مَنازِلُهُمْtheir dwellings تَبْكِىlament إليكَto you عَفاءَهاtheir effacement
مَنازِلُهُمْ تَبْكِى إليكَ عَفاءَها
سَقَتْهَاwatered them الثُّرَيّاthe Pleiades بالغَريِّat al-Ghari نِحاءَهَاher waterskins
سَقَتْهَا الثُّرَيّا بالغَريِّ نِحاءَهَا
Their dwellings lament to you their effacement.
Their abodes weep to you their windswept plains,
The Pleiades poured her waterskins upon them at al-Ghari.
Watered by the Pleiades in the darkness of night.
أَلَثَّتْlingered persistently علَيْهَاover them المُعْصِراتُrain-laden clouds بقَطْرِهَاwith their rain
أَلَثَّتْ علَيْهَا المُعْصِراتُ بقَطْرِهَا
وجَرَّتْand dragged بهاthrough them هُوجُwild gusts of الرِّيَاحِthe winds مُلاءَهَاtheir mantles
وجَرَّتْ بها هُوجُ الرِّيَاحِ مُلاءَهَا
Rain-laden clouds lingered over them with their showers,
The rainy constellations pour out their drops upon them,
And wild winds dragged their mantles through them.
The spirits of the storm blast them with their blowing.
حَبَسْتُI held back بهاthere عَدْواًat a gallop زِمَامَthe rein of مَطِيَّتِىmy mount
حَبَسْتُ بها عَدْواً زِمَامَ مَطِيَّتِى
فَحَلَّتْso loosened بهاthere عَيْنِيmy eye عليَّagainst my will وِكاءَهَاits binding cord
فَحَلَّتْ بها عَيْنِي عليَّ وِكاءَهَا
There I checked my mount's rein in mid-gallop,
I detained a foe there, holding back his steed,
And there my eye undid its binding against my will.
So my eyes poured tears of sorrow over them.
رَأَتْit saw شُدُنَthe fawns of الآرامِthe white gazelles فيin زَمَنِthe time of الهَوىlove
رَأَتْ شُدُنَ الآرامِ في زَمَنِ الهَوى
ولمand did not تَرَsee لَيْلىLayla فهيso it تَسْفَحُpours out ماءَهَاits water (tears)
ولم تَرَ لَيْلى فهي تَسْفَحُ ماءَهَا
It saw the white gazelles' fawns in the days of love,
They saw the tents of the Arabs in the days of love,
Yet saw no Layla, so it pours out its tears.
But saw no Layla, so they spill their water.
خَلِيلَىَّmy two friends عُوجاturn aside, you two بارَكَmay bless اللَّهُGod فيكماyou both
خَلِيلَىَّ عُوجا بارَكَ اللَّهُ فيكما
بدارتِهاto her dwelling الأُولىthe first نُحَيِّlet us greet فِناءَهَاits courtyard
بدارتِها الأُولى نُحَيِّ فِناءَهَا
My two friends, turn aside—may God bless you both—
O my two friends, may God bless you both
To her first dwelling, that we may greet its courtyard.
In their first abode—greet their courtyard!
ولاand do not تَمْنَعانِيyou two prevent me أَنْto أَجُودَgive freely بأَدْمُعٍwith tears
ولا تَمْنَعانِي أَنْ أَجُودَ بأَدْمُعٍ
حَوَاهاgathered them الجَوىburning grief لمّاwhen نَظَرْتُI beheld جِواءَهَاits valley
حَوَاها الجَوى لمّا نَظَرْتُ جِواءَهَا
And do not stop me from freely shedding tears
Do not prevent me from being generous with tears
That anguish gathered when I beheld its valley.
When sorrow enclosed them as I looked upon their desolation.
فأُقْسِمُso I swear ماnot شِمْتُI discerned الغَدَاةَthis morning وَقُودَهاits fire
فأُقْسِمُ ما شِمْتُ الغَدَاةَ وَقُودَها
وَقدthough I did شِمْتُI discerned ماwhat رابَtroubled الحِمىthe sanctuary وأَساءَهَاand harmed it
وَقد شِمْتُ ما رابَ الحِمى وأَساءَهَا
I swear, I saw no fire there this morning,
I swear by the fire I kindled in the morning
Though I saw what troubled the sanctuary and harmed it.
