سؤالكُyour questioning الرَّبعَthe ruined campsite شَطَطْexcess
سؤالكُ الرَّبعَ شَطَطْ
دناdrew near العزاءُconsolation أوor شَحَطْgrew distant
دنا العزاءُ أو شَحَطْ
Your questioning the ruined campsite is excessive,
Your fourth question went astray
whether consolation draws near or remains far away.
Solace drew near or went awry
رسمٌa trace أُميطَwas swept away بعضُهُpart of it
رسمٌ أُميطَ بعضُهُ
وبعضُهand part of it لمَّاnot yet يُمَطis removed
وبعضُه لمَّا يُمَط
A trace, part of it swept away,
A drawing, some of it erased
and part not yet removed.
And some left unerased
مبيِّنٌsuggestive عنof نُقَطِthe dots of الثthe thāʾ (first part)
مبيِّنٌ عن نُقَطِ الث
اءِ(completes “thāʾ”) وليستْand they are not بالنُّقَطْdots at all
اءِ وليستْ بالنُّقَطْ
Suggesting the dots of thāʾ,
Elucidating the dots of tha’
though they are not dots.
Not dots but marks
ومنحنٍand a curved shape كأنَّهas though it were الthe
ومنحنٍ كأنَّه ال
هلالُcrescent moon فيon الأرضِthe earth سقَطhas fallen
هلالُ في الأرضِ سقَط
And a curved shape, as though the
And curves as if a crescent
crescent moon had fallen to earth.
Fell down upon the ground
وأشعثٍand a shaggy one يَحْسِرُdraws back سِتْveil (first part)
وأشعثٍ يَحْسِرُ سِتْ
رَ(completes “veil”) المورِthe windblown dust عنfrom جَعْدٍa curly-haired one قطَطtightly curled
رَ المورِ عن جَعْدٍ قطَط
And a shaggy one drawing back the veil
Disheveled covering the plaits
of windblown dust from a tightly curled one.
Of hair with curling locks
عمريby my life لئنْif indeed شطَّstrayed far الهوىlove
عمري لئنْ شطَّ الهوى
فالصبرُthen patience أحرىmore likely أنْto يَشُطّstray far
فالصبرُ أحرى أنْ يَشُطّ
By my life, if love strays far,
If passion raved, patience
patience has still more cause to stray.
More fitting to act equally mad
لاnot يُنْكَرَنْlet it be thought strange قبْضُthe tightening الزماTime (first part)
لا يُنْكَرَنْ قبْضُ الزما
نِ(completes “Time”) منof عنانيmy reins ماwhat بَسَطit loosened
نِ من عناني ما بَسَط
Let it not seem strange that Time tightens
The clutch of fate won't be denied
what it once loosened of my reins.
From my rein, though it extended
إنif يَغْلَطِerrs الدهرُTime فماthen ... is not الدّTime (first part)
إن يَغْلَطِ الدهرُ فما الدّ
هرُ(completes “Time”) بمأمونِsecure against الغَلَطerror
هرُ بمأمونِ الغَلَط
If Time errs, then Time
If time errs, time's not
cannot be trusted not to err.
To be trusted when erring
لمdid not يألُfall short أنْof عَوَّضنيcompensating me
لم يألُ أنْ عَوَّضني
معنبراًamber-scented (sense unclear here) بمُغْتَبَطin place of a delight
معنبراً بمُغْتَبَط
It spared no effort to give me in exchange
It never stopped substituting
something amber-scented in place of delight.
Me something prized for precious
حينwhen الصِّباyouth كأنَّهas though it were
حين الصِّبا كأنَّه
منَfrom العقالِthe hobble مُنتَشطfreed
منَ العقالِ مُنتَشط
When youth seemed
As youth, as if it
freed from its hobble,
Was an untied rein
وحينَand when خَفْضُthe ease of العيشlife يُزtakes pride (first part)
وحينَ خَفْضُ العيش يُز
هى(completes “takes pride”) بيin me علىover العيشِthe life الوسطmiddling
هى بي على العيشِ الوسط
and when a life of ease took pride
And lowly life makes me
in me above a middling life.
Content with moderate living
أنتجعُI seek out اللهوَdiversion إِذاwhen
أنتجعُ اللهوَ إِذا
منزلهُits dwelling عنّيfrom me شَحَطlies far
منزلهُ عنّي شَحَط
I seek out diversion when
I enjoy frivolity when
its dwelling lies far from me.
