لأمرٍfor a matter طويلِlong الهمّin sorrow نُزْجيwe urge onward العَرَامِسَاthe sturdy she-camels
لأمرٍ طويلِ الهمّ نُزْجي العَرَامِسَا
وتطويand fold up بناbearing us أخفافُهُنَّtheir padded feet البَسابِساthe desert wastes
وتطوي بنا أخفافُهُنَّ البَسابِسا
For a matter of lasting sorrow, we urge the sturdy she-camels onward,
and their padded feet, bearing us, fold up the desert wastes.
وَتَذْعَرُand startle بالبَيداءِin the wilderness عِيناًwide-eyed oryx شوَارِداًroaming
وَتَذْعَرُ بالبَيداءِ عِيناً شوَارِداً
تُذَكّرُrecall بالأحداقِthrough their eyes عيناًwide-eyed women أوانِساcompanionable
تُذَكّرُ بالأحداقِ عيناً أوانِسا
In the wilderness they startle roaming, wide-eyed oryx,
whose eyes recall wide-eyed, companionable women—
عذارَىmaidens تَرَىyou see الحسنَbeauty البديعَwondrous مُطابِقاًconforming
عذارَى تَرَى الحسنَ البديعَ مُطابِقاً
لأنوَاعِهَاto their kinds فيin خَلْقِهِits form ومجانساand kindred
لأنوَاعِهَا في خَلْقِهِ ومجانسا
maidens: you see wondrous beauty perfectly suited
to their varied kinds, and kindred to them in its form.
أعاذلُO reprover دَعْنيlet me أطْلِقِrelease العبرةَthe tear الَّتيwhich
أعاذلُ دَعْني أطْلِقِ العبرةَ الَّتي
عَدِمْتُI lacked لهاfor it منin أجملthe finest الصبْرِpatience حابساa restraint
عَدِمْتُ لها من أجمل الصبْرِ حابسا
O reprover, let me release the tear
for which I found no restraint in the finest patience.
فإنِّيfor I امْرؤٌa man آويI seek refuge إلىin الشّجَنِthe grief الَّذيwhich
فإنِّي امْرؤٌ آوي إلى الشّجَنِ الَّذي
وَجَدتُI have found لهfor it فيin حَبَّةِthe core of القلبِthe heart ناخِساa goad
وَجَدتُ له في حَبَّةِ القلبِ ناخِسا
For I am a man who seeks refuge in grief,
whose goad I have felt in my heart’s innermost core.
لَقَدَّرَتhad indeed reckoned أَرضيmy land أنthat تَعُودَit would return لِقَوْمِهَاto its people
لَقَدَّرَت أَرضي أن تَعُودَ لِقَوْمِهَا
فَساءَتْbut worsened ظُنونيmy expectations ثُمَّthen أصبحتُI became يائساdespairing
فَساءَتْ ظُنوني ثُمَّ أصبحتُ يائسا
My land had counted on returning to its people;
but my expectations darkened, and then I despaired.
وعزّيْتُand I consoled فيهاconcerning it النّفسَmy soul لمّاwhen رأيْتُهاI saw it
وعزّيْتُ فيها النّفسَ لمّا رأيْتُها
تُكابِدُit struggles with داءًa disease قاتلdeadly السمّin venom ناحِساbaleful
تُكابِدُ داءً قاتل السمّ ناحِسا
And I consoled myself concerning it when I saw it
struggling with a baleful disease of deadly venom.
وكيفand how وقدwhen indeed سِيمَتْit was subjected to هواناًhumiliation وصَيّرَتْand turned
وكيف وقد سِيمَتْ هواناً وصَيّرَتْ
مساجدَهاits mosques أيديthe hands of النّصارىthe Christians كنائساinto churches
مساجدَها أيدي النّصارى كنائسا
How could I be consoled, when it was abased, and
Christian hands had turned its mosques into churches?
إذاwhenever شاءتِwish الرّهبانُthe monks بالضرْبِby striking أنْطقَتْmake speak
إذا شاءتِ الرّهبانُ بالضرْبِ أنْطقَتْ
مَعَat الصبحِdawn والإِمساءِand dusk فيهاwithin it النَّواقِساthe bells
مَعَ الصبحِ والإِمساءِ فيها النَّواقِسا
Whenever the monks wish, their blows make
the bells within it speak at dawn and dusk.
لَئِنeven if كانhas أعياbaffled كلَّevery طِبٍّhealing art علاجُهاits treatment
لَئِن كان أعيا كلَّ طِبٍّ علاجُها
فكمthen how many a جَرَبٍpatch of rust فيon السيفِthe sword أعياhas baffled المَداوساthe files
فكم جَرَبٍ في السيفِ أعيا المَداوسا
Even if its treatment has baffled every healing art,
how many a patch of sword-rust has baffled the files!
صقليَّةٌSicily كادplotted against الزمانُtime بلادهاits lands
صقليَّةٌ كاد الزمانُ بلادها
وكانتand once they were علىagainst أهلِthe people of الزّمانthe age محارساwatchposts
وكانت على أهلِ الزّمان محارسا
Sicily—time has plotted against its lands,
though once they were watchposts against the people of the age.
