حَمَلتْ ركابُ الغرب شمسَ شروقِ

حَمَلتْ ركابُ الغرب شمسَ شروقِ

وحملتُ منك العهدَ غيرَ مُطيقِ

وحملتُ منك العهدَ غيرَ مُطيقِ

The westbound camels bore a rising sun,

The travelers of the West carried the sun of dawn

and I bore your pledge, unable to bear its weight.

While I carried from you a covenant I cannot bear

عقدتْ ضمانَ وفائها من خصرها

عقدتْ ضمانَ وفائها من خصرها

فوهى كلا العقدين غيرَ وثيقِ

فوهى كلا العقدين غيرَ وثيقِ

She made her waist the bond securing her faithfulness,

She who has tied your heart's affection belted her dress

and both bonds slackened, neither firm.

Yet with both belts it was not secure

والغانياتُ بناتُ غدرٍ من أبٍ

والغانياتُ بناتُ غدرٍ من أبٍ

يضربن في نسبٍ إليه عريقِ

يضربن في نسبٍ إليه عريقِ

And beauties are daughters of treachery, descended from a father

The singing girls are daughters of a treacherous father

to whom they trace a deeply rooted lineage.

Who trace their lineage to him though it is noble

ثاروا فكم قاسٍ عليّ فؤادُه

ثاروا فكم قاسٍ عليّ فؤادُه

لو لم يدلِّسه لسانُ شفيقِ

لو لم يدلِّسه لسانُ شفيقِ

They set out—how many a heart would have seemed harsh to me,

They complained, so how harsh was my heart to them

had a well-wisher's tongue not disguised it!

Had not the sweet-tongued mollified it

للّه عينا مالىءٍ من لؤلؤٍ

للّه عينا مالىءٍ من لؤلؤٍ

عينيه يومَ وداعنا وعقيقِ

عينيه يومَ وداعنا وعقيقِ

How wondrous the eyes of one who filled with pearls

By God, eyes brimming with pearls

and carnelian his eyes on the day we parted!

Were our eyes the day we bid farewell, and how sincere

إن التي علَّقت قلبَك ودَّها

إن التي علَّقت قلبَك ودَّها

راحت بقلبٍ عنك غيرِ عَلوقِ

راحت بقلبٍ عنك غيرِ عَلوقِ

Indeed, she to whose love you bound your heart

She who captured your heart and her love to you

departed with a heart unattached to you.

Left with a heart detached from you

يا أهل عبدةَ هل يدٌ يفدَى بها

يا أهل عبدةَ هل يدٌ يفدَى بها

قلبٌ أسيرٌ بينكم لطليقِ

قلبٌ أسيرٌ بينكم لطليقِ

O people of Abda, is there a helping hand to ransom

O people of `Abdah! Is there a hand that can be ransomed

a free man's heart, held captive among you?

For a heart captive among you now free?

أشعرتكم زمناً بعبدةَ غيرها

أشعرتكم زمناً بعبدةَ غيرها

لو رُجِّمَ المكروهُ بالموموقِ

لو رُجِّمَ المكروهُ بالموموقِ

I would long ago have told you of an Abda other than her,

For a time, I distracted you from `Abdah with another

if the hated could be conjectured from the beloved.

If but the hated were pelted with dried fruits

للّه ناشطةٌ جمعتُ بودّها ال

للّه ناشطةٌ جمعتُ بودّها ال

محفوظِ باعي في حبالِ ربيقِ

محفوظِ باعي في حبالِ ربيقِ

How wondrous a roaming gazelle! I bound, through her love—

By God a vivacious one whose love I collected

still cherished—my outstretched arms in a tether's cords.

Not guarded in the ropes of a gentle wind

ما كان أوّلُ عهد استودعته

ما كان أوّلُ عهد استودعته

من قلب غانيةٍ إناءَ مريقِ

من قلب غانيةٍ إناءَ مريقِ

It was not the first pledge I had entrusted

It was not the first covenant I entrusted

to a beauty's heart, a vessel that spills.

