هبّتْ تلومُ على النّدى هندُ

هبّتْ تلومُ على النّدى هندُ

يا هندُ خيرٌ من غِنىً حَمْدُ

يا هندُ خيرٌ من غِنىً حَمْدُ

Hind rose to reproach me for generosity.

My blamer blames me for longing after dew, O Hind!

O Hind, praise is better than wealth.

Seeking praise is better than seeking wealth, O Hind!

الحمدُ يبقى لي وإنْ تَلِفَتْ

الحمدُ يبقى لي وإنْ تَلِفَتْ

نفسِي وفاتَ الأهلُ والوُلْدُ

نفسِي وفاتَ الأهلُ والوُلْدُ

Praise remains mine, even if I lose

Praise remains with me even if

my life, and family and children pass away.

My soul perishes, and family and children are lost,

وَالمالُ تَأكلُهُ النّوائبُ وال

وَالمالُ تَأكلُهُ النّوائبُ وال

أحداثُ حتّى ما لَهُ رَدُّ

أحداثُ حتّى ما لَهُ رَدُّ

Wealth is consumed by calamities and

And wealth is consumed by misfortunes, and

misfortunes, until none of it can be restored.

Events, until nothing remains,

وَيَبيت يحرسُهُ وإن دفعتْ

وَيَبيت يحرسُهُ وإن دفعتْ

عنه الكرامُ الطِّفْلُ والعبْدُ

عنه الكرامُ الطِّفْلُ والعبْدُ

And it is guarded all night—even if defended

And it spends the night being guarded, even if

by noble men—by a child and a slave.

The generous, the child and the servant protect it.

وَالحمدُ لا يَستطيع يأخذهُ

وَالحمدُ لا يَستطيع يأخذهُ

مِنْ راحتيَّ النّاكلُ الوَغْدَ

مِنْ راحتيَّ النّاكلُ الوَغْدَ

But praise cannot be taken

And praise cannot be taken away

from my two palms by the craven scoundrel.

From my comfort by the greedy glutton.

وإذا سريتُ سرى معِي وَضِحاً

وإذا سريتُ سرى معِي وَضِحاً

وهْناً وجُنْحُ اللّيلِ مُسْودُّ

وهْناً وجُنْحُ اللّيلِ مُسْودُّ

When I travel by night, it travels brightly with me,

And when I walk at night, it walks with me clearly,

in the late hours, while night's wing is black.

Gently, while the wing of night is outspread.

يا هِندُ إنّ الدّارَ زائلةٌ

يا هِندُ إنّ الدّارَ زائلةٌ

والقربُ يأتي بعده بُعدُ

والقربُ يأتي بعده بُعدُ

O Hind, this abode will pass away,

O Hind, truly the home is transient,

and closeness is followed by distance.

And nearness comes after it with distance.

عُمْرِي يروح وما أهَبْتُ بهِ

عُمْرِي يروح وما أهَبْتُ بهِ

ذاك الحِمامُ به ولا يَغْدُو

ذاك الحِمامُ به ولا يَغْدُو

My life ebbs away, though I have not summoned

My life passes while I have not gained with it

that death to take it, by evening or by dawn.

Except for that pigeon - it does not return at daybreak -

ما كنتُ بالمنقادِ في يَدِه

ما كنتُ بالمنقادِ في يَدِه

لو كان في أيدِي الرّدى بُدُّ

لو كان في أيدِي الرّدى بُدُّ

I would not be led submissively in its hand,

I was not led by it when it was in the hands of fate.

if there were any escape from death's hands.

And the goal of man's attire is a shroud

وَالمَرءُ غايةُ لِبْسِهِ كَفَنٌ

وَالمَرءُ غايةُ لِبْسِهِ كَفَنٌ

يَبلى وآخِرُ بَيتِهِ اللَّحْدُ

يَبلى وآخِرُ بَيتِهِ اللَّحْدُ

A man's final clothing is a shroud

That wears out, and the last of his homes is the grave.

that decays, and his last home is the grave's niche.

