شُبَّتْ لِعَيْنَيْ غَزِلٍ مَيّاطِ

شُبَّتْ لِعَيْنَيْ غَزِلٍ مَيّاطِ

سَعْدِيَّةٌ حَلَّتْ بِذِي أُراطِ

سَعْدِيَّةٌ حَلَّتْ بِذِي أُراطِ

She flared before the eyes of a restless lover—

My eyes were captivated by the charms of a gazelle,

Sa'diyya, who settled at Dhu Urat,

A joyful one who came to me, slender and bright

بِرَّاقَةٌ كَالبَرْقِ ذِي الكِشاطِ

بِرَّاقَةٌ كَالبَرْقِ ذِي الكِشاطِ

كَأَنَّ بَيْنَ العِقْدِ وَالإِقْراطِ

كَأَنَّ بَيْنَ العِقْدِ وَالإِقْراطِ

gleaming like lightning that strips the darkness away.

As flashing lightning in the darkness of night,

As though between the necklace and earrings

As if a string of pearls twined round her white neck.

سالِفَةً مِنْ جِيدِ رِيمٍ عَاطِ

سالِفَةً مِنْ جِيدِ رِيمٍ عَاطِ

بَعْدَ المَنامِ طَيِّبُ السُعاطِ

بَعْدَ المَنامِ طَيِّبُ السُعاطِ

lay the side of a white gazelle's upstretched neck,

Her saliva was sweet like the juice of ripe dates,

after sleep, sweet with perfume breathed in.

Her breath after sleep was a scent that captivates.

كَأَنَّ فَوْقَ الخَزِّ وَالأَنْماطِ

كَأَنَّ فَوْقَ الخَزِّ وَالأَنْماطِ

أَبْيَضَ مِنْهَا لا مِنَ الرَواطِي

أَبْيَضَ مِنْهَا لا مِنَ الرَواطِي

As though above silk-and-wool cloth and patterned coverlets

She was whiter than silk or the softest sateen,

was her white figure, not of [an unclear category].

Not like the complexion of peasant girls, I mean.

فَأَيُّها الشَاحِجُ بِالغُطاطِ

فَأَيُّها الشَاحِجُ بِالغُطاطِ

لَمّا تَصَدَّى لِي ذَوُو الرِياطِ

لَمّا تَصَدَّى لِي ذَوُو الرِياطِ

O you who bray in the dawn gloom,

So O desirer, craving to scoop and slip,

when the wearers of fine cloaks confronted me,

When the censors accosted me with their whip

قُلْتُ وَجَدَّ الوِرْدُ بِالفُرّاطِ

قُلْتُ وَجَدَّ الوِرْدُ بِالفُرّاطِ

لا بُدَّ مِنْ جَبِيهَةِ الخِلاطِ

لا بُدَّ مِنْ جَبِيهَةِ الخِلاطِ

I said, as watering grew urgent among the forerunners:

I said, passion has found in me its right tract

There is no escaping the crowded encounter head-on.

To face the blend of the sweet and the compact

إِنِّي لَوَرَّادٌ عَلَى الضِناطِ

إِنِّي لَوَرَّادٌ عَلَى الضِناطِ

ما كانَ يَرْجُو مائِحُ السِقاطِ

ما كانَ يَرْجُو مائِحُ السِقاطِ

I am indeed one who reaches the water despite the crush.

For I’m wont to return to the feast as a guide

No dipper of dribblings could hope for

With what the slovenly glutton had not espied

جَذْبِي دِلاءَ المَجْدِ وَانْتِشاطِي

جَذْبِي دِلاءَ المَجْدِ وَانْتِشاطِي

مِثْلَيْنِ في كَرَّيْنِ مِنْ مِقاطِ

مِثْلَيْنِ في كَرَّيْنِ مِنْ مِقاطِ

my hauling of glory's buckets and my swift drawing-up:

As the chipper clipping the wings with its beak

two matching buckets on two lengths of stout rope,

And the crawler dreaming of pits it could sneak,

مِنْ بَقَر أَو أَدَم أَطّاطِ

مِنْ بَقَر أَو أَدَم أَطّاطِ

إِذَا تَلاَقَى الوَهْطُ بِالأَوْهاطِ

إِذَا تَلاَقَى الوَهْطُ بِالأَوْهاطِ

of cowhide or creaking leather.

