صَرَمَتكَcut you off جَمرَةُJamra وَاِستَبَدَّand took sole control بِدارِهاof her dwelling
صَرَمَتكَ جَمرَةُ وَاِستَبَدَّ بِدارِها
وَعَدَتand intervened عَواديonslaughts الحَربof war دونَblocking access to مَزارِهاvisiting her
وَعَدَت عَوادي الحَرب دونَ مَزارِها
Jamra has cut you off, and her dwelling was taken over;
Her branch was consumed by flaming coal, it ravaged her home
and war's onslaughts kept you from visiting her.
And the cycles of war returned, beyond her tomb
زَبَنَتَكdrove you away أَكانُstrongholds (uncertain reading) العَدَوِّof the enemy فَأَصبَحَتso became
زَبَنَتَك أَكانُ العَدَوِّ فَأَصبَحَت
أَجَأAja وَجُبَّةَand Jubba مَنamong قَرارِsettled sites of دِيارِهاher dwellings
أَجَأ وَجُبَّةَ مَن قَرارِ دِيارِها
The enemy's [strongholds] drove you away, and now
Your morning betrayed you to the enemy, so it became
Aja and Jubba stand among her settled abodes.
A refuge for the frightened, from the settlements of her land
وَكَأَنَّهاand as though it دَقرىDaqra تَخَيَّلُgrows luxuriantly نَبتُهاits vegetation
وَكَأَنَّها دَقرى تَخَيَّلُ نَبتُها
أَنُفٌfresh and ungrazed يَغُمُّconceals الضالَthe wild lote trees نَبتُvegetation of بِحارِهاits lowland basins
أَنُفٌ يَغُمُّ الضالَ نَبتُ بِحارِها
As though it were Daqra, its vegetation luxuriant,
It was as if it were an old village, imagining its vegetation
fresh and ungrazed, its lowland growth conceals the wild lote trees.
A nose that protects the lost, growing in its ruins
عَزَبَتlay remote وَباكِرَهاand visited it early السَمِيّthe seasonal rain بديمَةٍwith a steady shower
عَزَبَت وَباكِرَها السَمِيّ بديمَةٍ
وَطفاءَthick-clouded يَملَؤُهاfills it إِلىto أَصبارَهاits edges
وَطفاءَ يَملَؤُها إِلى أَصبارَها
It lay remote; seasonal rain visited it early with a steady shower,
Its maidens and youth were left uncultivated like a barren land
thick-clouded, filling it to its very edges.
And darkness fills it to the brim of its walls
وَكَأَنَّand as though أَنماطَpatterned carpets المَدايِنِof al-Mada'in وَسطَهاin its midst
وَكَأَنَّ أَنماطَ المَدايِنِ وَسطَها
مِنfrom نَورِthe blossoms of حَنوتِهاits hanwa plants وِمِنand from جِرجارِهاits jirjar plants
مِن نَورِ حَنوتِها وِمِن جِرجارِها
As though al-Mada'in's patterned carpets lay amid it,
And it was as if the patterns of the cities in its midst
formed from the blossoms of its hanwa and jirjar plants.
Were from the glow of its affection and the clanking of its gold
وَلَقَدand indeed لَهَوتُI dallied بِطِفلَةٍwith a tender maiden مَيّالَةٍswaying
وَلَقَد لَهَوتُ بِطِفلَةٍ مَيّالَةٍ
بِلهاءَguileless تُطلِعُنيshe acquaints me عَلىwith أَسرارِهاher secrets
بِلهاءَ تُطلِعُني عَلى أَسرارِها
And I have dallied with a tender, swaying maiden,
And indeed I have flirted with a gentle-mannered girl
guileless, letting me into her secrets.
Flirting that let me in on her secrets
عَبِقَclung fragrantly المَمسَكِmusk-scented perfume وَالعَبيرِand blended perfume بِحُبِّهاwith her love
عَبِقَ المَمسَكِ وَالعَبيرِ بِحُبِّها
وَكَأَنَّand as though نَضحُa sprinkling of دَمٍblood عَلىon أَظفارِهاher nails
وَكَأَنَّ نَضحُ دَمٍ عَلى أَظفارِها
Musk perfume and blended scent clung to her love,
The scent of musk and perfume in her love
as though a sprinkling of blood lay on her nails.
As if the sprinkling of blood on her nails
وَكَأَنَّهاand as though she عَيناءa wide-eyed wild cow أُمُّmother of جُؤَيذِرٍa tiny wild-cow calf
وَكَأَنَّها عَيناء أُمُّ جُؤَيذِرٍ
خَذَلَتstayed behind لَهُfor him بِالرَملِin the sand خَلفَbehind صَوارِهاher herd
خَذَلَت لَهُ بِالرَملِ خَلفَ صَوارِها
She was like a wide-eyed wild cow, mother of a little calf,
It was as if she was a blind mother of Judhaydhir
who lingered for him in the sand, behind her herd.
