أصمَّ أذنيهِ ما يُبديهِ عاذلهُ

أصمَّ أذنيهِ ما يُبديهِ عاذلهُ

وَحالَ عن سمعِ ما يرويه حائلهُ

وَحالَ عن سمعِ ما يرويه حائلهُ

What his reproacher voices has deafened his ears,

He turned a deaf ear to the reproaches of the censor

And his barrier blocked him from hearing what the reproacher recounts.

And ignored the reports of the slanderer

فَكفكفَ الدمعَ من جفنيهِ فاِنحدرت

فَكفكفَ الدمعَ من جفنيهِ فاِنحدرت

وَأسبلت فوقَ خدّيه سوابلهُ

وَأسبلت فوقَ خدّيه سوابلهُ

So he wiped the tears from his eyelids, yet down poured

So he wiped the tears from his eyelids and they flowed

And streamed over his cheeks their torrents.

Cascading down his cheeks

مُسترحمٌ قلبَ خلِّ ليس يرحمهُ

مُسترحمٌ قلبَ خلِّ ليس يرحمهُ

وَواصلٌ حبلَ خلِّ لا يواصلهُ

وَواصلٌ حبلَ خلِّ لا يواصلهُ

Seeking mercy from the heart of a beloved who shows him none,

Appealing in vain to the heart of an aloof beloved

And sustaining the bond of a beloved who will not reciprocate.

Joining a thread the indifferent would not extend

رضي بحكمِ الهوى قسراً فساغ له

رضي بحكمِ الهوى قسراً فساغ له

منَ الهوى حقّه منه وباطلهُ

منَ الهوى حقّه منه وباطلهُ

He accepted love's decree by force, and thus found palatable

He resigned himself perforce to the rule of love

Love's truth and its falsehood alike.

Accepting from love what was his right, and its wrong

يا عاذليهِ دعوهُ في غوايتهِ

يا عاذليهِ دعوهُ في غوايتهِ

فإنّها علّة ليست تزايلهُ

فإنّها علّة ليست تزايلهُ

O you who reproach him, leave him to his waywardness,

O you who reproach him, leave him to his madness

For it is an affliction that will not leave him.

It is an illness no reproving will drive away

داءٌ تنزَّل فيه لو يعالجهُ

داءٌ تنزَّل فيه لو يعالجهُ

عيسى ابن مريمة أعياهُ نازلهُ

عيسى ابن مريمة أعياهُ نازلهُ

An illness has descended upon him; even were he treated by

A malady that would defy Jesus Christ if he came

Jesus, son of Mary, that affliction would baffle him.

To heal it – so obstinate is its grasp

وَشادن مِن ظباءِ الإنس ما حبلت

وَشادن مِن ظباءِ الإنس ما حبلت

إلّا الأسودُ له صيدا حبائلهُ

إلّا الأسودُ له صيدا حبائلهُ

And a fawn among the gazelles of humankind—his snares have caught

Of all the beauties humankind has borne

None but lions as his prey.

Only the black gazelle, the prey his snare would entrap

قبّلتُ مبسمهُ يومَ الرحيل وقد

قبّلتُ مبسمهُ يومَ الرحيل وقد

أَغرى بهِ الدمع لمّا سالَ سائلهُ

أَغرى بهِ الدمع لمّا سالَ سائلهُ

I kissed his smiling mouth on the day of departure, while

The day we parted I kissed his smile though

The tears had enticed me to it as their stream flowed.

Tears had marred it when the weeping querist wept

يا حبّه حين يَبكي في الوداعِ وقد

يا حبّه حين يَبكي في الوداعِ وقد

تذري الدموع بخدّيهِ أناملهُ

تذري الدموع بخدّيهِ أناملهُ

How dear he is when he weeps at farewell, while

O his loveliness when he weeps at leave-taking

His fingertips scatter tears across his cheeks.

And the tears rain down his cheeks in drops

يَفوقُ شمسَ الضحى ما ضمّ برقعه

يَفوقُ شمسَ الضحى ما ضمّ برقعه

وَيخجل البدرَ ما ضمّت غلائلهُ

وَيخجل البدرَ ما ضمّت غلائلهُ

What his veil enfolds surpasses the morning sun,

Outshining the dawn sun – what his veil concealed

And what his fine robes enfold puts the full moon to shame.

Shaming the moon – what his plaits concealed

ما حالتِ الوشح في ضمآن ناحلهِ

ما حالتِ الوشح في ضمآن ناحلهِ

إلّا شَكى ظمأً للوشح ناحلهُ

إلّا شَكى ظمأً للوشح ناحلهُ

Never did the sashes shift around his thirsty, slender waist

The sash circling the roe’s fawn flank complained

Without his slender waist complaining to the sashes of thirst.

Only of thirst, though circling the roe’s wet flank

وَلا خلاخلهُ في ساقهِ اِندمجت

وَلا خلاخلهُ في ساقهِ اِندمجت

إلّا شَكت غُصصاً منه خلاخلهُ

إلّا شَكت غُصصاً منه خلاخلهُ

Nor did his anklets close around his calf

The anklets twin on his legs made no sound

Without his anklets complaining that it choked them.

