رَحَلواthey departed فَأَيَّةُso what عَبرَةٍtear لَمnot تُسكَبِbe shed
رَحَلوا فَأَيَّةُ عَبرَةٍ لَم تُسكَبِ
أَسَفاًin sorrow وَأَيُّand what عَزيمَةٍresolve لَمnot تُغلَبِbe overcome
أَسَفاً وَأَيُّ عَزيمَةٍ لَم تُغلَبِ
They departed—what tear was not shed
They left, so what use are tears not spilled
in sorrow, and what resolve was not overcome?
In sorrow, what determination unyielded?
قَدindeed بَيَّنَmade clear البَينُthe separation المُفَرِّقُthat sunders بَينَناbetween us
قَد بَيَّنَ البَينُ المُفَرِّقُ بَينَنا
عِشقَthe love of النَوىdistance لِرَبيبِfor the fosterling of ذاكَthat الرَبرَبِthe gazelle herd
عِشقَ النَوى لِرَبيبِ ذاكَ الرَبرَبِ
The parting that sunders us has revealed
Our parting has been made plain,
distance's love for the fawn of that gazelle herd.
The lover's love for the graceful gazelle.
صَدَقَspoke truly الغُرابُthe raven لَقَدindeed رَأَيتُI saw شُموسَهُمtheir suns
صَدَقَ الغُرابُ لَقَد رَأَيتُ شُموسَهُم
بِالأَمسِyesterday تَغرُبُsetting فيin جَوانِبِthe flanks of غُرَّبِGhurrab
بِالأَمسِ تَغرُبُ في جَوانِبِ غُرَّبِ
The raven spoke true: I saw their suns
The raven spoke true, their suns I saw
setting yesterday along the flanks of Ghurrab.
Yesterday setting on western horizons.
لَوif كُنتَyou were شاهِدَناour witness وَماand what صَنَعَdid الهَوىlove
لَو كُنتَ شاهِدَنا وَما صَنَعَ الهَوى
بِقُلوبِناto our hearts لَحَسَدتَyou would have envied مَنwhoever لَمnot يُحبِبِloved
بِقُلوبِنا لَحَسَدتَ مَن لَم يُحبِبِ
Had you witnessed us and what love did
Had you witnessed us and what passion wrought
to our hearts, you would have envied those who never loved.
In our hearts, you'd envy those who don't love.
شُغِلَwas distracted الرَقيبُthe watcher وَأَسعَدَتناand favored us خَلوَةٌseclusion
شُغِلَ الرَقيبُ وَأَسعَدَتنا خَلوَةٌ
فيin هَجرِforsaking هَجرٍestrangement وَاِجتِنابِand avoiding تَجَنُّبِavoidance
في هَجرِ هَجرٍ وَاِجتِنابِ تَجَنُّبِ
The watcher was distracted, and seclusion favored us,
The watcher was busy, and a tryst delighted us
as we forsook estrangement and shunned avoidance.
In estrangement and avoidance of company.
فَتَلَجلَجَتso faltered عَبَراتُهاher tears ثُمَّthen اِنبَرَتshe began
فَتَلَجلَجَت عَبَراتُها ثُمَّ اِنبَرَت
تَصِفُdescribing الهَوىlove بِلِسانِin the language of دَمعٍtears مُعرِبِeloquent
تَصِفُ الهَوى بِلِسانِ دَمعٍ مُعرِبِ
So her tears faltered; then she began
Her teardrops then poured forth and swelled,
describing love in the eloquent language of tears.
Describing passion in the tongue of a weeping cloud.
تَشكوshe laments الفِراقَseparation إِلىto قَتيلِone slain by صَبابَةِardent longing
تَشكو الفِراقَ إِلى قَتيلِ صَبابَةِ
شَرِقِchoked المَدامِعِthe tear ducts بِالفِراقِby separation مُعَذَّبِtormented
شَرِقِ المَدامِعِ بِالفِراقِ مُعَذَّبِ
She laments separation to one slain by yearning,
She complains of parting to the slain youth
with eyes choked by tears, tormented by parting.
Whose eastward flowing tears separation tortured.
أَأُطيعُshall I obey? فيكِconcerning you العاذِلاتِthe reproaching women وَكِسوَتيwhile my garment
أَأُطيعُ فيكِ العاذِلاتِ وَكِسوَتي
وَرَقُthe foliage of الشَبابِyouth وَشِرَّتيand my ardor لَمnot تَذهَبِdeparted
وَرَقُ الشَبابِ وَشِرَّتي لَم تَذهَبِ
Should I obey the women who blame me for you, while my garment
Shall I obey the blamers in you, and my raiment
is youth's foliage and my ardor has not faded?
