أَعادَ لي عيدَ الضَنى

أَعادَ لي عيدَ الضَنى

جيرانُنا عَلى مِنى

جيرانُنا عَلى مِنى

My festival of wasting sickness was renewed

My neighbors have returned my days of grief to me

by our neighbors at Mina.

At Mina

مَواقِفٌ تُبَدِّلُ ذا الشَي

مَواقِفٌ تُبَدِّلُ ذا الشَي

بِ شِطاطاً بِحِنى

بِ شِطاطاً بِحِنى

Stations that give the gray-

With situations that change this gray-haired one

haired man upright stature in place of a stoop.

To a young man, happy again

يَقولُ مَن عايَنَ ها

يَقولُ مَن عايَنَ ها

تيكَ الطُلى وَالأَعيُنا

تيكَ الطُلى وَالأَعيُنا

Whoever has beheld

Those who saw them say

those necks and eyes says:

Those gazelles with the kohl around their eyes

هَذا غَزالٌ قَد عَطا

هَذا غَزالٌ قَد عَطا

وَذاكَ ظَبيٌ قَد رَنا

وَذاكَ ظَبيٌ قَد رَنا

“This is a gazelle reaching upward,

This is a gazelle who has given up

and that an antelope gazing steadily.”

And that is a wild cow who has cried out

وا لَهفَتا مِن واجِدٍ

وا لَهفَتا مِن واجِدٍ

عَلى الشَبابِ وَالغِنى

عَلى الشَبابِ وَالغِنى

Ah, my regret—a grieving man's—

Passionate with desire

for youth and wealth!

For youth and song

مِن أَجلِها يَرضى الغَري

مِن أَجلِها يَرضى الغَري

بُ بِالبَوادي وَطَنا

بُ بِالبَوادي وَطَنا

For their sake a stranger gladly

For them the jealous would accept

takes the deserts for his homeland.

To live in the deserts as a homeland

أَنسى قَنا مُرّانِها

أَنسى قَنا مُرّانِها

مَوارِنٌ ذاتُ قَنا

مَوارِنٌ ذاتُ قَنا

Their ash-wood lances were driven from my mind

I forget their bent spears

by supple forms bearing spears.

Smooth-sided lances

يُلقى بِها فَوارِسٌ

يُلقى بِها فَوارِسٌ

لا يَحفِلونَ الجُبَنا

لا يَحفِلونَ الجُبَنا

There riders are encountered

With which horsemen charge

who pay no heed to cowards.

Not fearing cowardice

مُجتَمِراتٌ رُحنَ عَن

مُجتَمِراتٌ رُحنَ عَن

رَميِ الجِمارِ مَوهِنا

رَميِ الجِمارِ مَوهِنا

The pebble-casting women departed from

Crowded together, they left off

the stoning, late at night,

Throwing pebbles, subdued

تَرَوُّحَ السِربِ عَنِ ال

تَرَوُّحَ السِربِ عَنِ ال

وِردِ إِذا اللَيلُ دَنا

وِردِ إِذا اللَيلُ دَنا

as a herd withdraws from

The flock takes comfort from the pond

the watering-place when night draws near.

When night approaches

كَم كَبِدٍ مَعقورَةٍ

كَم كَبِدٍ مَعقورَةٍ

لِلعاقِرينَ البُدُنا

لِلعاقِرينَ البُدُنا

How many a liver is pierced

How many despairing livers

among those slaughtering sacrificial camels,

For the childless bodies

بِأَعيُنٍ تَرَكتُها

بِأَعيُنٍ تَرَكتُها

عَلى القُلوبِ أَعيُنا

عَلى القُلوبِ أَعيُنا

by eyes I left

With eyes that have left them

as watchful eyes over hearts.

Eyes on hearts

وَإِنَّما جَعَلنَها

وَإِنَّما جَعَلنَها

لِرَدِّ قَولٍ أَلسُنا

لِرَدِّ قَولٍ أَلسُنا

Yet they made them only

But they have only made them

tongues for answering speech.

To refute a saying of tongues

يورِقُ مِنهُنَّ الحَصى

يورِقُ مِنهُنَّ الحَصى

حَتّى يَكادُ يُجتَنى

حَتّى يَكادُ يُجتَنى

Through them the pebbles put forth leaves,

From them pebbles burst into leaf

until they can almost be plucked.

