أَما تَرى الرَّبع الّذي أَقفرا

أَما تَرى الرَّبع الّذي أَقفرا

عراهُ من ريب البِلى ما عَرا

عراهُ من ريب البِلى ما عَرا

Do you not see the dwelling-site that lies deserted?

Do you not see the place which has become desolate,

Decay's vicissitudes have wrought what they have upon it.

Bared of the delights of life and what adorned it?

لَو لَم أَكن صبّاً لِسكّانهِ

لَو لَم أَكن صبّاً لِسكّانهِ

لم يجر من دمعي له ما جرى

لم يجر من دمعي له ما جرى

Had I not been a passionate lover of its inhabitants,

Had I not been a lover of its inhabitants,

my tears would not have flowed for it as they did.

My tears would not have flowed for it as they did.

رأيتُه بعد تمامٍ له

رأيتُه بعد تمامٍ له

مقلّباً أبطُنَهُ أَظهُرا

مقلّباً أبطُنَهُ أَظهُرا

I saw it after it had been whole,

After its perfection, I saw it

turning its insides into outsides.

Topsy-turvy, its belly its back.

كأنّنِي شكّاً وَعِلماً بهِ

كأنّنِي شكّاً وَعِلماً بهِ

أقرأ من أطلالهِ أسطُرا

أقرأ من أطلالهِ أسطُرا

As though, doubting yet knowing it, I

It was as if, doubtful and knowing it,

read lines from its ruins.

I read its ruins line by line.

وقفتُ فيه أينُقاً ضُمَّراً

وقفتُ فيه أينُقاً ضُمَّراً

شذّب من أوصالهنّ السُّرى

شذّب من أوصالهنّ السُّرى

I halted lean she-camels there,

I stood amidst it, a cloaked spy,

night travel having pared their limbs thin.

Gathering news of their highly esteemed ones.

لي بِأُناس شُغُلٌ عن هوىً

لي بِأُناس شُغُلٌ عن هوىً

ومعشري أبكي لهم معشرا

ومعشري أبكي لهم معشرا

I am absorbed in a people, away from love

I have people whose love distracts me

and my own kin; I weep for them, a whole people.

From weeping for a company I weep for.

أَجِلْ بأرض الطَفّ عينيك ما

أَجِلْ بأرض الطَفّ عينيك ما

بين أناسٍ سُربلوا العِثيَرا

بين أناسٍ سُربلوا العِثيَرا

Let your eyes roam over the land of al-Taff,

In the land of Tufl, turn your eyes, not

among people shrouded in dust.

Amongst people clad in light robes.

حكّم فيهم بغيُ أَعدائِهمْ

حكّم فيهم بغيُ أَعدائِهمْ

عليهم الذُّؤبانَ والأنسُرا

عليهم الذُّؤبانَ والأنسُرا

Their enemies' tyranny gave dominion over them

Judge among them the hyenas and lionesses

to the wolves and the vultures.

To be over them, and the eagles.

تَخال من لألاءِ أَنوارِهمْ

تَخال من لألاءِ أَنوارِهمْ

ليلَ الفيافي لهمُ مقمرا

ليلَ الفيافي لهمُ مقمرا

From the brilliance of their lights you would think

Imagine from the glitter of their lights

the desert night was moonlit for them.

The darkness of night illuminated for them.

صَرعى وَلَكن بَعد أَن صَرّعوا

صَرعى وَلَكن بَعد أَن صَرّعوا

وَقطّروا كلَّ فتىً قَطّرا

وَقطّروا كلَّ فتىً قَطّرا

Slain, but only after they had laid others low,

and felled every young warrior who had felled others.

They were laid low, but only after laying low

لَم يَرتَضوا درعاً ولم يلبسوا

لَم يَرتَضوا درعاً ولم يلبسوا

بِالطّعن إلّا العَلَقَ الأحمرا

بِالطّعن إلّا العَلَقَ الأحمرا

They accepted no armor, and were clothed

And shedding the blood of every warrior drop by drop.

by spear-thrusts in nothing but red, clotted blood.

