أبى الحَسَن إلا أنْ تَعِزّ وَتَغْلِبا

أبى الحَسَن إلا أنْ تَعِزّ وَتَغْلِبا

عَقيلَةُ هذا الحيّ من سِرِّ تَغْلبا

عَقيلَةُ هذا الحيّ من سِرِّ تَغْلبا

Beauty would have her mighty and triumphant—

My friend insisted on triumph and conquest

the noble lady of this clan, of Taghlib's choicest stock.

The love of this alive one is a secret of conquest

فكيفَ بِفَوْزٍ منْ رَبيبَة فازَة

فكيفَ بِفَوْزٍ منْ رَبيبَة فازَة

مَسابِحُها بَيْن الأباطحِ وَالربى

مَسابِحُها بَيْن الأباطحِ وَالربى

How, then, hope for success with a girl reared in a pavilion,

So what about the victory of a winning beloved

whose roaming grounds lie among pebbled riverbeds and hills?

Whose prayer mats are between the hilltops and open spaces

تُظَلّلها خُضْر القَنابِل والقنا

تُظَلّلها خُضْر القَنابِل والقنا

وتَكْلؤُها زُرْقُ الأسِنّة وَالظُّبى

وتَكْلؤُها زُرْقُ الأسِنّة وَالظُّبى

Dark-green squadrons and lances shade her,

Shaded by the green of pistachios and wild pistachios

and blue spearheads and sword-edges guard her.

Colored by the blue of spears and gazelles

مِن البيضِ حمْراءُ المَطارفِ والحُلى

مِن البيضِ حمْراءُ المَطارفِ والحُلى

إذا طَلَعتْ حُلّتْ لطلعَتها الحُبى

إذا طَلَعتْ حُلّتْ لطلعَتها الحُبى

One of the fair-skinned, her mantles and jewels crimson;

Red cheeked, with kohl lined eyes and jewelry

when she appears, knee-bands are loosened at the sight of her.

When she appears, those who love her melt with desire

تُصَادِر عَما في الصُّدورِ عِصابَة

تُصَادِر عَما في الصُّدورِ عِصابَة

همُ عَصَبوا قتْلى الصَّبابَة والصِّبا

همُ عَصَبوا قتْلى الصَّبابَة والصِّبا

She robs a band of men of what lies within their breasts—

She takes away the minds of those with intellect

the very men who bound up the slain of longing and youthful love.

They were slain by her coquetry and charm

فتاة يَفوت الوصفُ مُعْجب حُسنِها

فتاة يَفوت الوصفُ مُعْجب حُسنِها

فَلا غَرْو أن تُزْهى دَلالاً وتُعْجَبا

فَلا غَرْو أن تُزْهى دَلالاً وتُعْجَبا

A maiden whose wondrous beauty surpasses description;

A girl whose beauty defies description

no wonder she glories in coquetry and admires herself.

No wonder she is adorned with finery and admired

أُراعُ لِذِكْراها فأُرْعَدُ خيفَةً

أُراعُ لِذِكْراها فأُرْعَدُ خيفَةً

كَما زَعْزَعَتْ غُصْناً بهَبَّتِها الصّبا

كَما زَعْزَعَتْ غُصْناً بهَبَّتِها الصّبا

Her memory startles me, and I tremble in fear,

I shiver when she is recalled, trembling with awe

as the east wind shakes a branch with its gust.

As the gentle breeze shook a branch

وَأبْتاعُ بِالْمَحيْا وناهيكَ صَفقَةً

وَأبْتاعُ بِالْمَحيْا وناهيكَ صَفقَةً

مُوَفّقَةً ذاك المُحيّا المُحَجّبا

مُوَفّقَةً ذاك المُحيّا المُحَجّبا

With my life I purchase—and what a bargain,

And I engaged in small talk, saying nothing much

a fortunate one!—that veiled face.

Succeeding with that veiled beauty

ورُبّ يَدٍ بَيْضَاءَ عِندِي لِلَيْلَةٍ

ورُبّ يَدٍ بَيْضَاءَ عِندِي لِلَيْلَةٍ

تَحَمّلتُ فيها الهجْر حوْلاً مُحَسّبا

تَحَمّلتُ فيها الهجْر حوْلاً مُحَسّبا

Many a gracious favor I owe to a night

And many a white hand that night

for whose sake I endured a full year's estrangement.

