أَلاAh! ياO اِسلَماbe safe, you two عَلىdespite التَقادُمِthe passing years وَالبِلىand decay
أَلا يا اِسلَما عَلى التَقادُمِ وَالبِلى
بِدومَةِat Duma خَبتٍKhabt أَيُّهاO you الطَلَلانِthe two ruined camps
بِدومَةِ خَبتٍ أَيُّها الطَلَلانِ
Ah, may you two remain safe despite age and decay,
Alas, O Islam, for the ravages of time,
at Duma in Khabt, O two ruined camps!
Among the ruins at Dumat Al-Jandal.
فَلَوso if كُنتُI were مَحصوباًstricken with measles بِدومَةَat Duma مُدنَفاًgravely ill
فَلَو كُنتُ مَحصوباً بِدومَةَ مُدنَفاً
أُسَقّىI am given drink بِريقٍwith saliva مِنfrom سُعادَSu'ad شَفانيit cured me
أُسَقّى بِريقٍ مِن سُعادَ شَفاني
Had I been stricken with measles at Duma, gravely ill,
Had I been struck down at Dumat, laid low,
and given Su'ad's saliva to drink, it would have cured me.
Given to drink a healing draft by Sa’d,
وَكَيفَand how يُداوينيcures me الطَبيبُthe physician مِنَof الجَوىlovesickness
وَكَيفَ يُداويني الطَبيبُ مِنَ الجَوى
وَبَرَّةُand Barra عِندَwith الأَعوَرِal-A'war اِبنِson of بَيانِBayan
وَبَرَّةُ عِندَ الأَعوَرِ اِبنِ بَيانِ
How can the physician cure me of lovesickness,
How can the healer cure me of love’s pain
while Barra is with al-A'war ibn Bayan?
When the cure lies with the One-Eyed Son of Bayan,
أَيَجعَلُdoes he place بَطناًa belly مُنتِنَputrid الريحِin odor مُقفِراًbarren
أَيَجعَلُ بَطناً مُنتِنَ الريحِ مُقفِراً
عَلىupon بَطنِthe belly of خَودٍa young beauty دائِمِconstant in الخَفَقانِquivering
عَلى بَطنِ خَودٍ دائِمِ الخَفَقانِ
Would he lay a foul-smelling, barren belly
Shall he who has a belly swollen with foul air
upon the forever-quivering belly of a young beauty?
Place it over the belly of the ever-throbbing one?
يُنَهنِهُنيholds me back الحُرّاسُthe guards عَنهاfrom her وَلَيتَنيand would that I
يُنَهنِهُني الحُرّاسُ عَنها وَلَيتَني
قَطَعتُI crossed إِلَيهاto her اللَيلَthe night بِالرَسَفانِwith fettered steps
قَطَعتُ إِلَيها اللَيلَ بِالرَسَفانِ
The guards hold me back from her; would that I
The guards chide me away from her, and would that I
had crossed the night to her with fettered steps.
Had crept to her by night across the sands.
فَهَلّاso why not زَجَرتَyou divined omens from الطَيرَthe birds لَيلَةَthe night جِئتَهُyou came to him
فَهَلّا زَجَرتَ الطَيرَ لَيلَةَ جِئتَهُ
بِضَيقَةِat Dayqa بَينَbetween النَجمِthe Pleiades وَالدَبَرانِand Aldebaran
بِضَيقَةِ بَينَ النَجمِ وَالدَبَرانِ
Why did you not take omens from the birds the night you came to him,
Why did you not chide the birds that night you came
at Dayqa, between the Pleiades and Aldebaran?
Through the narrow space ‘twixt Suhail and Dabaran?
أَبىrefused القَلبُthe heart أَنto يَنسىforget عَلىdespite ماwhat يَشُفُّهُwears it away
أَبى القَلبُ أَن يَنسى عَلى ما يَشُفُّهُ
قَواتِلَهُits slayers مِنfrom سالِمٍSalim وَأَبانِand Aban
قَواتِلَهُ مِن سالِمٍ وَأَبانِ
My heart refuses to forget, despite all that wears it away,
My heart refuses to forget, for all it eases me,
its slayers from Salim and Aban.
