أَسِل بِدَمعِكَ وادي الحَيِّ إِن بانوا
إِنَّ الدُموعَ عَلى الأَحزانِ أَعوانُ
Send your tears down the valleys of life, if they appear
For tears are helpers against sorrows
لا عُذرَ بَعدَ تَنائي الدارِ مِن سَكَنٍ
لِمُدَّعي الوَجدِ لَم يَدمَع لَهُ شانُ
There is no excuse after the home becomes desolate
For the pretender of passion whose eyes did not weep for it
حَيِّ الطَوالِعَ مِن نَجدٍ تَصونُهُمُ
عَنِ النَواظِرِ أَنماءٌ وَكيرانُ
The tall riders from Najd protect them
Arrogant and generous knights from people's sights
رَمَوا جُيوبَ المَطالي عَن مَيامِنِهِم
وَشيحَةُ الحَزنِ يُسراهُم وَنَجرانُ
They cast aside their quivers of arrows from their right sides
While the darkness of sorrow makes their left sides heavy
سارَت بِقَلبِكَ في الأَحشاءِ زَفرَتُهُ
وَاِستَوقَفَتكَ بِأَعلى الرَملِ أَظعانُ
Its sighs crept into your heart and settled
The most elevated dunes stopped you
لَمّا مَرَرنا عَلى تِلكَ السُروبِ ضُحىً
نَصَت إِلى الرَبعِ أَجيادٌ وَأَعيانُ
When we passed by those plateaus in the morning
Purebred horses and noblemen listened to the horizon
مِن كُلِّ غَيداءَ قَد مالَ النَعيمُ بِها
كَما تَخايَلَ بِالبُردَينِ نَشوانُ
In every lush meadow, comfort leans towards it
As gazelles lean towards the cool water on a hot day
كَأَنَّما اِنفَرَجَت عَنهُم قِبابُهُم
يَومَ الأُنَيعِمِ آجالٌ وَصيرانُ
As if their domed tents opened for them
On a day of bliss, glorious and free
مُستَشرِفاتٌ يُعَرِّضنَ الخُدودَ لَنا
كَما تَشَوَّفَ صَوبَ المُزنِ غِزلانُ
Coquettish women offer us their cheeks
As gazelles look longingly towards someone crying
لا يُذكَرُ الرَملُ إِلّا حَنَّ مُغتَرِبٌ
لَهُ بِذي الرَملِ أَوطارٌ وَأَوطانُ
The sand is only mentioned when an exile remembers
His homelands and dwellings in that sandy place
نَهفو إِلى البانِ مِن قَلبي نَوازِعُهُ
وَما بِيَ البانُ بَل مَن دارُهُ البانُ
Passions for the ruins creep from my heart
It is not the ruins I long for, but those who lived there
أَسُدُّ سَمعي إِذا غَنّى الحَمامُ بِهِ
إِلّا يُبَيِّنَ سِرَّ الوَجدِ إِعلانُ
I block my hearing when the doves coo in it
Except to explain the secret of passion openly
وَرُبَّ دارٍ أَوَليها مُجانَبَةً
وَبي إِلى الدارِ أَطرابٌ وَأَشجانُ
And how often a home has estranged me
While my love and longing for it grow stronger
إِذا تَلَفَّتُّ في أَطلالِها اِبتَدَرَت
لِلعَينِ وَالقَلبِ أَمواهٌ وَنيرانُ
When I loiter in its ruins, it conjures
Sorrows and fires for the eyes and heart
كُلمٌ بِقَلبي أُداويهِ وَيَقرِفُهُ
طَولُ إِدكاري لِمَن لي مِنهُ نِسيانُ
Words in my heart I medicate and nurture
Prolonged estrangement makes me forget those I resent
لا لِلَوائِمِ إِقصارٌ بِلائِمَةٍ
عَنِ العَميدِ وَلا لِلقَلبِ سُلوانُ
