أَلَمّاhas it not yet? يَكفِbeen enough فيat طَلَلَيthe two ruins of زَرودِZarud
أَلَمّا يَكفِ في طَلَلَي زَرودِ
بُكاؤُكَyour weeping دارِسَthe faded remains of الدِمنِthe encampment traces الهُمودِlifeless
بُكاؤُكَ دارِسَ الدِمنِ الهُمودِ
Has not your weeping at my two ruined camps in Zarūd yet sufficed?
Has it not yet been enough, at Zarud's two ruins—
Your weeping over effaced encampments, silent and still—
your weeping over faded, lifeless encampment traces,
وَلَومُand the reproach of الرَكبِthe riders أَنthat حَيَّيتَyou greeted رَبعاًa dwelling-site
وَلَومُ الرَكبِ أَن حَيَّيتَ رَبعاً
تَغَيَّرَhas changed بُعدَsince مَعهَدِهِits familiar state الجَديدِwhen new
تَغَيَّرَ بُعدَ مَعهَدِهِ الجَديدِ
And the caravan’s reproach because you greeted an abode
and the riders' reproach for greeting a dwelling
Changed since the days when its dwelling-place was new?
that has changed since its days of freshness?
وَمَنand whoever يَدعُcalls to المَنازِلَthe dwellings لاnot يُحَيّاis greeted
وَمَن يَدعُ المَنازِلَ لا يُحَيّا
وَلَوeven if أَنهُجنَthey have worn out إِنهاجَlike the wearing-out of البُرودِthe cloaks
وَلَو أَنهُجنَ إِنهاجَ البُرودِ
Whoever calls upon the dwellings receives no greeting,
Whoever calls to dwellings receives no greeting,
Though they have been worn away as garments are worn.
even though they have worn out like cloaks.
تَجودُyou give lavishly بِأَدمُعٍwith tears بَخُلَتwere stingy رِجالٌmen
تَجودُ بِأَدمُعٍ بَخُلَت رِجالٌ
بِهِنَّwith them وَماand not تُعارُare you lent سَماعَa hearing جودِof generosity
بِهِنَّ وَما تُعارُ سَماعَ جودِ
You lavish tears that men have grudged,
You lavish tears that men have withheld,
Tears for them—for the renown of giving is not borrowed.
yet you are lent no generous hearing.
وَنُلحىand we are rebuked فيfor مُواصَلَةِseeking union with الغَوانيthe beauties
وَنُلحى في مُواصَلَةِ الغَواني
وَماyet not تُلحىare rebuked الغَوانيthe beauties فيfor الصُدودِturning away
وَما تُلحى الغَواني في الصُدودِ
We are blamed for seeking union with the beauties,
And we are rebuked for seeking union with beauties,
Yet the beauties are not blamed for turning away.
yet beauties are not rebuked for turning away.
عَجِبتُI marveled لِحيرَتيat my bewilderment وَضَلالِand the error of رَأييmy judgment
عَجِبتُ لِحيرَتي وَضَلالِ رَأيي
وَكُنتُthough I used to be أُرادُsought out لِلرَأيِfor counsel الرَشيدِsound
وَكُنتُ أُرادُ لِلرَأيِ الرَشيدِ
I marvel at my bewilderment and my judgment’s error,
I marveled at my bewilderment and my erring judgment,
When once I was sought for prudent counsel.
though I used to be sought out for sound counsel;
وَمِنand at قَصضيmy heading (apparent typo) لِرَأسِfor Ra's العَينِal-Ayn أَسعىI seek
وَمِن قَصضي لِرَأسِ العَينِ أَسعى
إِلىtoward حَظِرٍa share (probable reading) بِعَقوَتِهاin its precincts زَهيدِpaltry
إِلى حَظِرٍ بِعَقوَتِها زَهيدِ
Among my purposes I strive toward Raʾs al-ʿAyn,
and at my setting out for Ra's al-Ayn, seeking
Toward some meager fortune in its precincts.
a paltry share in its precincts.
