يا دارُ لا أنهَجَ القشيبُ

يا دارُ لا أنهَجَ القشيبُ

منك ولا صَوَّحَ الرطيبُ

منك ولا صَوَّحَ الرطيبُ

O dwelling, may your fresh finery never wear threadbare,

O home, neither old age has departed from you, nor has youth reverberated in you,

nor your green growth wither.

Nor have the valleys whispered in you what would crack solid rocks,

ولا أخلَّتْ بكِ الغوادي

ولا أخلَّتْ بكِ الغوادي

تَشْعَبُ ما يَصدعُ الجُدوبُ

تَشْعَبُ ما يَصدعُ الجُدوبُ

May the morning rain-clouds never fail you,

From every worn out dwelling whose holes prevail over its patches,

mending what droughts rend,

Your Lord is astonished at it until the stern face laughs in it,

من كلِّ مخروقة العَزَالي

من كلِّ مخروقة العَزَالي

تغلِبُ أخياطَها الثُّقوبُ

تغلِبُ أخياطَها الثُّقوبُ

from every cloud with pierced spouts,

And its scent was as we knew it, the passing of the morning breeze in it and the blowing,

whose holes defeat its stitching threads.

So how many a night whose good remains among the necks of lovers is good,

تعجَبُ منها رباكِ حتَّى

تعجَبُ منها رباكِ حتَّى

يضحكَ فيها الوجهُ القَطوبُ

يضحكَ فيها الوجهُ القَطوبُ

Your hills marvel at that rain, until

We kneaded, and the night of departure is a night,

even a scowling face laughs upon them.

After that, the voice of the guide is a cross,

وكان عِطراً كما عهدنا

وكان عِطراً كما عهدنا

مَشْيُ الصَّبا فيكِ والهبوبُ

مَشْيُ الصَّبا فيكِ والهبوبُ

And fragrant, as we knew it, was

And we did not break what we walked away from it shortly,

the east wind's passage and blowing through you.

So my friends said: Did the guide get lost? Or was the prudent deceived, the adept?

فربَّ ليلٍ ثراكِ فيه

فربَّ ليلٍ ثراكِ فيه

بين نُحور العشاق طيبُ

بين نُحور العشاق طيبُ

For many a night your soil was

This is not the time for celebration, I said: it is longing, not foolishness,

perfume between the lovers' breasts.

O you who saw a mirage in the curves that the south wind ignites its fires,

عُجْنا وليلُ المطيِّ ليلٌ

عُجْنا وليلُ المطيِّ ليلٌ

بَعْدُ وصوتُ الحادي صليبُ

بَعْدُ وصوتُ الحادي صليبُ

We turned aside; the mounts' night was night

No! As long as you see it rise, you see it set,

still, and the camel-driver's voice was strong.

It is as if what appeared from it, weakened at the youth of darkness, is old age,

وما نَقضناهُ من طريقٍ

وما نَقضناهُ من طريقٍ

مِن حيثُ رحنا عنه قريبُ

مِن حيثُ رحنا عنه قريبُ

And the stretch of road we had retraced

It talked to me confidentially, happy that it is deceitful,

was not far from where we had departed.

It says Hypha’s house did not change from your covenant, O carrier of lies,

فقال صَحْبي أضلَّ هادٍ

فقال صَحْبي أضلَّ هادٍ

أم خُدِعَ الحازمُ الأريبُ

أم خُدِعَ الحازمُ الأريبُ

My companions said: 'Has a guide gone astray,

Its eyelids after you, weeping, are water, and its insides are flames,

or has the resolute, sagacious man been deceived?

So be gentle, for from its heart my wounds bleed, and from its eyes I shoot,

ليس أوانُ التعريسِ هذا

ليس أوانُ التعريسِ هذا

قلتُ هو الشوق لا اللُّغوبُ

قلتُ هو الشوق لا اللُّغوبُ

This is no time for a nighttime halt.'

No, and nights in the praying place, their sins are stolen in its ritual,

I said: 'It is longing, not fatigue.'

