سَرَيناwe traveled by night وَطالَبناand our pursuer هاجِعٌasleep
سَرَينا وَطالَبنا هاجِعٌ
وَعِندَand at الصَباحِdawn حَمِدناwe praised السُرىthe night journey
وَعِندَ الصَباحِ حَمِدنا السُرى
We traveled by night while our pursuer slept,
and at dawn we praised the night journey.
بَنوthe children of آدَمٍAdam يَطلُبونَseek الثَراwealth (continued)
بَنو آدَمٍ يَطلُبونَ الثَرا
ءَcompletes 'wealth' عِندَat الثُرَيّاthe Pleiades وَعِندَand at الثَرىthe earth
ءَ عِندَ الثُرَيّا وَعِندَ الثَرى
The children of Adam seek wealth
at the Pleiades and down in the dust.
فَتىًa young man زارِعٌa farmer وَفَتىًand a young man دارِعٌarmored
فَتىً زارِعٌ وَفَتىً دارِعٌ
كِلاeach of الرَجُلَينِthe two men غَداwent out at dawn فَاِمتَرىthen sought provisions
كِلا الرَجُلَينِ غَدا فَاِمتَرى
One youth farms, another wears armor;
each went out at dawn and sought provisions.
فَهَذاso this one بِعَينٍwith an ʿayn وَزايٍand a zāy يَروحُreturns in the evening
فَهَذا بِعَينٍ وَزايٍ يَروحُ
وَذاكَand that one يَؤوبُreturns بِضادِwith a ḍād وَراand a rāʾ
وَذاكَ يَؤوبُ بِضادِ وَرا
The former returns with ʿayn and zāy—honor;
the latter comes back with ḍād and rāʾ—harm.
وَعامِلُand a producer of قوتٍfood ذَراwinnowed حَبَّهُhis grain
وَعامِلُ قوتٍ ذَرا حَبَّهُ
وَخِدنُand a companion of رِكازٍburied treasure ضَحاentered the sunlight فَاِذَّرىthen took shelter
وَخِدنُ رِكازٍ ضَحا فَاِذَّرى
A producer of food winnowed his grain;
a companion of buried treasure entered the sunlight, then sought shelter.
وَكورُكَand your camel-saddle فَوقَabove طَويلِa long المَطاback
وَكورُكَ فَوقَ طَويلِ المَطا
وَسَرجُكَand your riding-saddle فَوقَabove شَديدِa strong القَراback
وَسَرجُكَ فَوقَ شَديدِ القَرا
Your camel-saddle rests upon a long back,
your riding-saddle upon a strong one.
وَتَجريand races دَفارِDafār, the foul world بِهاwith them جَدَّهاwith all her might
وَتَجري دَفارِ بِها جَدَّها
بِمِثلِlike الظَلامِdarkness إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle جَرىit flows
بِمِثلِ الظَلامِ إِذا ما جَرى
And Dafār, the foul world, races with them at full speed,
like darkness as it flows.
كَأَنَّas though بِضاقَthe spittle of الدَبىyoung locusts فَوقَهاupon them
كَأَنَّ بِضاقَ الدَبى فَوقَها
إِذاwhen وَقَدَتblaze فيin الأُنوفِthe nostrils البُرىthe nose-rings
إِذا وَقَدَت في الأُنوفِ البُرى
As though young locusts' spittle lay upon them,
when nose-rings blaze within their nostrils.
وَذَلِكَand that مِنfrom حَرِّthe heat of أَنفاسِهاtheir breaths
وَذَلِكَ مِن حَرِّ أَنفاسِها
يُضاعِفُهُintensifies it حَرُّthe heat of يَومٍa day جَرىthat passes
يُضاعِفُهُ حَرُّ يَومٍ جَرى
That comes from the heat of their breathing,
heightened by the heat of a passing day.
تَلومُyou blame عَلىover أُمِّMother of دَفرٍStench أَخاكَyour brother
تَلومُ عَلى أُمِّ دَفرٍ أَخاكَ
وَراءَكَhold back! إِنindeed هَوىًa passion قَدalready وَرىhas kindled
وَراءَكَ إِن هَوىً قَد وَرى
You blame your brother over Umm Dafr, Mother of Stench;
hold back: a passion has already caught fire.
