ماnot سِرُّthe secret سُكانِof the dwellers الحِمىof the sanctuary بِمُذاعِdivulged
ما سِرُّ سُكانِ الحِمى بِمُذاعِ
عِنديwith me وَلاnor عَهدُthe covenant الهَوىof love بِمضاعِbetrayed
عِندي وَلا عَهدُ الهَوى بِمضاعِ
The secret of the sanctuary's dwellers is not divulged
by me, nor is the covenant of love betrayed.
أَينَhow far الحِمىthe sanctuary مِنّيfrom me سَقىmay water اللَهُGod الحِمىthe sanctuary
أَينَ الحِمى مِنّي سَقى اللَهُ الحِمى
رَيّاًabundantly وَكانَand may He be لَهُfor it الحَفيظَthe vigilant guardian الراعيthe shepherd
رَيّاً وَكانَ لَهُ الحَفيظَ الراعي
How far the sanctuary lies from me! May God water it
abundantly, and be its vigilant guardian and shepherd;
وَمَنازِلاًand dwellings بَينَbetween البِقاعِal-Biqaʿ وَراهِطٍand Rahit
وَمَنازِلاً بَينَ البِقاعِ وَراهِطٍ
أَكرمhow noble بِهاthey are منas أَربُعٍabodes وَبِقاعِand tracts of land
أَكرم بِها من أَربُعٍ وَبِقاعِ
and the dwellings between al-Biqaʿ and Rahit—
how noble are those abodes and tracts of land!
تِلكَthose المَنازِلُthe dwellings لاnot مَنازِلُdwellings أَنهَجَتgrown dilapidated
تِلكَ المَنازِلُ لا مَنازِلُ أَنهَجَت
بَينَbetween الكَثيبِthe dune الفَردِthe solitary وَالأَجراعِand the sandy flats
بَينَ الكَثيبِ الفَردِ وَالأَجراعِ
Those are the dwellings—not abodes worn away
between the solitary dune and the sandy flats.
كَمhow often باتَspent the night يُلهينيbeguiling me بِهاthere مَصنوعَةُartfully fashioned الـthe
كَم باتَ يُلهيني بِها مَصنوعَةُ الـ
ـأَلحانِmelodies أَوor مَطبوعَةُnaturally gifted in الأَسجاعِrhyming calls
ـأَلحانِ أَو مَطبوعَةُ الأَسجاعِ
How often at night I was beguiled there by one with artful
melodies, or one with naturally rhyming calls:
إِنسِيَّةٌa human woman بَيضاءُfair-skinned أَوor أَيكِيَّةٌa woodland bird
إِنسِيَّةٌ بَيضاءُ أَو أَيكِيَّةٌ
وَرقاءُa gray dove عاكِفَةٌdevoted عَلىto التَرجاعِrepeated singing
وَرقاءُ عاكِفَةٌ عَلى التَرجاعِ
a fair-skinned woman, or a woodland bird,
a gray dove intent upon repeating her song.
كَحلاءُkohl-dark-eyed ضاقَتwere too narrow عَنfor إِجالَةِturning مرودٍa kohl-stick
كَحلاءُ ضاقَت عَن إِجالَةِ مرودٍ
وَجِراحُهاand her wounds فيin القَلبِthe heart جدُّvery وِساعِwide
وَجِراحُها في القَلبِ جدُّ وِساعِ
Her kohl-dark eyes are too narrow for a kohl-stick to turn,
yet the wounds she leaves within the heart are very wide.
وَمَدامَةٍand wine لَمdid not يُبقِleave طولُthe length ثَوائِهاof its stay
وَمَدامَةٍ لَم يُبقِ طولُ ثَوائِها
فيin خدرِهاits secluded chamber إِلّاexcept وَميضَa glimmer شُعاعِof a ray
في خدرِها إِلّا وَميضَ شُعاعِ
And wine, whose long sojourn
in its secluded chamber left only the glimmer of a ray,
مِنfrom كَفِّthe hand مَصقولِsmooth العَوارِضِcheeks آنِسٍamiable
مِن كَفِّ مَصقولِ العَوارِضِ آنِسٍ
يَرنوgazes بِمُقلَةِwith the eye جُؤذُرٍof a fawn مُرتاعِstartled
يَرنو بِمُقلَةِ جُؤذُرٍ مُرتاعِ
from the hand of a gracious, smooth-cheeked youth,
who gazes with the eye of a startled fawn.