How many a people whose homes were ruined

كَم مَعشَرٍ هُجرتْ ديارُهُمُ

كَم مَعشَرٍ هُجرتْ ديارُهُمُ

بأساً وعرّج عنهُمُ القصدُ

بأساً وعرّج عنهُمُ القصدُ

How many a company has had its homes deserted

By distress, and the straight path deviated from them,

in sorrow, and the course has veered away from them,

Dwelling together in a neglected house,

مُتَجاوِرينَ بدارِ مَضْيَعَةٍ

مُتَجاوِرينَ بدارِ مَضْيَعَةٍ

لا حرَّ عندهُمُ ولا بَرْدُ

لا حرَّ عندهُمُ ولا بَرْدُ

neighbors together in an abode of neglect,

Having neither heat nor cold,

with neither heat nor cold among them.

They did not part except against their will

ما فارَقوا إلّا بِرغمِهُمُ

ما فارَقوا إلّا بِرغمِهُمُ

في النّاسِ مَنْ عَشِقوا ومَنْ وَدّوا

في النّاسِ مَنْ عَشِقوا ومَنْ وَدّوا

They left, only against their will,

From those they loved and those they befriended,

those among mankind whom they loved and cherished.

And when dire need called them,

وَإِذا دعا وجْداً يُدِلُّ بهِ

وَإِذا دعا وجْداً يُدِلُّ بهِ

عند المنيّةِ خانَهُ الوُجْدُ

عند المنيّةِ خانَهُ الوُجْدُ

And when he calls on riches in which he takes pride,

It betrayed them at death, the intimate friend.

at death his riches betray him.

Eternity's end is death, and it has no

والخُلْدُ مُنْيَتُهُ وليس له

والخُلْدُ مُنْيَتُهُ وليس له

مُكْثٌ على الدّنيا ولا خُلْدُ

مُكْثٌ على الدّنيا ولا خُلْدُ

Eternal life is his wish, but he has

Stay in the world, nor eternity.

no lasting stay in this world, nor eternity.

O Hind, neither a cave nor refuge saves

يا هندُ ليس يُجير من حَذَرٍ

يا هندُ ليس يُجير من حَذَرٍ

خوفَ الرّدى غَوْرٌ ولا نَجْدُ

خوفَ الرّدى غَوْرٌ ولا نَجْدُ

O Hind, no shelter can protect against dread,

From the fear of fate.

against fear of death—neither lowland nor highland.

All souls, even if they are heedlessly passionate

كلُّ النفوسِ وإنْ غفلنَ هوىً

كلُّ النفوسِ وإنْ غفلنَ هوىً

بين الحمامِ وبينها وعْدُ

بين الحمامِ وبينها وعْدُ

All souls, though heedless through desire,

Between the pigeon and it, have a promise.

have an appointment between themselves and death.

And fate in time is a twisting serpent

والنّدْبُ فسلٌ في الزّمان إذا

والنّدْبُ فسلٌ في الزّمان إذا

أهوى له والواهنُ الجَلْدُ

أهوى له والواهنُ الجَلْدُ

The valiant is feeble before Time when

When it desires it, and the feeble flesh is pliable.

it swoops upon him, and the stalwart is weak.

If the dishevelment of time misses a youth,

لو فات تشعيثُ الزّمان فتىً

لو فات تشعيثُ الزّمان فتىً

فات الأصمَّ اليابسَ الجَلْدُ

فات الأصمَّ اليابسَ الجَلْدُ

If Time's ravaging could ever miss a man,

It misses the deaf, barren, tough flesh.

it would miss the solid, dry, unyielding rock;

And the howling heights of Kadhimah were saved

ونَجَتْ وعولُ هضابِ كاظمةٍ

ونَجَتْ وعولُ هضابِ كاظمةٍ

منه وما شَقِيَتْ به الرُّبْدُ

منه وما شَقِيَتْ به الرُّبْدُ

the ibex of Kazima's heights would escape it,

From it, and the skins were not wretched because of it.

and the gray ostriches would not suffer from it.

And Hind desires while she is apprehensive -

وَتودُّ هندٌ وهْيَ مُشفقةٌ

وَتودُّ هندٌ وهْيَ مُشفقةٌ

أنّى خَلَدْتُ وفاتَها الوُدُّ

أنّى خَلَدْتُ وفاتَها الوُدُّ

Hind wishes, full of anxious concern,

How did I live forever and affection passed from her?

that I might live forever; her wish eludes her.

