أَيا حادِيَ الأظعانِ لمْ لا تُعرِّسُ

أَيا حادِيَ الأظعانِ لمْ لا تُعرِّسُ

لعلّك أنْ تحظى بقربك أنفسُ

لعلّك أنْ تحظى بقربك أنفسُ

O driver of the departing caravan, by God, do not halt for the night.

O driver of the caravans, why not halt for the night?

Perhaps, through your nearness, precious souls may find favor.

Perhaps some souls may find happiness in your nearness.

أَنِخْ وَاِنضُ أَحلاساً أَكَلنْ جلودَها

أَنِخْ وَاِنضُ أَحلاساً أَكَلنْ جلودَها

فَصِرنَ جُلوداً طالَما أنتَ مُحلِسُ

فَصِرنَ جُلوداً طالَما أنتَ مُحلِسُ

Make the camels kneel and remove saddlecloths that have eaten through their hides,

Make the camels kneel; strip off saddlecloths that have eaten their hides,

until they have become like hides themselves—so long have you kept them blanketed.

till they became skins—so long have you kept them saddled.

فَفي الحَزْنِ مُخْضَرٌّ منَ الرَّوض يانِعٌ

فَفي الحَزْنِ مُخْضَرٌّ منَ الرَّوض يانِعٌ

وعَذبُ زُلالٍ بات يصفو ويَسْلَسُ

وعَذبُ زُلالٍ بات يصفو ويَسْلَسُ

Here in the rugged upland is a verdant patch of luxuriant, flourishing meadow,

For on the rugged upland is a lush green stretch of meadow,

and sweet, limpid water that spends the night growing clear and flowing gently.

and sweet, limpid water that grew clear and flowed gently through the night.

تُدَرِّجُهُ أيدي الشّمال كأنّه

تُدَرِّجُهُ أيدي الشّمال كأنّه

إذا أبصرَتْهُ العين نَصْلٌ مضرَّسُ

إذا أبصرَتْهُ العين نَصْلٌ مضرَّسُ

The hands of the north wind set it rippling, as though,

The north wind's hands ripple it, as though,

when the eye beheld it, it were a saw-toothed blade.

to the eye that sees it, it were a serrated blade.

وَإِنْ لَم تردْ إلّا اللّوى فَعَلى اللّوى

وَإِنْ لَم تردْ إلّا اللّوى فَعَلى اللّوى

سلامٌ ففيه موقفٌ ومُعَرَّسُ

سلامٌ ففيه موقفٌ ومُعَرَّسُ

But if you desire nothing except al-Liwa, then upon al-Liwa

And if you seek only al-Liwa, then upon al-Liwa

be peace: there is a stopping place and a camp for the night,

be peace: there is a stopping place and a night camp,

وقومٌ لهمْ في كلّ علياءَ منزلٌ

وقومٌ لهمْ في كلّ علياءَ منزلٌ

وعزٌّ عَلى كلّ القبائل أقعسُ

وعزٌّ عَلى كلّ القبائل أقعسُ

and a people who hold an abode upon every lofty eminence,

and a people with a dwelling on every lofty height,

whose honor rises above every tribe, loftier still—

and unassailable might over all the tribes.

كرامٌ تضيءُ المشكلاتُ وجوهَهمْ

كرامٌ تضيءُ المشكلاتُ وجوهَهمْ

كما شفّ في تَمٍّ عن البدر طِرْمِسُ

كما شفّ في تَمٍّ عن البدر طِرْمِسُ

noble men whose faces illuminate perplexing hardships,

Noble men whose faces are lit by perplexing troubles,

as the full moon shines through translucent parchment at Tumm.

as dense darkness lets the full moon shine through at its fullness.

وَما فيهِمُ لِلهُونِ مَرعىً ومَجْثَمٌ

وَما فيهِمُ لِلهُونِ مَرعىً ومَجْثَمٌ

ولا منهُمُ للذّلِّ خدٌّ ومَعْطِسُ

ولا منهُمُ للذّلِّ خدٌّ ومَعْطِسُ

Among them humiliation finds neither pasture nor resting place,

Among them humiliation has no pasture or roost,

nor does disgrace find among them a companion or foothold.

nor a cheek or nose among them offered to abasement.

