شِفاءُ النفسِ أنْ تَرِدَ الغِمَارا

شِفاءُ النفسِ أنْ تَرِدَ الغِمَارا

وتَعْرِف من دِيَارِ الحَيِّ دَارَا

وتَعْرِف من دِيَارِ الحَيِّ دَارَا

The soul's cure is to enter the deep waters,

The soul finds healing when the clouds clear,

and recognize a home among the tribe's dwellings.

And it knows the abode of the living from ruins.

تَحَيَّرتِ النطافُ بها وفاضَتْ

تَحَيَّرتِ النطافُ بها وفاضَتْ

ومرَّ السَّائراتُ بهَا مِرارَا

ومرَّ السَّائراتُ بهَا مِرارَا

Waters pooled there and overflowed,

The stars wandered lost in it and overflowed,

and wanderers passed through it time and again.

And the travelers passed it time and again.

ذكرتُ أَبا نَعَامَةَ والمَطَايا

ذكرتُ أَبا نَعَامَةَ والمَطَايا

وأَياماً لبستُ بها المُعَارَا

وأَياماً لبستُ بها المُعَارَا

I remembered Abu Na'amah and the riding camels,

I remembered Abū Na'āmah and the riding beasts,

and days when I wore borrowed clothing.

And days when I wore the borrowed coat.

وما ذَنبي اذا أَحببتُ خِرْقاً

وما ذَنبي اذا أَحببتُ خِرْقاً

من الفِتيانِ يَحْتَلُّ القِفَارَا

من الفِتيانِ يَحْتَلُّ القِفَارَا

What blame is mine if I love a bold youth

What is my sin if I loved a young man

among the young men, who inhabits the wastelands?

Who roams the meadows boastfully?

أُنَبِّهُ منه في الظَّلماءِ صَقْراً

أُنَبِّهُ منه في الظَّلماءِ صَقْراً

رأى طيراً تَمُرُّ به فَطَارَا

رأى طيراً تَمُرُّ به فَطَارَا

In the darkness I rouse a falcon in him:

I alert in the dark a falcon who saw

it saw birds passing by and took wing.

A bird pass by him, so he took flight.

أَمِنتُ مُواربي وَيَدِبُّ خَتلاً

أَمِنتُ مُواربي وَيَدِبُّ خَتلاً

الى الأَعداءِ مَنْ هَابَ الجَهارَا

الى الأَعداءِ مَنْ هَابَ الجَهارَا

I am safe from my deceiver; and stealthily creeps

I trusted my confidants though one creeps

toward the enemies the man who fears open combat.

To the foes - one who dreads loud cries.

فما أَخشىَ الذي نطقتْ عدِي

فما أَخشىَ الذي نطقتْ عدِي

ولو مَلأَتْ عليَّ الأرضَ زاراَ

ولو مَلأَتْ عليَّ الأرضَ زاراَ

I do not fear what my foes have uttered,

So I fear not the one whose helper I became

even if they fill the earth around me with roaring.

Even if she filled the land with calamity for me.

ومنْ ضَرْبِ الاعز أَبي شُجاعٍ

ومنْ ضَرْبِ الاعز أَبي شُجاعٍ

فتى باهى به التاجُ السِّوارَا

فتى باهى به التاجُ السِّوارَا

And of the most exalted Abu Shuja's stamp is

From the strike of the mighty knight - my father Shujā'

a youth of whom the crown boasts to the bracelet.

A hero whose crown boasts the headband.

دعوت وما دعاؤُكَ من بعيدٍ

دعوت وما دعاؤُكَ من بعيدٍ

غياثَ الأمةِ الملكَ النُّضَارَا

غياثَ الأمةِ الملكَ النُّضَارَا

I called—and calling you is not from afar—

I called and your prayer is not far

the nation's succor, the golden king.

To save the nation, O noble king.

فكان أَحقَّ من عُرِصَتْ عليهِ

فكان أَحقَّ من عُرِصَتْ عليهِ

رياط الحَمْدِ فاختارَ الخِيارَا

رياط الحَمْدِ فاختارَ الخِيارَا

So he was the worthiest of those offered

So you were more worthy than those who competed,

the robes of praise, and chose the finest.

The reins of praise yielded to the chosen.

