أَبارِقٌ طالَعنا مِن نَجدِ

أَبارِقٌ طالَعنا مِن نَجدِ

يُضيءُ في عارِضِهِ المُربَدِّ

يُضيءُ في عارِضِهِ المُربَدِّ

Is it a lightning flash that has appeared to us from Najd,

Flashes have appeared to us from Najd

shining within its dusky raincloud,

Illuminating in its horizon the frigid

مُستَعبِراً عَن زَفَراتِ الرَعدِ

مُستَعبِراً عَن زَفَراتِ الرَعدِ

ماءً كَما اِرتَجَّت شِعابُ العِدِّ

ماءً كَما اِرتَجَّت شِعابُ العِدِّ

weeping at the sighs of thunder,

Voicing the rumblings of thunder

water, as the channels of a perennial spring surge,

Like water as the valleys of Mount 'Ed trembled

يَقرِنُ أَعناقَ الرُبى بِالوَهدِ

يَقرِنُ أَعناقَ الرُبى بِالوَهدِ

وَمَنهَلٌ مُبَرقَعٌ بِالثَمدِ

وَمَنهَلٌ مُبَرقَعٌ بِالثَمدِ

joining the necks of the hills to the hollows?

Connecting the necks of mounts with ties

And a watering place veiled in shallow water—

And a meadow dotted with dew

هَتَكتُهُ بِاليَعمَلاتِ الجُردِ

هَتَكتُهُ بِاليَعمَلاتِ الجُردِ

مُلَثَّماتٍ بِاللُغامِ الجَعدِ

مُلَثَّماتٍ بِاللُغامِ الجَعدِ

I tore its veil with sleek, swift she-camels,

Torn by firm mountain goats

their muzzles veiled in clotted foam.

Veiled in thick hair

يَفقَأنَ بِالمَصدَرِ عَينَ الوِردِ

يَفقَأنَ بِالمَصدَرِ عَينَ الوِردِ

وَلَيلَةٍ صَدِيَّةِ الفِرِندِ

وَلَيلَةٍ صَدِيَّةِ الفِرِندِ

They gouge out the eye of arrival with their departure.

It bursts the eye of the wild rose with its source

And a night, its watered-steel pattern rust-dark:

And a resonant starry night

بيضُ النُجومِ وَاِحمِرارُ الوَقدِ

بيضُ النُجومِ وَاِحمِرارُ الوَقدِ

مِثلُ سِماطَي نَرجِسٍ وَوَردِ

مِثلُ سِماطَي نَرجِسٍ وَوَردِ

the white stars and the fire's red glow

The whiteness of stars and the redness of ember

like twin rows of narcissus and roses,

Like the cups of narcissus and rose

أَو مُقَلٍ صَحائِحٍ وَرُمدِ

أَو مُقَلٍ صَحائِحٍ وَرُمدِ

تُنازِعُ اللَحظَ وَلَيسَ تُعدي

تُنازِعُ اللَحظَ وَلَيسَ تُعدي

or eyes, some healthy and some inflamed,

Or kohl-lined eyes and powder

vying for the gaze, yet spreading no infection.

They vie with the glance but cannot exceed

يَقولُ لي الدَهرُ أَلا تَستَجِدي

يَقولُ لي الدَهرُ أَلا تَستَجِدي

أَينَ ضِياءُ المَطلَبِ المُسوَدِّ

أَينَ ضِياءُ المَطلَبِ المُسوَدِّ

Time says to me, 'Will you not seek a gift?'

Time says to me, do not ask

Where is the light of the darkened quest?

Where is the light of the jet-black desire

أَرى اللَيالي يَشتَهينَ بُعدي

أَرى اللَيالي يَشتَهينَ بُعدي

وَلا يُقَرِّبنَ يَداً مِن زَندي

وَلا يُقَرِّبنَ يَداً مِن زَندي

I see the nights wishing me far away,

I see the nights wish for my absence

and bringing no hand near my forearm.

And do not extend a hand to my waist

يَلِجنَ بَينَ صارِمي وَغِمدي

يَلِجنَ بَينَ صارِمي وَغِمدي

كَأَنَّ صَمصامي بِغَيرِ حَدِّ

كَأَنَّ صَمصامي بِغَيرِ حَدِّ

They slip between my sharp blade and my sheath,

They penetrate between my sword and its sheath

as though my sword had no edge.

As if my sword has no edge

وَحاجَتي تُصلى بِنارِ الرَدِّ

وَحاجَتي تُصلى بِنارِ الرَدِّ

أُلاحِظُ الغَيَّ بِعَينِ الرُشدِ

أُلاحِظُ الغَيَّ بِعَينِ الرُشدِ

And my need is scorched in the fire of refusal.

And my need is prayed with the fire of rejection

I regard error with the eye of right judgment,

I observe the absent with the eye of certitude

وَلا أُبالي مِن تَمادي بُعدي

وَلا أُبالي مِن تَمادي بُعدي

أَعوذُ مِن رِزقٍ بِغَيرِ كَدِّ

أَعوذُ مِن رِزقٍ بِغَيرِ كَدِّ

and do not care how long my estrangement lasts.

And do not care for the extent of my distance

I seek refuge from a livelihood without toil.

