أَعَرَفتَhave you recognized? مِنof سَلمىSalma رُسومَtraces دِيارِdwellings
أَعَرَفتَ مِن سَلمى رُسومَ دِيارِ
بِالشَطِّon the bank بَينَbetween مُخَفِّقٍMukhaffiq وَصَحارِand Sahar
بِالشَطِّ بَينَ مُخَفِّقٍ وَصَحارِ
Have you recognized the traces of Salma's dwellings
On the bank, between Mukhaffiq and Sahar?
وَكَأَنَّماand as though أَثرُthe tracks النِعاجِthe wild ewes بِجَوِّهاin its open ground
وَكَأَنَّما أَثرُ النِعاجِ بِجَوِّها
بِمَدافِعِat the runoff channels الرُكنَينِof al-Ruknayn وَدعُcowrie shells جَواريof maidens
بِمَدافِعِ الرُكنَينِ وَدعُ جَواري
And the wild ewes' tracks across its open ground seem
Like maidens' cowrie shells at al-Ruknayn's runoffs.
وَسَأَلتُهاand I asked them عَنabout أَهلِهاtheir people فَوَجَدتُهاand I found them
وَسَأَلتُها عَن أَهلِها فَوَجَدتُها
عَمياءَblind جافِيَةًunresponsive عَنِto الأَخبارِthe news
عَمياءَ جافِيَةً عَنِ الأَخبارِ
And I asked them about their people and found them
Blind, unresponsive to news.
وَكأَنَّand as though عَينَthe eye غُرابِof a raven أَدهَمَcoal-black داجِنٍtame
وَكأَنَّ عَينَ غُرابِ أَدهَمَ داجِنٍ
مُتَعَوِّدِaccustomed to الإِقبالِcoming وَالإِدبارِand going
مُتَعَوِّدِ الإِقبالِ وَالإِدبارِ
And as though the eye of a tame, coal-black raven,
Accustomed to coming and going,
تَئِقٌbrimful يُقَسِّمُdivides زارِعٌa farmer أَنهارَهُits streams
تَئِقٌ يُقَسِّمُ زارِعٌ أَنهارَهُ
بِالمَرِّwith a spade يَقسِمُهُنَّhe apportions them بَينَamong دِبارِgarden plots
بِالمَرِّ يَقسِمُهُنَّ بَينَ دِبارِ
Were brimful, a farmer dividing its streams,
With a spade, apportioning them among the plots.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen مالَdeclined النَهارُthe day وَأَنزَفَتand exhausted
حَتّى إِذا مالَ النَهارُ وَأَنزَفَت
عَينيmy eye الدُموعَthe tears وَقُلتُand I said أَيُّwhat مَزارِplace to visit
عَيني الدُموعَ وَقُلتُ أَيُّ مَزارِ
Until the day declined and my eye had drained
Its tears, and I said, 'What is there to visit?'
قَرَّبتُI brought near حادِرَةَstout المَناكِبِin the shoulders حُرَّةًpurebred
قَرَّبتُ حادِرَةَ المَناكِبِ حُرَّةً
خُلِقَتwas created مَطِيَّةَa mount رِحلَةٍfor a journey وَسَفارِand distant travel
خُلِقَت مَطِيَّةَ رِحلَةٍ وَسَفارِ
I brought up a stout-shouldered, purebred she-camel,
Created as a mount for journeys and distant travel.
أَجِداsturdy مُداخَلَةًcompactly built كَأَنَّas though فُروجَهاthe gaps between her limbs
أَجِدا مُداخَلَةً كَأَنَّ فُروجَها
بُلقُpied beasts الموارِدَat the waterholes مِنfrom خِلالِamid عَفارِafar trees
بُلقُ الموارِدَ مِن خِلالِ عَفارِ
Sturdy and close-knit, the gaps between her limbs seem
Like pied beasts at waterholes, glimpsed through afar trees.
