لَيسَis not رَسمٌa campsite trace عَلىat الدَفينِal-Dafin بِباليin my mind
لَيسَ رَسمٌ عَلى الدَفينِ بِبالي
فَلِوىand the sand-bend of ذَروَةٍDharwah فَجَنبَيand the two flanks of أُثالِUthal
فَلِوى ذَروَةٍ فَجَنبَي أُثالِ
No trace at al-Dafin occupies my mind,
No drawing adorns the scroll, nor have I
nor Dharwah's sand-bend, nor Uthal's two flanks.
Twisted a banner's peak aside for it to fly.
فَالمَرَوراةُand al-Marawrah فَالصَحيفَةُand al-Sahifah قَفرٌdesolate
فَالمَرَوراةُ فَالصَحيفَةُ قَفرٌ
كُلُّevery وادٍvalley وَرَوضَةٍand meadow مِحلالِa camping-place
كُلُّ وادٍ وَرَوضَةٍ مِحلالِ
Al-Marawrah and al-Sahifah lie desolate—
Empty are Torah and Bible; desolate
every valley and meadow once a camping-place.
Every valley and meadow where once flocks used to lie.
دارُthe dwelling of حَيٍّa tribe أَصابَهُمbefell them سالِفُbygone الدَهtime (first part)
دارُ حَيٍّ أَصابَهُم سالِفُ الدَه
رِcompletion of 'time' فَأَضحَتso became دِيارُهُمtheir dwellings كَالخِلالِlike toothpicks
رِ فَأَضحَت دِيارُهُم كَالخِلالِ
The home of a tribe overtaken by bygone
Home of a folk whom fate's keen blade did smite,
time; their dwellings became like toothpicks,
Their dwelling-places now like sieves appear thereby.
مُقفِراتٍdesolate إِلّاexcept رَماداًashes غَبِيّاًindistinct
مُقفِراتٍ إِلّا رَماداً غَبِيّاً
وَبَقاياand remnants مِنof دِمنَةِthe dung-stained ground of الأَطلالِthe ruins
وَبَقايا مِن دِمنَةِ الأَطلالِ
desolate, save for indistinct ashes
Ruinous all, saving some ash that mocks
and remnants of the ruins' dung-stained ground,
And remnants of tent-pegs in each dwelling nigh.
وَأَوارِيَّand tethering-stakes قَدalready عَفَونَhave vanished وَنُؤياًand a drainage-trench
وَأَوارِيَّ قَد عَفَونَ وَنُؤياً
وَرُسوماًand traces عُرّينَwere stripped bare مُذfor أَحوالِyears
وَرُسوماً عُرّينَ مُذ أَحوالِ
and tethering-stakes now vanished, and a drainage-trench,
Decaying hearthstones, ruined encampment-floors,
and traces stripped bare these many years.
And vestiges which, since the days of old passed by,
بُدِّلَتwere given in exchange مِنهُمُinstead of them الدِيارُthe dwellings نَعاماًostriches
بُدِّلَت مِنهُمُ الدِيارُ نَعاماً
خاضِباتٍred-legged يُزجينَushering along خَيطَa file of الرِئالِostrich chicks
خاضِباتٍ يُزجينَ خَيطَ الرِئالِ
In their stead, the dwellings were given ostriches,
Have been effaced. Ostriches wander there,
red-legged, ushering along a file of ostrich chicks,
Gray fowls that utter plaintive, long-drawn cry,
وَظِباءًand gazelles كَأَنَّهُنَّas though they were أَباريewers (first part)
وَظِباءً كَأَنَّهُنَّ أَباري
قُcompletion of 'ewers' لُجَينٍsilver تَحنوbending عَلىover الأَطفالِthe young
قُ لُجَينٍ تَحنو عَلى الأَطفالِ
and gazelles, as though they were ewers
And antelopes, as though their does were scared
of silver, bending over their young.
Mothers that whimper over young near by.
