لَعَمرُكَ ما تَجزي مُفَدّاةُ شُقَّتي

لَعَمرُكَ ما تَجزي مُفَدّاةُ شُقَّتي

وَإِخطارُ نَفسي الكاشِحينَ وَمالِيا

وَإِخطارُ نَفسي الكاشِحينَ وَمالِيا

By your life, no cherished woman could repay me for my hardship,

By your life, Mufaddah does not repay my arduous journey,

Nor for risking my life against spiteful foes, nor for spending my wealth;

or my risking my life and wealth among spiteful foes,

وَسَيري إِذا ما الطِرمِساءُ تَطَخطَخَت

وَسَيري إِذا ما الطِرمِساءُ تَطَخطَخَت

عَلى الرَكبِ حَتّى يَحسَبوا القُفَّ وادِيا

عَلى الرَكبِ حَتّى يَحسَبوا القُفَّ وادِيا

Nor for journeying when the deepest darkness grows dense,

or my traveling when the pitch-dark gloom thickens

With the caravan until they mistake the stony upland for a valley;

over the riders, till they mistake rocky high ground for a valley,

وَقيلي لِأَصحابي أَلَمّا تَبَيَّنوا

وَقيلي لِأَصحابي أَلَمّا تَبَيَّنوا

هَوى النَفسِ قَد يَبدو لَكُم مِن أَمامِيا

هَوى النَفسِ قَد يَبدو لَكُم مِن أَمامِيا

Nor for saying to my companions, before they could yet discern it,

or my saying to my companions, 'Have you not yet discerned

“The heart’s desire may appear to you ahead of me”;

the soul's desire, which may appear to you ahead of me?'

وَمُنتَجِعٍ دارَ العَدُوِّ كَأَنَّهُ

وَمُنتَجِعٍ دارَ العَدُوِّ كَأَنَّهُ

نَشاصُ الثُرَيّا يَستَظِلُّ العَوالِيا

نَشاصُ الثُرَيّا يَستَظِلُّ العَوالِيا

Nor for seeking bounty in enemy territory, as though

And many a foraging host in the enemy's land, as though it were

The rising Pleiades sought shade beneath lofty spearheads—

a towering cloud of the Pleiades, taking shade beneath lofty spears,

كَثيرِ وَغى الأَصواتِ تَسمَعُ وَسطَهُ

كَثيرِ وَغى الأَصواتِ تَسمَعُ وَسطَهُ

وَئيداً إِذا جَنَّ الظَلامُ وَحادِيا

وَئيداً إِذا جَنَّ الظَلامُ وَحادِيا

In a land rife with battle, amid whose tumult you hear

full of clamoring voices—you hear amid it

Swift urging when darkness falls, and a camel-driver’s song.

heavy footfalls when darkness falls, and a chanting camel-driver.

وَإِن حانَ مِنهُ مَنزِلُ اللَيلِ خِلتَهُ

وَإِن حانَ مِنهُ مَنزِلُ اللَيلِ خِلتَهُ

حِراجاً تَرى ما بَينَهُ مَتَدانِيا

حِراجاً تَرى ما بَينَهُ مَتَدانِيا

When the time for a night halt comes there, you would think it

And when the time comes for its nightly halt, you would think it

A dense thicket, so closely packed is all within it.

thickets, with the spaces between them crowded close.

وَإِن شَذَّ مِنهُ الأَلفُ لَم يُفتَقَد لَهُ

وَإِن شَذَّ مِنهُ الأَلفُ لَم يُفتَقَد لَهُ

وَلَو سارَ في دارِ العَدُوِّ لَيالِيا

وَلَو سارَ في دارِ العَدُوِّ لَيالِيا

If a thousand men strayed from it, not one would be missed,

And if a thousand stray from it, they are not missed,

Though it traveled through enemy country for many nights.

even if they travel for nights through the enemy's land.

