بَكَرَتshe set out early سُمَيَّةُSumayya غُدوَةًat dawn فَتَمَتَّعِso take your pleasure
بَكَرَت سُمَيَّةُ غُدوَةً فَتَمَتَّعِ
وَغَدَتand she departed early غُدُوَّthe departure of مُفارِقٍone taking leave لَمdid not يَرجِعِreturn
وَغَدَت غُدُوَّ مُفارِقٍ لَم يَرجِعِ
Sumayya set out at dawn—so take your fill;
Sumayya awoke early to pleasure
and departed as one taking leave who does not return.
And left at dawn, never to return
وَتَزَوَّدَتand took provision عَينيmy eye غَداةَon the morning لَقيتُهاI met her
وَتَزَوَّدَت عَيني غَداةَ لَقيتُها
بِلِوىat the sand-bend of عُنَيزَةَUnayza نَظرَةًa glance لَمdid not تَنفَعِhelp
بِلِوى عُنَيزَةَ نَظرَةً لَم تَنفَعِ
My eye took its provision, on the morning I met her,
My eyes provisioned themselves when I met her
at the sand-bend of Unayza: a glance that did no good.
With the bending of a gazelle-like Unayza - a glance that did no good
وَتَصَدَّفَتand she turned aside حَتّىuntil اِستَبَتكَshe captivated you بِواضِحٍwith a radiant neck
وَتَصَدَّفَت حَتّى اِستَبَتكَ بِواضِحٍ
صَلتٍsmooth كَمُنتَصَبِlike the raised neck of الغَزالِthe gazelle الأَتلَعِlong-necked
صَلتٍ كَمُنتَصَبِ الغَزالِ الأَتلَعِ
She turned aside until she captivated you with a radiant,
She swayed until she froze, erect,
smooth neck, like the raised neck of a long-necked gazelle;
Like a smooth-coated gazelle taking startled stance
وَبِمُقلَتَيand with the two eyes of حَوراءَa dark-eyed doe تَحسُبُyou would think طَرفَهاher gaze
وَبِمُقلَتَي حَوراءَ تَحسُبُ طَرفَها
وَسنانَdrowsy حُرَّةِclear in مُستَهَلِّthe wellspring of الأَدمُعِtears
وَسنانَ حُرَّةِ مُستَهَلِّ الأَدمُعِ
and with a dark-eyed doe's two eyes, whose gaze you would think
With the eyes of a houri, you'd think her glances
drowsy, clear where her tears well up.
And pearly teeth were shedding copious tears
وَإِذاand when تُنازِعُكَshe exchanges with you الحَديثَconversation رَأَيتَهاyou see her
وَإِذا تُنازِعُكَ الحَديثَ رَأَيتَها
حَسَناًlovely تَبَسُّمُهاher smile لَذيذَsweet المَكرَعِthe drinking-place
حَسَناً تَبَسُّمُها لَذيذَ المَكرَعِ
And when she exchanges conversation with you, you see her
And if you contend with her in talk, you will see
with a lovely smile, her mouth a sweet drinking-place,
A beautiful smile, sweetly sly
كَغَريضِlike the fresh water of سارِيَةٍa night-rain cloud أَدَرَّتهُmade it pour الصَباthe east wind
كَغَريضِ سارِيَةٍ أَدَرَّتهُ الصَبا
مِنfrom ماءِwater أَسجَرَreddish طَيِّبِpleasant in المُستَنقَعِthe pool
مِن ماءِ أَسجَرَ طَيِّبِ المُستَنقَعِ
like fresh water from a night-rain cloud, poured forth by the east wind,
Like a morning draught an east wind had stirred
from reddish water, sweet in the pool where it gathers.
From clear sweet water in a meadow
ظَلَمَinundated البِطاحَthe flat lowlands بِهِwith it اِنهِلالُthe downpour of حَريصَةٍa ground-scouring cloud
ظَلَمَ البِطاحَ بِهِ اِنهِلالُ حَريصَةٍ
فَصَفاso grew clear النِطافُthe pools of water بِهاin them بُعَيدَshortly after المُقلَعِthe rain's cessation
فَصَفا النِطافُ بِها بُعَيدَ المُقلَعِ
A ground-scouring cloud's downpour flooded the flats with it;
The plain was darkened by the descent of an avid rain cloud
so the pools there cleared shortly after the rain ceased.
