إِحدىone woman of بَنيBanu (descendants of) بَكرِBakr بنِson of عَبدِAbd (servant of) مَناهِManah
إِحدى بَني بَكرِ بنِ عَبدِ مَناهِ
بَينَbetween الكَثيبِthe sand dune الفَردِthe solitary فَالأَمواهِand the waters
بَينَ الكَثيبِ الفَردِ فَالأَمواهِ
One of the women of Banu Bakr ibn Abd Manah,
One of the daughters of Bakr son of Manat’s Abd
Between the solitary dune and the waters,
Between lone dune and desolate valley lost her way.
أَلقىcast off النَصيفَthe veil فَأَنتِfor you (feminine) خاذِلَةُone leaving behind المَهاthe oryx
أَلقى النَصيفَ فَأَنتِ خاذِلَةُ المَها
أُمنِيَّةُthe desire of الخاليthe carefree man وَلَهوُand the amusement of اللاهيthe pleasure-seeker
أُمنِيَّةُ الخالي وَلَهوُ اللاهي
Cast off the veil, for you leave the oryx behind,
She let her wrap fall down, while you in your seduction
The carefree man's desire and the pleasure-seeker's delight.
Are the dream of the ardent and the joy of the wanton boy.
رَيّاfull-figured تُجاذِبُtug against خَصرَهاher waist أَردافُهاher buttocks
رَيّا تُجاذِبُ خَصرَها أَردافُها
وَتَطيبُand is sweet نَكهَتُهاher breath عَلىupon اِستِنكاهِsmelling the breath
وَتَطيبُ نَكهَتُها عَلى اِستِنكاهِ
Full-figured, her hips tug against her waist,
Her buttocks and breasts enticingly rub together
And her breath is sweet when one breathes it in.
As she sways in the rhythm of love and desire’s ploy.
عَرَضَتshe appeared لَناbefore us يَومَthe day of الحِمىal-Hima (protected pasture) فيamong خُرَّدٍshy maidens
عَرَضَت لَنا يَومَ الحِمى في خُرَّدٍ
كَالسِربِlike a herd حُوِّdark-colored لِثاًgums وَلُعسَand dusky شِفاهِlips
كَالسِربِ حُوِّ لِثاً وَلُعسَ شِفاهِ
She appeared before us on the day at al-Hima, among shy maidens,
To us, fevered, she came on an autumn day,
Like a herd, dark of gums and dusky of lips,
Like a flock of antelope, with dew-moist lips of joy.
بيضٍfair-skinned women يَجولُmoves about الحُسنُbeauty فيin وَجَناتِهاtheir cheeks
بيضٍ يَجولُ الحُسنُ في وَجَناتِها
وَالمِلحُand charm بَينَamong نَظائِرٍpeers أَشباهِmatching
وَالمِلحُ بَينَ نَظائِرٍ أَشباهِ
Fair women, beauty moving across their cheeks,
Her beauty wanders o’er features of whitest ivory
And charm among matching peers.
Where grace and salt are in equal measures coy.
لَمnot تَجتَمِعhave gathered أَمثالُهاtheir like فيin مَوطِنٍone place
لَم تَجتَمِع أَمثالُها في مَوطِنٍ
لَولاbut for صِفاتٌdescriptions فيin كِتابِthe Book of اللَهِGod
لَولا صِفاتٌ في كِتابِ اللَهِ
Their like have never gathered in one place,
The like of her in one place were ne’er espied
Except in descriptions in God's Book.
Save for Heaven’s writ, and the angry prophet’s cry.
وَمُفَنِّدٍand a faultfinder لَوّامَةٍconstantly reproachful نَهنَهتُهُI restrained him
وَمُفَنِّدٍ لَوّامَةٍ نَهنَهتُهُ
عَنfrom مُغلِطٍone speaking harshly لِعَذولِهِto his reprover نَجّاهِone who rudely rebuffs
عَن مُغلِطٍ لِعَذولِهِ نَجّاهِ
And many a faultfinder, ceaselessly blaming, I restrained
But one who’d chide me thus I reprimanded sharp
From one harsh with his censurer, rough in rebuff.
