لِمَنْ طَلَلٌ بِوادي الرَّمل بادِ

لِمَنْ طَلَلٌ بِوادي الرَّمل بادِ

تَخُطُّ بهِ الرِّياحُ بلا مِدادِ

تَخُطُّ بهِ الرِّياحُ بلا مِدادِ

Whose ruin lies exposed in Wadi al-Raml,

For whom is there a ruined abode in the valley of sands blown by winds without ink,

where the winds write without ink?

Where I halted my she-camel so we were three shapes in the shade of a valley,

وَقَفتُ بناقتي فيهِ فكُنَّا

وَقَفتُ بناقتي فيهِ فكُنَّا

ثَلاثةَ أرسُمٍ في ظِلِّ وادِ

ثَلاثةَ أرسُمٍ في ظِلِّ وادِ

I halted there with my she-camel, and we were

Peace to her, for whom there is no peace from us, a peace not returned in distance,

three traces in the shade of a valley.

We fell in love with Hejaz though we heard of her abode on the side of rugged terrain,

على مَن لا سَلامَ لها علينا

على مَن لا سَلامَ لها علينا

سلامٌ لا يُرَدُّ على البِعادِ

سلامٌ لا يُرَدُّ على البِعادِ

To her who sends us no greeting,

Her languishing eye deprived me of sleep so it had slumber during my slumber,

a greeting that goes unreturned across the distance.

I was content with her specter if it visited for a while, but how can a specter visit in oblivion,

تَعَشَّقْنا الحِجازَ وقد سَمِعْنا

تَعَشَّقْنا الحِجازَ وقد سَمِعْنا

بمَنزِلها على ذاتِ الإصادِ

بمَنزِلها على ذاتِ الإصادِ

We grew enamored of the Hijaz, having heard

Like the eyeliner of a filled vessel exposed like a sword so forelocks came to it with purpose,

of her dwelling at Dhat al-Isad.

I saw my blood on her sandal so she loosened her straps gesturing to mourning,

نَؤومُ عينُها سَلَبَتْ مَنامي

نَؤومُ عينُها سَلَبَتْ مَنامي

فصارَ لها رُقادٌ في رُقادِ

فصارَ لها رُقادٌ في رُقادِ

Her drowsy eye has stolen my sleep,

For your eye, O Umayya, neither my head nor my eyelids or my heart are well,

so she has slumber within slumber.

My soul is eased for her sake though it started fearing blackness,

رَضِيتُ بطَيفِها لو زَارَ حيناً

رَضِيتُ بطَيفِها لو زَارَ حيناً

وكيفَ يَزورُ طيفٌ في السُّهادِ

وكيفَ يَزورُ طيفٌ في السُّهادِ

I would be content with her dream-image, were it to visit awhile,

I felt assured in my heart from fire with your love when it turned to ashes,

yet how can a dream-image visit amid sleeplessness?

And the wounds of tears were assured in my eyes because tears are depleted,

كحيلةُ مُقلةٍ بَرَزَتْ كسيفٍ

كحيلةُ مُقلةٍ بَرَزَتْ كسيفٍ

فجاءَتها الغدائِرُ بالنَّجادِ

فجاءَتها الغدائِرُ بالنَّجادِ

Kohl-dark of eye, she emerged like a sword,

I called on the people of purity to remove harm, I melt for them but they were like inanimate objects,

so her braids supplied her with a sword-belt.

Not every man, O mother of 'Amr, is praiseworthy when the caller calls out,

رأيتُ دَمي بَوجْنتِها فأرْخَتْ

رأيتُ دَمي بَوجْنتِها فأرْخَتْ

ذُؤَابتَها تُشيرُ إلى الحِدادِ

ذُؤَابتَها تُشيرُ إلى الحِدادِ

I saw my blood upon her cheek, so she let down

I fell for Damascus, when I fell for the son of Annasib from the servants,

her tress, signaling mourning.

Today in it the son of Annasib is naught but a mountain atop the summit of desolation,

لِعَينكِ يا أُميَّةُ ما برأسي

لِعَينكِ يا أُميَّةُ ما برأسي

وما في مُقلتَيَّ وفي فُؤادي

وما في مُقلتَيَّ وفي فُؤادي

To your eye, O Umayya, I owe all that is on my head,

Anasib from Anasib from Anasib continuously like the stars of the Big Dipper,

and all that is in my eyes and in my heart.