نَزَلنا لَهُ إِنّا إِذا مِثلُهُ اِنتَهى

نَزَلنا لَهُ إِنّا إِذا مِثلُهُ اِنتَهى

إِلَينا قَرَيناهُ الوَشيجَ المَواضِيا

إِلَينا قَرَيناهُ الوَشيجَ المَواضِيا

We halt to face it—for whenever such a host comes upon us,

We came down to meet it; whenever its like arrives

We entertain it with close-woven, piercing spears.

among us, we entertain it with piercing spear-shafts.

فَلَمّا اِلتَقَينا فاءَلَتهُم نُحوسُهُم

فَلَمّا اِلتَقَينا فاءَلَتهُم نُحوسُهُم

ضِراباً تَرى ما بَينَهُ مُتَنائِيا

ضِراباً تَرى ما بَينَهُ مُتَنائِيا

When we met, their own ill fortunes foretold them

So when we met, their ill stars foretold for them

A press of blows whose intervals you saw crowding close.

a beating—you could see wide gaps opening between them.

وَأُخبِرتُ أَعمامي بَني الفِزرِ أَصبَحوا

وَأُخبِرتُ أَعمامي بَني الفِزرِ أَصبَحوا

يُوَدّونَ لَو رَزجو إِلَيَّ الأَفاعِيا

يُوَدّونَ لَو رَزجو إِلَيَّ الأَفاعِيا

I was told that my uncles, the sons of al-Fizr, had arrived by morning,

And I was told that my paternal uncles, the sons of al-Fizr, had come

Wishing they had loosed vipers against me.

to wish they could hurl vipers at me.

فَإِن تَلتَمِسني في تَميمٍ تُلاقِني

فَإِن تَلتَمِسني في تَميمٍ تُلاقِني

بِرابِيَةٍ غَلباءَ تَعلو الرَوابِيا

بِرابِيَةٍ غَلباءَ تَعلو الرَوابِيا

If you seek me among Tamim, you will find me

If you seek me among Tamim, you will find me

Upon a rugged height that towers above the hills.

on a massive height towering above the hills.

تَجِدني وَعَمرٌ دونَ بَيتي وَمالِكٌ

تَجِدني وَعَمرٌ دونَ بَيتي وَمالِكٌ

يُدِرّونَ لِلنَوكى العُروقَ العَواصِيا

يُدِرّونَ لِلنَوكى العُروقَ العَواصِيا

You will find me, with ʿAmr and Malik, defending my household,

You will find me, with Amr and Malik before my house,

Clothing the reckless in tough, unyielding sinews,

making the fools' stubborn veins gush

بِكُلِّ رُدَينِيٍّ حَديدٍ شَباتُهُ

بِكُلِّ رُدَينِيٍّ حَديدٍ شَباتُهُ

فَأولاكَ دَوَّخنا بِهِنَّ الأَعادِيا

فَأولاكَ دَوَّخنا بِهِنَّ الأَعادِيا

With every keen Rudayni spear, iron-hard at the point—

with every Rudayni spear, keen at its point;

Those are the weapons with which we subdued our enemies.

with those we subdued our enemies.

وَمُستَنبِحٍ وَاللَيلُ بَيني وَبَينَهُ

وَمُستَنبِحٍ وَاللَيلُ بَيني وَبَينَهُ

يُراعي بِعَينَيهِ النُجومَ التَوالِيا

يُراعي بِعَينَيهِ النُجومَ التَوالِيا

Many a traveler called until the dogs barked, with night between us,

And many a traveler seeking a dog's answering bark, night between him and me,

Watching the successive stars with both his eyes.

watched with both eyes the stars following one another.

سَرى إِذ تَغَشّى اللَيلُ تَحمِلُ صَوتَهُ

سَرى إِذ تَغَشّى اللَيلُ تَحمِلُ صَوتَهُ

إِلَيَّ الصَبا قَد ظَلَّ بِالأَمسِ طاوِيا

إِلَيَّ الصَبا قَد ظَلَّ بِالأَمسِ طاوِيا

He journeyed after night enveloped him, while the east wind bore his voice

He traveled when night spread its cover, his voice carried

To me; since yesterday he had remained hungry.

to me by the east wind; he had spent yesterday hungry.

