إذا زُمَّ للبَيْنِ الغَداةَ جِمالُ

فَلا وَصْلَ إلا أنْ يَزورَ خَيالُ

When the caravan departed at dawn,

No reunion but a specter that comes and goes.

تَفرَّقَ أهْواءُ الجَميعِ وثُوِّرَتْ

رَكائِبُ أدْنى سَيْرِهِنَّ نِقالُ

The desires of all were scattered and provoked,

The slightest journey of the riders became far.

وفي الرّكْبِ نَشْوى المُقلَتَيْنِ كأنّها

وديعَةُ أُدْحِيٍّ وهُنّ رِئالُ

Among the traveling party are the two beloveds as if

They were the trust of Udhayy while they are does.

لها نَظَراتُ الرّيمِ تَملأُ سَمْعهُ

حَفيفاً بأيدي القانِعينَ نِبالُ

The eyes of the watcher fill his hearing

With the rustling of satisfied hands wielding spears.

وفي الدّمْعِ منْ خَوفِ الوُشاة إذا رَنَتْ

إلينا أَناةٌ والمَطِيُّ عِجالُ

And in the tears out of fear of spies when she called out to us

Is sympathy while the rider hurries.

فَيا حَسَراتِ النّفْسِ حينَ تقطَّعَتْ

لبَيْنٍ كما شاءَ الغَيورُ حِبالُ

Oh regrets of the soul when ties

Of affection were severed as the jealous one willed.

ونحنُ بنَجْدٍ قَبلَ أن تَفْطُنَ النّوى

بِنا ويَروعَ القاطِنينَ زِيالُ

While we were in Najd before the spears arrived

Panicking the inhabitants and the shields rattled.

على مَنْهَلٍ عَذْبِ النِّطافِ كأنّما

أدارَ بهِ كأسَ الشَّمولِ شمالُ

At a spring of fresh drink as if

The left hand circulated the cup of inclusion around it.

رَكزْنا حَوالَيْهِ الرِّماحَ وما لَنا

سِواها إذا فارَ الهَجيرُ ظِلالُ

We fixed spears around it and we have nothing

Other than them if the departing shadows left.

يلوذُ بِها مِنْ عَبْدِ شَمْسٍ جَحاجِحٌ

بهِمْ تُلْقَحُ الآمالُ وهْيَ حِيالُ

A fearful fugitive takes refuge in them

Through them hopes are pollinated and they are antidotes.

مُلوكٌ إذا اسْتَلّوا الظُّبا استَنْهَضَ الرّدى

صَوارِمُ دبّتْ فوقَهُنَّ نِمالُ

Kings when they don mounted their steeds, destruction stirred up

Swords whose edges above them are blunt.

فليسَ لهُمْ غيرَ المَعالي لُبانةٌ

ولا غيرَ أطرافِ السّيوفِ ثِمالُ

They have nothing but glorious determination

And nothing but the edges of swords as provisions.

عُلاً كأنابيبِ الرِّماحِ تَناسَقَتْ

بَناها لَنا عمٌّ أغَرُّ وخالُ

Elevated as if the shafts of spears harmonized,

An honorable uncle built them for us.

وخَيْرُ عَتادي في الحُروبِ مهَنَّدٌ

نَفى صَدأً عنْ مَضْرِبَيْهِ صِقالُ

And the best of my battle gear is my Indian sword

That has resisted rust on its blade due to sharpening.

وفي السِّلْمِ مَيْلاءُ الخِمارِ كأنّها

إذا التَفَتَتْ خَوفَ الرّقيبِ غَزالُ

And in peace the tilt of the wine-bearer is as if

When she turns, a gazelle fearing the watcher.

وكمْ طَرَقَتْني والنّجومُ كأنّها

على مَفْرِقِ الليْلِ الأحَمِّ ذُبالُ

How often she approached me while the stars were

Like firebrands in the blackest night.

فبرَّح بي سِحْرٌ حَرامٌ بطَرْفِها

دَمي لكَ يا سِحْرَ العُيونِ حَلالُ

So magic, although illicit, has fascinated me with her glance,

My blood is halal for you, O magic of eyes.

فلا تَعِديني يا بْنَةَ القَومِ نائِلاً

يَطولُ اقْتضاءٌ دونَهُ ومِطالُ

So do not deny me, O daughter of the people, attaining

Fulfilment, while seeking it is prolonged.

ومَنْ كان عَفّاً في هَواكِ ضَميرُهُ

فسِيّانِ هَجْرٌ عندَهُ ووصالُ

Whoever is chaste in his love for you, his conscience

Deems isolation from you the same as reunion.

ولولا التُّقى لمْ أتْرُكِ البيضَ كالدُّمى

وإنْ ظُلِّلَتْ بالمُرْهَفاتِ حِجالُ

Were it not for piety, I would not leave the innocent ones

Even if shaded by veils and screens.

وإني لأثْني النَّفْسَ عمّا تُريدُهُ

إذا كانَ في العُقْبى عليَّ مَقالُ

I restrain my soul from what it desires

If blaming me for it will persist.

ولا أرْتَضي خِلاً يَدومُ وِدادُهُ

على طَمَعٍ مادامَ عِنديَ مالُ

I do not accept a friend whose affection lasts

Based on greed while I still have wealth.

أرى الناسَ أتْباعَ الغِنى ولمَنْ نَبا

بهِ الدّهْرُ منهُمْ ضَجْرَةٌ ومَلالُ

I see people follow wealth so whoever

Fate enriches wearies and tires of it.

إذا ما اسْتَفَدْتَ المالَ مالُوا بوُدِّهِمْ

إليكَ وحالُوا إن تغَيَّرَ حالُ

When you gain wealth, they incline their love to you

And turn away if your state changes.

فمنْ لي على غَيِّ التَمَنّي بصاحِبٍ

عَزيمتُهُ للمَشْرَفيِّ مثالُ

Who do I have, in the unpredictability of wishes, as a companion

Whose resolve to the noblest goals is exemplary?

إذا مَدَّ مِنْ أثْناءِ خُطْوَتِهِ المَدى

فليسَ يُناجي أخْمَصَيْهِ كَلالُ

When he stretches his stride its extent

Does not make him speak to his shins out of laziness.

ويُقْدِمُ والأسْيافُ تُغْمَدُ في الطُّلى

وللْخَيْلِ مِنْ صَوْبِ الدِّماءِ نِعالُ

He steps forth while swords are sheathed in scabbards

And the horses have blood on their hooves.

وإنْ طَرَقَ الأعْداءَ واللّيلُ مُظْلِمٌ

أطَلَّتْ علَيهمْ بالصّباحِ نِصالُ

If he raids the enemy and the night is dark

Morning bares its blades upon them.

فيُصْدِرُها عَنهُمْ رِواءً مُتونُها

وقد وَرَدَ الهَيْجاءَ وهْيَ نِهالُ

So he unleashes them away from himself

As they had come to a meadow and they were saplings.

فتىً سَيْبُهُ قَيْدُ الثّناءِ وسَيْفُهُ

لأُدْمِ المَتالي في الشّتاءِ عِقالُ

A man whose praise is the fetter of his sword while his sword

In the blood of exemplary warriors is sheathed.

إذا ما سأَلْتَ الحيَّ عنْ خَيْرِهِمْ أباً

أشارَتْ نِساءٌ نحوَهُ ورِجالُ

If you ask the living about their best

Women and men point towards him.