وَبَعضُand some السَعيِstriving لِلمُرتادِfor the seeker حَينٌdoom
وَبَعضُ السَعيِ لِلمُرتادِ حَينٌ
وَبَعضُand some الصُنعِgood فيin بَعضِsome القُعودِsitting still
وَبَعضُ الصُنعِ في بَعضِ القُعودِ
Some striving brings the seeker to his doom,
Some striving brings doom to the seeker,
And sometimes wisdom lies in sitting still.
and some good comes from sitting still.
غُلِبتُI was overpowered عَلىconcerning الصَوابِthe right course وَصَفَّدَتنيand shackled me
غُلِبتُ عَلى الصَوابِ وَصَفَّدَتني
ضَروراتُthe compulsions of المَطامِعِambitions وَالجُدودِand fortunes
ضَروراتُ المَطامِعِ وَالجُدودِ
I was overruled against sound judgment, and fettered
I was forced from the right course, and shackled by
By the necessities of ambition and fortune.
the pressures of ambition and fortune.
وَماand not تَركيmy leaving لِمَنبِجَof Manbij وَاِختِياريand my choosing
وَما تَركي لِمَنبِجَ وَاِختِياري
لِرَأسِof Ra's العَينِal-Ayn فِعلٌan act مِنby مَريدِone acting willingly
لِرَأسِ العَينِ فِعلٌ مِن مَريدِ
My leaving Manbij and choosing
My leaving Manbij and choosing
Raʾs al-ʿAyn was no act of willing choice.
Ra's al-Ayn was no act of free will.
وَماand not الخابورُthe Khabur ليfor me بَدَلاًa substitute رَضِيّاًpleasing
وَما الخابورُ لي بَدَلاً رَضِيّاً
مِنَfor الساجورِthe Sajur لَوif فُكَّتwere undone قُيوديmy fetters
مِنَ الساجورِ لَو فُكَّت قُيودي
The Khabur is no pleasing substitute for me
Nor is the Khabur a pleasing substitute for me
For the Sajur, if only my fetters were loosed.
for the Sajur, were my fetters undone.
لَئِنeven if أَكدىhas yielded nothing الشَآمُSyria فَلَستُthen I am not يَوماًever
لَئِن أَكدى الشَآمُ فَلَستُ يَوماً
لِإِجداءِof the bounty of العِراقِIraq بِمُستَزيدِone seeking more
لِإِجداءِ العِراقِ بِمُستَزيدِ
Though Syria prove barren, never shall I
Even if Syria has yielded nothing, never will I
Ask Iraq to grant me still more bounty.
seek more of Iraq's bounty.
وَغَلّاتُand the yields of الضَياعِthe estates إِنِif اِستُبيحَتare made free for taking
وَغَلّاتُ الضَياعِ إِنِ اِستُبيحَت
فَلَيسَthen not تُباحُare free for taking غَلّاتُthe yields of القَصيدِpoetry
فَلَيسَ تُباحُ غَلّاتُ القَصيدِ
Though the revenues of estates be freely yielded,
And if the yields of estates are made fair game,
The harvests of poetry are not freely taken.
the yields of poetry are not fair game.
أَلاbehold أَنَّindeed اِبنَson of عَبّاسٍAbbas حَبانيfavored me
أَلا أَنَّ اِبنَ عَبّاسٍ حَباني
بِنُعمىwith a blessing أَظهَرَتrevealed بُؤسَيthe two miseries of حَسوديmy envier
بِنُعمى أَظهَرَت بُؤسَي حَسودي
Indeed, Ibn ʿAbbās bestowed upon me
Lo, Ibn Abbas bestowed on me
A favor that exposed my envier’s misery—
a blessing that revealed my envier's twofold misery.
