ألاAh! بأبيwith my father as ransom مَنْthe one حِيلَaccess was barred دونَto مَزارِهِvisiting him
ألا بأبي مَنْ حِيلَ دونَ مَزارِهِ
وقدand indeed بِتُّI spent the night أسْتَسْقيasking rain from الغَمامَthe clouds لِدارِهِfor his dwelling
وقد بِتُّ أسْتَسْقي الغَمامَ لِدارِهِ
Ah, my father be ransom for the one I am barred from visiting!
By the one who was denied access to his grave
I have spent the night begging the clouds to water his dwelling.
Though I implored the clouds for rain on his abode
عهِدْتُI once knew بِهاthere خِشْفاًa fawn أغَنَّsoftly nasal-voiced كأنّنيas though I
عهِدْتُ بِها خِشْفاً أغَنَّ كأنّني
أرىI see بمَخَطِّat the trace of النُّؤْيِthe tent's rain-ditch مُلْقىthe resting place of سِوارِهِhis bracelet
أرى بمَخَطِّ النُّؤْيِ مُلْقى سِوارِهِ
I once knew there a softly nasal-voiced fawn; it is as though I
I left it as barely habitable ruins, yet it seems
see beside the traced rain-ditch where his bracelet lay.
As if I see his bracelet flung in the sandy hollow
فلاso may they not بَرِحَتْcease تَسريdrift by night الرّياحُthe winds مَريضةًlanguidly
فلا بَرِحَتْ تَسري الرّياحُ مَريضةً
بِهاthrough it ويُحيّيهاand greet it الحَياthe rain بانْهمارِهِwith its downpour
بِها ويُحيّيها الحَيا بانْهمارِهِ
May the winds never cease to drift languidly by night
The winds never ceased blowing upon it sickly
through it, and may the rain greet it with its downpour.
While the torrents gave it life with their downpour
وقَفْتُI halted بِهاthere نِضْواًa wasted mount طَليحاًexhausted وشَجْوُهُand its anguish
وقَفْتُ بِها نِضْواً طَليحاً وشَجْوُهُ
يُلوّيtwists عُراthe loops of أنْساعِهِits girth-straps بهِجارِهِwith its hobble
يُلوّي عُرا أنْساعِهِ بهِجارِهِ
I halted there a wasted, exhausted mount, and its anguish
I stopped at it, a youthful lover, whose passion
twists the loops of its girth-straps with its hobble.
Makes the does twist their slender bodies in anguish
ويَعْذُلُنيand reproaches me منْfrom among غِلْمةِthe young men of الحيّthe tribe باسِلٌa stern fellow
ويَعْذُلُني منْ غِلْمةِ الحيّ باسِلٌ
علىupon شيمَتَيْهِhis two traits مَسْحةٌa trace منْof نِزارِهِhis Nizar stock
على شيمَتَيْهِ مَسْحةٌ منْ نِزارِهِ
A stern fellow among the tribe's young men reproaches me,
And a smooth-cheeked youth blames me, upholding
his two traits bearing a trace of his Nizar stock.
His virtue, while the red streak adorns his cheek
ويزْعُمُand he claims أنّthat الحُبَّlove عارٌa disgrace علىfor الفتىa young man
ويزْعُمُ أنّ الحُبَّ عارٌ على الفتى
أماdo they not? علِمواknow أنيthat I رَضيتُam content بِعارِهِwith its disgrace
أما علِموا أني رَضيتُ بِعارِهِ
He claims that love is a disgrace for a young man.
Claiming that love is shameful for the youth
Do they not know that I am content with its disgrace?
Do they not know that I have accepted its shame?
كأنيas though I غَداةَon the morning of البَيْنِparting منfrom دَهَشِthe bewilderment of النّوىseparation
كأني غَداةَ البَيْنِ من دَهَشِ النّوى
صَريعُone felled by يَدِthe hand of السّاقيthe cupbearer عَقيرُa victim of عَقارِهِhis wine
صَريعُ يَدِ السّاقي عَقيرُ عَقارِهِ
On the morning of parting, bewildered by separation, I seemed
As if, the morning after separation's shock
one felled by the cupbearer's hand, a victim of his wine.
