أخنّس مهى أَم أنجمٌ ودراري

أخنّس مهى أَم أنجمٌ ودراري

حَوتهنَّ سفن في السراب جوارِ

حَوتهنَّ سفن في السراب جوارِ

Are these snub-nosed oryx, or stars and radiant planets,

Are they snub-nosed oryx, or stars and brilliant luminaries,

enclosed by ships sailing within the mirage?

held by ships sailing through the mirage?

حَوتهنَّ سفنُ البرِّ تَجري بها على

حَوتهنَّ سفنُ البرِّ تَجري بها على

نجابٍ تراها وهي غير بحارِ

نجابٍ تراها وهي غير بحارِ

Ships of the land bear them, traveling with them upon

Land-ships bear them, sailing with them upon

noble she-camels you behold—though these are no seas.

fine camels you behold, though they are no seas.

تَولّوا ولي قلبٌ عليك كأنّه

تَولّوا ولي قلبٌ عليك كأنّه

يقطّع عقبي سهم بمدارِ

يقطّع عقبي سهم بمدارِ

They turned away, while for your sake my heart seemed

They departed; my heart is set on you, as though

as though a wheeling arrow were severing my heel-cords.

an arrow on its circuit were tearing at my heel.

فيا لَيتهم عاجوا لِتَوديع مدنفٍ

فيا لَيتهم عاجوا لِتَوديع مدنفٍ

يَحومُ إِلى تَوديعهم ويدارِ

يَحومُ إِلى تَوديعهم ويدارِ

Would that they had turned aside to bid farewell to a lovesick man

O, if only they had turned aside to farewell one wasted by love,

who hovers near to take his leave of them, yet is turned away—

who hovers toward their farewell and tries to coax them.

محبٌّ كئيبٌ في الصبابةِ دأبهُ

محبٌّ كئيبٌ في الصبابةِ دأبهُ

يُبايع في سوقِ الهوى ويشارِ

يُبايع في سوقِ الهوى ويشارِ

a sorrowful lover whose constant lot in passion

A sorrowful lover, whose habit amid passionate longing

is to be bought and sold in love’s market, and pointed out.

is to trade and bargain in love's marketplace.

أَلا قُل لذاتِ الدلّ ما بالها نأت

أَلا قُل لذاتِ الدلّ ما بالها نأت

وَشطَّت مزاراً بعد قرب مزارِ

وَشطَّت مزاراً بعد قرب مزارِ

Hark, ask the coy and graceful one: what has befallen her, that she withdrew

Tell the coquettish beauty: why has she drawn away

and made her visiting-place distant, after it had been near?

and become far to visit, after being near?

فَإن يعفُ رسمُ الدارِ منها فكم وكم

فَإن يعفُ رسمُ الدارِ منها فكم وكم

بِقلبي لها من أربع وديارِ

بِقلبي لها من أربع وديارِ

Though every trace of her campsite be effaced, how many—how many—

If the traces of her dwelling fade, how many, how many

encampments and dwellings of hers remain within my heart!

camps and dwellings she has within my heart!

فَمن لايمي في الحبِّ إن بعت صفقة

فَمن لايمي في الحبِّ إن بعت صفقة

لَها النفس قطعاً ليس بيع خيارِ

لَها النفس قطعاً ليس بيع خيارِ

Who can blame me in love, if I struck a bargain

Who can blame me in love, if I sold, in one bargain,

whose price was my soul outright—a sale admitting no rescission?

my soul to her outright, with no option to rescind?

بَدَت خوط بانٍ ماسَ في دعص رملةٍ

بَدَت خوط بانٍ ماسَ في دعص رملةٍ

وَليل نجومٍ فوقَ شمس نهارِ

وَليل نجومٍ فوقَ شمس نهارِ

She appeared like a supple bān-tree shoot swaying upon a sandy dune,

She appeared—a bān twig swaying on a mound of sand,

and like a starry night above the sun of day.

and a starry night above a daytime sun.

