ماذاwhat is الوقوفُstanding وقدand already بانواthey departed علىat الطللthe ruined campsite
ماذا الوقوفُ وقد بانوا على الطلل
الاّbut اشتياقٌlonging إلىfor أيامِكَyour days الأُوَلِthe earliest
الاّ اشتياقٌ إلى أيامِكَ الأُوَلِ
What is standing at the ruins, now that they have gone,
What is this standing still, when they have appeared on the ruins,
but longing for your days of old?
Except yearning for your early days,
أبلاكَwore you down بعدَafter رحيلِthe departure of الحيِّthe tribe عنهُfrom it بماwith what
أبلاكَ بعدَ رحيلِ الحيِّ عنهُ بما
يُبليكَwears you down مِنof ذِكَرٍmemories بعدafter النوىseparation وبليand decay
يُبليكَ مِن ذِكَرٍ بعد النوى وبلي
Since the tribe departed from it, it has worn you down with
After the living had departed from it, it decays you
memories that wear you down after separation and decay.
With the mention after the intention and decay.
ووافقتكَand joined you الأمانيhopes وهيand they are باطلةٌvain
ووافقتكَ الأماني وهي باطلةٌ
بعدَafter الفراقِparting علىin التشبيبِlove poetry والغزلِand amorous verse
بعدَ الفراقِ على التشبيبِ والغزلِ
And hopes, though vain, have joined you
And your wishes concurred while being false,
after parting in love poetry and amorous verse.
After separation, over youthfulness and flirtation.
أكلَّماwhenever ...? بانَdeparts حَيٌّa tribe عنfrom مرابعِهits spring encampments
أكلَّما بانَ حَيٌّ عن مرابعِه
تبكيyou weep بدمعٍwith tears مِنَfrom التَّرحالِdeparture منهملِstreaming
تبكي بدمعٍ مِنَ التَّرحالِ منهملِ
Must you, whenever a tribe leaves its spring encampments,
Whenever a living one appeared from his resting place,
weep tears streaming at its departure?
You weep with tears dripped from bidding them farewell.
وكلَّماand whenever أومضتْflashed فيin الجوِّthe sky بارقةٌa lightning flash
وكلَّما أومضتْ في الجوِّ بارقةٌ
قابلتَyou met مشتعِلاًa blaze منهاfrom it بمشتعِلِwith a blaze
قابلتَ مشتعِلاً منها بمشتعِلِ
And whenever lightning flashes in the sky,
And whenever a spark flashed in the air,
you answer its blaze with a blaze of your own.
You met it aflame with another flame.
فلستَso you are not تنفكُّceasing ذاpossessing نارٍa fire يضرِّمُهاkindles it
فلستَ تنفكُّ ذا نارٍ يضرِّمُها
برقٌlightning ودمعٌand tears علىover آثارِthe traces of مُرتحِلِone departed
برقٌ ودمعٌ على آثارِ مُرتحِلِ
So you are never without a fire, kindled
So you do not cease to have a fire fueled,
by lightning, and tears over the traces of one departed,
By lightning and tears over the traces of the departed.
مغرًىobsessed بتسآلِwith repeated questioning أطلالٍruins تحيفَّهَاravaged them
مغرًى بتسآلِ أطلالٍ تحيفَّهَا
مرُّthe passage of الرياحِthe winds وصَوْبُand the downpour of العارضِthe rain cloud الهَطِلِpouring heavily
مرُّ الرياحِ وصَوْبُ العارضِ الهَطِلِ
obsessed with questioning ruins ravaged
Inclined towards questioning ruins, time and winds disfigure them,
by passing winds and the downpour of a torrential cloud,
And the blows of pouring rain.
ومستهاماًand besotted بأقمارٍwith moons مغاربُهاtheir setting places
ومستهاماً بأقمارٍ مغاربُها
بينَamid السُّجوفِthe curtains سُجُوفِcurtains of الوشيbrocade والكُلَلِand canopies
بينَ السُّجوفِ سُجُوفِ الوشي والكُلَلِ
and besotted with moons whose setting places
And confounded by setting moons,
lie amid curtains—curtains of brocade and canopies;
Between the glooms, glooms of night and darkness.
