حيِّsalute الديارَthe dwellings عِراصُهُنَّtheir courtyards خَوالِdeserted
حيِّ الديارَ عِراصُهُنَّ خَوالِ
بحَمادِon the stony flats of ساقَSaq رسومُهنَّtheir traces بَوالِworn away
بحَمادِ ساقَ رسومُهنَّ بَوالِ
Salute the dwellings, their courtyards deserted,
The abodes are delighted by their falcon-like maidens
on the stony flats of Saq, their traces worn away.
Whose tattooed wrists and ankles gracefully sway
مُحتلُّcamping-ground أحْوِيَةٍclusters of tents عليهمْupon them بهجةٌsplendor
مُحتلُّ أحْوِيَةٍ عليهمْ بهجةٌ
بسواءِat Sawa مُشْرِفةٍelevated بهمْby them مِحْلالِfrequent camping-ground
بسواءِ مُشْرِفةٍ بهمْ مِحْلالِ
A camping-ground of clustered tents, their people radiant,
They occupy the chambers happily
at Sawa, an elevated place where they often camped.
Moving about smoothly, gracefully, and without affectation
فقَأواthey broke open بهاin it أُنُفَthe fresh beginnings of الربيعِspring وفقَّأواand they burst open
فقَأوا بها أُنُفَ الربيعِ وفقَّأوا
فيهاwithin it سَوابيَbirth-sacs ماnot تجِفُّdry up سِخالِyoung lambs and kids
فيها سَوابيَ ما تجِفُّ سِخالِ
They broke into spring's first growth there, and burst open
They bit into springtime with their blossom-like mouths
there the birth-sacs of lambs, never drying up.
And into it they planted the twigs that do not dry up or wither
فترىso you see المِئينَhundreds منَof العشائرِthe clans حولَهمْaround them
فترى المِئينَ منَ العشائرِ حولَهمْ
وترىand you see مُسَدَّمةًkept from mating قُرومَgreat stallions of جِمالِcamels
وترى مُسَدَّمةً قُرومَ جِمالِ
You would see hundreds of clans around them,
You would see the hundreds of clansmen encircling them
and great camel stallions kept from mating.
And you would see the radiant moons of their camels
فإذاthen when غشيْتَهمُyou visited them سمعتَyou heard هوادراًrumbling camels
فإذا غشيْتَهمُ سمعتَ هوادراً
وصَواهلاًand neighing horses ورأيتَand you saw أحسنَthe finest حالِcondition
وصَواهلاً ورأيتَ أحسنَ حالِ
When you visited them, you heard camels rumbling
When you approach them, you would hear the excited talk
and horses neighing, and saw life at its finest.
And neighing, and you would see the most beautiful sight
وترىand you see بأفنيةِin the courtyards of البيوتِthe houses مَصنونةًwell-kept (uncertain reading)
وترى بأفنيةِ البيوتِ مَصنونةً
جُرْداًsleek horses يَجُلْنَthey roam معاًtogether بغيرِwithout جِلالِhorse-blankets
جُرْداً يَجُلْنَ معاً بغيرِ جِلالِ
And in the houses' forecourts you saw well-kept
In the courtyards of the abodes, guarded
sleek horses roaming together without blankets.
Are lines of stallions, neighing together without pretentiousness
كانواthey were بهاin it فتقسَّمتْهمْthen it scattered them نِيّةٌan intended journey
كانوا بها فتقسَّمتْهمْ نِيّةٌ
شَعواءُfar-scattering ليسَis not زِيالُهاits parting كزِيالِlike any parting
شَعواءُ ليسَ زِيالُها كزِيالِ
They lived there; then a journey scattered them,
They had inhabited the abodes, but an ardent resolve divided them
far and wide, in a parting unlike any other.
A fiery desire, whose heat cannot be resisted
قذفَتْهمُit flung them فِرَقاًin separate groups فمنهمْso among them راكنٌone who settled
قذفَتْهمُ فِرَقاً فمنهمْ راكنٌ
ومُؤَوِّبٌand a daylong traveler لهواكَfor your longing غيرَnot مُبالِheedful
ومُؤَوِّبٌ لهواكَ غيرَ مُبالِ
It flung them into separate bands: some settled,
It scattered them into separate groups, some settled
and some journeyed all day, heedless of your longing.
