أَرقتُ وَشَرُّ الداءِ هَمٌ مُؤَرِّق
كَأَنّي أَسيرٌ جانَبَ النَومَ موثَقُ
I stayed awake while the worst kind of care is disturbing anxiety
As if I were a captive walking alongside sleep, tied up
تذَكر سَلمى أَو صَريعٌ لِصَحبِهِ
يَقولُ إِذا ما عَزَّت الخَمرُ أَنفِقوا
Remembering Salma or a comrade urging his friends
When the wine was scarce, saying "Spend!"
يَشُبُّ حُمَيّا الكَأسِ فيهِ إِذا اِنتَشى
قَديمُ الخِتامِ بابِلِيٌّ مُعَتَّقُ
He kindles the brightness of the cup when it lights up
Ancient sealed Babylonian wine
يَقولُ الشُروبُ أَيُّ داءٍ أَصابَهُ
أَتَخبيلُ جِنٍّ أَم دَهاهُ المُرَوَّقُ
Drinking asks "What malady has befallen him?
Is it madness of jinn or has pure wine intoxicated him?"
يَموتُ وَيَحيا تارَةً مِن دَبيبِها
وَلَيسَ لَهُ أَن يُفصِحَ القيلَ مَنطِقُ
He dies and comes back to life again from its yet unclear effect
And he cannot speak plainly, his tongue tied up
وَأَعجَبَ سَلمى أَنَّ سَلمى كَأَنَّها
مِن الحُسنِ حَوراءُ المَدامِعِ مُرشِقُ
And Salma was amazed that Salma is as if
A radiant houri from the place of tears
دَعاها إِلى ظِلٍّ تُزَجّى غَزالَها
مَعَ الحَرِّ عُمرِيٌّ مِن السِدرِ مُورِقُ
He called her to enjoy the shade, shading her gazelle
A blossoming lotus tree sheltering from the heat
تَعَطَّفَ أَحياناً عَلَيهِ وَتارَةً
تَكادُ وَلَم تَغفُل مِن الوُجدِ تَخرَقُ
Sometimes acting sympathetic and sometimes
She almost pierces from passion but does not neglect
وَلِلحليِ وَسواسٌ عَلَيها إِذا مَشَت
كَما اِهتَزَّ في ريحٍ مِنَ الصَيفِ عَشرِقُ
And her ornaments have a temptation about her when she walks
As a twig sways in the summer breeze
إِذا قَتَلَت لَم يُؤدَ شَيئاً قَتيلُها
بَرَهرَهَةٌ رَيّا تُوَدُّ وَتُعشَقُ
If she kills you, her victim does not pay blood money
She is mirthful, loving, and passionate
وَتَبسِمُ عَن غُرِّ رُواءٍ كَأَنَّها
أَقاحٍ بِرَيّانٍ مِن الرَوضِ مُشرِقُ
She smiles showing bright white teeth as if
She were blossoms smiling from the meadow
كَأَنَّ رُضابَ المِسكِ فَوقَ لِثاتِها
وَكافورَ داريٍّ وَراحاً تُصَفَّقُ
As though scent of musk is above her teeth
And camphor of Dari, diffusing fragrance
حَمَتهُ مِن الصادي فَلَيسَ تُنيلُهُ
وَإِن ماتَ ما غَنّى الحَمامُ المُطَوَّقُ
If she becomes angry, the doves in the dovecote will not appease her
And if he dies, the confined pigeons will not benefit
تَكونُ وَإِن أَعطَتكَ عَهداً كَأَنَّها
إِذا رُمتَ مِنها الوُدَّ نَجمٌ مُحَلِّقُ
She will be as if she gave you a promise like
A star swiftly disappearing if you fall out of her love
فَبَرَّحَ بي مِنها عُداةٌ فَصَرمُها
عَلَيَّ غَرامٌ واِدِّكارٌ مُشَوِّقُ
So her enemies separated her from me and her alienation
Became an endless longing that consumes me
وَقالَ العَدُوُّ وَالصَديقُ كِلاهُما
لِنابِغَةَ البَكرِيِّ شِعرٌ مُصَدَّقُ
The enemy and the friend alike said
