أَلا يا قَتلُ قَد خَلُقَ الجَديدُ

أَلا يا قَتلُ قَد خَلُقَ الجَديدُ

وَحُبُّكِ ما يَمُحُّ وَما يَبيدا

وَحُبُّكِ ما يَمُحُّ وَما يَبيدا

Ah, Qatl, what was new has grown worn,

Alas, O murder, the new has been created,

And love for you neither fades nor perishes.

And your love does not fade or pass away.

وَقَد صادَت فُؤادَكَ إِذ رَمَتهُ

وَقَد صادَت فُؤادَكَ إِذ رَمَتهُ

فَلَو أَنَّ اِمرَأً دَنِفاً يَصيدُ

فَلَو أَنَّ اِمرَأً دَنِفاً يَصيدُ

She caught your heart when she shot at it;

And it has hunted your heart when it shot it,

If only a lovesick man could hunt!

As if a hunter hunts the prey.

وَلَكِن لا يَصيدُ إِذا رَماها

وَلَكِن لا يَصيدُ إِذا رَماها

وَلا تَصطادُ غانِيَةٌ كَنودُ

وَلا تَصطادُ غانِيَةٌ كَنودُ

But he catches nothing when he shoots at her,

But it does not hunt when it shoots it,

Nor can an ungrateful beauty be caught.

Nor does a singer hunt the melody.

عَلاقَةَ عاشِقٍ وَمِطالَ شَوقٍ

عَلاقَةَ عاشِقٍ وَمِطالَ شَوقٍ

وَلَم يَعلَقكُمُ رَجُلٌ سَعيدُ

وَلَم يَعلَقكُمُ رَجُلٌ سَعيدُ

A lover's attachment and long-protracted yearning—

A lover's attachment and longing's agony,

And no fortunate man has become attached to you.

And no happy man has bound you two.

أَلا تَقنى حَياءَكَ أَو تَناهى

أَلا تَقنى حَياءَكَ أَو تَناهى

بُكاءَكَ مِثلَ ما يَبكي الوَليدُ

بُكاءَكَ مِثلَ ما يَبكي الوَليدُ

Will you not preserve your modesty, or restrain

Don't you spare your shyness or refrain

Your weeping, like a newborn child?

Your weeping like a newborn cries?

أَرَيتُ القَومَ نارِكَ لَم أُغَمِّض

أَرَيتُ القَومَ نارِكَ لَم أُغَمِّض

بِواقِصَةٍ وَمَشرَبُنا زَرودُ

بِواقِصَةٍ وَمَشرَبُنا زَرودُ

I showed the company your fire, without closing my eyes,

I saw people whose fire for you I did not shut my eyes,

At Waqisa, while our watering place was Zarud.

Our drink being pokeberries and jujubes.

فَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ مَوقِدِها وَلَكِن

فَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ مَوقِدِها وَلَكِن

لِأَيَّةِ نَظرَةٍ زَهَرَ الوَقودُ

لِأَيَّةِ نَظرَةٍ زَهَرَ الوَقودُ

I saw no hearth like the one where it was lit; yet

But I did not see fire kindled like it, except

For what a sight the fuel blazed!

For which glance did the fuel bloom?

أَضاءَت أَحوَرَ العَينَينِ طَفلاً

أَضاءَت أَحوَرَ العَينَينِ طَفلاً

يُكَدَّسُ في تَرائِبِهِ الفَريدُ

يُكَدَّسُ في تَرائِبِهِ الفَريدُ

It lit a dark-eyed, soft-skinned beauty,

It lit up the whites of the eyes of a child

Upon whose upper chest choice pearls are heaped;

Heaped up in his unique wrappings.

وَوَجهاً كَالفِتاقِ وَمُسبَكِرّاً

وَوَجهاً كَالفِتاقِ وَمُسبَكِرّاً

عَلى مِثلِ اللُجَينِ وَهُنَّ سودُ

عَلى مِثلِ اللُجَينِ وَهُنَّ سودُ

And a face like fragrant unguent, and long, flowing locks

With a face like dawn and intoxicated,

Over skin like silver, though the locks are black.

On the likes of rose and narcissus.

وَتَبسِمُ عَن مَهاً شَبِمٍ غَرِيٍّ

وَتَبسِمُ عَن مَهاً شَبِمٍ غَرِيٍّ

إِذا يُعطى المُقَبِّلَ يَستَزيدُ

إِذا يُعطى المُقَبِّلَ يَستَزيدُ

She smiles, revealing cool, lovely crystal;

Smiling from a shy, charming mouth,

When it is offered to the kisser, he asks for more.

