أَياO جَبَلَيtwo mountains of نَجدٍNajd أَبيناmake clear, you two سُقيتُماmay you both be watered
أَيا جَبَلَي نَجدٍ أَبينا سُقيتُما
مَتىwhen زالَتِdeparted الأَظعانُthe women’s litters ياO جَبَلانِtwo mountains
مَتى زالَتِ الأَظعانُ يا جَبَلانِ
O two mountains of Najd, tell me—may you be watered—
O two mountains of Najd, our father, you were watered,
when did the women’s litters depart, O two mountains?
When did the separation end, O two mountains?
أُناديكُماI call to you both شَوقاًin longing وَأَعلَمُand I know أَنَّهُthat it is so
أُناديكُما شَوقاً وَأَعلَمُ أَنَّهُ
وَإِنand even if طالَis prolonged رَجعُthe echo القَولِof speech لاnot تَعِيانِyou both understand
وَإِن طالَ رَجعُ القَولِ لا تَعِيانِ
I call to you both in longing, knowing that,
I call upon you in yearning, and I know
however long my words resound, you do not understand.
That though the words take long, you do not tire.
أَقولُI say وَقَدand already مَدَّhas spread الظَلامُthe darkness رِواقَهُits canopy
أَقولُ وَقَد مَدَّ الظَلامُ رِواقَهُ
وَأَلقىand has laid عَلىupon هامِthe crowns الرُبىof the hills بِجِرانِwith a camel’s throat
وَأَلقى عَلى هامِ الرُبى بِجِرانِ
I speak when darkness has spread its canopy
I say as the darkness extends its hallways
and laid its camel-throat upon the hilltops:
And casts upon the sand dunes heavy burdens.
نَشَدتُكُماI implore you both أَنto تَضُمانيembrace me, you two ساعَةًfor a moment
نَشَدتُكُما أَن تَضُماني ساعَةً
لَعَلّيperhaps I أَرىmay see النارَthe fire الَّتيthat تَرَيانِyou both see
لَعَلّي أَرى النارَ الَّتي تَرَيانِ
I implore you both to embrace me for a moment,
I implore you to embrace me an hour,
so perhaps I may see the fire you both see,
Perhaps I can see the fire that you both see.
وَأَلقىand I find عَلىat بُعدٍa distance مِنَfrom الدارِthe dwelling نَفحَةًa breath of air
وَأَلقى عَلى بُعدٍ مِنَ الدارِ نَفحَةً
تَذُمُّsafeguards عَلىover عَينيmy eye مِنَfrom الهَمَلانِstreaming tears
تَذُمُّ عَلى عَيني مِنَ الهَمَلانِ
and catch, far from the dwelling, a breath of air
And I cast upon the distance from home a breeze
that guards my eye against streaming tears.
That laments in my eyes from the sands.
قِفاhalt, you two صاحِبَيَّmy two companions اليَومَtoday أَسأَلُI ask ساعَةُa moment
قِفا صاحِبَيَّ اليَومَ أَسأَلُ ساعَةُ
وَلاand do not تُرجِعاsend back, you two سَمعِmy hearing بِغَيرِwithout بَيانِa clear reply
وَلا تُرجِعا سَمعِ بِغَيرِ بَيانِ
Halt, my two companions; today let me question you briefly,
Stand, my two friends, today I ask an hour
and do not send my hearing back without a clear reply.
And do not return my call without response.
هَلِis? الرَبعُthe encampment بَعدَafter الظاعِنينَthose who departed كَعَهدِهِas it once was
هَلِ الرَبعُ بَعدَ الظاعِنينَ كَعَهدِهِ
وَهَلand will? راجِعٌreturning فيهِin it عَلَيَّto me زَمانيmy days
وَهَل راجِعٌ فيهِ عَلَيَّ زَماني
Is the encampment, after its travelers left, as it once was?
Is the land after the two separators as it was?
And will my former days return to me there?
And is my time returning to me in it?
وَهَلand has? مَسَّtouched زاكَthat الشيحَwormwood عِرنَينُthe nose ناشِقِof a sniffer
وَهَل مَسَّ زاكَ الشيحَ عِرنَينُ ناشِقِ
وَهَلand have? ذاقَtasted ماءًwater بِاللَوىat al-Liwā شَفَتانِtwo lips
وَهَل ذاقَ ماءً بِاللَوى شَفَتانِ
And has a sniffer’s nose touched that wormwood,
Has old age touched your flowing hair?
and have two lips tasted water at al-Liwā?
