أهاجَكَ ذكرٌ منهمُ ووساوسُ

أهاجَكَ ذكرٌ منهمُ ووساوسُ

وَقد نَزَحَتْ بِيدٌ بهمْ وبسابِسُ

وَقد نَزَحَتْ بِيدٌ بهمْ وبسابِسُ

Did remembrance of them and whispering thoughts stir you,

The memory of them stirred you, and fantasies,

though deserts and barren wastes have borne them far away?

Though a hand has been removed from them and from fetters,

وَما رحلوا إلّا وَحَشْو حُدوجهمْ

وَما رحلوا إلّا وَحَشْو حُدوجهمْ

شموسٌ لرُوّادِ الهوى ومقابِسُ

شموسٌ لرُوّادِ الهوى ومقابِسُ

They departed only with their camel litters filled with

They did not depart except while their hearts

suns and beacons for the seekers of love.

Were suns for the visitors of love and keys,

كأنّ قطينَ الحيِّ لمّا تحمّلوا

كأنّ قطينَ الحيِّ لمّا تحمّلوا

جميعاً ضُحىً جُنحٌ من اللّيل دامسُ

جميعاً ضُحىً جُنحٌ من اللّيل دامسُ

As though the camp's dwellers, when they departed

As if the tribe of the living, when they bore

all together at midmorning, were a pitch-dark stretch of night,

Altogether the forenoon, were wings of night advancing,

أو الصَّخرُ من أعلامِ ثَهْلانَ زائلاً

أو الصَّخرُ من أعلامِ ثَهْلانَ زائلاً

أو الدَّوْحُ دوحُ الغابة المُتكاوسُ

أو الدَّوْحُ دوحُ الغابة المُتكاوسُ

or rock from Thahlan's peaks moving away,

Or the rock of the signs of terrified Thahlan, vanishing,

or great trees—the forest's densely tangled trees.

Or the howdah, howdah of the close-packed forest.

فجادَ ديارَ العامريّةِ وابلٌ

فجادَ ديارَ العامريّةِ وابلٌ

وعادَ ديارَ العامريّةِ راجِسُ

وعادَ ديارَ العامريّةِ راجِسُ

May a downpour drench al-Amiriyya's dwellings,

So it rained upon the dwellings of Al-'Amiriyya,

and a thundering cloud revisit al-Amiriyya's dwellings;

And the dwellings of Al-'Amiriyya returned dry,

ولا دَرَستْ تلك الرّسومَ مُلِمّةٌ

ولا دَرَستْ تلك الرّسومَ مُلِمّةٌ

ولا رَمَسَتْ تلكَ الطّلولَ الروّامسُ

ولا رَمَسَتْ تلكَ الطّلولَ الروّامسُ

may no calamity efface those traces,

Those traces were not erased by any eraser,

nor burying winds entomb those ruins.

Nor were those graceful necks caressed by any intimate friend.

فَقد طالَما قضَّيتُ مأْرَبَةَ الصِّبا

فَقد طالَما قضَّيتُ مأْرَبَةَ الصِّبا

بهنَّ ونُدماني الظّباءُ الأوانسُ

بهنَّ ونُدماني الظّباءُ الأوانسُ

For often I fulfilled the desire of youth

Long indeed I spent the battle of youth among them,

there, with companionable gazelles as my boon companions,

While the gazelles, my boon companions, kept me company,

وبيضٍ لبسنَ الحسنَ عن كلٍِّ مَلْبَسٍ

وبيضٍ لبسنَ الحسنَ عن كلٍِّ مَلْبَسٍ

فَزانَ لَنا ما لا تزين الملابسُ

فَزانَ لَنا ما لا تزين الملابسُ

and fair women who donned beauty instead of every garment,

In white robes whose beauty adorned over any garment,

so it adorned for us what clothing cannot adorn.

So they made beautiful for us what garments do not beautify.

يُعِرْن الصِّبا مَنْ لم يكن هَمُّهُ الصِّبا

يُعِرْن الصِّبا مَنْ لم يكن هَمُّهُ الصِّبا

فيطمع فيه كلُّ من هو آيسُ

فيطمع فيه كلُّ من هو آيسُ

They lend youth to one whose thoughts were not of youth,

They revealed youth to him whose only care was not youth,

so everyone despairing comes to hope for it.

That every despairing man might covet it.

وَساقَطن عَذباً من حديثٍ كَأنّهُ

وَساقَطن عَذباً من حديثٍ كَأنّهُ

نسيمُ رياضٍ آخرَ اللّيل ناعسُ

نسيمُ رياضٍ آخرَ اللّيل ناعسُ

They let fall sweet words, as though their speech were

And they spoke gently with a conversation as though it were

a drowsy breeze through gardens at night's end.

