نَعَمyes تِلكَthose بَينَbetween الوادِيَينِthe two valleys الخَمايِلُthe groves
نَعَم تِلكَ بَينَ الوادِيَينِ الخَمايِلُ
وَذَلِكَand that is شاءٌsheep دونَهُنَّbefore them وَجامِلُand a camel herd
وَذَلِكَ شاءٌ دونَهُنَّ وَجامِلُ
Yes, those are the groves between the two valleys.
Yes, those are the beauties between the two valleys,
And there, before them, are sheep and a herd of camels.
And that is a charming flock beneath them.
فَماso whatever كُنتُyou were إِذwhen بانواthey departed بِنَفسِكَto yourself فاعِلاًgoing to do
فَما كُنتُ إِذ بانوا بِنَفسِكَ فاعِلاً
فَدونَكَso go ahead مُتdie إِنَّindeed الخَليطَthe company لَزائِلُis surely departing
فَدونَكَ مُت إِنَّ الخَليطَ لَزائِلُ
So whatever you were to do to yourself when they departed—
I was not their equal when they appeared with your soul,
Go ahead and die: the company is indeed departing.
So below you I died, though this mixture will disappear.
كَأَنَّas though اِبنَةَthe daughter of القَيسِيِّthe Qaysi فيamong أَخَواتِهاher sisters
كَأَنَّ اِبنَةَ القَيسِيِّ في أَخَواتِها
خَذولٌa doe secluded with her fawn تُراعيهاwatch over her الظِباءُthe gazelles الخَواذِلُsecluded with their fawns
خَذولٌ تُراعيها الظِباءُ الخَواذِلُ
As though the Qaysi's daughter, among her sisters,
It is as if the daughter of Qays among her sisters
Were a doe secluded with her fawn, watched over by other such does.
Is a gazelle watched over by hunting cheetahs.
قُشَيرِيَّةٌQushayri قَترِيَّةٌQatri بَدَوِيَّةٌBedouin
قُشَيرِيَّةٌ قَترِيَّةٌ بَدَوِيَّةٌ
لَهاshe has بَينَamong أَثناءِthe curves of الضُلوعِthe ribs مَنازِلُdwellings
لَها بَينَ أَثناءِ الضُلوعِ مَنازِلُ
A Qushayri woman, Qatri, a Bedouin,
AFLuttering, shivering, Bedouin girl,
She has dwellings among the curves of my ribs.
With resting places between her ribs.
وَهَبتُI gave away سُلُوّيmy release from longing ثُمَّthen جِئتُI came أَرومُهُseeking it
وَهَبتُ سُلُوّي ثُمَّ جِئتُ أَرومُهُ
وَمِنand from دونِbefore مارُمتُwhat I sought القَناthe spears وَالقَنابِلُand cavalry squadrons
وَمِن دونِ مارُمتُ القَنا وَالقَنابِلُ
I gave away my solace, then came seeking it,
I gave up my revelry, then came to arouse it,
And spears and cavalry squadrons stand before what I sought.
And without contention I thrust lances and spears.
هَواناour love غَريبٌstrange شُزَّبُlean ones of الخَيلِthe horses وَالقَناand the spears
هَوانا غَريبٌ شُزَّبُ الخَيلِ وَالقَنا
لَناfor us كُتُبٌbooks وَالباتِراتُand the cleaving swords رَسائِلُletters
لَنا كُتُبٌ وَالباتِراتُ رَسائِلُ
Our love is strange: lean horses and spears
How often an alien with piebald horses and spears,
Are books to us, and cleaving swords are letters.
We have books, and the parting ones are messages.
أَغَرنَthey raided عَلىupon قَلبيmy heart بِخَيلٍwith cavalry مِنَof الهَوىlove
أَغَرنَ عَلى قَلبي بِخَيلٍ مِنَ الهَوى
فَطارَدَso it skirmished عَنهُنَّin their defense الغَزالُthe gazelle المُغازِلُthe flirtatious one
فَطارَدَ عَنهُنَّ الغَزالُ المُغازِلُ
They raided my heart with cavalry of love,
Passions roused my heart with an army of love,
So the flirtatious gazelle skirmished in their defense,
So the flirting gazelle fled from them.
