نَعَم هذِهِ أَطلالُ سُلمى فَسَلِّمِ

نَعَم هذِهِ أَطلالُ سُلمى فَسَلِّمِ

وَأَرخِ بِها سَيلَ الشُؤونِ وَأَسجِمِ

وَأَرخِ بِها سَيلَ الشُؤونِ وَأَسجِمِ

Yes, these are Salma's ruins; offer your greeting.

Yes, these are the ruins of Sulma, so bid them peace,

Yes, these are Sulma's ruins, so offer your greeting,

And release there the flood of your tear ducts; let it pour.

And let the torrents of events and epochs flow through them.

And unleash there a torrent of tears, pouring them freely.

وَقِف في مَغانيها وَعَفِّر بِتُربِها

وَقِف في مَغانيها وَعَفِّر بِتُربِها

صَحيفَةً حُرِّ الوَجهِ قَبلَ التَندُّمِ

صَحيفَةً حُرِّ الوَجهِ قَبلَ التَندُّمِ

Stand among her dwellings, and rub in their dust

Stop at its resting places and rub on your bright-faced page,

Stand amidst her dwelling-places, and cover with their dust

the surface of your noble face, before regret comes.

Before regret, with their dust.

The complexion of a noble face, before the time of regret arrives.

فَثَمَّ مَقيلُ الوَجدِ لا بَل مُقامُهُ

فَثَمَّ مَقيلُ الوَجدِ لا بَل مُقامُهُ

وَثَمَّ هَوى نَفسِ المَشوقِ المُتَيَّمِ

وَثَمَّ هَوى نَفسِ المَشوقِ المُتَيَّمِ

For there is passion's noonday resting place—no, its abiding home;

There lies the abode of passion, nay rather its halting-place,

For there lies the resting place of passion—nay, its very home,

and there lies the heart's desire of the yearning, love-enslaved man,

And there lies the longing of the enamored soul.

And there resides the desire of a soul enthralled and lovelorn;

وَمَسحَبُ أَذيالٍ لِغِزلانِ جيرَةٍ

وَمَسحَبُ أَذيالٍ لِغِزلانِ جيرَةٍ

سَقَوني سُلافَ الوَصلِ غَيرَ المُفَدَّمِ

سَقَوني سُلافَ الوَصلِ غَيرَ المُفَدَّمِ

and the ground where the neighborhood's gazelles trailed their hems,

And the train of gowns of the young gazelles of Jurah

Where the neighborhood gazelles once trailed their long skirts,

who gave me union's choicest wine, not the deep-red kind.

Gave me to drink the early wine of union without anything distasteful.

And served me the pure, unmixed wine of loving union.

غَضارَةُ عَيشٍ قد تَوَهَّمتُ أَنها

غَضارَةُ عَيشٍ قد تَوَهَّمتُ أَنها

تَدوم فكان الأَمر غَيرَ التَوَهُّمِ

تَدوم فكان الأَمر غَيرَ التَوَهُّمِ

A life of ease I had imagined

The freshness of a life I imagined would last

A freshness of life I had imagined would

would endure; reality proved unlike my imagining.

But the matter was other than the imagining.

Endure forever, but reality betrayed my illusion.

متى تَذكُرَ اهالي تَهِج بين أَضلُعي

متى تَذكُرَ اهالي تَهِج بين أَضلُعي

عَقابيلُ وَجدٍ كالحريقِ المُضرَّمِ

عَقابيلُ وَجدٍ كالحريقِ المُضرَّمِ

Whenever you recall my people, between my ribs stir

When will the people of Tahj remember in my ribs

Whenever I recall her people, there rages within my ribs

lingering pangs of passion, like a kindled blaze.

Fires of passion like blazing embers?

The sequelae of passion, burning like a kindled fire.

أَقولُ لِصَحبي وَالمَراسيلُ تَرتَمي

أَقولُ لِصَحبي وَالمَراسيلُ تَرتَمي

بِنا سُهَّما تَرمي الفَيافي بِسُهَّمِ

بِنا سُهَّما تَرمي الفَيافي بِسُهَّمِ

I say to my companions, while the swift mounts hurtle

I say to my companions while the saddle-beasts jostle us,

I say to my companions, as our riding camels plunge ahead,

with us, gaunt mounts flinging their gaunt bodies across the wastes:

"Take at random the arrows that Fate shoots."

