أَلاLo! زَعَمَتclaimed أَسماءُAsma أَنthat لاnot أُحِبُّهاI love her
أَلا زَعَمَت أَسماءُ أَن لا أُحِبُّها
فَقُلتُso I said بَلىindeed, yes لَولاwere it not that يُنازِعُنيdraws me away شُغليmy affairs
فَقُلتُ بَلى لَولا يُنازِعُني شُغلي
Lo, Asma claimed that I do not love her.
I said, “Indeed I do—were my affairs not pulling me away,
جَزَيتُكِI would repay you ضِعفَtwice الوُدِّthe affection لِماfor what شَكَيتِهِyou complained of it
جَزَيتُكِ ضِعفَ الوُدِّ لِما شَكَيتِهِ
وَماand not إِنemphatic particle جَزاكِrepaid you الضِعفَdouble مِنany أَحَدٍone قَبليbefore me
وَما إِن جَزاكِ الضِعفَ مِن أَحَدٍ قَبلي
I would repay you with twice the love for what you complained of;
and no one before me has ever repaid you double.”
لَعَمرُكَby your life ماno عَيساءُa pale wild cow تَتبَعُfollows شادِناًa maturing calf
لَعَمرُكَ ما عَيساءُ تَتبَعُ شادِناً
يَعِنُّappears لَهاto her بِالجِزعِat the valley-bend مِنof نَخِبِNakhb النَجلِwater-rich
يَعِنُّ لَها بِالجِزعِ مِن نَخِبِ النَجلِ
By your life, no pale wild cow following a calf
that appears before her at the valley-bend of water-rich Nakhb,
إِذاwhen هِيَshe قامَتrises تَقشَعِرُّshivers شَواتُهاher skin
إِذا هِيَ قامَت تَقشَعِرُّ شَواتُها
وَيُشرِقُand shines بَينَbetween الليتِthe neck’s side مِنهاof her إِلىto الصُقلِthe flanks
وَيُشرِقُ بَينَ الليتِ مِنها إِلى الصُقلِ
whose skin shivers when she rises,
and gleams from the side of her neck down to her flanks—
تَرىyou see حَمَشاًslenderness فيin صَدرِهاher chest ثُمَّthen إِنَّهاindeed she
تَرى حَمَشاً في صَدرِها ثُمَّ إِنَّها
إِذاwhen أَدبَرَتshe turns away وَلَّتshe departs بِمُكتَنِزٍwith a compact rump عَبلِfull-fleshed
إِذا أَدبَرَت وَلَّت بِمُكتَنِزٍ عَبلِ
you see slenderness in her chest, yet she,
when she turns away, shows a compact, full-fleshed rump—
وَماnor أُمُّa mother of خِشفٍa fawn بِالعَلايَةِat al-Alaya تَرتَعيgrazes
وَما أُمُّ خِشفٍ بِالعَلايَةِ تَرتَعي
وَتَرمُقُand watches أَحياناًat times مُخاتَلَةَwarily evading الحَبلِthe snare
وَتَرمُقُ أَحياناً مُخاتَلَةَ الحَبلِ
nor a fawn’s mother grazing at al-Alaya,
glancing about at times, warily evading the snare,
بِأَحسَنَany lovelier مِنهاthan she يَومَthe day قالَتshe said كُلَيمَةًa little word
بِأَحسَنَ مِنها يَومَ قالَت كُلَيمَةً
أَتَصرِمُwill you sever? حَبليmy cord أَمor تَدومُremain constant عَلىin الوَصلِunion
أَتَصرِمُ حَبلي أَم تَدومُ عَلى الوَصلِ
is lovelier than she was the day she spoke a little word:
“Will you sever my cord, or stay true to our union?”
فَإِنso if تَزعُمينيyou think me كُنتُI used to أَجهَلُact foolishly فيكُمamong you
فَإِن تَزعُميني كُنتُ أَجهَلُ فيكُم
فَإِنّيthen indeed I شَرَيتُI traded الحِلمَforbearance بَعدَكِafter you بِالجَهلِfor folly
فَإِنّي شَرَيتُ الحِلمَ بَعدَكِ بِالجَهلِ
If you think I behaved foolishly among you,
I have traded forbearance for folly since you left.
