عِندَat العَقيقِal-Aqiq فَماثِلاتِand the standing remains of دِيارِهِits dwellings
عِندَ العَقيقِ فَماثِلاتِ دِيارِهِ
شَجنٌsorrow يَزيدُincreases الصَبَّthe ardent lover فيin استِعبارِهِhis weeping
شَجنٌ يَزيدُ الصَبَّ في استِعبارِهِ
At al-Aqiq and the standing remains of its dwellings,
At al-Aqiq when its dwellings brought to mind,
is sorrow that makes the ardent lover weep still more,
A passion that increases the youth’s resolve,
وَجَوىًand burning grief إِذاwhen اِعتَلَقَit grips الجَوانِحَthe ribs لَمnot يَدَعit leaves
وَجَوىً إِذا اِعتَلَقَ الجَوانِحَ لَم يَدَع
لِمُتَيَّمٍfor a love-enslaved man سَبَباًa means إِلىto إِقصارِهِhis desisting
لِمُتَيَّمٍ سَبَباً إِلى إِقصارِهِ
and burning grief which, once it grips the ribs, leaves no
And an affection, if it clung to the heart, would not
means for a love-enslaved man to desist.
Leave the enamored any way to restrain it,
دِمَنٌencampment ruins تَناهَبَravaged in turns رَسمَهاtheir outline حَتّىuntil عَفاit vanished
دِمَنٌ تَناهَبَ رَسمَها حَتّى عَفا
مِنهاfrom them تَعاقُبُthe succession of رائِحٍan evening cloud بِقِطارِهِwith its rain
مِنها تَعاقُبُ رائِحٍ بِقِطارِهِ
Ruins whose outlines were ravaged until they vanished
A tribe whose traces have been erased until no
from them, under successive evening clouds with their rain.
Sequence of encampments remains among its ruins,
باتَتthey lay overnight وَباتَand spent the night البَرقُthe lightning يَمريmilking عوذَهُits newly calved she-camels
باتَت وَباتَ البَرقُ يَمري عوذَهُ
فيهاin them وَيَنتِجُand delivering مُثقَلاتِthe heavily laden ones of عِشارِهِits ten-month-pregnant camels
فيها وَيَنتِجُ مُثقَلاتِ عِشارِهِ
They lay all night, and lightning spent the night milking its newly calved camels
They spent the night while the lightning flashed, illuminating it
over them, and delivering its heavy, ten-month-pregnant camels.
And revealing the burdens of its clouds,
فَالأَرضُso the earth فيin عَمَمِthe luxuriance of النَباتِvegetation مُجِدَّةٌrenewing
فَالأَرضُ في عَمَمِ النَباتِ مُجِدَّةٌ
أَثوابَهاits garments وَالرَوضُand the meadow مِنwith نُوّارِهِits blossoms
أَثوابَها وَالرَوضُ مِن نُوّارِهِ
So the earth, amid luxuriant vegetation, renews
So the land is clothed in the garments of vegetation
its robes, and the meadow renews its own with its blossoms.
And the meadows in its blossoms.
يَمضيpasses الزَمانُtime وَماyet not قَضَيتُI have satisfied لُبانَتيmy longing
يَمضي الزَمانُ وَما قَضَيتُ لُبانَتي
مِنfor حُسنِthe beauty of مَوهوبِwhat is bestowed by الصِباyouth وَمُعارِهِand what it lends
مِن حُسنِ مَوهوبِ الصِبا وَمُعارِهِ
Time passes, yet I have not satisfied my longing
Time passes and I have not lived out my youth
for the beauty youth bestows and lends.
Or the beauty of adolescence and its glory.
لَيلٌa night بِذاتِat Dhat الطَلحِal-Talh أَسدافاتُهُits stretches of darkness
لَيلٌ بِذاتِ الطَلحِ أَسدافاتُهُ
أَشهىsweeter إِلىto المُشتاقِthe yearning lover مِنthan أَسحارِهِits pre-dawn hours
أَشهى إِلى المُشتاقِ مِن أَسحارِهِ
A night at Dhat al-Talh—its stretches of darkness
A night at Thalh whose extremities
are sweeter to the yearning lover than its hours before dawn.