وَيليand adjoins بَياضَthe whiteness الأَرضِof the earth مِنof أَخفافِهاher footpads
وَيلي بَياضَ الأَرضِ مِن أَخفافِها
سُمرُbrown الطِباقِin the soles غَليظَةُthick الأَصبارِat the edges
سُمرُ الطِباقِ غَليظَةُ الأَصبارِ
Nearest the whiteness of the earth are her footpads,
Brown in their soles, thick about the edges.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though رَفَعَتlifted يَديmy hand نَوّاحَةًa wailing woman
وَكَأَنَّما رَفَعَت يَدي نَوّاحَةً
شَمطاءَgray-haired قامَتshe stood غَيرَnot ذاتِpossessing خِمارِa head-covering
شَمطاءَ قامَت غَيرَ ذاتِ خِمارِ
And as though my hand had lifted a wailing woman,
Gray-haired, standing without a head-covering.
وَكَأَنَّهاand as though she لَماwhen غَدَتset out سَرَوِيَّةًa woman of Sarat
وَكَأَنَّها لَما غَدَت سَرَوِيَّةً
مَسعودَةًblessed بِاللَحمِwith flesh أُمَّa mother جِوارِof girls
مَسعودَةً بِاللَحمِ أُمَّ جِوارِ
And as though, when she set out, she were a woman of Sarat,
Blessed with flesh, a mother of girls.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though عَلِقَتhad hung وَلِيَّةَthe pad كَورِهاof her saddle
وَكَأَنَّما عَلِقَت وَلِيَّةَ كَورِها
وَقُتودَهاand her saddle-frame بِمُصَدَّرٍupon a broad-chested one عَيّارِroving
وَقُتودَها بِمُصَدَّرٍ عَيّارِ
As though her saddle-pad were hanging,
And her saddle-frame, upon a broad-chested, roving wild ass,
غَرِدٍbraying تَرَبَّعَpastured in spring فيin رَبيعٍa spring ذيpossessing نَدىًmoisture
غَرِدٍ تَرَبَّعَ في رَبيعٍ ذي نَدىً
بَينَbetween الصَليبِal-Salib فَصُوَّةِand the rise الأَحفارِof al-Ahfar
بَينَ الصَليبِ فَصُوَّةِ الأَحفارِ
A braying one, who pastured through a dew-rich spring,
Between al-Salib and the rise of al-Ahfar.
فَرَعىso he grazed بِصُوَّتِهِon its rise ثَلاثَةَthree أَشهُرٍmonths
فَرَعى بِصُوَّتِهِ ثَلاثَةَ أَشهُرٍ
وَاِهراقَand drained away ماءُthe moisture البَقلِof the herbage فيin الأَسآرِthe remnants
وَاِهراقَ ماءُ البَقلِ في الأَسآرِ
He grazed on its rise for three months,
And the herbage's moisture drained away in its remnants.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen أَخَذَtook المَراغُthe wallowing-ground نَسيلَهُhis shedding hair
حَتّى إِذا أَخَذَ المَراغُ نَسيلَهُ
مِنfrom مُدَّعٍa cast-off deposit مِنof خَلقِهِhis body وَشِوارِand fine appearance
مِن مُدَّعٍ مِن خَلقِهِ وَشِوارِ
Until the wallowing-ground took his shedding hair,
A cast-off deposit from his body and fine coat;
وَرَمىand tossed أَنابيشَuprooted clumps الشِفاof shafa-grass أَرساغَهُhis pasterns
وَرَمى أَنابيشَ الشِفا أَرساغَهُ
مِنfrom كُلِّevery ظاهِرَةٍrise وَكُلِّand every قَرارِhollow
مِن كُلِّ ظاهِرَةٍ وَكُلِّ قَرارِ
His pasterns tossed up uprooted clumps of shafa-grass
From every rise and every hollow.
وَتَجَنَّبَand avoided القُربانَthe water-bound herds وَاِختارَand chose الصُوىthe ridges
وَتَجَنَّبَ القُربانَ وَاِختارَ الصُوى
يَعدوraces بِهِنَّalong them كَفارِسِlike a rider المِضمارِon the racecourse
يَعدو بِهِنَّ كَفارِسِ المِضمارِ
He avoided the water-bound herds and chose the ridges,
Racing along them like a rider on the racecourse.
