سَألْتُI asked فلمْbut did not تكُلِّمْنيspeak to me الرُّسومُthe dwelling traces
سَألْتُ فلمْ تكُلِّمْني الرُّسومُ
فَظَلْتُso I remained كأنَّنيas though I فيهاamong them سَقِيمُill
فَظَلْتُ كأنَّني فيها سَقِيمُ
I asked, but the traces of the dwellings did not speak to me.
I asked but the inscriptions did not speak to me
So I remained among them as though I were ill.
So I remained as if sickened by them
بِقَارعَةon the main road of الِغريفِal-Gharif فَذاتِthen at Dhat مَشْيٍMashy
بِقَارعَة الِغريفِ فَذاتِ مَشْيٍ
إلىas far as العَصْداءِal-ʿAsdaʾ ليسَthere is not بِهاthere مُقِيمُa dweller
إلى العَصْداءِ ليسَ بِها مُقِيمُ
On al-Gharif's main road, then at Dhat Mashy,
At the striking of the bell, that figure
As far as al-ʿAsdaʾ, where no one dwells.
Walking to the slender palm, not staying there
مَنازِلُthe dwellings of عَذْبةِsweet الأنْيابِthe canine teeth خَوْدٍa tender young woman
مَنازِلُ عَذْبةِ الأنْيابِ خَوْدٍ
فماfor not إنْindeed; emphatic particle مِثْلُهاher equal فيamong الناسِpeople نيِمُanyone
فما إنْ مِثْلُها في الناسِ نيِمُ
The dwellings of a tender young woman, sweet of teeth,
The abodes of the sweet spring are a bosom
For no one among people is her equal.
None like them comfort people
فإمَّاso if أنthat; clause marker صَرَفْتِyou turned away فَغَيْرُthen not from بُغْضٍhatred
فإمَّا أن صَرَفْتِ فَغَيْرُ بُغْضٍ
ولكنْbut قدْmay تُعدِّينيkeep me away الهمُومُcares
ولكنْ قدْ تُعدِّيني الهمُومُ
So if you have turned away, it was not from hatred;
So either you turned away, without hatred
But cares may keep me away.
Or sorrows would afflict me
عَدانيkept me from أنْto أزورَكِI visit you حَرْبُwar with قَوْمٍa people
عَداني أنْ أزورَكِ حَرْبُ قَوْمٍ
كَحَرِّlike the heat of النارِfire ثَاقِبَةٌpiercing عذُومُfiercely biting
كَحَرِّ النارِ ثَاقِبَةٌ عذُومُ
War with a people kept me from visiting you,
The war of a people prevented me from visiting you
Like the heat of fire, piercing and fiercely biting.
Hot as hellfire, raging
عَذومٌfiercely biting يَنْكُلُshrink back الأعْداءُthe enemies عَنْهاfrom it
عَذومٌ يَنْكُلُ الأعْداءُ عَنْها
كَأَنَّas though صُلاتْهَاthose who brave its heat الأَبْطالَthe heroes هِيمُthirst-stricken camels
كَأَنَّ صُلاتْهَا الأَبْطالَ هِيمُ
Biting, so that enemies shrink from it,
Raging, the enemies recoil from it
As though the heroes who brave its heat were thirst-stricken camels.
As if their warriors are terrified by it
فلَسْتُso I am not بآمِرٍone who calls فيهاin it بِسِلْمٍfor peace
فلَسْتُ بآمِرٍ فيها بِسِلْمٍ
ولكِنِّيbut I علىon behalf of نَفْسيmyself زَعيمُa guarantor
ولكِنِّي على نَفْسي زَعيمُ
So I am not one to call for peace in it,
I cannot command peace in it
But I stand surety for myself.
But I am the captain of myself
قَتَلْناwe killed نَاجِياًNaji بِقتيلِfor a slain man of فهْمٍFahm
قَتَلْنا نَاجِياً بِقتيلِ فهْمٍ
وَخَيْرُand the best الطَّالِبِseeker of التِّرَةَblood-vengeance الغَشُومُthe ruthless one
وَخَيْرُ الطَّالِبِ التِّرَةَ الغَشُومُ
We killed Naji for a slain man of Fahm,
We killed the survivor for understanding
And the best seeker of blood-vengeance is the ruthless one.
And the best seeker desires the bloody shirt
بِغَزْوٍwith raiding مثلِlike وَلْغِthe lapping of الذِّئْبِthe wolf حَتّىuntil
بِغَزْوٍ مثلِ وَلْغِ الذِّئْبِ حَتّى
يَنُوءُrises heavily بِصاحِبيfor my companion ثَأْرٌblood-vengeance مُنِيمُdeath-dealing
يَنُوءُ بِصاحِبي ثَأْرٌ مُنِيمُ
With raiding like a wolf's lapping, until
With an attack like the pouncing of a wolf until
Death-dealing vengeance rises for my companion.
