أخَويَّ والعشاقُ إخوَهْ

أخَويَّ والعشاقُ إخوَهْ

يتراضعون جَوىً وصبوَهْ

يتراضعون جَوىً وصبوَهْ

O my two brothers—and lovers are brothers—

My brother and lovers are brothers,

they suckle together on heartache and longing.

Who console each other in joy and youth.

لا يُنسَبون لِعَلّةٍ

لا يُنسَبون لِعَلّةٍ

وإن انتأت بهم الأبوَّهَ

وإن انتأت بهم الأبوَّهَ

They are not counted as half-brothers,

They are not attributed to any shortcoming,

though their paternal lines are far apart.

Even if time brings them distress.

ناشدتُ سرَّكما فبع

ناشدتُ سرَّكما فبع

ضُ السرِّ مصنوعٌ مموَّهْ

ضُ السرِّ مصنوعٌ مموَّهْ

I adjured you both by your secret—for some

I appealed to you both, so one of you gave away the secret,

secrets are fabricated and disguised.

A secret that is carefully guarded.

أطمِعتُما من بعد يو

أطمِعتُما من بعد يو

مِ عُنيزَةٍ في يوم سَلْوَهْ

مِ عُنيزَةٍ في يوم سَلْوَهْ

Have you two hoped, after the day

After a day when I met

of ʿUnayzah, for a day of forgetting?

Unaizah on a day of joy,

أم تعلمان لمفلت

أم تعلمان لمفلت

أشراكَنا بعُكاظَ نَجْوَهْ

أشراكَنا بعُكاظَ نَجْوَهْ

Or do you two know, for one escaping

Or did you both know why

our snares at ʿUkāẓ, a refuge?

Our bonds in Ukaz were severed?

قطعَ الحِبالةَ لا يعل

قطعَ الحِبالةَ لا يعل

لِق جاهدُ الألحاظ عَفوَهْ

لِق جاهدُ الألحاظ عَفوَهْ

He cut the snare; no striving

One who struggles to maintain eye contact cannot

glance can catch him off guard.

Regain the forgiveness he lost.

بَرِماً بحبّات القلو

بَرِماً بحبّات القلو

ب يخافها وتهشُّ نحوَهْ

ب يخافها وتهشُّ نحوَهْ

Weary of the kernels of

I fear for the hearts

hearts, he fears them while they greet him eagerly.

That flutter toward him.

وغَدوت أُعذَر رحمةً

وغَدوت أُعذَر رحمةً

من بعده وألامُ قسوَهْ

من بعده وألامُ قسوَهْ

I came to be excused out of pity,

And I began excusing him out of mercy

after him, and blamed out of harshness.

After his pain and cruelty.

وأُسَرُّ بالطيفِ الوَصو

وأُسَرُّ بالطيفِ الوَصو

لِ وفي وصال الطيف جفوَهْ

لِ وفي وصال الطيف جفوَهْ

I delight in the ever-visiting phantom,

I take delight in the phantom's arrival,

though union with a phantom holds estrangement.

And in the phantom's presence is aridity.

تشتاقه العينان في

تشتاقه العينان في

هِ وملتقى الجسمين غَلْوَهْ

هِ وملتقى الجسمين غَلْوَهْ

Both eyes yearn for him within

My eyes yearn for him,

it, while the two bodies' meeting is a bowshot away.

And the meeting of our bodies is sweetness.

وإذا وقفتُ ففي أصم

وإذا وقفتُ ففي أصم

مَ أمارت الأحداثُ مروَهْ

مَ أمارت الأحداثُ مروَهْ

And when I halt, it is at a mute

When I stop, it is in deafness -

place whose flint calamities have stirred,

Events have announced their bitterness.

كالسطر يكتبه الحيا

كالسطر يكتبه الحيا

ويعيدُ ذيلُ الريح محوَهْ

ويعيدُ ذيلُ الريح محوَهْ

like a line the rain writes

Like a line written by life

and the wind's trailing hem erases again.

And the wind repeats erasing it.

