لرايةَ وجهٌ يكسفُ الشمسَ والبدرا

لرايةَ وجهٌ يكسفُ الشمسَ والبدرا

ولدنُ قوامٍ ُيخجلُ الصَّعدةَ السمرا

ولدنُ قوامٍ ُيخجلُ الصَّعدةَ السمرا

Rāya has a face that eclipses the sun and the full moon,

Raya has a face that eclipses the sun and the full moon,

And a supple figure that puts the dark spear-shaft to shame;

And a supple figure that puts the tawny spearshaft to shame,

وثغرٌ كممطورِ الأقاحيّ واضحٌ

وثغرٌ كممطورِ الأقاحيّ واضحٌ

وسَلسالُ ريقٍ يَفضحُ الشهدَ والخمرا

وسَلسالُ ريقٍ يَفضحُ الشهدَ والخمرا

A mouth like chamomile blossoms hidden away—and sweeter still,

And a bright mouth like rain-drenched daisies,

And a limpid stream of saliva that shames honey and wine;

And sweet-flowing saliva that puts honey and wine to shame,

وجيدٌ كجيدِ الرّيمِ حالٍ مطوَّقٌ

وجيدٌ كجيدِ الرّيمِ حالٍ مطوَّقٌ

يُزينُ الجُمان واليَوَاقيتَ والشذرا

يُزينُ الجُمان واليَوَاقيتَ والشذرا

A neck like the gazelle’s, dusky and ringed,

And a neck like a gazelle’s, adorned and necklace-girt,

Lending beauty to pearls, rubies, and beads of gold;

That lends beauty to pearls, rubies, and gold beads.

غَزالية خُوطيةٌ جؤذريةٌ

غَزالية خُوطيةٌ جؤذريةٌ

خَدلَّجة غرَّاءُ ممكورة عَذْرا

خَدلَّجة غرَّاءُ ممكورة عَذْرا

A gazelle—willowy as a bough, fawnlike,

Gazelle-like, slender as a shoot, like a wild cow’s calf,

Full-limbed, radiant, shapely—a virgin maiden.

Full-limbed, radiant, shapely, a virgin.

إذا نَظرَت أصْمت قلوباً وإن مشت

إذا نَظرَت أصْمت قلوباً وإن مشت

مشى الشَّوقُ في أحشاءِ عاشقها جهرا

مشى الشَّوقُ في أحشاءِ عاشقها جهرا

When she looked, she struck hearts dumb; and when she walked,

When she looks, she strikes hearts dead; and if she walks,

Longing moved openly through their innermost depths.

Longing walks openly through her lover’s innermost depths.

هَراقت دمي يوم الصُّفيحة إذ بَدتْ

هَراقت دمي يوم الصُّفيحة إذ بَدتْ

تخاطبني سراً وتَلحظنُي شَزرا

تخاطبني سراً وتَلحظنُي شَزرا

She shed my blood on the day of al-Ṣayfiyya, when she appeared,

She spilled my blood that day at al-Sufayha, when she appeared,

Addressing me secretly and glancing askance at me.

Addressing me in secret and looking at me askance.

وأذكت لظى قلبي وأجرت مدامعي

وأذكت لظى قلبي وأجرت مدامعي

ولمَّا أجد عنها سُلواً ولا صَبرا

ولمَّا أجد عنها سُلواً ولا صَبرا

She kindled the blaze within my heart and set my tears flowing,

And she fanned my heart’s blaze and set my tears flowing,

And I found neither forgetfulness of her nor patience.

And I have yet to find solace away from her, or patience.

وبُحتُ بسرّي في الغرامِ وعادني

وبُحتُ بسرّي في الغرامِ وعادني

هوىّ عذرويّ فاضحٌ يهتك السّترا

هوىّ عذرويّ فاضحٌ يهتك السّترا

I laid bare my secret in love, for I was visited again

And I disclosed my secret love, and was visited by

By an ‘Udhri passion, an exposer that tears the veil away.

A chaste ‘Udhri passion, exposing me and tearing away the veil.

