بانَ الخَليطُ وَلَو طُوِّعتُ ما بانا
وَقَطَّعوا مِن حِبالِ الوَصلِ أَقرانا
The mixture became clear even if I were bent, it would not become clear
They cut the ropes of connection into pairs
حَيِّ المَنازِلَ إِذ لا نَبتَغي بَدَلاً
بِالدارِ داراً وَلا الجيرانِ جيرانا
Long live the dwellings when we do not seek an alternative
A house for a house, nor neighbors for neighbors
قَد كُنتُ في أَثَرِ الأَظعانِ ذا طَرَبٍ
مُرَوَّعاً مِن حِذارِ البَينِ مِحزانا
I used to be in the footsteps of the solitary, confused
Terrified of the estrangement, grieved and saddened
يا رَبُّ مُكتَإِبٍ لَو قَد نُعيتُ لَهُ
باكٍ وَآخَرَ مَسرورٍ بِمَنعانا
O Lord of the depressed, if I were announced dead to him
One cries and the other happy with our prevention
لَو تَعلَمينَ الَّذي نَلقى أَوَيتِ لَنا
أَو تَسمَعينَ إِلى ذي العَرشِ شَكوانا
If only you knew what we are going through, oh how you would shelter us
Or if you heard us complaining to the Lord of the Throne
كَصاحِبِ المَوجِ إِذ مالَت سَفينَتُهُ
يَدعو إِلى اللَهِ إِسراراً وَإِعلانا
Like the owner of the waves when his ship tilted
He prays to God secretly and openly
يا أَيُّها الراكِبُ المُزجي مَطِيَتَهُ
بَلِّغ تَحِيَّتَنا لُقّيتَ حُملانا
O you who rides, prodding his she-camel
Convey our greetings, if you meet our caravan
بَلِّغ رَسائِلَ عَنّا خَفَّ مَحمَلُها
عَلى قَلائِصَ لَم يَحمِلنَ حيرانا
Convey messages about us which their load is light
On pouches that did not carry confused people before
كَيما نَقولُ إِذا بَلَّغتَ حاجَتَنا
أَنتَ الأَمينُ إِذا مُستَأمَنٌ خانا
So we say when you convey our need
You are trustworthy when entrusted, you have not betrayed
تُهدي السَلامَ لِأَهلِ الغَورِ مِن مَلَحٍ
هَيهاتَ مِن مَلَحٍ بِالغَورِ مُهدانا
Give regards to the people of Al-Ghor from salty land
Alas! No regards from salty land to Al-Ghor
أَحبِب إِلَيَّ بِذاكَ الجِزعِ مَنزِلَةً
بِالطَلحِ طَلحاً وَبِالأَعطانِ أَعطانا
I loved the place of sadness in that barren valley
With Al-Talh equally and Al-A'tan equally
يا لَيتَ ذا القَلبَ لاقى مَن يُعَلِّلُهُ
أَو ساقِياً فَسَقاهُ اليَومَ سُلوانا
O if only this heart would find one who comforts it
Or a water-bearer who quenched its thirst today with fresh water
أَو لَيتَها لَم تُعَلِّقنا عُلاقَتَها
وَلَم يَكُن داخِلَ الحُبُّ الَّذي كانا
Or if only it had not tied us with its ties
And love had not been there that existed between us
هَلّا تَحَرَّجتِ مِمّا تَفعَلينَ بِنا
يا أَطيَبَ الناسِ يَومَ الدَجنِ أَردانا
Why are you not shy from what you do to us
O the most fragrant of people, flexible and delicate
قالَت أَلِمَّ بِنا إِن كُنتَ مُنطَلِقاً
وَلا إِخالُكَ بَعدَ اليَومِ تَلقانا
She said, "Does it hurt you that I am leaving
And I will not meet you after today again?"
يا طَيبَ هَل مِن مَتاعٍ تُمتِعينَ بِهِ
ضَيفاً لَكُم باكِراً يا طَيبَ عَجلانا
O goodness, is there any commodity you endow
A guest, soon O goodness, hurry!
