أَشاقَكَ رَسمُ المَنزِلِ المُتقادِمُ

أَشاقَكَ رَسمُ المَنزِلِ المُتقادِمُ

فَأَنتَ لِذكرى ما تَذكَّرتَ واجِمُ

فَأَنتَ لِذكرى ما تَذكَّرتَ واجِمُ

Has the age-worn trace of the dwelling stirred your longing?

The homesickness of the old dwelling has pained you

And so, remembering what you recalled, you stand silent with grief.

So you are silent remembering what you have remembered

تَذَكَّرتَ عِرفانَ الطُلولِ وَقَد مَضَت

تَذَكَّرتَ عِرفانَ الطُلولِ وَقَد مَضَت

سُنونٌ وَعَفَّتها السُمِيُّ السَواجِمُ

سُنونٌ وَعَفَّتها السُمِيُّ السَواجِمُ

You remembered recognizing the ruins, though there had passed

You remembered the familiarity of the hills, and although

Years, and pouring rainclouds had effaced them,

Years have passed and the driving winds have made them smooth

وَمُختَلَفُ العَصرَينِ حَتّى كَأَنَّها

وَمُختَلَفُ العَصرَينِ حَتّى كَأَنَّها

صَحائِفُ يَعلوهُنَّ بِالنِقسِ واشِمُ

صَحائِفُ يَعلوهُنَّ بِالنِقسِ واشِمُ

And the alternation of day and night, until they seemed

And the difference of the two eras, as if they were

Sheets over which a tattooer lays his ink.

Parchments climbed by the clearly visible traces

وَشَطَّت نَوى هِندٍ فَلا أَنتَ عالِمٌ

وَشَطَّت نَوى هِندٍ فَلا أَنتَ عالِمٌ

فَتَنطِقَ عَن وَصلٍ وَلا أَنتَ صارِمُ

فَتَنطِقَ عَن وَصلٍ وَلا أَنتَ صارِمُ

Hind's place of sojourn lies far away; you do not know

And the resolution of Hind wavers, so you are neither

Enough to speak of reunion, nor do you sever the bond.

Speaking of connection, nor are you deterring

وَهِندٌ وَإِن عُلِّقتَ هِنداً ضَنينَةٌ

وَهِندٌ وَإِن عُلِّقتَ هِنداً ضَنينَةٌ

عَلَيكَ بِما يُعطي الخَليلُ المُكارِمُ

عَلَيكَ بِما يُعطي الخَليلُ المُكارِمُ

And Hind, though you are enamored of Hind, withholds

And Hind, though you cling to her, is complaining

From you what a generous beloved gives.

About you with what the generous friend provides

فَإِنّي وَإِن شَطَّت نَواها لَقائِلٌ

فَإِنّي وَإِن شَطَّت نَواها لَقائِلٌ

سَقى الغَيثُ هِنداً حَيثُ ما اِحتَلَّ سالِمُ

سَقى الغَيثُ هِنداً حَيثُ ما اِحتَلَّ سالِمُ

Yet I, though her dwelling lies far away, surely say:

So I say, though her intention has wandered, the rain

May rain water Hind wherever Salim has settled,

Has watered Hind wherever it has settled healthily

بِمُرتَجِسٍ يُمسي كَأَنَّ قَرارَهُ

بِمُرتَجِسٍ يُمسي كَأَنَّ قَرارَهُ

عَشِيَّةَ غِبِّ السارِياتِ الدَراهِمُ

عَشِيَّةَ غِبِّ السارِياتِ الدَراهِمُ

With a thunderous cloud, whose pools at evening seem,

With a horseman who passes the evening as if his steadfastness

At dusk, after the night-rains, like silver dirhams.

Is on the eve of the loss of the scattering dirhams

رَأَت صِرَماً أَودى بِنَسلِ لِقاحِها

رَأَت صِرَماً أَودى بِنَسلِ لِقاحِها

مَسائِلُ ما يُغنينَها وَمَغارِمُ

مَسائِلُ ما يُغنينَها وَمَغارِمُ

She saw herds, the offspring of her milch-camels ruined

It saw a blame that destroyed the progeny of its meadows

By requests that enriched her not, and by payments owed.

