لكَ الخَيرُ هلْ في لَفْتةٍ منْ مُتيَّمِ

لكَ الخَيرُ هلْ في لَفْتةٍ منْ مُتيَّمِ

مَجالٌ لعَتْبٍ أو مَقالٌ لِلُوَّمِ

مَجالٌ لعَتْبٍ أو مَقالٌ لِلُوَّمِ

May good be yours—is there, in a lovestruck man's glance,

You are all virtue. Is there in a glance from Mutayyam

room for reproach, or anything for faultfinders to say?

Any room for reproach or words for blame?

وما نظَري شَطْرَ الدِّيارِ بنافِعٍ

وما نظَري شَطْرَ الدِّيارِ بنافِعٍ

وأيُّ فَصيحٍ يَرتَجي نَفْعَ أعجَمِ

وأيُّ فَصيحٍ يَرتَجي نَفْعَ أعجَمِ

My looking toward the dwellings avails me nothing;

My regard does not see in the abode usefulness

what eloquent speaker hopes for help from the speechless?

And what eloquent hopes to benefit the non-Arabs?

كأنّ ارْتِجازَ السُّحْبِ واهيَةَ الكُلى

كأنّ ارْتِجازَ السُّحْبِ واهيَةَ الكُلى

جَلا في حواشيهِنَّ عنْ متْنِ أرْقَمِ

جَلا في حواشيهِنَّ عنْ متْنِ أرْقَمِ

As though the thunder-song of clouds, their flanks slack,

As if the gathering of clouds and the weakness of kidneys

had revealed along their fringes a speckled serpent's back.

Strayed in their margins from the text of firm decrees,

وما مَنَحَتْها العَيْنُ إذ عَثَرَتْ بِها

وما مَنَحَتْها العَيْنُ إذ عَثَرَتْ بِها

سوى نَظْرَةٍ رَوعاءَ منْ مُتَوَهِّمِ

سوى نَظْرَةٍ رَوعاءَ منْ مُتَوَهِّمِ

The eye bestowed upon them, when it chanced upon them,

And the eye granted it, when it stumbled upon it,

only a startled glance from one trying to make them out.

Nothing but a fearful glance from an imaginative one.

وفي الرَّكْبِ إذ مِلْنا إِلى الرّبْعِ زاجِرٌ

وفي الرَّكْبِ إذ مِلْنا إِلى الرّبْعِ زاجِرٌ

يُقوِّمُ أعناقَ المَطِيِّ المُخَزَّمِ

يُقوِّمُ أعناقَ المَطِيِّ المُخَزَّمِ

Among the caravan, when we turned toward the dwelling, was a driver

And when we inclined to the open country, a deterrent

straightening the necks of the nose-ringed camels.

Who straightens the necks of the racing steed.

ويعلمُ أن الشوقَ أهدى فما لَهُ

ويعلمُ أن الشوقَ أهدى فما لَهُ

يُشيرُ بأطرافِ القَطيعِ المُحَرَّمِ

يُشيرُ بأطرافِ القَطيعِ المُحَرَّمِ

He knows that longing guides better—so why does he

And he knows that passion misguided me, so why

gesture with the tips of his stiff, unsoftened whip?

Does he gesture with the edges of the forbidden herd?

وهَلْ يَستَفيقُ الوَجْدُ إلا بِوَقْفَةٍ

وهَلْ يَستَفيقُ الوَجْدُ إلا بِوَقْفَةٍ

مَتى يَستَجِرْ فيها بدَمْعِكَ يَسْجُمِ

مَتى يَستَجِرْ فيها بدَمْعِكَ يَسْجُمِ

Can longing regain its senses except through a halt

And will fervor awaken except with a stance

where, whenever it seeks refuge in your tears, they stream forth?

In which it takes refuge in your pouring tear?

بمَغْنىً أَلِفْناهُ وفي العَيشِ غِرَّةٌ

بمَغْنىً أَلِفْناهُ وفي العَيشِ غِرَّةٌ

وعَصْرُ الشّبابِ الغَضِّ لمْ يتَصرَّمِ

وعَصْرُ الشّبابِ الغَضِّ لمْ يتَصرَّمِ

At a dwelling we knew, when life still held innocence

With a melody we were accustomed to, and in life mischievousness,

and the season of tender youth had not yet ended.

And the prime of green youth did not decay.

