جَزِعتَ وَما بانُوا فَكَيفَ وَقَد بانُوا

جَزِعتَ وَما بانُوا فَكَيفَ وَقَد بانُوا

فَيالَيتَهُم كانُوا قَريباً كَما كانُوا

فَيالَيتَهُم كانُوا قَريباً كَما كانُوا

You grieved before they parted; how now that they have parted?

You grieved though they had not yet departed; yet how will it be when they are gone?

Would that they were near, as once they were.

Would that they were near, as once they were near!

حَرِصنا عَلى أَن لا تَشِطَّ نَواهُمُ

حَرِصنا عَلى أَن لا تَشِطَّ نَواهُمُ

فَشَطَّت وَبَعضُ الحِرصِ غَيٌّ وَحِرمانُ

فَشَطَّت وَبَعضُ الحِرصِ غَيٌّ وَحِرمانُ

We strove that their separation should not stretch far,

We were eager that their tents should not be struck;

Yet far it stretched; some striving is folly and deprivation.

yet they were struck, and some eagerness is error and deprivation.

وَقَد سَأَلوا عَن شانِنا بَعدَ نَأيِهِم

وَقَد سَأَلوا عَن شانِنا بَعدَ نَأيِهِم

فَقُلنا لَهُم لَم يَرقَ بَعدَكُمُ شانُ

فَقُلنا لَهُم لَم يَرقَ بَعدَكُمُ شانُ

And they asked about our condition after their departure,

They asked after our affairs when they had gone far from us,

So we told them: no tear-stream has ceased since you left.

and we told them that since your departure no affairs have prospered.

حُرمنا التَداني مِن مُحَرَّمِ عامِكُم

حُرمنا التَداني مِن مُحَرَّمِ عامِكُم

وَشَعَّبَكُم بَعدَ المُحَرَّمِ شَعبانُ

وَشَعَّبَكُم بَعدَ المُحَرَّمِ شَعبانُ

We were denied closeness since the Muharram of your year,

The sacred month, in which it was forbidden to approach them, kept us from entering it,

And after Muharram, Sha'ban scattered you.

and after the sacred month came Shaban, then scattering.

وَبُحنا بِأَسرارِ الهَوى بَعدَ نَأيِكُم

وَبُحنا بِأَسرارِ الهَوى بَعدَ نَأيِكُم

أَلا كُلُّ سِرٍّ يَومَ نَأيِكِ إِعلانُ

أَلا كُلُّ سِرٍّ يَومَ نَأيِكِ إِعلانُ

And we divulged love's secrets after your departure;

When you were far from us we moaned with the secrets of passion -

Indeed, every secret is made public on the day you depart.

indeed, every secret, when you are far, comes into the open!

وَبِالغَورِ مِن جَنبي خُفافٍ جَآذِرٌ

وَبِالغَورِ مِن جَنبي خُفافٍ جَآذِرٌ

مِنَ الإِنسِ يبكِرنَ الأَنيسَ وَغِزلانُ

مِنَ الإِنسِ يبكِرنَ الأَنيسَ وَغِزلانُ

And in the lowland, on either side of Khufaf, are wild-ox calves—

On my ribs are slender-waisted fair women,

Of humankind, visiting companions at dawn—and gazelles.

of mankind, who make love sweet in the early dawn, and gazelles.

إِذا ما سَحَبنَ الرَيطَ ضَوَّعنَ لِلصَبا

إِذا ما سَحَبنَ الرَيطَ ضَوَّعنَ لِلصَبا

نَسيماً كَما ضاعَ الخُزامِيُّ وَالبانُ

نَسيماً كَما ضاعَ الخُزامِيُّ وَالبانُ

Whenever they trail their robes, they release into the east wind

When the breeze draws its veil, it makes unto the zephyr

A fragrant breeze, like the scent wafting from lavender and ban trees.

a breath, as the rind and date-spathe were wasted.