فَتىthe noble youth of العُربِthe Arabs المُقَدَّمُthe foremost فيin المَعاليlofty deeds
فَتى العُربِ المُقَدَّمُ في المَعالي
عَلىabove مَدرِيِّهاtheir settled folk وَذَويand those with العَمودِthe tent-pole
عَلى مَدرِيِّها وَذَوي العَمودِ
The foremost youth of the Arabs in noble deeds,
The foremost noble youth of the Arabs in lofty deeds,
Above its settled folk and its people of the tent-pole;
above their settled folk and those with tent poles;
وَسَيِّدُهاand their lord الَّذيwho أَعطَتهُthey granted him حَقَّthe right of الthe (continued article)
وَسَيِّدُها الَّذي أَعطَتهُ حَقَّ ال
مُسَوَّدِappointed leader فيamong الرِجالِmen عَلىover المَسودِthe subordinate
مُسَوَّدِ في الرِجالِ عَلى المَسودِ
Its lord, to whom it granted the right to be—
and their lord, to whom they granted the right
Lord among men, above all those who are ruled.
of a leader among men over those he leads.
تَراهاyou see them حَيثُwherever كانَhe is إِذاwhen رَأَتهُthey see him
تَراها حَيثُ كانَ إِذا رَأَتهُ
عُناةَsubdued in اللَحظِgaze خاضِعَةَbowed in الخُدودِthe cheeks
عُناةَ اللَحظِ خاضِعَةَ الخُدودِ
You see it wherever he may be, when it beholds him,
You see them, wherever he is, when they behold him,
Captive to his glance, with cheeks bowed low.
their gaze subdued, their cheeks bowed low.
لَهاfor them الكَنَفُthe shelter الرَحيبُspacious بِساحَتَيهِin his two courtyards
لَها الكَنَفُ الرَحيبُ بِساحَتَيهِ
وَطولُand the length of مُعَرِّسِa resting-place الظِلِّthe shade المَديدِfar-stretching
وَطولُ مُعَرِّسِ الظِلِّ المَديدِ
His is the spacious shelter with its two courtyards,
They have spacious shelter in his two courtyards,
And the long resting-place of far-extended shade.
and a long resting-place beneath far-reaching shade.
تَعوذُthey seek refuge بِقِدحِهاin their lot-arrow مَعَهُwith him المُعَلّىthe highest-winning
تَعوذُ بِقِدحِها مَعَهُ المُعَلّى
وَأَنجُمِهاand their stars بِدَولَتِهِunder his rule السُعودِauspicious
وَأَنجُمِها بِدَولَتِهِ السُعودِ
With him, the winning arrow shelters in its quiver,
They seek refuge in their highest lot-arrow beside him,
And its stars grow auspicious through his rule.
and in their stars, auspicious under his rule.
لَنِعمَtruly excellent is مُناخُthe halting-place of أَنضاءِthe worn-out ones of المَطاياthe mounts
لَنِعمَ مُناخُ أَنضاءِ المَطايا
عَسَفنَthey traversed إِلَيهِtoward him بيداًdeserts بَعدَafter بيدِdeserts
عَسَفنَ إِلَيهِ بيداً بَعدَ بيدِ
Excellent is he as a resting-place for travel-worn camels
What a fine halting-place for exhausted mounts
That crossed wilderness after wilderness to reach him,
that crossed toward him desert after desert!
وَحَشوُand the heart of كَتيبَةٍa battalion جُعِلَتwas made غِشاءًa veil
وَحَشوُ كَتيبَةٍ جُعِلَت غِشاءً
لِعَينِover the eye of الشَمسِthe sun مِنfrom لَهَبِthe blaze of الحَديدِiron
لِعَينِ الشَمسِ مِن لَهَبِ الحَديدِ
And for the heart of a battalion made into a veil
And the heart of a battalion that has been made a veil
Across the sun’s eye by the blaze of iron.
over the sun's eye, from the blaze of iron.
