عَفا واسِطٌ أَكلاؤُهُ فَمُحاضِرُه

عَفا واسِطٌ أَكلاؤُهُ فَمُحاضِرُه

إِلى جَنبِ نَهيٍ سَيلُهُ فَصَدائِرُه

إِلى جَنبِ نَهيٍ سَيلُهُ فَصَدائِرُه

Wāsiṭ lies effaced—its pastures and its settled camps,

A middleman whose dogs have eaten, yet his guest chambers

beside Nahy—its floodcourse and its upper reaches;

Next to a stream whose flowing waters have worn away its banks,

فَشَركٌ فَأَمواهُ اللَديدِ فَمَنعِجٌ

فَشَركٌ فَأَمواهُ اللَديدِ فَمَنعِجٌ

فَوادي البَدِيِّ غَمرُهُ فَظَواهِرُه

فَوادي البَدِيِّ غَمرُهُ فَظَواهِرُه

then Sharak, the waters of al-Ladīd, and Manʿij,

An associate so the cunning of foxes have deceived him,

then the valley of al-Badiyy—its depths and its uplands:

And a valley’s flood has overwhelmed exposing its peaks.

مَنازِلُ مِن هِندٍ وَكانَ أَميرُها

مَنازِلُ مِن هِندٍ وَكانَ أَميرُها

إِذا ما أَحَسَّ القَيظَ تِلكَ مَصايِرُه

إِذا ما أَحَسَّ القَيظَ تِلكَ مَصايِرُه

Hind's former dwellings; for her chief,

Abodes from India and he who was its emir

whenever he felt summer's heat, these were his resorts.

When he felt the heat, those were his retreats.

صِلي مِثلَ وَصِلي أُمَّ عَمروٍ فَإِنَّني

صِلي مِثلَ وَصِلي أُمَّ عَمروٍ فَإِنَّني

إِذا خِفتُ أَخلاقَ النَزيعِ أُدابِرُه

إِذا خِفتُ أَخلاقَ النَزيعِ أُدابِرُه

Return affection like mine, Umm ʿAmr, for I,

Pray like the prayers of Um ‘Amr, for I

when I fear an outsider's character, turn my back on him.

Flee the ethics of the wicked once aware.

وَأَبيَضَ خَيرٍ مِنكِ وَصلاً كَسَوتُهُ

وَأَبيَضَ خَيرٍ مِنكِ وَصلاً كَسَوتُهُ

رِدائِيَ فيما نَلتَقي وَأَسايُرُه

رِدائِيَ فيما نَلتَقي وَأَسايُرُه

Many a fair man, better than you in friendship, I have clothed

And the whiteness of pure kinship with you is a mantle I clothed

in my cloak when we meet, and I walk beside him.

Meeting you, though his aides have been lost.

وَإِنّي لَتَغشى حُجرَةَ الدارِ ذِمَّتي

وَإِنّي لَتَغشى حُجرَةَ الدارِ ذِمَّتي

وَيُدرِكُ نَصري المَرءَ أَبطَأَ ناصِرُه

وَيُدرِكُ نَصري المَرءَ أَبطَأَ ناصِرُه

And my pledged protection surely reaches the settlement's outer edge,

My integrity veils the home’s interior,

and my help reaches the man whose helper is slow.

And my triumph reaches the man, though late his supporter.

وَإِنّي إِذا اِبنُ العَمِّ أَصبَحَ غارِماً

وَإِنّي إِذا اِبنُ العَمِّ أَصبَحَ غارِماً

وَلَو نالَ مِنّي ظِنَّةً لا أُهاجِرُه

وَلَو نالَ مِنّي ظِنَّةً لا أُهاجِرُه

And when my paternal cousin becomes burdened with debt,

When the cousin behaves with enmity at daybreak

even if he has earned my suspicion, I do not forsake him.

Even if he holds suspicion of me, I will not desert him.

يَكونُ مَكانَ البِرِّ مِنّي وَدونَهُ

يَكونُ مَكانَ البِرِّ مِنّي وَدونَهُ

وَأَجعَلُ مالي مالَهُ وَأُؤامِرُه

وَأَجعَلُ مالي مالَهُ وَأُؤامِرُه

He holds a place in my kindness, with me in his defense;

In place of good from me, and without him

I make my wealth his wealth and consult him.

I make my wealth his, and fully support him.

