ماnot ليfor me بِدارٍwith a dwelling خَلَتbecame empty مِنof أَهلِهاits people شُغُلُconcern
ما لي بِدارٍ خَلَت مِن أَهلِها شُغُلُ
وَلاnor شَجانيsaddened me لَهاbelonging to it شَخصٌa standing remnant وَلاnor طَلَلُa ruin
وَلا شَجاني لَها شَخصٌ وَلا طَلَلُ
I have no concern with a dwelling emptied of its people.
A home abandoned by its people holds no charm for me
I have no concern for a dwelling emptied of its people,
Nor has a standing remnant or ruin of it saddened me.
No friend mourns it, no ruins mark where it used to be
Nor am I saddened by any figure or crumbling ruin within it.
وَلاnor رُسومٌtraces وَلاnor أَبكيI weep لِمَنزِلَةٍfor a dwelling
وَلا رُسومٌ وَلا أَبكي لِمَنزِلَةٍ
لِلأَهلِfor the inhabitants عَنهاaway from it وَلِلجيرانِand for the neighbors مُنتَقَلُa departure
لِلأَهلِ عَنها وَلِلجيرانِ مُنتَقَلُ
Nor any traces; nor do I weep for a dwelling
No vestiges remain for me to weep, no traces stay
I am not moved by traces, nor do I weep for a campsite
From which the inhabitants and neighbors have moved away.
Of neighbors gone or home folk moved away
From which the family and neighbors have long departed.
وَلاnor قَطَعتُI crossed عَلىon حَرفٍa lean she-camel مُذَكَّرَةٍmale-built
وَلا قَطَعتُ عَلى حَرفٍ مُذَكَّرَةٍ
فيin مِرفَقَيهاher two elbows إِذاwhen اِستَعرَضتَهاyou view her broadside فَتَلُoutward twisting
في مِرفَقَيها إِذا اِستَعرَضتَها فَتَلُ
Nor have I crossed, on a lean, male-built she-camel,
No winding path by which my memory strays
I have not traversed the waste upon a lean, masculine she-camel,
Whose elbows twist outward when you view her broadside,
On a barren desert spot where once it lay
Whose elbows, were you to inspect them, show a sturdy twist.
بَيداءَa desert مُقفِرَةًdesolate يَوماًone day فَأَنعَتَهاso I describe it
بَيداءَ مُقفِرَةً يَوماً فَأَنعَتَها
وَلاnor سَرىjourneyed by night بيwith me فَأَحكيكِso I tell you بِهاthrough it جَمَلُa camel
وَلا سَرى بي فَأَحكيكِ بِها جَمَلُ
A desolate desert one day, that I might describe it;
No year I spent with it, and summer overtook me there
Crossing a desolate desert for a day, that I might describe it,
Nor has a camel carried me through it by night, for me to tell you of it.
No campsite where my tribe pitched tents with love and care
Nor did a camel carry me through the night, that I should recount its tale to you.
وَلاnor شَتَوتُI wintered بِهاin it عاماًfor a year فَأَدرَكَنيso it overtook me
وَلا شَتَوتُ بِها عاماً فَأَدرَكَني
فيهاin it المَصيفُsummer فَليso I have عَنaway from ذاكَthat مُرتَحَلُsomewhere to go
فيها المَصيفُ فَلي عَن ذاكَ مُرتَحَلُ
Nor have I wintered there a year, to be overtaken
Sorrow itself cannot look out from my eyes and know
I did not spend a winter there for a year, only to be overtaken
There by summer; I have somewhere else to go.
Nor can the hills and plains discern my inner woe
By the summer heat within it, forcing my departure from that place.
