عوجواturn aside فَحَيّواthen offer greetings أَيُّهاO السَفرُtravelers
عوجوا فَحَيّوا أَيُّها السَفرُ
أَمor كَيفَhow يَنطِقُspeaks مَنزِلٌa dwelling قَفرُdeserted
أَم كَيفَ يَنطِقُ مَنزِلٌ قَفرُ
Turn aside and offer greetings, O travelers.
Turn away, and greet the journey, O travels!
Or how can a deserted dwelling speak?
Or how can an abandoned dwelling speak?
خَلَدَhas endured الجُبَيبُAl-Jubayb وَبادَand vanished حاضِرُهُits inhabitants
خَلَدَ الجُبَيبُ وَبادَ حاضِرُهُ
إِلّاexcept مَنازِلَdwellings كُلُّهاall of them قَفرُdeserted
إِلّا مَنازِلَ كُلُّها قَفرُ
Al-Jubayb has endured, while its inhabitants have vanished,
The loved ones vanished, and only the ruins remain
save dwellings, all of them deserted.
All dwellings, they are but abandoned ruins
لَعِبَتplayed بِهاover them هوجٌraging winds يَمانِيَةٌYemeni
لَعِبَت بِها هوجٌ يَمانِيَةٌ
فَتَرىso you see مَعارِفَهاtheir familiar landmarks وَلهbewilderment (wording unclear) تَدريyou know
فَتَرى مَعارِفَها وَله تَدري
Raging Yemeni winds have played over them;
Played with by Yemeni winds
you see their familiar landmarks; bewilderment is what you know.
You see its landmarks though you don't know them
وَلَهِتwent mad عَلَيهاover them كُلُّevery مُعصِفَةٍstorm-wind
وَلَهِت عَلَيها كُلُّ مُعصِفَةٍ
هَوجاءُwild لَيسَthere is no لِلُبِّهاfor its mind زَبرُrestraint
هَوجاءُ لَيسَ لِلُبِّها زَبرُ
Every storm-wind has gone mad over them,
Every violent wind assailed it
wild, its mind without restraint;
Winds not for their strength to be proud of
عَشواءُblindly blundering رَعبَلَةُshredding الرَواحِevening travel خَجَوrushing wind (word beginning)
عَشواءُ رَعبَلَةُ الرَواحِ خَجَو
جاةُrushing wind (word ending) الغُدُوِّmorning travel رَواحُهاits evening course شَهرُa month
جاةُ الغُدُوِّ رَواحُها شَهرُ
blindly blundering, shredding at evening, rushing
Evening winds, wandering winds blow
at dawn; its evening course is a month's journey.
Winds of morning raid, their month long
خَرقاءُreckless تَلتَهِمُdevours الجِبالَthe mountains وَأَجand expanses (word beginning)
خَرقاءُ تَلتَهِمُ الجِبالَ وَأَج
وازَexpanses (word ending) الفَلاةِthe wilderness وَبَطنُهاand its belly صِفرُempty
وازَ الفَلاةِ وَبَطنُها صِفرُ
Reckless, it devours mountains and the expanses
Kharaqa, devouring mountains and expanses
of the wilderness, yet its belly is empty.
Its belly empty, and pale yellow
وَالقوفُand the sand-dune تَنسُجُهُweaves it الدَبورُthe west wind وَأَتand mounds (word beginning)
وَالقوفُ تَنسُجُهُ الدَبورُ وَأَت
لالٌmounds (word ending) مُلَمَّعَةُmottled القَراthe ridges شَقرُtawny
لالٌ مُلَمَّعَةُ القَرا شَقرُ
And the west wind weaves the sand-dune, and
Al-Quf weaves it, showered by rain
tawny mounds with mottled ridges.
Smooth dome glittering white
وَتَقنَّعَand raised الحِرباءُthe chameleon أَرنَتَهُits head
وَتَقنَّعَ الحِرباءُ أَرنَتَهُ
مُتَشاوِساًlooking askance لِوَريدِهِfor its throat-vein نَقرُthrobbing
مُتَشاوِساً لِوَريدِهِ نَقرُ
And the chameleon raised its head,
Al-Hirba cloaked itself, grunting
looking askance, its throat-vein throbbing.
