أَصُدودٌ غَلا بِها أَم دَلالُ

أَصُدودٌ غَلا بِها أَم دَلالُ

يَومَ زُمَّت بِرامَةَ الأَجمالُ

يَومَ زُمَّت بِرامَةَ الأَجمالُ

Was it aversion that drove her to excess, or coquetry,

A herd with affection or guides?

on the day the camels were haltered at Ramah?

The day their camels were decked at Ramah.

أَعرَضَت عَطفَةَ القَضيبِ وَحادَت

أَعرَضَت عَطفَةَ القَضيبِ وَحادَت

مِن قَريبٍ كَما يَحيدُ الغَزالُ

مِن قَريبٍ كَما يَحيدُ الغَزالُ

She turned away with a bough's sway, and veered

They turned from the trouble of the rod and strayed,

from close by, as a gazelle veers away.

From nearby, as the gazelle strays.

عَهِدَتني وَلِلشَبيبَةِ سِربا

عَهِدَتني وَلِلشَبيبَةِ سِربا

لٌ جَديدٌ فَأَنهَجَ السِربالُ

لٌ جَديدٌ فَأَنهَجَ السِربالُ

She knew me when youth had a robe

You knew me in my prime,

still new; then the robe grew threadbare.

When life was new and I donned it.

وَرَأَتني تَدارَكَ الحِلمُ مِنّي

وَرَأَتني تَدارَكَ الحِلمُ مِنّي

وَتَناهى عَن عَذلِيَ العُذّالُ

وَتَناهى عَن عَذلِيَ العُذّالُ

And she saw that sober judgment had caught up with me,

She saw me as wisdom left me

and the reproachers had ceased reproaching me.

And abstinence turned from my folly.

إِن يَعُد هَجرُها جَديداً فَقَد كا

إِن يَعُد هَجرُها جَديداً فَقَد كا

نَ جَديداً مِنّا وَمِنها الوِصالُ

نَ جَديداً مِنّا وَمِنها الوِصالُ

If her estrangement comes anew, yet once

If estrangement returns anew, it had been

union was new, both for us and for her,

Anew for us and for her, reunion.

إِذا حَواشي الزَمانِ خُضرٌ رِقاقٌ

إِذا حَواشي الزَمانِ خُضرٌ رِقاقٌ

وَقَناةُ الأَيّامِ فيها اِعتِدالُ

وَقَناةُ الأَيّامِ فيها اِعتِدالُ

when time's fringes were green and tender,

When the margins of time are green meadows

and the days' spear-shaft stood straight.

And the canal of days holds composure,

وَلَها بِالكَثيبِ مِن جَنبِ حُزوى

وَلَها بِالكَثيبِ مِن جَنبِ حُزوى

أَنَسٌ قاطِنٌ وَحَيٌّ حِلالُ

أَنَسٌ قاطِنٌ وَحَيٌّ حِلالُ

And she has, at the dune beside Huzwa,

By the sandhill she has, from the side of Hazwa,

resident companions and an encamped tribe.

A dwelling, alive and pure company.

ذَكَّرَتني الرُسومُ وَالأَطلالُ

ذَكَّرَتني الرُسومُ وَالأَطلالُ

صَبَواتٍ ذِكري لَهُنَّ ضَلالُ

صَبَواتٍ ذِكري لَهُنَّ ضَلالُ

The traces and ruined dwellings reminded me

The ruins and relics reminded me

of youthful passions—remembering them is folly.

Of pleasures whose memory leads astray.

تَلَفُ الحِلمِ أَن يُطاعَ التَصابي

تَلَفُ الحِلمِ أَن يُطاعَ التَصابي

وَرَدى اللَهوِ أَن يَشيبَ القَذالُ

وَرَدى اللَهوِ أَن يَشيبَ القَذالُ

Indulging youthful affectation is good sense's ruin,

It suits dreaming to obey sudden ideas.

and graying at the back of the head is pleasure's death.

And distraction for the resolute to turn gray.

