لامَتهُshe blamed him لامَblamed عَشيرُهاher companion وَحَميمُهاand her close friend
لامَتهُ لامَ عَشيرُها وَحَميمُها
مِنهاof hers خَلائِقُtraits قَدalready أَبَنَّrevealed ذَميمُهاtheir blameworthy side
مِنها خَلائِقُ قَد أَبَنَّ ذَميمُها
She blamed him; her companion and close friend did too.
Her tribe blamed her, and her intimate friend;
Traits of hers had revealed their blameworthy side.
Yet she was of a character whose vileness time disclosed.
لَمdid not تَدرِshe knew كَمhow many مِنof لَيلَةٍa night قَدalready خاضَهاhe plunged through it
لَم تَدرِ كَم مِن لَيلَةٍ قَد خاضَها
لَيلاءَpitch-dark وَهيَwhile she تَنامُهاsleeps through it وَتُنيمُهاand lulls it to sleep
لَيلاءَ وَهيَ تَنامُها وَتُنيمُها
She did not know how many a night he had plunged through,
She knew not how many a night she spent awake,
pitch-dark, while she slept through it and lulled it to sleep.
While she was sleeping in my eyes and I was making her drowsy.
نَكِرَتshe failed to recognize فَتىًa youth أَذرىblighted بِنَضرَةِthe bloom of وَجهِهِhis face
نَكِرَت فَتىً أَذرى بِنَضرَةِ وَجهِهِ
وَبِمائِهِand its freshness نَكَدُthe harshness of الخُطوبِcalamities وَلومُهاand their reproach
وَبِمائِهِ نَكَدُ الخُطوبِ وَلومُها
She failed to recognize a youth, the bloom of whose face was blighted—
She slighted a youth whose face was brightened
and its freshness—by misfortunes' harshness and reproach.
By freshness, and whose gravity checked her blame and censure.
لاdo not تُنكِريcondemn هَمّيmy worry فَإِنّيfor indeed I زائِديincreasing me
لا تُنكِري هَمّي فَإِنّي زائِدي
حَزماًin resolve حِضارُthe white ones of النائِباتِmisfortunes وَشومُهاand their black ones
حَزماً حِضارُ النائِباتِ وَشومُها
Do not condemn my worry, for I am strengthened
Do not deny my anxiety, for I am more
in resolve by misfortunes, white and black alike.
Prudent than the violent power of misfortunes and their evils.
فَلَقَبلُfor indeed before أَظهَرَrevealed صَقلُthe polishing of سَيفٍa sword أَثرَهُits pattern
فَلَقَبلُ أَظهَرَ صَقلُ سَيفٍ أَثرَهُ
فَبَداso it appeared وَهَذَّبَتِand refined القُلوبَhearts هُمومُهاtheir cares
فَبَدا وَهَذَّبَتِ القُلوبَ هُمومُها
For before this, a sword's polishing revealed its pattern,
So the first thing revealed was the effect of the polishing of a sword,
so it appeared; and hearts were refined by their cares.
And hearts were tried and sorrows disciplined.
وَالحادِثاتُand life's events وَإِنand even if أَصابَكَstruck you بوسُهاtheir misery
وَالحادِثاتُ وَإِن أَصابَكَ بوسُها
فَهوَthen it الَّذيis what أَنباكَtold you كَيفَwhat ... is like نَعيمُهاtheir bliss
فَهوَ الَّذي أَنباكَ كَيفَ نَعيمُها
And life's events, even if their misery strikes you,
And if events have kissed you with their lips,
it is what tells you what their bliss is like.
It is He who has told you of their pleasures and blessings.
أَوَand ...? ماnot رَأَيتَyou saw مَنازِلَthe dwellings of اِبنَةِthe daughter of مالِكٍMalik
أَوَ ما رَأَيتَ مَنازِلَ اِبنَةِ مالِكٍ
رَسَمَتdepicted لَهُfor him كَيفَwhat ... is like الزَفيرُdeep sighing رُسومُهاtheir traces
رَسَمَت لَهُ كَيفَ الزَفيرُ رُسومُها
And have you not seen the dwellings of Malik's daughter?
Have you not seen the abodes of Malik's daughter,
Their traces pictured for him what deep sighing is like.
How the sigh figured its forms?
