صَبغتِ بدمع عَاشِقِكِ الخُدُودُا

صَبغتِ بدمع عَاشِقِكِ الخُدُودُا

وعنه أَطَلتِ في الصِّلَةِ الصُّدَودَ

وعنه أَطَلتِ في الصِّلَةِ الصُّدَودَ

You dyed the cheeks with your lover’s tears,

You stained the cheeks with your lover's tears,

and, though joined to him, prolonged your rejection of him.

And long withheld your affection from him.

أَمَا تَأوِينَ وَيكِ أَلَم تَرِقِّى

أَمَا تَأوِينَ وَيكِ أَلَم تَرِقِّى

لِمَن جَرَّعتِهِ الشَّجَنَ الشديدَا

لِمَن جَرَّعتِهِ الشَّجَنَ الشديدَا

Will you not shelter him? Alas, have you no pity

Will you not take pity—alas for you! Have you not softened

for one whom you made drink deep of bitter grief?

Toward him whom you made swallow grievous sorrow?

لَعِبتِ بِلبِّهِ وطَوَيتِ عَنهُ

لَعِبتِ بِلبِّهِ وطَوَيتِ عَنهُ

بِسَاطَ الوَصلِ وَاختَنتِ العُهُودا

بِسَاطَ الوَصلِ وَاختَنتِ العُهُودا

You toyed with his heart and folded away from him

You played with his mind and folded away from him

the carpet of union, choosing promises instead.

The carpet of union, and betrayed the pledges.

صِلِيهِ أوَ أنصِفِيهِ فَإنَّ ظُلماً

صِلِيهِ أوَ أنصِفِيهِ فَإنَّ ظُلماً

وَغَدراً صَرمكِ الدَّئِفَ العميدا

وَغَدراً صَرمكِ الدَّئِفَ العميدا

Remain joined to him, or treat him fairly—for it is injustice

Rejoin him or treat him fairly, for it is injustice

and treachery to cast off the lovesick man laid low.

And treachery to forsake the feeble, love-stricken man.

لَعَلَّكِ تَجهلِينَ بِأَنَّ فِينَا

لَعَلَّكِ تَجهلِينَ بِأَنَّ فِينَا

إمَاماً عادلاً حَكَماً حَمِيدَا

إمَاماً عادلاً حَكَماً حَمِيدَا

Perhaps you do not know that among us is

Perhaps you are unaware that among us stands

a just imam, a praiseworthy arbiter:

A just leader, a praiseworthy arbiter.

فَتًى شَرِبَ العدالةَ في صِبَاهُ

فَتًى شَرِبَ العدالةَ في صِبَاهُ

فَعَن نَهجِ لعدالة لن يَحِيدَا

فَعَن نَهجِ لعدالة لن يَحِيدَا

a youth who drank justice in his youth

A youth who drank in justice in his childhood,

and will never stray from justice’s path.

And will never stray from justice's path.

هُو ابنُ الدَّيدِ سَيِّدُ كٌُلِّ نَادٍ

هُو ابنُ الدَّيدِ سَيِّدُ كٌُلِّ نَادٍ

وأَعلَى كُلِّ ذي رُتَبٍ شُهُوَدا

وأَعلَى كُلِّ ذي رُتَبٍ شُهُوَدا

He is the son of al-Dayd, master of every assembly,

He is Ibn al-Dayd, lord of every gathering,

and, when present, the highest of all men of rank.

And highest among all men of rank in attendance.

فَعينُكَ إِن رَأتهُ رأت أميرا

فَعينُكَ إِن رَأتهُ رأت أميرا

مَهِيباً هو أجدُران يَسُودَا

مَهِيباً هو أجدُران يَسُودَا

If your eye beheld him, it would behold a prince,

So if your eye sees him, it sees a prince,

awe-inspiring and most worthy to rule.

Awe-inspiring, he is most worthy to rule.

أعَازالموتَ بعضَ الفَتكِ منهُ

أعَازالموتَ بعضَ الفَتكِ منهُ

وألبَسَ بعضَ هَيبَتِه الأُسُوَدا

وألبَسَ بعضَ هَيبَتِه الأُسُوَدا

Did he lend Death some of his deadly force

He lent Death a portion of his deadly force,

and clothe the lions in some of his majesty?

