خَلَّpierced قَلبيmy heart مِنfrom سُلَيمىSulayma نَبلُهاher arrows
خَلَّ قَلبي مِن سُلَيمى نَبلُها
إِذwhen رَمَتنيshe shot me بِسِهامٍwith arrows لَمnot تَطِشmissed
إِذ رَمَتني بِسِهامٍ لَم تَطِش
Sulayma's arrows pierced my heart,
When she shot me with shafts that did not miss.
طَفلَةُtender الأَطرافِof limb رُودٌsupple دُميَةٌa sculpted figure
طَفلَةُ الأَطرافِ رُودٌ دُميَةٌ
وَشَواهاand her limbs بَختَرِيٌّfull and shapely لَمnot يُحَشwithered
وَشَواها بَختَرِيٌّ لَم يُحَش
Tender-limbed, supple, a sculpted beauty,
Her limbs full and shapely, not withered.
وَتَزينُand adorns الوَجهَthe face مِنهاof her غُرَّةٌa bright forehead
وَتَزينُ الوَجهَ مِنها غُرَّةٌ
تَبرُقُare dazzled الأَبصارُthe eyes مِنهاby it لَمnot تُعَشbecome dim
تَبرُقُ الأَبصارُ مِنها لَم تُعَش
A bright forehead adorns her face,
Dazzling eyes whose sight was not dim.
وَكَأَنَّand as though الدُرَّthe pearls فيin أَخراصِهاher earrings
وَكَأَنَّ الدُرَّ في أَخراصِها
بَيضُeggs of كَحلاءَa dark-eyed bird أَقَرَّتهُshe placed them بِعُشin a nest
بَيضُ كَحلاءَ أَقَرَّتهُ بِعُش
And the pearls in her earrings seem
Like eggs a dark-eyed bird has laid in a nest.
وَلَهاand she has عَيناthe two eyes of مَهاةٍan oryx فيamong مَهاًoryx
وَلَها عَينا مَهاةٍ في مَهاً
تَرتَعيgrazing نَبتَthe growth of خُزامىlavender وَنَتَشand natash plants
تَرتَعي نَبتَ خُزامى وَنَتَش
She has the eyes of an oryx among oryx
Grazing lavender and natash plants.
بَعضُهاsome of them يَغذوnourish سِخالاًyoung antelope نُبَّهاًalert
بَعضُها يَغذو سِخالاً نُبَّهاً
قائِماتٍstanding بَينَamong ثيرانٍbull oryx نُفُشgrazing untended
قائِماتٍ بَينَ ثيرانٍ نُفُش
Some of them nourish alert young,
Standing among freely grazing bulls.
تَرتَعيthey graze نَبتَthe growth of عَدابٍa sandy tract مُونِقٍlovely
تَرتَعي نَبتَ عَدابٍ مُونِقٍ
نَورَthe blossoms of مِزبادٍmizbad وَنَوراًand blossoms لِلكَرِشof the karish plant
نَورَ مِزبادٍ وَنَوراً لِلكَرِش
They graze the growth of a lovely sandy tract,
Mizbad blossoms and blossoms of karish.
لاnot تَرىyou see إِلّاexcept صِواراًa herd of wild cattle راتِعاًgrazing
لا تَرى إِلّا صِواراً راتِعاً
أَوor رَعيلاًa troop زَعِلاًlively مِثلَlike الحَبَشthe Abyssinians
أَو رَعيلاً زَعِلاً مِثلَ الحَبَش
You see only a grazing herd of wild cattle,
Or a lively troop like the Abyssinians.
رُكِّبَتwere set مِنهُof it كَعابٌankle-joints حَمشَةٌslender
رُكِّبَت مِنهُ كَعابٌ حَمشَةٌ
بَينَbetween سُوقٍlower legs وَظَنابيبَand shinbones حُمُشslender
بَينَ سُوقٍ وَظَنابيبَ حُمُش
In it, slender ankle-joints are set
Between lower legs and slender shinbones.
وَكَأَنَّand as though الصُحمَthe dusky ones مِنamong ظِلمانِهاits male ostriches
وَكَأَنَّ الصُحمَ مِن ظِلمانِها
كُلَّماwhenever أَنسَلنَthey shed زِفّاًdown شُومُdark ones فَرشyoung camels
كُلَّما أَنسَلنَ زِفّاً شُومُ فَرش
The dusky ones among its male ostriches seem,
Whenever they shed their down, like dark young camels.
