هَلdoes يَنطُقُspeak الرَبعُthe abandoned dwelling بالعَلياءِat al-ʿAlyāʾ غَيرَهُchanged it
هَل يَنطُقُ الرَبعُ بالعَلياءِ غَيرَهُ
سافيdrifting dust الرِياحَof the winds وَمُستَنٌّand a coursing blast لَهُit has طَنَبُa long trail
سافي الرِياحَ وَمُستَنٌّ لَهُ طَنَبُ
Does the dwelling at al-ʿAlyāʾ speak? It has been changed
Does the moon speak of the highlands other than it?
by the winds' drifting dust and a coursing blast with a long trail.
A traveler of the winds, erect for it the stalks.
جَرَتswept بِهِthrough it ذاتُone with أَذيالٍtrailing skirts مُزَعزَعَةٍbuffeting
جَرَت بِهِ ذاتُ أَذيالٍ مُزَعزَعَةٍ
لَهاit has نَفيٌّflying dust وَذَيلٌand a trailing skirt عارِمٌfierce حَصِبُpebble-laden
لَها نَفيٌّ وَذَيلٌ عارِمٌ حَصِبُ
A wind with buffeting skirts swept through it,
It flowed with a trailing dress, fluttering,
casting dust, its fierce train laden with pebbles.
Rejecting and flowing, a surging flood.
تَكسوit clothes مَعارِفَهُits familiar traces حِبراًpatterned finery تُجَدِّدُهُit renews it
تَكسو مَعارِفَهُ حِبراً تُجَدِّدُهُ
مِنَfrom التُرابِthe dust وَأُخرىand another بَعدَafterward تَستَلِبُstrips away
مِنَ التُرابِ وَأُخرى بَعدَ تَستَلِبُ
It clothes its familiar traces in patterned finery it renews
It covers its glories with ink, renewing
from dust; afterward another wind strips it away.
From dust, while others come to rob after.
دارٌa home لِبَيضاءَof a fair-skinned woman مُسوَدَّةٌblack مَسائِحُهاher tresses
دارٌ لِبَيضاءَ مُسوَدَّةٌ مَسائِحُها
كَأَنَّهاas though she were ظَبيَّةٌa gazelle تَرعىgrazing وَتَنتَصِبُand standing upright
كَأَنَّها ظَبيَّةٌ تَرعى وَتَنتَصِبُ
A home of a fair-skinned woman whose tresses are black,
A house for the White-Blackened, its carpets
as though she were a gazelle, grazing and standing alert.
Like a gazelle grazing and standing tall.
تَحنوshe bends tenderly لِأَكحَلَtoward a dark-eyed fawn أَلقَتهُshe bore him بِمَضيعَةٍin an unguarded place
تَحنو لِأَكحَلَ أَلقَتهُ بِمَضيعَةٍ
فَقَلبُهاso her heart شَفَقاًin anxious concern مِنfrom هَولِهِfear for him يَجِبُthrobs
فَقَلبُها شَفَقاً مِن هَولِهِ يَجِبُ
She bends tenderly toward a dark-eyed fawn she bore in an unguarded place,
It sings to kohl it shed in negligence
her heart pounding with anxious fear for him.
So its heart quaked from its horror.
جاوَرتُهاI dwelt beside her رَجَباًthrough Rajab أَيّامduring the days of ذيDhū سَلَمٍSalam
جاوَرتُها رَجَباً أَيّام ذي سَلَمٍ
ثُمَّthen إِستَمَرَّتshe moved on وَلاقىand confronted دونَهاshort of her رَجَبُRajab
ثُمَّ إِستَمَرَّت وَلاقى دونَها رَجَبُ
I dwelt beside her through Rajab, in the days at Dhū Salam;
It neighbored Rajab some days of peace,
then she moved on, and Rajab stood between us.
Then continued as Rajab remained beneath it.
ياO أَطيَبَsweetest الناسِof people ريقاًin saliva بَعدَafter هَجعَتِهاher sleep
يا أَطيَبَ الناسِ ريقاً بَعدَ هَجعَتِها
وَأَملَحَand most charming الناسِof people عَيناًin eyes حينَwhen تَنتَقِبُshe veils her face
وَأَملَحَ الناسِ عَيناً حينَ تَنتَقِبُ
O sweetest-mouthed of all after her slumber,
O finest people by scent after its slumber
and loveliest-eyed of all when she dons her veil!
And saltiest people in eye when veiled!
لَيسَتshe does not تَجودُbestow generously بِنَيلٍa favor حينَwhen أَسأَلُهاI ask her
لَيسَت تَجودُ بِنَيلٍ حينَ أَسأَلُها
وَلَستُand I do not عِندَin خَلاءِthe privacy of اللَهوِlove-play أَغتَصِبُtake by force
وَلَستُ عِندَ خَلاءِ اللَهوِ أَغتَصِبُ
She grants no favor when I ask her,
It does not give generously when asked
and in the privacy of love-play I take nothing by force.
