جَرَى ظَبيٌ بِبَينِ الحَيِّ فرداً

جَرَى ظَبيٌ بِبَينِ الحَيِّ فرداً

وفاتخةٌ خطوفُ

وفاتخةٌ خطوفُ

A gazelle ran alone amid the tribe’s departure,

A lone gazelle ran, portending the tribe's departure,

long-striding and fleet.

and a swooping, broad-winged eagle.

وقلتُ لصاحبي والقلبُ يَهفو

وقلتُ لصاحبي والقلبُ يَهفو

أتزجر ذي السوانِح أم تَعيفُ

أتزجر ذي السوانِح أم تَعيفُ

I said to my companion, while my heart yearned:

I said to my companion, while my heart fluttered,

“Do you take these rightward-passing birds as an omen, or augur evil?”

'Do you read these crossing creatures' omens, or divine from flight?'

فَقالَ نَعم جَرَينَ بِبَينِ سَلمى

فَقالَ نَعم جَرَينَ بِبَينِ سَلمى

وبَعضُ البَينِ مُنتَعِفٌ شَطُوفُ

وبَعضُ البَينِ مُنتَعِفٌ شَطُوفُ

He said, “Yes—they ran when Salma departed,

He said, 'Yes: they ran, portending parting from Salma,

and some partings are calamitous and far-reaching.”

and some partings are far-flung, far removed.'

كأَنَّ دُموعَ عَيني يومَ بانُوا

كأَنَّ دُموعَ عَيني يومَ بانُوا

جُمانٌ خانَهُ رَسَنٌ ضَعيفُ

جُمانٌ خانَهُ رَسَنٌ ضَعيفُ

My eyes’ tears, on the day they left, seemed

As though the tears of my eye, the day they left,

like pearls whose frail string had betrayed them;

were pearls whose fragile cord had failed them.

كأنَّ حُمُولَهُم يومَ استَقَلُّوا

كأنَّ حُمُولَهُم يومَ استَقَلُّوا

وعامَ السَّرحُ وانشَمَرَ القطُوفُ

وعامَ السَّرحُ وانشَمَرَ القطُوفُ

their laden camel-litters, on the day they set forth, seemed

As though their laden camels, the day they set off—

like grape clusters, while the grazing herd surged and the slow-paced hurried—

the free-striding swimming along, the slow-footed hastening—

ذُرى عنبٍ سقتهُ العينُ حتّى

ذُرى عنبٍ سقتهُ العينُ حتّى

لهُ في كلِّ هاجرةٍ رَفيفُ

لهُ في كلِّ هاجرةٍ رَفيفُ

clusters of grapes the eye kept watering until

were vine-tops watered by a spring, until

they cast trembling shade in every noonday heat.

they shimmered in every midday heat.

فقُلتُ لخادِمي عَجِّل بعطوى

فقُلتُ لخادِمي عَجِّل بعطوى

فقامَ أخُو مُشايحةٍ خفيفُ

فقامَ أخُو مُشايحةٍ خفيفُ

I said to my servant, “Quick—bring ‘Atwa!”

Then I said to my servant, 'Hurry and bring Atwa!'

A nimble, mettlesome fellow sprang up

Up sprang a man of zeal, light-footed.

فجاءَ بها مقعقعةً وتعدُو

فجاءَ بها مقعقعةً وتعدُو

كأنَّ شِراعَها جَذَعٌ مُنيفُ

كأنَّ شِراعَها جَذَعٌ مُنيفُ

and brought her, her gear rattling as she raced,

He brought her, clattering as she ran,

her tall neck like a lofty trunk.

as though her neck were a towering palm trunk.

تَخبُّ إذا عَلَوتَ بها حَزيزاً

تَخبُّ إذا عَلَوتَ بها حَزيزاً

وفي وَعثِ البلادِ لها زَفِيفُ

وفي وَعثِ البلادِ لها زَفِيفُ

She trots briskly when you ride her over rugged heights,

She trots when you climb rocky ground upon her,

and through soft ground she flies—

and glides over the land's deep sand.

كصَيخَدَةِ البِطاح أباثَ عنها

كصَيخَدَةِ البِطاح أباثَ عنها

وأَبرزَها أخو زَبَدٍ جَرُوفُ

وأَبرزَها أخو زَبَدٍ جَرُوفُ

like a hard rock of the flats, scoured clear

Like a boulder in the valley flats, scoured clean

and laid bare by a foaming, eroding torrent.

and laid bare by a foaming, sweeping flood.

