كُبَيشَةُ حَلَّت بَعدَ عَهدِكَ عاقِلاً

وَكانَت لَهُ خَبلاً عَلى النَأيِ خابِلا

Kubaysha regained her sense after you left,

And her madness for being away became wisdom.

تَرَبَّعَتِ الأَشرافَ ثُمَّ تَصَيَّفَت

حَساءَ البُطاحِ وَاِنتَجَعنَ المَسايِلا

She took to the highlands, then spent the summer

At al-Buttah, while the flowing streams irrigated al-Musayyil.

تَخَيَّرُ ما بَينَ الرِجامِ وَواسِطٍ

إِلى سِدرَةِ الرَسَّينِ تَرعى السَوابِلا

She roams between al-Rijam and Wasit

To the lotus tree of al-Rassayn, where the gazelles graze.

يُغَنّي الحَمامُ فَوقَها كُلَّ شارِقٍ

عَلى الطَلحِ يَصدَحنَ الضُحى وَالأَصائِلا

The pigeons coo over it every dawn

Over the terebinth the mornings and twilights echo.

فَكَلَّفتُها وَهماً كَأَنَّ نَحيزَهُ

شَقائِقُ نَسّاجٍ يَؤُمُّ المَناهِلا

I assigned her a worry as though its localization

Were flax flowers that frequent the waters.

فَعَدَّيتُها فيهِ تُباري زِمامَها

تُنازِعُ أَطرافَ الإِكامِ النَقائِلا

So I let her compete with its reins in it,

Rivaling the edges of the thickets' entanglements.

مُنيفاً كَسَحلِ الهاجِرِيِّ تَضُمُّهُ

إِكامٌ وَيَعرَوري النِجادَ الغَوائِلا

Sheltering like an emigrant's cloak containing

Thickets wherein the mares rear their tails.

فَسافَت قَديماً عَهدُهُ بِأَنيسِهِ

كَما خالَطَ الخَلُّ العَتيقُ التَوابِلا

She frequented it when its old compact with her companion

Had deteriorated, as vinegar does the spices.

سَلَبتُ بِها هَجراً بُيوتَ نِعاجِهِ

وَرُعتُ قَطاهُ في المَبيتِ وَقائِلا

I stole with her the estrangement from her sheep's homes

And shepherded its herd at night while spending the night.

بِحَرفٍ بَراها الرَحلُ إِلّا شَظِيَّةً

تَرى صُلبَها تَحتَ الوَلِيَّةِ ناحِلا

With an enclosure he perceived her, except for a portion

Whose poles under the tent pegs bend.

عَلى أَنَّ أَلواحاً تُرى في جَديلِها

إِذا عاوَدَت جَنانَها وَالأَفاكِلا

So that panels appear in her bosom

When she returns to her burrows and nests.

وَغادَرتُ مَرهوباً كَأَنَّ سِباعَهُ

لُصوصٌ تَصَدّى لِلكَسوبِ المَحاوِلا

I left it frightened as though its beasts

Were thieves deterred from undertakings and attempts.

كَأَنَّ قَتودي فَوقَ جَأبٍ مُطَرَّدٍ

يُفِزُّ نَحوصاً بِالبَراعيمِ حائِلا

As though my sturdy she-camel atop a saddle

Bolts toward the watering places, hindered.

رَعاها مَصابَ المُزنِ حَتّى تَصَيَّفا

نِعافَ القَنانِ ساكِناً فَالأَجاوِلا

The downpour's disaster shepherded it until it spent the summer

At the Euphrates banks, residing in thickets.

فَكانَ لَهُ بَردُ السِماكِ وَغَيمُهُ

خَليطاً غَدا صُبحَ الحَرامِ مُزايِلا

For it the cool of late spring and its clouds

Became a mixture that tomorrow's noon sun takes away.

فَلَمّا اِعتَقاهُ الصَيفُ ماءَ ثِمادِهِ

وَقَد زايَلَ البُهمى سَفا العِربِ ناصِلا

So when summer released the water of its reservoir,

And the haze had removed the camel hair tents' pegs,

وَلَم يَتَذَكَّر مِن بَقِيَّةِ عَهدِهِ

مِنَ الحَوضِ وَالسُؤبانِ إِلّا صَلاصِلا

And it remembered of its days' remainder

Naught of the basin and drinking troughs except traces,

فَأَجمادَ ذي رَقدٍ فَأَكنافَ ثادِقٍ

فَصارَةَ يوفي فَوقَها فَالأَعابِلا

It harbored a deep sleep and the confines of a shelter,

Above which the tent ropes dangle.

