تَأوَّبَني فَأَرَّقَني خَيالٌ

تَأوَّبَني فَأَرَّقَني خَيالٌ

سَرى لِلمالِكِيَّةِ بَعدَ وَهنِ

سَرى لِلمالِكِيَّةِ بَعدَ وَهنِ

A phantom revisited me and robbed me of sleep.

A phantom visited me by night and kept me sleepless,

It journeyed by night to the Mālikī woman after the night had waned.

of al-Malikiyya, traveling after the night's first hours.

دَنا بِمَزارِها مِن بَعدِ شَحطٍ

دَنا بِمَزارِها مِن بَعدِ شَحطٍ

سَرى بِوَصلِها مِن بَعدِ ضِنِّ

سَرى بِوَصلِها مِن بَعدِ ضِنِّ

It drew near to visit her after long estrangement;

It brought her visit near after long separation,

it journeyed toward union with her after mere conjecture.

bringing union with her by night after her withholding.

طَوى الأَهوالَ يَركَبُها شُجاعاً

طَوى الأَهوالَ يَركَبُها شُجاعاً

عَلى ما فيهِ مِن خَوَرٍ وَجُبنِ

عَلى ما فيهِ مِن خَوَرٍ وَجُبنِ

It crossed the terrors, riding through them bravely,

It crossed the terrors, braving them boldly,

despite the weakness and cowardice within it.

despite the weakness and cowardice within it.

وَباتَ يَعُلُّني مِنها رُضابا

وَباتَ يَعُلُّني مِنها رُضابا

كَشُهدِ النَحلِ شيبَ بِماءِ مُزنِ

كَشُهدِ النَحلِ شيبَ بِماءِ مُزنِ

It passed the night giving me sip after sip of her nectar,

And all night gave me repeated draughts of moisture from her lips,

like bees’ honey mixed with rainwater.

like bees' honey mixed with raincloud water.

وَذَكَّرَني بِأَيّامِ الشَبابِ ال

وَذَكَّرَني بِأَيّامِ الشَبابِ ال

أُلى وَمَلاعِبِ الحَيِّ الأَغَنِّ

أُلى وَمَلاعِبِ الحَيِّ الأَغَنِّ

And it recalled to me the days of youth—

And reminded me of the days of youth—

the earliest days—and the playgrounds of the flourishing tribe.

those first days—and the resounding encampment's playgrounds;

وَماءٍ ما ظَمِئتُ إِلَيهِ حَتّى

وَماءٍ ما ظَمِئتُ إِلَيهِ حَتّى

شَرِقتُ مِنَ البُكاءِ بِماءِ جَفني

شَرِقتُ مِنَ البُكاءِ بِماءِ جَفني

Many a watering place I never thirsted for until

and a water I never thirsted for until

I choked with weeping upon the water of my eyelids;

I choked, weeping, on my eyelid's water;

وَبَدرٍ مِن سَراةِ بَني هِلالٍ

وَبَدرٍ مِن سَراةِ بَني هِلالٍ

تَراءى بَينَ دِعصِ نَقىً وَغُصنِ

تَراءى بَينَ دِعصِ نَقىً وَغُصنِ

and a full moon among the nobles of Banū Hilāl,

and a full moon among the nobles of Banu Hilal,

appearing between a dune of pure white sand and a bough,

appearing between a mound of white sand and a bough.

يُجَلّيني مَراشِفَهُ عِذاباً

يُجَلّيني مَراشِفَهُ عِذاباً

مَوارِدُها وَلَو شاءَت سَقَتني

مَوارِدُها وَلَو شاءَت سَقَتني

offering me her lips as a sweet draught—

She reveals her lips to me, sweet

those springs which, had she wished, would have given me drink—

at their springs; if she wished, she could give me drink,

بِلَحظٍ مِثلِ نَصلِ السَيفِ ماضٍ

بِلَحظٍ مِثلِ نَصلِ السَيفِ ماضٍ

وَقَدٍّ كَاِعتِدالِ الغُصنِ لَدنِ

وَقَدٍّ كَاِعتِدالِ الغُصنِ لَدنِ

with a glance as keen as a sharpened sword-edge,

with a glance keen as a sword's blade,

while she was straight and supple as a tender bough.

and a supple figure, upright as a bough.