Issues that will not benefit them, and funds

إِذا ما مَشى نَجمٌ أَتَتهُنَّ جُمَّةٌ

إِذا ما مَشى نَجمٌ أَتَتهُنَّ جُمَّةٌ

فَلا الدَهرُ يُغنيها وَلا الحَقُّ سائِمُ

فَلا الدَهرُ يُغنيها وَلا الحَقُّ سائِمُ

Whenever an installment falls due, a throng comes to them;

When a star walks, a group comes to them

Time never makes her wealthy, and rightful claims never tire.

So neither time satisfies them, nor does the truth grow bored

كَذاكَ تَعَوَّدنا عَلى ما يَنوبُنا

كَذاكَ تَعَوَّدنا عَلى ما يَنوبُنا

وَلِلحَقِّ فينا سُنَّةٌ وَمَحارِمُ

وَلِلحَقِّ فينا سُنَّةٌ وَمَحارِمُ

Thus have we grown accustomed to whatever befalls us;

Likewise we are accustomed to what befalls us

And duty has among us an established custom and inviolable bounds.

And truth has a tradition and prohibitions over us

وَإِن تُجهَدِ الأَموالُ لا يَعجَزِ النَدى

وَإِن تُجهَدِ الأَموالُ لا يَعجَزِ النَدى

عَلَينا فَذو صَبرٍ كَريمٌ وَهاضِمُ

عَلَينا فَذو صَبرٍ كَريمٌ وَهاضِمُ

And though wealth be exhausted, generosity does not fail

And if wealth becomes scarce, dew does not fail

Among us: the steadfast man is generous and self-denying.

Upon us, so one of patience is generous and stifling

وَتُبوِحُ ما غارَت نُجومُ تَهامَةٍ

وَتُبوِحُ ما غارَت نُجومُ تَهامَةٍ

طَرائِفُ مَجرومٌ عَلَيها وَجارِمُ

طَرائِفُ مَجرومٌ عَلَيها وَجارِمُ

And as long as Tihamah's stars set, open lie

The meanings hidden by the stars of Tihama reveal themselves

Choice possessions, for the wronged and the wrongdoer alike.

Subtleties of the fates upon them and sins

بِوُدِّكَ قَومي حَيُّ حَربٍ وَرِسالَةٍ

بِوُدِّكَ قَومي حَيُّ حَربٍ وَرِسالَةٍ

تَميمُ إِذا ما حارَبَتها الأَقاوِمُ

تَميمُ إِذا ما حارَبَتها الأَقاوِمُ

My people, dear to you, are a tribe of war and diplomacy—

With the love of my people, alive with war and messages

Tamim, whenever the peoples wage war against them.

Tamim, when the forces fight against them

هُمُ خَلَفوا في الأَرضِ عاداً بِقَوَةٍ

هُمُ خَلَفوا في الأَرضِ عاداً بِقَوَةٍ

عَلى ما بِهِ تَأَتي الأَمورُ العَظائِمُ

عَلى ما بِهِ تَأَتي الأَمورُ العَظائِمُ

They succeeded 'Ad on earth in strength,

They succeeded the `Aad in the land with strength

Equal to whatever momentous affairs may bring.

With which great matters come to pass

أَجارَ لَنا أَحسابَنا فَوَفى بِها

أَجارَ لَنا أَحسابَنا فَوَفى بِها

صُدورُ العَوالي وَالسُيوفُ الصَوارِمُ

صُدورُ العَوالي وَالسُيوفُ الصَوارِمُ

Our ancestral honors were protected and faithfully upheld

Their superior chests and sharp swords protect us

By the points of tall spears and keen-edged swords.

