ليَ شغلٌ عن ذكرِ لبني وهندٍ

ليَ شغلٌ عن ذكرِ لبني وهندٍ

وَنوار أو الرَّباب وَدَعْدِ

وَنوار أو الرَّباب وَدَعْدِ

I am too occupied to mention Lubna and Hind,

I have no time to think of Lubna or Hind,

and Nawar, or al-Rabab and Da'd.

Nor Anwar, Rabab or playing around.

فاطوِ عَنّي حَديثَ طيءٍ وَدَعْني

فاطوِ عَنّي حَديثَ طيءٍ وَدَعْني

منْ كَثيب اللوى وأكناف نَجْدِ

منْ كَثيب اللوى وأكناف نَجْدِ

So spare me the talk of Tayy, and leave me

So stop talking to me of Tayy and let me be,

away from the dune of al-Liwa and the outskirts of Najd,

Away from the sand dunes and slopes of Najd.

وطلولٍ قد أقفَرَتْ من أُناس

وطلولٍ قد أقفَرَتْ من أُناس

كالشّياطين إنْ بَدَتْ عَنْ بُعدِ

كالشّياطين إنْ بَدَتْ عَنْ بُعدِ

and ruins deserted by people,

Deserted places with specter-like people,

like devils when they appear from afar.

If seen from afar, frighten me indeed.

كلُّ بادي السِّنان يلمع كالنج

كلُّ بادي السِّنان يلمع كالنج

مِ ليَ الويلُ إنْ رآني وَحْسدي

مِ ليَ الويلُ إنْ رآني وَحْسدي

Each bares a spearhead glittering like a star—

Each grinning fool's teeth shine like stars,

woe to me if he sees me—and my envy [reading unclear].

Woe to me if he sees me and envies me!

ذِكره يَنقُصُ الوضوءَ وَمنْ عا

ذِكره يَنقُصُ الوضوءَ وَمنْ عا

ينَه رُبّما تراهُ يُنَدِّي

ينَه رُبّما تراهُ يُنَدِّي

Mentioning him impairs ablution; whoever looks

To remember him diminishes my ablution, and he who forbids him,

upon him, you may well see wetting himself.

May at times see him acting madly.

أنتَ عَوني على الزَّمانِ فَكُنْ لي

أنتَ عَوني على الزَّمانِ فَكُنْ لي

منْ غريمٍ مطالبٍ لي ألَدِّ

منْ غريمٍ مطالبٍ لي ألَدِّ

You are my help against Time; so stand by me

You are my support against fate, so be to me,

against a creditor who pursues me, bitterly contentious:

A protector from a hostile blamer.

زوجهٌ في النِّقار ديكٌ ولكنْ

زوجهٌ في النِّقار ديكٌ ولكنْ

لها في النِّساء صورةَ قردِ

لها في النِّساء صورةَ قردِ

a wife—a rooster in her pecking quarrels, yet

His wife is a hen in the coop, but to women,

among women she has the form of an ape.

She has the figure of an ape.

لَكَمتني بِبَطْنِ راحَتِها في

لَكَمتني بِبَطْنِ راحَتِها في

ظهرِ خَلفي وأصبحت تستعدي

ظهرِ خَلفي وأصبحت تستعدي

She struck me with the flat of her palm on

She clasped me with the palm of her hand on

my backside, then began seeking redress against me.

My back and started making demands of me.

طلبتني بالحقِّ والحقُ إن صُحِّ

طلبتني بالحقِّ والحقُ إن صُحِّ

فَ فيهِ نكايةٌ في جلدي

فَ فيهِ نكايةٌ في جلدي

She demanded her due; and 'due,' if misread,

She asked me truthfully but if truth be told,

has harm in store for my skin.

There is vengeance for my skin in it.

وَلَعَمري لو حاوَلَتْ نقدَ أهلِ ال

وَلَعَمري لو حاوَلَتْ نقدَ أهلِ ال

غربِ صَكّاً لَكُنْتُ أوفى بِنَقْدِ

غربِ صَكّاً لَكُنْتُ أوفى بِنَقْدِ

And by my life, had she sought the currency of the people of the

By my life, if she tried buying people of the West,

West—in slaps—I would have repaid her more fully.

A check, I would have paid the price.

ثم جاءت بِرقعةِ الحيس عجلي

ثم جاءت بِرقعةِ الحيس عجلي

برسولٍ لِلحُكمِ قاس جَلْد

برسولٍ لِلحُكمِ قاس جَلْد

Then she came hastily with a note about hays [reading unclear],

Then she came with a writ from the police chief,

with a court messenger, harsh and hardy.

With a messenger for judgment, stone-hearted.

قلتُ لا يستطيعُ حبسي قاضٍ

قلتُ لا يستطيعُ حبسي قاضٍ

وأنا خريةٌ وَحَسبسْيَ يُردي

وأنا خريةٌ وَحَسبسْيَ يُردي

I said: No judge can imprison me;

I said no judge can imprison me,

I am a turd, and my confinement [uncertain reading] is fatal.