A breeze from gardens at the dead of night drowsing.

وَلَمّا اِلتَقينا وَالرّقيبُ على الهوى

وَلَمّا اِلتَقينا وَالرّقيبُ على الهوى

يُخالِسنا من لحظِهِ ونخالسُ

يُخالِسنا من لحظِهِ ونخالسُ

And when we met, with the watcher over love

When we met, while the censor pried on love,

stealing glances at us, while we stole glances too,

Outwitting him by our glances and evading him by stealth,

أريْنَ وجوهاً للجمال كأنّها

أريْنَ وجوهاً للجمال كأنّها

نُصولٌ جَلَتْها للقُيونِ المداوسُ

نُصولٌ جَلَتْها للقُيونِ المداوسُ

they showed faces of beauty, as though they were

They showed faces whose beauty was as though

blades that polishing files had burnished for the smiths.

They were sculpture done by the smoothing hands of Time.

فهنّ كمالاً ما لهنَّ صواحبٌ

فهنّ كمالاً ما لهنَّ صواحبٌ

وهنّ عَفافاً ما لهنَّ حوارسُ

وهنّ عَفافاً ما لهنَّ حوارسُ

In their perfection they have no peers,

In perfection they have no match,

and their chastity needs no guards.

In chastity no guard to watch over them.

حَلفتُ بِمَن طافَ الحجيجُ ببيتِهِ

حَلفتُ بِمَن طافَ الحجيجُ ببيتِهِ

ومن هو للرّكنِ اليمانِيِّ لامسُ

ومن هو للرّكنِ اليمانِيِّ لامسُ

I swore by Him whose House the pilgrims circled,

I swear by Him whom the pilgrims circumambulate His House,

and whoever touches the Yemeni Corner,

And whom the Corner of Yemen touches,

وأيدي المطايا يبتدرْن مغَمِّساً

وأيدي المطايا يبتدرْن مغَمِّساً

وهنّ خميصاتُ البطون خوامِسُ

وهنّ خميصاتُ البطون خوامِسُ

and the forelegs of mounts hastening to Mughammis,

While the water skins anticipate him who comes to draw water

while they were lean-bellied and on their fifth day of thirst.

Morning and evening, and they are shirts concealing the stomach.

طواها السُّرى طيَّ الحريرِ على البِلى

طواها السُّرى طيَّ الحريرِ على البِلى

فهنَّ قِسِيٌّ ما لهنّ معاجِسُ

فهنَّ قِسِيٌّ ما لهنّ معاجِسُ

Night travel folded them as worn silk is folded,

Chance clothed them in silk mantles over effacement,

so they are bows without handgrips.

So they are aloof; they have no conversation.

ومَنْ أمَّ جَمْعاً والمطيُّ لواغبٌ

ومَنْ أمَّ جَمْعاً والمطيُّ لواغبٌ

تماطل مِضْماضَ الكَرى وتماكسُ

تماطل مِضْماضَ الكَرى وتماكسُ

And whoever made for Jamʿ, with the mounts exhausted,

And he who assembles a multitude while the riding beast is refractory

delaying the first taste of sleep and haggling with it,

Fools him with the rinsing of the mouth and fraud.

وَما هَرقوا عند الجمارِ على مِنىً

وَما هَرقوا عند الجمارِ على مِنىً

من الدمِ منه مُستَبِلٌّ وجامِسُ

من الدمِ منه مُستَبِلٌّ وجامِسُ

and what they spilled beside the stone-heaps at Mina—

They did not flee before the torrents at Minà

blood, some of it still moist, some congealed—

From blood which has a seeker and a concealer.

لقد ولدتْ منّي النساءُ مُشيّعاً

لقد ولدتْ منّي النساءُ مُشيّعاً

له الرَّوْعُ مَغْنىً والحروبُ مجالسُ

له الرَّوْعُ مَغْنىً والحروبُ مجالسُ

women have indeed brought forth in me a dauntless man,

Indeed women were born of me escorting

for whom terror is home, and wars are gathering places.

Raiding, and wars as entertainment for them.

وَقَد جرّبوا أنّي إذا اِحتَدم الوغى

وَقَد جرّبوا أنّي إذا اِحتَدم الوغى

لأَثْوَابِها دون الكتيبة لابسُ

لأَثْوَابِها دون الكتيبة لابسُ

They have learned by trial that, when battle rages,

They have tried me when the din of war grew loud

I don its garments ahead of the battalion,

Wearing no armour save their shifts.