I seek refuge from sustenance without toil

في ذا الوَرى قَلبٌ بِغَيرِ حِقدِ

في ذا الوَرى قَلبٌ بِغَيرِ حِقدِ

مَن ذا الَّذي عَلى الزَمانِ يُعدي

مَن ذا الَّذي عَلى الزَمانِ يُعدي

Is there among these people a heart without rancor?

In this abode, a heart without malice

Who is there to grant redress against Time?

Who is it that surpasses time?

كُلُّ جَوادٍ كاذِبٌ في الوَعدِ

كُلُّ جَوادٍ كاذِبٌ في الوَعدِ

وَكُلُّ خِلٍّ خائِنٌ في الوُدِّ

وَكُلُّ خِلٍّ خائِنٌ في الوُدِّ

Every generous man is false to his promise,

Every steed is false in its promise

and every friend is treacherous in affection.

And every friend is treacherous in affection

يَحِلُّ بِالعُذرِ نِطاقَ العَهدِ

يَحِلُّ بِالعُذرِ نِطاقَ العَهدِ

لا عانَقَت هُوجُ الرِياحِ بُردي

لا عانَقَت هُوجُ الرِياحِ بُردي

He loosens the covenant's girdle with an excuse.

The girth of the pact loosens

May the raging winds never embrace my cloak,

The biting winds embraced my chill

إِلاّ عَلى ظَهرِ أَقَبِّ نَهدِ

إِلاّ عَلى ظَهرِ أَقَبِّ نَهدِ

يَخطو عَلى مُلَملَماتٍ مُلدِ

يَخطو عَلى مُلَملَماتٍ مُلدِ

except on the back of a lean-bellied, sturdy steed,

Only over the back of a firm, tender breast

striding on smooth, rounded hooves,

It steps upon slippery slopes

كَأَنَّهُ فيَ سَرعانِ الوَخدِ

كَأَنَّهُ فيَ سَرعانِ الوَخدِ

يَلعَبُ في أَرساغِهِ بِالنَردِ

يَلعَبُ في أَرساغِهِ بِالنَردِ

as though, in the swiftness of his stride,

As if it plays dice in its stirrups

he were playing dice in his pasterns.

O you who intimidate with bliss

يَأَيُّها المُخَوَّفي بِسَعدِ

يَأَيُّها المُخَوَّفي بِسَعدِ

طَرَحتَني بَينَ النُيوبِ الدُردِ

طَرَحتَني بَينَ النُيوبِ الدُردِ

O you who frighten me with Sa'd,

You have cast me amongst the fierce wolves

you have flung me among toothless fangs.

And if victory came to you from preparation

وَلَو أَتاكَ النَصرُ مِن مَعَدِّ

وَلَو أَتاكَ النَصرُ مِن مَعَدِّ

جَلجَلَتَ مِن لَحمي زَئيرَ الأُسدِ

جَلجَلَتَ مِن لَحمي زَئيرَ الأُسدِ

And even if help came to you from Ma'add,

You would snarl from my flesh the roar of a lion

you would make the roar of lions resound from my flesh.

Alas for a soul imprisoned in my hide

آهاً لِنَفسٍ حُبِسَت في جِلدي

آهاً لِنَفسٍ حُبِسَت في جِلدي

إِنَّ الأَسيرَ غَرِضٌ بِالقِدِّ

إِنَّ الأَسيرَ غَرِضٌ بِالقِدِّ

Ah, for a soul imprisoned in my skin!

Indeed the captive is purposeful in seeking ransom

Indeed, the captive chafes at the rawhide bond.

The noblest of my treasures is a sword in its sheath

أَشرَفُ ذُخري صارِمٌ في الغِمدِ

أَشرَفُ ذُخري صارِمٌ في الغِمدِ

إِنَّ العُلى نَشوُ سُيوفِ الهِندِ

إِنَّ العُلى نَشوُ سُيوفِ الهِندِ

My noblest treasure is a sharp sword in its sheath.

Indeed high ambition is the sword of India

Indeed, lofty honor is born of India's swords.

I must knock on the door of seriousness

لا بُدَّ أَن أَطرُقَ بابَ الجَدِّ

لا بُدَّ أَن أَطرُقَ بابَ الجَدِّ

وَأَجعَلَ الخُلَّةَ عُرسَ الرِفدِ

وَأَجعَلَ الخُلَّةَ عُرسَ الرِفدِ

I must knock at the door of good fortune,

And make the sword-belt the groom of my waist

and wed friendship to bounty,

And the tongue of my sword dispel the night

وَيَطرُدَ اللَيلَ لِسانُ زَندي

وَيَطرُدَ اللَيلَ لِسانُ زَندي

حَتّى أُقاسَ بِأَبي وَجدّي

حَتّى أُقاسَ بِأَبي وَجدّي

and my firestick's tongue must drive away the night,

Until I match my father and grandfather

until I am measured against my father and grandfather.

Congratulations O owner of the softness of glory

هُنِّئتَ يامالِكَ رِقَّ المَجدِ

هُنِّئتَ يامالِكَ رِقَّ المَجدِ

وَمُتعِبي دونَ الوَرى بِالحَمدِ

وَمُتعِبي دونَ الوَرى بِالحَمدِ

Congratulations to you, who hold glory in thrall,

And fatigue in the earth with praise

and you alone among mankind exhaust me with the labor of praise.

From you are gifts, and wishes from me

مِنكَ العَطايا وَالمُنى مِن عِندي

مِنكَ العَطايا وَالمُنى مِن عِندي

From you come gifts, and from me come wishes.