أَنارٌis it a fire بَداappeared مِنfrom كوّةِthe window of السِّجنِthe prison ضَوؤُهاits light
أَنارٌ بَدا مِن كوّةِ السِّجنِ ضَوؤُها
عَشِيَّةَon the evening حَلَّencamped الحَيُّthe clan بِالجَرَعon the sandy rises العُفْرِthe dun-colored
عَشِيَّةَ حَلَّ الحَيُّ بِالجَرَع العُفْرِ
Is it a fire whose light appeared through the prison window,
on the evening the clan encamped on the dun-colored sandy rises?
عَشِيَّةon the evening حَلّencamped الحَيُّthe clan أَرضاًa land خَصِيبَةًfertile
عَشِيَّة حَلّ الحَيُّ أَرضاً خَصِيبَةً
يَطيبُis pleasant بِهاin it مَسُّthe touch الجَنائِبِthe south winds وَالقَطْرِand the rain
يَطيبُ بِها مَسُّ الجَنائِبِ وَالقَطْرِ
On the evening the clan encamped in a fertile land,
where the touch of the south winds and the rain is sweet.
فَياso, O والِيَيْtwo wardens سِجنِprison اليَمامَةِal-Yamamah أَطلِقاrelease, you two
فَيا والِيَيْ سِجنِ اليَمامَةِ أَطلِقا
أَسيرَكُماyour captive, you two يَنظُرْhe may look إِلىat البَرْقِthe lightning ماwhat يَفْرِيit cleaves
أَسيرَكُما يَنظُرْ إِلى البَرْقِ ما يَفْرِي
So, you two wardens of al-Yamamah's prison, release
your captive, so he may watch the lightning and what it cleaves.
فَإِنfor if تَفعَلاyou two do so أَحمدْكُماI shall thank you both وَلَقَدْand indeed أَرىI see
فَإِن تَفعَلا أَحمدْكُما وَلَقَدْ أَرى
بِأَنَّكُماthat you two لاnot يَنْبَغيis fitting لَكُماfor you two شُكْريmy thanks
بِأَنَّكُما لا يَنْبَغي لَكُما شُكْري
For if you do, I shall thank you both, though I plainly see
that you two do not deserve my thanks.
وَلَوand if فارَقتْparted from رِجليmy foot القُيودَthe fetters وَجدتُنيI would find myself
وَلَو فارَقتْ رِجلي القُيودَ وَجدتُني
رَفيقاًskilled بِنَصِّat driving hard العيسِthe pale camels فيin البَلَدِthe land القَفْرِbarren
رَفيقاً بِنَصِّ العيسِ في البَلَدِ القَفْرِ
And were my foot to part from its fetters, I would find myself
skilled at driving the pale camels hard through the barren land,
جَديراًcapable إِذاwhen أُمسيI reach evening بِأَرضٍin a land مَضَلَّةٍthat leads astray
جَديراً إِذا أُمسي بِأَرضٍ مَضَلَّةٍ
بِتَقويمِهاof navigating it rightly حَتّىuntil يُرىis seen وَضحُthe brightness الفَجْرِdawn
بِتَقويمِها حَتّى يُرى وَضحُ الفَجْرِ
capable, when evening finds me in a bewildering land,
of keeping a straight course through it until dawn's brightness appears.
وَأَنتَand you رَهينٌa captive بِالحِجازِin the Hijaz مُحالفُbound in alliance
وَأَنتَ رَهينٌ بِالحِجازِ مُحالفُ
بِجَونٍwith a dark one سَرىtraveled by night دَهمُthe throng of المَطِيِّthe riding-camels وَماand not يَسْريit travels by night
بِجَونٍ سَرى دَهمُ المَطِيِّ وَما يَسْري
And you are a captive in the Hijaz, bound in alliance
with a dark one; the throng of riding-camels traveled by night, but it does not travel,
عَلىacross عفُرٍlong separation مِنfrom عَنbeyond تَناهٍthe farthest reach وَإِنَّماand it is only that
عَلى عفُرٍ مِن عَن تَناهٍ وَإِنَّما
نُدانيwe draw near to الهَوىlove مِنfrom عَنْbeyond تَناءٍremoteness وَعَنand after عُفْرِlong absence
نُداني الهَوى مِن عَنْ تَناءٍ وَعَن عُفْرِ
across long separation, from beyond the farthest reach; yet it is only that
we draw near to love from afar and after long absence.
Sol 6.1