تَذَكَّرتَ شَجواً مِن شَجاعَةَ مُنصِبا

تَليداً ومُنتاباً مِنَ الشَوقِ مُحلبا

I remembered a sorrow pouring forth from Shaja'a,

Ancient and recurring, milking tears of longing.

تَذَكرتَ حيّاً كانَ في مَيعَةِ الصِبا

وَوَجداً بِها بَعدَ المَشيبِ مُعَقِّبا

I remembered a tribe that was in the prime of youth,

And a passion for her that follows even after graying.

إِذا كانَ يَنساها تَرَدَّدَ حبُّها

فَيالَكَ قَد عَنّى الفؤادَ وَعَدَّبا

If he tries to forget her, her love returns repeatedly;

Oh, how it has troubled the heart and tormented it!

ضَنىً مَن هَواها مُستَكِنٌّ كأَنَّهُ

خَليعُ قِداحٍ لَم يَجِد مُتَنَشَّبا

Wasting away from her love is hidden deep, as if

A gambler with arrows who found no way to win.

فَأَصبَحَ باقي الودِّ بَيني وَبينَها

رَجاءً عَلى يأَسٍ وَظَنّاً مُغَيَّبا

So the remaining affection between me and her became

A hope built on despair and a doubt concealed.

وَيَومَ عَرَفتُ الدارَ مِنها بِبَيشَةٍ

فَخِلتُ طُلولَ الدارِ في الأَرضِ مِذنَبا

And the day I recognized her abode at Bisha,

I imagined the ruins of the dwelling were a flowing channel in the earth.

تَبَيَّنتُ مِن عَهدِ العِراصِ وأَهلِها

مرادَ جَواري بِالصَّفيحِ وَمَلعَبا

I discerned from the traces of the courtyards and its people,

The grazing place of maidens at Al-Safih and a playground.

وأَجنَفَ مأَطور القَرى كانَ جُنَّةً

مِنَ السَيلِ عالتَهُ الوَليدَةُ أَحدَبا

And a curved valley side that was a shelter

From the flood, which the servant girl built up high.

بِعَينيك زالَ الحَيُّ مِنها لنيَّةٍ

قَذوفٍ تَشوقُ الآلِفَ المُتَطَرَّبا

With your eyes, you saw the tribe depart from it with an intention,

Casting far away, exciting the longing of the one left behind.

فَزَمُّوا بِلَيلٍ كُلَّ وَجناءَ حُرَّةٍ

ذَقونٍ إِذا ما سائقُ الرَكبِ أَهذبا

They bridled at night every noble, strong she-camel,

Who lowers her chin when the driver urges the caravan to speed.

وأَعيَسَ نَضّاخِ المَقَذِّ تَخالُهُ

إِذا ما تَدانى بِالظَعينَةِ أَنكَبا

And a white camel, sweating at the ears, whom you would think,

When he draws near the lady's litter, swerves aside.

ظَعائنَ مُتباعِ الهَوى قَذَفِ النَوى

فَرودٍ إِذا خافَ الجَميعُ تَنكَّبا

Litters following desire, casting across distances,

Moving alone; if the group fears, he steps aside.

فَقَد طالَ ما عُلِّقتَ لَيلى مُغَمَّراً

وَليداً إِلى أَن صارَ رأَسُكَ أَشيبا

Long indeed have you been attached to Layla, inexperienced,

From a child, until your head became gray.

فَلا أَنا أُرضي اليَومَ مَن كانَ ساخِطاً

تَجَنُّبَ لَيلى إِن أَرادَ تَجَنُّبا

So I do not satisfy today the one who was angry,

By avoiding Layla, if he desired avoidance.

رأَيتُكِ مِن لَيلى كَذي الداءِ لَم يَجِد

طَبيباً يُداوي ما بِهِ فَتَطَبَّبا

I saw you regarding Layla like one with a disease who found no

Doctor to cure what ailed him, so he practiced medicine himself.

فَلَمّا اشتَفى مِمّا بِهِ عَلَّ طِبَّهُ

عَلى نَفسِهِ مِمّا بِهِ كانَ جَرَّبا

But when he sought cure, his medicine became an illness

Upon himself, from what he had tested.

فَدَع عَنكَ أَمراً قَد تَوَلّى لِشأَنِهِ

وَقَضِّ لُباناتِ الهَوى إِذ تَقَضَّبا

So leave aside a matter that has passed for its own sake,

And fulfill the needs of passion as it is cut off.

بِشَهمٍ جَديَليّ كأَنَّ صَريفَهُ

إِذا اصطُكَّ ناباهُ تَغَرُّدُ أَخطَبا

With a strong, braided-rein camel whose teeth grinding sounds,

When his fangs clash, like the chirping of a shrike.

