هَلdo? تَعرِفُyou recognize المَنزِلَthe dwelling بِالأَهيَلِat al-Ahyal
هَل تَعرِفُ المَنزِلَ بِالأَهيَلِ
كَالوَشمِlike a tattoo فيon المِعصَمِthe wrist لَمnot يَجمُلِgrow fair
كَالوَشمِ في المِعصَمِ لَم يَجمُلِ
Do you recognize the dwelling at al-Ahyal,
Do you know the abode by the evening star
like an unlovely tattoo upon the wrist?
Like a tattoo on the wrist, never beautiful
وَحشاًdesolate تُعَفّيهِefface it سَوافيsand-sweeping gusts of الصَباthe east wind
وَحشاً تُعَفّيهِ سَوافي الصَبا
وَالصَيفُand summer rain إِلّاexcept دَمَنَdarkened camp-traces of المَنزِلِthe dwelling
وَالصَيفُ إِلّا دَمَنَ المَنزِلِ
Desolate, the sand-sweeping east wind effaces it,
A wild animal cleaned by the blowing wind
and summer rain, save the dwelling's dung-darkened traces.
And summer only ruined the abode
أَوor شَنَّةٍa worn waterskin يَنفَحُspurts مِنfrom قَعرِهاits bottom
أَو شَنَّةٍ يَنفَحُ مِن قَعرِها
عَطٌّa rent بِكَفَّيin the two hands of عَجِلٍa hurried man مُنهِلِgiving water
عَطٌّ بِكَفَّي عَجِلٍ مُنهِلِ
Or a worn waterskin, spurting from its bottom
Or an arbor whose bottom exhales
through a rent, in a hurried water-giver's hands.
A perfume with the palms of a swift camel ladling
تَعنوleaks بِمَخروتٍthrough a pierced hole لَهُfrom which ناضِحٌa spray
تَعنو بِمَخروتٍ لَهُ ناضِحٌ
ذوwith رَيِّقٍan initial gush يَغذوrushing وَذوand with شَلشَلِa pattering trickle
ذو رَيِّقٍ يَغذو وَذو شَلشَلِ
It leaks through a hole, sending out spray:
Taking care of choice camels, among them a milker
a rushing first gush, and a pattering trickle.
With smooth neck being fed and another obstinate
ذلِكَsuch ما[emphasis] دينُكَyour custom إِذwhen جُنِّبَتwere led aside
ذلِكَ ما دينُكَ إِذ جُنِّبَت
أَحمالُهاits loads كَالبُكُرِlike young camels المُبتِلِstanding apart
أَحمالُها كَالبُكُرِ المُبتِلِ
Such is your wont, when led aside were
That is your religion when you avoided
its loads, like young camels standing apart—
Their burdens like an untamed young camel
عيرٌa camel caravan عَلَيهِنَّupon them كِنانِيَّةٌa woman of Kinanah
عيرٌ عَلَيهِنَّ كِنانِيَّةٌ
جارِيَةٌa maiden كَالرَشَإِlike a gazelle fawn الأَكحَلِnaturally dark-eyed
جارِيَةٌ كَالرَشَإِ الأَكحَلِ
a caravan bearing a woman of Kinanah,
A caravan over which are canopies
a maiden like a dark-eyed gazelle fawn.
And a black-eyed slave girl like the blackest kohl
كَالأَيمِlike a serpent ذيpossessing الطُرَّةِa stripe أَوor ناشىءِa young shoot of الthe
كَالأَيمِ ذي الطُرَّةِ أَو ناشىءِ ال
بَردِيِّpapyrus تَحتَbeneath الحَفَإِthe sedge المُغيِلِthicket-forming
بَردِيِّ تَحتَ الحَفَإِ المُغيِلِ
Like a striped serpent, or a young shoot of the
Like the defective camel with neck strap or a tender
papyrus beneath the thicket-forming sedge.
Calf under a reddish saddle cloth
تَنكَلُّshe smiles عَنrevealing مُتِّسِقٍan even row of teeth ظَلمُهُits lustre
تَنكَلُّ عَن مُتِّسِقٍ ظَلمُهُ
فيin ثَغرِهِits mouth الإِثمِدُantimony لَمnot يُفلَلِbe chipped
في ثَغرِهِ الإِثمِدُ لَم يُفلَلِ
She smiles to show an even row, whose lustre
Turning away from a consistent darkness
is unchipped antimony within her mouth:
In its everlasting horizon that was never folded
غُرِّwhite الثَناياincisors كَالأَقاحيlike chamomile flowers إِذاwhen
غُرِّ الثَنايا كَالأَقاحي إِذا
نَوَّرَblossoms صُبحَon the morning of المَطَرِthe rain المُنجَليclearing away
نَوَّرَ صُبحَ المَطَرِ المُنجَلي
white incisors, like chamomiles when
Secret places like ar-Risha when
they bloom at dawn after the rain has cleared.