And clothed the lions in some of his awe.

فَرَامَت في شجاعته إحتِسَاءً

فَرَامَت في شجاعته إحتِسَاءً

فَلاَقَت في إسَاغَتِها عُنُودَا

فَلاَقَت في إسَاغَتِها عُنُودَا

The lions sought to drink of his courage,

They sought a draught of his courage,

but found it stubbornly impossible to swallow.

But met resistance in swallowing it.

رَأتهُ العُربُ أَحسنَهَأ طِباعاً

رَأتهُ العُربُ أَحسنَهَأ طِباعاً

وأكرَمَها وأكبرَهَا جُدودا

وأكرَمَها وأكبرَهَا جُدودا

The Arabs found him the finest among them in character,

The Arabs deemed him their finest in character,

the noblest and greatest among them in ancestry,

And their most generous, with the greatest forebears,

وأبطَشَها وأقصَدَها رَمِيًّا

وأبطَشَها وأقصَدَها رَمِيًّا

وأعدَلَها وأنجَزَها وُعُودَا

وأعدَلَها وأنجَزَها وُعُودَا

the mightiest, and the truest of shot,

And fiercest in attack, and truest in aim,

the most just, and the surest in fulfilling promises,

And most just, and truest in keeping promises,

وأقربَهَا لَدَى الهَيجَاءِ بَأساً

وأقربَهَا لَدَى الهَيجَاءِ بَأساً

وأنفَعَها وأكثَرَهَا حَسُودا

وأنفَعَها وأكثَرَهَا حَسُودا

the foremost in valor when battle rages,

And readiest with valor amid the tumult of battle,

the most beneficial—and the most envied;

And most helpful, and most beset by enviers,

وأعذَبَها لِمَن وَالاَهُ طَعماً

وأعذَبَها لِمَن وَالاَهُ طَعماً

وأصلَبَها لِمَن عادَاهُ عُودَا

وأصلَبَها لِمَن عادَاهُ عُودَا

the sweetest-tasting to whoever befriends him,

And sweetest in taste to those who befriend him,

and the hardest in mettle to whoever opposes him;

And hardest in timber to those who oppose him,

وأهدَاهَا بِمشتَبِه المَوَامِى

وأهدَاهَا بِمشتَبِه المَوَامِى

وأشجعَها وأضرمَها وَقُودَا

وأشجعَها وأضرمَها وَقُودَا

the best guided through the trackless deserts,

And surest of the way through confusing wastelands,

the bravest and the fiercest in ardor;

And bravest, and fiercest in kindling fire,

وأعلاَهَا وأسنَاهَا بُرُوقاً

وأعلاَهَا وأسنَاهَا بُرُوقاً

وأزعَجَها وأهوَلَها رُعُودَا

وأزعَجَها وأهوَلَها رُعُودَا

the loftiest, with the brightest lightning,

And highest, and brightest in lightning,

the most startling, with the most terrible thunder;

And most unsettling, and most fearsome in thunder,

وأيمَنَها وأمَنَها مُضَافاً

وأيمَنَها وأمَنَها مُضَافاً

وأمرَعَها وأرواهَأ نُجُودَا

وأمرَعَها وأرواهَأ نُجُودَا

the most auspicious and the most impregnable as a refuge,

And most auspicious, and safest for a guest seeking refuge,

the most fertile, with the best-watered uplands;

And richest in pasture, with the best-watered uplands,

وأنحَسَهَا إذَا رَهِبَت نُحوساً

وأنحَسَهَا إذَا رَهِبَت نُحوساً

وأسعَدَهَا إِذَا أمِنِت سُعُودُا

وأسعَدَهَا إِذَا أمِنِت سُعُودُا

the most ill-omened when evil omens are feared,

And most baleful in ill fortune when they are afraid,

the most fortunate when safety is assured;

And most blessed in good fortune when they feel secure,

وأبذَلَها وأرجَحَها وَقَاراً

وأبذَلَها وأرجَحَها وَقَاراً

وأَجرَاهَا على الصَافِينَ جُودَا

وأَجرَاهَا على الصَافِينَ جُودَا

the most generous and weightiest in dignity,

And most liberal, and weightiest in dignity,

the most lavish in bounty toward the ranks before him.