عَهِدتُكَI have known you تُشبِهُto resemble سيدَthe wolf of الضَرّاءِthe thicket
عَهِدتُكَ تُشبِهُ سيدَ الضَرّاءِ
وَلَستَand you are not مُشابِهَlike لَيثِthe lion of الشَرىal-Sharā
وَلَستَ مُشابِهَ لَيثِ الشَرى
I have known you to resemble the wolf of the thicket,
not the lion of al-Sharā.
تَدِبُّyou creep فَإِنthen if وَجَدتَyou find خِلسَةًa chance to snatch
تَدِبُّ فَإِن وَجَدتَ خِلسَةً
فَياthen oh! لِلسُلَيكِfor al-Sulayk أَوor الشَنفَرىal-Shanfarā
فَيا لِلسُلَيكِ أَو الشَنفَرى
You creep along, but should you find a chance to snatch,
then what an al-Sulayk or al-Shanfarā you are!
هُوَit is الشَرُّevil قَدindeed عَمَّhas encompassed فيamong العالَمينَall people
هُوَ الشَرُّ قَد عَمَّ في العالَمينَ
أَهلَthe people of الوُهودِthe lowlands وَأَهلَand the people of الذُرىthe heights
أَهلَ الوُهودِ وَأَهلَ الذُرى
It is evil, spread throughout all people,
those of the lowlands and those of the heights.
لِيَفتَنَّlet him excel فيin صَمتِهِhis silence ناسِكٌan ascetic
لِيَفتَنَّ في صَمتِهِ ناسِكٌ
إِذاwhen اِفتَنَّshowed ingenuity فيماin what يَقولُsay الوَرىmortals
إِذا اِفتَنَّ فيما يَقولُ الوَرى
Let an ascetic show ingenuity in his silence,
when mortals show ingenuity in what they say.
فَكَنَّواso they nicknamed صَبوحِيَّةَthe morning wine of الشَربِthe drinkers أُمَّMother of
فَكَنَّوا صَبوحِيَّةَ الشَربِ أُمَّ
لَيلىLaylā وَمَكَّةَand Mecca أُمَّMother of القُرىthe towns
لَيلى وَمَكَّةَ أُمَّ القُرى
So they nicknamed the drinkers' morning wine 'Mother of
Laylā,' and Mecca 'Mother of Towns.'
وَقالواand they said بَداappeared المُشتَريJupiter; the Purchaser فيin الظَلامِthe darkness
وَقالوا بَدا المُشتَري في الظَلامِ
فَياthen oh! لَيتَwould that شِعرِيَmy knowledge ماذاwhat اِشتَرىhe bought
فَيا لَيتَ شِعرِيَ ماذا اِشتَرى
They said, 'Jupiter, the Purchaser, appeared in the dark';
would that I knew what he had bought!
وَتَرجوand you hope for الرِباحَprofits وَأَينَbut where are الرِباحُthe profits
وَتَرجو الرِباحَ وَأَينَ الرِباحُ
وَنَعتُكَand your description فيin نَفسِكَyourself الخَيسَراthe loser
وَنَعتُكَ في نَفسِكَ الخَيسَرا
You hope for profits—but where are profits,
when 'loser' describes your very self?
عَذيرِيَmy vindicator مِنagainst مارِدٍa rebel فاجِرٍwicked
عَذيرِيَ مِن مارِدٍ فاجِرٍ
تَقَرَّأَprofessed piety وَالمُختَزَياتِand shameful deeds اِقتَرىhe sought out
تَقَرَّأَ وَالمُختَزَياتِ اِقتَرى
Who will vindicate me against a wicked rebel,
who professes piety while seeking out disgraceful deeds?
فَهَوِّنso make light of عَلَيكَfor yourself لِقاءَmeeting المَنونِdeath
فَهَوِّن عَلَيكَ لِقاءَ المَنونِ
وَقُلand say حينَwhen تَطرِقُit knocks أَطرُقlower your head! كَراO curlew
وَقُل حينَ تَطرِقُ أَطرُق كَرا
So make light of your meeting with death,
and say, when it knocks, 'Lower your head, curlew!'
وَنادِand call out إِذاwhen أَوعَدتُكَI threaten you اِعتَريcome upon me!