إذا رَعَتِ الزِّمام تَعَجرَفَت بي

إذا رَعَتِ الزِّمام تَعَجرَفَت بي

كما تَفرِي مُباذِيَةٌ حَلُوفُ

كما تَفرِي مُباذِيَةٌ حَلُوفُ

When she felt the rein, she swept me violently onward,

When she heeds the rein, she charges wildly with me,

as a keen, broad-edged cleaver hews.

as a massive racing she-camel cleaves the way.

فلمّا أن بَدَت أَظعانُ سَلمَى

فلمّا أن بَدَت أَظعانُ سَلمَى

ودُونَ كَلامِهم حَنِقٌ أَنُوفُ

ودُونَ كَلامِهم حَنِقٌ أَنُوفُ

When Salma’s departing litters came into view,

When Salma's departing litters came in sight,

proud, disdainful anger barred me from speaking with them,

with an angry, proud man barring speech with them,

وَجَدتُ هَشاشةً ووجدتُّ خَوفاً

وَجَدتُ هَشاشةً ووجدتُّ خَوفاً

ووَقَّرَني يمانيةٌ هَتوفُ

ووَقَّرَني يمانيةٌ هَتوفُ

and I felt both eager joy and fear;

I felt delight, and I felt fear;

a loudly twanging Yemeni bow weighed upon me,

a resonant Yemeni bow steadied me,

وأبناءٌ لها زُرقٌ خِفافٌ

وأبناءٌ لها زُرقٌ خِفافٌ

تمورُ مِن المقاتِلِ أو تجوفُ

تمورُ مِن المقاتِلِ أو تجوفُ

with slender blue arrows of its own,

and its sons, blue and light,

swaying from deadly points or a hollow quiver;

that pass out through vital spots or pierce the belly,

وأَبيَضُ يخطفُ الأبدانَ خَطفاً

وأَبيَضُ يخطفُ الأبدانَ خَطفاً

وقلبٌ لا أَغَمُّ ولا رَجُوفُ

وقلبٌ لا أَغَمُّ ولا رَجُوفُ

and a gleaming white sword that snatches bodies away,

and a gleaming sword that snatches bodies in a flash,

and a heart neither constricted nor trembling.

and a heart neither clouded nor trembling.

ونِعمَ فتى الطِّعانِ إذا تَثَنَّى

ونِعمَ فتى الطِّعانِ إذا تَثَنَّى

جَبانٌ بالرّوادفِ أو عطوفُ

جَبانٌ بالرّوادفِ أو عطوفُ

What an excellent man of spearplay, when a coward wheels

And a fine lad am I for spear-play, when there wheels about

amid his reinforcements, or a turning foe gives way—

a coward with the rear ranks, or one returning to the fray,

وحينَ تَدُبُّ غادِيةٌ لأُخرى

وحينَ تَدُبُّ غادِيةٌ لأُخرى

وتختلطُ المنيّةُ واللَّفيفُ

وتختلطُ المنيّةُ واللَّفيفُ

when one raiding host advances toward another

and when one morning raiding-band creeps toward another,

and death mingles with the massed ranks.

and death and the mixed host mingle.

فلمّا أَن لَحِقتُ تعرَّضَت لي

فلمّا أَن لَحِقتُ تعرَّضَت لي

مَسَاعِرَةٌ كأَنَّهُمُ السُّيُوفُ

مَسَاعِرَةٌ كأَنَّهُمُ السُّيُوفُ

When I caught up, there confronted me

When I caught up, I was confronted

fierce men who seemed to be swords.

by battle-kindlers, as though they were swords.

فَقالوا ما دَهاكَ فقُلتُ قومٌ

فَقالوا ما دَهاكَ فقُلتُ قومٌ

هُمُ الأعداءُ مِثلُهُم يُخيفُ

هُمُ الأعداءُ مِثلُهُم يُخيفُ

They asked, “What has befallen you?” I said, “A band—

They said, 'What has befallen you?' I said, 'A band of men—

the enemy, whose like inspires fear—

they are the enemy; their like inspire fear.