And the spy did not see sighs that the forgiving angel forgives,

يا من رأى باللِّوى بُرَيقاً

يا من رأى باللِّوى بُرَيقاً

تقدَحُ نيرانَهُ الجَنوبُ

تقدَحُ نيرانَهُ الجَنوبُ

Oh, who has seen at al-Liwa a little lightning-flash

And seclusions with Umm Saad, which no pleasure is more pleasant after it,

whose fires the south wind kindles?

If it were not for its water, thirst would not have quenched my heart,

كَلا وَلاَ بينما تراهُ

كَلا وَلاَ بينما تراهُ

يطلُعُ أبصرتَهُ يغيبُ

يطلُعُ أبصرتَهُ يغيبُ

Like 'no' and 'no'—even as you see it

What about a pilgrim with a group whose arrow is bloody from my blood?

rising, you behold it disappear.

And how, while the prey is then plunder, do hearts hunt with the eyes?

كأنّ ما لاح منه وَهْناً

كأنّ ما لاح منه وَهْناً

على شبابِ الدجى مَشيبُ

على شبابِ الدجى مَشيبُ

As though what flashed from it late at night

O her deadly glance, a fleeting look, which caused its diseases the doctor,

were gray hair upon the youth of darkness.

The pebbles of my heart melted over her, O you who saw an ember melt,

حدَّثَني بالغضا حديثاً

حدَّثَني بالغضا حديثاً

سَرَّ على أنّه خَلوبُ

سَرَّ على أنّه خَلوبُ

It told me of al-Ghada a tale

Say to my time whatever you want, for the oppressor has managed the ingenious,

that delighted me, though it was beguiling.

You have afflicted me with misfortunes until you left me no place to hit,

يقول هيفاءُ لم يُحِلْها

يقول هيفاءُ لم يُحِلْها

عن عهدك الناقِلُ الكذوبُ

عن عهدك الناقِلُ الكذوبُ

It says: 'The slender-waisted one has not been turned

Every day there is strange injustice, I have strange patience,

from her pledge to you by the lying tale-bearer.

Until it is no wonder from you, all of which is wondrous,

جفونُها بَعدَكم حُنُوّاً

جفونُها بَعدَكم حُنُوّاً

ماءٌ وأحشاؤها لهيبُ

ماءٌ وأحشاؤها لهيبُ

Her eyelids, since you left, for longing

A blamer in my soul's disinterest, I said to him: You and misfortunes

are water, and her inward parts are flame.

I wish you experience people like me, if the aloof good manner returns from your forbearance,

فارض فمِن قلبها خُفوقي

فارض فمِن قلبها خُفوقي

أُعدَى ومن طرفِها أصوبُ

أُعدَى ومن طرفِها أصوبُ

So be content: from her heart my flutter

For in my saying, who do you see subjected by them and whom do you criticize for leaving them?

is caught by contagion; from her eye I rain.'

God forbid that I compromise my honor, the prey of their hopes is enough for me,

لا وليالٍ على المُصَلَّى

لا وليالٍ على المُصَلَّى

تُسرَق في نُسكها الذنوبُ

تُسرَق في نُسكها الذنوبُ

No, by nights upon the prayer-ground,

I used to cry while they were scattered groups, and complain while they were different sorts,

when sins are stolen amid their rites,

Today the levelers made them equal to me, and flaws have spread among them,

وما رأَى الخَيْفُ من هَناتٍ

وما رأَى الخَيْفُ من هَناتٍ

يغفرها المالكُ الوهوبُ

يغفرها المالكُ الوهوبُ

and by the little lapses al-Khayf witnessed,

So I do not see anyone innocent among them, whom shame makes afraid the dubious tells him about,

forgiven by the Sovereign, the Bountiful,

Yes, I made an exception for the heights, a house whose nobility is impeccable,

وخَلوَاتٍ بأمّ سعدٍ

وخَلوَاتٍ بأمّ سعدٍ

ما بعدها لذّةٌ تطيبُ

ما بعدها لذّةٌ تطيبُ

and by private hours with Umm Sa'd,

A house whose morning lights are pillars, and whose meteors of darkness are tunnels,

after which no pleasure tastes sweet!