To the heart of a singing girl, a fragile vessel

ولقد أخالفهنَّ غاياتِ الهوى

ولقد أخالفهنَّ غاياتِ الهوى

وطريقُهن من الشبابِ طريقي

وطريقُهن من الشبابِ طريقي

And indeed I differ from them in love's aims,

I have surpassed them in the goals of passion

though their youthful path is my own.

And my path from youth is my path

كان الهوى سكرانَ تنظر عينُه

كان الهوى سكرانَ تنظر عينُه

حتى صحا فرأى بقلبِ مفيقِ

حتى صحا فرأى بقلبِ مفيقِ

Love was drunk, its eye gazing,

Passion was intoxicated, its eyes glancing

until it sobered and saw with an awakened heart.

Until sober, it saw with an awakened heart

ونأيتُمُ ومن الغيوب مستَّر

ونأيتُمُ ومن الغيوب مستَّر

بالإجتماع يبين بالتفريقِ

بالإجتماع يبين بالتفريقِ

And you went far away; among hidden things is what,

You went away, and the hidden remains veiled

concealed by togetherness, is revealed by separation.

Though association makes clear through separation

فانفس بنفسك أن تحطَّك حاجةٌ

فانفس بنفسك أن تحطَّك حاجةٌ

إلا وصبرُك مشرفٌ من نِيقِ

إلا وصبرُك مشرفٌ من نِيقِ

Hold yourself too dear for need to bring you low,

So indulge yourself, no need humbles you

unless your patience still looks down from a mountain peak.

Except your patience is sublime and gentle

وابرز لهم جَلْداً وغصنُك مصفِرٌ

وابرز لهم جَلْداً وغصنُك مصفِرٌ

تنفي الشماتة في اهتزاز وريقِ

تنفي الشماتة في اهتزاز وريقِ

And show yourself steadfast to them, though your bough is yellowing,

And show them mettle though your branch is yellowed

warding off gloating with a little leaf's flutter.

Dispelling gloating in the trembling of a leaf

كم باطنٍ غالطتُ وهو مرمَّقٌ

كم باطنٍ غالطتُ وهو مرمَّقٌ

عنه الحسودَ بظاهر مرموقِ

عنه الحسودَ بظاهر مرموقِ

How many an inner state, barely sustained, I masked

How many a secret I wrongly suspected

from the envious with an admired outward show!

Which I mollified the envious with an apparent rising

والناس أهلُ الواحدِ المثرى وأع

والناس أهلُ الواحدِ المثرى وأع

داءُ المقلِّ بمعشرٍ وفريقِ

داءُ المقلِّ بمعشرٍ وفريقِ

And people are kin to the lone wealthy man, and

People are partisans of the sole Bestower of fruit

enemies of the poor, in whole companies and factions.

And the foes of the little party are a group and band

سلني بهم فلقد حلبت أمورَهم

سلني بهم فلقد حلبت أمورَهم

شطرين من محضٍ ومن ممذوقِ

شطرين من محضٍ ومن ممذوقِ

Ask me about them, for I have milked their affairs

Ask me about them - I have milked their affairs

in two portions: pure milk and milk mixed with water.

In two parts: pure and adulterated

وخبرتُهم خُبرَ اللبيب طباعَه

وخبرتُهم خُبرَ اللبيب طباعَه

فمعي على سَعةٍ عليَّ لضيقِ

فمعي على سَعةٍ عليَّ لضيقِ

And I have tested them as a discerning man knows his own nature:

I knew them with the insight of an expert into natures

with me in prosperity, against me in hardship.

With me is breadth, though me is narrowness

ما إن ضننتُ على الظنون بصاحبٍ

ما إن ضننتُ على الظنون بصاحبٍ

إلا سمحت به على التحقيقِ

إلا سمحت به على التحقيقِ

Never did I cling to a friend on mere conjecture

Never did I stint suspicions towards a companion

without freely surrendering him when certainty came.

Except I yielded to him upon verification

لا يُضحك الأيامَ كذبُ مطامعي

لا يُضحك الأيامَ كذبُ مطامعي

إلا إذا طالبتُها بصديقِ

إلا إذا طالبتُها بصديقِ

My delusive hopes do not make the days laugh,

The days do not mock my hopes with lies

except when I ask them for a friend.

