لاَdo not تَعْجَبَنَّmarvel لِطَالِبٍat a seeker نَالَattained الْعُلاَthe heights
لاَ تَعْجَبَنَّ لِطَالِبٍ نَالَ الْعُلاَ
كَهْلاًin middle age وَأَخْفِضand was brought low فِيin الزَّمَانِthe time الأَوَّلِearlier
كَهْلاً وَأَخْفِض فِي الزَّمَانِ الأَوَّلِ
Do not marvel at a seeker who reached the heights
in middle age, though brought low in earlier days.
فَالْخَمْرُfor wine تَحْكُمُrules فِيover الْعُقُولِminds مُسِنَّةًaged
فَالْخَمْرُ تَحْكُمُ فِي الْعُقُولِ مُسِنَّةً
وَتُدَاسُand is trodden أَوَّلَat the beginning of عَصْرِهَاits pressing بِالأَرْجُلِby feet
وَتُدَاسُ أَوَّلَ عَصْرِهَا بِالأَرْجُلِ
For wine rules minds when aged,
yet is trodden underfoot when first pressed.
جُزْcross عَلَىover إِجْرَعِsandy ground الْحِمَىthe protected pasture لاَno مَحَالَهْalternative
جُزْ عَلَى إِجْرَعِ الْحِمَى لاَ مَحَالَهْ
وَتَعَرَّضْand seek out لِرَائِدِthe scout of الرَّحَّالَهْthe travelers
وَتَعَرَّضْ لِرَائِدِ الرَّحَّالَهْ
Cross the sandy ground of the protected pasture, without fail,
and seek out the travelers' scout.
وَأَفِضْand roam فِيthrough تَلاَعِthe valleys of نَجْدٍNajd وَقَدْand already جَمhas grown abundant (first part)
وَأَفِضْ فِي تَلاَعِ نَجْدٍ وَقَدْ جَم
مَcompletion of 'has grown abundant' بِهَاthere الْحَمْضُsaltwort وَاكُرَنْand gather أَبْقَالَهْits greens
مَ بِهَا الْحَمْضُ وَاكُرَنْ أَبْقَالَهْ
And roam the valleys of Najd, now abounding
in saltwort; gather its greens.
وَأَدِرْand circle فِيin قَرَارَةِthe hollow of الْمَاءِthe water قَدْalready دَاhas encircled (first part)
وَأَدِرْ فِي قَرَارَةِ الْمَاءِ قَدْ دَا
رَتْcompletion of 'has encircled' عَلَىaround بَدْرِهَاits full moon مِنَof الرَّيعِhigh ground هَالَهْa halo
رَتْ عَلَى بَدْرِهَا مِنَ الرَّيعِ هَالَهْ
And make your rounds in the water's hollow, where
a halo of high ground has encircled its full moon.
ربَّمَاat times يَعْجَزُis unable الْقَوِيُّthe strong man عِنِto manage الأَمْthe task (first part)
ربَّمَا يَعْجَزُ الْقَوِيُّ عِنِ الأَمْ
رِcompletion of 'the task' وَيُرْضِيand satisfies الضَّعِيفُthe weak man فِيهِin it احْتِيَالَهْhis resourcefulness
رِ وَيُرْضِي الضَّعِيفُ فِيهِ احْتِيَالَهْ
At times the strong man cannot manage a task,
while the weak man's resourcefulness serves him well in it.
فَإذَاthen if مَاan emphatic particle اسْتَفَدْتَyou have gained مِنْfrom خَبَرِnews of
فَإذَا مَا اسْتَفَدْتَ مِنْ خَبَرِ
الْحَيِّthe tribe يَقِيناًcertainty أَوِor الْتَمَحْتَyou glimpsed حِلاَلَهْits encampments
الْحَيِّ يَقِيناً أَوِ الْتَمَحْتَ حِلاَلَهْ
Then, if you have gained from reports
of the tribe some certainty, or glimpsed its encampments,
فَاعْقِلِthen hobble الْحَرْفَthe lean she-camel فِيin ظِلاَلِshadows مِنَfrom الْبَاbān trees (first part)
فَاعْقِلِ الْحَرْفَ فِي ظِلاَلِ مِنَ الْبَا
نِcompletion of 'bān trees' عَلَىover الْوَحْشِwild creatures فِيin الْهَجِيرِthe midday heat مُمَالَهْslanted
نِ عَلَى الْوَحْشِ فِي الْهَجِيرِ مُمَالَهْ
hobble the lean she-camel in shade from bān trees,
slanting over wild creatures in the midday heat.
