أَعاذِلَتَيَّO my two reproachers اليَومَtoday وَيحَكُماwoe to you both مَهلاgently
أَعاذِلَتَيَّ اليَومَ وَيحَكُما مَهلا
وَكُفّاand you both stop الأَذىthe harm عَنّيfrom me وَلاand do not تُكثِراyou both heap up عَذلاreproach
وَكُفّا الأَذى عَنّي وَلا تُكثِرا عَذلا
O my two reproachers, today, woe to you both—be gentle.
My darling scolded me today, be gentle with me
And cease harming me; do not heap up reproaches.
Spare me your blame and do not exaggerate my guilt
ذَرانيyou both leave me تَجُدmay give generously كَفّيmy hand بِماليwith my wealth فَإِنَّنيfor indeed I
ذَراني تَجُد كَفّي بِمالي فَإِنَّني
سَأُصبِحُI shall become لاnot أَسطيعُI am able جوداًgenerosity وَلاnor بُخلاstinginess
سَأُصبِحُ لا أَسطيعُ جوداً وَلا بُخلا
Leave me; let my hand be generous with my wealth, for I
Leave me alone for now, my money is enough for me
shall become unable to give or to withhold,
Soon I shall be unable to lavish or to hoard
إِذاwhen وَضَعواthey placed بَعدَafter الضَريحِthe grave جَنادِلاًlarge stones
إِذا وَضَعوا بَعدَ الضَريحِ جَنادِلاً
عَلَيَّupon me وَخَلَّيتُand I left المَطِيَّةَthe mount وَالرَحلاand the saddle
عَلَيَّ وَخَلَّيتُ المَطِيَّةَ وَالرَحلا
when, after the burial, they lay great stones
When they have placed upon my tomb crumbling ruins
upon me, and I have left behind mount and saddle,
And my she-camel turns away, the luggage piled on her back
وَأَبكَيتُand I made weep مِنof عِتبانِʿItbān كُلَّevery كَريمَةٍnoble woman
وَأَبكَيتُ مِن عِتبانِ كُلَّ كَريمَةٍ
عَلىover فاجِعٍa grievous loss قامَتshe rose مُشَقَّقَةًwith clothes torn عُطلاwithout ornaments
عَلى فاجِعٍ قامَت مُشَقَّقَةً عُطلا
and made every noble woman of ʿItbān weep,
Every generous woman shall weep for one distressed
each rising at a grievous loss, her clothes torn, without ornaments,
Her clothing rent for a beloved now lost forevermore
مُدَمِّيَةًbloodying حُرّاًa fair part مِنَof الوَجهِthe face حاسِراًbare
مُدَمِّيَةً حُرّاً مِنَ الوَجهِ حاسِراً
كَأَنas though لَمdid not تُمِتlose to death قَبليbefore me غُلاماًa youth وَلاnor كَهلاa mature man
كَأَن لَم تُمِت قَبلي غُلاماً وَلا كَهلا
bloodying the bare, fair part of her face,
Her face stained with tears as if neither boy nor elder
as though she had never lost a youth or a mature man before me.
Had died before me, leaving her behind, bereft
وَقَدand indeed كُنتُI was فيماin what قَدalready بَنىbuilt لِيَfor me حافِريmy gravedigger
وَقَد كُنتُ فيما قَد بَنى لِيَ حافِري
أَعالِيَهُits upper part تَوّاًa solitary structure وَأَسفَلَهُand its lower part دَحلاa burrow
أَعالِيَهُ تَوّاً وَأَسفَلَهُ دَحلا
And I shall be in what my gravedigger has built for me,
In what my feet have built with their nails
its upper part a lone structure, its lower part a burrow.
Lofty at top and broad below I take my final rest
فَلاso not أَناI مُجتازٌpassing beyond إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle لَقيتُهُI reach it
فَلا أَنا مُجتازٌ إِذا ما لَقيتُهُ
وَلاnor أَناI لاقٍmeeting ماas long as ثَوَيتُI dwell بِهِin it أَهلاfamily
وَلا أَنا لاقٍ ما ثَوَيتُ بِهِ أَهلا
I shall not pass beyond it once I have reached it,
I cannot look on that which lies ahead
nor meet my family while I dwell there.
