عُلِّقhe was enamored منof سَلمىSalma عَلوقاًa clinging attachment كاللَّجَجlike obstinate persistence
عُلِّق من سَلمى عَلوقاً كاللَّجَج
تَطرأُarise unexpectedly مِنهاof her ذِكَرٌmemories بَعدَafter حُجَجyears
تَطرأُ مِنها ذِكَرٌ بَعدَ حُجَج
He was bound to Salma by a love of stubborn persistence.
She hung her wrap, revealing shoulders like crystal columns
Memories of her come unbidden after years.
In which memories would stir long after pilgrims pass
إِنَّindeed سُلَيمىSulayma واضِحٌfair لَبّاتُهاher throat hollows
إِنَّ سُلَيمى واضِحٌ لَبّاتُها
لَيّنةُsoft الأَبدانِthe bodies مِنfrom تَحتbeneath السَّبَجthe jet beads
لَيّنةُ الأَبدانِ مِن تَحت السَّبَج
Indeed, Sulayma's throat hollows are fair,
Slimy's curves are clear beneath her gown
her body soft beneath the jet beads.
Smooth limbed beneath her mantle's sash
صُدورُupper reaches of دودانَDudan فأَعلىthen the upper part of تَنضُبٍTandub
صُدورُ دودانَ فأَعلى تَنضُبٍ
فالأَشهَبينِthen al-Ashhabayn فَجُمالٌthen Jumal فالمَجَجthen al-Majaj
فالأَشهَبينِ فَجُمالٌ فالمَجَج
The upper reaches of Dudan, then upper Tandub,
Beetles swarming on her breast to drink
then al-Ashhabayn, then Jumal, then al-Majaj.
Lovely the mole upon her cheek
وَعادَand returned خبّازٌa male ostrich يُسَقِّيهِwaters him النَّدىthe dew
وَعادَ خبّازٌ يُسَقِّيهِ النَّدى
ذُراوَةًwind-blown spray تَنسجُهُweaves it الهوجُthe fierce winds الدُّرُجthe passing ones
ذُراوَةً تَنسجُهُ الهوجُ الدُّرُج
And a male ostrich returned, the dew drenching him
A baker comes to wet her with the dew
with wind-blown spray woven by fierce, passing winds,
Tenderly woven by the thronging train
نَضحُthe sprinkling of السُّقاةِthe water-carriers بِصباباتِwith the last drops of الدِّلاthe buckets
نَضحُ السُّقاةِ بِصباباتِ الدِّلا
ساعَةat an hour لاnot يَنفَعُهاhelps her مِنهُfrom him وَحَجrefuge
ساعَة لا يَنفَعُها مِنهُ وَحَج
like water-carriers sprinkling their buckets' last drops,
Water bearers splash their water skins
at an hour when no refuge from him could protect her,
Stopping where the spiteful preach in vain
تَفادياًseeking escape مِنfrom فَلَتاتِsudden lunges of عابِسٍa scowling one
تَفادياً مِن فَلَتاتِ عابِسٍ
قَدalready كُدِّحَhave been scored اللحيانthe two jaws مِنهُof him والوَدَجand the jugular vein
قَد كُدِّحَ اللحيان مِنهُ والوَدَج
seeking escape from the sudden lunges of a scowling one,
Shunning the barbs of the grim-faced shrew
whose two jaws and jugular had been scored.
Whose gums and smile are sorely wrenched
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle حاجبُrim of الشَّمسِthe sun دَمجdisappeared
حَتّى إِذا ما حاجبُ الشَّمسِ دَمج
تَذَكَّرhe remembered البيضَthe eggs بِكمُّولٍat Kammul فَلَجhe turned aside
تَذَكَّر البيضَ بِكمُّولٍ فَلَج
Until, when the sun's rim disappeared,
Till the sun's brow is wholly knit at last
he remembered the eggs at Kammul and turned aside
Remembering pagan days now clinched
عَنfrom القَراميصِthe hollows بأَعلىalong the upper part of لاحِبٍa beaten track
عَن القَراميصِ بأَعلى لاحِبٍ
مُعَبَّدٍtrodden smooth مِنsince عَهدِthe days of عادٍʿAd كالفَلَجlike a watercourse
مُعَبَّدٍ مِن عَهدِ عادٍ كالفَلَج
from the hollows, along the upper stretch of a beaten track,
Above the wanton in her bright gown
trodden smooth since the days of ʿAd, like a watercourse.
Cloaked since old Ad's departed reign
Sol 6.1