And she prevents every visitor from me -

وتردّ عنِّي كلَّ طارقةٍ

وتردّ عنِّي كلَّ طارقةٍ

أنّى وليس يُطيعها الردُّ

أنّى وليس يُطيعها الردُّ

And she would turn every calamity away from me—

How, when obedience does not obey her?

how, when repelling it will not obey her?

And she says, "Distance did not separate us in vain,

وَتَقول لا عَبِثَ البِعادُ بنا

وَتَقول لا عَبِثَ البِعادُ بنا

وَتضلّ عَمّن خانهُ البُعْدُ

وَتضلّ عَمّن خانهُ البُعْدُ

'May separation never toy with us,' she says,

And she errs from the one distance betrayed."

forgetting those whom distance has betrayed.

And hardships grieve her if they befall

وَتَؤودُها البأساءُ إنْ نزلتْ

وَتَؤودُها البأساءُ إنْ نزلتْ

داري وعرّس عندِيَ الجَهْدُ

داري وعرّس عندِيَ الجَهْدُ

And hardship weighs upon her if it descends on

My home, and effort holds marriage feast at my place.

my home, and distress camps with me.

And she wants for me what is not in her hands -

وَتُريدُ لي ما ليسَ في يَدِها

وَتُريدُ لي ما ليسَ في يَدِها

أمداً على الأيّامِ يمتدُّ

أمداً على الأيّامِ يمتدُّ

She wants for me what is not in her hands:

A term against the days that would extend.

a lifespan extending across the days.

And she protects me from comfort that does not benefit her,

وتُعيذُنِي ما ليسَ يَنفعها

وتُعيذُنِي ما ليسَ يَنفعها

من راحةٍ ما بَعْدها كَدُّ

من راحةٍ ما بَعْدها كَدُّ

And she seeks to shield me, though it avails her nothing,

After which there is no hardship.

from a rest after which there is no toil.

You console me if we slip, and stumble,

تَسَلين إنْ زلّتْ بنا وبِكم

تَسَلين إنْ زلّتْ بنا وبِكم

قدمٌ وطُوِّل بيننا العهدُ

قدمٌ وطُوِّل بيننا العهدُ

You will find solace if we and you lose

A foot, and the covenant between us is prolonged.

our footing, and our time apart grows long.

How many like you came while you were leaving

كَم جاءَ مثلَكِ وهْيَ ذاهبةٌ

كَم جاءَ مثلَكِ وهْيَ ذاهبةٌ

من حادثٍ بعضُ الّذي يبدو

من حادثٍ بعضُ الّذي يبدو

How often one like you, herself passing away, has been visited

From an event, some of which appears,

by a calamity, one among those that arise.

Truly fate necessarily leads it

إنّ الرّدى لابدّ أُورَدُهُ

إنّ الرّدى لابدّ أُورَدُهُ

مستوخماً يوبى له الوِرْدُ

مستوخماً يوبى له الوِرْدُ

I must be brought to death's watering-place,

Reluctantly, and for it the flowers mourn.

finding it unwholesome, its draught pestilential.

It breaks into homes, and neither jest stops it,

يَلِجُ البيوتَ وليس يدفعهُ

يَلِجُ البيوتَ وليس يدفعهُ

هَزْلٌ يرادُ به ولا جِدُّ

هَزْلٌ يرادُ به ولا جِدُّ

It enters homes, and nothing repels it—

Intended seriously, nor earnestness.

neither jest directed at it nor earnestness.

Do not scratch a cheek against me, for the

لا تَخدِشِي خدّاً عليَّ فما

لا تَخدِشِي خدّاً عليَّ فما

ردّ الفتى أنْ يُخدَش الخدُّ

ردّ الفتى أنْ يُخدَش الخدُّ

Do not scratch a cheek for me, for never

Young man does not refuse when his cheek is scratched.

has scratching a cheek brought a man back.

And learn, if you are learned,

وتعلَّمي إنْ كنتِ عالمةً

وتعلَّمي إنْ كنتِ عالمةً

أنّ الحِمامَ على الورى يعدو

أنّ الحِمامَ على الورى يعدو

And learn, if you are one who knows,

That the pigeon flies across the land.

that death attacks all humankind.

