أَلاAh! حَيِّgreet مَيّاًMayy إِذwhen أَجَدَّbecame urgent بُكورُهاher dawn departure
أَلا حَيِّ مَيّاً إِذ أَجَدَّ بُكورُها
وَعَرِّضand hint بِقَولٍwith words هَلwhether يُفادىis ransomed أَسيرُهاher captive
وَعَرِّض بِقَولٍ هَل يُفادى أَسيرُها
Ah, greet Mayy, now that her dawn departure is urgent,
Alas! What a marvelous life whose mornings are renewed
and hint in words: can her captive be ransomed?
And say, can its prisoner be ransomed?
فَياso, O مَيُّMayy لاdo not تُدليlower بِحَبلٍwith a rope يَغُرَّنيdeceives me
فَيا مَيُّ لا تُدلي بِحَبلٍ يَغُرَّني
وَشَرُّand the worst حِبالِropes الواصِلينَof those who keep ties غَرورُهاtheir deceitful ones
وَشَرُّ حِبالِ الواصِلينَ غَرورُها
So, Mayy, do not lower a rope that deceives me:
So do not lure me, oh life, with your ropes
the worst of lovers' ropes are those that deceive.
For the worst ropes are those that entice
فَإِنso if شِئتِyou wish أَنto تُهديfind your way لِقَومِيَto my people فَاِسأَليthen ask
فَإِن شِئتِ أَن تُهدي لِقَومِيَ فَاِسأَلي
عَنِabout العِزِّhonor وَالإِحسانِand beneficence أَينَwhere مَصيرُهاtheir destination
عَنِ العِزِّ وَالإِحسانِ أَينَ مَصيرُها
If you wish to find your way to my people, then ask
If you want to guide my people then ask
about honor and beneficence: where do they come to rest?
Where is the dignity and benevolence headed?
تَرَيyou will see حامِلَthe bearer of الأَثقالِburdens وَالدافِعَand the remover of الشَجاthe choking obstruction
تَرَي حامِلَ الأَثقالِ وَالدافِعَ الشَجا
إِذاwhen غُصَّةٌchoking distress ضاقَطgrew tight بِأَمرٍwith trouble صُدورُهاtheir breasts
إِذا غُصَّةٌ ضاقَط بِأَمرٍ صُدورُها
You will see the bearer of burdens and the remover of choking grief,
You see the bearer of burdens and the repeller of adversity
when choking distress tightens their breasts with trouble.
When distress constricts, their hearts withstand
بِهِمthrough them تُمتَرىis milked الحَربُwar العَوانُoft-renewed وَمِنهُمُand through them
بِهِم تُمتَرى الحَربُ العَوانُ وَمِنهُمُ
تُؤَدّىare discharged الفُروضُobligations حُلوُهاtheir sweet ones وَمَريرُهاand their bitter ones
تُؤَدّى الفُروضُ حُلوُها وَمَريرُها
Through them the oft-renewed war is milked, and through them
With them, war is waged, succor found
obligations are discharged, the sweet and the bitter.
Religious duties fulfilled, sweet and bitter
فَلاso do not تَصرِمينيcut me off وَاِسأَليand ask ماwhat خَليقَتيmy disposition
فَلا تَصرِميني وَاِسأَلي ما خَليقَتي
إِذاwhen رَدَّturns away عافيa seeker of bounty القِدرِof the cooking pot مَنwhoever يَستَعيرُهاborrows it
إِذا رَدَّ عافي القِدرِ مَن يَستَعيرُها
So do not cut me off; ask what my nature is
So do not blame me and ask what is my nature
when someone borrowing the pot turns away one seeking its bounty,
When the turn of fate returns, who can borrow it?
وَكانواand they were قُعوداًsitting حَولَهاaround it يَرقَبونَهاwatching it
وَكانوا قُعوداً حَولَها يَرقَبونَها
وَكانَتand was فَتاةُthe maiden الحَيُّof the tribe مِمَّنamong those who يُنيرُهاkindle its fire
وَكانَت فَتاةُ الحَيُّ مِمَّن يُنيرُها
and they sit around it, watching it expectantly,
And they were sitting around it watching over it
and the tribe's maiden is among those who kindle its fire.
And it was the damsel of the tribe who illuminated it
إِذاwhen اِحمَرَّreddened آفاقُthe horizons of السَماءِthe sky وَأَعصَفَتand blew fiercely
إِذا اِحمَرَّ آفاقُ السَماءِ وَأَعصَفَت
رِياحُthe winds of الشِتاءِwinter وَاِستَهَلَّتand began شُهورُهاits months
رِياحُ الشِتاءِ وَاِستَهَلَّت شُهورُها
When heaven's horizons redden, and fiercely blow
When the horizons of the sky reddened and
the winds of winter, and its months begin,
The winter winds raged and its months began
تَرَيyou see أَنَّthat قَدريmy cooking pot لاnot تَزالُceases كَأَنَّهاas though it were
تَرَي أَنَّ قَدري لا تَزالُ كَأَنَّها
لِذيfor the wearer of الفَروَةِthe fur coat المَقرورِchilled أُمٌّa mother يَزورُهاhe visits her
لِذي الفَروَةِ المَقرورِ أُمٌّ يَزورُها
you see that my cooking pot is ever as though it were
You see my fate is ever like
a mother visited by the chilled man in his fur coat.