And most lavish in generosity toward the loyal.

فَوَلَّتهُ الإمارَةَ وهوَ أهلٌ

فَوَلَّتهُ الإمارَةَ وهوَ أهلٌ

لها إِذَا كَانَ وَالِيَها وَلِيدَا

لها إِذَا كَانَ وَالِيَها وَلِيدَا

The emirate appointed him, and he was worthy

So they entrusted him with the emirate, and he was worthy

of it, though its governor was still a youth.

Of it, for he was its ruler even as an infant.

وقد عَلِمَت شجاعتَه الأَعادِى

وقد عَلِمَت شجاعتَه الأَعادِى

فَسَمَّوهُ لِرَوعَتِه المُبِيدَا

فَسَمَّوهُ لِرَوعَتِه المُبِيدَا

His enemies had indeed come to know his courage,

And his enemies knew his courage,

and submitted before his annihilating terror.

So, for the terror he inspired, they named him the Destroyer.

إذَا الشجعانُ صَرَّعَهُم كَرَاهُم

إذَا الشجعانُ صَرَّعَهُم كَرَاهُم

وباتوا فوق أرحلِهِم هُجُودَا

وباتوا فوق أرحلِهِم هُجُودَا

When sleep felled the valiant warriors

When slumber has laid the warriors low,

and they passed the night asleep upon their saddles,

And they spend the night asleep upon their saddles,

وَطوَّتهُم يُدِىُّ طَوًى طويلٍ

وَطوَّتهُم يُدِىُّ طَوًى طويلٍ

وأمسَى البَردُ جَلَّلَهم بُرُودَا

وأمسَى البَردُ جَلَّلَهم بُرُودَا

while a tall, towering mountain loomed before them,

And the hands of prolonged hunger have doubled them over,

and by evening the cold enveloped them like cloaks,

And by evening the cold has cloaked them in mantles,

وشفَّهُمُ الصَّدَى حتى تَوَانَوا

وشفَّهُمُ الصَّدَى حتى تَوَانَوا

وصَدُّوا عَن عزَائِمِهم صُدودَأ

وصَدُّوا عَن عزَائِمِهم صُدودَأ

and thirst wore them down until they grew faint

And thirst has wasted them until they falter,

and they themselves turned wholly from their resolves,

And they turn utterly away from their resolves,

تَرَاهُ أغَرَّ مُبتَسِماً يُزَجَّى

تَرَاهُ أغَرَّ مُبتَسِماً يُزَجَّى

مُصِيبَ الرَّاىِ والنَّظَرَ السَّدِيدَا

مُصِيبَ الرَّاىِ والنَّظَرَ السَّدِيدَا

you would see him radiant and smiling, pressing onward,

You see him radiant and smiling, putting forth

unerring in judgment and sound in insight.

Sound judgment and well-directed counsel.

يُحَذِّرُهم ويُغرِيهم وَيغرِى

يُحَذِّرُهم ويُغرِيهم وَيغرِى

بِهِم تِيهاً مُضَلَلَةً وبِيدَا

بِهِم تِيهاً مُضَلَلَةً وبِيدَا

He warns them, urges them on, and himself grows eager

He warns them, spurs them on, and sets

to cross with them the bewildering wastes and deserts.

Bewildering wildernesses and deserts against them.

ويُورِدُهم وقد طارت شَعَاعاً

ويُورِدُهم وقد طارت شَعَاعاً

قُلُوبُهمُ وقد يَئِسُوا الوُزودَا

قُلُوبُهمُ وقد يَئِسُوا الوُزودَا

Then he brings them to water, after there have flown apart in terror

And he leads them to water, though scattered in all directions

their hearts, and they have despaired of reaching it:

Are their hearts, and they have despaired of reaching it:

قَلِيباً لَيسَ يَعلَمُه دليلٌ

قَلِيباً لَيسَ يَعلَمُه دليلٌ

لَيَالِىَ من مُحَاقِ الشهرِ سُودَا

لَيَالِىَ من مُحَاقِ الشهرِ سُودَا

to a well no guide among them knows,

A well that no guide knows,

on black nights of the month’s moonless dark.