And whose smoke offended the asylum and its inmates.
مَيادِينُracecourses for أَفْرَاسِthe steeds of الصِّباyouth ومَراتِعٌand pastures
مَيادِينُ أَفْرَاسِ الصِّبا ومَراتِعٌ
رَتَعْتُI grazed freely بهاthere حتَّىuntil أَلِفْتُI grew familiar with ظِباءَهَاtheir gazelles
رَتَعْتُ بها حتَّى أَلِفْتُ ظِباءَهَا
Racecourses for the steeds of youth, and pastures
Racecourses for the horses of youth and pastures
Where I grazed until I grew familiar with their gazelles.
I grazed in them until I knew their rock rabbits.
فلمso not أَرَI saw أَسْرَاباًflocks كأَسْرَابِهَاlike their flocks الدُّمَىsculpted beauties
فلم أَرَ أَسْرَاباً كأَسْرَابِهَا الدُّمَى
ولاnor ذِئْبَa wolf مِثْليlike me قدindeed رَعَىtended ثَمَّthere شاءَهَاtheir sheep
ولا ذِئْبَ مِثْلي قد رَعَى ثَمَّ شاءَهَا
I saw no flocks like their flocks of sculpted beauties,
I have not seen horse herds like their roe herds
Nor any wolf like me who tended their sheep there.
Nor a wolf like me who then felt pity for them.
وَلاnor كضَلالٍlike a straying كانَwas أَهْدَىmore guiding لِصَبْوتِيfor my youthful passion
وَلا كضَلالٍ كانَ أَهْدَى لِصَبْوتِي
لَيَالِيَon nights when يَهْدِينيguided me الغَرامُardent love خِباءَهَاher tent
لَيَالِيَ يَهْدِيني الغَرامُ خِباءَهَا
Nor any straying that guided my youthful passion better,
Nor is there one led more straight by his passion
On nights when ardent love led me to her tent.
In the dark nights when love guides me to their ruins.
وماand not هاجَstirred هَذاthis الشَّوْقَlonging إلَّاexcept حَمائِمٌdoves
وما هاجَ هَذا الشَّوْقَ إلَّا حَمائِمٌ
بَكَيْتُI wept لهاfor them لمّاwhen سَمِعْتُI heard بُكَاءَهَاtheir weeping
بَكَيْتُ لها لمّا سَمِعْتُ بُكَاءَهَا
Nothing stirred this longing but doves,
And none provoked this passion save the doves
For whom I wept when I heard their weeping.
Who wept for them when I heard their weeping.
تَغَنَّsing فلاso may not يَبْعُدْperish بذِيin the place of الأَيْكِthe thickets عاشِقٌa lover
تَغَنَّ فلا يَبْعُدْ بذِي الأَيْكِ عاشِقٌ
بَكىwept بَيْنَseparation from لَيْلىLayla فَاسْتَحَثَّand so urged on غِنَاءَهَاtheir song
بَكى بَيْنَ لَيْلى فَاسْتَحَثَّ غِنَاءَهَا
Sing! May no lover in the grove perish,
One who loves the slender-waisted will sing—
Who wept at Layla's departure and urged their song.
A lover wept for Layla and it stirred up her singing.
عَجِبْتُI marveled لنَفْسِيat my soul كَيْفَhow مُلِّكَهاwas given mastery over it الهَوَىlove
عَجِبْتُ لنَفْسِي كَيْفَ مُلِّكَها الهَوَى
وكَيْفَand how اسْتَفَزَّunsettled الغانِيَاتُthe beautiful women إِبَاءَهَاits proud resistance
وكَيْفَ اسْتَفَزَّ الغانِيَاتُ إِبَاءَهَا
I marveled at my soul: how love was given mastery over it,
I am astonished at myself—how love has conquered me,
And how the beauties unsettled its proud resistance.
How the singing girls have provoked my refusal.
أَناI البَحْرُthe sea لاnot يَسْتَوْهِنُfinds weak الخَطْبُcalamity طاقَتىmy strength
أَنا البَحْرُ لا يَسْتَوْهِنُ الخَطْبُ طاقَتى
وتَأْبَىyet refuse الحِسانُthe beauties أَنْto أُطِيقَI withstand لِقَاءَهَاmeeting them
وتَأْبَى الحِسانُ أَنْ أُطِيقَ لِقَاءَهَا
I am the sea; calamity finds no weakness in my strength,
I am the sea—peril cannot cope with my power,
Yet beauties will not let me withstand an encounter with them.