حَذَارِ من المُضاحكِ في قُطُوبٍ

حَذَارِ من المُضاحكِ في قُطُوبٍ

حَذارِ وانْ أَمِنْتَ به الحِذَارَا

حَذارِ وانْ أَمِنْتَ به الحِذَارَا

Beware the man who smiles amid frowns;

Beware the jesting companion when relaxed -

beware, even if through him you are safe from fear.

Beware even if you feel safe from caution with him.

فما السرحانُ أَهدتْ ريحُ نجدٍ

فما السرحانُ أَهدتْ ريحُ نجدٍ

الى أُذنيهِ من خِشْفٍ جُؤارَا

الى أُذنيهِ من خِشْفٍ جُؤارَا

For no wolf, when the wind of Najd has borne

For Siraḥān never gifted the eastern wind

a fawn's cry to its ears,

To his ears any wondrous careful whispers.

بأَصدق عزمة منه وأَمضى

بأَصدق عزمة منه وأَمضى

اذا ما عاجزُ القوم استَشَارَا

اذا ما عاجزُ القوم استَشَارَا

is firmer in resolve than he, or more decisive,

With the most truthful determination he has

when the people's helpless man seeks counsel.

When the people weaken, he consults.

تُذكرني اباكَ نهىً وحلماً

تُذكرني اباكَ نهىً وحلماً

فما أَنْفكُّ وهماً وادّكارَا

فما أَنْفكُّ وهماً وادّكارَا

You remind me of your father in wisdom and forbearance,

You remind me of your father's advice and patience,

so I never cease to picture and remember him:

So I never cease to reminisce and remember.

أَناةً حينَ لا يُغنى بِدَارٌ

أَناةً حينَ لا يُغنى بِدَارٌ

وتشميراً اذا ركبَ الغِوارَا

وتشميراً اذا ركبَ الغِوارَا

patience when haste is of no use,

Patience when no wealth avails,

and vigorous action when he rode out on raids.

And resolve when he rode the dust cloud.

غداةَ سما بِجَرّار لهامٍ

غداةَ سما بِجَرّار لهامٍ

تُريكَ الليلَ بَزَتُهُ نَهَارَا

تُريكَ الليلَ بَزَتُهُ نَهَارَا

On the morning he advanced with a vast, devouring host,

On a morn when the downpour of heavy rain passed,

his armor made night appear to you as day.

The night shows you its darkness is daytime.

قضى من جازرِ الاملاكِ نحباً

قضى من جازرِ الاملاكِ نحباً

وكان لآلِ حمدانٍ بَوارَا

وكان لآلِ حمدانٍ بَوارَا

He fulfilled a vow against the slaughterer of kings,

It ended the life of the slaughterer of kings -

and brought ruin to the house of Hamdan.

He was a full moon to the family of Ḥamdān.

رأَوها بالخوامسِ عابراتٍ

رأَوها بالخوامسِ عابراتٍ

سَنَابكُهُنَّ تمتاحُ الغُبَارَا

سَنَابكُهُنَّ تمتاحُ الغُبَارَا

They saw them passing at al-Khawamis,

They saw them crossing on fifths,

their hooves scooping up dust.

Their howdahs devouring the dust.

وَضَمَّهُمَا المسيرُ الى دُجيلٍ

وَضَمَّهُمَا المسيرُ الى دُجيلٍ

فباتا يَقسمانِ بهِ الشِّعَارَا

فباتا يَقسمانِ بهِ الشِّعَارَا

The march to Dujayl brought the two together,

The journey took them to Dajīl where they spent the night

and there they spent the night sharing out battle watchwords,

Dividing the headbands between them.

مَبيتَ الياسرينَ على خِطارِ

مَبيتَ الياسرينَ على خِطارِ

أَجالا بينَ رأيهمَا قِمَارَا

أَجالا بينَ رأيهمَا قِمَارَا

like two gamblers spending the night over stakes,

A night stay for the resolute upon danger -

making their rival plans a game of chance.

They cast lots between them for the scheme.

حَلفْت بمن تظلُ بنو لؤى

حَلفْت بمن تظلُ بنو لؤى

لِطاعته يَعُدونَ الجِمارَا

لِطاعته يَعُدونَ الجِمارَا

I swore by Him for whom the sons of Lu'ayy keep

I swear by He whom the family of Lu'ayy

counting the pebbles in obedience:

Obey, counting that their duty!