Its abode from me departs
يطيرُflies بيwith me مُضْطَغِنٌa wrathful one
يطيرُ بي مُضْطَغِنٌ
علىacross الفضاءِthe open expanse مُخْتَلَطwildly agitated
على الفضاءِ مُخْتَلَط
A wrathful steed flies with me,
Exultant it takes me flying
wildly agitated across the open expanse.
Through open space, confused
تخالُهُyou imagine him مُنْبَسِطاًat full stretch
تخالُهُ مُنْبَسِطاً
فيin شأوهhis run وماand ... not انبَسَطhe stretched out
في شأوه وما انبَسَط
You think him at full stretch
Imagining it stretched
in his run, though he is not.
Out importantly, though not stretched out
سماؤُهُhis sky ياقوتةٌa ruby
سماؤُهُ ياقوتةٌ
وأرضُهُand his earth جَزْعٌonyx فقطonly
وأرضُهُ جَزْعٌ فقط
His sky is a ruby,
Its sky a ruby
and his earth is only onyx.
Its earth mere wood
إذاwhen أتىhe approaches قيلَit is said سماhe soared
إذا أتى قيلَ سما
وإِنand if مضىhe passes قيلَit is said سَقَطhe dropped
وإِن مضى قيلَ سَقَط
When he approaches, they say, “He soared”;
If it comes say lofty
and when he passes, they say, “He dropped.”
If gone say fallen
ليلٌa night كأنَّas though الصبحdawn بالat the
ليلٌ كأنَّ الصبح بال
أطرافِedges منهof it قدalready رُبِطhad been tied
أطرافِ منه قد رُبِط
A night, as though dawn at
A night as if dawn tied
its edges had been tethered.
To its edges with ropes
متىwhenever أحِطْI encompass علماًin knowledge بهhim
متى أحِطْ علماً به
أكُنْI become كأنيas though I لمhad not أُحطknown fully
أكُنْ كأني لم أُحط
Whenever I know him thoroughly,
When will I ever encompass
I am as though I had not.
Knowledge of it, as if never encompassed
ينهلُdrinks deeply فيfrom أديمهhis hide الظthe thirsty one (first part)
ينهلُ في أديمه الظ
مآنُ(completes “thirsty one”) منfrom غيرِother than ثأطblack mud
مآنُ من غيرِ ثأط
The thirsty one drinks deep from his hide,
From its rainy clouds pours
without any black mud.
An abundance without store
كأنّماas though يزأرُhe roars فيinto
كأنّما يزأرُ في
عنانهhis rein إِذاwhen نَحَطhe snorts
عنانه إِذا نَحَط
As though he roars into
As if it growls with
his rein whenever he snorts.
Its rein when descending
كأنّماas though يخبطhe pounds بالصَّwith smooth rock (first part)
كأنّما يخبط بالصَّ
فَا(completes “smooth rock”) الضَّفاthe bank إِذاwhen خَبَطhe strikes
فَا الضَّفا إِذا خَبَط
As though he pounds with smooth rock
As if it splashes the shore
the bank whenever he strikes.
When splashing
وصاحبيand my companion مُحَكَّمٌan appointed judge
وصاحبي مُحَكَّمٌ
إِنْif سُمْتُهُI bid him الحكمَjudgment قسَطhe judges fairly
إِنْ سُمْتُهُ الحكمَ قسَط
And my companion is an appointed judge:
And my companion is decisive
if I bid him judge, he judges fairly.
If you call it fairness, precise
كأنهُas though he were إِثرَin the wake of شهاa shooting star (first part)
كأنهُ إِثرَ شها
بٍ(completes “shooting star”) فيin السماءِthe sky مُنْخَرِطstreaking along
بٍ في السماءِ مُنْخَرِط
As though, in a shooting star's wake,
As if a comet's trail
he streaks through the sky.
Ripping through the sky
كأنّماas though أُعْرِبَwas vowel-marked ليfor me
كأنّما أُعْرِبَ لي
فيهin him كتابٌa book ونُقِطand dotted
فيه كتابٌ ونُقِط
As though a book were vowel-marked for me
As if a book dotted
in him, and its letters dotted.
Was translated for me in it
أغدوI go out at dawn بهon him والأرضُand the earth فيamid
أغدو به والأرضُ في
خيلٍsteeds منof الجنِّthe jinn تئطّcreaks
خيلٍ من الجنِّ تئطّ
I ride out on him at dawn, while the earth
I rise with it while the earth
creaks amid steeds of the jinn.
