ذَرْنيleave me ونجداًand Najd لاmay not حملتُI bear نجاديmy sword-belt
ذَرْني ونجداً لا حملتُ نجادي
إنif لمnot أَخُطَّI score صعيدَهُits soil بِصِعادِwith spear-shafts
إن لم أَخُطَّ صعيدَهُ بِصِعادِ
Leave me alone with Najd—may I never bear my sword-belt
Leave me be, for I no longer bear the burden of my youth
if I do not score its soil with spear-shafts.
Unless I’ve marked its plains with my footsteps
وأُخَضْخِضَنَّand I shall surely churn حشاthe entrails of الظلامِdarkness إلىtoward الدُّمىthe statues (beauties)
وأُخَضْخِضَنَّ حشا الظلامِ إلى الدُّمى
وَأُصَافِحنَّand I shall surely caress سوالفَthe sides of الأجيادthe necks
وَأُصَافِحنَّ سوالفَ الأجياد
And I shall surely churn the entrails of darkness toward the statue-like beauties,
And startled the darkness’ beasts till just before dawn
and surely caress the sides of their necks.
And clasped hands with the tales of steeds
حيثُwhere العبيرُperfume وشىembroidered تأرُّجُهits fragrance علىupon
حيثُ العبيرُ وشى تأرُّجُه على
مَسْرَىthe passage of الظباءِthe gazelles ومَسْرَحِand the roaming-place of الأبرادthe cloaks
مَسْرَى الظباءِ ومَسْرَحِ الأبراد
Where perfume embroiders with its fragrance
Where the fragrance spreads its scent
the gazelles' paths and the sweep of cloaks.
Over the does’ walkways and the expanse of the cold nights
ولقدand indeed مررتُI passed علىby الكثيبِthe dune فأرْزَمَتْand lowed
ولقد مررتُ على الكثيبِ فأرْزَمَتْ
إبليmy camels ورجَّعتِand echoed الصهيلَthe neighing جياديmy steeds
إبلي ورجَّعتِ الصهيلَ جيادي
Indeed, I passed by the dune, and lowing rose
And I’ve passed many a dune whereon
from my camels, while my steeds echoed their neighs,
My she-camel halted and turned back my mares
ماemphatic particle بينَamid ساحاتٍdwelling-grounds لهمْbelonging to them ومعاهدٍand familiar haunts
ما بينَ ساحاتٍ لهمْ ومعاهدٍ
سُقِيَتْwere watered منwith العَبَراتِtears صَوْبَa downpour of عِهادrecurring rains
سُقِيَتْ من العَبَراتِ صَوْبَ عِهاد
amid their dwelling-grounds and familiar haunts,
Between their plains and covenants
watered by tears in showers of recurring rain.
Quenched by tears flowing copiously
ضَرَبُواthey pitched ببطنِin the hollow of الواديَيْنِthe two valleys قِبابَهُمْtheir domed tents
ضَرَبُوا ببطنِ الواديَيْنِ قِبابَهُمْ
بينَamong الصوارمِkeen swords والقناand lances المنآدthe bending
بينَ الصوارمِ والقنا المنآد
They pitched their domed tents in the hollow of the two valleys,
They pitched their tents in the valley’s midst
among keen swords and bending lances.
Amidst the swords and the echoing call to arms
والورقُand the gray doves تهتفُcall out حولهمْaround them طرَباًin delight بهمْbecause of them
والورقُ تهتفُ حولهمْ طرَباً بهمْ
فبكلِّso at every مَحْنِيَّةٍbend ترنمُtrills شاديa singer
فبكلِّ مَحْنِيَّةٍ ترنمُ شادي
And gray doves call around them, delighted by their presence,
And the leaves chirp around them, enraptured by their presence
so at every bend a singer trills.