آناؤُهاtheir hours وَطُلولُهاand their ruins وَنِجادُهاand their uplands
آناؤُها وَطُلولُها وَنِجادُها
وَوِهادُهاand their lowlands وَحَدِثُهاand their new remains وَقَديمُهاand their old remains
وَوِهادُها وَحَدِثُها وَقَديمُها
Their hours, their ruins, and their uplands,
Its backing and facing, its length and breadth,
and their lowlands, their new remains and old.
Its ruins and new parts and old;
تَغدوgo forth الرِياحُthe winds سَوافِياًscattering sand وَعَوافِياًand effacing traces
تَغدو الرِياحُ سَوافِياً وَعَوافِياً
فَتُضيمُso they wrong مَغناهاher abode وَلَيسَand it does not يَضيمُهاwrong them
فَتُضيمُ مَغناها وَلَيسَ يَضيمُها
The winds go forth, scattering sand and effacing traces,
The winds blow over it gently and strongly,
wronging her abode, which does not wrong them.
Restraining their song, without restraining it.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though أَلقىcast down عَصاهُits staff بِهاin them النَوىseparation
وَكَأَنَّما أَلقى عَصاهُ بِها النَوى
مِنfrom شَقَّةٍa journey قَذَفٍfar-flung فَلَيسَso it does not يَريمُهاleave them
مِن شَقَّةٍ قَذَفٍ فَلَيسَ يَريمُها
And it is as though separation cast down its staff there,
As if he had cast his staff on it when fully ripened -
after a far-flung journey, and will not leave them.
An erratic piercing throw - without hitting the mark.
إِنّيindeed I كَشَفتُكِdrove you away أَزمَةًO crisis بِأَعِزَّةٍwith mighty men
إِنّي كَشَفتُكِ أَزمَةً بِأَعِزَّةٍ
غُرٍّbright-browed إِذاwhen غَمَرَengulfs الأُمورَaffairs بَهيمُهاtheir darkness
غُرٍّ إِذا غَمَرَ الأُمورَ بَهيمُها
I drove you away, O crisis, with mighty men,
Truly I relieved you of trouble with valor
bright-browed when darkness engulfs affairs.
Of a noble sort when the affairs were confused.
بِثَلاثَةٍwith three كَثَلاثَةِlike the three of الراحِwine اِستَوىwere equal
بِثَلاثَةٍ كَثَلاثَةِ الراحِ اِستَوى
لَكَfor you لَونُهاits color وَمَذاقُهاand its taste وَشَميمُهاand its fragrance
لَكَ لَونُها وَمَذاقُها وَشَميمُها
With three, like wine's three qualities, equal
With three like the three of perfume that gained perfection;
for you: its color, its taste, and its fragrance.
Its color, taste, and odor were yours.
وَثَلاثَةِand the three of الشَجَرِtrees الجَنِيِّfruit-laden تَكافَأَتmatched one another
وَثَلاثَةِ الشَجَرِ الجَنِيِّ تَكافَأَت
أَفنانُهاtheir branches وَثِمارُهاand their fruits وَأَرومُهاand their roots
أَفنانُها وَثِمارُها وَأَرومُها
And like fruitful trees' three parts, equally matched:
And three like the three of the garden produce that matched each other:
their boughs, their fruits, and their roots.
Its twigs, fruit, and shade were yours.
وَثَلاثَةِand the three of الدَلوِa bucket اِستُجيدَwere judged excellent لِماتِحٍfor a water-drawer
وَثَلاثَةِ الدَلوِ اِستُجيدَ لِماتِحٍ
أَعوادُهاits wooden supports وَرِشاؤُهاand its rope وَأَديمُهاand its leather
أَعوادُها وَرِشاؤُها وَأَديمُها
And like a bucket's three parts, judged good for a water-drawer:
And three like the well-rope's three that favored the bucket's drawer:
its wooden supports, its rope, and its leather.
Its posts, poles, and leather were yours.
وَثَلاثَةِand the three of القِدرِthe cauldron اللَواتيwhich أَشكَلَتcaused uncertainty
وَثَلاثَةِ القِدرِ اللَواتي أَشكَلَت
أَأَخيَرُهاis their best ذوthe bearer of العِبءِthe load أَمor قَيدومُهاtheir foremost one
أَأَخيَرُها ذو العِبءِ أَم قَيدومُها
And like a cauldron's three supports, leaving one unsure:
And three like the cooking-pot's three that perplexed:
is its load-bearer best, or its foremost support?
Was the last of them, the one with the contents, or its keeper?
