ياO عَجَباًwonder لِلدَهرِat Time شَتّىvarious طَرائِقُهits ways
يا عَجَباً لِلدَهرِ شَتّى طَرائِقُه
وَلِلمَرءِand at man يَبلوهُHe tries him بِماwith whatever شاءَwills خالِقُهhis Creator
وَلِلمَرءِ يَبلوهُ بِما شاءَ خالِقُه
Oh, how strange is Time, so various its ways!
And man, whom his Creator tries however He wills!
وَلِلخُلدِand at immortality يُرجىhoped for وَالمَنِيَّةِwhile death دونَهُstands before it
وَلِلخُلدِ يُرجى وَالمَنِيَّةِ دونَهُ
وَلِلأَمَلِand at hope المَبسوطِoutstretched وَالمَوتُwhile death سابِقُهoutstrips it
وَلِلأَمَلِ المَبسوطِ وَالمَوتُ سابِقُه
And immortality, hoped for while death stands before it!
And far-reaching hope, which death outruns!
جَعَلنَthey placed أَريكاًArik بِاليَمينِon the right وَرَملَهُand its sands
جَعَلنَ أَريكاً بِاليَمينِ وَرَملَهُ
وَزالَand receded لُغاطٌLughat بِالشِمالِon the left وَحالِقُهand its lofty peak
وَزالَ لُغاطٌ بِالشِمالِ وَحالِقُه
They left Arik and its sands upon their right,
while Lughat and its lofty peak receded on their left.
وَصَبَّحنَand they reached at dawn بِالصَقرَينِat al-Saqrayn صَوبَthe rain of غَمامَةٍa cloud
وَصَبَّحنَ بِالصَقرَينِ صَوبَ غَمامَةٍ
تَضَمَّنَهاcontained it لَحياthe two jaws of غَديرٍa pool وَخانِقُهand its narrow throat
تَضَمَّنَها لَحيا غَديرٍ وَخانِقُه
At al-Saqrayn they reached at dawn a cloud's rainwater,
held within a pool's two jaws and its narrow throat.
وَأَمسَتand they spent evening بِأَطرافِon the outskirts of الجَمادِal-Jamad كَأَنَّهاas though they
وَأَمسَت بِأَطرافِ الجَمادِ كَأَنَّها
عَصائِبُbands of جُندٍan army رائِحٍmarching at evening وَخَرانِقُهand its young ones
عَصائِبُ جُندٍ رائِحٍ وَخَرانِقُه
At evening, on al-Jamad's outskirts, they seemed
bands of an evening-marching army, with its young ones.
وَصَبَّحنَand they reached at dawn مِنof سَمنانَSamnan عَيناًa spring رَوِيَّةًplentiful in water
وَصَبَّحنَ مِن سَمنانَ عَيناً رَوِيَّةً
وَهُنَّand they إِذاwhenever صادَفنَthey encounter شُرباًa watering صَوادِقُهdrink it thoroughly
وَهُنَّ إِذا صادَفنَ شُرباً صَوادِقُه
At dawn they reached a plentiful spring of Samnan;
whenever they find a watering place, they drink it thoroughly.
وَأَسحَمَand a pitch-black cloud حَنّانٍrumbling مِنَamong المُزنِrainclouds ساقَهُdrove it
وَأَسحَمَ حَنّانٍ مِنَ المُزنِ ساقَهُ
طُروقاًby night إِلىtoward جَنبَيthe two sides of زُبالَةَZubalah سائِقُهits driver
طُروقاً إِلى جَنبَي زُبالَةَ سائِقُه
And many a black, rumbling raincloud was driven
by its driver at night toward either side of Zubalah.
فَلَمّاthen when عَلاswept over ذاتَDhat التَنانيرِal-Tananir صَوبُهُits downpour
فَلَمّا عَلا ذاتَ التَنانيرِ صَوبُهُ
تَكَشَّفَit parted عَنrevealing بَرقٍlightning قَليلٍfew صَواعِقُهits thunderbolts
تَكَشَّفَ عَن بَرقٍ قَليلٍ صَواعِقُه
When its downpour swept over Dhat al-Tananir,
it parted, revealing lightning whose thunderbolts were few.
