أمِنْis it from ذِكرِremembering سلمَىSalmā أنْbecause نأتْكَshe went far from you تَنوصُyou draw back
أمِنْ ذِكرِ سلمَى أنْ نأتْكَ تَنوصُ
فَتَقْصُرُso you fall short عنهاof her خُطوةًَone step وتَبُوصُand you advance
فَتَقْصُرُ عنها خُطوةًَ وتَبُوصُ
Is it from remembering Salmā, now she is far from you, that you draw back,
Is it from mentioning Salma that we come to you wavering,
then fall a step short of her and press forward?
So you fall short in your step and look askance?
وكمand how many دونَهاbetween you and her مِنof مَهْمَهٍa trackless waste ومَفَازةٍand a desert
وكم دونَها مِن مَهْمَهٍ ومَفَازةٍ
وكمand how many أرضِa land جَدْبٍbarrenness دونَهاbetween you and her ولُصُوصُand robbers
وكم أرضِ جَدْبٍ دونَها ولُصُوصُ
And how many trackless wastes and deserts lie between you and her!
How many perils and wildernesses are below it,
And how many barren lands lie before her—and robbers!
And how much barren land is below it, frequented by thieves!
تَرَاءَتْshe appeared لَنَاto us يَوْمًاone day بجَنْبِbeside عُنَيزَةٍʿUnayzah
تَرَاءَتْ لَنَا يَوْمًا بجَنْبِ عُنَيزَةٍ
وَقَدand already حانَwas due مِنهاon her part رِحلَةٌa journey فَقُلُوصُthen departure
وَقَد حانَ مِنها رِحلَةٌ فَقُلُوصُ
She appeared to us one day beside ʿUnayzah,
One day it appeared to us at Unayzah’s side,
when the time had come for her journey and departure,
And now to move camp from it was imperative.
بأسودَwith black hair مُلْتَفِّentwined الغَدَائِرِthe braids واردٍlong and flowing
بأسودَ مُلْتَفِّ الغَدَائِرِ واردٍ
وذيand a mouth with أُشُرٍtooth-edge serrations تَشُوفُهُshe polishes it وَتشُوصُand she scours
وذي أُشُرٍ تَشُوفُهُ وَتشُوصُ
with black hair, its braids entwined, hanging long,
With black camels wound with plaited halters
and a mouth of finely serrated teeth, which she polishes and cleans.
And young she-camels that you incite and prod.
مَنَابِتُهُits roots مِثْلُlike السُّدُوسِa dark-green mantle وَلَوْنُهُand its color
مَنَابِتُهُ مِثْلُ السُّدُوسِ وَلَوْنُهُ
كشوكِlike the thorns of السَّيالِthe sayal acacia فهوso it is عَذْبِsweet يُفِيضُit overflows
كشوكِ السَّيالِ فهو عَذْبِ يُفِيضُ
Its roots are like a dark-green mantle, and its color
Their resting places are like sdus-plants and their color
like sayal-acacia thorns; sweet, it overflows.
Is like torrential rain-water, sweet and overflowing.
فهلso will يُسْلِيَنَّsurely dispel الهَمَّthe sorrow عنكِfrom you شِمِلَّةٌa swift she-camel
فهل يُسْلِيَنَّ الهَمَّ عنكِ شِمِلَّةٌ
مُدَاخِلَةٌcompactly built صُمُّsolid العِظَامِthe bones أَصُوصُsturdy and firm-fleshed
مُدَاخِلَةٌ صُمُّ العِظَامِ أَصُوصُ
Will a swift she-camel surely banish your sorrow—
Will an impenetrable shawl console you for anxiety
compactly built, solid-boned, sturdy and firm-fleshed?
That penetrates the bones of the deaf adders?
