أَهاجَhas stirred لَكَfor you الشَوقَthe longing القَديمَold خَيالُهُits phantom
أَهاجَ لَكَ الشَوقَ القَديمَ خَيالُهُ
مَنازِلُdwellings بَينَbetween المُنتَضىal-Muntaḍā وَمُنيمِand Munīm
مَنازِلُ بَينَ المُنتَضى وَمُنيمِ
Has its phantom stirred your old longing—
The image of the past awakened your longing,
dwellings between al-Muntaḍā and Munīm?
Between the homes of intimacy and sleep.
وَقَدand indeed حالَintervened دونيin my way السِجنُprison حَتّىuntil نَسيتُهاI forgot them
وَقَد حالَ دوني السِجنُ حَتّى نَسيتُها
وَأَذهَلَنيand distracted me عَنfrom ذِكرِremembering كُلِّevery حَميمِclose friend
وَأَذهَلَني عَن ذِكرِ كُلِّ حَميمِ
And prison came between me and them until I forgot them,
Prison has come between me and you, until I forgot it
and distracted me from remembering every close friend.
And it made me heedless of every intimate friend.
عَلىdespite أَنَّنيthat I مِنfrom ذِكرِهاremembering them كُلَّevery لَيلَةٍnight
عَلى أَنَّني مِن ذِكرِها كُلَّ لَيلَةٍ
كَذيlike one afflicted with حُمَةٍvenom يَعتادُrepeatedly suffers داءَthe ailment of سَليمِa snakebitten man
كَذي حُمَةٍ يَعتادُ داءَ سَليمِ
Yet every night, at the thought of them, I am
Yet I remember it every night,
like a man afflicted by venom, repeatedly suffering a snakebitten man's ailment.
Like one afflicted who is used to an ongoing illness,
إِذاwhen قيلَit is said قَدalready ذَلَّتhas yielded لَهُto him عَنaway from حَياتِهِhis life
إِذا قيلَ قَد ذَلَّت لَهُ عَن حَياتِهِ
تُراجِعُreturn مِنهُfrom him خابِلاتِravaging pangs شَكيمِbridle-bits
تُراجِعُ مِنهُ خابِلاتِ شَكيمِ
When they say, “It has yielded, sparing his life,”
When it is said that it has weakened for him his life,
bridle-shattering pangs return within him.
The wasted cheeks revisit him.
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أَتَتهُreaches him الريحُthe wind مِنfrom نَحوِthe direction of أَرضِهاtheir land
إِذا ما أَتَتهُ الريحُ مِن نَحوِ أَرضِها
فَقُلthen speak فيof بَعيدِfar-reaching العائِلاتِafflictions سَقيمِan ailing man
فَقُل في بَعيدِ العائِلاتِ سَقيمِ
When the wind reaches him from the direction of their land,
Whenever the wind comes to me from the direction of her land,
then speak of an ailing man with far-reaching afflictions.
I say, in the distance of the family, an invalid.
فَإِنand if تُنكِريyou fail to recognize ماwhat كُنتِyou were قَدalready تَعرِفينَهُyou knew it
فَإِن تُنكِري ما كُنتِ قَد تَعرِفينَهُ
فَماthen not الدَهرُtime مِنin حالٍany condition لَناof ours بِذَميمِblameworthy
فَما الدَهرُ مِن حالٍ لَنا بِذَميمِ
And if you fail to recognize what you once knew,
If you deny what you used to know,
then time is not to blame for any condition of ours.
Time for us is not in a reprehensible state.
لَهُit has يَومُa day of سَوءٍmisery لَيسَdoes not يُخطِئُmiss حَظُّهُits allotted share
لَهُ يَومُ سَوءٍ لَيسَ يُخطِئُ حَظُّهُ
وَيَومٌand a day تَلاقىis greeted شَمسُهُits sun بِنَعيمِwith bliss
وَيَومٌ تَلاقى شَمسُهُ بِنَعيمِ
It has a day of misery whose share never misses us,
It has a day of misfortune where its luck does not miss,
and a day whose sun is greeted with bliss.
And a day where its sun meets bliss.
وَقَدand indeed عَلِمَتshe knew أَنَّthat الرِكابَthe riding camels قَدِalready اِشتَكَتhave complained
وَقَد عَلِمَت أَنَّ الرِكابَ قَدِ اِشتَكَت
مَواقِعَpressure points of عُريانٍa bare saddle مَكانَat the sites of كُلومِwounds
مَواقِعَ عُريانٍ مَكانَ كُلومِ
And she knows that the riding camels have complained
You knew the riders complained
of a bare saddle's pressure at the sites of wounds.
