وَغَيْثٍ تَبَطَّنْتُ قُرْيَانَهُ

وَغَيْثٍ تَبَطَّنْتُ قُرْيَانَهُ

إِذَا رَفَّهَ الوَبْلُ عَنْهُ دُجِنْ

إِذَا رَفَّهَ الوَبْلُ عَنْهُ دُجِنْ

And a rain-fed pasture whose watercourses I traversed,

And a downpour whose procession I took shelter in

clouded over when the downpour eased away from it.

When the rain exposed it from its cover

وُقُوفٌ بِهِ تَحْتَ أَظْلاَلِهِ

وُقُوفٌ بِهِ تَحْتَ أَظْلاَلِهِ

كُهُولُ الخُزَامَى وُقُوفَ الظّعُنْ

كُهُولُ الخُزَامَى وُقُوفَ الظّعُنْ

Standing there beneath its shadows

With it standing under its shadows

were mature lavender plants, like halted camel-litters.

Like the sitting of the old and decrepit

كَأَنَّ صَوَاهِلَ ذِبَّانِهِ

كَأَنَّ صَوَاهِلَ ذِبَّانِهِ

قُبَيْلَ الصَّبَاحِ صَهِيلُ الحُصُنْ

قُبَيْلَ الصَّبَاحِ صَهِيلُ الحُصُنْ

As though the whinnying of its flies

As if its rising columns in the early morning

just before dawn were the neighing of stallions.

Were the neighing of the steed

بِنَهْدِ المَرِاكِلِ ذِي مَيْعَةٍ

بِنَهْدِ المَرِاكِلِ ذِي مَيْعَةٍ

أَزَلِّ العِثَارِ مِعَنٍّ مِفَنْ

أَزَلِّ العِثَارِ مِعَنٍّ مِفَنْ

On a stout-flanked horse, full of vigor,

With the swaying of the howdahs of honor

sure-footed, swiftly darting, varied in its paces,

Driving away the stumbling of meaning

هَرِيتٍ قَصِير عِذَارِ اللجَامِ

هَرِيتٍ قَصِير عِذَارِ اللجَامِ

أسِيلٍ طَوِيلِ عِذَارِ الرَّسَنْ

أسِيلٍ طَوِيلِ عِذَارِ الرَّسَنْ

wide-mouthed, with a short bridle cheek-strap,

A short-reined, short-tied camel

smooth-cheeked, with a long halter cheek-strap.

And a long-reined, long-tied mare

ذَعَرْتُ بِهِ العَيْرَ مُسْتَوْزِياً

ذَعَرْتُ بِهِ العَيْرَ مُسْتَوْزِياً

شَكِيرُ جَحَافِلِهِ قَدْ كَتِنْ

شَكِيرُ جَحَافِلِهِ قَدْ كَتِنْ

With it I startled a wild ass, poised to spring,

With it I startled the caravan boastfully

the fine hairs of its lips already caked with grass-sap.

While its bold horsemen hid

عَدَا هَرِجاً غَيْرَ مُسْتَيْقِنٍ

عَدَا هَرِجاً غَيْرَ مُسْتَيْقِنٍ

بِوَقْعِ اللِّقَاءِ ولاَ مُطْمَئِنْ

بِوَقْعِ اللِّقَاءِ ولاَ مُطْمَئِنْ

It ran bewildered, uncertain

It raced confusedly, not knowing

of the coming clash, and without composure,

The impact of the encounter nor feeling safe

يَمُجُّ بَرَاعِيمَ مِنْ عَضْرَسٍ

يَمُجُّ بَرَاعِيمَ مِنْ عَضْرَسٍ

تَرَاوَحَهُ القَطْرُ حَتَّى مَعِنْ

تَرَاوَحَهُ القَطْرُ حَتَّى مَعِنْ

spitting out buds of ʿaḍras herbage

It flows from the hill of Al ‘Udhras

that rain had repeatedly visited until it grew lush.

Drenched by the rain until it filled

كَأَنَّ نُقَاعَاتِ خَطْيِمَّةٍ

كَأَنَّ نُقَاعَاتِ خَطْيِمَّةٍ

عَلَى حَدِّ مَرْسِنِهِ لَوْ رُسِنْ

عَلَى حَدِّ مَرْسِنِهِ لَوْ رُسِنْ

As though marsh-mallow infusions

As if the small pools of Al-Khatimmah

lay along its muzzle’s ridge, had it been haltered.

