أَلا أَيُّها اللَيلُ الطويلُ أَلا أَصبِحي
بِبَمِّ وَما إِلّا صباحُ فيكَ بِأَروَحِ
O long night, hasten your passing, for nothing lasts but the dawn
The eyes find rest at dawn by closing their lids from all burdens
عَلى أَنَّ لِلعَينَينِ في الصُبحِ راحَةً
بِطَرحِهِما طَرفَيهِما كُلَّ مَطرَحِ
As if darkness was assigned to watch beside every highland and meadow
So dawn, sweep away the night's dust rising
كَأَنَّ الدُجى دونَ البِلادِ مُوَكَّلٌ
بِبَمِّ بِجَنبَي كُلِّ عُلوٍ وَمِرزَحِ
And awaken the one wrapped in robes
When the wild beasts call out, he responds, aroused from his lair
فَياصُبحُ كَمِّش غُبَّرَ اللَيلِ مُصعِداً
بِبَمّ وَنَبِّه ذا العِفاءِ المُوَّشَّحِ
Not the constant flames of campfires
Nor the howls of hyena packs
إِذا صاحَ لَم يُخذَل وَجاوَبَ صَوتَهُ
حَماشُ الشَوى يَصدَحنَ مِن كُلِّ مَصدَحِ
If Layla passed through the vineyards, she may have halted
Between the slopes of Babylon upon the smooth sands
وَلَيسَ بِأُدمانِ الثَنِيَّةِ موقِدٌ
وَلا نابِحُ مِن آلِ ظَبيَةَ يَنبَحُ
O Salma, fear not that I encroach on the vineyards
Probing the hillsides with my thoroughbred steed
لَئِن مَرَّ في كَرمانَ لَيلى فَرُبَّما
حَلا بَينَ تَلَّي بابِلٍ فَالمُضَيَّحِ
Enough sorrow, O Salma, that one gone to the vineyards
While I remain, unable to venture there
فَياسَلمَ لا تَخشَي بِكَرمانَ أَن أُرى
أُقَسِّسُ أَعراجَ السَوامِ المُرَوَّحِ
I sleep but to meet Salma's mother, though perhaps
Dreams cheat me with a fleeting illusion
كَفى حَزَناً يا سَلمَ أَن كانَ ذاهِباً
بِكَرمانَ بي حَولٌ وَلَم أَتَسَرَّحِ
O Salma, I gain nothing if I sell you
For this world, and what trader profits not?
أَنامُ لِأَلقى أُمَّ سَلمٍ وَرُبَّما
رَماني الكَرى بِالزائِرِ المُتَزَحزِحِ
Samsam, if you intercede for your mother, you'll find
An advocate in her heart who never refused aid
وَيا سَلمَ ما أَربَحتُ إِن أَنا بِعتُكُم
بِدُنيا وَكَم مِن تاجِرٍ غَيرُ مُربِحِ
When you are away, none but you is absent
As you care for us each evening and at dawn
أَصَمصامَ إِن تَشفَع لِأُمِّكَ تَلقَها
لَها شافِعٌ في الصَدرِ لَم يَتَبَرَّحِ
Is love anything but - had she stripped herself
For your slaughter, Samsam, I'd say "Go on, slay!"