وَلاnor شَدَدتُI fastened بِهاin it مِنof خَيمَةٍa tent طُنُباًa guy rope
وَلا شَدَدتُ بِها مِن خَيمَةٍ طُنُباً
جارىraced بِهاin it الضَبُّthe spiny-tailed lizard وَالحِرباءُand the chameleon وَالوَرَلُand the monitor lizard
جارى بِها الضَبُّ وَالحِرباءُ وَالوَرَلُ
Nor have I fastened any tent rope there,
I mourn no meadow save what once I saw therein
I have never tightened the rope of a tent therein,
Where spiny-tailed lizard, chameleon, and monitor lizard raced.
A castle lofty-towered, with palms close nestled in
Where the spiny-tailed lizard, the chameleon, and the monitor lizard scurry.
لاnot الحَزنُrugged terrain مِنّيon my part بِرَأيِby the sight of العَينِthe eye أَعرِفُهُI know it
لا الحَزنُ مِنّي بِرَأيِ العَينِ أَعرِفُهُ
وَلَيسَand not يَعرِفُنيknows me سَهلٌa plain وَلاnor جَبَلُa mountain
وَلَيسَ يَعرِفُني سَهلٌ وَلا جَبَلُ
I know no rugged ground by the sight of my own eyes,
So you may know me if you really try,
I know not the rugged terrain by the sight of my eye,
Nor does any plain or mountain know me.
And tell others too if they should ask of I
And neither the plain nor the mountain is acquainted with me.
لاnot أَنعَتُI describe الرَوضَthe garden إِلّاexcept ماone that رَأَيتُI saw بِهِin it
لا أَنعَتُ الرَوضَ إِلّا ما رَأَيتُ بِهِ
قَصراًa palace مِنيفاًlofty عَلَيهِover it النَخلُthe date palms مُشتَمِلُenfolding
قَصراً مِنيفاً عَلَيهِ النَخلُ مُشتَمِلُ
I describe no garden save one where I have seen
Palms when their beauty's garments are laid bare
I describe no garden unless I have seen within it
A lofty palace enfolded by date palms.
Show clusters hung that draw the bees' buzz there
A lofty palace, encompassed by embracing palm trees.
فَهاكَso take this مِنfrom صِفَتيmy description إِنif كُنتَyou are مُختَبِراًmaking inquiries
فَهاكَ مِن صِفَتي إِن كُنتَ مُختَبِراً
وَمُخبِراًand informing نَفَراًa group عَنّيabout me إِذاwhen سَأَلواthey ask
وَمُخبِراً نَفَراً عَنّي إِذا سَأَلوا
So take this from my description, if you are making inquiries,
Beneath their drooping fronds lie glistening pearls
So take this from my description, if you seek to test me,
And reporting to a group about me when they ask:
In order strewn, linked like necklaces of girls
And to inform the people about me, should they ask:
نَخلٌdate palms إِذاwhen جُلِيَتwere unveiled إِبّانَat the time of زينَتِهاtheir adornment
نَخلٌ إِذا جُلِيَت إِبّانَ زينَتِها
لاحَتgleamed بِأَعناقِهاat their necks أَعذاقُهاtheir fruit clusters النُحُلُslender
لاحَت بِأَعناقِها أَعذاقُها النُحُلُ
Palms, when unveiled in the season of their adornment,
An artful plucker knows their ways and picks with care
Palm trees which, when unveiled in the season of their adornment,
Their slender fruit clusters gleam upon their necks.
Maidens' robes slip off, their anklets show them bare
Reveal upon their necks their slender, hanging clusters.
أَسقاطُfragments عَسجَدِهِits gold فيهاwithin them لَآلِئُهاtheir pearls
أَسقاطُ عَسجَدِهِ فيها لَآلِئُها
مَنضودَةٌset in rows بِسَموطِby strings of الدُرِّpearls تَتَّصِلُare joined
مَنضودَةٌ بِسَموطِ الدُرِّ تَتَّصِلُ
Their pearls within them are fragments of their gold,
He plucks the first and last and leaves no fruit to spare
Like scraps of gold within, where their pearls
Set in rows, joined in strings of pearls.