I imagined holding, counting the separation

تَراءَت لَنا وَهْناً إِزاء خَريدَةٍ

تَراءَت لَنا وَهْناً إِزاء خَريدَةٍ

تُسايِرُها كالْبَدْرِ قارَنَ كَوْكَبا

تُسايِرُها كالْبَدْرِ قارَنَ كَوْكَبا

She appeared to us late at night beside a shy maiden,

She appeared to us, weak before her purchases

walking with her like the full moon beside a star.

Like the full moon next to a planet

وجَازَتْ بِنا مذْعورةً من شِعارِنا

وجَازَتْ بِنا مذْعورةً من شِعارِنا

كجَازية بالرّمْلِ تَتْبَعُ رَبْرَبا

كجَازية بالرّمْلِ تَتْبَعُ رَبْرَبا

She passed us, frightened by our watchword,

And she passed us in panic because of our appearance

like an oryx on the sands following a herd.

Like a frightened gazelle in the sand dunes

وما علِمَتْ أنّا قنائِصُ لَحْظِها

وما علِمَتْ أنّا قنائِصُ لَحْظِها

ورُبّ مَهاةٍ تقْنِصُ اللّيث أغْلَبا

ورُبّ مَهاةٍ تقْنِصُ اللّيث أغْلَبا

She did not know we were the quarry of her glance;

She did not know we were admirers of her glance

many an oryx captures a thick-necked lion.

And many a gazed lion can kill the mighty

فقُلتُ لِصَحبي واثِقاً بحِفاظِهم

فقُلتُ لِصَحبي واثِقاً بحِفاظِهم

بقُرْبِي التَصابي لا تَريمُوهُ مَرْقَبا

بقُرْبِي التَصابي لا تَريمُوهُ مَرْقَبا

I told my companions, trusting their loyalty,

So I said to my friends, trusting in their secrecy

as I drew near to dalliance: 'Do not leave this lookout.'

Do not watch my approaching her

وَأقْبَلْتُ أسْتَقري خُطاها مقَبِّلا

وَأقْبَلْتُ أسْتَقري خُطاها مقَبِّلا

مَجَرّاً لِمَوْشِيِّ البُرودِ ومَسْحَبا

مَجَرّاً لِمَوْشِيِّ البُرودِ ومَسْحَبا

I went forward tracing her footsteps, kissing

And I came closer, following her steps

the dragging, sweeping trail of her embroidered mantles.

Enduring the cold and pulling my cloak

وقَد جَعَلَتْ تَشتدُّ نحوَ خِبائها

وقَد جَعَلَتْ تَشتدُّ نحوَ خِبائها

لِتَخْبَأ نوراً مذْ تلألأَ ما خبَا

لِتَخْبَأ نوراً مذْ تلألأَ ما خبَا

She had begun to hurry toward her tent,

And she quickened her pace toward her tent

to hide a light that had never faded since it first shone,

To hide a light that had begun to shine

كَما أوْمأَتْ بالكفّ أن كُفَّ وانكَفأ

كَما أوْمأَتْ بالكفّ أن كُفَّ وانكَفأ

فَسُمْرُ شَباب الحَيِّ ما ضِيةُ الشّبا

فَسُمْرُ شَباب الحَيِّ ما ضِيةُ الشّبا

even as she motioned with her palm: 'Stop and turn back—

She gestured with her palm to stop and turn away

for the brown lances of the clan's young men are sharp-tipped.'

But the redness of youth's wine is no faded dye

فَأبْتُ وقد قَضّيتُ بعْضَ مَآربي

فَأبْتُ وقد قَضّيتُ بعْضَ مَآربي

وإن كنتُ من نجوايَ لم أقْضِ مَأْرَبا

وإن كنتُ من نجوايَ لم أقْضِ مَأْرَبا

So I returned, having fulfilled some of my desires,

So I refused, although I had achieved some of my hopes

though I had fulfilled no wish for secret converse.

And had not yet fulfilled my purpose

إلى اللّهِ أشكو العيرَ لا بل حَداتَها

إلى اللّهِ أشكو العيرَ لا بل حَداتَها

فَلوْلا هُمُ لم أمتطِ الشوْقَ مَركَبا

فَلوْلا هُمُ لم أمتطِ الشوْقَ مَركَبا

To God I complain of the caravan—no, rather its camel-drivers;

To God I complain of – no – her coyness

but for them I would not have made longing my mount,

Else, I would not have embarked on this passion

ولا استَعذب القلبُ المُعذَّبُ حَتْفَه

ولا استَعذب القلبُ المُعذَّبُ حَتْفَه

وحسبُك تَعذيباً يَرى الحَتْف أعذَبا

وحسبُك تَعذيباً يَرى الحَتْف أعذَبا

nor would my tormented heart have found its death sweet.

