أَمِن آلِ نُعمٍ أَنتَ غادٍ فَمُبكِرُ

غَداةَ غَدٍ أَم رائِحٌ فَمُهَجِّرُ

From the people of ease are you departing so early

Tomorrow morning or a traveler so you hasten

لِحاجَةِ نَفسٍ لَم تَقُل في جَوابِها

فَتُبلِغَ عُذراً وَالمَقالَةُ تُعذِرُ

For a soul's need, its answer you didn't state

So you'd make an excuse and the talk excuses

تَهيمُ إِلى نُعمٍ فَلا الشَملُ جامِعٌ

وَلا الحَبلُ مَوصولٌ وَلا القَلبُ مُقصِرُ

You rave for ease; neither has union gathered

Nor is the rope connected, nor the heart neglectful

وَلا قُربُ نُعمٍ إِن دَنَت لكَ نافِعٌ

وَلا نَأيُها يُسلي وَلا أَنتَ تَصبِرُ

Neither is being near ease useful if it draws close to you

Nor does its remoteness console you or are you patient

وَأُخرى أَتَت مِن دونِ نُعمٍ وَمِثلُها

نَهى ذا النُهى لَو تَرعَوي أَو تُفَكِّرُ

And another came without ease and the like of it

The prohibition if you heed or think

إِذا زُرتُ نُعماً لَم يَزَل ذو قَرابَةٍ

لَها كُلَّما لاقَيتُها يَتَنَمَّرُ

When I visit ease he's not ceased to be a relative

Whenever I meet him, he scowls

عَزيزٌ عَلَيهِ أَن أُلِمَّ بِبَيتِها

يُسِرُّ لِيَ الشَحناءَ وَالبُغضُ مُظهَرُ

Dear to him that I reside at her abode

He makes hostility pleasant to me and hatred prominent

أَلِكني إِلَيها بِالسَلامِ فَإِنَّهُ

يُشَهَّرُ إِلمامي بِها وَيُنَكَّرُ

Mention me to her in greeting, though he

Announces my frequency with her and denies

بِآيَةِ ما قالَت غَداةَ لَقيتُها

بِمَدفَعِ أَكنانٍ أَهَذا المُشَهَّرُ

By the sign of what she said the morning I met her

At the cusp of furrows, "Is this the frequenter?"

قِفي فَاِنظُري أَسماءُ هَل تَعرِفينَهُ

أَهَذا المُغيريُّ الَّذي كانَ يُذكَرُ

"Stand and look, Asma. Do you recognize him?

Is this the Mughayri whom we mentioned?"

أَهَذا الَّذي أَطرَيتِ نَعتاً فَلَم أَكُن

وَعَيشِكِ أَنساهُ إِلى يَومِ أُقبَرُ

"Is this he whom you described and I was not

By your life, I forgot him until I'm buried."

فَقالَت نَعَم لا شَكَّ غَيَّرَ لَونَهُ

سُرى اللَيلِ يُحيِي نَصَّهُ وَالتَهَجُّرُ

She said "Yes, no doubt. Travel has changed his color.

The nights' wakefulness rejuvenated his vigor and estrangement."

لَئِن كانَ إِيّاهُ لَقَد حالَ بَعدَنا

عَنِ العَهدِ وَالإِنسانُ قَد يَتَغَيَّرُ

"If it's him, after us it's changed him

From the pact, and man can change."

رَأَت رَجُلاً أَمّا إِذا الشَمسُ عارَضَت

فَيَضحى وَأَمّا بِالعَشيِّ فَيَخصَرُ

She saw a man, but when the sun rises on him

He's radiant. And at night he's slender.

أَخا سَفَرٍ جَوّابَ أَرضٍ تَقاذَفَت

بِهِ فَلَواتٌ فَهوَ أَشعَثُ أَغبَرُ

The brother of travel, answering the land which tossed him,

So exiles, he's disheveled, dusty.

قَليلاً عَلى ظَهرِ المَطِيَّةِ ظِلُّهُ

سِوى ما نَفى عَنهُ الرِداءُ المُحَبَّرُ

Little, by his riding beast, is his shadow

Except what his reddened cloak denied from him.

وَأَعجَبَها مِن عَيشِها ظِلُّ غُرفَةٍ

وَرَيّانُ مُلتَفُّ الحَدائِقِ أَخضَرُ

And I was astonished by her life, the shadow of a room

And sprouting greenery, winding gardens, green.

وَوالٍ كَفاها كُلَّ شَيءٍ يَهُمُّها

فَلَيسَت لِشَيءٍ آخِرَ اللَيلِ تَسهَرُ

And a satisfying guardian who spared her everything she cared for

So for nothing else would she stay up nights.

وَلَيلَةَ ذي دَورانَ جَشَّمتِني السُرى

وَقَد يَجشَمُ الهَولَ المُحِبُّ المُغَرِّرُ

And the night of cycles, fright gripped me.

