أقولُ لقلب هاجهُ لاعجُ الهوى

أقولُ لقلب هاجهُ لاعجُ الهوى

بصحراء مرْوٍ واستشاطت بَلابلُهْ

بصحراء مرْوٍ واستشاطت بَلابلُهْ

I say to a heart stirred by love's searing torment,

I say to a heart its passion inflamed, desire has maddened it

in the desert of Marw, its sorrows raging,

In a sandy desert where its affliction intensified

لدن غدوةً حالت شطون من النوى

لدن غدوةً حالت شطون من النوى

وأقتم نائي الغور تُخشى مراحلهْ

وأقتم نائي الغور تُخشى مراحلهْ

since a morning when far-reaching separation intervened,

Since an early morning when the spearheads of resolve turned away

and a dust-dark waste, deep and distant, with dreaded stages:

And I stayed behind, fearing the stages of its dangerous paths

وضاقت خراسانٌ على معرق الهوى

وضاقت خراسانٌ على معرق الهوى

كما أحرزتْ صيد الفلاةِ حبائلهْ

كما أحرزتْ صيد الفلاةِ حبائلهْ

Khurasan grew narrow for one steeped in love,

Khorasan narrowed for me because of the passion of love

as snares hold fast the quarry of the wilderness.

As if the booty of the wilderness entangled its ropes

أعِني على فعل التَّصبر أنني

أعِني على فعل التَّصبر أنني

رأيت جميل الصبر يُحمدُ فاعلهْ

رأيت جميل الصبر يُحمدُ فاعلهْ

Help me practice patience, for I

Help me to act with patience though I

have seen the practitioner of noble patience praised.

Saw the beauty of patience praised by its doer

فلما أبى إلا غَراماً وصَبْوةً

فلما أبى إلا غَراماً وصَبْوةً

أطعت هواكم واستمرت شواغلهْ

أطعت هواكم واستمرت شواغلهْ

But when it insisted on passion and youthful longing,

So when it insisted on passion and intoxication

I obeyed my love for you, and its preoccupations persisted.

I obeyed your love and busied myself with its concerns

وأجريت دمعاَ لو أصاب بسحِّه

وأجريت دمعاَ لو أصاب بسحِّه

رُبى المحل يوماً أنبت العشب هاطلهْ

رُبى المحل يوماً أنبت العشب هاطلهْ

I let tears flow; had their pouring struck

And I shed a tear, if its downpour were to hit

the drought-stricken hills one day, their downpour would have made grass sprout.

The abode one day, it would grow green grass

هبوني أمرتُ القلب كتمان حبُكم

هبوني أمرتُ القلب كتمان حبُكم

فكيف بجسم باح بالوجد ناحله

فكيف بجسم باح بالوجد ناحله

Suppose I commanded my heart to conceal my love for you—

You ordered me to conceal my love in my heart

what of a body whose wasting has betrayed its longing?

How then with a body that discloses anguish on its face?

وكنت أمرت العزم أن يخذل الهوى

وكنت أمرت العزم أن يخذل الهوى

وكيف اعتزام المرء والقلب خاذلُه

وكيف اعتزام المرء والقلب خاذلُه

I had commanded resolve to forsake love,

You commanded my will to abandon desire

but how can a man be resolute when his heart deserts him?

How can a man determine when his heart has failed him?

تعلَّقتكم والعمرُ غَضٌّ نباتُهُ

تعلَّقتكم والعمرُ غَضٌّ نباتُهُ

وشرخ شبابي يغلب الحقَّ باطله

وشرخ شبابي يغلب الحقَّ باطله

I became attached to you while life's growth was tender,

I clung to you while the life of youth was still fresh

in my youth's prime, when its folly overpowered what was right.

And my youth was torn, right defeated by wrong

فكيف التِّسلي بعد عشرٍ وأربعٍ

فكيف التِّسلي بعد عشرٍ وأربعٍ

أبى لي وفاءٌ لا تدبُّ مخاتلهْ

أبى لي وفاءٌ لا تدبُّ مخاتلهْ

How could I forget after fourteen years?

