أشاقَتْكَ أظعانٌ دعَتْهنَّ نِيّةٌ

أشاقَتْكَ أظعانٌ دعَتْهنَّ نِيّةٌ

يُوَطِّنُ شِعْباها الحزينَ على الهجرِ

يُوَطِّنُ شِعْباها الحزينَ على الهجرِ

Did departing caravans stir your longing, called away by a destination

Yearning led them to call you, and the intent

whose two roads prepare the sorrowful for separation?

To accustom its mournful people to separation.

ظعائنُ طَلاّبٍ ثرى الغيثِ قلَّما

ظعائنُ طَلاّبٍ ثرى الغيثِ قلَّما

يُساعفْنَ إلاّ أنْ يُناسِمْنَ عن عُفْرِ

يُساعفْنَ إلاّ أنْ يُناسِمْنَ عن عُفْرِ

Camel-borne women of seekers of rain-moistened ground, who seldom

The yearnings of those seeking the land's rain rarely

grant favors, save whispered exchanges after long intervals.

Increase except to share exultantly from joy.

رعَيْنَ القرارَ الحُوَّ حتى إذا ارتمَتْ

رعَيْنَ القرارَ الحُوَّ حتى إذا ارتمَتْ

بنَبْلِ السَّفى أعرافَ غُوريّةٍ كُدْرِ

بنَبْلِ السَّفى أعرافَ غُوريّةٍ كُدْرِ

They grazed the dark green hollows, until there shot forth

They shepherded resolve, until when it was erected

arrows of grass-awns over the crests of dusky lowland sands.

With spears of determination, the peaks of Ghoriyah,

وجاءَتْ روايا الحيِّ من كلِّ مُسْمِلٍ

وجاءَتْ روايا الحيِّ من كلِّ مُسْمِلٍ

بطَرْقٍ كماءِ الفظِّ من نُطَفٍ صُفْرِ

بطَرْقٍ كماءِ الفظِّ من نُطَفٍ صُفْرِ

The tribe's water-carriers returned from every dwindling waterhole

And there came the news of life from every appeased

with fouled water like rumen-fluid, drawn from yellow puddles:

With roads like the water of rain from yellow drops.

بقيّةُ أسْمالٍ زَواهُنَّ كوكبٌ

بقيّةُ أسْمالٍ زَواهُنَّ كوكبٌ

مقَفٍّ ترى الحرباءَ في آلِهِ يجري

مقَفٍّ ترى الحرباءَ في آلِهِ يجري

the remnants of scant pools shrunk by a star

The remainder of garments, a planet covered them

that withers all; in its mirage you see the chameleon running.

Suspended - you see the pleiades in its family flowing.

ورُدّتْ جِمالُ الحيِّ كُلْفاً تطايرَتْ

ورُدّتْ جِمالُ الحيِّ كُلْفاً تطايرَتْ

عقائقُهُنَّ الغُبْسُ عن نُقَبٍ شُقْرِ

عقائقُهُنَّ الغُبْسُ عن نُقَبٍ شُقْرِ

The tribe's camels returned darkly mottled, having shed

And the beauty of life returned folded, flying off

their dusky first coats from tawny hides,

Were their carnelians - absence from holes of redness.

بما اسْتُوجِرَتْ من كل وادٍ مربةً

بما اسْتُوجِرَتْ من كل وادٍ مربةً

مصابَ الثريا كلُ ناشئةٍ بكرِ

مصابَ الثريا كلُ ناشئةٍ بكرِ

with all they had swallowed in each valley, where lingered

With what was hired from every valley, a pasture

each fresh, unspent raincloud where the Pleiades' showers fell.

Wounded the Pleiades, every rising one a virgin.

فعرضنَ واندَحَّتْ كُلاهُنَّ بعدَما

فعرضنَ واندَحَّتْ كُلاهُنَّ بعدَما

طواهُنَّ إحناقُ المُسَدَّمةِ الذُّفْرِ

طواهُنَّ إحناقُ المُسَدَّمةِ الذُّفْرِ

They grew broad, and their loins filled out, after

So they displayed themselves and inclined, after

the rutting frenzy of pungent, restrained males had thinned them.

What covered them, the stooping of the humped back.

كأنَّ عصيمَ الورسِ منهنَّ جاسِداً

كأنَّ عصيمَ الورسِ منهنَّ جاسِداً

بما سالَ من غِربانِهنَّ منَ الخُطْرِ

بما سالَ من غِربانِهنَّ منَ الخُطْرِ

It seemed that yellow wars-dye lay dried upon them

As if rigid spear shafts from them lifeless

where tail-splashed urine had flowed from their haunches.

