سَأَلناwe asked الرَبعَthe deserted dwelling لَوif only فَهِمَit understood السُؤالاthe question
سَأَلنا الرَبعَ لَو فَهِمَ السُؤالا
مَتىwhen عَهِدَit last knew الغَزالَةَthe doe وَالغَزالاand the gazelle
مَتى عَهِدَ الغَزالَةَ وَالغَزالا
We asked the deserted dwelling—if only it understood the question—
We asked the desert, had it understood the question,
when it had last seen the doe and the gazelle.
When did it make acquaintance with the gazelle and the deer?
وَماand not نَعنيwe mean الظِباءَthe gazelles لَهُto it وَلَكِنbut
وَما نَعني الظِباءَ لَهُ وَلَكِن
عَنَيناwe meant شَمسَthe sun of رامَةَRamah وَالهِلالاand the crescent moon
عَنَينا شَمسَ رامَةَ وَالهِلالا
And we do not mean gazelles when addressing it; rather,
We did not mean the wild animals to it, but
we meant the sun of Ramah and the crescent moon.
We meant the sun of Ramah and the crescent moon.
هِلالٌa crescent moon مِنfrom هِلالٍHilal غَيَّبَتهُhid him
هِلالٌ مِن هِلالٍ غَيَّبَتهُ
جِمالٌcamels أُوقِرَتwere laden مِنهُfrom him جَمالاwith beauty
جِمالٌ أُوقِرَت مِنهُ جَمالا
A crescent from Hilal, hidden from sight by
A crescent after a crescent it hid,
camels laden with his beauty.
Beauty so adored from it beauty.
كَساهُclothed him اللَيلُthe night فَرعاًlocks of hair وَالثُرَيّاand the Pleiades
كَساهُ اللَيلُ فَرعاً وَالثُرَيّا
سِخاباًa necklace وَالرُدَينيُّand the Rudayni spear اِعتِدالاstraightness
سِخاباً وَالرُدَينيُّ اِعتِدالا
Night clothed him in locks, and the Pleiades
The night clothed it with luxuriant branches and mist,
in a necklace, and the Rudayni spear in straightness.
And the dew spread moderation.
كَأَنَّas though الدِعصَthe sandhill يَحمِلُbears منهof him غُصناًa branch
كَأَنَّ الدِعصَ يَحمِلُ منه غُصناً
إِذاwhen هَبَّتblows بِهِupon it النَكباءُthe crosswind مالاit bends
إِذا هَبَّت بِهِ النَكباءُ مالا
As though a sandhill bore him as a bough,
As if the bramble carries from it a branch,
bending whenever a crosswind blows upon it.
When the stars sparkle, it tilts.
يَرىhe deems وَصليunion with me بِنائِلِهِwith his favors حَراماًforbidden
يَرى وَصلي بِنائِلِهِ حَراماً
وَقَتليand killing me فيin مَحَبَّتِهِlove for him حَلالاlawful
وَقَتلي في مَحَبَّتِهِ حَلالا
He deems granting me his favors forbidden,
It sees its unions as forbidden,
and killing me for love of him lawful.
And its love for it is permitted killing.
تَنَقّىhe selected الضالَwild lote-trees وَالعُبرِيَّand riverside lote-trees داراًas a home
تَنَقّى الضالَ وَالعُبرِيَّ داراً
سَقاهُmay water it اللَهُGod عُبرِياًriverside lote-trees وَضالاand wild lote-trees
سَقاهُ اللَهُ عُبرِياً وَضالا
He chose wild and riverside lote-trees as his home;
The lost and the rover alike sought refuge there,
may God water his riverside and wild lote-trees.
God watered them both: rover and lost.
وَجَرَّand he trailed عَلىover شِمالِthe left hand of الرِيحِthe wind رُدناًa sleeve
وَجَرَّ عَلى شِمالِ الرِيحِ رُدناً
فَطَيَّبَso perfumed رِيحُهُhis scent الريحَthe wind الشَمالاnortherly
فَطَيَّبَ رِيحُهُ الريحَ الشَمالا
And he trailed a sleeve over the wind's left hand,
And it pulled to the left of the wind a tent,
and his scent perfumed the north wind.
