أَلَمdid you not تَرِمِleave الأَطلالَthe ruins مِنfrom حَولِaround جُعشُمِJu‘shum
أَلَم تَرِمِ الأَطلالَ مِن حَولِ جُعشُمِ
مَعَwith الظاعِنِthe departing traveler المُستَلحِقِseeking to catch up المُتَقَسِّمِsplitting into groups
مَعَ الظاعِنِ المُستَلحِقِ المُتَقَسِّمِ
Have you not left the ruins around Ju‘shum,
Did you not leave the ruins around Ju'shum, with the departing one who joins others and scatters?
with the departing traveler, seeking to catch up and splitting into bands,
To the thicket of Al-Athar, whose traces were altered by the daughters of decay; whoever death misses, grows old.
إِلىtoward عَيثَةِ‘Aythah الأَطهارِal-Athar غَيَّرَaltered رَسمَهاits traces
إِلى عَيثَةِ الأَطهارِ غَيَّرَ رَسمَها
بَناتُdaughters البِلىdecay مَنwhoever يُخطِئِescapes المَوتَdeath يَهرَمِgrows old
بَناتُ البِلى مَن يُخطِئِ المَوتَ يَهرَمِ
toward ‘Aythat al-Athar, whose traces were altered
To Al-Bishr, then Al-Qattar, then Al-Jisr, then Al-Safa, where the wind is grim-faced, deaf, and hard as rock.
by the daughters of decay? Whoever escapes death grows old.
Every sweeping, violent wind persisted upon it, swift in succession, wide in its breath.
إِلىtoward البِشرِal-Bishr فَالقَتاّرِthen al-Qattar فَالجِسرِthen al-Jisr فَالصَفاthen al-Safa
إِلى البِشرِ فَالقَتاّرِ فَالجِسرِ فَالصَفا
بِكالِحَةِwith a scowling one الأَنيابِthe fangs صَمّاءَdeaf صِلدِمِrock-hard
بِكالِحَةِ الأَنيابِ صَمّاءَ صِلدِمِ
Toward al-Bishr, then al-Qattar, then al-Jisr, then al-Safa,
A stinging gale whose appointment is the forenoon; when it roars, it comes with a tyrannical assault.
with one that bares its fangs, deaf and rock-hard.
Swift, towering, restless, and rough; you see the deserts pelted by its violent gusting.
أَرَبَّتlingered عَلَيهاover them ُلَّunclear fragment, probably 'every' هَوجاءَfurious wind سَهوَةٍeasy-moving
أَرَبَّت عَلَيها ُلَّ هَوجاءَ سَهوَةٍ
زَفوفِswift-sweeping التَواليthe trailing gusts رَحبَةِbroad المُتَنَسِّمِthe breathing-space
زَفوفِ التَوالي رَحبَةِ المُتَنَسِّمِ
Over them lingered [every?] furious, easy-moving wind,
It moans but nurses no weaned colt, yet if it finds the hollows of the wastelands, it rumbles and tends to them.
swift in its trailing gusts, broad in its breathing-space,
It blows from the Yemeni lowlands and ends at the fringes of Al-Huwwar—oh, how far the sound travels!
إِبارِيَّةٍfierce and dust-raising هَوجاءَfurious مَوعِدُهاits appointed time الضُحىthe forenoon
إِبارِيَّةٍ هَوجاءَ مَوعِدُها الضُحى
إِذاwhen أَرزَمَتrumbled جاءَتcame بِوِردٍwith an onrush غَشَمشَمِfierce and headlong
إِذا أَرزَمَت جاءَت بِوِردٍ غَشَمشَمِ
dust-raising and furious, its appointed hour the forenoon;
It spends the night sleepless, and its humble dust rises, causing misery in every mountain pass.
when it rumbles, it comes with a fierce, headlong onrush.
It has a sieve through which it scatters, when it storms, fine dust from the soil, like twins.
زَفوفٍswift-sweeping نِيافِtowering هَيرَعٍfleet عَجرَفِيَّةٍheadstrong
زَفوفٍ نِيافِ هَيرَعٍ عَجرَفِيَّةٍ
تَرىyou see البيدَthe desert wastes مِنfrom إِعصافِهاits violent sweeping الجَرىthe rushing تَرتَميare flung about
تَرى البيدَ مِن إِعصافِها الجَرى تَرتَمي
Swift-sweeping, towering, fleet, headstrong,
If it storms upon a trace, no tent-peg remains standing within it, save for the brief moment of an oath-taker.
you see the desert wastes flung about by its storming rush.
