أَوَجهُكِ أَم بَدرٌ مِنَ الغَربِ لائِحُ

أَوَجهُكِ أَم بَدرٌ مِنَ الغَربِ لائِحُ

وَرَيّاكِ أَم نَشرٌ مِنَ المِسكِ فائِحُ

وَرَيّاكِ أَم نَشرٌ مِنَ المِسكِ فائِحُ

Is it your face, or a full moon gleaming from the west?

Your faces, are they the full moon rising in the west, radiant,

And your fragrance, or a scent wafting from musk?

Or your sight, is it musk diffusing fragrance?

وَما لِبُدورِ التِمِّ في الغَربِ مَطلَعٌ

وَما لِبُدورِ التِمِّ في الغَربِ مَطلَعٌ

وَلا لِذَكيِّ المِسكِ هَذي الرَوائِحُ

وَلا لِذَكيِّ المِسكِ هَذي الرَوائِحُ

Yet full moons have no rising-place in the west,

The full moons never rise in the west,

nor does fragrant musk possess these scents.

Nor does pure musk give off this scent.

تَنَفَّستِ في ريحِ الصَبا فَتَضَوَّعَت

تَنَفَّستِ في ريحِ الصَبا فَتَضَوَّعَت

بِرَيّاكِ غِيطانُ الفَلا وَالصَحاصِحُ

بِرَيّاكِ غِيطانُ الفَلا وَالصَحاصِحُ

You breathed into the east wind, and there grew fragrant

You breathed the morning breeze and it was perfumed

with your scent the desert's lowlands and open plains.

With the frankincense of acacia and aromatic plants.

وَلُحتِ لَنا وَاللَيلُ مُلقٍ جِرانَهُ

وَلُحتِ لَنا وَاللَيلُ مُلقٍ جِرانَهُ

فَلَم يَنتَصِف حَتّى بَدا الصُبحُ لائِحُ

فَلَم يَنتَصِف حَتّى بَدا الصُبحُ لائِحُ

And you shone before us while night had laid down its neck;

You came to us as night flung down its skirts,

so it had not reached its midpoint when dawn appeared, gleaming.

Scarcely halfway before dawn arrived, shining.

أَما وَالهَوى يا أُمَّ عمرو فَإِنَّهُ

أَما وَالهَوى يا أُمَّ عمرو فَإِنَّهُ

لَيقدَحُ في قَلبي مِنَ النارِ قادِحُ

لَيقدَحُ في قَلبي مِنَ النارِ قادِحُ

Indeed, by love, O Umm Amr, it is true:

By passion, O mother of 'Amr, it kindles

a striker surely strikes sparks of fire within my heart.

Fires blazing in my heart.

لَقَد خامَرتني مِن هَواكِ صَبابَةٌ

لَقَد خامَرتني مِن هَواكِ صَبابَةٌ

تَعُودُ بِها مِثلَ الجِراحِ الجَوارِحُ

تَعُودُ بِها مِثلَ الجِراحِ الجَوارِحُ

An ardent longing for your love has surely possessed me;

You roused in me such passion

through it, my limbs become like wounds.

I was like a wounded beast.

فَلا تَحسَبي إِن باحَ ما بي مِنَ الهَوى

فَلا تَحسَبي إِن باحَ ما بي مِنَ الهَوى

عَلى النَأَيِ أَنّ السرَ بَعدَكِ بائِحُ

عَلى النَأَيِ أَنّ السرَ بَعدَكِ بائِحُ

So do not think, if the love within me becomes plain,

Think not, though I reveal my love's agony in seclusion,

despite separation, that the secret reveals itself in your absence.

After you my secret is disclosed.

وَلا حُلتُ مُذ حُلتُم عَن العَهدِ في الهَوى

وَلا حُلتُ مُذ حُلتُم عَن العَهدِ في الهَوى

وَلا مالَ بي عَنكُم عَذولٌ وَكاشِحُ

وَلا مالَ بي عَنكُم عَذولٌ وَكاشِحُ

Nor have I changed since you turned from the covenant of love,

Since you left I have not changed in love

nor has a reproacher or a spiteful foe turned me away from you.