Gaunt with travel, crossing the wastelands on gaunt beasts:

أَلا عَوجَةٌ مِنكم على الربعِ رُبَّما

أَلا عَوجَةٌ مِنكم على الربعِ رُبَّما

شَفَيتَ الذي بي أَو قَضَيتُ تَلَوُّمي

شَفَيتَ الذي بي أَو قَضَيتُ تَلَوُّمي

Will you not turn aside to the dwelling? Perhaps

Won't one of you turn aside to the meadow, perhaps

"Will you not turn aside briefly toward the abandoned camp? Perhaps,

you may heal what ails me, or I may be done with lingering.

To cure what is in me or accomplish my release?

I might cure my ailment or fulfill my need to linger."

فَعاجوا فَغَطَّت ناظِرَ العَينِ عَبرَةٌ

فَعاجوا فَغَطَّت ناظِرَ العَينِ عَبرَةٌ

فَلم أَتَبَيَّن شاخِصاً مِن مُهدَّمِ

فَلم أَتَبَيَّن شاخِصاً مِن مُهدَّمِ

They turned aside, and a tear veiled my eye's pupil,

So they hurried away, and tears covered my eyes' sight,

So they turned their mounts, and a tear veiled my sight,

so I could not distinguish standing remains from ruined ones.

And I could not make out anything definite from the ruined encampment,

Until I could not distinguish what stood from what was ruined.

أَجدَّ كما أَن لّا أَمُرَّ بِمَنزِلٍ

أَجدَّ كما أَن لّا أَمُرَّ بِمَنزِلٍ

لِمَيَّةَ إِلّا أَمزُجُ الدَمع بِالدَمِ

لِمَيَّةَ إِلّا أَمزُجُ الدَمع بِالدَمِ

Is it true, you two, that I never pass a dwelling

I passionately pour out tears whenever I pass by an abode

Is it my fate that I never pass by a dwelling

of Mayya without mingling tears with blood,

At Mayya except I mix blood with those tears.

Of Mayya’s, without mixing my tears with blood?

وَلا أَستَبينَ البَرقَ يَفري وَميضُهُ

وَلا أَستَبينَ البَرقَ يَفري وَميضُهُ

جَلابيبَ مَسدولٍ مِن الجُنحِ مُظلِمِ

جَلابيبَ مَسدولٍ مِن الجُنحِ مُظلِمِ

nor discern lightning whose flash cleaves

I cannot discern in the flashing lightning as its light ripples

Nor can I watch the lightning, whose flash tears through

the cloaks of a dark, draped expanse of night

Robes let down belonging to a winged darkness.

The cloaks of the dark, descended night,

بِجِزعِ اللِوى إِلّا أَبيتُ مُسَهَّداً

بِجِزعِ اللِوى إِلّا أَبيتُ مُسَهَّداً

كأَنَّ شَراسيفي نُفِذنَ بِأَسهُمِ

كأَنَّ شَراسيفي نُفِذنَ بِأَسهُمِ

at the bend of al-Liwa, without lying sleepless,

Except I spend the night wrapped in the twisting of my anguish

At the valley’s bend, without spending the night sleepless,

as though arrows had pierced my rib-ends?

As if my mattress were studded with its arrows.

As though my ribs were pierced through with arrows.

سَهِرنا فَناموا وَاِرتَحَلنا فَخَيَّموا

سَهِرنا فَناموا وَاِرتَحَلنا فَخَيَّموا

عَناءٌ لِنَجدِيٍّ عَلاقَةُ مُتهِمِ

عَناءٌ لِنَجدِيٍّ عَلاقَةُ مُتهِمِ

We stayed awake while they slept; we journeyed while they pitched camp.

We were wakeful while they slept, we folded our tents while they pitched theirs;

We kept vigil while they slept; we departed while they pitched camp—

For a man of Najd, love of someone in Tihama is torment.

A weary task for the love-sick, the accusations of a blamer!

Suffering awaits the Highlander attached to one from the Lowlands.

