أَلَمdid you not تَعرِضturn aside فَتَسأَلand then ask آلَthe household of لَهوٍLahw
أَلَم تَعرِض فَتَسأَل آلَ لَهوٍ
وَأَروىand Arwa وَالمُدِلَّةَand al-Mudilla وَالرَباباand al-Rabab
وَأَروى وَالمُدِلَّةَ وَالرَبابا
Did you not turn aside and ask the household of Lahw,
and Arwa, al-Mudilla, and al-Rabab,
بِأَيّامٍabout days خَوالٍgone by صالِحاتٍhappy
بِأَيّامٍ خَوالٍ صالِحاتٍ
وَلَذّاتٍand pleasures تُذَكِّرُنيremind me of الشَباباyouth
وَلَذّاتٍ تُذَكِّرُني الشَبابا
about happy days gone by,
and pleasures that remind me of youth?
نَزَلتُI stayed بِهِنَّwith them فَاِستَذكَينَso they kindled ناراًa fire
نَزَلتُ بِهِنَّ فَاِستَذكَينَ ناراً
قَليلاًbriefly ثُمَّthen أَسرَعنَthey hastened الذَهاباto depart
قَليلاً ثُمَّ أَسرَعنَ الذَهابا
I stayed with them, and they kindled a fire,
for a little while, then hastened away.
نَواعِمُdelicate women لَمdid not يَقِظنَspend summer بِجُدِّat the well of مَقلٍMaql
نَواعِمُ لَم يَقِظنَ بِجُدِّ مَقلٍ
وَلَمand did not يَقذِفنَpelt away عَنfrom حَفَضٍa pack-camel غُراباa raven
وَلَم يَقذِفنَ عَن حَفَضٍ غُرابا
Delicate women who never summered at the well of Maql,
nor drove a raven off a pack-camel.
وَكُنَّand they used to إِذاwhen بَدَونَgo into the desert بِقُبلِat the onset of صَيفٍsummer
وَكُنَّ إِذا بَدَونَ بِقُبلِ صَيفٍ
ضَرَبنَthey pitched بِجانِبِbeside الحَفرِal-Hafr القِباباthe domed tents
ضَرَبنَ بِجانِبِ الحَفرِ القِبابا
And when they went into the desert at summer's onset,
they pitched domed tents beside al-Hafr.
كَأَنَّas though الرَيطَthe fine robes فَوقَover ظِباءِgazelles of فَلجٍFalj
كَأَنَّ الرَيطَ فَوقَ ظِباءِ فَلجٍ
غَداةَon the morning لَبِسنَthey donned لِلبَينِfor parting الثِياباthe clothes
غَداةَ لَبِسنَ لِلبَينِ الثِيابا
It was as though fine robes lay over gazelles of Falj,
on the morning they donned their clothes for parting.
فَفارَقنَso they parted from الخَليطَthe camp companions عَلىaboard سَفينٍships
فَفارَقنَ الخَليطَ عَلى سَفينٍ
تَشُقُّcleave بِهِنَّwith them aboard أَمواجاًwaves صِعاباrough
تَشُقُّ بِهِنَّ أَمواجاً صِعابا
So, aboard ships, they parted from their camp companions,
ships that cleaved rough waves with them aboard.
تَرىyou see المَلّاحَthe boatman مُحتَجِزاًgirded بِليفٍwith palm fiber
تَرى المَلّاحَ مُحتَجِزاً بِليفٍ
يَؤُمُّheads toward بِهِنَّwith them آجاماًthickets وَغاباand reed beds
يَؤُمُّ بِهِنَّ آجاماً وَغابا
You see the boatman girded with palm fiber,
heading with them toward thickets and reed beds.
إِذاwhen التُبّانُthe short breeches قَلَّصَrode up عَنfrom مُشيحٍa diligent man
إِذا التُبّانُ قَلَّصَ عَن مُشيحٍ
صَدَفنَthey turned away وَلَمand did not يُرِدنَwish لَهُfor him عِتاباrebuke
صَدَفنَ وَلَم يُرِدنَ لَهُ عِتابا
When the busy man's short breeches rode up,
they turned away, not wishing to rebuke him.
