زارَhe visited وَالرَكبُwhile the caravan حَرامُconsecrated for pilgrimage
زارَ وَالرَكبُ حَرامُ
أَوَداعٌis it farewell? أَمor سَلامُa greeting
أَوَداعٌ أَم سَلامُ
He visited while the caravan was consecrated for pilgrimage.
The caravan visited while farewells or peace prevailed,
Was it farewell or greeting?
As the full moon rose and darkness could not deter its light,
طارِقاًvisiting by night وَالبَدرُwhile the full moon لاnot يَحurges him (start)
طارِقاً وَالبَدرُ لا يَح
فِزُهُurges him (end) إِلّاexcept الظَلامُdarkness
فِزُهُ إِلّا الظَلامُ
A visitor by night—the full moon is stirred
Between a group praying and others led astray,
by darkness alone.
Like a flock of ostriches not to be reined,
بَينَbetween جَمعٍJamʿ وَالمُصَلّىand the prayer ground
بَينَ جَمعٍ وَالمُصَلّى
ريمُa white gazelle سِربٍa herd لاnot يُرامُcan be reached
ريمُ سِربٍ لا يُرامُ
Between Jamʿ and the prayer ground,
Their encampments were visited only by passion,
a gazelle of a herd, beyond reach.
They changed abodes so when they descended into the heart they settled,
وَحُلولٍand encamped folk ماnot قَرىhosted ناguest (start)
وَحُلولٍ ما قَرى نا
زِلَهُمtheir guest (end) إِلّاexcept الغَرامُardent love
زِلَهُم إِلّا الغَرامُ
And encamped folk whose guest was hosted
O my friend serve me the era of fervor has fallen ill,
by ardent love alone.
Describe for me the caravan’s castle and assign the night its dwelling,
بَدَّلواthey changed الدورَdwellings فَلَمّاthen when
بَدَّلوا الدورَ فَلَمّا
نَزَلواthey lodged in القَلبَthe heart أَقامواthey stayed
نَزَلوا القَلبَ أَقاموا
They changed dwellings, but when
With ruins they spurred on the army like the running of ostriches,
they lodged within the heart, they stayed.
So there was a roar, a lament, clamor, and distress,
ياO خَليلَيَّmy two dear friends اِسقِيانيyou two, give me drink
يا خَليلَيَّ اِسقِياني
زَمَنُthe season of الوَجدِlonging سَقامُsickness
زَمَنُ الوَجدِ سَقامُ
My two dear friends, give me drink;
And longing - where is longing? It has truly transgressed,
the season of longing is sickness.
Will there be descent upon a group and tents upon the hillside?
وَصِفاand you two, describe ليto me قُلعَةَdeparture الرَكthe caravan (start)
وَصِفا لي قُلعَةَ الرَك
بِcaravan (end) وَلِلَّيلِand for the night مُقامُa stay
بِ وَلِلَّيلِ مُقامُ
And describe to me the caravan's departure,
O gazelle of sadness - if only upon sadness there was a turban,
while the night still lingered.
I envy the necklace around your neck though it is binding,
مِنfrom أَلالٍAlal حَفَزواthey drove onward العيthe pale camels (start)
مِن أَلالٍ حَفَزوا العي
سَpale camels (end) كَماas ريعَwere startled النَعامُostriches
سَ كَما ريعَ النَعامُ
From Alal they drove the pale camels,
I bite my palm if your soft forearms bedecked,
as ostriches are startled.
I am jealous if the day passes over your veil,
فَزَفيرٌthen sighing وَنَشيجٌand sobbing
فَزَفيرٌ وَنَشيجٌ
وَعَجيجٌand outcry وَبُغامُand lowing
وَعَجيجٌ وَبُغامُ
Then sighing and sobbing,
I exposed my heart the first of war is talk,
and cries and lowing.
