كَمhow many لِلمُلاءَةِof al-Mulāʾah مِنof طَيفٍa phantom يُؤَرِّقُنيkeeps me awake
كَم لِلمُلاءَةِ مِن طَيفٍ يُؤَرِّقُني
وَقَدand already تَجَرثَمَhas massed هاديthe forepart of اللَيلِthe night وَاِعتَكَراand grown dense
وَقَد تَجَرثَمَ هادي اللَيلِ وَاِعتَكَرا
How many a phantom of al-Mulāʾah keeps me awake,
How much unrest does the night visitor cause me,
While the forepart of night has massed and grown dense.
As the guide of the night stumbles and gets lost.
وَقَدand indeed أُكَلِّفُI burden هَمّيmy cares كُلَّevery ناجِيَةٍswift she-camel
وَقَد أُكَلِّفُ هَمّي كُلَّ ناجِيَةٍ
قَدalready غادَرَhas left النَصُّhard driving فيin أَبصارِهاher eyes سَدَراdizziness
قَد غادَرَ النَصُّ في أَبصارِها سَدَرا
And I burden every swift she-camel with my cares,
My worries task me to address every companion,
Hard driving having left her eyes dazed.
While vigor has left their eyes barren and desolate.
كَأَنَّهاas though she were بَعدَماafter اِنضَمَّتhave contracted ثَمائِلُهاher stomach's remaining stores
كَأَنَّها بَعدَما اِنضَمَّت ثَمائِلُها
بِرَأسِat the summit of بَينَةَBaynah فَردٌa lone bull أَخطَأَmissed البَقَراthe wild cattle
بِرَأسِ بَينَةَ فَردٌ أَخطَأَ البَقَرا
As though she were, after her belly's stores have dwindled,
As if after her idols assembled,
A lone bull on Baynah's summit, having lost the herd.
With the chief of clarity, a horseman missed his target.
حَتّىuntil تُناخَshe is made to kneel إِلىbeside جَزلٍlavish مَواهِبُهُhis gifts
حَتّى تُناخَ إِلى جَزلٍ مَواهِبُهُ
ماnot زالَceased مِنfrom راحَتَيهِhis two palms الخَيرُbounty مُبتَدَراeagerly sought
ما زالَ مِن راحَتَيهِ الخَيرُ مُبتَدَرا
Until she is made to kneel beside one whose gifts are lavish,
Until his generous virtues bow down,
Bounty from his two palms has always been eagerly sought.
Goodness still flows readily from his palms.
قَرمٌa noble lord يُبارىare matched in a race شَماطيطُscattered gusts of الرِياحُthe winds بِهِagainst him
قَرمٌ يُبارى شَماطيطُ الرِياحُ بِهِ
حَتّىuntil تَقَطَّعَthey break apart أَنفاساًinto breaths وَماand never فَتَراhe slackened
حَتّى تَقَطَّعَ أَنفاساً وَما فَتَرا
A noble lord matched against the winds' scattered gusts,
An old man who competes with the gusts of wind,
Until they break into breaths, while he never flags.
Until his breath is severed and does not relent.
وَماand not بِجودِto the generosity of أَبيAbū (father of) الأَشبالِal-Ashbāl (the lion cubs) مِنany شَبَهٍlikeness
وَما بِجودِ أَبي الأَشبالِ مِن شَبَهٍ
إِلّاexcept السَحابُthe clouds وَإِلّاand except البَحرُthe sea إِذwhen زَخَراit surged
إِلّا السَحابُ وَإِلّا البَحرُ إِذ زَخَرا
And nothing resembles the generosity of Abū al-Ashbāl,
And in the generosity of my father of lion cubs, there is no resemblance
Except the clouds, and the sea when it surges.
Except for the clouds and except for the sea when it is abundant.
كِلتاboth يَدَيهِhis two hands يَمينٌa right hand غَيرُnot مُخلِفَةٍbreaking promises
كِلتا يَدَيهِ يَمينٌ غَيرُ مُخلِفَةٍ
تُزجيsends forth المَناياdeaths وَتَسقيand gives drink to المُجدَبَthe drought-stricken المَطَراrain
تُزجي المَنايا وَتَسقي المُجدَبَ المَطَرا
Both his hands are right hands, never breaking a promise,
Both his hands are bountiful, unfailing,
They send forth death and give the drought-stricken rain.
Bestowing triumphs and watering the barren rain.
Sol 6.1