The morning rain has illuminated it
هَلdid? هاجَكَstir you اللَيلَat night كَليلٌa faint lightning flash عَلىover
هَل هاجَكَ اللَيلَ كَليلٌ عَلى
أَسماءَAsma' مِنfrom ذيone with صُبُرٍheaped cloud-masses مُخيِلِpromising rain
أَسماءَ مِن ذي صُبُرٍ مُخيِلِ
Did a faint flash stir you by night, over
Did the night excite you like an exciting night upon
Asma', from a piled cloud promising rain?
Asma from the one with patience turning away
أَنشَأَarose فيat العَيقَةِthe shore يَرميflings lightning لَهُfor it
أَنشَأَ في العَيقَةِ يَرمي لَهُ
جوفُthe belly of رَبابٍcloudbanks وَرِهٍrain-drenched مُثقَلِheavily laden
جوفُ رَبابٍ وَرِهٍ مُثقَلِ
It rose by the shore, its flashes flung from
He created in weakness, it casts for him
the belly of a sodden, heavily laden cloudbank.
The interior of a guitar and a heavy echo
فَاِلتَطَّthen enveloped بِالبُرقَةِover the stony tract شُؤبوبُهُits downpour
فَاِلتَطَّ بِالبُرقَةِ شُؤبوبُهُ
وَالرَعدُand thunder حَتّيas far as بُرقَةَthe stony tract of الأَجوَلِal-Ajwal
وَالرَعدُ حَتّي بُرقَةَ الأَجوَلِ
Then its downpour enveloped the stony tract,
So it dodged with its lightning, and thunder
with thunder, as far as Burqat al-Ajwal.
Until the lightning of al-Ajwal
أَسدَفُdark مُنشَقٌّsplit open عُراهُits bonds فَذوso the tract with الthe
أَسدَفُ مُنشَقٌّ عُراهُ فَذو ال
إِدماثِsoft sandy ground ماكانَwas not كَذىlike that with المَوئِلِthe refuge
إِدماثِ ماكانَ كَذى المَوئِلِ
Dark, its bonds burst open; so the land of
Tattered clouds, their bareness thus not
soft ground was unlike a place of refuge.
Possessing rain like that of provisions
حارَit lingered وَعَقَّتand tore apart مُزنَهُits rain-clouds الريحُthe wind وَاِنand was
حارَ وَعَقَّت مُزنَهُ الريحُ وَاِن
قارَhollowed out بِهِby it العَرضُthe mountain flank وَلَمand not يُشمَلِtouched by the north wind
قارَ بِهِ العَرضُ وَلَم يُشمَلِ
It lingered; the wind tore its rain-clouds, and
It boiled and its bitterness stung the wind, and if
the mountain flank was hollowed out by it, untouched by the north wind.
It approached the land it did not include it
مُستَبدِراrushing ahead يَزعَبُsends surges قُدّامَهُbefore it
مُستَبدِرا يَزعَبُ قُدّامَهُ
يَرميflings بِعُمِّfull-grown trees of السَمُرِthe acacias الأَطوَلِthe tallest
يَرمي بِعُمِّ السَمُرِ الأَطوَلِ
Racing ahead, it sends surges before it,
Insistently coming first, it casts in front of it
flinging the tallest, full-grown acacias.
It throws Umm As-Samr the longest
ظاهَرَspread over نَجداNajd فَتَرامىand streamed onward بِهِover it
ظاهَرَ نَجدا فَتَرامى بِهِ
مِنهُfrom it تَواليthe trailing masses of لَيلَةٍa night مُطفِلِbearing young
مِنهُ تَوالي لَيلَةٍ مُطفِلِ
It spread over Najd, and there streamed onward
Appearing friendly, so it traded with it
from it the trailing masses of a night bearing young.
A sequence of an imposing night from it
لِلقُمرِfor the pale wild beasts مِنfrom كُلِّevery فَلاًwilderness نالَهُit reached it
لِلقُمرِ مِن كُلِّ فَلاً نالَهُ
غَمغَمَةٌa low murmur يَقزَعنَthey bound apart كَالحَنظَلِlike bitter gourds
غَمغَمَةٌ يَقزَعنَ كَالحَنظَلِ
From the pale wild beasts in every waste it reached
For every district obtained by the moon
came a low murmur; they bounded apart like bitter gourds.