خَليليَّ قولا ما أُسرُّ إِلَيكُما

خَليليَّ قولا ما أُسرُّ إِلَيكُما

وَقَد لَحَظَتْنِي عينُهُ المتفرِّسُ

وَقَد لَحَظَتْنِي عينُهُ المتفرِّسُ

My two companions, tell me: what may I confide to you,

My two friends, tell what I confide to you both,

when his discerning eye has already marked me?

while the keen observer's eye had already caught sight of me,

عَلى حينِ زايَلنا الأحبّةَ بَغتَةً

عَلى حينِ زايَلنا الأحبّةَ بَغتَةً

وَكُلُّ جليدٍ يومَ ذلك مبْلِسُ

وَكُلُّ جليدٍ يومَ ذلك مبْلِسُ

It marked me when we suddenly parted from our loved ones,

at the moment we suddenly parted from our loved ones,

and every steadfast man that day stood bewildered—

and every steadfast man that day was stricken speechless,

صَموتٌ عَنِ النَّجوى فَإِنْ سِيلَ ما بِهِ

صَموتٌ عَنِ النَّجوى فَإِنْ سِيلَ ما بِهِ

فَلا قَولَ إلّا زَفرَةٌ وتنفّسُ

فَلا قَولَ إلّا زَفرَةٌ وتنفّسُ

silent about his hidden grief: if he were asked what ails him,

silent in private talk; and if asked what ails him,

his only utterance would be sighing and heavy breath.

he has no words but a sigh and a breath.

تُزعزعه أيدي النّوى وهو لابثٌ

تُزعزعه أيدي النّوى وهو لابثٌ

وتُنطقُهُ شكوى الهوى وهو أخرسُ

وتُنطقُهُ شكوى الهوى وهو أخرسُ

The hands of separation shake him though he remains rooted,

The hands of separation shake him, though he stays in place,

and passion’s complaint makes him speak though he is mute.

and love's complaint makes him speak, though he is mute.

وَمِمّا شَجاني أنّني يومَ بَينِهم

وَمِمّا شَجاني أنّني يومَ بَينِهم

رَجَعت ورَأسي مِن أذى البين مُخلِسُ

رَجَعت ورَأسي مِن أذى البين مُخلِسُ

Another grief that afflicted me was that, on the day they departed,

And among the things that grieved me was that, on the day they parted,

I returned with my head shorn by the pain of separation.

I returned with my head flecked with gray from parting's hurt.

وَقَد كنتُ أخفيتُ الصّبابةَ منهُمُ

وَقَد كنتُ أخفيتُ الصّبابةَ منهُمُ

فَنمّ عليها دَمعِيَ المُتَبَجِّسُ

فَنمّ عليها دَمعِيَ المُتَبَجِّسُ

I had indeed been concealing my passionate yearning from them,

I had kept my passionate longing hidden from them,

but my streaming tears betrayed it.

but my gushing tears betrayed it,

عَشيّةَ أُخفِي في الرّداءِ مَسيلَهُ

عَشيّةَ أُخفِي في الرّداءِ مَسيلَهُ

لِيَحسبَ صَحبي أنّنِي مُتعطِّسُ

لِيَحسبَ صَحبي أنّنِي مُتعطِّسُ

That evening I hid their flow within my cloak,

that evening, as I hid their flow in my cloak,

so my companions would think that I was sneezing.

so that my companions would think I was sneezing.

وَلَيلةَ بِتنا بِالثنيّةِ سُهَّداً

وَلَيلةَ بِتنا بِالثنيّةِ سُهَّداً

وَما حَشْوها إلّا ظَلامٌ وحِنْدِسُ

وَما حَشْوها إلّا ظَلامٌ وحِنْدِسُ

And one night we passed sleepless at the mountain pass,

And a night we spent sleepless at the mountain pass,

filled with nothing but darkness upon deepest blackness.

with nothing filling it but darkness and pitch-black gloom—

وَقَد زارَنا بَعَد الهدوِّ تَوصُّلاً

وَقَد زارَنا بَعَد الهدوِّ تَوصُّلاً

إِلى الزّادِ غرْثانُ العشيّاتِ أطْلَسُ

إِلى الزّادِ غرْثانُ العشيّاتِ أطْلَسُ

After the night had grown still, a visitor came to us, seeking

after all grew still, there came to us, seeking access

a way to our provisions—famished by long evenings, gray with dust:

to provisions, a dusky-gray wolf, famished at evening.

شَديدُ الطَّوى عاري الجناجِنِ ما بهِ

شَديدُ الطَّوى عاري الجناجِنِ ما بهِ

من الطُّعْم إلّا ما يُظنُّ ويُحْدَسُ

من الطُّعْم إلّا ما يُظنُّ ويُحْدَسُ

a wolf, gaunt with hunger, his flanks laid bare, with nothing in him

Racked by hunger, his ribs bare; there was nothing in him

of food except what he might imagine and surmise.

of food except what could only be supposed or guessed.

