أَبَرْقٌis it lightning? بَداappeared أَمْor لَمْعُthe gleam أَبْيَضَa white blade قاصِلِcleaving
أَبَرْقٌ بَدا أَمْ لَمْعُ أَبْيَضَ قاصِلِ
ورَجْعُand the reverberation صَدىan echo أَمْor رَجْعُthe call أَشْقَرَa chestnut horse صَاهِلِneighing
ورَجْعُ صَدى أَمْ رَجْعُ أَشْقَرَ صَاهِلِ
Is it lightning that appeared, or a white, cleaving blade's gleam?
A lightning flashed or a white flash rived,
And an echo's reverberation, or a neighing chestnut horse's call?
Or an echo's return, or a blond torrent roared.
أَلاah! إِنَّهَاindeed it is حَرْبٌa war جَنَيْتُI incurred بِلَحظَةٍwith a glance
أَلا إِنَّهَا حَرْبٌ جَنَيْتُ بِلَحظَةٍ
إِلىtoward عُرُبٍloving women يَوْمthe day الكَثِيبِal-Kathib (the dune) عَقَائِلِnoblewomen
إِلى عُرُبٍ يَوْم الكَثِيبِ عَقَائِلِ
Ah, it is a war I brought upon myself with a glance
Lo! it was a battle I gained in a moment's time
Toward loving noblewomen on the day of al-Kathib.
Against Arabs on the day of Al-Kathib and its tribes.
هَوىa passion تَغْلِبِيٌّTaghlibi غالَبَoverpowered القَلْبَthe heart فانْطَوَىso it folded inward
هَوى تَغْلِبِيٌّ غالَبَ القَلْبَ فانْطَوَى
علىaround كَمَدٍsuppressed grief مِنfrom لَوْعةِburning anguish القَلْبِof the heart داخِلِlodged within
على كَمَدٍ مِن لَوْعةِ القَلْبِ داخِلِ
A Taghlibi passion overpowered the heart, and it folded inward
A Taghlibi fell in love and it conquered my heart, so it coiled
Around an inward grief born of the heart's burning anguish.
Around a burning coal from the agony of the heart inside.
رِديcome to the water تَعْلَمِيyou will learn بالخَيْلِthrough the cavalry مَاhow قَرَّبَbrought near النَّوىdistance
رِدي تَعْلَمِي بالخَيْلِ مَا قَرَّبَ النَّوى
جِيَادَكِyour steeds بالثَّرْثَارِat Tharthar ياO ابْنَةَdaughter وائِلِof Wa'il
جِيَادَكِ بالثَّرْثَارِ يا ابْنَةَ وائِلِ
Come to the water, and learn through the cavalry how distance has brought near
You know, my steeds, what the camping brought closer,
Your steeds at Tharthar, O daughter of Wa'il.
With your neighing, O daughter of Wail!
جَزَيْنَاwe requited بِيَوْمِwith the day المَرْجِof al-Marj آخَرَanother مِثْلَهُlike it
جَزَيْنَا بِيَوْمِ المَرْجِ آخَرَ مِثْلَهُ
وغُصْناًand a bough سَقَيْناwe watered نَابَthe fang أَسْمَرَof a brown spear عاسِلِswaying
وغُصْناً سَقَيْنا نَابَ أَسْمَرَ عاسِلِ
With the day of al-Marj we requited another like it,
We repaid in the day of Marj another like it,
And a bough we watered with the fang of a swaying brown spear.
And a branch we watered from the bite of a honey-making bee.
تَرَدَّدَflickered repeatedly فيهاin it البَرْقُthe lightning حتَّىuntil حَسِبْتُهُI thought it
تَرَدَّدَ فيها البَرْقُ حتَّى حَسِبْتُهُ
يُشِيرُpointing إِلىtoward نَجْمِherbage الرُّبَىof the hills بالأَنامِلِwith fingertips
يُشِيرُ إِلى نَجْمِ الرُّبَى بالأَنامِلِ
Lightning flashed there again and again, until I thought it
In it, the lightning kept flashing until I thought it
Pointing with its fingertips to the hills' herbage.
