أَتارِكيare you leaving me? أَنتَyou أَمor مُغرىًbent بِتَعذيبيon tormenting me
أَتارِكي أَنتَ أَم مُغرىً بِتَعذيبي
وَلائِميand reproaching me فيfor هَوىًlove إِنif كانَit was يُزريbringing disgrace بيupon me
وَلائِمي في هَوىً إِن كانَ يُزري بي
Are you leaving me, or bent on tormenting me,
and reproaching me for love, even if it disgraces me?
عَمرُUmar الغَوانيthe fair women لَقَدindeed بَيَّنَmade clear مِنfrom كَثَبٍclose range
عَمرُ الغَواني لَقَد بَيَّنَ مِن كَثَبٍ
هَضيمَةًan injustice فيto مُحِبٍّa lover غَيرِnot مَحبوبِloved
هَضيمَةً في مُحِبٍّ غَيرِ مَحبوبِ
Umar of the fair women has clearly shown, at close hand,
a wrong done to a lover who is not loved.
إِذاwhen مَدَدنَthey extend إِلىtoward إِعراضِهِrejecting him سَبَباًa pretext
إِذا مَدَدنَ إِلى إِعراضِهِ سَبَباً
وَقَينَthey shielded مِنfrom كُرهِهِhis resentment الشُبّانَthe young men بِالشَيبِwith gray hair
وَقَينَ مِن كُرهِهِ الشُبّانَ بِالشَيبِ
When they find a pretext for rejecting him,
they shield the young men from his resentment with gray hair.
أَمُفلِتٌcan it deliver? بِكَwith you مِنfrom زُهدِthe disdain of المَهاthe white antelopes هَرَبٌflight
أَمُفلِتٌ بِكَ مِن زُهدِ المَها هَرَبٌ
مِنfrom مُرهَقٍone harried بِبَواديby the first signs of الشَيبِgray hair مَقروبِclosely pursued
مِن مُرهَقٍ بِبَوادي الشَيبِ مَقروبِ
Can flight deliver you from the white antelopes' disdain—
the flight of one harried and overtaken by the first signs of gray?
يَحنونَهُthey bend him مِنfrom أَعاليهِhis upper parts عَلىinto أَوَدٍa stoop
يَحنونَهُ مِن أَعاليهِ عَلى أَوَدٍ
حَنوَthe bending of الثِقافِthe shaft-straightener جَرىran فَوقَover الأَنابيبِthe reed-joints
حَنوَ الثِقافِ جَرى فَوقَ الأَنابيبِ
They bend him from his upper parts into a stoop,
as a straightening tool bends the reed shafts it runs along.
أَمor هَلis there مَعَwith الحُبِّlove حِلمٌcomposure لاnot تُسَفِّهُهُmakes it foolish
أَم هَل مَعَ الحُبِّ حِلمٌ لا تُسَفِّهُهُ
صَبابَةٌlonging أَوor عَزاءٌconsolation غَيرُnot مَغلوبِovercome
صَبابَةٌ أَو عَزاءٌ غَيرُ مَغلوبِ
Or is there composure in love that is not made foolish
by longing, or consolation that is not overcome?
قَضَيتُI fulfilled مِنfrom طَلَبيmy pursuit لِلغانِياتِof fair women وَقَدand already
قَضَيتُ مِن طَلَبي لِلغانِياتِ وَقَد
شَأَونَنيthey outstripped me حاجَةًa need فيin نَفسِthe soul of يَعقوبِJacob
شَأَونَني حاجَةً في نَفسِ يَعقوبِ
In my pursuit of fair women I fulfilled—though
they outstripped me—a need in Jacob's soul.
لَمnot أَرَI saw كَالنُفَّرِlike the skittish ones الأَغفالِthe unbranded سائِمَةًa grazing herd
لَم أَرَ كَالنُفَّرِ الأَغفالِ سائِمَةً
مِنَof الحَبَلَّقِsmall sheep لَمnot تُحفَظwas guarded مِنَagainst الذيبِthe wolf
مِنَ الحَبَلَّقِ لَم تُحفَظ مِنَ الذيبِ
I have never seen a grazing herd like these skittish, unbranded
little sheep, left unguarded against the wolf.
