بانَتdeparted سُعادُSu‘ad وَلَيسَand does not الوُدُّaffection يَنصَرِمُend
بانَت سُعادُ وَلَيسَ الوُدُّ يَنصَرِمُ
وَداخِلَand penetrated الهَمِّsorrow ماwhat لَمdid not تَمضَهِafflict it سَقَمُsickness
وَداخِلَ الهَمِّ ما لَم تَمضَهِ سَقَمُ
Su‘ad has departed, yet affection does not end.
Happiness appeared though affection does not decline,
And sorrow has entered what sickness had never afflicted.
And inside anguish what malady did not heal.
وَصَلتُI reached مَنزَلَةًa dwelling قَفراًdeserted وَقَفتُI stood بِهاat it
وَصَلتُ مَنزَلَةً قَفراً وَقَفتُ بِها
كَمِثلِهاlike it إِذاwhen بِهاin it الأَحياءُthe clans وَالنَعَمُand livestock
كَمِثلِها إِذا بِها الأَحياءُ وَالنَعَمُ
I reached a deserted dwelling and stood there,
I reached a barren stop where I halted,
just as when the clans and livestock were there.
Like it, when the living and boons are in it.
عامِيَةًeffaced جَرَّتِtrailed الريحُthe wind الذُيولَthe skirts بِهاthrough it
عامِيَةً جَرَّتِ الريحُ الذُيولَ بِها
فَقَدfor indeed تَخَذَّمَهاtore it apart الهِجرانُabandonment وَالقَدَمُand age
فَقَد تَخَذَّمَها الهِجرانُ وَالقَدَمُ
Effaced, with the wind trailing its skirts across it;
An old village the wind dragged its train,
for abandonment and age have torn it apart.
So estrangement and time wore it out.
وَأَمحَلَتand grew barren بعدَafter إِخصابٍfertility يَدُرُّflourished abundantly بِهاin it
وَأَمحَلَت بعدَ إِخصابٍ يَدُرُّ بِها
مُنَوِّرٌflowering growth رَشَحَتmoistened أَطفالَهُits young shoots الدِيَمُthe steady rains
مُنَوِّرٌ رَشَحَت أَطفالَهُ الدِيَمُ
And it grew barren after abundance, when there flourished
And it carried after fertility pouring in it,
flowering growth whose young shoots the steady rains had moistened.
A bright one whose children blood irrigated.
فَلَنso will not يَعودَreturn إِلَيهاto it أَهلُهاits people أَبَداًever
فَلَن يَعودَ إِلَيها أَهلُها أَبَداً
حَتّىuntil يَعودَreturn لَهاto it أَزمانهاits ages القُدُمُbygone
حَتّى يَعودَ لَها أَزمانها القُدُمُ
So its people will never return to it
So its people will never return to it again,
until its bygone days return to it.
Until its old eras return to it.
عُجناwe turned aside إِلَيهاto it وَماand not عُجناwe turned aside لِتُخبِرَناso it would tell us
عُجنا إِلَيها وَما عُجنا لِتُخبِرَنا
إِلّاexcept اللُجاجَةُpersistence وَالوَهمُand the fancy الَّذيwhich تَهِمُyou imagine
إِلّا اللُجاجَةُ وَالوَهمُ الَّذي تَهِمُ
We turned aside to it; nothing drew us to seek its news
We came close to it but we did not come close for it to inform us,
but stubborn persistence and the fancies you entertain.
Except stubbornness and delusion that is reckless.
وَلَيسَand does not يَمنَعُهاprevent it أَنto تَستَجيبَanswer لَناus
وَلَيسَ يَمنَعُها أَن تَستَجيبَ لَنا
مَعَwith العَمىblindness اليَومَtoday إِلّاexcept العِيّspeechlessness وَالصَمَمُand deafness
مَعَ العَمى اليَومَ إِلّا العِيّ وَالصَمَمُ
And nothing prevents it from answering us,
It does not prevent responding to us today with blindness,
blind as it is today, except muteness and deafness.
