حَثَّhastened الفِراقُparting بَواكِرَthe earliest of الأَحداجِthe litters
حَثَّ الفِراقُ بَواكِرَ الأَحداجِ
وَسِجالُand Sijāl يَومَon the day نَأواthey went away بِكَتمٍat Katm ساجيstill
وَسِجالُ يَومَ نَأوا بِكَتمٍ ساجي
Parting hastened the earliest litters,
and Sijāl lay still at Katm on the day they left.
هَلis there غَيرُanything other than إِمساكٍclinging بِأَطرافِto the fringes of المُنىhopes
هَل غَيرُ إِمساكٍ بِأَطرافِ المُنى
فيهاin it لِطالِبِfor a seeker of خِلَّةٍintimate affection أَوor راجيone who hopes
فيها لِطالِبِ خِلَّةٍ أَو راجي
Is there anything but clinging to the fringes of hope
there for one who seeks affection or still hopes,
أَوor وَقفَةٍa halt فيin مَحضَرٍan encampment جَرَّتdragged بِهِthrough it
أَو وَقفَةٍ في مَحضَرٍ جَرَّت بِهِ
عَصفُthe blast of الرِياحِthe winds الهوجِthe violent ones ذَيلَa trailing skirt of عَجاجِdust
عَصفُ الرِياحِ الهوجِ ذَيلَ عَجاجِ
or a halt at a campsite where
the blast of wild winds dragged a train of dust?
حَمَلَتbore كَواهِلُهاtheir shoulders رَواياwaterskins of مُزنَةٍa raincloud
حَمَلَت كَواهِلُها رَوايا مُزنَةٍ
كَالبَحرِlike the sea ذيpossessing الآذِيِّsurging billows وَالأَمواجِand waves
كَالبَحرِ ذي الآذِيِّ وَالأَمواجِ
Their shoulders bore a raincloud's waterskins,
like the sea with its surges and waves,
مَفتوقَةٍsplit open بِالبَرقِby lightning يَضحَكُsmiles أُفقُهاits horizon
مَفتوقَةٍ بِالبَرقِ يَضحَكُ أُفقُها
فيin لَيلَةٍa night بَيضاءَbright white ذاتِfull of دَياجيdeep darkness
في لَيلَةٍ بَيضاءَ ذاتِ دَياجي
split open by lightning, its horizon smiling
through a white-lit night full of darkness.
فَتَحَلَّلَتthen came undone عُقَدُthe knots of السَماءِheaven بِوابِلٍin a downpour
فَتَحَلَّلَت عُقَدُ السَماءِ بِوابِلٍ
زاهيradiant المَهاءِin beauty مُحَلَّلِunbound in الأَبراجِthe towers
زاهي المَهاءِ مُحَلَّلِ الأَبراجِ
Then heaven's knots came loose in a downpour,
radiant in beauty, its towers unbound.
فَلِذاكَso for that reason أَبلىwore away الدَهرُTime مَنزِلَةَthe dwelling in الحِمىthe protected pasture
فَلِذاكَ أَبلى الدَهرُ مَنزِلَةَ الحِمى
وَالدَهرُand Time ذوpossessed of غِيَرٍchanges وَذوand possessed of إِزعاجِupheaval
وَالدَهرُ ذو غِيَرٍ وَذو إِزعاجِ
That is why Time wore away the dwelling in the protected pasture;
and Time brings change and upheaval.
بَلrather مَهمَهٌa trackless waste عافيeffaced in المَناهِلِits waterholes قائِمٌstanding stark
بَل مَهمَهٌ عافي المَناهِلِ قائِمٌ
قَطَّعتُهُI crossed it بِمَواعِسٍon a sand-treading mount مَعّاجِswift and swerving
قَطَّعتُهُ بِمَواعِسٍ مَعّاجِ
But a stark wilderness, its waterholes effaced,
I crossed on a sand-treading, swerving mount.
