بانَdeparted الخَليطُthe companions الؤولىthose who شاقوكَstirred your longing إِذwhen شَحَطواwent far away
بانَ الخَليطُ الؤولى شاقوكَ إِذ شَحَطوا
وَفيand in الحُدوجِthe howdahs مَهاًoryxes أَعناقُهاtheir necks عِيَطُlong and lofty
وَفي الحُدوجِ مَهاً أَعناقُها عِيَطُ
The companions departed, those who stirred your longing when they went afar.
The first mixture irked you as they dragged
And in the howdahs were oryxes with long, lofty necks.
And the folds, their necks cried out, oppressed
ناطواthey hung الرِعاثَthe ear-pendants لِمَهوىًabove a drop لَوif يَزِلُّit slips بِهِdown it
ناطوا الرِعاثَ لِمَهوىً لَو يَزِلُّ بِهِ
لَاِندَقَّit would shatter دونَbefore تَلاقيreaching اللَبَّةِthe throat's hollow القُرُطُthe earring
لَاِندَقَّ دونَ تَلاقي اللَبَّةِ القُرُطُ
They hung ear-pendants above a drop where, should one slip,
They tied calamity to fate, if only it would slip
the earring would shatter before reaching the hollow of the throat.
The knots would come undone before the meeting of forelocks
هَلِwill? اللَيالِيُthe nights وَالأَيّامُand the days راجِعَةٌreturning
هَلِ اللَيالِيُ وَالأَيّامُ راجِعَةٌ
أَيّامُthe days when نَحنُwe وَسَلمىand Salma جيرَةٌneighbors خُلُطُclosely mingled
أَيّامُ نَحنُ وَسَلمى جيرَةٌ خُلُطُ
Will the nights and days return—
Are those nights and days coming back?
the days when Salma and we were close, mingling neighbors?
Those days of us and Salma, a neighboring tribe, mixed
إِذwhen كُلُّناeach of us وَمِقٌloving راضٍcontent بِصاحِبِهِwith his companion
إِذ كُلُّنا وَمِقٌ راضٍ بِصاحِبِهِ
لاnot يَبتَغيseeks بَدَلاًa replacement فَالعَيشُand so life مُغتَبِطُa delight
لا يَبتَغي بَدَلاً فَالعَيشُ مُغتَبِطُ
When each of us was loving, content with the other,
When we were all satisfied with our companion
seeking no replacement, and life was a delight.
Not seeking an alternative, so life was blissful
وَالشَملُand the company مُجتَمِعٌunited فَاِعتاقَهُthen thwarted it قِدَمٌpassing years
وَالشَملُ مُجتَمِعٌ فَاِعتاقَهُ قِدَمٌ
وَالدَهرُand time مِنهُwith regard to it عَلىbent on التَحيِيفِwearing away وَالفُرُطُand excess
وَالدَهرُ مِنهُ عَلى التَحيِيفِ وَالفُرُطُ
Our company was united, until passing years thwarted it,
And the gathering intact, so time honored it
and time was bent on wearing it away and overstepping all bounds.
Yet time acted perfidiously and failed us
عَهديmy last memory بِهِمof them يَومَthe day جَزعِthe bend of القاعِal-Qa‘ مِنfrom رَمَقِRamaq
عَهدي بِهِم يَومَ جَزعِ القاعِ مِن رَمَقِ
وَالصَفحُand the hillside قَدalready زالَhad moved away بِالأَحداجِwith the howdahs وَالغُبُطُand the camel-litters
وَالصَفحُ قَد زالَ بِالأَحداجِ وَالغُبُطُ
My last sight of them was the day at the bend of al-Qa‘, by Ramaq,
My oath to them on the day the pasture panicked from remnant
and the hillside had moved away with the howdahs and camel-litters.
The plain is now devoid of happiness and comfort
وَالعيسُand the pale camels مُدبِرَةٌturning away تَهويspeed بِأَركُبِهاwith their riders
وَالعيسُ مُدبِرَةٌ تَهوي بِأَركُبِها
كَأَنَّهُنَّas though they were نَعامٌostriches نُفَّرٌstartled مُعُطُbare of feathers
كَأَنَّهُنَّ نَعامٌ نُفَّرٌ مُعُطُ
And the pale camels, turning away, sped along with their riders,
The she-camels heading back as if they are
as though they were startled, featherless ostriches.