Except deafness and dumbness.
بِهاin it أَخايدُfurrows مِنfrom آثارِthe traces of ساكِنِهاits dweller
بِها أَخايدُ مِن آثارِ ساكِنِها
كَماas تَرَدَّدَmoved back and forth فيon قَرطاسِهِits paper القَلَمُthe pen
كَما تَرَدَّدَ في قَرطاسِهِ القَلَمُ
There are furrows in it, traces of its dweller,
In it I converse from traces of its dwellers,
like the pen's back-and-forth strokes across its paper.
As the pen goes back and forth in its paper.
أَوor حالِكٌblack markings فيon ذِراعَيْthe two arms of حرةٍa freeborn woman بَذَلَتsupplied
أَو حالِكٌ في ذِراعَيْ حرةٍ بَذَلَت
لَهُfor it النَؤورُlampblack وَلَمand did not تَأَلspare effort الَّتيshe who تَشِمُtattoos
لَهُ النَؤورُ وَلَم تَأَل الَّتي تَشِمُ
Or black tattooing on a freeborn woman's arms, richly supplied
Or a griller in the arms of a free lady who
with lampblack by a tattooer who spared no effort.
Offered it the lighting but the one rising did not get tired.
تَرىyou see الَّذيwhat جَمَعَgathered المُستَوقِدونَthe fire-kindlers بِهاthere
تَرى الَّذي جَمَعَ المُستَوقِدونَ بِها
مُطَرَّحاًcast aside حَيثُwhere كانَتused to be توضَعُplaced الحُزَمُthe bundles
مُطَرَّحاً حَيثُ كانَت توضَعُ الحُزَمُ
You see what the fire-kindlers gathered there,
You see what the kindlers gathered in it,
cast aside where the bundles used to be laid:
Strewn where the firewood used to be placed.
رُبداًgray هَوامِدَcold حيطَتwere surrounded بِالنُؤِيِّby the trench فَقَدand already
رُبداً هَوامِدَ حيطَت بِالنُؤِيِّ فَقَد
كادَalmost التُرابُthe earth عَلَيهاover them الجَونُdark يَلتَئِمُclosed together
كادَ التُرابُ عَلَيها الجَونُ يَلتَئِمُ
gray and cold, surrounded by a trench; already
Rubbish, its enclosures surrounded the intender so
the dark earth has almost closed over them.
The dust on it almost reconvened.
أَوor جاذِباًa tent-peg وَتَدتُهُdrove it in الفِهرَthe hand-stone صاحِبُهُits owner
أَو جاذِباً وَتَدتُهُ الفِهرَ صاحِبُهُ
مِنَof الَّذيwhat كانَwas مَعقوداًtied بِهِto it جِذَمُfragments
مِنَ الَّذي كانَ مَعقوداً بِهِ جِذَمُ
Or a tent-peg its owner drove in with a hand-stone,
Or pulling its peg while its owner took
with fragments of what was once tied to it.
What was tied to it of rope.
لَمّاwhen غَداdeparted الحَيُّthe tribe مِنfrom صُرخٍSurkh وَغَيَّبَهُمand hid them
لَمّا غَدا الحَيُّ مِن صُرخٍ وَغَيَّبَهُم
مِنَamong الرَوابيthe hills الَّتيwhich غَربِيُّهاtheir western side الكُمَمُal-Kumam
مِنَ الرَوابي الَّتي غَربِيُّها الكُمَمُ
When the tribe departed from Surkh and was hidden
When the living left at daybreak and hid them
by hills with al-Kumam on their western side,
From the hilltops whose wests are veiled.
