لَيالِيَناour nights بَينَbetween اللِوىal-Liwa فَزَرودِand Zarud
لَيالِيَنا بَينَ اللِوى فَزَرودِ
مَضَيتِyou passed حَميداتِpraiseworthy الفَعالِdeeds فَعوديso return
مَضَيتِ حَميداتِ الفَعالِ فَعودي
Our nights between al-Liwa and Zarud,
Our nights amid the twisting sands have passed,
you passed, praiseworthy in your deeds—so return!
Days of virtuous deeds, so come back and grace us!
لَقيناwe found بِكِthrough you الدُنياthe world مَريعاًlush جَنابُهاits precincts
لَقينا بِكِ الدُنيا مَريعاً جَنابُها
وَعَهدُand the covenant بَناتِdaughters الدَهرِof time جِدُّtruly حَميدِpraiseworthy
وَعَهدُ بَناتِ الدَهرِ جِدُّ حَميدِ
In you we found the world, its precincts lush,
With you the world was bright, its bloom a joy;
and the covenant of time's daughters was most gracious.
Such were the days of yore, their bounty peerless.
زَمانُa time وِصالٍof union لَمnot يُرَنَّقwas clouded صَفاؤُهُits clarity
زَمانُ وِصالٍ لَم يُرَنَّق صَفاؤُهُ
بِهَجرٍby estrangement وَلَمand not يَسنَحappear لَناto us بِصُدودِwith rejection
بِهَجرٍ وَلَم يَسنَح لَنا بِصُدودِ
A time of union whose clarity was not clouded
A time of union − its pure bliss untainted
by estrangement, nor did it bring us rejection.
By separation or remoteness hateful;
سُقيناwe were given drink كُؤوسَcups اللَهوِof pleasure فيهِin it وَحَظُّناand our share
سُقينا كُؤوسَ اللَهوِ فيهِ وَحَظُّنا
مِنَof الدَهرِtime نَستَحليهِwe find it sweet غَيرَnot زَهيدِmeager
مِنَ الدَهرِ نَستَحليهِ غَيرَ زَهيدِ
We were given cups of pleasure in it, and our share
We quaffed deep from revelry’s heady cup,
of time, which we savored, was not meager.
Not once eschewing worldly joys unheeding,
وَطَيفٍand a phantom سَرىtraveled by night تَحتَbeneath الدُجىthe darkness فَنَفىthen banished الكَرىslumber
وَطَيفٍ سَرى تَحتَ الدُجى فَنَفى الكَرى
كَرىthe slumber النَومِof sleep عَنfrom ميلِtilted السَوالِفِsides of the neck غيدِsupple ones
كَرى النَومِ عَن ميلِ السَوالِفِ غيدِ
And a phantom traveled beneath the darkness and banished slumber,
When specters marched beneath night’s murky cloak
sleep's slumber, from supple sleepers with tilted necks.
And care’s nagging was banished amidst bleeding,
أَلَمَّit visited بِخوصٍamong hollow-eyed camels كَالقِسِيِّlike bows سَواهِمٍgaunt
أَلَمَّ بِخوصٍ كَالقِسِيِّ سَواهِمٍ
وَشُعثٍand disheveled men عَلىon كُثبِthe dunes العَقَيقِof al-Aqiq هُجودِasleep
وَشُعثٍ عَلى كُثبِ العَقَيقِ هُجودِ
It visited hollow-eyed camels, bow-shaped and gaunt,
Assailed by grief, hard and piercing like arrows,
and disheveled men asleep on al-Aqiq's dunes.
Prostrate atop a hill of ruby, kneeling,
فَباتَso it spent the night يُعاطينيsharing with me عَلىwith غَيرِno رِقبَةٍfear of watchers
فَباتَ يُعاطيني عَلى غَيرِ رِقبَةٍ
مُجاجَةَa mouthful مَعسولِhoney-sweet الرُضابِsaliva بَرودِcool
مُجاجَةَ مَعسولِ الرُضابِ بَرودِ
So all night it shared with me, without fear of watchers,
Through the night he alternately woos and wars,
a mouthful of cool, honey-sweet saliva.
Parrying the ripostes of a darling’s pleading.
تَذَكَّرتُI remembered أَيّامَthe days الشَبابِof youth وَعادَنيand revisited me
تَذَكَّرتُ أَيّامَ الشَبابِ وَعادَني
عَلىdespite النَأيِthe distance مِنfrom ذِكرِremembrance الأَحِبَّةِof loved ones عيديmy recurring longing
عَلى النَأيِ مِن ذِكرِ الأَحِبَّةِ عيدي
I remembered the days of youth, and there returned to me,
I recalled my youth’s days, but absent were
despite distance, my old longing at the thought of loved ones.
All I held dear, and festivities succeeding.