Beckoning towards the star Al-Ruba with its fingers.
رُبىًhills نَسَجَتْwove أَيْديthe hands الغَمامِof the clouds لِلِبسِهاfor their clothing
رُبىً نَسَجَتْ أَيْدي الغَمامِ لِلِبسِها
غَلائِلَrobes صُفْراًyellow فَوْقَover بِيضِwhite غلائِلِrobes
غَلائِلَ صُفْراً فَوْقَ بِيضِ غلائِلِ
Hills for whose clothing the clouds' hands wove
Al-Ruba whom the hands of clouds clothed
Yellow robes over white robes.
With locks yellow above white locks.
سَهِرْتُI kept vigil بهاamong them أَرْعَىwatching النُّجُومَthe stars وأَنجماand stars
سَهِرْتُ بها أَرْعَى النُّجُومَ وأَنجما
طَوالعَrising للرّاعِينَfor the watchers غَيْرَnot أَوافِلِsetting
طَوالعَ للرّاعِينَ غَيْرَ أَوافِلِ
I kept vigil there, watching the stars, and other stars
I stayed up watching the stars and I starred
Rising for their watchers, never setting.
Risings for the shepherds other than settings.
وقدand already فَغَرَتْopened wide فاهاits mouth بهاon them كُلُّevery زَهْرةflower
وقد فَغَرَتْ فاها بها كُلُّ زَهْرة
إِلىtoward كُلِّevery ضَرْعٍudder للغَمَامةِof the cloud حافِلِfull
إِلى كُلِّ ضَرْعٍ للغَمَامةِ حافِلِ
And every flower there had opened its mouth
And every flower gaped its mouth towards it
Toward each full udder of the cloud.
To each udder full for the cloud.
وَمَرَّتْand passed جُيوشُarmies المزْنِof rain clouds رَهْواًslowly كأَنَّهاas though they were
وَمَرَّتْ جُيوشُ المزْنِ رَهْواً كأَنَّها
عَسَاكِرُtroops زَنْجٍof Zanj مُذْهَبَاتُgilded المناصِلِsword blades
عَسَاكِرُ زَنْجٍ مُذْهَبَاتُ المناصِلِ
And armies of rain clouds passed slowly, as though they were
And the armies of rain passed leisurely as though they were
Zanj troops with gilded blades.
Armies of Abyssinia with polished blades.
وحَلَّقَتِand rose aloft الخَضْراءُthe blue sky فيamid غُرِّradiant شُهْبِهاits bright stars
وحَلَّقَتِ الخَضْراءُ في غُرِّ شُهْبِها
كَلُجَّةِlike the deep expanse بَحْرٍof a sea كُلِّلَتْcrowned باليَعالِلِwith bubbles
كَلُجَّةِ بَحْرٍ كُلِّلَتْ باليَعالِلِ
And the blue sky rose aloft amid its radiant stars,
And the greenery hovered in the thickness of its meteors
Like a sea's deep expanse crowned with bubbles.
Like the swell of a sea topped with twilights.
تخالُyou imagine بهاin it زُهْرَthe radiant ones الكَوَاكِبِof the stars نَرْجِساًnarcissi
تخالُ بها زُهْرَ الكَوَاكِبِ نَرْجِساً
علىon شَطِّthe bank وادٍof a valley للمَجَرّةِof the Milky Way سائِلِflowing
على شَطِّ وادٍ للمَجَرّةِ سائِلِ
You would think its radiant stars were narcissi
You imagine in it the blossoms of stars to be narcissi
On the bank of the Milky Way's flowing valley.
On the bank of a valley seeking water from the galaxy.
وتلْمَحُand you glimpse مِنfrom جَوزائِهاits Orion فيin غُرُوبِهاits setting
وتلْمَحُ مِن جَوزائِها في غُرُوبِها
تَساقُطَthe collapse عَرْشٍof a trellis واهِنfrail الدَّعْمِthe support مائِلِleaning
تَساقُطَ عَرْشٍ واهِن الدَّعْمِ مائِلِ
And in its Orion, as it sets, you glimpse
And you glimpse in its setting the toppling
The collapse of a leaning trellis with frail supports.