Were carved into its rocky cliff, if it were chiselled

غَدَا يَنْفُضُ الطَلَّ عَنْ مَتْنِهِ

غَدَا يَنْفُضُ الطَلَّ عَنْ مَتْنِهِ

تَسيلُ شَرَاسِيفُهُ كالقُطُنْ

تَسيلُ شَرَاسِيفُهُ كالقُطُنْ

At dawn it shook the dew from its back,

It shook off the dew from its back in the morning

the flesh along its ribs rippling like cotton.

Its dangling tassels dripping like cotton

وصَاحِبِ صِدْقٍ تَنَاسَيْتُهُ

وصَاحِبِ صِدْقٍ تَنَاسَيْتُهُ

كَرَاهُ ولهَّيْتُ حَتَّى أَذِنْ

كَرَاهُ ولهَّيْتُ حَتَّى أَذِنْ

And a loyal companion—I chose to overlook

And a friend I forgot

his drowsiness, and kept him amused until he listened.

I disliked until I was allowed to forget

يَذُودُ العَصَافِيرَ عَنْ دَاثِرٍ

يَذُودُ العَصَافِيرَ عَنْ دَاثِرٍ

دَفِينِ الإِزَاءِ خَلاَءٍ أَجِنْ

دَفِينِ الإِزَاءِ خَلاَءٍ أَجِنْ

He drove sparrows away from a ruined pool,

It wards off the sparrows from a shelter

its inlet buried, deserted, its water stagnant.

Of a thick garment, empty and barren

وخَشْخَشْتُ بِالعَنْسِ في قَفْرَةٍ

وخَشْخَشْتُ بِالعَنْسِ في قَفْرَةٍ

مَقِيلَ ظِبَاءِ الصَّريمِ الحُزُنْ

مَقِيلَ ظِبَاءِ الصَّريمِ الحُزُنْ

And I made the sturdy she-camel rustle through a waste,

And I creaked with the saddlebags in desolation

a noon-resting place for the sandbank’s hill-dwelling gazelles,

Inclining with the twittering of the sad pigeon

وهُنَّ جُنُوحٌ لدَى حَاذَةٍ

وهُنَّ جُنُوحٌ لدَى حَاذَةٍ

ضَوارِبَ غِزْلاَنُهَا بِالجُرُنْ

ضَوارِبَ غِزْلاَنُهَا بِالجُرُنْ

as they leaned beside a ḥādh shrub,

And they are wings near the shore

their fawns laying their necks on the ground.

Its plumed chicks crying with sorrow

بِعَنْسَيْنِ تَصْرِفُ أَلْحِيهِمَا

بِعَنْسَيْنِ تَصْرِفُ أَلْحِيهِمَا

بِمُسَتْنقِعٍ كَصُبَابِ اللَّجِنْ

بِمُسَتْنقِعٍ كَصُبَابِ اللَّجِنْ

On two sturdy she-camels, their jaws grinding,

With two saddlebags it steers its boys

at a pool like the dregs of slimy washwater.

In a swamp like the pools of mud

ظَلَلْنَا مُظِلَّيْ زِمَامَيْهِمَا

ظَلَلْنَا مُظِلَّيْ زِمَامَيْهِمَا

يُرَاوَحُ زَوْرَاهُمَا بِالثَّفِنْ

يُرَاوَحُ زَوْرَاهُمَا بِالثَّفِنْ

We spent the day bent over their two reins,

We were its shady pole-bearers

their chests resting by turns on their calloused pads.

Fanning their heads with the robe

فَرُحْنَا تُرَاكِلُ أَيْدِيهمَا

فَرُحْنَا تُرَاكِلُ أَيْدِيهمَا

سَرِيحاً تَخَرَّقَ بَعْدَ المُرُنْ

سَرِيحاً تَخَرَّقَ بَعْدَ المُرُنْ

So we set off at evening, their forelegs kicking

So we were happy their hands waved

at a leather hoof-binding, torn after long wear.

Tranquilly, after hardship comes ease

وأَصْيَدَ صَادَيْتُ عَنْ دَائِهِ

وأَصْيَدَ صَادَيْتُ عَنْ دَائِهِ

ونَارٍ بِبِطْنَتِهِ إِذْ بَطِنْ

ونَارٍ بِبِطْنَتِهِ إِذْ بَطِنْ

And a stiff-necked man I coaxed away from his malady

And I hunted its illness for its master

and a fire in his full belly, when he grew bloated.

