1. سَرَّ الْعَذارَى مُنبِيءٌ

    عَنْ شَاعِرٍ لِلحَيِّ زائِرْ

    A messenger delighted the maidens

    with news of a poet visiting their quarter.

  2. فَقصَدْنهُ وَسَخِرْنَ مِنْ

    زجرِ الأُمَيْمَاتِ الزَّوَاجِرْ

    So they sought him out and mocked

    the rebukes of the scolding little mothers,

  3. لِيرَيَنْ فِتْنَتَهُ الَّتِي

    تُغْوِي الْعَفِيفَاتِ الْحَرَائِرْ

    to see his allure, which

    tempts chaste, freeborn women.

  4. فَوَجدْنَهُ رَجُلاً مَلِيحاً

    خَلْقُهُ حَسَنَ الظَّوَاهِرْ

    They found him a handsome man,

    fair of form and outward appearance.

  5. لا شيءَ يَفْتَضِحُ النُّهى

    فِيهِ كَمَا ادَّعَتْ النوَاهِرْ

    There was nothing to shame the mind

    in him, as the scolding women had claimed.

  6. وَلَعَلَّ فِي مَنْظومِهِ

    آيَاتِهِ الْكُبَرَ السَّوَاحِرْ

    Perhaps within his verse

    lay his greatest, spellbinding marvels.

  7. فَسَأَلْنَهُ إِنْشادَ شَيْ

    ءٍ مِنْ بَدَائِعِهِ الحَوَاضِرْ

    So they asked him to recite something

    from his wondrous works ready to hand.

  8. فَأَطَاعَهُنَّ وَمَنْ تُرَى

    يَعْصِي الْجَمِيلاتِ الأَوَامِرْ

    He obeyed them—and who, pray,

    disobeys the beauties who command?

  9. فعقَدْن فِيمَا حَوْلَهُ

    عِقْداً فَرِيداً مِنْ جَوَاهِر

    So they formed around him

    a matchless necklace of jewels.

  10. وَتَنَاوَلَ الرَّجُلُ الرَّبَا

    بَ وَفِكْرُهُ فِي الغَيْبِ نَاظِرْ

    And the man took up the rabab,

    his thought gazing into the unseen.

  11. وَأَثارَ فِي الأَوْتَارِ تَغْرِيداً

    كَأَنَّ الْعُودَ طائِرْ

    He stirred birdsong in the strings,

    as though the oud were a bird.

  12. ثُمَّ انْبَرَى يَرْوِي رِوَا

    يَتَهُ وَتَتْبَعُهُ الخَوَاطِرْ

    Then he began to tell his

    story, with their thoughts following him:

  13. كَانَ الأَمِيرُ مُهندٌ

    بطلاً شَهِيراً فِي الْعَشَائِرْ

    Prince Muhannad was

    a hero renowned among the clans,

  14. مِنْ آلِ بَدْرَ الْبَاسِلِين

    الْباِذِلينَ ذَوِي المَفَاخِرْ

    of Badr's valiant house,

    generous men possessed of glories.

  15. يَنْضَمُّ تَحْتَ لِوَائِهِ

    أَلْفٌ مِنَ الأُسْدِ الْقسَاوِرْ

    Beneath his banner gathered

    a thousand fierce lions.

  16. رَجُلٌ كَمَا تَهْوَى المحَا

    مِدُ خلْقُهُ وَالخلْقُ بَاهِرْ

    A man as praise itself would have him,

    in character, and splendid in form;

  17. ذو صَوْلَةٍ مَشْهُورَةٍ

    بَيْنَ الْبَوَادِي وَالحَوَاضِرْ

    possessed of renowned prowess

    in desert lands and towns,

  18. وَشَجَاعَةٍ فِي القَلْبِ

    تُخْفِيها الْعُذُوبَةُ فِي النَّوَاظِرْ

    and courage within his heart,

    concealed by the sweetness in his eyes.

  19. تَخْشى اللُّيُوثُ لِقَاءَهُ

    وَتَوَدُّ رُؤيَتهُ الْجَآذِرْ

    Lions dreaded meeting him,

    and young antelopes longed to see him.

  20. يَهْوَى فَتَاةً مِنْ بَنِي

    حَمَدَ الْكِرَامِ ذَوِي المَآثِرْ

    He loved a girl of the sons of

    Hamad, noble men of glorious deeds.

  21. لكِنَّ بَيْنَ أَبِي الْفَتا

    ةِ وَبَيْنَهُ ثَأْراً لِثَائِرْ

    Yet between the girl's father

    and him lay a blood feud calling for vengeance.

  22. فسَعَى لِيَخْطُبَهَا عَلى

    صُلْحٍ فعَادَ بِسَعْيِ خَاسِرْ

    So he sought her hand on terms of

    peace, but returned with his suit unsuccessful.

  23. عَصَفتْ حَمِيَّتهُ بِهِ

    ناهِيك بِالصَّب المخَاطِرْ

    His fierce pride swept him away—

    think of a risk-taking, lovesick man!

