عَلىtoward الدارِthe dwelling بِالرُمّانَتَينِat al-Rummanatayn تَعوجُturn aside
عَلى الدارِ بِالرُمّانَتَينِ تَعوجُ
صُدورُthe breasts of مَهارىMahri she-camels سَيرُهُنَّtheir pace وَسيجُbrisk
صُدورُ مَهارى سَيرُهُنَّ وَسيجُ
Toward the dwelling at al-Rummanatayn turn
On the abode with the two pomegranate trees aslant,
the breasts of Mahri she-camels, whose pace is brisk.
Sway the breasts of beautiful women walking proudly.
فَعُجناthen we turned aside عَلىtoward رَسمٍa trace بِرَبعٍin a campsite تَجُرُّهُsweeps over it
فَعُجنا عَلى رَسمٍ بِرَبعٍ تَجُرُّهُ
مِنَof الصَيفِsummer جَشّاءُhoarse الحَنينِin moaning نَؤوجُroaring
مِنَ الصَيفِ جَشّاءُ الحَنينِ نَؤوجُ
Then we turned aside toward a trace in a campsite, swept over
So we pitched our tents according to a certain plan,
by a summer wind, hoarse in its moaning, roaring.
Dragging them from summer, while the tents of longing sway.
شَآمِيَّةٌSyrian هَوجاءُraging أَوor قَطَرِيَّةٌfrom Qatar
شَآمِيَّةٌ هَوجاءُ أَو قَطَرِيَّةٌ
بِهاwithin it مِنof هَباءِfine dust الشِعرَيَينِSirius and Procyon نَسيجُa woven web
بِها مِن هَباءِ الشِعرَيَينِ نَسيجُ
A raging Syrian wind, or one from Qatar,
A Shami or Qatari beauty,
bearing a web of dust from the two Shi'ra stars.
With the light down of her two arms interwoven.
تُثيرُstirs up وَتُبديand reveals عَنfrom دِيارٍdwellings بِنَجوَةٍon elevated ground
تُثيرُ وَتُبدي عَن دِيارٍ بِنَجوَةٍ
أَضَرَّcaused harm بِهاto them مِنfrom ذيDhu البِطاحِal-Bitah خَليجُa watercourse
أَضَرَّ بِها مِن ذي البِطاحِ خَليجُ
It stirs the dust and bares dwellings on a rise,
She arouses and reveals traces of an abode in Najwa,
ravaged by a watercourse from Dhu al-Bitah.
Defiled by those from Dhi al-Bitaah marsh.
عَلامَتُهاtheir markers أَعضادُthe sides of نُؤيٍa rain-trench وَمَسجِدٌand a prayer-place
عَلامَتُها أَعضادُ نُؤيٍ وَمَسجِدٌ
يَبابٌdesolate وَمَضروبِand struck القَذالِat the nape شَجيجُsplit
يَبابٌ وَمَضروبِ القَذالِ شَجيجُ
Their markers are the sides of a rain-trench and a prayer-place,
Its landmarks are camel litters and a small mosque,
desolate, and a peg struck at the nape and split.
A gate, and the pounding area of threshing floors.
وَمَربَطُand a tethering-place for أَفلاءِfoals of الجِيادِfine horses وَمَوقِدٌand a hearth
وَمَربَطُ أَفلاءِ الجِيادِ وَمَوقِدٌ
مِنَof النارِfire مُسوَدُّblackened التَرابِin its soil فَضيجُscattered
مِنَ النارِ مُسوَدُّ التَرابِ فَضيجُ
And a tethering-place for foals of fine horses, and a hearth
And the tethering place of piebald steeds and a fireplace,
of fire, its soil blackened, its ashes scattered.
With blackened earth from its fires glowing.
أَذاعَdispersed بِأَعلاهُat its upper part وَأَبقىand preserved شَريدَهُits stray remnants
أَذاعَ بِأَعلاهُ وَأَبقى شَريدَهُ
ذَرىthe shelter of مُجنَحاتٍslanting hearthstones بَينَهُنَّbetween them فُروجُgaps
ذَرى مُجنَحاتٍ بَينَهُنَّ فُروجُ
Its upper layer was dispersed, but its stray remnants were preserved by
It spread with its heights and left its lower parts,
the shelter of slanting stones, with gaps between them:
Like wings of birds fluttering between them.
