1. أَجَزِعْتِ بعد إِقامتي من رحلتي

    ليسَتْ عقودُ هَوَاكِ بالمُنْحَلَّةِ

    Did you grieve at my departure after my stay?

    The bonds of my love for you are not undone.

  2. هُوَ ما علمتِ من الغرامِ فَعَلَّةٌ

    من فِيك تَشْفِي غُلَّتِي أَو عِلَّتي

    It is the passion you have known; a second draught

    from your mouth will quench my thirst or heal my illness.

  3. ما زُلْتِ عن قلبي وإِن شَحَطَ النَّوى

    فنُقِلْتِ ساعَةَ نقلتي من نُقْلَتِي

    You have not left my heart, though separation has stretched far;

    at the hour of my departure, you were carried among my belongings.

  4. تحت الشّراعِ أَبيتُ غيرَ مُوَسَّدِ ال

    أَيدي إِذا ما بِتُّ تحتَ الكِلَّةِ

    Beneath the sail I sleep, not pillowed on the

    hands, as when I slept beneath the bed-canopy.

  5. وأَطوفُ في الأَقطارِ لا من رغبةٍ

    في كثرةٍ أَو رغبة عَنْ قِلَّةِ

    I roam through the lands, not from a desire

    for abundance or an aversion to scarcity.

  6. كم ضاحِكٍ خلفي وتحت ضلوعِهِ

    نارٌ تُشَبُّ بأَدمعٍ مُنْهَلَّةِ

    How many a laugher behind my back has, beneath his ribs,

    a fire kindled by pouring tears!

  7. نطقي الذي خَفَضَ اللئامَ فلا هوى

    ويدي التي عبثَتْ بهمْ لا شُلَّتِ

    My speech, which humbled the base—may it never fall!

    And my hand, which toyed with them—may it never be paralyzed!

  8. لي نقلةٌ ليستْ تُفَتَّر دائماً

    والبدرُ غير مُفَتَّرٍ في النُّقلة

    Mine is a journey that never slackens;

    nor does the full moon slacken in its passage.

  9. ولقد دُلِلْتُ على الكرامِ وإِنَّما

    كان النَّدى والبأْسُ بعضَ أَدِلَّتي

    I was indeed guided to the noble, and it was

    generosity and valor that were among my guides.

  10. ملكٌ تلقَّى دولةً قد أَقبلَتْ

    يسعى إِليه بسعدِها لا وَلَّتِ

    A king who received a dynasty advancing,

    hastening toward him with its good fortune—may it never turn away!

  11. فلئن حَلَلْتُ عُرايَ عن أَوطانِهِ

    فمدائِحي معقودةٌ ما حُلَّتِ

    Even if I have loosened my ties to his lands,

    my praises remain bound: they have not been undone.

  12. ما سِرْتُ عن عَدَنٍ ولا عن أَهلِها

    إِلا وقد أَحْرَزْتُ كُلَّ مسرَّةِ

    I did not depart from Aden or its people

    without having secured every delight.

  13. وتَخَيَّرَتْ عيني الجِلابَ وأَهلَها

    فرزقت أَيمن جُلْمَةٍ في حَلْبَةِ

    My eye chose the ships and their crews,

    and I was granted the most auspicious company in the arena.

  14. كم لابنِ عبدِ اللِّه عندِيَ من يدٍ

    تبيضُّ عند الشّدةِ المسودَّةِ

    How many favors Ibn Abd Allah has done me,

    shining white amid blackening hardship!

  15. الناخذاءُ عِليٌّ المُحْتَلُّ من

    رُتَب الرِّبانَةِ رأْسَ أَرفعِ رتبةِ

    The shipmaster Ali, who occupies, among

    the ranks of seamanship, the summit of the loftiest rank;

  16. من يهتدي في مظلماتِ بحارِه

    وقت الضلالِ بفطْنَةٍ مبيَّضةِ

    one who finds his way through his seas' darkness,

    when others stray, by luminous discernment.

  17. ويودُّ نوحٌ أَنهُ رُبَّانُهُ

    لو كان شاهَدَ مالَهُ من خِبْرةِ

    Noah would wish to have him as his captain,

    had he witnessed the expertise he possesses.