فَإِنَّ أَلوكَ اللَيلِ مُعطى نَصيبَهُ

فَإِنَّ أَلوكَ اللَيلِ مُعطى نَصيبَهُ

لَدَيَّ إِذا لاقى البَخيلَ مَعاذِرُه

لَدَيَّ إِذا لاقى البَخيلَ مَعاذِرُه

For the night's messenger is granted his share

The night visitor gets his share with me

with me, when he encounters the miser's excuses.

When the stingy man meets his excuses.

وَإِنّي لَيَنهاني الأَميرُ عَنِ الهَوى

وَإِنّي لَيَنهاني الأَميرُ عَنِ الهَوى

وَأَصرِمُ أَمري واحِداً فَأُهاجِرُه

وَأَصرِمُ أَمري واحِداً فَأُهاجِرُه

And the chief indeed forbids me to follow my desire,

The emir prohibits me from desire

but I decide my course alone, then part from him,

Yet I conceal my matter, and quietly desert him,

بِأَدماءَ مِن سِرِّ المَهارى كَأَنَّها

بِأَدماءَ مِن سِرِّ المَهارى كَأَنَّها

أَقَبُّ شَنونٌ لَم تَخُنهُ دَوابِرُه

أَقَبُّ شَنونٌ لَم تَخُنهُ دَوابِرُه

on a white she-camel of the choicest Mahri stock, as though she were

With blood of those skilled in secret passion as if it were

a hollow-flanked, spare-fleshed wild ass whose hoof-heels have not failed him.

Old wine whose vintage did not disappoint.

تَصَيَّفَ أَطرافَ الصُوى كُلَّ صَيفَةٍ

تَصَيَّفَ أَطرافَ الصُوى كُلَّ صَيفَةٍ

وَوارَدَ حَتّى ما يُلَثِّمُ حافِرُه

وَوارَدَ حَتّى ما يُلَثِّمُ حافِرُه

He spent every summer at the edges of the rocky knolls,

He summered on hilltops every summer

and kept returning to water until his hoof no longer chipped.

Until it arrived melting away all its hoarfrost,

وَلاحَتهُ هَيفُ الصَيفِ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ

وَلاحَتهُ هَيفُ الصَيفِ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ

صَليفُ غَبيطٍ لاءَمَتهُ أَواسِرُه

صَليفُ غَبيطٍ لاءَمَتهُ أَواسِرُه

And summer's hot winds wasted him until he seemed

Its summer heat appeared until it was as if

a camel-litter's side-rail, fitted tight by its bindings.

The heat of muggy Ghabeet whose bonds enflamed it.

تَلا سَقبَةً قَوداءَ أَفرَدَ جَحشَها

تَلا سَقبَةً قَوداءَ أَفرَدَ جَحشَها

فَقَد جَعَلَت تَأذي بِهِ وَتُناكِرُه

فَقَد جَعَلَت تَأذي بِهِ وَتُناكِرُه

He followed a tall, long-necked she-ass, whose foal he had set apart;

It followed a slender legged black gazelle alone,

so she had begun to be vexed by him and to resist him,

But it began to bother and evade it,

رَباعِيَّةً أَو قارِحَ العامِ ضامِرا

رَباعِيَّةً أَو قارِحَ العامِ ضامِرا

يُمايِرُها في جَريِهِ وَتُمايِرُه

يُمايِرُها في جَريِهِ وَتُمايِرُه

four years old, or newly full-toothed this year; lean,

A four year old, or a fleet onager of the year

he vies with her in running, and she vies with him.

Racing it in its run, and it racing back.

إِذا هَبَطا أَرضاً حَزوناً رَأَيتَها

إِذا هَبَطا أَرضاً حَزوناً رَأَيتَها

بِجانِبِهِ إِلّا قَليلاً تُواتِرُه

بِجانِبِهِ إِلّا قَليلاً تُواتِرُه

When the two descend onto rugged ground, you see her

When they descended to gloomy land you would see it

at his side, except when she briefly follows behind him.

Beside it, though infrequent its return.