No sooner does a flower bloom for you,

ما إنْ جنى وِرْدٌ عليكِ ردىً

ما إنْ جنى وِرْدٌ عليكِ ردىً

حتّى يُعطَّ لذلكَ البُرْدُ

حتّى يُعطَّ لذلكَ البُرْدُ

No draught has brought death upon you

Than for that, hail is given.

that warrants rending your cloak for it.

Do not heed the gloaters, for I am not

لا تَحفلي بِالشامِتين فما

لا تَحفلي بِالشامِتين فما

أنا في المنيّةِ دونهمْ وَحْدُ

أنا في المنيّةِ دونهمْ وَحْدُ

Pay no heed to those who gloat, for

Less than them in death, alone.

I am not alone in death, apart from them.

They did not attain the seekers after me, nor

لَم يُدرِكوا بَعدِي الطِلابَ ولا

لَم يُدرِكوا بَعدِي الطِلابَ ولا

سدّوا بمثْلِي الخَرْقَ إنّ سدّوا

سدّوا بمثْلِي الخَرْقَ إنّ سدّوا

They have not attained their aims after me, nor

Did they close with the like of me the tear, even if they closed it.

closed the breach with my equal, if they closed it at all.

And I had sufficed them, though they did not feel

وَلَقد كَفيتُهُمْ وما شَعروا

وَلَقد كَفيتُهُمْ وما شَعروا

كيْدَ العِدا وَلِكَيدِهمْ وقْدُ

كيْدَ العِدا وَلِكَيدِهمْ وقْدُ

I indeed spared them, though they did not know,

The cunning of the enemy, and for their cunning, resolution.

the enemies' plotting, whose schemes blazed.

And I exalted them when I attracted them

وعَلَتْ بهمْ لمّا جَذَبتُهُمُ

وعَلَتْ بهمْ لمّا جَذَبتُهُمُ

بيَدَيَّ قَسْراً تلكُمُ الوَهْدُ

بيَدَيَّ قَسْراً تلكُمُ الوَهْدُ

And there rose with them, when I hauled them up,

Forcibly - those are the precipices.

with both hands by force, those very hollows.

On me are rings of the lance that no

نَزعوا الخمولَ بما كَسوتُهُمُ

نَزعوا الخمولَ بما كَسوتُهُمُ

من مَأْثُراتٍ حشوُها المجدُ

من مَأْثُراتٍ حشوُها المجدُ

They cast off obscurity through what I clothed them in:

Weaving reached, nor knitting.

noble deeds filled with glory.

Where you are saved from the slanderer, and not

وَتَناهَبوا الأوْساقَ مِنْ شَرَفٍ

وَتَناهَبوا الأوْساقَ مِنْ شَرَفٍ

لا صاعَ فيهِ لَهُمْ ولا مُدُّ

لا صاعَ فيهِ لَهُمْ ولا مُدُّ

They plundered whole loads of honor

Saved by the deep wound of the tearing spear.

in which not a sa' or a mudd belonged to them.

Who will loan me the bare shoulders from

وَأَنَا الّذي وَسْطَ الخميسِ إذا

وَأَنَا الّذي وَسْطَ الخميسِ إذا

نادَيتُ شُدّوا بِالقَنا شَدّوا

نادَيتُ شُدّوا بِالقَنا شَدّوا

I am the one who, amid the army, when

A world whose severity for her ornament is ardour?

I cried, 'Charge with spears!' they charged.

He escapes her stings without being stung,

وعَلَيَّ مِن خِلَعِ القَنا حَلَقٌ

وعَلَيَّ مِن خِلَعِ القَنا حَلَقٌ

لَم يدنها نَسجٌ ولا سَرْدُ

لَم يدنها نَسجٌ ولا سَرْدُ

I wear rings among the spears' gifts of honor,

Like the pendant adorned by the necklace.

joined by neither weaving nor mail-linking.