From what streamed from their Ravens of danger.

وزَمَّ القِيانُ التُّلْدُ كلّ مُلَهَّثٍ

وزَمَّ القِيانُ التُّلْدُ كلّ مُلَهَّثٍ

مُدالِقَ لَحْيَيْ لا مُذَكٍّ ولا بَكْرِ

مُدالِقَ لَحْيَيْ لا مُذَكٍّ ولا بَكْرِ

The homebred slaves haltered every panting camel,

And the armpits constricted the breasts of every gasping one

slack in both jaws, neither aged nor young,

Slippery of cheek - neither recognized nor virgin.

لأحداجِ بِيضٍ كالدمى كلِّ بادنٍ

لأحداجِ بِيضٍ كالدمى كلِّ بادنٍ

رَداحٍ تَهادى المشيَ شِبراً إلى شِبرِ

رَداحٍ تَهادى المشيَ شِبراً إلى شِبرِ

for the howdahs of fair women like statues, each plump

White faced camels like statues - every slow

and broad-hipped, swaying in her walk, span by span.

Camel rocking its walk a span to a span

إذا قُمنَ لم ينهضْنَ إلاّ قصيرةً

إذا قُمنَ لم ينهضْنَ إلاّ قصيرةً

خُطاهنَّ ممّا يتَّقِينَ منَ البُهْرِ

خُطاهنَّ ممّا يتَّقِينَ منَ البُهْرِ

When they rose, they moved only with short

If they stood up, they did not get up except briefly

steps, fearing breathlessness.

Their steps shortened from what they fear of the sea

وعالَيْنَ أحداجاً لهنَّ كأنّما

وعالَيْنَ أحداجاً لهنَّ كأنّما

عُلِينَ بنُوّارِ المُكَلَّلَةِ القَفرِ

عُلِينَ بنُوّارِ المُكَلَّلَةِ القَفرِ

They raised howdahs for them, as though

With high humps for them as if they were

decked with blossoms of a garlanded, deserted meadow,

Raised with the lights of the crowned barrenness

على كلِّ قَيْنِيٍّ يُغاليهِ صهوةٌ

على كلِّ قَيْنِيٍّ يُغاليهِ صهوةٌ

مُشرَّفةُ الأعلى مُداخلَةُ الأسرِ

مُشرَّفةُ الأعلى مُداخلَةُ الأسرِ

on each Qayni camel, lifted by a lofty back,

Over every train a howdah dominates it

high at its crest, its frame closely knit.

High stationed, low boarded, entering the place

دخلْنَ العلالِيَّ التي عملتْ لها

دخلْنَ العلالِيَّ التي عملتْ لها

أكُفٌّ أتَتْها عن يمينٍ وعن يَسْرِ

أكُفٌّ أتَتْها عن يمينٍ وعن يَسْرِ

They entered the lofty chambers made for them

They entered the lofty that work had made for it

by hands that reached them from right and left.

Shoulders that came to it from right and left

ولدَّدْنَ للأصعادِ أعناقَ ولَّهٍ

ولدَّدْنَ للأصعادِ أعناقَ ولَّهٍ

إلى كلِّ وادٍ لا أُجاجٍ ولا بَثْرِ

إلى كلِّ وادٍ لا أُجاجٍ ولا بَثْرِ

They turned yearning necks toward the uplands,

And they turned for the ascents the necks of delirium

toward every valley neither brackish nor scant of water.

To every valley - not hot nor cold

لهُ أرجٌ من طِيبِ ما تلتقي بهِ

لهُ أرجٌ من طِيبِ ما تلتقي بهِ

لأينَعَ يندى من أراكٍ ومن سِدرِ

لأينَعَ يندى من أراكٍ ومن سِدرِ

It holds a fragrance from the sweetness of what one encounters there,

For it a howdah to whichever when they compete

from ripe, dewy growth of arak and sidr.

It straightens, from sins and from Waist

كأنَّ القطوعَ العبقريّةَ نُشِّرَتْ

كأنَّ القطوعَ العبقريّةَ نُشِّرَتْ

أسِرّةُ مُلْتَجٍّ حدائقُهُ خُضرِ

أسِرّةُ مُلْتَجٍّ حدائقُهُ خُضرِ

As though Abqari tapestries had been spread

As it shook a South Arabian palm tree, violent wind

over the beds of a tangled valley whose gardens are green.

