ذَكَرَhe recalled الرَبابَal-Rabāb وَذِكرُهاand remembering her سُقمُsickness
ذَكَرَ الرَبابَ وَذِكرُها سُقمُ
فَصَباso he yearned وَليسَand there is no لِمَنfor one who صَباyearned حِلمُself-command
فَصَبا وَليسَ لِمَن صَبا حِلمُ
He recalled al-Rabāb, and remembering her is sickness.
So he yearned; whoever yearns has no self-command.
وَإِذاand whenever أَلَمَّvisits خَيالُهاher phantom طُرِفَتwas stricken
وَإِذا أَلَمَّ خَيالُها طُرِفَت
عَينيmy eye فَماءُso the water of شؤونِهاits tear ducts سَجمُstreaming
عَيني فَماءُ شؤونِها سَجمُ
Whenever her phantom visits, stricken is
my eye, and water streams from its tear ducts.
كَاللُؤلُؤِlike pearls المَسجورِstrung أُغفِلَleft untended فيin
كَاللُؤلُؤِ المَسجورِ أُغفِلَ في
سِلكِthe thread of النِظامِthe necklace فَخانَهُthen betrayed it النَظمُthe stringing
سِلكِ النِظامِ فَخانَهُ النَظمُ
Like strung pearls left untended upon
a necklace's thread, whose stringing failed them.
وَأَرىand I see لَهاbelonging to her داراًa dwelling بِأَغدَرَةِby the pools of الthe
وَأَرى لَها داراً بِأَغدَرَةِ ال
سيدانِSīdān لَمnot يَدرَسhas faded لَهاof hers رَسمُa trace
سيدانِ لَم يَدرَس لَها رَسمُ
I see her dwelling by the pools of al-
Sīdān, where no trace of it has faded,
إِلّاexcept رَماداًashes هامِداًcold دَفَعَتkept away
إِلّا رَماداً هامِداً دَفَعَت
عَنهُfrom it الرِياحَthe winds خَوالِدٌenduring hearthstones سُحمُblackened
عَنهُ الرِياحَ خَوالِدٌ سُحمُ
save cold ashes, from which
enduring black hearthstones kept the winds away,
وَبَقِيَّةُand the remnant of النُؤيِthe drainage trench الَّذيwhose رُفِعَتwere removed
وَبَقِيَّةُ النُؤيِ الَّذي رُفِعَت
أَعضادُهُits sides فَثَوىso remained لَهُfor it جَذمُa base
أَعضادُهُ فَثَوى لَهُ جَذمُ
and the remnant of the trench whose
sides were removed, leaving its base behind.
فَكَأَنَّso it is as though ماwhat أَبقىleft البَوارِحُthe scorching winds وَالand the
فَكَأَنَّ ما أَبقى البَوارِحُ وَال
أَمطارُrains مِنof عَرَصاتِهاits open grounds الوَشمُtattooing
أَمطارُ مِن عَرَصاتِها الوَشمُ
What the scorching winds and the
rains left of its courtyards is like tattooing.
تَقروfollow بِهاthere البَقَرَthe wild cattle المَسارِبَthe tracks وَاِخand [starts 'mingled']
تَقرو بِها البَقَرَ المَسارِبَ وَاِخ
تَلَطَت[completes 'mingled'] بِهاthere الآرامُthe white antelopes وَالأَدمُand the tawny ones
تَلَطَت بِها الآرامُ وَالأَدمُ
Wild cattle follow their tracks there, and
white and tawny antelopes mingle there.
وَكَأَنَّand as though أَطلاءَthe fawns of الجَآذِرِwild cattle وَالand the
وَكَأَنَّ أَطلاءَ الجَآذِرِ وَال
غِزلانِgazelles حَولَaround رُسومِهاits traces البَهمُlambs and kids
غِزلانِ حَولَ رُسومِها البَهمُ
And the fawns of wild cattle and the
gazelles around its traces seem like lambs.
وَلَقَدand indeed تَحِلُّused to dwell بِهاthere الرَبابُal-Rabāb لَهاshe had
وَلَقَد تَحِلُّ بِها الرَبابُ لَها
سَلَفٌan advance guard يَفُلُّrouting عَدُوَّهاher enemy فَخمُmighty
سَلَفٌ يَفُلُّ عَدُوَّها فَخمُ
Once al-Rabāb dwelt there, with
a mighty advance guard that routed her enemy.