ما كُنتُ أَوَّلَ مُشتاقٍ أَخا طَرَبٍ
هاجَت لَهُ غَدَواتُ البَينِ أَحزانا
I was not the first lover confused, whose sibling was disturbed
Whose yearnings of estrangement were grieved
يا أُمَّ عَمروٍ جَزاكِ اللَهُ مَغفِرَةً
رُدّي عَلَيَّ فُؤادي كَالَّذي كانا
O mother of Amr, may God reward you with forgiveness
Return my heart to me as it once was
أَلَستِ أَحسَنَ مَن يَمشي عَلى قَدَمٍ
يا أَملَحَ الناسِ كُلِّ الناسِ إِنسانا
Are you not best than who walks on a foot
O most salty of people, the saltiest of people indeed
يَلقى غَريمُكُمُ مِن غَيرِ عُسرَتِكُم
بِالبَذلِ بُخلاً وَبِالإِحسانِ حِرمانا
Your enemy finds without your hardship
Stinginess with generosity and grace with deprivation
لا تَأمَنَنَّ فَإِنّي غَيرُ آمِنِهِ
غَدرَ الخَليلِ إِذا ما كانَ أَلوانا
Do not feel safe, for I am not like the safe ones
The betrayal of a confidant when he was colorful
قَد خُنتِ مَن لَم يَكُن يَخشى خِيانَتَكُم
ما كُنتُ أَوَّلَ مَوثوقٍ بِهِ خانا
You have betrayed one who did not fear your betrayal
I was not the first entrusted who then betrayed
لَقَد كَتَمتُ الهَوى حَتّى تَهَيَّمَني
لا أَستَطيعُ لِهَذا الحُبُّ كِتمانا
I have concealed love until it bewildered me
I cannot conceal this love anymore
كادَ الهَوى يَومَ سَلمانينَ يَقتُلُني
وَكادَ يَقتُلُني يَوماً بِبَيدانا
Love almost killed me the day of Salamun
And it almost killed me one day in Bayda
وَكادَ يَومَ لِوى حَوّاءَ يَقتُلُني
لَو كُنتُ مِن زَفَراتِ البَينِ قُرحانا
And it almost killed me the day Luway twisted the snake
If I was one of the groans of estrangement, hurt
لا بارَكَ اللَهُ فيمَن كانَ يَحسِبُكُم
إِلّا عَلى العَهدِ حَتّى كانَ ما كانا
May God not bless whoever thought you
Except for the promise until what happened, happened
مِن حُبَّكُم فَاِعلَمي لِلحُبِّ مَنزِلَةً
نَهوى أَميرُكُمُ لَو كانَ يَهوانا
Know about my love, the leader loves
He desires even if he was lowly
لا بارَكَ اللَهُ في الدُنيا إِذا اِنقَطَعَت
أَسبابُ دُنياكَ مِن أَسبابِ دُنيانا
May God not bless the world if your means
Of livelihood are cut off from my means of livelihood
يا أُمَّ عُثمانَ إِنَّ الحُبُّ عَن عَرضٍ
يُصبي الحَليمَ وَيُبكي العَينَ أَحيانا
O mother of Uthman, love is surely shameful
It makes the forbearing cry and the eye sometimes weep
ضَنَّت بِمَورِدَةٍ كانَت لَنا شَرَعاً
تَشفي صَدى مُستَهامِ القَلبِ صَديانا
It niggardly dried up a creek that was legitimate for us
That quenches the echo of the fervent heart
كَيفَ التَلاقي وَلا بِالقَيظِ مَحضَرُكُم
مِنّا قَريبٌ وَلا مَبداكِ مَبدانا
How is the meeting when your presence is not near us
One of us is near and your abode is not near
نَهوى ثَرى العِرقِ إِذ لَم نَلقَ بَعدَكُمُ
كَالعِرقِ عِرقاً وَلا السُلّانِ سُلّانا
We yearn for the threshing floor of Irq when we have not met you after
Like Irq and not sillyn for sillyn
ما أَحدَثَ الدَهرُ مِمّا تَعلَمينَ لَكُم
لِلحَبلِ صُرماً وَلا لِلعَهدِ نِسيانا
The times have not changed what you know of
No harm for the rope nor forgetfulness for the pact
أَبُدِّلَ اللَيلُ لا تَسري كَواكِبُهُ
أَم طالَ حَتّى حَسِبتُ النَجمَ حَيرانا
Did the night change? Its planets do not rise
Or was it prolonged until I thought the star was confused?
