أَماindeed وَنَجيبَةٍby a fleet she-camel يَهويspeeds
أَما وَنَجيبَةٍ يَهوي
عَلَيهاupon her راكِبٌa rider فَرِدُsolitary
عَلَيها راكِبٌ فَرِدُ
Indeed, by a fleet she-camel—there speeds
A rider sways atop a she-camel, yearning
Nay, by a noble mount that plunges down,
Upon her a solitary rider,
His eyes shaded by the shade of his eyelids
Upon whose back a solitary rider clings,
مُظَلَّلُshadowed مِحجَرِthe socket of العَينَيthe two eyes (continued)
مُظَلَّلُ مِحجَرِ العَينَي
نِcompletion of 'the two eyes' جَيبُthe neck-opening of قَميصِهِhis shirt قِدَدُshreds
نِ جَيبُ قَميصِهِ قِدَدُ
His eye-sockets shadowed,
If she crossed a wadi, no wadi appeared to his eyes
With sunken eyes deep-shaded in their sockets,
His shirt's neck-opening in shreds;
The she-camel driver, when downpours assaulted her
While the collar of his tunic hangs in shreds;
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle جاوَزَتpassed جَدَداًhard, level ground
إِذا ما جاوَزَت جَدَداً
فَلاحَthen appeared لِعَينِهِbefore his eye جَدَدُhard, level ground
فَلاحَ لِعَينِهِ جَدَدُ
Whenever she passes a stretch of hard, level ground,
Seeks refuge in a white desert, bearing a child inside her
Whenever she traverses one vast plain,
Another stretch appears before his eyes.
And the sacredness of a mingler’s grasping hand
Another barren stretch looms before his sight;
حَكَتresembled أُمَّthe mother of الرِئالِyoung ostriches إِذاwhen
حَكَت أُمَّ الرِئالِ إِذا
رَماهاstruck her الوابِلُthe pelting shower البَرَدُthe hail
رَماها الوابِلُ البَرَدُ
She resembles a mother ostrich when
Its light encompassing, leading
She mimics the mother of ostriches, when
A pelting shower of hail strikes her,
So when she was juxtaposed with it, above her
She is pelted by the torrent and the hail,
تَأُمُّheads toward بِقَفرَةٍin a wilderness بيضاًeggs
تَأُمُّ بِقَفرَةٍ بيضاً
لَهاshe has فيin جَوفِهِits interior وَلَدُoffspring
لَها في جَوفِهِ وَلَدُ
Heading through a wilderness toward eggs
Like pearls piled up as foam
Making for white eggs within the wasteland,
With her offspring inside.
He gave her to drink, pure, unmixed
Within whose shells the unhatched chicks reside.
وَحَرمَةِand by the sanctity of كَفِّthe hand of مُمتَزِجٍone who mixes
وَحَرمَةِ كَفِّ مُمتَزِجٍ
شَمولاًwine ضَوءُهاits radiance يَقِدُblazes
شَمولاً ضَوءُها يَقِدُ
And by the sanctity of the hand that mixes
Whose abundance green plants flourished
And by the sacred hand of one who mixes
Wine whose radiance blazes;
The courtyard of the frequented mosque, then the sand, then the pillar bases
A chilled north-wind wine, whose radiance burns bright,
فَلَمّاthen when أَنlinking particle تَقارَنَgathered together فَوabove (continued)
فَلَمّا أَن تَقارَنَ فَو
قَهاcompletion of 'above it' كَاللُؤلُؤِlike pearls الزَبَدُthe foam
قَها كَاللُؤلُؤِ الزَبَدُ
And when, above it, there gathered
Its ceilings never gathered
So when the froth has settled on its surface,
Foam like pearls,
So the abodes of Banu Abi Sufyan, where the throngs gathered
Resembling scattered pearls of gleaming white;
سَقاهاhe served it ماجِداًa noble man مَحضاًunalloyed
سَقاها ماجِداً مَحضاً
نَمَتهُbegot him جَحاجِحٌmighty chiefs نُجُدُvaliant
نَمَتهُ جَحاجِحٌ نُجُدُ
He served it to a man of pure nobility,
And where the virgins settled, the abodes they spread out
Served by a cupbearer to a pure-blooded noble,
Whom mighty, valiant chiefs had begotten:
And the abodes of a warrior, where the torrents steadily flowed
Of lineage tracing back to valiant chiefs.
