ذُمَّwas blamed الزَمانُTime لِدِمنَةٍfor a ruined campsite
ذُمَّ الزَمانُ لِدِمنَةٍ
بَينَbetween المُشَقَّرِal-Mushaqqar وَالصَفاand al-Safa
بَينَ المُشَقَّرِ وَالصَفا
Time was blamed for a ruined campsite
between al-Mushaqqar and al-Safa.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though نَشَرَتspread open بِهاwithin it
وَكَأَنَّما نَشَرَت بِها
أَيديhands of اللَياليthe nights مُصحَفاa manuscript
أَيدي اللَيالي مُصحَفا
As though there had been opened there
a manuscript by the hands of nights.
قَلِقَتgrew unsettled لِساكِنِهاfor its dweller وَحَمand the burden (beginning)
قَلِقَت لِساكِنِها وَحَم
لِburden (completion) إِنائِهِمtheir vessel حَتّىuntil اِنكَفاit tipped over
لِ إِنائِهِم حَتّى اِنكَفا
It trembled for its dweller and beneath the burden
of their vessel, until it tipped over.
فيهاwithin it ثَلاثٌthree كَالعَواlike visiting women (beginning)
فيها ثَلاثٌ كَالعَوا
ئِدِvisiting women (completion) يَكتَنِفنَsurround المُدنَفاthe wasted invalid
ئِدِ يَكتَنِفنَ المُدنَفا
Within it are three, like visiting women
surrounding a wasted invalid.
مِنfrom كُلِّevery خالِدَةٍenduring stone كَسَتclothed
مِن كُلِّ خالِدَةٍ كَسَت
هاit النارُthe fire لَوناًa color أَكلَفاdarkly mottled
ها النارُ لَوناً أَكلَفا
Each an enduring stone, clothed
by fire in a dusky, mottled hue.
وَمُشَجَّجٍand a battered one ذيpossessing لِمَّةٍa tuft of hair
وَمُشَجَّجٍ ذي لِمَّةٍ
ثاوٍabiding بِرَبعٍin a dwelling-site قَدalready عَفاfaded away
ثاوٍ بِرَبعٍ قَد عَفا
And a battered one with a tuft of hair,
abiding in a campsite long effaced.
أَلِفَgrew accustomed to القِفارَwastelands فَإِنand if هَفَتstrayed
أَلِفَ القِفارَ فَإِن هَفَت
عَنهُfrom him ضَواريهِhis prowling beasts هَفاhe strayed
عَنهُ ضَواريهِ هَفا
He is used to wastelands; if his prowlers stray
away from him, he too strays.
لاnot يَشتَكيhe complains ذُلَّabasement of الهَواhumiliation (beginning)
لا يَشتَكي ذُلَّ الهَوا
نِhumiliation (completion) وَلاand not يَمَنُّhe boasts of favors إِذاwhen وَفىhe keeps faith
نِ وَلا يَمَنُّ إِذا وَفى
He never complains of the abasement
of humiliation, nor boasts when he keeps faith.
نُصُبٌan upright object كَحِرباءِlike a chameleon of الفَلاةِthe desert
نُصُبٌ كَحِرباءِ الفَلاةِ
مَضىdeparted الجَميعُeveryone وَخُلَّفاand he was left behind
مَضى الجَميعُ وَخُلَّفا
Erect, like a desert chameleon,
all have gone, and he was left behind.
بَلrather هَلdo تَرىyou think ذاthis one الظَعنَdeparture لَوif
بَل هَل تَرى ذا الظَعنَ لَو
قامَتarose رِفاقيmy companions لَاِشتَفىhe would surely find relief
قامَت رِفاقي لَاِشتَفى
But do you think this departing one, if
my companions arose, would find relief?
لاno ناصِرٌhelper مِنfrom رُعبِهِfear of him
لا ناصِرٌ مِن رُعبِهِ
أَبَداًever يُوَلّينيturns toward me القَفاthe back of the neck
أَبَداً يُوَلّيني القَفا
No helper, through fear of him,
ever turns his back on me.
كَمhow often دُوِّسَتwas made to trample رِجليmy foot العُداthe enemies (beginning)
كَم دُوِّسَت رِجلي العُدا
ةَenemies (completion) وَماand not بِهاin it عَنهُfrom it حَفاchafing
ةَ وَما بِها عَنهُ حَفا
How often my foot was made to trample
the enemies, yet suffered no chafing from it!
أُثبُتstand firm لِضَغنِهِمُagainst their rancor وَلاand do not
أُثبُت لِضَغنِهِمُ وَلا
تَكُbe فيin العَداوَةِenmity أَضعَفاweaker
تَكُ في العَداوَةِ أَضعَفا
Stand firm against their rancor, and do not
be the weaker in enmity.