So its scent sweetened the north wind.
لَقَدindeed طَرَقَcame by night الخَيالُthe phantom فَهاجَand stirred شَوقاًlonging
لَقَد طَرَقَ الخَيالُ فَهاجَ شَوقاً
فَدَتmay ransom رُوحيmy soul خَيالَكُمyour phantom خَيالاas a phantom
فَدَت رُوحي خَيالَكُم خَيالا
Indeed, the phantom came by night and stirred longing;
Imagination knocked indeed, so passion was provoked,
may my soul ransom your phantom, phantom that it is!
So my soul ransomed your imagination, imagination.
تَعَلَّمَit learned مِنكُمُfrom you طُولَthe length of التَجافيestrangement
تَعَلَّمَ مِنكُمُ طُولَ التَجافي
وَصارَand came to يَغِبُّmake intermittent مِثلَكُمُlike you الوِصالاreunion
وَصارَ يَغِبُّ مِثلَكُمُ الوِصالا
It learned from you prolonged estrangement,
It learned from you long estrangement,
and now, like you, makes reunion intermittent.
And became, like you, absent from union.
خَليليَّmy two friends انظُراlook, both of you لَمَعانَthe gleam of بَرقٍlightning
خَليليَّ انظُرا لَمَعانَ بَرقٍ
كَأَنَّas though عَلىupon الرُباthe hills مِنهُfrom it ذُبالاlampwicks
كَأَنَّ عَلى الرُبا مِنهُ ذُبالا
My two friends, behold the flash of lightning,
My two friends, look at the glittering lightning,
as though its wicks stood upon the hills.
As if it loaded its retainers on the hillside.
تَأَلَّقَit flashed مِنfrom دُوَينِjust this side of حَزيزِthe rugged ridge of خَبتٍKhabt
تَأَلَّقَ مِن دُوَينِ حَزيزِ خَبتٍ
فَأَذكَرَنيso reminded me بِهِat that place الحَيَّthe tribe الحَلالاencamped
فَأَذكَرَني بِهِ الحَيَّ الحَلالا
It flashed from just this side of Khabt's rugged ridge,
It shone from the firebrand of dried wood,
and reminded me of the tribe encamped there.
So it reminded me through it of the pure, the permitted.
إِذاwhen نَزَلُواthey camped حِبالَthe ridges of الرَملِsand قُلناwe said
إِذا نَزَلُوا حِبالَ الرَملِ قُلنا
سَقىmay water دَرُّthe copious flow of الحَياrain تِلكَthose الحِبالاridges
سَقى دَرُّ الحَيا تِلكَ الحِبالا
When they camped upon the ridges of sand, we said:
When they descended the sand dune ropes we said:
May the rain's copious flow water those ridges!
The rain of life watered those ropes.
بِحَيثُwhere يَسيلُflows مَدفَعُthe outlet of كُلِّevery وَادٍvalley
بِحَيثُ يَسيلُ مَدفَعُ كُلِّ وَادٍ
فَرَوىso watered سَيلُهُits torrent ذاكَthat السِيالاacacia growth
فَرَوى سَيلُهُ ذاكَ السِيالا
Where the outlet of every valley pours forth,
Where the torrents of each valley flow,
and its torrent watered those acacias.
Its floods quenched that flooding.
وَتُمرِعُand grow lush غِبَّهُafter it قُلَلُthe summits of الرَوابيthe hills
وَتُمرِعُ غِبَّهُ قُلَلُ الرَوابي
فَيَكتَهِلُso matures النَباتُthe vegetation بِهاon them اِكتِهالاfully
فَيَكتَهِلُ النَباتُ بِها اِكتِهالا
And after it the hilltops grow lush,
And its rain made the hilltops thrive,
and the vegetation upon them reaches full maturity.
So vegetation on them became abundant.