تِلكَthat عِرسيmy wife تَرومُseeks قِدماًfor a long time زِياليparting from me
تِلكَ عِرسي تَرومُ قِدماً زِيالي
أَلِبَينٍis it for parting? تُريدُshe wants أَمor لِدَلالِfor coquetry
أَلِبَينٍ تُريدُ أَم لِدَلالِ
That wife of mine has long sought to part from me.
There my tribe's maidens came, their raiment trailing,
Does she seek parting, or is it coquetry?
Intending should I greet them, or pass by?
إِنif يَكُنis طِبُّكِyour way الدَلالَcoquetry فَلَوthen if only فيin
إِن يَكُن طِبُّكِ الدَلالَ فَلَو في
سالِفِbygone الدَهرِtime وَاللَياليand the nights الخَواليgone by
سالِفِ الدَهرِ وَاللَيالي الخَوالي
If coquetry is your way—if only it had been in
If your wish be love, though time in its advance
time long past and nights gone by,
May have decreed our doom, do not deny
أَنتِyou بَيضاءُwhite كَالمَهاةِlike an oryx وَإِذand when آI come to you (first part)
أَنتِ بَيضاءُ كَالمَهاةِ وَإِذ آ
تِيكِcompletion of 'I come to you' نَشوانَdrunk مُرخِياًletting hang loosely أَذياليmy hems
تِيكِ نَشوانَ مُرخِياً أَذيالي
when you were white as an oryx, and when I came
Affection. You are white as lightning's flash;
to you drunk, letting my hems hang loose.
If I approach, my garments brushing nigh,
فَاِترُكيso stop مَطَّstretching حاجِبَيكِyour two eyebrows وَعيشيand live
فَاِترُكي مَطَّ حاجِبَيكِ وَعيشي
مَعَناwith us بِالرَجاءِwith hope وَالتَأمالِand expectation
مَعَنا بِالرَجاءِ وَالتَأمالِ
So stop stretching your brows, and live
Leave off from frowning and come live with us
with us in hope and expectation.
In hope - perchance the future we may belie.
أَوor يَكُنis طِبُّكِyour way الزِيالَseparation فَإِنَّthen indeed الthe
أَو يَكُن طِبُّكِ الزِيالَ فَإِنَّ ال
بَينَparting أَنthat تَعطِفيyou turn صُدورَthe breasts of الجِمالِthe camels
بَينَ أَن تَعطِفي صُدورَ الجِمالِ
Or if separation is your way, then
If raiding be your wish, the tribe has many
parting means turning the camels' breasts away.
A hero, lithe of form, the steed to ply.
زَعَمَتshe claimed أَنَّنيthat I كَبِرتُhave grown old وَأَنّيand that I
زَعَمَت أَنَّني كَبِرتُ وَأَنّي
قَلَّdwindled ماليmy wealth وَضَنَّand withheld عَنّيfrom me المَواليthe kinsmen
قَلَّ مالي وَضَنَّ عَنّي المَوالي
She claimed that I had grown old, and that
She said that I was aged and lacking wealth,
my wealth had dwindled and my kinsmen withheld their help,
That kinsmen lavished nothing on me by
وَصَحاand sobered باطِليmy folly وَأَصبَحتُand I became كَهلاًmiddle-aged
وَصَحا باطِلي وَأَصبَحتُ كَهلاً
لاnot يُؤاتيsuit أَمثالَهاwomen like her أَمثاليmen like me
لا يُؤاتي أَمثالَها أَمثالي
and my folly had sobered, and I had become middle-aged:
Way of allotted shares; my case was known;
men like me do not suit women like her.
An old man, not the like of them am I.