“True is the poetry of Naabighah Al-Dhubyani”
فَأَحكَمُ أَلبابَ الرِجالِ ذوو التُقى
وَكُلُّ اِمرىءٍ لا يَتَّقي اللَهَ أَحمَقُ
Therefore the minds of reasonable, God-fearing men prevail
And whoever fears not God is a fool
وَلِلناسِ أَهواءٌ رَشَتّى هُمومُهُم
تَجَمَّعُ أَحياناً وَحيناً تَفَرَّقُ
People have various passions - their concerns
Sometimes gather and sometimes disperse
وَزَرعٌ وَكُلُّ الزَرعِ يُشبِهُ أَصلَهُ
هُمُ وُلِدوا شَتّى مُكِيسٌ وَمُحمِقُ
And crops resemble their origin:
They were created diverse, some wise and some stupid
فَذو الصَمتِ لا يُجني عَلَيهِ لِسانُهُ
وَذو الحِلمِ مَهدِيُّ وَذو الجَهلَ أَخرَقُ
Therefore one who is silent will not slip by his tongue
One who is forbearing leads rightly while an ignorant one trips up
وَلَستُ وَإِن سُرَّ الأَعادي بِهالِكٍ
وَلَيسَ يُنَجّيني مِنَ المَوتِ مُشفِقُ
And if my enemies rejoice at my demise
There is none to save me from death, not even a protector
وَأَشوَسَ ذي ضِغنٍ تَراهُ كَأَنَّهُ
إِذا أَنشَدَت يَوماً رَواتي مُخَنَّقُ
The most vicious person with grudges that you see is as though
Whenever I recite my poetry, he is being strangled
وَلَم يَأتِهِ عَنّي مِنَ الشَتمِ عاذِرٌ
خَلا أَنَّ أَمثالي تُصيبُ وَتَعرُقُ
He did not excuse me for insulting except
That ones like me make mistakes and get soaked in sweat
وَبُدِّلتُ مِن سَلمى وَحُسنِ صِفاتِها
رُسوماً كَسَحقِ البُردِ بَل هِيَ أَخلَقُ
I substituted the beautiful qualities of Salma
With pictures like scattered pearl dust - or even worse
عَفَتها خَسا الأَرواحِ تُذرى خِلالَها
وَجالَ عَلى القَضِّ التُراب المُدَقَّقُ
Her chastity surpassed spirits flowing through her
And the dust of dry earth covered the surface of her grave
وَغَيَّرَها جونٌ رُكامٌ مُجَلجِلٌ
أَجَشُّ خَصيفُ اللَونِ يَخبو وَيَبرُقُ
A change in weather, clouds amassing, churning,
The color changing from green to yellow to glistening white
يَلالي وَميضٌ مُستَطيرٌ يَشُبُّهُ
كَما جالَ في دُهمٍ مِنَ الخَيلِ أَبلَقُ
Lightning flashing - a fleeting glow resembling
What shone on a dusky steed, very quick
تَنوءُ بِأَحمالٍ ثِقالٍ وَكُلُّها
وَقَد غَرَقَت بِالماءِ رَيّانُ مُتأَقُ
Bearing heavy burdens while being inundated by water
Their wicks extinguished if lamps tilt over
كَأَنَّ مَصابيحاً غَذا الزَيتُ فُتلَها
ذُبالاً بِهِ باتَت إِذا التَجَّ تَذلَقُ
Its rooms seem to have lost their corners
And look like a polished Indian sword or a burning desert
كَأَنَّ خَلايا فيهِ ضَلَّت رِباعُها
وَلَجَّةُ حُجّاجٍ وَغابٌ يُحَرَّقُ
The south wind and breeze made its dates decay,
Some shrivel while others remain juicy
تَمَرَّضَ تَمريهِ الجَنوبُ مَعَ الصِبا
تَهامٍ يَمانٍ أَنجَدٌ وَهوَ مُعرِقُ
It washes away high ground never flooded before
And cleaves solid rock, bursting forth generously
يَسُحُّ رَوايا فَهوَ دانٍ يَثُجُّها
