عشيَّةَat evening عَجُنْاwe turned aside بالمطيَّwith the riding camels الرواسمِswift-striding
عشيَّةَ عَجُنْا بالمطيَّ الرواسمِ
علىtoward الدارِthe dwelling أبكتْناmade us weep رسومُtraces المعالمِthe landmarks
على الدارِ أبكتْنا رسومُ المعالمِ
At evening, when we turned our swift-striding mounts
The evening we kneaded the dough,
toward the dwelling, its landmark traces made us weep.
We cried over the abode’s faded features.
وقفناwe halted فكمand how many فاضتْoverflowed علىupon الربعِthe deserted abode عبرةٌa tear
وقفنا فكم فاضتْ على الربعِ عبرةٌ
لِماbecause of what هاجَهُaroused it منّاfrom us بكاءُthe weeping الحمائمِthe doves
لِما هاجَهُ منّا بكاءُ الحمائمِ
We halted—how many a tear overflowed upon the deserted abode
We stood there and how many tears poured
because of what the doves’ lament stirred within us!
For what stirred our weeping doves.
فللّهِso, by God هذاthis القلبُheart كمhow often يستفزُّهrouses it
فللّهِ هذا القلبُ كم يستفزُّه
تعطُّفُthe swaying أغصانِbranches القدودِthe figures النواعمِthe tender ones
تعطُّفُ أغصانِ القدودِ النواعمِ
By God, this heart—how often it is stirred
My heart, how it is provoked
by the swaying branches of tender figures!
By the soft, delicate branches.
ويُعجِبُهُand delights it لمعُthe gleam الثغورِteeth كأنَّهاas though they
ويُعجِبُهُ لمعُ الثغورِ كأنَّها
بوارقُlightning flashes تبدوappear مِنْfrom خِلالِthe midst of المباسمِsmiling mouths
بوارقُ تبدو مِنْ خِلالِ المباسمِ
And the gleam of teeth delights it, as though they were
It is amazed by the radiance of the full moons
lightning flashes appearing through smiling mouths.
That show between the smiles.
ويصبواand it yearns إلىfor باناتِbān trees سَلْعٍSal‘ إذاwhen انبرتْthey come forth
ويصبوا إلى باناتِ سَلْعٍ إذا انبرتْ
تَمايلُthey sway مِنfrom مرَّthe passing الرياحِthe winds النواسمِgently blowing
تَمايلُ مِن مرَّ الرياحِ النواسمِ
And it longs for the bān trees of Sal‘ when they come forth,
It yearns for the maidens of Sala', when they appear
swaying at the passing of gently breathing winds.
Swaying from the passing of the gentle winds.
سقاهاwatered them مِنَfrom الوسميَّthe autumn rains كلُّevery مجلجِلٍthundering cloud
سقاها مِنَ الوسميَّ كلُّ مجلجِلٍ
هتونِpouring ربابِcloud layers المزنِthe rain clouds أوطفَthick-fringed ساجمِstreaming
هتونِ ربابِ المزنِ أوطفَ ساجمِ
May every thunderous cloud of the autumn rains water them,
Watered by the spring rain, every rumbling cloud
pouring from layers of rain cloud, thick-fringed and streaming,
Gentle with the melody of the viols or hushing rains.
الىuntil أنthat ترىyou see الروضَthe meadow الأريضَlush and spacious موشَّعاًembroidered
الى أن ترى الروضَ الأريضَ موشَّعاً
كماas وشَّعَتْهُpatterned it بالحياwith rain كفُّthe palm راقمِan embroiderer
كما وشَّعَتْهُ بالحيا كفُّ راقمِ
until you see the lush, spacious meadow embroidered,
Until you see the meadow adorned
as an embroiderer’s hand has patterned it with rain.
As the hand of the drawer adorned it with henna.
وحيّاand greeted السحابُthe clouds الجَونُthe dark أغصانَbranches دوحِهits great trees
وحيّا السحابُ الجَونُ أغصانَ دوحِه
دِراكاًin swift succession كموجِlike waves اللُّجَّةِthe deep sea المتلاطمِclashing
دِراكاً كموجِ اللُّجَّةِ المتلاطمِ
And may the dark clouds greet the branches of its great trees,
The clouds greeted its tree branches
in swift succession, like the deep sea’s clashing waves.
