وَبَلدَةٍ فيها زَوَر

وَبَلدَةٍ فيها زَوَر

صَعراءَ تَخطى في صَعَر

صَعراءَ تَخطى في صَعَر

And a tract of land, crooked within,

Many a land where the path deviates,

A sloping waste, crossed on a slant,

A barren waste, traversed with haughty strain,

مَرتٍ إِذا الذِئبُ اِقتَفَر

مَرتٍ إِذا الذِئبُ اِقتَفَر

بِها مِنَ القَومِ الأَثَر

بِها مِنَ القَومِ الأَثَر

Barren: when the wolf followed

A waterless desert where, should the wolf hunt,

The people's trail across it,

Seeking the faint traces of a caravan,

كانَ لَهُ مِنَ الجُزُر

كانَ لَهُ مِنَ الجُزُر

كُلَّ جَنينٍ ما اِشتَكَر

كُلَّ جَنينٍ ما اِشتَكَر

His share of the slaughtered beasts was

His only portion of the slaughter would be

Every fetus not yet filled out,

Whatever unformed fetus he might scavenge,

وَلا تَعَلّاهُ شَعَر

وَلا تَعَلّاهُ شَعَر

مَيتُ النَسا حَيُّ الشَفَر

مَيتُ النَسا حَيُّ الشَفَر

Nor yet overgrown with hair,

Not yet covered by a coat of fur,

Its thigh-sinew lifeless, its eyelids alive.

With deadened limbs but a living gaze.

عَسَفتُها عَلى خَطَر

عَسَفتُها عَلى خَطَر

وَغَرَرٍ مِنَ الغُرَر

وَغَرَرٍ مِنَ الغُرَر

I crossed it tracklessly, amid peril,

I crossed it blindly, amidst great peril,

And a hazard among hazards,

And risking the gravest of dangers,

بِبازِلٍ حينَ فَطَر

بِبازِلٍ حينَ فَطَر

يَهُزُّهُ جِنُّ الأَشَر

يَهُزُّهُ جِنُّ الأَشَر

On a mature camel whose tusk had just emerged,

Upon a mature camel, just cutting its tusks,

Stirred by the jinn of exuberance,

Shaken by a spirited, demonic energy,

لا مُتَشَكٍّ مِن سَدَر

لا مُتَشَكٍّ مِن سَدَر

وَلا قَريبٌ مِن خَوَر

وَلا قَريبٌ مِن خَوَر

Not complaining of dizziness,

Complaining neither of dizziness,

Nor anywhere near weakness.

Nor anywhere near to exhaustion.

كَأَنَّهُ بَعدَ الضُمُر

كَأَنَّهُ بَعدَ الضُمُر

وَبَعدَما جالَ الضُفُر

وَبَعدَما جالَ الضُفُر

As though, after growing lean,

As though, after his flesh had thinned,

And after the braided girths had slipped,

And after the saddle-girths had slipped loose,

وَراحَ فَيءٌ فَحَسَر

وَراحَ فَيءٌ فَحَسَر

جَأتَ رُباعِ المُثَّغَر

جَأتَ رُباعِ المُثَّغَر

And the shade moved, then receded,

And the afternoon shadow stretched and faded,

He were a stocky ass with newly grown second incisors,

He were a sturdy wild ass, shedding his milk teeth,

يَحدو بِحُقبٍ كَالأُكَر

يَحدو بِحُقبٍ كَالأُكَر

تَرى بِأَثباجِ القُصُر

تَرى بِأَثباجِ القُصُر

Driving white-bellied she-asses, round as balls,

Herding white-flanked females round as spheres.

You see them on the broad backs of the dunes,

You see upon the bases of their necks

شَهرَي رَبيعٍ وَصَفَر

شَهرَي رَبيعٍ وَصَفَر

حَتّى إِذا الفَحلُ جَفَر

حَتّى إِذا الفَحلُ جَفَر

For the two months of Rabiʿ and Safar.

The lush grazing of spring and Safar,

Until, when the stallion ceased to mate,

Until, when the stallion grew vast and sated,

وَأَشبَهَ السَفى الإِبَر

وَأَشبَهَ السَفى الإِبَر

وَنَشَّ إِذخارُ النُقَر

وَنَشَّ إِذخارُ النُقَر

And the awns resembled needles,

And the dry grass became sharp as needles,

And the sweet grass in the hollows withered,

And the rush-grass in the hollows withered,

قُلنَ لَهُ ما تَأتَمِر

قُلنَ لَهُ ما تَأتَمِر

وَهُنَّ إِذ قُلنَ أَشِر

وَهُنَّ إِذ قُلنَ أَشِر

They said to him, 'What do you intend?'

