عُجturn aside بالمطيِّwith the riding camels علىtoward رسومِtraces of البانِal-Bān
عُج بالمطيِّ على رسومِ البانِ
لتَرىso that you may see هناكthere مسارحَroaming grounds of الغزلانِthe gazelles
لتَرى هناك مسارحَ الغزلانِ
Turn aside with the camels to the traces of al-Bān,
Ride swiftly with the steed towards the ruins,
to see there the gazelles' roaming grounds.
To see there the playgrounds of the gazelles,
واِستخبرand ask الطللَthe ruined dwelling القديمَancient عنabout الألىthose who
واِستخبر الطللَ القديمَ عن الألى
كانواthey were بِعرصتِهin its courtyard منamong السكَّانِthe inhabitants
كانوا بِعرصتِه من السكَّانِ
And ask the ancient ruined dwelling about those
And ask the ancient ruins about the people
who once inhabited its courtyard.
Who once inhabited its grounds.
ربعٌa dwelling-place تنكَّرbecame unrecognizable بعدَafter أهليهِits people وقدand indeed
ربعٌ تنكَّر بعدَ أهليهِ وقد
عبثتravaged بجدَّتهits freshness يدُthe hand of الحدثانِtime's vicissitudes
عبثت بجدَّته يدُ الحدثانِ
A dwelling grown strange after its people left, and
A land that changed after its inhabitants,
the hand of time has ravaged its freshness.
And which the hands of time altered its ancientness.
بانواthey departed بأمثالِwith the likes of الجآذرyoung oryx وضّحwhite
بانوا بأمثالِ الجآذر وضّح
خمصslender البطونِbellies نواعمsoft الأبدانِbodies
خمص البطونِ نواعم الأبدانِ
They departed with maidens like white young oryx,
They appeared like tree trunks, soft bodied,
slender-bellied and soft of body.
Their litters weigh down the backs of the steeds,
يثقلنthey weigh down أصلابَbacks of المطاياthe riding camels فوقَهاupon them
يثقلن أصلابَ المطايا فوقَها
بمآكمٍwith buttocks كأقاورlike rounded mounds of الكثبانِthe dunes
بمآكمٍ كأقاور الكثبانِ
They weigh down the camels' backs as they ride upon them,
Like the sand dunes.
with buttocks like the rounded mounds of dunes.
Moons fully rounded except
أقمارُmoons تمّfullness غيرexcept أنَّthat تمامَهاtheir fullness
أقمارُ تمّ غير أنَّ تمامَها
لمnot يثنِهturn it شهرٌa month إلىtoward نقصانِwaning
لم يثنِه شهرٌ إلى نقصانِ
Full moons, except that their fullness
That no month diminished their fullness.
has never been turned to waning by a month.
When they glance with their eyes and eyelids
وإِذاand when نظرنَthey gaze سبينَthey captivate أفئدةَhearts of الورَىmankind
وإِذا نظرنَ سبينَ أفئدةَ الورَى
منهنَّfrom them بالألحاظِwith the glances والأجفانِand the eyelids
منهنَّ بالألحاظِ والأجفانِ
And when they gaze, they capture mankind's hearts
At the hearts of mankind,
with the glances and eyelids that are theirs.
Each one from behind her veil looks as if
منfrom كلِّevery جائلةِloosely shifting الوشاحِgirdle كأنَّهاas though she
من كلِّ جائلةِ الوشاحِ كأنَّها
منamong عفرpale gazelles وجرةWajrah أمُّهاher mother نعمانِNuʿmān
من عفر وجرة أمُّها نعمانِ
Each with a loosely shifting girdle, as though she
She were the mother of Nu'man, from 'Afra and Jurah.
were one of Wajrah's pale gazelles, Nuʿmān her mother.
Upon them is the freshness of youth as if it were
وعليهاand upon her بكرfirst bloom of الشبابyouth كأنهّاas though she
وعليها بكر الشباب كأنهّا
غصنٌa branch تهزَّعswayed فيamong غصونِbranches of البانِthe bān trees
غصنٌ تهزَّع في غصونِ البانِ
She wears youth's first bloom, as though she were
A branch swaying amidst the branches of the wild almond.
a branch swaying among the branches of the bān trees.
A branch, if touched and stirred,
غصنٌa branch إذاwhen ماستshe swayed بهwith it وتخطّرتand walked with a swaying gait
غصنٌ إذا ماست به وتخطّرت
خجلتwere abashed لديهbefore it موائسُswaying الأغصانِbranches
خجلت لديه موائسُ الأغصانِ
A branch: when she sways with it and saunters,
The branches would be shy before it.
the swaying boughs blush before it.
