خَليليَّ من عُليا هلالِ بنِ عامرٍ

خَليليَّ من عُليا هلالِ بنِ عامرٍ

بِصَنْعاءَ عوجا اليومَ وانتظراني

بِصَنْعاءَ عوجا اليومَ وانتظراني

My two friends from the noblest branch of Hilal ibn Amir,

My two friends from the highlands, sons of Al-Hilal bin 'Aamir

turn aside in Sana'a today and wait for me.

In Sanaa you crookedly leaned today, but wait for me

ألم تَحْلِفا بِاللهِ أَنِّي أَخوكُما

ألم تَحْلِفا بِاللهِ أَنِّي أَخوكُما

فلم تَفْعلا ما يَفْعَلُ الأَخَوانِ

فلم تَفْعلا ما يَفْعَلُ الأَخَوانِ

Did you not swear by God that I am your brother?

Didn't you two swear by Allah that I am your brother

Yet you have not done what brothers do.

Yet you did not act as brothers do

ولم تَحْلِفا بِاللهِ أَنْ قد عَرَفْتُما

ولم تَحْلِفا بِاللهِ أَنْ قد عَرَفْتُما

بذي الشِّيحِ رَبْعاً ثمَّ لا تَقِفانِ

بذي الشِّيحِ رَبْعاً ثمَّ لا تَقِفانِ

And did you not swear by God that you knew

Nor did you swear by Allah that you recognized

a dwelling at Dhu al-Shih—yet you do not stop?

The valley of Shi'h as a pasture, but you did not stop

ولا تَزْهدا في الذُّخْرِ عندي وأَجْمِلا

ولا تَزْهدا في الذُّخْرِ عندي وأَجْمِلا

فإِنَّكُما بِيْ اليومَ مبتَلِيانِ

فإِنَّكُما بِيْ اليومَ مبتَلِيانِ

Do not disdain the treasure in my keeping; act graciously,

You did not disdain wealth with me, so treat me generously

for today you are both being tested through me.

For today you have tested me

أَلم تَعْلما أَنْ ليس بالمرْخِ كُلِّهِ

أَلم تَعْلما أَنْ ليس بالمرْخِ كُلِّهِ

أَخٌ وصديقٌ صالحٌ فَذَراني

أَخٌ وصديقٌ صالحٌ فَذَراني

Did you not know that in all al-Markh there is no

Don't you know that not all tents

brother or worthy friend? Then leave me alone.

Have a righteous and loyal brother, so leave me

أفي كلِّ يوم أَنْتَ رامٍ بلادَها

أفي كلِّ يوم أَنْتَ رامٍ بلادَها

بِعَيْنَيْنِ إِنساناهما غَرِقانِ

بِعَيْنَيْنِ إِنساناهما غَرِقانِ

Do you gaze toward her lands every day

Do you wish to destroy its dwellings everyday

with two eyes whose pupils are drowned in tears?

With eyes shedding tears nonstop

وعينيايَ ما أَوْفيتُ نَشْزّاً فَتَنْظُرا

وعينيايَ ما أَوْفيتُ نَشْزّاً فَتَنْظُرا

بِمَأْقَيْهما إِلاّ هما تَكِفانِ

بِمَأْقَيْهما إِلاّ هما تَكِفانِ

And my two eyes—never have I climbed a rise for them to gaze

And my eyes have not been disloyal with defiance, so look

from their inner corners without both streaming tears.

At their sleeplessness except they are bidding farewell

أَلا فَاحْمِلانِي بارَكَ اللهُ فيكُما

أَلا فَاحْمِلانِي بارَكَ اللهُ فيكُما

إِلى حاضِرِ الرَّوْحاءِ ثُمَّ ذَراني

إِلى حاضِرِ الرَّوْحاءِ ثُمَّ ذَراني

Come, carry me—may God bless you both—

Come carry me, may Allah bless you

to the settlement of al-Rawha', then leave me,

To Hadir Al-Ruhaa', then leave me

على جَسْرَةِ الأَصلابِ ناجيةِ السُّرى

على جَسْرَةِ الأَصلابِ ناجيةِ السُّرى

تُقطِّعُ عَرْضَ البيدِ بِالْوَخَذانِ

تُقطِّعُ عَرْضَ البيدِ بِالْوَخَذانِ

on a stout-backed she-camel, swift in night travel,

On the bridge of sacrifices, whispering of secrets

crossing the breadth of the deserts at a rapid trot.

Severing the expanse of the desert with warriors

إِذا جُبْنَ موماةً عَرَضْنَ لِمِثْلِها

إِذا جُبْنَ موماةً عَرَضْنَ لِمِثْلِها

جَنادِبُها صَرْعى من الوَخَدانِ

جَنادِبُها صَرْعى من الوَخَدانِ

When they cross a trackless waste, they face another like it,

When the cowardly were challenged, they exposed themselves

its grasshoppers lying slain by their swift trot.

Their bodies laid dead by the warriors

ولا تعذِلاني في الغَواني فَإِنَّني

ولا تعذِلاني في الغَواني فَإِنَّني

أرى في الغواني غَيْرَ ما تَرَيانِ

أرى في الغواني غَيْرَ ما تَرَيانِ

And do not reproach me over fair women, for I

And do not blame me for loving, for I see in loving

see in fair women something other than what you both see.

Other than what you two see

أَلِمّا على عفراءَ إِنَّكُما غَداً

أَلِمّا على عفراءَ إِنَّكُما غَداً

بِشَحْطِ النّوى والبَيْنِ معترفانِ

بِشَحْطِ النّوى والبَيْنِ معترفانِ

Visit Afra, for tomorrow you two

Urge on Afraa'! For tomorrow you will be

will acknowledge the long reach of distance and parting.

At the slopes of An-Nawaa reconciled and admitting

فَيا واشِيَيْ عفرا دَعاني وَنَظْرةً

فَيا واشِيَيْ عفرا دَعاني وَنَظْرةً

تَقَرُّ بِها عَيْنايَ ثمَّ دَعاني

تَقَرُّ بِها عَيْنايَ ثمَّ دَعاني

So, Afra's two tale-bearers, leave me with one glance

Oh watcher of Afraa'! He called me, and a glance

that cools my eyes; then leave me alone.

That settles my eyes, then he called me

أَغَرَّكما لا باركَ الله فيكما

أَغَرَّكما لا باركَ الله فيكما

قميصٌ وَبُرْدا يَمنةٍ زَهَوانِ

قميصٌ وَبُرْدا يَمنةٍ زَهَوانِ

Have you two been beguiled—may God not bless you both—

Did the shirt and cloak tempt you and make you arrogant?

by a shirt and two splendid cloaks of Yemeni cloth?

May Allah not bless you!