طافَvisited الخَيالُthe phantom بِأَصحابيamong my companions وَقَدand already هَجَدواthey had fallen asleep
طافَ الخَيالُ بِأَصحابي وَقَد هَجَدوا
مِنfrom أُمِّUmm (mother of) عَلوانَAlwan لاnot نَحوٌin our direction وَلاnor صَدَدُclose at hand
مِن أُمِّ عَلوانَ لا نَحوٌ وَلا صَدَدُ
The phantom visited my companions after they had fallen asleep,
The specters circled my companions as they slept
From Umm Alwan, neither in our direction nor close at hand.
From Umm 'Alwan, no direction or wall to lean on
فَأَرَّقَتso she kept awake فِتيَةًyoung men باتواthey spent the night عَلىin عَجَلٍhaste
فَأَرَّقَت فِتيَةً باتوا عَلى عَجَلٍ
وَأَعيُناًand eyes مَسَّهاtouched them الإِدلاجُnight travel وَالسُهُدُand sleeplessness
وَأَعيُناً مَسَّها الإِدلاجُ وَالسُهُدُ
She kept awake young men who had camped in haste,
Disturbing some youths spending the night restless
And eyes worn by night travel and sleeplessness.
And eyes touched by the darkness and sleeplessness
هَلwill? تُبلِغَنِّيَcarry me عَبدَAbd (servant of) اللَهِAllah (God) دَوسَرَةًa mighty she-camel
هَل تُبلِغَنِّيَ عَبدَ اللَهِ دَوسَرَةً
وَجناءُstout-cheeked فيهاwithin her عَتيقُlong-stored النَيِّfat مُلتَبِدُdensely packed
وَجناءُ فيها عَتيقُ النَيِّ مُلتَبِدُ
Will a mighty she-camel carry me to Abd Allah,
Will you take me to Abdallah Dawasirah
Stout-cheeked, with long-stored fat packed within her,
With a flask wherein aged wine ferments
عَنسٌa sturdy she-camel مُذَكَّرَةٌmale-built قَدalready شُقَّhas broken through بازِلُهاher mature fang
عَنسٌ مُذَكَّرَةٌ قَد شُقَّ بازِلُها
لَأياًscarcely تَلاقىmeet عَلىacross حَيزومِهاher breast العُقَدُthe knots
لَأياً تَلاقى عَلى حَيزومِها العُقَدُ
A sturdy, male-built she-camel, her mature fang broken through,
A she-camel accustomed to having the nose rope knotted
The knots scarcely meeting across her breast?
Meeting over her mouthpiece the knot
كَأَنَّهاas though she were يَومَon the day of خِمسِfifth-day watering of القَومِthe company عَنfrom جُلَبٍJulab
كَأَنَّها يَومَ خِمسِ القَومِ عَن جُلَبٍ
وَنَحنُand we وَالآلُand the mirage بِالمَوماةِacross the waste نَطَّرِدُchase one another
وَنَحنُ وَالآلُ بِالمَوماةِ نَطَّرِدُ
On the company's fifth-day watering out of Julab, she seemed—
As though it were the day the tribe parted from Julab
As we and the mirage chased one another across the waste—
While we and the family in Al-Mawma'ah are expelled
قَرمٌa mighty stallion تَعاداهُassailed him عادٍan aggressor عَنover طُروقَتِهِhis mate
قَرمٌ تَعاداهُ عادٍ عَن طُروقَتِهِ
مِنَof الهِجانِthe white, purebred camels عَلىupon خُرطومِهِhis muzzle الزَبَدُfoam
مِنَ الهِجانِ عَلى خُرطومِهِ الزَبَدُ
A mighty stallion, assailed by a rival over his mate,
An old male repelled by 'Aad from his she-camels
Of the white breed, with foam upon his muzzle;
The drivel on his muzzle foams
أَوor ناشِطٌa roaming wild bull أَسفَعُdark-colored الخَدَّينِin both cheeks أَلجَأَهُdrove him to shelter
أَو ناشِطٌ أَسفَعُ الخَدَّينِ أَلجَأَهُ
نَفحُthe blast of الشَمالِthe north wind فَأَمسىso by evening دونَهُin front of him العَقَدُclustered sand-ridges
نَفحُ الشَمالِ فَأَمسى دونَهُ العَقَدُ
Or a roaming wild bull, dark-cheeked, driven to shelter
Or an active dark-cheeked one whom the north wind has forced
By the north wind's blast, with sand-ridges screening him at dusk.