نَكَرنَ مَشيبي وَالغَواني فَوارِكٌ

نَكَرنَ مَشيبي وَالغَواني فَوارِكٌ

إِذا لَم يَكُن فِينا شَبابٌ وَإِمكانُ

إِذا لَم يَكُن فِينا شَبابٌ وَإِمكانُ

They disdained my gray hair; beautiful women are scornful

My gray hairs and the changing of my natural strength denied me,

When we have neither youth nor means.

so if there is no more youth or power in us, how are we to be blamed?

زِيادةُ ضَعفٍ بِالمَشيبِ وَحَسرَةٌ

زِيادةُ ضَعفٍ بِالمَشيبِ وَحَسرَةٌ

فَمَوتُكَ إِكمالٌ حَياتُكَ نُقصانُ

فَمَوتُكَ إِكمالٌ حَياتُكَ نُقصانُ

With gray hair comes greater weakness and regret;

To grow old is to grow weaker, and gray hairs mean sorrow,

So your death is completion, your life diminution.

yet your death makes life finish, not grow less.

وَقَد أَغتَدي وَاللَيلُ مُرخٍ رِدائَهُ

وَقَد أَغتَدي وَاللَيلُ مُرخٍ رِدائَهُ

وَنَجمُ الثُرَيّا في المَغارِبِ وَسنانُ

وَنَجمُ الثُرَيّا في المَغارِبِ وَسنانُ

And often I set out early, while night lets down its cloak,

I roamed at night when the night let down its mantle,

And the star of the Pleiades drowses in the western skies,

and the star of the Chained Woman rose in the west and glittered.

بِجائِلَةِ الأَنساعِ مالَت مِن السُرى

بِجائِلَةِ الأَنساعِ مالَت مِن السُرى

كَما مالَ مِن رَشفِ الزُجاجَةِ نَشوانُ

كَما مالَ مِن رَشفِ الزُجاجَةِ نَشوانُ

On a camel with shifting girths, leaning from night travel,

With a litter of noble ladies the litters inclined from the dwellings,

As a drunkard sways after sipping from the glass flask.

as the brim of a beaker turns aside when the beaker is filled to the full.

تَدُوسُ الحَصا أَخفافُها وَهُوَ لُؤلُؤٌ

تَدُوسُ الحَصا أَخفافُها وَهُوَ لُؤلُؤٌ

وَتَرفَعُها مِن فَوقِهِ وَهوَ مَرجانُ

وَتَرفَعُها مِن فَوقِهِ وَهوَ مَرجانُ

Her padded feet tread gravel while it is pearl,

They tread on the gravel, and it is pearls,

And she lifts them from it while it is coral.

and they lift their dresses above it, and it is coral.

تُناهِبُني مَرتاً كَأَنّ نَعامَهُ

تُناهِبُني مَرتاً كَأَنّ نَعامَهُ

قُسُوسٌ أَكَبَّت في مُسُوحٍ وَرُهبانُ

قُسُوسٌ أَكَبَّت في مُسُوحٍ وَرُهبانُ

She races with me across a barren waste, whose ostriches seem

Now and then she attacks me, as though her ostriches

Priests bent low in haircloth, and monks.

were religious monks in their cloisters.

إِذا قَطَعَت غِيطانَ أَرضٍ تَقابَلَت

إِذا قَطَعَت غِيطانَ أَرضٍ تَقابَلَت

عَلَيها سَبارِيتٌ سِواها وَغيطان

عَلَيها سَبارِيتٌ سِواها وَغيطان

Whenever she crosses a land's lowlands, there loom

When she crosses the sandhills, one like her meets her,

Before her other barren wastes and lowlands.

driving away other sandhills.