Of a tottering throne with legs bent.
وتَحْسَبُand you take صَقْراًa falcon واقِعاًperched دَبَرانَهَاits Aldebaran
وتَحْسَبُ صَقْراً واقِعاً دَبَرانَهَا
بعُشِّin the nest الثُّرَيّاof the Pleiades فَوْقَabove حُمْرِred الحَوَاصِلِthe birds' crops
بعُشِّ الثُّرَيّا فَوْقَ حُمْرِ الحَوَاصِلِ
And you take its Aldebaran for a perched falcon
And you reckon it a falcon fallen on its back
In the Pleiades' nest, above red-cropped nestlings.
Upon Al-Thurayya's nest above the red of Al-Hawasil.
وبَدْرَand the full moon الدُّجَىof darkness فيهاin it غَدِيراًa pool وحَوْلَهُand around it
وبَدْرَ الدُّجَى فيها غَدِيراً وحَوْلَهُ
نُجُومٌstars كطَلْعَاتِlike the faces الحَمَامِof doves النَّواهِلِdrinking
نُجُومٌ كطَلْعَاتِ الحَمَامِ النَّواهِلِ
And the full moon of night there for a pool, surrounded
And the full moon in it a pool and around it
By stars like the faces of drinking doves.
Stars like the risings of fluttering pigeons.
كأَنَّas though الدُّجَىthe darkness هَمّيmy grief ودَمْعِيand my tears نُجُومُهُits stars
كأَنَّ الدُّجَى هَمّي ودَمْعِي نُجُومُهُ
تَحَدَّرَstreamed down إِشْفَاقاًin anxious concern لدَهْرِfor the age الأَراذِلِof the base
تَحَدَّرَ إِشْفَاقاً لدَهْرِ الأَراذِلِ
As though the darkness were my grief, and my tears its stars,
As though the darkness were my concern and its stars
Streaming down in anxious concern for the age of the base.
My tears pouring down in pity for the age of evils.
هَوَتْfell أَنْجُمُthe stars العَلْيَاءِof greatness إِلاexcept أَقلّهَاa very few of them
هَوَتْ أَنْجُمُ العَلْيَاءِ إِلا أَقلّهَا
وغِبْنَand they vanished بماwith what يَحْظَىenjoys بهwith it كُلُّevery عاقِلِwise person
وغِبْنَ بما يَحْظَى به كُلُّ عاقِلِ
The stars of greatness have fallen, save a scant few,
The stars of Al-'Ulyaa fell except a few
And vanished with what every wise person enjoys.
And they missed what every reasonable being obtains.
وأَصْبَحْتُand I have become فيamong خَلْفٍdegenerate successors إذاwhen ماfor emphasis لَمَحْتَهُمyou glimpse them
وأَصْبَحْتُ في خَلْفٍ إذا ما لَمَحْتَهُم
تَبَيَّنْتَyou realize أَنَّthat الجَهْلَignorance إِحْدَىone الفَضَائِلِof the virtues
تَبَيَّنْتَ أَنَّ الجَهْلَ إِحْدَى الفَضَائِلِ
And I am now among a degenerate generation: when you glimpse them,
And I found myself in the latter folk; when you glance at them,
You realize that ignorance is one of the virtues.
You realize ignorance is one of merits.
وماand not طابَproved good فيamong هَذِيthis البَرِيَّةِcreation آخرٌa latecomer
وما طابَ في هَذِي البَرِيَّةِ آخرٌ
إِذاif هُوhe لمnot يُنْجَدْis aided بطِيبِby the goodness الأَوائِلِof the forebears
إِذا هُو لم يُنْجَدْ بطِيبِ الأَوائِلِ
And no latecomer in this creation proves good
And nothing is good in this lowly world
If he is not aided by the goodness of the forebears.