وَإِذاand when الرِياحُthe winds أَطاعَهاobeyed them
وَإِذا الرِياحُ أَطاعَها
مَيلُbending of القَضيبِthe bough تَقَصَّفاit splintered
مَيلُ القَضيبِ تَقَصَّفا
And when the winds are obeyed
by a bending bough, it splinters.
زَعَمَتclaimed هُنَيدَةُHunayda أَنَّنيthat I
زَعَمَت هُنَيدَةُ أَنَّني
مِمَّنof those who يَبيتُspend the night عَلىon شَفاa brink
مِمَّن يَبيتُ عَلى شَفا
Hunayda claimed that I
was one who spends the night upon a brink.
وَلَقَدand indeed هَزَزتُI brandished مُهَنَّداًa blade of Indian steel
وَلَقَد هَزَزتُ مُهَنَّداً
عَضبَkeen المَضارِبِstriking edges مُرهَفاfinely honed
عَضبَ المَضارِبِ مُرهَفا
Yet I have brandished a blade of Indian steel,
keen at the striking edges, finely honed.
وَإِذاand when سَطاit strikes سَطَتِstrikes المَنوDeath (beginning)
وَإِذا سَطا سَطَتِ المَنو
نُDeath (completion) بِهِwith it وَتَعفوand spares إِنif عَفاit spares
نُ بِهِ وَتَعفو إِن عَفا
And when it strikes, Death strikes
with it, and spares if it spares.
وَإِذاand when تَوَلّىit assails هامَةَthe head of الthe
وَإِذا تَوَلّى هامَةَ ال
جَبّارِtyrant سارَit went فَأَوجَفاand raced onward
جَبّارِ سارَ فَأَوجَفا
And when it assails the head of the
tyrant, it moves, then races onward.
عَضَبُkeen المَضارِبِstriking edges كَالغَديlike a pool (beginning)
عَضَبُ المَضارِبِ كَالغَدي
رِpool (completion) نَفىexpelled القَذىspecks حَتّىuntil صَفاit became clear
رِ نَفى القَذى حَتّى صَفا
Keen-edged, like a pool
that expelled its specks until it grew clear.
ماذاthis is not بِأَوَّلِthe very first حادِثٍcalamity
ماذا بِأَوَّلِ حادِثٍ
كَشَّفتُهُI dispelled it فَتَكَشَّفاand it cleared away
كَشَّفتُهُ فَتَكَشَّفا
This is not the first calamity
I dispelled, and it cleared away.
فَوَلَجتُso I entered فيهِit صابِراًpatiently
فَوَلَجتُ فيهِ صابِراً
وَخَرَجتُand I emerged مِنهُfrom it مُثَقَّفاrefined
وَخَرَجتُ مِنهُ مُثَقَّفا
I entered it patiently,
and emerged from it honed.
وَإِذاand when رَمَتshot at شَخصيmy person العُداthe enemies (beginning)
وَإِذا رَمَت شَخصي العُدا
ةُenemies (completion) بِنَبلِهاwith their arrows صارَتbecame سَفىchaff
ةُ بِنَبلِها صارَت سَفى
And when the enemies shoot at my person
with their arrows, those turn to chaff.
وَإِذاand when حَديثُtalk of الذَمِّblame يَمheads toward (beginning)
وَإِذا حَديثُ الذَمِّ يَم
مَمَنيme (verb ending and pronoun) وَنىfaltered وَتَخَلَّفاand fell behind
مَمَني وَنى وَتَخَلَّفا
And when talk of blame heads
toward me, it falters and falls behind.
وَإِذاand when العُيونُeyes تَعَرَّضَتpresented themselves
وَإِذا العُيونُ تَعَرَّضَت
كانَتwere لِعَينيof my eye أَشغُفاmore enamored
كانَت لِعَيني أَشغُفا
And when eyes present themselves,
they are more enamored of my gaze.
إِنif كُنتِyou are جاهِلَةًignorant فَخَلthen release (beginning)
إِن كُنتِ جاهِلَةً فَخَل
ليrelease (feminine ending) مِنfrom يَدَيكِyour two hands الأَعرَفاthe more knowledgeable one
لي مِن يَدَيكِ الأَعرَفا
If you are ignorant, then let
the wiser one go from your hands.
فَإِذاso when طَفاfloated كَيدٌa stratagem رَساhe anchored
فَإِذا طَفا كَيدٌ رَسا
وَإِذاand when رَساanchored كَيدٌa stratagem طَفاhe floated
وَإِذا رَسا كَيدٌ طَفا
When a stratagem floats, he anchors;
and when a stratagem anchors, he floats.
