خَطَتهُpassed him by فَلَمand did not تَحفِلpay heed بِهِto him الأَعيُنُthe eyes الوُطفُlong-lashed
خَطَتهُ فَلَم تَحفِل بِهِ الأَعيُنُ الوُطفُ
وَكانَand was الصِباyouth إِلفاًa companion فَفارَقَهُthen left him الإِلفُthe companion
وَكانَ الصِبا إِلفاً فَفارَقَهُ الإِلفُ
Long-lashed eyes passed him by and took no notice of him.
Youth had been his companion, but that companion left him.
وَأَسلىand made forget الغَوانيthe beauties عَنهُabout him مُبيَضُّthe whitened hair فَودِهِof his temple
وَأَسلى الغَواني عَنهُ مُبيَضُّ فَودِهِ
وَكانَand once was يُعَنّيهُنَّtormenting them مُسوَدُّهُits black hair الوَحفُthick and luxuriant
وَكانَ يُعَنّيهُنَّ مُسوَدُّهُ الوَحفُ
The whitened hair at his temple made the beauties forget him,
while its thick black hair had once tormented them.
فَكَمso how many مَوعِدٍan appointment أَتوَينَهُthey spoiled it وَلَوَينَهُand postponed it
فَكَم مَوعِدٍ أَتوَينَهُ وَلَوَينَهُ
فَأَوَّلُهُso its beginning مَطلٌdelay وَآخِرُهُand its end خُلفُa broken promise
فَأَوَّلُهُ مَطلٌ وَآخِرُهُ خُلفُ
How many an appointment they spoiled and deferred:
its beginning was delay, and its end a broken promise.
جَفاgrew harsh مَضجَعيmy bed وَأَيُّand what مَضجَعِbed of مُغرَمٍa lovesick man
جَفا مَضجَعي وَأَيُّ مَضجَعِ مُغرَمٍ
يُقَضُّis made rough بِلَوعاتِby the pangs الفِراقِof parting فَلاand does not يَجفوgrow harsh
يُقَضُّ بِلَوعاتِ الفِراقِ فَلا يَجفو
My bed has grown harsh—and what lovesick man's bed,
roughened by parting's pangs, would not grow harsh?
وَجَدتُand I found المُحِبّينَthe lovers اِستُرِقَّتwere enslaved دُموعُهُمtheir tears
وَجَدتُ المُحِبّينَ اِستُرِقَّت دُموعُهُم
فَهُنَّso they عَلىfor أَشجانِthe sorrows لَوعاتِهِمof their burning pangs وَقفُreserved
فَهُنَّ عَلى أَشجانِ لَوعاتِهِم وَقفُ
And I found lovers with their tears enslaved,
so they are set apart for the sorrows of their anguish.
إِذاwhen اِحتَدَمَتblazed أَكبادُهُمtheir livers مِنfrom صَبابَةٍpassionate longing
إِذا اِحتَدَمَت أَكبادُهُم مِن صَبابَةٍ
تَضَرَّمَblazed up مِنهاfrom them فيwithin جَوانِحِهِمtheir ribs رَضفُred-hot stones
تَضَرَّمَ مِنها في جَوانِحِهِم رَضفُ
When their livers burn with passionate longing,
from them, red-hot stones blaze within their ribs.
وَزَورِand a visitation خَيالٍof a phantom بَعدَafter وَهنٍa stretch of night أَلَمَّcame بيto me
وَزَورِ خَيالٍ بَعدَ وَهنٍ أَلَمَّ بي
وَأَحشاؤُهُand its entrails مِنfrom فَرطِthe intensity خيفَتِهِof its fear تَهفوfluttered
وَأَحشاؤُهُ مِن فَرطِ خيفَتِهِ تَهفو
And a phantom visitor came to me after a stretch of night,
its entrails fluttering from the intensity of its fear.