وَكانَand was سَوادُthe blackness الرَأسِof the head شَخصاًa figure مُحَبَّباًbeloved
وَكانَ سَوادُ الرَأسِ شَخصاً مُحَبَّباً
إِلىto كُلِّevery بَيضاءِwhite التَرائِبِthe upper chest رُوَّدِsoftly moving
إِلى كُلِّ بَيضاءِ التَرائِبِ رُوَّدِ
And my hair's blackness was a figure beloved
My raven hair made every fair one swoon −
to every white-bosomed, softly moving beauty.
Each delicate wrist knew well my pleasing.
وَيَومَand on the day النَقاal-Naqa وَالبَينُand parting يَطرِفُstings أَعيُناًeyes
وَيَومَ النَقا وَالبَينُ يَطرِفُ أَعيُناً
ذَوارِفَshedding tears لَمnot تَهمُمthink of أَسىًin grief بِجُمودِof drying
ذَوارِفَ لَم تَهمُم أَسىً بِجُمودِ
And on the day at al-Naqa, when parting stung eyes
As we parted, eyes once dancing now downcast,
streaming with tears, never thinking, in grief, of drying,
Unstirred by grief, though frozen and receding.
فَزِعتُI sought refuge إِلىto السُلوانِsolace فَاِنحَزتُso I withdrew لاجِئاًseeking refuge
فَزِعتُ إِلى السُلوانِ فَاِنحَزتُ لاجِئاً
إِلىto فَلِrouted remnants صَبرٍof patience بِالغَرامِby passion مَذودِdriven back
إِلى فَلِ صَبرٍ بِالغَرامِ مَذودِ
I turned to solace and withdrew for refuge
I fled unto solitude, there finding refuge,
to the routed remnant of patience, driven back by passion.
At a forbearance outcrop, love’s siege conceding.
أَجِدَّtruly? الغَوانيthe beauties لاnot تَزالُcease تَكيدُناscheme against us
أَجِدَّ الغَواني لا تَزالُ تَكيدُنا
بِإِخلافِby breaking وَعدٍa promise أَوor بِنُجحِby fulfilling وَعيدِa threat
بِإِخلافِ وَعدٍ أَو بِنُجحِ وَعيدِ
Do beauties truly never cease to scheme against us,
Passions unceasingly seek to undo me
by breaking a promise or fulfilling a threat?
With promises broken or hopes exceeded,
رَمَينَthey shot فَأَدمَينَso they bloodied القُلوبَthe hearts بِأَعيُنٍwith eyes
رَمَينَ فَأَدمَينَ القُلوبَ بِأَعيُنٍ
دَواعٍcalling إِلىto حُكمِthe rule الهَوىof love وَخُدودِand cheeks
دَواعٍ إِلى حُكمِ الهَوى وَخُدودِ
They shot and bloodied hearts with eyes
Aiming with eyes that subjugate all hearts
calling us to love's rule, and with cheeks.
To desire’s edict − the only pleading!
إِذاif قَيَّدَfetters العَجزُweakness الفَتىa young man دونَshort of هَمِّهِhis ambition
إِذا قَيَّدَ العَجزُ الفَتى دونَ هَمِّهِ
فَلَيسَتthen are not أَواخيtethering loops العَجزِof weakness لَيfor me بِقُيودِfetters
فَلَيسَت أَواخي العَجزِ لَي بِقُيودِ
If weakness binds a man short of his ambition,
When weakness shackles a man’s ambitions,
then weakness's tethers are no fetters for me.
Its chains are not those which I see as freeing.
وَمازِلتُand I have always been مَضّاءَkeen العَزيمَةِof resolve أَبتَغيI seek
وَمازِلتُ مَضّاءَ العَزيمَةِ أَبتَغي
مَزيداًan increase لِقِسميfor my share فَوقَbeyond كُلِّevery مَزيدِincrease
مَزيداً لِقِسمي فَوقَ كُلِّ مَزيدِ
And I have always been firm of purpose, seeking
My will remains resolved to gain yet more
an increase in my share beyond every increase.
Beyond what any may call succeeding.
وَأَعتَدُّand I count سَعيِيmy striving فيthrough البِلادِthe lands ذَريعَةًa means
وَأَعتَدُّ سَعيِي في البِلادِ ذَريعَةً
إِلىto مُستَقَرّيmy settling وادِعاًat ease وَقُعوديand my repose
إِلى مُستَقَرّي وادِعاً وَقُعودي
And I count my striving through the lands a means
I journey through lands only to return
to my settling at ease and taking my rest.