I am laid low by the cupbearer's hand, drunk on wine
فصاحَthen cried غُدافيٌّa black raven شَجانيgrieved me نَعيبُهُits croaking
فصاحَ غُدافيٌّ شَجاني نَعيبُهُ
يهُزُّit shakes جَناحَيْthe two wings of فُرْقَةٍseparation منْfrom مَطارِهِits perch
يهُزُّ جَناحَيْ فُرْقَةٍ منْ مَطارِهِ
Then a black raven cried; its croaking grieved me,
A crested francolin then called, its cry distressing me
beating the wings of separation from its perch,
Flapping the wings of a flock taking flight
بجِزْعٍat a valley bend بِطاحيٍّbroad-bottomed يَنوشُreaches for أراكَهُits arak trees
بجِزْعٍ بِطاحيٍّ يَنوشُ أراكَهُ
مَهاًoryx فيamid خَليطَيْthe two mingled companies of أُسْدِهِits lions ونِمارِهِand its leopards
مَهاً في خَليطَيْ أُسْدِهِ ونِمارِهِ
at a broad valley bend, where its arak trees are browsed
With a terrorized sandgrouse that sips the mixture
by oryx amid the two mingled companies of its lions and leopards.
Of the lion and the panther's watering hole
حَبَسْتُI halted بهاthere العِيسَthe pale camels المَراسيلَswift-going أجْتَليto behold
حَبَسْتُ بها العِيسَ المَراسيلَ أجْتَلي
علىat مُنْحَنىthe bend of الواديthe valley عُيونَthe eyes of صِوارِهِits wild-cattle herd
على مُنْحَنى الوادي عُيونَ صِوارِهِ
There I halted the swift pale camels to behold,
I detained the freely wandering camel herd
at the valley's bend, the eyes of its wild-cattle herd.
By the valley's bend, the pools their evening waters
وأعْذُلُand I reproach حَيّاًa clan منْof كِنانَةَKinana خيّمواwho pitched camp
وأعْذُلُ حَيّاً منْ كِنانَةَ خيّموا
بحيْثُwhere شَكاcomplained الصّبُّthe lovesick man الطّوىhunger فيin وِجارِهِhis lair
بحيْثُ شَكا الصّبُّ الطّوى في وِجارِهِ
I reproach a clan of Kinana who pitched camp
And I blame the people of Kinanah who camped
where the lovesick man complained of hunger in his lair.
Where the crying of children complained of the heat
وقدand indeed مَلأَتْfilled عُرْضَthe breadth of السّماوةِal-Samawa أينُقٌshe-camels
وقد مَلأَتْ عُرْضَ السّماوةِ أينُقٌ
تلُفُّintertwining خُزامىthe lavender of رَوضِهاits meadow بِعَرارِهِwith its oxeye flowers
تلُفُّ خُزامى رَوضِها بِعَرارِهِ
She-camels had filled the breadth of al-Samawa,
The plateau fills the horizon with sand dunes
intertwining its meadow's lavender with its oxeye flowers.
That wrap around the gardens with their fresh foliage
أسرَّهمُit delighted them أنthat الربيعَspring أظلَّهاovershadowed it
أسرَّهمُ أن الربيعَ أظلَّها
وجرَّand dragged بِهاthere الكَلْبيُّthe Kalbite فَضْلَthe trailing hem of إزارِهِhis waistcloth
وجرَّ بِها الكَلْبيُّ فَضْلَ إزارِهِ
It delighted them that spring had spread its shade over it,
Delighting them that spring has shaded it
and that the Kalbite dragged his waistcloth's trailing hem there.
And the dog days have dragged their robes
وتحتَand beneath نِجاديmy sword-belt باتِرُsevering الحَدِّin edge صارِمٌa keen sword
وتحتَ نِجادي باتِرُ الحَدِّ صارِمٌ
تَدِبُّcrawl صِغارُtiny النّملِthe ants فوقَover غِرارهِits cutting edge
تَدِبُّ صِغارُ النّملِ فوقَ غِرارهِ
Beneath my sword-belt lies a sword with a severing edge;
Beneath my tent peg lies a keen drawn sword
tiny ants crawl along its cutting edge.
With ants crawling over it above the embers
فَلَيّاًthen tugging بأعرافِat the manes of الجِيادِthe noble steeds علىdespite الوَجىsore hooves
فَلَيّاً بأعرافِ الجِيادِ على الوَجى
تَزُرْهُmay visit him هَواديthe vanguard of الخَيْلِthe cavalry فيin عُقْرِthe heart of دارهِhis home
تَزُرْهُ هَوادي الخَيْلِ في عُقْرِ دارهِ
Then tug at the steeds' manes, despite their sore hooves,
How excellent are the meadows with the stallions
so the cavalry's vanguard may visit him in the heart of his home.