Nor turned from you, fickle and unfaithful.

وَداويّةٍ يا سَلمَ قَفرٍ كَأَنَّها

وَداويّةٍ يا سَلمَ قَفرٍ كَأَنَّها

بِرَأدِ الضُحى بَحرٌ مِنَ الآلِ طافِحُ

بِرَأدِ الضُحى بَحرٌ مِنَ الآلِ طافِحُ

And many a barren desert, O Salma, as though it were

O abode of desolation, like a desert bare

at early forenoon an overflowing sea of mirage,

A sea of tents in the cool of dawn.

بِمَهلَكَةٍ لا السِيدُ فيها مُصَوِّتٌ

بِمَهلَكَةٍ لا السِيدُ فيها مُصَوِّتٌ

وَلا الطَيرُ مِنها في ذُرى الأَيكِ صادِحُ

وَلا الطَيرُ مِنها في ذُرى الأَيكِ صادِحُ

in a deadly waste where no wolf raises its voice,

With no voice loud, nor birds in thickets singing

nor do its birds sing in the groves' treetops,

Crossing over in the herd's footprints, seeking escape,

قَطعتُ عَلى حَرفٍ مِنَ العِيسِ جَسرَةٍ

قَطعتُ عَلى حَرفٍ مِنَ العِيسِ جَسرَةٍ

نَجاة بِرَحلي وَالمَطِيُّ طَلائِحُ

نَجاة بِرَحلي وَالمَطِيُّ طَلائِحُ

I crossed on a lean, sturdy, pale she-camel,

To Malik, chief of all, Sumāl ibn Sālih,

swift beneath my saddle, while the riding camels were exhausted,

A prince forbidden praise but mine.

إِلى مَلِكِ الدُنيا ثمالِ بنِ صالِحٍ

إِلى مَلِكِ الدُنيا ثمالِ بنِ صالِحٍ

فَتىً حَرُمَت إِلّا عَلَيهِ المَدائِحُ

فَتىً حَرُمَت إِلّا عَلَيهِ المَدائِحُ

toward the king of the world, Thimal ibn Salih,

He is the sea, mighty in war yet kind,

a youth—praises are forbidden for all but him.

The sea is fresh but salt, so is he both.

هُوَ البَحرُ في بَأسٍ وَجُودٍ فَمالِحٌ

هُوَ البَحرُ في بَأسٍ وَجُودٍ فَمالِحٌ

وَعَذبٌ كَذاكَ البَحرُ عَذبٌ وَمالِحُ

وَعَذبٌ كَذاكَ البَحرُ عَذبٌ وَمالِحُ

He is the sea in valor and generosity: salt

Of cheerful visage, though engaged in deadly strife

and sweet; the sea likewise is sweet and salt.

Unruffled, undisturbed, serene.

طَليقُ المُحَيّا لا يُرى وَهوَ ضارِعٌ

طَليقُ المُحَيّا لا يُرى وَهوَ ضارِعٌ

لِخَطبٍ وَلا مِن حادِثٍ وَهوَ كالِحُ

لِخَطبٍ وَلا مِن حادِثٍ وَهوَ كالِحُ

Cheerful of countenance, he is never seen humbled

Open-handed, of glorious repute, meritorious,

by calamity, nor grim-faced because of misfortune.

True, fair, and sublime in deed.

جَوادٌ لَهُ مَجدٌ طَريفٌ وَتالِدٌ

جَوادٌ لَهُ مَجدٌ طَريفٌ وَتالِدٌ

وَحَقٌّ سَنيحٌ في المَعالي وَبارِحُ

وَحَقٌّ سَنيحٌ في المَعالي وَبارِحُ

Generous, he has glory newly won and inherited,

Generous, vying in gen’rosity, his bounty

and a claim to lofty honors, whether omens pass rightward or leftward.

Most generous in the lands from end to end.

كَريمٌ تُباريهِ الكِرامُ وَجُودُهُ

كَريمٌ تُباريهِ الكِرامُ وَجُودُهُ

عَلى كُلِّ جُودٍ في البَرِيَّةِ رائِحُ

عَلى كُلِّ جُودٍ في البَرِيَّةِ رائِحُ

Noble, the noble vie with him, yet his generosity

Not equal are the niggard and the sea, the narrow strait

surpasses every other generosity in creation.

