هِيَit الدارُthe dwelling إِلّاexcept أَنَّهاthat it مِنهُمُof them قَفرُempty
هِيَ الدارُ إِلّا أَنَّها مِنهُمُ قَفرُ
وَإِنّيand indeed I بِهاin it ثاوٍdwelling وَإِنَّهُمُwhile indeed they سَفرُtravelers
وَإِنّي بِها ثاوٍ وَإِنَّهُمُ سَفرُ
It is the dwelling, except that it is empty of them.
It is the house though now desolate of them,
I remain here, while they are travelers.
And I in it live though they in travel are.
حَبَستُI held بِهاthere لَحظيmy gaze وَأَطلَقتُand released عَبرَتيmy tear
حَبَستُ بِها لَحظي وَأَطلَقتُ عَبرَتي
وَماand not كانَwas ليfor me فيin الصَبرِpatience لَوif كانَwere ليmine عُذرُan excuse
وَما كانَ لي في الصَبرِ لَو كانَ لي عُذرُ
There I held my gaze and let my tears flow.
I fixed here my glance though my tears flowed free,
Nor would I have an excuse for patience, even if patience were mine.
No excuse for me had I, had I patience store.
كَأَنّيas though I وَأَيّاميand my days الَّتيwhich طَوَتِfolded away النَوىseparation
كَأَنّي وَأَيّامي الَّتي طَوَتِ النَوى
نَجِيّانِtwo confidants باتاspent the night دونَbefore لُقياهُماtheir meeting سِترُa veil
نَجِيّانِ باتا دونَ لُقياهُما سِترُ
As though I and my days, which separation folded away,
As though my days with their purpose charged
were two confidants spending the night with a veil barring their meeting.
Slept in this place, to meet them ne’er woke they or stirred
تَوَهَّمتُI imagined فيهاthere مَلعَباًa playground وَمَسارِحاًand grazing grounds
تَوَهَّمتُ فيها مَلعَباً وَمَسارِحاً
وَنُؤياًand a trench كَمُلقىlike a cast-off الطَوقِthe neck-ring ثَلَّمُهُnotched it القَطرُthe rain
وَنُؤياً كَمُلقى الطَوقِ ثَلَّمُهُ القَطرُ
I imagined there a playground and grazing grounds,
I fancied it an arena and theater,
and a trench like a discarded neck-ring, notched by rain.
And a dream, as though piercing showers its sand had blurred.
فَدَعso leave ذِكرَthe memory of بُثنىButhna قَدalready مَضىhas passed لَيسَis not راجِعاًreturning
فَدَع ذِكرَ بُثنى قَد مَضى لَيسَ راجِعاً
فَذَلِكَfor that دَهرٌan age قَدalready تَوَلّىhas passed away وَذاand this دَهرُan age
فَذَلِكَ دَهرٌ قَد تَوَلّى وَذا دَهرُ
So leave the memory of Buthna: it has passed, never to return.
Leave the mention of Buثn now passed, back returns it not,
That was an age gone by, and this is another age.
For that is Time, turned away, and this Time’s wont.
مُهَفهَفَةٌa slender woman صِفرُempty الوِشاحِthe sash كَأَنَّهاas though she
مُهَفهَفَةٌ صِفرُ الوِشاحِ كَأَنَّها
مَهاةُan oryx خَلاءٍopen wilderness ظَلَّkept يَكنُفُهاsurrounding her الدُرُّpearls
مَهاةُ خَلاءٍ ظَلَّ يَكنُفُها الدُرُّ
A slender woman, her sash hanging loose, as though she were
Desolate, bleached robes like wilderness wastes,
an oryx of the wilderness, ever encircled by pearls.
As though she were bereaved mother, whom sorrows hurt.
لَهاshe has وَجَناتٌcheeks يَضحَكُsmiles الوَردُroses فَوقَهاupon them
لَها وَجَناتٌ يَضحَكُ الوَردُ فَوقَها
وَطَرفٌand a gaze مَريضٌlanguid حَشوُthe filling of أَجفانِهِits eyelids السِحرُenchantment
وَطَرفٌ مَريضٌ حَشوُ أَجفانِهِ السِحرُ
She has cheeks upon which roses smile,
Gardens laughter-thronged has she, roses above,
and a languid gaze, its eyelids filled with enchantment.
And languid eyes, sleepless all night, fever’s smart.