  18. لله جُلْبَتُهُ التي نَهَضَتْ بما

    قد حَمَّلَتْهُ وصَمَّمَتْ في الحَمْلَةِ

    How splendid is his ship, which rose with what

    she had taken aboard, pressing resolutely onward!

  19. وسَمَالها ذُو رأسٍ فاسْتَذْرَتْ بِهِ

    في ساكنِ الأَمواجِ دانِي الهَبَّةِ

    One with a head rose for her; she sheltered by him [wording unclear],

    on still waves, with a gust close at hand.

  20. حتَّى إِذا كَمُلَتْ لها آلاتُها

    من عُدَّةٍ تجري بها أَو عِدّةِ

    Until, when all her equipment was complete,

    with gear to sail by—or a promise—

  21. مدَّتْ من الرّيحِ التي يختارُها

    فطَوَتْ بساطَ بحارِها الممتدَّةِ

    she stretched forth in the wind he chose,

    and folded the expanse of her outstretched seas.

  22. ضَرَبَتْ ببطنِ رباك ظَهْرَ دياقَةٍ

    ولَوَتْ إِلى الإِحسانِ ثم تَوَلَّتِ

    She struck Diyaqah's back with Rabak's belly,

    and turned toward al-Ihsan, then turned away.

  23. وعَوَى لها كلبو فقال مَرَاكَةٌ

    أَهلاً لقيتَ ومرحباً فتثنَّتِ

    Kalbu howled to her; Marakah said,

    'You have met welcome and ample room'; so she bent her course.

  24. ثم استقامَتْ في قعو واستَظْهَرَتْ

    في بطنِهِ صُبْحًا بحَطٍّ مُثْبِتِ

    Then she went straight through Qa'w and secured herself

    in its hollow at dawn, by a firm mooring,

  25. وتجنُّبٍ قادجَ العميرَ ولم تكُنْ

    للعارَةِ الفيحاءِ ذاتَ تلفُّتِ

    and by avoiding Qadij al-Umayr; nor did she

    turn a glance toward spacious al-Arah.

  26. واستشرفَتْ للبابِ فانفَتَحَتْ لها

    طُرُقُ السَّلامَةِ من بحارِ الرحمةِ

    She looked ahead toward the Gate, and there opened for her

    paths of safety through seas of mercy.

  27. فسقى المنادِخَ من مكلا صيرَةٍ

    مُزْنٌ يَفُوزُ بكُلِّهِ ذُو الخُشَّتِ

    May rainclouds water al-Manadikh at the anchorage of Sirah,

    with Dhu al-Khusht receiving all their rain;

  28. وَهَمى لِمَغْبُونٍ وَصَيِّلةً الحيا

    غَدِقاً وحيَّى اللُّه رأْسَ التِّرمِتِ

    and may life-giving rain pour upon Maghbun and Sayyilah

    abundantly; and may God salute the headland of al-Tirmit,

  29. فعوانَ فالركمايِ فالحبلِ الذي

    فيه المَغَاصُ فما حوى من دُرَّةِ

    then Awan, then al-Rukmay, then the ridge where

    the diving ground lies, and every pearl it holds;

  30. فموارِدِ التّيسينِ من أَمواجِها

    فمياهِ عَنْدِ يَد الرِّحابِ المَنْبِتِ

    then the watering places of al-Taysayn amid their waves,

    then the waters beside fertile al-Rihab;

  31. فمقرِّ أَبعَلَ لي إِلى حَرُّ وجَةٍ

    فالكردَمِيَّاتِ التي وَكَفَى التى

    then the abode of Ab'al Li, onward to Harr Wajah,

    then al-Kardamiyyat, which ... and Kafa, which is

  32. شَرْمٌ كُفِينا الشَّرَّ فيه ومن يَجُزْ

    حَدَّ الصِّراطِ مُبَشَّرٌ بالجَنَّةِ

    a creek where we were spared harm; whoever passes

    the edge of the Sirat is promised Paradise.

  33. للِّه ذُو ألأَفراسِ غيرَ صَواهلٍ

    وسَرَنْدَلِي والماءُ مِنْ مُبْذُولةِ

    How splendid is Dhu al-Afras, its horses never neighing,

    and Sarandali, with water freely offered!