إِذا غِبتَ عَنّا لَم يَغِب غَيرَ أَنَّهُ
يَعِنُّ لَنا في كُلِّ مُمسىً وَمَصبَحِ
To me, you are sweeter than paradise
A paradise whose vines have bloomed between dunes
هَل الحُبُّ إِلّا أَنَّها لَو تَجَرَّدَت
لِذَبحِكَ يا صَمصامَ قُلتُ لَها اِذبَحي
Like one thirsty for water that misfortune made distant
Amidst far sands between barren hills
وَإِن كُنتَ عِندي أَنتَ أَحلى مِنَ الجَنى
جَنى النَحلِ أَمسى واتِناً بَينَ أَجبُحِ
I imagine, if I embrace your cousin Salma
Upon a sandy plain, a place for one to sprawl
لِظَمآنَ في ماءٍ أَحالَتهُ مُزنَةُ
بُعَيدَ الكَرى في مُدهُنٍ بَينَ أَطلُحِ
Turning away, she moves on; approaching,
The gazelle's haunches sway beneath her robes
كَأَنّي إِذا باشَرتُ سَلمَةَ خالِياً
عَلى رَملَةٍ مَيثاءَ لِلمُتَبَطِّحِ
As if my heart is in the claws of a bird
That tears whenever memories of you reemerge
إِذا أَدبَرَت أَثَّت وَإِن هِيَ أَقبَلَت
فَرُؤدُ الأَعالي شَختَةُ المُتَوَشَّحِ
Memories of you - since fate has not allowed us to meet
Distract me from the joy of this burdensome life
كَأَنَّ فُؤادي بَينَ أَظفارِ طائِرٍ
إِذا سنَحَت ذِكراكَ مِن كُلِّ مَسنَحِ
I envy myself for Salma, my cousin
Though every fair maid were to offer herself to me
وَذِكراكَ ما لَم تُسعِفِ الدارُ بَينَنا
تَباريحُ مِن عَيشِ الَياةِ المُبَرِّحِ
She evades but desire for you defeats all restraint
Erasing the bitterness of one who bears so much woe
أَغارُ عَلى نَفسي لِسَلمَةَ خالِياً
وَلَو عَرَضَت لي كُلُّ بَيضاءَ بَيدَحِ
You are not linked to weakness, O Salma, so delight
In the morn, not in borrowed splendor on loan
تَمَلَّحُ ما اِسطاعَت وَيَغلِبُ دونَها
هَوىً لكِ يُنسي مُلحَتَ المُتَمَلِّحِ
O Salma, if to you I should return, perhaps
I'll come back my affairs ungladdened by foes
وَما وَصلُكُم بِالرَثِّ يا سَلمَ فَاِنعِمي
صَباحاً وَلا بِالمُستَعارِ المُمَنَّحِ
Powerless, without cunning stratagems
Save for the grace of the oft-praised and glorified hands
وَيا سَلمَ إِن أَرجِع إِلَيكِ فَرُبَّما
رَجَعتُ وَأَمري لِلعِدا غَيرُ مُفرِحِ
Otherwise I am but a stray camel
Tomorrow amidst stones in the barren plains
بِلا قُوَّةٍ مِنّي وَلا كَيسِ حيلَةٍ
سِوى فَضلِ أَيدي المُستَغاثِ المُسَبِّحِ
When I die, lament me to your people, and weep
For one like me, an ignoble braggart
وَإِلّا فَإِنّي إِنَّما أَنا هامَةٌ
غَدا بَينَ أَحجارٍ بِبَيداءَ صَردَحِ
Of the unfailing horseman, your husband, sing his virtues
Though remote, his lofty merits remain undimmed
إِذا مِتُّ فَانعَيني لِقَومِكِ وَاِبجِحي
بِذِكري وَمِثلي نُهيَةُ المُتَبَجِّحِ
He strove and his efforts led to great triumphs
Those who excel in glory will prosper
بِفارِسِ ذي الأَدراعِ بَعلِكِ فَاِندُبي
مَناقِبَ خِرقٍ بِالثَأى غَيرِ مُفدَحِ
Thus he attained what no righteous effort misses
Matching the success of those misfortune evades
سَعى ثُمَّ أَغلَت بِالمَعالي سُعاتُهُ
وَمَن يُغلِ في رِبعِيَّةِ المَجدِ يُربِحِ
I fear, Samsam, if I die, rule over
My inheritance and yours will go to one unfit
فَأَضحى وَما يَألو بِصالِحِ سَعيِهِم
لَحاقاً وَمَن لا يُحرَمِ النُجحَ يُنجِحِ
If he knocks your head with his staff in council, and says
"You have erred!" reply "I concede, forgive me!"