بَلى حينَ خادَعتُ اللَجاجَةَ بِالأَسى

بَلى حينَ خادَعتُ اللَجاجَةَ بِالأَسى

وَمَنَّيتُها بِالظَنِّ صَبرَ المُرَجِّمِ

وَمَنَّيتُها بِالظَنِّ صَبرَ المُرَجِّمِ

Yet when I tried to beguile obstinate longing with sorrow,

Yes indeed, when I beguiled coquetry with grief

Indeed, when I beguiled my obstinate heart with sorrow,

and promised it, on conjecture, a guesser's patience,

And deluded it with the assumption of one resigned...

And fed it uncertain hopes, like one guessing at the unseen,

تَراءَت لِمَشغوفٍ بِها لِتُعيدَهُ

تَراءَت لِمَشغوفٍ بِها لِتُعيدَهُ

ظَلومَ الهَوى في دائِهِ المُتَقَدِّم

ظَلومَ الهَوى في دائِهِ المُتَقَدِّم

she appeared to one besotted with her, bent on returning him,

It appeared to a passion-maddened lover to return him

She appeared to her infatuated lover to return him

cruel in love as she was, to his old affliction.

To the oppression of love in his running ulcer...

To the tyranny of love and his ancient affliction.

وَأَوحَت إِلى طَرفي بِإيماضِ طَرفِها

وَأَوحَت إِلى طَرفي بِإيماضِ طَرفِها

وَهَزَّت قَواماً كَالقَضيبِ المُنَعَّمِ

وَهَزَّت قَواماً كَالقَضيبِ المُنَعَّمِ

She whispered to my gaze through the flashing of hers,

And she hinted to me with a blinking of her eye,

She signaled to my gaze with the flash of her glance,

and swayed a figure like a supple bough.

And shook her whole body like a waving branch,

And swayed a figure like a supple, tender branch.

فَكُنتُ أُمَنّي النَفسَ جِدَّ مُمازِحٍ

فَكُنتُ أُمَنّي النَفسَ جِدَّ مُمازِحٍ

فَعُدتُ بِما شاهَدتهُ جِدَّ مُغرَمِ

فَعُدتُ بِما شاهَدتهُ جِدَّ مُغرَمِ

I had fed my soul with hopes, with a jester's earnestness;

So my soul would beguile itself in utter earnest

I had been entertaining my soul in jest,

but what I witnessed made me a lover in earnest.

And I came back passionately enamored by what I had seen.

But returned, by what I witnessed, truly in love.

وقائِلَةٍ لي وَالرِكابُ مُناخَةٌ

وقائِلَةٍ لي وَالرِكابُ مُناخَةٌ

وَقد رَقرَقَت دَمعَ الحَزينِ المُكَتَّمِ

وَقد رَقرَقَت دَمعَ الحَزينِ المُكَتَّمِ

And a woman said to me, while the mounts were kneeling,

And she said to me while the camels were kneeling down,

A woman spoke to me while the camels knelt to rest,

her tears shimmering with a sorrow kept concealed:

With their tears flowing from sad eyes:

While she shed the glistening tears of silent grief:

إِلى كَم بِها تَرمي الفِجاجَ مُخاطِراً

إِلى كَم بِها تَرمي الفِجاجَ مُخاطِراً

وَلِلرِّزقِ أَسبابٌ بِدونِ التَجَشُّمِ

وَلِلرِّزقِ أَسبابٌ بِدونِ التَجَشُّمِ

How long will you drive them through the passes, risking yourself,

To what will you expose me to danger with them

"How long will you traverse these ravines, risking all,

when livelihood has ways that need no such hardship?

While seeking wealth has means other than plundering?

When sustenance has means other than such hardship?"

فَقُلتُ لَها مَهلاً فَإِنََ تَقَلقُلي

فَقُلتُ لَها مَهلاً فَإِنََ تَقَلقُلي

إِلى كَعبَةٍ يَهوي لها كلُّ مُعدِمِ

إِلى كَعبَةٍ يَهوي لها كلُّ مُعدِمِ

I told her: Gently! My restless roaming

So I said to her, "Wait, for an enamored one

I replied, "Gently now; for my restless journeying

is toward a Kaaba to which every destitute man hastens.

Is plunging towards a Kaaba to which every wretched one inclines,

Is toward a Kaaba to which every destitute soul flies."

