ماnot هاجَstirred قَلبَكَyour heart يَومَon the day of العَرجِal-ʿArj مِنamong ظُعُنِdeparting women
ما هاجَ قَلبَكَ يَومَ العَرجِ مِن ظُعُنِ
جَدَّدنَthey rekindled بِالرَيطِwith fine wraps وَالسِيجانِand cloaks مِنsome of شَجَنيmy grief
جَدَّدنَ بِالرَيطِ وَالسِيجانِ مِن شَجَني
Nothing stirred your heart that day at al-ʿArj among the departing women—
What stirred your heart the day they departed, with renewed grief and yearning?
Who rekindled my grief with their fine wraps and cloaks,
Disheveled women who had neglected their kohl, henna, bathing and perfume.
شُعثٍdisheveled تَعَطَّلنَthey were unadorned لَمnot يَعرَينِthey were without مِنany كُحُلٍkohl
شُعثٍ تَعَطَّلنَ لَم يَعرَينِ مِن كُحُلٍ
وَلاnor خِضابٍhenna dye وَلاnor غَسلٍwashing وَلاnor دُهُنِoils
وَلا خِضابٍ وَلا غَسلٍ وَلا دُهُنِ
Disheveled and unadorned, yet not without kohl,
With hair like my rain clouds in summer, flashing with lightning, clearing the darkness of night.
Nor henna, washing, or oils,
Except her whom my eye saw when they stopped, though I wish I’d never seen them.
سَوافِرٍunveiled مِثلlike صَيفّيsummer الغَمامclouds جَلاshone
سَوافِرٍ مِثل صَيفّي الغَمام جَلا
بِالبَرقِwith lightning عَنهُfrom it وَجَلّىand dispelled طخيَةَthe murk الدُجُنِof the overcast sky
بِالبَرقِ عَنهُ وَجَلّى طخيَةَ الدُجُنِ
Unveiled, like a summer cloud that shone
Pale yellow like an oryx, bright complexioned under her veil like buttermilk.
With lightning, dispelling from itself the murk of the overcast sky—
With ankles exposed but covered by her gown, nothing hidden of her figure.
إِلّاexcept الَّذيwhat أَبصَرَتهُsaw it العَينُthe eye إِذwhen وَقَفُواthey halted
إِلّا الَّذي أَبصَرَتهُ العَينُ إِذ وَقَفُوا
مِنهُمamong them وَلَوand had خِفتُI feared ماwhat قَدalready كانَhappened لَمnot يَكُنِhappen
مِنهُم وَلَو خِفتُ ما قَد كانَ لَم يَكُنِ
Except what the eye beheld when they halted
When she moves restlessly subtle messages run between her gestures.
Among them; had I feared what came to pass, it would not have happened.
They descended in the meadow amid acacias as evening came on, not staying in settlements.
مِنof كُلِّevery صَفراءَgolden-skinned woman مِثلِlike الرِيمِa gazelle خَرعَبَةٍtall and supple
مِن كُلِّ صَفراءَ مِثلِ الرِيمِ خَرعَبَةٍ
فيin ناصِعِpure اللَونِcomplexion تَحتَbeneath الرَيطِthe fine wraps كَاللَبَنِlike milk
في ناصِعِ اللَونِ تَحتَ الرَيطِ كَاللَبَنِ
Each golden-skinned, gazelle-like, tall and supple,
Gliding like the course of planets, fearing where they might encounter habitations.
With a pure complexion beneath the fine wraps, like milk;
Among them a radiance like the rising sun substituting the wise with a precious gift of beauty.
مَمكُورَةِwell-rounded الساقِin the calf رابٍswelling ماwhat أَحاطَencircled بِهِaround it
مَمكُورَةِ الساقِ رابٍ ما أَحاطَ بِهِ
مِنهاof her الأَزارُوَجالَthe waist-wrap, and moved freely الكَشحُthe waist فيwithin البَدَنِthe body
مِنها الأَزارُوَجالَ الكَشحُ في البَدَنِ
Round-calved, full in what is encircled
Swaying like a branch when the west wind blows, coming from the direction of Yemen.
By her waist-wrap, her waist moving freely within her frame.
As though she emanates perfume from the holds of ships arriving from India across the Straits of Aden.
