أحْسِنُوا العَطْفَ عَلَيها مُهَجَا

أحْسِنُوا العَطْفَ عَلَيها مُهَجَا

وَجَدَ الحُبُّ إلَيها مَنْهَجا

وَجَدَ الحُبُّ إلَيها مَنْهَجا

Show gracious compassion to these hearts;

Show kindness to her afflicted heart

love has found a path to them.

For love has found its way to her

واحْفَظوها مِن ظُبَى ألْحَاظِكم

واحْفَظوها مِن ظُبَى ألْحَاظِكم

حِفْظَكُم ذَاك اللّمى والفَلَجَا

حِفْظَكُم ذَاك اللّمى والفَلَجَا

And guard them from the blades of your glances,

Protect her from your glances' harm

as you guard those dusky lips and gapped teeth.

As you would a wounded doe in alarm

أقَدِرْتُم فَظَلَمْتُم مَنْ رَنَا

أقَدِرْتُم فَظَلَمْتُم مَنْ رَنَا

دُونَ جُرْم وحَرَمْتُم مَنْ رَجا

دُونَ جُرْم وحَرَمْتُم مَنْ رَجا

Have you gained power, then wronged whoever gazed,

You had the power so you did wrong

though guiltless, and deprived whoever hoped?

To the innocent whom hope made long

مَا عَلَيْكُم لو أطَعْتُم جُودَكُم

مَا عَلَيْكُم لو أطَعْتُم جُودَكُم

وَفَرَجْتُم مَا بِنَا فَانْفَرجا

وَفَرَجْتُم مَا بِنَا فَانْفَرجا

What harm would it do you to obey your generosity

No blame on you if you were kind

and ease our distress, so that it is eased?

And relieved us, so relief we'd find

هَكذا تَصدِمُنا غِزْلانُكُمْ

هَكذا تَصدِمُنا غِزْلانُكُمْ

صَدْمَةَ الأوْسِ أخَاها الخَزْرَجا

صَدْمَةَ الأوْسِ أخَاها الخَزْرَجا

Thus your gazelles strike us,

Thus your charms keep wounding us

as al-Aws struck its brother al-Khazraj.

Like two clashing armies, Aus and Khazraj

زَمن البَيْنُ لأنّ البَيْن لَمْ

زَمن البَيْنُ لأنّ البَيْن لَمْ

يُبْقِ مِنْ أزْمانِنَا مَا يُرْتَجَى

يُبْقِ مِنْ أزْمانِنَا مَا يُرْتَجَى

Separation has grown chronic, for separation has not

Estrangement's time, for estrangement left

left anything in our days to hope for.

No hope for our days, nothing we could expect

كَيْفَ بِالمَنْجى وأشْراكُ الهَوى

كَيْفَ بِالمَنْجى وأشْراكُ الهَوى

قَلّ مَنْ أَفْلَتَ مِنْها وَنَجا

قَلّ مَنْ أَفْلَتَ مِنْها وَنَجا

How can there be escape, when from love's snares

How can we escape when love's fetters

few have broken free and survived?

Few escape, and safe from them get

قد لَقِينا شِدّةً مِنْ هَجْرِكُم

قد لَقِينا شِدّةً مِنْ هَجْرِكُم

فَابْعَثوا الوَصْل إلَيْنا فَرَجا

فَابْعَثوا الوَصْل إلَيْنا فَرَجا

We have suffered hardship from your abandonment;

Hardness we met from your estrangement

so send us reunion as relief.

So send reconciliation as an easement

نَفِّسُوا عَنها نُفوساً عَثَرَتْ

نَفِّسُوا عَنها نُفوساً عَثَرَتْ

بِالْمَنايا كحلاً أو بلجا

بِالْمَنايا كحلاً أو بلجا

Give respite to souls that have stumbled

Relieve her soul that stumbles in woe

upon deaths, dark-eyed or bright-browed.