إِذاwhen هَبَّتblow رِياحُthe winds of الصَيفِsummer باتَتthey spend the night
إِذا هَبَّت رِياحُ الصَيفِ باتَت
تُفَوِّقُnocking مِنfrom سَفاthe awns of البُهمىbrome grass نِبالاarrows
تُفَوِّقُ مِن سَفا البُهمى نِبالا
When the summer winds blow, they spend the night
When the winds of summer blow, they spend the night
nocking arrows from the awns of brome grass.
Surpassing the ardour of littleness from the clouds.
وَمائِرَةِand swaying الأَزِمَّةِthe reins مُبرَياتٍnose-ringed
وَمائِرَةِ الأَزِمَّةِ مُبرَياتٍ
كَأَنَّas though عَلىupon غَوارِبِهاtheir humps صِلالاvipers
كَأَنَّ عَلى غَوارِبِها صِلالا
And nose-ringed camels with swaying reins,
And the humiliated, blessed mares,
as though vipers lay upon their humps.
As if their necks had necklaces.
شَربنَthey drank الخِمسَthe fifth-day watering بَعدَafter الخِمسِthe fifth-day watering حَتّىuntil
شَربنَ الخِمسَ بَعدَ الخِمسِ حَتّى
ظَمِئنَthey grew thirsty فَكِدنَso they nearly يَشرَبنَthey drink العُلالاsecond draughts
ظَمِئنَ فَكِدنَ يَشرَبنَ العُلالا
They drank at five-day intervals, time after time, until
They drank the fifth after the fifth until
they grew thirsty and nearly drank a second round.
Thirsty, they almost drank tainted water.
كَأَنَّas though الكُدرَdusky sandgrouse باتَتspent the night حَيثُwhere باتَتthey spent the night
كَأَنَّ الكُدرَ باتَت حَيثُ باتَت
تُلَبِّدُpacking down فيin مَبارِكِهاtheir kneeling places الرِمالاthe sands
تُلَبِّدُ في مَبارِكِها الرِمالا
As though dusky sandgrouse had roosted where they rested,
As if the murkiness where they spent the night
packing down the sands at their kneeling places.
Stirred up the sands in its blessedness.
شَكَتshe complained فَرطَthe excess of الكَلالfatigue فَقُلتُso I said أُميِّmake for
شَكَت فَرطَ الكَلال فَقُلتُ أُميِّ
ثِمالاًThimal تَحمَديyou will praise هَذاthis الكَلالاfatigue
ثِمالاً تَحمَدي هَذا الكَلالا
She complained of great fatigue, and I said: Make for
She complained of exhaustion so I said: Mother,
Thimal, and you will praise this weariness.
Be thankful for this exhaustion.
وَحُطّيand take down الرَحلَthe saddle عَنكِoff you بِخَيرِin the best أَرضٍland
وَحُطّي الرَحلَ عَنكِ بِخَيرِ أَرضٍ
يَحُطُّset down المُعتَفونَbounty-seekers بِهاthere الرَحالاthe saddles
يَحُطُّ المُعتَفونَ بِها الرَحالا
And take the saddle off your back in the finest land
And pitch the saddle from you in a good land,
where those seeking bounty set their saddles down.
Where the reverent pitch their saddles.
لَدىbefore مَلِكٍa king إِذاwhen أَعطىhe gives العَطاياgifts
لَدى مَلِكٍ إِذا أَعطى العَطايا
حَقَرناwe deemed paltry عِندَهاbeside them السُحُبَthe clouds الثِقالاheavy with rain
حَقَرنا عِندَها السُحُبَ الثِقالا
Before a king: whenever he bestows gifts,
By a king, when he gives gifts,
we deem the heavy clouds paltry beside them.
We belittled in their presence heavy coffers.
أَنالَhe bestowed فَنالَso attained غايَةَthe utmost of كُلِّevery حَمدٍpraise
أَنالَ فَنالَ غايَةَ كُلِّ حَمدٍ
وَكَمand how many مَنa person who لاnot يَنالُattains وَقَدthough indeed أَنالاhas bestowed
وَكَم مَن لا يَنالُ وَقَد أَنالا
He gave, and thus attained the utmost of all praise;
He attained and attained the summit of all praise,
and how many fail to attain it, though they have given!
