باللهِ ثمّ باللهْ

باللهِ ثمّ باللهْ

يا راكب الشِّمِلّهْ

يا راكب الشِّمِلّهْ

By God, then by God,

By Allah, then by Allah,

O rider of the swift she-camel,

O rider of the howdah,

تحمِلُه وهمَّهُ

تحمِلُه وهمَّهُ

بزلاءُ مستقلَّهْ

بزلاءُ مستقلَّهْ

she carries him and his cares,

Bearing his concerns,

a full-grown camel, striding briskly.

In the unstable howdah,

ينفُض بعضَ ليلهِ

ينفُض بعضَ ليلهِ

بها الغويرَ كُلَّهْ

بها الغويرَ كُلَّهْ

In part of his night he traverses

Shaking off some of the night,

all al-Ghuwayr upon her.

With all of its darkness upon it,

يسابقُ الفجر فيأ

يسابقُ الفجر فيأ

تي ذا الأراك قبلَهْ

تي ذا الأراك قبلَهْ

He races the dawn, then

Racing against the dawn, coming

reaches Dhu al-Arak before it.

To the sands before it,

منصوبة أقطانها

منصوبة أقطانها

على الظلام الأبلَهْ

على الظلام الأبلَهْ

Her hindquarters are lifted high

Its fabrics erected

against the witless darkness.

Upon the confused darkness,

عرِّجْ على الوادي ولو

عرِّجْ على الوادي ولو

إلمامةً لا حَلَّهْ

إلمامةً لا حَلَّهْ

Turn aside to the valley, if only

Turn to the valley even if

for a passing visit, not a stay.

Just to say goodbye,

وامنن عليّ وقفةً

وامنن عليّ وقفةً

بجنب تلك الأثْلَهْ

بجنب تلك الأثْلَهْ

Grant me the favor of a halt

And grant me a stop,

beside that tamarisk tree.

Next to that hillock,

فانبذ بها تسليمةً

فانبذ بها تسليمةً

على بيوت رملَهْ

على بيوت رملَهْ

Then cast there a greeting

To send through it a greeting,

upon Ramla's dwellings.

To the houses of its sands,

فإن سمعتَ هاتفاً

فإن سمعتَ هاتفاً

يسألُ بي فقلْ لَهْ

يسألُ بي فقلْ لَهْ

If you hear a caller

And if you hear a voice,

asking about me, say to him:

Asking about me, say to it:

غادرتُه والحقَّ قل

غادرتُه والحقَّ قل

تَ الوالِهَ المدلَّهْ

تَ الوالِهَ المدلَّهْ

I left him—and you speak the truth—

I left it, and by God, the Truth says:

distraught and bewildered by love.

I found its passionate lover weakened,

لا اليأسُ أبلاه ولا

لا اليأسُ أبلاه ولا

طولُ السَّقام ملَّهْ

طولُ السَّقام ملَّهْ

Neither despair has worn him down, nor

Neither despair made it give up, nor

has long illness grown weary of him.

Did prolonged illness make it bored,

جُنَّ بكم فما الذي

جُنَّ بكم فما الذي

به حبستم عقلَهْ

به حبستم عقلَهْ

He has gone mad for you; what is it

It was possessed by you all, so what is that,

with which you imprisoned his mind?

By which you have imprisoned its mind?

قال تقول ظبيةٌ

قال تقول ظبيةٌ

عزُّ الهوى أذلَّهْ

عزُّ الهوى أذلَّهْ

He said: a gazelle declares,

A gazelle says: the glory of passion made it lowly,

Love's might has humbled him.

It used to be a confident lover,

كان محبّاً واثقاً

كان محبّاً واثقاً

عرَّضتُهُ للخجْلَهْ

عرَّضتُهُ للخجْلَهْ

He was a trusting lover;

I exposed it to shame,

I exposed him to shame.

It was I who hit its eyes with my first glance,

أنا التي أصابه

أنا التي أصابه

طرفي بأُولَى نبلَهْ

طرفي بأُولَى نبلَهْ

I am the one whose

I deceived it, and the deception of the likes of me kills it,

gaze struck him with its first arrow.

Where is my revenge and my blood,

خدعتُه وإنما

خدعتُه وإنما

خَدعةُ مثلي قَتلَهْ

خَدعةُ مثلي قَتلَهْ

I deceived him; and indeed

And its patron, who will take it,

deceit by one like me is nothing but killing.

