لَيسَ رَسمٌ عَلى الدَفينِ بِبالي

لَيسَ رَسمٌ عَلى الدَفينِ بِبالي

فَلِوى ذَروَةٍ فَجَنبَي أُثالِ

فَلِوى ذَروَةٍ فَجَنبَي أُثالِ

No trace at al-Dafin occupies my mind,

No drawing adorns the scroll, nor have I

nor Dharwah's sand-bend, nor Uthal's two flanks.

Twisted a banner's peak aside for it to fly.

فَالمَرَوراةُ فَالصَحيفَةُ قَفرٌ

فَالمَرَوراةُ فَالصَحيفَةُ قَفرٌ

كُلُّ وادٍ وَرَوضَةٍ مِحلالِ

كُلُّ وادٍ وَرَوضَةٍ مِحلالِ

Al-Marawrah and al-Sahifah lie desolate—

Empty are Torah and Bible; desolate

every valley and meadow once a camping-place.

Every valley and meadow where once flocks used to lie.

دارُ حَيٍّ أَصابَهُم سالِفُ الدَه

دارُ حَيٍّ أَصابَهُم سالِفُ الدَه

رِ فَأَضحَت دِيارُهُم كَالخِلالِ

رِ فَأَضحَت دِيارُهُم كَالخِلالِ

The home of a tribe overtaken by bygone

Home of a folk whom fate's keen blade did smite,

time; their dwellings became like toothpicks,

Their dwelling-places now like sieves appear thereby.

مُقفِراتٍ إِلّا رَماداً غَبِيّاً

مُقفِراتٍ إِلّا رَماداً غَبِيّاً

وَبَقايا مِن دِمنَةِ الأَطلالِ

وَبَقايا مِن دِمنَةِ الأَطلالِ

desolate, save for indistinct ashes

Ruinous all, saving some ash that mocks

and remnants of the ruins' dung-stained ground,

And remnants of tent-pegs in each dwelling nigh.

وَأَوارِيَّ قَد عَفَونَ وَنُؤياً

وَأَوارِيَّ قَد عَفَونَ وَنُؤياً

وَرُسوماً عُرّينَ مُذ أَحوالِ

وَرُسوماً عُرّينَ مُذ أَحوالِ

and tethering-stakes now vanished, and a drainage-trench,

Decaying hearthstones, ruined encampment-floors,

and traces stripped bare these many years.

And vestiges which, since the days of old passed by,

بُدِّلَت مِنهُمُ الدِيارُ نَعاماً

بُدِّلَت مِنهُمُ الدِيارُ نَعاماً

خاضِباتٍ يُزجينَ خَيطَ الرِئالِ

خاضِباتٍ يُزجينَ خَيطَ الرِئالِ

In their stead, the dwellings were given ostriches,

Have been effaced. Ostriches wander there,

red-legged, ushering along a file of ostrich chicks,

Gray fowls that utter plaintive, long-drawn cry,

وَظِباءً كَأَنَّهُنَّ أَباري

وَظِباءً كَأَنَّهُنَّ أَباري

قُ لُجَينٍ تَحنو عَلى الأَطفالِ

قُ لُجَينٍ تَحنو عَلى الأَطفالِ

and gazelles, as though they were ewers

And antelopes, as though their does were scared

of silver, bending over their young.

Mothers that whimper over young near by.

تِلكَ عِرسي تَرومُ قِدماً زِيالي

تِلكَ عِرسي تَرومُ قِدماً زِيالي

أَلِبَينٍ تُريدُ أَم لِدَلالِ

أَلِبَينٍ تُريدُ أَم لِدَلالِ

That wife of mine has long sought to part from me.

There my tribe's maidens came, their raiment trailing,

Does she seek parting, or is it coquetry?

Intending should I greet them, or pass by?

