خَرَجتُ مِنَ المِصرِ الحَوارِيِّ أَهلُهُ

خَرَجتُ مِنَ المِصرِ الحَوارِيِّ أَهلُهُ

بِلا نُدبَةٍ فيها اِحتِسابٌ وَلا جُعلِ

بِلا نُدبَةٍ فيها اِحتِسابٌ وَلا جُعلِ

I left the city whose people are fair-skinned,

I left Egypt, whose people had no lamentations,

With no call to arms for divine reward or pay.

With neither calculations nor payments,

إِلى جَيشِ أَهلِ الشامِ أُغزيتُ كارِهاً

إِلى جَيشِ أَهلِ الشامِ أُغزيتُ كارِهاً

سَفاهاً بِلا سَيفٍ حَديدٍ وَلا نَبلِ

سَفاهاً بِلا سَيفٍ حَديدٍ وَلا نَبلِ

Toward the army of Syria’s people I was sent to war unwillingly,

To the army of the people of Damascus I was forced unwillingly,

Foolishly, without a sharp sword or arrows,

Foolishly, without a sword of steel or arrows,

وَلَكِن بِتُرسٍ لَيسَ فيها حَمالَةٌ

وَلَكِن بِتُرسٍ لَيسَ فيها حَمالَةٌ

وَرُمحٍ ضَعيفِ الزُجِّ مُنصَدِعِ النَصلِ

وَرُمحٍ ضَعيفِ الزُجِّ مُنصَدِعِ النَصلِ

But with a shield that had no carrying strap,

But with a shield that had no strap,

And a spear with a weak butt-spike and a split blade.

And a weak, splitting-tipped spear.

حَباني بِها ظُلمُ القُباعِ وَلَم أَجِد

حَباني بِها ظُلمُ القُباعِ وَلَم أَجِد

سِوى أَمرِهِ وَالسَيرِ شَيئاً مِنَ الفِعلِ

سِوى أَمرِهِ وَالسَيرِ شَيئاً مِنَ الفِعلِ

Al-Qubāʿ’s oppression bestowed this on me, and I found

I was wronged by it, and found nothing

Nothing to do but obey his command and march.

Besides his command and travel worthy of action.

فَأَزمَعتُ أَمري ثُمَّ أَصبَحتُ غازِياً

فَأَزمَعتُ أَمري ثُمَّ أَصبَحتُ غازِياً

وَسَلَّمتُ تَسليمَ الغُزاةِ عَلى أَهلي

وَسَلَّمتُ تَسليمَ الغُزاةِ عَلى أَهلي

So I resolved on my course, then became a warrior,

So I made up my mind, and in the morning became a raider,

And bade my family the farewell of men going to war.

And bade farewell like the raiders to my family,

وَقُلتُ لَعَلّي أَن أَرى ثَمَّ راكِباً

وَقُلتُ لَعَلّي أَن أَرى ثَمَّ راكِباً

عَلى فَرَسٍ أَو ذا مَتاعٍ عَلى بَغلِ

عَلى فَرَسٍ أَو ذا مَتاعٍ عَلى بَغلِ

And I said, “Perhaps I shall see a rider there,

Saying perhaps I would then see myself riding

On a horse, or someone with baggage on a mule.”

A horse or with goods on a mule.

جَوادي حِمارٌ كانَ حيناً بِظَهرِهِ

جَوادي حِمارٌ كانَ حيناً بِظَهرِهِ

إِكافٌ وَإِشناقُ المَزادَةِ وَالحَبلِ

إِكافٌ وَإِشناقُ المَزادَةِ وَالحَبلِ

My steed was a donkey; once upon its back were

My steed was a donkey which once had on its back

A pack-saddle, a slung waterskin, and rope.

Baskets and waterskins and ropes.

وَقَد خانَ عَينَيهِ بَياضٌ وَخانَهُ

وَقَد خانَ عَينَيهِ بَياضٌ وَخانَهُ

قَوائِمُ سَوءٍ حينَ يُزجَرُ في الوَحلِ

قَوائِمُ سَوءٍ حينَ يُزجَرُ في الوَحلِ

A white film had betrayed its eyes, and it was betrayed

Its eyes failed it with whiteness, and its

By wretched legs whenever it was goaded through mud.

Bad legs failed it when driven into mud.

إِذا ما اِنتَحى في الماءِ وَالوَحلِ لَم تَرِم

إِذا ما اِنتَحى في الماءِ وَالوَحلِ لَم تَرِم

قَوائِمُهُ حَتّى يُؤَخَّرَ بِالحَملِ

قَوائِمُهُ حَتّى يُؤَخَّرَ بِالحَملِ

Whenever it headed into water and mud, they would not move—

When it splashed into water and mud, its

Its legs—until it was backed up with its load.

Legs did not toss until it lagged behind with the load.

