إنَّا مُحيّوكَ فأسلَم أيُّها الطَّللُ

إنَّا مُحيّوكَ فأسلَم أيُّها الطَّللُ

وإن بُلِيتَ وإن طالت بك الطِّيَلُ

وإن بُلِيتَ وإن طالت بك الطِّيَلُ

We greet you; fare well, O ruined dwelling,

We greet you, so surrender, O towering heights,

Though you are worn away, though long ages have passed over you.

Though you're tried, and the ordeal on you is prolonged.

إني اهتديتُ لتسليمٍ على دمَنٍ

إني اهتديتُ لتسليمٍ على دمَنٍ

بالغمرِ غيَّرهُنَّ الأعصُرُ الأوَلُ

بالغمرِ غيَّرهُنَّ الأعصُرُ الأوَلُ

I found my way to greet the traces of dwellings

I was guided to surrender upon a blood-price

At al-Ghamr, changed by ages long gone.

Made different by ages gone by.

صافَت تُمَعِّج أَعناقَ السيولِ به

صافَت تُمَعِّج أَعناقَ السيولِ به

من باكرٍ سَبِطٍ أو رائِحٍ يَبِلُ

من باكرٍ سَبِطٍ أو رائِحٍ يَبِلُ

They passed the summer, twisting the torrents' necks there,

They flowed turbulently, necks of torrents billowing with it

From steady morning rain or evening rain that wets them.

In early morn dumped by a downpour or late eve's drizzle.

فَهُنّ كالخِللِ الموشي ظاهرُها

فَهُنّ كالخِللِ الموشي ظاهرُها

أو كالكتابِ الذي قد مَسَّهُ البَلَل

أو كالكتابِ الذي قد مَسَّهُ البَلَل

So they are like mantles embroidered on the outside,

So they are like tatters embellished outwardly

Or like writing that damp has touched.

Or a book dampened by the wetness.

كانت منازلَ مِنَّا قد تحِلُّ بها

كانت منازلَ مِنَّا قد تحِلُّ بها

حتى تغيَّرَ دَهرٌ خائِنٌ خَبِلُ

حتى تغيَّرَ دَهرٌ خائِنٌ خَبِلُ

They were our dwellings, where you used to stay,

Our dwellings had settled in them

Until time changed—treacherous and deranged.

Until an era changed, wicked and confused.

ليس الجديدُ به تبقى بشاشتُه

ليس الجديدُ به تبقى بشاشتُه

إِلا قليلاً ولا ذو خِلةٍ يَصِلُ

إِلا قليلاً ولا ذو خِلةٍ يَصِلُ

No new thing in it keeps its fresh charm

Nothing new in it lasts with its freshness

Except briefly, nor does a friend maintain his bond.

Except briefly, and none loyal remains.

والعَيشُ لا عَيشَ إِلاَّ ما تَقَرُّ به

والعَيشُ لا عَيشَ إِلاَّ ما تَقَرُّ به

عَينٌ ولا حالةٌ إِلا سَتَنتَقِلُ

عَينٌ ولا حالةٌ إِلا سَتَنتَقِلُ

And life is no life except what gladdens

Life is no life unless approved by an eye,

The eye; and no condition but is bound to change.

No state except one bound to change.

والنَّاسُ مَن يَلقَ خيراً قائلونَ له

والنَّاسُ مَن يَلقَ خيراً قائلونَ له

ما يَشتَهي ولأُمِّ المخطِىءِ الهَبَلُ

ما يَشتَهي ولأُمِّ المخطِىءِ الهَبَلُ

People tell whoever meets good fortune

And people - whoever meets good, they say to him

What he wishes; but bereavement for the luckless man's mother!

What he desires, and the rash mother of the fool hopes on.

قد يُدرِكُ المتأني بَعضَ حاجَتِهِ

قد يُدرِكُ المتأني بَعضَ حاجَتِهِ

وقد يكونُ مع المُستَعجِلِ الزَّلَلُ

وقد يكونُ مع المُستَعجِلِ الزَّلَلُ

The unhurried may achieve some of what he needs,

One who's patient may attain some of his need

And error may accompany the hasty.