وَزالَ النَسيلُ عَن زَحاليفِ مَتنِهِ

فَأَصبَحَ مُمتَدَّ الطَريقَةِ قافِلا

The gentle breeze disappeared from its back's plains

So it straightened its course like a caravan.

يُقَلِّبُ أَطرافَ الأُمورِ تَخالُهُ

بِأَحناءِ ساقٍ آخَرَ اللَيلِ ماثِلا

Its imagination turns affairs' edges

With another part of the night standing crooked.

فَهَيَّجَها بَعدَ الخِلاجِ فَسامَحَت

وَأَنشَأَ جَوناً كَالضَبابَةِ جائِلا

So after the calm it provoked her and she yielded,

And engendered a cleft like a mist's opening.

يَفُلُّ الصَفيحَ الصُمَّ تَحتَ ظِلالِهِ

مِنَ الوَقعِ لا ضَحلاً وَلا مُتَضائِلا

The deaf tin resounds beneath its shadows

With a thud - neither hollow nor fading.

فَبَيَّتَ زُرقاً مِن سَرارٍ بِسُحرَةٍ

وَمِن دَحلَ لا يَخشى بِهِنَّ الحَبائِلا

He lodged in a land of secrets and witchcraft

And an inky darkness, fearing no entanglements.

فَعاما جُنوحَ الهالِكِيِّ كِلاهُما

وَقَحَّمَ آذِيَّ السَرِيِّ الجَحافِلا

Two years it endured the destroyer's madness

And encountered the grim faces of the troops.

أَذَلِكَ أَم نَزرُ المَراتِعِ فادِرٌ

أَحَسَّ قَنيصاً بِالبَراعيمِ خاتِلا

They hastened to its vulnerabilities so it was as though

For their sharp teeth it conceded a tusk.

فَباتَ إِلى أَرطاةِ حِقفٍ تَضُمُّهُ

شَآمِيَةٌ تُزجي الرَبابَ الهَواطِلا

It left them slain at every army's heels

You see the distance in their necks like caravans.

وَباتَ يُريدُ الكِنَّ لَو يَستَطيعُهُ

يُعالِجُ رَجّافاً مِنَ التُربِ غائِلا

They chose from a ghoul an ample torment

And from a white-blazed camel the carriers of litters.

فَأَصبَحَ وَاِنشَقَّ الضَبابُ وَهاجَهُ

أَخو قَفرَةٍ يُشلي رَكاحاً وَسائِلا

We provided against separation in exile a need,

And a longing as though longing could be just.

عَوابِسَ كَالنُشّابِ تَدمى نُحورُها

يَرَينَ دِماءَ الهادِياتِ نَوافِلا

Like the need one day before it from them

When at night they repelled with the dogs the beautiful camels.

فَجالَ وَلَم يَعكِم لِغُضفٍ كَأَنَّها

دِقاقُ الشَعيلِ يَبتَدِرنَ الجَعائِلا

They were delighted as though the she-camels called from the meadow

Were its meadows and the pregnant ones who bear.

لَصائِدِها في الصَيدِ حَقٌّ وَطُعمَةٌ

وَيَخشى العَذابَ أَن يُعَرِّدَ ناكِلا

Bearing Shafib-branded she-camels when they took upon themselves

And the branding spurs goaded the pregnant camels along,

قِتالَ كَمِيٍّ غابَ أَنصارُ ظَهرِهِ

وَلاقى الوُجوهَ المُنكَراتِ البَواسِلا

Bearing Musayyib-branded and Manchurian she-camels when they took upon themselves

A lineage and lofty camels with abundant burdens,

يَسُرنَ إِلى عَوراتِهِ فَكَأَنَّما

لِلَبّاتِها يُنحي سِناناً وَعامِلا

As though they were she-camels by a bard's melodies

Charmed while the drinking companion leads gently.

فَغادَرَها صَرعى لَدى كُلِّ مَزحَفٍ

تَرى القَدَّ في أَعناقِهِنَّ قَوافِلا

Does and young she-camels, their necks compliant

With the yoke, even if their necks were not long.

تَخَيَّرنَ مِن غَولٍ عِذاباً رَوِيَّةً

وَمِن مَنعِجٍ بيضَ الجِمامِ عَدامِلا

Chaste young brides over whom is diffidence

And noble helpers wearing garments.

