بَكَتْwept شَجْوَهاtheir sorrow وَهْناًlate at night وكِدْتُand I nearly أهيمُI wander distraught
بَكَتْ شَجْوَها وَهْناً وكِدْتُ أهيمُ
حَمائِمُdoves وُرْقٌash-gray صَوْتُهُنَّtheir voice رَخيمُsoft and melodious
حَمائِمُ وُرْقٌ صَوْتُهُنَّ رَخيمُ
They wept their sorrow late at night, and I nearly lost my reason—
She wept her passion weakly and I almost lost hope
ash-gray doves, their voices soft and melodious.
Doves, their voices gentle, mournful
تَجاوَبْنَthey answered one another إذْwhen حَطَّcast off الصّباحُmorning لِثامَهُits veil
تَجاوَبْنَ إذْ حَطَّ الصّباحُ لِثامَهُ
ورَقَّand grew thin منَof اللّيلِthe night البَهيمِpitch-black أديمُskin
ورَقَّ منَ اللّيلِ البَهيمِ أديمُ
They answered one another when morning cast off its veil,
They called to each other when dawn lifted its veil
and the skin of pitch-black night grew thin.
And the gloomy night peeled away its cover
فأذْرَيْتُso I scattered أسْرابَflocks of الدّموعِtears وشفّنيand wasted me
فأذْرَيْتُ أسْرابَ الدّموعِ وشفّني
جوىًburning heartache بينَbetween أثناءِthe folds of الضّلوعِthe ribs أليمُpainful
جوىً بينَ أثناءِ الضّلوعِ أليمُ
So I scattered flocks of tears, and I was worn away
So I let loose floods of tears that solaced me
by painful heartache between the folds of my ribs.
With intimacy amid my aching ribs
وأوْمَضَand gleamed ليbefore me بَرْقاthe two flashes of سَحابٍa cloud ومَبْسِمٍand a smiling mouth
وأوْمَضَ لي بَرْقا سَحابٍ ومَبْسِمٍ
فلمْso did not أدْرِI know أيَّwhich of البارِقَيْنِthe two flashes أشيمُI watch
فلمْ أدْرِ أيَّ البارِقَيْنِ أشيمُ
And two flashes gleamed before me, from a cloud and a smiling mouth;
And lightning flashed for me from a cloud, smiling
so I did not know which of the two flashes to watch.
I did not know which lightning I should choose
يَطولُlengthens سُهاديmy sleeplessness إنif تَناعَسَgrows drowsy بارِبقٌa lightning flash (apparent misspelling)
يَطولُ سُهادي إن تَناعَسَ بارِبقٌ
ويُلويand carries off بصَبْريmy patience أنْthat يهُبَّstirs نَسيمُa breeze
ويُلوي بصَبْري أنْ يهُبَّ نَسيمُ
My sleeplessness lengthens when a lightning flash grows drowsy,
My insomnia lengthens if the lightning slumbers
and the stirring of a breeze wrests away my patience.
And my patience frays if the breeze stirs
وكيفَand how أرَجّيI hope أنْto أصِحَّI recover وكُلُّand all ماthat
وكيفَ أرَجّي أنْ أصِحَّ وكُلُّ ما
رَمانيhas hurled at me بهِwith it صَرْفُthe vicissitudes of الزّمانِtime سَقيمُailing
رَماني بهِ صَرْفُ الزّمانِ سَقيمُ
And how can I hope to recover, when all that
And how can I hope to recover when all
time's vicissitudes have hurled at me is ailing?
That fate has flung at me is ruinous and bleak
شَمالٌa north wind كتَرْنيقِlike the haze of النُّعاسِdrowsiness ومُقْلَةٌand an eye
شَمالٌ كتَرْنيقِ النُّعاسِ ومُقْلَةٌ
بِهاwith it اقْتَنَصَensnared الأُسْدَthe lions الضّراغِمَthe fierce lions ريمُa gazelle
بِها اقْتَنَصَ الأُسْدَ الضّراغِمَ ريمُ
A north wind like the haze of drowsiness, and an eye
A left hand numb as drowsiness, a right
with which a gazelle has ensnared fierce lions.
That lions seized their prey with, rough
وهلْand is واجِدٌa grieving lover يَمْتاحُdraws up عَبْرَتَهُhis tears النّوىseparation
وهلْ واجِدٌ يَمْتاحُ عَبْرَتَهُ النّوى
ويَسْلُبُهُand robs him of الشّوْقُlonging الرُّقادَsleep مُليمُblameworthy
ويَسْلُبُهُ الشّوْقُ الرُّقادَ مُليمُ
And is a grieving lover, whose tears separation draws up,
Can any lover find rest for his desires
and whose sleep longing steals, worthy of blame?
When longing robs him of tranquil sleep?