Watered in the valley basin of his abode
ورِمّةِand by the remains of كَعْبٍKa'b إنّindeed مالاًwealth أُصيبُهُthat I obtain
ورِمّةِ كَعْبٍ إنّ مالاً أُصيبُهُ
لِجاريfor my neighbor وقدand sometimes يُعْشَىpeople come by night إِلىtoward ضَوْءِthe light of نارِهِhis fire
لِجاري وقد يُعْشَى إِلى ضَوْءِ نارِهِ
By Ka'b's bones, any wealth I gain
By the Lord of the place, if only my property grows
belongs to my neighbor, to whose firelight people may come by night.
So my slave girl can have firewood for her hearth
ولَسْتُand I am not كمَنْlike one who يُعْليraises إِلىtoward الهُونِhumiliation طَرْفَهُhis gaze
ولَسْتُ كمَنْ يُعْلي إِلى الهُونِ طَرْفَهُ
ولاand does not يَرْكَبُbrave الخَطّيَّthe Khatti spear دونَin defense of ذِمارِهِwhat he must protect
ولا يَرْكَبُ الخَطّيَّ دونَ ذِمارِهِ
I am not like one who raises his gaze toward humiliation
I am not like one who lifts his gaze to villainy
and will not brave the Khatti spear to defend his honor.
Or rides his finely built horse without his quiver
فقدْfor indeed سادَbecame lord over جَسّاسُJassas بنُson of مرَّةَMurra وائِلاًWa'il
فقدْ سادَ جَسّاسُ بنُ مرَّةَ وائِلاً
بقَتْلِby killing كُلَيْبٍKulayb دونَin defense of لَقْحةِthe milch-camel of جارِهِhis neighbor
بقَتْلِ كُلَيْبٍ دونَ لَقْحةِ جارِهِ
For Jassas ibn Murra became lord of Wa'il
Indeed, Jassas ibn Murrah prevailed over Wail
by killing Kulayb in defense of his neighbor's milch-camel.
By killing Kulayb, not regarding his neighbor
حَلَفْتُI swore بمَحْبوكِby one firmly knit in السّراةِthe back كأنّنيas though I
حَلَفْتُ بمَحْبوكِ السّراةِ كأنّني
أنوطُattach بذَيْلِto the tail of الرّيحِthe wind ثِنْيَthe loop of عِذارِهِits bridle
أنوطُ بذَيْلِ الرّيحِ ثِنْيَ عِذارِهِ
I swore by the firm-backed steed, as though I
I swore by the Braid constellation, it was as if
hung the loop of its bridle from the wind's tail.
I harnessed the train of the wind inside my quiver
وتلْمَعُand gleams فيon أعْلىthe upper part of مُحيّاهُits face غُرّةٌa white blaze
وتلْمَعُ في أعْلى مُحيّاهُ غُرّةٌ
هيَit is الصُّبْحُthe dawn شَقَّthat split اللّيلَthe night غِبَّafter اعْتِكارِهِits gathering darkness
هيَ الصُّبْحُ شَقَّ اللّيلَ غِبَّ اعْتِكارِهِ
A white blaze gleams upon the upper part of its face:
At the top of his cheek shines a redness
it is dawn, splitting night after its darkness has thickened.
It is the dawn that split the darkness of its gloom
وتَلْطِمُهُand strike it أيْديthe hands of العَذارىthe maidens بخُمْرِهاwith their veils
وتَلْطِمُهُ أيْدي العَذارى بخُمْرِها
إذاwhen انتَظَرَawaits السّاريthe night traveler مَشَنَّthe launching of غِوارِهِits raids
إذا انتَظَرَ السّاري مَشَنَّ غِوارِهِ
Maidens' hands strike it with their veils
And the virgins' hands strike him with their wine skins
when the night traveler awaits the launching of its raids.
If the guard awaits the thickening of its sediment
ويشتدُّand it races بيwith me والرّححُand the spear (uncertain reading) يلْثِمُkisses نَحْرَهُits breast
ويشتدُّ بي والرّححُ يلْثِمُ نَحْرَهُ
إِلىtoward كلِّevery قِرْنٍopponent للأسنّةِto spearpoints كارِهِaverse
إِلى كلِّ قِرْنٍ للأسنّةِ كارِهِ
It races with me, the spear (uncertain reading) kissing its breast,
With me the ostrich gets rough, biting its throat
toward every opponent averse to spearpoints.