Swells with hordes of jinn
كأنهas though it were الكفُّthe hand انمحىwas erased
كأنه الكفُّ انمحى
عنهاfrom it الخضابُthe dye وانْخَرَطand slipped away
عنها الخضابُ وانْخَرَط
As though it were a hand whose dye
As if the palm faded
had faded from it and slipped away.
Of henna and peeled
بحيثُwhere للأنواءfor the seasonal rains فيupon الthe
بحيثُ للأنواء في ال
أرضِearth محلٌّa dwelling ومَحطand a landing place
أرضِ محلٌّ ومَحط
Where the seasonal rains have, upon the
Where the winds in the land
earth, a dwelling and a landing place.
Have place and goal
فهيَso it is منin التحبيرِembellishment فيin
فهيَ من التحبيرِ في
مثالِthe likeness of تحبيرِthe decoration of النَّمَطa patterned rug
مثالِ تحبيرِ النَّمَط
In its embellishment it is
Adorned with reddish dye
the image of a decorated carpet.
Like dyeing of cloth
زيَّنهاadorned it وخْطٌa flecking منof النthe blossoms (first part)
زيَّنها وخْطٌ من الن
وَّارِ(completes “blossoms”) لماwhen أنْthat وخَطit flecked
وَّارِ لما أنْ وخَط
A scattering of blossoms adorned it
Embroidered by a thread
when the blossoms flecked it.
Of fire where it embroidered
فَشَمِطَتso it grew gray وإِنماand only
فَشَمِطَت وإِنما
شَبابُهاits youth ذاكَthat الشَّمَطgrayness
شَبابُها ذاكَ الشَّمَط
So it grew gray; yet
So it ripped while its
its youth is nothing but that grayness.
Youth was that rip
كأَنَّas though فيin غُدْرانِهاits pools
كأَنَّ في غُدْرانِها
حواجباًeyebrows ظَلَّتْkept being تُمَطstretched
حواجباً ظَلَّتْ تُمَط
As though within its pools
As if it had eyebrows
were eyebrows continually stretched out.
In its betrayal, kept wiping
مكسورةًbroken حافاتُهاtheir edges
مكسورةً حافاتُها
مُسُوكٌskins حيّاتٍof snakes رُقُطspeckled
مُسُوكٌ حيّاتٍ رُقُط
Their edges broken—
Jagged are its coasts
skins of speckled snakes.
By serpents' trails jagged
تسمعُyou hear فيthroughout أرجائهاits reaches
تسمعُ في أرجائها
لألْسُنِfrom the tongues of الطيرِthe birds لَغَطclamor
لألْسُنِ الطيرِ لَغَط
You hear throughout its reaches
Hear in its regions
the clamor of the birds' tongues.
The birds' prattle and racket
كأَنَّas though فيهاwithin it بِيَعَاًchurches
كأَنَّ فيها بِيَعَاً
تراطَنَتْchattered in foreign tongues فيهاin them النَّبَطthe Nabataeans
تراطَنَتْ فيها النَّبَط
As though there were churches within it
As if among it are hamlets
where the Nabataeans chattered in foreign tongues.
Where al-Nabat reside
إذاwhen الشمالُthe north wind اعْنَقَتْhastened
إذا الشمالُ اعْنَقَتْ
فيهاthrough it إلىto شطٍّa shore فشطthen another shore
فيها إلى شطٍّ فشط
When the north wind hastens
When the north arises
through it to one shore, then another,
Arrogantly to a shore, it shreds
حسبتَyou would think أنthat بطَّهاits ducks الthe
حسبتَ أن بطَّها ال
أمواجُwaves والأمواجَand the waves بَطducks
أمواجُ والأمواجَ بَط
you would take its ducks for
You'd think its inner depths
waves, and its waves for ducks.
The waves thrash, but waves thresh
ماwhatever شئتyou wish منof لابسةٍone wearing
ما شئت من لابسةٍ
قميصَa shirt of وشيٍbrocade لمnever يُخَطwas stitched
قميصَ وشيٍ لم يُخَط
As many as you wish, each wearing
Whatever clad woman
a brocade shirt never stitched.
In shirt and garb unsewn
كأنماas though يَصْفِرْنَthey whistle مِنْfrom
كأنما يَصْفِرْنَ مِنْ
مُدْهُنِan oil-vessel of عاجٍivory قدalready خُرِطlathe-turned
مُدْهُنِ عاجٍ قد خُرِط
As though they whistle from
As if they glow
an ivory oil-vessel turned on a lathe.