وَقَد زَوَّدَت مِنّا عَلى النَأيِ حاجَةً

وَشَوقاً لَوَ أَنَّ الشَوقَ أَصبَحَ عادِلا

As though perfectly ripened fruits mixed in her talk

Sweet and dried from the exquisite sealed wine of Babylon

كَحاجَةِ يَومٍ قَبلَ ذَلِكَ مِنهُمُ

عَشِيَّةَ رَدّوا بِالكُلابِ الجَمائِلا

Which is poured over it from the radiance of lightning

That in the depth of night travels asking.

فَرُحنَ كَأَنَّ النادِياتِ مِنَ الصَفا

مَذارِعَها وَالكارِعاتِ الحَوامِلا

Their livers white like goose eggs when they straighten their necks

And their joints.

بِذي شَطَبٍ أَحداجُها إِذ تَحَمَّلوا

وَحَثَّ الحُداةُ الناعِجاتِ الذَوامِلا

They have anklets of Raqi and agate

On the oaths of Persian caretakers who make fair judgments.

بِذي الرِمثِ وَالطَرفاءِ لَمّا تَحَمَّلوا

أَصيلاً وَعالَينَ الحُمولَ الجَوافِلا

When they are brought out one day for their Lord

You would hear from an ecstatic musician a wailing song.

كَأَنَّ نِعاجاً مِن هَجائِنِ عازِفٍ

عَلَيها وَآرامَ السُلِيِّ الخَواذِلا

So if an abode becomes remote or a kinsman's time grows long

With consequences or old age becomes inclusive,

جَعَلنَ حِراجَ القُرنَتَينِ وَناعِتاً

يَميناً وَنَكَّبنَ البَدِيَّ شَمائِلا

Then we might pasture one morning, and we are not neighbors

To the kings' realm, the coinage and the wash houses.

وَعالَينَ مَضعوفاً وَفَرداً سُموطُهُ

جُمانٌ وَمَرجانٌ يَشُدُّ المَفاصِلا

Nights beneath the tent walls, a summer residence

Of leather, frequents the midwives' huts.

يَرُضنَ صِعابَ الدُرِّ في كُلِّ حِجَّةٍ

وَلَو لَم تَكُن أَعناقُهُنَّ عَواطِلا

The rheum of tender glances slept, its coverlets cheap,

In Suwaylim, from Duhayshah, the quarrelsome.

غَرائِرُ أَبكارٌ عَلَيها مَهابَةٌ

وَعونٌ كِرامٌ يَرتَدَينَ الوَصائِلا

The range of vision from it to keep an eye on with vigilance

Is like the measure for the brave of what the struggling endures.

كَأَنَّ الشَمولَ خالَطَت في كَلامِها

جَنِيّاً مِنَ الرُمّانِ لَدناً وَذابِلا

So she returned to visit between us and was altered

And said, "Enough - old age is lethal for a man."

لَذيذاً وَمَنقوفاً بِصافي مَخيلَةٍ

مِنَ الناصِعِ المَختومِ مِن خَمرِ بابِلا

She blames destruction without being misguided

And do I possess what I held back, if I were stingy?

يُشَنُّ عَلَيها مِن سُلافَةِ بارِقٍ

سَناً رَصَفاً مِن آخِرِ اللَيلِ سائِلا

I saw piety and praise as the best commerce -

Profit, when a man becomes heavy

تُضَمَّنُ بيضاً كَالإِوَزِّ ظُروفُها

إِذا أَتأَقوا أَعناقَها وَالحَواصِلا

And is it not but what he built in his life

When they hurl over the tomb dirt and spades

لَها غَلَلٌ مِن رازِقِيٍّ وَكُرسُفٍ

بِأَيمانِ عُجمٍ يَنصُفونَ المَقاوِلا

And praise him for what he had

As the fingernails bite into him.

إِذا صُفِّقَت يَوماً لِأَربابِ رَبِّها

سَمِعتَ لَها مِن واكِفِ العُطبِ واشِلا

So leave off this - it has passed away

Andbusy the deliverer of worries if you travel

فَإِن تَنأَ دارٌ أَو يَطُل عَهدُ خُلَّةٍ

بِعاقِبَةٍ أَو يُصبِحِ الشَيبُ شامِلا

Requesting the hospitality of a journey laid bare after exhaustion

A spring and summer in the resting places complete

فَقَد نَرتَعي سَبتاً وَلَسنا بِجيرَةٍ

مَحَلَّ المُلوكِ نُقدَةً فَالمَغاسِلا

So I rewarded her for what was laid bare and became eternal

For she would compete with the beautiful camels.

