أبينتdid you discern? رسمtrace الدارthe dwelling أمor لمdid not تُبينِdiscern
أبينت رسم الدار أم لم تُبينِ
لسلمىbelonging to Salma عفَتbecame effaced بينbetween الكلابal-Kulab وتيمنِand Tayman
لسلمى عفَت بين الكلاب وتيمنِ
Did you discern the dwelling's trace, or did you not?
Did she show the traces of her abode or did she not show
Salma's dwelling, effaced between al-Kulab and Tayman.
To Salma who was chaste between dogs and serpents
كأنas though بقاياremnants رسمهاits trace بعدafter ماthat حلتuncovered
كأن بقايا رسمها بعد ما حلت
لكالريحfor you, the wind (reading uncertain) منهاof it عنfrom محلّa site مُدَمنِlong-inhabited
لكالريح منها عن محلّ مُدَمنِ
As though the remnants of its traces, after they had been uncovered
As if the remnants of its trace after it disappeared
for you by the wind, at a long-inhabited site—
Were like the wind from it in the abode of an addict
مجالسgathering places إيسارٍof gamblers وملعبُand a playground سامرٍof a night reveler
مجالس إيسارٍ وملعبُ سامرٍ
وموقدand a hearth نارof fire عهدهاits last use غيرnot مزمنِlong past
وموقد نار عهدها غير مزمنِ
gamblers' gathering places and a night reveler's playground,
Gatherings of generosity and the playground of revelry
and a hearth whose last fire was not long ago—
And fireplace whose pact in it was not lasting
سطورُlines of writing يهوديينtwo Jewish men فيon مُهرقيهماtheir two parchments
سطورُ يهوديين في مُهرقيهما
مجيدينtwo skilled men منfrom تيماءTayma أوor أهلthe people of مدينِMidian
مجيدين من تيماء أو أهل مدينِ
were lines of two Jewish scribes on their two parchments,
Lines of Jews in their synagogues
skilled men from Tayma or the people of Midian.
Praising from Taima or the people of Medina
فدمعكso your tears إِلاexcept ماwhat كففتyou checked غُروبَهtheir streams
فدمعك إِلا ما كففت غُروبَه
كوالفِlike a leaking skin بالworn-out منamong مزادwaterskins وميّنِand waterbags (reading uncertain)
كوالفِ بال من مزاد وميّنِ
Your tears, unless you restrain their streaming,
Except what you held back its setting
are like a worn, leaking skin among waterskins and waterbags.
Your tears were not but like the buckets without rope and pulley
بكاءweeping عليهاover her كلevery صيفsummer ومربعand springtime
بكاء عليها كل صيف ومربع
كأديانهlike his habitual ways منwith عمرةAmra ابنةdaughter of محجنِMihjan
كأديانه من عمرة ابنة محجنِ
Weeping over her every summer and spring,
Crying over it every summer and square
as was his wont with Amra, daughter of Mihjan.
As if its religions from the pilgrimage of the daughter of Muhajjin
تبصرlook closely خليليmy friend هلdo ...? ترىyou see منany ظعائنwomen in traveling litters
تبصر خليلي هل ترى من ظعائن
غدونَthey left at dawn لبينٍfor a parting منthan نوىdeparture الحيthe tribe أبيّنِplainer
غدونَ لبينٍ من نوى الحي أبيّنِ
Look, my friend: do you see any women in their traveling litters?
Does my friend see, do you see any gazelles
They left at dawn for a parting plainer than the tribe's departure.
Tomorrow morning coming to the abodes of Bain wellsprings
تردّينthey draped themselves أنطاكيةAntiochene cloth ذاتhaving حُجةٍa patterned border
تردّين أنطاكية ذات حُجةٍ
علىover شرعبيShar'abi cloth منfrom يمانYemeni fabric مُدهنِglossy or oiled
على شرعبي من يمان مُدهنِ
They draped themselves in patterned Antiochene cloth,
Repenting, O Antioch, you who argue
over glossy Shar'abi fabric from Yemen.
