أَمِنis it because of طَلَلٍa ruined dwelling بالجِزعِat the valley bend قَوِّbare of المَعَارِفِrecognizable landmarks
أَمِن طَلَلٍ بالجِزعِ قَوِّ المَعَارِفِ
خَلاَlay deserted بَعدَafter أَيّامِthe days of المُحِبِّthe lover المُسَاعِفِthe responsive one
خَلاَ بَعدَ أَيّامِ المُحِبِّ المُسَاعِفِ
Is it because of a ruined camp at the valley bend, bare of familiar landmarks,
deserted since the days of the responsive lover,
تَأَبَّدَbecame wild وَاستَنَّتand raced بِهِthrough it دُرُجُrolling gusts الحَصَىthe pebbles
تَأَبَّدَ وَاستَنَّت بِهِ دُرُجُ الحَصَى
يَمُرنَthey swept along بِدِقٍّwith fine particles مِنof حَطِيمِshattered debris السَّوَائِفِthe dust-sweeping winds
يَمُرنَ بِدِقٍّ مِن حَطِيمِ السَّوَائِفِ
grown wild, with pebble-rolling gusts racing through it,
sweeping fine particles of debris shattered by dust-bearing winds?
هَدَاهُنَّguided them هَيجُthe surge of النَّظمِthe cloud-array (interpretation uncertain) حَتّىuntil استَلَبنَهُthey snatched it away
هَدَاهُنَّ هَيجُ النَّظمِ حَتّى استَلَبنَهُ
غَيَايَةَa canopy حَنّانٍof a thunder-moaning cloud مِنَof الصَّيفِsummer دَالِفِadvancing slowly
غَيَايَةَ حَنّانٍ مِنَ الصَّيفِ دَالِفِ
A surge of the cloud-array guided them, until they snatched it away—
the canopy of a thunder-moaning summer cloud, slowly advancing,
هِجَانُpure white الذُّرَىat the crests وَاهِىslack in العُرَاthe bonds مُتَبَطِّحٌspreading flat
هِجَانُ الذُّرَى وَاهِى العُرَا مُتَبَطِّحٌ
بِوَعثِover the soft ground of الرُّبَاthe hills ذُوpossessing هَيدَبٍa trailing rain-fringe مُتَرَادِفِfollowing in succession
بِوَعثِ الرُّبَا ذُو هَيدَبٍ مُتَرَادِفِ
white-crested, loose-bound, spreading wide
over the hills' soft ground, with successive trailing curtains of rain,
مُلِحٌpersisting بِبَرقٍwith lightning مُستَطِيرٍflashing far and wide كَأَنَّهُas though it were
مُلِحٌ بِبَرقٍ مُستَطِيرٍ كَأَنَّهُ
صَفِيحٌbroad sword-blades بأَيدِىin the hands of مَأزِقٍa crowded melee مُتَسَايفِsword-clashing
صَفِيحٌ بأَيدِى مَأزِقٍ مُتَسَايفِ
persistent in far-flashing lightning, as though it were
broad sword-blades in the hands of a sword-clashing melee.
فَلَمso did not يَبقَremain مِنof أََبياتِهاher tents غَيرُother than مَسجِدٍa prayer-place
فَلَم يَبقَ مِن أََبياتِها غَيرُ مَسجِدٍ
وَمُستَوقَدٍand a hearth كالبَوِّlike a stuffed calf-decoy بَينَamong العَوَاطِفِthe attentive mother-camels
وَمُستَوقَدٍ كالبَوِّ بَينَ العَوَاطِفِ
So none of her tents remained except a prayer-place,
and a hearth like a stuffed calf-decoy among mother-camels,
وَشَامٍand dark marks وَآنآءٍand frame-pieces (unclear reading) حَنَاهَاhe bent them مُبَادِرٌone hurrying
وَشَامٍ وَآنآءٍ حَنَاهَا مُبَادِرٌ
لأَعضَادِهَاfor their supports شَدّاًbinding tightly عَرُوضُthe onset of الصّوَائِفِsummer storms
لأَعضَادِهَا شَدّاً عَرُوضُ الصّوَائِفِ
and dark marks and frame-pieces, bent by one who hurried
to lash their supports against the onset of summer storms.