لَهاshe has وَساوُسُsoft jinglings تَجريrun فيin تَحَرُّكِهاher movement
لَها وَساوُسُ تَجري في تَحَرُّكِها
ماwhatever لَمnot يَكُنis بَينَbetween أَثناءٍfolds مِنَof العَكَنِthe belly's rolls
ما لَم يَكُن بَينَ أَثناءٍ مِنَ العَكَنِ
Her ornaments whisper softly as she moves—
Her natural scent is of amber blended from the finest clay.
Those not lying between the folds of her belly.
When invited to draw near they listen attentively, halting their steeds in array.
نَزَلنَthey camped بِالرَوضِin the meadow ذيwith الحُوؤانِbuttercups (uncertain reading) فيin أُصُلٍlate-afternoon hours
نَزَلنَ بِالرَوضِ ذي الحُوؤانِ في أُصُلٍ
مِنَof العَشِيِّthe afternoon وَلمand not يَنزِلنَthey camped فيin الدِمَنِdung-stained campsites
مِنَ العَشِيِّ وَلم يَنزِلنَ في الدِمَنِ
They camped in the buttercup meadow in the late hours
They stand deferential awaiting her command like Roman Christians before an idol.
Of afternoon, not among the dung-stained campsites.
Until they disappeared though my tearful eye kept following with unbroken gaze,
يَمُرنَthey sway مَورَthe swaying of المَهاoryx cows تُزجىshe urges along جَآذِرَهاher calves
يَمُرنَ مَورَ المَها تُزجى جَآذِرَها
إِذاwhen تخافُshe fears عَلَيهاfor them مَوضِعَthe place of الثُكَنِgatherings of men
إِذا تخافُ عَلَيها مَوضِعَ الثُكَنِ
They sway like oryx cows gently urging their calves along,
As if scattering pearls from paired musk glands when the tear ducts poured them forth.
When they fear for them near gatherings of men.
I watched them continuously until a rash one approached from behind them, arousing the does from the thicket.
فِيهِنَّamong them بِهنانَةٌa soft, full-bodied woman كَالشَمسِlike the sun إِذwhen طَلَعَتit rose
فِيهِنَّ بِهنانَةٌ كَالشَمسِ إِذ طَلَعَت
تُصبىshe captivates الحَلِيمَthe self-possessed man بِدَلٍّwith coquetry فاخِرٍsplendid حَسَنِlovely
تُصبى الحَلِيمَ بِدَلٍّ فاخِرٍ حَسَنِ
Among them is a soft, full-bodied beauty, like the rising sun,
So I said, as one violent in passion rebuked me, “My heart is her hostage in love for as long as I live, and even so it remains unpledged.”
Captivating the sober-minded with splendid, lovely coquetry.
Would that God had tested her with my love though she objected, just as He tested me with love for her in days gone by.
كَالغُصنِlike a branch هَبَّتblew لَهُupon it رِيحٌa wind بِرابِيَةٍon a hill
كَالغُصنِ هَبَّت لَهُ رِيحٌ بِرابِيَةٍ
مِنَfrom العَماءِthe clouds أَتَتit came مِنfrom وَجهةِthe direction of اليَمَنِYemen
مِنَ العَماءِ أَتَت مِن وَجهةِ اليَمَنِ
Like a branch on a hill over which a wind has blown,
From the clouds, coming from the direction of Yemen.
كَأَنَّماas though بَعَثَتshe sent forth بِالنَشرِwith fragrance مِنfrom سُفُنٍships
كَأَنَّما بَعَثَت بِالنَشرِ مِن سُفُنٍ
جاءَتthey came مِنfrom الهِندِIndia سيفَthe shore of البَحرِthe sea مِنat عَدَنِAden
جاءَت مِن الهِندِ سيفَ البَحرِ مِن عَدَنِ
As though she sent fragrance wafting from ships
That came from India to the seashore at Aden.
وَماand not تَطَيَّبُshe perfumes herself إِلّاexcept إِنَّthat طِينَتَهاher clay
وَما تَطَيَّبُ إِلّا إِنَّ طِينَتَها
مِنof عَنبَرٍambergris خُلِقَتshe was fashioned مِنfrom أَطيَبِthe most fragrant الطِينِclay
مِن عَنبَرٍ خُلِقَت مِن أَطيَبِ الطِينِ
And she wears no perfume; it is only that her clay
Is of ambergris: she was fashioned from the sweetest clay.
