سَرَت موهناً وَالنَّجمُ في أذنها قِرطُ

سَرَت موهناً وَالنَّجمُ في أذنها قِرطُ

وَعِقدُ الثُّريّا في مقلَّدِها سِمطُ

وَعِقدُ الثُّريّا في مقلَّدِها سِمطُ

She traveled late at night, a star an earring in her ear;

She walked gently, a ring in her ear,

and the necklace of the Pleiades lay strung about her neck.

A necklace of gems around her neck.

هلاليَّةٌ يَعلو الهلالَ جَبينُها

هلاليَّةٌ يَعلو الهلالَ جَبينُها

وَعُليا هِلالٍ حين تُعزى لها رهطُ

وَعُليا هِلالٍ حين تُعزى لها رهطُ

A maiden of Hilal, whose brow surpasses the crescent moon;

With a crescent adorning her forehead,

and Hilal's noblest are her clan when her lineage is traced.

She was exalted, like the crescent moon.

أَلَمَّت بنا وَاللَيلُ مُرخٍ سدولَهُ

أَلَمَّت بنا وَاللَيلُ مُرخٍ سدولَهُ

فضاءَ بصبحٍ ميطَ عن نوره المَرطُ

فضاءَ بصبحٍ ميطَ عن نوره المَرطُ

She visited us while night was letting fall its curtains,

They came to us in the dark night,

and it shone with a dawn whose mantle had been drawn away from its light.

When dawn broke, the overcast cleared.

وَأَرَّجَ أَرجاءَ الحِمى نشرُ طيبها

وَأَرَّجَ أَرجاءَ الحِمى نشرُ طيبها

فَلَم يُدرَ مسكٌ ما تضوَّع أَم قسطُ

فَلَم يُدرَ مسكٌ ما تضوَّع أَم قسطُ

And the wafted scent of her perfume sweetened the preserve's corners,

The scent of her perfume filled the dwellings,

and none knew whether the spreading fragrance was musk or costus.

Was it musk or ambergris that it exuded?

وَقَد أَقبلت تَرنو بمقلةِ مغزِلٍ

وَقَد أَقبلت تَرنو بمقلةِ مغزِلٍ

أَضَلَّت بجرعاءِ الحِمى شادناً يَعطو

أَضَلَّت بجرعاءِ الحِمى شادناً يَعطو

She approached, gazing with the eye of a mother gazelle

She came swaying with the spindle,

that had lost, on the preserve's sandy flat, a fawn reaching up to browse.

Wandering tipsily in the settlement.

تَميلُ كَما مالَ النَزيفُ كأَنَّما

تَميلُ كَما مالَ النَزيفُ كأَنَّما

يرنِّحها من راحِ صَرخدَ إِسفَنطُ

يرنِّحها من راحِ صَرخدَ إِسفَنطُ

She sways as a drunken man sways, as though

She leaned like the soft breeze,

a spiced draught of Sarkhad wine were making her reel.

As if a bird's wing fluttered against her.

وَتخطرُ تيهاً حين تَخطو تأَوُّداً

وَتخطرُ تيهاً حين تَخطو تأَوُّداً

بأَسمرَ مِمّا أَنبتَ اللَهُ لا الخَطُّ

بأَسمرَ مِمّا أَنبتَ اللَهُ لا الخَطُّ

And she struts proudly as she steps with a supple sway,

She strode gracefully when walking lovingly,

with a dusky shaft grown by God, not al-Khatt.

With a complexion darker than God created.

تجلُّ عن التَشبيه في الحُسن غادةٌ

تجلُّ عن التَشبيه في الحُسن غادةٌ

إِذا قيسَ في أَوجٍ بها البَدرُ ينحطُّ

إِذا قيسَ في أَوجٍ بها البَدرُ ينحطُّ

A tender maiden, her beauty is too exalted for comparison:

She transcends comparison in beauty,

when compared with her at its zenith, the full moon sinks.

When the full moon is aligned with her.

