للغانياتِ بِذي المَجازِ رُسومُ

فَبِبَطنِ مَكّةَ عهدُهنَّ قَديمُ

For the songstresses with rhetorical eloquence

Their customs in the valley of Mecca are ancient

فَبمَنحر الهَدي المقَلدِ مِن مِنى

جُدَدٌ يلُحنَ كَأَنَّهُنَّ وشومُ

With the sacrificed camels garlanded at Mina

Their trilling is renewed as if they are tattooed

هِجنَ البكاءَ لِصاحِبي فزَجرتُهُ

وَالدَّمعُ مِنه في الرِّداءِ سُجومُ

He wept for my companions so I restrained him

While tears soaked his cloak silently

قال اِنتَظِر نَستَحفِ مَغنَى دِمنَةٍ

أَنَّى اِنتَوَت لِلسائلين رَميمُ

He said: "Wait, we will beg some food from Dimnah

Where will sustenance come for the beseechers?"

قُلتُ اِنصَرِف إِنَّ السؤالَ لَجاجَةٌ

وَالناسُ منهم جاهِلٌ وَحَليمُ

I said: "Turn back, begging is stubbornness

And people vary between ignorant and forbearing"

فَأَبى بِهِ أَن يَستَمِرَّ عَن الهَوى

لِنَجاحِ أَمرٍ لُبُّهُ المَقسومُ

But he insisted on pursuing desire

For the success of a matter destined

وَالحُبُّ ما لَم تَمضيَن لِسَبيلِهِ

داءٌ تضمَّنَهُ الضُلوعُ مُقيمُ

Love before its path is paved

Is a disease lodged in the ribs to stay

أَبلِغ رُمَيمَ عَلى التنائي أَنَّني

وصّالُ إِخوان الصَفاءِ صَرومُ

Convey to Rumaym in separation that I

Am a stitcher of the garment of pure fraternity

أَرعَى الأمانَة للأمينِ بِحَقِّها

فَيبينُ عَفّاً سِرُّهُ مَكتومُ

I keep a trust safe for the trustee in truth

So he sees graciousness while his secret is hidden

وَأَشَدُّ لِلمَولى المُدَفَّعِ رُكنُهُ

شَفَقاً مِن التَعجيزِ وَهوَ مُليمُ

I support my patron lord though bankrupt

With tenderness against total loss and he is clement

يَنأى بِجانِبه إِذا لَم يفتَقِر

وَعَليَّ لِلخَصمِ الأَلدِّ هَضيمُ

I refrain involving him if he has no need

While upon me my fierce opponent is tyrannical

إِنَّ الأَذِلَّةَ وَاللئامَ مَعاشِرٌ

مَولاهُم المُتَهَضّمُ المَظلومُ

Verily the humiliated and base are a people

Whose patron is the oppressed and downtrodden

وَإِذا أَهنتَ أَخاكَ أَو أَفردتَهُ

عَمداً فَأَنتَ الواهِنُ المَذمومُ

If you disgrace or isolate your brother

Intentionally, then you are the disgraced and condemned

لا تَتَّبِع سُبُلَ السفاهَةِ وَالخَنا

إِنَّ السفيهَ معنَّفٌ مَشتومُ

Do not follow the ways of vileness and treachery

Truly the fool is culpable and defamed

وَأَقِم لِمَن صافيتَ وَجهاً واحِداً

وَخَليقَةً إِنَّ الكَريمَ قَؤومُ