إِلى خَيرِ مَن يُستَمطَرُ الخَيرُ عِندَهُ

إِلى خَيرِ مَن يُستَمطَرُ الخَيرُ عِندَهُ

وَيَأتَمُّ مَغناهُ رِكابٌ وَرُكبانُ

وَيَأتَمُّ مَغناهُ رِكابٌ وَرُكبانُ

Toward the best of those from whom goodness is sought like rain,

To the best of those from whom good is asked, and who is sought when it is needed,

And whose dwelling riding camels and riders seek.

and who is resorted to by riders and footmen;

فَتىً جَلّ عَمَّن جَلّ في الناسِ قَدرُهُ

فَتىً جَلّ عَمَّن جَلّ في الناسِ قَدرُهُ

وَباتَ لَهُ سَفٌّ عَليهِ وَرُجحانُ

وَباتَ لَهُ سَفٌّ عَليهِ وَرُجحانُ

A young man exalted above anyone whose rank is great among men,

A noble whose worth excels all men, excellent in worth,

And he came to hold preeminence and superiority over each.

and for whom at nightfall glory and eminence remain;

فَصُغِّرَ بِهرامٌ وَبُخِّلَ حاتَمٌ

فَصُغِّرَ بِهرامٌ وَبُخِّلَ حاتَمٌ

وَجُبِّنَ بِسطامٌ وَغُلِّطَ لُقمانُ

وَجُبِّنَ بِسطامٌ وَغُلِّطَ لُقمانُ

So Bahram is belittled, and Hatim deemed miserly;

In him are diminished Bahram and Hatim's liberality,

And Bistam is deemed cowardly, and Luqman judged mistaken.

Bastam's courage is belittled, and Luqman's wisdom.

كَريمٌ غَرِقنا في نَداهُ كَأَنّنا

كَريمٌ غَرِقنا في نَداهُ كَأَنّنا

بِغَير أَذىً في لُجَّةِ البَحرِ حِيتانُ

بِغَير أَذىً في لُجَّةِ البَحرِ حِيتانُ

A generous man: we drowned in his bounty, as though we were

We drowned in his boons, as though we

Fish in the sea's depths, unharmed.

were, unharmed, in the midst of the sea's gulfs, great fish.

هُوَ اللَيثُ أَردى اللَيثَ وَاللَيثُ مُخدِرٌ

هُوَ اللَيثُ أَردى اللَيثَ وَاللَيثُ مُخدِرٌ

هُوَ الغَيثُ فاقَ الغَيثَ وَالغَيثُ هتّانُ

هُوَ الغَيثُ فاقَ الغَيثَ وَالغَيثُ هتّانُ

He is the lion who felled the lion, though the lion was in its lair;

He is the lion who has outdone the lion, but the lion slinks away;

He is the rain that surpasses rain, even when the rain pours steadily.

He is the rain whose rain excels the rain's, but the rain is pouring down.

هُوَ البَحرُ أَهدى السُحب شَرقاً وَمَغرِباً

هُوَ البَحرُ أَهدى السُحب شَرقاً وَمَغرِباً

فَرَوّى فِجاجَ الأَرضِ وَالبَحرُ مَلآنُ

فَرَوّى فِجاجَ الأَرضِ وَالبَحرُ مَلآنُ

He is the sea that sent clouds as gifts east and west,

He is the sea who has guided the clouds east and west,

Thus watering the earth's broad paths, while the sea remains full.

and so irrigated the parched land, and the sea is full.

حَليمٌ كَأَنّ العَضبَ يُلقي نِجادَهُ

حَليمٌ كَأَنّ العَضبَ يُلقي نِجادَهُ

عَلى يَذبُلٍ أَن يَلبَسُ البُردَ ثَهلانُ

عَلى يَذبُلٍ أَن يَلبَسُ البُردَ ثَهلانُ

Forbearing, as though the keen sword laid its baldric

He is forebearing, as though anger dressed itself

Upon Yadhbul—as though Thahlan wore the mantle.

in robes of patience when shabby obstinacy puts on the fur cloak.

عَلا قَدرُهُ حَتّى كَأَنّ نَديمَهُ

عَلا قَدرُهُ حَتّى كَأَنّ نَديمَهُ

لِبَعض مَصابيحِ الدُجُنَّة نَدمانُ

لِبَعض مَصابيحِ الدُجُنَّة نَدمانُ

His rank rose so high that his boon companion seems

His worth rose high until it was as if his boon-companion

A companion to some of the lamps of deep night.

were one of the lamps of heaven.

