أَقولُI say لِرَكبٍto a caravan رائِحينَdeparting لَعَلَّكُمperhaps you
أَقولُ لِرَكبٍ رائِحينَ لَعَلَّكُم
تَحِلّونَyou alight مِنfrom بَعديafter me العَقيقَal-Aqiq اليَمانِياthe Yemeni
تَحِلّونَ مِن بَعدي العَقيقَ اليَمانِيا
I say to a departing caravan: perhaps you
I say to the departing caravan, perhaps after me
will alight after me at the Yemeni al-Aqiq.
You will get Yemeni agate.
خُذواtake نَظرَةًa glance مِنّيfrom me فَلاقواthen greet بِهاwith it الحِمىthe protected pasture
خُذوا نَظرَةً مِنّي فَلاقوا بِها الحِمى
وَنَجداًand Najd وَكُثبانَand the dunes of اللِوىal-Liwa وَالمَطالِياand al-Matali
وَنَجداً وَكُثبانَ اللِوى وَالمَطالِيا
Take a glance from me, and with it greet the protected pasture,
Take a glance from me and meet the sanctuary,
and Najd, and the dunes of al-Liwa, and al-Matali.
And Najd, the sand dunes twisting and winding.
وَمُرّواand pass عَلىby أَبياتِthe tents of حَيٍّa clan بِرامَةٍat Ramah
وَمُرّوا عَلى أَبياتِ حَيٍّ بِرامَةٍ
فَقولواthen say لَديغٌone stung يَبتَغيseeks اليَومَtoday راقِياa charm-healer
فَقولوا لَديغٌ يَبتَغي اليَومَ راقِيا
And pass by the tents of a clan at Ramah,
Pass by the tents of a loving family in Ramah,
then say: one stung seeks a healer with charms today.
And say: a bitten one today seeks a healer.
عَدِمتُI lack دَوائيmy remedy بِالعِراقِin Iraq فَرُبَّماso perhaps
عَدِمتُ دَوائي بِالعِراقِ فَرُبَّما
وَجَدتُمyou find بِنَجدٍin Najd ليfor me طَبيباًa physician مُداوِياhealing
وَجَدتُم بِنَجدٍ لي طَبيباً مُداوِيا
I have found no remedy in Iraq; perhaps
I lost my medicine in Iraq, so maybe
you will find in Najd a physician to heal me.
You will find a curer to heal me in Najd.
وَقولواand say لِجيرانٍto neighbors عَلىat الخَيفِal-Khayf مِنof مِنىًMina
وَقولوا لِجيرانٍ عَلى الخَيفِ مِن مِنىً
تَراكُمI wonder about you مَنِwhom اِستَبدَلتُمُyou took in exchange بِجِوارِياfor my company as a neighbor
تَراكُم مَنِ اِستَبدَلتُمُ بِجِوارِيا
And say to neighbors at al-Khayf in Mina:
And say to neighbors at Khayf from Mina:
I wonder whom you have taken in place of me as your neighbor.
You replaced whose neighborhood with me?
وَمَنand who حَلَّsettled in ذاكَthat الشِعبَthe ravine بَعديafter me وَراشَقَتand traded darts with
وَمَن حَلَّ ذاكَ الشِعبَ بَعدي وَراشَقَت
لَواحِظُهُhis glances تِلكَthose الظِباءَthe gazelles الجَوازِياneeding no drinking-water
لَواحِظُهُ تِلكَ الظِباءَ الجَوازِيا
And who settled in that ravine after me, whose
And who descended on that hill after me, and his
glances traded darts with those gazelles that need no water?
Concubines watched those gazelles frolic?
وَمَنand who وَرَدَcame to الماءَthe water الَّذيwhich كُنتُI was وارِداًfrequenting
وَمَن وَرَدَ الماءَ الَّذي كُنتُ وارِداً
بِهِto it وَرَعىand grazed الرَوضَthe meadow الَّذيwhich كُنتُI was راعِياgrazing
بِهِ وَرَعى الرَوضَ الَّذي كُنتُ راعِيا
And who came to the water I used to frequent,
And who arrived at the water I frequented,
and grazed the meadow where I used to graze?
