سَلُوا عَنْ فُوادِي قَبْلَ شَدِّ الرَّكائِبِ

سَلُوا عَنْ فُوادِي قَبْلَ شَدِّ الرَّكائِبِ

فَقَدْ ضَاعَ مِنِّي بَيْنَ تِلْكَ الْمَلاعِبِ

فَقَدْ ضَاعَ مِنِّي بَيْنَ تِلْكَ الْمَلاعِبِ

Ask after my heart before saddling the mounts;

Ask about my heart before the departure of the caravans

For I have lost it among those places of play.

For it was lost to me amidst those playgrounds

أَغارَتْ عَلَيْهِ فاحْتَوَتْهُ بِلَحْظِها

أَغارَتْ عَلَيْهِ فاحْتَوَتْهُ بِلَحْظِها

فَتاةٌ لَهَا في السِّلْمِ فَتْكُ الْمُحَارِبِ

فَتاةٌ لَهَا في السِّلْمِ فَتْكُ الْمُحَارِبِ

She raided it and seized it with her glance—

A girl whose glance had the power of a warrior's attack was jealous of it and captivated it

A maiden who, in peace, has a warrior's deadly power.

So do not stop asking her for perhaps

فَلا تَبْرَحُوا أَوْ تَسْأَلُوهَا فَرُبَّمَا

فَلا تَبْرَحُوا أَوْ تَسْأَلُوهَا فَرُبَّمَا

أَعَادَتْهُ أَوْ جاءَتْ بِوَعْدٍ مُقَارِبِ

أَعَادَتْهُ أَوْ جاءَتْ بِوَعْدٍ مُقَارِبِ

So do not depart until you ask her; perhaps

She may return it or come with a promise close enough

She will return it, or offer a promise near fulfillment.

And how can she hide it when its moaning

وَكَيْفَ تُواريهِ وَهَذا أَنِينُهُ

وَكَيْفَ تُواريهِ وَهَذا أَنِينُهُ

يَدُلُّ عَلَيهِ السَّمْعُ مِنْ كُلِّ جانِبِ

يَدُلُّ عَلَيهِ السَّمْعُ مِنْ كُلِّ جانِبِ

And how can she hide it, when this groaning of its

Guides one to it from every side

Reveals it to the ear from every side?

O cypresses of the tribe why did you not respond

فَيَا سَرَوَاتِ الْحَيِّ هَلاَّ أَجَبْتُمُ

فَيَا سَرَوَاتِ الْحَيِّ هَلاَّ أَجَبْتُمُ

دُعاءَ فَتىً مِنْكُمْ قَرِيبِ الْمَنَاسِبِ

دُعاءَ فَتىً مِنْكُمْ قَرِيبِ الْمَنَاسِبِ

O chiefs of the tribe, will you not answer

To the call of a youth closely related to you

The plea of a youth among you, closely bound by kinship?

If you do not support me though you are my people

إِذا لَمْ تُعِينُوني وَأَنْتُمْ عَشِيرَتِي

إِذا لَمْ تُعِينُوني وَأَنْتُمْ عَشِيرَتِي

فَسِيرُوا وخَلُّوني فَلَسْتُ بِذَاهِبِ

فَسِيرُوا وخَلُّوني فَلَسْتُ بِذَاهِبِ

If you will not help me, though you are my kin,

Then leave me be for I am not going anywhere

Then go, and leave me; I will not depart.

Should my heart be lost to trickery and then I do not see

أَيَذْهَبُ قَلْبِي غيلَةً ثُمَّ لا أَرَى

أَيَذْهَبُ قَلْبِي غيلَةً ثُمَّ لا أَرَى

لَهُ بَيْنَكُمْ مِنْ ثائِرٍ أَوْ مُطالِبِ

لَهُ بَيْنَكُمْ مِنْ ثائِرٍ أَوْ مُطالِبِ

Shall my heart be lost by treachery, and I see no

Amongst you one who is enraged or making claims

Avenger or claimant for it among you?

When a man does not defend his brother himself

إِذا الْمَرءُ لَمْ يَنْصُرْ أَخَاهُ بِنَفْسِهِ

إِذا الْمَرءُ لَمْ يَنْصُرْ أَخَاهُ بِنَفْسِهِ

لَدَى كُلِّ مَكْرُوهٍ فَلَيْسَ بِصاحِبِ

لَدَى كُلِّ مَكْرُوهٍ فَلَيْسَ بِصاحِبِ

If a man does not himself stand by his brother

At every hated thing then he is no true companion

In every hardship, he is no true companion.