أَغشىI brave الخُطوبَhardships فَإِمّاso either جِئنَthey bring مَأرَبَتيmy goal
أَغشى الخُطوبَ فَإِمّا جِئنَ مَأرَبَتي
فيماin what أُسَيِّرُI send forth أَوor أَحكَمنَthey perfect تَأديبيmy discipline
فيما أُسَيِّرُ أَو أَحكَمنَ تَأديبي
I brave hardships: either they bring me my goal
in what I send forth, or perfect my discipline.
إِنif تَلتَمِسyou seek تَمرِyou milk أَخلافَthe teats of الأُمورِaffairs وَإِنand if
إِن تَلتَمِس تَمرِ أَخلافَ الأُمورِ وَإِن
تَلبَثyou remain مَعَwith الدَهرِTime تَسمَعyou hear بِالأَعاجيبِof wonders
تَلبَث مَعَ الدَهرِ تَسمَع بِالأَعاجيبِ
If you seek, you milk the teats of affairs; and if
you abide with Time, you hear of marvels.
وَأَربَدُand dusky القُطرِthe expanse يَلقاكَmeets you السَرابُthe mirage بِهِin it
وَأَربَدُ القُطرِ يَلقاكَ السَرابُ بِهِ
بَعدَafter التَرَبُّدِthe darkening مُبيَضَّwhitened الجَلابيبِthe robes
بَعدَ التَرَبُّدِ مُبيَضَّ الجَلابيبِ
And a dusky expanse, where the mirage meets you,
white-robed after its duskiness.
إِذاwhen خَلاlies empty جَوُّهُits air لِلريحِfor the wind عارِضَةًblowing across
إِذا خَلا جَوُّهُ لِلريحِ عارِضَةً
قالَتit spoke مَعَwith العُفرِthe pale gazelles أَوor حَنَّتit moaned مَعَwith النيبِthe old she-camels
قالَت مَعَ العُفرِ أَو حَنَّت مَعَ النيبِ
When its air lies open to the wind, sweeping across,
it speaks with the pale gazelles, or moans with the old she-camels.
لُجٌّa deep sea مِنَof الآلِmirage لَمnot تُجعَلwere made سَفائِنُهُits ships
لُجٌّ مِنَ الآلِ لَم تُجعَل سَفائِنُهُ
إِلّاexcept غَريريَّةَGhurayri-bred البُزلِmature camels المَصاعيبِunbroken stallion camels
إِلّا غَريريَّةَ البُزلِ المَصاعيبِ
A deep sea of mirage, with no ships
but mature, untamed camels of Ghurayri stock.
مِثلُlike القَطاsandgrouse الكُدرِthe dusky ones إِلّاexcept أَنthat يَعودَreturns بِهاwith them
مِثلُ القَطا الكُدرِ إِلّا أَن يَعودَ بِها
لَطخٌa smear مِنَof اللَيلِnight سوداًblack كَالغَرابيبِlike jet-black things
لَطخٌ مِنَ اللَيلِ سوداً كَالغَرابيبِ
Like dusky sandgrouse, except when
a smear of night turns them black, jet-black.
إِذاwhen سُهَيلُSuhayl بَداappears رَوَّحنَthey set out at evening مِنfrom لَهَبٍa blaze
إِذا سُهَيلُ بَدا رَوَّحنَ مِن لَهَبٍ
مُسَعَّرٍkindled فيalong كِفافِthe rim of الأُفقِthe horizon مَشبوبِblazing
مُسَعَّرٍ في كِفافِ الأُفقِ مَشبوبِ
When Suhayl appears, they set out at evening from a blaze
kindled and burning along the horizon's rim.
وَقَدand already رَفَعتُI raised وَماand not طَأطَأتُهاI lowered it وَهَلاًin fear
وَقَد رَفَعتُ وَما طَأطَأتُها وَهَلاً
عَصاthe staff of الهِجاءِsatire لِأَهلِagainst the people of الحينِdoom وَالحوبِand sin
عَصا الهِجاءِ لِأَهلِ الحينِ وَالحوبِ
And I have raised—never lowering it in fear—
the staff of satire against men of doom and sin.
إِذاwhen مَدَحتُهُمُI praised them كانواthey were بِأَكذَبِthrough the falsest of ماwhat
إِذا مَدَحتُهُمُ كانوا بِأَكذَبِ ما
وَأَوهُthey promised it أَخلَقَmost likely أَقوامٍpeople بِتَكذيبيto belie me
وَأَوهُ أَخلَقَ أَقوامٍ بِتَكذيبي
When I praised them, they were, by the falsest things
they promised, the people most likely to give me the lie.