وَقالَand said صِحابيmy companions قَدindeed غُبِنتَyou were cheated وَخِلتُنيand I thought myself
وَقالَ صِحابي قَد غُبِنتَ وَخِلتُني
غَبَنتُI won the bargain فَلاso not أَدريI know أَشَكلُهُمُis their nature? شَكليmy nature
غَبَنتُ فَلا أَدري أَشَكلُهُمُ شَكلي
My companions said, “You were cheated,” yet I thought
I had won the bargain; I do not know whether their nature is mine.
فَإِنso if تَكُthere be أُنثىa woman فيamong مَعَدٍّMa'add كَريمَةًdear
فَإِن تَكُ أُنثى في مَعَدٍّ كَريمَةً
عَلَيناto us فَقَدthen indeed أُعطيتِyou have been given نافِلَةَan extra measure of الفَضلِexcellence
عَلَينا فَقَد أُعطيتِ نافِلَةَ الفَضلِ
If any woman among Ma'add is dear
to us, you have been granted an extra measure of excellence.
عَلىdespite أَنَّهاthat she قالَتsaid رَأَيتُI saw خُوَيلِداًKhuwaylid
عَلى أَنَّها قالَت رَأَيتُ خُوَيلِداً
تَنَكَّرَchanged beyond recognition حَتّىuntil عادَhe became أَسوَدَblack كَالجِذلِlike a tree-stump
تَنَكَّرَ حَتّى عادَ أَسوَدَ كَالجِذلِ
Although she said, “I saw Khuwaylid
changed beyond recognition, turned black as a tree-stump.”
فَتِلكَso those خُطوبٌcalamities قَدindeed تَمَلَّتtook their fill of شَبابَناour youth
فَتِلكَ خُطوبٌ قَد تَمَلَّت شَبابَنا
زَماناًfor a time فَتُبليناso wear us out الخُطوبُcalamities وَماwhile not نُبليwe wear out
زَماناً فَتُبلينا الخُطوبُ وَما نُبلي
Such are the calamities that took their fill of our youth
for a time: calamities wear us out, but we do not wear them out.
وَتُبلىand are worn out الأُولىthose who يَستَلئِمونَdon armor عَلىupon الأولىthose mares which
وَتُبلى الأُولى يَستَلئِمونَ عَلى الأولى
تَراهُنَّyou see them يَومَthe day of الرَوعِterror كَالحِدَإِlike kites القُبلِinward-eyed
تَراهُنَّ يَومَ الرَوعِ كَالحِدَإِ القُبلِ
Those too wear out who don armor upon the mares
you see on terror’s day like inward-eyed kites.
فَهُنَّso they are كَعِقبانِlike eagles of الشُرَيفِal-Sharif جَوانِحٌbanking
فَهُنَّ كَعِقبانِ الشُرَيفِ جَوانِحٌ
وَهُمwhile they فَوقَهاabove them مُستَلئِموare armored in حَلَقِrings of الجَدلِclose-woven mail
وَهُم فَوقَها مُستَلئِمو حَلَقِ الجَدلِ
They are like the eagles of al-Sharif, banking,
while above them their riders wear rings of close-woven mail.
مَناياdeath-bringers يُقَرِّبنَthey bring near الحُتوفَfatal ends لِأَهلِهاto their riders
مَنايا يُقَرِّبنَ الحُتوفَ لِأَهلِها
جِهاراًopenly وَيَستَمتِعنَand take their pleasure بِالأَنَسِin humankind الجَبلِthe vast multitude
جِهاراً وَيَستَمتِعنَ بِالأَنَسِ الجَبلِ
Death-bringers, they bring fatal ends near their riders
openly, taking their pleasure in the multitudes of men.
