أُداريI try to soothe المُقلَتَينِthe two eyes عَنِaway from اِبنِthe son of لَيلىLayla
أُداري المُقلَتَينِ عَنِ اِبنِ لَيلى
وَيَأبىand refuses دَمعُهاtheir tears إِلّاanything but لَجاجاobstinate persistence
وَيَأبى دَمعُها إِلّا لَجاجا
I try to turn my eyes away from Ibn Layla,
yet their tears persist, refusing to relent.
لَهاthey have ثَبطٌlanguor عَلىthrough الأَيّامِthe days باقٍlasting
لَها ثَبطٌ عَلى الأَيّامِ باقٍ
تَجيشُsurges بِهاwithin them مَعيناًas flowing spring-water أَوأُجاجاor bitter brine
تَجيشُ بِها مَعيناً أَوأُجاجا
A lasting languor stays with them through the days;
within them fresh streams or bitter brine surge up.
كَأَنَّas though بِهاwithin them رَكِيَّةَa well مُستَميتٍof a desperate man
كَأَنَّ بِها رَكِيَّةَ مُستَميتٍ
يُخَضخِضُهاhe churns it بُكوراًat dawn وَاِدِّلاجاand by night
يُخَضخِضُها بُكوراً وَاِدِّلاجا
As though they held a desperate man's well,
which he churns at dawn and in the night.
أَذودُI drive away النَفسَthe soul عَنهُfrom him وَذاكَand that مِنهاwithin it
أَذودُ النَفسَ عَنهُ وَذاكَ مِنها
عِنانٌa rein ماnot مَلَكتُI mastered لَهُfor it مَعاجاa turning
عِنانٌ ما مَلَكتُ لَهُ مَعاجا
I drive my soul away from him, yet within it lies
a rein whose turning I have never mastered.
كَأَنَّas though العَينَthe eye بَعدَafter اليَومَthis day جُرحٌa wound
كَأَنَّ العَينَ بَعدَ اليَومَ جُرحٌ
إِذاwhen طَبّواthey treated لَهُit غَلَبَdefeated العِلاجاthe treatment
إِذا طَبّوا لَهُ غَلَبَ العِلاجا
As though the eye, after this day, were a wound
that defeats treatment whenever they try to heal it.
تَجُمَّbrims عَلىaround القَذىthe mote وَتَفيضُand overflows دَمعاًwith tears
تَجُمَّ عَلى القَذى وَتَفيضُ دَمعاً
مَطالُthe lingering of الداءِthe disease وَادَعَmade a truce ثُمَّthen هاجاflared
مَطالُ الداءِ وَادَعَ ثُمَّ هاجا
It brims around the mote and pours out tears;
the lingering disease made a truce, then flared.
وَأَينَand where كَفارِسِlike the champion of الفُرسانِthe horsemen عَمرٍوʿAmr
وَأَينَ كَفارِسِ الفُرسانِ عَمرٍو
إِذاwhen رُزءٌa calamity مِنَfrom الحِدثانِfate's vicissitudes فاجاstruck suddenly
إِذا رُزءٌ مِنَ الحِدثانِ فاجا
And where is another like ʿAmr, champion of horsemen,
when a blow of fate comes suddenly?
بِحَقٍّrightly كانَhe was أَوّلَهُمthe first of them وُلوجاًto enter
بِحَقٍّ كانَ أَوّلَهُم وُلوجاً
عَلىinto هَولٍterror وَآخِرَهُمand the last of them خَراجاto leave
عَلى هَولٍ وَآخِرَهُم خَراجا
Rightly, he was the first of them to enter
into terror, and the last of them to leave.
إِذاwhen رَسَبَتsank حَصاةُthe pebble of القَلبِthe heart مِنهُwithin him
إِذا رَسَبَت حَصاةُ القَلبِ مِنهُ
طَفاfloated قَلبُthe heart of الجَبانِthe coward بِهِtherein اِنزِعاجاin panic
طَفا قَلبُ الجَبانِ بِهِ اِنزِعاجا
When the pebble of his heart sank firm,
the coward's heart floated there in panic.