To spend the night beneath it without nose rope
باتَhe spent the night إِلىbeside دِفءِthe sheltering warmth of أَرطاةٍan arta shrub أَضَرَّpressed close بِهاagainst it
باتَ إِلى دِفءِ أَرطاةٍ أَضَرَّ بِها
حُرُّthe pure sand of النَقاthe dune وَزَهاهاand raised it high مَنبِتٌa growing-place جَرَدُbare
حُرُّ النَقا وَزَهاها مَنبِتٌ جَرَدُ
He spent the night in an arta shrub's warmth, against which
He spent the night in the warmth of carriers that were harmed
Pure dune-sand pressed; bare ground raised it high.
By the heat of Al-Naqa and its growth had been stripped
باتَspent the night البُروقُlightning flashes جَنابَيهِon either side of him بِمَنزِلَةٍat a resting-place
باتَ البُروقُ جَنابَيهِ بِمَنزِلَةٍ
ضَمَّتenclosed حَشاهُhis belly وَأَعلاهُand his upper body بِهاthere صَرِدُchilled
ضَمَّت حَشاهُ وَأَعلاهُ بِها صَرِدُ
Lightning flared on either side as he lay in a shelter
He spent the night, his side next to a resting place
That enclosed his belly, though his upper body there was chilled.
That drew together its contents above and below
ماnot زالَceased يَركُبُbearing down on رَوقَيهِhis two horns وَجَبهَتَهُand his forehead
ما زالَ يَركُبُ رَوقَيهِ وَجَبهَتَهُ
حَتّىuntil اِستَباثَhe dug up سَفاةًdry loose sand دونَهاbeneath it الثَأَدُdamp earth
حَتّى اِستَباثَ سَفاةً دونَها الثَأَدُ
He kept bearing down on his two horns and his forehead,
He kept mounting his she-camel and young camel
Until he dug up dry sand, with damp earth beneath it.
Until the ground below them became drenched with blood
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen نَطَقَchirped العُصفورُthe sparrow وَاِنكَشَفَتand lifted away
حَتّى إِذا نَطَقَ العُصفورُ وَاِنكَشَفَت
عَمايَةُthe obscurity of اللَيلِthe night عَنهُfrom him وَهوَwhile he was مُعتَمِدُbraced
عَمايَةُ اللَيلِ عَنهُ وَهوَ مُعتَمِدُ
Until the sparrow chirped, and there fell away
Until when the birds chirped and the darkness of night
The night's darkness from him, as he stood braced,
Receded from him while he was supported
غَداhe set out at dawn وَمِنand from عالِجٍAlij خَدٌّa flank يُعارِضُهُran alongside him
غَدا وَمِن عالِجٍ خَدٌّ يُعارِضُهُ
عَنِon الشَمالِthe north وَعَنand on شَرقيِّهِhis eastern side كَبِدُa great central sand-mass
عَنِ الشَمالِ وَعَن شَرقيِّهِ كَبِدُ
He set out, with a flank of Alij running alongside him
He set out in the morning, and a cheek challenges him
To the north, and a great sand-mass on his eastern side.
From the north and to his east liver-colored
يَعلوhe ascends عِهاداًrain-watered tracts مِنَfrom الوَسمِيِّthe autumn rains زَيَّنَهُadorned it
يَعلو عِهاداً مِنَ الوَسمِيِّ زَيَّنَهُ
أَلوانُthe colors of ذيDhu (possessor of) صَبَحٍSabah مُكّاءُهُits lark غَرِدُsinging merrily
أَلوانُ ذي صَبَحٍ مُكّاءُهُ غَرِدُ
He climbed ground watered by autumn rain, adorned by
It ascends the cliff of Al-Wasm, adorned
The colors of Dhu Sabah, its lark singing brightly.
