هل طالعتك على الريَّان اظعان

هل طالعتك على الريَّان اظعان

ام قابلتك بريا البان غزلانُ

ام قابلتك بريا البان غزلانُ

Have departing caravans appeared before you on al-Rayyān,

Have you met me in the meadows of Rayyan,

or did gazelles meet you with the fragrance of the bān trees?

Or encountered me in the pastures of cattle and gazelles?

لا قلت حييت بعد الحي يا طلل

لا قلت حييت بعد الحي يا طلل

ولا ترويت بعد البان يابانُ

ولا ترويت بعد البان يابانُ

I will not say, 'Greetings, O ruins, after the clan has gone,'

I did not say "welcome" after life, O Talal,

nor, 'Be well watered, O bān tree, after the departed one.'

Nor did I give drink after the pastures, O son of Banu.

ان اسهبوا فصبابات وولولة

ان اسهبوا فصبابات وولولة

او احزنوا فعقابيلٌ واحزان

او احزنوا فعقابيلٌ واحزان

If they enter the plains, then yearning and wailing;

If they became copious, it was out of generosity and compassion,

or enter rugged ground, then lingering pangs and sorrows.

Or if they grieved, it was out of kindness and sorrow.

اتبعت عيسهم نفساً مشيَّعة

اتبعت عيسهم نفساً مشيَّعة

بها الى الركب تبريحٌ واشجان

بها الى الركب تبريحٌ واشجان

I sent my soul after their pale camels to escort them,

Their souls followed the caravan bidding farewell

bearing torment and sorrows toward the caravan.

To it, with yearning and longing.

مشيحةً بوراء الركب زافرة

مشيحةً بوراء الركب زافرة

حتى استقلَّ بهم نصٌّ ووخدان

حتى استقلَّ بهم نصٌّ ووخدان

Hastening behind the caravan, sighing,

Bidding the caravan farewell as it departed

until full-speed driving and a brisk trot bore them away.

Until the caravan rested at a place of hills and dunes.

كأنها حين يطفو الآل سابحة

كأنها حين يطفو الآل سابحة

اشباحها سفنٌ فيه ووديان

اشباحها سفنٌ فيه ووديان

As though they were swimming when the mirage rose,

As if their ghosts were ships sailing

their silhouettes were ships within it, and palm saplings.

Among its valleys when the spectres emerged.

حنَّت لأذنبة الوادي وشوَّقها

حنَّت لأذنبة الوادي وشوَّقها

بالواديين كلاً جعدٌ وغدران

بالواديين كلاً جعدٌ وغدران

They longed for the valley's ends; what stirred their longing

They leaned towards the sins of the valley, tempted

was dense pasture and pools in the two valleys.

By the two valleys, both twisting and winding.

القوا جرانا بجيرونٍ وهالهم

القوا جرانا بجيرونٍ وهالهم

أن ليس اهل يجيرون وجيران

أن ليس اهل يجيرون وجيران

They laid their camels' necks down at Jayrūn, and were appalled

They found us shelter in Jairun, which amazed them,

that there were neither people offering refuge nor neighbors.

That there are no people of Jairun to give shelter.

حلُّوا من الجزع محتلاً بحيث حصا

حلُّوا من الجزع محتلاً بحيث حصا

ه الحرّ تان وحيث القلب حرّان

ه الحرّ تان وحيث القلب حرّان

They settled at the valley's bend, in a place whose gravel

They endured the intensity wherever heat burned

is the two lava fields, and where the heart burns with thirst.

And wherever the heart burned hot.

قد قدَّروا انَّ نجراناً معرّسهم

قد قدَّروا انَّ نجراناً معرّسهم

واين من ذملان العيس نجران

واين من ذملان العيس نجران

They had reckoned Najrān their night's resting place;

They reckoned that Najran had married them

yet how far is Najrān from the pale camels' swift trot!

Yet where are the camels of 'Is to be found in Najran?

ورّب هيماء قد ضلَّ الدليل بها

ورّب هيماء قد ضلَّ الدليل بها

يستاف ترب ثراها وهو حيران

يستاف ترب ثراها وهو حيران

And many a waterless waste has left its guide astray,

By God, many a lost guide in the desolate place

sniffing the dust of its soil, bewildered.

Seeking its dunes while perplexed.

فما اهتدى قائف فيها على اثرٍ

فما اهتدى قائف فيها على اثرٍ

ولا تعسَّفها ذئبٌ وسرحان

ولا تعسَّفها ذئبٌ وسرحان

No tracker found his way there along a trail,

No scout found a trace there,

nor did any wolf blindly traverse it.

Nor did a wolf or oryx trespass it.

مجاهل لست قبل البين اعرفها

مجاهل لست قبل البين اعرفها

حتى تعرَّفت أن البين عرفان

حتى تعرَّفت أن البين عرفان

Trackless wastes I had never known before separation,

I do not know it before seeing it clearly

until I learned that separation itself is knowledge.