And have your two lips tasted the sweet water?
لَقَدindeed غَدَرَbetrayed الأَظعانُthe women’s litters يَومَon the day of سَويقَةٍSuwayqah
لَقَد غَدَرَ الأَظعانُ يَومَ سَويقَةٍ
وَيَدمىand bleed لِذِكرِat the mention of الغادِرينَthe betrayers بَنانيmy fingertips
وَيَدمى لِذِكرِ الغادِرينَ بَناني
The women’s litters indeed betrayed me on the day of Suwayqah,
The two separators betrayed in Suwaqah’s day,
and my fingertips bleed at the memory of the betrayers.
And my soul bleeds at the memory of the traitors.
وَلاand no عَجَبٌwonder قَلبيmy heart كَماjust as هُنَّthey غادِرٌtreacherous
وَلا عَجَبٌ قَلبي كَما هُنَّ غادِرٌ
عَلىat بَعدَa distance أَنَّthat أَضلاعيmy ribs عَلَيهِaround it حَوانيcurve tenderly
عَلى بَعدَ أَنَّ أَضلاعي عَلَيهِ حَواني
And no wonder: my heart is treacherous, like them,
No wonder, my heart is a traitor to me
from afar, though my ribs curve tenderly around it.
When after being away, my ribs still shelter it.
لَكَfor you اللَهُGod هَلis there? بَعدَafter الصُدودِaversion تَعَطُّفٌtenderness
لَكَ اللَهُ هَل بَعدَ الصُدودِ تَعَطُّفٌ
وَهَلand is there? بَعدَafter رَيعانِthe first flush of البِعادِseparation تَدانيcloseness
وَهَل بَعدَ رَيعانِ البِعادِ تَداني
God be with you! Is there tenderness after aversion,
May God grant, after avoidance is there kindness?
and nearness after separation’s first flush?
And after the distance of youth is there closeness?
وَماand not غَرَضيmy aim أَنّيthat I أَسومُكَimpose on you خُطَّةًa demand
وَما غَرَضي أَنّي أَسومُكَ خُطَّةً
كَفانيsuffices me قَليلٌa little مِنof رِضاكَyour favor كَفانيsuffices me
كَفاني قَليلٌ مِن رِضاكَ كَفاني
Nor do I mean to impose a demand upon you;
My intention is not that I chart you a course,
a little of your favor suffices me—suffices me.
A little of your approval suffices me.
وَعاذِلَةٍand a reproaching woman قُرطٌan earring لَأُذنِيَfor my ear عَذلُهاher reproach
وَعاذِلَةٍ قُرطٌ لَأُذنِيَ عَذلُها
تَلومُshe blames وَماand not ليfor me بِالسُلُوِّfor forgetting love يَدانِtwo hands (power)
تَلومُ وَما لي بِالسُلُوِّ يَدانِ
And a reproaching woman—her reproach an earring for my ear—
And a blamer whose blame is an earring to my ear
blames me, though I have no power to forget.
Blames while I have no control over the matter.
أَعاذَلَتيO my reproacher لَوif أَنَّthat قَلبَكِyour heart كانَwere ليmine
أَعاذَلَتي لَو أَنَّ قَلبَكِ كانَ لي
سَلَوتُI would have forgotten وَلَكِنand yet غَيرُother than قَلبِكِyour heart عانيis captive
سَلَوتُ وَلَكِن غَيرُ قَلبِكِ عاني
O my reproacher, if your heart were mine,
My blamer, if only your heart was mine,
I would have forgotten—but the captive heart is not yours.
I would be silent, but it is another's heart that pains me.
أَلاAh لَيتَwould that ليI had مِنof ماءِthe water of يَبرينَYabrīn شَربَةًa draught
أَلا لَيتَ لي مِن ماءِ يَبرينَ شَربَةً
أَلَذَّsweeter لِقَلبيto my heart مِنthan غَريضِfresh لِبانِmilk
أَلَذَّ لِقَلبي مِن غَريضِ لِبانِ
Ah, would that I had a draught of Yabrīn’s water,
Oh, would that I had a drink from Yabreen's water,
sweeter to my heart than fresh milk.
