أَقوى مِنَ آلِ ظُلَيمَةَ الحَزمُ

أَقوى مِنَ آلِ ظُلَيمَةَ الحَزمُ

فَالغَمرَتانِ فَأَوحَشَ الخَطمُ

فَالغَمرَتانِ فَأَوحَشَ الخَطمُ

Al-Ḥazm lies deserted of Ẓulayma’s folk,

The resolve is stronger than the dynasty of darkness

and al-Ghamratān; al-Khaṭm has grown desolate,

So the two dense darknesses, and the most frightful frown

فَجَنوبُ أَثبِرَةٍ فَمُلحَدُها

فَجَنوبُ أَثبِرَةٍ فَمُلحَدُها

فَالسِدرَتانِ فَما حَوى دَسمُ

فَالسِدرَتانِ فَما حَوى دَسمُ

and Athbira’s southern reaches, and its slope,

The breasts of a fully developed woman, yet she is flat-chested

and al-Sidratān, and all that Dasm holds.

The two jujube trees, yet they contained no oil

وَبِما أَرى شَخصاً بِهِ حَسَناً

وَبِما أَرى شَخصاً بِهِ حَسَناً

في القَومِ إِذ حَيَّتكُمُ نُعمُ

في القَومِ إِذ حَيَّتكُمُ نُعمُ

And how often I saw a lovely figure there

And by what I see a person with beauty

among the people, when Nuʿm greeted you,

Among the people when I bid you goodbye, it was bliss

إِذ وُدُّها صافٍ وَرُؤيَتُها

إِذ وُدُّها صافٍ وَرُؤيَتُها

أُمنيَّةٌ وَكلامُها غُنمُ

أُمنيَّةٌ وَكلامُها غُنمُ

when her love was pure, and seeing her

When her affection is pure and seeing her

was a cherished wish, and her speech a boon.

Is a desire and her words are profit

لَفّاءُ مَملوءٌ مُخَلخَلُها

لَفّاءُ مَملوءٌ مُخَلخَلُها

عَجزاءُ لَيسَ لِعَظمِها حَجمُ

عَجزاءُ لَيسَ لِعَظمِها حَجمُ

Full-thighed, full-fleshed where her anklets rest,

A wrapper that is filled yet coming apart

full-hipped, with no bony outline showing,

An old woman that has no bones to speak of

خُمصانَةٌ قَلِقٌ مُوَشَّحُها

خُمصانَةٌ قَلِقٌ مُوَشَّحُها

رُؤدُ الشَبابِ غَلا بِها عَظمُ

رُؤدُ الشَبابِ غَلا بِها عَظمُ

slender-waisted, her sash hanging loose,

Jumpy, wearing old tattered clothes

tender in youth, her frame grown tall.

The passing of youth has dried up her bones

وَكأَن غاليَةً تُباشِرُها

وَكأَن غاليَةً تُباشِرُها

تَحتَ الثيابِ إِذا صَغا النَجمُ

تَحتَ الثيابِ إِذا صَغا النَجمُ

And as though a costly perfume touches her

As if she is sexually active yet does so

beneath her clothes, when the star sinks low.

Under clothes when the stars appear small

أَظُلَيمُ إِنَّ مُصابَكُم رَجُلاً

أَظُلَيمُ إِنَّ مُصابَكُم رَجُلاً

أَهدى السَلامَ تَحيَّةً ظُلمُ

أَهدى السَلامَ تَحيَّةً ظُلمُ

O Ẓulaym, surely your harming a man

O darkness, your affliction is upon a man

who offered peace as a greeting is unjust.

Who bid peace as a greeting, yet it was injustice

أَقصَيتِهِ وَأَرادَ سِلمَكُمُ

أَقصَيتِهِ وَأَرادَ سِلمَكُمُ

فَليَهنِهِ إِذ جاءَكِ السَلمُ

فَليَهنِهِ إِذ جاءَكِ السَلمُ

You drove him away, though he sought peace with you;

You distanced him when he wanted your safety

so may peace gladden him, since he came to you.

So treat him well when peace comes to you