Since I am free and my lineage destroys me.

فأكفهَرَّتْ ثمَّ أشرأبَتْ وَوَلّتْ

فأكفهَرَّتْ ثمَّ أشرأبَتْ وَوَلّتْ

وَهيَ تَسْطو بِكُلِّ هدٍّ وَرَعْدِ

وَهيَ تَسْطو بِكُلِّ هدٍّ وَرَعْدِ

So she scowled, then craned her neck and turned away,

So she frowned, then cleared her throat and turned away

while she lashed out with every crash and thunderclap.

As she loudly roared and thundered.

قلتُ لا تَغْضَبي عَلَيَّ وَلومي

قلتُ لا تَغْضَبي عَلَيَّ وَلومي

شؤمَ بَخْتي وارعَيْ حقوقي وَوُدِّي

شؤمَ بَخْتي وارعَيْ حقوقي وَوُدِّي

I said: Do not be angry with me; blame

I said "Do not be angry with me or blame me,

my ill luck, and respect my rights and affection.

Consider my ill fate and respect my love and friendship for you".

أنا إلا ذاك المكدِّي بالشعّ

أنا إلا ذاك المكدِّي بالشعّ

رِ وأَينَ الكرامُ حتّى أُكدِّيْ

رِ وأَينَ الكرامُ حتّى أُكدِّيْ

I am nothing but that beggar who begs through poetry—

I am but the one who gathers poetry,

and where are the generous, so that I may beg?

And where are the generous, so I may gather?

ولئن دام ذا الكسادُ على الشع

ولئن دام ذا الكسادُ على الشع

رِ يقيناً أقومُ أفتَحُ جُندي

رِ يقيناً أقومُ أفتَحُ جُندي

And if this slump in poetry persists,

If this recession continues in poetry,

I shall surely rise and set up my army.

I will certainly rise and open my army camp.

وَتَريني يومَ الطرادِ بِخَيْلٍ

وَتَريني يومَ الطرادِ بِخَيْلٍ

وافراتِ الأكفالِ جُردٍ مُرْدِ

وافراتِ الأكفالِ جُردٍ مُرْدِ

And you will see me on the day of the chase with horses,

And you will see me on the day of battle, with many horses

ample-rumped, hairless and beardless.

And brave warriors, armed and mailed.

أيّ شيءٍ أعوز تِرسي قفايَ

أيّ شيءٍ أعوز تِرسي قفايَ

في حروبِ الهوى وَلَتِّي قُمُدِّي

في حروبِ الهوى وَلَتِّي قُمُدِّي

What do I lack? My nape is my shield

What do I lack? My round shield in love wars

in love's wars; my club is my penis.

And my spotless, seamless coat of mail?

أوَ ماذا الشِّتا أتاني وفوقي

أوَ ماذا الشِّتا أتاني وفوقي

جُبّةٌ قد لَبِسْتُها من جِلدي

جُبّةٌ قد لَبِسْتُها من جِلدي

And what of it? Winter has come, and over me

Or what does winter bring that I do not have,

is a robe I have put on, made of my own skin.

A robe I wore, made from my own skin?

وَلِرأسي منَ العمائمِ شَعري

وَلِرأسي منَ العمائمِ شَعري

ذات مشطٍ أعيى بَنانَ ألمُسَدي

ذات مشطٍ أعيى بَنانَ ألمُسَدي

And my hair serves my head for a turban,

And on my head, of turbans, is my hair,

whose combing defeats a weaver's fingertips.

With a fine-toothed comb that exhausted the comb maker.

يا رياحَ المريس هُبيِّ وصُبي

يا رياحَ المريس هُبيِّ وصُبي

وأجهدي إنَّ قبّةَ الفرنِ عِنْدي

وأجهدي إنَّ قبّةَ الفرنِ عِنْدي

O winds of al-Maris, blow and pour down,

Oh gentle breeze, blow and storm

and do your utmost: I have the oven's dome.

And exhaust yourself, for my domed lodge is here.

وَجَليسي فيها قَطَطّوا العِظامي

وَجَليسي فيها قَطَطّوا العِظامي

وَكُوَيكاتُ مَعْ سحابِ القَمَنْدي

وَكُوَيكاتُ مَعْ سحابِ القَمَنْدي

And my companion there is Qatatwa al-'Izami,

My companions in it are gnawers of bones,

and Kuwaykat, with Sahab al-Qamandi,

And owlets along with clouds of mosquitoes.

وَجُعَيْسات والقُلَيْطُ وَحكّو

وَجُعَيْسات والقُلَيْطُ وَحكّو

ودُميعات والعَكَفْشُ العرندي

ودُميعات والعَكَفْشُ العرندي

and Ju'aysat, al-Qulayt, and Hakku,

And rats, jerboas, lizards and dormice,

and Dumay'at and al-'Akafsh al-'Arandi,

Porcupines, weasels and snakes that crawl.