A devoted mother visiting her well-groomed son
مُبَرَّزَةٌset out openly لاnot يُجعَلُis placed السَترُa screen دونَهاbefore it
مُبَرَّزَةٌ لا يُجعَلُ السَترُ دونَها
إِذاwhen أُخمِدَare extinguished النيرانُthe fires لاحَappears بَشيرُهاits herald
إِذا أُخمِدَ النيرانُ لاحَ بَشيرُها
Set out in the open, with no screen before it,
Exposed, with no veil before her
when fires are quenched, its herald shines.
When fires die down, her embers glow
إِذاwhen الشَولُshe-camels low in milk راحَتreturned at dusk ثُمَّthen لَمdid not تَفدِransom لَحمَهاtheir flesh
إِذا الشَولُ راحَت ثُمَّ لَم تَفدِ لَحمَها
بِأَلبانِهاwith their milk ذاقَtasted السِنانَthe spearhead عَقيرُهاthe one slaughtered among them
بِأَلبانِها ذاقَ السِنانَ عَقيرُها
When the scant-milk she-camels return at dusk, then fail to ransom their flesh
When the emaciated camel’s udders cease, still
with their milk, the one slaughtered among them tastes the spearhead.
Its milk is tasted by the teeth of the sucklings
يُخَلّىis left open سَبيلُthe course of السَيفِthe sword إِنif جالَswung دونَهاbefore her
يُخَلّى سَبيلُ السَيفِ إِن جالَ دونَها
وَإِنand if أُنذِرَتshe is warned لَمdid not يَغنَavail شَيئاًanything نَذيرُهاher warner
وَإِن أُنذِرَت لَم يَغنَ شَيئاً نَذيرُها
The sword is given free course if it swings before her,
The sword is unsheathed if it comes before her
and though she is warned, her warner avails her nothing.
And if warned, the warner benefits her naught
كَأَنَّas though مُجاجَthe spurting discharge of العِرقِthe vein فيin مُستَدارِهاthe circle around her
كَأَنَّ مُجاجَ العِرقِ في مُستَدارِها
حَواشيthe fringes of بُرودٍstriped cloaks بَينَbetween أَيدٍhands تُطيرُهاset them fluttering
حَواشي بُرودٍ بَينَ أَيدٍ تُطيرُها
As though the vein's outpouring in the circle around her
As if the sweat on its roundness
were fringes of striped cloaks between hands that set them fluttering.
Were cool hands fanning it
وَلاand not نَلعَنُwe curse الأَضيافَguests إِنif نَزَلواthey lodge بِناwith us
وَلا نَلعَنُ الأَضيافَ إِن نَزَلوا بِنا
وَلاand not يَمنَعُkeeps back الكَوماءَthe high-humped she-camel مِنّاfrom us نَصيرُهاher defender
وَلا يَمنَعُ الكَوماءَ مِنّا نَصيرُها
We do not curse guests when they lodge with us,
We do not curse guests if they descend upon us
nor can her defender keep the high-humped she-camel from us.
And the guardian cannot prevent his flock
وَإِنّيand I لَتَرّاكُsurely given to abandoning الضَغينَةِrancor قَدmay أَرىsee
وَإِنّي لَتَرّاكُ الضَغينَةِ قَد أَرى
قَذاهاits irritating mote مِنَfrom المَولىa kinsman فَلاyet not أَستَثيرُهاI stir it up
قَذاها مِنَ المَولى فَلا أَستَثيرُها
And I am ever one to abandon rancor; I may see
And I see you harboring rancor
its mote from a kinsman, yet I do not stir it up.
I shun its filth as it comes from the Lord
وَقورٌcomposed إِذاwhen ما(emphatic particle) الجَهلُfolly أَعجَبَdelights أَهلَهُits followers
وَقورٌ إِذا ما الجَهلُ أَعجَبَ أَهلَهُ
وَمِنand among خَيرِthe best أَخلاقِtraits of الرِجالِmen وُقورُهاtheir composure
وَمِن خَيرِ أَخلاقِ الرِجالِ وُقورُها
Composed when folly delights its followers,
Dignified, when ignorance amazes its people
and among men's best traits is their composure.
One of the best traits in a man is his dignity
وَقَدand already يَئِسَdespaired الأَعداءُthe enemies أَنthat يَستَفِزَّنيmight unsettle me
وَقَد يَئِسَ الأَعداءُ أَن يَستَفِزَّني
قِيامُthe rising of الأُسودِlions وَثبُهاtheir leaping وَزَئيرُهاand their roaring
قِيامُ الأُسودِ وَثبُها وَزَئيرُها
And the enemies have despaired of my being shaken by
The enemies have despaired of provoking me
lions rising, their pouncing, and their roaring.