So every curved route sings my songs
ياO بانةَban-tree of الواديthe valley كفىsuffices حزناas sorrow بناfor us
يا بانةَ الوادي كفى حزنا بنا
ألاّthat we do not نطارحَexchange words غيرَother than with بانةِa ban-tree of واديa valley
ألاّ نطارحَ غيرَ بانةِ وادي
O ban-tree of the valley, it is sorrow enough for us
Oh you who weep in the valley, our sorrow suffices
to exchange words with none but a valley's ban-tree.
Shall we speak of naught but the valley’s weeper?
أينwhere الظِّباءُthe gazelles المشْرئبُّةُstretching their necks بالضُّحىin the forenoon
أين الظِّباءُ المشْرئبُّةُ بالضُّحى
فيin مُنحَناكyour bend وأينَand where عَهْدُthe days of سعادSu'ad
في مُنحَناك وأينَ عَهْدُ سعاد
Where are the gazelles, necks raised in the forenoon,
Where are the does, sated by the morn’s first light
in your bend, and where are the days of Su'ad?
On your slopes? Where is the day of joy?
وردواthey came to water ومنand among بعضِsome of المناهلِthe watering places أدمعيmy tears
وردوا ومن بعضِ المناهلِ أدمعي
وَنَأَواand they went far away وبعضُand among الظاعنينَthose departing فؤاديmy heart
وَنَأَوا وبعضُ الظاعنينَ فؤادي
They came to water, and my tears were among the watering places;
They came and went, and from some springs my tears flowed
they went far away, and my heart was among the departing.
They left, and some wandering hearts left mine
فسقتهمُso may they water them حيثُwherever ارتمتْrushed headlong برحالهمْwith their saddles
فسقتهمُ حيثُ ارتمتْ برحالهمْ
هوجُheadlong الركابِthe riding-camels روائحٌevening rainclouds وغواديand morning rainclouds
هوجُ الركابِ روائحٌ وغوادي
May they be watered wherever their saddles were swept away
I irrigated them where their mounts’ feet tread
by headlong riding-camels—watered by evening and morning clouds,
Scents and valleys pouring down their rains
ينهلُّstreams وابلُهاtheir downpour كماjust as ينهلُّstream مِنْfrom
ينهلُّ وابلُها كما ينهلُّ مِنْ
يُمْنىthe right hand of أبيAbu (father of) الفضلِal-Fadl الكريمِthe noble أياديbenefactions
يُمْنى أبي الفضلِ الكريمِ أيادي
whose downpour streams, as there stream from
That downpour from the blessed right hand of Abu Al-Fadl
the right hand of noble Abu al-Fadl his gifts.
They drink like one quenched by cool sweet water
الأريحيُّthe openhearted man إلىtoward السماحةِgenerosity مثلماjust as
الأريحيُّ إلى السماحةِ مثلما
يرتاحُdelights للماءِin water المروَّقِthe clarified صاديa thirsty man
يرتاحُ للماءِ المروَّقِ صادي
Eager for generosity, just as
Al-Arihi is humble despite his eloquence
a thirsty man delights in clear water;
While he who rides the litter acts lofty and arrogant
والمعتليand he who rises فوقَabove السماكِal-Simak أرومةًin lineage
والمعتلي فوقَ السماكِ أرومةً
والمزدريand he who disdains فيin الحلمforbearance بالأطوادthe mountains
والمزدري في الحلم بالأطواد
and rising in lineage above al-Simak,
A judge whose rulings I obey
and putting mountains to shame with his forbearance.
I do not unjustly drive my steed
قاضٍa judge إذاwhen يمَّمْتُI seek out عَدْلَthe justice of قضائهِhis judgments
قاضٍ إذا يمَّمْتُ عَدْلَ قضائهِ
لمnot أُعْطَI yield جَوْرَthe tyranny of الحادثاتِmisfortunes قِياديmy reins
لم أُعْطَ جَوْرَ الحادثاتِ قِيادي
A judge: when I seek the justice of his judgments,
Humble, as God raises his worth
I never yield my reins to the tyranny of misfortunes.