By the colors of beautiful morning, twittering
بِكُلِّin every مَيثاءَsoft-soiled tract مِمراحٍluxuriant بِمَنبِتِهاin its growth
بِكُلِّ مَيثاءَ مِمراحٍ بِمَنبِتِها
مِنَfrom الذِراعَينِthe Two Forearms رَجّافٌa rumbling cloud لَهُit has نَضَدُstacked layers
مِنَ الذِراعَينِ رَجّافٌ لَهُ نَضَدُ
In every soft-soiled tract, luxuriant in its growth,
At every meadow with pasture between its forearms
There was a rumbling cloud from the Two Forearms, piled in layers.
Quaking for it, a mast having crossbeams
ظَلَّتkept تُصَفِّقُهُbuffeting it ريحٌa wind تَدُرُّpours abundantly لَهاfor that wind
ظَلَّت تُصَفِّقُهُ ريحٌ تَدُرُّ لَها
ذاتُone bearing العَثانينِtrailing rain-beards لاnot راحٌwine وَلاnor بَرَدُhail
ذاتُ العَثانينِ لا راحٌ وَلا بَرَدُ
A wind kept buffeting it, drawing down abundant rain
The non-gentle, non-cool wind kept applauding it
From a cloud with trailing rain-beards—not wine, and not hail.
The two-year-old, neither docile nor cold
أَصبَحَat dawn he began يَجتابُcutting through أَعرافَthe crests of الضَبابِthe mist بِهِthere
أَصبَحَ يَجتابُ أَعرافَ الضَبابِ بِهِ
مُجتازَpassing through أَرضٍone land لِأُخرىto another فارِدٌsolitary وَحَدُalone
مُجتازَ أَرضٍ لِأُخرى فارِدٌ وَحَدُ
At dawn he cut through crests of mist there,
It began penetrating the clouds of fog thereby
Passing from one land to another, solitary and alone.
Crossing from one land to another, alone and fallen
يَهويspeeds كَضَوءِlike the glow of شِهابٍa firebrand خَبَّtrotted قابِسُهُits fire-gatherer
يَهوي كَضَوءِ شِهابٍ خَبَّ قابِسُهُ
لَيلاًat night يُبادِرُhastens for مِنهُfrom it جِذوَةًa glowing ember تَقِدُburns
لَيلاً يُبادِرُ مِنهُ جِذوَةً تَقِدُ
He sped like the glow of a firebrand, its fire-gatherer trotting
It plummets like the light of a shooting star whose fire
At night, hastening to take from it a burning ember.
Emitting sparks in the night, igniting
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen هَبَطَhe descended الوُحدانَisolated dunes وَاِنقَطَعَتand fell away
حَتّى إِذا هَبَطَ الوُحدانَ وَاِنقَطَعَت
عَنهُfrom him سَلاسِلَchains of رَملٍsand بَينَهاbetween them عُقَدُknotted dune-ridges
عَنهُ سَلاسِلَ رَملٍ بَينَها عُقَدُ
Until he descended among solitary dunes, leaving behind
Until when it descended upon Al-Wuhdan and was detached
Chains of sand, with knotted ridges between them,
From it chains of sands interlinked
صادَفَencountered أَطلَسَa ragged, dust-colored hunter مَشّاءًmuch-walking بِأَكلُبِهِwith his dogs
صادَفَ أَطلَسَ مَشّاءً بِأَكلُبِهِ
إِثرَon the track of الأَوابِدِwild beasts ماnot يَنميincreases لَهُfor him سَبَدُa tuft of hair; livestock wealth
إِثرَ الأَوابِدِ ما يَنمي لَهُ سَبَدُ
And met a ragged, dust-colored hunter, ever walking with his hounds,
It met a band of destruction with its dogs
Following wild beasts, with not a tuft's worth of wealth.
