لاَdo not تَعْجَبَنَّever marvel لِطَالِبٍat a seeker نَالَattained الْعُلاَlofty rank
لاَ تَعْجَبَنَّ لِطَالِبٍ نَالَ الْعُلاَ
كَهْلاًin middle age وَأَخْفِضand was lowly (uncertain reading) فِيin الزَّمَانِthe time الأَوَّلِearlier
كَهْلاً وَأَخْفِض فِي الزَّمَانِ الأَوَّلِ
Do not marvel at a seeker who attained high rank
in middle age, though lowly in earlier days.
فَالْخَمْرُfor wine تَحْكُمُrules فِيover الْعُقُولِminds مُسِنَّةًwhen aged
فَالْخَمْرُ تَحْكُمُ فِي الْعُقُولِ مُسِنَّةً
وَتُدَاسُand is trodden أَوَّلَat the beginning of عَصْرِهَاits pressing بِالأَرْجُلِby feet
وَتُدَاسُ أَوَّلَ عَصْرِهَا بِالأَرْجُلِ
For wine rules over minds when aged,
yet is trodden underfoot when first pressed.
جُزْpass عَلَىover إِجْرَعِthe sandy rise الْحِمَىthe protected pasture لاَno مَحَالَهْalternative
جُزْ عَلَى إِجْرَعِ الْحِمَى لاَ مَحَالَهْ
وَتَعَرَّضْand seek out لِرَائِدِthe scout of الرَّحَّالَهْthe caravan
وَتَعَرَّضْ لِرَائِدِ الرَّحَّالَهْ
Pass over the sandy rise of the protected pasture, without fail,
and seek out the caravan’s scout.
وَأَفِضْand roam فِيthrough تَلاَعِthe valleys of نَجْدٍNajd وَقَدْand already جَمgrew thick (first part)
وَأَفِضْ فِي تَلاَعِ نَجْدٍ وَقَدْ جَم
مَcompletion of 'grew thick' بِهَاthere الْحَمْضُthe saltwort وَاكُرَنْand flourished أَبْقَالَهْits herbs
مَ بِهَا الْحَمْضُ وَاكُرَنْ أَبْقَالَهْ
And roam Najd’s valleys, where luxuriantly grows
the saltwort, and its green herbs flourish.
وَأَدِرْand circle فِيin قَرَارَةِthe hollow of الْمَاءِthe water قَدْhas دَاcircled (first part)
وَأَدِرْ فِي قَرَارَةِ الْمَاءِ قَدْ دَا
رَتْcompletion of 'circled' عَلَىaround بَدْرِهَاits full moon مِنَof الرَّيعِthe rising ground هَالَهْa halo
رَتْ عَلَى بَدْرِهَا مِنَ الرَّيعِ هَالَهْ
And circle the water’s hollow, where there has formed
around its full moon a halo of rising ground.
ربَّمَاsometimes يَعْجَزُfails الْقَوِيُّthe strong man عِنِat الأَمْthe task (first part)
ربَّمَا يَعْجَزُ الْقَوِيُّ عِنِ الأَمْ
رِcompletion of 'task' وَيُرْضِيand satisfies الضَّعِيفُthe weak man فِيهِin it احْتِيَالَهْhis resourcefulness
رِ وَيُرْضِي الضَّعِيفُ فِيهِ احْتِيَالَهْ
Sometimes the strong man is unequal to a task,
while ingenuity lets the weak man succeed at it.
فَإذَاso when مَاindeed اسْتَفَدْتَyou gain مِنْfrom خَبَرِthe news of
فَإذَا مَا اسْتَفَدْتَ مِنْ خَبَرِ
الْحَيِّthe tribe يَقِيناًcertainty أَوِor الْتَمَحْتَyou glimpsed حِلاَلَهْits tents
الْحَيِّ يَقِيناً أَوِ الْتَمَحْتَ حِلاَلَهْ
So when you have gathered from the news
of the tribe some certainty, or glimpsed its tents,
فَاعْقِلِthen tether الْحَرْفَthe lean she-camel فِيin ظِلاَلِshade مِنَof الْبَاthe bān-trees (first part)
فَاعْقِلِ الْحَرْفَ فِي ظِلاَلِ مِنَ الْبَا
نِcompletion of 'bān-trees' عَلَىover الْوَحْشِthe wild beasts فِيin الْهَجِيرِthe midday heat مُمَالَهْslanted
نِ عَلَى الْوَحْشِ فِي الْهَجِيرِ مُمَالَهْ
tether the lean she-camel in the shade of bān-trees,
slanting over wild beasts in the noonday heat.
