تُرى رائحٌ يأتى بأخبار مَن غدا

تُرى رائحٌ يأتى بأخبار مَن غدا

وهل يكتُم ألأنباءَ من قد تزوَّدا

وهل يكتُم ألأنباءَ من قد تزوَّدا

Do you see an evening traveler bringing news of one who departed at dawn?

I wonder, will an evening traveler bring news of whoever left at dawn?

Can one who has taken provisions keep the tidings concealed?

And will one who has gathered tidings as provisions conceal them?

أُحبّ المقالَ الصدقَ من كلّ ناطقٍ

أُحبّ المقالَ الصدقَ من كلّ ناطقٍ

سوى ناعبٍ قد قال بينُهُمُ غدا

سوى ناعبٍ قد قال بينُهُمُ غدا

I love truthful speech from every speaker—

I love truthful speech from every speaker,

except a croaking raven that said among them, “He has gone.”

except a cawing raven that said, 'Their parting is tomorrow.'

ألاَ استوهِبا لى الأرحبيَّةَ هَبَّة

ألاَ استوهِبا لى الأرحبيَّةَ هَبَّة

لنُحدثَ عهدا أو لنضربَ موعدا

لنُحدثَ عهدا أو لنضربَ موعدا

Come, you two: ask them to give me the Arḥabiyya she-camel as a gift,

Come, you two, ask the Arhab camels to grant me a burst of speed,

so that we may renew our covenant—or appoint a meeting.

so that we may renew a bond or arrange a meeting.

حرامٌ على أعجازهنَ سياطُنا

حرامٌ على أعجازهنَ سياطُنا

فيا سائقيْها استعجِلاهنَّ بالحُدا

فيا سائقيْها استعجِلاهنَّ بالحُدا

Our whips are forbidden to touch their hindquarters:

Our whips are forbidden to touch their hindquarters;

O you two camel-drivers, urge them onward with camel-song!

so, you two who drive them, hasten them with camel-song.

متى ترِدا الماءَ الذى ورَدتْ به

متى ترِدا الماءَ الذى ورَدتْ به

ظباءُ سُلَيمٍ تَنقَعا غُلَةَ الصَّدا

ظباءُ سُلَيمٍ تَنقَعا غُلَةَ الصَّدا

When will you two reach the water to which came

When you two reach the water visited by

the gazelles of Sulaym, and quench your burning thirst?

Sulaym's gazelles, you will quench thirst's burning.

فلا تُشغَلا عنه بلثمِ حَبابهِ

فلا تُشغَلا عنه بلثمِ حَبابهِ

تظنَّنهِ ثغرا عليه تبدَّدا

تظنَّنهِ ثغرا عليه تبدَّدا

Do not let kissing its bubbles distract you from it,

Do not be distracted from it by kissing its bubbles,

imagining them a mouth upon which to cool yourselves.

taking them for a mouth scattered across its surface.

فقد طال ما أبصرتُما ظبىَ رملةٍ

فقد طال ما أبصرتُما ظبىَ رملةٍ

فشبّهتُماه ذا دَمالجَ أغيدا

فشبّهتُماه ذا دَمالجَ أغيدا

Long indeed have you two gazed upon a gazelle of the sands

For how often you two have seen a gazelle of the sands,

and likened it to a languid beauty wearing bracelets.

and likened it to a supple figure wearing armlets.

فرشتُ لجنبِ الحبّ صدرى وإنما

فرشتُ لجنبِ الحبّ صدرى وإنما

تهابُ الهوى نفسٌ تخاف من الردى

تهابُ الهوى نفسٌ تخاف من الردى

I spread my breast as a bed for Love’s side, though

I spread my breast beneath love's side; only

my soul dreads passion, fearing ruin.

a soul that fears death is afraid of passion.

ونفَّرتُ عن عينى الخيالَ لأنه

ونفَّرتُ عن عينى الخيالَ لأنه

يحاولُ مَدِّى نحو باطله يدا

يحاولُ مَدِّى نحو باطله يدا

I drove the phantom from my eyes, because

And I drove the apparition away from my eyes, because it

in its falsehood it tries to extend a hand toward me.

tries to make me stretch a hand toward its falsehood.