فلاso do not تَعذُلينيrebuke me ياO بْنَةَdaughter of القَوْمِthe tribe إننيindeed I am
فلا تَعذُليني يا بْنَةَ القَوْمِ إنني
وإنand even if هَمَّis bent دَهْريmy time بالسّفاهِon folly حَليمُforbearing
وإن هَمَّ دَهْري بالسّفاهِ حَليمُ
So do not rebuke me, daughter of the tribe; I am,
So do not spurn me, daughter of the tribe, though
even if my days are bent on folly, forbearing.
My fortunes have been foolish, I am forbearing
أضُمُّI close جُفونيmy eyelids دونَagainst بارِقَةِthe flash of المُنىhopes
أضُمُّ جُفوني دونَ بارِقَةِ المُنى
وأحْمَدُand I praise مُرَّthe bitterness of العَيْشِlife وهْوَthough it is ذَميمُblameworthy
وأحْمَدُ مُرَّ العَيْشِ وهْوَ ذَميمُ
I close my eyelids against the flash of hopes,
I close my eyes to fortune’s lightning flash
and praise life's bitterness, though it is deplorable.
And praise the bitter draughts of life, however foul
وأسْتَفُّand I swallow تُرْبَthe dust of الأرضِthe earth إنْif عَضّنيbites me الطّوىhunger
وأسْتَفُّ تُرْبَ الأرضِ إنْ عَضّني الطّوى
ويُجْزِئُand suffices عنْin place of لَسِّnibbling الغُمَيْرِgreen shoots هَشيمُdry stalks
ويُجْزِئُ عنْ لَسِّ الغُمَيْرِ هَشيمُ
And I swallow the earth's dust if hunger bites me,
I kiss the dust if misfortune strikes me
and dry stalks suffice instead of nibbling green shoots.
And shards of pottery suffice when waterskins are dry
ولاand not أشْتكيI complain of الأيامَthe days إنّindeed اعْتِداءَهاtheir aggression
ولا أشْتكي الأيامَ إنّ اعْتِداءَها
علىagainst عَبْدِAbd (servant) شَمْسٍShams (sun) ياO أمَيْمَUmaym قَديمُage-old
على عَبْدِ شَمْسٍ يا أمَيْمَ قَديمُ
Nor do I complain of the days; their aggression
I do not complain of time’s tyranny
against Abd Shams, O Umaym, is age-old.
Upon a servant of the sun of yore
وتَقْطَعُand sever عنْfrom حَيَّيْthe two tribes of نِزارٍNizar علائِقيmy ties
وتَقْطَعُ عنْ حَيَّيْ نِزارٍ علائِقي
صُروفthe vicissitudes of اللياليthe nights والخُطوبُand calamities تَضيمُoppress
صُروف الليالي والخُطوبُ تَضيمُ
And my ties to Nizar's two tribes are severed
The nights sever my tenuous ties
by the nights' vicissitudes, while calamities oppress me.
And misfortunes crush and straiten me
وألْويand I turn إِلىtoward الأترِal-Atr (unclear reading) جيديmy neck فلاso not الندىgenerosity
وألْوي إِلى الأترِ جيدي فلا الندى
قَليلٌscant ولاnor أمُّthe mother of الوَفاءِloyalty عَقيمُbarren
قَليلٌ ولا أمُّ الوَفاءِ عَقيمُ
And I turn my neck toward al-Atr; generosity is not
I lean my cheek upon the lute but find
scant, nor is the mother of loyalty barren.
No solace there, no mother of devotion true
لَهُمْthey have أنْفُسٌsouls والحَرْبُwhile war فاغِرَةٌgaping فَماًa mouth
لَهُمْ أنْفُسٌ والحَرْبُ فاغِرَةٌ فَماً
بمُعْتَرَكِin the battleground of المَوْتِdeath الزّؤامِswift تُقيمُremain
بمُعْتَرَكِ المَوْتِ الزّؤامِ تُقيمُ
They have souls that, while war gapes open-mouthed,
They have souls but war yawns with greedy maw
stand firm in the battleground of swift death.
At the arena of lethal war they stand
وأوْجُهُهُمْand their faces والسُّخْطُwhile anger يُبْديreveals قُطوبَهاtheir frowns
وأوْجُهُهُمْ والسُّخْطُ يُبْدي قُطوبَها
كأوْجُهِlike the faces of أُسْدٍlions كلُّهُنَّall of them شَتيمُgrim-faced
كأوْجُهِ أُسْدٍ كلُّهُنَّ شَتيمُ
And their faces, when anger reveals their frowns,
Their faces scowl and rage shows its thorns
are like lions' faces, each one grim.
Like the grim faces of lions, teeth bared
وهُنّand they بُدورٌfull moons حينَwhen يُشْرِقْنَthey shine فيin الدُّجىthe darkness
وهُنّ بُدورٌ حينَ يُشْرِقْنَ في الدُّجى
فلاso may not فارَقَتْهاdepart from them نَضْرَةٌfreshness ونَعيمُand bliss
فلا فارَقَتْها نَضْرَةٌ ونَعيمُ
And they are full moons when they shine in darkness;
They are buds, radiant at dusk, never losing
so may freshness and bliss never leave them.
