صَدَعَcleft الظَعائِنُthe women in litters قَلبَهُhis heart المُشتاقاyearning
صَدَعَ الظَعائِنُ قَلبَهُ المُشتاقا
بِحَزيزِon the rugged ground of رامَةَRamah إِذwhen أَرَدنَthey wished فِراقاto part
بِحَزيزِ رامَةَ إِذ أَرَدنَ فِراقا
The women in their litters cleft his yearning heart,
The longing has split his lovelorn heart
on Ramah's rugged ground, when they wished to part.
With anguish from Ramah, as she wanted to part
مَنَّينَهُthey gave him hopes فَكَذَبنَthen they lied إِذwhen مَنَّينَهُthey gave him hopes
مَنَّينَهُ فَكَذَبنَ إِذ مَنَّينَهُ
تِلكَthose العُهودَpledges وَخُنَّهُand they betrayed him الميثاقاthe covenant
تِلكَ العُهودَ وَخُنَّهُ الميثاقا
They gave him hopes, then lied when they promised him
She gave him false hopes when giving them
those pledges, betraying their covenant with him.
Those were the pacts, which were then broken
وَلَقَدand indeed جَعَلنَthey appointed لَهُfor him المُحَصَّبَal-Muhassab مَوعِداًas a meeting place
وَلَقَد جَعَلنَ لَهُ المُحَصَّبَ مَوعِداً
فَلَقَدso indeed وَفَينَthey kept their pledge وَعاقَهُand hindered him ماwhat عاقاhindered
فَلَقَد وَفَينَ وَعاقَهُ ما عاقا
And they had indeed appointed al-Muhassab as his meeting place;
He had set the trysting-place as the appointment
they kept their pledge, but something held him back.
He was true, though she did not keep the engagement
ياO أَسمُAsm قَدindeed خَبَلَcrazed الفُؤادَthe heart مُرَوِّحٌan evening visitor
يا أَسمُ قَد خَبَلَ الفُؤادَ مُرَوِّحٌ
مِنfrom سِرِّthe secret of حُبِّكِlove for you مُعلِقٌbinding إِعلاقاfast
مِن سِرِّ حُبِّكِ مُعلِقٌ إِعلاقا
O Asm, an evening visitor has crazed the heart,
O name! A delirious passion has addled my mind
arising from hidden love for you, binding it fast.
With the secret of your love, hanging, suspended
فَسَلَبتِهِso you robbed it of مَعقولَهُits reason أَمor لَمnot تَرَيhave you seen
فَسَلَبتِهِ مَعقولَهُ أَم لَم تَرَي
قَلباًa heart سَلاgrew forgetful بَعدَafter الهَوىlove فَأَفاقاthen recovered
قَلباً سَلا بَعدَ الهَوى فَأَفاقا
So you robbed it of its reason—or have you not seen
Did you rob him of his senses, or have you not seen
a heart forget after love, and regain its senses?
A heart led astray by love, and then become sane?
عَزَمَresolved on التَجَلُّدَfortitude عَنapart from حَبيبٍa beloved إِذwhen سَلاit forgot
عَزَمَ التَجَلُّدَ عَن حَبيبٍ إِذ سَلا
عَنهُaway from him فَأَصبَحَthen it became ماnot يَتوقُyearning مَتاقاwith any longing
عَنهُ فَأَصبَحَ ما يَتوقُ مَتاقا
It resolved on fortitude apart from a beloved, once it forgot
He resolved to have self-control from a lover when
him, and came to feel no longing at all.
She turned from him; he now desires a union
وَتَعَرَّضَتand she showed herself فَأَرَتكَthen she showed you يَومَon the day of رَحيلِهاher departure
وَتَعَرَّضَت فَأَرَتكَ يَومَ رَحيلِها
عَذبَsweet المَذاقَةِto the taste بارِداًcool بَرّاقاgleaming
عَذبَ المَذاقَةِ بارِداً بَرّاقا
She showed herself, and on her departure day displayed to you
You came to him the day you departed
a mouth sweet to taste, cool and gleaming,
Sweet tasting, cooling, shining bright
فيin واضِحٍa radiant face كَالبَدرِlike the full moon يَومَon the day of كَمالِهِits fullness
في واضِحٍ كَالبَدرِ يَومَ كَمالِهِ
فَلَمِثلُهاindeed, one like her راعَstartled الفُؤادَthe heart وَراقاand delighted
فَلَمِثلُها راعَ الفُؤادَ وَراقا
in a radiant face, like the moon on the day of its fullness;
In the full moon at its perfection
indeed, one like her has startled the heart and charmed it.
