وَما مُزنَةٌ جادَت فَأَسبَلَ وَدقُها

وَما مُزنَةٌ جادَت فَأَسبَلَ وَدقُها

عَلى رَوضَةٍ رَيحانُها قَد تَخَضَّدا

عَلى رَوضَةٍ رَيحانُها قَد تَخَضَّدا

No raincloud that poured generously, its rain streaming down

The heavy cloud pours forth its bounty,

upon a meadow whose fragrant herbs had bent low,

drenching a garden whose basil is in bloom—

كَأَنَّ تِجارَ الهِندِ حَلّو رِحالَهُم

كَأَنَّ تِجارَ الهِندِ حَلّو رِحالَهُم

عَلَيها طُروقاً ثُمَّ أَضحَوا بِها الغَدا

عَلَيها طُروقاً ثُمَّ أَضحَوا بِها الغَدا

as though the merchants of India had unloaded their baggage

as though the Indian merchants had pitched

upon it by night, then spent the next morning there,

their tents awhile, then folded them to resume

بِأَطيَبَ مِن ثَوبَينِ تَأوي إِلَيهِما

بِأَطيَبَ مِن ثَوبَينِ تَأوي إِلَيهِما

سُعادُ إِذا نَجمُ السِماكَينِ عَرَّدا

سُعادُ إِذا نَجمُ السِماكَينِ عَرَّدا

is sweeter-scented than the two garments that shelter

their journey in the early morning glow.

Su‘ad when the star of the two Simāks withdraws.

More fragrant than two garments where happiness

كَأَنَّ العُيونَ المُرسِلاتِ عَشِيَّةً

كَأَنَّ العُيونَ المُرسِلاتِ عَشِيَّةً

شَآبيبَ دَمعٍ لَم تَجِد مُتَرَدَّدا

شَآبيبَ دَمعٍ لَم تَجِد مُتَرَدَّدا

As though the eyes, sending forth that evening

alights when the Evening Star gleams from its place

showers of tears with nowhere to turn,

are the tears’ showers unleashed at dusk

مَزائِدُ خَرقاءَ اليَدَينِ مُسيفَةٍ

مَزائِدُ خَرقاءَ اليَدَينِ مُسيفَةٍ

أَخَبَّ بِهِنَّ المُخلِفانِ وَأَحفَدا

أَخَبَّ بِهِنَّ المُخلِفانِ وَأَحفَدا

were waterskins of a clumsy-handed, impoverished woman,

by eyes that meet no impediment.

carried by the two mature camels at a trot and a rush.

The hands of Khirqah—rent and calloused—serve guests

وَما بَيضَةٌ باتَ الظَليمُ يَحُفُّها

وَما بَيضَةٌ باتَ الظَليمُ يَحُفُّها

بِوَعساءَ أَعلى تُربِها قَد تَلَبَّدا

بِوَعساءَ أَعلى تُربِها قَد تَلَبَّدا

Nor is an egg a male ostrich spent the night sheltering

a feast that puts the niggardly to shame, arousing spite.

on a sandy flat whose surface earth had compacted—

Not even an egg kept warm all night

فَلَمّا عَلَتهُ الشَمسُ في يَومِ طَلقَةٍ

فَلَمّا عَلَتهُ الشَمسُ في يَومِ طَلقَةٍ

وَأَشرَفَ مَكّاءُ الضُحى فَتَغَرَّدا

وَأَشرَفَ مَكّاءُ الضُحى فَتَغَرَّدا

when the sun rose above him on a clear, mild day,

by the hen crouching over it in the high nest

and the morning’s whistling bird appeared aloft and sang,

was more snug than he. But when at break of day

أَرادَ القِيامَ فَاِزبَأَرَّ عِفاءُهُ

أَرادَ القِيامَ فَاِزبَأَرَّ عِفاءُهُ

وَحَرَّكَ أَعلى رِجلِهِ فَتَأَوَّدا

وَحَرَّكَ أَعلى رِجلِهِ فَتَأَوَّدا

he sought to stand, and his thick plumage bristled,

the sun shines clear and the warblers trill,

and he moved his upper leg and swayed,

wanting to rise, he clears his throat, moves a leg,

وَهَزَّ جَناحَيهِ فَساقَطَ نَفضُهُ

وَهَزَّ جَناحَيهِ فَساقَطَ نَفضُهُ

فَراشَ النَدى عَن مَتنِهِ فَتَبَدَّدا

فَراشَ النَدى عَن مَتنِهِ فَتَبَدَّدا

and shook his wings, his shaking shedding

then folds both his wings and sheds

fine droplets of dew from his back, scattering them;

the dew from his breast in a powdery dust.

