أَماhas ... not? حَيّاكُمُgreeted you all عَبقُthe fragrance النَّسيمِof the breeze
أَما حَيّاكُمُ عَبقُ النَّسيمِ
فَيُخبِرُso it tells عَنof ثَرىthe soil تِلكَthose الرُّسومِthe dwelling-traces
فَيُخبِرُ عَن ثَرى تِلكَ الرُّسومِ
Has the breeze's fragrance not greeted you,
The morning breeze's fragrance greets you,
telling of the soil of those ruins?
Telling of the soil where those ruins lie,
وَتُنجِدُهُand aid it الذَّوافِرُthe potent scents حينَwhen تُرخىare let down
وَتُنجِدُهُ الذَّوافِرُ حينَ تُرخى
عَلَيهِupon it ذَوائِبُthe tresses اللَّيلِof night البَهيمِpitch-black
عَلَيهِ ذَوائِبُ اللَّيلِ البَهيمِ
And potent scents aid it when there are lowered
The singing birds assist it when released
upon it the tresses of pitch-black night.
At nightfall by the twisting winds on high.
أَماis ... not? ذاthis البَرقُlightning بَيضُthe bright swords بَنيof the sons of عَدِيٍّAdi
أَما ذا البَرقُ بَيضُ بَني عَدِيٍّ
فَكَيفَthen how رَمىdid it strike فُؤادَكَyour heart بِالهُمومِwith sorrows
فَكَيفَ رَمى فُؤادَكَ بِالهُمومِ
Is this lightning not the bright swords of Banu Adi?
That lightning flashing in the House of 'Adi,
Then how did it strike your heart with sorrows?
Why did it strike your heart with melancholy?
هَنيئاًblessed be لِلمَدامِعfor the tears بَثُّthe outpouring وَجديof my longing
هَنيئاً لِلمَدامِع بَثُّ وَجدي
لَقَدindeed خَبَّرنَthey have told عَنof خُلُقٍa nature كَريمِnoble
لَقَد خَبَّرنَ عَن خُلُقٍ كَريمِ
Blessed be the tears for pouring out my longing;
Congratulations to the tears for their outpouring!
they have indeed told of a noble nature.
They have announced a generous, noble quality.
أَمِنكَis it from you? الطَّيفُthe phantom هَبَّstirred مَعَwith الخُزامىthe lavender
أَمِنكَ الطَّيفُ هَبَّ مَعَ الخُزامى
يُخادِعُbeguiles عِطفُهُits side وَلَعَthe passion النَّسيمِof the breeze
يُخادِعُ عِطفُهُ وَلَعَ النَّسيمِ
Did your phantom stir with the lavender,
Was it your phantom that came with the wild creatures
its side beguiling the breeze's passion?
Caressing them, made sportive by the breeze?
رَأَىit saw قُربَthe nearness الحُسامof the sword وَغارَand grew jealous مِنهُof it
رَأَى قُربَ الحُسام وَغارَ مِنهُ
فَحاكَمَناso it brought us to judgment إِلىbefore العَهدِthe pledge القَديمِold
فَحاكَمَنا إِلى العَهدِ القَديمِ
It saw the sword nearby and grew jealous of it,
He saw the swords close by and turned from them
so it appealed to our old pledge for judgment.
To judge us by the ancient precedents.
أحِنُّI yearn إِذاwhen أَصابَfell upon الغَيثُthe rain نَجداًNajd
أحِنُّ إِذا أَصابَ الغَيثُ نَجداً
وَقَعقَعَand rattled بِالرُّعودِwith thunderclaps عَلىover الغُيومِthe clouds
وَقَعقَعَ بِالرُّعودِ عَلى الغُيومِ
I yearn when rain falls upon Najd
I grieve when rain strikes the desert country
and rattles with thunder over the clouds.