And the pools were clarified by it, far from the watering place
لَعِبَplayed السُيولُthe torrents بِهِthrough it فَأَصبَحَand became ماؤُهُits water
لَعِبَ السُيولُ بِهِ فَأَصبَحَ ماؤُهُ
غَلَلاًrivulets تَقَطَّعَbranched فيamong أُصولِthe roots of الخِروَعِcastor plants
غَلَلاً تَقَطَّعَ في أُصولِ الخِروَعِ
The torrents played through it, and its water became
The torrents played over it, till its water
rivulets branching among the roots of castor plants.
Became tangled brambles in the bases of the brushwood
فَسُمَيَّso, Sumayya وَيحَكِalas for you هَلquestion marker سَمِعتِyou have heard بِغَدرَةٍof an act of treachery
فَسُمَيَّ وَيحَكِ هَل سَمِعتِ بِغَدرَةٍ
رُفِعَwas raised اللِواءُthe banner بِهاfor it لَناfor us فيin مَجمَعِan assembly
رُفِعَ اللِواءُ بِها لَنا في مَجمَعِ
So, Sumayya—alas for you!—have you heard of an act of treachery
Sumayya, by your life! Have you heard of a raid
for which a banner was raised against us at an assembly?
In which the banners were raised against us in assembly?
إِنّاindeed we نَعِفُّabstain from wrongdoing فَلاso do not نَريبُgive cause for doubt to حَليفَناour ally
إِنّا نَعِفُّ فَلا نَريبُ حَليفَنا
وَنَكُفُّand restrain شُحَّthe greed of نُفوسُناour souls فيamid المَطمَعِtemptation
وَنَكُفُّ شُحَّ نُفوسُنا في المَطمَعِ
We abstain from wrongdoing and give our ally no cause for doubt;
We are too noble to mistrust an ally
and curb our souls' greed amid temptation.
And curb the stinginess of our souls when in need
وَنَقيand we shield بِآمِنِwith the safest-held of مالِناour wealth أَحسابَناour ancestral honor
وَنَقي بِآمِنِ مالِنا أَحسابَنا
وَنُجِرُّand make trail فيin الهَيجاbattle الرِماحَthe spears وَنَدَّعيand proclaim our lineage
وَنُجِرُّ في الهَيجا الرِماحَ وَنَدَّعي
We shield our ancestral honor with our safest-held wealth;
We purify our possessions and accounts with security
and leave spears trailing from our foes in battle, proclaiming our lineage.
And hurl our spears into the fray with bold war cries
وَنَخوضُand wade into غَمرَةَthe engulfing turmoil of كُلِّevery يَومِday of كَريهَةٍbattle
وَنَخوضُ غَمرَةَ كُلِّ يَومِ كَريهَةٍ
تُرديdestroys النُفوسَlives وَغُنمُهاand its spoils لِلأَشجَعِfor the bravest
تُردي النُفوسَ وَغُنمُها لِلأَشجَعِ
We wade into the turmoil of every day of battle
And plunge into the gloom of every miserable day
that destroys lives, its spoils belonging to the bravest.
That brings souls to ruin while the bold profit
وَنُقيمُand establish فيin دارِthe abode of الحِفاظِdefending honor بُيوتَناour homes
وَنُقيمُ في دارِ الحِفاظِ بُيوتَنا
زَمَناًfor a time وَيَظعَنُwhile depart غَيرُناothers than us لِلأَمرَعِfor richer pasture
زَمَناً وَيَظعَنُ غَيرُنا لِلأَمرَعِ
We establish our homes where honor must be defended,
And in the Abode of Guardians we pitch our tents
for a time, while others depart for richer pastures,
For a time, while others pine in poverty
بِسَبيلِon the way to ثَغرٍa frontier لاnot يُسَرِّحُsend out to graze أَهلُهُits people
بِسَبيلِ ثَغرٍ لا يُسَرِّحُ أَهلُهُ
سَقِمٍperilous يُشارُis pointed out لِقاؤُهُthe encounter with it بِالإِصبَعِwith a finger
سَقِمٍ يُشارُ لِقاؤُهُ بِالإِصبَعِ
on the way to a frontier whose people send no herds to graze—
By way of a frontier whose people never
a perilous one, its battle singled out by a pointing finger.