For the like of her the heart was thrilled and elated
وَعَرَفتُand I recognized رَسماًa trace دارِساًfaded مُخلَولِقاًweatherworn
وَعَرَفتُ رَسماً دارِساً مُخلَولِقاً
فَوَقَفتُso I stood وَاِستَنطَقتُهُand sought to make it speak اِستِنطاقاinsistently
فَوَقَفتُ وَاِستَنطَقتُهُ اِستِنطاقا
And I recognized a trace, faded and weatherworn,
I recognized a ruin, uninhabited
so I stood and pressed it to speak.
I stopped and interrogated it insistently
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen طالَgrew long الوُقوفُthe standing بِدِمنَةٍbeside a ruined campsite
حَتّى إِذا طالَ الوُقوفُ بِدِمنَةٍ
خَرساءَmute حَلَّsettled بِهاaround it الرَبيعُspring نِطاقاas a girdle
خَرساءَ حَلَّ بِها الرَبيعُ نِطاقا
Until, when my standing grew long beside a ruined campsite,
Until when standing there long in Dimnah
mute, with spring settled round it like a girdle,
Silent, which the spring had given fine dress
قَفرٌdeserted مَغانيهاits dwellings تَلوحُare visible رُسومُهاits traces
قَفرٌ مَغانيها تَلوحُ رُسومُها
بَعدَafter الأَحِبَّةِthe loved ones مُخلِقٌworn away إِخلاقاutterly
بَعدَ الأَحِبَّةِ مُخلِقٌ إِخلاقا
its dwellings deserted, its traces visible,
A desert whose traces appear in its ruins
after the loved ones had gone, utterly weatherworn,
After friends, Creating, then ceasing to create
عُجتُI turned aside القَلوصَthe young she-camel بِهاat it أُسائِلُI question آيَهاits signs
عُجتُ القَلوصَ بِها أُسائِلُ آيَها
وَالعَينُand the eye تُذرىsheds عَبرَةًa tear تَغساقاcopiously
وَالعَينُ تُذرى عَبرَةً تَغساقا
I turned the young she-camel there, questioning its signs,
I urged on the ruins, questioning them
while my eye shed a streaming tear.
While the eye flows with copious tears
فَبَعَثتُso I set in motion هِلواعَeager and swift الرَواحِat setting out كَأَنَّهاas though she were
فَبَعَثتُ هِلواعَ الرَواحِ كَأَنَّها
خَنساءُa snub-nosed wild cow تَتبَعُfollowing نائِياًa far-roaming bull مِخراقاswift and vigorous
خَنساءُ تَتبَعُ نائِياً مِخراقا
Then I urged onward a she-camel swift to set out, as though she were
So I sent the whispering winds like
a snub-nosed wild cow following a far-roaming, fleet bull,
Silent pursuers, hastening, speeding
سَفعاءُdark-muzzled وَقَّفَهاringed her legs السَوادُblackness تَرىyou see لَهاon her
سَفعاءُ وَقَّفَها السَوادُ تَرى لَها
زَمَعاًdewclaws وَصَلنَthey joined شَوىًlimbs لَهُنَّbelonging to them دِقاقاslender
زَمَعاً وَصَلنَ شَوىً لَهُنَّ دِقاقا
dark-muzzled, with black-ringed legs; you see her
Blackness stopped them; they see for them
dewclaws joined to slender limbs.
A purpose and flames that lick them
باتاthe two spent the night إِلىbeside حِقفٍa curved sand ridge تَهُبُّblowing عَلَيهِماover them both
باتا إِلى حِقفٍ تَهُبُّ عَلَيهِما
نَكباءُa crosswind تَبجِسُmaking gush وابِلاًa downpour غَيداقاcopious
نَكباءُ تَبجِسُ وابِلاً غَيداقا
The two spent the night beside a curving sand ridge, with a wind blowing over them,
They passed the night to a rocky alcove
a crosswind pouring out a copious downpour,
Lightning flashes pour upon them
مِنfrom صَوبِthe rainfall of سارِيَةٍa night-passing cloud أَطاعَobeyed جَهامُهاits rainless clouds
مِن صَوبِ سارِيَةٍ أَطاعَ جَهامُها
نَكباءَa crosswind تَمريmilking مُزنَهاits rain clouds أَوداقاinto showers
نَكباءَ تَمري مُزنَها أَوداقا
from a night-passing cloud's rain, whose rainless clouds obeyed
From the direction of a lofty pillar obeying its command
a crosswind milking showers from its rain clouds.