By dawn, the palms are filled with seeds beyond compare
Are arranged in connected strings of precious gems.
يَفتَضُّهاhe deflowers her فَطِنٌastute عِلجٌa non-Arab man بِهاwith her خَبِرٌexperienced
يَفتَضُّها فَطِنٌ عِلجٌ بِها خَبِرٌ
فَضَّdeflowering العَذارىvirgins حُلاهاtheir adornments الرَيطُfine cloth وَالحُلَلُand robes
فَضَّ العَذارى حُلاها الرَيطُ وَالحُلَلُ
A shrewd non-Arab man, experienced with her, deflowers her,
No maiden shunned him for modesty or shame
A clever, strong husbandman, experienced in their ways, pierces them,
As virgins are deflowered, adorned in fine cloth and robes.
No bride gift asked, no reason could defame
Deflowering virgins whose ornaments are fine robes and raiment.
فَاِفتَضَّso he deflowered أَوَّلَهاher first parts مِنهاof her وَآخِرَهاand her last parts
فَاِفتَضَّ أَوَّلَها مِنها وَآخِرَها
فَأَصبَحَتso she became وَبِهاand in her مِنfrom فَحلِهاher male palm حَبَلُpregnancy
فَأَصبَحَت وَبِها مِن فَحلِها حَبَلُ
So he deflowered her from her first part to her last,
The buds take in, the fronds spread free and wide
He pollinates the first and the last of them,
And she became pregnant by her male palm.
Their catkins scatter, by the wind they glide
Until she becomes heavy with child from her stallion.
لَمnot تَمتَنِعshe resisted عِفَّةًout of chastity مِنهُfrom him وَلاnor وَرَعاًout of piety
لَم تَمتَنِع عِفَّةً مِنهُ وَلا وَرَعاً
بِلاwithout صَداقٍa bride-price وَلَمand not يوجَدwas found لَهاfor her عَقَلُreason
بِلا صَداقٍ وَلَم يوجَد لَها عَقَلُ
She did not resist him out of chastity or piety,
For two months gently nursed, those clusters bide
She refused him not out of chastity, nor out of piety,
Without a bride-price, and with no reason found in her.
Then loosen strands of gleaming gems inside
Demanding no dowry, nor was any blood-money required for her surrender.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen لَقِحَتshe conceived أَرخَتshe let down عَقائِصَهاher braids
حَتّى إِذا لَقِحَت أَرخَت عَقائِصَها
فَمالَso it drooped مُنتَثِراًspread loose عُرجونُهاher fruit stalk الرَجِلُwavy-haired
فَمالَ مُنتَثِراً عُرجونُها الرَجِلُ
Until, once she conceived, she let down her braids,
Pale yellow and red, glowing like embers bright
Until, once fertilized, she loosens her braided tresses,
And her wavy-haired fruit stalk drooped, spread loose.
All night they feed until the honey's might
And her fruit-stalk leans down, scattering its curly locks.
فَبَينَماand while هِيَshe وَالأَرواحُand the winds تَنفَحُهاblow upon her
فَبَينَما هِيَ وَالأَرواحُ تَنفَحُها
شَهرَينِfor two months بارِحَةًblowing hot وَهناًlate at night وَتَنتَحِلُand she grows lean
شَهرَينِ بارِحَةً وَهناً وَتَنتَحِلُ
And while she was there, the winds blowing upon her,
Permeates each cell and makes the juices right
And while the winds breathe gently upon her,
For two months, blowing hot by night, as she grew lean,
If only kissing those sweet lips I might!
For two months of hot gusts, she grows frail and thin.
