عَفاlies deserted واسِطٌWāsiṭ مِنof أَهلِهِits inhabitants فَمَذانِبُهthen its valley-ends
عَفا واسِطٌ مِن أَهلِهِ فَمَذانِبُه
فَرَوضُthen Rawḍ (meadow) القَطاal-Qaṭā (sandgrouse) صَحراؤُهُits desert plain وَنَصائِبُهand its standing stones
فَرَوضُ القَطا صَحراؤُهُ وَنَصائِبُه
Wāsiṭ lies deserted of its people, and so do its valley-ends,
A protector from his people departed, so their pastures
then Rawḍ al-Qaṭā, its desert plain and its standing stones.
Became desolate and their watering places empty.
وَلَكِنَّand yet هَذاthis الدَهرَage أَصبَحَhas become فانِياًdecrepit
وَلَكِنَّ هَذا الدَهرَ أَصبَحَ فانِياً
تَسَعسَعَgrew feeble وَاِشتَدَّتand grew severe عَلَيهِupon it تَجارِبُهits trials
تَسَعسَعَ وَاِشتَدَّت عَلَيهِ تَجارِبُه
Yet this age has grown decrepit;
But time itself has become fleeting -
it has grown feeble, and its trials have pressed hard upon it.
It galloped away while misfortunes pressed on it.
وَقَدand indeed كانَwas مَحضوراًinhabited أَرىI think أَنَّthat أَهلَهُits people
وَقَد كانَ مَحضوراً أَرى أَنَّ أَهلَهُ
بِهِin it أَبَداًforever ماas long as أَعجَمَdotted الخَطَّthe writing كاتِبُهits scribe
بِهِ أَبَداً ما أَعجَمَ الخَطَّ كاتِبُه
It was once inhabited; I thought its people
I thought he would remain forever - his people
would dwell there forever, as long as a scribe dotted his writing.
Would never erase what his scribe had inscribed.
عَفاbecame deserted ذوDhū (possessor of) الصَفاal-Ṣafā (smooth rock) مِنهُمof them فَأَمسىand so became أَنيسُهُits familiar company
عَفا ذو الصَفا مِنهُم فَأَمسى أَنيسُهُ
قَليلاًscant تَعاوىhowl to one another بِالضُباحِwith yelps ثَعالِبُهits foxes
قَليلاً تَعاوى بِالضُباحِ ثَعالِبُه
Dhū al-Ṣafā is deserted of them, and now its company is
He of pure counsel departed from them and became their companion
scant; its foxes howl to one another with yelps.
At night when only a few small stars shine.
وَحَلَّand settled بِصَحراءِin the plain of الإِهالَةِal-Ihālah حَذلَمٌḤadhlam
وَحَلَّ بِصَحراءِ الإِهالَةِ حَذلَمٌ
وَماand not كانَwas حَلّالاًa habitual settler بِهاthere إِذwhen نُحارِبُهwe were fighting him
وَما كانَ حَلّالاً بِها إِذ نُحارِبُه
And Ḥadhlam settled in the plain of al-Ihālah,
He settled in the wilderness of oblivion, a forlorn place
though he was no settler there when we fought him.
Where he did not belong when we made war against him.
خَلاlay open لِبَنيfor the sons of البَرشاءِal-Barshāʾ بَكرِBakr بنِson of وائِلٍWāʾil
خَلا لِبَني البَرشاءِ بَكرِ بنِ وائِلٍ
مَجاريchannels of الحَصىgravel مِنfrom بَطنِthe valley floor of فَلجٍFalj فَجانِبُهthen its flank
مَجاري الحَصى مِن بَطنِ فَلجٍ فَجانِبُه
For the sons of al-Barshāʾ, Bakr ibn Wāʾil, lay open
It was empty for the sons of the Bishr clan of Bakr ibn Wa'il -
the gravel channels of Falj's valley floor, and its flank.
The courses of pebbles from the gorge flowed on its side.
