خَلا الفَيضُ مِمّا حَلَّهُ فَالخَمائِلُ

خَلا الفَيضُ مِمّا حَلَّهُ فَالخَمائِلُ

فَرِجلَةُ ذي الإِرطى فَقَرنُ الهَوامِلِ

فَرِجلَةُ ذي الإِرطى فَقَرنُ الهَوامِلِ

Al-Fayd lies empty of those who dwelt there, and al-Khama'il,

The bounty has departed from what it adorned, so the beautiful women remain,

and Rijlat Dhu al-Irta, and Qarn al-Hawamil.

The leg of the one with a lame thigh and the shoulder of the carrier.

وَقَد كانَ مُحتَلّاً وَفي العَيشِ غِرَّةٌ

وَقَد كانَ مُحتَلّاً وَفي العَيشِ غِرَّةٌ

لِأَسماءَ مُفضى ذي سَليلٍ وَعاقِلِ

لِأَسماءَ مُفضى ذي سَليلٍ وَعاقِلِ

Once it was a dwelling, when life was carefree,

He had been a crafty man, though life was simple,

for Asma—the open ground of Dhu Salil and Aqil.

For Asma, heading to a fertile palm grove with descendants and intellect.

وَأَنّى اِهتَدَت أَسماءُ وَالنَعفُ دونَها

وَأَنّى اِهتَدَت أَسماءُ وَالنَعفُ دونَها

لِرَكبٍ بِأَعلى ذي سَلامانِ نازِلِ

لِرَكبٍ بِأَعلى ذي سَلامانِ نازِلِ

How did Asma find her way, with the ridge before her,

How did Asma find her way when the dune was ahead of her,

to riders encamped in the upper reaches of Dhu Salaman?

For a band of riders at the highest [point] of Mount Sulayman?

فَأَصبَحَ مِنها ذاكَ قَفراً وَسامَحَت

فَأَصبَحَ مِنها ذاكَ قَفراً وَسامَحَت

لَكَ النَفسُ فَاِنظُر ما الَّذي أَنتَ فاعِلُ

لَكَ النَفسُ فَاِنظُر ما الَّذي أَنتَ فاعِلُ

So that place lay desolate without her, and leave was granted

So it became a wasteland to her while she pardoned,

to you by your soul; consider, then, what you will do.

You yourself, so look at what you will do.

خَليلَيَّ بَينَ المُنحَنى مَن مُخَمِّرٍ

خَليلَيَّ بَينَ المُنحَنى مَن مُخَمِّرٍ

وَبَينَ اللِوى مِن عُرفُجاءَ المُقابِلِ

وَبَينَ اللِوى مِن عُرفُجاءَ المُقابِلِ

My two friends, between the bend at Mukhammir

My friend, between the bent [palm trees] with ripened fruit

and the facing dunes of Urfuja,

And between the twisting [trees] with clustered fruit of Ukhujjah.

قِفا بَينَ أَعناقِ اللِوى لِمُرِيَّةٍ

قِفا بَينَ أَعناقِ اللِوى لِمُرِيَّةٍ

جَنوبٍ تُداوي غِلَّ شَوقٍ مُماطِلِ

جَنوبٍ تُداوي غِلَّ شَوقٍ مُماطِلِ

halt among the dune-ridges for a rain-drawing

Stop between the necks of the twisting [trees] for a look,

south wind that soothes the burning ache of lingering longing,

At a south wind that heals the sickness of prolonged longing,

لِكَيما أَرى أَسماءَ أَو لِتَمَسَّني

لِكَيما أَرى أَسماءَ أَو لِتَمَسَّني

رِياحٌ بِرَيّاها لِذاذُ الشَمائِلِ

رِياحٌ بِرَيّاها لِذاذُ الشَمائِلِ

so that I may see Asma, or be touched

So I can see Asma, or so its breezes touch me,

by winds bearing her fragrance, sweet in their nature.

With the delight of features that it brings.

لَقَد حادَلَت أَسماءُ دونَكَ بِاللِوى

لَقَد حادَلَت أَسماءُ دونَكَ بِاللِوى

عُيونُ العِدى سَقياً لَها مِن مُحادِلِ

عُيونُ العِدى سَقياً لَها مِن مُحادِلِ

Asma has indeed outwitted, shielding you at the dunes,

Indeed, Asma contended with you at the twisting [trees],

the eyes of foes—may rain bless her, what a wily contender!

The eyes of enemies were watering her from disputants.

