عَفَتwere effaced بَعدَناafter us أَجراعُsandy flats بِكرٍBikr فَتَولَبِand Tawlab
عَفَت بَعدَنا أَجراعُ بِكرٍ فَتَولَبِ
فَوادىand the valley of الرِداهِal-Ridah بَينَbetween مَلهىًMalha فَمَلعَبِand Mal'ab
فَوادى الرِداهِ بَينَ مَلهىً فَمَلعَبِ
After we left, the sandy flats of Bikr and Tawlab were effaced,
The bare earth was left to morning clouds after we left,
and the valley of al-Ridah, between Malha and Mal'ab.
Between a playground and a viewing place,
إِذاًthen لَمnot يَكُنbe رِسلٌmilk يَعودُreturns عَلَيهِمُto them
إِذاً لَم يَكُن رِسلٌ يَعودُ عَلَيهِمُ
مَرَيناwe milked لَهُمfor them بِالشَوحَطِwith shawhat-wood المُتَقَوِّبِstripped of bark
مَرَينا لَهُم بِالشَوحَطِ المُتَقَوِّبِ
Then, with no milk coming back to them,
As if no messengers would come back to them,
we milked for them with stripped shawhat-wood,
We passed by them on the winding road,
بِمَكنونَةٍwith stored arrows كَالبيضِlike eggs شانَmarred مُتونَهاtheir surfaces
بِمَكنونَةٍ كَالبيضِ شانَ مُتونَها
مُتونُthe surfaces of الحَصىpebbles مِنfrom among مُعلَمٍa marked arrow وَمُعَقَّبِand a sinew-wrapped arrow
مُتونُ الحَصى مِن مُعلَمٍ وَمُعَقَّبِ
with stored arrows like eggs, their surfaces scarred
With burrows like eggs, the insides of which
by the surfaces of pebbles—some marked, some sinew-bound—
Are stone burrows from a known place and stepped on,
بَقاياthe remnants of الذُرىthe humps حَتّىuntil تَعودَreturn عَلَيهِمُover them
بَقايا الذُرى حَتّى تَعودَ عَلَيهِمُ
عَزاليthe rain-spouts of سَحابٍclouds فيin اِغتِماسَةِthe sinking of كَوكَبِa star
عَزالي سَحابٍ في اِغتِماسَةِ كَوكَبِ
the remnants of humps, until over them returned
The remnants of homes until they return to them,
the spouts of clouds, at a star's sinking.
Secluded clouds during the disappearance of a planet,
إِذاif كُنتَyou were مُجتازاًpassing through تَميماًTamim لِذِمَّةٍfor protection
إِذا كُنتَ مُجتازاً تَميماً لِذِمَّةٍ
فَمَسِّكthen hold fast بِحَبلٍto a rope مِنfrom عَديِّAdi بنِson of جُندَبِJundab
فَمَسِّك بِحَبلٍ مِن عَديِّ بنِ جُندَبِ
If you pass through Tamim seeking protection,
When you pass by a guarantee for a duty,
then hold fast to a rope from Adi ibn Jundab.
Hold on to a rope from Adiyy the son of Jundab,
هُمُthey كاهِلُthe upper back of الدَهرِTime الَّذيwhich يُتَّقىone is sheltered بِهِby it
هُمُ كاهِلُ الدَهرِ الَّذي يُتَّقى بِهِ
وَمَنكِبُهُand its shoulder المَرجُوُّlooked to with hope أَكرَمُthe noblest مَنكِبِshoulder
وَمَنكِبُهُ المَرجُوُّ أَكرَمُ مَنكِبِ
They are Time's upper back, by which one is sheltered,
They are the shoulder of fate which is feared for protection
and its shoulder, looked to with hope—the noblest shoulder.
And its hoped for side is the most generous side,
إِذاwhen مَنَعواthey protect لَمnot يُرجَis hoped for شَيءٌanything وَراءَهُمbeyond them
إِذا مَنَعوا لَم يُرجَ شَيءٌ وَراءَهُم
وَإِنand even if رَكِبَتrode حَربٌwar بِهِمwith them كُلَّevery مَركَبِcourse
وَإِن رَكِبَت حَربٌ بِهِم كُلَّ مَركَبِ
When they give protection, no hope need be sought beyond them,
If they prevent, nothing comes out behind them,
even if war carries them down every road.
And if war rides, it rides all the ships with them,
وَإِنّيand indeed I لَداعيكَwill surely call you الحَلالَal-Halal وَعاصِماًand Asim
وَإِنّي لَداعيكَ الحَلالَ وَعاصِماً
أَباكَyour father وَعِندَand with اللَهِGod عِلمُknowledge of المُغَيَّبِthe hidden
أَباكَ وَعِندَ اللَهِ عِلمُ المُغَيَّبِ
I shall indeed call you al-Halal, and Asim
And I call you to the lawful and protect you,
your father; with God lies knowledge of the hidden.
