أَتُنكِرُ رَسمَ الدارِ أَم أَنتَ عارِفُ

أَلا لا بَلِ العِرفانُ فالدَمعُ ذارِفُ

Can you deny knowing this abode, or are you familiar with it?

Do you deny the traces of the abode, or do you recognize them?

No, but familiarity - so tears are pouring down.

Nay, it is recognition, and thus the tears are shedding,

رَشاشاً كَما انهَلَّت شَعيبٌ أَسافَها

عَنيفٌ بِخَرزِ السَيرِ أَو مُتَعانِفُ

It rains just as brooks of Shuaib overflowed,

Scattering like water from a worn skin pouring out its contents,

Ferociously with the clinking of the saddlebags, or mutually bumping.

Rough with the stitching of the strap, or handled violently.

بِمُنخَرقِ النَقعَينِ غَيَّرَ رَسمَها

مَرابِعُ مَرَّت بَعدَنا وَمَصايفُ

With battered camel saddles, it changed its shape.

At Munkharaq al-Naq'ayn, its traces have been altered

Encampments passed by after us as well as meadows.

By spring rains and summer showers that passed after us.

كَلِفتُ بِها لا حُبَّ مَن كانَ قَبلَها

وَكلُّ مُحِبٍّ لا مَحالَةَ آلِفُ

I was burdened with it, not out of love for those who were before it,

I became enamored with her—not like the love of one who came before,

And every lover inevitably becomes intimate.

For every lover is, inevitably, attached.

إِذ الناسُ ناسٌ والبِلادُ بِغِرَّةٍ

وإِذ أُمُّ عَمّارٍ صَديقٌ مُساعِفُ

Since people are just people, and countries are deceptive,

When people were truly people, and the land was at ease,

And since the mother of Ammar is a doubling friend.

And when Umm 'Ammar was a helpful friend.

وإِذ نَحنُ أَمّا مَن مَشى بِمَوَدَّةٍ

فَنَرضى وأَمّا مَن وشى فنُخالِفُ

And since we - if one came in cordiality - are pleased,

Back when we would be pleased with those who walked in friendship,

And if one was hostile, we oppose.

And as for the slanderer, we would oppose him.

إِذا نَزاواتُ الحُبِّ أَحدثنَ بَينَنا

عِتابا تَراضَينا وَعادَ العَواطِفُ

When the coquetries of love caused disputes between us,

If the sudden impulses of love caused between us

Our conciliation returned, and feelings came back.

Some reproach, we reconciled and affections returned.

وَكُلُّ حَديثِ النَفسِ ما لَم أُلاقِها

رَجيعٌ وَمِمَّا حَدَّثَتكَ طَرائِفُ

And everything the soul speaks of unless I meet it,

And all my soul's whispering when I did not meet her

Are empty words, and of what it tells you subtleties.

Was echoed thought, and what it told you were mere novelties.

وإِنّي لأُخلي لِلفَتاةِ فِراشَها

وأُكثِرُ هَجرَ البَيتِ والقَلبُ آلِفُ

And I indeed leave the maiden’s bed for her,

Indeed, I leave the young woman's bed empty for her,

And abandon the house frequently while the heart is intimate.

And I often abandon the house, though the heart is fond,

حِذارَ الرَدى أَو خَشيَةً أَن تَجُرَّني

إِلى موبِقٍ أُرمَى بِهِ أَو أُقاذِفُ

Fearing depravity, or scared that it would lead me,

Out of caution against ruin, or fear that she might drag me

To destruction I would be hurled into or precipitates.

Into a peril where I would be cast down or tossed about.

وَإِنّي بِما بَينَ الضُلوعِ مِن امرىءٍ

إِذا ما تَنازَعنا الحَديثَ لعارِفُ

And indeed in my chest lives a man,

And truly, regarding what lies within a man's ribs,

Who, if we disputed speech, is knowledgeable.

When we exchange conversation, I am well-aware.

ذَكَرتُ هَواها ذِكرَةً فَكأَنَّما

أَصابَ بِها إِنسانَ عَينيَّ طارِفُ

I remembered her in a way that it was as if,

I recalled her love—a memory as if

A man was afflicted in his eyes by a roving glance.