وَلَمand never أَرَI saw مِثلَهُhis like فيin الدَهرِall time يَغدوgoing forth
وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَهُ في الدَهرِ يَغدو
لِمُختَلِفاتِto varied courses of صَوبٍdescent أَوor صُعودِascent
لِمُختَلِفاتِ صَوبٍ أَو صُعودِ
Never in all time have I seen his like advance
I have never seen his like in all time, going forth
Through contrary courses, whether descent or ascent:
on varied courses, downwards or upwards:
أَحَدُّsharper عَلىagainst العَدُوِّthe enemy غِرارَin the edge of سَيفٍa sword
أَحَدُّ عَلى العَدُوِّ غِرارَ سَيفٍ
وَأَكرَمُand nobler فيamid الخُطوبِordeals نِجارَin the grain of عودِwood
وَأَكرَمُ في الخُطوبِ نِجارَ عودِ
Sharper against the enemy than a sword’s keen edge,
sharper in sword-edge against the enemy,
And nobler in calamities, of nobler stock.
and nobler in his wood's grain amid ordeals.
تَمَهَّلَhe proceeded at leisure بَعدَafter إِقصارِthe desisting of المُساميthe challenger
تَمَهَّلَ بَعدَ إِقصارِ المُسامي
وَتَسليمِand the submission of المُنافِسِthe rival وَالحَسودِand the envier
وَتَسليمِ المُنافِسِ وَالحَسودِ
He advanced deliberately after his rival fell short,
He proceeded at leisure after the challenger desisted
And competitor and envier yielded to him,
and the rival and the envier had yielded,
إِلىtoward شَرَفٍglory تَسامىrose high مُرتَقاهُits climbing-path
إِلى شَرَفٍ تَسامى مُرتَقاهُ
وَمَطلَعُهُand its rise إِلىto أَمَدٍa limit بَعيدِdistant
وَمَطلَعُهُ إِلى أَمَدٍ بَعيدِ
Toward an honor whose ascent rises high,
toward a glory whose climbing-path soars,
Whose point of rising reaches a distant bound;
and whose rise reaches a distant limit;
وَبَيتٍand a house فيin أَبيAbu بَكرٍBakr مُنيفٍtowering
وَبَيتٍ في أَبي بَكرٍ مُنيفٍ
عَلىabove أَبياتِthe houses of جَعفَرَJa'far وَالوَحيدِand al-Wahid
عَلى أَبياتِ جَعفَرَ وَالوَحيدِ
And toward a house in Abū Bakr, lofty
and a house in Abu Bakr's line that towers
Above the houses of Jaʿfar and al-Waḥīd.
above the houses of Ja'far and al-Wahid.
مَناقِبُmerits لاnot يَزالُceases الشِعرُpoetry فيهاconcerning them
مَناقِبُ لا يَزالُ الشِعرُ فيها
طَوالَthroughout الدَهرِall time فيin شُغلٍwork جَديدِnew
طَوالَ الدَهرِ في شُغلٍ جَديدِ
Virtues in which poetry never ceases
Merits that keep poetry
Throughout the ages to find fresh occupation.
throughout all time engaged in fresh work.
وَأَلفَيتُand I found القَوافيrhymes كَالأَواخيlike tethering-loops
وَأَلفَيتُ القَوافي كَالأَواخي
ضَمَنَّthey held secure غَوابِرَthe remnants of الشَرَفِhonor التَليدِancestral
ضَمَنَّ غَوابِرَ الشَرَفِ التَليدِ
I found the rhymes to be like binding pegs,
And I found rhymes like tethering-loops,
Securing the surviving glory of ancient honor.
holding fast the remnants of ancestral honor.
تُضَيَّعُare lost فيin الحَديثِspoken accounts عَلىamong أُناسٍpeople
تُضَيَّعُ في الحَديثِ عَلى أُناسٍ
إِذاwhen قَدُمَتthey grow old وَتُحفَظُand are preserved فيin النَشيدِrecited verse
إِذا قَدُمَت وَتُحفَظُ في النَشيدِ
They are squandered in conversation upon some people,
They are lost in spoken accounts among people
But when they grow old, they are preserved in song.
when they grow old, but are preserved in song.