And from misleading sophist saved him by my ploy,
وَمُؤَيِّهٍand one calling out بيto me كَيso that أُفيقَI regain my senses وَإِنَّنيand indeed I
وَمُؤَيِّهٍ بي كَي أُفيقَ وَإِنَّني
لَأَصَمُّcertainly deaf عَنto ياهٍ'yah!' (a call) وَعَنand to يَهياهِ'yahyah!' (a call)
لَأَصَمُّ عَن ياهٍ وَعَن يَهياهِ
And many a caller bids me come to my senses, though I
Saying: Awaken, listen, though to censure deaf I be!
Am surely deaf to 'yah!' and 'yahyah!'
Blind am I to “Nay” and just as deaf to “Aye”.
دَعنيlet me أرُقمadorn with patterns أَوَدَthe crookedness of الشَبابِyouth بِذِكرِهاby remembering her
دَعني أرُقم أَوَدَ الشَبابِ بِذِكرِها
إِنَّindeed السَفاهَfolly بِهاover her لَغَيرُcertainly not سَفاهِfolly
إِنَّ السَفاهَ بِها لَغَيرُ سَفاهِ
Let me embellish youth's crookedness by remembering her;
Let me revel in recalling that youth in song
For folly over her is surely no folly.
For foolishness with her as theme is utmost joy.
فَإِذاthen when اِنقَضَتhave ended أَيّامُthe days of تَشييعِbidding farewell to الصِباyouth
فَإِذا اِنقَضَت أَيّامُ تَشييعِ الصِبا
أَظهَرتُI shall display تَوبَةَthe repentance of خاشِعٍa humble man أَوّاهِoften sighing
أَظهَرتُ تَوبَةَ خاشِعٍ أَوّاهِ
Then, when the days of bidding youth farewell have passed,
When the days of escorting youth shall end, I’ll show
I shall show the repentance of a humble, sighing man.
True devotion in repentance, humbly bend the knee.
وَمُعاوِدٍand a habitual returner لِلبيدِto the deserts لاnot يَهفوleads astray بِهِhim
وَمُعاوِدٍ لِلبيدِ لا يَهفو بِهِ
هافٍa flighty person وَلاnor يَزهاهُunsettles him فيهاin them زاهِa proud person
هافٍ وَلا يَزهاهُ فيها زاهِ
And a habitual traveler of the deserts, whom no flighty man
Returning to worship her, no more wavering,
Can lead astray, nor any proud man there unsettle,
In fear or doubt, but in certitude and poise,
مُهدٍoffering لِأَلطافِthe choice gifts of الثَناءِpraise إِلىto فَتىa young man
مُهدٍ لِأَلطافِ الثَناءِ إِلى فَتى
كَالبَدرِlike the full moon لاnot صَلِفٍboastful وَلاnor تَيّاهِconceited
كَالبَدرِ لا صَلِفٍ وَلا تَيّاهِ
Bringing choice gifts of praise to a young man
Humbling myself before the gentlest praise, for one
Like the full moon, neither boastful nor conceited;
Free of all rigor, smooth of temper, mild of joy,
لِأَبيfor Abu (father of) الغَريبِal-Gharib غَرائِباًmarvels مِنof مَدحِهِpraise of him
لِأَبي الغَريبِ غَرائِباً مِن مَدحِهِ
فيwith غَيرِno تَعقيدٍtangled obscurity وَلاnor اِستِكراهِforced expression
في غَيرِ تَعقيدٍ وَلا اِستِكراهِ
For Abu al-Gharib, rare marvels of praise of him,
Strange wonders weaving into song for Abu Ghuraib,
Without obscurity or forced expression.