While many do not attain though they attained.
كَريمُnoble الخِيَمِin character تَصحَبُهُyou accompany him طَويلاًfor a long time
كَريمُ الخِيَمِ تَصحَبُهُ طَويلاً
فَتَصحَبُso you accompany خَيرَthe best of مَنthose who صَحِبَkept company with الرِجالاmen
فَتَصحَبُ خَيرَ مَن صَحِبَ الرِجالا
Noble in character, you keep his company long,
The generous of tent, long may he be accompanied,
and keep company with the best who ever kept men's company.
Thus may the best of men accompany him.
إِذاwhen كَشَّفتَyou examine closely عَنهُhim وَجَدتَyou find فيهِin him
إِذا كَشَّفتَ عَنهُ وَجَدتَ فيهِ
خِلالاًvirtues لاnot تَرىyou see فيهاin them اِختِلالاa flaw
خِلالاً لا تَرى فيها اِختِلالا
When you examine him closely, you find in him
If you unveiled him you’d find in him
virtues in which you see no flaw.
A purity in which you’d see no flaw.
أَبادَhe exhausted المالَwealth حَتّىuntil لَيسَnot تُلفيyou find
أَبادَ المالَ حَتّى لَيسَ تُلفي
لَهُfor him إِلّاexcept جَميلَthe beauty of الذِكرِrenown مالاwealth
لَهُ إِلّا جَميلَ الذِكرِ مالا
He has exhausted his wealth, until you find no
He exhausted wealth until nothing remains
wealth for him save fair renown.
For him except the beauty of renown as wealth.
إِذاwhen ماever أَمحَلَتbecame barren أَرضٌa land لِقَومٍfor a people
إِذا ما أَمحَلَت أَرضٌ لِقَومٍ
وَلَمand did not يَجِدواthey find الحَياrain نَجَعواthey sought pasture with ثِمالاThimal
وَلَم يَجِدوا الحَيا نَجَعوا ثِمالا
Whenever a people's land becomes barren,
When a people loathed a land,
and they find no rain, they seek pasture with Thimal.
And found no life in it, they migrated.
فَتىًa youth سَمحُgenerous اليَدَينِof both hands إِذاwhen أَراقَتit pours out
فَتىً سَمحُ اليَدَينِ إِذا أَراقَت
سِجالاًbucketfuls كَفُّهُhis palm مَلَأتfills سِجالاbucketfuls
سِجالاً كَفُّهُ مَلَأت سِجالا
A youth generous of both hands: whenever he pours out
A young man generous of hand, when
bucketfuls, his palm fills other buckets.
His palms spill blood, his palm fills spilling.
إِذاwhen عِفناwe shunned مَوارِدَthe watering places of كُلِّevery بَحرٍsea
إِذا عِفنا مَوارِدَ كُلِّ بَحرٍ
شَرَعناwe went to drink at بَحرَهُhis sea العَذبَsweet الزُلالاclear and refreshing
شَرَعنا بَحرَهُ العَذبَ الزُلالا
When we shun the watering places of every sea,
If we disdained the springs of every sea,
we come to drink at his sea, sweet and clear.
We’d venture its fresh, limpid sea.
وَأَصدَرناand we sent back الرَكائِبَthe riding camels حامِداتٍgrateful
وَأَصدَرنا الرَكائِبَ حامِداتٍ
إِلَيهِtoward him النَصَّthe swift driving وَالرَكبَand the riders العِجالاhurrying
إِلَيهِ النَصَّ وَالرَكبَ العِجالا
And we send our riding camels back, grateful
And we sent the ships, sharp and swift,
for the swift drive to him and the hurrying riders.
To it both people and traveling caravans.
مُحَمَّلَةًladen ثَناًwith praise لَوif حُمِّلَتهُwere made to bear it
مُحَمَّلَةً ثَناً لَو حُمِّلَتهُ
جِبالُthe mountains of تِهامَةٍTihamah أَوهىit would weaken الجِبالاthe mountains
جِبالُ تِهامَةٍ أَوهى الجِبالا
Laden with praise that, if laid upon
Laden with goods that if mountains bore
the mountains of Tihamah, would weaken those mountains.