فَكَمand how many أَعيُنٍeyes بالخوفِwith fear أَمسَتْhave become سَوَاهراًsleepless
فَكَم أَعيُنٍ بالخوفِ أَمسَتْ سَوَاهراً
وكانتand once they were بِطيبِwith the sweetness of الأَمنِsecurity مِنهُمfrom them نواعِساdrowsy
وكانت بِطيبِ الأَمنِ مِنهُم نواعِسا
How many eyes have grown sleepless through fear,
though once they drowsed, sweetly secure from them.
أرىI see بَلَديmy homeland قدindeed سامَهُhas subjected it to الرومُthe Romans ذلّةًhumiliation
أرى بَلَدي قد سامَهُ الرومُ ذلّةً
وكانَand was بِقَوميthrough my people عِزُّهُits might مُتَقاعِسَاproudly unyielding
وكانَ بِقَومي عِزُّهُ مُتَقاعِسَا
I see the Romans have subjected my homeland to humiliation,
though through my people its might was proudly unyielding.
وَكانَتand once were بِلادُthe lands of الكفرِunbelief تَلْبَسُwearing خَوْفَهُfear of it
وَكانَت بِلادُ الكفرِ تَلْبَسُ خَوْفَهُ
فَأَضحىbut it became لذاكَin that الخوفِfear مِنهُنَّof them لابِساclad
فَأَضحى لذاكَ الخوفِ مِنهُنَّ لابِسا
The lands of unbelief once wore their fear of it,
but now it wears that same fear of them.
عدمتُI have lost أُسوداًlions منهمُfrom among them عَرَبِيّةًArab
عدمتُ أُسوداً منهمُ عَرَبِيّةً
تَرىyou see بَينَbefore أَيديهاtheir paws العلوجَthe foreign warriors فَرائِساًas prey
تَرى بَينَ أَيديها العلوجَ فَرائِساً
I have lost those Arab lions among them:
you see the foreign warriors as prey before them.
فَلَمand never تَرَhas seen عَيْنيmy eye مِثْلَهُمْtheir like فيin كَتيبَةٍa battalion
فَلَم تَرَ عَيْني مِثْلَهُمْ في كَتيبَةٍ
مضاربَexchanging blows with أبطالِthe champions of الحروبِwars مَدَاعِساexchanging spear-thrusts
مضاربَ أبطالِ الحروبِ مَدَاعِسا
My eye has seen none like them in a battalion,
trading blows and spear-thrusts with the champions of war.
وياand oh رُبَّmany a برَّاقِflashing النصالblades تخالُهُyou would think it
ويا رُبَّ برَّاقِ النصال تخالُهُ
منfrom النقعthe battle dust ليلاًa night مُشْرِقَbright with الشهبstars دامساpitch-dark
من النقع ليلاً مُشْرِقَ الشهب دامسا
And how many a flashing-bladed host you would take,
through its dust, for a pitch-dark night bright with stars!
خلواthey met alone بينamid أطرافthe points of القناthe spears بكماتِهِwith its armored champions
خلوا بين أطراف القنا بكماتِهِ
لِطَعنٍfor thrusts مِنَfrom الفرسانِthe horsemen يخليthat empty القوانساthe helmets
لِطَعنٍ مِنَ الفرسانِ يخلي القوانسا
They met its armored champions alone amid the spearheads,
for horsemen’s thrusts that left the helmets empty.
وماnor خلتُdid I think أنّthat النّارَthe fire يَبْرُدُwould cool حَرّهاits heat
وما خلتُ أنّ النّارَ يَبْرُدُ حَرّها
علىon سَعَفٍpalm-fronds لاقتهit encountered them فيin القيظِsummer’s heat يابِساdry
على سَعَفٍ لاقته في القيظِ يابِسا
Nor did I think that fire’s heat could cool
on palm-fronds it found dry in the summer heat.
أماwas it not مُلِئَتْfilled غزواًwith raiding قَلَوْرِيّةٌCalabria بهمby them
أما مُلِئَتْ غزواً قَلَوْرِيّةٌ بهم
وأَردَواand they slew بَطاريقاًpatricians بهاin it وأَشاوِساand fierce warriors
وأَردَوا بَطاريقاً بها وأَشاوِسا
Did they not fill Calabria with their raids,
and slay patricians there and fierce warriors?
هُمُthey فَتَحواopened أَغلاقَهاits locks بِسُيوفِهِمْwith their swords
هُمُ فَتَحوا أَغلاقَها بِسُيوفِهِمْ
وهمand they تَركواleft الأَنوارَthe lights فيهاwithin it حَنادِساpitch-black nights
وهم تَركوا الأَنوارَ فيها حَنادِسا
It was they who opened its locks with their swords,
and they left its lights there black as night.
وساقواand they led away بِأَيديin the hands of السبيِcaptivity بيضاًfair-skinned women حَواسِراًbareheaded
وساقوا بِأَيدي السبيِ بيضاً حَواسِراً
تَخَالُyou would think عَلَيهِنَّupon them الشعورَthe hair بَرانِساhooded cloaks
تَخَالُ عَلَيهِنَّ الشعورَ بَرانِسا
And they led away fair, bareheaded women in captivity’s grasp:
you would take their hair for hooded cloaks upon them.