بِضَربٍ كَما اِختارَتْ شِفارُ مَناصِلٍ

بِضَربٍ كَما اِختارَتْ شِفارُ مَناصِلٍ

وطعنٍ كما شاء الكَمِيُّ المداعسُ

وطعنٍ كما شاء الكَمِيُّ المداعسُ

with blows as the edges of swords choose,

With a blow, as the edges of the swords chose,

and thrusts as the armored spear-fighter wills.

And a stab, as the firm-handed lancer desired.

تطامَنَ عنِّي كلُّ ذي خُنْزوانَةٍ

تطامَنَ عنِّي كلُّ ذي خُنْزوانَةٍ

وغَمّض دوني الأبلجُ المتشاوسُ

وغَمّض دوني الأبلجُ المتشاوسُ

Every proud man has bowed low before me,

Every one who has a purse turned from me

and the bright-browed, haughty man closed his eyes before me.

And the shining one winked at me from afar.

فلم يُرَ لِي لمّا سمقتُ مُطاوِلٌ

فلم يُرَ لِي لمّا سمقتُ مُطاوِلٌ

ولم يبقَ لِي لمّا سبقتُ منافِسُ

ولم يبقَ لِي لمّا سبقتُ منافِسُ

So when I towered, no one was seen matching my height,

So when I attacked none was found to be my rival,

and when I took the lead, no competitor remained.

And when I surpassed none was left as my competitor.

وَذلّلتُها هَوجاءَ سامية القرا

وَذلّلتُها هَوجاءَ سامية القرا

وما كلُّ روّاضٍ تطيعُ الشوامِسُ

وما كلُّ روّاضٍ تطيعُ الشوامِسُ

And I tamed her, headstrong and high-backed,

I made them submissive, arrogant, lofty ladies,

and not every trainer is obeyed by unruly mounts.

Yet not every trainer can control spirited horses.

فَقُل للّذي يَبغي الفَخارَ وَدونَهُ

فَقُل للّذي يَبغي الفَخارَ وَدونَهُ

مَفاوزُ لا تَسطيعهنَّ العَرامِسُ

مَفاوزُ لا تَسطيعهنَّ العَرامِسُ

So tell the one who seeks glory, though before it lie

Say to him who aspires to glory but beneath him

deserts that even mighty she-camels cannot cross:

Are desolate wastes which the noble ladies cannot traverse−

قَعدتَ عنِ الحُسنى وغيرُك قائمٌ

قَعدتَ عنِ الحُسنى وغيرُك قائمٌ

وقمتَ إلى السوأى وغيرُك جالسُ

وقمتَ إلى السوأى وغيرُك جالسُ

You sat back from goodness while others stood,

'You fall short of fair deeds and others stand,

and rose for evil while others sat.

You rise to foul deeds and others remain seated.'

وَرُمتَ الّذي لَم تسعَ يوماً بطُرْقِهِ

وَرُمتَ الّذي لَم تسعَ يوماً بطُرْقِهِ

ونَيْلَ الجَنَى عفواً وما أنتَ غارسُ

ونَيْلَ الجَنَى عفواً وما أنتَ غارسُ

You sought what you had never once pursued along its paths,

And you throw at him whom your roads one day cannot contain

and to gain fruit effortlessly, though you are no planter.

The attainment of spoils freely gained without your being a planter.

وإنّي ببرْحِ الأمر في القوِم ناهضٌ

وإنّي ببرْحِ الأمر في القوِم ناهضٌ

وأنتَ عن الأمر المُبرِّحِ خانِسُ

وأنتَ عن الأمر المُبرِّحِ خانِسُ

And I rise among the people to bear the hardship of affairs,

Indeed I in the affair of the people stand up to act

while you shrink from the grueling task.

While you from the affair of standing up to act play truant.

ولِي النظَرُ السّامي إلى كلّ ذِرْوَةٍ

ولِي النظَرُ السّامي إلى كلّ ذِرْوَةٍ

فكيف تساميني العيونُ النّواكسُ

فكيف تساميني العيونُ النّواكسُ

My gaze aspires to every summit;

My regard rising to every lofty peak,

so how can downcast eyes rival my height?

How then can ogling eyes make me haughty?

تَرومونَ أَن تعلوا وأنتمْ أسافلٌ

تَرومونَ أَن تعلوا وأنتمْ أسافلٌ

وأن تُشرقوا فينا وأنتم حنادسُ

وأن تُشرقوا فينا وأنتم حنادسُ

You seek to rise high, though you are lowly,

You wish to rise up while you are the lowliest

and to shine among us, though you are utter darkness.

