نَهرٌ كَما سالَ اللَمى سَلسالُ

نَهرٌ كَما سالَ اللَمى سَلسالُ

وَصباً بَليلٌ ذَيلُها مِكسالُ

وَصباً بَليلٌ ذَيلُها مِكسالُ

A limpid river, flowing like the dusk of lips,

A river flowing as tears flowed

and a moist east breeze, its hem languid,

And a downpour whose trails are sluggish

وَمَهَبُّ نَفحَةِ رَوضَةٍ مَطلولَةٍ

وَمَهَبُّ نَفحَةِ رَوضَةٍ مَطلولَةٍ

في جَلهَتَيها لِلنَسيمِ مَجالُ

في جَلهَتَيها لِلنَسيمِ مَجالُ

and a place where a dew-drenched garden's breath blows,

And the wafting of a breeze in an open meadow

along its two flanks, the breeze has room to roam.

Where the breeze roams freely

غازَلتُهُ وَالأُقحُوانَةُ مَبسِمٌ

غازَلتُهُ وَالأُقحُوانَةُ مَبسِمٌ

وَالآسُ صُدغٌ وَالبَنَفسَجُ خالُ

وَالآسُ صُدغٌ وَالبَنَفسَجُ خالُ

I courted it, while the daisy was a smiling mouth,

I flirted with it while the poppies are smiling

the myrtle a temple-lock, and the violet a beauty mark.

And the myrtle is a cheek and the violet a mole

وَوَراءَ خَفّاقِ النِجادِ ضُبارِمٌ

وَوَراءَ خَفّاقِ النِجادِ ضُبارِمٌ

يَسري بِهِ خَلفَ الظَلامِ خَيالُ

يَسري بِهِ خَلفَ الظَلامِ خَيالُ

And behind a fluttering sword-belt was a lion;

And behind the fluttering spears are warriors

a phantom bore him by night, behind the darkness.

Whose shadows move behind the darkness

أَلقى العَصا في حَيثُ يَعثُرُ بِالحَصى

أَلقى العَصا في حَيثُ يَعثُرُ بِالحَصى

نَهرٌ وَتَعبَثُ بِالغُصونِ شَمالُ

نَهرٌ وَتَعبَثُ بِالغُصونِ شَمالُ

He laid down his staff where, over pebbles, stumbled

He threw his staff where pebbles make him stumble

a river, and a north wind toyed with the boughs.

A river playing with the branches aimlessly

وَكَأَنَّ ما بَينَ الغُصونِ تَنازُعٌ

وَكَأَنَّ ما بَينَ الغُصونِ تَنازُعٌ

فيهِ وَما بَينَ المِياهِ جِدالُ

فيهِ وَما بَينَ المِياهِ جِدالُ

And the branches seemed to contend with one another

As if there is a struggle between the branches

there, while the waters seemed to argue.

And a dispute between the waters

وَأَرَبَّ يَبرُدُ مِن حَشاهُ مَكرَعٌ

وَأَرَبَّ يَبرُدُ مِن حَشاهُ مَكرَعٌ

خَصِرٌ يَسُحُّ وَتَلعَةٌ مِخضالُ

خَصِرٌ يَسُحُّ وَتَلعَةٌ مِخضالُ

And he stayed; a drinking-pool cooled his heart—

And a pasture where the cattle graze is chilled

cold and gushing—and a drenched gully.

A waist sweeping smoothly and a meadow blossoming

مابَينَ رَوضَةِ جَدوَلَينِ كَأَنَّما

مابَينَ رَوضَةِ جَدوَلَينِ كَأَنَّما

بُسِطَت يَمينٌ مِنهُما وَشِمالُ

بُسِطَت يَمينٌ مِنهُما وَشِمالُ

Amid the garden of two streams, it was as though

Between the streams of two brooks as if

a right hand and a left were stretched out from them.

A right hand and a left are outstretched from them

مِثلُ الحُبابِ بِمُنحَناهُ ذُؤابَةٌ

مِثلُ الحُبابِ بِمُنحَناهُ ذُؤابَةٌ

خَفّاقَةٌ حَيثُ الرُبى أَكفالُ

خَفّاقَةٌ حَيثُ الرُبى أَكفالُ

At its bend was a serpent-like forelock,

Like beads in its winding a gazelle

fluttering where the knolls were haunches.

