على المزمعين البين منّا عشيّةً

على المزمعين البين منّا عشيّةً

سلامٌ وإن كان السّلامُ قليلا

سلامٌ وإن كان السّلامُ قليلا

Upon those resolved to part from us at evening,

To those who were leaving us at dusk,

be peace, though peace is but little.

Peace, though peace be scarce,

وما ضرّهمْ لمّا أرادوا ترحُّلاً

وما ضرّهمْ لمّا أرادوا ترحُّلاً

عن الجِزْع لو داوَوْا هناك عليلا

عن الجِزْع لو داوَوْا هناك عليلا

And what harm would it have done them, when they wished to depart

It would not hurt them, when they decided to depart,

from the valley bend, had they healed an ailing man there?

To abandon grief, had they here cured a sick one,

ولو أنّني ودّعتهمْ يوم بينهمْ

ولو أنّني ودّعتهمْ يوم بينهمْ

قضيتُ ديوناً أو شفيتُ غليلا

قضيتُ ديوناً أو شفيتُ غليلا

And had I bidden them farewell on the day of their departure,

Had I bidden them farewell some day amongst them,

I would have paid debts or soothed a burning longing.

I would have repaid debts or relieved torment.

ولمّا وقفنا بالدّيار الّتي خلتْ

ولمّا وقفنا بالدّيار الّتي خلتْ

بكينا على سكانهنّ طويلا

بكينا على سكانهنّ طويلا

And when we stood at the dwellings that lay empty,

And when we halted by the abandoned camps,

we wept long for their inhabitants.

We wept long for their dwellers,

وكانت دموع النّاشجين عليهمُ

وكانت دموع النّاشجين عليهمُ

بوادٍ جَفَتْهُ المعصِراتُ سيولا

بوادٍ جَفَتْهُ المعصِراتُ سيولا

And the tears of those sobbing for them

And the tears of the mourners for them

were torrents in a valley forsaken by rain clouds.

Were valleys dried by torrents into streams.

وعزّ على طرفي بأنْ كان بعدهمْ

وعزّ على طرفي بأنْ كان بعدهمْ

يرى أرْبُعاً حلّواً بهنّ طلولا

يرى أرْبُعاً حلّواً بهنّ طلولا

And it pained my eye that, after their departure,

My eyes could scarcely bear that after them

it saw as ruins the abodes where they had dwelt.

I should see four who had dwelt there, distraught.

فَلا تَطلبوا منّي دليلاً على الهوى

فَلا تَطلبوا منّي دليلاً على الهوى

كفى بِضنى جسمي عليه دليلا

كفى بِضنى جسمي عليه دليلا

So ask me for no proof of love;

Seek you not from me a proof of passion,

my body's wasting is proof enough of it.

My wasted body bears it plain enough.

وَلا تَحملوا ثِقْلاً عليَّ منَ الهوى

وَلا تَحملوا ثِقْلاً عليَّ منَ الهوى

كفى بالهوى حَمْلاً عليَّ ثقيلا

كفى بالهوى حَمْلاً عليَّ ثقيلا

And lay no burden of love upon me;

And lay not on me a burden from desire,

love is burden enough, heavy upon me.

For desire itself weighs heavy on me.

أحبُّ الّتي ضنّتْ عليَّ بلحظةٍ

أحبُّ الّتي ضنّتْ عليَّ بلحظةٍ

وقد أزمع الحيُّ الحلول رحيلا

وقد أزمع الحيُّ الحلول رحيلا

I love her who begrudged me a glance,

I love her who was sparing of a glance,

though the encamped tribe had resolved to depart.

Though the sprightly one made to depart.

وظنّ بغاةُ الشّرّ أنّي أملّها

وظنّ بغاةُ الشّرّ أنّي أملّها

وهيهات قلبي أن يكون ملولا

وهيهات قلبي أن يكون ملولا

And those seeking evil thought I would tire of her;

The wicked thought I was her lover,

but far be it from my heart to grow weary!

While my heart could never be smooth-tongued.

خليلِيَ علّلْنِي على الحبّ بالمُنى

خليلِيَ علّلْنِي على الحبّ بالمُنى

إذا كنتُ لا أرضى سواك خليلا

إذا كنتُ لا أرضى سواك خليلا

My friend, console me in love with hopes,

My friend, blame me not for loving with grief,

since I accept none but you as a friend.

