بَدَت وَأَديم الأُفق بِالنجم معجم

بَدَت وَأَديم الأُفق بِالنجم معجم

خَرائد عرب لَيسَ فيهن أَعجَم

خَرائد عرب لَيسَ فيهن أَعجَم

They appeared while the horizon’s face was inscribed with stars—

They appeared while the horizon's face was dotted with stars—

secluded Arab maidens, with no foreigner among them.

Arab maidens, with no foreigner among them.

نظمن كعقد الدر في سلك حندس

نظمن كعقد الدر في سلك حندس

يضيء بِهِ منهن ثغر وَمبسم

يضيء بِهِ منهن ثغر وَمبسم

They were strung like a necklace of pearls on a thread of deepest darkness;

Strung like a pearl necklace on a thread of pitch-black night,

through it, from among them, bright teeth and smiling mouths shone.

Their mouths and smiles shine within it.

حسان المَعاني رائِقات كَأَنَّما

حسان المَعاني رائِقات كَأَنَّما

عَلَيهن مِن نَقش الملاحة ميسم

عَلَيهن مِن نَقش الملاحة ميسم

Lovely in their charms, enchanting—as though

Lovely in their qualities, exquisite, as though

beauty’s engraved design had set its seal upon them.

Beauty's engraving had left its mark upon them.

يُحدقن أَحداقاً صحاحاً يزينها

يُحدقن أَحداقاً صحاحاً يزينها

لحاظ وَأجفان وَهدب مسحم

لحاظ وَأجفان وَهدب مسحم

They gaze with flawless eyes adorned by

They gaze with flawless eyes, adorned

glances, eyelids, and kohl-black lashes.

By glances, eyelids, and jet-black lashes.

وَيَنثرنَ مِن ذاكَ العَقيق لآلئاً

وَيَنثرنَ مِن ذاكَ العَقيق لآلئاً

بِها يجمع الحسن الأَنيق وَينظم

بِها يجمع الحسن الأَنيق وَينظم

From that agate they scatter pearls,

And they scatter pearls from that carnelian,

where exquisite beauty gathers and strings them.

With which exquisite beauty is gathered and strung.

شَهدت بِأَن الشَهد فيهن ذائب

شَهدت بِأَن الشَهد فيهن ذائب

شَهي وَلَكن حَوله بات أَرقم

شَهي وَلَكن حَوله بات أَرقم

I swear that honey has melted within them,

I bear witness that honey lies melted within them,

delicious—though a speckled serpent lies coiled around it.

Delicious—but a speckled serpent lies around it all night.

بروق يَروق الناظرين وَميضها

بروق يَروق الناظرين وَميضها

إِذا اِئتَلَقَت في اللَيل وَالجَو مظلم

إِذا اِئتَلَقَت في اللَيل وَالجَو مظلم

Lightning whose flashing delights all beholders

Lightning flashes whose gleam delights onlookers,

when they gleam at night while the sky is dark.

When they flare at night, while the sky is dark.

أَتَدري الَّذي أَعياك مِنهن في اللقا

أَتَدري الَّذي أَعياك مِنهن في اللقا

نَعم إنهُ كف خَضيب وَمعصم

نَعم إنهُ كف خَضيب وَمعصم

Do you know what among them confounded you at the encounter?

Do you know what about them baffled you at the meeting?

Yes: a henna-dyed hand and a wrist.

Yes: a henna-dyed palm and a wrist.

شموس عَلى الأَغصان أَسفرن في الدُجى

شموس عَلى الأَغصان أَسفرن في الدُجى

لأطواقها فَوقَ التَرائب أَنجُم

لأطواقها فَوقَ التَرائب أَنجُم

Suns upon branches, unveiled and radiant in the darkness;

Suns upon branches, they unveiled themselves in the darkness;

the necklaces above their collarbones are stars.

Their necklaces bear stars above their breasts.

نَزَلنَ عَلى سَقط العذيب نَواهِلا

نَزَلنَ عَلى سَقط العذيب نَواهِلا

وَكُل عَلى أَكتافه أَنساب أسحم

وَكُل عَلى أَكتافه أَنساب أسحم

They alighted at Saqṭ al-ʿUdhayb and drank their fill,

They alighted at the edge of al-ʿUdhayb to drink their fill,

while over each one’s shoulders streamed jet-black hair.

