تَخَلَّيتُI withdrew مِنfrom صَفراءَSafra لاno بَلrather تَخَلَّتِshe withdrew
تَخَلَّيتُ مِن صَفراءَ لا بَل تَخَلَّتِ
وَكُنّاand we were حَليفَيtwo allies in خُلَّةٍaffection فَاِضمَحَلَّتِthen it faded
وَكُنّا حَليفَي خُلَّةٍ فَاِضمَحَلَّتِ
I parted from Safra—no, rather, she parted from me.
I parted from Safraa, no, but she parted
We were two allies in affection, but it faded away.
Though we were bosom friends, she faded
تُغَيِّبُshe keeps away أَعداءَthe enemies of الهَوىlove عَنfrom حَبيبِهاher beloved
تُغَيِّبُ أَعداءَ الهَوى عَن حَبيبِها
وَكانَand there was لَهاfor her رَأيُthe judgment of النِساءِwomen فَضَلَّتِso she went astray
وَكانَ لَها رَأيُ النِساءِ فَضَلَّتِ
She keeps love's enemies away from her beloved.
She keeps the enemies of passion away from her beloved
She had the judgment of women, and so went astray.
And she had the opinion of women so she erred
رَأَتنيshe saw me تَرَفَّعتُI had risen beyond الشَبابَyouth فَأَعرَضَتso she turned away
رَأَتني تَرَفَّعتُ الشَبابَ فَأَعرَضَت
بِشِقٍّwith her side averted فَماso not أَدريI know طَغَتshe grew haughty أَمor أَدَلَّتِshe acted coyly
بِشِقٍّ فَما أَدري طَغَت أَم أَدَلَّتِ
She saw that I had passed beyond youth and turned away,
She saw me arrogantly disdaining youth so she turned away
With her side averted; I cannot tell whether she was haughty or coy.
Askance, so I know not whether she transgressed or lowered herself
وَماand not سُمتُهاI imposed on her هوناًhumiliation فَتَأبىthat she should refuse قَبولَهُaccepting it
وَما سُمتُها هوناً فَتَأبى قَبولَهُ
وَلَكِنَّماbut rather طالَlasted long الصَفاءُthe harmony فَمَلَّتِso she grew weary
وَلَكِنَّما طالَ الصَفاءُ فَمَلَّتِ
I never imposed humiliation on her that she should refuse it;
I did not consider it base so she refuses to accept it
Rather, our harmony lasted long, and she grew weary.
But purity wore on too long so she was wearied
فَياthen O عَجَباwonder زَيَّنتُI adorned نَفسيmyself بِحُبِّهاwith love for her
فَيا عَجَبا زَيَّنتُ نَفسي بِحُبِّها
وَزانَتand she adorned بِهَجريby forsaking me نَفسَهاherself وَتَحَلَّتِand bedecked herself
وَزانَت بِهَجري نَفسَها وَتَحَلَّتِ
How strange! I adorned myself with loving her,
So wonder! I adorned myself with her love
While she adorned and bedecked herself by forsaking me.
And she considered abstaining from me an adornment and put herself off
لَوَتshe deferred حاجَتيmy request عِندَat اللِقاءِthe meeting وَأَنكَرَتand she denied
لَوَت حاجَتي عِندَ اللِقاءِ وَأَنكَرَت
مَواعيدَpromises قَدalready صامَتshe had fasted بِهِنَّfor them وَصَلَّتِand prayed
مَواعيدَ قَد صامَت بِهِنَّ وَصَلَّتِ
She deferred my request when we met, and denied
She refused my need when we met and denied
Promises for which she had fasted and prayed.
Appointments she had observed and joined
وَلَولاand were it not for أَميرُthe Commander of المُؤمِنينَthe Faithful سَقَيتُهاI would have made her drink
وَلَولا أَميرُ المُؤمِنينَ سَقَيتُها
أَواماًburning thirst يُناجيناit whispers to us لَهاfor her حَيثُwherever حَلَّتِshe settled
أَواماً يُناجينا لَها حَيثُ حَلَّتِ
Were it not for the Commander of the Faithful, I would have made her drink
And were it not for the Commander of the Faithful I would have watered her
A burning thirst that whispers to us for her, wherever she dwells.
