هَلinterrogative particle بالمنازِلin the dwellings إنif كلّمتهاyou address them خَرسُmuteness
هَل بالمنازِل إن كلّمتها خَرسُ
أمor ماwhat بيانُspeech أثافhearthstones بينَهاamong them قَبَسُa firebrand
أم ما بيانُ أثاف بينَها قَبَسُ
Are the dwellings mute when you address them?
Does she fall silent when visited at the abodes,
Or what speech have the hearthstones, with a firebrand among them?
Or can no eloquence pierce the veil between us?
كالكُحلlike kohl أسودَblack لأياًscarcely ماemphatic particle تكلمناthey speak to us
كالكُحل أسودَ لأياً ما تكلمنا
مماbecause of what عفاهeffaced it سحابُthe raincloud الصَيّفsummer الرجسُthunderous
مما عفاه سحابُ الصَيّف الرجسُ
Black as kohl—scarcely do they speak to us,
Dark as kohl, whatever we say is meaningless,
after the thunderous summer cloud has effaced their traces.
Veiled by the unsoiled summer clouds.
جَرَّتtrailed بِهاacross them الهَيفthe hot, dry wind أذيالاًskirts مظاهرةlayered
جَرَّت بِها الهَيف أذيالاً مظاهرة
كماas تجرُّtrail ثيابَrobes الفُوَّةmadder dye العُّرُسُthe brides
كما تجرُّ ثيابَ الفُوَّة العُّرُسُ
The hot, dry wind trailed layered skirts across them,
It trails behind, flaunting its finery,
as brides trail their madder-dyed robes.
As a bride’s gown is dragged by her maid.
والمالِكيّةand the woman of Malik قدindeed قالتsaid حكمتyou have grown wise وقدand indeed
والمالِكيّة قد قالت حكمت وقد
تشقىsuffers بكthrough you الناقةthe she-camel الوجناءbroad-cheeked والفرسُand the horse
تشقى بك الناقة الوجناء والفرسُ
And the woman of Malik said, 'You have grown wise, and
The Malikis have ruled, their wisdom final,
the broad-cheeked she-camel and the horse suffer through you.'
Though it may grieve a barren she-camel.
فقلتُso I said إنif أستفدI acquire حلماًforbearance وتجربةًand experience
فقلتُ إن أستفد حلماً وتجربةً
فقدthen indeed تَرددhas recurred فيكَin you البخلُmiserliness والألسُand deceit
فقد تَردد فيكَ البخلُ والألسُ
I said, 'If I acquire forbearance and experience,
I said, if I gain wisdom and experience,
miserliness and deceit have kept recurring in you.'
Stinginess and impudence may frequent you.
وقدand sometimes يُقصّرshortens عنيfor me السيرthe journey آونةًat times
وقد يُقصّر عني السير آونةً
بزيزلon a nimble camel سَهوةeasy-paced التَبغيلmule-like trotting أوor سدسُa camel in its eighth year
بزيزل سَهوة التَبغيل أو سدسُ
And sometimes my journey is shortened for me
My travels may be curtailed for a while
by a nimble camel, easy in her mule-like trot, or one in her eighth year.
By a narrow pass or a sixth of a mile.
وَجناءbroad-cheeked يصرفgrind ناباهاher two fangs إِذاwhen اعتَمرتshe sets out
وَجناء يصرف ناباها إِذا اعتَمرت
كَماas تخمطraged فحلa breeding bull الصَرمَةِthe small camel herd الهرسُaged
كَما تخمط فحل الصَرمَةِ الهرسُ
Broad-cheeked, her fangs grind when she sets out,
When rutting she-camels swerve their mouths
as the old breeding bull of a small herd rages.
As the fierce stallion twists its neck in refusal.
لأياًwith difficulty إِذاwhen مَثلstood الحرباءthe chameleon منتصباupright
لأياً إِذا مَثل الحرباء منتصبا
منbecause of الظهيرةthe noonday heat يثنيbend جيدهاher neck المرسُthe reins
من الظهيرة يثني جيدها المرسُ
Only with effort, when the chameleon stands upright
At noon when the old she-camel stands erect
in the noonday heat, do the reins bend her neck.
Her neck is bent by the docile racer.
تلقىshe casts علىacross الفرجthe gap between the hindlegs والحاذينand both thighs ذاone bearing خَضَلٍabundant hair
تلقى على الفرج والحاذين ذا خَضَلٍ
كالقِنوlike a date-cluster أعلقwas attached فيat أطرافهits tips العبسُdried dung-mats
كالقِنو أعلق في أطرافه العبسُ
She casts across the gap and both thighs a bushy tail,
It meets the mound above two hollows, covered in scrub,
like a date-cluster, dried dung clinging to its tips.