إِنif رَأَتنيshe sees me تَغَيَّرَhas changed اللَونُthe complexion مِنّيin me
إِن رَأَتني تَغَيَّرَ اللَونُ مِنّي
وَعَلاand rose over الشَيبُgray hair مَفرِقيmy hair's parting وَقَذاليand the back of my head
وَعَلا الشَيبُ مَفرِقي وَقَذالي
If she sees that my complexion has changed,
If she but saw me, from my face the hue
and gray has spread over my hair's parting and the back of my head,
Departed and gray hairs showed plain thereby.
فَبِماyet often أَدخُلُI enter الخِباءَthe tent عَلىupon مَهslender (first part)
فَبِما أَدخُلُ الخِباءَ عَلى مَه
ضومَةِcompletion of 'slender' الكَشحِthe waist طَفلَةٍdelicate كَالغَزالِlike a gazelle
ضومَةِ الكَشحِ طَفلَةٍ كَالغَزالِ
yet often I enter the tent of a slender-
Yet to the maiden, cowering in her bower,
waisted, delicate woman, like a gazelle.
Like a gazelle, I turned me, drawing nigh,
فَتَعاطَيتُso I reached for جيدَهاher neck ثُمَّthen مالَتshe leaned
فَتَعاطَيتُ جيدَها ثُمَّ مالَت
مَيَلانَwith the swaying of الكَثيبِthe sand-dune بَينَamid الرِمالِthe sands
مَيَلانَ الكَثيبِ بَينَ الرِمالِ
So I reached for her neck; then she leaned,
Then stroked her throat-pearls, whereon she inclined
with the sway of a dune amid the sands.
Like a sandhill in a gale of wind blown high.
ثُمَّthen قالَتshe said فِدىًa ransom لِنَفسِكَfor your life نَفسيmy life
ثُمَّ قالَت فِدىً لِنَفسِكَ نَفسي
وَفِداءٌand a ransom لِمالِfor the wealth of أَهلِكَyour family ماليmy wealth
وَفِداءٌ لِمالِ أَهلِكَ مالي
Then she said, 'May my life be ransom for yours,
Then she cried, "Save yourself and me! Your wealth
and my wealth ransom for your family's wealth.'
Redeem with mine, and turn you from them. Fly!"
فَاِرفُضيso reject العاذِلينَthe reproachers وَاِقنَيand cherish حَياءًmodesty
فَاِرفُضي العاذِلينَ وَاِقنَي حَياءً
لاnot يَكونواthey be عَلَيكِwith you حَظَّthe favor of مِثاليone like me
لا يَكونوا عَلَيكِ حَظَّ مِثالي
So reject the reproachers and cherish modesty;
So leave the censurers; of me have shame,
let them not have with you the favor due to one like me.
Lest portion equal with the rest have I.
وَبِحَظٍّand with a share مِمّاof what نَعيشُwe live on فَلاso do not تَذgo (first part)
وَبِحَظٍّ مِمّا نَعيشُ فَلا تَذ
هَبcompletion of 'go' بِكِwith you التُرَّهاتُidle talk فيinto الأَهوالِterrors
هَب بِكِ التُرَّهاتُ في الأَهوالِ
And be content with a share of what sustains us; do not let
Some provide nothing, others are unkind,
idle talk carry you into terrors.
Miserly souls who hoard for those nearby.
مِنهُمُamong them مُمسِكٌa hoarder وَمِنهُمand among them عَديمٌa destitute one
مِنهُمُ مُمسِكٌ وَمِنهُم عَديمٌ
وَبَخيلٌand a miser عَلَيكِtoward you فيamong بُخّالِmisers
وَبَخيلٌ عَلَيكِ في بُخّالِ
Some of them hoard, and some have nothing,
Leave Sa'd's tribe scornful, dwelling in Quṭaibah,
and one is stingy toward you, among the stingy.
The glens of Wabar or in Rayy thereby.