وَادْخُلِand enter الْحيّthe camp عِنْدَمَاwhen رَوَّحَreturned at dusk الرَّاthe shepherd (first part)
وَادْخُلِ الْحيّ عِنْدَمَا رَوَّحَ الرَّا
عيcompletion of 'the shepherd' وَضَمّand gathered الْمَسَاءُthe evening فِيهِwithin it رِعَالَهْhis flocks
عي وَضَمّ الْمَسَاءُ فِيهِ رِعَالَهْ
And enter the camp when the shepherd returns at dusk,
and evening gathers his flocks there.
لاَdo not تُجَاورْsettle beside أَطْنَابَthe ropes of خَيْمَةِthe tent of ظَبْيٍa gazelle
لاَ تُجَاورْ أَطْنَابَ خَيْمَةِ ظَبْيٍ
فَهَاتِيكَfor those لِلْقُلُوبِfor hearts حِبَالَهْa snare
فَهَاتِيكَ لِلْقُلُوبِ حِبَالَهْ
Do not settle beside the tent ropes of a gazelle,
for those are a snare for hearts.
وَلْتَقُلْand say إنْif أَتَتْكَshe comes to you تَسْأَلُasking عَنْabout حَاcondition (first part)
وَلْتَقُلْ إنْ أَتَتْكَ تَسْأَلُ عَنْ حَا
لِيmy (completing 'my condition') تَعَوَّضْتُهَاI exchanged it بِحَالِكِfor your state حَالَهْa state
لِي تَعَوَّضْتُهَا بِحَالِكِ حَالَهْ
And say, if she comes to you asking about my
condition: 'I have traded it for a state like yours.'
لَيْسَis not إلاَّanything but امْتِعَاضَةٌdistress لِغَريبٍof a stranger
لَيْسَ إلاَّ امْتِعَاضَةٌ لِغَريبٍ
أَثْخَنَتْهُgrievously wounded him جُفُونُكِyour eyelids الْقَتَّالَهْmurderous
أَثْخَنَتْهُ جُفُونُكِ الْقَتَّالَهْ
It is only the anguish of a stranger
whom your murderous eyelids have grievously wounded.
سَأَلَhe asked for الْمَاءَwater والْمَزَادَةُwhile the waterskin مَلأَىwas full
سَأَلَ الْمَاءَ والْمَزَادَةُ مَلأَى
ثُمَّthen مَاnot نَالَhe obtained غَيْرَanything but نَقْصٍa decrease سِجَالَهْhis buckets
ثُمَّ مَا نَالَ غَيْرَ نَقْصٍ سِجَالَهْ
He asked for water while the waterskin was full,
then gained nothing but emptier buckets.
كَيْفَwhat if لَوْif جَاءَhe came سَائِلاًasking مِنْكِfrom you رِسْلاًmilk
كَيْفَ لَوْ جَاءَ سَائِلاً مِنْكِ رِسْلاً
أَوْor أَتَىhe came يَجْتَدِيbegging for جَوَابَan answer to رِسَالَهْa letter
أَوْ أَتَى يَجْتَدِي جَوَابَ رِسَالَهْ
What if he came asking you for milk,
or came begging for an answer to a letter?
قَسَماًI swear إِنَّهُindeed it لَحَيٌّis truly a tribe َضنِينٌmiserly
قَسَماً إِنَّهُ لَحَيٌّ َضنِينٌ
وَهَبَand grant that الْبَاسَcourage شَأْنَهis its calling والْبَسَالَهْand valor
وَهَبَ الْبَاسَ شَأْنَه والْبَسَالَهْ
I swear, it is indeed a miserly tribe,
granting that courage and valor are its calling.
