1. هي العيسُ قُوداً في الأزمَّةِ تنفخُ

    تمطّى بها من عُجمةِ الرملِ برزخُ

    These are the pale camels, long-necked, snorting against their reins.

    A ridge of densely packed sand stretches beneath them.

  2. فَليْنَ الدُّجى عن غُرَّةِ الصبحِ فاغتدتْ

    بجنبِ النَّقَا منها وقوفٌ ونُوَّخُ

    They combed the darkness from dawn's bright brow, and at morning became

    Beside the sandhill, some standing, others kneeling.

  3. كأن اللَّغَامَ الجَعْدَ طالَ نسالُهُ

    على الجُدُلِ المرخاةِ برْسٌ مُسَبَّخُ

    As though the matted foam, its trailing strands grown long,

    Were teased-out cotton upon the slackened, braided reins.

  4. عليها قِطافُ المشي أطولُ خَطوِها

    قِدى الفِتْرِ إذْ أدنى خُطاهنَّ فرسخُ

    Upon them ride dainty walkers, whose longest stride

    Is a thumb-to-forefinger span, while the camels' shortest step is a parasang.

  5. بدورٌ أَكَنَّتْهَا خدورٌ يجُنُّها

    جناحُ خُدارِيّ من الليلِ أفتَخُ

    Full moons concealed in curtained howdahs, sheltered

    By a dark eagle's broad, drooping wing of night.

  6. تناهبنَ غرَّ الحُسنِ ملأى وسوقُها

    فقد شَرِقَتْ منها قِبابٌ وأشرخُ

    They shared out beauty's choicest treasures, its loads brimming full,

    Till domed litters and saddle frames were choked with them.

  7. فوشيُ خُدودٍ بالجَمالِ مُنمنَمٌ

    ومسكُ شعورٍ بالشباب مضمَّخُ

    Thus cheeks' brocade is finely patterned with beauty,

    And hair's musk richly anointed with youth.

  8. فيا ظَعَناتِ الحيِّ باللّه عَرِّجِي

    على سَلْسَلٍ من عبرتي يتنضَّخُ

    O women of the tribe's caravan, by God, turn aside

    Toward a sweet stream gushing from my tears.

  9. ويا نَسَماتِ الريحِ رفْقاً بمهجتي

    ففي القلب نارٌ كُلَّما هجتِ تُنْفَخُ

    O breaths of wind, be gentle with my heart:

    For in the heart is a fire fanned whenever you stir.

  10. ويا نارَ قلبي ما لجمرِكَ كُلَّما

    نضحتُ عليه الماءَ لا يتبوَّخُ

    O fire of my heart, why does your ember, whenever

    I sprinkle water upon it, never die down?

  11. ويا صادحاتِ الوُرقِ في الأيك أقصِري

    فما ليَ إذ أشكو ولا لكِ مُصرِخُ

    O singing gray doves in the thickets, cease:

    For neither I, when I lament, nor you have a rescuer.

  12. فيا جِيرةً شطَّتْ بهم غُربةُ النَّوَى

    ولاعهدُهم يُنْسَى ولا الوُدُّ يُنْسَخُ

    O neighbors carried far away by separation's estrangement,

    Their bond is not forgotten, nor their affection erased.

  13. لكم في جنوب الأرضِ مسرىً ومسرحٌ

    وللحبِّ في جَنْبَيَّ مرسىً ومرسخُ

    Through the earth's reaches you have a night-road and a roaming ground,

    And love within my sides has an anchorage and a firm abode.

  14. فمَنْ مبلغٌ عني عِدايَ أَلُوكةً

    تُؤَمُّ بها هامُ العُداةِ وتُشْدَخُ

    Who, then, will carry from me to my foes a message

    With which the enemies' heads are targeted and smashed?

  15. أَفي كلِّ يومٍ جلبةٌ من عداوةٍ

    تفرِّقُ أو شوكٌ من الضِّغْنِ تُنْتَخُ

    Must every day bring a clamor of hostility

    That scatters, or thorns of rancor to be plucked out,

  16. ولسعةُ كيدٍ لو يُرامُ بنفثِها

    مناكبُ رضوى أوشكتْ تتفسَّخُ

    And a sting of scheming whose venom, if aimed

    At Radwa's shoulders, would almost tear them apart?