حَنَنتَyou yearned لِذكرَىat a memory مِنof أُمَيمَةًUmaymah وَانثَنَىand returned
حَنَنتَ لِذكرَى مِن أُمَيمَةً وَانثَنَى
لَهاfor her مِنfrom تَبارِيحِthe torments of الهَوَىpassion كُلُّevery سَالِفِpast grief
لَها مِن تَبارِيحِ الهَوَى كُلُّ سَالِفِ
You yearned at a memory of Umaymah, and there returned
for her every former torment of passion,
كَماas حَنَّyearned مَجمُوعُone bound at الوَظِيفَينِboth shanks آنَسَتcaught sight of
كَما حَنَّ مَجمُوعُ الوَظِيفَينِ آنَسَت
لَهُfor it العَينُthe eye أُخرَىthe last of المُطلقَاتِthe unhobbled camels الأَلاَئِفِthe familiar companions
لَهُ العَينُ أُخرَى المُطلقَاتِ الأَلاَئِفِ
as a camel bound at both shanks yearns when its eye catches sight
of the last of its familiar companions going unhobbled:
رَجِيعَa renewal of الّذِىwhat قَدindeed كُنتَyou used to تَلقَىsuffer مِنَfrom الهَوَىpassion
رَجِيعَ الّذِى قَد كُنتَ تَلقَى مِنَ الهَوَى
عَلَىin عَهدِthe days of لَمَّاتِvisits from المُحَبِّthe beloved المُسَاعِفِthe responsive one
عَلَى عَهدِ لَمَّاتِ المُحَبِّ المُسَاعِفِ
a renewal of the passion you once endured
in the days of the responsive beloved's visits,
إِذِwhen الخَلقُthe physical form مِنهَاof her يَملأُfilled العَينَthe eye عَبرَةًwith tears
إِذِ الخَلقُ مِنهَا يَملأُ العَينَ عَبرَةً
وَفىand in الدِّلِّcoquettish grace مُنقَادٌsubmissive لَهاto her كلُّevery وَاصِفِdescriber
وَفى الدِّلِّ مُنقَادٌ لَها كلُّ وَاصِفِ
when her form filled the eye with tears,
and every describer submitted to her coquettish grace.
وَفِىand within الطَّوقِthe necklace مَنهَاof hers جِيدُthe neck of أَدماءَa pale antelope تَرتَعِىgrazing
وَفِى الطَّوقِ مَنهَا جِيدُ أَدماءَ تَرتَعِى
مِنَon النَّبتِthe plants بَينَbetween المُنتَضَىal-Muntada وَالجَفَاجِفِand al-Jafajif
مِنَ النَّبتِ بَينَ المُنتَضَى وَالجَفَاجِفِ
And within her necklace is the neck of a pale antelope grazing
on plants between al-Muntada and al-Jafajif,
نَوَاعِمَtender أَوراقِleaves of المَصِيفِsummer وَتَرتَوىand drinks her fill
نَوَاعِمَ أَوراقِ المَصِيفِ وَتَرتَوى
بأَملَحَat Amlah (possibly a place-name) مِنamong أَعطانِthe watering-places of هِرجَابَHirjab نَاطِفِtrickling
بأَملَحَ مِن أَعطانِ هِرجَابَ نَاطِفِ
on tender summer leaves, and drinking her fill
at trickling Amlah, among Hirjab's watering-places.
وَتَرمِىand casts glances بِعَينَىwith the two eyes of جُؤذَرٍa wild-cow calf مُتَنَصِّبٍstanding upright
وَتَرمِى بِعَينَى جُؤذَرٍ مُتَنَصِّبٍ
كَنضورِlike the fresh bloom of أَقَاحِىdaisies on المَحلِbarren ground بَينَamong الأَحاقِفِthe curving dunes
كَنضورِ أَقَاحِى المَحلِ بَينَ الأَحاقِفِ
And she casts glances with the eyes of an upright wild-cow calf,
like the fresh bloom of daisies on barren ground among curving dunes.