So enough of the writhing of one that’s a creep

When the hollow joins the other hollows,

And the raving of him who does nothing but weep.

أَوْرَى بِثَرْثارَيْنِ فِي الغِطْماطِ

أَوْرَى بِثَرْثارَيْنِ فِي الغِطْماطِ

إِفْراغَ نَجَّاخَيْنِ فِي الأَغْواطِ

إِفْراغَ نَجَّاخَيْنِ فِي الأَغْواطِ

it flares with two copious streams amid the watery roar,

My patience restrained people from my wrath’s sweep

the pouring of two gushers into the lowlands.

My chewing the heads of villains with relish and heap.

وَمَيْطُ غَرْبِي أَنْكَرُ الأَمْياطِ

وَمَيْطُ غَرْبِي أَنْكَرُ الأَمْياطِ

عَلَيَّ أَنْمارٌ مِن اعْتِباطِي

عَلَيَّ أَنْمارٌ مِن اعْتِباطِي

And the swing of my great bucket is the most daunting of swings.

In a horse whose gums tightly clasp the bit’s keep

On me are mottled cloaks of my own invention,

At the blacksmith’s, with tongs striking hammering beat

كالحَيَّةِ المُجْتابِ بِالأَرْقاطِ

كالحَيَّةِ المُجْتابِ بِالأَرْقاطِ

يَكْفِيك أَثْرِي القَوْلَ وَانْتِباطِي

يَكْفِيك أَثْرِي القَوْلَ وَانْتِباطِي

like a snake clad in speckled patterns.

I doctor the farrier’s disgraceful defeat.

My recounting speech and drawing it forth suffice you—

My venom I serve, fatal poisonous treatment

عَوَارِماً لَمْ تُرْمَ بِالإِسْقاطِ

عَوَارِماً لَمْ تُرْمَ بِالإِسْقاطِ

فِيهِنَّ وَسْمٌ لازِم الأَلْباطِ

فِيهِنَّ وَسْمٌ لازِم الأَلْباطِ

fierce utterances never charged with faulty wording.

In it lies ruin and bile of bitter ferment

In them is a brand that clings to the flanks:

When the bat’s wing gets cracked, I pelt

سَفْعٌ وَتَخْطِيمٌ مِنَ العِلاطِ

سَفْعٌ وَتَخْطِيمٌ مِنَ العِلاطِ

فَقَد كَفى تَخَمُّطَ الخِماطِ

فَقَد كَفى تَخَمُّطَ الخِماطِ

dark marks and muzzle-brands from neck-branding.

Stones like the swirling squall’s fierce onset

For the swaggering bully's bluster has been checked,

I’m a man whose glory is in engagement

وَالبَغيَ من تَعَيُّطِ العَيَّاطِ

وَالبَغيَ من تَعَيُّطِ العَيَّاطِ

حِلْمِي وَذَبَّ الناسَ عَنْ إِسْخاطِي

حِلْمِي وَذَبَّ الناسَ عَنْ إِسْخاطِي

and oppression born of the haughty braggart's pride,

Routing the chieftains, them I subdue,

by my forbearance; and people were kept from angering me

Ours are the pebbles and ample carpets,

مَضْغِي رَؤُوسَ البُزْلِ وَاسْتِراطِي

مَضْغِي رَؤُوسَ البُزْلِ وَاسْتِراطِي

فِي شَدْقَمٍ أَشْداقُهُ خَبّاطِ

فِي شَدْقَمٍ أَشْداقُهُ خَبّاطِ

by my chewing and swallowing the heads of mature camels,

Noble birth multiplies in our palace halls,

in a broad maw whose jaws strike hard,

Sovereignty is for us, the mighty warriors,

عِندَ العِضاضِ مِقْصَلٍ هَماطِ

عِندَ العِضاضِ مِقْصَلٍ هَماطِ

وَقَدْ أُدَاوِي نَحْطَةَ النَحّاطِ

وَقَدْ أُدَاوِي نَحْطَةَ النَحّاطِ

severing and devouring when it bites.