ذَكَرْتُ بهِ أيَّامَ وصْلٍ كأنَّنِي

ذَكَرْتُ بهِ أيَّامَ وصْلٍ كأنَّنِي

عَلِقْتُ بها ذَيلَ الخَيالِ المُسَلِّمِ

عَلِقْتُ بها ذَيلَ الخَيالِ المُسَلِّمِ

There I recalled days of union, as though

I remembered days of union as if

I had caught, through them, the hem of a greeting phantom.

I attached the tail of imagination that surrenders.

وبالهَضَباتِ الحُمْرِ منْ أيْمَنِ الحِمى

وبالهَضَباتِ الحُمْرِ منْ أيْمَنِ الحِمى

ظِباءٌ بألْحاظِ الجَآذِرِ تَرتَمي

ظِباءٌ بألْحاظِ الجَآذِرِ تَرتَمي

On the red hills to the right of the protected pasture,

And with the red slopes of the protected area

gazelles shoot with the glances of wild-cow calves,

Gazelles leap with the looks of a watcher.

وتُومي إلَينا بالبَنانِ وقد أبَتْ

وتُومي إلَينا بالبَنانِ وقد أبَتْ

مَحاجِرُها أنْ لا يُخَضَّبَ بالدَّمِ

مَحاجِرُها أنْ لا يُخَضَّبَ بالدَّمِ

and beckon to us with their fingertips, while

And they wink at us with eyelids, and they refused

their eyes insist those fingers be dyed with blood.

That their eyelids be dyed with blood.

ودُونيَ لولا أنّ للحُبِّ رَوْعَةً

ودُونيَ لولا أنّ للحُبِّ رَوْعَةً

يَدٌ ضَمِنَتْ رِيَّ الحُسامِ المُصَمِّمِ

يَدٌ ضَمِنَتْ رِيَّ الحُسامِ المُصَمِّمِ

Before me—were it not that love inspires dread—

And if not for the fact that for love there is awe

stands a hand that has pledged to slake the bone-cleaving sword.

A hand that guaranteed the flow of the resolute sword -

إذا اسْتَمْطَرَ العافونَ منْ نَفَحاتِها

إذا اسْتَمْطَرَ العافونَ منْ نَفَحاتِها

تَثَنَّتْ إلَيْهنَّ الغَمائِمُ تَنْتَمي

تَثَنَّتْ إلَيْهنَّ الغَمائِمُ تَنْتَمي

When petitioners seek rain from its generous gifts,

When the gentle breeze rains its breaths

the clouds bend toward those gifts, claiming kinship.

The clouds incline toward it, belonging to it.

وإنْ مَدَّ عَبدُ اللهِ للفَخْرِ باعَها

وإنْ مَدَّ عَبدُ اللهِ للفَخْرِ باعَها

أُريحَتْ إلَيْها بَسْطَةُ المُتَحكِّمِ

أُريحَتْ إلَيْها بَسْطَةُ المُتَحكِّمِ

And if Abd Allah extends its reach toward glory,

And if Abdullah extends to pride its sale

a commanding ruler's wide dominion comes to rest in it,

The plain of the sovereign stretches out to it.

بِحادِثِ عِزٍّ في ذُؤابَةِ عامِرٍ

بِحادِثِ عِزٍّ في ذُؤابَةِ عامِرٍ

أُضيفَ إِلى عادِيِّهِ المُتقَدِّمِ

أُضيفَ إِلى عادِيِّهِ المُتقَدِّمِ

with fresh glory at the crest of Amir,

With an honorable event in the abode of Amer

added to its ancient, long-established glory.

Added to its usual ancient one.

منَ القَوم لا المُزْجي إلَيهمْ رَجاءَهُ

منَ القَوم لا المُزْجي إلَيهمْ رَجاءَهُ

بِمُكْدٍ ولا المُثني عَلَيْهمْ بمُفْحَمِ

بِمُكْدٍ ولا المُثني عَلَيْهمْ بمُفْحَمِ

He is of a people: neither one who brings them his hopes

Of the people, not the flatterer hopes in them

comes away empty-handed, nor is their praiser struck speechless.

With pain, nor the praiser blames them.

همُ يَمنعونَ الجارَ والخَطْبُ فاغِرٌ

همُ يَمنعونَ الجارَ والخَطْبُ فاغِرٌ

إذا رَمَزَتْ إحدى اللّيالي بِمُعْظَمِ

إذا رَمَزَتْ إحدى اللّيالي بِمُعْظَمِ

They protect the neighbor even as calamity gapes,

They prevent the neighbor, and the discourse is bare

when one of the nights signals a mighty disaster.