Is the leaf of youth before it is carried away?
وَإِذاand when التَفَتُّI look back إِلىtoward سِنِيَّmy years رَأَيتُهاI see them
وَإِذا التَفَتُّ إِلى سِنِيَّ رَأَيتُها
كَمَجَرِّlike the trail of حَبلِthe rope of الخالِعِthe runaway beast المُتَصَعِّبِthe unruly one
كَمَجَرِّ حَبلِ الخالِعِ المُتَصَعِّبِ
And when I look back on my years, I see them
When I consider my age, I see it
like the trail of a rope dragged by a runaway, unruly beast.
As a pregnant she-camel's trailing rope fraying.
عِشرونَtwenty قَصَّرَهاmade them brief الصِباyouth وَأَطالَهاand made them long
عِشرونَ قَصَّرَها الصِبا وَأَطالَها
وَلَعُa passion for العِتابِreproach بِهائِمٍtoward a lovesick wanderer لَمnot يُعتَبِbe appeased
وَلَعُ العِتابِ بِهائِمٍ لَم يُعتَبِ
Twenty: youth made them brief, but they were lengthened
Twenty the dawn shortened, and longing lengthened,
by the zeal for rebuking a lovesick man never appeased.
Of beasts unchastened by rebuke.
ماwhat ليfor me وَلِلأَيّامِand with the days صَرَّفَchanged صَرفُهاtheir vicissitudes
ما لي وَلِلأَيّامِ صَرَّفَ صَرفُها
حاليmy condition وَأَكثَرَand increased فيin البِلادِthe lands تَقَلُّبيmy wanderings
حالي وَأَكثَرَ في البِلادِ تَقَلُّبي
What have I to do with the days? Their turns have changed
What have I and the days that direct my state,
my condition and multiplied my wanderings through the lands.
Increase my roaming in the lands?
أُمسيI enter the evening زَميلاًa fellow rider لِلظَلامِto darkness وَأَغتَديand I set out at dawn
أُمسي زَميلاً لِلظَلامِ وَأَغتَدي
رِدفاًa pillion rider عَلىupon كَفَلِthe haunch of الصَباحِthe morning الأَشهَبِgray-white
رِدفاً عَلى كَفَلِ الصَباحِ الأَشهَبِ
At dusk I am darkness's fellow rider; at dawn,
I become companion to the darkness and lean
a pillion rider upon the haunch of gray-white morning.
As pickings for the morning's blaze.
فَأَكونُso I am طَوراًat times مَشرِقاًan east لِلمَشرِقِto the East الـthe
فَأَكونُ طَوراً مَشرِقاً لِلمَشرِقِ الـ
ـأَقصىfarthest وَطَوراًand at times مَغرِباًa west لِلمَغرِبِto the West
ـأَقصى وَطَوراً مَغرِباً لِلمَغرِبِ
So at times I am east of the East—
Thus I am by turns orient to the farthest east
the farthest—and at times west of the West.
And occident to the farthest west.
وَإِذاand when الزَمانُtime كَساكَclothes you حُلَّةَthe robe of مُعدِمٍa pauper
وَإِذا الزَمانُ كَساكَ حُلَّةَ مُعدِمٍ
فَاِلبَسthen wear لَهُfor it حُلَلَthe robes of النَوىdeparture وَتَغَرَّبِand go abroad
فَاِلبَس لَهُ حُلَلَ النَوى وَتَغَرَّبِ
And when Time clothes you in a pauper's robe,
When time wraps you in a destructive robe,
then don for it the robes of departure, and go abroad.
Don the robes of love and wander.
وَلَقَدand indeed أَبيتُI spend the night مَعِwith الكَواكِبِthe stars راكِباًriding
وَلَقَد أَبيتُ مَعِ الكَواكِبِ راكِباً
أَعجازَهاtheir hindquarters بِعَزيمَةٍwith a resolve كَالكَوكَبِlike a star
أَعجازَها بِعَزيمَةٍ كَالكَوكَبِ
And indeed I spend the night with the stars, riding
I have refused to ride with the stars,
upon their hindquarters, with a resolve like a star.
My determination a celestial body.
