أَقَمنا وَرَبَّتنا الدِيارُ وَلا أَرى
كَمَربَعِنا بَينَ الحَنِيَّينِ مَربَعا
We settled, though homesickness overwhelmed,
I see no square like ours between the sands.
أَلا حَبَّ بِالوادي الَّذي رُبَّما نَرى
بِهِ مِن جَميعِ الحَيِّ مَرأىً وَمَسمَعا
Oh how I love the valley we may see,
Within it, from all the tribes, sights and sounds!
أَلا لا تَلوما القَلبَ أَن يَتَخَشَّعا
فَقَد هاجَتِ الأَحزانُ قَلباً مُفَزَّعا
Reproach not my heart if it melts with woe,
For sorrows have stirred a heart filled with dread.
وَجودا لِهِندٍ بِالكَرامَةِ مِنكُما
وَما شِئتُما أَن تَمنَعا بَعدُ فَاِمنَعا
Bestow, O Hind, generosity upon me,
Deny me what you wish after this if you please.
وَما حَفَلَت هِندٌ تَعَرُّضَ حاجَتي
وَلا نَومَ عينَيَّ الغِشاشَ المُرَوَّعا
Hind cares not for my plea,
Nor the deceitful sleep of my anxious eyes.
بِعَينِيَ مِن جارٍ عَلى غُربَةِ النَوى
أَرادَ بِسُلمانينَ بَيناً فَوَدَّعا
My neighbor eyed me as I left my people,
He wanted to bid farewell to both Sulaymans.
لَعَلَّكَ في شَكٍّ مِنَ البَينِ بَعدَما
رَأَيتَ الحَمامَ الوُرقَ في الدارِ وُقَّعا
You may doubt our parting after seeing
The doves cooing in the abode.
كَأَنَّ غَماماً في الخُدورِ الَّتي غَدَت
دَنا ثُمَّ هَزَّتهُ الصَبا فَتَرَفَّعا
Like a cloud in the beloved homes that came near,
Then the morning breeze lifted it and it ascended.
فَلَيتَ رِكابَ الحَيِّ يَومَ تَحَمَّلوا
بِحَومانَةِ الدَرّاجِ أَصبَحنَ ظُلَّعا
If only the horses of the tribe on the day they bore
The mincing walk were still rapturous.
بَني مالِكٍ إِنَّ الفَرَزدَقَ لَم يَزَل
فَلُوَّ المَخازي مِن لَدُن أَن تَيَفَّعا
O Banu Malik, al-Farazdaq is unmatched,
A twisting serpent since he could first hiss.
رَمَيتُ اِبنَ ذي الكيرَينِ حَتّى تَرَكتُهُ
قَعودَ القَوافي ذا عُلوبٍ مُوَقَّعا
I pelted Ibn Dhi'l-Kila with verses until I left him
Sitting, composing poetry with a trembling hand.
وَفَقَّأتُ عَينَي غالِبٍ عِندَ كيرِهِ
وَأَقلَعتُ عَن أَنفِ الفَرَزدَقِ أَجدَعا
I blinded the eyes of Ghalib at his Kira
And turned from the prominent nose of al-Farazdaq the dock-nosed.
مَدَدتُ لَهُ الغاياتِ حَتّى نَخَستُهُ
جَريحَ الذُنابى فانِيَ السِنِّ مُقطَعا
I stretched the spearheads toward him until I stabbed him,
The wounded dock-tailed one, bent with old age.
ضَغا قِردُكُم لَمّا اِختَطَفتُ فُؤادَهُ
وَلِاِبنِ وَثيلٍ كانَ خَدُّكَ أَضرَعا
Your monkey grimaced when I snatched his heart,
And Ibn Wathil’s cheek became scarred.
وَما غَرَّ أَولادُ القُيونِ مُجاشِعاً
بِذي صَولَةٍ يَحمي العَرينَ المُمَنَّعا
The sons of the weasels did not boast, humbled,
By the one with might defending the forbidden den.
وَيا لَيتَ شِعري ما تَقولُ مُجاشِعٌ
وَلَم تَتَّرِك كَفّاكَ في القَوسِ مَنزَعا
Would that I know what the humbled one says
As your hands left not the bow taut.