يا رُبُّ عائِذَةٍ بِالغَورِ لَو شَهِدَت
عَزَّت عَلَيها بِدَيرِ اللُجِّ شَكوانا
O Lord of the sheltered one in the cave, if she witnessed
She would be too proud for the cave of Lujj, complaining
إِنَّ العُيونَ الَّتي في طَرفِها حَوَرٌ
قَتَلنَنا ثُمَّ لَم يُحيِينَ قَتلانا
The eyes in whose corners are bay, have killed us
Then did not resurrect after killing us
يَصرَعنَ ذا اللُبَّ حَتّى لا حِراكَ بِهِ
وَهُنَّ أَضعَفُ خَلقِ اللَهِ أَركانا
It fells this gentle one until there is no movement in him
And they are the weakest of God's creation
يا رُبُّ غابِطِنا لَو كانَ يَطلُبُكُم
لاقى مُباعَدَةً مِنكُم وَحِرمانا
O Lord of those who pine, if he sought you
He would find rejection from you and deprivation
أَرَينَهُ المَوتَ حَتّى لا حَياةَ بِهِ
قَد كُنَّ دِنَّكَ قَبلَ اليَومِ أَديانا
As if he saw death, so there is no life in him
Your religion were weak before today
طارَ الفُؤادُ مَعَ الخَودِ الَّتي طَرَقَت
في النَومِ طَيِّبَةَ الأَعطافِ مِبدانا
The heart flew with the cheek that charmingly appeared
In the dream, of beautiful physique and mouth
مَثلوجَةَ الريقِ بَعدَ النَومِ واضِعَةً
عَن ذي مَثانٍ تَمُجُّ المِسكَ وَالبانا
Frigid saliva after sleep, placing
From smooth skin, kneading musk and ambergris
بِتنا نَرانا كَأَنّا مالِكونَ لَنا
يا لَيتَها صَدَّقَت بِالحَقِّ رُؤيانا
We passed by each other as if we owned
Oh, if only she was truthful in the vision
قالَت تَعَزَّ فَإِنَّ القَومَ قَد جَعَلوا
دونَ الزِيارَةِ أَبواباً وَخُزّانا
She said, be patient, for the people have made
Besides visitation, doors and storehouses
لَمّا تَبَيَّنتُ أَن قَد حيلَ دونَهُمُ
ظَلَّت عَساكِرُ مِثلُ المَوتِ تَغشانا
When I realized that they hindered them
Armies like death remained covering us
ماذا لَقيتُ مِنَ الأَظعانِ يَومَ قِنىً
يَتبَعنَ مُغتَرِباً بِالبَينِ ظَعّانا
What did I face from the lonesome on the day of hardship
Following the estranged, ravenous and hungry
أَتبَعتُهُم مُقلَةً إِنسانُها غَرِقٌ
هَل يا تُرى تارِكٌ لِلعَينِ إِنسانا
I followed them with teary eyes, its person drowned
Does he who leaves the eye a person remain?
كَأَنَّ أَحداجَهُم تُحدى مُقَفِّيَةً
نَخلٌ بِمَلهَمَ أَو نَخلٌ بِقُرّانا
As if their bosoms challenge rifled palms
A palm tree with firm bunches or a palm tree with fruits
يا أُمَّ عُثمانَ ما تَلقى رَواحِلُنا
لَو قِستِ مُصبَحَنا مِن حَيثُ مُمسانا
O mother of Uthman, our she-camels did not meet
As our morning was measured from where we traveled at night
تَخدي بِنا نُجُبٌ دَمّى مَناسِمَها
نَقلُ الحَزابِيِّ حِزّاناً فَحِزّانا
She throws at us gazelles whose gatherings bloodied
Conveying the meadows, grieved, so grieved
تَرمي بِأَعيُنِها نَجداً وَقَد قَطَعَت
بَينَ السَلَوطَحِ وَالرَوحانِ صُوّانا
They throw with their eyes Najd, though they cut off
Between Sulaytah and al-Ruhān the pass
يا حَبَّذا جَبَلُ الرَيّانِ مِن جَبَلٍ
وَحَبَّذا ساكِنُ الرَيّانِ مَن كانا
Blessed is Mount Rayyan from a mountain
And blessed is the dweller of Rayyan whoever he was
وَحَبَّذا نَفَحاتٌ مِن يَمانِيَةٍ
تَأتيكَ مِن قِبَلِ الرَيّانِ أَحيانا
And blessed are breezes from Yemenite
That come to you from the side of Rayyan sometimes
هَبَّت شَمالاً فَذِكرى ما ذَكَرتُكُمُ
عِندَ الصَفاةِ الَّتي شَرقَيَّ حَورانا
A north wind blew, so the memory I mentioned you
At dawn, oriental and bay-like
هَل يَرجِعَنَّ وَلَيسَ الدَهرُ مُرتَجِعاً
عَيشٌ بِها طالَما اِحلَولى وَما لانا
Will they return while time does not go back?
