مَنَعَ النَومَ ماوِيَ التَهمامُ

مَنَعَ النَومَ ماوِيَ التَهمامُ

وَجَديرٌ بِالهَمِّ مَن لا يَنامُ

وَجَديرٌ بِالهَمِّ مَن لا يَنامُ

Worry has barred sleep, Mawi,

Sleeplessness kept awake by cares

Anxiety, O Mawiyah, has banished sleep,

and he who does not sleep has cause for worry.

And troubles are for him who never sleeps

And worthy of worry is he who cannot sleep.

مَن يَنَم لَيلَهُ فَقَد أُعمِلُ اللَي

مَن يَنَم لَيلَهُ فَقَد أُعمِلُ اللَي

لَ وَذو البَثِّ ساهِرٌ مُستَهامُ

لَ وَذو البَثِّ ساهِرٌ مُستَهامُ

Whoever may sleep his night away, I work through the night,

He who sleeps the night has wasted night

While others sleep the night away, I toil through the dark,

and the grief-stricken man stays awake, love-distraught.

While the anxious remains awake and rapt

The possessor of sorrow is wakeful, distracted by love.

هَل تَرى مِن ظَعائِنٍ باكِراتٍ

هَل تَرى مِن ظَعائِنٍ باكِراتٍ

كَالعَدَولِيِّ سَيرُهُنَّ اِنقِحامُ

كَالعَدَولِيِّ سَيرُهُنَّ اِنقِحامُ

Do you see any women in litters, setting out early?

Can you see the young she-camels rising early

Do you see the ladies in litters departing at dawn,

Like an Adulian ship, their progress is a headlong surge.

Marching like warriors in hasty stride

Like large ships, their movement is a plunging rush?

واكِناتٍ يَقضَمنَ مِن قُضُبِ الضُر

واكِناتٍ يَقضَمنَ مِن قُضُبِ الضُر

مِ كِالعَدَولِيِّ سَيرُهُنَّ اِنقِحامُ

مِ كِالعَدَولِيِّ سَيرُهُنَّ اِنقِحامُ

Seated, they nibble sprigs of lavender,

Chewing the dry desert growth

Sitting safely, nibbling on the branches of the Dharm tree,

like an Adulian ship, their progress is a headlong surge.

Marching like warriors in hasty stride

Like large ships, their movement is a plunging rush.

وَسَبَّتني بِناتُ نَخلَةَ لَو كُن

وَسَبَّتني بِناتُ نَخلَةَ لَو كُن

تُ قَريباً أَلَمَّ بي إِلمامُ

تُ قَريباً أَلَمَّ بي إِلمامُ

And the daughters of Nakhla captivated me; had I been

And the palm-tree girls taunted me, if only

The daughters of Nakhlah captivated me; had I been

near, something would have come over me.

They were near, cares would afflict me

Nearer, a brief visit would have befallen me.

يَكتَبينَ اليَنجوجَ في كَبَّةِ المَش

يَكتَبينَ اليَنجوجَ في كَبَّةِ المَش

تى وَبُلهٌ أَحلامُهُنَّ وَسامُ

تى وَبُلهٌ أَحلامُهُنَّ وَسامُ

They perfume themselves with aloeswood in deepest winter,

Writing love messages in scent bags

They scent themselves with aloe-wood in the dead of winter,

guileless in mind and beautiful.

Their dreams are confused and intertwined

Simple and carefree, their dreams are fair and pleasant.

وَيَصُنَّ الوُجوهَ في المَيسَنانِي

وَيَصُنَّ الوُجوهَ في المَيسَنانِي

يِ كَما صانَ قَرنَ شَمسٍ غَمامُ

يِ كَما صانَ قَرنَ شَمسٍ غَمامُ

And they veil their faces in Maysan cloth,

They guard their faces behind the veils

They guard their faces in mirrors of Maysan,

as a cloud veils the sun's rim.

As though a cloud guards the radiant sun

As a cloud guards the horn of the sun.

وَتَراهُنَّ في الهَوادِجِ كَالغِز

وَتَراهُنَّ في الهَوادِجِ كَالغِز

لانِ ما إِن يَنالُهُنَّ السِهامُ

لانِ ما إِن يَنالُهُنَّ السِهامُ

And you see them in the howdahs like gazelles,

You’d think them does in the litters

You see them inside the howdahs like gazelles,

which arrows cannot reach.