Lineage and number from its people, every refined person stemming from a refined one,

لولا لماها لما شفاني

لولا لماها لما شفاني

بزمزمٍ ما سقىَ القليبُ

بزمزمٍ ما سقىَ القليبُ

But for her dusky lips, I would not have been healed

From the family of Abdel Rahim Murad, they resemble around the porch of elevation and become white-haired,

by what the well supplied at Zamzam.

They gave prominence to the one among them who was absent, and the one who was present was given virtue,

ماذا على مُحرِمٍ بجَمْعٍ

ماذا على مُحرِمٍ بجَمْعٍ

وسهمُهُ من دمي خضيبُ

وسهمُهُ من دمي خضيبُ

What blame falls on a consecrated pilgrim at Jam',

Everyone with a wide smooth forehead, turbanless, was not gloomy-faced,

when his arrow is stained with my blood?

Satisfied to be fed and borrow, while the public is complaining and wronged,

وكيف والصَّيدُ ثَمَّ بَسْلٌ

وكيف والصَّيدُ ثَمَّ بَسْلٌ

تصادُ بالأعين القلوبُ

تصادُ بالأعين القلوبُ

And how, when hunting there is forbidden,

The thirst of ambitions is quenched in them, while it flames against others,

are hearts hunted by eyes?

They have its cups when the teat of life is squeezed,

يا فتكها نظرةً خِلاساً

يا فتكها نظرةً خِلاساً

سبَّبَ أدواءَها الطبيبُ

سبَّبَ أدواءَها الطبيبُ

Oh, her deadly force in a glance stolen unawares!

The laurel of glory, Abul Muali, is a branch whose fresh dew is green,

The physician caused its ailments.

He was its young lion, while opinion is mature, and its child while wisdom is intelligent,

ذابت عليها حصاةُ قلبي

ذابت عليها حصاةُ قلبي

يا من رأى جمرةً تذوبُ

يا من رأى جمرةً تذوبُ

At that glance, my heart's pebble melted;

The lion protecting it while the abode is war, and in peace the gazelle is the fawn,

oh, who has seen a glowing coal melt?

No joy claims composure from him, and no misfortune complains,

قُلْ لزماني ما شئت فاضغط

قُلْ لزماني ما شئت فاضغط

قد دَبِرَ الجائِرُ الجليبُ

قد دَبِرَ الجائِرُ الجليبُ

Tell my age: 'Press me as you will;

The hands of nights wink at him, while the spring is protected crucifix,

the bellowing, driven beast is already saddle-sore.

When clothes adorn him, they are taken by the hands of dew,

أصبتَني بالخطوبِ حتَّى

أصبتَني بالخطوبِ حتَّى

لم تُبقِ لي مَقتَلاً تُصيبُ

لم تُبقِ لي مَقتَلاً تُصيبُ

You have struck me with disasters until

And every endeavor of his like earnings, his palm is filled by bestowal,

you left me no vital spot to strike.

He protects his protection with affected ones whose wounds in enmity are scars,

في كل يومٍ جورٌ غريبٌ

في كل يومٍ جورٌ غريبٌ

عندي عليه صبرٌ غريبُ

عندي عليه صبرٌ غريبُ

Every day brings an unheard-of injustice;

Probing does not reach what his deep wound pours out,

I have an unheard-of patience to meet it,

Sending them eloquently when the orator speaks confusedly,

حتى لقد صار لا عجباً

حتى لقد صار لا عجباً

منك الذي كلُّه عجيبُ

منك الذي كلُّه عجيبُ

until it has indeed ceased to be a marvel—

When the horizons of speech narrow, its space in it extends,

what comes from you, though all of it is marvelous.'

Your full moon has neither been erased by approaching darkness, nor has your sun been erased by sunset,

ولائمٍ في عُزوفِ نفْسِي

ولائمٍ في عُزوفِ نفْسِي

قلتُ له أنتَ والخطوبُ

قلتُ له أنتَ والخطوبُ

And to one who blamed my soul's aversion,

And time has repented to you from its sin, repenting,

I said: 'You have calamities to reckon with.