As it gnaws its veins and scrapes
وَعَرَفتُand I recognized مِنamong شُرُفاتِparapets مَسجِدِهاits mosque
وَعَرَفتُ مِن شُرُفاتِ مَسجِدِها
حَجَرَينِtwo stones طالَhas lasted long عَلَيهِماover them both الدَهرُtime
حَجَرَينِ طالَ عَلَيهِما الدَهرُ
And among the parapets of its mosque I recognized
And from its mosque’s balconies I knew
two stones over which the ages had passed.
Two stones, so long they've been by time wore
بَكَياthey both wept الخَلاءَthe emptiness فَقُلتُso I said إِذwhen بَكَياthey both wept
بَكَيا الخَلاءَ فَقُلتُ إِذ بَكَيا
ماno بَعدَafter مِثلِthe like of بُكاكُماyour weeping (both) صَبرُpatience
ما بَعدَ مِثلِ بُكاكُما صَبرُ
They wept over the emptiness; when they wept, I said:
Crying for the emptiness, I said as they cried
After weeping like yours, no patience remains.
After your crying, what more patience
إِنif تَغدُsets out at dawn مِنfrom عَدَنٍAden فَأَبينَةٍthen Abinah
إِن تَغدُ مِن عَدَنٍ فَأَبينَةٍ
فَمَقيلُهاthen its noon resting-place الحُوّارُAl-Huwwar وَالبِشرُand Al-Bishr
فَمَقيلُها الحُوّارُ وَالبِشرُ
If it sets out at dawn from Aden, then Abinah,
If you come from Aden, so remote
its noonday resting place is Al-Huwwar and Al-Bishr.
Its talk polite, its people kind
تَضَعُputs الحَديثَthe tale عَلىin مَواضِعِهِits proper places
تَضَعُ الحَديثَ عَلى مَواضِعِهِ
وَكَلامُهاand its speech مِنfrom بَعدِهِafter it نَزرُscant
وَكَلامُها مِن بَعدِهِ نَزرُ
It puts each tale in its proper place,
Putting words in their right places
and thereafter its speech is scant.
And their speech after it, so sparse
عوجيturn aside اِبنَةَdaughter البَلَسِthe good-for-nothing الظَنونِthe mistrusted فَقَدfor already
عوجي اِبنَةَ البَلَسِ الظَنونِ فَقَد
يَربوgrows الصَغيرُthe small وَيُجبَرُand is mended الكَسرُthe fracture
يَربو الصَغيرُ وَيُجبَرُ الكَسرُ
Turn aside, daughter of the mistrusted good-for-nothing, for
Divert, O doubter, the youth may grow
the small grows, and the fracture is mended.
The broken is mended, the little becomes more
بانَhas departed الشَبابُyouth وَأَخلَفَand has disappointed العَمرُlife
بانَ الشَبابُ وَأَخلَفَ العَمرُ
وَتَغَيَّرَand have changed الإِخوانُfriends وَالدَهرُand time
وَتَغَيَّرَ الإِخوانُ وَالدَهرُ
Youth has departed, and life has failed me,
Youth is gone, and old age comes
and friends and time have changed.
Brothers changed, and time too
وَلَقَدand indeed غَدَوتُI went out at dawn وَماand not يُفَزِّعُنيfrightens me
وَلَقَد غَدَوتُ وَما يُفَزِّعُني
خَوفٌfear أُحاذِرُهُI guard against it وَلاand no ذُعرُterror
خَوفٌ أُحاذِرُهُ وَلا ذُعرُ
And once I went out at dawn, with nothing to frighten me—
And I went out fearing nothing
no fear to beware of, nor terror.
