بِذَاتِat Dhat الدُّخنِal-Dukhn (place-name) أدوِرَةٌdwellings بَوَالِworn away
بِذَاتِ الدُّخنِ أدوِرَةٌ بَوَالِ
مَصُونُrestrained الدَّمعِtears فِيهَاthere ذُوmarked by إنهمَالِstreaming
مَصُونُ الدَّمعِ فِيهَا ذُو إنهمَالِ
At Dhat al-Dukhn stand worn-away dwellings;
With smoky ruins and abandoned dwellings
There, tears once held in check stream freely.
Where tears are guarded and sorrow concealed
دَيَارٌabodes بَعدَafter سَاكِنِهَاtheir inhabitant عَفَتهَاeffaced them
دَيَارٌ بَعدَ سَاكِنِهَا عَفَتهَا
مُسَاجَلَةُthe rivalry الجُنُوبُthe south wind مَعَwith الشَّمَالِthe north wind
مُسَاجَلَةُ الجُنُوبُ مَعَ الشَّمَالِ
Abodes, their dwellers gone, effaced by
A home abandoned by its dwellers retains its honor
The south wind's contest with the north,
While south and north winds battle
ومَرُّand the passage الرَّامِسَاتِdust-burying winds وكُلٌand every جَونٍdark cloud
ومَرُّ الرَّامِسَاتِ وكُلٌ جَونٍ
منfrom الجَوزَاءِal-Jawza (a constellation) مُنطَلِقَunleashed العَزَالِىthe rain-spouts
من الجَوزَاءِ مُنطَلِقَ العَزَالِى
And the passage of dust-burying winds, and every dark cloud
And predawn songbirds depart
From al-Jawza, its rain-spouts unleashed.
From the starry sky at dawn's first light
بِهَاthere مَنof آيِهَاtheir traces لَمdid not يَبقَremain إِلاَّexcept
بِهَا مَن آيِهَا لَم يَبقَ إِلاَّ
رَمَادٌashes مِثلُlike كُحلِkohl العَينِthe eye بَالِfaded
رَمَادٌ مِثلُ كُحلِ العَينِ بَالِ
There, nothing of their traces remains but
Of its vestiges remains
Faded ashes, like kohl upon the eye,
Only ashes like kohl on the eye's rim
وَسفعٌand blackened hearthstones كَالحَمَائِمِlike doves خَالِدَاتٍenduring
وَسفعٌ كَالحَمَائِمِ خَالِدَاتٍ
مُنَاخَاتٍcrouched ونُؤىٌand a tent-trench كَالهِلاَلِlike a crescent
مُنَاخَاتٍ ونُؤىٌ كَالهِلاَلِ
And blackened hearthstones, abiding like doves,
And a trace like the lasting marks of doves
Crouched low, and a tent-ditch like a crescent.
On their nesting places and crescent dunes
دَيَارٌabodes عَافِيَاتٌeffaced عُوِّضَتwere given in exchange مِنin place of
دَيَارٌ عَافِيَاتٌ عُوِّضَت مِن
أوَانِسِmaidens عِينِهَاtheir wide-eyed ones خَيطَa train الرِّئَالِostrich chicks
أوَانِسِ عِينِهَا خَيطَ الرِّئَالِ
Desolate abodes, given in place of
A home compensated for its consoling friends
Their wide-eyed maidens a train of ostrich chicks.
With threads of ephemeral visions
وأذيَالُand the trailing skirts الرَّوَامِسِof dust-burying winds عُوِّضَتهَاwere given to them in exchange
وأذيَالُ الرَّوَامِسِ عُوِّضَتهَا
مِنin place of أذيَالٍبskirts (stray final ب) لِرَبَّاتِbelonging to the ladies الحِجَالِthe curtained chambers
مِن أذيَالٍب لِرَبَّاتِ الحِجَالِ
And the skirts of dust-burying winds were given them
And the train of gazelles compensated
In place of skirts belonging to ladies of curtained chambers.