Murmurs drive it away like peeled wood
فَأَصبَحَso by morning العينُthe wide-eyed wild cows رُكوداًmotionless علىon الthe
فَأَصبَحَ العينُ رُكوداً على ال
أَوشازِhigh knolls أَنlest يَرسِخنَthey sink فيinto المَوحِلِthe mire
أَوشازِ أَن يَرسِخنَ في المَوحِلِ
So by morning the wide-eyed wild cows stood motionless on the
So the eye remained still upon the followers
high knolls, lest they sink into the mire.
If they become steady in the mud
كَالسُحُلِlike cloths البيضِwhite جَلاbrightened لَونَهاtheir color
كَالسُحُلِ البيضِ جَلا لَونَها
سَحُّthe pouring rain of نِجاءِrain-clouds الحَمَلِthe cloud-mass الأَسوَلِlong and drooping
سَحُّ نِجاءِ الحَمَلِ الأَسوَلِ
Like white cloths, their color washed bright
Like the white foreheads prominent in color
by rain pouring from a laden, long-trailing cloud-mass.
Extinguished by the descent of the slow camel train
أَروىmore thirst-quenching بِجِنِّwith the freshness of العَهدِthe pledge سَلمىSalma وَلاand do not
أَروى بِجِنِّ العَهدِ سَلمى وَلا
يُنصِبكَweary you عَهدُthe pledge of المَلِقِthe flatterer الحُوَّلِthe fickle deceiver
يُنصِبكَ عَهدُ المَلِقِ الحُوَّلِ
Salma's fresh pledge better quenches thirst; do not
Quench the pact of Salma and do not
let a flattering turncoat's promise weary you.
Let the pact of the fickle maker disconcert you
دَعleave عَنكَaway from you ذاthe one with الأَلسِtreachery ذَميماًblameworthy إِذاif
دَع عَنكَ ذا الأَلسِ ذَميماً إِذا
أَعرَضَhe turns away وَاِستَبدَلَand chooses another فَاِستَبدِلِthen choose another
أَعرَضَ وَاِستَبدَلَ فَاِستَبدِلِ
Leave the treacherous one behind you, blameworthy; if
Leave off from this intimate if he
he turns away and chooses another, choose another yourself.
Turned away and substituted - so substitute
وَاِسلُand forget عَنِaway from الحُبِّlove بِمَضلوعَةٍwith a rib-curved bow
وَاِسلُ عَنِ الحُبِّ بِمَضلوعَةٍ
تابَعَهاshaped it evenly الباريthe bowyer وَلَمand did not يَعجَلِhurry
تابَعَها الباري وَلَم يَعجَلِ
And forget love with a rib-curved bow,
And divert from love with one followed
shaped evenly by a bowyer who did not hurry.
By the Creator and did not hurry
كَالوَقفِlike a bangle لاno وَقرٌcrack بِهاin it هَزمُهاits twang
كَالوَقفِ لا وَقرٌ بِها هَزمُها
بِالشِرعِwith its strings كَالخَشرَمِlike a bee-swarm ذيhaving الأَزمَلِa loud hum
بِالشِرعِ كَالخَشرَمِ ذي الأَزمَلِ
Like a bangle, uncracked; its twang,
Like an endowment - no tranquility in it - defeat it
when strung, is like a loudly humming swarm of bees.
With the law like the wide-mouthed jug
مِنfrom قَلبِthe heartwood of نَبعٍa nabʿ tree وَبِمَنحوضَةٍand with pared-down arrows
مِن قَلبِ نَبعٍ وَبِمَنحوضَةٍ
بيضٍwhite وَلَينٍand a supple blade ذَكَرَhard-tempered مِقصَلٍcleaving
بيضٍ وَلَينٍ ذَكَرَ مِقصَلٍ
Made from the heart of nabʿ-wood—and with pared-down
From a heart of spring and a white basin
white arrows, and a supple, hard-tempered, cleaving blade.
Soft - it recalled a weaned camel calf
مُنتَخَبُselected اللُبِّcore metal لَهُit has ضَربَةٌa stroke
مُنتَخَبُ اللُبِّ لَهُ ضَربَةٌ
خَدباءُbroad-gashing كَالعَطِّlike a rent مِنَfrom الخِذعِلِa foolish woman
خَدباءُ كَالعَطِّ مِنَ الخِذعِلِ
Of choicest metal, it has a stroke
Choice of milk - it has a stroking
that gashes broadly, like a rent in a foolish woman's dress.