بِأَسهُمِwith arrows of لَفظٍspeech لَمnot تُرَكَّبwere fitted نِصالُهاtheir arrowheads
بِأَسهُمِ لَفظٍ لَم تُرَكَّب نِصالُها
وَأَسيافِand swords of لَحظٍglances ماجَلَتهاhad not polished them الصَياقِلُthe sword-polishers
وَأَسيافِ لَحظٍ ماجَلَتها الصَياقِلُ
With arrows of speech whose heads had not been fitted,
With arrows of words whose blades were not yet forged,
And swords of glances the polishers had not burnished.
And with glances like swords burnished by whetstones.
وَقائِعُbattles قَتلىthe slain of الحُبِّlove فيهاin them كَثيرَةٌmany
وَقائِعُ قَتلى الحُبِّ فيها كَثيرَةٌ
وَلَمand not يَشتَهِرwas drawn سَيفٌa sword وَلاnor هُزَّwas brandished ذابِلُa slender spear
وَلَم يَشتَهِر سَيفٌ وَلا هُزَّ ذابِلُ
Battles in which love's slain are many,
On them many slain lovers, though no famous sword was drawn,
Though no sword was drawn, nor any slender spear brandished.
Nor any firm-knotted rope was loosened.
أَرامِيَتيO my archer كُلَّall السِهامِthe arrows مُصيبَةٌstrike their mark
أَرامِيَتي كُلَّ السِهامِ مُصيبَةٌ
وَأَنتِand you لِيَagainst me الراميthe archer وَكُلّيand all of me مَقاتِلُvulnerable vital spots
وَأَنتِ لِيَ الرامي وَكُلّي مَقاتِلُ
O my archer, all the arrows strike home,
My Aramean, all the arrows hit their mark,
And you are the archer against me; all of me is vulnerable to fatal blows.
While you are my archer and I your warrior.
وَإِنّيand indeed I لَمِقدامٌam truly bold وَعِندَكِand in your presence هائِبٌfearful
وَإِنّي لَمِقدامٌ وَعِندَكِ هائِبٌ
وَفيand among الحَيِّthe tribe سَحبانٌSahban وَعِندَكِand in your presence باقِلُBaqil
وَفي الحَيِّ سَحبانٌ وَعِندَكِ باقِلُ
And I am indeed bold, yet in your presence fearful;
And I am valiant, though timid in your presence,
And among the tribe I am Sahban, but in your presence, Baqil.
Gallant among the living, yet tranquil with you.
يَضِلُّgoes astray عَليَّfor me القَولُspeech إِنif زُرتُI visit دارَهاher dwelling
يَضِلُّ عَليَّ القَولُ إِن زُرتُ دارَها
وَيَعزُبُand escapes عَنّيfrom me وَجهُthe proper course of ماwhat أَناI فاعِلُam to do
وَيَعزُبُ عَنّي وَجهُ ما أَنا فاعِلُ
Speech eludes me if I visit her dwelling,
Speech goes astray when I visit her abode,
And the proper course of what I am to do escapes me.
And evades me, though I know what I would say.
وَحُجَّتُهاand her argument العُلياthe superior one عَلىin كُلِّevery حالَةٍcircumstance
وَحُجَّتُها العُليا عَلى كُلِّ حالَةٍ
فَباطِلُهاso her falsehood حَقٌّtruth وَحَقِّيَand my truth باطِلُfalsehood
فَباطِلُها حَقٌّ وَحَقِّيَ باطِلُ
And hers is the stronger argument in every circumstance,
Her unquestionable proof, in every case,
So her falsehood is truth, and my truth is falsehood.
Makes her wrong right and my right wrong.