أَطالوا ذِكرَكُم فركَضتُ جَهدي

أَطالوا ذِكرَكُم فركَضتُ جَهدي

وحمَّلني على الرَّكضِ العَرِيفُ

وحمَّلني على الرَّكضِ العَرِيفُ

spoke long of you, so I spurred with all my strength;

They spoke long of you, so I galloped with all my strength,

the guide compelled me to that racing.”

and the headman urged me to gallop.'

فَقالوا لا تَرمنا وادنُ مِنّا

فَقالوا لا تَرمنا وادنُ مِنّا

فأنتَ لنا الطَّليعةُ والخلُوفُ

فأنتَ لنا الطَّليعةُ والخلُوفُ

They said, “Do not shoot at us; draw near—

They said, 'Do not leave us; draw close to us,

you are our forward scout and our rear guard.”

for you are our advance scout and rear guard.'

فباتُوا جامِعينَ برأسِ قَوزٍ

فباتُوا جامِعينَ برأسِ قَوزٍ

على وَجَلٍ كأنَّهُمُ كَنيفُ

على وَجَلٍ كأنَّهُمُ كَنيفُ

They spent the night gathered atop a dune,

They spent the night gathered on a sandhill's crest,

fearful, huddled as though inside a shelter.

in fear, like a protective enclosure.

فباتَت وَهيَ تَضرِبُنا بِطَلٍّ

فباتَت وَهيَ تَضرِبُنا بِطَلٍّ

ورِيحٍ ما تبوخُ لها عَصِيفُ

ورِيحٍ ما تبوخُ لها عَصِيفُ

All night the sky pelted us with fine rain,

The night went on, striking us with dew

and a wind whose violent blast would not die.

and a wind whose raging never slackened.

فلا شخصٌ يحولُ لعينِ سارٍ

فلا شخصٌ يحولُ لعينِ سارٍ

ولا أَثَرٌ يبينُ لمَن يقوفُ

ولا أَثَرٌ يبينُ لمَن يقوفُ

No shape took form before a night traveler’s eye,

No shape appeared to a night-traveler's eye,

nor any track appeared to one following spoor.

nor any trace to one who followed tracks.

فغامَستُ الهَوى وقَضَيتُ دَيني

فغامَستُ الهَوى وقَضَيتُ دَيني

كأنِّي أيمُ أَتأبةٍ لَطِيفُ

كأنِّي أيمُ أَتأبةٍ لَطِيفُ

I plunged into peril and discharged my debt,

So I plunged into passion and paid my debt,

like a slender male serpent of At’aba:

as though I were a slender snake in an at'ab tree.

إِذا لقِيَ الغصونَ انسلَّ مِنها

إِذا لقِيَ الغصونَ انسلَّ مِنها

فَلا بَشِعٌ ولا جافٍ رَجُوفُ

فَلا بَشِعٌ ولا جافٍ رَجُوفُ

when it meets branches, it slips free through them,

When it meets the branches, it slips through them,

neither misshapen, nor coarse, nor timorous.

neither ungainly nor stiff and trembling.

فَلَمّا أن دُفِعتُ إِلى ضِناكٍ

فَلَمّا أن دُفِعتُ إِلى ضِناكٍ

وَقَد هَجَعت وقَد مالَ النَّصِيفُ

وَقَد هَجَعت وقَد مالَ النَّصِيفُ

When at last I pressed into your quarter,

When I came upon a full-figured woman,

all creation slept and half the night had passed.

she had fallen asleep and her veil had slipped.

قَرَعت سِوارَها فتبغَّمَت لي

قَرَعت سِوارَها فتبغَّمَت لي

بصوتٍ لا أَغنُّ ولا وَجُوفُ

بصوتٍ لا أَغنُّ ولا وَجُوفُ

I tapped her bracelet, and she smiled at me

I tapped her bracelet, and she murmured to me

in a voice neither nasal nor quavering—

in a voice neither nasal nor booming,

تَبَغُّمَ ريمَةٍ تَدعُو غزالاً

تَبَغُّمَ ريمَةٍ تَدعُو غزالاً

بِحيثُ تدافَعُ العَقِدُ الحُقُوفُ

بِحيثُ تدافَعُ العَقِدُ الحُقُوفُ

smiling like a white doe calling her fawn

like the soft call of a doe calling a fawn,

where knotted dunes and curving sand ridges converge.

where the clustered, curving dunes jostle.

