أَمِن أُمِّ سُفيانَ طَيفٌ سَرى

أَمِن أُمِّ سُفيانَ طَيفٌ سَرى

هُدُوّاً فَأَرَّقَ قَلباً قَريحا

هُدُوّاً فَأَرَّقَ قَلباً قَريحا

Was it a phantom from Umm Sufyān that came by night,

Is it from Umm Sufyan a spirit passed by,

in the stillness, and left a wounded heart sleepless?

Gently, so it disturbed a sensitive heart?

عَصاني الفُؤادُ فَأَسلَمتُهُ

عَصاني الفُؤادُ فَأَسلَمتُهُ

وَلَم أَكُ مِمّا عَناهُ ضَريحا

وَلَم أَكُ مِمّا عَناهُ ضَريحا

My heart defied me, so I abandoned it,

My heart resisted, but I surrendered it,

and I was not far removed from what afflicted it.

And was not of what pained it healed.

وَقَد كُنتُ أَغبِطُهُ أَن يَري

وَقَد كُنتُ أَغبِطُهُ أَن يَري

عَ مِن نَحوِهِنَّ سَليماً صَحيحا

عَ مِن نَحوِهِنَّ سَليماً صَحيحا

I had envied it for returning

I used to congratulate him that he sees

from their direction, safe and sound.

From their like safe and sound.

رَأَيتُ وَأَهلي بِوادي الرَجيـ

رَأَيتُ وَأَهلي بِوادي الرَجيـ

ـعِ في أَرضِ قَيلَةَ بَرقاً مُليحا

ـعِ في أَرضِ قَيلَةَ بَرقاً مُليحا

I saw, while my family were in the valley of al-Rajīʿ,

I saw - and my family in Wadi ar-Raji’

in Qayla's land, a lovely flash of lightning,

In the land of Qailah - lightning, very fine,

يُضيءُ رَباباً كَدُهمِ المَخا

يُضيءُ رَباباً كَدُهمِ المَخا

ضِ جُلِّلنَ فَوقَ الوَلايا الوَليحا

ضِ جُلِّلنَ فَوقَ الوَلايا الوَليحا

lighting low clouds like dark pregnant she-camels,

Illuminating maidens whose braids

draped in felt coverings over their saddlecloths.

Were crowned above headbands most elegant.

كَأَنَّ مَصاعيبَ غُلبَ الرِقا

كَأَنَّ مَصاعيبَ غُلبَ الرِقا

بِ في دارِ صِرمٍ تَلاقى مُريحا

بِ في دارِ صِرمٍ تَلاقى مُريحا

It was as though untamed, thick-necked camels,

As if the shoulder-bones of camels subdued by travel

meeting an evening herdsman in a nomad band's camp,

In the land of Sirm had come together pleasingly.

تَغَذَّمنَ في جانِبَيهِ الخَبيـ

تَغَذَّمنَ في جانِبَيهِ الخَبيـ

ـرِ لَمّا وَهى خَرجُهُ وَاِستُبيحا

ـرِ لَمّا وَهى خَرجُهُ وَاِستُبيحا

tore at the green herbage along its sides,

They took shelter on its two sides

when its rain-store gave way and was laid open.

When it went out and the rain was sought.

وَهى خَرجُهُ وَاِستُجيلَ الرَبا

وَهى خَرجُهُ وَاِستُجيلَ الرَبا

بُ عَنهُ وَغُرِّمَ ماءً صَريحا

بُ عَنهُ وَغُرِّمَ ماءً صَريحا

Its rain-store gave way; the low clouds were swept

Thrice it went out and the clouds poured forth

away from it, and it was made to pay out pure water

And the child gathered in it welling drops.

ثَلاثا فَلَمّا اِستُجيلَ الجَها

ثَلاثا فَلَمّا اِستُجيلَ الجَها

مُ وَاِستَجمَعَ الطِفلُ مِنهُ رُشوحا

مُ وَاِستَجمَعَ الطِفلُ مِنهُ رُشوحا

for three nights; then, when the rainless cloud was swept away,

The ostriches circled it but did not recognize

and the young cloud gathered dripping rain from it,

Other than ostriches from Syria.

مَرَتهُ النُعامى فَلَم يَعتَرِف

مَرَتهُ النُعامى فَلَم يَعتَرِف

خِلافَ النُعامى مِنَ الشامِ ريحا

خِلافَ النُعامى مِنَ الشامِ ريحا

the Naʿāmā wind milked it, and it knew no

So it descended from sorrow which forgives

wind from al-Shām opposing the Naʿāmā.

And the birds clustered until they shrieked.

فَحَطَّ مِنَ الحُزَنِ المُغفِرا

فَحَطَّ مِنَ الحُزَنِ المُغفِرا

تِ وَالطَيرُ تَلثَقُ حَتّى تَصيحا

تِ وَالطَيرُ تَلثَقُ حَتّى تَصيحا

So it drove the does with young down from the rugged uplands,

As if the gazelles, the women’s bosoms,

while the birds grew wet and muddy until they cried out.

Were floating above its streams breast-high.

