غَداset out at dawn سَلَفٌan advance party فَأَصعَدَthen went upland بِالرَبابِwith al-Rabab
غَدا سَلَفٌ فَأَصعَدَ بِالرَبابِ
وَحَنَّand he yearned وَماand not يَحِنُّhe yearns إِلىfor صِحابِcompanions
وَحَنَّ وَما يَحِنُّ إِلى صِحابِ
An advance party set out at dawn, taking al-Rabab upland.
Tomorrow dawned, so he mounted his steed
And he yearned, though not for companions.
And yearned, though yearning is not for comrades
دَعاcalled forth عَبَراتِهِhis tears شَجَنٌsorrow تَوَلّىhad passed
دَعا عَبَراتِهِ شَجَنٌ تَوَلّى
وَشاماتٌand dark markings عَلىupon طَلَلٍa ruin يَبابِdesolate
وَشاماتٌ عَلى طَلَلٍ يَبابِ
A sorrow from the past called forth his tears,
His tears called forth griefs that multiplied
and dark markings upon a desolate ruin.
And twilights over ruins that moulder and decay
وَأَظهَرَand it revealed صَفحَةًa face سُتِرَتwas veiled وَأُخرىand another
وَأَظهَرَ صَفحَةً سُتِرَت وَأُخرى
مِنَof العَبَراتِtears تَشهَدُbears witness بِالتَبابِto ruin
مِنَ العَبَراتِ تَشهَدُ بِالتَبابِ
And it revealed a face once veiled, and another
And showed a cheek once hidden, and another
of tears, bearing witness to ruin.
Of tears that testify to separation
كَأَنَّas though الدارَthe dwelling حينَwhen خَلَتit was deserted رُسومٌtraces
كَأَنَّ الدارَ حينَ خَلَت رُسومٌ
كَهَذاlike this العَصبِstriped cloth أَوor بَعضِpart of الكِتابِthe writing
كَهَذا العَصبِ أَو بَعضِ الكِتابِ
As though the dwelling, when deserted, were traces
It was as if the abode, when its features vanished,
like this striped cloth, or a fragment of writing.
Was like this shinbone or some of the writ
إِذاwhen ذُكِرَwere recalled الحِبابُthe loved ones بِهاthere أَضَرَّتlingered
إِذا ذُكِرَ الحِبابُ بِها أَضَرَّت
بِهاupon it عَينٌan eye تَضَرُّlingers عَلىupon الحِبابِthe loved ones
بِها عَينٌ تَضَرُّ عَلى الحِبابِ
When loved ones were recalled there, there lingered
When lovers were recalled in it, an eye would ache
upon it an eye intent upon those loved ones.
That aches for lovers over their abodes
دِيارُthe dwellings of الحَيِّthe tribe بِالرُكحِon the slope اليَمانيthe Yemeni
دِيارُ الحَيِّ بِالرُكحِ اليَماني
خَرابٌruined وَالدِيارُand dwellings إِلىtoward خَرابِruin
خَرابٌ وَالدِيارُ إِلى خَرابِ
The tribe's dwellings on the Yemeni slope
The abode of the living at Ar-Rukhkha in Yemen
are ruins, and dwellings are bound for ruin.
Is ruin, and the abode is on the way to ruin
رَجَعنَthey revived صَبابَةًyearning وَبَعَثنَand they stirred شَوقاًlonging
رَجَعنَ صَبابَةً وَبَعَثنَ شَوقاً
عَلىin مُتَحَلَّبِone streaming with tears الشَأنَينِthe two tear ducts صابِlovelorn
عَلى مُتَحَلَّبِ الشَأنَينِ صابِ
They revived yearning and stirred longing
They aroused longing and sent back youthfulness
in a lovelorn man whose twin tear ducts streamed.
To one distinguished in condition and plight
وَماand what يَبقىendures عَلىagainst زَمَنٍan age مُغيرٍravaging
وَما يَبقى عَلى زَمَنٍ مُغيرٍ
عَداcharged حَدَثانُهُits calamities عَدوَlike the charge of الذِئابِwolves
عَدا حَدَثانُهُ عَدوَ الذِئابِ
And what endures against a ravaging age,
And nothing remains of a changing world
whose calamities charge like wolves?