وَإِذاand when عَلوقُa milk-withholding she-camel الحاجِneeds يَوماًone day سُكِّنَتis soothed
وَإِذا عَلوقُ الحاجِ يَوماً سُكِّنَت
بِهِمُby them فَقَدthen indeed رَئِمَتكَshe has grown fond of you حينَwhen تَرومُهاyou seek her
بِهِمُ فَقَد رَئِمَتكَ حينَ تَرومُها
And when the unyielding she-camel of needs is soothed one day
And when the vexation of the pilgrim is stilled one day,
by them, she grows fond of you as you seek her.
With them you have been vexed when you wished for tranquility.
عَبدُAbd (servant of) الحَميدِal-Hamid (the Praiseworthy) لَهاfor them وَلِلفَضلِand for al-Fadl الرُباthe heights
عَبدُ الحَميدِ لَها وَلِلفَضلِ الرُبا
فيهاwithin them وَمِثلُand like السَيفِa sword إِبراهيمُهاtheir Ibrahim
فيها وَمِثلُ السَيفِ إِبراهيمُها
Abd al-Hamid is there for them; al-Fadl holds the heights
Abd al-Hamid belongs to Layla and to the overflowing bounty
within them, and their Ibrahim is like a sword.
In her, and is like her sword, her father Ibrahim.
جازواsurpassed خَلائِقَqualities قَدindeed تَيَقَّنَتِrecognized with certainty العُلىhigh glory
جازوا خَلائِقَ قَد تَيَقَّنَتِ العُلى
كُلَّcomplete التَيَقُّنِcertainty أَنَّهُنَّthat they are نُجومُهاits stars
كُلَّ التَيَقُّنِ أَنَّهُنَّ نُجومُها
They surpassed virtues that high glory recognized
They surpassed people whose elevation has become certain.
with utter certainty as its stars.
All certainty that they are its stars.
لَوif أَنَّthat باقِلاًBaqil المُفَهَّهِthe tongue-tied يَنبَريwere to set out
لَو أَنَّ باقِلاً المُفَهَّهِ يَنبَري
فيin مَدحِهاpraising them سَهُلَتwould become easy عَلَيهِfor him حُزومُهاtheir rugged ground
في مَدحِها سَهُلَت عَلَيهِ حُزومُها
If tongue-tied Baqil were to set out
If foolish Buqayl undertook to praise her,
to praise them, their rugged ground would become easy for him.
His folly would be made easy for him.
وَلَوand if أَنَّthat سَحبانَSahban المُفَوَّهَthe eloquent يَنتَحيwere to apply himself
وَلَو أَنَّ سَحبانَ المُفَوَّهَ يَنتَحي
فيin ذَمِّهاdisparaging them لَمwould not يَدرِknow كَيفَhow يَذيمُهاto fault them
في ذَمِّها لَم يَدرِ كَيفَ يَذيمُها
And if eloquent Sahban were to apply himself
And if eloquent Suhban undertook to blame her,
to disparaging them, he would not know how to fault them.
He would not know how to show hostility to her.
إِنّاindeed we أَتَيناكُمwe have come to you نَصونُsafeguarding مَآرِباًaims
إِنّا أَتَيناكُم نَصونُ مَآرِباً
يَستَصغِرُdeems small الحَدَثَthe calamity العَظيمَgreat عَظيمُهاthe greatest of them
يَستَصغِرُ الحَدَثَ العَظيمَ عَظيمُها
We have come to you, safeguarding aims,
We have come to you, keeping a secret purpose
the greatest of which makes great calamity seem small.
Whose greatness makes great things insignificant.
بِالعيسِwith pale camels قاسَمناwe shared with الفَلاthe wilderness أَشلاءَهاtheir limbs
بِالعيسِ قاسَمنا الفَلا أَشلاءَها
وَالبيدُand the deserts لاnot يُعطىis granted السَواءَan equal share قَسيمُهاtheir fellow-sharer
وَالبيدُ لا يُعطى السَواءَ قَسيمُها
We shared the pale camels' limbs with the wilderness,
With swords we have apportioned the necks that oppose hers,
but the deserts' partner is granted no equal share.
And wrong cannot be given rights like her right.
