أَرىI see جارَتيmy female neighbor خَفَّتset off وَخَفَّand set off نَصيحُهاher adviser
أَرى جارَتي خَفَّت وَخَفَّ نَصيحُها
وَحُبَّand how beloved بِهاshe is لَولاwere it not for النَوىseparation وَطُموحُهاand her restlessness
وَحُبَّ بِها لَولا النَوى وَطُموحُها
I see my neighbor has set off, and her adviser has too.
I see my neighbor has weakened, and her advice has faded,
And how dear she would be, but for separation and her restlessness!
And love for her, were it not for ambition and longing.
فَبينيso depart علىunder نَجمٍa star شَخيسٍintense نُحوسُهُits ill omens
فَبيني على نَجمٍ شَخيسٍ نُحوسُهُ
وَأَشأَمُand most ill-omened طَيرِbirds of الزاجِرينَthe augurs سَنيحُهاher rightward-crossing omen-bird
وَأَشأَمُ طَيرِ الزاجِرينَ سَنيحُها
So depart beneath a star whose ill omens are intense,
Between us is an ill-omened unlucky star,
And may your rightward-crossing bird be the augurs' most ill-omened.
And I take it as an ill omen, the screeching of the deterring birds.
فَإِنso if تَشغَبيyou stir up trouble فَالشَغَبُthen contentiousness مِنّيin me سَجِيَّةٌa natural disposition
فَإِن تَشغَبي فَالشَغَبُ مِنّي سَجِيَّةٌ
إِذاwhen شيمَتيmy character لَمnot يُؤتَis approached مِنهاfrom it سَجيحُهاits gentle side
إِذا شيمَتي لَم يُؤتَ مِنها سَجيحُها
If you stir up trouble, contentiousness is in my nature,
If you act wildly, the wildness is ingrained in me,
When my character is not approached on its gentle side.
If you insult, your insults will not diminish me.
أُقارِضُI requite in kind أَقواماًpeople فَأوفيand I repay fully قُروضَهُمtheir loans
أُقارِضُ أَقواماً فَأوفي قُروضَهُم
وَعَفٌّand self-restrained إِذاwhen أَردىbrings to ruin النُفوسَsouls شَحيحُهاtheir greedy one
وَعَفٌّ إِذا أَردى النُفوسَ شَحيحُها
I deal with people in kind, repaying their loans in full,
I lend to people, then pay back their loans,
And am restrained when their greedy one brings souls to ruin.
Generosity, when souls are stingy with it.
عَلىdespite أَنَّthat قَوميmy people أَشَقَذونيdrove me away فَأَصبَحَتso became
عَلى أَنَّ قَومي أَشَقَذوني فَأَصبَحَت
دِياريmy dwellings بِأَرضٍin a land غَيرِnot دانٍnearby نُبوحُهاits barking
دِياري بِأَرضٍ غَيرِ دانٍ نُبوحُها
Yet my people drove me away, and now
Though my people have exiled me, so my home
My dwellings lie in a land whose barking is far off.
Is in a land not mine, remote is its consolation.
تَنَفَّذَcame through مِنهُمfrom them نافِذاتٌpiercing barbs فَسُؤنَنيso they grieved me
تَنَفَّذَ مِنهُم نافِذاتٌ فَسُؤنَني
وَأَضمَرَand concealed أَضغاناًgrudges عَلَيَّagainst me كُشوحُهاtheir flanks
وَأَضمَرَ أَضغاناً عَلَيَّ كُشوحُها
Piercing barbs reached me from them and grieved me,
Grudges have seeped from them, paining me,
And their flanks concealed grudges against me.
And they harbor malice against me in their breasts.
فَقُلتُso I said فِراقُleaving الدارِthe dwelling أَجمَلُmore fitting بَينَناbetween us
فَقُلتُ فِراقُ الدارِ أَجمَلُ بَينَنا
وَقَدand sometimes يَنتَئيwithdraws far away عَنfrom دارِa dwelling سَوءٍof evil نَزيحُهاits departing inhabitant
وَقَد يَنتَئي عَن دارِ سَوءٍ نَزيحُها
So I said: leaving home is the better course between us;
So I said, “Parting from home is best between us,
One departing an evil dwelling may draw far away from it.
