قفوا جددوا عَتباً عَلى مَن لَهُ العَتبُ

قفوا جددوا عَتباً عَلى مَن لَهُ العَتبُ

فَكَم راغِب في الصَفحِ مِمَّن لَهُ ذَنبُ

فَكَم راغِب في الصَفحِ مِمَّن لَهُ ذَنبُ

Halt, all of you, and renew my reproach against the one who deserves reproach.

Stop; renew reproach against the one entitled to reproach.

How many a sinner longs for pardon!

For many a sinner longs for pardon.

قفوا عَرِّجوا عَوِّجوا عَلى ذي صَبابَةٍ

قفوا عَرِّجوا عَوِّجوا عَلى ذي صَبابَةٍ

بِأَحشائِهِ نارٌ تأَجَّجُ لا تَخبو

بِأَحشائِهِ نارٌ تأَجَّجُ لا تَخبو

Halt; turn aside, bend your course toward one possessed by yearning,

Stop; turn aside, bend your course toward one consumed by longing.

within whose breast a fire blazes and never dies.

Deep in his entrails a fire blazes, never dying down.

حِمى النَومَ عَن عَينيَّ ذكر ظَبا الحِمى

حِمى النَومَ عَن عَينيَّ ذكر ظَبا الحِمى

فَبانَ الكَرى عَنها وَلَم يَبِن السَكَبُ

فَبانَ الكَرى عَنها وَلَم يَبِن السَكَبُ

Remembrance of the gazelles of al-Ḥimā has barred sleep from my eyes;

The memory of the protected pasture's gazelles barred sleep from my eyes.

slumber departed from them, but the streaming tears did not.

So slumber left them, but the outpouring of tears did not.

الّا في سبيل اللَهِ دَهرٌ فُجعتَه

الّا في سبيل اللَهِ دَهرٌ فُجعتَه

تُباكِرُني فيهِ المُدامَةُ وَالشُربُ

تُباكِرُني فيهِ المُدامَةُ وَالشُربُ

Ah, for God’s sake—the age in which I suffered bereavement,

Ah, in God's keeping is a time of which I was bereft,

when wine and drinking would greet me at dawn,

when wine and drinking would greet me at dawn.

وَعَيرانَةٍ زَيّافَةٍ تَحذف الحَصى

وَعَيرانَةٍ زَيّافَةٍ تَحذف الحَصى

غَريرية يَغتالها القيد وَاللَصبُ

غَريرية يَغتالها القيد وَاللَصبُ

and a wild-ass-like, fleet she-camel that flung the pebbles aside—

And many a sturdy, swift-striding she-camel, scattering pebbles,

a high-bred young one whom tether and company would overtake.

Ghurayri-bred, worn down by the tether and narrow rocky pass,

طَواها الرَدى واجتاحها لازم السُرى

طَواها الرَدى واجتاحها لازم السُرى

فَلَم يُبقِ فيها لا عَنيقٌ ولا جَذبُ

فَلَم يُبقِ فيها لا عَنيقٌ ولا جَذبُ

Doom folded her away, and ceaseless night travel swept her off,

death wasted her, and ceaseless night travel ravaged her,

leaving in her neither graceful pace nor strength to pull.

so neither swift pacing nor hard driving spared her any strength.

قطعت عَليها بالدياجي وَبالضُحى

قطعت عَليها بالدياجي وَبالضُحى

وَفي حومَةِ التَهجيرَ والآلِ مُنصَبُّ

وَفي حومَةِ التَهجيرَ والآلِ مُنصَبُّ

Upon her I crossed through pitch-dark nights and morning light,

Upon her I journeyed through dark nights and bright mornings,

and through the furnace of noon and the shimmering mirage, exhausted,

and amid the heat of midday, while the mirage poured down,

إِلى بَلَدٍ عزت لِعز مُلوكِهِ

إِلى بَلَدٍ عزت لِعز مُلوكِهِ

مُلوك البَرايا وَالأَعاجِمُ وَالعربُ

مُلوك البَرايا وَالأَعاجِمُ وَالعربُ

to a land whose glory springs from the glory of its kings—

to a land through whose kings' glory were exalted

kings of all mankind, non-Arabs and Arabs alike.

the kings of mankind, the non-Arabs, and the Arabs.

بِهِ طيىء طالَت عَلى مُضَرٍ وَلَن

بِهِ طيىء طالَت عَلى مُضَرٍ وَلَن

يَقوم لَها في الحَربِ تَغلبها الغلبُ

يَقوم لَها في الحَربِ تَغلبها الغلبُ

There Ṭayyiʾ has towered above Muḍar, and never

Through him, Tayy rose above Mudar, and never

will the mighty men of Taghlib stand against it in war.

will its mighty Taghlib stand against them in war.