أُحاذِرُ يا صَمصامَ إِن مِتُّ أَن يَلي
تُراثي وَإِيّاكَ اِمرُؤٌ غَيرُ مُصلِحِ
Your nearest ally is a helpless old woman
Who sighs heavily when you complain of injustice
إِذا صَكَّ وَسطَ القَومِ رَأسَكَ صَكَّةً
يَقولُ لَهُ النادي مَلَكتَ فَأَسجِحِ
Bereft of any defense but the outpouring of tears
From every duct, without cease or relief
وَناصِرُكَ الأَدنى عَلَيهِ ظَعينَةٌ
تَميدُ إِذا اِستَعبَرتَ مَيدَ المُرنَّحِ
When you visit she weeps, and remembers amidst sorrow
One whose virtues surpassed all other men's
مُفَجَّعَةٌ لا دَفعَ لِلضَيمِ عِندَها
سِوى سَفَحانِ الدَمعِ مِن كُلّ مَسفَحِ
Whom the earth has concealed, sparing you
Your gracious father, protector of the adorned sanctuary
إِذا جِئتَها تَبكي بَكَت وَتَذكَّرَت
مَعَ الحُزنِ صَولاتِ اِمرِئٍ غَيرَ زُمَّحِ
Whether slain by spears or dead, the winds blow dust
Over him from all sides on every sand hill
وَقَد أَضمَرَتهُ الأَرضُ عَنكَ وَأَسلَمَت
أَباكَ المَوالي لِلحِمامِ المُجَلَّحِ
The breeze alternately perfumes him with sweet basil
As hands competing to pour from their vessels
صَريعَ قَناً أَو مَيِّتاً تَطرُدُ الصَبا
عَلَيهِ السَفا مِن جانِبَي كُلِّ أَبطَحِ
Though such fate was granted him, his mother does not chide
The mourned, rising at dawn without joy or rest
تُراوِجُهُ ريحانِ إِذ تَنسُجانِهِ
كَما اِختَلَفَت كَفّا مُفيضٍ بِأَقدُحِ
O Salma, I shrouded my stray camel in its robe
And wrapped my mouth with perfumed cloth
أُتيحَت لَهُ أُمُّ اللُهيمِ وَما تَني
عَلى فاجِعٍ تَغدو إِذا لَم تَرَوَّحِ
Barely stretched between the staves of the bier
Borne by the deeply grieving undertaker's helpers
وَهاجِرَةٍ يا سَلمَ كَفَّنتُ هامَتي
لَها وَفَمي بِالأَتحَمِيِّ المُسَيَّحِ
I placed my reddened brow before it, like Hurrah's son
My cheeks thirsty with tears flowing from each duct
قَليلَ التَواني بَينَ شَرخَي مُرَكَّنٍ
وَأَغبَرَ مَكرورِ المَآسِرِ مُجنَحِ
The wind's moaning echoes in my ears
Like lamenters in an afflicted, grieving throng
نَصَبتُ لَها مِنّي جَبِينَ اِبنِ حُرَّةٍ
وَظَمأى الكَرى لَمّاحَةً كُلَّ مَلمَحِ
The warbling birds are silenced, and the barking stilled
As mourning doves coo from every niche
يَظَلُّ هَزيزُ الريحِ بَينَ مَسامِعي
بِها كَالتِجاجِ المَأتَمِ المُتَنَوِّحِ
When they call loudly, igniting the stones beneath them
Their clamor is like the shouts of quarreling drunks
وَقَد عَقَل الحِراءُ وَاِصطَهَرَ اللَظى
جَنادِبَ يَرمَحنَ الحَصى كُلَّ مَرمَحِ
With unsettled crying, as if his rooster's crowing
Were quarreling throngs returning from a feast
يَشُلنَ إِذا اِعرَورَينَ مُستَوقِدَ الحَصى
وَلَسنَ عَلى تَشوالِهِنَّ بِلُقَّحِ
The wolf takes its prey, the fox its spoils
Beasts of the wilds, from burrows and thickets
بِمُستَرجَفِ الأَرطى كَأَنَّ جُروسَهُ
تَداعي حَجيجٍ رَجعُهُ غَيرُ مُفصِحِ
When they take cover in every crevice in the rocks
He meets them at every den and lookout
يُحيلُ بِهِ الذِئبُ الأَحَلُّ وَقوتُهُ