وأَنّى يضاهيها الحسانُ وإنَّما

وأَنّى يضاهيها الحسانُ وإنَّما

لَها تسعُ أَقساطِ البَها ولهم قِسطُ

لَها تسعُ أَقساطِ البَها ولهم قِسطُ

How could the beautiful rival her, when

How can beauty rival her,

she has nine shares of splendor, and they have but one?

When she has nine parts and they only one.

وإِن قيلَ أَنَّ الريمَ يَحكي لحاظَها

وإِن قيلَ أَنَّ الريمَ يَحكي لحاظَها

فأَين القوام اللدن والشَعر السبطُ

فأَين القوام اللدن والشَعر السبطُ

And if it is said that the white gazelle imitates her glances,

And if they say her glance relates the story,

then where are the supple figure and the smooth, straight hair?

Where is the soft skin, the hair, the figure?

عَلى أَنَّ مَرعاها وَما صوَّحَ الكَلا

عَلى أَنَّ مَرعاها وَما صوَّحَ الكَلا

حُشاشةُ نَفسٍ لا الأَراكُ ولا الخمطُ

حُشاشةُ نَفسٍ لا الأَراكُ ولا الخمطُ

Besides, her pasture—even though the grass has not withered—

Rather, it was the warbling of the wild dove,

is a soul's last remnant of life, not arak or bitter-fruited trees.

Not grasshoppers or beetles that sang.

وَتَسطو أُسودُ الغاب بالريم جهرةً

وَتَسطو أُسودُ الغاب بالريم جهرةً

وَهذي بآسادِ الشَرى أَبَداً تَسطو

وَهذي بآسادِ الشَرى أَبَداً تَسطو

The forest's lions openly assail gazelles,

The wild cows roar over her,

yet this one forever assails the lions of al-Shara.

While she reigns over the lions forever.

بِنَفسي فتاةٌ تغبطُ الشَمسُ حسنَها

بِنَفسي فتاةٌ تغبطُ الشَمسُ حسنَها

وَفي مثل هَذا الحسن يُستَحسَنُ الغَبطُ

وَفي مثل هَذا الحسن يُستَحسَنُ الغَبطُ

My life as ransom for a maiden whose beauty the sun envies;

By my soul, a girl whose beauty shames the sun,

for beauty like this, admiring envy is fitting.

And for such beauty, envy is praiseworthy.

لَها طرَّةٌ تَضفو عَلى صُبح غرَّة

لَها طرَّةٌ تَضفو عَلى صُبح غرَّة

يُساقِطُ مِسكاً من غدائِرها المشطُ

يُساقِطُ مِسكاً من غدائِرها المشطُ

A forelock spills over the dawn of her radiant brow;

Dawn sprinkles upon her a grace,

the comb showers musk from her braids.

Her braids rain musk.

شَفعتُ بها لَيلاً تقاصرَ وهنهُ

شَفعتُ بها لَيلاً تقاصرَ وهنهُ

فَطالَ وللآمال في طوله بَسطُ

فَطالَ وللآمال في طوله بَسطُ

I paired her with a night whose dark hours had dwindled,

At night I pleaded for it to shorten its languor,

so it lengthened, giving hopes room to unfold.

And it lengthened, to my hopes it gave breadth.

وَبِتنا على رغم الحسود وبيننا

وَبِتنا على رغم الحسود وبيننا

حَديثُ رضاً بالوصل ما شابه سُخطُ

حَديثُ رضاً بالوصل ما شابه سُخطُ

We spent the night despite the envier, and between us

We stayed despite the envious, and between us,

was talk of delight in union, untouched by displeasure.

Was a blissful conversation, free of bitterness.

تعلِّلني من دَلِّها ورُضابها

تعلِّلني من دَلِّها ورُضابها

بخمرين لم أَسكَر بمثلهما قَطُّ

بخمرين لم أَسكَر بمثلهما قَطُّ

She solaced me, drawing on her coquetry and the moisture of her lips,

She inebriated me with her charm and favor,

with two wines whose like had never made me drunk before.