When its belly rumbled, I diagnosed

جَمَحْتُ بِهِ ثُمَّ نَحَّيْتُهُ

جَمَحْتُ بِهِ ثُمَّ نَحَّيْتُهُ

بِبَيْنِ القَرِينَيْنِ حَتَّى قُرِنْ

بِبَيْنِ القَرِينَيْنِ حَتَّى قُرِنْ

I drove him headlong, then turned him aside,

I cured it then presented it

by parting the two companions, until he was bound.

Between the two friends until it was paired

فَدَاجِ أَخَاكَ إِلَى يَوْمِهِ

فَدَاجِ أَخَاكَ إِلَى يَوْمِهِ

فَإِنْ عَزَّ غَيْرَ مُسيءٍ فَهُنْ

فَإِنْ عَزَّ غَيْرَ مُسيءٍ فَهُنْ

So humor your brother until his day comes;

So treat your brother up to his day

for if he is unyielding without wrongdoing, be mild.

And if he lives well without wrongdoing, then good

سَيُشْوِي الفَتَى بَعْضُ أَوْجَالِهِ

سَيُشْوِي الفَتَى بَعْضُ أَوْجَالِهِ

ويَفْجَعُهُ بَعْضُ مَا قَدْ أَمِنْ

ويَفْجَعُهُ بَعْضُ مَا قَدْ أَمِنْ

Some of a young man’s fears will merely graze him,

Some of his sorrows will crush the youth

and some things he felt safe from will strike him grievously,

And some of what he feels safe from will make him despair

بِمُخْتَلَسٍ مِنْ نَوَاحِي الحُتُو

بِمُخْتَلَسٍ مِنْ نَوَاحِي الحُتُو

فِ تُرْمَى الرِّجَالُ بِهِ عَنْ شَزَنْ

فِ تُرْمَى الرِّجَالُ بِهِ عَنْ شَزَنْ

with a sudden stroke from the quarters of death,

With something stolen from the thickets of diminution

with which men are struck from afar.

Men are cast by it from glory

فَإِمَّا هَلَكْتُ فَلاَ تَجْزَعِي

فَإِمَّا هَلَكْتُ فَلاَ تَجْزَعِي

ونَامِي عَلَى دَائِكِ المُسْتَكِنْ

ونَامِي عَلَى دَائِكِ المُسْتَكِنْ

So if I perish, do not grieve,

So if I die, do not grieve

and sleep upon the pain concealed within you.

And sleep despite your settled sorrow

لَعَمْرُ أَبِيكِ لَقَدْ شَاقَنِي

لَعَمْرُ أَبِيكِ لَقَدْ شَاقَنِي

مَكَانٌ حَزِنْتُ لَهُ أَوْ حَزِنْ

مَكَانٌ حَزِنْتُ لَهُ أَوْ حَزِنْ

By your father’s life, I have been stirred to longing

By your father’s life, a place pained me

by a place I mourned for—or that mourned:

Whether it grieved or saddened

مَنَازِلُ لَيْلَى وأَتْرَابِهَا

مَنَازِلُ لَيْلَى وأَتْرَابِهَا

خَلاَ عَهْدُهَا بَيْنَ قَوٍّ َفقُنْ

خَلاَ عَهْدُهَا بَيْنَ قَوٍّ َفقُنْ

the dwellings of Laylā and her age-mates.

The dwellings of Layla and her neighbors

Their former life has passed, between Qaww and Qun.

Its promise between us failed after living there

خَلاَ عَهْدُهَا بَعْدَ سُكَّانِها

خَلاَ عَهْدُهَا بَعْدَ سُكَّانِها

لِمَا نَالَهَا مِنْ خَبَالٍ وجِنْ

لِمَا نَالَهَا مِنْ خَبَالٍ وجِنْ

Their former life has passed since their dwellers left,

Its promise failed after its dwellers

from the ruin and jinn that befell them.

Due to the defects and sins that befell it

لَيَالِيَ لَيْلَى عَلَى غَانِظٍ

لَيَالِيَ لَيْلَى عَلَى غَانِظٍ

ولَيْلَى هَوَى النَّفْسِ مَا لَمْ تَبِنْ

ولَيْلَى هَوَى النَّفْسِ مَا لَمْ تَبِنْ

In the nights when Laylā was at Ghāniẓ,

The nights of Layla upon ruggedness

and Laylā was my soul’s desire while she had not departed,

And Layla is the passion of the soul before explanation

سَقَتْني بِصَهْبَاءَ دِرْيَاقَةٍ

سَقَتْني بِصَهْبَاءَ دِرْيَاقَةٍ

مَتَى مَا تُلَيِّنْ عِظَامِي تَلِنْ

مَتَى مَا تُلَيِّنْ عِظَامِي تَلِنْ

she gave me reddish wine, an antidote;

She quenched me with the morning drink of her leather bottle

whenever it softens my bones, they grow supple.