أرى الطيفَ كالمِرآة يخلُق صورةً

أرى الطيفَ كالمِرآة يخلُق صورةً

خداعا لعينى مثلما يَسحَر الصَّدى

خداعا لعينى مثلما يَسحَر الصَّدى

I see the phantom, like a mirror, fashion an image

I see the phantom, like a mirror, creating an image

to deceive my eyes, just as an echo bewitches the ear.

to deceive my eyes, just as an echo beguiles.

أتزعمُ أنّ الصبرَ فيك سجيّةٌ

أتزعمُ أنّ الصبرَ فيك سجيّةٌ

وتشجَى إذا البرق التِّهامىُّ أنجدا

وتشجَى إذا البرق التِّهامىُّ أنجدا

Do you suppose that patience for you is in my nature,

Do you claim that patience is part of your nature,

yet grieve whenever the Tihāman lightning climbs toward Najd?

yet grieve when Tihamah's lightning reaches Najd?

وقالوا أتشكو ثم تَرِجعُ هائماً

وقالوا أتشكو ثم تَرِجعُ هائماً

فقلتُ غرامٌ عادلى منه مابدا

فقلتُ غرامٌ عادلى منه مابدا

They said, “Do you complain, then return lovestruck?”

They said, 'Do you complain, then return love-distraught?'

I said, “What has appeared of my passion, reproacher, is what has appeared.”

I said, 'A passion whose first stirrings have returned to me.'

تُعاد الجسومُ إن مرضنَ ولا أرى

تُعاد الجسومُ إن مرضنَ ولا أرى

لهذى القلوب إن تشكَّين عُودَّا

لهذى القلوب إن تشكَّين عُودَّا

Bodies are visited when they fall ill, yet I see

Bodies are visited when they fall ill, but I see

no visitors for these hearts when they complain.

no visitors for these hearts when they complain.

فلا تحسبوا كلّ الجوانح مَضغةً

فلا تحسبوا كلّ الجوانح مَضغةً

ولا كلَّ قلبٍ مثلَ قلبى جلمدا

ولا كلَّ قلبٍ مثلَ قلبى جلمدا

Do not suppose that every breast contains the same lump of flesh,

So do not suppose every breast holds a mere lump of flesh,

or that every heart is as enduring as mine.

nor every heart a hard stone like mine.

وحىٍّ طرقناه على زوْرِ موعدٍ

وحىٍّ طرقناه على زوْرِ موعدٍ

فما إن وجدنا عند نارهمُ هُدى

فما إن وجدنا عند نارهمُ هُدى

And greet an encampment we came to by night at a falsely promised tryst:

And many a clan we visited by night, trusting a false promise,

we found no guiding light beside their fire,

yet found no guidance at their fire.

وما غفلتْ أحراسُهم غير أنّنا

وما غفلتْ أحراسُهم غير أنّنا

سقطنا عليهم مثلَما سقَط النَّدى

سقطنا عليهم مثلَما سقَط النَّدى

nor were their guards heedless—only we

Their guards had not been heedless; rather, we

fell upon them as softly as dew falls.

fell upon them as the dew falls.

فلما التقينا حشَّ قلبي فراقُهم

فلما التقينا حشَّ قلبي فراقُهم

فلم ينكروا النارَ التي كان أوقدا

فلم ينكروا النارَ التي كان أوقدا

When we met, the thought of parting from them inflamed my heart,

When we met, separation from them had stoked my heart,

and they did not deny the fire it had kindled.

so they did not find strange the fire it had kindled.

نزحتُ دموعى بعدَهم من أضالعى

نزحتُ دموعى بعدَهم من أضالعى

مخافةَ أن تطغَى عليها فتجمُدا

مخافةَ أن تطغَى عليها فتجمُدا

After them, my tears withdrew from between my ribs,

After they left, I drained my tears from my ribs,

fearing they might overwhelm them and then congeal.

for fear they would overflow them and congeal.