From ivory oil well-rubbed
أسعىI hasten إليهاtoward them ويديand my hand
أسعى إليها ويدي
منبرa pulpit for غرثانٍa hungry one سلطfierce
منبر غرثانٍ سلط
I hasten toward them, my hand
I strive toward it while my hand
a pulpit for a fierce, famished hunter.
Holds a Murth wood staff
خيرthe best of الشواهينthe falcons إذاif
خير الشواهين إذا
ماever نسبتyou trace the descent of يوماًone day رَهَطa clan
ما نسبت يوماً رَهَط
The best of the falcons, if
Best of cups if never
you ever trace a clan's lineage.
Attributed a folk one day
ألقىhe cast عليهاupon it الزفّthe downy feathers منfrom
ألقى عليها الزفّ من
مفوفٍstriped cloth والعصبُand the banded fabric مِرْطa mantle
مفوفٍ والعصبُ مِرْط
He cast his downy feathers upon it from
Onto it I hurl from a perfumed
striped cloth, the banded fabric a mantle.
[waterskin] while the strap's twisted
ماضيresolute of الجنانheart حيثwhere ماever
ماضي الجنان حيث ما
وجّهتهyou direct him قدَّhe slits lengthwise وقَطand cuts crosswise
وجّهته قدَّ وقَط
Resolute of heart; wherever
My soul where'er you point it
you direct him, he slits lengthwise and cuts across.
Already went and landed
كالسَّهْمِlike an arrow بلrather أمضىswifter منthan السَّthe arrow (first part)
كالسَّهْمِ بل أمضى من السَّ
همِ(completes “arrow”) إذاwhen الراميthe archer مَعَطْlooses it
همِ إذا الرامي مَعَطْ
Like an arrow—indeed, swifter than the arrow
Like an arrow, nay swifter
when the archer looses it.
Than arrow when archer intentional
كأنماas though يطلبُhe seeks دَيْناًa debt عِنْwith (first part)
كأنما يطلبُ دَيْناً عِنْ
دَ(completes “with”) خَصْمٍan adversary قدalready أَلَطّrefused stubbornly
دَ خَصْمٍ قد أَلَطّ
As though he seeks repayment of a debt from
As if seeking a debt
an adversary who stubbornly refuses.
From adversary who refused
كأنماas though مِخْلَبُهُhis talon
كأنما مِخْلَبُهُ
لأذُنِfor the ear of الطيرِthe birds فُرُطْan earring
لأذُنِ الطيرِ فُرُطْ
As though his talon
As if its talon
were an earring for a bird's ear.
For the ear of birds, circled
وقدand at times أقودُI lead مُعُطاًthin-haired hounds
وقد أقودُ مُعُطاً
مُوَصَّلاتٍfastened together بِمُقُطْwith leashes
مُوَصَّلاتٍ بِمُقُطْ
At times I also lead thin-haired hounds,
I lead along connected, granted
fastened together with leashes.
Tied up tents, by fibers knit
موكَّلاتٍِcharged بالفلاwith the wilderness
موكَّلاتٍِ بالفلا
يَطْوينَهاthey fold it up طيَّlike the folding of البُسُطrugs
يَطْوينَها طيَّ البُسُط
Charged with the wilderness,
Assigned to roll them up
they fold it up as rugs are folded.
And fold like outspread mats
كأنهنَّas though they were سَبَجٌjet
كأنهنَّ سَبَجٌ
فيهwithin it منof العاجivory خُطَطstreaks
فيه من العاج خُطَط
As though they were jet
As if they are wickerwork
with streaks of ivory within it.
Interwoven with ivory strips
كأنماas though آذانهhis ears
كأنما آذانه
هنَّthey (feminine) سَوْسَنٌlilies لمnot يُجْنَwere plucked قَطever
هنَّ سَوْسَنٌ لم يُجْنَ قَط
As though his ears
As if their ears are lilies
were lilies never yet plucked.
Never plucked once
كأنماas though أجفانُهاtheir eyelids
كأنما أجفانُها
عنaway from قِطَعِpieces of الجمرِglowing coals تُعَطّare torn back
عن قِطَعِ الجمرِ تُعَطّ
As though their eyelids
As if their eyelids
were torn back from pieces of glowing coal.
Protect from ember sparks
ضواحكٌlaughing ones وإِنماand only
ضواحكٌ وإِنما
يضحكنَthey laugh حينwhen تختَلِطthey intermingle
يضحكنَ حين تختَلِط
Laughing creatures, yet
Laughing, though they laugh
they laugh only when they intermingle.