حَتمٌa certain doom عَلىupon الفَلَواتِthe wastelands يَطويfolds up بُعدَهاtheir distance
حَتمٌ عَلى الفَلَواتِ يَطوي بُعدَها
بِالنَصِّby full-speed travel وَالإِرمالِand trotting وَالإِدلاجِand night travel
بِالنَصِّ وَالإِرمالِ وَالإِدلاجِ
A doom upon the wastes, it folds away their distances
with full-speed travel, trotting, and night marches.
مُمتَدُّlong-stretched أُنبوبِthe shaft of الجِرانِthe neck's underside كَأَنَّهُas though it were
مُمتَدُّ أُنبوبِ الجِرانِ كَأَنَّهُ
مِنfrom تَحتِbeneath هامَتِهِits head نَحيتَةُa carving of ساجِteak
مِن تَحتِ هامَتِهِ نَحيتَةُ ساجِ
Its neck-shaft is long, as though it were
a piece of carved teak beneath its head.
وَإِذاand when بَداit appears تَحتَbeneath الرِحالِthe saddles حَسِبتَهُyou would think it
وَإِذا بَدا تَحتَ الرِحالِ حَسِبتَهُ
مُتسَربِلاًclad in ثَوباًa robe مِنَof الديباجِbrocade
مُتسَربِلاً ثَوباً مِنَ الديباجِ
When it appears beneath the saddles, you would think it
clothed in a robe of brocade.
صَدَقَheld true to السُرىnight travel حَتّىuntil تَعَرَّفَbecame discernible واضِحٌa bright gleam
صَدَقَ السُرى حَتّى تَعَرَّفَ واضِحٌ
كَالقَرنِlike a horn فيthrough خَلَلِthe gaps in الظَلامِthe darkness الداجيpitch-dark
كَالقَرنِ في خَلَلِ الظَلامِ الداجي
It held true to the night march until a brightness appeared,
like a horn through the gaps in the pitch-dark gloom,
فيin لَيلَةٍa night أَكَلَate away المُحاقُthe moon's dark phase هِلالَهاits crescent
في لَيلَةٍ أَكَلَ المُحاقُ هِلالَها
حَتّىuntil تَبَدّىit appeared مِثلَlike وَقفِa bracelet of العاجِivory
حَتّى تَبَدّى مِثلَ وَقفِ العاجِ
on a night whose crescent the moon's dark phase had eaten away,
until it showed like an ivory bracelet.
وَالصُبحُand dawn يَتلوfollows المُشتَريJupiter فَكَأَنَّهُso it is as though
وَالصُبحُ يَتلو المُشتَري فَكَأَنَّهُ
عُريانُa naked man يَمشيwalking فيin الدُجىthe darkness بِسِراجِwith a lamp
عُريانُ يَمشي في الدُجى بِسِراجِ
And dawn followed Jupiter, as though it were
a naked man walking through darkness with a lamp,
حَتّىuntil اِستَغاثَit sought relief مَعَwith الشُروقِsunrise بِمَنهَلٍat a watering place
حَتّى اِستَغاثَ مَعَ الشُروقِ بِمَنهَلٍ
فيهِat it دَواحٍspreading out مِنof قَطاsandgrouse أَفواجِflocks
فيهِ دَواحٍ مِن قَطا أَفواجِ
until, at sunrise, the mount sought relief at a watering place,
where flocks of sandgrouse spread out.
وَكَأَنَّand as though رَحليmy saddle فَوقَwere atop أَحقَبَa white-flanked wild ass لاحِبٍlean
وَكَأَنَّ رَحلي فَوقَ أَحقَبَ لاحِبٍ
لَفَحَscorched الهَجيرُthe noon heat بِمَشعَلٍwith a torch أَجّاجِfiercely blazing
لَفَحَ الهَجيرُ بِمَشعَلٍ أَجّاجِ
My saddle seemed to rest on a lean, white-flanked wild ass,
scorched by noon's heat with a fiercely blazing torch.
