مُلِثَّ القَطرِ أَعطِشها رُبوعاً

مُلِثَّ القَطرِ أَعطِشها رُبوعاً

وَإِلّا فَاِسقِها السَمَّ النَقيعا

وَإِلّا فَاِسقِها السَمَّ النَقيعا

O ceaseless raincloud, leave these dwellings thirsty,

O pouring rain, leave these abodes parched with thirst,

Otherwise, give them deadly poison to drink.

Or else, pour out for them a draught of lethal poison.

أُسائِلُها عَنِ المُتَدَيِّريها

أُسائِلُها عَنِ المُتَدَيِّريها

فَلا تَدري وَلا تُذري دُموعاً

فَلا تَدري وَلا تُذري دُموعاً

I ask them about those who once dwelt in them,

I question the ruins regarding those who dwelt within,

But they know nothing and shed no tears.

But they know nothing, nor do they shed a single tear.

لَحاها اللَهُ إِلّا ماضِيَيها

لَحاها اللَهُ إِلّا ماضِيَيها

زَمانَ اللَهوِ وَالخَودَ الشُموعا

زَمانَ اللَهوِ وَالخَودَ الشُموعا

May God curse them, save two things from their past:

May God condemn these places—save for their bygone days,

The days of pleasure and the playful maiden.

That time of revelry, and the maiden, playful and bright.

مُنَعَّمَةٌ مُمَنَّعَةٌ رَداحٌ

مُنَعَّمَةٌ مُمَنَّعَةٌ رَداحٌ

يُكَلِّفُ لَفظُها الطَيرَ الوُقوعا

يُكَلِّفُ لَفظُها الطَيرَ الوُقوعا

Pampered, well guarded, full-hipped,

A sheltered beauty, forbidden, with hips of heavy grace,

Her speech compels the birds to alight.

Whose whispered word commands the flying birds to land.

تُرَفِّعُ ثَوبَها الأَردافُ عَنها

تُرَفِّعُ ثَوبَها الأَردافُ عَنها

فَيَبقى مِن وِشاحَيها شَسوعا

فَيَبقى مِن وِشاحَيها شَسوعا

Her hips lift her gown away from her,

Her ample curves lift up the fabric of her gown,

So it stays far from her two sashes.

Leaving her jeweled sash to hang loosely at her waist.

إِذا ماسَت رَأَيتَ لَها اِرتِجاجاً

إِذا ماسَت رَأَيتَ لَها اِرتِجاجاً

لَهُ لَولا سَواعِدُها نَزوعا

لَهُ لَولا سَواعِدُها نَزوعا

When she sways, you see her quiver,

When she sways in walking, you see a ripple tremble through her,

And her gown would slip off, were it not for her forearms.

That would tear her frame apart, were it not held by her arms.

تَأَلَّمُ دَرزَهُ وَالدَرزُ لَينٌ

تَأَلَّمُ دَرزَهُ وَالدَرزُ لَينٌ

كَما تَتَأَلَّمُ العَضبَ الصَنيعا

كَما تَتَأَلَّمُ العَضبَ الصَنيعا

Its seam pains her, though the seam is soft,

She suffers from the garment's seam, though the seam is soft,

Just as a finely wrought, keen sword would pain her.

As if she suffered the edge of a polished, sharp sword.

ذِراعاها عَدُوّا دُملُجَيها

ذِراعاها عَدُوّا دُملُجَيها

يَظُنُّ ضَجيعُها الزَندَ الضَجيعا

يَظُنُّ ضَجيعُها الزَندَ الضَجيعا

Her arms are enemies of her two armlets;

Her forearms are the enemies of the bracelets that bind them,

Her bedfellow mistakes her forearm for his bedfellow.

Her bedfellow mistakes her wrist for a soft embrace.

