أهاجَكَ اكتِئابا واذّكِارا

أهاجَكَ اكتِئابا واذّكِارا

رُسومُ منازلٍ أضحت قِفارا

رُسومُ منازلٍ أضحت قِفارا

Have they stirred sadness and remembrance in you—

Your melancholy and memories have upset you,

the traces of dwellings now desolate,

Drawings of dwellings that have become barren.

لَرَايةَ بالصُّفيحةِ غيَّرتْهَا

لَرَايةَ بالصُّفيحةِ غيَّرتْهَا

يدُ البينِ المشتِ غداةَ جارا

يدُ البينِ المشتِ غداةَ جارا

Raya's at al-Sufayha, changed by

The hand of separation in the morning turned

the hand of dispersing separation the morning it dealt unjustly?

Its banner in the abode into a neighbor.

أقمنَ بها سواهِكُ عاصفاتٌ

أقمنَ بها سواهِكُ عاصفاتٌ

يُحكنَ على معالمها دِثارا

يُحكنَ على معالمها دِثارا

Scouring, stormy winds have dwelt there,

In it resided storms except for three ruins

weaving a covering over their landmarks.

And unkempt, it never found peace.

فُمحَّت ما خلا سُفعاً ثلاثاً

فُمحَّت ما خلا سُفعاً ثلاثاً

وأشعثَ لم يجد أبداً قِرارا

وأشعثَ لم يجد أبداً قِرارا

So they were effaced, save for three soot-dark stones,

And its blessedness, the onslaught of horses

and a tousled remnant that never found rest,

And the council of youths that protect revelry.

ومَبركَ هجمةِ ومَصَام خيلٍ

ومَبركَ هجمةِ ومَصَام خيلٍ

ومجلسَ فتيةٍ تحمي الذمارا

ومجلسَ فتيةٍ تحمي الذمارا

and the kneeling-ground of a camel herd and the horses' standing-place,

So I was erased and my horse was blurred

and the meeting-place of young men who guard honor and kin.

And my clothes were ripped but I could not be patient.

فنُحتُ وحمحمتْ فرسي وحنَّت

فنُحتُ وحمحمتْ فرسي وحنَّت

عَثوثجتي ولم اطق اصطبارا

عَثوثجتي ولم اطق اصطبارا

So I lamented; my mare whickered, and moaned

I shed the water of longing and the tears of love

my stout she-camel; I could not endure patiently.

I lament over the dwellings and homelands.

وظلتُ أريقُ ماء الشوق وَجداً

وظلتُ أريقُ ماء الشوق وَجداً

وأستقري المعالمَ والديارا

وأستقري المعالمَ والديارا

I kept pouring out the water of longing in anguish,

As if I had not dragged my train in it

and exploring the landmarks and the dwellings.

And reached the beautiful women and maidens.

كأني لم أجُرَّ الذيلَ فيها

كأني لم أجُرَّ الذيلَ فيها

ولم أصبِ الغَواني والعذارى

ولم أصبِ الغَواني والعذارى

As though I had never trailed my hem through them,

When they saw me prancing proudly

nor captivated the lovely women and the maidens.

With my docile, saddled horse when it walked.

إذا أبصرنني يختالُ رَهواً

إذا أبصرنني يختالُ رَهواً

بي المُهرُ المطهَّم حينَ سارا

بي المُهرُ المطهَّم حينَ سارا

When they saw me, as he strutted at ease—

They came out of the tents successive

the finely formed colt bearing me as he walked—

As sparks that the flint might cast.

برزنَ من الخِبَا مُتتابعاتٍ

برزنَ من الخِبَا مُتتابعاتٍ

كما قد يقذفُ الزندُ الشرارا

كما قد يقذفُ الزندُ الشرارا

they emerged from the tent one after another,

And I had many conquests, an unbeatable army

just as a firestick flings out sparks.

That would stir up and illuminate the air with dust.

وكم أحرزتُها جيشاً أزَباً

وكم أحرزتُها جيشاً أزَباً

يُثيرُ فيشرقُ الجوَّ الغُبارا

يُثيرُ فيشرقُ الجوَّ الغُبارا

And how often I secured her against a bristling army,

I did not remain long in bliss

raising dust until it choked the air!

And an association I never thought would cease.

ولم ألبث برايةَ في نعيمٍ

ولم ألبث برايةَ في نعيمٍ

ووصلٍ ما ظننتُ له انبتارا

ووصلٍ ما ظننتُ له انبتارا

Yet I did not linger with Raya in bliss,

A banner that does not love me

and union I had never thought would be severed.

And after leaving me, never inclined affectionately.

