زُرvisit للأحبّةِfor the beloveds أربعاًdwelling places ومعالماand landmarks
زُر للأحبّةِ أربعاً ومعالما
واِلثِمand kiss بهنّin them لهندof Hind رسماًa trace راسماstill visible
واِلثِم بهنّ لهند رسماً راسما
Visit the beloveds’ dwelling places and landmarks,
Visit the loved ones four times and their landmarks,
and kiss there a lingering trace of Hind.
And kiss them as a painter paints a graceful image.
إنَّindeed الزيارةthe visit للديارِto the dwellings فريضةٌa duty
إنَّ الزيارة للديارِ فريضةٌ
أَضحَتhas become عليكupon you فكُنso be بفرضكwith your duty قائماfulfilling
أَضحَت عليك فكُن بفرضك قائما
Visiting the dwellings is indeed a duty
Visiting one's homeland is an obligation
that has become incumbent on you; so fulfill your duty.
That has become binding, so stand by your duty.
دمنٌruined camps إِذاwhen لاحَتappeared لَناto us عَرصاتهاtheir courtyards
دمنٌ إِذا لاحَت لَنا عَرصاتها
جرتِflowed الدموعُthe tears منfrom الشؤونِthe tear ducts سَواجماstreaming
جرتِ الدموعُ من الشؤونِ سَواجما
Ruined camps—whenever their courtyards appear to us,
Whenever its open plains appear to us,
tears pour streaming from the tear ducts.
Tears flow copiously from yearning.
عفتِeffaced الرياحthe winds رسومهاtheir traces فتنكّرتso became unrecognizable
عفتِ الرياح رسومها فتنكّرت
إلّاexcept ثلاثاًthree فيamong الرسومِthe traces جَواثماcrouching
إلّا ثلاثاً في الرسومِ جَواثما
The winds effaced their traces, leaving them unrecognizable,
The winds have erased its traces and altered them,
except for three crouching among the ruins.
Except for three that remain in the traces.
وَلَقدand indeed عهدتI knew منَamong الخليطِthe companions بسوحهاin their courtyards
وَلَقد عهدت منَ الخليطِ بسوحها
بيضاًfair women كأمثالِlike the likenesses of الشموسِthe suns نواعماtender
بيضاً كأمثالِ الشموسِ نواعما
And among the company in their courtyards I once knew
And I knew its meadows with their open spaces
fair, tender women like so many suns.
Were white like images of gentle suns.
يفضحنَthey put to shame أغصانَbranches الأراكِof the arak معاطفاًswaying forms
يفضحنَ أغصانَ الأراكِ معاطفاً
لدناًsupple وأسماطand strings الجمانof pearls مباسماsmiles
لدناً وأسماط الجمان مباسما
They shame the arak branches with their forms,
Exposing the sleeves of the meadows as cloaks,
so supple, and strings of pearls with their smiles.
Gentle and with smiling chamomile flowers.
سقيتmay be watered أبارقهاtheir rocky hills البروقlightning flashes وسفحهاand their slope
سقيت أبارقها البروق وسفحها
ودقَthe rain السوافحِof pouring clouds والغميمand al-Ghamim غمائماrainclouds
ودقَ السوافحِ والغميم غمائما
May their rocky hills be watered with lightning, and their slope
Its lightning watered it and its plain,
with the rain of pouring clouds, and al-Ghamim with rainclouds.
And the dripping of the plains and clouds overflowed.
وَكَستand clothed يدَthe hand الغيثِof rain المجلجلresounding قطرهُits drops
وَكَست يدَ الغيثِ المجلجل قطرهُ
بِرُسومهاat their traces الروضthe garden البهيجlovely كمائماflower buds
بِرُسومها الروض البهيج كمائما
And may the hand of rain, whose drops resound, clothe
Until when the heavy rain rested its pouring drops,
the lovely garden at their ruins in flower buds.
The lovely garden became adorned like bracelets.
حتّىuntil إِذاwhen باتَspent the night الحياthe rain يَبكيweeping بهاthere
حتّى إِذا باتَ الحيا يَبكي بها
أَضحىbecame by morning بهاthere النوّارthe blossoms يضحكُlaughing باسماsmiling
أَضحى بها النوّار يضحكُ باسما
Until, when the rain spent the night weeping there,
Until when the snakes cried in it,
by morning the blossoms there were laughing, smiling.