They did not accept a coat of mail or wear

مِن كُلّ طيّانِ الحشا ضامرٍ

مِن كُلّ طيّانِ الحشا ضامرٍ

يَركَبُ في يومِ الوغى ضُمَّرا

يَركَبُ في يومِ الوغى ضُمَّرا

Each one empty-bellied and lean,

Anything but a red-stained spearhead.

riding lean steeds on the day of battle.

On the day of battle, every horseman

قُل لِبَني حَربٍ وكم قولةٍ

قُل لِبَني حَربٍ وكم قولةٍ

سطّرها في القوم من سطّرا

سطّرها في القوم من سطّرا

Tell the sons of Harb—and many a saying

Of steeds roaming the thickets rides a cloaked horse.

has been penned about that people by a writer—

تِهتُمْ عَنِ الحقِّ كَأنَّ الَّذي

تِهتُمْ عَنِ الحقِّ كَأنَّ الَّذي

أَنذَركم في اللَّهِ ما أَنذرا

أَنذَركم في اللَّهِ ما أَنذرا

You strayed from truth, as though the one

Say to the clan of Harb and their great words

who warned you concerning God had never warned.

They have written among the people from their writers,

كَأنّهُ لم يَقرِكم ضُلَّلاً

كَأنّهُ لم يَقرِكم ضُلَّلاً

عن الهدى القَصْدَ بأمّ القُرى

عن الهدى القَصْدَ بأمّ القُرى

As though he had not nourished you, astray

"Do you disregard the truth as if the one

from guidance, with the straight path in Umm al-Qura.

Who warned you of God's way had not warned?"

وَلا تَدرّعتم بِأَثوابهِ

وَلا تَدرّعتم بِأَثوابهِ

من بعد أن أصبحتُم حُسّرا

من بعد أن أصبحتُم حُسّرا

Nor had you taken his robes as armor

It is as if he did not establish you misguided

after you had become defenseless.

From guidance and the straight path of the Mother of Towns.

وَلا فَريتم أدَماً مرّةً

وَلا فَريتم أدَماً مرّةً

ولم تكونوا قطّ ممّن فرى

ولم تكونوا قطّ ممّن فرى

Nor did you once cut hides,

You did not arm yourselves with his garments

nor were you ever among those who cut them.

After you had worn silks.

وَقُلتُمُ عنصرنا واحدٌ

وَقُلتُمُ عنصرنا واحدٌ

هَيهاتَ لا قربى ولا عنصرا

هَيهاتَ لا قربى ولا عنصرا

And you said, 'Our stock is one.'

You never fled in the heat of battle,

Far from it: no kinship, no common stock!

And were never among those who flee.

ما قدّم الأصلُ اِمرءاً في الورى

ما قدّم الأصلُ اِمرءاً في الورى

أخّره في الفرع ما أخَّرا

أخّره في الفرع ما أخَّرا

No root ever raised a man among humankind

You said our lineage is one -

whom something in the branch had brought low.

Far from it! Neither kinship nor lineage!

وَغرّكم بِالجهلِ إمْهالُكم

وَغرّكم بِالجهلِ إمْهالُكم

وَإنّما اِغترّ الّذي غُرِّرا

وَإنّما اِغترّ الّذي غُرِّرا

Your reprieve deceived you in your ignorance,

What the origin makes a person among mankind,

and only the deceived fall prey to delusion.

Its branch does not delay him what it delayed.

حَلّأْتُمُ بالطفّ قَوماً عن الْ

حَلّأْتُمُ بالطفّ قَوماً عن الْ

ماءِ فحُلّئتُمْ به الكَوثرا

ماءِ فحُلّئتُمْ به الكَوثرا

At al-Taff you barred a people from the

water; for that you were barred from al-Kawthar.

Ignorance in respiting you deceived you.

