أَما إِنَّهُ رَبعُ الصِبا وَمَعالِمُه

أَما إِنَّهُ رَبعُ الصِبا وَمَعالِمُه

فَلا عُذرَ إِن لَم يُنفِذِ الدَمعَ ساجِمُه

فَلا عُذرَ إِن لَم يُنفِذِ الدَمعَ ساجِمُه

Behold, this is youth’s dwelling and its landmarks.

Though it be but the youth of spring with all its tokens clear,

No excuse, then, if the weeper does not exhaust his tears.

My streaming tears excuse who sheds them without fear or peer.

لَئِن بِتَّ تَبكيهِ خَلاءً فَطالَما

لَئِن بِتَّ تَبكيهِ خَلاءً فَطالَما

نَعِمتَ بِهِ دَهراً وَفيهِ نَواعِمُه

نَعِمتَ بِهِ دَهراً وَفيهِ نَواعِمُه

Though you spent the night weeping over it, deserted, how often

Long I enjoyed it, though alone I weep its pure fresh air,

you delighted there for an age, with its delicate beauties within.

Its gentle zephyrs are but lovers' sighs that joy and care.

رِياحٌ عَفَتهُ وَهيَ أَنفاسُ عاشِقٍ

رِياحٌ عَفَتهُ وَهيَ أَنفاسُ عاشِقٍ

وَوَبلٌ سَقاهُ وَالجُفونُ غَمائِمُه

وَوَبلٌ سَقاهُ وَالجُفونُ غَمائِمُه

Winds effaced it, and they are a lover’s breaths;

The clouds its showers gave to soak me, and its shades my lids

and a downpour watered it, with eyelids for its clouds.

Like darkness cloaked my love, for who will right the wrong amidst the judge and jury's lies?

وَظَلّامَةٍ قَلَّدتُها حُكمَ مُهجَتي

وَظَلّامَةٍ قَلَّدتُها حُكمَ مُهجَتي

وَمَن يُنصِفُ المَظلومَ وَالخَصمُ حاكِمُه

وَمَن يُنصِفُ المَظلومَ وَالخَصمُ حاكِمُه

And a cruel woman I entrusted with dominion over my heart—

With every grief its cheek is dyed, each tear leaves a mark;

and who grants justice to the wronged when his adversary is his judge?

My companion and I crossed its nights whose sharp sword cleaves and sparks.

مَهاةٌ لَها مِن كُلِّ وَجدٍ مَصونُهُ

مَهاةٌ لَها مِن كُلِّ وَجدٍ مَصونُهُ

وَخَودٌ لَها مِن كُلِّ دَمعٍ كَرائِمُه

وَخَودٌ لَها مِن كُلِّ دَمعٍ كَرائِمُه

An oryx, hers the treasured part of every longing,

The empty wilderness feeds on me whether it be plain or hill,

and a tender maiden, hers the choicest of all tears.

The antelope, wild cows and fawns my company and comfort still.

وَلَيلٍ كَفَرعَيها قَطَعتُ وَصاحِبي

وَلَيلٍ كَفَرعَيها قَطَعتُ وَصاحِبي

رَقيقُ غِرارٍ مِخذَمُ الحَدِّ صارِمُه

رَقيقُ غِرارٍ مِخذَمُ الحَدِّ صارِمُه

And a night like her two tresses I traversed, my companion

What parts of God's creation have my camel's feet not trod?

a slender-bladed, keen-edged sword that cleaves it.

But we are folk whom God knows well, when Fortune scowls we bear her rod.

تَغُذُّ بِيَ القَفرَ الفَضاءَ شِمِلَّةٌ

تَغُذُّ بِيَ القَفرَ الفَضاءَ شِمِلَّةٌ

سَواءٌ عَلَيها نَجدُهُ وَتَهائِمُه

سَواءٌ عَلَيها نَجدُهُ وَتَهائِمُه

A swift she-camel speeds me through the open wilderness;

Our newborns are but marked by sword, white parchment is their badge,

its highlands and lowlands are alike to her.

Would that these lines to cousin spoke what in my heart is hedged!

تُصاحِبُني آرامُهُ وَظِباؤُهُ

تُصاحِبُني آرامُهُ وَظِباؤُهُ

وَتُؤنِسُني أَصلالُهُ وَأَراقِمُه

وَتُؤنِسُني أَصلالُهُ وَأَراقِمُه

Its white antelopes and its gazelles accompany me,

To him who spurned me, no spite I fear, though critics rail and chide.

and its venomous snakes and speckled serpents comfort me.

Such is my fate and lot mid men who sore afflict me though I them deride.

وَأَيُّ بِلادِ اللَهِ لَم أَنتَقِل بِها

وَأَيُّ بِلادِ اللَهِ لَم أَنتَقِل بِها

وَلا وَطِئَتها مِن بَعيري مَناسِمُه

وَلا وَطِئَتها مِن بَعيري مَناسِمُه

And what land of God have I not journeyed through,

If longing for thee burns my heart, a youth will yearn though treated cruel andwrong.

and which have my camel’s footpads not trodden?