How can I be consoled after companionship and forty years

A loyalty untouched by creeping deceit forbade it to me.

That refused me loyalty, no guile in it

أنا ابنُ مُثير العاطشات نهوضةً

أنا ابنُ مُثير العاطشات نهوضةً

بكل كميٍّ يسبقُ الموتَ بازلُهْ

بكل كميٍّ يسبقُ الموتَ بازلُهْ

I am the son of one who roused thirsty steeds in a vigorous charge,

I am the son of one who roused the thirsty to rise

with every armored warrior, a veteran who outruns Death,

With every brave one whose death outruns its appointed time

ومُوردها ماءَيْ غديرٍ وأنفُسٍ

ومُوردها ماءَيْ غديرٍ وأنفُسٍ

مع الصبح حتى أسلمتهُ أصائله

مع الصبح حتى أسلمتهُ أصائله

and led them to two waters: a pool's and souls' blood,

And their watering place is my copious pool and breath

from dawn until the evening hours released him;

With the dawn until its camels came to it

وكاشف ذيل النقع عن بكر وائلٍ

وكاشف ذيل النقع عن بكر وائلٍ

وقد بَشمَ الشِّلو المعفَّرَ آكلُهْ

وقد بَشمَ الشِّلو المعفَّرَ آكلُهْ

who lifted the skirt of battle-dust from Bakr of Wa'il,

And the tail cover of the grazing herd is lifted from the early arrivals

when the eater of the dust-strewn carcass was glutted.

And the gray-haired old man detected its smell

نمتني ملوكٌ من تميم بن خنْدفٍ

نمتني ملوكٌ من تميم بن خنْدفٍ

كرامٌ إذا ما الغيث أمسكَ وابله

كرامٌ إذا ما الغيث أمسكَ وابله

Kings of Tamim ibn Khindif gave me lineage,

I was raised by kings from Tamim son of Khindif

generous when the rain withheld its downpour.

Nobles, when the rain held back its downpour

غطاريف أقيالٌ كأنَّ أكفَّهمْ

غطاريف أقيالٌ كأنَّ أكفَّهمْ

سحاب شتاءٍ أغفلته شمائله

سحاب شتاءٍ أغفلته شمائله

Noble chiefs and princes, their palms like

Lofty fortresses as if their palms

winter clouds their north winds have left untouched.

Were a winter cloud from which its fringes disappeared

إذا ما احتبوا يوم الخصام حسبتهم

إذا ما احتبوا يوم الخصام حسبتهم

هضاب شرورى راسياتٍ كلاكله

هضاب شرورى راسياتٍ كلاكله

When they sit with knees drawn up on a day of dispute, you would think them

If they were enraged on the day of battle, you would think them

the hills of Sharawra, their massive breasts firmly rooted.

Plateaus of evil, permanent through successive ages

وإن سحبوا خرصانهم لكريهةٍ

وإن سحبوا خرصانهم لكريهةٍ

تباشر طُيَّارُ المَلا وعواسله

تباشر طُيَّارُ المَلا وعواسله

And when they draw their spears for a grievous battle,

And if they unsheathed their swords for war

the wilderness's birds and wolves rejoice.

Destroyers of evil contact their sharp blades

لهم كلُّ حمراءٍ على مُشْمَخِرةٍ

لهم كلُّ حمراءٍ على مُشْمَخِرةٍ

يشيمُ سناها ابن السبيل وعادله

يشيمُ سناها ابن السبيل وعادله

Theirs is every red blaze upon a towering height,

To them belongs every bay-colored one on a snorting camel

whose glow the wayfarer and his fellow rider watch.

Whose teeth are bared by the wayfarer and one seeking justice

لبوسهُم في السَّلم ريْطٌ معسجد

لبوسهُم في السَّلم ريْطٌ معسجد

وفي الحرب زغْفٌ سابغات ذلاذله

وفي الحرب زغْفٌ سابغات ذلاذله

Their clothing in peace is gold-adorned cloth,

Their clothing in peace is a coarse burdah

and in war, fine mail with ample, trailing hems.