فَإِنْ لقوا ثَمَّ بكم مُنكَراً

فَإِنْ لقوا ثَمَّ بكم مُنكَراً

فَسوفَ تلقونَ بِهم منكرا

فَسوفَ تلقونَ بِهم منكرا

And if they met with horror there at your hands,

Only the deceived is hoodwinked.

then you will meet with horror on their account,

You diverted a people from the water, so you were given

في ساعَة يحكم في أَمرها

في ساعَة يحكم في أَمرها

جدُّهم العدل كما أُمِّرا

جدُّهم العدل كما أُمِّرا

at an hour when judgment will be passed

Abundant watering to drink from it.

by their just grandfather, as he was commanded.

So if they then face denial by you,

وَكَيفَ بِعتمْ دينَكمْ بالّذي اِس

وَكَيفَ بِعتمْ دينَكمْ بالّذي اِس

تنزره الحازمُ واِستحقرا

تنزره الحازمُ واِستحقرا

And how could you sell your faith for what

Then you will face denial by them.

the prudent man deemed paltry and despised?

At the moment when their grandfather judges,

لَولا الّذي قُدّر مِن أَمركمْ

لَولا الّذي قُدّر مِن أَمركمْ

وَجدتم شأنَكمُ أحقرا

وَجدتم شأنَكمُ أحقرا

Were it not for what was decreed concerning you,

He will judge their matter as he was commanded.

you would have found your standing more contemptible.

How could you sell your religion for that

كانَت منَ الدّهر بكم عثرةٌ

كانَت منَ الدّهر بكم عثرةٌ

لا بدّ للسّابق أن يَعثُرا

لا بدّ للسّابق أن يَعثُرا

It was a stumble of Time in your case;

Which the resolute spurned and deemed paltry?

even the frontrunner is bound to stumble.

Were it not for what was ordained of your matter,

لا تَفخروا قطُّ بِشيءٍ فما

لا تَفخروا قطُّ بِشيءٍ فما

تَركتُمُ فينا لَكم مفخرا

تَركتُمُ فينا لَكم مفخرا

Never boast of anything, for you have not

You would have found your affair even paltry.

left among us any ground for you to boast.

You were a stumbling block from fate,

وَنِلتموها بَيعةً فلتةً

وَنِلتموها بَيعةً فلتةً

حَتّى تَرى العين الّذي قُدِّرا

حَتّى تَرى العين الّذي قُدِّرا

And you gained it through a sudden pledge of allegiance,

Which the early mus

until the eye sees what has been decreed.

كأنّنِي بالخيلِ مثلُ الدّبى

كأنّنِي بالخيلِ مثلُ الدّبى

هَبّتْ بِهِ نَكباؤهُ صَرْصَرا

هَبّتْ بِهِ نَكباؤهُ صَرْصَرا

I seem to see the horses, like young locusts

swept along by a howling crosswind.

وَفوقها كلُّ شديدِ القُوى

وَفوقها كلُّ شديدِ القُوى

تَخالُهُ مِن حَنَقٍ قَسْورا

تَخالُهُ مِن حَنَقٍ قَسْورا

And upon them, each a man of mighty strength;

you would take him, in his fury, for a lion.

لا يُمطرُ السُّمر غداةَ الوغى

لا يُمطرُ السُّمر غداةَ الوغى

إلّا بِرشِّ الدّمِ إنْ أمطرا

إلّا بِرشِّ الدّمِ إنْ أمطرا

He does not shower the tawny spears on battle-morn

except with sprays of blood, if he showers them at all.

فَيَرجعُ الحقّ إلى أهلهِ

فَيَرجعُ الحقّ إلى أهلهِ

ويُقبِلُ الأمر الّذي أَدبرا

ويُقبِلُ الأمر الّذي أَدبرا

So right returns to those to whom it belongs,

and the authority that turned away advances again.

يا حججَ اللَّهِ عَلى خلقهِ

يا حججَ اللَّهِ عَلى خلقهِ

ومَن بهم أبصَرَ من أبصَرا

ومَن بهم أبصَرَ من أبصَرا

O proofs of God to His creatures,

and those through whom all who saw gained sight!