The streams laughed in it with delight.
وَسَرىand drifted النسيمُthe breeze بهاthrough them وفضّand unsealed المسكthe musk فيin
وَسَرى النسيمُ بها وفضّ المسك في
تلكَthose الرياضgardens المعجباتwondrous لطائماperfume caskets
تلكَ الرياض المعجبات لطائما
And the breeze passed through them, releasing musk in
The breeze wandered through it and the musk diffused
those wondrous gardens from opened caskets.
In those amazing gardens and scattered spices.
وأغنّand a soft-voiced one يَرشُقنيshoots me بأسهمwith arrows لحظهِof his glance
وأغنّ يَرشُقني بأسهم لحظهِ
فَأظلّso I remain للتعذيبِto torment منهfrom him لازماbound
فَأظلّ للتعذيبِ منه لازما
And a soft-voiced beloved shoots me with the arrows of his glance,
Its glance showers me with arrows,
so I remain bound to the torment he inflicts.
So I remain subjected to its torment.
حكّمتهI made him ruler فيover مُهجتيmy heart حتّىuntil غداhe became
حكّمته في مُهجتي حتّى غدا
منهُfrom him عليهاover it بالكآبةِwith sorrow حاكماa ruler
منهُ عليها بالكآبةِ حاكما
I made him ruler over my heart, until he became
I surrendered to it in my soul until
its ruler through the sorrow he inflicted.
It ruled over it with sadness.
وَأجزتand I allowed فيماin whatever يَرتَضيhe pleases قتليkilling me لهto him
وَأجزت فيما يَرتَضي قتلي له
فغدوتso I became فيin نفسيmyself بذلكَthrough that آثِماguilty
فغدوت في نفسي بذلكَ آثِما
And I gave him leave to kill me as he pleased,
And I allowed it to kill me as it wished,
so I thereby became guilty against myself.
Thus becoming a sinner against myself.
قمرٌa moon أطعتُI obeyed هواهُhis desire مذsince هاويتهُI loved him
قمرٌ أطعتُ هواهُ مذ هاويتهُ
متبرّعاًwillingly وعصيتُand I defied فيهconcerning him اللائماthe reproacher
متبرّعاً وعصيتُ فيه اللائما
A moon whose wishes I obeyed since I loved him,
A moon whose love I obeyed when I fell for it,
willingly; and for his sake I defied the reproacher.
Volunteering, while disobeying the blamer.
سكنَdwelt الفؤادthe heart ولمand did not يَزلcease متصعّداًrising
سكنَ الفؤاد ولم يَزل متصعّداً
كالصخرِlike rock فتّتshattered فيamong الديارِthe dwellings مآكماknolls
كالصخرِ فتّت في الديارِ مآكما
He dwelt in the heart, and never ceased rising,
It settled in my heart and did not cease ascending
like rock shattered into knolls among the dwellings.
Like a boulder that crushed the homelands.
سَكَنَdwelt الفؤادthe heart ولمand did not يزلcease متصعّداًrising
سَكَنَ الفؤاد ولم يزل متصعّداً
ليbefore me شخصهُhis form مُتيقّظاًawake أوor نائماasleep
لي شخصهُ مُتيقّظاً أو نائما
He dwelt in the heart, and never ceased rising,
It settled in my heart and did not cease to ascend,
his form before me, whether I was awake or asleep.
Whether I envisioned it awake or sleeping.
وَحكتand resembled ثَناياthe front teeth ثغرهِof his mouth فيin كشرهِhis grin
وَحكت ثَنايا ثغرهِ في كشرهِ
أسماطstrings لؤلؤةa pearl وفوهand his mouth الخاتماthe ring
أسماط لؤلؤة وفوه الخاتما
And the front teeth of his mouth, when he grinned, resembled
And the curves of its mouth against its cheek
strings of pearl, and his mouth a ring.
Were like strands of pearls and the seal ring.
وعشيّةand one evening ودّعتهI bade him farewell ودموعهand his tears
وعشيّة ودّعته ودموعه
تذكيkindle منَof الأشواقِlongings جمراًembers جاحماblazing
تذكي منَ الأشواقِ جمراً جاحما
And one evening I bade him farewell, while his tears
And the evening I bid it farewell, its tears
kindled blazing embers of longing.