Against high ambitions and from violating prohibitions

وَمَسرودَةٌ مِن نَسجِ داودَ فَوقَنا

وَمَسرودَةٌ مِن نَسجِ داودَ فَوقَنا

سَرابيلُ مِنها جُنَّةٌ وَعَماِئمُ

سَرابيلُ مِنها جُنَّةٌ وَعَماِئمُ

And over us lies linked mail of David's weaving:

Our gowns spun by Dawood are extending over us

Tunics of it are protection, and so are turbans.

Including veils and turbans among them

نَخوضُ إِذا ضَنَّ الجَبانُ بِنَفسِهِ

نَخوضُ إِذا ضَنَّ الجَبانُ بِنَفسِهِ

بِها ظُلُماتِ المَوتِ وَالمَوتُ دائِمُ

بِها ظُلُماتِ المَوتِ وَالمَوتُ دائِمُ

We wade in, when the coward hoards his life,

We plunge though the coward's soul is straitened

Clad in it, through death's darkness—and death is ever present.

Into the darkness of death, and death is constant

فَنَخرُجَ مِنها وَالسُيوفُ عِصِيُّنا

فَنَخرُجَ مِنها وَالسُيوفُ عِصِيُّنا

إِلى غايَةٍ تَسمو إِلَيها الأَكارِمُ

إِلى غايَةٍ تَسمو إِلَيها الأَكارِمُ

Then we emerge from it, our swords serving as staffs,

So we emerge while our swords are our support

Toward a goal to which the noble aspire.

To a limit the noblest aspirations rise towards

وَقُلنا أَلا مَن يَحيَ لا يَخزَ بَعدَها

وَقُلنا أَلا مَن يَحيَ لا يَخزَ بَعدَها

وَمَن يُشتَعَب لا تَتَّبِعهُ المُلاوِمُ

وَمَن يُشتَعَب لا تَتَّبِعهُ المُلاوِمُ

And we said, 'Hear this: whoever survives will not be shamed thereafter;

And we said, he who lives is not disgraced after it

And whoever is carried off in death will not be pursued by blame.'

And he who is vulnerable is not pursued by companions

وَمُعتَرَكٍ ضَنكٍ أَضاقَ سَبيلَهُ

وَمُعتَرَكٍ ضَنكٍ أَضاقَ سَبيلَهُ

مَواقِعُ أَقدامٍ بِهِ وَمَعاصِمُ

مَواقِعُ أَقدامٍ بِهِ وَمَعاصِمُ

And a cramped field of battle, its passage narrowed

And a narrow, difficult battlefield that has closed off

By the press of feet and wrists within it—

Its road with positions and strongholds

شَهِدنا إِذا ما أُحكِمَت لُحَماتُهُ

شَهِدنا إِذا ما أُحكِمَت لُحَماتُهُ

فَيَفرَجُ عَنّا ضَيقُهُ المُتلاحِمُ

فَيَفرَجُ عَنّا ضَيقُهُ المُتلاحِمُ

We were there when its close engagements locked tight;

We witnessed that when its connections were tightened

Then its interlocked crush parted before us.

Its narrowness that pressed together widened for us

لَنا عِضَةٌ لَم يُدرِكِ الناسُ فَرعَها

لَنا عِضَةٌ لَم يُدرِكِ الناسُ فَرعَها

وَجُرثومَةٌ تَأوي إِلَيها الجَراثِمُ

وَجُرثومَةٌ تَأوي إِلَيها الجَراثِمُ

We have a thorn-tree whose crown no people have reached,

We have a grip whose origin people have not reached

And a rootstock in which other rootstocks take refuge.

And a fortress the major sins retreat to

لَنا سامِياً مَجدٍ فَسامٍ إِلى العُلى

لَنا سامِياً مَجدٍ فَسامٍ إِلى العُلى

وَآخَرُ مَشبوبٌ عَلى الحَربِ حازِمُ

وَآخَرُ مَشبوبٌ عَلى الحَربِ حازِمُ

We have two seekers of glory: one aspires to the heights,

We have a towering glory, towering to the heights

And the other, kindled for war, is resolute.