Until I realized that clarity is knowledge.

دار طواها البلى من بعد ما انتشرت

دار طواها البلى من بعد ما انتشرت

عصباً وشايعه شيح وحوذان

عصباً وشايعه شيح وحوذان

A dwelling decay folded away, after it had spread out

A house time has ruined after it flourished,

in bands, with wormwood and buttercups aiding its decay.

Its walls wrecked and its pits caved in.

ما كلما قيل نعمٌ فهي منعمةٌ

ما كلما قيل نعمٌ فهي منعمةٌ

او كلما شاق وادٍ فهو نعمان

او كلما شاق وادٍ فهو نعمان

Not every woman called Nuʿm lives in comfort,

Not everything called "bounty" is bountiful,

nor is every valley that stirs longing Nuʿmān.

Nor everything called "Naiman" pleasant.

يعينني الدمع والاخوان تخذلني

يعينني الدمع والاخوان تخذلني

والدمع عونٌ لمن خانته اعوان

والدمع عونٌ لمن خانته اعوان

My tears help me, while my brothers forsake me;

My tears help me while my brethren forsake me,

and tears aid the one whose helpers have betrayed him.

And tears are help when supporters betray.

اخوانك الناس ما دام الزمان اخاً

اخوانك الناس ما دام الزمان اخاً

كثرٌ فان قلَّ مال قلَّ اخوان

كثرٌ فان قلَّ مال قلَّ اخوان

People are your brothers while fortune is a brother:

People are brethren as long as time is a brother,

many—but when wealth dwindles, brothers dwindle.

But when wealth is little, brethren are few.

لو رام ذا الدهر انساناً اخا ثقةٍ

لو رام ذا الدهر انساناً اخا ثقةٍ

لأعوز الدهر بين الناس انسان

لأعوز الدهر بين الناس انسان

If this age sought a man, a brother worthy of trust,

If time wanted to make man a trusted brother,

the age would find no such man among the people.

Time would lack among men a human.

ان يسهر الطرف او ينفر به وسنٌ

ان يسهر الطرف او ينفر به وسنٌ

فبالحدوج كحيل الطرف وسنان

فبالحدوج كحيل الطرف وسنان

If my eyes lie awake, or drowsiness shies away from them,

Whether sleeplessness keeps the eyelids awake

it is because a kohl-eyed, drowsy beloved is in the camel litters.

Or age makes the eyelids and teeth fall out,

اغار حتى اذا مرَّ النسيم به

اغار حتى اذا مرَّ النسيم به

فكيف لو باسمه قد فاه غيران

فكيف لو باسمه قد فاه غيران

I grow jealous even when the breeze passes over him;

It was jealous until when the breeze passed by it

how then, if a jealous man should utter his name?

So how would it be if passion had whispered to others?

ولا تظنّ شؤون المرء واحدةً

ولا تظنّ شؤون المرء واحدةً

فكلُّ يوم له من امره شانُ

فكلُّ يوم له من امره شانُ

And do not suppose a person's affairs remain the same;

Do not think the affairs of man are one,

for every day he has a concern of his own.

For each day has its own events.

لئن لبست لباس الشيب رائعه

لئن لبست لباس الشيب رائعه

فقد نزعت شبابي وهو ريعان

فقد نزعت شبابي وهو ريعان

Though I have donned gray hair's striking garb,

If I wore the garb of old age,

I have cast off my youth while it was still in bloom.

I had stripped off my youth while still growing.

قد كنت كالأجدل الغطريف مزدهياً

قد كنت كالأجدل الغطريف مزدهياً

ايام تنعق في فوديّ غربان

ايام تنعق في فوديّ غربان

I was once resplendent like a noble falcon,

I used to be like a well-groomed young camel,

in the days when ravens croaked at my temples.

Frolicking in my meadows when ravens cawed.

وحبذا الشعرات البيض لو بقيت

وحبذا الشعرات البيض لو بقيت

قد حال لون وبعد الشيب الوان

قد حال لون وبعد الشيب الوان

And how lovely the white hairs would be, had they remained!

Best are the white hairs if they had remained

A color has changed, and after gray hair come other colors.

For color changed after the white hairs.

قد كنت اكتمها في الراس مستترا

قد كنت اكتمها في الراس مستترا

لو كان يستر شيئاً شاع كتمان

لو كان يستر شيئاً شاع كتمان

I used to hide them on my head, seeking concealment,

I used to conceal them in my head, hiding,

if concealment could hide something already widely known.

As if hiding something spread could be concealed.

كانَّ مضمرِها قد راح يظهرها

كانَّ مضمرِها قد راح يظهرها

فكيف يضمر شيء وهو اعلان

فكيف يضمر شيء وهو اعلان

As though the one concealing them had begun to reveal them;

Their hidden affair had gone to reveal them

so how can a thing be concealed when it is an open declaration?