And with God is the knowledge of the hidden,
أَبىdenied لِلحَلالِto al-Halal رِخوَةًweakness فيin فُؤادِهِhis heart
أَبى لِلحَلالِ رِخوَةً في فُؤادِهِ
وَأَعراقُand bloodlines of سَوءٍevil فيin رَجيعٍa worn-out man مُعَلَّبِsinew-bound
وَأَعراقُ سَوءٍ في رَجيعٍ مُعَلَّبِ
Al-Halal was thwarted by weakness in his heart,
He refused to let the lawful become soft in his heart,
and tainted blood in a worn-out, sinew-bound man.
And the veins of evil in a mended sandal,
وَأَصفَرَand a yellow shaft عَطّافٍoft-returning إِذاwhen راحَwent home at evening رَبُّهُits owner
وَأَصفَرَ عَطّافٍ إِذا راحَ رَبُّهُ
جَرىran اِبناthe two sons of عِيانٍIyan بِالشِواءِwith roast meat المُضَهَّبِlightly roasted
جَرى اِبنا عِيانٍ بِالشِواءِ المُضَهَّبِ
And a yellow, oft-returning shaft: when its owner went home,
And a yellow-bellied servant went pale when his Lord left,
the two sons of Iyan ran with lightly roasted meat.
He walked the two sons of the valley in the scorched and burnt valley,
خَروجٍever emerging مِنَfrom الغُمّىconfusion إِذاwhen كَثُرَincreased الوَغىthe clamour
خَروجٍ مِنَ الغُمّى إِذا كَثُرَ الوَغى
مُفَدّىًheld dear enough to ransom كَبَطنِlike the belly of الأَينِa snake غَيرِnot مُسَبَّبِreviled
مُفَدّىً كَبَطنِ الأَينِ غَيرِ مُسَبَّبِ
Ever emerging from confusion when the clamour swelled,
An exit from gloominess when the clamor increases,
cherished, like a snake's belly, never reviled,
Ransomed like the belly of a lamb without cause,
غَداwent forth عانِداًswerving صَعلاًsmall-headed يَنوءُheaving بِصَدرِهِwith its breast
غَدا عانِداً صَعلاً يَنوءُ بِصَدرِهِ
إِلىtoward الفَوزِvictory مِنfrom كَفِّthe palm of المُفيضِthe lot-drawer المُؤَرَّبِthe skilful
إِلى الفَوزِ مِن كَفِّ المُفيضِ المُؤَرَّبِ
it went forth, swerving, small-headed, heaving its breast
Tomorrow he comes hostile, arrogant, bending his chest
toward victory from the skilful lot-drawer's palm.
To winning from the palm of the gushing, blessed palm
حَلَفتُI swore لَهُمto them لاdo not تَحسِبونَreckon شَتيمَتيmy abuse
حَلَفتُ لَهُم لا تَحسِبونَ شَتيمَتي
بِعَينَيby the two eyes of حُبارىa bustard فيin حِبالَةِthe snare of مُعزِبِa far-ranging hunter
بِعَينَي حُبارى في حِبالَةِ مُعزِبِ
I swore to them: do not judge my abuse
I swore to them, “Do not count my insult
by the two eyes of a bustard in a far-ranging hunter's snare.
With bleary eyes in the blindness of isolation,”
رَأَتshe saw رَجُلاًa man يَسعىhastens إِلَيهاtoward her فَحَملَقَتso she stared
رَأَت رَجُلاً يَسعى إِلَيها فَحَملَقَت
إِلَيهِat him بِمَأقىwith the inner corner of عَينِهاher eye المُتَقَلِّبِshifting
إِلَيهِ بِمَأقى عَينِها المُتَقَلِّبِ
She saw a man hastening toward her, and stared
A woman saw a man striving toward her so she stared at him
at him, the inner corner of her eye shifting.
With the corner of her turning eye,
تَنوشُshe strikes out بِرِجلَيهاwith her two feet وَقَدand already بَلَّhad wetted ريشَهاher feathers
تَنوشُ بِرِجلَيها وَقَد بَلَّ ريشَها
رَشاشٌa spray كَغِسلِlike the washwater of الوَفرَةِear-length locks المُتَصَبِّبِdripping
رَشاشٌ كَغِسلِ الوَفرَةِ المُتَصَبِّبِ
She struck out with both feet, while her feathers were soaked
She flaps her legs and her feathers have been soaked
by spray like dripping washwater from ear-length locks.
