يا مُزنَةَ الحَيِّ يَحدُو عِيسَها الحادي

يا مُزنَةَ الحَيِّ يَحدُو عِيسَها الحادي

هَلّا شَفَيتِ بِرِيٍّ غُلَّةَ الصادي

هَلّا شَفَيتِ بِرِيٍّ غُلَّةَ الصادي

O rain cloud of the clan, whose pale camels the camel-driver urges onward,

O beauty of life, your charm makes the lovesick sing

why did you not quench the thirsty one's burning with a draught?

If only you could heal my aching heart with a kind glance

زَوَّدتِني نَظرَةً زادَت جَوىً كَبِدِي

زَوَّدتِني نَظرَةً زادَت جَوىً كَبِدِي

ما كانَ ضَرَّكِ لَو أَكثَرتِ مِن زادي

ما كانَ ضَرَّكِ لَو أَكثَرتِ مِن زادي

You provisioned me with a glance that increased my liver's burning;

Your gaze gave me more anguish, fueling the fires in my liver

what harm would it have done you had you increased my provisions?

It would not have harmed you to give me more provision

أَمّا فُؤادي فَقَد أَضحى أَسيرَكُمُ

أَمّا فُؤادي فَقَد أَضحى أَسيرَكُمُ

يا وَيحَهُ مِن فُؤادٍ مالَهُ فادي

يا وَيحَهُ مِن فُؤادٍ مالَهُ فادي

As for my heart, it has indeed become your captive;

As for my heart, it has become your captive

alas for it—a heart with no one to ransom it!

Oh what an ill-fated heart that has no ransom

مَنُّوهُ زُوراً وَمَنُّوا في المُنى وَعِدُوا

مَنُّوهُ زُوراً وَمَنُّوا في المُنى وَعِدُوا

وَعداً جَميلاً وَلا تُوفوا بِميعادِ

وَعداً جَميلاً وَلا تُوفوا بِميعادِ

Feed it false hopes, be lavish with wishes, and make

They made false promises, and promised in love,

a beautiful promise, but keep no appointed tryst.

A beautiful promise, but did not keep the appointment

كَيفَ الخَلاصُ وَقَد أَضرَمتِ في كَبِدي

كَيفَ الخَلاصُ وَقَد أَضرَمتِ في كَبِدي

زَندَينِ ضِدَّينِ مِن خافٍ وَمِن بادي

زَندَينِ ضِدَّينِ مِن خافٍ وَمِن بادي

How can I escape, when you have kindled in my liver

How can I escape when in my heart you have pierced

two opposing firesticks, one hidden and one manifest?

Two opposing daggers of fear and separation

أَيّامَ نَحنُ بِأَعلى الشِعبِ مَنزِلُنا

أَيّامَ نَحنُ بِأَعلى الشِعبِ مَنزِلُنا

وَمَنزِلُ الحَيِّ بَينَ السَفحِ وَالوَادي

وَمَنزِلُ الحَيِّ بَينَ السَفحِ وَالوَادي

In those days when our dwelling was high in the ravine,

We spend our days high up on the mountain slopes

and the clan's dwelling lay between the mountain's foot and the valley,

While the tribe camps on the plains and valleys below

ما كانَ ضَرَّكُمُ وَالدارُ جامِعَةٌ

ما كانَ ضَرَّكُمُ وَالدارُ جامِعَةٌ

وَغُربَةُ البَينِ لَم تَجلِسُ بِمِرصادِ

وَغُربَةُ البَينِ لَم تَجلِسُ بِمِرصادِ

what harm would it have done you, while our abode held us together

It would not trouble you, though our houses are close,

and the exile of parting had not yet lain in ambush,

That estrangement did not allow us to settle

لَو أَنعَمت بِالمُنى نُعمٌ وَلَو كَرُمَت

لَو أَنعَمت بِالمُنى نُعمٌ وَلَو كَرُمَت

سُعدى فَجادَت بِإِسعافٍ وَإِسعادِ

سُعدى فَجادَت بِإِسعافٍ وَإِسعادِ

had Nu'm granted our wishes, and had generosity moved

If you were to grant me my wish, it would be a blessing,

Su'da to lavish relief and happiness?

and your generosity would bring me aid and happiness

لَم أَنسَها يَومَ وَلَّت وَهيَ غادِيَةٌ

لَم أَنسَها يَومَ وَلَّت وَهيَ غادِيَةٌ

بِمُهجَتي في الفَريقِ المُزمِعِ الغادي

بِمُهجَتي في الفَريقِ المُزمِعِ الغادي

I have not forgotten her the day she turned away, departing

I will never forget, when she left, taking

with my lifeblood, amid the company resolved to leave at dawn.

