أَمِن رَسمِ دارٍ يُشجيكَ غَربُهُ

أَمِن رَسمِ دارٍ يُشجيكَ غَربُهُ

نَزَحتَ زَكيَّ الدَمعِ إِذ فاضَ غَربُهُ

نَزَحتَ زَكيَّ الدَمعِ إِذ فاضَ غَربُهُ

Is it because of a dwelling’s trace, whose remoteness grieves you,

Is it because of the traces of a dwelling, whose remoteness saddens you,

that you drew forth pure tears when their flood overflowed?

that you drew out pure tears when their torrent overflowed?

عَفا آيَهُ نسجُ الجنوبِ مَعَ الصَبا

عَفا آيَهُ نسجُ الجنوبِ مَعَ الصَبا

وَكُلُّ هَزيم الوَدقِ قَد سالَ غَربُهُ

وَكُلُّ هَزيم الوَدقِ قَد سالَ غَربُهُ

Its signs were effaced by the south wind’s weaving together with the east wind,

The weaving of the south wind with the east wind effaced its signs,

and by every thunderous downpour whose torrent streamed.

as did every thunderous raincloud whose torrent flowed.

بِهِ النَوءُ عَفّى شطرَه فَكَأَنَّهُ

بِهِ النَوءُ عَفّى شطرَه فَكَأَنَّهُ

هِلالٌ خِلالَ الدارِ يَجلُوه غَربُهُ

هِلالٌ خِلالَ الدارِ يَجلُوه غَربُهُ

There the rainstorm obliterated half of it, until it seemed

The rainstorm there erased half of it, so it seemed

a crescent amid the dwelling, burnished by its gleaming edge.

a crescent amid the dwelling, revealed by its edge.

وَقَفتُ بِهِ صَحبي أُسائِلُ رَسمَهُ

وَقَفتُ بِهِ صَحبي أُسائِلُ رَسمَهُ

عَلى مِثلِها وَالجَفنُ يَذرِفُ غَربُهُ

عَلى مِثلِها وَالجَفنُ يَذرِفُ غَربُهُ

I halted my companions there, questioning its trace

I halted my companions there, questioning its traces,

about one like her, while my eyelid shed its flowing tears,

beside one like it, while my eyelid shed its tears,

عَلى طَللٍ يَحكي رُقوماً بِرَسمِهِ

عَلى طَللٍ يَحكي رُقوماً بِرَسمِهِ

بِحاجَةٍ صبٍّ طالَ بِالدارِ غَربُهُ

بِحاجَةٍ صبٍّ طالَ بِالدارِ غَربُهُ

at a ruin whose tracery resembles inscriptions

beside a ruin whose traces resembled inscriptions,

telling the need of a lover whose estrangement from the dwelling has grown long.

with the need of a lover whose ardor at the dwelling had lasted long.

أَقولُ وَقَد أَرسى الفَنا بِعراصِهِ

أَقولُ وَقَد أَرسى الفَنا بِعراصِهِ

وَأَنزَفَ أَهليهِ البِعادُ وَغَربُهُ

وَأَنزَفَ أَهليهِ البِعادُ وَغَربُهُ

I say, now that annihilation has settled in its courtyards

I say, with destruction anchored in its courtyards,

and distance, together with its severity, has exhausted its people:

and separation and its harshness having drained away its people:

سَقى رَبعَك المَعهودَ رَيعانُ عارِضٍ

سَقى رَبعَك المَعهودَ رَيعانُ عارِضٍ

يَسحُّ عَلى سُحمِ الأَثافيّ غَربُهُ

يَسحُّ عَلى سُحمِ الأَثافيّ غَربُهُ

May the first full rush of a passing cloud water your familiar abode,

May a raincloud's fresh abundance water your familiar dwelling,

its torrent pouring upon the blackened hearthstones.

its torrent pouring over the blackened hearthstones.

وَلَيلٍ كَيومِ البَينِ مُلقٍ رواقَهُ

وَلَيلٍ كَيومِ البَينِ مُلقٍ رواقَهُ

عَلَيَّ وَقَد جَلّى الكَواكِب غَربُهُ

عَلَيَّ وَقَد جَلّى الكَواكِب غَربُهُ

And many a night, like the day of parting, spread its pavilion

And a night like the day of parting, casting its canopy

over me, while its darkness brought the stars to light.

over me, its darkness having brought the stars to view.

أُراعي بِهِ زُهرَ النُجومِ سَوابِحاً

أُراعي بِهِ زُهرَ النُجومِ سَوابِحاً

بِبَحرٍ مِنَ الظَلماءِ قَد جاشَ غَربُهُ

بِبَحرٍ مِنَ الظَلماءِ قَد جاشَ غَربُهُ

Through it I watched the bright stars swimming

In it I watch the bright stars swimming

in a sea of darkness whose swell had surged.

in a sea of darkness whose swell has surged.

