Have the poets left in the garment a place for a patch to be patched by me; and did you know the abode of your beloved after reflection?
The vestige of the house, which did not speak, confounded thee, until it spoke by means of signs, like one deaf and dumb.
Verily, I kept my she-camel there long grumbling, with a yearning at the blackened stones, keeping and standing firm in their own places.
It is the abode of a friend, languishing in her glance, submissive in the embrace, pleasant of smile.
Oh house of ‘Ablah situated at Jiwaa, talk with me about those who resided in you. Good morning to you, O house of ‘Ablah, and be safe from ruin.
I halted my she-camel in that place; and it was as though she were a high palace; in order that I might perform the wont of the lingerer.
And ‘Ablah takes up her abode at Jiwaa; while our people went to Hazan, then to Mutathallam.
She took up her abode in the land of my enemies; so it became difficult for me to seek you, O daughter of Mahzam.
I was enamored of her unawares, at a time when I was killing her people, desiring her in marriage; but by your father’s life I swear, this was not the time for desiring.
And verily you have occupied in my heart the place of the honored loved one, so do not think otherwise than this, that you are my beloved.
And how may be the visiting of her; while her people have taken up their residence in the spring at ‘Unaizatain and our people at Ghailam?
I knew that you had intended departing, for, verily, your camels were bridled on a dark night.
Nothing caused me fear of her departure, except that the baggage camels of her people were eating the seeds of the Khimkhim tree throughout the country.
Amongst them were two and forty milk-giving camels, black as the wing-feathers of black crows.
When she captivates you with a mouth possessing sharp, and white teeth, sweet as to its place of kissing, delicious of taste.
As if she sees with the two eyes of a young, grown up gazelle from the deer.
It was as though the musk bag of a merchant in his case of perfumes preceded her teeth toward you from her mouth.
Or as if it is an old wine-skin, from Azri’at, preserved long, such as the kings of Rome preserve;
Or her mouth is as an ungrazed meadow, whose herbage the rain has guaranteed, in which there is but little dung; and which is not marked with the feet of animals.
The first pure showers of every rain-cloud rained upon it, and left every puddle in it bright and round like a dirham;
Sprinkling and pouring; so that the water flows upon it every evening, and is not cut off from it.
The fly enjoyed yet alone, and so it did not cease humming, as is the act of the singing drunkard;
Humming, while he rubs one foreleg against the other, as the striking on the flint of one, bent on the flint, and cut off as to his palm.
She passes her evenings and her mornings on the surface of a well-stuffed couch, while I pass my nights on the back of a bridled black horse.
And my couch is a saddle upon a horse big-boned in the leg, big in his flanks, great of girth.
Would a Shadanian she-camel cause me to arrive at her abode, who is cursed with an udder scanty of milk and cut off?
After traveling all night, she is lashing her sides with her tail, and is strutting proudly, and she breaks up the mounds of earth she passes over with her foot with its sole, treading hard.
As if I in the evening am breaking the mounds of earth by means of an ostrich, very small as to the distance between its two feet, and earless.
The young ostriches flock toward him, as the herds of Yamanian camels flock to a barbarous, unintelligible speaker.
They follow the crest of his head, as though it was a howdah on a large litter, tented for them.
He is small headed, who returns constantly to look after his eggs at Zil-‘Ushairah; he is like a slave, with a long fur cloak and without ears.
She drank of the water of Duhruzain and then turned away, being disgusted, from the pools of stagnant water.
And she swerves away with her right side from the fear of one, whistling in the evening, a big, ugly-headed one;
From the fear of a cat, led at her side, every time she turned toward him, in anger, he met her with both claws and mouth.
She knelt down at the edge of the pool of Rada’, and groaned as though she had knelt on a reed, broken, and emitting a cracking noise.
And the sweat on the back was as though it were oil or thick pitch, with which fire is lighted round the sides of a retort.
Her places of flexure were wetted with it and she lavishly poured of it, on a spreading forelock, short and well-bred.
