لَبَّيتُ فيكِ الشَوقَ حينَ دَعاني

لَبَّيتُ فيكِ الشَوقَ حينَ دَعاني

وَعَصَيتُ نَهيَ الشَيبِ حينَ نَهاني

وَعَصَيتُ نَهيَ الشَيبِ حينَ نَهاني

I answered longing for you when it called me,

I obeyed the call of longing in you when it called me,

and defied gray hair's prohibition when it forbade me.

And disobeyed the prohibition of old age when it forbade me.

وَزَعَمتِ أَنّي لَستُ أَصدُقُ في الَّذي

وَزَعَمتِ أَنّي لَستُ أَصدُقُ في الَّذي

عِندي مِنَ البُرَحاءِ وَالأَشجانِ

عِندي مِنَ البُرَحاءِ وَالأَشجانِ

And you claimed I was not truthful about

And you claimed that I am not truthful in what

the fierce anguish and sorrows within me.

I have of innocence and lamentation.

أَوَماكَفاكِ بِدَمعِ عَيني شاهِداً

أَوَماكَفاكِ بِدَمعِ عَيني شاهِداً

بِصَبابَتي وَمُخَبِّراً عَن شاني

بِصَبابَتي وَمُخَبِّراً عَن شاني

And did my eye's tears not suffice you as a witness

Or hasn't my eyes' tears sufficed you as a witness

to my yearning, and as a messenger of my plight?

To my youthfulness and informing you of my condition?

تَمضي اللَيالي وَالشُهورُ وَحُبُّنا

تَمضي اللَيالي وَالشُهورُ وَحُبُّنا

باقٍ عَلى قِدَمِ الزَمانِ الفاني

باقٍ عَلى قِدَمِ الزَمانِ الفاني

The nights and months pass, and our love

The nights and months pass by while our love

endures, though time grows old and passes away.

Remains on the steps of vanishing time.

قَمَرٌ مِنَ الأَقمارِ وَسطَ دُجُنَّةٍ

قَمَرٌ مِنَ الأَقمارِ وَسطَ دُجُنَّةٍ

يَمشي بِهِ غُصنٌ مِنَ الأَغصانِ

يَمشي بِهِ غُصنٌ مِنَ الأَغصانِ

A moon among moons amid deep darkness;

A moon among the moons amidst thick darkness

a bough among boughs walks bearing it.

Walking with it a branch among the branches.

رُمتُ التَسَلّي عَن هَواهُ فَلَم يَكُن

رُمتُ التَسَلّي عَن هَواهُ فَلَم يَكُن

لِيَ بِالتَسَلّي عَن هَواهُ يَدانِ

لِيَ بِالتَسَلّي عَن هَواهُ يَدانِ

I sought to forget my love for him, but I had not

I tried to be distracted from his love but I had

the strength to forget my love for him.

No hands to help me be distracted from his love.

وَأَرَدتُ هِجرانَ الحَبيبِ فَلَم أَجِد

وَأَرَدتُ هِجرانَ الحَبيبِ فَلَم أَجِد

كَبِداً تُشَيِّعُني عَلى الهِجرانِ

كَبِداً تُشَيِّعُني عَلى الهِجرانِ

And I wished to forsake the beloved, but could not find

And I wanted to boycott the beloved but I could not find

a liver that could embolden me to part.

A liver to bid me farewell upon boycott.

أَرَبيعَةَ الفَرَسِ اِشكُري يَدَ مُنعِمٍ

أَرَبيعَةَ الفَرَسِ اِشكُري يَدَ مُنعِمٍ

وَهَبَ الإِساءَةَ لِلمُسيءِ الجاني

وَهَبَ الإِساءَةَ لِلمُسيءِ الجاني

O Rabi'a al-Faras, thank the hand of a benefactor

Thank the hand of the benefactor, O rider of thoroughbreds,

who forgave the guilty wrongdoer's offense.

And pardon the wrongdoing wrongdoer.

رَوَّعتُمُ جاراتِهِ فَبَعَثتُمُ

رَوَّعتُمُ جاراتِهِ فَبَعَثتُمُ

مِنهُ حَمِيَّةَ آنِفٍ غَيرانِ

مِنهُ حَمِيَّةَ آنِفٍ غَيرانِ

You terrified the women under his protection, and so roused

You frightened his neighbors so they sent

in him the zeal of a proud and jealous man.