So do not blame me if I tarry behind you

فَلا تَعْذُلُونِي إِنْ تَخَلَّفْتُ بَعْدَكُمْ

فَلا تَعْذُلُونِي إِنْ تَخَلَّفْتُ بَعْدَكُمْ

فَما أَنَا عَنْ مَثْوَى الفُؤَادِ بِراغِبِ

فَما أَنَا عَنْ مَثْوَى الفُؤَادِ بِراغِبِ

So do not reproach me if I stay behind after you;

For I do not desire to leave the abode of my heart

For I have no wish to leave my heart's abode.

For there lies a flank whose guest is not cautioned

فَثَمَّ جَنَابٌ لا يُراعُ نَزِيلُهُ

فَثَمَّ جَنَابٌ لا يُراعُ نَزِيلُهُ

بِنَائِرَةٍ لَوْلا عُيُونُ الْكَوَاعِبِ

بِنَائِرَةٍ لَوْلا عُيُونُ الْكَوَاعِبِ

For there is a haven whose guest would know no fear

Against the fires were it not for the eyes of the flirtatious

Of strife, were it not for the eyes of budding-breasted maidens.

When the glance travels bound to the wrist of a coquette

إِذَا سَارَ فِيهِ الطَّرْفُ قِيدَ بَنانَةٍ

إِذَا سَارَ فِيهِ الطَّرْفُ قِيدَ بَنانَةٍ

تَعَثَّرَ مَا بَيْنَ الْقَنا وَالْقَوَاضِبِ

تَعَثَّرَ مَا بَيْنَ الْقَنا وَالْقَوَاضِبِ

If the gaze moves there a fingertip's breadth,

It stumbles between the battles and the tilting grounds

It stumbles among the lances and cutting swords.

And between the highlands in the tents, young ladies

وَبَيْنَ الْعَوالِي فِي الْخُدُورِ نَوَاشِئٌ

وَبَيْنَ الْعَوالِي فِي الْخُدُورِ نَوَاشِئٌ

مِنَ الْعَينِ حُمْرُ الْحَلْي بِيضُ التَّرائِبِ

مِنَ الْعَينِ حُمْرُ الْحَلْي بِيضُ التَّرائِبِ

And among the tall lances, in curtained chambers, are young maidens,

With reddened cheeks and white veils

Large-eyed, with red ornaments and white bosoms.

When they lift up their veils, they show us

إِذَا هُنَّ رَفَّعْنَ السُّجُوفَ أَرَيْنَنَا

إِذَا هُنَّ رَفَّعْنَ السُّجُوفَ أَرَيْنَنَا

مَحَاسِنَ تَدْعُو لِلصِّبا كُلَّ راهِبِ

مَحَاسِنَ تَدْعُو لِلصِّبا كُلَّ راهِبِ

When they lift the curtains, they show us

Beauties that invite every monk to sin

Charms that summon every monk to youthful passion.

They came with bright, radiant faces like planets

جَلَوْنَ بِحُلْوانَ الْوُجُوهَ كَوَاكِباً

جَلَوْنَ بِحُلْوانَ الْوُجُوهَ كَوَاكِباً

فَيا مَنْ رَأَى فِي الأَرْضِ سَيْرَ الْكَواكِبِ

فَيا مَنْ رَأَى فِي الأَرْضِ سَيْرَ الْكَواكِبِ

In Helwan they unveiled their faces as stars;

So by the one who saw the circuit of planets on earth!

Oh, who has seen the stars move upon the earth?

And they cast glances whereby they deafened souls

وَفَوَّقْنَ أَلحَاظاً فَأَصْمَيْنَ أَنْفُساً

وَفَوَّقْنَ أَلحَاظاً فَأَصْمَيْنَ أَنْفُساً

بِلا تِرَةٍ إِلَّا مَجَانَةَ لاعِبِ

بِلا تِرَةٍ إِلَّا مَجَانَةَ لاعِبِ

And they nocked their glances, then struck souls dead,

With no hesitation save the recklessness of a player

Without a grievance, merely a player's wantonness.

So many are slain in the snares of a wink!