Swearing it has no shame while it is a sword, then no smell while it is melting,

عساك خُبْراً بالناس مثلي

عساك خُبْراً بالناس مثلي

إن رُدَّ من حِلمك العزيبُ

إن رُدَّ من حِلمك العزيبُ

Perhaps you will know people as I do,

And the shadow of the world has returned to you

if your straying wits are brought back.

Budding or spotted with stripes,

فَفِي قِلَي مَنْ تُراكَ تَلْحَى

فَفِي قِلَي مَنْ تُراكَ تَلْحَى

منهم وفي تَرْكِ مَنْ تَعيبُ

منهم وفي تَرْكِ مَنْ تَعيبُ

So whom do you think you reproach me for hating

Your luck is its elite, and the share of enemies in it is the bitter adulterated,

among them, and whom do you fault me for abandoning?'

No night of youth was followed by old age from the morning,

اللهُ لي إن طَرَحْتُ عِرضي

اللهُ لي إن طَرَحْتُ عِرضي

أُكلةَ آمالهم حسيبُ

أُكلةَ آمالهم حسيبُ

God—if I cast away my honor

And the day of Nayrouz in the year of fertility visited as the beloved visited,

as food for their ambitions—is my reckoner.

Assistance from the folds of help is gifted to you, every son of hearing for it is enchanted by it,

قد كنتُ أبكي وهم فُروقٌ

قد كنتُ أبكي وهم فُروقٌ

شَتَّى وأشكو وهم ضُروبُ

شَتَّى وأشكو وهم ضُروبُ

Once I wept while they were divided

There are flames in you that roam the land or wander,

into scattered groups, and complained while they were of many kinds.

Every day a sweetheart without a watcher overcomes you from it,

فاليوم سوّتهم المَساوِي

فاليوم سوّتهم المَساوِي

عندي وعمَّتهم العيوبُ

عندي وعمَّتهم العيوبُ

Today their faults have made them equal

That is how there is neither a wicked absentee nor a dubious witness for you,

in my eyes, and defects embrace them all.

My heart is loyal to you and my love has not sickened while hearts and love sickened,

فما أرى منهُمُ بريئاً

فما أرى منهُمُ بريئاً

يخَشَى افتضاحاً به المُريبُ

يخَشَى افتضاحاً به المُريبُ

So I see no innocent man among them

I answered you before you called me, so how can I be called and not answer?

through whom the suspect might fear exposure.

بلى قد استثنيتِ المعالي

بلى قد استثنيتِ المعالي

بيتاً لها فخرُهُ نسيبُ

بيتاً لها فخرُهُ نسيبُ

Yet an exception has been made for high excellence:

a house whose glory is kindred to it.

بيتاً شموسُ الضحَى عمادٌ

بيتاً شموسُ الضحَى عمادٌ

له وشهبُ الدجَى طُنوبُ

له وشهبُ الدجَى طُنوبُ

A house whose pillars are the suns of morning,

and whose tent-ropes are the bright stars of night.

الحَسَبُ العِدُّ من بنيهِ

الحَسَبُ العِدُّ من بنيهِ

كلُّ نجيبٍ نَمَآ نجيبُ

كلُّ نجيبٍ نَمَآ نجيبُ

The unfailing fount of nobility among its sons:

every noble scion begotten by a noble sire.

من آل عبدِ الرحيم مُرْدٌ

من آل عبدِ الرحيم مُرْدٌ

حولَ رواقِ العُلا وشِيبُ

حولَ رواقِ العُلا وشِيبُ

From the family of Abd al-Rahim, beardless youths

and gray-haired men surround the pavilion of eminence.

تشابهوا سُوَدداً فأعطَى

تشابهوا سُوَدداً فأعطَى

شاهدُهم فضلَ مَن يغيبُ

شاهدُهم فضلَ مَن يغيبُ

They match one another in nobility, so

the one present shows the excellence of the absent.