يُراقِب طَرفي السائِرات كَأَنَّما

يُراقِب طَرفي السائِرات كَأَنَّما

لِطُولِ دوامٍ نيطَ بِالشُهبِ غَربُهُ

لِطُولِ دوامٍ نيطَ بِالشُهبِ غَربُهُ

My gaze kept watch upon the wandering stars, as though

My gaze watches the moving stars, as though

from staring so long its sight had been tethered to the fixed stars.

from watching so long, its keen point were tethered to the bright stars.

ذَكَرتُ بِهِ لُقيا الحَبيبِ وَبَينَنا

ذَكَرتُ بِهِ لُقيا الحَبيبِ وَبَينَنا

أَهاضِيبُ أَعلامِ الحِجازِ وَغَربُهُ

أَهاضِيبُ أَعلامِ الحِجازِ وَغَربُهُ

There I remembered meeting the beloved, though between us lay

In it I remembered meeting the beloved, while between us

the highlands and peaks of the Hijaz, and its western reaches.

stood the heights of the Hijaz's mountains and its western reaches.

فَهاجَ لِيَ التِذكارُ نارَ صَبابَةٍ

فَهاجَ لِيَ التِذكارُ نارَ صَبابَةٍ

لَها الجَفنُ أَضحى يَقذِفُ الدَمعَ غَربُهُ

لَها الجَفنُ أَضحى يَقذِفُ الدَمعَ غَربُهُ

Remembrance then kindled in me a fire of yearning,

Remembrance stirred for me a fire of ardent longing;

for which my eyelid began casting tears in torrents,

because of it, my eyelid's torrent began flinging out tears,

إِلى أَن نَضا كَفُّ الصَباحِ حُسامَهُ

إِلى أَن نَضا كَفُّ الصَباحِ حُسامَهُ

وَأُغمِدَ مِن سَيفِ المَجَرَّةِ غَربُهُ

وَأُغمِدَ مِن سَيفِ المَجَرَّةِ غَربُهُ

until the hand of morning drew its saber

until dawn's hand drew its sharp sword,

and the Milky Way sword’s bright edge was sheathed.

and the edge of the Milky Way's sword was sheathed.

وَوَلَّت نُجومُ اللَيلِ صَرعى كَأَنَّما

وَوَلَّت نُجومُ اللَيلِ صَرعى كَأَنَّما

أُريقَ عَلَيها مِن فَمِ الكَأسِ غَربُهُ

أُريقَ عَلَيها مِن فَمِ الكَأسِ غَربُهُ

The stars of night turned away, fallen like the slain, as though

And night's stars fell back, laid low, as though

a draught from the cup’s mouth had been poured over them.

the cup's wine had been spilled upon them from its mouth.

وَأَقبَل جَيشُ الصُبحِ يُغمِدُ سَيفَه

وَأَقبَل جَيشُ الصُبحِ يُغمِدُ سَيفَه

بِنَحرِ الدُجى وَاللَيلُ يَركُضُ غَربُهُ

بِنَحرِ الدُجى وَاللَيلُ يَركُضُ غَربُهُ

The army of dawn advanced, plunging its sword

The army of dawn advanced, sheathing its sword

into the throat of darkness, while night raced toward the west.

in darkness's throat, while night's darkness galloped away.

وَزَمزَمَ فَوقَ الأَيكِ قَمريُّ بانَةٍ

وَزَمزَمَ فَوقَ الأَيكِ قَمريُّ بانَةٍ

بِرَوضٍ كَفاهُ مِن نَدى السُحب غَربُهُ

بِرَوضٍ كَفاهُ مِن نَدى السُحب غَربُهُ

A ringdove of the moringa tree murmured above the grove

And a turtledove in a ban-tree murmured above the grove,

in a garden amply watered by the clouds’ abundant pour.

in a garden amply supplied by the clouds' outpouring moisture.

فَهَبَّ يُديرُ الراحَ بَدرٌ يَزينُهُ

فَهَبَّ يُديرُ الراحَ بَدرٌ يَزينُهُ

إِذا قامَ يَجلُوها عَلى الشِرب غَربُهُ

إِذا قامَ يَجلُوها عَلى الشِرب غَربُهُ

Then a moon-faced youth sprang up to pass the wine, adorned

Then a full moon sprang up to pass the wine, adorned—

when he rose to show it to the drinkers by his lively grace—

as he stood to display it to the drinkers—by his youthful vigor.

مِنَ الريمِ خوطيُّ القَوام بِثَغرِهِ

مِنَ الريمِ خوطيُّ القَوام بِثَغرِهِ

سَلاسِلُ راحٍ يُبرئ السُقم غَربُهُ

سَلاسِلُ راحٍ يُبرئ السُقم غَربُهُ

a gazelle, reed-supple in stature, at whose mouth

A gazelle, bough-slender in figure; in his mouth

flow chains of wine, its moisture curing sickness;

is smooth-flowing wine; his saliva cures sickness.

