مَا تقولانِ في شقيقِ الخدود

مَا تقولانِ في شقيقِ الخدود

وتشيرانِ في لُدين القدود

وتشيرانِ في لُدين القدود

What do you two say of anemone-red cheeks,

What are you two saying about the rosy-cheeked one,

and what do you two suggest about supple figures?

And hinting about the smooth cheeks?

مَا تديران في العيون السواجي

مَا تديران في العيون السواجي

ما تظنان في الطُلا والعقُود

ما تظنان في الطُلا والعقُود

What do you two ponder about languid eyes,

What are you glancing at with dreamy eyes,

what do you two think of necks and necklaces?

What are you thinking about bracelets and necklaces?

سَامراني فقد تطاول لَيلي

سَامراني فقد تطاول لَيلي

ساهراني فقد عدِمتِ هجُودي

ساهراني فقد عدِمتِ هجُودي

Keep me company in night-talk, for my night has grown long;

My night has grown long, so rouse me from my slumber!

keep vigil with me, for I have lost my slumber.

I am sleepless, so revive my languor!

هل سبيلٌ إلى زَرُودٍ واهليه

هل سبيلٌ إلى زَرُودٍ واهليه

وهيهاتَ أينُ الهُ زرود

وهيهاتَ أينُ الهُ زرود

Is there a way to Zarud and its people?

Is there a way back to my family in Zaroud,

But how far away! Where are the people of Zarud?

Alas! Where is the tribe of Zaroud?

قال لي صَاحبي غداة راني

قال لي صَاحبي غداة راني

يومَ نجدٍ حليفَ وجدٍ شديد

يومَ نجدٍ حليفَ وجدٍ شديد

My companion said to me the morning he saw me

My friend said to me one morning,

on a day in Najd, bound to intense longing:

On the day of battle at Najd, a severe test:

لَوْ تجُلّدتَ قلتُ لو تم لي ذاك

لَوْ تجُلّدتَ قلتُ لو تم لي ذاك

ولكن أمرتَ غيرَ جليد

ولكن أمرتَ غيرَ جليد

“If only you were steadfast!” I said, “If only that were granted me—

“If you had persevered...” I said, “If only that were possible!”

but you have commanded one who is not steadfast.”

But you ordered otherwise than steadfastness.

ظلّ يهدي لي الرشادَ فأعْصى

ظلّ يهدي لي الرشادَ فأعْصى

وبعيد رشادُ غيرُ رشيدِ

وبعيد رشادُ غيرُ رشيدِ

He kept offering me right guidance, yet I disobeyed;

He kept counseling me rightly but I disobeyed,

and guidance is far from one unguided.

And the counsel of another is far from the right path.

يا أهيل الخيام لم أنس عهداً

يا أهيل الخيام لم أنس عهداً

مذ بعدتم فَلِمْ نَقضتم عهودي

مذ بعدتم فَلِمْ نَقضتم عهودي

O dear people of the tents, I have forgotten no pledge

O people of the tents! I have not forgotten the past,

since you went far away; why, then, have you broken my vows?

So why did you break your vows after you left?

قد وعدتم بأن تزُوروا فماذا

قد وعدتم بأن تزُوروا فماذا

عاقكم عن نجاز تلك الوعود

عاقكم عن نجاز تلك الوعود

You promised to visit—so what

You had promised to visit, so what prevented

kept you from fulfilling those promises?

You from fulfilling those promises?

لا تقولوا سلوت بعد افتراقٍ

لا تقولوا سلوت بعد افتراقٍ

فدُموعي على هواكم شهودي

فدُموعي على هواكم شهودي

Do not say I ceased to pine after our parting,

Do not say: “He asked us long after we parted.”

for my tears are my witnesses to my love for you.

My tears for your love bear witness!

كبدي طوعُ أمركم والقوافي

كبدي طوعُ أمركم والقوافي

كلّها في سُهيلٍ بن الوليد

كلّها في سُهيلٍ بن الوليد

My liver is at your command, and my rhymes

My heart obeys your commands, and my poems

are all in praise of Suhayl ibn al-Walid.

Are all ascribed to Suhayl ibn al-Walid.