My trysts with Salim and Aban.
إِذاwhenever قُلتُI said أَنسىI shall forget ذِكرَهُنَّtheir memory تَعَرَّضَتappeared
إِذا قُلتُ أَنسى ذِكرَهُنَّ تَعَرَّضَت
حَبائِلُsnares أُخرىother مِنfrom بَنيthe sons of الجَلَفانِal-Jalafan
حَبائِلُ أُخرى مِن بَني الجَلَفانِ
Whenever I say, 'I shall forget their memory,' there appear
When I say, “I’ll forget,” another rope ensnares me
other snares from Banu al-Jalafan.
From the tents of Julfar over yonder.
خَليلَيَّmy two friends لَيسَis not الرَأيُsound judgment أَنthat تَذَرانيyou two leave me
خَليلَيَّ لَيسَ الرَأيُ أَن تَذَراني
بِدَوِّيَّةٍin a wilderness يَعويhowl بِهاin it الصَدَيانِthe two owls
بِدَوِّيَّةٍ يَعوي بِها الصَدَيانِ
My two friends, it is no sound counsel to leave me
My friend, ‘tis not wise to leave me in misery
in a wilderness where two owls howl.
Howling with the wolves and foxes.
وَأَرَّقَنيand kept me awake مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماthat نِمتُI slept نَومَةًa spell of sleep
وَأَرَّقَني مِن بَعدِ ما نِمتُ نَومَةً
وَعَضبٌand a keen sword جَلَتpolished عَنهُfrom it القُيونُthe smiths بِطانيmy bedfellow
وَعَضبٌ جَلَت عَنهُ القُيونُ بِطاني
And after I had slept a while, I was kept awake—
After I had slept awhile, wakefulness pained me,
with a keen sword, polished by smiths, as my bedfellow—
Anger stirred, to which the planets testify.
تَصاخُبُthe clamor of ضَيفَيtwo guests of قَفرَةٍa wasteland يَعرِفانِهاthe two knew it
تَصاخُبُ ضَيفَي قَفرَةٍ يَعرِفانِها
غُرابٍa crow وَذِئبٍand a wolf دائِمِconstant in العَسَلانِtrotting
غُرابٍ وَذِئبٍ دائِمِ العَسَلانِ
by the clamor of two guests familiar with that wasteland:
My guests in the barren waste quarrel, and both
a crow and a wolf, forever trotting.
Are known to me, the raven and ever-howling wolf.
إِذاwhen حَضَرانيthe two visited me عِندَbeside زادِيَmy provisions لَمnot أَكُنI was
إِذا حَضَراني عِندَ زادِيَ لَم أَكُن
بَخيلاًmiserly وَلاnor صَبّاًlovelorn إِذاwhen تَرَكانيthe two left me
بَخيلاً وَلا صَبّاً إِذا تَرَكاني
When they came to me beside my provisions, I was not
When they come to share my provisions, I am not
miserly, nor did I pine for them when they left me.
Stingy, nor wasteful when they leave me.
إِذاwhen اِبتَدَراthe two raced ماwhat تَطرَحُthrows الكَفُّthe hand فاتَهُoutstripped him
إِذا اِبتَدَرا ما تَطرَحُ الكَفُّ فاتَهُ
بِهِin getting it حَبَشِيٌّan Abyssinian كَيِّسُkeen اللَحَظانِin glances
بِهِ حَبَشِيٌّ كَيِّسُ اللَحَظانِ
When both race for what my hand throws, he is outstripped
When they snatch what the hand neglects, an Ethiop
in getting it by a sharp-eyed Abyssinian.
Crafty of glance takes it away from them.