سَقا أَطلالاً ساقِيَتي دُموعي

سَقا أَطلالاً ساقِيَتي دُموعي

مَواطِرُ كُلِّ جَونٍ مُرجَحِنِّ

مَواطِرُ كُلِّ جَونٍ مُرجَحِنِّ

May the streams of my tears water her abandoned camps,

May the ruins that give me my tears to drink be watered

pouring down from every rain-laden black cloud.

by the showers of every dark, heavy-laden cloud.

وَحَيّا اللَهُ داراً أَنحَلَتها

وَحَيّا اللَهُ داراً أَنحَلَتها

عَلى النَأيِ الخُطوبُ وَأَنحَلَتني

عَلى النَأيِ الخُطوبُ وَأَنحَلَتني

May God bless that dwelling which calamities have wasted,

And may God bless a dwelling worn thin

despite its remoteness, even as they have wasted me.

by calamities, despite the distance; they have worn me thin too.

وَقَفتُ بِها أُسائِلُ دِمنَتَيها

وَقَفتُ بِها أُسائِلُ دِمنَتَيها

عَلى عَيِّ الرُسومِ فَأَفهَمَتني

عَلى عَيِّ الرُسومِ فَأَفهَمَتني

I stood there, questioning its two blackened traces;

I stood there questioning its two ruined campsites;

though the ruins could not speak, they made me understand.

though the traces were mute, they made me understand.

إِذا اِستَنجَدتُ في الأَطلالِ دَمعاً

إِذا اِستَنجَدتُ في الأَطلالِ دَمعاً

تَخاذَلَتِ الشُؤونُ وَأَسلَمَتني

تَخاذَلَتِ الشُؤونُ وَأَسلَمَتني

Whenever among the ruins I summoned tears to my aid,

When I sought a tear's aid among the ruins,

their channels failed one another and abandoned me.

my tear ducts failed me and abandoned me.

نَأَيتِ فَأَيُّ بَرقٍ لَم يَشُقني

نَأَيتِ فَأَيُّ بَرقٍ لَم يَشُقني

إِلَيكَ وَأَيُّ دارٍ ما شَجَتني

إِلَيكَ وَأَيُّ دارٍ ما شَجَتني

I went far away—yet what lightning-flash did not fill me with longing

You went far away: what lightning has not made me yearn

for you, and what dwelling did not stir my grief?

for you, and what dwelling has not grieved me?

وَما خَلَفَتكِ بانَتُها وَلَكِن

وَما خَلَفَتكِ بانَتُها وَلَكِن

حَكَت ذاكَ التَعَطُّفَ وَالتَثَنّي

حَكَت ذاكَ التَعَطُّفَ وَالتَثَنّي

Her bān-tree did not outstrip you; it merely

And its ban-tree did not replace you, but

imitated that swaying and graceful bending.

mimicked that graceful bending and swaying.

وَيوحِشُني بِها الآرامُ حَتّى

وَيوحِشُني بِها الآرامُ حَتّى

إِذا وَصَفَت نِفارَكِ آنَسَتني

إِذا وَصَفَت نِفارَكِ آنَسَتني

The gazelle herd there leaves me desolate, until

And the gazelles there make me lonely, until

when they portray your shy flight, they console me.

they portray your shying away and bring me comfort.

وَليسَ البَينُ أَوَّلَ ما رَمَتني

وَليسَ البَينُ أَوَّلَ ما رَمَتني

بِهِ أَيدي الخُطوبِ فَأَقصَدَتني

بِهِ أَيدي الخُطوبِ فَأَقصَدَتني

Separation was not the first thing with which

Nor is separation the first thing hurled at me

the hands of calamity struck and nearly killed me.

by the hands of calamity, striking me down.