إِن يَكُن طِبُّكِ الدَلالَ فَلَو في

إِن يَكُن طِبُّكِ الدَلالَ فَلَو في

سالِفِ الدَهرِ وَاللَيالي الخَوالي

سالِفِ الدَهرِ وَاللَيالي الخَوالي

If coquetry is your way—if only it had been in

If your wish be love, though time in its advance

time long past and nights gone by,

May have decreed our doom, do not deny

أَنتِ بَيضاءُ كَالمَهاةِ وَإِذ آ

أَنتِ بَيضاءُ كَالمَهاةِ وَإِذ آ

تِيكِ نَشوانَ مُرخِياً أَذيالي

تِيكِ نَشوانَ مُرخِياً أَذيالي

when you were white as an oryx, and when I came

Affection. You are white as lightning's flash;

to you drunk, letting my hems hang loose.

If I approach, my garments brushing nigh,

فَاِترُكي مَطَّ حاجِبَيكِ وَعيشي

فَاِترُكي مَطَّ حاجِبَيكِ وَعيشي

مَعَنا بِالرَجاءِ وَالتَأمالِ

مَعَنا بِالرَجاءِ وَالتَأمالِ

So stop stretching your brows, and live

Leave off from frowning and come live with us

with us in hope and expectation.

In hope - perchance the future we may belie.

أَو يَكُن طِبُّكِ الزِيالَ فَإِنَّ ال

أَو يَكُن طِبُّكِ الزِيالَ فَإِنَّ ال

بَينَ أَن تَعطِفي صُدورَ الجِمالِ

بَينَ أَن تَعطِفي صُدورَ الجِمالِ

Or if separation is your way, then

If raiding be your wish, the tribe has many

parting means turning the camels' breasts away.

A hero, lithe of form, the steed to ply.

زَعَمَت أَنَّني كَبِرتُ وَأَنّي

زَعَمَت أَنَّني كَبِرتُ وَأَنّي

قَلَّ مالي وَضَنَّ عَنّي المَوالي

قَلَّ مالي وَضَنَّ عَنّي المَوالي

She claimed that I had grown old, and that

She said that I was aged and lacking wealth,

my wealth had dwindled and my kinsmen withheld their help,

That kinsmen lavished nothing on me by

وَصَحا باطِلي وَأَصبَحتُ كَهلاً

وَصَحا باطِلي وَأَصبَحتُ كَهلاً

لا يُؤاتي أَمثالَها أَمثالي

لا يُؤاتي أَمثالَها أَمثالي

and my folly had sobered, and I had become middle-aged:

Way of allotted shares; my case was known;

men like me do not suit women like her.

An old man, not the like of them am I.

إِن رَأَتني تَغَيَّرَ اللَونُ مِنّي

إِن رَأَتني تَغَيَّرَ اللَونُ مِنّي

وَعَلا الشَيبُ مَفرِقي وَقَذالي

وَعَلا الشَيبُ مَفرِقي وَقَذالي

If she sees that my complexion has changed,

If she but saw me, from my face the hue

and gray has spread over my hair's parting and the back of my head,

Departed and gray hairs showed plain thereby.

فَبِما أَدخُلُ الخِباءَ عَلى مَه

فَبِما أَدخُلُ الخِباءَ عَلى مَه

ضومَةِ الكَشحِ طَفلَةٍ كَالغَزالِ

ضومَةِ الكَشحِ طَفلَةٍ كَالغَزالِ

yet often I enter the tent of a slender-

Yet to the maiden, cowering in her bower,

waisted, delicate woman, like a gazelle.

Like a gazelle, I turned me, drawing nigh,

فَتَعاطَيتُ جيدَها ثُمَّ مالَت

فَتَعاطَيتُ جيدَها ثُمَّ مالَت

مَيَلانَ الكَثيبِ بَينَ الرِمالِ

مَيَلانَ الكَثيبِ بَينَ الرِمالِ

So I reached for her neck; then she leaned,

Then stroked her throat-pearls, whereon she inclined

with the sway of a dune amid the sands.

Like a sandhill in a gale of wind blown high.

ثُمَّ قالَت فِدىً لِنَفسِكَ نَفسي

ثُمَّ قالَت فِدىً لِنَفسِكَ نَفسي

وَفِداءٌ لِمالِ أَهلِكَ مالي

وَفِداءٌ لِمالِ أَهلِكَ مالي

Then she said, 'May my life be ransom for yours,

Then she cried, "Save yourself and me! Your wealth

and my wealth ransom for your family's wealth.'

