هَلْ بَانَ قَلْبُكَ مِنْ سُلَيْمَى فَاشْتَفَى

ولَقَدْ غَنِيْتَ بِحُبِّهَا فِيْمَا مَضَى

Has your heart recovered from Sulayma and yearned?

Though you were enriched by her love in days gone by

أَبلِغ أَبا حُمرانَ أَنَّ عَشيرَتي

ناجوا وَلِلنَّفَرِ المُناجينَ التَوى

Tell Abu Humran that my people

Confided and solitary souls find intimacy

باعوا جَوادَهُمُ لِتَسمَنَ أُمُّهُم

وَلِكَي يَبيتَ عَلى فِراشِهِمُ فَتى

They sold their steeds to fatten their mothers

So a gallant could sleep on their beds

عِلجٌ إِذا ما اِبتَزَّ عَنها ثَوبَها

وَتَخامَصَت قالَت لَهُ ماذا تَرى

A cure, when she unveils herself from him

And they whisper, she says to him "What do you think?"

لَكِن قَعَيدَةُ بَيتِنا مَجفُوَّةٌ

بادٍ جَناجِنُ صَدرِها وَلَها غِنى

But the old woman of our house is withered

Her chest bones are visible and she is content

تُقفي بِعيشَةِ أَهلِها مَلبونَةً

أَو جُرشُعاً عَبلَ المَحازِمِ وَالشَوى

She is satisfied with providing for her family

Bread soaked in broth or grilled meat and kabobs

مَن كانَ كارِهَ عَيشِهِ فَلَيَأتِنا

يَلقَ المَنِيَّةَ أَو يَؤوبَ لَهُ غِنى

Whoever dislikes his life, let him come to us

He will find death or gain wealth

وَلَقَد عَلِمتُ عَلى تَجَنُّبِيَ الرَدى

أَنَّ الحُصونَ الخَيلُ لا مَدَرُ القُرى

I knew from avoiding the depraved

That steeds, not homes, bring safety

راحوا بَصائِرُهُم عَلى أَكتافِهِم

وَبَصيرَتي يَعدو بِها عَتَدٌ وَأى

They went away, their sights on their shoulders

While my insight gallops with a young camel

نَهدُ المَراكِلِ لا يَزالُ زَميلُهُ

فَوقَ الرِحالَةِ ما يُبالي ما أَتى

The swaying of the riding camels continues

Above the rider, heedless of what came

أَمّا إِذا اِستَدبَرتَهُ فَتَسوقُهُ

رِجلٌ قَموصُ الوَقعِ عارِيَةُ النَسا

But if you drive him from behind, you make him walk

A man with calloused feet and bare legs

أَمّا إِذا اِستَعرَضتَهُ مُتَمَطِّراً

فَتَقولُ هَذا مِثلُ سِرحانِ الغَضا

But if you look at him, dripping wet

You say "This is like an unbroken colt"

أَمّا إِذا اِستَقبَلتَهُ فَكَأَنَّهُ

بازٌ يُكَفكِفُ أَن يَطيرَ وَقَد رَأى

But if you face him, it is as if he is

A lark, hesitant to fly though it has seen

إِنّي وَجَدتُ الخَيلَ عِزّاً ظاهِراً

تَنجي مِنَ الغُمّى وَيَكشِفنَ الدُجى

I found steeds to be manifest honor

Saving from gloom and revealing the darkness

وَيَبِتنَ بِالثَغرِ المَخوفِ طَوالِعاً

وَيُثِبنَ لِلصُعلوكِ جَمَّةَ ذي الغِنى

Spending nights at a frightening border

Leaping for the insolent, the wealthy

وَإِذا رَأَيتَ مُحارِباً وَمُسالِماً

فَليَبِني عِندَ المُحارِبِ مَن بَغى

When you see a warrior and a pacifist

Let the warrior be judged where he wishes

وَخصاصَةُ الجُعفِيِّ ما صاحَبتَهُ

لا تَنقَضي أَبَداً وَإِن قيلَ اِنقَضى

The fellowship of Al-Ju'fi is unending

Even if it is said to have ended

إِخوانُ صِدقٍ ما رَأَوكَ بِغِبطَةٍ

فَإِنِ اِفتَقَرَت فَقَد هَوى بِكَ ما هَوى

Brothers of truth did not see you aggrieved

If you become needy, what befell you, befell them

مَسَحوا لِحاهُم ثُمَّ قالوا سالِموا

يا لَيتَني في القَومِ إِذا مَسَحوا اللِحى

They wiped their beards, then said "Greetings"

Would that I were among the people when they stroked their beards!