وَريّاand a sweet fragrance بُعَيدَjust after النَّومِsleep لَوif رُوِّحتwere refreshed بِهَاwith it
وَريّا بُعَيدَ النَّومِ لَو رُوِّحت بِهَا
مَدانِيفُailing people لاَرتَاحَتwould surely find relief قُلُوبُthe hearts of المَدانِفِthe sufferers
مَدانِيفُ لاَرتَاحَت قُلُوبُ المَدانِفِ
And a fragrance just after sleep—if ailing people were refreshed with it,
the hearts of those sufferers would find relief:
كَرَيّاlike the fragrance of خُزامَىlavender خَالَطَتهاmingled with it لَطِيمَةٌa perfume sachet
كَرَيّا خُزامَى خَالَطَتها لَطِيمَةٌ
مِنَof المِسكِmusk فىin نَسمٍa breath of breeze مِنَfrom اللَّيلِthe night زَاحِفِcreeping
مِنَ المِسكِ فى نَسمٍ مِنَ اللَّيلِ زَاحِفِ
like lavender's fragrance mingled with a perfume sachet
of musk, on a creeping breeze from the night.
فَوَدَّso loved الفَتَىthe young man حَتّىuntil كأَنَّas though فُؤَادَهُhis heart
فَوَدَّ الفَتَى حَتّى كأَنَّ فُؤَادَهُ
عَمِيدٌstricken بِمَطرُورٍby a sharpened spearpoint مَضَىthat pierced through غَيرَnot شَاعِفِmerely grazing
عَمِيدٌ بِمَطرُورٍ مَضَى غَيرَ شَاعِفِ
So the young man loved, until his heart seemed
stricken by a sharpened spearpoint that pierced through, not merely grazing.
وكُنّاand we used to نَجُذُّsever الحَبلَthe bond مِنهَاwith her إِذَاwhen نأَىwent far away
وكُنّا نَجُذُّ الحَبلَ مِنهَا إِذَا نأَى
بِهاwith her بَعضُsome of حَولاَتِthe shifts of الدِّيَارِdwelling-places القَواذِفِfar-flung
بِها بَعضُ حَولاَتِ الدِّيَارِ القَواذِفِ
And we would sever our bond with her whenever
some shift among far-flung dwellings took her away,
بِمُستَعجِلاَتٍon swift she-camels لُحَّقٍlean-bellied لاَnot قَوَاطِفٍsluggish-stepping
بِمُستَعجِلاَتٍ لُحَّقٍ لاَ قَوَاطِفٍ
بأَيدٍwith strength وَلاnor الأَيدِىthe forelegs لَهاof theirs بالقَواطِفِsluggish-stepping
بأَيدٍ وَلا الأَيدِى لَها بالقَواطِفِ
on swift, lean she-camels, no sluggish steppers,
strong, their forelegs no sluggish steppers either,
مُعَقرَبَةِscorpion-curled in الأَنسَاءِthe thigh-tendons لُزَّتwere pressed tight فُرُوعُهاtheir upper parts
مُعَقرَبَةِ الأَنسَاءِ لُزَّت فُرُوعُها
إِلَىagainst مِثلِthe likeness of أَقرَاءthe backs of الصُّفِىِّflat rock-slabs الزّحَالِفِsmooth and slippery
إِلَى مِثلِ أَقرَاء الصُّفِىِّ الزّحَالِفِ
their thigh-tendons curled like scorpions, their upper parts pressed tight
against shapes like the backs of smooth, slippery rock-slabs,
إلىagainst مُجفَرَاتِdeep-barreled ones الطَّىِّin the flanks يَغتَالُwears away حَزمُهاtheir tight girthing
إلى مُجفَرَاتِ الطَّىِّ يَغتَالُ حَزمُها
قُوَىthe strands of الحَبلِthe rope مِنin أَنسَاعِهَاtheir leather girth-straps وَالسَّفائِفِand plaited bands
قُوَى الحَبلِ مِن أَنسَاعِهَا وَالسَّفائِفِ
against deep-barreled bodies, whose tight girthing wears away
the rope-strands of their leather girth-straps and plaited bands;
شِدادِstrong in الذَّفَارَىthe nape-bones وَاللَّهازِمِand jaw-roots أَشرَفَتrose high
شِدادِ الذَّفَارَى وَاللَّهازِمِ أَشرَفَت
جَماجِمُهَاtheir skulls فَوقَabove اللُّحِىِّthe jaws الرَّواجِفِquivering
جَماجِمُهَا فَوقَ اللُّحِىِّ الرَّواجِفِ
strong in nape-bones and jaw-roots; there rose
their skulls above the quivering jaws.