أَشادَ لَها مَجداً تَليداً مؤَيَّداً

أَشادَ لَها مَجداً تَليداً مؤَيَّداً

وَشرفهُ الخِرصانُ وَالمرهف العَضبُ

وَشرفهُ الخِرصانُ وَالمرهف العَضبُ

He raised up for it an ancient, enduring glory,

He raised for them an ancestral, firmly buttressed glory,

ennobled by spearheads and the keen-edged sword,

whose battlements are lances and the keen, cutting sword,

وُجوداً نسينا حاتِم الجود عِندَهُ

وُجوداً نسينا حاتِم الجود عِندَهُ

وَعَمرو وَلَو تُحصيهِ لَم تَسَع الكُتب

وَعَمرو وَلَو تُحصيهِ لَم تَسَع الكُتب

and such generosity that beside him we forgot Ḥātim, lord of bounty,

and a generosity beside which we forgot Hatim the Generous

and a lifespan that, were you to reckon it, no books could contain.

and Amr; were you to tally it, books could not contain it.

إِذا فَزِعَت أَفراسه نَحوَ جَحفَلٍ

إِذا فَزِعَت أَفراسه نَحوَ جَحفَلٍ

تُقدَّمها الأقبالُ وَالخَوفُ وَالرُعبُ

تُقدَّمها الأقبالُ وَالخَوفُ وَالرُعبُ

When his horsemen hasten toward a massed army,

When his horses rush toward a mighty host,

good fortune leads them on, with fear and terror before them.

good fortune, fear, and terror go before them.

وَإِن بَّيَتَ الأَعداء أَمراً رَماهُمُ

وَإِن بَّيَتَ الأَعداء أَمراً رَماهُمُ

صَباحاً بَخيلٍ لا تُرَدُّ وَلا تَكبو

صَباحاً بَخيلٍ لا تُرَدُّ وَلا تَكبو

And if by night he devises a plan against the enemy, he hurls at them

And if the enemies hatch a plot by night, he strikes them

at dawn a cavalry that neither turns back nor stumbles.

at dawn with cavalry that cannot be repelled and never stumbles.

عَلَيها رِجالٌ طَيئونَ إِذا اعتَزوا

عَلَيها رِجالٌ طَيئونَ إِذا اعتَزوا

فَمعنٌ أَخاً وَالخال أَكرِم بِهِ كَعبُ

فَمعنٌ أَخاً وَالخال أَكرِم بِهِ كَعبُ

Mounted upon them are men of Ṭayyiʾ when they glory in their lineage:

Riding them are men of Tayy who, when they boast of their lineage,

Maʿn is your brother; and as for the maternal line—how noble is Kaʿb!

have Ma'n for a brother, and Ka'b—how noble!—for a maternal uncle.

سَرى بِهُمُ نَحوَ السَراةِ وَقَد طَغوا

سَرى بِهُمُ نَحوَ السَراةِ وَقَد طَغوا

وَساقوا إِمام الدينَ وَهوَ لَهُم قطبُ

وَساقوا إِمام الدينَ وَهوَ لَهُم قطبُ

He marched with them by night toward the chiefs when they had rebelled,

He marched them by night against the chiefs, who had transgressed

and they drove against the Imam of the Faith, though he is their very axis.

and driven the imam of the faith before them, though he was their pivot.

فَصَبَّحهُم في دارِهِم شَرَّ صُبحَة

فَصَبَّحهُم في دارِهِم شَرَّ صُبحَة

عَلَيهم وَقَد وآلاهُمُ الطَعن وَالضَربُ

عَلَيهم وَقَد وآلاهُمُ الطَعن وَالضَربُ

He struck them in their own abode with an evil morning raid,

He came upon them in their abode at dawn with the worst morning raid

as spear-thrusts and sword-strokes followed one another upon them.

for them, as spear-thrusts and blows assailed them in succession.

أَبادَ حُماةَ القَومِ وَاجتاحَ أَرضَهُم

أَبادَ حُماةَ القَومِ وَاجتاحَ أَرضَهُم

وَلَولاهُ لَم يَطرِق لمعقلِهِم خَطب

وَلَولاهُ لَم يَطرِق لمعقلِهِم خَطب

He destroyed the people’s defenders and swept through their land;

He annihilated the people's defenders and overran their land.

but for him, no calamity would have reached its stronghold.

But for him, no calamity would have knocked at their stronghold.

وَقَد عَلِمَ المَولى الإِمام بِأَنَّهُ

وَقَد عَلِمَ المَولى الإِمام بِأَنَّهُ

أَخو عزمة خدامها السبعة الشُهُبُ

أَخو عزمة خدامها السبعة الشُهُبُ

The lordly Imam has indeed learned that he is

And the lord, the imam, knows that he is

a man of resolve, whose servants are the seven blazing stars.

a man of resolve whose servants are the seven bright stars.

بِحَبلِ أَبي الذواد أَصبَحتُ مُمسِكاً

بِحَبلِ أَبي الذواد أَصبَحتُ مُمسِكاً

وَحَسبي بِهِ أَن كانَ يَنفَعَني الحَسبُ

وَحَسبي بِهِ أَن كانَ يَنفَعَني الحَسبُ

I have taken firm hold of the rope of Abū al-Dhawwād,

I have come to hold fast to Abu al-Dhawwad's rope,

and he suffices me, if noble lineage can bring me benefit.

and he is enough for me, if sufficiency can avail me.