  17. تطاولني قُعس الضِراب سَفاهَةً

    وقد قَصَّرتْ عني شماريخُ بُذَّخُ

    Squat hillocks foolishly vie with my height,

    Though towering mountain peaks have fallen short of me.

  18. وما راعَنِي هُدرُ الفَحالةِ قبلَكُمْ

    فأرتاعُ من رزِّ البكارة تفلخُ

    The roaring of stallion camels before you never frightened me,

    That I should fear the young she-camels' rumble as they splutter.

  19. أبَى لي قبولَ الضيمِ مطمحُ هِمَّتِي

    ومُلقى قَتودي والأمونُ المُنَوَّخُ

    My ambition's lofty aim forbids my accepting humiliation,

    As do the resting place of my saddle and the trusty kneeling camel,

  20. ومرثومةٌ بالعِزِّ شَمَّاءُ تنتحِي

    إِذا رَئِمْت بوَّ الصَّغارِ وتشمخُ

    And a high-bridged nose stamped with honor, which turns away

    If I embrace abasement's stuffed calf, and rises proudly.

  21. وحظِّيَ من أيامِ مُلْكٍ بِعِزِّهِ

    تُقامُ مواقيتُ العُلَى وتُؤَرَّخُ

    And my share in the days of a reign whose glory

    Establishes and dates the epochs of exalted rank.

  22. سُلالةُ ظِلِّ اللّهِ في الأرض إنْ جَرتْ

    له ذُكْرَةٌ عند السلاطين بَخْبَخُوا

    The scion of God's shadow on earth—whenever

    He is mentioned among sultans, they cry, 'Bravo!'

  23. يتوقُ إليه المُلكُ وهو لهُ ابْنُمٌ

    ويحنو عليه التاجُ وهو لهُ أخُ

    Kingship yearns for him, and he is its son;

    The crown bends tenderly over him, and he is its brother.

  24. وتعنو له صِيْدُ الممالكِ خُضَّعاً

    إِذا اصطفَّ حَوليهِ كهولٌ وشُرَّخُ

    The proud rulers of kingdoms bow humbly to him

    When mature men and youths stand ranked around him.

  25. وتشتاقُه الجُرْدُ الصوافِنُ شُزَّبَاً

    يجوسُ بها أرضَ العِدى فتُدَوَّخُ

    The sleek, poised steeds, lean-flanked, yearn for him;

    With them he scours enemy land, and it is subdued.

  26. وتأمل أن تحظَى وتُنْقَشَ باسْمهِ

    وذايلُ تِبْرٍ في المعادن سُوَّخُ

    And hope to gain favor and be stamped with his name

    Lumps of raw gold embedded deep in the mines.

  27. يربي العِدى أبناءَهمْ لِسهامهِ

    وللصَّقْرِ ما أضحَى البُغَاثُ يُفَرِّخُ

    His foes raise their sons for his arrows;

    And whatever the weak birds hatch is for the falcon.

  28. له هضبةُ العزِّ القُدامسُ والذُّرَى

    من المجدِ والطَودُ الذي هو أبذخُ

    His is honor's massive plateau, and the summits

    Of glory, and the mountain that towers highest.

  29. ملوكٌ همُ حاطُوا الخِلافةَ بعدَما

    تهضَّمها أعداؤُها وتنوَّخُوا

    Kings who guarded the caliphate after

    Its enemies had oppressed it and encamped upon it.

  30. بهم ثَبَّتَ اللّهُ الهُدى وتزلزلتْ

    أخامِصُ قومٍ في الضَّلالةِ أُرْسِخُوا

    Through them God made guidance firm, while there shook

    The arched soles of men entrenched in error.

  31. وبُصِّرَ محجوبُ البصائر أكْمَهٌ

    وأُسمِعَ مشدودُ المسامِع أصلخُ

    The man blind from birth, his inner vision veiled, was made to see;

    And the utterly deaf man, his ears stopped, was made to hear.

  32. إِذا المُلكُ دَبَّتْ فيه وعكةُ فِتْنَةٍ

    سقَوها الظُّبَا مشحوذةً فتسبَّخُ

    When a fever of rebellion creeps into the kingdom,

    They make it drink sharpened sword-blades, and it subsides.

