أَلا عَلِّلاني والمُعَلِّلُ أَروَحُ

أَلا عَلِّلاني والمُعَلِّلُ أَروَحُ

وَيَنطِقُ ما شاءَ اللِسانُ المُسَرَّحُ

وَيَنطِقُ ما شاءَ اللِسانُ المُسَرَّحُ

Come, you two, ply me with drink; the comforter is more at ease.

Oh companions, don't blame me, for my spirit is free

Come, distract me with drink, for distraction brings rest, and the unleashed tongue speaks whatever it wills

And the unfettered tongue says whatever it wishes.

And my eloquent tongue speaks whatever it wants

With a basin so vast that if a strong he-camel of the Bukhti breed fell into it, he would remain swimming in its depth

بإجَّانَةٍ لَو أَنَّها خَرَّ بازِلٌ

بإجَّانَةٍ لَو أَنَّها خَرَّ بازِلٌ

مِن البُختِ فيها ظَلَّ للشِّقِّ يَسبَحُ

مِن البُختِ فيها ظَلَّ للشِّقِّ يَسبَحُ

From a great basin: if a full-grown camel fell

With a beautiful maid, if only she would come down

And a goblet gliding upon the surface of pure wine, passing to us with an auspicious turn, then departing

Into it, one of the Bactrian breed, it would keep swimming toward the side.

Fortune's shadow would hover over her splendor and shine

I raised my hand with it, and a noble one drank with me, bright-faced like the blade of a Hindi sword, long and tall

وَقَاقُزَّةٍ تَجري عَلى مَتنِ صَفوَةٍ

وَقَاقُزَّةٍ تَجري عَلى مَتنِ صَفوَةٍ

تَمُرُّ لَنا مَرّاً سَنيحاً وَتَبرَحُ

تَمُرُّ لَنا مَرّاً سَنيحاً وَتَبرَحُ

And a wine cup drifting on the surface of pure wine,

A gazelle running on the back of a noble steed

When he sees a slip from me, he does not broadcast it; and when he sees truth in my character, he rejoices

Passing before us from left to right, and from right to left.

Passing by gently, walking proudly on her way

Are you leaving early in the morning, or departing in the evening? Perhaps delaying until tomorrow brings more rest

رَفَعتُ بِها كَفّي وَنادَمَني بِها

رَفَعتُ بِها كَفّي وَنادَمَني بِها

أَغَرُّ كَصَدرِ الهُندوانّي شَرمَحُ

أَغَرُّ كَصَدرِ الهُندوانّي شَرمَحُ

I raised it in my hand; drinking with me was

I raised my hands praising her, and she reproached me

Perhaps that which you sought with patience will come to you, while the matter you feared withdraws

A bright-faced, tall, slender man, like the blade of an Indian sword.

More arrogant than an Indian with braids in her hair

For Time has a share in a man's family and his ancestral wealth, like the division of meat, or even more severe

مَتى يَرَ مِنّي نَبوَةً لا يُشِد بِها

مَتى يَرَ مِنّي نَبوَةً لا يُشِد بِها

وَما يَرَ مِن أَخلاقي الصِدقَ يَفرَحُ

وَما يَرَ مِن أَخلاقي الصِدقَ يَفرَحُ

Whenever he sees a lapse in me, he does not broadcast it,

If only she saw in me a hint of nobility

And life is beloved to man as long as it lasts, even if he suffers in living and meets with ugliness

And when he sees honesty in my character, he rejoices.

And the honesty in my character brought her joy

The world and the hope of its life deceive them; truly, the world is a deception that brings grief

أَغادٍ غُدوّاً أَنتَ أَم مُتَرَوَّحُ

أَغادٍ غُدوّاً أَنتَ أَم مُتَرَوَّحُ

لَعَلَّ الأَنى حَتّى غَدٍ هوَ أَروَحُ

لَعَلَّ الأَنى حَتّى غَدٍ هوَ أَروَحُ

Are you setting out in the morning, or departing in the afternoon?

Are you coming tomorrow morning or just teasing?