هَرِيتُ العَزالي كُلُّها مُتَبَعِّقُ
It watered after barren ground: plains and salt marshes
Tabuk and Ruwaqa were watered by it
يُسيلُ رِمالا لَم تَسِل قَبلَ صَوبِهِ
وَشَقَّ الصَفّا مِنهُ مَعَ الصَخرِ مُغدِقُ
All Al-Butheeri mountains became
Not a thread remained unsogged
سَقى بَعدَ مَحلوبٍ سَناماً وَلَعلَعاً
وَقَد رُوِيَت مِنهُ تَبوكٌ وَأَروقُ
When it separated over the abode its poles collapsed
Then heavy torrents came from its cloud downpour
وَأَضحَت جِبالُ البُحتَرِيّينَ كُلُّها
وَما قَطَنٌ مِنها بِناجٍ تُغَرَّقُ
When its strength weakened it could no longer stand
The north wind toppled it, crushing it down
إِذا فُرَّقٌ في الدارِ خارَت فَنُتِّجَت
أَتى بَعدَها مِن دُلَّحِ العَينِ فُرَّقُ
Among its ruins are traces of forgotten encampments
Its dawn is brightened by flower illumination
فَأَقلَعَ إِذ خَفَّ الرَبابُ فَلَم يَقُم
رُكامٌ تُزَجّيهِ الشَمالُ وَتَسحَقُ
Nothing left but ruins with gazelles frolicking around them
And acacia trees shedding its ripe fruit to the ground
فَمِنهُ كَأَمثالِ العُهونِ دِيارُها
لَها صَبَحٌ نَورٌ مِنَ الزَهرِ مُونِقُ
Desolate remains like an abandoned chicken coop
Filled with eggs scattered in the meadow
عَفَت غَيرَ أَطلالٍ تَعَطَّفُ حَولَها
مَراشيقُ أُدمٌ دَرُّها يُتَفَوَّقُ
It leads the filled water skins when its plumage grows
A twittering francolin and "Niqniq" sandgrouse
وَشوهٌ كَأَمثالِ السَبائِجِ أُبَّدٌ
لَها مِن نِتاجِ البيضِ في الرَوضِ دَردَقُ
It almost ties its neck if touched so delicate
Its coated wings, blue and fragile
يَقودُ الرِئالَ حينَ يَشتَدُّ ريشُها
خَريقانِ مِن رُبدٍ جَفولٌ وَنِقنِقُ
Their chicks differ - some fully feathered while others incomplete
So half of them are stolen away in their creation
يَكادُ إِذا ما اِحتَكَّ يَعقِدُ عُنقَهُ
مِنَ اللِين مَكسُوُّ الجَناحَينِ أَزرَقُ
Birds always cooing as if they spend nights
Gathering with jinn repeating "halhalah"
فُراسُنُها شَتّانِ وافٍ وَناقِصٌ
فَأَنصافُها مِنهُنَّ في الخَلقِ تُسرَقُ
You see the bulls' wrath defending access
Each equipped with a weapon, polished and sharp
نَقانِقُ عَجمٌ أُبَّدٌ وَكَأَنَّما
مَعَ الجِنِّ باتَت بِالمَواسي تُحَلَّقُ
The pregnant camels lead the herd early in the day
When driven back in the afternoon they are quick and alert
تَرى حِزَقَ الثيرانِ يَحمينَ حائِلاً
فَكُلٌّ لَهُ لَدنٌ سِلاحٌ مُذَلَّقُ
With some staring wildly exerting great effort
Behind the rear they have weapons and gear attached
تُزَجّى المها السَفعُ الحُدودِ جَآذِراً
وراداً إِذا رُدَّت مِن الرِيِّ تَسنَقُ
When they turn around their bellies appear like swords
Removed from scabbards - polished and gleaming
وَتَخذُلُ بِالقيعانِ عِينٌ هَوامِلٌ
لَها زَمَعٌ مِن خَلفِ رُحٍّ مُعَلَّقُ
Pregnant she camel wobbles carrying heavy loads
While each step barely avoids tripping over
