يُخالِجنَ أَشطانَ الهَوى كُلَّ وِجهَةٍ

يُخالِجنَ أَشطانَ الهَوى كُلَّ وِجهَةٍ

بِذي السِدرِ حَتّى خِفتُ أَن لَن تَرَيَّما

بِذي السِدرِ حَتّى خِفتُ أَن لَن تَرَيَّما

They tug the cords of love in every direction

The passions of love assail me from every quarter

At Dhu al-Sidr, until I feared they would never cease.

By the one with the myrtle, so I feared they would never heal

غَرائِزُ لَم يَترُكنَ لِلنَفسِ إِذ عَلَوا

غَرائِزُ لَم يَترُكنَ لِلنَفسِ إِذ عَلَوا

عَلى الصُهبِ تَحدي السيرَ روحاً وَأَعظُما

عَلى الصُهبِ تَحدي السيرَ روحاً وَأَعظُما

Deep-rooted longings left me—when they mounted

Instincts that left no rest for the soul once they rose

The tawny camels, driven onward—neither spirit nor bones.

Above reason, challenging the spirit's journey; how grave and momentous!

سَراةَ الضُحى ثُمَّ اِستَمَرَّ حُداتُهُم

سَراةَ الضُحى ثُمَّ اِستَمَرَّ حُداتُهُم

عَلى كُلِّ مَوّارِ المِلاطَينِ أَخزَما

عَلى كُلِّ مَوّارِ المِلاطَينِ أَخزَما

At the height of forenoon; then their camel-drivers pressed on

The companions of daybreak, then their company persisted

On every nose-pierced mount, its flanks swaying,

On every gentle, compliant creature fully matured

عَلى كُلِّ حُرِّ اللَونِ صافٍ نِجادُهُ

عَلى كُلِّ حُرِّ اللَونِ صافٍ نِجادُهُ

يُواهِقُ جَوناً ذا عَثانينِ مُكرَما

يُواهِقُ جَوناً ذا عَثانينِ مُكرَما

On every pure-colored mount, its straps unblemished,

On every free steed, purebred and highborn

Keeping pace with a prized, dark, bearded one.

Rivaling, in their vigor, honored ancestors

إِذا اِجتَهَدَ الرُكبانُ ذَمَّت وَسامَحَت

إِذا اِجتَهَدَ الرُكبانُ ذَمَّت وَسامَحَت

وَإِن قَصَّروا عاجوا سَماماً مُخَزَّما

وَإِن قَصَّروا عاجوا سَماماً مُخَزَّما

When the riders exert themselves, the mounts grumble and yield;

When riders strive their utmost, they excuse and forgive

And if they slacken, they turn aside nose-ringed swifts.

But if they fall short, they suffer terrible upbraidings

كَأَنَّ ظِباءَ السِيِّ أَو عينَ عالِجٍ

كَأَنَّ ظِباءَ السِيِّ أَو عينَ عالِجٍ

عَلى العيرِ أَو أَبهى بَهاءً وَأَفخَما

عَلى العيرِ أَو أَبهى بَهاءً وَأَفخَما

As though gazelles of al-Siyy, or the wide-eyed wild cows of Alij,

As though the hunting dogs or the doctor's eye

Were on the caravan—or more radiant in beauty and more stately.

Were upon the caravan, the finest and noblest of them

كَأَنَّ غَمامَ الصَيفِ تَحتَ خُدورِها

كَأَنَّ غَمامَ الصَيفِ تَحتَ خُدورِها

جَلا البَرقَ عَن أَعطافِهِ فَتَبَسَّما

جَلا البَرقَ عَن أَعطافِهِ فَتَبَسَّما

As though a summer cloud beneath her curtains

As though the summer clouds beneath their veils

Bared lightning from its folds, then smiled.

Flashed lightning from their edges, and smiled

تَهادَينَ يَومَ البَينِ كُلَّ تَحِيَّةٍ

تَهادَينَ يَومَ البَينِ كُلَّ تَحِيَّةٍ

وَكَيفَ التَهادي بِالوِدادَةِ بَعدَما

وَكَيفَ التَهادي بِالوِدادَةِ بَعدَما

They exchanged every greeting on the day of parting;

The day we parted, all greetings of friendship ceased

And how can loving greetings be exchanged after

How can there be greetings of affection after what transpired?