And in war a doubly wrapped garment

كانَّ رباطَ الخيل حول بُيوتِهم

كانَّ رباطَ الخيل حول بُيوتِهم

مُعرَّسُ حيٍّ قد أماطت عقائلهْ

مُعرَّسُ حيٍّ قد أماطت عقائلهْ

The horses tethered around their houses seem like

Their horses’ reins around their homes

a tribe's night-camp whose noble women have withdrawn.

Were a decorated army that cast off its bonds

ترى كل منَّاعِ الحريم ببأسِه

ترى كل منَّاعِ الحريم ببأسِه

كأنَّ هدير الراغياتِ مراجله

كأنَّ هدير الراغياتِ مراجله

You see every staunch defender of his household by his might,

You see the guardian women terrified by their might

his cauldrons like the roaring of she-camels.

As if the neighing of mares were their cooking pots

نموني ولي ثارٌ أرومُ دِراكَهُ

نموني ولي ثارٌ أرومُ دِراكَهُ

بأرْعَن تهمي بالدماء مناصله

بأرْعَن تهمي بالدماء مناصله

They gave me lineage; I have a blood-debt whose vengeance I seek

They raised me, and I have blood vengeance which I hope

with a towering army, its sword-blades raining blood.

To attain with spear thrusts that spill blood

سلوت العلى إن لم أرق علق الظبى

سلوت العلى إن لم أرق علق الظبى

على القاع حتى تستحيل مناهله

على القاع حتى تستحيل مناهله

I have forsaken glory if I do not spill the gore on sword-edges

I asked for loftiness, lest I walk on pebbles

onto the plain until its watering places are transformed,

Until its springs are transformed into meadows

بكل غلام يُنغِضُ العزُّ عِطفهُ

بكل غلام يُنغِضُ العزُّ عِطفهُ

يموت به قبل الجراجِ مُنازله

يموت به قبل الجراجِ مُنازله

with every youth whose pride makes his flank sway,

With every youth whose honor is preserved by his restraint

whose challenger dies of him before wounds are dealt.

He dies thereby before reaching his dwellings

وأقتحمُ الحيَّ اللَّقاح بجحفلٍ

وأقتحمُ الحيَّ اللَّقاح بجحفلٍ

تمطَّرُ ما بين البيوتِ صواهله

تمطَّرُ ما بين البيوتِ صواهله

I storm a tribe owing no allegiance with a mighty host,

And I storm the living quarters with a massive army

whose neighing steeds race between the houses.

Whose spears rain between the houses

يلوذُ بعفوي والشَّرى من خلاله

يلوذُ بعفوي والشَّرى من خلاله

مُرمَّلةٌ تحت الظُّبى وأرامله

مُرمَّلةٌ تحت الظُّبى وأرامله

It seeks refuge in my pardon, while the lion-thicket in its midst

The humiliated seek my pardon through it

lies blood-drenched beneath the blades; its widows also seek my pardon.

And the protected widows and their children

دجا عنده ليلٌ من النَّقْع حالكٌ

دجا عنده ليلٌ من النَّقْع حالكٌ

فسيحُ النواحي والنجوم عوامله

فسيحُ النواحي والنجوم عوامله

A pitch-dark night of battle-dust has gathered there,

Darkened around him is a night of heavy rain

wide in its reaches, its spearheads serving as stars.

So the horizons and stars are its containers

وفرَّ القطا الكُدريُّ بعد جُثومهِ

وفرَّ القطا الكُدريُّ بعد جُثومهِ

فلا طيرَ إلا جارحٌ ومآكلُهْ

فلا طيرَ إلا جارحٌ ومآكلُهْ

The dusky sandgrouse flee after crouching,

The cowardly raven fled after perching

and no birds remain but raptors and their prey.

So no bird remains except predators and their food

فتحمرُّ من بيض السيوف غروبها

فتحمرُّ من بيض السيوف غروبها

وتصفرُّ من حامي الذمار أنامله

وتصفرُّ من حامي الذمار أنامله

The keen edges of white swords turn red,

At dusk their eggs redden from the swords’ blaze

and the fingertips of the household's defender turn yellow.