To revenge my murder every day,

أين بثأري ودمي

أين بثأري ودمي

وليُّهُ مَن طلَّهْ

وليُّهُ مَن طلَّهْ

Where, to avenge me and my blood,

In its appointed time,

is its avenger? Who left it unavenged?

Without it, the slender spear, the mottled palms,

يُحلّ قتلي كلّ يو

يُحلّ قتلي كلّ يو

م زَمَّةٍ في حِلَّهْ

م زَمَّةٍ في حِلَّهْ

He sanctions my killing on every day

And the vigilant jealous one, whom negligence does not covet,

of saddling within an encampment.

So no group is driven,

من دونها السُّمر النِّحا

من دونها السُّمر النِّحا

فُ والأكفّ العبلَهْ

فُ والأكفّ العبلَهْ

Before her stand the slender, tawny

Nor a robe worn,

spears and the powerful hands,

I hung them pinioned,

وساهر غيران لا

وساهر غيران لا

تطمعُ فيه الغفلَهْ

تطمعُ فيه الغفلَهْ

and a wakeful, jealous guard, in whom

Suffering the embrace of the howdah,

heedlessness has no hope.

The sister of the rod, bellowing,

فما تُساق ثَلَّةٌ

فما تُساق ثَلَّةٌ

ولا تطاق سلَّهْ

ولا تطاق سلَّهْ

So no flock can be driven away,

And neighing and whistling,

nor can a sword be unsheathed.

Furious, not out of sickness,

علقتها مجدولةً

علقتها مجدولةً

تألم ضمّ الشِّملَهْ

تألم ضمّ الشِّملَهْ

I loved her, slenderly formed,

Nor yellow out of age,

hurt even by her cloak's embrace.

Healthy as if she is

أخت القضيب هَيَفاً

أخت القضيب هَيَفاً

وتِربَه وشَكلَهْ

وتِربَه وشَكلَهْ

Sister to a bough in slenderness,

From a recovered illness,

its age-mate and its likeness.

Beauty has done justice to it over

هوجاء لا من ورَهٍ

هوجاء لا من ورَهٍ

صفراء لا من عِلَّهْ

صفراء لا من عِلَّهْ

Impetuous, but not from foolishness;

The excellent, noble ones,

golden-skinned, but not from illness.

Would that I knew, and guesses,

صحيحة كأنّها

صحيحة كأنّها

من سَقَمٍ مُبِلَّهْ

من سَقَمٍ مُبِلَّهْ

Healthy, yet as though

The truth and attainment,

newly recovered from an illness.

About the one who threw my rope down at Mina,

قد عدل الحسنُ لها ال

قد عدل الحسنُ لها ال

بدورَ بالأهلَّهْ

بدورَ بالأهلَّهْ

For her, Beauty has made

When its knot was untied,

full moons equal to crescents.

Were they wavering or fleeing

يا ليت شعري والظنو

يا ليت شعري والظنو

نُ الحقُّ والتعِلَّه

نُ الحقُّ والتعِلَّه

Would that I knew—and conjectures

From what the multitudes say?

are truth and consoling fancy—

It performed Hajj and was blocked, so it is

عن طارح لي بمنى

عن طارح لي بمنى

حين ارتبقت حبلَهْ

حين ارتبقت حبلَهْ

about one who laid a snare for me at Mina,

Forbidden to me, in the sacred place,

when I became entangled in his rope:

What do I have to do, I made time the judge,

أمائق أم مارق

أمائق أم مارق

عمّا تقول المِلَّهْ

عمّا تقول المِلَّهْ

was he a fool, or a renegade

I was forbidden its justice,

from what the faith declares?

In every promise between us,

حجّتْ وصادتْ فهي بي

حجّتْ وصادتْ فهي بي

محرِمَةٌ محِلَّهْ

محرِمَةٌ محِلَّهْ

She made the pilgrimage, yet hunted; with me

There is an intricate betrayal,

she is consecrated, yet makes the forbidden lawful.

If I accept its words,

مالي وحكَّمتُ الزما

مالي وحكَّمتُ الزما

نَ قد حُرِمتُ عدلَهْ

نَ قد حُرِمتُ عدلَهْ

Why did I make Time my judge,

Then I am angry at its actions,

when I have been denied its justice?