Are more enticing to the ardent lover than its dawns,
وَمِنand for أَجلِthe sake of طَيفِكِyour dream-image عادَbecame مُظلِمُthe darkness of لَيلِهِhis night
وَمِن أَجلِ طَيفِكِ عادَ مُظلِمُ لَيلِهِ
أَحظىmore cherished لَدَيهِby him مِنthan مُضيءِthe brightness of نَهارِهِhis day
أَحظى لَدَيهِ مِن مُضيءِ نَهارِهِ
And because of your dream-image, the darkness of his night became
And for your phantom the darkness of its night
dearer to him than the brightness of his day.
Is more precious than the illumination of its day.
يَنأىstays distant الخَيالُthe dream-vision عَنِfrom الدُنُوِّnearness وَرُبَّماyet sometimes
يَنأى الخَيالُ عَنِ الدُنُوِّ وَرُبَّما
وَصَلَkept up الزِيارَةَthe visit عِندَwhen شَحطِthe remoteness of مَزارِهِits visiting-place
وَصَلَ الزِيارَةَ عِندَ شَحطِ مَزارِهِ
The dream-vision shuns nearness, yet sometimes
Thought avoids baseness, though sometimes
keeps up its visits when its abode is far away.
It reaches visitation at the death site of the loved one.
وَلَقَدand indeed حَلَفتُI swore وَفيand in أَلِيَّتِيَmy oath الصَفاal-Safa
وَلَقَد حَلَفتُ وَفي أَلِيَّتِيَ الصَفا
فيin هَضبِهِits rocky heights وَالبَيتُand the House فيin أَستارِهِits coverings
في هَضبِهِ وَالبَيتُ في أَستارِهِ
And indeed I have sworn—my oath invokes al-Safa
By the towering mounts of Sifa I swore
in its rocky heights, and the House in its coverings—
On its plateau, and the house amidst its veil,
لَلخِضرُsurely al-Khidr فيamid شُبَهِthe perplexities of الخُطوبِcalamities وَرَأيُهُand his judgment
لَلخِضرُ في شُبَهِ الخُطوبِ وَرَأيُهُ
كَالسَيفِlike the sword فيamid حَمَسِthe fury of الوَغىbattle وَغَرارِهِand its cutting edge
كَالسَيفِ في حَمَسِ الوَغى وَغَرارِهِ
surely al-Khidr, with his judgment amid tangled calamities,
Al-Khadir in the semblance of misfortunes, his view
is like a sword with its edge amid the fury of battle.
Is like the sword amidst the crashing din and its sparks.
إِنif أَزعَجَتكَit unsettles you مِنَfrom الزَمانِtime مُلِمَّةٌa calamity
إِن أَزعَجَتكَ مِنَ الزَمانِ مُلِمَّةٌ
فَاِندُبthen summon رَبيعَتَهُits Rabi'ah لَهاto face it اِبنَson of نِزارِهِits Nizar
فَاِندُب رَبيعَتَهُ لَها اِبنَ نِزارِهِ
If a calamity of time unsettles you,
If a disaster from time afflicts you
summon the age's Rabi'ah to face it, the son of its Nizar.
Then mourn its springtime, the son of Nizar.
مَنwhom ذاis there نُؤَمِّلُهُwe place hope in him لِمِثلِfor the like of فَعالِهِhis deeds
مَن ذا نُؤَمِّلُهُ لِمِثلِ فَعالِهِ
أَمor مَنwhom نُؤَهِّلُهُwe deem him worthy لِخَوضِto plunge into غِمارِهِhis depths
أَم مَن نُؤَهِّلُهُ لِخَوضِ غِمارِهِ
Whom can we look to for deeds like his,
Who do we hope for actions like his?
or whom can we deem worthy to plunge into his depths?
Or who do we prepare for the plunge into its swell?
يُرجىis looked to مَرَجّيهِone who hopes in him فَيُؤتَنَفُso is begun anew الغِنىwealth
يُرجى مَرَجّيهِ فَيُؤتَنَفُ الغِنى
مِمّاfrom what يُنيلُhe grants وَيُستَجارُand refuge is sought بِجارِهِwith his protégé
مِمّا يُنيلُ وَيُستَجارُ بِجارِهِ
The man who hopes in him is himself looked to, and wealth is renewed
One who is hoped for so wealth returns
through what he gives, and refuge is sought with his protégé.
And the neighbor is sought for refuge.
