ضَعيفُweak العَصاthe staff باديshowing العُروقِthe veins تَرىyou see لَهُfor him
ضَعيفُ العَصا بادي العُروقِ تَرى لَهُ
عَلَيهاupon them إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أَجدَبَsuffered drought الناسُthe people إِصبَعاa finger's mark
عَلَيها إِذا ما أَجدَبَ الناسُ إِصبَعا
Gentle with his staff, his veins showing, you see that he has
The frail, vein-riddled staff you see -
a finger's mark upon them when drought strikes the people.
When people are destitute, it's a finger for them.
حِذاa skilled driver of إِبِلٍcamels إِنif تَتبَعِthey follow الريحَthe wind مَرَّةًonce
حِذا إِبِلٍ إِن تَتبَعِ الريحَ مَرَّةً
يَدَعهاhe leaves them وَيُخفِand lowers الصَوتَthe voice حَتّىuntil تَرَيَّعاthey return
يَدَعها وَيُخفِ الصَوتَ حَتّى تَرَيَّعا
A skilled driver of camels: if once they follow the wind,
A herd of camels - if the wind blows once,
he leaves them be and hushes his voice until they return.
It leaves them and softens its voice until calmed.
لَهاfor them أَمرُهاtheir own way حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle تَبَوَّأَتthey settled
لَها أَمرُها حَتّى إِذا ما تَبَوَّأَت
بِأَخفافِهاwith their padded feet مَأوىًa resting place تَبَوَّأَhe settled مَضجَعاa place to lie down
بِأَخفافِها مَأوىً تَبَوَّأَ مَضجَعا
They have their own way until, when they settle
It has its own way until, when it takes up
with their padded feet in a resting place, he settles down to sleep.
Residence with its soft feet, it beds down.
إِذاwhen أَخلَفَتthey missed صَوبَthe downpour of الرَبيعِspring وَصىgrew thickly لَهاfor them
إِذا أَخلَفَت صَوبَ الرَبيعِ وَصى لَها
عَرادٌarad, a desert shrub وَحاذٌand hadh, a desert shrub أَلبَساthe two clothed كُلَّevery أَجرَعاsandy rise
عَرادٌ وَحاذٌ أَلبَسا كُلَّ أَجرَعا
When they miss the spring downpour, there grows thick for them
When it leaves toward the hills in the spring - instructed for it
arad and hadh, clothing every sandy rise,
Are guides and tenders who clothe each pregnant one.
وَغَملىand matted old growth of نَصِيٍّnasi grass بِالمِتانِon the hard uplands كَأَنَّهاas though they were
وَغَملى نَصِيٍّ بِالمِتانِ كَأَنَّها
ثَعالِبُfoxes مَوتىdead جِلدُهاtheir skin قَدalready تَزَلَّعاsplit apart
ثَعالِبُ مَوتى جِلدُها قَد تَزَلَّعا
and matted old nasi grass on the hard uplands, like
And a smooth-necked she-camel whose sides
dead foxes whose skins have split apart.
Are calloused as if she were a dead hyena stripped of its hide.
بَنيsons of وابِشِيٍّWabishi قَدindeed هَوَيناwe have loved جِوارَكُمliving beside you
بَني وابِشِيٍّ قَد هَوَينا جِوارَكُم
وَماand not جَمَعَتناbrought us together نِيَّةٌa purpose قَبلَهاbefore it مَعاtogether
وَما جَمَعَتنا نِيَّةٌ قَبلَها مَعا
Sons of Wabishi, we have loved living beside you,
O Banu Wabish and allies - we've pitched by you
though no common purpose had previously brought us together.
With no prior intent uniting us.
خَليطَينِtwo mingled groups مِنfrom شَعبَينِtwo tribes شَتّىseparate تَجاوَراbecame neighbors
خَليطَينِ مِن شَعبَينِ شَتّى تَجاوَرا
قَديماًlong ago وَكاناand they both were بِالتَفَرُّقِin separation أَمتَعاbetter off
قَديماً وَكانا بِالتَفَرُّقِ أَمتَعا
Two mingled groups from two distinct tribes, who became neighbors
Two intermixed tribes who neighbored
long ago, though they were better off apart.
Each other long ago, and were more harmonious when separated.