ضَلَّتstrayed تَطَلَّعُlooked out نَفسيmy soul إِثرَهُمafter them طَرَباًin longing
ضَلَّت تَطَلَّعُ نَفسي إِثرَهُم طَرَباً
كَأَنَّنيas though I مِنfrom هَوهُمlove of them شارِبٌa drinker سَدِمُgrief-dazed
كَأَنَّني مِن هَوهُم شارِبٌ سَدِمُ
my soul strayed, gazing after them in longing,
My soul kept looking for them confused,
as though, for love of them, I were a grief-dazed drinker
As if I from their love drink overflowed.
مُسطارَةٌyoung wine بَكَرَتcame early فيin الرَأسِthe head نَشوَتُهاits intoxication
مُسطارَةٌ بَكَرَت في الرَأسِ نَشوَتُها
كَأَنَّas though شارِبَهاits drinker قَدalready مَسَّهُtouched him لَمَمُmadness
كَأَنَّ شارِبَها قَد مَسَّهُ لَمَمُ
of young wine, whose intoxication came early to the head,
A mustatarah that peeled its flowers in the head,
as though its drinker had been touched by madness.
As if its drinker was touched by poison.
حَتّىuntil تعَرَّضَintervened أَعلىthe upper part of السيحِal-Sayh دونَهُمbetween us and them
حَتّى تعَرَّضَ أَعلى السيحِ دونَهُم
وَالجُبُّand the well جُبُّthe well of بَنيthe sons of العَسراءِal-‘Asra’ وَالهِدَمُand al-Hidam
وَالجُبُّ جُبُّ بَني العَسراءِ وَالهِدَمُ
Until upper al-Sayh came between me and them,
Until above the plateau below them became exposed,
and the well—the well of Banu al-‘Asra’—and al-Hidam.
And the valley is the valley of Bani Asra and destruction.
فَنَكَبّواthen they skirted الصَوَّةَthe cairn اليُسرىthe left-hand فَمالَthen veered بِهِمwith them
فَنَكَبّوا الصَوَّةَ اليُسرى فَمالَ بِهِم
عَلىtoward الفَراضِal-Farad الجامِلthe camel herd الثَلِمُgap-toothed
عَلى الفَراضِ الجامِل الثَلِمُ
Then they skirted the left-hand cairn and were borne aside
So they inclined the left prayer niche and with them sloped
toward al-Farad by the gap-toothed camel herd.
On the inclining, beautiful, flawless hillside.
لَولاwere it not for اِختِباريmy experience of أَباAbu حَفصٍHafs وَطاعَتَهُand obedience to him
لَولا اِختِباري أَبا حَفصٍ وَطاعَتَهُ
كادَalmost الهَوىlove فيon غَداةِthe morning of البَينِseparation يَغتَرِمُconsume
كادَ الهَوى في غَداةِ البَينِ يَغتَرِمُ
Were it not for my experience of Abu Hafs and obedience to him,
Had I not tested Abu Hafs and obeyed him
love would almost have consumed me on the morning of parting.
Desire in the morning of separation almost blamed me.
لَهُhe has عَلَيَّupon me أَيادٍfavors لَستُI do not أَكفُرُهاdeny them
لَهُ عَلَيَّ أَيادٍ لَستُ أَكفُرُها
وَإِنَّماand only الكُفرُingratitude أَلاthat not تُشكَرَbe thanked النِعَمُblessings
وَإِنَّما الكُفرُ أَلا تُشكَرَ النِعَمُ
He has bestowed favors on me that I do not deny,
He has favor upon me I do not deny,
and ingratitude is nothing but leaving blessings unthanked.
Denial is not to thank the blessings.
إِذاwhen هَبطتُI alight بِلاداًa land لاnot أَراكَI see you بِهاin it
إِذا هَبطتُ بِلاداً لا أَراكَ بِها
تَجَهَّمَتنيit scowled at me وَحالَتand intervened دونَهاbefore it ظُلَمُdarkness
تَجَهَّمَتني وَحالَت دونَها ظُلَمُ
When I alight in a land where I do not see you,
If I descended a country where I don’t see you
it scowls at me, and darkness bars my way to it.
It was hellish to me and darkness came between it and me.