تَظَاهَرَhas accumulated in layers فِيهَاin her النِّيُّthe fat لاnot هيَshe بَكْرَةٌa young she-camel
تَظَاهَرَ فِيهَا النِّيُّ لا هيَ بَكْرَةٌ
وَلاand not ذاتُpossessing ضِغنٍresentment فيat الزِّمامِthe rein قَمُوصُprone to bucking
وَلا ذاتُ ضِغنٍ في الزِّمامِ قَمُوصُ
Fat has gathered in layers within her; she is no young she-camel,
The purpose in it is evident; it is no young camel
nor a spiteful bucker at the reins.
Nor one with a frayed bridle-rein and bit.
أَوُوبٌquick-stepping نَعوبٌlong-striding لاnot يُواكِلُhangs back نَهْزُهاher stride
أَوُوبٌ نَعوبٌ لا يُواكِلُ نَهْزُها
إذاwhen قيلَit is said سيرُthe pace of المُدْلِجِينَthe night travelers نَصِيصُswift
إذا قيلَ سيرُ المُدْلِجِينَ نَصِيصُ
Quick-stepping, long-striding, her pace never flags
Tiresome, fidgety, not halting her movement
when it is said: the night travelers' pace is swift.
When they say: “Move on in the dark, O travelers!”
كأنِّيas though I وَرَحْلِيand my saddle والقِرَابَand the sword-sheath ونُمْرُقِيand my cushion
كأنِّي وَرَحْلِي والقِرَابَ ونُمْرُقِي
إذاwhen شَبَّflares للمرْوِon the flintstones الصِّغارَthe small ones وَبِيصُa gleam
إذا شَبَّ للمرْوِ الصِّغارَ وَبِيصُ
It is as though I, my saddle, my sword-sheath, and my cushion,
As if I, my camel-litter, my kinsfolk and my guide,
when a gleam flares on the little flintstones,
When the small camels stir, were all one group
عَلىupon نِقْنِقٍa male ostrich هَيْقٍa tall ostrich لَهُbelonging to him وَلِعِرْسِهِand to his mate
عَلى نِقْنِقٍ هَيْقٍ لَهُ وَلِعِرْسِهِ
بمُنعَرَجِat the bend of الوَعساءِthe soft sandy ground بَيضٌeggs رَصِيصُclosely packed
بمُنعَرَجِ الوَعساءِ بَيضٌ رَصِيصُ
were upon a tall male ostrich; he and his mate have
On a creaking litter for him and his bride,
closely packed eggs at a bend in the soft sands.
White, marked on the side, climbing the undulating ground.
إذاwhen رَاحَhe goes at evening لِلأُدْحيِّto the nesting hollow أوْبًاreturning يَفُنُّهَاhe drives her on
إذا رَاحَ لِلأُدْحيِّ أوْبًا يَفُنُّهَا
تُحَاذِرُshe fears منْof إدْرَاكِهِhis overtaking her وَتَحيصُand she swerves away
تُحَاذِرُ منْ إدْرَاكِهِ وَتَحيصُ
When he returns at evening to the nesting hollow, driving her on,
When he moves lethargically to couple with her,
she fears he will overtake her and swerves away.
She avoids him and holds back in alarm.
أذَلِكَis it that أمْor جَوْنٌa dark wild ass يُطَارِدُhe chases آتُنًاshe-asses
أذَلِكَ أمْ جَوْنٌ يُطَارِدُ آتُنًا
حَمَلنَthey conceived فأرْبَىand most of حَمْلِهِنَّtheir pregnancies دُرُوصُmiscarriage
حَمَلنَ فأرْبَى حَمْلِهِنَّ دُرُوصُ
Is it that, or a dark wild ass chasing she-asses,
Is that so or a lustful stallion pursuing young she-camels
who have conceived, but most of whose pregnancies end in miscarriage?
Who have conceived and whose pregnancies are evident?