Let up from the sickness that is pointed to with fingers
فَسُمَيَّso, Sumayya ماwhat يُدريكِlets you know أَنthat رُبَmany a فِتيَةٍband of youths
فَسُمَيَّ ما يُدريكِ أَن رُبَ فِتيَةٍ
باكَرتُI joined at dawn لَذَّتَهُمtheir pleasure بِأَدكَنَwith a dusky vessel مُترَعِbrim-full
باكَرتُ لَذَّتَهُم بِأَدكَنَ مُترَعِ
So, Sumayya, what tells you of many a band of youths
Sumayya, how do you know that the Lord of some youths
whose pleasure I joined at dawn with a dusky, brim-full vessel,
Has not ruined their pleasures at the darkest meadow
مُحمَرَّةٍreddened عَقِبَafter الصَبوحُthe morning draught عُيونُهُمtheir eyes
مُحمَرَّةٍ عَقِبَ الصَبوحُ عُيونُهُم
بِمَرىًwith a sight هُناكَthere مِنَof الحَياةِlife وَمَسمَعِand a sound
بِمَرىً هُناكَ مِنَ الحَياةِ وَمَسمَعِ
their eyes reddened after the morning draught,
Their eyes reddened after daybreak
amid life's sights and sounds there,
With visions of life and hearing there
مُتَبَطِّحينَsprawled out عَلىupon الكَنيفِthe sheltered enclosure كَأَنَّهُمas though they
مُتَبَطِّحينَ عَلى الكَنيفِ كَأَنَّهُم
يَبكونَwere weeping حَولَaround جَنازَةٍa bier لَمhad not تُرفَعِbeen lifted
يَبكونَ حَولَ جَنازَةٍ لَم تُرفَعِ
sprawled in the sheltered enclosure, as though they
Sprawled on the couch as though grieving
were weeping around a bier not yet lifted?
Around a bier that has not been lifted
بَكَرواthey came early عَلَيَّto me بِسُحرَةٍbefore dawn فَصَبَحتُهُمso I gave them a morning drink
بَكَروا عَلَيَّ بِسُحرَةٍ فَصَبَحتُهُم
مِنof عاتِقٍaged wine كَدَمِlike the blood of الذَبيحِthe slaughtered beast مُشَعشَعِmixed with water
مِن عاتِقٍ كَدَمِ الذَبيحِ مُشَعشَعِ
They came to me before dawn, and I served them a morning draught
They took me by surprise at dawn and I made them
of aged wine, like a slaughtered beast's blood, mixed with water.
A morning feast of slaughtered meat dripping crimson
وَمُعَرَّضٍand many a beast laid out تَغليboil المَراجِلُthe cauldrons تَحتَهُbeneath it
وَمُعَرَّضٍ تَغلي المَراجِلُ تَحتَهُ
عَجَّلتُI hastened طَبخَتَهُits cooking لِرَهطٍfor a band جُوَّعِof starving men
عَجَّلتُ طَبخَتَهُ لِرَهطٍ جُوَّعِ
And many a beast laid out, with cauldrons boiling beneath it,
With a roasting spit that seethed beneath it
I hurried its cooking for a starving band.
I hurried its cooking for a famished clan
وَلَدَيَّand beside me أَشعَثُa disheveled man باذِلٌlavish لِيَمينِهِwith his oath
وَلَدَيَّ أَشعَثُ باذِلٌ لِيَمينِهِ
قَسَماًswearing لَقَدindeed أَنضَجتَyou cooked it through لَمdid not يَتَوَرَّعِscruple
قَسَماً لَقَد أَنضَجتَ لَم يَتَوَرَّعِ
And beside me was a disheveled man, lavish with his oath,
Before me, a disheveled oath-taker extends his right hand -
swearing without scruple, 'You have indeed cooked it through!'
By God, you have perfectly cooked it, he did not refrain
وَمُسَهَّدينَand sleepless men مِنَfrom الكَلالِexhaustion بَعَثتُهُمI roused them
وَمُسَهَّدينَ مِنَ الكَلالِ بَعَثتُهُم
بَعدَafter الرُقادِsleep إِلىto سَواهِمَgaunt mounts ظُلَّعِlimping
بَعدَ الرُقادِ إِلى سَواهِمَ ظُلَّعِ
And men sleepless with exhaustion I roused
And lying down in weariness, I roused them up
after their sleep, to gaunt, limping mounts.