With kohl or tears that plentifully flow

وَاصْدُقُوا العَزْمَةَ في تكذيبِهِمْ

وَاصْدُقُوا العَزْمَةَ في تكذيبِهِمْ

عُذّلاً يَبْغونَ مِنْكُمْ عِوَجا

عُذّلاً يَبْغونَ مِنْكُمْ عِوَجا

And be steadfast in your resolve to refute them—

And stick to your oath in calling them liars

reproachers who want you to go astray.

Excuses they want from you, nothing higher

زَعَموا أنّا رَأَيْنا رَأيَ مَنْ

زَعَموا أنّا رَأَيْنا رَأيَ مَنْ

عاجَ عَن سَمْتِ الهَوى أوْ عَرّجا

عاجَ عَن سَمْتِ الهَوى أوْ عَرّجا

They claimed we had adopted the view of one

They claim we adopted a view

who turned from love's course or swerved aside,

Of one whom love made twist or skew

وَخَلَعْنا من لباسِ الحُبّ ما

وَخَلَعْنا من لباسِ الحُبّ ما

قَطع الحُسْنَ لَنا أَو نَسَجا

قَطع الحُسْنَ لَنا أَو نَسَجا

and had shed that garment of love

And shed the garb of love whatever

which beauty cut for us or wove,

Of beauty cut for us or sew or weave

وَنَزلنا عَن مَعاريجِ الصّبا

وَنَزلنا عَن مَعاريجِ الصّبا

مذ نَزَلْتُم ذلكَ المُنْعَرَجا

مذ نَزَلْتُم ذلكَ المُنْعَرَجا

and had descended from the stairways of youth

And came down from the steps of youth

since you alighted at that bend.

Since you came down that slope, in truth

لا وأنْفاس لِنُعْمى جَعَلت

لا وأنْفاس لِنُعْمى جَعَلت

مَزْحَفَاً رَوْضَ الرُّبى أو مَدْرَجا

مَزْحَفَاً رَوْضَ الرُّبى أو مَدْرَجا

No—by the breaths of Nuʿmā that have made

No, but breath of bliss that made

the hilltop gardens their crawling-ground or path,

A lawn of sand or a slope its raid

وَرِسالاتِ هَوىً جاءَتْ بِها

وَرِسالاتِ هَوىً جاءَتْ بِها

فَأفَادَت كُلّ قَلْبٍ ثَلَجا

فَأفَادَت كُلّ قَلْبٍ ثَلَجا

and by messages of love they brought,

Missives of passion that found

giving every heart cool comfort:

Each heart and with frost compound

ما نَفضْنَا بالتصابي راحَةً

ما نَفضْنَا بالتصابي راحَةً

قَد شدَدْناها عَلَيها مُهجا

قَد شدَدْناها عَلَيها مُهجا

we have not shaken loose, in youthful dalliance, a hand

Not once did we lightly shake off the bond

we had clenched firmly upon these hearts.

That we tightened around her, so fond

لا ولا اسْتَدرَجنا اليأسُ إلى

لا ولا اسْتَدرَجنا اليأسُ إلى

سَلْوَةٍ غَرّ بِها مُسْتَدْرجا

سَلْوَةٍ غَرّ بِها مُسْتَدْرجا

No, nor has despair lured us toward

Nor did we lure despair to the sweetness

forgetfulness, with which it deceived one it lured.

That an allurer made his earnest business

ولئِن أنْكَرتُمُ ما نَدّعي

ولئِن أنْكَرتُمُ ما نَدّعي

فاسْأَلوا عنّا الحَمامَ الهَزِجا

فاسْأَلوا عنّا الحَمامَ الهَزِجا

And if you deny what we claim,

If you deny what we claim is true

ask the cooing doves about us:

Ask the moaning dove that makes ado

هلْ بَكَى إلا بَكَيْنَا مَعَه

هلْ بَكَى إلا بَكَيْنَا مَعَه

وَسَلَكنا في الأَسَى ما نَهَجا

وَسَلَكنا في الأَسَى ما نَهَجا

did they ever weep without our weeping with them

Did it moan unless we moaned too

and following, in sorrow, the course they traced?