فَغادَرَ في الأُدحِيِّ صَفراءَ تَركَةً

فَغادَرَ في الأُدحِيِّ صَفراءَ تَركَةً

هِجاناً إِذا ما الشَرقُ فيها تَوَقَّدا

هِجاناً إِذا ما الشَرقُ فيها تَوَقَّدا

so he left in the nest a yellowish, forsaken egg,

Leaving behind on the sand a trace of saffron,

pure and fair, when sunlight blazed within it—

he takes flight when the east grows bright with flame,

بِأَليَنَ مَسّاً مِن سُعادَ لِلامِسٍ

بِأَليَنَ مَسّاً مِن سُعادَ لِلامِسٍ

وَأَحسَنَ مِنها حينَ تَبدو مُجَرَّدا

وَأَحسَنَ مِنها حينَ تَبدو مُجَرَّدا

any softer to the touch than Su‘ad for one who touches,

touching more gently than happiness caressed,

or lovelier than she when she appears unclothed.

more beautifully when it first shows undressed.

وَإِنّي لَأَحمي الأَنفَ مِن دونِ ذِمَّتي

وَإِنّي لَأَحمي الأَنفَ مِن دونِ ذِمَّتي

إِذا الدَنِسُ الواهي الأَمانَةِ أَهمَدا

إِذا الدَنِسُ الواهي الأَمانَةِ أَهمَدا

And I surely guard my honor in defense of my pledge,

Yet I do cover my nose safe from blame

when the sullied man, weak in trust, falls inert.

if the feeble refuse integrity’s claim.

بَنَينا بِأَعطانِ الوَفاءِ بُيوتَنا

بَنَينا بِأَعطانِ الوَفاءِ بُيوتَنا

وَكانَ لَنا في أَوَّلِ الدَهرِ مَورِدا

وَكانَ لَنا في أَوَّلِ الدَهرِ مَورِدا

We built our houses at fidelity’s watering grounds,

Our houses we built on loyalty’s foundation.

and from time’s beginning it was our watering place.

In early days it was our ready store.

إِذا ما ضَمِنّا لِاِبنِ عَمٍّ خِفارَةً

إِذا ما ضَمِنّا لِاِبنِ عَمٍّ خِفارَةً

نَجيءُ بِها مِن قَبلِ أَن يَتَشَدَّدا

نَجيءُ بِها مِن قَبلِ أَن يَتَشَدَّدا

Whenever we pledge protection to a paternal cousin,

When we pledged to the son of an uncle protection,

we deliver it before he presses for it.

we’d bring it before severity turned sore.

أَناخوا بِأَشوالٍ إِلى أَهلِ خُبَّةٍ

أَناخوا بِأَشوالٍ إِلى أَهلِ خُبَّةٍ

طُروقاً وَقَد أَقعى سُهَيلاً فَعَرَّدا

طُروقاً وَقَد أَقعى سُهَيلاً فَعَرَّدا

They halted with scant-milking she-camels beside the people of Khubba,

To a people of renown we’d tether steeds

arriving by night, when Suhayl had crouched low and then withdrawn.

and camp while Canopus flared and paled.

يَخِبّانِ قَصراً في شَمالٍ عَرِيَّةٍ

يَخِبّانِ قَصراً في شَمالٍ عَرِيَّةٍ

أَمامَ رَوايا بادَراهُنَّ قَردَدا

أَمامَ رَوايا بادَراهُنَّ قَردَدا

The two trot at dusk in a biting north wind,

They’d pitch their castle on a barren plain

ahead of water-bearing camels, racing them to a rugged height.

facing our dwellings, matching fold with fold.

أَمُرُّ وَأَحلَولي وَتَعلَمُ أُسرَتي

أَمُرُّ وَأَحلَولي وَتَعلَمُ أُسرَتي

عَنائي إِذا جَمرٌ لِجَمرٍ تَوَقَّدا

عَنائي إِذا جَمرٌ لِجَمرٍ تَوَقَّدا

I turn bitter and grow sweet, and my kin know

My cares are known to my family entire

my toil when embers blaze against embers.

when ember after ember bursts into flame.

إِذا ما فَزِعنا أَو دُعينا لِنَجدَةٍ

إِذا ما فَزِعنا أَو دُعينا لِنَجدَةٍ

لَبِسنا عَلَيهِنَّ الحَديدَ المُسَرَّدا

لَبِسنا عَلَيهِنَّ الحَديدَ المُسَرَّدا

When we are alarmed or summoned to give aid,

If alarmed or called to bring victory nigher,

we don interlinked iron armor upon them.

we don our iron coats without shame,

بِرَبِّ اِبنَةِ العَمرِيِّ ما كانَ جارُها

بِرَبِّ اِبنَةِ العَمرِيِّ ما كانَ جارُها

لِيُسلِمُها ما وافَقَ القائِمُ اليَدا

لِيُسلِمُها ما وافَقَ القائِمُ اليَدا

By the Lord of al-‘Amrī’s daughter, her protector would never

I swear by Him who gave the life breath

surrender her, so long as the sword hilt meets the hand.

no neighbor forced her, try as duty bid.