Like clashing waves.
اِذاwhen حرَّكتْهنَّstirred them الرياحُthe winds تناثرتْscattered
اِذا حرَّكتْهنَّ الرياحُ تناثرتْ
الىonto تُرْبِهِits soil أزهارُهاtheir blossoms كالدراهمِlike dirhams
الى تُرْبِهِ أزهارُها كالدراهمِ
When the winds stir them, down scatter
When the winds stirred them, their flowers fell
onto its soil their blossoms, like dirhams.
Like coins onto its dust.
لحاmay he curse اللهُGod قلبيmy heart كمhow often يَحِنُّit yearns إلىfor الحمىthe protected pasture
لحا اللهُ قلبي كم يَحِنُّ إلى الحمى
وقدand already بانَdeparted أهلوهits people حنينَthe yearning الروائمِmother camels
وقد بانَ أهلوه حنينَ الروائمِ
God curse my heart! How it yearns for the protected pasture,
God has tested my heart - how it longs
though its people have departed, with the yearning of mother camels.
For the camp, and its people missed like a loving doe.
وحتامَand how long لاnot يَفنيdie away بليلىfor Layla ولوعُهits infatuation
وحتامَ لا يَفني بليلى ولوعُه
كأنَّas though عليهupon it الوجدُpassionate longing ضربةُa blow لازمِinescapable
كأنَّ عليه الوجدُ ضربةُ لازمِ
And how long will its passion for Layla refuse to die,
Woe for Layla does not fade, as if
as though longing were an inescapable blow upon it?
Affliction has struck and clung to him.
ومماand among what شجانيgrieved me قولُهاher words يومَthe day of بينِهاher departure
ومما شجاني قولُها يومَ بينِها
وفيand in القلبِthe heart منهfrom it مثلُthe like of لذعِthe sting السمائمِscorching winds
وفي القلبِ منه مثلُ لذعِ السمائمِ
Among the things that grieved me were her words on the day she left,
And what pained me were her words one day between us
which burned in my heart like the sting of scorching winds:
When my heart felt like the sting of arrows.
تُراكَdo you see yourself إذاif طالتْgrew long مسافةُthe distance بينناbetween us
تُراكَ إذا طالتْ مسافةُ بيننا
تعودُyou become لأسرارِconcerning the secrets الهوىlove الهوىlove غيرَnot كاتمِconcealing
تعودُ لأسرارِ الهوى الهوى غيرَ كاتمِ
“Do you think, if the distance between us grows long,
"I see that when we are far apart
you will cease concealing the secrets of love—love?”
You return to professing secret passions unrestrained."
فقلتُso I said لهاتأبىto her: refuses المروءةُhonor والنُّهىand reason
فقلتُ لهاتأبى المروءةُ والنُّهى
اِذاعةَthe disclosure سِرَّينْاour two secrets وشرعُand the law المكارمِnoble deeds
اِذاعةَ سِرَّينْا وشرعُ المكارمِ
I said to her, “Honor and reason forbid
So I said, "Nobility and propriety refuse
revealing our two secrets—as does the law of noble deeds.”
To publicize our secret when morals are regarded."
فلوso if كنتَyou were يومthe day of البينِparting ياO حارِHar حاضراًpresent
فلو كنتَ يوم البينِ يا حارِ حاضراً
لقبَّحتَyou would have condemned كالعُشّاقِlike lovers لومَthe blame اللوائمِreproaching women
لقبَّحتَ كالعُشّاقِ لومَ اللوائمِ
Had you been present on the day of parting, O Har,
"If you were present on the day of separation, O passion's captive,
you, like lovers, would have condemned the censuring women’s blame.
You would denounce blamers like lovers do.
وعاينتَand you would witness لاnot عاينتَyou witness للبينِof parting موقفاًa scene
وعاينتَ لا عاينتَ للبينِ موقفاً
يُهَوَّنُmakes seem slight أخطارَthe perils الأمورِthe affairs العظائمِthe mighty
يُهَوَّنُ أخطارَ الأمورِ العظائمِ
And you would have witnessed—may you never witness it—a scene of parting
You would witness - what you would witness! - a stance towards separation
that makes the perils of mighty affairs seem slight.
