قُلتُI said لَمّاwhen أَزمَعَresolved upon الحَيُّthe clan الرَحيلاdeparture
قُلتُ لَمّا أَزمَعَ الحَيُّ الرَحيلا
أَيُّهاO الحاديthe camel-driver بِهِمwith them رِفقاًgentleness قَليلاa little
أَيُّها الحادي بِهِم رِفقاً قَليلا
I said, when the clan resolved to depart:
When the darling was about to depart I said:
O camel-driver, treat them with a little gentleness.
"O guide, go gently with them for a little while!
قِفhalt رُوَيداًgently بِالمَطاياwith the mounts ساعَةًa moment
قِف رُوَيداً بِالمَطايا ساعَةً
وَدَعِand leave off الوَخدَthe swift stride وَإِيّاكَand beware الذَميلاthe trot
وَدَعِ الوَخدَ وَإِيّاكَ الذَميلا
Halt the mounts gently for a moment,
Stop and stand still with the camels awhile,
and leave off the swift stride, and beware the trot.
And leave off moaning and beware of stooping your neck!"
وَتَأَنَّand take your time الآنَnow وَاِعدُدand reckon أَنَّهاthat it is
وَتَأَنَّ الآنَ وَاِعدُد أَنَّها
مِنكَfrom you نَيلٌa favor لَيسَis not بِدعاًa novelty أَنthat تَنيلاyou bestow
مِنكَ نَيلٌ لَيسَ بِدعاً أَن تَنيلا
And take your time now; consider it
Take your time now, and remember that
a favor from you—it is nothing new for you to give.
You will get from me what is no strange thing to obtain.
إِنَّindeed فيin الأَظعانِthe camel litters أَقمارَmoons دُجىًnight-darkness
إِنَّ في الأَظعانِ أَقمارَ دُجىً
وَشُموساًand suns أَلِفَتhave grown accustomed to ظِلّاًshade ظَليلاdeep and sheltering
وَشُموساً أَلِفَت ظِلّاً ظَليلا
Indeed, within the litters are moons of the dark night,
For in dark slender maidens there are moons at night,
and suns accustomed to deep shade.
And suns that have been used to shade and delicate things.
بِأَبيmy father as ransom سوقٌcalves خِدالٌplump ناعِماتٌsoft
بِأَبي سوقٌ خِدالٌ ناعِماتٌ
وَخُصورٌand waists حَمَلَتbore عِبئاًa burden ثَقيلاheavy
وَخُصورٌ حَمَلَت عِبئاً ثَقيلا
My father be the ransom of those plump, soft calves,
By my life, smooth-sided virgins with flexile forms,
and waists bearing a heavy burden.
Bearing a heavy burden on their shapely hips.
فيaround الخُصورِthe waists الهيفِslender جالَتmoved freely وُشَّحٌgirdles
في الخُصورِ الهيفِ جالَت وُشَّحٌ
لَطُفَتwere delicate وَالسوقُand the calves غَصَّصنَthey choked الحُجولاthe anklets
لَطُفَت وَالسوقُ غَصَّصنَ الحُجولا
Around the slender waists, girdles swayed,
In the plump, bulgy hips pieces of leather shift about
delicate, while the calves choked their anklets.
Moving gently, while the smooth legs tease the imagination.
مُستَقِلاتٌbearing aloft بِأَعجازٍwith haunches ضِخامٍmassive
مُستَقِلاتٌ بِأَعجازٍ ضِخامٍ
كُلُّeach رِدفٍrump مُتعِبٌexhausting خَصراًa waist نَحيلاslender
كُلُّ رِدفٍ مُتعِبٌ خَصراً نَحيلا
Bearing aloft massive haunches,
Independent, with swelling posterior and massive hind-quarters—
each rump exhausting a slender waist.
Each rump moving with a delicate, slender waist.
فَلَئِنthen if ميطَتwere drawn back لَناfor us السُجفُthe curtains عَنِfrom الthe
فَلَئِن ميطَت لَنا السُجفُ عَنِ ال
غيدِgraceful women لِلتَوديعِfor farewell وَدَّعناwe bade farewell to العُقولاreason
غيدِ لِلتَوديعِ وَدَّعنا العُقولا
And if the curtains are drawn back for us from the
If the litters are folded back from them
graceful women at parting, we bid our reason farewell.
To bid farewell, our minds have bidden senses farewell, too.
وَغَدَوناand we became كُلُّناall of us نَحسَبُwe imagine مِنfrom
وَغَدَونا كُلُّنا نَحسَبُ مِن
سُكرِهِhis drunkenness عُوطِيَhe was given إِسفِنطاًspiced wine شَمولاcool wine
سُكرِهِ عُوطِيَ إِسفِنطاً شَمولا
And each of us came to imagine, from
And all of us, when morning is come, will suppose
his drunkenness, that he had been served cool, spiced wine.
Because of the intoxication that we have drained an inflammatory drink.