أَنتُمْ عَلى اللَّه نزولٌ وإن

أَنتُمْ عَلى اللَّه نزولٌ وإن

خالَ أُناسٌ أنّكمْ في الثَّرى

خالَ أُناسٌ أنّكمْ في الثَّرى

You are guests of God, though

some have thought you are in the earth.

قَد جَعَل اللَّه إِلَيكمْ كما

قَد جَعَل اللَّه إِلَيكمْ كما

علمتُمُ المبعثَ والمحشرا

علمتُمُ المبعثَ والمحشرا

God has entrusted to you, as

you know, the resurrection and the gathering.

فَإِن يَكُن ذَنبٌ فَقولوا لِمن

فَإِن يَكُن ذَنبٌ فَقولوا لِمن

شَفَّعكمْ في العَفو أن يَغفِرا

شَفَّعكمْ في العَفو أن يَغفِرا

So if there is any sin, ask the One

who accepts your intercession for pardon to forgive.

إِذا تَولّيتُكُمُ صادقاً

إِذا تَولّيتُكُمُ صادقاً

فليس منِّي مُنكَرٌ مُنكِرا

فليس منِّي مُنكَرٌ مُنكِرا

If I am sincerely loyal to you,

no wrongdoing of mine repudiates that loyalty.

نَصَرتُكم قَولاً على أنّنِي

نَصَرتُكم قَولاً على أنّنِي

لآملٌ بالسّيفِ أن أَنصُرا

لآملٌ بالسّيفِ أن أَنصُرا

I have supported you in speech, though I

surely hope to support you with the sword.

وَبَينَ أَضلاعي سرٌّ لَكمْ

وَبَينَ أَضلاعي سرٌّ لَكمْ

حوشِيَ أن يبدو وأن يظهرا

حوشِيَ أن يبدو وأن يظهرا

And between my ribs lies a secret for you,

kept from showing itself and coming to light.

أَنظر وَقتاً قيل لي بُحْ به

أَنظر وَقتاً قيل لي بُحْ به

وحقّ للموعود أن ينظرا

وحقّ للموعود أن ينظرا

I await a time when, I was told, I should reveal it;

and it is fitting for one given a promise to wait.

وَقَد تبصّرتُ وَلكنّني

وَقَد تبصّرتُ وَلكنّني

قد ضقتُ أن أكظم أو أصبرا

قد ضقتُ أن أكظم أو أصبرا

I have indeed reflected; yet I

am too anguished to stifle my grief or endure.

وَأيُّ قَلبٍ حملت حزنكم

وَأيُّ قَلبٍ حملت حزنكم

جوانحٌ منه وما فُطِّرا

جوانحٌ منه وما فُطِّرا

And what heart has borne grief for you

within its ribs without being torn apart?

لا عاشَ مِن بعدكُم عائشٌ

لا عاشَ مِن بعدكُم عائشٌ

فينا ولا عُمِّر من عمَّرا

فينا ولا عُمِّر من عمَّرا

May no one live on after you

among us, nor may anyone who lives on be granted long life.

وَلا اِستقرَّت قَدمٌ بَعدكم

وَلا اِستقرَّت قَدمٌ بَعدكم

قرارةً مبدى ولا محضَرا

قرارةً مبدى ولا محضَرا

And may no foot after you come to rest

firmly, in desert camp or settled town.

وَلا سقَى اللَّهُ لَنا ظامِئاً

وَلا سقَى اللَّهُ لَنا ظامِئاً

من بعد أن جُنِّبتُمُ الأبحرا

من بعد أن جُنِّبتُمُ الأبحرا

And may God give no thirsty person among us drink

after you were kept away from the seas.

وَلا عَلت رَجلٌ وقد زُحزِحت

وَلا عَلت رَجلٌ وقد زُحزِحت

أرجُلُكمْ عن متنهِ مِنبرا

أرجُلُكمْ عن متنهِ مِنبرا

And may no foot mount—now that

your feet have been driven from its surface—a pulpit.