Be upright with those whose demeanor is singular

Nobility, the generous ones are resolute

لا تَنهَ عَن خُلُقٍ وَتأتيَ مِثلَهُ

عارٌ عَلَيكَ إِذا فعلتَ عَظيمُ

Do not prohibit a trait then do the same

Disgrace upon you if you commit it, it is momentous

وَإِذا رَأَيتَ المَرءَ يَقفو نَفسَهُ

وَالمُحصَناتِ فَما لِذاكَ حَريمُ

When you see a man restraining his soul

From inviolable women, he has no sanctuary

وَمُعيِّري بِالفَقرِ قُلتُ لَهُ اِقتَصِد

إِنّي أَمامَك في الزَمانِ قَديمُ

Those ridiculing me for poverty, I told him: Be moderate

For I am ahead of you in time since old

قَد يُكثِرُ النكس المُقَصِّرِ هَمّهُ

وَيَقِلُّ مالُ المَرء وَهوَ كَريمُ

Loss may increase for one with little ambition

While wealth decreases for a man who is noble

تَراكُ أَمكنةٍ إِذا لَم أَرضَها

حَمّالُ أَضغانٍ بِهِنَّ غَشومُ

You see me in places, if not to my liking

Carrying burdens, with them I am preoccupied

بَل رُبَّ مُعتَرِضٍ رَدَدتُ جِماحَهُ

في رأسِهِ فأقَرَّ وَهوَ لَئيمُ

Rather, I repelled many a dissenter

Knocking him on the head, so he conceded though vile

أَغضى عَلى حَدِّ القَذى إِذ جِئتهُ

وَبأنفِهِ مِمّا أَقولُ وسومُ

I turned away feigning deafness to his nonsense

My cheeks unaffected by what I say are tattooed

أَنضَجتُ كَيَّتُهُ فَظَلَّ منكِّساً

وسطَ النَديِّ كَأَنَّه مأمومُ

I ripened his disgrace so he remained bowed

Among the carpet sellers as if hired for prayer

متَقَنِّعاً خَزيانَ أَعلى صَوتِه

بَعدَ اللجاجَةِ في الصُراخِ نَئيمُ

Muffling his voice, loud before arguing

Now faint after clamoring vociferously

أَقصِر فَإِنّي لا يَرومُ عضادتي

يابنَ الجَموحِ مُوَقَّعٌ مَلطومُ

I said: make it brief, I do not intend backing

A son of obstinacy, signed and sealed

وَإِذا شَرِبتَ الخَمرَ فاِبغِ تَعِلَّةً

غَيري يَئينُ بِها إِلَيكَ نَديمُ

When drinking wine, find another excuse

Rather than have a boon companion blame you

أَنَّى تُحارِبُني وَعودُكَ خِروَعٌ

قَصفٌ وَأَنتَ مِن العَفافِ عَديمُ

How do you fight me while your promise is submission?

Barren while devoid of chastity

ما كانَ ظَهري لِلسّياطِ مظِنَّةً

زَمَناً كأَنّي لِلحُدودِ غَريمُ

Never did my back expect the whip

For long, as if I am liable for punishment

قَد كُنتُ قُلتُ وَأَنتَ غَيرُ موفقٍ

ماذا زُوَيملَةُ الضَّلالِ يَرومُ

I had said, while you lacked success

What does the misguided striver intend?