They seemed to ask him: 'What is your command?'

Exuberant as they spoke,

While they, in asking, were full of spirit,

غَيرَ عَواصٍ ما أَمَر

غَيرَ عَواصٍ ما أَمَر

كَأَنَّها لَمَن نَظَر

كَأَنَّها لَمَن نَظَر

Not disobeying what he commanded.

Not disobeying whatever he might decree.

As though, to anyone who watched,

They appeared to the beholder's eye

رَكبٌ يَشيمونَ مَطَر

رَكبٌ يَشيمونَ مَطَر

حَتّى إِذا الظِلُّ قَصُر

حَتّى إِذا الظِلُّ قَصُر

They were riders looking out for rain.

Like riders gazing intently at rain clouds,

Until, when the shadow shortened,

Until, when the shadows grew short at noon,

يَمَّمنَ مِن جَنبَي هَجَر

يَمَّمنَ مِن جَنبَي هَجَر

أَخضَرَ طَمّامَ العَكَر

أَخضَرَ طَمّامَ العَكَر

They headed from either side of Hajar

They set their course from the flanks of Hajar

Toward a green pool, brimming with turbid water.

Toward deep, dark waters covering the silt,

وَمَينَ إِخفاقِ القَتَر

وَمَينَ إِخفاقِ القَتَر

سارٍ وَلَيسَ لِلسَمَر

سارٍ وَلَيسَ لِلسَمَر

And the hunting-blinds' deceptive emptiness:

Safe from the disappointment of the hunter's dust,

A night-roamer, not out for evening talk,

A night-traveler, seeking neither conversation

وَلا تِلاواتِ السُوَر

وَلا تِلاواتِ السُوَر

يَمسَحُ مِرناناً يُسُر

يَمسَحُ مِرناناً يُسُر

Nor for reciting the surahs,

Nor the recitation of holy verses,

Stroking a resonant bow of yusr wood,

Polishing a resonant bow made of yusr wood,

زُمَّت بِمَشزورِ المِرَر

زُمَّت بِمَشزورِ المِرَر

لامٍ كَحُلقومِ النَغَر

لامٍ كَحُلقومِ النَغَر

Strung with reverse-twisted strands,

Strung tightly with twisted cords,

Closely fitted, like a finch's throat.

Curved like the throat of a young sparrow.

حَتّى إِذا اِصطَفَّ السَطَر

حَتّى إِذا اِصطَفَّ السَطَر

أَهدى لَها لَو لَم يَجُر

أَهدى لَها لَو لَم يَجُر

Until, when the line stood arrayed,

Until, when the herd stood in a line,

He sent her, if his aim did not stray,

He sent forth a gift—had he not missed—

دَهياءَ يَحدوها القَدَر

دَهياءَ يَحدوها القَدَر

فَتِلكَ عَيني لَم تَذَر

فَتِلكَ عَيني لَم تَذَر

A dire calamity, driven on by fate.

A calamity driven by inevitable fate.

That is my prized mount; she left no

Thus my eye has never ceased to watch

شِبهاً إِذا الآلُ مَهَر

شِبهاً إِذا الآلُ مَهَر

إِلَيكَ كَلَّفنا السَفَر

إِلَيكَ كَلَّفنا السَفَر

Equal when the mirage raced.

A resemblance, when the mirage shimmers,

To reach you, we imposed the journey

Towards you, O Fadl, we undertook this journey,

خوصاً يُجاذِبنَ النُخَر

خوصاً يُجاذِبنَ النُخَر

قَدِ اِنطَوَت مِنها السُرَر

قَدِ اِنطَوَت مِنها السُرَر

On sunken-eyed she-camels, exchanging snorts,

On sunken-eyed camels tugging at their reins,

Their navels drawn inward,

Their bellies tucked in lean and tight,

طَيَّ القَرارِيَّ الحِبَر

طَيَّ القَرارِيَّ الحِبَر

لَم تَتَقَعَّدها الطِيَر

لَم تَتَقَعَّدها الطِيَر

As a townsman folds striped robes.

Like the folding of fine Yemeni cloaks.

No bird-omens held them back,

No ill omens held them back,

وَلا السَنيحُ المُزدَجَر

وَلا السَنيحُ المُزدَجَر

يا فَضلُ لِلقَومِ البُطُر

يا فَضلُ لِلقَومِ البُطُر

Nor rightward-crossing game taken as an omen.

Nor any unlucky bird crossing their path.