  33. فأسيافُهم بالأمنِ والخوف ترتمِي

    وأيديهمُ بالمالِ والدَّمِ تنضَخُ

    Their swords strike forth with security and fear,

    And their hands gush with wealth and blood.

  34. لهم نفحَتا سَطوٍ وعَفْوٍ فهذهِ

    زُعَاقٌ وهاتِيكم زُلالٌ منقَّخُ

    They have two outpourings, assault and pardon: this one

    Is bitter brine, and that one pure, sweet water.

  35. ثِقالٌ إِذا اصطفَّ السِماطانِ حولَهمْ

    خِفافٌ إِذا الداعي المُثَوِّبُ يصرُخُ

    They are weighty when the two ranks stand arrayed around them,

    And swift when the rallying caller cries out.

  36. حَذا حذوَهمْ ضافي العطاء مؤَيَّدٌ

    من اللّهِ ميمونُ النقيبةِ أبلخُ

    In their footsteps walked one of lavish bounty, supported

    By God, auspicious in disposition, proud and lofty.

  37. بنَى قُبَّةَ الإسلامِ بالسيف بعدَما

    تهاوتْ مبانيهِ وكادتْ تَسَوَّخُ

    He built Islam's dome with the sword after

    Its structures had crumbled and nearly sunk away.

  38. يقود الخميسَ المَجْرَ غصَّ به الفَلا

    وأصبحَ هامُ الأكمِ وهو مُشَدَّخُ

    He leads the vast, fivefold army that chokes the wilderness,

    And the heads of hillocks lie smashed and shattered.

  39. إِذا كرَّ فيهم طِرْفَه جمدوا لهُ

    وذابوا سواءً يافعٌ ومشيّخُ

    When he charges his noble steed among them, they freeze before him

    And melt away, youth and elder alike.

  40. فلا لونَ إلا حين يُسفرُ مسفِرٌ

    ولا روعَ إلا حين يضحكُ مفرِخُ

    No color appears except when a radiant face shines forth;

    And no fear exists except when one free of fear laughs.

  41. وقد عَلِمَ الإلحادُ مُذْ نُصِرَ الهُدَى

    بأنْ ليس للدينِ الحنيفيِّ مَنْسخُ

    Heresy has learned, since right guidance was given victory,

    That the upright, monotheistic faith has no abrogation.

  42. غدا وبنوهُ بين حِرباءَ تنضُبٍ

    تُشالَ على جِذعٍ ورقشاءَ تُسلخُ

    It and its sons are now divided between a tandub-tree chameleon

    Hoisted upon a trunk, and a speckled snake being flayed.

  43. وان يتوقَّوا في الشَّماريخِ منهمُ

    فسوف يَحُطُّ القومَ عنها المشمرِخُ

    And if they seek shelter from them among the peaks,

    The towering one will soon bring the people down from there.

  44. لهُ من بناتِ الريحِ كُلُّ طِمِرَّةٍ

    تَخايَلُ في ميدانِها وتَبَذَّخُ

    Among the wind's daughters, he owns every swift, slender mare

    That prances in her arena and struts proudly.

  45. عليها أصابيغُ الدِماءِ كأنها

    تُغَلَّفُ ما بين القَنَا وتُلَخْلَخُ

    Upon her are stains of blood, as though she

    Were being anointed and perfumed amid the lances.

  46. ضَمِنَّ القِرى للوحشِ والطيرِ فارتوتْ

    وكظَّتْ جِراءٌ من قِراها وأفرخُ

    They guaranteed beasts and birds a feast, till they drank their fill;

    And cubs and chicks were glutted with their fare.

  47. نَذَارِ لقومٍ أخطأوا سُبُلَ الهُدى

    فحاروا وتاهوا في الضَّلال وطخطَخُوا

    Take warning, you people who missed the paths of guidance,

    Who grew bewildered, wandered in error, and laughed in mockery.

  48. نَذَارِ لهم قبلَ التي لا شَوى لها

    وعيداً يُصَكُّ السمعُ منه فَيُصمَخُ

    Let them take warning before the calamity that strikes to kill:

    A threat that smites the hearing and deafens it.

  49. حَذَارِ لهم من سَخْطةِ اللّه إنها

    يُشاهُ بها حُرُّ الوجوه ويُمْسَخُ

    Let them beware God's wrath, for it

    Disfigures noble faces and transforms them.