وَنادِ إِذا أَوعَدتُكَ اِعتَري
فَصَبراًso be patient عَلىwith الحُكمِthe decree لَمّاwhen اِعتَرىit befalls
فَصَبراً عَلى الحُكمِ لَمّا اِعتَرى
And call out, when I threaten you, 'Come upon me!'
Then bear the decree patiently once it befalls.
وَنَفسيand my soul تُرَجّيkeeps hoping كَإِحدىlike one of النُفوسِthe souls
وَنَفسي تُرَجّي كَإِحدى النُفوسِ
وَتَذريand scatter النَوائِبُcalamities سَكنَthe dwellers of الذُرىthe heights
وَتَذري النَوائِبُ سَكنَ الذُرى
My soul keeps hoping, like any other soul,
while calamities scatter the dwellers on the heights.
وَكَمand how many نَزَلَdescended القَيلُa king عَنfrom مِنبَرٍa pulpit
وَكَم نَزَلَ القَيلُ عَن مِنبَرٍ
فَعادَthen returned إِلىto عُنصُرٍan element فيin الثَرىthe earth
فَعادَ إِلى عُنصُرٍ في الثَرى
How many a king has descended from a pulpit,
then returned to his primal element in the dust,
وَأُخرِجَand was removed عَنfrom مُلكِهِhis kingdom عارِياًnaked
وَأُخرِجَ عَن مُلكِهِ عارِياً
وَخَلَّفَand left behind مَملَكَةًa kingdom بِالعَراin the open
وَخَلَّفَ مَملَكَةً بِالعَرا
and been taken from his kingdom naked,
leaving a kingdom behind in the open.
إِذاwhen الضَيفُthe guest جاءَكَcomes to you فَاِبسِمthen smile لَهُat him
إِذا الضَيفُ جاءَكَ فَاِبسِم لَهُ
وَقَرِّبand bring near إِلَيهِto him وَشيكَprompt القِرىguest's fare
وَقَرِّب إِلَيهِ وَشيكَ القِرى
When a guest comes to you, smile at him,
and promptly set a guest's fare before him.
وَلاand do not تَحقِرdespise المُزدَرىthe despised فيin العُيونِthe eyes
وَلا تَحقِر المُزدَرى في العُيونِ
فَكَمfor how often نَفَعَbenefited الهَيِّنُthe lowly المُزدَرىthe despised
فَكَم نَفَعَ الهَيِّنُ المُزدَرى
Do not despise what eyes hold cheap;
how often the humble and despised has proved useful!
وَلاand not تَحمِلُcarry البُزلُthe mature camels تِلكَthose الوُسوقَloads
وَلا تَحمِلُ البُزلُ تِلكَ الوُسوقَ
إِلاّexcept بِأَزرارِهاwith their toggles وَالعُراand the loops
إِلاّ بِأَزرارِها وَالعُرا
Nor do mature camels carry those loads
except with their toggles and loops.
أَجَلyes خَزَرَتنِيَeyed me askance وَثّابَةٌa pouncing one
أَجَل خَزَرَتنِيَ وَثّابَةٌ
سِواهاother than her الَّتيwho مَشَتwalked الخَيزَرىwith a swaying gait
سِواها الَّتي مَشَت الخَيزَرى
Yes, a pouncing one has eyed me askance—
not she who walked with a swaying gait.
فَإِنَّfor indeed سُراءَthe bow-wood of اللَياليthe nights رَمىshot
فَإِنَّ سُراءَ اللَيالي رَمى
أَوانَthe season of شَبيبَتِناour youth فَاِنسَرىand it slipped away
أَوانَ شَبيبَتِنا فَاِنسَرى
For the bow of the nights shot at
the season of our youth, and it slipped away.
وَنَومِيَand my sleep مَوتٌa death قَريبُnear النُشورِresurrection
وَنَومِيَ مَوتٌ قَريبُ النُشورِ
وَمَوتِيَand my death نَومٌa sleep طَويلُlong الكَرىslumber
وَمَوتِيَ نَومٌ طَويلُ الكَرى
My sleep is death with resurrection close at hand;
my death is sleep with a long slumber.
نُؤَمِّلُwe place hope in خالِقَناour Creator إِنَّناindeed we
نُؤَمِّلُ خالِقَنا إِنَّنا
صُرَيناhave been held back لِنَشرَبَto drink ذاكَthat الصَراstagnant water
صُرَينا لِنَشرَبَ ذاكَ الصَرا
We set our hopes on our Creator; indeed, we
have been held back to drink that stagnant water.