To home and hearth, at peace and resting easy,
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle المَحَطِّيُّنَthe Mahattiyyun حَطَّتalighted رَكائِبيmy riding camels
إِذا ما المَحَطِّيُّنَ حَطَّت رَكائِبي
إِلَيهِمto them حَمَتنيprotected me عُدَّتيmy resources وَعَديديand my numbers
إِلَيهِم حَمَتني عُدَّتي وَعَديدي
Whenever my mounts alighted among the Mahattiyyun,
There where my she-camels’ knees at last fold
my resources and my numbers protected me.
And my supplies and gear find their unloading.
سَراةُchiefs بَنيthe sons عَميof my paternal uncle أَهَبتُI called بِنَصرِهُمfor their aid
سَراةُ بَني عَمي أَهَبتُ بِنَصرِهُم
وَقَدand at times يَتَثَنّىbends لِلحَوادِثِunder calamities عوديmy stem
وَقَد يَتَثَنّى لِلحَوادِثِ عودي
The leading men among my cousins—I called for their aid,
The clans of my uncle hastened to my aid
as my stem would bend at times beneath calamities.
Though fate itself may vacillate unheeding.
أَجارواthey protected عَلىagainst الأَيّامِthe days كُلَّevery مُرَوَّعٍterrified person
أَجاروا عَلى الأَيّامِ كُلَّ مُرَوَّعٍ
بِهِنَّby them وَآوَواand sheltered سِربَthe household كُلِّof every طَريدِoutcast
بِهِنَّ وَآوَوا سِربَ كُلِّ طَريدِ
They gave refuge from the days to everyone terrified
They turned back every threat to darker days
by them, and sheltered every outcast's household.
Sheltering each refugee and hunted pleading.
إِذاwhen شَهِدواthey are present فاضواthey overflow وَيُستَمطَرُand is invoked الحَياrain
إِذا شَهِدوا فاضوا وَيُستَمطَرُ الحَيا
بِأَوجُهِهِمthrough their faces فيin المَحلِdrought غَيرَthough not شُهودِpresent
بِأَوجُهِهِم في المَحلِ غَيرَ شُهودِ
When present, they overflow with bounty; rain is invoked
When they attend, rains fall, and from their faces
through their faces in drought, though they are absent.
Even arid wastes drink deep beyond their needing.
بِهِمthrough them عادَتِreturned الدُنياthe world كَأَحسَنِlike the finest ماthat بَدَتit appeared
بِهِم عادَتِ الدُنيا كَأَحسَنِ ما بَدَت
وَهَبَّتand blew رِياحُthe winds الجودِof generosity بَعدَafter رُكودِstillness
وَهَبَّت رِياحُ الجودِ بَعدَ رُكودِ
Through them the world returned to its fairest appearance,
The world regained its best days known before
and the winds of generosity stirred after stillness.
As favoring winds blew, inertia receding.
خَلائِقُtraits ماتَنفَكُّnever cease كَيفَhowever تَصَرَّفَتthey manifest themselves
خَلائِقُ ماتَنفَكُّ كَيفَ تَصَرَّفَت
رَداًruin لِعَدوٍّfor an enemy أَوor شَجاًa choking thorn لِحَسودِfor an envier
رَداً لِعَدوٍّ أَو شَجاً لِحَسودِ
Traits that never cease, however they manifest themselves,
What their nature is − it never changes:
to be an enemy's ruin or a thorn in an envier's throat.
To smite a foe or help a hapless breathing.
وَماand not لَهُمُfor them غَيرَother than العُلاhigh honor وَاِبتِنائِهاand building it
وَما لَهُمُ غَيرَ العُلا وَاِبتِنائِها
مَناقِبُglories آباءٍof fathers خَلَتpassed away وَجُدودِand grandfathers
مَناقِبُ آباءٍ خَلَت وَجُدودِ
Beyond high honor and the building of it, they have no
Their solely glory is in noble deeds
glories of fathers and grandfathers long gone.
Of forebears long gone, their memory leading.
مَليؤونَamply endowed جوداًwith generosity أَنthat تَضيمَoutdo أَكُفُّهُمtheir palms
مَليؤونَ جوداً أَن تَضيمَ أَكُفُّهُم
حَياthe rain كُلِّof every عَرّاصِlightning-flashing cloud العَشِيِّat evening رَعودِthunderous
حَيا كُلِّ عَرّاصِ العَشِيِّ رَعودِ
So rich in generosity that their palms put to shame
Open-handed they, who never close their palms
the rain of every flashing, thunderous evening cloud.
To curb each night’s rumbling, drumming, thundering.
مَعاقِلُهُمtheir strongholds سُمرُbrown القَناlances وَكُنوزُهُمand their treasures
مَعاقِلُهُم سُمرُ القَنا وَكُنوزُهُم
شَريجانِtwo kinds أَسيافٌswords وَقُمصُand shirts حَديدِof iron
شَريجانِ أَسيافٌ وَقُمصُ حَديدِ
Their strongholds are brown lances, and their treasures
Their holds are the peaks of Qanah; treasures gleaming:
are of two kinds: swords and shirts of iron.