And to shine among us while you are extinct coals.

نَهسْتُمْ لَعَمْرِي مَرْوَتي جهلةً بها

نَهسْتُمْ لَعَمْرِي مَرْوَتي جهلةً بها

فَيا للنُّهى ماذا اِستَفادَ النّواهسُ

فَيا للنُّهى ماذا اِستَفادَ النّواهسُ

You bit my flint, by my life, ignorant of its nature;

By my life you have neighed at my manliness in ignorance of it

then O reason, what did the biters gain?

So curses on neighing! What has the neighing gained for the neighers?

وَكَيفَ عَجَمْتُمْ هاتماً كلَّ عاجمٍ

وَكَيفَ عَجَمْتُمْ هاتماً كلَّ عاجمٍ

ومارستُمُ مَن كَلَّ عنه الممارسُ

ومارستُمُ مَن كَلَّ عنه الممارسُ

And how did you try your teeth on one who breaks every tester's teeth,

How can the stammerers criticize every eloquent man

and contend with one against whom every contender grew weary?

And consort with every man whose power of speech is impaired?

فَما لعجاجِي منكُمُ اليومَ تابعٌ

فَما لعجاجِي منكُمُ اليومَ تابعٌ

وَلا لعُبابي منكُمُ اليومَ قامسُ

وَلا لعُبابي منكُمُ اليومَ قامسُ

Not one of you today can follow my dust-cloud,

None among you today is a follower of my power,

nor can any of you today plunge into my surging flood.

Nor among you today a suppressor of my youthfulness.

فَإِنْ أَنتُمُ أقذيتُمُ صفوَ عيشنا

فَإِنْ أَنتُمُ أقذيتُمُ صفوَ عيشنا

فَقَد رَغِمَتْ آنافكمْ والمعاطسُ

فَقَد رَغِمَتْ آنافكمْ والمعاطسُ

If you have cast grit into the clarity of our life,

If you have soured the choice part of our life for us,

then your noses and nostrils have been rubbed in dust.

Snouts have been rubbed in the dust and the wry-mouths!

وَإنْ جرّ دهرٌ نحوكمْ بعضَ سعدِهِ

وَإنْ جرّ دهرٌ نحوكمْ بعضَ سعدِهِ

فَما أنتُمُ في الدّهرِ إلّا المناحسُ

فَما أنتُمُ في الدّهرِ إلّا المناحسُ

And if time has drawn some of its good fortune toward you,

If Time draws near you a portion of its luck,

then you are nothing in time but ill omens.

You are in Time naught but the unlucky ones.

وَمَن ذا الّذي لَولاي آوى سُروحَكمْ

وَمَن ذا الّذي لَولاي آوى سُروحَكمْ

وأنتمْ لآسادِ الخطوب فرائسُ

وأنتمْ لآسادِ الخطوب فرائسُ

And who, were it not for me, would have sheltered your grazing herds,

Who, had it not been for me, would have given shelter to your dignity

while you were prey for the lions of calamity?

While you are to the misfortunes of war a prey?

وما البِيضُ بيضُ الهند لولا أكفُّها

وما البِيضُ بيضُ الهند لولا أكفُّها

وما الخيلُ يومَ الرَّوْع إلّا الفوارسُ

وما الخيلُ يومَ الرَّوْع إلّا الفوارسُ

And what are bright swords, India's swords, without their wielding hands?

The swords are not sword of India were it not for their blades,

And on the day of terror, horses are nothing but their riders.

And the horses on the day of raid are naught but the horsemen.

وَإنْ أنتَ لم تحرسْكَ نفسُك نَجْدَةً

وَإنْ أنتَ لم تحرسْكَ نفسُك نَجْدَةً

فليس بحامٍ عن جنابك حارسُ

فليس بحامٍ عن جنابك حارسُ

If your own soul does not guard you with valor,

Even if your own self does not guard you, ready to defend,

no guard will defend your side.

There is none to guard your side as a protector.

وما لكَ مِن كلّ الذين تراهُمُ

وما لكَ مِن كلّ الذين تراهُمُ

وَإنْ غضبوا إلّا الطُّلولُ الدّوارسُ

وَإنْ غضبوا إلّا الطُّلولُ الدّوارسُ

And of all those you see, you have nothing

And as for all those whom you see

but effaced ruins, even if they rage.

If they are angry, they are naught but the fickle-minded.