مِنof كلِّevery هيفاءَslender-waisted beauty ماnot مالتْshe swayed ولاnor خطرتْshe glided
مِن كلِّ هيفاءَ ما مالتْ ولا خطرتْ
اِلاّexcept أغارتْmade jealous غصونَthe branches of البانِthe bān tree بالمَيَلِwith swaying
اِلاّ أغارتْ غصونَ البانِ بالمَيَلِ
each a slender-waisted beauty who never sways or glides
From every valley that leaned over but did not stir,
without making the bān branches jealous with her sway.
The branches of acacia jealously inclined.
ولاnor رمتْshe shot بسهامِwith the arrows of المقلتينِthe two eyes حشاًa heart
ولا رمتْ بسهامِ المقلتينِ حشاً
اِلاّexcept استطيشتْwere deemed wayward نبالُthe arrows of الحيِّthe tribe مِنof ثُعَلِThuʿal
اِلاّ استطيشتْ نبالُ الحيِّ مِن ثُعَلِ
Nor does she shoot at a heart with the arrows of her two eyes
And every wild animal that roams but does not attack,
without the arrows of Thuʿal's tribe being deemed wayward.
Except the arrows of the archers panic from the bravery.
ترميshe shoots فتُصميand kills outright واِنْand even if لمnot تَنْكِwound أسهمُهاher arrows
ترمي فتُصمي واِنْ لم تَنْكِ أسهمُها
جَلْدَthe skin of الرميَّةِthe quarry أنindeed الفخرَglory للمقلِbelongs to the eyes
جَلْدَ الرميَّةِ أن الفخرَ للمقلِ
She shoots and kills outright, though her arrows do not wound
It casts then strikes, even if its arrows
the quarry's skin: glory belongs to the eyes.
Do not pierce the skin of the shooting target, for pride is to the archer.
أقولُI say والركبُand the riders قدalready أعياهمُwearied them سَهَريmy sleeplessness
أقولُ والركبُ قد أعياهمُ سَهَري
فوقَatop الرِّحالِthe saddles علىon المُهْريّةthe Mahri camels الذُّلُلِthe docile ones
فوقَ الرِّحالِ على المُهْريّة الذُّلُلِ
I speak, while my sleeplessness has wearied the riders,
I say, and the caravan, night watching wearied them,
upon the saddles of docile Mahri camels.
Over the saddlebags, on the obedient she-camel.
أسريI travel by night عليهنَّupon them لايعتادُنيdoes not visit me مَذَلَfretfulness
أسري عليهنَّ لايعتادُني مَذَلَ
وليسand is not بالخِرْقِa resourceful man مَنْwhoever يُعزىis ascribed إلىto المَذَلِfretfulness
وليس بالخِرْقِ مَنْ يُعزى إلى المَذَلِ
I travel by night upon them, untroubled by fretfulness,
I walk them, they do not get accustomed to my humiliation,
and whoever is known for fretfulness is no resourceful man.
And the torn are not consoled by humiliation.
ماليwhat have I وللربعِand with the campsite قدalready أقوتْbecame deserted معالِمُهits landmarks
مالي وللربعِ قد أقوتْ معالِمُه
بعدَafter الخليطِthe companions وماand what للهاتفاتِwith the calling birds وليand with me
بعدَ الخليطِ وما للهاتفاتِ ولي
What have I to do with the campsite, whose landmarks lie deserted,
What is it to me, and the dwellings after being inhabited by its landmarks,
after the companions left—and what have the calling birds to do with me?
Its companions parted from it, after the adornment, and what is it to the deserted ruins.
بانتْdeparted أوانسُهits lovely maidens عنهfrom it وبدَّلَهُand exchanged it
بانتْ أوانسُه عنه وبدَّلَهُ
بعدَafter التحلّيbeing adorned بهنَّwith them الدهرُTime بالعَطَلِfor bareness
بعدَ التحلّي بهنَّ الدهرُ بالعَطَلِ
Its lovely maidens left it, and it was changed
And you reminded me of a time that seemed disconnected,
by Time from their adornment to naked desolation.