And grazed on the meadow I shepherded?
فَوالَهفَتيso, oh my anguish كَمhow many ليI have عَلىat الخَيفِal-Khayf شَهقَةًa sob
فَوالَهفَتي كَم لي عَلى الخَيفِ شَهقَةً
تَذوبُmelts عَليهاwith it قِطعَةٌa piece مِنof فُؤادِياmy heart
تَذوبُ عَليها قِطعَةٌ مِن فُؤادِيا
Ah, my anguish! How many a sob I have at al-Khayf,
By my fervor! How many sighs at Khayf I have
with each one, a piece of my heart melts away.
That melt away a piece of my heart!
صَفاgrew tranquil العَيشُlife مِنfrom بَعديafter me لَحَيٍّfor a clan عَلىon النَقاal-Naqa, the sand ridge
صَفا العَيشُ مِن بَعدي لَحَيٍّ عَلى النَقا
حَلَفتُI swore لَهُمto them لاnot أَقرَبُI approach الماءَthe water صافِياclear
حَلَفتُ لَهُم لا أَقرَبُ الماءَ صافِيا
Life grew tranquil for a clan on al-Naqa after I left;
Life was free of sorrows at Khayf. I swore
I swore to them never to approach clear water.
I will not go near the fresh water.
فَياthen O جَبَلَmountain of الرَيّانِal-Rayyan إِنif تَعَرyou become bare مِنهُمُof them
فَيا جَبَلَ الرَيّانِ إِن تَعَر مِنهُمُ
فَإِنّيthen I سَأَكسوكَshall clothe you الدُموعَthe tears الجَوارِياstreaming
فَإِنّي سَأَكسوكَ الدُموعَ الجَوارِيا
O Mount al-Rayyan, if you are left bare of them,
Oh Hill of Rayyan! If they pass you,
then I shall clothe you in streaming tears.
I will cover you with my weeping concubines.
وَياand oh قُربَthe swiftness ماwith which أَنكَرتُمُyou disowned العَهدَthe pledge بَينَناbetween us
وَيا قُربَ ما أَنكَرتُمُ العَهدَ بَينَنا
نَسيتُمyou forgot وَماthough not اِستَودَعتُمُyou entrusted الوُدَّlove ناسِياa forgetful person
نَسيتُم وَما اِستَودَعتُمُ الوُدَّ ناسِيا
And how soon you disowned the pledge between us!
Oh Tombs! How you denied our pact!
You forgot, though you had entrusted love to no forgetful soul.
You forgot, though I entrusted tenderness in you.
أَأَنكَرتُمُhave you disowned? تَسليمَناour greetings لَيلَةَthe night of النَقاal-Naqa, the sand ridge
أَأَنكَرتُمُ تَسليمَنا لَيلَةَ النَقا
وَمَوقِفَناand our standing نَرميwe throw الجِمارَthe ritual pebbles لَيالِياby night
وَمَوقِفَنا نَرمي الجِمارَ لَيالِيا
Have you disowned our greetings on the night at al-Naqa,
Did you forget our standing at Mina the night of departure,
and our standing together, casting pebbles through the nights?
Throwing pebbles at the Jamras night after night?
عَشِيَّةَthe evening when جارانيvied with me بِعَينَيهِwith his two eyes شادِنٌa young gazelle
عَشِيَّةَ جاراني بِعَينَيهِ شادِنٌ
حَديثَtalk of النَوىseparation حَتّىuntil رَمىhe cast بيme المَرامِياfar-off reaches
حَديثَ النَوى حَتّى رَمى بي المَرامِيا
That evening a young gazelle vied with me through his eyes,
The eve before, my neighbor shot me with his eyes,
in talk of separation, until he cast me far afield.
Talking of aims until he threw me with his shots.