وَيَنتابُها قَومٌ كِرامٌ أَعِزَّةٌ

وَيَنتابُها قَومٌ كِرامٌ أَعِزَّةٌ

فَفيها اِبنُ عُكّازٍ وَفيها اِبنُ ضَيغَمِ

فَفيها اِبنُ عُكّازٍ وَفيها اِبنُ ضَيغَمِ

Noble, mighty men frequent it;

And which excellent noble people of good birth visit

A sanctuary visited by a noble, mighty people;

there is Ibn ‘Ukkaz, and there is Ibn Daygham.

Among them the son of `Ukkaaz and among them son of Dhiigham.

There abide the heirs of 'Ukkaz and Dhaygham.

مَناسِكُ حجٍّ قد أُقيمَت فُروضُها

مَناسِكُ حجٍّ قد أُقيمَت فُروضُها

خَلا أَنَّ مَن يَسعى بها غير مُحرِمِ

خَلا أَنَّ مَن يَسعى بها غير مُحرِمِ

A pilgrimage whose obligatory rites have been fulfilled,

Pilgrimage rites have been performed whose rules

Pilgrimage rites whose obligations are fully kept,

except that those who hasten there are not in pilgrim consecration.

Are prescribed except that he who travels there is not a sanctified pilgrim.

Except that those who strive there wear no pilgrim's garb.

بَناها عِمادُ الدينِ وَالفَضلِ قاسِمٌ

بَناها عِمادُ الدينِ وَالفَضلِ قاسِمٌ

وَبَوَّأَها أَبناءَهُ قُل وَأَعظِمِ

وَبَوَّأَها أَبناءَهُ قُل وَأَعظِمِ

Qasim, pillar of faith and excellence, built it,

The pillar of religion and merit, al-Qaasim, erected it

It was built by Qasim, the Pillar of Faith and Virtue,

and settled his sons there—speak, and extol!

And gave his sons authority over it—say and magnify!

Who settled his sons within it—speak of them and glorify!

هُمُ القَومُ لا الجاني عَلَيهِم بِسالِمٍ

هُمُ القَومُ لا الجاني عَلَيهِم بِسالِمٍ

وَلا جارُهُم لِلحادِثاتِ بِمُسلَمِ

وَلا جارُهُم لِلحادِثاتِ بِمُسلَمِ

Such are these men: whoever wrongs them goes not unscathed,

They are the people—not he who offends them—of safety

They are a people against whom no aggressor is safe,

nor is their neighbor surrendered to calamities.

And their neighbors are safe from disasters.

Nor is their neighbor ever surrendered to misfortune.

إِذا نَزَلوا الأَرضَ الجَديبَ تَزَخرَفَت

إِذا نَزَلوا الأَرضَ الجَديبَ تَزَخرَفَت

وَإِن نازَلوا شَقيَ القَنا بِالتَحَطُّمِ

وَإِن نازَلوا شَقيَ القَنا بِالتَحَطُّمِ

When they settle in barren land, it clothes itself in splendor;

When they encamp on arid ground it becomes verdant

If they settle in barren land, it blooms with ornament;

when they do battle, spears suffer shattering.

And if they halt on the shore of Qanaa it is rebuilt.

If they do battle, the spear-shafts suffer shattering.

وَتَجهَلُ أَيديهِم عَلى المالِ في النَدى

وَتَجهَلُ أَيديهِم عَلى المالِ في النَدى

وَتَحلُمُ عَمَّن ذَنبُهُ بِالتَكَلُّمِ

وَتَحلُمُ عَمَّن ذَنبُهُ بِالتَكَلُّمِ

Their hands are reckless with wealth in generosity,

Their hands do not refrain from wealth at the appointed time

Their hands show no prudence with wealth in their generosity,

yet forbearing toward one whose offense is speech.

And they dream of one whose offense is but to talk.

Yet they show forbearance to one whose sin is mere speech.

عَلى رِسلِكُم يا طالِبي المَجدِ فاتَكُم

عَلى رِسلِكُم يا طالِبي المَجدِ فاتَكُم

إِلى غَلَواتِ المَجدِ جَريُ المُطَهَّمِ

إِلى غَلَواتِ المَجدِ جَريُ المُطَهَّمِ

Hold, seekers of glory! You have been outstripped

Forward your riding beasts, you seekers of glory,

Slow down, O seekers of glory! You have been outstripped

to glory's farthest reaches by a splendid steed's gallop.