Unless I seek them through a friend

بخلوا بما وجدوا فلو قدروا لما

بخلوا بما وجدوا فلو قدروا لما

وجدت لهاةٌ أن تُبَلَّ بِريقِ

وجدت لهاةٌ أن تُبَلَّ بِريقِ

They begrudged what they had; if they could,

They were stingy with what they found, else had they been able

no uvula would find even saliva to moisten it.

No paupers would have been saturated with broth

ويئستُ حتى لو بصُرت بنارِهم

ويئستُ حتى لو بصُرت بنارِهم

لِقرىً شككتُ وقلتُ نارُ حريقِ

لِقرىً شككتُ وقلتُ نارُ حريقِ

And I despaired so deeply that, if I saw their fire

I despaired that even if I saw their fire

lit for guests, I would doubt it and say, 'A consuming blaze!'

For a land, I would doubt and say, “The fire of burning”

ضحكتْ ليَ الأيامُ بعدَ عُبوسها

ضحكتْ ليَ الأيامُ بعدَ عُبوسها

بابن النبيّ عن المنى المصدوقِ

بابن النبيّ عن المنى المصدوقِ

The days smiled upon me after their frowning,

After its gloom, days laughed at me

through the Prophet's son, who proved true to my hopes.

With the son of the Prophet, the trusted one from desire

آنست منه بوارقاً أمطرنني

آنست منه بوارقاً أمطرنني

ماءَ الحفاظِ على خِلاب بروقي

ماءَ الحفاظِ على خِلاب بروقي

I glimpsed from him lightning flashes that rained upon me

From him I glimpsed flashes that rained on me

the water of loyalty, despite my own rainless lightning.

The water of protection over the most handsome lightning

شرفٌ تنفّس فجرُه عن غُرَّتَيْ

شرفٌ تنفّس فجرُه عن غُرَّتَيْ

جدٍّ نبيٍّ أو أبٍ صِدِّيقِ

جدٍّ نبيٍّ أو أبٍ صِدِّيقِ

A nobility whose dawn breathed from the two radiant brows

A nobility whose dawn breathed from my pride:

of a grandfather who was a prophet, or a father most truthful.

A noble Prophet or devout father

نسبٌ تعثَّرُ منه لو عَرضتْ له ال

نسبٌ تعثَّرُ منه لو عَرضتْ له ال

أفلاكُ في صعبِ المجَاز زليقِ

أفلاكُ في صعبِ المجَاز زليقِ

A lineage that would trip—should they venture upon it—the

A lineage the orbits would stumble over

celestial spheres, on a difficult, slippery crossing.

If they undertook the steep pass of metaphors

أرِجُ المنفَّس خِيلَ واصفُ طِيبهِ

أرِجُ المنفَّس خِيلَ واصفُ طِيبهِ

عَيّاً بمسك الفارةِ المفتوقِ

عَيّاً بمسك الفارةِ المفتوقِ

Fragrant in breath, its scent's describer would be deemed

Feral but fragrant his horses describe its scent

tongue-tied for likening it to musk released from its pod.

An onager with the musk of cleft pods

وإذا قريشٌ طاولت بفخارها

وإذا قريشٌ طاولت بفخارها

في عصر إيمان وعهدِ فسوقِ

في عصر إيمان وعهدِ فسوقِ

And whenever Quraysh vies in loftiness through its glories,

And when Quraysh prided themselves in their glory

in the age of faith and the era of impiety,

In an era of faith yet one of abomination

بنتم كما بانت على أخواتها

بنتم كما بانت على أخواتها

بِمنى ليالي النحرِ والتشريقِ

بِمنى ليالي النحرِ والتشريقِ

you stand apart, as above their sister nights stand

You were distinguished from your sisters

at Mina the nights of sacrifice and Tashriq.

By the Minas nights of ritual sacrifice and exclamation

تتوارثون الأرضَ إرثَ فريضةٍ

تتوارثون الأرضَ إرثَ فريضةٍ

وتُملَّكون الناسَ مِلكَ حقوقِ

وتُملَّكون الناسَ مِلكَ حقوقِ

You inherit the earth from one another as a prescribed share,

Inheriting the land as an obligatory bequest

and are granted dominion over people as your rightful due.