And it gladdens your heart what is perfected in it
ويسرّand delights قلبَكyour heart ماwhat تكاملfully developed فيهin it منof
ويسرّ قلبَك ما تكامل فيه من
وردٍroses ومنand of طلعٍpalm blossoms ومنand of رمَّانِpomegranates
وردٍ ومن طلعٍ ومن رمَّانِ
And your heart delights in all that has ripened there:
Of roses, buds and pomegranates,
roses, palm blossoms, and pomegranates.
Telling of the Khezrana cane, or the cane
تحكيshe resembles قضيبَa stem of الخيزرانةِthe bamboo أوor قضيa rod (continued next line)
تحكي قضيبَ الخيزرانةِ أو قضي
بَcompletion of 'rod' نضارِهاits gold فيin اللينsuppleness والألوانِand colors
بَ نضارِها في اللين والألوانِ
She resembles a bamboo stem, or a rod
In its blossoms, softness and colors.
of its gold, in suppleness and hue.
And when you look, your sight divides
وَإِذاand when نظرتshe looks تقسّمتwas divided حوباكyour soul فيbetween
وَإِذا نظرت تقسّمت حوباك في
جنَّاتgardens of فردوسٍParadise وفيand in نيرانِfires
جنَّات فردوسٍ وفي نيرانِ
And when she looks, your soul is divided between
Into gardens of Paradise and into fires.
the gardens of Paradise and fires.
Reproach me not for love, for passion
أَمفنّديO my reproacher فيin الحبِّlove مهلاًgently فالهوىfor passion
أَمفنّدي في الحبِّ مهلاً فالهوى
قدindeed صارhas become ليfor me ديناًa religion منamong الأديانِreligions
قد صار لي ديناً من الأديانِ
O you who reproach my love, go gently: passion
Has become for me a creed of creeds.
has become for me a religion among religions.
Does reproach benefit the heart of a man
هَلdoes ينفعُavail التفنيدُreproach فيin قلبthe heart of اِمرئٍa man
هَل ينفعُ التفنيدُ في قلب اِمرئٍ
كلفbesotted إلىtoward أحبابِهhis loved ones حنّانِyearning
كلف إلى أحبابِه حنّانِ
Can reproach affect the heart of a man
Who is devoted tenderly to his loved ones?
besotted and yearning for his loved ones?
An empty wilderness we never heard of
وتنوفةand a wilderness قفراءbarren لمnot نَسمعwe hear بهاin it
وتنوفة قفراء لم نَسمع بها
إلّاexcept أغاريداًtrilling songs منَof الألحانِmelodies
إلّا أغاريداً منَ الألحانِ
And a barren wilderness, where we heard no sound
Except for the melodies of tunes.
except the trilling of melodies,
I passed by its departing people with every
جاوزتُI crossed نازحهاits far reaches بكلَّon every عرندسsturdy camel
جاوزتُ نازحها بكلَّ عرندس
غرثاlean الحقائبhaunches جسرةstrong مذعانِobedient
غرثا الحقائب جسرة مذعانِ
I crossed its far reaches on every sturdy camel,
Caravan - loads overturned and resigned.
lean-haunched, strong, and obedient,
On a dark night while my companions
فيin ليلةٍa night مغطوشةٍdarkened وأصاحبيand my companions
في ليلةٍ مغطوشةٍ وأصاحبي
يتناشدونthey sing to one another غرائبَrarities of الألحانِmelodies
يتناشدون غرائبَ الألحانِ
on a darkened night, while my companions
Recite the strangest of tunes,
sang rare melodies to one another.
Reciting poetry in their vigil
يتناشدونthey recite to one another الشعرَpoetry فيduring مسراهمُtheir night journey
يتناشدون الشعرَ في مسراهمُ
وكذاand thus التناشدُmutual recitation ديدنُthe habit of الفتيانِyoung men
وكذا التناشدُ ديدنُ الفتيانِ
They recited poetry to one another on their night journey,
For such recital is the wont of youths,
and such recitation is the young men's custom:
Poetry whose words repeat
شعرpoetry يردّدهhe repeats it معانيa craftsman of اللفظwords فيin
شعر يردّده معاني اللفظ في
مدحِpraise of المتوَّجِthe crowned one عامرِʿĀmir بنson of سنانِSinān
مدحِ المتوَّجِ عامرِ بن سنانِ
Poetry a craftsman of words repeats in
In praising the crowned Amir Bin Sanan,
praise of the crowned ʿĀmir ibn Sinān.
