هَل أَنتَ مِن وَصَبِ الصّبابة ناصري

هَل أَنتَ مِن وَصَبِ الصّبابة ناصري

أو أنت في نَصَب الكآبة عاذري

أو أنت في نَصَب الكآبة عاذري

Will you help me against the sickness of longing,

Are you from the youthfulness of al-Saba, my supporter,

or excuse me in the anguish of melancholy?

Or are you in the grief of the excuser?

هيهات ما رأف الصّحيحُ بمُبْتَلٍ

هيهات ما رأف الصّحيحُ بمُبْتَلٍ

يوماً ولا وقف الحثيثُ لعاثرِ

يوماً ولا وقف الحثيثُ لعاثرِ

Far from it! No healthy man has pitied one afflicted,

Alas! The healthy never pity the afflicted,

ever, nor has a hurried man halted for one who stumbles.

Nor does the swift ever stop for the stumbler.

يا قاتل اللَّهُ الغَواني في الهَوى

يا قاتل اللَّهُ الغَواني في الهَوى

باعَدْنَنِي لمّا سكنّ ضمائري

باعَدْنَنِي لمّا سكنّ ضمائري

Ah, may God slay the beauties in love!

O Allah, destroy those infatuated with love!

They kept me distant when they dwelt in my inmost thoughts.

They plagued me when my conscience was tranquil.

ما زِلن بي حتّى اِلتفتّ إلى الصِّبا

ما زِلن بي حتّى اِلتفتّ إلى الصِّبا

مِن بعدِ إِعراض العَزوف النّافرِ

مِن بعدِ إِعراض العَزوف النّافرِ

They kept at me until I turned to youthful passion,

They never left me until I turned to youthfulness

after the aversion of one aloof and averse.

After being aloof with repulsion.

فَعَرفتُ حينَ صَبوتُ كيف مواردي

فَعَرفتُ حينَ صَبوتُ كيف مواردي

لَكِنَّني لم أَدرِ كَيفَ مَصادري

لَكِنَّني لم أَدرِ كَيفَ مَصادري

So when I yielded to passion, I knew my ways to the water,

So I knew, when I poured out my passion, my resources,

but I did not know my ways back from it.

But I did not know my origins.

ما لِي وَلِلبيضِ الكَواعبِ هِجْنَ لِي

ما لِي وَلِلبيضِ الكَواعبِ هِجْنَ لِي

بِلوى الثّوِيّة ذُكرةً من ذاكرِ

بِلوى الثّوِيّة ذُكرةً من ذاكرِ

What have I to do with fair, full-breasted maidens? They stirred for me

I have nothing to do with the white, alluring maidens

at the bend of al-Thuwiyya, a remembrance from one who remembers.

With the affliction of separation that recalls the rememberer.

شيّبنَنِي وَذَمَمن شَيبَ مَفارقي

شيّبنَنِي وَذَمَمن شَيبَ مَفارقي

خُذها إليكَ قضيّةً من جائرِ

خُذها إليكَ قضيّةً من جائرِ

They made me gray, and blamed the gray in my hair’s partings;

They made me grey-haired and blemished my parting grey hair,

take that as a judgment from an unjust judge.

Take it back to yourself as an issue from the unjust.

لا مَرحباً بِالشّيب أَظلم باطني

لا مَرحباً بِالشّيب أَظلم باطني

لَمّا تجلّلنِي وأشرق ظاهري

لَمّا تجلّلنِي وأشرق ظاهري

No welcome to gray hair! My inward self grew dark

There is no welcome to grey hair that darkened my essence

when it cloaked me and my outward self shone bright.

When my appearance was adorned and shone.

شَعَرٌ أَبى لِي في الحسان إصاخةً

شَعَرٌ أَبى لِي في الحسان إصاخةً

يوم العتاب إلى قبول معاذري

يوم العتاب إلى قبول معاذري

Hair that denied me a hearing among the beauties,

Hair that refused me graciousness on the day of reproach

on the day of reproach, to have my excuses accepted.

To accept my excuses.

مثلُ الشَّجاةِ مُلِظَّةً في مَبْلَعٍ

مثلُ الشَّجاةِ مُلِظَّةً في مَبْلَعٍ

أو كالقَذاة مقيمةً في النّاظرِ

أو كالقَذاة مقيمةً في النّاظرِ

Like a choking bone lodged stubbornly in a throat,

Like roughness in the throat,

or like a mote remaining in the eye.

Or a speck residing in the eye.

لا ذنبَ لي قبل المشيب وإنّني

لا ذنبَ لي قبل المشيب وإنّني

لمؤاخذٌ من بعده بجرائرِ

لمؤاخذٌ من بعده بجرائرِ

I had no fault before gray hair, yet I

I have no fault before the greying, and yet

am held accountable, after it, for offenses.