إِذاwhen دَعَتهُنَّshe summoned them لضمnot (uncertain reading) يَقعُدنَthey sit وَانِيَةًlanguidly
إِذا دَعَتهُنَّ لضم يَقعُدنَ وَانِيَةً
صَفدَthe tethering of الجِيادِnoble steeds عَلىat أَرسانِهاtheir halters الصُفُنِstanding with one forehoof raised
صَفدَ الجِيادِ عَلى أَرسانِها الصُفُنِ
When she summons them, not one sits languidly,
Like noble steeds tethered at their halters, one forehoof raised.
يَقُمنَthey rise إِعظامَهاin reverence for her يَنظُرنَthey await ماwhat أَمَرَتshe commanded
يَقُمنَ إِعظامَها يَنظُرنَ ما أَمَرَت
كَماjust as تَقُومُstand نصارىthe Christians of الرُومِthe Romans لِلوَثَنِfor the idol
كَما تَقُومُ نصارى الرُومِ لِلوَثَنِ
They rise in reverence for her, awaiting her command,
As Roman Christians rise before an idol.
حَتّىuntil اِستَمَرُّواthey went on وَطَرفُand the gaze of العَينِthe eye يَتبَعُهُمfollows them
حَتّى اِستَمَرُّوا وَطَرفُ العَينِ يَتبَعُهُم
بِواكِفٍwith a pouring stream مِنof دُمُوعِtears العَينِthe eye ذيhaving سِنَنِa course
بِواكِفٍ مِن دُمُوعِ العَينِ ذي سِنَنِ
Until they went on, while my gaze followed them,
With tears pouring in a steady course.
كَأَنَّهاas though they حِينَwhen جادَpoured generously الماقِيانِthe two eye-corners بِهاwith them
كَأَنَّها حِينَ جادَ الماقِيانِ بِها
دُرٌpearls تَساقَطَfell scattered مِنfrom سِمطَينtwo necklace-strands فيin قَرَنِunison
دُرٌ تَساقَطَ مِن سِمطَين في قَرَنِ
As though, when both eye-corners poured them forth,
They were pearls spilling from two necklace-strands together.
ماnot زِلتُI ceased أُبصِرُهُمI watched them حَتّىuntil أَتىcame شَرَسٌShars
ما زِلتُ أُبصِرُهُم حَتّى أَتى شَرَسٌ
مِنfrom دُونِهِمthis side of them وَفُزُوعُand branches (uncertain reading) الأَثلِtamarisks مِنfrom حَضَنِḤaḍan
مِن دُونِهِم وَفُزُوعُ الأَثلِ مِن حَضَنِ
I kept watching them until Shars came
Between us, with the tamarisk branches of Ḥaḍan.
فَقُلتُso I said إِذwhen لامَنيhe blamed me فيfor الوَجدِpassionate longing ذُوa man of عَنَفٍharshness
فَقُلتُ إِذ لامَني في الوَجدِ ذُو عَنَفٍ
غَيرُnot الفَقيهِversed بِذاكَin that الدِينِcreed وَالمَحَنِand ordeals
غَيرُ الفَقيهِ بِذاكَ الدِينِ وَالمَحَنِ
Then I said, when a harsh man blamed me for my longing—
One unversed in that creed and its ordeals:
القَلبُthe heart رَهنٌa pledge لَهاto her بِالوُدِّin love ماas long as عَمَرَتshe lives
القَلبُ رَهنٌ لَها بِالوُدِّ ما عَمَرَت
وَقَدand indeed غَنِيتُI once lived وَقَلبيand my heart غَيرُnot مُرتَهَنِheld in pledge
وَقَد غَنِيتُ وَقَلبي غَيرُ مُرتَهَنِ
My heart is pledged to her in love as long as she lives;
Yet once I lived with my heart unpledged.
لَيتَif only الآلهَGod اِبتَلاهاhe afflicted her بِيwith me وَإِنand even if كَرِهَتshe disliked it
لَيتَ الآلهَ اِبتَلاها بِي وَإِن كَرِهَت
كَماjust as اِبتلانيhe afflicted me بِهاwith her فيin سالِفِbygone الزَمَنِtime
كَما اِبتلاني بِها في سالِفِ الزَمَنِ
If only God would afflict her with me, even against her will,
As he afflicted me with her in days gone by.
Partial English translation: 20 of 42 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1