And if I possessed its hearing,

في كلّ عهدٍ بيننا

في كلّ عهدٍ بيننا

مكيدةٌ مغلّهْ

مكيدةٌ مغلّهْ

In every pledge between us

I would have prolonged its rebuke,

there is a treacherous stratagem.

How much affection, even if

إذا رضيتُ قولَه

إذا رضيتُ قولَه

فقد سخِطتُ فعلَهْ

فقد سخِطتُ فعلَهْ

When I approve its words,

Genuine, how little of it,

I resent its deeds.

Lo, a courteous knight,

ولو ملكتُ سمعَهُ

ولو ملكتُ سمعَهُ

لقد أطلتُ عذلَهْ

لقد أطلتُ عذلَهْ

If I could command its ear,

Who will block this breach,

I would reproach it at length.

Yes, he has a branch of glory,

ما أكثر الودَّ وإن

ما أكثر الودَّ وإن

صحّ فما أقلَّهْ

صحّ فما أقلَّهْ

How abundant affection is! And if

Rivaling its origin,

it is sincere, how scarce!

Of clay impressed with

ألا فتىً ذو خُلّةٍ

ألا فتىً ذو خُلّةٍ

يسدُّ هذي الخَلَّهْ

يسدُّ هذي الخَلَّهْ

Is there no youth of friendship

Innate nobleness,

to fill this need?

He has a home whose dweller,

بلى له فرعٌ من ال

بلى له فرعٌ من ال

مجد يباري أصلَهْ

مجد يباري أصلَهْ

Yes: he has a branch of

Did not move since settling it,

glory that rivals its root.

For him the stars are fresh hay,

من طينةٍ على الندى

من طينةٍ على الندى

مطبوعةِ الجِبِلَّهْ

مطبوعةِ الجِبِلَّهْ

From clay, for generosity

And their mother, his shade,

molded in its very nature.

Abdul Rahim built it and the kings before him,

بيت له ساكنُهُ

بيت له ساكنُهُ

لم يرتحلْ مذ حَلَّهْ

لم يرتحلْ مذ حَلَّهْ

He has a house whose inhabitant

Then it continued, his son succeeding him, then his son,

has never departed since settling there.

Sons of the mother of glory, no

له النجومُ طُنُبٌ

له النجومُ طُنُبٌ

وأمُّهنَّ ظُلَّهْ

وأمُّهنَّ ظُلَّهْ

The stars are its tent ropes,

Son of loftiness has marred them,

and their mother its canopy.

And it is an orchard, since created,

شيّده عبد الرحي

شيّده عبد الرحي

م والملوك قبلَهْ

م والملوك قبلَهْ

Abd al-Rahim built it,

Shaded, bearing fruit,

and kings before him.

O you who sing of them, is there upon the morning,

ثم مضى يُعقِبُ في

ثم مضى يُعقِبُ في

ه نَجلَهُ فنجلَهْ

ه نَجلَهُ فنجلَهْ

Then he passed on, leaving within

More guiding than these brief words?

it his son, then son after son.

Abu Al-Ma’ali is one of them,

أبناء أمّ المجد ما

أبناء أمّ المجد ما

رابهمُ ابن عَلَّهْ

رابهمُ ابن عَلَّهْ

Sons of glory's mother: no

So be content with these sentences,

half-brother has cast doubt on them.

And see, does the sun have among,

ودوحةٌ مذ خُلقتْ

ودوحةٌ مذ خُلقتْ

مطعِمةٌ مظِلَّهْ

مطعِمةٌ مظِلَّهْ

And a great tree, since its creation,

The planets, a son like it?

giving food and shade.

Since he was orphaned,

يا ناشدي عنهم وهل

يا ناشدي عنهم وهل

على الضحى أدلَّهْ

على الضحى أدلَّهْ

You who ask me about them—is there

The love of glory did not touch him,

any need of proofs for broad daylight?

And he was not corrupted in it,

أبو المعالي منهُمُ

أبو المعالي منهُمُ

فاقنع بهذي الجملَهْ

فاقنع بهذي الجملَهْ

Abu al-Ma'ali is one of them;

Nor having any faults,

be content with this brief statement.

