لا تسلني غداة نَعمان مالي

لا تسلني غداة نَعمان مالي

وترفق فليس حالك حالي

وترفق فليس حالك حالي

Do not ask me, that morning at Naʿmān, what ails me.

Do not ask me tomorrow, O Na'man, what ails me,

And be gentle, for your state is not mine.

And show me mercy, for my state is not your state.

أنا في سكرة وقلبك صَاحٍ

أنا في سكرة وقلبك صَاحٍ

كبدي موثق وقلبك خالي

كبدي موثق وقلبك خالي

I am in a stupor, while your heart is sober;

I am intoxicated while your heart is awake,

My liver is fettered, while your heart is free.

My liver is bound while your heart is free.

لمتني في الهوى ولو ذقتَ مَاذ

لمتني في الهوى ولو ذقتَ مَاذ

قتُ منه ضللت مثل ضلالي

قتُ منه ضللت مثل ضلالي

You blamed me for love; had you tasted what I

You blamed me for love, but had you tasted

tasted of it, you would have strayed as I strayed.

What I have tasted of it, you would wander like me.

سل بي العيس كم اطرت كلاها

سل بي العيس كم اطرت كلاها

لهباً بالوجيف والإرقال

لهباً بالوجيف والإرقال

Ask the pale camels about me: how often I made their loins

Ask me by God how much I have wept over them,

burst into flame with rapid trotting and bounding strides.

Burning hot coals in my chest and sleeplessness.

كلما هَوّنت وقلت ردى بي

كلما هَوّنت وقلت ردى بي

رِمعَ الخِصب أنشطت من عقال

رِمعَ الخِصب أنشطت من عقال

Whenever I eased up and said, 'Take me

Whenever I try to return to reason

to fertile Rimaʿ,' they sprang free of their hobbles.

The verdant meadow reawakens my passion.

ذكرت من محمد خيرَ مَرْعى

ذكرت من محمد خيرَ مَرْعى

ترتعيه وعذبَ ماءٍ زُلال

ترتعيه وعذبَ ماءٍ زُلال

They recalled Muḥammad's finest pasture,

I recall the best pasture of Muhammad

where they graze, and sweet, crystal-clear water,

Where one enjoys and drinks fresh water.

ورحابٍ فديتها من رحاب

ورحابٍ فديتها من رحاب

وظلال فديتها من ظِلال

وظلال فديتها من ظِلال

And spacious courtyards—courtyards I would give my life for—

Spaces I would sacrifice for those spaces,

And shade—shade I would give my life for.

And shade I would sacrifice for that shade.

يمنيّ مُعيبديُّ إذا ما

يمنيّ مُعيبديُّ إذا ما

عضني الدهر قال مالك مَالي

عضني الدهر قال مالك مَالي

A Yemeni, a Muʿaybidī—whenever

My Yemeni confidante, if life

time bit me, he said, 'Your wealth is my wealth.'

Ever hurts me, says “What ails you, my friend?”

ساد علياءَ اشعر ابنةِ كه

ساد علياءَ اشعر ابنةِ كه

لان وساد الجميع قبل اكتهالي

لان وساد الجميع قبل اكتهالي

He ruled the highest ranks of Ashʿar, daughter of Kah-

He surpassed the heights, the most eloquent of sons,

lān, and ruled them all before I reached middle age.

The pillar and support of all.

من أبي بكر حاز ذاك وعبد الله

من أبي بكر حاز ذاك وعبد الله

والقيلُ مشبه الرئبال

والقيلُ مشبه الرئبال

From Abū Bakr and ʿAbd Allāh he gained that;

From Abu Bakr he gained leadership

And the chieftain, resembling a lion,

And from Abdullah, he was his peer.

من بلال بن بردة ورثَ المجد

من بلال بن بردة ورثَ المجد

ومَنْ ذا كبردة بن بلال

ومَنْ ذا كبردة بن بلال

inherited glory from Bilāl ibn Burda;

From Bilal ibn Rabah he inherited glory

And who is there like Burda ibn Bilāl?

Who else is like Bilal ibn Rabah?