And their fingers yellow from the firebrands’ flames

فأثوي صريعاً أو تجلَّى عجاجتي

فأثوي صريعاً أو تجلَّى عجاجتي

بنصرٍ عن الأمر الذي أنا آمله

بنصرٍ عن الأمر الذي أنا آمله

I shall lie slain, or my battle-dust shall clear

So I will lie slain or my power manifests itself

in victory, revealing the outcome I hope for.

With victory in the matter I hope for

عصيت الصبا حتى استُردَّ معارهُ

عصيت الصبا حتى استُردَّ معارهُ

وكيف تصابي المرء والشيب شامله

وكيف تصابي المرء والشيب شامله

I defied youthful desire until its borrowed gift was reclaimed;

I disobeyed youth until its glory was restored

how can a man play the youth when gray hair covers him?

And how can a man oppose old age that afflicts him?

وأجممت نفسي عن زخارف منظر

وأجممت نفسي عن زخارف منظر

يُخاتلني في عفَّتي وأخاتله

يُخاتلني في عفَّتي وأخاتله

I gave my soul respite from the ornaments of a spectacle

I distanced myself from the adornments of appearance

that seeks to beguile my chastity, while I outwit it.

That seduced my chastity and I seduced it

فللغيد هجرٌ مُطْمئنٌ وشاتُه

فللغيد هجرٌ مُطْمئنٌ وشاتُه

وللمجد وجدٌ لا تُطاعُ عواذله

وللمجد وجدٌ لا تُطاعُ عواذله

For graceful women, estrangement whose tale-bearers rest easy;

So farewell to the love songs and their singers

for glory, passion whose reproachers go unheeded.

And devotion has a rapture that its calamities cannot be resisted

كأنَّ ندى وجهي وحر عزيمتي

كأنَّ ندى وجهي وحر عزيمتي

سُطا شرف الدين الجوادِ ونائله

سُطا شرف الدين الجوادِ ونائله

It is as though the dew of my face and the heat of my resolve

As if the radiance of my face and the heat of my resolve

were the might and bounty of Sharaf al-Din the generous.

Were the honor of noble religion and its attainment

هُمامٌ يخاف الموت شدَّةَ بطشهِ

هُمامٌ يخاف الموت شدَّةَ بطشهِ

ويحسده دَرُّ الغَمام وحافلهْ

ويحسده دَرُّ الغَمام وحافلهْ

A hero whose fierce grip Death itself fears,

They are ambitions that fear the violence of death

envied by the clouds' milk-flow and their fullness.

And the downpour of clouds envy it

أشم تُباري الصبحَ غرةُ وجهه

أشم تُباري الصبحَ غرةُ وجهه

طروبٌ إذا التفَّت عليه وسائلهْ

طروبٌ إذا التفَّت عليه وسائلهْ

Noble and high-nosed, his face's radiance vies with dawn,

The brightness of his face rivals the dawn

joyful when appeals gather around him.

A gentle drizzle when it flows over it and its channels

يُلاقي غروب البيض منه مُقحِّمٌ

يُلاقي غروب البيض منه مُقحِّمٌ

عزائمه مطرورةٌ ومقاولُهْ

عزائمه مطرورةٌ ومقاولُهْ

In him a fearless assailant meets the edges of gleaming swords,

At sunset the whiteness of eggs meets him as he comes

his resolves and pronouncements sharply honed.

His resolves unleashed and his undertakings

سريع القِرى لا تحمد الكوم ضيفه

سريع القِرى لا تحمد الكوم ضيفه

ولكنه قد يحمدُ العيسَ واصِلهْ

ولكنه قد يحمدُ العيسَ واصِلهْ

Quick in hospitality: the fat-humped camels do not praise his guest,

Swift to visit, the heap of embers does not praise its guest

but whoever reaches him may praise the pale riding camels.

