أَرَّقَkept awake عَيْنَيْكَyour two eyes عَنِfrom الغماضِsleep
أَرَّقَ عَيْنَيْكَ عَنِ الغماضِ
بَرْقٌlightning سَرَىtraveled by night فيin عارِضٍa rain cloud نَهّاضِrising high
بَرْقٌ سَرَى في عارِضٍ نَهّاضِ
Your eyes were kept awake, denied sleep,
Your eyes have been deprived of sleep
by lightning coursing by night through a towering cloud,
Lightning flashed in a charming eyelid
غُرِّwhite الذُرَىthe crests ضَوَاحِكِsmiling الإِيماضِlightning flashes
غُرِّ الذُرَى ضَوَاحِكِ الإِيماضِ
يُسْقَىis watered بِهِby it مَدَافِعwatercourses الأَنْواضِal-Anwad
يُسْقَى بِهِ مَدَافِع الأَنْواضِ
white-crested, smiling with flashes;
Pearls of your sparkling smile
by it the watercourses of al-Anwad are watered.
Water the instruments of melodies
أَزْمانَin days when ذاتُshe of الكَفَلِthe rump الرَضْراضِplump and quivering
أَزْمانَ ذاتُ الكَفَلِ الرَضْراضِ
رَقْراقَةُsoftly shimmering فِيin بُدْنِهاher tunic الفَضْفاضِloose-fitting
رَقْراقَةُ فِي بُدْنِها الفَضْفاضِ
In days when she of the plump, quivering rump
Days of curly hair and smooth skin
was softly shimmering in her loose-fitting tunic,
Tinkling in her plump body
بَلْهاءُguileless مِنْfrom تَخَفُّرbashfulness الغِضاضِtender young maidens
بَلْهاءُ مِنْ تَخَفُّر الغِضاضِ
فَلَوْso if رَأَتْshe saw بنْتthe daughter أَبِيof Abu فَضَّاضِFaddad
فَلَوْ رَأَتْ بنْت أَبِي فَضَّاضِ
guileless with the bashfulness of tender maidens.
A simpleton in pretentious clothing
If only the daughter of Abu Faddad could see
If only the daughter of my father saw
شَزْرَthe sidelong glare العِدَىthe enemies مِنْfrom شُنُىءِabhorrence الإِبْغاضِhatred
شَزْرَ العِدَى مِنْ شُنُىءِ الإِبْغاضِ
وَعَجَلِيand my haste بِالقَوْمِwith the company وانقِبَاضِيand my withdrawal
وَعَجَلِي بِالقَوْمِ وانقِبَاضِي
the enemies' sidelong glare, born of rancorous hatred,
The evil of enemies in hatred
and my haste with the company and my withdrawal!
My feet hurry and contract
يُمْسِيreaches evening بِنَاwith us الجِدُّurgency عَلَىin أَوْفاضِhaste
يُمْسِي بِنَا الجِدُّ عَلَى أَوْفاضِ
يقْطَعcuts through أَجْوازَthe interiors الفَلاthe wastes انقِضاضِيmy plunging rush
يقْطَع أَجْوازَ الفَلا انقِضاضِي
Urgency carries us into evening in haste;
The pursuit takes us at night
my plunging rush cuts through the heart of the wastes,
Cutting through the sands billowing
بِالعِيسِon pale camels فَوْقَover الشَرَكِthe tracks الرِفَاضِwidely spreading
بِالعِيسِ فَوْقَ الشَرَكِ الرِفَاضِ
كَأَنَّمَاas though يُنْضَحْنَthey are sprinkled بِالخَضْخاضِwith tar
كَأَنَّمَا يُنْضَحْنَ بِالخَضْخاضِ
on pale camels over the spreading tracks,
As if anointed with oils
as though they were splashed with tar.
Emerging from the darkness of night
يَخْرُجْنَthey emerge مِنfrom أَجْوازِthe depths لَيْلٍa night غاضِdark
يَخْرُجْنَ مِن أَجْوازِ لَيْلٍ غاضِ
نضْوَdrawing forth قِداحِarrow shafts النابِلِthe archer النَواضِيlong and slender
نضْوَ قِداحِ النابِلِ النَواضِي
They emerge from the depths of a dark night
Brimming cups of the flowing wine
as an archer's long shafts are drawn forth.