يَخوضونَthey plunge through بَحراًa sea كلَّevery حِينٍtime إِلَيهِمُtoward them
يَخوضونَ بَحراً كلَّ حِينٍ إِلَيهِمُ
بِبَحْرٍwith a sea يَكونُare المَوجُthe waves فيهِin it فَوارِساhorsemen
بِبَحْرٍ يَكونُ المَوجُ فيهِ فَوارِسا
They plunge through a sea toward them, time after time,
with a sea whose waves are horsemen.
وحربيّةٍand many a warship ترميhurls بِمُحْرِقِwith burning نِفْطِهاits naphtha
وحربيّةٍ ترمي بِمُحْرِقِ نِفْطِها
فيَغْشىso envelops سَعُوطُthe snuff of الموتِdeath فيهاwithin it المَعاطِساthe nostrils
فيَغْشى سَعُوطُ الموتِ فيها المَعاطِسا
And many a warship hurls its burning naphtha,
so death’s snuff fills the nostrils aboard it.
تراهُنّyou see them فيin حُمْرِthe red ones of اللّبودِthe felt coverings وصُفْرِهَاand their yellow ones
تراهُنّ في حُمْرِ اللّبودِ وصُفْرِهَا
كمثلlike بناتِthe daughters of الزّنجthe Zanj زُفّتْled in procession عَرَائِساas brides
كمثل بناتِ الزّنج زُفّتْ عَرَائِسا
You see them clad in red and yellow felt,
like daughters of the Zanj led forth as brides.
إذاwhen عَثّنَتْbelch smoke فيهاwithin them التنانيرthe furnaces خلتَهاyou would think them
إذا عَثّنَتْ فيها التنانير خلتَها
تُفَتِّحُopening للبركانِfor the volcano عنهاfrom them مَنافِساvents
تُفَتِّحُ للبركانِ عنها مَنافِسا
When the furnaces belch smoke within them, you would think
they were opening vents through themselves for the volcano.
أفيis there in قَصْرينِّيQasrinni رُقْعَةٌa tract يَعْمُرُونهاthey inhabit it
أفي قَصْرينِّي رُقْعَةٌ يَعْمُرُونها
ورَسْمٌand a vestige منَof الإِسلامِIslam أَصبَحَhas become دارِساeffaced
ورَسْمٌ منَ الإِسلامِ أَصبَحَ دارِسا
Is there in Qasrinni a tract they inhabit,
and a vestige of Islam now effaced?
وَمِنand among عَجَبٍmarvels أَنَّthat الشياطينَthe devils صَيّرَتْhave made
وَمِن عَجَبٍ أَنَّ الشياطينَ صَيّرَتْ
بُروجَthe towers of النُّجومِthe stars المحرِقاتِscorching مَجالِساmeeting places
بُروجَ النُّجومِ المحرِقاتِ مَجالِسا
And wondrous it is that the devils have made
the towers of the scorching stars their meeting places.
وَأَضحَتْand has become لَهُمfor them سَرْقُوسةٌSyracuse دارَan abode of مِنْعَةٍstrength
وَأَضحَتْ لَهُم سَرْقُوسةٌ دارَ مِنْعَةٍ
يَزورونَthey visit بِالدَّيرينin the two monasteries فيهاwithin it النواوِساthe sarcophagi
يَزورونَ بِالدَّيرين فيها النواوِسا
And Syracuse has become for them a stronghold;
there they visit the sarcophagi in the two monasteries.
مَشَوْاthey walked فيthrough بلادِlands أهْلُهاits people تحْتَbeneath أرْضِهَاits soil
مَشَوْا في بلادِ أهْلُها تحْتَ أرْضِهَا
وماand not مارسواdid they confront منهمamong them أبِيّاًa defiant man مُمارساbattle-seasoned
وما مارسوا منهم أبِيّاً مُمارسا
They walked through lands whose people lie beneath their soil,
and faced no defiant, seasoned fighter among them.
ولوand had شُقّقَتْbeen split open تلكَthose القبورُgraves لأنهَضَتْthey would have raised
ولو شُقّقَتْ تلكَ القبورُ لأنهَضَتْ
إِلَيهِمagainst them مِنَfrom among الأَحداثِthe young men أُسداًlions عَوابِساscowling
إِلَيهِم مِنَ الأَحداثِ أُسداً عَوابِسا
Had those graves been split open, they would have raised
against them, from among the youths, scowling lions.
وَلَكِنbut رَأَيتُI have seen الغيلthe thicket إنif غابَis absent لَيثُهُits lion
وَلَكِن رَأَيتُ الغيل إن غابَ لَيثُهُ
تَبَخَّرَstruts فيthrough أَرجائِهِits reaches الذئبُthe wolf مائِساswaying proudly
تَبَخَّرَ في أَرجائِهِ الذئبُ مائِسا
But I have seen: when the thicket’s lion is absent,
the wolf struts, swaying, through its reaches.
Sol 6.1