تَفَرَّقنَ عَن أَهوالِ أَرضٍ مَريضَةٍ

تَفَرَّقنَ عَن أَهوالِ أَرضٍ مَريضَةٍ

تَرى لَونَها مِنَ المَخافَةِ أَقتَما

تَرى لَونَها مِنَ المَخافَةِ أَقتَما

They scattered from the terrors of an ailing land,

We fled in horror from a stricken land

Whose color you see ashen with fear?

Whose color, in its terror, was blackest of all

فَأَصبَحَ جَمعُ القَومِ شَتّى وَلَم يَكُن

فَأَصبَحَ جَمعُ القَومِ شَتّى وَلَم يَكُن

يُفَرِّقُ إِلّا ذا زُهاءٍ عَرَمرَما

يُفَرِّقُ إِلّا ذا زُهاءٍ عَرَمرَما

So the people's gathering was scattered, and what was dispersed

The tribe was divided, though they had been one

Was nothing less than a vast, formidable host.

None but a vile, deceitful one could have sundered their bond

كَأَنَّ بِواديهِم هِلالَ بنَ عامِرٍ

كَأَنَّ بِواديهِم هِلالَ بنَ عامِرٍ

وَإِن لَم يَكُن إِلّا حَميماً أَو اِبنَ ما

وَإِن لَم يَكُن إِلّا حَميماً أَو اِبنَ ما

As though Hilal ibn Amir were in their valley,

As though, in their valley, was the crescent moon of Banu 'Amir

Even if he were only a close kinsman or someone's son.

When in truth naught was there but hot sands and desolation

كَما اِنشَقَّ وادٍ شُعبَتَينِ كِلاهُما

كَما اِنشَقَّ وادٍ شُعبَتَينِ كِلاهُما

يُعارِضُ عَرنيناً مِنَ الرَملِ أَحزَما

يُعارِضُ عَرنيناً مِنَ الرَملِ أَحزَما

As a valley splits into two branches, both

It split, like a valley into two ravines

Running alongside a rugged ridge of sand.

Both defiled by sand and decorated with pebbles

تَبيتُ بِها الوَجناءُ مِن رَهبَةِ الرَدى

تَبيتُ بِها الوَجناءُ مِن رَهبَةِ الرَدى

بِأَقتابِها وَالسابِحُ الطِرفُ مُلجَما

بِأَقتابِها وَالسابِحُ الطِرفُ مُلجَما

There the stout-cheeked she-camel spends the night, fearing death,

Where the shy creatures shelter in dread of harm

With her pack-saddles on, and the fleet, noble horse stays bridled.

Huddled in their burrows while the lone swimmer is still

رَذايا بَغايا مُقشَعِرّاً جُنوبُها

رَذايا بَغايا مُقشَعِرّاً جُنوبُها

يَغُضّونَ مِن أَجراسِها أَن تَزَغَّما

يَغُضّونَ مِن أَجراسِها أَن تَزَغَّما

Worn-out, stray beasts, their flanks bristling;

Evil intruders, their flanks shuddering

They hush their sounds, lest they utter a groan.

Muffling the bells on their camels, that they not chime

يَغُضّونَ صَوتَ العيسِ إِلّا صَريفَها

يَغُضّونَ صَوتَ العيسِ إِلّا صَريفَها

وَصَوتَ الصَريحِيّاتِ إِلّا تَحَمحُما

وَصَوتَ الصَريحِيّاتِ إِلّا تَحَمحُما

They suppress the pale camels' voices, save their teeth-grinding,

Muffling the camel drivers' calls, but for their whistling

And the purebred mares' voices, save a low nicker.

And the women's babble, but for their lisping

بَني قَطَنٍ إِنّي عَبَدتُ بُيوتَكُم

بَني قَطَنٍ إِنّي عَبَدتُ بُيوتَكُم

بِرَهوَةَ داراً أَو أَعزَّ وأَكرَما

بِرَهوَةَ داراً أَو أَعزَّ وأَكرَما

Sons of Qatan, I have revered your dwellings

O people of Qatan, I worshipped your abodes

At Rahwa—a home, or rather one mightier and nobler.

In awe of a house, or one greater and nobler

فَلا تَنزِلوا مِن رَأسِ رَهوةَ دارِكُم

فَلا تَنزِلوا مِن رَأسِ رَهوةَ دارِكُم

إِلى خِرَبٍ لا تُمسِكُ السَيلَ أَثلَما

إِلى خِرَبٍ لا تُمسِكُ السَيلَ أَثلَما

So do not descend from Rahwa's summit, your home,

So descend not from the noble height of your homes

To breached ruins that cannot hold back the torrent.

