لَوْ كَانَ مِنْ دُونِ رُكامِ المُرْتَكَمْ

لَوْ كَانَ مِنْ دُونِ رُكامِ المُرْتَكَمْ

وَأَرْمُلِ الدَهْنا وَصَمّانِ الوَجَمْ

وَأَرْمُلِ الدَهْنا وَصَمّانِ الوَجَمْ

If he were this side of the piled-up heaps,

Were it not for the accumulated rubble,

and the sands of al-Dahnāʾ and cairn-strewn Ṣammān,

And the mournful widow and the two fasting servants,

وَعارِضِ العِرْضِ وَأَعْناقِ العَرَمْ

وَعارِضِ العِرْضِ وَأَعْناقِ العَرَمْ

لَمْ يَسْمَعِ الرَكْبُ بِهَا رَجْعَ الكِلَمْ

لَمْ يَسْمَعِ الرَكْبُ بِهَا رَجْعَ الكِلَمْ

and the ridge of al-ʿIrḍ and the crests of the rocky heaps,

And the noble man of virtue and the long-necked nobility,

the riders would hear there no echo of speech,

The caravan would not have heard the echo of voices,

إِلَّا وَساويسَ هَيانِيمِ الهَنَمْ

إِلَّا وَساويسَ هَيانِيمِ الهَنَمْ

لا وَقَعٌ في نَعْلِهِ وَلا عَسَمْ

لا وَقَعٌ في نَعْلِهِ وَلا عَسَمْ

save the whisperings of faint, murmuring voices.

Except the delirious ravings of the obsessive dreamers,

No soreness in his sole, nor any crookedness;

With no misstep in his slipper nor fleck of mud,

مَرّاً جَنُوباً وَشَمالاً تَنْدَقِمْ

مَرّاً جَنُوباً وَشَمالاً تَنْدَقِمْ

وَانْصاعَ وَثَّابٌ بِهَا وَما عَكَمْ

وَانْصاعَ وَثَّابٌ بِهَا وَما عَكَمْ

now southward, now northward, you plunge ahead.

Passing back and forth northward and south, dignified,

And a bounding one sped through it without pausing,

While the passionate poet recited and did not falter,

كَأَنَّهُ شَلّالُ عاناتٍ كُدُمْ

كَأَنَّهُ شَلّالُ عاناتٍ كُدُمْ

كَأَنَّما تَغَرِيدُهُ بَعْدَ العَتَمْ

كَأَنَّما تَغَرِيدُهُ بَعْدَ العَتَمْ

as though he were a driver of dusky wild-ass herds.

As if he were a pouring waterfall of troubles spilled forth,

As though his singing after nightfall

As if his singing were after the darkness of night,

مُرْتَجِسٌ جَلْجَلَ أَوْ حادٍ نَهَمْ

مُرْتَجِسٌ جَلْجَلَ أَوْ حادٍ نَهَمْ

أَوْ راجِزٌ فِيهِ لَجاجٌ وَيَهَمْ

أَوْ راجِزٌ فِيهِ لَجاجٌ وَيَهَمْ

were a booming thundercloud, or a camel-driver crying out,

Agitated, like the ringing of anklets or the roar of a lion,

or a rajaz-chanter full of persistence and frenzy.

Or a stubborn debater in whom is determination and zeal,

أَنْتَ الحَلِيمُ وَالأَمِيرُ المُنْتَقِمْ

أَنْتَ الحَلِيمُ وَالأَمِيرُ المُنْتَقِمْ

تَصْدَعُ بِالْحَقِّ وَتَنْفِي مِنْ ظُلَمْ

تَصْدَعُ بِالْحَقِّ وَتَنْفِي مِنْ ظُلَمْ

You are the forbearing one and the avenging emir.

You are the Forbearing, the Prince who takes revenge,

You proclaim the truth and banish whoever does wrong.

You speak the truth and banish injustice,

بِأَبِهِ اقْتَدَى عَدِيٌّ في الكَرَمْ

بِأَبِهِ اقْتَدَى عَدِيٌّ في الكَرَمْ

وَمَنْ يُشابِهُ أَبَهُ فَما ظَلَمْ

وَمَنْ يُشابِهُ أَبَهُ فَما ظَلَمْ

ʿAdī followed his father's example in generosity,

The noble man emulated his father in generosity,

and whoever resembles his father has done no wrong.

He who resembles his father cannot be blamed.