Sweeter to my heart than the purest nectar,
أُداويI heal بِهاwith it قَلباًa heart عَلىamid النَأيِseparation لَمdid not تَدَعleave
أُداوي بِها قَلباً عَلى النَأيِ لَم تَدَع
بِهِin it فَتَكاتُthe ravages الشَوقِof longing غَيرَother than حَنانِyearning
بِهِ فَتَكاتُ الشَوقِ غَيرَ حَنانِ
With it I would heal a heart where, amid separation, nothing is left
I would heal a heart distanced whom separation left
by longing’s ravages but yearning.
No mercy but yearning.
وَلَولاand were it not for الجَوىlove’s anguish لَمwould not أَبغِI seek إِلّاexcept مُدامَةًwine
وَلَولا الجَوى لَم أَبغِ إِلّا مُدامَةً
بِطَعنِthrough thrusting القَناof spears إِبريقُهاits jug الوَدَجانِthe two jugular veins
بِطَعنِ القَنا إِبريقُها الوَدَجانِ
And were it not for love’s anguish, I would seek only a wine
And were it not for passion, I would want only wineskin
drawn by spear-thrusts, its jug the two jugular veins.
Stabbed by the spout, its jug made of twined fibers.
إِذاwhen سَكِرَgrows drunk العَسالُthe swaying spear مِنfrom قَطَراتِهاits drops
إِذا سَكِرَ العَسالُ مِن قَطَراتِها
سَقَيتُI make drink حُمَيّاهاits fiery strength أَغَرُّgleaming يَمانيYemeni
سَقَيتُ حُمَيّاها أَغَرُّ يَماني
When the swaying spear grows drunk on its drops,
When the honey intoxicates from its drops
I make a gleaming Yemeni blade drink its fiery strength.
I would quench the thirst of its protector, joyous and blessed.
وَليand I have أَمَلٌa hope لاno بُدَّescape أَحمِلُI carry عِبئَهُits burden
وَلي أَمَلٌ لا بُدَّ أَحمِلُ عِبئَهُ
عَلىupon الجُردِthe sleek steeds مِنincluding خَيفانَةٍa fleet mare وَحِصانِand a stallion
عَلى الجُردِ مِن خَيفانَةٍ وَحِصانِ
And I have a hope whose burden I must carry
And I have a hope I must carry its burden
on sleek steeds, fleet mares and stallions,
On the saddlecloth, from Khifaanah and steed.
وَكُلُّand every رَعودِthunderous الشَفرَتَينِon both edges كَأَنَّهُas though it were
وَكُلُّ رَعودِ الشَفرَتَينِ كَأَنَّهُ
سَنىthe radiance البَرقِof lightning إِمّاwhen جَدَّis earnest فيin اللَمَعانِflashing
سَنى البَرقِ إِمّا جَدَّ في اللَمَعانِ
and on every sword thunderous on both edges, as though it were
And every roar of the two hoof-beaters is as though
lightning’s brilliance when it flashes in earnest,
It were lightning repeating itself in flashes.
وَأَسمَرَand a brown spear هَزهازِquivering الكُعوبِat the shaft-joints كَأَنَّهُas though it were
وَأَسمَرَ هَزهازِ الكُعوبِ كَأَنَّهُ
قَراthe back الذِئبِof a wolf مَجبولٌfashioned by nature عَلىfor العَسَلانِloping
قَرا الذِئبِ مَجبولٌ عَلى العَسَلانِ
and on a brown spear, quivering at its joints, as though it were
And the hum of the gray soles is as though
a wolf’s back, fashioned for loping.
It were a wolf trained on honey and treacle.
فَإِنso if أَناI لَمdo not أَركَبundertake عَظيماًsomething mighty فَلاthen may not مَضىcut
فَإِن أَنا لَم أَركَب عَظيماً فَلا مَضى
حُساميmy sword وَلاand may not رَوّىquench the thirst of الطِعانَspear-combat سِنانيmy spearhead
حُسامي وَلا رَوّى الطِعانَ سِناني
So if I do not undertake something mighty, may it never cut—
So if I have not ridden a great one, nor has
my sword—nor may my spearhead slake spear-combat’s thirst.
My sword gone forth, nor wetted its blade with blood.
Sol 6.1