To a ruin that cannot resist the torrents' violence

أُناسٌ إِذا حَلَّت بِوادٍ بُيوتُهُم

أُناسٌ إِذا حَلَّت بِوادٍ بُيوتُهُم

نَفى الطَيرَ حَتّى لا تَرى الطَيرُ مَجثَما

نَفى الطَيرَ حَتّى لا تَرى الطَيرُ مَجثَما

A people whose houses, when they settle in a valley,

A people, when they encamp in a valley

Drive away the birds until no bird finds a roost.

Drive away the birds, so the birds see no bloodshed

تُظَلِّلُ مِن شَمسٍ النَهارِ رِماحُهُم

تُظَلِّلُ مِن شَمسٍ النَهارِ رِماحُهُم

إِذا رَكَزَ القَومُ الوَشيحَ المُقَوَّما

إِذا رَكَزَ القَومُ الوَشيحَ المُقَوَّما

Their spears give shade from the daytime sun

Their lances shade the sun at noon

When the people plant their straightened lances.

When the warriors fix them, straight and true

تَرى كُلَّ لَونِ الخَيلِ وَسطَ بُيوتِهِم

تَرى كُلَّ لَونِ الخَيلِ وَسطَ بُيوتِهِم

أَبابيلَ تَعدو بِالمِتانِ وَهُيَّما

أَبابيلَ تَعدو بِالمِتانِ وَهُيَّما

You see horses of every color amid their dwellings,

You see horses of every color galloping through their homes

In bands, racing over firm ground, and maddened with thirst.

Running to and fro, whinnying

وَذي عِزَّةٍ أَنذَرنَهُ مِن أَمامِهِ

وَذي عِزَّةٍ أَنذَرنَهُ مِن أَمامِهِ

فَلَمّا عَصاني في المَضاءِ تَنَدَّما

فَلَمّا عَصاني في المَضاءِ تَنَدَّما

And many a mighty man was warned of what lay ahead;

A highborn one, I warned him to his face

So when he defied me in pressing on, he regretted it.

But when he disobeyed me, in the contest, he regretted

فَوَدَّ بِضاحي جِلدِهِ لَو أَطاعَني

فَوَدَّ بِضاحي جِلدِهِ لَو أَطاعَني

إِذا زَلَّ وَاِعرَورى بِهِ الأَمرُ مُعظَما

إِذا زَلَّ وَاِعرَورى بِهِ الأَمرُ مُعظَما

So he wished, at the price of his bare skin, that he had obeyed me,

He wished, by his tanned hide, he had obeyed me

When he stumbled and a mighty crisis overwhelmed him.

When matters went awry and he was utterly routed

وَفَرَّقَ بَينَ الحَيِّ بَعدَ اِجتِماعِهِم

وَفَرَّقَ بَينَ الحَيِّ بَعدَ اِجتِماعِهِم

مَشائيمُ دَقُّوا بَينَهُم عِطرَ مَنشِما

مَشائيمُ دَقُّوا بَينَهُم عِطرَ مَنشِما

And the clan was split after it had gathered together

Schemers who came between them after their reunion

By ill-omened men who pounded Manshim's perfume among them.

And, with their plots, scattered the sweet herb's fragrance

غُواةٌ كَنيرانِ الحَريقِ تَسوقُهُ

غُواةٌ كَنيرانِ الحَريقِ تَسوقُهُ

شآمِيَّةٌ في حائِلِ العِربِ أَصحَما

شآمِيَّةٌ في حائِلِ العِربِ أَصحَما

Misguided men, like the flames of a blaze driven

Rebels like flames of wildfire, driven

By a wind from Sham through dark, year-old herbage.

By a Syrian mischief-maker, most sinister of all

إِذا لَهَبٌ مِن جانِبٍ باخَ شَرُّهُ

إِذا لَهَبٌ مِن جانِبٍ باخَ شَرُّهُ

ذَكا لَهَبٌ مِن جانِبٍ فَتَضَرَّما

ذَكا لَهَبٌ مِن جانِبٍ فَتَضَرَّما

When a flame's menace dies down on one side,

When a blaze flares up on one side, its evil

A flame blazes on another side and flares up.

Kindles another blaze, and they merge

وَفي الناسِ أَذرابٌ إِذا ما نَهَيتَهُم

وَفي الناسِ أَذرابٌ إِذا ما نَهَيتَهُم

عَن الشَرِّ كَالنُشّابِ يُنزَعُ مُقدِما

عَن الشَرِّ كَالنُشّابِ يُنزَعُ مُقدِما

And among people are sharp-tempered men who, when you forbid them

Among the people are impudent ones - if you forbid them

From evil, are like arrows drawn back to fly onward.