Noblemen - if a genealogist traced them he would count their nobility from the time of 'Aad,

تَطِيبُ لأجلِها بالشَيبِ نفسي

تَطِيبُ لأجلِها بالشَيبِ نفسي

فقد صارت تَخافُ منَ السَّوادِ

فقد صارت تَخافُ منَ السَّوادِ

My soul is content with gray hair for her sake,

If you glance upon Mahmud you see a moon occupying the breast of a sanctuary,

for it has come to fear blackness.

You see him in meanings as Qais ibn 'Abs, and in diction as Qiss ibn Iyad,

أمِنتُ على فُؤَادي من حَريقٍ

أمِنتُ على فُؤَادي من حَريقٍ

بِحُبكِ حينَ صار إلى الرَّمادِ

بِحُبكِ حينَ صار إلى الرَّمادِ

I felt my heart safe from burning

Generous of manners, praised of traits, generous at heart, commended of hands,

with love for you, once it had turned to ash.

More gentle than fresh sweet water, and firmer in affection than the north wind,

وقد أمِنَتْ قُروحَ الدَمعِ عيني

وقد أمِنَتْ قُروحَ الدَمعِ عيني

لأنَّ الدَّمعَ صار إلى النَفادِ

لأنَّ الدَّمعَ صار إلى النَفادِ

And my eye has become safe from the wounds of tears,

A young man whom confusion does not make arrogant, even if he spends the night watchful over the ferocious beast,

because the tears have been exhausted.

Honors seek his protection out of yearning, and they advanced toward him without a guide,

دَعوتُ بني الصَّفاءِ لكَشفِ ضَرٍّ

دَعوتُ بني الصَّفاءِ لكَشفِ ضَرٍّ

أذُوبُ لهُ فكانوا كالجَمادِ

أذُوبُ لهُ فكانوا كالجَمادِ

I called on the sons of sincerity to lift an affliction

The soundest of people in difficult times in opinion, and the wisest of them to the paths of guidance,

from which I melt away; they were like lifeless matter.

The most forbearing of them when asking an opponent, and the most insightful of them in benefiting a friend,

وما كلُّ أمرئٍ يا أُمَّ عَمْرٍو

وما كلُّ أمرئٍ يا أُمَّ عَمْرٍو

بمحمودٍ إذا هَتَفَ المُنادي

بمحمودٍ إذا هَتَفَ المُنادي

And not every man, O Umm Amr,

Yearning surges in my heart toward him like the blowing of wind in the feet of locusts,

is praiseworthy when the caller calls.

And what is made easy of him for me is as tormenting as a sip that makes all provision pleasant,

هَوِيتُ من البِلادِ دِمَشْقَ لَمَّا

هَوِيتُ من البِلادِ دِمَشْقَ لَمَّا

هَوِيتُ ابنَ النَّسيب منَ العِبادِ

هَوِيتُ ابنَ النَّسيب منَ العِبادِ

Among all lands, I loved Damascus when

Will you who began with an ancient connection, your beginning, will it have no return?

I loved Ibn al-Nasib among men.

If the eye performs pilgrimage to you one day, then the heart remains steadfast in struggle,

وليسَ ابنُ النَّسِيبِ اليومَ فيها

وليسَ ابنُ النَّسِيبِ اليومَ فيها

سِوَى جَبَلٍ على كَبِدِ الوِهادِ

سِوَى جَبَلٍ على كَبِدِ الوِهادِ

And Ibn al-Nasib there today is nothing

but a mountain in the heart of the lowlands.

نسيبٌ من نَسيبٍ من نسيبٍ

نسيبٌ من نَسيبٍ من نسيبٍ

كأكعابِ القناةِ على اُطِّرادِ

كأكعابِ القناةِ على اُطِّرادِ

Noble-born, from noble-born, from noble-born,

like the joints of a spear-shaft in regular succession.

كِرامٌ لو تَقَصَّاهُمْ نَقِيبٌ

كِرامٌ لو تَقَصَّاهُمْ نَقِيبٌ

لَعَدَّ كِرَامَهُمْ من عَهدِ عادِ

لَعَدَّ كِرَامَهُمْ من عَهدِ عادِ

Noble men—if a genealogist traced their line,

he would count their noble forebears back to the age of Ad.