Casting intoxication and miscarriage
يَطْرَحْنthey cast out أَمْشَاجاًmingled matter مِنfrom الإِجْهاضِmiscarriage
يَطْرَحْن أَمْشَاجاً مِن الإِجْهاضِ
كَمْhow many جاوَزَتْthey passed مِنْof حَيَّةٍa snake نَضْناضِtongue-flickering
كَمْ جاوَزَتْ مِنْ حَيَّةٍ نَضْناضِ
They cast out mingled matter from miscarriages.
Many are the female serpents
How many a tongue-flickering snake they have passed,
Throwing the coils of a creeping viper
تُلْقِيthrows forward ذِراعَيْthe two forelegs كَلْكَلٍa chest عِرْباضِmassive
تُلْقِي ذِراعَيْ كَلْكَلٍ عِرْباضِ
بِلالُBilal ياO ابْنَson الحَسَبancestral honor الأَمْحاضِpure and unmixed
بِلالُ يا ابْنَ الحَسَب الأَمْحاضِ
throwing forward the forelegs of a massive chest!
Bilal, o son of noble lineage
Bilal, O son of unalloyed ancestral honor—
And a lion in ferocious attack
وَأَسَدٍand a lion فِيin غِيلِهِhis thicket قَضْقَاضِbone-crushing
وَأَسَدٍ فِي غِيلِهِ قَضْقَاضِ
لَيْثٍa lion عَلَىupon أَقْرَانِهِhis rivals رَبَّاضِcrouching
لَيْثٍ عَلَى أَقْرَانِهِ رَبَّاضِ
and a bone-crushing lion within his thicket,
A wolf over its peers
a lion crouching upon his rivals,
Without blemish or gloom
لَيْسَhe is not بِأَدْناسٍof the sullied وَلاnor أَغْماضِthe lowly
لَيْسَ بِأَدْناسٍ وَلا أَغْماضِ
أَنْتَyou امْرُؤٌa man فِيin المجْدِglory ذُوpossessing ارْتِكاضِvigorous striving
أَنْتَ امْرُؤٌ فِي المجْدِ ذُو ارْتِكاضِ
not of the sullied or the lowly.
You are a man of glorious feats
You are a man vigorously striving for glory,
Like the moon dispelling night's darkness
كَالبَدْرِlike the full moon يَجْلُوclears away اللَيْلَthe night بِالبَيَاضِwith whiteness
كَالبَدْرِ يَجْلُو اللَيْلَ بِالبَيَاضِ
نِعْمَexcellent is الفَتَىthe young man وَمَرْغَبُand the desired object المُعْتاضِthe seeker of recompense
نِعْمَ الفَتَى وَمَرْغَبُ المُعْتاضِ
like the full moon clearing night with whiteness.
What a fine young man sought after
An excellent young man, and the hope of the seeker of recompense!
And God rewards debts with loans
وَاللَّهُand God يَجْزِيrepays القَرْضَthe loan بِالإِقْرَاضِwith lending
وَاللَّهُ يَجْزِي القَرْضَ بِالإِقْرَاضِ
وفِتْنَةٍand a turmoil كَالعَنِتِlike an injured bone المُنْهاضِbroken afresh
وفِتْنَةٍ كَالعَنِتِ المُنْهاضِ
And God repays a loan with lending.
An ordeal like severe weakness
And many a turmoil, like an injured bone broken afresh,
In it a cough from diseased lungs
فِيهاin it سُعالٌa cough مِنْfrom طَنَىthe wasting الأَمْراضِdiseases
فِيها سُعالٌ مِنْ طَنَى الأَمْراضِ
تَبْرُقُit flashes بَرْقَthe flashing of العارِضِthe rain cloud النَفَّاضِrain-shedding
تَبْرُقُ بَرْقَ العارِضِ النَفَّاضِ
with a cough born of wasting disease,
Flashing like lightning in bursting clouds
flashing like a cloud that shakes out rain:
Its clutch laid eggs in destruction
أَفْرَخَhatched open قَيْضُthe shell بَيْضِهاits eggs المُنْقَاضِcracked
أَفْرَخَ قَيْضُ بَيْضِها المُنْقَاضِ
عَنْكُمْfrom around you كِراماًnoble men بِالمَكانِin the place الفَاضِيopen
عَنْكُمْ كِراماً بِالمَكانِ الفَاضِي
the cracked shell of its eggs has hatched open,
Nobly, you left the vacant place
revealing you as noble men upon open ground.