I love thee with a lasting love, time, distance and estrangement render it not unsound or weak,

وَنَحنُ أُناسٌ يَعلَمُ اللَهُ أَنَّنا

وَنَحنُ أُناسٌ يَعلَمُ اللَهُ أَنَّنا

إِذا جَمَحَ الدَهرُ الغَشومُ شَكائِمُه

إِذا جَمَحَ الدَهرُ الغَشومُ شَكائِمُه

And we are a people—God knows that we,

Thou art a friend whose troth fails not, his generous deeds none can sum,

when ruthless Time bolts, are its bridle-bits.

I hold by kinship's root and branch and on it all foundations plumb,

إِذا وُلِدَ المَولودُ مِنّا فَإِنَّما ال

إِذا وُلِدَ المَولودُ مِنّا فَإِنَّما ال

أَسِنَّةُ وَالبيضُ الرِقاقُ تَمائِمُه

أَسِنَّةُ وَالبيضُ الرِقاقُ تَمائِمُه

When a child is born among us, only the

A brother of the sword whom use makes smoke the blade and bend the hilt many feat and victory won by him when straight and keen the steel he tilt.

spearheads and slender, white swords are his amulets.

Hast charge to cry against me? Let the past rest unrevealed

أَلا مُبلِغٌ عَنّي اِبنَ عَمّي أَلوكَةً

أَلا مُبلِغٌ عَنّي اِبنَ عَمّي أَلوكَةً

بَثَثتُ بِها بَعضَ الَّذي أَنا كاتِمُه

بَثَثتُ بِها بَعضَ الَّذي أَنا كاتِمُه

Will someone carry to my cousin a message from me,

And friendship's mansion rebuilt be though late you laid its stones and field

in which I have disclosed some of what I conceal?

أَيا جافِياً ماكُنتُ أَخشى جَفاءَهُ

أَيا جافِياً ماكُنتُ أَخشى جَفاءَهُ

وَإِن كَثُرَت عُذّالُهُ وَلَوائِمُه

وَإِن كَثُرَت عُذّالُهُ وَلَوائِمُه

O aloof one, whose coldness I had never feared,

though his rebukers and reproachers were many.

كَذَلِكَ حَظّي مِن زَماني وَأَهلِهِ

كَذَلِكَ حَظّي مِن زَماني وَأَهلِهِ

يُصارِمُني الخِلُّ الَّذي لا أُصارِمُه

يُصارِمُني الخِلُّ الَّذي لا أُصارِمُه

Such is my lot with my time and its people:

the intimate friend whom I do not forsake forsakes me.

وَإِن كُنتُ مُشتاقاً إِلَيكَ فَإِنَّهُ

وَإِن كُنتُ مُشتاقاً إِلَيكَ فَإِنَّهُ

لَيَشتاقُ صَبٌّ إِلفَهُ وَهوَ ظالِمُه

لَيَشتاقُ صَبٌّ إِلفَهُ وَهوَ ظالِمُه

And if I yearn for you, surely

a lover does yearn for his beloved, even when the beloved wrongs him.

أَوَدُّكَ وُدّاً لا الزَمانُ يُبيدُهُ

أَوَدُّكَ وُدّاً لا الزَمانُ يُبيدُهُ

وَلا النَأيُ يُفنيهِ وَلا الهَجرُ ثالِمُه

وَلا النَأيُ يُفنيهِ وَلا الهَجرُ ثالِمُه

I love you with a love that Time cannot destroy;

distance cannot extinguish it, nor can estrangement mar it.

وَأَنتَ وَفِيٌّ لايُذَمُّ وَفاؤُهُ

وَأَنتَ وَفِيٌّ لايُذَمُّ وَفاؤُهُ

وَأَنتَ كَريمٌ لَيسَ تُحصى مَكارِمُه

وَأَنتَ كَريمٌ لَيسَ تُحصى مَكارِمُه

And you are faithful, your fidelity beyond reproach,

and you are generous, your noble deeds beyond counting.

أُقيمُ بِهِ أَصلُ الفَخارِ وَفَرعُهُ

أُقيمُ بِهِ أَصلُ الفَخارِ وَفَرعُهُ

وَشُدَّ بِهِ رُكنُ العُلا وَدَعائِمُه

وَشُدَّ بِهِ رُكنُ العُلا وَدَعائِمُه

Through him the root and branch of glory were established,

and through him the pillar of greatness and its supports were strengthened.

أَخو السَيفِ تُعديهِ نَداوَةُ كَفِّهِ

أَخو السَيفِ تُعديهِ نَداوَةُ كَفِّهِ

فَيَحمَرُّ حَدّاهُ وَيَخضَرُّ قائِمُه

فَيَحمَرُّ حَدّاهُ وَيَخضَرُّ قائِمُه

Brother to the sword, his palm’s dew spreads to it,

so its two edges redden, and its hilt grows green.

أَعِندَكَ لي عُتبى فَأَحمِلَ مامَضى

أَعِندَكَ لي عُتبى فَأَحمِلَ مامَضى

وَأَبني رُواقَ الوُدِّ إِذ أَنتَ هادِمُه

وَأَبني رُواقَ الوُدِّ إِذ أَنتَ هادِمُه

Have you any redress for me, that I may bear what has passed,

and build affection’s portico, while you are its destroyer?