Fright can grip a lover, a deceiver.

فَبِتُّ رَقيباً لِلرِفاقِ عَلى شَفا

أُحاذِرُ مِنهُم مَن يَطوفُ وَأَنظُرُ

So I stayed up watching over the comrades nearby

I'm wary of them, of whoever goes around, I watch

إِلَيهِم مَتى يَستَمكِنُ النَومُ مِنهُمُ

وَلى مَجلِسٌ لَولا اللُبانَةُ أَوعَرُ

When sleep takes hold of them and the sitting disperses

Were it not for dim light, it would be impassable.

وَباتَت قَلوصي بِالعَراءِ وَرَحلُها

لِطارِقِ لَيلٍ أَو لِمَن جاءَ مُعوِرُ

And my belonings stayed in the wilderness while its luggage

For a night visitor or whoever came, lost.

وَبِتُّ أُناجي النَفسَ أَينَ خِباؤُها

وَكَيفَ لِما آتي مِنَ الأَمرِ مَصدَرُ

And I stayed addressing my soul "Where does it hide

And how can I acquire it from the matter?"

فَدَلَّ عَلَيها القَلبُ رَيّا عَرَفتُها

لَها وَهَوى النَفسِ الَّذي كادَ يَظهَرُ

So my heart guided me. I knew it.

It and the soul's passion which almost appeared.

فَلَمّا فَقَدتُ الصَوتَ مِنهُم وَأُطفِئَت

مَصابيحُ شُبَّت في العِشاءِ وَأَنوُرُ

So when I lost their voices and their lamps

Were extinguished, lit for dinner and bright.

وَغابَ قُمَيرٌ كُنتُ أَرجو غُيوبَهُ

وَرَوَّحَ رُعيانُ وَنَوَّمَ سُمَّرُ

And the Pleiades I hoped for their disappearance vanished

And the shepherd slept and the conversationalist.

وَخُفِّضَ عَنّي النَومُ أَقبَلتُ مِشيَةَ ال

حُبابِ وَرُكني خَشيَةَ الحَيِّ أَزوَرُ

And sleep lowered from me. I went confidently

In the beloved's walk while my focus is fear of the living, I visit.

فَحَيَّيتُ إِذ فاجَأتُها فَتَوَلَّهَت

وَكادَت بِمَخفوضِ التَحِيَّةِ تَجهَرُ

So when I surprised her, she turned away

And almost with lowered greeting she raised her voice.

وَقالَت وَعَضَّت بِالبَنانِ فَضَحتَني

وَأَنتَ اِمرُؤٌ مَيسورُ أَمرِكَ أَعسَرُ

And she said, biting her lip, embarrassing me,

"And you are a man of ease. Is your matter difficult?"

أَرَيتَكَ إِذ هُنّا عَلَيكَ أَلَم تَخَف

وُقيتَ وَحَولي مِن عَدُوِّكَ حُضَّرُ

"Did you think when you're here it pained you?

You feared and around me are your enemies present?"

فَوَ اللَهِ ما أَدري أَتَعجيلُ حاجَةٍ

سَرَت بِكَ أَم قَد نامَ مَن كُنتَ تَحذَرُ

"By God, I don't know! Do you hasten a need

That drove you? Or did who you feared sleep?"

فَقُلتُ لَها بَل قادَني الشَوقُ وَالهَوى

إِلَيكِ وَما عَينٌ مِنَ الناسِ تَنظُرُ

I said to her "Rather, passion and love

Drove me to you and no eye of people looks."

فَقالَت وَقَد لانَت وَأَفرَخَ رَوعُها

كَلاكَ بِحِفظٍ رَبُّكَ المُتَكَبِّرُ

She said, and her fright subsided and her alarm calmed

"Not so! May your Lord, the Great, protect you!"

فَأَنتَ أَبا الخَطّابِ غَيرُ مُدافَعٍ

عَلَيَّ أَميرٌ ما مَكُثتُ مُؤَمَّرُ

"You are Abu Bakr, not defending me.

The commander, I did not stay plotting."

فَبِتُّ قَريرَ العَينِ أُعطيتُ حاجَتي

أُقَبِّلُ فاها في الخَلاءِ فَأُكثِرُ

So I stayed, sated, given my need.

I kiss her mouth privately so I repeat.

فَيا لَكَ مِن لَيلٍ تَقاصَرَ طولُهُ

وَما كانَ لَيلى قَبلَ ذَلِكَ يَقصُرُ

Oh, what a night whose length was short

And Layla's night before that did not shorten.

وَيا لَكَ مِن مَلهىً هُناكَ وَمَجلِس

لَنا لَم يُكَدِّرهُ عَلَينا مُكَدِّرُ

Oh, what an amusement there while our sitting

No spoiler troubled us.