نَفىdrove away عَنهُمُfrom them الأَعداءَthe enemies فُرسانُhorsemen of غارَةٍa raid
نَفى عَنهُمُ الأَعداءَ فُرسانُ غارَةٍ
وَدَهمٌand a dark host يَغُمُّengulfs البُلقَthe piebald horses خُضرٌgreen كَتائِبُهits battalions
وَدَهمٌ يَغُمُّ البُلقَ خُضرٌ كَتائِبُه
Raiding horsemen drove the enemies away from them,
Their cavalrymen warded the enemies away from them
and a dark host that engulfs the piebald steeds, its battalions green.
And a rushing squadron whose steeds are green.
فَنَحنُso we أَخٌa brother لَمnot يُلقَwas found فيamong الناسِthe people مِثلُناour like
فَنَحنُ أَخٌ لَم يُلقَ في الناسِ مِثلُنا
أَخاًas a brother حينَwhen شابَgrew gray الدَهرُTime وَاِبيَضَّand turned white حاجِبُهits eyebrow
أَخاً حينَ شابَ الدَهرُ وَاِبيَضَّ حاجِبُه
So we are brothers whose like has not been found among men,
We are a brother for whom none can match among men
as brothers, even when Time grew gray and its eyebrow whitened.
When the days grew long and his eyebrows turned white.
وَإِنّاand we indeed لَصُبرٌtruly steadfast فيat مَواطِنِthe battle stations of قَومِناour people
وَإِنّا لَصُبرٌ في مَواطِنِ قَومِنا
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle القَناthe spear-shafts الخَطِّيُّof al-Khaṭṭ عُلَّتwere drenched anew مَخاضِبُهtheir blood-stained tips
إِذا ما القَنا الخَطِّيُّ عُلَّت مَخاضِبُه
And we are indeed steadfast at our people's battle stations,
We are steadfast among our people's battle sites
when the Khaṭṭī spears' blood-stained tips are drenched anew.
When the slender, fine-scripted letter roused its war.
وَإِنّاand we indeed لَحَمّالوsurely bearers of العَدُوِّthe enemy إِذاwhen غَداgoes forth
وَإِنّا لَحَمّالو العَدُوِّ إِذا غَدا
عَلىupon مَركَبٍa mount لاnot تُستَلَذُّare found pleasant مَراكِبُهits rides
عَلى مَركَبٍ لا تُستَلَذُّ مَراكِبُه
And we indeed bear the enemy's brunt when he sets out
We bear the burden of the enemy when he attacks
upon a mount whose rides afford no pleasure.
Riding a ship whose planks are not joined smoothly.
وَغَيرانَand many a jealous man يَغليboils بِالعَداوَةِwith enmity صَدرُهُhis breast
وَغَيرانَ يَغلي بِالعَداوَةِ صَدرُهُ
تَذَبذَبَdrew back wavering عَنّيfrom me لَمdid not تَنَلنيreach me مَخالِبُهhis claws
تَذَبذَبَ عَنّي لَم تَنَلني مَخالِبُه
And many a jealous man, his breast boiling with enmity,
Another boiled with enmity - his chest
drew back wavering from me; his claws did not reach me.
Thrashed about wildly but his claws did not reach me.
فَإِنso if كُنتَyou were قَدalready فُتَّsurpassed الكُلَيبِيَّal-Kulaybī بِالعُلىin eminence
فَإِن كُنتَ قَد فُتَّ الكُلَيبِيَّ بِالعُلى
فَقَدthen indeed أَهلَكَتهُruined him فيin الحِراءِcontention مَثالِبُهhis faults
فَقَد أَهلَكَتهُ في الحِراءِ مَثالِبُه
So if you have surpassed al-Kulaybī in eminence,
If you have opened the Kulaibites with victory
his faults have already ruined him in contention.
Then their habits in the barren land destroyed them.
وَظَلَّand lingered لَهُfor him بَينَbetween العُقابِal-ʿUqāb وَراهِطٍand Rāhiṭ
وَظَلَّ لَهُ بَينَ العُقابِ وَراهِطٍ
ضَبابَةُthe haze of يَومٍa day لاnot تُوارىare concealed كَواكِبُهits stars
ضَبابَةُ يَومٍ لا تُوارى كَواكِبُه
And there lingered for him, between al-ʿUqāb and Rāhiṭ,
A hazy day remained between Ukab and Rahit
the haze of a day whose stars are not concealed.
