كَأَن لَم أَقُد سُبحانَكَ اللَّهُ فتيَةٌ

كَأَن لَم أَقُد سُبحانَكَ اللَّهُ فتيَةٌ

لِنَدفَعَ ضَيماً أَو لِوَصلٍ نُواصِلُه

لِنَدفَعَ ضَيماً أَو لِوَصلٍ نُواصِلُه

As though I had never led—glory be to You, O God!—a band of young men,

As though I had never led—glory be to You, O God—a band of youths,

to repel humiliation, or to uphold a bond we maintained.

To repel oppression, or for a bond we would maintain,

عَلى عَلَسِيّات كَأَنَّ هُويَّها

عَلى عَلَسِيّات كَأَنَّ هُويَّها

هوِيُّ القَطا الكُدرِيُّ نَشَّت ثَمائِلُه

هوِيُّ القَطا الكُدرِيُّ نَشَّت ثَمائِلُه

On tawny she-camels, whose plunging rush

On ʿAlasī camels, whose swooping rush was like

was the swoop of dusky sandgrouse when the moisture in their crops had dried.

The swoop of dusky sandgrouse whose water reserves had dried.

وَفارَقتُهُم وَالدَّهرُ مَوقِفُ فُرقَةٍ

وَفارَقتُهُم وَالدَّهرُ مَوقِفُ فُرقَةٍ

عَواقِبُهُ دارُ البَلى وَأَوائِلُه

عَواقِبُهُ دارُ البَلى وَأَوائِلُه

I parted from them; Time itself is a station of separation,

And I parted from them; time is a scene of separation,

whose end is the realm of decay, as were its beginnings.

Its endings are the abode of decay, and so are its beginnings.

وَأَصبَحتُ مِثلَ السَهمِ في قَعرِ جَعبَةٍ

وَأَصبَحتُ مِثلَ السَهمِ في قَعرِ جَعبَةٍ

نَضِيّاً نَضاً قَد طالَ فيها قَلاقِلُه

نَضِيّاً نَضاً قَد طالَ فيها قَلاقِلُه

I have become like an arrow at the bottom of a quiver,

And I became like an arrow at the bottom of a quiver,

a bare, worn shaft, long rattled within it.

A bare, wasted shaft, long rattling within it.

وَأَصبَحتُ تَرميني العِدى عَن جَماعَةٍ

وَأَصبَحتُ تَرميني العِدى عَن جَماعَةٍ

عَلى ذاكَ رامٍ من بَدَت لي مقاتِلُه

عَلى ذاكَ رامٍ من بَدَت لي مقاتِلُه

My enemies now shoot at me, cut off from any company,

And my enemies began shooting at me in concert,

though I am an archer whose adversaries have come into view.

Yet I shoot at whoever's vital spots are exposed to me.

فَمِنهُم عَدوّ لي محالٌ مَكاشِحٌ

فَمِنهُم عَدوّ لي محالٌ مَكاشِحٌ

وَآخَرُ لي تَحتَ العِضاةِ حَبائِلُه

وَآخَرُ لي تَحتَ العِضاةِ حَبائِلُه

Among them is an implacable foe, openly rancorous toward me,

For among them is an enemy of mine, scheming and spiteful,

and another has snares for me beneath the thorn trees.

And another has his snares for me beneath the thorn trees.

وَعادِيَةٍ تَعدو عَلَيَّ كَثيبَةٍ

وَعادِيَةٍ تَعدو عَلَيَّ كَثيبَةٍ

لَها سَلَفٌ لا ينذر القتلَ قاتِلُه

لَها سَلَفٌ لا ينذر القتلَ قاتِلُه

And a raiding troop comes racing against me,

And many a massed raiding band charges against me,

with a vanguard whose warrior gives no warning before he kills.

It has a vanguard; the killer gives no warning of slaughter.

فَناشَدتُهُم بِاللَّهِ حَتَّى أَظَلَّني

فَناشَدتُهُم بِاللَّهِ حَتَّى أَظَلَّني

مِنَ المَوتِ ظِلٌّ قَد عَلَتني عَوامِلُه

مِنَ المَوتِ ظِلٌّ قَد عَلَتني عَوامِلُه

I adjured them by God, until there covered me

So I adjured them by God, until there loomed over me

the shadow of death, its shafts rising above me.

A shadow of death, its spear-tips towering above me.