And the latest thing is what sustains you, while that which is ancient you forget, even if it used to bring joy

Perhaps waiting until tomorrow would be more restful.

Perhaps until tomorrow what I hope for will come true

And a day of the Dog Star, whose gazelles remain sheltering in the trunk of the thorn trees, not moving away

لَعَلَّ الَّذي حاوَلتَهُ في تَئيَّةٍ

لَعَلَّ الَّذي حاوَلتَهُ في تَئيَّةٍ

يواتيكَ والأَمرَ الَّذي خِفتَ يَنزَحُ

يواتيكَ والأَمرَ الَّذي خِفتَ يَنزَحُ

Perhaps what you have sought, with unhurried care,

What you've attempted covertly may come openly

Intense in blaze, the midday heat scorching, its wind is a fiercer fire than its sun when it burns

Will come readily to you, and what you feared will recede.

And what you fear will disappear and trouble you no more

It stood high until the shadow shrank, after it had been long, until it almost disappeared into the earth

وَلِلدَّهرِ في أَهلِ الفَتى وتِلادِهِ

وَلِلدَّهرِ في أَهلِ الفَتى وتِلادِهِ

نَصيبٌ كَقَسمِ اللَحمِ أَو هوَ أَبرَحُ

نَصيبٌ كَقَسمِ اللَحمِ أَو هوَ أَبرَحُ

And Time has, in a man's family and inherited wealth,

Fate apportions to the youth and his peers

Amidst the groaning of mounts, I said to my companions—though they had not dismounted—"You have reached the cool hour, so ride on"

A share, like a portion of meat—or more grievous still.

A share like dividing meat - or even more

So they departed quickly, then reached evening, then traveled by night; how far is their evening stop from where they reached morning!

وَحِبَّ إِلى الإِنسانِ ما طالَ عُمرَهُ

وَحِبَّ إِلى الإِنسانِ ما طالَ عُمرَهُ

وإِن كانَ يُشقى في الحَياةِ وَيُقبَحُ

وإِن كانَ يُشقى في الحَياةِ وَيُقبَحُ

And man holds a long life dear,

Man loves to live long even if he suffers

And a desert wasteland where soft sheets seem to flap over it with the sun—nay, even before it, shimmering

Even if he is made wretched in life and is reviled.

And life seems ugly and unpleasant to him

At a time when people are praised for their night journey, and kindness appears from the morning most clearly

تَغُرُّهُم الدُنيا وَتأَميلُ عيشها

تَغُرُّهُم الدُنيا وَتأَميلُ عيشها

أَلا إِنَّما الدُنيا غُرورٌ مُتَرِّحُ

أَلا إِنَّما الدُنيا غُرورٌ مُتَرِّحُ

The world deceives them, as does the hope of living in it.

The world tempts them and the pleasures of life entice them

It banished birds and humans from it, so there is seen no figure within it, nor any winged bird

Take heed: the world is only a deception that brings sorrow.

But know the world is an illusion that will not last

I crossed it with a she-camel prone to miscarriage, whose fetus becomes clots of blood in her urine when she conceives

وآخِرُ ما شيءٍ يَعولُكَ والَّذي

وآخِرُ ما شيءٍ يَعولُكَ والَّذي

تَقادَمَ تَنساهُ وَإِن كانَ يُفرِحُ

تَقادَمَ تَنساهُ وَإِن كانَ يُفرِحُ

And the latest thing weighs on you; and what

In the end, what you rely on is what you forget

Her forelegs are like the hands of a hired wailing woman, jealous over her husband, so she stands wailing

Has grown old you forget, even if it once brought joy.

Even if it once brought you joy

Her hands offer generously what her tears held back upon him, so at times she cries out and screams

وَيَومٍ مِنَ الشِعري تَظَلُّ ظِباؤُهُ

وَيَومٍ مِنَ الشِعري تَظَلُّ ظِباؤُهُ

بِسوقِ العِضاهِ عوَّذاً ما تَبَرَّحُ

بِسوقِ العِضاهِ عوَّذاً ما تَبَرَّحُ

And a day in Sirius's season, when its gazelles remain

And a day when the hot wind rages in the market

She has the eyes of a jealous woman; a noble son-in-law was made available to her husband, a worthy match

Sheltering by the trunks of thorn trees, never leaving.

