لِمَنwhose مَنزِلٌa dwelling عافٍeffaced كَأَنَّas though رُسومَهُits traces
لِمَن مَنزِلٌ عافٍ كَأَنَّ رُسومَهُ
خَياعيلُsleeveless tunics رَيطٍfine cloth سابِرِيٍّSabiri مُرَسَّمِpatterned
خَياعيلُ رَيطٍ سابِرِيٍّ مُرَسَّمِ
Whose is this weathered dwelling, its traces seeming
like sleeveless tunics of patterned Sabiri cloth?
خَلاءُdeserted المَباديthe open grounds ماnot بِهِin it غَيرُother than رُكَّدٍmotionless hearthstones
خَلاءُ المَبادي ما بِهِ غَيرُ رُكَّدٍ
ثَلاثٍthree كَأَمثالِlike الحَمائِمِdoves جُثَّمِcrouching
ثَلاثٍ كَأَمثالِ الحَمائِمِ جُثَّمِ
Its open grounds are deserted; nothing remains but motionless stones,
three, like doves crouching low.
وَغَيرُand apart from شَجيجٍa split tent-peg ماثِلٍstanding حالَفَallied with البِلىdecay
وَغَيرُ شَجيجٍ ماثِلٍ حالَفَ البِلى
وَغَيرُand apart from بَقاياremnants كَالسَحيقِlike worn cloth المُنَمنَمِfinely embroidered
وَغَيرُ بَقايا كَالسَحيقِ المُنَمنَمِ
And a split peg still standing, allied with decay,
and remnants like worn, finely embroidered cloth.
يُعَلُّis given repeated draughts of رِياحَwinds الصَيفِsummer باليdecayed هَشيمِهِits brittle brushwood
يُعَلُّ رِياحَ الصَيفِ بالي هَشيمِهِ
عَلىupon ماثِلٍa standing remnant كَالحَوضِlike a basin عافٍweathered مُثَلَّمِbroken-rimmed
عَلى ماثِلٍ كَالحَوضِ عافٍ مُثَلَّمِ
Its decayed brushwood is given draught after draught of summer wind,
upon a standing remnant like a weathered, broken-rimmed basin.
كَسَتهُthey clothed it سَرابيلَgarments of البِلىdecay بَعدَafter عَهدِهِits former days
كَسَتهُ سَرابيلَ البِلى بَعدَ عَهدِهِ
وَجَونٌand a dark cloud سَرىtraveled by night بِالوابِلِwith a downpour المُتَهَزَّمِthundering
وَجَونٌ سَرى بِالوابِلِ المُتَهَزَّمِ
Since its heyday, the winds have clothed it in decay's robes,
and so has a dark cloud passing by night with a thundering downpour.
وَقَدand indeed كانَit was ذاpossessed of أَهلٍinhabitants كَثيرٍmany وَغَبطَةٍand happiness
وَقَد كانَ ذا أَهلٍ كَثيرٍ وَغَبطَةٍ
إِذِwhen الحَبلُthe bond حَبلُthe bond of الوَصلِunion لَمhad not يَتَصَرَّمِbeen severed
إِذِ الحَبلُ حَبلُ الوَصلِ لَم يَتَصَرَّمِ
Yet once it had many inhabitants and happiness,
when the bond—the bond of union—had not been severed,
وَإِذand when نَحنُwe جيرانٌneighbors كَثيرٌmany بِغَبطَةٍin contentment
وَإِذ نَحنُ جيرانٌ كَثيرٌ بِغَبطَةٍ
وَإِذand when ماwhat مَضىhad passed مِنof عَشِناour life لَمhad not يُصَرَّمِbeen cut short
وَإِذ ما مَضى مِن عَشِنا لَم يُصَرَّمِ
and when we were neighbors, many and content,
and when the life we had shared had not been broken off.