Redeem with mine, and turn you from them. Fly!"

فَاِرفُضي العاذِلينَ وَاِقنَي حَياءً

فَاِرفُضي العاذِلينَ وَاِقنَي حَياءً

لا يَكونوا عَلَيكِ حَظَّ مِثالي

لا يَكونوا عَلَيكِ حَظَّ مِثالي

So reject the reproachers and cherish modesty;

So leave the censurers; of me have shame,

let them not have with you the favor due to one like me.

Lest portion equal with the rest have I.

وَبِحَظٍّ مِمّا نَعيشُ فَلا تَذ

وَبِحَظٍّ مِمّا نَعيشُ فَلا تَذ

هَب بِكِ التُرَّهاتُ في الأَهوالِ

هَب بِكِ التُرَّهاتُ في الأَهوالِ

And be content with a share of what sustains us; do not let

Some provide nothing, others are unkind,

idle talk carry you into terrors.

Miserly souls who hoard for those nearby.

مِنهُمُ مُمسِكٌ وَمِنهُم عَديمٌ

مِنهُمُ مُمسِكٌ وَمِنهُم عَديمٌ

وَبَخيلٌ عَلَيكِ في بُخّالِ

وَبَخيلٌ عَلَيكِ في بُخّالِ

Some of them hoard, and some have nothing,

Leave Sa'd's tribe scornful, dwelling in Quṭaibah,

and one is stingy toward you, among the stingy.

The glens of Wabar or in Rayy thereby.

وَاِترُكي صِرمَةً عَلى آلِ زَيدٍ

وَاِترُكي صِرمَةً عَلى آلِ زَيدٍ

بِالقُطَيباتِ كُنَّ أَو أَورالِ

بِالقُطَيباتِ كُنَّ أَو أَورالِ

And leave a small camel-herd with the clan of Zayd,

They have seen no raid of steeds nor did their hooves

whether they be at al-Qutaybat or Awral.

Pound in the plain, when the war-cry rang on high.

لَم تَكُن غَزوَةَ الجِيادِ وَلَم يُن

لَم تَكُن غَزوَةَ الجِيادِ وَلَم يُن

قَب بِآثارِها صُدورُ النِعالِ

قَب بِآثارِها صُدورُ النِعالِ

It was not won in a raid of steeds, nor were

Youth's glory and tumultuous throng are gone,

the toes of sandals worn through following its tracks.

The brown lances borne on camel-back thereby,

دَرَّ دَرُّ الشَبابِ وَالشَعَرِ الأَس

دَرَّ دَرُّ الشَبابِ وَالشَعَرِ الأَس

وَدِ وَالراتِكاتِ تَحتَ الرِحالِ

وَدِ وَالراتِكاتِ تَحتَ الرِحالِ

Blessed be youth and black hair,

The battle charges, and the edged weapons, honed,

and the camels trotting beneath their saddles,

Borne slung from saddles of the cavalry;

وَالعَناجيجِ كَالقِداحِ مِنَ الشَو

وَالعَناجيجِ كَالقِداحِ مِنَ الشَو

حَطِ يَحمِلنَ شِكَّةَ الأَبطالِ

حَطِ يَحمِلنَ شِكَّةَ الأَبطالِ

and thoroughbred horses like arrow-shafts of

I made the morn recoil like the shyest

shawhat wood, carrying the warriors' battle-gear.

Steed, nor weakened, nor my nerve and sinew ply

وَلَقَد أَذعَرُ السُروبَ بِطِرفٍ

وَلَقَد أَذعَرُ السُروبَ بِطِرفٍ

مِثلِ شاةِ الإِرانِ غَيرِ مُذالِ

مِثلِ شاةِ الإِرانِ غَيرِ مُذالِ

And indeed I startle the herds with a noble steed,

A bow, but a well-feathered reed so cast

like a wild bull in its lair, never made a drudge,

That it outstripped the thousand, speeding by.

