تَرحَّلَdeparted إخوانيmy companions بعقليwith my reason إننيindeed I
تَرحَّلَ إخواني بعقلي إنني
تكلفَbecame enamored قلبيmy heart كُلُّevery جارٍneighbor لجاوِرُهfor his neighbor
تكلفَ قلبي كُلُّ جارٍ لجاوِرُه
My companions departed, carrying off my reason; truly,
My brethren journeyed in my mind, for every neighbor
my heart has become enamored—each neighbor with his neighbor.
My heart obliged itself to befriend.
وأرَّقَنيand kept me sleepless ماwhat لاnot يزالُceases يروقنيdelights me
وأرَّقَني ما لا يزالُ يروقني
غَزالُa gazelle اناسِof a people قاصِرُrestraining الطَّرفِthe gaze فاتِرُهُlanguid in it
غَزالُ اناسِ قاصِرُ الطَّرفِ فاتِرُهُ
What never ceases to delight me has kept me sleepless:
And I was vexed by what still vexes me,
a gazelle among people, modest and languid in gaze.
A gazelle with bashful, languid eyes.
لهfor him مستظلٌa shaded refuge بارِدٌcool فيin مخدَّرِa curtained chamber
له مستظلٌ بارِدٌ في مخدَّرِ
كنينٍsheltered إذاwhen شَعبانُSha'ban أحمَتgrew fiercely hot هَواجِرُهits noonday heats
كنينٍ إذا شَعبانُ أحمَت هَواجِرُه
That gazelle has a cool, shaded place in a curtained chamber,
For him is a cool, shaded refuge in the protected
sheltered when Sha'ban's noonday heats blaze.
Depths, when the hot months come and bake its sands;
بعينيكin your eyes تنظارٌpersistent gazing الىtoward كُلِّevery هَودَجِhowdah
بعينيك تنظارٌ الى كُلِّ هَودَجِ
وكلِّand every بَشيرِradiant الوَجهِof face حُرٍّnoble مسافِرُهits unveiled features
وكلِّ بَشيرِ الوَجهِ حُرٍّ مسافِرُه
Your eyes gaze intently toward every howdah,
With your eyes you glance at each lovely roe
and every radiant face with noble, unveiled features.
And every free man with a radiant face journeying abroad,
تراهyou see it وماand not تَسطيعُهُyou have power over it غيرexcept أنَّهthat it
تراه وما تَسطيعُهُ غير أنَّه
يكونُbecomes علىupon ذيone possessing الحلمِjudgment داءًa sickness يُخامِرُهpervading him
يكونُ على ذي الحلمِ داءً يُخامِرُه
You see it but have no power over it; yet it
You see him, though you cannot have him save that
becomes a sickness that pervades a man of judgment.
He remains a sickness latent in a man of patience.
إذاwhen تاقَyearned قَلبيmy heart أوor تطرَّبَهُstirred it to rapture الهوىdesire
إذا تاقَ قَلبي أو تطرَّبَهُ الهوى
فليستso there is no لهfor it بُقياrestraint ولاand not الحِلمُreason زاجرُهrestraining it
فليست له بُقيا ولا الحِلمُ زاجرُه
When my heart yearns, or desire stirs it to rapture,
When my heart pines or passion disturbs it,
it has no restraint, nor does reason check it.
It has no restraining today nor patience holding it back.
عصىdefied كُلَّevery ناهٍone forbidding وآستَبَدَّand acted independently بأمرِهِin its own affairs
عصى كُلَّ ناهٍ وآستَبَدَّ بأمرِهِ
فماso not هوit الاexcept كالعَشِيرِlike a close companion تُؤامِرُهyou confer with him
فما هو الا كالعَشِيرِ تُؤامِرُه
It defies every forbidding voice and takes sole charge of its affairs;
It disobeyed each deterrent and insisted on its own way,
it is only like a close companion with whom you confer.
So it was like a kinswoman concocting intrigues.