  34. فإِلى بناتِ حَجُو فَمَطْرَحِ جانبِ ال

    حَرْنُو نِيابِ فسارِبُو فالحَمْلَةِ

    Then to Banat Haju, then the landing place beside al-

    Harnu Niyab, then Saribu, then al-Hamlah;

  35. فالماءِ من بُلَعٍ وما هو آجِلٌ

    فالعَزْرِ من سارُو تجاهَ القُلَّت

    then the water of Bula', which is not long delayed;

    then al-Azr from Saru, opposite al-Qullat;

  36. فجزيرةِ النَّعْتِ التي هيَ ملجأٌ

    أَوصَيِّلِ الناموسِ فوقَ الشَّوْرَت

    then the island of al-Na't, which is a refuge,

    or Sayyil al-Namus above al-Shawrat;

  37. فمياهِ أَو الشَّوْلِ من أَفيائِها

    فمسارِحِ الأَغنامِ عند العَرْبَةِ

    then the waters—or al-Shawl—from its shady reaches;

    then the grazing grounds of sheep beside al-Arbah.

  38. ولبحرِه عندي ولستُ أَقوله

    ما ضلَّني تذكارُه عن بَحْرَتي

    Its sea has a place with me, though I do not speak of it;

    remembering it has not led me astray from my own sea.

  39. فَدَرْعَرعٍ فالقَحْمِ فالقَلى الذي

    منه المجازُ فدجلةٍ فالطُّرَّةِ

    Then Dar'ar', then al-Qahm, then al-Qala, from which

    the passage leads; then Dijlah, then al-Turrah;

  40. فمغاثِ ذي المَعِزِ القليلِ ثُغاؤُهُ

    فالماءِ من حاراتِ عند الفَلَّةِ

    then the refuge of Dhu al-Ma'iz, whose bleating is scant;

    then the water of Harat, beside al-Fallah;

  41. فمدارِ ظهرَيْهَا فرأْسِ سَرُوجِها

    فراقُ رأْسِ سَرُوجها من مُنْيَتي

    then circling its two backs, then the head of its saddles;

    leaving the head of its saddles was among my wishes.

  42. فبعادِ بَعْسَلَ لي دفَّنى داخلاً

    بطن الحُبابِ بأَزْيَبٍ مُتَثَبِّتِ

    Then beyond Ba'sal—push me onward, for my sake—entering [wording unclear]

    the belly of the foam on a steady south wind.

  43. طوبَى لتلك القولَتَيْنِ بيانعا

    سِرْ منه تفضها إِلى بَرِّيَّةِ

    Blessed are those two Qawlahs at Yan'a;

    go from it, opening it toward the wilderness [wording unclear].

  44. إِذ مندلو ادبر مصغى وقصارها

    وعبيتها ودهرها في القبضةِ

    When Mandalu turned away, inclining, and its short ones [wording unclear],

    and its load and its time were held in the grasp;

  45. فنقا مشايتري فصهر يجي دسي

    محراب ما ضع وهي كالمعمورةِ

    then the sandbank of Mashaytri, then Sihr, Yaji, Dasi [wording unclear],

    Mihrab Ma Da'; and it is like an inhabited place [wording unclear].

  46. فالواحةِ الغرّاءِ أَحسن مطرح

    تبدو لنا دخه بأَيمن غرةِ

    Then the splendid oasis, the finest landing place;

    Dakhah appears to us with the most auspicious countenance.

  47. فمبايعات يلينها ويلينها

    يغدو مبايعهم بأَوفر بيعةِ

    Then trading dealings attend it, and attend it;

    their trader comes away with the fullest bargain,

  48. بالسَّمْنِ بالأَعسالِ بالأَغنامِ بالذُّ

    رَةِ التي قد أسْرَفَتْ في الكَثْرةِ

    in ghee, in honeys, in sheep, in sor-

    ghum, which has grown exceedingly abundant.

  49. فانهَضْ إِلى حِينٍ إِلى سكبٍ إِلى

    مَرْسَى إِماراتٍ بأَوَّلِ مرّةِ

    Then set out for Hin, for Sakb, for

    the anchorage of Imarat on your first passage;

  50. وبَعَالِ عن راس الوعابي وحل

    ظهر نهالها وتَعَدَّ عن ذي الفضلةِ

    and Ba'al, beyond the headland of al-Wa'abi; alight upon

    the back of Nihalha, and pass beyond Dhu al-Fadlah.