If none but you pleases me, O friend.

وقلْ لِيَ فيما أنتَ حيّيتَ قائلاً

وقلْ لِيَ فيما أنتَ حيّيتَ قائلاً

لعلّ ضنيناً أن يجود ضئيلا

لعلّ ضنيناً أن يجود ضئيلا

And say to me, as you speak—may you be saluted—:

Say to me, while you live to speak,

“Perhaps a miser will give a little.”

Perhaps a miser may give lavishly.

أيا ملك الأملاك خذْ ما سألتَه

أيا ملك الأملاك خذْ ما سألتَه

فَما زلتَ للَّه الكريم سَؤولا

فَما زلتَ للَّه الكريم سَؤولا

O king of kings, receive what you have asked for,

O king of kings, take what you asked,

for you have never ceased to ask God the Generous.

For to God the Generous you were supplicant.

وحاشا دعاءً منك يصدر في ضحىً

وحاشا دعاءً منك يصدر في ضحىً

وعند مساءٍ أن يخيب قبولا

وعند مساءٍ أن يخيب قبولا

And far be it that a prayer issuing from you at forenoon

Far be it from your dawn prayer

and at evening should fail to find acceptance.

To meet at eve with disappointment.

وَما كانَ إلّا اللَّهَ لا شيءَ غيره

وَما كانَ إلّا اللَّهَ لا شيءَ غيره

برجع الّذي غلّوه منك كفيلا

برجع الّذي غلّوه منك كفيلا

And none but God, nothing besides Him,

None but God, none but He

guaranteed the return of what they stole from you.

Could return the impassioned who in you hoped.

ولمّا تراخى منك نصرٌ عهدتَه

ولمّا تراخى منك نصرٌ عهدتَه

وظنّوا جواداً بالنّجاحِ مَطولا

وظنّوا جواداً بالنّجاحِ مَطولا

And when your accustomed victory was delayed,

When from you help relaxed that you had pledged

and they thought one generous with success slow to grant it,

And they thought you slow in granting victory,

وَكانَتْ هَناةٌ باعد اللَّه شرّها

وَكانَتْ هَناةٌ باعد اللَّه شرّها

وكان عليها راعياً ووكيلا

وكان عليها راعياً ووكيلا

and there was a misfortune—God kept its evil far away,

There was a group that God may curse,

and watched over it as protector and guardian—

And you were over it guardian and friend.

رَكِبتَ منَ النّصر الّذي قد عهدتَه

رَكِبتَ منَ النّصر الّذي قد عهدتَه

منَ اللَّه عَوْداً للرّجال ذَلولا

منَ اللَّه عَوْداً للرّجال ذَلولا

you rode the victory you had known

You mounted the victory that you had pledged

from God: a seasoned camel, docile to men.

From God, submissive to men, gentle.

وَلَم تك إلّا ساعةً ثمّ أسفرتْ

وَلَم تك إلّا ساعةً ثمّ أسفرتْ

كما رفعتْ أيدٍ هناك سُدولا

كما رفعتْ أيدٍ هناك سُدولا

And it lasted only an hour, then grew bright,

Scarcely an hour, then it shone forth

as though hands had lifted curtains there.

As hands there lifted the curtains.

فَعاود رمح اللَّه منك مثقّفاً

فَعاود رمح اللَّه منك مثقّفاً

وَعاد حسامُ اللَّه منك صقيلا

وَعاد حسامُ اللَّه منك صقيلا

So God's spear returned through you, straightened,

So God's spear returned from you sharpened

and God's sword returned through you, polished.

And God's sword from you burnished.

وقد علم الباغون أنّك زرتَهم

وقد علم الباغون أنّك زرتَهم

تجرّ رَعيلاً نحوهمْ ورعيلا

تجرّ رَعيلاً نحوهمْ ورعيلا

And the rebels knew that you had visited them,

The rebels knew you had raided them,

drawing squadron after squadron toward them.

Dragging to them legion upon legion.

فَلَم يَسمعوا إلّا صهيل صواهلٍ

فَلَم يَسمعوا إلّا صهيل صواهلٍ

وإلّا لصكاّتِ الحديدِ صليلا

وإلّا لصكاّتِ الحديدِ صليلا

So they heard only the neighing of steeds,

They heard only the neigh of chargers

and only the clang of clashing iron.