إِذا قُلتُ شِعراً فيهِ خِفتُ اِنتِقادَهُ

إِذا قُلتُ شِعراً فيهِ خِفتُ اِنتِقادَهُ

عَليَّ كَأَنِّي باقِلٌ وَهوَ سَحبانُ

عَليَّ كَأَنِّي باقِلٌ وَهوَ سَحبانُ

When I speak poetry about him, I fear his criticism

When I said a poem in which I feared his criticism,

Of me—as though I were Baqil and he Sahban.

it was as though I were a fulsome praiser and he the noble hero.

شَكَرتُ لَهُ النُعمى فلا أَنا جاحِدٌ

شَكَرتُ لَهُ النُعمى فلا أَنا جاحِدٌ

وَلا واهِبُ النُعمى بِنُعماه منّانُ

وَلا واهِبُ النُعمى بِنُعماه منّانُ

I thanked him for his bounty, so I am not ungrateful,

I thanked him for bounty, so I am not ungrateful,

Nor does the giver of bounty flaunt his favors.

nor is the bestower of bounty, by his gifts, made conceited.

وَما زادَهُ فَخراً مَديحي لِأَنَّه

وَما زادَهُ فَخراً مَديحي لِأَنَّه

صَباحٌ لَهُ مِنهُ دَليلٌ وَبُرهانُ

صَباحٌ لَهُ مِنهُ دَليلٌ وَبُرهانُ

And my praise has added nothing to his glory, for he is

My praise did not increase his pride, for he is a dawn

A dawn bearing its own sign and proof.

which needs no indication or proof from me.

أَدِينُ بِنُصحي للأَمينِ وَمَحضِه

أَدِينُ بِنُصحي للأَمينِ وَمَحضِه

أَلا إِنَّما بَذلُ النَصائِحِ أَديانُ

أَلا إِنَّما بَذلُ النَصائِحِ أَديانُ

My creed is sincere counsel to al-Amin, in all its purity;

I am indebted, with my good advice, to the faithful trustee, pure in counsel,

Indeed, offering sincere counsel is faith itself.

for the offering of advice, in truth, is a duty owed by the noble.

كَريمٌ مِنَ القَومِ الَّذين سَأَلتُهُم

كَريمٌ مِنَ القَومِ الَّذين سَأَلتُهُم

فَأَعطوا وَما مَنَّوا وَقالوا وَما مانُوا

فَأَعطوا وَما مَنَّوا وَقالوا وَما مانُوا

A generous man from the people whom I petitioned,

A generous man, of the folk I asked for favors, and they gave,

Who gave without flaunting their favors, and spoke without lying.

and did not boast, and spoke well, and did not refuse.

مَدَحتُهُمُ طِفلاً وَكَهلاً فَأَفضَلُوا

مَدَحتُهُمُ طِفلاً وَكَهلاً فَأَفضَلُوا

عَلَيَّ وَهُم وَشِيبٌ وَشُبّانُ

عَلَيَّ وَهُم وَشِيبٌ وَشُبّانُ

I praised them as a child and as a mature man, and they lavished bounty

As a child and grown man I praised them, but they showed more

Upon me, they being gray-haired men and youths.

bounty toward me when they were old and youths.

أَبا صالِحٍ طُلتَ المُلوكَ وَطَأطَأَت

أَبا صالِحٍ طُلتَ المُلوكَ وَطَأطَأَت

لِأَخمَصِكَ الحَيّانِ قيسٌ وَقحطانُ

لِأَخمَصِكَ الحَيّانِ قيسٌ وَقحطانُ

Abu Salih, you towered above kings; bowing low

O Abu Salih, you have sought the kings abjectly and humbly,

At your foot's arch were the two tribes, Qays and Qahtan.

and for your sake Qais and Khatan bowed to the ground.