On the trail of prey, growing nothing for it to reap
أَشلىurged on سُلوقِيَّةًSaluki hounds باتَتthey spent the night وَباتَand he spent the night بِهاwith them
أَشلى سُلوقِيَّةً باتَت وَباتَ بِها
بِوَحشِamong the wild beasts of إِصمِتَIsmit فيin أَصلابِهاtheir spines أَوَدُcrookedness
بِوَحشِ إِصمِتَ في أَصلابِها أَوَدُ
He urged on Saluki hounds, which had spent the night, as he had with them,
It captured a Suluqi she-camel who had spent the night
Among the wild beasts of Ismit, their spines bowed.
In a desolate wilderness, inside it an only kid
يَدِبُّhe creeps مُستَخفِياًhiding himself يَغشىenters الضِراءُthe thickets بِهاwith them
يَدِبُّ مُستَخفِياً يَغشى الضِراءُ بِها
حَتّىuntil اِستَقامَتthey ran straight وَأَعراهاand exposed them لَهُto him الجَرَدُthe bare ground
حَتّى اِستَقامَت وَأَعراها لَهُ الجَرَدُ
He crept in hiding, entering the thickets with them,
It crept stealthily covering the ground thereby
Until they ran straight, and bare ground exposed them to him.
Until she stood up and it harnessed her
فَجالَso he wheeled إِذwhen رُعنَهُthey startled him يَنأىdrawing away بِجانِبِهِwith his flank
فَجالَ إِذ رُعنَهُ يَنأى بِجانِبِهِ
وَفيand on سَوالِفِهاtheir necks مِنfrom مِثلِهِbeasts like him قِدَدُtorn strips
وَفي سَوالِفِها مِن مِثلِهِ قِدَدُ
He wheeled when they startled him, drawing his flank away,
So it wandered when she avoided it with her side
While their necks bore torn strips from beasts like him.
While the like of it in her previous calves were many
ثُمَّthen اِرفَأَنَّhe grew steady حِفاظاًin proud defense بَعدَafter نَفرَتِهِhis fright
ثُمَّ اِرفَأَنَّ حِفاظاً بَعدَ نَفرَتِهِ
فَكَرَّthen he charged back مُستَكبِرٌproud ذوbearing حَربَةٍa spear حَرِدُenraged
فَكَرَّ مُستَكبِرٌ ذو حَربَةٍ حَرِدُ
Then, after his fright, he steadied himself in proud defense,
Then they recoiled to protect it after it startled
And charged back, proud and enraged, armed with a spear.
So a proud large-horned stallion charged
فَذادَهاso he drove them off وَهيَwhile they were مُحمَرٌّreddened نَواجِذُهاtheir back teeth
فَذادَها وَهيَ مُحمَرٌّ نَواجِذُها
كَماas يَذودُdrives off أَخوa man of العُمِّيَّةِblind partisan zeal النَجِدُthe valiant
كَما يَذودُ أَخو العُمِّيَّةِ النَجِدُ
He drove them off, their back teeth reddened,
It warded them off as it bared its teeth
As a brave man fights with blind partisan zeal.
As a brother of a blind she-camel wards off the wolf
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen عَرَّدَتfled عَنهُfrom him سَوابِقُهاtheir foremost hounds
حَتّى إِذا عَرَّدَت عَنهُ سَوابِقُها
وَعانَقَand embraced المَوتَdeath مِنهاof them سَبعَةٌseven عَدَدُin number
وَعانَقَ المَوتَ مِنها سَبعَةٌ عَدَدُ
Until their foremost hounds fled from him,
Until when its vanguards retreated from it
And seven of them—seven in number—embraced death.