وَإِذاand when تَضحَكُsmiles سَلمىSalma عَنrevealing مَهاًwhite crystal
وَإِذا تَضحَكُ سَلمى عَن مَهاً
لاحَgleamed بَرقٌlightning هَمُّthe longing of مَشعوفٍone maddened by love عَطِشthirsty
لاحَ بَرقٌ هَمُّ مَشعوفٍ عَطِش
When Salma smiles, revealing crystal-white teeth,
Lightning gleams, the desire of a thirsty, love-stricken man.
حُرَّةُpure الحُسنِin beauty رَخيمٌsoft صَوتُهاher voice
حُرَّةُ الحُسنِ رَخيمٌ صَوتُها
رُطَبٌripe dates تَجنيهِgathers them كَفُّthe hand of المُنتَقِشthe choosy picker
رُطَبٌ تَجنيهِ كَفُّ المُنتَقِش
Pure in beauty, soft of voice,
Ripe dates gathered by the choosy picker's hand.
وَهيَand she فيin الدَجنِthe gloom إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) عونِقَتshe is embraced
وَهيَ في الدَجنِ إِذا ما عونِقَت
مُنيَةُthe wish of البَعلِthe husband وَهَمُّand the longing of المُفتَرِشthe bedfellow
مُنيَةُ البَعلِ وَهَمُّ المُفتَرِش
In the gloom, when she is embraced,
She is her husband's wish and her bedfellow's longing.
أَيُّهاO الساقيcupbearer سَقَتهُmay it water him مَزنَةٌa rain-cloud
أَيُّها الساقي سَقَتهُ مَزنَةٌ
مِنfrom رَبيعٍspringtime ذيhaving أَهاضيبَheavy downpours وَطَشand drizzle
مِن رَبيعٍ ذي أَهاضيبَ وَطَش
O cupbearer—may a rain-cloud water him—
From a spring of heavy downpours and drizzle:
إِمدَحِpraise الكَأسَthe cup وَمَنand whoever أَعمَلَهاputs it to use
إِمدَحِ الكَأسَ وَمَن أَعمَلَها
واهِجُand satirize قَوماًa people قَتَلوناkilled us بِالعَطَشwith thirst
واهِجُ قَوماً قَتَلونا بِالعَطَش
Praise the cup and whoever puts it to use,
And satirize those who killed us with thirst.
إِنَّماnothing but الكَأسُthe cup رَبيعٌspring باكِرٌearly
إِنَّما الكَأسُ رَبيعٌ باكِرٌ
فَإِذاand if ماever (emphatic) غابَdisappears عَنّاfrom us لَمnot نَعِشwe live
فَإِذا ما غابَ عَنّا لَم نَعِش
The cup is nothing but an early spring;
If it leaves us, we cannot live.
وَكَأَنَّand as though الشربَthe drinkers قَومٌa people مَوَّتواwere struck dead
وَكَأَنَّ الشربَ قَومٌ مَوَّتوا
مَنwhoever يَقُمrises مِنهُمamong them لِبَولٍto urinate يَرتَعِشtrembles
مَن يَقُم مِنهُم لِبَولٍ يَرتَعِش
The drinkers seem a people struck dead;
Whoever rises among them to urinate trembles.
خُرُسُmute الأَلسُنِof tongue مِمّاfrom what صابَهُمhas afflicted them
خُرُسُ الأَلسُنِ مِمّا صابَهُم
بَينَbetween مَصدوعٍone with a splitting headache وَصاحٍand a sober one مُنتَعِشrevived
بَينَ مَصدوعٍ وَصاحٍ مُنتَعِش
Their tongues are mute from what has struck them,
Some with splitting heads, some sobered and revived,
مِنfrom حُمَيّاthe fiery strength of قَرقَفٍshiver-inducing wine خُصِّيَّةٍKhussi
مِن حُمَيّا قَرقَفٍ خُصِّيَّةٍ
قَهوَةٍwine حَولِيَّةٍyear-old لَمnot تُمتَحَشhas been scorched
قَهوَةٍ حَولِيَّةٍ لَم تُمتَحَش
From the fiery strength of shiver-inducing Khussi wine,
Year-old wine that has never been scorched.