Nor would my tortured heart have savored its death

It is torment enough that it should find death sweeter.

And it's enough torture to see death as sweet

بَكَيْتُ عَلى تلك الحَقائبِ حِقبَةً

بَكَيْتُ عَلى تلك الحَقائبِ حِقبَةً

وحُقَّ لِعَيني أن تَسُحّ وتَسْكُبا

وحُقَّ لِعَيني أن تَسُحّ وتَسْكُبا

I wept over those saddlebags for a long time,

I wept for those departed encampments for a time

and my eye had every right to pour and stream,

And it's right that my eyes rained and poured

نِزاعاً لِخَوْدٍ أشرِبَ القلبُ حُبّها

نِزاعاً لِخَوْدٍ أشرِبَ القلبُ حُبّها

فَباتَ عَلى جَمْرِ الغَضا متقلّبا

فَباتَ عَلى جَمْرِ الغَضا متقلّبا

yearning for a tender maiden whose love my heart had drunk;

For a cheek whose love my heart imbibed

so it tossed all night upon the embers of ghada wood.

And spent the night tossing on burning embers

أرُدُّ بِأرْداني سَوابِقَ عَبْرَتي

أرُدُّ بِأرْداني سَوابِقَ عَبْرَتي

ولَو شِئْت لم يفقد بها الرّكبُ مَشربا

ولَو شِئْت لم يفقد بها الرّكبُ مَشربا

I stem my racing tears with my sleeves;

With my verses I heal my previous wounds

had I wished, the caravan would lack no watering place in them.

And if I wished the caravan would not lack drink

وأدْرَؤُها حُمراً كَلوْنِ خِضابِها

وأدْرَؤُها حُمراً كَلوْنِ خِضابِها

بِفَضْلِ رِدائي خائِفاً مُترَقّبا

بِفَضْلِ رِدائي خائِفاً مُترَقّبا

I wipe them away, red as the hue of her henna,

And I ward off the red like the dye on her hands

with the loose end of my cloak, fearful and watchful.

With my cloak, watching cautiously

وما بِيَ إلا أن يَرى الحَيُّ موْضِعي

وما بِيَ إلا أن يَرى الحَيُّ موْضِعي

فَتَسْمَعَ منْ أجْلي مَلاماً ومعْتبا

فَتَسْمَعَ منْ أجْلي مَلاماً ومعْتبا

My only fear is that the clan might see where I stand,

And it’s not for me, save that the tribe sees my place

and she hear blame and reproach on my account.

And for my sake, hears blame and reproach

سَلامٌ على دوْحِ السلامِ فكَمْ لنا

سَلامٌ على دوْحِ السلامِ فكَمْ لنا

مَقيلاً بِها ما كانَ أَنْدَى وَأَطْيبا

مَقيلاً بِها ما كانَ أَنْدَى وَأَطْيبا

Peace upon the spreading salam trees! How many times we had

Greetings to the homeland of peace - how much

a noonday rest there—how cool and sweet it was!

We had there a resting place, the best and sweetest

جَميل كَرَيْعانِ الشّبابِ وَجَدْتُني

جَميل كَرَيْعانِ الشّبابِ وَجَدْتُني

هنالِك أصبى من جَميلٍ وَأنْسَبا

هنالِك أصبى من جَميلٍ وَأنْسَبا

Lovely as the bloom of youth; I found myself

Like the meadows of youth I found myself

there more lovestruck than Jamil, and better at love verse.

In that beautiful place, pure and pleasant

وللّهِ منها بِالمُحصّب وَقْفَةً

وللّهِ منها بِالمُحصّب وَقْفَةً

أنافِسُ فيها ما حَييتُ المُحصّبا

أنافِسُ فيها ما حَييتُ المُحصّبا

By God, what a halt she made at al-Muhassab—

By God, from her at al-Muhassab I stood

for which I shall vie with al-Muhassab as long as I live.