My companion takes vengeance, staying
يَبُوءُpays in recompense بِصاحِبيfor my companion أوor يَقْتُلونِيthey kill me
يَبُوءُ بِصاحِبي أو يَقْتُلونِي
قَتِيلٌa slain man مَاجِدٌnoble سَمْحٌopenhanded كَريمُgenerous
قَتِيلٌ مَاجِدٌ سَمْحٌ كَريمُ
He shall pay for my companion—or they kill me—
My companion takes vengeance or they kill me
A slain man, noble, openhanded, generous.
A valiant martyr, forgiving, generous
وَلَمَّاand when أَنْthat; clause marker بَدَتْappeared أَعْلامُthe landmarks of تَرْجٍTarj
وَلَمَّا أَنْ بَدَتْ أَعْلامُ تَرْجٍ
وَقالَand said الرَّابئانِthe two lookouts بَدَتْappeared رنومُRanum
وَقالَ الرَّابئانِ بَدَتْ رنومُ
And when the landmarks of Tarj appeared,
And when the banners of Turj appeared
And the two lookouts said, 'Ranum has appeared,'
And the monks said the bells appeared
وأعْرَضَتِand spread into view الجبالُthe mountains السُّودُblack
وأعْرَضَتِ الجبالُ السُّودُ
عنيِّʿAniyy وَخَيْنَفُand Khaynaf عَنْon شِماليmy left والبَهيمُand al-Bahim
عنيِّ وَخَيْنَفُ عَنْ شِمالي والبَهيمُ
And the black mountains spread into view:
And the black mountains shunned me
ʿAniyy and Khaynaf on my left, and al-Bahim,
And Kheynaf on my left and the beast
أَمَمْتُI made for بهاthrough them الطَّرِيقَthe road فُوَيْقَa little above نَعْلٍNaʿl
أَمَمْتُ بها الطَّرِيقَ فُوَيْقَ نَعْلٍ
ولمْand did not أُقْسِمْcast divining lots فَتَرْبِثَنيand thereby delay me القُسُومُthe divining lots
ولمْ أُقْسِمْ فَتَرْبِثَني القُسُومُ
I made for the road through them, just above Naʿl,
I strode the path with the clacking of sandals
And did not cast lots, lest the lots delay me.
And did not swear lest vows entrap me
وَمَرْقَبَةٍand a lookout-height نَمَيْتُI climbed إلىto ذُراهاits summit
وَمَرْقَبَةٍ نَمَيْتُ إلى ذُراها
يُقَصِّرُfalls short دونَهاbefore reaching it السَّبِطُthe tall, supple man الوَسيمُhandsome
يُقَصِّرُ دونَها السَّبِطُ الوَسيمُ
And a lookout-height whose summit I climbed,
And I climbed a lookout whose far limit
Where the tall, handsome man falls short.
The handsome youth cannot reach
عَلَوْتُI climbed قَذالَهاits nape; rear crest وَهَبَطْتُand I descended مِنْهاfrom it
عَلَوْتُ قَذالَها وَهَبَطْتُ مِنْها
إِلىto أُخْرىanother لِقُلَّتِهاwhose summit has طَمِيمُlofty height
إِلى أُخْرى لِقُلَّتِها طَمِيمُ
I climbed its nape and descended from it
I climbed its ridge and descended from it
To another, whose summit towered high.
To another, too narrow to be filthy
فَلَمْso did not يَقْصُرْfall short بِهاthere باعيmy reach ولكنْbut
فَلَمْ يَقْصُرْ بِها باعي ولكنْ
كَماas تَنْقَضُّswoops down ضَارِيةٌa ravening beast لَحُومُflesh-eating
كَما تَنْقَضُّ ضَارِيةٌ لَحُومُ
So my reach did not fail me there; rather,
My camel did not fall short there but
As a ravening, flesh-eating beast swoops down,
Collapsed like a wild animal tearing meat
مِنَfrom among النُّمْرِthe spotted الظُّهُورِbacks كَأَنَّas though فاهاits mouth
مِنَ النُّمْرِ الظُّهُورِ كَأَنَّ فاها
إِذاwhen أَنْحَتْit attacks علىupon شَيْءٍanything قَدُومُan adze
إِذا أَنْحَتْ على شَيْءٍ قَدُومُ
One of the spotted-backed beasts, as though its mouth,
From the lynx's back, its mouth appears
When it attacks anything, were an adze.
When it pounces on something, biting
وَلَيْلةِand a night قِرَّةٍbitterly cold أَدْلَجْتُI traveled by night فِيهاduring it
وَلَيْلةِ قِرَّةٍ أَدْلَجْتُ فِيها
يُحرِّقُburns جِلْدَthe skin of سَاقَيَّboth my shins الهَشِيمُdry, broken brush
يُحرِّقُ جِلْدَ سَاقَيَّ الهَشِيمُ
And on a bitterly cold night I traveled,
And on a cold night I traveled
Dry brush burned the skin of both my shins.