بَكَيتُكَI wept for you لِلسَوابِقِfor the swift steeds موضِعاتٍspeeding onward
بَكَيتُكَ لِلسَوابِقِ موضِعاتٍ
قِماصُthe bucking of السِربِthe herd أَعجَزَwas too difficult أَنto يُعاجاbe turned back
قِماصُ السِربِ أَعجَزَ أَن يُعاجا
I wept for you for the swift steeds, speeding onward,
the herd's bucking beyond all turning back.
يُقَرِّطُهاadorns their ears الأَعِنَّةَwith reins مُبدَلاتٍexchanging
يُقَرِّطُها الأَعِنَّةَ مُبدَلاتٍ
مَكانَin place of جِلالِهاtheir saddlecloths العَلَقَthick blood المُجاجاspewed forth
مَكانَ جِلالِها العَلَقَ المُجاجا
It decks their ears with reins, as they exchange
their saddlecloths for blood spewed forth.
يَدَعنَthey leave عَلىon الأَجالِدِthe hard ground مَوضَحاتٍbone-baring gashes
يَدَعنَ عَلى الأَجالِدِ مَوضَحاتٍ
كَأَنَّas though عَلىon مَفارِقِهاits hair-partings شِجاجاًhead-wounds
كَأَنَّ عَلى مَفارِقِها شِجاجاً
They leave bone-baring gashes in the hard ground,
as though head-wounds marked its hair-partings.
وَإِرقاصِand urging to a bounding gait المَطِيِّthe mounts عَلىdespite وَجاهاtheir foot-soreness
وَإِرقاصِ المَطِيِّ عَلى وَجاها
يَجبُنَthey traverse إِلىtoward العُلىthe heights of glory طُرُقاًroads نِهاجاclear and broad
يَجبُنَ إِلى العُلى طُرُقاً نِهاجا
And for urging the mounts to bound on their sore feet,
cutting clear roads toward the heights of glory,
مُرَنَّقَةَclouded العُيونِin the eyes كَأَنَّas though فيهاwithin them
مُرَنَّقَةَ العُيونِ كَأَنَّ فيها
دِهانَthe oils of مَواقِدٍlamps يَصِفُreveals الزَجاجاthe glass
دِهانَ مَواقِدٍ يَصِفُ الزَجاجا
their eyes clouded, as though within them lay
lamp-oil shining through glass.
وَرِثتَyou inherited عَنِfrom الأَبَينِthe forefathers قَناًspears وَبَأساًand valor
وَرِثتَ عَنِ الأَبَينِ قَناً وَبَأساً
فَأَنفَقتَso you expended اللَهاذِمَthe sharp spearheads وَالزِجاجاand the spear butt-spikes
فَأَنفَقتَ اللَهاذِمَ وَالزِجاجا
You inherited spears and valor from your forefathers,
so you expended the spearheads and the butt-spikes.
وَمُنخَرِقٍand an open wilderness أَخوتَyou befriended السَيفَthe sword فيهِtherein
وَمُنخَرِقٍ أَخوتَ السَيفَ فيهِ
وَحَبلُand the rope of اللَيلِnight يَندَمِجُtwists together اِندِماجاtightly
وَحَبلُ اللَيلِ يَندَمِجُ اِندِماجا
And many an open wilderness where you made the sword your brother,
while the rope of night twisted tightly together,
أَرابَكَit made you wary فَاِكتَلَأتَso you kept watch بِغَيرِwithout رُمحٍa spear
أَرابَكَ فَاِكتَلَأتَ بِغَيرِ رُمحٍ
كَأَنَّas though عَلىon عَوامِلِهِits striking parts سِراجاa lamp
كَأَنَّ عَلى عَوامِلِهِ سِراجا
made you wary, so you kept watch without a spear
that seemed to carry a lamp upon its striking end.