وَرقرقت الأجفان منها كأنّها

وَرقرقت الأجفان منها كأنّها

مَهاة ربت في ربربٍ وصوارِ

مَهاة ربت في ربربٍ وصوارِ

Her eyelids shimmered, as though she were

And her eyelids glistened, as though she were

a white oryx doe reared among herds of gazelles and wild cattle—

an oryx doe reared among herds of antelope and wild cattle.

منَ البهكناتِ البيض خمصانة الحشا

منَ البهكناتِ البيض خمصانة الحشا

عَلى خدِّها ماءُ النضارةِ جارِ

عَلى خدِّها ماءُ النضارةِ جارِ

one of the full-figured, fair-skinned women, slender of waist,

Among the fair, voluptuous beauties, slender-waisted,

the water of freshness flowing over her cheek.

the water of freshness flows across her cheek.

وَتبسمُ عَن صافي الثنيّات يحتوي

وَتبسمُ عَن صافي الثنيّات يحتوي

نميراً مشوباً صفوه بعقارِ

نميراً مشوباً صفوه بعقارِ

She smiles, revealing pure, gleaming incisors that enclose

And she smiles, revealing pure front teeth that hold

two sweet draughts, their purity blended with wine.

sweet water whose purity is mingled with wine.

وَحلّة روضٍ حاكَها واكفُ الحيا

وَحلّة روضٍ حاكَها واكفُ الحيا

عَلى ربوةٍ في الأرضِ ذات قرارِ

عَلى ربوةٍ في الأرضِ ذات قرارِ

And a meadow’s robe, woven by pouring rain,

And a garden's robe, woven by pouring rain,

upon a hillock firmly rooted in the earth,

upon a hill in the land, a place of repose,

مُرصّعة مِن لؤلؤٍ وزبرجدٍ

مُرصّعة مِن لؤلؤٍ وزبرجدٍ

وَمِن فضةٍ محليّة ونضارِ

وَمِن فضةٍ محليّة ونضارِ

inlaid with pearls and emeralds,

studded with pearls and chrysolite,

adorned with silver and with gold.

and adorned with silver and gold.

أَلثّ بها جون السحابِ مواصلاً

أَلثّ بها جون السحابِ مواصلاً

قطارَ الحيا من ودقهِ بقطارِ

قطارَ الحيا من ودقهِ بقطارِ

Over it a dark rain-cloud lingered unceasingly,

Dark clouds lingered over it, joining

pouring from its downpour one train of rain after another.

one shower of rain from their downpour to another.

فَفاحَ بِها نشرُ العرارِ كأنّه

فَفاحَ بِها نشرُ العرارِ كأنّه

خلاق أبي الطيب المليك عرارِ

خلاق أبي الطيب المليك عرارِ

Then the fragrance of ʿarār blossoms breathed through it, as though

The scent of ʿarār blossoms wafted there, as though it were

it were the character of Abu al-Tayyib, King ʿArār.

the virtues of Abū al-Ṭayyib, King ʿArār.

فَتىً شادَ ما قد شاده قبل جدّهِ

فَتىً شادَ ما قد شاده قبل جدّهِ

وَوالده مِن سؤددٍ وفخارِ

وَوالده مِن سؤددٍ وفخارِ

A young man who built up what his grandfather before him had built,

A youth who built up what his grandfather had built before him,

and his father too, of sovereign nobility and glory.

and his father—eminence and glory.

وَساسَ أمورَ العالمين جميعها

وَساسَ أمورَ العالمين جميعها

وَلم يَبدُ منه الشعر فوق عذارِ

وَلم يَبدُ منه الشعر فوق عذارِ

He governed the affairs of all the worlds

And he governed all the affairs of humankind,

while no hair had yet appeared upon his cheek.

while no hair had yet appeared along his cheek.

إِذا ما تحلّى المُترفونَ بِعجبهم

إِذا ما تحلّى المُترفونَ بِعجبهم

تَحلّى ببردَي عفَّةٍ ووقارِ

تَحلّى ببردَي عفَّةٍ ووقارِ

When those who confess their incapacity put on their adornments,

When the pampered adorn themselves with their conceit,

he adorns himself with the twin mantles of integrity and dignity.

he dons the twin mantles of chastity and dignity.