A foreign speck had struck the pupil of my eye.

وَلَم تَرَ عَيني مِثلَ سِربٍ رأَيتُهُ

خَرَجنَ عَلينا مِن زُقاقِ ابنِ واقِفِ

And your eyes have not seen the likes of a flock I saw,

My eye has never seen the likes of a flock I saw,

Which came out to us from the lane of Ibn Waqif.

Emerged before us from the alley of Ibn Waqif.

خَرَجنَ بأَعناقِ الظباءِ وأَعيُن ال

جآذِرِ وارتَجَّت بِهنَّ الرَوادِفُ

They came out with the necks of mountain cows and eyes of,

They came out with the necks of does and the eyes

A rutting camel; with them the riders swayed.

Of wild calves, while their hips swayed as they moved.

طَلَعنَ عَلينا بَينَ بِكرٍ غَريرَةٍ

وَبَينَ عوانٍ كالغَمامَةِ ناصِفِ

They appeared between Bhakar the charming,

They appeared to us—some naive virgins,

And Awan like a splitting cloud.

And some mature, like a cloud in mid-sky.

خَرَجنَ عَلينا لا غُشينَ بِهوبَةٍ

وَلا وَشوشيّاتُ الحِجالِ الزَعانِفُ

They came out to us neither covered in a storm,

They came out to us, not clad in rags,

Nor the confusion of armored skirts.

Nor were they base women of mixed lineage.

تَضَمَّخنَ بِالجاديِّ حَتّى كأَنّما

الأُنوفُ إِذا استَعرَضتَهنَّ رَواعِفُ

Bedewed with duskiness as if their noses,

They perfumed themselves with saffron until it seemed

Were carrots when displayed bending branches.

That their noses, if you looked, were bleeding.

كَشَفنَ شُنوفاً عَن شُنوفٍ وَأَعرَضَت

خُدودٌ وَمالَت بِالفُروعِ السَوالِفُ

They revealed cheeks over cheeks and turned away,

They revealed earrings upon earrings, and turned aside

Cheeks while the dangling earrings swayed.

With their cheeks, their side-locks tilting with their hair.

يُدافِعنَ أفخاذاً لَهُنَّ كأَنَّها

مِنَ البُدنِ أَفخاذُ الهِجانِ العَلائِفِ

They walked proudly, their thighs as if,

They moved thighs that seemed,

They were, from the bodies, the thighs of musicians with waving robes.

In their plumpness, like the thighs of stall-fed white camels.

عَلَيهنَّ مِن صُنعِ المَدينَةِ حِليَةٌ

جُمانٌ كأَعناقِ الدَبا وَرَفارِفُ

Upon them were ornamentations made from the city,

Upon them was jewelry crafted in Medina,

Necklaces like pythons’ necks and fluttering pennants.

Pearls like locust necks and fluttering green silk.

إِذا خُرِقَت أَقدامُهنَّ بِمِشية

تَناهَينَ وانباعَت لَهُنَّ النَواصِفُ

When their feet were uncovered as they walked proudly,

If their feet moved in a walk,

Their anklets rang and the sleigh bells jingled.

They held back, while their servants hastened.

يَنُؤنَ بأَكفالٍ ثِقالٍ وَأَسوقٍ

خِذالٍ وَأَعضادٍ كَسَتها المَطارِفُ

Swaying with heavy ankles, shanks,

They rise with heavy hips and shanks,

Thighs, and legs which their garments covered.

Full and soft, and arms draped in embroidered robes.

وَيَكسِرنَ أَوساطَ الأَحاديثِ بِالمُنى

كَما كَسَر البَرديَّ في الماءِ غارِفُ

And they interrupted the words’ middles charmingly,

They interrupt their conversations with wishful sighs,

As the cold north wind disturbed the water noisily.

As one drawing water breaks the papyrus reeds.

وأدنَيتِني حَتّى إِذا ما جَعَلتِني

لَدى الخَصرِ أَو أَدنى استَقَلَّك راجِفُ

And you brought me close until you made me,

You drew me close, until when you had placed me

Near the waist or closer; it startled the timid one.