أَرىI see أَهلَthe people of لَيلىLayla لاnot يُباليcares أَميرُهُمtheir chief
أَرى أَهلَ لَيلى لا يُبالي أَميرُهُم
عَلىdespite حالَةِthe condition of المَحزونِthe grieving man أَنthat يَتَصَدَّعاhe should depart
عَلى حالَةِ المَحزونِ أَن يَتَصَدَّعا
I see Layla's people: their chief does not care,
I see the people of Layla - their emir doesn't care
despite the grieving man's plight, whether he departs.
About the state of the grieving one, though he shatters.
أَقولُI say وَقَدand already زالَdeparted الحُمولُthe laden camels صَبابَةًout of yearning
أَقولُ وَقَد زالَ الحُمولُ صَبابَةً
وَشَوقاًand longing وَلَمand did not أَطمَعI hope بِذَلِكَfrom that مَطمَعاany hope
وَشَوقاً وَلَم أَطمَع بِذَلِكَ مَطمَعا
I speak, as the laden camels depart, out of yearning
I say - and the camels are gone, yearned for
and longing, though I hoped for nothing from it:
And longed for - and I didn't hope for that at all.
فَلَوso, if only أَنَّthat حَقُّwhat is due اليَومَtoday مِنكُمfrom you إِقامَةٌa stay
فَلَو أَنَّ حَقُّ اليَومَ مِنكُم إِقامَةٌ
وَإِنand even if كانَwas سَرحٌa grazing herd قَدalready مَضىwent away فَتَسَرَّعاand hastened
وَإِن كانَ سَرحٌ قَد مَضى فَتَسَرَّعا
if only what you owed today were a stay,
So if today's right from you were a stay
even though a grazing herd had gone ahead in haste.
And a departure has passed, then hurry!
فَأَبصَرتُهُمso I watched them حَتّىuntil تَوارَتdisappeared حُمولُهُمtheir laden camels
فَأَبصَرتُهُم حَتّى تَوارَت حُمولُهُم
بِأَنقاءِamong the sand dunes of يَحمومٍYahmum وَوَرَكنَand left behind them أَضرُعاAdruʿ
بِأَنقاءِ يَحمومٍ وَوَرَكنَ أَضرُعا
So I watched them until their laden camels disappeared
I watched them until their camels disappeared
among Yahmum's sand dunes, leaving Adruʿ behind.
Among Anqa's sands, and the pregnant one kneeled down.
يَحُثُّurges on بِهِنَّthem onward الحادِيانِthe two camel-drivers كَأَنَّماas though
يَحُثُّ بِهِنَّ الحادِيانِ كَأَنَّما
يَحُثّانِthe two urge on جَبّاراًa towering palm بِعَينَينِat ʿAynayn مُكرَعاrooted in water
يَحُثّانِ جَبّاراً بِعَينَينِ مُكرَعا
The two camel-drivers urge them onward, as though
He drives them with the two guides as though
urging a towering palm, rooted in water at ʿAynayn.
They were driving an obstinate tyrant with bleary eyes.
فَلَمّاso when صَراهُنَّhid them التُرابُthe dust لَقيتُهُI met him
فَلَمّا صَراهُنَّ التُرابُ لَقيتُهُ
عَلىon البيدِthe desert wastes أَذرىhe shed عَبرَةًa tear وَتَقَنَّعاand covered his face
عَلى البيدِ أَذرى عَبرَةً وَتَقَنَّعا
When the dust hid them, I met him
When the dust covered them, I met it
in the wastes; he shed a tear and covered his face.
On the wilderness - streaming copiously with tears and muffled.
فَدَعso leave عَنكَaway from you هِنداًHind وَالمِنىand wishes إِنَّماonly المُنىwishes
فَدَع عَنكَ هِنداً وَالمِنى إِنَّما المُنى
وَلوعٌinfatuation وَهَلand can يَنهىrestrain لَكَfor you الزَجرُrebuke مولَعاone infatuated
وَلوعٌ وَهَل يَنهى لَكَ الزَجرُ مولَعا
So leave Hind and wishes alone: wishes are only
Leave Hind and Minna alone! Minna is but
infatuation—can your rebukes restrain an infatuated man?
Heartache, does rebuke curb your infatuation at all?
رَأىhe saw ماwhat أَرَتهُshe showed him يَومَthe day of دارَةِDarat رَفرَفٍRafraf
رَأى ما أَرَتهُ يَومَ دارَةِ رَفرَفٍ
لِتَصرَعَهُso as to fell him يَوماًone day هُنَيدَةُHunayda مَصرَعاa downfall
لِتَصرَعَهُ يَوماً هُنَيدَةُ مَصرَعا
He saw what she showed him on the day at Darat Rafraf,
It saw what it showed it the day of Darat Rafarif
for Hunayda to lay him utterly low one day.