وَاللَيلُand the night فيin لَونِthe color of الغُرابِthe raven كَأَنَّهُas though it
وَاللَيلُ في لَونِ الغُرابِ كَأَنَّهُ
هُوَit فيin حُلوكَتِهِits pitch-blackness وَإِنand though لَمnot يَنعَبِcaw
هُوَ في حُلوكَتِهِ وَإِن لَم يَنعَبِ
And night is raven-colored, as though
The night in the color of the raven as though it,
it were the raven in its blackness, though it does not caw.
Were in its shroud, had not yet gone.
وَالعيسُand the pale camels تَنصُلُslip free مِنfrom دُجاهُits gloom كَماjust as اِنجَلىvanished
وَالعيسُ تَنصُلُ مِن دُجاهُ كَما اِنجَلى
صِبغُthe dye of الشَبابِyouth عَنِfrom القَذالِthe back of the head الأَشيَبِgray-haired
صِبغُ الشَبابِ عَنِ القَذالِ الأَشيَبِ
The pale camels slip free of its darkness, just as
The Pleiades stole from its gloom as
youth's dye vanishes from a gray-haired nape,
The dye of youth faded from the hoary beard.
حَتّىuntil تَجَلّىrevealed itself الصُبحُthe dawn فيin جَنَباتِهِits flanks
حَتّى تَجَلّى الصُبحُ في جَنَباتِهِ
كَالماءِlike water يَلمَعُgleaming مِنfrom وَراءِbehind الطُحلُبِthe algae
كَالماءِ يَلمَعُ مِن وَراءِ الطُحلُبِ
until dawn shines forth along its flanks,
Until dawn appeared on its edges
like water gleaming from behind the algae.
Like water gleaming behind pondweed.
يَطلُبنَthey seek مُجتَمَعَthe meeting-place of العُلاgreatness مِنfrom وائِلٍWa'il
يَطلُبنَ مُجتَمَعَ العُلا مِن وائِلٍ
فيin ذَلِكَthat الأَصلِthe stock الزَكِيِّpure الأَطيَبِmost excellent
في ذَلِكَ الأَصلِ الزَكِيِّ الأَطيَبِ
They seek the meeting-place of glory in Wa'il's line,
Seeking the highborn tribe of Wael
in that pure, most excellent stock,
In that goodly, pure origin.
وَبَقِيَّةَand the remnant of العُربِthe Arabs الَّذيwho شَهِدَتbore witness لَهُfor him
وَبَقِيَّةَ العُربِ الَّذي شَهِدَت لَهُ
أَبناءُthe sons of أُدٍّUdd بِالفَخارِto nobility وَيَعرُبِand Ya'rub
أَبناءُ أُدٍّ بِالفَخارِ وَيَعرُبِ
and the Arabs' surviving scion, whose glory was attested
And the rest of the Arabs it witnessed for,
by the sons of Udd and Ya'rub,
The sons of Udad boast and Arabize.
بِالرَحبَةِat al-Rahba الخَضراءِgreen ذاتِhaving المَنهَلِthe watering-place الـthe
بِالرَحبَةِ الخَضراءِ ذاتِ المَنهَلِ الـ
ـعَذبِsweet المَشارِبِthe draughts وَالجَنابِand the surroundings المُعشِبِgrass-grown
ـعَذبِ المَشارِبِ وَالجَنابِ المُعشِبِ
at green al-Rahba, with its watering-place,
On the green plain with sweet flowing
sweet to drink, and its grassy environs,
Spring, glades and grassy sides.
عَطَنِthe resting-ground of الوُفودِdelegations فَمُنجِدٌwhether one from Najd أَوor مُتهِمٌone from Tihama
عَطَنِ الوُفودِ فَمُنجِدٌ أَو مُتهِمٌ
أَوor وافِدٌa visitor مِنfrom مَشرِقٍthe East أَوor مَغرِبِthe West
أَو وافِدٌ مِن مَشرِقٍ أَو مَغرِبِ
the resting-ground of delegations, whether from Najd or Tihama,
Whether helping callers or accusing,
or arriving from the East or the West.
Visiting from east or west.
أَلقَواthey cast down بِجانِبِهاbeside it العِصِيِّthe staffs وَعَوَّلواand relied
أَلقَوا بِجانِبِها العِصِيِّ وَعَوَّلوا
فيهاtherein عَلىupon مَلِكٍa king أَغَرَّillustrious مُهَذَّبِrefined
فيها عَلى مَلِكٍ أَغَرَّ مُهَذَّبِ
They cast down their staffs beside it and relied
They put down their staffs and depended
there upon an illustrious, refined king.