By your waist or nearer, a trembling seized you.

فإِن شِئتِ واللَهِ انصَرفتُ وإِنَّني

مِن أَن لا تَريني بَعدَ هَذا لَخائِفُ

So if you wish - by Allah - I shall leave, and indeed,

If you wish, by God, I shall depart, for I am

I am afraid after this to not see you again.

Indeed fearful that you might never see me after this.

رأَت ساعِدي غولٍ وَتَحتَ ثيابِهِ

جَناجِنُ يَدمى حَدُّها وَقَراقِفُ

She saw my arm was strong, and beneath his clothes,

She saw the forearm of a demon, and beneath his clothes

Were scars whose edges bled and scabbed.

Are ribs whose edges bleed, and trembling cold.

وَقَد شَئِزَت أُمُ الصَبيَّينِ أَن رأَت

أَسيراً بِساقيهِ نُدوبٌ نَواسِفُ

And the mother of the two boys was appalled when she saw,

Umm al-Sabiyayn was unsettled when she saw

A captive - his legs had injuries from fetters.

A captive with deep, eroding scars upon his legs.

فإِن تُنكِري صَوتَ الحَديدِ وَمِشيَةً

فإِني بِما يأَتي بِهِ اللَهُ عارِفُ

So if you deny the voice of iron and a gait,

If you recoil at the clanking of iron and my gait,

Then I know what Allah will bring - I am aware.

Then know that I accept whatever God brings forth.

وإِن كُنتِ مِن خَوفٍ رَجَعتِ فإِنَّني

مِنَ اللَهِ والسُلطانِ والإِثمِ راجِفُ

And if you went back in fear, then I

And if you turned back out of fear, then I

Fear Allah, the Sultan, and sin - quivering.

Am trembling before God, the Sultan, and sin.

وَقَد زَعَمَت أُمُّ الصَبيينِ أَنَّني

أَقَرَّ فؤادي وازدَهَتني المَخاوِفُ

And the mother of the two boys claimed that I,

Umm al-Sabiyayn has claimed that I

Comforted my heart and anxieties overwhelmed me.

Have a settled heart, yet am overwhelmed by fears.

وَقَد عَلِمَت أُمُّ الصَبيَّين أَنَّني

صَبورٌ عَلى ما جَرَّفتني الجَوارِفُ

And the mother of the two boys knew that I

Yet Umm al-Sabiyayn knows well that I

Am patient with what calamities reproached me.

Am patient against whatever calamities sweep over me.

وإِنّي لَعَطّافٌ إِذا قيلَ مَن فَتىً

وَلَم يَكُ إِلا صالِحُ القَومِ عاطِفُ

And I am affectionate when asked who is the gallant one,

I am one who charges back when they ask, "Who is the hero?"

And none would be but the good of the people - merciful.

And none but the noble of the tribe returns to the fray.

وَأُوشِكُ لَفَّ القَومِ بِالقَومِ لِلَّتي

يَخافُ المُرَجّى والحَرونُ المُخالِفُ

I am about to turn the people to the people for she,

I am prone to clash tribe against tribe for that cause

Who fears the death and the wicked who differ.

Which even the hopeful and the stubborn opponent fear.

وإِنّي لأُرجي المَرءَ أَعرِفُ غِشَّهُ

وأُعرِضُ عَن أَشياءَ فيها مَقاذِفُ

And I hope for the man - I know his faults -

I may grant respite to a man whose deceit I know,

And overlook things in which are precipitations.

And I turn away from matters that carry insults.

فَلا تَعجَبي أُمَّ الصَبييَّنِ قَد تُرى

بِنا غِبطَةٌ والدَهرُ فيهِ عَجارِفُ

So do not wonder, mother of the two boys, you may see,

So do not marvel, Umm al-Sabiyayn, for there may appear

In us fortune, and fate has in it storms.

Joy within us, though time holds tyranny.