بَكَتِwept الْوُرْقُthe grey doves شَجْوَهُhis grief حِينَwhen نَاجَاhe confided
بَكَتِ الْوُرْقُ شَجْوَهُ حِينَ نَاجَا
هَاin them وَأَبْدَىand disclosed لَهُto him الأَصِيلُlate afternoon اعْتِلاَلَهْits languor
هَا وَأَبْدَى لَهُ الأَصِيلُ اعْتِلاَلَهْ
The grey doves wept for his grief when he confided
in them, and late afternoon disclosed its languor to him.
نَازِحٌfar from home زَارَvisited مِنْfrom تَبَالَةَTabalah نَجْداًNajd
نَازِحٌ زَارَ مِنْ تَبَالَةَ نَجْداً
أَيْنَhow far مَاthat which بَيْنَهُlies between him وَبَيْنَand between تَبَالَهْTabalah
أَيْنَ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ تَبَالَهْ
An exile came from Tabalah to visit Najd;
what a distance lies between him and Tabalah!
أَيَّهَcalled out السَّائِقُthe driver الْعَنِيفُharsh تَرَىyou see
أَيَّهَ السَّائِقُ الْعَنِيفُ تَرَى
الرَّبْرَبَthe herd of gazelles يَسْعَىruns يَمِينَهُto his right وَشِمَالَهْand his left
الرَّبْرَبَ يَسْعَى يَمِينَهُ وَشِمَالَهْ
The harsh driver called out; you see
the herd of gazelles running to his right and left.
يَرِدُhe approaches الْحَوْضَthe watering trough حَوْلَهُaround him كُلُّevery أَشْقَىwretch
يَرِدُ الْحَوْضَ حَوْلَهُ كُلُّ أَشْقَى
كُلَّevery حَوْلٍyear يُلْقِيcasts عَلَيْهِupon him مَسَالَهْa request
كُلَّ حَوْلٍ يُلْقِي عَلَيْهِ مَسَالَهْ
He comes to the watering trough, every wretch around him,
each year putting a request to him.
فَكَرَاهُso his sleep إِذَاwhen اسْتَجَمَّhe rests غِرَارٌa brief snatch
فَكَرَاهُ إِذَا اسْتَجَمَّ غِرَارٌ
وَقِرَاهُand his fare إِذَاwhen أَلَمَّhe stops by عُجالَهْa hurried morsel
وَقِرَاهُ إِذَا أَلَمَّ عُجالَهْ
So his sleep, when he rests, is a brief snatch,
and his fare, when he stops, a hurried morsel.
قُلْsay لِسُكَّانِto the dwellers of رَامَةٍRamah وَالأَمَانِيand wishes
قُلْ لِسُكَّانِ رَامَةٍ وَالأَمَانِي
لِلَّيَالِيof the nights شَرَّابَةٌa voracious drinker أَكَّالَهْa voracious eater
لِلَّيَالِي شَرَّابَةٌ أَكَّالَهْ
Say to the dwellers of Ramah—while wishes
drink and devour the nights—
لاَdo not تُحِلُّواdeem lawful دَمَthe blood of الْغَريبِthe stranger الْمُعَنَّىtormented
لاَ تُحِلُّوا دَمَ الْغَريبِ الْمُعَنَّى
وَعَلَىand upon اللَّهِGod فِيin الْجَزَاءِrecompense الْحَوَالَهْthe responsibility
وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فِي الْجَزَاءِ الْحَوَالَهْ
Do not permit the tormented stranger's blood to be shed,
and to God is entrusted the recompense.
قَدْalready أَسَرْتُمْyou captured قَلْبِيmy heart فَهَلْso is there مِنْany فِدَاءransom
قَدْ أَسَرْتُمْ قَلْبِي فَهَلْ مِنْ فِدَاء
واشْتَرَيْتُمْand you bought نَفْسِيmy soul فَهَلْso is there مِنْany إِقَالَهْcancellation of the sale
واشْتَرَيْتُمْ نَفْسِي فَهَلْ مِنْ إِقَالَهْ
You have taken my heart captive—is there a ransom?