Prancing where the pasture's teats abound

وَاِنسابَ ثاني مَعطِفَيهِ كَأَنَّهُ

وَاِنسابَ ثاني مَعطِفَيهِ كَأَنَّهُ

هَيمانُ نَشوانٌ هُناكَ مُذالُ

هَيمانُ نَشوانٌ هُناكَ مُذالُ

And it glided, bending its two flanks, as though it were

And its second cloak flows as if it were

a lovesick drunkard, trailing his train there;

Retreating or advancing hosts over there

أَو ظِلُّ أَسمَرَ بِاللِوى مُتَأَطِّرٌ

أَو ظِلُّ أَسمَرَ بِاللِوى مُتَأَطِّرٌ

عَطَفَت جَنوبٌ مَتنَهُ وَشَمالُ

عَطَفَت جَنوبٌ مَتنَهُ وَشَمالُ

or a tawny spear's shadow, curving at the sandy bend,

Or the shadow of a dark oak framed

its back bent by a south wind and a north wind.

With winds folding its sides and tops

لَم أَدرِ هَل يُزهى فَيَخطُرُ نَخوَةً

لَم أَدرِ هَل يُزهى فَيَخطُرُ نَخوَةً

أَم لاعَبَت أَعطافَهُ الجِريالُ

أَم لاعَبَت أَعطافَهُ الجِريالُ

I did not know whether it swelled with pride and strutted haughtily,

I could not tell if it sways coquettishly

or whether red wine was playing with its flanks.

Or its pleats were just fluttering casually

فَإِذا اِستَطارَ بِهِ النَجاءُ فَنَيزَكٌ

فَإِذا اِستَطارَ بِهِ النَجاءُ فَنَيزَكٌ

وَإِذا تَهادى فَالهِلالُ هِلالُ

وَإِذا تَهادى فَالهِلالُ هِلالُ

So when speed sent it flying, it was a javelin;

For when it stretches in its slimness, it is a palm tree

and when it swayed gently, a crescent—a true crescent.

And when it sways gently, it is a crescent moon

زُرَّت عَلَيهِ جُبَّةٌ مَوشِيَّةٌ

زُرَّت عَلَيهِ جُبَّةٌ مَوشِيَّةٌ

بِمَقيلِهِ أُختٌ لَها أَسمالُ

بِمَقيلِهِ أُختٌ لَها أَسمالُ

An embroidered robe was buttoned over it;

Over it is a speckled gibbah

at its noon resting-place, a sister robe had tatters—

With its sister, one of matching hems

مِزَقٌ كَما يَنَقَدُّ في يَومِ الوَغى

مِزَقٌ كَما يَنَقَدُّ في يَومِ الوَغى

عَن لَبَّتَي مُستَلئِمٍ سِربالُ

عَن لَبَّتَي مُستَلئِمٍ سِربالُ

shreds, as on the day of battle is torn

Torn asunder in times of turmoil

from both sides of an armored man's throat a tunic.

From the garb of a harmonious companion

أَلقى بِهِ مِنها هُنالِكَ دِرعَهُ

أَلقى بِهِ مِنها هُنالِكَ دِرعَهُ

بَطَلٌ وَجَرَّدَ وَشيَهُ مُختالُ

بَطَلٌ وَجَرَّدَ وَشيَهُ مُختالُ

There, from those tatters, his mail was cast upon it

He threw his coat of mail over there

by a hero, and a swaggerer stripped off his brocade.

A hero who stripped himself bare and valiant

بَيدَ الهَجيرَةِ مِنهُ سَوطٌ خافِقٌ

بَيدَ الهَجيرَةِ مِنهُ سَوطٌ خافِقٌ

وَبِساقِ لَيلَةِ صَرصَرٍ خَلخالُ

وَبِساقِ لَيلَةِ صَرصَرٍ خَلخالُ

In midday heat's hand was a swishing whip drawn from it;

In his hand a slashing whip

and on the leg of a night of biting wind, an anklet.

And on his night of clinking, anklets

فَدَلَفتُ يَقدُمُ بي هُناكَ ضُبارِمٌ

فَدَلَفتُ يَقدُمُ بي هُناكَ ضُبارِمٌ

ضارٍ لَهُ بِعَمايَةٍ أَشبالُ

ضارٍ لَهُ بِعَمايَةٍ أَشبالُ

Then I advanced, a mighty lion leading me there,

So I ventured forth led by warriors over there

fierce, with cubs in Amayah.

Vicious to him with fierce cubs

شَيحانَ لا أَرتابُ مِن هَلَعٍ وَلا

شَيحانَ لا أَرتابُ مِن هَلَعٍ وَلا

أَغتابُ مِن طَبعٍ وَلا أَغتالُ

أَغتابُ مِن طَبعٍ وَلا أَغتالُ

Watchful, I have no doubts born of panic, nor

At ease, neither doubting from alarm, nor

do I backbite by nature, nor kill treacherously.