فقلنَ لها أترابُها مُذ رأينَ ما

فقلنَ لها أترابُها مُذ رأينَ ما

دهاني منها كي يحُطن بها خُبرا

دهاني منها كي يحُطن بها خُبرا

Her companions said to her, once they saw what

Then her peers said to her, when they saw what

Had befallen me through her, wishing to acquaint her with the news:

Had befallen me through her, seeking full knowledge of her:

قتلتِ لكِ الويلاتُ نفساً زكية

قتلتِ لكِ الويلاتُ نفساً زكية

لقد جئتِ شيئاً يا مهاة الِخبا نُكرا

لقد جئتِ شيئاً يا مهاة الِخبا نُكرا

“Woe upon you! You have slain an innocent soul;

“You have killed—woes be upon you!—a pure soul.

You have done a monstrous thing, O gazelle of the curtained tent.”

Indeed you have done a dreadful thing, O white antelope of the tent!”

فقالت ألا أنبأتنيه من الفتى

فقالت ألا أنبأتنيه من الفتى

وما إِسمه فانصعنَ يخبرنها جَهرا

وما إِسمه فانصعنَ يخبرنها جَهرا

She said, “Will you not tell me of him—who is this young man,

Then she said, “Will you not tell me of him—who is the young man,

And what is his name?” They complied and told her openly:

And what is his name?” They complied and told her aloud:

ألا إنه مَولى السلاطين كلها

ألا إنه مَولى السلاطين كلها

وأشرفُها نفساً وأجزلها فخرا

وأشرفُها نفساً وأجزلها فخرا

“Why, he is the master of all sovereigns,

“Behold, he is the master of all sultans,

The noblest of them in spirit and the most abundant in glory;

And the noblest of them in soul, the richest in grounds for pride,

وأبعدُها صيتاً وغَوراً وغاية

وأبعدُها صيتاً وغَوراً وغاية

وأطهرها عرضاً وأشهرُها ذكرا

وأطهرها عرضاً وأشهرُها ذكرا

The farthest-ranging in fame, depth, and aspiration,

And the farthest-reaching of them in fame, depth, and attainment,

The purest in honor and the most renowned in remembrance;

And the purest of them in honor, the most renowned in name,

وأصدقُها قولاً وأبذلها يداً

وأصدقُها قولاً وأبذلها يداً

وأرجُحها عقلاً وأرفعُها قَدراً

وأرجُحها عقلاً وأرفعُها قَدراً

The truest in speech and the most open-handed,

And the truest of them in speech, the most generous of hand,

The soundest in judgment and the highest in rank;

And the soundest of them in intellect, the highest in standing,

وأشجعهُا قلباً وأبذخُها عُلىّ

وأشجعهُا قلباً وأبذخُها عُلىّ

وأكثرها مجداً وأرحبها صدرا

وأكثرها مجداً وأرحبها صدرا

The bravest in heart and the most magnificent in loftiness,

And the bravest of them in heart, the loftiest in eminence,

The greatest in glory and the broadest of breast.”

And the greatest of them in glory, the broadest of breast.”

فجاءَت وقالت ما اسمهُ قلنُ ذو الوفا

فجاءَت وقالت ما اسمهُ قلنُ ذو الوفا

سليمانُ يعنى البدرَ والبحرَ والدَّهرا

سليمانُ يعنى البدرَ والبحرَ والدَّهرا

Then she came and asked, “What is his name?” They said, “The faithful one:

Then she came and said, “What is his name?” They said, “The faithful one,

Sulayman—by whom are meant the full moon, the sea, and Time itself—

Sulayman—that is, the full moon, the sea, and Time,

سليلُ سليمانَ ابن نبهانَ فانْثنَت

سليلُ سليمانَ ابن نبهانَ فانْثنَت

تَنَّهدُ من حُزنٍ وتستعظمُ الأمرا

تَنَّهدُ من حُزنٍ وتستعظمُ الأمرا

A scion of Sulayman ibn Nabhan.” Then she turned away,

Scion of Sulayman ibn Nabhan.” Then she turned away,

Sighing from grief and deeming the matter grave.

Sighing in sorrow and deeming the matter grave.

وقامَت ودقَّت صَدرها بيمينها

وقامَت ودقَّت صَدرها بيمينها

واذَرت دموعاً بلَّت النَّحرَ والصدرا

واذَرت دموعاً بلَّت النَّحرَ والصدرا

She rose and struck her breast with her right hand,

And she rose and beat her breast with her right hand,

And shed tears that drenched her throat and breast.