  24. فغَزاهُمُ بِرِجَالِهِ

    وَبكُلِّ ذِي ثأْرٍ يُضَافِرْ

    So he raided them with his men

    and every ally who held a blood claim.

  25. وَتقاتَلُوا يَوْمَينِ لَمْ

    يَظهَرْ مٍنَ للجَيْشَيْنِ ظَاهِرْ

    They fought for two days, and no

    victor emerged from either army,

  26. حَتَّى اغْتَدَى ذاك الْعِرَا

    كُ كَأَنَّه بَعْضُ المَجَازِرْ

    until that combat had become

    like one of the slaughterhouses.

  27. فدَعَا مُهَنَّدُ لِلْبِرَا

    زِ وَقَدْ تَحدَّى كُلَّ حَاضِرْ

    Then Muhannad called for single combat,

    having challenged everyone present.

  28. مَا جَالَ إِلاَّ جوْلتَيْ

    أَسَدٍ يُبَرْبِرُ وَهْوَ زائِرْ

    He had made only two charges,

    like a lion growling as it roared,

  29. حَتَّى انْبَرَى مِنهُمْ فَتى

    مُتَلَثِّم ضَافِي الْغَدَائِرْ

    when a youth stepped forth among them,

    veiled, with abundant tresses.

  30. فَتَجَاوَلا وَكِلاهُمَا

    متَقحمٌ كَالصَّقرِ كَاسِرْ

    They circled in combat, both of them

    plunging in like a swooping falcon.

  31. سَرْعَانَ مَا حَطَمَا الرِّمَا

    حَ فَأَعْمَلا بِيضَ الْبَوَاتِرْ

    Soon they shattered their spears,

    and set their bright, cleaving blades to work.

  32. وَتَوَاثَبَا مُتَهَالِكيْنِ

    كِلاهُمَا جَلْدٌ مُكَابِرْ

    They sprang at each other recklessly,

    each hardy and unyielding.

  33. وَكِلاهُمَا مُتَخَضِّبٌ

    بِدَمٍ وَلكِنْ لا يُحَاذِرْ

    Both were stained

    with blood, yet neither feared danger.

  34. كَانَ المَلَثِّم لا يُخا

    لِسُ مَقْتَلاً مِمَّن يُنَافِرْ

    The veiled fighter sought no stealthy blow

    at a vital spot in his opponent,

  35. بَلْ يَبْتَغِي إِجْهَادَهُ

    لِيَنَالَ مِنْهُ وَهْوَ خَائِرْ

    but sought to wear him out,

    to overcome him when he was spent.

  36. مُتَحَرِّزاً حَتى تحَيَّنَ

    نُهْزَةَ اللَّبِقِ المُدَاوِرْ

    He kept on guard until he found

    a deft, maneuvering fighter's opening.

  37. فَسَطَا عَلَيْهِ مُبَادِراً

    وَالْفَوْزُ أَخْلَقُ بِالمُبَادِرْ

    Then he sprang upon him, striking first;

    and victory best befits the first to act.

  38. وَعَلاهُ فَهْوَ مُرَوَّعٌ

    كَالشَّاةِ تَحْتَ رِكابِ نَاحِرْ

    He stood above him, leaving him terrified,

    like a sheep beneath a slaughterer's stirrups.

  39. قالَ الأَميرُ غَلَبْتَنِي

    أَفَلَسْتَ تَعْفو عَفْوَ قَادِرْ

    The prince said, 'You have defeated me;

    will you not pardon as one with power can?'

  40. فأَجَابَهُ مِنْ فَوْرِهِ

    أَبْشِرْ فَإِنَّك أَنْتَ ظَافِرْ

    He answered him at once:

    'Rejoice, for you are the victor!'

  41. وَنَضا اللِّثَامَ فَأَشْرَقتْ

    شَمْسٌ أَشِعَّتهَا ضَفَائِر

    And he pulled off the veil; there shone

    a sun whose rays were braids.

  42. كَانَتْ حَبِيبَتَهُ الَّتِي

    خاضَ الرَّدَى فِيهَا يُخاطِرْ

    It was his beloved, for whom

    he had braved death, risking his life.

  43. فتعَاهَدَا وَتَعَاقَدَا

    بِدِمَاهُمَا لا بِالخَنَاصِرْ

    So they pledged themselves and bound their vows

    with their blood, not their little fingers.

  44. وتصَالحَ القَوْمَانِ فِي

    عرْسٍ صَفتْ فِيهِ السَّرَائِرْ

    And the two clans made peace at

    a wedding where their inmost hearts grew pure.

  45. مَرَّتْ موَارِدُهُم وَلكِنْ

    بَعْدَهَا حَلتِ المَصَادِرْ

    Bitter had been their approaches, but

    afterward their departures grew sweet.

  46. فأَطَافتِ الْفَتِيَاتُ فِي

    فَلكٍ مِنَ الأَفْكَارِ دَائِرْ

    Then the maidens circled within

    a revolving orbit of thoughts.