Without affect or any artifice’s ploy,
مَنwhoever ماتَdies مِنfrom حَدَثِa calamity of الزَمانِtime فَإِنَّهُthen he indeed
مَن ماتَ مِن حَدَثِ الزَمانِ فَإِنَّهُ
يَحياlives لَدىwith يَحيىYahya بنِson of عَبدِAbd (servant of) اللَهِAllah (God)
يَحيا لَدى يَحيى بنِ عَبدِ اللَهِ
Whoever dies from time's calamities will surely
Whoe’er, though young, dies of time’s spite, shall yet
Live again with Yahya ibn Abd Allah.
Through Yahya ibn Abdallah live on in proud array.
كَالسَيفِlike a sword لَيسَhe is not بِزُمَّلٍa weakling شِهدارَةٍcowardly
كَالسَيفِ لَيسَ بِزُمَّلٍ شِهدارَةٍ
يَوماًever وَلاnor بِغُضُبَّةٍan irascible man جَبّاهِrudely confrontational
يَوماً وَلا بِغُضُبَّةٍ جَبّاهِ
Like a sword, he is no feeble coward
A sword it is, no rust or tarnish marring it,
At any time, nor a hot-tempered, insolent man.
Nor wrathful look upon its brow to joy betray.
وَمُهَفهَفِand slender of الساقيcupbearer قَريبِnear at hand جَنىthe fruit of النَدىgenerosity
وَمُهَفهَفِ الساقي قَريبِ جَنى النَدى
عَفِّchaste of النَديمِboon companion سَريعِswift سَعيِthe work of الطاهيthe cook
عَفِّ النَديمِ سَريعِ سَعيِ الطاهي
With a slender cupbearer, his bounty's fruit close at hand,
The cup-bearer to whom the vine’s first juices flow,
A chaste boon companion, and a cook swift in his work;
Of gentle disposition and swift to obey,
وَأَغَرَّand radiant يَلهوtakes pleasure بِالمَكارِمِin noble deeds وَالوَغىand battle
وَأَغَرَّ يَلهو بِالمَكارِمِ وَالوَغى
إِنَّindeed المَكارِمَnoble deeds لِلكَريمِfor the noble man مَلاهِdiversions
إِنَّ المَكارِمَ لِلكَريمِ مَلاهِ
And a radiant man delighting in noble deeds and battle—
Is tempered yet by battle-fire and hot for war
Noble deeds are pleasures for the noble man.
For it is valiant souls who fighting’s sphere enjoy.
يُمسيhe passes the evening وَيُصبِحُand greets the morning عَرضُهُhis honor فيin صَخرَةٍa rock
يُمسي وَيُصبِحُ عَرضُهُ في صَخرَةٍ
دَمَغَتhas crushed شَواةَthe scalp of العائِبِthe faultfinder العَضّاهِthe slanderer
دَمَغَت شَواةَ العائِبِ العَضّاهِ
At evening and at dawn, his honor rests within a rock
His glory night and morn rests on unyielding rock
That has crushed the scalp of the slandering faultfinder.
Which the harsh file of critic vile cannot destroy.
قُلsay لِلعِداةِto the enemies الحاسِديهِwho envy him عَلىfor العُلاhigh rank
قُل لِلعِداةِ الحاسِديهِ عَلى العُلا
رَغماًhumiliation لِآنِفِكُمupon your noses بَنيsons of الأَستاهِarses
رَغماً لِآنِفِكُم بَني الأَستاهِ
Tell the enemies who envy him his high rank:
Say to the envious and spiteful of exalted rank:
Dust on your noses, you sons of arses!
“Your sniffed disdain but makes our laughing joy more coy!”
حَسَدٌenvy تَمَكَّنَhas taken hold ذُلُّهُits humiliation مِنthrough بُغضِكُمyour hatred
حَسَدٌ تَمَكَّنَ ذُلُّهُ مِن بُغضِكُم
فيin أَعيُنٍeyes وَمَعاطِسٍand nostrils وَشِفاهِand lips
في أَعيُنٍ وَمَعاطِسٍ وَشِفاهِ
Envy's humiliation has taken hold through your hatred,
Envy has overwhelmed you, in eyes, sneers, lips,
In eyes and nostrils and lips.
He’s the true friend’s cool shade, the false friend’s dart.