طوَاهُhas worn him thin اضْطِمارُthe leanness from الشَّدِّhard running فالبَطنُso the belly شازِبٌgaunt
طوَاهُ اضْطِمارُ الشَّدِّ فالبَطنُ شازِبٌ
معالًىdrawn up إلىtoward المتنينِthe two sides of the backbone فهوso he is خَمِيصُhollow-bellied
معالًى إلى المتنينِ فهو خَمِيصُ
Hard running has worn him thin; his belly is gaunt,
Need has drawn his belly tight so his ribs are visible
drawn up toward his loins, leaving him hollow-bellied.
And his flank clings to his spine so that he is pinched.
بحاجِبِهِon his brow كَدْحٌa wound مِنfrom الضَّربِblows جالبٌscabbed
بحاجِبِهِ كَدْحٌ مِن الضَّربِ جالبٌ
وحاركهُand his withers منfrom الكِدامِbiting حَصِيصُbare of hair
وحاركهُ من الكِدامِ حَصِيصُ
On his brow is a scabbed wound from blows,
On his forehead are bumps from blows, bringing disgrace,
and his withers are bare from biting.
And his scruff is calloused from contention and conflict.
كَأنَّas though سَرَاتَهُhis upper back وَجُدَّةَand the stripe of ظَهْرِهِhis back
كَأنَّ سَرَاتَهُ وَجُدَّةَ ظَهْرِهِ
كنائنُquivers يَجْرِيruns بينهنَbetween them دَلِيصُa sheen
كنائنُ يَجْرِي بينهنَ دَلِيصُ
His upper back and the stripe along his spine seem
As if his vertebrae and the hair of his back
like quivers, with a sheen running between them.
Were lovers creeping stealthily between them.
ويأْكُلْنَand they eat مِنfrom قَوٍِّQaww لُعَاعًاtender shoots وَرِبَّةًand lush herbage
ويأْكُلْنَ مِن قَوٍِّ لُعَاعًا وَرِبَّةً
تَجَبَّرُregrows بعدَafter الأكلِgrazing فهوso it is نَمِيصُtender new growth
تَجَبَّرُ بعدَ الأكلِ فهو نَمِيصُ
They eat tender shoots and lush herbage in Qaww,
They graze on the plentiful desert-grass ratb and la’u’
which grows back after grazing as tender new growth.
Swollen with food, he staggers as he walks.
تُطِيرُsends flying عِفَاءًlong hair مِنْof نَسِيلٍshed hair كَأنّهُas though it were
تُطِيرُ عِفَاءً مِنْ نَسِيلٍ كَأنّهُ
سُدُوسٌa dark-green mantle أطَارَتهُsent it flying الرِّيَاحُthe winds وَخُوصُand palm fronds
سُدُوسٌ أطَارَتهُ الرِّيَاحُ وَخُوصُ
They send long, shed hair flying, as though it were
Raising dust like a sdus-plant when the winds lift it
a dark-green mantle and palm fronds scattered by the winds.
And whirl it about till it can rise no more.
تَصَيّفَهَاhe summered with them حَتىuntil إذاwhen لمْdid not يَسُغْgo down easily لهَاfor them
تَصَيّفَهَا حَتى إذا لمْ يَسُغْ لهَا
حَليٌّḥalī grass بأعْلىin the upper reaches of حَائِلٍḤāʾil وَقَصِيصُand qaṣīṣ herbage
حَليٌّ بأعْلى حَائِلٍ وَقَصِيصُ
He summered with them until they could no longer swallow
She drove them on until, no longer able to continue,
ḥalī grass and qaṣīṣ herbage in upper Ḥāʾil.
There was a mountain pass above them and a gorge.
تَغَالَبْنَthey strove فيهthere الجَزْءَsubsisting on herbage without water لولاwere it not for هَوَاجِرٌscorching noontimes
تَغَالَبْنَ فيه الجَزْءَ لولا هَوَاجِرٌ
جَنَادِبُهَاtheir grasshoppers صَرْعَىprostrate لهُنّthey have قَصِيصُa crackling chirr
جَنَادِبُهَا صَرْعَى لهُنّ قَصِيصُ
They might have held out there on herbage alone, but for scorching noons
They struggled there; were it not for rock-climbers
whose grasshoppers lay prostrate, chirring sharply.