And the rhythmic ring of iron.

وَحولك طلّاعونَ كلَّ ثنيّةٍ

وَحولك طلّاعونَ كلَّ ثنيّةٍ

إِلى الموت صِرْفاً صِبْيَةً وكهولا

إِلى الموت صِرْفاً صِبْيَةً وكهولا

Around you were men scaling every mountain pass,

Around you spies, down every ravine,

toward sheer death, boys and mature men alike.

Driving boys and elders alike to death.

كأنّهُمُ أُسْدُ الشّرى حول غابةٍ

كأنّهُمُ أُسْدُ الشّرى حول غابةٍ

حَمَيْن وقد جدّ النِّزالُ شبولا

حَمَيْن وقد جدّ النِّزالُ شبولا

As though they were al-Shara's lions around a thicket,

As if they were lions of valor in the scrub,

guarding cubs when the fighting grew fierce.

Growling, now battle grew fierce,

وَمُحتَقرين للحِمامِ تخالهمْ

وَمُحتَقرين للحِمامِ تخالهمْ

هجوماً على غير الحِمامِ نزولا

هجوماً على غير الحِمامِ نزولا

And, scorning death, you would think them

Scornful of doves who fancied themselves

charging down upon something other than death.

Hawks swooping other than on doves.

وكلّ جريء البأس مثل حياته

وكلّ جريء البأس مثل حياته

إِذا خاف ذلّاً أنْ يموت قتيلا

إِذا خاف ذلّاً أنْ يموت قتيلا

For every man bold in battle, it is like life itself,

And every fierce warrior like a serpent,

when he fears disgrace, to fall slain.

Who, fearing death, will not die easily.

فما صدّقوا حتّى رأوا جانب الفَلا

فما صدّقوا حتّى رأوا جانب الفَلا

يفيض رجالاً نُسَّلاً وخيولا

يفيض رجالاً نُسَّلاً وخيولا

They did not believe until they saw the desert's edge

Not until they saw the flank of the horsemen

overflowing with swift-striding men and horses.

Surging, armored men and mailed horses,

وظنّوا نجاةً منك والبَغْيُ صائرٌ

وظنّوا نجاةً منك والبَغْيُ صائرٌ

قيوداً لهم لا تنثني وكُبولا

قيوداً لهم لا تنثني وكُبولا

And they thought to escape you, while rebellion was becoming

Did they think themselves safe from you, while ruin

unbending chains and fetters for them.

Was fettering them with chains unbending.

سلبتَ الرّجالَ المقدمين نفوسَهمْ

سلبتَ الرّجالَ المقدمين نفوسَهمْ

وكلَّ النّساءِ المُحْجَباتِ بُعولا

وكلَّ النّساءِ المُحْجَباتِ بُعولا

You robbed the bold men of their lives,

You robbed the leaders of their souls

and all the veiled women of husbands.

And every veiled woman of her husband.

فَلم يك إلّا في التّراب مُجَدَّلاً

فَلم يك إلّا في التّراب مُجَدَّلاً

وَإِلّا مُقاسٍ في يديه جَديلا

وَإِلّا مُقاسٍ في يديه جَديلا

So none remained but one felled in the dust,

So they lay only writhing in the dust

or one tormented by a braided cord about his hands.

Or clasping hands that held a brace.

فللّه يومُ القاع أوسعَ من ردىً

فللّه يومُ القاع أوسعَ من ردىً

وساق إلى خَطْمِ الفحول فحولا

وساق إلى خَطْمِ الفحول فحولا

God bless the day of al-Qaʿ, lavish with death,

By God, the plain of Raqqa is vaster than Rada,

which drove stallions to bridle stallions.

And drove the champions of war to champions.

حَسِبناه وَالآسادُ من خَلَلِ القنا

حَسِبناه وَالآسادُ من خَلَلِ القنا

تَضَارَبُ فيه بالصّوارمِ غِيلا

تَضَارَبُ فيه بالصّوارمِ غِيلا

We deemed it, with lions among the spears,

We thought them—and lions are amid the cane—

clashing there with sharp swords, a thicket.