With the tails of lionesses on the prowl
دِيَارٌabodes بُعدَin the absence of أسمَاءَAsma اضمَحَلَّتfaded away
دِيَارٌ بُعدَ أسمَاءَ اضمَحَلَّت
وأمسَand became (apparently أمسى) لَهُوُهَاtheir merriment رَنقَthe murkiness of الزُّلاَلِclear water
وأمسَ لَهُوُهَا رَنقَ الزُّلاَلِ
Abodes that faded in Asma's absence;
A home whose names have faded
And their joy became the murk of once-clear water.
And whose beauty has shed the adornment of freshness
عَرُوبٌloving تَستِيكَcaptivates you (apparently تستبيك) بِذِىwith something possessing غَرُوبٍsharp edges (of teeth)
عَرُوبٌ تَستِيكَ بِذِى غَرُوبٍ
يَحَاكِىresembles لَونُهُits color شَوكَthe thorns السَّيَالِthe sayal acacia
يَحَاكِى لَونُهُ شَوكَ السَّيَالِ
A loving woman captivates you with sharp-edged teeth,
Where the dusk resembles in its redness
Whose color resembles the thorns of the sayal acacia,
The thorns of the siyaal
وَوَجهٍand a face يُخجِلُshames القَمَرَينِthe sun and moon نُوراًin radiance
وَوَجهٍ يُخجِلُ القَمَرَينِ نُوراً
وفَرعٍand hair فَاحِمٍcoal-black وَحفٍthick جَفَالِluxuriant
وفَرعٍ فَاحِمٍ وَحفٍ جَفَالِ
And a face whose radiance shames the sun and moon,
An Arab of arresting beauty
And coal-black hair, thick and luxuriant.
With a face whose light shames the two moons
فَمَاso ... not يَحكِىmatches الغَزَالُthe gazelle الجِيدَthe neck مَنهَاof her
فَمَا يَحكِى الغَزَالُ الجِيدَ مَنهَا
وعَينَيهَاand her two eyes ولاَnor أُمُّthe mother الغَزَالِthe gazelle
وعَينَيهَا ولاَ أُمُّ الغَزَالِ
So no gazelle matches her neck,
And intense dark eyes and a delicate neck
Or her eyes—not even the gazelle's mother.
That the most elegant gazelle cannot describe
فَدَعso leave ذِكرَthe mention of الدِّيَارِthe abodes وذِكرَand the mention of أسمَاAsma
فَدَع ذِكرَ الدِّيَارِ وذِكرَ أسمَا
وَيمِّمand turn toward مَدحَpraising مَنthose who حَازُواattained المَعَالِىthe heights of honor
وَيمِّم مَدحَ مَن حَازُوا المَعَالِى
So leave talk of the abodes and of Asma,
So cease remembering homes and names
And turn to praising those who attained the heights.
And praise those who have attained glory
هُمُthey الأسيَادُthe lords أقمَارُmoons الدَّيَاجِىdark nights
هُمُ الأسيَادُ أقمَارُ الدَّيَاجِى
إِضَاضُrefuges النَّاسِthe people فيin الأُزُمِhardships الطِّوَالِprolonged
إِضَاضُ النَّاسِ في الأُزُمِ الطِّوَالِ
They are the lords, the moons of darkest nights,
They are the luminous moons in dark nights
The people's refuge through prolonged hardships.
Bringing light when calamities befall people
وهُمand they فيin المَحلِdrought لِلأنَامِfor humankind غَيثٌrain
وهُم في المَحلِ لِلأنَامِ غَيثٌ
وهُمand they تِرسُa shield المُلِمَّاتِcalamities الثِّقَألِheavy
وهُم تِرسُ المُلِمَّاتِ الثِّقَألِ
And in drought they are rain for humankind,
They are in times of distress rains for the people
And they are a shield against heavy calamities.
And shields against overwhelming adversities
وهُمand they مَأوَىa refuge الأرَامِلِwidows واليَتَامَىand orphans
وهُم مَأوَى الأرَامِلِ واليَتَامَى
وهُمand they مُلقَىa resting place وَلِيَّاتِsaddle-pads الرِّحَالِcamel saddles
وهُم مُلقَى وَلِيَّاتِ الرِّحَالِ
And they are a refuge for widows and orphans,
They are the refuge of widows and orphans
And the resting place for camel-saddle pads.