Whose stars do not hide.
رَأَيتُكَI saw you وَالتَكليفَand the burdening of نَفسَكَyourself دارِماًDārim
رَأَيتُكَ وَالتَكليفَ نَفسَكَ دارِماً
كَشَيءٍlike something مَضىgone لاnot يُدرِكُcan catch الدَهرَever طالِبُهits seeker
كَشَيءٍ مَضى لا يُدرِكُ الدَهرَ طالِبُه
I saw you, with your straining after Dārim,
I saw you burdening yourself beyond your capacity
like something gone that its seeker can never catch.
Like something past, its seeker cannot reach.
فَإِنso if يَكُis قَدindeed بانَdeparted الشَبابُyouth فَرُبَّماthen sometimes
فَإِن يَكُ قَد بانَ الشَبابُ فَرُبَّما
أُعَلِّلُI console myself بِالعَذبِwith the sweet drink اللَذيذِdelicious مَشارِبُهits draughts
أُعَلِّلُ بِالعَذبِ اللَذيذِ مَشارِبُه
So if youth has indeed departed, still at times
If youthfulness has gone, still I may excuse
I console myself with the sweet drink, delicious in its draughts.
My drinking the sweet, delicious beverage.
وَلَيلَةِand on a night of نَجوىwhispered confidences يَعتَريovertakes أَهلَهاits company الصِباyouthful passion
وَلَيلَةِ نَجوى يَعتَري أَهلَها الصِبا
سَلَبتُI stripped بِهاduring it ريماًa gazelle جَميلاًbeautiful مَسالِبُهits garments
سَلَبتُ بِها ريماً جَميلاً مَسالِبُه
And on a night of whispers, when youthful passion overtook its company,
On a night of intimacy that charmed its people,
I stripped a gazelle there whose garments were lovely.
I snatched away a lovely gazelle in the dark.
فَأَصبَحَthen by morning it was مَحجوباًhidden عَلَيَّfrom me وَأَصبَحَتand became
فَأَصبَحَ مَحجوباً عَلَيَّ وَأَصبَحَت
بِظاهِرَةٍon open ground آثارُهُits traces وَمَلاعِبُهand its play-places
بِظاهِرَةٍ آثارُهُ وَمَلاعِبُه
By morning it was hidden from me, while
So it was veiled from me, though its traces
its traces and places of play lay on open ground.
And playground remained visible.
وَبِتناand we spent the night كَأَنّاas though we were ضَيفُguests جِنٍّof jinn بِليلَةٍon a night
وَبِتنا كَأَنّا ضَيفُ جِنٍّ بِليلَةٍ
يَعودُvisits بِهاduring it القَلبَthe heart السَقيمَailing طَبائِبُهits healers
يَعودُ بِها القَلبَ السَقيمَ طَبائِبُه
And we spent the night as though guests of jinn, on a night
We remained like the guest of a jinn in the night
when the ailing heart is visited by its healers.
Who returns to heal his sick heart.
فَيالَكِso, what a ... you were! مِنّيof mine هَفوَةًa lapse لَمdid not أَعُدreturn لَهاto it
فَيالَكِ مِنّي هَفوَةً لَم أَعُد لَها
وَيالَكَand what a ... you are! قَلباًa heart أَهلَكَتهُruined it مَذاهِبُهits wandering ways
وَيالَكَ قَلباً أَهلَكَتهُ مَذاهِبُه
So what a lapse of mine you were, one I never repeated!
Oh me! My inattention that I did not guard against,
And what a heart, ruined by its own wandering ways!
Oh heart! Its ways destroyed you.
دَعانيcalled me إِلىto خَيرِthe best of المُلوكِkings فُضولُهُhis abundant bounty
دَعاني إِلى خَيرِ المُلوكِ فُضولُهُ
وَإِنّيand I indeed اِمرُؤٌa man مُثنٍpraising عَلَيهِhim وَنادِبُهand extolling him
وَإِنّي اِمرُؤٌ مُثنٍ عَلَيهِ وَنادِبُه
His abundant bounty drew me to the best of kings,
His generosity invited me to the best of kings
and I am a man who praises him and proclaims his merits.
And I am one who praises and eulogizes him.