And death took seven of them in number
مِنهاamong them صَريعٌone struck down وَضاغٍand one squealing فَوقَatop حَربَتِهِhis spear
مِنها صَريعٌ وَضاغٍ فَوقَ حَربَتِهِ
كَماas ضَغاsquealed تَحتَbeneath حَدِّthe edge of العامِلِthe spear's forepart الصُرَدُthe shrike
كَما ضَغا تَحتَ حَدِّ العامِلِ الصُرَدُ
One lay struck down, another squealed atop his spear,
Among them a fallen one writhing atop its weapon
As a shrike cries beneath a spearhead's edge.
As the ostrich chicks writhe beneath the threshing sledge
وَلّىhe turned away يَشُقُّcutting through جِمادَthe barren ground of الفَردِal-Fard مُطَّلِعاًemerging
وَلّى يَشُقُّ جِمادَ الفَردِ مُطَّلِعاً
بِذيat Dhu النِعاجِal-Ni'aj وَأَعلىand the tip of رَوقِهِhis horn جَسِدُstained with dried blood
بِذي النِعاجِ وَأَعلى رَوقِهِ جَسِدُ
He turned away, cutting through al-Fard's barren ground, emerging
It turned to cleave the stagnant cold with its emergence
At Dhu al-Ni'aj, his horn's tip stained with dried blood.
At Dhi Al-Niaj, and atop its mount a body
حَتّىuntil أَجَنَّconcealed سَوادُthe darkness of اللَيلِthe night نُقبَتَهُhis coat's color
حَتّى أَجَنَّ سَوادُ اللَيلِ نُقبَتَهُ
حَيثُwhere اِلتَقىmet السَهلُthe level ground مِنof فَيحانَFayhan وَالجَلَدُand the hard ground
حَيثُ اِلتَقى السَهلُ مِن فَيحانَ وَالجَلَدُ
Until the darkness of night concealed his coat,
Until the black of night donned its masks
Where Fayhan's level ground met the hard ground.
Where the plain meets Fayhaan and Al-Jalad
راحَتshe traveled at evening كَماas راحَhe traveled at evening أَوor تَغدوshe sets out at dawn كَغَدوَتِهِlike his dawn departure
راحَت كَما راحَ أَو تَغدو كَغَدوَتِهِ
عَنسٌa sturdy she-camel تَجودُruns strongly عَلَيهاupon her راكِبٌa rider أَفِدُnimble
عَنسٌ تَجودُ عَلَيها راكِبٌ أَفِدُ
She traveled at evening as he did, or at dawn as he did,
It went just as it came or goes out as his going out
A sturdy she-camel running freely, with a nimble rider upon her.
A she-camel who is generous to its rider, fulfilling
تَنتابُshe visits repeatedly آلَthe house of أَبيAbu (father of) سُفيانَSufyan واثِقَةًtrusting
تَنتابُ آلَ أَبي سُفيانَ واثِقَةً
بِفَضلِin the bounty of أَبلَجَa bright-faced man مُنجازٍone who fulfills لِماwhat يَعِدُhe promises
بِفَضلِ أَبلَجَ مُنجازٍ لِما يَعِدُ
She visits the house of Abu Sufyan, trusting
Circling the clan of Abu Sufyan confidently
In the bounty of a bright-faced man who makes good his promises.
With the merit of a shining fulfiller of what he promises
مُسَأَّلٌmuch petitioned يَبتَغيseek الأَقوامُthe peoples نائِلَهُhis gifts
مُسَأَّلٌ يَبتَغي الأَقوامُ نائِلَهُ
مِنfrom كُلِّevery قَومٍpeople قَطينٌresident followers حَولَهُaround him وُفُدُdelegations
مِن كُلِّ قَومٍ قَطينٌ حَولَهُ وُفُدُ
Much petitioned, his gifts sought by the peoples,
Asked for, the tribes seeking his attainment
With resident followers from every people and delegations around him.
The elite of each tribe around him envoys
جاءَتshe came لِعادَةِfor the customary فَضلٍbounty كانَhad عَوَّدَهاaccustomed her to it
جاءَت لِعادَةِ فَضلٍ كانَ عَوَّدَها
مَنby one who فيin يَدَيهِhis hands بِإِذنِby the permission of اللَهِGod مُنتَقَدُready coin
مَن في يَدَيهِ بِإِذنِ اللَهِ مُنتَقَدُ
She came for the customary bounty to which she had been accustomed
It came according to the habit of generosity it was accustomed to
By one with ready coin in his hands, by God's permission.
