هَبَّتblew نُسَيمَةُa little breeze رامَةٍRamah فَتَأَرَّقاso he grew sleepless
هَبَّت نُسَيمَةُ رامَةٍ فَتَأَرَّقا
تُهديbrings السَلامَgreetings إِلىto سُوَيكِنَةِthe little dweller of النَقاthe sandhill
تُهدي السَلامَ إِلى سُوَيكِنَةِ النَقا
A little breeze from Ramah blew, and he grew sleepless.
A gentle breeze blew by, so we bid farewell,
Bearing greetings to the little dweller of the sandhill.
It carries greetings to the beloved homeland.
وَقَفَتit paused تُطارِحُهاexchanging with her حَديثَtalk of طُوَيلِعٍTuwayliʿ
وَقَفَت تُطارِحُها حَديثَ طُوَيلِعٍ
فَلَقَدfor indeed حَييتُI lived بِهاthrough it وَمُتُّand I died تَشَوُّقاof longing
فَلَقَد حَييتُ بِها وَمُتُّ تَشَوُّقا
It paused to exchange with her tales of Tuwayliʿ.
It stopped and shared with me tales from afar,
For indeed, through it I lived, and died of longing.
I was revived and yearned to be where you are.
ياoh حَبَّذاhow lovely ريحُthe wind الشمالِof the north فَإِنَّهاfor indeed it
يا حَبَّذا ريحُ الشمالِ فَإِنَّها
أَضحَتhas become مُجَدّدَةًrenewing لِسَلمىfor Salma مَوثِقاa pledge
أَضحَت مُجَدّدَةً لِسَلمى مَوثِقا
Oh, how lovely the north wind, for it
How great is the north wind! It came by
Now renews a pledge to Salma.
And renewed the ties we cherish, fortified.
نَفَحَتit wafted فَقُلتُso I said تَمَسَّكواhold fast, you all بِعَبيرِهاto its perfume
نَفَحَت فَقُلتُ تَمَسَّكوا بِعَبيرِها
وَطَفِقتُand I began مِنfrom وَلَهىmy passionate longing بِهاfor it مُتَنَشِّقاinhaling
وَطَفِقتُ مِن وَلَهى بِها مُتَنَشِّقا
It wafted, and I said, “Hold fast to its perfume.”
It blew, and I said: “Inhale its fragrance!”
And out of my longing for it, I began to breathe it in.
I was enthralled, utterly lovesick.
واهاًalas لِمُكتَئِبٍfor a downcast man يَهيمُwanders distraught صَبابَةًin passionate longing
واهاً لِمُكتَئِبٍ يَهيمُ صَبابَةً
وَجَوىًand heartache عَلىover بَرقِlightning إِلاexcept (unclear here) بيرَقa banner (unclear here) أَبرَقاflashed
وَجَوىً عَلى بَرقِ إِلا بيرَق أَبرَقا
Alas for a downcast man, wandering in passionate longing
Woe to the gloomy one, wandering aimlessly,
And heartache over lightning that flashed [wording unclear].
Seeking solace in faint flickers, lightning in the dark.
سكَنَhe dwelt العَقيقal-Aqiq وَبالعُذَيبِand at al-Udhayb مَرامَهُhis desire
سكَنَ العَقيق وَبالعُذَيبِ مَرامَهُ
ياoh قُربَهُhis nearness أَمَداًin distance وَأَبعَدَهُand how far he is لِقاin meeting
يا قُربَهُ أَمَداً وَأَبعَدَهُ لِقا
He dwelt at al-Aqiq, while his desire lay at al-Udhayb.
The sandgrouse settled, its watering place afar,
Oh, how near he is in distance, yet how far from meeting!
So near, yet so distant for my ailing heart!
حَلَفَswore البُكاweeping اَنthat لاnot يُفارِقleave جَفنَهُhis eyelid
حَلَفَ البُكا اَن لا يُفارِق جَفنَهُ
لَمّاwhen غَداbecame شَملَthe union of الخَليطthe companions مُمَزَّقاtorn apart
لَمّا غَدا شَملَ الخَليط مُمَزَّقا
Weeping swore never to leave his eyelid
My tears swore to never leave my eyes
When the company of companions was torn apart.
