يَا حُرَّ أَمْسَيْتُ شَيْخاً قَدْ وَهَى بَصَرِي
وَالْتَاثَ مَا دُونَ يَوْمِ الوَعْدِ مِنْ عُمُرِي
O Hurr, I have aged, my vision has weakened
And all that remains of my life is less than the time I still have
يَا حُرَّ مَنْ يَعْتَذِرْ مِنْ أَنْ يُلِمَّ بِهِ
رَيْبُ الزَّمَانِ فَإِني غَيْرُ مُعْتَذِرِ
O Hurr, who can apologize for the misfortunes of time?
For I have no excuse against the calamities of fate
يَا حُرَّ أَمْسى سَوادُ الرَّأْسِ خَالَطَهُ
شَيْبُ القَذالِ اخْتِلاَطَ الصَفْوِ بِالْكَدَرِ
O Hurr, the blackness of my hair is now mixed with grey
The purity intermingled with the murkiness
يَا حُرَّ أَمْسَتْ تَلِيَّاتُ الصِّبَا ذَهَبَتْ
فَلْسْتُ مِنْهَا عَلَى عَيْنٍ ولاَ أَثَرِ
O Hurr, the twisting locks of my youth are gone
I have no trace or sign of them left
قَدْ كُنْتُ أَهْدِي ولا أُهْدَى فَعَلَّمَنِي
حُسْنَ المَقَادَةِ أَنِّي فَاتَنِي بَصَرِي
I used to give gifts but receive none, so time
Taught me the beauty of restraint as my sight left me
كَانَ الشَّبَابُ لِحَاجَاتٍ وكُنَّ لَهُ
فَقَدْ فَرَغْتُ إلَى حَاجَاتِي الأُخَرِ
My youth was preoccupied with its own needs, as time
Moved me on to my other needs of older age
رَامَيْتُ شَيْبِي كِلاَنَا قَائِمٌ حِجَجاً
سِتِّينَ ثُمَّ ارْتَمَيْنَا أَقْرَبَ الفُقَرِ
I cast my grey hair as my riding beast, both of us standing firm
Sixty years since, and then closer to poverty we crept
رَامَيْتُهُ مُنْذُ رَاعَ الشَّيْبُ فَالِيَتِي
ومِثْلُهُ قَبْلُه في سَالِفِ العُمُرِ
I cast it away since grey hairs first sprouted
And for as many years again in my past life
أرْمِي النُّحُورَ فَأُشْوِيها وتَثْلِمُنِي
ثَلْمَ الإِنَاءِ فَأَغْدُو غَيْرَ مُنْتَصِرِ
I shoot arrows but grey hairs make me miss
As a cracked vessel, I set forth without victory
في الظَّهْرِ والرَّأْسِ حَتَّى يَسْتَمِرَّ بِهِ
قَصْرُ الهِجَارِ وفي السَّاقَيْنِ كَالفَتَرِ
In my back and head, decay grew
And my legs became unsteady like one exhausted
قَالَتْ سُلَيْمَى بِبَطْنِ القَاعِ مِنْ سُرُحٍ
لاَ خَيْرَ في العَيْشِ بَعْدَ الشَّيْبِ والكِبَرِ
Sulaima said from the valley of Suruh
There is no good in life after grey hair and old age
واسْتَهْزَأَتْ تِرْبُهَا مِنِّي فَقُلْتُ لَهَا
مَاذَا تَعِيبَانِ مِنِّي يَا بْنَتَيْ عَصَرِ
And the dust of her grave mocked me, so I said
What do you find ugly in me, my two daughters of my time?