وكَتيبَةٍ لَبَّستُها بِكَتيبَةٍ

حَتّى تَقولَ سَراتُهُم هَذا الفَتى

And a band I outfitted with a band

Until their elite said "This is the young man"

لا يَشتَكونَ المَوتَ غَير تَغَمغُمٍ

حَكَّ الجِمالِ جُنوبَهُنَّ مِنَ الشَذا

They do not complain of death but with a moan

The camels' flanks marked by the howdahs

يَخرُجنَ مِن خَلَلِ الغُبارِ عَوابِساً

كَأَصابِعِ المَقرورِ أَقعى فَاِصطَلى

Emerging from the midst of dust angry

Like clenched fingers, tawny, joined

يَتَخالَسونَ نُفوسَهُم بِنَوافِذٍ

فَكَأَنَّما عَضَّ الكُماةُ عَلى الحَصى

They plot against themselves with glimpses

As if scorpions bit granite

فَإِذا شَدَدتُ شَدَدتُ غَيرَ مُكَذِّبٍ

وَإِذا طَعَنتُ كَسَرتُ رُمحي أَو مَضى

When I am firm, I am firm without lying

And when I pierce, I break my spear or it goes

مِن وُلدِ أَودٍ عارِضي أَرماحَهُم

أَنهَلتُهُم باهي المُباهي وَاِنتَمى

The descendants of Awad, I confronted their spears

I routed them, excellent in glory and distinction

يا رُبَّ عَرجَلَةٍ أَصابوا خَلَّةً

دَأَبوا وَحارَ دَليلُهُم حَتّى بَكى

O people of 'Arjalah, they came upon a gap

They went about while their guide despaired until he cried

باتَت شَآمِيَةُ الرِياحِ تَلُفُّهُم

حَتّى أَتَونا بَعدَ ما سَقَطَ النَدى

The winds of Syria surrounded them

Until they came to us after the dew fell

فَنَهَضتُ في البَركِ الهُجودِ وَفي يَدي

لَونُ المَهَزَّةِ ذو كعوبٍ كَالنَوى

So I rose in the grove of the valley, and in my hand

Was the color of polished wood, sturdy as saplings

أَحذَيتُ رُمحي عائِطاً مَمكورَةً

كَوماءَ أَطرافُ العِضاهِ لَها خَلى

I prodded my upright, twisted spear

Like the water at the spear's edges, it had folds

فَتَطايَرَت عَنّي وَقُمتُ بِعاتِرٍ

صَدقِ المَهَزَّةِ ذي كُعوبٍ كَالنَوى

They dispersed from me, and I stood with the remains

Of the true polished wood, sturdy as saplings

باتَت كِلابُ الحَيِّ تَسنَحُ بَينَنا

يَأكُلنَ دَعلَجَةً وَيَشبَعُ مَن عَفا

The dogs of the tribe howled among us

Eating carrion, those who were spared sated

وَمِنَ اللَيالي لَيلَةٌ مَزؤودَةٌ

غَبراءُ لَيسَ لِمَن تَجَشَّمَها هَدى

Among the nights is an accursed night

Dusty, with no guidance for the one who dared it

كَلَّفتُ نَفسي حَدَّها وَمِراسَها

وَعَلِمتُ أَنَّ القَومَ لَيسَ بِها غَنا

I tasked myself to its limit and trial

And knew the people had no wealth in it

وَمُناهِبٍ أَقصَدتُ وسط جُموعِهِ

وَعِشارِ راعٍ قَد أَخَذتُ فَما تُرى

I approached plunging into the midst of their crowds

And the tithe of the shepherd I took, so what do you think?