رَمىhe shot at مَقتَليmy vital spot مِنfrom بَينِbetween سِجفيthe two folds of عَبيطِهِhis crimson robe
رَمى مَقتَلي مِن بَينِ سِجفي عَبيطِهِ
فَياso O رامِياًarcher لاmay not مَسَّكَtouch you السوءُevil رامِياshooting
فَيا رامِياً لا مَسَّكَ السوءُ رامِيا
He shot at my vital spot from between the folds of his crimson robe;
He threw my death from his quiver,
so, archer, may evil's arrows never touch you!
So shooter, may no misfortune hit you as a shooter!
فَياso, oh لَيتَنيif only I لَمdid not أَعلُI climb نَشزاًa rise إِلَيكُمُtoward you
فَيا لَيتَني لَم أَعلُ نَشزاً إِلَيكُمُ
حَراماًas a consecrated pilgrim وَلَمand did not أَهبِطI descend مِنَof الأَرضِthe land وادِياa valley
حَراماً وَلَم أَهبِط مِنَ الأَرضِ وادِيا
If only I had never climbed a rise toward you,
Would that I did not know anything forbidden to you,
as a consecrated pilgrim, nor descended into a valley of the land,
Would that I did not come down to the valley floor,
وَلَمand did not أَدرِI know ماwhat جَمعٌJam' وَماand what جَمرَتاthe two stoning-sites of مِنىًMina
وَلَم أَدرِ ما جَمعٌ وَما جَمرَتا مِنىً
وَلَمand did not أَلقَI meet فيamong اللاقينَthose I met حَيّاًa clan يَمانِياYemeni
وَلَم أَلقَ في اللاقينَ حَيّاً يَمانِيا
nor known what Jam' was, or Mina's two stoning-sites,
Would that I did not know what Mina assembles,
nor met, among those I met, a Yemeni clan.
Would that I did not meet a living Yemeni!
وَياand oh وَيحَalas for قَلبيmy heart كَيفَhow زايَدتُI raised my bid فيin مِنىًMina
وَيا وَيحَ قَلبي كَيفَ زايَدتُ في مِنىً
بِذيat Dhu البانِal-Ban لاnot يُشرَينَthey are bought إِلّاexcept غَوالِياdearly
بِذي البانِ لا يُشرَينَ إِلّا غَوالِيا
Ah, my poor heart! How I bid higher in Mina,
Oh woe to my heart! How excessively did I socialize
at Dhu al-Ban, where they are bought only at great cost!
With impudent people who only buy strife!
تَرَحَّلتُI departed عَنكُمfrom you ليI have أَمامِيَahead of me نَظرَةٌa glance
تَرَحَّلتُ عَنكُم لي أَمامِيَ نَظرَةٌ
وَعَشرٌand ten وَعَشرٌand ten نَحوَكُمtoward you ليI have وَرائِياbehind me
وَعَشرٌ وَعَشرٌ نَحوَكُم لي وَرائِيا
I departed from you with one glance ahead of me,
I went away with my eyes looking forward to you,
and ten, and ten more, behind me toward you.
And backward, with passion for you within me.
وَمِنand out of حَذَرٍfear لاnot أَسأَلُI ask الرَكبَthe caravan عَنكُمُabout you
وَمِن حَذَرٍ لا أَسأَلُ الرَكبَ عَنكُمُ
وَأَعلاقُand the bonds of وَجديmy longing باقِياتٌremaining كَماas هِياthey are
وَأَعلاقُ وَجدي باقِياتٌ كَما هِيا
Out of fear, I do not ask the caravan about you,
Fearing I do not ask the caravan about you,
while the bonds of my longing remain just as they are.
Though my throats are still as they were.