أَنتَ امرؤٌ ضَيَّعتَ عِرضَكَ جاهِلٌ

وَرَضِيتَ جَهلاً أَن يُقالَ أَثيمُ

You are a man who wasted your honor, ignorant

Satisfied in ignorance to be called sinful

إِنّي أَبى ليَ أَن أُقَصِّرَ والِدٌ

شَهمٌ عَلى الأَمرِ القَوي عَزومُ

I refuse that a valiant father should neglect

Resolute in strong command and determined

وَقَصائِدي فَخرٌ وَعِزي قاهِرٌ

مُتَمَنِّعٌ يَعلو الجِبالَ جَسيمُ

My poems are pride and my glory dominant

Loftily rising over mountains, massive

وَأَنا امرؤٌ أَصِلُ الخَليلَ وَدونَهُ

شُمُّ الذُّرى وَمَفازَةٌ ديمومُ

I am a man whose friend is the sincere and below him

The pillar of progeny, my clan of Khazima a foundation

وَلَئِن سَئِمتُ وصالَه مادامَ بي

مُتَمَسِّكاً إِنّي إِذَن لَسَؤومُ

I do not render advice to one who deceives me

Until I die without saying intimate

لا بَل أُحَيّي بِالكَرامَةِ أَهلَها

وَأذمُّ مَن هوَ في الصَديقِ وَخيمُ

For one exiled from me who dies without it

A man deprived of guidance is deprived

وَبِذاكَ أَوصاني أَبي وَأَنا امرؤٌ

فَرعٌ خزيمةُ معقِلي وَصَميمُ

He meets vileness blaming one who intends nobility

Ignorantly, while the warp of his reed-pipe is knotted

لا أرفِدُ النُّصحَ امرءاً يَغتَشُّني

حَتّى أَموتَ وَلا أَقولُ حَميمُ

The hypocrite's deed remained, causing perdition

In his religion, while his hypocrisy is known

لِمبعِّدٍ قُربي يَمُتُّ بِدونِها

إِنَّ امرءاً حُرِمَ الهُدى مَحرومُ

Just yesterday it was hostage to mortality

If only that state lasted and remained

تَلقى الدَّني يَذُمُّ مَن يَنوي العُلى

جَهلاً ومتنُ قَناتِه مَوصومُ

With girls like pearls, purest complexion

Chastely nourished, together in bliss

فِعل المُنافِق ظَلَّ يأبِنُ ذا النُّهى

في دينِهِ وَنِفاقُهُ مَعلومُ

Without unconscious sin or forbidden matter

And a brother to me, protective of the friend

هَذا وَإِمّا أُمسِ رَهنَ مَنيَّةٍ

فَلَقَد لَهَوتُ لَو اَنَّ ذاكَ يَدومُ

Verily I crossed the valley, below me a bridge

Daring, furthest end of the path convoluted

بِكَواعِبٍ كالدُرِّ أَخلصَ لَونَها

صَونٌ غُذينَ بِهِ مَعاً وَنَعيمُ

Bearing two crosses, raising its gear

A firm pole, utterly redolent and smeared

في غَيرِ غِشيانٍ لأمرٍ مَحرَمٍ

وَمَعي أَخٌ لي لِلخَليلِ هَضومُ

It lessens modesty when it returns with smooth stones

Darkening their gums, all of them coarse

وَلَقَد قَطَعتُ الخَرقَ تَحتي جَسرَةٌ

خَطّارَةٌ غِبَّ السُّرى عُلكومُ

Kicked forward, following in the path

Barren, entering knee joints fruitless

مَوّارَةُ الضبعَينِ يَرفَعُ رَحلَها

كَتِدٌ أَشَمُّ وَتامِكٌ مَدمومُ

Slender with its bobbing and swinging

From the dripping of its dangling rear, thickened gum

تَقِصُ الإِكام إِذا عدَت بِملاطِسٍ

سُمرِ المَناسِمِ كلّهنَّ رَثيمُ

A doe, as if its wraps are cotton

Tied atop its snout, wrinkled

مَدفوقَةٌ قُدُماً تَبوَّعُ في السُّرى

أجدٌ مُداخَلَةُ الفَقارِ عَقيمُ

I mount it when dusk falls on the desert

A night like the color of a fox, hazy

زَيّافَةٌ بمقَذِّها وبليتِها

مِن نَضحِ ذِفراها الكُحَيلُ عصيمُ

It brings down the stars, as if

It encompassed governance and the excellent dark

وَجناءُ مُجفِرَةٌ كَأَنَّ لُغامَها

قُطنٌ بِأَعلى خَطمِها مَركومُ

Rushing, it seems as if they

Are drunk from weariness, confused

أَرمي بِها عُرضَ الفَلاةِ إِذا دَجا

لَيلٌ كَلَونِ الطَّيلسانِ دَهيمُ

When it neighs, it is as if

Its bones are connected to others' bones in the bridle, rugged