Stirring up dust, it does not calm

So when the news came to her of what he became involved in with her partner, she almost barked from passion

شَديدِ اللَظى حامي الوَديقَةِ ريحُهُ

شَديدِ اللَظى حامي الوَديقَةِ ريحُهُ

أَشَدُّ لَظىً مِن شَمسِهِ حينَ يَصمَحُ

أَشَدُّ لَظىً مِن شَمسِهِ حينَ يَصمَحُ

Fierce in its blaze, burning with midday heat, its wind

Severe in heat, guarding the shelter, its gusts

So she stood up, shrinking from baseness, possessing spirit, having status among her people and established honor

More scorching than its sun when the heat grows fierce.

More severe in heat than the sun at its zenith

Her neighbors try to calm her, while her heart is rising, and her eyes look most intently towards evil

تَنَصَّبَ حَتّى قَلَّصَ الظِلُّ بَعدَما

تَنَصَّبَ حَتّى قَلَّصَ الظِلُّ بَعدَما

تَطاوَلَ حَتّى كادَ في الأَرضِ يَمصَحُ

تَطاوَلَ حَتّى كادَ في الأَرضِ يَمصَحُ

It rose high until the shade shrank, after

It rose until the shade shrank after spreading

Leave this aside; but do you see the light of a lightning flash, for which I sat watching at the end of the night, glimmering?

Stretching long until it almost faded into the earth.

Until it nearly covered the earth completely

It illuminates a mass of clouds looking as if they are mountains topped with snow, or even brighter white

أَزيزَ المَطايا ثُمَ قُلتُ لِصُحبَتي

أَزيزَ المَطايا ثُمَ قُلتُ لِصُحبَتي

وَلَم يَنزِلوا أَبرَدتُمُ فتَرَوَّحوا

وَلَم يَنزِلوا أَبرَدتُمُ فتَرَوَّحوا

Amid the mounts' groaning, I then said to my companions,

The buzz of riding camels, so I said to my friends

When the East Wind met it, it rumbled with it, and it cast down its chest, its spouts pouring forth

And they had not dismounted: 'You have reached the cool hours—travel on.'

"It's getting cold, get some fresh air," and they left

Its peaks are tall in the seas, as if it is, when it moves, a beast with cut legs, reined in

فَراحوا سِراعا ثُمَ أَمسَوا فَأَدلَجوا

فَراحوا سِراعا ثُمَ أَمسَوا فَأَدلَجوا

فَهَيهاتَ مِن مُمساهُمُ حَيثُ أَصبَحوا

فَهَيهاتَ مِن مُمساهُمُ حَيثُ أَصبَحوا

So they hurried on; then evening came, and they traveled by night.

Quickly, then entered the darkness of night

May it water Umm Amr—and peace be a greeting to her from you—while the distant one loves and advises

How far from where evening found them was where they met dawn!

Alas! We won't see them again where they've gone

Buckets pouring water until the bellies of its hills collapsed, weighed down by water

وَخَرقٍ كأَنَّ الريطَ تَخفِقُ فَوقَهُ

وَخَرقٍ كأَنَّ الريطَ تَخفِقُ فَوقَهُ

مَعَ الشَمسِ لا بَل قَبلُها يَتَضَحضَحُ

مَعَ الشَمسِ لا بَل قَبلُها يَتَضَحضَحُ

And a vast waste, as though fine cloth fluttered above it,

With a tear like the pleats flickering over it

A hoarse thunder; when its rear parts rumble, its mother-clouds murmur in response to what almost oozes out

Shimmering with the sun—no, even before it—

Along with the sun, no rather, before it can form

Nothing remains of what was between us except that I am a lover, and that if she goes far, I will praise her

عَلى حينَ يُثنى القَومُ خَيراً عَلى السُرى

عَلى حينَ يُثنى القَومُ خَيراً عَلى السُرى

وَيَظهَرُ مَعروفٌ مِنَ الصُبحِ أَفصَحُ

وَيَظهَرُ مَعروفٌ مِنَ الصُبحِ أَفصَحُ

At the hour when people receive praise for night travel,

When people are thanking their companions at dawn

And indeed, forbidden is every wealth I withheld that you desire, from what we bring home or send to pasture

And a familiar sign of dawn appears more distinctly.