ذَكَرَhe remembered العُيونَthe springs وَعارَضَتهُand came alongside him سَمحَجٌa long-bodied she-ass
ذَكَرَ العُيونَ وَعارَضَتهُ سَمحَجٌ
حَمَلَتhad conceived لَهُby him شَهرَينِfor two months بَعدَafter نِزارِrepeated mating
حَمَلَت لَهُ شَهرَينِ بَعدَ نِزارِ
He remembered the springs; a long-bodied she-ass came alongside,
Two months pregnant by him after repeated mating.
يَرضىhe delights بِصُحبَتِهاin her company إِذاwhen بَرَزَتshe appears لَهُbefore him
يَرضى بِصُحبَتِها إِذا بَرَزَت لَهُ
وَأَشَذَّand drove away عَنهاfrom her أَلفَcompanionship كُلِّof every حِمارِass
وَأَشَذَّ عَنها أَلفَ كُلِّ حِمارِ
He delights in her company when she appears before him,
And drove all other asses' companionship far from her.
فَأَقالَهاso he rested her at noon بِقَرارَةٍin a hollow فيهاin it السَفاgrass-awns
فَأَقالَها بِقَرارَةٍ فيها السَفا
ظَمأىthirsty وَظَلَّand he remained كَأَنَّهُas though he بِإِسارِin fetters
ظَمأى وَظَلَّ كَأَنَّهُ بِإِسارِ
He rested her at noon in a hollow full of grass-awns,
Thirsty, while he remained as though in fetters.
وَتَفَقَّداand both searched for ماءَthe water القَلاتِof the rock-pools فَلَمbut did not يَجِدhe find
وَتَفَقَّدا ماءَ القَلاتِ فَلَم يَجِد
إِلّاexcept بَقِيَّةَa remnant آجِنٍof stagnant water أَصفارِin nearly empty pools
إِلّا بَقِيَّةَ آجِنٍ أَصفارِ
They searched the rock-pools for water, but he found
Only a stagnant remnant in nearly empty pools.
فَأَدارَهاso he drove her about أَصلاًat evening وَكَلَّفَand charged نَفسَهُhimself
فَأَدارَها أَصلاً وَكَلَّفَ نَفسَهُ
تَقريبَkeeping close to صادِقَةِunfailing النَجاءِin swift flight نَوارِa mating-averse female
تَقريبَ صادِقَةِ النَجاءِ نَوارِ
He drove her about at evening and charged himself with
Keeping up with a reluctant female, unfailingly swift.
يَغشىhe presses against كَريهَتَهاher aversion عَلىdespite ماwhat قَدindeed يَرىhe sees
يَغشى كَريهَتَها عَلى ما قَد يَرى
فيin نَفسِهاherself مِنof بُغضَةٍloathing وَفِرارِand flight
في نَفسِها مِن بُغضَةٍ وَفِرارِ
He pressed upon her against her will, despite what he saw
Within her: loathing and the urge to flee.
تَرميshe pelts ذِراعَيهِhis forelegs وَبَلدةَand the middle نَحرِهِof his throat
تَرمي ذِراعَيهِ وَبَلدةَ نَحرِهِ
بِحَصىًwith pebbles يَطيرُflies فَضاضُهُtheir fragments وَغُبارِand dust
بِحَصىً يَطيرُ فَضاضُهُ وَغُبارِ
She pelts his forelegs and the middle of his throat
With pebbles whose fragments fly, and with dust.
وَتَفوتُهُand outstrips him نَشزاًon a rise فَيَلحَقُthen he catches up مُعجِلاًhastening
وَتَفوتُهُ نَشزاً فَيَلحَقُ مُعجِلاً
رَبضَbroad اليَدَينِin both forelegs كَفائِضِlike a winning player الأَيسارِamong the lot-casters
رَبضَ اليَدَينِ كَفائِضِ الأَيسارِ
She outstrips him on a rise; he hastens to catch her,
Broad-forelegged, like a winning caster of lots.