And he prevents the adorning of her ornament

في حيثُ ينجيكَ الطّعانُ وَلا

في حيثُ ينجيكَ الطّعانُ وَلا

يُنجِي الأقبُّ القارحُ النَّهْدُ

يُنجِي الأقبُّ القارحُ النَّهْدُ

Where spear-thrusts save you, and

Where he was provoked, so propriety prevented him.

the lean-flanked, full-grown, mighty steed does not.

And patience was saved from a slippery place

مَنْ لِي بعارِي المَنْكِبَين منَ ال

مَنْ لِي بعارِي المَنْكِبَين منَ ال

دُنيا له عن خَتْلها شدُّ

دُنيا له عن خَتْلها شدُّ

Who can find me a man with shoulders stripped of

That announces with it her causes of sorrow.

the world, swift to flee its deceit,

O fickle one, and the taster of her

يَنجو قَذاها غيرَ مُتّئدٍ

يَنجو قَذاها غيرَ مُتّئدٍ

مِثْلَ الوَسيقةِ لَزَّها الطَّرْدُ

مِثْلَ الوَسيقةِ لَزَّها الطَّرْدُ

escaping its dross without delay,

Thinks the time of tasting her is honey,

like a driven herd pressed hard by pursuit,

As long as your love lasted, and it lasted in you,

وَيَصُدُّ عَن تَزويقِ زينتها

وَيَصُدُّ عَن تَزويقِ زينتها

حَيث اِستثيرَ فأعوَزَ الصَّدُّ

حَيث اِستثيرَ فأعوَزَ الصَّدُّ

turning from the painted splendor of its adornment,

So it lasts in you, and sanity passes away.

where desire is stirred and resistance is hard?

How many you have tied to faithfulness, but

وَجناءَ مِنها الصّبرُ عن مَلَقٍ

وَجناءَ مِنها الصّبرُ عن مَلَقٍ

تُنبِي بهِ أسبابُها النُّكْدُ

تُنبِي بهِ أسبابُها النُّكْدُ

Patience against its flattery is a sturdy she-camel,

That knot does not cease, it grows weak.

by which its baleful ties thrust one away.

And if your sins of spendthrift ways are counted to us

يا مُرَّةً وَيظنّ ذائقُها

يا مُرَّةً وَيظنّ ذائقُها

أبَدَ الزّمانِ بأنّها شَهْدُ

أبَدَ الزّمانِ بأنّها شَهْدُ

O bitter world, whose taster thinks

Time will end, and the counting will not finish.

throughout all time that you are honey!

As for the dwellings of those settled

ما دامَ غيُّك وهوَ منك هوىً

ما دامَ غيُّك وهوَ منك هوىً

فَيدوم فيك وَيذهب الرُّشدُ

فَيدوم فيك وَيذهب الرُّشدُ

As long as your error lasts—and it is desire within you—

In your rescue, they are terraces with stillness.

it persists in you, while sound judgment departs.

In them is no bell except if

كَم ذا عقدتِ على الوفاءِ وما

كَم ذا عقدتِ على الوفاءِ وما

ينفَكُّ يضعفُ ذلك العَقْدُ

ينفَكُّ يضعفُ ذلك العَقْدُ

How often you have made a covenant of faithfulness, yet

A nightingale sang or thunder rumbled,

that covenant never ceases to weaken.

And your sad clouds rained over the one who lodged there and passed away,

وذنوبُ صَرْفِكِ إنْ عُدِدْنَ لنا

وذنوبُ صَرْفِكِ إنْ عُدِدْنَ لنا

فَنِيَ الزّمانُ وَما اِنقَضى العَدُّ

فَنِيَ الزّمانُ وَما اِنقَضى العَدُّ

If the sins of your vicissitudes were counted for us,

Sobbing, as if the howling of its hyena

time would expire before the counting ended.

Roared, and with it the lions bellowed.

أَمّا دِيارُ السّاكِنين إِلى

أَمّا دِيارُ السّاكِنين إِلى

نَجواكِ فهْيَ الدُرَّسُ المُلْدُ

نَجواكِ فهْيَ الدُرَّسُ المُلْدُ

As for the homes of those who trusted

Where are those who the goblets are honorable for them,

your whispers, they are effaced and bare.

Whose sea of honor has a high tide?