لو كنتُ أملِك قوّةً

لو كنتُ أملِك قوّةً

أو كان لي بالدهر قوّهْ

أو كان لي بالدهر قوّهْ

If I possessed strength,

If I had any power

or had power over time,

Or the ages had any strength,

لأخذتُ عُلْوِيَّ الريا

لأخذتُ عُلْوِيَّ الريا

ح بما سبتْ من دارِ علْوَهْ

ح بما سبتْ من دارِ علْوَهْ

I would hold the high-blowing winds to account

I would have taken the winds' ascension

for what they took captive from ʿAlwah's dwelling.

For what they took from the high abode.

وأما وعهدِ المبدلي

وأما وعهدِ المبدلي

ن نعيمَها بالبين شِقوَهْ

ن نعيمَها بالبين شِقوَهْ

But, by the covenant of those who changed

As for the covenant of the fickle ones -

its bliss through separation into misery,

Its bliss with separation is misery.

وسُبوغِ أفياءِ الوصا

وسُبوغِ أفياءِ الوصا

لِ عشيَّةً فيها وغُدْوَهْ

لِ عشيَّةً فيها وغُدْوَهْ

and by the ample shades of union,

The fullness of the nights of connection in the evening and morning,

there at evening and early morning,

If not for the betrayal's assault upon my loyal love.

لا كانَ للغدرِ المطا

لا كانَ للغدرِ المطا

عِ علَى وفِيِّ هوايَ سطوَهْ

عِ علَى وفِيِّ هوايَ سطوَهْ

may obeyed treachery never gain

And how few suitors are worthy

sway over one faithful to my love.

Of those who are unequalled!

وقليلة الخُطَّابِ أي

وقليلة الخُطَّابِ أي

أسَ بعضُها من ليس كُفْوَهْ

أسَ بعضُها من ليس كُفْوَهْ

And a maiden with few suitors: a part of her has

The religion of chaste women is to be gentle,

disheartened anyone unequal to it.

And their religion is impudence and frailty.

دينُ العذارَى أن تلي

دينُ العذارَى أن تلي

نَ وَدِينُها صَلَفٌ ونخوَهْ

نَ وَدِينُها صَلَفٌ ونخوَهْ

Maidens' custom is to be

When a pedigree is pure for her,

yielding; hers is arrogance and pride.

She is not fooled by wealth.

وإذا زكا حَسَبٌ لها

وإذا زكا حَسَبٌ لها

لم تخُتَدَعْ عنه بثروَهْ

لم تخُتَدَعْ عنه بثروَهْ

And when ancestry proves noble to her,

I married her off, the curtains were fluttering,

she is not lured away from it by riches.

And the boughs of blossoms swaying.

أنكحتُها ساري البرو

أنكحتُها ساري البرو

ق ورَيْقَ أَغصان المُرُوَّهْ

ق ورَيْقَ أَغصان المُرُوَّهْ

I wed her to him whose lightning roams by night,

The journey was long, the elder performed hajj,

the choicest of the boughs of chivalry:

He combined purity with youth.

غِرّ المدى كهل الحجا

غِرّ المدى كهل الحجا

جمعَ النَّقَاءَ إلى الفُتوَّهْ

جمعَ النَّقَاءَ إلى الفُتوَّهْ

young in years, mature in intellect,

He sought wealth as provision for a day

he joined purity to youthful valor.

Of bounty, not a day of growth.

طلبَ الغنَى ذُخْراً ليو

طلبَ الغنَى ذُخْراً ليو

مِ عطيةٍ لا يومِ نبوَهْ

مِ عطيةٍ لا يومِ نبوَهْ

He sought wealth as a reserve for a day

And he performed rights with his money -

of giving, not a day of adversity.

His children perform their desires.

وقضى الحقوقَ بمالِهِ

وقضى الحقوقَ بمالِهِ

ولداتُهُ قاضون شهوَهْ

ولداتُهُ قاضون شهوَهْ

He discharged obligations with his wealth,

He watches over the protected woman,

while his peers satisfied desire.

Whose manners are sweet.

يرعَى الحفيظةَ مُرَّةً

يرعَى الحفيظةَ مُرَّةً

غاشيهِ والأخلاقَ حُلوَهْ

غاشيهِ والأخلاقَ حُلوَهْ

He keeps his protective zeal bitter

Such is the secret of what the ministry selected

to his assailant, and his character sweet.