وَأَيَّةُ أَحلامٍ رَدَدنَ مُجاشِعاً
يُعَلّونَ ذيفاناً مِنَ السُمِّ مُنقَعا
What visions turned back the humbled one
Exalting a poisoned arrowhead.
أَلا رُبَّما باتَ الفَرَزدَقُ قائِماً
عَلى حَرِّ نارٍ تَترُكُ الوَجهَ أَسفَعا
Beware, sometimes al-Farazdaq remains awake
At the burning embers leaving the face darkened.
وَكانَ المَخازي طالَما نَزَلَت بِهِ
فَيُصبِحُ مِنها قاصِرَ الطَرفِ أَخضَعا
And al-Makhzumi is often stripped
To awaken with eyes tearful and downcast.
وَإِنَّ ذِيادَ اللَيلِ لا تَستَطيعُهُ
وَلا الصُبحَ حَتّى يَستَنيرَ فَيَسطَعا
He cannot bear the nights of Dhi'ad
Until the dawn shines radiantly.
تَرَكتُ لَكَ القَينَينِ قَينَي مُجاشِعٌ
وَلا يَأخُذانِ النِصفَ شَتّى وَلا مَعا
I left you the two Qain, O humbled one,
Who do not take half a goatskin, even shared.
وَقَد وَجَداني حينَ مُدَّت حِبالُنا
أَشَدَّ مُحاماةً وَأَبعَدَ مَنزَعا
They found me, when our bonds were extended,
A fierce defender, refusing to yield.
وَإِنّي أَخو الحَربِ الَّتي يُصطَلى بِها
إِذا حَمَلَتهُ فَوقَ حالٍ تَشَنَّعا
I am the brother of war, ignited
When it bore the excellent away angrily.
وَأَدرَكتُ مَن قَد كانَ قَبلي وَلَم أَدَع
لِمَن كانَ بَعدي في القَصائِدِ مَصنَعا
I surpassed those before me and left
No achievement in poetry for those after me.
تَفَجَّعَ بِسطامٌ وَخَبَّرَهُ الصَدى
وَما يَمنَعُ الأَصداءَ أَلّا تَفَجَّعا
Bishr lamented and the echo informed him,
What prevents echoes from lamenting as well?
سَيَترُكُ زيقٌ صِهرَ آلِ مُجاشِعٍ
وَيَمنَعُ زيقٌ ما أَرادَ لِيَمنَعا
Zaig will leave the in-laws of the humbled one
And Zaig will prevent what he wanted to prevent.
أَتَعدِلُ مَسعوداً وَقَيساً وَخالِداً
بِأَقيانِ لَيلى لا نَرى لَكَ مَقنَعا
Do I compare Mas’ud, Qais and Khalid
To the intelligentsia of Layla’s time? I see no comparison.
وَلَمّا غَرَرتُم مِن أُناسٍ كَريمَةً
لَؤُمتُم وَضِقتُم بِالكَرائِمِ أَذرُعا
When you were deceived by noble folk
You were cursed and narrowed by the generous.
فَلَو لَم تُلاقوا قَومَ حَدراءَ قَومَها
لَوَسَّدَها كيرَ القُيونِ المُرَقَّعا
If they did not meet the people of Hadra'
The shame of Qain would have spread.
رَأى القَينُ أَختانَ الشَناءَةِ قَد جَنَوا
مِنَ الحَربِ جَرباءَ المَساعِرِ سَلفَعا
Qain saw the two sisters of Shan'a
Return from war grim and burnt.
وَإِنَّكَ لَو راجَعتَ شَيبانَ بَعدَها
لَأُبتَ بِمَصلومِ الخَياشيمِ أَجدَعا
The riders of Qain despaired
Moving the iron of Qain bitterly and shamefully.
إِذا فَوَّزَت عَن نَهرَبينَ تَقاذَفَت
بِحَدراءَ دارٌ لا تُريدُ لِتَجمَعا
Without Allah's deliverance, Hadra' would have been
Dragged to the evil of crooked plowing and sowing.
وَأَضحَت رِكابُ القَينِ مِن خَيبَةِ السُرى
وَنَقلِ حَديدِ القَينِ حَسرى وَظُلَّعا
Defiled, she was cleansed of his company,
And he turned to the evil of beds, bedded.