بُردِيَّةٌsupple and delicate سَبَقَoutstripped النَعيمُluxury بِهاwith her
بُردِيَّةٌ سَبَقَ النَعيمُ بِها
أَقرانَهاher peers وَغَلاand raised the worth بِهاof her عُظمُgreatness
أَقرانَها وَغَلا بِها عُظمُ
Delicate, luxury made her outshine
her peers, and greatness raised her worth.
وَتُريكَand she shows you وَجهاًa face كَالصَحيفَةِlike a smooth sheet لاnot
وَتُريكَ وَجهاً كَالصَحيفَةِ لا
ظَمآنُparched مُختَلِجٌsunken وَلاnor جَهمُgrim
ظَمآنُ مُختَلِجٌ وَلا جَهمُ
She shows you a face like a smooth sheet, neither
parched and sunken, nor grim.
كَعَقيلَةِlike the choicest of الدُرِّpearls اِستَضاءَwas illumined بِهاby it
كَعَقيلَةِ الدُرِّ اِستَضاءَ بِها
مِحرابُthe chamber of عَرشِthe throne of عَزيزِهاits mighty lord العَجمُthe non-Arabs
مِحرابُ عَرشِ عَزيزِها العَجمُ
Like a choice pearl that illumined
the throne chamber of its mighty foreign lord.
أَغلىhe paid dearly بِهاfor it ثَمَناًin price وَجاءَand came بِهاwith it
أَغلى بِها ثَمَناً وَجاءَ بِها
شُختُslender العِظامِof bone كَأَنَّهاas though it were سَهمُan arrow
شُختُ العِظامِ كَأَنَّها سَهمُ
He paid dearly for it; it was brought by
a slender-boned man, his frame like an arrow,
بِلَبانِهِon his chest زَيتٌoil وَأَخرَجَهاand he drew it out
بِلَبانِهِ زَيتٌ وَأَخرَجَها
مِنfrom ذيone possessing غَوارِبَwave-crests وَسَطُهُits midst اللَخمُsharks
مِن ذي غَوارِبَ وَسَطُهُ اللَخمُ
with oil upon his chest; he drew it
from a wave-crested sea, sharks in its midst.
أَوor بَيضَةُan egg of الدِعصِthe dune الَّتيwhich وَضَعَتshe laid
أَو بَيضَةُ الدِعصِ الَّتي وَضَعَت
فيon الأَرضِthe ground لَيسَthere is no لِمَسِّهاto touching it حَجمُraised mark
في الأَرضِ لَيسَ لِمَسِّها حَجمُ
Or a dune's egg, which she laid
on the earth, smooth to the touch.
سَبَقَتit preceded قَرائِنَهاits clutch-mates وَأَدفَأَهاand warmed it
سَبَقَت قَرائِنَها وَأَدفَأَها
قِردُmatted الجَناحِof wing كَأَنَّهas though he were هِدمُa ragged garment
قِردُ الجَناحِ كَأَنَّه هِدمُ
It preceded its clutch-mates, and was warmed by
a matted-winged bird, like a ragged garment.
وَيَضُمُّهاand he clasps it دونَbeneath الجَناحِthe wing بِدَفِّهِagainst his flank
وَيَضُمُّها دونَ الجَناحِ بِدَفِّهِ
وَتَحُفُّهُنَّand surround them قَوادِمٌprimary flight feathers قَتمُdusky
وَتَحُفُّهُنَّ قَوادِمٌ قَتمُ
He clasps it beneath his wing against his flank,
and dusky flight feathers surround them.
لَمdid not تَعتَذِرbecome bare مِنهاof them مَدافِعُthe watercourses of ذيDhū
لَم تَعتَذِر مِنها مَدافِعُ ذي
ضالٍḌāl وَلاnor عُقبٌʿUqb وَلاnor الزَخمُal-Zakhm
ضالٍ وَلا عُقبٌ وَلا الزَخمُ
Not bare of them were the watercourses of Dhū
Ḍāl, nor ʿUqb, nor al-Zakhm.
وَتُضِلُّand lose مَدراهاher comb المَواشِطُthe women combing her فيin
وَتُضِلُّ مَدراها المَواشِطُ في
جَعدٍcurly hair أَغَمَّthickly growing كَأَنَّهُas though it were كَرمُa grapevine
جَعدٍ أَغَمَّ كَأَنَّهُ كَرمُ
The women combing her lose her comb in
thick, curling hair, like a grapevine.
