هاتيكَthat over there دارُهُمُtheir dwelling فَعَرِّجso turn aside وَاِسأَلِand ask
هاتيكَ دارُهُمُ فَعَرِّج وَاِسأَلِ
مَقسومَةًdivided بَينَbetween الصَباthe east wind وَالشَمأَلِand the north wind
مَقسومَةً بَينَ الصَبا وَالشَمأَلِ
That is their dwelling; turn aside and ask,
Come by their abodes and go slowly, and ask
divided between the east wind and the north wind.
Divided between youth and hoariness.
وَكَأَنَّناand as though we لَمnot نَغنَwe dwelt بَينَamong عِراصِهاits courtyards
وَكَأَنَّنا لَم نَغنَ بَينَ عِراصِها
فيin غَبطَةٍbliss وَكَأَنَّناand as though we لَمnot نَحلُلِwe alighted
في غَبطَةٍ وَكَأَنَّنا لَم نَحلُلِ
And as though we had never dwelt among its courtyards
It is as though we never sang among their walls
in bliss, as though we had never alighted there.
In delight, and as though we never halted.
لَجَّتpersisted جُفونُكَyour eyelids بِالبُكاءِin weeping فَخَلِّهاso let them be
لَجَّت جُفونُكَ بِالبُكاءِ فَخَلِّها
تَسفَحshed tears عَلىupon طَلَلٍa ruined dwelling لِشُرٍّbelonging to Shurr مُحوِلِweathered by a year
تَسفَح عَلى طَلَلٍ لِشُرٍّ مُحوِلِ
Your eyelids persist in weeping; let them
Your eyelids have been shut by weeping, so part them
shed tears upon Shurr’s year-weathered ruins.
To flow on the remnants of an evil change.
وَلَرُبَّand many a مُهلِكَةٍdeadly wilderness يَحارُloses its way بِهاwithin it القَطاsandgrouse
وَلَرُبَّ مُهلِكَةٍ يَحارُ بِها القَطا
مَسجورَةٍablaze بِالشَمسِwith the sun خَرقٍa vast expanse مُجهَلِuncharted
مَسجورَةٍ بِالشَمسِ خَرقٍ مُجهَلِ
And many a deadly waste, where sandgrouse lose their way,
And many a desolate place the guide gets lost in,
ablaze with the sun, a vast, uncharted expanse,
Scorched by the sun, torn and unknown.
خَلَّفتُهاI left it behind بِشِمِلَّةٍon a swift she-camel تَطَأُshe treads الدُجىthe darkness
خَلَّفتُها بِشِمِلَّةٍ تَطَأُ الدُجى
مُرتاعَةِstartled in الحَرَكاتِmovements حِلسٍsaddle-seasoned عَيطَلِlong-necked
مُرتاعَةِ الحَرَكاتِ حِلسٍ عَيطَلِ
I left behind on a swift she-camel treading the darkness,
I left it with a robe that treads the darkness
startled in her movements, saddle-seasoned and long-necked.
Startled in movement, night of scanty garb.
تَرنوshe gazes بِناظِرَةٍwith an eye كَأَنَّas though حِجاجَهاits socket
تَرنو بِناظِرَةٍ كَأَنَّ حِجاجَها
وَقبٌa hollow أَنافَrose high بِشاهِقٍon a lofty peak لَمnot يُحلَلِbeen inhabited
وَقبٌ أَنافَ بِشاهِقٍ لَم يُحلَلِ
She gazes with an eye whose socket seems
It gazes with a look as though its tear ducts
a hollow rising on a lofty, uninhabited peak.
Were mouths of towering heights never halted.
وَكَأَنَّand as though مَسقِطَهاher resting place إِذاwhen ماan emphasizing particle عَرَّسَتshe halted for the night
وَكَأَنَّ مَسقِطَها إِذا ما عَرَّسَت
آثارُtraces مَسقِطِthe resting place of ساجِدٍa prostrate worshipper مُتَبَتِّلِdevout
آثارُ مَسقِطِ ساجِدٍ مُتَبَتِّلِ
And where she lies, when she halts for the night, seems
And it is as though when she alights her place of descent
the traces left by a devout worshipper prostrate in prayer.
Are traces of a prostrating worshipper, humble.
وَكَأَنَّand as though آثارَthe marks of النُسوعِthe saddle-straps بِدَفِّهاon her flank
وَكَأَنَّ آثارَ النُسوعِ بِدَفِّها
مَسرىthe trail of الأَساوِدِblack snakes فيthrough هِيامٍloose sand أَهيَلِcrumbling
مَسرى الأَساوِدِ في هِيامٍ أَهيَلِ
And the saddle-straps’ marks upon her flank seem
And it is as though the traces of the huntresses in her plain
the trails of black snakes through loose, crumbling sand.
Are the track of lions in confused folly.