أَبرَحَ العَيشُ فَالمَشيبُ قَذىً في

أَبرَحَ العَيشُ فَالمَشيبُ قَذىً في

أَعيُنِ البيضِ وَالشَبابُ جَمالُ

أَعيُنِ البيضِ وَالشَبابُ جَمالُ

Life has grown grievous: gray hair is a mote in

Life left, so grayness in the eyes of the mature,

the eyes of fair women, while youth is beauty.

And youth is beauty.

نَوِّلينا وَأَينَ مِنكِ النَوالُ

نَوِّلينا وَأَينَ مِنكِ النَوالُ

أَو عِدينا وَوَعدُ مِثلَكَ آلُ

أَو عِدينا وَوَعدُ مِثلَكَ آلُ

Grant us your favor—but where is your giving?

Give us a gift, where is a gift like yours?

Or promise us; the promise of one like you is a mirage.

Or make us promises, and promises like yours are empty.

أَنا راضٍ بِأَن تَجودي بِقَولٍ

أَنا راضٍ بِأَن تَجودي بِقَولٍ

كاذِبٍ أَو يُطيفَ مِنكِ خَيالُ

كاذِبٍ أَو يُطيفَ مِنكِ خَيالُ

I am content if you bestow a word,

I'm satisfied for you to give generously

even a false one, or if a phantom of you visits me.

With a lying word, or a phantom of you to haunt me.

أَيُّها المُبتَغي مُساجَلَةَ الفَت

أَيُّها المُبتَغي مُساجَلَةَ الفَت

حِ لَحاوَلتَ نَيلَ ما لا يُنالُ

حِ لَحاوَلتَ نَيلَ ما لا يُنالُ

O you who seek to rival al-Fath,

Oh you who seek to compete with destiny,

you have surely tried to attain what cannot be attained.

You tried to attain what cannot be attained.

أَينَ تِلكَ الأَخلاقُ مِنكَ إِذا رُم

أَينَ تِلكَ الأَخلاقُ مِنكَ إِذا رُم

تَ مَداها وَأَينَ تِلكَ الخِلالُ

تَ مَداها وَأَينَ تِلكَ الخِلالُ

Where are those noble traits in you, if you seek

Where are those morals in you, when you hurl

their full reach? And where are those virtues?

Accusations, and where are those fine traits?

لَن تُجارى البِحارُ حينَ يَجيشُ ال

لَن تُجارى البِحارُ حينَ يَجيشُ ال

مَدُّ فيها وَلَن تُوازى الجِبالُ

مَدُّ فيها وَلَن تُوازى الجِبالُ

The seas cannot be rivaled when the

The seas will not compete, when the tide rages in them,

tide surges within them, nor can the mountains be matched.

Nor will the mountains equal each other in height.

يَبعُدُ البائِنُ المُبَرِّزُ فَوتاً

يَبعُدُ البائِنُ المُبَرِّزُ فَوتاً

وَتَدانى الضُروبُ وَالأَشكالُ

وَتَدانى الضُروبُ وَالأَشكالُ

The outstanding, preeminent man is far beyond reach,

The distant is conspicuous in its separation

while counterparts and equals draw near.

While types and forms draw near each other.

لَم تُسَلَّم لَهُ المَقادَةُ حَتّى

لَم تُسَلَّم لَهُ المَقادَةُ حَتّى

عَرَفَت فَضلَهُ عَلَيها الرِجالُ

عَرَفَت فَضلَهُ عَلَيها الرِجالُ

The reins of command were not surrendered to him until

The leadership was not handed over to him until

men recognized his superiority over them.

It knew his superiority over it, the men.

رَفَعَت مَجدَهُ عَلَيهِ تَنوخٌ

رَفَعَت مَجدَهُ عَلَيهِ تَنوخٌ

فَلَهُ فَوقَ غَيرِهِ إِطلالُ

فَلَهُ فَوقَ غَيرِهِ إِطلالُ

Tanukh has raised his glory high,

Tanookh raised his glory above it,

so he towers above all others.

So he has an outlook higher than anyone else's.