While loss tags along the hasty one's hurry.

أمسَت عُلَيّةُ يرتاحُ الفؤادُ لها

أمسَت عُلَيّةُ يرتاحُ الفؤادُ لها

وللرواسِمِ فيما دونَها عَمَل

وللرواسِمِ فيما دونَها عَمَل

At evening the heart thrills for ʿUlayya,

Dusk came, to rest the heart it suffices,

And the trotting camels have toil between us and her.

And for landmarks below it there is work.

بكل مخترقٍ يجري السَّرابُ به

بكل مخترقٍ يجري السَّرابُ به

يُمسي وراكبُه مِن خَوفِهِ وَجِلُ

يُمسي وراكبُه مِن خَوفِهِ وَجِلُ

Through every open stretch where mirages flow,

In every rugged valley the mirage flows

Evening comes, and its rider trembles for fear of it.

To make dusk, while its rider is of fear and alarm in dread.

يُنضي الهِجانَ التي كانت تكونُ بها

يُنضي الهِجانَ التي كانت تكونُ بها

عُرضيَّة وَهبابٌ حينَ تَرتحِلُ

عُرضيَّة وَهبابٌ حينَ تَرتحِلُ

It exhausts the purebred white camels that once had

It rouses the slumber that used to be there

Wayward spirit and vigor when they set out.

When it shifts, and the haze when it travels on.

حتى ترى الحُرَّةَ الوجناءَ لاغبةً

حتى ترى الحُرَّةَ الوجناءَ لاغبةً

والأرحبيِّ الذي في خَطوه خَطَلُ

والأرحبيِّ الذي في خَطوه خَطَلُ

Until you see the noble, broad-cheeked she-camel weary,

Until you see the gloomy-faced gazelles wandering

And the Arhabi camel, with his sprawling stride,

And the wide-stepping one whose pace staggers.

خُوصاً تُديرُ عيوناً ماؤُها سَرِبٌ

خُوصاً تُديرُ عيوناً ماؤُها سَرِبٌ

على الخدودِ إذا ما اغرورق المُقَلُ

على الخدودِ إذا ما اغرورق المُقَلُ

Sunken-eyed, turning eyes whose water runs

Timidly turning glances with tearful eyes

Down the cheeks whenever the eyeballs brim.

On their cheeks when the kohl is dissolving.

لواغبَ الطَّرفِ منقوباً حواجِبُها

لواغبَ الطَّرفِ منقوباً حواجِبُها

كأنها قُلُبٌ عاديّةٌ مُكُلُ

كأنها قُلُبٌ عاديّةٌ مُكُلُ

Weary-eyed, with their brows worn hollow,

The one glancing sidelong, her eyebrows bent

As though they were wells of ʿAd, with little water.

As if she's a wild heart when the bonds slacken.

يَرمي الفِجاجَ بها الركبانُ معترِضاً

يَرمي الفِجاجَ بها الركبانُ معترِضاً

اعناقَ بُزَّلِها مُرخَىً لها الجُدُلُ

اعناقَ بُزَّلِها مُرخَىً لها الجُدُلُ

The riders fling them into the passes, angling

The caravan throws her the camel stallion, intercepting

Their mature camels' necks, with braided reins left slack.

Her neck, its nose-rope slackened, the breast straps undone.

يَمشينَ رَهواً فلا الاعجازُ خاذلةٌ

يَمشينَ رَهواً فلا الاعجازُ خاذلةٌ

ولا الصدورُعلى الاعجازِ تَتَّكِلُ

ولا الصدورُعلى الاعجازِ تَتَّكِلُ

They walk smoothly; their hindquarters do not fail,

They walk slowly, their thighs not negligent,

Nor do their chests lean upon their hindquarters.