The mountains of Tihama or those mountains.
إِذاwhen صُفَّwere lined up المُلوكُkings غَداhe becomes يَميناًthe right hand
إِذا صُفَّ المُلوكُ غَدا يَميناً
لِكُلِّof every فَضيلَةٍvirtue وَغَدَواand they become شِمالاthe left hand
لِكُلِّ فَضيلَةٍ وَغَدَوا شِمالا
When kings are lined up, he becomes the right hand
When kings stand in ranks tomorrow, right
of every virtue, while they become the left.
To every merit, and stand left
مِنَof القَومِthe people الَّذينَwho إِذاwhen أَنالواthey bestow
مِنَ القَومِ الَّذينَ إِذا أَنالوا
نَوالاًa gift عَلَّمواthey teach الناسَpeople النَوالاgiving
نَوالاً عَلَّموا الناسَ النَوالا
He is of a people who, whenever they bestow
Of the people who when they gained
a gift, teach mankind how to give.
Access, taught people access.
طِوالٌtall men يَحمِلونَthey bear إِلىtoward الأَعاديthe enemies
طِوالٌ يَحمِلونَ إِلى الأَعادي
طِوالاًlong spear-shafts تَحمِلُbearing الأَسَلَthe spearheads الطِوالاlong
طِوالاً تَحمِلُ الأَسَلَ الطِوالا
Tall men bear against their foes
Tall, carrying to the enemies
long shafts bearing long spearheads,
Tall, carrying tall spears.
عَلىupon قُبِّslender الأَياطِلِflanks حامِلاتٍcharging
عَلى قُبِّ الأَياطِلِ حامِلاتٍ
بِحَيثُwhere يُضيِّقُconstricts الخَوفُfear المَجالاthe space to move
بِحَيثُ يُضيِّقُ الخَوفُ المَجالا
on slender-flanked steeds that charge
On the humps of vain things bearing
where fear constricts the space to move.
Where fear tightens the course.
إِذاwhen خاضُواthey wade through النَجيعَblood بِهاupon them ثَنَوهاthey turn them back
إِذا خاضُوا النَجيعَ بِها ثَنَوها
بِشُهبٍwith shooting stars فيin سَنابِكَهاtheir hooves تَلالاgleaming
بِشُهبٍ في سَنابِكَها تَلالا
When they wade through blood upon them, they turn them back
When they plunged into the pool with them, they bent them
with shooting stars glittering in their hooves.
With flames in its loops flashes.
كَأَنَّas though أَهِلَّةَthe crescents of الظَلماءِdarkness صيغَتwere forged
كَأَنَّ أَهِلَّةَ الظَلماءِ صيغَت
لِأَيديهاfor their forelegs وَأَرجُلِهاand their hindlegs نِعالاas shoes
لِأَيديها وَأَرجُلِها نِعالا
As though the crescents of the darkness were forged
As if the new moons were forged
as shoes for their forelegs and hindlegs.
For their hands and feet horseshoes.
مَعَوَّدَةٌaccustomed بِهِمby them خَوضَto wading through المَناياdeath
مَعَوَّدَةٌ بِهِم خَوضَ المَنايا
فَقَدso indeed عَرَفَتthey have learned كَماjust as عَرَفُواthey learned القِتالاwarfare
فَقَد عَرَفَت كَما عَرَفُوا القِتالا
Accustomed by them to wading through death,
Trained with them to wade into deaths,
they have learned warfare, just as their riders have.
So they knew as the combatants knew combat.
إِذاwhen فَكَّرتُI reflect فيon الدُنياthe world وَفيهِمand on them
إِذا فَكَّرتُ في الدُنيا وَفيهِم
وَجَدتُand I find مُلوكَهاits kings لَهُمُto them عِيالاdependents
وَجَدتُ مُلوكَها لَهُمُ عِيالا
When I reflect upon the world and upon them,
When I think of the world and of them,
I find its kings their dependents.
I find its kings have dependents.
Sol 6.1