Beauty refuses that I should attain its presence.
تَيَمَّمَheaded toward قَصْدِيdirectly toward me النَّائِباتُcalamities فرَدَّهاbut repelled them
تَيَمَّمَ قَصْدِي النَّائِباتُ فرَدَّها
فتًىa youth لمnot يُشَجِّعُbe emboldened (reading uncertain) حِينَwhen حَانَthe time came رِيَاءَهَاfacing them
فتًى لم يُشَجِّعُ حِينَ حَانَ رِيَاءَهَا
Calamities headed straight for me, but were repelled
Misfortunes waylaid my purpose but he drove them back,
By a youth who needed no urging when the time came to face them.
A man whom cowardice did not encourage when sandgrouse flocked.
إِذَاwhenever طَرَقَتْهُcame upon him by night الحادِثَاتُcalamities أَعارَهَاhe lent them
إِذَا طَرَقَتْهُ الحادِثَاتُ أَعارَهَا
شَباthe cutting edges of فِكَرَاتٍthoughts قدalready أَطالَhe prolonged مَضَاءَهَاtheir keenness
شَبا فِكَرَاتٍ قد أَطالَ مَضَاءَهَا
Whenever calamities came upon him by night, he lent them
When disasters assail him he is steadfast before them,
The edges of thoughts whose sharpness he had long sustained.
A youth whose thoughts have prolonged their duration.
أَماindeed وأَبىthough refused الأَعْدَاءُthe enemies ماnot دَفَعَتْهُمُrepelled them
أَما وأَبى الأَعْدَاءُ ما دَفَعَتْهُمُ
يَدٌa hand سَبَقَتْهُمْforestalled them يَتَّقُونَthey guard against عَدَاءَهَاits assault
يَدٌ سَبَقَتْهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ عَدَاءَهَا
Indeed, though the enemies deny it, they were not repelled
But no! By God, the enemies did not drive him back,
By a hand that forestalled them, whose assault they feared.
A hand that forestalled them, which they fear to oppose.
جَزَاهُمrepaid them بماfor what حازُواthey amassed مِنof الجَهْلِfolly حِلْمُهُhis forbearance
جَزَاهُم بما حازُوا مِن الجَهْلِ حِلْمُهُ
كَرِيمٌa noble man إِذَاwhenever راءَhe saw المَكَارمَnoble deeds جاءَهَاhe came to them
كَرِيمٌ إِذَا راءَ المَكَارمَ جاءَهَا
His forbearance repaid them for the folly they had amassed.
His forbearance rewarded them for the ignorance they displayed.
He is noble: whenever he sees noble deeds, he pursues them.
He is generous when the noble deeds present themselves.
ولَوْand had أَنَّنِىthat I أَنْحَتْassailed عليّagainst me أَكَارِمٌnoble men
ولَوْ أَنَّنِى أَنْحَتْ عليّ أَكَارِمٌ
تَرَضَّيْتُI would have been content بالعِرْضِwith honor الكَرِيمِnoble جَزَاءَهَاas recompense for it
تَرَضَّيْتُ بالعِرْضِ الكَرِيمِ جَزَاءَهَا
Had noble men been the ones to assail me,
If only nobles carved my stature,
I would have been content with noble honor as recompense.
I would be content with splendid payment.
وَلَكِنَّbut جِرْذَانَthe rats of الثُّغُورِthe frontier towns رَمَيْنَنِيshot at me
وَلَكِنَّ جِرْذَانَ الثُّغُورِ رَمَيْنَنِي
فأَكْرَمْتُso I held too noble نَفْسِىmyself أَنto تُرِيقَshed دِماءَهَاtheir blood
فأَكْرَمْتُ نَفْسِى أَن تُرِيقَ دِماءَهَا
But the rats of the frontier towns have shot at me,
But the vermin of the marches shot me down
So I held myself too noble to shed their blood.
So I honored myself by shedding their blood.