Nor do I take in the emptiness of vanity.
كَأَنَّas though فيinside ثَوبِهاher robe زِفزافَthe rustling of حَرمَلَةٍa harmal plant
كَأَنَّ في ثَوبِها زِفزافَ حَرمَلَةٍ
مِنfrom أَزمَلِthe jangling of الحِليِthe ornaments وَهناًlate at night حينَwhen تَنقَلِبُshe turns
مِن أَزمَلِ الحِليِ وَهناً حينَ تَنقَلِبُ
As though her robe held the rustling of a harmal bush,
As if its cloak were the jingling of a necklace
so her ornaments jangle late at night when she turns.
From twisted chokers and rings when turned.
فيin مِرفَقَيهاher two elbows إِذاwhen ماعونِقَتshe is embraced جَمَمٌrestful ease
في مِرفَقَيها إِذا ماعونِقَت جَمَمٌ
عَلىfor الضَجيعِthe bedfellow وَفيand in أَنيابِهاher canine teeth شَنَبُcool sweetness
عَلى الضَجيعِ وَفي أَنيابِها شَنَبُ
When embraced, her elbows bring restful ease
In its arms, when embraced, hot coals
to her bedfellow; her teeth hold a cool sweetness.
On the sleeper, and in its fangs, sticks.
كَأَنَّas though بَرديَّةًa papyrus pool جاشَتsurged بِهاthrough it خُلُجٌchannels
كَأَنَّ بَرديَّةً جاشَت بِها خُلُجٌ
خُضرُgreen الشَرائِعِwatering-places فيalong حافاتِهاits banks العُبَبُʿubab plants
خُضرُ الشَرائِعِ في حافاتِها العُبَبُ
As though a papyrus pool had channels surging through it,
As if a cloak surged in it in waves
its watering-places green, ʿubab plants along its banks.
Green are its edges with bands.
دَعleave ذاthis وَعُدِّand spur onward عَفَرناةًa powerful she-camel مُذَكَّرَةًmale-built
دَع ذا وَعُدِّ عَفَرناةً مُذَكَّرَةً
بِمِثلِهاwith one like her يَطلُبُpursues الحاجاتِthe needs مُطَّلَبُa seeker
بِمِثلِها يَطلُبُ الحاجاتِ مُطَّلَبُ
Leave this, and spur onward a powerful, male-built she-camel;
Leave that and count a breakfast cooked
with one like her a seeker pursues his needs.
The likes of it the sleepless seek.
وَلَيلَةٍand many a night ذاتِfull of أَهوالٍterrors كَواكِبُهاits stars
وَلَيلَةٍ ذاتِ أَهوالٍ كَواكِبُها
مِثلُlike القَناديلِthe lamps فيهاin them الزَيتُthe oil وَالعُطُبُand cotton wicks
مِثلُ القَناديلِ فيها الزَيتُ وَالعُطُبُ
And many a fearsome night whose stars
By a night of horrors, its stars
are like lamps containing oil and cotton wicks,
Like lanterns filled with oil and wicks.
قَدindeed جُبتُهاI crossed it جَوبَthe cutting of ذيa wielder of المِقراضِthe shears مُمطِرَةًrainy
قَد جُبتُها جَوبَ ذي المِقراضِ مُمطِرَةً
إِذاwhen إِستَوىlooked alike مُغفِلاتُunmarked stretches البيدِof desert وَالحَدَبُand rising ground
إِذا إِستَوى مُغفِلاتُ البيدِ وَالحَدَبُ
I have cut through it as a wielder of shears cuts, while rain fell,
I collected it like the blinking of an eye, raining,
when unmarked stretches of desert and rising ground looked alike,
When the oblivious camels and valleys leveled.
بِعَنتَريسٍon a mighty she-camel كَأَنَّas though الدَبرَthe bees يَلسَعُهاsting her
بِعَنتَريسٍ كَأَنَّ الدَبرَ يَلسَعُها
إِذاwhen تَرَنَّمَsang حادٍa camel-driver خَلفَهاbehind her تَرِبُdusty
إِذا تَرَنَّمَ حادٍ خَلفَها تَرِبُ
on a mighty she-camel, as though bees were stinging her
With a mare whose behind a snake seems to bite
when a dusty camel-driver sang behind her.
When a singing camel driver follows her.
وَاِنسَبتُand I slipped along بِالدَلوِcarrying the bucket أَمشيI walk نَحوَtoward آجِنَةٍstagnant water
وَاِنسَبتُ بِالدَلوِ أَمشي نَحوَ آجِنَةٍ
مِنon دونِthe near side of أَرجائِهاits margins العُلّامُthe ʿullām shrubs وَالقُطَبُand the caltrops
مِن دونِ أَرجائِها العُلّامُ وَالقُطَبُ
And I slipped along carrying the bucket, walking toward stagnant water,
I set out with a bucket walking toward a she-camel
with ʿullām shrubs and caltrops before its margins.