إِذا أَجفَلَت جالَت كَأَنَّ مُتونَها
سُيوفٌ جَرى فيها مِنَ العِتقِ رَونَقُ
If stampeded they race like an escaping
Ghassanid beloved set free from bondage
وَكُلُّ مِسَحٍّ أَخدَرِيٍّ مُكَدَّمٍ
لَهُ عانَةٌ فيها يَظَلُّ وَيَشهَقُ
And she once was thin, so pregnancy took its toll,
She returned fat - her meat soaked with grease
بِأَكفالِها مِن ذَبِّهِ بِشَباتِهِ
خُدودٌ وَما يَلقى أَمَرُّ وَأَعلَقُ
When her robe is removed two thin weaklings emerge
Humbled and disheveled, heads bowed down
إِذا اِنصَدَعَت وَاِنصاعَ كانَ كَأَنَّما
بِهِ وَهوَ يَحدوها مِنَ الجِنِّ أَولَقُ
And milk that seems to have oil floating over its cream
If the horses taste it, the fastest among them win the race
هَوامِلُ في دارٍ كَأَنَّ رُسومَها
مِنَ الدَرسِ عادِيٌّ مِنَ الكُتبِ مُهرَقُ
So I gathered short-tailed sheep, some
Too feeble to carry the weight of swords
فَمِنهُنَّ نُؤيٌ خاشِعٌ وَمُشَعَّثٌ
وَسفعٌ ثَلاثٌ قَد بَلَينَ وَأَورَقُ
To a dinner mat which - rather than feathers - has rags
And a stomach so perforated it might tear
فَجَشَّمتُ نَفسي يَومَ عَيَّ جَوابُها
وَعَينِيَ مِن ماءِ الشُؤونِ تَرَقرَقُ
I endure with the lack of water angering me
Almost ripping apart from exertion
مِنَ الأَرضِ دَوِّيّاً يُخافُ بِها الرَدى
مَهامِهَ مِمحالاً بِها الآلُ يَخفِقُ
So I blamed myself the day her reply was delayed
My eyes full of tears profusely flowing
تُغَربِلُهُ ذَيلُ الرِياحِ تُرابَها
فَلَيسَ لِوَحشِيٌّ بِها مُتَعَلَّقُ
Thunderously from earth fearing evil
Haughtily disregarding ties of kinship
يَها جِيَفُ الحَسرى أَرومٌ عِظامُها
إِذا صَفَّحَت في الآلِ تَبدو وَتَغرَقُ
Its trails swept by tail winds of change
So no wild animal will have a place therein
كَأَنَّ مُلاءَ المَحضِ فَوقَ مُتونِها
تَرى الأُكمَ مِنهُ تَرتَدي وَتُنَطَّقُ
Oh withering corpse whose bones
When exhumed appear then disappear from sight
وَيَومٍ مِنَ الجَوزاءِ مُستَوقِدُ الحَصى
تَكادُ عِضاهُ البيدِ مِنهُ تَحَرَّقُ
As though the patches of its skin if gathered
Would be sufficient leather to perfectly cover it
لَهُ نِيرَتا حَرٍّ سَمومٌ وَشَمسُهُ
صِلابُ الصَفا مِن حَرِّها تَتَشَقَّقُ
On a blazing day heated stones bursting into flames
With deadly poison - its hellish sun
إِذا الريحُ لَم تَسكُن وَهاجَ سَعيرُها
وَخَبَّ السَفا فيها وَجالَ المُخَزَّقُ
The surface of hilltops crack from its scorching heat
When the winds relent not and its raging continues
وَظَلَّت حَرابِيُّ الفَلاةِ كَأَنَّها
مِن الخَردَلِ المَطروقِ بِالخَلِّ تَنشِقُ
Darkness overwhelms it with lightning strikes
Desert ruins as though struck
بِأَدماءَ مِن حُرذِ الهِجانِ نَجيبَةٍ
أَجادَ بِها فَحَلٌ نَجيبٌ وَأَينُقُ
By nails producing sparks bursting forth
Stained in blood yet noble prize
بَقِيَّةُ ذَودٍ كَالمَها أَمَّهاتُها
تَخَيَّرُها ثُمَّ اِصطَفاها مُحَرَّقُ