No dread to be cautious of, no fright
رُؤدُtender الشَبابِyouth كَأَنَّنيas though I were غُصنٌa branch
رُؤدُ الشَبابِ كَأَنَّني غُصنٌ
بِحَرامِin the sanctuary of مَكَةَMecca ناعِمٌsupple نَضرُfresh
بِحَرامِ مَكَةَ ناعِمٌ نَضرُ
Tender in youth, as though I were a branch
The shedding of youth as if I were a branch
in Mecca's sanctuary, supple and fresh.
In holy Mecca, smooth and green
كَشَرابِlike the wine of قيلٍa king عَنaway from مَطِيَّتِهِhis riding-beast
كَشَرابِ قيلٍ عَن مَطِيَّتِهِ
وَلِكُلِّand for every اَمرٍevent واقِعٍoccurring قَدرُan allotted measure
وَلِكُلِّ اَمرٍ واقِعٍ قَدرُ
Like the wine of a king who has left his mount—
Like a draft of wine, its trouble forgotten
and every event that comes to pass has its allotted measure.
To each destined matter, its fate
مُذِsince النَهارُdaylight لَهُhis وَطالَand grew long عَلَيهِupon him الthe
مُذِ النَهارُ لَهُ وَطالَ عَلَيهِ ال
لَيلُnight وَاِستَنعَتand won praise بِهِthrough him الخَمرُthe wine
لَيلُ وَاِستَنعَت بِهِ الخَمرُ
Since daylight was his, and long upon him grew the
Since daybreak it has had its time and night lingered on it
night, and the wine won praise through him.
And wine was forbidden it
وَمُسِفَّةٌand a low-hanging one دَهماءُdark داجِنَةٌabiding
وَمُسِفَّةٌ دَهماءُ داجِنَةٌ
رَكَدَتremained motionless وَأُسبِلَand was lowered دونَهاbefore it السَترُthe curtain
رَكَدَت وَأُسبِلَ دونَها السَترُ
And a low-hanging, dark, abiding form
A gallant she-camel, covering it a cloak
rested motionless, a curtain lowered before it.
Below which a screen was lowered
مِنfrom دونِهِمbefore them غِنunclear; probably 'if' جِئتَهُمyou came to them سَمَراًfor evening talk
مِن دونِهِم غِن جِئتَهُم سَمَراً
عَزفُmusic القِيانِthe singing-girls وَمَجلِسُand a gathering غَمرُthronged
عَزفُ القِيانِ وَمَجلِسُ غَمرُ
Before them, [if] you come for evening talk,
If you visit them by night, there is
are the singing-girls' music and a thronged gathering.
The music of lutes, and a drunken gathering
وَجَرادَتانِand two Jaradahs (locusts) تُغَنِّيانِهِمthey both sing to them
وَجَرادَتانِ تُغَنِّيانِهِم
وَعَليهِماand on them both الياقوتُrubies وَالشَذرُand gold beads
وَعَليهِما الياقوتُ وَالشَذرُ
And the two Jaradahs sing for them,
And two crickets singing for them
and upon them are rubies and gold beads.
On them pearls and beads
وَمُجَلجَلٌand a ringing instrument دانٍnear زَبَرجَدُهُits chrysolite
وَمُجَلجَلٌ دانٍ زَبَرجَدُهُ
حَدِبٌhumped كَماas يَتَحَدَّبُarches الدُبرُa swarm of bees
حَدِبٌ كَما يَتَحَدَّبُ الدُبرُ
And a ringing instrument, its chrysolite close at hand,
And a sparkling wine skin, its leather
humped like a huddled swarm of bees.
Curved like a bear's back
وَنّانِtwo lutes حَنّانانِboth plaintive بَينَهُماbetween them both
وَنّانِ حَنّانانِ بَينَهُما
وَتَرٌa string أَجَشُّhusky غِناؤُهُits singing زَمرُpiping
وَتَرٌ أَجَشُّ غِناؤُهُ زَمرُ
Two plaintive lutes, between them
And two singers, chanting between them
a husky string whose song is piping.