عِندَهاat that moment لَسناwe are not نَرىseeing إِلاexcept قَتولاًa slayer
عِندَها لَسنا نَرى إِلا قَتولاً
صَرَعَتstruck down أَجفانُهاher eyelids المَرضىlanguid قَتيلاa slain man
صَرَعَت أَجفانُها المَرضى قَتيلا
Then we see none but a slayer,
Then we see nothing but charming girls whose slumbering eyelids
whose languid eyelids have struck a man dead.
Disease has slain—becoming victims.
رَبَّةَlady of البُرقُعِthe face-veil عوجيturn aside عَوجَةًa single turn
رَبَّةَ البُرقُعِ عوجي عَوجَةً
وَأَميطيهِand remove it لِكَيso that نَشفيwe may quench غَليلاburning thirst
وَأَميطيهِ لِكَي نَشفي غَليلا
Lady of the face-veil, turn aside once,
O thou veiled in the cloak, walking with a swinging gait,
and remove it, so we may quench our burning thirst.
Bend toward us, that we may be healed of our cares!
وَعَسىand perhaps طَرفُكِyour glance إِذsince أَضحىhas grown عَليلاًlanguid
وَعَسى طَرفُكِ إِذ أَضحى عَليلاً
أَنthat يُداويmay heal سِحرُهُits magic الصَبَّthe lovesick one العَليلاailing
أَن يُداوي سِحرُهُ الصَبَّ العَليلا
And perhaps your glance, now grown languid,
And perhaps when thy glances have become afflicted
may, by its magic, heal the ailing lover.
Their spell may heal the youth wasted by passion.
إِنindeed فيin فيكِyour mouth لَهُfor him برءاًa cure وَشيكاًswift
إِن في فيكِ لَهُ برءاً وَشيكاً
إِنif غَداhe begins يَرشِفُhe sips مِنهُfrom it السَلسَبيلاSalsabil's sweet water
إِن غَدا يَرشِفُ مِنهُ السَلسَبيلا
Indeed, in your mouth is swift healing for him,
In thy mouth for him is a healing draught,
if he begins to sip Salsabil from it.
If he breaks out in sweat from it tomorrow at dawn.
قالَتِshe said اِعزُبbe gone وَيكَwoe to you لاdo not تَطمَعyou hope فَكَمfor how many
قالَتِ اِعزُب وَيكَ لا تَطمَع فَكَم
طَمَعhope مِنfrom عاشِقٍa lover أَردىstruck down قَتيلاdead
طَمَع مِن عاشِقٍ أَردى قَتيلا
She said: Begone! Woe to you! Do not hope—for many
She said, "Avoid me and leave off hoping, for many a lover
a lover's hope has struck him down dead.
Has hope destroyed, and he lies slain!"
فَعَقيلاتُfor the noble ladies بَنيsons of عُذرَةَUdhra كَمhow often
فَعَقيلاتُ بَني عُذرَةَ كَم
سَلَبَتstole بِالحُسنِwith beauty وَالدَلِّand coquetry عُقولاminds
سَلَبَت بِالحُسنِ وَالدَلِّ عُقولا
For the noble ladies of Banu Udhra—how often
The girls of the tribe of ‘Udhrah—how many
have they stolen minds with beauty and coquetry!
Minds have they robbed by their cheeks and their sport!
كُلُّevery هَيفاءَslender-waisted woman رداحٍample-hipped طفلَةٍsoft-skinned
كُلُّ هَيفاءَ رداحٍ طفلَةٍ
حُسنُهاher beauty لِلحُسنِfor beauty فيin الخَلقِcreation هَيولاprimal matter
حُسنُها لِلحُسنِ في الخَلقِ هَيولا
Every slender-waisted, ample-hipped, soft-skinned woman—
Every beautiful, softly-nurtured, slender-waisted virgin—
her beauty is the primal substance of beauty in creation.
Her beauty for beauty’s sake is a wildly confused creation.
وَلَعَمريand by my life إِنَّindeed قَلبيmy heart مِنكbecause of you فيin
وَلَعَمري إِنَّ قَلبي مِنك في
لَوعَةٍburning anguish أَلقَتhas lodged بِهِwithin it الداءَthe illness الدَخيلاdeep-seated
لَوعَةٍ أَلقَت بِهِ الداءَ الدَخيلا
And by my life, my heart because of you is in
By my life, surely my heart is burnt with grief for thee
a burning anguish that has lodged a deep-seated sickness within it.
And disease has entered it and settled down heavily.
غَيرَexcept أَنَّthat الخَوفَfear مِنof غَيرِjealousy بَنيsons of الthe
غَيرَ أَنَّ الخَوفَ مِن غَيرِ بَني ال
عَمِّpaternal uncle قَدhas أَلزَمَنيcompelled me عَنكaway from you الذُهولاforgetfulness
عَمِّ قَد أَلزَمَني عَنك الذُهولا
Yet fear of the jealousy of the sons of my
But fear of other than the sons of my uncle
paternal uncle has forced me to put you out of mind.
Has forced me to affect ignorance of thee.