Like the stroking of the black designated camel
أَفلَطَهاstartled her اللَيلُthe night بِعيرٍwith an ass فَتَسso she
أَفلَطَها اللَيلُ بِعيرٍ فَتَس
عىruns ثَوبُهاher robe مُجتَنِبُdeparting from المَعدِلِthe proper course
عى ثَوبُها مُجتَنِبُ المَعدِلِ
Night startles her with an ass, and she
The night saddled it with a caravan so its garment
runs, her robe trailing askew.
Sought to avoid straightness
أَبيَضُwhite كَالرَجعِlike rainwater رَسوبٌdeep-sinking إِذاwhenever
أَبيَضُ كَالرَجعِ رَسوبٌ إِذا
ما[emphasis] ثاخَplunges فيinto مُحتَفَلِa mass of flesh يَختَليmows down
ما ثاخَ في مُحتَفَلِ يَختَلي
White as rainwater, sinking deep whenever
White like the foam that bubbles when
it plunges into thick flesh and mows it down.
It dissolved in a reverberating boil
ذلِكَthat بَزّىmy war-gear وَسَليهِمand ask them إِذاwhen
ذلِكَ بَزّى وَسَليهِم إِذا
ما[emphasis] كَفتَhas withdrawn الحَيشُthe panic of flight عَنِfrom الأَرجُلِthe feet
ما كَفتَ الحَيشُ عَنِ الأَرجُلِ
That is my war-gear; ask them, when
That is their finery and equip them when
panic has withdrawn from their feet,
The courtyard did not prevent them from traveling
هَلwhether أُلحِقُI join الطَعنَةَthe thrust بِالضَربَةِto the blow الthe
هَل أُلحِقُ الطَعنَةَ بِالضَربَةِ ال
خَدباءِbroad-gashing بِالمُطَّرِدِwith the straight blade المِقصَلِthe cleaving one
خَدباءِ بِالمُطَّرِدِ المِقصَلِ
whether I join the thrust to the blow—
Shall I make the stab reach the non-stroking
the broad-gashing one—with the straight, cleaving blade.
Blow with the consistent separator
مِمّاamong what أَقَضّىI accomplish وَمَحارُand the final return of الفَتىthe young man
مِمّا أَقَضّى وَمَحارُ الفَتى
لِلضُّبعِto the hyena وَالشيبَةِand grey age وَالمَقتَلِand slaughter
لِلضُّبعِ وَالشيبَةِ وَالمَقتَلِ
These are among my deeds; yet a young man's return
Of what I fulfill, and the youth's zeal
is to the hyena, grey age, and slaughter.
For the wolf, the old she-camel, and killing
إِنeven if يُمسِhe passes the evening نَشوانَdrunken بِمَصروفَةٍon unmixed wine
إِن يُمسِ نَشوانَ بِمَصروفَةٍ
مِنهاfrom it بِرِىٍّsated وَعَلىand over مِرجَلِa cooking pot
مِنها بِرِىٍّ وَعَلى مِرجَلِ
Even if he spends the evening drunk on unmixed wine,
If it touches our settlements with
sated with it, with a cooking pot before him,
Some of it while charging and heavily armed
لاnot تَقهِprotect him from المَوتَdeath وَقَيّاتُهُhis safeguards
لا تَقهِ المَوتَ وَقَيّاتُهُ
خُطَّwas written لَهُfor him ذلِكَthat فيin المَحبَلِthe womb
خُطَّ لَهُ ذلِكَ في المَحبَلِ
his safeguards will not shield him from death:
Do not prevent death though stopping it
that was written for him in the womb.
That is destined for it at the rope
لَيسَthere is no لِمَيتٍfor a dead man بِوَصيلٍa joining bond وَقَدthough already
لَيسَ لِمَيتٍ بِوَصيلٍ وَقَد
عُلِّقَwas fastened فيهِto him طَرَفُthe end of المَوصِلِthe connecting cord
عُلِّقَ فيهِ طَرَفُ المَوصِلِ
There is no joining bond for the dead, though
No benefit in a dead person while
the end of the connecting cord is fastened to him.
The end of the rope is attached to him
أَودىhe perished إِذاwhen اِنبَتَّتwere severed قُواهُhis strands فَلَمand did not
أَودى إِذا اِنبَتَّت قُواهُ فَلَم
يَركَبmount إِذاwhen سارواthey journeyed وَلَمand did not يَنزِلِalight
يَركَب إِذا ساروا وَلَم يَنزِلِ
He perished when his strands were severed; he did not
It led to ruin when its strength sprouted but did not
mount when they set out, nor alight.
Ride when they traveled and did not camp
Sol 6.1