وفي العيش مَلهىً لامرىء بات ليلَه

وفي العيش مَلهىً لامرىء بات ليلَه

يشاور في الفتك الحسامَ المهنَّدا

يشاور في الفتك الحسامَ المهنَّدا

Yet life offers diversion to a man who spends his night

And life holds diversion for a man who spends his night

consulting the keen Indian sword about a deadly stroke.

consulting his Indian-forged sword about killing.

إذا ما اشتكت قَرْحَ السهاد جفونُهُ

إذا ما اشتكت قَرْحَ السهاد جفونُهُ

أداف لها من صِغة الليل إِثمِدا

أداف لها من صِغة الليل إِثمِدا

Whenever his eyelids complain of the sores of sleeplessness,

When his eyelids complain of the sores of sleeplessness,

he applies to them antimony made from the night’s own dye.

he blends them antimony from the night's dark hue.

يظنّ الدجَى فرعا أثيثاً نباتُهُ

يظنّ الدجَى فرعا أثيثاً نباتُهُ

ويحسَبُ قَرن الشمس خدًّا مورَّدا

ويحسَبُ قَرن الشمس خدًّا مورَّدا

He imagines the darkness as luxuriant hair, thick in growth,

He takes the darkness for hair luxuriant in growth,

and takes the sun’s disk for a rosy cheek.

and the sun's rim for a rose-colored cheek.

ويرضَى من الحسناء بالرِّيم إن رنا

ويرضَى من الحسناء بالرِّيم إن رنا

كحيلا مآقيه وأتلعَ أجيدا

كحيلا مآقيه وأتلعَ أجيدا

In place of a beauty, he accepts the gazelle when it gazes—

In place of a beauty, a gazelle suffices him if it gazes,

its eye-corners darkened with kohl, its neck slender and tall.

its eye-corners kohl-dark, its neck long and graceful.

كما بزعيم الدّولة الأممُ ارتضتْ

كما بزعيم الدّولة الأممُ ارتضتْ

على الدِّين والدنيا زعيما وسيِّدا

على الدِّين والدنيا زعيما وسيِّدا

So too the nations were pleased with the state’s great champion

Just as the peoples have accepted Zaʿim al-Dawlah

as leader and lord over religion and worldly life.

as leader and lord over religion and worldly life.

أقاموا بدار الأمن في عَرَصاته

أقاموا بدار الأمن في عَرَصاته

كأنهمُ شدّوا التميمَ المعقّدا

كأنهمُ شدّوا التميمَ المعقّدا

Religion and worldly life dwelt secure throughout his courts,

They dwell within his precincts in an abode of safety,

as though they had fastened on a firmly knotted amulet.

as though they had tied on knotted amulets.

رمى عزمُه نحو المكارم والعلا

رمى عزمُه نحو المكارم والعلا

مصيبا فكان المجد مما تصيَّا

مصيبا فكان المجد مما تصيَّا

His resolve aimed at noble deeds and the heights,

His resolve shot toward noble deeds and lofty rank,

and struck true: glory was among the quarry he took.

striking true; glory was among the quarry it took.

إذا أَمَّم السارون نورَ جبينهِ

إذا أَمَّم السارون نورَ جبينهِ

كفى الرَّكب أن يدعو جُدَيًّا وفرقدا

كفى الرَّكب أن يدعو جُدَيًّا وفرقدا

When night travelers make the radiance of his brow their goal,

When night travelers head toward the light of his brow,

the caravan may dispense with Polaris and Farqad.

it spares the caravan calling on Judayy and Farqad.

تلألأ في عِرنينِه نورُ هيبةٍ

تلألأ في عِرنينِه نورُ هيبةٍ

تخِرّ له الأذقانُ في الترب سُجَّدا

تخِرّ له الأذقانُ في الترب سُجَّدا

Upon the bridge of his nose gleams a light of majesty

A light of majesty glitters on the bridge of his nose;

before which chins fall prostrate in the dust.

before him, chins fall into the dust in prostration.