أَكَلَdevoured الرَبيعَspring's growth وَلَمand did not يَدَعleave مِنof مائِهِits water
أَكَلَ الرَبيعَ وَلَم يَدَع مِن مائِهِ
إِلّاexcept بَقِيَّةَa remnant of آسِنٍstagnant water وَأُجاجِand bitter brine
إِلّا بَقِيَّةَ آسِنٍ وَأُجاجِ
The heat devoured spring, leaving none of its water
except a remnant of stagnant water and bitter brine.
كَالبَرقِlike lightning يَلتَمُّsweeps up البِلادَthe land مُجاهِراًopenly
كَالبَرقِ يَلتَمُّ البِلادَ مُجاهِراً
بِالشَدِّby running hard بَينَbetween مَفاوِزٍdeserts وَفَجاجِand mountain passes
بِالشَدِّ بَينَ مَفاوِزٍ وَفَجاجِ
Like lightning, he sweeps across the land, openly
racing between deserts and mountain passes.
فَتَرىso you see السَماءَthe sky إِذاwhen غَدَتit becomes مَملوءَةًfilled
فَتَرى السَماءَ إِذا غَدَت مَملوءَةً
مِنwith نَقعِهِhis dust وَالأَرضَand the earth ذاتَfull of شُحاجِbraying
مِن نَقعِهِ وَالأَرضَ ذاتَ شُحاجِ
You see the sky as it grows filled
with his dust, and the earth resounding with brays.
وَكَأَنَّand it is as though إِذwhen ماever رَجَّعَتreverberated نَهَقاتُهُhis brays
وَكَأَنَّ إِذ ما رَجَّعَت نَهَقاتُهُ
وَصَهيلُهُand his neighing دَرَجاًsteps مِنَamong الأَدراجِthe stairways
وَصَهيلُهُ دَرَجاً مِنَ الأَدراجِ
And when his brays echo back, they seem,
with his neighing, like steps in a flight of stairs.
وَكَأَنَّand as though آثارَthe scars of الكُلومِthe wounds بِكَفِّهِon his forefoot
وَكَأَنَّ آثارَ الكُلومِ بِكَفِّهِ
حَلقُrings of الحَديدِiron سُمِرنَwere riveted فَوقَonto رِتاجِa great door
حَلقُ الحَديدِ سُمِرنَ فَوقَ رِتاجِ
The scars of wounds on his forefoot seem
iron rings riveted onto a great door.
يَحدواhe drives لَواقِحَpregnant females لاnot تَمَلُّweary of طِرادِهاtheir pursuit
يَحدوا لَواقِحَ لا تَمَلُّ طِرادِها
فيamid كَوكَبٍthe heart مِنof قَيظِهِits midsummer heat وَهّاجِblazing
في كَوكَبٍ مِن قَيظِهِ وَهّاجِ
He drives pregnant females that never tire of pursuit,
amid the blazing heart of midsummer heat.
يورَدنَthey are led to عَيناًa spring قَدalready تَفَجَّرَhas burst forth ماؤُهاits water
يورَدنَ عَيناً قَد تَفَجَّرَ ماؤُها
زَوراءَwinding صافِيَةًclear كَذوبِlike molten زُجاجِglass
زَوراءَ صافِيَةً كَذوبِ زُجاجِ
They are led to a spring whose water has burst forth,
winding, clear as molten glass,
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen أَخَذَتthey occupied جَوانِبَthe edges of غَمرِهاits deep water
حَتّى إِذا أَخَذَت جَوانِبَ غَمرِها
وَكَرَعنَand they drank فيin خَضراءَa green pool ذاتِhaving فِجاجِbroad channels
وَكَرَعنَ في خَضراءَ ذاتِ فِجاجِ
until, when they have taken the edges of its deep pool
and drunk from green water with broad channels,
قامَتrose بِمَسِّat the touch of السَهمِthe arrow تَمسَحُbrushing ريشَهُits feathers
قامَت بِمَسِّ السَهمِ تَمسَحُ ريشَهُ
لَبّاتُهاtheir throat hollows وَمَنابِضُand the pulsing points of الأَوداجِthe jugular veins
لَبّاتُها وَمَنابِضُ الأَوداجِ
there rise at the arrow's touch, brushing its feathers,
their throat hollows and the pulsing points of their jugulars.
