The Poems of Imru’ al-Qais

The Longing for You Intensifies

Your longing for me has grown deeper

as Suleima resides in the heart of a stronghold, captivating all

In Kenani, love blossomed, and within my chest, there is affection

neighboring Ghassan, while the tribe flourishes

With my eyes on the caravan as they departed

by the pathways near Taymara

I compared them to gardens, as they blended in

with the palm trees or a ship that has been anchored

or the glistening dates from Ibn Yamins’ palms

by the purest waters that complement the pale

the majestic, strong branches, flourishing

draped with clusters of red dates,

guarded by the Banu Rabadah from the clan of Yamins,

with their swords until they were settled and their burdens lifted

and their desires fulfilled while their pride remained intact.

As soon as their enveloping robes were unwrapped,

they circulated around Jilan at its outskirts,

reflecting in their eyes until they were captivated

like marbles with intense passion resting on a surface of marble,

wearing patterns interwoven like finely crafted tapestries

with treasures in a hidden safe, bestowed gracefully

decorated with rubies and exquisite pearls studded with diamonds

and sweet scents in a fine Himiari pot,

exclusive with a unique aroma of musk, burning bright

and emerging from the places of India in abundance,

and from Rind and Lubnah and the fragrant herbs,

fragrant with a pledge from a beloved, to which Suleima once claimed,

until her bond was severed.

Revealed Are Two Places of a Hidden Matter

We have uncovered two aspects of a mysterious affair

and we become enamored with food and drink,

sparrows and flies, and worms,

bolder than the howls of wolves.

To my reproachers, I say, be gentle with me,

for my experiences and my lineage will suffice

to explain my roots in the soil; my blood runs deep,

as death claims my youth

and my soul will also be pilfered; my sins

will catch up with me, and certainly my battered body

has endured many a journey with nothing to show.

Maybe the vastness of the desert, shimmering brightly,

or focusing on the moonlit night until

I acquire the luxuries of the abundant heavens;

And all the virtues of morals have become

the very essence of my ambitions and earnings.

I have traveled through horizons until

I was satisfied with returning home,

after seeking the ownership of the king, Ibn Amr,

and after good things from Hajr, with its domes,

I hope for a little leniency from the whims of time,

and I have not strayed from the rocky peaks.

And soon I shall know that I will bind in the net with my nails and fangs,

like my father before me, Hajar,

and let us not forget that he fell in the fletching jaws of dogs.

By Your Honor, My Heart is Not a Sea for Those at Home

I swear by your honor, my heart is not quiet at home

nor is there any that would ever visit me bearing gifts.

Indeed, time is but fleeting nights

and nothing remains consistent in this world.

Nights spent under the thorny trees by the quarry

are far more preferable to our nights in the tents.

To awaken with the dawn near a cat that cared for me

when was my youth anything but a matter of the cat?

When I taste its wine, I say it is a flavor akin to a fine spirit,

uncorked from the jug that brings forth the best.

They are two ewes from the herd of Tabalah,

located by two outliers among some of the herds.

When they rise, the scent of musk emanates from them

like the cool breezes that come with the dawn from the peaks.

As if the merchants had brought forth the exquisite beauty

crafted by hand and they placed it upon the table.

When they find delight, they poured half of it in the serving dish

and imparted it with cool water, untainted and clear,

from the rain that has fallen onto the rock face

into another smooth basin from which sweet water flows.

By your honor, it has not harmed me in the midst of Himiar

never once did I encounter anything distressing or intoxicated.

Should it not be despair that I hold, then I wish

to have my language restrained by that act.

Forevermore, I am not happy with those blessed with holy bonds

or of the unbroken barriers on a day of guarding them.

By my life, there are those who remarked yesterday

who appeared to be tethered to foals and folks of virtue

are preferable to us over people of desolation.

To me, they are like the traces of their wild hunts.

Fortunes smile upon them, and they often delight in gatherings with

the repetitive chatter and with the flutes.

By my life, I cherish where their homes have settled

more than the red outlines of horses

and you can sense therein the tone of their relations

and from both sides, honor and loyalty abound.

A Shower of Rain Pours Over Us

A steady rain pours down,

tailoring the land with what is ample.

It brings forth the affection when it strikes

and conceals it when it is hurt.

And you will see the lizard is quick and skillful,

while it smoothly glides past the brush.

And you will see the hedges in its watery guise,

like heads that have been severed amid the thorns.

Moments later, it returned to life as torrents fell

from the cloudscapes that overflowed from their sanctuary.

The wind held fast before it blossomed,

running rapidly through the gathering clouds.

It drizzled until it overflowed from the fine tents

and adorned itself with delicate clothing.

Now it carries me in its embrace,

chasing the languages of the past and the shadows.

I Showed Resistance Yet Received No Consolement

I resisted but did not feel comfort at the sight of parting

as I consoled a heart where young women are deeply esteemed.

And I wake, bidding farewell to youth, except I

watch the patterns of living unfold over four days.

Among them is my plea to my companions to take care with the wine,

as we engage in a round of drinks from that cup,

And one of them is the rush of horses galloping in disarray,

which come against them freely, fearing not the hunt.

Another is the glory of quiet camels accompanied by nightshade

heading towards an unknown piece of land.

Encouraged by wilderness toward a village,

they renew friendship or seek to draw closer.

Among them is my concern for the raindrops that moisten the odds,

observing the patterns of the chains, drawing nearer.

My worrying takes a toll on her, displeasing to me

in spite of the tales of surprise that stretch wide.

I sent word to her, although stars have fallen and gathered

with caution lest she rise and hear me.

And so, they traveled in composure through the darkness

encountering obstacles in their path of youth.

They waded through a river of remembrance reflecting their care

entwined in the secrets and whispers.

Then she said, when I had fully unclothed her

like grazing memories were inviting, drawing closer:

If something other than you had reached out to us,

we would have found our keeper unwitnessed.

So we remained, holding back the beast, as though we were

two warriors unaware that the fates were upon us.

We drifted away from the tales that held me to her

and ventured out under the ancient arc of the stars.

Whenever I embraced her, she became my rising thrill.

Alas, There Were People, You Were Once Below Them

Alas, there is a people to whom you once belonged,

they were the protectors of your neighbor, the Al-Ghodran.

A neighbor like you, would know his kin.

There, comfort became clear during the evening, as clear as Silence.

The garments of Banu Awf are pure, spotless,

and their faces like bright moons upon us,

they have indeed reached out to their kin who wandered cluelessly

and have taken their path between Iraq and Najran.

So it is they, and God has chosen them and given them support,

who honored their pledges and were devoted to their neighbors.

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