وَقائِلَةٍand many a woman saying ماwhat بالُthe state of دَوسَرَDawsar بَعدَناafter us
وَقائِلَةٍ ما بالُ دَوسَرَ بَعدَنا
صَحاgrew sober قَلبُهُhis heart عَنfrom آلِthe household of لَيلىLayla وَعَنand from هِندِHind
صَحا قَلبُهُ عَن آلِ لَيلى وَعَن هِندِ
And many a woman says, “What has become of Dawsar since we left?
And a questioner asked, "Why after us does Dowser pine
His heart has sobered from Layla’s household and from Hind.”
His heart cured of passion for Layla or Hind?"
فَإِنfor if تَكُbe أَثوابيmy garments تَمَزَّقنَthey have been torn لِلَيلىfor Layla
فَإِن تَكُ أَثوابي تَمَزَّقنَ لِلَيلى
فَإِنّيthen indeed I كَنَصلِlike the blade of السَيفِthe sword فيin خَلَقِworn-out الغِمدِthe scabbard
فَإِنّي كَنَصلِ السَيفِ في خَلَقِ الغِمدِ
For if my garments have been torn for Layla,
"If my clothes are tattered for Layla's sake,
Then I am like a sword blade in a worn-out scabbard.
I'm as a swordblade resting snug in its sheath.
وَإِنand if يَكُthere be شَيبٌgray hair قَدalready عَلانيcovered me فَرُبَّماyet often
وَإِن يَكُ شَيبٌ قَد عَلاني فَرُبَّما
أَرانيI see myself فيin ريعِthe prime of الشَبابِyouth مَعَwith المُردِthe beardless youths
أَراني في ريعِ الشَبابِ مَعَ المُردِ
And though gray hair has covered me, often
If grey hairs should come, then I will sometimes
I see myself in youth’s prime among beardless youths,
Seem amid the fresh-faced youths a prodigy.
طَويلُlong يَدِsleeve of السِربالِthe tunic أَغيَدُsupple لِلصِباtoward youthful passion
طَويلُ يَدِ السِربالِ أَغيَدُ لِلصِبا
أَكُفُّI tuck back عَلىover ذِفرايَboth sides of my nape ذاpossessing خُصَلٍlocks of hair جَعدِcurly
أَكُفُّ عَلى ذِفرايَ ذا خُصَلٍ جَعدِ
Long of sleeve, supple with youthful passion,
With flowing robe and thick soft curls I charm
Tucking curling locks back over both sides of my nape.
The maidens, my ringlets' gloss a dazzle.
وَحَنَّتand yearned قَلوصيmy young she-camel مِنfrom عَدانَAdan إِلىtoward نَجدِNajd
وَحَنَّت قَلوصي مِن عَدانَ إِلى نَجدِ
وَلَمand did not يُنسِهاmake her forget أَوطانَهاher native lands قِدَمُremoteness of العَهدِlast contact
وَلَم يُنسِها أَوطانَها قِدَمُ العَهدِ
And my young she-camel yearned from Adan toward Najd,
My camel-litters bent from 'Adan to Nejd
Nor did the long lapse of time make her forget her native lands.
Nor did the land forget its ancient ways.
وَإِنَّand indeed الَّذيwhat لاقَيتِyou have experienced فيin القَلبِthe heart مِثلُهُits like
وَإِنَّ الَّذي لاقَيتِ في القَلبِ مِثلُهُ
إِلىtoward آلِthe people of نَجدٍNajd مِنof غَليلٍburning thirst وَمِنand of وَجدِpassionate longing
إِلى آلِ نَجدٍ مِن غَليلٍ وَمِن وَجدِ
And what you have felt has its like in my heart—
That which my heart encountered is the like
Burning thirst and longing for the people of Najd.
Of ardour and passion known to Nejd's folk.
إِذاif شِئتِyou wish لا‘you meet’ (first fragment) قَيتِ‘you meet’ (second fragment) القِلاصَthe young she-camels وَلاand not أَرىI see
إِذا شِئتِ لا قَيتِ القِلاصَ وَلا أَرى
لِقَومِيَfor my people أَبدالاًreplacements فَيَألَفَهُمso it might grow fond of them وُدّيmy affection
لِقَومِيَ أَبدالاً فَيَألَفَهُم وُدّي
If you wish, you may meet young she-camels; but I see no
When you wish you will not find the boon-friend; my love
Replacements for my people whom my affection might embrace.
For my tribe no substitute can replace.
وَأَرميand I shoot at الَّذيwhomever يَرمونَthey shoot at عَنfrom قَوسِa bow of بَغضَةٍhatred
وَأَرمي الَّذي يَرمونَ عَن قَوسِ بَغضَةٍ
وَلَيسَand is not عَلىagainst مَولايَmy ally حَدّيmy edge وَلاnor عَهديmy pledge
وَلَيسَ عَلى مَولايَ حَدّي وَلا عَهدي
And I shoot at whomever they shoot at, with a bow of hatred;
I shoot back the arrows shot from a bow of hate;
My edge is not turned against my ally, nor is my pledge.
To my lord I owe no bound nor pact.
إِذاif ماever (emphatic) اِمرُؤٌa man وَلّىturned away عَلَيَّagainst me بِوُدِّهِwith his affection
إِذا ما اِمرُؤٌ وَلّى عَلَيَّ بِوُدِّهِ
وَأَدبَرَand departed لَمdid not يَصدُرdepart بِإِدبارِهِwith his departure وُدّيmy affection
وَأَدبَرَ لَم يَصدُر بِإِدبارِهِ وُدّي
If ever a man turns his back on me, taking his affection,
When a man turns his back though first his love he showed me,
And departs, my affection does not depart with his departure.
His withdrawal cannot make my love recede.
وَلَمand did not أَتَعَذَّرI plead an excuse مِنfor خِلالٍtraits تَسوؤُهُthat distress him
وَلَم أَتَعَذَّر مِن خِلالٍ تَسوؤُهُ
لِماbecause كانَhe used to يَأتيdo مِثلَهُنَّtheir like عَلىwith عَمدِdeliberate intent
لِما كانَ يَأتي مِثلَهُنَّ عَلى عَمدِ
Nor have I excused conduct that hurts him
No poor excuse have I sought for deeds
On the grounds that he used to do the same deliberately.
That often are done deliberately.
وَذيand many a man of نَخَواتِhaughty airs طامِحِholding high الرَأسِthe head جاذَبَتtugged against
وَذي نَخَواتِ طامِحِ الرَأسِ جاذَبَت
حِباليmy ropes فَرَخّىso slackened مِنsome of عَلابِيِّهِhis neck-sinews مَدّيmy pulling
حِبالي فَرَخّى مِن عَلابِيِّهِ مَدّي
And many a haughty man, head held high, has tugged against
She of lofty aspirations whose cords pulled taut
My ropes; my pull slackened the sinews of his neck.
My peg-ropes, slackening my firm resolve."
Sol 6.1