ثَلاثٍthree صَلَينَendured النارَthe fire شَهراًfor a month وَأَرزَمَتand rumbled
ثَلاثٍ صَلَينَ النارَ شَهراً وَأَرزَمَت
عَلَيهِنَّupon them رَجزاءُtrembling القِيامِin standing هَدوجُswaying
عَلَيهِنَّ رَجزاءُ القِيامِ هَدوجُ
three that endured fire for a month, while there rumbled
Three spent a month by the fire, compelled by
upon them a cauldron, trembling as it stood, swaying.
The firmness of performing prayers to bend down.
كَأَنَّas though بِرَبعِat the campsite of الدارِthe dwelling كُلَّevery عَشِيَّةٍevening
كَأَنَّ بِرَبعِ الدارِ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ
سَلائِبَmourning women وُرقاًgray بَينَهُنَّamong them خَديجُa premature child
سَلائِبَ وُرقاً بَينَهُنَّ خَديجُ
As though at the dwelling's campsite every evening
As if, in the quarter of the abode every evening,
there were gray mourning women, a premature child among them.
There were councils with intermingled branches between them.
تَبَدَّلَتِreplaced العُفرُthe dun wild asses الهِجانِthe white camels وَحَولَهاand around it
تَبَدَّلَتِ العُفرُ الهِجانِ وَحَولَها
مَساحِلُbraying ass-stallions عاناتٍwild-ass herds لَهُنَّthey have نَشيجُa sobbing cry
مَساحِلُ عاناتٍ لَهُنَّ نَشيجُ
Dun wild asses replaced the white camels, and around it
The large tent of goat hair changed, and around it
are the stallions of wild-ass herds, with a sobbing cry.
Were the resting places of she-camels moaning over them.
نَفَينَthey drove away حَوالِيَّyearling الجِحاشِass-foals وَعَشَّرَتand reached ten months of pregnancy
نَفَينَ حَوالِيَّ الجِحاشِ وَعَشَّرَت
مَصايِيفُsummer-bearing females فيon أَكفالِهِنَّtheir rumps سُحوجُabrasions
مَصايِيفُ في أَكفالِهِنَّ سُحوجُ
They drove off the yearling ass-foals; ten months pregnant grew
The springs of al-Jihash turned away, and the summer
the summer-bearing females, their rumps bearing abrasions.
Pastures with their young in their bosoms welcomed them.
تَأَوَّبَrevisited by night جَنبَيboth sides of مَنعِجٍMan'ij وَمَقيلُهاand their noonday resting-place
تَأَوَّبَ جَنبَي مَنعِجٍ وَمَقيلُها
بِحَزمِon the stony ridge of قِرَورىQirawra خِلفَةٌcoming and going وَوَشيجُand intermingled
بِحَزمِ قِرَورى خِلفَةٌ وَوَشيجُ
They revisit both sides of Man'ij by night; their noonday resting-place
It turned aside the two sides of a howdah, while behind it
is on Qirawra's stony ridge—herds coming and going, intermingled.
Was a Uqarawi she-camel, Khalfah, swaying.
عَهِدناwe knew بِهاthere سَلمىSalma وَفيand in العَيشِlife غِرَّةٌcarefree ease
عَهِدنا بِها سَلمى وَفي العَيشِ غِرَّةٌ
وَسُعدىand Su'da بِأَلبابِat the minds of الرِجالِmen خَلوجُsnatching away
وَسُعدى بِأَلبابِ الرِجالِ خَلوجُ
We knew Salma there, when life was carefree,
We knew Salma to be safe, and lucky in life,
and Su'da, who carried off the minds of men.
And Su‘da to be intimate with the minds of men.
لَيالِيَnights of سُعدىSu'da لَوif تَراءَتshe appeared لِراهُبٍto a monk
لَيالِيَ سُعدى لَو تَراءَت لِراهُبٍ
بِدَومَةَat Duma تَجرٌmerchants عِندَهُbeside him وَحَجيجُand pilgrims
بِدَومَةَ تَجرٌ عِندَهُ وَحَجيجُ
Those nights of Su'da—had she appeared to a monk
The nights of Su‘da’s luck, if seen by a monk,
at Duma, with merchants and pilgrims beside him,
With a constant church in his abode, would make him confused.