The elite bull took its pick one by one
The rest are pregnant sheep selected then confiscated
لَها كاهِلٌ مِثلُ الغَبيطِ مُؤَرَّبٌ
وَأَتلَعُ مَصفوحُ العَلابي عَشَنَّقُ
Wide sturdy shoulders like a goblet, grooved and polished
Mouth agape ready to clamp up and bite
وَجُمجُمَةٌ كَالقَبرِ بادٍ شُؤونُها
وَسامِعَتا نابٍ وَلحيٌ مُعَرَّقُ
A hollow skull as if its secrets and thoughts
Vanished leaving bare teeth and a shriveled beard
وَعَينان كَحَلاوانِ تَنفي قَذاهُما
إِذا طَرَفَت أَشفارُ عَينٍ وَحِملِقُ
Eyes like antimony removing impurities if blinked
With thick lashes and arched eyebrow
وَخَدّانِ زانا وَجهَ عَنسٍ كَأَنَّها
وَقَد ضَمَرَت قَرمٌ مِنَ الأُدمِ أَشدَقُ
Blushing cheeks beautifying the face of a delicate female idol
As though a fox left its covert under the red skin
وَخَطمٌ كَسَتهُ واضِحاً مِن لُغامِها
نَفاهُ مِنَ اللَحيَينِ دَردٌ وَأَروَقُ
Clearly visible thin lips from the bristles surrounding it
Highlighted by a few soft facial hairs
يُبَلُّ كَنَعلِ السِبتِ طوراً وَتارَةً
يَكُفُّ الشَذا مِنها خَرِيعٌ وَأَفرَقُ
Sipping like camel's foot alternately resting
Then slaughtering prey captured in its grip
يَعومُ ذِراعاها وَعَضدانِ مارَتا
فَكُلٌّ لَهُ جافٍ عَنِ الدِفِّ مِرفَقُ
Its cannons float with visible forearms looking like
Ghassanid arches fully drawn and tightened
مُضَبَّرَةٌ أُجدٌ كَأَنَّ مَحالَها
وَما بَينَ مَتنَيها بِناءٌ مُوَثَّقُ
Sturdy and robust like a tower between her shoulders and hips
Held together by a solid tightly constructed frame
وَتَلوي بِجَثلٍ كالإِهانِ كَأَنَّها
بِهِ بَلَحٌ خُضرٌ صِغارٌ وَأَعذُقُ
Twisting with a fleshy tail as though it were
Unripe fruits on a green palm tree newly sprouted
مَناسِمُ رِجلَيها إِذا ما تَقاذَفَت
يَداها وَحُثَّت بِالدَوائِرِ تَلحَقُ
When it moves its ankles rapidly in circular motion
Speeding up to overtake pulled by strong ropes
عَلى لا حِبٍ يَزدادُ في اللُبسِ جِدَّةً
وَيَبلى عَنِ الإِعفاءِ طوراً وَيَخلُقُ
Becoming more stubborn to control when fully dressed
Then getting tame losing touch after undressed
تُقِّلِّبُ أَخفافاً بِعَوجٍ كَأَنَّها
مَرادِيُّ غَسَانِيَّةٍ حينَ تَعتِقُ
Tossing gently swaying as though it were a
Ghassanid beloved set free from bondage
وَكانَت ضِناكاً قَد عَلا النَحضُ عَظمَها
فَعادَت مَنيناً لَحمُها مُتَعَرِّقُ
As though oil floats above its cream so delicious
The fastest horses race if they get the first taste
إِذا حُلَّ عَنها كُورُها خَرَّ عِندَهُ
طَليحان مُجتَرٌّ وَأَشعَثُ مُطرِقُ
وَماءٍ كَأَنَّ الزَيتَ فَوقَ جِمامهُ
مَتى ما يَذُقهُ فُرَّطُ القَومِ يَسبِقُ
فَوَصَّلتُ أَرماثاً قِصارا وَبَعضُها
ضَعيفُ القُوى بِمَحمَلِ السَيفِ موثَقُ
إِلى سَفرَةٍ أَمّا عُراها فَرَثَّةٌ
ضِعافٌ وَأَمّا بَطنُها فَمُخَرَّقُ
أَلُدُّ بِما آلَت مِنَ الماءِ جَسرَةً
تَكادُ إِذا لُدَّت مِنَ الجُهدِ تَشرَقُ