O Fadl, help the bewildered folk,

O Fadl, standing against the insolent crowd,

إِذ لَيسَ في الناسِ عَصَر

إِذ لَيسَ في الناسِ عَصَر

وَلا مِنَ الخَوفِ وَزَر

وَلا مِنَ الخَوفِ وَزَر

When among men there is no refuge,

When there is no refuge among men,

Nor shelter from fear,

Nor any shelter from terror,

وَنَزَّلَت إِحدى الكُبَر

وَنَزَّلَت إِحدى الكُبَر

وَقيلَ صَمّاءُ الغِيَر

وَقيلَ صَمّاءُ الغِيَر

And one of the great calamities descends,

And when a great calamity descends,

And they say, 'An implacable stroke of fortune!'

And they cry, 'This is a disaster deaf to all pleas,'

فَالناسُ أَبناءُ الحَذَر

فَالناسُ أَبناءُ الحَذَر

فَرَّجتَ هاتيكَ الغُمَر

فَرَّجتَ هاتيكَ الغُمَر

Then people are children of caution.

And men become the children of caution,

You dispelled those engulfing troubles

You dispelled those overwhelming floods

عَنّا وَقَد صابَت بِقُر

عَنّا وَقَد صابَت بِقُر

كَالشَمسِ في شَخصِ البَصَر

كَالشَمسِ في شَخصِ البَصَر

From us, though they had descended with bitter cold.

From us, when they struck with freezing bite.

Like the sun before a staring eye,

You are like the sun filling the eye;

أَعلى مَجاريكَ الخَطَر

أَعلى مَجاريكَ الخَطَر

أَبوكَ جَلّى عَن مُضَر

أَبوكَ جَلّى عَن مُضَر

Your loftiest course is distinction.

Your orbit is in the highest eminence.

Your father cleared the trouble from Mudar

Your father removed from the tribe of Mudar

يَومَ الرَواقِ المُحتَضِر

يَومَ الرَواقِ المُحتَضِر

وَالخَوفُ يَقري وَيَذَر

وَالخَوفُ يَقري وَيَذَر

On the day of the thronged pavilion,

The darkness, on the Day of the Crowded Tent,

While fear gathered some and left others.

When fear struck some and spared others.

لَمّا رَأى الأَمرَ اِقمَطَر

لَمّا رَأى الأَمرَ اِقمَطَر

قامَ كَريماً فَاِنتَصَر

قامَ كَريماً فَاِنتَصَر

When he saw the crisis turn grim,

When he saw the situation grow dire,

He rose nobly and prevailed,

He stood with nobility and claimed victory,

كَهِزَّةِ العَضبِ الذَكَر

كَهِزَّةِ العَضبِ الذَكَر

ما حَسَّ مِن شَيءٍ هَبَر

ما حَسَّ مِن شَيءٍ هَبَر

Like the stroke of a keen, stout blade:

Like the brandishing of a sharp, masculine sword,

Whatever it touched, it hewed apart.

Severing whatever it touched.

وَأَنتَ تَقتافُ الأَثَر

وَأَنتَ تَقتافُ الأَثَر

مِن ذي حُجولٍ وَغُرَر

مِن ذي حُجولٍ وَغُرَر

And you follow the trail

And you follow in those very footsteps,

Of one with white leg-markings and forehead blazes,

Heir to a lineage of blaze and white-stockinged glory,

مُعيدُ وَردٍ وَصَدَر

مُعيدُ وَردٍ وَصَدَر

وَإِن عَلا الأَمرُ اِقتَدَر

وَإِن عَلا الأَمرُ اِقتَدَر

Ever repeating the approach to water and the return;

Master of the approach and the return.

And when the crisis mounted, he mastered it.

If a matter looms high, you overpower it.

فَأَينَ أَصحابُ الغُمَر

فَأَينَ أَصحابُ الغُمَر

إِذ شَرِبوا كَأسَ المِقَر

إِذ شَرِبوا كَأسَ المِقَر

Where, then, are the men of the fray,

Where now are the men of petty grudges,

When they drank the cup of bitter sap?

Since they have drunk from the cup of bitterness?

أَصحَرتَ إِذ دَبّوا الخَمَر

أَصحَرتَ إِذ دَبّوا الخَمَر

شُكراً وَحَرٌّ مِن شُكُر

شُكراً وَحَرٌّ مِن شُكُر

You took the open ground when they crept into cover.

You stood in the open while they crept in the shadows,

Thanks, and the choicest of thanks!

Accepting gratitude and the warmth of praise.