Startled ostriches scattered in retreat
فَوَرَدَتthen they reached ماءَthe water of جَزعٍa valley bend عَنon شَمائِلِهاtheir left sides
فَوَرَدَت ماءَ جَزعٍ عَن شَمائِلِها
فيin سَبسَبٍa flat wilderness مُقفِرٍdesolate حُمرٌwild asses بِهِtherein اللَغَطُthe clamor
في سَبسَبٍ مُقفِرٍ حُمرٌ بِهِ اللَغَطُ
Then they reached the water at a valley bend, on their left,
They arrived at the waters of distress, their beauty gone
in a desolate plain, where wild asses clamored.
On an arid plain, reddened with drought
تَرىyou perceive لَهُنَّof theirs عَزيفاًan eerie call فيin مَواثِبِهِits leaping-grounds
تَرى لَهُنَّ عَزيفاً في مَواثِبِهِ
إِذاwhen هُمُthey لَبِثواlinger لِلماءِfor water وَاِفتَرَطواand go ahead
إِذا هُمُ لَبِثوا لِلماءِ وَاِفتَرَطوا
You perceive their eerie calls at its leaping-grounds,
You see them racing in their gait
when they linger for water and go ahead.
When they lingered at the water and were unquenched
وَتُصبِحُand wake الجونُthe dark sandgrouse حَسرىexhausted فيat مَناهِلِهاtheir watering places
وَتُصبِحُ الجونُ حَسرى في مَناهِلِها
وَالكُدرُand the dusky sandgrouse قَدalready قَصُرَتfell short عَنof وِردِهاtheir drinking الوُقُطُthe rock-pools
وَالكُدرُ قَد قَصُرَت عَن وِردِها الوُقُطُ
And the dark sandgrouse wake exhausted at their watering places,
The valleys greet the dawn in sorrow at their springs
and the rock-pools cannot satisfy the dusky sandgrouse's thirst.
The turbid water, its customary watering place now barred
وَعَنand to أَيامِنِهاtheir right sides الأَطواءُal-Atwa’ مُصعِدَةٌheading upland
وَعَن أَيامِنِها الأَطواءُ مُصعِدَةٌ
قَدalready شارَفواthey approached فَرَحَFarah الأَوتادِal-Awtad أَوor وَسَطواentered the middle of
قَد شارَفوا فَرَحَ الأَوتادِ أَو وَسَطوا
And al-Atwa’ lay to their right as they journeyed upland;
The lofty times from its days have departed
they had neared Farah al-Awtad, or reached the heart of
They approached the peg of the tent, or midway
رَوضَRawd القَطاal-Qata مِنfrom جَنوبِthe south of السِدرِal-Sidr مِنfrom خِيَمِKhiyam
رَوضَ القَطا مِن جَنوبِ السِدرِ مِن خِيَمِ
فَالمُحتَبيthen al-Muhtabi فَأَجازواthen they crossed الدَوَّal-Daww أَوor هَبَطواdescended
فَالمُحتَبي فَأَجازوا الدَوَّ أَو هَبَطوا
Rawd al-Qata, south of al-Sidr, from Khiyam,
The garden between the myrtle and date palms
then al-Muhtabi; they crossed al-Daww or descended.
So the sheltered ones surpassed the sands or descended
يَجتابُtraverses مَهمَهَةًa vast wilderness يَهماءَtrackless صَملَقَةًbare and level
يَجتابُ مَهمَهَةً يَهماءَ صَملَقَةً
سَكنُcalm in الخَلائِقِdisposition حاديthe driver of الأُدمِthe tawny camels مُقتَسِطُlean-bodied
سَكنُ الخَلائِقِ حادي الأُدمِ مُقتَسِطُ
Across a vast, trackless, bare desert strides
A shepherd roams perplexed, confused
a calm-tempered, lean driver of tawny camels,
The peace of people, the equitable judge of blood
مُشَمِّرٌwith garments tucked up خَلَقٌworn-out سِربالُهُhis shirt مَشِقٌlong and slender
مُشَمِّرٌ خَلَقٌ سِربالُهُ مَشِقٌ
قاذورَةٌfoul-tempered فائِلٌfoolish مُغَذمِرٌscolding قَطَطُtightly curly-haired
قاذورَةٌ فائِلٌ مُغَذمِرٌ قَطَطُ
his garments tucked up, his shirt worn out, long and slender,
Girded of waist, his cloak askew
foul-tempered, foolish, scolding, tightly curly-haired.
