هُوَit ماwhat تَرىyou see فأقِلَّso lessen منْof تَعنيفيreproaching me
هُوَ ما تَرى فأقِلَّ منْ تَعنيفي
وحَذارِand beware منْof مُقَلِthe eyes الظِّباءِof gazelles الهِيفِslender
وحَذارِ منْ مُقَلِ الظِّباءِ الهِيفِ
It is as you see, so lessen your reproach of me.
He is not what you think, so reproach me little,
And beware the eyes of slender gazelles.
And beware of blaming the shy gazelles.
ولهٌpassionate yearning يَبيتُspends the night لهُfor it المُتَيَّمُthe love-enslaved ساهِراًawake
ولهٌ يَبيتُ لهُ المُتَيَّمُ ساهِراً
بحَشىًwith a heart علىto ألَمِthe pain الجَوىof burning love مَوْقوفِheld captive
بحَشىً على ألَمِ الجَوى مَوْقوفِ
A yearning for which the love-enslaved lies awake all night,
He has a night when the lover keeps vigil for him,
With a heart held captive to the pain of burning love.
Restrained by longing for the pain of passion.
ويظَلُّand he spends the day حِلْفُa sworn companion الدّمعِof tears مِلْءَfilling جُفونِهِhis eyelids
ويظَلُّ حِلْفُ الدّمعِ مِلْءَ جُفونِهِ
والوَجْدُand yearning مِلْءَfilling فُؤادِهِhis heart المَشْغوفِpassion-stricken
والوَجْدُ مِلْءَ فُؤادِهِ المَشْغوفِ
And by day he is tears' sworn companion, his eyelids brimming,
The oath of tears keeps filling his eyelids,
And yearning fills his passion-stricken heart.
And fervor keeps filling his ardent heart.
عَرَضَتْshe appeared ونَحْنُand we علىat الحِمىthe protected pasture ومَطيُّناand our riding camels
عَرَضَتْ ونَحْنُ على الحِمى ومَطيُّنا
كالسّمْهَريِّlike a Samhari spear أُقيمَwas set straight بالتّثْقيفِby straightening
كالسّمْهَريِّ أُقيمَ بالتّثْقيفِ
She appeared while we were at the protected pasture, our camels
She appeared while we were at the tribe, and our steed
Like a Samhari spear set straight by shaping.
Was like a trained horse brought for the raid.
نَشوانَةُintoxicated اللّحَظاتِglances تُرْسِلُshe casts نَظْرَةًa glance
نَشوانَةُ اللّحَظاتِ تُرْسِلُ نَظْرَةً
عَجِلَتْshe hastened بِهاwith it كالشّادِنِlike a young gazelle المَطْروفِstruck in the eye
عَجِلَتْ بِها كالشّادِنِ المَطْروفِ
With drunken glances, she casts a look,
The glances of the moment sent a look
Hastening it like a young gazelle struck in the eye.
That hastened with it like a startled ostrich.
يَهْفوsets swaying بِهاwith her مَرَحُthe exuberance الصِّباof youth فتَهُزُّso she sways مِنْof
يَهْفو بِها مَرَحُ الصِّبا فتَهُزُّ مِنْ
قَدٍّa figure كَماjust as جُدِلَwas plaited العِنانُthe rein قَضيفِslender
قَدٍّ كَما جُدِلَ العِنانُ قَضيفِ
Youth's exuberance sets her swaying, and she sways a
The dawn breeze wafted it and it shook
Slender figure, like a rein twisted into a braid.
A figure twined at the neck like a plaited lock.
وتُراعُand she takes fright عندَat قِيامِهاher rising حَذَراًin fear علىfor
وتُراعُ عندَ قِيامِها حَذَراً على
خَصْرٍa waist يَجولُmoves freely بهِaround it الوِشاحُthe sash لَطيفِdelicate
خَصْرٍ يَجولُ بهِ الوِشاحُ لَطيفِ
And as she rises she takes fright, fearing for
She was cautious when she stood up, wary
A delicate waist around which the sash moves freely.
Of a waist circled by a delicate sash.
ووراءَand behind ذَيّاكَthat اللّثامِveil مَباسِمٌsmiling lips
ووراءَ ذَيّاكَ اللّثامِ مَباسِمٌ
حامَتْhovered عليْهاover them غُلّةُthe burning thirst المَلْهوفِof the anguished lover
حامَتْ عليْها غُلّةُ المَلْهوفِ
And behind that veil are smiling lips,
Behind the veil were smiling faces
Over which the anguished lover's thirst hovered.