تُطالِبُنيdemand of me بيضُthe gleaming ones of الصَوارِمِthe cutting swords وَالقَناand the spears
تُطالِبُني بيضُ الصَوارِمِ وَالقَنا
بِماfor what وَعَدَتpromised جَدَّيَّmy two grandfathers فِيَّin me المَخايِلُthe signs of promise
بِما وَعَدَت جَدَّيَّ فِيَّ المَخايِلُ
The gleaming swords and spears demand from me
She charges me with the whites of the sword blades and spears
What the signs in me promised my two grandfathers.
For what the fate lines in me promised.
وَلاand no ذَنبَblame ليis mine إِنَّindeed الفُؤادَthe heart لَصارِمٌis truly resolute
وَلا ذَنبَ لي إِنَّ الفُؤادَ لَصارِمٌ
وَإِنَّand indeed الحُسامَthe keen sword المَشرَفِيِّMashrafi لَفاصِلُtruly cuts through
وَإِنَّ الحُسامَ المَشرَفِيِّ لَفاصِلُ
And I am not to blame: my heart is indeed resolute,
I am not to blame if my heart is keen,
And the Mashrafi sword indeed cuts through,
The sword is sharp and the slim steed fleet.
وَإِنَّand indeed الحِصانَthe stallion الوالِقِيَّWaliqi لَضامِرٌis truly lean
وَإِنَّ الحِصانَ الوالِقِيَّ لَضامِرٌ
وَإِنَّand indeed الأَصَمَّthe solid-shafted spear السَمهَرِيَّSamhari لَعاسِلُtruly quivers
وَإِنَّ الأَصَمَّ السَمهَرِيَّ لَعاسِلُ
And the Waliqi stallion is indeed lean,
Yet time has warded off its disasters from me
And the solid Samhari spear indeed quivers.
As the debtor fends off the importunate creditor.
وَلَكِنَّbut دَهراًan age دافَعَتنيhave put me off خُطوبُهُits calamities
وَلَكِنَّ دَهراً دافَعَتني خُطوبُهُ
كَماjust as دَفَعَput off الدَينَthe debt الغَريمُthe debtor المُماطِلُthe stalling one
كَما دَفَعَ الدَينَ الغَريمُ المُماطِلُ
But the age's calamities have kept putting me off,
When I remember days gone by and call them back,
As a stalling debtor puts off repaying his debt.
I milk tears while they are departing throngs.
وَأَخلافُand the teats of أَيّامٍdays إِذاwhen ماever اِنتَجَعتُهاI sought pasture from them
وَأَخلافُ أَيّامٍ إِذا ما اِنتَجَعتُها
حَلَبتُI milked بَكِيّاتٍscant-yielding وَهُنَّthough they حَوافِلُfull-uddered
حَلَبتُ بَكِيّاتٍ وَهُنَّ حَوافِلُ
And the teats of days—whenever I seek pasture from them—
Had the world been gained by merit I would have granted it
I draw scant milk from them, though they are full-uddered.
Virtues that would encompass it and virtues that would remain.
وَلَوand if نيلَتِwere attained الدُنياthe world بِفَضلٍthrough merit مَنَحتُهاI would grant it
وَلَو نيلَتِ الدُنيا بِفَضلٍ مَنَحتُها
فَضائِلَvirtues تَحويهاencompass it وَتَبقىand remain فَضائِلُvirtues
فَضائِلَ تَحويها وَتَبقى فَضائِلُ
And were the world won through merit, I would bestow on it
But time runs its course, however it has run,
Virtues that would encompass it, with virtues still to spare.
Casting down its noble deeds and raising up the low.
وَلَكِنَّهاbut they are الأَيّامُthe days تَجريrun their course بِماas جَرَتthey have run
وَلَكِنَّها الأَيّامُ تَجري بِما جَرَت
فَيَسفُلُso sinks low أَعلاهاtheir highest وَيَعلوand rise الأَسافِلُthe lowliest
فَيَسفُلُ أَعلاها وَيَعلو الأَسافِلُ
But such are the days: they run as they have always run,
It rarely meets with open-handed cordiality,
So their highest sinks low, and the lowliest rise.
And I fear the day is near when even the cordial shall be few.