So how can one conceal what is already exposed?

اهل القباب المنيفات التي سطعت

اهل القباب المنيفات التي سطعت

تحت الظلام بها اللضيف نيران

تحت الظلام بها اللضيف نيران

People of the lofty tents in which blazed

The people of lofty tents that shone bright

fires for the guest beneath the darkness.

With hospitality fires in the darkness.

كأنما الضيف في أبياتهم وله ال

كأنما الضيف في أبياتهم وله ال

أمر المطاع ورب البيت سيَّان

أمر المطاع ورب البيت سيَّان

It is as though the guest in their tents, whose

As if the guest in their dwellings rules

command is obeyed, and the house's master were equals.

Whose command is obeyed while the owner is equal.

لا بل يرون ثواء الضيف مغنمة

لا بل يرون ثواء الضيف مغنمة

حتى كأنهم للضيف ضيفان

حتى كأنهم للضيف ضيفان

No—rather, they deem the guest's stay a prize,

Rather, they see the guest's comfort a gain

so much so that they seem to be guests of the guest.

As if they are themselves guests of the guest.

المانعون اذا ما ذلَّ جارهم

المانعون اذا ما ذلَّ جارهم

والمنعمون أذا ما عزَّ احسان

والمنعمون أذا ما عزَّ احسان

Those who protect their neighbor when he is humbled,

The hostile when their neighbor is humbled,

and give generously when generosity grows scarce;

The generous when benevolence is honored.

والراكبون ظهور العزم ما مشيت

والراكبون ظهور العزم ما مشيت

بهم جيادهم والارض جثمان

بهم جيادهم والارض جثمان

and those who ride the backs of resolve as they advance,

The riders when their resolute steeds walked with them

borne by their steeds, while the earth is a lifeless body;

And the earth is a carpet.

والمالكون من الجبَّار كبرته

والمالكون من الجبَّار كبرته

والتاركوه بصغرٍ وهو خزيان

والتاركوه بصغرٍ وهو خزيان

and those who quell the tyrant's arrogance,

The owners of the mighty tyrant in his greatness,

and leave him abased and disgraced.

And those who leave him in littleness while he is disgraced.

جلُّوا فعزُّ واقبيلا في مواطنهم

جلُّوا فعزُّ واقبيلا في مواطنهم

اذا القبائل اجلت وهي ذلان

اذا القبائل اجلت وهي ذلان

Illustrious, they grew mighty as a tribe in their homelands,

They have excelled so they became honored in their dwellings,

when the tribes departed in humiliation.

When the tribes excelled while they are humiliated.

لا ينطقون بعوراء الكلام ولا

لا ينطقون بعوراء الكلام ولا

تصيخ منهم إلى العوراء آذان

تصيخ منهم إلى العوراء آذان

They utter no foul speech, nor

They do not speak ill of others nor

do ears among them attend to foul words.

Do their ears turn to dishonor.

بزّتهم آل حرب تاج ملكهم

بزّتهم آل حرب تاج ملكهم

وهم لمفرق هام الفخر تيجان

وهم لمفرق هام الفخر تيجان

The house of Ḥarb robbed them of their kingship's crown,

The family of Harb adorned their rule like a crown,

yet they are crowns upon the very heads of glory.

And they are the source of pride's turban.

تعمموا بتريك البيض واتشحوا

تعمموا بتريك البيض واتشحوا

بالبيض للحرب والادراع قمصان

بالبيض للحرب والادراع قمصان

They made helmet-shells their turbans and girded themselves

They donned white Tirick and wore white

with gleaming swords for war; coats of mail were their shirts.

For war, and their sleeves are shirts.

يجرُّ برديه هفهاف القميص به

يجرُّ برديه هفهاف القميص به

كما يجرّ فضول الريط نشوان

كما يجرّ فضول الريط نشوان

He trails his two mantles, slender within his tunic,

The excess cloth of his shirt drags behind him

as a tipsy man trails the flowing ends of fine wraps.

As the train of a gown drags flickering.

مستوجس لا يذوق الغمض ناظره

مستوجس لا يذوق الغمض ناظره

ذئب الغضاة ازلّ السمع يقظان

ذئب الغضاة ازلّ السمع يقظان

Wary, his eye never tastes sleep—

Apprehensive, his gaze never tastes sleep,

a lean-hipped wolf of the ghaḍā scrub, its hearing alert.

The wolf of the hotheaded, ever alert and awake.

فأين عدنان والاحياء من مضر

فأين عدنان والاحياء من مضر

يا لا نأت مضر الحمرا وعدنان

يا لا نأت مضر الحمرا وعدنان

Where, then, are ʿAdnān and the clans of Muḍar?

Where then are 'Adnan, and the living ones of Modhar?

Ah, may Muḍar the Red and ʿAdnān never be far away!

O that the ruddy camels of 'Is and 'Adnan would come!