أَلاAh اِسلَميfare well اليَومَtoday ذاتَwearer of الطَوقِthe necklace وَالعاجِand ivory
أَلا اِسلَمي اليَومَ ذاتَ الطَوقِ وَالعاجِ
وَالدَلِّand coquetry وَالنَظَرِand the gaze المَستَأنِسِtrustful الساجيtranquil
وَالدَلِّ وَالنَظَرِ المَستَأنِسِ الساجي
Ah, fare well today, wearer of necklace and ivory,
and coquetry and a trustful, tranquil gaze,
وَالواضِحِand the shining mouth الغُرِّbrilliantly white مَصقولٍpolished عَوارِضُهُits side-teeth
وَالواضِحِ الغُرِّ مَصقولٍ عَوارِضُهُ
وَالفاحِمِand coal-black hair الرَجِلِwavy المُستَورِدِlong-flowing الداجيdark
وَالفاحِمِ الرَجِلِ المُستَورِدِ الداجي
and a bright, dazzling mouth with polished side-teeth,
and coal-black, wavy, long-flowing, dark hair,
وَحفٍthick أَثيثٍluxuriant عَلىover المَتنَينِboth sides of the back مُنسَدِلٍhanging down
وَحفٍ أَثيثٍ عَلى المَتنَينِ مُنسَدِلٍ
مُستَفرَغٍdrenched بِدِهانِwith oils of الوَردِroses مَجّاجِfreely exuding
مُستَفرَغٍ بِدِهانِ الوَردِ مَجّاجِ
thick and luxuriant, hanging down both sides of the back,
drenched in rose oil, freely exuding it.
وَمُرسَلٍand a message وَرَسولٍand a messenger غَيرِnot مُتَّهَمٍsuspected
وَمُرسَلٍ وَرَسولٍ غَيرِ مُتَّهَمٍ
وَحاجَةٍand a need غَيرِnot مُزجاةٍslighted مِنَamong الحاجِneeds
وَحاجَةٍ غَيرِ مُزجاةٍ مِنَ الحاجِ
And many a message and a messenger beyond suspicion,
and a need not slighted among needs—
طاوَعتُهُI yielded to him بَعدَafter ماthat طالَgrew long النَجِيُّthe private talk بِهِwith him
طاوَعتُهُ بَعدَ ما طالَ النَجِيُّ بِهِ
وَظَنَّand he thought أَنّيthat I عَلَيهِtoward him غَيرُnot مُنعاجِinclining
وَظَنَّ أَنّي عَلَيهِ غَيرُ مُنعاجِ
I yielded to him after long private talk with him,
when he had thought I would not incline to him.
ماnot زالَhe ceased يَفتَحُhe opens أَبواباًdoors وَيُغلِقُهاand he closes them
ما زالَ يَفتَحُ أَبواباً وَيُغلِقُها
دونيbefore me وَيَفتَحُand he opens باباًa door بَعدَafter إِرتاجِbarring
دوني وَيَفتَحُ باباً بَعدَ إِرتاجِ
He kept opening doors and closing them
before me, opening a door after it had been barred,
حَتّىuntil أَضاءَshone سِراجٌa lamp دونَهُbefore it بَقَرٌwild cows
حَتّى أَضاءَ سِراجٌ دونَهُ بَقَرٌ
حُمرُred الأَنامِلِthe fingers عَينٌwide-eyed طَرفُهاtheir gaze ساجِserene
حُمرُ الأَنامِلِ عَينٌ طَرفُها ساجِ
until a lamp shone, with wild cows before it,
red-fingered, wide-eyed, their gaze serene.
يَكشِرنَthey grin لِلَّهوِfor play وَاللَذّاتِand pleasures عَنrevealing بَرَدٍhail
يَكشِرنَ لِلَّهوِ وَاللَذّاتِ عَن بَرَدٍ
تَكَشُّفَlike the breaking forth of البَرقِlightning عَنfrom ذيone possessing لُجَّةٍa deep mass of water داجِdark
تَكَشُّفَ البَرقِ عَن ذي لُجَّةٍ داجِ
They bare hail-white teeth for play and pleasure,
as lightning breaks from a dark, water-laden cloud.