تَوَقَّرُsteady جاشَكَyour courage الأَهوالُthe terrors فيهِtherein
تَوَقَّرُ جاشَكَ الأَهوالُ فيهِ
إِذاwhen اِعتَلَجَwrithed الجَبانُthe coward بِهِtherein اِعتِلاجاviolently
إِذا اِعتَلَجَ الجَبانُ بِهِ اِعتِلاجا
The terrors there steadied your courage,
when the coward writhed there in turmoil.
وَقَدand already جابَcut out الذَميلُthe swift trot عَليكَfor you وَهناًin night's early hours
وَقَد جابَ الذَميلُ عَليكَ وَهناً
مِنَfrom الظَلماءِthe darkness مَدرَعَةًa tunic وَساجاand a cloak
مِنَ الظَلماءِ مَدرَعَةً وَساجا
And the swift trot had cut you, in night's early hours,
a tunic and cloak out of the darkness.
وَمَزلَقَةٍand a slippery place تُرَشُّare scattered بِهاtherein المَناياdeaths
وَمَزلَقَةٍ تُرَشُّ بِها المَنايا
وَتَسمَعُand you hear لِلقُلوبِof hearts بِهاtherein رَجاجاa trembling
وَتَسمَعُ لِلقُلوبِ بِها رَجاجا
And many a slippery place where deaths were scattered,
and where you heard the trembling of hearts,
وَفُقتَand you surpassed بِشَوكِwith the thorns of أَخمَصِكَyour foot's arch العَواليthe tall spears
وَفُقتَ بِشَوكِ أَخمَصِكَ العَوالي
وَيَلقىand finds المَرءُa man لِلغَمِّfrom grief اِنفِراجاrelief
وَيَلقى المَرءُ لِلغَمِّ اِنفِراجا
you outdid the tall spears with the thorns in your sole,
and a man finds release from grief.
وَمُظلِمَةٍand a dark ordeal مِنَamong الغَمَراتِperils عَطشىthirsty
وَمُظلِمَةٍ مِنَ الغَمَراتِ عَطشى
جَعَلتَyou made لَهاfor it مِنَfrom القُضبِswords اِنبِلاجاa dawning
جَعَلتَ لَها مِنَ القُضبِ اِنبِلاجا
And many a dark, thirsty ordeal
you lit with a dawn of swords.
وَمائِلَةٍand a crooked thing أَقَمتَyou straightened لَهاfor it كُعوباًshaft-joints
وَمائِلَةٍ أَقَمتَ لَها كُعوباً
وَقَدand already شَغَرَتit reared up عَلىagainst القَومِthe people اِعوِجاجاcrookedly
وَقَد شَغَرَت عَلى القَومِ اِعوِجاجا
And many a crooked thing whose joints you straightened,
when it had reared crookedly against the people.
وَداهِيَةٍand a calamity تُشَوِّلُrears up بِالذُنابىwith its tail
وَداهِيَةٍ تُشَوِّلُ بِالذُنابى
غَدَوتَyou became لِبابِat the gate of مَطلَعِهاits emergence رِتاجاa barred door
غَدَوتَ لِبابِ مَطلَعِها رِتاجا
And many a calamity brandishing its tail,
you became a shut door at the gate of its coming.
وَمُعضِلَةٍand a knotty problem كَفيتَyou dealt with وَذاتِand one with وَهيٍweakness
وَمُعضِلَةٍ كَفيتَ وَذاتِ وَهيٍ
شَدَدتَyou tightened لَهاfor it العِراقيthe bucket-crossbars وَالعِناجاand the support-rope
شَدَدتَ لَها العِراقي وَالعِناجا
And many a knotty matter you resolved, and many a weakened one
whose bucket-crossbars and support-rope you tightened.