Against Asharib from Yemen, the whitewashed
جَعلنthey placed بليلby night وارِداتWaridat وهصتماand Hastama (name uncertain)
جَعلن بليل وارِدات وهصتما
شمالاًto their left ويمَّمنand they headed toward البديّal-Badi بأيمنِon the right
شمالاً ويمَّمن البديّ بأيمنِ
By night they placed Waridat and Hastama [name uncertain]
They came at night as visitors and they were silent
on their left, and headed rightward toward al-Badi.
Heading northwards and the bedouins hastened to the right
فأضحتand at morning they were تراءهاbeheld them العيونthe eyes كأنهاas though they were
فأضحت تراءها العيون كأنها
علىon الشرفthe ridge الأعلىthe highest نخيلpalm trees ابنson of يامنYamin
على الشرف الأعلى نخيل ابن يامن
By morning, eyes could see them as though they were
So their sights appeared as if they were
on the highest ridge, the palms of Ibn Yamin,
On the highest glory, palm trees of the son of Yamin
أوor الأثأبthe wild fig trees العمthe tall, full-grown الدريthe gleaming (reading uncertain) أوor كأنهاas though they were
أو الأثأب العم الدري أو كأنها
خلاياgreat vessels عَدوليAduli السَّفينships المُعمنbound for Oman
خلايا عَدولي السَّفين المُعمن
or tall, gleaming wild fig trees [epithet uncertain], or as though they were
Or the thickets of wild oleander, or as if they were
great Aduli vessels, ships bound for Oman.
Chambers of virgins, the impregnable ships
فجئنthen they came وقرنwhile the horn of الشمسthe sun لمnot يعدhad gone beyond أنthat بداit appeared
فجئن وقرن الشمس لم يعد أن بدا
فغبنthen they vanished إِلىtoward حورٍfair-eyed women نواعمبُدّنsoft and full-bodied
فغبن إِلى حورٍ نواعمبُدّن
They arrived when the sun's horn had only just appeared,
They came and when the sun rose it no longer returned
then vanished toward fair-eyed women, soft and full-bodied,
So they hid among the delicate, soft-bodied Houris
وكورnestled علىon أنماطrugs or bedcovers بيضٍwhite مزخرفembroidered
وكور على أنماط بيضٍ مزخرف
مدينيّةٍMedinan أوفىarrived بهاwith them حجّpilgrims مسكنMaskin (reading uncertain)
مدينيّةٍ أوفى بها حجّ مسكن
nestled on white, embroidered rugs,
And tilted their white patterned flasks
Medinan, brought by pilgrims of Maskin [reading uncertain].
Medinite or fulfilled for her the pilgrimage of Muskkin
فقلنthen they said أقيلوناlet us rest at noon فقلنthen they rested at noon بنعمةٍin comfort
فقلن أقيلونا فقلن بنعمةٍ
لدىbeside كلevery حذرٍbower (textual reading uncertain) ذيhaving ثقوبopenings مزينdecorated
لدى كل حذرٍ ذي ثقوب مزين
They said, 'Let us rest at noon,' and rested in comfort,
They said, "Rest us," they said, "With bounty
beside every decorated bower with openings [reading uncertain].
In the presence of every cautious piercer"
يطالعنناthey peered out at us منfrom كلevery خملplush cloth وكلّةٍand a curtain
يطالعننا من كل خمل وكلّةٍ
بمخضوبةwith henna-dyed fingers حُمسfirm لطافdelicate وأعيُنand eyes
بمخضوبة حُمس لطاف وأعيُن
They peered out at us from every plush cloth and curtain,
There looks at us from every bend and hillock
with henna-dyed, firm, delicate fingers, and their eyes.
