سهرتُ اهتِماماً بالعيونِ السواهر

سهرتُ اهتِماماً بالعيونِ السواهر

وباتَ حديثُ العاشقينَ مُسامِري

وباتَ حديثُ العاشقينَ مُسامِري

I kept vigil, concerned for sleepless eyes,

I stayed awake, preoccupied with wakeful eyes,

I stayed up worrying about the sleepless eyes,

while lovers’ tales became my companion through the night.

and lovers' talk became my companion through the night.

And the lovers' talk became my companion.

وقلتُ اغتِراراً بالسلامةِ والقَضا

وقلتُ اغتِراراً بالسلامةِ والقَضا

يديرُ لساني في فَمي بالدَّوائِرِ

يديرُ لساني في فَمي بالدَّوائِرِ

I spoke, deluded by my safety, while Fate

I spoke, beguiled by safety, while fate

And I said, deceived by wellbeing and destiny,

turned my tongue within my mouth through its reversals.

turned my tongue within my mouth toward calamities.

My tongue turns in my mouth in circles.

فأصبَحتُ لا أنفكُّ أذكُر ناسِياً

فأصبَحتُ لا أنفكُّ أذكُر ناسِياً

وقد كنتُ مَعروفاً بِنِسيانِ ذاكِرِ

وقد كنتُ مَعروفاً بِنِسيانِ ذاكِرِ

Now I never cease remembering, though forgetful,

So now I cannot cease remembering one who forgets,

So I kept remembering, unable to stop,

though I was once known for the forgetting of one who remembers.

though I was known for forgetting one who remembers.

When I was known for forgetting thoughts.

إذا لم أُساعِدهُم بقَلبي ولم تَجُر

إذا لم أُساعِدهُم بقَلبي ولم تَجُر

عَلَيه حكوماتُ الهَوى فَبناظِري

عَلَيه حكوماتُ الهَوى فَبناظِري

If I do not aid them with my heart, and love’s decrees do not wrong it,

If I do not side with them in my heart, and there have not prevailed

If I don't help them with my heart, and if

then I shall aid them with my gaze.

over it the decrees of love, then I do so with my gaze.

The rules of passion don't run their course through my eyes,

ولم يدرِ قَلبي كيفَ هجرانُ واصلٍ

ولم يدرِ قَلبي كيفَ هجرانُ واصلٍ

لما لَم يزل يَعتادُ من وَصل هاجِرِ

لما لَم يزل يَعتادُ من وَصل هاجِرِ

My heart never knew what abandonment by a faithful lover was,

My heart did not know how one who drew near could forsake,

And if my heart doesn't know how separation from a friend is,

for it had always been accustomed to union from one who forsakes.

since it was always accustomed to affection from one who forsook.

As it's accustomed to the joining of one who departs.

خليليَّ ما بالي أرى كلَّ فِتنةٍ

خليليَّ ما بالي أرى كلَّ فِتنةٍ

على الناسِ تَخفى غيرَ فِتنَةِ شاعِرِ

على الناسِ تَخفى غيرَ فِتنَةِ شاعِرِ

My two friends, what is wrong with me, that I see every ordeal

My two friends, why do I see every infatuation

My friend, why do I see every temptation

hidden from mankind except the ordeal of a poet?

hidden from people, except a poet's infatuation?

Hidden from people except the temptation of a poet?

فلا تَدعوا من بَعد ما قد عَلِمتُما

فلا تَدعوا من بَعد ما قد عَلِمتُما

خليلَكما إلا عدوَّ السرائِرِ

خليلَكما إلا عدوَّ السرائِرِ

After what you both have learned, call

So do not call, now that you both know,

So after you've known, don't call

your friend nothing but the enemy of secrets.

your friend anything but the enemy of secrets.

Your friend except the enemy of secrets.

يضيقُ اتساعُ الصدرِ بالسرِّ مرَّة

يضيقُ اتساعُ الصدرِ بالسرِّ مرَّة

فكيفَ بِهذا اللازمِ المُتَواتِرِ

فكيفَ بِهذا اللازمِ المُتَواتِرِ

Even a spacious breast once grows too narrow for a secret;

A spacious breast is cramped by a secret even once;

The expanse of my chest is narrowed by the secret again and again,

what, then, of this inescapable, incessant one?

what then of this persistent, ever-recurring one?

So how can it bear this constant thing?