فَلاforsook دينَهُhis faith وَاِهتاجَand grew stirred لِلشَوقِwith longing إِنَّهاindeed she
فَلا دينَهُ وَاِهتاجَ لِلشَوقِ إِنَّها
عَلىtoward الشَوقِlonging إِخوانَthe brothers of العَزاءِsteadfastness هَيوجُgreatly stirring
عَلى الشَوقِ إِخوانَ العَزاءِ هَيوجُ
he would have forsaken his faith and stirred with yearning; indeed, she
For neither his religion, nor his fervor for passion,
rouses the brothers of steadfastness to longing.
Are helpers for passion. They are the camels roaring with grief.
وَيَومَand on the day لَقيناهاwe met her بِتَيمَنَat Tayman هَيَّجَتshe stirred
وَيَومَ لَقيناها بِتَيمَنَ هَيَّجَت
بَقاياthe remnants of الصِبىyouthful passion إِنَّindeed الفُؤادَthe heart لَجوجُobstinate
بَقايا الصِبى إِنَّ الفُؤادَ لَجوجُ
And on the day we met her at Tayman, she stirred
And the day we met her at Tayman, she stirred up
the remnants of youthful passion: the heart is obstinate.
The remnants of youth. My heart is still perplexed!
غَداةَon the morning تَراءَتshe appeared لِاِبنِto a man of سِتّينَsixty حِجَّةًyears
غَداةَ تَراءَت لِاِبنِ سِتّينَ حِجَّةً
سَقِيَّةُa well-watered beauty غَيلٍa flowing stream فيwithin الحِجالِcurtained chambers دَموجُkeeping secluded
سَقِيَّةُ غَيلٍ في الحِجالِ دَموجُ
On the morning she appeared to a man of sixty years,
One morning she appeared to the son of sixty pilgrimages
a stream-watered beauty, secluded within curtained chambers.
As a cupbearer of a troop with swords in their sheaths clashing.
إِذاwhen مَضَغَتshe chews مِسواكَهاher tooth-stick عَبِقَتclings fragrantly بِهِto it
إِذا مَضَغَت مِسواكَها عَبِقَت بِهِ
سُلافٌfirst-drawn wine تَغالاهاthey bid high for it التِجارُthe merchants مَزيجُblended
سُلافٌ تَغالاها التِجارُ مَزيجُ
When she chews her tooth-stick, there clings to it the fragrance of
When she chews her toothstick, it is perfumed with
first-drawn, blended wine, for which merchants bid high.
A gum that traders find profitable when they mix.
فِداءٌa ransom لِسُعدىfor Su'da كُلُّevery ذاتِwoman possessing حَشِيَّةٍa mattress
فِداءٌ لِسُعدى كُلُّ ذاتِ حَشِيَّةٍ
وَأُخرىand another سَبَنتاةُtall and sturdy القِيامِwhen standing خَروجُoften going out
وَأُخرى سَبَنتاةُ القِيامِ خَروجُ
May every woman with a mattress be ransom for Su'da,
Su‘da is a ransom for every woman of distinction,
and every other, tall and sturdy when standing, often going out.
And another is Sabantah, eminent in performing the rites.
كَأَدماءَlike a pale wild cow هَضماءَslender الشَراسيفِin the ribs غالَهاkept her occupied
كَأَدماءَ هَضماءَ الشَراسيفِ غالَها
عَنِaway from الوَحشِthe wild herd رِخوَدُّtender العِظامِin bone نَتيجُa newborn calf
عَنِ الوَحشِ رِخوَدُّ العِظامِ نَتيجُ
Like a pale wild cow, slender at the ribs, held back
She fed on the corpses of strong young camels, made lawful
from the herd by a tender-boned newborn calf.
By the shaggy-haired beasts of prey that tore them apart.