Above all other glory
متواضِعٌhumble واللهُand God يَرْفَعُraises قدرَهُhis standing
متواضِعٌ واللهُ يَرْفَعُ قدرَهُ
عنْbeyond أنْbeing يُقاسَcompared بسائرِwith all other الأمجادillustrious men
عنْ أنْ يُقاسَ بسائرِ الأمجاد
Humble, while God raises his standing
He was given authority without piety - but can
above comparison with all other illustrious men.
A bridle be placed save on a noble steed?
ماnot قُلِّدَhe was entrusted with الأحكامَjudgments دونَwithout تُقىًpiety وهلْand can
ما قُلِّدَ الأحكامَ دونَ تُقىً وهلْ
يُتَقَلَّدُbe worn الصَّمْصامُthe keen sword دونَwithout نِجادِa sword-belt
يُتَقَلَّدُ الصَّمْصامُ دونَ نِجادِ
He was not invested with judicial authority without piety; and can
Open-handed and kind when loved
a keen sword be worn without a sword-belt?
Expansive, delightful and hospitable when affection blooms
طلقُopen المحيّاthe countenance واليدينِand both hands إذاwhen احْتبىhe sits with knees clasped
طلقُ المحيّا واليدينِ إذا احْتبى
وإذاand when حباhe bestows رَحْبُample النَّدىbounty والناديand the assembly hall
وإذا حبا رَحْبُ النَّدى والنادي
Bright-faced and openhanded when he sits with knees drawn up,
Had the ugly night worn its mantle of darkness
and when he gives, ample in bounty and spacious in his hall.
Its far reaches would not be blackened
لوif أُلبِسَwere clothed in الليلُthe night البهيمُthe pitch-dark جَلالَهُhis majesty
لو أُلبِسَ الليلُ البهيمُ جَلالَهُ
لمnot تَشتملbe shrouded أرجاؤُهُits expanses بسَوادِin blackness
لم تَشتمل أرجاؤُهُ بسَوادِ
If pitch-dark night were clothed in his majesty,
Praise suits him, from his beautiful traits and noble birth
its expanses would not be shrouded in blackness.
When we speak of his virtues
طابbecame sweet الثَّناءُpraise تضوُّعاًin wafting fragrance منهُfrom him علىfor
طاب الثَّناءُ تضوُّعاً منهُ على
حَسَنِfine in الشمائلِcharacter طيِّبِnoble in الميلادbirth
حَسَنِ الشمائلِ طيِّبِ الميلاد
Praise wafts sweetly from him for
Conversing through the night as kohl to eyes half-asleep
his fine character and noble birth.
The beauties are awed into silence
فإذاso when تنازعناwe exchange حديثَaccounts of عَلائِهِhis eminence
فإذا تنازعنا حديثَ عَلائِهِ
سَمَراًin evening conversation كَحَلْناwe line with kohl أَعْيُناًeyes بسُهادwith sleeplessness
سَمَراً كَحَلْنا أَعْيُناً بسُهاد
So when we trade accounts of his eminence
And when the darkness falls, drawing its veil, and the drowsiness
in evening talk, we line our eyes with sleeplessness.
Of slumber weighs on the eyes of the sleepless
تُحْدىare driven by singing بهof him الأنضاءُthe worn-out mounts عندَduring لُغوبِهاtheir weariness
تُحْدى به الأنضاءُ عندَ لُغوبِها
فتهيمُso they roam enraptured بالتأويبِin day-travel والإسآدِand night-travel
فتهيمُ بالتأويبِ والإسآدِ
Songs of him drive the worn-out mounts when they tire,
I rouse my companions to prepare for night’s coming
so they roam enraptured, traveling by day and by night.