دَعا دَعوَةً كَاليَأسِ لَمّا تَحَلَّقَت

دَعا دَعوَةً كَاليَأسِ لَمّا تَحَلَّقَت

بِهِ البيدُ وَاِعرَورى المِتانَ القَياقِيا

بِهِ البيدُ وَاِعرَورى المِتانَ القَياقِيا

He uttered one cry, like despair itself, when

He uttered a cry like despair, when the deserts closed

The deserts encircled him and he bestrode hard uplands and empty wastes.

around him and he crossed the hard, barren uplands.

فَقُلتُ لِأَهلي صَوتُ صاحِبُ نَفرَةٍ

فَقُلتُ لِأَهلي صَوتُ صاحِبُ نَفرَةٍ

دَعا أَو صَدىً نادى الفِراخَ الزَواقِيا

دَعا أَو صَدىً نادى الفِراخَ الزَواقِيا

I said to my household, “That is the voice of a frightened traveler,

I told my household, 'That is the voice of a frightened fugitive

Calling—or an owl calling its loudly shrieking young.”

calling—or an owl calling its shrill-voiced chicks.'

تَأَنَّيتُ وَاِستَسمَعتُ حَتّى فَهِمتُها

تَأَنَّيتُ وَاِستَسمَعتُ حَتّى فَهِمتُها

وَقَد قَفَّعَت نَكباءَ مَن كانَ سارِيا

وَقَد قَفَّعَت نَكباءَ مَن كانَ سارِيا

I waited and listened intently until I understood it,

I waited and listened closely until I understood it,

Though a crosswind had driven back whoever traveled by night.

while a crosswind had cramped the night travelers with cold.

فَقُمتُ وَحاذَرتُ السُرى أَن تَفوتَني

فَقُمتُ وَحاذَرتُ السُرى أَن تَفوتَني

بِذي شُقَّةٍ تَعلو الكُسورَ الخَوافِيا

بِذي شُقَّةٍ تَعلو الكُسورَ الخَوافِيا

I rose, fearing the night traveler might escape me

So I rose, fearing the night's journey would carry past me

On a far-ranging mount that surmounts the hidden, broken tracks of the wild.

a far-traveled man, over the tents' concealed side-flaps.

فَلَمّا رَأَيتُ الريحَ تَخلِجُ نَبحَهُ

فَلَمّا رَأَيتُ الريحَ تَخلِجُ نَبحَهُ

وَقَد هَوَّرَ اللَيلُ السِماكَ اليَمانِيا

وَقَد هَوَّرَ اللَيلُ السِماكَ اليَمانِيا

When I saw the wind snatching away his dog-rousing cry,

When I saw the wind wrenching away his bark,

While night had already driven the southern Simak down toward setting,

and night had sent the southern Simak sinking,

حَلَفتُ لَهُم إِن لَم تُجِبهُ كِلابُنا

حَلَفتُ لَهُم إِن لَم تُجِبهُ كِلابُنا

لَأَستَوقِدَن ناراً تُجيبُ المُنادِيا

لَأَستَوقِدَن ناراً تُجيبُ المُنادِيا

I swore to them: “If our dogs do not answer him,

I swore to them, 'If our dogs do not answer him,

I myself shall kindle a fire that answers the caller—

I will surely kindle a fire that answers the caller,

عَظيماً سَناها لِلعُفاةِ رَفيعَةً

عَظيماً سَناها لِلعُفاةِ رَفيعَةً

تُسامي أُنوفَ الموقِدينَ فَنائِيا

تُسامي أُنوفَ الموقِدينَ فَنائِيا

A fire mighty in radiance, raised high for seekers of bounty,

with a mighty blaze, raised high for those seeking help,

Its blaze rising level with the fire-kindlers’ faces in my courtyard.”

vying in my courtyard with the fire-lighters' proud noses.'

وَقُلتُ لِعَبدَيَّ اِسعِراها فَإِنَّهُ

وَقُلتُ لِعَبدَيَّ اِسعِراها فَإِنَّهُ

كَفى بِسَناها لِاِبنِ إِنسِكَ داعِيا

كَفى بِسَناها لِاِبنِ إِنسِكَ داعِيا

I told my two servants, “Hurry to it, for surely

I told my two slaves, 'Stoke it, for

Its radiance alone can summon any son of humankind.”

its glow is summons enough for one of your own kind.'