  51. فاقصد زرائِبَ للمبيتِ وإِن تُرِدْ

    رِيًّا فرِدُهُ مِن ذِي الَأثلةِ

    Head for Zara'ib to spend the night; and if you want

    your thirst quenched, seek it at Dhu al-Athlah.

  52. وإِذا مَرَرْتَ بصصات فحَيِّهِ

    سعياً وما مِنْ حَوْلِهِ من شُعْبَةِ

    When you pass Basasat, salute it

    in haste, and whatever branching valleys lie around it.

  53. واندَخْ سواكِنَ داخلاً في حَوْرِها

    واركَبْ على الأَعلى بأَعلى همّةِ

    Put into Suwakin, entering its inlet [wording unclear],

    and ascend the heights with the highest resolve.

  54. يا حبّذا أَنْسَتْ وقد أَنَّستُها

    من بَرْكِسَايَ غداةَ قُلْتُ بلمحةِ

    How delightful! She brought solace, and I had sighted her

    from Barksay, that morning when I spoke with a glance.

  55. وأَدمت عن أَدْمَاتَ سَيْرِي بائِتًا

    منْ آضُعٍ في مثلِ وَسْطِ البلدةِ

    Beyond Admat I continued my journey, spending the night

    out of Adu', as though in the middle of a town.

  56. فَشَعوبُ عَدِّ إِلى جزيرتِها التي

    عُرِفَتْ بعبدِ اللِّه عند النِّسْبةِ

    Then Shu'ub—cross to its island, which

    is known, in naming, by Abd Allah;

  57. فَعُرى الحريِص إِلى زور زينب إِلى

    مرسى مَجَرْتَاتٍ وخيراً جَرَّتِ

    then Ura al-Haris, to Zur Zaynab, to

    the anchorage of Majartat, which brought good things;

  58. فإِلى الخوايِ إِلى كراعِيتَ إِلى

    مرسى مَدَرْوِيتَ التي قَدْ دَرَّتِ

    then to al-Khaway, to Kura'it, to

    the anchorage of Madarwit, which had yielded abundantly.

  59. ثم استمرَّت عن طيوب وأَن حلت

    فكلا ولكن في في دَرورٍ حلَّتِ

    Then she continued beyond Tuyub; and if she had put in—

    no: rather, she put in at the mouth of Darur.

  60. ولنا الحبور محرامات وقد

    أَبدى زهير صيلا كالزهرةِ

    At Muhramat we had delight, and already

    Zuhayr had revealed Sayla like a blossom.

  61. فنويّ أَو مرسى عروسٍ أَو محا

    ومحا محلٌّ منه حَلُّ العُقْدةِ

    Then Nuwiyy, or the anchorage of Arus, or Maha;

    Maha is a place from which the knot is untied.

  62. مد ريح أَو يعو نرى فالسدى

    من راكباي إِلى مكلاَّ حَطَّتِ

    A stretch of wind—or Ya'u, we see—then al-Suda [wording unclear];

    from Rakbay she came down to Mukalla.

  63. فإِلى السَّلاقَيْنِ اللذَيْن تَعَرَّفَا

    باسمَيْنِ من صغر بحبّ وكبرةِ

    Then to the two Salaqs, which were known

    by two names, for smallness—with love—and largeness [wording unclear].

  64. ولقد عَقَدْتِ نَفَحْتُ آمالي كما

    عُقِدَ الحليبُ بِجَوْهَرِ الأَنفحتِ

    Indeed you bound; I breathed out my hopes, as [wording unclear]

    milk is curdled by the essence of rennet.

  65. وضربت جَعْدَ دمادبٍ بدبادبٍ

    فَغَدَتْ مُبَشِّرَةٌ لنا بالدَّوْلَةِ

    You struck the roughness of Damadib against Dabadib,

    and she became a bringer of good tidings of fortune.

  66. نُشِرَتْ فأَنْشَرَتِ الشِّراعَ ولم تَعُقْ

    عند العَيُوقِ بمُدَّةٍ عن مدةِ

    She was unfurled and spread the sail, without delay

    by al-Ayyuq, one interval behind another [wording unclear].

  67. جَرَتْ خيلُ النَّسيمِ على الغديرِ

    ورُدَّتْ تحت قسطالِ العبيرِ

    The steeds of the breeze ran over the pool,

    and were brought back beneath a dust-cloud of perfume.