When given a kiss, asks for more.

كَأَنَّ نُجومَها رُبِطَت بِصَخرٍ

كَأَنَّ نُجومَها رُبِطَت بِصَخرٍ

وَأَمراسٍ تَدورُ وَتَستَريدُ

وَأَمراسٍ تَدورُ وَتَستَريدُ

As though the night's stars were tethered to rock

As if its starts were tied to a rock

And ropes, circling and moving back and forth.

And stars that revolve and wander.

إِذا ما قُلتُ حانَ لَها أُفولٌ

إِذا ما قُلتُ حانَ لَها أُفولٌ

تَصَعَّدَتِ الثُرَيّا وَالسُعودُ

تَصَعَّدَتِ الثُرَيّا وَالسُعودُ

Whenever I said, 'Their setting is at hand,'

If I said the time for its setting has come,

The Pleiades and the Su'ud climbed higher.

The Pleiades and Suhayl ascended.

فَلَأياً ما أَفَلنَ مُخَوِّياتٍ

فَلَأياً ما أَفَلنَ مُخَوِّياتٍ

خُمودَ النارِ وَاِرفَضَّ العَمودُ

خُمودَ النارِ وَاِرفَضَّ العَمودُ

Only after long delay did they set, sinking low,

So whichever declining beauties there were,

Like a fire dying down; the shaft of dawn spread out.

The fire was extinguished and the pillar collapsed.

أَصاحِ تَرى ظَعائِنَ باكِراتٍ

أَصاحِ تَرى ظَعائِنَ باكِراتٍ

عَلَيها العَبقَرِيَّةُ وَالنُجودُ

عَلَيها العَبقَرِيَّةُ وَالنُجودُ

Friend, do you see the women departing early,

Look, there are gazelles early in the morning,

With fine patterned carpets and hangings over them,

On them are sagacity and bounty.

كَأَنَّ ظِباءَ وَجرَةَ مُشرِفاتٍ

كَأَنَّ ظِباءَ وَجرَةَ مُشرِفاتٍ

عَلَيهِنَّ المَجاسِدُ وَالبُرودُ

عَلَيهِنَّ المَجاسِدُ وَالبُرودُ

As though gazelles of Wajra were peering out,

As if musk deer and wild cows fleeting

With saffron-dyed garments and striped mantles upon them,

Wearing bracelets and ice on them.

عَلى تِلكَ الحُدوجِ إِذِ اِحزَأَلَّت

عَلى تِلكَ الحُدوجِ إِذِ اِحزَأَلَّت

وَأَنتَ بِهِم غَداةَ إِذٍ مَجودُ

وَأَنتَ بِهِم غَداةَ إِذٍ مَجودُ

Upon those howdahs as they rose aloft,

When those hips quivered

While that morning you were drenched in tears for them?

And you with them one morning conferring.

فَيا لَدَنِيَّةٍ سَتَعودُ شَزراً

فَيا لَدَنِيَّةٍ سَتَعودُ شَزراً

وَعَمداً دارَ غَيرِكِ ما تُريدُ

وَعَمداً دارَ غَيرِكِ ما تُريدُ

Oh, what baseness! You will return with a sidelong glare,

So it is a coquetry that will return embers

And it is another's dwelling you deliberately desire.

And a pillar whose inclination you do not want.

فَما أُجشِمتِ مِن إِتيانِ قَومٍ

فَما أُجشِمتِ مِن إِتيانِ قَومٍ

هُمُ الأَعداءُ وَالأَكبادُ سودُ

هُمُ الأَعداءُ وَالأَكبادُ سودُ

What were you made to endure in visiting a people

You were not deterred from coming to a people

Who are enemies, their livers black?

Who are enemies and livers are black.

فَإِذ فارَقتِني فَاِستَبدِليني

فَإِذ فارَقتِني فَاِستَبدِليني

فَتىً يُعطي الجَزيلَ وَيَستَفيدُ

فَتىً يُعطي الجَزيلَ وَيَستَفيدُ

Now that you have left me, replace me with

So if you leave me, find me a replacement,

A young man who gives abundantly and gains more.

A man who gives plenty and profits.