لَصَحنُsurely the courtyard of المَسجِدِthe mosque المَعموthe well-frequented (continued)
لَصَحنُ المَسجِدِ المَعمو
رِcompletion of 'well-frequented' فَالرَهباتُthen al-Rahabāt فَالسَنَدُthen al-Sanad
رِ فَالرَهباتُ فَالسَنَدُ
Surely the courtyard of the well-frequented mosque,
To abodes, the dearest to my heart dwelt in them
Indeed, the courtyard of the thronged Mosque,
Then al-Rahabāt, then al-Sanad,
To a bleary eye, the best thing is
And al-Rahbat, and the slope of al-Sanad,
فَماthen whatever ضَمَّتenclosed سَقائِفُهُits porticoes
فَما ضَمَّت سَقائِفُهُ
فَطَودُthen the mountain إِزائِهِopposite it الوَحِدُthe solitary
فَطَودُ إِزائِهِ الوَحِدُ
Then all that its porticoes enclose,
When rheum flowed around his eye
And all that its high porticos embrace,
Then the solitary mountain opposite it,
From Mahmah, he came to her
And the solitary mountain standing opposite,
فَدورُthen the houses of بَنيthe sons of أَبيAbū سُفياSufyān (continued)
فَدورُ بَني أَبي سُفيا
نَcompletion of 'Sufyān' حَيثُwhere تَبَحبَحَdwelt at ease العَدَدُthe multitude
نَ حَيثُ تَبَحبَحَ العَدَدُ
Then the houses of the sons of Abū Sufyān,
And greeted her people, the speech impaired
And the mansions of the Banu Abi Sufyan,
Where the multitude dwelt at ease,
And every undertaker folding the cheek of the deceased
Where the multitude is vast and flourishing,
فَحَيثُthen where اِستَوطَنَsettled البِكراthe Bikrāt (continued)
فَحَيثُ اِستَوطَنَ البِكرا
تُcompletion of 'Bikrāt' فَالدورُthen the houses الَّتيwhich اِمتَهَدواthey made their home
تُ فَالدورُ الَّتي اِمتَهَدوا
Then where the Bikrāt settled,
When a composer smiles, his coldness shows
And where the Bakrat clan has made its home,
Then the houses they made their home,
When we stood to pray, no one separated us
Amidst the dwellings they have raised and smoothed,
فَدورُthen the houses of مُحارِبٍMuḥārib حَيثُwhere اِسbeginning of 'continued'
فَدورُ مُحارِبٍ حَيثُ اِس
تَمَرَّcompletion of 'continued' السَيلُthe torrent يَطَّرِدُflows uninterrupted
تَمَرَّ السَيلُ يَطَّرِدُ
Then the houses of Muḥārib, where
I nudged him when they stood
And the abodes of Muharib, down where
The torrent continues its ceaseless course,
And touched him when they sat
The rushing torrent flows in constant stream,
إِلىto دورٍhouses يَحِلُّdwells بِهاin them الbeginning of 'those who'
إِلى دورٍ يَحِلُّ بِها ال
أُلىcompletion of 'those who' قَلبيmy heart بِهِمfor them كَمَدُanguish
أُلى قَلبي بِهِم كَمَدُ
On to houses where dwell
No successor of the Merciful equals me when they prostrated
Down to the homes where those belovèd dwell,
Those for whom my heart aches,
Where is the coarse cloak
For whom my heart is sick with heavy grief—
أَلَذُّmore pleasing لِعَينِto the eye of مُكتَهِلٍa middle-aged man
أَلَذُّ لِعَينِ مُكتَهِلٍ
أَطافَencircled بِعَينِهِaround his eye رَمَدُeye inflammation
أَطافَ بِعَينِهِ رَمَدُ
Are more pleasing to the eye of a middle-aged man,
Of this quality and skin?
All these are sweeter to a mature eye,
Whose eye is beset by inflammation,
Its niche dug up,
Though inflammation circles round its gaze,
مِنَthan المَوماةِthe wilderness غاداهاvisited it at dawn
مِنَ المَوماةِ غاداها
وَراوَحَand visited at dusk أَهلَهاits people النَقَدُthe small, short-legged sheep
وَراوَحَ أَهلَها النَقَدُ
Than the wilderness, visited at dawn,
And the solitary prayer area and prayer mat
Than the bleak desert, visited at dawn,
And its people at dusk, by small sheep.
The camel market where horses are led continuously
Where scrawny flocks return to folk at dusk.
وَكُلُّand every مُزَيِّلٍone who moves مَيتاًa dead man
وَكُلُّ مُزَيِّلٍ مَيتاً
يُثَنّيbends جيدَهُhis neck الغَيَدُsupple grace
يُثَنّي جيدَهُ الغَيَدُ
And each who stirs a dead man,
A place I do not lack, inhabited by one of ill nature
And every graceful youth who, separating,
Whose neck bends with supple grace,
Bedouins' dwellings surrounded its tanned skin
Inclines a neck that bends with suppleness;
عَرَوضِيٌّfrom al-ʿArūḍ إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle اِفتَرparted his lips (continued)
عَرَوضِيٌّ إِذا ما اِفتَر
رَcompletion of 'parted his lips' مُبتَسِماًsmiling بَداappeared بَرَدُhailstones
رَ مُبتَسِماً بَدا بَرَدُ
Is from al-ʿArūḍ; when he parts his lips
When I said “How is life?” he said “Blistered and chronic woe”
A dazzling smile he has; whene'er he beams,
In a smile, hailstones appear.