And jet-black hair streamed over each one's shoulders.

فَغادرنني أذري المَدامع عَن دَم

فَغادرنني أذري المَدامع عَن دَم

لِوَجه غَرير فَوقَ خَديه عِندم

لِوَجه غَرير فَوقَ خَديه عِندم

They left me shedding tears of blood

So they left me shedding tears of blood

for a tender, radiant face whose cheeks bore crimson ʿandam dye.

For a youthful face with crimson dye upon its cheeks.

يَقلن رعاكَ اللَه ما لك واجم

يَقلن رعاكَ اللَه ما لك واجم

أمسك طَيف طاف أَم أَنتَ مُغرم

أمسك طَيف طاف أَم أَنتَ مُغرم

He says, “May God preserve you! What ails you, silent and sorrowful?

They say: May God protect you! Why are you silent with grief?

Has a passing phantom touched you, or are you lovesick?”

Has a passing phantom touched you, or are you love-stricken?

فَقُلت أَصابتني عُيون وَأَوجه

فَقُلت أَصابتني عُيون وَأَوجه

فَقَدت الحجى وَالقَلب مِنها وَمِنهم

فَقَدت الحجى وَالقَلب مِنها وَمِنهم

I answered, “Eyes and faces have afflicted me;

I said: Eyes and faces have struck me;

through those eyes and faces I have lost both reason and heart—

I lost my reason and my heart through her and through them—

لِغيد بِأَكناف الحِجاز قَواطن

لِغيد بِأَكناف الحِجاز قَواطن

حمى حوزها رمح طَويل وَمخذم

حمى حوزها رمح طَويل وَمخذم

graceful maidens dwelling throughout the precincts of the Hijaz,

Those of lithe maidens dwelling in the reaches of the Hijaz,

whose guarded domain a long spear and keen-edged sword defend;

Whose domain a long spear and a keen sword protect,

وشوس عَلى قب الأَياطل شربهم

وشوس عَلى قب الأَياطل شربهم

وَماء العِدى وَهوَ الشَراب المحرم

وَماء العِدى وَهوَ الشَراب المحرم

fierce warriors astride slender-waisted, long-flanked steeds, whose drink

And fierce-eyed men on lean-flanked steeds, whose drink

is their enemies’ blood—the forbidden draught—

Is their foes' water—the forbidden draught.

مِن النفر السامين في آل غالب

مِن النفر السامين في آل غالب

فَمن عاد الأولى لَديهم وَجرهم

فَمن عاد الأولى لَديهم وَجرهم

from the lofty company of the house of Ghālib.

Of the men exalted among the house of Ghalib;

What are ancient ʿĀd and Jurhum beside them?

Then what are ancient ʿAd and Jurhum beside them?

هُم العَرب الشم العَرانين في الوَرى

هُم العَرب الشم العَرانين في الوَرى

وَهَل عرب مِنهُم أَعَز وَأَكرَم

وَهَل عرب مِنهُم أَعَز وَأَكرَم

They are the proud Arabs, nobly high-nosed among all mankind;

They are the proud, high-nosed Arabs among mankind;

are there any Arabs mightier or more generous than they?

And are any Arabs mightier or nobler than they?

هُم السادة الغر الأَماجد إِن سَطوا

هُم السادة الغر الأَماجد إِن سَطوا

فَكُل فَتى مِنهُم عقاب وَقشعم

فَكُل فَتى مِنهُم عقاب وَقشعم

They are illustrious, glorious lords; whenever they charge,

They are the illustrious, glorious lords; when they attack,

every young warrior among them is an eagle, a mighty vulture.

Then each youth among them is an eagle, a mighty old raptor.

وَهُم آل فهر وَالألى ببحارهم

وَهُم آل فهر وَالألى ببحارهم

وَجَدواهم كُل الخَليقة عوم

وَجَدواهم كُل الخَليقة عوم

They are the house of Fihr—through the seas of whose bounty

And they are the house of Fihr, those in whose seas

all creation swims.