قائِلٌ فاعِلٌ وَلَيسَ يَكونُ ال

قائِلٌ فاعِلٌ وَلَيسَ يَكونُ ال

قَولُ مَجداً حَتّى يَكونَ الفَعالُ

قَولُ مَجداً حَتّى يَكونَ الفَعالُ

He speaks and acts; there is no

A speaker and a doer, and a saying does not become

glory in speech until there are deeds.

Glory until it becomes action.

وَصَحيحُ السَماحِ بَينَ أُناسٍ

وَصَحيحُ السَماحِ بَينَ أُناسٍ

في سَجاياهُمُ عَلَينا اِعتِلالُ

في سَجاياهُمُ عَلَينا اِعتِلالُ

And sound in generosity among men

Honest generosity between people

whose natures toward us are ailing.

In whose temperaments toward us crookedness hides.

ثابِتٌ في المَكَرِّ إِذ راحَ لِلفُر

ثابِتٌ في المَكَرِّ إِذ راحَ لِلفُر

سانِ عَن جانِبِ الصَريعِ مَجالُ

سانِ عَن جانِبِ الصَريعِ مَجالُ

Steadfast in the charge, when the horsemen have

Firm in scheming, when there is opportunity for the horsemen

room to withdraw from the fallen man's side.

Space on the side of the fallen enemy.

مَلِكٌ يَستَقِلُّ في رَأيِهِ المُل

مَلِكٌ يَستَقِلُّ في رَأيِهِ المُل

كُ وَيَحيا في فَضلِهِ الإِفضالُ

كُ وَيَحيا في فَضلِهِ الإِفضالُ

A king in whose counsel sovereignty stands firm,

A king who has independent judgement like a king's

and in whose bounty generosity lives.

And lives nobly in his exceeding nobility.

وَإِذا ما حَلَلتَ رَبعَ أَبي الفَض

وَإِذا ما حَلَلتَ رَبعَ أَبي الفَض

لِ فَثَمَّ السَماحُ وَالإِبلالُ

لِ فَثَمَّ السَماحُ وَالإِبلالُ

And when you alight at Abu al-Fadl's dwelling,

And if you seek the quarter of Abul Fadl,

there are generosity and healing.

Then forgiveness, deference, and regard are there.

مُتَعَلٍّ عَلى الخُطوبِ إِذِ العا

مُتَعَلٍّ عَلى الخُطوبِ إِذِ العا

ثِرُ كابٍ في صَرفِها ما يُقالُ

ثِرُ كابٍ في صَرفِها ما يُقالُ

Rising above calamities, when the stumbling man

Haughty over misfortunes, when the unlucky one

falls amid their reversals and is not helped up.

Stumbles in diverting them, there is nothing to say.

وَمُقيمٌ صَغى الأُمورِ وَفيها

وَمُقيمٌ صَغى الأُمورِ وَفيها

حَيدٌ عَن جِهاتِها وَاِنفِتالُ

حَيدٌ عَن جِهاتِها وَاِنفِتالُ

And straightening the tilt of affairs, though they show

And he stands listening to matters in which

a swerving from their courses and a turning aside.

There is deviation from their directions and separation.

مُتَحَنٍّ عَلى الخِلافَةِ ما يَن

مُتَحَنٍّ عَلى الخِلافَةِ ما يَن

قُصُ في حَظِّها وَلا يَغتالُ

قُصُ في حَظِّها وَلا يَغتالُ

Cherishing the caliphate, he does not

He tries over the caliphate, nothing is lacking

diminish its due or betray it.

In his fortune, and he does not cheat.

شاهِرٌ دونَ حَقِّها عَزَماتٍ

شاهِرٌ دونَ حَقِّها عَزَماتٍ

تَتَحامى مَكروهُها الأَبطالُ

تَتَحامى مَكروهُها الأَبطالُ

Brandishing, in defense of its rights, resolves

Showing openness to its rights, resolves

whose dreaded force the heroes shun,

Which its hated aspects shun, the heroes.

وَسُيوفاً إيماضُها أَوجالٌ

وَسُيوفاً إيماضُها أَوجالٌ

لِلأَعادي وَوَقعُها آجالُ

لِلأَعادي وَوَقعُها آجالُ

and swords whose flashes are terrors

And swords whose lighting is deadly

to enemies, and whose strokes are death.