غَيرِ أَقنى وَلا أَصَكَّ وَلَكِن

غَيرِ أَقنى وَلا أَصَكَّ وَلَكِن

مِرجَمٌ ذو كَريهَةٍ وَنِقالِ

مِرجَمٌ ذو كَريهَةٍ وَنِقالِ

neither hook-nosed nor knock-kneed, but

It stripped the Uzayyid leaders of their mail

a stone-flinging runner, with battle-mettle and agile strides.

As the stroke of peel strips date-palm branches nigh.

يَسبِقُ الأَلفَ بِالمُدَجَّجِ ذي القَو

يَسبِقُ الأَلفَ بِالمُدَجَّجِ ذي القَو

نَسِ حَتّى يَؤوبَ كَالتِمثالِ

نَسِ حَتّى يَؤوبَ كَالتِمثالِ

He outruns a thousand, bearing an armored rider with a

Full often have I charged on Thursday raids, spotted she-asses,

crested helmet, until he returns like a statue.

Scared mothers seeking their young, hurrying by.

فَهوَ كَالمِنزَعِ المَريشِ مِنَ الشَو

فَهوَ كَالمِنزَعِ المَريشِ مِنَ الشَو

حَطِ مالَت بِهِ شِمالُ المَغالي

حَطِ مالَت بِهِ شِمالُ المَغالي

So he is like a fletched, long-range arrow of

I stabbed her with its point - no care had I -

shawhat wood, tilted by a distance-archer's left hand.

And struck her down with cane thick-jointed, dry.

يَعقِرُ الظَبيَ وَالظَليمَ وَيَلوي

يَعقِرُ الظَبيَ وَالظَليمَ وَيَلوي

بِلَبونِ المِعزابَةِ المِعزالِ

بِلَبونِ المِعزابَةِ المِعزالِ

He hamstrings the gazelle and the male ostrich, and carries off

The war-mares, fettered in camp, I loosed at dawn

the milch-camel of the far-ranging, solitary herder.

And drove them off full gallop, sweeping by.

وَلَقَد أَقدُمُ الخَميسَ عَلى الجَر

وَلَقَد أَقدُمُ الخَميسَ عَلى الجَر

داءِ ذاتِ الجِراءِ وَالتَنقالِ

داءِ ذاتِ الجِراءِ وَالتَنقالِ

And indeed I lead the army on the sleek

Then one I hobbled and strapped its saddle on,

mare, endowed with speed and agile movement.

Like a new moon its figure showed thereby.

فَتَقيني بِنَحرِها وَأَقيها

فَتَقيني بِنَحرِها وَأَقيها

بِقَضيبٍ مِنَ القَنا غَيرِ بالي

بِقَضيبٍ مِنَ القَنا غَيرِ بالي

So she shields me with her chest, and I shield her

An 'Antar am I, marked with beauty-spots!

with an unworn shaft of spear-reed.

By night a lass confounded me, passing nigh.

وَلَقَد أَقطَعُ السَباسِبَ وَالشُه

وَلَقَد أَقطَعُ السَباسِبَ وَالشُه

بَ عَلى الصَيعَرِيَّةِ الشِملالِ

بَ عَلى الصَيعَرِيَّةِ الشِملالِ

And indeed I cross the level wastes and pale

deserts on the swift, Say'ari-branded she-camel.

ثُمَّ أَبري نِحاضَها فَتَراها

ثُمَّ أَبري نِحاضَها فَتَراها

ضامِراً بَعدَ بُدنِها كَالهِلالِ

ضامِراً بَعدَ بُدنِها كَالهِلالِ

Then I wear away her flesh, so you see her

lean after her plumpness, like the crescent moon.

عَنتَريسٍ كَأَنَّها ذو وُشومٍ

عَنتَريسٍ كَأَنَّها ذو وُشومٍ

أَحرَجَتهُ بِالجَوِّ إِحدى اللَيالي

أَحرَجَتهُ بِالجَوِّ إِحدى اللَيالي

A mighty she-camel, as though she were a beast with tattoo-like markings,

hemmed in at al-Jaww by one of the nights.