أباح حِمَى أموالهِ كلَّ طالب

أباح حِمَى أموالهِ كلَّ طالب

من الناس حتى قيل ينوى التزهُّدا

من الناس حتى قيل ينوى التزهُّدا

He opened the sanctuary of his wealth to every seeker

He opened his wealth's guarded preserve to every petitioner

among mankind, until it was said he meant to renounce possessions.

among mankind, until they said he intended to renounce the world.

له روضةٌ في الجود أكثرُ روَّدا

له روضةٌ في الجود أكثرُ روَّدا

من المنهل الطامى وأوفرُ ورّدا

من المنهل الطامى وأوفرُ ورّدا

In generosity he has a meadow more frequented

His garden of generosity draws more seekers

than the brimming spring, with more who come to drink.

than an overflowing waterhole, and more thirsty visitors.

تَناكصُ عن ساحاته السُّحبُ إنها

تَناكصُ عن ساحاته السُّحبُ إنها

متى حاكمته في الندى كان أجودا

متى حاكمته في الندى كان أجودا

The clouds retreat from his precincts, for

The clouds retreat from his courts, for

whenever they contend with him in bounty, he proves more generous.

whenever they challenge his bounty, he proves more generous.

وهل يستوى من يمطر الماءَ والذي

وهل يستوى من يمطر الماءَ والذي

أناملُه تهمِى لجُيْنا وعَسجدا

أناملُه تهمِى لجُيْنا وعَسجدا

Can one who merely rains down water equal one

Are they equal—the one who rains water and the one

whose fingertips pour silver and gold?

whose fingers rain silver and gold?

ومَن برقُه نارٌ وَمن برقُ وجهه

ومَن برقُه نارٌ وَمن برقُ وجهه

تهلُّلُ مرتاحٍ إلى الجود والنَّدى

تهلُّلُ مرتاحٍ إلى الجود والنَّدى

A cloud’s lightning is fire; but from the lightning of his face comes

And the one whose lightning is fire, and the one whose face's flash

a joyful radiance, eager for generosity and bounty.

is the beaming of someone delighting in generosity and bounty?

قليلُ هجوعِ العين تسرِي همومُه

قليلُ هجوعِ العين تسرِي همومُه

مع الجارياتِ الشُّهب مَثْنَى ومَوْحَدا

مع الجارياتِ الشُّهب مَثْنَى ومَوْحَدا

Little does his eye sleep; his cares travel by night

His eyes sleep little; his cares travel by night

with the bright coursing stars, in pairs and one by one.

with the coursing bright stars, in pairs and singly.

ومن كان كسُب المجدِ أكبرَ همّه

ومن كان كسُب المجدِ أكبرَ همّه

طوى بُردةَ الليل التِّمامِ مُسهّدا

طوى بُردةَ الليل التِّمامِ مُسهّدا

Whoever makes the winning of glory his greatest concern

And one whose greatest concern is winning glory

folds up the whole mantle of night while sleepless.

folds away the cloak of the longest night, sleepless.

متى ثوَّب الداعى ليومِ كريهةٍ

متى ثوَّب الداعى ليومِ كريهةٍ

تأزّر بالهيجاء واعَتمَّ وارتدى

تأزّر بالهيجاء واعَتمَّ وارتدى

Whenever the caller repeats his cry for a day of fierce battle,

Whenever the caller sounds the summons for a day of battle,

he girds himself with battle, turbans himself in it, and wears it as a cloak.

he girds himself in battle, and wears it as turban and mantle.

وقد علِمتْ أشياخُ جُوثَةَ أنه

وقد علِمتْ أشياخُ جُوثَةَ أنه

أمدُّهُمُ باعاً وأبطشُهم يدا

أمدُّهُمُ باعاً وأبطشُهم يدا

The elders of Juthwa have learned that he is

The elders of Juthah have known that he

the longest-reaching of them and the mightiest in hand.

has the widest reach among them and the mightiest hand.