To fell it one day - Hunayda mortally.
مَتىwhenever نَفتَرِشwe lay low يَوماًone day عُلَيماًʿUlaym بِغارَةٍin a raid
مَتى نَفتَرِش يَوماً عُلَيماً بِغارَةٍ
يَكونواthey become كَعَوصٍlike ʿAws أَوor أَذَلَّmore abased وَأَضرَعاand more submissive
يَكونوا كَعَوصٍ أَو أَذَلَّ وَأَضرَعا
Whenever we lay ʿUlaym low one day in a raid,
When will we one day spread out felicitously with a raid
they become like ʿAws, or more abased and submissive.
In which they are like lame sheep, even weaker and more submissive?
وَحَيَّand the clan of الجُلاحِal-Julah قَدalready تَرَكناwe left بِدارِهِمin their home
وَحَيَّ الجُلاحِ قَد تَرَكنا بِدارِهِم
سَواعِدَforearms مُلقاةًcast down وَهاماًand heads مُصَرَّعاfelled
سَواعِدَ مُلقاةً وَهاماً مُصَرَّعا
And the clan of al-Julah—we left in their home
By the clan of Julah we left in their abodes
forearms cast down and heads struck low.
Severed arms and heads strewn about.
وَنَحنُand we جَدَعناcut off أَنفَthe nose of كَلبٍKalb وَلَمand did not نَدَعleave
وَنَحنُ جَدَعنا أَنفَ كَلبٍ وَلَم نَدَع
لِبَهراءَfor Bahra فيin ذِكرٍtalk مِنَamong الناسِthe people مَسمَعاanything to be heard
لِبَهراءَ في ذِكرٍ مِنَ الناسِ مَسمَعا
We lopped off Kalb's nose, and left
And wedocked the nose of every dog yet left
Bahra no name to be heard in people's talk.
No mention of Bahra among the people!
قَتَلناwe killed لَوَif اِنَّthat القَتلَkilling يَشفيheals صُدورَناour breasts
قَتَلنا لَوَ اِنَّ القَتلَ يَشفي صُدورَنا
بِتَدمُرَat Tadmur أَلفاًa thousand مِنof قُضاعَةَQudaʿa فَأَفرَعاand more
بِتَدمُرَ أَلفاً مِن قُضاعَةَ فَأَفرَعا
We killed—if killing could soothe our breasts—
We would kill - if killing could quell our hearts -
at Tadmur a thousand of Qudaʿa, and more.
A thousand of Quda'a, and more.
فَلاso do not تَصرِميsever حَبلَthe bond of الدُهَيمِal-Duhaym جَريرَةًan offense
فَلا تَصرِمي حَبلَ الدُهَيمِ جَريرَةً
بِتَركِby leaving مَواليهاher kinsmen الأَدانينَthe closest ضُيَّعاneglected
بِتَركِ مَواليها الأَدانينَ ضُيَّعا
So do not sever al-Duhaym's bond over the offense
So do not sever the bond of the well-rope, Jarira,
of leaving her closest kinsmen neglected.
By neglecting its bucket-pulling riffraff.
يُسَوِّقُهاhe drives them تَرعِيَّةٌan inept herdsman ذوpossessing عَباءَةٍa coarse cloak
يُسَوِّقُها تَرعِيَّةٌ ذو عَباءَةٍ
بِماthrough what lies بَينَbetween نَقبٍNaqb فَالحَبيسِthen al-Habis فَأَقرَعاthen Aqraʿ
بِما بَينَ نَقبٍ فَالحَبيسِ فَأَقرَعا
An inept herdsman in a coarse cloak drives them
A shield-bearing lord drives it to pasture
between Naqb, al-Habis, and Aqraʿ.
Between valleys and lowlands, so it browses.
هِدانٌa dullard أَخوbrother to وَطبٍa milk-skin وَصاحِبُand companion to عُلبَةٍa milking bowl
هِدانٌ أَخو وَطبٍ وَصاحِبُ عُلبَةٍ
يَرىhe considers المَجدَglory أَنto يَلقىfind خَلاءًsolitude وَأَمرُعاand rich pasture
يَرى المَجدَ أَن يَلقى خَلاءً وَأَمرُعا
A dullard, brother to a milk-skin and companion to a milking bowl,
Judges, brothers of Wathib and Sa'ib's companion
he thinks glory is to find solitude and rich pasture.