فَلَمّا اِلتَقَينا لَم يَزَل مِن عَديدِهِم

فَلَمّا اِلتَقَينا لَم يَزَل مِن عَديدِهِم

صَريعُ هَواءٍ لِلتُّرابِ جَحافِلُه

صَريعُ هَواءٍ لِلتُّرابِ جَحافِلُه

When we met, my spear never ceased to leave, among their number,

And when we met, there was always among their number

a man struck down headlong, his lips in the dust.

A man felled, tumbling through the air, his lips to the dust.

وَلَو كُنتُ لا أَخشى سِوى فَردِ مَعشَرٍ

وَلَو كُنتُ لا أَخشى سِوى فَردِ مَعشَرٍ

لَقَرَّ فُؤادي وَاِطمَأَنَّت بَلابِلُه

لَقَرَّ فُؤادي وَاِطمَأَنَّت بَلابِلُه

Had I feared no more than a single clan,

Were I to fear only a single company,

my heart would have rested and its anxieties grown still.

My heart would settle and its anxieties grow calm.

وَسِرتُ بِأَوطاني وَصِرتُ كَأَنَّني

وَسِرتُ بِأَوطاني وَصِرتُ كَأَنَّني

كَصاحِبِ ثِقلٍ حُطَّ عَنهُ مثاقِلُه

كَصاحِبِ ثِقلٍ حُطَّ عَنهُ مثاقِلُه

I roamed through my homelands and became as though

And I traveled through my homelands, and became, as it were,

I were a burden-bearer whose heavy loads had been lifted away.

Like a burdened man whose loads had been lifted from him.

أَلَم تَرَني حالَفتُ صَفراءَ نَبعَة

أَلَم تَرَني حالَفتُ صَفراءَ نَبعَة

لَها رَبَذِيٌّ لَم تُثَلَّم مَعابِلُه

لَها رَبَذِيٌّ لَم تُثَلَّم مَعابِلُه

Have you not seen me make a yellow bow of nabʿ wood my ally,

Have you not seen me ally myself with a yellow nabʿ-wood bow,

with a swift shaft whose broad arrowheads were unblunted?

With a nimble archer whose broad arrowheads remain unchipped?

وَطالَ اِحتِضاني السَّيفَ حَتَّى كَأَنَّهُ

وَطالَ اِحتِضاني السَّيفَ حَتَّى كَأَنَّهُ

يُناطُ بِجلدي كَشحُهُ وَحَمائِلُه

يُناطُ بِجلدي كَشحُهُ وَحَمائِلُه

So long have I embraced the sword that it seems

And so long have I clasped the sword that it is as though

its flank and baldric are fastened to my skin.

Its flank and shoulder-straps were attached to my skin.

أَخو فَلَواتٍ حالَفَ الجِنَّ وَاِنتَفى

أَخو فَلَواتٍ حالَفَ الجِنَّ وَاِنتَفى

مِنَ الإِنسِ حَتَّى قَد تَقَضَّت وَسائِلُه

مِنَ الإِنسِ حَتَّى قَد تَقَضَّت وَسائِلُه

A brother of the wastelands, allied with the jinn and severed

A brother of wildernesses, he allied with the jinn and cut himself off

from humankind until all his ties were spent.

From humankind, until his ties had dissolved.

لَهُ نَسَبُ الإِنسِيِّ يُعرَفُ نَجرُهُ

لَهُ نَسَبُ الإِنسِيِّ يُعرَفُ نَجرُهُ

وَلِلجِنِّ مِنهُ شَكلُهُ وَشَمائِلُه

وَلِلجِنِّ مِنهُ شَكلُهُ وَشَمائِلُه

He has a human lineage, its stock well known,

His lineage is human, his stock well known,

yet from the jinn come his form and his traits.

And his shape and traits belong to the jinn.

وَجَرَّبتُ قَلبي فَهوَ ماضٍ مُشَيَّعٌ

وَجَرَّبتُ قَلبي فَهوَ ماضٍ مُشَيَّعٌ

قَليلٌ لِخلانِ الصَّفاءِ غَوائِلُه

قَليلٌ لِخلانِ الصَّفاءِ غَوائِلُه

I tested my heart: it is keen and resolute,

And I have tested my heart: it is resolute and courageous,

with few hidden malices toward friends of pure loyalty.

Few are its treacheries toward friends of sincere affection.

وَساخِرَةٍ مِنّي وَلَكِن تَبَيَّنَت

وَساخِرَةٍ مِنّي وَلَكِن تَبَيَّنَت

شَمائِل بَسّامٍ عِجالٍ رَواحِلُه

شَمائِل بَسّامٍ عِجالٍ رَواحِلُه

A woman mocked me, but then she discerned

And a woman who mocked me nevertheless discerned

the traits of Bassam, whose mounts were swift to depart.