يَعِجُّroars الماءَthe water تَحتَbeneath مُسَخَّراتٍships made to serve
يَعِجُّ الماءَ تَحتَ مُسَخَّراتٍ
يَصُكُّpounds القارَthe pitch وَالخَشَبَand the wood الصِلاباhard
يَصُكُّ القارَ وَالخَشَبَ الصِلابا
The water roars beneath the obedient ships,
pounding the pitch and the solid timbers.
يَعُمنَthey swim عَلىupon كَلاكِلِهِنَّtheir breasts فيهِin it
يَعُمنَ عَلى كَلاكِلِهِنَّ فيهِ
وَلَوand even if يُزجىwere driven إِلَيهِinto it الفيلُthe elephant هاباwould fear
وَلَو يُزجى إِلَيهِ الفيلُ هابا
They swim in it upon their breasts,
though an elephant driven into it would quail.
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle اِضطَرَّهُنَّhe forces them إِلىinto مَضيقٍa narrow passage
إِذا ما اِضطَرَّهُنَّ إِلى مَضيقٍ
وَمَوجُand the swell of الماءِthe water يَطَّرِدُdrives along الحَباباthe foam
وَمَوجُ الماءِ يَطَّرِدُ الحَبابا
When he forces them into a narrow passage,
while the water's swell drives the foam along,
تَتابُعَin the succession of صِرمَةِa camel herd of الوَحدِيِّthe solitary man تَأويgathering
تَتابُعَ صِرمَةِ الوَحدِيِّ تَأوي
لِأولاهاtoward its foremost beast إِذاwhen الراعيthe herdsman أَهاباcalled out
لِأولاها إِذا الراعي أَهابا
in succession like a lone man's camel herd, gathering
toward its foremost beast when the herdsman calls.
رَجَنَّthey settled بِحَيثُwhere تَنتَسِغُare stung المَطاياthe riding-camels
رَجَنَّ بِحَيثُ تَنتَسِغُ المَطايا
فَلاso not بَقّاًgnats يَخَفنَthey fear وَلاnor ذُباباflies
فَلا بَقّاً يَخَفنَ وَلا ذُبابا
They settle where riding-camels are stung,
fearing neither gnats nor flies.
إِذاwhen أَلقواthey cast مَراسيهُنَّtheir anchors حَلّواthey disembarked
إِذا أَلقوا مَراسيهُنَّ حَلّوا
دَبيبَthe creeping of السَبيِthe captives يَبتَدِرُhastening toward النِقاباthe mountain passes
دَبيبَ السَبيِ يَبتَدِرُ النِقابا
When they cast the ships' anchors, they disembark,
creeping like captives hastening toward the mountain passes.
تَفَرَّجَparted مائِحُthe swaying growth of السُبَحاءِthe reeds عَنهاaway from them
تَفَرَّجَ مائِحُ السُبَحاءِ عَنها
إِذاwhen نَزَحَتthey journeyed far وَقَدand already لَذَّhe relished الشَراباthe drink
إِذا نَزَحَت وَقَد لَذَّ الشَرابا
The swaying reeds parted before them,
when they journeyed far, and he had relished the drink,
لَيالِيَon nights وافَتِmet الصُبحَthe dawn الثُرَيّاthe Pleiades
لَيالِيَ وافَتِ الصُبحَ الثُرَيّا
وَأَحمَتand kindled كُلُّevery هاجِرَةٍnoonday heat شِهاباa blaze
وَأَحمَت كُلُّ هاجِرَةٍ شِهابا
on nights when the Pleiades met the dawn,
and every noonday heat kindled a blaze.
أَفاطِمَO Fatima أَعرِضيshow yourself قَبلَbefore المَناياdeath's fates
أَفاطِمَ أَعرِضي قَبلَ المَنايا
كَفىsuffices بِالمَوتِwith death هَجراًestrangement وَاِجتِناباand avoidance
كَفى بِالمَوتِ هَجراً وَاِجتِنابا
O Fatima, show yourself before death;
death is estrangement and avoidance enough.
بَرَقتِyou flashed بِعارِضَيكِwith your two cheeks وَلَمand did not تَجوديgive generously
بَرَقتِ بِعارِضَيكِ وَلَم تَجودي
وَلَمand not يَكُbe ذاكِthat مِنfor نُعمىkindness ثَواباrecompense
وَلَم يَكُ ذاكِ مِن نُعمى ثَوابا
You flashed your cheeks, but bestowed nothing,
and that was no recompense for kindness.