Rivalling there as long as I live al-Muhassab

عَلَوْتُ الكَثيبَ الفَرْد أرْقب صُنعها

عَلَوْتُ الكَثيبَ الفَرْد أرْقب صُنعها

وقَد آنَ تقويضُ القِبابِ وأَكثَبا

وقَد آنَ تقويضُ القِبابِ وأَكثَبا

I climbed the solitary dune to watch her movements,

I climbed the lone hill watching her hands’ work

as the hour to strike the domed tents drew near.

And it was time for the demolition of the domes and arches

فَراحَتْ إلَى نُعْمانَ تنْعَم بِالمُنى

فَراحَتْ إلَى نُعْمانَ تنْعَم بِالمُنى

وخَلّت غُرابَ البَين يَنْدُبُ غُرَّبا

وخَلّت غُرابَ البَين يَنْدُبُ غُرَّبا

She left for Nu'man, enjoying her heart's desires,

She went to Nu’man enjoying the wishes

and left the raven of parting to lament the departed.

And left behind the raven of separation lamenting

وَلا حَظّ إلا نَظرَةٌ تُحْسِبُ الهَوى

وَلا حَظّ إلا نَظرَةٌ تُحْسِبُ الهَوى

وَلو أنْصَفوا ما كانَ ذاكَ مُحَسّبا

وَلو أنْصَفوا ما كانَ ذاكَ مُحَسّبا

My only share was a glance to satisfy love—

With no fortune save a glance that deems passion

yet had they been fair, that would not have been enough.

And if they were fair that would not be deemed

تَعَلّلْتُ لَما جاوَز الحَيُّ يعْلَما

تَعَلّلْتُ لَما جاوَز الحَيُّ يعْلَما

وثَرَّبْتُ لمّا جاوزَ الرّكبُ يَثْرِبا

وثَرَّبْتُ لمّا جاوزَ الرّكبُ يَثْرِبا

I consoled myself when the clan passed Ya'lam,

I made excuses when the tribe transcended knowledge

and uttered reproaches when the caravan passed Yathrib.

And lingered when the caravan passed al-Yathrib

وقَد كانَ من سَمْتي العَقيقُ ومَنْ به

وقَد كانَ من سَمْتي العَقيقُ ومَنْ به

فَعَقّنِيَ الحادي وحاد ونَكّبا

فَعَقّنِيَ الحادي وحاد ونَكّبا

Al-'Aqiq and those within it had lain along my course,

My route was the red hill and the one heading there

but the camel-driver wronged me, veered off, and turned aside.

So the guide caused me to deviate and turn away

خَلِيلَيَّ أمّا رَبّةُ القلْبِ فارْمُقا

خَلِيلَيَّ أمّا رَبّةُ القلْبِ فارْمُقا

بها القَلْبَ أعْشاراً يَذوبُ تَلَهُّبا

بها القَلْبَ أعْشاراً يَذوبُ تَلَهُّبا

My two friends, as for the mistress of my heart, behold

O friends, as for the lady of the heart, glance

my heart, because of her, in ten pieces, melting in flames.

At the heart with moments that melt inflamed

وَإِن مَزّقَتْني شُعْبَةً إثْرَ شُعْبَةٍ

وَإِن مَزّقَتْني شُعْبَةً إثْرَ شُعْبَةٍ

فَما أقْتَفي إلا العَلاقَة مَشْعَبا

فَما أقْتَفي إلا العَلاقَة مَشْعَبا

Though she tears me apart, piece after piece,

And if she tore me to pieces time after time

I follow no path but attachment to her.

I will not seek anything but the connection of the torn

لَقَدْ أُحْضِرَت مَوْتِي وَما هِيَ بِالتي

لَقَدْ أُحْضِرَت مَوْتِي وَما هِيَ بِالتي

تَعُدّان سَهْواً حَضْرَ مَوْت لها أبا

تَعُدّان سَهْواً حَضْرَ مَوْت لها أبا

She has surely brought my death near, yet she is not one

She summoned my death but she is not

whose father you two mistakenly take to be Hadramawt.

One you count lightly, the summoning of death demeans her

فإن مِتُّ شَوْقاً أو فَنيتُ صَبَابَةً

فإن مِتُّ شَوْقاً أو فَنيتُ صَبَابَةً

خُذا بِدَمي ذاك البَنان المُخضَّبا

خُذا بِدَمي ذاك البَنان المُخضَّبا

So if I die of yearning or waste away with love,

If I die of passion or perish of youth

avenge my blood upon those henna-dyed fingertips.

Take with my blood the two-colored one stained