From one whose affairs are controlled by God’s permission
إِلىto اِمرِئٍa man لَمnever تَلِدbore يَوماًon any day لَهُto him شَبَهاًan equal
إِلى اِمرِئٍ لَم تَلِد يَوماً لَهُ شَبَهاً
أُنثىa woman لَهُto him كَرَماًin generosity يَوماًever وَلَنand never will تَلِدُbear one
أُنثى لَهُ كَرَماً يَوماً وَلَن تَلِدُ
To a man whose equal has never, on any day, been borne
To a man whose likeness no female ever bore for him
By any woman, in generosity—and never will be.
Praise does not reach the utmost description of praising you
لاnot يَبلُغُreaches المَدحَpraise أَقصىthe utmost وَصفِdescription of مَدحِكُمُpraise of you
لا يَبلُغُ المَدحَ أَقصى وَصفِ مَدحِكُمُ
وَلَمand never يَنَلattained مِثلَthe like of ماwhat أَدرَكتُمُyou have achieved أَحَدُanyone
وَلَم يَنَل مِثلَ ما أَدرَكتُمُ أَحَدُ
No praise can reach the fullest description of your worth,
And none attained the like of what you attained
And no one has attained the like of what you have achieved.
Goodness is not lost to people as long as you remain
لاnot يَفقِدُlack الناسُthe people خَيراًany good ماso long as بَقيتَyou remain لَناwith us
لا يَفقِدُ الناسُ خَيراً ما بَقيتَ لَنا
وَالجودُand generosity وَالعَدلُand justice مَفقودانِboth lost إِنif فَقَدواthey lose you
وَالجودُ وَالعَدلُ مَفقودانِ إِن فَقَدوا
People lack no good so long as you remain with us,
Generosity and justice are lost if they are lost
And generosity and justice are lost if they lose you.
Until it lodged before the best of creation together
حَتّىuntil أُنيخَتshe was made to kneel لَدىbeside خَيرِthe best of الأَنامِmankind مَعاًall together
حَتّى أُنيخَت لَدى خَيرِ الأَنامِ مَعاً
مِنof آلِthe house of حَربٍHarb نَماهُraised him مَنصِبٌa lineage حَتِدُfirmly rooted
مِن آلِ حَربٍ نَماهُ مَنصِبٌ حَتِدُ
Until she was made to kneel beside the best of all mankind,
Of the clan of Harb, ennobled by office
Of the house of Harb, raised by a firmly rooted lineage.
Umayyah became a protection for Islam
أَمسَتhas become أُمَيَّةُUmayya لِلإِسلامِfor Islam حائِطَةًa guardian
أَمسَت أُمَيَّةُ لِلإِسلامِ حائِطَةً
وَلِلقَبيضِand for the flock رُعاةًshepherds أَمرُهاtheir conduct الرَشَدُright guidance
وَلِلقَبيضِ رُعاةً أَمرُها الرَشَدُ
Umayya has become a guardian of Islam,
And for seizing it, leaders whose affair is integrity
And shepherds of the flock, their conduct rightly guided.
It remains protected, tending to it being blinded
يَظَلُّhe spends the day فيamong الشاءِthe sheep يَرعاهاtending them وَيَعمِتُهاand rolling their wool
يَظَلُّ في الشاءِ يَرعاها وَيَعمِتُها
وَيَكفِنُand labors الدَهرَcontinually إِلّاexcept رَيثَwhile يَهتَبِدُhe gathers colocynth seeds
وَيَكفِنُ الدَهرَ إِلّا رَيثَ يَهتَبِدُ
He spends the day among the sheep, tending them and rolling their wool,
Shrouding time except when it becomes scattered
And labors continually, save while gathering colocynth seeds.
Partial English translation: 75 of 76 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1