ورايةُ لا تحبُّ عليَّ حِباً

ورايةُ لا تحبُّ عليَّ حِباً

ولم تُغدِف حَياً دوني خمارا

ولم تُغدِف حَياً دوني خمارا

And Raya loves no beloved above me,

One day I remained alone with it in the wilderness

nor has she lowered a veil for any living man but me.

Reproaching it, and it silenced me with excuses.

ويوماً ظلتُ بالسمُرات خلواً

ويوماً ظلتُ بالسمُرات خلواً

أعاتبها فتُفحمني اعتذارا

أعاتبها فتُفحمني اعتذارا

And one day I spent alone among the acacias,

It said, “My friend, have you not prolonged

reproaching her, while her apologies left me speechless.

Our nights of intimacy that were so short?”

تقولُ ألاَ أطلتَ حبال وصلي

تقولُ ألاَ أطلتَ حبال وصلي

وليلاتٍ سَلفنَ لنا قِصارا

وليلاتٍ سَلفنَ لنا قِصارا

She says: If only you had lengthened the cords of union with me,

“Why do you not have mercy on my humiliation and sickness

and the brief nights we once shared!

And never cared for our company?”

ألمَّا ترحمي ذُلي وسُقمي

ألمَّا ترحمي ذُلي وسُقمي

ولم ترعيْ لنا يوماً جوارا

ولم ترعيْ لنا يوماً جوارا

Have you not yet pitied my humiliation and my sickness,

“Did I not give you my love without distraction?

nor ever honored our neighborly bond?

And since you deserted me I have had no peace.”

ألم أمنحكِ دون الَغيدِ وُدّي

ألم أمنحكِ دون الَغيدِ وُدّي

ومنذ هجرتِ لَم أملك قَرارا

ومنذ هجرتِ لَم أملك قَرارا

Did I not give you my love above the graceful women?

So it spoke, by Him who created the banners

And since you left, I have found no rest.

And fashioned the planets’ orbiting sphere in the sky,

فقالت والذي خلقَ البرايا

فقالت والذي خلقَ البرايا

وصوَّرَ في السَّما الفلكَ المُدارا

وصوَّرَ في السَّما الفلكَ المُدارا

She replied: By Him who created all creatures

“You are truly my beloved and the love of my heart,

and fashioned the revolving sphere in heaven,

And I did not willingly desert you by choice.”

بأنكَ مُنيتي وحبيبُ قلبي

بأنكَ مُنيتي وحبيبُ قلبي

ولم أهجرك عمداً واختيارا

ولم أهجرك عمداً واختيارا

you are my heart's desire and my heart's beloved;

“If you were tested with even some of my passion,

I did not forsake you deliberately or by choice.

Your inner pain would have continued burning.”

وجدكَ لو مُنيتَ ببعض عشقي

وجدكَ لو مُنيتَ ببعض عشقي

لظلَّ حشاك يستعرُ استعارا

لظلَّ حشاك يستعرُ استعارا

And by your fortune, were you afflicted with some of my passion,

So I said, my features overflowing with the outpouring of my tears,

your breast would remain fiercely aflame.

And anguish rekindling the fire within me:

فقلتُ وقد شِرقْتُ بفيض دمعي

فقلتُ وقد شِرقْتُ بفيض دمعي

وقد أذكى الأسى بحشاي نارا

وقد أذكى الأسى بحشاي نارا

I said, choking on the flood of my tears,

“Is the separation that rejoices anything but my separation?

while grief had kindled a fire within my breast:

Except that I mask it with composure?”

هل الوجدُ المبرِّحُ غيرُ وَجدي

هل الوجدُ المبرِّحُ غيرُ وَجدي

سوى أني أجمجمه استِتارا

سوى أني أجمجمه استِتارا

Is this tormenting passion any different from mine,

“So wherever I came to you from wilderness

except that I conceal it, keeping it secret?

And sands like your pure dwelling places,”

فكائن جُبتُ نحوكِ من فَلاةٍ

فكائن جُبتُ نحوكِ من فَلاةٍ

ورملٍ مثل أوراكِ العَذارى

ورملٍ مثل أوراكِ العَذارى

For how many a wilderness I crossed toward you,

“I remained sleepless, never tasting rest,

and sands like the hips of maidens!

For a lightning flash that appeared and was concealed.”

أرقتُ فلم أذقْ أبداً غراراً

أرقتُ فلم أذقْ أبداً غراراً

لبرقٍ لاحَ وَهناً ثم غارا

لبرقٍ لاحَ وَهناً ثم غارا

I lay sleepless, never tasting even a little sleep,

“O my eye, did you see it attacking

for lightning that flashed by night, then vanished.

The beauties, the jealous protector traveling?”