And my choking in painful coughs
وَخانِقِيand my strangler مِنْfrom غُصَّةٍa choking lump جَرّاضِgulping with difficulty
وَخانِقِي مِنْ غُصَّةٍ جَرّاضِ
رَاخَيْتُI loosened يَوْمَthe day of النَقْرِtapping وَالإِنْقاضِand clicking
رَاخَيْتُ يَوْمَ النَقْرِ وَالإِنْقاضِ
And my strangler, gulping through a choking fit—
I rested on the day of clawing and tearing
I freed myself on the day of tapping and clicking
Away from it with a reprimand for the transgressor
عَنْهُfrom him بِمِرْدىًwith a heavy club لِلْعِدَىagainst enemies هَضّاضِcrushing
عَنْهُ بِمِرْدىً لِلْعِدَى هَضّاضِ
وَإِنْand if رَأَيْتَyou saw الخَصْمَthe adversary ذاpossessing اعْتِراضِopposition
وَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ الخَصْمَ ذا اعْتِراضِ
from him, with a club that crushes enemies.
And if you see the opponent objecting
And if you see an adversary raising objections,
Deriving from the excretions of bile
وَاشْتَقَّand he drew مِنْfrom لَوَاذِعِstinging pangs الإِمْعاضِresentment
وَاشْتَقَّ مِنْ لَوَاذِعِ الإِمْعاضِ
فَأَنْتَthen you ياO ابْنَson القاضِيَيْنِthe two judges قاضِa judge
فَأَنْتَ يا ابْنَ القاضِيَيْنِ قاضِ
and drawing on the stinging pangs of resentment,
Then you, o son of two judges
then you, son of the two judges, are a judge,
Determined on the established path
مُعْتَزِمٌresolute عَلَىupon الطَرِيقِthe path الماضِيonward
مُعْتَزِمٌ عَلَى الطَرِيقِ الماضِي
بِثَابِتِwith firmly planted النَعْلِthe sandal عَلَىon الدِحاضِslippery ground
بِثَابِتِ النَعْلِ عَلَى الدِحاضِ
resolute upon the onward path,
With firm steps on solid ground
with a sandal firmly planted on slippery ground,
And an unsevered rope
وَمُسْتَمرٍّand tightly twisted حَبْلُهُhis cord نَقّاضِa breaker
وَمُسْتَمرٍّ حَبْلُهُ نَقّاضِ
لِلْخَصْمِagainst the adversary عِنْدَat مَحَكِthe touchstone العِضاضِbiting strife
لِلْخَصْمِ عِنْدَ مَحَكِ العِضاضِ
and, your cord tightly twisted, a breaker
For the opponent at the court of arbitration
of the adversary at the touchstone of biting strife.
You established his cheeks from beating
أَقَمْتَyou set upright صُدغَيْهِhis two temples عَنِaway from الجِياضِevasion
أَقَمْتَ صُدغَيْهِ عَنِ الجِياضِ
بِصائِبَاتِwith unerring words المَنْطِقِspeech النَحَّاضِpiercing
بِصائِبَاتِ المَنْطِقِ النَحَّاضِ
You set his temples upright, preventing evasion,
With precise words of clear speech
with well-aimed words of piercing speech.
He who is defiant, God is pleased
مَنْwhoever يَتَسَخَّطshows displeasure فَالإِلهُthen God راضِis pleased
مَنْ يَتَسَخَّط فَالإِلهُ راضِ
عَنْكَwith you وَمَنءand whoever لَمْnot يَرْضَis pleased فيin مَضْماضِturmoil
عَنْكَ وَمَنء لَمْ يَرْضَ في مَضْماضِ
Whoever is displeased, God is pleased
With you, and whoever was not pleased with your judgment
with you; and whoever is not content, amid turmoil,
Has tasted the kohl of distress
قَدْalready ذاقhas tasted أَكْحَالاًkohl preparations مِنَof المَضَاضِbitter anguish
قَدْ ذاق أَكْحَالاً مِنَ المَضَاضِ
وَمَنْand whoever تَشَكَّىcomplained of مَغْلَةَcolic الإِرْماضِburning
وَمَنْ تَشَكَّى مَغْلَةَ الإِرْماضِ
has tasted kohl-salves of bitter anguish.
And whoever complained of the chains' heaviness
And whoever complained of burning colic,
Or a boil you opened with acid
أَوْor خُلَّةًsweet pasture أَعْرَكْتَyou treated بِالإِحْماضِwith salt-bush feeding
أَوْ خُلَّةً أَعْرَكْتَ بِالإِحْماضِ
ياO ابْنَson قُرُومٍmighty camel sires لَسْنَthey are not بِالأَحْفاضِof the pack camels
يا ابْنَ قُرُومٍ لَسْنَ بِالأَحْفاضِ
or sweet pasture, you treated him with salt-bush feeding.