يُباعِدُهُkeeps him distant مِنهُfrom him الجَناحُthe wing وَتارَةًand sometimes
يُباعِدُهُ مِنهُ الجَناحُ وَتارَةً
يُراوِحُalternates بَينَbetween الخَطوِwalking وَالحَجَلانِand hopping
يُراوِحُ بَينَ الخَطوِ وَالحَجَلانِ
His wing keeps him clear of the other, and at times
Now the wing keeps him at bay, and now he wheels
he alternates between walking and hopping.
Between tent rope and tent peg.
إِذاwhen غَشِيانيthe two came upon me هيلَتِwas terrified النَفسُthe soul مِنهُماby the two of them
إِذا غَشِياني هيلَتِ النَفسُ مِنهُما
قُشَعريرَةًa shudder وَاِزدَدتُand I increased خَوفَfear جَنانِof heart
قُشَعريرَةً وَاِزدَدتُ خَوفَ جَنانِ
When they came upon me, my soul was seized by them
When they approach and my soul shudders at them
with a shudder, and my heart grew more afraid.
I am seized by terror and fear of madness.
وَلَمّاand when رَأَيتُI saw الأَرضَthe earth فيهاin it تَضايُقٌconstriction
وَلَمّا رَأَيتُ الأَرضَ فيها تَضايُقٌ
رَكَبتُI mounted عَلىamid هَولٍterror لِغَيرِat other than أَوانِthe proper time
رَكَبتُ عَلى هَولٍ لِغَيرِ أَوانِ
When I saw that the earth was closing in upon me,
Seeing the land so narrow, in panic I mounted
I mounted, amid terror and at an untimely hour,
Amare at an unsuitable hour.
جُمالِيَّةًa massive she-camel غولَa demon of النَجاءِswift travel كَأَنَّهاas though she were
جُمالِيَّةً غولَ النَجاءِ كَأَنَّها
بَنِيَّةُa building عَقرٍAqr إِوor قَريعُa choice breeding male of هِجانِpurebred white camels
بَنِيَّةُ عَقرٍ إِو قَريعُ هِجانِ
a massive she-camel, a demon of speed, as though she were
A she-camel, huge, of lofty stature, as though
a building at Aqr, or a choice sire of white camels.
She were a daughter of ’Aqar or sister of Hijan,
إِذاwhen عاقَبَتهاpunished her الكَفُّthe hand بِالسَوطِwith the whip راوَحَتshe alternated
إِذا عاقَبَتها الكَفُّ بِالسَوطِ راوَحَت
عَلىdespite الأَينِfatigue بِالتَبغيلِwith a mule-like trot وَالخَطَرانِand tail-swishing
عَلى الأَينِ بِالتَبغيلِ وَالخَطَرانِ
When my hand punishes her with the whip, she alternates,
When the palm strikes her with a whip she careens
despite fatigue, between mule-like trotting and tail-swishing,
Side to side, stamping, snorting.
بِذيwith one bearing خُصَلٍtufts سَبطِstraight العَسيبِin the tailbone كَأَنَّهُas though it were
بِذي خُصَلٍ سَبطِ العَسيبِ كَأَنَّهُ
عَلىover الحاذِthe rump وَالأَنساءِand thigh-sinews غُصنُa branch of إِهانِdate clusters
عَلى الحاذِ وَالأَنساءِ غُصنُ إِهانِ
with a tufted, straight-boned tail, as though it were
With a manner haughty and proud, as though she were
a branch bearing dates over her rump and thigh-sinews.
A branch of ihān to the ladies and intimates.
كَأَنَّas though مَقَذَّيهاthe two sides of her poll إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle تَحَدَّراthe two descended
كَأَنَّ مَقَذَّيها إِذا ما تَحَدَّرا
عَلىonto واضِحٍa bright part مِنof ليتِهاthe side of her neck وَشَلانِtwo rivulets
عَلى واضِحٍ مِن ليتِها وَشَلانِ
It is as though the two sides of her poll, as they slope down
Her urine, when it flows over the sands, is like
onto the bright side of her neck, were two rivulets.
Her saliva dripping from the corners of her mouth.