Freshness or delight till dawn caresses them
وقدand indeed دَبَّcrept فيamong كُتّابِهِمْtheir scribes نَشْوَةُthe intoxication of الغِنىwealth
وقد دَبَّ في كُتّابِهِمْ نَشْوَةُ الغِنى
وكُلُّهمُand all of them جَعْدُclenched اليَدَيْنِin both hands لَئيمُbase
وكُلُّهمُ جَعْدُ اليَدَيْنِ لَئيمُ
And wealth's intoxication has crept among their scribes,
Greed has crept among their writers, all
and every one of them is tight-fisted and base.
Rough-handed, base when visited by a poor friend
إذاwhen زارَهُمْvisits them خِلٌّa close friend مُقِلٌّof little means لَوَوْاthey turn up بهِat him
إذا زارَهُمْ خِلٌّ مُقِلٌّ لَوَوْا بهِ
مَناخِرَnostrils لمْdid not يَعْطِسْsneeze بهِنَّthrough them كَريمُa noble man
مَناخِرَ لمْ يَعْطِسْ بهِنَّ كَريمُ
When a poor friend visits them, they turn up at him
If not for our brother from Bajilah, they would have
nostrils through which no noble man has ever sneezed.
No repute among the common folk
ولولاand but for أخوناour brother منْfrom بَجيلَةَBajila لمْnot يكُنْwould be
ولولا أخونا منْ بَجيلَةَ لمْ يكُنْ
لهُمْfor them حَسَبٌancestral honor عندَat الفَخارِboasting صَميمُgenuine
لهُمْ حَسَبٌ عندَ الفَخارِ صَميمُ
And but for our brother from Bajila, there would be no
He is the white spot on their brows, while they
genuine ancestral honor for them when they boast.
Are the gloom of uncertainty, all dense
هوَhe الغُرّةُthe blaze البَيضاءُwhite فيon جَبَهاتِهِمْtheir foreheads
هوَ الغُرّةُ البَيضاءُ في جَبَهاتِهِمْ
وكلُّهُمُand all of them جَوْنُblack الإهابِof hide بَهيمُpitch-dark
وكلُّهُمُ جَوْنُ الإهابِ بَهيمُ
He is the white blaze on their foreheads,
Would that the mounts were but daydreams and shadows
and all of them are black of hide, pitch-dark.
Not following the herd when it wanders astray
فلَيْتَso if only المَطاياthe mounts كُنَّthey had been حَسْرىexhausted وظُلَّعاًand lame
فلَيْتَ المَطايا كُنَّ حَسْرى وظُلَّعاً
ولمْand did not يتّبِعْنَthey pursue الرَّعْيَpasture وهْوَthough it is وَخيمُunwholesome
ولمْ يتّبِعْنَ الرَّعْيَ وهْوَ وَخيمُ
If only the mounts had been exhausted and lame,
At every camp where the sun halted its course
and had not pursued pasture, unwholesome as it was.
The meager shade was straitened and spare
بكلِّat every مَقيلٍnoonday resting place مجّتِspat out الشّمسُthe sun ريقَهاits saliva
بكلِّ مَقيلٍ مجّتِ الشّمسُ ريقَها
عليهِupon it وكَشْحُand the flank of الظِّلِshade فيهِthere هَضيمُslender
عليهِ وكَشْحُ الظِّلِ فيهِ هَضيمُ
At every noonday resting place, the sun spat out its saliva
I will leave them, living on water clear
upon it, while the shade's flank there was slender.
My honor untouched by the taint of disgrace
سأرْحَلُI shall depart عنهمْfrom them والمُحَيّاwith the face بمائِهِwith its water (freshness)
سأرْحَلُ عنهمْ والمُحَيّا بمائِهِ
وعِرْضيَand my honor منْfrom مَسِّthe touch of الهوانِhumiliation سَليمُunharmed
وعِرْضيَ منْ مَسِّ الهوانِ سَليمُ
I shall leave them, my face's freshness intact,
If they know not my worth, what care I?
and my honor safe from the touch of humiliation.
I excel at tearing the vile to shreds
فإنand if جَهلواthey do not know فَضْليmy superiority عليهمْover them فإنّنيthen indeed I
فإن جَهلوا فَضْلي عليهمْ فإنّني
بتَمْزيقِin shredding أعْراضِthe reputations of اللِّئامِthe base عَليمُwell-versed
بتَمْزيقِ أعْراضِ اللِّئامِ عَليمُ
And if they do not know my superiority over them, then I
am well versed in shredding the reputations of the base.
Partial English translation: 48 of 50 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1