And empowered over people in lawful rule

يفديك مستعرٌ عليك فؤادُه

يفديك مستعرٌ عليك فؤادُه

حسدَ الحضيضِ محلَّة العيُّوقِ

حسدَ الحضيضِ محلَّة العيُّوقِ

May he whose heart blazes against you be your ransom,

Your fervor which sets his heart on fire ransoms you

envying as the lowest depths envy al-Ayyuq's station.

From the envy of lowly and towering nobles

تفضي صفاتُك بين أضلعه إلى

تفضي صفاتُك بين أضلعه إلى

جُرح على سَبر الأساةِ عميقِ

جُرح على سَبر الأساةِ عميقِ

Your virtues reach between his ribs into

Your virtues spill into his ribs

a wound too deep for the physicians' probing.

To a deep wound in enduring misery

لحق انتسابُك باتفاقٍ عزَّه

لحق انتسابُك باتفاقٍ عزَّه

فأراد فضلَك عامداً بلُحوقِ

فأراد فضلَك عامداً بلُحوقِ

Your lineage was matched by a chance that ennobled him,

Your relation demanded equivalency by agreement

so he deliberately sought to catch up with your excellence.

But your superiority intended to overtake

حتى إذا المضمار ضمكما درى

حتى إذا المضمار ضمكما درى

أن السوادَ لجبهة المسبوقِ

أن السوادَ لجبهة المسبوقِ

until, when the racecourse brought you both together, he learned

Until when the racecourse assembled both of you

that blackness belongs to the brow of the one left behind.

He knew the lead was to the forehead of the outstripped

لما ادعى وأبيتَ نَكَّس رأسَه

لما ادعى وأبيتَ نَكَّس رأسَه

خجلَ المفاخِر بالأب المسروقِ

خجلَ المفاخِر بالأب المسروقِ

When he made his claim and you refused, he lowered his head,

When he claimed and you refused, he hung his head

with the shame of one boasting of a stolen father.

Ashamed, the proud one, of the disavowed father

اِسمع فقلبي من سماع معاشرٍ

اِسمع فقلبي من سماع معاشرٍ

خُرْسٍ مكارمُهم لكلِّ نطوقِ

خُرْسٍ مكارمُهم لكلِّ نطوقِ

Listen: my heart is weary of hearing people

Hear, for my heart is deaf to the fellowship

whose noble deeds are mute to every eloquent tongue.

Of those whose generosity is mute to every speaker

صمُّوا فماً فرقوا نِدايَ نِداهُمُ

صمُّوا فماً فرقوا نِدايَ نِداهُمُ

ما قلتُ أم في الضأن كان نعيقي

ما قلتُ أم في الضأن كان نعيقي

They went deaf and could not distinguish my call to them:

They silenced their mouths and confused my call

was it speech, or was I bleating among sheep?

Neither did I say nor in the lambs was my bleating

في كلِّ يومٍ بنتَ فكرٍ حرّةً

في كلِّ يومٍ بنتَ فكرٍ حرّةً

تَغنَى ببهجتها عن التنميقِ

تَغنَى ببهجتها عن التنميقِ

Each day, a freeborn daughter of thought,

Each day you built with free thought

whose beauty leaves her no need of embellishment.

That sings with its joy without modulation

حمّلنها كدرَ الهموم وأنجبتْ

حمّلنها كدرَ الهموم وأنجبتْ

فصفت خلوصَ الخمر بالراووقِ

فصفت خلوصَ الخمر بالراووقِ

They burdened her with the murk of cares, yet she emerged noble,

I tasked it with the worries of cares and it gave birth

then cleared like wine purified through a strainer.

Clarifying the purity of wine by the filter

لم يُجدِ لي تعبي بها فكأنني

لم يُجدِ لي تعبي بها فكأنني

فيما يخيبُ ولدتُها لعقوقِ

فيما يخيبُ ولدتُها لعقوقِ

My labor over her availed me nothing; it was as though

My efforts with it were fruitless, as though

amid my disappointments, I had begotten her for filial ingratitude.

In that which fails, I begot it, thankless