كَفانيdid for me عِرِفّانُIriffan الكَرىthe sleeping وَكَفَيتُهُand I did for him
كَفاني عِرِفّانُ الكَرى وَكَفَيتُهُ
كُلوءَthe watching of النُجومِthe stars وَالنُعاسِwhile drowsiness مُعانِقُهembraced him
كُلوءَ النُجومِ وَالنُعاسِ مُعانِقُه
Iriffan did the sleeping for me, and I did for him
the watching of the stars, while drowsiness embraced him.
فَباتَand all night يُريهِit showed him عِرسَهُhis wife وَبَناتِهِand his daughters
فَباتَ يُريهِ عِرسَهُ وَبَناتِهِ
وَبِتُّand I spent the night أُريهِshowing him النَجمُthe star أَينَwhere مَخافِقُهits setting-places
وَبِتُّ أُريهِ النَجمُ أَينَ مَخافِقُه
All night it showed him his wife and daughters,
while I spent the night showing him where the star sinks.
وَسِربالِand many a tunic of كَتّانٍlinen لَبِستُI wore جَديدَهُits newness
وَسِربالِ كَتّانٍ لَبِستُ جَديدَهُ
عَلىupon الرَحلِthe saddle حَتّىuntil أَسلَمَتهُabandoned it بَنائِقُهits gussets
عَلى الرَحلِ حَتّى أَسلَمَتهُ بَنائِقُه
And many a linen tunic I put on new
upon the saddle, until its gussets gave way.
وَلِذٍّand sweet slumber كَطَعمِlike the taste of الصَرخَدِيِّSarkhadi wine طَرَحتُهُI cast it aside
وَلِذٍّ كَطَعمِ الصَرخَدِيِّ طَرَحتُهُ
عَشِيَّةَon the evening of خِمسِthe fifth-day watering of القَومِthe people وَالعَينُwhile the eye عاشِقُهlonged for it
عَشِيَّةَ خِمسِ القَومِ وَالعَينُ عاشِقُه
And sweet slumber, like the taste of Sarkhadi wine, I forsook
on the eve of the people's fifth-day watering, though my eye longed for it.
وَعَيَّرَنيand he taunted me for الإِبلَthe camels الحَلالَlawfully owned وَلَمand not يَكُنwas
وَعَيَّرَني الإِبلَ الحَلالَ وَلَم يَكُن
لِيَجعَلَهاto give them لِاِبنِto the son of الخَبيثَةِthe vile woman خالِقُهhis Creator
لِيَجعَلَها لِاِبنِ الخَبيثَةِ خالِقُه
He taunted me for my lawful camels; but never would
his Creator give them to that vile woman's son.
وَلَكِنَّماbut only أَجدىprovided وَأَمتَعَand granted enjoyment جَدُّهُhis luck
وَلَكِنَّما أَجدى وَأَمتَعَ جَدُّهُ
بِفِرقٍwith a small flock يُخَشّيهِfrightens it بِهَجهَجَwith 'Hajhaj!' ناعِقُهits shepherd
بِفِرقٍ يُخَشّيهِ بِهَجهَجَ ناعِقُه
His luck had merely provided him, and let him enjoy
a little flock, frightened by its shepherd's cries of 'Hajhaj!'
وَقالَand said الَّذيthe one who يَرجوhopes for العُلالَةَa last draught وَرِّعواhold them back
وَقالَ الَّذي يَرجو العُلالَةَ وَرِّعوا
عَنِfrom الماءِthe water لاlest يَطرَقit be fouled وَهُنَّwhile they طَوارِقُهare fouling it
عَنِ الماءِ لا يَطرَق وَهُنَّ طَوارِقُه
The man hoping for a last draught said, 'Keep them
from the water, lest it be fouled!' Yet they were fouling it.
فَماso not زِلنَdid they cease حَتّىuntil عادَit became طَرقاًfouled water وَشِبنَهُand they mixed it
فَما زِلنَ حَتّى عادَ طَرقاً وَشِبنَهُ
بِأَصفَرَwith yellow urine تَذريهِscatter it سِجالاًin bucketfuls أَيانِقُهhis she-camels
بِأَصفَرَ تَذريهِ سِجالاً أَيانِقُه
They did not stop until it became filthy, and they mixed it
with yellow urine his she-camels scattered in bucketfuls.