وَعالِقُand clinging to أَسبابِthe cords of اِمرِئٍa man إِنif أَقَعI come upon بِهِhim
وَعالِقُ أَسبابِ اِمرِئٍ إِن أَقَع بِهِ
أَقَعI come upon بِكَريمٍa generous man لاnot تُغِبُّlapse مَواهِبُهhis gifts
أَقَع بِكَريمٍ لا تُغِبُّ مَواهِبُه
And I cling to a man's cords: if I come upon him,
I cling to the means of a man - if it falls
I come upon a generous man whose gifts never lapse.
It falls on a generous one whose gifts do not fail.
إِلىto فاعِلٍa benefactor لَوif خايَلَvied in glory with النيلَthe Nile أَزحَفَتwould become exhausted
إِلى فاعِلٍ لَو خايَلَ النيلَ أَزحَفَت
مِنَof النيلِthe Nile فَوّاراتُهُits gushing fountains وَمَثاعِبُهand its flood-channels
مِنَ النيلِ فَوّاراتُهُ وَمَثاعِبُه
To a benefactor who, should he vie with the Nile, would exhaust
To a doer - if the Nile betrayed him, its flooding
the Nile's fountains and flood-channels.
And foam would crawl from the Nile.
وَإِنand if أَتَعَرَّضI seek favor لِلوَليدِfrom al-Walīd فَإِنَّهُthen indeed he
وَإِن أَتَعَرَّض لِلوَليدِ فَإِنَّهُ
نَمَتهُraised him إِلىto خَيرِthe finest of الفُروعِthe branches مَضارِبُهhis ancestral roots
نَمَتهُ إِلى خَيرِ الفُروعِ مَضارِبُه
And if I seek al-Walīd's favor, he is one
If I devote myself to Al-Walid, his origins
whose roots have raised him to the noblest branches.
Lead back to the best branches that spread.
نِساءُthe women of بَنيthe sons of كَعبٍKaʿb وَعَبسٍand ʿAbs وَلَدنَهُbore him
نِساءُ بَني كَعبٍ وَعَبسٍ وَلَدنَهُ
فَنِعمَso excellent are لَعَمريby my life الجالِباتُthe mothers who bring forth جَوالِبُهthose who bore him
فَنِعمَ لَعَمري الجالِباتُ جَوالِبُه
The women of Banū Kaʿb and ʿAbs bore him;
The women of Bani Ka'b, 'Abs and others bore him -
by my life, excellent mothers were those who brought him forth!
Blessed for my life are those who pulled him in the cradle.
رَفيعُlofty المُنىin aspirations لاnot يَستَقِلُّcan shoulder unaided بِحِملِهِhis burden
رَفيعُ المُنى لا يَستَقِلُّ بِحِملِهِ
سَؤومٌone quick to weary وَلاnor مُستَنكَشُexhaustible البَحرِthe sea ناضِبُهits ebbing waters
سَؤومٌ وَلا مُستَنكَشُ البَحرِ ناضِبُه
Lofty in aspiration—his burden cannot be borne
Of lofty purpose, no ill-omened one can carry it
by one quick to tire, nor one whose sea is exhaustible and runs dry.
Nor one with a grim face whose eyebrows are knit.
تَجيشُseethe بِأَوصالِwith joints of الجُزورِthe slaughtered camels قُدورُهُhis cauldrons
تَجيشُ بِأَوصالِ الجُزورِ قُدورُهُ
إِذاwhen المَحلُdrought لَمdoes not يَرجِعreturn بِعودَينَwith two sticks حاطِبُهits wood-gatherer
إِذا المَحلُ لَم يَرجِع بِعودَينَ حاطِبُه
His cauldrons seethe with joints of slaughtered camels,
His cauldrons bubble with the flesh of buffaloes
when drought's wood-gatherer cannot bring back even two sticks.
When the abode does not provide two armfuls of firewood.