إِمّاeither غَنِيٌّa wealthy man زادَhe increased فيin إِغنائِهِenriching him
إِمّا غَنِيٌّ زادَ في إِغنائِهِ
أَوor مُقتِرٌa needy man يُعدىis aided عَلىagainst إِقتارِهِhis poverty
أَو مُقتِرٌ يُعدى عَلى إِقتارِهِ
Either a rich man, whom he makes wealthier,
One is wealthy, increasing in his riches,
or a needy man, aided against his poverty.
While another is destitute, exceeding in his poverty,
وَمُظَفَّرٌand one granted triumph بِالمَجدِin glory إِدراكاتُهُhis attainments
وَمُظَفَّرٌ بِالمَجدِ إِدراكاتُهُ
فيin الحَظِّgood fortune زائِدَةٌexceeding عَلىbeyond أَوطارِهِhis desires
في الحَظِّ زائِدَةٌ عَلى أَوطارِهِ
And he is triumphant in glory; his attainments
And one granted glory, his attainments
in good fortune exceed his desires.
Are abundant, beyond his peers.
حَسبُsufficient for العَدُوِّthe enemy صَريمَةٌa firm resolve مَنfrom رَأيِهِhis judgment
حَسبُ العَدُوِّ صَريمَةٌ مَن رَأيِهِ
تَمضيis carried through لَهُfor him أَوor جَمرَةٌan ember مِنfrom نارِهِhis fire
تَمضي لَهُ أَو جَمرَةٌ مِن نارِهِ
One firm resolve from his judgment is enough for the enemy,
The enemy’s agent is enough, from his view,
carried through for him—or one ember from his fire.
To carry out, or a coal from his fire,
تُجلىare cleared away الحَوادِثُcalamities عَنfrom أَغَرَّa radiant man كَأَنَّماas though
تُجلى الحَوادِثُ عَن أَغَرَّ كَأَنَّما
رَضوىRadwa أَصالَةُthe firmness of رَأيِهِhis judgment وَوَقارِهِand his dignity
رَضوى أَصالَةُ رَأيِهِ وَوَقارِهِ
Calamities lift to reveal a radiant man, as though
Events are revealed as if approving
the firmness of his judgment and his dignity were Radwa—
The soundness of his opinion and dignity.
عَنfrom مُكثِرٍone lavish مِنof سيبِهِhis bounty لَكَto you لَوif جَرىflowed
عَن مُكثِرٍ مِن سيبِهِ لَكَ لَو جَرى
مَعَهُbeside him الفُراتُthe Euphrates لَقَلَّit would seem scant فيin إِكثارِهِits lavishness
مَعَهُ الفُراتُ لَقَلَّ في إِكثارِهِ
a lavish giver of bounty to you: if
Do not heed one who exaggerates his relationship, for if
the Euphrates flowed beside him, it would seem meager in its bounty.
The Euphrates flowed with him, it would diminish in its plenty.
أَسنىlavished صَنائِعَهُhis favors إِلَيَّon me وَماand not يَنيceases
أَسنى صَنائِعَهُ إِلَيَّ وَما يَني
أَثَرٌa mark يَلوحُshines عَلَيَّupon me مِنof آثارِهِhis benefactions
أَثَرٌ يَلوحُ عَلَيَّ مِن آثارِهِ
He lavished his favors on me, and always
He attributed his works to me though no
a mark of his beneficence shines upon me.
Vestige appears to me of his traces.
بَحرٌa sea إِذاwhen وَرَدَتcomes to drink رَبيعَةُRabi'ah سَيحَةُflowing waters
بَحرٌ إِذا وَرَدَت رَبيعَةُ سَيحَةُ
لَمnot يَخشَit fears نَهلَتَهاtheir draught عَلىfor تَيّارِهِits current
لَم يَخشَ نَهلَتَها عَلى تَيّارِهِ
A sea: when Rabi'ah comes to its flowing waters,
A sea—if the Bani Rabīʿ approached arrogant,
it fears no harm to its current from their draught.
It would not fear the assault of its currents.
وَإِذاand when الأَراقِمُal-Araqim فاخَرَتboast against أَكفاءَهاtheir equals
وَإِذا الأَراقِمُ فاخَرَت أَكفاءَها
بَدَأَتthey begin بِسُؤدَدِهِwith his eminence وَعُظمِand the greatness of فَخارِهِhis glory
بَدَأَت بِسُؤدَدِهِ وَعُظمِ فَخارِهِ
And when al-Araqim boast against their equals,
And if the virgins vied—they would begin
they begin with his eminence and the greatness of his glory.