Though one may dislike leaving an evil home.”
عَلىdespite أَنَّنيthat I قَدindeed أَدَّعيclaim descent بِأَبيهِمِfrom their father
عَلى أَنَّني قَد أَدَّعي بِأَبيهِمِ
إِذاwhen عَمَّتِbecame general الدَعوىthe summons وَثابَand rallied صَريحُهاits true-born men
إِذا عَمَّتِ الدَعوى وَثابَ صَريحُها
Though I still proclaim descent from their father,
Yet I claim, because of their fathers,
When the summons becomes general and its true-born men rally.
When the claim is widespread and its proof is clear,
وَأَنّيand that I أَرىsee دينيmy religion يُوافِقُaccords with دينَهُمtheir religion
وَأَنّي أَرى ديني يُوافِقُ دينَهُم
إِذاwhen نَسَكواthey sacrifice أَفراعُهاits firstborn offerings وَذَبيحُهاand its sacrificial victim
إِذا نَسَكوا أَفراعُها وَذَبيحُها
And I see my religion accord with theirs,
And I see my religion conforms to theirs,
When they offer its firstborn animals and sacrificial victims.
If they perform the rituals and sacrifices.
وَمَنزِلَةٍand a station بِالحَجِّat the pilgrimage أُخرىanother عَرَفتُهاI have known it
وَمَنزِلَةٍ بِالحَجِّ أُخرى عَرَفتُها
لَهاit has بُقَعَةٌa site لاnot يُستَطاعُis possible بُروحُهاleaving it
لَها بُقَعَةٌ لا يُستَطاعُ بُروحُها
And another station at the pilgrimage I have known;
And I know another status with the pilgrimage,
It has a site that cannot be abandoned.
It has an area that cannot be reached by walking.
بِوُدِّكِto your liking ماindeed (emphatic) قَوميmy people عَلىdespite أَنthat تَرَكتِهِمyou left them
بِوُدِّكِ ما قَومي عَلى أَن تَرَكتِهِم
سُلَيمىSulayma إِذاwhen هَبَّتblew شَمالٌa north wind وَريحُهاand its blast
سُلَيمى إِذا هَبَّت شَمالٌ وَريحُها
My people are to your liking, though you have left them,
With your love, no matter if my people abandoned me,
Sulayma, when the north wind rises with its blast;
My shelter if a north wind blew and its gusts.
إِذاwhen النَجمُthe star أَمسىwas at evening مَغرِبَat the setting of الشَمسِthe sun رائِباًhazy
إِذا النَجمُ أَمسى مَغرِبَ الشَمسِ رائِباً
وَلَمand not يَكُwas بَرقٌlightning فيin السَماءِthe sky يُليحُهاlights it up
وَلَم يَكُ بَرقٌ في السَماءِ يُليحُها
When the star grows hazy at the sun's setting,
When the stars set where the sun sets writhing,
And no lightning in the sky lights it up;
With no lightning in the sky to illuminate it,
وَغابَand vanished شُعاعُthe rays of الشَمسِthe sun فيin غَيرِno جُلبَةٍbank of clouds
وَغابَ شُعاعُ الشَمسِ في غَيرِ جُلبَةٍ
وَلاnor غَمرَةٍenveloping cloud إِلّاexcept وَشيكاًsoon مُصوحُهاits dispersal
وَلا غَمرَةٍ إِلّا وَشيكاً مُصوحُها
And the sun's rays vanish with no bank of clouds,
And the sun’s rays disappeared without a cover,
Nor enveloping cloud except one soon to disperse;
Save an impending darkness soon to overcast,
وَهاجَand arose عَماءٌa cloud-bank مُقشَعِرٌshivering كَأَنَّهُas though it were
وَهاجَ عَماءٌ مُقشَعِرٌ كَأَنَّهُ
نَقيلَةُa leather patch نَعلٍof a sandal بانَcame away مِنهاfrom it سَريحُهاits thong
نَقيلَةُ نَعلٍ بانَ مِنها سَريحُها
And a shivering cloud-bank rises, as though it were
And a blinding fog rose, as though
A sandal's leather patch whose thong has come away.