Nor do their chests on their thighs depend.

فَهُن معترضاتٌ والحصى رَمِضٌ

فَهُن معترضاتٌ والحصى رَمِضٌ

والرِّيحُ ساكِنةٌ والظِلُّ مُعتَدِلُ

والرِّيحُ ساكِنةٌ والظِلُّ مُعتَدِلُ

So they move crosswise, while the pebbles scorch,

So they intercept, while the pebbles are glowing,

And the wind is still, the shadow straight.

The wind still, the shade straight overhead.

يَتبَعنَ ساميةَ العينينِ تحسَبُها

يَتبَعنَ ساميةَ العينينِ تحسَبُها

مَجنونةً أَو ترى مالا ترى الابل

مَجنونةً أَو ترى مالا ترى الابل

They follow one whose eyes are raised high; you would think her

They follow the lofty eyes, deeming her

Mad, or seeing what the other camels do not see.

Crazed, or seeing what the camel does not.

لما وَرَدنَ نَبِيّاً واستتبَّ بها

لما وَرَدنَ نَبِيّاً واستتبَّ بها

مُسحَنفِرٌ كخطوطِ السِّيحِ مُنسَحِلُ

مُسحَنفِرٌ كخطوطِ السِّيحِ مُنسَحِلُ

When they reached a clear road, and there stretched before them

When they arrived, a prophet, and it settled on them,

A long, sweeping track, like the stripes of a cloak,

Bewildered, like the lines of tattoo when spreading.

على مَكانٍ غِشاشٍ ما يُقيم به

على مَكانٍ غِشاشٍ ما يُقيم به

إِلاَّ مغيِّرُنا والمُستقي العَجِلُ

إِلاَّ مغيِّرُنا والمُستقي العَجِلُ

Over ground for a fleeting halt, where no one stays

Upon a place covered with plants not made to stay

But our saddle-adjuster and the hurried water-drawer.

Except by our Changer, the One Swift to Reckon.

ثم استَمَرِّ بها الحادي وجنَّبَها

ثم استَمَرِّ بها الحادي وجنَّبَها

بَطنَ التي نبتُها الحَواذانُ والنَفَلُ

بَطنَ التي نبتُها الحَواذانُ والنَفَلُ

Then the camel-driver pressed on with them and kept them from

Then the guide kept on with it, and spared it

The valley-bottom where buttercups and clover grew.

The belly of one whose plants are berries and palms.

حتى وَرَدنَ رَكيَّاتِ العُوَيرِ وَقَ

حتى وَرَدنَ رَكيَّاتِ العُوَيرِ وَقَ

كادَ المُلاءُ من الكتّانِ يَشتَعِلُ

كادَ المُلاءُ من الكتّانِ يَشتَعِلُ

Until they reached the wells of al-ʿUwayr, and already

Until they arrived at the barren tracts, and almost

The linen wraps were almost catching fire.

Did the garment's white linen ignite.

وقد تعرَّجتُ لما وَرَّكَت أرَكاً

وقد تعرَّجتُ لما وَرَّكَت أرَكاً

ذاتَ الشِّمالِ وعن أيمانِنا الرِجَلُ

ذاتَ الشِّمالِ وعن أيمانِنا الرِجَلُ

And I turned aside when she set Arak

And I had wound when it wound a bend

To the left, with al-Rijal on our right,

To the left, while to our right the leg.

على مُنادٍ دَعانا دَعوةً كَشَفَت

على مُنادٍ دَعانا دَعوةً كَشَفَت

عَنَّا النُعاسَ وفي أَعناقِنا مَيَلُ

عَنَّا النُعاسَ وفي أَعناقِنا مَيَلُ

Toward a caller whose call to us swept

At a caller who called us a call that lifted

Drowsiness from us, while our necks drooped.

From us drowsiness, though to our necks it leaned.