لَقَدindeed قَلَّhas become rare أَنto تَلقىmeet مِنَamong الناسِpeople مُجمَلاًa gracious person
لَقَد قَلَّ أَن تَلقى مِنَ الناسِ مُجمَلاً
وَأَخشىand I fear قَريباًsoon أَنthat يَقِلَّwill become scarce المُجامِلُthe courteous person
وَأَخشى قَريباً أَن يَقِلَّ المُجامِلُ
Rare indeed is it to meet a gracious person among people,
I am not brusque-faced with a friend,
And I fear that soon even the courteous will be few.
Nor one who says to a guest, “Are you leaving?”
وَلَستُand I am not بِجَهمِgrim of الوَجهِface فيin وَجهِthe face of صاحِبيmy companion
وَلَستُ بِجَهمِ الوَجهِ في وَجهِ صاحِبي
وَلاnor قائِلٍone who says لِلضَيفِto the guest هَلare...? أَنتَyou راحِلُleaving
وَلا قائِلٍ لِلضَيفِ هَل أَنتَ راحِلُ
And I am not grim-faced before my companion,
Rather, drink your fill in meadows of your choice,
Nor do I say to a guest, 'Are you leaving?'
Though you ask for life spans that none can request.
وَلَكِنbut قِراهُhis guest-fare ماwhatever تَشَهّىhe desires وَرِفدُهُand his gift
وَلَكِن قِراهُ ما تَشَهّى وَرِفدُهُ
وَلَوeven if سَأَلَhe asks for الأَعمارَlifetimes ماهُوَwhatever he سائِلُrequests
وَلَو سَأَلَ الأَعمارَ ماهُوَ سائِلُ
But his fare is whatever he craves, and his gift—
He who pardons every sinner
Even if he asks for lifetimes—is whatever he requests.
Shall attain from us what no means can attain.
يَنالُwins اِختِيارَthe choice of الصَفحِpardon عَنfor كُلِّevery مُذنِبٍoffender
يَنالُ اِختِيارَ الصَفحِ عَن كُلِّ مُذنِبٍ
لَهُfor him عِندَناfrom us مالاwhat ... not تُنالُobtain الوَسائِلُintercessions
لَهُ عِندَنا مالا تُنالُ الوَسائِلُ
Our choice to pardon every offender wins
We have the final word on the matter, in our breasts
Him from us what intercessions cannot obtain.
Towering over the over-reaching necks of the foe.
لَناours is عَقِبُthe outcome of الأَمرِthe affair الَّذيwhich فيat صُدورِهِits beginnings
لَنا عَقِبُ الأَمرِ الَّذي في صُدورِهِ
تَطاوَلُstretch high أَعناقُthe necks of العِدىthe enemies وَالكَواهِلُand the shoulders
تَطاوَلُ أَعناقُ العِدى وَالكَواهِلُ
Ours is the outcome of the affair at whose outset
Our small ones are great in kindness,
The enemies' necks and shoulders stretch high.
Our last ones the first in excellence.
أَصاغِرُناour youngest فيin المَكرُماتِnoble deeds أَكابِرٌgreat ones
أَصاغِرُنا في المَكرُماتِ أَكابِرٌ
أَواخِرُناour last فيin المَأثُراتِglorious deeds أَوائِلُfirst
أَواخِرُنا في المَأثُراتِ أَوائِلُ
Our youngest are great in noble deeds;
If I spend a day in which I find no companion,
Our last are first in glorious achievements.
Or speak a word and find none to converse with me.
إِذاwhen صُلتُI charge يَوماًone day لَمnot أَجِدI find ليfor me مُصاوِلاًan opponent in combat
إِذا صُلتُ يَوماً لَم أَجِد لي مُصاوِلاً
وَإِنand if قُلتُI say قَولاًa saying لَمnot أَجِدI find مَنanyone who يُقاوِلُrivals me in speech
وَإِن قُلتُ قَولاً لَم أَجِد مَن يُقاوِلُ
If ever I charge, I find no opponent to face me;
And if I utter a word, I find no one to rival me in speech.
Partial English translation: 52 of 54 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1