يَعلوhe mounts فُروعَthe heights قَطاتِهاof her rump مِنfrom أُنسِهِhis familiarity
يَعلو فُروعَ قَطاتِها مِن أُنسِهِ
بِمَلاحِلٍwith broad haunches كَرِحالَةِlike a saddle النَجّارِof the carpenter
بِمَلاحِلٍ كَرِحالَةِ النَجّارِ
He mounts the heights of her rump, from his familiarity
With broad haunches like a carpenter's saddle.
فَتَذَكَّراthen both remembered عَيناًa spring يَطيرُfly بَعوضُهاits gnats
فَتَذَكَّرا عَيناً يَطيرُ بَعوضُها
زَرقاءَblue خالِيَةًdeserted مِنَof الحَضّارِthose coming to water
زَرقاءَ خالِيَةً مِنَ الحَضّارِ
Then both remembered a spring whose gnats fly about,
Blue, deserted by those who come to water.
طَرَقاthey traveled by night مِنَfrom المَفدىal-Mufda طَريقاًa path صافِياًclear
طَرَقا مِنَ المَفدى طَريقاً صافِياً
فيهِin it الضَفادِعُthe frogs شائِعُwide-spreading الأَنهارِin its channels
فيهِ الضَفادِعُ شائِعُ الأَنهارِ
By night, from al-Mufda, they took a clear path,
With frogs in it and channels spreading wide.
وَالأَزرَقُand the blue-eyed man العِجلِيُّthe Ijli فيin ناموسِهِhis hunting-hide
وَالأَزرَقُ العِجلِيُّ في ناموسِهِ
باريa shaper القِداحِof arrow-shafts وَصانِعُand a maker الأَوتارِof bowstrings
باري القِداحِ وَصانِعُ الأَوتارِ
And the blue-eyed Ijli was in his hunting-hide,
A shaper of arrow-shafts, a maker of bowstrings.
مِنof عَيشِهِhis livelihood القَتَراتُthe hunting-blinds أَحسَنَhe perfected صُنعَهاtheir construction
مِن عَيشِهِ القَتَراتُ أَحسَنَ صُنعَها
بِحَصاwith pebbles يَدِa hand القَصباءِthe reeds وَالجَبّارِand tall palms
بِحَصا يَدِ القَصباءِ وَالجَبّارِ
His livelihood lay in blinds he had skillfully built
With hand-set pebbles, reeds, and tall palms.
فَدَنَتso she approached لَهُhim حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماindeed أَمكَنَتshe offered an opening
فَدَنَت لَهُ حَتّى إِذا ما أَمكَنَت
أَرساغُهُhis wrists مِنat مُعظَمِthe great bulk السَيّارِof the passing beast
أَرساغُهُ مِن مُعظَمِ السَيّارِ
She drew near him until she offered a clear chance
For his wrists to strike the passing beast's great bulk.
وَأَحَسَّand he sensed حِسَّهُماtheir sound فَيَسَّرَthen readied قَبضَةًa bow in his fist
وَأَحَسَّ حِسَّهُما فَيَسَّرَ قَبضَةً
صَفراءَyellow راشَhe fletched نَضِيَّهاits arrow-shaft بِظِهارِwith back-feathers
صَفراءَ راشَ نَضِيَّها بِظِهارِ
He sensed their sound and readied a bow in his fist,
Yellow, its arrow-shaft fletched with back-feathers.
فَرَمىthen he shot فَأَخطَأَهاand missed her وَلَهَّفَand cried alas for أُمَّهُhis mother
فَرَمى فَأَخطَأَها وَلَهَّفَ أُمَّهُ
وَلِكُلِّand for every ماthing that وَقِيَwas spared المَنِيَّةَdeath صاريa guardian
وَلِكُلِّ ما وَقِيَ المَنِيَّةَ صاري
Then he shot, missed her, and cried, 'Alas, my mother!'