  68. وعَبَّ الصُّبحُ في كأْسِ الثُّرَيَّا

    وكان برحَةِ القَمَرِ المنيرِ

    Dawn drank deeply from the cup of the Pleiades,

    and was in the courtyard of the radiant moon.

  69. وقام على جبين الشمس يهفو

    كما يهفو اللِّواءُ على أَميرِ

    It stood fluttering upon the sun's brow,

    as a banner flutters above a prince.

  70. ودار بها على يدِهِ فكانَتْ

    كطوقِ الجامِ في كفِّ المديرِ

    He turned it upon his hand, and it became

    like the rim of a goblet in the cupbearer's palm.

  71. ومَجَّت في زجاجِ الماءِ لونًا

    قد انْتَزَعَتْهُ من حَلَبِ العصيرِ

    It spat a color into the glass of the water,

    which it had drawn from the milking of the juice.

  72. فقمنا نستنيمُ إِلى قلوبٍ

    تناجَتْ تحت أَستارِ الصُّدورِ

    Then we rose to take comfort in hearts

    that whispered together beneath the veils of breasts,

  73. نحقِّقُ بالوفا عِدَةً الأَماني

    ونملأُ بالرِّضا نُخَبَ السرورِ

    fulfilling, through fidelity, the promise of desires,

    and filling the choicest joys with contentment,

  74. إِلى أَن غادرَتْنَا الكأْسُ صَرْعَى

    نَفِرُّ من الكبيرِ إِلى الصغيرِ

    until the cup left us laid low,

    fleeing from the large to the small.

  75. ونحسَبُ أَنَّ دِيكَ بني نُمَيْرٍ

    أَميرُ المؤمنينَ على السَّريرِ

    We thought the cock of Banu Numayr

    was Commander of the Faithful upon the throne.

  76. رُزِقْنَا التاجَ والإِيوانَ منها

    وطُفْنَا بالخَوَرْنَق والسَّديرِ

    From it we were granted the crown and the palace,

    and toured al-Khawarnaq and al-Sadir.

  77. ورُحْنَا تَستطيفُ بنا الليالي

    ونبسُطُ من يمينِ المستجيرِ

    We went forth with the nights circling around us,

    and stretched out the suppliant's right hand,

  78. كَأَنَّا من تَسَحُّبِنَا عليها

    روادِفُ تستطيلُ على خُضورِ

    as though, in our swaggering over them,

    we were haunches towering over [unclear: khudur].

  79. وجَرّدْنَا المدائِحَ فاسْتَقَرَّتْ

    على أَوصافِ جُرْدَنَّا الوزيرِ

    We unsheathed our praises, and they settled

    upon the qualities of Jurdanna, the vizier.

  80. فَنَظَّمْنَا المفاخِرَ كاللآلِي

    وحَلَّيْنَا المعالِيَ كالنُّحورِ

    We strung his glories like pearls,

    and adorned his lofty deeds like necks.

  81. وقمنا في سماءِ العِزِّ نَرْعَى

    جبينَ الشَّمْسِ في اليومِ المطيرِ

    We rose into the sky of glory to watch

    the sun's brow on a rainy day.

  82. وأَعجَبُ ما جَرَى أَنَّا أَمِنَّا

    ونحنُ بجانبِ الليثِ الهَصورِ

    The strangest thing was that we were safe

    while beside the crushing lion.

  83. وأَرسَلْنَا من الأَشعارِ رِيحًا

    نَهُزُّ بها المعاطِفَ من ثَبِيرِ

    We sent forth a wind of poetry,

    with which we shook the flanks of Thabir.

  84. وقَلَّدْناهْ دُرًّا جاءَ منه

    كذاك الدُّرُّ جاءَ من البُحورِ

    We hung upon him pearls that came from him;

    just so do pearls come from seas.

  85. وقُلْنَا للمُسائِلِ عن عُلاهُ

    تَسَمَّعْ قد وَقَعْتَ على الخَبيرِ

    We said to the one asking about his eminence:

    'Listen closely: you have found one who knows.'

