ماذاwhat يفيدُكَbenefits you منfrom سؤالِquestioning الأَرْبُعِthe dwelling sites
ماذا يفيدُكَ من سؤالِ الأَرْبُعِ
وهيand they are التيthose which إنْif خُوطِبتْwere addressed لمdid not تسمعِhear
وهي التي إنْ خُوطِبتْ لم تسمعِ
What do you gain from questioning the dwelling sites?
What use is it to ask the four
And they are such that, if addressed, they do not hear.
When she, if spoken to, does not hear?
سَفَهٌfolly وقوفُكَyour standing فيamong رُسُومٍtraces رَثَّةٍworn-out
سَفَهٌ وقوفُكَ في رُسُومٍ رَثَّةٍ
عجماءَmute لاnot تدريunderstand الكلامَspeech ولاnor تَعِيcomprehend
عجماءَ لا تدري الكلامَ ولا تَعِي
It is folly for you to stand among worn-out traces,
Foolish is your standing in worn-out traditions
Mute, understanding no speech and comprehending none.
Mute, not knowing speech or comprehension
فَذَرِso leave الوقوفَstanding علىat محانيthe recesses of منزلٍa dwelling
فَذَرِ الوقوفَ على محاني منزلٍ
عَافٍeffaced لمختلفِby the coming and going of الرياحِthe winds الأربَعِthe four
عَافٍ لمختلفِ الرياحِ الأربَعِ
So leave off standing at the recesses of a dwelling,
So leave off standing at the ruins of an abode
Effaced by the coming and going of the four winds.
Sheltered from changing winds’ directions
وامْسِكْand hold عِنَانَthe rein of الدمعِtears عنfrom جَرَيانِهِits flowing
وامْسِكْ عِنَانَ الدمعِ عن جَرَيانِهِ
فيat دمنةٍa ruined campsite لاnot تحمِدَنْكَthank you ومَرْبَعِand a dwelling
في دمنةٍ لا تحمِدَنْكَ ومَرْبَعِ
And rein in your tears, checking their flow
And hold back your tears from flowing
Over a ruined campsite and dwelling that will not thank you.
In a dunghill that won’t praise you, O square
اللّهُGod جَارُكَyour protector هلquestion marker رأيتَyou have seen منازلاًdwellings
اللّهُ جَارُكَ هل رأيتَ منازلاً
عَطِلَتْwere left bare فحلَّتْهَاthen adorned them عُقُودُnecklaces الأَدمُعِof tears
عَطِلَتْ فحلَّتْهَا عُقُودُ الأَدمُعِ
God be your protector! Have you seen dwellings
God is your neighbor, have you seen homes
Left bare, then adorned by necklaces of tears?
Whose contracts time has invalidated and tears dissolved?
واستبْقِand preserve قلباًa heart لاnot تعيشُyou live بغيرهِwithout it
واستبْقِ قلباً لا تعيشُ بغيرهِ
وشُعَاعَand the ray of نفسٍa soul إنif يغِبْit sets لمwill not يَطْلُعِrise
وشُعَاعَ نفسٍ إن يغِبْ لم يَطْلُعِ
And preserve a heart without which you cannot live,
And seek out a heart you cannot live without
And the soul's ray, which, if it sets, will not rise again.
And a ray of soul - if it’s absent, it won’t rise
واصْرِفْand dispel بِصِرْفِwith unmixed الرّاحِwine هَمَّكَyour sorrow إنّهاindeed it
واصْرِفْ بِصِرْفِ الرّاحِ هَمَّكَ إنّها
مهماwhatever تفرَّقَhas scattered منof سرورِكَyour joy تَجمَعِit gathers
مهما تفرَّقَ من سرورِكَ تَجمَعِ
And dispel your sorrow with unmixed wine; for it
And turn your worries, however dispersed
Gathers whatever of your joy has been scattered.
Your joy, with the turning of the winds they gather
كَرْميَّةٌvine-born wine تذرُleaves البخيلَthe miser كأنَّمَاas though
كَرْميَّةٌ تذرُ البخيلَ كأنَّمَا
نزلَlodged ابنُson of مَامَةَMamah منof يَدَيهِhis two hands بإصبَعِin a finger
نزلَ ابنُ مَامَةَ من يَدَيهِ بإصبَعِ
Vine-born wine leaves the miser as though
A generous woman leaves the miser as if
Ibn Mamah had lodged in one finger of his hands.
Ibn Mama came down at his fingers with but one
فهيfor it is التيthe one that آلتْswore أَلِيَّةَthe oath of صَادقٍa truthful person
فهي التي آلتْ أَلِيَّةَ صَادقٍ
إنْthat لاnot تُجَاوزهاcross its path الهمومُcares بِمَوْضِعِin any place
إنْ لا تُجَاوزها الهمومُ بِمَوْضِعِ
For it has sworn the oath of one true to his word:
She it is who tends the wounds of the sincere
That cares shall never cross its path anywhere.