فقالَت والكَرَى في مُقلَتَيها

فقالَت والكَرَى في مُقلَتَيها

يَجولُ لَقد تَصَفَّتكَ الحُتوفُ

يَجولُ لَقد تَصَفَّتكَ الحُتوفُ

She said, while slumber roamed within her eyes:

She said, while slumber in her eyes

“Deaths have surely arrayed themselves against you.

wandered, 'Deadly fates have surely singled you out.

فَلا تَهلِك ولا نَهلِك وشَمِّر

فَلا تَهلِك ولا نَهلِك وشَمِّر

ولا تأسَف فللدُّنيا صُرُوفُ

ولا تأسَف فللدُّنيا صُرُوفُ

Do not perish, nor let us perish—bestir yourself;

Do not perish, nor let us perish; make haste,

do not grieve, for fortune ever turns.”

and do not grieve: the world has its reversals.'

فقُلتُ لها أما تجزينَ صَبّاً

فقُلتُ لها أما تجزينَ صَبّاً

بهِ مِن حُبّكُم مرضٌ عَنيفُ

بهِ مِن حُبّكُم مرضٌ عَنيفُ

I said, “Will you not requite a lover devoted to you,

I said to her, 'Will you not reward a lovesick man,

whom love of you has stricken with severe illness?”

stricken with grievous illness from loving you?'

فَقالَت وَهيَ كاذِبةٌ غَرورٌ

فَقالَت وَهيَ كاذِبةٌ غَرورٌ

ولكِن ليسَ لي قلبٌ عروفُ

ولكِن ليسَ لي قلبٌ عروفُ

She answered—lying, a beguiler:

She said—lying and deceitful—

“I have no heart acquainted with such love.

'But I have no patient heart.

عَسى في عَودةٍ إن عُدتَ تَلقى

عَسى في عَودةٍ إن عُدتَ تَلقى

مُناكَ ورُبَّما يروى الصَّدُوفُ

مُناكَ ورُبَّما يروى الصَّدُوفُ

Perhaps on another return, if you return, you will attain

Perhaps, on a return, if you return, you will find

your desire—for sometimes even the aloof is given drink.”

your wish; one who turns away may sometimes drink his fill.'

فقُمتُ إِلى عَذافِرَةٍ فأَضحَت

فقُمتُ إِلى عَذافِرَةٍ فأَضحَت

بِطامِسَةٍ لجنَّتِها عزيفُ

بِطامِسَةٍ لجنَّتِها عزيفُ

I rose to a powerful she-camel, and by morning she was

I rose to a powerful she-camel; by morning she was

effacing her tracks, her two sides humming.

in a trackless waste where its jinn raised their eerie drone.

تَرُوعُ ظِباءَها فتصدُّ عنّا

تَرُوعُ ظِباءَها فتصدُّ عنّا

وكلٌّ يُذعَر فإجفِيلٌ خفيفُ

وكلٌّ يُذعَر فإجفِيلٌ خفيفُ

She startled the desert’s gazelles, and they veered away from us;

She startles its gazelles, and they turn away from us,

each took fright and bolted lightly.

and all take fright; a nimble, skittish ostrich flees,

كأنَّ عليهِ أعدالاً وجُلا

كأنَّ عليهِ أعدالاً وجُلا

وأهداماً تلوحُ لها هَفيفُ

وأهداماً تلوحُ لها هَفيفُ

It was as though she bore balanced packs—and dread—

as though upon it were paired packs and a saddlecloth,

with tattered cloths fluttering around her in the wind.

and ragged garments, showing and softly rustling.

فَما كُدرِيَّةٌ صَدَرَت بِشُربٍ

فَما كُدرِيَّةٌ صَدَرَت بِشُربٍ

تُبادِرُ ذا حُوَيصِلَةٍ يهيفُ

تُبادِرُ ذا حُوَيصِلَةٍ يهيفُ

No dust-colored sandgrouse leaving a watering place,

No dusky sandgrouse, returning after a drink,

racing toward its lean chick with its tiny crop,

hurrying to a little-cropped chick thirsty in the heat,

بأسرَعَ من قَلُوصي يومَ أَرمي

بأسرَعَ من قَلُوصي يومَ أَرمي

بِها يَهماءَ لَيسَ بِها رَشيفُ

بِها يَهماءَ لَيسَ بِها رَشيفُ

was swifter than my she-camel on the day I drove her

is faster than my young she-camel, the day I launch

into a trackless desert where not a sip was found.

her into a trackless waste with not a drop to sip.