Others yearning for you, not caring for anything else
ياO دارُdwelling وَيْبَكِalas for you ماwhat لعهدِكِof your former state بعدَناafter us
يا دارُ وَيْبَكِ ما لعهدِكِ بعدَنا
أأتىhas there come عليكِupon you تَجرُّمُthe passing of الأحوالِyears
أأتى عليكِ تَجرُّمُ الأحوالِ
O dwelling, alas for you! What became of your former state after us?
O abode, weep for your condition after we departed
Has the passage of years come upon you?
Did the passage of time alter your circumstances?
إنْif كانَwas غيّرَكِchanged you الزمانُtime فلاthen not أرىI see
إنْ كانَ غيّرَكِ الزمانُ فلا أرى
بملاكِat Malak غيرَexcept خوالدٍenduring stones أمثالِalike
بملاكِ غيرَ خوالدٍ أمثالِ
If time has changed you, I see nothing
If time has changed you, still I see no one but
at Malak but enduring stones, all alike:
Khaulah's equals as your inhabitants
سُفْعblackened المناكبِat the shoulders قدْalready كُسِينَthey were clothed مَعرّةًgrime
سُفْع المناكبِ قدْ كُسِينَ مَعرّةً
منfrom قَدرِa cooking pot منزلةٍset down بغيرِwithout جِعالِprotective padding
من قَدرِ منزلةٍ بغيرِ جِعالِ
blackened at the shoulders, clothed in grime
The lofty litters were covered in the decorated cloth
from a pot set down without protective padding.
Of glorious rank, without any payment
فلقدْfor indeed أرىI used to see بكِin you إذْwhen زمانُكِyour days صالحٌgood
فلقدْ أرى بكِ إذْ زمانُكِ صالحٌ
بِيضاًfair-skinned women فواخرَproud in نعمةٍluxury وجَمالِand beauty
بِيضاً فواخرَ نعمةٍ وجَمالِ
Yet I used to see within you, when your days were good,
When your time was righteous, I saw you
fair women, proud in luxury and beauty,
White, glorious, abundant in bounty and beauty
نُجْلُwide العيونِthe eyes كأنّماas though استوْهَبْنَهاthey asked for them as a gift
نُجْلُ العيونِ كأنّما استوْهَبْنَها
فوهبْنَهُنَّand they bestowed them on them خواذلَherd-forsaking wild cows الآجالِthe herds
فوهبْنَهُنَّ خواذلَ الآجالِ
wide-eyed, as though they had asked for those eyes as a gift,
The beautiful eyes of the gazelles that seem to have begged them
and the solitary wild cows of the herds had bestowed them.
And so were granted them by the terminator of lifespans
قالَsaid الكواعبُthe full-breasted maidens يومَthe day of أودٍAwd عمُّناour uncle
قالَ الكواعبُ يومَ أودٍ عمُّنا
حُيِّيتَmay you be greeted يومَthe day ردَدْنَthey rejected جاهthe standing of وِصاليmy intimacy
حُيِّيتَ يومَ ردَدْنَ جاه وِصالي
The full-breasted maidens said on the day of Awd, “Our uncle,
The maidens said on a day of farewell, “farewell to you
hail to you!”—the day they rejected my claim to intimacy.
On a day when they regained glory and were reunited
وفزعْنَand they recoiled منfrom شمَطٍgray hair تَجلَّلَcovered مَفْرِقيmy hair-parting
وفزعْنَ من شمَطٍ تَجلَّلَ مَفْرِقي
حتىuntil علاspread over وضَحٌwhiteness كلونِlike the color of هلالِa crescent
حتى علا وضَحٌ كلونِ هلالِ
They recoiled from gray hair that covered my hair-parting,
They panicked from a calamity that befell their parting
until whiteness spread, the color of a crescent.
Until the late dawn rose like a new crescent moon”
ولقدْand indeed أناضلُهُنَّI vied with them in archery أغراضَthe targets of الصِّباyouthful love
ولقدْ أناضلُهُنَّ أغراضَ الصِّبا
خَلَواتِهِنَّtheir secluded meetings فماso never تَطيشُstray نِباليmy arrows
خَلَواتِهِنَّ فما تَطيشُ نِبالي
Yet I once vied with them at the targets of youthful love,
Passionate love distracted them in their isolation
in their seclusion; my arrows never strayed.
But my thoughts do not wander or get confused
ولقدْand indeed أروحُI go out in the afternoon علىon الجوادِthe fine steed وهكذاand thus
ولقدْ أروحُ على الجوادِ وهكذا
أمشيI walk وأيَّand what تَصرُّعٍa swagger ودلالِand proud grace
أمشي وأيَّ تَصرُّعٍ ودلالِ
And I would ride out in the afternoon on a fine steed, and so
I would ride the steed, walking this way
I would walk—what a swagger and proud grace!