سَمِعتُها ورِعانُ الطَودِ مُعرضةٌ

سَمِعتُها ورِعانُ الطَودِ مُعرضةٌ

من دونِها وكثيبُ العَيثةِ السَّهلُ

من دونِها وكثيبُ العَيثةِ السَّهلُ

I heard it, though the mountain's spurs lay athwart

I heard it, while the does of the hillock were facing away,

Between us and it, and al-ʿAytha's smooth dune.

Beyond it, and the easy slope of the dune.

فقلت للرَّكبِ لمَّا أَن علا بهمُ

فقلت للرَّكبِ لمَّا أَن علا بهمُ

مِن عَن يمينِ الحُبيَّا نظرَةٌ قَبَلُ

مِن عَن يمينِ الحُبيَّا نظرَةٌ قَبَلُ

I said to the riders, when there rose before them

So I said to the band when the glimpsing of them

From the right of al-Hubayya a sight straight ahead:

From the right of the Hibya - a look before - ascended:

ألمحةً من سنى برقٍ رأى بَصَري

ألمحةً من سنى برقٍ رأى بَصَري

أَم وَجهَ عاليةَ اختالَت بهِ الكِلًلُ

أَم وَجهَ عاليةَ اختالَت بهِ الكِلًلُ

Was it a flash of lightning's radiance my eyes saw,

Is it a glancing of lightning my eyesight saw

Or ʿAliya's face, about which the bed-curtains swayed proudly?

Or the visage of the towering heights crumbled by time?

تُهدي لنا كُلَّ ما كانت علاوتُنا

تُهدي لنا كُلَّ ما كانت علاوتُنا

ريحَ الخُزامى جرى فيهاالندى الخَضِلُ

ريحَ الخُزامى جرى فيهاالندى الخَضِلُ

She sent us, whenever she stood upwind of us,

It guides us to all that was our loftiness

The scent of lavender through which moist dew had flowed.

The scent of the south wind which the dripping dew flooded.

وقد أَبِيتُ إذا ما شئتُ باتَ معي

وقد أَبِيتُ إذا ما شئتُ باتَ معي

على الفِراشِ الضجيعُ الأغيَدُ الرَّتِلُ

على الفِراشِ الضجيعُ الأغيَدُ الرَّتِلُ

And whenever I wished, I would spend the night with

And I would, if I wished, stay the night, and with me would stay

A supple, even-toothed companion upon the bed.

On the bedding, the well-mannered, slowly pacing housemate.

وقد تُباكرني الصَّهباءُ ترفعُها

وقد تُباكرني الصَّهباءُ ترفعُها

اليَّ ليِّنةٌ أطرافُها ثِمِلُ

اليَّ ليِّنةٌ أطرافُها ثِمِلُ

And tawny wine would come to me early, lifted

And the blondness of dawn lifts it,

To me by a tender woman with languid limbs.

Softened by the gentle wetness its edges thickened.

أقولُ للحَرفِ لمّا أَن شكَت أُصُلا

أقولُ للحَرفِ لمّا أَن شكَت أُصُلا

من السِّفارِ فأفنى نَيَّها الرَّحَلُ

من السِّفارِ فأفنى نَيَّها الرَّحَلُ

I say to the lean she-camel, when at evening she complained

I say to the letter, when it complained of the outcome

Of journeys, and the saddle had consumed her fat:

Of travel, and its resolve journeying ruined it:

إن ترجِعي مِن أبي عُثمانَ مُنجحةً

إن ترجِعي مِن أبي عُثمانَ مُنجحةً

فقد يَهونُ على المُستَنجحِ العَمَلُ

فقد يَهونُ على المُستَنجحِ العَمَلُ

If you return successful from Abu ʿUthman,

If you return from Abu Uthman successful,

Then toil may be light for one who seeks success.

Then what's difficult may seem easy to the successful one.