وَقَفَتhalted عَقارِبُthe scorpions صُدغِهِof his temple فيon خَدِّهِhis cheek
وَقَفَت عَقارِبُ صُدغِهِ في خَدِّهِ
حَيرىbewildered وَباتَتand spent the night فيin القُلوبِhearts سَواعيscurrying
حَيرى وَباتَت في القُلوبِ سَواعي
The scorpions of his temple-locks halted on his cheek,
bewildered, yet spent the night scurrying through hearts.
راضَتtamed خَلائِقَهُhis nature العُقارُwine وَبَدَّلَتand replaced
راضَت خَلائِقَهُ العُقارُ وَبَدَّلَت
نزقَthe recklessness الصِبىof youth بِمُوَقَّرٍwith a dignified manner مِطواعِyielding
نزقَ الصِبى بِمُوَقَّرٍ مِطواعِ
Wine tamed his nature, and replaced
youth's recklessness with a dignified, yielding manner.
فيin رَوضَةٍa garden نَسَجَتwove وَشائِعَthe threads بُردِهاof its mantle
في رَوضَةٍ نَسَجَت وَشائِعَ بُردِها
كَفُّthe hand السَحابِof the clouds وَأَيُّand what a كَفِّhand صَناعِskillful
كَفُّ السَحابِ وَأَيُّ كَفِّ صَناعِ
In a garden whose mantle's threads were woven
by the hand of the clouds—and what a skillful hand!
حَلَّتunfastened بِهاthere الجَوزاءُal-Jawzaʾ (Orion) عِقدَthe knot نِطاقِهاof her girdle
حَلَّت بِها الجَوزاءُ عِقدَ نِطاقِها
فَتَباشَرَتso it rejoiced بِالخصبِin fertility وَالإِمراعِand lush growth
فَتَباشَرَت بِالخصبِ وَالإِمراعِ
Al-Jawzaʾ unknotted her girdle there,
and the garden rejoiced in fertility and lush growth.
وَعَلاand rose زَئيرُthe roar اللَيثِof the lion فيin عَرصاتِهاits open spaces
وَعَلا زَئيرُ اللَيثِ في عَرصاتِها
ماthe space بَينَbetween طَرفٍTarf (the Eye stars) واكِفٍrain-streaming وَذَراعِand Dhiraʿ (the Foreleg stars)
ما بَينَ طَرفٍ واكِفٍ وَذَراعِ
And the Lion's roar rose across its open spaces,
between rain-streaming Tarf and Dhiraʿ.
وَتَدافَعَتand surged together تِلكَthose التِلاعُwatercourses فَأَتأَقَتthus filled
وَتَدافَعَت تِلكَ التِلاعُ فَأَتأَقَت
غُدرانَهاtheir pools بِأَتِيّwith an oncoming torrent ذيpossessing دُفَّاعِforceful surges
غُدرانَها بِأَتِيّ ذي دُفَّاعِ
And those watercourses surged together, filling
their pools with an onrushing, forceful flood.
فَكَأَنَّماso, as though المُلكُthe king المُعَظَّمُthe exalted جادَهاshowered it generously
فَكَأَنَّما المُلكُ المُعَظَّمُ جادَها
بِنَوالِهِwith his bounty المُتَدَفِّقِflowing المُنباعِgushing forth
بِنَوالِهِ المُتَدَفِّقِ المُنباعِ
As though the exalted king had showered it
with his bounty, streaming and welling forth:
الخائِضُplunging into الغَمَراتِdeadly depths فيamid رَهَجِthe dust الوَغىof battle
الخائِضُ الغَمَراتِ في رَهَجِ الوَغى
وَالحَربُwhile war حاسِرَةٌis bareheaded بِغَيرِwithout قِناعِa veil
وَالحَربُ حاسِرَةٌ بِغَيرِ قِناعِ
he who plunges into deadly depths amid battle's dust,
while war stands bareheaded, without a veil,
وَالقَومُand the men بَينَbetween مُرَدَّعٍone stained بِدِمائِهِwith his blood
وَالقَومُ بَينَ مُرَدَّعٍ بِدِمائِهِ
وَمُعَرَّدٍand one fleeing بِذَمائِهِwith his last spark of life مُنصاعِturning away
وَمُعَرَّدٍ بِذَمائِهِ مُنصاعِ
and men are either stained with their own blood
or fleeing, turning away with their last spark of life,
فيin مَوقِفٍa stand ضَنكٍconfining كَريهٍbitter طَعمُهُits taste
في مَوقِفٍ ضَنكٍ كَريهٍ طَعمُهُ
حُبسَwere confined الفَوارِسُthe horsemen مِنهُbecause of it فيin جَعجاعِa narrow space