On black nights at the month's moonless end.

فَيصبِحُ وهوَ ينظرُ في الأعادِى

فَيصبِحُ وهوَ ينظرُ في الأعادِى

كَفِيلاً بالوَسِيقَةِ أن يَعُودَا

كَفِيلاً بالوَسِيقَةِ أن يَعُودَا

Then morning finds him gazing upon the enemy,

Then at dawn he surveys the enemies,

pledging with firm assurance that he will return.

Pledging to return with the captured herd.

فَيَرمِيهُم ويُعرِبُ عَن سُمَاهٍ

فَيَرمِيهُم ويُعرِبُ عَن سُمَاهٍ

فيَهزمهم وَيَسلُبُهم وَحِيدَا

فيَهزمهم وَيَسلُبُهم وَحِيدَا

He attacks them and reveals his lofty mettle,

Then he shoots at them and proclaims his name,

routing and despoiling them single-handed;

And routs and plunders them single-handed.

ويَأخُذُ مِن رَوحِلِهِم وَيأتِى

ويَأخُذُ مِن رَوحِلِهِم وَيأتِى

بِهَأ كُوماً كَمِثلِ الأكمِ قُودَا

بِهَأ كُوماً كَمِثلِ الأكمِ قُودَا

he seizes their riding beasts and brings them

He takes some of their riding camels and brings

in heaps like hillocks, driven along.

Them high-humped as hills, and long-necked.

وإنَّ لَهُ منَاقِبَ لَيس يُحصِى

وإنَّ لَهُ منَاقِبَ لَيس يُحصِى

لَها رَقٌّ ولا قَلَمٌ عَدِيدَا

لَها رَقٌّ ولا قَلَمٌ عَدِيدَا

Indeed, he has virtues too many to count,

Indeed, he has virtues that neither

beyond all reach and any numbering pen.

Parchment nor pen can number.

وًقَد جذبَت إِليهِ يَدٌ المَعَالِى

وًقَد جذبَت إِليهِ يَدٌ المَعَالِى

طَرِيفَ المَجدِ والمَجدَ التَّلِيدَا

طَرِيفَ المَجدِ والمَجدَ التَّلِيدَا

The two hands of glory have been drawn toward him:

And the hand of lofty deeds has drawn to him

both newly won glory and glory inherited of old.

Newly won glory and glory inherited.

رَعَاهُ اللهُ مِن ملِكٍ هُمَامٍ

رَعَاهُ اللهُ مِن ملِكٍ هُمَامٍ

وأسَّسَ رُكنَ دَولِتِهش المَشِيدَا

وأسَّسَ رُكنَ دَولِتِهش المَشِيدَا

May God preserve him—what a resolute king—

May God guard him, a valiant king,

and establish the lofty pillar of his realm;

And firmly establish the lofty pillar of his realm,

وأيَّدَهُ وعَمَّرَهُ مَطَاعاً

وأيَّدَهُ وعَمَّرَهُ مَطَاعاً

وأبقَاهُ المُسَوَّدَ لاَ المَسيدَا

وأبقَاهُ المُسَوَّدَ لاَ المَسيدَا

may He strengthen him, prolong his life, and keep him obeyed,

And strengthen him, granting him long life as one obeyed,

keeping him master, never mastered—

And keep him the ruler, never the ruled,

بجاهِ أجَلِّ مَن رَكِبَ المطايا

بجاهِ أجَلِّ مَن رَكِبَ المطايا

وأَكرَم كُلَّ مَن وَفَدُوا وَفُودَا

وأَكرَم كُلَّ مَن وَفَدُوا وَفُودَا

by the honor of the noblest ever to ride a mount

By the standing of the noblest who ever rode mounts

and the most generous of all to whom delegations came.

And honored all who came in delegations.

عليه سَحائِبُ الصلواتِ تَترَى

عليه سَحائِبُ الصلواتِ تَترَى

تَجَدَّدُ لَن تَرِيمَ وَلَن تبيدا

تَجَدَّدُ لَن تَرِيمَ وَلَن تبيدا

Upon him may clouds of blessings follow one another,

May clouds of blessings upon him come in succession,

ever renewed, never ceasing and never perishing.

Ever renewed, never departing and never perishing.