Burning the skin of my legs with fuel
فَأَصْبَحتِso by morning they were الأَنامِلُthe toes قَدْalready أُبِينَتْsevered
فَأَصْبَحتِ الأَنامِلُ قَدْ أُبِينَتْ
كَأَنَّas though بنَانهاtheir toe-tips أَنْفٌa nose رَثيمُcrushed
كَأَنَّ بنَانها أَنْفٌ رَثيمُ
So by morning the toes had been severed,
So in the morning my toes appeared
As though their tips were a crushed nose.
As if their structure is a flabby nose
تَراهاyou see them مِنْfrom وِثامِrough stones of الأَرْضِthe earth سُوداًblackened
تَراها مِنْ وِثامِ الأَرْضِ سُوداً
كَأَنَّas though أَصابِعَthe toes of القَدَمَيْنِboth feet شِيمُblack snakes
كَأَنَّ أَصابِعَ القَدَمَيْنِ شِيمُ
You see them blackened by the rough stones of the earth,
You see them blackened by the soil
As though the toes of both feet were black snakes.
Like the toes are shoots
وَرَجْلٍand footmen قَدْindeed لَفَفْتُهُمُI embroiled them بِرَجْلٍwith footmen
وَرَجْلٍ قَدْ لَفَفْتُهُمُ بِرَجْلٍ
عَلَيْهِمْupon them مِثْلَlike مانُثِرَthe scattering of الجَريمُdate-stones
عَلَيْهِمْ مِثْلَ مانُثِرَ الجَريمُ
And footmen I embroiled with other footmen,
With a leg I wrapped them round a leg
Upon them, like scattered date-stones,
Pouring on them like scattered embers
يُصِيبُstrikes مَقاتِلَthe vital spots of الأَبْطالِthe heroes مِنْهُمْamong them
يُصِيبُ مَقاتِلَ الأَبْطالِ مِنْهُمْ
قَحِيطُmerciless الطَّعْنِspear-thrusting والضَّرْبُand striking الخَذِيمُcleaving
قَحِيطُ الطَّعْنِ والضَّرْبُ الخَذِيمُ
Striking the vital spots of the heroes among them:
Striking the warrior heroes among them
Merciless spear-thrusts and cleaving blows.
The surrounding stab and the piercing blow
كَمَعْمَعَةِlike the roaring fire of الحدِيقَةِthe garden فيamid أَباءٍreed-thickets
كَمَعْمَعَةِ الحدِيقَةِ في أَباءٍ
تَشِبُّkindles ضِرامَهاits blaze رِيحٌa wind سَمُومُscorching
تَشِبُّ ضِرامَها رِيحٌ سَمُومُ
Like a garden's roaring fire amid reed-thickets,
Like the rustling of palm trees in a storm
A scorching wind kindles its blaze.
Whose branches are lashed by poisonous winds
وَرَدَتُI went down into المْوتَdeath بالأبْطالِwith the heroes فِيهمْamong them
وَرَدَتُ المْوتَ بالأبْطالِ فِيهمْ
إذاwhen خامَshrank back الحببانُthe coward; apparent misspelling فلاthen not أَخِيمُI shrink back
إذا خامَ الحببانُ فلا أَخِيمُ
I went down into death with the heroes among them;
And I returned death to the heroes among them
When the coward shrinks back, I do not shrink.
When the brown spears mixed, I did not waver
وَمُعْتَرَكٍand a battlefield كأَنَّas though الَقوْمَthe men فيهمْamong them
وَمُعْتَرَكٍ كأَنَّ الَقوْمَ فيهمْ
تَبُلُّdrenches جُلودَthe skins of أَوْجُهِهِمْtheir faces جَحِيمُa raging fire
تَبُلُّ جُلودَ أَوْجُهِهِمْ جَحِيمُ
And a battlefield where the men seemed as though
And a melee as if the people among them
A raging fire were drenching the skin of their faces.
The skins of their faces are scalded by hell
صَلَيْتُI braved the fire بِحَرَّهِin its heat وَتَجَنَّبَتْهُand they shunned it
صَلَيْتُ بِحَرَّهِ وَتَجَنَّبَتْهُ
رِجالٌmen لاnot يُناطُis hung بهاupon them التَّمِيمُamulets
رِجالٌ لا يُناطُ بها التَّمِيمُ
I braved its heat, though it was shunned
I prayed its heat and men avoided it
By men upon whom no amulets are hung.
Who cannot be tied by amulets
إذاwhen أَنسىَmade them forget الحَياءَshame الرَّوْعُterror نادَواthey cried out
إذا أَنسىَ الحَياءَ الرَّوْعُ نادَوا
ألاah! ياO! حَبَّذَاhow good! الأَنَسُthe people المُقِيمُstaying at home
ألا يا حَبَّذَا الأَنَسُ المُقِيمُ
When terror made them forget shame, they cried:
When fright forgets modesty they shouted
Ah, how good are the people who stay at home!
Oh, the beloved companion remaining
Sol 6.1