وكَأسٍand a cup تَمشّىcourses فيthrough العِظامِthe bones سبيئةٍpurchased wine
وكَأسٍ تَمشّى في العِظامِ سبيئةٍ
منof الرَّاحِwine تعلوrises above الماءَthe water حتىuntil تكاثِرهrivals it in abundance
من الرَّاحِ تعلو الماءَ حتى تكاثِره
And a cup of purchased wine, coursing through the bones,
It was a wine-cup, moving about bones whitened
wine that rises above the water until it rivals it in abundance,
By the winds, raising up water till it was troubled.
كميتٍdark-red wine إذاwhen ماemphatic particle شَجَّهاdiluted it الماءthe water صَرَّحَتrevealed
كميتٍ إذا ما شَجَّها الماء صَرَّحَت
ذخائِرَtreasures حانيٍّof a vintner عليهاover it يناذِرُهhe warns him off
ذخائِرَ حانيٍّ عليها يناذِرُه
dark red—when water dilutes it, it reveals
Like a tent, when the water splits its seams,
a vintner's treasures, which he guards jealously.
Laying bare the stores of a vintner who reproves it:
فجاءَso he brought بهاit بَعدَafter الإباءِrefusal وَبَعدَماand after
فجاءَ بها بَعدَ الإباءِ وَبَعدَما
بذلناwe paid لهhim ماwhat آستامَdemanded as a price فيin السَّومِthe bargaining تاجِرُهits dealer
بذلنا له ما آستامَ في السَّومِ تاجِرُه
He brought it after refusing, and after
Then after refusing and holding back it brought us
we paid him what its dealer demanded in bargaining.
Together after we had offered all we owned as her price.
شَرِبتُI drank وفتيانand young men كجنَّةِlike the jinn of عَبقَرٍAbqar
شَرِبتُ وفتيان كجنَّةِ عَبقَرٍ
كرامnoble اذاwhen ماemphatic particle الأمرُthe affair أَعيَتproved baffling جرائرُهُits repercussions
كرام اذا ما الأمرُ أَعيَت جرائرُهُ
I drank it with young men like the jinn of Abqar,
I drank it down, and so did lads like houris in the pavilions of Eden,
noble when an affair's repercussions prove baffling.
Noble, when a matter tries men's endurance.
فَقُلتُso I said اشرَبواdrink حيّاكمmay He give you life اللهُGod واسبقواand forestall
فَقُلتُ اشرَبوا حيّاكم اللهُ واسبقوا
عواذِلَناour reproachers منهاfrom it بريّwith a thirst-quenching draught نُباكِرُهwe take it early
عواذِلَنا منها بريّ نُباكِرُه
I said, "Drink—may God give you life—and forestall
And I said, "Drink. God give you life. Outdo
our reproachers with an early, thirst-quenching draught of it."
Our girls today." And when we were happy and it had circled amongst us,
فلماthen when انتَشيناwe grew tipsy واستدارَتand it whirled بهامِناin our heads
فلما انتَشينا واستدارَت بهامِنا
وقلناand we said اكتفيناwe have had enough بَعدًَafter عَفقِrepeated draughts نُظاهِرُهwe repeat it
وقلنا اكتفينا بَعدًَ عَفقِ نُظاهِرُه
Then, when we grew tipsy and it whirled in our heads,
And we said, "We have had enough, the traces are apparent,"
and we said, "Enough," after draughts piled one upon another,
And set off slowly leading our mounts by the halter,
وَرُحناand we departed أُصَيلالاًin late afternoon نَجُرُّwe trail ذُيُولَناour hems
وَرُحنا أُصَيلالاً نَجُرُّ ذُيُولَنا
بأنعمِin the most delightful لَيلٍnight قدalready تَطَاوَلَlengthened آخِرُهُits final part
بأنعمِ لَيلٍ قد تَطَاوَلَ آخِرُهُ
we departed in late afternoon, trailing our hems,
In the blessing of a night whose latter part stretched out,
through the loveliest night, whose final hours stretched long.
And the riding-beasts were girded to the saddle-bags as though they were
وَشَدَّand he fastened المطاياthe riding camels بالرِّحالِwith saddles كأنهاas though they were
وَشَدَّ المطايا بالرِّحالِ كأنها
قطاًsandgrouse قلَّgrew scarce عنهُfor it الماءُthe water صفرٌempty غَرائِرُهits crops
قطاً قلَّ عنهُ الماءُ صفرٌ غَرائِرُه
And he fastened saddles on the riding camels, as though they were
Wildcats from which the water had been withheld, so that their offspring were yellow,
sandgrouse with little water, their crops empty.