فَاللَهُ يُعطيكَ الشَبَر

فَاللَهُ يُعطيكَ الشَبَر

وَفي أَعاديكَ الظَفَر

وَفي أَعاديكَ الظَفَر

So may God grant you bounty,

May God grant you ample power,

And victory over your foes.

And victory over your enemies,

وَاللَهُ مَن شاءَ نَصَر

وَاللَهُ مَن شاءَ نَصَر

وَأَنتَ إِن خِفنا الحَصَر

وَأَنتَ إِن خِفنا الحَصَر

And God grants victory to whomever He wills.

For God grants victory to whom He wills.

And you, if we fear confinement,

And you, should we fear distress,

وَهَرَّ دَهرٌ وَكَشَر

وَهَرَّ دَهرٌ وَكَشَر

عَن ناجِذَيهِ وَبَسَر

عَن ناجِذَيهِ وَبَسَر

And Time snarls and bares

And should Time growl and bare its teeth,

Its two molars, and scowls,

Revealing its fangs and frowning,

أَغنَيتَ ما أَغنى المَطَر

أَغنَيتَ ما أَغنى المَطَر

وَفيكَ أَخلاقُ اليَسَر

وَفيكَ أَخلاقُ اليَسَر

Give abundance as the rain gives.

You provide abundance just as the rain does,

And yours are a generous gamester's ways,

Possessing the virtues of ease and generosity.

حَتّى تَرى تِلكَ الزُمَر

حَتّى تَرى تِلكَ الزُمَر

تَهوي لِأَذقانِ الثُغَر

تَهوي لِأَذقانِ الثُغَر

Until you see those bands

Until you see those crowds

Toppling mouth and chin first,

Prostrating themselves, chins to the ground,

مِن جَذبِ أَلوى لَو نَتَر

مِن جَذبِ أَلوى لَو نَتَر

إِلَيهِ طوداً لَأَنأَطَر

إِلَيهِ طوداً لَأَنأَطَر

At the pull of an unyielding man: if he tugged

Drawn by a mighty force; were he to pull

A mountain toward himself, it would bend.

A mountain toward him, it would surely bend.

صَعباً إِذا لَقى أَبَر

صَعباً إِذا لَقى أَبَر

وَإِن هَفا القَومُ وَقَر

وَإِن هَفا القَومُ وَقَر

Fierce: when he meets a foe, he prevails;

A formidable figure who destroys whatever he confronts,

When others waver, he stands firm;

Yet remains dignified when others stumble.

أَو رَهِبوا الأَمرَ جَسَر

أَو رَهِبوا الأَمرَ جَسَر

ثُمَّ تَسامى فَفَغَر

ثُمَّ تَسامى فَفَغَر

Or fear the task, he dares it.

If they fear a task, he acts with boldness,

Then he rears up and opens his mouth,

Then he rises tall and roars,

عَن شَقشَقٍ ثُمَّ هَدَر

عَن شَقشَقٍ ثُمَّ هَدَر

ثُمَّ تَجافى فَخَطَر

ثُمَّ تَجافى فَخَطَر

Exposing his throat-sac, then bellows.

Like a camel braying from his throat,

Then he lifts his flanks and swishes

Then he stands apart and strides with pride,

بِذي سَبيبٍ وَعُذَر

بِذي سَبيبٍ وَعُذَر

يَمصَعُ أَطرافَ الإِبَر

يَمصَعُ أَطرافَ الإِبَر

His long-haired, tufted tail,

Like a stallion with flowing mane and forelock,

Lashing at needle-points.

Brushing against the tips of the thorns.

هَل لَكَ وَالهَلُّ خِيَر

هَل لَكَ وَالهَلُّ خِيَر

فيمَن إِذا غِبتَ حَضَر

فيمَن إِذا غِبتَ حَضَر

Would you care—and the question offers a choice—

Will you—and is there a choice in asking?

For one who is present when you are absent,

Consider one who represents you in your absence,

أَو نالَكَ القَومُ أَثَر

أَو نالَكَ القَومُ أَثَر

وَإِن رَأى خَيراً نَشَر

وَإِن رَأى خَيراً نَشَر

Or, if people assail you, recounts your deeds,

And defends your name when others attack,

And when he sees goodness, spreads it,

If he sees good, he broadcasts it,

أَو كانَ تَقصيرٌ عَذَر

أَو كانَ تَقصيرٌ عَذَر

أَو كانَ تَقصيرٌ عَذَر

أَو كانَ تَقصيرٌ عَذَر

Or, if there is a failing, excuses it?

And if there is a fault, he makes excuses,

Or, if there is a failing, excuses it?

And if there is a fault, he makes excuses.