إِذاwhen القَومُthe company شَدُّواthey pressed on بَعدَafter ماhaving كَمَّلُواthey completed السُّرَىthe night journey
إِذا القَومُ شَدُّوا بَعدَ ما كَمَّلُوا السُّرَى
نصادرُهاwe drove them onward بِاللاّمِعاتacross the shimmering التَّنائفِdesert wastes
نصادرُها بِاللاّمِعات التَّنائفِ
When the company pressed on after completing the night journey,
we drove them onward across the shimmering desert wastes,
بِرَمّاحةِamid vigorous tossing of الأَنضادِthe piled heaps قَمّاصَةِvigorous leaping of الصُّوَىthe waymark cairns
بِرَمّاحةِ الأَنضادِ قَمّاصَةِ الصُّوَى
تُداوِىit cures المَطاياthe riding camels مِنof مِراحِthe exuberance of العَجارِفِheadstrong camels
تُداوِى المَطايا مِن مِراحِ العَجارِفِ
amid tossing heaps and leaping waymark cairns,
curing the mounts of their headstrong exuberance.
وَخَدنَthey strode swiftly بِهِمwith them حتّىuntil كأَنَّas though ثِيابَهُمtheir clothes
وَخَدنَ بِهِم حتّى كأَنَّ ثِيابَهُم
تَزَعزَعُswayed مِنfrom لَفَّthe buffeting of الرِّياحِthe winds العَواصِفِstormy
تَزَعزَعُ مِن لَفَّ الرِّياحِ العَواصِفِ
They strode swiftly with them until their clothes seemed
shaken by the buffeting of storm winds.
بِشُعثٍbearing tousled men يُجَلِّىdispels عَنهُمُfrom them غابرَthe lingering remnant of السُّرَىnight travel
بِشُعثٍ يُجَلِّى عَنهُمُ غابرَ السُّرَى
لهاfor her مِنfrom أَحَادِيثِthe tales of الكِرامِnoble men الطّرائفthe fresh anecdotes
لها مِن أَحَادِيثِ الكِرامِ الطّرائف
They bore tousled riders, whose lingering night-weariness was dispelled
by fresh tales of noble men told for her.
إِذاwhen سَفَرُواthey uncovered their faces بضعدَafter (textual typo) التَّهَجُّرِtravel in midday heat وَالسُّرَىand night travel
إِذا سَفَرُوا بضعدَ التَّهَجُّرِ وَالسُّرَى
جَلَواthey revealed عَنfrom عِرابِfine and pure السَّنِّin the teeth بِيضَwhite الصَّحائِفِin the faces
جَلَوا عَن عِرابِ السَّنِّ بِيضَ الصَّحائِفِ
When they uncovered their faces after midday-heat travel and night marches,
they revealed fine-toothed men with white faces:
رِقاقُslender المَبانِىin build فَوقَهُنَّover them طَيَالِسٌmantles
رِقاقُ المَبانِى فَوقَهُنَّ طَيَالِسٌ
عَلَىover قُمُصِshirts of القُوهِىِّQuhi cloth فَوقَabove الزَّخارِفِthe ornaments
عَلَى قُمُصِ القُوهِىِّ فَوقَ الزَّخارِفِ
slender of build, with mantles over them,
over shirts of Quhi cloth, above the ornate trappings,
حَشاياcushions وَأَرمِيميَّةًand Armimiyyah fabric (unclear reading) وقَواتِراًand saddle trappings (uncertain)
حَشايا وَأَرمِيميَّةً وقَواتِراً
مُقَسَّمَةَapportioned الأَلباسِcoverings حِنوَalong the curves of الكَتائِفِthe saddle shoulder-pieces
مُقَسَّمَةَ الأَلباسِ حِنوَ الكَتائِفِ
cushions, Armimiyyah fabric, and saddle trappings,
with coverings apportioned along the curves of the saddle shoulder-pieces.