حُبسَ الفَوارِسُ مِنهُ في جَعجاعِ
in a straitened stand, bitter to the taste,
where horsemen are penned in a narrow strait;
بِمطهَّمٍon a finely formed steed نَهدٍpowerful كَأَنَّas though مُرورَهُits passing
بِمطهَّمٍ نَهدٍ كَأَنَّ مُرورَهُ
سَيلٌa torrent تَدافَعَsurged مِنfrom مُتونِthe backs تِلاعِof hills
سَيلٌ تَدافَعَ مِن مُتونِ تِلاعِ
on a finely formed, powerful steed, whose passing seems
a torrent rushing from the backs of hills,
أَوor لَقُوَّةٍa she-eagle شَغواءَhook-beaked حَقَّقَclearly discerned طَرفُهاher gaze
أَو لَقُوَّةٍ شَغواءَ حَقَّقَ طَرفُها
مِنfrom رَأسِthe summit مرقَبَةٍof a lookout طَلاًa fawn فيon قاعِa level plain
مِن رَأسِ مرقَبَةٍ طَلاً في قاعِ
or a hook-beaked she-eagle whose eye has spied
from a lookout's summit, a fawn upon the plain;
وَمُهَنَّدٍand an Indian sword يَبدوappears عَلىupon صَفحاتِهِits flat sides
وَمُهَنَّدٍ يَبدو عَلى صَفحاتِهِ
رَقراقُthe shimmer ماءٍof water فَوقَover نَملٍants ساعِmoving
رَقراقُ ماءٍ فَوقَ نَملٍ ساعِ
and with an Indian sword, upon whose flats appears
the shimmer of water over scurrying ants,
وَمُثَقَّفٍand a straightened lance إِنif رامَit seeks مُهجَةَthe lifeblood فارِسٍof a horseman
وَمُثَقَّفٍ إِن رامَ مُهجَةَ فارِسٍ
لَمdid not تَحمِهاprotect it مَوضونَةُclosely woven الأَدراعِcoats of mail
لَم تَحمِها مَوضونَةُ الأَدراعِ
and a straightened lance: if it seeks a rider's lifeblood,
no closely woven armor can protect it.
فَكَأَنَّso, as though مُحكَمَةَfirmly wrought السَوابِغِfull-length coats of mail عِندَهُbefore him
فَكَأَنَّ مُحكَمَةَ السَوابِغِ عِندَهُ
مِنfrom نَسجِthe weaving خَرقاءِof a clumsy woman اليَدَينِof both hands لَكاعِwitless
مِن نَسجِ خَرقاءِ اليَدَينِ لَكاعِ
As though, before him, the strongest full-length mail
were woven by a clumsy-handed, witless woman.
بِجَنانِwith a heart مَضّاءِunflinching in العَزائِمِresolve رَأيُهُhis judgment
بِجَنانِ مَضّاءِ العَزائِمِ رَأيُهُ
فيin الحَربِwar غَيرُnot الفائِلِunsound الضَعضاعِfeeble
في الحَربِ غَيرُ الفائِلِ الضَعضاعِ
He has a heart of unflinching resolve; his judgment
in war is neither unsound nor feeble.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though يَختالُstruts proudly فيin غَمَراتِهاits deadly depths
وَكَأَنَّما يَختالُ في غَمَراتِها
وَالنَقعُwhile the dust قَدhas سَتَرveiled الدُجىthe darkness بِلِفاعِwith a cloak
وَالنَقعُ قَد سَتَر الدُجى بِلِفاعِ
As though there strutted through its deadly depths,
while dust has wrapped the darkness in a cloak,
لَيثُa lion الشَرىof al-Shara فيon مَتنِthe back أَجدَلَof a falcon كاسِرٍhunting
لَيثُ الشَرى في مَتنِ أَجدَلَ كاسِرٍ
يَسطوstrikes بِصَلٍّwith an asp فيin ثِيابِthe garments شُجاعِof a brave man
يَسطو بِصَلٍّ في ثِيابِ شُجاعِ
a lion of al-Shara upon a hunting falcon's back,
striking with an asp, in a brave man's garb.
مَلِكٌa king فَواضِلُthe bounties جودِهِof his generosity مَبثوثَةٌare scattered
مَلِكٌ فَواضِلُ جودِهِ مَبثوثَةٌ
فيin الأَرضِthe earth تَسأَلُasking عَنafter ذَويthose in الإِدقاعِextreme poverty
في الأَرضِ تَسأَلُ عَن ذَوي الإِدقاعِ
A king whose generous gifts are scattered
throughout the earth, seeking out the destitute.