ذَواتُ المَرادي مِن مَناقٍ وَرُزَّحِ
Accustomed to raids, he moves as if his stride
Spanned the breadth of the abandoned settlements
إِذا اِستَتَرَت مِنهُ بِكُلِّ كُدايَةٍ
مِنَ الصَخرِ وافاها لَدى كُلِّ مَسرَحِ
The color of the lone leopard, his head marked
With the smears of sacrificed offerings
عَمَلَّسُ غاراتٍ كَأَنَّ مَسافَهُ
قَرى حُنظَبٍ أَخلى لَهُ الجَوُّ مُقمِحِ
When filled, he plunges down as if the shadow
Of a departed raincloud on a cleared day
كَلَونِ الغَرِيِّ الفَردِ أَجسَدَ رَأسَهُ
عَتائِرُ مَظلومِ الهَدِيِّ المُذَبِّحِ
If he settles down far from his lair
Motionless in a place he'd never before lain
إِذا اِمتَلَّ يَهوي قُلتَ ظَلُّ طَخاءَةٍ
ذَرا الريحُ في أَعقابِ يَومٍ مُصَرَّحِ
His goal marked between two breastbones, his path rises
Above the ground, climbing over rocks
وَإِن هُوَ أَقعى خِلتَهُ مِن مَكانِهِ
عَلى حالَةٍ ما لَم يَزُل جِذمَ مِسطَحِ
Knocking the heads of the men from the heels of the horses
In valleys amidst the games of the swinging plunge
بِمُنتاطِ ما بَينَ النِياطَينِ مَورُهُ
مِنَ الأَرضِ يَعلو صَحصَحاً بَعدَ صَحصَحِ
I severed forbidden ties and dispatched dutiful acts
Through the strength of my wrist, forceful and thick
كضأَنَّ رؤوسَ القَومِ عَن عُقَبِ السُرى
بِها في دَوادي لَعبَةِ المُتَرَجِّحِ
Scorned but strong, whose sides quiver when still
Her limbs rigid, her hump firm and hard
قَطَعتُ إِلى مَعروفِها مُنكَراتِها
بِفَتلاءَ مِمرانِ الذَراعَينِ شَودَحِ
You see her, her hands clenched into fists
Like the paws of a hyena, hungry and drooling
مُقَذَّفَةٍ بِالنَحضِ ذاتِ سَلائِقٍ
تَضِبُّ نَواحيها وَصُلبٍ مُكَدَّحِ
An ugly, scarred vessel that constantly carries a rider
Drifting in the stagnant pool, rippling and defiled
تَراها وَقَد دارَت يَداها قَباضَةً
كَأَوبِ يَدَي ذي الرُفصَةِ المُتَمَتِّحِ
When one side passes, the other appears
Like the well-knit form of a devoted monk
كَتَومَ التَشَكّي ما تَزالُ بِراكِبٍ
تَعومُ بِريعِ القيعَةِ المُتَضَحضِحِ
A beauty that outshines the excellence of any mount
A chest like the breastplate of a armored knight
إِذا اِنقَدَّ مِنهُ جانِبٌ مِن أَمامِها
بَدا جانِبٌ كَالرازِقِيِّ المُنَصَّحِ
If she moves slowly, she leaves a mark
Like a bracelet on the terrain she ruled
جُمالِيَةُ يَغتالُ فَضلَ زَمامِها
شَناحٍ كضصَقبِ الطائِفِيِّ المُكَسَّحِ
With unshod hooves and no rings on fetlocks
Her legs chained, with neither straps nor rings
إِذا ما اِنتَحَت أُمَّ الطَريقِ تَرَسَّمَت
رَثيمَ الحَصى مِن مَلكِها المُتَوَضِّحِ
She slept deeply between two hollows in the ground
On yellowed grass that was never plucked
بِخَوصاءَ مَلحودٍ بِغَيرِ حَديدَةٍ
لَها في حِجاجٍ كَالنَصيلِ المُصَفَّحِ
She settled there, then tossed and turned
Falling sideways in a heap, wings folded
كَأَنَّ المَطايا لَيلَةَ الخِمسِ عُلِّقَت
بِوَثّابَةٍ حُردِ القَوائِمِ شَحشَحِ
She traveled far from the barren plateau