Whenever it softens my bones they bend

صُهَابِيَّةٍ مُتْرَعٍ دَنُّهَا

صُهَابِيَّةٍ مُتْرَعٍ دَنُّهَا

تُرَجَّعُ مِنْ عُوِد وَعْسٍ مُرِنْ

تُرَجَّعُ مِنْ عُوِد وَعْسٍ مُرِنْ

Ṣuhābī wine, its jar filled to the brim,

A drawn skin bottle from Tayma

echoing in refrains from a supple, resonant lute.

Returning from fresh ‘ud and flexible branch

وشَقَّتْ لِيَ اللَّيْلَ عَنْ جَيْبِهِ

وشَقَّتْ لِيَ اللَّيْلَ عَنْ جَيْبِهِ

بِلَذَّتِهَا وضَجِيعِي وَسِنْ

بِلَذَّتِهَا وضَجِيعِي وَسِنْ

And she split open the night’s bosom for me

And she clove the night from its folds for me

with her delight, while my bedfellow was drowsy.

With her pleasure and my lover and toothstick

ولَوْ بَذَلَتْ حُسْنَ مَا عِنْدَهَا

ولَوْ بَذَلَتْ حُسْنَ مَا عِنْدَهَا

لِبَارِحِ أَرْوَى نَوَارٍ مُسِنْ

لِبَارِحِ أَرْوَى نَوَارٍ مُسِنْ

And if she offered the beauty of what she possessed

Had she spent the beauty she possesses last night

to an old, shy ibex passing from right to left,

On a meadow, she would have watered a sharp toothstick

قَرُوعِ الظِّرَبِ بِأَظْلاَفِهِ

قَرُوعِ الظِّرَبِ بِأَظْلاَفِهِ

رَشُوفِ الفَرَاشِ بِسَامٍ رَكُنْ

رَشُوفِ الفَرَاشِ بِسَامٍ رَكُنْ

pounding rocky knolls with its cloven hooves,

Encircling goblets with its rims

sipping shallow water on a firm crag,

Carpets outspread with a relaxed pillar

شَبُوبٍ كَأَنَّ قَرَا ظهْرِهِ

شَبُوبٍ كَأَنَّ قَرَا ظهْرِهِ

مِنَ الزَّيْتِ بَعْدَ دِهَانٍ دُهِنْ

مِنَ الزَّيْتِ بَعْدَ دِهَانٍ دُهِنْ

vigorous, as though the ridge of its back

A nail whose back seems

had been anointed with oil after an earlier coating,

To be oiled after oiling

مَرَابِعُهُ الخُمْرُ مِنْ صَاحَةٍ

مَرَابِعُهُ الخُمْرُ مِنْ صَاحَةٍ

ومُصْطَافُهُ في الوُعُولِ الحُزُنْ

ومُصْطَافُهُ في الوُعُولِ الحُزُنْ

its spring haunts the thickets of Ṣāḥah,

Its square pillows, the wine of broad bowls

and its summer haunt among hill-dwelling ibex,

And its preferred nook is in mournful seclusion

لَظَلَّ يُنَازِعُهَا لُبَّهُ

لَظَلَّ يُنَازِعُهَا لُبَّهُ

نِزَاعَ القَرِينِ حِبَالَ الرُّهُنْ

نِزَاعَ القَرِينِ حِبَالَ الرُّهُنْ

its heart would keep straining toward her,

The intensity of its warp will continue to compete with it

like a bound captive tugging at the ropes of hostages.

Like the struggle of the bracelet, the necklace's pledge

سَأَتْرُكُ لِلظَّنِّ مَا بَعْدَهُ

سَأَتْرُكُ لِلظَّنِّ مَا بَعْدَهُ

ومَنْ يَكُ ذَا أُرْبَةٍ يَسْتَبِنْ

ومَنْ يَكُ ذَا أُرْبَةٍ يَسْتَبِنْ

I shall leave what follows to conjecture;

I will leave what comes after to speculation

whoever has understanding will discern.

And who can have insight to perceive?

فَلاَ تَتْبَعِ الظَّنَّ إِنَّ الظُّنُونَ

فَلاَ تَتْبَعِ الظَّنَّ إِنَّ الظُّنُونَ

تُرِيكَ مِنَ الأَمْرِ مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ

تُرِيكَ مِنَ الأَمْرِ مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ

So do not follow conjecture: conjectures

So do not follow speculation, speculations

show you, in a matter, what never existed.