كَأَنَّ نِقابَها غَيمٌ رَقيقٌ

كَأَنَّ نِقابَها غَيمٌ رَقيقٌ

يُضيءُ بِمَنعِهِ البَدرَ الطُلوعا

يُضيءُ بِمَنعِهِ البَدرَ الطُلوعا

Her veil is like a thin cloud,

It is as though her veil were a wisp of slender cloud,

Glowing as it keeps the full moon from rising.

Illuminating the full moon even as it bars its rising.

أَقولُ لَها اِكشِفي ضُرّي وَقولي

أَقولُ لَها اِكشِفي ضُرّي وَقولي

بِأَكثَرَ مِن تَدَلُّلِها خُضوعا

بِأَكثَرَ مِن تَدَلُّلِها خُضوعا

I tell her, "Relieve my suffering," and my words

I say to her: "Relieve my suffering, and speak words..."

Are more submissive than her manner is coy:

"...That show more submission than your cruel coquetry."

أَخِفتِ اللَهَ في إِحياءِ نَفسٍ

أَخِفتِ اللَهَ في إِحياءِ نَفسٍ

مَتى عُصِيَ الإِلَهُ بِأَن أُطيعا

مَتى عُصِيَ الإِلَهُ بِأَن أُطيعا

"Have you feared God for reviving a soul?

"Do you fear God's wrath for saving a dying soul?"

When was God disobeyed by being obeyed?"

"Since when is the Lord disobeyed by an act of obedience?"

غَدا بِكَ كُلُّ خِلوٍ مُستَهاماً

غَدا بِكَ كُلُّ خِلوٍ مُستَهاماً

وَأَصبَحَ كُلُّ مَستورٍ خَليعا

وَأَصبَحَ كُلُّ مَستورٍ خَليعا

Through you, every heart free of love has become love-crazed,

Because of you, the carefree heart wakes up enslaved by love,

And every modest man has become dissolute.

And the dignified man becomes a shameless reveler.

أُحِبُّكِ أَو يَقولوا جَرَّ نَملٌ

أُحِبُّكِ أَو يَقولوا جَرَّ نَملٌ

ثَبيراً وَاِبنُ إِبراهيمَ ريعا

ثَبيراً وَاِبنُ إِبراهيمَ ريعا

I shall love you until they say, "Ants have dragged away

I shall love you until they say that a single ant has dragged

Thabir, and Ibn Ibrahim has been frightened."

The massive Mount Thabir, or that Isaac was struck with fear.

بَعيدُ الصيتِ مُنبَثُّ السَرايا

بَعيدُ الصيتِ مُنبَثُّ السَرايا

يُشَيِّبُ ذِكرُهُ الطِفلَ الرَضيعا

يُشَيِّبُ ذِكرُهُ الطِفلَ الرَضيعا

Far famed, with raiding parties spread abroad,

A man of far-flung fame, whose armies spread abroad,

His very mention turns a nursing infant gray.

The mere mention of his name turns the nursing infant gray.

يَغُضُّ الطَرفَ مِن مَكرٍ وَدَهيٍ

يَغُضُّ الطَرفَ مِن مَكرٍ وَدَهيٍ

كَأَنَّ بِهِ وَلَيسَ بِهِ خُشوعا

كَأَنَّ بِهِ وَلَيسَ بِهِ خُشوعا

He lowers his gaze out of cunning and guile,

He lowers his gaze in cunning and deep strategy,

As though humility were in him, though it is not.

Feigning a humble reverence that he does not truly feel.

إِذا اِستَعطَيتَهُ ما في يَدَيهِ

إِذا اِستَعطَيتَهُ ما في يَدَيهِ

فَقَدكَ سَأَلتَ عَن سِرٍّ مُذيعا

فَقَدكَ سَأَلتَ عَن سِرٍّ مُذيعا

If you ask him for what is in his hands,

If you ask him to give you the bounty in his hands,

You need ask no more: you have asked a divulger about a secret.

You ask a herald to reveal a secret he burns to tell.