And thunder roars against the lowering sky,
وَلَمّاand since كُنتُI was أَطرَبُthrilled لِلغَواديat the morning showers
وَلَمّا كُنتُ أَطرَبُ لِلغَوادي
ظَنَنتُI thought خَلائِقيmy traits زَهرَthe blossoms الغَميمِof al-Ghamim
ظَنَنتُ خَلائِقي زَهرَ الغَميمِ
And since I thrilled to the morning showers,
Whenever I took pleasure in the valleys
I thought my traits were the blossoms of al-Ghamim.
I fancied my own temper like the rain-charged cloud.
أَفيis it in? مَجديmy glory طَمِعتَyou coveted أَخاO brother of الهُوَيناidleness
أَفي مَجدي طَمِعتَ أَخا الهُوَينا
وَماand what بالُbusiness البُوَيزِلِthe little mature camel وَالقُرومِand the mighty camel stallions
وَما بالُ البُوَيزِلِ وَالقُرومِ
Have you coveted my glory, brother of idleness?
Do you hope, my brother, for glory through me,
What business has the little camel with the mighty camel stallions?
The glories of Buwairah and Qurum?
تُناكِرُكَdisown you القَبائِلُthe tribes مِنof نِزارٍNizar
تُناكِرُكَ القَبائِلُ مِن نِزارٍ
كَأَنَّكَas though you were فيهِمُamong them خُلُقُthe character اللَّئيمِof a base man
كَأَنَّكَ فيهِمُ خُلُقُ اللَّئيمِ
The tribes of Nizar disown you,
The tribes deny your title to the name of Nizar,
as though you embodied a base man's character among them.
As if among them you displayed the trait of villainy.
وَعَزميand my resolve يَستَقِلُّdeems too small الأُفقَthe horizon داراًas a home
وَعَزمي يَستَقِلُّ الأُفقَ داراً
وَيَأنَفَand disdains مِنfrom مُصاحَبَةِthe companionship النُّجومِof the stars
وَيَأنَفَ مِن مُصاحَبَةِ النُّجومِ
And my resolve deems the horizon too small a home
My purpose takes the horizon for its tenting place
and scorns the company of the stars.
And scorns the companying with the stars.
وَتربٍand soil يَدَّعيهِclaims it المِسكُmusk طِيباًin fragrance
وَتربٍ يَدَّعيهِ المِسكُ طِيباً
إِذاwhen وَسَمَتهُhave marked it أَندِيَةُthe dews الحَميمِof summer rain
إِذا وَسَمَتهُ أَندِيَةُ الحَميمِ
And soil whose fragrance musk claims as its own,
A soil it claims, that musk itself as sweet
when the dews of summer rain have marked it:
When it is rained on by the valley's blowing air.
يَعِزُّgrows strong بِهِthrough it إِذاwhen سَفِهgrew unruly النُّعامىthe south wind
يَعِزُّ بِهِ إِذا سَفِه النُّعامى
وَيَعرِضُand turns away عَنfrom مُنازَعَةِcontending with الحَليمِthe forbearing one
وَيَعرِضُ عَن مُنازَعَةِ الحَليمِ
it grows strong through it when the south wind runs wild,
By it he glories if the brutes talk folly,
and turns aside from contending with the forbearing.
And he disdains to quarrel with a man of sense.
وَرَوضand a meadow مَلَّtired of حَرَّthe heat الشَّمسِof the sun حَتّىuntil
وَرَوض مَلَّ حَرَّ الشَّمسِ حَتّى
تَفَيَّأَit took shade بِالسَّحائِبِbeneath the clouds وَالغُيومِand the cloud banks
تَفَيَّأَ بِالسَّحائِبِ وَالغُيومِ
And a meadow, weary of the sun's heat, until
A meadow that the heat of sun did not affect
it took shade beneath the clouds and cloud banks.
Till it was sheltered by the clouds on high.