لَيالِيَ تَحتَ الخِدرِ ثِنيُ مُصيفَةٍ

مِنَ الأُدمِ تَرتادُ الشُروجَ القَوابِلا

It turned like the bending of the sword, its blade gleaming

Over every brave one who splits skulls.

أَنامَت غَضيضَ الطَرفِ رَخصاً ظُلوفُهُ

بِذاتِ السُلَيمِ مِن دُحَيضَةَ جادِلا

So it turned away my basin, heedless of its roses,

Inclining in the gardens of reeds, covered in mange.

مَدى العَينِ مِنها أَن يُراعَ بِنَجوَةٍ

كَقَدرِ النَجيثِ ما يَبُذُّ المُناضِلا

With that I console a need, if I attain it

And relieve a worry that was inside my chest

فَعادَت عَوادٍ بَينَنا وَتَنَكَّرَت

وَقالَت كَفى بِالشَيبِ لِلمَرءِ قاتِلا

I repay and grant this guide his judgment

If he is worthy of honor and connection

تَلومُ عَلى الإِهلاكِ في غَيرِ ضَلَّةٍ

وَهَل لِيَ ما أَمسَكتُ إِن كُنتُ باخِلا

And if I bring it to him I shall divert it if I fear betrayal

And restrain the fist of stinginess if he is stingy.

رَأَيتُ التُقى وَالحَمدَ خَيرَ تِجارَةٍ

رَباحاً إِذا ما المَرءُ أَصبَحَ ثاقِلا

The clan of 'Amir are the best of tribes I knew

Even if enemies falsely spoke lies and falsehood

وَهَل هُوَ إِلّا ما اِبتَنى في حَياتِهِ

إِذا قَذَفوا فَوقَ الضَريحِ الجَنادِلا

For them are endless councils of dew

Nor does the ignorance of the ignorant harm them

وَأَثنَوا عَلَيهِ بِالَّذي كانَ عِندَهُ

وَعَضَّ عَلَيهِ العائِداتُ الأَنامِلا

Whites over the fires in times of chill

Nights of supper, deterring the mischievous

فَدَع عَنكَ هَذا قَد مَضى لِسَبيلِهِ

وَكَلِّف نَجِيَّ الهَمِّ إِن كُنتَ راحِلا

They established rights, made them hereditary

Bones of effort and fasting in abundance

طَليحَ سَفارٍ عُرِّيَت بَعدَ بَذلَةٍ

رَبيعاً وَصَيفاً بِالمَضاجِعِ كامِلا

Their north wind distributes its bones

When Najd drives away the mirages.