ولو كانَ لي دونَ النوى لَطَويتُه

ولو كانَ لي دونَ النوى لَطَويتُه

ولكنَّه مِنها على يَدِ ناشِرِ

ولكنَّه مِنها على يَدِ ناشِرِ

Had it been mine apart from separation, I would have folded it away;

Were it mine, rather than separation's, I would have folded it away;

Had I something less than purpose, I would have folded it,

but through separation it is in the hands of one who unfolds it.

but separation has put it in the hand of one who unfolds it.

But it is in its hands, spread by the publisher.

وضامِرةِ الكَشحَينِ ماسَت تَثنياً

وضامِرةِ الكَشحَينِ ماسَت تَثنياً

فأَثنى عَلَيها مالَها في الضمائِرِ

فأَثنى عَلَيها مالَها في الضمائِرِ

And a slender-waisted beauty swayed with sinuous grace,

And a woman slender at both flanks swayed, bending gracefully,

The one with wilted cheeks frowned,

and what she possessed within hearts sang her praise.

so what she held within hearts gave her praise.

So its owner praised it for what it has in consciences.

أُسامِحُها في زلَّةِ الحبِّ كارِهاً

أُسامِحُها في زلَّةِ الحبِّ كارِهاً

وأَعفو لها عَن ذَنبِهِ غيرَ قادِرِ

وأَعفو لها عَن ذَنبِهِ غيرَ قادِرِ

I excuse her unwillingly for love’s transgression,

I forgive her for love's lapse, against my will,

I forgive its mistake in the hated love,

and pardon her for its offense, powerless to do otherwise.

and pardon her its sin, powerless to do otherwise.

And pardon its sin without being able.

فأكشِفُ عن وَجهٍ من القَول في دَمي

فأكشِفُ عن وَجهٍ من القَول في دَمي

فتسفِرُ عن وجهٍ من الحُسنِ باهِرِ

فتسفِرُ عن وجهٍ من الحُسنِ باهِرِ

I unveil a face of speech concerning my blood,

So I unveil an aspect of speech concerning my blood,

I reveal a face of words in my blood,

and she unveils a face of dazzling beauty.

and she unveils a dazzling face of beauty.

So it unveils a face of evident beauty.

وتُعدي ولا يُعدى عَليها كأنها

وتُعدي ولا يُعدى عَليها كأنها

لعزَّتِها فرسانُ عَوفِ بن عامِرِ

لعزَّتِها فرسانُ عَوفِ بن عامِرِ

She infects others, yet no redress can be won against her—as though,

She grants redress, but no redress is granted against her, as though she were

And it transgresses but none transgress against it, as if

in her invincibility, she were the horsemen of ʿAwf ibn ʿĀmir.

in her might, the horsemen of ʿAwf ibn ʿĀmir.

It is, in its dignity, the horsemen of Awf ibn Aamir.

إذا ركبَت غنَّت مقارَعةُ القنا

إذا ركبَت غنَّت مقارَعةُ القنا

غناءً على إيقاعِ وقعِ الحَوافِرِ

غناءً على إيقاعِ وقعِ الحَوافِرِ

When she rides, the clashing of spears sings

When they mount, the clash of lances sings

When she rides, the striking of spears sings

a song to the rhythm of pounding hooves.

a song to the rhythm of the hoofbeats.

A song to the rhythm of the hoofbeats.

وإن أخَذَت أسيافَها يومَ غارة

وإن أخَذَت أسيافَها يومَ غارة

فلا ردَّ إلا مِن عِصيِّ الخفائِرِ

فلا ردَّ إلا مِن عِصيِّ الخفائِرِ

And when she takes up her swords on a day of raiding,

And if they take up their swords on a day of raiding,

And if she takes up her swords on a raid,

nothing repels them but the staffs of sheltered women.

there is no repulse except from the staffs of sheltered women.

There is no resistance but from the staves of villains.

معالٍ بنَتها ثمَّ همَّ علِيُّها

معالٍ بنَتها ثمَّ همَّ علِيُّها

فألحَقها بالطالعاتِ الزَّواهِرِ

فألحَقها بالطالعاتِ الزَّواهِرِ

Lofty glories she built; then their ʿAlī undertook them

Lofty glories they built; then their ʿAlī aspired,

Mu'al built her then Ali prepared her,

and raised them among the radiant stars ascending.

and joined them to the rising, radiant stars.

Joining her with the most brilliant stars.

فَتىً تُورثُ الغاراتُ يمناهُ غيرةً

فَتىً تُورثُ الغاراتُ يمناهُ غيرةً

عَليهِ كأفعالِ النِّسا بِالضَّرائِرِ

عَليهِ كأفعالِ النِّسا بِالضَّرائِرِ

A youth whose raids make his right hand jealous over him,

A youth whose right hand raids fill with jealousy

A young man whom raids inherit, zeal protects him

as women behave toward their co-wives.

over him, like women's dealings with their co-wives.