Do not blame the guide for the faults of the led
Nor the heart for finding peace
عَلى مَواعيدِهِم خُلفٌ إِذا وَعَدوا
وَفي دُيونِهِمُ مَطلٌ وَلَيّانُ
They break their word if they make promises
And delay repaying their debts
هُم عَرَّضوا بِوَفاءِ العَهدِ آوِنَةً
حَتّى إِذا عَذَّبوني بِالمُنى خانوا
They pretended to be loyal for a while
Then betrayed me when they tortured me with rejection
لا تَخلُدَنَّ إِلى أَرضِ تَهونُ بِها
بِالدارِ دارٌ وَبِالجيرانِ جيرانُ
Do not settle in a cheap land
For a home is a home, and neighbors are neighbors
أَقولُ لِلرَكبِ قَد خَوَّت رِكابُهُمُ
مِنَ الكَلالِ وَمَرُّ اللَيلِ عَجلانُ
I say to the caravan, their mounts are exhausted
By the night's journey and the pressing darkness
مُدّوا عَلابيَّها وَاِستَعجِلوا طَلَباً
إِذا رَضي بِالهُوَينا مَعشَرٌ هانوا
Hasten their camels and seek urgently
When the noble souls accept disgrace, they fall
نَرجو الخُلودَ وَباقينا عَلى ظَعِن
وَالدارُ قاذِفَةٌ بِالزَورِ مِظعانُ
We hope for eternity and to remain dignified
While the home throws away dignity
إِن قَلَّصَ الدَهرُ ما أَضفاهُ مِن جِدَةٍ
فَصَنعَةُ الدَهرِ إِعطاءٌ وَحِرمانُ
If fate decreases what it once granted
The work of fate is to give and deprive
كَم مِن غُلامٍ تَرى أَطمارَهُ مِزقاً
وَالعِرضُ أَملَسُ وَالأَحسابُ غُرّانُ
How often you see a boy whose clothes are torn
Yet his honor is smooth and his lineage esteemed
إِذا الفَتى كانَ في أَفعالِهِ شَوَهٌ
لَم يُغنِ إِن قَيلَ إِنَّ الوَجهَ حَسّانُ
If a youth's actions are disgraceful
It does not help if he is said to have a beautiful face
لا تَطلُبِ الغايَةَ القُصوى فَتُحرَمَها
فَإِنَّ بَعضَ طِلابِ الرِبحِ خُسرانُ
Do not seek the highest goal or you will be deprived of it
For some who seek profit will suffer loss
وَالعَزمُ في غَيرِ وَقتِ العَزمِ مَعجَزَةٌ
وَالإِزدِيادُ بِغَيرِ العَقلِ نُقصانُ
Resolve without resolute intention is futile
And increase without reason causes decrease
وَاِجعَل يَدَيكَ مَجازَ المالِ تَحظَ بِهِ
إِنَّ الأَشِحّاءَ لِلوُرّاثِ خُزّانُ
Let your hands stretch to gain money and hold it
For the misers leave it to the inheritors
سَيَرعُبُ القَومَ مِنّي سَطوُ ذي لِبَدٍ
لَهُ بَعثَرَ أَعراسٌ وَوِلدانُ
The might of one who bares his teeth will frighten the people
He who dispersed their celebrations and children
لا يَطعَمُ الطُعمَ إِلّا مِن فَريسَتِهِ
إِن يَعدَمِ القِرنَ يَوماً فَهوَ طَيّانُ
None will enjoy the taste except from his prey
If he misses the prey one day, he becomes emaciated
ما شى الرِفاقَ يُراعي أَينَ مَسقِطُهُم
وَالسَمعُ مُنتَصِبٌ وَالقَلبُ يَقظانُ
Wherever his friends camp, he minds his own origin
His hearing upright and his heart awake