فَجازَيتُها ما عُرِّيَت وَتَأَبَّدَت

وَكانَت تُسامي بِالغَريفِ الجَمائِلا

Nobles, if the caravans come it is delightful

Vats - they do not desire in wine a defect

وَوَلّى كَنَصلِ السَيفِ يَبرُقُ مَتنُهُ

عَلى كُلِّ إِجرَيّا يَشُقُّ الخَمائِلا

If they drink, they deter intrigues from themselves

For of old they would silence intrigues

فَنَكَّبَ حَوضى ما يَهُمُّ بِوِردِها

يَميلُ بِصَحراءِ القَنانَينِ جاذِلا

So do not ask us and ask about our afflictions

Iyad, Kalb, Ma'add, and Qays

بِتِلكَ أُسَلّي حاجَةً إِن ضَمِنتُها

وَأُبرِئُ هَمّاً كانَ في الصَدرِ داخِلا

And Tamim whom Kinadah toured

And when the settlements came upon you

أُجازي وَأُعطي ذا الدِلالِ بِحُكمِهِ

إِذا كانَ أَهلاً لِلكَرامَةِ واصِلا

In them, for our accounts, are affliction and bounty

And our endeavor for glory was not neglectful

وَإِن آتِهِ أَصرِف إِذا خِفتُ نَبوَةً

وَأَحبِس قَلوصَ الشُحِّ إِن كانَ باخِلا

They are my people, if you meet their elite

You will find them practicing glory and nobility

بَنو عامِرٍ مِن خَيرِ حَيٍّ عَلِمتُهُم

وَلَو نَطَقَ الأَعداءُ زوراً وَباطِلا

They will never lack in war a seasoned lion

Or one equal when disaster strikes, ready to sacrifice

لَهُم مَجلِسٌ لا يُحصَرونَ عَنِ النَدى

وَلا يَزدَهيهِم جَهلُ مَن كانَ جاهِلا

And a fluent one who dons his armor for the fray

An orator, when the throngs gather, judicious

وَبيضٌ عَلى النيرانِ في كُلِّ شَتوَةٍ

سَراةَ العِشاءِ يَزجُرونَ المَسابِلا

And one we trained without his bridle

Who walks in the township restrained

وَأَعطَوا حُقوقاً ضُمِّنوها وِراثَةً

عِظامَ الجِفانِ وَالصِيامَ الحَوافِلا

And Mashi'ala, a she-camel made for racing, as though her steeds

Are pigeons competing at dusk with the lowly

تُوَزِّعُ صُرّادَ الشَمالِ جِفانُهُم

إِذا أَصبَحَت نَجدٌ تَسوقُ الأَفائِلا

They have a loftiness wherein the iron is dense

You see the distance in their necks and their litter panniers

كِرامٌ إِذا نابَ التِجارُ أَلِذَّةٌ

مَخاريقُ لا يَرجونَ لِلخَمرِ واغِلا

We struck the people's elites until they hastily went

With bundles while the young camels carried the burdens

إِذا شَرِبوا صَدّوا العَواذِلَ عَنهُمُ

وَكانوا قَديماً يُسكِتونَ العَواذِلا

We fulfill glory for the neighbor and we were raised

In action, and we defeat the disputant adversary

فَلا تَسأَلينا وَاِسأَلي عَن بَلائِنا

إِياداً وَكَلباً مِن مَعَدٍّ وَوائِلا

We have an exemplary Sunnah we follow

And it legislated loyalty for our descendants

وَقَيساً وَمَن لَفَّت تَميمٌ وَمَذحِجاً

وَكِندَةَ إِذ وافَت عَلَيكِ المَنازِلا

Something that a people desiring to destroy it

Vacillate - extensive treason vacillating

لِأَحسابِنا فيهِم بَلاءٌ وَنِعمَةٌ

وَلَم يَكُ ساعينا عَنِ المَجدِ غافِلا

We were patient with them in every significant day

With our swords until we surmounted the inheritances

أولَئِكَ قَومي إِن تُلاقِ سَراتَهُم

تَجِدهُم يَأُمّونَ العُلا وَالفَواضِلا

And if you ask about them in every raid

Then perhaps the reports will inform one who asks

وَلَن يَعدَموا في الحَربِ لَيثاً مُجَرَّباً

وَذا نَزَلٍ عِندَ الرَزِيَّةِ باذِلا

They are my people, if you inquire about their tents

Then the news will inform the ignorant one

وَأَبيَضَ يَجتابُ الخُروقَ عَلى الوَجى

خَطيباً إِذا اِلتَفَّ المَجامِعُ فاصِلا

وَعانٍ فَكَكناهُ بِغَيرِ سِوامِهِ

فَأَصبَحَ يَمشي في المَحَلَّةِ جاذِلا

وَمُشعِلَةً رَهواً كَأَنَّ جِيادَها

حَمامٌ تُباري بِالعَشِيِّ سَوافِلا

لَهُم فَخمَةٌ فيها الحَديدُ كَثيفَةٌ

تَرى البيضَ في أَعناقِهِم وَالمَعابِلا

ضَرَبنا سَراةَ القَومِ حَتّى تَوَجَّهوا

سِراعاً وَقَد بَلَّ النَجيعُ المَحامِلا

نُؤَدّي العَظيمَ لِلجِوارِ وَنَبتَني

فَعالاً وَقَد نُنكي العَدُوَّ المُساجِلا

لَنا سُنَّةٌ عادِيَّةٌ نَقتَدي بِها

وَسَنَّت لِأُخرانا وَفاءً وَنائِلا

يُذَبذِبُ أَقواماً يُريدونَ هَدمَها

نِيافٌ يَبُذُّ الواسِعُ المُتَطاوِلا

صَبَرنا لَهُم في كُلِّ يَومِ عَظيمَةٍ

بِأَسيافِنا حَتّى عَلَونا المَناقِلا

وَإِن تَسأَلوا عَنهُم لَدى كُلِّ غارَةٍ

فَقَد يُنبَأُ الأَخبارَ مَن كانَ سائِلا

أولَئِكَ قَومي إِن سَأَلتَ بِخيمِهِم

وَقَد يُخبَرُ الأَنباءَ مَن كانَ جاهِلا