I am taken to account after it for heinous sins.

يا سائق الأظعانِ يومَ سُوَيقَةٍ

يا سائق الأظعانِ يومَ سُوَيقَةٍ

رفقاً بقلبٍ في الظّعائن سائرِ

رفقاً بقلبٍ في الظّعائن سائرِ

O driver of the departing caravan on the day of Suwayqa,

O driver of the melancholic on the day of their being led,

be gentle with a heart traveling among the women’s litters!

Be gentle with a heart among the melancholic.

جسدٌ أقام على اللّوى ففؤادُهُ

جسدٌ أقام على اللّوى ففؤادُهُ

بعد التفرّق في مخالب طائرِ

بعد التفرّق في مخالب طائرِ

A body remained at al-Liwa, while its heart,

A body that lived with anguish, so its heart

after the parting, was in a bird’s talons.

After separation is in the claws of a bird.

ما كان ضرّك لو وقفتَ على الأُلى

ما كان ضرّك لو وقفتَ على الأُلى

في الحبّ بين مجاهرٍ ومساترِ

في الحبّ بين مجاهرٍ ومساترِ

What harm would it have done you to halt beside those

What harm to you if you had stopped at the loved ones

who in love are either open or secretive,

In love among the open and the secretive?

وَمتيّمٍ جَحد الهَوى فَوَشى بهِ

وَمتيّمٍ جَحد الهَوى فَوَشى بهِ

يومَ الوداع لسانُ دمعٍ قاطرِ

يومَ الوداع لسانُ دمعٍ قاطرِ

and one enslaved by love who denied his passion, but was betrayed

And the enamored who denied love, so the tongue of pouring tears

on farewell’s day by the tongue of dripping tears?

Informed about him on the day of farewell.

وعلى الرّكائب يومَ وَجْرَةَ غائبٌ

وعلى الرّكائب يومَ وَجْرَةَ غائبٌ

لا نفعَ لي من بعده بالحاضرِ

لا نفعَ لي من بعده بالحاضرِ

And on the mounts on Wajra’s day rode one now absent;

And the rider of the she-camel on the day of departure, an absent one,

after him, I find no use in anyone present.

No use to me after him is the present.

أشهى إليَّ من المنى غِبَّ المُنى

أشهى إليَّ من المنى غِبَّ المُنى

وأعزّ من سمعي عليَّ وناظري

وأعزّ من سمعي عليَّ وناظري

More longed for by me than wish upon wish,

More coveted to me than purpose is absence of purpose,

and dearer to me than my hearing and my eye.

And more precious to me than my hearing and sight.

عاصي الوشاة وَزارَني متستِّراً

عاصي الوشاة وَزارَني متستِّراً

باللّيل بعد هجوع طرف السّاهرِ

باللّيل بعد هجوع طرف السّاهرِ

Defying the slanderers, he visited me in secret,

Disobedient to the slanderers, he visited me stealthily

at night, after the wakeful one’s eye had slumbered.

At night after the withdrawal of the eyelids of the wakeful.

عَجلانَ يَستلبُ الحَديثَ كأنّه

عَجلانَ يَستلبُ الحَديثَ كأنّه

جانٍ يخالس غفلةً من ثائرِ

جانٍ يخالس غفلةً من ثائرِ

Hurriedly snatching conversation, as though he were

Hastiness that captures the conversation, as if it were

an offender stealing a moment’s inattention from an avenger.

A jinn lying in wait for inattentiveness of the vigilant.

يا راكباً ظهر المطيّةِ مُوجِفاً

يا راكباً ظهر المطيّةِ مُوجِفاً

في الصّبحِ بين هواجرٍ وظهائرِ

في الصّبحِ بين هواجرٍ وظهائرِ

O rider on a mount’s back, urging it swiftly onward,

O rider finesse on the back of the she-camel in the morning

in the morning, amid scorching midday hours and noons,

Among the chambers and the external.

أبلغْ بني خَلَفٍ بأنّ مودّتي

أبلغْ بني خَلَفٍ بأنّ مودّتي

أُنُفٌ لهمْ وذرائعي وأواصري

أُنُفٌ لهمْ وذرائعي وأواصري

tell the Banu Khalaf that my affection

Convey to the progeny of Khalaf that my friendship for them

is fresh for them, as are my connections and bonds.

Is intimate, and my means and ties.

أَنتُمْ وَإن لم تُدننا رَحِمٌ بما

أَنتُمْ وَإن لم تُدننا رَحِمٌ بما

أَخلَصتُموه أَقاربي وَمَعاشري

أَخلَصتُموه أَقاربي وَمَعاشري

You—though no blood tie brings us close—through what

You, even if kinship does not bring us close, with what

you have offered sincerely, are my kin and companions,

You have purified, my relatives and companions.