Covered by the mantle of the inflamed.
تَفْتَرُّthey part in a smile عنto reveal بَرَدٍhailstones يكادُalmost يُذيبُهُmelt it
تَفْتَرُّ عن بَرَدٍ يكادُ يُذيبُهُ
قُبَلٌkisses تَرَدَّدُrecur فيupon اللَّمىthe lips' dark tint المَرشوفِsipped
قُبَلٌ تَرَدَّدُ في اللَّمى المَرشوفِ
They part to reveal hailstones, almost melted by
It melted from a coolness almost dissolved
Kisses recurring upon the dusky lips one sips.
By kisses that touched again and again.
لمّاwhen رأتْshe saw رَحْليmy saddle يُقرَّبُbeing brought near للنّوىfor departure
لمّا رأتْ رَحْلي يُقرَّبُ للنّوى
عَلِقَتْclung سُوادُSuwad بِحِنْوِهِto its saddle bow المَعطوفِcurved
عَلِقَتْ سُوادُ بِحِنْوِهِ المَعطوفِ
When she saw my saddle brought near for departure,
When she saw my camel prepared for departure
Suwad clung to its curved bow.
The blackness of her eye's kohl clung to it.
وجَرَتْand flowed أحاديثٌconversations تَبيتُspend the night قَلائِدٌnecklaces
وجَرَتْ أحاديثٌ تَبيتُ قَلائِدٌ
مِنْfor أجْلِهِنَّtheir sake حَواسِداًenvious لشُنوفِof earrings
مِنْ أجْلِهِنَّ حَواسِداً لشُنوفِ
And conversations flowed, while necklaces spent the night
Conversations occurred that spent the night as necklaces
On their account, envying earrings.
For which wrists were adorned with bracelets.
أَأُمَيْمَO Umaym كُفّيhold back مِنْsome of دُموعِكِyour tears وانْظُريand watch
أَأُمَيْمَ كُفّي مِنْ دُموعِكِ وانْظُري
خَبَبيmy trotting إِلىtoward أمَدِthe farthest reach العُلاof glory ووَجِيفيand my galloping
خَبَبي إِلى أمَدِ العُلا ووَجِيفي
O Umaym, hold back your tears, and watch
Shall I wipe my hand of your tears and look
My trotting and galloping toward glory's farthest reach.
To the furthest horizon and wander?
وتبرَّضيand sip sparingly النُّغَبَsmall mouthfuls الثِّمادَscant water وجاوِريand dwell beside
وتبرَّضي النُّغَبَ الثِّمادَ وجاوِري
سَرَواتِthe chiefs حَيٍّof a tribe بالبِطاحِin the broad valleys خُلوفِleft behind
سَرَواتِ حَيٍّ بالبِطاحِ خُلوفِ
And sip small draughts of scant water, and dwell beside
Shall I abandon the lush meadows and dwell
The chiefs of a tribe left behind in the broad valleys.
Among the willows of a barren valley?
أناI مَنْthe one عَرَفْتِyou knew وبَعْدَand after يَومِهِمُtheir day غَدٌa tomorrow
أنا مَنْ عَرَفْتِ وبَعْدَ يَومِهِمُ غَدٌ
وعليَّand upon me بزّةُthe garb أجْدَلٍof a falcon غِطْريفِnoble
وعليَّ بزّةُ أجْدَلٍ غِطْريفِ
I am the one you knew; after their day comes tomorrow.
I am the one you knew, and after their day comes tomorrow,
And I wear the garb of a noble falcon.
And I am clothed in a striped cloak.
لاnot يعلَمُknow اللُّؤَماءُthe ignoble أينَwhere مُعَرَّسيmy night halt
لا يعلَمُ اللُّؤَماءُ أينَ مُعَرَّسي
وبأيّand in which وادٍvalley مَرْبَعيmy spring quarters ومَصيفيand my summer quarters
وبأيّ وادٍ مَرْبَعي ومَصيفي
The ignoble do not know where I halt for the night,
The girls do not know where is my wedding place
Nor in which valley lie my spring and summer quarters.
Or which valley and summer pasture are mine.
لَفَظَتْcast out دِيارُهُمُtheir lands الكِرامَthe noble فماso not لَوىturned
لَفَظَتْ دِيارُهُمُ الكِرامَ فما لَوى
طَمَعٌhope of gain إِلىtoward عَرَصاتِهِنَّtheir courtyards صَليفيmy neck
طَمَعٌ إِلى عَرَصاتِهِنَّ صَليفي
Their lands cast out the noble; nothing turned
Their abodes have lost the generous ones, so desire
My neck toward their courtyards in hope of gain.