هُوَhe لِلوَفِيِّto one faithful to العَهدِthe pledge ظِلُّthe shade of أَراكَةٍan arak tree
هُوَ لِلوَفِيِّ العَهدِ ظِلُّ أَراكَةٍ
وَلِمُضمِرِand to one concealing الشَنَآنِhatred شَوكُthe thorns of عِضاهِthorny trees
وَلِمُضمِرِ الشَنَآنِ شَوكُ عِضاهِ
To one faithful to his pledge, he is an arak tree's shade;
A leader made great by virtue, whom all acclaimed,
To one harboring hatred, the thorns of thorny trees.
Willingly, without force or coercion’s ploy,
قَرمٌa great chief أَقَرَّacknowledged لَهُto him الرِجالُthe men بِفَضلِهِhis excellence
قَرمٌ أَقَرَّ لَهُ الرِجالُ بِفَضلِهِ
طَوعاًwillingly بِلاwithout قَهرٍforce وَلاand without إِكراهِcoercion
طَوعاً بِلا قَهرٍ وَلا إِكراهِ
A chief whose excellence men have acknowledged
Sweet is his name upon my lips, leaving as when
Willingly, without force or coercion.
Pure water quenches thirst the taste of limpid joy.
عَذُبَgrew sweet اِسمُهُhis name بِفَميin my mouth فَظَلَّand remained كَأَنَّهُas though it were
عَذُبَ اِسمُهُ بِفَمي فَظَلَّ كَأَنَّهُ
لِلراحِto wine بِالماءِwith water القَراحِpure مُضاهِcomparable
لِلراحِ بِالماءِ القَراحِ مُضاهِ
His name grew sweet in my mouth, and remained as though it were
If he were a plant, then only finest basil
A match for wine mingled with pure water.
Would be worthy comparison for lips to enjoy.
لَوif أَنَّهُhe were نَبتٌa plant لَكانَتthen would be دونَهُbeneath him
لَو أَنَّهُ نَبتٌ لَكانَت دونَهُ
قُضُبُthe twigs of البَشامِbalsam اللُدنِpliant لِلأَفواهِfor mouths
قُضُبُ البَشامِ اللُدنِ لِلأَفواهِ
Were he a plant, inferior to him would be
Such gladness he brought, and sorrow dispelled
The supple balsam twigs, to the mouth.
For those hopeful, aspiring, seeking its employ.
كَمhow many فَرحَةٍa joy أَهدىhe bestowed وَكَمand how many مِنof تَرحَةٍa sorrow
كَم فَرحَةٍ أَهدى وَكَم مِن تَرحَةٍ
لِمُؤَمِّلٍto an expectant seeker راجٍhopeful وَلاحٍand a reprover ناهِforbidding
لِمُؤَمِّلٍ راجٍ وَلاحٍ ناهِ
How much joy he has given, and how much sorrow,
We sniffed his redolent breath, and it burst for us
To a hopeful seeker and a reprover who forbids!
Into gifts not borne from clouds’ or rain’s convoy.
شِمناwe watched for نَدىthe bounty of يُمناهُhis right hand فَاِنبَجَسَتthen it gushed forth لَناfor us
شِمنا نَدى يُمناهُ فَاِنبَجَسَت لَنا
بِمَواهِبٍwith gifts لَمnot تَنفَجِرit burst forth بِمِياهِwith waters
بِمَواهِبٍ لَم تَنفَجِر بِمِياهِ
We watched for his right hand's bounty; it gushed for us
When from it I sought only the sweet, then my heart
With gifts—it did not burst forth with water.
Brimmed over with all I prized, my spirit’s buoy.
لَمّاwhen طَلَبتُI sought العَذبَsweet water مِنهاfrom it أَصبَحَتbecame
لَمّا طَلَبتُ العَذبَ مِنها أَصبَحَت
قُلُبيmy wells بِهاwith it مَملوءَةًfilled وَرِداهيand my rock pools
قُلُبي بِها مَملوءَةً وَرِداهي
When I sought sweet water from it, there stood
If all things created were not finite, we would
My wells and rock pools filled with it.