It were a slipping sandal whose thong was severed,
إِذاwhen عُدِمَwas lacking المَحلوبُmilk عادَتreturned عَلَيهِمُto them
إِذا عُدِمَ المَحلوبُ عادَت عَلَيهِمُ
قُدورٌpots كَثيرٌplentiful فيin القِصاعِthe bowls قَديحُهاtheir ladled contents
قُدورٌ كَثيرٌ في القِصاعِ قَديحُها
When milk is lacking, there come to their aid
When the milk ran short, many pots returned to them
Pots whose ladled contents abound in the bowls.
In the cooking pot, plentiful its ladle.
يَثوبُflocks back إِلَيهاto them كُلُّevery ضَيفٍguest وَجانِبٍand outsider
يَثوبُ إِلَيها كُلُّ ضَيفٍ وَجانِبٍ
كَماas رَدَّbrought back دَهداهَthe herd القِلاصِof young she-camels نَضيحُهاtheir water-drawing camel
كَما رَدَّ دَهداهَ القِلاصِ نَضيحُها
Every guest and outsider flocks back to them,
Every guest and neighbor returns to it,
As their water-drawing camel brings back the herd of young she-camels.
As the suckling camel returns to the milker.
بِأَيديهِمُin their hands مَقرومَةٌnotched lots وَمَغالِقٌand winning arrows
بِأَيديهِمُ مَقرومَةٌ وَمَغالِقٌ
يَعودُbrings back بِأَرزاقِthe provisions of العِيالِdependents مَنيحُهاits blank lottery arrow
يَعودُ بِأَرزاقِ العِيالِ مَنيحُها
In their hands are notched lots and winning arrows;
In their hands are shrivelled and closed,
Even their blank lot brings back provisions for the dependents.
Returning with provisions for the dependents.
وَمَلمومَةٍand a massed host لاnot يَخرِقُpenetrates الطَرفُthe gaze عَرضَهاits breadth
وَمَلمومَةٍ لا يَخرِقُ الطَرفُ عَرضَها
لَهاit has كَوكَبٌa star فَخمٌmighty شَديدٌintense وُضوحُهاits brilliance
لَها كَوكَبٌ فَخمٌ شَديدٌ وُضوحُها
And a massed host whose breadth the eye cannot pierce,
And frowning, whose virtue is not pierced by glances,
It has a mighty star, its brilliance intense.
It has a lofty, very bright star.
تَسيرُmarches وَتُزجيand drives onward السَمَّpoison تَحتَbeneath نُحورِهاits throats
تَسيرُ وَتُزجي السَمَّ تَحتَ نُحورِها
كَريهٌhateful إِلىto مَنwhoever فاجَأَتهُit surprises صَبوحُهاits morning draught
كَريهٌ إِلى مَن فاجَأَتهُ صَبوحُها
It marches, driving poison beneath its throats,
It moves about, pouring poison beneath its throat,
Its morning draught hateful to whoever it surprises.
Hateful to whomever its early morning surprises.
عَلىupon مُقذَحِرّاتٍhulking mounts وَهُنُّand they عَوابِسٌare scowling
عَلى مُقذَحِرّاتٍ وَهُنُّ عَوابِسٌ
ضَبائِرُmassed bands مَوتٍof death لاnot يُراحُis given rest مُريحُهاtheir giver of rest
ضَبائِرُ مَوتٍ لا يُراحُ مُريحُها
On hulking mounts, grim-faced,
Haughty and scowling, shrouds of death,
Massed bands of death, whose giver of rest is given none.
With no comforter to relieve it.
نَبَذناwe flung إِلَيهِمtoward them دَعوَةًa summons يالَO, come to aid مالِكٍMalik
نَبَذنا إِلَيهِم دَعوَةً يالَ مالِكٍ
لَهاit has إِربَةٌa need إِنif لَمnot تَجِدit finds مَنsomeone يُريحُهاrelieves it
لَها إِربَةٌ إِن لَم تَجِد مَن يُريحُها
We flung toward them the summons: 'O people of Malik!'
We sent them an invitation—oh Lord of Malik!—
It carries a need if it finds no one to relieve it.