Nor can I discover what destiny has in store
وَقَدand indeed قَسَمواthey divided ماليmy wealth وَأَضحَتand have become حَلائِليmy wives
وَقَد قَسَموا مالي وَأَضحَت حَلائِلي
قَدِalready اِستَبدَلَتshe took in exchange غَيريanother instead of me بِبَهجَتِهاthrough her beauty بَعلاa husband
قَدِ اِستَبدَلَت غَيري بِبَهجَتِها بَعلا
They will have divided my wealth, and my wives
My wealth they share amongst themselves and my wives
will each have taken another husband in my place through her beauty.
Have taken others in the place of me, to find their joy
وَأَضحَتand she became لِبَعلٍfor a husband غَيرِother than أَخطَلَAkhtal إِذwhen ثَوىhe lay buried
وَأَضحَت لِبَعلٍ غَيرِ أَخطَلَ إِذ ثَوى
تَلُطُّshe applies بِعَينَيهاto her two eyes الأَشاجِعَthe finger-joints وَالكُحلاand kohl
تَلُطُّ بِعَينَيها الأَشاجِعَ وَالكُحلا
And once Akhtal lies buried, she will belong to another husband,
To a husband other than Akhtal, Wail's son, she turns
pressing her fingers and kohl against her eyes.
Bemoaning, darkening her eyes with kohl
أَعاذِلَO reproacher إِنَّindeed النَفسَthe soul فيin كَفِّthe palm of مالِكٍa master
أَعاذِلَ إِنَّ النَفسَ في كَفِّ مالِكٍ
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle دَعاhe called يَوماًone day أَجابَتit answered لَهُfor him الرُسلاthe messengers
إِذا ما دَعا يَوماً أَجابَت لَهُ الرُسلا
O reproacher, the soul is in a master's hand;
My darling, when the Master calls the soul obeys
when he calls one day, it answers his messengers.
So spare me now, for my wealth cannot defeat mortality
ذَرينيleave me فَلاfor not ماليmy wealth يَرُدُّwards off مَنِيَّتيmy death
ذَريني فَلا مالي يَرُدُّ مَنِيَّتي
وَماand not إِنemphatic particle أَرىI see حَيّاًa living person عَلىupon نَفسِهِhis soul قُفلاa lock
وَما إِن أَرى حَيّاً عَلى نَفسِهِ قُفلا
Leave me: my wealth cannot turn back my death,
Nor can the niggard soul elude death with its gold
and I see no living man with a lock upon his soul.
So know me only to jest, the open-handed cannot die
وَلَيسَand is not بَخيلُone miserly النَفسِin soul بِالمالِwith wealth خالِداًimmortal
وَلَيسَ بَخيلُ النَفسِ بِالمالِ خالِداً
وَلاnor مِنany جَوادٍgenerous man مَيِّتاًdead فَاِعلَميso know هُزلاfrom emaciation
وَلا مِن جَوادٍ مَيِّتاً فَاِعلَمي هُزلا
And a man miserly at heart with wealth is not immortal,
Alas, how many fear for their people's sake
nor does a generous man die of wasting away—know this.
But death's blow strikes them swifter still
أَلاlo رُبَّmany a مَنperson who يَخشىfears نَوائِبَmisfortunes قَومِهِhis people
أَلا رُبَّ مَن يَخشى نَوائِبَ قَومِهِ
وَرَيبُand the vicissitudes of المَناياdeaths سابِقاتٌoutstripping بِهِwith him الفِعلاaction
وَرَيبُ المَنايا سابِقاتٌ بِهِ الفِعلا
Ah, many a man fears his people's misfortunes,
And oh how often one walks on, hoped for still
yet death's vicissitudes carry him off before he can act.