And everything spared death has a guardian.
فَتَوَلَّياthen both turned away يَتَنازَعانِracing one another بِساطِعٍin rising dust
فَتَوَلَّيا يَتَنازَعانِ بِساطِعٍ
مُتَقَطِّعٍbreaking apart كَمَلاءَةِlike a sheet الأَنبارِof Anbar cloth
مُتَقَطِّعٍ كَمَلاءَةِ الأَنبارِ
They turned away, racing each other in rising dust,
Breaking apart like a sheet of Anbar cloth.
يَتَعاوَرانِthe two take turns الشَوطَin the race حَتّىuntil أَصبَحاthey reached morning
يَتَعاوَرانِ الشَوطَ حَتّى أَصبَحا
بِالجَزعِat the valley-bend بَينَbetween مُثَقِّبٍMuthaqqib وَمَطارِand Matar
بِالجَزعِ بَينَ مُثَقِّبٍ وَمَطارِ
Taking turns in the lead until morning found them
At the valley-bend between Muthaqqib and Matar.
فَبِتِلكَso on that mount أُفضيI cast off الهَمَّcare إِذwhen وَهَمَتbecame preoccupied بِهِwith it
فَبِتِلكَ أُفضي الهَمَّ إِذ وَهَمَت بِهِ
نَفسيmy soul وَلَستُand I am not ناءَweighed down عِوارِby shame
نَفسي وَلَستُ ناءَ عِوارِ
On such a mount I cast off care, when it preoccupies
My soul; I am not weighed down by shame.
وَقَبيلَةٍand many a tribe جُنُبٍdistant إِذاwhen لاقَيتُهُمI met them
وَقَبيلَةٍ جُنُبٍ إِذا لاقَيتُهُم
نَظَرواthey looked إِلَيَّat me بِأَوجُهٍwith faces أَنكارِunwelcoming
نَظَروا إِلَيَّ بِأَوجُهٍ أَنكارِ
And many a distant tribe, when I met them,
Looked at me with unwelcoming faces.
حَيَّيتُI greeted بَعضَهُمُsome of them لِأُرجِعَto regain وُدَّهُمtheir affection
حَيَّيتُ بَعضَهُمُ لِأُرجِعَ وُدَّهُم
بِخَلائِقٍthrough virtues مَعروفَةٍwell-known وَجِوارِand neighborly protection
بِخَلائِقٍ مَعروفَةٍ وَجِوارِ
I greeted some to win back their affection
Through well-known virtues and neighborly protection.
وَالجارُand the neighbor أومِنَwas made secure سَرحُهُhis grazing herd وَمَحَلُّهُand his dwelling
وَالجارُ أومِنَ سَرحُهُ وَمَحَلُّهُ
حَتّىuntil يُبينَhe departs لِنِيَّةِfor a destination المُختارِof his choosing
حَتّى يُبينَ لِنِيَّةِ المُختارِ
A neighbor's grazing herd and dwelling were secure,
Until he departed for a destination of his choosing.
فَلَئِنso if indeed رَأَيتَyou have seen الشيبَgray hair خَوَّصَstreaked لُمَّتيmy locks
فَلَئِن رَأَيتَ الشيبَ خَوَّصَ لُمَّتي
مِنfrom طولِthe length لَيلٍof a night كائِبٍsorrowful وَنَهارِand a day
مِن طولِ لَيلٍ كائِبٍ وَنَهارِ
So if you have seen gray hair streak my locks,
From long, sorrowful nights and days,
إِنّيtruly I لَتَرزَؤُنيindeed afflict me النَوائِبُthe misfortunes فيin الغِنىprosperity
إِنّي لَتَرزَؤُني النَوائِبُ في الغِنى
وَأَعِفُّand I remain self-restrained عِندَamid مَشَحَّةِthe stinginess الإِقتارِof poverty
وَأَعِفُّ عِندَ مَشَحَّةِ الإِقتارِ
Misfortunes indeed take their toll on me in prosperity,
And I keep my honor when poverty breeds stinginess.