وَأَيُّ هَوىً نَجا مِنهُ فُؤادي

وَأَيُّ هَوىً نَجا مِنهُ فُؤادي

وَسَهمٍ عارٍ مِنهُ لَم يُصِبني

وَسَهمٍ عارٍ مِنهُ لَم يُصِبني

What passion has my heart ever escaped,

And what passion has my heart escaped,

and what bare arrow from it has failed to strike me?

and what arrow of shame from it has not struck me?

فَلَيتَ حَوادِثَ الأَيّامِ أَغضَت

فَلَيتَ حَوادِثَ الأَيّامِ أَغضَت

مُسالِمَةً بِما أَخَذَتهُ مِنّي

مُسالِمَةً بِما أَخَذَتهُ مِنّي

Would that the vicissitudes of time had turned a blind eye,

If only the calamities of the days would relent,

making peace with me for all they took from me,

making peace with what they have taken from me,

فَتَقنَعَ لي بِبَيعي ماءَ وَجهي

فَتَقنَعَ لي بِبَيعي ماءَ وَجهي

بِمَنزورِ العَطِيَّةِ بَيعَ غَبنِ

بِمَنزورِ العَطِيَّةِ بَيعَ غَبنِ

and had consented to let me sell my honor

and be content with my selling the water of my face

for a paltry gift—a ruinously losing bargain;

for a paltry gift, in a losing bargain,

وَتَسالي بَخيلاً لا يُلَبّي

وَتَسالي بَخيلاً لا يُلَبّي

دُعايَ وَرَسمَ دارٍ لَم يُجِبني

دُعايَ وَرَسمَ دارٍ لَم يُجِبني

and let me forget a miser who will not answer

and my pleading with a miser who does not answer

my call, and an effaced trace that gave me no reply.

my call, and with a dwelling's trace that has not answered me.

وَلَيتَ الدَهرَ إِذ لَم يُمسِ سِلمي

وَلَيتَ الدَهرَ إِذ لَم يُمسِ سِلمي

عَلى أَحداثِهِ لَم يُمسِ قِرني

عَلى أَحداثِهِ لَم يُمسِ قِرني

Would that Time, since it would not remain at peace with me

And if only Time, since it has not been my ally,

amid all its assaults, had not remained my adversary.

with all its calamities, had not become my adversary.

أُعاتِبُ ما جَنَت أَيّامُ دَهري

أُعاتِبُ ما جَنَت أَيّامُ دَهري

وَما يُغني التَعَتُّبُ وَالتَجَنّي

وَما يُغني التَعَتُّبُ وَالتَجَنّي

I reproach what the days of my life have wrought—

I reproach the wrongs wrought by the days of my life;

but what good are obstinacy and accusation?

but what use are reproach and fault-finding?

سَئِمتُ مِنَ الثَواءِ بِدارِ ذُلٍّ

سَئِمتُ مِنَ الثَواءِ بِدارِ ذُلٍّ

أُجَرِّرُ ذَيلَ مَنقَصَةٍ وَوَهنِ

أُجَرِّرُ ذَيلَ مَنقَصَةٍ وَوَهنِ

I have grown weary of dwelling in an abode of humiliation,

I am weary of staying in a dwelling of abasement,

continually dragging the train of disgrace and weakness.

dragging a train of degradation and weakness.

أَرى مَن لا تَشاقُ إِلَيهِ عَيني

أَرى مَن لا تَشاقُ إِلَيهِ عَيني

وَأَسمَعُ ما تَصَمُّ عَلَيهِ أُذني

وَأَسمَعُ ما تَصَمُّ عَلَيهِ أُذني

I see those whom my eyes do not yearn to see,

I see one for whom my eye feels no longing,

and hear what my ears would rather be deaf to.

and hear what my ear turns deaf to.

وَأُمسي مُضمِراً وُدّاً صَحيحاً

وَأُمسي مُضمِراً وُدّاً صَحيحاً

لِمَطويٍّ عَلى حَنَقٍ وَضِغنِ

لِمَطويٍّ عَلى حَنَقٍ وَضِغنِ

At evening I conceal a sincere affection

And I spend the evening harboring sincere affection

for one who folds rancor and deep spite within himself.

for one inwardly wrapped in anger and rancor.