أَغَرُّradiant أَروَعُawe-inspiring بهلولٌa noble lord أَخوa man of ثِقَةٍtrust
أَغَرُّ أَروَعُ بهلولٌ أَخو ثِقَةٍ
حُلاحِلٌa great chief مِنfrom ثَراهُhis soil اللَينُgentleness وَالكَرَمُand generosity
حُلاحِلٌ مِن ثَراهُ اللَينُ وَالكَرَمُ
Radiant, awe-inspiring, a noble lord, a man of trust,
I boast of a brother of trust, a clown,
a great chief, from whose soil spring gentleness and generosity,
Easy, his kindness and generosity implants.
فيin شِدَّةِstrength of العَقدِresolve وَالحِلمِand forbearance الرَزينِsober وَفيand in
في شِدَّةِ العَقدِ وَالحِلمِ الرَزينِ وَفي
القَولِspeech الثَبيتِsteadfast إِذاwhen ماever اِستُنَّتِraced الكَلِمُwords
القَولِ الثَبيتِ إِذا ما اِستُنَّتِ الكَلِمُ
in firmness of purpose and sober forbearance, and in
In firmness of contract and solemn composure, and in
steadfast speech whenever words race forth.
The solid saying when the words are dictated.
لاnot يَتعَبُtires الحَكَمُthe arbiter حتىuntil تَستَبينَbecome clear لَهُto him
لا يَتعَبُ الحَكَمُ حتى تَستَبينَ لَهُ
مَواقِعُthe places of الحَقِّtruth إِنَّindeed القاضِيَthe judge الفَهِمُperceptive
مَواقِعُ الحَقِّ إِنَّ القاضِيَ الفَهِمُ
The arbiter does not tire until he can discern
Judgment does not tire until the places of truth
where truth lies; indeed, the judge is perceptive.
Are evident to it, the understanding judge.
نَماrose إِلىto السورَةِeminence العُلياthe highest اليَفاعِlofty فَماso not
نَما إِلى السورَةِ العُليا اليَفاعِ فَما
زلتslipped بهbeneath him نعلهhis sandal يوماever ولاnor القدمthe foot
زلت به نعله يوما ولا القدم
He rose to the highest, loftiest eminence, and never
It grew to the highest acclivity, it did not
did his sandal ever slip beneath him, nor his foot.
Slip one day and not the foot.
حَتّىuntil اِحتَبىsat with knees drawn up بِمَكانٍin a station تَستَقيدُyield لَهُto him
حَتّى اِحتَبى بِمَكانٍ تَستَقيدُ لَهُ
عَماعِمُthe turbans of العَرَبِthe Arabs المَذكورَةِrenowned العُظُمُmighty
عَماعِمُ العَرَبِ المَذكورَةِ العُظُمُ
Until he sat, knees drawn up, in a station to which yielded
Until it camped in a place whose old names
the renowned, mighty turbans of the Arabs.
Of the Arabs, the mentioned, the great, frequent it.
كانَتwas لِآبائِهِمto their fathers مَذكورَةًrenowned زَحَمواthey pushed aside
كانَت لِآبائِهِم مَذكورَةً زَحَموا
عَنهاaway from it قُرومَthe great chiefs of قُرَيشٍQuraysh ساعَةًat the time اِزدَحَمواthey jostled
عَنها قُرومَ قُرَيشٍ ساعَةً اِزدَحَموا
It was a renowned dignity of their fathers, who drove
It was mentioned to their fathers, the lineages of
the great chiefs of Quraysh away from it when they jostled.
Quraish crowded away from it a time when they crowded.
أَمراًa charge وَلّوهُthey were entrusted with it فَلَمso did not يَعيَواbe at a loss بِسُنَّتِهِin its established way
أَمراً وَلّوهُ فَلَم يَعيَوا بِسُنَّتِهِ
وَحَمَّلوهُand they were charged with it فَماso did not مَلّواgrow weary وَلاnor سَئِمواgrow bored
وَحَمَّلوهُ فَما مَلّوا وَلا سَئِموا
A charge entrusted to them, whose ways never baffled them;
A matter they twisted so they did not live by its ways
and they were made to bear it, never tiring or growing bored.