Does not covet their sandy tracts.
وأبىand refused عُرَيقٌa little vein فيَّin me منْof عَرَبيّةٍArab lineage
وأبى عُرَيقٌ فيَّ منْ عَرَبيّةٍ
أنّيthat I أخَيّمُpitch my tent والهَوانُwhile humiliation حَليفيmy ally
أنّي أخَيّمُ والهَوانُ حَليفي
And a little vein of Arab blood within me forbade
My soul refused in me the villages
That I should camp with humiliation as my ally.
That I pitch my tent while disgrace is my ally.
ونَجيبَةٍand a fine-bred she-camel مَمْغوطَةٍstretched taut أنْساعُهاher girth-straps
ونَجيبَةٍ مَمْغوطَةٍ أنْساعُها
تَخْديstrides swiftly بمَعْروقِbearing one stripped of flesh العِظامِin the bones نَحيفِlean
تَخْدي بمَعْروقِ العِظامِ نَحيفِ
And many a fine-bred she-camel, her girths stretched taut,
A supple she-camel whose straps
Strides swiftly with a lean rider, his bones stripped of flesh.
Chafe with the protruding bones.
فزَجَرْتُهاso I urged her on والوِرْدُwhile the watering place يَضْمَنُguarantees رِيَّهاher thirst's relief
فزَجَرْتُها والوِرْدُ يَضْمَنُ رِيَّها
ولَهاyet she has علىdespite الظّمأِthirst ازْوِرارُthe turning-away عَيوفِof a water-shunner
ولَها على الظّمأِ ازْوِرارُ عَيوفِ
So I urged her on, while the watering place assured her a full drink,
So I drove her away while the roses in her mount
Yet despite her thirst, she turned aside, refusing the water.
Guarantee her water on thirsty days.
وطَفِقْتُand I began أفْرُقُto part وهْيَwhile she طائِشةُwild الخُطاin her steps
وطَفِقْتُ أفْرُقُ وهْيَ طائِشةُ الخُطا
لِمَمَthe tresses الدُّجىof night بِيَدِwith the hand الصّباحِof dawn الموفيrising
لِمَمَ الدُّجى بِيَدِ الصّباحِ الموفي
And I began, as her steps flew wildly, to part
I began to separate while she wandered lost
Night's tresses with the hand of rising dawn.
At the darkness of night with the dawn’s first light.
ونَصَلْتُand I slipped free منْfrom أعْجازِهِits last reaches فيamong غِلْمَةٍyoung men
ونَصَلْتُ منْ أعْجازِهِ في غِلْمَةٍ
تَشْفيquench الغَليلَburning thirst بهِمْthrough them صُدورُthe breasts سُيوفيof my swords
تَشْفي الغَليلَ بهِمْ صُدورُ سُيوفي
And I slipped from its last reaches among young men
I climbed down against the rear guard in the darkness
Through whom the breasts of my swords slake their burning thirst.
That heals the chests of my swords with joy.
فأتَتْso she reached مُعاوِيَّMu'awiya الفَخارِof glory وألْصَقَتْand pressed
فأتَتْ مُعاوِيَّ الفَخارِ وألْصَقَتْ
طَرَفَthe end الجِرانِof the lower neck بمَبْرَكٍagainst a kneeling place مألوفِfamiliar
طَرَفَ الجِرانِ بمَبْرَكٍ مألوفِ
So she reached the Mu'awiya of glory, and pressed
She came to the pottery of Muawiyah and attached
The end of her lower neck against a familiar kneeling place.
The edge of the water-skin to a familiar peg,
نَزَلَتْshe halted بمَغْشيِّat the much-frequented الرِّواقِportico فِناؤُهُand his courtyard
نَزَلَتْ بمَغْشيِّ الرِّواقِ فِناؤُهُ
مَثْوىa lodging وفودٍfor delegations أوor مَقَرُّa resting place ضُيوفِfor guests
مَثْوى وفودٍ أو مَقَرُّ ضُيوفِ
She halted at one whose portico is thronged; his courtyard is
Alighting at the covered alley whose courtyard
A lodging for delegations or a resting place for guests.
Is a dwelling for delegations or guests’ lodging.