ويا هل أبصرتْ عيناكَ ظعناً

ويا هل أبصرتْ عيناكَ ظعناً

بهنَّ الكاشحُ المغيارُ سارا

بهنَّ الكاشحُ المغيارُ سارا

And oh, have your eyes seen women riding in litters,

“The stars of the Big Dipper rose

with whom the hostile, fiercely jealous foe set out?

To remove the estrangement and visits to tombs.”

بَكَرْنَ من الصُّفيحِة منجماتٍ

بَكَرْنَ من الصُّفيحِة منجماتٍ

ليُبعدنَ التغرُّبَ والمزارا

ليُبعدنَ التغرُّبَ والمزارا

They departed early from al-Sufayha, in successive groups,

“The banner is among the cushions, a cheek

to deepen their exile and put visits farther out of reach.

Whose wrists are constricted by the bracelets.”

ورايةُ في الهوادِجِ وهي خَودٌ

ورايةُ في الهوادِجِ وهي خَودٌ

يضيّقُ لحمُ مِعصمها السِّوارا

يضيّقُ لحمُ مِعصمها السِّوارا

And Raya was in the camel-litters, a tender young woman,

“It has a branch like the wing of the night, shading,

the flesh of her wrist making her bracelet tight.

And a shining face telling of daylight.”

لها فرعٌ كجنُحِ الليلِ داجٍ

لها فرعٌ كجنُحِ الليلِ داجٍ

ووجهٌ مُشرقٌ يحكي النهارا

ووجهٌ مُشرقٌ يحكي النهارا

She has tresses dark as the wing of night,

“A mouth like the essence of honey, heightened

and a radiant face that mirrors daylight,

With camphor, mixed into it as seasoning.”

وريقٌ مثل صافي الشَّهدِ عُلَّ

وريقٌ مثل صافي الشَّهدِ عُلَّ

بكافورٍ مَزجت به عُقارا

بكافورٍ مَزجت به عُقارا

and saliva like pure honey, infused

“A neck like silk threads, soft,

with camphor, with which I mixed wine;

When it sways, touching the snake’s path.”

وقدٌ مثل خُوطِ البانِ لدنٌ

وقدٌ مثل خُوطِ البانِ لدنٌ

إذا خطرت تُداني الخَطوَ مارا

إذا خطرت تُداني الخَطوَ مارا

and a supple figure like a ban-tree shoot,

“Hips like a sea wave, full,

swaying when she walks with short, close steps;

Shattering its wrap as it undulates.”

وردفٌ مثل موجِ البحرِ فعمٌ

وردفٌ مثل موجِ البحرِ فعمٌ

يمزّقُ في تموّجه الإِزارا

يمزّقُ في تموّجه الإِزارا

and full buttocks like the swell of the sea,

“The banner is the most beautiful of girls, and most remote

tearing the waist-wrapper as they undulate.

From any immodesty or rejection.”

ورايةُ أحسنُ الُخَفِراتِ وجها

ورايةُ أحسنُ الُخَفِراتِ وجها

وأكثرهنَّ عن فحشٍ نفارا

وأكثرهنَّ عن فحشٍ نفارا

And Raya is the fairest-faced of modest women,

“Its whiteness is tinged with yellowness

and the most averse among them to indecency.

Appearing like touched silver coins.”

يشوبُ بياضَها الحرُّ اصفراراً

يشوبُ بياضَها الحرُّ اصفراراً

يلوحُ كفضَّةٍ مسَّت نَضارا

يلوحُ كفضَّةٍ مسَّت نَضارا

Heat tinges her whiteness with yellow,

“The bride of a charming and beautiful tribe,

gleaming like silver that has touched pure gold.

When she is seen by an admirer, he is perplexed.”

عقيلةُ خُرَّد غيدٍ حِسانٍ

عقيلةُ خُرَّد غيدٍ حِسانٍ

إذا ذو الُّلبّ أبصرهنَّ حارا

إذا ذو الُّلبّ أبصرهنَّ حارا

The choicest of bashful, graceful, lovely maidens—

“May God water the Big Dipper every day

when a man of sense sees them, he is bewildered.

With abundant dripping and pouring rain,”

سقى اللهُ الصُّفيحة كلَّ يومٍ

سقى اللهُ الصُّفيحة كلَّ يومٍ

مُلِثَّ القطرِ والديمَ الغِزارا

مُلِثَّ القطرِ والديمَ الغِزارا

May God water al-Sufayha every day

“And may its lightning in the darkness of night

with unceasing rainfall and abundant steady rains;

Storm with the wings of night pouring down.”

وبَاكرَها الذّراع بمُسْبكِرٍّ

وبَاكرَها الذّراع بمُسْبكِرٍّ

بجنحِ الليلِ ينهمرُ انهمارا

بجنحِ الليلِ ينهمرُ انهمارا

and may the Forearm greet it early with a towering cloud,

“As if its thunderclaps were the shouting of camels

pouring in torrents beneath the wing of night.

