طالَ ذا اللَّيلُ علينا فاعتَكَر
وكأَنِّي ناذرُ الصُّبحِ سَمَر
The night has been long upon us, so it grew dark
As if I were keeping vigil for the dawn to break
مِن نَجِيِّ الهَمِّ عندي ثاوِياً
بينَ ما أُعلِنُ منهُ وأُسِرّ
Sheltering my worries, keeping some secret
And some confessed, the night being just as long
وكأَنَّ اللَّيلَ فيه مِثلُهُ
وَلَقِدماً ظُنَّ باللَّيلِ القِصَر
I did not close my eyes until it passed
Hoping to see the cheerful morn
لَم أُغَمِّض طولَهُ حتَّى انقَضَى
أَتَمَنَّى لَو أَرَى الصُّبحَ جَشَر
My side weary as if it were being lulled
The bow causing sores on the skin
شَئِزٌ جَنبِي كأَنِّي مُهدأُ
جَعَلَ القَينُ على الدَّفِّ إبَر
Not for love, but an unwelcome guest
Stole sleep while wakefulness keeps me company
غيرَ ما عِشقٍ ولَكِن طارِقٌ
خَلَسَ النَّومَ وأَجداني السَّهَر
When news of an intimate friend reached me
I did not doubt it though the messenger surprised me
إذ أتاني نَبَأُ مشن مُنعِمٍ
لَم أَخُنهُ والَّذي أَعطَى الخَبَر
Even when confirmation came to convince me
Sweet company can be found even with bitterness
قِيلَ حتَّى جاءَني مَصدَقُهُ
ولقد يُلفَى معَ الصَّفوِ الكَدَر
Do you see any early rising camels
Looking out longingly from the sand dunes
هَل تَرَى مِن ظُعُنٍ باكِرَةٍ
يَتَطَلَّعنَ مِنَ النَّجدِ أُسَر
Like the sea heaving up waves
When the currents stir below its surface
كخَلاَفِ البَحرِ تَعلُو غَمرَةً
إذ سَجَا التَّيَّارُ منه واسبَكَر
You see everything in its resemblance
Every soul and relic is battered
وتَرَى مِن كلِّ شَيءٍ أَشبُهاً
كلُّ رُوحٍ وقِرامٍ مُختَدَر
On the slopes, the colors of wildflowers
And meadow blossoms rise above the grass
وعَلَى الأَحداجِ أَلوانُ القَنا
وخُزامَى الرَّوضِ يَعلُوهُ الزَّهَر
They flourished every year but are now gone
So the meadow’s deer enjoy the fruit
سَبَكَت في كلِّ عامٍ وَدقضهُ
فَظباءُ الرَّوضِ يَقرِ منَ الثَّمَر
Tell Nu’man on my behalf, as an envoy
The words of one who feared and made excuses
أَبلغِ النُّعمانَ عنِّي مَألُكاً
قَولَ مَن خافَ أظطِناناً فاعتَذَر
By God, I swear, so accept my oath
That I am not useless whenever I pray earnestly
إِنَّني والله فاقبَل حَلفَتي
لأَ بيلٌ كلَّما صَلَّى جَأَر
Trembling inside a beautiful temple
Handsome in patience and true in poetry
مُرعَدٌ أَحشاؤُهُ في هَيكَلٍ
حَسَنٌ لِمَّته وافي الشَّعَر
A faithful heart hoping for its freedom
On a day when no slave is ungrateful for what he stored away
مُؤمِنُ الصَّدرِ يُرَجِّي عِتقَهُ
يومَ لا يُكَفرُ عَبدٌ ما أدَّخَر
We have not borne ill will against your enemies
And with God we have ample excuses
ما حَمَلنَا الغلَّ من أعدائكُم
ولَدَى اللهِ مِنَ العُذرِ الُمسَر
Our enemies surround us, none can help us
Other than God’s aid, and God gives victory
حَولَنا الأَعداءُ ما يَنصُرنُا
غيرُ عَونٍ اللهِ واللهُ نَصَر
Do not fret over me like a broken bone
Fretting until the bone is mended
لا تَكُونَنَّ كآسي عَظمِه
بأَسَىً حتَّى إذا العَظمُ جَبَر
After it heals, it still desires grace
They walk gently once fractured and reset
عادَ بعدَ الَجبرِ يَبغي وَهيَةً
يَنحُوَنَّ الَمشيَ منهُ فانكَسَر
Recall the blessings I have not forgotten
For your efforts when the slave shows ingratitude
وأذكُرِ النُّعمَى الَّتي لَم أَنسَهَا
لكَ في السَّعيِ إذا العبَدُ كَفَر
When we scattered them like embers
Sparks scattered by the kindler in the night
إذ جَعَلناهُم تَباذِيرَ كَمَا
فَرَّقَ القابِسُ في اللَّيلِ الشَّرَر
I gathered you in, no longer a fleeing slave
But beware of further killing and rebellion from us
فاكتَنِت لا تَكُ عَبداً طائراً
واحذَرِ الأَقتالَ مِنَّا والثَّوَر
Our good deeds have already lifted
Those of us who stumble and fall
إنمَّا قد قَدَّمَت مَسعاتُنا
نعَماً تَرفَعُ منَّا مَن عَثرَ
For us there is glory, and a Lord Most Gracious
In His hands lies all good – whatever He wills comes to pass
ولَنَا مَجدٌ ورَبٌّ مُفِضَلٌ
بِيَدَيهِ الَخيرُ ما شاءَ أَمَر
From Him there is grace, with Him vastness
We hope only for what others miss
مِنهُ فَضلٌ ولَدَيهِ سِعَةٌ
إنَّما يُرجَى لِمَا فاتَ الغِيرَ
With an intercessor successful, who looks upon us
In his hands today, relief in hardship
وشَفيعٍ مُنجحِ يَنظُرُنا
بِيَديهِ اليَومَ تَيسِيرُ العُسُر
Our arms did not grow weak in the battle
While the opponent rose against us and overcame
لَم تَضِق أَذرُعُنا في خَلَّةٍ
وعَلاَ ذُو الَخصمِ مشنَّا وظَهَر
When we made them choke in narrow straits
Then we strove against them and were victorious
إذ جَعَلناهُم بِضيقِ مَأزِقٍ
ثُمَّ نِلنا السَّعيَ مِنهُم والظَّفَر