And shed tears that drenched her throat and breast.

وقالت ألا وَاحَسرتا وَافضيحتا

وقالت ألا وَاحَسرتا وَافضيحتا

لقد جئتُ شيئاً في مليكِ الوَرى إْمرا

لقد جئتُ شيئاً في مليكِ الوَرى إْمرا

She cried, “Alas for my sorrow! Alas for my disgrace!

And she said, “Ah, my sorrow! Ah, my disgrace!

I have done a dreadful thing against the king of humankind.”

I have indeed done a grievous thing against the king of humankind!”

وقالت كُفتينَّ الأسى ما دواُؤهُ

وقالت كُفتينَّ الأسى ما دواُؤهُ

وهل من دواءٍ أو عِلاجِ به يَبرا

وهل من دواءٍ أو عِلاجِ به يَبرا

She said, “This sorrow has overwhelmed me—what is its cure?

And she said, “May you be spared sorrow! What is his cure?

Is there any medicine or treatment by which it may heal?”

And is there any medicine or treatment by which he may recover?”

فقلنَ لها ما إن لِداء مُتيَّمٍ

فقلنَ لها ما إن لِداء مُتيَّمٍ

سوى الوصل قالت سوف نسأله العذرا

سوى الوصل قالت سوف نسأله العذرا

They said, “For the malady of one consumed by love, there is nothing

Then they told her, “For a love-stricken man’s ailment there is nothing

Except union.” She said, “Then we shall ask his pardon.”

Except union.” She said, “We shall ask him for pardon.”

فقالت فَدَتكَ النفسُ يا تاجَ يعربٍ

فقالت فَدَتكَ النفسُ يا تاجَ يعربٍ

أقِلني ولا تحمل عليَّ بذا إصرا

أقِلني ولا تحمل عليَّ بذا إصرا

She said, “My soul be your ransom, O crown of Ya‘rub;

Then she said, “May my soul be your ransom, O crown of Ya‘rub,

Forgive me, and do not burden me with this load of guilt.”

Pardon me, and lay no burden upon me for this.”

ففِئْنا إلى خدْر أنيقٍ ومضجَعِ

ففِئْنا إلى خدْر أنيقٍ ومضجَعِ

عبيقٍ يُعيرُ الرَّوضَ مَن نَشرِه نشرا

عبيقٍ يُعيرُ الرَّوضَ مَن نَشرِه نشرا

So we repaired to an elegant curtained chamber and couch,

Then we returned to an elegant secluded chamber and a bed,

So fragrant that their scent could lend the garden perfume.

Fragrant, lending the garden a fragrance from its own perfume.

وظلَّت تمجُّ الخمرَ والشّهدَ في فمي

وظلَّت تمجُّ الخمرَ والشّهدَ في فمي

وتُفرشني اليُمنى وتُلحفني اليُسرى

وتُفرشني اليُمنى وتُلحفني اليُسرى

She kept passing wine and honey from her mouth into mine,

And she kept pouring wine and honey from her mouth into mine,

Her right arm lying beneath me as a bed, her left draped over me as a cover.

And she made her right arm my bedding and her left my cover.

نلذُّ ونلهو والزمانُ مُساعدٌ

نلذُّ ونلهو والزمانُ مُساعدٌ

ولم نخشَ بعد الوصلِ صداً ولا هجرا

ولم نخشَ بعد الوصلِ صداً ولا هجرا

We savored delight and played while Time was our ally,

We took delight and made merry, with Time on our side,

And after union feared neither rebuff nor estrangement.

And after union we feared neither rejection nor abandonment.

سَقى اللهُ رَسماً بالصُّفيحةِ بالياً

سَقى اللهُ رَسماً بالصُّفيحةِ بالياً

لراية وسَميَّاً يُديم به القَطرا

لراية وسَميَّاً يُديم به القَطرا

May God water the weathered trace at al-Ṣafīḥiyya—

May God water a faded remnant at al-Sufayha,

Rāya’s trace—with wasmi rain whose drops He keeps forever falling there.

Of Raya, with early autumn rain, keeping showers falling there.