For the enemies, and their striking, fateful.

مُرهَفاتٍ لَها إِذا أَظلَمَ النَق

مُرهَفاتٍ لَها إِذا أَظلَمَ النَق

عُ عَلَيها تَوَقُّدٌ وَإِشتِعالُ

عُ عَلَيها تَوَقُّدٌ وَإِشتِعالُ

Keen-edged blades that, when the dust darkens

Polished, for them when darkness

over them, glow and blaze.

Falls over them, kindling and flaming.

أَبَداً يَستَجِدُّ مِنها حَديثا

أَبَداً يَستَجِدُّ مِنها حَديثا

نِ دَمٌ مِن عَدُوِّهِ وَصِقالُ

نِ دَمٌ مِن عَدُوِّهِ وَصِقالُ

Two fresh things are ever renewed upon them:

Constantly it brings news to them of blood

blood from his enemy, and burnishing.

From their enemy, and burnishing.

كُلَّما جِئتُهُ تَعَرَّفتُ مَجداً

كُلَّما جِئتُهُ تَعَرَّفتُ مَجداً

مُستَفاداً لِلطَرفِ فيهِ مَجالُ

مُستَفاداً لِلطَرفِ فيهِ مَجالُ

Whenever I come to him, I discover glory

Whenever I came to him I recognized glory

newly won, with room for the gaze to roam.

To be gained, a place for the eye.

حَيثُ لا تَدفَعُ الحُقوقَ المَعاذي

حَيثُ لا تَدفَعُ الحُقوقَ المَعاذي

رُ وَلا يَسبِقُ العَطاءَ السُؤالُ

رُ وَلا يَسبِقُ العَطاءَ السُؤالُ

Where excuses do not turn rightful claims away,

Where rights are not denied the petitioners

and asking never precedes giving.

And giving does not wait for asking.

أَعوَزَت مِن سِواكَ عارِفَةُ الجو

أَعوَزَت مِن سِواكَ عارِفَةُ الجو

دِ وَخابَت في غَيرِكَ الآمالُ

دِ وَخابَت في غَيرِكَ الآمالُ

Generous kindness is lacking in all but you,

The knower of generosity has needed no one but you

and hopes have failed in anyone else.

And hopes in other than you have failed.

أَنا مَن بَلَّهُ نَداكَ وَأَعلَت

أَنا مَن بَلَّهُ نَداكَ وَأَعلَت

مِنهُ آلاؤُكَ العِراضُ الطِوالُ

مِنهُ آلاؤُكَ العِراضُ الطِوالُ

I am one whom your bounty's dew has drenched, and whom

I am the one who your voice called out,

your broad and lofty favors have raised.

And your abundant generous gifts lifted up.

وَتَوَلَّتهُ أَنعُمٌ مِنكَ يُحمَل

وَتَوَلَّتهُ أَنعُمٌ مِنكَ يُحمَل

نَ خِفاقاً وَهُنَّ وَفرٌ ثِقالُ

نَ خِفاقاً وَهُنَّ وَفرٌ ثِقالُ

And favors from you have tended me; they are carried

Favours from you carried me, messages and slight gifts,

fluttering, though they are plentiful and weighty,

Laden, and they are noble steeds.

مالِئاتٌ بِذِكرِكَ الأَرضَ شُكراً

مالِئاتٌ بِذِكرِكَ الأَرضَ شُكراً

وَثَناءً وَسَيرُها إِرسالُ

وَثَناءً وَسَيرُها إِرسالُ

filling the earth with mention of you in thanks

Filled with your mention, the earth in gratitude

and praise; their course flows freely.

And praise, and its course, sending forth.

طالِعاتٌ تِلكَ النِجادَ فَفي كُلِّ

طالِعاتٌ تِلكَ النِجادَ فَفي كُلِّ

مَقامٍ لَهُنَّ فيهِ مَقالُ

مَقامٍ لَهُنَّ فيهِ مَقالُ

They climb those uplands; in every

Rising, those planets, so in every

station they have something to say.

Dwelling they have speech there.