And took the same path of grief it flew

لَم يَكُن للنَّومِ في أَحداقِنا

لَم يَكُن للنَّومِ في أَحداقِنا

دونَ إذنٍ مِنكُم أَن يلِجا

دونَ إذنٍ مِنكُم أَن يلِجا

Sleep had no leave, within our eyes,

Sleep dared not in our eyes reside

to enter without your permission.

Without your leave, not there abide

هَذِهِ أبصارُنا شاخِصَةٌ

هَذِهِ أبصارُنا شاخِصَةٌ

نَحوَكُم تَبكِي زَماناً دَرَجا

نَحوَكُم تَبكِي زَماناً دَرَجا

Here are our eyes, staring

Our eyes are fixed on you and so

toward you, weeping for a time gone by.

Shed tears and many days in woe

عَجَباً مِنْكُم أَصَخْتُم دُونَنا

عَجَباً مِنْكُم أَصَخْتُم دُونَنا

لِدَعاوي الخَصْمِ حتَّى فَلَجَا

لِدَعاوي الخَصْمِ حتَّى فَلَجَا

How strange of you: you listened, ignoring us,

Strange of you, you lent an ear

to the adversary's claims until he prevailed.

To the opponent's case to steer

ومَزَجْتُم بالقِلى ودكُم

ومَزَجْتُم بالقِلى ودكُم

وحَمَيْنَا ودّنا أنْ يُمْزَجا

وحَمَيْنَا ودّنا أنْ يُمْزَجا

And you mingled your affection with aversion,

And mingled your love and ours

while we guarded ours against being mingled.

Though ours for yours still lasts and towers

وَلَقَدْ رُمْنا رِضاكُم حِقَباً

وَلَقَدْ رُمْنا رِضاكُم حِقَباً

وَتَحَمّلنا أذاكُمْ حِجَجا

وَتَحَمّلنا أذاكُمْ حِجَجا

And indeed we sought your favor for ages,

Long we wished for your consent

and endured your harm for years.

And suffered your hurts and torment

ودَعَوْنا عَطْفَكُم مِن كَثبٍ

ودَعَوْنا عَطْفَكُم مِن كَثبٍ

فَقَرَعْنا مِنهُ بَاباً مُرْتَجا

فَقَرَعْنا مِنهُ بَاباً مُرْتَجا

And we called for your kindness from close by,

We called for your kindness time and again

only to knock upon its bolted door.

So a door, oft knocked, might open then

آه للآسادِ آساد الشّرى

آه للآسادِ آساد الشّرى

مِنْ نِعاجٍ ثاوِياتٍ مَنْعِجا

مِنْ نِعاجٍ ثاوِياتٍ مَنْعِجا

Ah, for the lions, the lions of al-Sharā,

Oh for the breaking of dawn, when appears

at the mercy of wild cows dwelling in Manʿij,

A herd, resting, of longing gazelles

وظِباءٍ لاعباتٍ بالنهى

وظِباءٍ لاعباتٍ بالنهى

سانِحاتٍ بَيْنَ سَلَمى وَأجا

سانِحاتٍ بَيْنَ سَلَمى وَأجا

and gazelles that play with reason,

And grazing does, heedless of reproach

passing auspiciously between Salmā and Ajā,

Frolicking twixt acacia tree and clover patch

كالدُّمى غَيْرَ دَلال رُبَّما

كالدُّمى غَيْرَ دَلال رُبَّما

رَقَّ مَعْنًى فاسْتَرَقَّ المُهَجا

رَقَّ مَعْنًى فاسْتَرَقَّ المُهَجا

like statues, save for a coyness that sometimes

Like statues though perhaps a meaning fine

grows subtly tender and enslaves hearts;

Might steal the heart, a steal so divine

وَفُروعٍ أرسَلوها ظُلَما

وَفُروعٍ أرسَلوها ظُلَما

وَخُدودٍ أطلَعُوها سُرُجا

وَخُدودٍ أطلَعُوها سُرُجا

and tresses they let fall as darkness,

And branches in darkness they let down

and cheeks they brought forth as lamps,

And cheeks that shine with blushlike gown

وَأَماليدَ كخِيطان القَنَا

وَأَماليدَ كخِيطان القَنَا

مِن قُدودٍ نَصَلوها الدَّعَجا

مِن قُدودٍ نَصَلوها الدَّعَجا

and supple shoots, like slender spear-shafts,

And soft necks like stalks of lily

of figures they tipped with dark eyes.