بالمُسْتَثيرِat him who rouses المَجْدَglory منْfrom سَكَناتِهِits repose
بالمُسْتَثيرِ المَجْدَ منْ سَكَناتِهِ
حتّىuntil يوَشِّحَhe adorns تالِداًinherited glory بطَريفِwith newly won glory
حتّى يوَشِّحَ تالِداً بطَريفِ
At him who rouses glory from its repose,
She incited glory from its tranquility
Until he girdles inherited honor with newly won glory.
Until it was adorned with a new cloak.
وإِلىand toward أبيAbu (father of) العَبّاسِal-Abbas يَجْتَذِبُdraws الندىgenerosity
وإِلى أبي العَبّاسِ يَجْتَذِبُ الندى
مِدَحاًpraise-poems هيَthey are الحِبَراتُstriped robes منْfrom تَفْويفيmy patterned weaving
مِدَحاً هيَ الحِبَراتُ منْ تَفْويفي
And generosity draws toward Abu al-Abbas
And to Abu Al-‘Abbas it attracted the dew of praise
Praise-poems, striped robes of my own weaving.
Which my compositions instilled.
وإذاand when اعْتَرَكْنَthey jostle بمِسْمَعٍin an ear قرَّطْنَهُthey adorn it with earrings
وإذا اعْتَرَكْنَ بمِسْمَعٍ قرَّطْنَهُ
فِقَراًverses كَسِمْطِlike a strand اللؤلُؤِof pearls المَرْصوفِclosely strung
فِقَراً كَسِمْطِ اللؤلُؤِ المَرْصوفِ
And when they jostle in an ear, they deck it with earrings:
And if they chanced to hear a jingling
Verses like a strand of closely strung pearls.
They stretched their necks like strung pearls.
مدّتstretched هَواديَهاits necks الرّئاسَةُleadership نَحوهُtoward him
مدّت هَواديَها الرّئاسَةُ نَحوهُ
فيin حادثٍa crisis يَلِدُbegets الشِّقاقَdiscord مَخوفِfearful
في حادثٍ يَلِدُ الشِّقاقَ مَخوفِ
Leadership stretched its necks toward him
The leadership extended its prairies toward him
In a fearful crisis that gives birth to discord.
In an event that birthed dreaded dissention.
وأقرَّand he steadied نافِرَةَthe skittish القُلوبِhearts فلَمْso did not يَثِبْleap
وأقرَّ نافِرَةَ القُلوبِ فلَمْ يَثِبْ
أسَدٌa lion يُجيلُsweeps الطّرْفَits gaze حولَaround غَريفِa thicket
أسَدٌ يُجيلُ الطّرْفَ حولَ غَريفِ
And he steadied the skittish hearts, so no leap came
It settled the discord of the hearts, so not
From a lion sweeping its gaze around a thicket.
A lion with a stern gaze rose around the cave.
والضّرْبَةُand the blow الأخْدودُtrench-like لمnot يُعْجَمْwas dotted لَهاfor it
والضّرْبَةُ الأخْدودُ لم يُعْجَمْ لَها
سَطْرٌa line بِعاجِلِby a rapid طَعْنَةٍspear-thrust إخْطيفِdarting
سَطْرٌ بِعاجِلِ طَعْنَةٍ إخْطيفِ
And the trench-like blow had no dots added to
The indented blow whose line no sword inscribed
Its line by a sudden, darting spear-thrust.
With the swift strike of a piercing stab.
قَرْمٌa chieftain يُجيرُgrants refuge علىagainst الزّمانِTime إذاwhen اعْتَدىit assails
قَرْمٌ يُجيرُ على الزّمانِ إذا اعْتَدى
ويُقيمُand straightens زَيْغَthe crookedness نَوائِبٍof calamities وصُروفِand reversals of fortune
ويُقيمُ زَيْغَ نَوائِبٍ وصُروفِ
A chieftain who grants refuge against Time when it assails,
A hero who protects the times when transgressed
And straightens the crookedness of calamities and reversals.
And rights the deviations of fortunes.
ويَلُفُّand wraps كاشِحُهُhis enemy جَوانِحَهُhis ribs علىaround
ويَلُفُّ كاشِحُهُ جَوانِحَهُ على
جُرْحٍa wound بعالِيَةِby the upper part القَناof spears مَقْروفِtorn open
جُرْحٍ بعالِيَةِ القَنا مَقْروفِ
And his enemy wraps his ribs around
His attacker folds his wings over
A wound laid open by the upper end of a spear.
