ضَمِنَguaranteed اللِقاءَthe meeting رَواحُthe evening journey ناجِيَةٍa swift she-camel
ضَمِنَ اللِقاءَ رَواحُ ناجِيَةٍ
مَقذوفَةٍheaped بِالنَحضِwith flesh كَالرَعنِlike a mountain spur
مَقذوفَةٍ بِالنَحضِ كَالرَعنِ
A swift she-camel's evening journey promised a meeting,
heaped with flesh, like a mountain spur.
زَبَدُfroth اللُغامِthe mouth-foam يَطيرُflies مِنfrom فَمِهاher mouth
زَبَدُ اللُغامِ يَطيرُ مِن فَمِها
نَفضَshaking out النَوادِفِthe cotton-carders ناعِمَsoft القُطنِthe cotton
نَفضَ النَوادِفِ ناعِمَ القُطنِ
Froth from her lather flies from her mouth,
as cotton-carders shake out soft cotton.
وَكَأَنَّand as though ذِفراهاher nape behind the ear مُعَلَّقَةٌa pendant
وَكَأَنَّ ذِفراها مُعَلَّقَةٌ
أَوor لَبَّةٌa breast رُوِيَتwas drenched مِنَwith الدُهنِoil
أَو لَبَّةٌ رُوِيَت مِنَ الدُهنِ
And the spot behind her ear seems a pendant,
or a breast drenched in oil.
وَكَأَنَّand as though كَلكَلَهاher chest إِذاwhen وَخَدَتshe strides swiftly
وَكَأَنَّ كَلكَلَها إِذا وَخَدَت
فُتلُoutturned المَرافِقِthe elbows عَنaway from رَحىa millstone طَحنِfor grinding
فُتلُ المَرافِقِ عَن رَحى طَحنِ
And her chest, when she strides swiftly, seems
a grinding stone, with elbows turned outward from it.
تُصغيshe inclines إِلىto أَمرِthe command الزِمامِof the rein كَماjust as
تُصغي إِلى أَمرِ الزِمامِ كَما
عَطَفَتbent يَدُthe hand الجانيof the fruit-picker ذُرىthe tips الغُصنِof the branch
عَطَفَت يَدُ الجاني ذُرى الغُصنِ
She inclines to the rein's command, just as
a fruit-picker's hand bends the branch-tips.
وَكَأَنَّand as though ظَعنَthe traveling howdahs الحَيِّof the tribe غادِيَةًsetting out in the morning
وَكَأَنَّ ظَعنَ الحَيِّ غادِيَةً
نَخلٌpalm trees سُقيتِwere watered الغَيثَthe rain مِنof ظَعنِtraveling howdahs
نَخلٌ سُقيتِ الغَيثَ مِن ظَعنِ
And the tribe's howdahs, setting out in the morning, seem
rain-watered palms made of traveling howdahs.
أَوor أَيكَةٌa grove ناحَتlamented حَمائِمُهاits doves
أَو أَيكَةٌ ناحَت حَمائِمُها
مَنثورُa scattering أَخضَرَof green foliage ناعِمٍsoft لَدنِsupple
مَنثورُ أَخضَرَ ناعِمٍ لَدنِ
Or a grove whose doves lament,
a scattering of soft, supple greenery.
يَصفِقنَthey clap أَجنِحَةًwings إِذاwhen اِنتَقَلَتthey move
يَصفِقنَ أَجنِحَةً إِذا اِنتَقَلَت
فيamong فُرَّعٍlofty boughs كَطَيالِسٍlike mantles دُكنِdusky
في فُرَّعٍ كَطَيالِسٍ دُكنِ
They beat their wings whenever they move
among lofty boughs like dusky mantles.
وَجدُardent longing المُتَيَّمِof the love-stricken one وَهيَwhile she هاتِفَةٌcalls aloud
وَجدُ المُتَيَّمِ وَهيَ هاتِفَةٌ
ماwhatever شِئتَyou wish مِنof طَرَبٍrapture وَمِنand of حُزنِsorrow
ما شِئتَ مِن طَرَبٍ وَمِن حُزنِ
The lovesick one's yearning, as she calls aloud—
all the rapture and sorrow you could wish.