See glory in meeting a wasteland where it browses.
تَرىyou see وَجهَهُhis face قَدalready شابَturned gray فيin غَيرِother than لِحيَةٍa beard
تَرى وَجهَهُ قَد شابَ في غَيرِ لِحيَةٍ
وَذاand having لُبَدٍmatted locks تَحتَbeneath العِصابَةِthe headband أَنزَعاbald at the temples
وَذا لُبَدٍ تَحتَ العِصابَةِ أَنزَعا
You see his face gone gray, though not in his beard,
You see his face grayed without a beard
and matted locks beneath his headband, his temples bare.
Yet still plump beneath his turban, curled up.
تَرىyou see كَعبَهُhis ankle قَدalready كانَwas كَعبَينِtwo ankles مَرَّةًonce
تَرى كَعبَهُ قَد كانَ كَعبَينِ مَرَّةً
وَتَحسَبُهُand you think he قَدhas عاشَlived حَولاًa year مُكَنَّعاcrippled
وَتَحسَبُهُ قَد عاشَ حَولاً مُكَنَّعا
You see his ankle, which once was two ankles,
You see his heel was once two heels
and think he has spent a year crippled.
And think he's lived concealed for years.
إِذاwhen سَرَحَتthey went to graze مِنfrom مَنزِلٍa camp نامَhe slept خَلفَهاbehind them
إِذا سَرَحَت مِن مَنزِلٍ نامَ خَلفَها
بِمَيثاءَon soft ground مِبطانُa glutton at الضُحىmidmorning غَيرَnot أَروَعاalert
بِمَيثاءَ مِبطانُ الضُحى غَيرَ أَروَعا
When the herd goes out from a camp, he sleeps behind it
When it sets out from an abode, those who sleep behind it
on soft ground—a midmorning glutton, anything but alert.
Are the dawn's tents - and none handsomer.
وَإِنand if بَرَكَتknelt مِنهاamong them عَجاساءُheavy-built جِلَّةٌan old she-camel
وَإِن بَرَكَت مِنها عَجاساءُ جِلَّةٌ
بِمَحنِيَةٍin a valley bend أَشلىhe called العِفاسَal-ʿIfas وَبَروَعاand Baruʿ
بِمَحنِيَةٍ أَشلى العِفاسَ وَبَروَعا
And if an old, heavy-built she-camel among them kneels
And if recalcitrant camels stir from it
in a valley bend, he calls al-ʿIfas and Baruʿ.
With contemptuous swinging in their gait and contempt.
إِذاwhen بِتُّمُyou spend the night بَينَbetween الأُدَيّاتِal-Udayyat لَيلَةًone night
إِذا بِتُّمُ بَينَ الأُدَيّاتِ لَيلَةً
وَأَخنَستُمُand you left behind مِنof عالِجٍʿAlij كُلَّevery أَجرَعاsandy rise
وَأَخنَستُمُ مِن عالِجٍ كُلَّ أَجرَعا
When you spend a night among al-Udayyat,
When you spend the night between settlements, you whisper
and leave every sandy rise of ʿAlij behind you,
And fall silent to any healer, however clever.
عُمَيرِيَّةٌan ʿUmayri woman حَلَّتsettled بِرَملِon the sands of كُهَيلَةٍKuhayla
عُمَيرِيَّةٌ حَلَّت بِرَملِ كُهَيلَةٍ
فَبَينونَةٍand at Baynuna تَلقىyou find لَهاfor her الدَهرَalways مَربَعاa spring camp
فَبَينونَةٍ تَلقى لَها الدَهرَ مَربَعا
an ʿUmayri woman has settled on the sands of Kuhayla,
A troop that camped in Kuhaylah's sands
and at Baynuna, where you always find her spring camp.
And Baynuna that always meets fate squarely.
كَأَنّيas though I بِصَحراءِin the desert of السُبَيعَينِal-Subayʿayn لَمnot أَكُنI had been
كَأَنّي بِصَحراءِ السُبَيعَينِ لَم أَكُن
بِأَمثالِby the likes of هِندٍHind قَبلَbefore هِندٍHind مُفَجَّعاstricken with grief
بِأَمثالِ هِندٍ قَبلَ هِندٍ مُفَجَّعا
As though I, in the desert of al-Subayʿayn, had not
As if I wasn't in Sibay'an's desert before Hind
been stricken with grief for women like Hind before Hind.
Lamenting over the likes of Hind.