أُنادي الرِفاقَ بارَكَ اللَهُ فيكُمُ

أُنادي الرِفاقَ بارَكَ اللَهُ فيكُمُ

رُوَيدَكُمُ حَتّى أَجوزَ إِلى السَهلِ

رُوَيدَكُمُ حَتّى أَجوزَ إِلى السَهلِ

I call to my companions, “God bless you,

I called to my friends, God bless you,

Slow down until I reach level ground.”

Go slowly until I get through to the plain.

فَسِرنا إِلى قِنّينَ يَوماً وَلَيلَةً

فَسِرنا إِلى قِنّينَ يَوماً وَلَيلَةً

كَأَنّا بَغايا ما يَسِرنَ إِلى بَعلِ

كَأَنّا بَغايا ما يَسِرنَ إِلى بَعلِ

So we traveled to Qinnīn for a day and a night,

So we traveled to Qinnasrin for a day and night

As though we were prostitutes not journeying to a husband.

Like brides not hurrying to their husband.

إِذا ما نَزَلنا لَم نَجِد ظِلَّ ساحَةٍ

إِذا ما نَزَلنا لَم نَجِد ظِلَّ ساحَةٍ

سِوى يابِسِ الأَنهارِ أَو سَعَفِ النَخلِ

سِوى يابِسِ الأَنهارِ أَو سَعَفِ النَخلِ

Whenever we camped, we found no shaded spot,

Whenever we camped, we found no level ground

Except dry riverbeds or palm fronds.

Except barren riverbeds or palm fronds.

مَرَرنا عَلى سوراءَ نَسمَعُ جِسرَها

مَرَرنا عَلى سوراءَ نَسمَعُ جِسرَها

يَئِطُّ نَقيضاً عَن سَفائِنِهِ الفُضلِ

يَئِطُّ نَقيضاً عَن سَفائِنِهِ الفُضلِ

We passed by Sūrāʾ, hearing its bridge

We passed by Surra hearing its bridge

Groaning and creaking from its spare boats.

Creaking from its overloaded ships.

فَلَمّا بَدا جِسرُ السَراةِ وَأَعرَضَت

فَلَمّا بَدا جِسرُ السَراةِ وَأَعرَضَت

لَنا سوقُ فُرّاغِ الحَديثِ إِلى شُغلِ

لَنا سوقُ فُرّاغِ الحَديثِ إِلى شُغلِ

When the bridge of al-Sarāt appeared, and there opened

So when the Saraa Bridge appeared, and

Before us a market of idle talkers turning to business,

The bustling market of Furragh distracted me,

نَزَلنا إِلى ظِلٍّ ظَليلٍ وَباءَةٍ

نَزَلنا إِلى ظِلٍّ ظَليلٍ وَباءَةٍ

حَلالٍ بِرَغمِ القَلطَمانِ وَمانَغلِ

حَلالٍ بِرَغمِ القَلطَمانِ وَمانَغلِ

We settled in deep shade and a lodging

We descended into cool, shady, lawful drinking dens

Lawful, despite al-Qalṭamān and Mānaghl,

Despite the police chief and spies.

بِشارِطَةٍ مَن شاءَ كانَ بِدِرهَمٍ

بِشارِطَةٍ مَن شاءَ كانَ بِدِرهَمٍ

عَروساً بِما بَينَ السَبيئَةِ وَالنَسلِ

عَروساً بِما بَينَ السَبيئَةِ وَالنَسلِ

On condition that whoever wished could, for a dirham, become

For a dirham, with a prostitute of your choice

A bridegroom, between wine and procreation.

You could be a groom between Sabeiyya and Nassal.

فَأَتبَعتُ رُمحَ السُوءِ سُميَةَ نَصلِهِ

فَأَتبَعتُ رُمحَ السُوءِ سُميَةَ نَصلِهِ

وَبِعتُ حِمارِي واِستَرَحتُ مِنَ الثَقلِ

وَبِعتُ حِمارِي واِستَرَحتُ مِنَ الثَقلِ

So I made the wretched spear follow its blade’s little namesake,

So I followed the wretched spear’s blade

And I sold my donkey and was relieved of the burden.

And sold my donkey, relieved of the burden.

تَقولُ ظَبايا قُل قَليلاً أَلا لِيا

تَقولُ ظَبايا قُل قَليلاً أَلا لِيا

فَقُلتُ لَها أَصوي فإِنّي عَلى رِسلِ

فَقُلتُ لَها أَصوي فإِنّي عَلى رِسلِ

Ẓabāyā says, “Say a little to me, won’t you?”

The gazelles said, say just a little. I said to her,

I said to her, “Hush, for I am in no hurry.”

I will be loud, for I am on an expedition.

مَهَرتُ لَها جِرديقَةً فَتَرَكتُها

مَهَرتُ لَها جِرديقَةً فَتَرَكتُها

بِمَرها كَطَرفِ العَينِ شَائِلَةَ الرَجلِ

بِمَرها كَطَرفِ العَينِ شَائِلَةَ الرَجلِ

I gave her a small round loaf as dowry, then left her

I married her with a tattered cloak, then left her

With her ‘hoe’ like the corner of an eye, her leg raised.

At her price, glancing sideways with her leg.