كلُّ مُحَيَّا الجبينِ طَلْقٍ

كلُّ مُحَيَّا الجبينِ طَلْقٍ

لم يَعتسِفْ بِشرَه القُطوبُ

لم يَعتسِفْ بِشرَه القُطوبُ

Every face has a cheerful, open brow;

no scowl has ever violated its cheer.

راضون أن يُشبعوا ويَضْوَوا

راضون أن يُشبعوا ويَضْوَوا

والعامُ مسحنفزٌ غَصوبُ

والعامُ مسحنفزٌ غَصوبُ

Content to feed others full while growing lean,

though the year bristles, rapacious,

تَرْوَى عِطاشُ الآمالِ فيهم

تَرْوَى عِطاشُ الآمالِ فيهم

وهْيَ علىَ غيرهم تَلوبُ

وهْيَ علىَ غيرهم تَلوبُ

thirsty hopes drink their fill among them,

while around others they circle unquenched.

لهم أفاويقُها إذا ما

لهم أفاويقُها إذا ما

أَصرَمَ ثَدْيُ الحَيَا الحَلوبُ

أَصرَمَ ثَدْيُ الحَيَا الحَلوبُ

They have their fresh milk-draughts whenever

the rain's milk-giving udder runs dry.

دوحةُ مجدٍ أبو المعالي

دوحةُ مجدٍ أبو المعالي

غصنُ جناها الغضُّ الرطيبُ

غصنُ جناها الغضُّ الرطيبُ

A spreading tree of glory: Abu al-Ma'ali

is its tender, fresh, fruit-bearing branch.

كان فَتاها والرأيُ كهلٌ

كان فَتاها والرأيُ كهلٌ

وطِفلَها والحجا لبيبُ

وطِفلَها والحجا لبيبُ

He was its young man, though his judgment was mature,

and its child, though his intellect was wise,

ليثُ حِماها والدارُ حربٌ

ليثُ حِماها والدارُ حربٌ

وفي السلامِ الظبيُ الربيبُ

وفي السلامِ الظبيُ الربيبُ

the lion of its sanctuary when the house was at war,

and in peace the hand-reared gazelle.

لا فَرحةٌ تستقلُّ منه

لا فَرحةٌ تستقلُّ منه

حِلْماً ولا نَوبةٌ تنوبُ

حِلْماً ولا نَوبةٌ تنوبُ

No joy can strip him of

his forbearance, nor any calamity that strikes.

تغمِزُ فيه أيدي الليالي

تغمِزُ فيه أيدي الليالي

والنَّبْعُ مستعصِمٌ صَليبُ

والنَّبْعُ مستعصِمٌ صَليبُ

The hands of nights try to bend him,

but the nab' wood stays unyielding and hard.

إذا كساه الغِنَى قميصاً

إذا كساه الغِنَى قميصاً

فهو بأيدي الندَى سليبُ

فهو بأيدي الندَى سليبُ

If wealth clothes him in a shirt,

he is stripped bare by the hands of generosity.

وكلُّ سعيٍ له كَسوبٍ

وكلُّ سعيٍ له كَسوبٍ

تَغرمَهُ كفُّه الوهوبُ

تَغرمَهُ كفُّه الوهوبُ

And every profitable striving of his

his bountiful hand spends its gains.

يحمي حِماه بنافذاتٍ

يحمي حِماه بنافذاتٍ

خُدوشُها في العِدا نُدوبُ

خُدوشُها في العِدا نُدوبُ

He guards his sanctuary with piercing utterances,

whose scratches are scars upon his foes.

لا يَبلُغُ السَّبرُ ما يُفَرَّى

لا يَبلُغُ السَّبرُ ما يُفَرَّى

مُعمِّقاً جُرحُها الرغيبُ

مُعمِّقاً جُرحُها الرغيبُ

No probe can reach what is rent open

by their gaping wound as it cuts deep.

يبعثُها مفصِحاً لسانٌ

يبعثُها مفصِحاً لسانٌ

ماضٍ إذا لَجلَجَ الخطيبُ

ماضٍ إذا لَجلَجَ الخطيبُ

An eloquent tongue sends them forth,

keen when the orator stammers.