ظَلَّت سَنابِكُها عَلى جُثمانِهِ

يَلعَبنَ دُحروجَ الوَليدِ وَقَد قَضى

Their corpses cast shadows upon his body

The sand grouse chicks played, and he was done

وَلَقَد ثَأَرتُ دِماءَنا مِن واتِرٍ

فَاليَومَ إِن كانَ المَنونُ قَدِ اِشتَفى

I took vengeance for our blood from Water

So if death has quenched its thirst today

بانَ الخَلِيْطُ ولَمْ أُفَارِقْ عَنْ قِلى

نَسِيَ الحَبِيْبَ وفَلَّ صَبْوَتَهُ القِلَى

The hearts' secrets were exposed, I did not abandon my heart

He forgot his beloved and his heart's anguish subsided

إِنَّ المُحِبَّ إِذَا جَفَاهُ حَبِيْبُهُ

فَكَفَى بِصُحْبَتِهِ عَنَاءً للفَتَى

When a lover is spurned by his beloved

Then his company is enough of a torment for the young man

والهَمُّ مَا لَمْ تُمْضِهِ لِسَبِيْلِهِ

لَيْسَ المُفَارِقُ يَا أُمَيْمَ كَمَنْ نَأَى

Worry, if you do not let it run its course

Is not like one who went far away, O Umayma

أَمَلٌ تَبَوَّأَ فِي مَنَازِلِ ذِلَّةٍ

والمَيِّتُونَ شِرارُ مَنْ تَحْتِ الثَّرَى

A hope that lodged in the abodes of disgrace

And the living are the worst of those under the soil

أَحْيَاؤُهُمْ عَارٌ عَلَى مَوتَاهُمُ

ومَتَى تُفَارِقْهُمْ تُفَارِقْ عَنْ قِلى

Their lives are a disgrace compared to their deaths

Both accompanying them and parting are treason

وإِذَا تُصَاحِبُهُمْ تُصَاحِبُ خَانَةً

وإِذَا عَوَى ذِيْبٌ بِصَاحِبِهِ عَوَى

If a wolf howls for his companion, he howls

They are not roused to fear their neighbor

لا يَفْزَعُونَ إِلَى مَخَافَةِ جَارِهِمْ

أَمْ هَلْ لِحَتْفٍ رَاصِدٍ مِنْ مُنْتَأَى

Or does the ambush of a hidden foe threaten them

From a place far away?

هَلْ فِي السَّمَاءِ لِصَاعِدٍ مِنْ مُرْتَقًى

سِيَّانِ فِيْهِ مَنْ تَصَعْلَكَ واقْتَنَى

Is there in the sky a climbing place for one ascending

It is the same for one who climbs up and acquires

للهِ دَرُّكَ مِنْ سَبِيْلٍ واضِحٍ

إِذْ لا ذَلِيْلَ أَذَلُّ مِنْ وادِي القُرَى

By God, you are excellent in the clear path

Since no lowland is more disgraceful than the valleys' road

عَجَبًا عَجِبْتُ لِمَنْ يُدَنِّسُ عِرْضَهُ

والعِرْضُ بَعْدَ ذَهَابِهِ لا يُشْتَرَى

Strange is he who defiles his honor

When honor after its loss cannot be bought

والثَّوبُ يَخْلَقُ ثُمَّ يُشَرَى غَيْرُهُ

ويَصُونُ حُلَّتَهُ يُوَقِّيْهَا الأَذَى

A garment is worn out, then another bought

He protects his garb, guarding it from harm

إلا رَوَاكِدَ بَيْنَهُنَّ خَصَاصَةٌ

سُفْعَ المَنَاكِبِ كُلُّهُنَّ قَدِ اصْطَلَى

Except for coasters among them, there is companionship

Swaying shoulders, all have become compliant

ومُجَوَّفاتٌ قَدْ عَلا أَجْوَازَهَا

أَسْآرُ جُرْدٍ مُتْرَصَاتٌ كَالنَّوَى

And hollow women whose frames have thickened

Necks like plaited palm fronds, clustered like saplings

ومُجَوَّفٍ بَلَقًا مَلَكْتُ عِنَانَهُ

يَعْدُو عَلَى خَمْسٍ قَوَائِمُهُ زَكَا

And I possessed the lead of a hollow swift one

Galloping on five legs, pure