With the lions' stance, pounce, and roar
وَيَومٍand a day مِنَof الشِعرىSirius كَأَنَّas though ظِباءَهُits gazelles
وَيَومٍ مِنَ الشِعرى كَأَنَّ ظِباءَهُ
كَواعِبُbudding-breasted maidens مَقصورٌdrawn close عَلَيهاaround them سُتورُهاtheir curtains
كَواعِبُ مَقصورٌ عَلَيها سُتورُها
And a day of Sirius, whose gazelles seemed
And one day with cubs like veiled damsels
budding-breasted maidens, their curtains drawn about them:
Whose tents restricted what they cover
عَصَبتُI bound لَهُfor it رَأسيmy head وَكَلَّفتُand I tasked قَطعَهُits crossing
عَصَبتُ لَهُ رَأسي وَكَلَّفتُ قَطعَهُ
هُنالِكَthere حُرجوجاًa long, lean she-camel بَطيئاًslow فُتورُهاher weariness
هُنالِكَ حُرجوجاً بَطيئاً فُتورُها
I bound my head against it, and charged with crossing it
I wrapped its mane around my head and tasked myself to get it
a long, lean she-camel there, slow to tire.
There a sluggish old lion, weakened
تَدَلَّتhung down عَلَيهِover it الشَمسُthe sun حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّهاas though it
تَدَلَّت عَلَيهِ الشَمسُ حَتّى كَأَنَّها
مِنَfrom الحَرِّthe heat تَرميcasts بِالسَكينَةِwith stillness قورُهاits isolated hills
مِنَ الحَرِّ تَرمي بِالسَكينَةِ قورُها
The sun hung down over it until it seemed,
The sun draped itself over it as if
from the heat, to cast stillness over its isolated hills.
It threw its calmness on it from the heat
وَماءٍand water صَرىًstagnant لَمdid not أَلقَI found إِلّاexcept القَطاsandgrouse بِهِat it
وَماءٍ صَرىً لَم أَلقَ إِلّا القَطا بِهِ
وَمَشهورَةَand conspicuously marked الأَطواقِcollars وُرقاًash-gray نُحورُهاtheir throats
وَمَشهورَةَ الأَطواقِ وُرقاً نُحورُها
And stagnant water where I found only sandgrouse
And water I met with only the wild goats
and conspicuously collared birds with ash-gray throats,
With prominent throat bones and slender necks
كَأَنَّas though عَصيرَthe liquid of الضَيحِwater-diluted milk فيin سَدَيانِهِits stagnation
كَأَنَّ عَصيرَ الضَيحِ في سَدَيانِهِ
دَفوناًa buried well وَأَسداماًand silted wells طَويلاًlong دُثورُهاtheir decay
دَفوناً وَأَسداماً طَويلاً دُثورُها
as though, in its stagnation, it were the liquid of watered milk,
As if the juice of angsa in its veins
in buried and silted wells, long fallen into ruin.
Were bouza and mead, thick and turbid
وَلَيلٍand a night يَقولُsay القَومُthe people مِنbecause of ظُلُماتِهِits darkness
وَلَيلٍ يَقولُ القَومُ مِن ظُلُماتِهِ
سَواءٌalike بَصيراتُthe seeing ones العُيونِof the eyes وَعورُهاand their blind ones
سَواءٌ بَصيراتُ العُيونِ وَعورُها
And a night whose darkness makes the people say:
And a night whereof the people said, in its darkness
"Seeing eyes and blind ones are alike."
The sights of eyes and the blind are equal
كَأَنَّas though لَناfor us مِنهُfrom it بُيوتاًhouses حَصينَةًfortified
كَأَنَّ لَنا مِنهُ بُيوتاً حَصينَةً
مَسوحٌhaircloth أَعاليهاtheir upper parts وَساجٌand black cloth كُسورُهاtheir sides
مَسوحٌ أَعاليها وَساجٌ كُسورُها
As though we had fortified houses made from it,
As if we had from it impregnable homes
their roofs of haircloth, their sides of black cloth.
With high roofs and decorated walls
تَجاوَزتُهُI crossed it حَتّىuntil مَضىpassed مُدلَهِمُّهُits dense darkness
تَجاوَزتُهُ حَتّى مَضى مُدلَهِمُّهُ
وَلاحَand appeared مِنَfrom الشَمسِthe sun المُضيئةِradiant نورُهاits light
وَلاحَ مِنَ الشَمسِ المُضيئةِ نورُها
I crossed it until its dense darkness passed,
I surpassed it until its galloping ended
and the light of the radiant sun appeared.
And the illuminating light of the sun appeared
Sol 6.1