Standing lofty, highest in rank,
صمدa lord رقاascended أعلىthe highest المراتبranks رتبةًin rank
صمد رقا أعلى المراتب رتبةً
غاياتهاits highest reaches سمكتrose high إلىto كيوانِSaturn
غاياتها سمكت إلى كيوانِ
A lord who ascended to the loftiest rank,
Its heights touching the stars.
whose highest reaches rose to Saturn.
Oman was adorned by its king and his justice
زانتwas adorned عمانُOman بملكِهby his rule وبعدلِهand by his justice
زانت عمانُ بملكِه وبعدلِه
وسمتand rose بهthrough him فيin الفخرglory أهلُthe people of عُمانِOman
وسمت به في الفخر أهلُ عُمانِ
Oman was adorned by his rule and justice,
And through him excelled the people of Oman.
and through him the people of Oman rose in glory.
O Peerless One, none of the people of India
ياO واحداًpeerless one ماnot فيamong بنيthe sons of هندٍHind ولاnor
يا واحداً ما في بني هندٍ ولا
بذيin Dhū يزنٍYazan ولاnor بهرامBahrām والنعمانِand al-Nuʿmān
بذي يزنٍ ولا بهرام والنعمانِ
O peerless one, whose like is not among the sons of Hind, nor
Nor those of Yazin, nor Bahram and Nu'man
in Dhū Yazan, nor Bahrām or al-Nuʿmān.
Preceded you in their times, and you preceded them
سبقوكthey preceded you فيin أزمانِهمtheir eras وسبقتَهمand you surpassed them
سبقوك في أزمانِهم وسبقتَهم
يومَon the day of الفخارِglory بحلبةِin the racing arena of الميدانِthe field
يومَ الفخارِ بحلبةِ الميدانِ
They preceded you in their eras, but you surpassed them
On the day of pride in the field of battle.
on the day of glory, in the racecourse arena.
And I take pride in your people, the best of peoples,
واِفخرand take pride بقومِكin your people خيرthe best قومٍpeople إنَّهمindeed, they
واِفخر بقومِك خير قومٍ إنَّهم
أولىmost deserving الورَىmankind بالتّختِof the throne والتيجانِand the crowns
أولى الورَى بالتّختِ والتيجانِ
And take pride in your people, the best of peoples: they
For they are most deserving of the throne and crown.
are, of all mankind, most deserving of the throne and crowns.
You see them on the day of hardship in battle
وتراهمُand you see them يومَon the day of الكريهةِhardship فيin الوَغىbattle
وتراهمُ يومَ الكريهةِ في الوَغى
يَتخطَّفونthey snatch away جماجمَskulls of الفرسانِthe horsemen
يَتخطَّفون جماجمَ الفرسانِ
And you see them on the day of hardship, amid battle,
Snatching the skulls of horsemen,
snatching away the horsemen's skulls.
Snatching the skulls of foes with their swords
يخطفنthey snatch هاماتِheads of العداthe foes بسيافِهمwith their swords
يخطفن هاماتِ العدا بسيافِهم
خطفas the snatching of الكواكبthe stars خاطفthe snatcher الشيطانِthe devil
خطف الكواكب خاطف الشيطانِ
They snatch the enemies' heads with their swords,
As planets snatch the shooting stars.
as stars snatch away the thieving devil.
Like lions on the backs of thoroughbreds
مثلlike الأسودlions علىon متونbacks of صواهلٍneighing steeds
مثل الأسود على متون صواهلٍ
تهويthey swoop بهمwith them فيin الحربwar كالعقبانِlike eagles
تهوي بهم في الحرب كالعقبانِ
Like lions on the backs of neighing steeds
Swooping with them in war like eagles.
that swoop with them in war like eagles.
And to you, O sun of the time, a gift
وإليكand to you ياO شمسَsun of الزمانِthe age خريدةًa virgin maiden
وإليك يا شمسَ الزمانِ خريدةً
جاءتshe came بأفصحwith the most eloquent منطقٍspeech وبيانِand expression
جاءت بأفصح منطقٍ وبيانِ
And to you, O sun of the age, a virgin ode
Came with the most eloquent speech.
has come with the most eloquent speech and expression,
Metered in its composition and prosody
موزونةmetrically measured فيin ضربِهاits second hemistich's final foot وعروضِهاand its first hemistich's final foot
موزونة في ضربِها وعروضِها
تنبيكit tells you عنof قسٍّQuss وعنand of سحبانِSaḥbān
تنبيك عن قسٍّ وعن سحبانِ
measured in the closing feet of both its hemistichs,
Warning you of severity and aggression.
telling you of Quss and of Saḥbān.
Partial English translation: 59 of 60 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1