Almost bursting out

لِيَهُن مَن لَم يَفتَتِن

لِيَهُن مَن لَم يَفتَتِن

إِنّا لَقينا الفِتَنا

إِنّا لَقينا الفِتَنا

May whoever has not been bewitched rejoice;

Woe to him not infatuated

we have encountered temptations.

We have certainly met temptation

يُخفي تَباريحَ الهَوى

يُخفي تَباريحَ الهَوى

وَقَد عَنانا ما عَنا

وَقَد عَنانا ما عَنا

He hides love's burning torments,

He hides the confusion of passion

and we have suffered what we have suffered.

Though it loosened what was tied

كَميا النُزوعُ عِندَكُم

كَميا النُزوعُ عِندَكُم

كَذا النِزاعُ عِندَنا

كَذا النِزاعُ عِندَنا

As longing is with you,

How much pulling away with you

so is yearning with us.

And contention with us

يا صاحِبَي رَحلي قِفا

يا صاحِبَي رَحلي قِفا

فَسائِلا لي الدِمَنا

فَسائِلا لي الدِمَنا

O two companions of my saddle, halt,

My two companions stop

and question the ruined camps for me

Asking me for protection

بِالغَمرِ قَد غَيَّرَها

بِالغَمرِ قَد غَيَّرَها

صَوبُ الغَمامِ مُدجِنا

صَوبُ الغَمامِ مُدجِنا

at al-Ghamr, changed by

The rain has changed it

the downpour of darkening clouds.

To the direction of the clouds, drenching

وَأَمطِرا دَمعَيكُما

وَأَمطِرا دَمعَيكُما

ذاكَ الكَثيبَ الأَيمَنا

ذاكَ الكَثيبَ الأَيمَنا

Rain down your tears

And rain down your tears

upon that dune to the right.

On that right-hand sand dune

الدارُ عِندي سَكَنٌ

الدارُ عِندي سَكَنٌ

إِذا عَدِمتُ السَكَنا

إِذا عَدِمتُ السَكَنا

The dwelling gives me comfort

The house is a dwelling for me

when I am bereft of companionship.

When I lack any dwelling

قالا وَمِن أَينَ رَما

قالا وَمِن أَينَ رَما

كَ الشَوقُ قُلتُ مِن هُنا

كَ الشَوقُ قُلتُ مِن هُنا

They said, “From where did

They said: and from where

longing strike you?” I said, “From here.”

Did longing hit you like an arrow?

وَصاحِبٍ نَبَّهتُهُ

وَصاحِبٍ نَبَّهتُهُ

بَعدَ اللَغوبِ وَالوَنى

بَعدَ اللَغوبِ وَالوَنى

And a companion whom I awakened

I said: from here

after exhaustion and weariness:

And a friend I awakened

رَمى الكَرى في سَمعِهِ

رَمى الكَرى في سَمعِهِ

فَبَعدَ لَأيٍ أَذِنا

فَبَعدَ لَأيٍ أَذِنا

slumber had cast itself into his hearing,

After inattention and love

and only with difficulty did he listen.

He flung denial in my hearing

وَقامَ كَالمُصعَبِ ذي ال

وَقامَ كَالمُصعَبِ ذي ال

رَوقِ يَجُرُّ الرَسَنا

رَوقِ يَجُرُّ الرَسَنا

He rose like an untamed beast with

So stay far from any ear

a horn, dragging its halter.

And he got up like erect Sakhb

فَقُلتُ مَن مُعاقِدي

فَقُلتُ مَن مُعاقِدي

عَلى الرَدى قالَ أَنا

عَلى الرَدى قالَ أَنا

I said, “Who will pledge himself to me

Dragging spear and step

in the face of death?” He said, “I will.”

So I said: who has pledged

اِتَّقِ ما بي تَتَقّي

اِتَّقِ ما بي تَتَقّي

وَلَو أَنابيبَ القَنا

وَلَو أَنابيبَ القَنا

Guard against what ails me, and you will be safe

To reject me? He said: I

even against the shafts of spears.

Fear me, even if the channels fear not

كُلُّ الظُبى حَدائِدٌ

كُلُّ الظُبى حَدائِدٌ

وَقَلَّ مِنها المُقتَنى

وَقَلَّ مِنها المُقتَنى

All sword edges are iron,

All the gazelles are wild

yet few are worth keeping.