Except its events, foe of the wolves
وَدَهرُand the lifetime of المَرءِa man مُنقَلِبٌturning عَلَيهِagainst him
وَدَهرُ المَرءِ مُنقَلِبٌ عَلَيهِ
فُنوناًin many ways وَالنَعيمُand bliss إِلىtoward اِنقِلابِchange
فُنوناً وَالنَعيمُ إِلى اِنقِلابِ
And a man's lifetime turns against him
And the life of a man turns against him
in many ways, and bliss is bound to change.
Capriciously, and bliss is on the way to change
وَكُلُّand every أَخٍbrother سَيَذهَبُwill depart عَنfrom أَخيهِhis brother
وَكُلُّ أَخٍ سَيَذهَبُ عَن أَخيهِ
وَباقيand what remains ماwhat تُحِبُّyou love إِلىtoward ذَهابِvanishing
وَباقي ما تُحِبُّ إِلى ذَهابِ
And every brother will depart from his brother,
And every brother will depart from his brother
and what remains of what you love is bound to vanish.
While most of what you love is on the way to loss
وَلَمّاand when فارَقَتناshe parted from us أُمُّmother of بَكرٍBakr
وَلَمّا فارَقَتنا أُمُّ بَكرٍ
وَشَطَّتand she went far away غُربَةًestrangement بَعدَafter اِكتِئابِsorrow
وَشَطَّت غُربَةً بَعدَ اِكتِئابِ
And when Umm Bakr parted from us,
And when she who was Umm Bakr left us
and went far away, into estrangement after sorrow,
And remoteness stretched out after dejection
وَبِتُّand I spent the night بِحاجَةٍwith a yearning فيin الصَدرِthe breast مِنهاfrom her
وَبِتُّ بِحاجَةٍ في الصَدرِ مِنها
تَحَرَّقُblazes نارُهاits fire بَينَwithin الحِجابِthe inner veil
تَحَرَّقُ نارُها بَينَ الحِجابِ
I spent the night with a yearning for her in my breast,
And I spent the night needing her in my breast
its fire blazing within the inner veil.
With a fire from her burning between the veils
خَطَطتُI sketched مِثالَهاher likeness وَجَلَستُand I sat أَشكوcomplaining
خَطَطتُ مِثالَها وَجَلَستُ أَشكو
إِلَيهاto her ماwhat لَقيتُI suffered عَلىamid اِنتِحابِsobbing
إِلَيها ما لَقيتُ عَلى اِنتِحابِ
I sketched her likeness and sat complaining
I traced her image and sat complaining
to her of what I had suffered, amid sobbing.
To her of what I faced in my confusion
أُكَلِّمُI speak to لَمحَةًa glimpse فيin التُربِthe dust مِنهاof her
أُكَلِّمُ لَمحَةً في التُربِ مِنها
كَلامَwith the speech of المُستَجيرِone seeking refuge مِنَfrom العَذابِtorment
كَلامَ المُستَجيرِ مِنَ العَذابِ
I spoke to a glimpse of her in the dust,
I speak to a glimpse of her in the earth
with the speech of one seeking refuge from torment.
Like the speech of one seeking refuge from punishment
كَأَنِّيَas though I were عِندَهاbeside her أَشكوI complain إِلَيهاto her
كَأَنِّيَ عِندَها أَشكو إِلَيها
هُموميmy sorrows وَالشِكاةُand the complaint إِلىto التُرابِthe dust
هُمومي وَالشِكاةُ إِلى التُرابِ
As though I were beside her, complaining to her
As if I were complaining to her
of my sorrows—yet my complaint was to the dust.