وَاِترُكيand leave صِرمَةًa small camel-herd عَلىwith آلِthe clan of زَيدٍZayd
وَاِترُكي صِرمَةً عَلى آلِ زَيدٍ
بِالقُطَيباتِat al-Qutaybat كُنَّthey were أَوor أَورالِAwral
بِالقُطَيباتِ كُنَّ أَو أَورالِ
And leave a small camel-herd with the clan of Zayd,
They have seen no raid of steeds nor did their hooves
whether they be at al-Qutaybat or Awral.
Pound in the plain, when the war-cry rang on high.
لَمnot تَكُنwas غَزوَةَa raid of الجِيادِfine steeds وَلَمand not يُنbe worn through (first part)
لَم تَكُن غَزوَةَ الجِيادِ وَلَم يُن
قَبcompletion of 'be worn through' بِآثارِهاfrom following its tracks صُدورُthe fronts of النِعالِthe sandals
قَب بِآثارِها صُدورُ النِعالِ
It was not won in a raid of steeds, nor were
Youth's glory and tumultuous throng are gone,
the toes of sandals worn through following its tracks.
The brown lances borne on camel-back thereby,
دَرَّmay flow دَرُّthe milk of الشَبابِyouth وَالشَعَرِand hair الأَسblack (first part)
دَرَّ دَرُّ الشَبابِ وَالشَعَرِ الأَس
وَدِcompletion of 'black' وَالراتِكاتِand the trotting camels تَحتَbeneath الرِحالِthe saddles
وَدِ وَالراتِكاتِ تَحتَ الرِحالِ
Blessed be youth and black hair,
The battle charges, and the edged weapons, honed,
and the camels trotting beneath their saddles,
Borne slung from saddles of the cavalry;
وَالعَناجيجِand thoroughbred horses كَالقِداحِlike arrow-shafts مِنَof الشَوshawhat wood (first part)
وَالعَناجيجِ كَالقِداحِ مِنَ الشَو
حَطِcompletion of 'shawhat wood' يَحمِلنَthey carry شِكَّةَthe battle-gear of الأَبطالِheroes
حَطِ يَحمِلنَ شِكَّةَ الأَبطالِ
and thoroughbred horses like arrow-shafts of
I made the morn recoil like the shyest
shawhat wood, carrying the warriors' battle-gear.
Steed, nor weakened, nor my nerve and sinew ply
وَلَقَدand indeed أَذعَرُI startle السُروبَthe herds بِطِرفٍwith a noble steed
وَلَقَد أَذعَرُ السُروبَ بِطِرفٍ
مِثلِlike شاةِa wild bull of الإِرانِthe lair غَيرِnot مُذالِmade a drudge
مِثلِ شاةِ الإِرانِ غَيرِ مُذالِ
And indeed I startle the herds with a noble steed,
A bow, but a well-feathered reed so cast
like a wild bull in its lair, never made a drudge,
That it outstripped the thousand, speeding by.
غَيرِnot أَقنىhook-nosed وَلاnor أَصَكَّknock-kneed وَلَكِنbut
غَيرِ أَقنى وَلا أَصَكَّ وَلَكِن
مِرجَمٌa stone-flinging runner ذوpossessing كَريهَةٍbattle-mettle وَنِقالِand agile strides
مِرجَمٌ ذو كَريهَةٍ وَنِقالِ
neither hook-nosed nor knock-kneed, but
It stripped the Uzayyid leaders of their mail
a stone-flinging runner, with battle-mettle and agile strides.
As the stroke of peel strips date-palm branches nigh.
يَسبِقُoutstrips الأَلفَa thousand بِالمُدَجَّجِwith the armored rider ذيpossessing القَوhelmet-crest (first part)
يَسبِقُ الأَلفَ بِالمُدَجَّجِ ذي القَو
نَسِcompletion of 'helmet-crest' حَتّىuntil يَؤوبَhe returns كَالتِمثالِlike a statue
نَسِ حَتّى يَؤوبَ كَالتِمثالِ
He outruns a thousand, bearing an armored rider with a
Full often have I charged on Thursday raids, spotted she-asses,
crested helmet, until he returns like a statue.