خَريعٌtender pasture مَتىwhen يَمشيwill walk الخَبيثُthe vile man بِأَرضِهِupon its ground
خَريعٌ مَتى يَمشي الخَبيثُ بِأَرضِهِ
فَإِنَّfor indeed الحَلالَthe lawful herd لاno مَحالَةَdoubt ذائِقُهwill taste it
فَإِنَّ الحَلالَ لا مَحالَةَ ذائِقُه
Tender pasture—when will the wretch ever walk its ground?
For the lawful herd will surely taste it.
تَناوَلَit reached عِرقَthe outlying vein of الغَيثِthe rain إِذwhen لاnot يَنالُهُreaches it
تَناوَلَ عِرقَ الغَيثِ إِذ لا يَنالُهُ
حِمارُan ass اِبنُson of جَزءٍJuz' عاصِمٌAsim وَأَفارِقُهand his little flocks
حِمارُ اِبنُ جَزءٍ عاصِمٌ وَأَفارِقُه
It reached the rain's outlying vein, beyond the reach
of that ass, Asim ibn Juz', and his little flocks.
إِذاwhen هَبَطَتthey descended بَطنَthe valley-bed of اللَكيكِal-Lakik تَجاوَبَتthey answered one another
إِذا هَبَطَت بَطنَ اللَكيكِ تَجاوَبَت
بِهِin it وَاِطَّباهاand enticed them رَوضُهُits meadow وَأَبارِقُهand its rocky knolls
بِهِ وَاِطَّباها رَوضُهُ وَأَبارِقُه
When they descended into al-Lakik's valley-bed, they called to one another
there, enticed by its meadow and its rocky knolls.
فَأَمسَتso they spent evening بِواديin the valley of الرَقمَتَينِal-Raqmatayn وَأَصبَحَتand greeted morning
فَأَمسَت بِوادي الرَقمَتَينِ وَأَصبَحَت
بِجَوِّin the hollow of رِئالٍRi'al حَيثُwhere بَيَّنَgrew clear فالِقُهits breaking dawn
بِجَوِّ رِئالٍ حَيثُ بَيَّنَ فالِقُه
They spent the evening in the valley of al-Raqmatayn, and greeted morning
in the hollow of Ri'al, where the breaking dawn shone clear.
فَأَصبَحنَso by morning they قَدalready خَلَّفنَhad left behind أَودَAwd وَأَصبَحَتand morning found
فَأَصبَحنَ قَد خَلَّفنَ أَودَ وَأَصبَحَت
فِراخُthe chicks of الكَثيبِthe dune ضُلَّعاًlimping وَخَرانِقُهand its young hares
فِراخُ الكَثيبِ ضُلَّعاً وَخَرانِقُه
By morning they had left Awd behind, and morning found
the dune's chicks and its young hares limping.
فَلَمّاthen when هَبَطنَthey descended المِشفَرَal-Mishfar العَودَthe old عَرَّسَتthey halted at night
فَلَمّا هَبَطنَ المِشفَرَ العَودَ عَرَّسَت
بِحَيثُwhere اِلتَقَتmet أَجزاعُهُits valley bends وَمَشارِقُهand its east-facing slopes
بِحَيثُ اِلتَقَت أَجزاعُهُ وَمَشارِقُه
When they descended old al-Mishfar, they halted for the night
where its valley bends and east-facing slopes met.
وَصَبَّحنَand they arrived at dawn لِلعَذراءِat al-'Adhra وَالشَمسُwhile the sun حَيَّةٌwas bright
وَصَبَّحنَ لِلعَذراءِ وَالشَمسُ حَيَّةٌ
وَلِيَّrain following rain حَديثِrecent in العَهدِoccurrence جَمٍّabundant مَرافِقُهits benefits
وَلِيَّ حَديثِ العَهدِ جَمٍّ مَرافِقُه
At al-'Adhra they arrived in the morning, the sun still bright,
at water from a recent follow-up rain, rich in its benefits.
يُهيبُurges onward بِأُخراهاtheir rearmost بُرَيمَةُBuraymah بَعدَماafter
يُهيبُ بِأُخراها بُرَيمَةُ بَعدَما
بَداappeared رَملُthe sands of جَلّالٍJallal لَهاto them وَعَواتِقُهand its lofty ridges
بَدا رَملُ جَلّالٍ لَها وَعَواتِقُه
Buraymah urged on their rearmost, after
Jallal's sands and lofty ridges had appeared to them.