وَيَشُدُّand pulls حاديهاher camel-driver بِحَبلٍwith a rope كامِلٍfull-length
وَيَشُدُّ حاديها بِحَبلٍ كامِلٍ
كَعَسيبِlike a stalk of نَخلٍpalm خوصُهُits fronds لَمnot يَنجَلِbeen stripped off
كَعَسيبِ نَخلٍ خوصُهُ لَم يَنجَلِ
And her driver draws her on with a full-length rope,
And her guide holds her with a complete rope,
like a palm stalk whose fronds have not been stripped.
Like a palm tree whose bark never gets stripped.
وَكَأَنَّهاand as though she عَدواًin running قَطاةٌa sandgrouse صَبَّحَتvisited at dawn
وَكَأَنَّها عَدواً قَطاةٌ صَبَّحَت
زُرقَblue المِياهِwaters وَهَمُّهاand her concern فيat المَنزِلِhome
زُرقَ المِياهِ وَهَمُّها في المَنزِلِ
And in her running she seems a sandgrouse that at dawn reached
And it is as though she were a wild enemy who travelled at dawn
blue waters, her thoughts fixed on her home.
The blues of the water, while her thoughts were of home.
مَلَأَتshe filled دِلاءَbuckets تَستَقِلَّshe carries بِحَملِهاwith their load
مَلَأَت دِلاءَ تَستَقِلَّ بِحَملِها
قُدّامَbefore كَلكَلِهاher breast كَصُغرىlike the smallest of الحَنظَلِcolocynth gourds
قُدّامَ كَلكَلِها كَصُغرى الحَنظَلِ
She filled buckets whose load she carried away,
She filled her buckets, taking pride in carrying them,
before her breast, like the smallest colocynth gourds.
Before her anklets like the little whelp.
وَغَدَتand she went off كَجُلمودِlike a boulder of القِذافِthe mountain crags يُقِلُّهاbears her aloft
وَغَدَت كَجُلمودِ القِذافِ يُقِلُّها
وافٍample كَمِثلِjust like الطَيلَسانِa mantle المُخمَلِplush
وافٍ كَمِثلِ الطَيلَسانِ المُخمَلِ
And off she went like a boulder from the crags, borne aloft
She sways like the swinging of the leather bucket that carries her
by ample plumage, like a plush mantle.
In timing like the embroidered hem of a garment.
حَمَّلتُهاI loaded her ثِقَلَthe weight of الهُمومِcares فَقَطَّعَتso she severed
حَمَّلتُها ثِقَلَ الهُمومِ فَقَطَّعَت
أَسبابُهُنَّtheir bonds بِناwith us تَخِبُّshe trots وَتَعتَليand climbs
أَسبابُهُنَّ بِنا تَخِبُّ وَتَعتَلي
I loaded her with the weight of cares, and she severed
I loaded her with heavy worries, so they cut off
their bonds, trotting and climbing onward with us,
Their ties with us, bent and twisted.
عَنfrom عَزمِthe resolve of قَلبٍa heart لَمnot أَصِلهُI joined it بِغَيرِهِto anything besides it
عَن عَزمِ قَلبٍ لَم أَصِلهُ بِغَيرِهِ
عَضبِkeen المَضارِبِin cutting edges صائِبٍstriking true لِلمَفصِلِat the joint
عَضبِ المَضارِبِ صائِبٍ لِلمَفصِلِ
through the resolve of a heart I never joined to another,
From the resolve of a heart I did not turn to other than it,
keen-edged, striking true at the joint.
Anger of a striker hitting the joints.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen اِعتَدَلَتreached its midpoint عَلَيهِمover them لَيلَةٌa night
حَتّى إِذا اِعتَدَلَت عَلَيهِم لَيلَةٌ
سَقَطواthey sank down إِلىbeside أَيديthe forelegs of قَلائِصَyoung she-camels نُحَّلِlean
سَقَطوا إِلى أَيدي قَلائِصَ نُحَّلِ
Until, when a night had reached its midpoint over them,
Until when an appointed night came over them
they sank down beside the forelegs of lean young she-camels,
They fell into the hands of armed raiders.
حَتّىuntil اِستَثارَهُمُroused them دَليلٌa guide فارِطٌscouting ahead
حَتّى اِستَثارَهُمُ دَليلٌ فارِطٌ
يَسموhe strains upward لِغايَتِهِtoward his goal بِعَينَيwith the two eyes of أَجدَلِa falcon
يَسمو لِغايَتِهِ بِعَينَي أَجدَلِ
until a guide scouting ahead roused them,
Until an experienced guide aroused them
straining toward his goal with a falcon’s eyes.
Soaring to his goal with the eyes of a young mountain goat,
يُدعىhe is called بِكُنيَتِهِby his honorific name لِآخِرِtoward the end of ظِمئِهاher watering interval
يُدعى بِكُنيَتِهِ لِآخِرِ ظِمئِها
يَوماًfor a day وَيُدعىand he is called بِاِسمِهِby his name فيat المَنهَلِthe watering place
يَوماً وَيُدعى بِاِسمِهِ في المَنهَلِ
He is called by his honorific toward her watering interval’s end,
Called by his nickname when their thirst was at its most
for a day, and by his given name at the watering place.
And called by his name at the drinking station.
