لَقَد فَرِحَ الواشونَ أَن صَرَمَت حَبلي

لَقَد فَرِحَ الواشونَ أَن صَرَمَت حَبلي

بُثَينَةُ أَو أَبدَت لَنا جانِبَ البُخلِ

بُثَينَةُ أَو أَبدَت لَنا جانِبَ البُخلِ

The slanderers rejoiced that my cord was severed by

The Washites rejoiced that Buthaina cut off her rope to me,

Buthayna, or that she showed us her withholding side.

Or showed to us her side of stinginess.

يَقولونَ مَهلاً يا جَميلُ وَإِنَّني

يَقولونَ مَهلاً يا جَميلُ وَإِنَّني

لَأُقسِمُ ما لي عَن بُثَينَةَ مِن مَهلِ

لَأُقسِمُ ما لي عَن بُثَينَةَ مِن مَهلِ

They say, 'Easy, Jamil!' Yet I

They say, "Wait, O beautiful one," but I swear

swear I have no patience to stay away from Buthayna.

I have no waiting for Buthaina.

أَحِلماً فَقَبلَ اليَوم كانَ أَوانُهُ

أَحِلماً فَقَبلَ اليَوم كانَ أَوانُهُ

أَم اَخشى فَقَبلَ اليَومِ أوعِدتُ بِالقَتلِ

أَم اَخشى فَقَبلَ اليَومِ أوعِدتُ بِالقَتلِ

Forbearance? Its time was before today.

Was I forebearing? Yet the time for it had passed,

Or should I fear? Before today I was threatened with death.

Or did I fear? Yet before this day I was promised death.

لَقَد أَنكَحوا جَهلاً نُبَيهاً ظَعينَةً

لَقَد أَنكَحوا جَهلاً نُبَيهاً ظَعينَةً

لَطيفَةَ طَيِّ الكَشحِ ذاتَ شَوىً خَدلِ

لَطيفَةَ طَيِّ الكَشحِ ذاتَ شَوىً خَدلِ

Indeed, in ignorance they married Nubayh to a howdah-borne woman,

They married an ignorant, cunning, covetous girl,

slender in the fold of her waist, with full, rounded limbs.

Of delicate figure, soft cheek, having an allure.

وَكَم قَد رَأَينا ساعِياً بِنَميمَةٍ

وَكَم قَد رَأَينا ساعِياً بِنَميمَةٍ

لآخَرَ لَم يَعمِد بِكَفٍّ وَلا رِجلِ

لآخَرَ لَم يَعمِد بِكَفٍّ وَلا رِجلِ

And how often we have seen someone spreading malicious gossip

And how many times did we see a gossip

against another who had struck with neither hand nor foot.

Carrying gossip about another, without using a hand or a foot.

إِذا ما تَراجَعنا الَّذي كانَ بَينَنا

إِذا ما تَراجَعنا الَّذي كانَ بَينَنا

جَرى الدَمعُ مِن عَينَي بُثَينَةَ بِالكُحلِ

جَرى الدَمعُ مِن عَينَي بُثَينَةَ بِالكُحلِ

Whenever we recall what once passed between us,

When we make up after what was between us,

tears flow from Buthayna's eyes, mingled with kohl.

Tears flowed from Buthaina's eyes with kohl.

وَلَو تَرَكَت عَقلي مَعي ما طَلَبتُها

وَلَو تَرَكَت عَقلي مَعي ما طَلَبتُها

وَلَكِن طِلابيها لِما فاتَ مِن عَقلي

وَلَكِن طِلابيها لِما فاتَ مِن عَقلي

Had she left my reason with me, I would not have sought her,

If my mind had stayed with me I would not have sought her,

but I seek her for the reason I have lost.

But my seeking her was due to what had gone of my mind.

فَيا وَيحَ نَفسي حَسب نَفسي الَّذي بِها

فَيا وَيحَ نَفسي حَسب نَفسي الَّذي بِها

وَيا وَيحَ أَهلي ما أُصيبَ بِهِ أَهلي

وَيا وَيحَ أَهلي ما أُصيبَ بِهِ أَهلي

Alas for my soul! Its own affliction is enough for it.

So woe to my soul! Enough for my soul what it has,

And alas for my family, for what has befallen my family!