And the goal of distant travelers
وهَمand they مَأوَىa refuge الجَنَاةِoffenders فَمَاso ... not تَرَاهُمyou see them
وهَم مَأوَى الجَنَاةِ فَمَا تَرَاهُم
عَنِfrom الجَانِينِoffenders مَالُواthey turned away مِنin any مُمَالِturning aside
عَنِ الجَانِينِ مَالُوا مِن مُمَالِ
And they are a refuge for offenders; you never see them
They are the asylum of offenders, never
Turning away from offenders in the slightest.
Turning away from those seeking respite
وَرَكبٌand a band of riders فَوقَupon أنضَاءٍworn-out mounts عِجَافٍlean
وَرَكبٌ فَوقَ أنضَاءٍ عِجَافٍ
بَرَاهَاwore them down النَّىَّfat إدمَانُceaseless persistence التَّغَالِيtraveling ever farther
بَرَاهَا النَّىَّ إدمَانُ التَّغَالِي
And riders upon worn-out, emaciated mounts,
A troop of riders on starving camels
Their fat stripped away by ceaseless far-ranging,
Whose emaciation betrays enduring hardship
تَرَاهَاyou see them فيin الحَنَادِسِpitch-dark nights سَابِحَاتٍswimming
تَرَاهَا في الحَنَادِسِ سَابِحَاتٍ
بِهُمwith them لُجَّthe depths الصَّفَاbarren flats (first fragment of الصفاصف) صِفِbarren flats (remaining fragment of الصفاصف) والرِّمَالِand the sands
بِهُم لُجَّ الصَّفَا صِفِ والرِّمَالِ
You see them swimming through the blackest nights,
You see them swimming in the sands
Bearing their riders through seas of barren flats and sand.
Joining the smooth expanse of dunes
فَمَاso ... not بَرِحَتcease تَجُوبُcross البِيدَthe wilderness حَتَّىuntil
فَمَا بَرِحَت تَجُوبُ البِيدَ حَتَّى
أنَاthey made them kneel (first fragment of أناخوها) خُوهَأthey made them kneel (remaining fragment of أناخوها) كأَمثَالِlike figures of السَّعَالِىfemale ghouls
أنَا خُوهَأ كأَمثَالِ السَّعَالِى
So they never ceased crossing the wilderness until
They roamed the deserts ceaselessly
They made them kneel, like so many female ghouls.
Until I feared that I would be one of the wretched
فَزُرهُمso visit them خَائِفاًafraid تَأمَنyou will be safe وزُرهُمand visit them
فَزُرهُم خَائِفاً تَأمَن وزُرهُم
لِفَقرٍbecause of poverty دَاهِمٍoverwhelming تُسعَفyou will be aided بِمَالِwith wealth
لِفَقرٍ دَاهِمٍ تُسعَف بِمَالِ
So visit them in fear and be safe; and visit them
Visit them apprehensively and you will be safe
In overwhelming poverty, and be aided with wealth.
When dire poverty befalls you, you will be aided
فَكَمso how many عَوصَاءَa knotty crisis قَدalready حَلَّتbefell وأعيَتand baffled
فَكَم عَوصَاءَ قَد حَلَّت وأعيَت
أتَتهُمcame to them فَأنثَنَتthen turned away شَمسَa sun زَوَالِin decline
أتَتهُم فَأنثَنَت شَمسَ زَوَالِ
How many a knotty crisis, besetting and baffling,
How often has their rope been cast to save
Came to them and receded like the declining sun.
Those who lost their way and almost perished
عَلَواrose above أعصَارَgenerations ذِىthese الأرضِينَlands طُرًّاall together
عَلَوا أعصَارَ ذِى الأرضِينَ طُرًّا
كَمَاas عَلَتِrose above الصُّوَىstone waymarks شُمُّlofty الجِبَالِmountains
كَمَا عَلَتِ الصُّوَى شُمُّ الجِبَالِ
They surpassed all generations of these lands,
They surmounted the storms of life
As lofty mountains tower above stone waymarks.