Who let him down in the sand behind her walls
خَرِقٌhelpless إِذاwhenever نامَhe slept طافَتshe circled حَولَهُaround him
خَرِقٌ إِذا نامَ طافَت حَولَهُ
طَوفَthe circling of الكِعابِbudding-breasted maidens عَلىaround جَنوبِthe sides of دُوارِهاtheir idol Duwar
طَوفَ الكِعابِ عَلى جَنوبِ دُوارِها
Helpless he was: whenever he slept, she circled him,
A patched cloak, if he slept surrounded by
as budding-breasted maidens circle the sides of their idol Duwar.
The circling of dogs around the room of her house
بأغنَّwith a softly lowing one طِفلٍa tender calf لاnot تُصاحِبُshe keeps company with غَيرَهُanyone but him
بأغنَّ طِفلٍ لا تُصاحِبُ غَيرَهُ
فَلَهُso for him عُفافَةُthe last remaining drops دَرِّهاher abundant milk وَغِرارِهاand her scant milk
فَلَهُ عُفافَةُ دَرِّها وَغِرارِها
With a tender, softly lowing calf, she keeps company with no other;
With the most melodious cry of a child who has no other companion
his are her last drops of milk, whether abundant or scant.
Thus he has the chastity of her home and its sanctity
هَلdo تَذكُرينَyou remember جُزيتِmay you be rewarded أَحسنَthe best صالِحٍgood recompense
هَل تَذكُرينَ جُزيتِ أَحسنَ صالِحٍ
أَيّامَناour days بِمَليحَةٍat Maliha فَهرارِهاthen its Harar
أَيّامَنا بِمَليحَةٍ فَهرارِها
Do you remember—may you receive the finest good reward—
Do you remember when we stayed in the good Salih’s Juzeet
our days at Maliha, and then at its Harar?
Our days in Maleeha, the splendor of her courtyard
أَزمانَin times when لَمdid not تَأَخُذtake up إِلَيَّagainst me سِلاحَهاtheir weapons
أَزمانَ لَم تَأَخُذ إِلَيَّ سِلاحَها
إِبِليmy camels بَجِلَّتِهاwith their mature ones وَلاnor أَبكارِهاtheir young unbred females
إِبِلي بَجِلَّتِها وَلا أَبكارِها
In times when they did not take up their weapons against me—
When she would not take my camels to her
my camels, neither their mature ones nor their young females.
Neither her sturdy nor her young ones
اِبتَزَّهاI stripped them أَلبانُهاtheir milk وَلُحومَهاand their meat
اِبتَزَّها أَلبانُها وَلُحومَها
فَأُهينُso I lavish ذاكَthat لَضَيفِهاfor their guest وَلِجارِهاand for their neighbor
فَأُهينُ ذاكَ لَضَيفِها وَلِجارِها
I took from them their milk and meat,
She held back their milk and meat
and made that freely available to their guest and neighbor,
So I was disgraced, as was her guest and neighbor
وَلرفقَةand for a traveling band فيin لَيلَةa night مَشمولَةٍnorth-wind-swept
وَلرفقَة في لَيلَة مَشمولَةٍ
نَزَلَتit camped بِهاbeside them فَغَدَتthen departed at dawn عَلىsustained by آسارِهاtheir remnants
نَزَلَت بِها فَغَدَت عَلى آسارِها
and to a traveling band on a north-wind-swept night,
And a company on a dark night
who camped beside them, then departed sustained by their remnants.
That descended upon it so it ended up in ruins
كانواthey used to يُسيمونَput to pasture المَخاضَthe pregnant she-camels أَمامَهاahead of them
كانوا يُسيمونَ المَخاضَ أَمامَها
وَيُعَزِّزونَand press hard بِهاon them عَلىfor أَغبارِهاtheir remaining milk
وَيُعَزِّزونَ بِها عَلى أَغبارِها
They let the pregnant she-camels graze ahead of them,
They would race the childbirth in front of her
and pressed them for even their last drops of milk.
And encourage her against her weaknesses
وَلَقَدand indeed شَهِدتُI attended إِذاwhen القِداحُthe gambling arrows تَوَحَّدَتwere singled out
وَلَقَد شَهِدتُ إِذا القِداحُ تَوَحَّدَت
وَشَهِدتُand I attended عِندَat اللَيلِnight مَوقِدَthe kindling-place of نارِهاher fire
وَشَهِدتُ عِندَ اللَيلِ مَوقِدَ نارِها
And I have been present when the lot-arrows were singled out,
And indeed I witnessed when the wine cups came together
and by night attended the place where her fire was lit,
And I witnessed next to the fire, the kindling of its flame
عَنover ذاتِone possessing أَولِيَةٍprime quality أَساوُدI bargain (uncertain reading) رَيَّهاher owner (uncertain reading)
عَن ذاتِ أَولِيَةٍ أَساوُد رَيَّها
وَكَأَنَّand as though لَونَthe color of المِلحِsalt فَوقَabove شِفارِهاher eyelid rims
وَكَأَنَّ لَونَ المِلحِ فَوقَ شِفارِها
over a choice she-camel, [bargaining with her owner],
Of an aswad complexion, her saliva was like
as though salt-white color lay above her eyelid rims.