وَأَصاحبي دونَ الرّجالِ إِذا اِلتَوى

وَأَصاحبي دونَ الرّجالِ إِذا اِلتَوى

خطبٌ يُبرّئُ غائباً من حاضرِ

خطبٌ يُبرّئُ غائباً من حاضرِ

and my friends, alone among men, when there grows tangled

And my companions over men when calamities coil

a crisis that absolves the absent of duty to the present.

Events that acquit the absent from the present.

لا تَحسبوا منّي التغيّرَ بعدكمْ

لا تَحسبوا منّي التغيّرَ بعدكمْ

فأوائلي في حبّكمْ كأواخري

فأوائلي في حبّكمْ كأواخري

Do not think I have changed since your departure;

Do not think I would change after you all,

my early love for you is like my later love.

For my beginnings in loving you are like my ends.

هَل تَذكُرونَ فَإنّني لم أنسَه

هَل تَذكُرونَ فَإنّني لم أنسَه

ذاك التّداني في الزّمان العابرِ

ذاك التّداني في الزّمان العابرِ

Do you remember? For I have not forgotten it—

Do you remember? For I have not forgotten

that closeness in the time gone by,

That intimacy in time gone by.

إذ نحن في أرض التّصابي جيرةٌ

إذ نحن في أرض التّصابي جيرةٌ

في ظلّ أيامٍ هناك نضائرِ

في ظلّ أيامٍ هناك نضائرِ

when we were neighbors in the land of youthful play,

When we in the land of ancestry were neighbors

beneath the shade of fresh, flourishing days there.

In the shade of those days over there like peers.

كم فيكُمُ من طالعٍ شَرَفَ العُلا

كم فيكُمُ من طالعٍ شَرَفَ العُلا

أو قامعٍ شَرَفَ العدا أو قاهرِ

أو قامعٍ شَرَفَ العدا أو قاهرِ

How many among you have climbed the heights of glory,

How many among you with ascendant nobility

or crushed the pride of foes, or vanquished them!

Or suppressor of nobility or subduer!

ومُرَفّعون تخالهمْ لجميلهمْ

ومُرَفّعون تخالهمْ لجميلهمْ

بين الرّجال على ظهور منابرِ

بين الرّجال على ظهور منابرِ

And men raised high, whom for their fine deeds you would imagine

And you are raised up, your beauty raises you

standing among men on the tops of pulpits.

Amongst men upon the backs of minbars.

طالوا إلى نيل العُلا وثيابهمْ

طالوا إلى نيل العُلا وثيابهمْ

تُلوى بمثل متالعِ وقَراقِرِ

تُلوى بمثل متالعِ وقَراقِرِ

They reached high to attain glory, while their garments

They aspired to attain the heights and their clothes

are wound about the likes of Mutali‘ and Qaraqir.

Twist like interlaced and dotted.

يا أيّها الأستاذ طُلتَ تفضّلاً

يا أيّها الأستاذ طُلتَ تفضّلاً

قولاً فخذ عنه جواب الشاكرِ

قولاً فخذ عنه جواب الشاكرِ

O master, you have excelled in graciousness

O teacher, you have excelled, so generously

of speech; so take, in return, a grateful man’s reply—

Say a word, so take from it the thanks of the grateful,

قولاً كما رقّ النسيم على ثرىً

قولاً كما رقّ النسيم على ثرىً

عَطرِ النبات عقيب غيثٍ ماطرِ

عَطرِ النبات عقيب غيثٍ ماطرِ

words as gentle as the breeze over soil

A word like the breeze blew gently on soil,

fragrant with plants, just after a pouring rain.

The scent of plants after a raining cloud.

وافى كما طرق الرّقادُ تعلّقَتْ

وافى كما طرق الرّقادُ تعلّقَتْ

بعد الكلال به جفون السّاهرِ

بعد الكلال به جفون السّاهرِ

It came as slumber visits by night; to it clung,

It has reached like slumber knocking fastened

after weariness, the wakeful one’s eyelids.

After weariness the eyelids of the wakeful.

ما خِلتُهُ إلّا عَطيّةَ مانعٍ

ما خِلتُهُ إلّا عَطيّةَ مانعٍ

نَقَعَ الجوانحَ أو زيارةَ هاجِرِ

نَقَعَ الجوانحَ أو زيارةَ هاجِرِ

I thought it nothing but a gift from one who withholds,

I have none but the bestowal of a preventer

quenching the thirst within my ribs, or a visit from one who forsakes.

That tears out the wings or the visit of a departing one.

وكأنّه بعد المشيب مبشّرِي

وكأنّه بعد المشيب مبشّرِي

بإيابِ آونةِ الشّبابِ الناضِرِ

بإيابِ آونةِ الشّبابِ الناضِرِ

And after gray hair, it seemed to bring me glad tidings

As if after the greying it gives me good tidings

of the return of the days of radiant youth.