خُلِقَتwere created أَنامِلُهُhis fingers لِحطمِto shatter مُثَقَّفٍa straightened spear
خُلِقَت أَنامِلُهُ لِحطمِ مُثَقَّفٍ
ولفلّand to notch هِندِيٍّan Indian sword وَحِفظِand to safeguard يَراعِa reed pen
ولفلّ هِندِيٍّ وَحِفظِ يَراعِ
His fingers were created to shatter a lance,
to notch an Indian sword, and to safeguard a reed pen.
ماno رايَةٌbanner رُفِعَتwas raised لِأَبعَدِfor the farthest غايَةٍgoal
ما رايَةٌ رُفِعَت لِأَبعَدِ غايَةٍ
إِلّاexcept تَلَقّاهاhe met it بِأَطوَلِwith the longest باعِreach
إِلّا تَلَقّاها بِأَطوَلِ باعِ
No banner was raised at the farthest goal
but he met it with the longest reach.
مَلَأَتfilled مَساعيهِhis deeds الزَمانَtime فَدَهرَهُso his lifetime
مَلَأَت مَساعيهِ الزَمانَ فَدَهرَهُ
يَومانِtwo days يَومُa day قِرىًof hospitality وَيَومُand a day قِراعِof combat
يَومانِ يَومُ قِرىً وَيَومُ قِراعِ
His deeds have filled all time; his lifetime is
two days: a day of hospitality and a day of combat.
وَشَأَتoutstripped أَياديهِhis favors الغُيوثَthe rains لِأَنَّهاbecause they
وَشَأَت أَياديهِ الغُيوثَ لِأَنَّها
تَبقىendure وَتِلكَwhile those سَريعَةُare swift الإِقلاعِto cease
تَبقى وَتِلكَ سَريعَةُ الإِقلاعِ
His favors have outstripped the rains, for they
endure, while those are swift to cease.
وَلَهُand he has إِذاwhen اِفتَخَرboast المُلوكُthe kings مَفاخِرٌglories
وَلَهُ إِذا اِفتَخَر المُلوكُ مَفاخِرٌ
لاnot تُعتَلىsurpassed بِأُبُوَّةٍthrough ancestry وَمَساعِand achievements
لا تُعتَلى بِأُبُوَّةٍ وَمَساعِ
And when kings boast, his are glories
none can surpass in ancestry or achievement.
ماnot أوقِدَتwas kindled نارُthe fire الكِرامِof the generous بِوَهدَةٍin a hollow
ما أوقِدَت نارُ الكِرامِ بِوَهدَةٍ
فيin المَحلِfamine إِلّاexcept شَبَّهاhe set it ablaze بِيَفاعِon a height
في المَحلِ إِلّا شَبَّها بِيَفاعِ
No fire of generous men is lit in a hollow
in famine, but he makes it blaze upon a height.
تَرجوهُlook to him in hope أَملاكُthe kings الزَمانِof the age وَتَتَّقيand fear
تَرجوهُ أَملاكُ الزَمانِ وَتَتَّقي
سَطواتِthe assaults ضرّارٍone greatly harmful لَهُمto them نَفّاعٍgreatly beneficial
سَطواتِ ضرّارٍ لَهُم نَفّاعٍ
The kings of the age place hopes in him, and fear
the assaults of one who greatly harms—and greatly helps—them.
ياO أَيُّهاyou الملكُthe king المُعَظَّمُthe exalted دَعوَةًa plea
يا أَيُّها الملكُ المُعَظَّمُ دَعوَةً
مِنfrom نازِحٍone far away قَلِقِanxious الحَشاof heart مُرتاعِafraid
مِن نازِحٍ قَلِقِ الحَشا مُرتاعِ
O exalted king, hear a plea
from one far away, troubled at heart and afraid,
لاnever يَأتَليslackens لِدَوامِfor the continuance مُلكِكَof your reign داعِياًpraying
لا يَأتَلي لِدَوامِ مُلكِكَ داعِياً
وَإِلىand to وَلائِكَallegiance to you فيin المَحافِلِassemblies داعيcalling
وَإِلى وَلائِكَ في المَحافِلِ داعي
who never ceases praying that your reign endure,
and calling in assemblies for allegiance to you.