The traits of a ready-smiling man whose mounts are swift:

قَليلُ رِقادِ العَينِ تَرّاكُ بَلدَةٍ

قَليلُ رِقادِ العَينِ تَرّاكُ بَلدَةٍ

إِلَى جَوزِ أُخرى لا تَبِن مَنازِلُه

إِلَى جَوزِ أُخرى لا تَبِن مَنازِلُه

Little sleep comes to his eyes; he is forever leaving one town

His eyes sleep little; he is forever leaving one land

for the heartland of another, his stopping places unseen.

For the heart of another, his stopping places hidden.

عَلَى مِثلِ جَفنِ السَّيفِ يَرفَعُ آلَهُ

عَلَى مِثلِ جَفنِ السَّيفِ يَرفَعُ آلَهُ

مَصاصاتُ عتقٍ وَهوَ طاوٍ ثَمائِلُه

مَصاصاتُ عتقٍ وَهوَ طاوٍ ثَمائِلُه

Upon a mount slender as a sword’s sheath, raised by the mirage—

On a mount like a sword's sheath, its frame raised

the pure essence of noble stock, its belly drawn tight.

By choice, well-bred legs, while its belly's stores are empty.

وَوادٍ مَخوفٍ لا تُسارُ فجاجُهُ

وَوادٍ مَخوفٍ لا تُسارُ فجاجُهُ

بِرَكبٍ وَلا تَمشي لَدَيهِ أَراجِلُه

بِرَكبٍ وَلا تَمشي لَدَيهِ أَراجِلُه

And through a fearsome valley whose passes are never traveled

And many a fearsome valley whose passes are not traveled

by caravan, nor crossed on foot,

By riders, nor trodden by men on foot,

بِهِ الأُسدُ وَالأَشبالُ مَن عَلِقَت بِهِ

بِهِ الأُسدُ وَالأَشبالُ مَن عَلِقَت بِهِ

فَقَد ثَكَلَتهُ عِندَ ذاكَ ثَواكِلُه

فَقَد ثَكَلَتهُ عِندَ ذاكَ ثَواكِلُه

where lions and their cubs seize whoever becomes entangled there—

Has lions and cubs; whoever they seize

his mourning women have already lost him.

Has surely left his mourning women bereft by then.

تَباشَرنَ بي لَمّا بَرَزتُ لِعادَةٍ

تَباشَرنَ بي لَمّا بَرَزتُ لِعادَةٍ

تَعَوَّدتُها وَالعادُ جَمٌّ خَوابِلُه

تَعَوَّدتُها وَالعادُ جَمٌّ خَوابِلُه

They greeted my appearance with delight when I came forth, as was my custom,

They rejoiced at my coming when I emerged for a practice

a custom I had learned while the assailants were many and fierce.

I was accustomed to; habit has many perils.

فَقُلتُ تَنَكَّبنَ الطَريقَ لِمُختَطٍ

فَقُلتُ تَنَكَّبنَ الطَريقَ لِمُختَطٍ

أَخي شُقَّة غولٍ عَلى مَن يُنازِلُه

أَخي شُقَّة غولٍ عَلى مَن يُنازِلُه

I said, “Step aside from the road for one who cuts his own path,

So I said: Stand off the road for a path-maker,

a brother of hard journeys, a ghoul to whoever challenges him.”

A man of long journeys, a ghoul to whoever confronts him.

فَكَلَّمتُ مَن لَم يَدرِ ما عَرَبِيَّةٌ

فَكَلَّمتُ مَن لَم يَدرِ ما عَرَبِيَّةٌ

وَمَن عاشَ في لَحمِ الأَنيسِ أَشابِلُه

وَمَن عاشَ في لَحمِ الأَنيسِ أَشابِلُه

I spoke to creatures that knew no Arabic,

So I spoke to those who did not know what Arabic was,

whose cubs had lived upon human flesh.

And to those whose cubs had lived on human flesh.

فَلَمّا التَقَينا خامَ منهُنَّ خائِم

فَلَمّا التَقَينا خامَ منهُنَّ خائِم

وَآخَرُ ذو طَيرٍ تَحومُ حَواجِلُه

وَآخَرُ ذو طَيرٍ تَحومُ حَواجِلُه

When we met, one of them shrank away,

And when we met, a timid one among them shrank back,

while over another the birds wheeled, circling its flanks.

While another had birds above him, his ravens wheeling.