Sometimes conversing privately with her wherever she lodged
وَماand not واهِنُone weak before البَزلاءِa grave ordeal مِثلُlike مُشَيَّعٍa fearless man
وَما واهِنُ البَزلاءِ مِثلُ مُشَيَّعٍ
إِذاwhen قامَhe rose بِالجُلّىto a mighty undertaking عَلَتit rose high وَتَجَلَّتِand shone forth
إِذا قامَ بِالجُلّى عَلَت وَتَجَلَّتِ
One who falters before a grave ordeal is unlike a fearless man;
The supporter of a coquette is not like a farewell escort
When he undertakes a mighty deed, it rises high and shines forth.
When he stands at the litters, she rose up and put herself off
قَعيدُكِyour companion أُخرىanother woman لاnot تَبيعُsells مَوَدَّتيmy affection
قَعيدُكِ أُخرى لا تَبيعُ مَوَدَّتي
بِوُدٍّfor affection وَلاand not تَخشىshe fears إِذاwhen ماemphasis تَوَلَّتِshe turns away
بِوُدٍّ وَلا تَخشى إِذا ما تَوَلَّتِ
Your companion is another woman who does not sell my affection
Another, lame, who does not sell my affection
For another love, nor does she fear when she turns away.
For love, nor fear when she goes
فَبينيso depart كَماjust as بانَdeparted الشَبابُyouth إِذاwhen مَضىit passed
فَبيني كَما بانَ الشَبابُ إِذا مَضى
وَكانَتand there was يَدٌa hand of favor مِنهُfrom it عَلَيَّupon me فَوَلَّتِthen it withdrew
وَكانَت يَدٌ مِنهُ عَلَيَّ فَوَلَّتِ
So depart, as youth departed when it passed;
So between me and the fading of youth when it passes
Its kindly hand once rested upon me, then withdrew.
And a hand of it was upon me and turned
فَقَدfor indeed كُنتُI was فيin ظِلِّthe shade of العَذارىmaidens مُرَفَّلاًclad in trailing finery
فَقَد كُنتُ في ظِلِّ العَذارى مُرَفَّلاً
أُحَبُّI am loved وَأُعطىand am granted حاجَتيmy wish حَيثُwherever حَلَّتِshe settled
أُحَبُّ وَأُعطى حاجَتي حَيثُ حَلَّتِ
For I once lived in maidens' shade, clad in trailing finery,
For I was in the shade of the virgins, bedecked
Loved, and granted my wish wherever she dwelt.
I loved and my need was given wherever she lodged
فَغَيَّرَthen changed ذاكَthat العَيشَlife تاجٌa crown لَبِستُهُI wore it
فَغَيَّرَ ذاكَ العَيشَ تاجٌ لَبِستُهُ
وَطاعَةُand obedience to والٍa ruler أَحرَمَتforbade وَأَحَلَّتِand permitted
وَطاعَةُ والٍ أَحرَمَت وَأَحَلَّتِ
A crown I wore changed that life,
That life was changed by a crown I put on
And obedience to a ruler, which forbade and permitted.
And the obedience of a prince who prohibited and made lawful
وَنُبِّئتُand I was told نُسواناًwomen كَرِهنَthey disliked تَحَلُّميmy forbearance
وَنُبِّئتُ نُسواناً كَرِهنَ تَحَلُّمي
ولِلّهِand to God belongs أَوبيmy return أَكثَرَتshe said much أَمor أَقَلَّتِshe said little
ولِلّهِ أَوبي أَكثَرَت أَم أَقَلَّتِ
I was told that women disliked my forbearance;
And I told the women that they disliked myCALLOUSNESS
My return is to God, whether she says much or little.
By God I was excessive or scarce
إِذاif أَناI لَمnot أُعطِgive الخَليفَةَthe caliph طائِعاًwillingly
إِذا أَنا لَم أُعطِ الخَليفَةَ طائِعاً
يَمينيmy right hand فَلاthen may it never قامَتrise لِكَأسٍto a cup وَشَلَّتِand may it be paralyzed
يَميني فَلا قامَت لِكَأسٍ وَشَلَّتِ
If I do not willingly give the caliph
When I do not give the Caliph my hand willingly
My right hand, may it never rise to a cup, and may it be paralyzed.
A cup does not stand or pour
لَقَدindeed أَرسَلَتshe sent صَفراءُSafra نَحويtoward me رَسولَهاher messenger
لَقَد أَرسَلَت صَفراءُ نَحوي رَسولَها
لِتَجعَلَنيso that she may make me صَفراءُSafra مِمَّنone of those whom أَظَلَّتِshe shaded
لِتَجعَلَني صَفراءُ مِمَّن أَظَلَّتِ
Safra has indeed sent her messenger toward me,
Indeed Safraa sent her messenger unto me
So that Safra might make me one of those beneath her shade.