A shaggy goat, inclined and disheveled of hair
يُكَلِّفُforces to endure الغَولَthe exhausting distance مِنهاamong them كُلَّevery ناجِيَةٍswift she-camel
يُكَلِّفُ الغَولَ مِنها كُلَّ ناجِيَةٍ
بَعدَafter الهَجيرِthe midday heat بِإِرقالٍat a swift trot وَيَلتَبِطُand he leaps about
بَعدَ الهَجيرِ بِإِرقالٍ وَيَلتَبِطُ
He drives each swift she-camel among them across the punishing distance,
He calls upon ghosts, every wailing she-camel
after the midday heat, at a swift trot, leaping as he goes.
After separation with a mournful rattle
فَظِلتُso I kept أُتبِعُهُمfollowing them عَيناًwith an eye عَلىin طَرَبٍyearning
فَظِلتُ أُتبِعُهُم عَيناً عَلى طَرَبٍ
إِنسانُهاits pupil غَرِقٌdrowned فيin مائِهاits water مَغِطُsubmerged
إِنسانُها غَرِقٌ في مائِها مَغِطُ
So I kept following them with a yearning eye,
I remained following them with an eye of disquiet
its pupil drowned, submerged in its tears.
Its humanity drowned in its waters, immersed
وَكُلُّand every مُجتَمِعٍgathering لاno بُدَّescape مُفتَرِقٌdestined to part
وَكُلُّ مُجتَمِعٍ لا بُدَّ مُفتَرِقٌ
وَكُلُّand every ذيpossessor of عُمُرٍa lifespan يَوماًone day سَيُحتَنَطُwill be perfumed for burial
وَكُلُّ ذي عُمُرٍ يَوماً سَيُحتَنَطُ
And every gathering must inevitably part,
Every gathering must eventually disperse
and every living soul will one day be perfumed for burial.
All who live will someday be embalmed
وَفِتيَةٌand young men كَلُيوثِlike lions of الغابِthe forest مِنof أَسَدٍAsad
وَفِتيَةٌ كَلُيوثِ الغابِ مِن أَسَدٍ
ماnot لِلنَدىfor generosity عَنهُمُfrom them نَزحٌremoteness وَلاnor شَحَطُdistance
ما لِلنَدى عَنهُمُ نَزحٌ وَلا شَحَطُ
And there are young men of Asad, like lions of the forest,
And youths like the lions of the forests, from a lion
from whom generosity is never remote or far away.
No fatigue overcame them, nor did they drag their feet
بيضٌbright-faced بَهاليلُgenerous nobles يَنفيbanishes الجَهلَrashness حِلمُهُمُtheir forbearance
بيضٌ بَهاليلُ يَنفي الجَهلَ حِلمُهُمُ
وَتَفزَعُand fears الأَرضُthe earth مِنهُمbecause of them إِنif هُمُthey سَخِطواare angered
وَتَفزَعُ الأَرضُ مِنهُم إِن هُمُ سَخِطوا
Bright-faced nobles, whose forbearance banishes rashness,
Whites shining, their wisdom dispels ignorance
and the earth trembles in fear of them when they are angered.
The earth trembles at their rage, if they be provoked
إِذاwhen تَخَمَّطَrages arrogantly جَبّارٌa tyrant ثَنَوهُthey bend him إِلىto
إِذا تَخَمَّطَ جَبّارٌ ثَنَوهُ إِلى
ماwhat يَشتَهونَthey desire وَلاand not يُثنَونَare bent إِنif خَمِطواthey rage
ما يَشتَهونَ وَلا يُثنَونَ إِن خَمِطوا
When a tyrant rages in arrogance, they bend him to
When a tyrant writhed, they bent him toward
whatever they desire; they cannot be bent when they rage.