Like a club stuck in the grip of a sour face.
كأنهas though he were ناشطٌa roaming wild bull هاجbecame excited الكلابُthe dogs بهagainst him
كأنه ناشطٌ هاج الكلابُ به
منfrom وحشthe wild beasts of خَطمةKhatmah فيin عرنينهhis nose خنسُrecession
من وحش خَطمة في عرنينه خنسُ
As though he were a roaming wild bull, with dogs roused against him,
As if an eager hunter with yelping hounds
one of Khatmah's wild beasts, his nose recessed and blunt.
Pursues game midst the howling and the lowing.
بانتappeared عليهabove him منfrom الجوزاءal-Jawza أسميَةٌrainclouds
بانت عليه من الجوزاء أسميَةٌ
وقيلand he rested at noon بالسبَطagainst sabat grass العاميّyear-old يَمترسُrubs himself
وقيل بالسبَط العاميّ يَمترسُ
Rainclouds from al-Jawza had appeared above him,
The celestial Twins appeared above him
and he rested at noon, rubbing against year-old sabat grass.
Called the Claws by the commoner star-gazer.
ثمthen أتىcame to دفthe side of أرطاةٍan arta shrub بحَنينَةٍat Haninah
ثم أتى دف أرطاةٍ بحَنينَةٍ
منin الصريمةthe isolated sand tract أواهsheltered him لهاits الدّلسُdeep shade
من الصريمة أواه لها الدّلسُ
Then he came beside an arta shrub at Haninah,
Then came the roar of a moaning she-camel
in the isolated sand tract; its deep shade sheltered him.
Whose lingering cry drew the jackals near.
منبوذةisolated بمكانin a place لاno شعارَvegetative cover بهin it
منبوذة بمكان لا شعارَ به
وقدand sometimes يصادفfinds its mark فيin المجهولةunknown ground اللمسُa probing search
وقد يصادف في المجهولة اللمسُ
A solitary shrub in a place with no other cover,
Cast out where no campfire burns,
yet even in unknown country, a probing search may find its mark.
One may meet the touch of the unseen there.
عَبرتهhis tears (reading uncertain) بينbetween أنقاءsand dunes حنونHanun لهاaround it
عَبرته بين أنقاء حنون لها
منin الصَريمةِthe isolated sand tract أعلىthe upper part of تُربهاits soil رهسُfine, crumbled soil
من الصَريمةِ أعلى تُربها رهسُ
His tears [uncertain reading], between Hanun's dunes; around the shrub,
I described her among the loving and tender souls
the upper soil of the sand tract was fine and crumbled.
Whose tombs overlook the ruins from on high.
فاجتابهاso he entered it وهوwhile he يخشىfears أنthat يلطّmight cling بهto him
فاجتابها وهو يخشى أن يلطّ به
خوفdanger علىat أنفِهhis nose والسمعُand the hearing مُحتَرسُkeeping watch
خوف على أنفِه والسمعُ مُحتَرسُ
He entered it, fearing that there might close upon him
He approached her fearing his scent would betray him,
some danger at his very nose, while his hearing stood guard.
Though hearing was alert and on guard.
يَبريscrapes عروقاًroots ويُبديand uncovers عنfrom أسافِلهاtheir lower parts
يَبري عروقاً ويُبدي عن أسافِلها
كماas تليّنis softened للخَرانةfor the leatherworker (reading uncertain) الشرسُthornwood
كما تليّن للخَرانة الشرسُ
He scrapes roots and lays bare their lower parts,
He bared veins and exposed her nether parts
as thornwood is softened for the leatherworker [uncertain reading].
As the lewd poem yields to the debauched.
حتىuntil إذاwhen ماemphatic particle انجلتcleared ظلماءthe darkness of ليلتهhis night
حتى إذا ما انجلت ظلماء ليلته
عندat الصباحdawn ولمand not يستوعبbe wholly spent الغلسُthe predawn gloom
عند الصباح ولم يستوعب الغلسُ
Until, when the darkness of his night had cleared
When the dark night lifted at dawn
at dawn, though the predawn gloom was not wholly spent,
And dense shadows no longer spread their cloak,
ومارَand he swayed يَنفُضُshakes رَوقيهhis two horns ومَتنتَهُand his back
ومارَ يَنفُضُ رَوقيه ومَتنتَهُ
كماas تهزهزَswayed وقفُthe bracelet of العاجةthe ivory-adorned woman السَّلسُloose and supple
كما تهزهزَ وقفُ العاجة السَّلسُ
he swayed, shaking his horns and his back,
He shook himself, ridding coat and fur
as an ivory-adorned woman's loose bracelet sways.