إِذاwhen عَبَثَتtoyed بِهِwith it ريحُwind النُّعامىthe south wind
إِذا عَبَثَت بِهِ ريحُ النُّعامى
تَمايَلَit swayed طِربَةَwith the rapture الرَّجُلِof the man السَّقيمِailing
تَمايَلَ طِربَةَ الرَّجُلِ السَّقيمِ
When the south wind toyed with it,
When the south wind sports with it and it sways
it swayed with an ailing man's rapture.
Like a sick man stricken by pain.
صَحِبتُI accompanied إِلَيهِto it أَكوارَthe saddles المَطاياof riding-camels
صَحِبتُ إِلَيهِ أَكوارَ المَطايا
فَجادَتso they gave freely بِالغَوارِبِof their withers وَالرَّسيمِand their brisk trot
فَجادَت بِالغَوارِبِ وَالرَّسيمِ
I traveled to it on the riding-camels' saddles,
I travelled there with the riding camels' feet
and they gave freely of their withers and brisk trot.
That brought the evening and the soft night rain.
وَقَبَّلَand kissed نورُهُits blossoms أَفواهَthe mouths خَيليof my horses
وَقَبَّلَ نورُهُ أَفواهَ خَيلي
فَغازَلَهُنَّso it wooed them مِنfrom نَصَبِthe torment الشَّكيمِof the bits
فَغازَلَهُنَّ مِن نَصَبِ الشَّكيمِ
And its blossoms kissed my horses' mouths,
Its light kissed the mouths of my she-camels there
then wooed them away from the bits' torment.
And wantoned with them from their hinder girths.
فَبِتنَso they spent the night كَأَنَّهُنَّas though they were بألِin a mirage حُزنٍHuzn
فَبِتنَ كَأَنَّهُنَّ بألِ حُزنٍ
وَذاكَand that الربدthe dun-colored ones تَلعَبُtoy بِالحُلومِwith minds
وَذاكَ الربد تَلعَبُ بِالحُلومِ
They spent the night as though in Huzn's mirage;
They couched as though worn out with sorrow and grief
and those dun-colored ones toy with the mind.
While the cold numbed their knees and joints.
لَهُنَّfor them إِذاwhen سَرَحنَthey graze بِهِin it مَراحٌa joy
لَهُنَّ إِذا سَرَحنَ بِهِ مَراحٌ
مَراحُthe joy الحَمدِof praise فيin الحَسَبِancestral honor الصَّميمِunalloyed
مَراحُ الحَمدِ في الحَسَبِ الصَّميمِ
When they graze there, theirs is a joy,
For them, when they marched on with it, a marching place,
the joy of praise in unalloyed ancestral honor.
A march-place worthy of the praise of noble souls.
وَحَيٍّand a clan مِنof خَفاجَةKhafaja رُحتُI went at evening فيهِwithin it
وَحَيٍّ مِن خَفاجَة رُحتُ فيهِ
عَلىupon جَرداءa sleek-coated mare حالِيَةِadorned الأَديمِthe hide
عَلى جَرداء حالِيَةِ الأَديمِ
And a clan of Khafaja, among whom I went at evening,
By a lively spring of Khafajah I dwelt,
upon a sleek mare with an adorned hide:
Moving on its bare plateau the tent of palm-leaves.
أبيحُI grant الخَمرَwine فيهِtherein حِمىthe sanctuary هُموميof my sorrows
أبيحُ الخَمرَ فيهِ حِمى هُمومي
فأَطرَبَهاso I delight it وَتفتِكُand strikes ruthlessly بِالنَّديمِagainst the drinking companion
فأَطرَبَها وَتفتِكُ بِالنَّديمِ
I grant wine there the sanctuary of my sorrows,
I loosed the wine within it, for it guarded my woes,
so I delight it as it lays the drinking companion low.
Maddened it and dealt destruction to the cup-companion.