فَهيَso it is صافٍclear لَونُهاits color مُبيَضَّةٌpale-white
فَهيَ صافٍ لَونُها مُبيَضَّةٌ
آلَhas settled مِنهاof it فيin خَوابٍwine-jars لَمnot تُغَشhas been adulterated
آلَ مِنها في خَوابٍ لَم تُغَش
Its color is clear, pale-white;
What has settled of it in jars is unadulterated.
يَنفَعُbenefits المَزكومَone with a cold مِنهاfrom it ريحُهاits fragrance
يَنفَعُ المَزكومَ مِنها ريحُها
ثُمَّthen تَشفيcures داءَهُhis ailment إِنif لَمnot تُنَشhas been boiled
ثُمَّ تَشفي داءَهُ إِن لَم تُنَش
Its fragrance benefits one with a cold,
Then cures his ailment, if it has not been boiled.
وَتَرَخّيand relaxes بالَthe mind of مَنwhoever يَشرَبُهاdrinks it
وَتَرَخّي بالَ مَن يَشرَبُها
وَيُفَدّىand is offered ransom كَرمَهاits vine عِندَat التَجَشbelching
وَيُفَدّى كَرمَها عِندَ التَجَش
It eases the mind of whoever drinks it,
And at each belch its vine is honored with vows of ransom.
وَهيَand as for it مَنwhoever يَطعَمُهاtastes it يَشحذgrows eager لَهاfor it
وَهيَ مَن يَطعَمُها يَشحذ لَها
يُنفِقُspends الأَموالَwealth فيهاon it كُلُّevery هَشcheerful man
يُنفِقُ الأَموالَ فيها كُلُّ هَش
Whoever tastes it has his appetite whetted for it;
Every cheerful man spends his wealth on it.
وَبَنوand the sons of شيبانShayban حَوليaround me مِنهُمُamong them
وَبَنو شيبان حَولي مِنهُمُ
حِلَقٌcircles غُلبٌstout and strong وَلَيسَتand are not بِالقَمَشrabble at all
حِلَقٌ غُلبٌ وَلَيسَت بِالقَمَش
The sons of Shayban surround me; among them are
Circles of stout men, not mere rabble.
زادَincreased شيبانَShayban وَأَثرىand enriched زَرعَهاits crops
زادَ شيبانَ وَأَثرى زَرعَها
آبِرُthe pollinator of الزَرعِcrops وَعيشٌand a life غَيرُnot عَشmeager
آبِرُ الزَرعِ وَعيشٌ غَيرُ عَش
Shayban was increased, its crops enriched,
By the crop-pollinator and a life not meager.
وَرَدواthey came to the watering-place of المَجدَglory وَكانواand they were أَهلَهُits rightful folk
وَرَدوا المَجدَ وَكانوا أَهلَهُ
فَرَوَواand they drank their fill وَالمَجدُwhile glory عافٍabundant لَمnot يَنِشdries up
فَرَوَوا وَالمَجدُ عافٍ لَم يَنِش
They came to glory's watering-place, being its rightful folk,
And drank their fill; glory was abundant, not dried up.
وَهِيَand it is الشُدقُthe broad-mouthed orators إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) اِستُنطِقَتwas asked to speak
وَهِيَ الشُدقُ إِذا ما اِستُنطِقَت
أَبلَغَتspoke eloquently فيin كُلِّevery فَنٍart لَمnot تَكِشfaltered
أَبلَغَت في كُلِّ فَنٍ لَم تَكِش
They are broad-mouthed orators: whenever asked to speak,
They speak eloquently in every art, never faltering.
وَتَرىand you see الخَيلَthe horses لَدىbeside أَبياتِهِمtheir tents
وَتَرى الخَيلَ لَدى أَبياتِهِم
كُلَّevery جَرداءَsleek mare وَساجِيٍّand a steady-gaited steed هَمِشlively
كُلَّ جَرداءَ وَساجِيٍّ هَمِش
You see horses beside their tents,
Every sleek mare and steady, lively steed.
لَيسَthere is no فيin الأَلوانِthe colors مِنهاof them هُجنَةٌblemish
لَيسَ في الأَلوانِ مِنها هُجنَةٌ
بَلَقُpiebaldness الغُثرِof drab-colored beasts وَلاnor عَيبُthe flaw of بَرَشspeckling
بَلَقُ الغُثرِ وَلا عَيبُ بَرَش
Their colors bear no blemish:
No dingy piebald patches, no faulty speckling.