فَما رُمتُ جَوفَ الغيلِ حَتَّى أَلِفتُهُ

فَما رُمتُ جَوفَ الغيلِ حَتَّى أَلِفتُهُ

وَأَعجَبني أَسرابُهُ وَمَداخِلُه

وَأَعجَبني أَسرابُهُ وَمَداخِلُه

I did not leave the heart of the thicket until I had grown used to it

No sooner had I sought the heart of the thicket than I grew at home in it,

and delighted in its lairs and entrances.

And its passageways and entrances pleased me.

فَإِنِّي وَبُغضي الإِنسَ مِن بَعدِ حُبِّها

فَإِنِّي وَبُغضي الإِنسَ مِن بَعدِ حُبِّها

وَنَأيِيَ مِمَّن كُنتُ ما إِن أزايلُه

وَنَأيِيَ مِمَّن كُنتُ ما إِن أزايلُه

My hatred of humankind, after loving that wild place,

For I—with my hatred of humankind after loving them,

and my distance from those I once never left,

And my distance from those I once would never leave—

لَكَالصَّقرِ جَلَّى بَعدَما صادَ قُنيَةً

لَكَالصَّقرِ جَلَّى بَعدَما صادَ قُنيَةً

قَديراً وَمَشوِيّاً تَرفُّ خَرادِلُه

قَديراً وَمَشوِيّاً تَرفُّ خَرادِلُه

are like the falcon revealed after it has struck its prey,

Am surely like a falcon that flew off after seizing a prize:

with stewed and roasted flesh, its tender pieces quivering.

Stewed and roasted meat, its scraps fluttering.

أَهابوا بِهِ فَاِزدادَ بُعداً وَهاجَهُ

أَهابوا بِهِ فَاِزدادَ بُعداً وَهاجَهُ

عَلى النَأي يَوماً طلُّ دَجنٍ وَوابِلُه

عَلى النَأي يَوماً طلُّ دَجنٍ وَوابِلُه

They shouted at it; it only flew farther, stirred to passion

They shouted at it; it drew farther away, and was spurred

from afar one day by a dark cloud’s drizzle and downpour.

To fly far one day by an overcast sky's drizzle and downpour.

أزاهِدَةٌ فِيَّ الأَخِلاءُ أَن رَأَت

أزاهِدَةٌ فِيَّ الأَخِلاءُ أَن رَأَت

فَتى مُطرَداً قَد أَسلَمَتهُ قَبائِلُه

فَتى مُطرَداً قَد أَسلَمَتهُ قَبائِلُه

Have my friends renounced me because they saw

Do my close friends shun me because they have seen

a hunted young man whom his tribes abandoned?

An outcast youth whom his tribes have abandoned?

وَقَد تَزهَدُ الفِتيانُ في السَّيفِ لَم يَكُن

وَقَد تَزهَدُ الفِتيانُ في السَّيفِ لَم يَكُن

كَهاماً وَلَم تَعمَل بِغشٍّ صَياقِلُه

كَهاماً وَلَم تَعمَل بِغشٍّ صَياقِلُه

Young men may disdain a sword—yet mine was never

And young men may shun a sword, though it is not

blunt, nor had its polish been worked with fraud.

Blunt, nor have its polishers worked dishonestly.

فَلا تَعتَرِض في الأَمرِ تُكفى شُؤونَهُ

فَلا تَعتَرِض في الأَمرِ تُكفى شُؤونَهُ

وَلا تَنصَحن إِلا لِمَن هُوَ قابِلُه

وَلا تَنصَحن إِلا لِمَن هُوَ قابِلُه

Do not meddle in the affair, and you will be spared its burdens;

So do not meddle in an affair; you will be spared its concerns.

offer counsel only to one who will receive it.

And give counsel only to one who will accept it.

وَلا تَخذِلِ المَولى إِذا ما مُلِمَّةٌ

وَلا تَخذِلِ المَولى إِذا ما مُلِمَّةٌ

أَلَمَّت وَنازِل في الوَغى من يُنازِلُه

أَلَمَّت وَنازِل في الوَغى من يُنازِلُه

Never forsake a client when calamity

And do not forsake your ally when a calamity

befalls him; face in battle whoever faces him.

Befalls him; in battle confront whoever confronts him.

وَلا تَحرِمِ المَرءَ الكَريمَ فَإِنَّهُ

وَلا تَحرِمِ المَرءَ الكَريمَ فَإِنَّهُ

أَخوكَ وَلا تَدري مَتى أَنتَ سائِلُه

أَخوكَ وَلا تَدري مَتى أَنتَ سائِلُه

And do not deny the noble man, for he is

And do not deny a noble man aid, for he is

your brother—and you do not know when you may have to ask of him.

Your brother; you do not know when you may ask him for help.