ما عَناكَ الغَداةَ مِن أَطلالِ
دارِساتِ المَقامِ مُذ أَحوالِ
What reminds you of the ruins early in the morning,
Of dwellings whose traces time has effaced?
بادي الرَبعِ وَالمَعارِفِ مِنها
غَيرَ رَسمٍ كَعُصبَةِ الأَغيالِ
The region has become desolate and unfamiliar,
With no landmarks, like the dens of foreign tribes.
ما تَرى العَينُ حَولَها مِن أَنيسٍ
قُربَها غَيرَ رابِداتِ الرِئالِ
My eyes see nothing around but solitude.
No voice stirs except the howl of wolves.
يا خَليلي الغَداةَ إِنَّ دُموعي
سَبَقَت لَمحَ طَرفِها بِاِنهِمالِ
At daybreak, my tears, O friend,
Preceded the stirring of my lids.
قُم تَأَمَّل وَأَنتَ أَبصَرُ مِنّي
هَل تَرى بِالغَميمِ مِن أَجمالِ
Rise and look, for your sight is keener than mine.
Can you see any beauty behind the clouds?
قاضِياتٍ لُبانَةً مِن مُناخٍ
وَطَوافٍ وَمَوقِفٍ بِالجِبالِ
Judges riding she-camels from Muna,
Circling the Kaaba and pausing on hillsides,
حُزِيَت لي بِحَزمِ فَيدَةَ تُحدى
كَاليَهودِيِّ مِن نَطاةِ الرِقالِ
Bearing, like Jews, trimmed scrolls of the Torah,
Tied up in bundles ready for sale.
قِلنَ عُسفانَ ثُمَّ رُحنَ سِراعاً
طالِعاتٍ عَشِيَّةً مِن غَزالِ
They headed for Usfan, then left in haste
At night like gazelles wary of hunters.
قارِضاتِ الكَديدِ مُجتَزِعاتٍ
كُلَّ وادي الجُحوفِ بِالأَثقالِ
They crossed the valley, heavily burdened,
Each wadi filled with their packs.
قَصدَ لَفتٍ وَهُنَّ مُتَّسِقاتٌ
كَالعَدَولِيِّ لا حِقاتِ التَوالي
Keeping close order, they headed straight on,
Like couriers not stopping to rest.
حينَ وَرّكنَ دَوَّةً بِيَمينٍ
وَسُرَيرَ البُضَيعِ ذاتَ الشمالِ
When the camel-litter was slanted to the right
And the couch borne to the left,
جُزنَ وادي المِياهِ مُحتَضِراتٍ
مَدرَجَ العَرجِ سالِكاتِ الخلالِ
They descended the winding valley cautiously,
Following its curves with care.
وَالعُبَيلاءُ مِنهُمُ بِيَسارٍ
وَتَرَكنَ العَقيقَ ذاتَ النِصالِ
Ubayla was on their left flank
While Aqiq marched with drawn swords.
طالِعاتِ الغَميسِ مِن عَبّودٍ
سالِكاتِ الخَوِيِّ مِن أَملالِ
They passed Ghamees after crossing Abbud
And traversed Khoyi after crossing Amlal.
وَطَوَت جانِبَي كُتانَةَ طَيّاً
فَجَنوبَ الحِمى فَذاتَ النِضالِ
They skirted Qatanah from both sides
And traveled south of Hima and Nidal.
فَسَقى اللَهُ مُنتَوى أُمِّ عَمرٍو
حَيثُ أَمَّت بِهِ صُدورُ الرِحالِ
May God water the resting place of Umm ‘Amr,
Where the camel-litters came to a halt.
تَسمَعُ الرَعدَ في المَخيلَةِ مِنها
مِثلَ هَزمِ القُرومِ في الأَشوالِ
You can hear thunder in the clouds above
Like the clash of arms amid war-cries.
وَتَرى البَرقَ عارِضاً مُستَطيراً
مَرَحَ البُلقِ جُلنَ في الأَجلالِ
Lightning flashes and flickers brightly,
Dazzling like the sparks from striking flint.
أَو مَصابيحَ راهِبٍ في يَفاعٍ
سَغَّمَ الزَيتَ ساطِعاتِ الذُبالِ
Or like the lanterns of a monk in a cell,
Their wicks soaked in fragrant oil.
حَبَّذا هُنَّ مِن لُبانَةِ قَلبي
وَجَديدُ الشَبابِ مِن سِربالي
How I love those maidens of Labanah
And the freshness of youth in new attire!
رُبَّ يَومٍ أَتَيتُهُنَّ جَميعاً
عِندَ بَيضاءَ رَخصَةٍ مِكسالِ
Many a day I visited them all
At Bayda’s, dressed at ease.
غَيرَ أَنّي اِمرِؤٌ تَعَمَّمتُ حِلماً
يَكرَهُ الجَهلَ وَالصِبا أَمثالي
But I am a man who has donned forbearance,
Detesting ignorance and wild youth.
وَيُلامُ الحَليمُ إِن هُوَ يَوماً
راجِعَ الجَهلَ بَعدَ شَيبِ القَذالِ
And the forbearing are blamed if someday
They revert to ignorance after grey hairs.