From him the zeal of one whose nose is inflamed.

لَم تَكرَ عَن قاصي الرَعِيَّةِ عَينُهُ

لَم تَكرَ عَن قاصي الرَعِيَّةِ عَينُهُ

فَيَنامَ عَن وِترِ القَريبِ الداني

فَيَنامَ عَن وِترِ القَريبِ الداني

His eye never dozed in neglect of his distant subjects,

His eye did not overlook any of the commoners

much less would he sleep through a wrong to those close at hand.

So he falls asleep while the near kinsman worships.

ضاقَت بِأَسعَدِ أَرضِها لَمّا رَمى

ضاقَت بِأَسعَدِ أَرضِها لَمّا رَمى

ساحاتِها بِالرَجلِ وَالفُرسانِ

ساحاتِها بِالرَجلِ وَالفُرسانِ

Her land hemmed As'ad in when he assailed

Its happiest land narrowed when he shot

her open grounds with infantry and horsemen—

Its plains with the foot soldiers and the horsemen.

بِفَوارِسٍ مِثلِ الصُقورِ وَضُمَّرٍ

بِفَوارِسٍ مِثلِ الصُقورِ وَضُمَّرٍ

مَجدولَةٍ كَكَواسِرِ العُقبانِ

مَجدولَةٍ كَكَواسِرِ العُقبانِ

with horsemen like falcons, and lean steeds

With horsemen like hawks and seasoned,

sinewy as swooping eagles.

Well-trained like the ospreys.

لَمّا رَأَوا رَهَجَ الكَتائِبِ ساطِعاً

لَمّا رَأَوا رَهَجَ الكَتائِبِ ساطِعاً

قالوا الأَمانَ وَلاتَ حينَ أَمانِ

قالوا الأَمانَ وَلاتَ حينَ أَمانِ

When they saw the dust of the battalions rising,

When they saw the flash of the brigades shining,

they cried, 'Quarter!'—but it was no time for quarter.

They said "We are safe" and took refuge when granted safety.

يَئِلونَ مِن حَرِّ الحَديدِ وَخَلفَهُم

يَئِلونَ مِن حَرِّ الحَديدِ وَخَلفَهُم

شُعَلُ الظُبا وَشَواجِرُ الخِرصانِ

شُعَلُ الظُبا وَشَواجِرُ الخِرصانِ

They flee the heat of iron, while behind them are

They weaken from the heat of the iron and behind them

flames of sword-edges and interlacing spears.

Is the flame of firewood and the thickets of palm trees.

يَومٌ مِنَ الأَيّامِ طالَ عَلَيهِم

يَومٌ مِنَ الأَيّامِ طالَ عَلَيهِم

فَكَأَنَّهُ زَمَنٌ مِنَ الأَزمانِ

فَكَأَنَّهُ زَمَنٌ مِنَ الأَزمانِ

One day among days dragged on for them,

A day of the days was long upon them

so it seemed an age among ages.

So it was as if it was an era of eras.

أُيِّدتَ بِالنَصرِ الوَشيكِ وَأُتبِعوا

أُيِّدتَ بِالنَصرِ الوَشيكِ وَأُتبِعوا

في ساعَةِ الهَيجاءِ بِالخِذلانِ

في ساعَةِ الهَيجاءِ بِالخِذلانِ

You were aided by swift victory, while they were pursued

You were supported with imminent victory and they were pursued

in the hour of battle by abandonment.

In the moment of confusion with abandonment.

راموا النَجاةَ وَكَيفَ تَنجو عُصبَةٌ

راموا النَجاةَ وَكَيفَ تَنجو عُصبَةٌ

مَطلوبَةٌ بِاللَهِ وَالسُلطانِ

مَطلوبَةٌ بِاللَهِ وَالسُلطانِ

They sought escape—but how can a band escape

They wanted salvation—but how can a group survive

when pursued by God and the sovereign?

That is wanted by God and the Sultan?

جاءَتكَ أَسرى في الحَديدِ أَذِلَّةً

جاءَتكَ أَسرى في الحَديدِ أَذِلَّةً

مَشدودَةَ الأَيدي إِلى الأَذقانِ

مَشدودَةَ الأَيدي إِلى الأَذقانِ

They came to you as captives in iron, abased,

They came to you as prisoners in shackles, humiliated,

their hands bound to their chins.

