ذَكَرْت أَذْكاراً فَهاجَتْ شَجْبَا

مِن أَنْ عَرَفْت المَنْزِلات الحُسْبا

I remembered prayers, so passions were aroused,

When I recognized the stages were esteemed.

بِالكِمْعِ لَمْ تَمْلِكْ لِعَيْنٍ غَرْبَا

يُحْسَبْنَ شاماً بالِيا أَوْ كُتْبَا

With a wink, no eye prevailed over a glance,

As if they were Damascus or books.

طَحْطَحَها شَذْبُ السِنِينَ شَذْبا

وَالمُذْرِيَاتُ بالِذَوَارِي حَصْبا

The passing years have made them withered,

And the mature have become like pebbles.

بِهَا جُلالاً وَدُقاقاً هَلْبا

وَكُنَّ مِنْ نَحْوِ الصَبَا مُهَبّا

In them is majesty, coquetry and swaying,

And they were blowing from the direction of youth.

لا يَحْتَجِبْن مِنْ وَرَاء حُجْبا

وَاعْتَلَجَ السَيْلُ بِها وَدَبّا

They do not conceal themselves behind veils,

And the torrent burst forth with them and crept.

وَقَدْ تَرَي غُرَّ الثَنايَا عُرْبا

بِها وَأَحْياءً وَلاباً كَثْبا

You can see the caves of the sand dunes as shelters,

Alive, desolate, and abundant.

وَالجُرْدَ تَعْدُو شَطْبَةً وَشَطْبا

وَعِزّ أَنْضادٍ تُسامِي الهَضْبا

And bare shanks running lightly and bounding,

And the glory of the young women rising to the peaks.

حَسْبُكَ مِنْ حَيٍّ حِلالٍ حَسْبا

حَسْبُك أَبْنائِي وَكَعْبِي كَعْبا

You have enough of a living, lawful people,

You have enough of my sons and walking stick.

وَإِنْ جَمَعْنَا مِنْ تَمِيم أَشْبا

رَأَى حَصَانَا الحالِبُون الحَلْبا

And if we gathered the allies of Tameem,

The milkers saw our steeds lope.

كَاللَّيْلِ يَعْتَزُّ الجِبالَ القُهْبا

قَد أَصْبَح الناسُ عَلَيْنَا أَلْبا

Like the night bragging to the mountains,

The people blamed us in the morning.

فَالناسُ فِي جَنْبٍ وَكُنَّا جَنْبا

إِنَّ تَمِيماً وَالغِضابَ الغُلْبا

So the people were on one side, and we on the other,

Tameem and rage have overcome.

قَلَّصَ بِالأَعْداءِ فَاصْلَهَبَّا

تَرَاهُ فِي أَجْلادِهِ خِدَبّا

It diminished the enemies so they withered,

You see them in their skins like palm fiber.

ضَخْمَ الذَفارَى جَسْرَباً قَهْقَبّا

إِذا تَقَبَّى مُخْدِرَاهُ اقْتَبّا

Huge lively chestnut stallions,

If their shoulders were covered they would bite.

هاماً وَهاماً وَرِقاباً رُقْبا

وَلَيْسَ مَن أَمْسَى عَلَيْنا حِزْبا

Ambling this way and that with necks bent over,

And no group remained among us in the evening

مُعْتَصِماً مِنْ غَيْظِ كَرْبٍ كَرْبا

حَتَّى يَعَضَّ جَنْدَلاً وَخُشْبا

Seeking refuge from fierce adversity

Until it bites wood and staff.

بَلْ بِيدِ صَحْراء تُناصِي سهْبا

إِذا قَطِيف اللَّيْل أَلْقَى الهُدْبا

But rather with a bare hand it reaches far,

When the hem of night casts its cloak,

أَوْ لَعِبَ الآلُ عَلَيْها لِعْبا

تَراهُ مَرَّاتٍ وَمَرّاً ذَهْبا

Or boys play on it,

You see it coming and going gold.