Taking the smooth route then swerving aside
لَها كَضَواةِ النابِ شُدَّت بِلا عُرىً
وَلا خَرزِ كَفِّ بَينَ نَحرٍ وَمَذبَحِ
Favoring the left side, learned like the script
Of a transcriber, clear and refined
أَنامَت غَريراً بَينَ كِسرَي تَنوفَةٍ
مِنَ الأَرضِ مُصفَرَّ الصَلا لَم يُرَشَّحِ
She walked in a herd with remedies secured
By straps, well-tanned and never softened
أَنامَته في أُفحوصِها ثُمَّ قَلَّصَت
تَقَلَّبُ تهوي في قَرائِنَ جُنَّحِ
With blindness, so the wild cats while mating
Cling to them two or three nights, mewling piteously
غِدَت مِن مَساري طُلَّقِ الكُدرِ قَبلَها
رَوافِعَ طَوراً تَستَقيمُ وَتَنتَحي
In the morning, deprived of water five days
Saddles of sorrow, dust, and patches
عَلى الأَجنُبِ اليُسرى دُموكاً كَأَنَّها
كُعوبُ رُدَينِيِّ مِنَ الخَطِّ مُصلَحِ
Calling each other to descend, as if remnants
Of dwellings left in the abandoned settlement
سَرَت في رَعيلٍ ذي أَداوى مَنوطَةٍ
بِلَبّاتِها مَدبوغَةٍ لَم تُمَرَّحِ
Chicks wandering, pecking with their beaks
The shrieking hop of the terrified chick
بِمَعمِيَّةٍ يُمسي القَطا وَهوَ نُسَّسٌ
بِها بِعدَ وَلقِ للَيلَتَينِ المُسَمِّحِ
Born dead, then impregnated after dying
Without being bred by a rooster's penetration
وَتُصبِحُ دونَ الماءِ مِن يَومِ خِمسِها
عَصائِبُ حَسرى مِن رَذايا وَطُلَّحِ
Celestial, swollen, as if their udders
Were the utters of a marked, scarred ewe
رِفاقاً تَنادى بِالنُزولِ كَأَنَّها
بِقايا الثُوى وَسط الدِيارِ المَطَرَّحِ
They toured the valleys, teats bared
Inflaming the heart with burning thirst
رَوايا فِراخٍ تَنتَحي بِأُنوفِها
خَراشِيَّ قَيضِ القَفزَةِ المُتَصَيِّحِ
Pregnant bellies like the armor of warriors
But their insides the color of dyed wool
تُنَتَّجُ أَمواتاً وَتُلقَحُ بَعدَما
تَموتُ بِلا بُضعٍ مِنَ الفَحلِ مُلقِحِ
When she sped up, trotting as if on the edge
Of an unsheathed sword, its sharpened edge exposed
سَماوِيَّةٌ زُغبٌ كَأَنَّ شَكيرَها
صَماليخُ مَعهودِ النَصِيِّ المُجَلَّحِ
She came upon traces amidst the footprints
Of wolves in the soft sands of the flat valley
تَجوبُ بِهِنَّ التهَ صَغواءُ شَفَّها
تَباعُدُ أَظماءَ الفُؤادِ المُلَوَّحِ
She hurriedly crossed it, then raced on with dawn
And the dawn raiders lighting up the terrain
مِنَ الهوذِ كَدراءُ السَراةِ وَبَطنُها
خَصيفٌ كَلَونِ الحَيقُطانِ المُسَيَّحِ
Turning altogether, as the lizard plunging
Headfirst from the wall of Basra turns about
فَلَمّا تَناهَت وَهيَ عَجلى كَأَنَّها
عَلى حرفِ سَيفٍ حَدُّهُ غَيرُ مُصفَحِ
She came upon a water-spring amid the traces
Of foxes in the midst of plains and flatlands
أَصابَت نِطافاً وَسطَ آثارِ أَذؤُبٍ
مِنَ اللَيلِ في جَنبَي مِدِيٍّ وَمِسطَحِ
Circling stealthily before racing forth together
With the dawn that illuminates the battleground
فَعَبَّت غِشاشاً ثُمَّ جالَت فَبادَرَت
مَعَ الفَجرِ وُرّادَ العِراكِ المُصَبِّحِ
مُوَلِّيَةً تَهوي جَميعاً كَما هَوى
مِنَ النيقِ فِهرُ البَصرَةِ المُتَطَحطِحِ