فَحَلَّأَها حَتّى إِذا ما تَوَقَّدَت

فَحَلَّأَها حَتّى إِذا ما تَوَقَّدَت

عَلَيهِ مِنَ الصَمّانَتَينِ ظَواهِرُه

عَلَيهِ مِنَ الصَمّانَتَينِ ظَواهِرُه

He kept her back until, when there blazed

He teased it until when it flared up against him

against him the exposed uplands of the two Ṣammān tracts,

Its forehead blaze and inner blaze burned,

وَخالَطَ بِالأَرساغِ مِن ناصِلِ السَفا

وَخالَطَ بِالأَرساغِ مِن ناصِلِ السَفا

أَنابيشَ مَرمِيّاً بِهِنَّ أَشاعِرُه

أَنابيشَ مَرمِيّاً بِهِنَّ أَشاعِرُه

and with his pasterns he brushed through shed grass-awns,

He mixed using the pommel strap made of damaged quiver,

uprooted clumps pelting the hair around his hooves,

Tossing it while the arrowheads grazed its hair,

أَرَنَّ عَلَيها قارِباً وَاِنتَحَت لَهُ

أَرَنَّ عَلَيها قارِباً وَاِنتَحَت لَهُ

خَنوفٌ إِذا تَلقى مَصيفاً تُبادِرُه

خَنوفٌ إِذا تَلقى مَصيفاً تُبادِرُه

he brayed to her as he headed for water, and she turned toward him,

He closed in on it while a slow rising star looked on

with outward-swinging forelegs, quick to reach a summering-ground when she meets one.

Hopeful of watering place that doesn’t deprive the lost of drink.

فَأَورَدَها وَالنَجمُ قَد شالَ طالِعاً

فَأَورَدَها وَالنَجمُ قَد شالَ طالِعاً

رَجا مَنهَلٍ لا يُخلِفُ الماءَ حائِرُه

رَجا مَنهَلٍ لا يُخلِفُ الماءَ حائِرُه

He brought her to water, the star already risen high,

It came but couldn’t control itself from the water

to the edge of a watering-place whose basin never runs dry.

As its muzzle flowed over the edge and its lips.

فَجاءَت وَلَم تَملِك مِنَ الماءِ نَفسَها

فَجاءَت وَلَم تَملِك مِنَ الماءِ نَفسَها

وَسافَ الشَريعَ أَنفُهُ وَمَشافِرُه

وَسافَ الشَريعَ أَنفُهُ وَمَشافِرُه

She came and could not restrain herself from the water,

He backed off a little then lowered his bow

and his nose and lips sniffed the approach down to the water.

Upon a dune from the side, cautious of it,

فَرادَ قَليلا ثُمَّ خَفَّضَ جَأشَهُ

فَرادَ قَليلا ثُمَّ خَفَّضَ جَأشَهُ

عَلى وَجَلٍ مِن جانِبٍ وَهوَ حاذِرُه

عَلى وَجَلٍ مِن جانِبٍ وَهوَ حاذِرُه

He scouted a little, then calmed his heart,

He wet his hands between shallow and deep

afraid of one side and still wary of it.

Stirred between the horror of ghosts and forewarnings.

فَدَلّى يَدَيهِ بَينَ ضَحلٍ وَغَمرَةٍ

فَدَلّى يَدَيهِ بَينَ ضَحلٍ وَغَمرَةٍ

تُخالِجُ مِن هَولِ الجِنانِ بَوادِرُه

تُخالِجُ مِن هَولِ الجِنانِ بَوادِرُه

He lowered his forelegs between shallows and deep water,

An Aus with his bow on the north side, his arrows

his shoulder-muscles twitching in dread of the jinn.

Were unerring, intense, and sharp tipped.

وَأَوسٌ لَدى رُكنِ الشَمالِ بِأَسهُمٍ

وَأَوسٌ لَدى رُكنِ الشَمالِ بِأَسهُمٍ

خِفافٍ وَناموسٍ شَديدٍ حَمائِرُه

خِفافٍ وَناموسٍ شَديدٍ حَمائِرُه

And Aws was at the northern corner, with arrows,

If an arrow’s path strayed,

light ones, and a hunting-hide with sturdy stone supports.

He’d seek refuge in a tested charm, removing it.

إِذا رابَهُ مِن سَهمِهِ زَيغُ قُذَّةٍ

إِذا رابَهُ مِن سَهمِهِ زَيغُ قُذَّةٍ

يَعوذُ بِمَبراةٍ لَهُ فَهوَ حاشِرُه

يَعوذُ بِمَبراةٍ لَهُ فَهوَ حاشِرُه

When a skewed feather on his arrow troubled him,

He watered it until when its joints went slack

he resorted to his shaving-knife and pared it fine.

And the chill of water touched its nostrils,

فَأَورَدَهُ حَتّى إِذا مَدَّ صُلبَهُ

فَأَورَدَهُ حَتّى إِذا مَدَّ صُلبَهُ

وَباشَرَ بَردَ الماءِ مِنهُ مَناخِرُه

وَباشَرَ بَردَ الماءِ مِنهُ مَناخِرُه

He let him reach the water until, when he stretched his back

It recoiled unexpectedly, disappointing his guess

and his nostrils touched the coolness of the water,

Howling bitterly, its omen failed.