For the torrents of glory have left the purified behind."

In the race to glory's peaks by a thoroughbred steed.

أَغَرُّ عَلَيهِ لِلطّلاقَةِ ميسَمٌ

أَغَرُّ عَلَيهِ لِلطّلاقَةِ ميسَمٌ

يَلوحُ لَها نورٌ بِدونِ تَوَسُّمِ

يَلوحُ لَها نورٌ بِدونِ تَوَسُّمِ

Bright-browed, he bears the mark of open cheer,

I spur him on to free speech though light

A radiant leader, bearing the mark of cheerful grace,

whose light shines without need of close scrutiny.

Shines on it without any branding.

Emitting a light that shines clear without need of searching.

سَرى لِلعُلا وَهناً وَأَصبَحَ غَيرُهُ

سَرى لِلعُلا وَهناً وَأَصبَحَ غَيرُهُ

وَهَيهاتَ سارٍ لِلعُلا مِن مُهَوِّمِ

وَهَيهاتَ سارٍ لِلعُلا مِن مُهَوِّمِ

He journeyed toward greatness late at night, while others reached morning;

He attained heights and sublimity while others attained only weariness

He journeyed for eminence at midnight, while others slept;

how far apart are greatness's night-traveler and a dozing man!

And remoteness from seeking the heights if one frets!

Far different is the climber of heights from the dreamer.

فَتى طَلِباتٍ إِن تَباعَدنَ نالَها

فَتى طَلِباتٍ إِن تَباعَدنَ نالَها

بِجُردِ المَذاكي وَالوَشيجِ المُقَوَّمِ

بِجُردِ المَذاكي وَالوَشيجِ المُقَوَّمِ

A youth of quests: however distant, he attains them

A young man who, when goals seem distant wins them

A youth of ambitions; if they drift far, he grasps them

with sleek, seasoned steeds and straightened spear-shafts,

With the sword's sharpness and the well-fashioned spear.

With swift steeds and straightened spears,

وَعَزمَةِ سَبّاقٍ إِلى كُلِّ غايَةٍ

وَعَزمَةِ سَبّاقٍ إِلى كُلِّ غايَةٍ

وَهِمَّةِ مِقدامٍ عَلى كلِّ مُعظَمِ

وَهِمَّةِ مِقدامٍ عَلى كلِّ مُعظَمِ

and the resolve of one who races first to every goal,

And with the resolve of one who races towards every goal

With the resolve of a victor racing to every goal,

and the ambition of one who dares every mighty undertaking.

And the boldness of a brave man against every greatly venerated thing.

And the spirit of a warrior facing every peril.

لَعَمري لِفَرعٍ بَين قَيسٍ وَحاجِبٍ

لَعَمري لِفَرعٍ بَين قَيسٍ وَحاجِبٍ

قَديماً وَلِلفَيّاضِ قاسِمُ يَنتَمي

قَديماً وَلِلفَيّاضِ قاسِمُ يَنتَمي

By my life, to a branch between Qays and Hajib

By my life, he belongs both to an ancient lineage of Qais and Hajib

By my life, to a lineage between Qais and Hajib,

of old, and to al-Fayyad, Qasim traces his descent:

And to the line of the magistrate al-Fayaad, al-Qaasim.

Of ancient fame, and to the generous Fayyad, Qasim belongs.

لِفَرعٍ زَكا في مَغرِسِ الفَضلِ أَصلُهُ

لِفَرعٍ زَكا في مَغرِسِ الفَضلِ أَصلُهُ

وَفاحَ شَذاهُ بَينَ عُربٍ وَأَعجُمِ

وَفاحَ شَذاهُ بَينَ عُربٍ وَأَعجُمِ

to a branch whose root flourished in the soil of excellence,

To a lineage which was intrinsically good in original disposition,

To a branch whose root thrived in the soil of virtue,

whose fragrance spread among Arabs and non-Arabs.

Whose perfume wafted among Arab and non-Arab.

And whose fragrance wafted among Arabs and foreigners alike.

