لمن الخِيامُ ومن هُنالِكَ نازِلُ

لمن الخِيامُ ومن هُنالِكَ نازِلُ

أتُرَى بِهِنَّ رَبيعةٌ أم وَائلُ

أتُرَى بِهِنَّ رَبيعةٌ أم وَائلُ

Whose are the tents, and who is encamped there?

For whom are the tents and from whence are they descending?

Do you suppose Rabi‘ah is in them, or Wa’il?

Are they from Rabee'ah or perhaps from Wa'il?

كَذَبَتْكَ نَفسُكَ بل غَطارِفَةُ الحِمَى

كَذَبَتْكَ نَفسُكَ بل غَطارِفَةُ الحِمَى

قومٌ لديهمْ ذِكرُ تُبَّعَ خاملُ

قومٌ لديهمْ ذِكرُ تُبَّعَ خاملُ

Your soul has deceived you: rather, the noble chiefs of the protected domain,

Your soul has lied to you, but rather they are feverish shelters,

A people beside whom the renown of Tubba‘ is dim.

A people who possess the mention of Tubba` worn out.

هذِهْ خيامُ الهاشمّيةِ حَولَها

هذِهْ خيامُ الهاشمّيةِ حَولَها

مِلّء العُيونِ مَنازِلٌ ومَناهِلُ

مِلّء العُيونِ مَنازِلٌ ومَناهِلُ

These are the Hashemite woman's tents; around them

These are the tents of Banu Haashim around which

Dwellings and watering places fill the eyes,

Are dwellings filled with eyes, homes and water springs,

ومنَاصلٌ وذَوابلٌ وجحافلٌ

ومنَاصلٌ وذَوابلٌ وجحافلٌ

وقنابلٌ ورواحلٌ وقوافلُ

وقنابلٌ ورواحلٌ وقوافلُ

And swords, slender spears, and mighty hosts,

And settlements, date palms, crowds,

And squadrons, riding camels, and caravans.

Cauldrons, open plains, and caravans.

غَرْثى الوِشاحِ لها قَوامٌ رامحٌ

غَرْثى الوِشاحِ لها قَوامٌ رامحٌ

تغزو القلوبَ به وطَرْفٌ نابلُ

تغزو القلوبَ به وطَرْفٌ نابلُ

Slender beneath her sash, she has a spear-wielding figure

The perfume of musk for them has erect stature,

With which she assails hearts, and an arrow-shooting gaze.

It invades hearts thereby, and a glance shoots arrows.

ومن العُجاب نَرَى قتيلاً ساقِطاً

ومن العُجاب نَرَى قتيلاً ساقِطاً

يبغي اللِقا فَيفِرُّ منهُ القاتلُ

يبغي اللِقا فَيفِرُّ منهُ القاتلُ

And among wonders, we see a slain man lying fallen,

And of wonders we see a fallen corpse,

Seeking a meeting, while his killer flees him.

Seeking confrontation, yet the killer flees from him.

أفدِي المُحجَّبةَ التي مِن دُونِها

أفدِي المُحجَّبةَ التي مِن دُونِها

للدَمعِ في عينِي حِجابٌ سادِلُ

للدَمعِ في عينِي حِجابٌ سادِلُ

I would ransom the veiled woman; between her and me

I would ransom the veiled one beyond whom

A veil of tears hangs across my eye.

My tears have a barrier, a curtain hanging down.

يا طالما رَدَّتْ أمَيمةُ سائلاً

يا طالما رَدَّتْ أمَيمةُ سائلاً

أفَلا يُرَدُّ اليومَ هذا السائلُ

أفَلا يُرَدُّ اليومَ هذا السائلُ

Ah, how often Umaymah has turned a petitioner away!

O how often Umaymah turned away a suitor!

Will this flowing tear not be turned back today?

Should not this suitor today be turned away?

يا ظَبيةً في الحَيِّ نَبغي صَيدَها

يا ظَبيةً في الحَيِّ نَبغي صَيدَها

فَتصيدُنا عُنْفاً وليس تُخاتِلُ

فَتصيدُنا عُنْفاً وليس تُخاتِلُ

O gazelle in the encampment, whose capture we seek,

O gazelle in the enclosure, it is right to hunt her,

Yet she hunts us by force, and does not use guile.