Drink forever your plenty, no limit our employ.
لَولاwere it not for تَناهيthe limits of كُلِّevery مَخلوقٍcreated thing لَقَدsurely
لَولا تَناهي كُلِّ مَخلوقٍ لَقَد
خِلناwe would think نَوالَكَyour bounty لَيسَis not بِالمُتَناهيfinite
خِلنا نَوالَكَ لَيسَ بِالمُتَناهي
Were it not for every created thing's limits, surely
Still you rain clouds without cease, vying with the downpour,
We would think your bounty had no end.
As though against the very clouds you did enjoy.
مازِلتَyou have continued تُمطِرُraining ديمَةًsteady gentle rain مَعَwith وابِلٍa downpour
مازِلتَ تُمطِرُ ديمَةً مَعَ وابِلٍ
حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّكَas though you لِلسَحابِwith the clouds مُباهيvying in glory
حَتّى كَأَنَّكَ لِلسَحابِ مُباهي
You have kept raining steady gentle rain with a downpour,
Though promises were made me, I tossed them aside,
Until you seem to vie with the clouds.
Your promise ever draws me, and holds my employ.
وَلَقَدand indeed وُعِدتُI was promised مَواعِداًpromises فَنَبَذتُهاthen I cast them away
وَلَقَد وُعِدتُ مَواعِداً فَنَبَذتُها
خَلفيbehind me وَوَعدُكَand your promise مايَزالُstill remains تِجاهيbefore me
خَلفي وَوَعدُكَ مايَزالُ تِجاهي
Indeed, I was offered promises, and cast them
An Uwaysi arrow is safe in your custody,
Behind me; your promise still stands before me.
Knowing you forget nor stray from a faithful employ.
سَهمُSahm بنُson of أَوسٍAws فيunder ضَمانِكَyour guarantee عالِمٌknows
سَهمُ بنُ أَوسٍ في ضَمانِكَ عالِمٌ
أَنthat لَستَyou are not بِالناسيforgetful وَلاnor بِالساهيheedless
أَن لَستَ بِالناسي وَلا بِالساهي
Sahm ibn Aws, under your guarantee, knows
Grant him bounty entire from your hand, be for him
That you are neither forgetful nor heedless.
A pillar no treachery can shake or winds destroy.
أَجزِلgrant generously لَهُto him الحَظَّينِthe two shares مِنكَfrom you وَكُنand be لَهُfor him
أَجزِل لَهُ الحَظَّينِ مِنكَ وَكُن لَهُ
رُكناًa support عَلىthrough الأَيّامِthe days لَيسَnot بِواهِweak
رُكناً عَلى الأَيّامِ لَيسَ بِواهِ
Give him both shares from you lavishly, and be for him
With care entrusted and care exalted bestowed,
A support through the days that is never weak.
Both famed and of renown through your godly employ.
بِوِلايَتَينِwith two forms of patronage وِلايَةٍan office مَذكورَةٍspoken of
بِوِلايَتَينِ وِلايَةٍ مَذكورَةٍ
مَشهورَةٍwell-known وَوِلايَةٍand patronage بِالجاهِthrough influence
مَشهورَةٍ وَوِلايَةٍ بِالجاهِ
With two forms of patronage: an office spoken of,
You are my scion though of wealth possessed,
Well-known, and patronage through influence.
And I your scion though of station high enjoy.
هُوَhe فيin الغِنىwealth غَرسيmy planting وَغَرسُكَand your planting فيin العُلىeminence
هُوَ في الغِنى غَرسي وَغَرسُكَ في العُلى
أَنّىwherever اِنصَرَفتَyou turn وَأَنتَand you are غَرسُthe planting of اللَهِGod
أَنّى اِنصَرَفتَ وَأَنتَ غَرسُ اللَهِ
He is my planting in wealth, and your planting in eminence,
How could you turn away when you are God’s own scion!
Wherever you turn—you are God's planting.
Partial English translation: 67 of 68 Arabic lines translated.