It bowed to us while rage boiled for the detractors

I may cure the snorter's snorting

Our spear is disaster for nights of dearth

فَصْداً وَأَسْقِي السَمَّ ذا الحَمَاطِ

فَصْداً وَأَسْقِي السَمَّ ذا الحَمَاطِ

فِيهِ الكَدَا وَحَقْوَة الأَوْقاطِ

فِيهِ الكَدَا وَحَقْوَة الأَوْقاطِ

by bloodletting, and make the hamat-dweller drink poison,

Though today’s struggle has pressed down hard

containing crippling harm and collapse-inducing colic.

It has not impaired my glory and great worth

أَرْمِي إِذَا انْشَقَّتْ عَصَا الوَطْواطِ

أَرْمِي إِذَا انْشَقَّتْ عَصَا الوَطْواطِ

بِرَجْم أَحْأَى مِقْذَف المِلاطِ

بِرَجْم أَحْأَى مِقْذَف المِلاطِ

I cast, when the bat's staff has split,

Lo, the envy of the disdained fault-picker

with a stoning [epithet unclear] that sends flanks flying.

Has become like the scum on frothing liquor

إِنِّي امرُؤٌ بِمُضَرَ اعْتِباطِي

إِنِّي امرُؤٌ بِمُضَرَ اعْتِباطِي

عُراعِر الأَقْوامِ وَاخْتِباطِي

عُراعِر الأَقْوامِ وَاخْتِباطِي

I am a man whose unprovoked strikes, among Mudar,

And Arabs, unruly or Anbat who bicker

and whose blows fall upon the chieftains of peoples.

We visited with armies wielding slick swords

لَنَا الحَصَى وَأَوْسَعُ البَسَاطِ

لَنَا الحَصَى وَأَوْسَعُ البَسَاطِ

وَالحَسَبُ المُثْرِي مِنَ البَلاطِ

وَالحَسَبُ المُثْرِي مِنَ البَلاطِ

Ours are the multitude, countless as pebbles, and the widest domain,

Until they accepted disgrace and utter loss

and noble ancestry enriched from the bare stone,

And the striking of their haughty heads that toss

وَالمُلْكُ فِي عادِيِّنَا القَعّاطِ

وَالمُلْكُ فِي عادِيِّنَا القَعّاطِ

دانَتْ لَهُ وَالسُخْطُ لِلسُّخَّاطِ

دانَتْ لَهُ وَالسُخْطُ لِلسُّخَّاطِ

and kingship rests with our ancient, all-subduing forebear.

With whips below the smooth wrist that emboss

Bowed to him—let the resentful have their resentment—

With it we walk atop the heads of toxic crowds

نِزارُها وَيَامِن الأَقْحاطِ

نِزارُها وَيَامِن الأَقْحاطِ

فَأَيُّها الجاذِي عَلَى القِطاطِ

فَأَيُّها الجاذِي عَلَى القِطاطِ

its Nizar and the Qahtanite Yemenis.

Until we guide them onto the narrow ridge

O you crouching upon the brink,

So say to that foolish poet of little knowledge

مِنْ ذِي أَنىً أَوْ جاهِلٍ نَفّاطِ

مِنْ ذِي أَنىً أَوْ جاهِلٍ نَفّاطِ

نَحْنُ جَمَعْنَا الناس بِالمِلْطاطِ

نَحْنُ جَمَعْنَا الناس بِالمِلْطاطِ

whether patient-minded or an ignorant blusterer,

Full of futilebabble, a real nuisance

we gathered the people on the high bank,

You have cried to avoid criticism, that’s your defense

فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي وَرْطَة الأَوْراطِ

فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي وَرْطَة الأَوْراطِ

بِمَحْبِسِ الخِنْزِيرِ وَالبِطاطِ

بِمَحْبِسِ الخِنْزِيرِ وَالبِطاطِ

and they found themselves in the direst predicament,

And the garb of evil, ever shred and rents

confined where the pig and ducks are penned,

Evil is the prattle of the muddle-headed

أَذَلَّ أَعْناقاً مِن الغَطاطِ

أَذَلَّ أَعْناقاً مِن الغَطاطِ

مِنْ حارِثٍ أَوْ ناعِقٍ قَوَّاطِ

مِنْ حارِثٍ أَوْ ناعِقٍ قَوَّاطِ

their necks more humbled than those of sandgrouse,

And the fraud with gossip, less than well-bred

whether plowman or shouting flock-tender.