قَبولُكَ مِنَّهُ مَنٌّ عَلَيهِ

قَبولُكَ مِنَّهُ مَنٌّ عَلَيهِ

وَإِلّا يَبتَدِئ يَرَهُ فَظيعا

وَإِلّا يَبتَدِئ يَرَهُ فَظيعا

Your accepting his gifts is a favor to him;

Your act of accepting his gift is a favor done to him,

If he does not give first, he finds that dreadful.

For if he cannot give unasked, he deems it a grave offense.

لِهونِ المالِ أَفرَشَهُ أَديماً

لِهونِ المالِ أَفرَشَهُ أَديماً

وَلِلتَفريقِ يَكرَهُ أَن يَضيعا

وَلِلتَفريقِ يَكرَهُ أَن يَضيعا

Scorning wealth, he spreads a leather hide beneath it,

Holding wealth in contempt, he spreads it like a carpet,

And hates its loss, since he means to give it away.

Hating that gold be lost, only because he wishes to disperse it.

إِذا ضَرَبَ الأَميرُ رِقابَ قَومٍ

إِذا ضَرَبَ الأَميرُ رِقابَ قَومٍ

فَما لِكَرامَةٍ مَدَّ النُطوعا

فَما لِكَرامَةٍ مَدَّ النُطوعا

When the emir strikes off the heads of men,

When the Emir strikes off the heads of a rebel tribe,

It is not to honor them that he spreads the leather mats.

He does not spread the executioner's mat to honor them.

فَلَيسَ بِواهِبٍ إِلّا كَثيراً

فَلَيسَ بِواهِبٍ إِلّا كَثيراً

وَلَيسَ بِقاتِلٍ إِلّا قَريعا

وَلَيسَ بِقاتِلٍ إِلّا قَريعا

He gives only in abundance,

He is not a giver, unless he gives in abundance,

And kills none but a chieftain.

Nor is he a slayer, unless he slays a noble chief.

وَلَيسَ مُؤَدِّباً إِلّا بِنَصلِ

وَلَيسَ مُؤَدِّباً إِلّا بِنَصلِ

كَفى الصَمصامَةُ التَعَبَ القَطيعا

كَفى الصَمصامَةُ التَعَبَ القَطيعا

And chastises only with a blade:

He offers no discipline save through the sword's edge;

The keen sword spares the whip its toil.

The sharp blade spares the herd the trouble of the whip.

عَلِيٌّ لَيسَ يَمنَعُ مِن مَجيءِ

عَلِيٌّ لَيسَ يَمنَعُ مِن مَجيءِ

مُبارِزَهُ وَيَمنَعُهُ الرُجوعا

مُبارِزَهُ وَيَمنَعُهُ الرُجوعا

Ali does not bar the coming

Ali does not prevent a challenger from approaching,

Of his challenger, but bars his return.

But once the duel begins, he forbids him to return.

عَلِيٌّ قاتِلُ البَطَلِ المُفَدّى

عَلِيٌّ قاتِلُ البَطَلِ المُفَدّى

وَمُبدِلُهُ مِنَ الزَرَدِ النَجيعا

وَمُبدِلُهُ مِنَ الزَرَدِ النَجيعا

Ali slays the champion whom others would ransom,

Ali is the slayer of the hero whom men would ransom,

And clothes him in blood instead of chain mail.

Dressing him in flowing blood instead of links of mail.

إِذا اِعوَجَّ القَنا في حامِليهِ

إِذا اِعوَجَّ القَنا في حامِليهِ

وَجازَ إِلى ضُلوعِهِمِ الضُلوعا

وَجازَ إِلى ضُلوعِهِمِ الضُلوعا

When spears bend among their bearers,

When the spears bend and warp within the warriors' bodies,

And pass through other ribs to reach their ribs,

And the shafts pierce through ribs to reach the ribs within,

وَنالَت ثَأرَها الأَكبادُ مِنهُ

وَنالَت ثَأرَها الأَكبادُ مِنهُ

فَأَولَتهُ اِندِقاقاً أَو صُدوعا

فَأَولَتهُ اِندِقاقاً أَو صُدوعا

And livers take their revenge upon them,

And the livers exact their vengeance upon the spear-point,

Repaying them with shattering or splitting,

Granting it nothing but splintering and cracks.