فَأَسهُلُ جانِباً وَأَليَنُ عِطفاً

فَأَسهُلُ جانِباً وَأَليَنُ عِطفاً

لِأَجباسٍ مِنَ المَعروفِ خُشنِ

لِأَجباسٍ مِنَ المَعروفِ خُشنِ

I make myself approachable and gentle in manner

So I make my manner easy and my bearing gentle

toward coarse, ignoble men devoid of kindness.

for base men, harsh in matters of kindness.

أُنافِسُ في وَدادِ أَخٍ مَشوبٍ

أُنافِسُ في وَدادِ أَخٍ مَشوبٍ

بِغِلٍّ أَو سَماحِ يَدٍ بِمَنِّ

بِغِلٍّ أَو سَماحِ يَدٍ بِمَنِّ

I compete for the affection of a brother whose love is tainted

I strive for a brother's affection, tainted

by malice, or for the generosity of a hand that reproaches its gift.

with rancor, or a hand's generosity burdened with reminders of favors.

فَما ضَرَعي وَليسَ بي اِنقِيادٌ

فَما ضَرَعي وَليسَ بي اِنقِيادٌ

لِإِحسانٍ وَلا شَعَفٌ بِحُسنِ

لِإِحسانٍ وَلا شَعَفٌ بِحُسنِ

Why should I abase myself when no submissiveness lies in me,

Why, then, do I cringe, when I am not submissive

for any favor, nor any infatuation with beauty?

to kindness, nor infatuated with beauty?

وَما لِلحَظِّ يَحجُبُني أَريباً

وَما لِلحَظِّ يَحجُبُني أَريباً

وَقَد دَخَلَ الغَبِيُّ بِغَيرِ إِذنِ

وَقَد دَخَلَ الغَبِيُّ بِغَيرِ إِذنِ

Why should fortune draw me—a discerning man—

And why does Fortune bar me, astute as I am,

when the fool has entered without permission?

when the fool has entered without permission?

وَيا أَسَفي عَلى فُضُلاتِ عَيشٍ

وَيا أَسَفي عَلى فُضُلاتِ عَيشٍ

سُروري لا يَفي فيها بِحُزني

سُروري لا يَفي فيها بِحُزني

Alas for what remains of a life

And alas for the scraps of a life

in which my joy cannot balance my sorrow.

in which my joy falls short of my sorrow.

إِذا نالَ الفَتى شَبَعاً بِذُلٍّ

إِذا نالَ الفَتى شَبَعاً بِذُلٍّ

أَجِعني واقِياً عِرضي أَجِعني

أَجِعني واقِياً عِرضي أَجِعني

If a young man can obtain his fill only through abasement,

If a man gains a full belly through abasement,

then let me go hungry while guarding my honor—let me go hungry.

make me hungry, guarding my honor—make me hungry!

وَمَهما شِئتَ مِن خَوفٍ وَحَيفٍ

وَمَهما شِئتَ مِن خَوفٍ وَحَيفٍ

فَجَدّي فيهِ ما لَم تَطَّرِحني

فَجَدّي فيهِ ما لَم تَطَّرِحني

Whatever fear and injustice you please,

And whatever fear and injustice you wish,

strive against me with them, so long as you do not cast me away.

there lies my fortune, so long as you do not cast me aside.

تَنَقَّل إِنَّ في النَقلِ اِعتِلاءاً

تَنَقَّل إِنَّ في النَقلِ اِعتِلاءاً

وَعِزاً وَالهَوانُ مَعَ المُبِنِّ

وَعِزاً وَالهَوانُ مَعَ المُبِنِّ

Move on: in movement lie elevation

Move on: in moving there is elevation

and dignity, while humiliation attends the settled man.

and honor; abasement belongs to the one who stays.

لَئِن ضاقَت بِيَ الزَوراءُ داراً

لَئِن ضاقَت بِيَ الزَوراءُ داراً

فَما ضاقَت بِلادُ اللَهِ عَنّي

فَما ضاقَت بِلادُ اللَهِ عَنّي

Though al-Zawrāʾ has become too cramped an abode for me,

If al-Zawra has grown too cramped a home for me,

God’s lands have not become too cramped to contain me.