حَتّىuntil تُعورِفَit became widely known مِنّيof me غَيرُnot مُعتَذِرٍapologizing
حَتّى تُعورِفَ مِنّي غَيرُ مُعتَذِرٍ
تَحَوُّزيmy withdrawing عَنfrom سِوىothers than قَوميmy people وَتَنكيبيand my turning aside
تَحَوُّزي عَن سِوى قَومي وَتَنكيبي
Until it became known of me, without any apology,
that I kept clear of all but my own people and turned aside.
إِلىtoward أَبيAbu جَعفَرٍJa'far خاضَتwaded رَكائِبُناour riding camels
إِلى أَبي جَعفَرٍ خاضَت رَكائِبُنا
خِطارَthe dangers of لَيلٍa night مَهولِdreadful الخَرقِthe wilderness مَرهوبِfeared
خِطارَ لَيلٍ مَهولِ الخَرقِ مَرهوبِ
Toward Abu Ja'far our riding camels waded
through the perils of a night whose wilderness was dreadful and feared.
تَنوطُfasten آمالُناour hopes مِنهُfrom him إِلىto مَلِكٍa king
تَنوطُ آمالُنا مِنهُ إِلى مَلِكٍ
مُرَدَّدٍrepeatedly rooted فيin صَريحِthe purity of المَجدِglory مَنسوبِtraced in descent
مُرَدَّدٍ في صَريحِ المَجدِ مَنسوبِ
Our hopes fasten, through him, upon a king
whose lineage is traced again and again through pure glory.
مُحتَضَرِfrequented البابِthe gate إِمّاwhether آذِنِgranting admission النَقَرىselect invitations
مُحتَضَرِ البابِ إِمّا آذِنِ النَقَرى
أَوor فائِتٍout of reach لِعُيونِto the eyes of الوَفدِthe envoys مَحجوبِscreened
أَو فائِتٍ لِعُيونِ الوَفدِ مَحجوبِ
His gate is thronged, whether he admits select guests
or stays secluded, beyond the envoys' sight.
نَغدوwe go at dawn عَلىtoward غايَةٍa summit فيin المَجدِglory قاصِيَةِfar-off الthe
نَغدو عَلى غايَةٍ في المَجدِ قاصِيَةِ ال
مَحَلِّstation أَوor مَثَلٍan example فيin الجودِgenerosity مَضروبِproverbially cited
مَحَلِّ أَو مَثَلٍ في الجودِ مَضروبِ
We go at dawn toward a summit of glory, lofty in
station, or a proverbial example of generosity.
إِذاwhen تَبَدّىhe appears بِزَيدِas Zayd الخَيلِal-Khayl (the Horses) لاءَمَهُhe joins him
إِذا تَبَدّى بِزَيدِ الخَيلِ لاءَمَهُ
بِحاتَمِwith Hatim الجودِof generosity شَعباًa cleft جِدَّvery مَرؤوبِmended
بِحاتَمِ الجودِ شَعباً جِدَّ مَرؤوبِ
When he appears as Zayd al-Khayl, he joins him
with Hatim of bounty, a cleft most firmly mended,
حَتّىuntil تُقَلِّدَهُdecks him with العَلياhigh honor قَلائِدَهاher necklaces
حَتّى تُقَلِّدَهُ العَليا قَلائِدَها
مِنfrom بَينِamong تَسمِيَةٍnaming فيهاwithin her وَتَلقيبِand bestowing titles
مِن بَينِ تَسمِيَةٍ فيها وَتَلقيبِ
until High Honor decks him with her necklaces,
with both names and honorific titles of her own.
يَكونُhe is أَضوَأَهُمtheir brightest إيماضَin the flashing of بارِقَةٍa lightning cloud
يَكونُ أَضوَأَهُم إيماضَ بارِقَةٍ
تَهميpouring rain وَأَصدَقَand truest فيهِمamong them حَدَّin the force of شُؤبوبِa downpour
تَهمي وَأَصدَقَ فيهِم حَدَّ شُؤبوبِ
He is their brightest in a storm-cloud's lightning-flash,
pouring rain, and their truest in a downpour's force.