Show you from the matter what did not exist

وأَرْعَى الأَمَانَةَ فِيمَنْ رَعَى

وأَرْعَى الأَمَانَةَ فِيمَنْ رَعَى

ومَنْ لاَ َتِجدْهُ أَمِيناً يَخُنْ

ومَنْ لاَ َتِجدْهُ أَمِيناً يَخُنْ

And I keep faith with whoever keeps it;

And I heed the trust in those who heeded

whoever you do not find trustworthy will betray.

And whoever you do not find trustworthy will betray

تَرَكْتُ الخَنَا لَسْتُ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ

تَرَكْتُ الخَنَا لَسْتُ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ

وسَمَّنْتُ في الحَمْدِ حَتَّى سَمِنْ

وسَمَّنْتُ في الحَمْدِ حَتَّى سَمِنْ

I forsook foul speech; I am not of its people,

I left rancour, I am not one of its people

and I fattened praise until it grew fat,

And I fattened myself with praise until I fattened

بِوَفْرِي العَشِيرَةَ أَعْرَاضَهَا

بِوَفْرِي العَشِيرَةَ أَعْرَاضَهَا

وخَلْعِي عِذَارَ الخَطِيبِ اللَّسِنْ

وخَلْعِي عِذَارَ الخَطِيبِ اللَّسِنْ

by safeguarding the tribe’s honor

Honoring my family by guarding its honor

and stripping the bridle from the eloquent orator.

And taking off the camel-like slanderer’s bridle

وجَوْفَاءَ يَجْنَحُ فِيهَا الضَّرِيكُ

وجَوْفَاءَ يَجْنَحُ فِيهَا الضَّرِيكُ

لِحِينِ الشِّتَاءِ جُنُوحَ العَرِنْ

لِحِينِ الشِّتَاءِ جُنُوحَ العَرِنْ

And a deep bowl into which the destitute bends

And a spacious enclosure where the ostrich enters

in wintertime, like a beast bowed by sores,

During winter, the sheltering of the hen

مَلأْتُ فَأَتْرَعْتُهَا تَابِلي

مَلأْتُ فَأَتْرَعْتُهَا تَابِلي

عَلَى عَادَةٍ مِنْ كَريمٍ فَطِنْ

عَلَى عَادَةٍ مِنْ كَريمٍ فَطِنْ

I had my cook fill it, fill it to the brim,

I filled it, and then I fed it generously

in the manner of a generous, discerning man,

As is the habit of a generous, wise man

إِذَا سَدَّ بِالْمَحلِ آفَاقَهَا

إِذَا سَدَّ بِالْمَحلِ آفَاقَهَا

جَهَامٌ يَؤُجُّ أَجِيجَ الظُّعُنْ

جَهَامٌ يَؤُجُّ أَجِيجَ الظُّعُنْ

when its horizons are blocked with drought

When the local rooster crowded its horizons

by a rainless cloud, roaring like departing caravans.

A predator cries with the roar of the cock

وصَالِحَةِ العَهْدِ زَجَّيْتُهَا

وصَالِحَةِ العَهْدِ زَجَّيْتُهَا

لِوَاعِي الفُؤَادِ حَفِيظ الأُذُنْ

لِوَاعِي الفُؤَادِ حَفِيظ الأُذُنْ

And a poem faithful to its pledge I sent forth

And well-mannered, true to its word, I drove it

to one with a mindful heart and a retentive ear,

To the heart's guardian, keeper of the ear

بِبَابِ المَقَاوِلِ مِنْ حِمْيَرٍ

بِبَابِ المَقَاوِلِ مِنْ حِمْيَرٍ

تُشَدَّدُ أَعْضَادُهُ بِاللَّبِنْ

تُشَدَّدُ أَعْضَادُهُ بِاللَّبِنْ

at the gate of the rulers of Ḥimyar,

At the gate of the livestock pen of donkeys

its jambs reinforced with mud-bricks.

Its limbs fastened with rope

فَمَا أُخْفِ يَخْفَ عَلَى عِفَّةٍ

فَمَا أُخْفِ يَخْفَ عَلَى عِفَّةٍ

ومَا أُبْدِ يَعْلُن إِذَا مَا عَلَنْ

ومَا أُبْدِ يَعْلُن إِذَا مَا عَلَنْ

So what I conceal stays concealed with modesty,

So what chastity hides is not revealed

and what I reveal stands clear when made public.

And what is apparent is not displayed when manifest