وَلَمand never يَدخَرhas stored up لِأُسرَتِهِfor his family كَريمٌa noble man
وَلَم يَدخَر لِأُسرَتِهِ كَريمٌ
عَتاداًprovision مِثلَlike قافِيَةٍa rhyme شَرودِfar-roaming
عَتاداً مِثلَ قافِيَةٍ شَرودِ
No noble man has stored up for his household
No noble man has stored up for his family
Provision like an untamed, far-roaming rhyme.
provision like a far-roaming rhyme.
تَمَيَّلtipped the scales وَزنُهُمtheir weight بِبَنيagainst the sons of أَبيهِمtheir father
تَمَيَّل وَزنُهُم بِبَني أَبيهِم
كَماjust as مالَtipped the scales المَواليthe masters بِالعَبيدِagainst the slaves
كَما مالَ المَوالي بِالعَبيدِ
Its weight inclines them toward their father’s sons,
Their weight tipped the scales against their paternal kin,
As masters lean upon their servants.
as masters outweighed slaves.
أَباO Abu موسىMusa وَماand not بِكَin you مِنany نُبُوٍّaversion
أَبا موسى وَما بِكَ مِن نُبُوٍّ
عَنِto الحَقِّthe rightful claim المُلِمِّthat presents itself وَلاnor جُمودِcoldness
عَنِ الحَقِّ المُلِمِّ وَلا جُمودِ
Abū Mūsā, there is no aversion in you
O Abu Musa, you have no aversion
From an urgent right, nor any rigidity.
to a rightful claim presented, nor any coldness.
وَلاnor اِعتَدّواhave they charged عَلَيكَagainst you بِخُلفِwith the breaking of وَعدٍa promise
وَلا اِعتَدّوا عَلَيكَ بِخُلفِ وَعدٍ
وَلاnor نُقصانِa shortfall of سَطوٍforce عَنin comparison with وَعيدِa threat
وَلا نُقصانِ سَطوٍ عَن وَعيدِ
Nor have they charged you with breaking a promise,
Nor have they charged you with breaking a promise,
Or with force that falls short of its threat.
nor with force falling short of a threat.
فَأَينَso where بِحاجَتيwith my request عَنfrom وَشكِthe nearness of نُجحٍfulfillment
فَأَينَ بِحاجَتي عَن وَشكِ نُجحٍ
وَقَدand indeed أَوشَكتَyou hastened حاجاتِthe requests of الوُفودِthe delegations
وَقَد أَوشَكتَ حاجاتِ الوُفودِ
Why, then, is my need kept from swift fulfillment,
Why, then, is my request far from swift fulfillment,
When you have nearly fulfilled the delegations’ needs?
when you have hastened the requests of delegations?
يُدافِعُstalls مُسلِمٌMuslim عَنهاover it وَيَكنيand speaks indirectly
يُدافِعُ مُسلِمٌ عَنها وَيَكني
عَنِof الإِقرارِacknowledgment فيهاconcerning it بِالجُحودِthrough denial
عَنِ الإِقرارِ فيها بِالجُحودِ
Muslim keeps delaying it and speaking obliquely,
Muslim stalls over it, and cloaks
Meeting its acknowledgment with denial.
acknowledgment of it in denial.
يُحيلُhe refers عَلىto سَعيدٍSa'id وَاِعتِماديand my reliance
يُحيلُ عَلى سَعيدٍ وَاِعتِمادي
عَلىon مِئَتَيكَyour two hundred لاnot مِئَتَيthe two hundred of سَعيدِSa'id
عَلى مِئَتَيكَ لا مِئَتَي سَعيدِ
He refers me to Saʿīd, though my reliance
He refers me to Sa'id, while my reliance
Is on your two hundred, not Saʿīd’s two hundred.
is on your two hundred, not Sa'id's two hundred.