فَماfor no رَوضَةُgarden الزَهرِof blossoms الَّتيwhich تَلفُظُexhales النَدىdew
فَما رَوضَةُ الزَهرِ الَّتي تَلفُظُ النَدى
وَيُصبِحُand becomes at dawn فيماwithin بَينَهاits midst لِلنَدىdew's نَشرُfragrance
وَيُصبِحُ فيما بَينَها لِلنَدى نَشرُ
No garden of blossoms that exhales dew,
No meadows with blossoms, no dew’s freshness is like
with dew's fragrance spread within it at dawn,
To Salma’s art, or anything sweet, the moon’s work.
بِأَطيَبِany sweeter مِنthan سَلمىSalma وَلاnor كُلُّany طَيِّبٍsweet thing
بِأَطيَبِ مِن سَلمى وَلا كُلُّ طَيِّبٍ
وَلاnor مِثلُthe like of ماwhat تَحلوshe is lovely بِهِthrough it يَفعَلُdoes البَدرُthe full moon
وَلا مِثلُ ما تَحلو بِهِ يَفعَلُ البَدرُ
is sweeter than Salma, nor is any sweet thing;
No rain’s bounty, greening the soil, whose land is as
nor can the full moon rival the loveliness that is hers.
Though clad in green robes of youth, all smiling, blithe.
وَغَيثٍand a rain-fed pasture خَصيبِfertile in التُربِsoil تَندىgrow moist بِقاعُهُits tracts
وَغَيثٍ خَصيبِ التُربِ تَندى بِقاعُهُ
بَهيمَdark in الذُرىthe heights أَثوابُgarments قَيعانِهِits lowlands خُضرُgreen
بَهيمَ الذُرى أَثوابُ قَيعانِهِ خُضرُ
And a rain-fed pasture, with fertile soil and dewy tracts,
No plain so wide as a sea where stallions race,
dark at its heights, its lowlands clothed in green,
And wealth sinks in its midst, opulent, without dearth.
رَحيبٍspacious كَمَوجِlike the waves of البَحرِthe sea يَلتَهُمُswallows الرُبىthe hills
رَحيبٍ كَمَوجِ البَحرِ يَلتَهُمُ الرُبى
وَيَغرَقُand drowns فيin أَكلائِهِits grasses النَعَمُthe livestock الدَثرُabundant
وَيَغرَقُ في أَكلائِهِ النَعَمُ الدَثرُ
vast as the waves of the sea, swallowing the hills,
Insistent the pregnant clouds weep over it still,
where abundant livestock drown in its grasses.
When their lids drop tears, the flowers laugh in their mirth.
أَلَحَّتpersisted عَلَيهِupon it كُلَّevery طَخياءَdark دَيمَةٍsteady rain-cloud
أَلَحَّت عَلَيهِ كُلَّ طَخياءَ دَيمَةٍ
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle بَكَتwept أَجفانُهاits eyelids ضَحِكَlaughed الزَهرُthe flowers
إِذا ما بَكَت أَجفانُها ضَحِكَ الزَهرُ
Every dark cloud of steady rain pressed upon it;
Never the dawn’s sun arose or remained at rest,
whenever its eyelids wept, the flowers laughed.
But over it poised were hearts and eyes alert.
فَماso never طَلَعَتrose شَمسُthe sun of النَهارِdaytime ضُحيَّةًin the forenoon
فَما طَلَعَت شَمسُ النَهارِ ضُحيَّةً
وَلاnor أُصُلاًin late afternoons إِلاexcept وَمِنand from دونِهاbefore it خِدرُa curtain
وَلا أُصُلاً إِلا وَمِن دونِها خِدرُ
The day's sun never appeared in the forenoon,
As though the music of pipes and the dawn were but
nor in late afternoon, without a curtain before it.
Kindling blaze, no embers glowed in its hearth.
كَأَنَّas though عُيونَthe eyes of العاشِقينَlovers مَنوطَةٌsuspended
كَأَنَّ عُيونَ العاشِقينَ مَنوطَةٌ
بِأَرجائِهاalong its edges فَماso not يَجِفُّdries لَهاof its شَفرُan eyelash
بِأَرجائِها فَما يَجِفُّ لَها شَفرُ
As though lovers' eyes were suspended
As though lightning flashed in the dark from your abode,
along its edges, so that none of its lashes ever dries.
The throbbing of hearts came forth from their cage: my breast.
كَأَنَّas though الرَبابَthe low clouds الجَونَdark وَالفَجرُwhile dawn ساطِعٌshining
كَأَنَّ الرَبابَ الجَونَ وَالفَجرُ ساطِعٌ
دُخانُthe smoke of حَريقٍa fire لاnot يُضيءُglows لَهُfor it جَمرُan ember
دُخانُ حَريقٍ لا يُضيءُ لَهُ جَمرُ
As though the dark low clouds, while dawn shines,
I tossed as the travelers leaned ready to ride,
were smoke from a fire whose embers give no light.