لَوْلاَ الحَيَاءُ ولَوْلاَ الدِّينُ عِبْتُكُمَا
بِبَعْضِ مَا فِيكُمَا إِذْ عِبْتُما عَوَرِي
If not for shyness and faith, I would have
Responded about some of your own shame, when you shamed my flaws
قَدْ قُلْتُمَا لِيَ قَوْلاً لاَ أَبَا لَكُمَا
فِيهِ حَدِيثٌ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْ قِصَرِ
You both spoke words to me, shameless girls,
About what was due to my diminished strength
مَا أَنْتُمَا والَّذِي خَالَتْ حُلُومُكُمَا
إِلاَّ كَحَيْرَانَ إذْ يَسْري بِلاَ قَمَرِ
You are but like lost camels with no moon,
Your forms molded from darkness and night
إنْ يَنْقُضِ الدَّهْرُ مِنِّي مِرَّةٍ لِبِلىً
فَالدَّهْرُ أَرْوَد بِالأَقْوَامِ ذُوِ غَيرِ
If time destroys me once with decay
Then time brings down nations with its changes
لَقَدْ قَضَيْتُ فَلاَ تَسْتَهْزِئَا سَفَهاً
مِمَّا تَقَمَّأْتُهُ مِنْ لَذَّةٍ وَطَرِي
Do not mock foolishly what I have tasted
Of pleasure and fertilty before decay
يَا جَارَتَيَّ عَلَى ثَاجٍ طَرِيقُكُمَا
سَيْراً حَثِيثاً أَلَّما تَعْلَمَا خَبَرِي
O neighbors, your path is upon a rugged road
Travel gently, do not pretend to know my story!
أَنِّي أُقَيِّدُ بِالْمَأْثُورِ رَاحِلَتِي
ولاَ أُبَالِي ولَوْ كُنَّا عَلَى سَفَرِ
I tie my she-camel with tradition though we travel far
And I do not care even if we are on a journey
لاَ تَأْمَنُ السَّيْفَ إذْ رَوَّحْتُهَا إِبِلي
حَتَّى تَرَى نِيبَهَا يَضْمِزْنَ بِالْجِرَرِ
The sword is not safe if I unsheathe it around my camels
Until you see the flash of its lightning strike
مَا يُصِبِ السَّيْفُ سَاقَهُ فَحُقَّ لَهُ
ومَا تَدَعُ ضَرْبَتِي لاَ يُنْجِهِ حَذَرِي
My sword blow does not miss its target
And my strike cannot be avoided by caution
ولاَ أَقُومُ عَلَى حَوْضي فَأَمْنَعُهُ
بَذْلَ اليَمِين بِسَوْطِي بَادِياً حُتُرِي
I do not stand at the water trough and withhold it
Showing my arms, striking with my whip
ولاَ تَهَيَّبُني المَومَاةُ أَرْكَبُهَا
إِذَا تَجَاوَبَتِ الأَصْداءُ بِالسَّحَرِ
The owl's hooting does not frighten me as I ride it
When the echoes respond at dawn
ولاَ أَقُومُ إِلَى الْمَوْلَى فَأَشْتُمُهُ
ولاَ يُخْدِّشُهُ نَابِي ولاَ ظُفَرِي
Nor do I rise against the Master and insult him
My tusks and claws do not touch him
أَبْقَى خُطُوبٌ وحَاجاتٌ تُضَيِّفُني
ومَا جَنَى الدَّهْرُ مِنْ صَفْوٍ ومِنْ كَدَرِ
I have remaining battles and needs that visit me
And whatever the days have collected of sweet and bitter
مِثْلَ الحُسَامِ كَرِيماً عِنْدَ خِلَّتِهِ
لِكُلِّ إِزْرَةِ هذا الدَّهْرِ ذَا إِزَرِ
Like the noble Indian swords in their status
Meet for every coarse garment of this age
يَا لَيْتَ لي سَلْوَةً يُشْفَى الفؤَادُ بِهَا
مِنْ بَعْضِ مَا يَعْتَرِي قَلْبِي مِنْ الذِّكَرِ
Oh that I had some consolation to comfort my heart
From some of what saddens my heart from memories
أَوِلَيْتَ أَنَّ النَّوَى قَبْلَ البِلى جَمَعَتْ
شَعْبَيْ نَوَى مُصْعِدٍ مِنَّا ومُنْحَدِرِ
If only the good old days before decay
Had brought our scattered tribes together