فَما خَمَدَت حَتّى أَضاءَ وَقودُها

فَما خَمَدَت حَتّى أَضاءَ وَقودُها

أَخا قَفرَةٍ يُزجي المَطِيَّةَ حافِيا

أَخا قَفرَةٍ يُزجي المَطِيَّةَ حافِيا

It did not die before its fuel had lit up

It did not die down until its burning fuel lit up

A wilderness traveler urging his mount onward barefoot.

a barefoot man of the wilderness, urging his mount onward.

فَقُمتُ إِلى البَركِ الهُجودِ وَلَم يَكُن

فَقُمتُ إِلى البَركِ الهُجودِ وَلَم يَكُن

سِلاحي يُوَقّي المُربِعاتِ المَتالِيا

سِلاحي يُوَقّي المُربِعاتِ المَتالِيا

I rose toward the kneeling camels as they slept—and it was not to be that

Then I went to the kneeling, sleeping camels; nor did

My blade would spare the four-year-old she-camels following one another.

my weapon spare the spring-calvers followed by their young.

فَخُضتُ إِلى الأَثناءِ مِنها وَقَد تَرى

فَخُضتُ إِلى الأَثناءِ مِنها وَقَد تَرى

ذَواتِ البَقايا المُعسِناتِ مَكانِيا

ذَواتِ البَقايا المُعسِناتِ مَكانِيا

I plunged among their inner ranks, where you might see

So I waded toward their six-year-olds; watching

Aged she-camels in my herd still rich in reserves of strength.

where I stood were the aged she-camels with vigor still left.

وَما ذاكَ إِلّا أَنَّني اِختَرتِ لِلقِرى

وَما ذاكَ إِلّا أَنَّني اِختَرتِ لِلقِرى

ثَناءَ المَخاضِ وَالجِذاعَ الأَوابِيا

ثَناءَ المَخاضِ وَالجِذاعَ الأَوابِيا

That was only because I chose, for the guest’s repast,

That was only because I chose for hospitality

The choicest pregnant she-camels and refractory young ones nearing maturity.

six-year-olds from the pregnant herd, and unruly five-year-olds.

فَمَكَّنتُ سَيفي مِن ذَواتِ رِماحِها

فَمَكَّنتُ سَيفي مِن ذَواتِ رِماحِها

غِشاشاً وَلَم أَحفَل بُكاءَ رِعائِيا

غِشاشاً وَلَم أَحفَل بُكاءَ رِعائِيا

I gave my sword free rein among camels whose humps stood like spears,

I brought my sword to bear on those that kicked,

Striking swiftly, heedless of my herdsmen’s weeping.

taking them unawares, heedless of my herdsmen's tears.

وَقُمنا إِلى دَهماءَ ضامِنَةِ القِرى

وَقُمنا إِلى دَهماءَ ضامِنَةِ القِرى

غَضوبٍ إِذا ما اِستَحمَلوها الأَثافِيا

غَضوبٍ إِذا ما اِستَحمَلوها الأَثافِيا

Then we rose to a great black cauldron, guarantor of the feast,

We turned to a black cauldron, guarantor of hospitality,

Fiercely boiling whenever the hearthstones bore it—

wrathful whenever they set it upon the hearthstones,

جَهولٍ كَجَوفِ الفيلِ لَم يُرَ مِثلُها

جَهولٍ كَجَوفِ الفيلِ لَم يُرَ مِثلُها

تَرى الزَورَ فيها كَالغُثاءَةِ طافِيا

تَرى الزَورَ فيها كَالغُثاءَةِ طافِيا

A raging monster like an elephant’s belly; none had seen its equal.

wild-tempered, like an elephant's belly—its like had never been seen.

You could see breastbones floating in it like flood-scum.

You see the breastpiece floating in it like a scrap of flotsam.