يَتَجاوَبنَthey answer one another صَهيلاًwith neighs فيin الدُجىthe darkness
يَتَجاوَبنَ صَهيلاً في الدُجى
أِرِناتٍspirited بَينَranging between صَلصالٍringing voices وَجُشand hoarse voices
أِرِناتٍ بَينَ صَلصالٍ وَجُش
They answer one another with neighs in the dark,
Spirited, with voices both ringing and hoarse.
فَبِهاso on them يَحوونَthey seize أَموالَthe wealth of العِداthe enemies
فَبِها يَحوونَ أَموالَ العِدا
وَيَصيدونَand they hunt عَلَيهاon them كُلَّevery وَحشwild beast
وَيَصيدونَ عَلَيها كُلَّ وَحش
On them they seize their enemies' wealth,
And on them hunt every wild beast,
دَمِيَتwere bloodied أَكفالُهits hindquarters مِنby طَعنِهِمtheir thrusts
دَمِيَت أَكفالُه مِن طَعنِهِم
بِالرُدَينِيّاتِwith Rudayni spears وَالخَيلِand the horses النَجُشdriven in pursuit
بِالرُدَينِيّاتِ وَالخَيلِ النَجُش
Its hindquarters bloodied by their thrusts
With Rudayni spears and pursuing horses.
وَهُمُand they فيin الحَربِwar لَمّاwhen زاحَفواadvanced
وَهُمُ في الحَربِ لَمّا زاحَفوا
بَينَbetween خَيلَينِtwo cavalry forces بِزَحفٍwith an advance مُنتَغِشseething
بَينَ خَيلَينِ بِزَحفٍ مُنتَغِش
In war, when they advance,
Between two cavalry forces in a seething charge,
نُنهِلُwe give a first draught to الخطيّKhatti spears منfrom أعدائناour enemies
نُنهِلُ الخطيّ من أعدائنا
ثُمَّthen نَفريwe cleave الهامَskulls إِنif لَمnot نَفتَرشwe lay them low
ثُمَّ نَفري الهامَ إِن لَم نَفتَرش
We give Khatti spears their first draught from our enemies,
Then cleave skulls, unless we have laid them low,
بِأَكُفٍّwith hands لَقِحَتbecame fruitful لَمّاwhen سَمَتrose
بِأَكُفٍّ لَقِحَت لَمّا سَمَت
بِسُيوفٍwith swords رَبَعِيّاتٍRaba‘i بُهُشeager to strike
بِسُيوفٍ رَبَعِيّاتٍ بُهُش
With hands that became fruitful when raised
With eager Raba‘i swords.
فَبِهاso with them تَسموrise إِذاwhen التَجَswells الوَغىbattle's clamor
فَبِها تَسمو إِذا التَجَ الوَغى
عاضِباتٍcutting down كُلَّevery قِرنٍrival لِلكُبَشof the battle-rams
عاضِباتٍ كُلَّ قِرنٍ لِلكُبَش
With them hands rise when battle's clamor swells,
Cutting down every rival of the battle-rams.
وَإِذاand when الإِبلُthe camels مِنَfrom المَحلِdrought غَدَتhave become
وَإِذا الإِبلُ مِنَ المَحلِ غَدَت
وَهيَwhile they فيin أَعيُنِهاtheir eyes مِثلُlike العَمَشblearedness
وَهيَ في أَعيُنِها مِثلُ العَمَش
And when drought has left the camels
With eyes as though bleared and dim,
حُسَّرَbare الأَوبارِof hair مَمّاfrom what لَقِيَتthey endured
حُسَّرَ الأَوبارِ مَمّا لَقِيَت
مِنfrom سَحابٍclouds صافَveered away عَنهاfrom them لَمnot يُرِشsprinkled rain
مِن سَحابٍ صافَ عَنها لَم يُرِش
Bare of hair from what they have endured
From clouds that veered away, shedding no rain,
خُسَّفَsunken الأَعيُنِof eye تَرعىthey graze جُوفَةًa hollow tract
خُسَّفَ الأَعيُنِ تَرعى جُوفَةً
هَمَدَتlay flat أَوبارُهاtheir hair لَمnot تَنتَفِشfluff up
هَمَدَت أَوبارُها لَم تَنتَفِش
Sunken-eyed, grazing a hollow tract,
Their hair lying flat, no longer fluffed,
وَأَماتَand killed المَحلُdrought مِنamong حَيّاتِهِits snakes
وَأَماتَ المَحلُ مِن حَيّاتِهِ
جاحِراتٍburrowed كُلَّevery أَفعىviper وَحَنَشand serpent
جاحِراتٍ كُلَّ أَفعى وَحَنَش
And drought has killed off its snakes,
Every burrowed viper and serpent,
قَتَلَit killed الضَبَّthe spiny-tailed lizard فَأَودىand killed it off هَزلُهُits emaciation
قَتَلَ الضَبَّ فَأَودى هَزلُهُ
لَيسَit does not يُبديshow ذَنَباًa tail لِلمُحتَرِشto the lizard-hunter
لَيسَ يُبدي ذَنَباً لِلمُحتَرِش
It has killed the spiny-tailed lizard, wasted to death,
Which shows no tail to the lizard-hunter:
فَهُمso they فيهاamid it مَخاصيبُwell provisioned إِذاwhen
فَهُم فيها مَخاصيبُ إِذا
لَمnot يَكُنthere is حَشوٌfood to fill the belly لِمَنfor whoever لاdoes not يَحتَنِشhunt snakes
لَم يَكُن حَشوٌ لِمَن لا يَحتَنِش
They have plenty amid it, even when
No food remains for one who will not hunt snakes.