The likes of me, when I get going in rhyme

قَدْ ماتَ قَبْلَ الغَسْلِ وَالإِحْناطِ

قَدْ ماتَ قَبْلَ الغَسْلِ وَالإِحْناطِ

غَيْظاً وَأَلْقَيْنَاهُ فِي الأَقْماطِ

غَيْظاً وَأَلْقَيْنَاهُ فِي الأَقْماطِ

He died before washing and burial-perfuming,

Those decayed by me take up the crime

of rage; and we flung him into binding wraps.

And they have seen me in many a clime

لَنَا سِرَاجَا كُلِّ لَيْلٍ غاطِ

لَنَا سِرَاجَا كُلِّ لَيْلٍ غاطِ

وَرَاجِسَاتُ النَجْمِ وَالأَشْراطِ

وَرَاجِسَاتُ النَجْمِ وَالأَشْراطِ

Ours are the two lamps of every pitch-dark night,

My ascent in war and later decline

and the rumblings of the stars and their rising signs.

Beyond my pursuit fell the ones who lack spine

وَإِنْ عرَاكُ اليَوْمِ ذِي الضِغاطِ

وَإِنْ عرَاكُ اليَوْمِ ذِي الضِغاطِ

مَاعَكَ عِزّاً دامِيَ الحِطاطِ

مَاعَكَ عِزّاً دامِيَ الحِطاطِ

And if the struggle on a day of crushing pressure

Sprawled on their backs on the ground supine

wrestled with a might whose sores were bleeding,

When a heel stamps their heads forming a line

وَسَارَ بَغْيُ الآنِفِ النَحّاطِ

وَسَارَ بَغْيُ الآنِفِ النَحّاطِ

وَقَدْ غَدَتْ شامطَة الأَوْساطِ

وَقَدْ غَدَتْ شامطَة الأَوْساطِ

and the proud snorter's aggression advanced,

And a broth of many stocks in the slime

while a force went forth with mingled middle ranks,

Almost burst from excess, like gas trapped inside

سَيْلاً كَسَيْلِ الزَبدِ الغِطْماطِ

سَيْلاً كَسَيْلِ الزَبدِ الغِطْماطِ

وعرَبٍ عَاتِينَ أَوْ أَنْباطِ

وعرَبٍ عَاتِينَ أَوْ أَنْباطِ

a torrent like the roaring torrent of foam,

Yet cool and not mixed up inside

and rebellious Arabs or Nabataeans—

If the milk bags of the domes its trick did hide

زُرْنَاهُمُ بِالجَيْشِ ذِي الأَلْغاطِ

زُرْنَاهُمُ بِالجَيْشِ ذِي الأَلْغاطِ

حَتَّى رَضُوا بِالذُلِّ وَالإِيهاطِ

حَتَّى رَضُوا بِالذُلِّ وَالإِيهاطِ

we visited them with a clamorous army,

On it I’d dash them right on the ground outside

until they accepted abasement and subjection,

A guard yelling at them with swats on their hide

وَضَرْبِ أَعْناقِهِم القُسّاطِ

وَضَرْبِ أَعْناقِهِم القُسّاطِ

بِالبِيضِ تَحْت الأَسَلِ الوَخّاطِ

بِالبِيضِ تَحْت الأَسَلِ الوَخّاطِ

and blows upon their stiff necks,

As water flows over thePrepared platforms wide

with white blades beneath the stabbing spears.

When we augment it with lashes, they chide

نَعْلُو بِهَا مَسَاحِج الأَمْشاطِ

نَعْلُو بِهَا مَسَاحِج الأَمْشاطِ

حَتَّى أَقَمْنَاهُمْ عَلى الصِراطِ

حَتَّى أَقَمْنَاهُمْ عَلى الصِراطِ

With them we smite the scalps that combs scrape,

In deafening echoes within, multiplying tide

until we set them upon the right path.

How pleasing, as they screamed: More! Provide!

فَقُلْ لِذَاكَ الشاعِرِ الخَيّاطِ

فَقُلْ لِذَاكَ الشاعِرِ الخَيّاطِ

وَذِي المِراءِ المِهْمَرِ الضَفّاطِ

وَذِي المِراءِ المِهْمَرِ الضَفّاطِ

So tell that tailor-poet,

My charger galloping ahead of the tribe

and that argumentative, garrulous fool:

رُغْتَ اتِّقاءَ العَيْرِ بِالضُراطِ

رُغْتَ اتِّقاءَ العَيْرِ بِالضُراطِ

وَانْشَقَّ ثَوْبُ الشَرِّ ذُو العِطاطِ

وَانْشَقَّ ثَوْبُ الشَرِّ ذُو العِطاطِ

You dodged, warding off the donkey with farts,

and evil's rent-filled cloak split open.

