أَيُها المُنتابُ عَن عُفُرِه

أَيُها المُنتابُ عَن عُفُرِه

لَستَ مِن لَيلي وَلا سَمَرِه

لَستَ مِن لَيلي وَلا سَمَرِه

O visitor, coming after a long absence,

O you who are chosen from among the best,

O visitor returning from his dusty lair,

you belong neither to my night nor to its talk.

You are not of my night or its conversation.

You belong neither to my night nor its evening tales.

أَذودُ الطَيرَ عَن شَجَرٍ

أَذودُ الطَيرَ عَن شَجَرٍ

قَد بَلَوتُ المُرَّ مِن ثَمَرِه

قَد بَلَوتُ المُرَّ مِن ثَمَرِه

I drive the birds away from a tree

I protect the birds from the trees,

I drive the birds away from a tree,

whose bitter fruit I have already tasted.

And I have tasted the bitter fruit.

Whose bitter fruit I have already tasted.

فَاِتَّصِل إِن كُنتَ مُتَّصِلاً

فَاِتَّصِل إِن كُنتَ مُتَّصِلاً

بِقُوى مَن أَنتَ مِن وَطَرِه

بِقُوى مَن أَنتَ مِن وَطَرِه

So bind yourself, if you would form a bond,

So join if you are one who joins

So join yourself, if you must be joined,

to the bonds of one who desires you.

With the strength of one whom you are from his scent.

To the cords of one who desires you.

خُفتُ مَأثورَ الحَديثِ غَداً

خُفتُ مَأثورَ الحَديثِ غَداً

وَغَدٌ دانٍ لِمُنتَظِرِه

وَغَدٌ دانٍ لِمُنتَظِرِه

I feared the tale that would be told tomorrow,

I fear the oft-repeated talk tomorrow,

I feared the tales that might be told tomorrow,

and tomorrow is near to whoever awaits it.

And tomorrow brings what is expected.

And tomorrow is near for he who waits.

خابَ مَن أَسرى إِلى بَلَدٍ

خابَ مَن أَسرى إِلى بَلَدٍ

غَيرِ مَعلومٍ مَدى سَفَرِه

غَيرِ مَعلومٍ مَدى سَفَرِه

Failed is he who travels by night to a land

He who travels to an unknown land is lost,

Failed is the one who journeys to a land,

with the extent of his journey unknown.

However far his journey.

When the span of his voyage is unknown.

وَسَّدَتهُ ثِنيَ ساعِدِهِ

وَسَّدَتهُ ثِنيَ ساعِدِهِ

سِنَةٌ حَلَّت إِلى شَفرِه

سِنَةٌ حَلَّت إِلى شَفرِه

He was pillowed on the crook of his forearm

And his two arms are hampered

He made a pillow of his folded arm,

by drowsiness that settled upon his eyelid.

By an old age that has reached his eyelids.

As slumber settled upon his eyelids.

فَاِمضِ لا تَمنُن عَلَيَّ يَداً

فَاِمضِ لا تَمنُن عَلَيَّ يَداً

مِنُّكَ المَعروفَ مِن كَدَرِه

مِنُّكَ المَعروفَ مِن كَدَرِه

So go; do not hold a favor over me.

So go ahead, do not do me favors

Go then, and do not burden me with a favor,

Your flaunting of a kindness is what sullies it.

Your kindness to me is from his bitterness.

For your kindness is marred by its turbidity.

رُبَّ فِتيانٍ رَبَأتُهُمُ

رُبَّ فِتيانٍ رَبَأتُهُمُ

مَسقِطَ العَيّوقِ مِن سَحَرِه

مَسقِطَ العَيّوقِ مِن سَحَرِه

Many a band of youths I kept watch for

I have raised many young men

Many young men have I watched over,

at al-ʿAyyuq's setting in the predawn hour.

From the place where snakes fall from their burrows.

Where Capella sets at the break of dawn.

فَاتَّقوا بي ما يُريبُهُمُ

فَاتَّقوا بي ما يُريبُهُمُ

إِنَّ تَقوى الشَرِّ مِن حَذَرِه

إِنَّ تَقوى الشَرِّ مِن حَذَرِه

So through me they guarded against what alarmed them;

So fear me what makes them doubt,

Through me they warded off what they feared,

avoiding evil comes from being wary of it.