If one of the nights hints with veneration.

فيَرْحَلُ عَنهُمْ والمُحَيَّا بِمائِهِ

فيَرْحَلُ عَنهُمْ والمُحَيَّا بِمائِهِ

يُلاعِبُ ظِلَّ الفائِزِ المُتَغَنِّمِ

يُلاعِبُ ظِلَّ الفائِزِ المُتَغَنِّمِ

So he leaves them with his face's luster intact,

So he travels from them, and the living with his water

playing with the shadow of a winner laden with spoils.

Plays with the shadow of the triumphant winner.

أتاهم وأحْداثُ الزَّمانِ سَفيهَةٌ

أتاهم وأحْداثُ الزَّمانِ سَفيهَةٌ

وعادَ وفيها شِيمَةُ المُتَحلِّمِ

وعادَ وفيها شِيمَةُ المُتَحلِّمِ

He came to them while time's vicissitudes were reckless,

He came to them while the events of time are foolish,

and returned when they bore a forbearing man's temper.

And returned while in them the traits of the resolute.

وخَفَّتْ عليهِ وطْأَةُ الدّهْرِ فيهِمُ

وخَفَّتْ عليهِ وطْأَةُ الدّهْرِ فيهِمُ

عشيّةَ ألقى عِندهُمْ ثِقْلَ مَغرَمِ

عشيّةَ ألقى عِندهُمْ ثِقْلَ مَغرَمِ

Time's tread grew lighter upon him among them

And the burden of fate in them was lighter for him

the evening he laid down with them the burden of a debt.

One evening when he cast off the weight of love near them.

حلَفْتُ بأشباهِ الأهِلَّةِ في البُرى

حلَفْتُ بأشباهِ الأهِلَّةِ في البُرى

رَثى كُلُّ دامٍ منْ ذُراها لِمَنسِمِ

رَثى كُلُّ دامٍ منْ ذُراها لِمَنسِمِ

I swore by those crescent-like camels in nose-rings:

I swore by the like of the crescent in the lands

each bleeding hump of theirs pitied a foot-pad.

Every blood-kin of theirs for the ritual-marker mourned.

فَلَيْنَ بأيديهِنَّ ناصِيَةَ الفَلا

فَلَيْنَ بأيديهِنَّ ناصِيَةَ الفَلا

وعِفْنَ السُّرى في مَخْرِمٍ بَعْدَ مَخرِمِ

وعِفْنَ السُّرى في مَخْرِمٍ بَعْدَ مَخرِمِ

They combed the desert's forelock with their forelegs

So let their hands lead the horse of separation

and loathed night-travel through pass after pass.

And the scent of distance in a ruin after ruin.

إذا راعَها غَولُ الطّريقِ هَفَتْ بِها

إذا راعَها غَولُ الطّريقِ هَفَتْ بِها

أغاريدُ حادٍ خَلْفَها مُتَرَنِّمِ

أغاريدُ حادٍ خَلْفَها مُتَرَنِّمِ

When the road's ghoul frightened them, they were borne along by

When the ghoul of the road startled them with it

the songs of a driver chanting behind them.

The warbling songs of the camel driver followed it chanting.

يُمارِينَ بالرُّكْبانِ وهْماً كأنّهُ

يُمارِينَ بالرُّكْبانِ وهْماً كأنّهُ

يُحاذِرُ صِلاًّ آخِذاً بالمُخَطَّمِ

يُحاذِرُ صِلاًّ آخِذاً بالمُخَطَّمِ

Bearing their riders, they rival a mighty, swift camel, as though it

It contends with the riders as if he

feared a viper gripping it by the muzzle.

Is wary of an embattled lion with blood.

فَزُرْنَ بِنا البَيتَ الحَرامَ وخُلِّيَتْ

فَزُرْنَ بِنا البَيتَ الحَرامَ وخُلِّيَتْ

تَرودُ بمُسْتَنِّ الحَطيمِ وزَمزَمِ

تَرودُ بمُسْتَنِّ الحَطيمِ وزَمزَمِ

Then they brought us to visit the Sacred House and were let loose

So we visited the Sacred House, and it was emptied -

to roam the open ground of al-Hatim and Zamzam.