فَغادَرنَso they left behind مَركُوّاًa prepared trough أَكَسَّlow-rimmed عَشِيَّةٍone evening
فَغادَرنَ مَركُوّاً أَكَسَّ عَشِيَّةٍ
لَدىbeside نَزَحٍa drawn-down well رَيّانَbrimful بادٍexposed خَلائِقُهits stones
لَدى نَزَحٍ رَيّانَ بادٍ خَلائِقُه
That evening they left behind a low-rimmed watering trough,
beside a drawn-down well, brimful, its stones exposed.
تُعَيِّرُنيyou taunt me for صُهباًtawny camels كَأَنَّas though رُؤوسَهاtheir heads
تُعَيِّرُني صُهباً كَأَنَّ رُؤوسَها
ذُرىthe summits of الأُكمِthe knolls فيهاin them غَضُّfresh نَيٍّfat وَعاتِقُهand its old
ذُرى الأُكمِ فيها غَضُّ نَيٍّ وَعاتِقُه
You taunt me for tawny camels, their heads like
hilltops; they carry both fresh fat and old.
لَهاthey have فَأرَةٌa scent ذَفراءُpungent كُلَّevery عَشِيَّةٍevening
لَها فَأرَةٌ ذَفراءُ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ
كَماas when فَتَقَmingled الكافورَcamphor بِالمِسكِwith musk فاتِقُهits blender
كَما فَتَقَ الكافورَ بِالمِسكِ فاتِقُه
Every evening they give off a pungent fragrance,
as a blender mingles camphor with musk.
وَكانَand there was لَهاfor them فيin أَوَّلِthe beginning of الدَهرِtime فارِسٌa horseman
وَكانَ لَها في أَوَّلِ الدَهرِ فارِسٌ
إِذاwhen ماever رَأىhe saw قَيدَthe fetter of المِئينَhundreds يُعانِقُهhe embraced it
إِذا ما رَأى قَيدَ المِئينَ يُعانِقُه
In former days they had a horseman
who embraced the fetter of hundreds whenever he saw it.
أَجَدَّتthey made fresh مَراغاًa rolling-ground كَالمُلاءِlike spread cloth وَأَرزَمَتand they lowed
أَجَدَّت مَراغاً كَالمُلاءِ وَأَرزَمَت
بِنَجدَيon the two heights of ثُقَيبٍThuqayb حَيثُwhere لاحَتappeared طَرائِقُهits paths
بِنَجدَي ثُقَيبٍ حَيثُ لاحَت طَرائِقُه
They made a fresh rolling-ground like spread cloth, and lowed
on Thuqayb's two heights, where its paths appeared.
فَماand not نَهِلَتdid they take their first drink حَتّىuntil أَجاءَتthey forced جِمامَهُits pooled waters
فَما نَهِلَت حَتّى أَجاءَت جِمامَهُ
إِلىdown to خَرِبٍa hollow لاقىstruck الخَسيفَةَdeep water خارِقُهits borer
إِلى خَرِبٍ لاقى الخَسيفَةَ خارِقُه
They had scarcely drunk before they forced its pooled waters
down to a hollow whose borer had struck deep water.
وَأَزهَرَand a fair-skinned man سَخّىmade willing نَفسَهُhis soul عَنto relinquish تِلادِهِhis ancestral wealth
وَأَزهَرَ سَخّى نَفسَهُ عَن تِلادِهِ
حَناياhoops of حَديدٍiron مُقفِلٍlocked وَسَوارِقُهand its keys
حَنايا حَديدٍ مُقفِلٍ وَسَوارِقُه
And many a fair-skinned man was made to relinquish his ancestral wealth
by hoops of locked iron and their keys.
فَإِنso if يودِperishes رِبعِيُّthe early bloom of الشَبابِyouth فَقَدthen indeed once أُرىI was seen
فَإِن يودِ رِبعِيُّ الشَبابِ فَقَد أُرى
بِبُطنانِهِin its inner valleys قُدّامَahead of سِربٍa troop أَوانِقُهits lovely ones
بِبُطنانِهِ قُدّامَ سِربٍ أَوانِقُه
If youth's early bloom should perish, I was once seen
deep in its valleys, ahead of a troop of lovely women.
Sol 6.1