Lightning flashes hasten its pillars
فَثَنىthen he folded يَدَيهِhis two forelegs لِرَوقِهِtoward his horn مُتَكَنِّساًtaking shelter
فَثَنى يَدَيهِ لِرَوقِهِ مُتَكَنِّساً
أَفنانَthe branches of أَرطاةٍan arta shrub يُثِرنَthey stir up دُقاقاfine debris
أَفنانَ أَرطاةٍ يُثِرنَ دُقاقا
Then he folded his forelegs toward his horn, taking shelter
He folded his hands to his cheeks distressed
among arta branches that stirred fine debris.
Scattering the plaits of the tresses
وَكَأَنَّهُand as though he were عانٍa captive يُشاوِرُconsulting نَفسَهُhimself
وَكَأَنَّهُ عانٍ يُشاوِرُ نَفسَهُ
غابَتwere absent أَقارِبُهُhis relatives وَشُدَّand he was bound وَثاقاfast
غابَت أَقارِبُهُ وَشُدَّ وَثاقا
He seemed a captive consulting himself,
As if he were a blind man, taking counsel with himself
his relatives absent, and he bound fast,
His kin have gone and ties are severed
فيin عازِبٍa remote pasture أُنُفٍungrazed تَباهىvied in displaying نَبتَهُits vegetation
في عازِبٍ أُنُفٍ تَباهى نَبتَهُ
زَهراًin blossom وَأَسنَقَand were glutted وَحشُهُits wild creatures إِسناقاto repletion
زَهراً وَأَسنَقَ وَحشُهُ إِسناقا
in a remote, ungrazed pasture, whose plants vied
On a hill, whose plants it was proud of
in blossom, and whose wild creatures were glutted.
Blooming, with wild beasts nesting in it
فَتَوَجَّساthen the two sensed fearfully فيin الصُبحِthe morning رِكزَthe faint sound of مُكَلِّبٍa hound-master
فَتَوَجَّسا في الصُبحِ رِكزَ مُكَلِّبٍ
أَوor جاوَزاهُthe two passed him فَأَشفَقاthen both grew afraid إِشفاقاdeeply
أَو جاوَزاهُ فَأَشفَقا إِشفاقا
Then at dawn the two sensed a hound-master's faint sound,
The two felt dread in the dawn, from fear
or passed him by, and were filled with fear.
Of a growling hyena, so they recoiled in fear
سَمِلِthreadbare الثِيابِthe clothes لَهُhe has ضَوارٍhunting hounds ضُمَّرٌlean
سَمِلِ الثِيابِ لَهُ ضَوارٍ ضُمَّرٌ
مَحبُوَّةٌprovided مِنfrom قِدِّهِhis rawhide أَطواقاwith collars
مَحبُوَّةٌ مِن قِدِّهِ أَطواقا
A man in threadbare clothes, with lean hunting hounds,
He has ragged garments, short and worn
provided with collars made from his rawhide.
Wrapped round his waist, encircling
فَغَداso he went out بِهاwith them قُبّاًslender-waisted وَفيand in أَشداقِهاtheir jaws
فَغَدا بِها قُبّاً وَفي أَشداقِها
سَعَةٌbreadth يُجَلجِلُrattles حُضرُهاtheir running الأَشداقاthe jaws
سَعَةٌ يُجَلجِلُ حُضرُها الأَشداقا
So he set out with those slender-waisted hounds, whose jaws
With it he came in the morning, while in its folds
were wide, their running making their jaws rattle.
Spaciousness, his weeping and wailing echoing loud
يَرجوhe hopes وَيَأمُلُand expects أَنthat تَصيدَwill hunt ضِراؤُهُhis hunting hounds
يَرجو وَيَأمُلُ أَن تَصيدَ ضِراؤُهُ
يوفيgives full measure to النِجاءَswift running يُبادِرُhastens ahead of الإِشراقاsunrise
يوفي النِجاءَ يُبادِرُ الإِشراقا
He hoped and expected his hounds to catch prey,
Hoping and anticipating his companion
running at full speed, racing the sunrise.
Would heal his grief when the dawn breaks
وَغَداand he set out يُنَفِّضُshaking مَتنَهُhis back مِنfrom ساعَةٍa moment
وَغَدا يُنَفِّضُ مَتنَهُ مِن ساعَةٍ
كَالسَحلِlike a white cloth أَغرَبَgrew intensely white لَونُهُhis color إِلهاقاin gleaming whiteness
كَالسَحلِ أَغرَبَ لَونُهُ إِلهاقا
And at once he set out, shaking his back,
He went tossing his belly hair from time to time
like a white cloth, his color brilliantly white.
