أَتاني وَدوني بَطنُ غولٍ وَدُونَهُ

أَتاني وَدوني بَطنُ غولٍ وَدُونَهُ

عِمادُ الشَبا مِن عينِ شَمسٍ فعابِدُ

عِمادُ الشَبا مِن عينِ شَمسٍ فعابِدُ

There came to me—though Ghūl's valley lay between us, and beyond it

He came to me while my inner self was in turmoil,

ʿImād al-Shabā, from ʿAyn Shams to ʿĀbid—

Like pillars of youth in the sun, devout they are.

نَعيُّ اِبنِ ليلى فاِتَّبَعتُ مُصيبَةً

نَعيُّ اِبنِ ليلى فاِتَّبَعتُ مُصيبَةً

وَقَد ضِقتُ ذَرعاً والتَجَلُّدُ آيدُ

وَقَد ضِقتُ ذَرعاً والتَجَلُّدُ آيدُ

the death-news of Ibn Laylā; I followed in calamity's wake,

I lamented Layla's son so misfortune followed me,

and I had reached my limit, though fortitude is mighty.

I was vexed and patience is burdensome.

وَكِدتُ وَقَد سالَت مِنَ العينِ عَبرَةٌ

وَكِدتُ وَقَد سالَت مِنَ العينِ عَبرَةٌ

سَها عانِدٌ مِنها وَأَسبَلَ عانِدُ

سَها عانِدٌ مِنها وَأَسبَلَ عانِدُ

And I was near death, as a tear flowed from my eye;

I was frustrated as tears flowed from my eyes,

a relentless stream flowed gently from it, and another poured down.

Unyielding they flowed, pouring unabated.

قَذيتُ بِها وَالعينُ سهوٌ دمُوعُها

قَذيتُ بِها وَالعينُ سهوٌ دمُوعُها

وَعُوّارُها في باطِنِ الجَفنِ زائدُ

وَعُوّارُها في باطِنِ الجَفنِ زائدُ

My eye smarted from it, its tears flowing freely,

I reproached them but the eyes err, their tears

and the irritation inside its eyelid kept growing.

And their disgrace inside the eyelids pile.

فَإِن تُرِكَت لِلكُحلِ لَم يَترُكِ البُكا

فَإِن تُرِكَت لِلكُحلِ لَم يَترُكِ البُكا

وَتَشرى إِذا ما حَثَحَثَتها المَراوِدُ

وَتَشرى إِذا ما حَثَحَثَتها المَراوِدُ

If left to kohl, weeping would not leave it,

If left to kohl, weeping would not cease

and it flared up whenever the kohl-sticks prodded it.

And they gather droplets if enticed by the spy.

أَموتُ أَسىً يَومَ الرِجامِ وَإِنَّني

أَموتُ أَسىً يَومَ الرِجامِ وَإِنَّني

يَقينًا لرَهنٌ بالَّذي أَنا كائِدُ

يَقينًا لرَهنٌ بالَّذي أَنا كائِدُ

I die of sorrow on the day of al-Rijām, and I

I die of sorrow on the day of thunderbolts and I

am surely captive to what is killing me.

Am certain a pledge to that which I scheme.

ذَكَرتُ لَيلى والسَماحَةَ بَعدَما

ذَكَرتُ لَيلى والسَماحَةَ بَعدَما

جَرى بينَنا مورُ النَقا المُتَطارِدُ

جَرى بينَنا مورُ النَقا المُتَطارِدُ

I recalled Laylā and generosity after

I recalled Layla and cordiality after

the racing drifts of dune-sand had swept between us.

The bitter conflict flowed between us.

وَحالَ السَفا بَيني وَبينَكَ وَالعِدى

وَحالَ السَفا بَيني وَبينَكَ وَالعِدى

وَرَهنُ السَفا غَمرُ النَقِيَةِ ماجِدُ

وَرَهنُ السَفا غَمرُ النَقِيَةِ ماجِدُ

Sand and enemies came between me and you,

And the hatred came between me and you and enmity

and the sand holds captive a noble man, generous and pure.

And the hatred’s pledge flooded the pure with disgrace.

حَلَفتُ يَمينًا بالَّذي وَجَبَت لَهُ

حَلَفتُ يَمينًا بالَّذي وَجَبَت لَهُ

جُنوبُ الهدايا وَالجِباهُ السَّواجِدُ

جُنوبُ الهدايا وَالجِباهُ السَّواجِدُ

I swore an oath by Him for whom have fallen

I swore an oath by Him to whom

the flanks of sacrificial beasts and prostrating foreheads:

Bow prayer niches and reverent foreheads.

لَنِعمَ ذوو الأَضيافِ يَغشونَ بابَهُ

لَنِعمَ ذوو الأَضيافِ يَغشونَ بابَهُ

إِذا هَبَّ أَرياحُ الشِّتاءِ الصَوارِدُ

إِذا هَبَّ أَرياحُ الشِّتاءِ الصَوارِدُ

excellent indeed are the hosts who throng his door,

How excellent are those with hospitality, their doors

when winter's bitterly cold winds blow,

Are frequented when winter winds blow.

إِذا اِستَغشَتِ الأَجوافُ أَجلادُ شَتوَةٍ

إِذا اِستَغشَتِ الأَجوافُ أَجلادُ شَتوَةٍ

وَأَصبَحَ يَحمومٌ بِهِ الثَلجُ جامِدُ

وَأَصبَحَ يَحمومٌ بِهِ الثَلجُ جامِدُ

when the hollows cloak themselves in a winter's hard frosts,

When innards are clad in hides from the severity of cold

and at dawn the snow upon Yaḥmūm lies frozen.

And ice blankets the fevered, frozen solid.