Like women's actions with shuttles.

وكم جادَ بالفَضل الكَبيرِ وكم جَنى

وكم جادَ بالفَضل الكَبيرِ وكم جَنى

كثيراً عَلى قَومٍ مُلوكٍ أكابِرِ

كثيراً عَلى قَومٍ مُلوكٍ أكابِرِ

How often he bestowed magnificent bounty, and how often he inflicted

How often he lavished great bounty, and how often he wrought

How much he gave with great generosity, and how much he gained

great harm upon a people of mighty kings.

great harm upon a people of mighty kings.

Abundantly from kings and great men.

وما رامَ في يومِ الكَريهَة مَورداً

وما رامَ في يومِ الكَريهَة مَورداً

فأَيقَنَ إلا أنه غيرُ صادِرِ

فأَيقَنَ إلا أنه غيرُ صادِرِ

Never did he seek a watering place on the day of battle

He never sought a watering place on a day of battle

And he never sought on an awful day an destination,

without knowing that he would not depart from it.

without being certain he would not return from it.

Unless sure it was unattainable.

وللَّهِ في تلكَ الخلائقِ نِعمَةٌ

وللَّهِ في تلكَ الخلائقِ نِعمَةٌ

يدير بها طول البقاءِ لِشاعِرِ

يدير بها طول البقاءِ لِشاعِرِ

In those noble traits God has a blessing

And in those virtues is a blessing from God,

By those creatures God has a blessing

by which He perpetuates a poet’s long life:

with which He grants a poet long life.

With which He spins out the poet's survival.

يدٌ وحُسامٌ ما أقلَّ عَلَيهما

يدٌ وحُسامٌ ما أقلَّ عَلَيهما

إذا اجتَمعا يَوماً بقاءَ السرائِرِ

إذا اجتَمعا يَوماً بقاءَ السرائِرِ

a hand and a sword—how little, when the two meet,

A hand and a sword—how brief before them both,

A hand and a sword - how little they lack

can secrets survive them for even a day!

when they unite one day, is the survival of secrets!

If united one day in keeping secrets.

لأَنمُلِهِ لا لِلِّقا طاعَةُ الرَّدى

لأَنمُلِهِ لا لِلِّقا طاعَةُ الرَّدى

وللسَّاعِدِ المَعروفُ لا للبَواتِرِ

وللسَّاعِدِ المَعروفُ لا للبَواتِرِ

Death obeys his fingertip, not the battle,

Death obeys his fingertips, not battle,

It is to the wrist, not meeting, that resisting fate bows,

and renowned beneficence belongs to his forearm, not to sharp blades.

and the credit belongs to the forearm, not the keen blades.

And to the known arm, not to deceits.

أرَى كلَّ من يَهواكَ يلقاكَ قاتِلاً

أرَى كلَّ من يَهواكَ يلقاكَ قاتِلاً

كأنَّك في بعضِ العيونِ الفَواتِرِ

كأنَّك في بعضِ العيونِ الفَواتِرِ

I see everyone who loves you meet you as a slayer,

I see that all who love you meet you as their slayer,

I see everyone who loves you meets you as a killer,

as though you were among a pair of languid eyes.

as though you dwelt in some of those languid eyes.

As if you are death itself to some eyes.

وقدَّمكَ الإقدامُ في كلِّ عَسكرٍ

وقدَّمكَ الإقدامُ في كلِّ عَسكرٍ

وقد كِدتَ أن تُدعى لواء العَساكِرِ

وقد كِدتَ أن تُدعى لواء العَساكِرِ

Valor has advanced you to the fore of every army,

And boldness has set you foremost in every army,

Boldness placed you ahead in every army,

until you have nearly come to be called the armies’ standard.

and you have almost come to be called the armies' banner.

You almost came to be called Banner of the Armies.

مناقِبُ تُحيي مُلهماً وتَحثُّه

مناقِبُ تُحيي مُلهماً وتَحثُّه

على سفرٍ فاعجَب لميتٍ مسافِرِ

على سفرٍ فاعجَب لميتٍ مسافِرِ

Virtues that revive an inspired man and urge him

Virtues that revive an inspired man and urge him

Virtues that inspire the inspired and urge him

to journey—marvel, then, at a dead man traveling!

to travel—so marvel at a dead man journeying!

On a journey - how strange for a dead traveler!