وَمُفرِهَةٍand many a fine-breeding عَنسٍsturdy she-camel قَدَرتُI aimed a blow لِرِجلِهاat her leg
وَمُفرِهَةٍ عَنسٍ قَدَرتُ لِرِجلِها
فَخَرَّتthen she fell كَماjust as تَتّابَعُsweeps along الريحُthe wind بِالقَفلِthrough dry brushwood
فَخَرَّت كَما تَتّابَعُ الريحُ بِالقَفلِ
Many a sturdy she-camel, mother of fine calves, I struck at the leg,
and she fell as wind tumbles dry brushwood,
لِحَيٍّfor a tribe جِياعٍhungry أَوor لِضَيفٍfor a guest مُحَوَّلٍwayworn
لِحَيٍّ جِياعٍ أَو لِضَيفٍ مُحَوَّلٍ
أُبادِرُI race for ذِكراrenown أَنlest يُلَجَّsomeone press onward بِهِin pursuit of it قَبليbefore me
أُبادِرُ ذِكرا أَن يُلَجَّ بِهِ قَبلي
for hungry tribesmen or a wayworn guest,
racing for renown lest another press for it before me.
رَوَيتُI served drink وَلَمand not يَغرَمpaid anything نَديميmy boon companion وَحاوَلَتand she tried
رَوَيتُ وَلَم يَغرَم نَديمي وَحاوَلَت
بَنيthe sons of عَمِّهاher paternal uncle أَسماءُAsma أَنto يَفعَلواdo فِعليmy deed
بَني عَمِّها أَسماءُ أَن يَفعَلوا فِعلي
I served drink, my boon companion paid nothing; and she tried—
Asma—to make her cousins do as I had done.
فَماand no فَضلَةٌremaining draught مِنfrom أَذرِعاتٍAdhri'at هَوَتsped down بِهاbearing it
فَما فَضلَةٌ مِن أَذرِعاتٍ هَوَت بِها
مُذَكَّرَةٌmasculine-built عَنسٌa sturdy she-camel كَهادِيَةِlike a jutting rock in الضَحلِthe shallows
مُذَكَّرَةٌ عَنسٌ كَهادِيَةِ الضَحلِ
No remnant of wine from Adhri'at, borne swiftly down by
a sturdy, masculine-built she-camel like a jutting rock in the shallows—
سُلافَةُfirst-run essence of راحٍwine ضُمِّنَتهاwas made to contain it إِداوَةٌa leather flask
سُلافَةُ راحٍ ضُمِّنَتها إِداوَةٌ
مُقيَرَّةٌpitch-lined رِدفٌstowed behind لِآخِرَةِat the rear of الرَحلِthe saddle
مُقيَرَّةٌ رِدفٌ لِآخِرَةِ الرَحلِ
pure first-run wine, entrusted to a leather flask,
pitch-lined, stowed behind the saddle’s rear—
تَزَوَّدَهاhe took it as provisions مِنfrom أَهلِthe people of مِصرٍEgypt وَغَزَّةٍand Gaza
تَزَوَّدَها مِن أَهلِ مِصرٍ وَغَزَّةٍ
عَلىupon جَسرَةٍa powerful she-camel مَرفوعَةِheld high الذَيلِthe tail وَالكِفلِand the rump
عَلى جَسرَةٍ مَرفوعَةِ الذَيلِ وَالكِفلِ
he took it as provisions from the people of Egypt and Gaza,
upon a powerful she-camel, high of tail and rump.
فَوافىthen he reached بِهاwith it عُسفانَUsfan ثُمَّthen أَتىhe came بِهاwith it
فَوافى بِها عُسفانَ ثُمَّ أَتى بِها
مَجَنَّةَMajanna تَصفوit clears فيin القِلالِthe jars وَلاand not تَغليbubbles
مَجَنَّةَ تَصفو في القِلالِ وَلا تَغلي
He reached Usfan with it, then brought it
to Majanna, clearing in jars without bubbling.
فَرَّوحَهاthen he drove her at dusk مِنfrom ذيDhu المَجازِal-Majaz عَشِيَّةًone evening
فَرَّوحَها مِن ذي المَجازِ عَشِيَّةً
يُبادِرُracing أَولىthe foremost of السابِقاتِthe front-runners إِلىto الحَبلِthe ridge
يُبادِرُ أَولى السابِقاتِ إِلى الحَبلِ
He drove her from Dhu al-Majaz one evening,
racing the foremost runners to the ridge.