Safe from the arrows that fly all around

Whom arrows can never reach or harm.

نَخَلاتٌ مِن نَخلِ بَيسانَ أَينَع

نَخَلاتٌ مِن نَخلِ بَيسانَ أَينَع

نَ جَميعاً وَنَبتُهُنَّ تُؤامُ

نَ جَميعاً وَنَبتُهُنَّ تُؤامُ

Palms from the palms of Baysan, ripened

Palm trees of Baysan, fully ripened

Like palm trees of Baysan, ripened

all together, their shoots twins.

Growing together, supported and erect

All together, their growth like twins.

وَتَدَلَّت عَلى مَناهِلِ بُردٍ

وَتَدَلَّت عَلى مَناهِلِ بُردٍ

وَفُلَيجٌ ومِن دونِها وَسَنامُ

وَفُلَيجٌ ومِن دونِها وَسَنامُ

And they descended to the watering places of Burd,

Their clusters hang over springs of cool water,

They leaned over the watering places of Burd,

and Fulayj, with Sanam on this side of them.

Little meadows, behind them rocky hills

With Fulayj and Sanam lying beyond them.

وَأَتاني تَقحيمُ كَعبٍ لِيَ المَن

وَأَتاني تَقحيمُ كَعبٍ لِيَ المَن

طِقَ إِنَّ النَكيثَةَ الإِقحامُ

طِقَ إِنَّ النَكيثَةَ الإِقحامُ

And I heard of Ka'b's forcing me into speech:

And Ka’b came plodding heavily to tell me:

Word reached me of Ka'b’s intrusion into my speech;

indeed, utmost exertion is plunging headlong

“Strange times! Rush headstrong into the fray!

Indeed, breaking ties is a plunging into ruin.

في نِظامٍ ما كُنتُ فيهِ فَلا يَح

في نِظامٍ ما كُنتُ فيهِ فَلا يَح

زُنكَ شَيءٌ لِكُلِّ حَسناءَ ذامُ

زُنكَ شَيءٌ لِكُلِّ حَسناءَ ذامُ

into a composition I had no part in; let nothing

Though you acted not by the rules, let nothing

Regarding a matter I was not part of; so let nothing grieve you,

grieve you—every beauty has a faultfinder.

Grieve you, for every beauty has her defect.”

For every beautiful woman has some flaw.

وَلَقَد رابَني اِبنُ عَمِّيَ كَعبٌ

وَلَقَد رابَني اِبنُ عَمِّيَ كَعبٌ

أَنَّهُ قَد يَرومُ ما لا يُرامُ

أَنَّهُ قَد يَرومُ ما لا يُرامُ

And my cousin Ka'b has indeed made me uneasy:

Indeed, I was troubled that my cousin Ka’b

My cousin Ka'b has truly disquieted me,

he may seek what cannot be sought.

Seemed set on what should never be attempted,

In that he seeks what cannot be sought.

غَيرَ ذَنبٍ بَنى كِنانَةَ إِنّي

غَيرَ ذَنبٍ بَنى كِنانَةَ إِنّي

إِن أُفارِق فَإِنَّني مِجذامُ

إِن أُفارِق فَإِنَّني مِجذامُ

Without any offense, sons of Kinana: I,

No crime of ours, O clan of Kinanah, rather

Without any sin committed, O Bani Kinanah,

if I part, am one who severs ties completely.

I, if we part, will be torn to pieces,

If I depart, I cut ties completely.

لا أَعُدُّ الإِقتارَ عُدماً وَلَكِن

لا أَعُدُّ الإِقتارَ عُدماً وَلَكِن

فَقدُ مَن قَد رُزِئتُهُ الإِعدامُ

فَقدُ مَن قَد رُزِئتُهُ الإِعدامُ

I do not count straitened means as destitution; rather,

I do not count loss of contact a loss, but

I do not count material poverty as true lack,

losing those I have been bereaved of is destitution.

I have lost one whose loss is utter destruction,

But the loss of those I have lost is the true destitution.

مِن رِجالٍ مِنَ الأَقارِبِ فادوا

مِن رِجالٍ مِنَ الأَقارِبِ فادوا

مِن حُذاقِ هُمُ الرُؤوسُ العِظامُ

مِن حُذاقِ هُمُ الرُؤوسُ العِظامُ

Men among my kinsmen who have died,

One of the champions of his tribe, who were

Of kinsmen who have passed away,

of Hudhaq—they were the mighty chieftains.

