قولا لِإِبراهيمَ وَالفَضلِ الَّذي

قولا لِإِبراهيمَ وَالفَضلِ الَّذي

سَكَنَت مَوَدَّتُهُ جُنوبَ شَغافي

سَكَنَت مَوَدَّتُهُ جُنوبَ شَغافي

You two, tell Ibrahim and al-Fadl, whose

Tell Ibrahim and his excellence, whose affection

Affection has settled along the sides of my heart's sheath:

Resides in the depths of my innermost being,

مَنَعَ الزِيارَةَ وَالوِصالَ سَحائِبٌ

مَنَعَ الزِيارَةَ وَالوِصالَ سَحائِبٌ

شُمُّ الغَوارِبِ جَأبَةُ الأَكتافِ

شُمُّ الغَوارِبِ جَأبَةُ الأَكتافِ

Clouds have prevented visits and communion,

That the clouds have prevented visiting and union,

Lofty-crested and massive-shouldered.

With their rain-laden bellies and hunched shoulders.

ظَلَمَت بَني الحاجِ المُهِمِّ وَأَنصَفَت

ظَلَمَت بَني الحاجِ المُهِمِّ وَأَنصَفَت

عَرضَ البَسيطَةِ أَيَّما إِنصافِ

عَرضَ البَسيطَةِ أَيَّما إِنصافِ

They wronged those with pressing needs, but did justice to

They have wronged the pilgrims, yet been fair

The earth's expanse with the fullest justice.

To the wide plain of Al-Buseirah equally.

فَأَتَت بِمَنفَعَةِ الرِياضِ وَضَرِّها

فَأَتَت بِمَنفَعَةِ الرِياضِ وَضَرِّها

أَهلَ المَنازِلِ أَلسُنُ الوُصّافِ

أَهلَ المَنازِلِ أَلسُنُ الوُصّافِ

So news of the meadows' benefit and harm was brought

So they brought benefit and harm to the dwellers

To those at home by the tongues of describers.

Through the tongues of the rain-describers.

وَعَلِمتُ ما لَقِيَ المَزورُ إِذا هَمَت

وَعَلِمتُ ما لَقِيَ المَزورُ إِذا هَمَت

مِن مُمطِرٍ ذَفِرٍ وَطينِ خِفافِ

مِن مُمطِرٍ ذَفِرٍ وَطينِ خِفافِ

And I knew what the person visited suffered when they poured,

And I knew what the frequenter met when the clouds

From a reeking rain-cloak and mud on leather boots.

Intended to pour from a rainy, muddy downpour.

فَجَفَوتُكُم وَعَلِمتُ في أَمثالِها

فَجَفَوتُكُم وَعَلِمتُ في أَمثالِها

أَنَّ الوَصولَ هُوَ القَطوعُ الجافي

أَنَّ الوَصولَ هُوَ القَطوعُ الجافي

So I stayed away from you, and knew, in conditions like these,

So I shunned you and learned in the likes of it

That one who keeps ties is the very one who breaks them and is unkind.

That arrival itself is the barren severance.

لَمّا اِستَقَلَّت ثَرَّةً أَخلافُها

لَمّا اِستَقَلَّت ثَرَّةً أَخلافُها

مَلمومَةَ الأَرجاءِ وَالأَكنافِ

مَلمومَةَ الأَرجاءِ وَالأَكنافِ

When the cloud rose, its teats flowing copiously,

Its edges and flanks gathered close together,

When its fertile offspring gained independence,

شَهِدَت لَها الأَثراءُ أَجمَعُ إِنَّها

شَهِدَت لَها الأَثراءُ أَجمَعُ إِنَّها

مِن مُزنَةٍ لَكَريمَةُ الأَطرافِ

مِن مُزنَةٍ لَكَريمَةُ الأَطرافِ

All the soils bore witness for it: it is

Scattered, with curved and straight limbs,

Indeed a rain-cloud generous at its fringes.

The nobility altogether testified that it

ما يَنقَضي مِنها النِتاجُ بِبَلدَةٍ

ما يَنقَضي مِنها النِتاجُ بِبَلدَةٍ

حَتّى يُسِرَّ لَهُ لَقاحَ كِشافِ

حَتّى يُسِرَّ لَهُ لَقاحَ كِشافِ

Its birthing in one land is scarcely finished

Was from a revered stock, honorable in deeds.

Before a new, immediate conception is held secretly in store for it.

Its yield does not end in any country

كَم أَهدَتِ الخَضراءُ في أَحمالِها

كَم أَهدَتِ الخَضراءُ في أَحمالِها

لِلأَرضِ مِن تُحَفٍ وَمِن أَلطافِ

لِلأَرضِ مِن تُحَفٍ وَمِن أَلطافِ

How much the blue sky has offered within its burdens

Until pollination is facilitated for it by an unveiler.