تهدي نجايبَ ضُمَّراً وَكَأَنَّما

ضَمِنَ الوَليَّةَ وَالقتودَ ظَليمُ

I have witnessed horses carrying my love

A gaze I incline to when it neighs, defeated

مُتَواتِراتٍ تَعتلينَ ذواقِنا

فَكأَنَّهُنَّ مِن الكَلالَةِ هِيمُ

It pounds the ground when its flank trembles

And it revolves after fervor, fervent

وَلَها إِذا الحِرباءُ ظَلَّ كَأَنَّهُ

خَصمٌ يُنازِعُهُ القُضاة خصيمُ

It ostricizes the stallions when they clash at its bridle

Restless traveller, and girth rubbed raw

عَنسٌ كَأَنَّ عِظامَها مَوصولَةٌ

بِعِظامِ أُخرى في الزِّمامِ سَعومُ

When after calm it rises on the lookout

I show it permanence and composure

وَلَقَد شَهِدتُ الخَيلَ يَحمِلُ شِكَّتي

طِرفٌ أَجَشُّ إِذا وَنينَ هَزيمُ

Its forerunners it guides halting in the morning

And the mark shows atop its forehead

رَبِذُ القَوائِمِ حينَ يَندى عِطفُه

وَيَمورُ مِن بعدِ الحَميمِ حَميمُ

Its legs lengthened and its muscling perfected

And the rest of its build sturdy

يَنفي الجِيادَ إِذا اِصطَكَكنَ بِمأزِم

قَلِقُ الرِّحالَةِ وَالحِزامِ عَذومُ

Snorting, its nostrils spray pebbles

As if its scattering were knots, congealed

وَإِذا عَلت مِن بَعدِ وَهدٍ مَرقَباً

عَرضت لَها دَيمومَةٌ وَحُزومُ

Of pleasant grace, its fall scatters rocks

And with them the branded are stigmatized

يَهدي أَوائِلَها المُوَقَّفُ غُدوَةً

وَيَلوحُ فَوقَ جَبينِه التسويمُ

It is as if emerging from the back of absence when it appears

A mirage floating in a vision swims

طالَت قَوائِمُه وَتَمَّ تَليلُه

وَاِبتَزَّ سائِرَ خَلقِه الحَيزومُ

Firm of rein, it commands lightly, a frame

Clinging to the axe of the bit, knotted

مُسحَنفِرٌ تُذري سَنابِكُه الحَصى

فَكأنَّ تَذراهُ نَوىً مَعجومُ

It plunges like a bucket surrendered by the well rope

So it bolted and its tether is severed

ذو رَونَقٍ يَذري الحِجارَةَ وَقعُهُ

وَبِهِنَّ للمتوسِّمينَ كُلومُ

Consecutive, sturdy, as if its neigh

Is a bell containing its voice in the gullet

فَكأَنَّهُ مِن ظَهرِ غَيبٍ إِذ بَدا

يَمتَلُّ هَيقٌ في السرابِ يَعومُ

Its constitution like an eagle's, its chest prominent

Broad of ribs and sturdy of shoulder

هَزِجُ القِيادِ أمرَّ شَزراً هَيكَلٌ

نَزِقٌ عَلى فأسِ اللِّجامِ أزومُ

Tossing in zeal when roused

Like the hacking of dry wood, foul

يَهوي هَويَّ الدلوِ أسلمها العُرى

فَتَصَوَّبت وَرِشاؤُها مَجذومُ

Not one of the family of crookedness, weak and thin

Withered nor growth of vegetation odious

مُتَتابِعٌ كَفِتٌ كَأَنَّ صَهيلَهُ

جَرسٌ تَضَمَّنَ صَوتَهُ الحُلقومُ

Lashing its tail, it does not restrain its intensity

An axe prepared for it together and muscular

صُلبُ النسورِ لَهُ مَعَدٌّ مُجفِرٌ

سَبِطُ الضلوعِ وَكاهِلٌ ملمومُ

The females' coyness, rubbing the ground, contracting

With the scowl of the fearful lip, tattooed

مُتَقاذِفٌ في الشَّدِّ حينَ تَهيجُه

كَتقاذُفِ الحِسي الخَسيف طَميمُ

It casts its eyes about in panic and its Lord

Sits in fear at times and stands at others

مِن آلِ أَعوَجَ لا ضَعيفٌ مُقصَفٌ

سَغِلٌ وَلا نَكِدُ النباتِ ذَميمُ

It came in the morning neighing and rotating

A day producing heavy clouds from spring, clouded

سَلِطُ السنابِكِ لا يُوَرِّعُ غَربَهُ

فَأسٌ أُعِدَّ لَهُ مَعاً وَشَكيمُ

شَنِجُ النسا ضافي السَّبيبِ مُقَلِّصٌ

بِكَظامَةِ الثَّغرِ المَخوفِ صَرومُ

يَرمي بِعَينَيهِ الفِجاجَ وَرَبُّهُ

لِلخَوفِ يقعدُ تارَةً وَيَقومُ

كالصَّقرِ أَصبحَ باليَفاعِ وَلَفَّهُ

يَومٌ أَجادَ مِن الرَبيعِ مُغيمُ