But for the anklets round his legs whispering near

يا نفس لا تطمئنّي إن حلا زمنٌ

يا نفس لا تطمئنّي إن حلا زمنٌ

طمعاً ولا تَيأسي إِن غال غائلهُ

طمعاً ولا تَيأسي إِن غال غائلهُ

O soul, do not grow complacent when a time turns sweet,

O soul, hope not for ease if hardship ends

Out of hopeful longing, nor despair if its calamity strikes.

Nor despair though fate stands in your way

فإنّ للدهرِ حكماً في تقلّبه

فإنّ للدهرِ حكماً في تقلّبه

يجري على قدرٍ والمرءُ جاهلهُ

يجري على قدرٍ والمرءُ جاهلهُ

For time has a decree in its changing,

For time has a rhythm in its changes

That runs according to destiny, while man is ignorant of it.

Flowing to a hidden decree while man is blind

فَكَم غدا مُخصب يرعى المحول به

فَكَم غدا مُخصب يرعى المحول به

وَكَم ربيع غَدا يرعاهُ ماحلهُ

وَكَم ربيع غَدا يرعاهُ ماحلهُ

How many a fertile field has come to have drought graze upon it,

How often a barren land becomes fruitful grazing

And how many a spring pasture has come to be grazed by its drought!

How often a lush spring turns arid waste

فليسَ حرمانهُ يبقى لسائلهِ

فليسَ حرمانهُ يبقى لسائلهِ

وَليسَ يبقى من الأيّام نائلهُ

وَليسَ يبقى من الأيّام نائلهُ

For its denial does not last for one who asks it,

No deprivation but gives way to relief

Nor does the bounty of the days endure.

Nor joy that time does not render frail

وربّما مرتج من نيلهِ طمعاً

وربّما مرتج من نيلهِ طمعاً

منهُ أصيبَ بما يرجو مقاتلهُ

منهُ أصيبَ بما يرجو مقاتلهُ

And often one who hopes eagerly for its bounty

Many hope, but attain not what they hope for

Has his vital parts struck by it through the very thing he hopes for.

While many, not hoping, gain all they fought for

لا يستقيمُ على حالٍ فكَم نسجت

لا يستقيمُ على حالٍ فكَم نسجت

منهُ بواكرهُ حكماً أصائلهُ

منهُ بواكرهُ حكماً أصائلهُ

It never remains in one state; how often have

No state endures unchanged – how often the dawn

Its evenings woven its mornings into a decree!

Presages a day that its eve will belie

وَكم أَواخره فيما يجيءُ بهِ

وَكم أَواخره فيما يجيءُ بهِ

قد غيّرت ما قضت فيه أوائلهُ

قد غيّرت ما قضت فيه أوائلهُ

And how often its later hours, in what they bring,

How often the eve overturns the morn’s rule!

Have changed what its earlier hours decreed concerning it.

Should day break fair, I would not trust the skies

إنّي ولو أومضت منه البوارقُ ما

إنّي ولو أومضت منه البوارقُ ما

رَجوت بَل للصدى منه مخايلهُ

رَجوت بَل للصدى منه مخايلهُ

I, though its lightning flashes, have never

I have no trust in mankind, though I sought aid

Hoped; rather, its signs of rain herald thirst.

From them, all turned from me, no help supplied

ما لي وللناسِ ما اِستنصرتُ من أحدٍ

ما لي وللناسِ ما اِستنصرتُ من أحدٍ

إلّا تَعامى وَخانَتني دلائلهُ

إلّا تَعامى وَخانَتني دلائلهُ

What have I to do with people? Never have I sought anyone's help

However friendly a man seemed, his core boiled

Without his feigning blindness and his signs betraying me.

With deceit - though his face was my ally's

وَلا المرء بشّ لي بالودِّ ظاهره

وَلا المرء بشّ لي بالودِّ ظاهره

إلّا وباطنهُ تغلي مراجلهُ

إلّا وباطنهُ تغلي مراجلهُ

Nor did a man's outward self smile at me with affection

Men boast of glory – yet but asses are their sires of old!

Without the cauldrons of his inner self boiling.

You are peerless in bounty, in mould unlike

وَقَد أرى المجدَ ما في الناس منتسبٌ

وَقَد أرى المجدَ ما في الناس منتسبٌ

إلّا لحمير ماضيه وقابلهُ

إلّا لحمير ماضيه وقابلهُ

Yet I see glory among men claiming no lineage

When swords flashed, you alone held bright blades in the fray

But Himyar, in its past and future alike.

Towering over your peers when lances lowered

متوّج ما مثيل من يماثلهُ

متوّج ما مثيل من يماثلهُ

في المكرُماتِ ولا شكلاً يشاكلهُ

في المكرُماتِ ولا شكلاً يشاكلهُ

A crowned man, with no equal to rival him

The noble quests availed to distract you

In noble deeds, nor any counterpart resembling him.

