لِمَنِwhose الدِيارُthe dwellings عَرَفتَهاyou recognized them وَكَأَنَّهاand as though they
لِمَنِ الدِيارُ عَرَفتَها وَكَأَنَّها
لَيسَتare not غَداةَthe morning of أَتَيتَهاyou came to them بِدِيارِdwellings at all
لَيسَت غَداةَ أَتَيتَها بِدِيارِ
Whose are the dwellings you recognized, though they seem
no dwellings at all on the morning you came to them?
دَرَسَتeffaced مَعارِفَهاtheir recognizable features رِياحٌwinds تَلتَقيconverge
دَرَسَت مَعارِفَها رِياحٌ تَلتَقي
وَتَقادُمٌand long decay مِنهاof them وَضَربُand the pounding of قِطارِrain-showers
وَتَقادُمٌ مِنها وَضَربُ قِطارِ
Converging winds have effaced their familiar landmarks,
along with their long decay and the pounding of rain-showers,
حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّas though تُرابَهاtheir earth مِنfrom غَيرِهاother than them
حَتّى كَأَنَّ تُرابَها مِن غَيرِها
يُفدىis offered as ransom لَهاfor them مِنfrom رَملَةٍa sandy tract وَصَحاريand deserts
يُفدى لَها مِن رَملَةٍ وَصَحاري
until their earth seems to come from elsewhere,
offered as ransom for them from a sandy tract and deserts.
دارٌa dwelling لِعَزَّةَof 'Azza أَوor جَميلَةَJamila إِذwhen هُماthe two of them
دارٌ لِعَزَّةَ أَو جَميلَةَ إِذ هُما
تِربانِage-mates فيin عَصرٍan age مِنَamong الأَعصارِthe ages
تِربانِ في عَصرٍ مِنَ الأَعصارِ
A dwelling of 'Azza, or Jamila, when the two
were age-mates, in one of the bygone ages.
فَهَلِso will الشِبابُyouth زَمانَin the time of عَزَّةَ'Azza راجِعٌreturning
فَهَلِ الشِبابُ زَمانَ عَزَّةَ راجِعٌ
أَمor هَلdoes مَشيبُكَyour graying hair ناظِرُawaiting الإِهتارِdotage
أَم هَل مَشيبُكَ ناظِرُ الإِهتارِ
Will youth from 'Azza's time return,
or does your graying hair await dotage?
بَكَرَcame early المَشيبُgray hair عَلىupon الشَبابِyouth فَشانَهُand so marred it
بَكَرَ المَشيبُ عَلى الشَبابِ فَشانَهُ
شَينَthe marring of المُحَرِّقِthe burner فيin الحَديدِiron بِنارِwith fire
شَينَ المُحَرِّقِ في الحَديدِ بِنارِ
Gray hair came early upon youth and marred it,
as a burner mars iron with fire,
حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّas though حَديثَهُits new growth وقَديمَهُand its old growth
حَتّى كَأَنَّ حَديثَهُ وقَديمَهُ
لَيلٌa night تَلَفَّعَwrapped itself مُدبِراًretreating بِنَهارِin daylight
لَيلٌ تَلَفَّعَ مُدبِراً بِنَهارِ
until its new growth and its old alike seem
a retreating night wrapped in daylight.
لَبِسَhe wore الخِضابَdye لِكَيso that يُواريhe might hide شَيبَهُhis gray hair
لَبِسَ الخِضابَ لِكَي يُواري شَيبَهُ
وَالشَيبُand gray hair لاnot حَسَنٌbeautiful وَلاand not مُتَواريconcealed
وَالشَيبُ لا حَسَنٌ وَلا مُتَواري
He wore dye to conceal his gray hair,
and gray hair is neither beautiful nor concealed.
طَرَقَتكَshe visited you by night عَزَّةُ'Azza مِنfrom مَزارٍa place of visitation نازِحٍdistant
طَرَقَتكَ عَزَّةُ مِن مَزارٍ نازِحٍ
ياO حُبَّthe dearness of زائِرَةٍa woman visitor وَبُعدَand the remoteness of مَزارِa place of visitation
يا حُبَّ زائِرَةٍ وَبُعدَ مَزارِ
'Azza visited you by night from a distant abode:
how dear a visitor, and how distant her abode!