كَأَنّيas though I وَأَجلاديand my bodily frame عَلىon ظَهرِthe back of مِسحَلٍa braying wild ass
كَأَنّي وَأَجلادي عَلى ظَهرِ مِسحَلٍ
أَضَرَّkept close بِمَلساءِto a smooth one السَراةِof back حِصانِchaste
أَضَرَّ بِمَلساءِ السَراةِ حِصانِ
As though I and my whole frame were on a braying wild ass's back,
My skin and her hide, when she gallops, seem as one,
one that kept close to a chaste, smooth-backed she-ass.
Her smooth pace injuring my thighs.
رَعاهاhe tended her بِصَحراوَينِin two deserts حَتّىuntil تَقَيَّظَتshe entered summer
رَعاها بِصَحراوَينِ حَتّى تَقَيَّظَت
وَأَقبَلَand arrived شَهراًthe two months of وَقدَةٍscorching heat وَعِكانِand stifling heat
وَأَقبَلَ شَهراً وَقدَةٍ وَعِكانِ
He tended her in two deserts until she entered summer,
Her rider drove her on through the wilderness until
and the two months of scorching and stifling heat arrived.
She was emaciated, and Shaḥr and ’Ikān came.
وَماand not هاجَهاhe stirred her لِلوِردِtoward watering حَتّىuntil تَرَكَّزَتbecame established
وَما هاجَها لِلوِردِ حَتّى تَرَكَّزَت
رِياحُwinds السَفاof dust فيin صَحصَحٍa level plain وَمِتانِand hard uplands
رِياحُ السَفا في صَحصَحٍ وَمِتانِ
He did not stir her toward water until there had taken hold
No sooner was she inspired to head for fresh herbage
dust-laden winds across level plains and hard uplands.
Than the gusts of Sufā whistled and died down.
فَصاحَبَso he accompanied تِسعاًnine كَالقِسِيِّlike bows ضَرائِراًrival wives
فَصاحَبَ تِسعاً كَالقِسِيِّ ضَرائِراً
يُثِرنَthey raised تُرابَthe dust of القُفِّthe stony upland بِالنَدَفانِwith bounding
يُثِرنَ تُرابَ القُفِّ بِالنَدَفانِ
Then he accompanied nine rival wives, like bows,
So she bore for nine days misery like fate’s—
raising the upland's dust with their bounding.
Stirring up the dust of the low hills with her hooves.
تَصَدَّعُthey scatter أَحياناًsometimes وَحيناًand sometimes يَصُكُّهاhe strikes them
تَصَدَّعُ أَحياناً وَحيناً يَصُكُّها
كَماas صَكَّstruck دَلوَthe bucket of الماتِحِthe water-drawer الرَجَوانِthe two well-sides
كَما صَكَّ دَلوَ الماتِحِ الرَجَوانِ
At times they scatter, and at times he strikes them,
At times she cracks, at times she hobbles
as the well's two sides strike the water-drawer's bucket.
As the drawer of water cracks the terracotta waterskin.
تَصُكُّstrike الهَواديthe leading she-asses مَنكِبَيهِhis shoulders وَرَأسَهُand his head
تَصُكُّ الهَوادي مَنكِبَيهِ وَرَأسَهُ
فَبِالدَمِso with blood ليتاthe two sides of عُنقِهِhis neck خَضِلانِare drenched
فَبِالدَمِ ليتا عُنقِهِ خَضِلانِ
The leading she-asses batter his shoulders and his head,
She makes the vales ring, shaking her head,
so both sides of his neck are drenched with blood.
Her neck bloody, stained with gore.
فَلَولاso were it not for يَزيدُYazid اِبنُson of الإِمامِthe imam أَصابَنيwould have struck me
فَلَولا يَزيدُ اِبنُ الإِمامِ أَصابَني
قَوارِعُcalamities يَجنيهاbrings them about عَلَيَّupon me لِسانيmy tongue
قَوارِعُ يَجنيها عَلَيَّ لِساني
Were it not for Yazid, son of the imam, I would have been struck
Had it not been for Yazīd Son of the Imam, who brought down on me
by calamities my tongue brings down upon me.