That Safraa might make me one who sought shade with her
فَمَنthen who مُبلِغٌwill convey عَنّيon my behalf قُرَيشاًto Quraysh رِسالَةًa message
فَمَن مُبلِغٌ عَنّي قُرَيشاً رِسالَةً
وَأَفناءَand the clans of قَيسٍQays حَيثُwherever سارَتthey traveled وَحَلَّتِand settled
وَأَفناءَ قَيسٍ حَيثُ سارَت وَحَلَّتِ
Who, then, will carry a message from me to Quraysh
So who will convey on my behalf to Quraysh a message
And the clans of Qays, wherever they journey and settle,
And the quarters of Qays wherever she traveled and lodged
بِأَنّاthat we تَدارَكناovertook ضُبَيعَةَDubayʿa بَعدَماafter
بِأَنّا تَدارَكنا ضُبَيعَةَ بَعدَما
أَغارَتthey raided عَلىagainst أَهلِthe people of الحِمىthe protected pasture ثُمَّthen وَلَّتِthey withdrew
أَغارَت عَلى أَهلِ الحِمى ثُمَّ وَلَّتِ
That we overtook Dubayʿa after
That we forestalled Dhubya after
They raided the people of the protected pasture, then withdrew?
She raided the people of the sanctuary then turned away
وَقَدand already نَزَلواthey encamped يَوماًone day بِأَوضاحِin the open tracts of كامِلٍKamil
وَقَد نَزَلوا يَوماً بِأَوضاحِ كامِلٍ
وَلَأياًand with difficulty بَلايِwith difficulty مِنfrom أَضاخَAdakh اِستَقَلَّتِthey departed
وَلَأياً بَلايِ مِن أَضاخَ اِستَقَلَّتِ
They had once encamped in Kamil's open tracts,
And they descended one day at Awdah in full
And with difficulty upon difficulty they moved off from Adakh.
Affliction without exemplar from publishers declared lawful
فَسارَso marched إِلَيهِمagainst them مِنfrom نُمَيرِNumayr بنِson of عامِرٍʿAmir
فَسارَ إِلَيهِم مِن نُمَيرِ بنِ عامِرٍ
فَوارِسُhorsemen قَتلَthe killing of المُقرِفينَthe base-born اِستَحَلَّتِthey deemed lawful
فَوارِسُ قَتلَ المُقرِفينَ اِستَحَلَّتِ
Against them marched, from Numayr ibn ʿAmir,
So there went out to them from Numayr bin Amir
Horsemen who deemed the killing of the base-born lawful.
Horsemen who killed the robbers made lawful
فَماso not لَحِقَتcaught up with أَهلَthe people of اليَمامَةِal-Yamama عامِرٌʿAmir
فَما لَحِقَت أَهلَ اليَمامَةِ عامِرٌ
عَلىon الخَيلِthe horses حَتّىuntil أَسأَرَتthey left a remnant of strength وَأَكَلَّتِand exhausted their mounts
عَلى الخَيلِ حَتّى أَسأَرَت وَأَكَلَّتِ
ʿAmir did not catch the people of al-Yamama
The horsemen of Amir did not catch up with the people of Yamamah
On horseback until their strength was nearly spent and their mounts exhausted.
Until they captured and ate
فَلَمّاthen when اِلتَقَيناwe met زَلَّتslipped النَعلُthe sandal زَلَّةًa slip
فَلَمّا اِلتَقَينا زَلَّت النَعلُ زَلَّةً
بِأَقدامِهِمon their feet تَعساًperdition لَهُمto them حَيثُwhere زَلَّتِit slipped
بِأَقدامِهِم تَعساً لَهُم حَيثُ زَلَّتِ
When we met, the sandal slipped,
When we met their sandal slipped a slip
On their feet—ruin upon them where it slipped!
Woe to them wherever it slipped!
فَشَكَّso transfixed نُمَيرٌNumayr بِالقَناwith lances صَفَحاتِهِمtheir flanks
فَشَكَّ نُمَيرٌ بِالقَنا صَفَحاتِهِم
وَكَمand how many ثَمَّthere مِنof نَذرٍa vow لَهاbelonging to it قَدindeed أَحَلَّتِit discharged
وَكَم ثَمَّ مِن نَذرٍ لَها قَد أَحَلَّتِ
Numayr transfixed their flanks with lances;
Numayr suspected their skulls with the spears
And how many a vow of its own it fulfilled there!