وَكُلُّand every حَثيثِswift-pouring الوَدقِrain مُنبَعِقِbursting العُرىthe seams
وَكُلُّ حَثيثِ الوَدقِ مُنبَعِقِ العُرى
مَتىwhenever تُزجِهِdrives it onward الريحُthe wind اللَواقِحُrain-bearing يَسجُمِit pours
مَتى تُزجِهِ الريحُ اللَواقِحُ يَسجُمِ
And every cloud of driving rain, its seams split open,
pours whenever the rain-bearing wind drives it onward.
ضَعيفُslack العُرىthe bonds دانٍclose مِنَto الأَرضِthe earth بَركُهُits breast
ضَعيفُ العُرى دانٍ مِنَ الأَرضِ بَركُهُ
مُسِفٍّlow-hanging كَمِثلِlike الطَودِa mountain أَكظَمَthunderless أَسحَمِjet-black
مُسِفٍّ كَمِثلِ الطَودِ أَكظَمَ أَسحَمِ
Its bonds slack, its breast close to the earth,
low-hanging like a mountain, thunderless and jet-black.
فَإِنso if تَكُis لَيلىLayla قَدalready نَأَتكَhave grown far from you دِيارُهاher dwellings
فَإِن تَكُ لَيلى قَد نَأَتكَ دِيارُها
وَضَنَّتand she was stingy بِحاجاتِwith the wishes of الفُؤادِthe heart المُتَيَّمِenslaved by love
وَضَنَّت بِحاجاتِ الفُؤادِ المُتَيَّمِ
So if Layla's dwellings have grown far from you,
and she denies the wishes of the love-enslaved heart,
وَهَمَّتand she contemplated بِصُرمِsevering الحَبلِthe bond بَعدَafter وِصالِهِjoining it
وَهَمَّت بِصُرمِ الحَبلِ بَعدَ وِصالِهِ
وَأَصغَتand she listened لِقَولِto the words of الكاشِحِthe spiteful foe المُتَزَعِّمِmaking false claims
وَأَصغَت لِقَولِ الكاشِحِ المُتَزَعِّمِ
and has thought of severing the bond after joining it,
and has heeded the spiteful liar's words,
فَماyet not حَبلُهاher bond بِالرَثِّfrayed عِنديwith me وَلاnor الَّذيone that
فَما حَبلُها بِالرَثِّ عِندي وَلا الَّذي
يُغَيِّرُهُalters it نَأيٌdistance وَلَوeven if لَمdoes not تَكَلَّمِshe speak
يُغَيِّرُهُ نَأيٌ وَلَو لَم تَكَلَّمِ
her bond is not frayed with me, nor is it one
that distance can alter, even if she does not speak.
وَماnor حُبُّهاlove for her لَوif وَكَّلَتنيshe entrusted me بِوَصلِهِwith maintaining its bond
وَما حُبُّها لَو وَكَّلَتني بِوَصلِهِ
وَلَوeven if صَرَمَbroke away الخُلّانُdear friends بِالمُتَصَرِّمِsevered
وَلَو صَرَمَ الخُلّانُ بِالمُتَصَرِّمِ
Nor would my love for her, were she to entrust its bond to me,
even if dear friends broke away, ever be severed.
لَعَمرُby the life of أَبيكِyour father الخَيرِnoble ماnot ضاعَwas betrayed سِرُّكُمyour secret
لَعَمرُ أَبيكِ الخَيرِ ما ضاعَ سِرُّكُم
لَدَيَّin my keeping فَتَجزينيso you repay me بِعاداًwith estrangement وَتَصرِميand cut me off
لَدَيَّ فَتَجزيني بِعاداً وَتَصرِمي
By your noble father's life, your secret was never betrayed
in my keeping, for you to repay me with estrangement and cut me off.
وَلاnor ضِقتُdid I feel constrained ذَرعاًin capacity بِالهَوىby love إِذwhen ضَمِنتُهُI took it upon myself
وَلا ضِقتُ ذَرعاً بِالهَوى إِذ ضَمِنتُهُ
وَلاnor كُظَّwas choked صَدريmy breast بِالحَديثِby the talk المُكَتَّمِkept secret
وَلا كُظَّ صَدري بِالحَديثِ المُكَتَّمِ
Nor did I lose patience with love when I took it upon myself,
nor was my breast choked by the words kept secret.