بَرى أُسَّهُ عِندَ السِفارِ فَرَدَّهُ

إِلى خالِصٍ مِن ناصِعِ اللَونِ أَصهبا

The journey wore down his flesh, reducing him

To a pure, bright reddish-white color.

بِهِ أَجتَدي الهَمَّ البَعيدَ وأَجتَزي

إِذا وَقَدَ اليَومُ المَليعَ المُذَبذَبا

With him I seek the distant concern and satisfy myself,

When the day burns the shimmering, fluctuating desert.

أَلا أَيُّهَذا المُحتَدينا بِشَتمِهِ

كَفى بيَ عَن أَعراضِ قَوميَ مُرهَبا

Listen, O you who challenge us with his insults,

I am sufficient as a deterrent for the honor of my people.

وَجازَيتَ مِنّي غَيرَ ذي مثنويةٍ

عَلى الدَفعَةِ الأَولى مُبِرّاً مُجَرَّباً

You received from me a blow without a second,

On the first onset, overcoming and tested.

لِزازَ حِضارٍ يَسبِقُ الخَيلَ عَفوهُ

وَساطٍ إِذا ضَمَّ المَحاضيرَ مُعقبا

Close-paced, his effortless run outstrips horses,

Stretching out when he gathers the running horses, coming from behind.

سَجولٌ أَمامَ الخَيلِ ثاني عَطفِهِ

إِذا صَدرُهُ بَعدَ التَناظُرِ صَوَّبا

Pouring speed in front of the horses, bending his neck,

When his chest aims forward after they eye one another.

تَعالَوا إِذا ضَمَّ المَنازِلُ مِن مِنىً

وَمَكّةُ مِن كُلِّ القَبائِلِ مَنكِبا

Come, let us judge when the dwellings at Mina gather,

And Mecca gathers a group from every tribe.

نواضِعُكُم أَبناءَنا عَن بَنيكُمُ

عَلى خَيرِنا في الناسِ فَرعاً وَمَنصِباً

Compare our sons defending against your sons,

To determine the best of us among people in branch and origin.

وخَيرٍ لِجادٍ مِن مَوالٍ وَغيرِهِم

إِذا بادَرَ القَومُ الكَنيفَ المُنَصَّبا

And the best for the seeker of aid among clients and others,

When the people hasten to the erected shelter.

وَأَشرَعَ في المِقرى وَفي دَعوَةِ النَدى

إِذا رائِدٌ لِلقَومِ رادَ فأَجدَبا

And the fastest in hospitality and in the call of generosity,

When a scout for the people roams and finds drought.

وأَقوَلنا لِلضَّيفِ يَنزِلُ طارِقاً

إِذا كُرِهَ الأَضيافُ أَهلاً وَمَرحَبا

And the most likely to say to the guest arriving at night,

When guests are disliked: 'Welcome and hello.'

وأَصبرَ في يَومِ الطِعانِ إِذا غَدَت

رِعالاً يُبارينَ الوَشيجَ المُذَرَّبا

And the most patient in the day of spearing when

Crowds compete with sharpened spears.

هُنالِكَ يُعطي الحَقَّ مَن كانَ أَهلَهُ

وَيَغلُبُ أَهلُ الصِدقِ مَن كانَ أَكذَبا

There, the right is given to the one who deserves it,

And the people of truth overcome the one who was a liar.

وإِن تسأَموا مِن رِحلَةٍ أَو تُعَجِّلوا

إِنى الحَجِ أُخبِركُم حَديثاً مُطَنِّبا

And if you weary of a journey or hasten

To the Hajj, I will tell you a long story.

أَنا المَرءُ لا يَخشاكُمُ إِن غَضِبتُمُ

وَلا يَتَوَقّى سُخطَكُم إِن تَغَضَّبا

I am the man who does not fear you if you are angry,

Nor does he guard against your wrath if you get enraged.

أَنا ابنُ الَّذي فاداكُمُ قَد عَلِمتُمُ

بِبَطنِ مُعانٍ والقيادَ المُجَنَّبا

I am the son of the one who ransomed you, as you know,

In the valley of Ma'an, with led horses kept aside.

وَجَدّي الَّذي كُنتُم تَظلَّونَ سُجَّداً

لَهُ رَغبَةً في مُلكِهِ وَتَحَوُّبا

And my grandfather to whom you used to remain prostrate,

Desiring his kingdom and in awe.

وَنَحنُ رَدَدنا قَيسَ عَيلانَ عَنكُمُ

وَمَن سارَ مِن أَقطارِهِ وَتأَلَّبا

And we repelled Qays Ailan from you,

And whoever marched from his regions and gathered.