Indeed, piety is protection from evil.

For the shield against evil is caution itself.

وَابنُ عَمٍّ لا يُكاشِفُنا

وَابنُ عَمٍّ لا يُكاشِفُنا

قَد لَبِسناهُ عَلى غَمَرِه

قَد لَبِسناهُ عَلى غَمَرِه

And a cousin who will not reveal his feelings to us:

A cousin does not confide in us

And a cousin who does not show his true face,

we have borne with him despite his rancor.

We have dressed him in his stupidity.

Though we endured him despite his hidden rancor;

كَمَنِ الشَنآنُ فيهِ لَنا

كَمَنِ الشَنآنُ فيهِ لَنا

كَكُمونِ النارِ في حَجَرِه

كَكُمونِ النارِ في حَجَرِه

Hatred for us lay hidden within him,

How much hatred in him towards us

Hatred lay concealed within him against us,

like fire hidden in its stone.

Like the ember in its stones.

Like fire lying dormant within the flint.

وَرُضابٍ بِتُّ أَرشُفُهُ

وَرُضابٍ بِتُّ أَرشُفُهُ

يَنقَعُ الظَمآنَ مِن خَصَرِه

يَنقَعُ الظَمآنَ مِن خَصَرِه

And sweet saliva I spent the night sipping,

And a milking she-camel whose udder

And nectar of saliva I spent the night sipping,

quenching the thirsty with its coolness:

Quenches the thirsty from its skin.

Quenching the thirsty with its coolness.

عَلَّنيهِ خوطُ إِسحِلَةٍ

عَلَّنيهِ خوطُ إِسحِلَةٍ

لانَ مَتناهُ لِمُهتَصِرِه

لانَ مَتناهُ لِمُهتَصِرِه

an isḥila-tree shoot gave me repeated draughts of it,

My mount made easy for the rider

Offered to me by a slender, graceful branch,

its two flanks softening for the one who bent it.

Its back bent for the one holding the reins.

Whose sides yielded to the one who bent them.

ذا وَمُغبَرٍّ مَخارِمُهُ

ذا وَمُغبَرٍّ مَخارِمُهُ

تَحسِرُ الأَبصارُ عَن قُطُرِه

تَحسِرُ الأَبصارُ عَن قُطُرِه

That—and a waste with dust-grey mountain passes,

This one with dusty cheeks

All this, while I traversed a dusty wasteland,

eyes tiring short of its farthest reaches.

Eyes avert from his drivel.

Where eyes grow weary scanning its expanse.

لا تَرى عَينُ المُبينِ بِهِ

لا تَرى عَينُ المُبينِ بِهِ

ما خَلا الآجالَ مِن بَقرِه

ما خَلا الآجالَ مِن بَقرِه

No discerning eye sees there

The discerning eye sees in him

The sharpest eye sees nothing therein,

anything but herds of its wild cattle.

Nothing but cowardice from his cows.

Save for the herds of wild oryx.

خاضَ بي لُجَّيهِ ذو حِرَزٍ

خاضَ بي لُجَّيهِ ذو حِرَزٍ

يُفعِمُ الفَضلَينِ مِن ضَفرِه

يُفعِمُ الفَضلَينِ مِن ضَفرِه

A well-protected mount plunged with me through its twin deeps,

One with a guarded domain plunged me

A sturdy mount plunged through its depths with me,

its stout bulk filling both saddle-flaps.

Into the abundant goodness of his shore.

Straining the straps of his girth with his might.

يَكتَسي عُثنونُهُ زَبَداً

يَكتَسي عُثنونُهُ زَبَداً

فَنَصيلاهُ إِلى نَحرِه

فَنَصيلاهُ إِلى نَحرِه

Its chin-beard clothes itself in foam,

His camel covers itself with foam

His beard becomes clothed in white foam,

then its two neck-sides, down to its chest;

So we lead it by its nostril.

That flows from his jowls down to his chest.

ثُمَّ يَعتَمُّ الحِجاجُ بِهِ

ثُمَّ يَعتَمُّ الحِجاجُ بِهِ

كَاعتِمامِ الفوفِ في عُشرِه

كَاعتِمامِ الفوفِ في عُشرِه

then its eye-rims are turbaned with it,

Then the pilgrims lose it in the crowds

Then his brow is crowned with it like a turban,

like down wrapping its ʿushar shrub.