وَلاnor كانَwas there مِمّاof what كانَhappened مِمّاof what تَقَوَّلواthey fabricated
وَلا كانَ مِمّا كانَ مِمّا تَقَوَّلوا
عَلَيَّagainst me وَنَثّواand spread abroad غَيرُother than ظَنٍّconjecture مُرَجَّمِunfounded
عَلَيَّ وَنَثّوا غَيرُ ظَنٍّ مُرَجَّمِ
Nor was there in what happened—in what they fabricated
against me and spread abroad—anything but unfounded conjecture.
فَإِنso if كُنتِyou have been لَمّاnot yet تَخبُريناcome to know us فَسائِليthen ask
فَإِن كُنتِ لَمّا تَخبُرينا فَسائِلي
ذَويthose possessing العِلمِknowledge عَنّاabout us كَيso that تُنَبَّيyou may be informed وَتُعلِميand learn
ذَوي العِلمِ عَنّا كَي تُنَبَّي وَتُعلِمي
So if you have not yet come to know us, ask
those who know about us, so that you may be informed and learn.
يُخَبِّركِwill tell you عَنabout أَولادِthe descendants of عَمروِAmr بنِson of عامِرٍAmir
يُخَبِّركِ عَن أَولادِ عَمروِ بنِ عامِرٍ
خَبيرٌone well informed وَمَنand whoever يَسأَلasks عَنِabout الناسِpeople يَعلَمِwill learn
خَبيرٌ وَمَن يَسأَل عَنِ الناسِ يَعلَمِ
Of the descendants of Amr ibn Amir you will be told
by one who knows; whoever asks about people will learn.
مَتىwhenever تَسأَليyou ask عَنّاabout us تُنَبَّيyou will be informed بِأَنَّناthat we
مَتى تَسأَلي عَنّا تُنَبَّي بِأَنَّنا
كِرامٌnoble وَأَنّاand that we أَهلُpossessors of عِزٍّmight مُقَدَّمِpreeminent
كِرامٌ وَأَنّا أَهلُ عِزٍّ مُقَدَّمِ
Whenever you ask about us, you will be told that we
are noble, and that we possess preeminent might,
وَأَنّاand that we عَرانينٌnoble chiefs صُقورٌfalcons مَصالِتٌfearless warriors
وَأَنّا عَرانينٌ صُقورٌ مَصالِتٌ
نَهُزُّwe brandish قَناةًa spear مَتنُهاits shaft لَمhas not يُوَصَّمِbeen flawed
نَهُزُّ قَناةً مَتنُها لَم يُوَصَّمِ
and that we are noble chiefs, falcons, fearless warriors,
brandishing a spear whose shaft has never been flawed.
لَعَمرُكَby your life ماnot المُعتَرُّthe needy visitor يَأتيcomes to بِلادَناour lands
لَعَمرُكَ ما المُعتَرُّ يَأتي بِلادَنا
لِنُمتِعَهُfor us to provide for him بِالضائِعِneglected المُتَهَضَّمِwronged
لِنُمتِعَهُ بِالضائِعِ المُتَهَضَّمِ
By your life, the needy visitor who comes to our lands
to receive our bounty is neither neglected nor wronged.
وَلاnor ضَيفُناour guest عِندَat القِرىthe hospitality meal بِمُدَفَّعٍturned away
وَلا ضَيفُنا عِندَ القِرى بِمُدَفَّعٍ
وَلاnor جارُناour neighbor فيin النائِباتِcalamities بِمُسلَمِabandoned
وَلا جارُنا في النائِباتِ بِمُسلَمِ
Nor is our guest turned away when food is served,
nor is our neighbor abandoned in calamity.
وَماnor السَيِّدُthe lord الجَبّارُtyrannical حينَwhen يُريدُناhe targets us
وَما السَيِّدُ الجَبّارُ حينَ يُريدُنا
بِكَيدٍwith guile عَلىbefore أَرماحِناour spears بِمُحَرَّمِinviolable
بِكَيدٍ عَلى أَرماحِنا بِمُحَرَّمِ
Nor is the tyrannical lord, when he targets us
with guile, inviolable before our spears.