كَأَنَّماas though نَظَرَتlooked نَحويtoward me بِأَعيُنِهاwith their eyes
كَأَنَّما نَظَرَت نَحوي بِأَعيُنِها
عَينُthe wide-eyed wild cows of الصَريمَةِal-Sarimah أَوor غِزلانِthe gazelles of فِرتاجِFirtaj
عَينُ الصَريمَةِ أَو غِزلانِ فِرتاجِ
As though gazing toward me through their eyes
were al-Sarimah's wide-eyed wild cows or Firtaj's gazelles.
بيضُwhite الوُجوهِthe faces كَبَيضاتٍlike eggs بِمَحنِيَةٍin a hollow
بيضُ الوُجوهِ كَبَيضاتٍ بِمَحنِيَةٍ
فيin دِفءِthe warmth of وَحفٍa thick-plumed one مِنَof الظِلمانِthe male ostriches هَدّاجِswaying-gaited
في دِفءِ وَحفٍ مِنَ الظِلمانِ هَدّاجِ
White-faced, like eggs in a sandy hollow,
in the warmth of a thick-plumed, swaying male ostrich.
ياAh نُعمَهاhow fine it was لَيلَةًa night حَتّىuntil تَخَوَّنَهاcut it short
يا نُعمَها لَيلَةً حَتّى تَخَوَّنَها
داعٍa caller دَعاcried فيin فُروعِthe branching rays of الصُبحِdawn شَحّاجِharsh-voiced
داعٍ دَعا في فُروعِ الصُبحِ شَحّاجِ
Ah, how fine a night, until it was cut short
by a harsh-voiced caller crying in dawn's branching light.
لَمّاwhen دَعاhe called الدَعوَةَthe call الأولىthe first فَأَسمَعَنيand made me hear
لَمّا دَعا الدَعوَةَ الأولى فَأَسمَعَني
أَخَذتُI took بُردَيَّmy two cloaks وَاِستَمرَرتُand went on أَدراجيalong my tracks
أَخَذتُ بُردَيَّ وَاِستَمرَرتُ أَدراجي
When he gave his first call and made me hear,
I took my two cloaks and retraced my steps.
وَزُلنَand they moved away كَالتينِlike fig trees وارىhid القُطنُthe cotton أَسفَلَهُits lower part
وَزُلنَ كَالتينِ وارى القُطنُ أَسفَلَهُ
وَاِعتَمَّand was turban-crowned مِنfrom بَرَدَيّاBaradayya بَينَamong أَفلاجِirrigation channels
وَاِعتَمَّ مِن بَرَدَيّا بَينَ أَفلاجِ
They moved away like fig trees whose lower parts cotton hides,
turban-crowned at Baradayya amid irrigation channels.
يَمشينَthey walk مَشيَthe gait of الهِجانِpurebred white camels الأُدمِfair-colored أَقبَلَهاled them forward
يَمشينَ مَشيَ الهِجانِ الأُدمِ أَقبَلَها
خَلُّa companion of الكَؤودِthe steep pass هِدانٌunhurried غَيرُnot مُهتاجِagitated
خَلُّ الكَؤودِ هِدانٌ غَيرُ مُهتاجِ
They walked like fair, purebred she-camels led forward
by an unhurried, unruffled companion of steep passes.
كَأَنَّas though فيwithin بُرَتَيهاher two anklets كُلَّماwhenever بَدَتاthey appeared
كَأَنَّ في بُرَتَيها كُلَّما بَدَتا
بُردِيَّتَيtwo papyrus stems of زَبَدِfoam of الآذِيِّthe surf عَجّاجِroaring
بُردِيَّتَي زَبَدِ الآذِيِّ عَجّاجِ
It seemed within her two anklets, whenever they showed,
were two papyrus stems of foam from the roaring surf.
إِنif تَنءَshe dwells far away سَلمىSalma فَماthen not سَلمىSalma بِفاحِشَةٍfoul-tongued
إِن تَنءَ سَلمى فَما سَلمى بِفاحِشَةٍ
وَلاand not إِذاwhen اِستودِعَتshe is entrusted سِرّاًa secret بِمِزلاجِone who lets secrets slip
وَلا إِذا اِستودِعَت سِرّاً بِمِزلاجِ
If Salma dwells far away, Salma is no foul-tongued woman,
nor, when entrusted with a secret, does she let it slip.