كَذَلِكَlikewise أَخلَفَتناshe broke her promise to us أُمُّUmm بِشرٍBishr
كَذَلِكَ أَخلَفَتنا أُمُّ بِشرٍ
عَلىdespite أَنthat قَدalready جَلَتshe bared غُرّاًgleaming teeth عِذاباsweet
عَلى أَن قَد جَلَت غُرّاً عِذابا
Likewise, Umm Bishr broke her promise to us,
though she had bared gleaming, sweet teeth,
شَتيتاًspaced apart يَرتَويdrinks his fill الظَمآنُthe thirsty man مِنهُfrom it
شَتيتاً يَرتَوي الظَمآنُ مِنهُ
إِذاwhen الجَوزاءُOrion أَجحَرَتِsent into burrows الضِباباthe spiny-tailed lizards
إِذا الجَوزاءُ أَجحَرَتِ الضِبابا
spaced apart, from which the thirsty man drinks his fill,
when Orion drives the lizards into their burrows.
وَقَدand indeed قالَتshe said مُدِلَّةُMudilla إِذwhen قَلَتنيshe loathed me
وَقَد قالَت مُدِلَّةُ إِذ قَلَتني
أَراكَI see you كَبِرتَyou have aged وَالصُدغَينِand both temples شاباhave gone gray
أَراكَ كَبِرتَ وَالصُدغَينِ شابا
And Mudilla said, when she came to loathe me:
"I see you have grown old, and both your temples are gray."
فَإِنso if يَكُbe رَيِّقيmy youthful prime قَدalready بانَhas departed مِنّيfrom me
فَإِن يَكُ رَيِّقي قَد بانَ مِنّي
فَقَدthen indeed أُرويI quench بِهِwith it الرَسَلَthe herd اللِهاباaflame with thirst
فَقَد أُروي بِهِ الرَسَلَ اللِهابا
Even if my youthful prime has left me,
with it I have quenched the herd afire with thirst.
وَكُنَّand they used to إِذاwhen وَرَدنَcome to water لِتِمِّat the completion of ظِمءٍa watering interval
وَكُنَّ إِذا وَرَدنَ لِتِمِّ ظِمءٍ
عَبَأتُI readied لِكُلِّfor each حائِمَةٍthirsty one circling ذِناباfull water-buckets
عَبَأتُ لِكُلِّ حائِمَةٍ ذِنابا
And when they came to water at their thirsting interval's end,
I readied full buckets for each thirsty one circling.
أَذودُI drive away اللَخلَخانِيّاتِthe foreign-tongued women عَنهُfrom it
أَذودُ اللَخلَخانِيّاتِ عَنهُ
وَأَمنِحُهُand I grant it to المُصَرَّحِةِthe unmixed ones العِراباthe pure Arabian ones
وَأَمنِحُهُ المُصَرَّحِةِ العِرابا
I drive the foreign-tongued ones away from it,
and grant it to the unmixed, pure Arabian ones.
وَحائِمَتَينِand two thirsty circlers تَبتَغِيانِthey both seek سِرّيmy secret
وَحائِمَتَينِ تَبتَغِيانِ سِرّي
جَعَلتُI made القَلبَthe heart دونَهُماbefore them both حِجاباa barrier
جَعَلتُ القَلبَ دونَهُما حِجابا
And two circling, thirsty ones, seeking my secret—
I made my heart a barrier before them.
وَصاحِبِand a companion of صَبوَةٍyouthful passion صاحَبتُI kept company with حيناًfor a time
وَصاحِبِ صَبوَةٍ صاحَبتُ حيناً
فَتُبتُso I repented اليَومَtoday مِنof جَهلٍfolly وَتاباand he repented
فَتُبتُ اليَومَ مِن جَهلٍ وَتابا
And I kept company awhile with a comrade in youthful passion;
so today I have repented of folly, and so has he.
وَنَفسُand the soul of المَرءِthe man تَرصُدُهاlie in wait for it المَناياdeath's fates
وَنَفسُ المَرءِ تَرصُدُها المَنايا
وَتَحدُرُand descend حَولَهُaround him حَتّىuntil يُصاباhe is struck
وَتَحدُرُ حَولَهُ حَتّى يُصابا
And death's fates lie in wait for a man's soul,
and descend around him until he is struck.