With hands chained to the necks.

فَاِفكُك جَوامِعَهُم بِمَنِّكَ إِنَّها

فَاِفكُك جَوامِعَهُم بِمَنِّكَ إِنَّها

سُمِرَت عَلى أَيدي نَدىً وَطِعانِ

سُمِرَت عَلى أَيدي نَدىً وَطِعانِ

So undo their shackles through your grace, for they

So undo their places of worship with your favor, they were

are riveted upon hands of bounty and spear-thrusts.

Fastened at the hands of the ardent and the devout.

لَكَ في بَني غَنمِ بنِ تَغلِبَ نِعمَةٌ

لَكَ في بَني غَنمِ بنِ تَغلِبَ نِعمَةٌ

فَهَلُمَّ أُخرى في بَني شَيبانِ

فَهَلُمَّ أُخرى في بَني شَيبانِ

You have bestowed a favor on Banu Ghanm ibn Taghlib;

You have a blessing in the tribe of Ghanem bin Taghlib

so bestow another on Banu Shayban,

So come another in the tribe of Shayban.

أَعمامُ نُتلَةَ أُمِّكُم وَهيَ الَّتي

أَعمامُ نُتلَةَ أُمِّكُم وَهيَ الَّتي

شَرُفَت وَإِخوَةُ عامِرِ الضَحيانِ

شَرُفَت وَإِخوَةُ عامِرِ الضَحيانِ

the paternal uncles of Nutla, your mother—she who

The uncles of Nutlah, your mother, and she is the one

attained honor—and the brothers of Amir al-Dahyan.

Who was ennobled, and the brothers of ‘Amir Ad-Dahyan.

نَمرِيَّةٌ وَلَدَت لَكُم أُسدَ الشَرى

نَمرِيَّةٌ وَلَدَت لَكُم أُسدَ الشَرى

وَالنَمرُ بَعدُ وَوائِلٌ أَخَوانِ

وَالنَمرُ بَعدُ وَوائِلٌ أَخَوانِ

A woman of al-Namir, she bore you the lions of al-Shara;

A Nimriyyah woman gave birth to you the lion of glory

and al-Namir and Wa'il, moreover, are brothers.

And the leopard and then Waa’il are brothers.

مَن شاكِرٌ عَنّي الخَليفَةَ في الَّذي

مَن شاكِرٌ عَنّي الخَليفَةَ في الَّذي

أَولاهُ مِن طَولٍ وَمِن إِحسانِ

أَولاهُ مِن طَولٍ وَمِن إِحسانِ

Who will thank the caliph on my behalf for what

Who will thank me on behalf of the Caliph for that

he bestowed of bounty and kindness?

Which he endowed me of status and kindness?

حَتّى لَقَد أَفضَلتُ مِن أَفضالِهِ

حَتّى لَقَد أَفضَلتُ مِن أَفضالِهِ

وَرَأَيتُ نَهجَ الجودِ حينَ أَراني

وَرَأَيتُ نَهجَ الجودِ حينَ أَراني

So much so that I gave generously from his bounty,

To the extent that indeed I have been graced by his favors

and saw the path of generosity when he showed it to me.

And I saw the approach of generosity when he showed me.

مَلَأَت يَداهُ يَدي وَشَرَّدَ جودُهُ

مَلَأَت يَداهُ يَدي وَشَرَّدَ جودُهُ

بُخلي فَأَفقَرَني كَما أَغناني

بُخلي فَأَفقَرَني كَما أَغناني

His two hands filled my hand, and his generosity drove away

His hands filled my hands and his generosity dispersed

my stinginess; it made me poor just as it made me rich.

My stinginess so he impoverished me just as he enriched me.

وَوَثَقتُ بِالخَلَفِ الجَميلِ مُعَجَّلاً

وَوَثَقتُ بِالخَلَفِ الجَميلِ مُعَجَّلاً

مِنهُ فَأَعطَيتُ الَّذي أَعطاني

مِنهُ فَأَعطَيتُ الَّذي أَعطاني

And I trusted in generous replenishment, promptly given

And I trusted in the good successor, hastily

from him, so I gave away what he had given me.

From him, so I gave what he gave me.