ماnot تَرىyou see السُمرَthe brown lances العَواليtall شُرَّعاًleveled
ما تَرى السُمرَ العَوالي شُرَّعاً
وَعِتاقَand noble-bred الخَيلِhorses يُعلِنَّthey sound aloud الصَهيلاneighing
وَعِتاقَ الخَيلِ يُعلِنَّ الصَهيلا
Do you not see the tall brown lances leveled,
You will not see the tall, splendid arrows
and noble-bred horses neighing aloud,
With the horses' trappings, acredited with noble deeds.
وَالمَواضيand keen blades يَتَلَمَّظنَthey lick their lips سِماماًvenom
وَالمَواضي يَتَلَمَّظنَ سِماماً
وَالعَواليand the tall lances يَتَأَطَّرنَthey bend ذُبولاslender and supple
وَالعَوالي يَتَأَطَّرنَ ذُبولا
and keen blades licking their lips with venom,
Nor the level plains writhing with serpents
and the tall lances bending, slender and supple,
And the hills wrapped up in their striped garments.
وَالدُروعَand the coats of mail السابِرِياتِSabiri أَفاضَتpoured forth
وَالدُروعَ السابِرِياتِ أَفاضَت
غُدراًpools تَبغيseeking عَلىover الخَيلِthe horses مَسيلاa channel
غُدراً تَبغي عَلى الخَيلِ مَسيلا
and Sabiri coats of mail pouring forth
Nor coats of mail pouring forth,
pools seeking a channel over the horses,
Eager for war on horses accustomed to the fray.
وَبَنيand sons of العَمِّthe paternal uncle مُشيحينَintent إِلىtoward الthe
وَبَني العَمِّ مُشيحينَ إِلى ال
حَربِwar يَدعونَthey summon رَعيلاًa troop فَرَعيلاthen another troop
حَربِ يَدعونَ رَعيلاً فَرَعيلا
and my cousins, intent on
Nor the sons of my uncle calling together,
war, summoning troop after troop?
Troop after troop, the battalions to battle.
وَمَتىand whenever ماever يَدعُcalls باسِميby my name مُستَعيرٌa borrower
وَمَتى ما يَدعُ باسِمي مُستَعيرٌ
أَغضَبَhe angers الشُّمَّthe lofty العَرانينَnoses الفُحولاthe mighty champions
أَغضَبَ الشُّمَّ العَرانينَ الفُحولا
And whenever a borrower calls out my name,
And whenever one demands my name as a lender,
he angers the proud-nosed, mighty champions.
It angers the noble heroes passionately.
وَاِشمَعَلَّتand rushed forth بِالقَناwith lances أُسدُlions وَغىًbattle
وَاِشمَعَلَّت بِالقَنا أُسدُ وَغىً
تَملأُfilling الحَزنَthe rugged ground خُيولاًwith horses وَالسُهولاand the plains
تَملأُ الحَزنَ خُيولاً وَالسُهولا
And battle's lions rush forth with their lances,
And lions of war, raging in the thickets,
filling rugged ground and plains with horses,
Roaring, that fill depression and hill with gloom—
فيin اِقتِحامٍa charge يَملأُfills الأُفقَthe horizon قتاماًwith dust
في اِقتِحامٍ يَملأُ الأُفقَ قتاماً
وَمَقامٍand a stand يَملأُfills السَمعَhearing صَليلاwith clanging
وَمَقامٍ يَملأُ السَمعَ صَليلا
in a charge that fills the horizon with dust,
In an onslaught that fills the horizon with darkness,
and a stand that fills the ear with clanging.
And a battle that fills the ear with ringing—
وَكُماةٍand armored warriors لاnot تَرىyou see إِلّاexcept جَواداًa generous man
وَكُماةٍ لا تَرى إِلّا جَواداً
مِنهُمُamong them بِالمالِwith wealth بِالعِرضِwith honor بَخيلاsparing
مِنهُمُ بِالمالِ بِالعِرضِ بَخيلا
And armored warriors—you see none but men generous
And a band you see only noble stallions among them,
with wealth among them, but jealous of their honor.
Loath to spend from their possessions, however small—
فَهُمُfor they لَوif صَدَمواthey charged against يَوماًone day ثَبيراًThabir
فَهُمُ لَو صَدَموا يَوماً ثَبيراً
لأَعادوهُthey would surely turn it كَثيباًa sandhill ماindeed (emphatic) مَهيلاloose and crumbling
لأَعادوهُ كَثيباً ما مَهيلا
For if they charged one day against Thabir,
Were they to meet some thick affair,
they would surely turn it into a mound of crumbling sand.
They would return it gaping and open-mouthed.
لَمnever يَزالواthey ceased شاهِريbaring أَسيافِهِمtheir swords
لَم يَزالوا شاهِري أَسيافِهِم
لِنِزالٍfor combat أَوor لأَنin order to يَقرواthey feed نَزيلاa guest
لِنِزالٍ أَو لأَن يَقروا نَزيلا
They have never ceased to bare their swords
They have never ceased baring their blades
for combat, or to feed a guest.
For battle, or sheltering a guest in their abode.
Sol 6.1