لِلَّهِby God! ماwhat ضَمِنَتcontained هَوادِجُهاher howdahs
لِلَّهِ ما ضَمِنَت هَوادِجُها
مِنof مَنظَرٍa sight عَجبٍwondrous وَمِنand of حُسنِbeauty
مِن مَنظَرٍ عَجبٍ وَمِن حُسنِ
By God, what her howdahs contain—
what marvelous sights and beauty!
ياO هُندُHind حَسبُكِenough for you مِنof مُصارَمَتيsevering ties with me
يا هُندُ حَسبُكِ مِن مُصارَمَتي
لاdo not تَحكُميjudge فيin الحُبِّlove بِالظَنِّby suspicion
لا تَحكُمي في الحُبِّ بِالظَنِّ
O Hind, enough of cutting me off!
Do not judge love by suspicion.
فاتَhas passed الصَباyouth وَرُميتُand I was struck بِالوَهنِwith weakness
فاتَ الصَبا وَرُميتُ بِالوَهنِ
وَيَدُand the hand المَنيَّةِof death قَدalready دَنَتdrew near مِنّيto me
وَيَدُ المَنيَّةِ قَد دَنَت مِنّي
Youth has passed, and I am stricken with weakness,
and death's hand has drawn near me.
وَلَقَدand indeed حَلَبتُI milked الدَهرَtime أَشطُرَهُall its teats
وَلَقَد حَلَبتُ الدَهرَ أَشطُرَهُ
وَعَبَرتُand I passed beyond حَظَّthe share الجَهلِof folly مِنof سِنّيmy years
وَعَبَرتُ حَظَّ الجَهلِ مِن سِنّي
Indeed, I have milked time from all its teats,
and passed beyond the share of my years allotted to folly.
وَوَجَدتُand I found فيin الأَيّامِthe days مَوعِظَةًan admonition
وَوَجَدتُ في الأَيّامِ مَوعِظَةً
نَصَرَتgave victory to مَلائِكَتيmy angels عَلىover جِنّيmy jinn
نَصَرَت مَلائِكَتي عَلى جِنّي
And in the days I found an admonition
that gave my angels victory over my jinn.
وَشَبِعتُand I had my fill مِنof أَمرٍcommand وَمَملَكَةٍand sovereignty
وَشَبِعتُ مِن أَمرٍ وَمَملَكَةٍ
وَحَكَمتُand I ruled بِالمَلَكاتِthrough acquired abilities وَالسُنِّand age
وَحَكَمتُ بِالمَلَكاتِ وَالسُنِّ
And I have had my fill of command and sovereignty,
and ruled through ability and age.
فَعَلىso for ماwhat تَلمَعُflash ليat me سُيوفُكُمُyour swords
فَعَلى ما تَلمَعُ لي سُيوفُكُمُ
حاشايَfar be it from me مِنfrom جَزَعٍpanic وَمِنand from جُبنِcowardice
حاشايَ مِن جَزَعٍ وَمِن جُبنِ
Why, then, do your swords flash at me?
Far am I from panic and cowardice.
كَمhow many طابِخاًa cook قِدراًa pot لِئاكِلِهِfor its eater
كَم طابِخاً قِدراً لِئاكِلِهِ
فاضَتoverflowed عَلَيهِonto him بِفاتِرٍwith something lukewarm سُخنِhot
فاضَت عَلَيهِ بِفاتِرٍ سُخنِ
Many a man has cooked a pot for its eater,
only for it to overflow upon him with tepid heat.
وَلَقَدand indeed نَهَضتُI rose لِوَطإِكُمto trample you فَأَبىbut forbade it
وَلَقَد نَهَضتُ لِوَطإِكُم فَأَبى
مِثقالُa measure حِلمٍof forbearance راجِحَheavy الوَزنِin weight
مِثقالُ حِلمٍ راجِحَ الوَزنِ
Indeed, I rose to trample you, but was restrained by
a measure of forbearance, heavy in the scales.
عِنديI have مِنَamong العِلّاتِthe ailments سَلهَبَةٌa tall, long-bodied mare
عِندي مِنَ العِلّاتِ سَلهَبَةٌ
وَمُقَوَّمٌand a straightened spear خَضِلٌwet مِنَfrom الطَعنِthrusting
وَمُقَوَّمٌ خَضِلٌ مِنَ الطَعنِ
Among my ailments is a tall, long-bodied mare,
and a straightened spear, wet from thrusting.