And few of them are to be had

وَإِنَّما الصَونُ عَلى

وَإِنَّما الصَونُ عَلى

قَدرِ المَضاءِ وَالغِنا

قَدرِ المَضاءِ وَالغِنا

They are treasured only

Preservation is only

according to their sharpness and usefulness.

According to fate and wealth

وَبارِقٍ أَشيمُهُ

وَبارِقٍ أَشيمُهُ

كَالطَرفِ أَغضى وَرَنا

كَالطَرفِ أَغضى وَرَنا

And a lightning flash I watched,

Flashing, I think it

like an eye that closed, then gazed,

Greenest softness and tenderness

أَو رُمحِ مَحبوكِ القَرا

أَو رُمحِ مَحبوكِ القَرا

باتِ شَموعاً أَرِنا

باتِ شَموعاً أَرِنا

or the kick of a firmly knit-backed horse

Or a spear with interwoven necks

that passed the night playful and spirited.

Like candles, show us

أَيقَظتُ عَنُه صاحِباً

أَيقَظتُ عَنُه صاحِباً

يَنجابُ عُلوِيَّ السَنا

يَنجابُ عُلوِيَّ السَنا

I woke a companion because of it,

I awakened a companion there

as its lofty radiance broke through.

Of towering gray hair

فَقُلتُ إِيهِ نَظَراً

فَقُلتُ إِيهِ نَظَراً

أَما قَضَيتَ الوَسَنا

أَما قَضَيتَ الوَسَنا

I said, “Come, keep looking!

And said: look

Have you not had enough sleep?

Have you not finished your evening yet?

أَينَ تَقولُ صَوبُهُ

أَينَ تَقولُ صَوبُهُ

فَقالَ لي دونَ قَنى

فَقالَ لي دونَ قَنى

Where do you think its rain is falling?”

Where are you headed?

He told me, “This side of Qana.”

He said to me: Below the water-skin

ذَكَّرَني الأَحبابَ وَال

ذَكَّرَني الأَحبابَ وَال

ذِكرى تَهيجُ الحَزَنا

ذِكرى تَهيجُ الحَزَنا

It reminded me of loved ones, and

It reminded me of loved ones and

memory rouses sorrow.

Remembrance that stirs up grief

أَضامِنٌ أَن لا يَني

أَضامِنٌ أَن لا يَني

يَشوقُ قَلباً ضَمِنا

يَشوقُ قَلباً ضَمِنا

Does it pledge never to cease

Bosoms that do not console

stirring longing in an ailing heart,

A heart pining with longing

مِن بَطنِ مُرٍّ وَالسُرى

مِن بَطنِ مُرٍّ وَالسُرى

تَؤُمُّ عُسفانَ بِنا

تَؤُمُّ عُسفانَ بِنا

from Batn Marr, while our night journey

From the belly of a bitter saddle

bears us toward Usfan?

And travel that Usfan shelters us

وَبِالعِراقِ وَطَري

وَبِالعِراقِ وَطَري

يا بُعدَ ما لاحَ لَنا

يا بُعدَ ما لاحَ لَنا

Yet in Iraq lies my desire;

And Iraq and a land

how distant is what shone before us!

Oh distance with nothing visible to us

أَشتاقُهُم وَمُربِخٌ

أَشتاقُهُم وَمُربِخٌ

إِلى زَرودٍ بَينَنا

إِلى زَرودٍ بَينَنا

I long for them, while Murbikh,

I yearn for them while a cooking pot

all the way to Zarud, lies between us.

Boils between us

يا وَيحَ لي مِن شَجَني

يا وَيحَ لي مِن شَجَني

أَما مَلَلتُ الشَجَنا

أَما مَلَلتُ الشَجَنا

Ah, woe to me from my sorrow!

Oh woe is me from my passion

Have I not grown tired of sorrow?

Have I not wearied of passion?

رَحَّلَني عَن وَطَني

رَحَّلَني عَن وَطَني

إِنّي ذَمَمتُ الوَطَنا

إِنّي ذَمَمتُ الوَطَنا

It drove me from my homeland;

It has moved me from my homeland

indeed, I have condemned that homeland.

I have condemned the homeland

ما رابَني مِن أَبعَدي

ما رابَني مِن أَبعَدي

ما رابَني مِنَ الدُنى

ما رابَني مِنَ الدُنى

Those farthest from me did not trouble me

Nothing has suited me from my remoteness

as those nearest did.