وَإِذاand when تَبَدّىappeared مُقبِلٌone approaching
وَإِذا تَبَدّى مُقبِلٌ
أَنحىbears down عَلَيهِupon him فَإِشتَفىand finds relief
أَنحى عَلَيهِ فَإِشتَفى
And when someone approaching appears,
he bears down upon him and finds relief.
بَلrather قَدindeed هُديتُI was guided لِبارِقٍto a lightning flash
بَل قَد هُديتُ لِبارِقٍ
هاجَstirred الفُؤادَthe heart المُدنَفاthe lovesick
هاجَ الفُؤادَ المُدنَفا
Rather, I have been guided to a lightning flash
that stirred the lovesick heart.
ماnot زالَceased يَصدَعُcleaving مُزنَةًa raincloud
ما زالَ يَصدَعُ مُزنَةً
صَدَعَa cleaving النِجادِthe highlands المُدلِفَslowly advancing
صَدَعَ النِجادِ المُدلِفَ
It kept cleaving a raincloud,
cleaving the highlands as it slowly advanced.
يَقظانُwakeful يَلفِظُemits نورَهُits light
يَقظانُ يَلفِظُ نورَهُ
نوراًlight تَأَلَّقَflared وَاِختَفىand vanished
نوراً تَأَلَّقَ وَاِختَفى
Wakeful, it casts forth its light—
light that flares, then vanishes.
وَالرَعدُand thunder يَحدوchants onward ظَعنَهُits caravan
وَالرَعدُ يَحدو ظَعنَهُ
فَإِذاand when تَأَخَّرَlagged عَنَّفاrebuked
فَإِذا تَأَخَّرَ عَنَّفا
And thunder chants its caravan onward,
rebuking it whenever it lags.
كَالعاذِلاتِlike scolding women تَأَخَّرَتlingered
كَالعاذِلاتِ تَأَخَّرَت
بِالسَيفِwith the sword شَمعاًa playful one مُترَفاpampered
بِالسَيفِ شَمعاً مُترَفا
Like scolding women who lingered,
sword in hand, over a playful, pampered youth.
طَوراًat one time وَطَوراًand at another لاnot يَعيit heeds
طَوراً وَطَوراً لا يَعي
زَجراًrebuking بِهِat it وَتَقَصُّفاand crashing
زَجراً بِهِ وَتَقَصُّفا
At one time; at another it does not heed
the rebukes and crashing directed at it.
حَتّىuntil حَسِبتُI thought سَحابَهُits clouds
حَتّى حَسِبتُ سَحابَهُ
نوقاًshe-camels تَحامَلُlaboring along زُحَّفاcrawling
نوقاً تَحامَلُ زُحَّفا
Until I thought its clouds
she-camels laboring along, exhausted,
سيقَتwere driven وَلاand not تَألوstint عَلىtoward
سيقَت وَلا تَألو عَلى
أَولادَهُنَّtheir young تَعَطُّفاtenderness
أَولادَهُنَّ تَعَطُّفا
driven onward, yet unstinting in
tenderness toward their young.
حَيرانُbewildered يُضنيexhausts ثِقلُهُits weight
حَيرانُ يُضني ثِقلُهُ
هَوجَviolently raging الرِياحِwinds العُصَّفاstorming
هَوجَ الرِياحِ العُصَّفا
Bewildered, its weight exhausts
the wild, storming winds,
بِلَواحِقٍwith trailing clouds مَملوءَةٍfilled
بِلَواحِقٍ مَملوءَةٍ
ماءًwater وَزاداًand provisions عُرِّفاmade known
ماءً وَزاداً عُرِّفا
with trailing masses filled
with water and provisions made manifest.
وَكَأَنَّand as though هاتَنَstreaming rain of وَبلِهِits downpour
وَكَأَنَّ هاتَنَ وَبلِهِ
قُطنٌcotton أُطَيرَwas tossed aloft مُنَدَّفاcarded
قُطنٌ أُطَيرَ مُنَدَّفا
And as though its streaming downpour
were carded cotton tossed aloft.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen مَلَأَfilled الثَرىthe earth
حَتّى إِذا مَلَأَ الثَرى
جَبَلاًa mountain ثَوىsettled وَاِحقَوقَفاand curved into a ridge
جَبَلاً ثَوى وَاِحقَوقَفا
Until, when it had filled the earth,
it settled like a mountain, hunched and curved.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen فُرِشَتwere spread نِماcarpets (beginning)
حَتّى إِذا فُرِشَت نِما
طُcarpets (completion) النورِblossoms فيهِwithin it وَزُخرِفاand it was adorned
طُ النورِ فيهِ وَزُخرِفا
Until, when carpets were spread
of blossoms across it, and it was adorned,
فَتَنَenchanted العُيونَthe eyes فَخِلتُهُso I imagined it
فَتَنَ العُيونَ فَخِلتُهُ
بُرداًa mantle أُجيدَwas finely made مُفَوَّفاstriped
بُرداً أُجيدَ مُفَوَّفا
it enchanted the eyes, and I imagined it
a finely made, striped mantle.