Difficult for it if it finds no comforter.
فَسُرناso we surged عَلَيهِمagainst them سَورَةًan onslaught ثَعلَبِيَّةًTha'labi
فَسُرنا عَلَيهِم سَورَةً ثَعلَبِيَّةً
وَأَسيافُناand our swords يَجريflows عَلَيهِمover them نُضوحُهاtheir spray
وَأَسيافُنا يَجري عَلَيهِم نُضوحُها
Then we surged against them with a Tha'labi onslaught,
So we marched against them with the Tha‘labi surah
And the spray from our swords flows over them.
And our swords flowed upon them gushing,
وَأَرماحُناand our spears يَنهَزنَهُمjab them نَهزَthe plunging into جُمَّةٍa well-pool
وَأَرماحُنا يَنهَزنَهُم نَهزَ جُمَّةٍ
يَعودُreturns عَلَيهِمupon them وِردُناour watering-round فَنَميحُهاso we draw from it
يَعودُ عَلَيهِم وِردُنا فَنَميحُها
And our spears plunge into them as into a well's deep pool;
And our spears thrust them with repeated stabs,
Our watering-round returns to them, and we draw from it.
And our returning assault bloodied them.
فَدارَتso turned رَحاناour mill ساعَةًfor a while وَرَحاهُمُand their mill
فَدارَت رَحانا ساعَةً وَرَحاهُمُ
وَدَرَّتand yielded milk طِباقاًin successive streams بَعدَafter بَكُءٍscant milk لُقوحُهاits milch-camel
وَدَرَّت طِباقاً بَعدَ بَكُءٍ لُقوحُها
Then our mill and theirs turned for a while,
Our millstone turned a while grinding them,
And its milch-camel yielded stream upon stream after scant milk.
And circulated after their weeping was done.
فَماso whatever أَتلَفَتdestroyed أَيديهُمُtheir hands مِنof نُفوسِناour lives
فَما أَتلَفَت أَيديهُمُ مِن نُفوسِنا
وَإِنand even though كَرُمَتthey were precious فَإِنَّناthen indeed we لاnot نَنوحُهاlament them
وَإِن كَرُمَت فَإِنَّنا لا نَنوحُها
Whatever lives of ours their hands destroyed,
Their hands did not destroy any of our souls,
Precious though they were, we do not lament them.
Though they were generous, and we do not lament them.
فَقُلناso we said هِيَit is النُهبىplunder وَحَلَّand became lawful حَرامُهاits forbidden things
فَقُلنا هِيَ النُهبى وَحَلَّ حَرامُها
وَكانَتand it had been حِمىprotected ground ماindeed (emphatic) قَبلَناbefore us فَنُبيحُهاso we lay it open
وَكانَت حِمى ما قَبلَنا فَنُبيحُها
So we said: it is plunder, and its forbidden things are lawful;
So we said, “It is the spoils,” and made its forbiddenness lawful,
It had been protected ground before us, but we lay it open.
For it was protected before we bayed it.
فَأُبناso we returned وَآبواand they returned كُلَّناall of us بِمَضيضَةٍwith stinging pain
فَأُبنا وَآبوا كُلَّنا بِمَضيضَةٍ
مُهَمَّلَةٍleft untended أَجراحُناour wounds وَجُروحُهاand its wounds
مُهَمَّلَةٍ أَجراحُنا وَجُروحُها
So we returned, and they returned, all of us with stinging pain,
Then we and they, all of us, parted bitterly,
Our wounds and theirs left untended.
Neglected are our wounds and their stabs.
وَكُنّاand we were إِذاwhen أَحلامُthe good sense of قَومٍa people تَغَيَّبَتwent missing
وَكُنّا إِذا أَحلامُ قَومٍ تَغَيَّبَت
نَشِحُّwe guard jealously عَلىover أَحلامِناour good sense فَنُريحُهاso we give it rest
نَشِحُّ عَلى أَحلامِنا فَنُريحُها
And when a people's good sense deserted them,
When the dreams of a people disappear,
We guarded our own good sense jealously and gave it rest.
We yearn for our dreams, so we can comfort them.
Sol 6.1