Plaited with sunburnt arms so stilly

يا شُموسَ اليَوْم كَمْ نَرْعَى بكُم

يا شُموسَ اليَوْم كَمْ نَرْعَى بكُم

أنْجُمَ الليلِ إذا الليلُ سَجا

أنْجُمَ الليلِ إذا الليلُ سَجا

O suns of the day, how often because of you we watch

Suns of day, how we pasture still

the stars of night when night falls still!

By you the stars when night shadows fill

انظُرونا نَقْتَبِس من نورِكُم

انظُرونا نَقْتَبِس من نورِكُم

وَادرَؤوا عَنّا شَجىً قَدْ وَشَجا

وَادرَؤوا عَنّا شَجىً قَدْ وَشَجا

Wait for us, that we may draw from your light,

See us light our flames by your shine

and ward off the grief that has become entwined in us.

And drive away sorrows that pine

إنّمَا أنْتُم رَيَاحِينٌ لَنَا

إنّمَا أنْتُم رَيَاحِينٌ لَنَا

تَنْثَنِي لِيناً وَتَذْكُو أَرَجا

تَنْثَنِي لِيناً وَتَذْكُو أَرَجا

You are but fragrant flowers for us,

You are only sweet herbs for us

bending softly and growing rich in fragrance.

That bend gently and scent discuss

فَأبيحُونا أفَانينَ المُنَى

فَأبيحُونا أفَانينَ المُنَى

نَهَراً حُلْواً وَظِلاً سَجْسَجا

نَهَراً حُلْواً وَظِلاً سَجْسَجا

So grant us the many forms of our desires:

Allow us then vanishing's cups

a sweet river and temperate shade.

A sweet stream and shade that erupts

أيها العذّال في أدمُعِنا

أيها العذّال في أدمُعِنا

حَدّثوا عَن بحْرِها لا حَرَجا

حَدّثوا عَن بحْرِها لا حَرَجا

O reproachers, concerning our tears,

You who blame, of our tears speak

speak of their sea without restraint.

Without shame, tell of their creek

واحْكُمُوا إنّ البُكَا لَجّ بِنا

واحْكُمُوا إنّ البُكَا لَجّ بِنا

فَعَبَرْنا عَبْرَتَيْهِ لُجَجَا

فَعَبَرْنا عَبْرَتَيْهِ لُجَجَا

And judge: weeping has persisted with us,

And judge, for tears overcame our eyes

so we traversed its twin tear-streams as deep seas.

So we crossed o'er their two crossings wise

ما لِقَلبي لا يَجوز المُنْحَنَى

ما لِقَلبي لا يَجوز المُنْحَنَى

خَطْفَة لِلْبَرْقِ إلا اخْتَلَجا

خَطْفَة لِلْبَرْقِ إلا اخْتَلَجا

What ails my heart? The bend is never crossed

My heart crosses the bend in a swoop

by a flash of lightning without my heart trembling.

Like lightning, convulsing in its swoop

أبَتِ الفَوْزَ عَلَيْهِ فَازةٌ

أبَتِ الفَوْزَ عَلَيْهِ فَازةٌ

هَيّجَ الوَجْدُ بِها مَا هَيّجا

هَيّجَ الوَجْدُ بِها مَا هَيّجا

A pavilion denied it victory;

Victory refused it, so there filed in

through it, longing stirred all that it stirred.