By sprinkling like the washing of the dripping beard,
وَأَورَقَand a grey one مُذsince عَهدِthe time of اِبنِthe son of عَفّانَAffan حَولَهُaround it
وَأَورَقَ مُذ عَهدِ اِبنِ عَفّانَ حَولَهُ
حَواضِنُcradling hearthstones أُلّافٌfamiliar companions عَلىat غَيرِno مَشرَبِwatering place
حَواضِنُ أُلّافٌ عَلى غَيرِ مَشرَبِ
And a grey cauldron, since Ibn Affan's time; around it
And it leafed since the era of the son of Affan around him
familiar, cradling hearthstones, gathered at no watering place,
Surrounds of thousands without drinking,
وِرادُreddish-brown الأَعاليthe upper parts أَقبَلَتthey turned بِنُحورِهاwith their throats
وِرادُ الأَعالي أَقبَلَت بِنُحورِها
عَلىtoward راشِحٍa sweating one ذيpossessing شامَةٍa dark spot مُتَقَوِّبِpeeling
عَلى راشِحٍ ذي شامَةٍ مُتَقَوِّبِ
reddish-brown at their tops, turned their throats
The lofty camels came with their necks
toward a sweating, spotted vessel with peeling skin.
To one with a beauty mark wearing kohl,
كَأَنَّas though بَقاياthe traces of لَونِهِits colour فيon مُتونِهاtheir backs
كَأَنَّ بَقايا لَونِهِ في مُتونِها
بَقاياthe remnants of هَناءٍtar salve فيon قَلائِصِthe young she-camels of مُجرِبِan owner of mangy stock
بَقايا هَناءٍ في قَلائِصِ مُجرِبِ
The traces of its colour on their backs seemed
It is as if the remnants of his color in their insides
like tar left on the young she-camels of a man with mangy stock.
Are remnants of bliss in the shields of a tester,
أَلَمdid you not تَعلَميknow ياO أَلأَمَthe vilest of الناسِpeople أَنَّنيthat I
أَلَم تَعلَمي يا أَلأَمَ الناسِ أَنَّني
بِمَكَّةَin Mecca مَعروفٌwell known وَعِندَand at المُحَصَّبِal-Muhassab
بِمَكَّةَ مَعروفٌ وَعِندَ المُحَصَّبِ
Did you not know, O vilest of people, that I
“Do you not know, oh most painful of people, that I
am well known in Mecca and at al-Muhassab?
Am well-known in Mecca and with the slaughtered?”
وَكُنّاand we were كَنوكانِlike Nawkan الرِجالِmen وَعِندَناand we had
وَكُنّا كَنوكانِ الرِجالِ وَعِندَنا
حِبالٌropes مَتىwhenever تَعلَقthey catch بِنوكانَonto Nawkan تَنشَبِthey hold fast
حِبالٌ مَتى تَعلَق بِنوكانَ تَنشَبِ
And we were like Nawkan among men, and we had
And we were like the wax effigies of men, and with us
ropes that hold fast whenever they catch Nawkan.
Were ropes which if tied to an effigy become attached,
أَخوa man of دَنَسٍfilth يُعطيgives الأَعاديthe enemies بِإِستِهِwith his backside
أَخو دَنَسٍ يُعطي الأَعادي بِإِستِهِ
وَفيand among الأَقرَبينَclose kin ذوa man of كِذابٍlies وَنَيرَبِand malicious gossip
وَفي الأَقرَبينَ ذو كِذابٍ وَنَيرَبِ
A filthy fellow, who offers his backside to his foes,
A brother of impurity who gives enemies generously with his hand
and among close kin, a man of lies and malicious gossip,
Yet to relatives is of lying and betrayal,
سَريعٌquick دَريرٌunceasing فيin المِراءِdisputation كَأَنَّهُas though he were
سَريعٌ دَريرٌ في المِراءِ كَأَنَّهُ
عَمودُa pole of خِلافٍwillow فيin يَدَيthe two hands of مُتَهَيِّبِa timid man
عَمودُ خِلافٍ في يَدَي مُتَهَيِّبِ
quick and unceasing in dispute, as though he were
Quick, flowing in argument as if he is
a willow pole in the hands of a timid man.
A pillar of opposition in the hands of one who intimidates
وَبَدرِيَّةٍand a Badri woman شَمطاءَgrey-haired تَبنيpitches خِباءَهاher tent
وَبَدرِيَّةٍ شَمطاءَ تَبني خِباءَها
عَلىover بَرَمٍa miser who shuns gambling عِندَduring الشِتاءِwinter مُجَنَّبِshunned
عَلى بَرَمٍ عِندَ الشِتاءِ مُجَنَّبِ
And a grey-haired Badri woman who pitches her tent
And a freckled Badriyya who builds her tent
over a miser, shunned in winter.
On shifting sands during winter, bent.
Sol 6.1