And bought my soul—can the bargain be rescinded?
جَادَwatered generously عَهْدَthe days of النَّقَىthe dune أَحمُّa dark cloud سَجُومٌpouring rain
جَادَ عَهْدَ النَّقَى أَحمُّ سَجُومٌ
أَقْسَمَswore الْبَرْقُthe lightning أَنْto يَجُوسَroam خِلالَهْthrough it
أَقْسَمَ الْبَرْقُ أَنْ يَجُوسَ خِلالَهْ
May a dark, rain-pouring cloud water the dune's days of old;
the lightning swore to roam through it.
وَكَسَاand clothed مِنْwith نَمَارِقِcushions of السُّنْدُسِsilken brocade
وَكَسَا مِنْ نَمَارِقِ السُّنْدُسِ
المْحْضَرِّgreen دَهْنَاءَDahna بِالْحَيَاwith rain وَرِمَالَهand its sands
المْحْضَرِّ دَهْنَاءَ بِالْحَيَا وَرِمَالَه
And it clothed, with cushions of silken brocade,
greened by rain, Dahna and its sands.
يَاO لِقَوْمِيmy people مِنْbecause of ذِكْرِthe memory of تِلْكَthose الْمَغَانِيdwellings
يَا لِقَوْمِي مِنْ ذِكْرِ تِلْكَ الْمَغَانِي
ماwhat لِقَلْبِيfor my heart يَهْوَىloves إِلاonly هَيْنِthe lowly مَاwhat لَهْfor it
ما لِقَلْبِي يَهْوَى إِلا هَيْنِ مَا لَهْ
O my people! The memory of those dwellings!
What ails my heart? It loves only the lowly—what ails it?
عَلِقَbecame attached to الْبَثَّgrief والصَّبَابَةَand ardent longing فِيهَاthere
عَلِقَ الْبَثَّ والصَّبَابَةَ فِيهَا
وَبَلاَand experienced الْهَجْرَabandonment عِنْدَهَاthere والْمَلاَلَهْand weariness
وَبَلاَ الْهَجْرَ عِنْدَهَا والْمَلاَلَهْ
It became caught in grief and longing there,
and there tasted abandonment and weariness.
كَانَit used to لاَnot يَرْتَضِيaccept الْحِيَاضَthe watering pools لِوَرْدٍfor drinking
كَانَ لاَ يَرْتَضِي الْحِيَاضَ لِوَرْدٍ
فَهُوَbut it الْيَوْمَtoday قَانِعٌis content بِبُلاَلَهْwith a little moisture
فَهُوَ الْيَوْمَ قَانِعٌ بِبُلاَلَهْ
Once it disdained the watering pools for a drink,
but today it is content with a little moisture.
قِمَّةٌa summit تَزْحَمُjostles السّمَاكَal-Simak وَقَلْبٌand a heart
قِمَّةٌ تَزْحَمُ السّمَاكَ وَقَلْبٌ
أَثَرpreferred اللَّبْثَlingering فِيin حَضِيضِthe depths of الإِذَالَهْdegradation
أَثَر اللَّبْثَ فِي حَضِيضِ الإِذَالَهْ
A summit jostling al-Simak, yet a heart
that preferred to linger in degradation's depths.
كَانَwas أَوْلَىmore fitting لَهُfor it الإِبَايَةproud refusal وَالْعِزand honor (first part)
كَانَ أَوْلَى لَهُ الإِبَايَة وَالْعِز
زcompletion of 'honor' يَاoh بِيسَwretched is مَاwhat ارْتَضَىit chose أَولَىwoe لَهْto it
ز يَا بِيسَ مَا ارْتَضَى أَولَى لَهْ
Proud refusal and honor would have better befitted it—
oh, how wretched its choice! Woe to it!