Plunging in the dark, their steeds, and my lids knew no rest,
أَمِنكِfrom you? سَرىtraveled by night ياO شُرُّShurr بَرقٌlightning كَأَنَّهُas though it
أَمِنكِ سَرى يا شُرُّ بَرقٌ كَأَنَّهُ
جَناحُthe wing of فُؤادٍa heart خافِقٍfluttering ضَمَّهُenclosed it صَدرُa breast
جَناحُ فُؤادٍ خافِقٍ ضَمَّهُ صَدرُ
Was it from you, O Shurr, that lightning came by night, like
Ice of night wrapped them until they were like
the wing of a fluttering heart held within a breast?
Idols in robes where the moon shines at its best.
أَرِقتُI lay sleepless لَهُbecause of it وَالرُكبُwhile the riders مَيلٌdrooping رُؤوسُهُمtheir heads
أَرِقتُ لَهُ وَالرُكبُ مَيلٌ رُؤوسُهُم
يَخوضونَthey wade through ضَحضاحَthe shallows of الكَرىsleep وَبِهِمand upon them وَقرُheaviness
يَخوضونَ ضَحضاحَ الكَرى وَبِهِم وَقرُ
I lay awake because of it, while the riders' heads drooped,
Till the star doffed the gown of darkness in display,
wading through the shallows of sleep, burdened with heaviness.
And their guide said, “ Dawn rent night’s veil pierced its curtain crest.”
عَلاهُمcovered them جَليدُthe frost of اللَيلِnight حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّهُمas though they
عَلاهُم جَليدُ اللَيلِ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُم
بُزاةٌhawks تَجَلّىappeared فيin مَراقِبِهاtheir lookout perches قُمرُwhite
بُزاةٌ تَجَلّى في مَراقِبِها قُمرُ
The frost of night covered them, until they seemed
Their camel litter they loaded when day again
white hawks appearing on their lookout perches,
Rose o’er them, as though it were an eagle in flight.
إِلىuntil أَنthat تَعَرّىwas stripped النِجمُthe star مِنof حُلَّةِthe robe of الدُجىdarkness
إِلى أَن تَعَرّى النِجمُ مِن حُلَّةِ الدُجى
وَقالَand said دَليلُthe guide of القَومِthe party قَدalready ثَقَبَpierced through الفَجرُdawn
وَقالَ دَليلُ القَومِ قَد ثَقَبَ الفَجرُ
until the star was stripped of darkness's robe,
An army black as the night though in day conquering,
and the party's guide said, 'Dawn has pierced through.'
Crushing foe on land and sea resistless in might.
وَقَدّواand they rent أَديمَthe hide of القَومِthe people حينَwhen تَرَفَّعَتrose
وَقَدّوا أَديمَ القَومِ حينَ تَرَفَّعَت
لَهُمfor them لَيلَةٌa night أُخرىanother كَماas حَلَّقَsoared النَسرُthe eagle
لَهُم لَيلَةٌ أُخرى كَما حَلَّقَ النَسرُ
And they rent the people's hide when there rose
I witnessed many a wry glance and drawing of sword,
before them another night, as an eagle soared.
On its blade the marks of war and its fearful plight.
وَجَيشٍand an army كَمِثلِlike اللَيلِnight يَسوَدُّturns black شَمسُهُits sun
وَجَيشٍ كَمِثلِ اللَيلِ يَسوَدُّ شَمسُهُ
وَيَهمَرُّand surges مِنwith أَعدائِهِits enemies البَرُّthe land وَالبَحرُand the sea
وَيَهمَرُّ مِن أَعدائِهِ البَرُّ وَالبَحرُ
And an army like the night, its sun turning black,
When the ranks clashed our eyes were parted by
with land and sea surging with its foes:
Gleam of swinging white swords and brown lances bright.
شَهِدتُI was present بِطِرفٍon a noble steed أَعوَجيٍّAʿwaji وَطِرفَةٍand a rare treasure
شَهِدتُ بِطِرفٍ أَعوَجيٍّ وَطِرفَةٍ
وَعَضبِand a sharp sword حُسامِcutting الحَدِّthe edge فيon مَتنِهِits blade أَثرُa mark
وَعَضبِ حُسامِ الحَدِّ في مَتنِهِ أَثرُ
I was there on an Aʿwaji steed, with a rare treasure,
Back they reeled, tasting what they recognized,
and a keen, cutting-edged sword with a mark on its blade.
Excuses they had; victory and fame our right.