As the swaying reed sheds its silken tufts.
هاجَتwas roused بهagainst him فئةٌa pack غُضفٌfloppy-eared مُخرَّجَةٌmottled
هاجَت به فئةٌ غُضفٌ مُخرَّجَةٌ
مثلُlike القداحarrow-shafts علىin pursuit of أرزاقِهاtheir food عُبُسُgrim-faced
مثلُ القداح على أرزاقِها عُبُسُ
A pack of floppy-eared, mottled hounds was roused against him,
A hostile band of impoverished nomads set upon him
like arrow-shafts, grim in pursuit of their food.
Like warriors competing for spoils and plunder.
وفاجأتهُand surprised him سَراياraiding bands لاno زعيمَcaptain لهاfor them
وفاجأتهُ سَرايا لا زعيمَ لها
يَقدُمنَthey go ahead of أشعثَa shaggy man فيin ماريةa white tunic طَلسُgrimy
يَقدُمنَ أشعثَ في مارية طَلسُ
And raiding bands with no captain surprised him,
Raiding parties took him by surprise, no chieftain led them,
running ahead of a shaggy, grimy man in a white tunic,
Disheveled they swarmed in a sudden raid.
مُعصَّباًbelly-bound منsince صباحٍmorning لاno طعامَfood لهfor him
مُعصَّباً من صباحٍ لا طعامَ له
ولاand no رَعيّةَflock to tend إِلاexcept الطوفُroaming والعَسسُand night-patrolling
ولا رَعيّةَ إِلا الطوفُ والعَسسُ
his belly bound since morning, with no food,
Girded for war since the break of dawn, no food sustaining him,
and no flock to tend, only roaming and night-watching.
No subjects except the hills and tree stumps.
فكرَّso he charged back يَحميdefends برَوقيهwith his two horns حقيقتَهُhis life
فكرَّ يَحمي برَوقيه حقيقتَهُ
بهin him عليهنّagainst them إذwhen أدركنهُthey overtook him شمسُfierce defiance
به عليهنّ إذ أدركنهُ شمسُ
He charged back, defending his life with his two horns,
He resolved to defend himself, his true nature
with fierce defiance toward them when they overtook him.
Concealed from them though the sun had risen.
ماnot إنemphatic particle قليلاًa short while تجلّىcleared النقعُthe dust عنfrom سنَدSanad
ما إن قليلاً تجلّى النقعُ عن سنَد
وزارعand Zariʿ غيرbut ماwhatever إنemphatic particle صادَhe struck منبجسُgushing blood
وزارع غير ما إن صادَ منبجسُ
In only a little while, the dust cleared from Sanad
In little time the blur was lifted from the scene
and Zariʿ—but whatever he had struck was gushing blood.
And the landscape resumed its familiar guise.
ومنand from دفافDafaf تُحيتjust beneath الجنبthe flank نافذَةًa penetrating wound
ومن دفاف تُحيت الجنب نافذَةً
حمراءُred يخرجُescapes منfrom حافاتِهاits edges النفسُthe breath
حمراءُ يخرجُ من حافاتِها النفسُ
And in Dafaf, just beneath the flank, a piercing wound,
From a tear in his side a redness flowed,
red, with breath escaping from its edges.
As breath escaped through the gaping hole.
ثمthen تولّيhe turned away خفيفاتlight قوائمهُhis legs
ثم تولّي خفيفات قوائمهُ
بالسَّهلover level ground يطفوfloats وبالصحراءand across the desert يمّلسُslips along
بالسَّهل يطفو وبالصحراء يمّلسُ
Then he turned away, his legs light,
Then on nimble legs he slipped away
floating over level ground and slipping across the desert.
Gliding on the plain and coasting the dunes.
وقدand indeed سَبأتُI bought wine لفتيانfor young men ذويpossessing كرمٍgenerosity
وقد سَبأتُ لفتيان ذوي كرمٍ
قبلbefore الصباحdawn ولَماand not yet تُقرعwere rung النُقُسُthe bells
قبل الصباح ولَما تُقرع النُقُسُ
And I have bought wine for generous young men
I sang of generous youth before dawn’s break,
before dawn, when the bells had not yet been rung,
Before the woodpecker’s knock roused the slumbering.