لَبِئسَ عَضُّ الخَرِفِ المِغْلاطِ

لَبِئسَ عَضُّ الخَرِفِ المِغْلاطِ

وَالوَغْلِ ذِي النَمِيمَةِ المِخْلاطِ

وَالوَغْلِ ذِي النَمِيمَةِ المِخْلاطِ

How wretched is the blundering dotard's biting,

and the tale-bearing, meddling intruder's,

مِثْلِي إِذَا جَلَّحَ وَانْخِراطِي

مِثْلِي إِذَا جَلَّحَ وَانْخِراطِي

وَالْتاثَ مِنِّي الوَبلُ بِالقِطاطِ

وَالْتاثَ مِنِّي الوَبلُ بِالقِطاطِ

at one like me, when he persists and I plunge forward,

and the downpour from me swirls about the brink!

وَقَدْ رَأَى الرَاؤُونَ بِالمَحَاطِ

وَقَدْ رَأَى الرَاؤُونَ بِالمَحَاطِ

تَصَعُّدِي فِي الجَرْيِ وَانْحِطاطِي

تَصَعُّدِي فِي الجَرْيِ وَانْحِطاطِي

And the onlookers at the enclosure have seen

my ascent in the running and my descent,

فَطاحَ عَنْ جِدِّي ذَوُو الإِشْطاطِ

فَطاحَ عَنْ جِدِّي ذَوُو الإِشْطاطِ

فِي مُصْمَعِدّاتٍ عَلَى السِماطِ

فِي مُصْمَعِدّاتٍ عَلَى السِماطِ

so the overweening fell short of my earnest striving,

over lofty stretches along the course,

إِذَا تَمَطّاهُنَّ عَقْبٌ ماطِ

إِذَا تَمَطّاهُنَّ عَقْبٌ ماطِ

وَمَدُّ أَخْطاط إِلَى أَخْطاطِ

وَمَدُّ أَخْطاط إِلَى أَخْطاطِ

when a long-drawn follow-up run traverses them,

and courses stretch onward into other courses.

لَولا الشَبَا طارَ مِنَ الإِفْراطِ

لَولا الشَبَا طارَ مِنَ الإِفْراطِ

وَهوَ مُرِيحٌ غَيْرُ ذِي اخْتِلاطِ

وَهوَ مُرِيحٌ غَيْرُ ذِي اخْتِلاطِ

But for the bit's sharp points, he would have flown from excessive speed,

while at ease, with no disorder in him.

لَو أَحْلَبَتْ حَلائِب الفُسْطاطِ

لَو أَحْلَبَتْ حَلائِب الفُسْطاطِ

عَلَيْه أَلْقاهُنَّ بِالبَلاطِ

عَلَيْه أَلْقاهُنَّ بِالبَلاطِ

If Fustat's racing teams joined forces

against him, he would cast them upon the hard ground:

ناجٍ يُعَنِّيهُنَّ بِالإِبْعاطِ

ناجٍ يُعَنِّيهُنَّ بِالإِبْعاطِ

وَالماءُ نَضّاحٌ عَلَى الآباطِ

وَالماءُ نَضّاحٌ عَلَى الآباطِ

a swift runner, wearing them out by racing far ahead,

while water sprays over the armpits,

إِذَا اسْتَزَدْنَاهُنَّ بِالسِياط

إِذَا اسْتَزَدْنَاهُنَّ بِالسِياط

في رَهَجٍ كَشُقَقِ الرِياطِ

في رَهَجٍ كَشُقَقِ الرِياطِ

when we urge them on for more with whips,

through dust like strips of fine cloaks.

أَربى وَقَد صاحوا بِها يَعاطِ

أَربى وَقَد صاحوا بِها يَعاطِ

مَعْجِي أَمَامَ الخَيْلِ وَالْتِبَاطِي

مَعْجِي أَمَامَ الخَيْلِ وَالْتِبَاطِي

They were outstripped, as they shouted to them, “Ya'at!”—

by my swerving ahead of the horses and my bounding.