Meeting other camels and bellowing.”

كأن رعودهَ تحنانُ بُزلٍ

كأن رعودهَ تحنانُ بُزلٍ

عِشارٍ وُلَّهٍ لاقت عِشارا

عِشارٍ وُلَّهٍ لاقت عِشارا

Its thunder is like the yearning cries of mature she-camels,

“I am the son of those early to great deeds,

ten months pregnant and distraught, meeting others likewise pregnant.

So ask about our early precedence in valor.”

أنا ابنُ السَّابقينَ إلى المعالي

أنا ابنُ السَّابقينَ إلى المعالي

فسَلْ عن سبقنا ِقدماً نزارا

فسَلْ عن سبقنا ِقدماً نزارا

I am the son of those first to reach lofty honors;

“I am greater in worth than the kings of Azd,

so ask Nizar about our precedence of old.

And mightier, more generous and prouder.”

أنا أعلى ملوكِ الأزدِ قَدراً

أنا أعلى ملوكِ الأزدِ قَدراً

وأعظمها وأجزُلها فخارا

وأعظمها وأجزُلها فخارا

I am the highest in rank among the kings of al-Azd,

“And most munificent, even if they are munificent in position,

and the greatest of them and the richest in glory,

And most noble, even if they ennoble a carpenter.”

وأبذخُها وإن بذَخَتْ مكاناً

وأبذخُها وإن بذَخَتْ مكاناً

وأكرمُها وإن كرمت نجارا

وأكرمُها وإن كرمت نجارا

and the loftiest in station, however lofty they may be,

“And higher than them in the loftiness of my soul

and the noblest in lineage, however noble theirs may be,

And most protective and impregnable in battle.”

وأشرفُها على العلاَّت نفساً

وأشرفُها على العلاَّت نفساً

وأحماها وأمنعُها ذِمارا

وأحماها وأمنعُها ذِمارا

and the noblest of them in spirit, despite all vicissitudes,

“Ask the champions about my help

and the staunchest defender and strongest protector of honor and kin.

When the cauldrons of war boil over.”

سَلي عن نجدتي الأبطالَ طُراً

سَلي عن نجدتي الأبطالَ طُراً

إذا ما مِرجلُ الهيجاءِ فارا

إذا ما مِرجلُ الهيجاءِ فارا

Ask all the champions about my valor,

“I am the wealth of those who have no wealth with them

when the cauldron of battle boils.

And the aid of one wronged who seeks my protection.”

وإني مالُ مَن لا مالَ معه

وإني مالُ مَن لا مالَ معه

ونَصرة مُستَضامٍ بي استجارا

ونَصرة مُستَضامٍ بي استجارا

And I am wealth for whoever has no wealth,

“I see daring in war as sweet

and succor for the oppressed who seeks refuge with me.

When the brave warrior makes fleeing pleasant.”

أرى الإقدام في الهيجاء عَذباً

أرى الإقدام في الهيجاء عَذباً

إذا ما استعذَبَ البطلُ الفرارا

إذا ما استعذَبَ البطلُ الفرارا

I find advancing into battle sweet,

“In the twinkling of an eye I meet the enemies

when the champion finds flight sweet.

With my sharp spear, their lifespans made short.”

فعمَّا لمحةٍ تَلقي الأعادي

فعمَّا لمحةٍ تَلقي الأعادي

بسيفي القِرن آجالاً قِصارا

بسيفي القِرن آجالاً قِصارا

So, in the space of a glance, the enemies meet

“Far be he who would rival me!

at my sword, their match, an early death.

Or the excellence that is mine disputed!”

وحاشِا محتِدي من أن يُبارى

وحاشِا محتِدي من أن يُبارى

وللفضلِ الذي لي أن يثارا

وللفضلِ الذي لي أن يثارا

And far be it that my lineage should be rivaled,

“I spend from what I possess to defend my honor,

or that the excellence I possess should be challenged.

And wherever the sun’s abode is home.”

أجُودُ بما حويتُ لصونِ عرضي

أجُودُ بما حويتُ لصونِ عرضي

ولمَّا أرضَ دارَ الشَّمس دارا

ولمَّا أرضَ دارَ الشَّمس دارا

I give freely of what I possess to preserve my honor,

“And I sacrifice my life in battle generously,

and am not yet content with the sun's abode as a home.

And never clothed myself in the shame of fear.”

وأبذلُ مُهجتي للطّعن جوداً

وأبذلُ مُهجتي للطّعن جوداً

ولم ألبَس حِذارَ الموت عارا

ولم ألبَس حِذارَ الموت عارا

And I freely offer my life's blood to spear-thrusts,

and have never worn disgrace for fear of death.