That they clashed among it with tempered blades.

ولمّا رأوها رايةً مَلَكِيَّةً

ولمّا رأوها رايةً مَلَكِيَّةً

تولّوْا كسِرْبِ الرَّيْدِ مرّ جفولا

تولّوْا كسِرْبِ الرَّيْدِ مرّ جفولا

And when they saw it, a royal banner,

When they saw it the royal banner,

they turned away like a herd on a mountain spur, rushing past in fright.

They fled like a flock of wild cows.

وألقوا جميعاً كلَّ ما في أكفّهمْ

وألقوا جميعاً كلَّ ما في أكفّهمْ

أعِنَّةَ جُرْدٍ سُبَّقٍ ونُصولا

أعِنَّةَ جُرْدٍ سُبَّقٍ ونُصولا

And together they cast away all they held in their hands:

And they all cast away what was in their palms,

reins of sleek, fleet steeds, and blades.

Paraphernalia of cuirasses and lances.

وَما أَسرعوا إلّا لِكَرْع حُتوفهمْ

وَما أَسرعوا إلّا لِكَرْع حُتوفهمْ

كما أسهلَ الموتُ الزّؤامُ وُغُولا

كما أسهلَ الموتُ الزّؤامُ وُغُولا

They hastened only to drink down their deaths,

They hastened only to the humps of their camels

as swift, grim death made its entry easy.

As swift as death made the hyenas ravenous.

لعمرُ أبيها فتنةٌ لم تَصِرْ لنا

لعمرُ أبيها فتنةٌ لم تَصِرْ لنا

وليّاً على طول الزّمان قتيلا

وليّاً على طول الزّمان قتيلا

By its father's life! A revolt that never left us

By its life, it was a sedition that was not

one ally slain, throughout all that time.

For us a guardian against time a martyr.

وعادتْ على مَن كان أضرم نارها

وعادتْ على مَن كان أضرم نارها

وبالاً وحَيْناً لا يُعاجُ وَغُولا

وبالاً وحَيْناً لا يُعاجُ وَغُولا

And it returned upon the one who had kindled its fire

It turned against those who kindled its fire

as ruin and death, penetrating and impossible to turn aside.

Disaster and, when it wandered, rapacious wolves.

وكانتْ جبالاً شاهقاتٍ ودستَها

وكانتْ جبالاً شاهقاتٍ ودستَها

فغادرتها بيداً لنا وسهولا

فغادرتها بيداً لنا وسهولا

It was towering mountains, and you trampled them,

It was lofty mountains—you leveled them,

so you left them wastelands and plains for us.

Leaving them for us a plain.

فلا تطعموا في مثلها بعد هذه

فلا تطعموا في مثلها بعد هذه

فمن عزّ لا بالحقّ عاد ذليلا

فمن عزّ لا بالحقّ عاد ذليلا

So do not covet its like after this,

So feed not after this the like of it,

for whoever grows mighty without right returns abased.

For he who is honored unjustly will be abased.

أمِنْ بعد نعماءٍ عليكْم عريضةٍ

أمِنْ بعد نعماءٍ عليكْم عريضةٍ

جررتَ لها بين الأنام ذيولا

جررتَ لها بين الأنام ذيولا

Was it after abundant favor upon you all,

After abundant favor upon you,

whose skirts you dragged among mankind,

Will you drag behind you among the people, tails?

وكان لساحات الجرائم طاوياً

وكان لساحات الجرائم طاوياً

صَفوحاً وساعات العثار مُقيلا

صَفوحاً وساعات العثار مُقيلا

while he folded away the fields of wrongdoing,

You were for the battlefields a frequenter

forgiving, pardoning at the moments of stumbling,

Of wide encampments and times of stumbling.

تعرّيتَ منه بعدما كنتَ تنتمِي

تعرّيتَ منه بعدما كنتَ تنتمِي

إليه ولا تبغي سواه بديلا

إليه ولا تبغي سواه بديلا

that you stripped yourself of him, after you had belonged

You stripped yourself of him, after belonging

to him and sought no other in his place?

To him, desiring none but him in exchange.