وَفاصِلَةٍand a decisive ruling كَسَيلِlike the torrent of الطودِa mountain عَجلىswift
وَفاصِلَةٍ كَسَيلِ الطودِ عَجلى
قَطَعتَyou cut off بِهاwith it التَشادُقَbombast وَالضَجاجاand clamor
قَطَعتَ بِها التَشادُقَ وَالضَجاجا
And many a decisive ruling, swift as a mountain torrent,
with which you cut short bombast and clamor.
وَآنِيَةِand slow-cooking اللُحومِin flesh مِنَamong القَضاياthe cases
وَآنِيَةِ اللُحومِ مِنَ القَضايا
أَعَدتَyou applied anew لَهُنَّto them كَيّاًcautery أَوor نُضاجاthorough cooking
أَعَدتَ لَهُنَّ كَيّاً أَو نُضاجا
And cases whose flesh was slow to cook,
you gave them cautery anew, or cooked them through.
وَشارِدَةٍand a runaway رَبَطتَyou fastened لَهاfor it الحَواياthe saddle-pads
وَشارِدَةٍ رَبَطتَ لَها الحَوايا
وَقَدand already مَرِحَplayed loose البِطانُthe belly-girth بِهاon it وَماجاand swayed
وَقَد مَرِحَ البِطانُ بِها وَماجا
And many a runaway whose saddle-pads you bound,
when its belly-girth had played loose and swayed.
وَرَأيٍand counsel يَفرُقُcleaves الجُلّىthe gravest calamity وَيَهديand guides
وَرَأيٍ يَفرُقُ الجُلّى وَيَهدي
وَراءَbeyond مَضيقِهاits narrow pass سُبُلاًpaths فِجاجاbroad
وَراءَ مَضيقِها سُبُلاً فِجاجا
And counsel that cleaves the gravest calamity and guides
to broad paths beyond its narrow pass,
قَطَعتَyou cut off بِمَطرَبَيهِwith its two courses عَلىdespite تَمارٍdispute
قَطَعتَ بِمَطرَبَيهِ عَلى تَمارٍ
خِلاجَthe wavering of الشَكِّdoubt إِنَّindeed لَهُit has خِلاجاwavering
خِلاجَ الشَكِّ إِنَّ لَهُ خِلاجا
with its two courses, despite dispute, you cut off
the wavering of doubt—for doubt does waver.
كَأَنَّكَas though you صُبتَrained down مِنهُfrom it بِذاتِwith one possessing فَرعٍa branching crest
كَأَنَّكَ صُبتَ مِنهُ بِذاتِ فَرعٍ
عَلىonto البَوغاءِloose earth لَبَّدَتِit laid low العَجاجاthe swirling dust
عَلى البَوغاءِ لَبَّدَتِ العَجاجا
As though through it you brought down rain from a branching cloud
upon loose earth, laying the swirling dust low.
كَمَزلَقَةِlike a slippery blade for الذُبابِflies إِذاwhen أُمِرَّتit is passed
كَمَزلَقَةِ الذُبابِ إِذا أُمِرَّت
عَلىover ذيone with الداءِdisease بالِغَتِit reached deep into الوِداجاthe jugular vein
عَلى ذي الداءِ بالِغَتِ الوِداجا
Like a blade too smooth for flies to cling to, when passed
over the sick, it reaches deep into the jugular.
لَئِنif indeed نَبَحَتهُbarked at it آوِنَةًfrom time to time كِلابٌdogs
لَئِن نَبَحَتهُ آوِنَةً كِلابٌ
لَقَدsurely لَبِسَتthey tangled with بِهِthrough it الأَسَدَthe lion المُهاجاprovoked
لَقَد لَبِسَت بِهِ الأَسَدَ المُهاجا
If dogs have barked at it from time to time,
they have surely tangled through it with a roused lion.