يَمُجُّ ذَكِيَّ المِسكِ مِنها مُفَلَّجٌ

رَقيقُ الحَواشي ذو غُروبٍ مُؤَشَّرُ

Musk diffuses from her, pierced,

Of delicate edges, setting suns adorned.

تَراهُ إِذا تَفتَرُّ عَنهُ كَأَنَّهُ

حَصى بَرَدٍ أَو أُقحُوانٌ مُنَوِّرُ

You'd see it when it parts from her as if it's

Pebbles of hail or glowing pearls.

وَتَرنو بِعَينَيها إِلَيَّ كَما رَنا

إِلى رَبرَبٍ وَسطَ الخَميلَةِ جُؤذَرُ

And she glanced at me as the white-eye gazelle glanced

At an ostrich amidst the sand-ridge.

فَلَمّا تَقَضّى اللَيلُ إِلّا أَقَلَّهُ

وَكادَت تَوالي نَجمِهِ تَتَغَوَّرُ

So when the night finished except its end

And its stars nearly disappeared

أَشارَت بِأَنَّ الحَيَّ قَد حانَ مِنهُمُ

هُبوبٌ وَلَكِن مَوعِدٌ مِنكَ عَزوَرُ

She gestured the living's disturbance neared them

A gale, but promise me you'll visit.

فَما راعَني إِلّا مُنادٍ تَرَحَّلوا

وَقَد لاحَ مَعروفٌ مِنَ الصُبحِ أَشقَرُ

So I didn't heed except a caller "They traveled!"

And daybreak whitened from the dawn.

فَلَمّا رَأَت مَن قَد تَنَبَّهَ مِنهُمُ

وَأَيقاظَهُم قالَت أَشِر كَيفَ تَأمُرُ

So when she saw who woke of them

And roused them, she said "Order! What do you command?"

فَقُلتُ أُباديهِم فَإِمّا أَفوتُهُم

وَإِمّا يَنالُ السَيفُ ثَأراً فَيَثأَرُ

I said "I'll destroy them. Either I miss them

Or the sword takes revenge so it avenges."

فَقالَت أَتَحقيقاً لِما قالَ كاشِحٌ

عَلَينا وَتَصديقاً لِما كانَ يُؤثَرُ

She said "Truly, confirming what the slanderer said of us

And verifying what was rumored?"

فَإِن كانَ ما لا بُدَّ مِنهُ فَغَيرُهُ

مِنَ الأَمرِ أَدنى لِلخَفاءِ وَأَستَرُ

"If it's inevitable, then another

Way is more hidden and veiled."

أَقُصُّ عَلى أُختَيَّ بِدءَ حَديثِنا

وَما لِيَ مِن أَن تَعلَما مُتَأَخَّرُ

"I'll tell my sister the beginning of our talk

And it's not for me they know, late."

لَعَلَّهُما أَن تَطلُبا لَكَ مَخرَجاً

وَأَن تَرحُبا صَدراً بِما كُنتُ أَحصُرُ

"Maybe they'll find an exit for you

And welcome openly what I was concealing."

فَقامَت كَئيباً لَيسَ في وَجهِها دَمٌ

مِنَ الحُزنِ تُذري عَبرَةً تَتَحَدَّرُ

So she stood sadly, no blood in her face

From grief, shedding copious tears.

فَقامَت إِلَيها حُرَّتانِ عَلَيهِما

كِساءانِ مِن خَزٍّ دِمَقسٌ وَأَخضَرُ

So two servant girls stood, wearing

Green brocade, Damascene, and green.

فَقالَت لِأُختَيها أَعينا عَلى فَتىً

أَتى زائِراً وَالأَمرُ لِلأَمرِ يُقدَرُ

And she told her sister "Help a lad

Who came visiting, and the matter is up to the commander."

فَأَقبَلَتا فَاِرتاعَتا ثُمَّ قالَتا

أَقِلّي عَلَيكِ اللَومَ فَالخَطبُ أَيسَرُ

So they came, startled, then said

"Lessen blame on you, the matter is easier."

فَقالَت لَها الصُغرى سَأُعطيهِ مِطرَفي

وَدَرعي وَهَذا البُردُ إِن كانَ يَحذَرِ

The younger said "I'll give him my veil

And my coat of mail and this fur coat, if he fears."

يَقومُ فَيَمشي بَينَنا مُتَنَكِّراً

فَلا سِرُّنا يَفشو وَلا هُوَ يَظهَرُ

"He'll stand and walk between us in disguise

So our secret won't spread and he won't appear."

فَكانَ مِجَنّي دونَ مَن كُنتُ أَتَّقي

ثَلاثُ شُخوصٍ كاعِبانِ وَمُعصِرُ

So my protection from those I feared

Were three figures: twisting, pressing, squeezing.

