أَغادٍ أَو الحَدراء أَم متروِّحُ

أَغادٍ أَو الحَدراء أَم متروِّحُ

كَذاكَ النَوى مِمّا تُجِدُّ وَتَمزَحُ

كَذاكَ النَوى مِمّا تُجِدُّ وَتَمزَحُ

Is [Abū] al-Ḥadrāʾ setting out in the morning, or in the evening?

Whether in Aghad or Al-Hadra'a, a place for relaxation,

Such is parting—something you treat both earnestly and in jest.

That's how dreams are, conjured and fanciful.

لَعَمري لَقَد كانَت بِلادٌ عَريضَةٌ

لَعَمري لَقَد كانَت بِلادٌ عَريضَةٌ

ليَ الروحُ فيها عَنكَ وَالُتَسَرَّحُ

ليَ الروحُ فيها عَنكَ وَالُتَسَرَّحُ

By my life, there were broad lands

By my life, it was once a vast land,

where I had respite from you and freedom to roam.

Where my soul could roam free from you.

وَلَكِنَّهُ يَدنو البَغيضُ وَيبعدُ ال

وَلَكِنَّهُ يَدنو البَغيضُ وَيبعدُ ال

جيبُ وَينأى في المَزارِ وَيَنزِحُ

جيبُ وَينأى في المَزارِ وَيَنزِحُ

Yet the hated one draws near, while far away is the—

But the hated draws near and the beloved retreats,

[beloved], remote to visit and moving farther away.

Distant at the cemetery, departing.

أَلا لَيتَ شِعري هَل أَتى أَمَّ واصِلٍ

أَلا لَيتَ شِعري هَل أَتى أَمَّ واصِلٍ

كُبولٌ أَعَضّوها بِساقيَّ تجرَحُ

كُبولٌ أَعَضّوها بِساقيَّ تجرَحُ

Ah, would that I knew: has word reached Umm Wāṣil

Oh, how I wish I knew, has a loyal friend come

of shackles they made bite into my two shins, leaving wounds?

Whose sandals chafed my legs when I walked?

إِذا ما صَرَفتُ الكعبَ صاحَت كَأَنَّها

إِذا ما صَرَفتُ الكعبَ صاحَت كَأَنَّها

صَريفُ خَطاطيفٍ بدَلوينِ تَمتَحُ

صَريفُ خَطاطيفٍ بدَلوينِ تَمتَحُ

Whenever I turn my ankle, they shriek, sounding like

When I moved my heel, it screamed as if

the creak of hooks drawing water with two buckets.

It were a bucket pulled up a well, squeaking.

تُبَغّي أَباها في الرِفاقِ وَتَنثَني

تُبَغّي أَباها في الرِفاقِ وَتَنثَني

وَألوى بِهِ في لُجَّةِ البَحر تِمسَحُ

وَألوى بِهِ في لُجَّةِ البَحر تِمسَحُ

She seeks her father among the travelling companies and turns back,

She longs for her father among the friends

while a crocodile has carried him off into the sea’s depths.

And twists to him in a sea inlet, wiping herself.

أَمُرتَحِلٌ وَفدُ العِراقِ وَغودرَت

أَمُرتَحِلٌ وَفدُ العِراقِ وَغودرَت

تَحِنُّ بِأَبوابِ المَدينَةِ صَيدَحُ

تَحِنُّ بِأَبوابِ المَدينَةِ صَيدَحُ

Is Iraq’s delegation departing, while she has been left behind—

A wandering nomad, a delegation from Iraq,

Ṣaydaḥ, moaning at the city gates?

Who affectionately eyes the city gates.

فانَّكِ لا تَدرينَ فيما أَصابَني

فانَّكِ لا تَدرينَ فيما أَصابَني

أَريشُكِ أَم تَعجيلُ سيرِكش أَنجَحُ

أَريشُكِ أَم تَعجيلُ سيرِكش أَنجَحُ

For you do not know, in the plight that has befallen me,

You don't know what has befallen me -

whether feeding you up or hastening your journey will prove more successful.

Is it your feather or your hasty journey that sped me up?

أَظنَّ أَبو الحَدراءِ سَجني تِجارَةً

أَظنَّ أَبو الحَدراءِ سَجني تِجارَةً

تَرَجّى وَما كُلُّ التِجارَةِ تُربحُ

تَرَجّى وَما كُلُّ التِجارَةِ تُربحُ

Did Abū al-Ḥadrāʾ think my imprisonment a business venture

I think Abu Al-Hadra'a imprisoned me for trade

to set his hopes on? Yet not every venture yields a profit.

Hoping for profit, though not all trade is profitable.