Unless aided by the goodness of beginnings.
أَرَىI see حُمُراًasses فَوْقَabove الصَّواهِلِthe neighing horses جَمّةًmany
أَرَى حُمُراً فَوْقَ الصَّواهِلِ جَمّةً
فأَبْكيso I weep بعَيْنِيwith my eye ذُلَّthe humiliation تِلْكَthose الصَّواهِلِneighing horses
فأَبْكي بعَيْنِي ذُلَّ تِلْكَ الصَّواهِلِ
I see many asses astride the neighing steeds,
I see the red above the plateau crowded
So with my eye I weep for those neighing steeds' humiliation.
So I cry with my eyes for the humiliation of that plateau.
ورُبَّتand many a كُتَّابٍscribes إِذاwhen قِيلit is said زَوِّرُواcompose!
ورُبَّت كُتَّابٍ إِذا قِيل زَوِّرُوا
بَكَتْwept مِنْbecause of تَأَنِّيهِمْtheir slowness صُدُورُthe openings الرَّسائِلِof letters
بَكَتْ مِنْ تَأَنِّيهِمْ صُدُورُ الرَّسائِلِ
And for many scribes, when told, 'Compose!'
And writers wept when they were told, “Forge!”
The openings of letters weep at their slowness.
From their slowness, the letters' breasts shed tears.
ونَاقِلِand a transmitter فِقْهٍof jurisprudence لمnot يرsee اللَّهGod قَلْبُهُhis heart
ونَاقِلِ فِقْهٍ لم ير اللَّه قَلْبُهُ
يظُنّhe thinks بأَنَّthat الدِّينreligion حِفْظُmemorization المسائِلِof legal questions
يظُنّ بأَنَّ الدِّين حِفْظُ المسائِلِ
And many a transmitter of law whose heart has never seen God
And the bearer of jurisprudence whose heart has not seen God
Thinks religion is the memorization of legal questions.
Thinks the religion is memorizing issues.
وحامِلِand a bearer رُمْحٍof a spear راحwent forth فَوْقَdespite مضَائِهِits sharpness
وحامِلِ رُمْحٍ راح فَوْقَ مضَائِهِ
بِهwith it كاعِباًa nubile maiden فيamong الحيّthe tribe ذاتpossessing مغَازِلِspindles
بِه كاعِباً في الحيّ ذات مغَازِلِ
And many a spear-bearer went forth, for all its keenness,
And the spear-bearer who rode above his lance
With it as a nubile maiden among the tribe, bearing spindles.
With it wooing the living with amorous verses.
حُبواthey were granted بالمُنَىwith wishes دُونِيexcluding me وغُودِرْتُand I was left دُونَهُمْbehind them
حُبوا بالمُنَى دُونِي وغُودِرْتُ دُونَهُمْ
أَرُودُI seek الأَمانِيwishes فيin رِياضِthe gardens الأَباطِلِof illusions
أَرُودُ الأَمانِي في رِياضِ الأَباطِلِ
They were granted their wishes, not I, and I was left behind them,
They fell for glory without me and I was left without them
Seeking wishes in the gardens of illusions.
Pursuing wishes in the gardens of futilities.
وماand not هِيit إِلاexcept هِمَّةٌa resolve أَْشجعِيَّةٌAshja'i
وما هِي إِلا هِمَّةٌ أَْشجعِيَّةٌ
ونَفْسٌand a soul أَبتْrefused لِيfor me مِنfrom طلابِpursuing الرَّذائِلِvices
ونَفْسٌ أَبتْ لِي مِن طلابِ الرَّذائِلِ
Yet it is nothing but an Ashja'i resolve,
It is nothing but a most valiant resolve
And a soul that refused to let me pursue base deeds,
And a soul that refused me the morals of dishonor.