I made the heart a target so arrows in it became plentiful,
وَمِنىًand Mina أَينَwhere مِنىًMina مِنfrom
وَمِنىً أَينَ مِنىً مِن
نيme لَقَدindeed شَطَّgrew distant المَرامُthe goal
ني لَقَد شَطَّ المَرامُ
And Mina—how far is Mina from
Who can cure the illness of your suspicions while the illness is incurable?
me! The goal is far indeed.
O savior of creation, your days are nightfall,
هَلare there? عَلىat جَمعٍJamʿ نُزولٌencampments
هَل عَلى جَمعٍ نُزولٌ
وَعَلىand at الخَيفِal-Khayf خِيامُtents
وَعَلى الخَيفِ خِيامُ
Are there encampments at Jamʿ,
Clear deceptions and time is darkness,
and tents at al-Khayf?
You are to the world and religion a holder and system,
ياO غَزالَgazelle الجِزعِthe valley bend لَوif only كاwas (start)
يا غَزالَ الجِزعِ لَو كا
نَwas (end) عَلىat الجِزعِthe valley bend لُمامُa brief visit
نَ عَلى الجِزعِ لُمامُ
O gazelle of the valley bend, if only
Splendor, illumination, relief, and pillar,
there were a brief visit at that bend!
Your enemies when the bridle led them,
أَحسُدُI envy الطَوقَthe necklace عَلىupon جيneck (start)
أَحسُدُ الطَوقَ عَلى جي
دِكَyour neck (end) وَالطَوقُand the necklace لِزامُinseparably attached
دِكَ وَالطَوقُ لِزامُ
I envy the necklace upon your
And they saw the path of glory is difficult and trying,
neck, for the necklace clings fast.
They overburdened themselves with the goal until,
وَأَعَضُّand I bite الكَفَّthe hand إِنif ناreached (start)
وَأَعَضُّ الكَفَّ إِن نا
لَreached (end) ثَناياكَyour front teeth البَشامُthe balsam tooth-stick
لَ ثَناياكَ البَشامُ
And I bite my hand if
The camel litter dragged in the sand,
the balsam tooth-stick touches your front teeth.
They handed over the burden to return so neither attained rest nor stood,
وَأَغارُand I grow jealous اليَومَtoday إِنif مَرpassed (start)
وَأَغارُ اليَومَ إِن مَر
رَpassed (end) عَلىover فيكَyour mouth اللِثامُthe face-veil
رَ عَلى فيكَ اللِثامُ
And today I grow jealous if
Suppressed - if the rope is binding to the blossoms and the living stand,
the veil passes over your mouth.
Imprisoning the pilgrims with fetters and the free stand,
أَناI عَرَّضتُI exposed فُؤاديmy heart
أَنا عَرَّضتُ فُؤادي
أَوَّلُthe beginning of الحَربِwar كَلامُwords
أَوَّلُ الحَربِ كَلامُ
I myself exposed my heart;
It is no full moon if it wanes or the one most proud of his turban,
war begins with words.
A challenger whom the standing trial made toothless,
أَنbecause جَعَلتُI made القَلبَthe heart مَرمىًa target
أَن جَعَلتُ القَلبَ مَرمىً
كَثُرَتbecame many فيهِin it السِهامُthe arrows
كَثُرَت فيهِ السِهامُ
Because I made the heart a target,
He was of those whom last night’s wine intoxicated,
the arrows within it grew many.
And he survived the crush of death though death is crushing,
مَنwho يُداويtreats داءَthe sickness of أَحشاinner parts (start)
مَن يُداوي داءَ أَحشا
ئِكَyour inner parts (end) وَالداءُand the sickness عُقامُincurable
ئِكَ وَالداءُ عُقامُ
Who can cure the sickness in your
Wandering while the bitterness threw him and the water engulfed,
inmost parts, when the sickness is incurable?