وَقَدand already أَشرَفَتrose high حَتّىuntil أَقامَتturned وُجوهَهاtheir faces
وَقَد أَشرَفَت حَتّى أَقامَت وُجوهَها
عَلىtoward جِهَةِthe direction of الغَربِthe west الفَوارِسُthe Horsemen (stars) وَالرِدفُand the Rear Rider (star)
عَلى جِهَةِ الغَربِ الفَوارِسُ وَالرِدفُ
And they had risen high until they turned their faces
toward the west—the Horsemen and the Rear Rider—
وُقوفاًstanding بِأَعلىat the highest مَنظَرٍvantage قَدalready تَوازَنَتwere evenly aligned
وُقوفاً بِأَعلى مَنظَرٍ قَد تَوازَنَت
مَناكِبُshoulders مِنهُمamong them مِثلَlike ماوَقَفَthe way it stood الصَفُّthe rank
مَناكِبُ مِنهُم مِثلَ ماوَقَفَ الصَفُّ
standing at the highest vantage; evenly aligned were
their shoulders, like a rank drawn up.
أَرىI see الناسَpeople صِنفَيtwo classes of رِفعَةٍnobility وَدَناءَةٍand baseness
أَرى الناسَ صِنفَي رِفعَةٍ وَدَناءَةٍ
طَغامُهُمُtheir rabble صِنفٌone class وَأَعيانُهُمand their notables صِنفُone class
طَغامُهُمُ صِنفٌ وَأَعيانُهُم صِنفُ
I see people as two classes: noble and base;
their rabble form one class, and their notables another.
لَقَدindeed شَرَّدَscattered الأَعرابَthe Bedouin كُلَّevery مُشَرَّدٍscattering
لَقَد شَرَّدَ الأَعرابَ كُلَّ مُشَرَّدٍ
تَسَوُّقَthe driving of غادٍone setting out at dawn فيin سِياقَتِهِhis driving عَسفُharshness
تَسَوُّقَ غادٍ في سِياقَتِهِ عَسفُ
He has indeed scattered the Bedouin utterly,
like a drover setting out at dawn, harsh in his driving.
زُحوفٌever-advancing إِذاwhen ماever (emphasis) مَعشَرٌa people زاغَstrayed رَأيُهُمtheir judgment
زُحوفٌ إِذا ما مَعشَرٌ زاغَ رَأيُهُم
فَلَمand did not يَستَقيمواmend their ways سارَmarched تِلقاءَهُمagainst them زَحفُan advancing army
فَلَم يَستَقيموا سارَ تِلقاءَهُم زَحفُ
Ever advancing: whenever a people's judgment went astray
and they would not mend their ways, an army marched against them.
رَأَتrecognized رُشدَهاits right course عِجلُʿIjl فَثابَتand returned حُلومُهاits good sense
رَأَت رُشدَها عِجلُ فَثابَت حُلومُها
وَلَمand did not يَعشَturn blindly مِنهاamong them عَنfrom مَراشِدِهاits paths of guidance طَرفُan eye
وَلَم يَعشَ مِنها عَن مَراشِدِها طَرفُ
ʿIjl recognized its right course, and its good sense returned,
and no eye among its people turned blindly from its paths of guidance.
وَجاءَتand came بَنوthe sons of شَيبانَShayban تَنشُدُseeking حِلفَهاits alliance
وَجاءَت بَنو شَيبانَ تَنشُدُ حِلفَها
وَلاand no إِلّاcovenant (contextual reading) لِلعاصيfor the rebel لَدَيكَwith you وَلاnor حِلفُalliance
وَلا إِلّا لِلعاصي لَدَيكَ وَلا حِلفُ
And Banu Shayban came seeking their alliance,
but with you a rebel has no covenant and no alliance.
كَأَنَّas though الوَديعِيِّنَthe Wadiʿis لَيلَةَon the night جِئتَهُمyou came to them
كَأَنَّ الوَديعِيِّنَ لَيلَةَ جِئتَهُم
هَوىplunged بِهِمُwith them فيinto غَمرِthe depths مَسجورَةٍblazing جُرفُa riverbank
هَوى بِهِمُ في غَمرِ مَسجورَةٍ جُرفُ
As though the Wadiʿis, on the night you came to them,
had plunged with a riverbank into blazing depths.
مَضَواthey passed away بَينَamid أَضعافِthe folds الخُطوبِof calamities كَماjust as مَضَتpassed away
مَضَوا بَينَ أَضعافِ الخُطوبِ كَما مَضَت
جَديسٌJadis وَبانَتand departed عَنfrom مَنازِلِهاits dwellings هَفُّHaff
جَديسٌ وَبانَت عَن مَنازِلِها هَفُّ
They passed away amid the folds of calamities, as did
Jadis, and Haff departed from its dwellings.