إِلَيهِ مَصوناتُ المَعالي تَشَوَّفَت

إِلَيهِ مَصوناتُ المَعالي تَشَوَّفَت

تَشَوُّفَ ذي وَجدٍ إِلى الزَوجِ أَيِّمِ

تَشَوُّفَ ذي وَجدٍ إِلى الزَوجِ أَيِّمِ

The guarded maidens of high honor yearned for him,

To him the safe-guarded glories inclined

The guarded treasures of high status gazed up at him,

as an unwed, love-stricken soul yearns for a spouse.

With yearning like that of an impassioned lover towards her intimate.

As a longing woman gazes toward a spouse.

وَلوعٌ بِكَسبِ بِكَسبِ الحَمدِ وَالمَجدِ هاجِرٌ

وَلوعٌ بِكَسبِ بِكَسبِ الحَمدِ وَالمَجدِ هاجِرٌ

خِلالَ الدَنايا شيمَةً بِتَشَيُّمِ

خِلالَ الدَنايا شيمَةً بِتَشَيُّمِ

Ardent for earning—earning praise and glory—he shuns

And an inherited longing to acquire fame and glory

Passionate for earning praise and glory, shunning

base habits, a disposition he has consciously cultivated.

As its praise-worthy traits among mankind.

The traits of baseness, by nature and by habit.

إِذا ما اِنتَدى زُوّارُهُ وَضُيوفُهُ

إِذا ما اِنتَدى زُوّارُهُ وَضُيوفُهُ

تَبَدّى كَبَدرِ التِمِّ مِن بينِ أَنجُمِ

تَبَدّى كَبَدرِ التِمِّ مِن بينِ أَنجُمِ

When his visitors and guests gather in council,

When his visitors and guests gather

When his visitors and guests gather in his hall,

he appears like the full moon among stars.

He appears like the full moon among the stars.

He shines forth like the full moon amidst the stars.

يُغادونَ مَغشِيَّ الرِواقَينِ باسِماً

يُغادونَ مَغشِيَّ الرِواقَينِ باسِماً

قَبائِلُ شَتّى مِن فَصيحٍ وَأَعجَمِ

قَبائِلُ شَتّى مِن فَصيحٍ وَأَعجَمِ

At dawn they visit him—smiling, his twin porticoes thronged—

They fill both his corridors heterogeneous tribes

They flock to his crowded courts, where he stands smiling,

tribes of many kinds, eloquent speakers and those of foreign tongue:

Of eloquent and less eloquent.

Diverse tribes, both eloquent Arabs and strangers.

فَمِن مُعلِنٍ شُكراً وَمن طالِبٍ جداً

فَمِن مُعلِنٍ شُكراً وَمن طالِبٍ جداً

وَمن مُستَقيلٍ عَثرَةَ المُتَنَدِّمِ

وَمن مُستَقيلٍ عَثرَةَ المُتَنَدِّمِ

some proclaiming thanks, some seeking bounty,

Including those giving thanks and those petitioning seriously

Some proclaiming thanks, others seeking bounty,

and some seeking pardon for a penitent's lapse.

And those seeking relief from the stumbling of the remorseful.

And some seeking pardon for a regretful slip.

أَبا الفَضلِ لَم يَفضُلكَ زَيدٌ وَحاتِمٌ

أَبا الفَضلِ لَم يَفضُلكَ زَيدٌ وَحاتِمٌ

وَمَعنٌ إِذا قِسنا بِغَيرِ التَقَدُّمِ

وَمَعنٌ إِذا قِسنا بِغَيرِ التَقَدُّمِ

Abu al-Fadl, Zayd and Hatim have not surpassed you,

O Father of Excellence, neither Zaid nor Haatim nor Ma`n

O Abu'l-Fadl, neither Zayd nor Hatim surpassed you,

nor has Ma‘n, if we compare without regard to precedence in time.

Surpassed you when measured against other than the best!

Nor Ma'n, if we judge by merit rather than mere antiquity.

لَئِن هُم أَبانوا في العُلا مَنهَجَ النَدى

لَئِن هُم أَبانوا في العُلا مَنهَجَ النَدى

لَكَم شِدتَ فيها مَعلَماً بَعدَ مَعلَمِ

لَكَم شِدتَ فيها مَعلَماً بَعدَ مَعلَمِ

If they made the path of generosity plain upon the heights,

If they did broadcast the mint-water of high direction,

If they first revealed the path of generosity in high places,

how many landmarks you have raised there, one after another!