وَاللَيلُand the night مُختَلِطُmingled in النُجومِthe stars كَأَنَّهُas though it were
وَاللَيلُ مُختَلِطُ النُجومِ كَأَنَّهُ
ساجٌa dark cloak يُرَوَّقُis spread as a canopy سابِغُample الأَستارِthe curtains
ساجٌ يُرَوَّقُ سابِغُ الأَستارِ
And the night, its stars mingled, seemed
a dark cloak hung as a canopy, with ample curtains.
فَنَهَجتُso I panted أَنظُرُI look ماwhat الخَيالُthe phantom فَراعَنيso it startled me
فَنَهَجتُ أَنظُرُ ما الخَيالُ فَراعَني
وَالعَينُand the eye غَيرُnot حَديثَةٍrecently acquainted بِغِرارِwith a brief sleep
وَالعَينُ غَيرُ حَديثَةٍ بِغِرارِ
So I panted, looking to see what the phantom was; it startled me,
and my eye had known no recent snatch of sleep.
فَرَأىso he saw لَهاto her شَبَهاًa resemblance وَلَيسَand is not بِعارِفٍrecognizing
فَرَأى لَها شَبَهاً وَلَيسَ بِعارِفٍ
جَدّاًfor certain وَلَيسَand is not بِمُمعِنِgoing far into الإِنكارِdenial
جَدّاً وَلَيسَ بِمُمعِنِ الإِنكارِ
So he saw a resemblance to her, yet did not recognize her
for certain, nor was he emphatic in denial.
كَالجِنِّlike the jinn تَعرِفُهاyou recognize her إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) أَقبَلَتshe approaches
كَالجِنِّ تَعرِفُها إِذا ما أَقبَلَت
وَتَكادُand you almost تُنكِرُهاfail to recognize her مَعَwith الإِدثارِbeing cloaked
وَتَكادُ تُنكِرُها مَعَ الإِدثارِ
Like the jinn, you recognize her when she approaches,
yet almost fail to know her when she is cloaked.
بِبِساطِon a broad plain أَغبَرَdust-colored مِنof تِهامَةَTihama غائِرٍlow-lying
بِبِساطِ أَغبَرَ مِن تِهامَةَ غائِرٍ
مِنfrom بَطنِthe valley of نخلةَNakhla مُشرِفِelevated at الأَقطارِthe edges
مِن بَطنِ نخلةَ مُشرِفِ الأَقطارِ
On a dust-colored plain, low-lying in Tihama,
from the valley of Nakhla, with its edges rising high,
مِنهُfrom it مَطالِعُascents يُهتَدىone is guided بِمَنارِهاby their landmarks
مِنهُ مَطالِعُ يُهتَدى بِمَنارِها
وَمَطالِبٌand destinations لَيسَتare not بِذاتِpossessing مَنارِa landmark
وَمَطالِبٌ لَيسَت بِذاتِ مَنارِ
are ascents whose landmarks guide the way,
and destinations that have no landmarks.
كَلَّفتُI charged نَفسيmyself قَطعَهاcrossing them بِشِمِلَّةٍon a swift she-camel
كَلَّفتُ نَفسي قَطعَها بِشِمِلَّةٍ
حُفِزَتwere pressed close مِحالُthe joints of فَقارِهاher vertebrae بِفَقارِagainst vertebrae
حُفِزَت مِحالُ فَقارِها بِفَقارِ
I charged myself to cross them on a swift she-camel,
her spinal joints pressed close, vertebra against vertebra,
سُرحِfree-moving in اليَدَينِthe two forelegs إِذاwhen الحِدابُthe hillocks تَرَقَّصَتdance
سُرحِ اليَدَينِ إِذا الحِدابُ تَرَقَّصَت
وَإِذاand when رُفِعنَthey are raised رَفيعَةَhigh in المِشوارِstride
وَإِذا رُفِعنَ رَفيعَةَ المِشوارِ
with free-moving forelegs when the hillocks dance,
and high in her stride when they rise.