A Yemeni wind, with Marran of Shabwa before it; and a Levantine Sheikh—is the Yemeni one ill-omened?
نَحِنُّwe moan, as written وَلَمand has not تَرأَمmothered فَصيلاًa weaned camel-calf وَإِنand if تَجِدfinds
نَحِنُّ وَلَم تَرأَم فَصيلاً وَإِن تَجِد
فَيافيdesert tracts غيطانٍlow-lying hollows تَهَدَّجُtotters وَتَرأَمِand nurtures
فَيافي غيطانٍ تَهَدَّجُ وَتَرأَمِ
We moan; it has never mothered a weaned calf; and if it finds
So to God belongs the one who travels by night with Najran before him, towards the Monastery of Hasma or the Monastery of Damdam.
deserts of low-lying hollows, it totters and nurtures them.
If a greeting from it appears in Najd, it has another trotting forth at the gathering season.
تَهُبُّblows مِنَfrom الغَورِthe lowlands اليَمانيYemeni وَتَنتَهيand reaches
تَهُبُّ مِنَ الغَورِ اليَماني وَتَنتَهي
إِلىto هُدبِtrailing boughs الحُوّارِthe poplars ياO بُعدَremoteness مَسعَمِcourse
إِلى هُدبِ الحُوّارِ يا بُعدَ مَسعَمِ
It blows from the Yemeni lowlands and reaches
How many a noble, interposing chief has settled there, pure in generosity, a cup-bearer in the waterless waste, well-fed.
the trailing boughs of the poplars—how far its course!
Lean-bellied, a squanderer of wealth when the east wind blows; a diver into deep matters, and a stalwart in the tribe.
تَبيتُspends the night وَلَمand has not تَهجَعslept فَيُصبِحُso by morning ذَليلُهاits mildest gust
تَبيتُ وَلَم تَهجَع فَيُصبِحُ ذَليلُها
لَهُit has ثائِبٌa returning surge يَشقىsuffers بِهِfrom it كُلُّevery مَخرِمِmountain pass
لَهُ ثائِبٌ يَشقى بِهِ كُلُّ مَخرِمِ
It spends the night without slumber; by morning, its mildest gust
And dark cauldrons the maidens tend to, vast in size; were their hollows ignorant, they would not show forbearance.
has a returning surge that makes every mountain pass suffer.
You see every bulky, persistent beast of purpose, swift with the remains of an aged camel, hollow and vast.
لَهاit has مُنخُلٌa sieve تُذريscatters إِذاwhen عَصَفَتblasted بِهِthrough it
لَها مُنخُلٌ تُذري إِذا عَصَفَت بِهِ
أَهابِيَّdust-clouds سَفسافٍfine powder مِنَfrom التُربِthe earth تَوأَمِpaired
أَهابِيَّ سَفسافٍ مِنَ التُربِ تَوأَمِ
It has a sieve; when it blasts through it, it scatters
Possessing a clamor at the onset of darkness, resembling the roaring of a passing, thunderous rain.
twin clouds of fine powder from the earth.
When it settles around the tents, it is as though you see the mirage flowing from troops of fasting men.
إِذاwhen عَصَفَتblasted رَسماًa campsite's traces فَلَيسَso there is no بِدائِمٍenduring
إِذا عَصَفَت رَسماً فَلَيسَ بِدائِمٍ
بِهِin it وَتَدٌa peg إِلّاexcept تَحِلَّةَdischarge of an oath مُقسِمِan oath-swearer
بِهِ وَتَدٌ إِلّا تَحِلَّةَ مُقسِمِ
When it blasts a campsite's traces, there is no enduring
And a high-humped camel crawling, its legs struggling to follow, amidst a loud lute and a funeral gathering.
peg there, save the moment a swearer needs to discharge his oath.
And a warrior in armor or flowing robes upon a purebred steed, beautiful in the gloom, charging with a straightened lance.