بِخَدٍّ أَسيل يَجرح اللبَّ خَدُّه

بِخَدٍّ أَسيل يَجرح اللبَّ خَدُّه

وَطَرفٌ كَحيلٌ يَنفُثُ السِحرَ غَربُهُ

وَطَرفٌ كَحيلٌ يَنفُثُ السِحرَ غَربُهُ

with a smooth cheek whose beauty wounds the mind,

With a smooth cheek—his cheek wounds the heart—

and a kohl-dark eye whose piercing glance breathes magic.

and a kohl-dark eye whose sharp glance breathes magic.

يُريكَ شَبيهَ الدُرِّ مِنهُ مَنضَّداً

يُريكَ شَبيهَ الدُرِّ مِنهُ مَنضَّداً

كَمَنطِقِ داود إِذا صالَ غَربُهُ

كَمَنطِقِ داود إِذا صالَ غَربُهُ

He shows you pearl-like teeth arrayed within it,

He shows you something like pearls from his mouth, neatly arrayed,

like David’s speech when its eloquent power surges forth.

like Dawud's speech when its edge strikes.

فَتىً قَد كَساهُ الفَضلُ ثَوبَ مَهابَةٍ

فَتىً قَد كَساهُ الفَضلُ ثَوبَ مَهابَةٍ

لَها خَصمُهُ قَد نَشَّ بِالفَمِ غَربُهُ

لَها خَصمُهُ قَد نَشَّ بِالفَمِ غَربُهُ

A youth whom virtue has clothed in a robe of awe,

A youth whom excellence has clothed in a robe of awe,

before which his opponent’s saliva has dried in his mouth.

before which his opponent's saliva has dried in his mouth.

إِلَيكَ أَتَت تَفلي الفَلا بَدَوِيَّةٌ

إِلَيكَ أَتَت تَفلي الفَلا بَدَوِيَّةٌ

وَلَم يُنضِها طُولُ المَسير وَغَربُهُ

وَلَم يُنضِها طُولُ المَسير وَغَربُهُ

To you this desert-born ode has come, traversing the wasteland,

To you has come a Bedouin woman, combing the wilderness,

unwearied by the journey’s length or its hardship.

and neither the journey's length nor its rigors have worn her out.

فَيا مَن رَقي هامَ المَعالي وَفِكرَهُ

فَيا مَن رَقي هامَ المَعالي وَفِكرَهُ

لَدى البَحث أَمضى مِن شَبا اللَيثِ غَربُهُ

لَدى البَحث أَمضى مِن شَبا اللَيثِ غَربُهُ

O you who have ascended the summits of lofty honors, whose thought

So, O you who have climbed glory's summits, and whose thought

in inquiry has an edge keener than a lion’s fang:

in inquiry has an edge keener than a lion's claws:

أَرقَّ مِنَ الصَهباءِ فَاِعجَب بَسبيِها

أَرقَّ مِنَ الصَهباءِ فَاِعجَب بَسبيِها

وَأَعذَبُ مِن ثَغرٍ حَوى الشَهدَ غَربُهُ

وَأَعذَبُ مِن ثَغرٍ حَوى الشَهدَ غَربُهُ

more delicate than red wine—marvel at how it captivates—

More delicate than tawny wine—marvel at her power to captivate—

and sweeter than a mouth whose moisture holds honey.

and sweeter than a mouth whose saliva holds honey.

وَلَو عَرَضت يَوماً لِغيلانَ لَم يَكُن

وَلَو عَرَضت يَوماً لِغيلانَ لَم يَكُن

بِأَطلالِ ميٍّ يَغرق الجفنُ غَربُهُ

بِأَطلالِ ميٍّ يَغرق الجفنُ غَربُهُ

Had it one day been presented to Ghaylan,

Had she appeared one day before Ghaylan, never would

his eyelid’s flood would not be drowning Mayy’s ruins.

his torrent of tears have drowned his eyelid at Mayy's ruins.

فَدونَكها لا زالَت تَسمو إِلى العُلا

فَدونَكها لا زالَت تَسمو إِلى العُلا

مَدى الدَهرِ ما صَبَّ سَقي الدار غَربُهُ

مَدى الدَهرِ ما صَبَّ سَقي الدار غَربُهُ

So take it: may it never cease to rise toward the heights

So take her; may she ever rise toward the heights,

for all time, so long as the rain-cloud watering the dwelling pours its torrent,

for all time, while the rain watering the dwelling pours its bucket,

وَما غَرّدت وُرقُ الحَمائِمِ بِالضُحى

وَما غَرّدت وُرقُ الحَمائِمِ بِالضُحى

وَأَشرَق وَجهُ الكَونِ وَاِنجاب غَربُهُ

وَأَشرَق وَجهُ الكَونِ وَاِنجاب غَربُهُ

so long as the gray ringdoves sing at morning

and while gray doves sing at midmorning,

and the face of the world shines as its gloom clears away.

and the world's face shines and its darkness lifts.