلَم يَجِد

مَأوىً وَلَم يَكُ لِلمُضيفِ سَوامُ

مَأوىً وَلَم يَكُ لِلمُضيفِ سَوامُ

And a rebuffed night traveler came toward the barking dogs, but found

And a man driven away came by night toward barking dogs, but found

no refuge, while his would-be host possessed no grazing herd.

No shelter; the hard-pressed man had no grazing stock.

آوَيتُهُ حَتّى تَكَفَّتَ حامِداً

آوَيتُهُ حَتّى تَكَفَّتَ حامِداً

وَأَهَلَّ بَعدَ جُمَدِيَينِ حَرامُ

وَأَهَلَّ بَعدَ جُمَدِيَينِ حَرامُ

I sheltered him until he departed, praising me,

I sheltered him until he departed giving thanks,

once a sacred month had come upon him after the two Jumādā months.

And after the two Jumada months a sacred month dawned.

وَصَباً غَداةَ إِقامَةٍ وَزَّعتُها

وَصَباً غَداةَ إِقامَةٍ وَزَّعتُها

بِجِفانِ شيزى فَوقَهُنَّ سَنامُ

بِجِفانِ شيزى فَوقَهُنَّ سَنامُ

When, on the morning of his lodging, he yearned to leave, I restrained him

And an east wind, on a morning in camp, I held at bay

with great platters of shīzī wood, camel humps heaped upon them,

With shiza-wood bowls topped with camel-hump meat.

وَمَقامَةٍ غُلبِ الرِقابِ كَأَنَّهُم

وَمَقامَةٍ غُلبِ الرِقابِ كَأَنَّهُم

جِنٌّ لَدى طَرَفِ الحَصيرِ قِيامُ

جِنٌّ لَدى طَرَفِ الحَصيرِ قِيامُ

and with a company of stout, thick-necked men, as though they were

And an assembly of thick-necked men, as though they were

jinn standing at the king’s side.

Jinn standing at the king's side—

دافَعتُ خُطَّتَها وَكُنتُ وَلِيَّها

دافَعتُ خُطَّتَها وَكُنتُ وَلِيَّها

إِذ عَيَّ فَصلَ جَوابِها الحُكّامُ

إِذ عَيَّ فَصلَ جَوابِها الحُكّامُ

I championed its grave cause and stood as its guardian

I defended its case and was its champion,

when the judges were at a loss for a decisive answer.

When the judges could find no decisive answer to it.

ضارَستُهُم حَتّى يَلينَ شَريسُهُم

ضارَستُهُم حَتّى يَلينَ شَريسُهُم

عَنّي وَعِندي لِلجَموحِ لِجامُ

عَنّي وَعِندي لِلجَموحِ لِجامُ

I grappled fiercely with them until their harsh obstinacy softened

I contended with them until their stubborn one softened

and yielded before me; I have a bridle for the headstrong.

Toward me; I have a bridle for the headstrong.

وَبِكُلِّ ذَلِكَ قَد سَعَيتُ إِلى العُلى

وَبِكُلِّ ذَلِكَ قَد سَعَيتُ إِلى العُلى

وَالمَرءُ يُحمَدُ سَعيُهُ وَيُلامُ

وَالمَرءُ يُحمَدُ سَعيُهُ وَيُلامُ

Through all this I have striven after high honor,

And through all this I have striven for high honor,

and a man is praised for his striving—or blamed.

And a man is praised or blamed for his striving.

مُتَخَصِّرينَ البابَ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ

مُتَخَصِّرينَ البابَ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ

غُلباً مُخالِطُ فَرطِها أَحلامُ

غُلباً مُخالِطُ فَرطِها أَحلامُ

At the doorway every evening, short staffs in hand,

They flanked the gate each evening,

stand thick-necked men whose impetuous excess is tempered by good sense.

Thick-necked, their rashness mingled with sound judgment.

تِلكَ اِبنَةُ السَعدِيِّ أَضحَت تَشتَكي

تِلكَ اِبنَةُ السَعدِيِّ أَضحَت تَشتَكي

لِتَخونَ عَهدي وَالمَخانَةُ ذامُ

لِتَخونَ عَهدي وَالمَخانَةُ ذامُ

That daughter of al-Saʿdī has taken to complaining

That daughter of al-Sa'di has taken to complaining,

that I betray my pledge—though treachery is blameworthy.

To betray my covenant; treachery is a disgrace.

وَلَقَد عَلِمتِ لَوَ إِنَّ عِلمَكِ نافِعٌ

وَلَقَد عَلِمتِ لَوَ إِنَّ عِلمَكِ نافِعٌ

وَسَمِعتِ ما يَتَحَدَّثُ الأَقوامُ

وَسَمِعتِ ما يَتَحَدَّثُ الأَقوامُ

Yet surely you have known—if only your knowledge availed—

And you surely know—if your knowledge were of any use—

and heard what the tribes say:

And have heard what people say:

أَنّي أُكاثِرُ في النَدى إِخوانَهُ

أَنّي أُكاثِرُ في النَدى إِخوانَهُ

وَأَعِفُّ عِرضي إِن أَلَمَّ لِمامُ

وَأَعِفُّ عِرضي إِن أَلَمَّ لِمامُ

that in generosity I vie in abundance with its brethren,

That I vie in generosity with its brethren,

and keep my honor undefiled whenever some passing visitation comes upon me.

And keep my honor unstained if passing madness strikes.