As mountain peaks rise above dwellings
فَكَمso how often سَهِرُواthey stayed awake اللَّيَالِىthe nights بِالغَوانيwith lovely women
فَكَم سَهِرُوا اللَّيَالِى بِالغَواني
وكَمand how often بِالدَّرسِin study قَدindeed سَهِرُواthey stayed awake اللَّيَالِىthe nights
وكَم بِالدَّرسِ قَد سَهِرُوا اللَّيَالِى
How many nights they stayed awake with lovely women,
How often they passed nights reciting poetry
And how many nights they stayed awake in study,
And nights studying and chanting verse
وكَمand how often سَهِرُواthey kept vigil بِإنشَادِby reciting القَوافيrhymed verses
وكَم سَهِرُوا بِإنشَادِ القَوافي
وكَأسَاتٍand cups كَلَونِlike the color of دَمِthe blood الغَزَالِthe gazelle
وكَأسَاتٍ كَلَونِ دَمِ الغَزَالِ
And how often they kept vigil reciting rhymes,
How often they passed nights drinking wine
And over cups the color of a gazelle's blood.
The color of gazelles' blood
وكَمand how many بَيدَاءَa wilderness فيin المَشتَاةِwinter جَابُواthey crossed
وكَم بَيدَاءَ في المَشتَاةِ جَابُوا
لِتَرto restore (first fragment of لترئيب) ئِيبِto restore (remaining fragment of لترئيب) الرِّمَامِwasted bones مِنَof الجِبَالِthe multitudes (reading uncertain)
لِتَر ئِيبِ الرِّمَامِ مِنَ الجِبَالِ
And how many a wilderness they crossed in winter,
How often they roamed the arid plains
To restore the wasted bones of the multitudes.
To hunt prey amidst the mountains
وكَمand how often جَابُواthey crossed التَّنَائِفَtrackless wastes فَوقَupon نُوقٍshe-camels
وكَم جَابُوا التَّنَائِفَ فَوقَ نُوقٍ
يَحَاكِىmatches عَدوُهَاtheir running عَدوَthe running of الرِّئَالِostrich chicks
يَحَاكِى عَدوُهَا عَدوَ الرِّئَالِ
And how often they crossed vast wastes upon she-camels,
How often they traversed the meadows
Whose running matches that of ostrich chicks.
On steeds racing like antelopes
وكَمand how often ضَرَبُواthey struck إِذَاwhen الأُرَبَىdire affliction أَلَمَّتbefell
وكَم ضَرَبُوا إِذَا الأُرَبَى أَلَمَّت
لِوَصلِfor union with الرُّودِthe tender maiden أكبَادَthe livers (figuratively, flanks) الجِمَالِthe camels
لِوَصلِ الرُّودِ أكبَادَ الجِمَالِ
And how often, when affliction beset them, they struck
How often when destiny pained
The camels' flanks to reach a tender maiden.
They joined to console the hearts of camels
غَدَتbecame أموَالُهُمtheir riches فيamong النَّاسِthe people نَهباًplunder
غَدَت أموَالُهُم في النَّاسِ نَهباً
وَبَاعُوهَاand bartered it بِأعرَاضٍfor reputations صِقَالِpolished
وَبَاعُوهَا بِأعرَاضٍ صِقَالِ
Their riches became plunder among the people,
Their wealth became the spoils of people
And they bartered it for shining honor.
As they sold it for their lost honor
وكَمand how many أحيَواthey brought to life وكَمand how many قَتَلُواthey killed نُفُوساًsouls
وكَم أحيَوا وكَم قَتَلُوا نُفُوساً
بِأشعَارٍwith verses كَمَنثُورِlike scattered اللاَّلِىpearls
بِأشعَارٍ كَمَنثُورِ اللاَّلِى
And how many souls they revived, and how many they slew,
How many lives they sustained, how many they took
With verses like scattered pearls.
With words scattered like gemstones
عَلَىupon الهَادِىthe Guide صَلاَةٌa blessing مَاas long as تَسَامَواthey aspire to rise
عَلَى الهَادِى صَلاَةٌ مَا تَسَامَوا
إِلَىto دَركِattaining المُهَمَّاتِmomentous undertakings العَوَالِىlofty
إِلَى دَركِ المُهَمَّاتِ العَوَالِى
Blessings upon the Guide, as long as they aspire
Blessings upon the Guide who never ceased
To attain lofty, momentous aims.
Pursuing the most lofty aspirations
Sol 6.1