The melody of the strings is jarring
وَبَعيرُهُمand their camel ساجٍstill بِجَرَّتِهِwith its cud
وَبَعيرُهُم ساجٍ بِجَرَّتِهِ
لَمdid not يُؤذِهِharm it غَرثٌhunger وَلاand no نَفرُalarm
لَم يُؤذِهِ غَرثٌ وَلا نَفرُ
And their camel rests quietly with its cud,
And their camel, saddled, with bells
troubled by neither hunger nor alarm.
Hurt neither by dirt nor fleas
فَإِذاso when تَجَرَّرَit chews its cud شَقَّbares بازِلَهُits mature tooth
فَإِذا تَجَرَّرَ شَقَّ بازِلَهُ
وَإِذاand when أَصاخَlistens intently فَإِنَّهُthen indeed it is بِكرُa young camel
وَإِذا أَصاخَ فَإِنَّهُ بِكرُ
So when it chews its cud, it bares its mature tooth;
If it groans, it splits its lip
and when it listens intently, it is a young camel.
If it brays, it is still a virgin
خَلّواleave طَريقَthe path of الديدَبونِrevelry فَقَدfor already
خَلّوا طَريقَ الديدَبونِ فَقَد
وَلّىhas departed الصِباyouth وَتَفاوَتَand have diverged النَجرُnatural dispositions
وَلّى الصِبا وَتَفاوَتَ النَجرُ
Leave the path of revelry, for
Leave the path free, for the Didban have
youth has passed, and temperaments have diverged.
Faded away, and the suite dispersed
وَاِسلَمand fare safely بِراووقٍwith a wine-strainer حُبيتَyou were gifted بِهِwith it
وَاِسلَم بِراووقٍ حُبيتَ بِهِ
وَاِنعِمand fare happily صَباحاًin the morning أَيُّهاO الجَبرُking
وَاِنعِم صَباحاً أَيُّها الجَبرُ
And fare well with the wine-strainer bestowed on you,
Give yourself to dusk brought you peace
and have a pleasant morning, O king.
And enjoy the morning, O Fate
لاnot تَقتَفيpursues بِهِمُafter them الشَمالُthe north wind إِذاwhen
لا تَقتَفي بِهِمُ الشَمالُ إِذا
هَبَّتblows وَلاand not آفاقُهاits horizons الغُبرُdust-gray
هَبَّت وَلا آفاقُها الغُبرُ
The north wind does not pursue them when
Do not follow them when the north wind blows
it blows, nor do its dust-gray horizons.
Nor its dusty horizons
هُضُمٌlean-bellied إِذاwhen حُبَّis coveted القُتارُroasting-smoke وَهُمand they
هُضُمٌ إِذا حُبَّ القُتارُ وَهُم
نُصُرُّhelpers إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle اِستُبطِئَis deemed slow النَصرُhelp
نُصُرُّ إِذا ما اِستُبطِئَ النَصرُ
Lean-bellied when roasting-smoke is coveted, and they are
Brave if the war drums beat, and they
helpers whenever help is slow in coming.
Victorious if victory delayed
ماnot كُنتُI was مِنamong قَوميmy people بِدالِهَةٍa bewildered one
ما كُنتُ مِن قَومي بِدالِهَةٍ
لَوif أَنَّthat مَعصِيّاًone disobeyed لَهُhe has أَمرُauthority
لَو أَنَّ مَعصِيّاً لَهُ أَمرُ
I would not have been bewildered among my people,
I was no spy among my people
if a disobeyed man had any authority.
Even if a disobeyer, his affair is ordained
كَلَّفتَنيyou demanded of me مُخَّmarrow البَعوضِmosquitoes فَقَدso already
كَلَّفتَني مُخَّ البَعوضِ فَقَد
أَقصَرتُI have desisted لاno نُجحٌsuccess وَلاand no عُذرُexcuse
أَقصَرتُ لا نُجحٌ وَلا عُذرُ
You demanded of me the marrow of mosquitoes; so
You tasked me with the gnat's brain
I have desisted: neither success nor excuse.
So I fell short, no success, no excuse
Sol 6.1