What a sight! What coquetry and charm!
كالسيفِlike a sword يقطُرُdripping أوْبكُمْyour return (unclear in context) سالَمتَهُyou left it unharmed
كالسيفِ يقطُرُ أوْبكُمْ سالَمتَهُ
وأسِيلَand was made to flow أمسِyesterday فِرِنْدَهُits watered markings بصِقالِby burnishing
وأسِيلَ أمسِ فِرِنْدَهُ بصِقالِ
Like a dripping sword—[unclear wording]—that you left unharmed,
Like Indian swords dripping with oil
and whose watered markings yesterday were made to flow by burnishing.
And yesterday their blades were polished
وتَنُوفةٍand a wasteland موصولةٍjoined بتنوفةٍto a wasteland
وتَنُوفةٍ موصولةٍ بتنوفةٍ
وصْلَيْنِtwo linked stretches وصْلَa joining of تَنائفٍwastelands أغفالِunmarked
وصْلَيْنِ وصْلَ تَنائفٍ أغفالِ
And many a wasteland joined to another wasteland,
Blow after blow, strike after strike
two linked stretches, a joining of unmarked deserts,
And two joined strikes of swinging swords
ترميit casts مُؤوَّبةًtraversed by day إلىinto أمثالِهاothers like it
ترمي مُؤوَّبةً إلى أمثالِها
غُبرَdust-gray الفِجاجِthe passes مَخوفةَfearsome الأهوالِthe terrors
غُبرَ الفِجاجِ مَخوفةَ الأهوالِ
casting one, after a day's crossing, into others like it,
Throwing sparks, while the horseman above
dust-gray in their passes, fearsome in their terrors.
Sits a smooth-gaited and swiftest steed
كلَّفْتُهُنَّI tasked them with هِبابَthe vigor of كلِّevery مُبرِّزٍfront-running mount
كلَّفْتُهُنَّ هِبابَ كلِّ مُبرِّزٍ
صدَراًby a breast وكلَّand every نجيبةٍhighbred she-camel شِملالِfleet
صدَراً وكلَّ نجيبةٍ شِملالِ
I entrusted their crossing to the vigor of every front-running mount,
I assigned to each champion the delivery of a message
a breast ahead, and every fleet, highbred she-camel,
And to each highborn lady an answer
صَغواءَhead-tilted منْfrom أنَفِdisdain for الزِّمامِthe rein قويةٍstrong
صَغواءَ منْ أنَفِ الزِّمامِ قويةٍ
بعدَafter الكَلالِexhaustion عتيدةَready for الإرْقالِswift trotting
بعدَ الكَلالِ عتيدةَ الإرْقالِ
head tilted in disdain for the rein, still strong
Small yet firm of grip on the reins
after exhaustion, ready for a swift trot.
After being tethered, ready to bolt
وكأنَّand as though أحبُلَهاher ropes ومَيْساًand a mays-wood saddle قاتراًcompact
وكأنَّ أحبُلَها ومَيْساً قاتراً
والمرءُand the rider فوقَupon مُلمَّعٍa dappled wild bull ذَيّالِlong-tailed
والمرءُ فوقَ مُلمَّعٍ ذَيّالِ
As though her ropes and compact mays-wood saddle,
As if their robes and scarves were heavy rain
together with the rider, lay upon a dappled, long-tailed wild bull
And the man above a lofty, bucket-shaped cloud
أمسىhe spent the evening بحَومَلَat Hawmal تحتَbeneath طَلِّthe drizzle of مُخِيلَةٍa raincloud
أمسى بحَومَلَ تحتَ طَلِّ مُخِيلَةٍ
نحَرتْmet عشيَّتُهاits evening سِرارَthe moonless end-nights of هلالِa crescent moon
نحَرتْ عشيَّتُها سِرارَ هلالِ
that spent the evening at Hawmal beneath a raincloud's drizzle,
In the evening it descended beneath the shade of the imagination
whose evening met the crescent's moonless nights.
Its twilight gloom killed the new crescent moon
تحبوit creeps إليهِtoward him كأنّماas though أرواقُهاits trailing curtains
تحبو إليهِ كأنّما أرواقُها
بُخْيُBactrian camels (uncertain reading) العراقِIraq دلَحْنَthey bent down بالأثقالِunder heavy loads
بُخْيُ العراقِ دلَحْنَ بالأثقالِ
It crept toward him, its trailing curtains seeming
Approaching him as if its pillars were
Iraq's Bactrian camels, bent beneath their burdens.