عَسى آمِناً في حَربِنا أَن تُصيبَهُ

عواقِبُ أَيامٍ وَيأَمَنَ خائِفُ

Perhaps secure in our war, what may afflict him,

Perhaps one safe in our war might be struck by

Are the consequences of days, and the fearful may find safety.

The turn of days, while the fearful becomes safe.

فيُبكينَ من أَمسى بِنا اليَومَ شامِتاً

وَيُعقِبنَنا إِنَّ الأُمورَ صَرائِفُ

Then those who exult over us today will cry,

Thus making weep those who gloat over us today,

And tell us fortunes are fickle.

And giving us the turn; for fortunes are ever-changing.

وَإِن يَكُ أَمرٌ غَيرَ ذاكَ فإِنَّني

لَراضٍ بِقَدرِ اللَهِ لِلحَقِّ عارِفُ

And if the matter is other than that, then I

And if the outcome is otherwise, then I

Am content with Allah’s decree - knowledgeable of the truth.

Am content with God's decree, acknowledging the truth.

وإِنّي إِذا أَغضى الفَتى عَن ذِمارِهِ

لَذو شَفَقٍ عَلى الذِمارِ مُشارِفُ

And when the gallant overlooks his vineyard,

And I, when a youth overlooks the defense of his honor,

He is gentle to the vineyard - an adjacent neighbor.

Am jealous for my honor, standing watch over it.

وَينفُخُ أَقوامٌ عَليَّ سُحورَهُم

وَعيداً كَما تَهوي الرِياحُ العَواصِفُ

And some people blow on me their magic,

Tribes blow their threats upon me

And a feast as the violent winds blow.

Like the blowing of stormy winds.

وأُطرِقَ إِطراقَ الشُجاعِ وإِنَّني

شِهابٌ لَدى الهَيجا وَنابٌ مُقَاصِفُ

And I lowered my gaze like the valiant, and I

Yet I bow my head in the silence of the brave, for I am

Am a flame next to passions and a sharp co-striker.

A meteor in battle, and a crushing fang.

وَداويَّةٍ سَيرُ القَطا مِن فَلاتِها

إِلى مائِها خِمسٌ لَها مُتَقاذِفُ

And Dawiyya - from its plains to its waters,

Many a wasteland, where the sandgrouse flies from its void

A five day journey with precipices between.

To its water, a five-day journey across vast distances.

بُطونٌ مِنَ المَوماةِ بَعَّدَ بَينَها

ظُهورٌ بَعيدٌ تَيهُها وأَطايفُ

Dunes from Al-Mawma’ah whose backs are distant from each other,

Depths of the wilderness, separated by

Far apart, losing its way while the mirages play.

Ridges, their trackless paths remote and winding.

يَحارُ بِها الهادي وَيَغتالُ رَكبَها

تُنائِفُ في أَطرافِهِنَّ تَنائِفُ

The guide wanders confused in it and its traveling party is ambushed,

There the guide is bewildered, and the riders are swallowed

By curves where they curve.

By deserts encompassed by yet more deserts.

هَواجِرُ لَو يُشوى بِها النَيُّ أَنضَجَت

مُتونَ المَها مِن طَبخِهِنَّ شَواسِفُ

Emigrants - if meat was roasted because of them,

Noon heats—if raw meat were roasted therein,

The innards of the cooking pot would be cooked from their heat.

It would cook the backs of the oryx until they dried out.

تَرى وَرَقَ الفِتيانِ فيها كأَنَّها

دَراهِمُ مِنها جائزاتٌ وَزائِفُ

You see the faces of youths in it as if they are,

You see the youths' coins scattered therein, as if

Dirhams - some of which are valid and others counterfeit.

They were dirhams, some valid and some counterfeit.

يَظَلُّ بِها عَيرُ الفَلاةِ كأَنَّهُ

مِنَ الحَرِّ مَرثومُ الخَياشِمِ راعِفُ

The traveling party of the desert takes shade in it as if it,

There the wild ass of the desert stands, as if

From the heat, is feverish with inflamed nostrils panting.

From the heat, his nose is broken and bleeding.