You established landmark after landmark in it.

You have surely built there landmark upon landmark.

تَرَحَّلتُ عَنكُم لا اِغتِباطاً بِغَيرِكُم

تَرَحَّلتُ عَنكُم لا اِغتِباطاً بِغَيرِكُم

وَلا عَن مُقامٍ في حِماكُم مُذَمَّمِ

وَلا عَن مُقامٍ في حِماكُم مُذَمَّمِ

I departed from you, not from delight in others,

I departed from you neither happily preferring others

I journeyed away from you, not delighting in others,

nor because my stay within your protection deserved reproach.

Nor discontent in your protection finding fault.

Nor fleeing a stay in your sanctuary that was anything but noble.

فَكُنتُ وَسَيري وَاِعتِياضي سِواكُمُ

فَكُنتُ وَسَيري وَاِعتِياضي سِواكُمُ

كَبائِعِ دينارٍ بِمَغشوشٍ دِرهَمِ

كَبائِعِ دينارٍ بِمَغشوشٍ دِرهَمِ

Thus I, my journeying, and my choosing others in your stead

I was in my way and wont none but you

I was—in my departure and exchange of you for others—

were like one selling a dinar for a debased dirham.

Like one peddling a gold dinar for illegitimate silver coin.

Like one trading a gold dinar for a counterfeit coin.

فَجاءَكَ بي وُدٌّ قَديمٌ غَرَستَهُ

فَجاءَكَ بي وُدٌّ قَديمٌ غَرَستَهُ

وَتابَعتَهُ سَقياً بِسَجلِ التَكَرُّمِ

وَتابَعتَهُ سَقياً بِسَجلِ التَكَرُّمِ

An old affection you planted brought me to you,

An old love you planted brought me to you

But an ancient affection you planted has brought me back,

and you kept watering it from generosity's brimming bucket.

And you augmented it by irrigating the channel of your bounty.

One you nurtured with the overflowing bucket of kindness.

إِلَيكَ رَحَلنا كُلَّ مَحبوكَةِ القَرا

إِلَيكَ رَحَلنا كُلَّ مَحبوكَةِ القَرا

أَمونِ السُرى بَينَ الجَديلِ وَشَدقَمِ

أَمونِ السُرى بَينَ الجَديلِ وَشَدقَمِ

To you we saddled every she-camel of firm-knit back,

We migrated to you, all those harbored by the neighboring dwellings,

Toward you we rode every sturdy-backed she-camel,

trusty for night travel, between al-Jadil and Shadqam in lineage.

Secured in journeying between Judayl and Shadaqam.

Trusted in night travel, bred of noble Jadil and Shadqam stock.

إِذا اِلتَحَفَت أُكمُ الفَيافي بِآلِها

إِذا اِلتَحَفَت أُكمُ الفَيافي بِآلِها

وَنُشِّرَ فيها كَالمُلاءِ المُعَلَّمِ

وَنُشِّرَ فيها كَالمُلاءِ المُعَلَّمِ

When the desert hills cloak themselves in their mirage,

Whenever its lodges put on their high-born women

When the desert hills wrapped themselves in shimmering mirages,

and it is spread across them like patterned cloth,

And it was spread out through them like a figured cloak...

Unfurled across the waste like striped mantles,

تَزِفُّ كَهَدّاجِ يَؤُمُّ فِراخُهُ

تَزِفُّ كَهَدّاجِ يَؤُمُّ فِراخُهُ

تَنَكَّسُ مِن ريحٍ وَغَيمٍ مُخَيِّمِ

تَنَكَّسُ مِن ريحٍ وَغَيمٍ مُخَيِّمِ

she speeds like a striding ostrich heading toward his chicks,

It would sway slowly like the partridge leading its chicks:

She hastens like an ostrich shuffling toward its chicks,

cowering from wind and an overhanging cloud.

It turns over, blown by the winds and the clouding air.

Retreating from the wind and the tent of gathering clouds.