And bounty all creation swims.

كِرام وَأَشراف سراة أَعزة

كِرام وَأَشراف سراة أَعزة

سَما بِهم ذاكَ الحطيم وَزَمزم

سَما بِهم ذاكَ الحطيم وَزَمزم

Generous nobles, eminent chiefs, mighty men;

Generous men and nobles, chieftains, mighty ones;

the Ḥaṭīm and Zamzam have raised them high.

That al-Hatim and Zamzam have raised them high.

لَهم رفعت رايات مَجد عَلى السُهى

لَهم رفعت رايات مَجد عَلى السُهى

لأَن رَسول اللَه بِالأَصل مِنهُم

لأَن رَسول اللَه بِالأَصل مِنهُم

For them the banners of glory were raised above al-Suhā,

For them, banners of glory were raised above Suha,

for God’s Messenger is of their lineage:

Because God's Messenger is, by descent, one of them.

نَبي النَبيين العِظام وَإنَّهُ

نَبي النَبيين العِظام وَإنَّهُ

عَلى اللَه مِن كُلِ الخَليقة أَعلم

عَلى اللَه مِن كُلِ الخَليقة أَعلم

the prophet of the mighty prophets; indeed, he

The Prophet of the great prophets, and indeed he

knows God better than all creation.

Is, in God's sight, the most learned of all creation.

وَصَدر جَميع الرُسل في مَوكب العلى

وَصَدر جَميع الرُسل في مَوكب العلى

إِذا عرضوا فَهوَ السري المقدم

إِذا عرضوا فَهوَ السري المقدم

He is foremost of all the messengers in glory’s procession;

And the foremost of all messengers in the procession of glory;

when they are arrayed, he is the noble one placed ahead—

When they are presented, he is the noble one placed first.

وَأَكرَمهم أَصلاً وَأَطولهم يَدا

وَأَكرَمهم أَصلاً وَأَطولهم يَدا

وَأَكثَرهم جوداً وَحلماً وَأعلم

وَأَكثَرهم جوداً وَحلماً وَأعلم

the noblest of them in lineage and the most open-handed,

And the noblest among them in lineage, with the farthest-reaching hand,

the most generous, the most forbearing, and the most learned.

And the greatest in generosity and forbearance, and the most learned.

هُوَ البَحر ماء البَحر المُحيط لِكَفه

هُوَ البَحر ماء البَحر المُحيط لِكَفه

سوى جرعة مِن وَبله حازها الفَم

سوى جرعة مِن وَبله حازها الفَم

He is the sea: beside his palm, the water of the all-encompassing ocean

He is the sea; the encircling ocean's water, beside his palm,

is only a mouthful from his cloudburst, held within the mouth.

Is but a sip of his downpour, caught by the mouth.

مَلاذ اليَتامى وَالأَرامل كَهفهم

مَلاذ اليَتامى وَالأَرامل كَهفهم

إِذا أنجدوا فيما أَرادوا وَأتهموا

إِذا أنجدوا فيما أَرادوا وَأتهموا

Refuge of orphans and widows, their sheltering cave,

The refuge of orphans and widows, their sheltering cave,

whether they journey up into Najd for what they seek or descend into Tihāma.

When, pursuing their aims, they go to Najd and Tihamah.

رَقا رتبة ما الطور إِلا كَشامة

رَقا رتبة ما الطور إِلا كَشامة

بِأَخمصها وَهوَ الصفي المُكرم

بِأَخمصها وَهوَ الصفي المُكرم

He rose to a rank where Mount Sinai is merely a beauty mark

He rose to a rank where Mount al-Tur is but a mole

beneath its sole; he is the chosen, honored one.

On the arch of its foot; he is the chosen, honored one.

وَخاطبه الرَحمَن مِن فَوق عَرشه

وَخاطبه الرَحمَن مِن فَوق عَرشه

وَأَعيُن هَذا الكَون إِذ ذاكَ نوم

وَأَعيُن هَذا الكَون إِذ ذاكَ نوم

The All-Merciful addressed him from above His throne

And the All-Merciful addressed him from above His Throne,

while the eyes of this universe were then asleep.

While the eyes of this universe were then asleep.