يُهديoffers إِلَيكَto you مِنَof الثَناءِpraise مَلابِساًgarments
يُهدي إِلَيكَ مِنَ الثَناءِ مَلابِساً
تَضفوare ample وَتَصفوand are pure مِنfrom قَذىthe motes الأَطماعِof greed
تَضفو وَتَصفو مِن قَذى الأَطماعِ
He offers you garments of praise,
ample and untainted by the motes of greed,
مَصقولَةَpolished الأَلفاظِin wording يَلقاهاhe welcomes them الفَتىthe young man
مَصقولَةَ الأَلفاظِ يَلقاها الفَتى
مِنfrom كُلِّevery جارِجَةٍlimb بِسَمعٍwith an ear واعِattentive
مِن كُلِّ جارِجَةٍ بِسَمعٍ واعِ
polished in wording; a man welcomes them
with an attentive ear in every limb.
أَبدَعتَyou excelled فيماin what تَنتَحيهِyou pursue فَأَبدَعَتso excelled
أَبدَعتَ فيما تَنتَحيهِ فَأَبدَعَت
فيكَabout you المَدائِحُthe praises أَيَّماthe utmost إِبداعِartistry
فيكَ المَدائِحُ أَيَّما إِبداعِ
You have excelled in all you pursue, and so
praises of you have excelled beyond measure.
فَإِلىso until مَتىwhen أَناI بِالسِفارِthrough travel أُضَيِّعُwaste الـthe
فَإِلى مَتى أَنا بِالسِفارِ أُضَيِّعُ الـ
ـأَيّامَdays بَينَbetween الشَدِّpressing onward وَالإيضاعِand riding fast
ـأَيّامَ بَينَ الشَدِّ وَالإيضاعِ
So how long shall I waste, in travel, the
days between pressing on and riding fast?
حِلفَa sworn companion الرَحالَةِof the saddle وَالدُجىand darkness فرواحليso my mounts
حِلفَ الرَحالَةِ وَالدُجى فرواحلي
ماnever تَأتَليslacken مَمعوطَةَrubbed bare الأَنساعِthe girth-straps
ما تَأتَلي مَمعوطَةَ الأَنساعِ
A sworn companion of saddle and darkness; my mounts
never slacken, rubbed bare beneath their girths.
أَشبَهتُI resembled عِمراناًʿImran وَأَشبَهَand resembled كُلُّeach منone whose
أَشبَهتُ عِمراناً وَأَشبَهَ كُلُّ من
جاوَزتُI passed مَنزِلَهُhis dwelling فَتىthe son زِنباعِof Zinbaʿ
جاوَزتُ مَنزِلَهُ فَتى زِنباعِ
I resemble ʿImran, and every man whose
house I pass resembles the son of Zinbaʿ.
بَيناwhile أُصَبِّحُI greet in the morning بِالسَلامِwith peace مَحَلَّةًa settlement
بَينا أُصَبِّحُ بِالسَلامِ مَحَلَّةً
حَتّىonly to أُمَسّيI greet in the evening أَهلَهاits people بِوَداعِwith farewell
حَتّى أُمَسّي أَهلَها بِوَداعِ
I greet a settlement with peace in the morning,
only to bid its people farewell by evening.
أَبَداًalways أُرَقّحُI scrape a living كَيso that أُرَقّعَI patch خَلةًa want
أَبَداً أُرَقّحُ كَي أُرَقّعَ خَلةً
مِنof حالَةٍa condition مِثلَlike الرَداa cloak المُتَداعيfalling apart
مِن حالَةٍ مِثلَ الرَدا المُتَداعي
Forever I scrape a living to patch a rent
in my plight, like a cloak coming apart.
قسماًI swear بِماby all that is بَينَbetween الحَطيمِal-Hatim إِلىas far as الصَفاal-Safa
قسماً بِما بَينَ الحَطيمِ إِلى الصَفا
مِنamong طائِفٍa circling pilgrim مُتَنَسِّكٍdevout أَوor ساعِone making the ritual run
مِن طائِفٍ مُتَنَسِّكٍ أَو ساعِ
I swear by all between al-Hatim and al-Safa,
each devout worshipper circling, or making the ritual run:
إِنّيindeed I إِلىfor تَقبيلِkissing كَفِّكَyour palm شَيِّقٌfull of longing
إِنّي إِلى تَقبيلِ كَفِّكَ شَيِّقٌ
شَوقاًwith a longing يَضُمُّdraws together عَلىaround جَوىًburning anguish أَضلاعيmy ribs
شَوقاً يَضُمُّ عَلى جَوىً أَضلاعي
indeed, I yearn to kiss your palm,
with longing that draws my ribs tight around burning anguish.
Sol 6.1