جَرَّدَ سَهْباً وَتَغشَّى سَهْبا

وَالعِيسُ يَنْعَبْنَ العَنِيقَ نَعْبا

It stripped the ground bare and slipped by it

And the lambs bleat from the baby camels loudly,

قَدْ ضَمَّها النَحْزُ فَصَارَتْ قَضْبا

إِلّا نجاة أَوْ زِوَرّاً صَقْبا

Having been brought together by destiny so they stood erect

Except rescued or visitors briefly hosted.

مَلْحُوبَةً تَنْجُو نَجاءً لَحْبا

سَيْراً يُدنِّي مِنْ هَوانَا قُرْبا

Bewitched so they barely escape,

Journeys that bring our humiliation nearer,

يَفْرِينَ بِالخَرْقِ فَرِيّاً أَدْبا

بَوْعاً بِأَشْطانِ الفَلا وَجَذْبا

Galloping freely with the saddlebags,

Terrified by the thickets of ELEI shrubs and pulling away,

إِذا اعْتَسَفْن عَتَباً أَوْ نَقْبا

وَانتَعلَت أَخفافُهنَّ صُلبا

When they stumble over a hill or sands,

And their smooth shoes have become firm.

كَصلَبِ الفيلِ عُراضاً قَسبا

أَصْهَبَ يَمْطُو مَرِساتٍ صُهْبا

Like the firmness of elephants' legs, long striding,

Chestnut, ambling on paths.

وَإِنْ قَرىً أَوْ مَنْكِب أَلَبَّا

إِذَا تَنَزَّى ثِنْيُهُ اتْلأَبَّا

And if he saw a village or a slope,

When its flank turned aside it leaned over.

رَكبْنَه أَوْ كُنَّ عَنْهُ نُكْبا

والخِمْسُ ناج مُسْتَحِثُّ الصَحْبا

Mount them or avoid them,

And the fifth a companion is urging on company,

إِذا تَهاوَى القَرَبُ اسْتَتَبَّا

وَإِنْ نصَبْنا سَيْرَهُنَّ نَصْبا

When the relatives fell he relied on himself

And if we direct their journey,

ناوَشْنَ مِنْ آجِنِ ماءٍ شِرْبا

حائِرَ غَيْل أَوْ يَرِدْنَ جُبّا

They gulp clear cold water to drink,

Wandering lost or returning to a hollow.

قَدْ قَدَّحَتْ مِنْ سَلْبِهِنَّ سَلْبا

قارُورَةُ العَيْنِ فَصَارَتْ وَقْبا

Kindling from their captives a spark,

The jar of the eye has become ember,

كَالقَلْتِ آلَ الماءُ مِنْهُ نَضْبا

إِذا أَقَمْنَا عَجِراتٍ شُزْبا

Like lime whose water has dried up.

When we stay up late crowding together,

جارَت إِلَى الغَوْرِ النُجُوم سَحْبا

خُوْصاً تُسامِي اللَّيْلَ ما اسْلَحَبَّا

The stars in the darkness sparkled drawing near.

Small words reaching the night - how they pleaded!

وَضَحِكَتْ مِنِّي أُبَيْلَى عُجْبا

لَمّا رَأَتْنِي بَعْدَ لِينٍ جَأْبا

And smooth cheeks laughed at me in wonder,

When she saw me after softness, bending.

رَأَتْ مِنَ الشَيْبِ حَماطاً شُهْبا

تُتْرَكُ بِيضاً أَوْ تَمَسُّ الخَضْبا

She saw the sprinkling of gray hair,

Left white or touching the dye.

وَاعْتَبَطَتْ عِرْسِي كَلاماً ذِرْبا

قَدْحاً بِنِيرانٍ تُذَكِّي العُطْبا

And she used charming words to tempt me,

A flash with fires that ignite passion.