my love away in the impending separation

حَسّانَةُ الجِيدِ مَصقُولٌ تَرائِبُها

حَسّانَةُ الجِيدِ مَصقُولٌ تَرائِبُها

مِثلُ العَقيقَةِ في وَطفاءَ مِرعادِ

مِثلُ العَقيقَةِ في وَطفاءَ مِرعادِ

Fair of neck, with a gleaming upper breast,

The smooth-cheeked gazelle, her braids

like lightning in a dense, thundering cloud.

shine like carnelians in the early dawn light

قالَت فَدَتكَ حَياتي وَهِيَ هازِلَةٌ

قالَت فَدَتكَ حَياتي وَهِيَ هازِلَةٌ

رُوحي الفِداءُ لِذاكَ الهازِلِ الفادِي

رُوحي الفِداءُ لِذاكَ الهازِلِ الفادِي

She said, 'May my life ransom you,' while jesting;

She jokingly said, “I ransom my life for you,”

my soul be ransom for that playful one who offered hers.

I ransom my soul for that joking redeemer

أَمسَت أُمامَةُ قَد ضَنَّت بِنائِلِها

أَمسَت أُمامَةُ قَد ضَنَّت بِنائِلِها

فاعتادَ قَلبَكَ مِنها شَرُّ مُعتادِ

فاعتادَ قَلبَكَ مِنها شَرُّ مُعتادِ

Umama has grown grudging with her favors,

Umma has grown miserly with her gifts

so the worst of her visitations has returned to your heart.

So your heart has gotten used to her evil habits

كَأَنَّ لُبَّكَ مُذ بانَ الخَليطُ بِها

كَأَنَّ لُبَّكَ مُذ بانَ الخَليطُ بِها

لُبُّ المُعَلَّلِ مِن صَفراءَ كَالجادي

لُبُّ المُعَلَّلِ مِن صَفراءَ كَالجادي

It is as though your mind, since the company departed with her,

Since she revealed her fickle nature,

were the mind of one plied with yellow wine, saffron-bright:

your heart is like one made sick by yellow bile

مُقتُولَةٌ بِنَمير الماءِ قاتِلَةٌ

مُقتُولَةٌ بِنَمير الماءِ قاتِلَةٌ

تَرى المُصَبَّح مِنها مائِلَ الهادي

تَرى المُصَبَّح مِنها مائِلَ الهادي

slain with sweet water, yet itself a slayer;

Slain by the crocodiles in the water, herself a murderess,

you see its morning drinker with his neck drooping.

you see the swimmer beside her losing his way

وَفِتيَةٍ لَوَّحَتهُم كُلُّ طامِسَةٍ

وَفِتيَةٍ لَوَّحَتهُم كُلُّ طامِسَةٍ

قَفرٍ وَكُلُّ سَحيقِ الرِعنِ مُنقادِ

قَفرٍ وَكُلُّ سَحيقِ الرِعنِ مُنقادِ

And many youths sun-scorched by every trackless

And youths every barren outcast flashed at them,

desolate waste and every long dune with a far-reaching crest—

every smooth-sided flatterer enticed them

تَهوي بِهم شَدَنيّاتٌ مُزَمَّمَةٌ

تَهوي بِهم شَدَنيّاتٌ مُزَمَّمَةٌ

تَضِلُّ في البِيدِ أَعضاداً بِأَعضادِ

تَضِلُّ في البِيدِ أَعضاداً بِأَعضادِ

reined Shadani she-camels rush onward with them,

Passionate she-camels hurry them away,

vanishing into the wastes, troop mingling with troop.

straying confusedly in the wasteland

كَأَنَّهُم مِن نَعامِ الدَوِّ سارِحَةٌ

كَأَنَّهُم مِن نَعامِ الدَوِّ سارِحَةٌ

تَخدي بِجِنٍّ عَلى الأَكوارِ مُرّادِ

تَخدي بِجِنٍّ عَلى الأَكوارِ مُرّادِ

They seem a roaming flock of ostriches of the wilderness,

As if they were ostriches fleeing Ghost Forest,

striding with rebellious jinn upon the saddles.

streaking wildly across the sand dunes

تَشدُو بِذِكرِ ابنِ مِرداسٍ فَيُطرِبُها

تَشدُو بِذِكرِ ابنِ مِرداسٍ فَيُطرِبُها

حَتّى تَهِمَّ بِأَن تَشدُو مَعَ الشادي

حَتّى تَهِمَّ بِأَن تَشدُو مَعَ الشادي

You sing of Ibn Mirdas, and it so enraptures them

They are inspired to sing the son of Mirdas,

that they long to sing along with the singer.