فَحِد في مُلتَقى الخَيلَينِ عَنهُ

فَحِد في مُلتَقى الخَيلَينِ عَنهُ

وَإِن كُنتَ الخُبَعثِنَةَ الشِحيعا

وَإِن كُنتَ الخُبَعثِنَةَ الشِحيعا

Then turn aside from him where the two cavalries clash,

So turn aside from him when the two armies collide,

Even if you are a bold, mighty lion.

Even if you are a lion, massive and courageous.

إِنِ اِستَجرَأتَ تَرمُقُهُ بَعيداً

إِنِ اِستَجرَأتَ تَرمُقُهُ بَعيداً

فَأَنتَ اِسطَعتَ شَيئاً ما اِستُطيعا

فَأَنتَ اِسطَعتَ شَيئاً ما اِستُطيعا

If you dare to gaze at him from afar,

If you dare but to glance at him from a distance,

Then you have achieved a thing never achieved.

You have achieved a feat that none else could achieve.

وَإِن مارَيتَني فَاِركَب حِصاناً

وَإِن مارَيتَني فَاِركَب حِصاناً

وَمَثِّلهُ تَخِرَّ لَهُ صَريعا

وَمَثِّلهُ تَخِرَّ لَهُ صَريعا

And if you dispute with me, mount a stallion,

If you dispute my words, then mount a steed,

And picture him—you will fall before him, struck down.

And simply picture him—you will fall prostrate to the earth.

غَمامٌ رُبَّما مَطَرَ اِنتِقاماً

غَمامٌ رُبَّما مَطَرَ اِنتِقاماً

فَأَقحَطَ وَدقُهُ البَلَدَ المَريعا

فَأَقحَطَ وَدقُهُ البَلَدَ المَريعا

A raincloud, sometimes raining vengeance,

He is a cloud that may pour down a rain of vengeance,

So its downpour brings drought upon fertile land.

Whose deluge turns the fertile land to barren dust.

رَآني بَعدَ ما قَطَعَ المَطايا

رَآني بَعدَ ما قَطَعَ المَطايا

تَيَمُّمُهُ وَقَطَّعَتِ القُطوعا

تَيَمُّمُهُ وَقَطَّعَتِ القُطوعا

He saw me after the riding beasts had been worn out

He saw me after my mounts had crossed the wastes,

By the journey toward him, having crossed the desert tracts.

In search of him, traversing the severed paths.

فَصَيَّرَ سَيلُهُ بَلَدي غَديراً

فَصَيَّرَ سَيلُهُ بَلَدي غَديراً

وَصَيَّرَ خَمرُهُ سَنَتي رَبيعا

وَصَيَّرَ خَمرُهُ سَنَتي رَبيعا

His torrent then turned my land into a pool,

His torrent transformed my arid land into a lake,

And his wine turned my year of drought into spring.

And his vintage turned my barren year to spring.

وَجاوَدَني بِأَن يَعطي وَأَحوي

وَجاوَدَني بِأَن يَعطي وَأَحوي

فَأَغرَقَ نَيلُهُ أَخذي سَريعا

فَأَغرَقَ نَيلُهُ أَخذي سَريعا

And he vied with me in bounty: he gave, I gathered,

He vied with me in giving—he to bestow, I to hold—

So his bounty quickly overwhelmed all I could take.

Until his bounty quickly drowned my power to receive.

أَمُنسِيَّ السُكونَ وَحَضرَمَوتا

أَمُنسِيَّ السُكونَ وَحَضرَمَوتا

وَوالِدَتي وَكِندَةَ وَالسَبيعا

وَوالِدَتي وَكِندَةَ وَالسَبيعا

O you who make me forget al-Sukun and Hadramawt,

O you who make me forget the lands of Sukun and Hadramawt,

My mother, Kinda, and al-Sabi',

And my own mother, and the tribes of Kinda and Sabi'a.