Without stillness - severe and without interruption

ويومٍ من الأيامِ قصَّرتُ طولَهُ

ويومٍ من الأيامِ قصَّرتُ طولَهُ

بقانيةِ الأطرافِ ذاتِ حشاً ضَمرِ

بقانيةِ الأطرافِ ذاتِ حشاً ضَمرِ

And many a day I shortened

I have not forgotten Salma, and Salma is stingy

with a woman of crimson fingertips and a slender waist.

Deposits, I lowered them since ten pilgrimages

لها كفَلٌ لأياً إذا ما تدافعَتْ

لها كفَلٌ لأياً إذا ما تدافعَتْ

بهِ قامَ جُهداً من ذَنوبٍ ومن خصرِ

بهِ قامَ جُهداً من ذَنوبٍ ومن خصرِ

She has a rump that, when she sways, can scarcely

Nor her words, and the people overlooking for them

rise, lifted with effort by her loins and waist,

Eyes like the heat of embers, appearing flushed

كما هزَّ عَيْدانيّةً مَعْجُ رَيْدَةٍ

كما هزَّ عَيْدانيّةً مَعْجُ رَيْدَةٍ

جَنوبٍ بلا معجٍ شديدٍ ولا فَتْرِ

جَنوبٍ بلا معجٍ شديدٍ ولا فَتْرِ

as a gentle breeze rocks a tall palm,

Learn that the chests of the people boil

a south wind, neither violently gusting nor slack.

Against you, so be on guard against what you fear

ولم أنسَ من سلمى وسلمى بخيلةٌ

ولم أنسَ من سلمى وسلمى بخيلةٌ

ودائعَ أدناهُنَّ مُذْ حِجَجٍ عشرِ

ودائعَ أدناهُنَّ مُذْ حِجَجٍ عشرِ

Nor have I forgotten Salma's—though Salma is miserly—

So I said to her, no innocence from you, nor passion

keepsakes, the most recent from ten years ago,

Other than you, nor blood except yours flows

ولا قَولَها والقومُ قد أشرفَتْ لهمْ

ولا قَولَها والقومُ قد أشرفَتْ لهمْ

عيونٌ كحرِّ الجمرِ ظاهرةِ الغِمرِ

عيونٌ كحرِّ الجمرِ ظاهرةِ الغِمرِ

nor her words, when eyes loomed among the people,

If the beasts of the earth were beneath you, they would become

like burning embers, their rancor plain:

At every gorge, lions and leopards

تعلَّمْ بأنَّ القومَ تغلي صدورُهمْ

تعلَّمْ بأنَّ القومَ تغلي صدورُهمْ

عليكَ فكنْ مما تخافُ على حِذْرِ

عليكَ فكنْ مما تخافُ على حِذْرِ

'Know that the people's breasts seethe

A pasture for their cubs - I would cut them off

against you; beware of what you fear.'

To you with my sword or I would die and not know

فقلتُ لها لا بَرْءَ منكِ ولا هوىً

فقلتُ لها لا بَرْءَ منكِ ولا هوىً

سواكِ ولا دَمُّوا بمُهجتِهِ نَجْري

سواكِ ولا دَمُّوا بمُهجتِهِ نَجْري

I told her, 'There is no cure from you, no love

And a saying woman said, are you not a rider

apart from you; nor may they stain my lineage with his heart's blood.

Do you not see what the abundance has been afflicted with

لوَ انَّ سِباعَ الأرضِ دونَكِ أصبحتْ

لوَ انَّ سِباعَ الأرضِ دونَكِ أصبحتْ

على كلِّ فجٍّ من أُسودٍ ومن نَمْرِ

على كلِّ فجٍّ من أُسودٍ ومن نَمْرِ

If the earth's wild beasts lay between me and you,

Save the Commander of the Faithful with a whiff

in every pass, lions and leopards,

That your children complete with its abundant rain

رباضاً على أشبالِها لقطعتُها

رباضاً على أشبالِها لقطعتُها

إليكِ بسيفي أو هلكتُ فلا أدري

إليكِ بسيفي أو هلكتُ فلا أدري

crouching over their cubs, I would cut through them

So I said to her, that which I gain pride from

to you with my sword, or perish—I cannot know.'

By day and night each affliction of my chest

وقائلةٍ قالتْ ألستِ براحلٍ

وقائلةٍ قالتْ ألستِ براحلٍ

ألستَ ترى ما قد أُصيبَ من الوَفْرِ

ألستَ ترى ما قد أُصيبَ من الوَفْرِ

And a woman said, 'Will you not depart?