till they are transported and sing with the singers

مُتَوَّجٌ مِن مُلوكِ الأَرضِ هِمَّتُهُ

مُتَوَّجٌ مِن مُلوكِ الأَرضِ هِمَّتُهُ

مَقسُومَةٌ بَينَ إِصدارٍ وَإِيرادِ

مَقسُومَةٌ بَينَ إِصدارٍ وَإِيرادِ

A crowned king among the kings of earth, whose purpose

A king crowned over the kings of the earth,

is divided between sending forth and bringing in.

his ambition divided between initiative and income

زُرنا المُعِزَّ فَزُرنا مِن فَتى مُضَرٍ

زُرنا المُعِزَّ فَزُرنا مِن فَتى مُضَرٍ

بَحرَ النَدى وَشِهابَ الحَيِّ وَالنادي

بَحرَ النَدى وَشِهابَ الحَيِّ وَالنادي

We visited al-Mu'izz, and in Mudar's noble youth visited

We visited Al-Mu’izz, so we visited a prince of Mudar,

an ocean of bounty, the blazing star of clan and council.

an ocean of dew, a flame of life and activity

وَباتَتِ العيسُ في مَغناهُ حامِدَةً

وَباتَتِ العيسُ في مَغناهُ حامِدَةً

لِفَضلِهِ وَلِإتهامي وَإِنجادي

لِفَضلِهِ وَلِإتهامي وَإِنجادي

And the pale camels spent the night in his abode, giving thanks

The lovers in their passions sing his praises through the night

for his bounty, and for my travels to Tihama and Najd.

for his merit, and for rescuing and helping me

فَتىً إِذا قَصَدَ القُصّادُ نائِلَهُ

فَتىً إِذا قَصَدَ القُصّادُ نائِلَهُ

أَمُّوا مُعَرَّسَ وُفّادٍ وَقُصّادِ

أَمُّوا مُعَرَّسَ وُفّادٍ وَقُصّادِ

A noble youth: when petitioners seek his bounty,

A youth, when the archers seek their prey,

they make for the resting place of delegations and seekers.

they guide well-trained trackers and archers

أَغَرُّ أَبلَجُ يَلقى الوَفدَ مُبتَسِماً

أَغَرُّ أَبلَجُ يَلقى الوَفدَ مُبتَسِماً

بِمُشرِقٍ مِثلِ ضَوءِ الشَمسِ وَقّادِ

بِمُشرِقٍ مِثلِ ضَوءِ الشَمسِ وَقّادِ

Radiant and bright-browed, he greets delegations with a smile,

Dazzling white, radiant, he receives delegations smiling,

with a face shining and blazing like the sunlight.

with brilliance like the rising sun’s rays

يُهدى بِهِ الرَكبُ وَالظَلماءُ عاكِفَةٌ

يُهدى بِهِ الرَكبُ وَالظَلماءُ عاكِفَةٌ

لا يُبعِدُ اللَهُ ذاكَ المُرشِدِ الهادي

لا يُبعِدُ اللَهُ ذاكَ المُرشِدِ الهادي

By him the caravan is guided while darkness lingers;

By him, caravans and those astray in darkness are guided,

may God never take away that guide who shows the way.

may God not remove that rightly-guiding leader

فَخرٌ مُنيفٌ بَناهُ في القَديمِ لَهُم

فَخرٌ مُنيفٌ بَناهُ في القَديمِ لَهُم

كَعبُ بنُ عَبدٍ وَإِدريسُ بنُ شَدّادِ

كَعبُ بنُ عَبدٍ وَإِدريسُ بنُ شَدّادِ

A towering glory, built for them long ago

A lofty, splendid palace built for them in ancient times

by Ka'b ibn 'Abd and Idris ibn Shaddad.

by Ka’b ibn ‘Abd and Idris ibn Shaddad

ما كُلُّ قَومٍ إِذا طالُوا بِأَنفُسِهِم

ما كُلُّ قَومٍ إِذا طالُوا بِأَنفُسِهِم

طالُوا بِها وَبِآباءٍ وَأَجدادِ

طالُوا بِها وَبِآباءٍ وَأَجدادِ

Not every clan that rises through its own merit

Not every people who boast of their own excellence

rises through that, and through fathers and forefathers too.