Suspicious of nature, nor scheming treachery

مُتَخايِلاً أَمشي البَرازَ وَدونَهُ

مُتَخايِلاً أَمشي البَرازَ وَدونَهُ

مِن أَرقَمٍ سِدرٌ أَلُفُّ وَضالُ

مِن أَرقَمٍ سِدرٌ أَلُفُّ وَضالُ

Strutting, I walk the open ground; before it stand

Daydreaming, I walk the wide plain and beneath it

Arqam's thick-grown lote trees and wild lotes.

A sidr tree, most beloved and lost

فَتَوَعَّدتني نَظرَةٌ وَقّادَةٌ

فَتَوَعَّدتني نَظرَةٌ وَقّادَةٌ

يُذكى بِها تَحتَ الظَلامِ ذُبالُ

يُذكى بِها تَحتَ الظَلامِ ذُبالُ

Then a blazing gaze threatened me,

So a piercing gaze threatened me

by which wicks were kindled beneath the darkness.

With it the wolves are provoked in the darkness

وَهَوى كَما يَهوي أَتِيٌّ مُزبِدٌ

وَهَوى كَما يَهوي أَتِيٌّ مُزبِدٌ

رَجَمَت بِهِ بَعضَ التِلاعِ تِلالُ

رَجَمَت بِهِ بَعضَ التِلاعِ تِلالُ

And he lunged like an onrushing, foaming torrent

And it pounced like a torrential, frothing he-goat

with which hills pelted some of the gullies.

Pelting some of the hills with pebbles

يَهفو الضَرّاءَ أَمامَهُ وَلَرُبَّما

يَهفو الضَرّاءَ أَمامَهُ وَلَرُبَّما

يَذَرُ الكَثيبَ وَراءَهُ يَنهالُ

يَذَرُ الكَثيبَ وَراءَهُ يَنهالُ

He swept through the thicket before him, and often

Bleating loudly ahead of it and perhaps

left the dune behind him crumbling.

Leaving the dune behind pouring forth

فَدَرَأتُ بادِرَةَ الشُجاعِ بِأَخضَرٍ

فَدَرَأتُ بادِرَةَ الشُجاعِ بِأَخضَرٍ

في رَقشِهِ هُوَ لِلشُجاعِ مِثالُ

في رَقشِهِ هُوَ لِلشُجاعِ مِثالُ

So I warded off the brave beast's rush with a green blade,

So I warded off the valiant beast's attack with a green spear

whose markings made it the image of a serpent.

In its slender straightness, it is an example of courage

جَمَدَ الغَديرُ بِمَتنِهِ وَلَرُبَّما

جَمَدَ الغَديرُ بِمَتنِهِ وَلَرُبَّما

أَعشاكَ إِفرِندٌ لَهُ سَيّالُ

أَعشاكَ إِفرِندٌ لَهُ سَيّالُ

The pool froze upon its back, and often

The pool froze in its expanse and maybe

its flowing damask pattern dazzled your eyes.

A ram with surging waters would quench your thirst

وَجَمَعتُ بَينَ المَشرَفِيِّ وَبَينَهُ

وَجَمَعتُ بَينَ المَشرَفِيِّ وَبَينَهُ

فَتَلاقَتِ الأَشباهُ وَالأَشكالُ

فَتَلاقَتِ الأَشباهُ وَالأَشكالُ

And I brought the Mashrafi sword together with him,

And I brought together the eminent and him

so likenesses and counterparts met.

So the like and the like came together

وَتَساوَرا يَتَكافَحانِ كَما اِلتَقى

وَتَساوَرا يَتَكافَحانِ كَما اِلتَقى

يَوماً أَبو إِسحاقَ وَالريبالُ

يَوماً أَبو إِسحاقَ وَالريبالُ

And they sprang at each other, fighting face to face, as met

And they wrestled as Abu Ishaq and the champion met

one day Abu Ishaq and the lion.

One day

وَكِلاهُما مِن أَسوَدٍ وَمُهَنَّدٍ

وَكِلاهُما مِن أَسوَدٍ وَمُهَنَّدٍ

في ضِمنِهِ الأَوجالُ وَالآجالُ

في ضِمنِهِ الأَوجالُ وَالآجالُ

And each of the two—lion and Indian-steel sword—

Both of them black and decorated

held terrors and fated deaths within.

Within them are destinations and terms