And kindness appears with the morning, ever eloquent

My last memory of her—while the tribe called her young—was that the scrutinizing observer might see her

نَفى الطَيرَ عَنهُ والأَنيسَ فَما يُرى

نَفى الطَيرَ عَنهُ والأَنيسَ فَما يُرى

بِهِ شَبَحٌ وَلا مِنَ الطَيرِ أَجنَحُ

بِهِ شَبَحٌ وَلا مِنَ الطَيرِ أَجنَحُ

It banished birds and human company, so nothing was seen

It drove the birds and friends away, so none are seen

Of the shy, fair women; you would think that she, if she attempted to walk, was a dizzy, intoxicated one

There—not a figure, nor a winged bird.

No specter, nor a bird with wings

And in what has passed of bygone time is a lesson for a youth, and in what comes after is a gift

قَطَعتُ بِمرجاعٍ يَكونُ جَنينُها

قَطَعتُ بِمرجاعٍ يَكونُ جَنينُها

دَماً قِطَعاً في بَولِها حينَ تَلقَحُ

دَماً قِطَعاً في بَولِها حينَ تَلقَحُ

I crossed it on a she-camel prone to miscarry, whose fetus becomes

I passed by a female ostrich whose chick

Few of the youths are patient, repaying the right of Time in what it brings to rest

Clots of blood in her urine when she conceives.

Would be bloody drops in her urine as she's bred

Although knowledge is of no avail if they do not have power over what they cannot control, to move it aside

يَداها يَدا نَوَّاحَةٍ مُستعانَةٍ

يَداها يَدا نَوَّاحَةٍ مُستعانَةٍ

عَلى بَعلِها غَيرى فَقامَت تَنَوَّحُ

عَلى بَعلِها غَيرى فَقامَت تَنَوَّحُ

Her forelegs are the hands of a wailing woman called on for help,

Her hands are the hands of a wailing mourner

Jealous over her husband, she rises to lament.

Calling for help for her husband, continuously lamenting

تَجودُ يَداها فَضلَ ما ضَنَّ دَمعُها

تَجودُ يَداها فَضلَ ما ضَنَّ دَمعُها

عَليهِ فتاراتٍ تَرِنُّ وتَصدَحُ

عَليهِ فتاراتٍ تَرِنُّ وتَصدَحُ

Her hands give freely, beyond what her tears grudgingly spare

Her hands pour down more than her tears withheld

For him; at times she wails and cries aloud.

Sighing and moaning for his loss

لَها مُقلَتا غَيرى أُتيحَ لِبَعلِها

لَها مُقلَتا غَيرى أُتيحَ لِبَعلِها

إِلى صِهرِها صَهرٌ سِنيٌّ وَمَنكَحُ

إِلى صِهرِها صَهرٌ سِنيٌّ وَمَنكَحُ

She has the eyes of a jealous woman, whose husband was offered

She found her husband had been married to another

Besides his tie to her, a noble alliance and another marriage.

An old in-law of hers, bound to her family

فَلمّا أَتاها ما تَلبَّسَ بَعدَها

فَلمّا أَتاها ما تَلبَّسَ بَعدَها

بِصاحِبها كادَت مِنَ الوَجدِ تَنبَحُ

بِصاحِبها كادَت مِنَ الوَجدِ تَنبَحُ

When news reached her of what, after her, had befallen

When she learned after their wedding that he

Her husband, she nearly barked with anguish.

