هل طالعتك على الريَّان اظعان

ام قابلتك بريا البان غزلانُ

Have you met me in the meadows of Rayyan,

Or encountered me in the pastures of cattle and gazelles?

لا قلت حييت بعد الحي يا طلل

ولا ترويت بعد البان يابانُ

I did not say "welcome" after life, O Talal,

Nor did I give drink after the pastures, O son of Banu.

ان اسهبوا فصبابات وولولة

او احزنوا فعقابيلٌ واحزان

If they became copious, it was out of generosity and compassion,

Or if they grieved, it was out of kindness and sorrow.

اتبعت عيسهم نفساً مشيَّعة

بها الى الركب تبريحٌ واشجان

Their souls followed the caravan bidding farewell

To it, with yearning and longing.

مشيحةً بوراء الركب زافرة

حتى استقلَّ بهم نصٌّ ووخدان

Bidding the caravan farewell as it departed

Until the caravan rested at a place of hills and dunes.

كأنها حين يطفو الآل سابحة

اشباحها سفنٌ فيه ووديان

As if their ghosts were ships sailing

Among its valleys when the spectres emerged.

حنَّت لأذنبة الوادي وشوَّقها

بالواديين كلاً جعدٌ وغدران

They leaned towards the sins of the valley, tempted

By the two valleys, both twisting and winding.

القوا جرانا بجيرونٍ وهالهم

أن ليس اهل يجيرون وجيران

They found us shelter in Jairun, which amazed them,

That there are no people of Jairun to give shelter.

حلُّوا من الجزع محتلاً بحيث حصا

ه الحرّ تان وحيث القلب حرّان

They endured the intensity wherever heat burned

And wherever the heart burned hot.

قد قدَّروا انَّ نجراناً معرّسهم

واين من ذملان العيس نجران

They reckoned that Najran had married them

Yet where are the camels of 'Is to be found in Najran?

ورّب هيماء قد ضلَّ الدليل بها

يستاف ترب ثراها وهو حيران

By God, many a lost guide in the desolate place

Seeking its dunes while perplexed.

فما اهتدى قائف فيها على اثرٍ

ولا تعسَّفها ذئبٌ وسرحان

No scout found a trace there,

Nor did a wolf or oryx trespass it.

مجاهل لست قبل البين اعرفها

حتى تعرَّفت أن البين عرفان

I do not know it before seeing it clearly

Until I realized that clarity is knowledge.

دار طواها البلى من بعد ما انتشرت

عصباً وشايعه شيح وحوذان

A house time has ruined after it flourished,

Its walls wrecked and its pits caved in.

ما كلما قيل نعمٌ فهي منعمةٌ

او كلما شاق وادٍ فهو نعمان

Not everything called "bounty" is bountiful,

Nor everything called "Naiman" pleasant.

يعينني الدمع والاخوان تخذلني

والدمع عونٌ لمن خانته اعوان

My tears help me while my brethren forsake me,

And tears are help when supporters betray.

اخوانك الناس ما دام الزمان اخاً

كثرٌ فان قلَّ مال قلَّ اخوان

People are brethren as long as time is a brother,

But when wealth is little, brethren are few.

لو رام ذا الدهر انساناً اخا ثقةٍ

لأعوز الدهر بين الناس انسان

If time wanted to make man a trusted brother,

Time would lack among men a human.

ان يسهر الطرف او ينفر به وسنٌ

فبالحدوج كحيل الطرف وسنان

Whether sleeplessness keeps the eyelids awake

Or age makes the eyelids and teeth fall out,

اغار حتى اذا مرَّ النسيم به

فكيف لو باسمه قد فاه غيران

It was jealous until when the breeze passed by it

So how would it be if passion had whispered to others?

ولا تظنّ شؤون المرء واحدةً

فكلُّ يوم له من امره شانُ

Do not think the affairs of man are one,

For each day has its own events.

لئن لبست لباس الشيب رائعه

فقد نزعت شبابي وهو ريعان

If I wore the garb of old age,

I had stripped off my youth while still growing.

قد كنت كالأجدل الغطريف مزدهياً

ايام تنعق في فوديّ غربان

I used to be like a well-groomed young camel,

Frolicking in my meadows when ravens cawed.

وحبذا الشعرات البيض لو بقيت

قد حال لون وبعد الشيب الوان

Best are the white hairs if they had remained

For color changed after the white hairs.

قد كنت اكتمها في الراس مستترا

لو كان يستر شيئاً شاع كتمان

I used to conceal them in my head, hiding,

As if hiding something spread could be concealed.

كانَّ مضمرِها قد راح يظهرها

فكيف يضمر شيء وهو اعلان

Their hidden affair had gone to reveal them

So how can one conceal what is already exposed?

اهل القباب المنيفات التي سطعت

تحت الظلام بها اللضيف نيران

The people of lofty tents that shone bright

With hospitality fires in the darkness.

كأنما الضيف في أبياتهم وله ال

أمر المطاع ورب البيت سيَّان

As if the guest in their dwellings rules

Whose command is obeyed while the owner is equal.

لا بل يرون ثواء الضيف مغنمة

حتى كأنهم للضيف ضيفان

Rather, they see the guest's comfort a gain

As if they are themselves guests of the guest.

المانعون اذا ما ذلَّ جارهم

والمنعمون أذا ما عزَّ احسان

The hostile when their neighbor is humbled,

The generous when benevolence is honored.

والراكبون ظهور العزم ما مشيت

بهم جيادهم والارض جثمان

The riders when their resolute steeds walked with them

And the earth is a carpet.

والمالكون من الجبَّار كبرته

والتاركوه بصغرٍ وهو خزيان

The owners of the mighty tyrant in his greatness,

And those who leave him in littleness while he is disgraced.

جلُّوا فعزُّ واقبيلا في مواطنهم

اذا القبائل اجلت وهي ذلان

They have excelled so they became honored in their dwellings,

When the tribes excelled while they are humiliated.

لا ينطقون بعوراء الكلام ولا

تصيخ منهم إلى العوراء آذان

They do not speak ill of others nor

Do their ears turn to dishonor.

بزّتهم آل حرب تاج ملكهم

وهم لمفرق هام الفخر تيجان

The family of Harb adorned their rule like a crown,

And they are the source of pride's turban.

تعمموا بتريك البيض واتشحوا

بالبيض للحرب والادراع قمصان

They donned white Tirick and wore white

For war, and their sleeves are shirts.

يجرُّ برديه هفهاف القميص به

كما يجرّ فضول الريط نشوان

The excess cloth of his shirt drags behind him

As the train of a gown drags flickering.

مستوجس لا يذوق الغمض ناظره

ذئب الغضاة ازلّ السمع يقظان

Apprehensive, his gaze never tastes sleep,

The wolf of the hotheaded, ever alert and awake.

فأين عدنان والاحياء من مضر

يا لا نأت مضر الحمرا وعدنان

Where then are 'Adnan, and the living ones of Modhar?

O that the ruddy camels of 'Is and 'Adnan would come!