And the expanse where billows surge and seethe.

وَما يَستَوي جَفرٌ وَبَحرٌ وَشارِعٌ

وَما يَستَوي جَفرٌ وَبَحرٌ وَشارِعٌ

إِلى البَحرِ مِن بَعضِ النَواحي وَماتِحُ

إِلى البَحرِ مِن بَعضِ النَواحي وَماتِحُ

And not alike are a broad well, a sea, and one heading

The tribes of Qais and Āmir all knew well,

to the sea from some quarter, and a water-drawer.

Settled or nomads roaming far and wide,

لَقَد عَلِمَت قَيسٌ وَأَبناءُ عامِرٍ

لَقَد عَلِمَت قَيسٌ وَأَبناءُ عامِرٍ

جَميعاً وَدانٍ في البِلادِ وَنازِحُ

جَميعاً وَدانٍ في البِلادِ وَنازِحُ

Qays and the sons of Amir have surely learned—

That none but you gives freely when appealed for aid.

all of them, and those near and far throughout the lands—

To you alone cry out the suppliants.

بِأَنَّكَ أَعطى مانِحٍ لِجَسيمَةٍ

بِأَنَّكَ أَعطى مانِحٍ لِجَسيمَةٍ

فَما تَنتَمي إِلّا إِلَيكَ المَنائِحُ

فَما تَنتَمي إِلّا إِلَيكَ المَنائِحُ

that you are the most generous giver of great gifts;

You spread justice's shade o’er all mankind,

so gifts are ascribed to no one but you.

You open wide the door of sustenance for all.

فَأَنتَ لِظِلِّ العَدلِ في الناسِ باسِطٌ

فَأَنتَ لِظِلِّ العَدلِ في الناسِ باسِطٌ

وَأَنتَ لِبابِ الرِزقِ في الخَلقِ فاتِحُ

وَأَنتَ لِبابِ الرِزقِ في الخَلقِ فاتِحُ

So you spread the shade of justice among the people,

Through you this clan is purified by God,

and you open the door of sustenance among creation.

Their honor spotless, steeped in modesty.

وَهَذا طُهُورٌ طَهَّرَ اللَهُ أَهلَهُ

وَهَذا طُهُورٌ طَهَّرَ اللَهُ أَهلَهُ

فَأَعراضُهُم مِن كُلِّ عَيبٍ صَحائِحُ

فَأَعراضُهُم مِن كُلِّ عَيبٍ صَحائِحُ

And this is purity itself; God has purified his household,

They crown me with glory wherever I may be,

so their honor is free of every flaw.

And I through their munificence thrive.

هُمُ تَوَّجُوني العِزَّ في كُلِّ بَلدَةٍ

هُمُ تَوَّجُوني العِزَّ في كُلِّ بَلدَةٍ

وَمِن فَضل ما قَد أَنعَمُوا أَنا فالِحُ

وَمِن فَضل ما قَد أَنعَمُوا أَنا فالِحُ

They crowned me with glory in every town,

In them, praise God, no shame resides,

and through the bounty of what they bestowed, I prosper.

Their honor I defend and guard zealously.

وَما فيهِمُ وَالحَمدُ لِلّهِ رِيبَةٌ

وَما فيهِمُ وَالحَمدُ لِلّهِ رِيبَةٌ

أُدافِعُ عَن أَعراضِهِم وَأُناضِحُ

أُدافِعُ عَن أَعراضِهِم وَأُناضِحُ

And there is no cause for suspicion in them—praise be to God—

Yet they immortalized my name through kindness,

against which I must defend their honor and do battle.

So I immortalize them in my songs of praise.

ولَكِنَّهُم قَد خَلَّدوا لي صَنيعَةً

ولَكِنَّهُم قَد خَلَّدوا لي صَنيعَةً

فَخَلَّدتُ فيهِم كُلَّ ما أَنا مادِحُ

فَخَلَّدتُ فيهِم كُلَّ ما أَنا مادِحُ

But they have made their kindness to me everlasting,

so I have immortalized all my praise of them.