فَمَنwho then يَزَعُrestrains العُرَيبَthe little Arab tribes إِذاwhen تَناغَتthey trade taunts
فَمَن يَزَعُ العُرَيبَ إِذا تَناغَت
وَيَضرِبُand sets up بَينَbetween غارِبِهاtheir withers سِياجاa fence
وَيَضرِبُ بَينَ غارِبِها سِياجا
Who, then, will restrain the little Arab tribes when they trade taunts,
and set a fence between their withers?
وَيُذكِرُهاand reminds them of الحُلومَforbearance عَلىdespite تَناسٍforgetfulness
وَيُذكِرُها الحُلومَ عَلى تَناسٍ
وَقَدand already بَلَغَتhave reached حَفائِظُهاtheir resentments الهِياجاfrenzy
وَقَد بَلَغَت حَفائِظُها الهِياجا
And remind them of forbearance when they forget,
when their resentments have reached a frenzy?
يُحاجِجُهاhe argues with them عَنِfor الأَرحامِkinship ties حَتّىuntil
يُحاجِجُها عَنِ الأَرحامِ حَتّى
يُقِرَّacknowledge القَومُthe people أَنَّthat لَهُhe has الحِجاجاthe winning argument
يُقِرَّ القَومُ أَنَّ لَهُ الحِجاجا
Who will plead with them for kinship's sake, until
the people admit that the winning argument is his?
وَمَنand who رَدَّbrought back النَقائِذَthe rescued herds بَعدَafter يَأسٍdespair
وَمَن رَدَّ النَقائِذَ بَعدَ يَأسٍ
وَقَدand already جاوَزنَthey had passed ضُوراًḌūr وَالوِلاجاand al-Wilaj
وَقَد جاوَزنَ ضُوراً وَالوِلاجا
And who brought back the captured herds after despair,
when they had passed Ḍūr and al-Wilaj?
تَغَلغَلَwormed their way فيinto النَفاقِdeceit قُنِيُّthe spears of سَعدٍSaʿd
تَغَلغَلَ في النَفاقِ قُنِيُّ سَعدٍ
رَواغَwith the evasions of الذِئبِthe wolf قَدalready وَلَجَentered الحِراجاthe thickets
رَواغَ الذِئبِ قَد وَلَجَ الحِراجا
Saʿd's spears wormed their way into deceit,
with a wolf's evasions once it has entered the thickets.
تَمادَحَتِpraised one another الرَبابُal-Rabab بِهِover him وَكانَتand they had been
تَمادَحَتِ الرَبابُ بِهِ وَكانَت
تُنابَزُtrading insults بِالمَعائِبِabout faults أَوor تُهاجىexchanging lampoons
تُنابَزُ بِالمَعائِبِ أَو تُهاجى
Al-Rabab praised one another over him, though they had been
trading insults about faults, or exchanging lampoons.
بِرُغميagainst my wishes أَنthat يَكُنَّthey should قَناthe spears of تَميمٍTamim
بِرُغمي أَن يَكُنَّ قَنا تَميمٍ
قَضَينَfulfilled عَلىat الذَنائِبِal-Dhanaʾib مِنكَfrom you حاجاa desire
قَضَينَ عَلى الذَنائِبِ مِنكَ حاجا
It grieves me that the spears of Tamim should have
fulfilled their desire for you at al-Dhanaʾib.
حَمَيتَyou defended مَنابِتَthe growing places of الرَمرامِramram plants مِنهُمagainst them
حَمَيتَ مَنابِتَ الرَمرامِ مِنهُم
وَأَخلَيتَand you emptied الأَناعِمَal-Anaʿim وَالنَباجاand al-Nabaj
وَأَخلَيتَ الأَناعِمَ وَالنَباجا
You defended the ramram's growing grounds against them,
and left al-Anaʿim and al-Nabaj empty.
مَنَعتَهُمُyou denied them اللِقاحَmilch-camels وَمُلقَحاتٍand pregnant she-camels
مَنَعتَهُمُ اللِقاحَ وَمُلقَحاتٍ
يَكادُalmost الخَوفُfear يَمنَعُهاprevents them from النَتاجاcalving
يَكادُ الخَوفُ يَمنَعُها النَتاجا
You denied them milch-camels—and pregnant she-camels
that fear almost kept from calving.