With two wines that intoxicated me like no other.

وعاطيتُها صِرفاً حكت دمَ عاشقٍ

وعاطيتُها صِرفاً حكت دمَ عاشقٍ

مُراقاً عليه من مدامعِه نَقطُ

مُراقاً عليه من مدامعِه نَقطُ

And I shared with her unmixed wine resembling a lover's blood,

I gave her the secret tale of a weeping lover,

spilled, with drops from his tearful eyes upon it.

Whose tears dropped continually.

فَمالَت وَلَم تَسطِع حراكاً كأَنَّما

فَمالَت وَلَم تَسطِع حراكاً كأَنَّما

أتيحَ لَها من عقد أحبولَةٍ نَشطُ

أتيحَ لَها من عقد أحبولَةٍ نَشطُ

Then she leaned, unable to stir, as though

She leaned but did not stir,

she had been bound fast in the knots of a snare.

As if she was adorned with a bejeweled necklace.

هناكَ جنيتُ الوصلَ من ثمر المُنى

هناكَ جنيتُ الوصلَ من ثمر المُنى

وَبِتُّ ولا عَهدٌ عليَّ وَلا شَرطُ

وَبِتُّ ولا عَهدٌ عليَّ وَلا شَرطُ

There I plucked union from the fruits of desire,

There I attained the fruits of my hopes,

and spent the night with no pledge or condition binding me,

Staying with no vows or conditions between us.

أُمزِّقُ جلبابَ العَفافِ ولم أَزَل

أُمزِّقُ جلبابَ العَفافِ ولم أَزَل

أَقلِّبها حتّى اِلتقى الحِجلُ والقُرطُ

أَقلِّبها حتّى اِلتقى الحِجلُ والقُرطُ

tearing the cloak of chastity, never ceasing

I tore off the garb of chastity,

to turn her over until anklet and earring met.

Tossing and turning until waist wrapper and earring met.

فَلَم تصحُ إِلّا وَالنجومُ خَوافِقٌ

فَلَم تصحُ إِلّا وَالنجومُ خَوافِقٌ

وَفرع الدُجى جَعدٌ ذوائبه شُمطُ

وَفرع الدُجى جَعدٌ ذوائبه شُمطُ

She only sobered when the stars were setting,

She did not awaken until the stars aligned

and darkness's hair was curly, its locks streaked gray.

And the branches of the night came alive with disheveled hair.

وَقَد ضاءَ مُسودُّ الظَلام بشمعَةٍ

وَقَد ضاءَ مُسودُّ الظَلام بشمعَةٍ

من الصُبح لم يعوز ذبالَتَها قطُّ

من الصُبح لم يعوز ذبالَتَها قطُّ

And the black darkness had brightened with a candle

The darkness was illuminated by a candle

of dawn, whose wick was never wanting.

Whose light the gloom could not overcome.

فَقامَت لِتَوديعي بوَجدٍ مَروعةً

فَقامَت لِتَوديعي بوَجدٍ مَروعةً

وَللوجد في جنبيَّ في لوعةٍ فَرطُ

وَللوجد في جنبيَّ في لوعةٍ فَرطُ

She rose, anguished and alarmed, to bid me farewell,

She rose to bid me farewell, anxious,

while passion within my ribs overflowed in burning grief.

While in my soul was an inconsolable agony.

وأَذرَت دُموعاً من لحاظٍ سقيمةٍ

وأَذرَت دُموعاً من لحاظٍ سقيمةٍ

هي الدرُّ لكن ما لمنثوره لَقطُ

هي الدرُّ لكن ما لمنثوره لَقطُ

She shed tears from languid eyes—

She shed copious tears from her sickly eyes,

pearls, yet their scattered beads could not be gathered.

Jewels they were, though scattered uncared for.