That makes great calamities seem easy."
وقدand already سِرنَthey departed عنfrom تلكَthose الديارِdwellings مُغِذَّةًhastening
وقد سِرنَ عن تلكَ الديارِ مُغِذَّةً
نياقهمُtheir she-camels نحوَtoward النقاal-Naqa فالأناعمِthen al-Ana‘im
نياقهمُ نحوَ النقا فالأناعمِ
And they had left those dwellings at a hurried pace,
Their mounts have traveled from that abode
their she-camels bound for al-Naqa, then al-Ana‘im.
Towards the plains and groves.
فكمand how many مِنof فمٍa mouth شوقاًin longing وقدand already سرنَthey departed سُحرةًbefore dawn
فكم مِن فمٍ شوقاً وقد سرنَ سُحرةً
لماثلِto the still-standing أطلالِruins المنازلِthe dwellings لاثمِkissing
لماثلِ أطلالِ المنازلِ لاثمِ
How many a mouth, longing, when they departed before dawn,
So many a mouth longing as they traveled at dawn,
kissed the still-standing ruins of the dwellings!
Kissing the ruins of the dwellings.
ومِنand of مدنفٍa lovesick man لاقىmet البعادَseparation وهولَهُand its terror
ومِن مدنفٍ لاقى البعادَ وهولَهُ
بأنفwith a nose علىunder حكمthe decree التفرُّقِseparation راغمِrubbed in dust
بأنف على حكم التفرُّقِ راغمِ
And how many a lovesick man met separation and its terror
So many a cooing dove met separation and its horror
with his nose rubbed in dust beneath parting’s decree!
With its beak, though compelled to part.
ومِنand of راحةٍa palm قدalready نهنهتْchecked فيضَthe flood عبرةٍa tear
ومِن راحةٍ قد نهنهتْ فيضَ عبرةٍ
وأُخرىand another علىover أحشائهِhis innards والحيازمِand the breasts
وأُخرى على أحشائهِ والحيازمِ
And how many a palm checked a flood of tears,
So many a wrist poured out tears
while another rested upon his belly and breast!
And another over its bowels and braids.
فليتso, if only المطاياthe mounts حينwhen سِرْنَthey departed عَنِfrom الحمىthe protected pasture
فليت المطايا حين سِرْنَ عَنِ الحمى
وباشرنَand touched حَزْنَthe rough ground المنحنىthe bend بالمناسمِwith padded feet
وباشرنَ حَزْنَ المنحنى بالمناسمِ
Would that the mounts, when they left the protected pasture
If only the mounts, when they left the encampment
and trod the bend’s rough ground with their padded feet,
And ventured the saddened course,
عُقِرنَwere hamstrung فلمso did not يعملنَthey ply فيin البيدِthe wastes أذرعاًforelegs
عُقِرنَ فلم يعملنَ في البيدِ أذرعاً
ولاand not جادَهاshowered upon them للرِىَّto quench thirst دَرُّthe milk الغمائمِthe clouds
ولا جادَها للرِىَّ دَرُّ الغمائمِ
had been hamstrung, never to ply their forelegs through the wastes!
Were lamed, unable to race in the wilderness,
And may the clouds’ milk never shower upon them to quench their thirst,
Nor aided it to graze, withholding the rain.
ولاand never برحتْceased فيin القفرِthe wilderness هيماًthirst-crazed تجوسُهُroaming through it
ولا برحتْ في القفرِ هيماً تجوسُهُ
نواحلَgaunt يُعييهنَّexhausts them قطعُthe crossing المخارمِmountain passes
نواحلَ يُعييهنَّ قطعُ المخارمِ
and may they never cease scouring the desert, thirst-crazed,
Rather, they wandered destitute in the desert,
gaunt, exhausted by crossing the mountain passes!
Their joints weakened by the harsh terrain.