The arrow puller - the feathers had flown from it,
ياO غِياثَsuccor of الخَلقِhumankind أَيّاdays (start)
يا غِياثَ الخَلقِ أَيّا
مُكَyour days (end) فيamong الأَيّامِthe days شامُbeauty marks
مُكَ في الأَيّامِ شامُ
O succor of humankind, your days
Gibberish - the illness made it wander and gibberish is foul,
are beauty marks among all days:
And to this day its beholder is that darkness,
غُرَرٌwhite forehead-blazes واضِحَةُclear الأَعthe markings (start)
غُرَرٌ واضِحَةُ الأَع
لامِmarkings (end) وَالدَهرُwhile time ظَلامُdarkness
لامِ وَالدَهرُ ظَلامُ
white forehead-blazes, with clear
The incapable assumed that cowardice would empty him of worries,
markings, while time is darkness.
There was filth in his sneeze and dirt in his snot,
أَنتَyou لِلدُنياfor this world وَلِلديand for the faith (start)
أَنتَ لِلدُنيا وَلِلدي
نِfaith (end) مِساكٌa support وَنِظامُand order
نِ مِساكٌ وَنِظامُ
You are, for the world and for the
Do you suppose the horses’ encounter with the tyrants did not suffice him?
faith, support and order,
The people's talk is forgetful and the old pact before,
وَبَهاءٌand splendor وَضِياءٌand radiance
وَبَهاءٌ وَضِياءٌ
وَغِياثٌand succor وَقِوامُand sustaining strength
وَغِياثٌ وَقِوامُ
and splendor and radiance,
Your valley flooded so the torrents flowed and the people slept,
and succor and sustaining strength.
Riding the back of absence, frail and thin,
إِنَّindeed أَعداءَكَyour enemies لَمّاwhen
إِنَّ أَعداءَكَ لَمّا
قادَهُمled them ذاكَthat الزِمامُrein
قادَهُم ذاكَ الزِمامُ
Indeed, when your enemies
The first and the last are subjects of blame, blame desires them,
were led by that rein,
The smell of an absent forest reached him, the first of the horse’s scent,
وَرَأَواand they saw أَنَّthat طَريقَthe road to الthe
وَرَأَوا أَنَّ طَريقَ ال
مَجدِglory وَعرٌrugged وَإِكامُand hillocks
مَجدِ وَعرٌ وَإِكامُ
and saw that the road to
O guide of glory, if the generous strayed from glory,
glory was rugged and hilly,
And He who herds at the abode of might while the people wander confused,
وَاِستَطالواand they found too long الغايَthe goal حَتّىuntil
وَاِستَطالوا الغايَ حَتّى
جَرجَرَrumbled الثِلبُthe worn-out camel العَبامُthe dull-witted one
جَرجَرَ الثِلبُ العَبامُ
and found the goal far distant, until
I have promises and the promise of the unseen is a pact and bridle,
the dull, worn-out camel rumbled,
It turned away from me so oh people, has the cloud hoarded?
سَلَّمواthey handed over الثِقلَthe burden إِلىto العوthe mature camel (start)
سَلَّموا الثِقلَ إِلى العو
دِmature camel (end) فَماand did not ناءَstagger under the load وَقامواand they stood
دِ فَما ناءَ وَقاموا
they handed the load to the mature
The rain was held back from my land though I see the sky clouding,
camel; he did not stagger, and they stood.
Blame rightly lies with my forefathers not with the rain,
مُقرَمٌa prized breeding camel إِنif قيدَis led لِلوِرto the watering-place (start)
مُقرَمٌ إِن قيدَ لِلوِر
دِwatering-place (end) وَقَدwhile already حَرَّgrew fierce اللِطامُthe jostling
دِ وَقَد حَرَّ اللِطامُ
A prized breeding camel: if led to
You roused for my matter but seriousness sleeps,
water, when the jostling flares,
The people’s reproach is only with wrangles, quarreling,
حَبَسَhe held back الأَورادَthe water-seekers بِالغُلin burning thirst (start)
حَبَسَ الأَورادَ بِالغُل
لَةِburning thirst (end) وَالحَيُّwhile the tribe قِيامُstanding
لَةِ وَالحَيُّ قِيامُ
he keeps the water-seekers in
How wondrous, today notified me the swords of my two hands,
burning thirst, while the tribe stands.
