تَعَلَّلتُ بِالشَطّاءِ إِذ بانَ صاحِبي

تَعَلَّلتُ بِالشَطّاءِ إِذ بانَ صاحِبي

وَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ قَد بانَ إِذ بانَ صاحِبُه

وَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ قَد بانَ إِذ بانَ صاحِبُه

I consoled myself with al-Shatta’ when my companion departed;

I excused myself with friends when my companion became clear,

And every man is sundered when his companion departs.

And every man becomes clear when his companion does.

كَأَنّي وَبَزّي فَوقَ فَتخاءَ لِقوَةٍ

كَأَنّي وَبَزّي فَوقَ فَتخاءَ لِقوَةٍ

لَها ناهِضٌ في وَكرِها لا تُجانِبُه

لَها ناهِضٌ في وَكرِها لا تُجانِبُه

As though I and my gear were atop a broad-winged she-eagle,

It was as if I and my goat were above a lair of strength,

With a fledgling in her nest whom she would not leave.

With a rouser in its den that does not abandon it.

فَباتَت عَلَيهِ يَنفُضُ الطَلَّ ريشُها

فَباتَت عَلَيهِ يَنفُضُ الطَلَّ ريشُها

تُراقِبُ لَيلاً ما تَغورُ كَواكِبُه

تُراقِبُ لَيلاً ما تَغورُ كَواكِبُه

So she spent the night over him, her feathers shaking off the dew,

It spent the night over it, shaking off the dew of its feathers,

Watching a night whose stars would not set.

Keeping watch at night over its setting stars.

فَلَمّا تَجَلّى اللَيلُ عَنها وَأَسفَرَت

فَلَمّا تَجَلّى اللَيلُ عَنها وَأَسفَرَت

تُنَفِّضُ حَسرى عَن أَحَصٍّ مَناكِبُه

تُنَفِّضُ حَسرى عَن أَحَصٍّ مَناكِبُه

Then, when night cleared from her and she came into daylight,

When the night unveiled itself from it and dawned,

Fluttering wearily away from a chick whose shoulders were bare,

It shakes off sorrow from a downcast forehead.

رَأَت ثَعلَباً مِن حَرَّةٍ فَهَوَت لَهُ

رَأَت ثَعلَباً مِن حَرَّةٍ فَهَوَت لَهُ

إِلى حَرَّةٍ وَالمَوتُ عَجلانُ كارِبُه

إِلى حَرَّةٍ وَالمَوتُ عَجلانُ كارِبُه

She saw a fox from a lava field and swooped toward him,

It saw a fox from the thickets so it swooped down on it

Into a lava field, death hastening close upon him.

To the thickets while death hastened its demise.

فَخَرَّ قَتيلاً وَاِستَمَرَّ بِسَحرِهِ

فَخَرَّ قَتيلاً وَاِستَمَرَّ بِسَحرِهِ

وَبِالقَلبِ يَدمى أَنفُهُ وَتَرائِبُه

وَبِالقَلبِ يَدمى أَنفُهُ وَتَرائِبُه

He fell slain, pierced through his lungs,

So it fell dead while its sorcery continued

And through his heart, his nose and breast bleeding.

And its heart bled while its ornaments dripped.