From evil, they persist as gum persists when scraped

جَزى اللَهُ قَومي مِن شَفيعٍ وَطالبٍ

جَزى اللَهُ قَومي مِن شَفيعٍ وَطالبٍ

عَنِ الأَصلِ وَالجاني رَبيعاً وَأَنعُما

عَنِ الأَصلِ وَالجاني رَبيعاً وَأَنعُما

May God reward my people, intercessors and claimants,

May God reward my people with an intercessor, a seeker

For their ancestral stock and the offender, with springtime and blessings.

Of justice for the oppressed and the oppressor alike

وَلَو أَنَّ قَومي يُقبَلُ المالُ مِنهُمُ

وَلَو أَنَّ قَومي يُقبَلُ المالُ مِنهُمُ

لَمَدّوا النَدى سَيلاً إِلى المَجدِ مُفعَما

لَمَدّوا النَدى سَيلاً إِلى المَجدِ مُفعَما

And if money were accepted from my people,

If only my people welcomed money from me

They would have sent generosity toward glory in a brimful torrent.

I would send flows of bounty to the heights of glory

لَما عَدِموا مِن نَهشَلٍ ذا حَفيظَةٍ

لَما عَدِموا مِن نَهشَلٍ ذا حَفيظَةٍ

بَصيراً بِأَخلاقِ اِمرِىءِ الصِدقِ خِضرِما

بَصيراً بِأَخلاقِ اِمرِىءِ الصِدقِ خِضرِما

They would not have lacked, from Nahshal, a man of protective zeal,

They would lack no Nahshal - mature and wise -

Discerning in an honest man's ways, abundantly generous,

Who knows honest men's ways, long experienced

حَمولاً لأَثقالِ العَشيرَةِ بَينَها

حَمولاً لأَثقالِ العَشيرَةِ بَينَها

إِذا أَجشَموهُ باعَ مَجدٍ تَجَشَّما

إِذا أَجشَموهُ باعَ مَجدٍ تَجَشَّما

Bearing the clan's burdens in its midst;

Bearing the tribe's burdens among them

When they charged him with an arm-span of glory, he shouldered it.

When called to glory's market, he shoulders responsibility

وَلَكِن أَبى قَومٌ أُصيبَ أَخوهُمُ

وَلَكِن أَبى قَومٌ أُصيبَ أَخوهُمُ

رُقى الناسِ وَاِختاروا عَلى اللَبَنِ الدَما

رُقى الناسِ وَاِختاروا عَلى اللَبَنِ الدَما

But a people whose brother was struck down refused

But a people refused - though their brother attained

The people's charms, and chose blood over milk.

Mankind's ascent - and chose blood over milk

أَرى قَومَنا يَبكونَ شَجوَ نُفوسِهِم

أَرى قَومَنا يَبكونَ شَجوَ نُفوسِهِم

وَقَد بَعَثوا مِنّا كَذلِكَ مَأتَما

وَقَد بَعَثوا مِنّا كَذلِكَ مَأتَما

I see our people weeping over their souls' grief,

I see our people weeping, hearts filled with sorrow

Yet they have likewise raised a mourning gathering among us,

Though we have often given them cause for lament

عَلى فاجِعٍ هَدَّ العَشيرَةَ فَقدُهُ

عَلى فاجِعٍ هَدَّ العَشيرَةَ فَقدُهُ

كَرورٍ إِذا ما فارِسُ الشَدِّ أَحجَما

كَرورٍ إِذا ما فارِسُ الشَدِّ أَحجَما

For one whose loss brought grief and shattered the clan,

Over a tragedy that devastated the tribe, for the absence

A tireless charger when a charging horseman held back.

Of one like lightning, when a knight of firm resolve falters

فَإِذا جَلَّتِ الأَحداثُ وَاِنشَقَّتِ العَصا

فَإِذا جَلَّتِ الأَحداثُ وَاِنشَقَّتِ العَصا

فَوَلّى الإِلَهُ اللَومَ مَن كانَ أَلوَما

فَوَلّى الإِلَهُ اللَومَ مَن كانَ أَلوَما

So when calamities grow grave and the staff splits,

But when calamities abound, and authority cracks

May God lay the blame on whoever is more to blame.

God blames whoever was most blameworthy