فَلو أَنتَ بُلّغتَ الّذي قد بَغَيتَه

فَلو أَنتَ بُلّغتَ الّذي قد بَغَيتَه

لما كان عذرٌ جاء منك جميلا

لما كان عذرٌ جاء منك جميلا

For had you been granted what you sought,

Had you conveyed what you sought,

no excuse you offered would have been acceptable.

There would have been no fair excuse from you.

وَكيفَ بُلوغٌ للّذي سوّلتْ به

وَكيفَ بُلوغٌ للّذي سوّلتْ به

لك النّفس مغروراً ولستَ عديلا

لك النّفس مغروراً ولستَ عديلا

And how could you attain what was made enticing

How to attain what desire whispered to you

to you by your soul, deluded as you were, and no equal?

Deluded, while you were not upright?

ولمّا كسوتَ الجِذْعَ منك بشِلْوِه

ولمّا كسوتَ الجِذْعَ منك بشِلْوِه

رَأَينا رجاءً لِلقلوبِ وسولا

رَأَينا رجاءً لِلقلوبِ وسولا

And when you clothed the tree trunk with his corpse,

When you clothed with his garment your trunk,

we saw hope for the hearts, and a wish fulfilled.

We saw in our hearts hope and purpose.

وَأَطعمتَ منه الطّيرَ رَغماً لأنفهِ

وَأَطعمتَ منه الطّيرَ رَغماً لأنفهِ

وكان طعاماً يَجْتَويه وبيلا

وكان طعاماً يَجْتَويه وبيلا

And you fed the birds on him, to his humiliation,

You fed the birds from it against his will,

and he was noxious food they found repugnant.

Though it was food that choked and was painful.

فإنْ لعبتْ يمناه فينا فإنّه

فإنْ لعبتْ يمناه فينا فإنّه

بملعبةٍ للعاصفاتِ مُثولا

بملعبةٍ للعاصفاتِ مُثولا

For if his right hand once played with us, he now

If your right hand toys with us, then it

stands in a playground for storm winds.

Plays with tempests that do not last.

تصرّفه أيدي الرّياح فتارةً

تصرّفه أيدي الرّياح فتارةً

جَنوباً وأخرى بالعشيِّ شُمولا

جَنوباً وأخرى بالعشيِّ شُمولا

The hands of the winds turn him about: at one time,

The winds turn it, now

a south wind; at another, at evening, north winds.

A south wind, now a northerly gust.

ولم يُبقِ فيه ما رأته عيونُنا

ولم يُبقِ فيه ما رأته عيونُنا

تِراتٍ لنا مطوِيَّةً وذُحولا

تِراتٍ لنا مطوِيَّةً وذُحولا

And what our eyes saw in him left no

It left in it nothing our eyes had seen

grudges folded away within us, nor blood-feuds.

Of treats for us, folded and stored.

هنيئاً بهذا العيد والفتح بعده

هنيئاً بهذا العيد والفتح بعده

وبالمِهْرَجانِ غُدْوَةً وأصيلا

وبالمِهْرَجانِ غُدْوَةً وأصيلا

Joy to you in this feast and the victory after it,

Congratulations on this feast and the victory beyond,

and in Mihrajan, morning and evening.

On the festival in the morn and eve.

ولا زال هذا الملك ملكُك سرمداً

ولا زال هذا الملك ملكُك سرمداً

ودار مقامٍ رغدةً ومقيلا

ودار مقامٍ رغدةً ومقيلا

And may this kingdom remain your kingdom forever,

May this kingdom remain yours forever.

and a comfortable dwelling and place of rest.

And home of settlement, ease and rest.

وإنْ ذبلتْ أغصان قومٍ فلا رأتْ

وإنْ ذبلتْ أغصان قومٍ فلا رأتْ

لغصنك عينٌ للزّمان ذبولا

لغصنك عينٌ للزّمان ذبولا

And if some people's branches wither, may no

If branches of some people faded, no eye has seen

eye see your branch wither with time.

For your branch, in time, fading.

ولا زلتَ فينا آمراً متحكّماً

ولا زلتَ فينا آمراً متحكّماً

عزيزاً قؤولاً في الأنامِ فعولا

عزيزاً قؤولاً في الأنامِ فعولا

And may you remain among us commanding and ruling,

You remain over us commanding, controlling,

mighty, strong in word and deed among mankind.

Mighty, strong among the people, potent.