But he may praise the boughs and one who reaches them

إذا ما سرى نشر الخزامى عشيَّة

إذا ما سرى نشر الخزامى عشيَّة

تهاداه أرواح الصَّبا وتُناقله

تهاداه أرواح الصَّبا وتُناقله

When lavender's fragrance drifts at evening,

When the Pleiades rise in the evening

the breaths of the east wind trade it as a gift and carry it onward,

The spirits of youth circle and transmit them

على الخرق من فيحاء يجري نسيمها

على الخرق من فيحاء يجري نسيمها

رقيق الحواشي لطَّفْتهُ أصائله

رقيق الحواشي لطَّفْتهُ أصائله

across the waste, from a broad meadow whose breeze flows

From Faiha its breeze flows

soft at the edges, gentled by the evening hours.

Gentle in its borders, its branches refine it

أُتيحَ له من تَجْرِ صنعاء حيثما

أُتيحَ له من تَجْرِ صنعاء حيثما

أناخوا فضيضٌ مفْغماتٌ محاملهْ

أناخوا فضيضٌ مفْغماتٌ محاملهْ

San'a's merchants have furnished it, wherever

From the perfume of Sanaa is made available to him wherever

they halt their camels, with fresh musk whose loads fill the air with scent.

They halted, so its pouches emit musk

ترنَّح مُسْتافٌ له وتضوَّعتْ

ترنَّح مُسْتافٌ له وتضوَّعتْ

بناتُ المَلا كُثبانه وجراولُه

بناتُ المَلا كُثبانه وجراولُه

One who sniffs it sways, and fragrance rises

The civet greets him and the sand ridges heap up

from the wilderness's daughters—its dunes and rocky ground.

Like its dunes and little hills

فعِرضُ ظهير الملك أطيب نفحةً

فعِرضُ ظهير الملك أطيب نفحةً

وأذكى إذا ما أحسن القول قائلُه

وأذكى إذا ما أحسن القول قائلُه

Yet the honor of Zahir al-Mulk is sweeter in fragrance,

The breadth of the king’s back has the sweetest scent

and more fragrant when its praises are well spoken.

And is most fragrant when excellent words are spoken

هو الهاطلُ المدرارُ يغينك سيبهُ

هو الهاطلُ المدرارُ يغينك سيبهُ

إذا الغيث عادي ساحة الحي سائله

إذا الغيث عادي ساحة الحي سائله

He is the pouring, abundant rain; his bounty envelops you

He is the downpour, the coursing rain that enriches you if

when the rain's flow shuns the tribe's courtyard.

The rain contends with the dwellings of the living, questioning them

يُرادي عداهُ منه قُنَّة مشرفِ

يُرادي عداهُ منه قُنَّة مشرفِ

يُطاول رضوى حلمه ويُثاقله

يُطاول رضوى حلمه ويُثاقله

His foes contend with a towering summit in him;

His enemies confront him with the corner of a noble

his forbearance vies with Radwa in height and weight.

That extends the pleasure of his forbearance and weighs him down

تُمرُّ سجاياه إذا سِيمَ سُبَّةً

تُمرُّ سجاياه إذا سِيمَ سُبَّةً

وتعذب في بذل الوداد شمائله

وتعذب في بذل الوداد شمائله

His nature turns bitter when an insult is imposed,

His qualities flow gently when insulted

and his dispositions grow sweet in bestowing affection.

And painstakingly generous in affection are his traits

فصيحٌ يَطا وعْرَ المقالة مُسهلاً

فصيحٌ يَطا وعْرَ المقالة مُسهلاً

يُقرُّ له يوم الجدالِ مُجادله

يُقرُّ له يوم الجدالِ مُجادله

Eloquent, he treads speech's rough terrain with ease;

Eloquent, excelling in speech, fluent

his disputant concedes to him on the day of debate.

On the day of debate, even his opponent concedes to him

يضيءُ لأمِّ المُشكلاتِ رويُّهُ

يضيءُ لأمِّ المُشكلاتِ رويُّهُ

فتُرضى فتاويه وتُرضى مسائله

فتُرضى فتاويه وتُرضى مسائله

His deliberation lights the mother of perplexities,

His judgment illuminates the mother of problems

so his rulings satisfy, and his questions satisfy.