Like a lizard, its color changed bizarre
أَفَتِلكَis it, then, that one? أَمor هَذاthis one أَمَor اَحقَبَa white-bellied wild ass قارِبٌapproaching water
أَفَتِلكَ أَم هَذا أَمَ اَحقَبَ قارِبٌ
أَبقىleft الطِرادُthe chasing لَهُfor him حَشاًa belly خَفّاقاthrobbing
أَبقى الطِرادُ لَهُ حَشاً خَفّاقا
Is she, then, that cow, or this bull, or a white-bellied ass nearing water,
Was that or this? Or did a ship sail by
whose chasing has left his belly throbbing?
Leaving the decoy a swift bird fluttering?
مَحصُlean الشَوىthe limbs شَنِجُtaut النَسىthe hamstrings خاظيfleshy المَطىthe back
مَحصُ الشَوى شَنِجُ النَسى خاظي المَطى
صَحِلٌhoarse-voiced يُرَجِّعُrepeats خَلفَهاbehind her التَنهاقاthe braying
صَحِلٌ يُرَجِّعُ خَلفَها التَنهاقا
Lean-limbed, taut-hamstrung, fleshy-backed,
Effacer of tracks, forgetter of dwellings, roamer of plains
hoarse-voiced, repeating his bray behind her,
Doddering, turning its back, dragging its train
فيin عانَةٍa herd of wild asses حُقبٍwhite-bellied عَلَتcovered أَصلابَهاtheir backs
في عانَةٍ حُقبٍ عَلَت أَصلابَها
جُدَدٌstripes وَحانَand reached سَوادُهاtheir blackness الأَعناقاthe necks
جُدَدٌ وَحانَ سَوادُها الأَعناقا
in a herd of white-bellied she-asses, whose backs were covered
In hardship of epochs, their loins exalted
with stripes, their blackness reaching their necks,
New generations, while their blackness paled
سالَتflowed عَلىalong أَذنابِهاtheir tails وَتَخالُهاand you would think them
سالَت عَلى أَذنابِها وَتَخالُها
بُرداًstriped mantles عَلىupon أَكتافِهاtheir shoulders أَخلاقاworn-out
بُرداً عَلى أَكتافِها أَخلاقا
flowing along their tails; you would think them
Their saliva flowed on their chins, which deceived them
worn striped mantles upon their shoulders.
With coolness on their shoulders, customs
يَنفيhe drives away الجِحاشَthe ass-colts كَماas يُشِذُّscatters بِكارَهُhis young camels
يَنفي الجِحاشَ كَما يُشِذُّ بِكارَهُ
قِرمٌa breeding bull camel يُنَهِّزُهاgoads them يَعُضُّbites حِقاقاthree-year-old camels
قِرمٌ يُنَهِّزُها يَعُضُّ حِقاقا
He drives off the ass-colts, as young camels are scattered
He denies bucks as the old man startles them
by their breeding bull, goading them and biting the three-year-olds.
A decrepit that butts them, biting the flanks
جَأبٌa stout wild ass خَلاwas alone بِحَلائِلٍwith wives وَسَقَتgathered لَهُfor him
جَأبٌ خَلا بِحَلائِلٍ وَسَقَت لَهُ
فَحَمَلنَthen they conceived لَمnot يُغرَمwas made to pay لَهُنَّfor them صَداقاa bridal dower
فَحَمَلنَ لَم يُغرَم لَهُنَّ صَداقا
A stout wild ass, alone with wives gathered for him;
A troop that passed by ruins and gave it
then they conceived—he was charged no bridal dower for them.
Those it did not desire, without a marriage payment
فَصَدَدنَthen they turned away عَنهُfrom him إِذwhen وَحِمنَthey felt pregnancy cravings عَواذِلاًrebuking
فَصَدَدنَ عَنهُ إِذ وَحِمنَ عَواذِلاً
حَتّىuntil اِستَمَرَّhe persisted وَأَنكَرَand found unfamiliar الأَخلاقاtheir ways
حَتّى اِستَمَرَّ وَأَنكَرَ الأَخلاقا
They turned away from him when pregnancy cravings came, rebuking him,
They turned away when it fancied wickedly
until he persisted and found their ways strange.
Until it went on and rejected morals
يَرمَحنَهُthey kick him بَعدَafter اللِمامِbrief encounters أَوابِياًrefusing
يَرمَحنَهُ بَعدَ اللِمامِ أَوابِياً
شُمساًshying away فَقَدand indeed أَحنَقنَهُthey enraged him إِحناقاutterly
شُمساً فَقَد أَحنَقنَهُ إِحناقا
They kick him after brief encounters, refusing him,
After vileness they shoot him with glances
shying away; they have indeed driven him to utter rage.
A sun that has enraged them with burning
Sol 6.1