وَلاnor لِاِبنِfor the son of سَيّارٍSayyar مِنَin الأَمرِthe affair بَعدَهاafter that
وَلا لِاِبنِ سَيّارٍ مِنَ الأَمرِ بَعدَها
خِيارٌa choice إِذاwhen اِختارَchooses القَسيمُthe fellow sharer وَلاnor نِصفُa half-share
خِيارٌ إِذا اِختارَ القَسيمُ وَلا نِصفُ
Nor, after that, does Ibn Sayyar have in this affair
a choice when the fellow sharer chooses, nor a half-share.
وَأَضحَواand they became وَكانواthough they had been لاnot يُنَهنِهُrestrain شَغبَهُمtheir tumult
وَأَضحَوا وَكانوا لا يُنَهنِهُ شَغبَهُم
إِذاwhen قيلَit was said كُفّواdesist! عَنfrom تَخَمُّطِكُمyour arrogance كُفّواthey desisted
إِذا قيلَ كُفّوا عَن تَخَمُّطِكُم كُفّوا
Now, though once their tumult went unchecked,
when told, 'Desist from your arrogance,' they desist.
وَلَمّاand when اِستَقَرَّتsettled فيin جَلولاJalula دِيارُهُمtheir dwellings
وَلَمّا اِستَقَرَّت في جَلولا دِيارُهُم
فَلاthen neither الظَهرُthe ridge مِنof ساتيدَماءَSatidamaʾ وَلاnor اللِحفُthe foot
فَلا الظَهرُ مِن ساتيدَماءَ وَلا اللِحفُ
And when their dwellings settled in Jalula,
not on Satidamaʾ's ridge, nor at its foot,
أَقامواthey remained نَدامىdrinking companions مُترَعاتٌbrim-full كُؤوسُهُمtheir cups
أَقاموا نَدامى مُترَعاتٌ كُؤوسُهُم
لَدَيهِمbefore them وَصَرفُand the reversals الدَهرِof time بَينَهُمُamong them صِرفُunmixed
لَدَيهِم وَصَرفُ الدَهرِ بَينَهُمُ صِرفُ
they remained drinking companions, their cups brim-full
before them, while time's reversals were unmixed among them.
تَوافَتconverged لَهُمfor them آجالُهُمtheir appointed deaths فَكَأَنَّهُمso it was as though they
تَوافَت لَهُم آجالُهُم فَكَأَنَّهُم
لَقواmet صَعقَةًa thunderbolt أَوor فَضَّbroke apart بَينَهُمُamong them حَتفُdeath
لَقوا صَعقَةً أَو فَضَّ بَينَهُمُ حَتفُ
Their appointed deaths converged upon them, as though they
had met a thunderbolt, or death had scattered their company.
وَرامَتand sought بَنوthe sons of تَيمٍTaym بِكَرماءَat Karmaʾ مُتعَةًenjoyment
وَرامَت بَنو تَيمٍ بِكَرماءَ مُتعَةً
فَماbut did not كَرُمواact nobly عِندَat اللِقاءِthe encounter وَلاnor عَفّواshow restraint
فَما كَرُموا عِندَ اللِقاءِ وَلا عَفّوا
And Banu Taym sought enjoyment at Karmaʾ,
but at the encounter they were neither noble nor restrained.
وَماand did not بَرِحَcease التَفريطُnegligence حَتّىuntil أَصارَهُمit brought them
وَما بَرِحَ التَفريطُ حَتّى أَصارَهُم
إِلىto خُطَّةٍa plight فيهاin it الخَزِيَّةُdisgrace وَالخَسفُand abasement
إِلى خُطَّةٍ فيها الخَزِيَّةُ وَالخَسفُ
And negligence persisted until it brought them
to a plight of disgrace and abasement.
إِذاwhenever اِنتَزَفواthey drained dry خِلفاًa teat مِنَof الشَرِّevil رَدَّهُمsent them back
إِذا اِنتَزَفوا خِلفاً مِنَ الشَرِّ رَدَّهُم
إِلىto أَوَّلِthe first الوِردِdraught الَّذيwhich اِنتَزَفواthey drained خَلفُa successor
إِلى أَوَّلِ الوِردِ الَّذي اِنتَزَفوا خَلفُ
Whenever they drained a teat of evil, they were driven back
to the first draught they had drained, by its successor.