So his legal opinions are approved and his questions

سكينةُ حلمٍ تُفرش الحيَّ بُرده

سكينةُ حلمٍ تُفرش الحيَّ بُرده

وسورةُ بأسٍ يختشيه مُصاولهْ

وسورةُ بأسٍ يختشيه مُصاولهْ

The serenity of his forbearance spreads his cloak beneath the tribe,

The tranquility of forbearance carpets the living quarters with its coolness

and the surge of his might terrifies his challenger.

And the verse of power that its resolute ones fear

إذا اللفظةُ العوراءُ ندتْ لسمعهِ

إذا اللفظةُ العوراءُ ندتْ لسمعهِ

طواها كريمٌ ساحب الذيل رافلهْ

طواها كريمٌ ساحب الذيل رافلهْ

When an offensive word strays to his hearing,

When the shameless word cried out to his hearing

a noble man folds it away, trailing his flowing robe.

A generous one concealed it, trailing his garment

تشدُّ حُباهُ في النَّديِّ بماجدٍ

تشدُّ حُباهُ في النَّديِّ بماجدٍ

فواضلهُ فيَّاضةٌ وفضائلهْ

فواضلهُ فيَّاضةٌ وفضائلهْ

In the council his knee-bands clasp a noble man,

His generosity ties firmly with glory

whose favors and virtues overflow.

So his hospitality is overflowing and his virtues

وأغيدُ ميَّاسٌ بعطْفِه

وأغيدُ ميَّاسٌ بعطْفِه

تُخاف عواديه وتُرجى فواضله

تُخاف عواديه وتُرجى فواضله

And a slender one, swaying its flank,

And I bid farewell to a faithful friend, his companionship

whose onslaughts are feared and whose favors are hoped for,

Feared in its separation but hoped for in its constancy

يَصفُّ سطورَ النِّقس في مطمئنَّة

يَصفُّ سطورَ النِّقس في مطمئنَّة

كما اصطفَّ للملك المهيب قنابله

كما اصطفَّ للملك المهيب قنابله

arrays rows of ink on a level sheet,

He lines up the registers of scores in calmness

as battalions line up for an awe-inspiring king.

As he lined up for battle the king, inspiring awe

كشفت به غمّاً بيومٍ عَصبْصبٍ

كشفت به غمّاً بيومٍ عَصبْصبٍ

وقد فلَّلت حدَّ السيوف معابله

وقد فلَّلت حدَّ السيوف معابله

Through it I dispelled grief on a grievous day,

Through him I uncovered a care on a woeful day

when its broad arrowheads had blunted the edges of swords.

When the sword blades were let loose and clashed

أبا حسنٍ هوْلٌ من الفضل باهرٌ

أبا حسنٍ هوْلٌ من الفضل باهرٌ

أتاك به مستفحلُ القول بازلُهْ

أتاك به مستفحلُ القول بازلُهْ

O Abu Hasan, a dazzling wonder of excellence

Abu Hassan, a magnificent feat of merit

has been brought to you by a mighty master of speech, its seasoned champion,

Came to you powerfully convincing though young

على حين جورٍ من زمانٍ مُكلِّحِ

على حين جورٍ من زمانٍ مُكلِّحِ

كسحبانه يوم التَّفاخر باقلُهْ

كسحبانه يوم التَّفاخر باقلُهْ

in an hour of injustice from a grim-faced age,

At a time of injustice by an era of decay

whose Baqil is like its Sahban on the day of boasting.

Like clouds of drizzle on the day of vying

فكن حيث ظنَّ المجد فيك فإنما

فكن حيث ظنَّ المجد فيك فإنما

تُخبِّرُ عن سحِّ الغَمام مخائله

تُخبِّرُ عن سحِّ الغَمام مخائله

Be, then, as glory has deemed you, for

So be where glory thought of you, for only

it is a cloud's signs that foretell its pouring rain.

Its clouds' downpour tells of its passages