The soft sands of Hatim and Zamzam.

لَجِئْتَ مَجيءَ البَدرِ مَدَّ رِواقَهُ

لَجِئْتَ مَجيءَ البَدرِ مَدَّ رِواقَهُ

على أفُقٍ وحْفِ الدائِرِ مُظْلِمِ

على أفُقٍ وحْفِ الدائِرِ مُظْلِمِ

You have indeed come as the full moon comes, spreading its canopy

You came like the moon extending its dome

over a dark horizon, thick about its rim.

Upon a horizon with the surrounding darkness intense.

وزُرْتَ كما زارَ الرّبيعُ مُطَبِّقاً

وزُرْتَ كما زارَ الرّبيعُ مُطَبِّقاً

نَداهُ فأحْيا كُلَّ مُثْرٍ ومُعْدِمِ

نَداهُ فأحْيا كُلَّ مُثْرٍ ومُعْدِمِ

And you visited as spring visits, spreading everywhere

And you visited as spring visited cloaking

its dew, reviving every rich and destitute person.

Its call, so it revived every withered and ruined thing.

برأْيٍ تَمشَّى المُشْكِلاتُ خِلالَهُ

برأْيٍ تَمشَّى المُشْكِلاتُ خِلالَهُ

على حَدِّ مَصقولِ الغِرارَيْنِ مِخْذَمِ

على حَدِّ مَصقولِ الغِرارَيْنِ مِخْذَمِ

With a judgment through which tangled problems walk

With an opinion dilemmas walked through it

along the edge of a cleaving sword, both edges polished,

At the edge of the polished smooth spearheads.

وعَزْمٍ إذا ما الحَرْبُ حَطّتْ لِثامَها

وعَزْمٍ إذا ما الحَرْبُ حَطّتْ لِثامَها

يُلَوِّي أنابيبَ الوَشيجِ المُقَوَّمِ

يُلَوِّي أنابيبَ الوَشيجِ المُقَوَّمِ

and a resolve that, when war lays aside its veil,

And resolve - if war donned its mask -

twists the joints of straightened spear-shafts.

That bends the tubes of interlaced confusion.

فأيّامُكَ الخُضْرُ الحَواشي كأنّها

فأيّامُكَ الخُضْرُ الحَواشي كأنّها

منَ الحُسْنِ تَفْويفُ الرِّداءِ المُسَهَّمِ

منَ الحُسْنِ تَفْويفُ الرِّداءِ المُسَهَّمِ

So your days, green-fringed, seem

So your green days - their margins are like

in beauty like the fine striping of an arrow-patterned robe.

A rippling of beauty of the ornate cloak.

وأنتَ إذا أوغَلْتَ في طَلَبِ العُلا

وأنتَ إذا أوغَلْتَ في طَلَبِ العُلا

كقَادِحِ زَندٍ تحتَهُ يَدُ مُضْرِمِ

كقَادِحِ زَندٍ تحتَهُ يَدُ مُضْرِمِ

And you, when you press far in pursuit of eminence,

And you, when you penetrated in seeking exaltation,

are like one striking a fire-stick, a kindler's hand beneath it.

Like the kindling of firewood beneath which is a burning hand.

وحَسْبُ المُباري أنْ تَلُفَّ عَجاجَةً

وحَسْبُ المُباري أنْ تَلُفَّ عَجاجَةً

على المُنتَضى منْ طَرْفِهِ المُتَوسِّمِ

على المُنتَضى منْ طَرْفِهِ المُتَوسِّمِ

And it is enough for a rival that you wrap a dust-cloud

And sufficient for the emulous is that you wrap

around the blade drawn from his discerning gaze.

A cloud over the one you choose from its edge.

ورُبَّ حَسودٍ باتَ يَطوي على الجَوى

ورُبَّ حَسودٍ باتَ يَطوي على الجَوى

حَشًى باكِياً عن ناظِرٍ مُتَبَسِّمِ

حَشًى باكِياً عن ناظِرٍ مُتَبَسِّمِ

And many an envious man spends the night enclosing anguish

And how many envious spent the night winding over the embers,

in a weeping heart behind a smiling eye.

A bag of sorrows from a smiling watcher.