Yet meets his end before returning, by some chance
وَياand oh رُبَّmany a غادٍmorning traveler وَهوَwhile he يُرجىis hoped for إِيابُهُhis return
وَيا رُبَّ غادٍ وَهوَ يُرجى إِيابُهُ
وَسَوفَand will يُلاقيencounter دونَbefore أَوبَتِهِhis return شُغلاa hindrance
وَسَوفَ يُلاقي دونَ أَوبَتِهِ شُغلا
And how many a man sets out in the morning, his return hoped for,
You recall fate's endless changes, recall then my love
yet before returning will meet something that detains him.
For I have left her truly, and her loss has slain me
ذَكَرتَyou recalled اِنقِلابَthe reversals of الدَهرِtime فَاِذكُرthen recall وَسيمَةًWasīmah
ذَكَرتَ اِنقِلابَ الدَهرِ فَاِذكُر وَسيمَةً
فَقَدfor indeed خِلتُI thought حَقّاًtruly حُبَّهاher love قاتِليmy killer قَتلاutter killing
فَقَد خِلتُ حَقّاً حُبَّها قاتِلي قَتلا
You recalled the turns of time; recall Wasīmah,
Her radiance stunned me when off-guard was I
for I truly thought her love would kill me outright.
And I knew not that I had strayed beyond propriety's rule
وَقَدand indeed عَلَّقَتنيshe afflicted me with السُقمَsickness إِذwhen بَرَقَتshe flashed لَناbefore us
وَقَد عَلَّقَتني السُقمَ إِذ بَرَقَت لَنا
عَلىin غِرَّةٍunawareness مِنّاon our part وَماand not شَعَرَتshe noticed فُضلاin a single garment
عَلى غِرَّةٍ مِنّا وَما شَعَرَت فُضلا
She made sickness cling to me when she flashed before us,
I saw a face whose brilliance stunned and shocked me
while we were off guard, herself unaware and in a single garment.
A glance so dark it rendered me quite senseless
رَأَيتُI saw لَهاbelonging to her وَجهاًa face أَغَرَّradiant فَراعَنيand it awed me
رَأَيتُ لَها وَجهاً أَغَرَّ فَراعَني
وَطَرفاًand a gaze غَضيضاًdowncast مِثلُهُits like أَورَثَbrought about الخَبلاmadness
وَطَرفاً غَضيضاً مِثلُهُ أَورَثَ الخَبلا
I saw her radiant face and was awestruck,
A soft cheek on which no down has yet appeared
and a downcast gaze, whose like has brought on madness,
Adorned with a beauty-spot next the braids upon her neck
وَخَدّاًand a cheek أَسيلاًsmooth غَيرَnot زَغبٍdowny مَقَذُّهُits hairline
وَخَدّاً أَسيلاً غَيرَ زَغبٍ مَقَذُّهُ
بِمُذهِبَةٍwith a gilded ornament فيon الجيدِthe neck قَدalready فُتِلَتwas twisted فَتلاthoroughly
بِمُذهِبَةٍ في الجيدِ قَد فُتِلَت فَتلا
and a smooth cheek, with no down along its hairline,
She who launched no arrow to pierce my heart
with a gilded necklace at her throat, finely twisted.
Who strung no bow, prepared no shafts to aim
فَتِلكَso that woman الَّتيwho لَمdid not تُخطِmiss قَلبيmy heart بِسَهمِهاwith her arrow
فَتِلكَ الَّتي لَم تُخطِ قَلبي بِسَهمِها
وَماand not وَتَّرَتshe strung قَوساًa bow وَلاnor رَصَفَتshe bound arrowheads نَبلاarrows
وَما وَتَّرَت قَوساً وَلا رَصَفَت نَبلا
She, then, is the one whose arrow did not miss my heart,
A fawn she passed me by one morn, neither short nor tall
though she strung no bow and bound no arrowheads to shafts,
Shaking the twin necklaces at her throat as she walked on
غَداةَon the morning غَدَتshe went forth غَرّاءَradiant غَيرَnot قَصيرَةٍshort in stature
غَداةَ غَدَت غَرّاءَ غَيرَ قَصيرَةٍ
تُذَرّيshe scatters عَلىover المَتنَينِboth sides of the back ذاhaving عُذَرٍtresses جَثلاthick
تُذَرّي عَلى المَتنَينِ ذا عُذَرٍ جَثلا
on the morning she went forth radiant, not short of stature,
Then spare me with that which cures the sick and free
letting thick, flowing tresses fall over both sides of her back.