فَمِثلِكِ قَد لَهَوتُ بِها وَأَرضٍ

فَمِثلِكِ قَد لَهَوتُ بِها وَأَرضٍ

مَهامِهَ لا يَقودُ بِها المُجيدُ

مَهامِهَ لا يَقودُ بِها المُجيدُ

For I have dallied with one like you, and many a land—

The likes of you I have sported with

Trackless wastes where even an expert cannot lead—

And lands whose glory no noble leads.

قَطَعتُ وَصاحِبَي سُرُحٌ كِنازٌ

قَطَعتُ وَصاحِبَي سُرُحٌ كِنازٌ

كَرُكنِ الرَعنِ ذِعلِبَةٌ قَصيدُ

كَرُكنِ الرَعنِ ذِعلِبَةٌ قَصيدُ

I have crossed, with a smooth-striding, sturdy she-camel as my companion,

My companion and I took a break at Mayyun

Like the buttress of a crag, fleet and well-fleshed.

Like a roaring lion, a long poem.

كَأَنَّ المُكرَهَ المَعبوطَ مِنها

كَأَنَّ المُكرَهَ المَعبوطَ مِنها

مَدوفُ الوَرسِ أَو رُبٌّ عَقيدُ

مَدوفُ الوَرسِ أَو رُبٌّ عَقيدُ

As though the fresh sweat forced out of her

As if the hated camel saddle of it

Were dissolved wars dye, or thickened fruit syrup.

Is the ravaged saddle or a lord bound.

كَأَنَّ قُتودَها بِعُنَيبِساتٍ

كَأَنَّ قُتودَها بِعُنَيبِساتٍ

تَعَطَّفَهُنَّ ذو جُدَدٍ فَريدِ

تَعَطَّفَهُنَّ ذو جُدَدٍ فَريدِ

As though her saddle frames at 'Unaybisat

As if its saddles are of young she-camels

Were borne by a solitary, streak-marked bull.

Sought by one with amazing separation.

تَضَيَّفَ رَملَةَ البَقّارِ يَوماً

تَضَيَّفَ رَملَةَ البَقّارِ يَوماً

فَباتَ بِتِلكَ يَضرِبُهُ الجَليدُ

فَباتَ بِتِلكَ يَضرِبُهُ الجَليدُ

One day he sought shelter at the dune of al-Baqqar,

He lodged at Remlah of Al-Baqqar one day

And spent the night there with frost striking him.

And there the frost struck him at night.

يُكِبُّ إِذا أَجالَ الماءَ عَنهُ

يُكِبُّ إِذا أَجالَ الماءَ عَنهُ

غُصونُ الفَرعِ وَالسَدَلُ القَريدُ

غُصونُ الفَرعِ وَالسَدَلُ القَريدُ

He crouches while the water is turned away from him

It folds over him when the water flows off him

By the tree's branches and its matted, hanging foliage.

The tree branches and the hanging monkey-bread.

فَأَصبَحَ يَنفُضُ الغَمَراتِ عَنهُ

فَأَصبَحَ يَنفُضُ الغَمَراتِ عَنهُ

وَيَربِطُ جَأشَهُ سَلِبٌ حَديدُ

وَيَربِطُ جَأشَهُ سَلِبٌ حَديدُ

By morning he was shaking the drenching waters off,

So he shakes off the flooding from him in the morning

And his heart is steadied by a long, sharp horn

And ties his belly tight, iron bands.

وَرُحٌّ كَالمُحارِ مُوَتَّداتٌ

وَرُحٌّ كَالمُحارِ مُوَتَّداتٌ

بِها يَنضو الوَغى وَبِهِ يَذودُ

بِها يَنضو الوَغى وَبِهِ يَذودُ

And broad, shell-like hooves, firmly set;

With belts like seashells drawn

With them he outstrips the din, and with it he drives foes back.

With which battle is repelled and fended off.

أَذَلِكَ أَم خَميصُ البَطنِ جَأبٌ

أَذَلِكَ أَم خَميصُ البَطنِ جَأبٌ

أَطاعَ لَهُ النَواصِفُ وَالكَديدُ

أَطاعَ لَهُ النَواصِفُ وَالكَديدُ

Is it that bull, or a hollow-bellied, sturdy wild ass,

Or is it the belly wrap a coarse garment

To whom the valley flats and hard ground yield?

Obeyed by ostriches and hedgehogs?