إِنif جاوَرَhe dwells beside النيلَthe Nile جارىhe rivals النيلَthe Nile غالِبُهُoutstripping it
إِن جاوَرَ النيلَ جارى النيلَ غالِبُهُ
أَوحَلَّor he settles بِالسيبِat al-Sib زُرناwe visited مالِكَthe master of السيبِbounty
أَوحَلَّ بِالسيبِ زُرنا مالِكَ السيبِ
If he lives beside the Nile, he rivals the Nile and outstrips it;
or settles at al-Sib, we visit the master of bounty.
أَغَرُّradiant يَملِكُhe owns آفاقَthe horizons of البِلادِthe country فَمِنso some
أَغَرُّ يَملِكُ آفاقَ البِلادِ فَمِن
مُؤَخَّرٍheld back لِجَدىfor the bounty of يَومٍa day وَمَوهوبِand bestowed
مُؤَخَّرٍ لِجَدى يَومٍ وَمَوهوبِ
A radiant lord, he owns the country's far reaches: some
reserved for a day's bounty, others given away.
رَضيتُI was pleased إِذwhen أَناI مِنin مَعروفِهِhis kindness غُمُرٌinexperienced
رَضيتُ إِذ أَنا مِن مَعروفِهِ غُمُرٌ
وَاِزدَدتُand I grew عَنهُconcerning him رِضىًin contentment مِنfrom بَعدِafter تَجريبِexperience
وَاِزدَدتُ عَنهُ رِضىً مِن بَعدِ تَجريبِ
I was pleased while still unversed in his kindness,
and grew still more pleased with him after experience.
خَلائِقٌcharacter traits كَسَواريlike night-travelers المُزنِthe rain-clouds موفِيَةٌlooming
خَلائِقٌ كَسَواري المُزنِ موفِيَةٌ
عَلىover البِلادِthe lands بِتَصبيحٍwith morning visits وَتَأويبِand evening returns
عَلى البِلادِ بِتَصبيحٍ وَتَأويبِ
Traits like rain-clouds traveling by night, looming
over the lands at dawn and at evening.
يَنهَضنَthey rise بِالثِقلِwith the burden لاnot تُعطىare granted النُهوضَthe lifting بِهِof it
يَنهَضنَ بِالثِقلِ لا تُعطى النُهوضَ بِهِ
أَعناقُthe necks of مُجفَرَةِbroad-bellied الهوجِswift camels الهَراجيبِtall, large camels
أَعناقُ مُجفَرَةِ الهوجِ الهَراجيبِ
They shoulder a burden that cannot be borne
by the necks of broad-bellied, swift, long-limbed camels.
فيin كُلِّevery أَرضٍland وَقَومٍand people مِنfrom سَحائِبِهِhis clouds
في كُلِّ أَرضٍ وَقَومٍ مِن سَحائِبِهِ
أُسكوبُa torrent of عارِفَةٍfavor مِنfrom بَعدِafter أُسكوبِa torrent
أُسكوبُ عارِفَةٍ مِن بَعدِ أُسكوبِ
In every land and among every people, from his clouds
comes a torrent of favor after another torrent.
كَمhow much بَثَّhe scattered فيamong حاضِرِthe settled folk of النَهرَينِthe Two Rivers مِنof نَفَلٍlargesse
كَم بَثَّ في حاضِرِ النَهرَينِ مِن نَفَلٍ
مُلقىًcast عَلىupon حاضِرِthe settled folk of النَهرَينِthe Two Rivers مَصبوبِpoured out
مُلقىً عَلى حاضِرِ النَهرَينِ مَصبوبِ
How much largesse he has scattered among the settled folk of the Two Rivers,
cast upon the settled folk of the Two Rivers in a flood!
يَملَأُhe fills أَفواهَthe mouths of مَدّاحيهِhis panegyrists مِنwith حَسَبٍancestral honor
يَملَأُ أَفواهَ مَدّاحيهِ مِن حَسَبٍ
عَلىabove السِماكَينِthe two Simak stars وَالنَسرَينِand the two Eagle stars مَحسوبِreckoned
عَلى السِماكَينِ وَالنَسرَينِ مَحسوبِ
He fills his panegyrists' mouths with ancestral honor
reckoned above the two Simak stars and the two Eagle stars.