Beyond its saddlebags the brand and celestial pole.
إِلىtoward الوَليدِal-Walīd أَبيAbū العَبّاسِal-ʿAbbās ماعَجِلَتas swiftly as she hastened
إِلى الوَليدِ أَبي العَبّاسِ ماعَجِلَت
وَدونَهُand before him المُعطُthe bare sands مِنof نِيَّانَNiyyān وَالكُثُبُand the dunes
وَدونَهُ المُعطُ مِن نِيَّانَ وَالكُثُبُ
Toward al-Walīd, Abū al-ʿAbbās, as swiftly as she could hurry,
To Al-Walid son of Al-‘Abbas I rushed
with Niyyān's bare sands and dunes lying between us.
While below him were gifts of wares and food.
لَمّاwhen أتيتُكَI came to you مِنfrom نَجُدٍNajd وَساكِنِهِand its inhabitants
لَمّا أتيتُكَ مِن نَجُدٍ وَساكِنِهِ
نَفَحتَyou bestowed لِيَon me نَفحَةًa gift طارَتflew بِهاwith it العَرَبُthe Arabs
نَفَحتَ لِيَ نَفحَةً طارَت بِها العَرَبُ
When I came to you from Najd and its inhabitants,
When I came to you from Najd and its people,
you bestowed on me a gift whose renown spread among the Arabs.
You gave off a scent from which the Arabs flew.
أَعطَيتَنيyou gave me مائةa hundred صُفراًyellow مَدامِعُهاtheir tear-ducts
أَعطَيتَني مائة صُفراً مَدامِعُها
كَالنَّخلِlike date-palms زَيَّنَadorned أَعلىthe uppermost نَبتِهِof its growth الشَّرَبُthe fronds
كَالنَّخلِ زَيَّنَ أَعلى نَبتِهِ الشَّرَبُ
You gave me a hundred camels, yellow at the tear-ducts,
You gave me one hundred yellow coins
like palms whose upper growth the fronds adorn.
Like palm trees adorned atop by fruit bunches.
يَسوقُهاdrives them يافِعٌa youth جَعدٌcurly مَفارِقُهُhis hair-partings
يَسوقُها يافِعٌ جَعدٌ مَفارِقُهُ
مِثلُlike الغُرابِthe crow غَذاهُnourished him الصَّرُudder-held milk وَالحَلَبُand freshly drawn milk
مِثلُ الغُرابِ غَذاهُ الصَّرُ وَالحَلَبُ
A youth drives them, his locks curled at the partings,
A young camel herder drives them, whose departure
like a crow, nourished on udder-held milk and fresh milkings.
Was like the crow whose food is pebbles and milk.
وَإِذاand behold سَبيبٍflowing hair صُهَيبيّاًreddish لَهُhe has عُرُفٌa mane
وَإِذا سَبيبٍ صُهَيبيّاً لَهُ عُرُفٌ
وَهامَةٌand a head ذاتُwith فَرقٍa parting ماnot بِهاin it صَخَبُnoisy restlessness
وَهامَةٌ ذاتُ فَرقٍ ما بِها صَخَبُ
And behold a reddish, flowing-haired one, with a mane,
If a Sabaian well-bred and distinguished
and a head with a parting, with no unruliness in it.
With a high intellect lacking any confusion—
إِنif أَخصَبَتshe finds lush pasture تَرَكَتshe leaves ماwhat حَولَsurrounds مَبرِكِهاher kneeling-place
إِن أَخصَبَت تَرَكَت ما حَولَ مَبرِكِها
زَيناًbeautiful وَتُجدِبُand she meets drought أَحياناًsometimes فَتَحتَطِبُso she gathers brushwood
زَيناً وَتُجدِبُ أَحياناً فَتَحتَطِبُ
If she finds lush pasture, she leaves what surrounds her kneeling-place
If she became fertile she would leave what was around her stall
beautiful; sometimes she meets drought and gathers brushwood.
Adorned, though sometimes infertile so she gathered wood—
إِنّيindeed I إِمرُؤٌam a man أعتَفيI seek الحاجِاتِthe needs أَطلُبُهاI pursue them
إِنّي إِمرُؤٌ أعتَفي الحاجِاتِ أَطلُبُها
كَماjust as إِعتَفىsought سَنِقٌa sated beast يُلقىis thrown لَهُto it العُشبُthe grass
كَما إِعتَفى سَنِقٌ يُلقى لَهُ العُشبُ
Indeed, I am a man who goes in quest of needs, seeking them,
I am Imru’ who admits his needs and seeks them
as a sated beast seeks grass thrown to it.
