أَغادٍsetting out in the morning? أَوor (apparently a corruption of Abū) الحَدراءal-Ḥadrāʾ أَمor متروِّحُsetting out in the evening
أَغادٍ أَو الحَدراء أَم متروِّحُ
كَذاكَthus النَوىparting مِمّاsomething about which تُجِدُّyou are earnest وَتَمزَحُand you jest
كَذاكَ النَوى مِمّا تُجِدُّ وَتَمزَحُ
Is [Abū] al-Ḥadrāʾ setting out in the morning, or in the evening?
Whether in Aghad or Al-Hadra'a, a place for relaxation,
Such is parting—something you treat both earnestly and in jest.
That's how dreams are, conjured and fanciful.
لَعَمريby my life لَقَدindeed كانَتthere were بِلادٌlands عَريضَةٌbroad
لَعَمري لَقَد كانَت بِلادٌ عَريضَةٌ
ليَfor me الروحُrelief فيهاin them عَنكَaway from you وَالُتَسَرَّحُand freedom to roam
ليَ الروحُ فيها عَنكَ وَالُتَسَرَّحُ
By my life, there were broad lands
By my life, it was once a vast land,
where I had respite from you and freedom to roam.
Where my soul could roam free from you.
وَلَكِنَّهُbut it is that يَدنوdraws near البَغيضُthe hated one وَيبعدُand grows distant الthe (word continues)
وَلَكِنَّهُ يَدنو البَغيضُ وَيبعدُ ال
جيبُbeloved (conjectural restoration of damaged continuation) وَينأىand is far away فيin المَزارِthe visit وَيَنزِحُand moves far away
جيبُ وَينأى في المَزارِ وَيَنزِحُ
Yet the hated one draws near, while far away is the—
But the hated draws near and the beloved retreats,
[beloved], remote to visit and moving farther away.
Distant at the cemetery, departing.
أَلاah! لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowledge هَلwhether أَتىhas reached أَمَّUmm (mother of) واصِلٍWāṣil
أَلا لَيتَ شِعري هَل أَتى أَمَّ واصِلٍ
كُبولٌshackles أَعَضّوهاthey made them bite بِساقيَّinto my two shins تجرَحُthey wound
كُبولٌ أَعَضّوها بِساقيَّ تجرَحُ
Ah, would that I knew: has word reached Umm Wāṣil
Oh, how I wish I knew, has a loyal friend come
of shackles they made bite into my two shins, leaving wounds?
Whose sandals chafed my legs when I walked?
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle صَرَفتُI turned الكعبَthe ankle صاحَتthey shrieked كَأَنَّهاas though they were
إِذا ما صَرَفتُ الكعبَ صاحَت كَأَنَّها
صَريفُcreaking خَطاطيفٍhooks بدَلوينِwith two buckets تَمتَحُdrawing water
صَريفُ خَطاطيفٍ بدَلوينِ تَمتَحُ
Whenever I turn my ankle, they shriek, sounding like
When I moved my heel, it screamed as if
the creak of hooks drawing water with two buckets.
It were a bucket pulled up a well, squeaking.
تُبَغّيshe seeks أَباهاher father فيamong الرِفاقِthe travelling companies وَتَنثَنيand turns back
تُبَغّي أَباها في الرِفاقِ وَتَنثَني
وَألوىand carried off بِهِwith him فيin لُجَّةِthe depths of البَحرthe sea تِمسَحُa crocodile
وَألوى بِهِ في لُجَّةِ البَحر تِمسَحُ
She seeks her father among the travelling companies and turns back,
She longs for her father among the friends
while a crocodile has carried him off into the sea’s depths.
And twists to him in a sea inlet, wiping herself.
أَمُرتَحِلٌdeparting? وَفدُthe delegation of العِراقِIraq وَغودرَتand she was left behind
أَمُرتَحِلٌ وَفدُ العِراقِ وَغودرَت
تَحِنُّshe moans بِأَبوابِat the gates of المَدينَةِthe city صَيدَحُṢaydaḥ
تَحِنُّ بِأَبوابِ المَدينَةِ صَيدَحُ
Is Iraq’s delegation departing, while she has been left behind—
A wandering nomad, a delegation from Iraq,
Ṣaydaḥ, moaning at the city gates?
Who affectionately eyes the city gates.
فانَّكِfor indeed you لاnot تَدرينَyou know فيماconcerning what أَصابَنيbefell me
فانَّكِ لا تَدرينَ فيما أَصابَني
أَريشُكِfeeding you up? أَمor تَعجيلُhastening سيرِكشyour journey (text corrupted) أَنجَحُmore successful
أَريشُكِ أَم تَعجيلُ سيرِكش أَنجَحُ
For you do not know, in the plight that has befallen me,
You don't know what has befallen me -
whether feeding you up or hastening your journey will prove more successful.
Is it your feather or your hasty journey that sped me up?
أَظنَّdid he think? أَبوAbū (father of) الحَدراءِal-Ḥadrāʾ سَجنيmy imprisonment تِجارَةًa business venture
أَظنَّ أَبو الحَدراءِ سَجني تِجارَةً
تَرَجّىhe hoped for وَماbut not كُلُّevery التِجارَةِtrade تُربحُyields profit
تَرَجّى وَما كُلُّ التِجارَةِ تُربحُ
Did Abū al-Ḥadrāʾ think my imprisonment a business venture
I think Abu Al-Hadra'a imprisoned me for trade
to set his hopes on? Yet not every venture yields a profit.
Hoping for profit, though not all trade is profitable.
Sol 6.1