لهم واصَلَ الطعنَ الخِلاجَ فأصبحت

لهم واصَلَ الطعنَ الخِلاجَ فأصبحت

تَشَكَّى الردينياَّتُ منه تأوُّدا

تَشَكَّى الردينياَّتُ منه تأوُّدا

Against them he kept driving home swift, piercing thrusts, until

Against them he kept up wrenching thrusts, until

the Rudayni spears complained of bending under his force.

the Rudayni spears complained of bending at his hands.

رأى الودَّ لا يُجدى وليس بنافع

رأى الودَّ لا يُجدى وليس بنافع

سوى نقماتِ السيف والرمح في العدا

سوى نقماتِ السيف والرمح في العدا

He saw that affection avails nothing and brings no profit,

He saw that goodwill availed nothing, and nothing helped

and that only the melodies of sword and spear avail among foes.

except the vengeance of sword and spear upon the foes.

فما يقتنِى إلا حساما مهنداً

فما يقتنِى إلا حساما مهنداً

وأسمرَ عسَالاً وأقودَ أجردا

وأسمرَ عسَالاً وأقودَ أجردا

He acquires nothing but a keen Indian sword,

So he keeps nothing but an Indian-forged blade,

a brown, supple lance, and a tall, sleek-haired steed.

a swaying brown spear and a long-necked, sleek horse.

متى يَرْمِ قوما بالوعيد وإن نأت

متى يَرْمِ قوما بالوعيد وإن نأت

ديارهُمُ عنه أقام وأقعدا

ديارهُمُ عنه أقام وأقعدا

Whenever he threatens a people, though their homes lie far

Whenever he threatens a people, however far

from him, he keeps them forever rising and sitting in alarm.

their homes lie from him, he throws them into turmoil.

وما الرمح في يمنَى يديه مسدَّدا

وما الرمح في يمنَى يديه مسدَّدا

بأنفذَ منه سهمَ رأىٍ مسدّدا

بأنفذَ منه سهمَ رأىٍ مسدّدا

The spear leveled in his right hand

The spear, leveled in his right hand,

is no more penetrating than the rightly aimed arrow of his judgment.

is no more piercing than the well-aimed arrow of his judgment.

صهيلُ الجياد المقرَباتِ غِناؤه

صهيلُ الجياد المقرَباتِ غِناؤه

فلو سمّها الغَريضَ ومَعبْدا

فلو سمّها الغَريضَ ومَعبْدا

The neighing of steeds kept close and ready is his music—

The neighing of prized steeds is his music;

if only al-Gharīḍ and Maʿbad could hear it!

call them al-Gharid and Maʿbad, if you will.

ويُذكِره بزلَ النجيعِ من الطُّلَى

ويُذكِره بزلَ النجيعِ من الطُّلَى

عِضارٌ جلبنَ البابلىَّ المبرَّدا

عِضارٌ جلبنَ البابلىَّ المبرَّدا

The gushing gore from necks reminds him of

And he is reminded of blood draining from throats

maidens bringing chilled Babylonian wine.

by bowls bearing chilled Babylonian wine.

فلو لم يكن في الخمر للبأس مشبِهٌ

فلو لم يكن في الخمر للبأس مشبِهٌ

وللجود لم يجعلْ له الكأسَ مَورِدا

وللجود لم يجعلْ له الكأسَ مَورِدا

Had wine no likeness to valor

Were there no likeness in wine to courage

and generosity, he would not have made the cup its drinking place.

and generosity, he would not make the cup his watering place.

بعثت لسكّان العراقِ نصيحةً

بعثت لسكّان العراقِ نصيحةً

متارِكةَ الرئبال في غِيله سُدَى

متارِكةَ الرئبال في غِيله سُدَى

I have sent my counsel to the people of Iraq:

I sent the inhabitants of Iraq a counsel:

leave the lion in its lair as sovereign.

leave the lion alone, unrestrained in his thicket.