Just as a blade admits given to it the fodder—
وَلاand I do not أُلِحُّpress insistently عَلىupon الخُلّانِthe friends أَسأَلُهُمI ask them
وَلا أُلِحُّ عَلى الخُلّانِ أَسأَلُهُم
كَماjust as يُلِحُّpresses بِعَظمِagainst the bone of الغارِبِthe withers القَتَبُthe pack-saddle
كَما يُلِحُّ بِعَظمِ الغارِبِ القَتَبُ
Nor do I press my friends when I ask them,
And I do not nag the boon-companions asking them,
as a pack-saddle presses upon the bone of the withers.
As the evening star nags with the bone of the drowned—
وَلاand I do not أُخادِعُdeceive نَدمانيmy drinking companions لِأَخدَعَهُمto cheat them
وَلا أُخادِعُ نَدماني لِأَخدَعَهُم
عَنout of مالِهِمtheir wealth حينَwhen يَستَرخيslackens بِهِمon them لَبَبُa breast-strap
عَن مالِهِم حينَ يَستَرخي بِهِم لَبَبُ
Nor do I dupe my drinking companions to cheat them
Nor do I deceive the regretful ones to trick them
out of their wealth when their breast-straps slacken.
Out of their money when the teat is relaxed for them—
وَأَنتَand you وَإِبناكَand your two sons لَمnot يوجَدُلَكُمhas been found for you مَثَلٌan equal
وَأَنتَ وَإِبناكَ لَم يوجَدُلَكُم مَثَلٌ
ثَلاثَةٌthree كُلُّهُمeach of them بِالتاجِwith the crown مُعتَصِبُcrowned
ثَلاثَةٌ كُلُّهُم بِالتاجِ مُعتَصِبُ
And you and your two sons—no equal has been found for you—
While you and your sons, no likeness was found for you,
are three, each wearing a crown.
Three, all wearing the crown, prevailing—
الطَيِّبونَthe gracious ones إِذاwhen طابَتare pleased نُفوسُهُمُtheir souls
الطَيِّبونَ إِذا طابَت نُفوسُهُمُ
شَوسُfierce الحَواجِبِof brows وَالأَبصارِand eyes إِنif غَضِبواthey grow angry
شَوسُ الحَواجِبِ وَالأَبصارِ إِن غَضِبوا
Gracious when their souls are pleased,
Good people, when their souls are good,
fierce of brow and eye when angered.
Smooth of eyebrow and eye even if angry.
قِسنيcompare me إِلىwith شُعَراءِthe poets of الناسِmankind كُلِّهِمall of them
قِسني إِلى شُعَراءِ الناسِ كُلِّهِم
وَإِدعُand summon الرواةَthe reciters إِذاwhen ماغَبَّhas aged ماwhat إِجتَلَبواthey brought
وَإِدعُ الرواةَ إِذا ماغَبَّ ما إِجتَلَبوا
Compare me with all the poets of mankind,
Compare me to all the people’s poets
and summon the reciters when what they have brought has aged.
And summon the narrators if they forget what they collected—
إِنّيindeed I وَإِنand even if قالَuttered أَقوامٌsome people مَديحهُمُpraise of them
إِنّي وَإِن قالَ أَقوامٌ مَديحهُمُ
فَأَحسَنوهُso they did it well وَماand did not حابواshow partiality وَماand did not كَذَبواlie
فَأَحسَنوهُ وَما حابوا وَما كَذَبوا
Indeed I, though other men have sung their praise,
Verily, even if some tribes say their praises
and done it well, without partiality or lies,
Excellently, without loving or lying,
أَجريI race أَمامَهُمُahead of them جَريَthe racing of إِمرِئٍa man فَلَجٍvictorious
أَجري أَمامَهُمُ جَريَ إِمرِئٍ فَلَجٍ
عِنانُهُhis reins حينَwhen يَجريhe runs لَيسَdo not يَضطَرِبُshake
عِنانُهُ حينَ يَجري لَيسَ يَضطَرِبُ
race ahead of them as a victorious man races,
I surpass them with the running of a stalwart, unleashed horse
his reins steady as he runs.
Whose bridle, when it runs, does not jerk—
ياO أََيُّهاyou الناسُpeople خافواfear اللَهَGod وَإِحتَرِسواand beware
يا أََيُّها الناسُ خافوا اللَهَ وَإِحتَرِسوا
مِنَof الوَليدِal-Walīd وَلاand do not يَغروَركُمdeceive you الأَرَبُdesire
مِنَ الوَليدِ وَلا يَغروَركُم الأَرَبُ
O people, fear God and beware
O people! Fear God and be cautious
of al-Walīd, and do not let desire deceive you.
Of Al-Walid, and let not the earth deceive you!
Sol 6.1