وَقَطاطير ثُقْبَةُ البرشِ والغو

وَقَطاطير ثُقْبَةُ البرشِ والغو

ل وشحفورُ والقَشا والزَّرندي

ل وشحفورُ والقَشا والزَّرندي

and Qatatir, 'Hole-in-the-Mat,' and the Ghoul—

A group of their army in the alleys

and Shahfur, al-Qasha, and al-Zarandi.

Are cats with their armies, and they are my armies.

معشَرٌ في الحرافِ من جندِهم إبلي

معشَرٌ في الحرافِ من جندِهم إبلي

سُ مَعَ جُندِهِ وهم منْ جندي

سُ مَعَ جُندِهِ وهم منْ جندي

A band among the beggars whose troops include Iblis—

This one calls for bats - who is among you

with his army; and they belong to my army.

Like me, unique, alone?

ذا يُنادي بالَلْحَرافيشِ مَنْ في

ذا يُنادي بالَلْحَرافيشِ مَنْ في

كُمُ مِثلي وَقَدْ تَفَرَّدتُ وَحْدي

كُمُ مِثلي وَقَدْ تَفَرَّدتُ وَحْدي

This one cries among the riffraff: Who among

I endure ticks and lice in my cloak,

you is like me? I alone stand unrivaled.

And cannot rid them, not even half.

أهطُلُ الكدَّ والسّماقينِ بالفَيْ

أهطُلُ الكدَّ والسّماقينِ بالفَيْ

سِ وما أَن أكيفهم شطرَ مَرْد

سِ وما أَن أكيفهم شطرَ مَرْد

I pour down begging and 'sumaqin' by 'fays' [terms unclear]—

Who can rival me in enduring and racing

and I do not accommodate them with half a 'mard' [reading unclear].

The lice in my rags, ankles and waist wrapper?

مَن يقاسي وَمَن يُسابِقني بال

مَن يقاسي وَمَن يُسابِقني بال

قَملِ في بوصتي وكعبي ونردي

قَملِ في بوصتي وكعبي ونردي

Who can endure it, and who can rival me with

I am of a breed who are embers of evil,

lice, in my reed, my knucklebone, and my backgammon?

This is my sign above my shin.

أنا مِن عصبةٍ همُ الجمرُ في الشرِّ

أنا مِن عصبةٍ همُ الجمرُ في الشرِّ

وهذي علامتي فوقَ زَندي

وهذي علامتي فوقَ زَندي

I belong to a band who are burning coals of wickedness,

Fortunate among us is he who,

and this is my mark above my wrist.

When he gets up, walks with a piece of rawhide.

والسّعيدُ الكبيرُ مِنّا إذا قا

والسّعيدُ الكبيرُ مِنّا إذا قا

مَ تراهُ يَمشي بِقِطعةِ لَبْدِ

مَ تراهُ يَمشي بِقِطعةِ لَبْدِ

And the fortunate elder among us, when he rises,

You will see me, if I sleep, the ashes

you see him walking with a piece of felt.

Of the furnace are my warm bedding and my pillow beneath my cheek.

وَتَراني إنْ نِمْتُ فَرشي رمادُ ال

وَتَراني إنْ نِمْتُ فَرشي رمادُ ال

فرنِ سخناً وصحفتي تحتَ خدِّي

فرنِ سخناً وصحفتي تحتَ خدِّي

And when I sleep, you see my bed is the ash of the

I warm myself by the fire until my skin

oven, still hot, and my bowl lies beneath my cheek.

Appears speckled by it like a panther.

أتدفا بالنّارِ حتّى يرى جِلْ

أتدفا بالنّارِ حتّى يرى جِلْ

دِيَ منهُ مبقّعاً كالَفْهدِ

دِيَ منهُ مبقّعاً كالَفْهدِ

I warm myself by the fire until my skin looks

Such is the state of the bankrupt - the filthiest slave

mottled from it, like a leopard.

Would not be satisfied with it as his lodging.

هذه حالةُ المفاليسِ لم يَرْ

هذه حالةُ المفاليسِ لم يَرْ

ضَ بها للحرافِ أنَجسُ عَبْدِ

ضَ بها للحرافِ أنَجسُ عَبْدِ

This is the lot of the penniless; not even

If I died in the land of Kirjan of cold,

the filthiest slave would approve it for beggars.

They would shroud me in a rawhide.

وَلَوَ أنّي هَلَكتُ في بَلَدِ الكر

وَلَوَ أنّي هَلَكتُ في بَلَدِ الكر

ج بِبَرْدٍ لكفّنوني بِبُرْدِ

ج بِبَرْدٍ لكفّنوني بِبُرْدِ

And had I died in the land of the Kurj—

of cold, they would have shrouded me in a cloak.