لكَ الشَّرفُ الضَّخْمُ الذي في ظِلالِهِ

لكَ الشَّرفُ الضَّخْمُ الذي في ظِلالِهِ

مُعَرَّسُ حَمْدٍ في مَباءَةِ مُنْعِمِ

مُعَرَّسُ حَمْدٍ في مَباءَةِ مُنْعِمِ

Yours is the mighty honor beneath whose shade

For you is the immense honor in whose shadows

praise finds lodging in a benefactor's abode,

Praise is sheltered in the blessings of a benefactor.

ومَجْدٌ مُعَمٌّ في كِنانةَ مُخْوَلٌ

ومَجْدٌ مُعَمٌّ في كِنانةَ مُخْوَلٌ

تَنوسُ حَوالَيْهِ ذَوائِبُ أنْجُمِ

تَنوسُ حَوالَيْهِ ذَوائِبُ أنْجُمِ

and glory with paternal and maternal kin in Kinana,

And extended glory nestled in the bosom of being honored,

around which the tresses of stars sway.

Around which the tails of stars hover.

وها أنا أرجو منْ زَمانِكَ رُتْبةً

وها أنا أرجو منْ زَمانِكَ رُتْبةً

لها غارِبٌ في المَجْدِ لمْ يُتَسَنَّمِ

لها غارِبٌ في المَجْدِ لمْ يُتَسَنَّمِ

And here I am, hoping from your days for a rank

And here I am hoping in your time for a rank

whose crest in glory has not yet been climbed.

With a rising in glory never attained.

وعندي ثَناءٌ وهْو أرجى وَسيلةٍ

وعندي ثَناءٌ وهْو أرجى وَسيلةٍ

إليكَ كتَفْصيلِ الجُمانِ المُنَظَّمِ

إليكَ كتَفْصيلِ الجُمانِ المُنَظَّمِ

And I have praise—it is the most promising means

And I have praise - and it is the most hopeful means

of reaching you—like the arrangement of strung pearls.

To you - like the rhyming of strung pearls.

وكَمْ منْ لِسانٍ يَنظِمُ الشِّعْرَ فَلَّهُ

وكَمْ منْ لِسانٍ يَنظِمُ الشِّعْرَ فَلَّهُ

شَبا كَلِمي والصّارِمُ العَضْبُ في فَمي

شَبا كَلِمي والصّارِمُ العَضْبُ في فَمي

And many a verse-composing tongue has been blunted by

And how many tongues compose poetry, so it incapacitated them -

the sharp edges of my words; the keen sword is in my mouth.

My words grew tough, and the sharp blade is in my mouth.

وقد مَرَّ عَصْرٌ لم أفُزْ فيهِ بالمُنى

وقد مَرَّ عَصْرٌ لم أفُزْ فيهِ بالمُنى

فما لِيَ إلا زَفرَةُ المُتَندِّمِ

فما لِيَ إلا زَفرَةُ المُتَندِّمِ

And an age has passed in which I did not attain my wishes,

And an era passed in which I did not attain wishes

so I have nothing but a regretful man's sigh.

So I have nothing left but the sigh of the regretful.

وليسَ لآمالي سِواكَ فإنّها

وليسَ لآمالي سِواكَ فإنّها

تُهيبُ بأقوامٍ عنِ المَجْدِ نُوَّمِ

تُهيبُ بأقوامٍ عنِ المَجْدِ نُوَّمِ

My hopes have none but you, for they

And I have no hopes but you, for they

appeal to people who slumber heedless of glory.

Fear people who slumber from glory.

بَقيتَ لمَجْدٍ يتَّقِي دونَهُ العِدا

بَقيتَ لمَجْدٍ يتَّقِي دونَهُ العِدا

تَناوُشَ رَقَّاصِ الأنابيبِ لَهْذَمِ

تَناوُشَ رَقَّاصِ الأنابيبِ لَهْذَمِ

May you endure for a glory before which foes guard themselves

You remained for a glory the enemies evade

against the lunges of a long, keen spear with quivering joints.

Wrestling the spying tubes in order to crush them.

ولا بَرِحَتْ فيكَ الأمانِيُّ غَضَّةً

ولا بَرِحَتْ فيكَ الأمانِيُّ غَضَّةً

تَرِفُّ على إنعامِكَ المُتَقَسِّمِ

تَرِفُّ على إنعامِكَ المُتَقَسِّمِ

And may hopes in you never cease to be fresh,

And hopes did not cease in you, fresh,

fluttering over the bounty you share.

Fluttering over your divided gifts.