One whose cheeks are tinted, delicate, with eyes
ألمhas ... not? يأتهاreached her أنthat قدalready صحوتI have awakened عنfrom الصباyouthful folly
ألم يأتها أن قد صحوت عن الصبا
وآلتand I turned إِلىtoward أكرومةٍa noble deed وتدينand piety
وآلت إِلى أكرومةٍ وتدين
Has news not reached her that I have shaken off youthful folly,
Did it not come to her that she was now awake from youth
and turned to noble deeds and piety,
And came to decrepitude and religion
وفارقتand I left لذاتpleasures الشبابyouth وأهلهand its companions
وفارقت لذات الشباب وأهله
كمفرقةlike the parting of غادa dawn traveler مشيمleftward or northbound ميمنrightward or southbound
كمفرقة غاد مشيم ميمن
and left youth's pleasures and its companions,
And parted from the pleasures of youth and its people
like a dawn traveler's parting, heading leftward or rightward?
Like the parting of one who departs after settlement
وذيand a man of نسبkinship دانٍnear تجلدتI steeled myself بعدهafter him
وذي نسب دانٍ تجلدت بعده
علىto bear رُزئهhis loss ورزؤهand his loss غيرُnot هيّنlight or easy
على رُزئه ورزؤه غيرُ هيّن
And a close kinsman—after losing him, I steeled myself
And of noble lineage she endured after it
to bear his loss, and his loss was no light matter.
Its meagerness and leanness, which was not easy
كريمnoble ثناهhis repute تمطرrains الخيرbounty كفهhis palm
كريم ثناه تمطر الخير كفه
كثيرmuch رمادash القدرthe cooking pot غيرnot ملعَّنcursed
كثير رماد القدر غير ملعَّن
Noble in repute, his palm rained bounty,
Generous whose palm rain bounty
his cooking pot rich in ashes, he himself never cursed.
Plenty, ashes of the pot, not sparked
غداhe departed غيرnot مملولٍwearisome لديّto me جماعةٌcompany (construction uncertain)
غدا غير مملولٍ لديّ جماعةٌ
ولاnor هوhe عنbecause of طولthe length of التفاخرmutual boasting ملّنيgrew weary of me
ولا هو عن طول التفاخر ملّني
He departed, never tiresome to me in our companionship,
Tomorrow he comes to me, not filled up
nor did our prolonged boasting make him tire of me.
With a group nor is he weary of long boasting
وحَسرةand a pang of حزنٍsorrow فيin الفؤادthe heart مريرةbitter
وحَسرة حزنٍ في الفؤاد مريرة
تخيَّبتُهاI suppressed it (reading uncertain) والمرءُand a person ماwhatever يغشbefalls him يحزنgrieves
تخيَّبتُها والمرءُ ما يغش يحزن
And a bitter pang of sorrow within the heart,
And the sorrow of grief is bitter in my heart
I suppressed it [reading uncertain]; a man grieves at what befalls him.
I disappointed it though man does not purposely grieve
ونخوةُand the arrogance of أقوامgroups of men عليّagainst me درأتهاI repelled it
ونخوةُ أقوام عليّ درأتها
بسطوةwith the force of أيدٍhands منof رجالmen وألسنand tongues
بسطوة أيدٍ من رجال وألسن
And I repelled the arrogance of men directed against me,
And the nobility of people warded me off from them
with the onslaught of men's hands and tongues.
With the power of hands of men and tongues
وندمانand a drinking companion صدقٍtrue لاnot يرىhe sees الفحشfoulness رائجاًfinding favor
وندمان صدقٍ لا يرى الفحش رائجاً
لديهin his presence لمخزونto stored المدامةwine مدمنa habitual drinker
لديه لمخزون المدامة مدمن
And a true drinking companion, who gives no welcome to foulness
And the regret of truthfulness I do not see vice prevailing
in his presence, a habitual drinker of stored wine.
In it for the stored wine of the addict
بكرتI came early عليهto him والدجاجwhile the chickens مُعرسٌwere resting for the night
بكرت عليه والدجاج مُعرسٌ
جثومٌcrouching وضوءُand the light of الصبحdawn لمnot يتبينbecame clear
جثومٌ وضوءُ الصبح لم يتبين
I came to him early, while the chickens were roosting,
It hurried to him while the chickens were nesting
crouching, and the light of dawn was not yet clear.