Regarding fatherhood and sonship.

مِن سِرِّ ما اصطفَت الوزا

مِن سِرِّ ما اصطفَت الوزا

رةُ في الأبُوّةِ والبُنُوَّهْ

رةُ في الأبُوّةِ والبُنُوَّهْ

From the choicest of what the vizierate selected

And where the adornment of pride stands -

in fatherhood and sonship,

A plump shoulder and its summit.

ومكانِ أسمنتِ المفا

ومكانِ أسمنتِ المفا

خرُ كاهلا ضخما وذِروَهْ

خرُ كاهلا ضخما وذِروَهْ

and from a station where glories made stout

Among the Masarjis family, there is a star

a massive shoulder and a summit.

Whose prominence no mansion reached.

من آل ماسرجيس نج

من آل ماسرجيس نج

مٌ لم يَحُزْ برجٌ عُلُوَّهْ

مٌ لم يَحُزْ برجٌ عُلُوَّهْ

A star from the house of Māsarjīs,

Isa has a towering mountain and people,

whose height no zodiacal mansion could encompass.

An eminence joined to its hilltops.

عيسى له طود وشِعْ

عيسى له طود وشِعْ

بٌ ربوةٌ لحِقتْ برَبْوَهْ

بٌ ربوةٌ لحِقتْ برَبْوَهْ

ʿĪsā is his mountain and mountain-pass:

They tied their bond, and it cannot be undone

one hill has joined another.

To the chaste woman among them.

عقدوا حُبَاه فما تُحَل

عقدوا حُبَاه فما تُحَل

لُ لهم عن العوراء حَبْوَهْ

لُ لهم عن العوراء حَبْوَهْ

They tied his knee-wraps; no knee-wrap

They went with it as envious

of theirs loosens at a shameful word.

Of the high ones in the abode of assembly.

وغدَوا به متحاسدي

وغدَوا به متحاسدي

ن على العُلا في دارِ نَدوَهْ

ن على العُلا في دارِ نَدوَهْ

And through him they came to vie with one another

Whoever attacks the lips of my steps

for eminence in a council-house.

With every sharp sword,

من طاعني ثُغَرِ الخطو

من طاعني ثُغَرِ الخطو

بِ بكلِّ سِكِّيتٍ مفوّهْ

بِ بكلِّ سِكِّيتٍ مفوّهْ

Among those who spear calamities' breaches

The princes of battle - their speech

with every silent yet eloquent speaker,

Opens ambiguities forcefully.

أمراءُ معركَةٍ الخطا

أمراءُ معركَةٍ الخطا

بةِ فاتحو الشُّبُهاتِ عَنْوَهْ

بةِ فاتحو الشُّبُهاتِ عَنْوَهْ

lords of the battlefield of

In every meeting of a writer among them

oratory, conquerors of doubts by force.

To the enemies is an invasion.

في كلِّ جِلسةِ كاتبٍ

في كلِّ جِلسةِ كاتبٍ

منهم إلى الأعداء غزوَهْ

منهم إلى الأعداء غزوَهْ

In every session of a scribe

And you raced to follow a step

among them is a raid against the enemies.

Ahead of your people - you, their sister step!

وجريتَ تقفو خطوة

وجريتَ تقفو خطوة

قُدَّامَ قومِك أختَ خطوَهْ

قُدَّامَ قومِك أختَ خطوَهْ

And you ran, each step following

You admired the first ones, pursuing

its sister step, ahead of your people.

Until a neck met decapitation.

تشآى السوابقَ لاحقا

تشآى السوابقَ لاحقا

حتى التقى عنقٌ وصهوَهْ

حتى التقى عنقٌ وصهوَهْ

You outstripped the frontrunners, though once behind,

You accompanied those who derive amusement, while you

until neck and saddleback met.

Were to kindness an example.