نَنعِشُwe revive العافيthe suppliant وَمَنand whoever لاذَsought refuge بِناwith us
نَنعِشُ العافي وَمَن لاذَ بِنا
بِسِجالٍwith brimming buckets جِئنَthat came مِنfrom أَيديhands نُعُشsustaining
بِسِجالٍ جِئنَ مِن أَيدي نُعُش
We revive the suppliant and whoever seeks refuge with us,
With brimming buckets coming from sustaining hands.
وَنَغَدّىand we feed breakfast to الضَيفَthe guest مِنfrom شَحمِthe fat of الذُرىhumps
وَنَغَدّى الضَيفَ مِن شَحمِ الذُرى
مِنfrom سَديفٍchunks of camel-fat مُشبِعٍsatisfying مِنهُby it نُعَشwe are sustained
مِن سَديفٍ مُشبِعٍ مِنهُ نُعَش
We breakfast our guest on the fat of humps,
On satisfying lumps of fat, by which we are sustained.
وَهُمُand they إِنif يَختَرِشsolicits أَموالَهُمtheir wealth
وَهُمُ إِن يَختَرِش أَموالَهُم
سائِلٌa beggar يَملونَthey fill كَفَّthe hand of المُختَرِشthe solicitor
سائِلٌ يَملونَ كَفَّ المُختَرِش
And if their wealth is solicited
By a beggar, they fill the solicitor's hand,
مِنfrom مَهارىMahri camels رِحلَةٍfit for journeys يُعطونَهاthey give them
مِن مَهارى رِحلَةٍ يُعطونَها
بَينَranging between مَخشوشٍa nose-pegged camel وَعَنسٍand a sturdy she-camel لَمnot تُخَشhas been nose-pierced
بَينَ مَخشوشٍ وَعَنسٍ لَم تُخَش
Giving Mahri camels fit for journeys,
Some nose-pegged, some sturdy she-camels unpierced.
ذاكَthat قَوليmy word وَثَنائيand my praise وَهُمُand they
ذاكَ قَولي وَثَنائي وَهُمُ
أَهلُthe people of وُدّيmy affection خالِصٌpure فيin غَيرِthe absence of غِشdeceit
أَهلُ وُدّي خالِصٌ في غَيرِ غِش
That is my word and my praise; and they
Are those I love, with pure affection and no deceit.
فَسَلواso ask شيبانَShayban إِنif فارَقتُهاI leave it
فَسَلوا شيبانَ إِن فارَقتُها
يَومَon the day يَمشونَthey walk إِلىto قَبريmy grave بِنَعشwith a bier
يَومَ يَمشونَ إِلى قَبري بِنَعش
Ask Shayban, then, if I leave it,
On the day they walk to my grave with a bier:
هَلdid غَشِيناwe violate مَحرَماًa sanctity مِنamong قَومِناour people
هَل غَشِينا مَحرَماً مِن قَومِنا
أَوor جَزَيناwe repaid جازِياًone who repays فُحشاًfoulness بِفُحشwith foulness
أَو جَزَينا جازِياً فُحشاً بِفُحش
Did we violate any sanctity among our people,
Or answer someone's foul treatment with foul treatment?
Sol 6.1