As pillars, white-faced heroes of great deeds,

From the skilled ones, the great leaders.

فَهُمُ لِلمُلائِمينَ أَناةٌ

فَهُمُ لِلمُلائِمينَ أَناةٌ

وَعُرامٌ إِذا يُرادُ العُرامُ

وَعُرامٌ إِذا يُرادُ العُرامُ

So toward the friendly they are forbearance,

Clement to those whose ways pleased them,

To the meek, they are forbearance,

and fierceness when fierceness is called for.

But raging lions when rage was required,

And fierceness when fierceness is required.

وَسَماحٌ لَدى السِنينَ إِذا ما

وَسَماحٌ لَدى السِنينَ إِذا ما

قَحَطَ القَطرُ وَاِستَقَلَّ الرِهامُ

قَحَطَ القَطرُ وَاِستَقَلَّ الرِهامُ

and generosity in lean years, when

Generous in the days of famine when rain was

And generosity during the famine years, when

rain fails and the light showers grow scant.

Scarce and the bows gave little protection,

The rain dries up and the drizzles are scant.

وَرِجالٌ أًَبوهُم وَأَبى عَم

وَرِجالٌ أًَبوهُم وَأَبى عَم

رٌو وَكَعبٌ بيضُ الوُجوهِ جِسامُ

رٌو وَكَعبٌ بيضُ الوُجوهِ جِسامُ

And men—their father and my father, Amr—

Men whose fathers were Aws and Abd Amr,

Men whose father—and my father Amr,

and Ka'b, bright-faced and large of frame.

And Ka’b, fair-faced and strongly-built,

And Ka'b—were white-faced, noble, and great.

وَشَبابٌ كَأَنَّهُم أُسدُ غيلٍ

وَشَبابٌ كَأَنَّهُم أُسدُ غيلٍ

خالَطَت فَرطَ حَدِّهِم أَحلامُ

خالَطَت فَرطَ حَدِّهِم أَحلامُ

And youths like lions of the thicket,

Young men like roaring lions in the hunt

And youths like lions of the thicket,

whose fierce excess has mingled with sound judgment.

Whose keenness was confused with foolish dreams,

Whose sharp edge is tempered by wisdom.

وَكُهولٌ بَنى لَهُم أَوَّلوهُم

وَكُهولٌ بَنى لَهُم أَوَّلوهُم

مَأَثُراتٍ يَهابُها الأَقوامُ

مَأَثُراتٍ يَهابُها الأَقوامُ

And mature men whose forebears built for them

And mature men who by their deeds had built

And elders for whom their ancestors built

deeds of renown that peoples hold in awe.

Great glories that made other clans afraid,

Glories that nations regard with awe.

سُلِّطَ الدَهرُ وَالمَنونُ عَلَيهِم

سُلِّطَ الدَهرُ وَالمَنونُ عَلَيهِم

فَلَهُم في صَدى المَقابِرِ هامُ

فَلَهُم في صَدى المَقابِرِ هامُ

Time and death were unleashed upon them,

Time and fate have power over them

Time and Fate were given power over them,

and their skulls lie amid the echoes of the graves.

And the echoing tombs are filled with their dust,

So now in the echo of graves, they are but skulls.

وَكَذاكُم مَصيرُ كُلِّ أُناسٍ

وَكَذاكُم مَصيرُ كُلِّ أُناسٍ

سَوفَ حَقّاً تُبليهِمُ الأَيّامُ

سَوفَ حَقّاً تُبليهِمُ الأَيّامُ

And such is the fate of every people:

Such is the end of all mankind

And such is the destiny of all people;

the days will surely wear them away.

That days will surely bring to ruin,

Truly, the days will wear them all away.

فَعَلى إِثرِهُم تَساقَطُ نَفسي

فَعَلى إِثرِهُم تَساقَطُ نَفسي

حَسَراتٍ وَذِكرُهُم لي سَقامُ

حَسَراتٍ وَذِكرُهُم لي سَقامُ

So in their wake my soul falls apart

And in their wake, my soul falls

Following their trail, my soul falls away

in anguish, and their memory is sickness to me.

In sorrow, remembering is my sickness,

In regrets, and their memory is my sickness.