عَاد الأَذِلَّةُ في دَارٍ وكانَ بهَا
هُرْتُ الشَّقَاشِقِ ظَلاَّمُونَ لِلْجُزُرِ
The weak returned to the house where once
I scared away the oppressive villains in the darkness
يَا عيْنِ بَكِّي حُنَيْفاً رَأْسَ حَيِّهِمُ
الكَاسِرِينَ القَنَا في عَوْرَةِ الدُّبُرِ
Oh eye, weep sincerely for the head of their tribe
That bent the spear in the darkest night
والحَامِلِينَ إِذَا مَا جَرَّ جَارِمُهُمْ
بِحَامِلٍ غَيْر خَوَّارٍ ولاَ ضَجِرِ
And who, when their wickedness passed all bounds,
Bore it without dismay or weariness
والضَّارِبِينَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ إذَا نَهَدَتْ
مَثنَى القِدَاحِ وحُبَّتْ فَوْزَةُ الخَطَرِ
Who struck with their hands when the wine cups
Were passed around and the excitement of fortune stirred
أَعْدَاءُ كُوِم الذُّرَى تَرْغُو أجِنَّتُها
عِنْدَ المَجَازِرِ بَيْنَ الحَيِّ والحُجَرِ
Enemies of the horsemen, their tents murmuring
At frontiers between settlements and wilderness
يَمْشي إلَيْهَا بَنُو هَيْجَا وإِخْوَتُهَا
شُمّاً مَخَامِيصَ لاَ يَعْكُونَ بِالأُزُرِ
The tribe of Hayjan approached them
Strong, tearing men who scorned to wear cloaks
فِتيَانُ صِدْقٍ وأَيْسِارٌ إِذَا افْتَرَشُوا
أقْدَامَهمْ بَيْنَ مَلْحُوفٍ ومُنْعَفِرِ
Trustworthy and noble youths when they spread out
Their feet amid softened and hardened earth
شُمُّ العَرَانِين يُنْسيهم مَعَاطِفَهُمْ
ضَرْبُ القِدَاحِ وتَأْرِيبٌ عَلَى العَسِرِ
They are made heedless of their cloaks by the scent of
Wine passing round, toasting to the hardship of poverty
لاَ يَفْرَحُونَ إِذَا مَا فَازَ فَائِزُهُمْ
ولاَ تُرَدُّ عَلَيْهِمُ أُرْبَةُ اليَسَرِ
They rejoice not when their winner prevails
And do not flinch when luck goes against them
هُمُ الخَضَارِمُ والأَيْسَارُ إِنْ نُدِبُوا
فَلاَ تُجِيلُ قِدَاحاً رَاحَتا بَشرِ
They are both refined and noble, when called to battle
Their cups do not cease though their arms rest
قَوْمِي بَنُو عَامِرٍ فَاخْطِرْ بِمِثْلِهِمُ
عِنْدَ الشَّقَاشِقِ ذَاتِ الجَوْرِ وافْتَخِرِ
My people, the sons of Amer - remind them
Of this when speaking to the unjust with pride
فِيهِمْ تَجَاوَبُ أَفْلاَءُ الْوَجِيهِ إِذَا
صَامَ الضحَى تَقْدَعُ الذِّبَّانَ بِالنخَرِ
Among them the noble flowers of men respond when
Fasting in daylight, striking flints to kindle flame
تَعْتَادُهَا قُرَّحٌ مَلْبُونَةٌ خُنُفٌ
يَنْفُخْنَ في بُرْعُمِ الْحَوْذَانِ والخَضِرِ
They feed on a mash of aromatic herbs
Blowing through the perforated nose-bone and greens
جُرْدٌ تُبَارِي الشبَا أُرْقٌ مَرَاكِلُهَا
مِثلُ السَّرَاحِينِ مِنْ أُنْثَى ومِنْ ذَكَرِ
Stallions competing with youths, their saddles
Like hill-like camels, females and males
مِنْ كُّلِّ أَهْوَجَ سِرْدَاحٍ ومُقْرَبَةٍ
تُقَاتُ يَوْمَ لِكَاكِ الوِرْدِ بِالْغُمَرِ
From every bay-colored and dark-bay steed
That grazes one day on the flowering shrub anemone
نَحْنُ الْمُقِيمُونَ لَمْ تَبْرَحْ ظَعَائِنُنَا
لا نَسْتَجِيرُ ومَنْ يَحْلُلْ بِنَا يُجَرِ
Wealth of men - were you to see them
You would say a flock of wild asses from the mountain