  47. وَشهِدْنُ تِلْكَ الْحَادِثا

    تِ كَأَنَّ مَاضِيَهُنٌ حَاضِرْ

    And they witnessed those events

    as though their past were present,

  48. وكأَنهُنَّ رَأَيْنَ بِالْ

    أَبْصَارِ ما رَأَتِ الْبَصَائِرْ

    as though they had seen with their

    eyes what inward vision saw.

  49. ثُمَّ اسْتَزَدْنَ فَزَادَ مَا

    خلَبَ الْعُقُولَ مِنَ النَّوَادِرْ

    Then they asked for more, and he added

    rare tales that bewitched their minds,

  50. حَتَّى إِذَا هَبَط النَّها

    رُ كَحَطِّ رَاحِلَةِ المُسَافِرْ

    until, when daylight sank

    like a traveler's mount settling down,

  51. خَتَمَ الْكَلامَ بِمَنْ حَدِيثُ

    هَوَاهْ فِي الأَمْثالِ سَائِرْ

    he closed his recitation with the man whose tale

    of love lives on in proverbial sayings:

  52. أَذْكَى وَأَبْلَغِ مَنْ عَرَتْهُ

    جِنَّة لِهَوى مُخَامِرْ

    the brightest, most eloquent of those whom

    madness seized through all-consuming love;

  53. أَوْلى وَلِيٍّ أَنْ يُقِيمَ

    الْعَاشِقُونَ لهُ شعائِرْ

    the saint most worthy to have

    lovers perform rites in his honor:

  54. قَيْسٌ وَمَنْ كُفْؤٌ لهُ

    بَيْنَ الأَوَائِلِ وَالأَوَاخِرْ

    Qays—and who is his equal

    among the first and the last?

  55. وَأَفَاضَ فِي وَصْفِ المُلَوَّ

    حِ مَا يَشَاءُ هَوَى السَّرَائِرْ

    He spoke at length of al-Mulawwah,

    as his heart's hidden passion desired,

  56. إِذْ بَاتَ يَضْرِبُ فِي المَفَا

    وِزِ وَهْوَ سَاجِي الطرْفِ حَائِرْ

    when he roamed by night through the

    deserts, languid-eyed and bewildered,

  57. كلِفاً طرِيداً لا شَفِيقَ

    وَلا رَفِيقَ وَلا مُؤَازِرْ

    lovesick, outcast, with none to pity him,

    no companion, and none to lend him aid,

  58. إِلاَّ إِذَا مَرَّ الْغَزَا

    لُ بِهِ فَيَأْنَسُ وَهْوَ نَافِرْ

    except when a gazelle passed

    by him and, though shy, grew friendly.

  59. يَبْكِي وَيَسْتَبْكِي بِشِعْرٍ

    خالِصُ الدَّمِ مِنْهُ قَاطِرْ

    He wept, and drew tears with poetry

    from which pure blood dripped,

  60. وَيُعَلِّمُ الوَحْشَ الأَسَى

    وَيُلينُ أًحْجَارَ المَقابِرْ

    and taught the wild beasts sorrow,

    and softened the stones of graves,

  61. حَتَّى قَضَى فِي يَأْسِهِ

    دَنِقاً مَشُوقاً غَيْرَ صَابِرْ

    until he died in his despair,

    wasted, yearning, unable to endure.

  62. نَامَتْ نَوَاظِرُهُ وَلَكِنْ

    قَلْبُهُ فِي الْقبْرِ سَاهِرْ

    His eyes fell asleep, but

    his heart stayed wakeful in the grave.

  63. فَبَكَيْنَ قيساً ترْحَة

    وَحَبِبْنَهُ مِلءَ الضمَائِرْ

    So they wept for Qays in sorrow

    and loved him with all their hearts.

  64. وَنَظرْنَهُ فِي شَكْلِ مَنْ

    أَبْكَى بِمَا هُوَ عَنْه ذَاكِرْ

    They saw him in the form of the man

    who drew their tears by speaking of him.

  65. ثُمَّ انْثَنيْنَ مُكَفْكِفَا

    تٍ دَمْعَهُنَّ عَنِ المَحَاجِرْ

    Then they turned away, wiping

    their tears from their eye sockets,

  66. مُتَلَفِّتاتٍ نَحْوَ من

    هُوَ مِثْلُهُ غَزِلٌ وَشَاعِرْ

    looking back toward one

    who, like him, was a lover and a poet.

  67. كُلٌّ تَقُولُ بِلَحْظِهَا

    يَا قَيْسُ إِنِّي بِنْتُ عَامِرْ

    Each said with her glance:

    'O Qays, I am the daughter of Amir!'

  68. تَاللّهِ أَنْصَفَت النَّوا

    صِحُ لَيْسَ هَذَا غَيْرَ سَاحِرْ

    'By God, the women who warned us judged fairly:

    this man is nothing but a sorcerer!'