رَعَتهُshe tended him صُدورَthe first of الطَلعِnew growth فَنّاءُlong-horned كَمشَةٌsmall-uddered
رَعَتهُ صُدورَ الطَلعِ فَنّاءُ كَمشَةٌ
بِحَزمِon a stony ridge of رِضامٍgreat boulders بَينَهُنَّbetween them شُروجُchannels
بِحَزمِ رِضامٍ بَينَهُنَّ شُروجُ
She tended him amid the first new growth, long-horned and small-uddered,
She pastured on the breasts of calves, a destroyer like a Khamshah she-camel,
on a ridge of great boulders, with channels between them.
With a bundle of young ostriches walking between them.
أَلَمdo you not تَعلَميknow ياO أُمَّUmm أَسعَدَAs'ad أَنَّنيthat I
أَلَم تَعلَمي يا أُمَّ أَسعَدَ أَنَّني
أُهاجُam roused لِخَيراتِtoward the blessings of النَدىgenerosity وَأَهيجُand grow eager
أُهاجُ لِخَيراتِ النَدى وَأَهيجُ
Do you not know, Umm As'ad, that I
Do you not know, O mother of Sa‘d, that I
am roused toward bounty's blessings, and grow eager myself?
Am excited by the finest heavy rain and stir it up?
وَهَمٍّand a care عَرانيassailed me مِنfrom بَعيدٍafar فَأَدلَجَتso she traveled by night
وَهَمٍّ عَراني مِن بَعيدٍ فَأَدلَجَت
بِيَwith me اللَيلَthrough the night مَنجاةُhigh-set العِظامِin bone زَلوجُswiftly gliding
بِيَ اللَيلَ مَنجاةُ العِظامِ زَلوجُ
And a care assailed me from afar, so by night she traveled,
Preoccupation from afar has afflicted me, so the night
bearing me through the darkness—a lofty-framed, gliding she-camel.
Enveloped me in deliverance from bones that crack.
وَشُعثٍand disheveled men نَشاوىdrunk مِنwith نُعاسٍdrowsiness وَفَترَةٍand languor
وَشُعثٍ نَشاوى مِن نُعاسٍ وَفَترَةٍ
أَثَرتُI roused وَأَنضاءٍand worn-out mounts لَهُنَّthey have ضَجيجُclamor
أَثَرتُ وَأَنضاءٍ لَهُنَّ ضَجيجُ
And disheveled men, drunk with drowsiness and languor,
And unkempt morningsluggishness from drowsiness,
I roused, along with worn-out mounts whose cries were loud.
While the tracks are fresh and the bones crackle over them.
ظَلِلناwe spent the day بِحَوّارينَat Hawwarin فيon مُشمَخِرَّةٍa towering height
ظَلِلنا بِحَوّارينَ في مُشمَخِرَّةٍ
تَمُرُّpass سَحابٌclouds تَحتَناbeneath us وَتَلوجُand swirl
تَمُرُّ سَحابٌ تَحتَنا وَتَلوجُ
We spent the day at Hawwarin upon a towering height;
We rested in the shade of canopies on an erect
clouds passed beneath us and swirled.
Hill, while the clouds pass beneath us and twist.
تَرىyou see حارِثَHarith الجَولانِal-Jawlan يَبرُقُgleaming دونَهُbefore it
تَرى حارِثَ الجَولانِ يَبرُقُ دونَهُ
دَساكِرُsettlements فيon أَطرافِهِنَّtheir edges بُروجُtowers
دَساكِرُ في أَطرافِهِنَّ بُروجُ
You see Harith al-Jawlan gleaming; before it
You see the lightning of Harith in the Golan below him,
are settlements, with towers on their edges.
And battalions with their towers twisting at their edges.
شَرِبناwe drank بِبَحرٍfrom a sea مِنfrom أُمَيَّةَUmayya دونَهُbefore him
شَرِبنا بِبَحرٍ مِن أُمَيَّةَ دونَهُ
دِمَشقُDamascus وَأَنهارٍand rivers لَهُنَّthey have عَجيجُroaring
دِمَشقُ وَأَنهارٍ لَهُنَّ عَجيجُ
We drank of a sea from Umayya's house; before him
We drank from a sea belonging to Umayyah, below which
lay Damascus and rivers, loud with roaring.
Is Damascus and rivers with their strong currents twisting.