حَلَبَmilked الهَجيرُthe midday heat بِلَيتِهاat her neck وَمَقَذِّهاand her nape
حَلَبَ الهَجيرُ بِلَيتِها وَمَقَذِّها
حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّas though بِهاon her عَنِيَّةَan ointment of قارِpitch
حَتّى كَأَنَّ بِها عَنِيَّةَ قارِ
The noon heat milked sweat from her neck and nape,
until she seemed coated in an ointment of pitch.
تَعلوshe climbs النِجادَthe uplands كَأَنَّهاas though she were مُتَوَجِّسٌa wary creature
تَعلو النِجادَ كَأَنَّها مُتَوَجِّسٌ
طَيّانُhollow-bellied بَينَbetween خِمائِلٍthickets وَصَحاريand deserts
طَيّانُ بَينَ خِمائِلٍ وَصَحاري
She climbs the uplands like a wary beast,
hollow-bellied among thickets and deserts.
باتَتspent the night تُصَفِّقُهُbuffeting him جَنوبٌa south wind رَيدَةٌgentle
باتَت تُصَفِّقُهُ جَنوبٌ رَيدَةٌ
وَقِطارُand showers of سارِيَةٍa night-traveling cloud بِغَيرِwithout شِعارِan undergarment
وَقِطارُ سارِيَةٍ بِغَيرِ شِعارِ
A gentle south wind spent the night buffeting him,
and showers from a night-cloud, while he had no undergarment,
تَطويfolds شَواكِلَهُhis flanks وَتَحنوand bends صُلبَهُhis spine
تَطوي شَواكِلَهُ وَتَحنو صُلبَهُ
كَالقَلبِlike a bracelet غودِرَwas left فيin مِرادِa roaming-place of عَذاريmaidens
كَالقَلبِ غودِرَ في مِرادِ عَذاري
folding his flanks inward and bending his spine,
like a bracelet left where maidens roam.
باتَspent the night المُكَلِّبُthe hound-master فيin مَراصِدَwatch-posts حَولَهُaround him
باتَ المُكَلِّبُ في مَراصِدَ حَولَهُ
يَسعىranging بِطاوِيَةِwith hollow البُطونِbellies ضَوارِravening hounds
يَسعى بِطاوِيَةِ البُطونِ ضَوارِ
The hound-master spent the night at watch-posts around him,
ranging with hollow-bellied, ravening hounds,
زُرقِblue العُيونِthe eyes إِذاwhen رَأَينَthey saw طَريدَةًquarry
زُرقِ العُيونِ إِذا رَأَينَ طَريدَةً
طَمَحَتstrained upward سَوالِفُهُنَّtheir fore-necks فيin الأَوتارِthe cords
طَمَحَت سَوالِفُهُنَّ في الأَوتارِ
blue-eyed; whenever they saw quarry,
their fore-necks strained upward against their cords.
حَتّىuntil غَداwent forth at dawn لَهَقُgleaming white السَراةِthe back كَأَنَّهُas though he were
حَتّى غَدا لَهَقُ السَراةِ كَأَنَّهُ
لَئِقُclinging القَميصِthe shirt مِنَof المَشامِلِouter cloaks عارِbare
لَئِقُ القَميصِ مِنَ المَشامِلِ عارِ
Until the white-backed beast went forth at dawn as though he were
in a clinging shirt, stripped of outer cloaks.
وَغَدَونَand they went at dawn فيthrough قِطَعِmasses of الغُبارِdust عَواصِفاًstorming
وَغَدَونَ في قِطَعِ الغُبارِ عَواصِفاً
دُرماًflattened حَواجِبُهاtheir brows مِنَfrom الإِصرارِrelentless resolve
دُرماً حَواجِبُها مِنَ الإِصرارِ
And at dawn they stormed through banks of dust,
their brows flattened with relentless resolve,
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماindeed (emphatic) كِدنَthey nearly reached him أَوor خالَطنَهُthey closed with him
حَتّى إِذا ما كِدنَ أَو خالَطنَهُ
وَطَمِعنَand they coveted بِالأَنيابِwith fangs وَالأَظفارِand claws
وَطَمِعنَ بِالأَنيابِ وَالأَظفارِ
until, when they nearly reached him or closed upon him,
and coveted him with fangs and claws,
هَزَّhe brandished القَناةَthe spear لَهُنَّat them ثُمَّthen أَعادَهاhe brought it back
هَزَّ القَناةَ لَهُنَّ ثُمَّ أَعادَها
طَورَينِtwice بَينَbetween مُعانِقٍa close grappler وَمُماريand a challenger
طَورَينِ بَينَ مُعانِقٍ وَمُماري
he brandished his spear against them, then brought it back,
twice, between a close grappler and a challenger.