He surpassed the boys in wisdom,

وانظر ترى للشمس في ال

وانظر ترى للشمس في ال

كواكب ابناً مِثلَهْ

كواكب ابناً مِثلَهْ

Look: you will see the sun has, among

And the old men in understanding,

the stars, a son like him.

He flowed to the goal on

أروَعُ مذ تيَّمه

أروَعُ مذ تيَّمه

حبُّ العلا لم يَسْلَهْ

حبُّ العلا لم يَسْلَهْ

A splendid man: ever since he was enthralled

A slippery, smooth surface,

by love of eminence, he has not forgotten it.

Until he attained it, and the winds have

ولم يكن منحرفاً

ولم يكن منحرفاً

فيها ولا ذا مَلَّهْ

فيها ولا ذا مَلَّهْ

Nor has he ever turned aside

No merit over him,

from it, nor grown weary.

The abundant good fortune is not long

بذَّ غلاماً رأيُهُ

بذَّ غلاماً رأيُهُ

شيخَ الحجا وكهلَهْ

شيخَ الحجا وكهلَهْ

As a boy his judgment surpassed

Before it scatters all together,

the aged and the mature masters of wisdom.

And his hand is not

وفَرَعَ الدَّوحَ الطِّوا

وفَرَعَ الدَّوحَ الطِّوا

لَ وهو بعدُ بقْلَهْ

لَ وهو بعدُ بقْلَهْ

He overtopped the towering trees

Clasped over his money,

while still a tender shoot.

So every dirham in his wealth

جرى إلى الغاية في

جرى إلى الغاية في

مزلقةٍ مُزلَّهْ

مزلقةٍ مُزلَّهْ

He raced toward the finish on

Was for him to spend,

a slippery, treacherous course,

Blessed, his delusion

حتى انتهى وليس لل

حتى انتهى وليس لل

ريح عليه فضْلَهْ

ريح عليه فضْلَهْ

until he reached it, and the

With good triggered,

wind had no advantage over him.

He breathes into the necklace of generosity,

لا يلبث الوفرُ الجمي

لا يلبث الوفرُ الجمي

عُ أن يُشِتَّ شملَهْ

عُ أن يُشِتَّ شملَهْ

His gathered wealth does not linger

A threaded pearl,

before he scatters it abroad.

Watering the land with his water,

ولا تكون يدُه

ولا تكون يدُه

لمالِهِ مُجلَّهْ

لمالِهِ مُجلَّهْ

And his hand is never

With pouring rains,

a shelter for his wealth.

You are the meteor, if

فكان كلُّ درهم

فكان كلُّ درهم

في ماله لِقبلَهْ

في ماله لِقبلَهْ

Thus every dirham

Its dark night is illuminated,

in his wealth is destined for a kiss.

And the durable ashes, protecting it,

مباركٌ غرَّته

مباركٌ غرَّته

بالخير مستهِلَّهْ

بالخير مستهِلَّهْ

Blessed is he; his radiant brow

If the people of eminence sleep,

dawns with goodness.

I held out my palm to you, and the

ينفُث في عَقد الجدو

ينفُث في عَقد الجدو

بِ مزنةً منهلَّهْ

بِ مزنةً منهلَّهْ

Into the knots of drought he breathes

Reasons are fading,

a raincloud pouring down.

You were a rope, the sincere love is knotted,

يُروِي الثرى على الظما

يُروِي الثرى على الظما

من مائه ببلَّهْ

من مائه ببلَّهْ

He waters the soil in its thirst

Not absent of advice, nor

with a sprinkling of his water.

Is it difficult to forgive a slip,

أنت الشهاب إن دجت

أنت الشهاب إن دجت

ليلتها المضلَّهْ

ليلتها المضلَّهْ

You are the blazing star when dark grows

You do not protect your money,

its night that leads astray,

With an excuse or with ignorance,

والكالىءُ الحامي لها

والكالىءُ الحامي لها

إن نام أهلُ الثَّلَّهْ

إن نام أهلُ الثَّلَّهْ

and its guarding protector

Generosity, O sons of Abdul Rahim,

when the people of the band sleep.

And good things abounding,

أعلقتُ كفّى بك وال

أعلقتُ كفّى بك وال

أسباب مضمحلَّهْ

أسباب مضمحلَّهْ

I fastened my hand to you, while

And an impregnable side,

the cords were crumbling away.