وَكَحلاءand a kohl-dark woman الجُفونِof eyelids قَرَعتُI struck مِنهاfrom her
وَكَحلاء الجُفونِ قَرَعتُ مِنها
نِجادَthe baldric السَّيفِof the sword بِالعِقدِagainst the necklace النَّظيمِwell-strung
نِجادَ السَّيفِ بِالعِقدِ النَّظيمِ
And a woman with kohl-dark eyelids: with her I struck
I made it the Kohl upon my eyelids, striking with it
the sword's baldric against the well-strung necklace.
The notches of the sword with chosen, jointed blows.
وَأَحياءand clans حَبائِلُهُمtheir snares كَراهُمtheir sleep
وَأَحياء حَبائِلُهُم كَراهُم
طَرَقتُهُمُI came to them by night بِقاطِعَةِwith a blade that cuts off النَّميمِgossip
طَرَقتُهُمُ بِقاطِعَةِ النَّميمِ
And clans whose snares were their own sleep:
In their living throats I made the death-dooms crash
I came to them by night with a blade that cuts off gossip.
By a straight cutting blade, dispenser of rebukes.
أَفيis it in? فَضليmy excellence يُبارينيrivals me غَوِيٌّa misguided man
أَفي فَضلي يُباريني غَوِيٌّ
وَأَينَand where الوَجهُthe face يُبذَلُis offered لِلسُّهومِto arrows
وَأَينَ الوَجهُ يُبذَلُ لِلسُّهومِ
Does a misguided man rival me in excellence?
Do you boast your merits to contend with mine,
And where is the face that is offered to arrows?
Dishonorer of great names by your ignoble acts?
فَلاso none لَكَfor you ماnot نُسِبتyou were traced إِلىto سِنانٍSinan
فَلا لَكَ ما نُسِبت إِلى سِنانٍ
وَلاnor عُزيتwere ascribed خُؤولكَyour maternal uncles فيamong تَميمِTamim
وَلا عُزيت خُؤولكَ في تَميمِ
Then no glory for you: you are not descended from Sinan,
Then you have no share in what is attributed to Sinan,
nor are your maternal uncles reckoned among Tamim.
Nor are you his offspring, traced to Temim.
نُجومُthe stars اللَّيلِof night يُسهِرُهاkeeps them awake حَذاريfear of me
نُجومُ اللَّيلِ يُسهِرُها حَذاري
وَسُمرُand the brown spears الخَطِّof al-Khatt يُرعِدُهاmakes them tremble عَزيميmy resolve
وَسُمرُ الخَطِّ يُرعِدُها عَزيمي
Fear of me keeps the stars of night awake,
The night-stars, my vengeance keeps them wakeful still,
and my resolve makes al-Khatt's brown spears tremble.
The firmness of my resolution makes them tremble.
وَدَمعيand my tears فيin جُفونِthe eyelids الرَّكبِof the mounted company يَبدوappear
وَدَمعي في جُفونِ الرَّكبِ يَبدو
كَدَمعِlike the tears الغَيثِof rain فيin حَدَقِthe pupils النَّجيمِof tiny low-growing plants
كَدَمعِ الغَيثِ في حَدَقِ النَّجيمِ
And my tears appear in the riders' eyelids,
My tears upon my mount's cheeks are to be seen
like rain's tears in the eyes of tiny plants.
Like the shower's tears upon the cheek of a leather bag.
وَقَدand indeed خُبِّرتَyou have been told عَنof نَشَبٍwealth قَليلٍscant
وَقَد خُبِّرتَ عَن نَشَبٍ قَليلٍ
فَهَلbut have ...? خُبِّرتَyou been told عَنof خُلُقٍa character ذَميمِshameful
فَهَل خُبِّرتَ عَن خُلُقٍ ذَميمِ
You have indeed been told of scant possessions;
You have been told of some little merit that I boast,
but have you been told of a shameful character?
But have you been told of my most villainous defect?
Sol 6.1