صاحبتكم مستطرفي

صاحبتكم مستطرفي

نَ وكنتُمُ بالتَّلْدِ أُسوَهْ

نَ وكنتُمُ بالتَّلْدِ أُسوَهْ

I befriended you as newly acquired companions,

Brothers of suffering - when I gain victory

and you were a model among the longstanding.

Or neighbors of discord.

إخوان مَصرخةٍ إذا اس

إخوان مَصرخةٍ إذا اس

تنصرتُ أو جيران شَتْوَهْ

تنصرتُ أو جيران شَتْوَهْ

Brothers in succor whenever I called

So you are to me a faithful friend

for aid, or neighbors through a winter.

When a soul becomes an enemy.

فلأنتَ لي نِعم الصدي

فلأنتَ لي نِعم الصدي

قُ إذا غدت نفسٌ عَدُوَّهْ

قُ إذا غدت نفسٌ عَدُوَّهْ

You are indeed the finest friend to me

And the opinion of all wavered

when a soul becomes an enemy,

And did not attain its fortune through effort.

وتشعشع الرأيُ الجمي

وتشعشع الرأيُ الجمي

عُ ولم ينل بالسعي حظوَهْ

عُ ولم ينل بالسعي حظوَهْ

and well-knit counsel falls apart,

How many a brother I named before your affection

and striving wins no favor.

I made in affection like you!

كم قبل وُدِّك من أخٍ

كم قبل وُدِّك من أخٍ

سمّيتُه في الودّ قُدوَهْ

سمّيتُه في الودّ قُدوَهْ

How many a brother, before your friendship,

Then you became more solidly allied

I called a model in affection!

In my hands and more faithful than him.

فغدوتَ أصلبَ مَعجَما

فغدوتَ أصلبَ مَعجَما

بيدي وأوثقَ منه عُروَهْ

بيدي وأوثقَ منه عُروَهْ

Yet you proved firmer under testing

Affection we shared - I was

in my hand, and a surer handhold than he.

Foolish in it at times, and at times wise.

حبٌّ تناصفناه نك

حبٌّ تناصفناه نك

رَعُ حُسوةً فيه وحُسوَهْ

رَعُ حُسوةً فيه وحُسوَهْ

A love we shared equally; we drink

If not for tender moments, I may

of it, sip after sip.

Have corrected you, and in me ardor.

لولا هَناتٌ ربما

لولا هَناتٌ ربما

أصحتك منه وفيَّ نشوَهْ

أصحتك منه وفيَّ نشوَهْ

Were it not for little faults that perhaps

So may you be rewarded by trailing gowns

sobered you of it, while I remain intoxicated.

As the trailing gowns reward their maids.

فلتجزينَّك ساريا

فلتجزينَّك ساريا

تٌ ما لجاريهنَّ كَبوَهْ

تٌ ما لجاريهنَّ كَبوَهْ

So may night-roving verses surely repay you;

The anklets were crooked

no runner of theirs ever stumbles.

So they straightened them and set them right.

كان القريضُ مميَّلا

كان القريضُ مميَّلا

فعدلنه وأقمنَ صَغْوَهْ

فعدلنه وأقمنَ صَغْوَهْ

Verse had been made to lean;

Every day a gift

they straightened it and righted its slant.

For their gift upon you is sweetness.

في كل يومِ هديّةٍ

في كل يومِ هديّةٍ

لهديِّهنَّ عليك جَلْوَهْ

لهديِّهنَّ عليك جَلْوَهْ

On every day of gift-giving,

They sprinkle - they do not cease - upon you

their bridal offering is unveiled before you.

And upon your father the days of life.

ينضحنَ لا يَعْطُبْنَ في

ينضحنَ لا يَعْطُبْنَ في

ك وفي أبيك الدهرَ عُشْوَهْ

ك وفي أبيك الدهرَ عُشْوَهْ

They shoot forth, never blindly coming to grief in praise of

A fire upon the enemies is kindled

you and your father, through all time;

In your traits by the Divine.

نارٌ على الأعداء تُذْ

نارٌ على الأعداء تُذْ

كَى في صِفاتِك بالأَلُوَّهْ

كَى في صِفاتِك بالأَلُوَّهْ

a fire against the enemies, kindled

with aloeswood in descriptions of you.