If worries do not go beyond their proper places
معwith كلِّevery ساحرةِenchantress of اللحاظِglances كأنَّماas though
مع كلِّ ساحرةِ اللحاظِ كأنَّما
ترنُوgazes بناظرتَيwith the two eyes of مَهَاةٍan oryx مُرْضِعِnursing
ترنُو بناظرتَي مَهَاةٍ مُرْضِعِ
With each enchantress of glances, as though she
With every enchantress of glances as if
Gazes with the eyes of a nursing oryx.
She winks at me with the batting of a wetnurse’s eyes
وكأنّماand as though تُثنيfolds علىover شَمسِthe sun of الضُحىthe forenoon
وكأنّما تُثني على شَمسِ الضُحى
إمّاwhenever هيshe انتقبَتْveils herself حواشيthe edges of البرقُعِthe face veil
إمّا هي انتقبَتْ حواشي البرقُعِ
And it is as though she folds over the morning sun—
As if she praises the dawn’s sun
Whenever she veils herself—the edges of her face veil.
Or she has put on the edges of her face-veil
وكأنّماand as though وُضِعَwere placed البُرَىthe anklets منهاof hers علىupon
وكأنّما وُضِعَ البُرَى منها على
عُشرٍa milkweed shrub تعاورَهُrepeatedly visited it الحَيَاthe rain أوor خِرْوَعِa castor plant
عُشرٍ تعاورَهُ الحَيَا أو خِرْوَعِ
And it is as though her anklets were set upon
As if the human race was placed on her
A milkweed shrub repeatedly visited by rain, or a castor plant.
In tenths, inhabited by the living or small lizards
ياO مَنْyou who يَفِرُّflees منfrom الخُطُوبِcalamities وصَرْفِهاand their vicissitudes
يا مَنْ يَفِرُّ من الخُطُوبِ وصَرْفِها
إنّيindeed I أراهُsee him يفرُّflees عنهاfrom them يُتبَعِis pursued
إنّي أراهُ يفرُّ عنها يُتبَعِ
O you who flee calamities and their vicissitudes,
O you who flees engagements and their turmoils
I see him fleeing them, only to be pursued.
I see him flee yet still be pursued
لُذْseek refuge بالوزيرِwith the vizier ابنِson of الوزيرِthe vizier فكأنّماfor it is as though
لُذْ بالوزيرِ ابنِ الوزيرِ فكأنّما
تأويyou take shelter إلىto الكَنَفِthe refuge الأعزِّthe mightiest الأمنعِthe most impregnable
تأوي إلى الكَنَفِ الأعزِّ الأمنعِ
Seek refuge with the vizier, the vizier's son; it is as though you
Take pleasure in the vizier, the son of a vizier, as if
Shelter in the mightiest, most impregnable refuge.
You take refuge in the most glorious and protected bosom
مَلِكٌa king رَقَىclimbed دَرَجَthe steps of الفخارِglory فلمand did not يَدَعْleave
مَلِكٌ رَقَى دَرَجَ الفخارِ فلم يَدَعْ
فيهاon them لراقٍfor a climber بَعْدَهُafter him منany مَطْمَعِhope of attainment
فيها لراقٍ بَعْدَهُ من مَطْمَعِ
A king who climbed the steps of glory, leaving no
A king ascended the ranks of glory but left
Hope there for any climber after him.
No hopes for other climbers after him
وتناولتْand reached كفَّاهُhis two hands أشرفَthe noblest رُتبةٍrank
وتناولتْ كفَّاهُ أشرفَ رُتبةٍ
لوif قامَrose يلمسُهاto touch it السُّهَىSuha لمwould not يَسْطَعِrise high
لو قامَ يلمسُها السُّهَى لم يَسْطَعِ
And his hands attained the noblest rank:
And his hands took hold of the noblest office
Were Suha to rise to touch it, it could not soar so high.
If the passionate were to touch it, they would not prevail
أندَىmore generous منthan الغيثِthe rain الملِثِّpersistent إذاwhen اجْتُدِيasked for a gift
أندَى من الغيثِ الملِثِّ إذا اجْتُدِي
أحمَىmore protective منthan الليثِthe lion الهِزَبْرِmighty إذاwhen دُعِيcalled upon
أحمَى من الليثِ الهِزَبْرِ إذا دُعِي
More generous than persistent rain when asked for gifts,
Fresher than torrents when they swell
More protective than the mighty lion when called upon.