Nothing else ever has your attention held

ما ظلَّ في غيرِ صدرِ الزحفِ صارمه

ما ظلَّ في غيرِ صدرِ الزحفِ صارمه

وَلا سَطا في سوى الأقران ذابلهُ

وَلا سَطا في سوى الأقران ذابلهُ

His sharp sword has stood nowhere but at the forefront of the charge,

A sun in glory and majesty – none but your signs guide it

Nor has his slender spear struck any but equal foes.

A lion of war who makes strongholds quake

قَد أَشغَلته المَعالي حيث قام بها

قَد أَشغَلته المَعالي حيث قام بها

وَليسَ شيء سواها قطّ شاغلهُ

وَليسَ شيء سواها قطّ شاغلهُ

Lofty deeds have occupied him wherever he undertook them,

With no lairs save those of felled arch-enemies

And nothing else has ever occupied him.

How often you hurled back hordes in the fray

شمسٌ منَ الفخرِ والإجلالِ ليس له

شمسٌ منَ الفخرِ والإجلالِ ليس له

في جريه فلكٌ إلّا صواهلهُ

في جريه فلكٌ إلّا صواهلهُ

He is a sun of pride and grandeur, with no

Till companies vanished, drowned in the mêlée

Orbit for his course but his neighing steeds.

The day the clouds of war rise, veiling the sun

وَليثُ حربٍ له تعنو ضراغمهُ

وَليثُ حربٍ له تعنو ضراغمهُ

وَليسَ غاباته إلّا عواسلهُ

وَليسَ غاباته إلّا عواسلهُ

And a lion of war, before whom his fierce lions bow,

When the rooks of carnage croak hoarse in battle

Whose forests are nothing but his swaying spears.

O matchless in noble deed, whose overarching fame

كَم قادَ مِن جحفلٍ يوم الوغى لجبٍ

كَم قادَ مِن جحفلٍ يوم الوغى لجبٍ

في لجّةٍ أَصبحت غرقا جحافلهُ

في لجّةٍ أَصبحت غرقا جحافلهُ

How many a clamorous host has he led on battle's day,

Shadows all the horizons' expanse!

In a deep sea where his hosts were drowned!

What can a poet say whose sole boast is your patronage,

يوم يسدُّ شعاع الشمس غيهبهُ

يوم يسدُّ شعاع الشمس غيهبهُ

إِذا عجاجُ الوغى ثارَت قساطلهُ

إِذا عجاجُ الوغى ثارَت قساطلهُ

A day whose darkness blocks the sun's rays,

The sole means to his ambition, that you allow?

When the clouds of battle dust rise in billows.

None but you provides for souls in the wild

يا مَن تفرّد بالفعلِ الحميدِ ومن

يا مَن تفرّد بالفعلِ الحميدِ ومن

عمّت جميعَ الورى طرّاً فضائلهُ

عمّت جميعَ الورى طرّاً فضائلهُ

O you who stand alone in praiseworthy deeds, and whose

Save He who created man ere you succoured him

Virtues have embraced all humankind, every one,

None climbs to the heaven of bounty but by yourmight,

ما القولُ في شاعرٍ في الناس ليس لهُ

ما القولُ في شاعرٍ في الناس ليس لهُ

شأنٌ سِوى جاهكَ القاضي يحاولهُ

شأنٌ سِوى جاهكَ القاضي يحاولهُ

What do you say of a poet who, among men, has no

No other attains those loftiest highs

Concern but your decisive influence, which he seeks?

I dedicate to your glory the jewel of verse

ما في البريّةِ إلّا أنتَ رازقهُ

ما في البريّةِ إلّا أنتَ رازقهُ

مِن بعد رازقه الباري وكافلهُ

مِن بعد رازقه الباري وكافلهُ

In all creation, none but you provides for him,

Capacious, far-spread, consummate and whole

After his Provider, the Creator—and you are his guardian.

Lines that if strongly declaimed at a sitting would exceed

وَما بهِ في سماءِ المكرُمات سَمت

وَما بهِ في سماءِ المكرُمات سَمت

إلّا بعزّك في العليا منازلهُ

إلّا بعزّك في العليا منازلهُ

And in the heaven of noble deeds they have never risen with him,

Labid and Abu Tamam in duration

Save through your glory—his stations on high.

Extraordinary in rhetoric and lexicon

أَهدى لمجدِك درَّ النظمِ متّسعاً

أَهدى لمجدِك درَّ النظمِ متّسعاً

بسيطه باسط فيه وكاملهُ

بسيطه باسط فيه وكاملهُ

He offered your glory the pearls of verse, in ample measure,

Leaving the reciter enraptured, entranced

Its Basit spreading wide within it, and its Kamil too.

شعراً إِذا ما شدا في الدسِت طال على

شعراً إِذا ما شدا في الدسِت طال على

متمِّم وأبي تمَّام قائلهُ

متمِّم وأبي تمَّام قائلهُ

Verse that, when chanted from the seat of honor, raises above

Mutammim and Abu Tammam the poet who utters it.

فيه الغرائب من نحوٍ ومن لغةٍ

فيه الغرائب من نحوٍ ومن لغةٍ

فعندَ إِنشادهِ سحبان قائلهُ

فعندَ إِنشادهِ سحبان قائلهُ

In it are rarities of grammar and language,

So when reciting it, its speaker is Sahban.