  86. لهيبُ صواعِقِ العَزَمَاتِ مِنْهُ

    يكاد يُذيبُ أَفئِدَةَ الصُّخورِ

    The blaze of the thunderbolts of his resolves

    almost melts the hearts of rocks;

  87. وماءُ مكارمِ الأَخلاقِ منه

    يكادُ يردُّ صاعِدَةَ الزَّفيرِ

    and the water of his noble character

    almost turns back the rising sigh.

  88. وأَغراسُ الأَمانِي في يَدَيْهِ

    بِهِنَّ معاطِفُ الدَّوْحِ النَّضِيرِ

    The seedlings of hopes are in his hands;

    in them are the boughs of verdant, mighty trees.

  89. وعَيْنُ حِرَاسَةِ المَلِكِ اسْتَخَصَّتْ

    فلم تَطْرِفْ على سِنَةِ الفُتورِ

    The watchful eye guarding the king was singled out,

    and never blinked with the drowsiness of slackness.

  90. رأَى منه المليكُ حِلَى أَمينٍ

    بَرِئَ النُّصْحِ من سُقْمِ الضَّميرِ

    The sovereign saw in him the ornaments of a faithful man,

    pure in counsel, free of a diseased conscience.

  91. فأرْقاهُ إِلى الرُّتَبِ اللواتي

    يراها النجمُ من طَرْفٍ حَسيرِ

    He raised him to ranks which

    the star beholds with a weary gaze.

  92. وصَدَّرَهُ على الدِّيوانِ سطراً

    هو البِسْمُ التي فوق السُّطورِ

    He placed him atop the register as a line:

    the 'In the Name' that stands above the lines.

  93. فطالَ بضَبْطِهِ باعُ ارتفاعٍ

    تشمّر قبل باعٍ قَصيرِ

    Through his governance, the reach of eminence lengthened,

    which before had mustered only a short reach.

  94. ونادَتْهُ الدُّهورُ خُلِقْتَ معنًى

    تَكَرَّرَ بَيْنَ أَلسِنَةِ الدُّهورِ

    The ages called to him: 'You were created a meaning

    repeated upon the tongues of the ages.'

  95. وأَصبحَتِ القصورُ كما عَهِدْنا

    مشيَّدةً على غَيْرِ القُصورِ

    The palaces became, as we had known them,

    loftily built, without shortcomings.

  96. وصُيِّرَتِ البلادُ جِنانَ عَدْنٍ

    وكانَتْ قبلُ من نارِ السَّعيرِ

    The lands were turned into Gardens of Eden,

    though formerly they belonged to the blazing fire.

  97. تدبَّرَها فدَبَّرَها برأْيٍ

    محا ظُلُمَاتِها بِضياءِ نورِ

    He pondered them, then governed them with judgment

    that erased their darkness with radiant light.

  98. ومدَّ على الرَّعِيَّةِ ظِلَّ عدلٍ

    وقاهُمْ لَفْحَ أَلسِنَةِ الهجيرِ

    He spread over his subjects a shade of justice

    that shielded them from the scorching tongues of midday heat.

  99. وجدَّل بالسَّعادَةِ مَنْكِبَيْهِ

    فَجَرَّ ذيولَها حِبَرَ الحُبورِ

    He twined happiness about his shoulders,

    and trailed its skirts, rich fabrics of delight.

  100. أَحامِي المُلْكِ بالباعِ المُرامِي

    وراعِي المُلْكِ باللَّحْظِ الغَيُورِ

    O defender of the realm with a far-reaching arm,

    and guardian of the realm with a jealous gaze,

  101. ومَنْ هُوَ ناظرٌ فيه بذهن

    له إِدراكُ أَعقابِ الأُمورِ

    and one who watches over it with a mind

    able to discern the outcomes of affairs:

  102. خدمتُ بخاطرِي عَلْيَاكَ جُهْدِي

    ولم أَخْدُمْ به غَيْرَ الخطيرِ

    with my thought I served your eminence to my utmost,

    and with it I have served none but the illustrious.

  103. وكنتُ متى نظمتُ نظمتُ منه

    لِرَبِّ التَّاجِ أَو ربِّ السَّريرِ

    Whenever I composed, I composed from it

    for the lord of the crown or the lord of the throne.

  104. فدُمْ تطوي العِدَا والسَّعْدُ يَشْدُو

    عليهم لا نُشورَ إِلى النُّشورِ

    May you go on overwhelming foes while good fortune sings

    over them: 'No resurrection until the Resurrection!'