Neither are my arms the weakness of senility nor is the sword blunt,
لَيسَis not بَدرٌBadr إِنif بَغىrebels أَوthe first (start)
لَيسَ بَدرٌ إِن بَغى أَو
وَلَfirst (end) مَنone whom عَزَّovercame الحِمامُdeath
وَلَ مَن عَزَّ الحِمامُ
Badr, if he rebels, is not the
The object of blame is my time and your absence today is blameworthy,
first whom death has overcome.
O planter, watering - so for this crop are expectations,
جامِحٌa runaway أَقصَعَهُchecked him مِنfrom
جامِحٌ أَقصَعَهُ مِن
قائِمِthe hilt of العَضبِthe keen-edged sword لِجامُa bridle
قائِمِ العَضبِ لِجامُ
A runaway, checked by a bridle
Your planting is a spring and from the planting are fruits,
from the hilt of a keen-edged sword.
Return with what your hands have accustomed me,
كانَhe was مِمَّنamong those whom أَسكَرَتهُintoxicated him
كانَ مِمَّن أَسكَرَتهُ
أَمسِyesterday هاتيكَthat المُدامُwine
أَمسِ هاتيكَ المُدامُ
He was among those made drunk
Then the life of what is beautiful, lasting abode,
yesterday by that wine.
Commanding the days willingly serve you, and the people,
وَنَجاand he escaped مِنfrom زَحمَةِthe crush of المَوdeath (start)
وَنَجا مِن زَحمَةِ المَو
تِdeath (end) وَلِلمَوتِand death has زِحامُa crush
تِ وَلِلمَوتِ زِحامُ
And he escaped the crush of
The destinies are merely your soldiers, and time is your lad.
death—and death has its throngs.
طافِياًfloating تَقذِفُهُhurls him الغَمthe deep surge (start)
طافِياً تَقذِفُهُ الغَم
رَةُdeep surge (end) وَالماءُwhile the water جُمامُbrimming
رَةُ وَالماءُ جُمامُ
Afloat, tossed by the
deep surge, while the waters brimmed.
مُنزِعُa full-draw archer النَبلَةِthe arrow قَدalready طاflew (start)
مُنزِعُ النَبلَةِ قَد طا
رَflew (end) بِهاwith it الريشُthe feathers اللُؤامُclosely paired
رَ بِها الريشُ اللُؤامُ
A full-draw archer: already the arrow had
flown on its close-paired feathers;
عَجمَةًa seed-stone طَوَّحَهاhurled it المِرthe stone-slinger (start)
عَجمَةً طَوَّحَها المِر
ضاخُstone-slinger (end) وَالعَجمُwhile the seed-stones رِمامُcrumbling remains
ضاخُ وَالعَجمُ رِمامُ
a seed-stone flung by the
stone-slinger, while the seed-stones were crumbling debris.
وَإِلىand until اليَومِtoday قَذىgrit ناeye (start)
وَإِلى اليَومِ قَذى نا
ظِرُهُhis eye (end) ذاكَthat القَتامُbattle dust
ظِرُهُ ذاكَ القَتامُ
And to this day, the grit in his
eye is that battle dust.
قَدَّرَsupposed العاجِزُthe weakling أَنَّthat الthe
قَدَّرَ العاجِزُ أَنَّ ال
غيلَthicket يُخليهِleaves it empty الهُمامُthe valiant hero
غيلَ يُخليهِ الهُمامُ
The weakling supposed the
hero would leave the thicket empty.