And woe to my family! What has befallen my family.

وَقالَت لِأَترابٍ لَها لا زَعانِفٍ

وَقالَت لِأَترابٍ لَها لا زَعانِفٍ

قِصارٍ وَلا كُسَّ الثَنايا وَلا ثُعلِ

قِصارٍ وَلا كُسَّ الثَنايا وَلا ثُعلِ

And she spoke to companions of her own age—not lowly hangers-on

And she said to female companions who had no fins,

of short stature, nor women with stunted front teeth or extra teeth.

Short, whose breasts were not plump nor thick.

إِذا حَمِيَت شَمسُ النَهارِ اِتَّقَينَها

إِذا حَمِيَت شَمسُ النَهارِ اِتَّقَينَها

بِأَكسِيَةِ الديباجِ وَالخَزّ ذي الحَملِ

بِأَكسِيَةِ الديباجِ وَالخَزّ ذي الحَملِ

When the day's sun grows hot, they shield themselves from it

When the sun of day grew hot, they sought shade

with cloaks of brocade and heavy silk-and-wool fabric.

With robes of silk brocade and embroidery bearing beauty.

تَداعَينَ فَاِستَعجَمنَ مَشياً بِذي الغَضا

تَداعَينَ فَاِستَعجَمنَ مَشياً بِذي الغَضا

دَبيبَ القَطا الكُدرِيُّ في الدَمِثِ السَهلِ

دَبيبَ القَطا الكُدرِيُّ في الدَمِثِ السَهلِ

They call to one another, then fall silent, walking at Dhu al-Ghada

Hastening with the one slow of gait, the pacing of a

with the slow tread of dusky sandgrouse on soft, level ground.

Heavy female hyena in smooth lowland.

إِذا اِرتَعنَ أَو فُزّعنَ قُمنَ حَوالَها

إِذا اِرتَعنَ أَو فُزّعنَ قُمنَ حَوالَها

قِيامَ بَناتِ الماءِ في جانِبِ الضَحلِ

قِيامَ بَناتِ الماءِ في جانِبِ الضَحلِ

When startled or frightened, they stand around her

When she bellowed or was alarmed, they arose around her

as waterbirds stand at the edge of the shallows.

Like the rising of the daughters of water on the shore.

أَرانِيَ لا أَلقى بُثَينَةَ مَرَّةً

أَرانِيَ لا أَلقى بُثَينَةَ مَرَّةً

مِنَ الدَهرِ إِلا خائِفاً أَو عَلى رَحلِ

مِنَ الدَهرِ إِلا خائِفاً أَو عَلى رَحلِ

I find I never meet Buthayna, even once

It seems I do not meet Buthaina once

in all my days, save in fear or in the saddle.

In life except in fear or on the saddle.

خَليلَيَّ فيما عِشتُما هَل رَأَيتُما

خَليلَيَّ فيما عِشتُما هَل رَأَيتُما

قَتيلاً بَكى مِن حُبِّ قاتِلِهِ قَبلي

قَتيلاً بَكى مِن حُبِّ قاتِلِهِ قَبلي

My two friends, in all your lives, have you seen

O my two friends! In our life together, have you seen

a slain man weep for love of his killer before me?

One slain who wept for the love of his killer before me?

أَبيتُ مَعَ الهُلّاكِ ضَيفاً لِأَهلِها

أَبيتُ مَعَ الهُلّاكِ ضَيفاً لِأَهلِها

وَأَهلي قَريبٌ موسِعونَ ذَوُو فَضلِ

وَأَهلي قَريبٌ موسِعونَ ذَوُو فَضلِ

I spend the night among the destitute, a guest of her household,

I spent the night with the deadly one, a guest of her family,

though my family is nearby, prosperous and bountiful.

While my family are near, generous, and noble.

أَلا أَيُّها البَيتُ الَّذي حيلَ دونَهُ

أَلا أَيُّها البَيتُ الَّذي حيلَ دونَهُ

بِنا أَنتَ مِن بَيتٍ وَأَهلُكَ مِن أَهلِ

بِنا أَنتَ مِن بَيتٍ وَأَهلُكَ مِن أَهلِ

Ah, O house kept beyond my reach,

O house that we are prevented from reaching!

may we be your ransom—what a house, and what a household yours is!