مَطاعيمُlavish feeders تَغدوcome in the morning بِالعَبيطِwith fresh meat جِفانُهُمtheir large bowls
مَطاعيمُ تَغدو بِالعَبيطِ جِفانُهُم
إِذاwhen القُرُّthe bitter cold أَلوَتlaid waste بِالعِضاهِthe thorn trees عَصائِبُهits bands
إِذا القُرُّ أَلوَت بِالعِضاهِ عَصائِبُه
Lavish feeders: their bowls come at morning filled with fresh meat,
Their brows shine at dawn when the darkest
when the cold's bands lay waste the thorn trees.
Of frowning ones crease their eyebrows.
تُضيءُilluminates لَناfor us الظَلماءَthe darkness غُرَّةُthe radiance of وَجهِهِhis face
تُضيءُ لَنا الظَلماءَ غُرَّةُ وَجهِهِ
إِذاwhen الأَقعَسُthe swaybacked man المِبطانُthe potbellied أَرتَجَbolted the door حاجِبُهhis gatekeeper
إِذا الأَقعَسُ المِبطانُ أَرتَجَ حاجِبُه
The radiance of his face lights the darkness for us,
No horsemen of a leader before him reached
when the swaybacked, potbellied man's gatekeeper bolts the door.
Where his raiders and battles arrived.
وَماand not بَلَغَتreached خَيلُthe cavalry of اِمرِئٍa man كانَwas قَبلَهُbefore him
وَما بَلَغَت خَيلُ اِمرِئٍ كانَ قَبلَهُ
بِحَيثُto where اِنتَهَتreached آثارُهُhis tracks وَمَحارِبُهand his battlefields
بِحَيثُ اِنتَهَت آثارُهُ وَمَحارِبُه
And no cavalry of any man before him ever reached
The mountains of Rome became dust from his raiding -
as far as his tracks and battlefields have reached.
What his attacks and onslaughts ignited.
وَتُضحيand become جِبالُthe mountains of الرومِthe Romans غُبراًdust-gray فِجاجُهاtheir passes
وَتُضحي جِبالُ الرومِ غُبراً فِجاجُها
بِماfrom what أَشعَلَتset ablaze غاراتُهُhis raids وَمَقانِبُهand his cavalry squadrons
بِما أَشعَلَت غاراتُهُ وَمَقانِبُه
And the Roman mountains stand with dust-gray passes,
From invading until every sand dune merged
from what his raids and cavalry squadrons have set ablaze
And lengthened from the quantity of spears.
مِنَthrough الغَزوِcampaigning حَتّىuntil اِنضَمَّshrank كُلُّevery ثَميلَةٍbelly's store of fodder
مِنَ الغَزوِ حَتّى اِنضَمَّ كُلُّ ثَميلَةٍ
وَحَتّىand until اِنطَوَتgrew drawn and lean مِنfrom طولِthe length of قَودٍbeing led جَنائِبُهhis led spare mounts
وَحَتّى اِنطَوَت مِن طولِ قَودٍ جَنائِبُه
through campaigning, until every belly's store of fodder shrank,
He extends his reach to the people until
and until his spare mounts grew gaunt from being led so long.
The ropes of strength were cut and its twisted strands unraveled.
يَمُدُّhe stretches المَدىthe course لِلقَومِfor the men حَتّىuntil تَقَطَّعَتsnapped apart
يَمُدُّ المَدى لِلقَومِ حَتّى تَقَطَّعَت
حِبالُthe cords of القُوىstrength وَاِنشَقَّand split apart مِنهُfrom it سَبائِبُهits long strands
حِبالُ القُوى وَاِنشَقَّ مِنهُ سَبائِبُه
He stretches the course for the men until there snap
A young man whom no warriors could defeat
the cords of strength, and its long strands split under the strain.
Nor singers compete with Qais in his prime.
فَتىchampion of الناسِthe people لَمhas not تُصهِرformed marriage ties إِلَيهِwith him مُحارِبٌMuḥārib
فَتى الناسِ لَم تُصهِر إِلَيهِ مُحارِبٌ
وَلاnor غَنَوِيٌّa Ghanawī دونَbelow قَيسٍQays يُناسِبُهis related to him
وَلا غَنَوِيٌّ دونَ قَيسٍ يُناسِبُه
The people's champion—Muḥārib has formed no marriage ties with him,
nor is a Ghanawī related to him below Qays.
Partial English translation: 64 of 66 Arabic lines translated.