وَسارَت على اسمِ اللَه تنقلُ أَرجلاً

وَسارَت على اسمِ اللَه تنقلُ أَرجلاً

إِذا ما اِستَقَلَّت لا تَكادُ بها تَخطو

إِذا ما اِستَقَلَّت لا تَكادُ بها تَخطو

She departed in God's name, shifting her feet,

She walked in God's name, moving her feet,

on which she could scarcely step when she rose.

When separated, she could barely take a step.

وشطَّت بِقَلبي في هَواها وَلَم يَزَل

وشطَّت بِقَلبي في هَواها وَلَم يَزَل

ببحرِ غَرامٍ لا يُرامُ له شَطُّ

ببحرِ غَرامٍ لا يُرامُ له شَطُّ

She bore my heart far away in love of her, and it remained

She dragged my heart in her love, and it has not ceased

in a sea of passion whose shore cannot be reached.

To be in a sea of passion with no shoreline.

وَقَد قَدحَ التَفريقُ بين جَوانحي

وَقَد قَدحَ التَفريقُ بين جَوانحي

زنادَ همومٍ لا يَبوخ لها سِقطُ

زنادَ همومٍ لا يَبوخ لها سِقطُ

Separation had struck, within my ribs,

Parting lit between my wings,

the flints of sorrows whose sparks never die.

The spark of sorrows which cannot be extinguished.

نعم قد حلَت تلك اللَيالي وقد خَلَت

نعم قد حلَت تلك اللَيالي وقد خَلَت

وأَيُّ دنوٍّ لا يقارنُه شَخطُ

وأَيُّ دنوٍّ لا يقارنُه شَخطُ

Yes, those nights were sweet, and now they have passed;

Yes, those nights have passed and gone,

and what closeness is not paired with distance?

What nearness cannot be matched by separation!

لَعمري لَقَد أَلوَت بأَيّام وصلنا

لَعمري لَقَد أَلوَت بأَيّام وصلنا

حوادثُ أَيّام أَساودُها رُقطُ

حوادثُ أَيّام أَساودُها رُقطُ

By my life, the days of our union were swept away

By my life, days of union made me forget

by the calamities of days whose black serpents are speckled.

Days of woe, ominous and gloomy.

وبُدِّلتُ عَن قُرب الوصال بخطَّةٍ

وبُدِّلتُ عَن قُرب الوصال بخطَّةٍ

من البَين لا يُمحى بدَمعي لها خَطُّ

من البَين لا يُمحى بدَمعي لها خَطُّ

And in place of union's nearness I was given a fate

I was replaced in the nearness of union by a distance,

of separation, whose written line my tears cannot erase.

My tears cannot erase its inscription.

تؤرِّقُني الذِكرى إذا لاحَ بارِقٌ

تؤرِّقُني الذِكرى إذا لاحَ بارِقٌ

يَلوحُ بفَود اللَيل من لمعِه وَخطُ

يَلوحُ بفَود اللَيل من لمعِه وَخطُ

Memory keeps me sleepless whenever lightning flashes,

Yearning keeps me awake when a glimmer appears,

a pale streak of its gleam showing at night's temple.

Displaying the expanse of night in its glow.

وَتوقظُ منّي الوَجدَ ورقُ حمائِمٍ

وَتوقظُ منّي الوَجدَ ورقُ حمائِمٍ

إِذا هدأ السُمّارُ بات لها لَغطُ

إِذا هدأ السُمّارُ بات لها لَغطُ

And gray doves awaken longing within me:

It awakens my passion - the leaves of doves

when the night-talkers fall quiet, their clamor fills the night.

When the watchful is silent, their incessant murmur.

أَبيتُ على مِثل القَتاد مسهَّداً

أَبيتُ على مِثل القَتاد مسهَّداً

ومن دون ما أَرجو القَتادةُ والخَرطُ

ومن دون ما أَرجو القَتادةُ والخَرطُ

I spend the night sleepless, as though on thorny qatad,

I lie like one fallen at Uhud,

and between me and my hope lie the thorn tree and the stripping of its thorns.

While my goal remains beyond reach.