And easy distributions,

فكنتَ حبلاً أحصَف ال

فكنتَ حبلاً أحصَف ال

ودُّ الصريحُ فتلَهْ

ودُّ الصريحُ فتلَهْ

You were a rope, made firm

I denied my time before you,

in its twist by sincere affection.

I denied it and its people,

لا غائب النصح ولا

لا غائب النصح ولا

صعب اغتفار الزّلَّهْ

صعب اغتفار الزّلَّهْ

Never absent in counsel, nor

Until I became numerous through you,

reluctant to forgive a slip.

With a multiplication from little,

ولا تقي مالَك بال

ولا تقي مالَك بال

عذرِ ولا بالعِلَّهْ

عذرِ ولا بالعِلَّهْ

Nor do you shield your wealth with

And the time's peace is in my hands through you,

excuses or pretexts.

And God has given,

جوداً بني عبد الرحي

جوداً بني عبد الرحي

م وحلوماً جَزْلَهْ

م وحلوماً جَزْلَهْ

What generosity, sons of Abd al-Rahim,

So what does a sympathizer say,

and what abundant wisdom!

Maybe, perchance,

وجانباً مستصعَباً

وجانباً مستصعَباً

وقَسِماتٍ سهلَهْ

وقَسِماتٍ سهلَهْ

An unassailable flank,

And the back of poetry sits securely

and gentle, welcoming features.

In you, its strap and its burdens,

أنكرتُ دهري قبلَكم

أنكرتُ دهري قبلَكم

أنكرتُه وأهلَهْ

أنكرتُه وأهلَهْ

I found my age alien before you,

I have perpetuated it in

rejected it and its people,

Every durable kidney,

حتى تكثَّرتُ بكم

حتى تكثَّرتُ بكم

تكثُّراً من قِلَّهْ

تكثُّراً من قِلَّهْ

until through you I grew strong in numbers,

Drawing for you the clouds of praise,

from fewness into multitude.

Its rain and its downpour,

وسالَم الدهرُ يدي

وسالَم الدهرُ يدي

فيكم وأعطَى إلَّهْ

فيكم وأعطَى إلَّهْ

And Time made peace with my hand

Which pulls at your club,

through you, and gave its covenant.

Robe after robe,

فما يقول مشفِقٌ

فما يقول مشفِقٌ

عساه أو لعلَّهْ

عساه أو لعلَّهْ

So no anxious well-wisher says,

If a day comes dressed in beauty,

“Perhaps he may,” or “Maybe he will.”

And we do not wear it,

وحطّ ظهرُ الشعر في

وحطّ ظهرُ الشعر في

كم إصرَهُ وكَلَّهْ

كم إصرَهُ وكَلَّهْ

And poetry's back has laid down, with

It fills stops and steps,

you, its burden and weariness,

His hands and feet,

بكلّ خرقاءِ الكُلَى

بكلّ خرقاءِ الكُلَى

ديمتُها المنهلَّهْ

ديمتُها المنهلَّهْ

with each one rent through the kidneys,

Or if your honors were thirsty,

its steady rain pouring down.

It would be the cure for hot zeal,

تمدكم طلَّ الثنا

تمدكم طلَّ الثنا

ء سحبُها ووبلَهْ

ء سحبُها ووبلَهْ

You are supplied with the dew of praise

by its clouds, and with praise's downpour.

يَسحَبُ ناديكم بها ال

يَسحَبُ ناديكم بها ال

حُلَّةَ بعد الحُلَّهْ

حُلَّةَ بعد الحُلَّهْ

Your assembly trails, in it,

robe after robe.

إن زار يومٌ كُسِيَ ال

إن زار يومٌ كُسِيَ ال

حسنَ ولم نَحُلَّهْ

حسنَ ولم نَحُلَّهْ

Should a day visit, it is clothed in

beauty, and we do not strip it bare.

مَلأْنَ وقفاً وخِدا

مَلأْنَ وقفاً وخِدا

ماً يدَه ورجلَهْ

ماً يدَه ورجلَهْ

They fill with bracelets and anklets

its hand and foot.

أو ظمئتْ أعراضُكم

أو ظمئتْ أعراضُكم

كانت شفاءَ الغُلَّهْ

كانت شفاءَ الغُلَّهْ

Or should your honor thirst,

they are a cure for burning thirst.