Of my concerns, though complaining is to dust
سَقىmay water اللَهُGod القِبابَthe domed tents بِتَلِّon the hill of عَبدى'Abda
سَقى اللَهُ القِبابَ بِتَلِّ عَبدى
وَبِالشَرقينِand at al-Sharqayn أَيّامَthe days of القِبابِthe domed tents
وَبِالشَرقينِ أَيّامَ القِبابِ
May God water the domed tents on 'Abda's hill,
May God water the tombs at the plot of Abd
and the days of the domed tents at al-Sharqayn,
And the Eastern quarters, days of tombs
وَأَيّاماًand days لَناof ours قَصُرَتwere brief وَطابَتand were sweet
وَأَيّاماً لَنا قَصُرَت وَطابَت
عَلىat فُرعانَFur'an نائِمَةَasleep الكِلابِthe dogs
عَلى فُرعانَ نائِمَةَ الكِلابِ
and days of ours that were brief and sweet,
And days we had that were short but pleasant
at Fur'an, with the dogs asleep.
Over cubs sleeping of the wild dogs
لَقَدindeed شَطَّgrew distant المَزارُthe place of meeting فَبِتُّso I spent the night صَبّاًlovesick
لَقَد شَطَّ المَزارُ فَبِتُّ صَبّاً
يُطالِعُنيlooks in on me الهَوىpassion مِنfrom كُلِّevery بابِdoor
يُطالِعُني الهَوى مِن كُلِّ بابِ
Truly, the place of meeting grew distant, and I lay lovesick,
Distant indeed has the visitation become! I spend the night weeping,
passion looking in on me from every door.
With yearning surveying me from every door
وَعَهديand my memory بِالفُراعِof al-Fura' وَأُمِّand mother of بَكرٍBakr
وَعَهدي بِالفُراعِ وَأُمِّ بَكرٍ
ثَقالِheavy الرِدفِof hips طَيِّبَةِsweet الرُضابِof saliva
ثَقالِ الرِدفِ طَيِّبَةِ الرُضابِ
And I remember al-Fura' and Umm Bakr,
And my pact with Al-Fura` and Umm Bakr –
full-hipped, sweet of saliva,
Ladies heavy of buttocks, pleasant of scent!
مِنَamong المُتَصَيِّداتِthe huntresses بِكُلِّwith every نَبلٍarrow
مِنَ المُتَصَيِّداتِ بِكُلِّ نَبلٍ
تَسيلُshe flows إِذاwhen مَشَتshe walks سَيلَlike the flowing of الحُبابِfoam
تَسيلُ إِذا مَشَت سَيلَ الحُبابِ
one of the huntresses who hunt with every arrow.
Huntresses with every valor,
She flowed when she walked, like flowing foam.
Who flow, when they walk, in floods of musk
مُصَوَّرَةٌfinely formed يَحارُis bewildered الطَرفُthe gaze فيهاby her
مُصَوَّرَةٌ يَحارُ الطَرفُ فيها
كَأَنَّas though حَديثَهاher speech سُكرُthe intoxication of الشَرابِwine
كَأَنَّ حَديثَها سُكرُ الشَرابِ
So finely formed, the gaze is bewildered by her,
Imaged – the eyes are confused by her –
as though her speech were the intoxication of wine.
As if her talk were the drunkenness of wine
لَيالِيَnights when لاnot أَعوجُI turn aside عَلىtoward المُناديthe caller
لَيالِيَ لا أَعوجُ عَلى المُنادي
وَلاnor العُذّالِthe reprovers مِنbecause of صَعَمِthe headstrong vigor of الشَبابِyouth
وَلا العُذّالِ مِن صَعَمِ الشَبابِ
On nights when I paid no heed to the caller,
Nights I do not complain to the rebuker
nor to reprovers, through youth's headstrong vigor.
Nor the blamer, from the unruliness of youths
وَقائِلَةٍand a woman saying رَأَتنيwho saw me لاnot أُباليI care
وَقائِلَةٍ رَأَتني لا أُبالي
جُنوحَthe inclination of العاذِلاتِthe reproaching women إِلىto عِتابِrebuke
جُنوحَ العاذِلاتِ إِلى عِتابِ
And a woman spoke, seeing that I did not care
And a sayer who saw me care nothing
for the reproaching women's inclination to rebuke:
For the censure of blamers toward rebuke
مَلِلتَyou have tired of عِتابَthe reproach of أَغيَدَa graceful youth كُلَّevery يَومٍday
مَلِلتَ عِتابَ أَغيَدَ كُلَّ يَومٍ
وَشَرٌّand evil ماwhat دَعاكَdrew you إِلىinto العِتابِreproach
وَشَرٌّ ما دَعاكَ إِلى العِتابِ
"You have tired of a graceful youth's daily reproach,
You have wearied of the rebuke every day
and evil is what drew you into reproach.