وَادْخُلِand enter الْحيّthe encampment عِنْدَمَاwhen رَوَّحَreturned at dusk الرَّاthe shepherd (first part)
وَادْخُلِ الْحيّ عِنْدَمَا رَوَّحَ الرَّا
عيcompletion of 'shepherd' وَضَمّand gathered الْمَسَاءُthe evening فِيهِwithin it رِعَالَهْhis flocks
عي وَضَمّ الْمَسَاءُ فِيهِ رِعَالَهْ
And enter the encampment when the shepherd returns at dusk,
and evening gathers his flocks within it.
لاَdo not تُجَاورْcamp beside أَطْنَابَthe guy ropes of خَيْمَةِthe tent of ظَبْيٍa gazelle
لاَ تُجَاورْ أَطْنَابَ خَيْمَةِ ظَبْيٍ
فَهَاتِيكَfor that لِلْقُلُوبِfor hearts حِبَالَهْa snare
فَهَاتِيكَ لِلْقُلُوبِ حِبَالَهْ
Do not camp beside the guy ropes of a gazelle’s tent,
for that is a snare for hearts.
وَلْتَقُلْand say إنْif أَتَتْكَshe comes to you تَسْأَلُasking عَنْabout حَاmy state (first part)
وَلْتَقُلْ إنْ أَتَتْكَ تَسْأَلُ عَنْ حَا
لِيcompletion of 'my state' تَعَوَّضْتُهَاI took it in exchange بِحَالِكِfor your state حَالَهْa state
لِي تَعَوَّضْتُهَا بِحَالِكِ حَالَهْ
And say, if she comes asking about my state:
‘A state I have taken in exchange for yours.’
لَيْسَit is not إلاَّexcept امْتِعَاضَةٌa bitter pang لِغَريبٍfor a stranger
لَيْسَ إلاَّ امْتِعَاضَةٌ لِغَريبٍ
أَثْخَنَتْهُgrievously wounded him جُفُونُكِyour eyelids الْقَتَّالَهْmurderous
أَثْخَنَتْهُ جُفُونُكِ الْقَتَّالَهْ
It is only a pang of anguish for a stranger
whom your murderous eyelids have grievously wounded.
سَأَلَhe asked for الْمَاءَthe water والْمَزَادَةُwhile the waterskin مَلأَىwas full
سَأَلَ الْمَاءَ والْمَزَادَةُ مَلأَى
ثُمَّthen مَاnot نَالَhe gained غَيْرَother than نَقْصٍdiminution سِجَالَهْhis bucketfuls
ثُمَّ مَا نَالَ غَيْرَ نَقْصٍ سِجَالَهْ
He asked for water while the waterskin was full,
then gained nothing but a dwindling of his bucketfuls.
كَيْفَhow 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
How, then, if he came asking you for milk,
or came begging for an answer to a letter?
قَسَماًI swear إِنَّهُindeed it is لَحَيٌّsurely a tribe َضنِينٌgrudging
قَسَماً إِنَّهُ لَحَيٌّ َضنِينٌ
وَهَبَand grant that (possible reading) الْبَاسَmight شَأْنَهits way والْبَسَالَهْand valor
وَهَبَ الْبَاسَ شَأْنَه والْبَسَالَهْ
I swear, it is a grudging tribe—
grant that might and valor are its way.
بَكَتِwept الْوُرْقُthe gray doves شَجْوَهُhis sorrow حِينَwhen نَاجَاhe confided to
بَكَتِ الْوُرْقُ شَجْوَهُ حِينَ نَاجَا
هَاthem وَأَبْدَىand revealed لَهُto him الأَصِيلُthe late afternoon اعْتِلاَلَهْits ailment
هَا وَأَبْدَى لَهُ الأَصِيلُ اعْتِلاَلَهْ
The gray doves wept his sorrow when he confided
in them, and the late afternoon revealed to him its ailment.
نَازِحٌa far-wanderer زَارَvisited مِنْfrom تَبَالَةَTabalah نَجْداًNajd
نَازِحٌ زَارَ مِنْ تَبَالَةَ نَجْداً
أَيْنَwhere مَاwhat lies بَيْنَهُbetween him وَبَيْنَand between تَبَالَهْTabalah
أَيْنَ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ تَبَالَهْ
A far-wanderer who came from Tabalah to visit Najd—
how vast the distance between him and Tabalah!
أَيَّهَO السَّائِقُdriver الْعَنِيفُharsh تَرَىyou see
أَيَّهَ السَّائِقُ الْعَنِيفُ تَرَى
الرَّبْرَبَthe gazelle herd يَسْعَىrunning يَمِينَهُon his right وَشِمَالَهْand on his left
الرَّبْرَبَ يَسْعَى يَمِينَهُ وَشِمَالَهْ
O harsh driver, do you see
the gazelle herd running to his right and left?
