تَواعَدَ ذا الخَليطُ لِأَن يَبينا

وَزايَلَنا القَطينُ فَلا قَطينا

The mixed-breed stallion promised us he would make clear,

And the two cats left us, so we have no cats.

وَإِنّي وَالمَواعِدُ كاذِباتٌ

لَيُطمِعُنا خِلابُ الواعِدينا

I and the promises are liars,

That the charms of the promisers may delude us.

نُعَنّى بِالمِطالِ مِنَ الغَواني

وَهانَ عَلى المَواطِلِ ما لَقينا

We are bothered by the expectations of the youths,

And what we found became easy for the procrastinators.

وَنَظمَأُ وَالمَوارِدُ مُعرِضاتٌ

فَنَرجِعُ بِالغَليلِ وَما سُقينا

And we become thirsty while the springs are unresponsive,

So we return frustrated, still thirsty.

لَهُنَّ اللَهُ كَيفَ أَصَبنَ مِنّا

نُفوساً ما عُقِلنَ وَما وُدينا

May Allah curse them, how they got from us,

Souls that were not rational, and were not friendly.

لَقينَ قُلوبَنا بِجُنودِ حَربٍ

تَطاعَنُ بِالدَمالِجِ وَالبُرينا

They met our hearts with armies of war,

That stab with thin swords and lances.

جَلَونَ لَنا لَآلِىءَ واضِحاتٍ

أَضَأنَ بِها الذَوائِبَ وَالقُرونا

They displayed to us shining pearls,

With which they illuminated the armbands and the anklets.

عَهِدنا الدُرَّ مَسكِنُهُ أَجاجٌ

فَكَيفَ تَبَدَّلَ الثَغبَ المَعينا

We knew musk to inhabit only the jujube,

So how did the rags change into perfume?

جُنونَ المُرشِقاتِ غَداةَ جَمعٍ

بِأَقتَلَ مِن نِبالِكَ ما رُمينا

The madness of the dawn after gathering,

With what is more deadly than your arrows that we shot.

وَلَم نَرَ كَالعُيونِ ظُبى سُيوفٍ

أَرَقنَ دَماً وَما رُمنَ الجُفونا

And we did not see eyes shedding tears like swords

That shed blood, while the eyelids were not weeping.

عَوائِدُ مِن تَذَكُّرِ آلِ لَيلى

كَأَنَّ لَها عَلى قَلبي دُيونا

Thoughts of the nights of Layla that return to me,

As if they have debts upon my heart.

أُكاتِمُها فَفي الأَحشاءِ مِنها

مَضيضٌ بَعدَما بَلَغَ الحَنينا

I conceal them, so within my soul,

There remains after the yearning has reached its peak.

فَيا حادي السِنينَ قِفِ المَطايا

فَهُنَّ عَلى طَريقِ الأَربَعينا

So O you who lead the years, stop the camels,

For they are on the path of forty.

وَإِنَّ الرَأسَ بَعدَكَ صَوَّحَتهُ

بَوارِحُ شَيبَةٍ فَغَدا جَبينا

And after you, the head which old age disheveled

With parts of white hair has become wrinkled.

وَكانَ سَوادُهُ عيدَ الغَواني

يُعِدنَ إِلى مَطالِعِهِ العُيونا

Its blackness was the feast of the youths,

Returning the gazes to their horizons.

أُتاجِرُها فَأَربَحُ في التَصابي

وَبَعضُ القَومِ يَحسَبُني غَبينا

I joke with them, and I profit from the tryst,

And some people reckon me stupid.

أَهانَ الشَيبُ ما أَعزَزنَ مِنهُ

وَعَزَّ عَلى العَقائِلِ أَن يَهونا

Old age has degraded what dignified it,

And it was difficult for hearts to become lowly.

جُنونُ شَبيبَةٍ وَوَقارُ شَيبٍ

خُذا عَنّي النُهى وَدَعا الجُنونا

The madness of youth and the composure of white hair—

Take from me the prohibition and leave the madness.