إذا فُروجُ الكلامِ ضاقتْ

إذا فُروجُ الكلامِ ضاقتْ

تَمَّ بها باعُهُ الرحيبُ

تَمَّ بها باعُهُ الرحيبُ

When the passages of speech grow narrow,

his ample reach is fulfilled through them.

لا مَحَقتْ بدرَك الدآدِي

لا مَحَقتْ بدرَك الدآدِي

ولا محا شمسَك الغروبُ

ولا محا شمسَك الغروبُ

May the dark month-end nights never efface your full moon,

nor sunset blot out your sun.

ورَجَع الدهرُ مستقيلاً

ورَجَع الدهرُ مستقيلاً

إليكَ من ذنبهِ يتوبُ

إليكَ من ذنبهِ يتوبُ

And may Time return seeking pardon,

repenting to you of its sin,

يُقسِمُ لا شِيمَ وهو سيفٌ

يُقسِمُ لا شِيمَ وهو سيفٌ

بعدُ ولا شَمَّ وهو ذيبُ

بعدُ ولا شَمَّ وهو ذيبُ

swearing that, as a sword, it will not be drawn

henceforth, nor sniff about as a wolf.

وعاد ظلُّ الدنيا عليكم

وعاد ظلُّ الدنيا عليكم

يُورقُ أو يُنمرُ القضيبُ

يُورقُ أو يُنمرُ القضيبُ

And may the world's shade return over you,

as the bough leafs or grows flower-speckled.

حظُّكُمُ صفوُها وحظُّ ال

حظُّكُمُ صفوُها وحظُّ ال

أعداءِ منها المُرُّ المشوبُ

أعداءِ منها المُرُّ المشوبُ

Your share is its purity, and the share of the

enemies is its bitter, adulterated portion,

ما كرَّ عَوْداً شبابُ ليلٍ

ما كرَّ عَوْداً شبابُ ليلٍ

يَردُفُهُ من ضُحىً مَشيبُ

يَردُفُهُ من ضُحىً مَشيبُ

as long as night's youth comes round again,

followed by the gray hair of morning.

وزار يومُ النيروز عامَ ال

وزار يومُ النيروز عامَ ال

خِصبِ كما زارك الحبيبُ

خِصبِ كما زارك الحبيبُ

And Nowruz Day visits the year of

plenty, as the beloved has visited you.

تُهدَى لكم من ثَنايَ عُونٌ

تُهدَى لكم من ثَنايَ عُونٌ

كلُّ ابنِ سمعٍ لها طروبُ

كلُّ ابنِ سمعٍ لها طروبُ

Mature ladies of my praise are offered to you;

every child of hearing is enraptured by them.

قواطنٌ فيكُمُ وتُمسي

قواطنٌ فيكُمُ وتُمسي

تجولُ في الأرض أو تجوبُ

تجولُ في الأرض أو تجوبُ

They dwell among you, yet by evening

wander over the earth or roam afar.

في كلِّ يومٍ تغشاك منها

في كلِّ يومٍ تغشاك منها

حبيبةٌ ما لها رقيبُ

حبيبةٌ ما لها رقيبُ

Every day, from among them, there visits you

a beloved with no chaperone.

كذاك لا غائبي خبيثٌ

كذاك لا غائبي خبيثٌ

لكم ولا شاهدي مريبُ

لكم ولا شاهدي مريبُ

Thus, my absent self is not treacherous

to you, nor my present self suspect.

قلبي صحيحٌ لكم وودّي

قلبي صحيحٌ لكم وودّي

ما مرِضَ الودُّ والقلوبُ

ما مرِضَ الودُّ والقلوبُ

My heart is sound toward you, and so is my affection,

whenever affection and hearts grow sick.

أجبتكم قبلَ أن دعوتم

أجبتكم قبلَ أن دعوتم

فكيف أُدعَى فلا أُجيبُ

فكيف أُدعَى فلا أُجيبُ

I answered you before you called,

so how could I be called and not answer?