إِلَيْكَto you أَباO Abu (father of) مَرْوَانَMarwan أَلْقَيتُI cast myself رابِياًpanting
إِلَيْكَ أَبا مَرْوَانَ أَلْقَيتُ رابِياً
بِحاجَةwith a need of نَفْسٍa soul ماnot حَرَبْتُI plundered (unclear here) خَزَاءَهَاits disgrace
بِحاجَة نَفْسٍ ما حَرَبْتُ خَزَاءَهَا
To you, Abu Marwan, I flung myself, panting,
To you Abu Marwan I cast my cause
With a soul's need, whose disgrace I have not plundered [wording unclear].
Though my soul did not war for their refuse.
هَزَزْتُكَI roused you فيin نَصْرِيsupporting me ضُحًىone forenoon فكأَنَّنِيso as though I
هَزَزْتُكَ في نَصْرِي ضُحًى فكأَنَّنِي
هَزَزْتُI shook وقَدْwhen I had جِئْتُcome to الجبَالَthe mountains حِرَاءَهَاtheir Hira
هَزَزْتُ وقَدْ جِئْتُ الجبَالَ حِرَاءَهَا
I roused you to my aid one forenoon, as though I
I roused you at dawn to support me as though
Had shaken Hira itself, having come to the mountains.
I roused even mountains in their nakedness.
نَقَضْتُI undid عُرَىthe bonds of عَزْمِthe resolve of الزَّمَانِTime وإِنeven though عَتاit raged
نَقَضْتُ عُرَى عَزْمِ الزَّمَانِ وإِن عَتا
بعَزْمَةِwith the resolve of نَفْسa soul لاnot أُريدُI desire بَقَاءَهَاits survival
بعَزْمَةِ نَفْس لا أُريدُ بَقَاءَهَا
I undid the bonds of Time's resolve, though it raged,
I broke the bonds of fate though it recoiled
With the resolve of a soul I do not wish to preserve.
With the resolve of a soul who refuses its survival.
وكَمand how many لكَfor you مِنof يَوْمٍa day وَقَفْتَyou stood بظِلِّهِin its shade
وكَم لكَ مِن يَوْمٍ وَقَفْتَ بظِلِّهِ
وقدwhile نَازَلَتْنَاassailed us الحادثَاتُcalamities إِزاءَهَاfacing them
وقد نَازَلَتْنَا الحادثَاتُ إِزاءَهَا
How many a day was yours, when you stood beneath its shade,
How many a day you stood in its shadow
While calamities assailed us, with you confronting them.
When disasters confronted us face-to-face!
ومِنand many a مَوْقِفٍstand ضَنْكٍdesperate زَحَمْتَyou pressed بهin it العِدىthe enemies
ومِن مَوْقِفٍ ضَنْكٍ زَحَمْتَ به العِدى
وقَدwhile نَفَضَتْshook out فيهِthere العُقَابُthe eagle رِداءَهَاher mantle
وقَد نَفَضَتْ فيهِ العُقَابُ رِداءَهَا
And many a desperate stand where you pressed the enemy,
And from a terrible stand you plunged into the foe
While the eagle shook out her mantle there.
And the eagles there stripped off their plumage.
وَكَمand how many أُمّةa people أَنْجَدْتَهاyou rescued them وكأَنَّهَاand as though they were
وَكَم أُمّة أَنْجَدْتَها وكأَنَّهَا
يَرابِيعُjerboas سَدَّتْsealed خِيفةًin fear قُصَعاءَهَاtheir burrow-mouths
يَرابِيعُ سَدَّتْ خِيفةً قُصَعاءَهَا
And how many a people you rescued, as though they were
How many a nation you rescued—they were like
Jerboas that sealed their burrow-mouths in fear.
Wild cows blocking up their passes in fear!
ومِنand many a خُطْبَةspeech فيamid كَبّةthe crush of الصَّكِّclashing blows فَيْصَلٍdecisive
ومِن خُطْبَة في كَبّة الصَّكِّ فَيْصَلٍ
حَسَمْتَyou cut short بهاwith it أَهْواءَهَاtheir passions ومِراءَهَاand their disputes
حَسَمْتَ بها أَهْواءَهَا ومِراءَهَا
And many a decisive speech amid the crush of blows,
And by an eloquent speech amid the roar of battle
With which you cut short their passions and disputes.
You resolved its passions and controversy.
Sol 6.1