وَدَسَّت رَسولاً أَنَّ حَولِيَ عُصبَةٌ

وَدَسَّت رَسولاً أَنَّ حَولِيَ عُصبَةٌ

هُمُ الحَربُ فَاِستَبطِن سِلاحَ المُقاتِلِ

هُمُ الحَربُ فَاِستَبطِن سِلاحَ المُقاتِلِ

She secretly sent a messenger: 'Around me is a band;

And she sent a messenger that there is around me a clan,

they are war itself, so carry a warrior's weapon concealed.'

They are war, so prepare the weapons of the fighter.

عَشِيَّةَ مالي مِن نَصيرٍ بِأَرضِها

عَشِيَّةَ مالي مِن نَصيرٍ بِأَرضِها

سِوى السَيفِ ضَمَّتهُ إِلَيهِ حَمائِلُه

سِوى السَيفِ ضَمَّتهُ إِلَيهِ حَمائِلُه

That evening I had no helper in her land

In the evening I have no ally in her land

save the sword, drawn close to its bearer by its shoulder-straps.

Other than the sword which its scabbards enclosed.

فَيا أَيُّها الواشونَ بِالغِشِّ بَينَنا

فَيا أَيُّها الواشونَ بِالغِشِّ بَينَنا

فُرادى وَمَثنى مِن عَدوِّ وَعاذِلِ

فُرادى وَمَثنى مِن عَدوِّ وَعاذِلِ

So, O you talebearers, sowing deceit between us,

So O you who cheat between us,

singly and in pairs, foes and reprovers,

Individually and in pairs, from an enemy and critic.

دَعوهُنَّ يَتبَعنَ الهَوى وَتَبادَلوا

دَعوهُنَّ يَتبَعنَ الهَوى وَتَبادَلوا

بِنا لَيسَ بَأسٌ بَينَنا بِالتَبادُلِ

بِنا لَيسَ بَأسٌ بَينَنا بِالتَبادُلِ

let them follow desire, and take turns

Leave them to follow desire and exchange

with us; there is no harm between us in taking turns.

With us—there is no harm between us in exchanging.

تَراوَحنَ نَأتِيهُنَّ نَحنُ وَأَنتُمُ

تَراوَحنَ نَأتِيهُنَّ نَحنُ وَأَنتُمُ

لِمَن وَعَلى مَن وَطأَةِ المُتَثاقِلِ

لِمَن وَعَلى مَن وَطأَةِ المُتَثاقِلِ

They take turns; we and you come to them—

They circulated, we will come to them, and you,

for whom, and against whom, is the lumbering one's tread?

For whom and against whom the pace of the heavily laden.

وَمَن عَرِيَت لِلَّهوِ قُدماً رِكابُهُ

وَمَن عَرِيَت لِلَّهوِ قُدماً رِكابُهُ

وَشاعَت قَوافي شِعرِهِ في القَبائِلِ

وَشاعَت قَوافي شِعرِهِ في القَبائِلِ

And whose mounts have long gone bare for pleasure,

And whoever the feet of his riding camel exposed to frivolity,

and whose poetry's rhymes have spread among the tribes?

And the rhymed prose of his poetry circulated among the tribes.

تَبرُز وُجوهُ السابِقينَ وَيَختَلِط

تَبرُز وُجوهُ السابِقينَ وَيَختَلِط

عَلى المُقرِفِ الكافي غُبارُ القَنابِلِ

عَلى المُقرِفِ الكافي غُبارُ القَنابِلِ

The faces of the front-runners emerge, while there swirls

The faces of the frontrunners will appear and the dust of explosions will mix

over the capable half-bred the dust of the mounted bands.

Upon the undertaker, the sufficient.

فَإِن تَمنَعوا أَسماءَ أَو يَكُ نَفعُها

فَإِن تَمنَعوا أَسماءَ أَو يَكُ نَفعُها

لَكُم أَو تَدِبّوا بَينَنا بِالغَوائِلِ

لَكُم أَو تَدِبّوا بَينَنا بِالغَوائِلِ

So if you withhold Asma, or if her favor should be

If they refuse Asma or her benefit will be

yours, or you creep between us with treacherous schemes,

For you, or you instigate plots between us,

فَلَن تَمنَعوني أَن أُعَلِّلَ صُحبَتي

فَلَن تَمنَعوني أَن أُعَلِّلَ صُحبَتي

عَلى كُلِّ شَيءٍ مِن مَدى العَينِ قابِلِ

عَلى كُلِّ شَيءٍ مِن مَدى العَينِ قابِلِ

you will not prevent me from entertaining my companions

Then you will not prevent me from justifying my companionship

with anything that appears within the eye's reach.

For everything in sight, capable.