أَذادَ الرَدى عَنّي تتابع رفده

أَذادَ الرَدى عَنّي تتابع رفده

وَأَرغَم حُسّادي حباه الَّذي يَحبو

وَأَرغَم حُسّادي حباه الَّذي يَحبو

The unbroken succession of his gifts has driven death away from me,

The succession of his gifts drove death away from me,

and his ever-advancing largesse has humbled my enviers.

and the bounty he bestows humbled my enviers.

فَأَصبَحت في نُعماهُ غادٍ وَرائح

فَأَصبَحت في نُعماهُ غادٍ وَرائح

تَروحُ بيَ الوجنا وَتَغدو بيَ الصُهُبُ

تَروحُ بيَ الوجنا وَتَغدو بيَ الصُهُبُ

Thus amid his bounty I go forth morning and evening;

So amid his blessings I go out at dawn and return at dusk;

the sturdy she-camel bears me at dusk, and the reddish mounts at dawn.

a stout she-camel bears me at dusk, and tawny camels at dawn.

أَمّا آن يُغنيني عَنِ الناسِ كُلِّهِم

أَمّا آن يُغنيني عَنِ الناسِ كُلِّهِم

فَلَم يَبقَ فيهِم مِن بِجُثمانِهِ قَلب

فَلَم يَبقَ فيهِم مِن بِجُثمانِهِ قَلب

Is it not time that he free me from dependence on all mankind?

Has the time not come for him to free me from needing anyone else?

For among them no one remains with a heart inside his body.

For none remains among them with a heart within his body.

وَلا سُلكت سُبلُ السَماحِ وَلا اهتَدى

وَلا سُلكت سُبلُ السَماحِ وَلا اهتَدى

إِلى نَهجِ الأَفضالِ في شامنا نَدبُ

إِلى نَهجِ الأَفضالِ في شامنا نَدبُ

The paths of liberality have not been trodden, nor has any man of mettle

Nor are generosity's paths trodden, nor has anyone found his way

found the road of noble giving in our Syria.

to bounty's road in our Syria—not one noble soul.

فَكُن أَوحَداً في المَجدِ يا نَجلُ دُغفُلِ

فَكُن أَوحَداً في المَجدِ يا نَجلُ دُغفُلِ

فَأَنتَ وَحيدٌ لا تَضَلُّ وَلا تَصبو

فَأَنتَ وَحيدٌ لا تَضَلُّ وَلا تَصبو

So be peerless in glory, O son of Dughfal;

Be peerless in glory, O son of Daghfal,

you are unique: you neither stray nor stoop to youthful folly.

for you stand alone, neither straying nor yielding to youthful passion.

بَقيتَ أَبا الذَوادِ لِلملك وَالعُلى

بَقيتَ أَبا الذَوادِ لِلملك وَالعُلى

ومن كنت تَشناه يباكِرُهُ الصَلب

ومن كنت تَشناه يباكِرُهُ الصَلب

May you remain, Abū al-Dhawwād, for sovereignty and high renown,

May you endure, Abu al-Dhawwad, for kingship and high glory,

and whoever you hate—may crucifixion assail him at dawn.

and may crucifixion greet at dawn whomever you hate.

فَدونكها مِن شاعِرٍ لَكَ ناشِر

فَدونكها مِن شاعِرٍ لَكَ ناشِر

مناقِب طي حَيثُ لا ينشر الثَلبُ

مناقِب طي حَيثُ لا ينشر الثَلبُ

Here, then, take these from a poet who champions you:

Take it, then, from a poet who proclaims for you

the virtues of Ṭayyiʾ, where no slander is spread—

the virtues of Tayy, where no slander is spread:

قَوافٍ زَهَت لَمّا بِمَدحِكَ وُشِّحَت

قَوافٍ زَهَت لَمّا بِمَدحِكَ وُشِّحَت

عَلى الدُرِّ وَالياقوتِ فَهيَ لَها قُلُبُ

عَلى الدُرِّ وَالياقوتِ فَهيَ لَها قُلُبُ

verses that blossomed when they were adorned with your praise,

rhymes that, when adorned with your praise, rose proudly

surpassing pearls and rubies, for they are their very heart.

above pearls and rubies—they are bracelets for them.

إِذا أَنشَدَت في نادِ قَومٍ أَكارِمٍ

إِذا أَنشَدَت في نادِ قَومٍ أَكارِمٍ

يَخِرّونَ للأَذقانِ إِن ذكر الرَبُّ

يَخِرّونَ للأَذقانِ إِن ذكر الرَبُّ

When they are recited in an assembly of noble men,

When recited in an assembly of noble folk,

they fall upon their faces, as when the Lord is mentioned.

they fall upon their chins if the Lord is mentioned.