لَوْ كُنْتُ مَوْهُوناً صَدَعْنَ القَلْبا

فَقُلْتُ وَالأَضْلاعُ تَطْوِي الضَبّا

If I were upset, they would shatter the heart,

So I said, and the ribs bend the bamboo stalk.

أَطول أَيّامِي فَضَحْن الحُبّا

أَخْلَقَ جَفْنِي وَالحُسَامَ العَضْبا

“My longest days reveal love,

They deceive my eyelids and the sharp swords.

دَهْرٌ وَأَقْدارٌ عَصَبْنَ عَصْبا

وَالدَّهْرُ يُبْدِي بَعْدَ خَطْبٍ خَطْبا

Fate and destiny have tied a bond,

And fate shows after words, words -

لأَهْلِهِ سَلامَةً أَوْ نكبا

لَمَّا رَأَتْنِي يَرْفَئِيّاً نَدْبا

Well being or misfortune for its people.

When she saw me like an abandoned house,

قُلْت أَفِيقِي لَمْ تَرَيْ لِي عَتْبا

فِيمَ تَجْنَّيْنَ عَلَيَّ الذَنْبا

I said, “Wake up, do you not see my sadness?

Why do you accuse me of sin?

لا تَجْمَعِي نَمِيمَةً وَصَخْبا

وَكُنْتُ بِاللَّغْبِ أُدَاوِي اللَّغْبا

Do not gather gossip and lies.

I was healing passion with passion,

مِنْكِ وَأَشْتَقُّ اشْتِقاقاً شَغْبا

أُنْكِر أَقْوالاً وَأُبْقِي علْبا

And I long for you longingly.”

I deny words and keep madness,

وَقَدْ تَعَرَّفْنَ العراقَ الجَدْبا

وَمَارَسَ النّاسُ السِنِينَ الحُدْبا

And we have known Iraq to be barren,

And the years have partnered with humpbacks,

وَاسْتَسْلَمَ المُؤَيِّلُونَ السِرْبا

والمَحْلُ يَبْرِي وَرَقاً وَنَجْبا

And the rainmakers have submitted to childhood friends.

And the place sprouted leaves and grew fresh,

قالَت ألَا تَبْغِي بَنِيكَ الكَسْبا

شَآمِياً أَوْ مشْرِقاً أَوْ غَرْبا

She said, “Do you not want earnings for your sons,

Syrian, Eastern, or Western?”

فَقَد أَنَى حَينُك أَنْ تَأْتَبَّا

إِلَى المُصَفَّى إِنْ شَكَوْتَ اللّزْبا

So your time has passed to be corrected,

To the Purifier, if you complained of insolence.

عَضَّ بِأَنْيابٍ فأَبْقَى جُلْبا

مِنْ ثِقَلِ الدَّيْنِ وَشَدَّ القِتْبا

He bit with fangs and left worry,

From the weight of debt and tightening of the bowstrings.

إِنَّ المُصفَّى رَهْبَةً وَرُغْبا

يُعْطِي وَيَكْفِي الراهِبِينَ الرُهْبا

The Purifier is awe and desire,

He gives and suffices the reverent their reverence.

حَقّاً مِنَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَجْبا

خَصابَةً مِنْهُ تَمُدُّ الخِصْبا

A right from God over him is obligatory,

Prosperity from Him supplies prosperity.

كَالغَيْثِ يَشْرَوْرَى نَدىً وَعُشْبا

يَسْقِي وَلِيّاً وَرَبِيعاً سَكْبا

Like rain cheering with dew and grass,

Watering a friend and plentiful pouring.

وَأَنْت أَحْجَى النَّاس أَنْ يَذُبّا

عَنْ عِرْضِهِ مَلامَةً وَسَبّا

And you are most protective of people that they insult

His honor with blame and youth.