And another a warrior against war, resolute

فَأَيُّهُما ما يَدعُ تَتبَعهُ شيعَةٌ

فَأَيُّهُما ما يَدعُ تَتبَعهُ شيعَةٌ

مَيامينُ مِنّا لِلعَدوِ أَشائِمُ

مَيامينُ مِنّا لِلعَدوِ أَشائِمُ

Whichever of the two calls, a following comes after him:

So which of the two would a group not follow?

Auspicious men of ours, ill omens to the foe.

Swords from us to the enemy, inspecting

وَنَحنُ حَفَظنا نَأيَ خِندِفَ إِذ نَأَت

وَنَحنُ حَفَظنا نَأيَ خِندِفَ إِذ نَأَت

وَإِذ كُلُّ ذي ضِغنٍ مِنَ الناسِ راغِمُ

وَإِذ كُلُّ ذي ضِغنٍ مِنَ الناسِ راغِمُ

We kept Khindif secure in her remoteness, when she withdrew,

And we preserved, keeping away from Khendif's approach when it came

And when every rancorous man was humbled.

And when everyone of a twisted disposition among the people was unruly

وَلَمّا اِنقَطَعنا مِنهُم وَتَقاذَفَت

وَلَمّا اِنقَطَعنا مِنهُم وَتَقاذَفَت

بِنا وَبِهم عَتبُ الأُمورِ العَواجِمُ

بِنا وَبِهم عَتبُ الأُمورِ العَواجِمُ

And when we broke away from them and were tossed about—

And when we separated from them and the reproaches

We and they—by the rugged steps of trying affairs,

Of confusing affairs were flung between us and them

أَبَينا فَلَم نَسأَل مُوالاةَ غَيرِنا

أَبَينا فَلَم نَسأَل مُوالاةَ غَيرِنا

وَلَم تَطَّلِعنا حَربُ حَيٍّ يُراجِمُ

وَلَم تَطَّلِعنا حَربُ حَيٍّ يُراجِمُ

We refused, and sought no alliance with outsiders;

We refused, and did not ask for the allegiance of others

Nor did war with a missile-hurling tribe overmaster us.

And the war of no living man would confront us

نُقودُ الجِيادَ المُقرَباتِ عَلى الوَجى

نُقودُ الجِيادَ المُقرَباتِ عَلى الوَجى

وَسَيرٍ عَلى الأَعداءِ حَتّى يُصادِموا

وَسَيرٍ عَلى الأَعداءِ حَتّى يُصادِموا

We lead our fine, cherished steeds despite sore hooves,

We lead the steeds, the gifts, to the wounded

And on marches against the enemies, until they clash with us.

And journey against the enemies until they clash

وَقُلنا لِقَيسٍ أَصعِدوا فَتَصَعَّدوا

وَقُلنا لِقَيسٍ أَصعِدوا فَتَصَعَّدوا

وَشَيبانَ عَنّا اِبعِدوا وَاللَهازِمُ

وَشَيبانَ عَنّا اِبعِدوا وَاللَهازِمُ

We told Qays, 'Go upcountry!' and upcountry they went;

And we said to Qays, “Ascend,” so they ascended

And Shayban and the Lahazim: 'Keep away from us!'

And, “Distance yourselves from us, O Shayban,” and the defeated

دَعَوا مَرتَعاً لِلجَرسِ وَالوَحشِ بَينَنا

دَعَوا مَرتَعاً لِلجَرسِ وَالوَحشِ بَينَنا

وَحُلوا بِسَيفِ البَحرِ ما لَم تُسالِموا

وَحُلوا بِسَيفِ البَحرِ ما لَم تُسالِموا

Leave between us a pasture for bees and wild beasts,

They left between us pasture for the potent and the beasts

And settle on the seashore unless you make peace.