يَستَعجِلُ اللَيلَةَ القَمراءَ أَوبَتَها
إِذا بَنو اللَيلِ مِن طولِ السُرى لا نوا
He wishes the bright night to arrive quickly
When the people of night journey too slowly
حَتّى إِذا عَرَّسوا في حَيثُ تَفرُشُهُم
نَمارِقَ الرَملِ أَنقاءٌ وَكُثبانُ
Until they celebrate where their bedrolls are spread
The slopes of sand, pure and dune-like
دَنا كَما اِعتَسَّ ذو طِمرَينِ لَمَّظَهُ
مِن فَضلَةِ الزادِ بِالبَيداءِ رُكبانُ
They came just as one needing provisions goes
To collect leftover food in the desert, riding
ثُمَّ اِستَقَرَّت بِهِ نَفسٌ مُشَيَّعَةٌ
لَها مِنَ القَدَرِ المَجلوبِ مِعوانُ
Then his restless soul settled with him
And fate brought him supporters
فَعاثَ ما عاثَ وَاِستَبلى عَقيرَتَهُ
يَجُرُّها مُطعِمٌ لِلصَيدِ جَذلانُ
So he did what he did, and followed his nature
Dragging her, a feeder of game, a snarling dog
قِرنٌ إِذا طَلَبَ الأَوتارَ عَن عُرُضٍ
لَم تَفدِ مِنهُ دِماءَ القَومِ أَلبانُ
A spear when it sought to pierce honor
The people's blood did not sate it like milk
وَغِلمَةٍ أَخَذوا لِلرَوعِ أُهبَتَهُ
لُفَّ البُطونِ عَلى الأَعوادِ خُمصانُ
And a slave boy they took in sudden raid
Wrapping waists around sticks, shriveling
طارَت بِأَشباحِهِم جُردٌ مُسَوَّمَةٌ
كَأَنَّما خَطَفَت بِالقَومِ عِقبانُ
Their shadows flew, taken by vultures
As if they had snatched the people away
مِن كُلِّ أَعنَقَ مَلطومٍ بِغُرَّتِهِ
كَأَنَّهُ مِن تَمامِ الخَلقِ بُنيانُ
From every bent neck, tied by its noose
As if it were part of creation's perfection
يَمُدُّ لِلجَرَسِ مِثلَ الآسِتَينِ إِذا
خانَ التَوَجُّسَ أَبصارٌ وَآذانُ
Stretching towards the bell like a well rope
When eyes and ears perceive a threat
فَاِستَمسِكوا بِنَواصيها وَقَد سَقَطَت
مِن غائِرِ الجَريِ أَلبابٌ وَأَرسانُ
Grab their leading reins for they have stumbled
From the depths of the valley, minds and heads
كَأَنَّما النَخلُ تَزفيهِ يَمانِيَةٌ
فاهَت بِهِ ثَمَّ أَعقابٌ وَعَيرانُ
As if the palm trees were being married off by a Yemeni girl
Who eloped with them, then returned with no family
كَعَمتُ فاغِرَةَ الثَغرِ المَخوفِ بِهِم
يَهفو بِأَيمانِهِم نَبعٌ وَمُرّانُ
Like a yawning she-camel with fearful mouth
A spring and shooting stars swerve to their oaths
كَأَنَّ غُرَّ المَعالي في بُيوتِهِمُ
بيضٌ عَقائِلُ يَحميهِنَّ غَيرانُ
As if the honor of their homes were white ibex
Protected by jealous mountain goats
يا فاقِدَ اللَهِ بَينَ الحَيِّ مِن يَمَنٍ
أَنساهُمُ الحِلمَ أَحقادٌ وَأَضغانُ
O you who lost your people in the valley of life
Hatred and grudges made them forget compassion
إِلى كَمِ الرَحمُ البَلهاءُ شاكِيَةٌ
لَها مِنَ النَعيِ إِعوالٌ وَإِرنانُ
To whom does the ignorant womb complain
With shouts and whimpers of grief?