أَبْلَجُ وَهّابٌ يُعَادِي الخَبّا

فَتىً إِذَا أَنْعَمَ نُعْمَى رَبّا

Shining, bestowing Wahhab scorns hides,

A young man, if the blessings of his Lord are bestowed,

إِذَا الصَنِيعُ المُسْتَغِبُّ غَبّا

أَبَيْتَ بِالأَكْرمِ إِلَّا طِبّا

When the generous are sought, the gift overflows.

You refuse the noble except willingly,

قَدْ نَحَّبَ المَجْدُ عَلَيْكَ نَحْبا

تَقْضِيهِ ما كانَ السِنُونَ دَأْبا

Glory has smiled upon you smiling.

Paying it what the years were accustomed to,

الضَخْمُ حِلْماً وَالبَعِيدُ إِرْبا

في كُلِّ شَعْبٍ قَدْ نَفَحْتَ شَعْبا

Vast forbearance and remote defense.

In every street you have scented sweetly,

إِذَا مَضَى نَهْب أَعَدْتَ نَهْبا

تُنْزِلُ رَكْباً وَتُؤَدِّي رَكْبا

When spoils have gone you prepare spoils.

You house a riding animal and guide a riding animal,

فَالضَيْفُ يُقْرَى وَالمُؤدّي يُحْبا

الْهِنْءُ غَيْثاً وَالجَزِيلُ وَهْبا

So the guest is fed and the guide loved.

Pleasant rain and abundant gift,

إِذَا جَرَى سَيْلُكَ فَاذْلَعَبّا

وَأَفْرَغَتْ مِنْهُ السَواقِي ثَغْبا

When your torrent flows, frolic.

And the channels pour from it strongly,

شَقَّ الفُرات الأَرْضَ حِينَ انْصَبّا

إِذَا تَدَاعَى سَيْلُهُ اتْلأَبّا

The Euphrates split the land when it gushed.

When its floods converge, lean over.

فَمَن أَتَى مُغْتَرِفا أَوْ عَبّا

صادَفَ مِنْهُ صافِياً وَعَذْبا

So whoever comes drawing or crossing

Meets it fresh and sweet.

وَأَنْتَ يا ابْن المُتَّقِينَ القَصْبا

تَحْمِي حِماكَ القاشِبِينَ القِشْبا

And you, O son of the reverent stem,

Protect those who revile you from reviling.

بَدْأً إِذا جارَيْتَهُمْ وَعَقْبا

حَتَّى يَمُوتَ الناقِلُونَ السَبّا

First if you dispute with them and afterward

Until the slanderers die.

فَداكَ مَنْ ضَنَّ وَمَن أَكَبا

وتَرْأَبُ الصدْعَ المَخُوفَ رَأْبا

You ransom those who were stingy and bent over,

And you mend frightening cracks.

وَحِينَ عَدَّ النادِبُونَ النَدْبا

لَمْ يَجِدُوا فِي الأَكْرَمِينَ ضَرْبا

And when the mourners counted the mourning,

They did not find a peer among the generous.

ضَرْبَك إِلّا حاتِماً أَوْ كَعْبا

يَرَى العِدَى دُونَك طَوْداً صَعْبا

A blow like yours except Hatem or Ka’b,

Who sees enmity beneath you as formidable.

فاتَ المُرَامِينَ وفاتَ الوُثْبا

إذا أَخٌ زارَكَ يَدْعُو الرّبّا

The well-aimed missed you and the bounding missed you

When a brother visits you invoking calamity,

يَسْأَلُ مالاً وَيَخافُ ذَنْبا

لاقَى الَّذِي يَبْغِيكَ ما أَحَبّا

Asking for money and fearing sin,

He finds what he desires and loves.

فَدَاكَ وَخْمٌ لا يُبَالِي السَبّا

الْحَزْنُ باباً وَالعَقُورُ كَلْبا

Your protection scorns those who blame,

Sorrow a gate and alienation a dog.