Drowsy, and the morning ablution was not clear
فظلتso it continued تدورcircling الكأسthe cup بينيbetween me وبينهand him
فظلت تدور الكأس بيني وبينه
إذاwhenever هيit أكرتwas drained قالhe said صاحmy friend! ألاshall ... not? أنثنيI turn back
إذا هي أكرت قال صاح ألا أنثني
And the cup kept passing between me and him;
So the cup kept circling between him and I
whenever it was drained, he said, 'Friend, shall I not turn back?'
When it was filled he said, "Come, let me tilt it!"
فرحناthen we departed أصيلاناًin late afternoon تراناyou would see us كأنناas though we were
فرحنا أصيلاناً ترانا كأننا
ذوthe people of (reading uncertain) قيصرCaesar أوor آلthe family of كسرىKisra بنson of سوسنSawsan
ذو قيصر أو آل كسرى بن سوسن
We left in the late afternoon; you would have seen us as though we were
We were happy, made intimate, as if we were
Caesar's people, or the family of Kisra son of Sawsan.
People of Caesar or the family of Kisra bin Sasan
وغانيةٍand a beautiful woman قطعتI severed أسبابthe bonds of وصلهاunion with her
وغانيةٍ قطعت أسباب وصلها
بحرفon a lean she-camel كقوسlike the bow of الهاجريa Hajari المضيّنwell-fashioned (reading uncertain)
بحرف كقوس الهاجري المضيّن
And a beautiful woman—I severed the bonds that joined me to her,
And a singing girl whose means of connection were cut
on a lean she-camel, like a Hajari's well-fashioned bow [epithet uncertain].
With a letter like the bow of Al-Hajari the Bent
تكادshe nearly تطيرsends flying الرحلَthe saddle لولاwere it not for نُسوعهُits girths
تكاد تطير الرحلَ لولا نُسوعهُ
إذاwhen ثفنتshe quickened إِلىin response to القطيعthe whip المُقرَّنdoubled or plaited
إذا ثفنت إِلى القطيع المُقرَّن
She nearly sent the saddle flying, but for its girths,
She nearly flies the saddle were it not for its strap
when she quickened in response to the doubled whip.
When she gallops to the yoked herd
كأنas though قُتوديmy saddle-frames حينwhen لانتshe eased وراجعتand resumed
كأن قُتودي حين لانت وراجعت
طريقةa manner of مرفوعhigh-stepping gait منof السيرtravel لينsupple
طريقة مرفوع من السير لين
As though my saddle-frames, when she eased and resumed
As if my she-camels when they yielded and returned
a smooth, high-stepping manner of travel,
On the path carried by the gentle gait
علىon وَحدٍa solitary beast طاوٍhollow-bellied أقرّتchilled فؤادهhis heart
على وَحدٍ طاوٍ أقرّت فؤاده
كلابُthe hounds of ذريحDhurayh أوor كلابُthe hounds of ابنson of مِيزنMizan
كلابُ ذريح أو كلابُ ابن مِيزن
were on a lone, hollow-bellied beast, its heart chilled
In desolation which saddened his heart
by the hounds of Dhurayh or the hounds of Ibn Mizan.
Like the dogs of Dharih or the dogs of Ibn Mizin
وكأنand as though مُهريmy colt ظلَّremained ثمthere مخيلاًswaggering
وكأن مُهري ظلَّ ثم مخيلاً
يكسوcovers الأسِنّةَthe spearheads مغزةَunclear; possibly red ochre اللّجانunclear; possibly the bridles
يكسو الأسِنّةَ مغزةَ اللّجان
And as though my colt remained there, swaggering,
And as if my stallion remained imagining
covering the spearheads with [the final phrase's meaning unclear].
Covering the vanguards with the brain of courage
Sol 6.1