فلوso if كانwere هذاthis البينُseparation مماamong what يَصُدُّهُrepels it
فلو كان هذا البينُ مما يَصُدُّهُ
صُدورُthe points العواليlong spears أوor ظهورُthe manifestation العزائمِfirm resolves
صُدورُ العوالي أو ظهورُ العزائمِ
If this separation were something that could be repelled
If only this separation were of kinds
by the points of long spears or a show of firm resolve,
Repelled by the zeal of the lofty, or wills of the resolute.
دفعناهwe repelled it بالخيلِwith horses العتاقِthe noble-bred مغيرةًcharging
دفعناه بالخيلِ العتاقِ مغيرةً
تَمطَّىthey stretch بفرسانِwith horsemen الوغىbattle فيagainst الشكائمِthe bridle-bits
تَمطَّى بفرسانِ الوغى في الشكائمِ
we would have driven it back with noble steeds on the charge,
We would drive it back with noble steeds
straining at their bits with battle’s horsemen upon them.
Charging with the horsemen in the fray -
عليهاupon them رجالٌmen يستضيئونَlight their way كلَّماwhenever
عليها رجالٌ يستضيئونَ كلَّما
غداbecame النقعُthe dust مسوّداًblackened ببيضِwith white الصوارمِkeen swords
غدا النقعُ مسوّداً ببيضِ الصوارمِ
Mounted on them are men who light their way, whenever
Upon them men who shine brighter whenever
the dust turns black, with the whiteness of keen swords.
The plain is darkened by the white swords.
اِذاwhen أُلبسواthey were clad الماذيَّgleaming mail خِلْتَyou would think عنابساًlions
اِذا أُلبسوا الماذيَّ خِلْتَ عنابساً
الىtoward الموتِdeath تمشيwalking فيin سلوخِsloughed skins الأراقمِspeckled serpents
الى الموتِ تمشي في سلوخِ الأراقمِ
When clad in gleaming mail, you would think them lions
When dressed in battle gear, you see them stoic
walking toward death in the sloughed skins of speckled serpents.
Walking to their death, stripping off armor.
مطاعينُmighty spear-thrusters فيon يومِthe day of الكريهةِbattle كلَّماwhenever
مطاعينُ في يومِ الكريهةِ كلَّما
بداappeared الموتُdeath محمرّاًreddened بزرقِwith blue-gray steel الهاذمِthe cleaving weapon
بدا الموتُ محمرّاً بزرقِ الهاذمِ
Mighty spear-thrusters on the day of battle, whenever
Obeyed on the day of horror whenever
death appears red, wielding blue-gray cleaving steel.
Death appears blood-red amidst the crushing.
اِذاwhen رجمواthey pelted صدرَthe forefront العجاجةِthe dust cloud بالقناwith lances
اِذا رجموا صدرَ العجاجةِ بالقنا
تفرَّجَopened out ضيقُthe constriction المأزقِthe battle-space المتلاحمِclosely packed
تفرَّجَ ضيقُ المأزقِ المتلاحمِ
When they pelt the forefront of the dust cloud with lances,
When they pelt the forepart of the army with spears
the constricted, close-packed battle-space opens out.
The tight deadlock is relieved.
أسودٌlions إذاif هاجتْraged ضراغمُlions بيشةٍBisha
أسودٌ إذا هاجتْ ضراغمُ بيشةٍ
تلقَّيتُهاI faced them منهمfrom among them بمثلِwith the like of الضراغمِlions
تلقَّيتُها منهم بمثلِ الضراغمِ
Lions—if the lions of Bisha rage,
Lions when the dens of Bisha are stirred up,
I face them with matching lions from among these men.
I would meet them with the same lions.
مناجيدُheroes حربٍwar تعثُرstumble الخيلُthe horses تحتهمْbeneath them
مناجيدُ حربٍ تعثُر الخيلُ تحتهمْ
اِذاwhen ماever ارتدواthey dressed أسيافَهمtheir swords بالجماجمِwith skulls
اِذا ما ارتدوا أسيافَهم بالجماجمِ
Heroes of war, beneath whom horses stumble
They are war's singing maidens; the horses stumble beneath them
when they cloak their swords in skulls.