God forbid they are equal
White hailstones seem to glisten in the light.
إِذاwhen قُمناwe stood up نُصَلّيwe pray لَمdid not
إِذا قُمنا نُصَلّي لَم
يُفَرِّقseparate بَينَناbetween us أَحَدُanyone
يُفَرِّق بَينَنا أَحَدُ
When we rise to pray, we are not
Though they shared a homeland
When we stand up to perform our prayer,
Separated by anyone.
No soul comes in between to separate us;
أُحَرِّكُهُI stir him إِذاwhen قامواthey stood up
أُحَرِّكُهُ إِذا قاموا
وَأَلمِسُهُand I touch him إِذاwhen قَعَدواthey sat down
وَأَلمِسُهُ إِذا قَعَدوا
I stir him when they stand,
I nudge him gently when the others rise,
And touch him when they sit.
And touch him softly when they sit again.
وَلَيسَand does not خَليفَةُthe caliph of الرَحمَthe Merciful (continued)
وَلَيسَ خَليفَةُ الرَحمَ
نِcompletion of 'the Merciful' يَعدِلُنيequal me إِذاwhen سَجَدواthey prostrated themselves
نِ يَعدِلُني إِذا سَجَدوا
Nor does the caliph of the Merciful
Not even the Vicegerent of the Merciful
Equal me when they prostrate themselves.
Can match my state when they bow down in worship.
وَأَينَand where المِربَدُal-Mirbad الوَحشِيthe desolate (continued)
وَأَينَ المِربَدُ الوَحشِي
يُcompletion of 'desolate' مِنcompared with ذاthis النَعتِthe description فَالجَلَدُthen al-Jalad
يُ مِن ذا النَعتِ فَالجَلَدُ
And how far is the desolate al-Mirbad
And where is wild al-Mirbad, alongside
From this scene—then al-Jalad,
This description, and the rugged hard terrain?
مُخَندَقَهُits ditched enclosure وَقَدand indeed كانَwas الthe
مُخَندَقَهُ وَقَد كانَ ال
مُصَلّىprayer-ground الفَردَthe solitary one فَالنَضَدُthen al-Naḍad
مُصَلّى الفَردَ فَالنَضَدُ
Its ditched enclosure—and once
And its deep trench—where once the prayer-ground stood,
The prayer-ground stood alone—then al-Naḍad,
Near to al-Fard, and beside al-Nadad?
فَسوقُthen the market of الإِبلِcamels حَيثُwhere تُساbeginning of 'are driven'
فَسوقُ الإِبلِ حَيثُ تُسا
قُcompletion of 'are driven' فيهِin it الخَيلُthe horses تَطَّرِدُrun in succession
قُ فيهِ الخَيلُ تَطَّرِدُ
Then the camel market, where are driven
And the Camel Market, where the horses too
The horses, streaming through it:
Are driven forth and race in eager pursuit.
مَحَلٌّa place لَيسَnot يَعدَمُنيlacks me
مَحَلٌّ لَيسَ يَعدَمُني
بِهِin it ذوone with غُمَّةٍdistress جَحِدُdestitute
بِهِ ذو غُمَّةٍ جَحِدُ
A place where I am always to be found
A place where I am never left without
By some troubled, destitute man,
Some sullen wretch, possessed by gloom and greed,
مِنَfrom among الأَعرابِthe Bedouins قَدalready مَحَشَتscorched
مِنَ الأَعرابِ قَد مَحَشَت
ضَواحيthe exposed parts of جِلدِهِhis skin النُجُدُthe uplands
ضَواحي جِلدِهِ النُجُدُ
One of the Bedouins, seared
One of the Bedouin, whose exposed skin
On the exposed parts of his skin by the uplands.
The highland sun has scorched and leathered brown.
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle قُلتُI said كَيفَhow العَيlife (continued)
إِذا ما قُلتُ كَيفَ العَي
شُcompletion of 'life' قالَhe said شَرَنبَثٌharsh نَكِدُwretched
شُ قالَ شَرَنبَثٌ نَكِدُ
Whenever I say, 'How is life?'
If I inquire, "How fares your life today?"
He says, 'Harsh and wretched.'
He answers, rough and miserable: "Hard!"
مَعاذَrefuge in اللَهِGod ماnot اِستَوَياthe two were equal
مَعاذَ اللَهِ ما اِستَوَيا
وَإِنand even if آواهُماsheltered them both بَلَدُa town
وَإِن آواهُما بَلَدُ
God forbid! The two are not equal,
God save us! The two can never be the same,
Even if one town shelters them both.
Though one land shelters both within its bounds.
Partial English translation: 37 of 56 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1