On a king of polished manner.
مَلِكٌa king لَهُhe has فيon كُلِّevery يَومِday of كَريهَةٍbattle
مَلِكٌ لَهُ في كُلِّ يَومِ كَريهَةٍ
إِقدامُthe daring of غِرٍّa novice وَاِعتِزامُand the resolve of مُجَرِّبِa veteran
إِقدامُ غِرٍّ وَاِعتِزامُ مُجَرِّبِ
A king who, on every day of battle, has
A king whose valor in each battle
a novice's daring and a veteran's resolve.
Is mature resolution and tested determination.
وَتَراهُand you see him فيin ظُلَمِthe gloom of الوَغىbattle فَتَخالُهُso you think him
وَتَراهُ في ظُلَمِ الوَغى فَتَخالُهُ
قَمَراًa moon يَكُرُّcharging عَلىupon الرِجالِthe warriors بِكَوكِبِwith a troop
قَمَراً يَكُرُّ عَلى الرِجالِ بِكَوكِبِ
You see him in the darkness of battle and think him
You see him in the dark tumult as though a
a moon charging upon warriors with a host.
Moon circling the men with its planet.
ياO مالِكَMalik اِبنَson of المالِكِيّينَthe Malikis الأُلىwho
يا مالِكَ اِبنَ المالِكِيّينَ الأُلى
ماnot لِلمَكارِمِfor noble deeds عَنهُمُaway from them مِنany مَذهَبِway of departure
ما لِلمَكارِمِ عَنهُمُ مِن مَذهَبِ
O Malik, son of the Malikis, those
O Malik son of kings most high
from whom noble deeds have no way to depart!
The virtues have no doctrine with them.
إِنّيindeed I أَتَيتُكَcame to you طالِباًseeking فَبَسَطتَso you expanded مِنof
إِنّي أَتَيتُكَ طالِباً فَبَسَطتَ مِن
أَمَليmy hope وَأَنجَحَand fulfilled جودُthe generosity of كَفِّكَyour hand مَطلَبيmy request
أَمَلي وَأَنجَحَ جودُ كَفِّكَ مَطلَبي
I came to you as a seeker, and you broadened
I came to you seeking so you spread
my hopes; your hand's generosity fulfilled my request.
My hopes, and your palm’s generosity fulfilled my wish.
فَشَبِعتُso I was sated مِنwith بِرٍّkindness لَدَيكَwith you وَنائِلٍand bounty
فَشَبِعتُ مِن بِرٍّ لَدَيكَ وَنائِلٍ
وَرَويتُand I drank my fill مِنof أَهلٍa welcome لَدَيكَwith you وَمَرحَبِand hospitality
وَرَويتُ مِن أَهلٍ لَدَيكَ وَمَرحَبِ
So I was sated with your kindness and bounty,
I am sated by righteousness with you and attainment
and drank my fill of your welcome and hospitality.
And quenched by family with you and hospitality.
وَغَدَوتَand you became خَيرَbetter حِياطَةٍin guardianship مِنّيthan I عَلىover
وَغَدَوتَ خَيرَ حِياطَةٍ مِنّي عَلى
نَفسيmyself وَأَرأَفَand kinder بيto me هُنالِكَthere مِنthan أَبيmy father
نَفسي وَأَرأَفَ بي هُنالِكَ مِن أَبي
And you became better than I at protecting
You became the best guarantor of
my own self, and kinder to me there than my father.
Myself, kinder to me there than my father.
أَعطَيتَنيyou gave me حَتّىuntil حَسِبتُI thought جَزيلَthe abundance of ماwhat
أَعطَيتَني حَتّى حَسِبتُ جَزيلَ ما
أَعطَيتِنيهِyou gave it to me وَديعَةًa deposit in trust لَمnot توهَبِbe given as a gift
أَعطَيتِنيهِ وَديعَةً لَم توهَبِ
You gave me until I thought the abundance of what
You gave until I thought abundant what
you gave me was a deposit, not a gift.
You gave me, an unowed trust.
فَلتَشكُرَنَّكَso let her surely thank you مَذحِجُMadhhij ابنَةُdaughter of مَذحِجٍMadhhij
فَلتَشكُرَنَّكَ مَذحِجُ ابنَةُ مَذحِجٍ
مِنfrom آلِthe clan of غَوثِGhawth الأَكثَرينَthe numerous وَجُندَبِand Jundab
مِن آلِ غَوثِ الأَكثَرينَ وَجُندَبِ
So let Madhhij, daughter of Madhhij, surely thank you,
So may Madhij's daughter praise you,
from the numerous clans of Ghawth and Jundab.