سَواءٌall the same عَلَيَّto me إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle هَلَكتُI die
سَواءٌ عَلَيَّ إِذا ما هَلَكتُ
مَنwhoever شادَpraised مَكرُمَتيmy nobility أَوor زَرىdisparaged
مَن شادَ مَكرُمَتي أَو زَرى
It is all the same to me, once I have died,
who exalts my nobility or disparages it.
فَأَودىso perished فُلانٌso-and-so بِسُقمٍfrom a disease أَضَرَّthat harmed
فَأَودى فُلانٌ بِسُقمٍ أَضَرَّ
وَأَدوىand fell ill فُلانٌso-and-so بِعِرقٍfrom a vein ضَراthat bled unchecked
وَأَدوى فُلانٌ بِعِرقٍ ضَرا
So one man perished of a grievous sickness,
and another fell ill from a vein that bled unchecked.
أَبِاwas it by لِنَبلِthe arrows أُدرَكَhe was overtaken أَمor بِالرِماby spears (continued)
أَبِا لِنَبلِ أُدرَكَ أَم بِالرِما
حِcompletes 'spears' بَينَamong أَسِنَّتِهاtheir spearpoints وَالسَراand arrowheads
حِ بَينَ أَسِنَّتِها وَالسَرا
Was he overtaken by arrows, or by spears,
amid their spearpoints and arrowheads?
فَهَلthen has قامَrisen مِنfrom جَدَثٍa grave مَيِّتٌa dead man
فَهَل قامَ مِن جَدَثٍ مَيِّتٌ
فَيُخبِرَso he could tell عَنabout مَسمَعٍwhat was heard أَوor مَرىwhat was seen
فَيُخبِرَ عَن مَسمَعٍ أَو مَرى
Has any dead man risen from a grave
to tell of what he heard or saw?
وَلَوand even if هَبَّhe arose صَدَّقَهُwould believe him مَعشَرٌa group
وَلَو هَبَّ صَدَّقَهُ مَعشَرٌ
وَقَالَand would say أُناسٌsome people طَغىhe transgressed وَاِفتَرىand fabricated lies
وَقَالَ أُناسٌ طَغى وَاِفتَرى
Even if he arose, one group would believe him,
while others would say, 'He has transgressed and fabricated lies.'
وَلَمand did not يَقرِgather water فيin الحَوضِthe trough راعيthe keeper of السَواgrazing livestock (continued)
وَلَم يَقرِ في الحَوضِ راعي السَوا
مِcompletes 'livestock' إِلّاexcept لِيورِدَهُto bring them to it ماwhat قَرىhe gathered
مِ إِلّا لِيورِدَهُ ما قَرى
The herdsman gathered water in the trough
only to bring his stock to what he had gathered.
أَفِرُّI flee وَماand not فَرَأٌa wild ass نافِرٌfleeing
أَفِرُّ وَما فَرَأٌ نافِرٌ
بِمُعتَصِمٍsafe مِنfrom قَضاءٍa doom فَراthat cuts through
بِمُعتَصِمٍ مِن قَضاءٍ فَرا
I flee, yet no fleeing wild ass
can find refuge from a doom that cuts him down.
أَحِنُّI yearn إِلىfor أَمَلٍa hope فاتَنيthat escaped me
أَحِنُّ إِلى أَمَلٍ فاتَني
وَماand what لِلشَبوبِfor an aged wild bull وَعَيشِand the life of الفِرىwild calves
وَما لِلشَبوبِ وَعَيشِ الفِرى
I yearn for a hope that passed me by;
but what has an aged wild bull to do with the life of calves?
مَتّىwhenever قَرقَرَcoos الهاتِفُthe calling one العِكرِمِيُّthe ʿIkrimī pigeon
مَتّى قَرقَرَ الهاتِفُ العِكرِمِيُّ
هَيَّجَit stirs صَبّاًa lovesick lover إِلىtoward قَرقَرىQarqarā
هَيَّجَ صَبّاً إِلى قَرقَرى
Whenever the calling ʿIkrimī pigeon coos,
it stirs a lover's longing for Qarqarā.