فُتِحَتwere opened عَلىon طَرفِthe tip of الهِلالِthe crescent بِأَنفُسٍwith lifeblood
فُتِحَت عَلى طَرفِ الهِلالِ بِأَنفُسٍ
أَنصافُهاits half-measures صِرفٌpure بِغَيرِwithout مِزاجِadmixture
أَنصافُها صِرفٌ بِغَيرِ مِزاجِ
They are opened on the crescent's tip, spilling lifeblood—
its half-measures pure, without admixture.
وَإِذاand if المَنِيَّةُDeath أَخَّرَتpostpones أَيّامَهاher days
وَإِذا المَنِيَّةُ أَخَّرَت أَيّامَها
فَالحَيُّthen the living مِنfrom كَيدِthe scheming of العَداوَةِenmity ناجِsafe
فَالحَيُّ مِن كَيدِ العَداوَةِ ناجِ
And if Death postpones her appointed days,
the living escape the plots of enmity.
وَبَدَتand they appeared تَطيرُto fly بِأَرجُلٍon legs مَمقورَةٍsteeped
وَبَدَت تَطيرُ بِأَرجُلٍ مَمقورَةٍ
بِالرُعبِin terror تَنتَهِبُsnatching up البِلادَthe land نَواجِswift fugitives
بِالرُعبِ تَنتَهِبُ البِلادَ نَواجِ
They seem to fly on legs steeped
in terror, swift fugitives snatching up the land.
شَدّاًracing hard يَصيحُcries out الصَخرُthe rock مِنfrom قَرَعاتِهِhis blows
شَدّاً يَصيحُ الصَخرُ مِن قَرَعاتِهِ
يَسِمُbrands البِلادَthe land بِحافِرٍwith a hoof رَوّاجِever-moving
يَسِمُ البِلادَ بِحافِرٍ رَوّاجِ
He races so hard the rocks cry out beneath his blows,
branding the land with an ever-moving hoof.
ياO مَنyou who يَدُسُّsecretly plants لِيَagainst me العَداوَةَenmity صَنعَةًas a craft
يا مَن يَدُسُّ لِيَ العَداوَةَ صَنعَةً
أَسرَيتَyou traveled by night ليtoward me فَاِصبِرso be patient عَلىwith الإِدلاجِthe night march
أَسرَيتَ لي فَاِصبِر عَلى الإِدلاجِ
O you who secretly plant enmity against me as a craft,
you have set out against me by night: endure the night march.
فَتَحَopened العِدىthe enemies بابَthe door of المَكيدَةِplotting وَالأَذىand harm
فَتَحَ العِدى بابَ المَكيدَةِ وَالأَذى
فَاِعجَبso marvel بِهِمat them وَاللَهُand God مِنهُمfrom them ناجِsafe
فَاِعجَب بِهِم وَاللَهُ مِنهُم ناجِ
The foes have opened the door of plotting and harm;
marvel at them—God is safe from them.
أَناI كَالمَنِيَّةِlike Death سُقمُهاher sickness قُدّامُهاahead of her
أَنا كَالمَنِيَّةِ سُقمُها قُدّامُها
طَوراًat times وَطَوراًand at other times تَبتَديshe strikes first فَتُفاجيand takes one by surprise
طَوراً وَطَوراً تَبتَدي فَتُفاجي
I am like Death: her sickness goes before her
at times; at others she strikes first, taking one unawares.
Sol 6.1