Polished the smooth pommels, striking the pebbles, what time their driving-camels rested,
يعارضُcrosses بَرّاقَgleaming المُتونthe ridges موقِّعاًalighting
يعارضُ بَرّاقَ المُتون موقِّعاً
رضيضَcrushed الحصاgravel ماnot إنemphatic particle تنامُsleep سوافِرُهits watchful eyes
رضيضَ الحصا ما إن تنامُ سوافِرُه
They cross the gleaming ridges, alighting
The open country twists, and the twisting is straight in every track,
on crushed gravel; their watchful eyes never sleep.
When the guide betakes himself onwards and urges his beast to keep pace.
تَعوجُbend البرىthe nose-rings والجُدلُand twisted reins فيon كلevery رسلَةٍeasy-paced she-camel
تَعوجُ البرى والجُدلُ في كل رسلَةٍ
إذاwhen كمشَhastened الحاديthe camel-driver استحثَّتshe quickened تُبادِرُهshe races ahead of him
إذا كمشَ الحادي استحثَّت تُبادِرُه
Nose-rings and twisted reins bend on every easy-paced camel;
The saddle-cloths covered them; and the trailing distant one runs as though it were
when the driver hurries, she quickens, racing ahead of him.
The chemise of a girl whose waist-wrapper had slipped down from her breasts.
طَواهاwore her lean السُّرىnight travel فالنِسعُso the girth-strap يجريslips كأنّهas though it were
طَواها السُّرى فالنِسعُ يجري كأنّه
وِشاحُa sash فتاةٍof a girl دقgrew slender عَنهaway from it مخاصِرُهits flanks
وِشاحُ فتاةٍ دق عَنه مخاصِرُه
Night travel has worn her lean; the girth-strap slips as though it were
She seeks increase of her trailing skirts with her breast,
a girl's sash, with the flanks grown too slender for it.
When the day takes refuge in the shade and meets it.
تَزَيَّدُshe presses farther فيinto فَضلِthe slack العنانof the rein بصَدرِهاwith her chest
تَزَيَّدُ في فَضلِ العنان بصَدرِها
إذاwhen اليومَby day عاذَتsought refuge بالظلالِin the shade يعافِرُهits tawny fawns
إذا اليومَ عاذَت بالظلالِ يعافِرُه
She takes up the slack of the rein with her chest,
So he kept challenging her, like pillar-traces of high-built arches
when, by day, tawny fawns seek refuge in the shade.
Whose stumps crumbled when their summits broke away.
فَظَلَّso they kept on يُباريهاkeeping pace with her سَمامُtall camels كأنهاas though they were
فَظَلَّ يُباريها سَمامُ كأنها
عواليhigh poles عروشٍof trellises قدalready حَنَتهُbent it أواسِرُهits lashings
عوالي عروشٍ قد حَنَتهُ أواسِرُه
Then tall camels kept pace with her, as though they were
And every warrior was a turban on the head, from that with which
high trellis poles, bent by their lashings.
His claws had clothed it when he was turbulent.
وُكلُّand every صهابيٍّtawny camel كانَthere was عمامَةًa turban
وُكلُّ صهابيٍّ كانَ عمامَةً
علىupon الرَّأسِthe head مماfrom what قدalready كَسَتهُhad covered it مشافِرُهits lips
على الرَّأسِ مما قد كَسَتهُ مشافِرُه
And every tawny camel had a turban
For I am forgetful in my youth, and my journeying is not by
on its head, formed from the froth its lips had spread there.
Any riding-beast, and my life will not be prolonged.
فإنيfor I نفيسٌeager فيfor الشَّبابِyouth ورحلةُand the journey of الthe
فإني نفيسٌ في الشَّبابِ ورحلةُ ال
مطيِّriding camels وبعضُand some العَيشِof life تعدىpass by مياسِرُهits comforts
مطيِّ وبعضُ العَيشِ تعدى مياسِرُه
For I am eager for youth and journeys on the
And verily the backs of excellent horses are our vehicles every day over the land,
riding camels; some of life's comforts pass one by,
Displaying our deserts to each man of past days and present.