ولا تأمنوا إطراقَه إنّ كيْده

ولا تأمنوا إطراقَه إنّ كيْده

ليَستخرج الضبَّ الخبيثَ من الكُدَى

ليَستخرج الضبَّ الخبيثَ من الكُدَى

Never trust his downcast gaze—for his cunning

Do not trust his lowered head, for his cunning

could draw the malignant lizard from the hardest ground.

surely draws the sly lizard from the hard ground.

أرى لك بالعلياء نارا فَراشُها

أرى لك بالعلياء نارا فَراشُها

ضيوفُك يُقرَوْنَ السَّدِيفَ المسَرْهَدا

ضيوفُك يُقرَوْنَ السَّدِيفَ المسَرْهَدا

I see for you upon the heights a fire whose moths are

I see a fire of yours on the heights; its moths

your guests, served long slices of tender, fatty meat.

are your guests, served the rich fat of plump camel humps.

فلا تُفنِيَنَّ العِيسَ بالعَقْر إنها

فلا تُفنِيَنَّ العِيسَ بالعَقْر إنها

متى تَفنَ تجزُرْهُم إماءً وأعبُدا

متى تَفنَ تجزُرْهُم إماءً وأعبُدا

Do not exhaust the white camels by slaughtering them, for

So do not exhaust the pale camels by slaughter, for

once they are exhausted, you will slaughter bondwomen and male slaves for them.

when they are gone, you will slaughter bondwomen and slaves for them.

وكم موقفٍ أسكرتَ من دمِه القنا

وكم موقفٍ أسكرتَ من دمِه القنا

وأشبعتَ فيه السيفَ حتى تمرَّدا

وأشبعتَ فيه السيفَ حتى تمرَّدا

How many a battlefield have you made the lances drunk with its blood,

At many a battlefield you made the spears drunk with its blood,

and there fed the sword until it grew unruly!

and sated the sword there until it grew rebellious.

ولو تجحد الأقرانُ بأسَك في الوغى

ولو تجحد الأقرانُ بأسَك في الوغى

أتتك النسورُ بالذي كان شُهَّدا

أتتك النسورُ بالذي كان شُهَّدا

Even if your peers denied your prowess in battle,

And should your peers deny your prowess in battle,

the vultures would come to you bearing witness to what they saw.

the vultures would come to you as witnesses to what happened.

إليك نقلناها أخامصَ لم تجد

إليك نقلناها أخامصَ لم تجد

سوى بيتك الأعلى مُناخا ومَقصِدا

سوى بيتك الأعلى مُناخا ومَقصِدا

To you we conveyed her, though the soles of her feet found

To you we brought them, hollow-bellied, finding nothing

no resting place or destination but your lofty house.

but your lofty house as a halting place and destination.

ولو بُعدَ المسَرى زجرنا على الوجَى

ولو بُعدَ المسَرى زجرنا على الوجَى

أغرَّ وجيهيٍّا ووجناءَ جَلْعَدا

أغرَّ وجيهيٍّا ووجناءَ جَلْعَدا

Though the night journey was long, we urged onward over sore feet

And however far the night journey, we urged on despite sore feet

a noble, eminent stallion and a sturdy, thick-limbed she-camel.

a white-blazed Wajihi steed and a massive, sturdy she-camel.

ومثلك من يرجو الأسيرُ فِكَاكَه

ومثلك من يرجو الأسيرُ فِكَاكَه

ولو كان في جَور الليالي مقيَّدا

ولو كان في جَور الليالي مقيَّدا

A man like you is one from whom a captive hopes for release,

Someone like you is whom a captive hopes will set him free,

even though chained by the injustice of the nights.

even if he were shackled by the tyranny of the nights.

لئن كنت في هذا الزمان وأهله

لئن كنت في هذا الزمان وأهله

كبيراً لقد أصبحت في الفضل مفردا

كبيراً لقد أصبحت في الفضل مفردا

If among this age and its people you are

Though, in this age and among its people, you are

a great man, then in excellence you have become peerless.

great, you have indeed become peerless in excellence.