And many vows she had made lawful for it
وَتَرميand shoots at عُقَيلٌʿUqayl كُلَّevery عَينٍeye وَجَبهَةٍand forehead
وَتَرمي عُقَيلٌ كُلَّ عَينٍ وَجَبهَةٍ
وَتَنتَظِمُand strings together الأَبدانَthe bodies حَيثُwherever اِحذَأَلَّتِthey clustered
وَتَنتَظِمُ الأَبدانَ حَيثُ اِحذَأَلَّتِ
And ʿUqayl shoots at every eye and brow,
And Uqayl throws every eye and front
And strings bodies together wherever they cluster.
And the bodies are organized wherever they gathered
وَلَمّاand when لَحِقناهُمwe overtook them كَأَنّاas though we were سَحابَةٌa cloud
وَلَمّا لَحِقناهُم كَأَنّا سَحابَةٌ
مِنَamong المُلمِعاتِthose flashing البَرقَlightning حينَwhen اِستَهَلَّتِit began to pour
مِنَ المُلمِعاتِ البَرقَ حينَ اِستَهَلَّتِ
When we overtook them, we were like a cloud,
And when we caught up with them we were like a cloud
One of those that flash with lightning as it begins to pour.
Of flashing lightning when it began
صَفَفناwe formed ranks وَصَفّواand they formed ranks مُقبِلينَadvancing كَأَنَّهُمas though they were
صَفَفنا وَصَفّوا مُقبِلينَ كَأَنَّهُم
أُسودُthe lions of الأَشاريal-Ashari اِستَتبَلَتthey sought vengeance وَأَدَلَّتِand grew bold
أُسودُ الأَشاري اِستَتبَلَت وَأَدَلَّتِ
We formed ranks, and they formed theirs, advancing like
We stood in ranks and they stood in ranks approaching as though they
Lions of al-Ashari, seeking vengeance and grown bold.
Were black lions mustering and lowering themselves
تَرَكناwe left عَلىat النِشناشِal-Nishnash بَكرَBakr بنَson of وائِلٍWaʾil
تَرَكنا عَلى النِشناشِ بَكرَ بنَ وائِلٍ
وَقَدand already نَهِلَتhad drunk once مِنهاfrom them السُيوفُthe swords وَعَلَّتِand drunk again
وَقَد نَهِلَت مِنها السُيوفُ وَعَلَّتِ
We left Bakr ibn Waʾil at al-Nishnash,
We left Bakr bin Wa’il to the aftermath
After the swords had drunk from them once, then drunk again.
And the swords had dripped from it and risen
غَداةَon the morning when أَرىshowed اِبنَthe son of الوازِعِal-Waziʿ السَيفُthe sword حَتفَهُhis doom
غَداةَ أَرى اِبنَ الوازِعِ السَيفُ حَتفَهُ
وَقَدand already ضُرِبَتhad been struck يُمنىthe right of يَدَيهِhis two hands فَشَلَّتِso it became paralyzed
وَقَد ضُرِبَت يُمنى يَدَيهِ فَشَلَّتِ
On the morning when the sword showed Ibn al-Waziʿ his doom,
The next day I saw the sword was Ibn al-Wazi’s doom
His right hand had been struck and was paralyzed.
And the right hands were cut so they limped
وَأَفلَتَand he escaped يَمريhe urges onward ذاتَone possessing عَقبٍsinews كَأَنَّهاas though she were
وَأَفلَتَ يَمري ذاتَ عَقبٍ كَأَنَّها
حُذارِيَّةٌan eagle مِنfrom رَأسِthe summit of نيقٍa high crag تَدَلَّتِshe descended
حُذارِيَّةٌ مِن رَأسِ نيقٍ تَدَلَّتِ
He escaped, urging on a sinewy mare, as though she were
And Yamri escaped trailing a consequence as though it
An eagle descending from the crest of a crag.
Were the train of a noble camel’s garment hanging
وَبِالفَلَجِand at al-Falaj العادِيِّancient قَتلىslain men إِذاwhen اِلتَقَتthey gathered
وَبِالفَلَجِ العادِيِّ قَتلى إِذا اِلتَقَت
عَلَيهاover them ضِباعُthe hyenas of الجَرِّthe ravine بانَتthey scattered وَضَلَّتِand vanished
عَلَيها ضِباعُ الجَرِّ بانَت وَضَلَّتِ
At ancient al-Falaj lie slain men; when there gather
And at continuous slaughter, when the hyenas of pulling descended upon it
Over them the ravine's hyenas, the bodies scatter and vanish.
The slain wandered confused
Sol 6.1