وإذا القصدُ والقصيدُ أصيْغا

وإذا القصدُ والقصيدُ أصيْغا

فهو للقصد موضعٌ والقصيد

فهو للقصد موضعٌ والقصيد

And when a quest and a poem are fashioned,

And when I compose a verse and a poem,

he is the fitting destination for quest and poem.

It is for that purpose and that poem.

مَا وفدنا إليه إلا أفدنا

مَا وفدنا إليه إلا أفدنا

منه لا زالَ مَنْجعاً للوفود

منه لا زالَ مَنْجعاً للوفود

We never came to him without gaining

We did not visit him without gaining from him;

from him; may he remain a source of bounty for delegations.

He continues to be a haven for visitors.

ما وردنا حياضَ نعماه إلاّ

ما وردنا حياضَ نعماه إلاّ

قال أهلاً ومرحباً بالورود

قال أهلاً ومرحباً بالورود

We never came to the pools of his bounty but

We did not enter his meadows of bounty without him saying,

he said, “Welcome, a warm welcome to those who come!”

“Welcome and greetings to the flowers!”

تنظرُ الطالعَ السعيدَ إذ لاَح

تنظرُ الطالعَ السعيدَ إذ لاَح

في ذلك الجبينِ السعيدِ

في ذلك الجبينِ السعيدِ

You behold the auspicious rising star as it gleams

Good fortune smiles when his auspicious forehead appears,

upon that fortunate brow.

On that auspicious brow.

وتحطُّ الرحالُ منه بسَوْحٍ

وتحطُّ الرحالُ منه بسَوْحٍ

كل كثبانِه جفان ثريد

كل كثبانِه جفان ثريد

And the saddles are set down in his open court,

The encampments depart from it happily,

where every dune is a bowl of bread-and-meat stew.

While its every dune is barren and vacant.

عندَ رحبِ الذراع والصدر نقع

عندَ رحبِ الذراع والصدر نقع

لِوَدُوْدٍ وَعُضَّةٌ لحسود

لِوَدُوْدٍ وَعُضَّةٌ لحسود

With one broad of arm and breast—a thirst-quencher

In the expanse of his arms and chest we take refuge

for a loving friend, and a bite for an envier.

From the worms and bites of the envious.

عندَ مَنْ لا يزال في عقوتيه

عندَ مَنْ لا يزال في عقوتيه

نجْعةُ المعتفي وأمن الطريد

نجْعةُ المعتفي وأمن الطريد

With one in whose two forecourts there are always

With him who continues to be in his strongholds

pasture for the seeker of bounty and safety for the fugitive.

A sanctuary for the protected and security for the hunted.

تنظر الخيلَ في المرابطِ حوليْه

تنظر الخيلَ في المرابطِ حوليْه

وسُمْرَ القنا وخفقَ البنودِ

وسُمْرَ القنا وخفقَ البنودِ

You see the horses at their tethering places around him,

You look at the horses in his garrison around him

and the tawny spear-shafts and the fluttering banners,

And the stallions pawing and the tethered camels.

والعطايا على العطايا فَمنَها

والعطايا على العطايا فَمنَها

تبر مصرِ وعبقري البُرود

تبر مصرِ وعبقري البُرود

and gift upon gift; among them are

Gifts upon gifts from him, among them

Egypt's gold dust and exquisite striped cloaks.

The produce of Egypt and the perfume of Brouda.

كُلّمَا عَجَتِ الجنائِبُ حوليه

كُلّمَا عَجَتِ الجنائِبُ حوليه

أجابت عُفاتُه بالنشيد

أجابت عُفاتُه بالنشيد

Whenever the led mounts cry out around him,

Whenever the armies gathered around him,

his petitioners answer with song.

His chastity answered with song.

ذاك ردفُ الملوك طفلاً وكهلاً

ذاك ردفُ الملوك طفلاً وكهلاً

وَعميدُ القبائل ابن العميد

وَعميدُ القبائل ابن العميد

He is the kings' deputy, as a child and as a grown man,

He is the cherished one of kings, as a child and grown,

and the chief of the tribes, son of the chief.

And the pillar of the tribes, son of the pillar.