A life in which hopelessness settled, and we did not refuse
أَزمانَ يَدعونَني الشَيطانَ مِن غَزَلي
وَكُنَّ يَهوَينَني إِذ كُنتُ شَيطانا
Times call me a devil because of my flirting
And they passionately loved me when I was a devil
مَن ذا الَّذي ظَلَّ يَغلي أَن أَزورَكُمُ
أَمسى عَلَيهِ مَليكُ الناسِ غَضبانا
Who is it that kept boiling so I visit you
The King of people became angry with him tonight?
ما يَدَّري شُعَراءُ الناسِ وَيلَهُمُ
مِن صَولَةِ المُخدِرِ العادي بِخَفّانا
The poets of people do not know - woe to them
From the onslaught of the accustomed, running poet
جَهلاً تَمَنّى حُدائي مِن ضَلالَتِهِم
فَقَد حَدَوتُهُمُ مَثنى وَوُحدانا
Ignorantly, they wished my guidance from their misguidance
For I have guided them together and individually
غادَرتُهُم مِن حَسيرٍ ماتَ في قَرَنٍ
وَآخَرينَ نَسوا التَهدارَ خِصيانا
I left them from perished Haseer who died in Qarn
And others who forgot the conversation, castrated
ما زالَ حَبلِيَ في أَعناقِهِم مَرِساً
حَتّى اِشتَفَيتُ وَحَتّى دانَ مَن دانا
My rope remained coiled around their necks
Until I became sated and until who judged, judged
مَن يَدعُني مِهُمُ يَبغي مُحارَبَتي
فَاِستَيقِنَنَّ أُجِبهُ غَيرَ وَسنانا
Who among them wants to war with me
Then let them be certain I will respond without a canine tooth
ما عَضَّ نابِيَ قَوماً أَو أَقولَ لَهُم
إِيّاكُمُ ثُمَّ إِيّاكُمُ وَإِيّانا
My fang did not bite a people or I say to them
Beware, then beware and beware of us
إِنّي اِمرُؤٌ لَم أُرِد فيمَن أُناوِئُهُ
لِلناسِ ظُلماً وَلا لِلحَربِ إِدهانا
I am a man who did not intend to wrong
People in war or make war delicious
أَحمي حِمايَ بِأَعلى المَجدِ مَنزِلَتي
مِن خِندِفٍ وَالذُرى مِن قَيسِ عَيلانا
I protect my glory at the highest place of glory
From Kindif and the lineage from Qays and Ailan
قالَ الخَليفَةُ وَالخِنزيرُ مُنهَزِمٌ
ما كُنتَ أَوَّلَ عَبدٍ مُحلِبٍ خانا
The Caliph said and the Khinzir are defeated
You were not the first cupper who betrayed
لَقى الأُخَيطِلُ بِالجَولانِ فاقِرَةً
مِثلَ اِجتِداعِ القَوافي وَبرَ هِزّانا
Al-Ukhaidhir met in Al-Jawlan desolate
Like the rhyming of meters and the rugged verse maker
يا خُزرَ تَغلِبَ ماذا بالُ نِسوَتِكُم
لا يَستَفِقنَ إِلى الدَيرَينِ تَحنانا
O Khazar, what is wrong with your women?
They do not wake up to the two monasteries yearning
لَن تُدرِكوا المَجدَ أَو تَشروا عَباءَكُمُ
بِالخَزِّ أَو تَجعَلوا التَنّومَ ضَمرانا
You will not attain glory or buy your dignity
With rags or make fur garments your livelihood