Hotter than the hissing lion when called
التاركُthe one leaving الأَبطالِchampions صَرْعَىstruck down فيin الوغَىbattle
التاركُ الأَبطالِ صَرْعَى في الوغَى
فكأنَّهمand as though they were أعْجَازُtrunks of نَخْلٍpalms مُنْقَعِdrenched
فكأنَّهم أعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ مُنْقَعِ
He leaves champions struck down in battle,
The hero who felled champions in the fray
As though they were drenched palm trunks.
As if they were the stumps of palms pulled down
يذرُleaves الجماجمَskulls فيin المكرِّthe charge سَوَاقِطاًfalling
يذرُ الجماجمَ في المكرِّ سَوَاقِطاً
سَقْطَlike the falling of الثمارِfruit منfrom المهبِّthe gust الزَعْزَعِviolent
سَقْطَ الثمارِ من المهبِّ الزَعْزَعِ
He leaves skulls falling in the charge,
He left skulls in cunning scattered
Like fruit falling in a violent gust of wind.
Like fruit fallen from the shaking palm
أفديهِI would ransom him وهْوwhile he is علىon أغرَّwhite-blazed مُحَجَّلٍwhite-socked
أفديهِ وهْو على أغرَّ مُحَجَّلٍ
ظَاميlean الفُصُوصِin the joints سليمِsound سيرِin the stride of الأكرُعِthe legs
ظَامي الفُصُوصِ سليمِ سيرِ الأكرُعِ
I would ransom him, mounted on a white-blazed, white-socked steed,
I ransom him as he charges on a reddish steed
Lean-jointed, sound in the stride of its legs,
Fast, sound of leg, smooth-striding despite limping
نَهْدِpowerfully built المراكلِin the flanks واللَّبانِand chest بُعَيدَshortly after ماwhen
نَهْدِ المراكلِ واللَّبانِ بُعَيدَ ما
وُضِعَwas placed العِنانُthe rein بهon it عَصَيٍّheadstrong طَيِّعِobedient
وُضِعَ العِنانُ به عَصَيٍّ طَيِّعِ
Powerful in its flanks and chest, shortly after
The lofty camels’ humps and flanks are far from
The rein was set upon it, headstrong yet obedient.
Where the tame rein was placed on compliant wood
فكأنَّهُand as though it were لمّاwhen اسْتَقامَstraightened تليلُهُits neck
فكأنَّهُ لمّا اسْتَقامَ تليلُهُ
مُصْغٍa listener تلقَّفَcaught نبأةًa faint sound منfrom بِرْقَعِBirqaʿ (the sky)
مُصْغٍ تلقَّفَ نبأةً من بِرْقَعِ
And it is as though, when its neck straightened,
So that when his approach stood straight
It were a listener catching a faint sound from Birqaʿ.
A listening one seized news from a wide land
فيamid جحفلٍa great army كَاليَمِّlike the sea إلاّexcept أنّهُthat it
في جحفلٍ كَاليَمِّ إلاّ أنّهُ
لاno مَاءَwater فيهin it غيرَexcept لمعِthe gleam of الأدرعِcoats of mail
لا مَاءَ فيه غيرَ لمعِ الأدرعِ
Amid a vast host like the sea, except that
In a battalion like the sea except
It holds no water, only the gleam of coats of mail.
It held no water save the sheen of armor
حتىuntil ترجَّلَhe dismounted للصلاةِfor prayer ولمand did not نجدْwe find
حتى ترجَّلَ للصلاةِ ولم نجدْ
أسداًa lion يُصلّيpraying قبلهbefore him فيin مَجْمَعِan assembly
أسداً يُصلّي قبله في مَجْمَعِ
Until he dismounted for prayer; we had never seen
Until he dismounted to pray and we did not find
A lion praying in an assembly before him.
A lion preceding him in assembly there
بيناهُwhile he is أفتكُthe deadliest فاتكٍof slayers أبصرتَهُyou behold him
بيناهُ أفتكُ فاتكٍ أبصرتَهُ
فيin النسكِworship أخشعُthe humblest خاشعٍof the humble مُتخشِّعِshowing humility
في النسكِ أخشعُ خاشعٍ مُتخشِّعِ
While he is the deadliest of slayers, you behold him
While I saw him, fierce, felling, in devotion
In worship, the humblest devotee, bowed in reverence.
Humblest of the humble, bending down
حُيِّيتَmay you be greeted ياO كِسرَىKisra الملوكِof kings تحيةًwith a greeting
حُيِّيتَ يا كِسرَى الملوكِ تحيةً
تُرْبيsurpasses علىbeyond كِسرَىKisra القديمِof old وتُبَّعِand Tubbaʿ
تُرْبي على كِسرَى القديمِ وتُبَّعِ
Be greeted, O Kisra of kings, with a greeting
Greetings I give you, O Kisra of kings, a greeting
Surpassing those paid to Kisra of old and Tubbaʿ.