Brooks of Iraq, dripping with burdens
باتَتْit spent the night تُكَفَّىbeing poured over وجهَهُhis face مأمورةٌrain-laden
باتَتْ تُكَفَّى وجهَهُ مأمورةٌ
خَيْرىbountiful مُفرَّغةٌemptied out بغيرِwithout دَوالِbuckets
خَيْرى مُفرَّغةٌ بغيرِ دَوالِ
A rain-laden cloud spent the night pouring across his face,
Lodging to have its exterior lit without need of lamps
bountiful, emptied out without buckets.
Until the pillar cracked as if
حتىuntil إذاwhen انصدعَsplit open العمودُthe dawn-pillar كأنّهُas though it were
حتى إذا انصدعَ العمودُ كأنّهُ
هاديthe neck of أغرَّa white-blazed horse جرىran بغيرِwithout جِلالِhorse-blankets
هادي أغرَّ جرى بغيرِ جِلالِ
Until, when the pillar of dawn split open, it seemed
A guide roared without pretentiousness
the neck of a white-blazed horse running without blankets.
And in the morning its interior glistened as if
وغداand at dawn he was تلألأُgleaming صفحَتاهُhis two flanks كأنّهُas though he were
وغدا تلألأُ صفحَتاهُ كأنّهُ
مصباحُa lamp فيat دُبُرِthe tail-end of الظلامِdarkness ذُبالِwicks
مصباحُ في دُبُرِ الظلامِ ذُبالِ
And at dawn his two flanks gleamed, as though he were
A lamp dispelling the darkness of night
a wick-lit lamp at the tail-end of darkness.
They departed distressed, you can see their litter-camels
غاداهُcame upon him at dawn مُهتلِكٌa reckless hunter ترىyou see أطمارَهُhis rags
غاداهُ مُهتلِكٌ ترى أطمارَهُ
يَهفونَthey flutter عاقدَbinding شَطرِهِhis middle بعِقالِwith a tether-cord
يَهفونَ عاقدَ شَطرِهِ بعِقالِ
A reckless hunter came upon him at dawn; you saw his rags
Bound to each other with tethers
fluttering, his waist bound with a tether-cord.
Walking heedlessly with their thick forelocks covering their eyes
يسعىhe advances بمُغْفَلَةٍwith unmarked arrows قَواضٍdeath-dealing ساقَهاpropelled them
يسعى بمُغْفَلَةٍ قَواضٍ ساقَها
ريشُfeathers الظُّهارِof the upper wings وزَمَّهاand he bridled them بنِصالِwith arrowheads
ريشُ الظُّهارِ وزَمَّها بنِصالِ
He advanced with unmarked, death-dealing arrows, propelled
And ostrich feathers adorning their equipment
by upper-wing feathers; he bridled them with arrowheads.
And guarded they went, but when they turned away
ومصونةٍand a treasured bow دُفعتْwas thrust forward فلمّاthen when أدبرتْit drew back
ومصونةٍ دُفعتْ فلمّا أدبرتْ
رُدَّتْwere turned back طوائفُهاits ends علىtoward الإقبالِfacing forward
رُدَّتْ طوائفُها على الإقبالِ
And a treasured bow, thrust forward; when it drew back,
Their groups were returned to the advance
its ends were turned forward again.
Struck black as if it were the blackness of their eyeliner that we hope
خُطمتْit was bridled بأسمرَwith a brown cord منof نواشرَsinews نأملُّهاits moaning
خُطمتْ بأسمرَ من نواشرَ نأملُّها
فيهِwithin it كنأمِlike the moan of مُصابةٍa stricken woman مِثْكالِbereft of children
فيهِ كنأمِ مُصابةٍ مِثْكالِ
It was bridled with a brown sinew cord; its moan
Contains the same enchantment as kohl
within it was like the moan of a stricken, bereaved mother.
Disheveled as if they had been folded like
ومُغَرَّثاتٍand starved hounds قدalready طُوِينَmade lean كأنّهاas though they were
ومُغَرَّثاتٍ قد طُوِينَ كأنّها
لمّاwhen غدتْthey set out at dawn وغداand he set out at dawn أراقمُspeckled snakes ضالِwild lote-trees
لمّا غدتْ وغدا أراقمُ ضالِ
And starved hounds, made lean, as though,
Manuscripts when they departed while the camels strayed
when they and he set out, they were speckled snakes among lote-trees.