لَبِسَwore الشُحوبَpallor مِنَfrom الظَهائِرِthe midday heats وَجهُهُhis face
لَبِسَ الشُحوبَ مِنَ الظَهائِرِ وَجهُهُ
فَكَأَنَّهُso it is as though it were ماوِيَّةٌa mirror لَمnot تُصقَلُbeen polished
فَكَأَنَّهُ ماوِيَّةٌ لَم تُصقَلُ
His face has worn pallor from the midday heats,
Pallor from the burdens appeared on his face
so it seems a mirror left unpolished.
So that he seemed polished granite that was not smoothed.
سارٍa night-traveller بِلَحظَتِهِby his gaze إِذاwhen اِشتَبَهَbecame confused الهُدىthe guidance
سارٍ بِلَحظَتِهِ إِذا اِشتَبَهَ الهُدى
بَينَbetween المَجَرَّةِthe Milky Way وَالسِماكِand Simāk الأَعزَلِthe Unarmed
بَينَ المَجَرَّةِ وَالسِماكِ الأَعزَلِ
A night-traveller guided by his gaze when bearings grow confused
Traveling with his glance when guidance was confused
between the Milky Way and Simāk the Unarmed.
Between planets and an isolated star.
وَلَرُبَّand many an قِرنٍadversary قَدindeed تَرَكتُI left مُجَدَّلاًfelled
وَلَرُبَّ قِرنٍ قَد تَرَكتُ مُجَدَّلاً
جَزَراًslaughtered meat لِضارِيَةِfor ravening الذِئابِwolves العُسَّلِloping
جَزَراً لِضارِيَةِ الذِئابِ العُسَّلِ
And many an adversary have I left felled,
And many a twisted lock have I left disheveled
meat for ravening, loping wolves.
As prey for the ravenous beasts that morning fed.
عَهديmy last recollection بِهِof him وَالمَوتُand death يَخفُرُguards رَوحَهُhis spirit
عَهدي بِهِ وَالمَوتُ يَخفُرُ رَوحَهُ
وَبِرَأسِهِand in his head كَفَمِlike the mouth of الفَنيقِthe camel stallion الأَهزَلِgaunt
وَبِرَأسِهِ كَفَمِ الفَنيقِ الأَهزَلِ
My last sight of him: death keeping guard over his spirit,
My pact with him while death keeps guard over his soul
and a gash in his head like a gaunt camel-stallion’s mouth.
And with his head like the beak of a wretched raven.
وَلَقَدand indeed قَفَوتُI followed الغَيثَthe rain يَنطُفُdrips دَجنُهُits dark cloud-cover
وَلَقَد قَفَوتُ الغَيثَ يَنطُفُ دَجنُهُ
وَالصُبحُand dawn مُلتَبِسٌhazy كَعَينِlike the eye of الأَشهَلِa gray-eyed one
وَالصُبحُ مُلتَبِسٌ كَعَينِ الأَشهَلِ
And I have followed the rain as its dark clouds dripped,
And I have tasted the rain dripping its moisture
while dawn was hazy, like a gray eye,
While dawn was still confused like the one-eyed blinker.
بِطَمرَةٍon a bounding mare تَرميshe aims at الشُخوصَdistant figures بِمُقلَةٍwith an eye
بِطَمرَةٍ تَرمي الشُخوصَ بِمُقلَةٍ
كَحلاءَdark-rimmed تُعرِبُreveals عَنconcerning ضَميرِthe hidden nature of المُشكِلِthe indistinct
كَحلاءَ تُعرِبُ عَن ضَميرِ المُشكِلِ
on a bounding mare that watches distant shapes with an eye
With a sprinkling that casts shadows with a ladle
dark-rimmed, revealing what the indistinct conceals.
Like tattooing expressing the mind of the troubled.
فَوهاءَwide-mouthed يَفرُقُdivides بَينَbetween شَطرَيthe two halves of وَجهِهاher face
فَوهاءَ يَفرُقُ بَينَ شَطرَي وَجهِها
نورٌa light تَخالُyou would think سَناهُits brilliance سَلَّةَthe drawing of مُنصُلِa sword
نورٌ تَخالُ سَناهُ سَلَّةَ مُنصُلِ
Wide-mouthed, the two halves of her face are divided by
An air that cleaves between two sides of her face
a light whose gleam you would take for a sword being drawn.
A light whose sharpness seems a hanging spearhead.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though تَحتَbeneath العِذارِthe bridle’s cheek-strap صَفيحَةٌa metal plate
وَكَأَنَّما تَحتَ العِذارِ صَفيحَةٌ
عُنِيَتwere carefully applied بِصَفحَتِهاto its surface مَداوِسُthe polishing files of صَيقَلِa sword-polisher
عُنِيَت بِصَفحَتِها مَداوِسُ صَيقَلِ
And beneath the bridle’s cheek-strap there seems a metal plate
And it is as though below the excuse there lies a sheet
whose surface a sword-polisher’s files have carefully tended.
That chisels have been taken to, planed and smoothed.
Sol 6.1