To the horn of each malicious slanderer
وتحتَand beneath القَناthe lances للأعْوَجيّاتِthe A'waji mares have رنّةٌa ringing neigh
وتحتَ القَنا للأعْوَجيّاتِ رنّةٌ
بضَرْبٍwith a blow يُطيرُsends flying الهامَheads تحتَbeneath شَرارِهِits sparks
بضَرْبٍ يُطيرُ الهامَ تحتَ شَرارِهِ
Beneath the lances, the A'waji mares give a ringing neigh,
Beneath thebranched acacias, the young oryx females cry out
amid a blow that sends heads flying beneath its sparks.
Under a blow that sends the wild beasts flying off
ويَزْجُرُهاand urges them on منيfrom me أُشَيْعِثُa tousle-haired fellow يرْتَديclad
ويَزْجُرُها مني أُشَيْعِثُ يرْتَدي
بأبيضَin a white blade يُلقيthat throws off عنهُfrom him أعْباءَthe burdens of ثارِهِhis blood vengeance
بأبيضَ يُلقي عنهُ أعْباءَ ثارِهِ
My tousle-haired self urges them on, clad
And a disheveled man clad in white keeps them off
in a white blade that lifts from him the burdens of his blood vengeance.
Casting off the burdens of his revenge
لأَدَّرِعَنَّI shall surely don as armor اللّيلَthe night حتىuntil أُزيرَهُI bring it to visit
لأَدَّرِعَنَّ اللّيلَ حتى أُزيرَهُ
أغَرَّa radiant nobleman يُناصيwho rivals الشُّهْبَthe bright stars يومَon the day of فَخارِهِhis glory
أغَرَّ يُناصي الشُّهْبَ يومَ فَخارِهِ
I shall surely don the night as armor until I bring it to visit
I will ride the night until I subdue it
a radiant lord who vies with the bright stars on his day of glory.
When the meteors collide on the day of his pride
إذاwhen طاشَتِfaltered الأحْلامُjudgments واسْتَرْخَتِand slackened الحُباthe knee-bands
إذا طاشَتِ الأحْلامُ واسْتَرْخَتِ الحُبا
تفيّأَتِtake shelter in الآراءُcounsels ظِلَّthe shade of وَقارِهِhis composure
تفيّأَتِ الآراءُ ظِلَّ وَقارِهِ
When judgments falter and the knee-bands slacken,
When worries fade and love is relaxed
counsels take shelter in the shade of his composure.
Opinions recover in the shade of his dignity
وألْوىand outstrips بمَنْwhoever جاراهُraces him حتىuntil كأنّهُhe is like
وألْوى بمَنْ جاراهُ حتى كأنّهُ
مُعنّىًa tormented man يُدانيshortening خَطْوَهُhis stride فيin إسارِهِhis fetters
مُعنّىً يُداني خَطْوَهُ في إسارِهِ
He outstrips whoever races him, until that rival seems
And I blame whoever contends with him
a tormented man shortening his stride within his fetters.
It is as if he intends to match his pace in shackles
وكيفَand how يُبارَىcan be rivaled فيin السّماحَةِgenerosity ماجِدٌa nobleman
وكيفَ يُبارَى في السّماحَةِ ماجِدٌ
متىwhenever يختَلِفْcomes and goes وَفْدُthe delegation of الرّياحِthe winds يُبارِهِhe rivals it
متى يختَلِفْ وَفْدُ الرّياحِ يُبارِهِ
How can a nobleman be matched in generosity,
And how can he be matched in generosity, Magid
when he rivals the winds' delegation whenever it comes and goes?
Whenever the delegation of winds contend with him
تعطّفَinclined affectionately كهْلانُKahlan بنُson of زَيدٍZayd وحِمْيَرٍand Himyar
تعطّفَ كهْلانُ بنُ زَيدٍ وحِمْيَرٍ
علَيْهِtoward him فأرْسىso he anchored مَجْدَهاtheir glory فيin قَرارِهِhis foundation
علَيْهِ فأرْسى مَجْدَها في قَرارِهِ
Kahlan ibn Zayd and Himyar bent affectionately
Kahlan ibn Zayd and Ḥimyar deferred to him
toward him, and he anchored their glory in his own foundation.