إِذا ما أَتاها القَومُ هَوَّلَ سَيرَهُم

تَجاوبُ جِنّانٍ بِها وَعَوارِفُ

When people come to it, the Jinn cry out in it and spirits,

When men enter it, their journey is made terrifying

The guide takes shade in it turning his glance,

By the echoing cries of Jinns and spirits.

وَيَومٍ مِنَ الجَوزاءِ يَلجأُ وَحشُهُ

إِلى الظِلِّ حَتّى اللَيلَ هُنَّ حَواقِفُ

From fright invoking his craving while standing still.

And on a day of Gemini's heat, when the wild beasts seek refuge

I crossed it with she-camels whose saddlebags betrayed them,

In the shade, curled up until nightfall.

يَظَلُّ بِها الهادي يُقَلِّبُ طَرفَهُ

مِنَ الهَولِ يَدعو لَهفَهُ وَهوَ واقِفُ

So it humbled the valleys while the eyes overflowed.

The guide stands turning his gaze,

I controlled traveling at night until its saddlebags cracked,

Crying out his distress in terror as he stands.

قَطَعتُ بِأَطلاحٍ تَخَوَّنَها السُّرى

فَدَقَّ الهَوادي والعيونُ ذَوارِفُ

And its howdahs slipped as the wrappers were not advanced.

I traversed it with emaciated camels, worn by night travel,

And until its rear met its van,

Their necks thinned and their eyes streaming.

مَلَكتُ بِها الإِدلاجَ حَتّى تَخدَّدَت

عَرائِكُها وَلانَ مِنها السَوالِفُ

If the rear is not helped by replacements.

I drove them through the night until their humps

Travel denied it all those of little worth,

Were furrowed and their necks became limp.

وَحتّى التَقَت أَحقابُها وَغُروضُها

إِذا لَم يُقَدَّم لِلغُروضِ السَنائِفُ

So there remained only the lofty unsoiled she-camels.

Until their rear straps and belly girths met,

Of a he-goat or smooth rock behind its boulder,

Had the breast-straps not been adjusted forward.

نَفى السَيرُ عَنها كُلَّ ذاتِ ذَمامَةٍ

فَلَم يَبقَ إِلا المُشرِفاتُ العَلائِفُ

It has an ibex like an ornamented camel saddle.

The journey stripped away every weak one among them,

With me is a friend who will not complain of a companion wronging him,

Leaving only the tall, strong-bred mounts.

مِنَ العَيسِ أَو جَلسٍ وَراءَ سَديسِهِ

لَهُ بازِلٌ مِثلُ الجُمانَةِ رادِفُ

Nor of the mixed company that gathered them.

White camels, or sturdy ones past their prime,

Caravanners - when called upon lions, guides - when lost,

With tusks gleaming like pearls.

مَعي صاحِبٌ لا يَشتَكي الصاحِبُ العِدى

صَحابَتُهُم وَلا الخَليطُ المؤالِفُ

The speculations missed them.

With me is a companion; no friend complains of his enmity,

When the guided was told enjoy yourself and your peer,

Nor does the intimate associate find fault.

سَراةٌ إِذا آبوا لُيوثٌ إِذا دُعوا

هُداةٌ إِذا أَعيى الظَنونُ المُصادِفُ

But he could not and the petitioner left.

Noble when they return, lions when called to war,

They saw a partnership in them - a rightful claim - and tasked,

Guides when even the sharpest guess fails.

إِذا قيلَ لِلمُعيى بِهِ وَزَميلِهِ

تَروَّح فَلَم يَسطِع وَراحَ المُسالِفُ

The owners of remnants with what the destitute ate.

If it is said to the exhausted rider and his fellow:

Owners of resting camels who stomped angrily,

"Move on," and he cannot, while the others press ahead.

رأَوا شِركَةً فيهِنَّ حقّاً وَكَلَّفوا

أُولاتِ البَقايا ما أَكَلَّ الضَعائِفُ

When the bowstrings were taut and short strings hummed.

They consider sharing their mounts a duty, and burden

So they delivered necessities and fulfilled a need,

The remaining strong camels with what wearied the weak.