Passion stirred up all feelings within

قَسَمَتْهُ بَيْنَ يَأْس وَمُنىً

قَسَمَتْهُ بَيْنَ يَأْس وَمُنىً

فَغَدا مُكْتَئِباً مُبْتَهِجا

فَغَدا مُكْتَئِباً مُبْتَهِجا

It split that heart between despair and hopes,

It divided it between despair and bliss

so it became despondent and delighted.

So in gloom and in joy it now is

إنّ في الهَوْدَجِ حَمْراءَ الحُلى

إنّ في الهَوْدَجِ حَمْراءَ الحُلى

مِنْ بناتِ الحَيّ تُصْبِي الهَوْدَجا

مِنْ بناتِ الحَيّ تُصْبِي الهَوْدَجا

In the howdah is a maiden with red ornaments,

In her howdah, red are her gear

a daughter of the tribe who makes the howdah lovesick.

Of the pretty ones, pride of the howdah dear

حُمِّلَتْ فِتْنَةَ مَنْ يَرْمقُها

حُمِّلَتْ فِتْنَةَ مَنْ يَرْمقُها

مِبْسَماً عَذْباً وَخَصراً مُدْمَجا

مِبْسَماً عَذْباً وَخَصراً مُدْمَجا

She was endowed, to tempt whoever gazes at her,

The one who looks at her dimpled smile

with a sweet smiling mouth and a trim waist.

And slender waist and dress in style

مَزَجَ الحُسْن بكافورِ الضُّحى

مَزَجَ الحُسْن بكافورِ الضُّحى

في أعالي قدّها مِسْكَ الدُّجى

في أعالي قدّها مِسْكَ الدُّجى

Beauty blended with morning's camphor

Is laden with the beauty that would pour

the musk of night atop her figure.

From one who such a howdah wore

إنْ تَثَنَّت فَقَضيباً أمْلَداً

إنْ تَثَنَّت فَقَضيباً أمْلَداً

أو تَجَلّت فَصَبَاحاً أبْلَجا

أو تَجَلّت فَصَبَاحاً أبْلَجا

If she sways, she is a supple branch,

Oh that a people soiled themselves in staining

or, if she reveals herself, a radiant morning.

With charming eyes whom they were training

لَمْ يَزِنْ دمْلجُها مِعْصَمَها

لَمْ يَزِنْ دمْلجُها مِعْصَمَها

ذَلِكَ المِعْصمُ زان الدّمْلُجَا

ذَلِكَ المِعْصمُ زان الدّمْلُجَا

Her armlet did not adorn her wrist;

Yet are not refrained by hoary-headedness

that wrist adorned the armlet.

Or warner of seemliness from this

يَا لَقَوْمٍ ضُرِّجوا في ضَارج

يَا لَقَوْمٍ ضُرِّجوا في ضَارج

بالعُيونِ النجْلِ فِيمَن ضُرِّجا

بالعُيونِ النجْلِ فِيمَن ضُرِّجا

Ah, for people bloodied in Ḍārij,

If you saw us complaining of ardor

by wide eyes, among all who were bloodied!

With camels under us complaining of order

ثُمّ لا يَنهاهُمُ عن مِثْلِها

ثُمّ لا يَنهاهُمُ عن مِثْلِها

وازِعُ الشّيب ولا ناهي الحِجا

وازِعُ الشّيب ولا ناهي الحِجا

Yet they are not deterred from her like

By God, you would melt for what we face

by gray hair's restraint or reason's curb.

Of regrets and sorrows that debase

لَوْ ترانا بالهَوى نَشكو الجَوى

لَوْ ترانا بالهَوى نَشكو الجَوى

والمَطايا تَحتَنا تَشْكو الوَجا

والمَطايا تَحتَنا تَشْكو الوَجا

If you could see us, in love, lamenting heartache,

while the mounts beneath us lament their sore feet,

ذَهَبَتْ نفْسُك واللّهِ عَلى

ذَهَبَتْ نفْسُك واللّهِ عَلى

مَا لَقِينا حسَرَاتٍ وَشَجى

مَا لَقِينا حسَرَاتٍ وَشَجى

your soul, by God, would waste away over

what we have suffered, in anguish and grief.