وَقَدand perhaps يَفسُدُbecomes disordered الفِكرُthe mind فيin حالَةٍa condition
وَقَد يَفسُدُ الفِكرُ في حالَةٍ
فَيوهِمُكَso makes you imagine الدُرَّpearls قَطرُthe drops of السُرىnight travel
فَيوهِمُكَ الدُرَّ قَطرُ السُرى
At times the mind becomes disordered,
so drops on a night journey make you imagine pearls.
سَقاكَit gave you to drink المُنىhopes فَتَمَنَّيتُهاso I wished for them
سَقاكَ المُنى فَتَمَنَّيتُها
وَصاغَand fashioned لَكَfor you الطَيفَthe dream-vision حَتّىuntil اِنبَرىit appeared
وَصاغَ لَكَ الطَيفَ حَتّى اِنبَرى
It gave you hopes to drink, and I wished for them;
and shaped the dream-vision for you until it appeared.
فَلاso do not تَدنُapproach مِنnear جاهِلٍan ignorant man آهِلٍwith a household
فَلا تَدنُ مِن جاهِلٍ آهِلٍ
لَوif اِنتُزِعَتwere taken away خُمسُهُhis fifth ماnot دَرىhe knew
لَو اِنتُزِعَت خُمسُهُ ما دَرى
So do not approach an ignorant man with a household,
who would not notice if a fifth were taken from him.
أَبىrefused سَيفُهُhis sword قَتلَto kill أَعدائِهِhis enemies
أَبى سَيفُهُ قَتلَ أَعدائِهِ
وَسافَand he slew with a sword وَليدَتَهُhis slave-girl أَوor هَراa cat
وَسافَ وَليدَتَهُ أَو هَرا
His sword refused to kill his enemies,
yet he cut down his slave-girl or a cat.
وَتَختَلِفُand differ الإِنسُhumans فيin شَأنِهاtheir affairs
وَتَختَلِفُ الإِنسُ في شَأنِها
وَأَبعِدand how far! بِمَنis the one who باعَsold مِمَّنfrom the one who شَرىbought
وَأَبعِد بِمَن باعَ مِمَّن شَرى
Human beings differ in their concerns;
and how far the seller is from the buyer!
مُغَنِّيَةٌa songstress أُعطِيَتwas given مُرغِباًa tempting reward
مُغَنِّيَةٌ أُعطِيَت مُرغِباً
فَغَنَّتso she sang وَنائِحَةٌand a mourning-woman تُكتَرىis hired
فَغَنَّت وَنائِحَةٌ تُكتَرى
A songstress was given a tempting payment,
so she sang; a mourning-woman is hired.
وَهاوٍand one descending لِيُخرِجَto draw out ماءَthe water of القَليبِthe well
وَهاوٍ لِيُخرِجَ ماءَ القَليبِ
وَراقٍand one climbing لِيَجنِيَto harvest ثَولاًa bee swarm أَرىthat made honey
وَراقٍ لِيَجنِيَ ثَولاً أَرى
One descends to draw water from a well,
another climbs to harvest a honey-making swarm.
فَإِنthen if نالَhe gains شَهداًhoney فَأَيسِرthen how easy! بِهِit is
فَإِن نالَ شَهداً فَأَيسِر بِهِ
عَلىalthough أَنَّهُhe is بِسُقوطٍto a fall حَراliable
عَلى أَنَّهُ بِسُقوطٍ حَرا
If he gains honey, how easy it seems!
Though he is liable to fall.
نَزولُwe pass away كَماjust as زالَpassed away أَجدادُناour forefathers
نَزولُ كَما زالَ أَجدادُنا
وَيَبقىand remains الزَمانُtime عَلىas ماwhat نَرىwe see
وَيَبقى الزَمانُ عَلى ما نَرى
We pass away, as our forefathers passed away,
while time remains as we see it:
نَهارٌday يُضيءُshines وَلَيلٌand night يَجيءُcomes
نَهارٌ يُضيءُ وَلَيلٌ يَجيءُ
وَنَجمٌand a star يَغورُsets وَنَجمٌand a star يُرىis seen
وَنَجمٌ يَغورُ وَنَجمٌ يُرى
day gives light, and night comes,
one star sets, and another is seen.
Sol 6.1