When they unsheathe their swords at the skulls.
غَنَواthey prospered بيthrough me فهمso they are فيin الحربِwar ماas long as دارturned قطبُهاits axis
غَنَوا بي فهم في الحربِ ما دار قطبُها
جناحٌa wing لهfor it عزميmy resolve مكانَin place of القوادمِthe leading feathers
جناحٌ له عزمي مكانَ القوادمِ
They have prospered through me; in war, while its axis turns, they are
They sang my praises, for in war whenever its fulcrum turned,
a wing whose leading feathers are my resolve.
My resolve took the place of poles.
وفيand in حلبةِthe racecourse الأشعارِpoems سابقُهاits front-runner الذيwho
وفي حلبةِ الأشعارِ سابقُها الذي
ترفَّعتُI rose فيهاin it عنabove دعيًّa pretender مقاومِcontending
ترفَّعتُ فيها عن دعيًّ مقاومِ
And in poetry’s racecourse I am its front-runner:
And in the arena of poetry, its leading competitor
there I have risen above any rival pretender,
Is the one I have transcended, rising above the rival.
وعنand above كلَّevery نظّامٍversifier بضائعُthe wares شعرِهhis poetry
وعن كلَّ نظّامٍ بضائعُ شعرِه
اِذاwhen عرضوهاthey displayed them لمdid not تفزْwin بمساومِwith a bidder
اِذا عرضوها لم تفزْ بمساومِ
and above every versifier whose poetic wares,
And above every critic whose poetry wares,
when displayed, attract no bidder.
When displayed, do not succeed in bartering.
عزيزٌdifficult عليهfor him أنto يعودَreturn بنظمِهwith his verse
عزيزٌ عليه أن يعودَ بنظمِه
عليماًknowledgeable وكمand how often كدَّىhe came away empty-handed بهwith it غيرَnot عالمِknowing
عليماً وكم كدَّى به غيرَ عالمِ
It is hard for him to return with his verse
It pains him that he returns with his compositions,
as a knowledgeable man; how often he has come away empty-handed with it, ignorant!
Learned, after being battered by one ignorant.
لهhe has نظراتٌglances كدَّرَclouded الحقدُrancor شزرَهاtheir sidelong cast
له نظراتٌ كدَّرَ الحقدُ شزرَها
تَدُلُّpoint علىto ماwhat عندَهُhe has مِنof سخائمِgrudges
تَدُلُّ على ما عندَهُ مِن سخائمِ
He has glances whose sidelong glare rancor has clouded,
He has insights blurred by rancor
betraying the grudges he harbors.
Indicating the defects he harbors.
فماfor not الفضلُexcellence فيamong أهلِwearers الشرابيشِsharbush caps سُبَّةًa disgrace
فما الفضلُ في أهلِ الشرابيشِ سُبَّةً
ولاnor العلمُlearning مخصوصاًreserved بأهلِfor wearers العمائمِturbans
ولا العلمُ مخصوصاً بأهلِ العمائمِ
For excellence among wearers of sharbush caps is no disgrace,
What virtue in donning turbans is a stigma?
nor is learning reserved for wearers of turbans.
What knowledge confined to those who don cowls?
اِذاwhen سمعوهاthey hear it فيin ندىًّan assembly فحظُّهمْthen their share
اِذا سمعوها في ندىًّ فحظُّهمْ
مِنof الحَسَدِenvy المبغوضِhateful عَضُّbiting الأباهمِthumbs
مِن الحَسَدِ المبغوضِ عَضُّ الأباهمِ
When they hear it in an assembly, their share
When they hear it sincerely, their fortune
of hateful envy is the biting of thumbs.
Is envious loathing, bites of the uninformed.
وماand not انتفعواthey benefited منهاfrom it بماthrough what يسمعونَهُthey hear it
وما انتفعوا منها بما يسمعونَهُ
كأنَّيas though I قدhad أسمعتُهاI made it heard للبهائمِto beasts
كأنَّي قد أسمعتُها للبهائمِ
And they gain no benefit from what they hear of it,
They do not benefit from what they hear
as though I had recited it to beasts.
As if I had recited it to beasts.
Sol 6.1