And they carried it but did not tilt nor tire.
إِنif يَدهَمواthey assail يَطِدواthey steady بِالصَبرِwith endurance أَنفُسِهِمthemselves
إِن يَدهَموا يَطِدوا بِالصَبرِ أَنفُسِهِم
وَلَنand will not يَقومَstand against لَهُمthem فيin الحَربِwar مَنthose whom دَهِمواthey assailed
وَلَن يَقومَ لَهُم في الحَربِ مَن دَهِموا
If they assail, they steady themselves with endurance;
If they clash they brace themselves with patience,
and none they assail will withstand them in war.
And none who they clash with will stand to them in war.
لَوif ناضَلواthey competed الناسَpeople عَنin defense of أَحسابِهِمtheir ancestral honor نَضَلواthey prevailed
لَو ناضَلوا الناسَ عَن أَحسابِهِم نَضَلوا
وَإِنand if قَضَواthey judged لَمdid not يَجورواact unjustly فيin الَّذيwhat حَكَمواthey decided
وَإِن قَضَوا لَم يَجوروا في الَّذي حَكَموا
If they vied with others in defense of their ancestral honor, they would prevail;
If they judge they do not wrong in what they ruled,
and when they judge, they are not unjust in what they decide.
That with them, and Allah favored them,
فيin أَنَّthat عِندَهُمُamong them وَاللَهُand God فَضَّلَهُمfavored them
في أَنَّ عِندَهُمُ وَاللَهُ فَضَّلَهُم
لِلحَمدِfor praise سوقٌa market وَلِلمَظلومِand for the wronged مُنتَقِمُan avenger
لِلحَمدِ سوقٌ وَلِلمَظلومِ مُنتَقِمُ
For among them—and God has favored them—
There is for praised a market and for the wronged an avenger.
praise has a market, and the wronged have an avenger.
The elder among them his eldership increases his generosity,
يَزيدُincreases ذاthe possessor of الشَيبِgray hair مِنهُمamong them شَيبُهُhis gray hair كَرَماًin generosity
يَزيدُ ذا الشَيبِ مِنهُم شَيبُهُ كَرَماً
وَيَستَنيرُand shines فَتاهُمtheir young man حينَwhen يَحتَلِمُreaches puberty
وَيَستَنيرُ فَتاهُم حينَ يَحتَلِمُ
The gray-haired among them gains generosity with his gray hair,
And their youth enlightens when he matures.
and their young man shines forth when he reaches puberty.
And they sparingly grasp what is in their vaults,
وَلاand does not يَشُدُّtighten عَلىupon ماwhat فيin خَزائِنِهِمtheir treasuries
وَلا يَشُدُّ عَلى ما في خَزائِنِهِم
قَبضُthe grasp of الأَنامِلِfingertips إِلّاexcept رَيثَthe brief time until يُقتَسَمُis shared out
قَبضُ الأَنامِلِ إِلّا رَيثَ يُقتَسَمُ
Nor is what lies in their treasuries held fast
Except slowly when it is divided.
by a clutch of fingertips, save until it is shared out.
So their Lord increased them in good and favored them
فَزادَهُمso may He increase them رَبُّهُمtheir Lord خَيراًin goodness وَفَضَّلَهُمand favor them
فَزادَهُم رَبُّهُم خَيراً وَفَضَّلَهُم
بِخَيرِwith the best of ماwhat فُضِّلَwas favored السُلطانُthe sovereign وَالأُمَمُand the nations
بِخَيرِ ما فُضِّلَ السُلطانُ وَالأُمَمُ
So may their Lord increase them in goodness and favor them
With the best of what the authority and nations are favored.
with the finest favors granted to the sovereign and the nations.
Partial English translation: 65 of 66 Arabic lines translated.