سَأَلتُ الدِيارَ وَأَطلالَها

سَأَلتُ الدِيارَ وَأَطلالَها

وَما إِن تُجاوِبُ سُؤالَها

وَما إِن تُجاوِبُ سُؤالَها

I questioned the dwellings and their ruins,

I questioned the abandoned abodes and their ruins,

Yet they give no answer to the questions put to them.

Yet they offer no answer to the one who asks;

مَنازِلُ قَد أَقفَرَت بَعدَنا

مَنازِلُ قَد أَقفَرَت بَعدَنا

وَجَرَّت بِها الريحُ أَذيالَها

وَجَرَّت بِها الريحُ أَذيالَها

Dwellings that have grown desolate since we left,

Dwellings that have turned desolate since we departed,

And the wind has dragged its skirts through them.

And where the wind has dragged its trailing skirts.

وَصَهباءَ تَعمَلُ في الناظِرَينَ

وَصَهباءَ تَعمَلُ في الناظِرَينَ

شَرِبتُ عَلى الريقِ سَلسالَها

شَرِبتُ عَلى الريقِ سَلسالَها

And tawny wine that works upon the eyes—

And of a golden wine that plays tricks upon the eyes,

I drank its smooth-flowing liquor on an empty stomach.

I drank its pure flow upon an empty stomach;

وَقَد كُنتُ لِلكَأسِ وَالغانِياتِ

وَقَد كُنتُ لِلكَأسِ وَالغانِياتِ

إِذا هَجَرَ القَومُ وَصّالُها

إِذا هَجَرَ القَومُ وَصّالُها

And to the cup and beautiful women I was—

For I have been a companion to the cup and the songstresses,

When others forsook them—their devoted companion.

Maintaining the bond when others shunned it.

وَكَم قَد رَفَعتُ سُتورَ المُلوكِ

وَكَم قَد رَفَعتُ سُتورَ المُلوكِ

وَزاوَلتُ بِالشِعرِ أَزوالَها

وَزاوَلتُ بِالشِعرِ أَزوالَها

And how often I lifted the curtains of kings,

How often have I lifted the veils of kings,

And through poetry engaged the men behind them.

And sought out their noble figures through verse;

وَنِلتُ مَجالِسَ مَشهورَةً

وَنِلتُ مَجالِسَ مَشهورَةً

يُنالُ الكِرامُ بِمَن نالَها

يُنالُ الكِرامُ بِمَن نالَها

And I gained admission to renowned assemblies,

And I attained seats in celebrated assemblies,

Through whose attendees noble men can be reached.

Where the noble are reached by those who join them.

لَقَد جَعَلَ اللَهُ في راحَتَيكَ

لَقَد جَعَلَ اللَهُ في راحَتَيكَ

حَياةَ النُفوسِ وَآجالُها

حَياةَ النُفوسِ وَآجالُها

God has indeed placed in your two palms

God has truly placed within your two palms

The life of souls and their appointed ends.

The life of souls and their appointed terms;

وَجَدناكَ في كُتُبِ الأَوَّلينَ

وَجَدناكَ في كُتُبِ الأَوَّلينَ

مُحيي النُفوسِ وَقِتالَها

مُحيي النُفوسِ وَقِتالَها

We found you in the books of the ancients,

We found you mentioned in the scriptures of the ancients

The giver of life to souls and their slayer.

As the reviver of souls and their slayer.

وَموسى شَبيهُ أَبي جَعفَرٍ

وَموسى شَبيهُ أَبي جَعفَرٍ

وَمُعطي الرَغائِبِ سُؤّالَها

وَمُعطي الرَغائِبِ سُؤّالَها

And Musa resembles Abu Ja'far,

And Musa is the very likeness of Abu Ja'far,

And gives desired gifts to those who ask for them.

Bestowing upon petitioners the boons they ask.

وَلَولا مَكانُكَ مِن بَعدِهِ

وَلَولا مَكانُكَ مِن بَعدِهِ

لِأَنكَرَتِ العوذُ أَطفالَها

لِأَنكَرَتِ العوذُ أَطفالَها

And were it not for your place after him,

And were it not for your presence succeeding him,

The newly calved she-camels would have failed to recognize their young.

Nursing mothers would have disowned their young.