وَكَأَنَّand as though نَشرَfresh growth of الأَرضِthe earth بِالwith the
وَكَأَنَّ نَشرَ الأَرضِ بِال
أَنوارِblossoms حينَwhen تَلَحَّفاit clothed itself
أَنوارِ حينَ تَلَحَّفا
And as though the earth's fresh growth,
when it robed itself in blossoms,
مَلِكٌa king عَلَيهِupon him جَوهَرٌjewels
مَلِكٌ عَلَيهِ جَوهَرٌ
فيin سُندُسٍfine silk قَدalready أُكنِفاwas enfolded
في سُندُسٍ قَد أُكنِفا
were a king wearing jewels,
enfolded in fine silk.
وَتَخالُand you would think كُلَّevery قَرارَةٍhollow
وَتَخالُ كُلَّ قَرارَةٍ
دَمعاًtears يَحولُshift مُوَقَّفاheld in place
دَمعاً يَحولُ مُوَقَّفا
And you would think each hollow
a tear that wavers, held in place.
ياO سَلمَSalm عَرَّفَنيtaught me المَشيgray hair (beginning)
يا سَلمَ عَرَّفَني المَشي
بُgray hair (completion) وَحَقُّand it is fitting ليfor me أَنto أَعرَفاknow
بُ وَحَقُّ لي أَن أَعرَفا
O Salm, gray hair has taught me,
and it is fitting that I should know.
وَوَجَدتُand I found كَفَّhand of المَوتِDeath أَقstrongest (beginning)
وَوَجَدتُ كَفَّ المَوتِ أَق
وىstrongest (completion) الآخِذينَthose who seize وَأَلطَفاand deftest
وى الآخِذينَ وَأَلطَفا
And I found Death's hand the strongest
of all graspers, and the deftest.
وَبَقيتُand I remained بَعدَafter مَعاشِرٍcompanions
وَبَقيتُ بَعدَ مَعاشِرٍ
مِثلَlike الرَديِّthe worthless one تَخَلَّفاwas left behind
مِثلَ الرَديِّ تَخَلَّفا
And I remained after my companions,
like a worthless one left behind.
خَلَّواleft عَلىupon الباقيthe survivor الأَسىgrief
خَلَّوا عَلى الباقي الأَسى
وَنجاand escaped الفَقيدُthe departed مُخَفَّفاunburdened
وَنجا الفَقيدُ مُخَفَّفا
They left grief upon the survivor,
and the departed escaped unburdened.
وَلَقَدand indeed أَرانيI see myself بِالصِباwith youth
وَلَقَد أَراني بِالصِبا
وَالغانِياتِand beautiful women مُكَلَّفاenamored
وَالغانِياتِ مُكَلَّفا
I once saw myself enamored of youth
and of beautiful women.
أَسقىI am given drink مُخَدَّرَةَthe secluded maiden of الدُناthe wine-jars (beginning)
أَسقى مُخَدَّرَةَ الدُنا
نِwine-jars (completion) سُلافَchoice first-pressed wine كَرمٍa grapevine قَرقَفاshiver-inducing wine
نِ سُلافَ كَرمٍ قَرقَفا
I was served the secluded maiden of the wine-
jars: choice vine-wine that brings shivers.
راحٌwine كَأَنَّas though حَبابَهاits bubbles
راحٌ كَأَنَّ حَبابَها
دُرٌّpearls يَجولُfloat about مُجَوَّفاhollow
دُرٌّ يَجولُ مُجَوَّفا
Wine whose bubbles seem
hollow pearls drifting about.
حَظٌّa share مِنَof الدُنياthe world مَضىhas passed
حَظٌّ مِنَ الدُنيا مَضى
لَوif only كانَthere were مَنعٌprotection أَوor شِفاa cure
لَو كانَ مَنعٌ أَو شِفا
A portion of this world has passed—
if only there were protection, or a cure!
وَالدَهرُand Time مِنamong أَخلاقِهِits habits اِسreclaiming (beginning)
وَالدَهرُ مِن أَخلاقِهِ اِس
تِرجاعُreclaiming (completion) ماwhat قَدalready سَلَّفاit lent
تِرجاعُ ما قَد سَلَّفا
And among Time's habits is reclaiming
what it has already lent.
Sol 6.1