نَرى الأَيّامَ وَهيَ غَداً سِنونٌ

وَبِالآحادِ يَبلُغنَ المِئينا

We see the days, and tomorrow they are years,

And with the units they reach the hundreds.

سَتُنبِئُنا النَوائِبُ ما أَرَتنا

مِنَ العَجَبِ العَجيبِ بِما تُرينا

Mishaps will inform us of the wonders they showed us,

Of the most amazing things they make us see.

حَلَفتُ بِمُلقِياتِ النَيِّ عوجٍ

خَوابِطَ تَطلُبُ البَلَدَ الأَمينا

I swore by the twisting necks, scheming,

Seeking the safe country, bent.

حَوامِلَ ناحِلينَ عَلى ذُراها

حَوانِيَ يَنجَذِبنَ بِمُنحَنينا

Bearers of honeycombs on their humps,

Beekeepers that sway with a humming sound.

يُسَقّينَ الهَجيرَ عَلى التَظامي

وَيَنعَلنَ الحِرارَ إِذا وُجينا

They give drink to the dry lands continuously,

And they shoe the hot sands when they are taken to water.

كَأَنَّ سِياطَها وَلَها هَبابٌ

قُلوعُ اليَمِّ زَعزَعَتِ السَفينا

As if their whips and the commotion around them

Were turbulent waves that shook the ships.

بِكُلِّ مُعَبَّدِ القُطرَينِ يُنضي

مِطالُ طَريقِهِ الأُجُدَ الأَمينا

The course of his journey in every smoothed valley

Lengthens the most direct, honest path.

لَقَد أَرضى قِوامُ الدينِ فينا

وَصاةَ اللَهِ وَالدينَ اليَقينا

The pillar of religion was pleased with us,

Trustees of Allah and the assured religion.

رَعانا بِالقَنا وَلَقَد تَرانا

وَأَضبَعُ ما نَكونُ إِذا رُعينا

He shepherded us with the staff, and we have been,

Like lambs when we are herded.

أَعادَ ثِقافَنا حَتّى اِستَقَمنا

وَدَلَّ بِنورِهِ اللَقَمَ المُبينا

He restored our pursuits until we became upright,

And his light showed the clear morsel.

تَيَقَّظَ وَالعُيونُ مُغَمَّضاتٌ

وَقَلقَلَ وَالرَعِيَّةُ وادِعونا

He awoke while the eyes were dozing,

And he stirred though the subjects were calm.

وَما عَدِمَ العُلى كَهلاً وَطِفلاً

وَفي خِرَقِ الوَليدِ وَلا جَنينا

He did not neglect the lofty or the lowly,

Not even the ripped clothes or the infant.

مِنَ القَومِ الأُلى تَبِعوا المَعالي

قِرانَ العَودِ يَتَّبِعُ القَرينا

The eminent people followed the high pursuits,

The near ones follow the companion.

أَقاموا عَن فَرائِسِها اللَيالي

وَرَدّوا عَن مَوارِدِها المَنونا

They refrained from hunting them by night,

And they avoided their deadly waters.

هُمُ رَفَعوا كَما رَفَعَت نِزارٌ

قِبابَ عُلىً عَلى كَرَمٍ بُنينا

They have raised—as Nuza' raised—

Domes of loftiness on generous pillars.

نُبَقّي سائِراتِ الدَهرِ فيهِم

وَيُبقونَ اليَدَ البَيضاءَ فينا

We will live the rest of time through them,

And they will leave the white hand in us.

فَإِن نُثمِر لَهُم شُكراً طَويلاً

فَهُم غَرَسوا وَكانوا المورِقينا

So if we produce for them abundant gratitude,

They were the ones who planted and brought forth fruit.

فَقُل لِلمُصحِرينَ دَعوا الضَواحى

فَإِنَّ اللَيثَ قَد نَزَعَ العَرينا

So say to the sorcerers, leave the encampments,

For the lion has come out of his den.

وَلا تَتَغَنَّموا مِنهُ قُعوداً

يُقيمُ لَكُم بِهِ الحَربَ الزَبونا

Do not gloat over him when he tarries,

For with it he brings upon you hasty wars.