أَتانِيَ مُغبرَّ السَّراةِ كأنّه

أَتانِيَ مُغبرَّ السَّراةِ كأنّه

مِنَ الأرضِ لَولا أَنّه يتلمّسُ

مِنَ الأرضِ لَولا أَنّه يتلمّسُ

He came to me, dust-covered along his back, as though

He came to me, his back dust-gray, as though he were

he were part of the earth, save that he was feeling his way forward.

part of the earth, were it not that he felt his way about.

تَضاءل في قُطْرَيه يَكتم شخصَه

تَضاءل في قُطْرَيه يَكتم شخصَه

وأطْرَقَ حتّى قلتُ ما يتنفّسُ

وأطْرَقَ حتّى قلتُ ما يتنفّسُ

He drew in his two sides, concealing his bodily form,

He shrank inward on both sides, concealing his form,

and bowed his head until I thought he was not breathing,

and lowered his head, until I said he was not breathing.

وَضَمَّ إِليهِ حِسَّهُ مُتَوجّساً

وَضَمَّ إِليهِ حِسَّهُ مُتَوجّساً

وَما عِندهُ في الكيد إلّا التوجّسُ

وَما عِندهُ في الكيد إلّا التوجّسُ

gathering all his senses inward, apprehensive;

He kept his own sound hushed, apprehensive,

for in cunning he possessed nothing but caution.

and his only stratagem was wary apprehension.

يُخادِعنِي من كيسِهِ عن مطيّتِي

يُخادِعنِي من كيسِهِ عن مطيّتِي

ولم يدرِ أنّي منه أدهى وأكيَسُ

ولم يدرِ أنّي منه أدهى وأكيَسُ

By his own cleverness he tried to dupe me out of my mount,

He tried, in his cunning, to trick me out of my mount,

not knowing that I was subtler and craftier than he.

not knowing I was craftier and shrewder than he.

وَأقْعى إِزاءَ الرّحلِ يَطلب غِرَّةً

وَأقْعى إِزاءَ الرّحلِ يَطلب غِرَّةً

ويُلقِي إليه الحرصُ أنْ سوف أنعسُ

ويُلقِي إليه الحرصُ أنْ سوف أنعسُ

He crouched opposite the saddle, awaiting an unguarded moment,

He crouched on his haunches opposite the saddle, seeking an unguarded moment,

while greed suggested to him that I would soon doze.

and greed suggested to him that I would doze off.

فقلتُ له لمّا توالى خداعُهُ

فقلتُ له لمّا توالى خداعُهُ

تَعَزَّ فما عندي لنابك مَنْهَسُ

تَعَزَّ فما عندي لنابك مَنْهَسُ

So, when his deception persisted, I said to him:

So I told him, when his trickery kept coming:

“Keep your dignity: here is no morsel for your fang.

Resign yourself: I have nothing for your fang to bite.

وَما كُنتُ أَحميك القِرى لو أردتَهُ

وَما كُنتُ أَحميك القِرى لو أردتَهُ

برفقٍ ولكن دار منك التَّغَطْرُسُ

برفقٍ ولكن دار منك التَّغَطْرُسُ

I would not have denied you a guest’s fare, had you desired it

I would not have denied you hospitality, had you sought it

with gentleness; but haughty swagger has taken hold of you.”

gently; instead, you turned to insolence.

فلمّا رأى صبري عليه وأنّنِي

فلمّا رأى صبري عليه وأنّنِي

أضنُّ على باغي خداعي وأنفسُ

أضنُّ على باغي خداعي وأنفسُ

When he saw my patience with him, and saw that I

When he saw my patience with him, and that I

would not let a would-be deceiver dupe me, but held myself dear,

withhold from anyone bent on deceiving me, and begrudge him anything,

عَوى ثمَّ وَلّى يَستَجير بِشدّةٍ

عَوى ثمَّ وَلّى يَستَجير بِشدّةٍ

ويطلبُ بَهْماً نام عنها المُحَبِّسُ

ويطلبُ بَهْماً نام عنها المُحَبِّسُ

he howled, then turned away, resorting fiercely to his jaws,

he howled, then turned away, seeking safety in a headlong run,

seeking with both of them what some keeper had slept and left unguarded.

and seeking lambs whose keeper had fallen asleep.