Nothing has suited me from life

وَلَو وَجَدتُ مَرقَعاً

وَلَو وَجَدتُ مَرقَعاً

لَبِستُ ثَوبي زَمَنا

لَبِستُ ثَوبي زَمَنا

Had I found a place to mend,

If I found a patched garment

I would have worn my garment awhile.

I would wear my cloth for a while

أَنّى وَمَن يَغلِبُ بِال

أَنّى وَمَن يَغلِبُ بِال

رَقعِ أَديماً لَخِنا

رَقعِ أَديماً لَخِنا

But how? Who can conquer, by

Where, and who can overcome

patching, a hide gone rank?

With patches, a worn-out hide?

أَقسَمتُ بِالمَحجوجِ مَر

أَقسَمتُ بِالمَحجوجِ مَر

فوعِ العِمادِ وَالبُنى

فوعِ العِمادِ وَالبُنى

I swore by the pilgrim-visited House,

I swore by the pillar

its pillars and structures raised high,

With high columns and buildings

مِثلِ سَنامِ العَودِ قَد

مِثلِ سَنامِ العَودِ قَد

عالوا عَليهِ الظُعُنا

عالوا عَليهِ الظُعُنا

like an old camel's hump: they have

Like the mast of a tent they

raised the litters upon it;

Have propped it up with poles

مَوضوعَةً صِفاحُهُ

مَوضوعَةً صِفاحُهُ

وَضعَ المَطِيِّ الثَفِنا

وَضعَ المَطِيِّ الثَفِنا

its slabs laid down

Laid out, its breadth

as camels lay down their calloused pads;

Takes up the place of the mounted knight

وَالأَسوَدُ المَلموسُ قَد

وَالأَسوَدُ المَلموسُ قَد

جابوا عَليهِ الرُكُنا

جابوا عَليهِ الرُكُنا

and by the touched Black Stone:

And the blackened much-handled one

they have hollowed the corner around it.

They have supported its corners

يَلقى عَليهِ مُضَرٌ

يَلقى عَليهِ مُضَرٌ

بَعدَ الصَفاءِ اليَمَنا

بَعدَ الصَفاءِ اليَمَنا

Mudar meets there

Mudar throws on it

Yemen, after concord,

After pure Yaman

تَحَكُّكَ الجُربِ عَلى ال

تَحَكُّكَ الجُربِ عَلى ال

أَجذالِ مِن مَضِّ الهَنا

أَجذالِ مِن مَضِّ الهَنا

like mangy camels rubbing against

You scratch mangy scab

tree stumps, from the sting of tar.

From the itch of poverty

لَأَقبِلَنَّ مَعشَراً

لَأَقبِلَنَّ مَعشَراً

تِلكَ الطَوالَ اللُدُنا

تِلكَ الطَوالَ اللُدُنا

I shall surely confront a company

I would go to a group

with those long and supple spears,

Of tall, ugly-faced women

تَلَمُّظَ الأَصلالِ لَج

تَلَمُّظَ الأَصلالِ لَج

لَجنَ إِلَينا الأَلسُنا

لَجنَ إِلَينا الأَلسُنا

licking their lips like vipers:

Licking dry gums, they came to us

they flicked their tongues toward us.

With tongues smeared

يَطلُبنَ وِردي ظَمَإٍ

يَطلُبنَ وِردي ظَمَإٍ

إِمّا الرَدى أَو المُنى

إِمّا الرَدى أَو المُنى

They seek my watering-place, thirsting:

Seeking my promise of a drink

either death or the fulfilment of hopes.

Either rejection or death

يُصبِحُ في أَطرافِها

يُصبِحُ في أَطرافِها

لِلقَومِ فَقرٌ وَغِنى

لِلقَومِ فَقرٌ وَغِنى

At dawn their points hold

In their corners

poverty and wealth for the people.

People find poverty and wealth

لَقَد أَنى أَن أَحمِلَ ال

لَقَد أَنى أَن أَحمِلَ ال

ضَيمَ بِها لَقَد أَنى

ضَيمَ بِها لَقَد أَنى

The time has come for me to take on

Indeed, I have despaired of bearing

oppression with them—the time has come.

Grief with them; indeed, I have despaired