وَلَمّاand when اِلتَقىmet الصَفّانِthe two battle lines فَرَّقَparted بَينَناbetween us
وَلَمّا اِلتَقى الصَفّانِ فَرَّقَ بَينَنا
بَريقُthe flash of ضِرابِstriking البيضِbright blades وَالأَسَلُand spears السُمرُbrown
بَريقُ ضِرابِ البيضِ وَالأَسَلُ السُمرُ
And when the two battle lines met, we were parted by
When I mount the steed, sword ready, say to men
the gleam of clashing bright blades and the brown spears.
To obey their marshal, act as his word and might.
فَوَلّواso they fled وَقَدand already ذاقواtasted الَّتيwhat يَعرِفونَهاthey know it
فَوَلّوا وَقَد ذاقوا الَّتي يَعرِفونَها
فَكانَso there was لَهُمfor them عُذرٌan excuse وَكانَand there was لَناfor us فَخرُglory
فَكانَ لَهُم عُذرٌ وَكانَ لَنا فَخرُ
So they fled, having tasted what they knew,
Many friends whose troth I never tasted fully
and they had an excuse, while we had glory.
Before fate let slip the chance, treachery's blight.
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle رَكِبتُI mounted الجَونَthe black horse وَالسَيفُand the sword مُنتَضىًunsheathed
إِذا ما رَكِبتُ الجَونَ وَالسَيفُ مُنتَضىً
فَقُلthen say لِبَنيto the children of حَوّاءَEve يَجمَعُهُمgathers them أَمرُan affair
فَقُل لِبَني حَوّاءَ يَجمَعُهُم أَمرُ
When I mount the black horse, my sword unsheathed,
I forgave them, though gratitude be their duty,
then tell Eve's children: a grave matter gathers them all.
Yet no thanks returned they me nor requital's rite.
وَكَمand how many مِنof خَليلٍa close friend لَمnot أُمَتَّعI was allowed to enjoy بِعَهدِهِin his friendship
وَكَم مِن خَليلٍ لَم أُمَتَّع بِعَهدِهِ
وَفَيتُI kept faith لَهُwith him بِالوِدِّin affection فَاِجتاحَهُthen swept him away الغَدرُtreachery
وَفَيتُ لَهُ بِالوِدِّ فَاِجتاحَهُ الغَدرُ
And many a friend whose companionship I was denied:
My destined lot from men of rank and station
I kept faith with him in affection, but treachery swept him away.
Whom if I shun, loneliness weighs as a plight.
فَقَدَّمتُso I offered صَفحاًforgiveness عَنهُfor him يوجِبُrequires شُكرَهُhis thanks
فَقَدَّمتُ صَفحاً عَنهُ يوجِبُ شُكرَهُ
وَماyet no كانَwas ليfor me مِنهُfrom him جَزاءٌrecompense وَلاnor شُكرُthanks
وَما كانَ لي مِنهُ جَزاءٌ وَلا شُكرُ
So I offered him pardon that called for his thanks,
The best of my wealth is theirs when poverty befalls them
yet I had neither recompense nor thanks from him.
And my triumph swift when their might knows defeat.
وَذَلِكَand that حَظِّmy lot مِنfrom رِجالٍmen أَعِزَّةٍdear
وَذَلِكَ حَظِّ مِن رِجالٍ أَعِزَّةٍ
عَلَيَّto me فَإِنso if أَهجُرهُمُI abandon them يَكثُرِincreases الهَجرُestrangement
عَلَيَّ فَإِن أَهجُرهُمُ يَكثُرِ الهَجرُ
And this is my lot with men dear
When ease comes to us, our faces show
to me; if I forsake them, estrangement will multiply.
Open hands and good news the lips recite.
لَهُمfor them خَيرُthe best of ماليmy wealth حينَwhen يَعتَلُّails مالَهُمtheir wealth
لَهُم خَيرُ مالي حينَ يَعتَلُّ مالَهُم
وَسُرعَةُand the swiftness of نَصريmy aid حينَwhen يَعتَذِرُmakes excuses النَصرُaid
وَسُرعَةُ نَصري حينَ يَعتَذِرُ النَصرُ
They have the best of my wealth when their wealth ails,
and my swift aid when aid itself makes excuses.
إِذاwhen جاءَناcomes to us العافيthe supplicant رَأىsees فيin وُجوهِناour faces
إِذا جاءَنا العافي رَأى في وُجوهِنا
طَلاقَةَthe openness of أَيديناour hands وَبَشَّرَهُand gave him glad tidings البِشرُcheerfulness
طَلاقَةَ أَيدينا وَبَشَّرَهُ البِشرُ
When a supplicant comes to us, he sees in our faces
the openness of our hands, and our cheer gives him glad tidings.
Partial English translation: 56 of 60 Arabic lines translated.