كَأَنَّas though مِنطَقَهاher girdle ليثَتwere wound مَعاقِدُهُits knots
كَأَنَّ مِنطَقَها ليثَت مَعاقِدُهُ
بِعانِكٍaround a dense mass مِنof ذُرىthe summits of الأَنقاءِsand dunes بَحباجِmassive
بِعانِكٍ مِن ذُرى الأَنقاءِ بَحباجِ
It is as though her girdle's knots were wound
around a massive, compacted crest of the dunes.
وَشَربَةٍand a draught مِنof شَرابٍa drink غَيرِnot ذيpossessing نَفَسٍbreath
وَشَربَةٍ مِن شَرابٍ غَيرِ ذي نَفَسٍ
فيbeneath كَوكَبٍa star مِنamong نُجومِthe stars of القَيظِhigh summer وَهّاجِblazing
في كَوكَبٍ مِن نُجومِ القَيظِ وَهّاجِ
And many a draught of a drink without breath,
beneath a blazing star among the stars of high summer,
سَقَيتُهاI gave it صادِياًa thirsty one تَهويdrooped مَسامِعُهُhis ears
سَقَيتُها صادِياً تَهوي مَسامِعُهُ
قَدalready ظَنَّhe thought أَنthat لَيسَthere was no مِنamong أَصحابِهِhis companions ناجيsurvivor
قَد ظَنَّ أَن لَيسَ مِن أَصحابِهِ ناجي
I gave to a thirsting one whose ears drooped,
who had thought none of his companions would survive.
وَفِتيَةٍand young men غَيرِnot أَنكاسٍweaklings دَلَفتُI advanced لَهُمto them
وَفِتيَةٍ غَيرِ أَنكاسٍ دَلَفتُ لَهُم
بِذيwith one bearing رِقاعٍpatches مِنَof الخُرطومِchoice wine نَشّاجِgurgling
بِذي رِقاعٍ مِنَ الخُرطومِ نَشّاجِ
And many a band of young men, no weaklings, I approached
with a patched wineskin gurgling with choice wine.
أَولَجتُI brought in حانوتَهُhis wine shop حُمراًred gold pieces مُقَطَّعَةًcut up
أَولَجتُ حانوتَهُ حُمراً مُقَطَّعَةً
مِنfrom مالِthe wealth of سَمحٍa generous man عَلىto التُجّارِmerchants وَلّاجِa frequent visitor
مِن مالِ سَمحٍ عَلى التُجّارِ وَلّاجِ
I brought cut pieces of red gold into his wine shop,
from the wealth of a generous man who frequents merchants.
فَاِختَرتُso I chose ماwhat عِندَهُhe had صَهباءَtawny wine صافِيَةًclear
فَاِختَرتُ ما عِندَهُ صَهباءَ صافِيَةً
مِنfrom خَمرِthe wine of ذيone possessing نَطَفاتٍpearl ornaments عاقِدِone who binds on التاجِthe crown
مِن خَمرِ ذي نَطَفاتٍ عاقِدِ التاجِ
So I chose from his stock a clear, tawny wine,
from the wine of the pearl-adorned wearer of the crown.
يَظَلُّremains through the day شارِبِهاits drinker رِخواًslack مَفاصِلُهُhis joints
يَظَلُّ شارِبِها رِخواً مَفاصِلُهُ
يَخالُhe imagines بُصرىBusra جِمالاًcamels ذاتَbearing أَحداجِlitters
يَخالُ بُصرى جِمالاً ذاتَ أَحداجِ
Its drinker spends the day with slackened joints,
imagining Busra to be camels bearing litters.
وَقَدand at times أَقولُI say إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle القَومُthe men أَدرَكَهُمovertook them
وَقَد أَقولُ إِذا ما القَومُ أَدرَكَهُم
سُكرُthe drunkenness of النُعاسِdrowsiness لِحَرفٍto a lean she-camel حُرَّةٍhighbred عاجِTurn!
سُكرُ النُعاسِ لِحَرفٍ حُرَّةٍ عاجِ
And at times I say, when the men are overtaken
by drowsiness' drunkenness, to a lean, noble she-camel: 'Turn!'