إِبِلي الإِبلُ لا يُحَوِّزُها الرا

إِبِلي الإِبلُ لا يُحَوِّزُها الرا

عونَ مَجُّ النَدى عَلَيها المُدامُ

عونَ مَجُّ النَدى عَلَيها المُدامُ

My camels are true camels; no herdsmen drive them together.

My she-camels stride proudly, scornful of all

My camels are true camels; the herdsmen do not drive them back,

The constant rain pours dew upon them.

The meadows pour showers on them continuously,

The pure dew upon them is like wine.

وَتَدَلَّت بِها المَغارِضُ فَوقَ ال

وَتَدَلَّت بِها المَغارِضُ فَوقَ ال

أَرضِ ما إِن تُقِلُّهُنَّ العِظامُ

أَرضِ ما إِن تُقِلُّهُنَّ العِظامُ

And their bellies hang low above the

With swaying humps looming over the land,

Their girth-places hang low above the earth,

ground; their bones cannot bear them.

Bones do not diminish their massive frames,

The bones can barely support their bulk.

سَمِنَت فَاِستَحَشَّ أَكرُعُها لا الن

سَمِنَت فَاِستَحَشَّ أَكرُعُها لا الن

نَيُّ نَيٌّ وَلا السَنامُ سَنامُ

نَيُّ نَيٌّ وَلا السَنامُ سَنامُ

They have fattened, their shanks grown straw-thin; neither their fat

Now fat, their gelded rams outpacing riders,

They grew fat until their shanks became clumsy;

is common fat, nor their hump a common hump.

Not tired out, nor worn by saddle or rein,

Neither is the fat mere fat, nor the hump a mere hump.

فَإِذا أَقبَلَت تَقولُ إِكامٌ

فَإِذا أَقبَلَت تَقولُ إِكامٌ

مُشرِفاتٌ فَوقَ الإِكامِ إِكامُ

مُشرِفاتٌ فَوقَ الإِكامِ إِكامُ

Then when they approach, you say: hills,

Approaching they seem to say “Press on!”,

When they approach, you say: Hills

towering high—hills above hills.

Uphill, press on! And press on!

Looming high above other hills.

وَإِذا أَعرَضَت تَقولُ قُصورٌ

وَإِذا أَعرَضَت تَقولُ قُصورٌ

مِن سَماهيجَ فَوقَها آطامُ

مِن سَماهيجَ فَوقَها آطامُ

And when they turn broadside, you say: palaces

Departing they seem to say “Encampments!”,

And when they turn sideways, you say: Palaces

of Samahij, with fortified towers above them.

Tent walls appear over which rise tent poles,

Of Samahij, topped with fortresses.

وَإِذا ما فَجِئتَها بِطنَ غَيبٍ

وَإِذا ما فَجِئتَها بِطنَ غَيبٍ

قُلتَ نَخلٌ قَد حانَ مِنها صِرامُ

قُلتَ نَخلٌ قَد حانَ مِنها صِرامُ

And when you chance upon them in a hidden hollow,

And when you surprise them in a hidden dale,

And if you come upon them suddenly in a hidden valley,

you say: palms whose harvest time has come.

You’d say “Palms which the East wind makes tremble!”

You say: Palm trees whose harvest time has come.

وَهيَ كَالبَيضِ في الأَداحِيِّ ما يو

وَهيَ كَالبَيضِ في الأَداحِيِّ ما يو

هَبُ مِنها لِمُستَتِمٍّ عِصامُ

هَبُ مِنها لِمُستَتِمٍّ عِصامُ

And they are like eggs in ostrich nests; not

They are like white eggs in the sand grouse nests,

They are like eggs in ostrich nests; not a single strap

a strap from them is given to one seeking a supplement,

From which the stooping picker gathers nothing,

Is given from them to one seeking completion.

غَيرَ ما طَيَّرَت بِأَوبارِها القَف

غَيرَ ما طَيَّرَت بِأَوبارِها القَف

رَةُ في حَيثُ يَستَهِلُّ الغَمامُ

رَةُ في حَيثُ يَستَهِلُّ الغَمامُ

save what the wilderness has scattered of their hair,

Save what their flapping startled from the low scrub

Except for what the desolate land blew from their fur,

where the clouds pour rain.

Where first the clouds begin to gather,

To where the clouds pour down rain.