The length of the journey left her a strong, well-built body, like a high palace, built with cement, and rising high; and feet like the supports of a firmly pitched tent.
And surely I recollected you, even when the lances were drinking my blood, and bright swords of Indian make were dripping with my blood.
I wished to kiss the swords, for verily they shone as bright as the flash of the foretooth of your smiling mouth.
If you lower your veil over yourself in front of me, of what use will it be? for, verily, I am expert in capturing the mailed horseman.
Praise me for the qualities which you know I possess, for, verily, when I am not ill-treated, I am gentle to associate with.
And if I am ill-treated, then, verily, my tyranny is severe, very bitter is the taste of it, as the taste of the colocynth.
And, verily, I have drunk wine after the midday heats have subsided, buying it with the bright stamped coin.
From a glass, yellow with the lines of the glass-cutter on it, which was accompanied by a white-stoppered bottle on the left-hand side.
And when I have drunk, verily, I am the squanderer of my property, and my honor is great, and is not sullied.
And when I have become sober, I do not diminish in my generosity, and as you know, so are my qualities and my liberality.
And many a husband of a beautiful woman, I have left prostrate on the ground, with his shoulders hissing like the side of the mouth of one with a split lip.
My two hands preceded him with a hasty blow, striking him before he could strike me; and with the drops of blood from a penetrating stroke, red like the color of Brazil wood.
Why did you not ask the horsemen, O daughter Malik! if you were ignorant, concerning what you did not know about my condition,
At a time when I never ceased to be in the saddle of a long striding, wounded, sturdy horse, against whom the warriors came in succession.
At one time he is detached to charge the enemy with the lance, and at another he joins the large host with their bows tightly strung.
He who was present in the battle will inform you that verily I rush into battle, but I abstain at the time of taking the booty.
I see spoils, which, if I want I would win; but my bashfulness and my magnanimity hold me back from them.
And many a fully armed one, whom the warriors shunned fighting with, neither a hastener in flight, nor a surrenderer;
My hands were generous to him by a quick point with a straightened spear, strong in the joints;
Inflicting a wound wide of its two sides, the sound of the flow of blood from it leads at night the prowling wolves, burning with hunger.
I rent his vesture with a rigid spear, for the noble one is not forbidden to the spears.
Then I left him a prey for the wild beasts, who seize him, and gnaw the beauty of his fingers and wrist.
And many a long, closely woven coat of mail, I have split open the links of it, with a sword, off one defending his rights, and renowned for bravery.
Whose hands are ready with gambling arrows when it is winter, a tearer-down of the signs of the wine-sellers, and one reproached for his extravagance.
When he saw that I had descended from my horse and was intending killing him, he showed his teeth, but without smiling.
My meeting with him was when the day spread out, and he was as if his fingers and his head were dyed with indigo.
I pierced him with my spear, and then I set upon him with my Indian sword pure of steel, and keen.
A warrior, so stately in size as if his clothes were on a high tree: soft leather shoes are worn by him and he is not twinned.
Oh, how wonderful is the beauty of the doe of the hunt, to whom is she lawful? To me she is unlawful; would to God that she was not unlawful.
So, I sent my female slave, and said to her, “Go, find out news of her and inform me.”
She said, “I saw carelessness on the part of the enemies, and that the doe is possible to him who is shooting.”
And it was as though she looked toward me with the neck of a doe, a fawn of the gazelles, pure and with a white upper lip.
I am informed that ‘Amru is unthankful for my kindness while ingratitude is a cause of evil to the soul of the giver.
And, verily, I remember the advice of my uncle, in the battle, when the two lips quiver from off the white teeth of the mouth,
In the thick of the battle, of which the warriors do not complain of the rigors, except with an unintelligible noise.
When they (i.e., my people) defended themselves with me against the spears of the enemy, I did not refrain from them (i.e., the spears) through cowardice, but the place of my advance had become too strait.
When I heard the cry of Murrah rise, and saw the two sons of Rabi’ah in the thick dust,
While the tribe of Muhallam were struggling under their banners, and death was under the banners of the tribe of Mulhallam {sic.},
I made sure that at the time of their encounter there would be a blow, which would make the heads fly from the bodies, as the bird flies from off her young ones sitting close.