Their young would be prey for them in the gorge.
أَرَنَّhe brayed عليهاat them قاربًاheading for water وانْتَحَتْand she turned لهtoward him
أَرَنَّ عليها قاربًا وانْتَحَتْ له
طُوالَةlong ُ أرْساغِpasterns of اليَدَيْنِthe forelegs نَحُوصُa pregnant she-ass
طُوالَة ُ أرْساغِ اليَدَيْنِ نَحُوصُ
He brayed at them, heading for water, and toward him came
When he spied them from nearby he moaned at them
a pregnant she-ass with long foreleg pasterns.
With wrists as slender as those of a nursing baby.
فأَوْرَدَهاso he brought them to water مِنat آخِرِthe end of الَّليلِthe night مَشْرَبًاa drinking place
فأَوْرَدَها مِن آخِرِ الَّليلِ مَشْرَبًا
بلائِقَwaterholes خُضْرًاgreen ماؤُهُنَّtheir water قَلِيصُreceding
بلائِقَ خُضْرًا ماؤُهُنَّ قَلِيصُ
Then, at the end of the night, he brought them to a drinking place—
So he gave them to drink late at night a beverage
green waterholes, their water low and receding.
Green, whose water was brackish and scarce.
فَيَشْرَبْنso they drink أنفاسًاin short draughts وَهُنَّwhile they are خَوَائِفٌafraid
فَيَشْرَبْن أنفاسًا وَهُنَّ خَوَائِفٌ
وَتَرْعَدُand tremble مِنْهُنَّin them الكُلَىthe kidneys والفَريصُand the flank muscles
وَتَرْعَدُ مِنْهُنَّ الكُلَى والفَريصُ
So they drink in short draughts, fearful,
They drank it in gasps while they shook with fear
and their kidneys and flank muscles tremble.
And their kidneys quivered at it, as did their chests.
فأصْدَرَهاthen he led them from water تَعْلوthey climb النِّجادَthe ridges عَشِيَّةًat evening
فأصْدَرَها تَعْلو النِّجادَ عَشِيَّةً
أقَبُّlean-bellied كَمِقْلاءِlike the tipcat bat of الوليدِthe boy شَخِيصُtall
أقَبُّ كَمِقْلاءِ الوليدِ شَخِيصُ
Then he led them from water as they climbed the ridges at evening—
Then he brought them out ascending the mound at night,
lean-bellied and tall, like a boy's tipcat bat.
More wrinkled than the sole of an unborn baby’s foot.
فَجَحْشٌso a foal علىat أَدْبَارِهِنَّtheir rears مُخَلَّفٌleft behind
فَجَحْشٌ على أَدْبَارِهِنَّ مُخَلَّفٌ
وَجَحْشٌand a foal لَدىat مَكَرِّهِنَّtheir turning-place وَقِيصُneck-broken
وَجَحْشٌ لَدى مَكَرِّهِنَّ وَقِيصُ
So one foal is left behind them,
Some halted behind them while others faced their cunning
and another lies neck-broken where they wheel about.
And warded it off, staying close to their side.
وَأصْدَرَهاand he led them from water باديbaring النّواجِذِthe molars قارِحٌa mature ass
وَأصْدَرَها بادي النّواجِذِ قارِحٌ
أقبُّlean-bellied كَكَرِّlike the rope of الأَنْدَرِيِّthe Andarī مَحِيصُfleet-footed
أقبُّ كَكَرِّ الأَنْدَرِيِّ مَحِيصُ
And a mature ass led them from water, molars bared—
And he brought them out while the star of good fortune shone,
lean-bellied as the Andarī's rope, fleet-footed.
More twisted than an Andarawi jug’s handle.
Sol 6.1