تَنَحّى بِمَذروبٍ فَأَخلَفَ ظَنَّهُ

تَنَحّى بِمَذروبٍ فَأَخلَفَ ظَنَّهُ

وَوَيَّلَ مَلهوفاً وَخُيِّبَ طائِرُه

وَوَيَّلَ مَلهوفاً وَخُيِّبَ طائِرُه

he shot a sharpened arrow, but it disappointed his expectation,

He drove it on, rising up the sand dunes

and he cried 'Woe!' in anguish, his fortune thwarted.

While every frightened herd avoided its path.

فَأَصدَرَها تَعلو النِجادَ وَيَنتَحي

فَأَصدَرَها تَعلو النِجادَ وَيَنتَحي

بِها كُلَّ رَيعٍ مُتلَئِبٍ مَصادِرُه

بِها كُلَّ رَيعٍ مُتلَئِبٍ مَصادِرُه

He led her from the water, up the ridges, and turned

He shoved its legs, hands, and head away

with her onto each hill-path with straight-running outward routes.

His weight and mass were harsh upon it.

يُجَنَّبُ رِجلَيها يَدَيهِ وَرَأسَهُ

يُجَنَّبُ رِجلَيها يَدَيهِ وَرَأسَهُ

شَديدٌ عَلَيها وَقعُهُ وَغَشامِرُه

شَديدٌ عَلَيها وَقعُهُ وَغَشامِرُه

He keeps his forelegs and head clear of her hindlegs;

By morning he was decisive, with leadership his

his blows and rough assaults are fierce upon her.

And the pacing of steeds his, and their reining.

فَأَصبَحَ ذو حِسمٍ وَدَورانُ دونَهُ

فَأَصبَحَ ذو حِسمٍ وَدَورانُ دونَهُ

وَحِسيُ القِرانِ دونَهُ وَحَزاوِرُه

وَحِسيُ القِرانِ دونَهُ وَحَزاوِرُه

By morning, Dhū Ḥism and Dawrān lay behind him,

Far off the sounding, echoing back

and the seep-well of al-Qirān and its rugged knolls lay behind him.

Deep in its breast, its sharp sight and gaze.

بَعيدُ مَدى صَوتِ النُهاقِ يَرُدُّهُ

بَعيدُ مَدى صَوتِ النُهاقِ يَرُدُّهُ

إِلى جَوفِهِ مِنهُ صَحيحاً نَواظِرُه

إِلى جَوفِهِ مِنهُ صَحيحاً نَواظِرُه

His braying carries far; the sound is drawn back

Mild discontent took little, his nature conformed,

into his belly, intact, by his nasal passages.

His guide emptied out, and his course made smooth.

أَقَبَّ قَليلُ العَتبِ توبِعَ خَلقُهُ

أَقَبَّ قَليلُ العَتبِ توبِعَ خَلقُهُ

فَأُفرِغَ هاديهِ وَأُرمِحَ سائِرُه

فَأُفرِغَ هاديهِ وَأُرمِحَ سائِرُه

Lean-bellied and rarely stumbling, his frame was made in harmony:

As if the hair of its head were Waseet’s trees

his neck cast smooth, the rest of him made spear-like.

Whose stakes were driven in, nailing it down.

كَأَنَّ ضَئِيَّي رَأسِهِ شَجرُ واسِطٍ

كَأَنَّ ضَئِيَّي رَأسِهِ شَجرُ واسِطٍ

تَفاقَمَ حَتّى لاحَكَتهُ مَسامِرُه

تَفاقَمَ حَتّى لاحَكَتهُ مَسامِرُه

The two slender ears on his head seem like the trees of Wāsiṭ,

Through this I relieve my concerns and needs

grown thick until their side-shoots rubbed together.

When they converge, and worries crowd my thoughts.

فَتِلكَ بِها أَقضي هُمومي وَحاجَتي

فَتِلكَ بِها أَقضي هُمومي وَحاجَتي

إِذا ما اِلتَوَت وَالهَمُّ جَمٌّ خَواطِرُه

إِذا ما اِلتَوَت وَالهَمُّ جَمٌّ خَواطِرُه

With that she-camel I dispel my cares and meet my need,

when it grows tangled and care teems with thoughts.