وَكَم خُطّةٍ جاوزتُها مُتَمهّلاً

وَكَم خُطّةٍ جاوزتُها مُتَمهّلاً

وعرضِيَ من لومِ العشيرة أملَسُ

وعرضِيَ من لومِ العشيرة أملَسُ

How many grave ordeals have I passed through with deliberate patience,

And many a predicament have I passed through unhurried,

while my honor remained smooth, untouched by my clan’s reproach;

my honor smooth, unmarked by my clan's reproach;

وَمَكْرُمةٍ أَعطيتُها متطلّقاً

وَمَكْرُمةٍ أَعطيتُها متطلّقاً

وقد ضنّ بالبذل الخسيس المُعبِّسُ

وقد ضنّ بالبذل الخسيس المُعبِّسُ

and how many noble benefactions have I bestowed openhandedly,

and many a noble gift I have given cheerfully,

though the base, dissembling miser begrudged all giving.

while the base, scowling man begrudged giving;

وَطُرقٍ إِلى كَسب المَكارمِ وَالعُلا

وَطُرقٍ إِلى كَسب المَكارمِ وَالعُلا

وبذلِ اللُّها أنهجتُها وهي دُرَّسُ

وبذلِ اللُّها أنهجتُها وهي دُرَّسُ

The roads leading to the winning of noble deeds and lofty glory,

and paths to winning noble deeds and lofty rank,

and to lavish bounty, I made plain though they had been effaced.

and dispensing lavish gifts, I have cleared, though their traces were effaced.

وَمَولىً يداجينِي وفي لحظاتهِ

وَمَولىً يداجينِي وفي لحظاتهِ

شراراتُ أحقادٍ لمن يتقبّسُ

شراراتُ أحقادٍ لمن يتقبّسُ

Yet my master summons me, while within his glances

And many a kinsman dissembles with me, while in his glances

are sparks of rancor for anyone who would draw fire from them.

are sparks of rancor for anyone seeking a firebrand.

يرمّسُ ضِغْناً في سويداءِ قلبِهِ

يرمّسُ ضِغْناً في سويداءِ قلبِهِ

ليُخفِيَهُ لو كان للضِّغْنِ مَرْمَسُ

ليُخفِيَهُ لو كان للضِّغْنِ مَرْمَسُ

He buries a grudge in the black innermost core of his heart,

He buries a grudge in the black core of his heart,

to hide it—as though a grudge could ever have a grave.

to conceal it—if there were a grave for rancor.

وَيعجبُ أنّي في الفَضائلِ فُتُّهُ

وَيعجبُ أنّي في الفَضائلِ فُتُّهُ

ولمْ لا يفوتُ المصبحين المُغَلِّسُ

ولمْ لا يفوتُ المصبحين المُغَلِّسُ

He marvels that I have surpassed him in virtues;

He wonders that I have outstripped him in virtues,

but why should one who travels before dawn not outstrip those who leave at daybreak?

but why should the pre-dawn traveler not outstrip those who set out at morning?

كَأنّ وإيّاه مُعَّنىً بمُدْنَفٍ

كَأنّ وإيّاه مُعَّنىً بمُدْنَفٍ

يَبلُّ قليلاً ثم يأْبى فينكُسُ

يَبلُّ قليلاً ثم يأْبى فينكُسُ

It is as though he and I were two men summoned by a sick man

With him, I am like one burdened with a gravely ill man,

who recovers a little, then turns away from health and relapses.

who rallies a little, then resists and relapses.

وَمُشكلةٌ أَخلاقُهُ وخصالُهُ

وَمُشكلةٌ أَخلاقُهُ وخصالُهُ

كَما شِئتَ لمّاعاً يضيءُ ويُبْلِسُ

كَما شِئتَ لمّاعاً يضيءُ ويُبْلِسُ

The perplexing mystery of his temper and his qualities

And baffling are his character and his traits—

is as you will: now flashing and radiant, now dark with despair.

as you wish: flickering, now shining, now sullen.

فَلا أَنا عَمّا يُثمرُ الوصلُ أنتهِي

فَلا أَنا عَمّا يُثمرُ الوصلُ أنتهِي

ولا هو عن شأوِ القطيعة يحبسُ

ولا هو عن شأوِ القطيعة يحبسُ

Yet I do not desist from whatever fellowship may bring forth,

So I do not desist from the fruit that close ties bear,

nor is he restrained from going to estrangement’s farthest reach.

nor is he held back from pursuing estrangement to its limit.