نُبيحُwe overrun حِمىthe preserve of ذيthe possessor of العِزِّmight حينَwhen نَكيدُهُwe plot against him
نُبيحُ حِمى ذي العِزِّ حينَ نَكيدُهُ
وَنَحميand we guard حِماناour preserve بِالوَشيجِwith spears المُقَوَّمِstraightened
وَنَحمي حِمانا بِالوَشيجِ المُقَوَّمِ
We overrun the mighty man's preserve when we plot against him,
and guard our own preserve with straightened spears.
وَنَحنُand we إِذاwhen لَمdo not يُبرِمِresolve firmly الناسُthe people أَمرَهُمtheir course
وَنَحنُ إِذا لَم يُبرِمِ الناسُ أَمرَهُم
نَكونُwe stand عَلىupon أَمرٍa course مِنَof الحَقِّwhat is right مُبرَمِfirmly settled
نَكونُ عَلى أَمرٍ مِنَ الحَقِّ مُبرَمِ
And when others leave their course unresolved,
we hold to a firmly settled course of right.
وَلَوand if وُزِنَتwere weighed رَضوىRadwa بِحِلمِagainst the forbearance of سَراتِناour chieftains
وَلَو وُزِنَت رَضوى بِحِلمِ سَراتِنا
لَمالَwould surely outweigh بِرَضوىRadwa حِلمُناour forbearance وَيَلَملَمِand Yalamlam
لَمالَ بِرَضوى حِلمُنا وَيَلَملَمِ
And if Radwa were weighed against our chieftains' forbearance,
our forbearance would outweigh Radwa and Yalamlam.
وَنَحنُand we إِذاwhen ماindeed الحَربُwar حُلَّis loosed صِرارُهاher udder-thong
وَنَحنُ إِذا ما الحَربُ حُلَّ صِرارُها
وَجادَتand she yields عَلىupon الحُلابِthe milkers بِالمَوتِdeath وَالدَمِand blood
وَجادَت عَلى الحُلابِ بِالمَوتِ وَالدَمِ
And when war's udder-thong is loosed,
and she yields death and blood to those who milk her,
وَلَمand not يُرجَis hope placed in إِلّاexcept كُلُّevery أَروَعَimposing ماجِدٍnoble
وَلَم يُرجَ إِلّا كُلُّ أَروَعَ ماجِدٍ
شَديدِstrong القُوىin strength ذيpossessed of عِزَّةٍhonor وَتَكَرُّمِand magnanimity
شَديدِ القُوى ذي عِزَّةٍ وَتَكَرُّمِ
and hope rests only in imposing, noble men,
strong in might, possessed of honor and magnanimity,
نَكونُwe are زِمامَthe reins of القائِدينَthose who lead إِلىinto الوَغىbattle
نَكونُ زِمامَ القائِدينَ إِلى الوَغى
إِذاwhen الفَشِلُthe weakling الرِعديدُtrembling with fear لَمdoes not يَتَقَدَّمِadvance
إِذا الفَشِلُ الرِعديدُ لَم يَتَقَدَّمِ
we are the reins of those who lead into battle,
when the trembling weakling will not advance.
فَنَحنُso we كَذاكَare like that الدَهرَforever ماas long as هَبَّتِblows الصَباthe east wind
فَنَحنُ كَذاكَ الدَهرَ ما هَبَّتِ الصَبا
نَعودُwe respond عَلىto جُهّالِهِمtheir hotheads بِالتَحَلُّمِwith forbearance
نَعودُ عَلى جُهّالِهِم بِالتَحَلُّمِ
Thus we remain forever, as long as the east wind blows,
responding to their hotheads with forbearance.