أَرخَتshe let hang عُقوداًnecklaces مِنَof الياقوتِrubies مِدمَجَةًclosely strung
أَرخَت عُقوداً مِنَ الياقوتِ مِدمَجَةً
صُفراًyellow وَحُمراًand red بِهاupon her كَالجَمرِlike embers يَشتَعِلُblazing
صُفراً وَحُمراً بِها كَالجَمرِ يَشتَعِلُ
She let hang closely strung necklaces of rubies,
Amid the branches money sways, no fear or plight
She lets down compact necklaces of ruby,
Yellow and red upon her, blazing like embers.
Of wolves for lambs where all is calm and right
Yellow and red, burning within like live embers.
فَلَمso not تَزَلshe ceased بِمُدودِthrough the stretches of اللَيلِthe night تُرضِعُهُshe nurses it
فَلَم تَزَل بِمُدودِ اللَيلِ تُرضِعُهُ
حَتّىuntil تَمَكَّنَtook firm hold فيin أَوصالِهِits limbs العَسَلُhoney
حَتّى تَمَكَّنَ في أَوصالِهِ العَسَلُ
She kept nursing it through the long stretches of night,
The birds will greet you with their tuneful chorus
She ceases not, through the stretches of the night, to suckle the fruit,
Until honey took firm hold in its limbs.
Bulbuls lament, their mates snatched off in sight
Until honey is firmly established within its very joints.
ياoh طيبَthe sweetness of تِلكَthat one عَروساًas a bride فيin مَجاسِدِهاher saffron-dyed robes
يا طيبَ تِلكَ عَروساً في مَجاسِدِها
لَوif only كانَit were يَصلُحُfitting مِنهاfrom her الشَمُّsmelling وَالقُبَلُand kisses
لَو كانَ يَصلُحُ مِنها الشَمُّ وَالقُبَلُ
How sweet she is, a bride in her saffron-dyed robes,
Describe it well, speak true about its essence
Oh, how sweet is such a bride in her saffron-dyed robes,
If only it were fitting to smell and kiss her!
To lengthen life for one who sings its might
If only embracing and kissing her were permitted!
خِلالَهاamong them شَجَرٌtrees فيin فَيئِهِits shade نَقَدٌshort-legged sheep
خِلالَها شَجَرٌ في فَيئِهِ نَقَدٌ
لاnot يَرهَبُfears الذِئبُthe wolf فيهاin it الكَبشُthe ram وَالحَمَلُand the lamb
لا يَرهَبُ الذِئبُ فيها الكَبشُ وَالحَمَلُ
Among them are trees; in their shade are short-legged sheep.
Beyond illusions, traces, ruins and the past
Amidst the palms are trees, in whose shade rest flocks of sheep,
There neither ram nor lamb fears the wolf.
My passion and this ode will firmer last
Where neither the ram nor the lamb fears the wolf.
إِنif جِئتَyou come زائِرَهاas its visitor غَنّاكَit sings to you طائِرُهاits bird
إِن جِئتَ زائِرَها غَنّاكَ طائِرُها
بِرَجعِwith repeated strains of أَلحِنَةٍmelodies فيin صَوتِهاits voice هَدَلُlow cooing
بِرَجعِ أَلحِنَةٍ في صَوتِها هَدَلُ
If you come to visit it, its bird will sing to you,
Why should I praise or blame our human race
If you come as a visitor, its bird will sing to you,
With echoing melodies, a low coo in its voice:
When from each person I can learn and grow
With repeating melodies that carry a gentle cooing in their tone.
مِنfrom بُلبُلٍa nightingale غَرِدٍtuneful ناداكَcalls to you مِنfrom غُصُنٍa branch
مِن بُلبُلٍ غَرِدٍ ناداكَ مِن غُصُنٍ
يَبكيweeps لِبُلبُلَةٍfor a female nightingale أَودىbrought death بِهاto her خَجَلُshame
يَبكي لِبُلبُلَةٍ أَودى بِها خَجَلُ
From a tuneful nightingale calling you from a branch,
Long life provides, if judgment I can face
From a warbling nightingale calling out to you from a branch,
Weeping for a female nightingale whom shame has slain.