يَمانِيَّةُYemeni مَرّانُMarran شَبوَةَShabwah دونَهاbefore it
يَمانِيَّةُ مَرّانُ شَبوَةَ دونَها
وَشَيخٌand an old man شَآمٌof al-Sham هَلcan يَمانٍa Yemeni بِمُشئِمِone heading north
وَشَيخٌ شَآمٌ هَل يَمانٍ بِمُشئِمِ
A Yemeni wind, with Marran of Shabwah lying before it,
When the dizziness of his throat clears from him, and two garments from that marked striping remain...
and an old man in al-Sham—can a Yemeni turn northward?
He came to us with head held high, his head bound; who will help you in the matter of the obscured, blamed calamity?
فَلِلَهِthen, to God مَنone who يَسريtravels by night وَنَجرانُand Najran دونَهُbefore him
فَلِلَهِ مَن يَسري وَنَجرانُ دونَهُ
إِلىto ديرِthe monastery of حَسمىHasma أَوor إِلىto دَيرِthe monastery of ضَمضَمِDamdam
إِلى ديرِ حَسمى أَو إِلى دَيرِ ضَمضَمِ
God bless the one who travels by night, with Najran before him,
Our overseer prays over those of us who have died, reading until the saliva dries in his mouth.
to the monastery of Hasma, or to the monastery of Damdam.
We are distracted from hoping for the affection of a noble, freeborn woman, nor do we build a tent for a widow.
إِذاif عَرَضَتappeared مِنهاfrom it بِنَجدٍin Najd تَحِيَّةٌa greeting
إِذا عَرَضَت مِنها بِنَجدٍ تَحِيَّةٌ
فَإِنَّthen indeed لَهاit has أُخرىanother تَخُبُّruns briskly بِمَوسِمِat a seasonal gathering
فَإِنَّ لَها أُخرى تَخُبُّ بِمَوسِمِ
If a greeting from it appears in Najd,
O rider, if you should pass by, convey the message to our tribes at Al-Akhramayn and Jawram.
then it has another, running briskly at a seasonal gathering.
And convey to Abu Al-Wajna' the appointment of his people at Hawrit, departing willingly, not forced.
وَكَمand how many حَلَّهاsettled in it مِنof تَيَّحانٍa bold adventurer سَمَيدَعِa noble lord
وَكَم حَلَّها مِن تَيَّحانٍ سَمَيدَعِ
مُصافيan intimate companion of النَدىgenerosity ساقٍa giver of drink بِيَهماءَin a trackless waste مُطعَمِa giver of food
مُصافي النَدى ساقٍ بِيَهماءَ مُطعَمِ
And how many a bold, noble lord has dwelt there,
They swerved from the path of good, save for a little, and took a great bite of pure evil.
a friend of generosity, giving drink and food in a trackless waste;
Let it gladden you that we have settled in a land where both sides are miserable, offering no comfort.
طَويempty البَطنِthe belly مِتلافٍa prodigal spender إِذاwhen هَبَّتِblew الصِباthe east wind
طَوي البَطنِ مِتلافٍ إِذا هَبَّتِ الصِبا
عَلىinto الأَمرِaffairs غَوّاصٍone who dives deep وَفيand among الحَيِّthe clan شَيظَمِa towering, mighty man
عَلى الأَمرِ غَوّاصٍ وَفي الحَيِّ شَيظَمِ
empty-bellied, prodigal when the east wind blows,
Our women walk along the banks of the Balikh, widows begging for food with hand and mouth.
plunging deep into affairs, and towering among his clan.
Survivors of pleurisy, fever, and measles; of hunger, plague, affliction, and debt.
وَدُهمٍand black cauldrons تُصاديهاcoax them الوَلائِدُthe handmaids جَلَّةٍhuge
وَدُهمٍ تُصاديها الوَلائِدُ جَلَّةٍ
إِذاwhen جَهِلَتraged أَجوافُهاtheir bellies لَمdid not تَحَلَّمِgrow calm
إِذا جَهِلَت أَجوافُها لَم تَحَلَّمِ
And huge black cauldrons, coaxed by the handmaids,
I see my she-camel yearning at night, stirred by a song like the wailing of a harmonious foreigner.
when their bellies rage, they will not grow calm.
