بانَت سُعادُ فَأَمسى القَلبُ مَعمودا

بانَت سُعادُ فَأَمسى القَلبُ مَعمودا

وَأَخلَفَتكَ اِبنَةُ الحُرِّ المَواعِيدا

وَأَخلَفَتكَ اِبنَةُ الحُرِّ المَواعِيدا

Su'ad has departed, and the heart is left stricken.

Happiness appeared, so my heart is saturated,

And the freeborn man's daughter broke her promises to you.

Yet the free-spirited girl has broken her promises,

كَأَنَّها ظَبيَةٌ بكرٌ أَطاعَ لَها

كَأَنَّها ظَبيَةٌ بكرٌ أَطاعَ لَها

مِن حَومَلٍ تَلَعاتُ الجَوِّ أَو أودا

مِن حَومَلٍ تَلَعاتُ الجَوِّ أَو أودا

She is like a maiden gazelle, for whom grow lush

As if she were an untamed gazelle obeyed by

the slopes of al-Jaww at Hawmal, or at Awd.

A herd traversing the heights or valleys.

قامَت تُريكَ غَداةَ البَينِ مُنسَدِلاً

قامَت تُريكَ غَداةَ البَينِ مُنسَدِلاً

تَخالُهُ فَوقَ مَتنَيها العَناقيدا

تَخالُهُ فَوقَ مَتنَيها العَناقيدا

On the morning of parting she stood showing you flowing hair,

She stood before you at dawn after separation

which you would think grape clusters over both sides of her back;

Her tresses dangling over her necklace like bunches of grapes,

وَبارِداً طَيِّباً عَذباً مُقَبِّلُهُ

وَبارِداً طَيِّباً عَذباً مُقَبِّلُهُ

مُخَيَّفاً نَبتُهُ بِالظَلمِ مَشهودا

مُخَيَّفاً نَبتُهُ بِالظَلمِ مَشهودا

and a cool, fragrant mouth, sweet to kiss,

Cool, fragrant, sweet, kissing him,

its teeth contrasting with their gums, their moist luster plain to see.

Her growth nourished by the darkness yet manifest.

وَجَسرَةٍ حَرَجٍ تدمى مَناسِمُها

وَجَسرَةٍ حَرَجٍ تدمى مَناسِمُها

أَعمَلتُها بي حَتّى تَقطَعَ البيدا

أَعمَلتُها بي حَتّى تَقطَعَ البيدا

And a sturdy, lean she-camel, her footpads bleeding,

With shyness that stirs her features

I urged onward with me aboard until she crossed the wastes.

I entreated her till she severed friendship.

كَلَّفتُها فَرَأَت حَقّاً تَكَلُّفَهُ

كَلَّفتُها فَرَأَت حَقّاً تَكَلُّفَهُ

وَديقَةً كَأَجيجِ النارِ صَيخودا

وَديقَةً كَأَجيجِ النارِ صَيخودا

I burdened her—and she deemed it her duty to bear—

I tasked her, so she saw the sincerity of my task,

a fiercely scorching noonday heat, like the blaze of fire,

And intimacy like the roar of blazing fire.

في مَهمَةٍ قَذَفٍ يَخشى الهَلاكُ بِهِ

في مَهمَةٍ قَذَفٍ يَخشى الهَلاكُ بِهِ

أَصداؤُهُ ما تَني بِاللَيل تَغريدا

أَصداؤُهُ ما تَني بِاللَيل تَغريدا

in a far-flung wilderness where even death feels fear;

In an undertaking of perilous war which threatens ruin

its owls never cease singing through the night.

Whose echo by night startles none asleep.

لَمّا تَشَكَّت إِلَيَّ الأَينَ قُلتُ لَها

لَمّا تَشَكَّت إِلَيَّ الأَينَ قُلتُ لَها

لا تَستَريحنَ ما لَم أَلقَ مَسعودا

لا تَستَريحنَ ما لَم أَلقَ مَسعودا

When she complained to me of weariness, I said to her:

When she complained of the whereabouts to me I said:

You must not rest until I meet Mas'ud,

Find no rest unless I meet with one fortunate,

ما لَم أُلاقِ اِمرأً جَزلاً مَواهِبُهُ

ما لَم أُلاقِ اِمرأً جَزلاً مَواهِبُهُ

سَهلَ الفِناءِ رَحيبَ الباعِ مَحمودا

سَهلَ الفِناءِ رَحيبَ الباعِ مَحمودا

until I meet a man whose gifts are bountiful,

Until I meet a dignified man whose talents

with a welcoming courtyard, broad of reach, much praised.

Are easy disposition, open-handedness and praise.

وَقَد سَمِعتُ بِقَومٍ يُحمَدونَ فَلَم

وَقَد سَمِعتُ بِقَومٍ يُحمَدونَ فَلَم

أَسمَع بِمِثلِكَ لا حِلماً وَلا جودا

أَسمَع بِمِثلِكَ لا حِلماً وَلا جودا

And I have heard of men who are praised, yet have never

And though I’ve heard praise for some people, never

heard of your equal in forbearance or generosity,

Have I heard the like of you in forbearance or munificence,

وَلا عَفافاً وَلا صَبراً لِنائِبَةٍ

وَلا عَفافاً وَلا صَبراً لِنائِبَةٍ

وَما أُنَبِّئُ عَنكَ الباطِل السّيدا

وَما أُنَبِّئُ عَنكَ الباطِل السّيدا

nor in moral purity, nor in patience under misfortune;

Or chastity or patience in misfortune,

nor do I tell the chiefs any falsehood about you.

Nor shall I spread falsehood about you, O Chief.

لا حِلمُكَ الحِلمُ موجودٌ عَلَيهِ وَلا

لا حِلمُكَ الحِلمُ موجودٌ عَلَيهِ وَلا

يُلفى عَطاؤُكَ في الأَقوامِ مَنكودا

يُلفى عَطاؤُكَ في الأَقوامِ مَنكودا

Your forbearance—true forbearance—is never faulted, nor

Neither your forbearance—forbearance is found in you—

is your bounty found meager among the peoples.

Nor your bounty are sought yet fail among men.

وَقَد سَبَقتَ بِغاياتِ الجِيادِ وَقَد

وَقَد سَبَقتَ بِغاياتِ الجِيادِ وَقَد

أَشبَهتَ آباءَكَ السّيدَ الصَناديدا

أَشبَهتَ آباءَكَ السّيدَ الصَناديدا

And you have come first at the thoroughbreds' finish lines, and have

You have surpassed the goals of generosity, and you

taken after your forefathers, those noble, mighty chiefs.

Resemble your noble forefathers, elite knights.

هَذا ثَنائي بِما أَولَيتَ مِن حَسَنٍ

هَذا ثَنائي بِما أَولَيتَ مِن حَسَنٍ

لا زِلتَ عَوضُ قَريرَ العَينِ مَحسودا

لا زِلتَ عَوضُ قَريرَ العَينِ مَحسودا

This is my praise for the goodness you have bestowed;

This is my ode for your benevolence,

may you remain forever, your eyes at peace, an object of envy.

You remain the delight of the eye, envied forever.