فَجَزىso may reward الإِلَهُGod سُراةَthe chieftains قَوميof my people نُصرَةًwith victory
فَجَزى الإِلَهُ سُراةَ قَومي نُصرَةً
وَسَقاهُمُand give them drink بِمَشارِبِat the watering places الأَبرارِof the righteous
وَسَقاهُمُ بِمَشارِبِ الأَبرارِ
May God reward my people's chieftains with victory,
And give them drink at the watering places of the righteous.
قَومٌa people إِذاwhen خافواthey fear عِثارَthe stumbling أَخيهِمُof their brother
قَومٌ إِذا خافوا عِثارَ أَخيهِمُ
لاnot يُسلِمونَthey abandon أَخاهُمُtheir brother لِعِثارِto a fall
لا يُسلِمونَ أَخاهُمُ لِعِثارِ
A people who, when they fear their brother may stumble,
Do not abandon their brother to a fall.
أَمثالُmen like عَلقَمَةَAlqamah بنِson of هوذَةَHawdhah إِذwhen سَعىhe strove
أَمثالُ عَلقَمَةَ بنِ هوذَةَ إِذ سَعى
يَخشىfearing عَلَيَّfor me مَتالِفَthe deadly dangers الأَمصارِof the towns
يَخشى عَلَيَّ مَتالِفَ الأَمصارِ
Men like Alqamah ibn Hawdhah, when he strove,
Fearing for me the deadly dangers of the towns.
أَثنَواthey praised عَلَيَّme فَأَحسَنواand did so well فَتَرافَدواthen pooled their gifts
أَثنَوا عَلَيَّ فَأَحسَنوا فَتَرافَدوا
ليfor me بِالمَخاضِwith pregnant she-camels البَزلِthe mature ones وَالأَبكارِand young camels
لي بِالمَخاضِ البَزلِ وَالأَبكارِ
They praised me, and praised me well, then pooled their gifts
For me: pregnant, mature she-camels and young camels,
وَالشَولُand dry she-camels يَتبَعُهاfollow them بَناتُthe daughters لَبونِهاof their milch-camels
وَالشَولُ يَتبَعُها بَناتُ لَبونِها
شُرُقاًchoking حَناجِرُهاtheir throats مِنَfrom الجَرجارِdeep gurgling
شُرُقاً حَناجِرُها مِنَ الجَرجارِ
And dry she-camels, followed by their two-year-old daughters,
Their throats choking with deep, gurgling cries,
حَتّىuntil تَأَوّىthey gathered حَولَaround بَيتيmy tent هَجمَةًa large herd
حَتّى تَأَوّى حَولَ بَيتي هَجمَةً
أَبكارُهاits young camels كَنَواعِمِlike the tender shoots الجُبّارِof tall palms
أَبكارُها كَنَواعِمِ الجُبّارِ
Until they gathered round my tent, a great herd,
Its young camels like the tender shoots of tall palms.
وَكَأَنand as though خِلفَتَهاits pregnant she-camel عَطيفَةُa curved bow شَوحَطٍof shawhat wood
وَكَأَن خِلفَتَها عَطيفَةُ شَوحَطٍ
عَطلٍunstrung بَراهاhe carved it مِنfrom خُزاعَةَKhuzaah باريa bowyer
عَطلٍ بَراها مِن خُزاعَةَ باري
And its pregnant she-camel seemed a curved bow of shawhat wood,
Unstrung, carved by a bowyer of Khuzaah.
وَبَغىand he sought بِهاwith it ماءَthe water النِطافِof small pools فَلَمbut did not يَجِدhe find
وَبَغى بِها ماءَ النِطافِ فَلَم يَجِد
ماءاًwater بِتَنهِيَةٍat Tanhiyah وَلاnor بِعِمارِat Imar
ماءاً بِتَنهِيَةٍ وَلا بِعِمارِ
With it he sought the water of small pools, but found
No water at Tanhiyah, nor at Imar.
Sol 6.1