إِذاwhen كَمّلُوهاthey fully fitted them حَمّلُوهاthey loaded them وَحُمِّلَتand they were laden
إِذا كَمّلُوها حَمّلُوها وَحُمِّلَت
غَطارِفَnoble chiefs شُمًّاlofty-nosed بَينَamong شُمٍّlofty-nosed غَطارِفِnoble chiefs
غَطارِفَ شُمًّا بَينَ شُمٍّ غَطارِفِ
When they had fully fitted them, they loaded them, and they were laden
with lofty noblemen among lofty noblemen:
بَهالِيلُmagnanimous men هَضَّامُونَself-sacrificing فِىin pursuit of الحَمدِpraise والنَّدَىand generosity
بَهالِيلُ هَضَّامُونَ فِى الحَمدِ والنَّدَى
لَدَىin times of الخَوفِfear أَوor باطَنتَهُمyou knew them intimately غَيرَnot خائِفِafraid
لَدَى الخَوفِ أَو باطَنتَهُم غَيرَ خائِفِ
magnanimous men, self-sacrificing for praise and generosity,
in danger, or when you know them intimately, unafraid.
وَخَثعَمُand Khath'am قَومِىmy people ماthere is no مِنَamong النّاسِmankind مَعشَرٌtribe
وَخَثعَمُ قَومِى ما مِنَ النّاسِ مَعشَرٌ
أَعَمُّmore widespread نَدًىin generosity مِنهُمthan they وَأَنجَىand better at rescuing لِخائِفِone who is afraid
أَعَمُّ نَدًى مِنهُم وَأَنجَى لِخائِفِ
And Khath'am are my people; among mankind no tribe
is more widely generous than they, or better at saving the fearful,
وَأَفدَىand readier to ransom لِمَغلُولٍa shackled captive وَأَوفَىand truer بِذِمَّةٍto a pledge
وَأَفدَى لِمَغلُولٍ وَأَوفَى بِذِمَّةٍ
وَأَوقَىand better at warding off لِضَيمٍoppression عَنfrom نَقِيلٍa newcomer مُحالِفِbound in alliance
وَأَوقَى لِضَيمٍ عَن نَقِيلٍ مُحالِفِ
or readier to ransom the shackled, or truer to a pledge,
or better at shielding an allied newcomer from oppression,
وَأََجبَرُand better at restoring لِلمَولَىa dependent ally إِذاwhen رَقَّgrew frail عَظمُهُhis bones
وَأََجبَرُ لِلمَولَى إِذا رَقَّ عَظمُهُ
وَأَسرَعُand swifter غَوثاًin giving aid يَومَon a day of هَيجاًbattle لِهاتِفِto one crying out
وَأَسرَعُ غَوثاً يَومَ هَيجاً لِهاتِفِ
or better at restoring a dependent when his bones grow frail,
or swifter to aid one crying out on a day of battle.
إِذاwhen حارَبَواthey fought شَدُّواthey charged عَلَىagainst ثَروَةِthe main host of العِدَىthe enemy
إِذا حارَبَوا شَدُّوا عَلَى ثَروَةِ العِدَى
جِهاراًopenly وَلَمand did not يَغزُواraid فضرُودَisolated ones (unclear reading) الخَوالِفِthose left behind
جِهاراً وَلَم يَغزُوا فضرُودَ الخَوالِفِ
When they fight, they charge the enemy's main host
openly, and do not raid isolated stragglers.
فَإنso if يُسأَلُواthey are asked for المعرًوفَkindness لاnot يَبخَلُواare they stingy بِهِwith it
فَإن يُسأَلُوا المعرًوفَ لا يَبخَلُوا بِهِ
وَلَمand did not يَدفَعُواturn away طُلاّبَهُthose seeking it بِالحَسائِفِwith spite
وَلَم يَدفَعُوا طُلاّبَهُ بِالحَسائِفِ
So if they are asked for kindness, they do not withhold it,
nor do they turn its seekers away with spite.
Sol 6.1