فَفي أَغمادِهِ وَرَقٌ قَديمٌ

يَزيدُ عَلى قِراعِ الصيدِ لينا

In his sheaths is ancient iron

That surpasses the armor of prey in softness.

قَواضِبُ لا يَغُبُّ بِها الهَوادي

فَيُعطِيَها الصَياقِلَ وَالقُيونا

Canoes with which the valleys do not disappear,

So he polishes and oils them.

أَلَيسَ وِقاعُهُ بِالأَمسِ فيكُم

سَقى غَلَلَ الرِماحِ وَما رَوينا

Was not his level yesterday among you

Watering the fibers of the spears, which we did not water?

بِأَربُقَ قَد أَدارَ لَكُم رَحاها

مَدارَ الطَودِ مَرداةً طَحونا

With a fleet creature he turned his elbow for you

Like the circling of the mountain, wounding.

وَجَلجَلَها عَلى الأَهوازِ حَتّى

أَعادَ زَئيرَ أُسدِكُمُ أَنينا

He clashed them on the banks until

He returned the roar of your lion.

وَساخَ تَقَصُّعَ اليَربوعِ غاوٍ

أَثارَ بِطَعنِها فَنَجا طَعينا

He tore up the armor of the roaming intruder,

His stab awakened one who was sleeping.

أُشَيعِثُ رَأسُهُ بِالبيضِ يُفلى

وَيَغدو بِالدَمِ الجاري دَهينا

Disheveled is his hair with white, stained

With flowing blood, because of which it is inked.

يَذودُ رِقابَها هَيهاتَ مِنها

وَقَد غَلَبَت عَصِيَّ الذائِدينا

In vain he protects their necks—they overpowered him,

And the herders were defeated.

تَوَلَّعَ بِالقَنا فَتَطاوَحَتهُ

لِداغَ الدَبرِ أَيدي الغاسِلينا

It clung to the staff, so they jostled with it,

Due to the burning brand on the hands of the washers.

غَدا يَمري عُفافَتَها فَأَمسى

يَرى بِالطَعنِ لِقحَتَها لَبونا

Yesterday it walked about chastely, but tonight

It sees with the stab the splitting of its slit.

وَمَن شُرِعَت رِماحُ اللَهِ فيهِ

دَرى أَنَّ السَوابِغَ لا يَقينا

And whoever the spears of God penetrated,

Knows that the pouring ones do not save us.

وَبِتنَ عَلى المَطالِعِ مُلجَماتٍ

عَلائِقُها أَنابيبُ القُنينا

There pitched on the horizons browned banners,

Their attachments are pipes of containers.

عَلى صَهَواتِها أَبناءُ مَوتٍ

حَواسِرُ لِلرَدى وَمُقَنَّعينا

On their arrows are sons of death,

Destroyers of havoc, masked.

مُجاذِبَةً أَعِنَّتَها جِماحاً

هَبَطنَ قَرارَةً وَطَلَعنَ بينا

Rushing, they strengthened their wings,

Then descended decisively and rose clearly.

وَقَعنَ بِغارَةٍ وَطَلَبنَ أُخرى

يُماطِلنَ الإِقامَةَ وَالصُفونا

They attacked suddenly then sought another,

Delaying in place and traveling.

تُكَفكَفُ وَهيَ في الغُلَواءِ تُلقي

إِلى أَرضِ العِدا نَظَراً شَفونا

It turns this way and that while in the far horizon,

Looking with longing eyes to enemy land.

تَلَفُّتَ جُوَّعِ الآسادِ فاتَت

فَرائِسَها النُيوبُ وَقَد دَمينا

The hunger of the lions misses its prey,

Their fangs and nails stained with blood.

تُحاذِرُ في مَرابِطِها وُقوفاً

وَإِن بَلَغَ العِدا أَمَداً شَطونا

It fears standing still in its position,

Even if the enemy takes a long time.

فَلَو أُلجِمنَ لا لِغِوارِ حَربٍ

لَقَد ظَنَّ العَدُوُّ بِها الظُنونا

If they were forced, not by ravages of war,

The enemy would have thought vain thoughts about them.