طاهر الصدرِ والطويةِ لمَّا

طاهر الصدرِ والطويةِ لمَّا

يَسْرِ في صدره ظلامُ الحَقودِ

يَسْرِ في صدره ظلامُ الحَقودِ

Pure of breast and inner purpose; never

Pure in heart and in nature, whenever

has the spiteful man's darkness crept into his breast.

The darkness of hatred stirred in his breast,

يَتِّقِ اللهُ في الأمور وتخشاه

يَتِّقِ اللهُ في الأمور وتخشاه

ويُخشى إذا مشى في الحديد

ويُخشى إذا مشى في الحديد

He fears God in all matters, and you fear him,

He fears God in all matters and stands in awe of Him,

and he is feared when he walks clad in iron.

And he is feared when he walks in armor.

ساد في مهده وجادَ ففِكرٌ

ساد في مهده وجادَ ففِكرٌ

أيُّ فرع أناف من غير عود

أيُّ فرع أناف من غير عود

He ruled in his cradle and gave freely—so consider:

He ruled in his cradle and was generous, so how

what branch has risen high without a trunk?

Can any branch excel without a root?

يا فريدَ العلا إليك من المدحِ

يا فريدَ العلا إليك من المدحِ

فريداً يفوق نظمَ الفريد

فريداً يفوق نظمَ الفريد

O peerless one of glory, here is praise for you:

O unique in knowledge, to you this praise

a rare pearl surpassing a string of precious pearls.

Is uniquely superior to the verse of the unique.

نقّحَتْه قريحةٌ أنتجَتْها

نقّحَتْه قريحةٌ أنتجَتْها

فكرةُ تستقلُ شعرَ لبيد

فكرةُ تستقلُ شعرَ لبيد

A poetic gift refined it, itself brought forth

It was polished by a talent that produced it

by a thought that esteems Labid's verse lightly.

From a thought that independently rivals Labid's poetry.

أنا ذا واقفٌ وصحبي يثنى

أنا ذا واقفٌ وصحبي يثنى

عن معاليك كلَّ يومٍ جديد

عن معاليك كلَّ يومٍ جديد

Here I stand, while my companions offer praise

To sing your glories, each new day.

of your lofty deeds with every new day,

Among chanters, singers and poets

بينَ مُنش ومُنشدٍ ومُغَنٍّ

بينَ مُنش ومُنشدٍ ومُغَنٍّ

ومَهَنٍّ لكل صومٍ وَعيد

ومَهَنٍّ لكل صومٍ وَعيد

some composing, some reciting, and some singing,

Who fast and feast for every festival.

and some offering greetings for every fast and feast.

Your gifts have made us your slaves,

قد تملكتنا عبيداً بنعماك

قد تملكتنا عبيداً بنعماك

وشرط الكرام بِرُّ العيد

وشرط الكرام بِرُّ العيد

Through your bounty you have indeed made us your slaves,

And kindness to slaves is the true mark of nobility.

and the noble are bound to show kindness at the feast.

So repeat that kindness you showed in the past,

فاعِدْ ذلك الجميلَ الذي كان

فاعِدْ ذلك الجميلَ الذي كان

فما زلت خيرَ مُبدٍ مُعيد

فما زلت خيرَ مُبدٍ مُعيد

So repeat that gracious favor of the past,

For you remain the best starter and repeater of favors.

for you remain the best at beginning and renewing.

All gains are destroyed by the passage of fate,

كل كَسبٍ يبيدُه قِدَمُ الدَّهرِ

كل كَسبٍ يبيدُه قِدَمُ الدَّهرِ

ويَبقى الثناءُ في تجديد

ويَبقى الثناءُ في تجديد

Every gain is destroyed by time's passing,

But praise is made new again through renewal.

while praise lives on in constant renewal.

We ask God to protect you and maintain you

نسألُ الله أني قيك ويبقيك

نسألُ الله أني قيك ويبقيك

ويكفيك كلَّ دهرِ عنيد

ويكفيك كلَّ دهرِ عنيد

We ask God to protect you and preserve you,

And suffice you against every stubborn age.

and shield you from every hostile age.