هَلّاwhy not تُسَلّيsoothe حاجَةًa longing عَلِقَتthat clung
هَلّا تُسَلّي حاجَةً عَلِقَت
عَلَقَwith the clinging of القَرينَةِthe paired companion حَبلُهاits cord جَذمُsevered
عَلَقَ القَرينَةِ حَبلُها جَذمُ
Will you not soothe a longing that has clung
like a tethered companion, though its cord is cut?
وَمُعَبَّدٍand many a well-trodden road قَلِقِrough المَجازِto traverse كَباlike [starts 'reed mats']
وَمُعَبَّدٍ قَلِقِ المَجازِ كَبا
رِيِّ[completes 'reed mats'] الصِناعِthe skilled woman إِكامُهُits hillocks دَرمُsmooth and rounded
رِيِّ الصِناعِ إِكامُهُ دَرمُ
And many a well-trodden road, rough to cross, like reed mats
made by a skilled woman, its hillocks smooth,
لِلقارِياتِfor the foragers مِنَamong القَطاsandgrouse نَقرٌlittle hollows
لِلقارِياتِ مِنَ القَطا نَقرٌ
فيon حافَتَيهِits two edges كَأَنَّهاas though they were الرَقمُembroidered patterns
في حافَتَيهِ كَأَنَّها الرَقمُ
with hollows left by foraging sandgrouse
on its two sides, like embroidered designs—
عارَضتُهُI traversed it مَلثَat the gathering of الظَلامِdarkness بِمِذon [starts 'compliant']
عارَضتُهُ مَلثَ الظَلامِ بِمِذ
عانِ[completes 'compliant'] العَشِيِّat evening كَأَنَّهاas though she were قَرمُa camel stallion
عانِ العَشِيِّ كَأَنَّها قَرمُ
I crossed it at gathering dusk on a she-camel
obedient at evening, like a camel stallion.
تَذَرُshe leaves الحَصىthe pebbles فَلقاًsplit إِذاwhen عَصَفَتshe storms along
تَذَرُ الحَصى فَلقاً إِذا عَصَفَت
وَجَرىand raced بِحَدِّalong the edge of سَرابِهاher mirage الأَكمُthe hillocks
وَجَرى بِحَدِّ سَرابِها الأَكمُ
She leaves the pebbles split as she storms along,
and hillocks race along the edge of her mirage.
قَلِقَتshe jolted إِذاwhen اِنحَدَرَsloped down الطَريقُthe road لَهاbefore her
قَلِقَت إِذا اِنحَدَرَ الطَريقُ لَها
قَلَقَlike the jolting of المُحالَةِthe pulley ضَمَّهاheld it الدَعمُthe supports
قَلَقَ المُحالَةِ ضَمَّها الدَعمُ
She jolts when the road slopes down before her,
like a pulley shaken between its supports.
لَحِقتُI caught up لَهاshe has عَجزٌhindquarters مُؤَيِّدَةٌreinforcing
لَحِقتُ لَها عَجزٌ مُؤَيِّدَةٌ
عَقدَthe joints of الفِقارِthe vertebrae وَكاهِلٌand withers ضَخمُmassive
عَقدَ الفِقارِ وَكاهِلٌ ضَخمُ
I caught up; she has hindquarters that brace
her spinal joints, and massive withers,
وَقَوائِمٌand legs عوجٌbowed كَأَغمِدَةِlike the supports of الthe
وَقَوائِمٌ عوجٌ كَأَغمِدَةِ ال
بُنيانِbuilding عولِيَwas piled فَوقَهاabove them اللَحمُthe flesh
بُنيانِ عولِيَ فَوقَها اللَحمُ
and bowed legs like the supports of a
building, with flesh piled high above them.
وَإِذاand when رَفَعتَyou raise السَوطَthe whip أَفزَعَهاstartled her
وَإِذا رَفَعتَ السَوطَ أَفزَعَها
تَحتَbeneath الضُلوعِthe ribs مُرَوِّعٌa fear-stirring heart شَهمُkeen and spirited
تَحتَ الضُلوعِ مُرَوِّعٌ شَهمُ
When you raise the whip, she is startled by
a keen, fear-stirring heart beneath her ribs.
وَتَسُدُّand she screens حاذيهاboth sides of her rump بِذيwith one bearing خُصَلٍtresses
وَتَسُدُّ حاذيها بِذي خُصَلٍ
عَقُمَتshe has not foaled فَناعِمُso the soft part of نَبتِهِits growth العُقمُfigured silk
عَقُمَت فَناعِمُ نَبتِهِ العُقمُ
She screens both sides of her rump with a tufted tail;
she has not foaled, so its soft growth is brocade.