Yet she hunts us violently and does not cajole.

لا سَهمَ غيرُ لِحاظِها ترمي بهِ

لا سَهمَ غيرُ لِحاظِها ترمي بهِ

قَنَصَاً ولا غيرَ الفُروعِ حبائلُ

قَنَصَاً ولا غيرَ الفُروعِ حبائلُ

She shoots no arrow but her sidelong glances

She has no arrows but her glances with which

At prey, and has no snares but her tresses.

She hits her prey, and no snares but the branches.

أنتِ الجميلةُ فوقَ كلِّ جميلةٍ

أنتِ الجميلةُ فوقَ كلِّ جميلةٍ

فالحَقُّ أنتِ وكُلُّهنَّ الباطلُ

فالحَقُّ أنتِ وكُلُّهنَّ الباطلُ

You are the beauty above every beauty;

You are the most beautiful above all beautiful ones,

So you are the truth, and all of them are falsehood.

So the truth is you while all of them are false.

قد قامَ عُذري في هَواكِ فليسَ لي

قد قامَ عُذري في هَواكِ فليسَ لي

في الناس غيرَ الحاسدينَ عواذلُ

في الناس غيرَ الحاسدينَ عواذلُ

My excuse for loving you is established, so I have

My excuse in loving you is established so I have

No reproachers among people but the envious.

No one to blame save envious slanderers.

أهواكِ لا عارٌ عليَّ لأننَّي

أهواكِ لا عارٌ عليَّ لأننَّي

أَهْوَى الكِرامَ فما يقولُ القائلُ

أَهْوَى الكِرامَ فما يقولُ القائلُ

I love you; no shame is mine, for I

I love you without shame because I

Love the noble—so what can anyone say?

Love the noble, so what can the sayer say?

مارستُ أخلاقَ الحليمِ فخانَني

مارستُ أخلاقَ الحليمِ فخانَني

دَهرٌ لأخلاقِ السَّفيهِ يُشاكلُ

دَهرٌ لأخلاقِ السَّفيهِ يُشاكلُ

I practiced the ways of the forbearing, but was betrayed

I practiced the ethics of the forbearing so time

By an age suited to the fool's ways.

Betrayed me, equating to the morals of the fool.

وعَدَلتُ عن شِيَمِ الجَهولِ فظُنَ بي

وعَدَلتُ عن شِيَمِ الجَهولِ فظُنَ بي

جَهلاً لأنّي عن هواهُ ناكلُ

جَهلاً لأنّي عن هواهُ ناكلُ

And I forsook the ignorant man's ways, and was deemed

And I abandoned the traits of the ignorant so I was suspected

Ignorant, because I recoil from his whims.

Of ignorance since I opposed his desires.

وإذا أتتني مِدْحةٌ من جاهلٍ

وإذا أتتني مِدْحةٌ من جاهلٍ

فهيَ المَذَمَّةُ لي بأنِّي جاهلُ

فهيَ المَذَمَّةُ لي بأنِّي جاهلُ

And if praise comes to me from an ignorant man,

And if a word of praise comes to me from an ignorant one,

Then it is censure of me, saying that I am ignorant.

It is dispraise to me that I am ignorant.

رُمتُ الوَفاءَ من الزَّمانِ وأهلهِ

رُمتُ الوَفاءَ من الزَّمانِ وأهلهِ

فظَفِرتُ منهُ بما يجودُ الباخلُ

فظَفِرتُ منهُ بما يجودُ الباخلُ

I sought fidelity from the age and its people,

I sought loyalty from time and its people

So I won from it what a miser gives.

Yet I gained from them what the miser gives.

وسألتُ عن ذِمَمِ الوِدادِ فقيلَ لي

وسألتُ عن ذِمَمِ الوِدادِ فقيلَ لي

مَهلاً كأنَّكَ عن مُحمَّدَ غافلُ

مَهلاً كأنَّكَ عن مُحمَّدَ غافلُ

And I asked about friendship's pledges, and was told:

And I asked about the blemishes of affection so I was told:

“Wait! It is as though you were heedless of Muhammad.”

"Wait! It is as if you have forgotten Muhammad."