يُقَلِّبُ سَمحَجاً فيها إِباءٌ

يُقَلِّبُ سَمحَجاً فيها إِباءٌ

عَلى أَن سَوفَ تَأتي ما يَكيدُ

عَلى أَن سَوفَ تَأتي ما يَكيدُ

He turns about a long-bodied she-ass who resists,

Turning blades in it with refusal

Hoping she will do what he contrives.

Expecting that which comes to destroy.

بَقى عَنها المَصيفَ وَصارَ صَعلاً

بَقى عَنها المَصيفَ وَصارَ صَعلاً

وَقَد كَثُرَ التَذَكُّرُ وَالقُعودُ

وَقَد كَثُرَ التَذَكُّرُ وَالقُعودُ

He waited apart from her through summer and grew gaunt,

Of it remained the summer, and it became ramshackle

His lusting and attempts to mount having grown frequent.

And much remembering and sitting increased.

إِذا ما رَدَّ تَضرِبُ مَنخَرَيهِ

إِذا ما رَدَّ تَضرِبُ مَنخَرَيهِ

وَجَبهَتَهُ كَما ضُرِبَ العَضيدُ

وَجَبهَتَهُ كَما ضُرِبَ العَضيدُ

Whenever he returned, she struck his nostrils

When he tosses back and hits his nostrils

And his forehead, as a lopped tree is struck.

And his forehead, as the boulder is hit.

فَتِلكَ إِذا الحُجوزُ أَبى عَلَيهِ

فَتِلكَ إِذا الحُجوزُ أَبى عَلَيهِ

عِطافَ الهَمِّ وَاِختَلَطَ المَريدُ

عِطافَ الهَمِّ وَاِختَلَطَ المَريدُ

Such is my mount when the cautious man is overborne

That is when the old camels refused to welcome

By care's returning pull, and the rebel grows distraught.

The brush of worries and the confused mingled.

فَإِنَّكَ لَو سَأَلتِ قُتَيلَ عَنّا

فَإِنَّكَ لَو سَأَلتِ قُتَيلَ عَنّا

إِذا صَفَحَت عَنِ العاني الخُدودُ

إِذا صَفَحَت عَنِ العاني الخُدودُ

For if you asked about us, Qutayl, you would learn:

So if you asked the slain about us

When cheeks turned away from the captive—

When the cheeks forgot the troublemakers.

تَنيهِ وَقَد أَحالَ القِدُّ فيهِ

تَنيهِ وَقَد أَحالَ القِدُّ فيهِ

وَشَفَّ فُؤادَهُ وَجَعٌ شَديدُ

وَشَفَّ فُؤادَهُ وَجَعٌ شَديدُ

Tanih, whom the leather fetters had altered,

Berating him as old age changed him

And whose heart severe pain had wasted—

And healed his heart, severe pain.

فَخَلَّصَهُ الَّذي وافاهُ مِنّا

فَخَلَّصَهُ الَّذي وافاهُ مِنّا

وَكُنّا الوَفدَ إِذ حُبِسَ الوُفودُ

وَكُنّا الوَفدَ إِذ حُبِسَ الوُفودُ

The one among us who reached him set him free,

He who joined us from us saved him

And we were the delegation when delegations were held back.

While we were the delegation when roads were blocked.

فَلَم نَطلُب لَهُ شُكراً وَلَكِن

فَلَم نَطلُب لَهُ شُكراً وَلَكِن

نُوَلّي حَمدَ ذَلِكَ مَن يُريدُ

نُوَلّي حَمدَ ذَلِكَ مَن يُريدُ

We sought no gratitude for it; rather,

We did not ask thanks of him, but rather

We leave the credit for that to whoever wants it.

Entrust the praise of that to the Intender.

وَقَومٍ تَصرِفُ الأَنيابُ مِنهُم

وَقَومٍ تَصرِفُ الأَنيابُ مِنهُم

عَلَينا ثُمَّ لَم يَصِدِ الوَعيدُ

عَلَينا ثُمَّ لَم يَصِدِ الوَعيدُ

And a people whose fangs gnashed

And people whose tusks are turned against us

At us—yet their threat caught no prey—

Then deterrence did not bar the threat.

بَعَونا فَاِلتَمَسنا ما لَدَيهِم

بَعَونا فَاِلتَمَسنا ما لَدَيهِم

وَكادونا بِكَبشِهِمُ فَكيدوا

وَكادونا بِكَبشِهِمُ فَكيدوا

They wronged us, so we sought what they possessed;

They sought us out so we sought what they had

They schemed against us with their ram-like chief, but were outwitted.

And they almost destroyed us with their stupidity.