لَيومٌ فيه دولتُكَ استهلتْ

لَيومٌ فيه دولتُكَ استهلتْ

احق من العروبةِ أَنْ تُزارَا

احق من العروبةِ أَنْ تُزارَا

surely the day on which your reign dawned

A day in which your state began

is worthier than 'Arubah of a visit to you.

More deserving than the Arabs that you tend to it.

وثقنا بالزيادةِ حين جاءتْ

وثقنا بالزيادةِ حين جاءتْ

عَشيَّةَ فارقَ القمرُ السِّرَارَا

عَشيَّةَ فارقَ القمرُ السِّرَارَا

We trusted in increase when it came,

We gained certitude with the increase when it came

on the evening the moon left its dark phase.

In the evening, the moon parted from Sirius.

أَنافتْ كالبَواذخِ من بَثيرٍ

أَنافتْ كالبَواذخِ من بَثيرٍ

وقرتْ منكَ جلْصصَتُهُ قَررَا

وقرتْ منكَ جلْصصَتُهُ قَررَا

It towered like the lofty peaks of Bathir,

They refused like the lofty pillars of Bathir

and through you [an unclear word] settled firmly.

While cows belonging to you mooed in settlement.

أَراكَ اللهُ سؤلكَ في الاعادي

أَراكَ اللهُ سؤلكَ في الاعادي

ولقَّاكَ الغنيمةَ واليَسَارَا

ولقَّاكَ الغنيمةَ واليَسَارَا

May God show you your wish fulfilled against your foes,

May Allah show you your enemies' question

and grant you booty and prosperity,

And destiny grant you booty and ease.

ونهنهَ عنكَ باذرةَ الليالى

ونهنهَ عنكَ باذرةَ الليالى

ولا أخبى لكَ الحدثانُ نارَا

ولا أخبى لكَ الحدثانُ نارَا

and hold back the nights' sudden blow from you;

And protect you from the forelocks of nights

and may time's reversals conceal no fire for you.

And the two */ḥadathān/* conceal no secret from you.

فأَنتَ أَعمُّهُم كرماً وَجُوداً

فأَنتَ أَعمُّهُم كرماً وَجُوداً

وأَفاهم اذا عَقَدُوا جِوارَا

وأَفاهم اذا عَقَدُوا جِوارَا

For your generosity and bounty reach farther than theirs,

For you are most generous and charitable of them

and you are the most faithful when they pledge protection.

And most perceptive when they discuss neighborliness.

رويداً انَّ مَطْلَبَهَا قَريبٌ

رويداً انَّ مَطْلَبَهَا قَريبٌ

اذا المِرِّيْخ في الافقِ استنارَا

اذا المِرِّيْخ في الافقِ استنارَا

Patience: attaining it is near,

Gently, its realization is near

when Mars shines on the horizon.

When Mars lights up the horizon.

اذا أَعْدَدْتَ مُشعلةً أَعَدُّوا

اذا أَعْدَدْتَ مُشعلةً أَعَدُّوا

لها الاحلامَ والهممَ القِصَارَا

لها الاحلامَ والهممَ القِصَارَا

When you prepare a blazing war, they prepare

When you prepare a torch, they prepare

for it dreams and short-reaching ambitions.

For it hopes and brief resolves.

زمانٌ سَرَّنَا بكَ ثم أَضحى

زمانٌ سَرَّنَا بكَ ثم أَضحى

يَسُرُّ بكَ المُشَعْشَعَةَ العُقارَا

يَسُرُّ بكَ المُشَعْشَعَةَ العُقارَا

An age that gladdened us through you, and then began

An era delighted us through you then became

to gladden, through you, the wine mixed with water;

One that delights in you, scintillating and pure.

ويومٌ حسبُهُ شَرفاً وَمَجْداً

ويومٌ حسبُهُ شَرفاً وَمَجْداً

بأَنَّ الملكَ فيهِ اليكَ صَارَا

بأَنَّ الملكَ فيهِ اليكَ صَارَا

and a day with honor and glory enough in this:

And a day whose pride and glory is enough:

that sovereignty passed to you upon it.

That the king in it came to you.