حَيرى يُضِلّونَها ما بَينَنا وَلَهاً
مِنّا عَلى عُدَواءِ الدارِ نِشدانُ
Bewildered, they mislead her between us disputed
While we vie against the home's enemies
النَجرُ مُتَّفِقٌ وَالرَأيُ مُختَلِفٌ
فَالدارُ واحِدَةٌ وَالدينُ أَديانُ
In agreement to harm and disagreeing in opinion
The home is one but religions are many
وَثَمَّ أَوعِيَةُ الإِحسانِ مُكفَأَةٌ
فَوارِغٌ وَوِعاءُ الشَرِّ مَلآنُ
The vessels of good are recompensed
Empty, while the vessel of evil is full
إِنّا نُجِرُّهُمُ أَعراضَنا طَمَعاً
في أَن يَعودوا إِلى البُقيا كَما كانوا
We cast aside our honor hoping
They would return to the rest as they were
أَنّى يُتاهُ بِكُم في كُلِّ مُظلِمَةٍ
وَلِلرَشادِ أَماراتٌ وَعُنوانُ
How does it misguide you in every dark place
While there are signs and marks for guidance
ميلوا إِلى السِلمَ إِنَّ السِلمَ واسِعَةٌ
وَاِستَوضِحوا الحَقَّ إِنَّ الحَقَّ عُريانُ
Incline towards peace, for peace is vast
Clarify the truth for the truth is bare
يا راكِباً ذَرَعَت نُوَبَ الظَلامِ بِهِ
هَوجاءُ ماثِلَةُ الضَبعَينِ مِذعانُ
O you whose night's steps spanned the darkness
Frightening she-wolves with bared teeth
أَبلِغ عَلى النَأيِ قَومي إِن حَلَلتَ هِمِ
أَنّي عَميدٌ بِما يَلقونَ أَسوانُ
Tell my people if you reach them
That I am a leader for whatever befalls them
يا قَومُ إِنَّ طَويلَ الحِلمِ مَفسَدَةٌ
وَرُبَّما ضَرَّ إِبقاءٌ وَإِحسانُ
My people, patience rewards betrayal
And sometimes remaining and doing good harm
ما لي أَرى حَوضَكُم تَعفو نَصائِبُهُ
وَذودَكُم لَيلَةَ الأَورادِ ظَمآنُ
Why do I see your watering place overflow
While your cattle are thirsty on the watering night?
مُدَفَّعينَ عَنِ الأَحواضِ مِن ضَرَعٍ
يَنضو بِهامِكُمُ ظُلمٌ وَعُدوانُ
Turned away from the troughs, so night settles
And wrongdoing mingles with your resolve
لا يُرهَبُ المَرءُ مِنكُم عِندَ حِفظَتِهِ
وَلا يُراقِبُ يَوماً وَهوَ غَضبانُ
A man among you does not fear for his herd
Nor restrain himself when he is angry
إِنَّ الأُلى لا يُعَزُّ الجارُ بَينَهُمُ
وَلا تُهابُ عَواليهِم لَذُلّانُ
The neighbors are not honored among you
Nor are their families pitied in disgrace
كَم اِصطِبارٌ عَلى ضَيمٍ وَمَنقَصَةٍ
وَكَم عَلى الذُلُّ إِقرارٌ وَإِذعانُ
How much endurance of harm and insult
And acceptance of humiliation and compliance!
وَفيكُمُ الحامِلُ الهَمهامُ مَسرَحُهُ
داجٍ وَمِن حَلَقِ الماذيِّ أَبدانُ
Among you roams one whose worry is his career
Whose arena is lit and whose victims' necks are twisted
وَالخَيلُ مُخطَفَةُ الأَوساطِ ضامِرَةٌ
كَأَنَّهُنَّ عَلى الأَطوادِ ذُؤبانُ
Horses snatching sides, grimacing
As if they were lions on the hillsides
اللَهَ اللَهَ أَن يَبتَزَّ أَمرَكُمُ
راعٍ رَعِيَّتُهُ المَعزِيُّ وَالضانُ
I swear to God that your affairs will be torn apart
By a shepherd whose sheep are the weak and submissive
ثوروا لَها وَلتَهُنُ فيها نُفوسُكُمُ
إِنَّ المَناقِبَ لِلأَرواحِ أَثمانُ
Rise up for it and let your souls scorn it
For principles are the spirits' prices
فَمِن إِباءِ الأَذى حَلَّت جَماجِمُها
عَلى مَناصِلِها عَبسٌ وَذُبيانُ
So from refusing harm, their skulls
Frowned upon their joints, sulking
وَعَن سُيوفِ إِباءِ الضَيمِ حينَ سَطوا
مَضى بَغُصَّتِهِ الجَعديُّ مَروانُ
And from the swords that refused humiliation when they raided
Marwan's son Sulayman withdrew
فَإِن تَنالوا فَقَد طالَت رِماحُكُمُ
وَإِن تُنالوا فَلِلأَقرانِ أَقرانُ
If you attain it, your spears have reached long
And if you are attained, peers match peers