Lit by the shining star of his determined leadership
وإذاand when الدُّجىdarkness أرخىlowered السدولَthe curtains ورَنَّقَتْand hovered
وإذا الدُّجى أرخى السدولَ ورَنَّقَتْ
سِنَةُa touch of النُّعاسِdrowsiness بأعْيُنِover the eyes of الهُجَّادِthe sleepers
سِنَةُ النُّعاسِ بأعْيُنِ الهُجَّادِ
And when darkness lowers its curtains, and there hovers
Oh apex of the bygone days and pillar for the shunned man
a touch of drowsiness over the eyes of sleepers,
Shelter for the wayfarer and haven for the outcast
نَبّهْتُI roused للإدلاجِfor night travel صحبيmy companions فاهتَدَوْاso they found their way
نَبّهْتُ للإدلاجِ صحبي فاهتَدَوْا
بضياءِby the radiance of كوكبِthe star of عَزمِهِhis resolve الوَقَّادِthe blazing
بضياءِ كوكبِ عَزمِهِ الوَقَّادِ
I roused my companions for night travel, and they found their way
Take from my praise what almost matches the rhythm
by the radiance of his resolve's blazing star.
Of a skilled Arabic poet's composition
ياO غُرَّةَbright brow of الزمنِtime البهيمِthe pitch-dark وعِصْمَةَand refuge of الرَّthe (word continues)
يا غُرَّةَ الزمنِ البهيمِ وعِصْمَةَ الرَّ
جُلِman (word ending) الطَّريدِthe banished ونُجْعَةَand pasture for المُرْتادِthe seeker
جُلِ الطَّريدِ ونُجْعَةَ المُرْتادِ
O bright brow of dark time, and refuge of the
I am the one kings have wished for, but I was not tempted
banished man, and pasture for the seeker,
By one of little merit or high birth
خُذْtake منْfrom ثنائيmy praise ماwhat يكادُalmost نظامُهُits composition
خُذْ منْ ثنائي ما يكادُ نظامُهُ
يُنسيmakes one forget فصاحةَthe eloquence of يَعْرُبٍYa'rub وإيادِand Iyad
يُنسي فصاحةَ يَعْرُبٍ وإيادِ
Accept from my praise verses whose composition almost
And my tongue saw as a sharp sword,
makes one forget the eloquence of Ya'rub and Iyad.
Remembering it in times of hardship
أناI مَنْthe one whom تَمَنَّتْهُdesired him الملوكُthe kings فلمyet not أُعجْI turn aside
أنا مَنْ تَمَنَّتْهُ الملوكُ فلم أُعجْ
منهاamong them علىto ذيa possessor of طارفٍnewly acquired wealth وتِلادand inherited wealth
منها على ذي طارفٍ وتِلاد
I am he whom kings desired, yet I did not turn aside
Had my ambition not shunned attaining them
to any among them with new riches and ancestral wealth.
My hands would have feared poverty
ورأتْand they saw لسانيmy tongue كالسِّنانِlike a spearhead ذلاقةًin sharpness
ورأتْ لساني كالسِّنانِ ذلاقةً
فتذكّرَتْهُso they remembered it يومَon the day of كلِّevery جِلادcombat
فتذكّرَتْهُ يومَ كلِّ جِلاد
And they saw my tongue as sharp as a spearhead,
Be my ally, oh ally of the lofty, against
so they remembered it on every day of combat.
An era that assailed the eloquent
لوif لاnot تزهُّدُthe abstention of هِمَّتيmy aspiration فيin نيْلهاwinning their favor
لو لا تزهُّدُ هِمَّتي في نيْلها
لمwould not تَخْشَfear ذاتُthe possessions of يديmy hand صروفَthe vicissitudes of نفادdepletion
لم تَخْشَ ذاتُ يدي صروفَ نفاد
Had my ambition not shunned seeking their favor,
Time’s pools are not pure for us
my possessions would not fear the ravages of depletion.