By your life when I spoke, I am not who

Do you not see how much wealth has been lost?

Protects the camels - you knew from travel

أغِثْ منْ أميرِ المؤمنينَ بنفحةٍ

أغِثْ منْ أميرِ المؤمنينَ بنفحةٍ

عيالَكَ تُبْلِتْ في صنائعِها الوُفْرِ

عيالَكَ تُبْلِتْ في صنائعِها الوُفْرِ

Relieve, with a gift from the Commander of the Faithful,

Nor does night burden the beast when it darkens

your dependents, impoverished by lavish provision for them.'

Over me, if night burdens my ease

فقلتُ لها ذاكِ الذي ينتحي بهِ

فقلتُ لها ذاكِ الذي ينتحي بهِ

نهاري وليلي كلّ نائبةٍ صدري

نهاري وليلي كلّ نائبةٍ صدري

I told her, 'That is the goal toward which

I used to be when worries unleashed their saddlebags

my heart turns, day and night, at every calamity.

To me, so I said travel, I secured its burdens

لعَمرُكَ إذْ ما قلتُ ما أنا بالذي

لعَمرُكَ إذْ ما قلتُ ما أنا بالذي

أصونُ المطايا قد علمتِ من السَّفْرِ

أصونُ المطايا قد علمتِ من السَّفْرِ

By your life, as I said, I am not one

And I loaded it the ribs of dry wood as if they were

to spare my mounts—as you know—from travel.

The bowed well ropes of twisting from the conscience

ولا يَثقُلُ الليلُ البهيمُ إذا دجا

ولا يَثقُلُ الليلُ البهيمُ إذا دجا

عليَّ إذا ما أثقلَ الليلُ من يَسري

عليَّ إذا ما أثقلَ الليلُ من يَسري

Nor does the pitch-black night, when it grows dark, weigh

With it the diseased camel sways as if they are

upon me, even when it burdens those who travel by night.

The ribs of the litter, the tracks visible

وكنتُ إذا ما الهمُّ أطلقَ رحلَهُ

وكنتُ إذا ما الهمُّ أطلقَ رحلَهُ

إليَّ فقالَ ارحلْ شددْتُ لهُ أزري

إليَّ فقالَ ارحلْ شددْتُ لهُ أزري

Whenever care unstrapped its saddle

Yes O best of people but Muhammad

beside me and said, "Depart," I girded my loins for it,

Behavior and the foremost of people in thanks and reward

وحمّلتُهُ أصلابَ خُوصٍ كأنّها

وحمّلتُهُ أصلابَ خُوصٍ كأنّها

قَنا الشَّوْحَطِ المُعوجِّ من قلقِ الضُّمْرِ

قَنا الشَّوْحَطِ المُعوجِّ من قلقِ الضُّمْرِ

and loaded it on the backs of narrow-eyed camels, like

We came to you from Najd on a rain-nurtured

bent shawhat spear-shafts, quivering as the lean beasts swayed.

She camel - he twists necks ahead of their teary eyes

يَؤمُّ بها المَوماةَ زَولٌ كأنَّهمُ

يَؤمُّ بها المَوماةَ زَولٌ كأنَّهمُ

فِرِنْدِيّةُ القضبانِ ظاهرةُ الأُثْرِ

فِرِنْدِيّةُ القضبانِ ظاهرةُ الأُثْرِ

A deft guide leads them into the desert, as though they

Pillars of limbs accustomed to great journeys

were blades of watered steel, their markings plain.

Lions of the sands - no cowardice nor smallness

ألا يا بنَ خيرِ الناسِ إلاّ محمدا

ألا يا بنَ خيرِ الناسِ إلاّ محمدا

صَنيعاً وأولى الناسِ بالحمدِ والأجرِ

صَنيعاً وأولى الناسِ بالحمدِ والأجرِ

O son of the best of men, except Muhammad,

They began and under the banner from them a shoulder

in beneficence, and the worthiest of praise and reward!

Signs of years and youth upon youth

أتيناكَ من نجدٍ على قَطَرِيّةٍ

أتيناكَ من نجدٍ على قَطَرِيّةٍ

لوى حلَقاً قُدّامَ أعيُنِها المُبْري

لوى حلَقاً قُدّامَ أعيُنِها المُبْري

We came to you from Najd on Qatari camels;

So she came and from what her sandals clad

the nose-ring fitter had bent rings before their eyes.