With it, a slumberer and a repeller who takes refuge in it

بِها مُخدِرٌ وَردٌ يُلاوِذُ دونَها

بِها مُخدِرٌ وَردٌ يُلاوِذُ دونَها

يُواقِعُ في حافاتِها وَيُلازِمُ

يُواقِعُ في حافاتِها وَيُلازِمُ

Within it a tawny lion of the lair darts about in its defense,

Meets its outskirts and settles

Fighting along its borders and holding fast.

As if his arms and the nape of his neck

كَأَنَّ ذِراعَيهِ وَبَلدَةَ نَحرِهِ

كَأَنَّ ذِراعَيهِ وَبَلدَةَ نَحرِهِ

دَنَت وَوَعَت مِنهُ كُسورٌ عَوائِمُ

دَنَت وَوَعَت مِنهُ كُسورٌ عَوائِمُ

As though his forelegs and the broad expanse of his chest

Approached and carried from it the floating feathers

Were enclosed by floating timbers drawn together.

And we prevented people from our country

وَنَحنُ مَنَعنا الناسَ طُرّاً بِلادَنا

وَنَحنُ مَنَعنا الناسَ طُرّاً بِلادَنا

بِطَعنٍ وَضَربٍ حَيثُ تُلوى العَمائِمُ

بِطَعنٍ وَضَربٍ حَيثُ تُلوى العَمائِمُ

We barred all people from our lands,

With a stab and blow where the turbans are twisted

With thrusts and blows where turbans are wound.

So if Islam has created affection between us

فَإِن يَكُنِ الإِسلامُ أَلَّفَ بَينَنا

فَإِن يَكُنِ الإِسلامُ أَلَّفَ بَينَنا

فَقَد عَلِموا في الدَهرِ كَيفَ نُغاشِمُ

فَقَد عَلِموا في الدَهرِ كَيفَ نُغاشِمُ

So if Islam has brought us together,

Then they have known in time how we fight fiercely

They have long known how ruthlessly we assail.

We establish our homes in the Abode of Preservation

نُقيمُ عَلى دارِ الحِفاظِ بيوتَنا

نُقيمُ عَلى دارِ الحِفاظِ بيوتَنا

وَتُقسَمُ أَسرى بَينَنا وَغَنائِمُ

وَتُقسَمُ أَسرى بَينَنا وَغَنائِمُ

We establish our homes where honor is defended,

And the captives are distributed among us and the spoils

And captives and spoils are divided among us.

Our spears on the day of preservation are like

مَصاليتُ في يَومِ الحِفاظِ كَأَنَّها

مَصاليتُ في يَومِ الحِفاظِ كَأَنَّها

قُرومٌ تَسامى يَتَقيهِنَّ حاجِمُ

قُرومٌ تَسامى يَتَقيهِنَّ حاجِمُ

Bold warriors on the day honor is defended, like

Tall spires the observer avoids

Camel-stallions vying in height, shunned by the timid.

Until I said, it is inevitable that he

وَما زالَ حَتّى قُلتُ لا بُدَّ أَنَّهُ

وَما زالَ حَتّى قُلتُ لا بُدَّ أَنَّهُ

مَسامي الوَحيدِ وَازدهَتهُ الجَرائِمُ

مَسامي الوَحيدِ وَازدهَتهُ الجَرائِمُ

And it continued until I said, 'It must surely be

Is the sublime revelation, though sins have accumulated on him

Rivaling al-Wahid, puffed up by its misdeeds,'

Until you see al-Arta, due to deployment, as if it

وَحَتّى تَرى الأَرطى بُخُشبٍ كَأَنَّهُ

وَحَتّى تَرى الأَرطى بُخُشبٍ كَأَنَّهُ

مِنَ الطَلحِ أَثباجُ اللِقاحِ الرَوائِمُ

مِنَ الطَلحِ أَثباجُ اللِقاحِ الرَوائِمُ

And until you see the arta trees at Khushb, as though they were,

Were the rising thorn trees of the towering meadows

From weariness, the broad backs of mothering milch-camels.