كانَthere was فيin مَعطِسِهِhis nose الرَغhumiliation (start)
كانَ في مَعطِسِهِ الرَغ
مُhumiliation (end) وَفيand in فيهِhis mouth الرَغامُdust
مُ وَفي فيهِ الرَغامُ
There was in his nose
humiliation, and in his mouth, dust.
أَتُرىdo you think? لَمnot يَكفِهِsufficed him ماwhat
أَتُرى لَم يَكفِهِ ما
لَقِيَencountered الخَيلُthe cavalry الطَغامُthe rabble
لَقِيَ الخَيلُ الطَغامُ
Do you think it was not enough for him—what
the rabble cavalry suffered?
لاnot حَديثُthe story of القَومِthe people مَنسِيforgotten (start)
لا حَديثُ القَومِ مَنسِي
يٌforgotten (end) وَلاnor العَهدُthe remembered time قُدامُlong past
يٌ وَلا العَهدُ قُدامُ
The people's tale is not forgotten,
nor is that time long past.
جاشَsurged واديكَyour valley فَسالَthen flowed الthe
جاشَ واديكَ فَسالَ ال
سَيلُtorrent وَالقَومُwhile the people نِيامُasleep
سَيلُ وَالقَومُ نِيامُ
Your valley surged, and the
torrent flowed while the people slept.
راكِباًriding ظَهراًa back مِنَof الغِيerror (start)
راكِباً ظَهراً مِنَ الغِي
يِerror (end) مُسيمٌone who drives وَمُسامُand one driven
يِ مُسيمٌ وَمُسامُ
Riding the back of error,
both the driver and the driven.
خُطِمَwas haltered الأَوَّلُthe first وَالآand the last (start)
خُطِمَ الأَوَّلُ وَالآ
خِرُlast (end) يَبغيهِseeks him الخِطامُthe halter
خِرُ يَبغيهِ الخِطامُ
The first was haltered, and the
last is sought by the halter.
شَمَّهُscented him رِئبالُa lion غابٍa forest
شَمَّهُ رِئبالُ غابٍ
أَوَّلُthe beginning of الفَرسِthe kill شِمامُsniffing
أَوَّلُ الفَرسِ شِمامُ
A forest lion scented him;
a kill begins with sniffing.
ياO دَليلَguide to المَجدِglory إِنif ضَلstrayed (start)
يا دَليلَ المَجدِ إِن ضَل
لَstrayed (end) عَنِfrom المَجدِglory الكِرامُthe noble
لَ عَنِ المَجدِ الكِرامُ
O guide to glory, if
the noble stray from glory,
وَالَّذيand the one who يُرعيgives pasture بِدارِin the abode of الthe
وَالَّذي يُرعي بِدارِ ال
عِزِّhonor وَالناسُwhile people بِهامُbeasts
عِزِّ وَالناسُ بِهامُ
and you who give pasture in the abode of
honor, while people are beasts:
ليI have مَواعيدُpromises وَوَعدُand a promise of الthe
لي مَواعيدُ وَوَعدُ ال
غَيبِunseen future عَقدٌa bond وَزِمامُand a rein
غَيبِ عَقدٌ وَزِمامُ
I have promises; a promise of the
unseen future is a bond and a rein.
لَوِيَتwere withheld عَنّيfrom me فَياso, O لِلto the
لَوِيَت عَنّي فَيا لِل
ناسِpeople هَلhas? ضَنَّwas miserly الغَمامُthe rain cloud
ناسِ هَل ضَنَّ الغَمامُ
They were withheld from me—O
people, has the rain cloud grown miserly?
حُبِسَwas withheld القَطرُrain بِأَرضيin my land
حُبِسَ القَطرُ بِأَرضي
وَأَرىand I see الجَوَّthe sky يُغامُbecomes clouded
وَأَرى الجَوَّ يُغامُ
Rain has been withheld from my land,
yet I see the sky grow clouded.