You are from a house and your people are from people.

بِنا أَنتَ مِن بَيتٍ وَحَولَكَ لَذَّةٌ

بِنا أَنتَ مِن بَيتٍ وَحَولَكَ لَذَّةٌ

وَظِلُّكَ لَو يُسطاعُ بِالبارِدِ السَهلِ

وَظِلُّكَ لَو يُسطاعُ بِالبارِدِ السَهلِ

May we be your ransom—what a house! Around you is delight,

With us you are from a house, and around you is bliss,

and your shade, could it be reached, is cool and gentle.

And your shade - if only the cool smooth earth could be obtained.

ثَلاثَةُ أَبياتٍ فَبَيت أُحِبُّهُ

ثَلاثَةُ أَبياتٍ فَبَيت أُحِبُّهُ

وَبَيتانِ لَيسا مِن هَوايَ وَلا شَكلي

وَبَيتانِ لَيسا مِن هَوايَ وَلا شَكلي

Three houses: one house I love,

Three verses - and the verse I love,

and two are neither to my liking nor of my kind.

And two verses which are not of my passion or my form.

كِلانا بَكى أَو كادَ يَبكي صَبابَةً

كِلانا بَكى أَو كادَ يَبكي صَبابَةً

إِلى إِلفِهِ وَاِستَعجَلَت عَبرَةً قَبلي

إِلى إِلفِهِ وَاِستَعجَلَت عَبرَةً قَبلي

We both wept, or nearly wept, with longing

We both wept or almost wept youthfully

for the one each loved; she shed a tear before I did.

For his familiarity, and tears sprang forth before me.

أَعاذِلَتي أَكثَرتِ جَهلاً مِنَ العَذلِ

أَعاذِلَتي أَكثَرتِ جَهلاً مِنَ العَذلِ

عَلى غَيرِ شَيءٍ مِن مَلامي وَمِن عَذلي

عَلى غَيرِ شَيءٍ مِن مَلامي وَمِن عَذلي

O my reproacher, you have ignorantly heaped up blame

My blamer! You have increased ignorance over blaming

with no grounds for blaming or reproaching me.

Without any fault of mine or any blaming from me.

نَأَيتُ فَلَم يُحدِث لِيَ النَأيُ سَلوَةً

نَأَيتُ فَلَم يُحدِث لِيَ النَأيُ سَلوَةً

وَلَم أُلفِ طولَ النَأيِ عَن خُلَّةٍ يُسلي

وَلَم أُلفِ طولَ النَأيِ عَن خُلَّةٍ يُسلي

I went far away, but distance brought me no solace,

I distanced myself but the distance did not give me comfort,

nor did I find that long absence from a beloved brings solace.

And I did not get used to the long separation from a bosom friend.

وَلَستُ عَلى بَذلِ الصَفاءِ هَوَيتُها

وَلَستُ عَلى بَذلِ الصَفاءِ هَوَيتُها

وَلَكِن سَبَتني بِالدَلالِ وَبِالبُخلِ

وَلَكِن سَبَتني بِالدَلالِ وَبِالبُخلِ

It was not for freely bestowed affection that I loved her,

I am not inclined to freely give affection,

but she took me captive with coyness and withholding.

But she captivated me with coquetry and stinginess.

أَلا لا أَرى اِثنَين أَحسَنَ شيمَةً

أَلا لا أَرى اِثنَين أَحسَنَ شيمَةً

عَلى حَدَثانِ الدَهرِ مِنّي وَمِن جُملِ

عَلى حَدَثانِ الدَهرِ مِنّي وَمِن جُملِ

Indeed, I see no two finer in character

Indeed, I do not see two with finer morals

through time's vicissitudes than me and Juml.

Than myself and Jumayl in all the days of time.

فَإِن وُجِدَت نَعلٌ بِأَرضٍ مضِلَّةٍ

فَإِن وُجِدَت نَعلٌ بِأَرضٍ مضِلَّةٍ

مِنَ الأَرضِ يَوماً فَاِعلَمي أَنَّها نَعلي

مِنَ الأَرضِ يَوماً فَاِعلَمي أَنَّها نَعلي

So if a sandal is found on some trackless tract

So if a sandal is found one day in misleading land,

of the earth one day, know that it is my sandal.

Know that it is my sandal.