تَروحُ بِنَجدِ تَغصِبُ الذِّئبَ زادَهُ
وَقَومُكَ بِالرَّوحاءِ في المَنزِلِ الرَّحبِ
You travel in Najd forcing the wolf to carry provisions,
While your people are in spacious dwellings in Rawha.
وَما ذاكَ إِلَّا نَفحَةٌ حاجِرِيَّةٌ
هَوَيتَ لَها عَيشَ الأَعاريبِ وَالجَدبِ
That is nothing but a whiff of ungracious wind
Which has ruined the lives of nomads in the wilderness.
تَبيتُ خَميصَ البَطنِ إِلَّا مِنَ الجَوى
وَتَغدو رَخِيَّ البالِ إِلَّا مِنَ الحُبِّ
You sleep with a hungry belly except what you get from love,
And you wake up with a worried mind except for passion.
وَهَيَّجَكَ البَرقُ اليَمانِيُّ مَوهِناً
صَلا لَكَ ما لِلبَرقِ وَيبَكَ وَالقَلبِ
The Yemeni lightning agitated you while it was raining,
Praying for you. What can lightning do? It weeps while the heart grieves.
وَأَشعَثَ حَيَّينا بِهِ غُرَّةَ الدُّجى
وَقَد نَشِطَ التَّهويمُ عَن مُقَلِ الرَّكبِ
The untidy Hayyan woke us up at the break of dawn
When the camels had rested from the fatigue of traveling.
إِذا ما تَغَنَّت بَينَ أَبرادِهِ الصَّبا
تَرَنَّحَ مَرُّ الرِّيحِ بِالغُصُنِ الرَّطبِ
When the morning breeze sings between its coolness,
The passing wind sighs in the moist branch.
قَرُبتَ وَأَنواء الغَمامِ بَخيلَةٌ
بَعيد بِأَيام الغَضارَةِ وَالخِصبِ
You drew near while rain clouds are stingy
Far are the days of fertility and prosperity.
أَبى اتِّخاذَ الزَّادِ ما لا يَنالُهُ
مِنَ الغَصبِ أَو يأسوبِهِ سَغَبَ الصَّحبِ
He refused to take provisions that cannot be attained
Through tyranny or plunder or greed of companions.
دَعا آلَ حَزنٍ وَالرِّماحُ تَنوشُهُ
فَيا قُربَ ما لَبَّيتَ بِالطَّعنِ وَالضَّربِ
The troubles and spears have invited him
So O the near one, you have not responded to stabbing and striking.
وَلَو أَنَّني أَدعوهُ كانَ جَوابُهُ
بِأَسرَعَ مِن سَلّي لِحادِثَةٍ عَضبي
Had I called him, his reply would have been
Swifter than my drawing a sword in anger.
وَجَدتُكَ أَحلَى في جُفوني مِنَ الكَرى
وَأَعذَبَ في نَفسي مِنَ البارِدِ العَذبِ
I found you sweeter in my eyes than others
And more delightful in my soul than fresh sweet water.
فَقُل لِجَناب بِالغُوَيرِ تَضَوَّعَت
عَلَيكَ الخُزامى وَهيَ تَلعَبُ بِاللُّبِّ
Tell my side at Ghuwair drizzling
That Khuzama are playing with wood.
سَقاكَ رَسِيلُ الدَّمعِ تَحسبُ جُودَهُ
أَكُفُّ الخَفاجِيين فاضِحَةَ السُّحبِ
The flow of tears has quenched you thinking its generosity
Exposes the hidden rainbows.
إِذا خِلتَهُ إِيمانَهُم فَبروقُهُ
سُيوف وَهَل إِيمانُ قَومي بِلا قَضبِ
When their faith is tested, its lightning
Are swords. Is the faith of my people without staves?
وَما كُنتُ أَهوى أَن يَحُلَّ فَناءَهُ
سِوى الدَّمع إِلَّا أَنَّها عادَةُ العُربِ
I did not like that it would end but with tears
Except that this is the habit of Arabs.
يَعُزُّ مَديحي دونَ إِعراضِ مَعشَرٍ
يَهمُّونَ بي حَتّى يَغُرُّهُمُ سَبيِّ
My praise is difficult for a group
Who slander me until slander makes them arrogant.
وَما كُنتُ أَرضى بِالدَّنِيَّةِ مِنهُمُ
سُبابي فَهَّلا حاكَموني إِلى الحَربِ
I was not pleased with their meanness towards me
Why did they not make me the judge if they blamed me?
وَا وَعَدَني مِنهُم رِجالٌ بِغارَةٍ
تُشَنُّ فَأَمنا يا لقاحَ بَني كَعبِ
A man among them promised me a raid
That will be launched. How excellent the meeting of Bani Kaab!
وَقَد عَلِموا أَنِّي جَعَلتُ صُدورَهُم
مَقَرِّي فَخالوني خُلِقتُ مِنَ الرُّعبِ
They knew I made their chests
My shelter. They left me; I am created from fright.
أَضاعوا المَعالي كَالضُّيوفِ وَجارُهُم
بَعيدُ القِرى غَيرُ الرَّبيلَةِ وَالعُشبِ
They forgot the sublime acts like guests while their neighbor
Is far from settlements other than Rabeelah and Ushb.
تَصَفَّحتُ إِخواني فَلَم أَرَ فيهِمُ
صَفِيَّ وِدادٍ لا يَقِرُّ عَلى ذَنبِ
I examined my brethren but did not see among them
A loyal affectionate friend who does not insist on a fault.
وَقالَ فُؤادي لا تُطِع مُتَجَنِّباً
فَخالَفتُهُ وَاِختَرتُ قَومي عَلى قَلبي
My heart said do not obey an estranged one.
But I opposed it and chose my people over my heart.
وَلَكِن أَخٌ لي مِن تَنوخُ يَوَدُّني
عَلى البُعدِ إِن خانَ الصَّدِيقُ عَلى القُربِ
But I have a brother from Tanookh who wants me
Despite the distance if a friend betrays in proximity.
أَلِفنا ظَلامَ اللَّيلِ حَتّى كَأَنَّنا
وَجَدِّكَ أَولى بِاللَّيالي مِنَ الشُّهبِ
We got accustomed to the darkness of night as if we
And your nightly journeys are better than meteors.