God's lands have not grown too cramped for me.

وَلي في الأَرضِ مُضطَرَبٌ وَسيعٌ

وَلي في الأَرضِ مُضطَرَبٌ وَسيعٌ

وَمُرتَكَضٌ إِذا هِيَ لَم تَسَعني

وَمُرتَكَضٌ إِذا هِيَ لَم تَسَعني

Across the earth I have room to range and strive,

And on earth I have a broad field to roam,

and a field in which to gallop if this place cannot contain me.

and room to gallop, if it will not hold me.

سَأُرهِفُ مِن مَضاءِ العَزمِ عَضباً

سَأُرهِفُ مِن مَضاءِ العَزمِ عَضباً

إِذا نَبَتِ الصَوارِمُ لَم تَخُنّي

إِذا نَبَتِ الصَوارِمُ لَم تَخُنّي

I shall hone from the keen edge of resolve a cutting sword

I shall whet a keen sword from the edge of resolve,

that, when sharp blades recoil, will not betray me.

one that will not betray me when sharp blades fail to bite.

وَأَرحَلُ نافِضاً عَن حُرِّ وَجهي

وَأَرحَلُ نافِضاً عَن حُرِّ وَجهي

غُبارَ الذُلِّ مُنتَحِياً بِرُدني

غُبارَ الذُلِّ مُنتَحِياً بِرُدني

I shall depart, shaking from my freeborn face

And I shall depart, shaking from my noble face

the dust of humiliation, setting forth with my Rudaynī spear.

the dust of abasement, brushing it away with my sleeve.

وَأَستَغِني غَناءَ السَيفِ يَومَ ال

وَأَستَغِني غَناءَ السَيفِ يَومَ ال

وَغا بِالفَضلِ عَن غِمدٍ وَجَفنِ

وَغا بِالفَضلِ عَن غِمدٍ وَجَفنِ

And I shall emulate the sword’s self-sufficiency on the day of

And I shall be self-sufficient, like a sword on the day of

battle, by merit dispensing with scabbard and sheath—

battle, through merit, without scabbard or sheath.

فَأَمّا أَن أُصادِفَ يَومَ حَظٍّ

فَأَمّا أَن أُصادِفَ يَومَ حَظٍّ

يَسُرُّ أَقارِبي أَو يَومَ دَفنِ

يَسُرُّ أَقارِبي أَو يَومَ دَفنِ

until I encounter either a day of good fortune

Then either I shall meet a day of good fortune

that delights my kin, or the day of my burial.

that gladdens my kin, or a day of burial.

عَساها أَن تُطَاوِعَ مُصحِباتٍ

عَساها أَن تُطَاوِعَ مُصحِباتٍ

مَصاعِبُها فَتَسهُلُ بَعدَ حَزنِ

مَصاعِبُها فَتَسهُلُ بَعدَ حَزنِ

Perhaps life’s hardships will yield to what I desire,

Perhaps they will yield, becoming tractable—

and become easy after long sorrow;

its hardships—and become easy after roughness;

وَيَنهَضَ بي إِلى العَلياءِ عَزمي

وَيَنهَضَ بي إِلى العَلياءِ عَزمي

نُهوضَ المَضرَ حَيِّ بِرَأسِ رَعنِ

نُهوضَ المَضرَ حَيِّ بِرَأسِ رَعنِ

perhaps resolve will raise me toward the heights,

and may my resolve bear me up to the heights,

as one driven by necessity climbs vigorously to a rugged peak;

as a great eagle rises from a mountain spur's summit,

فَيَعلَقَ بِالمُنى أَمَلي وَشيكاً

فَيَعلَقَ بِالمُنى أَمَلي وَشيكاً

وَلَمّا تُغلِقِ الأَيّامُ رَهني

وَلَمّا تُغلِقِ الأَيّامُ رَهني

then my hope will soon fasten upon my aspirations,

so my hope may soon fasten upon my wishes,

while the days have not yet foreclosed upon my life held in pawn.

while the days have not yet foreclosed on my pledge.