Of the numerous house of Gauth and Jundub.
وَمَتىand whenever تُغالِبyou compete فيin المَكارِمِnoble deeds وَالنَدىand generosity
وَمَتى تُغالِب في المَكارِمِ وَالنَدى
بِالتَغلِبِيّينَwith the Taghlibis الأَكارِمِthe noble تَغلِبِyou prevail
بِالتَغلِبِيّينَ الأَكارِمِ تَغلِبِ
And whenever you vie in noble deeds and generosity,
And when you vie in nobility and bounty
backed by the noble Taghlibis, you prevail.
With the generous victorious Tamim.
يُنسيكَmakes you forget جودَthe bounty of الغَيثِthe rain جودُهُمُtheir bounty إِذاwhen
يُنسيكَ جودَ الغَيثِ جودُهُمُ إِذا
عَثَرَتstumbled أَكُفُّهُمُtheir hands بِعامٍupon a year مُجدِبِdrought-stricken
عَثَرَت أَكُفُّهُمُ بِعامٍ مُجدِبِ
Their bounty makes you forget the rain's bounty when
Should their palms stumble in a dry year,
their hands stumble upon a drought-stricken year.
Their rain's bounty makes you forget.
قَومٌa people إِذاwhen قيلَit is said النَجاءَescape! فَماso no لَهُمfor them
قَومٌ إِذا قيلَ النَجاءَ فَما لَهُم
غَيرُother than الحَفائِظِzeal for honor وَالرَدىand death مِنany مَهرَبِescape
غَيرُ الحَفائِظِ وَالرَدى مِن مَهرَبِ
A people who, when the cry is 'Escape!', have
A people when asked for aid, they have nothing
no refuge but defending their honor and meeting death.
But their own souls, no escape.
يَمشونَthey walk تَحتَbeneath ظُباthe edges of السُيوفِthe swords إِلىtoward الوَغىbattle
يَمشونَ تَحتَ ظُبا السُيوفِ إِلى الوَغى
مَشيَthe walk of العِطاشِthe thirsty إِلىtoward بَرودِcool المَشرَبِdrinking-water
مَشيَ العِطاشِ إِلى بَرودِ المَشرَبِ
They walk beneath sword-edges into battle,
They walk under swords in the fray
as thirsty men walk toward cool drinking-water.
As the thirsty walk to water's cool draught.
حَصَّrubbed bare التَريكُthe helmets رُؤوسَهُمtheir heads فَرُؤوسَهُمso their heads
حَصَّ التَريكُ رُؤوسَهُم فَرُؤوسَهُم
فيin مِثلِthe likeness of لَألاءِthe gleam of التَريكِthe helmets المُذهَبِgilded
في مِثلِ لَألاءِ التَريكِ المُذهَبِ
Helmets have rubbed their heads bare, so their heads
War harvested their heads, yet their heads still
shine with a gleam like that of gilded helmets.
Shine like Turkish pearls made pure.
يَتَراكَمونَthey mass together عَلىupon الأَسِنَّةِthe spear-points فيin الوَغىbattle
يَتَراكَمونَ عَلى الأَسِنَّةِ في الوَغى
كَالصُبحِlike dawn فاضَflooded عَلىover نُجومِthe stars of الغَيهَبِpitch-black night
كَالصُبحِ فاضَ عَلى نُجومِ الغَيهَبِ
They mass upon the spear-points in battle,
They accumulate on the swords in battle
like dawn flooding over the stars of pitch-black night.
As dawn spilling on the stars sinking.
حَتّىso much so that لَوَif انَّthat الجودَgenerosity خُيِّرَwere given a choice فيamong الوَرىmankind
حَتّى لَوَ انَّ الجودَ خُيِّرَ في الوَرى
نَسَباًa lineage لَأَصبَحَit would become يَنتَميclaiming descent فيwithin تَغلِبِTaghlib
نَسَباً لَأَصبَحَ يَنتَمي في تَغلِبِ
So much so that, if generosity could choose among mankind
Such that if the choice of nobility in the land
a lineage, it would claim descent from Taghlib.
Arose, it would belong to Tamim in the morn.
Sol 6.1