What they desire, unbending if they are opposed
وَالفارِجوand those who dispel الكَربِdistress وَالغُمّىand bewilderment بِرَأيِهِمُwith their judgment
وَالفارِجو الكَربِ وَالغُمّى بِرَأيِهِمُ
إِذاwhen تَشابَهَتِbecome indistinguishable الأَهواءُthe inclinations وَالصُرُطُand the paths
إِذا تَشابَهَتِ الأَهواءُ وَالصُرُطُ
They dispel distress and bewilderment with their judgment,
Dispelling hardship and gloom with their counsel
when inclinations and paths become indistinguishable.
When tastes and ways became confused
وَالقائِلوand those who speak الفَصلِdecisive judgment لاnot تَنآدُbends طينَتُهُمtheir clay
وَالقائِلو الفَصلِ لا تَنآدُ طينَتُهُم
وَماand no لِقَولِهِمُin their word خَلفٌbreach وَلاnor مَيَطُevasion
وَما لِقَولِهِمُ خَلفٌ وَلا مَيَطُ
They speak the decisive word; their clay never bends,
The decisive speakers, their clay remains unblemished
and their word admits neither breach nor evasion.
Their word has no contradictions or swerve
وَالخالِطوand those who join مُعسِرٍa needy man مِنهُمamong them بِموسِرِهِمwith their wealthy
وَالخالِطو مُعسِرٍ مِنهُم بِموسِرِهِم
وَأَكرَمُand the most generous of الناسِpeople مَطروقاًwhen visited إِذاwhen اِختُبِطواthey are asked for aid
وَأَكرَمُ الناسِ مَطروقاً إِذا اِختُبِطوا
They join the needy among them with their wealthy,
Those who join the destitute among them to their wealthy
and are the most generous men to call upon when aid is sought.
The most generous of people when brought together
مُرّوbitter in اللِقاءَencounter وَمُبقوand preservers of العَقدِthe pact إِنif عَقَدواthey made a pact
مُرّو اللِقاءَ وَمُبقو العَقدِ إِن عَقَدوا
إِذاwhen أَضاعَneglects مِنَof الميثاقِthe covenant مُشتَرِطُa stipulating party
إِذا أَضاعَ مِنَ الميثاقِ مُشتَرِطُ
Bitter in battle, they preserve the pact once they have bound it,
Who honor the meeting and uphold a pact if pledged
when one who stipulated its terms neglects the covenant.
When the treaty breaker discards conditions
رُجحٌweighty إِذاwhen حَضَرَattend الناديthe assembly حُلومُهُمُtheir minds
رُجحٌ إِذا حَضَرَ النادي حُلومُهُمُ
وَفيهِمُand among them الزَغفُthe supple mail وَالخَطِّيُّand Khatt spears وَالرُبُطُand tethered horses
وَفيهِمُ الزَغفُ وَالخَطِّيُّ وَالرُبُطُ
Their minds carry weight when they attend the assembly,
The eminent among them when they gather
and among them are supple mail, Khatt spears, and tethered horses,
Contain frivolity, jest and play
وَالمَشرَفِيَّةُand Mashrafi swords مَفلولٌchipped ضَوارِبُهاtheir striking edges
وَالمَشرَفِيَّةُ مَفلولٌ ضَوارِبُها
يَومَon the day of اللِقاءِbattle وَأَيدٍand hands بِالنَدىin generosity سَبِطُoutspread
يَومَ اللِقاءِ وَأَيدٍ بِالنَدى سَبِطُ
and Mashrafi swords whose striking edges are chipped
The lofty-speared warriors among them
on the day of battle, and hands outspread in generosity.
On the day of battle, hands streaming with dew
لاnot يَحسِبونَthey suppose غِنىًwealth يَبقىendures وَلاnor عَدَماًpoverty
لا يَحسِبونَ غِنىً يَبقى وَلا عَدَماً
إِذاwhen رَأىconsiders ذاكَthat مِنهُمamong them مَعشَرٌa company فُرُطُforemost men
إِذا رَأى ذاكَ مِنهُم مَعشَرٌ فُرُطُ
They do not believe wealth endures, nor poverty,
They do not account lasting wealth or poverty
when a band of their foremost men takes that view.
When some of their number witness excess
Sol 6.1