From me, while my love for it did not disconnect.
وأذand [start of 'reminded'] كَرتَنيyou reminded me [completion] زماناٌa time بانَdeparted منفصِلاًsevered
وأذ كَرتَني زماناٌ بانَ منفصِلاً
عنّيfrom me ووجديand my longing عليهfor it غيرُnot منفصِلِsevered
عنّي ووجدي عليه غيرُ منفصِلِ
And you reminded me of a time that departed, severed
I provide care, grieving the ruins, examining,
from me, though my longing for it remains unsevered.
Their era, and addressing them with camels.
رعايةًin faithful regard أندبُI mourn الأطلالَthe ruins دارسةًeffaced
رعايةً أندبُ الأطلالَ دارسةً
لعهدِهنَّfor their old bond وأنحوهنَّand I head toward them بالاِبِلِwith the camels
لعهدِهنَّ وأنحوهنَّ بالاِبِلِ
I mourn the effaced ruins, keeping faith
And in standing, when I greeted, I pictured it,
with their old bond, and make for them with the camels.
A meaning born between sadness and maturity.
وفيand in الوقوفِstanding إذاwhen حيَّيتُI greeted أرسمَهاits traces
وفي الوقوفِ إذا حيَّيتُ أرسمَها
معنىًa feeling تولَّدَwas born بينَbetween الحُزنِsorrow والجَذَلِand joy
معنىً تولَّدَ بينَ الحُزنِ والجَذَلِ
And in standing there, when I greet its traces,
As if the nights of union never went away,
a feeling is born between sorrow and joy,
Its times, and the days of separation never ended.
حتىuntil كأنَّas though لياليthe nights of الوصلِunion ماnot برحتْhave left
حتى كأنَّ ليالي الوصلِ ما برحتْ
اوقاتُهاtheir hours وزمانَand the time of البُعدِseparation لمnot يَزُلِhas ended
اوقاتُها وزمانَ البُعدِ لم يَزُلِ
until it seems the nights of union have never left
And a garden its flowers watered with affliction,
their hours, and the time of separation has not ended.
Water dripping between brilliance and bounty.
وروضةٍand a garden قدalready سقَىwatered أزهارَهاits flowers عَلَلاًin repeated draughts
وروضةٍ قد سقَى أزهارَها عَلَلاً
ماءٌwater تقطَّعَbranched بينَamong النَّوْرِthe blossoms والنَّفَلِand clover
ماءٌ تقطَّعَ بينَ النَّوْرِ والنَّفَلِ
And a garden whose flowers were watered again and again
The acacia branches leaned over it, verdant,
by water branching among blossoms and clover:
Its foliage dripped from a fawn's tears.
مالتْleaned عليهاover it غصونُthe branches of البانِthe bān tree مونعةًlush
مالتْ عليها غصونُ البانِ مونعةً
خُضْراًgreen مطارِفُهاtheir mantles مِنfrom ادمُعِthe tears of الطَّفَلِtwilight
خُضْراً مطارِفُها مِن ادمُعِ الطَّفَلِ
bān branches leaned over it, luxuriant,
The rain clouds watered its buds, and by evening,
their mantles green with the tears of dusk.
Were dripping on its freshest verdure.
روَّىdrenched أقاحيَّهاits daisies ماءُthe water of الغمامِthe clouds وقدand already
روَّى أقاحيَّها ماءُ الغمامِ وقد
امسىby evening became يَرِفُّgleaming علىupon خِيرِيِّهاits wallflowers الخَضِلِdewy
امسى يَرِفُّ على خِيرِيِّها الخَضِلِ
The clouds' water drenched its daisies, and
It sways from the blowing winds, exuding,
by evening was gleaming on its dewy wallflowers.
The redolence of zephyrs like a drunk wavering.
تميلُit sways مِنfrom نسماتِthe breezes of الريحِthe wind نافحةًwafting fragrance
تميلُ مِن نسماتِ الريحِ نافحةً
نَشوىintoxicated الهبوبِthe wind's blowing كميلِlike the swaying of الشاربِthe drinker الثَّمِلِdrunken
نَشوى الهبوبِ كميلِ الشاربِ الثَّمِلِ
It sways, wafting fragrance, in the wind's breezes,
I released my dark eyelids among its bendings,
drunk on their blowing, like a tipsy drinker's sway.