When I saw the people, while their mass advanced, excite one another to fight, I turned against them without being reproached for any want of bravery.
They were calling ‘Antarah, while the spears were as though they were well-ropes in the breast of Adham.
They were calling ‘Antarah, while the swords were as though they were the flash of lightnings in a dark cloud.
They were calling ‘Antarah, while the arrows were flying, as though they were a flight of locusts, hovering above watering places.
They were calling ” O ‘Antarah,” while the coats of mail shone with close rings, shining as though they were the eyeballs of frogs floating in a wavy pond.
I did not cease charging them, (the enemy,) with the prominent part of his (horse’s) throat and breast, until he became covered with a shirt of blood.
Then he turned on account of the falling of the spears on his breast, and complained to me with tears and whinnyings.
If he had known what conversation was, he would have complained with words, and verily he would have, had he known speech, talked with me.
And verily the speech of the horsemen, “Woe to you, ‘Antarah, advance, and attack the enemy,” cured my soul and removed its sickness.
While the horses sternly frowning were charging over the soft soil, being partly the long-bodied mares, and partly the long-bodied, well-bred horses.
My riding-camels are tractable, they go wherever I wish; while my intellect is my helper, and I drive it forward with a firm order.
Verily, it lay beyond my power that I should visit you; so, know what you have known, and some of what you have not known.
The lances of the tribe of Bagheez intercepted you and the perpetrators of the war set aside those who did not perpetrate it.
And, verily, I turned the horse for the attack, while his neck was bleeding, until the horses began to shun me.
And verily I feared that I should die, while there has not yet been a turn for war against the two sons of Zamzam;
The two revilers of my honor, while I did not revile them, and the threateners of my blood, when I did not see them.
There is no wonder should they do so, for I left their father a prey for the wild beasts and every large old vulture.
My sin against Ablah is beyond remission;
Became obvious when the morning of life
Lent streaks of its white shafts
To my hair, turning it gray.
My own Ablah pierced my heart with arrows,
Shot from her white-corona, black-iris eyes;
Accurately hitting the mark!
How amazing! Arrows projected from eyelids
With no string or bow, ever scoring, never missing
I have kept faith with my fellow tribesmen
Protected their honor
Often curbing my passion
For their playful and modest girls.
Such mild and gentle beauties!
Make tender branches envious
Of their graceful swaying, elegant swinging.
O dear Abode (of the Beloved),
Should the clouds withhold their rain from you,
Let my tears then pour down on you instead
O how pleasant the times I spent
In the land of Sharibba,
Enjoying myself in the company of
My friends and delicate women.
When the twig of my youth was soft and pliable,
How I amused myself,
Admiring its blossoms and streaks.
Everyday, the breeze of Sharibba
Comes to me laden with the sweet scent
Of fragrant flowers unfolding at dawn
Each (maiden), like a straight leafy branch;
A lover can only feast his eyes
On such beauty, (but not touch.)
I am ever anxious to see Ablah;
That is why I so often stop by her camp,
Water my camels then depart.
After being close to her, I can never content myself
With only a word about her,
Now she is far away
She will always remain my dearly beloved,
Even if she should betray my trust, forsake me.
My love for her will remain unchanged, undiminished,
Nor will I ever stop thinking of her.
Secretly and openly,
I bemoan my separation from her;
With such intensity of feeling
That softens the rocks
O Abla stay safe and be happy in the Sand Valley
Away from enemies; fear not even if frightened.
Know that your dwelling is protected
By lions with mighty swords
That smash iron helmets, slice thick armors.
How great are my folks Bani Abs!
They have reached the pinnacle of honor;
Attained the height of prestige
When they saw my horse
Charge unrestrained, beneath thick clouds of dust
They thought it was bringing me nigh to doom.
Then they quickly trod on my heels,
Knowing that death is an unavoidable arrow, deflecting never.