كَأَنَّas though عَلىupon أَعجازِهاtheir rumps كُلَّماwhenever رَأَتthey saw
كَأَنَّ عَلى أَعجازِها كُلَّما رَأَت
سَماوَتَهُits lofty outline فَيئاًa flock مِنَof الطَيرِbirds وُقَّعاperched
سَماوَتَهُ فَيئاً مِنَ الطَيرِ وُقَّعا
As though upon their rumps, whenever they saw
As if over their humps whenever the sky's
its lofty outline, sat a flock of birds.
Plumage of birds appeared, it alit.
فَقودواso lead الجِيادِthe fine steeds المُسنِفاتِpressing ahead وَأَحقِبواand strap behind the saddles
فَقودوا الجِيادِ المُسنِفاتِ وَأَحقِبوا
عَلىupon الأَرحَبِيّاتِthe Arhabi she-camels الحَديدَthe iron armor المُقَطَّعاcut into pieces
عَلى الأَرحَبِيّاتِ الحَديدَ المُقَطَّعا
So lead the steeds that press ahead, and strap on behind
So start the snorting steeds, and bring down upon
upon the Arhabi she-camels the pieces of iron armor.
The wide-eyed the fragmented iron!
إِذاif لَمnot تَرُحthey return at evening أَدّىbrought إِلَيهاto them مُعَجِّلٌa hurrying man
إِذا لَم تَرُح أَدّى إِلَيها مُعَجِّلٌ
شَعيبَa water-skin أَديمٍleather ذاwith فِراغَينِtwo mouths مُترَعاbrimful
شَعيبَ أَديمٍ ذا فِراغَينِ مُترَعا
If they do not return at evening, a hurrying man brings them
When a hasty messenger won't suffice for it,
a leather water-skin with two mouths, filled to the brim.
Send a Shu'ayb-colored leather strip slit into two.
يُطِفنَthey circle بِجَونٍaround a dark man ذيwith عَثانينَlong beard-locks لَمnot تَدَعleft
يُطِفنَ بِجَونٍ ذي عَثانينَ لَم تَدَع
أَشاقيصُarrowheads فيهِin him وَالبَدِيّانِand the two spears مَصنَعاan untouched spot
أَشاقيصُ فيهِ وَالبَدِيّانِ مَصنَعا
They circle a dark, long-bearded man; no spot was left
He'll circle around with a coat of mail whose rings
untouched by the arrowheads in him and the two spears.
Left no chinks or joints unlinked.
وَمِنand from فارِسٍa horseman لَمnot يَحرِمِdeprive السَيفَthe sword حَظَّهُits share
وَمِن فارِسٍ لَم يَحرِمِ السَيفَ حَظَّهُ
إِذاwhen رُمحُهُhis spear فيamong الدارِعينَthe armored men تَجَزَّعاsplintered
إِذا رُمحُهُ في الدارِعينَ تَجَزَّعا
And from a horseman who never denied the sword its share,
And a horseman who won't be deprived of his sword's share
when his spear splintered among the men in armor.
When his spear, thrusting, splinters in a coat of mail.
فَأَلقىso he cast down عَصاa staff of طَلحٍacacia وَنَعلاًand a sandal كَأَنَّهاas though it were
فَأَلقى عَصا طَلحٍ وَنَعلاً كَأَنَّها
جَناحُa wing of السُمانىthe quail رَأسُهُhis head قَدalready تَصَوَّعاwas disheveled
جَناحُ السُمانى رَأسُهُ قَد تَصَوَّعا
So he cast down an acacia staff and a sandal like
So he cast Talhah's staff and sandals as though
a quail's wing, his head now disheveled.
They were the head of a lark with its crest held high.
أُسِفَّwas dusted with جَسيدَthe pigment of الحاذِhadh, a desert shrub حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّماas though
أُسِفَّ جَسيدَ الحاذِ حَتّى كَأَنَّما
تَرَدّىhe wore as a mantle صَبيغاًa dyed cloth باتَspent the night فيin الوَرسِwars, a plant dye مُنقَعاsteeped[RIGHTright-alignment marker][/Pparagraph marker]
تَرَدّى صَبيغاً باتَ في الوَرسِ مُنقَعا[RIGHT][/P]
He was dusted with the pigment of hadh, until it seemed
I drove the cheek-pieced camel until it was as though
he wore a dyed mantle steeped all night in wars dye.
It had sunk into stagnant yellow water steeped in dye.
Sol 6.1