لئن جارَ دَهري بالتَنائي ولَم يزل

لئن جارَ دَهري بالتَنائي ولَم يزل

يَجورُ علينا كلّ آنٍ وَيشتَطُّ

يَجورُ علينا كلّ آنٍ وَيشتَطُّ

Though my fate has wronged me with separation, and never ceases

If fate persists in separation,

to wrong us at every moment and exceed all bounds,

Ever unjust, increasingly severe.

فإِنّي لها باقٍ على العَهد والوَفا

فإِنّي لها باقٍ على العَهد والوَفا

وَلي من هُيامي في الهوى شاهد قسطُ

وَلي من هُيامي في الهوى شاهد قسطُ

I remain true to her, keeping my pledge and fidelity,

I remain faithful to her, true to my vow,

and my madness in love is an upright witness for me.

My passion bears witness to some solace.

وأَصبو إِلى دارٍ بها حطَّ أَهلُها

وأَصبو إِلى دارٍ بها حطَّ أَهلُها

على أَنَّهم من أَجلها في الحَشا حَطّوا

على أَنَّهم من أَجلها في الحَشا حَطّوا

And I yearn for a dwelling where her people have alighted,

I yearn for a house where its people reside,

though, for her sake, they have alighted within my heart.

For it, they settled in the barren valley.

وَلَو لَم يكن سِقطُ العقيق محلَّها

وَلَو لَم يكن سِقطُ العقيق محلَّها

لَما شاقَني وادي العقيقِ ولا السِقطُ

لَما شاقَني وادي العقيقِ ولا السِقطُ

Had the sandy edge of al-Aqiq not been her dwelling,

Had carnelian not originated from its soil,

neither al-Aqiq's valley nor its sandy edge would have stirred my longing.

Neither the carnelian mine nor pebbles would have wearied me.

فَيا ليتَ شِعري هَل رُباها مَريعةٌ

فَيا ليتَ شِعري هَل رُباها مَريعةٌ

كَما هي أَم أَلوى بمخُصِبها قَحطُ

كَما هي أَم أَلوى بمخُصِبها قَحطُ

Oh, would that I knew: are her uplands lush,

I wonder, was she raised secure?

as before, or has drought laid waste their fertile ground?

Or did drought befall her green pastures?

وَهَل سِربُها يَرعى بأَكنافِ حاجِرٍ

وَهَل سِربُها يَرعى بأَكنافِ حاجِرٍ

مُروجاً عليها من نسيج الحَيا بُسطُ

مُروجاً عليها من نسيج الحَيا بُسطُ

And does her herd graze around Hajir

Do her flocks graze on the meadows' edges

in meadows carpeted with the weaving of rain?

As the threads of life are spun over them?

وَهَل رتعت أَترابُها ولِداتُها

وَهَل رتعت أَترابُها ولِداتُها

بمرتِعها حيث المسرّةُ والغبطُ

بمرتِعها حيث المسرّةُ والغبطُ

And have her companions and age-mates grazed at ease

Did her young ones and their mothers enjoy

in her pasture, where joy and enviable bliss abide?

Their pasture, where there is joy and fortune?

فَعَهدي بهاتيكَ المَعاهدِ لم تزل

فَعَهدي بهاتيكَ المَعاهدِ لم تزل

شوادِنُها تَعطو وأَغصانُها تَغطو

شوادِنُها تَعطو وأَغصانُها تَغطو

For, as I remember those haunts, always

I know those settlements, their boughs still shelter,

their fawns reached up to browse, and their branches grew luxuriant.

Their branches still shade and overarch.

فلا غَبَّها غادٍ من المزن رائحٌ

فلا غَبَّها غادٍ من المزن رائحٌ

له كلَّ آن في أَجارِعها سَقطُ

له كلَّ آن في أَجارِعها سَقطُ

May a rain cloud visit them morning and evening without skipping a day,

No absent one there loses his way,

its rain falling at every moment upon their sandy stretches.

For each moment he reaches its dwellings.