وَلَهاand she has مَناسِمُfootpads كَالمَواقِعِlike hammers لاnot
وَلَها مَناسِمُ كَالمَواقِعِ لا
مَعرٌhairless أَشاعِرُهاher fetlocks وَلاnor دَرمُover-fleshy
مَعرٌ أَشاعِرُها وَلا دَرمُ
Her footpads are like hammers, neither
bare at the fetlocks nor padded with flesh.
وَتُقيلُand she rests at noon فيin ظِلِّthe shade of الخِباءِthe tent كَماas
وَتُقيلُ في ظِلِّ الخِباءِ كَما
يَخشىfears كِناسَthe covert of الضالَةِthe wild lote-tree الرِئمُthe white antelope
يَخشى كِناسَ الضالَةِ الرِئمُ
She rests at noon in the tent's shade, as
the white antelope fears its wild-lote covert.
كَتَريكَةِlike a stranded boulder of السَيلِthe torrent الَّتيwhich تُرِكَتwas left
كَتَريكَةِ السَيلِ الَّتي تُرِكَت
بِشَفاat the edge of المَسيلِthe watercourse وَدونَهاand before it الرَضمُheaped stones
بِشَفا المَسيلِ وَدونَها الرَضمُ
Like a torrent's stranded boulder, left
on the streambank, with heaped rocks before it.
بَلَّيتُهاI wore her out حَتّىuntil أُؤَدِّيَهاI reduced her
بَلَّيتُها حَتّى أُؤَدِّيَها
رِمَّcrumbling remnants of العِظامِthe bones وَيَذهَبَand wastes away اللَحمُthe flesh
رِمَّ العِظامِ وَيَذهَبَ اللَحمُ
I wore her down until I reduced her to
crumbling bones, and her flesh wasted away.
وَتَقولُand says عاذِلَتيmy reproaching woman وَلَيسَthough there is no لَهاfor her
وَتَقولُ عاذِلَتي وَلَيسَ لَها
بِغَدٍof tomorrow وَلاnor ماwhat بَعدَهُcomes after it عِلمُknowledge
بِغَدٍ وَلا ما بَعدَهُ عِلمُ
My reproaching woman says, though she has
no knowledge of tomorrow or what follows:
إِنَّindeed الثَراءَwealth هُوَit is الخُلودُimmortality وَإِنand indeed [continued]
إِنَّ الثَراءَ هُوَ الخُلودُ وَإِن
نَ[completes 'indeed'] المَرءَa man يُكرِبُbrings near يَومَهُhis final day العُدمُpoverty
نَ المَرءَ يُكرِبُ يَومَهُ العُدمُ
“Wealth is immortality, and surely
poverty brings a man near his final day.”
إِنيindeed I وَجَدِّكِby your fortune ماnot تُخَلِّدُنيmakes me immortal
إِني وَجَدِّكِ ما تُخَلِّدُني
مِئَةٌa hundred camels يَطيرُflies عَفاؤُهاtheir shaggy hair أَدمُwhite
مِئَةٌ يَطيرُ عَفاؤُها أَدمُ
Truly, by your fortune, I shall not be made immortal by
a hundred white camels, their shaggy hair flying.
وَلَئِنand even if بَنَيتِyou built لِيَfor me المُشَقَّرَal-Mushaqqar فيon
وَلَئِن بَنَيتِ لِيَ المُشَقَّرَ في
هَضبٍrocky heights تَقَصَّرُfall short دونَهُof reaching it العُصمُwhite-footed ibex
هَضبٍ تَقَصَّرُ دونَهُ العُصمُ
Even if you built al-Mushaqqar for me upon
crags that white-footed ibex cannot reach,
لَتُنَقِبَنwould surely search عَنّيfor me المَنِيَّةُDeath إِنindeed [continued]
لَتُنَقِبَن عَنّي المَنِيَّةُ إِن
نَ[completes 'indeed'] اللَهَGod لَيسَthere is no كَحُكمِهِlike His judgment حُكمُjudgment
نَ اللَهَ لَيسَ كَحُكمِهِ حُكمُ
Death would surely seek me out; indeed,
God's judgment has no equal.
إِنّيindeed I وَجَدتُhave found الأَمرَconduct أَرشَدُهُits wisest part
إِنّي وَجَدتُ الأَمرَ أَرشَدُهُ
تَقوىreverence for الإِلَهِGod وَشَرُّهُand its worst الإِثمُsin
تَقوى الإِلَهِ وَشَرُّهُ الإِثمُ
I have found that the wisest course is
reverence for God, and the worst is sin.
Sol 6.1