تَرىyou see كُلَّevery هِرجابٍhuge vessel لَجوجٍpersistently raging لِهِمَّةٍcapacious and devouring
تَرى كُلَّ هِرجابٍ لَجوجٍ لِهِمَّةٍ
زَفوفٍswiftly seething بِشِلوِwith a carcass portion النابِthe aged she-camel جَوفاءَhollow-bellied عَيلَمِvast
زَفوفٍ بِشِلوِ النابِ جَوفاءَ عَيلَمِ
You see every huge, unruly, devouring cauldron,
swiftly seething with an aged she-camel's flesh, hollow-bellied and vast.
لَهاit has زَجَلٌa rumble جُنحَthe onset of الظَلامِdarkness كَأَنَّهُas though it were
لَها زَجَلٌ جُنحَ الظَلامِ كَأَنَّهُ
عَجارِفُviolent surges غَيثٍa rainstorm رائِحٍcoming in the evening مُتَهَزِّمِcrashing with thunder
عَجارِفُ غَيثٍ رائِحٍ مُتَهَزِّمِ
Its rumble in the gathering darkness is like
the wild surges of an evening rainstorm, crashing with thunder.
إِذاwhen رَكَدَتstood still حَولَaround البُيوتِthe tents كَأَنَّماas though
إِذا رَكَدَت حَولَ البُيوتِ كَأَنَّما
تَرىyou see الآلَthe mirage يَجريflows عَنaway from قَنابِلِtroops of horses صُيَّمِstanding motionless
تَرى الآلَ يَجري عَن قَنابِلِ صُيَّمِ
When they stand still around the tents, it is as though
you see mirage flowing off troops of motionless horses.
وَكَوماءَand a high-humped she-camel تَحبوcrawls ماas long as تَشايَعَsupports ساقُهاher leg
وَكَوماءَ تَحبو ما تَشايَعَ ساقُها
لَدىbeside مِزهَرٍa lute ضارٍfierce أَجَشَّhoarse-toned وَمَأتَمِand a gathering of women
لَدى مِزهَرٍ ضارٍ أَجَشَّ وَمَأتَمِ
And a high-humped she-camel, crawling while her leg still supports her,
beside a fierce, hoarse-toned lute and a gathering of women;
وَذيand one possessing بضدَنٍunclear word أَوor مَسبِلٍone letting his robe trail فَوقَupon قارِحٍa mature horse
وَذي بضدَنٍ أَو مَسبِلٍ فَوقَ قارِحٍ
جَميلِhandsome الدُجىthe darkness يَعدوraces بِلَدنٍwith a supple spear مُقَوَّمِstraightened
جَميلِ الدُجى يَعدو بِلَدنٍ مُقَوَّمِ
and one with [unclear word], or trailing a robe, upon a mature horse,
handsome in the darkness, racing with a supple, straightened spear.
إِذاwhen اِنفَرَجَتparted عَنهُfrom him سَماديرُdazzling haze حَلقِهِhis mail-rings
إِذا اِنفَرَجَت عَنهُ سَماديرُ حَلقِهِ
وَبُردانِand two cloaks مِنof ذاكَthat الخِلاجِstriped cloth المُسَهَّمِarrow-patterned
وَبُردانِ مِن ذاكَ الخِلاجِ المُسَهَّمِ
When the dazzling haze of his mail-rings parts from him,
along with two cloaks of that arrow-patterned striped cloth,
أَتاناcame to us طَموحَholding high الرَأسِthe head عاصِبَbinding رَأسِهِhis head
أَتانا طَموحَ الرَأسِ عاصِبَ رَأسِهِ
فَمَنso who لَكَfor you مِنin أَمرِthe affair of العَماسِgrim adversity المُلَوَّمِmuch-reproached
فَمَن لَكَ مِن أَمرِ العَماسِ المُلَوَّمِ
he comes to us, head held high, his head wrapped.
So who can help you in the grim, reproach-laden affair?
يُصَلّيprays علىover مَنthose who ماتَdied مِنّاamong us عَريفُناour headman
يُصَلّي على مَن ماتَ مِنّا عَريفُنا
وَيَقرَأُand recites حَتّىuntil يعصِبَcakes الريقُthe saliva بِالفَمِin the mouth
وَيَقرَأُ حَتّى يعصِبَ الريقُ بِالفَمِ
Our headman prays over those of us who have died,
and recites until the saliva cakes in his mouth.