A wound bound with the height of the spear.
ضمِنَguaranteed الحَياةَlife لمُعْتَفيهِto his petitioner يَراعُهُhis reed pen
ضمِنَ الحَياةَ لمُعْتَفيهِ يَراعُهُ
ورَمىand assailed العُداةَthe foes حُسامُهُhis keen sword بحُتوفِwith deaths
ورَمى العُداةَ حُسامُهُ بحُتوفِ
His reed pen guaranteed life to whoever sought his bounty,
He guaranteed life for those who sought refuge with him
And his keen sword hurled death at his enemies.
And his sword struck down the enemies with blows.
وقدِand indeed امْتَطىhe mounted رُتَباًranks مُنيفاتِtowering الذُّراin summit
وقدِ امْتَطى رُتَباً مُنيفاتِ الذُّرا
حلَّsettled السُّهاSuha (the star) مِنهاamong them مَكانَthe place رَديفِof a rider seated behind
حلَّ السُّها مِنها مَكانَ رَديفِ
And he has mounted ranks whose summits tower;
He has mounted ranks higher than the Pleiades
Suha, among them, took the seat of a pillion rider.
Where the Suhayl took the place of its companion.
بخلائِقٍthrough virtues نَفَحَتْwafted برَيّاwith the fragrance of رَوْضَةٍa garden
بخلائِقٍ نَفَحَتْ برَيّا رَوْضَةٍ
غَنّاءَluxuriant ذاتِpossessing تبسُّمٍa smile ورَفيفِand shimmering
غَنّاءَ ذاتِ تبسُّمٍ ورَفيفِ
Through virtues that wafted the fragrance of a garden,
With manners that diffused the scent of a garden,
Lush, endowed with smiles and shimmering radiance.
Melodious, smiling, and gentle.
وأنامِلٍand fingers كَفلَتْguaranteed بصَوْبَيْwith two downpours of نائِلٍbounty
وأنامِلٍ كَفلَتْ بصَوْبَيْ نائِلٍ
ودَمٍand blood بأطْرافِat the tips الرِّماحِof spears نَزيفِshed
ودَمٍ بأطْرافِ الرِّماحِ نَزيفِ
And fingers that pledged two downpours: one of bounty,
With fingers that grasped the cups of the drinker
And one of blood shed at the tips of spears.
And blood on the spearheads of the wounded dripped.
تندىdrip with bounty إذاwhen جَمَدَتْfreeze أكُفُّthe palms مَعاشِرٍof people
تندى إذا جَمَدَتْ أكُفُّ مَعاشِرٍ
فكأنّهاso as though they خُلِقَتْwere created منَfrom المَعْروفِgenerosity
فكأنّها خُلِقَتْ منَ المَعْروفِ
They drip with bounty when the palms of others freeze,
They glisten when the palms of the carousers are still
As though they were created from generosity itself.
As if created from bounty itself.
ياO بْنَson of الأكارِمِthe noblest دعوةًa plea تَفْتَرُّsmiles عنْto reveal
يا بْنَ الأكارِمِ دعوةً تَفْتَرُّ عنْ
أمَلٍa hope بأنديةِaround the assemblies الملوكِof kings مُطيفِcircling
أمَلٍ بأنديةِ الملوكِ مُطيفِ
O son of the noblest, a plea smiles to reveal
O son of nobles, a call that reveals
A hope circling the assemblies of kings.
A wish for your royal gatherings.
وعَدَتنيَpromised me الأيّامُthe days عنكَon your behalf برُتْبَةٍa rank
وعَدَتنيَ الأيّامُ عنكَ برُتْبَةٍ
ووَفورِand abundance حَظٍّof good fortune منكَfrom you غَيرَnot طَفيفِpaltry
ووَفورِ حَظٍّ منكَ غَيرَ طَفيفِ
The days promised me, on your behalf, a rank
The days have turned me from you to a position
And an ample share from you, by no means small.
And abundant fortune from you not slight.
والعَبْدُand the servant مُنْتَظِرٌwaiting وهُنَّwhile they مَواطِلٌstalling
والعَبْدُ مُنْتَظِرٌ وهُنَّ مَواطِلٌ
ومنَand among العَناءِtorments إطالَةُprolonging التّسْويفِpostponement
ومنَ العَناءِ إطالَةُ التّسْويفِ
And your servant waits, while they keep stalling;
The slave still waits while they are procrastinating,
And dragging out delays is torment.
And prolonging the response is tedious.
Sol 6.1