فَسائِلِso ask القَومَthe men إِذwhen كَلَّتgrew tired رِكابُهُمُtheir riding-camels
فَسائِلِ القَومَ إِذ كَلَّت رِكابُهُمُ
وَالعيسُand the pale camels تَنسَلُّslip away عَنfrom سَيريmy travel وَإِدلاجيand my night marches
وَالعيسُ تَنسَلُّ عَن سَيري وَإِدلاجي
So ask the men, when their riding-camels tired,
and the pale camels fell behind my pace and night marches,
وَنَصِّيَand my urging on العيسَthe pale camels تَهديهِمguiding them وَقَدwhen already سَدِرَتgrew dazed
وَنَصِّيَ العيسَ تَهديهِم وَقَد سَدِرَت
كُلُّevery جُماليَّةٍlarge strong she-camel كَالفَحلِlike a bull camel هِملاجِsmooth-gaited
كُلُّ جُماليَّةٍ كَالفَحلِ هِملاجِ
and how I drove the pale camels on to guide them, when dazed
was every huge, smooth-gaited she-camel, like a bull camel,
عُرضَacross the breadth of المَفازَةِthe desert وَالظَلماءُwhile the darkness داجِيَةٌwas thick
عُرضَ المَفازَةِ وَالظَلماءُ داجِيَةٌ
كَأَنَّهاas though it were جُبَّةٌa robe خَضراءُgreen مِنof ساجِsaj cloth
كَأَنَّها جُبَّةٌ خَضراءُ مِن ساجِ
across the desert's breadth, while darkness lay thick,
as though it were a green robe of saj cloth.
وَمَنهَلٍand a waterhole آجِنٍstagnant غُبرٌdusty مَوارِدُهُits approaches
وَمَنهَلٍ آجِنٍ غُبرٌ مَوارِدُهُ
خاويfallen العُروشِthe shelters يَبابٍdesolate غَيرِnot إِنهاجِwell-trodden
خاوي العُروشِ يَبابٍ غَيرِ إِنهاجِ
And many a stagnant waterhole with dusty approaches,
its shelters fallen, desolate and unfrequented,
عافيeffaced الجَباthe pool's edges غَيرَexcept for أَصداءٍowls يُطِفنَthey flit بِهِaround it
عافي الجَبا غَيرَ أَصداءٍ يُطِفنَ بِهِ
وَذوand one with قَلائِدَnecklaces بِالأَعطانِat the camels' resting-places عَرّاجِoften returning
وَذو قَلائِدَ بِالأَعطانِ عَرّاجِ
its pool-edges effaced, save for owls circling it,
and a collared bird often returning to the camels' resting-places,
باكَرتُهُI reached it early بِالمَطاياwith the mounts وَهيَwhile they were خامِسَةٌdue for fifth-day watering
باكَرتُهُ بِالمَطايا وَهيَ خامِسَةٌ
قَبلَbefore رِعالٍflocks مِنَof الكُدريِّdusky sandgrouse أَفواجِin throngs
قَبلَ رِعالٍ مِنَ الكُدريِّ أَفواجِ
I reached early with the mounts, due for their fifth-day watering,
before flock upon flock of dusky sandgrouse,
حَتّىso that أَرُدَّI could turn back المَطاياthe mounts وَهيَwhile they were ساهِمَةٌgaunt
حَتّى أَرُدَّ المَطايا وَهيَ ساهِمَةٌ
كَأَنَّas though أَنضاءَهاtheir emaciated ones أَلواحُboards of أَحراجِwooden saddle-frames
كَأَنَّ أَنضاءَها أَلواحُ أَحراجِ
so I could turn the mounts back, gaunt as they were,
their wasted bodies like the boards of saddle-frames,
تَكسوclothing المَفارِقَthe head-partings وَاللَبّاتِand throat-hollows ذاwith something possessing أَرَجٍfragrance
تَكسو المَفارِقَ وَاللَبّاتِ ذا أَرَجٍ
مِنfrom قُصبِthe gut of مُعتَلِفِa feeder on الكافورِcamphor دَرّاجِroaming
مِن قُصبِ مُعتَلِفِ الكافورِ دَرّاجِ
clothing crowns and throat-hollows in fragrance
from the gut of a roaming beast that feeds on camphor.
Sol 6.1