Like losing chicks among the fluff.

As white blossoms crown the 'ushr plant.

ثُمَّ تَذروهُ الرِياحُ كَما

ثُمَّ تَذروهُ الرِياحُ كَما

طارَ قُطنُ النَدفِ عَن وَتَرِه

طارَ قُطنُ النَدفِ عَن وَتَرِه

Then the winds scatter it, as

Then the winds scatter it

Then the winds scatter it away,

carded cotton flies from its bowstring.

Like cotton blown off the spindle.

Like teased cotton flying from the carder's bow.

كُلُّ حاجاتي تَناوَلَها

كُلُّ حاجاتي تَناوَلَها

وَهوَ لَم تَنقُص قُوى أَشَرِه

وَهوَ لَم تَنقُص قُوى أَشَرِه

It attained all my needs,

He fulfilled all my needs

He conquered all the demands of my journey,

while the vigor of its exuberance had not diminished.

And his strength was not diminished.

While his spirited strength remained undiminished.

ثُمَّ أَدناني إِلى مَلِكٍ

ثُمَّ أَدناني إِلى مَلِكٍ

يَأمَنُ الجاني لَدى حُجرِه

يَأمَنُ الجاني لَدى حُجرِه

Then it brought me near a king

Then he brought me to a king

Until he brought me into the presence of a king,

in whose protection even the offender is safe.

Where the criminal is safe at his court.

In whose sanctuary even the offender finds safety.

تَأخُذُ الأَيدي مَظالِمَها

تَأخُذُ الأَيدي مَظالِمَها

ثُمَّ تَستَذري إِلى عُصُرِه

ثُمَّ تَستَذري إِلى عُصُرِه

Hands recover their unjustly taken dues,

Hands take their injustices

Hands reclaim their rightful dues,

then seek shelter in his refuge.

Then seek excuses until sunset.

Then seek the shelter of his protection.

كَيفَ لا يُدنيكَ مِن أَمَلٍ

كَيفَ لا يُدنيكَ مِن أَمَلٍ

مَن رَسولُ اللَهِ مِن نَفَرِه

مَن رَسولُ اللَهِ مِن نَفَرِه

How could he not bring you near your hope,

How can hopes not bring you close

How could he not bring you closer to your hope,

one whose clan includes the Messenger of God?

When the Messenger of God is among his comrades?

When the Messenger of God is of his kin?

فَاسلُ عَن نَوءٍ تُؤَمِّلُهُ

فَاسلُ عَن نَوءٍ تُؤَمِّلُهُ

حَسبُكَ العَبّاسُ مِن مَطَرِه

حَسبُكَ العَبّاسُ مِن مَطَرِه

So forget the rain-star you put your hopes in;

Ask for rain you hope for,

So forget the rain-stars you gaze upon in hope;

al-ʿAbbas suffices you in place of its rain.

Al-Abbas is enough for you from its rain.

Al-Abbas suffices you, surpassing their showers.

مَلِكٌ قَلَّ الشَبيهُ لَهُ

مَلِكٌ قَلَّ الشَبيهُ لَهُ

لَم تَقَع عَينٌ عَلى خِطَرِه

لَم تَقَع عَينٌ عَلى خِطَرِه

A king whose equal is rare:

A king the like of whom is rare,

A king whose equal is rarely found,

no eye has ever fallen on his peer.

No eye has fallen on the like of him.

No eye has ever beheld his match.

لا تُغَطّى عَنهُ مَكرُمَةٌ

لا تُغَطّى عَنهُ مَكرُمَةٌ

بِرُبى وادٍ وَلا خَمرِه

بِرُبى وادٍ وَلا خَمرِه

No noble deed is hidden from him

No favor is concealed from him

No noble deed is hidden from his view,

by a valley's hills or its thickets.

In the open country or its wine.

Neither in the valley hills nor in the thickets.

ذُلِّلَت تِلكَ الفِجاجُ لَهُ

ذُلِّلَت تِلكَ الفِجاجُ لَهُ

فَهوَ مُختارٌ عَلى بَصَرِه

فَهوَ مُختارٌ عَلى بَصَرِه

Those passes have been made easy for him,

Those rough roads are smoothed for him

The mountain passes have been humbled before him,

so he chooses with clear discernment.