ذاك الصَّديقُ وإن تناءَت دارُهُ

ذاك الصَّديقُ وإن تناءَت دارُهُ

عنَّا وإن حالَ الزَّمانُ الحائلُ

عنَّا وإن حالَ الزَّمانُ الحائلُ

He is the friend, though his home has grown distant

That friend - even if his abode is far

From us, and though ever-changing time has turned.

From us and time has come between as a separator.

إنَّ ابنَ وُدِّكَ مَن يَراكَ بقلبِهِ

إنَّ ابنَ وُدِّكَ مَن يَراكَ بقلبِهِ

لا مَن يَراكَ بعينِهِ فيغازِلُ

لا مَن يَراكَ بعينِهِ فيغازِلُ

The son of your affection is he who sees you with his heart,

Indeed the son of your love is one who sees you in his heart,

Not one who sees you with his eye and pays you court.

Not one who sees you with his eyes and so woos.

قد قَيَّدتْ قلبي على بُعد المَدَى

قد قَيَّدتْ قلبي على بُعد المَدَى

بالحُبِّ من تلك السُطورِ سلاسلُ

بالحُبِّ من تلك السُطورِ سلاسلُ

My heart has been bound, despite the great distance,

My heart has been fettered from afar

With love, by chains from those written lines.

With love to those lines - chains.

القلبُ يَعلَمُ أنهنَّ جواهرٌ

القلبُ يَعلَمُ أنهنَّ جواهرٌ

والعينُ تَزعُمُ أنَّهُنَّ رسائلُ

والعينُ تَزعُمُ أنَّهُنَّ رسائلُ

The heart knows that they are jewels,

The heart knows they are gems

While the eye claims that they are letters.

While the eye claims they are but letters.

الشاعرُ الفَطِنُ اللبيبُ الكاتبُ ال

الشاعرُ الفَطِنُ اللبيبُ الكاتبُ ال

لَبِقُ الأديبُ اللَوذَعيُّ الفاضلُ

لَبِقُ الأديبُ اللَوذَعيُّ الفاضلُ

The perceptive, discerning poet, the writer—

The keen, intelligent poet, the eloquent

Deft, cultivated, keen-witted, and virtuous.

Refined, delicate, and virtuous writer.

في كَفِّهِ البيضاءِ سُمْرُ يَراعةٍ

في كَفِّهِ البيضاءِ سُمْرُ يَراعةٍ

لَعِبتَتْ لها بالمُعرَباتِ عواملُ

لَعِبتَتْ لها بالمُعرَباتِ عواملُ

In his white palm are the brown lances of a reed pen,

In his white palm there is a stylus of vigilance

For it, grammatical governors have played with inflected words.

With which the disasters play with eloquences.

حُلوُ الفُكاهةِ والقريضِ مُهذَّبٌ

حُلوُ الفُكاهةِ والقريضِ مُهذَّبٌ

أقلامُهُ عَسَّالةٌ وعواسلُ

أقلامُهُ عَسَّالةٌ وعواسلُ

Sweet in wit and verse, refined,

Sweet of jest and poetry, refined,

His pens drip honey and quiver like lances.

His pens are bees and nightingales.

لو كان ماءُ النيل مُرّاً آجناً

لو كان ماءُ النيل مُرّاً آجناً

حَلَّتْه أنفاسٌ لهُ وشمائلُ

حَلَّتْه أنفاسٌ لهُ وشمائلُ

Were the Nile's water bitter and stagnant,

If the Nile's water were bitter and turbid,

His breaths and qualities would sweeten it.

It would be sweetened by his breaths and features.

طَودٌ لَدَيهِ كلُّ طودٍ رِبْوَةٌ

طَودٌ لَدَيهِ كلُّ طودٍ رِبْوَةٌ

بَحرٌ لديهِ كلُّ بحرٍ ساحلُ

بَحرٌ لديهِ كلُّ بحرٍ ساحلُ

A mighty mountain, beside whom every mountain is a hill;

Before him all glory is insignificant,

A sea, beside whom every sea is a shore.

An ocean to him while all seas are shores.