أَولاتِ المِراحِ الخَانِفاتِ عَلى الوَجى

إِذا قارَبَ الشَدَّ القِصارُ الكَواتِفُ

While in life we have needs and duties.

Lively mounts, twisting in pain from the hoof-soreness,

Excellent is the man - not bidding farewell to one destroyed,

When the short-stepped camels struggle to run.

فَبَلَّغنَ حاجاتٍ وَقَضَّينَ حاجَةً

وَفي الحَيِّ حاجاتٌ لَنا وَتكالِفُ

Nor lying - Abu Sulaiman the merciful.

They reached their goals and fulfilled a need,

To his worldly neighbor and hostile foreigners,

While in the tribe, other needs and duties await us.

وَنِعمَ الفَتى وَلا يُودّعُ هالِكاً

وَلا كَذِباً أَبو سُلَيمانَ عاطِفُ

When the peak journeys and it is humpbacked with precipices.

Excellent is the youth—he does not abandon the fallen,

And it quickly reached the castle at dusk crumbling,

Nor is it a lie: Abu Sulayman is benevolent.

لِجارَتِهِ الدُنيا وَلِلجانبِ العِدى

إِذا الشُولُ راحَت وَهيَ حُدبٌ شَواسِفُ

The homes dust covers while the jug is pouring.

Close to his neighbor in kindness, yet against the enemy,

It shakes off from its guests what it sees distresses them,

When the camels return, lean and dried out.

وَبادَرَها قَصرَ العَشيَّةِ قَرمُها

ذَرى البَيتِ يَغشاهُ مِنَ القُرِّ آزِفُ

Mercifully hurrying with food and baking bread.

Their master hurries to them in the short evening,

As if he did not find misery or hunger one night,

To the shelter of the tent, while biting cold engulfs him.

يُنَفِّضُ عَن أَضيافِهِ ما يَرى بِهِم

رَحيمان ساعٍ بِالطَعامِ وَلاحِفُ

And in good and kindness, he discloses the harm.

He shakes off the distress he sees in his guests;

He sleeps away from the neighbors, secluding his ignorance,

Two merciful hands: one bringing food, the other a cover.

كأَن لَم يَجِد بؤساً وَلا جُوعَ لَيلَةٍ

وَفي الخَير والمَعروفِ لِلضُرِّ كاشِفُ

Tranquil at the edges of forbearance - describing good.

As if he never knew misery or hunger for a single night,

When the people became agitated for slander and spread open,

For in goodness and kindness is the removal of harm.

يَبيتُ عَن الجيرانِ مُعزِبَ جَهلِهِ

مُريحَ حَواشي الحِلمِ للخَيرِ واصِفُ

The chests of rancor - in it a mixer and snatcher.

He passes the night keeping his ignorance far from neighbors,

He walked straight, his efforts growing life,

Restful in forbearance, prescribing the good.

إِذا القَومُ هَشّوا لِلطِّعانِ وَأَشرَعوا

صُدورَ القَنا مِنها مُزَجُّ وَخاطِفُ

And they left eternal life - firmly standing.

When the people rush to the lance-thrusting and level

He is the one piercing the smooth mounts, executing their blades,

The chests of spears—some piercing, some snatching—

مَضى قُدُماً يُنمي الحَياةَ عَناؤهُ

وَيَدعوا الوَفاةَ الخُلدَ ثَبتٌ مواقِفُ

As their origins - from it unsheathing and standing guard.

He charges forward, his toil enhancing life,

And he was not from what he attained fatigue in it,

Calling death "eternity," firm in his stance.

هوَ الطَاعِنُ النَجلاءَ مُنفِذُ نَصلِها

كَمبدَئِها مِنها مُرِشٌّ وَواكِفُ

Nor an outsider whose duties exhausted him.

He deals the wide wound, driving the blade through

As it entered, leaving it spraying and dripping.

وَما كانَ مِمّا نالَ فيها كَلالَةً

وَلا خارِجياً أَنفَذَتهُ التَكالِفُ

He showed no fatigue in what he achieved there,

Nor was he an outsider worn down by burdens.