Only when lines cross
منof كلِّevery معطىًone granted عندamong أسْherds (first part)
من كلِّ معطىً عند أسْ
رابِ(completes “herds”) الوحوشwild beasts ماwhatever اشتَرطhe stipulated
رابِ الوحوش ما اشتَرط
Each one is granted, among
I asked for every granted thing
the herds of wild beasts, whatever he demands.
At the bedouins' camps with no conditions set
كأنهُas though he were إذاwhen انبرىhe darts forward
كأنهُ إذا انبرى
يَكُدُّهاhe wears them down فيacross الأرضthe earth خطa line
يَكُدُّها في الأرض خط
As though, when he darts forth,
As if when it exerts itself
harrying them across the earth, he were a line.
It digs them into the ground aggressively
كأنماas though بُرْثُنُهhis claw
كأنما بُرْثُنُه
فيat جانبِthe side of الرأسthe head مُشُطa comb
في جانبِ الرأس مُشُط
As though his claw,
As if its light hair
at the side of the head, were a comb.
On the side of its head is a comb
يُنظِمُهاhe strings them together فيin شأوِهِhis course
يُنظِمُها في شأوِهِ
كأنهاas though they were نَظْمُa threading of سُمُطnecklaces
كأنها نَظْمُ سُمُط
He strings them together in his run,
It strings them on its thread
as though they were threaded necklaces.
As if stringing of beads
فماso ... never تزالُceases قِدْرُناour cooking pot
فما تزالُ قِدْرُنا
تُرْفَعُis raised طوراًat one time وتُحَطّand is lowered
تُرْفَعُ طوراً وتُحَطّ
And so our cooking pot never ceases
Our kettle is ever
to be raised at one time and lowered at another.
Lifted then settled
كأنَّas though صوتَthe sound of غَلْيهاits boiling
كأنَّ صوتَ غَلْيها
غطيطُthe snoring of مجنونٍa madman يَغطّwho snores
غطيطُ مجنونٍ يَغطّ
As though the sound of its boiling
As if the sound of its boiling
were a madman's snoring as he snores.
Is the babble of a crazed person babbling
نعمexcellent is لقوحُthe milch-camel of صاحبٍa companion
نعم لقوحُ صاحبٍ
ذاتpossessing سِلاءٍclarified butter وأقِطand dried curds
ذات سِلاءٍ وأقِط
A fine milch-camel for a companion,
Yes, for a companion
rich in clarified butter and dried curds.
Of splendor and decorousness
أمّa mother to ندامىboon companions بهمُthrough whom
أمّ ندامى بهمُ
حلَّloosened الزمانُTime ورَبَطand bound
حلَّ الزمانُ ورَبَط
Mother of boon companions, through whom
Mother of my bliss when
Time has loosened and bound.
Time gathered and tied
منتسمٌbreathing fragrance ناجودُهُhis wine-flask
منتسمٌ ناجودُهُ
عنfrom أَرجِthe aroma of الطعمthe flavor خَمِطpungent
عن أَرجِ الطعم خَمِط
His wine-flask breathes,
Smiling, its udder
pungent with the fragrance of its flavor.
Of plentiful bounty sucked
همthey إِبطُthe supporting armpit of الرَّوعterror إذاwhen
هم إِبطُ الرَّوع إذا
كلَّتgrow weary عنbefore الرَّوعterror الإِبطthe armpits
كلَّت عن الرَّوع الإِبط
They are the supporting armpit in terror, when
They are the bosom of terror when
armpits falter before terror.
Terror departs from the bosom
الفعلُdeeds زهرٌblossoms يُجتَنىto be gathered
الفعلُ زهرٌ يُجتَنى
والقولand speech درٌّpearls يُلتَقَطto be picked up
والقول درٌّ يُلتَقَط
Deeds are blossoms to be gathered,
Deed is a flower to pluck
and speech is pearls to be picked up.
Word is a pearl to pick up
حاطَpreserved لهمfor them ضبَّةُḌabba مِنfrom
حاطَ لهم ضبَّةُ مِن
إِرثِthe inheritance of العلىnobility ماwhat لمnever يُحَطhad been preserved
إِرثِ العلى ما لم يُحَط
Ḍabba preserved for them, from
Bestowed on them a share of
nobility's inheritance, what had never been preserved.
The lofty inheritance none bestowed
Sol 6.1