Save when pled for by the devout
كُنْbe ناصريmy champion ياO ناصرَchampion of العَلياhigh honor علىagainst
كُنْ ناصري يا ناصرَ العَليا على
زَمَنٍa time علىagainst أَهْلِthe people of البلاغةِeloquence عادhostile
زَمَنٍ على أَهْلِ البلاغةِ عاد
Be my champion, O champion of high honor, against
Though the sons of this era appear coherent
a time that assails the people of eloquence.
Their interiors are fiery embers beneath ashes
الدهرُtime لاnot تصفوrun clear مشاربهits drinking places لناfor us
الدهرُ لا تصفو مشاربه لنا
إلاّexcept إذاwhen استشفعتَyou seek intercession لِلوُرَّادِfor those coming to drink
إلاّ إذا استشفعتَ لِلوُرَّادِ
Time's drinking places do not run clear for us
No wonder you were raised among them
unless you seek intercession for those who come to drink.
The blossoms grow amidst the brushwood
وبنوand the sons of الزمانِthe age وإنthough بداappears مَلَقٌflattery بهمْin them
وبنو الزمانِ وإن بدا مَلَقٌ بهمْ
أضغانُهمtheir grudges كالجمرlike embers تحتَbeneath رمادashes
أضغانُهم كالجمر تحتَ رماد
And as for the sons of this age, though flattery shows in them,
Wondrous is he who hoped to surpass you
their grudges are like embers beneath ashes.
How could a mule outrun a thoroughbred?
لاno غَرْوَwonder أنكthat you قدindeed نشأتَgrew up خلالَهُمْamong them
لا غَرْوَ أنك قد نشأتَ خلالَهُمْ
قدmay ينبتُgrow النُّوَّارthe blossoms بينamong قَتادthornbushes
قد ينبتُ النُّوَّار بين قَتاد
It is no wonder that you grew up among them:
None can compete with your towering height
flowers may grow among thornbushes.
Who can match a stallion’s power?
عجباًhow strange لمنfor one who رامَsought استباقكَto outstrip you منهمُamong them
عجباً لمن رامَ استباقكَ منهمُ
أنَّىhow يرومُaspires to العَيْرُthe ass سَبْقَoutrunning جوادa noble steed
أنَّى يرومُ العَيْرُ سَبْقَ جواد
How strange that any of them should seek to outstrip you!
You continue to dress lavishly in your grace
How could an ass aspire to outrun a noble steed?
Trailing robes and mantles
جَلَّis too great اعتلاؤكَyour eminence أنْfor يُساجِلَهُto rival it علاًother eminence
جَلَّ اعتلاؤكَ أنْ يُساجِلَهُ علاً
مَنْwho ذاis it that يُضاهيmatches لجَّةًa deep sea بثِمادwith shallow pools
مَنْ ذا يُضاهي لجَّةً بثِماد
Your eminence is too great for any other eminence to rival it;
And you remain an adornment to the land, an honor lofty
who can match a deep sea with shallow pools?
Indeed, the swords are finery for scabbards
لاmay not زلتَyou cease ترفُلُwalk proudly فيin سَوابغِample robes of أَنْعُمٍblessings
لا زلتَ ترفُلُ في سَوابغِ أَنْعُمٍ
فضفاضَةِwide الأذيالِthe hems والأبرادand the cloaks
فضفاضَةِ الأذيالِ والأبراد
May you ever walk proudly in ample robes of blessings,
wide in their hems and cloaks;
وبقيتَand may you remain زيناًan adornment للبلادِto the lands ورِفْعَةًand an honor
وبقيتَ زيناً للبلادِ ورِفْعَةً
إنَّindeed الصوارمَkeen swords زينةُthe adornment of الأغمادscabbards
إنَّ الصوارمَ زينةُ الأغماد
and remain an adornment and a source of honor to the lands:
indeed, keen swords are the adornment of scabbards.
Partial English translation: 70 of 74 Arabic lines translated.