Of the barren places of the land in every wilderness and dune,
تُقاتِلُthey fight عَنهاaway from them الطَيرَthe birds دونَin defense of ظُهورِهاtheir backs
تُقاتِلُ عَنها الطَيرَ دونَ ظُهورِها
بِأَفواهِwith mouths شُدقٍwide-gaping غَيرِnot ذاتِpossessing شُحومِfat
بِأَفواهِ شُدقٍ غَيرِ ذاتِ شُحومِ
They fend birds away from those sores, guarding their backs,
They fight to protect it from the birds without their appearance
with wide-gaping mouths, their bodies devoid of fat.
With mouths without fat or saliva.
أَضَرَّhas harmed بِهِنَّthem البُعدُremoteness مِنfrom كُلِّevery مَطلَبٍgoal
أَضَرَّ بِهِنَّ البُعدُ مِن كُلِّ مَطلَبٍ
وَحاجاتُand the needs of زَجّالٍa shouting driver ذَواتُladen with هُمومِworries
وَحاجاتُ زَجّالٍ ذَواتُ هُمومِ
Remoteness from every goal has harmed them,
Distance from every desire has harmed them
and the worry-laden needs of a shouting driver.
And the needs of an impoverished man full of worries,
وَكَمand how often طَرَّحَتthey cast off رَحلاًa saddle بِكُلِّin every مَفازَةٍdesert waste
وَكَم طَرَّحَت رَحلاً بِكُلِّ مَفازَةٍ
مِنَof الأَرضِthe land فيin دَوِّيَّةٍa trackless wilderness وَحُزومِand rugged uplands
مِنَ الأَرضِ في دَوِّيَّةٍ وَحُزومِ
And how often they have cast off a saddle in every desert waste
How much baggage did it throw in every desolate place
of the land, amid trackless wilderness and rugged uplands,
Of the land - noisy and speedy!
كَأَحقَبَlike a white-flanked wild ass شَحّاجٍloudly braying بِغَمرَةِat Ghamra قارِبٍseeking water
كَأَحقَبَ شَحّاجٍ بِغَمرَةِ قارِبٍ
بِليتَيهِon both sides of his neck آثارٌscars ذَواتُbearing كُدومِbite marks
بِليتَيهِ آثارٌ ذَواتُ كُدومِ
like a white-flanked, loudly braying wild ass at Ghamra, seeking water,
Like the tracks of a shipwrecked man in the darkness of a boat
with scars of bites on both sides of his neck.
With traces of footsteps full of misery.
إِذاwhen زَخَرَتsurges قَيسٌQays وَخِندِفُand Khindif وَاِلتَقىand meet
إِذا زَخَرَت قَيسٌ وَخِندِفُ وَاِلتَقى
صَميماهُماtheir two noblest cores إِذwhen طاحَfalls كُلُّevery صَميمِnoble core
صَميماهُما إِذ طاحَ كُلُّ صَميمِ
When Qays and Khindif surge, and together meet
When Qais and Khindif meet
their two noblest cores, while every other core falls,
And their friendship fails when every friendship fails.
وَماand no أَحَدٌanyone مِنfrom غَيرِهِمoutside them بِطَريقِهِمon their road
وَما أَحَدٌ مِن غَيرِهِم بِطَريقِهِم
مِنَamong الناسِmankind إِلّاexcept مِنهُمُbecause of them بِمُقيمِremaining
مِنَ الناسِ إِلّا مِنهُمُ بِمُقيمِ
no one outside them is upon their road,
No one travels their road
among mankind, without remaining there because of them.
Of the people except us who live there.
وَكَيفَand how يَسيرُtravels الناسُthe people قَيسٌQays وَرائَهُمbehind them
وَكَيفَ يَسيرُ الناسُ قَيسٌ وَرائَهُم
وَقَدand already سُدَّhas been blocked ماwhat قُدّامَهُمlies ahead of them بِتَميمِby Tamim
وَقَد سُدَّ ما قُدّامَهُم بِتَميمِ
And how can people travel, with Qays behind them,
How can people walk when Qais is behind them
when the way ahead of them has been blocked by Tamim?
And Tameem has blocked what is in front of them?
سَيَلقىwill face الَّذيwhat يَلقىfaces خُزَيمَةُKhuzayma مِنهُمُfrom them
سَيَلقى الَّذي يَلقى خُزَيمَةُ مِنهُمُ
لَهُمthey have أُمُّa mother of بَذّاخينَproud boasters غَيرَnot عَقيمِbarren
لَهُم أُمُّ بَذّاخينَ غَيرَ عَقيمِ
He will face what Khuzayma faces from them;
Whoever meets them will meet Khuzaima,
they have a mother of proud men, not barren.
For them a mother of warriors, not barren.
هُماthe two of them الأَطيَبانِthe two noblest الأَكثَرانِthe two most numerous تَلاقَياhave come together
هُما الأَطيَبانِ الأَكثَرانِ تَلاقَيا
إِلىunto حَسَبٍancestral nobility عِندَnear السَماءِthe sky قَديمِancient
إِلى حَسَبٍ عِندَ السَماءِ قَديمِ
They are the two noblest and most numerous; they have come together
They are the two finest who meet most
in ancient nobility close to the sky.