مِنَّا بِبَادِيَةِ الأَعْرَابِ كِرْكِرْةٌ
إِلَى كَرَاكِرَ بِالأَمْصَارِ والْحَضَرِ
We quench the thirst of death's long night on its onset
And in our misfortune show patience from its trials
فِينَا كَرِاكِرُ أَجْوَازٌ مُضَبَّرَةٌ
فِيها دُروءٌ إِذَا خِفْنَا مِنَ الزَّوَرِ
We feed the guest dried meat though the winter winds
Howl around the encampment within the courtyard
فِينَا خَنَاذِيذُ فُرْسَانٍ وأَلْوِيَةٌ
كُلُّ سَائِمَةٍ مِنْ سَارِحٍ عَكَرٍ
We heap the fire with logs though the flames rise high
We do not flinch or shield ourselves from the fire
وثَرْوَةٌ مِنْ رِجَالٍ لوْ رَأَيْتَهُمُ
لقُلْتَ إِحْدَى حِرَاجِ الجَرِّ مِنْ أَقُرِ
Can you see encampments challenged by opponents
Covering the battlefield between ruins and wineskins
يَسْقِي الكُمَاةَ سِجَالَ الْمَوْتِ بَدْأَتُنَا
وعِنْدَ كَرَّتِنَا المُرَّى مِنَ الصَّبِرِ
They kindled a fire using the branches that were lifted
From the side of the large cooking pot
ونُطْعِمُ الضَّيْفَ مَعْبُوَط السَّنَامِ إِذَا
أَلْوَتْ رِيَاحُ الشِّتَاءِ الهُوْجُ بالحُظُرِ
Layla's protectors spent the night seeking for her
Good burning wood, not slight or meager
ونُلْحِفُ النَّارَ جَزْلاً وَهْيَ بَارِزَةٌ
ولاَ نَلُطُّ وَرَاءَ النّارِ بِالسُّتَرِ
Then they departed willingly after sacrifice
Like the camels of Gilan or Hijaz at dawn
يَا هَلْ تَرَى ظُعُناً تُحْدَى مُقَفِّيَةً
تغْشَى مَخَارِمَ بَيْنَ الخَبْتِ والْخَمَرِ
The horses hastened to them until her mount shuddered
A giant, hugely built, uncastrated male
أَوْقَدْنَ نَاراً بِإِثْبِيتَ التي رُفِعَتْ
مِنْ جَانِبِ القُفِّ ذَاتِ الضَّالِ والهُبُرِ
A stallion swimming powerfully in his creation
Fierce, biting his lip, reddening his gray coat
بَاتَتْ حَوَاطِبُ لَيْلَى يَلْتَمِسْنَ لَهَا
جَزْلَ الْجِذَا غَيْرَ خَوَّارٍ ولاَ دَعِرِ
Thick of shoulder, his elbows unscarred
Eyes flashing, high-headed and sharp-sighted
ثمَّ ارْتَحَلْنَ نَيّاً بَعْد تَضْحِيَةٍ
مِثْلَ الْمَخَارِيفِ مِنْ جَيْلانَ أَوْ هَجَرِ
I led the wild beasts, keeping back some of her harm
Until I was exiled with the baggage camels marching
طَافَتْ بِهَا الفُرْسُ حَتَّى بَذَّ نَاهِضَهَا
عُمٌّ لَقِحْنَ لِقَاحاً غَيْرَ مُبْتَسَرِ
The caravan breathed heavily in the resting places
While its regiments and fighters snorted loudly
وهَيْكلٍ سَابِحٍ في خَلْقِهِ طَنَبٌ
حَابِي الشَّراسِيفِ يُرْدِي مَارِدَ الحُمُرِ
In the barren lands the heart quails from it
The murmuring sounds of the beasts roaring
ضَخْمِ الكَرَادِيسِ لَمْ تُغْمَزْ أَبَاجِلُهُ
مهرت الشدق سامي الهم والنظر
Among them the moaning unsettled hedgehog
And the tumult like a divorced woman wailing mourning cries
قد قدت للوحش أبقي بعض غرتها
حَتَّى نُبِذْتُ بِعَيْر العَانَةِ النَّعِرِ
The yellow, blue and gray gazelle stand erect
Bound to the staff above the flowering shrub
والعَيْرُ يَنْفَحُ في المَكْنَانِ قَدْ كَتِنَتْ
مِنْهُ جَحَافِلُهُ والعَضْرَسِ الثُّجَرِ
And a raid like the wild cats I ignited
I struck it with a spear, sharp-sighted