فَلَناso for us أَمينُthe sound portion فُصوصِهاof their joints وَشُخوصِهاand their frames
فَلَنا أَمينُ فُصوصِها وَشُخوصِها
وَلَهاand for it وَرِيُّthe rich portion سَديفِهاof their hump-fat وَلُحومُهاand their flesh
وَلَها وَرِيُّ سَديفِها وَلُحومُها
So ours are their sound joints and frames,
For us are the keys of her covers and saddle-bags,
while the wilderness has their rich hump-fat and flesh.
While the groom has charge of her provisions and meat.
أَخَذَتsapped مَحالَتَهاtheir backbones السُهوبُthe steppes وَبَدءَهاand their joints
أَخَذَت مَحالَتَها السُهوبُ وَبَدءَها
فَالبُعدُso distance يَعذِرهاexcuses them وَنَحنُand we نَلومُهاblame them
فَالبُعدُ يَعذِرها وَنَحنُ نَلومُها
The steppes have sapped their backbones and joints,
The deserts have taken her stages and halts,
so distance excuses them, while we blame them.
So that distance excuses her while we blame her.
صُفُحٌunheeding عَنِof النَبآتِfaint sounds لَيسَdoes not يَؤودُهاburden them
صُفُحٌ عَنِ النَبآتِ لَيسَ يَؤودُها
جَرسُthe sound of الدُجىdarkness مَكّاؤُهاits whistling birds وَنَئيمُهاand its moaning cries
جَرسُ الدُجى مَكّاؤُها وَنَئيمُها
Unheeding faint sounds, they are not troubled
There is clearing of her plants that cannot be watered
by the sounds of darkness—its whistling birds and moaning cries.
By the sound of the night rain pouring on them.
لَيلِيَّةٌnight-going قَدalready وَقَّرَتdeafened هاماتِهاtheir heads
لَيلِيَّةٌ قَد وَقَّرَت هاماتِها
مِنfrom قَبلُbefore أَصداءُthe echoes of الفَلاةِthe wilderness وَبومُهاand its owls
مِن قَبلُ أَصداءُ الفَلاةِ وَبومُها
Night-going, their heads had been deafened
She is a night one whose anxiety
already by the wilderness's echoes and owls.
Has been calmed before by the echoes of desolation and its owls.
مَهرِيَّةٌMahri camels بَلَغَexacted الكِرايَةَutmost exertion رَكبُهاtheir riders
مَهرِيَّةٌ بَلَغَ الكِرايَةَ رَكبُها
مِنهاfrom them وَغابَand was absent مُريحُهاtheir rest-giver وَمُسيمُهاand their pasture-keeper
مِنها وَغابَ مُريحُها وَمُسيمُها
Mahri camels: their riders have exacted the utmost effort
She is a sharply fleeing one whose troop
from them, while their rest-giver and pasture-keeper were absent.
Outwent its guide and its driver disappeared.
فَعَنيقُهاso their brisk stride يَعضيدُهاtheir ya'did fodder وَوَسيجُهاand their swift gait
فَعَنيقُها يَعضيدُها وَوَسيجُها
سَعدانُهاtheir sa'dan fodder وَذَميلُهاand their gentle trot تَنّومُهاtheir tannum fodder
سَعدانُها وَذَميلُها تَنّومُها
So their brisk stride is their ya'did, and their swift gait
Her sturdy camel carries her and her howdah,
their sa'dan; and their gentle trot is their tannum.
While her Sa'dan and Dhamil make her drowsy.
مَلَكَmastered الكِلالُfatigue رِقابَهاtheir necks وَأُنوفَهاand their noses
مَلَكَ الكِلالُ رِقابَها وَأُنوفَها
فَنُعوبُهاso their swift pace دينٌa debt لَهاfor them وَسُعومُهاand their strenuous gait
فَنُعوبُها دينٌ لَها وَسُعومُها
Fatigue has mastered their necks and noses;
Weariness has conquered her necks and nostrils,
so their swift pace and strenuous going are now only debts.
So her limited endurance is a loan to her.
فَكَأَنَّso it is as though مُهمَلَهاtheir loose ones مُخَيَّسُthe fettered ones of غَيرِهاothers
فَكَأَنَّ مُهمَلَها مُخَيَّسُ غَيرِها
وَكَأَنَّماand as though مَخلوعُهاtheir unhaltered ones مَخطومُهاtheir haltered ones
وَكَأَنَّما مَخلوعُها مَخطومُها
So their loose ones seem like others' fettered ones,
It is as if her neglected mount is reined in anger,
and their unhaltered ones seem like their haltered ones.
And as if her lost one is destined to be slaughtered.
Sol 6.1