لا جِرْسَ فيه غير أنْ صَدَحَتْ

لا جِرْسَ فيه غير أنْ صَدَحَتْ

قُمْرِيّةٌ أو قَعْقَعَ الرَّعْدُ

قُمْرِيّةٌ أو قَعْقَعَ الرَّعْدُ

No sound is there, except when there sings

They extended the blessings, so when it was complete for them,

a turtledove, or thunder rattles.

It was stripped from them, and that which they extended was cut off.

وَبَكى عَلى مَنْ حلّها وَمضى

وَبَكى عَلى مَنْ حلّها وَمضى

مُسْحَنْكِكُ القُطرينِ مُرْبَدُّ

مُسْحَنْكِكُ القُطرينِ مُرْبَدُّ

And there wept over those who dwelt there and departed

From all the fathers of the lowly world no

a dusky cloud, black at both edges,

Limit was loosened for them in any request.

زَجِلاً كأنّ صَلِيلَ هَيْدَبِهِ

زَجِلاً كأنّ صَلِيلَ هَيْدَبِهِ

زَأَرتْ وَقَد ريعَتْ بِه الأُسْدُ

زَأَرتْ وَقَد ريعَتْ بِه الأُسْدُ

resounding, as though the ringing of its rain-fringes

Like the lion, wine brought out his form,

were lions roaring, frightened by it.

And the sword displayed its sheath.

أين الّذينَ عَلى القِنانِ لهمْ

أين الّذينَ عَلى القِنانِ لهمْ

شَرَفٌ عَزيزٌ بَحرُهُ عِدُّ

شَرَفٌ عَزيزٌ بَحرُهُ عِدُّ

Where are those who, upon the summits, possessed

Because of their honor and awe, old age

mighty honor, its sea an unfailing spring?

Submitted among the living and the tender youth.

مُدّوا النعيمَ فحين تَمَّ لهمْ

مُدّوا النعيمَ فحين تَمَّ لهمْ

سُلبوه وَاِنقطَعَ الّذي مُدّوا

سُلبوه وَاِنقطَعَ الّذي مُدّوا

They were granted bliss; when it became complete for them,

And their child's darkness, his talisman

it was stripped away, and all they had been granted ceased.

Did not break, and his equilibrium is the cradle.

من كلِّ أَبّاءِ الدنيّةِ لمْ

من كلِّ أَبّاءِ الدنيّةِ لمْ

يُفْلَلْ له في مطلبٍ حَدُّ

يُفْلَلْ له في مطلبٍ حَدُّ

Each one refusing baseness, whose

They repelled misfortunes - they withdrew backwards,

edge was never blunted in a quest,

But from death they did not repel.

كاللّيثِ أبرز شخصَه خَمَرٌ

كاللّيثِ أبرز شخصَه خَمَرٌ

والسّيفِ أعلَنَ مَتْنهُ غِمْدُ

والسّيفِ أعلَنَ مَتْنهُ غِمْدُ

like a lion whose form a thicket revealed,

And it is as if after they dwelled in

and a sword whose blade its scabbard disclosed.

The graves, they neither jested nor were serious.

ذَعَنَتْ لعزّتهمْ وهَيبتهمْ

ذَعَنَتْ لعزّتهمْ وهَيبتهمْ

الشّيبُ في الأحياء والمُرْدُ

الشّيبُ في الأحياء والمُرْدُ

There bowed to their might and majesty

My seriousness is not beneficial for a

the gray-haired among the tribes, and the beardless.

Term - the young man was serious and seriousness twisted.

ويسودُ طفلُهُمُ تميمتُهُ

ويسودُ طفلُهُمُ تميمتُهُ

لم تنفصمْ وقرارُهُ المَهْدُ

لم تنفصمْ وقرارُهُ المَهْدُ

Their child rules, his amulet

So if I am lost, then surely for me there is a

still unbroken, his resting place the cradle.

Speech necessarily eternal, that has no loss.

ردّوا الخطوبَ قعُدْنَ ناكصةً

ردّوا الخطوبَ قعُدْنَ ناكصةً

لكنّهمْ للموتِ ما ردّوا

لكنّهمْ للموتِ ما ردّوا

They drove calamities back, leaving them in retreat,

It roams the countries, and no

but death they could not repel.