As he chooses with his eyesight.

So he chooses his path with clear vision.

سَبَقَ التَفريطَ رائِدُهُ

سَبَقَ التَفريطَ رائِدُهُ

وَكَفاهُ العَينَ مِن أَثَرِه

وَكَفاهُ العَينَ مِن أَثَرِه

His scout has forestalled neglect

His guide surpassed negligence,

His vigilance outpaces negligence,

and spared him following its traces with his own eyes.

And the eye sufficed instead of his track.

And he needs no spy to track the trail.

وَإِذا مَجَّ القَنا عَلَقاً

وَإِذا مَجَّ القَنا عَلَقاً

وَتَراءى المَوتُ في صُوَرِه

وَتَراءى المَوتُ في صُوَرِه

And when the spears spit clotted blood,

And when the battle squeezed in

And when the spears spit forth clots of blood,

and death appears in its guises,

And death appeared in its forms,

And Death reveals itself in all its forms,

راحَ في ثِنيَي مُفاضَتِهِ

راحَ في ثِنيَي مُفاضَتِهِ

أَسَدٌ يُدمى شَبا ظُفُرِه

أَسَدٌ يُدمى شَبا ظُفُرِه

he goes forth within the two folds of his full-length mail,

He went into the fold of his overflowing

He charges forth, clad in the folds of his mail,

a lion whose claw-points are bloodied.

A lion who bloodies the claws of youth.

A lion with blood upon his sharp claws.

تَتَأَيّا الطَيرُ غُدوَتَهُ

تَتَأَيّا الطَيرُ غُدوَتَهُ

ثِقَةً بِالشَبعِ مِن جَزَرِه

ثِقَةً بِالشَبعِ مِن جَزَرِه

The birds await his morning departure,

Birds take their breakfast

The birds of prey await his morning march,

sure of their fill from his slain.

Trusting in the plenty from his prey.

Confident of a feast from his slaughter.

وَتَرى الساداتِ ماثِلَةً

وَتَرى الساداتِ ماثِلَةً

لِسَليلِ الشَمسِ مِن قَمَرِه

لِسَليلِ الشَمسِ مِن قَمَرِه

And you see the lords standing

And you see the nobility

You see the nobles standing in attendance,

before the sun's scion, sprung from his moon.

Of the descendant of the sun from his moons.

Before the scion of the Sun and the Moon.

فَهُمُ شَتّى ظُنونَهُمُ

فَهُمُ شَتّى ظُنونَهُمُ

حَذِرَ المَكنونِ مِن فِكَرِه

حَذِرَ المَكنونِ مِن فِكَرِه

So their conjectures differ,

So they vary in their guesses,

Their thoughts are scattered in confusion,

for fear of what lies hidden in his thoughts.

Wary of the hidden from his thoughts.

Fearful of what lies hidden in his mind.

وَكَريمُ الخالِ مِن يَمَنٍ

وَكَريمُ الخالِ مِن يَمَنٍ

وَكَريمُ العَمِّ مِن مُضَرِه

وَكَريمُ العَمِّ مِن مُضَرِه

Noble in maternal kin from Yemen,

The generous one from Yemen,

Noble in maternal lineage from Yemen,

and noble in paternal kin from his Mudar.

And the generous one from Mudar.

And noble in paternal line from Mudar.

قَد لَبِستَ الدَهرَ لِبسَ فَتىً

قَد لَبِستَ الدَهرَ لِبسَ فَتىً

أَخَذَ الآدابَ عَن عِبَرِه

أَخَذَ الآدابَ عَن عِبَرِه

You have worn Time as a youth wears it,

You have worn time like a youth

You have worn the cloak of Time like a youth,

who learned good conduct from its lessons.

Who took etiquette from its lessons.

Who learned wisdom from its harsh lessons.

فَاِدَّخِر خَيراً تُثابُ بِهِ

فَاِدَّخِر خَيراً تُثابُ بِهِ

كُلُّ مَدخورٍ لِمُدَّخِرِه

كُلُّ مَدخورٍ لِمُدَّخِرِه

So lay up goodness for which you will be rewarded:

So hoard goodness for which you will be rewarded,

So store up good deeds that will bring reward,

every stored thing belongs to the one who stores it.

Every hoarded thing is for its hoarder.

For every hoard returns to the one who hoarded it.