O son of chiefs, you are no shallow one
O son of mighty sires, not pack camels,
From every unruly, deep, gushing fountain
مِنْfrom كُلِّevery أَجْأَىdusky-red مِعْذَمٍtearing with his teeth عَضّاضِfiercely biting
مِنْ كُلِّ أَجْأَى مِعْذَمٍ عَضّاضِ
قَلْخِharsh and loud الهَدِيرِthe roaring مِرْجَسٍthunderous مَخَّاضِviolently thrashing
قَلْخِ الهَدِيرِ مِرْجَسٍ مَخَّاضِ
from every dark-red, tearing, biting sire,
Muddy torrents from a bursting spring
harsh in his roaring, thunderous and thrashing:
That prevents his cheeks from favors
يَمْنَعُprotects لَحْيَيْهِhis two jaws مِنَfrom الرُوَّاضِthe tamers
يَمْنَعُ لَحْيَيْهِ مِنَ الرُوَّاضِ
خَبْطُthe blow يَدٍa foreleg لَمْnot تُثْنَbe bent بِالإِباضِby a hobble
خَبْطُ يَدٍ لَمْ تُثْنَ بِالإِباضِ
his jaws are guarded from tamers
The flailing of an unretracted hand
by the blow of a foreleg never bent by a hobble,
And the incisors of a grinning cat
وَنَتْرُand wrenching نابَيْthe two fangs مِجْذَبٍa fierce tugger نَفّاضِa violent shaker
وَنَتْرُ نابَيْ مِجْذَبٍ نَفّاضِ
أَنْتyou ابْنُthe son كُلِّevery سَيِّدٍlord فَيَّاضِbountiful
أَنْت ابْنُ كُلِّ سَيِّدٍ فَيَّاضِ
and the wrench of a tugging, shaking sire's twin fangs.
You are the son of every generous master
You are the son of every bountiful lord,
Bounteous, watering the meadows
جَمِّabundant العَطاءgiving مُتْرَعِbrimming الحِياضِthe basins
جَمِّ العَطاء مُتْرَعِ الحِياضِ
يَمُدُّهُreplenishes him فَيْضٌa flood مِنfrom الأَفْياضِthe floods
يَمُدُّهُ فَيْضٌ مِن الأَفْياضِ
lavish in giving, his basins brimming;
With an outpouring from the floods
a flood from many floods replenishes him,
When humbled, the arrogant are not deterred
لَيْسَis not إِذَاwhen خُضْخِضَchurned بِالْمُنْغاضِat all diminished
لَيْسَ إِذَا خُضْخِضَ بِالْمُنْغاضِ
يَجْفِلُsweeps away عَنْهُfrom him عَرْمَضَscum العِرْماضِthe algae
يَجْفِلُ عَنْهُ عَرْمَضَ العِرْماضِ
never diminished when churned,
Nor do the honorable recoil from favors
sweeping the algae-scum away from himself.
I have never recoiled from dignity
ماnot كُنْتُI was مِنْbecause of تَكَرُّمnobility الأَعْراضِhonor
ما كُنْتُ مِنْ تَكَرُّم الأَعْراضِ
وَالخُلُقِand character العَفِّchaste عَنfree of الأَقْضاضِgritty impurities
وَالخُلُقِ العَفِّ عَن الأَقْضاضِ
I never, thanks to noble honor
And a nature that pardons transgressions
and a character chaste and free of grit,
Quenching my thirst at an unwilling spring
تَمْتاحُdraws water دَلوِيmy bucket مُكْرَهَforced البَضَاضِa scant trickle
تَمْتاحُ دَلوِي مُكْرَهَ البَضَاضِ
وَلاnor الجَدَىbounty مِنْfrom مُتْعَبٍan exhausted man حَبَّاضِone who falls short
وَلا الجَدَى مِنْ مُتْعَبٍ حَبَّاضِ
had my bucket draw a grudging trickle,
Nor the one who forcefully demands
nor gifts from a weary giver who falls short,
I am no patcher of torn hopes
وَلاnor قُمَاشَscraps الزَمَعthe riffraff الأَحْراضِworthless
وَلا قُمَاشَ الزَمَع الأَحْراضِ
nor the scraps of worthless riffraff.
Partial English translation: 64 of 65 Arabic lines translated.