Kindled the burning embers of yearning.
أَشكوI lament ويَشكوand he laments ماwhat لقيتI endured وماand what لقيhe endured
أَشكو ويَشكو ما لقيت وما لقي
وَأذيعُand I reveal ماwhat قدalready كنتI had been قدماًformerly كاتماconcealing
وَأذيعُ ما قد كنت قدماً كاتما
I lament, and he laments, what I endured and what he endured,
I complain and it complains of what I faced and what it faced,
and I reveal what I had long kept hidden.
And I divulge what I had kept secret before.
نارthe fire الجوىof heartache والوجدand yearning لاnot أناI سالمٌsafe
نار الجوى والوجد لا أنا سالمٌ
منهاfrom it ولاnor هوhe قطّever منهاfrom it سالماsafe
منها ولا هو قطّ منها سالما
The fire of heartache and yearning—neither am I safe
The fire of love and passion does not leave me unharmed,
from it, nor has he ever been safe from it.
Nor does it ever leave it unharmed.
حتّىuntil إِذاwhen أزفَdrew near الفراقparting وصارَand became حلsweet (first fragment)
حتّى إِذا أزفَ الفراق وصارَ حل
وcompletion of 'sweet' وَداعناour farewell عندat الفراقِparting علاقماbitter colocynth
و وَداعنا عند الفراقِ علاقما
Until, when parting drew near and the sweetness
Until when separation drew near and the time of farewell came,
of our farewell at parting turned to bitter colocynth,
And our farewell was heated at the separation.
صافَحتهI clasped him خدّيmy cheek بصفحةِagainst the surface of خدّهِhis cheek
صافَحته خدّي بصفحةِ خدّهِ
وَلثمتُand I kissed منهof him واجباًa cheek وبراجماand knuckles
وَلثمتُ منه واجباً وبراجما
I clasped him, my cheek against the surface of his cheek,
I pressed my cheek to its cheek,
and kissed his cheek and knuckles.
And kissed it out of duty and desire.
رَعىmay be cherished الشبابyouth فَماhow delicious ألذّdraughts مشارباًline_46
رَعى الشباب فَما ألذّ مشارباً
فيناamong us وأعذبand how sweet للنفوسِto souls مَطاعماfoods
فينا وأعذب للنفوسِ مَطاعما
May youth be cherished! How delicious its draughts
Youth was quenched, nothing is sweeter than our drinking places,
among us, and how sweet its food to our souls!
And nothing more delicious for the soul than our food.
وَأَرىand I see بنيsons الأيّامof days ذاكthat one محارباًopposing
وَأَرى بني الأيّام ذاك محارباً
فيماin what أحاوِلهI attempt وذاكَand that one مُسالماmaking peace
فيما أحاوِله وذاكَ مُسالما
And I see the sons of days: one opposing
And I see the days where once was that warrior
what I strive for, and another making peace.
In what I attempt, and that peacemaker.
ياO مَنone whom أراهI see him لفكرهthrough his thought مُستنتجاًbringing forth
يا مَن أراه لفكره مُستنتجاً
أَبكارَvirgin creations لفظٍof wording كالجمانِlike pearls كرائماprecious
أَبكارَ لفظٍ كالجمانِ كرائما
O you whom I see bringing forth through your thought
O you whom I see deducing the virgin utterances
virgin words, precious as pearls,
Like fine pearls from his speech.
لاdo not تقصدنever seek إلّاexcept المظفّرal-Muzaffar مادحاًpraising
لا تقصدن إلّا المظفّر مادحاً
إِنif أنتَyou قرّضتcomposed verse البديهةَspontaneous inspiration ناظماversifying
إِن أنتَ قرّضت البديهةَ ناظما
in praising, seek none but al-Muzaffar,
Seek only praise if you compose poetry,
if you compose your verse impromptu.
For a king who strove for favors and whose hands
ملكٌa king سَعىstrove فيfor المَكرُماتِnoble deeds ولمand had not تمطremoved
ملكٌ سَعى في المَكرُماتِ ولم تمط
أَيديhands الولايدthe maidservants بعدyet عنهُfrom him تمائماamulets
أَيدي الولايد بعد عنهُ تمائما
A king who strove for noble deeds before
Never detached from benevolence or amulets.
maidservants’ hands had even removed his amulets.