فَجِئنَthen they arrived وَجاءَتand she arrived بَينَهُنَّamong them وَإِنَّهُand indeed it was so
فَجِئنَ وَجاءَت بَينَهُنَّ وَإِنَّهُ
لَيَسمَحُsurely stream freely ذِفراهاher two ear-glands تَزَغَّمُshe grumbles كَالفَحلِlike a bull camel
لَيَسمَحُ ذِفراها تَزَغَّمُ كَالفَحلِ
They arrived, and she arrived among them; indeed,
her ear-glands streamed as she grumbled like a bull camel.
فَجاءَthen he came بِهاwith it كَيماso as to يُوافِيَattend حِجَّةًa pilgrimage
فَجاءَ بِها كَيما يُوافِيَ حِجَّةً
نَديمُboon companion of كِرامٍnoble men غَيرُnot نِكسٍa weakling وَلاnor وَغلِan uninvited drinker
نَديمُ كِرامٍ غَيرُ نِكسٍ وَلا وَغلِ
He brought it along to attend a pilgrimage,
a boon companion of noble men, no weakling or uninvited drinker.
فَباتَthen he spent the night بِجَمعٍat Jam' ثُمَّthen تَمَّwent on إِلىto مِنىًMina
فَباتَ بِجَمعٍ ثُمَّ تَمَّ إِلى مِنىً
فَأَصبَحَthen at morning رَأداًearly in the day يَبتَغيhe sought المَزجَa mixing ingredient بِالسحلِwith silver coins
فَأَصبَحَ رَأداً يَبتَغي المَزجَ بِالسحلِ
He spent the night at Jam', then went on to Mina,
and early that morning sought a mixer for silver coins.
فَجاءَthen he came بِمَزجٍwith a mixing ingredient لَمnot يَرَhad seen الناسُpeople مِثلَهُits like
فَجاءَ بِمَزجٍ لَم يَرَ الناسُ مِثلَهُ
هُوَit الضَحكُsnow إِلّاexcept أَنَّهُthat it عَمَلُthe work of النَحلِbees
هُوَ الضَحكُ إِلّا أَنَّهُ عَمَلُ النَحلِ
He brought a mixer whose like no one had seen:
it was snow, except that it was the work of bees—
يَمانِيَةٍYemeni أَحياrevived لَهاfor them مَظَّwild pomegranates of مَأبِدٍMa'bid
يَمانِيَةٍ أَحيا لَها مَظَّ مَأبِدٍ
وَآلِand the environs of قَراسٍQaras صَوبُthe downpour of أَسقِيَةٍwaterskins كُحلِdark-colored
وَآلِ قَراسٍ صَوبُ أَسقِيَةٍ كُحلِ
Yemeni bees, for whom Ma'bid’s wild pomegranates were revived,
and those around Qaras, by rain from dark waterskins.
فَماso not إِنemphatic particle هَماthe two of them فيin صَحفَةٍa bowl بارِقِيَّةٍfrom Bariq
فَما إِن هَما في صَحفَةٍ بارِقِيَّةٍ
جَديدٍnew أُرِقَّتwas thinned بِالقَدومِwith an adze وَبِالصَقلِand by polishing
جَديدٍ أُرِقَّت بِالقَدومِ وَبِالصَقلِ
Not even those two together, in a bowl from Bariq,
newly made, thinned with an adze and polished,
بِأَطيَبَany sweeter مِنthan فيهاher mouth إِذاwhen جِئتُI come طارِقاًas a night visitor
بِأَطيَبَ مِن فيها إِذا جِئتُ طارِقاً
وَلَمand not yet يَتَبَيَّنhas appeared ساطِعُthe rising glow of الأُفُقِthe horizon المُجلىradiant
وَلَم يَتَبَيَّن ساطِعُ الأُفُقِ المُجلى
are sweeter than her mouth when I come by night,
before the horizon’s radiant glow has appeared,
إِذاwhen الهَدَفُthe hulking man المِعزابُthe solitary herdsman صَوَّبَlowers رَأسَهُhis head
إِذا الهَدَفُ المِعزابُ صَوَّبَ رَأسَهُ
وَأَمكَنَهُand gives him ease ضَفوٌan ample fleece مِنَfrom الثَلَّةِthe flock الخُطلِlong-eared
وَأَمكَنَهُ ضَفوٌ مِنَ الثَلَّةِ الخُطلِ
when the hulking, solitary herdsman lowers his head,
and an ample fleece from long-eared sheep gives him ease.
Sol 6.1