إِذاwhen أُمِرَتare commanded بِهِagainst him أَلقَتcast عَلَيهِupon him
إِذا أُمِرَت بِهِ أَلقَت عَلَيهِ
أَحَدَّthe sharpest of سِلاحِهاtheir weaponry ظُفُراًa claw وَناباand a fang
أَحَدَّ سِلاحِها ظُفُراً وَنابا
When commanded against him, they unleash upon him
their sharpest weapons—claw and fang.
وَأَعلَمُand I know أَنَّنيthat I عَمّاafter a قَليلٍshort time
وَأَعلَمُ أَنَّني عَمّا قَليلٍ
سَتَكسونيwill clothe me جَنادِلَstones أَوor تُراباdust
سَتَكسوني جَنادِلَ أَو تُرابا
And I know that before long
they will clothe me in stones or dust.
فَمَنso whoever يَكُbe سائِلاًasking بِبَنيabout the sons of سَعيدٍSa‘id
فَمَن يَكُ سائِلاً بِبَني سَعيدٍ
فَعَبدُthen ‘Abd اللَهِAllah أَكرَمُهُمthe noblest of them نِصاباin lineage
فَعَبدُ اللَهِ أَكرَمُهُم نِصابا
So, if anyone asks about the sons of Sa‘id,
then ‘Abd Allah is the noblest of them in lineage.
تَذَرَّيتَyou ascended الذَوائِبَthe highest crests مِنof قُرَيشٍQuraysh
تَذَرَّيتَ الذَوائِبَ مِن قُرَيشٍ
وَإِنand if شُعِبواthey are divided into branches تَفَرَّعتَyou rose above الشِعاباthe branches
وَإِن شُعِبوا تَفَرَّعتَ الشِعابا
You ascended the highest crests of Quraysh,
and if they divide into branches, you rise above the branches.
بُحورُthe seas of بَنيthe sons of أُمَيَّةَUmayya أَورَثوهُthey bequeathed him
بُحورُ بَني أُمَيَّةَ أَورَثوهُ
حَمالاتٍliabilities undertaken وَأَخلافاًand teats رِغاباample
حَمالاتٍ وَأَخلافاً رِغابا
The seas among the sons of Umayya bequeathed him
burdens of surety and bounteous teats.
وَتَجمَعُand you unite نَوفَلاًNawfal وَبَنيand the sons of عَكَبٍّ‘Akabb
وَتَجمَعُ نَوفَلاً وَبَني عَكَبٍّ
كِلاboth الحَيَّينِclans أَفلَحَhas prospered مَنwhoever أَصاباattained them
كِلا الحَيَّينِ أَفلَحَ مَن أَصابا
And you unite Nawfal and the sons of ‘Akabb—
both clans; whoever gains them prospers.
وَمِنّاand from us قَدindeed نَمَتكَhave brought you forth عُروقُroots of صِدقٍtrue worth
وَمِنّا قَد نَمَتكَ عُروقُ صِدقٍ
إِذاwhen الجَحَراتُthe drought years أَعوَينَcaused to howl الكِلاباthe dogs
إِذا الجَحَراتُ أَعوَينَ الكِلابا
And true roots from among us have brought you forth,
when years of drought made the dogs howl.
مِنَfrom among الفِتيانِthe young men لابَهِجٌnot elated بِدُنياby worldly gain
مِنَ الفِتيانِ لابَهِجٌ بِدُنيا
وَلاnor جَزِعٌdismayed إِذاwhen الحَدَثانُtime's calamities ناباbefall
وَلا جَزِعٌ إِذا الحَدَثانُ نابا
One of the young men, not elated by worldly gain,
nor dismayed when time's calamities strike.
أَغَرُّradiant مِنَfrom الأَباطِحِthe gravelly valleys مِنfrom قُرَيشٍQuraysh
أَغَرُّ مِنَ الأَباطِحِ مِن قُرَيشٍ
بِهِthrough him يَستَمطِرُasks for rain from العَرَبُthe Arabs السَحاباthe clouds
بِهِ يَستَمطِرُ العَرَبُ السَحابا
A radiant man from the gravelly valleys of Quraysh,
through him the Arabs ask the clouds for rain.
Sol 6.1