إِنَّماonly اللَومُthe blame لِجَدّيfor my luck
إِنَّما اللَومُ لِجَدّي
ماno عَلىupon الغَيثِthe rain مَلامُblame
ما عَلى الغَيثِ مَلامُ
The blame belongs only to my luck;
no blame falls upon the rain.
قَدindeed تَيَقَّظتُمyou have awakened لِأَمريto my affairs
قَد تَيَقَّظتُم لِأَمري
لَكِنِbut الجَدُّfortune يَنامُsleeps
لَكِنِ الجَدُّ يَنامُ
You have awakened to my affairs,
but my fortune sleeps.
وَعِتابُand reproaching القَومِpeople إِلّاunless
وَعِتابُ القَومِ إِلّا
بِالمَعاريضِthrough indirect allusions خِصامُa quarrel
بِالمَعاريضِ خِصامُ
Reproaching people, unless
in veiled allusions, is a quarrel.
عَجَباًhow strange! كَيفَhow نَباfailed to cut اليَوtoday (start)
عَجَباً كَيفَ نَبا اليَو
مَtoday (end) بِكَفَّيَّin my two hands الحُسامُthe keen sword
مَ بِكَفَّيَّ الحُسامُ
How strange! How, today,
has the keen sword failed in my two hands?
لاnot ذِراعيmy arm رِخوَةُslack الحَبthe sinew (start)
لا ذِراعي رِخوَةُ الحَب
لِsinew (end) وَلاnor السيفُthe sword كَهامُblunt
لِ وَلا السيفُ كَهامُ
My arm is not slack of
sinew, nor is the sword blunt.
مَوضِعُthe object of الذَمِّblame زَمانيmy age
مَوضِعُ الذَمِّ زَماني
وَخَلاكَand has spared you اليَومَtoday ذامُa censurer
وَخَلاكَ اليَومَ ذامُ
My age is what deserves blame;
and today the censurer has passed you by.
أَيُّهاO الزارِعُsower سَقياًwater, please
أَيُّها الزارِعُ سَقياً
فَبِذاfor in this الزَرعِcrop أُوامُburning thirst
فَبِذا الزَرعِ أُوامُ
O sower, give water;
for this crop burns with thirst.
إِنَّماonly غَرسُكَyour planting نَبعٌnabaʿ bow-wood
إِنَّما غَرسُكَ نَبعٌ
وَمِنَand among الغَرسِplantings ثُمامُthumam grass
وَمِنَ الغَرسِ ثُمامُ
Your planting is nabaʿ bow-wood;
some plantings are thumam grass.
عُدreturn بِماwith what عَوَّدتَنيyou accustomed me to مِنfrom
عُد بِما عَوَّدتَني مِن
كَyou أَياديكَyour favors الجِسامُgreat
كَ أَياديكَ الجِسامُ
Renew what you have accustomed me to from
you—your great favors.
ثُمَّthen دُمremain ماas long as حَسُنَis good العَيlife (start)
ثُمَّ دُم ما حَسُنَ العَي
شُlife (end) وَماand as long as طابَis pleasant الدَوامُcontinuance
شُ وَما طابَ الدَوامُ
Then remain as long as life is fair
and as long as lasting is sweet,
آمِراًcommanding تَخدُمُكَserve you الأَيthe days (start)
آمِراً تَخدُمُكَ الأَي
يامُdays (end) طَوعاًwillingly وَالأَنامُand humankind
يامُ طَوعاً وَالأَنامُ
in command, served by the
days willingly, and by humankind.
إِنَّماonly الأَقدارُfate's decrees جُندٌan army
إِنَّما الأَقدارُ جُندٌ
لَكَfor you وَالدَهرُand time غُلامُa servant boy
لَكَ وَالدَهرُ غُلامُ
The decrees of fate are but an army
for you, and time is your servant-boy.
Partial English translation: 63 of 122 Arabic lines translated.