فَلَمّاthen when قَضَينَthey fulfilled الحاجَthe need أَزمَعنَthey resolved on نِيَّةًan intention
فَلَمّا قَضَينَ الحاجَ أَزمَعنَ نِيَّةً
لِخَلجِbecause of the pull of النَوىseparation إِنَّindeed النَوىseparation لَخَلوجُsurely pulls strongly
لِخَلجِ النَوى إِنَّ النَوى لَخَلوجُ
When they had fulfilled the need, they fixed their purpose
When they finished the pilgrimage, they intended
under separation's pull—for separation pulls hard indeed.
To set out again. Resolution twists resolve.
عَلَيهاupon them دَليلٌa guide بِالفَلاةِthrough the wilderness وَوافِدٌand an envoy
عَلَيها دَليلٌ بِالفَلاةِ وَوافِدٌ
كَريمٌnoble لِأَبوابِinto the gates of المُلوكِkings وَلوجُoften entering
كَريمٌ لِأَبوابِ المُلوكِ وَلوجُ
Upon them rides a guide through the wilderness, and an envoy,
With them was a guide in the wilderness, and a noble
noble, often entering the gates of kings.
Visitor of the courts of kings who brings gifts and twists.
وَيَقطَعنَand they cross مِنthrough خَبطٍlow ground وَأَرضٍand land بَسيطَةٍlevel
وَيَقطَعنَ مِن خَبطٍ وَأَرضٍ بَسيطَةٍ
بَسابِسَexpanses قَفراًbarren وَحشُهُنَّtheir wild creatures عُروجُlimping
بَسابِسَ قَفراً وَحشُهُنَّ عُروجُ
And through low ground and level country they cross
They traversed undulating and barren lands,
barren wastes, whose wild creatures limp.
Vast expanses whose emptiness brought them dread.
فَلَمّاthen when دَناdrew near مِنهاfor them الإِيابُhomecoming وَأَدرَكَتand arrived
فَلَمّا دَنا مِنها الإِيابُ وَأَدرَكَت
عَجارِفُrugged camels حُدبٌhump-backed مُخُّهُنَّtheir marrow مَزيجُdiluted
عَجارِفُ حُدبٌ مُخُّهُنَّ مَزيجُ
When homecoming drew near for them, and there arrived
When the return journey drew near, and the camels’
rugged, hump-backed camels, their marrow diluted,
Feet picked their way, their shoulders twisting beneath the loads,
إِذاwhen وُضِعَتwere taken off عَنهاfrom them بِظَهرِon the open ground of مَفازَةٍa desert waste
إِذا وُضِعَت عَنها بِظَهرِ مَفازَةٍ
حَقائِبُpacks عَنfrom أَصلابِهاtheir backs وَسُروجُand saddles
حَقائِبُ عَن أَصلابِها وَسُروجُ
when, on a desert's open ground, there were taken off them
When their bags were unloaded from their backs at a ridge,
the packs from their backs and the saddles,
And their saddlebags from their flanks and twists,
رَأَيتَyou saw رُدافَيmy fellow-riders فَوقَهاabove them مِنfrom قَبيلَةٍa tribe
رَأَيتَ رُدافَي فَوقَها مِن قَبيلَةٍ
مِنَof الطَيرِbirds يَدعوهاsummons them أَحَمُّa black one شَهوجُloud-voiced
مِنَ الطَيرِ يَدعوها أَحَمُّ شَهوجُ
you saw my fellow-riders above them, from a tribe
You would have seen the packs on their humps like a flock
of birds, summoned by a black, loud-voiced one.
Of birds following them, the most ardent in desire twisting.
فَلَمّاthen when حَباcrept مِنfrom خَلفِناbehind us رَملُthe sands of عالِجٍ'Alij
فَلَمّا حَبا مِن خَلفِنا رَملُ عالِجٍ
وَجَوشٌand Jawsh بَدَتappeared أَعناقُهاtheir necks وَدَجوجُand Dajuj
وَجَوشٌ بَدَت أَعناقُها وَدَجوجُ
Then, when the sands of 'Alij crept behind us,
When the shifting sands behind us were stirred up,
and Jawsh and Dajuj, their necks came into view.
And bubbles appeared, their necks entwining.
Sol 6.1