يَرِدُhe approaches الْحَوْضَthe trough حَوْلَهُaround him كُلُّevery أَشْقَىwretch
يَرِدُ الْحَوْضَ حَوْلَهُ كُلُّ أَشْقَى
كُلَّevery حَوْلٍyear يُلْقِيcasts عَلَيْهِupon him مَسَالَهْhis needle-like goads
كُلَّ حَوْلٍ يُلْقِي عَلَيْهِ مَسَالَهْ
He comes to the trough, with every wretch about him;
year after year, each casts his goads upon him.
فَكَرَاهُso his sleep إِذَاwhen اسْتَجَمَّhe rests غِرَارٌa snatch
فَكَرَاهُ إِذَا اسْتَجَمَّ غِرَارٌ
وَقِرَاهُand the fare offered him إِذَاwhen أَلَمَّhe alights عُجالَهْa hasty morsel
وَقِرَاهُ إِذَا أَلَمَّ عُجالَهْ
His sleep, when he rests, is but a snatch,
and the fare offered him when he alights, a hasty morsel.
قُلْtell لِسُكَّانِthe dwellers of رَامَةٍRamah وَالأَمَانِيand hopes
قُلْ لِسُكَّانِ رَامَةٍ وَالأَمَانِي
لِلَّيَالِيfor the nights شَرَّابَةٌa voracious drinker أَكَّالَهْa voracious devourer
لِلَّيَالِي شَرَّابَةٌ أَكَّالَهْ
Tell the dwellers of Ramah—while hopes
are greedily drunk and devoured by the nights—
لاَdo not تُحِلُّواdeem lawful دَمَthe blood of الْغَريبِthe stranger الْمُعَنَّىtormented
لاَ تُحِلُّوا دَمَ الْغَريبِ الْمُعَنَّى
وَعَلَىand upon اللَّهِGod فِيin الْجَزَاءِrecompense الْحَوَالَهْthe assignment of the claim
وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فِي الْجَزَاءِ الْحَوَالَهْ
‘Do not deem the tormented stranger’s blood lawful to shed,
and let recompense be charged to God.
قَدْindeed أَسَرْتُمْyou have captured قَلْبِيmy heart فَهَلْso is there مِنْany فِدَاءransom
قَدْ أَسَرْتُمْ قَلْبِي فَهَلْ مِنْ فِدَاء
واشْتَرَيْتُمْand you have bought نَفْسِيmy soul فَهَلْso is there مِنْany إِقَالَهْrescission
واشْتَرَيْتُمْ نَفْسِي فَهَلْ مِنْ إِقَالَهْ
You have captured my heart—is there any ransom?
And bought my soul—can the sale be undone?’
جَادَmay water عَهْدَthe remembered days of النَّقَىthe dune أَحمُّa dark cloud سَجُومٌpouring
جَادَ عَهْدَ النَّقَى أَحمُّ سَجُومٌ
أَقْسَمَswore الْبَرْقُthe lightning أَنْto يَجُوسَroam خِلالَهْthrough its midst
أَقْسَمَ الْبَرْقُ أَنْ يَجُوسَ خِلالَهْ
May the dune’s remembered days be watered by a dark, pouring cloud,
through whose midst the lightning swore to roam,
وَكَسَاand may clothe مِنْwith نَمَارِقِcushions of السُّنْدُسِfine silk
وَكَسَا مِنْ نَمَارِقِ السُّنْدُسِ
المْحْضَرِّgreen (uncertain text) دَهْنَاءَDahna بِالْحَيَاwith rain وَرِمَالَهand its sands
المْحْضَرِّ دَهْنَاءَ بِالْحَيَا وَرِمَالَه
and may it clothe, with cushions of fine silk—
green with rain—Dahna and its sands.
يَاO لِقَوْمِيmy people, help مِنْat ذِكْرِremembering تِلْكَthose الْمَغَانِيhaunts
يَا لِقَوْمِي مِنْ ذِكْرِ تِلْكَ الْمَغَانِي
ماwhat لِقَلْبِيwith my heart يَهْوَىit loves إِلاexcept هَيْنِwhat is lowly مَاwhat لَهْwith it
ما لِقَلْبِي يَهْوَى إِلا هَيْنِ مَا لَهْ
O my people, the remembrance of those haunts!
What ails my heart, loving only what is lowly—what ails it?
عَلِقَit became attached to الْبَثَّsorrow والصَّبَابَةَand passionate longing فِيهَاthere
عَلِقَ الْبَثَّ والصَّبَابَةَ فِيهَا
وَبَلاَand experienced الْهَجْرَabandonment عِنْدَهَاthere والْمَلاَلَهْand weariness
وَبَلاَ الْهَجْرَ عِنْدَهَا والْمَلاَلَهْ
There it became entangled in sorrow and passionate longing,
and there experienced abandonment and weariness.