A blaze of swords and mail like lightning streaking.
إِذاwhen غَمَراتُthe surges المَوتِof death أَدجَتgrow dark تَكَشَّفَتthey clear
إِذا غَمَراتُ المَوتِ أَدجَت تَكَشَّفَت
بِهِمthrough them عَنto reveal أُسودٍlions زوحِفَتassailed بِأُسودِby lions
بِهِم عَن أُسودٍ زوحِفَت بِأُسودِ
When death's surges grow dark, they clear
When death’s darkness descends, gone in a flash,
through them, revealing lions assailed by lions.
As they face the darkest night, black cloaks streaming.
هُمُthey أَخمَدواextinguished نارَthe fire العَدوِّof the enemy وَأَوقَدواand kindled
هُمُ أَخمَدوا نارَ العَدوِّ وَأَوقَدوا
مِنَof الحَربِwar ناراًa fire غَيرَnot ذاتِpossessing خُمودِextinction
مِنَ الحَربِ ناراً غَيرَ ذاتِ خُمودِ
They quenched the enemy's fire and kindled
They doused the fires lit by every foe
a fire of war that never dies,
Kindling in war a blaze forever seething.
بِشَهباءَwith a gray host مِنfrom ماءِthe sheen الحَديدِof iron كَأَنَّهاas though it were
بِشَهباءَ مِن ماءِ الحَديدِ كَأَنَّها
جِبالُthe mountains شَرَورىof Sharawra أُضرِمَتwere kindled لِوُقودِto burn
جِبالُ شَرَورى أُضرِمَت لِوُقودِ
with a host gray with iron's luster, as though it were
With fiery sparks, as if erupting peaks
the mountains of Sharawra kindled into flame.
Stoked by fuel in plenty, smoke clouds steaming,
تُريكَit shows you إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle الحَربُwar غامَتbecame clouded سَماُؤُهاits sky
تُريكَ إِذا ما الحَربُ غامَت سَماُؤُها
نُجومَstars صِعادٍof lances فيin سَماءِa sky صَعيدِof dust
نُجومَ صِعادٍ في سَماءِ صَعيدِ
It shows you, whenever war's sky grows clouded,
When war’s firmament roils, you may behold
stars of lances in a sky of dust.
Among the dusty whirls, stars brightly beaming −
فَلَمso not يَبقَremained مِنof أَعدائِهِمtheir enemies غَيرَexcept موغِلٍdriven far
فَلَم يَبقَ مِن أَعدائِهِم غَيرَ موغِلٍ
بِهِwith him الخَوفُfear أَوor نائيdistant المَحَلِّin abode شَريدِa fugitive
بِهِ الخَوفُ أَو نائي المَحَلِّ شَريدِ
So none of their enemies remained but one driven far
Of the foemen naught remains but fugitives
by fear, or a fugitive in a distant place.
Scattered far, or cowering, cringing, fleeing.
يُمَزِّقُهُمtears them apart وَقعُthe impact الصَفيحِof broad swords فَموثَقٌso one is bound
يُمَزِّقُهُم وَقعُ الصَفيحِ فَموثَقٌ
أَسيرٌa captive وَمَسلوبُand one deprived of الحُشاشَةِlife's last spark مودِdead
أَسيرٌ وَمَسلوبُ الحُشاشَةِ مودِ
The blows of broad swords rend them: one is bound,
The clash of steel shreds them − some prisoners chained,
a captive; another, stripped of life's last spark, lies dead.
Some stripped of all, of weapons and clothing.
مَتىwhenever وَتَرَتنيwrong me النائِباتُcalamities فَجودُهُمthen their generosity
مَتى وَتَرَتني النائِباتُ فَجودُهُم
مُديلِيَgranting me victory مِنover أَحداثِهاtheir blows وَمُقَيِّديand my avenger
مُديلِيَ مِن أَحداثِها وَمُقَيِّدي
Whenever calamities wrong me, their generosity
When fate has dealt its blows, their bounty calms me,
wins me victory over their blows and avenges me.
My guide through the blind turns of its careening.
مَواهِبُgifts ماتَنفَكُّnever cease تُصدِرُsend away بِالغِنىwith wealth
مَواهِبُ ماتَنفَكُّ تُصدِرُ بِالغِنى
وُفوداًdelegations مِنَof العافينَpetitioners بَعدَafter وُفودِdelegations
وُفوداً مِنَ العافينَ بَعدَ وُفودِ
Gifts that never cease to send away enriched
Unceasing gifts of bounty they proffer,
delegations of petitioners, one delegation after another.
Caravans of wealth succeeding unending.
Sol 6.1