boast of their ancestors and forefathers

تَرى الثِيابَ عَلى أَجسادِهِم فَتَرى

تَرى الثِيابَ عَلى أَجسادِهِم فَتَرى

تِلكَ الثِيابَ عَلى أَجسادِ آسادِ

تِلكَ الثِيابَ عَلى أَجسادِ آسادِ

You see the garments on their bodies, and you see

You see clothes upon their bodies, and see

those garments upon the bodies of lions.

those clothes upon the frames of lions

إِذا نَضَوها نَضَوها عَن مَناكِبِهِم

إِذا نَضَوها نَضَوها عَن مَناكِبِهِم

كَما نَضَوتَ سُيُوفاً حَشوَ أَغمادِ

كَما نَضَوتَ سُيُوفاً حَشوَ أَغمادِ

When they strip them off, they strip them from their shoulders

When they unsheathe them they unsheathe them from their shoulders

as you draw swords housed within scabbards.

as you would unsheathe polished swords from scabbards

إِن تَلقَهُم تَلقَ مِنهُم مَعشَراً نُجُباً

إِن تَلقَهُم تَلقَ مِنهُم مَعشَراً نُجُباً

أَكبادُهُمُ في الرَزايا غَيرُ أَكبادِ

أَكبادُهُمُ في الرَزايا غَيرُ أَكبادِ

If you meet them, you find among them a company of noble men,

If you meet them, you meet a noble company

whose livers, amid calamities, are no ordinary livers.

whose hearts in calamities are unlike other hearts

كَأَنَّهُم وَعِتاقُ الخَيلِ تَحمِلُهُم

كَأَنَّهُم وَعِتاقُ الخَيلِ تَحمِلُهُم

أَطوادُ حِلمٍ جُلوساً فَوقَ أَطوادِ

أَطوادُ حِلمٍ جُلوساً فَوقَ أَطوادِ

They seem, as thoroughbred horses carry them,

It is as if they and the horses they ride

mountains of forbearance seated upon mountains.

are borne by pillars of forbearance atop pillars

شُمُّ العَرانينِ طَعّانينَ إِن غَضِبُوا

شُمُّ العَرانينِ طَعّانينَ إِن غَضِبُوا

بِالسَمهَرِيَّةِ بِذّالِينَ لِلزّادِ

بِالسَمهَرِيَّةِ بِذّالِينَ لِلزّادِ

High-nosed, fierce in their thrusts when angered,

When angry, they have the sharp scent of mint,

with Samhari spears, lavish givers of provisions.

slashing with Indian swords at the provisions

يا بنَ المُلوكِ كَلاكَ اللَهُ مِن مَلِكٍ

يا بنَ المُلوكِ كَلاكَ اللَهُ مِن مَلِكٍ

مُدَرَّبٍ بِفَعالِ الخَيرِ مُعتادِ

مُدَرَّبٍ بِفَعالِ الخَيرِ مُعتادِ

O son of kings, may God guard you—such a king,

O son of kings, may God give you protection

seasoned in good works and practiced in them!

accustomed to righteous deeds, untiring

كَم مِنَّةٍ لَكَ عِندي ثَمَّرَت جِدَتي

كَم مِنَّةٍ لَكَ عِندي ثَمَّرَت جِدَتي

وَكَثَّرَت فَوقَ ظَهرِ الأَرضِ حُسّادي

وَكَثَّرَت فَوقَ ظَهرِ الأَرضِ حُسّادي

How many a favor of yours to me has increased my wealth

How many favors I owe you brought fruit from my labors

and multiplied my enviers upon the back of the earth!

and multiplied across the face of the earth despite enviers

لَأَجزِيَنَّكَ أَوصافاً مُحَبَّرَةَ

لَأَجزِيَنَّكَ أَوصافاً مُحَبَّرَةَ

كَأَنَّهُنَّ عُقُودٌ فَوقَ أَجيادِ

كَأَنَّهُنَّ عُقُودٌ فَوقَ أَجيادِ

I shall surely repay you with richly wrought praises,

I will repay you with odes penned in saffron,

as though they were necklaces upon necks,

as if they were collars placed around steeds’ necks

تَبقى عَلى غُبَّرِ الأَيّامِ خالِدَةً

تَبقى عَلى غُبَّرِ الأَيّامِ خالِدَةً

خُلودَ ذِكرِكَ في حَضرِ وَفي بادي

خُلودَ ذِكرِكَ في حَضرِ وَفي بادي

enduring immortal through the days to come,

Remaining through the dust of days undying,

as your renown endures among townsfolk and nomads.

like memories of you lasting in settled lands and wastelands