When my tribe left, and kinship lay torn.
سَقياًmay rain fall لِأَيّامِupon the days of الغُوَيرِal-Ghuwayr وَلاand not رَعىmay he tend
سَقياً لِأَيّامِ الغُوَيرِ وَلا رَعى
يَوماًa day بِهِin it كانَwas الفِراقُparting وَلاnor سَقاmay he water
يَوماً بِهِ كانَ الفِراقُ وَلا سَقا
Rain upon the days of al-Ghuwayr! But may no care be given
Watering the days of separation has no cure,
To a day there when parting came, nor any rain.
The day we parted, I had no drink or feed.
راقَpleased الفِراقُparting لِجيرَةٍto neighbors مِنfrom بَعدِهِمafter them
راقَ الفِراقُ لِجيرَةٍ مِن بَعدِهِم
ماnot راقَwas pleasant ليto me عَيشٌlife وَلاnor جَفنيmy eyelid رَقاceased weeping
ما راقَ لي عَيشٌ وَلا جَفني رَقا
Parting pleased the neighbors; after their departure,
When my people left, separation plagued me
Life was not sweet to me, nor did my eyelid cease weeping.
Unlike any plight I have suffered before.
رَحَلواthey departed وَلِلزَفَراتِand for the sighs بَينَamid رَحيلِهِمtheir departure
رَحَلوا وَلِلزَفَراتِ بَينَ رَحيلِهِم
نارٌa fire يَكادُalmost لَهيبُهاits flame أَنto يَحرِقاconsume
نارٌ يَكادُ لَهيبُها أَن يَحرِقا
They departed; amid their leaving, the sighs held
Their departure ignited fires in my core
A fire whose flame almost consumes.
Their flames threaten to burn me to the ground.
وَلَكُمand for you سَأَلتُI asked لِيُنجِدَto go to Najd الحاديthe camel-driver بِهِمwith them
وَلَكُم سَأَلتُ لِيُنجِدَ الحادي بِهِم
يَومَon the day of النَوىseparation فَأَبىbut he refused السُؤالthe plea وَعَرَقاand turned toward Iraq (reading uncertain)
يَومَ النَوى فَأَبى السُؤال وَعَرَقا
And for you I asked the camel-driver to take them to Najd
I implored on the day of desire to reunite us,
On the day of separation; he refused the plea and turned toward Iraq [reading uncertain].
But my plea was rejected, and I recoiled in pain.
ياO باكِيَweeper over الأَطلالِthe ruins بَعدَafter حَبيبِهِhis beloved
يا باكِيَ الأَطلالِ بَعدَ حَبيبِهِ
حُزناًin grief يُؤَمِّلُhe hopes دمنَةًa ruined campsite أَنto تَنطِقاspeak
حُزناً يُؤَمِّلُ دمنَةً أَن تَنطِقا
O weeper over the ruins after his beloved’s departure,
O you who cry for your love by the ruins,
Grieving, hoping a ruined campsite might speak,
Your deep sorrow speaking more than words can.
بُحspeak openly بِالسَرائِرِof hidden secrets وَاِهمِand pour out دَمعَكَyour tears بَعدَهُمafter them
بُح بِالسَرائِرِ وَاِهمِ دَمعَكَ بَعدَهُم
وَجداًin passionate longing وَبِتَّand cut off النَومَsleep عَنكَfrom you مُطَلَّقاdivorced
وَجداً وَبِتَّ النَومَ عَنكَ مُطَلَّقا
Reveal your secrets, and pour out your tears after them,
Confide your inner secrets, let flow your tears,
In longing, and cast sleep off, divorced from you.
Sleep has abandoned you since we were severed.
إِنَّindeed الَّذينَthose whom عَهِدتُمyou all knew سُكّانَهاits inhabitants
إِنَّ الَّذينَ عَهِدتُم سُكّانَها
لَعِبَtoyed الغَرامُpassionate love بِشَملِهِمwith their union فَتَفَرَّقاso it scattered
لَعِبَ الغَرامُ بِشَملِهِم فَتَفَرَّقا
Indeed, those you knew as its inhabitants—
Those you knew to dwell in this land
Passion toyed with their union, and it fell apart.
Were torn by longing, scattered and gone.
Sol 6.1