So his glory settled in its place
إلَيكَtoward you زَجَرْناwe drove onward ياO عَديَّ'Adi بنَson of مُهْرِبٍMuhrib
إلَيكَ زَجَرْنا يا عَديَّ بنَ مُهْرِبٍ
أَمُوناًa trusty camel وصَلْناwe joined لَيلَهُits night بنَهارِهِto its day
أَمُوناً وصَلْنا لَيلَهُ بنَهارِهِ
Toward you, O 'Adi ibn Muhrib, we urged
To you we forbade, O ‘Adiyy ibn Muharib
a trusty camel, joining its night to its day.
We guaranteed and joined his night with its day
يُلِمُّit visits بمَغْشيِّone with thronged القِبابِpavilions ويَنثَنيand turns back
يُلِمُّ بمَغْشيِّ القِبابِ ويَنثَني
حَقائِبُهُits saddlebags مَملوءَةٌfilled منْwith نُضارِهِhis gold
حَقائِبُهُ مَملوءَةٌ منْ نُضارِهِ
It visits the lord whose pavilions are thronged, and returns,
He meets with the towering domes and bends over
its saddlebags filled with his gold.
His bags full of fresh foliage
إذاwhen السّنَةُthe year الشّهْباءُashen with drought ألْقَتْlays down جِرانَهاits neck
إذا السّنَةُ الشّهْباءُ ألْقَتْ جِرانَها
كَفَيْتَyou sustain أباthe father of الأطْفالِchildren عامَthrough the year of غِيارِهِhis seeking provisions
كَفَيْتَ أبا الأطْفالِ عامَ غِيارِهِ
When the ashen drought-year lays down its neck,
When the grey headed year cast its torrents
you sustain a father of children through his year of seeking provisions.
You sufficed, O father of children, his tempestuous year
وزارَكَand visited you منْfrom عُلْياthe noblest of أميّةَUmayya مِدْرَهٌan eloquent champion
وزارَكَ منْ عُلْيا أميّةَ مِدْرَهٌ
تهزُّshake اللّياليthe nights سَرْحَهُhis grazing herd لِنِفارِهِto make it scatter
تهزُّ اللّيالي سَرْحَهُ لِنِفارِهِ
An eloquent champion from Umayya's noblest stock has visited you,
And a flash flood from ‘Ulyaa Umayyah visited you
the nights shaking his grazing herd into flight.
Shaking its foliage for its banishment
ولولاكَand but for you لمwould not أخْبِطْI grope through دُجىthe darkness of الليلِthe night بعدَماafter
ولولاكَ لم أخْبِطْ دُجى الليلِ بعدَما
أُعيدَwas reduced again قُمَيْراًto a little moon بَدْرُهُits full moon فيin سِرارِهِits dark phase
أُعيدَ قُمَيْراً بَدْرُهُ في سِرارِهِ
But for you, I would not have groped through night's darkness after
Were it not for you, I would not grope the night's gloom
its full moon had been reduced to a little moon again in its dark phase.
After Kumayr the full moon returned to its bed
وكمand how many مَهْمَهٍa desert waste نائيfar off in المُعرَّسِits night-resting place جُبْتُهُI crossed it
وكم مَهْمَهٍ نائي المُعرَّسِ جُبْتُهُ
وذيand one with مَرَحٍhigh spirits أنْضَبْتُهُI exhausted it فيin قِفارِهِits wastelands
وذي مَرَحٍ أنْضَبْتُهُ في قِفارِهِ
How many a desert waste, its resting-place far off, have I crossed,
And many a distant bride I seized for him
and how many a spirited mount have I exhausted in its barren stretches!
And one fleeting in the wasteland I captured in her tent
فجاءَكَso it came to you منْهوكَexhausted in العَريكَةِmettle ناحِلاًemaciated
فجاءَكَ منْهوكَ العَريكَةِ ناحِلاً
وقدalthough فارَقَit had left الجَرْعاءَal-Jar'a مِلْءَfilling ضَفارِهِits braided girths
وقد فارَقَ الجَرْعاءَ مِلْءَ ضَفارِهِ
So it came to you, its mettle spent, emaciated,
So she came to you exhausted, her knee-joints knocking
though it had left al-Jar'a filling its braided girths.
Having left the liverwort, her mouth bitter
Sol 6.1