فَأُقسِمُ لَولا أَنتَ لَم يُخلَقِ النَدى

فَأُقسِمُ لَولا أَنتَ لَم يُخلَقِ النَدى

وَلَولاك لَم يَفخَر مَعَدُّ وَعَدنانُ

وَلَولاك لَم يَفخَر مَعَدُّ وَعَدنانُ

So I swear: but for you, generosity would not have been created,

I swear were it not for you, benevolence would not have been created,

And but for you, Ma'add and Adnan would not have boasted.

and but for you, neither Ma'add nor Adnan would have taken pride.

ذَخَرتَ اللُهى عِندَ العُفاة كَأَنَّما

ذَخَرتَ اللُهى عِندَ العُفاة كَأَنَّما

عُفاتُك حُفّاظُ عَلَيك وَخُزّانُ

عُفاتُك حُفّاظُ عَلَيك وَخُزّانُ

You stored your gifts with petitioners, as though

You stored wealth among the chiefs as though your chiefs

Your petitioners were your custodians and treasurers.

were its treasurers and guardians.

قَهَرتَ مُلوكَ الأَرضِ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

قَهَرتَ مُلوكَ الأَرضِ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

عَلى كُلّ سُلطانٍ لِسَيفِكَ سُلطانُ

عَلى كُلّ سُلطانٍ لِسَيفِكَ سُلطانُ

You subdued the kings of the earth, until it seemed

You conquered the kings of earth so that it was as if

Your sword held sovereignty over every sovereign.

over every ruler your sword held sway.

وَأَهوَنتَ بِالأَعداءِ لَمّا تَأَلَّبوا

وَأَهوَنتَ بِالأَعداءِ لَمّا تَأَلَّبوا

فَهانُوا وَلَولا عِظمُ شانِكَ ما هانُوا

فَهانُوا وَلَولا عِظمُ شانِكَ ما هانُوا

And you humbled your enemies when they banded together,

You thought little of enemies when they acted haughtily,

So they were humbled; but for your greatness, they would not have been humbled.

so they became contemptible - had your glory not been so great, they would not have been contemptible.

فَإِن تَعفُ عَمَّن يَطلُبُ العَفوَ مِنهُمُ

فَإِن تَعفُ عَمَّن يَطلُبُ العَفوَ مِنهُمُ

فَعِندَكَ لِلجاني عِقابٌ وَغُفرانُ

فَعِندَكَ لِلجاني عِقابٌ وَغُفرانُ

So if you pardon those among them who seek pardon,

If you pardon those who seek pardon,

Then you hold punishment and forgiveness for the offender.

with you there is punishment for the sinner and pardon.

وَأَنتَ الحُسامُ العَضبُ يَخشُنُ لِلعِدى

وَأَنتَ الحُسامُ العَضبُ يَخشُنُ لِلعِدى

وَفيكَ مَعَ الإِحسانِ لينٌ إِذا لانُوا

وَفيكَ مَعَ الإِحسانِ لينٌ إِذا لانُوا

And you are the keen, cutting sword, harsh toward foes;

You are the sword, harsh toward the foe,

And in you, with benevolence, is gentleness when they relent.

and in you with beneficence there is gentleness when they bend.

فَعِش عُمرَ ما حَبَّرتُ فيكَ فَإِنَّه

فَعِش عُمرَ ما حَبَّرتُ فيكَ فَإِنَّه

سَيَبقى إِذا لَم يَبقَ إِنسٌ وَلا جانُ

سَيَبقى إِذا لَم يَبقَ إِنسٌ وَلا جانُ

So live as long as the verse I have crafted about you, for it

Live long as the letters I have traced spell your name,

Will endure when neither humans nor jinn remain.

for they will outlast men and jinn.

وَكُلُّ غَمامٍ غَيرِ كَفِّكَ مُخلِفٌ

وَكُلُّ غَمامٍ غَيرِ كَفِّكَ مُخلِفٌ

وَكُلُّ مَديحٍ غَيرِ مَدحِكَ بُهتانُ

وَكُلُّ مَديحٍ غَيرِ مَدحِكَ بُهتانُ

And every cloud but your palm breaks its promise,

Every cloud not your palm leaves no rain,

And all praise but praise of you is falsehood.

and every eulogy not yours is false and futile.