وَالْهَوَىand love مَرْكَبُthe mount of الْهَوَانِhumiliation إِذَاwhen
وَالْهَوَى مَرْكَبُ الْهَوَانِ إِذَا
هَمْلَجَit ambles فِيin مَلْعَبِthe playground of الصِّبَاyouth وَالْجَهَالَهْand folly
هَمْلَجَ فِي مَلْعَبِ الصِّبَا وَالْجَهَالَهْ
And love is humiliation's mount when
it ambles in the playground of youth and folly.
مَاwhat الَّذِيthat which يَجْلِبُbrings الْعَذُولُthe reproacher لِسَمْعِيto my hearing
مَا الَّذِي يَجْلِبُ الْعَذُولُ لِسَمْعِي
مِنْof حَدِيثٍtalk خَبَاhas faded إلَيَّtoward me خَبَالَهْits folly
مِنْ حَدِيثٍ خَبَا إلَيَّ خَبَالَهْ
What does the reproacher bring to my ears
of talk whose folly dims as it reaches me?
لاَnot أُبَالِيI care بِمَاabout what يَقُولhe says فَهَلاَّso why not
لاَ أُبَالِي بِمَا يَقُول فَهَلاَّ
أَقْصَرَdesist الْعَذْلُthe reproach حَاسِداًenvious لاَno أَبَاfather لَهْfor him
أَقْصَرَ الْعَذْلُ حَاسِداً لاَ أَبَا لَهْ
I care nothing for what he says; why will he not
stop his envious reproaches—may he have no father!
أَنَاI مَاnot بِيafflicting me سِوَىexcept لَمَاةِdusky lip-color فَتَاةٍof a maiden
أَنَا مَا بِي سِوَى لَمَاةِ فَتَاةٍ
خَتَلَتْنِيshe tricked me وَأَدْبَرتْand turned away مُخْتَالَهْstrutting proudly
خَتَلَتْنِي وَأَدْبَرتْ مُخْتَالَهْ
I suffer only from a maiden's dusky lips,
who tricked me and turned away, strutting.
بَسَمَتْshe smiled أُقْحُوَانَةًa chrysanthemum وَتَثَنَّتْand swayed
بَسَمَتْ أُقْحُوَانَةً وَتَثَنَّتْ
بَانَةًa bān tree ثُمَّthen لاَحَظَتْنِيshe glanced at me غَزَالَهْa gazelle
بَانَةً ثُمَّ لاَحَظَتْنِي غَزَالَهْ
She smiled like a chrysanthemum and swayed
like a bān tree, then eyed me like a gazelle.
وَرَمَتْنِيand she shot me فَقُلْso tell لِعَرَّافِthe diviner of نَجْدٍNajd
وَرَمَتْنِي فَقُلْ لِعَرَّافِ نَجْدٍ
إِنْif تَخَلَّصْتُI am freed فَدُونَكَthen take مَاwhat لَهْis his
إِنْ تَخَلَّصْتُ فَدُونَكَ مَا لَهْ
And she shot me; tell the diviner of Najd:
If I am freed, then take what is his.
أَخْبِرِtell الْخَابِطَthe blundering wanderer الْمُدَوِّمَcircling تَشْكُوcomplain
أَخْبِرِ الْخَابِطَ الْمُدَوِّمَ تَشْكُو
أُظْهُرُthe backs of الْعِيسِthe pale camels حَمْلَهُhis load وَفِصَالَهْand his weanlings
أُظْهُرُ الْعِيسِ حَمْلَهُ وَفِصَالَهْ
Tell the blundering, circling wanderer—complaints come
from the pale camels' backs about his load and weanlings—
أَنَّنِيthat I قَدْalready نَزَعْتُhave desisted عَنِfrom سَنَنِthe path of الْغَيerror (first part)
أَنَّنِي قَدْ نَزَعْتُ عَنِ سَنَنِ الْغَي
يِcompletion of 'error' وَيَاand oh طَالَمَاhow long انْتَحَلْتُI espoused مُحالَهْits falsehood
يِ وَيَا طَالَمَا انْتَحَلْتُ مُحالَهْ
that I have abandoned the path of error,
and oh, how long I espoused its falsehood!
Sol 6.1