أَهلُ المدينةِ لا يَحزُنكَ شانُهم

أَهلُ المدينةِ لا يَحزُنكَ شانُهم

إذا تخطَّأَ عبدَ الواحِدِ الأَجلُ

إذا تخطَّأَ عبدَ الواحِدِ الأَجلُ

The people of Medina—let their state not grieve you,

The people of Medina, let not their affair trouble you

If death passes ʿAbd al-Wahid by.

When fate befalls the servant of the One.

أمَّا قريشٌ فَلَن تلقاهم أبَداً

أمَّا قريشٌ فَلَن تلقاهم أبَداً

إِلاَّ وهم خيرُ مَن يحفى وَينتَعِلُ

إِلاَّ وهم خيرُ مَن يحفى وَينتَعِلُ

As for Quraysh, you will never meet them

As for Quraysh - you'll never meet them

Except as the best of those who go barefoot or wear sandals.

Unless the best one preserved and clad.

إِلاَّ وهُم جَبَلُ الله الذي قَصُرت

إِلاَّ وهُم جَبَلُ الله الذي قَصُرت

عَنه الجبالُ فما ساوى به جَبَلُ

عَنه الجبالُ فما ساوى به جَبَلُ

Always they are God's mountain, standing higher

Unless they're God's mountain no mountains

Than the mountains; no mountain has equaled it.

Matched, nor leveled with its loftiness.

قَومٌ هُمُ ثبّتوا الاسلامَ وامتنعوا

قَومٌ هُمُ ثبّتوا الاسلامَ وامتنعوا

قَومَ الرسولِ الذي ما بَعدَه رُسُلُ

قَومَ الرسولِ الذي ما بَعدَه رُسُلُ

A people who established Islam firmly and stood unassailable,

A people who stabilized Islam and resisted

The Messenger's kin—no messengers come after him.

The people of the Messenger - after him no messengers.

مَن صالحوه رأى مِن عَيشهِ سَعةً

مَن صالحوه رأى مِن عَيشهِ سَعةً

ولا ترى مَن أرادوا ضَره يثِلُ

ولا ترى مَن أرادوا ضَره يثِلُ

Those with whom they make peace find ample livelihood,

Whoever makes peace with them will see ease in his life

And you never see one they seek to harm prosper.

And you'll never see one who wished them harm restful.

كَم نالني مِنهُمُ فضلٌ على عَدَمٍ

كَم نالني مِنهُمُ فضلٌ على عَدَمٍ

إذ لا أكادُ مِن الإقتارِ أَحتَمِلُ

إذ لا أكادُ مِن الإقتارِ أَحتَمِلُ

How often their bounty reached me in destitution,

How much favor I gained from them undeserved

When poverty left me scarcely able to travel.

When I can hardly bear poverty.

وَكَم مِنَ الدَّهرِ ما قد ثبّتوا قدمي

وَكَم مِنَ الدَّهرِ ما قد ثبّتوا قدمي

إذ لا أزالُ مَعَ الأعداءِ أَنتَضِلُ

إذ لا أزالُ مَعَ الأعداءِ أَنتَضِلُ

And how often, over time, they made my footing firm,

And how much of fate they steadied my foot

As I never ceased to exchange arrows with enemies.

While I still with enemies skirmish.

فلا هُمُ صالحوا مَن يبتغي عَنتي

فلا هُمُ صالحوا مَن يبتغي عَنتي

ولا هُمُ كدَّروا الخَيرَ الذي فعَلُوا

ولا هُمُ كدَّروا الخَيرَ الذي فعَلُوا

So they made no peace with those who sought my suffering,

They made not peace with one who seeks my harm

Nor marred the good that they had done.

Nor did they poison the good they did.

هُمُ الملوكُ وابناءُ الملوكِ هُمُ

هُمُ الملوكُ وابناءُ الملوكِ هُمُ

والآخذون به والسَّاسَةُ الأُوَلُ

والآخذون به والسَّاسَةُ الأُوَلُ

They are kings, and sons of kings are they,

They're the kings and the sons of kings they are

And holders of kingship, and the foremost rulers.

And the upholders of it and the prime statesmen.