فَهيَ ما إِن تُبينُ مِن سَلَفٍ أَر

فَهيَ ما إِن تُبينُ مِن سَلَفٍ أَر

عَنَ طَودٍ لِسِربِهِ قُدّامُ

عَنَ طَودٍ لِسِربِهِ قُدّامُ

So they cannot be distinguished from an advancing host,

They show no weakness though long without water,

They do not stray from the van of a vast army,

a rugged mountain, foremost before its troop,

A herd whose leader suffers no straying,

Like a mountain, leading its herd forward.

مُكفَهِرٍّ عَلى حَواجِبِهِ يَغ

مُكفَهِرٍّ عَلى حَواجِبِهِ يَغ

رَقُ في جَمعِهِ الخَميسُ اللُهامُ

رَقُ في جَمعِهِ الخَميسُ اللُهامُ

grim across its brows; drowned

His brow is frowning darkly, and Thursday’s

Dark and grim on its edges, wherein

in its mass is the vast, devouring army.

Assembly is blest by him when all gather,

The massive army drowns in its multitude.

فارسٌ طارِدٌ وَمُلتَقِطٌ بَي

فارسٌ طارِدٌ وَمُلتَقِطٌ بَي

ضاً وَخَيلٌ تَعدو وَأُخرى صِيامُ

ضاً وَخَيلٌ تَعدو وَأُخرى صِيامُ

A horseman chasing game, and a gatherer of eggs,

A horseman pursuing, another gathering strays,

A knight pursuing, and one gathering spoils,

and horses running, with others standing still.

Horses galloping, others calmly grazing,

And horses galloping, while others stand still.

قَد بَراهُنَّ غِرَّةُ الصَيدِ وَالإِع

قَد بَراهُنَّ غِرَّةُ الصَيدِ وَالإِع

داءُ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُنَّ جِلامُ

داءُ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُنَّ جِلامُ

Catching game unawares and hard galloping have worn them lean,

The thrill of the hunt and the foe excited them

The pursuit of game and constant galloping has worn them thin,

until they seem like hard stones.

Till they were like a closely-knit necklace,

Until they look like blades.

قَد تَصَعلَكنَ في الرَبيعِ وَقَد قَر

قَد تَصَعلَكنَ في الرَبيعِ وَقَد قَر

رَعَ جِلدَ الفَرائِضِ الأَقدامُ

رَعَ جِلدَ الفَرائِضِ الأَقدامُ

They have grown lean in spring, and already

They cavorted in springtime, and soon got used to

They became lean in the spring, and indeed

feet have battered the skin over their shoulder muscles.

Breaking the rules and exceeding the limits,

The hooves have struck the skin of the legs.

جاذِياتٌ عَلى السَنابِكِ قَد أَف

جاذِياتٌ عَلى السَنابِكِ قَد أَف

زَعَهُنَّ الإِسراجُ وَالإِلجامُ

زَعَهُنَّ الإِسراجُ وَالإِلجامُ

Poised upon their hoof-tips, they have been startled

Racing past dwellings, startled by lanterns,

Standing poised upon their hooves,

by saddling and bridling.

Frightened by saddles and reins pulling at them,

Terrified by the saddling and the bridling.

لَجِبٌ تُسمَعُ الصَواهِلُ فيهِ

لَجِبٌ تُسمَعُ الصَواهِلُ فيهِ

وَحَنينُ اللِقاحِ وَالإِرزامُ

وَحَنينُ اللِقاحِ وَالإِرزامُ

A clamorous throng in which neighing is heard,

A barren land, yet the stallions' neighing echoes,

A clamorous army, wherein neighing is heard,

and the moans of milch camels and their rumbling cries,

As does the mating call and the females’ answering,

And the yearning of camels, and the lowing.

بِعُرىً دونَها وَتُقرَنُ بِالقَي

بِعُرىً دونَها وَتُقرَنُ بِالقَي

ظِ وَقَد دَلَّهُ الرِباعَ البُغامُ

ظِ وَقَد دَلَّهُ الرِباعَ البُغامُ

with tethers before them; they are coupled in summer

Its expanse bounded only by mirage

With ropes keeping them close, and coupled in the heat,

heat, and the lowing has bewildered the spring-born calves.

Where the high dunes curve away from the viewer,

While their young are distracted by the mothers' cry.