لاneither مُنصُليmy sword هَجَرَabandoned الضِرابَstriking in battle وَلاnor
لا مُنصُلي هَجَرَ الضِرابَ وَلا
صَدِأَتrusted مَضارِبُهُits striking edges مِنَfrom الحُزنِsorrow
صَدِأَت مَضارِبُهُ مِنَ الحُزنِ
Neither has my sword forsaken battle, nor
have its striking edges rusted from sorrow.
كَمhow many مِنof خَليلٍa close friend لاnot أُمَتِّعُهُI grant him long life
كَم مِن خَليلٍ لا أُمَتِّعُهُ
لَمdid not يُبقِهِpreserve him حَذريmy caution وَلاnor ضِنّيmy jealous care
لَم يُبقِهِ حَذري وَلا ضِنّي
How many a friend whose life I could not prolong—
my caution did not preserve him, nor my jealous care.
وَلّىhe departed وَخَلَّفَنيand left me لِغائِرَةٍto a ravaging calamity
وَلّى وَخَلَّفَني لِغائِرَةٍ
بِالمُخزِياتِwith disgraces السودِblack وَالأَفنِand feeblemindedness
بِالمُخزِياتِ السودِ وَالأَفنِ
He departed and left me to a ravaging calamity,
with black disgraces and failing judgment.
أَدّىmay He repay الإِلَهُGod إِلَيهِto him صُحبَتَهُhis companionship
أَدّى الإِلَهُ إِلَيهِ صُحبَتَهُ
وَسَقىand may He water دِيارَكَyour dwellings صائِبَthe downpour المُزنِof the rainclouds
وَسَقى دِيارَكَ صائِبَ المُزنِ
May God repay him for his companionship,
and water your dwellings with the clouds' downpour.
ياO آمِناًone feeling safe لاdo not تَبقَleave unused مِنany of حَذَرٍcaution
يا آمِناً لا تَبقَ مِن حَذَرٍ
إِنَّindeed المَخافَةَfear جانِبُa side الأَمنِof safety
إِنَّ المَخافَةَ جانِبُ الأَمنِ
O you who feel secure, spare no precaution:
for fear is a part of safety.
لاdo not تَخدَعَنَّbe deceived بِأَقرَبَيكَby your closest kin وَقَدeven though already
لا تَخدَعَنَّ بِأَقرَبَيكَ وَقَد
عَفَّوكَthey have spared you مِنfrom عَينٍan eye وَمِنand from أُذنِan ear
عَفَّوكَ مِن عَينٍ وَمِن أُذنِ
Do not be deceived by your closest kin, even though
they spare you hurtful looks and words.
وَلَقيتُand I encountered مِنfrom قَومٍpeople ذَويpossessing إِحَنٍgrudges
وَلَقيتُ مِن قَومٍ ذَوي إِحَنٍ
لَجَبَتresounded صُدورُهُمُtheir breasts مِنَfrom الطَعنِspear-thrusts
لَجَبَت صُدورُهُمُ مِنَ الطَعنِ
And from people harboring grudges I have met—
whose breasts resounded from spear-thrusts—
غِشَّtreachery المَغيبِin absence فَإِنbut if لَقَيتُهُمُI meet them
غِشَّ المَغيبِ فَإِن لَقَيتُهُمُ
سَجَنواthey imprisoned العَداوَةَenmity أَيَّماthe utmost سَجنِimprisonment
سَجَنوا العَداوَةَ أَيَّما سَجنِ
treachery behind my back; but when I meet them,
they imprison their hatred in the strictest prison.
وَهِيَand it is العَداوَةُenmity لاno خَفاءِconcealment بِهاof it
وَهِيَ العَداوَةُ لا خَفاءِ بِها
كَالشَمسِlike the sun تَكسُفُis dimmed ساعَةَfor an hour الدَجنِof overcast gloom
كَالشَمسِ تَكسُفُ ساعَةَ الدَجنِ
Yet it is hatred: there is no hiding it,
like the sun, dimmed for an hour by cloud.
Sol 6.1