Scared mothers seeking their young, hurrying by.
فَهوَso he كَالمِنزَعِlike a long-range arrow المَريشِfletched مِنَof الشَوshawhat wood (first part)
فَهوَ كَالمِنزَعِ المَريشِ مِنَ الشَو
حَطِcompletion of 'shawhat wood' مالَتtilted بِهِwith it شِمالُthe left hand of المَغاليthe distance-shooting archer
حَطِ مالَت بِهِ شِمالُ المَغالي
So he is like a fletched, long-range arrow of
I stabbed her with its point - no care had I -
shawhat wood, tilted by a distance-archer's left hand.
And struck her down with cane thick-jointed, dry.
يَعقِرُhamstrings الظَبيَthe gazelle وَالظَليمَand the male ostrich وَيَلويand carries off
يَعقِرُ الظَبيَ وَالظَليمَ وَيَلوي
بِلَبونِwith the milch-camel of المِعزابَةِthe far-ranging herder المِعزالِthe solitary one
بِلَبونِ المِعزابَةِ المِعزالِ
He hamstrings the gazelle and the male ostrich, and carries off
The war-mares, fettered in camp, I loosed at dawn
the milch-camel of the far-ranging, solitary herder.
And drove them off full gallop, sweeping by.
وَلَقَدand indeed أَقدُمُI lead الخَميسَthe army عَلىon الجَرsleek (first part)
وَلَقَد أَقدُمُ الخَميسَ عَلى الجَر
داءِcompletion of 'sleek' ذاتِpossessing الجِراءِswiftness وَالتَنقالِand agile movement
داءِ ذاتِ الجِراءِ وَالتَنقالِ
And indeed I lead the army on the sleek
Then one I hobbled and strapped its saddle on,
mare, endowed with speed and agile movement.
Like a new moon its figure showed thereby.
فَتَقينيso she protects me بِنَحرِهاwith her chest وَأَقيهاand I protect her
فَتَقيني بِنَحرِها وَأَقيها
بِقَضيبٍwith a shaft مِنَof القَناspear-reed غَيرِnot باليworn out
بِقَضيبٍ مِنَ القَنا غَيرِ بالي
So she shields me with her chest, and I shield her
An 'Antar am I, marked with beauty-spots!
with an unworn shaft of spear-reed.
By night a lass confounded me, passing nigh.
وَلَقَدand indeed أَقطَعُI traverse السَباسِبَthe level wastes وَالشُهand pale deserts (first part)
وَلَقَد أَقطَعُ السَباسِبَ وَالشُه
بَcompletion of 'pale deserts' عَلىon الصَيعَرِيَّةِthe Say'ari-branded she-camel الشِملالِswift
بَ عَلى الصَيعَرِيَّةِ الشِملالِ
And indeed I cross the level wastes and pale
deserts on the swift, Say'ari-branded she-camel.
ثُمَّthen أَبريI wear away نِحاضَهاher flesh فَتَراهاso you see her
ثُمَّ أَبري نِحاضَها فَتَراها
ضامِراًlean بَعدَafter بُدنِهاher plumpness كَالهِلالِlike a crescent moon
ضامِراً بَعدَ بُدنِها كَالهِلالِ
Then I wear away her flesh, so you see her
lean after her plumpness, like the crescent moon.
عَنتَريسٍa mighty she-camel كَأَنَّهاas though she were ذوone bearing وُشومٍtattoo-like markings
عَنتَريسٍ كَأَنَّها ذو وُشومٍ
أَحرَجَتهُhemmed him in بِالجَوِّat al-Jaww إِحدىone of اللَياليthe nights
أَحرَجَتهُ بِالجَوِّ إِحدى اللَيالي
A mighty she-camel, as though she were a beast with tattoo-like markings,
hemmed in at al-Jaww by one of the nights.
Partial English translation: 64 of 70 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1