وَمَنand whoever يَسأَلِasks الرُكبانَthe riders عَنabout كُلِّevery غائِبٍabsent person
وَمَن يَسأَلِ الرُكبانَ عَن كُلِّ غائِبٍ
فَلاthen no بُدَّescape أَنthat يَلقىhe meets بَشيراًa bearer of good news وَناعِياand a death-messenger
فَلا بُدَّ أَن يَلقى بَشيراً وَناعِيا
Whoever asks riders about every absent one
He who asks the riders about every absent one,
must meet a bearer of glad tidings and a messenger of death.
Is bound to receive the bearer of good news or the mourner.
وَماand no مُغزِلٌa doe with a fawn أَدماءُwhite-coated تُزجيurges onward بِرَوضَةٍin a meadow
وَما مُغزِلٌ أَدماءُ تُزجي بِرَوضَةٍ
طَلاًa fawn قاصِراًfalling short عَنof غايَةِthe farthest reach of السِربِthe herd وانِياweary
طَلاً قاصِراً عَن غايَةِ السِربِ وانِيا
And no white doe with a fawn, urging through a meadow
No spindle bloodied with slain ones brings pasture
a weary fawn unable to keep up with the herd,
Too short of the goal of the troupe wandering astray,
لَهاshe has بَغَماتٌlow calls خَلفَهُbehind him تُزعِجُshake الحَشىthe inmost heart
لَها بَغَماتٌ خَلفَهُ تُزعِجُ الحَشى
كَجَسِّlike the touch of العَذارىmaidens يَختَبِرنَthey test المَلاهِياmusical instruments
كَجَسِّ العَذارى يَختَبِرنَ المَلاهِيا
with low calls behind him that shake the heart,
Having sorrows behind that disturb the breast,
like the touch of maidens testing their instruments—
Like the cups of virgins testing amusements.
يَحورُhe responds إِلَيهاto her بِالبُغامِwith a bleat فَتَنثَنيthen she turns back
يَحورُ إِلَيها بِالبُغامِ فَتَنثَني
كَماas اِلتَفَتَturned back المَطلوبُthe hunted يَخشىfearing الأَعادِياthe enemies
كَما اِلتَفَتَ المَطلوبُ يَخشى الأَعادِيا
he answers her with a bleat, and she turns back
It inclines to them sorrowfully as if
like the hunted looking back in fear of their foes—
The sought turned like a frightened enemy.
بِأَروَعَmore terrified مِنthan ظَمياءَZamya قَلباًin heart وَمُهجَةًand in soul
بِأَروَعَ مِن ظَمياءَ قَلباً وَمُهجَةً
غَداةَthe morning when سَمِعناwe heard لِلتَفَرُّقِfor separation داعِياa caller
غَداةَ سَمِعنا لِلتَفَرُّقِ داعِيا
was more terrified in heart and soul than Zamya,
With the most sensitive heart and breast,
the morning we heard a caller announcing separation.
The morning we heard the call for departure.
تُوَدِّعنُاshe bids us farewell ماwhat lies بَينَbetween شَكوىlament وَعَبرَةٍand a tear
تُوَدِّعنُا ما بَينَ شَكوى وَعَبرَةٍ
وَقَدand already أَصبَحَwas that morning الرَكبُthe caravan العِراقِيُّIraqi غادِياsetting out in the morning
وَقَد أَصبَحَ الرَكبُ العِراقِيُّ غادِيا
She bids us farewell between lament and tears,
She bids us farewell, complaining and crying,
while the Iraqi caravan was already setting out that morning.
While the Iraqi caravan went off.
فَلَمso did not أَرَI see يَومَthe day of النَفرِdeparture أَكثَرَmore ضاحِكاًlaughing
فَلَم أَرَ يَومَ النَفرِ أَكثَرَ ضاحِكاً
وَلَمand did not أَرَI see يَومَthe day of النَفرِdeparture أَكثَرَmore باكِياًweeping
وَلَم أَرَ يَومَ النَفرِ أَكثَرَ باكِياً
I never saw so many laughing as on the day of departure,
I did not see a day of departure laughing more
nor did I see so many weeping as on the day of departure.
Nor a day of departure crying more.
Sol 6.1