أشهرتِ فينا ظبا الحاظِكِ السُودِ

أشهرتِ فينا ظبا الحاظِكِ السُودِ

في غير ثأرٍ عيونَ الخُرَّد الغيدِ

في غير ثأرٍ عيونَ الخُرَّد الغيدِ

You unsheathed against us the blades of your black glances,

You unsheathed against us the blades of your dark glances,

though the eyes of sheltered, graceful maidens had no blood-feud to avenge.

Without blood vengeance, O eyes of shy, graceful maidens.

وخادعتنا أقال الله عثرتها

وخادعتنا أقال الله عثرتها

حَوراءُ مشرقةُ اللبات والجيد

حَوراءُ مشرقةُ اللبات والجيد

And she deceived us—may God pardon her lapse—

And she deceived us—may God pardon her misstep—

a dark-eyed beauty, radiant at bosom and neck.

A dark-eyed beauty, radiant of upper chest and neck.

أدنَت مُسامَرَتي حتَّى إذا بَلَغَت

أدنَت مُسامَرَتي حتَّى إذا بَلَغَت

غالت حياتي وفاتَتني بمجلُودِ

غالت حياتي وفاتَتني بمجلُودِ

She drew my nightlong converse close; then, when she had gained her end,

She drew me close for evening talk until, when she had attained her aim,

she struck down my life and escaped me upon a hardy mount.

She treacherously took my life and eluded me with a scourged one.

أكلما أقتضيكِ الوصلَ واحربا

أكلما أقتضيكِ الوصلَ واحربا

جعلتِ حِصنَكِ إخلافَ المواعيد

جعلتِ حِصنَكِ إخلافَ المواعيد

Whenever I demand from you the union you owe me—ah, what warfare!—

Whenever I demand union from you—alas for my loss!—

you make broken promises your fortress.

Do you make broken promises your fortress?

إن أنتَ يا طَرفُ سابقتَ الرياح وقا

إن أنتَ يا طَرفُ سابقتَ الرياح وقا

بلتَ الهِضابَ بقلبٍ غيرِ رعدِيد

بلتَ الهِضابَ بقلبٍ غيرِ رعدِيد

If you, O steed, outstrip the winds and sur—

If you, O steed, raced the winds and faced

—mount the hills with a heart that knows no fear,

The hills with a heart free of cowardice,

وكنتَ خلاً وفياً لي تُقاسِمُني

وكنتَ خلاً وفياً لي تُقاسِمُني

عزماً بعزمِ جريء القلبِ مَجهودِ

عزماً بعزمِ جريء القلبِ مَجهودِ

and prove my faithful friend, sharing resolve with me—

And were a faithful companion to me, sharing with me

resolve for the resolve of one wounded at heart and spent—

Resolve to match that of a brave-hearted, exhausted man,

حَمِدتُ غِبّ السرى في مَرتعٍ رَغِبٍ

حَمِدتُ غِبّ السرى في مَرتعٍ رَغِبٍ

وغصنِ عيشٍ مديد الظلِّ أُملودِ

وغصنِ عيشٍ مديد الظلِّ أُملودِ

then I shall praise the end of night travel: a spacious pasture

I would bless the night journey's outcome in a lush pasture,

and a bough of life, long-shadowed and supple.

And beneath life's supple bough, with its far-reaching shade.

وصرتَ منى محلَّ الأهلِ منزلةً

وصرتَ منى محلَّ الأهلِ منزلةً

وصرتُ مُكتَسِباً سِربالَ مَحسُودِ

وصرتُ مُكتَسِباً سِربالَ مَحسُودِ

You will win from me a place—the station held by kin—

And you would hold the place of family with me,

and return clothed in the robe of one envied.

And I would gain the robe of one envied.

فسِر بنا وادرِعِ دِرعَ التبصّرِ واس

فسِر بنا وادرِعِ دِرعَ التبصّرِ واس

تَقرِ المواني على أينٍ وتَحريد

تَقرِ المواني على أينٍ وتَحريد

So journey on with us, don the armor of discernment, and seek—

So journey with us, don the armor of discernment, and seek out

—out death, despite weariness and relentless driving.

The harbors, despite exhaustion and faltering.

متى أراني برأس التينِ مَقصِدي ال

متى أراني برأس التينِ مَقصِدي ال

أسمى أُهنى مليكَ العَصرِ بالعيدِ

أسمى أُهنى مليكَ العَصرِ بالعيدِ

When shall I see myself at Ra's al-Tin, my purpose the—

When shall I see myself at Ras al-Tin, my destination—

—highest: to congratulate the sovereign of the age upon the feast?

The loftiest—congratulating the age's king on the feast?

عباسُ بسامُ صعبُ الملتقى جَذِلٌ

عباسُ بسامُ صعبُ الملتقى جَذِلٌ

يومَ الوغى والقِرى والبأسِ والجُودِ

يومَ الوغى والقِرى والبأسِ والجُودِ

Abbas—ever smiling, delightful to meet, and joyful

Abbas, ever smiling, formidable to confront, joyful

on days of battle and hospitality, of might and generosity.

On the day of battle, hospitality, valor, and generosity.

يرقى ذرا منبرِ التذكير عالمُهُم

يرقى ذرا منبرِ التذكير عالمُهُم

فنجتلى منها عوداً على عُودِ

فنجتلى منها عوداً على عُودِ

Their scholar ascends the heights of the pulpit of exhortation,

Their scholar ascends the heights of the pulpit of admonition,

and there we behold an oud-player poised above his oud.

And there we behold an old man upon wood.