No cheek of his blushed except that he brought pride
ماnot اِخضرّgrew green عارضthe cheek-beard خدِّهhis cheek إلّاexcept وقدand already
ما اِخضرّ عارض خدِّه إلّا وقد
سادَruled الأنامَmankind أعارباًArabs وأعاجماand non-Arabs
سادَ الأنامَ أعارباً وأعاجما
The down on his cheek did not turn green until he had already
To both Arabs and non-Arabs.
ruled mankind, Arabs and non-Arabs.
His voice never insulted a blamer
ماnot شامَwatched مزنrainclouds نداهُof his bounty يوماًever شائمa watcher
ما شامَ مزن نداهُ يوماً شائم
إلّاexcept بواكفهwith its downpour أسرّgladdened الشائماthe watcher
إلّا بواكفه أسرّ الشائما
No watcher ever scanned the rainclouds of his bounty
Except that his hands imprisoned the blamer.
without their downpour gladdening the watcher.
His treasures of munificence and generosity were exhausted,
نَفَدتwere exhausted خزائنهhis treasuries ندىًin bounty وسماحةًand generosity
نَفَدت خزائنه ندىً وسماحةً
منهfrom him وماand not لثمتkissed يداهhis hands درهماa dirham
منه وما لثمت يداه درهما
His treasuries were exhausted by bounty and generosity
Yet his hands never touched a single coin.
from him, though his hands had never kissed a dirham.
He gives and is lavish in giving, and he was never
يُعطيhe gives ويُسرفُand is lavish فيin العطاءgiving ولمand has not يكنbeen
يُعطي ويُسرفُ في العطاء ولم يكن
أبداًever علىfor فرطِexcess السماحةِof generosity نادماregretful
أبداً على فرطِ السماحةِ نادما
He gives and is lavish in giving, and has never been
Regretful of excessive generosity.
regretful of the excess of his generosity.
And whenever hardships struck him, you would find him
وَمَتىand whenever ضربتyou strike بهwith him الخطوبcalamities وجدتهُyou find him
وَمَتى ضربت به الخطوب وجدتهُ
فيin قَطعِهاcutting them عضبَkeen المضاربthe striking edges صارماa cleaving sword
في قَطعِها عضبَ المضارب صارما
And whenever you strike calamities with him, you find him
Breaking through them, sword of the attakers firm.
in cleaving them, a keen-edged, cutting sword.
O you who is unmatched in your glories, and who
ياO مَنone who تفرّدstood alone فيin مفاخرهِhis glories ومنand whoever
يا مَن تفرّد في مفاخرهِ ومن
يرجوكhopes in you حتّىuntil صرنthey became فيهin him سوائماgrazing herds
يرجوك حتّى صرن فيه سوائما
O you, unrivaled in your glories and those of whoever
Can hope for you until they become your equal?
hopes in you, till they become herds grazing within him,
You unleashed in the garden of munificence hopes that
أطلقتyou set free فيin روضِthe meadow الندىof bounty آمالhopes منof one who
أطلقت في روضِ الندى آمال من
مَلأfilled الزمانَthe age محامداًpraiseworthy deeds ومكارماand noble acts
مَلأ الزمانَ محامداً ومكارما
you set loose in bounty’s meadow the hopes of one
Filled time with praise and nobility.
who filled the age with praiseworthy deeds and noble acts.
And you granted in the drought of time spoils,
وَوهبتand you bestowed فيin جدبِthe drought الزمانof time مغانماًspoils
وَوهبت في جدبِ الزمان مغانماً
وحملتand you bore فيin هدنthe truces الزمانِof time مَغارماdebts
وحملت في هدن الزمانِ مَغارما
And in time’s drought you bestowed spoils,
And undertook in the truce of time treasures.
and in time’s truces you shouldered debts.
You called after renown beyond renown for favor
وَدعيتand you were called كعباًKa‘b بعدafter كعبٍKa‘b للندىfor bounty
وَدعيت كعباً بعد كعبٍ للندى
وَالمكرماتand noble deeds وبعدand after حاتمHatim حاتماHatim
وَالمكرمات وبعد حاتم حاتما
And you were called a Ka‘b after Ka‘b for bounty
And generosity, and after Hatim, Hatim.
and noble deeds, and, after Hatim, a Hatim.
Partial English translation: 71 of 72 Arabic lines translated.