The calamities his tongue summoned against me,
وَلَمand not يَأتِنيreached me فيin الصُحفِthe letters إِلّاexcept نَذيرُكُمyour warning
وَلَم يَأتِني في الصُحفِ إِلّا نَذيرُكُم
وَلَوand if شِئتُمُyou wished أَرسَلتُمُyou would have sent بِأَمانيwith my safe-conduct
وَلَو شِئتُمُ أَرسَلتُمُ بِأَماني
Nothing has reached me in the letters except your warning,
And had there not come to me in the scrolls only the threat “I warn you—
and, had you wished, you could have sent my safe-conduct.
Had you wished, you could have sent me to my desire”
فَآلَيتُso I swore لاnot آتيI shall come نَصيبينَNisibis طائِعاًwillingly
فَآلَيتُ لا آتي نَصيبينَ طائِعاً
وَلاnor السِجنَthe prison حَتّىuntil يَمضِيَpasses الحَرَمانِthe two sacred months
وَلا السِجنَ حَتّى يَمضِيَ الحَرَمانِ
So I swore not to come willingly to Nisibis,
I would not have come willingly to receive my portion,
nor to prison, until the two sacred months have passed:
Nor prison, until deprivation had run its course—
لَيالِيَnights لاnot يُجديprovides القَطاthe sandgrouse لِفِراخِهِfor its chicks
لَيالِيَ لا يُجدي القَطا لِفِراخِهِ
بِذيat Dhu أَبهَرٍAbhar ماءًwater وَلاnor بِحِفانِat Hifan
بِذي أَبهَرٍ ماءً وَلا بِحِفانِ
nights when the sandgrouse cannot bring its chicks
Nights in which the female rock-partridge is no use to her chicks
water at Dhu Abhar, nor at Hifan.
With unfruitful Abhar, neither pebbles nor sand,
يُقَلِّصُit draws back عَنfrom زُغبٍdowny chicks صِغارٍsmall كَأَنَّهاas though they were
يُقَلِّصُ عَن زُغبٍ صِغارٍ كَأَنَّها
إِذاwhen دَرَجَتthey toddled تَحتَunder الظِلالِthe shade أَفانيafani plants
إِذا دَرَجَت تَحتَ الظِلالِ أَفاني
It draws back from little downy chicks, which seem,
Diminishing the ration for the little ones, as though they were,
when they toddle beneath the shade, like afani plants.
When they entered the shade, paupers;
كَأَنَّas though بَقاياthe remnants of المُحِّyolk مِنfrom حَيثُwhere دَرَّجَتthey toddled
كَأَنَّ بَقايا المُحِّ مِن حَيثُ دَرَّجَت
مُفَرَّكُcrumbled حُصٍّsaffron فيin مَبيتَthe sleeping-place of قِيانِsinging girls
مُفَرَّكُ حُصٍّ في مَبيتَ قِيانِ
The remnants of yolk where they toddled seem
As though the remains of departed camps were
like crumbled saffron in singing girls' sleeping quarters,
Flakes of wood left overnight by tentmakers;
إِلىbeside كُلِّeach قَيضِيٍّhatchling ضَئيلٍfrail كَأَنَّماas though
إِلى كُلِّ قَيضِيٍّ ضَئيلٍ كَأَنَّما
تَفَلَّقَsplit apart فيin أُفحوصِهِits nest-scrape صَدَفانِtwo shells
تَفَلَّقَ في أُفحوصِهِ صَدَفانِ
beside each frail hatchling, as though
To every diminutive ruin as if there had adhered
two shells had split apart in its scraped-out nest.