And evil is what led you to rebuke
إِذاif بَعَثَunleashed الجَوابُthe answer عَلَيكَagainst you حَرباًwar
إِذا بَعَثَ الجَوابُ عَلَيكَ حَرباً
فَماthen why لَكَwith you لاnot تَكُفُّyou refrain عَنِfrom الجَوابِanswering
فَما لَكَ لا تَكُفُّ عَنِ الجَوابِ
If replying unleashes war against you,
If replying stirs up war against you
why, then, do you not stop replying?"
Why do you not refrain from reply?
أَصونُI guard عَنِfrom اللِئامِthe ignoble لُبابَthe essence of وُدّيmy affection
أَصونُ عَنِ اللِئامِ لُبابَ وُدّي
وَأَختَصُّand I single out الأَكارِمَthe noble بِاللُبابِwith the essence
وَأَختَصُّ الأَكارِمَ بِاللُبابِ
I guard the essence of my affection from the ignoble,
I protect the kernel of my affection
and reserve that essence for the noble.
And reserve the noble for the pith
وَأَيُّand what فَتىًyoung man مِنَamong البَوغاءِthe rabble يُغنيcould replace
وَأَيُّ فَتىً مِنَ البَوغاءِ يُغني
مَقاميmy place فيin المُخاطَبِthe addressee وَالخِطابِand the address
مَقامي في المُخاطَبِ وَالخِطابِ
And what youth among the rabble could fill
And which gallant among the eloquent could suffice me
my place with the addressee and in speech?
In addressing and speech?
وَتَجمَعُand gathers دَعوَتيmy call آثارَthe legacies of قَوميmy people
وَتَجمَعُ دَعوَتي آثارَ قَومي
هُمُthey الأُسدُthe lions الخَوادِرُcrouching in their lairs تَحتَbeneath غابِthickets
هُمُ الأُسدُ الخَوادِرُ تَحتَ غابِ
And my call gathers my people's legacies;
And my invitation gathers the traces of my people -
they are lions crouching beneath the thickets.
They are the lions, the audacious, under cover
وُلاةُmasters of العِزِّmight وَالشَرَفِand honor المُعَلّىexalted
وُلاةُ العِزِّ وَالشَرَفِ المُعَلّى
يَرُدّونَthey give back الفُضولَthe surplus عَلىto المُصابِthe afflicted
يَرُدّونَ الفُضولَ عَلى المُصابِ
Masters of might and exalted honor,
Rulers of glory and elevated honor
they give their surplus to the afflicted.
Who repel presumption against the stricken
وَقَومٌand a people يُنكِرونَdeny سَحابَthe clouds of قَوميmy people
وَقَومٌ يُنكِرونَ سَحابَ قَومي
رَفَعناwe raised فَوقَهُمabove them غُرَّthe gleaming white السَحابِclouds
رَفَعنا فَوقَهُم غُرَّ السَحابِ
And a people deny the clouds of my people;
And a people who deny the clouds of my people -
we raised gleaming white clouds above them.
We raised above them the height of the clouds
وَأَبراراًand righteous نَعودُwe return إِذاwhen غَضِبناwe grow angry
وَأَبراراً نَعودُ إِذا غَضِبنا
بِأَحلامٍwith forbearance رَواجِحَweighty كَالهِضابِlike the hills
بِأَحلامٍ رَواجِحَ كَالهِضابِ
And when angered, we return to righteousness,
And we are virtuous when we grow angry
with forbearance as weighty as the hills.