يقصِّر عنهُ حاتمٌ واِبنُ عاصمٍ

يقصِّر عنهُ حاتمٌ واِبنُ عاصمٍ

غَداةَ نوالٍ أو غداة مغارِ

غَداةَ نوالٍ أو غداة مغارِ

Ḥātim and Ibn ʿĀṣim alike fall short of him,

Ḥātim and Ibn ʿĀṣim fall short of him

whether at the hour of largesse or the hour of attack.

on a morning of giving or a morning of raiding.

مَتى ما تُجاورهُ وَتَنزل بربعهِ

مَتى ما تُجاورهُ وَتَنزل بربعهِ

تَعِش منهُ مَغبوطاً بحسن جوارِ

تَعِش منهُ مَغبوطاً بحسن جوارِ

Whenever you become his neighbor and lodge within his domain,

Whenever you live beside him and lodge in his abode,

you will live with him, envied for his fine neighborly protection.

you live, thanks to him, envied for such good neighborliness.

يُحيط به الجلال مِن قبلة ومن

يُحيط به الجلال مِن قبلة ومن

وراء وَمِن عن يمينهِ ويسارِ

وراء وَمِن عن يمينهِ ويسارِ

Majesty surrounds him from before and from

Majesty surrounds him, from in front and

behind, from his right and from his left.

behind, and from his right and left.

وَيَرتكبُ الهيجا وليس لثامهُ

وَيَرتكبُ الهيجا وليس لثامهُ

سِوى حلّةٍ مِن غيهبٍ وقتارِ

سِوى حلّةٍ مِن غيهبٍ وقتارِ

He plunges into fierce battle with no veil upon his face

And he plunges into battle, with no face-veil

but a robe of pitch-darkness and dust-haze,

but a robe of darkness and smoke,

إِذا الخيلُ كرّت وهيَ بين لوابرٍ

إِذا الخيلُ كرّت وهيَ بين لوابرٍ

بِفُرسانِها تهوي وبين غوارِ

بِفُرسانِها تهوي وبين غوارِ

when the cavalry wheels and charges among shaggy-maned steeds,

when the horses charge—some powerful steeds

their horsemen hurtling on, and among deep-plunging chargers.

hurtling with their riders, others raiding—

وَسدّت شعاعَ الشمسِ في رونقِ الضحى

وَسدّت شعاعَ الشمسِ في رونقِ الضحى

غياهبُ نقعٍ في السماءِ مثارِ

غياهبُ نقعٍ في السماءِ مثارِ

And blocking the sun’s rays in the splendor of forenoon are

and the sunlight in midmorning's splendor is blocked

dark masses of dust, stirred high into the sky.

by the darkness of dust stirred up into the sky.

أَبا الطيب لا زالت مَراتعك الّتي

أَبا الطيب لا زالت مَراتعك الّتي

تَأهّلتها موصولة بعمارِ

تَأهّلتها موصولة بعمارِ

O Abu al-Tayyib, may those pastures of yours which

Abū al-Ṭayyib, may your pastures, which

you made your home remain forever joined to flourishing habitation.

you have settled in, remain forever well inhabited.

أَلَم ترني أنّي جَعلتك للّذي

أَلَم ترني أنّي جَعلتك للّذي

أقرّضه دون الأنام خيارِ

أقرّضه دون الأنام خيارِ

Do you not see that I have made you, for what

Have you not seen that I have made you, for what

I fashion in praise, my choice above all humankind?

I compose in verse, my choice above all humankind?

وَلَم يكُ إلّا في ثنائك كلّما

وَلَم يكُ إلّا في ثنائك كلّما

ألجلجُ في سري به وجهارِ

ألجلجُ في سري به وجهارِ

And it is only in your praise, whenever

And it has been only in your praise, whenever

I rehearse it in secret thought and open speech.

I murmur it in secret and aloud.

فَإِن كنت عن شاني لذلك سائلاً

فَإِن كنت عن شاني لذلك سائلاً

فَسَلني فَهذا ديدني وشعاري

فَسَلني فَهذا ديدني وشعاري

And if you would ask about my practice in this,

So if you are asking about my purpose in this,

then ask me: this is my constant habit and my watchword.

then ask me: this is my habit and my watchword.