فَكَمْ مِنْ صَرِيعٍ فِي حَبائِلِ مُقْلَةٍ

فَكَمْ مِنْ صَرِيعٍ فِي حَبائِلِ مُقْلَةٍ

وَكَمْ مِنْ أَسِيرٍ فِي قُيُودِ ذَوائِبِ

وَكَمْ مِنْ أَسِيرٍ فِي قُيُودِ ذَوائِبِ

How many lie slain in the snares of an eye,

And many are captive in the fetters of tresses!

And how many captives in the chains of tresses!

By your life! However spacious earth may be

لَعَمْرُكَ ما فِي الأَرضِ وَهْيَ رَحِيبَةٌ

لَعَمْرُكَ ما فِي الأَرضِ وَهْيَ رَحِيبَةٌ

كَغِزْلانِ هَذَا الْحَيِّ عُذْرٌ لِنَاسِبِ

كَغِزْلانِ هَذَا الْحَيِّ عُذْرٌ لِنَاسِبِ

By your life, on earth, spacious as it is, there is no

The gazelles of this tribe are fit excuses for a lover

Excuse for a love-poet like the gazelles of this tribe.

So do not seek beauty in other than its rightful place

فَلا تَطْلُبَنَّ الْحُسْنَ في غَيْرِ أَهْلِهِ

فَلا تَطْلُبَنَّ الْحُسْنَ في غَيْرِ أَهْلِهِ

فَأَبْدَعُ ما فِي الأَرْضِ حُسْنُ الأَعارِبِ

فَأَبْدَعُ ما فِي الأَرْضِ حُسْنُ الأَعارِبِ

So never seek beauty among any but its own people;

For the most wondrous on earth is the beauty of nomads

For earth's most wondrous beauty is the beauty of Bedouin women.

They are the landmarks who accustomed my heart to passion

فَهُنَّ الأُلَى عَوَّدْنَ قَلْبِي عَلَى الْهَوَى

فَهُنَّ الأُلَى عَوَّدْنَ قَلْبِي عَلَى الْهَوَى

وَأَخْلَفْنَ ظَنِّي بِالْعِدَاتِ الْكَوَاذِبِ

وَأَخْلَفْنَ ظَنِّي بِالْعِدَاتِ الْكَوَاذِبِ

For they are the ones who accustomed my heart to love,

And they betrayed my expectations with lying coquettes

And disappointed my hopes with false promises.

And they brought me bliss until, when they left me

وَتَيَّمْنَني حَتَّى إِذا ما تَرَكْنَنِي

وَتَيَّمْنَني حَتَّى إِذا ما تَرَكْنَنِي

أَخَا سَقَمٍ أَسْلَمْنَنِي لِلنَّوائِبِ

أَخَا سَقَمٍ أَسْلَمْنَنِي لِلنَّوائِبِ

And enslaved me with love, until, when they had left me

A brother, sick, they delivered me to tribulations

Stricken with sickness, they gave me over to calamities.

And I would not, were it not for them, meet the morning breeze

وَمَا كُنْتُ لَوْلاهُنَّ أَسْتَقْبِلُ الصَّبَا

وَمَا كُنْتُ لَوْلاهُنَّ أَسْتَقْبِلُ الصَّبَا

وَأَسْأَلُ عَنْ أَهْلِ الْحِمَى كُلَّ راكِبِ

وَأَسْأَلُ عَنْ أَهْلِ الْحِمَى كُلَّ راكِبِ

And but for them, I would not face the east wind,

And ask about the people of the valley every rider

Nor ask every rider about the people of that protected abode.

And the Nile would not have increased were it not for me

وَمَا زَاد ماءُ النِّيِلِ إِلَّا لأَنَّنِي

وَمَا زَاد ماءُ النِّيِلِ إِلَّا لأَنَّنِي

وَقَفْتُ بِهِ أَبْكِي فِرَاقَ الْحَبَائِبِ

وَقَفْتُ بِهِ أَبْكِي فِرَاقَ الْحَبَائِبِ

And the Nile's water rose only because I

Standing by it weeping the loss of loved ones

Stood beside it, weeping at parting from my beloveds.