A captive, though no crime he wrought, now bound in chains
فَجوديso give generously بِماwith what يَشفيheals السَقيمَthe sick man وَخَلِّصيand free
فَجودي بِما يَشفي السَقيمَ وَخَلِّصي
أَسيراًa captive بِلاwithout جُرمٍguilt أَطَلتِyou prolonged لَهُfor him الكَبلاthe fetters
أَسيراً بِلا جُرمٍ أَطَلتِ لَهُ الكَبلا
So give generously what heals the sick man, and free
Of noble Taqb I am the farthest-reaching scion
a guiltless captive whom you have kept so long in fetters.
My line the longest, my roots the most secure
وَإِنّيand indeed I لِمَنsurely from عَلياءِthe heights of تَغلِبِTaghlib وائِلٍWāʾil
وَإِنّي لِمَن عَلياءِ تَغلِبِ وائِلٍ
لَأَطوَلُهاsurely its loftiest بَيتاًin house وَأَثبَتُهاand its firmest أَصلاin root
لَأَطوَلُها بَيتاً وَأَثبَتُها أَصلا
And I am indeed of the heights of Taghlib of Wāʾil,
I am Jushamiy, my dwelling broad and lofty
the loftiest among them in house, the firmest in root.
Where one distressed resides, jesting though troubled he
أَناI الجُشَمِيُّthe Jushamī الرَحبُspacious فيamong الحَيِّthe clan مَنزِلاًin dwelling
أَنا الجُشَمِيُّ الرَحبُ في الحَيِّ مَنزِلاً
إِذاwhen اِحتَلَّlodged مَضهودٌa hard-pressed man بِمُضنِيَةٍwith a wasting affliction هَزلاemaciated
إِذا اِحتَلَّ مَضهودٌ بِمُضنِيَةٍ هَزلا
I am the Jushamī, with a spacious home among the clan,
My uncle is the noble Amr ibn Malik
when a hard-pressed man, emaciated by affliction, comes to lodge.
And Tha'laba al-Muwali in Manzurah has yet more virtue
وَعَمّايَand my two uncles نِعمَexcellent is المَرءُthe man عَمروٌʿAmr وَمالِكٌand Mālik
وَعَمّايَ نِعمَ المَرءُ عَمروٌ وَمالِكٌ
وَثَعلَبَةُand Thaʿlabah الموليthe bestower بِمَنظورَةٍwith Manẓūrah فَضلاbounty
وَثَعلَبَةُ المولي بِمَنظورَةٍ فَضلا
And my two uncles—fine men—are ʿAmr and Mālik,
The valleys of Taqb know full well I am still fresh
and Thaʿlabah, who bestowed bounty with Manẓūrah.
Neither blighted nor bearing wicked fruit upon my branch
وَقَدand indeed عَلِمَتknew أُفناءُthe branches of تَغلِبَTaghlib أَنَّنيthat I
وَقَد عَلِمَت أُفناءُ تَغلِبَ أَنَّني
نُضارٌchoice nuḍār wood وَلَمand did not أَنبُتsprout بِقَرقَرَةٍon a flat plain أَثلاas tamarisk
نُضارٌ وَلَم أَنبُت بِقَرقَرَةٍ أَثلا
And the branches of Taghlib know that I
Never have I neglected to heal her wounds
am choice nuḍār wood, not tamarisk sprung on a flat plain,
Nor ceased to be Taqb’s champion and hero undefeated
وَأَنِّيَand that I يَوماًever لاnot مُضيعٌneglecting ذِمارَهاits protected honor
وَأَنِّيَ يَوماً لا مُضيعٌ ذِمارَها
وَلاnor مُفلِتيescaping me هاجٍa satirist هَجاsatirized تَغلِباًTaghlib بُطلاfalsely
وَلا مُفلِتي هاجٍ هَجا تَغلِباً بُطلا
and that I shall never neglect their honor,
nor shall a satirist who falsely lampoons Taghlib escape me.
Partial English translation: 50 of 52 Arabic lines translated.