Had betrayed her, she nearly barked in anguish

فَقامَت قَذورَ النَفسِ ذاتَ شَكيمَةٍ

فَقامَت قَذورَ النَفسِ ذاتَ شَكيمَةٍ

لَها قَدَمٌ في قَومِها وتَبَحبُحُ

لَها قَدَمٌ في قَومِها وتَبَحبُحُ

So she stood up, fastidious in spirit and strong-willed,

She of foul soul and wicked nature

With standing among her people and a life of ease.

Has standing among her people and struts about

يُخَفِّضُها جاراتُها وَهيَ طامِحُ

يُخَفِّضُها جاراتُها وَهيَ طامِحُ

الفؤادِ وَعَيناها مِنَ الشَرِّ أَطمَحُ

الفؤادِ وَعَيناها مِنَ الشَرِّ أَطمَحُ

Her women neighbors soothe her, though she is defiant

Her neighbors put her down as she aspires

At heart, and her eyes are yet more defiant with malice.

To satisfy her whims and eyes full of evil

فَدَع ذا وَلَكِن هَل تَرى ضوءَ بارِقٍ

فَدَع ذا وَلَكِن هَل تَرى ضوءَ بارِقٍ

قَعَدتُ لَهُ مِن آخرِ اللَيلِ يَلمَحُ

قَعَدتُ لَهُ مِن آخرِ اللَيلِ يَلمَحُ

So leave that; but do you see the gleam of lightning

But let that be, do you see a flash of lightning?

That I sat watching late in the night as it flashed?

I sat watching for it late into the night

يُضيءُ صَبيراً مِن سَحابٍ كأَنَّهُ

يُضيءُ صَبيراً مِن سَحابٍ كأَنَّهُ

جِبالٌ عَلاها الثَلجُ أَو هوَ أَوضَحُ

جِبالٌ عَلاها الثَلجُ أَو هوَ أَوضَحُ

It lights up a heaped mass of cloud, as though it were

Illuminating patiently from clouds as though

Mountains covered with snow, or brighter still.

They were mountains covered in snow, or even brighter

فَلمّا تَلافَتهُ الصَبا قَرقَرَت بِهِ

فَلمّا تَلافَتهُ الصَبا قَرقَرَت بِهِ

وَأَلقى بأَرواقٍ عَزاليهِ تَسفَحُ

وَأَلقى بأَرواقٍ عَزاليهِ تَسفَحُ

When the east wind caught it, a rumbling rose within it,

When the morning breeze stirred it, it crackled

And it let down curtains, its waterspouts pouring.

And fell in streams on solitary sands overflowing

طِوالٌ ذُراهُ في البُحورِ كأَنَّهُ

طِوالٌ ذُراهُ في البُحورِ كأَنَّهُ

إِذا سارَ مَجذوذُ القَوائِمِ مُكبَحُ

إِذا سارَ مَجذوذُ القَوائِمِ مُكبَحُ

Its peaks rise tall in the seas, as though

Tall, its scattering in the sea as though

When it moves, it were shorn of legs and reined in.

It flowed, legs bound, held back

سَقى أُمَّ عَمروٍ والسَلامُ تَحيَّةٌ

سَقى أُمَّ عَمروٍ والسَلامُ تَحيَّةٌ

لَها مِنكَ والنائي يَوَدُّ ويَنصَحُ

لَها مِنكَ والنائي يَوَدُّ ويَنصَحُ

May it water Umm ʿAmr; peace is a greeting

It watered Umm 'Amr's family, greetings

For her from you; the faraway one loves and wishes her well.

To her from you, from one far away who wishes you well

سِجالٌ يَسُحُّ الماءَ حَتّى تَهالَكَت

سِجالٌ يَسُحُّ الماءَ حَتّى تَهالَكَت

بُطونُ رَوابيهِ مِنَ الماءِ دُلَّحُ

بُطونُ رَوابيهِ مِنَ الماءِ دُلَّحُ

A rain-laden cloud pours water until

Quarrelsome, sweeping the water until

The bellies of its hills sag, heavy with water.