صرفاًunmixed wine وممزوجةًand mixed wine كأنas though شاريهاits buyer
صرفاً وممزوجةً كأن شاريها
وإنeven though تشدّدhe held firm أنthat يهتابَهseize him هَوَسُmadness
وإن تشدّد أن يهتابَه هَوَسُ
unmixed and mixed, as though its buyer,
The song flowed melodiously, as if the buyer,
however firmly he held out, were seized by madness.
However severe, would find no fault in it.
ثمَّthen ظلِلناwe spent the day تغنّيsings to القومَthe company داجِنةٌa household singer
ثمَّ ظلِلنا تغنّي القومَ داجِنةٌ
لعساءُdark-lipped لاno ثَعَلٌextra teeth فيهاin her ولاand no كَسَسُstunted teeth
لعساءُ لا ثَعَلٌ فيها ولا كَسَسُ
Then we spent the day while a household singer sang to the company,
We took shade, serenaded by a talentless chorus,
dark-lipped, with neither extra nor stunted teeth.
Toneless, artless, meaningless prattle.
ومُسمعاتٌand singing women وجُردand sleek horses غيرُnot مُقرفةٍbase-bred
ومُسمعاتٌ وجُرد غيرُ مُقرفةٍ
ثمsolid السنابكthe hooves فيin أكتافهاtheir shoulders قَعَسُbackward curvature
ثم السنابك في أكتافها قَعَسُ
And singing women, and sleek horses of no base breeding,
With ears uncovered and plain garments,
solid-hoofed, with a backward curve in their shoulders.
Then clasps upon their shoulders drew closed.
وجاملٍand a camel herd كزُهاءِlike the mass of الّلابlava-fields كلّفَهdrew it
وجاملٍ كزُهاءِ الّلاب كلّفَه
ذوpossessing عَرمَضٍalgae منfrom مياهthe waters of القهرal-Qahr أوor قُدسُQuds
ذو عَرمَضٍ من مياه القهر أو قُدسُ
And a camel herd, like a mass of lava-rock, drawn
A charlatan pretended refinement, soiled by the mire
by algae-covered water from al-Qahr or Quds.
Or sanctity, his turban in disarray.
ماءwater قصيرshort رِشَاءِthe rope of الدَّلوthe bucket مُؤتَزِراًgirdled
ماء قصير رِشَاءِ الدَّلو مُؤتَزِراً
بالخَيزُرَانةwith cane لاnot مِلحٌsalty ولاand not نَمسُfoul
بالخَيزُرَانة لا مِلحٌ ولا نَمسُ
Water with a short bucket-rope, girdled
Wearing trousers rolled above the ankle,
with cane, neither salty nor foul.
Clothed in rags, no salt, unafraid of blame.
تُوفيperch above الحمامُthe doves عليهabove it كلَّevery ضاحيةٍbright morning
تُوفي الحمامُ عليه كلَّ ضاحيةٍ
وللضفادِعand for the frogs فيalong حافاتهits edges جَرَسُa ringing sound
وللضفادِع في حافاته جَرَسُ
Doves perch above it every bright morning,
The doves filled the courtyard of his abode,
and along its edges the frogs have a ringing voice.
As frogs gathered noisily at its edge.
أَتىcame الصَريخthe caller for help وسِرباليand my tunic مظاهرةٌdouble-layered
أَتى الصَريخ وسِربالي مظاهرةٌ
منof نسجthe weaving of داودDavid يجلوpolishes سكّهاits riveted links اللبسُwearing
من نسج داود يجلو سكّها اللبسُ
The caller for help came, while my tunic was double-layered,
Then came the clamor, and a hostile crowd
of David's weaving, its riveted links polished by wear.
In David’s weave, their shouting pierced the calm.
تغشَىcovers البنانthe fingertips لهاit has صوتa voice إذاwhen انبَجستit billows out
تغشَى البنان لها صوت إذا انبَجست
كماas استخفَّset lightly astir حصيدَcut stalks الأبطحthe pebbly streambed اليبسُdryness
كما استخفَّ حصيدَ الأبطح اليبسُ
It covers the fingertips and has a voice when it billows out,
They overwhelmed the date palms, their cries so jarring
like cut stalks in a pebbly streambed, set astir by dryness.
The abandoned ruins shook beneath the assault.
Sol 6.1