After sleep, back to their comrades in the shade
أَودىdid away السِفارُjourneying بِرِمِّهاwith their marrow فَتَخالُهاso you would think them
أَودى السِفارُ بِرِمِّها فَتَخالُها
هيماًthirst-stricken beasts مُقَطَّعَةًsevered حِبالَthe sinews of الأَذرُعِthe forelegs
هيماً مُقَطَّعَةً حِبالَ الأَذرُعِ
Journeying had consumed their marrow, so you would think them
The saddles wore away their straps till they swung
thirst-stricken beasts with their foreleg sinews severed.
Adrift, their girths cut from the saddle pads
تَخِدُpace swiftly across الفَيافيthe deserts بِالرِحالِwith the saddles وَكُلُّهاand each of them
تَخِدُ الفَيافي بِالرِحالِ وَكُلُّها
يَعدوruns بِمُنخَرِقِbearing one with a torn القَميصِshirt سَمَيدَعِa generous nobleman
يَعدو بِمُنخَرِقِ القَميصِ سَمَيدَعِ
They pace swiftly over the deserts, bearing saddles, each one
My mounts play with the saddlebags, each one
running with a generous nobleman in a tattered shirt.
Running with a torn shirt and split seam
وَمَطِيَّةٍand many a mount حَمَّلتُI loaded رَحلَthe saddle of مَطِيَّةٍa mount
وَمَطِيَّةٍ حَمَّلتُ رَحلَ مَطِيَّةٍ
حَرَجٍgaunt تُتَمُّis urged upright مِنَfrom العِثارِstumbling بِدَعدَعِwith the cry 'up, up!'
حَرَجٍ تُتَمُّ مِنَ العِثارِ بِدَعدَعِ
And many a mount I loaded with another mount's saddle—
And a she-camel I loaded that bore the burden
a gaunt beast, urged upright after stumbling with cries of 'Up, up!'
Of a litter that trips over every irregularity
وَمُناخِand many a halting-place غَيرِwithout تَئِيَّةٍlingering عَرَّستُهُI rested there at night
وَمُناخِ غَيرِ تَئِيَّةٍ عَرَّستُهُ
قَمِنٍliable to danger مِنَfrom الحِدثانِfortune's changes نابيuncomfortable in المَضجَعِthe sleeping-place
قَمِنٍ مِنَ الحِدثانِ نابي المَضجَعِ
And at many a halting-place, with no lingering stay, I rested at night,
I married her to a stallion, less than a year old,
exposed to fortune's hazards, rough for lying down.
A lively young foal with erect member
عَرَّستُهُI rested there at night وَوِسادُand the pillow of رَأسِيَmy head ساعِدٌa forearm
عَرَّستُهُ وَوِسادُ رَأسِيَ ساعِدٌ
خاظيthick with البَضيعِflesh عُروقُهُits veins لَمdid not تَدسَعِbulge
خاظي البَضيعِ عُروقُهُ لَم تَدسَعِ
I rested there at night, my head's pillow a forearm,
I married her off, and my pillow was my forearm -
thick with flesh, its veins not bulging.
Tough, its veins unflinching
فَرَفَعتُso I lifted عَنهُoff it وَهوَwhile it was أَحمَرُred فاتِرٌnumb
فَرَفَعتُ عَنهُ وَهوَ أَحمَرُ فاتِرٌ
قَدalready بانَhad parted مِنّيfrom me غَيرَexcept أَنthat لَمhad not يُقطَعِbeen severed
قَد بانَ مِنّي غَيرَ أَن لَم يُقطَعِ
Then I lifted my head from it, while it was red and numb,
So I lifted myself off him, and he was listless, red
already parted from me, save that it had not been cut off.
It was clear he could do no more with me
فَتَرىso you see بِحَيثُat the place where تَوَكَّأَتbore down ثِفناتُهاher calloused pads
فَتَرى بِحَيثُ تَوَكَّأَت ثِفناتُها
أَثَراًa mark كَمُفتَحَصِlike the scraped hollow of القَطاthe sandgrouse لِلمَضجَعِfor lying down
أَثَراً كَمُفتَحَصِ القَطا لِلمَضجَعِ
So you see, where her calloused pads bore down,
Wherever her hips rested you could see
a mark like the resting hollow scratched out by sandgrouse.
Traces like a wild cat’s on the marital bed
Sol 6.1