هَدى ما هَدى حَتّى إِذا اللَيلُ جَنَّةُ

هَدى ما هَدى حَتّى إِذا اللَيلُ جَنَّةُ

وَخافَ اِرتِكامَ العارِضِ المُتَبَسِّمِ

وَخافَ اِرتِكامَ العارِضِ المُتَبَسِّمِ

He went on and on until night enfolded him,

It came as gifts came until when night donned its darkness

It traveled on until, when the night veiled it,

and he feared the massing of the lightning-smiling rain cloud.

And it feared the overwhelming of the smiling latecomer.

And it feared the heaping of storm clouds, smiling with lightning,

تَنَفَّسَ مَزؤوداً وَخَفَّ كَأَنَّهُ

تَنَفَّسَ مَزؤوداً وَخَفَّ كَأَنَّهُ

فُلَيتَهُ مَسنونِ الصَوائِدِ أَقطَمِ

فُلَيتَهُ مَسنونِ الصَوائِدِ أَقطَمِ

He panted in terror and sped as though he were

It breathed easily as if delivered

It breathed in terror and sped light, as if

prey escaped from a sharp-fanged, ravenous beast.

And subsided as if its snare were stern destroyer.

Escaping a sharp-toothed, snapping stallion.

طَوَيتُ بِأَيدها الفَلا مُتَعَسِّفاً

طَوَيتُ بِأَيدها الفَلا مُتَعَسِّفاً

بِها مِيثَها وَالأَمعَزَ المُتَسَنَّمِ

بِها مِيثَها وَالأَمعَزَ المُتَسَنَّمِ

By her strength I crossed the wastes, taking trackless ways,

I folded its ropes wrongfully

With her hooves I folded up the desert distances, traversing

riding her over their soft ground and high, stony ridges,

Stopping its placid course and that of the trained she-goat.

Its soft sands and its rugged, stony heights,

لِأَحظى بِقُربٍ مِنكَ إِذ جُلُّ مُنيَتي

لِأَحظى بِقُربٍ مِنكَ إِذ جُلُّ مُنيَتي

لِقاكَ وَأُهدي الشُكرَ غَيرَ مُجَمجِمِ

لِقاكَ وَأُهدي الشُكرَ غَيرَ مُجَمجِمِ

to gain nearness to you, for my greatest wish

In order to gain nearness to you since my whole purpose

To gain the fortune of your nearness, for my greatest wish

is to meet you—and to offer thanks without hesitation:

Was to meet you and give thanks without delay.

Is to meet you and offer clear, unspoken thanks.

ثَناءٌ كَنَشرِ الرَوضِ راوَحهُ النَدى

ثَناءٌ كَنَشرِ الرَوضِ راوَحهُ النَدى

وَغاداهُ مَعلولُ الصَبا المنُتَنَسَّمِ

وَغاداهُ مَعلولُ الصَبا المنُتَنَسَّمِ

praise like a garden's fragrance, visited by dew at evening,

Praise spreading like the meadow whose expanse

Praise like the garden’s scent, visited by evening dew,

and at dawn by the dew-cooled, softly breathing east wind.

The dew pervades and which the gentle morning zephyr breathes into.

And greeted at dawn by the gentle, breathing breeze.

وَصَلِّ إِلهي ما هَمي الوَدقُ أَو شَدا

وَصَلِّ إِلهي ما هَمي الوَدقُ أَو شَدا

عَلى الأَيكِ مِطرابٌ بِحُسنِ التَرَنُّمِ

عَلى الأَيكِ مِطرابٌ بِحُسنِ التَرَنُّمِ

And send blessings, my God, while rain falls or there sings

And pray God whatever my inclination bids me bind

And may my God send blessings—as long as rain falls, or sings

among the trees a songbird, trilling sweetly,

Or repeat beautifully modulated in song,

Upon the bough a bird, joyous in its melody—

عَلى المُصطَفى الهادي الأَمينِ وَآلهِ

عَلى المُصطَفى الهادي الأَمينِ وَآلهِ

وَأَصحابِهِ وَالتابِعينَ وَسَلِّمِ

وَأَصحابِهِ وَالتابِعينَ وَسَلِّمِ

upon the Chosen One, the guiding, trustworthy one, and his family,

For the Guided One, Trustworthy and Trusted and his House

Upon the Chosen One, the Guide, the Trustworthy, and his kin,

and his companions and followers; and grant them peace.

And Companions and Successors—and greet!

And his companions and followers; and grant them peace.