بِشَهباءَ إِذ شُبَّت لِحَربٍ شُبوبُها

وَغَسّانَ إِذ زافوا جَميعاً وَتَغلِبا

With a gray army when the fire of war was kindled,

And Ghassan when they strutted together, and Taghlib.

بِنقعاءَ أَظلَلنا لَكُم مِن وَرائِهِم

بِمُنخَرِقِ النَقعاءِ يَوماً عَصَبصَبا

At Naq'a, we cast a shadow for you from behind them,

In the piercing dust of Naq'a on a difficult day.

فَأُبنا جِدالاً سالِمينَ وَغُودِروا

قَتيلاً وَمَشدودَ اليَدَينِ مُكَلَّبا

We returned from the fight safe, while they were left

Slain and bound by hands in chains.

أَلَم تَعلَموا أَنّا نُذَبِّبُ عَنكُمُ

إِذا المَرءُ عَن مَولاهُ في الرَّوعِ ذَبَّبا

Did you not know that we defend you,

As a man defends his client in the time of fear?

وَإِنّا نُزَكِّيكُم وَنَحمِلُ كَلَّكُم

وَنَجبُرُ مِنكُم ذا العيالِ المُعَصَّبا

And we purify you and bear your burdens,

And we restore the one among you with a large family who is distressed.

وَإِنّا بإِذنِ اللَهِ دَوَّخَ ضَربُنا

لَكُم مَشرِقاً في كُلِ أَرضٍ وَمَغرِبا

And we, by God's permission, our striking has subdued

For you an East in every land and a West.

عَلَينا إِذا جَدَّت مَعَدٌ قَديمَها

ليَومِ النِجادِ مَيعَةً وَتَغَلُّبا

It is upon us, when Ma'ad renews its ancient glory,

For the day of struggle, to have vigor and victory.

وَإِنّا أُناسٌ لا نَرى الحِلمَ ذِلَّةً

وَلا العَجزَ حينَ الجَدُّ حِلماً مَؤَرَّبا

And we are a people who do not see forbearance as humiliation,

Nor do we see weakness, when seriousness is needed, as cunning forbearance.

وَنَحنُ إِذا عَدَّت مَعَدٌ قَديمَها

يُعَدُّ لَنا عَدّاً عَلى الناسِ تُرتَبا

And we, when Ma'ad counts its ancient glory,

Are reckoned above people in rank.

سَبَقنا إِذا عَدَّت مَعَدٌ قَديمَها

ليَومِ حِفاظٍ مَيعَةً وَتَقَلُّبا

We surpassed them when Ma'ad counts its ancient glory,

For a day of defense, in vigor and movement.

وَإِنّا لَقَومٌ لا نَرى الحِلمَ ذِلَّةً

وَلا نُبسِلُ المَجدَ المُنى والتَجَلُّبا

And we are a people who do not see forbearance as humiliation,

Nor do we surrender glory to mere wishes and clamor.

وإِنّا نَرى مِن أُعدِمَ الحِلمَ مُعِدماً

وإِن كانَ مَدثوراً مِنَ المالِ مُترِبا

We consider he who lacks forbearance to be destitute,

Even if he is wealthy with money, possessing riches.

وَذو الوَفرِ مُستَغنٍ وَيَنفَعُ وَفرُهُ

وَلَيسَ يَبيتُ الحِلمُ عَنّا مُعَزَّبا

The possessor of abundance is rich and his abundance benefits,

And forbearance does not spend the night far away from us.

وَلا نَخذُلُ المَولى وَلا نَرفَعُ العَصا

عَلَيهِ وَلا نُزجي إِلى الجارِ عَقرَبا

We do not abandon the client, nor do we raise the stick

Against him, nor do we push a scorpion towards the neighbor.

فَهَذي مَساعينا فَجيئوا بِمثلَها

وَهَذا أَبونا فابتَغوا مِثلَهُ أَبا

These are our endeavors, so bring the like of them,

And this is our father, so seek a father like him.

وَكانَ فَلا تُودوا عَنِ الحَقِّ بِالمُنى

أَفَكَّ وأَولى بِالعَلاءِ وَأَوهَبا

He was—so do not deviate from the truth with wishes—

The best at unbinding captives, the most deserving of height, and the most giving.

لِمَثنى المِئينَ والأَساري لأَهلِها

وَحَملِ الضياعِ لا يَرى ذاكَ مُتعِبا

To hundreds upon hundreds, and returning captives to their families,

And bearing the burden of the lost, seeing no fatigue in that.

وَخَيراً لأَدنى أَصلِهِ مِن أَبيكُمُ

ولِلمُجتَدى الأَقصى إِذا ما تَثَوَّبا

And better to the lowest of his kin than your father,

And to the furthest seeker of aid when he returns.