وَحَدراءُ لَو لَم يُنجِها اللَهُ بُرِّزَت
إِلى شَرِّ ذي حَرثٍ دَمالاً وَمَزرَعا
Humaidah was al-Farazdaq's neighbor,
He socialized at her abode and with the docked-one.
وَقَد كانَ نِجساً طُهِّرَت مِن جِماعِهِ
وَآبَ إِلى شَرِّ المَضاجِعِ مَضجَعا
I will mention what you did not at Minaqar
And will expose from Humaidah what is uglier.
حُمَيدَةُ كانَت لِلفَرَزدَقِ جارَةً
يُنادِمُ حَوطاً عِندَها وَالمُقَطَّعا
The disciples of the Prophet called you, but you were
Devils, O wooden crosses embellished!
سَأَذكُرُ ما لَم تَذكُروا عِندَ مِنقَرٍ
وَأُثني بِعارٍ مِن حُمَيدَةَ أَشنَعا
A misleading neighbor fooled you,
His sword held high, his hands not retracting.
دَعاكُم حَوارِيُّ الرَسولِ فَكُنتُمُ
عَضاريطَ يا خُشبَ الخِلافِ المُصَرَّعا
Ibn Dhi'al's son altogether came to you
While you were counting scattered sheep.
أَغَرَّكَ جارٌ ضَلَّ قائِمُ سَيفِهِ
فَلا رَجَعَ الكَفَّينِ إِلّا مُكَنَّعا
You count killing the Prophet as your best effort,
O Banu Dawtarah, don the concealers!
وَآبَ اِبنُ ذَيّالٍ جَميعاً وَأَنتُمُ
تَعُدّونَ غُنماً رَحلَهُ المُتَمَزَّعا
You cry over the past before you, tearfully,
Though if you cry, your eyes pour no tears.
فَلا تَدعُ جاراً مِن عِقالٍ تَرى لَهُ
ضَواغِطَ يُلثِقنَ الإِزارَ وَأَضرُعا
By your life, the lords of the humbled one were not generous
Nor the rulers of Dabba concealed.
فَلا قَينَ شَرٌّ مِن أَبي القَينِ مَنزِلاً
وَلا لُؤمَ إِلّا دونَ لُؤمِكِ صَعصَعا
Do I compare Yarbu'a, the effeminate humbled one,
To Iyad of Arwah when shaken?
تَعُدّونَ عَقرَ النيبِ أَفضَلَ سَعيِكُم
بَني ضَوطَرى هَلّا الكَمِيَّ المُقَنَّعا
Yarbu'a will meet the power of Iyad
And glory that refused the pulling of pegs.
وَتَبكي عَلى ما فاتَ قَبلَكَ دارِماً
وَإِن تَبكِ لا تَترُك بِعَينِكَ مَدمَعا
They are the people, had az-Zubair sought their night camp,
He would not have spent the night anxious and hopeful.
لَعَمرُكَ ما كانَت حُماةُ مُجاشِعٍ
كِراماً وَلا حُكّامُ ضَبَّةَ مَقنَعا
The people know our Indian swords
Broke the iron of white swords until they cracked.
أَتَعدِلُ يَربوعاً خَناثى مُجاشِعٍ
إِذا هُزَّ بِالأَيدي القَنا فَتَزَعزَعا
Oh how many tyrants who had prestige
We served the cup of death until they were stained!
تُلاقي لِيَربوعٌ إِيادَ أَرومَةٍ
وَعِزّاً أَبَت أَوتادُهُ أَن تُنَزَّعا
Coins guided horses never led by the humbled one
To see and hear the excellent chief's place of death.
وَجَدتَ لِيَربوعٍ إِذا ما عَجَمتَهُم
مَنابِتَ نَبعٍ لَم يُخالِطنَ خِروَعا
We confronted Bishr and he was thrown in battle,
His saddle slipping until it rattled.
هُمُ القَومُ لَو باتَ الزُبَيرُ إِلَيهِمُ
لَما باتَ مَفلولاً وَلا مُتَطَلَّعا
Hani' called Bakr who bit Hani'
The fetters of shame summer and winter.
وَقَد عَلِمَ الأَقوامُ أَنَّ سُيوفَنا
عَجَمنَ حَديدَ البَيضِ حَتّى تَصَدَّعا
We crowned for Ibn Kabshah his crown
And he met a horseman in the group's embrace.