وفَهْمٍand understanding لَوِif البِرْجِيسJupiter جِئْتُI came بجدِّهِwith its good fortune
وفَهْمٍ لَوِ البِرْجِيس جِئْتُ بجدِّهِ
إِذاًthen لَتَلَقَّانِيit would surely greet me بنَحْسِwith the ill fortune المقَاتِلِof the warrior
إِذاً لَتَلَقَّانِي بنَحْسِ المقَاتِلِ
And an intellect: were I to come with Jupiter's good fortune,
And an intellect which, had I come with its truth unto the Pleiades,
It would then greet me with the warrior's ill fortune.
They would then receive me with the welcome of warriors.
وكَيْفand how ارْتِضَائِيmy acceptance دارةَthe domain الجهْلِof ignorance منْزِلاًas a home
وكَيْف ارْتِضَائِي دارةَ الجهْلِ منْزِلاً
إِذاwhen كانَتwas الجوْزاءُOrion بعْضone منَازِليof my dwellings
إِذا كانَت الجوْزاءُ بعْض منَازِلي
And how could I accept ignorance's domain as a home,
How can I be content with the abode of ignorance as a dwelling
When Orion is one of my dwelling places?
When the Milky Way is one of my houses?
وصبْرِيand my endurance علىof محْضِsheer الأَذَىharm مِنfrom أَسافِلٍbase people
وصبْرِي على محْضِ الأَذَى مِن أَسافِلٍ
ومجْدِيand my glory حُسامِيmy keen sword والسّيادةُand supremacy ذابِليmy slender spear
ومجْدِي حُسامِي والسّيادةُ ذابِلي
And how could I endure sheer harm from the base,
And my patience with pure harm from the lowly
When my glory is my keen sword and supremacy my slender spear?
And my glory, my sword, and authority withering?
ولمّاand when طَماsurged بحْرُthe sea البيانِof eloquence بفِكْرتِيwith my thought
ولمّا طَما بحْرُ البيانِ بفِكْرتِي
وأَغْرقَand submerged قَرْنَthe rim الشَّمْسِof the sun بعْضُsome جداوِليof my streams
وأَغْرقَ قَرْنَ الشَّمْسِ بعْضُ جداوِلي
And when the sea of eloquence surged with my thought,
And when the sea of eloquence was confounded by my intellect
And some of my streams submerged the sun's rim,
And I flooded the celestial sphere with some of my streams,
زَفَفْتُI escorted as a bride إِلىto خَيْرِthe best الورىof humankind كُلَّevery حُرّةٍfreeborn woman
زَفَفْتُ إِلى خَيْرِ الورى كُلَّ حُرّةٍ
مِنof المدْحِpraise لمnot تَخْمُلْbecome obscure برعِيby shepherding الخَمائِلِthe thickets
مِن المدْحِ لم تَخْمُلْ برعِي الخَمائِلِ
I led to the best of humankind every freeborn bride
I hastened to the best of all mankind with every ingenious type
Of praise, never made obscure by shepherding in the thickets.
Of praise my fluency did not fail to draw out.
وماand not رمْتُهَاI sought her حتَّىuntil حطَطْتُI set down رِحالَهَاher baggage
وما رمْتُهَا حتَّى حطَطْتُ رِحالَهَا
علىwith ملكa king منهمamong them أَغَرَّradiant حُلاحِلِmagnanimous
على ملك منهم أَغَرَّ حُلاحِلِ
And I did not seek her until I set down her baggage
And I did not cast it until I landed its luggage
With a king among them, radiant and magnanimous.
Upon a king among them, most excellent steeds.
وكِدْتُand I nearly لفَضْلِthrough the excellence القَوْلِof speech أَبْلُغُattain ساكِتاًwhile silent
وكِدْتُ لفَضْلِ القَوْلِ أَبْلُغُ ساكِتاً
وإِنand even if ساءَdispleased حُسّادِيmy enviers مدىthe utmost reach كُلِّof every قائِلِspeaker
وإِن ساءَ حُسّادِي مدى كُلِّ قائِلِ
And through excellence of speech I nearly reached, though silent,
And I almost reached, through the superiority of speech, silently
Even if it displeases my enviers, the utmost reach of every speaker.
Though it displeased my enviers the extent of every speaker.
Sol 6.1