أَلاwill you not تَصحوcome to your senses وَتُقصِرُand desist عَنfrom صِباكاyour youthful folly
أَلا تَصحو وَتُقصِرُ عَن صِباكا
وَهاذاand this الشَيبُgray hair أَصبَحَhas become قَدalready عَلاكاspread over you
وَهاذا الشَيبُ أَصبَحَ قَد عَلاكا
Will you not come to your senses and abandon your youthful folly,
When this gray hair has already spread over you?
أَمِنis it over دِمَنٍruined campsites بَلَينَthat have faded بِبَطنِin the valley of قَوٍّQaww
أَمِن دِمَنٍ بَلَينَ بِبَطنِ قَوٍّ
بَكَيتَyou wept لَهاfor them وَشَجوٌand sorrow ماindeed (emphatic) بَكاكاmade you weep
بَكَيتَ لَها وَشَجوٌ ما بَكاكا
Is it over weathered campsites in the valley of Qaww
That you wept for them? What sorrow made you weep!
تَباعَدُshe draws far away مِنfrom وِصالِكَunion with you أَيَّhow great a بُعدٍdistance
تَباعَدُ مِن وِصالِكَ أَيَّ بُعدٍ
وَلَوand if تَدنوshe drew near قَتَلتَyou would slay بِهاwith her هَواكاyour passion
وَلَو تَدنو قَتَلتَ بِها هَواكا
She keeps far, so far, from union with you;
Yet were she to draw near, you would slay your passion with her.
إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) جُرِّدَتshe is stripped bare فَنَقاthen a ridge of كَثيبٍa sandhill
إِذا ما جُرِّدَت فَنَقا كَثيبٍ
وَفيand in القَرِّيِّthe howdah هَيكَلَةًa tall, large-framed woman ضِناكاfull-figured
وَفي القَرِّيِّ هَيكَلَةً ضِناكا
When stripped bare, she is a sandhill's ridge,
And in the howdah, a tall, full-figured woman.
أَلاah ياO حَبَّذاhow lovely are جَرَعاتُthe sandy tracts of قَوٍّQaww
أَلا يا حَبَّذا جَرَعاتُ قَوٍّ
وَحَيثُand where يُقابِلُfaces الأَثَلُthe tamarisk الأَراكاthe arak trees
وَحَيثُ يُقابِلُ الأَثَلُ الأَراكا
Ah, how lovely are the sandy tracts of Qaww,
And where tamarisks stand facing arak trees.
وَقَدand indeed لاحَhas appeared المَشيبُgray hair فَماyet not أَراهُI see it
وَقَد لاحَ المَشيبُ فَما أَراهُ
عَداكَpassed you by وَقَدthough indeed صَبَوتَyou have dallied in love وَلاnor نَهاكاrestrained you
عَداكَ وَقَد صَبَوتَ وَلا نَهاكا
Gray hair has appeared; I do not think it
Has spared you—yet you have dallied, and it has not checked you.
فَلَيتَكَso, if only you قَدalready قَضَيتَhad fulfilled بِذاتِat Dhat عِرقٍIrq
فَلَيتَكَ قَد قَضَيتَ بِذاتِ عِرقٍ
وَمِنand from نَجدٍNajd وَساكِنِهِand its inhabitants مُناكاyour desires
وَمِن نَجدٍ وَساكِنِهِ مُناكا
Would that, at Dhat Irq, you had won
From Najd and its people too, what you desired.
تُذادُyou are driven away عَنِfrom المَشارِعِthe watering places كُلَّevery يَومٍday
تُذادُ عَنِ المَشارِعِ كُلَّ يَومٍ
وَوِردُكَand your allotted draught لَوif وَرَدتَyou came to drink بِهِat it كَفاكاit would suffice you
وَوِردُكَ لَو وَرَدتَ بِهِ كَفاكا
You are driven from the watering places every day,
Yet your draught, if you reached it, would suffice you.
أَتَهوىdo you love مَنone who دَعاكَsummoned you لِطولِto prolonged شَجوٍsorrow
أَتَهوى مَن دَعاكَ لِطولِ شَجوٍ
وَمَنand one who أَضنىwasted فُؤادَكَyour heart إِذwhen دَعاكاcalled you
وَمَن أَضنى فُؤادَكَ إِذ دَعاكا
Do you love one who summoned you to prolonged sorrow,
And one who wasted your heart when calling you?
فَكَيفَthen how بِمَنwith one who أَصابَstruck فُؤادَthe heart of صَبٍّa lovesick lover
فَكَيفَ بِمَن أَصابَ فُؤادَ صَبٍّ
بِذَلِكَwith that لَوif يَشاءُhe wishes لَقَدsurely شَفاكاhealed you
بِذَلِكَ لَو يَشاءُ لَقَد شَفاكا
Then what of one who struck a lovesick heart
With that? If willing, that one would surely heal you.
وَقَدand indeed كانَتwas قُفَيرَةُQufayra ذاتَpossessed of قَرنٍa hair-braid
وَقَد كانَت قُفَيرَةُ ذاتَ قَرنٍ
تَرىyou could see فيin زَيغِthe crookedness of أَكعُبِهاher ankles اِصطِكاكاa knocking together
تَرى في زَيغِ أَكعُبِها اِصطِكاكا
And Qufayra once wore a braid;
You could see her crooked ankles knocking together.