The color of salt above her lips
فَمَنحَتُso I gave بَدأَتِهاher first portion رَقيباًan overseer جانِحاًleaning forward
فَمَنحَتُ بَدأَتِها رَقيباً جانِحاً
وَالنارand the fire تَلفَحُscorches وَجهَهُhis face بِأَوارِهاwith its blaze
وَالنار تَلفَحُ وَجهَهُ بِأَوارِها
So I gave her first portion to an overseer leaning forward,
So I gave her virginity an ardent guardian
while the fire scorched his face with its blaze.
And the fire scorched his face with its flames
كانَتshe was عَقيلَةَthe choicest part of مالِهِhis wealth فَأَذِلُّهُso it made him yield
كانَت عَقيلَةَ مالِهِ فَأَذِلُّهُ
عَنfrom بَعضِpart of قيمَتِهاher value رَجاءُhope of بِكارِهاher young camels
عَن بَعضِ قيمَتِها رَجاءُ بِكارِها
She was the choicest of his wealth; what made him yield
She was the prize of his money, so he made little
part of her price was hope of her calves.
Of some of her value, hoping for her virginity
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen قَسَمَhe divided النَصيبَthe portion وَأَصفَقَتand came away
حَتّى إِذا قَسَمَ النَصيبَ وَأَصفَقَت
يَدَهُhis hand بِجِلدَةِwith the skin of ضَرعِهاher udder وَحُوارِهاand her suckling calf
يَدَهُ بِجِلدَةِ ضَرعِها وَحُوارِها
Until, when he divided the portion, his hand came away
Until he divided the share and clapped
with only her udder's skin and her suckling calf.
His hand on the skin of her breast and neck
ظَهَرَتbecame plain نَدامَتُهُhis regret وَهانَand he mattered little بِسُخطِهِin his anger
ظَهَرَت نَدامَتُهُ وَهانَ بِسُخطِهِ
شَيئاًat all عَلىto مَربوعِهاher quarter-share taker (uncertain) وَعِذارِهاand her handler (uncertain)
شَيئاً عَلى مَربوعِها وَعِذارِها
His regret showed, and in his anger he counted
His regret appeared and he was angry
for little to her [quarter-share taker] and her [handler].
At something of her conceit and coquetry
وَلَقَدand indeed شَهِدَتI witnessed الخَيلَthe horses وَهيَwhile they were مُغيرَةٌraiding
وَلَقَد شَهِدَت الخَيلَ وَهيَ مُغيرَةٌ
وَشَهِدَتهاand I witnessed them تَعدوgalloping عَلىalong آثارِهاtheir tracks
وَشَهِدَتها تَعدو عَلى آثارِها
And I have witnessed horses while they raided,
And indeed I witnessed the horses as they were taken for spoils
and watched them gallop along their tracks.
And I witnessed them race after their tracks
وَحَوَيتُand I gathered مَغنمهاtheir spoils أَمامَahead of جِيادِهاtheir noble steeds
وَحَوَيتُ مَغنمها أَمامَ جِيادِها
وَكَرَرتُand I charged back إِذwhen طردَتthey were driven عَلىtoward أَدبارِهاtheir rear
وَكَرَرتُ إِذ طردَت عَلى أَدبارِها
I gathered their booty ahead of their noble steeds,
And I contained its war booty in front of its stallions
and charged back when they were driven into retreat.
And repeated as they were chased to their cruppers
وَلَقَدand indeed شَفَيتُI satisfied مِنَwith الرِكابِriding camels وَمَشيِهاand their walking pace
وَلَقَد شَفَيتُ مِنَ الرِكابِ وَمَشيِها
وَزَفيفهاand their swift gait نَفسيmy soul وَمِنand with أَكوارِهاtheir saddles
وَزَفيفها نَفسي وَمِن أَكوارِها
And I have satisfied—with riding camels and their walk,
And indeed I was cured by its riding and walking
their swift gait and their saddles—my soul.
And the neighing of its breath and its saddles
وَكَأَنَّماand just as though اِنطَمَرَتleapt جَنادِبُgrasshoppers حَرَّةٍa lava field
وَكَأَنَّما اِنطَمَرَت جَنادِبُ حَرَّةٍ
فيin سَردِهاtheir linked armor فَرمتكso hurled you عَنbeyond أَبصارِهاtheir sight
في سَردِها فَرمتك عَن أَبصارِها
As though grasshoppers of a lava field had leapt
And it was as if the claws of vicious lizards
in their linked armor, hurling you beyond their sight.
Were embedded in its ground, so it cast you away from its sights
Sol 6.1