Shells split open on the edges of orifices;
أَتانيreached me وَأَهليand my family بِالأَزاغِبِat al-Azaghib أَنَّهُthat it
أَتاني وَأَهلي بِالأَزاغِبِ أَنَّهُ
تَتابَعَcame in succession مِنfrom أَهلِthe stock of الصَريحِpure blood ثَمانيeight
تَتابَعَ مِن أَهلِ الصَريحِ ثَماني
Word reached me, while my family was at al-Azaghib, that
Word came to me that eight people, my family,
eight horses of pure stock had come in succession.
Had successively died in the family abode,
جُمِعنَthey were gathered فَخَصَّso singled out اللَهُGod بِالسَبقِwith first place أَهلَهُits rightful people
جُمِعنَ فَخَصَّ اللَهُ بِالسَبقِ أَهلَهُ
عَلىat حينِهِits time مِنamid مَحفِلٍa gathering وَرِهانِand a wager
عَلى حينِهِ مِن مَحفِلٍ وَرِهانِ
They were gathered, and God gave first place to those deserving it,
And that God had privileged his household
at its proper time, amid a gathering and a wager.
At the appointed time in the assembly and at the racecourse.
وَلَمّاand when عَلَونَthey climbed الأَرضَthe ground شَرقِيَّeast of مُعنِقٍMu'niq
وَلَمّا عَلَونَ الأَرضَ شَرقِيَّ مُعنِقٍ
ضَرَحنَthey scattered الحَصىthe gravel الحَمصِيِّof Homs كُلَّevery مَكانِplace
ضَرَحنَ الحَصى الحَمصِيِّ كُلَّ مَكانِ
When they mounted the ground east of Mu'niq,
When they mounted the land traveling east,
they scattered Homs's gravel in every direction.
At every place they left the Hamasi pebbles in chaos,
وَلَمّاand when ذَرَعنَthey measured out الأَرضَthe ground تِسعينَninety غَلوَةًbowshots
وَلَمّا ذَرَعنَ الأَرضَ تِسعينَ غَلوَةً
تَمَطَّرَتِsped like rain الدَهماءُthe black mare بِالصَلَتانِwith al-Salatan
تَمَطَّرَتِ الدَهماءُ بِالصَلَتانِ
When they had measured out ninety bowshots of ground,
And when they had traversed the land ninety leagues,
the black mare sped like rain, bearing al-Salatan.
The clouds poured with hailstones.
كَأَنَّهُماas though the two لَمّاwhen اِستَحَمّاthe two sweated وَأَشرَفاand came into view
كَأَنَّهُما لَمّا اِستَحَمّا وَأَشرَفا
سَليبانِtwo stripped figures مِنof ثَوبَيهُماtheir two garments صَرِدانِboth chilled
سَليبانِ مِن ثَوبَيهُما صَرِدانِ
As though the two, when they sweated and came into view,
As though, when they performed their ablutions and emerged,
were stripped of their garments, shivering with cold.
Two garments had been stripped from them by the rain;
كَأَنَّas though ثِيابَthe garments of البَربَرِيِّthe Berber تُطيرُهُcarry him aloft
كَأَنَّ ثِيابَ البَربَرِيِّ تُطيرُهُ
أَعاصِرُwhirlwinds of ريحٍwind حَرجَفٍbitterly cold زَفَيانِfiercely blowing
أَعاصِرُ ريحٍ حَرجَفٍ زَفَيانِ
As though the Berber's clothes, carrying him aloft, were
As though the clothes of the Berber were being blown off him
whirlwinds of a bitter, fiercely blowing wind.
By blustering winds, two woven textiles.
وَلَمّاand when نَأىlay far off الغاياتُthe finishing posts جَدّاthe two strove hard كِلاهُماboth of them
وَلَمّا نَأى الغاياتُ جَدّا كِلاهُما
فَلاso no وِردَwatering-place إِلّاexcept دونَshort of ماwhat يَرِدانِthe two approach
فَلا وِردَ إِلّا دونَ ما يَرِدانِ
When the finishing posts lay far off, both strove hard,
And when the two veered far from the path,
and every watering-place fell short of the one they sought.
Neither found his way back to where he intended.
Sol 6.1