فَلَمّا أَجَزنا ساحَةَ الحَيِّ قُلنَ لي

أَلَم تَتَّقِ الأَعداءَ وَاللَيلُ مُقمِرُ

So when we crossed the quarter, they told me

"Do you not fear enemies while the night is bright?"

وَقُلنَ أَهَذا دَأبُكَ الدَهرَ سادِراً

أَما تَستَحي أَو تَرعَوي أَو تُفَكِّرُ

And they said "Is this your way, roaming nights,

Do you not feel shame, reconsider or reflect?"

إِذا جِئتِ فَاِمنَح طَرفَ عَينَيكَ غَيرَنا

لِكَي يَحسِبوا أَنَّ الهَوى حَيثُ تَنظُرُ

"When you come, divert your eye from us

So they think passion is where you look."

فَآخِرُ عَهدٍ لي بِها حينَ أَعرَضَت

وَلاحَ لَها خَدُّ نَقِيٌّ وَمَحجَرُ

So the last time with her was when she turned away

And her cheek appeared, pure and reddened.

سِوى أَنَّني قَد قُلتُ يا نُعمُ قَولَةً

لَها وَالعِتاقُ الأَرحَبيّاتُ تُزجَرُ

Except that I said "O Ease!" addressing her

While the slave-girls scold and deter.

هَنيئاً لِأَهلِ العامِرِيَّةِ نَشرُها ال

لَذيذُ وَرَيّاها الَّذي أَتَذَكَّرُ

Happy are the people of Al-Amariyya, its place

Is delightful and the meadow I remember.

وَقُمتُ إِلى عَنسٍ تَخَوَّنَ نَيَّها

سُرى اللَيلِ حَتّى لَحمُها مُتَحَسِّرُ

And I stood to a she-camel who betrayed her intent

The nights' wakefulness until her flesh peeled.

وَحَبسي عَلى الحاجاتِ حَتّى كَأَنَّها

بَقِيَّةُ لَوحٍ أَو شِجارٌ مُؤَسَّرُ

And my denial of wants until they were

Like a plank's remainder or trimmed trees.

وَماءٍ بِمَوماءٍ قَليلٍ أَنيسُهُ

بَسابِسَ لَم يَحدُث بِهِ الصَيفَ مَحضَرُ

And from water at Ma'ma, little comforting it

Tadpoles never renewed it in summer.

بِهِ مُبتَنىً لِلعَنكَبوتِ كَأَنَّهُ

عَلى طَرَفِ الأَرجاءِ خامٌ مُنَشَّرُ

In it an abode for spiders as if it's

On the water-pit's edge, feeble, deployed.

وَرِدتُ وَما أَدري أَما بَعدَ مَورِدي

مِنَ اللَيلِ أَم ما قَد مَضى مِنهُ أَكثَرُ

So I rode while clueless, after my return

From the night, was it most of it passed or more?

فَقُمتُ إِلى مِغلاةِ أَرضٍ كَأَنَّها

إِذا اِلتَفَتَت مَجنونَةٌ حينَ تَنظُرُ

I stood to the bending of land as if it's

A madwoman when she looks.

تُنازِعُني حِرصاً عَلى الماءِ رَأسَها

وَمِن دونِ ما تَهوى قَليبٌ مُعَوَّرُ

She competes with me for water. Her head

And without what she desires, her heart twisted.

مُحاوِلَةً لِلماءِ لَولا زِمامُها

وَجَذبي لَها كادَت مِراراً تَكَسَّرُ

Trying for the water, if not for her bridle

And my pulling her, she almost broke.

فَلَمّا رَأَيتُ الضَرَّ مِنها وَأَنَّني

بِبَلدَةِ أَرضٍ لَيسَ فيها مُعَصَّرُ

So when I saw the harm in her and that

I'm in a land with no presser in it,

قَصَرتُ لَها مِن جانِبِ الحَوضِ مُنشَأً

جَديداً كَقابِ الشِبرِ أَو هُوَ أَصغَرُ

I shortened for her from the basin's side a

New canal like the span or less.

إِذا شَرَعَت فيهِ فَلَيسَ لِمُلتَقى

مَشافِرِها مِنهُ قِدى الكَفِّ مُسأَرُ

When she wades in it, the extent of

Her hooves' meeting has no concealed cubit.

وَلا دَلوَ إِلّا القَعبُ كانَ رِشاءَهُ

إِلى الماءِ نِسعٌ وَالأَديمُ المُضَفَّرُ

And no bucket except the waterskin whose

Drawing to the water is ample and the leather bag adorned.

فَسافَت وَما عافَت وَما رَدَّ شُربَها

عَنِ الرَيِّ مَطروقٌ مِنَ الماءِ أَكدَرُ

So she traveled while she did not quench and her drinking

Did not prevent her from the irrigation - troubled from the water, turbid.