So my friend is there any emancipation for one fallen

فَيا صاحِبي هَلْ مِنْ فَكَاكٍ لِوَاقِعٍ

فَيا صاحِبي هَلْ مِنْ فَكَاكٍ لِوَاقِعٍ

بِأَسْرِ الهَوَى أَوْ مِنْ نَجاةٍ لِهَائِبِ

بِأَسْرِ الهَوَى أَوْ مِنْ نَجاةٍ لِهَائِبِ

O my friend, is there any release for one caught

Captive to passion? Or any salvation for the panic-stricken?

In love's captivity, or any deliverance for one afraid?

I submitted to the judgements of passion after pride

خَضَعْتُ لأَحْكَامِ الهَوَى بَعْدَ عِزَّةٍ

خَضَعْتُ لأَحْكَامِ الهَوَى بَعْدَ عِزَّةٍ

وَمَا كُنْتُ لَوْلا الْحُبُّ طَوْعَ الْجَواذِبِ

وَمَا كُنْتُ لَوْلا الْحُبُّ طَوْعَ الْجَواذِبِ

I submitted to love's decrees, though once proud,

And I would not, were it not for love, have yielded to forces

And but for love, I would not yield to allurements.

We are people whose souls do not fear

وَإِنَّا أُنَاسٌ لا تَهَابُ نُفُوسُنَا

وَإِنَّا أُنَاسٌ لا تَهَابُ نُفُوسُنَا

لِقَاءَ الأَعَادِي أَوْ قِرَاعَ الْكَتَائِبِ

لِقَاءَ الأَعَادِي أَوْ قِرَاعَ الْكَتَائِبِ

And we are a people whose souls do not fear

Meeting enemies or clashing with battalions

Meeting enemies or clashing with battalions.

We drive back every raiding party

نَرُدُّ عَلَى الأَعْقَابِ كُلَّ سَرِيَّةٍ

نَرُدُّ عَلَى الأَعْقَابِ كُلَّ سَرِيَّةٍ

وَنَعْجَزُ عَنْ نبْلِ الْعُيُونِ الْصَّوَائِبِ

وَنَعْجَزُ عَنْ نبْلِ الْعُيُونِ الْصَّوَائِبِ

We drive every troop back on its heels,

And we are powerless against the arrows of roving glances

Yet are helpless against the eyes' unerring arrows.

If this love were a warring person

فَلَوْ كَانَ هَذا الْحُبُّ شَخْصَاً مُحارِباً

فَلَوْ كَانَ هَذا الْحُبُّ شَخْصَاً مُحارِباً

لأَوْجَرْتُهُ فَوْهَاءَ رَيَّا الْجَوانِبِ

لأَوْجَرْتُهُ فَوْهَاءَ رَيَّا الْجَوانِبِ

If this love were a fighting man,

I would have drowned him in the expanse of my flank

I would have dealt him a gaping wound, its sides drenched in blood.

But he is the adversary whom proud necks submitted to

وَلَكِنَّهُ الْخَصْمُ الَّذِي خَضَعَتْ لَهُ

وَلَكِنَّهُ الْخَصْمُ الَّذِي خَضَعَتْ لَهُ

رِقابُ أُنَاسٍ أَخْضَعُوا كُلَّ غَالِبِ

رِقابُ أُنَاسٍ أَخْضَعُوا كُلَّ غَالِبِ

But it is the foe before whom have bowed

The necks of people who subdued every victor

The necks of men who subdued every conqueror.

So let not people think my words mere jest

فَلا يَحْسَبَنَّ النَّاسُ قَوْلِي فُكَاهَةً

فَلا يَحْسَبَنَّ النَّاسُ قَوْلِي فُكَاهَةً

فَإِنَّ الهَوَى بَحْرٌ كَثِيرُ الْعَجَائِبِ

فَإِنَّ الهَوَى بَحْرٌ كَثِيرُ الْعَجَائِبِ

So let no one think my words a jest;

For passion is an ocean full of wonders

For love is a sea of many wonders.

When a man does not manage matters with his knowledge

إِذا الْمَرْءُ لَمْ يَفْرِ الأُمُورَ بِعِلْمِهِ

إِذا الْمَرْءُ لَمْ يَفْرِ الأُمُورَ بِعِلْمِهِ

تَحَيَّرَ ما بَيْنَ اخْتِلافِ الْمَذَاهِبِ

تَحَيَّرَ ما بَيْنَ اخْتِلافِ الْمَذَاهِبِ

If a man does not cut through matters with his knowledge,

He falters amidst the differing creeds

He is bewildered among diverging paths.