To noble origin with the ancient sky.
فَمَنso whoever يَرَsees غارَيناour two hosts إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle تَلاقَياthe two meet
فَمَن يَرَ غارَينا إِذا ما تَلاقَيا
يَكُنwill be مَنone who يَرىsees طَودَيهِماtheir two mountains كَأَميمِlike a head-wounded man
يَكُن مَن يَرى طَودَيهِما كَأَميمِ
So whoever sees our two hosts when they meet
Whoever sees our two cliffs when they meet
will, seeing their twin mountains, be like a man wounded in the head.
Would see two towering mountains.
أَبَتrefused خِندِفٌKhindif إِلّاanything but عُلُوّاًloftiness وَقَيسُهاand her Qays
أَبَت خِندِفٌ إِلّا عُلُوّاً وَقَيسُها
إِذاwhen فَخَرَboast الأَقوامُthe peoples غَيرَother than نُجومِstars
إِذا فَخَرَ الأَقوامُ غَيرَ نُجومِ
Khindif and her Qays accept nothing but loftiness,
Khindif refused anything but the heights, and her Qais,
when peoples boast—a height unlike the stars'.
When the tribes fell, not stars.
وَنَحنُand we فَضَلناsurpassed الناسَthe people فيin كُلِّevery مَشهَدٍgathering
وَنَحنُ فَضَلنا الناسَ في كُلِّ مَشهَدٍ
لَناours بِحَصىًwith numbers عالٍlofty لَهُمtheirs وَحُلومِand sound judgment
لَنا بِحَصىً عالٍ لَهُم وَحُلومِ
And we have surpassed people in every gathering
We surpassed people in every scene,
with our numbers towering above theirs, and our sound judgment.
For us lofty mountains, for them split bones.
فَإِنso if يَكُbe هَذاthese الناسُpeople حَلَّفَhas bound by oath بَينَهُمamong themselves
فَإِن يَكُ هَذا الناسُ حَلَّفَ بَينَهُم
عَلَيناagainst us لَهُمon their behalf فيin الحَربِwar كُلَّevery غَشومِruthless warrior
عَلَينا لَهُم في الحَربِ كُلَّ غَشومِ
So if these people have bound by oath among themselves
If these people make an oath between them against us,
every ruthless warrior against us, on their own behalf,
For them in war all the darkness.
فَإِنّاthen we وَإِيّاهُمand they كَعَبدٍlike a slave وَرَبِّهِand his master
فَإِنّا وَإِيّاهُم كَعَبدٍ وَرَبِّهِ
إِذاwhen فَرَّhe flees مِنهُfrom him رَدَّهُhe brings him back بِرُغومِin humiliation
إِذا فَرَّ مِنهُ رَدَّهُ بِرُغومِ
then we and they are like a slave and his master:
For we and them are like a slave and his lord,
when he flees from him, he brings him back in humiliation.
When he flees Him, He returns him with ropes.
وَقَدand indeed عَلِمَknows الداعيthe summoner إِلىto الحَربِwar أَنَّنيthat I
وَقَد عَلِمَ الداعي إِلى الحَربِ أَنَّني
بِجَمعِin gathering عِظامِthe bones of الحَربِwar غَيرُnot سَؤومِeasily wearied
بِجَمعِ عِظامِ الحَربِ غَيرُ سَؤومِ
And the summoner to war knows that I
The one who calls for war knows I am,
never tire of gathering the bones of war.
With the bones of war, not ill-omened.
إِذاwhen مُضَرُMudar الحَمراءُthe Red يَوماًone day تَعَطَّفَتrallied around
إِذا مُضَرُ الحَمراءُ يَوماً تَعَطَّفَت
عَلَيَّaround me وَقَدand already دَقَّhas shattered اللِجامَthe bridle شَكيميmy bridle-bit
عَلَيَّ وَقَد دَقَّ اللِجامَ شَكيمي
When Mudar the Red one day rallied
When the red Mudar one day showed affection for me
around me, and my bit had already shattered the bridle,
And it tightened the bridle on my determination,
أَبَواthey refused أَنthat أَسومَI make endure الناسَthe people إِلّاanything but ظُلامَةًoppression
أَبَوا أَن أَسومَ الناسَ إِلّا ظُلامَةً
وَكُنتُand I was اِبنَthe son of ضِرغامِa lion العَدُوِّthe enemy ظَلومِa great oppressor
وَكُنتُ اِبنَ ضِرغامِ العَدُوِّ ظَلومِ
they refused to let me inflict anything but oppression on people,
They refused that I treat the people with anything but darkness,
and I was the son of a lion, a tyrant to the foe.
And I was the son of the oppressive enemy, the tyrant.
Sol 6.1