وَإِلّاand if not يُنيبواthey return to obedience تَقضِبِwill reap القُضُبُthe blades الرَدىdeath
وَإِلّا يُنيبوا تَقضِبِ القُضُبُ الرَدى
وَسُمرٌand brown lances بِسابَرّوجَat Sabarruj تَمنَعُهاguard them عُجفُlean steeds
وَسُمرٌ بِسابَرّوجَ تَمنَعُها عُجفُ
Unless they return to obedience, death will be reaped by blades
and brown lances at Sabarruj, guarded by lean steeds.
وَإِلّاand if not يُنيبواthey submit صاغِرينَhumbled وَيَرجِعواand turn back
وَإِلّا يُنيبوا صاغِرينَ وَيَرجِعوا
تَدُرwill circulate بَينَهُمamong them كَأسُthe cup الحِمامِof death بِكَthrough you الصِرفُunmixed
تَدُر بَينَهُم كَأسُ الحِمامِ بِكَ الصِرفُ
And unless they submit humbly and turn back,
the cup of unmixed death will pass among them through you.
لَناwe have حاتِمانِtwo Hatims لِلمُجَدَّدِfor the newer one مِنهُماof the two
لَنا حاتِمانِ لِلمُجَدَّدِ مِنهُما
عَلىover المُبتَديthe first one فيin كُلِّevery مَكرُمَةٍnoble deed ضِعفُa twofold advantage
عَلى المُبتَدي في كُلِّ مَكرُمَةٍ ضِعفُ
We have two Hatims; the newer of the two
surpasses the first twofold in every noble deed.
خَلائِقُqualities إِنif أَكدىwithheld its yield الحَياthe rain فيin غَمامِهِits clouds
خَلائِقُ إِن أَكدى الحَيا في غَمامِهِ
تَتابَعَfollowed in succession عُرفاًone after another مِنfrom كَرائِمِهاtheir noblest traits العُرفُkindness
تَتابَعَ عُرفاً مِن كَرائِمِها العُرفُ
Qualities that, if rain fails within its clouds,
send kindness flowing in succession from their noblest traits.
أَحاطَتencompassed بِآفاقِthe horizons of المَعاليexcellence وَأَشرَفَتand raised high
أَحاطَت بِآفاقِ المَعالي وَأَشرَفَت
بِهاthem نَخوَةٌa proud spirit مِنbeyond أَنthat يُحيطَencompass بِهاthem وَصفُa description
بِها نَخوَةٌ مِن أَن يُحيطَ بِها وَصفُ
They encompass the horizons of excellence and are raised high
by a pride that keeps any description from encompassing them.
لَبِسناwe clothed ourselves مِنَfrom الطائِيِّal-Taʾi آثارَthe marks نِعمَةٍof favor
لَبِسنا مِنَ الطائِيِّ آثارَ نِعمَةٍ
تَبينُstand out عَلىthrough مَرِّthe passing اللَياليof nights وَلاand do not تَعفوfade away
تَبينُ عَلى مَرِّ اللَيالي وَلا تَعفو
We have clothed ourselves in the marks of al-Taʾi's favor,
which remain visible as the nights pass and never fade.
إِذاwhen سَبَقَتcame first مِنهُfrom him يَدٌa hand of favor فَتُشوهِرَتand became renowned
إِذا سَبَقَت مِنهُ يَدٌ فَتُشوهِرَت
أَبَرَّتsurpassed عَلَيهاover it مِنfrom نَداهُhis generosity يَدٌa hand of favor تَقفوfollowing behind
أَبَرَّت عَلَيها مِن نَداهُ يَدٌ تَقفو
When a hand of favor from him comes first and becomes renowned,
a following hand from his bounty surpasses it.
وَأَلفانِand two thousands ماnot يَنفَكُّceases يَدنوdrawing nearer مَداهُماthe reach of both
وَأَلفانِ ما يَنفَكُّ يَدنو مَداهُما
فَمِنso from مالِهِhis wealth أَلفٌa thousand وَمِنand from جاهِهِhis influence أَلفُa thousand
فَمِن مالِهِ أَلفٌ وَمِن جاهِهِ أَلفُ
And two thousands whose reach keeps drawing nearer:
a thousand from his wealth, and a thousand from his influence.
Sol 6.1