قِدِ اِستَقصَيتَ في سَلبِ الأَعادي

قِدِ اِستَقصَيتَ في سَلبِ الأَعادي

فَرُدَّ لَهُم مِنَ السَلبِ الهُجوعا

فَرُدَّ لَهُم مِنَ السَلبِ الهُجوعا

You have stripped your foes of everything;

You have gone to the utmost in stripping your foes of power;

So give them back their sleep from among the spoils.

So return to them now one thing you stole: their sleep.

إِذا ما لَم تُسِر جَيشاً إِلَيهِم

إِذا ما لَم تُسِر جَيشاً إِلَيهِم

أَسَرتَ إِلى قُلوبِهِمِ الهُلوعا

أَسَرتَ إِلى قُلوبِهِمِ الهُلوعا

If you do not send an army against them,

For even when you do not march an army against them,

You send panic into their hearts.

You dispatch a secret terror into their trembling hearts.

رَضوا بِكَ كَالرِضا بِالشَيبِ قَسراً

رَضوا بِكَ كَالرِضا بِالشَيبِ قَسراً

وَقَد وَخَطَ النَواصِيَ وَالفُروعا

وَقَد وَخَطَ النَواصِيَ وَالفُروعا

They accepted you by force, as one accepts gray hair,

They accepted your rule as men accept old age—by force,

Once it has streaked their forelocks and their tresses.

When gray has streaked the forelocks and the crown.

فَلا عَزَلٌ وَأَنتَ بِلا سِلاحٍ

فَلا عَزَلٌ وَأَنتَ بِلا سِلاحٍ

لِحاظُكَ ما تَكونُ بِهِ مَنيعا

لِحاظُكَ ما تَكونُ بِهِ مَنيعا

You are not unarmed, even when you have no weapon:

You are never unarmed, even when stripped of steel;

Your glances are what make you unassailable.

Your piercing glance alone makes you invincible.

لَوِ اِستَبدَلتَ ذِهنَكَ مِن حُسامٍ

لَوِ اِستَبدَلتَ ذِهنَكَ مِن حُسامٍ

قَدَدتَ بِهِ المَغافِرَ وَالدُروعا

قَدَدتَ بِهِ المَغافِرَ وَالدُروعا

If you used your mind in place of a keen sword,

If you were to wield your intellect instead of a sword,

You would cleave mail helmets and armor with it.

You would cleave through iron helmets and coats of mail.

لَوِ اِستَفرَغتَ جُهدَكَ في قِتالٍ

لَوِ اِستَفرَغتَ جُهدَكَ في قِتالٍ

أَتَيتَ بِهِ عَلى الدُنيا جَميعا

أَتَيتَ بِهِ عَلى الدُنيا جَميعا

If you spent your utmost effort in battle,

If you were to unleash your full might in battle,

You would lay waste the whole world with it.

You would bring an end to the entire world.

سَمَوتَ بِهِمَّةٍ تَسمو فَتَسمو

سَمَوتَ بِهِمَّةٍ تَسمو فَتَسمو

فَما تُلفى بِمَرتَبَةٍ قَنوعا

فَما تُلفى بِمَرتَبَةٍ قَنوعا

You soared with an ambition that soars, and so you soar,

You soared with an ambition that climbs ever higher,

So you are never found content with any rank.

So that you are never found content with any rank.

وَهَبكَ سَمَحتَ حَتّى لا جَوادٌ

وَهَبكَ سَمَحتَ حَتّى لا جَوادٌ

فَكَيفَ عَلَوتَ حَتّى لا رَفيعا

فَكَيفَ عَلَوتَ حَتّى لا رَفيعا

Granted, you have given until no other giver remains—

Granted, you were generous until no giver remained;

But how have you risen until none else is exalted?

But how did you ascend until no heights remained?