While the sun flows in the dress of origin.
سرَّحتُI let roam أسودَthe dark pupil of طرفيmy eye فيin خمائِلهاits thickets
سرَّحتُ أسودَ طرفي في خمائِلها
والشمسُand the sun رافلةٌsweeping in flowing robes فيin حُلَّةِa robe of الأصُلِlate afternoon
والشمسُ رافلةٌ في حُلَّةِ الأصُلِ
I let my eye's dark pupil roam through its thickets,
So its pond reflected me not, when it was emptied,
while the sun swept along in a robe of late afternoon.
Of the deer, those with the languid eyes.
فماyet not اطَّبانيenticed me مرآهاthe sight of it وقدand already نزحتْdeparted far away
فما اطَّباني مرآها وقد نزحتْ
عنهاfrom it الظباءُthe gazelles ذواتْpossessing الأعينِeyes النُّجُلِwide
عنها الظباءُ ذواتْ الأعينِ النُّجُلِ
Yet its sight did not entice me, for gone
When the bucket creaks, if the draw-rope jerks it,
from it were the gazelles with wide eyes:
Laziness appears on the feeble pulley.
هِيفُslender-waisted القدودِin figure إذاwhen ماemphatic particle الدَّلُcoquetry رنَّحَهاmade them sway
هِيفُ القدودِ إذا ما الدَّلُ رنَّحَها
لاحَappeared الخمولُlanguor علىupon العسّالةٍthe swaying spears الذُّبُلِthe slender ones
لاحَ الخمولُ على العسّالةٍ الذُّبُلِ
slender of figure; when coquetry makes them sway,
I was replaced after union with separation, so my eyes,
languor appears upon the swaying, slender spears.
Poured to compensate and replace.
بُدِّلتُI was given in exchange بالهجرِwith estrangement بعدَafter الوصلِunion فاندفعتْso burst forth
بُدِّلتُ بالهجرِ بعدَ الوصلِ فاندفعتْ
عينايَmy two eyes تهميpour tears علىover التعويضِthe exchange والبَدَلِand the replacement
عينايَ تهمي على التعويضِ والبَدَلِ
After union, estrangement was given me in exchange, and
For what is life, even if it doubles,
my eyes burst into torrents over this exchange and replacement.
Except melting from a union of hope.
فماfor ... not الحياةُlife واِنْand even if أمستْbecomes مساعِفَةًfavorable
فما الحياةُ واِنْ أمستْ مساعِفَةً
اِلاّexcept اِذابِتُّwhen I spend the night مِنof وصلٍunion علىwith أمَلِhope
اِلاّ اِذابِتُّ مِن وصلٍ على أمَلِ
For life, though it may be favorable, is nothing
So do not blame me for my love, for I have not,
unless I spend the night in hope of union.
Lent my hearing to rebuke and prohibition.
فلاso let ... not تلُمنيblame me علىfor وجديmy longing الوشاةُthe talebearers فماfor ... not
فلا تلُمني على وجدي الوشاةُ فما
وقفتُI devoted سمغيmy hearing علىto التعنيفِharsh rebuke والعَذَلِand censure
وقفتُ سمغي على التعنيفِ والعَذَلِ
So let the talebearers not blame me for my longing, for
The times changed, and the celebration changed, and the bonds,
I have not lent my ear to harsh rebuke and censure.
Of union were severed, while my state in it did not change.
حالَhas changed الزمانُTime وحالَand has changed العيدُthe festival وانفصمتْand were severed
حالَ الزمانُ وحالَ العيدُ وانفصمتْ
عُرىthe bonds of الوصالِunion وحاليand my state فيهin it لمnot يَحُلِhas changed
عُرى الوصالِ وحالي فيه لم يَحُلِ
Time has changed, the festival has changed, and severed are
the bonds of union, yet my state in it has not changed.
Partial English translation: 58 of 60 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1