إذا قَلَّبتَ في محمودَ طَرْفاً

إذا قَلَّبتَ في محمودَ طَرْفاً

تَرَى قَمَراً تَبوَّأ صَدْرَ نادِ

تَرَى قَمَراً تَبوَّأ صَدْرَ نادِ

When you turn your gaze upon Mahmud,

you see a moon seated at the head of an assembly.

تراهُ في المعاني قيس عبسٍ

تراهُ في المعاني قيس عبسٍ

وفي الألفاظِ قسَّ بني إياد

وفي الألفاظِ قسَّ بني إياد

You see him, in thought, as Qays of Abs,

and in words, Quss of the sons of Iyad.

كريم الخلقِ ممدوحُ السَّجايا

كريم الخلقِ ممدوحُ السَّجايا

كريمُ النَفسِ محمودُ الأيادِي

كريمُ النَفسِ محمودُ الأيادِي

Noble in character, praised for his inborn qualities,

generous of soul, praised for his benefactions.

أرَقُّ منَ الزُّلالِ العَذْبِ لُطفاً

أرَقُّ منَ الزُّلالِ العَذْبِ لُطفاً

وأثبتُ من ثَبيرٍ في الوِدادِ

وأثبتُ من ثَبيرٍ في الوِدادِ

Gentler in kindness than clear, sweet water,

and firmer in affection than Thabir.

فَتىً لا يَزْدَهيهِ التِّيهُ كِبْراً

فَتىً لا يَزْدَهيهِ التِّيهُ كِبْراً

ولو أمسَى على السَّبْعِ الشِّداد

ولو أمسَى على السَّبْعِ الشِّداد

A youth whom conceit does not swell with pride,

even were he atop the seven mighty heavens.

تَحِلُّ المكرُماتُ حِماهُ شَوقاً

تَحِلُّ المكرُماتُ حِماهُ شَوقاً

وقد سارَتْ إليه بغَيرِ حادِ

وقد سارَتْ إليه بغَيرِ حادِ

Noble deeds alight in his domain out of longing,

having journeyed to him without a camel-driver.

أصَحُّ الناسِ في الغَمَراتِ رأْياً

أصَحُّ الناسِ في الغَمَراتِ رأْياً

وأهداهُمْ إلى سُبُلِ الرَّشادِ

وأهداهُمْ إلى سُبُلِ الرَّشادِ

The soundest of men in judgment amid crises,

and their best guide to the paths of rectitude.

وأشجاهم بمَسئَلةٍ لخَصْمٍ

وأشجاهم بمَسئَلةٍ لخَصْمٍ

وأرواهم بفائدةٍ لِصادِ

وأرواهم بفائدةٍ لِصادِ

And most able among them to choke an opponent with a question,

and best among them at quenching the thirsty with a useful insight.

يَهُبُّ الشَّوقُ في قَلبي إليهِ

يَهُبُّ الشَّوقُ في قَلبي إليهِ

هُبوبَ الرِّيحِ في رِجْلِ الجَرادِ

هُبوبَ الرِّيحِ في رِجْلِ الجَرادِ

Longing for him blows within my heart,

as wind blows through a swarm of locusts.

ويَعذُبُ مَا تَيسَّرَ منه عِندي

ويَعذُبُ مَا تَيسَّرَ منه عِندي

كمَسْغبَةٍ تُحبِّبُ كُلَّ زادِ

كمَسْغبَةٍ تُحبِّبُ كُلَّ زادِ

And whatever I can obtain from him is sweet to me,

as hunger makes every provision dear.

ألا يا مُنعِماً بقَديمِ وَصلٍ

ألا يا مُنعِماً بقَديمِ وَصلٍ

بَدأتَ فهل لِبَدْئِكَ مِن مَعادِ

بَدأتَ فهل لِبَدْئِكَ مِن مَعادِ

Ah, you who favored me with fellowship in the past,

you began—will there be a return to that beginning?

لَئنْ حَجَّت إليكَ العينُ يوماً

لَئنْ حَجَّت إليكَ العينُ يوماً

فإنَّ القلبَ دامَ على الجهادِ

فإنَّ القلبَ دامَ على الجهادِ

If indeed my eye made pilgrimage to you one day,

then my heart has persisted in its struggle.