The stomachs of its riders were gorged with water

أَجَشُّ إِذا حَنَّت تَواليهِ أَرزَمَت

أَجَشُّ إِذا حَنَّت تَواليهِ أَرزَمَت

مَطافيلُهُ تِلقاءَ ما كادَ يَرشَحُ

مَطافيلُهُ تِلقاءَ ما كادَ يَرشَحُ

Hoarse-voiced: when its trailing clouds moan, lowing rises

When its successive surges ebbed, its

From its she-camels with young, facing what was about to drip.

Little ships almost broke apart and came undone

فَلَم يَبقَ مِمّا بَينَنا غَيرَ أَنَّني

فَلَم يَبقَ مِمّا بَينَنا غَيرَ أَنَّني

مُحِبٌّ وَأَنّي إِن نأَت سَوفَ أَمدَحُ

مُحِبٌّ وَأَنّي إِن نأَت سَوفَ أَمدَحُ

So nothing remains of what was between us except that I

Of what was between us only remains that

Am in love, and that, if she goes far away, I shall praise her.

I love, and if you allow, I will praise

وَإِنَّ حَراماً كُلُّ مالٍ مَنَعتُهُ

وَإِنَّ حَراماً كُلُّ مالٍ مَنَعتُهُ

تُريدينَهُ مِمّا نُريحُ وَنَسرَحُ

تُريدينَهُ مِمّا نُريحُ وَنَسرَحُ

And forbidden to me is any wealth I withhold

Any wealth I refuse you that you desire

That you desire, among the stock we bring home and send to graze.

Would be forbidden for us to enjoy and delight in

وَعَهدي بِها والحَيُّ يَدعونَ غِرَّةً

وَعَهدي بِها والحَيُّ يَدعونَ غِرَّةً

لَها أَن يَراها الناظِرُ المُتَصَفِّحُ

لَها أَن يَراها الناظِرُ المُتَصَفِّحُ

And I remember her, when the clan called it an unguarded lapse

I promised her, by the Living, a sly

On her part to be seen by a scrutinizing onlooker.

Gazelle, that the watcher would think when glancing

مِنَ الخَفِراتِ البيضِ تَحسِبُ أَنَّها

مِنَ الخَفِراتِ البيضِ تَحسِبُ أَنَّها

إِذا حاوَلت مَشياً نَزيفٌ مُرَنَّحُ

إِذا حاوَلت مَشياً نَزيفٌ مُرَنَّحُ

One of the fair, modest women: you would think her,

Of the white pleats, that if she tried to walk

Whenever she tried to walk, a reeling drunkard.

She would be dripping blood, stumbling all around

وَفيما مَضى مِن سالِفِ الدَهرِ لِلفَتى

وَفيما مَضى مِن سالِفِ الدَهرِ لِلفَتى

بَلاءٌ وَفيما بَعدَهُ مُتَمَنَّحُ

بَلاءٌ وَفيما بَعدَهُ مُتَمَنَّحُ

And what has passed of bygone Time holds for a man

In the past days of the youth's life he suffered

Trial; in what comes after it, bounty to be sought.

And in the future more trials await

قَليلٌ مِنَ الفِتيانِ مَن هوَ صابِرٌ

قَليلٌ مِنَ الفِتيانِ مَن هوَ صابِرٌ

مُثيبٌ بِحَقِّ الدَهرِ فيما يُرَوِّحُ

مُثيبٌ بِحَقِّ الدَهرِ فيما يُرَوِّحُ

Few among young men are those who are patient,

Few youths are patient, rewarding fate

Repaying Time its due for whatever it brings.

With acceptance for what it brings day by day

عَلى أَنَّ عِرفاناً إِذا لَم يَكُن لَهُم

عَلى أَنَّ عِرفاناً إِذا لَم يَكُن لَهُم

يَدانِ بِما لَم يَملِكوا أَن يُزَحزَحوا

يَدانِ بِما لَم يَملِكوا أَن يُزَحزَحوا

Yet this is acknowledgment, when they have no

Though if they have no means to what is not theirs

Strength against what they cannot move aside.

They should not be so bold as to overstep