And when I'm thirsty or hungry, help will flow
Weeping for a mate who was overcome by shyness.
هَذاthis فَصِفهُso describe it وَقُلand speak فيin وَصفِهِits description سَدَداًaptly
هَذا فَصِفهُ وَقُل في وَصفِهِ سَدَداً
مُدَّتwere prolonged لِواصِفِهِfor its describer فيin عُمرِهِhis lifetime الطِوَلُlong years
مُدَّت لِواصِفِهِ في عُمرِهِ الطِوَلُ
Describe this, and speak aptly in describing it;
This is what you must describe; speak the truth in its description,
May the lifetime of its describer be prolonged.
And long life shall be extended to the one who portrays it well.
ماnot بَينَbetween رَبعٍa dwelling-site وَلاnor رَسمٍa trace وَلاnor طَلَلٍa ruin
ما بَينَ رَبعٍ وَلا رَسمٍ وَلا طَلَلٍ
أَقوىlay deserted وَبَينيand between me فيunder حُكمِthe law of الهَوىlove عَمَلُa bond
أَقوى وَبَيني في حُكمِ الهَوى عَمَلُ
Neither a dwelling-site, nor a trace, nor a ruin
Far removed from the campsite, the trace, and the ruin
Left deserted has any bond with me under love's law.
That have grown desolate; between me and them, by the decree of passion, is a barrier.
ماwhat ليhave I وَعَوسَجُهاand its boxthorn بِالقاعِon the plain جانِبُهاbeside it
ما لي وَعَوسَجُها بِالقاعِ جانِبُها
أَفعىa viper يُقابِلُهاfaces it عَنfrom جِحرِهِits burrow وَرَلُa monitor lizard
أَفعى يُقابِلُها عَن جِحرِهِ وَرَلُ
What have I to do with its boxthorn on the plain, beside which is
What business have I with the thorn-bush on the low plain,
A viper that a monitor lizard faces from its burrow?
Beside which a viper stares down a lizard emerging from its hole?
إِنّيI am اِمرُؤٌa man هِمَّتيmy aspiration وَاللَهُand God يكلؤنيguards me
إِنّي اِمرُؤٌ هِمَّتي وَاللَهُ يكلؤني
أَمرانِtwo things ماnot فيهِماin either of them شُربٌdrinking وَلاnor أَكلُeating
أَمرانِ ما فيهِما شُربٌ وَلا أَكلُ
I am a man whose aspiration—may God guard me—
I am a man whose ambition—and may God protect me—
Is two things, neither drinking nor eating:
Lies in two matters, wherein neither food nor drink is found:
حُبُّlove of التَديمِunclear; possibly the boon companion وَماand whatever فيin الناسِpeople مِنof حُسنٍbeauty
حُبُّ التَديمِ وَما في الناسِ مِن حُسنٍ
كَفّيmy hand إِلَيهِtoward him إِذاwhen راجَعتُهُI return to him خَضِلُmoist with generosity
كَفّي إِلَيهِ إِذا راجَعتُهُ خَضِلُ
Love of the boon companion [uncertain reading], and whatever beauty people possess;
The love of ancient parchment—and the beauty found in people—
My hand is moist with generosity toward him whenever I return to him.
To which my hand, when I return to it, is ever moist with ink.
لاnot أَمدَحَنَّI shall praise وَلاnor أُخطيI misjudge خَلائِقَهُhis character
لا أَمدَحَنَّ وَلا أُخطي خَلائِقَهُ
مَنwhoever عِندَهُwith him ليfor me إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) جِئتُهُI come to him نُزُلُhospitality
مَن عِندَهُ لي إِذا ما جِئتُهُ نُزُلُ
I shall not praise him, nor misjudge his character—
I shall not praise—nor overlook the true nature—
The man who has hospitality for me whenever I come to him.
Of one who offers me mere hospitality when I come to him.
Partial English translation: 44 of 56 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1