كَأَنَّ الظِباءَ كُشوحُ النِسا

كَأَنَّ الظِباءَ كُشوحُ النِسا

ءِ يَطفونَ فَوقَ ذُراهُ جُنوحا

ءِ يَطفونَ فَوقَ ذُراهُ جُنوحا

The gazelles looked like women's flanks,

So whether you come to abandon me

floating sideways above its crests.

And seek another in my stead

فَإِمّا يَحينَنَّ أَن تَهجُري

فَإِمّا يَحينَنَّ أَن تَهجُري

وَتَستَبدِلي خَلَفاً أَو نَصيحا

وَتَستَبدِلي خَلَفاً أَو نَصيحا

So if the time should indeed come for you to forsake me,

Or whether you come to abandon me

and take a replacement or a faithful friend,

And your recalcitrance has been complete

وَإِمّا يَحينَنَّ أَن تَهجُري

وَإِمّا يَحينَنَّ أَن تَهجُري

وَتَنأَى نَواكِ وَكانَت طَروحا

وَتَنأَى نَواكِ وَكانَت طَروحا

or if the time should indeed come for you to forsake me,

The son of Turayna, when I come to you

and your destination grows distant, already far-flung,

I see him disputing an odious argument

فَإِنَّ اِبنَ تُرنى إِذا جِئتُكُم

فَإِنَّ اِبنَ تُرنى إِذا جِئتُكُم

أَراهُ يُدافِعُ قَولاً بَريحا

أَراهُ يُدافِعُ قَولاً بَريحا

then Ibn Turnā, when I come to you,

A friend of truth, like a lion of valor

I see him fending off grievous words.

Rises in battle a glorious rising

فَصاحِبَ صِدقٍ كِسيدِ الضَرا

فَصاحِبَ صِدقٍ كِسيدِ الضَرا

ءِ يَنهَضُ في الغَزوِ نَهضاً نَجيحا

ءِ يَنهَضُ في الغَزوِ نَهضاً نَجيحا

And a true companion, like a wolf of the thicket,

Swift, long-striding, lofty,

sets out on raids with a successful stride:

Wrestling or frolicking with it.

وَشيكَ الفُصولِ بَعيدَ القُفو

وَشيكَ الفُصولِ بَعيدَ القُفو

لِ إِلّا مُشاحاً بِهِ أَو مُشيحا

لِ إِلّا مُشاحاً بِهِ أَو مُشيحا

swift to depart, long in returning,

The raiders march, and before they march,

unless hard pressed, or himself pressing on.

Gird up their flowing robes.

تَريعُ الغُزاةُ وَما إِن يَريـ

تَريعُ الغُزاةُ وَما إِن يَريـ

ـعُ مُضطَمِراً طُرَّتاهُ طَليحا

ـعُ مُضطَمِراً طُرَّتاهُ طَليحا

The raiders turn back, but he does not turn back,

Like the sword of al-Muradi, no coward,

though wasted in both flanks and weary.

Niggardly, or ugly weakling.

كَسَيفِ المُرادِيِّ لا ناكِلاً

كَسَيفِ المُرادِيِّ لا ناكِلاً

جَباناً وَلا جَيدَرِيّاً قَبيحا

جَباناً وَلا جَيدَرِيّاً قَبيحا

Like the Murādī's sword, neither shrinking

He left for you from his body

in cowardice, nor squat and ugly.

The strikes of a master and a radiant face.

قَدَ أَبقى لَكِ الأَينُ مِن جِسمِهِ

قَدَ أَبقى لَكِ الأَينُ مِن جِسمِهِ

نَواشِرَ سيدٍ وَوَجهاً صَبيحا

نَواشِرَ سيدٍ وَوَجهاً صَبيحا

Toil has left you, of his body,

I mounted searching for his mount,

a wolf's sinews and a handsome face.

So I walked to the beloved returning-place.

أَرِبتُ لِإِربَتِهِ فَاِنطَلَقـ

أَرِبتُ لِإِربَتِهِ فَاِنطَلَقـ

ـتُ أُزجي لِحُبِّ الإيابِ السَنيحا

ـتُ أُزجي لِحُبِّ الإيابِ السَنيحا

I took thought for his need and set out,

On roads like the necks of water-skins -

urging on the rightward-crossing game, for love of homecoming,

You would think their twists and bends castles.

عَلى طُرُقٍ كَنُحورِ الرِكا

عَلى طُرُقٍ كَنُحورِ الرِكا

بِ تَحسَبُ آرامَهُنَّ الصُروحا

بِ تَحسَبُ آرامَهُنَّ الصُروحا

along paths like the throats of riding-camels,

On them ostriches the men built

whose cairns you would think were lofty buildings.

Leaving in them ample game.

بِهِنَّ نَعامٌ بَناها الرِجا

بِهِنَّ نَعامٌ بَناها الرِجا

لُ تُبقي النَفائِضُ فيها السَريحا

لُ تُبقي النَفائِضُ فيها السَريحا

On them stand ostrich-like landmarks built by men;

the scouts leave sandal-straps there.