With its summit and massive eruption.
جانِبهُavoid him نازِلَO lodger at بَرقَعيدَBarqa'id فَإِنَّهُfor indeed he
جانِبهُ نازِلَ بَرقَعيدَ فَإِنَّهُ
أَسَدُthe lion of العَرينِthe den تَزورُهُyou visit him فيin زارِهِhis thicket
أَسَدُ العَرينِ تَزورُهُ في زارِهِ
Avoid him, you who lodge at Barqa'id, for he is
Its side adjoins the dwellings of Banū Riqqāʿid, for it
the lion of the den—you visit him in his thicket.
Is the lion of the lair, they visit it in its sanctuary.
أَولادُthe sons of مَسعودِMas'ud بنِson of دَلهَمَDalham إِنَّهُمindeed they
أَولادُ مَسعودِ بنِ دَلهَمَ إِنَّهُم
كَلَأواhave guarded ثُغورَthe frontiers of المَجدِglory مِنfrom أَقطارِهِits sides
كَلَأوا ثُغورَ المَجدِ مِن أَقطارِهِ
The sons of Mas'ud ibn Dalham—indeed, they
The Banū Masʿūd ibn Dalham—they
have guarded glory's frontiers on every side.
Picked the fruits of glory from its far reaches.
يَرجوhopes حَسودُهُمُtheir envious foe الكِفايَةَrelief بَعدَafter ماthat
يَرجو حَسودُهُمُ الكِفايَةَ بَعدَ ما
خَفِيَتhave vanished نُجومُthe stars of اللَيلِthe night فيamong أَقمارِهِits moons
خَفِيَت نُجومُ اللَيلِ في أَقمارِهِ
Their envious foe hopes for relief, now that
Their enviers hope for sufficiency after
the stars of night have vanished among its moons.
The stars of night are obscured by its moons.
نُبِّئتُI was told أَنَّthat أَباfather of المُعَمَّرِal-Mu'ammar زادَهُمhe added to them
نُبِّئتُ أَنَّ أَبا المُعَمَّرِ زادَهُم
ثَأراًa cause for vengeance عَشِيَّةَon the evening جاءَhe came طالِبَseeking ثارِهِhis vengeance
ثَأراً عَشِيَّةَ جاءَ طالِبَ ثارِهِ
I was told that Abu al-Mu'ammar gave them more
I was told that Abu l-Muʿammar increased
cause for vengeance, the evening he came seeking his own revenge.
Vengeance for them the evening its seeker came demanding blood vengeance.
أَتبَعنَthey made follow عَبدَAbd (servant of) اللَهِAllah رِمَّةَthe corpse of أَحمَدٍAhmad
أَتبَعنَ عَبدَ اللَهِ رِمَّةَ أَحمَدٍ
وَالنَقعُand the battle dust يَتبَعُهُنَّfollows them هَيجُthe tumult of مُثارِهِits stirred-up cloud
وَالنَقعُ يَتبَعُهُنَّ هَيجُ مُثارِهِ
They sent Ahmad's corpse after Abd Allah,
They pursued ʿAbdallāh, the quintessence of Aḥmad,
while the battle dust follows them in a raging, stirred-up cloud.
And the she-camels bellow as the stallions are stirred to mate.
ماwhat بالُis the matter with قَبرَthe grave of أَبيكُمُyour father فيin دارِهِمtheir domain
ما بالُ قَبرَ أَبيكُمُ في دارِهِم
غَلِقاًheld in pledge وَقَبرُwhile the grave of أَبيهِمِtheir father فيin دارِهِhis domain
غَلِقاً وَقَبرُ أَبيهِمِ في دارِهِ
Why is your father's grave in their domain,
Why is your father’s grave in their abode
held in pledge, while their father's grave is in his own?
Shut, while their father’s grave is in his?
أَلّاwhy not اِنتَقَذتُمyou rescued شِلوَهُhis remains وَعَديدُكُمwhile your numbers
أَلّا اِنتَقَذتُم شِلوَهُ وَعَديدُكُم
فَوتَbeyond الحَصىthe pebbles وَالضِعفُand double مِنof مِقدارِهِtheir count
فَوتَ الحَصى وَالضِعفُ مِن مِقدارِهِ
Why have you not rescued his remains, when your numbers
Why have you not rescued its parapets while your number
outnumber the pebbles, and are twice their count?
Still had solidity, before weakness lessened it?
Sol 6.1