Of the return of the flourishing days of youth.

وظللتَ تنعتُ لي جميلَ مآثرٍ

وظللتَ تنعتُ لي جميلَ مآثرٍ

لولا ثناؤك لم يكنّ مآثري

لولا ثناؤك لم يكنّ مآثري

And you kept describing fine achievements as mine,

And you went on describing to me the beauty of glorious deeds,

which, but for your praise, would not have been my achievements.

Were it not for your praise, I would have no glorious deeds.

فمدائحي مشفوعةٌ بمدائحي

فمدائحي مشفوعةٌ بمدائحي

ومفاخري مجموعة بمفاخري

ومفاخري مجموعة بمفاخري

So my praises are coupled with my praises,

So my eulogies vouched for by my eulogies

and my glories are gathered with my glories.

And my glories accumulated with my glories.

لا ترهبَنْ منّي الملالَةَ في الهوى

لا ترهبَنْ منّي الملالَةَ في الهوى

وَاِرهَبْ مَلالَةَ من لقيتَ وحاذرِ

وَاِرهَبْ مَلالَةَ من لقيتَ وحاذرِ

Do not fear weariness from me in love;

Do not fear from me weariness in passion

and fear weariness in those you have met, and beware.

And fear the weariness of those you have met and bewared.

وَاِعلَمْ بأنّي لا أحول عن الّذي

وَاِعلَمْ بأنّي لا أحول عن الّذي

لكَ في الجوانح من محلٍّ عامرِ

لكَ في الجوانح من محلٍّ عامرِ

And know that I will not turn away from that

And know that I do not waver from she who

flourishing place you hold within my ribs.

Has the abode in my soul a populated one.

وَبَلوتُ بعدك للرّجال خلائقاً

وَبَلوتُ بعدك للرّجال خلائقاً

عُوجاً تُبرِّح بالبصير الخابرِ

عُوجاً تُبرِّح بالبصير الخابرِ

And after you, I have tested men’s dispositions,

And after you I have tested men’s morals

crooked ones that torment the discerning and experienced.

Bent, the insights of the experienced flee from them.

لا مرتَعٌ فيها ولا مستمتَعٌ

لا مرتَعٌ فيها ولا مستمتَعٌ

كسراب قاعٍ أو زجاجة كاسرِ

كسراب قاعٍ أو زجاجة كاسرِ

There is no pasture in them, nor any pleasure,

No pasture in them and no pleasance,

like a mirage on a plain, or a breaker’s glass vessel.

Like the mirage of a barren desert or broken glass.

يَتكالَبونَ عَلى القَبائح بَينهمْ

يَتكالَبونَ عَلى القَبائح بَينهمْ

كَلَبَ الذّئابِ رأين عَقْرَ العاقِرِ

كَلَبَ الذّئابِ رأين عَقْرَ العاقِرِ

They scramble ravenously for vile deeds among themselves,

They vie with one another for vileness among themselves

like the frenzy of wolves that see a slaughterer’s kill.

Like the dogs of wolves they saw the sterile’s vulva.

لَم يَبتنوا شَرَقاً ولا بَحثوا على

لَم يَبتنوا شَرَقاً ولا بَحثوا على

كَسبِ المَحامِد منهمُ بأظافرِ

كَسبِ المَحامِد منهمُ بأظافرِ

They have built no eminence [reading uncertain], nor dug toward

They did not rise to the East nor sought

winning praise with fingernails of their own.

To earn praise from them with claws.

وَكأنّ جارَهُمُ مقيمٌ بينهمْ

وَكأنّ جارَهُمُ مقيمٌ بينهمْ

في منزلٍ قَفْرٍ ورسمٍ داثرِ

في منزلٍ قَفْرٍ ورسمٍ داثرِ

And their neighbor seems to dwell among them

And as if their neighbor residing among them

in a desolate dwelling and an effaced ruin.

In an abode of wasteland and ruins.

فَدعِ التشكّي للفراقِ فَقَد مَضى

فَدعِ التشكّي للفراقِ فَقَد مَضى

وَخذِ الوِصال مجاهراً لمجاهرِ

وَخذِ الوِصال مجاهراً لمجاهرِ

So stop lamenting separation, for it has passed;

So leave complaining of separation, for it has passed,

and embrace reunion, openly, with one who is open.

And take union openly with the open.

إِنّي أَغارُ عَلى زَمانٍ بيننا

إِنّي أَغارُ عَلى زَمانٍ بيننا

يمضي بغير تجاورٍ وتحاورِ

يمضي بغير تجاورٍ وتحاورِ

Indeed, I am jealous over any time between us

I am jealous of a time between us

that passes without neighborly closeness and conversation.

That passes without company and discourse.