  50. كأني بهامٍ منهمُ وسواعدٍ

    تَطيحُ كما طاحتْ نَوى القَسْبِ تُرضَخُ

    I seem to see their heads and forearms

    Flying off like the stones of dry dates when pounded.

  51. أبعدَ وُضوح الحقِّ يرجونَ فسخَهُ

    وللحقِّ عَقْدٌ مُبرَمٌ ليس يُفْسَخُ

    After truth has become clear, do they hope to undo it,

    When truth has a firmly tied knot that cannot be undone?

  52. خدمتكُمُ والعمرُ غَضٌّ جميمُهُ

    نَدٍ وأهاضيبُ الشبيبةِ نُضَّخُ

    I served you while life was tender, its fresh growth

    Dewy, and youth's heavy rains pouring in torrents.

  53. أُسَيِّرُ في أيامِكمْ من شَواردي

    عُلالةَ سيرٍ حين يمتدُ سَرْبَخُ

    In your days I send forth some of my far-ranging verses,

    As solace for the journey when a vast desert stretches out.

  54. وأحمِلُ من أسرارِكم كلَّ باهظٍ

    يَضيقُ به صدرُ الكريمِ فَيَنْضَخُ

    And I bear every weighty thing among your secrets

    That constricts a noble breast until it overflows.

  55. وأُنشِئُ في الشُّورى صحائفَ طيُّها

    نوافثُ سِحْرٍ للعزائمِ نُسَّخُ

    And I compose for counsel pages whose folds contain

    Spell-breathers that undo firm resolves.

  56. وأنصحُكمْ في حَلِّ كُلِّ مترجَمٍ

    به يُضبطُ الأمرُ الشَّعاعُ ويُرْسَخُ

    And I advise you in deciphering every cryptic matter;

    Through this, scattered affairs are controlled and made firm.

  57. أحينَ أنى أن اجتني ثمرَ الرِّضا

    أُرَدُّ إِلى نَزْرٍ من العيشِ يُرضَخُ

    Now, when the time has come to gather the fruit of favor,

    Am I reduced to a scant livelihood doled out in scraps?

  58. ألوذُ بكم من عَثْرةِ الجَدُّ إنّها

    دهتني ولا ذنبٌ به أتلطَّخُ

    I seek refuge with you from fortune's stumble, for it

    Has struck me, though no guilt stains me.

  59. فعطفاً فقد أودى بيَ الضُّرُ واشتفَى

    زمانيَ من وطءٍ يرُضُّ ويفضخُ

    Have pity: affliction has ruined me, and revenge has been taken

    By my time, through a trampling that crushes and shatters.

  60. ولا تَدَعوني والحوادثَ إنّها

    تُعرِّقني عرقَ المُدى وتُمَخْمِخُ

    Do not abandon me to calamities, for they

    Strip my bones as knives do, and suck out my marrow.

  61. وأوصوا بيَ الأيامَ خيراً فإنها

    بكمْ تقتدي فيما تُمِلُّ وتنسَخُ

    And enjoin the days to treat me well, for they

    Follow your example in what they dictate and transcribe.

  62. فقد ذُدْتُم الهِيمَ الخوامسَ عن دمي

    وقد كَرَبتْ أعناق قومٍ تَفَسَّخُ

    For you drove the thirst-maddened camels, due for fifth-day watering, away from my blood,

    When the necks of men were close to breaking apart.

  63. وأنشأتُمُ لي مهجةً جُدْتُمُ بِها

    على بَدَنٍ ما فيه للروح مَنْفَخُ

    You brought forth for me a life-force, bestowed by you

    Upon a body with no breathing room for the spirit.

  64. رعاكمْ منِ استرعاكُم الخَلْقَ أنَّكُمْ

    لهم وزرٌ في كل خطب ومُصْرَخُ

    May He who entrusted creation to your care protect you, for you

    Are their refuge and rescuer in every calamity.

  65. ولا خَلَتِ الأيامُ منكم فإنَّكُمْ

    لها غُرَرٌ فيها تلوحُ وتشدخُ

    May the days never be without you, for you

    Are their white forehead-blazes, gleaming and spreading wide.