كَانَit used to لاَnot يَرْتَضِيbe content with الْحِيَاضَthe pools لِوَرْدٍfor drinking
كَانَ لاَ يَرْتَضِي الْحِيَاضَ لِوَرْدٍ
فَهُوَyet it الْيَوْمَtoday قَانِعٌis content بِبُلاَلَهْwith a little moisture
فَهُوَ الْيَوْمَ قَانِعٌ بِبُلاَلَهْ
Once it would not accept pools for its drinking,
yet 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 الإِذَالَهْhumiliation
أَثَر اللَّبْثَ فِي حَضِيضِ الإِذَالَهْ
A summit that jostles al-Simak, yet a heart
that preferred to linger in the depths of humiliation.
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 suited it better—
oh, wretched is what it chose! Woe to it!
وَالْهَوَىand passion مَرْكَبُthe mount of الْهَوَانِhumiliation إِذَاwhen
وَالْهَوَى مَرْكَبُ الْهَوَانِ إِذَا
هَمْلَجَit ambles فِيin مَلْعَبِthe playground of الصِّبَاyouth وَالْجَهَالَهْand folly
هَمْلَجَ فِي مَلْعَبِ الصِّبَا وَالْجَهَالَهْ
And passion is humiliation’s mount when
it ambles in the playground of youth and folly.
مَاwhat الَّذِيis it that يَجْلِبُbrings الْعَذُولُthe reproacher لِسَمْعِيto my hearing
مَا الَّذِي يَجْلِبُ الْعَذُولُ لِسَمْعِي
مِنْof حَدِيثٍtalk خَبَاfaded (sense unclear here) إلَيَّtoward me خَبَالَهْits folly
مِنْ حَدِيثٍ خَبَا إلَيَّ خَبَالَهْ
What is this that the reproacher brings to my hearing,
of talk whose folly has faded as it reaches me?
لاَnot أُبَالِيI care بِمَاabout what يَقُولhe says فَهَلاَّso why not
لاَ أُبَالِي بِمَا يَقُول فَهَلاَّ
أَقْصَرَcease الْعَذْلُreproach حَاسِداًenviously لاَno أَبَاfather لَهْfor him
أَقْصَرَ الْعَذْلُ حَاسِداً لاَ أَبَا لَهْ
I care nothing for what he says; why, then,
does envious reproach not cease—may he have no father!
أَنَاI مَاnot بِيwith me سِوَىexcept لَمَاةِthe dusky lips of فَتَاةٍa girl
أَنَا مَا بِي سِوَى لَمَاةِ فَتَاةٍ
خَتَلَتْنِيshe beguiled me وَأَدْبَرتْand turned away مُخْتَالَهْstrutting proudly
خَتَلَتْنِي وَأَدْبَرتْ مُخْتَالَهْ
I have no ailment but a girl’s dusky lips,
who beguiled me and turned away, strutting proudly.
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 glanced at me like a gazelle.
وَرَمَتْنِيand shot me فَقُلْso tell لِعَرَّافِthe diviner of نَجْدٍNajd
وَرَمَتْنِي فَقُلْ لِعَرَّافِ نَجْدٍ
إِنْif تَخَلَّصْتُI escape فَدُونَكَthen take مَاwhat لَهْhe has
إِنْ تَخَلَّصْتُ فَدُونَكَ مَا لَهْ
And she shot me—so tell the diviner of Najd:
‘If I escape, then take what he has.’
أَخْبِرِtell الْخَابِطَthe aimless wanderer الْمُدَوِّمَthe ceaseless traveler تَشْكُوcomplain
أَخْبِرِ الْخَابِطَ الْمُدَوِّمَ تَشْكُو
أُظْهُرُthe backs of الْعِيسِthe pale camels حَمْلَهُhis load وَفِصَالَهْand his weanlings
أُظْهُرُ الْعِيسِ حَمْلَهُ وَفِصَالَهْ
Tell the aimless, ceaseless wanderer—complaints rise
from the pale camels’ backs at his load and weanlings—
أَنَّنِيthat I قَدْhave indeed نَزَعْتُturned away عَنِfrom سَنَنِthe path of الْغَيerror (first part)
أَنَّنِي قَدْ نَزَعْتُ عَنِ سَنَنِ الْغَي
يِcompletion of 'error' وَيَاand oh طَالَمَاhow long انْتَحَلْتُI espoused مُحالَهْits absurdities
يِ وَيَا طَالَمَا انْتَحَلْتُ مُحالَهْ
that I have turned away from the path of error,
and oh, how long I espoused its absurdities!
Sol 6.1