That excels greetings to the ancient Kisra and Tabba
يابنَO son of الأُلىthose who جعلواmade مراكزَthe resting places of سُمْرِهِمْtheir tawny spears
يابنَ الأُلى جعلوا مراكزَ سُمْرِهِمْ
حَبَّthe cores of القلوبِhearts بكلِّon every يومٍday مُفْظعِdreadful
حَبَّ القلوبِ بكلِّ يومٍ مُفْظعِ
O son of those who made their tawny spears' resting places
O son of great ones, they made the platforms of their authority
The cores of hearts, on every dreadful day,
The love of hearts with every awful day
واستبدلواand substituted للبِيضِfor the bright swords منin place of أغمادِهَاtheir scabbards
واستبدلوا للبِيضِ من أغمادِهَا
فيin الحربِwar هامةَthe skull of كلِّevery ليثٍlion أَرْوَعِfearsome
في الحربِ هامةَ كلِّ ليثٍ أَرْوَعِ
And replaced the scabbards of their bright swords
And they substituted for lances in their sheaths
In battle with the skull of every fearsome lion.
In war the zeal of each ferocious lion
النازلينَthose dwelling منof العُلاthe heights فيat رتبةٍa rank
النازلينَ من العُلا في رتبةٍ
هامُthe crowns of السهىSuha منهاwithin it بأدنىat the lowest موضِعِpoint
هامُ السهى منها بأدنى موضِعِ
Who dwell upon the heights at such a rank
Those who descend from the heights in a position
That Suha's crowns lie at its lowest point.
The passionate’s zeal for which in any place subsides
ماnot حَدَّثَتْspoke نفسُthe soul of امرئٍa man ببلوغِهاof reaching it
ما حَدَّثَتْ نفسُ امرئٍ ببلوغِها
إلاّexcept وماتَand he died بِغُلِّةٍwith a burning thirst لمnot تنقعِbe quenched
إلاّ وماتَ بِغُلِّةٍ لم تنقعِ
No man's soul has ever dreamed of reaching it
No man’s soul aspired to reach it
Without his dying with a burning thirst unquenched.
Except he died choked with undigested thoughts
جاءتكَcame to you منfrom غُرُبِthe keen edge of الكلامِspeech خريدةٌa maiden
جاءتكَ من غُرُبِ الكلامِ خريدةٌ
غَرَّاءُradiant مسفرةٌunveiled ولمand did not تتبرقَعِveil herself
غَرَّاءُ مسفرةٌ ولم تتبرقَعِ
A maiden has come to you from the keen edge of speech,
There has come to you from far-off speech a lovely slave girl
Radiant, her face uncovered, never having worn a veil.
Of beaming face, wearing no veil
عذراءُa virgin أولُthe first ماthat which جَلاهُunveiled it لناظرٍto an eye
عذراءُ أولُ ما جَلاهُ لناظرٍ
نظميmy verse وأولُand the first ماthat which تلاهُrecited it لمسمعِto an ear
نظمي وأولُ ما تلاهُ لمسمعِ
A virgin, the first unveiled to a beholding eye
A virgin - the first my verse revealed to the onlooker
By my verse, and the first recited to a listening ear.
And the first my hearing conveyed to the listener
مِنfrom شاعرٍa poet ذَرِبِsharp اللسانِof tongue مُفوَّهٍeloquent
مِن شاعرٍ ذَرِبِ اللسانِ مُفوَّهٍ
طبٍّexpert بتركيبِin arranging القوافيrhymes مصقِعِa consummate orator
طبٍّ بتركيبِ القوافي مصقِعِ
From a sharp-tongued, eloquent poet,
From a loose-tongued poet, eloquent
Skilled in arranging rhymes, a consummate orator.
Skillful in arranging rhymes and forming meters
فاضمُمْso clasp عليهِaround him يديكَyour two hands تحظَyou will gain بآخَرٍwith another poet
فاضمُمْ عليهِ يديكَ تحظَ بآخَرٍ
أذكىmore brilliant منthan المتقدّمينthe predecessors وأبرعِand more accomplished
أذكى من المتقدّمين وأبرعِ
So clasp him in both your hands, and gain another poet,
So clasp his hands, you will get in the end
More brilliant than his predecessors, and more accomplished.
One more intelligent than those past and more talented
فليُسمَعنكَso let him make you hear إنْif بقَىremains لكfor you بعدَهاafter it
فليُسمَعنكَ إنْ بقَى لك بعدَها
ماتستبينُwhat you discern لديهِin it ذُلَّthe abasement of الأشجعِal-Ashjaʿ
ماتستبينُ لديهِ ذُلَّ الأشجعِ
Then let him recite to you, if anything remains for you after this,
So let yourself hear, if aught remains for you after it
That in which you discern al-Ashjaʿ's abasement.
What shows to him the baseness of the craven
Sol 6.1