عَلِهنَthey grew distraught, reading uncertain فَماso not نَرجوwe hope for حَنيناًyearning لِحِرَّةٍfor a freeborn woman
عَلِهنَ فَما نَرجو حَنيناً لِحِرَّةٍ
هِجانٍpure-blooded وَلاnor نَبنيwe pitch خِباءًa tent لِأَيمِfor an unmarried woman
هِجانٍ وَلا نَبني خِباءً لِأَيمِ
They have grown distraught; we expect no yearning for a freeborn,
pure-blooded woman, nor do we pitch a tent for a widow.
فَياso O راكِباًrider إِمّاif ever عَرَضتَyou passed that way فَبَلِّغَنthen be sure to tell
فَيا راكِباً إِمّا عَرَضتَ فَبَلِّغَن
قَبائِلَناour tribes بِالأَخرَمينِat al-Akhramayn وَجورَمِand Jawram
قَبائِلَنا بِالأَخرَمينِ وَجورَمِ
So, O rider, if you pass that way, be sure to tell
our tribes at al-Akhramayn and Jawram,
وَبَلِّغand tell أَباAbu الوَجناءِal-Wajna مَوعِدَthe meeting place of قَومِهِhis people
وَبَلِّغ أَبا الوَجناءِ مَوعِدَ قَومِهِ
بِحَوريتَat Hawrit تَظعَنyou depart راغِباًwillingly غَيرَnot مُقحَمِforced into it
بِحَوريتَ تَظعَن راغِباً غَيرَ مُقحَمِ
and tell Abu al-Wajna where his people are to meet,
at Hawrit; you depart willingly, not under compulsion.
نَأَتdrew away عَنfrom سَبيلَthe way of الخَيرِgood إِلّاexcept أَقَلَّهُits smallest share
نَأَت عَن سَبيلَ الخَيرِ إِلّا أَقَلَّهُ
وَعَضَّتand bit مِنَof الشَرِّevil القَراحَunalloyed بِمُعظَمِinto a great share
وَعَضَّت مِنَ الشَرِّ القَراحَ بِمُعظَمِ
It has turned from the way of good, save for the smallest share,
and bitten into a great share of pure evil.
لِيَهنِكُمُmay it please you أَنّاthat we نَزَلناwe settled بِبَلدَةٍin a land
لِيَهنِكُمُ أَنّا نَزَلنا بِبَلدَةٍ
كِلاboth مَلَوَيهاits day and night مُبئِسٌbringing misery غَيرُnot مُنعِمِbestowing comfort
كِلا مَلَوَيها مُبئِسٌ غَيرُ مُنعِمِ
May it please you that we have settled in a land
whose day and night both bring misery, not comfort.
تُمَشّيwalk about بِأَكنافِalong the banks of البَليخِthe Balikh نِساؤُناour women
تُمَشّي بِأَكنافِ البَليخِ نِساؤُنا
أَرامِلَwidows يَستَطعِمنَask for food بِالكَفِّwith the hand وَالفَمِand the mouth
أَرامِلَ يَستَطعِمنَ بِالكَفِّ وَالفَمِ
Our women wander along the banks of the Balikh,
widows begging for food with hand and mouth,
نَقائِذَrescued survivors بِرسامٍpleurisy وَحُمّىand fever وَحَصبَةٍand measles
نَقائِذَ بِرسامٍ وَحُمّى وَحَصبَةٍ
وَجوعٍand hunger وَطاعونٍand plague وَنَقرٍand harassment وَمَغرَمِand debt
وَجوعٍ وَطاعونٍ وَنَقرٍ وَمَغرَمِ
survivors of pleurisy, fever, and measles,
hunger, plague, harassment, and debt.
أَرىI see ناقَتيmy she-camel حَنَّتmoaned yearningly بِلَيلٍat night وَشاقَهاand stirred her longing
أَرى ناقَتي حَنَّت بِلَيلٍ وَشاقَها
غِناءٌsinging كَنَوحِlike the lament of الأَعجَمِa speechless creature المُتَوائِمِpaired with its mate
غِناءٌ كَنَوحِ الأَعجَمِ المُتَوائِمِ
I see my she-camel moaning at night, her longing stirred
by singing like the lament of a speechless creature calling with its mate.
Partial English translation: 33 of 66 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1