To the earth—precious gifts and gracious favors!

How much has the green land offered up

فَكَأَنَّني بِالرَوضِ قَد أَجلى لَها

فَكَأَنَّني بِالرَوضِ قَد أَجلى لَها

عَن حُلَّةٍ مِن وَشيِهِ أَفوافِ

عَن حُلَّةٍ مِن وَشيِهِ أَفوافِ

So I seem to see the meadow already unveiling for it

Of gifts and refinements in its loads!

A robe of its own embroidery, finely striped:

عَن ثامِرٍ ضافٍ وَنَبتِ قَرارَةٍ

عَن ثامِرٍ ضافٍ وَنَبتِ قَرارَةٍ

وافٍ وَنَورٍ كَالمَراجِلِ خافِ

وافٍ وَنَورٍ كَالمَراجِلِ خافِ

Luxuriant fruiting growth and plants of low-lying ground,

It is as though I see the meadow cleared

Full-grown, and blossoms gleaming like patterned brocades.

Of a garment of its wind-blown refuse,

وَكَأَنَّني بِالظاعِنينَ وَطِيَّةٌ

وَكَأَنَّني بِالظاعِنينَ وَطِيَّةٌ

تَبكي لَها الأُلّافُ لِلأُلّافِ

تَبكي لَها الأُلّافُ لِلأُلّافِ

And I seem to see the departing travelers, and a journey

Of ripe fruit and soothing vegetation,

For which dear companions weep for dear companions.

And light like the glowing embers of a brazier.

وَكَأَنَّني بِالشَدقَمِيَّةِ وَسطَهُ

وَكَأَنَّني بِالشَدقَمِيَّةِ وَسطَهُ

خُضرُ اللُهى وَالوُظفِ وَالأَخفافِ

خُضرُ اللُهى وَالوُظفِ وَالأَخفافِ

And I seem to see the Shadqam-bred camels in its midst,

It is as though I see ath-Tha’neen while around it

Their palates, lower legs, and footpads green.

Is the greenness of meadows, marshes, and lowlands.

إِنَّ الشِتاءَ عَلى جَهامَةِ وَجهِهِ

إِنَّ الشِتاءَ عَلى جَهامَةِ وَجهِهِ

لَهُوَ المُفيدُ طَلاقَةَ المُصطافِ

لَهُوَ المُفيدُ طَلاقَةَ المُصطافِ

Winter, despite the grimness of its face,

Verily winter in the gloom of its face

Indeed gives the summer quarters their smiling brightness.

Is what facilitates the strolling of the walker.

وَكَأَنَّما آثارُها مِن مُزنَةٍ

وَكَأَنَّما آثارُها مِن مُزنَةٍ

بِالميثِ وَالوَهَداتِ وَالأَخيافِ

بِالميثِ وَالوَهَداتِ وَالأَخيافِ

And it is as though its traces, as a rain-cloud,

And it is as though its traces are from reverence

On soft-soiled rises, hollows, and foothills,

In the swamps, ponds, and creeks.

آثارُ أَيدي آلِ مُصعَبٍ الَّتي

آثارُ أَيدي آلِ مُصعَبٍ الَّتي

بُسِطَت بِلا مَنٍّ وَلا إِخلافِ

بُسِطَت بِلا مَنٍّ وَلا إِخلافِ

Were the traces of the hands of the house of Mus'ab, which

Traces of the hands of the clan of Mus’ab

Were outstretched without reminders of favors or broken promises.

That stretched out without stinginess or holding back.

حَتمٌ عَلَيكَ إِذا حَلَلتَ مَغانَهُم

حَتمٌ عَلَيكَ إِذا حَلَلتَ مَغانَهُم

أَلّا تَراهُ عافِياً مِن عافِ

أَلّا تَراهُ عافِياً مِن عافِ

You can be certain, when you alight in their dwellings,

It is inevitable that when you seek refuge with them,

That you will not find the place empty of a seeker of bounty.

You will not see it free of an intimate friend.

وَكَأَنَّهُم في بِرِّهِم وَحَفائِهِم

وَكَأَنَّهُم في بِرِّهِم وَحَفائِهِم

بِالمُجتَدي الأَضيافُ لِلأَضيافِ

بِالمُجتَدي الأَضيافُ لِلأَضيافِ

And they seem, in their kindness and attentive care

And it is as though in their righteousness and protection

For the suppliant, to be guests of their own guests.

They are hosts entertaining guests with hospitality.