Neck feels it, neither near nor far.

وكأنّهمْ من بعدما سكنوا الْ

وكأنّهمْ من بعدما سكنوا الْ

أجداثِ ما هَزَلوا وما جدّوا

أجداثِ ما هَزَلوا وما جدّوا

As though, after they had dwelt in the

From every warbling rhyme

graves, they had never jested nor been earnest.

That the thrush sings, if he sings.

ما نافعٌ جدِّي إلى أمَدٍ

ما نافعٌ جدِّي إلى أمَدٍ

جدّ الفَتى وَقدِ اِلتَوى الجَدُّ

جدّ الفَتى وَقدِ اِلتَوى الجَدُّ

What use is my striving toward a fixed term?

And when the dispersal of its fragrance spreads,

A man strives, though fortune has turned awry.

The bells on the camel's neck said the myrtle spread.

فَلَئِنْ فُقِدْتُ فإنّ لِي كَلِماً

فَلَئِنْ فُقِدْتُ فإنّ لِي كَلِماً

حَتماً خَوالِدَ ما لَها فَقْدُ

حَتماً خَوالِدَ ما لَها فَقْدُ

Yet if I am lost, I have words

It rose like the sun of morning on a

surely immortal, never to be lost.

Horizon, white, that falsehood cannot deny.

تفرِي البلادَ وما يُحَسُّ بها

تفرِي البلادَ وما يُحَسُّ بها

عَنَقٌ على دوٍّ ولا وَخْدُ

عَنَقٌ على دوٍّ ولا وَخْدُ

They cleave through lands, with no perceptible

And it is as if its intentions are sparks

smooth camel-trot across desert, nor swift stride,

In the fading of a night that fireflies resemble.

من كلِّ قافيةٍ مُرَقِّصَةٍ

من كلِّ قافيةٍ مُرَقِّصَةٍ

يشدو بها الغِرّيدُ إنْ يشدُو

يشدو بها الغِرّيدُ إنْ يشدُو

each a rhyme that sets one dancing,

A carriage - speech gallops for it

sung by the sweet singer whenever he sings.

Forgivingly, and the eloquence of its driver is cultured.

وإذا تضوّع نشرُ نَفْحَتِها

وإذا تضوّع نشرُ نَفْحَتِها

قال العَرَارُ تضوّع الرَّنْدُ

قال العَرَارُ تضوّع الرَّنْدُ

When the fragrance of its breath spreads,

The envious lean toward its

the oxeye flower says, 'The laurel gives forth fragrance.'

Goodness, and its opponents are violent.

طَلَعتْ كَشمسِ ضحىً على أُفُقٍ

طَلَعتْ كَشمسِ ضحىً على أُفُقٍ

بيضاءَ لا يسطيعها الجَحْدُ

بيضاءَ لا يسطيعها الجَحْدُ

It rises like a midmorning sun upon a horizon,

So if the essence of its wording were a body,

radiantly white, beyond denial.

The necklace would add it to its string.

وَكَأنَّما أَغراضُها شرَرٌ

وَكَأنَّما أَغراضُها شرَرٌ

في وهنِ ليلٍ شبّها زَنْدُ

في وهنِ ليلٍ شبّها زَنْدُ

Its themes are as sparks

in the deep of night, kindled by a firestick.

سَيّارةٌ جَمحُ الكلام لها

سَيّارةٌ جَمحُ الكلام لها

سَمْحٌ وحُرُّ فصيحها عَبدُ

سَمْحٌ وحُرُّ فصيحها عَبدُ

It travels far; unruly speech is

pliant to it, and its freest eloquence a slave.

يُنثْنِي عليها الحاسدون على

يُنثْنِي عليها الحاسدون على

إحسانها وخصومُها اللدُّ

إحسانها وخصومُها اللدُّ

The envious bow before it for

its excellence, as do its bitter adversaries.

فَلَوَ اِنَّ جوهرَ لَفظها جسدٌ

فَلَوَ اِنَّ جوهرَ لَفظها جسدٌ

لأضافَهُ في سِلْكِهِ العِقْدُ

لأضافَهُ في سِلْكِهِ العِقْدُ

If the jewel of its wording had a body,

a necklace would add it to its thread.