فَماso not لَقِحَتthey conceived لَهُمfor them إِلّاexcept اِختِلاساًfurtively
فَما لَقِحَت لَهُم إِلّا اِختِلاساً
وَلاand not وَلَدَتthey gave birth لَهُمfor them إِلّاexcept خِداجاprematurely
وَلا وَلَدَت لَهُم إِلّا خِداجا
So they conceived for them only furtively,
and bore for them only prematurely.
أَبىwould accept nothing الباغونَthose seeking مِثلَthe equal of مَداكَyour reach إِلّاexcept
أَبى الباغونَ مِثلَ مَداكَ إِلّا
ضَلالاًstraying عَنfrom طَريقِكَyour path وَاِنعِراجاand turning aside
ضَلالاً عَن طَريقِكَ وَاِنعِراجا
Those who sought to match your reach gained nothing but
straying from your path and turning aside.
سَأَبعَثُهاI shall send them forth عَلَيكَover you مُسقِفاتٍforming a canopy
سَأَبعَثُها عَلَيكَ مُسقِفاتٍ
طِباقَcovering الأَرضِthe earth أُطلِعُهاI lead them up الفِجاجاthe broad passes
طِباقَ الأَرضِ أُطلِعُها الفِجاجا
I shall send them forth over you, forming a canopy
across the earth; I shall lead them up its broad passes.
مُسالاتِwith long-flowing الأَغِرَّةِforehead blazes مُلجَماتٍbridled
مُسالاتِ الأَغِرَّةِ مُلجَماتٍ
وِحاداًsingly أَوor مُقَرَّنَةًcoupled زِواجاin pairs
وِحاداً أَو مُقَرَّنَةً زِواجا
With flowing forehead blazes, bridled,
singly, or coupled together in pairs.
وَأَجعَلُهاand I make them سُلوّاًa solace بَعدَafter يَأسٍdespair
وَأَجعَلُها سُلوّاً بَعدَ يَأسٍ
وَمِنand from أَلَمِthe pain of الصَدىthirst وَرَدَone comes to drink الأُجاجاbitter brine
وَمِن أَلَمِ الصَدى وَرَدَ الأُجاجا
And I shall make them a solace after despair;
and from thirst's agony one comes to drink bitter brine.
أَقاضٍis ... paying? حَقَّthe due of قَبرِكَyour grave ذوone possessing غَرامٍardent love
أَقاضٍ حَقَّ قَبرِكَ ذو غَرامٍ
أَعاجَmade turn aside الرَكبَthe caravan عَنfrom طَرَبٍlonging وَعاجاand turned aside himself
أَعاجَ الرَكبَ عَن طَرَبٍ وَعاجا
Does a man bound by love pay your grave its due,
who turned the caravan aside in longing, and turned himself,
يُريقُhe pours عَليكَupon you ماءَthe water of القَلبِthe heart صِرفاًunmixed
يُريقُ عَليكَ ماءَ القَلبِ صِرفاً
وَماءُand the water of العَينِthe eye يَجعَلُهُhe makes it مِزاجاan admixture
وَماءُ العَينِ يَجعَلُهُ مِزاجا
pouring upon you the unmixed water of his heart,
and mixing it with the water of his eyes?
وَلَوand if بَلَغَattained المُنىits wishes إِنسانُthe pupil of عَينيmy eye
وَلَو بَلَغَ المُنى إِنسانُ عَيني
خَلاit withdrew مِنهاfrom it وَأَسكَنَكَand lodged you الحُجاجاin the eye-socket
خَلا مِنها وَأَسكَنَكَ الحُجاجا
And if the pupil of my eye could attain its wish,
it would vacate the eye and lodge you in its socket.
Sol 6.1