I plunged headlong into the dust-covered battleground,
Atop my pitch black charger;
Upon return, his body was blood covered,
With human remains to its skin attached
I endeavored to be fair to my opponent,
However, he wronged me,
Resorting to mean, devious means.
Finally, my sword dealt him a fair blow.
Should others taunt me
On account of the blackness of my skin,
Let them keep in mind
That precious pearls are in shells contained
Antarah (Antar) ibn Shebab
O, dwellings tell me; where your inhabitants are going?
And to where their cameleers proceed along or halting?
Yesterday thy place showed sociable deer played joyfully.
But today the craws caw instead of them gloomily.
O, Ablah’s dwelling where Ablah’s tribe is camped.
After the camels had conveyed them far away and vanished.
All pigeons cooed after the people had departed.
As well as the Ben-oil tree due to its misery had cried.
The essence of each homeland is the souls of its inhabitants.
If they went away, the bodies will cry them in variance.
O, fellow ask Ablah’s verdured locations on the wilderness display.
Be witty if you ask! Does the place have any tongue to reply?
O, Ablah the reunion had lasted several delicious nights
Followed by the darken days which overcast the shining lights.
If only the dwelling have the choice to answer!
Where are people settled later?
O, bird that slept its night crying about its fellows was ‘grieved
‘Did not know what the matter is! Only it is bewildered.
If you were as me, no longer would you pride about your colourful shape.
Yet the branches have not shaken to you otherwise you cannot leap.
Hardly you can find lover whose heart is peaceful.
Since he suffers the ardent love, his heart is sorrowful.
O, bird borrows me your wing and I give you my tears instead.
Even if I die, the tears still shed without stopping indeed.
Therefore, I could fly to Abla asking about her place
If the flying were possible, I would prove this case
Behind their veils glimmer apparently
As if the sharp blade of the sword stabbing my heart fiercely
If they are unsheathed, the brave man becomes coward readily
And his eyeholes turn ulcerated replete with tears shed heavily
I wish God would quench my uncle the cup of death bitterly
His hands turn palsied after his fingers were amputated totally
As he sends me to the death, the escape is hardly
He promises me in what I am desirous of eventually
Abla has said farewell to me when I intended the departure
She was some sure that she would not see me on future?
She wept and said! How do you do if you are naked?
What will happen then if you are on the wide desert settled
By your honour, I did not try any comfort is accessible
My passion toward thee love on all my life is unchangeable
You cousin be sure of my sincere cordiality
You lover be soft on pleasure without anxiety
I said to her; hereinafter should I travel either alive or dead
Even if the sharp swords impede my way, I shall go ahead
We were born for the sake of this love formerly
Therefore, I think this love will not die since it is eternally
O, you the optimistic place, really! I come back alive
Then I see on its both sides the annual flowers revive
I wish my eye saw both hillocks and the adjacent lively location
However, it can see the rest of people in that verdured situation
Then we live along with on our favourable places do not separated
In those certain verdured sides, we would be happy and delighted
By God, thou the breeze with the oily ben odor are scented
Reach Abla and inform her about the places had I reached
O, lightning, inform her on this morn my greeting
As well as any place had I rest there and my dwelling
O, chanting birds if I die mourn nearby my tomb right after
Lift my soul with thy wings to be in heaven settled forever
Weep and mourn about who dies aggrievedly without reason
Do not gain only the lover’s torture and the pain of separation
And you horses cry about your horseman abundantly.
This who throws oneself into battlefield’s dusts bravely
You should be acquainted ‘soul’ to the humiliation suffering thy passion
You may be tied with heavy bonds of a familiar slavery fashion
Never will I cry if my fate has come manifestly
May be I mislead then shed tears spontaneously
It is not pride that I state my bravery or severity on each assembly
While my fame everywhere is celebrated widely
By platonic love, do not blame me and stop thy talkativeness
Blame never has benefit or any dependable seriousness?
How can I endure the unbearable patience of this lover.
Since the passionate love enkindles my ribs moreover
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Homemaking For The Black Muslim Woman Journal ™ 