أَلا رُبَّ جَبّارٍ عَلَيهِ مَهابَةٌ
سَقَيناهُ كَأسَ المَوتِ حَتّى تَضَلَّعا
We cracked the iron for Qabus son of Munthir
And Hassan when he cannot deflect disgrace.
نَقودُ جِياداً لَم تَقُدها مُجاشِعٌ
تَكونُ مِنَ الأَعداءِ مَرأىً وَمَسمَعا
One day our horses' hooves made
A pathway for the eminent crowned one's death place.
تَدارَكنَ بِسطاماً فَأُنزِلَ في الوَغى
عِناقاً وَمالَ السَرجُ حَتّى تَقَعقَعا
Al-Hirmas experienced our swords
Splitting the ram leader's head until it cracked.
دَعا هانِئٌ بَكراً وَقَد عَضَّ هانِئاً
عُرى الكَبلِ فينا الصَيفَ وَالمُتَرَبَّعا
We supported Bahira who contained
The striking of the five-headed serpent.
وَنَحنُ خَضَبنا لِاِبنِ كَبشَةَ تاجَهُ
وَلاقى اِمرَأً في ضَمَّةِ الخَيلِ مِصقَعا
He saw with his own eyes the strongest company,
The shrieking winds and the shaking banner.
وَقابوسَ أَعضَضنا الحَديدَ اِبنَ مُنذِرٍ
وَحَسّانَ إِذ لا يَدفَعُ الذُلَّ مَدفَعا
Our horsemen call not 'oh there' of the humbled one
If the day has inauspicious stars.
وَقَد جَعَلَت يَوماً بِطِخفَةَ خَيلُنا
مَجَرّاً لِذي التاجِ الهُمامِ وَمَصرَعا
Among us is he who wore down Sudais ibn Malik
And startled the birds from Ju'adah's abode.
وَقَد جَرَّبَ الهِرماسُ أَنَّ سُيوفَنا
عَضَضنَ بِرَأسِ الكَبشِ حَتّى تَصَدَّعا
Leave your blaming Ju'adah, we only
Reached him when he met Ibn Bibah the docked one.
وَنَحنُ تَدارَكنا بَحيراً وَقَد حَوى
نِهابَ العُنابَينِ الخَميسُ لِيَربَعا
We struck the pillar of silence and loud did
The beetle lament the parting's link.
فَعايَنَ بِالمَرّوتِ أَمنَعَ مَعشَرٍ
صَريخَ رِياحٍ وَاللِواءَ المُزَعزَعا
Is it your horses or mine in Balqa that won
The pillars of the noble tribe's throne to shake?
فَوارِسَ لا يَدعونَ يالَ مُجاشِعٍ
إِذا كانَ يَوماً ذا كَواكِبَ أَشنَعا
If our horses witnessed the day of Waqitain,
The captives would not have woken to shackles and misery.
وَمِنّا الَّذي أَبلى صُدَيَّ بنَ مالِكٍ
وَنَفَّرَ طَيراً عَن جُعادَةَ وُقَّعا
We rode as lords behind and they were shaded,
By the perfect litters the excellent banners.
فَدَع عَنكَ لَوماً في جُعادَةَ إِنَّما
وَصَلناهُ إِذ لاقى اِبنَ بَيبَةَ أَقطَعا
Those are achievements the humbled one did not attain,
You were preceded, so do not despair of death in anguish.
ضَرَبنا عَميدَ الصِمَّتَينِ فَأَعوَلَت
جُداعُ عَلى صَلتِ المَفارِقِ أَنزَعا
أَخَيلُكَ أَم خَيلي بِبَلقاءَ أَحرَزَت
دَعائِمَ عَرشِ الحَيِّ أَن يَتَضَعضَعا
وَلَو شَهِدَت يَومَ الوَقيطَينِ خَيلُنا
لَما قاظَتِ الأَسرى القِطاطَ وَلَعلَعا
رَبَعنا وَأَردَفنا المُلوكَ فَظَلَّلوا
وِطابَ الأَحاليبِ الثُمامَ المُنَزَّعا
فَتِلكَ مَساعٍ لَم تَنَلها مُجاشِعٌ
سُبِقتَ فَلا تَجزَع مِنَ المَوتِ مَجزَعا