تُلقىare directed إِلَيهِtoward him المَعاليnoble qualities قَصدَstraight ahead أَوجُهِهاtheir faces
تُلقى إِلَيهِ المَعالي قَصدَ أَوجُهِها
كَالبَيتِlike the House يُقصَدُis sought أَمّاas a goal بِالمَحاريبِthrough prayer niches
كَالبَيتِ يُقصَدُ أَمّا بِالمَحاريبِ
Noble qualities turn their faces straight toward him,
as the House is sought as the goal through prayer niches.
مُعطىًendowed مِنَwith المَجدِglory مُزدادٌgaining more بِرَغبَتِهِthrough his desire
مُعطىً مِنَ المَجدِ مُزدادٌ بِرَغبَتِهِ
تَجريruns عَلىalong سَنَنٍa course مِنهُof his وَأُسلوبِand a manner
تَجري عَلى سَنَنٍ مِنهُ وَأُسلوبِ
Endowed with glory, he gains yet more through his desire,
which follows a course and manner of his own,
كَالعَينِlike the eye مَنهومَةًinsatiable بِالحُسنِfor beauty تَتبَعُهُpursues it
كَالعَينِ مَنهومَةً بِالحُسنِ تَتبَعُهُ
وَالأَنفِand the nose يَطلُبُseeks أَعلىthe highest مُنتَهىlimit of الطيبِfragrance
وَالأَنفِ يَطلُبُ أَعلى مُنتَهى الطيبِ
like an eye insatiable for beauty, pursuing it,
and a nose seeking the utmost height of fragrance.
ماnot اِنفَكَّhas ceased مُنتَضِياًunsheathing سَيفيmy sword وَغىًfor battle وَقِرىًand hospitality
ما اِنفَكَّ مُنتَضِياً سَيفي وَغىً وَقِرىً
عَلىagainst الكَواهِلِthe shoulders تَدمىthat bleed وَالعَراقيبِand the hocks
عَلى الكَواهِلِ تَدمى وَالعَراقيبِ
He never ceases drawing my sword, for battle and hospitality,
against bleeding shoulders and hocks.
قَدindeed سَرَّنيdelighted me بُرءُthe recovery of عِجلٍIjl مِنfrom عَداوَتِهِhostility to him
قَد سَرَّني بُرءُ عِجلٍ مِن عَداوَتِهِ
بَعدَafter الَّذيwhat اِحتَطَبَتit gathered as firewood مِنfrom سُخطِهِhis wrath الموبيruinous
بَعدَ الَّذي اِحتَطَبَت مِن سُخطِهِ الموبي
I rejoiced at Ijl's recovery from hostility to him,
after what it had gathered as firewood from his ruinous wrath.
سارواthey went مَعَwith الناسِthe people حَيثُwhere الناسُthe people أَزفَلَةٌa throng
ساروا مَعَ الناسِ حَيثُ الناسُ أَزفَلَةٌ
فيin جودِهِhis bounty بَينَamong مَرؤوسٍsubjects وَمَربوبِand dependents
في جودِهِ بَينَ مَرؤوسٍ وَمَربوبِ
They went with the people, where the people flock
within his bounty, subjects and dependents alike.
وَلَوand if تَناهَتhad refrained بَنوthe sons of شَيبانَShayban عَنهُfrom him إِذاًthen
وَلَو تَناهَت بَنو شَيبانَ عَنهُ إِذاً
لَمnot يَجشَمواthey would have borne وَقعَthe stroke of ذيhaving حَدَّينِtwo edges مَذروبِsharpened
لَم يَجشَموا وَقعَ ذي حَدَّينِ مَذروبِ
Had Banu Shayban refrained from opposing him, then
they would not have borne the stroke of a sharpened, double-edged blade.
ماnot زادَهاincreased them النَفرُshunning عَنهُaway from him غَيرَexcept تَغوِيَةٍmisguidance
ما زادَها النَفرُ عَنهُ غَيرَ تَغوِيَةٍ
وَبُعدُهاand their distance عَنfrom رِضاهُhis favor غَيرَexcept تَتبيبِruin
وَبُعدُها عَن رِضاهُ غَيرَ تَتبيبِ
Their shunning him only led them further astray,
and their distance from his favor brought only ruin.
Sol 6.1