فَلَوso if فَهِمواthey understood أَوor وُفِّقواwere guided toward رُشدَthe right course of أَمرِهِمtheir affairs
فَلَو فَهِموا أَو وُفِّقوا رُشدَ أَمرِهِم
لَعُدناwe would bestow عَلَيهِمupon them بَعدَafter بُؤسىhardship بِأَنعُمِblessings
لَعُدنا عَلَيهِم بَعدَ بُؤسى بِأَنعُمِ
So if they understood, or were guided to the right course,
we would bestow blessings on them after hardship.
وَإِنّاand indeed we إِذاwhen ماindeed الأُفقُthe horizon أَمسىbecame at evening كَأَنَّماas though
وَإِنّا إِذا ما الأُفقُ أَمسى كَأَنَّما
عَلىupon حافَتَيهِits two edges مُمسِياًat dusk لَونُthe color of عَندَمِcrimson dye
عَلى حافَتَيهِ مُمسِياً لَونُ عَندَمِ
And when the horizon at evening seems as though
its two edges at dusk were colored with crimson dye,
لَنُطعِمُwe surely feed others فيin المَشتىwinter وَنَطعَنُand we thrust بِالقَناwith spears
لَنُطعِمُ في المَشتى وَنَطعَنُ بِالقَنا
إِذاwhen الحَربُwar عادَتreturns كَالحَريقِlike a fire المُضَرَّمِkindled
إِذا الحَربُ عادَت كَالحَريقِ المُضَرَّمِ
we surely feed others in winter and thrust with spears,
when war returns like a blazing fire.
وَتُلقىand are found لَدىbeside أَبياتِناour tents حينَwhen نُجتَدىour bounty is sought
وَتُلقى لَدى أَبياتِنا حينَ نُجتَدى
مَجالِسُgatherings فيهاin them كُلُّevery كَهلٍmature man مُعَمَّمِturbaned
مَجالِسُ فيها كُلُّ كَهلٍ مُعَمَّمِ
And beside our tents, when our bounty is sought, are found
gatherings where sits every mature, turbaned man,
رَفيعِlofty عِمادِthe pole of البَيتِthe tent يَستُرُhe shields عِرضَهُhis honor
رَفيعِ عِمادِ البَيتِ يَستُرُ عِرضَهُ
مِنَfrom الذَمِّblame مَيمونِauspicious النَقيبَةِin nature خِضرِمِlavishly generous
مِنَ الذَمِّ مَيمونِ النَقيبَةِ خِضرِمِ
with a lofty tent-pole, shielding his honor
from blame, auspicious in nature, lavishly generous,
جَوادٍgenerous عَلىdespite العِلّاتِhardships رَحبٍspacious فَناؤُهُhis courtyard
جَوادٍ عَلى العِلّاتِ رَحبٍ فَناؤُهُ
مَتىwhenever يُسأَلِhe is asked for المَعروفَa kindness لاnot يَتَجَهَّمِhe scowls
مَتى يُسأَلِ المَعروفَ لا يَتَجَهَّمِ
generous despite hardship, his courtyard spacious,
never scowling when asked for kindness,
ضَروبٍoften casting lots بِأَعجازِwith the butt-ends of القِداحِthe gaming arrows إِذاwhen شَتاhe enters winter
ضَروبٍ بِأَعجازِ القِداحِ إِذا شَتا
سَريعٍswift إِلىto داعيthe summoner to الهِياجِbattle مُصَمَّمِresolute
سَريعٍ إِلى داعي الهِياجِ مُصَمَّمِ
often casting lots with the butt-ends of gaming arrows in winter,
swift to answer the call of battle, resolute,
أَشَمَّproud-nosed طَويلِlong in الساعِدينَboth forearms سَمَيذَعِa noble chief
أَشَمَّ طَويلِ الساعِدينَ سَمَيذَعِ
مُعيدٍrepeatedly renewing قِراعَcombat with الدارِعينَarmored warriors مُكَلَّمِbattle-scarred
مُعيدٍ قِراعَ الدارِعينَ مُكَلَّمِ
proud-nosed, long of forearms, a noble chief,
ever renewing combat with armored men, battle-scarred.
Sol 6.1