So it snapped when it saw the insight displaying
فانصاعَthen he darted away حينَwhen رأىhe saw البصيرةَthe clear sign يحتذيwearing as sandals
فانصاعَ حينَ رأى البصيرةَ يحتذي
منهُof his own أكارعَshanks ماnot لهُنَّthey had تواليlaggards
منهُ أكارعَ ما لهُنَّ توالي
He darted away when he saw the clear sign, wearing
Its power, which has no succession
his own shanks for sandals, none lagging behind.
It does not persist, leaving the slave girls as if
لاnot يأتَليhe slackens يدعُhe leaves behind الرِّقاقَthe smooth flats كأنّهُas though he were
لا يأتَلي يدعُ الرِّقاقَ كأنّهُ
فيon السابِريِّfine Sabiri cloth وهنَّand they are غيرُnot أواليin front
في السابِريِّ وهنَّ غيرُ أوالي
He spared no effort, leaving the smooth flats as though
He were in al-Sabiri and they have no allies
he moved on fine Sabiri cloth, while they were not ahead.
He made the youth sniff his mustache as if
جعلَhe put الصَّباthe east wind فيinto مَنخِرَيْهِhis two nostrils كأنّهُas though he were
جعلَ الصَّبا في مَنخِرَيْهِ كأنّهُ
مِرِّيخُa long arrow فَوتَbeyond the reach of لُحِيِّهِنَّtheir jaws مُغالِa distance-shooting archer
مِرِّيخُ فَوتَ لُحِيِّهِنَّ مُغالِ
He put the east wind into his nostrils, as though he were
It were Mars that let down their veils
a long-range archer's arrow, beyond the reach of their jaws.
Until when they broke away from him in a narrow pass
حتىuntil إذاwhen انقطعَتْcame to a halt بهِwith him فيin فِقْرةٍa hollow
حتى إذا انقطعَتْ بهِ في فِقْرةٍ
وبهنَّand in them مَيْعةُfresh vigor شاهدٍclose pursuit ومِطالِand a prolonged chase
وبهنَّ مَيْعةُ شاهدٍ ومِطالِ
Until, when he was brought to a halt in a hollow,
And they had the terror of a witness and a seeker
while they still had vigor for close and prolonged pursuit,
The panting of a risky venture endowed with help
ولهثْنَand they panted كَرَّwheeled back مُغامرٌa daring one ذوpossessing نجدةٍcourage
ولهثْنَ كَرَّ مُغامرٌ ذو نجدةٍ
يحميhe defends ويَشرُكُand engages in كلَّevery إربةِdemand of حالِthe situation
يحمي ويَشرُكُ كلَّ إربةِ حالِ
as they panted, the daring one wheeled back, full of courage,
Protecting and involving every terrified state
defending himself and taking on every demand of the moment.
Protecting and repelling them, not lying,
يحميhe defends ويطرحُهُنَّand flings them down غيرَwithout مُكذِّبٍfaltering
يحمي ويطرحُهُنَّ غيرَ مُكذِّبٍ
طرْحَthe casting of المُفيضِthe gaming dealer رِبابةَa bundle of الأنفالِblank lots
طرْحَ المُفيضِ رِبابةَ الأنفالِ
He defended himself and flung them down without faltering,
Casting like the overflowing clouds of bounty
as a gaming dealer casts aside a bundle of blank lots.
Did he get accustomed to the clanging of arms in battle
ألفَيْنَهُthey found him ذَرِبَkeen السلاحِof weapon مقاتلاًa fighter
ألفَيْنَهُ ذَرِبَ السلاحِ مقاتلاً
وأردْنَand they wanted ولْغَto lap دمٍblood بغيرِwithout قتالِfighting
وأردْنَ ولْغَ دمٍ بغيرِ قتالِ
They found him keen-armed and ready to fight,
And the shedding of blood without fighting?
though they had wanted to lap blood without a battle.
No! indeed a canal gushed that shook
كلاّnay لقدْindeed شرِقَتْchoked with blood قناةٌa spear-shaft هزَّهاhe brandished it
كلاّ لقدْ شرِقَتْ قناةٌ هزَّها
فيin كلِّevery مَنْبِضِpulsing blood-vessel غائبٍhidden وطِحالِand a spleen
في كلِّ مَنْبِضِ غائبٍ وطِحالِ
Nay! The spear he brandished choked with blood
Every pulsing vein in an absent heart
in every hidden pulsing vessel and spleen.
Partial English translation: 81 of 82 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1