أَما شَهِدوا لَيالي السوسِ مِنها

وَمَسحَبَها القَنِيَّ بِدارِ زينا

Have they not witnessed the nights of Sous and

Its mobilizing in the Abode of Adornment?

وَمَنشَرَها عَلى هَضَباتِ بَمٍّ

رِياطاً لِلعَجاجَةِ ما طُوينا

And its deployment on the plateau of Bam,

An encampment against the insolent enemy we bent?

إِذا رَجَعَ الغَزِيُّ بِهِنَّ حَسرى

أُعِدنَ إِلى الطِعانِ كَما بُدينا

When the invader returns crestfallen by them,

They return to stabbing just as we began.

لَحِقنَ طَريدَةً لَولا قَناها

لَطالَ رَواغُها لِلطارِدينا

They would have caught up with the prey were it not for their staffs,

Else their chasing of the chasers would have been long.

وَعُدنَ وَفي حَقائِبِهِنَّ هامٌ

لَقينَ مِنَ الصَوارِمِ ما لَقينا

They returned with prey in their bags, having met

From the swords what we met.

بِقَنّاصٍ أَصابَ وَفي يَدَيهِ

حَبائِلُ قَد مُدِدنَ لِآخَرينا

With an archer who hit his mark while

Ropes extended to others were in his hands.

نَوائِبُ أَلقَتِ الجُلّى عَلَيهِ

فَقامَ بِعِبئِهِنَّ وَما أُعينا

Mishaps that cast light on him,

So he took on their burden, though we did not help.

بَسالَةُ هانِئٍ في حَيِّ بَكرٍ

وَحَنظَلَةَ الَّذي قَطَعَ الوَضينا

The courage of delighted Han' in an early encampment,

And that of Hanthalah who cut through the valley.

وَهَل يَرضى المُطولَ وَفي الأَعادي

دُيونٌ لِلصَوارِمِ ما قُضينا

Would the tall one be pleased, while among the enemies

There are debts to the swords we did not repay?

أَلا جُزتَ الجَوازي اليَومَ عَنّي

جَواداً لا أَغَمَّ وَلا هَجينا

Verily you have rewarded me today the prizes

A generous steed that does not frown or become restive.

نَماهُ أَبٌ وَلودٌ لِلمَعالي

وَأُمُّ أَراقِمٍ تُدهي البَنينا

He was raised by a loving father,

And a mother of noble birth who makes the sons thrive,

مِنَ العُظَماءِ أَطوَلُهُم عِماداً

وَأَنداهُم إِذا مُطِروا يَمينا

The tallest of the eminent, towering,

And the most generous when they pour right hand.

تَبَوَّعَ بي إِلى قُلَلِ المَعالي

وَخَيَّرَني المَعاقِلَ وَالحُصونا

He carried me to the peaks of loftiness,

And he gave me the choice of citadels and fortresses.

فَأَرغَمَ بي عَلى رُغمٍ أُنوفاً

مُضاغَنَةً وَأَقذى بي عُيونا

So he forced me against my will

To contend and gouged out my eyes.

تَهَنَّ بِمَطلَعِ النَيروزِ وَاِبلُغ

مَطالِعَ مِثلَهُ حيناً فَحينا

Be prospered at the rise of Nayruz, and convey

Congratulations on the like of it time after time.

مُرَحِّلَ كُلَّ نائِبَةٍ مُقيماً

مُذيلاً لِلعِدا أَبَداً مَصونا

Sending away every misfortune, residing,

Ever protected at the enemies' rear.

تُظَفَّرُ بِالمَآرِبِ طَيِّعاتٍ

وَبِالآمالِ أَبكاراً وَعونا

You are granted obedient triumphs

And hopeful virgins as helpers.

وَإِن أَحَقَّ مِنكَ بِأَن يُهَنّى

إِذا مَدَّ البَقاءَ لَكَ السِنونا

And if anyone deserves more than you to be congratulated

When time extends its years for you.