With dreams lofty as plateaus
وَإِنand though نُسرِعwe hasten بِمَرحَمَةٍwith mercy لِقَومٍfor a people
وَإِن نُسرِع بِمَرحَمَةٍ لِقَومٍ
فَلَسناyet we are not بِالسِراعِswift إِلىtoward العِقابِpunishment
فَلَسنا بِالسِراعِ إِلى العِقابِ
And though we hasten with mercy for a people,
And if we hasten with a raid against a people,
we are not swift to punish.
We are not hasty in punishment
نُرَشِّحُwe nurture ظالِماًa wrongdoer وَنَلُمُّand we mend شَعثاًdisarray
نُرَشِّحُ ظالِماً وَنَلُمُّ شَعثاً
وَنَرضىand we are content بِالثَناءِwith praise مِنَas الثَوابِreward
وَنَرضى بِالثَناءِ مِنَ الثَوابِ
We nurture a wrongdoer and mend disarray,
We nominate an unjust man and reproach a disheveled one,
and are content with praise as our reward.
And we are content with praise instead of reward
تَراناyou see us حينَwhen تَختَلِفُcross one another العَواليthe spearheads
تَرانا حينَ تَختَلِفُ العَوالي
وَقَدand already لاذَsought refuge الأَذِلَّةُthe abject بِالصِعابِin rugged places
وَقَد لاذَ الأَذِلَّةُ بِالصِعابِ
You see us when the spearheads cross,
You see us, when the heights differ,
and the abject have sought refuge in rugged places,
And the abased have resorted to the rugged--
نَقودُwe lead كَتائِباًbattalions وَنَسوقُand we drive أُخرىothers
نَقودُ كَتائِباً وَنَسوقُ أُخرى
كَأَنَّas though زُهاءَهُنَّtheir mass سَوادُthe blackness of لابِlava fields
كَأَنَّ زُهاءَهُنَّ سَوادُ لابِ
leading battalions and driving others,
We lead battalions and drive others
as though their mass were the blackness of lava fields.
As if their armor were the blackness of night
إِذاwhen فَزَعَتare alarmed بِلادُthe lands of بَنيthe sons of مَعَدٍّMa'add
إِذا فَزَعَت بِلادُ بَني مَعَدٍّ
حَمَيناهاwe defend them بِأَغلِمَةٍwith young men غِضابِwrathful
حَمَيناها بِأَغلِمَةٍ غِضابِ
When the lands of the sons of Ma'add are alarmed,
When the lands of Bani Ma`ad are alarmed
we defend them with wrathful young men,
We protect them with clubs of wrath
وَكُلِّand every مُتَوَّجٍman crowned بِالشَيبِwith gray hair يَغدوgoes forth
وَكُلِّ مُتَوَّجٍ بِالشَيبِ يَغدو
طَويلَlong of الباعِreach مُنتَجَعَsought for sustenance الجِنابِthe domain
طَويلَ الباعِ مُنتَجَعَ الجِنابِ
and every man crowned with gray hair who goes forth
And every long-armed graybeard among them
long of reach, his domain sought for sustenance,
Steps forth with gathered loins
مِنَamong المُتَضَمِّنينَthose who take upon themselves شَباthe sharp points of المَناياdeath
مِنَ المُتَضَمِّنينَ شَبا المَنايا
يَكونُis مَقيلُهُhis noonday resting place ظِلَّthe shade of العُقابِthe eagle
يَكونُ مَقيلُهُ ظِلَّ العُقابِ
among those who take upon themselves death's sharp points,
Of those who harbor the fates of death,
his noonday resting place is the eagle's shade.
His rest will be in the shade of staves
إِذاwhen حَسَرَrecedes الشَبابُyouth فَمُتthen die جَميلاًnobly
إِذا حَسَرَ الشَبابُ فَمُت جَميلاً
فَماfor there are no اللَذّاتُpleasures إِلّاexcept فيin الشَبابِyouth
فَما اللَذّاتُ إِلّا في الشَبابِ
When youth recedes, die nobly,
When youth passes, die beautifully!
for pleasures are found only in youth.
For pleasures are only in youth
Sol 6.1