بِعَازِبِ النَّبْتِ يَرْتَاعُ الفُؤَادُ لَهُ
رَأْدُ النَّهارِ لأَصْوَاتٍ مِنَ النُّعَرِ
And my friend pretends to be angry, sullen
Coming between the wild donkey and late afternoon
فِيهِ مِنَ الأَخْرَجِ المُرْتَاعِ قَرْقَرَةٌ
هَدْرَ الدِّيَافِيِّ وَسْطَ الهَجْمَةِ البُحُرِ
So I rose against him and he reared up
Bristling, standing on his stirrups unsteadily
والأَزْرَقُ الأَصْفَرُ السِّرْبَالِ مُنْتَصِبٌ
قِيدَ العَصَا فَوْقَ ذَيَّالٍ مِنَ الزَّهَرِ
I unleash my criticism though his tribes are many
Against a handful like the yellow carob pods
وغَارَةً كقَطَا القُرْيَانِ مُشْعَلَةٍ
قَدَعْتُهَا بِسَرْندىً شَاخِصِ البَصَرِ
With downcast and silent eyebrows, and slackened cheek
While the eyes peer out beneath the shaggy forelock
وصَاحِبِي وَهْوَهٌ مُسْتَوْهِلٌ زَعِلٌ
يَحُولُ بَيْنَ حِمَارِ الوَحْشِ والعَصَرِ
He neighs with both incisors, it removes his bridle
In the death throes as the jinn witness his end
فَقُمْتُ أَلْجُمُهُ وقَامَ مُشْتَرِفاً
عَلَى سَنَابِكِهِ في شَائِلٍ يَسَرِ
I say, and the rope is drawn tight around his muzzle
Loosened for him if its handle slips from our grasp
أُرْخِي العِذَارَ وإِنْ طَالَتْ قَبَائِلُهُ
عَنْ حَشْرَةٍ مِثْلِ سِنْفِ المَرْخَةِ الصَّفِرِ
And the heart has a pocket beneath its fold
For the blood of Al-Walid behind the back with a stone
في حَاجِبٍ خَاشِعٍ ومَاضِغٍ لَهِزٍ
والعَيْنُ تَكْشِفُ عَنْهَا ضَافِيَ الشَّعَرِ
As if a lizard tightened its belt around
The insides of the malignant with layer upon layer
يُفَرْفِرُ الفَأْسَ بِالنَّابَيْنِ يَخْلَعُهُ
في أَفْكَلٍ مِنْ شهُودِ الجِنِّ مُحْتَضِرِ
Billowing resin yet its amulets unleashed
Bare of necklace of shells or beads
أَقُولُ والحَبْلُ مَشْدُودٌ بِمِسْحَلِهِ
مُرْخىً لَهُ إِنْ يَفُتْنَا مَسْحُهُ يَطِرِ
He holds back the donkey loosely though it is bridled
Like a compliant branch pleading for rain
ولِلْفُؤَادِ وجِيبٌ تَحْتَ أَبْهَرِهِ
لدْمَ الوَلِيدِ وَرَاء الغَيْبِ بِالحَجَرِ
Restored when its evil guests left it
The harmful creatures and scourge of the ridge
كَأَنَّ دُبَّاءَةً شُدَّ الحِزَامُ بِهَا
في جَوْفِ أَهْوَجَ بِالتَّقْرِيبِ والحَضَرِ
As if it is the mass of a planet that thickened
By the bending of the north and the bow's jerk with the string
غَوْجُ اللَّبَانِ ولَمْ تُعْقَدْ تَمَائِمُهُ
مُعْرَى القِلاَدَةِ مِنْ رَبْوٍ ولاَ بُهُرِ
Its hide almost splits from its shoulders
By the stumbling, the moth's flight, and betrayal
يُرْدِي الحِمَارَ لِزَاماً وهْوَ مُبْتَرِكٌ
كَالأَشْعَبِ الخَاضِعِ النَّاجِي مِنَ المَطَرِ
The fetlock of Al-Walid with a twisted, sturdy thread
Between the ties in a straight rod of willow
المُسْتَضَافِ وَلمّا تَفْنَ شِرَّتُهُ
مِنَ الكِلاَبِ وضيفِ الهَضْبَةِ الضِّرَرِ
كَأَنَّهُ مَتْنُ مِرِّيخٍ أَمَرَّ بِهِ
زَيْغُ الشِّمَالِ وحَفْزُ القَوْسِ بالوَتَرِ
يَكَادُ يَنْشَقُّ عَنْهُ سِلْخُ كَاهِلِهِ
زَلُّ الْعِثَارِ وَثَبْتُ الْوَعْثِ وَالغَدَرِ
هَرْجَ الوَلِيدِ بِخَيْطٍ مُبْرَمٍ خَلَقٍ
بَيْنَ الرَّوَاجِبِ في عُودٍ مِنَ العُشَرِ