أَنَخنا إِلَيها مِن حَضيضِ عُنَيزَةٍ

أَنَخنا إِلَيها مِن حَضيضِ عُنَيزَةٍ

ثَلاثاً كَذَودِ الهاجِرِيِّ رَواسِيا

ثَلاثاً كَذَودِ الهاجِرِيِّ رَواسِيا

From the foot of ʿUnayzah we brought beside it

We made kneel beside it, from the foot of Unayzah,

Three massive hearthstones, like a small Hajarite herd, planted firm.

three immovable stones, like al-Hajiri's small camel herd.

فَلَمّا حَطَطناها عَلَيهِنَّ أَرزَمَت

فَلَمّا حَطَطناها عَلَيهِنَّ أَرزَمَت

هُدوءً وَأَلقَت فَوقَهُنَّ البَوانِيا

هُدوءً وَأَلقَت فَوقَهُنَّ البَوانِيا

When we lowered the pot upon them, it rumbled,

When we lowered it onto them, it rumbled

Then quieted and laid its broad supporting sides over them.

for a while, and laid its ribs across them.

رَكودٍ كَأَنَّ الغَليَ فيها مُغيرَةً

رَكودٍ كَأَنَّ الغَليَ فيها مُغيرَةً

رَأَت نَعَماً قَد جَنَّهُ اللَيلُ دانِيا

رَأَت نَعَماً قَد جَنَّهُ اللَيلُ دانِيا

It stood firm, as though the boiling within it were a raiding party

Motionless, as though the boiling within it were a raiding band

That had sighted livestock already hidden nearby by night.

that saw a nearby camel herd veiled by night.

إِذا اِستَحمَشوها بِالوَقودِ تَغَيَّظَت

إِذا اِستَحمَشوها بِالوَقودِ تَغَيَّظَت

عَلى اللَحمِ حَتّى تَترُكَ العَظمَ بادِيا

عَلى اللَحمِ حَتّى تَترُكَ العَظمَ بادِيا

Whenever they fiercely stoked it with fuel, it raged

Whenever they roused it with fuel, it grew furious

Against the meat until it left the bones bare.

at the meat, until it left the bones exposed.

كَأَنَّ نَهيمَ الغَليِ في حُجُراتِها

كَأَنَّ نَهيمَ الغَليِ في حُجُراتِها

تَماري خُصومٍ عاقِدينَ النَواصِيا

تَماري خُصومٍ عاقِدينَ النَواصِيا

The roar of boiling within its chambers seemed

The roar of boiling in its chambers was like

Like rivals contending, each gripping the other’s forelock.

the wrangling of opponents with forelocks knotted together.

لَها هَزَمٌ وَسطَ البُيوتِ كَأَنَّهُ

لَها هَزَمٌ وَسطَ البُيوتِ كَأَنَّهُ

صَريحِيَّةٌ لا تَحرِمُ اللَحمَ جادِيا

صَريحِيَّةٌ لا تَحرِمُ اللَحمَ جادِيا

Amid the tents it had a booming voice, as though it were

It has a rumble amid the tents, as though

A purebred, loudly bellowing she-camel that denies no seeker meat.

it were a purebred she-camel; it denies no supplicant meat.

ذَليلَةِ أَطرافِ العِظامِ رَقيقَةٍ

ذَليلَةِ أَطرافِ العِظامِ رَقيقَةٍ

تَلَقَّمُ أَوصالَ الجَزورِ كَما هِيا

تَلَقَّمُ أَوصالَ الجَزورِ كَما هِيا

It softened the ends of the bones until they grew tender,

Pliant at the bone-tips and thin-walled,

Gulping down the slaughtered camel’s joints whole, just as they were.

it swallows the slaughtered camel's joints just as they are.

فَما قَعَدَ العَبدانِ حَتّى قَرَيتُهُ

فَما قَعَدَ العَبدانِ حَتّى قَرَيتُهُ

حَليباً وَشَحماً مِن ذُرى الشَولِ وارِيا

حَليباً وَشَحماً مِن ذُرى الشَولِ وارِيا

My two servants did not sit until I had served him

The two slaves had not sat down before I entertained him

Milk and abundant fat from the humps of milk-dry she-camels.

with fresh milk and rich fat from the humps of she-camels whose milk had waned.