يَنتْابُنا بالمَكرماتِ تَبرُّعاً

يَنتْابُنا بالمَكرماتِ تَبرُّعاً

والمَكرُماتُ فرائضٌ ونوافلُ

والمَكرُماتُ فرائضٌ ونوافلُ

He visits us with generous deeds, freely bestowed,

He bestows honors on us voluntarily

And generous deeds are obligations and voluntary offerings.

While the honors are obligatory and supererogatory.

بيني وبينكَ يا مُحمَّدُ شُقَّةٌ

بيني وبينكَ يا مُحمَّدُ شُقَّةٌ

تُطوى إليها في البلادِ مراحلُ

تُطوى إليها في البلادِ مراحلُ

Between me and you, O Muhammad, lies a great distance

Between me and you O Muhammad there is a distance

To reach which, stages through the lands are folded away.

To which caravans undertake journeys in the lands.

وفواصلُ الأوطانِ غيرُ مُضرَّةٍ

وفواصلُ الأوطانِ غيرُ مُضرَّةٍ

إن لم يكن بين القُلوبِ فواصلُ

إن لم يكن بين القُلوبِ فواصلُ

And the barriers between homelands do no harm,

And the distances of homelands are no harm

If there are no barriers between hearts.

If there is no separation between hearts.

تاهَتْ بك الإسكندريةُ عِزَّةً

تاهَتْ بك الإسكندريةُ عِزَّةً

فَبَدَتْ عليها للسُرورِ دلائلُ

فَبَدَتْ عليها للسُرورِ دلائلُ

Alexandria has exulted in you with pride,

Alexandria boasted in having you,

So signs of joy have appeared upon her.

So its joy became apparent by signs.

إن كانَ في جيدِ الصَّعيدِ قلائِدٌ

إن كانَ في جيدِ الصَّعيدِ قلائِدٌ

منها فما جيدُ العَواصمِ عاطلُ

منها فما جيدُ العَواصمِ عاطلُ

If Upper Egypt's neck bears necklaces

If there are necklaces in Upper Egypt’s valley,

From her, then the neck of the capitals is not bare.

Then the valley of capitals is not without.

يا كَعْبةَ الأدَبِ التي حَجَّت لها

يا كَعْبةَ الأدَبِ التي حَجَّت لها

من كلِّ فَجٍّ للقريض قبائلُ

من كلِّ فَجٍّ للقريض قبائلُ

O Kaaba of literature, to which pilgrimage has been made

O Kaaba of literature to which

From every mountain pass by the tribes of poetry.

Tribes of poetry from every terrain made pilgrimage.

أغرَقْتَنا في بحرِ فضلكَ جُملةً

أغرَقْتَنا في بحرِ فضلكَ جُملةً

فكأنَّنا ضَرْبٌ وأنتَ الحاصلُ

فكأنَّنا ضَرْبٌ وأنتَ الحاصلُ

You have drowned us all in the sea of your bounty,

You have drowned us altogether in the sea of your merit,

As though we were a multiplication, and you the product.

It is as if we are an example and you the result.

جئنا بأبياتٍ لَدَيكَ سخيفةٍ

جئنا بأبياتٍ لَدَيكَ سخيفةٍ

لَوْلاكَ ما عَمِرتْ لَهُنَّ منازِلُ

لَوْلاكَ ما عَمِرتْ لَهُنَّ منازِلُ

We have brought verses, paltry in your presence;

We have come to you with foolish verses,

But for you, no dwellings for them would have flourished.

Were it not for you, homes would not have been built for them.

شامِيَّةٌ نَقَصَت معانيها وإنْ

شامِيَّةٌ نَقَصَت معانيها وإنْ

أهدى بها في اللفظِ بحرٌ كاملُ

أهدى بها في اللفظِ بحرٌ كاملُ

Syrian verses whose meanings fall short, although

Damascene, their meanings deficient, even if

In wording, the Kamil—the “complete” meter—has offered them.

A sea of eloquence gifted their wording.

ما أكثَرَ الشُّعرَاءَ حينَ تَعُدُّهم

ما أكثَرَ الشُّعرَاءَ حينَ تَعُدُّهم

سَرْداً ولكنَّ الفُحولَ قلائلُ

سَرْداً ولكنَّ الفُحولَ قلائلُ

How many poets there are when you count them

How many are the poets when you count them

One by one; yet the stallions of poetry are few.

In series, but the eminent ones are few.