Anklets in the noble studded heels

موائِرُ أعضادٍ مَغالي مَفازةٍ

موائِرُ أعضادٍ مَغالي مَفازةٍ

سِباط الذِّفاري لا جِعادٍ ولا زُعْرِ

سِباط الذِّفاري لا جِعادٍ ولا زُعْرِ

Their upper legs swing, carrying them far across deserts;

So we did not reach you O son of Marwan, without you

straight-haired at the nape, neither curly nor sparsely haired.

A prayer of the foremost in rest or dawn

بدأْنَ وتحتَ المَيسِ منهنَّ عاتقٌ

بدأْنَ وتحتَ المَيسِ منهنَّ عاتقٌ

أتارةُ أعوامٍ وهَبْرٌ على هبرِ

أتارةُ أعوامٍ وهَبْرٌ على هبرِ

They set out with shoulders beneath their wooden saddles bearing

Nor is it but an affair whenever the sparks of pebbles collide

fat stored for years, flesh piled on flesh.

In every desolate and barren land

فجاءتْ وممّا أُنعلَتْ حَفَياتُها

فجاءتْ وممّا أُنعلَتْ حَفَياتُها

خِذامٌ بأرْساغِ المُهَلَّلَةِ الدُّبْرِ

خِذامٌ بأرْساغِ المُهَلَّلَةِ الدُّبْرِ

They arrived, and of the shoes placed on their worn feet

And the rendering of disheveled hair - they raised for them

scraps remained at the pasterns of the wasted, saddle-galled beasts.

A structure he built atop success upon success

فما أدركتْنا يا بنَ مروانَ دونَكمْ

فما أدركتْنا يا بنَ مروانَ دونَكمْ

صلاةٌ لأُولى في مُناخٍ ولا فجرِ

صلاةٌ لأُولى في مُناخٍ ولا فجرِ

Never, O son of Marwan, before reaching you, were we overtaken

If the wind shakes it or the ropes slacken for it

by noon or dawn prayer at a halting-place.

The forces strike the ropes with the saw

ولا هيَ إلاّ وَقعةٌ كلّما الْتظى

ولا هيَ إلاّ وَقعةٌ كلّما الْتظى

أُوارُ الحصى في كلِّ هاجرةٍ وغْرِ

أُوارُ الحصى في كلِّ هاجرةٍ وغْرِ

There was only a brief halt whenever there flared

You see it a heaven between two machinations - it has

the stones' fierce heat in the scorching midday,

Besides that a shadow of agreement and no veil

وتَحليلٍ شُعْثٍ غَوَّروا رفعوا لهمْ

وتَحليلٍ شُعْثٍ غَوَّروا رفعوا لهمْ

بناءً بنَوهُ فوقَ ظُفْرٍ على ظُفرِ

بناءً بنَوهُ فوقَ ظُفْرٍ على ظُفرِ

a short stop by disheveled travelers taking their midday rest, who erected

When last night folded over us protectively

a shelter built with one saddle-board atop another.

You see it patched - worst of patches

إذا استَنْشَصَتْهُ الريحُ أو رسبَتْ لهُ

إذا استَنْشَصَتْهُ الريحُ أو رسبَتْ لهُ

علينا القُوى ضربَ الحبالةِ بالنَّسْرِ

علينا القُوى ضربَ الحبالةِ بالنَّسْرِ

When the wind lifted it, or its cords sagged

If the powers incline to us, striking the ropes with the saw

onto us, they struck like a snare striking a vulture.

You see it as a heaven between two schemes, having

تراهُ سماءً بينَ حَيلَيْنِ ما لهُ

تراهُ سماءً بينَ حَيلَيْنِ ما لهُ

سوى ذاكَ ظِلٌّ من كِفاءٍ ولا سِترِ

سوى ذاكَ ظِلٌّ من كِفاءٍ ولا سِترِ

You see it, a sky between two saddle-frames; it has

Other than that a shadow of agreement, and no screen

no shade besides that, no tent-panel or covering.

When last night folded protectively over us

إذا البارحُ الحامي الوَديقةِ لفَّهُ

إذا البارحُ الحامي الوَديقةِ لفَّهُ

علينا ترى مُسْتَكْشِماً أشَرَ المُهْرِ

علينا ترى مُسْتَكْشِماً أشَرَ المُهْرِ

When the summer wind, burning with midday heat, wraps it

You see it patched - the worst of patches.

over us, you see it gape with a colt's serrated teeth.