ثُمَّthen اِستَمَرَّhe pressed onward وَفِئنَand they returned غَيرَnot جَواذِلٍrejoicing
ثُمَّ اِستَمَرَّ وَفِئنَ غَيرَ جَواذِلٍ
يَخلِطنَthey mingle بَينَbetween حَشارِجٍrattling gasps وَهِرارِand snarls
يَخلِطنَ بَينَ حَشارِجٍ وَهِرارِ
Then he pressed onward, and they returned without rejoicing,
mingling rattling gasps with snarls,
يَلحَسنَthey lick مِنfrom صَفَحاتِهِنَّtheir flanks نَوافِذاًpiercing wounds
يَلحَسنَ مِن صَفَحاتِهِنَّ نَوافِذاً
لَحسَthe licking of الرَوائِمِdoting mothers سَلخَهاtheir newborns' skins الأَبكارِfirst-calving
لَحسَ الرَوائِمِ سَلخَها الأَبكارِ
licking wounds that pierced their flanks,
as first-calving mothers lick their newborns' skins.
وَاِهتَزَّand he sprang يَمعَجُdarts side to side فيin الجِهادِthe bare ground كَأَنَّهُas though he were
وَاِهتَزَّ يَمعَجُ في الجِهادِ كَأَنَّهُ
قُرناسَةٌa mountain crag طُوِيَتwas drawn together عَلىupon أَنيارِwooden crossbeams
قُرناسَةٌ طُوِيَت عَلى أَنيارِ
And he sprang, weaving over the bare ground, as though he were
a crag drawn together upon wooden crossbeams.
فَعَلاso he climbed الخَميلَةَthe thicket وَهوَwhile he يَنفُضُshakes رَأَسَهُhis head
فَعَلا الخَميلَةَ وَهوَ يَنفُضُ رَأَسَهُ
نَفضَthe shaking of المَقامِسِthe diver رَأسَهُhis head المَهّارِthe skillful one
نَفضَ المَقامِسِ رَأسَهُ المَهّارِ
Then he climbed the thicket, shaking his head,
as a skillful diver shakes his head.
يَزَعُdrives away الذُبابَthe flies بِحَشرَةٍwith a slender tail مَطوِيَّةٍfolded
يَزَعُ الذُبابَ بِحَشرَةٍ مَطوِيَّةٍ
وَبِحُرَّتَيand with the two fine ears of مُتَوَجِسٍa wary beast بَربارِbellowing
وَبِحُرَّتَي مُتَوَجِسٍ بَربارِ
He drove off flies with a slender, folded tail,
and with the two fine ears of a wary, bellowing beast.
خَمِطُfierce in الضُحىthe forenoon وَكَأَنَّand as though ريحَthe scent of كِناسِهِhis lair
خَمِطُ الضُحى وَكَأَنَّ ريحَ كِناسِهِ
مِنfrom رِعيَةِgrazing القَفَراتِthe barren wastes ريحُthe scent of صِوارِa musk-pod
مِن رِعيَةِ القَفَراتِ ريحُ صِوارِ
Fierce in the forenoon, his lair seemed scented
by his grazing in the wastes with the fragrance of a musk-pod.
وُشِمَتwere tattooed مَذارِعُهُhis forelegs بِوَشمٍwith tattoo-marks بَينَهاbetween them
وُشِمَت مَذارِعُهُ بِوَشمٍ بَينَها
خَلَلٌgaps كَماjust as وَشَمَtattooed الأَكُفَّthe palms عَذاريmaidens
خَلَلٌ كَما وَشَمَ الأَكُفَّ عَذاري
His forelegs were tattooed with marks, between which
were gaps, as maidens tattoo the palms.
Sol 6.1