وفيand for صالحاتِfine ones الخَيلof the horses إنَّindeed ظهورَهاtheir backs
وفي صالحاتِ الخَيل إنَّ ظهورَها
مراكبُناour mounts فيon كلِّevery يومٍday نغاوِرُهُwe raid on it
مراكبُنا في كلِّ يومٍ نغاوِرُهُ
and for fine horses; indeed, their backs
There is none left of the living, but some heavily-laden
are our mounts on every day we raid.
Arab of Rabī'ah, and their migrant kinsmen.
تُكَشِّرُbare their teeth باديناour nomads علىagainst كلِّevery منone who بداventured into the desert
تُكَشِّرُ بادينا على كلِّ من بدا
قديماًof old واغنىand proved effective مثلَlike ذلكthat حاضِرةthe settled folk
قديماً واغنى مثلَ ذلك حاضِرة
Our nomads bare their teeth at all who venture into the desert,
And we are a people; you will not see the people resort
as of old; the settled folk have likewise proved their worth.
More quickly to our abodes than their thoughts come to them.
فليسso there is no منamong الأحياءِthe tribes إِلاexcept مُسوِّدٌone making a lord of
فليس من الأحياءِ إِلا مُسوِّدٌ
ربيعةَRabi'ah أعرابيُّهُits Bedouin ومهاجِرُهand its emigrant
ربيعةَ أعرابيُّهُ ومهاجِرُه
There is no tribe but makes a lord of
When the tic sets moving the diseased part of its body,
Rabi'ah—its Bedouin and its emigrant alike.
And its salient fangs gape, it is bereft of milk.
ونحنand we أُناسٌa people لاnot ترىyou see الناسَothers اقرمواthey put forward a bull
ونحن أُناسٌ لا ترى الناسَ اقرموا
إِلىagainst قَرمِناour bull camel قَرماًa bull camel يجيءُcoming بِخاطِرُهto his mind
إِلى قَرمِنا قَرماً يجيءُ بِخاطِرُه
We are a people; you will not see others setting up
When war was stirred up for the ascent, they did not find
against our bull camel a bull that even crosses his mind.
For us a side to climb by save the side that endured us.
اذاwhen ماemphatic particle سماhe rises بَذَّoutstrips القورمَthe bull camels جرانُهhis lower neck
اذا ما سما بَذَّ القورمَ جرانُه
ومهاand whatever تصبstrike انيابُهhis fangs فهوَthen he عاقِرُهhamstrings it
ومها تصب انيابُه فهوَ عاقِرُه
When he rises, his neck towers above the other bull camels,
We obey and rebel, according to whether that is
and whatever his fangs strike, he hamstrings.
Our commander, though we are not always agreeing with him,
اذاwhen الحربُwar شالتraised her tail للتسَّلقُحfor mating لمnot تجدyou find
اذا الحربُ شالت للتسَّلقُح لم تجد
لناof ours جانباa flank إِلاexcept بهِin it مَنsomeone who يُصابرُهstands firm against him
لنا جانبا إِلا بهِ مَن يُصابرُه
When war raises her tail for mating, you will not find
And man does not know the unseen before he sees
a flank of ours without someone who stands firm against it.
It, nor the matter before its consequences reveal it.
نُطيعُwe obey وَنعصيand we disobey كلَّboth ذاكthat أميرَناour commander
نُطيعُ وَنعصي كلَّ ذاك أميرَنا
وماand not كلَّevery حينtime لاnot نزالُwe cease نشاورُهwe consult him
وما كلَّ حين لا نزالُ نشاورُه
We obey and disobey our commander—both alike;
we do not keep consulting him at every turn.
وماand not يَعلمُknows الغيبَthe unseen امرؤٌa man قبلَbefore أنthat يَرىhe sees
وما يَعلمُ الغيبَ امرؤٌ قبلَ أن يَرى
ولاand not الأمرthe affair حتىuntil تُستبانَbecome clear دوابِرُهits outcomes
ولا الأمر حتى تُستبانَ دوابِرُه
No man knows the unseen before he sees,
nor an affair until its outcomes become clear.
Partial English translation: 56 of 60 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1