أَتَفخَرُdo you boast بِالحُبىof knee-wraps وَخَزيتَand you were disgraced فيهاin them
أَتَفخَرُ بِالحُبى وَخَزيتَ فيها
وَقَبلَand before اليَومِtoday ماindeed (emphatic) فُضِحَتwere disgraced حُباكاyour knee-wraps
وَقَبلَ اليَومِ ما فُضِحَت حُباكا
Do you boast of knee-wraps, though disgraced in them?
Your knee-wraps were shamed long before today.
قَدِindeed اِنبَعَثَhas bestirred himself الأُخَيطِلُal-Ukhaytil غَيرَnot فانٍdecrepit
قَدِ اِنبَعَثَ الأُخَيطِلُ غَيرَ فانٍ
وَلاnor غُمرٍan inexperienced youth وَقَدand indeed بَلَغَhe has reached اِحتِناكاfull maturity
وَلا غُمرٍ وَقَد بَلَغَ اِحتِناكا
Al-Ukhaytil has bestirred himself, neither decrepit
Nor a callow youth: he has reached full maturity.
وَماand not قَرَأَhas read المُفَصَّلَthe Mufassal surahs تَغلِبِيٌّa Taghlibite
وَما قَرَأَ المُفَصَّلَ تَغلِبِيٌّ
وَلاnor مَسَّtouched الطَهورَpurifying water وَلاnor السِواكاthe tooth-stick
وَلا مَسَّ الطَهورَ وَلا السِواكا
No Taghlibite has read the Mufassal surahs,
Nor touched purifying water or a tooth-stick.
وَلاnor عَرَفواthey have known مَواقِفَthe ritual stations of يَومِthe day of جَمعٍJam‘
وَلا عَرَفوا مَواقِفَ يَومِ جَمعٍ
وَلاnor حَوضَthe basin of السِقايَةِproviding drinking water وَالأَراكاand the arak trees
وَلا حَوضَ السِقايَةِ وَالأَراكا
Nor have they known the stations on the day of Jam‘,
Nor the watering basin and the arak trees.
أَيوعِدُنيdoes he threaten me الأُخَيطِلُal-Ukhaytil مِنfrom بَعيدٍafar
أَيوعِدُني الأُخَيطِلُ مِن بَعيدٍ
وَقَدthough already لاقىhe has faced أَسِنَّتَناour spearheads شِباكاinterlaced like nets
وَقَد لاقى أَسِنَّتَنا شِباكا
Does al-Ukhaytil threaten me from afar,
Though he has faced the net of our spearheads?
رُوَيدَcurb الجَهلِfolly إِنَّindeed لَناwe have بِناءًan edifice
رُوَيدَ الجَهلِ إِنَّ لَنا بِناءً
إِذاif ماever (emphatic) رُمتَهُyou sought it قَصُرَتwould fall short يَداكاyour two hands
إِذا ما رُمتَهُ قَصُرَت يَداكا
Curb your folly: we have an edifice;
If ever you sought it, your hands would fall short.
تَعَلَّمknow إِنَّindeed أَصلِيَmy lineage خِندِفِيٌّof Khindif
تَعَلَّم إِنَّ أَصلِيَ خِندِفِيٌّ
سَتَعلَمُyou will learn مُبتَنايَmy edifice مُبتَناكاyour edifice
سَتَعلَمُ مُبتَنايَ مُبتَناكا
Know that my lineage is Khindifi;
You will learn how my edifice compares with yours.
لَناours are البَدرُthe full moon المُنيرُshining وَكُلُّand every نَجمٍstar
لَنا البَدرُ المُنيرُ وَكُلُّ نَجمٍ
وَلاand no بَدراًfull moon تَعُدُّyou count وَلاnor سِماكاSimak
وَلا بَدراً تَعُدُّ وَلا سِماكا
Ours are the shining full moon and every star;
You can count neither a full moon nor Simak.
وَإِنَّكَand indeed you لَوif تَصَعَّدُclimb upward فيamong جِباليmy mountains
وَإِنَّكَ لَو تَصَعَّدُ في جِبالي
تَباعَدَwould be far away مِنfrom نُزولِكَyour lodging مُرتَقاكاyour place of ascent
تَباعَدَ مِن نُزولِكَ مُرتَقاكا
And if you were to climb among my mountains,
Your summit would lie far above your lodging.
تُلاقيyou would meet العيصَthe thicket ذاpossessing الشَبَواتِsharp points دونيbefore reaching me
تُلاقي العيصَ ذا الشَبَواتِ دوني
وَوِردَand the throng of الخَيلِhorses تَعتَرِكُclashing in battle اِعتِراكاfiercely
وَوِردَ الخَيلِ تَعتَرِكُ اِعتِراكا
You would meet the thicket of sharp points before reaching me,
And the throng of horses battling fiercely,
وَحَيّاًand a clan يُقرِبونَthey keep close at hand بَناتِthe daughters of قَيدٍQayd
وَحَيّاً يُقرِبونَ بَناتِ قَيدٍ
بِهاwith them مَنَعواthey defended المُلَيحَةِal-Mulayha وَاللُكاكاand al-Lukak
بِها مَنَعوا المُلَيحَةِ وَاللُكاكا
And a clan that keeps the daughters of Qayd close at hand;
With them they defended al-Mulayha and al-Lukak.
إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) عُدَّis reckoned فَضلُthe superiority of حَصىthe pebbles of تَميمٍTamim
إِذا ما عُدَّ فَضلُ حَصى تَميمٍ
تَحاقَرَseem paltry حينَwhen تَجمَعُهُyou gather them حَصاكاyour pebbles
تَحاقَرَ حينَ تَجمَعُهُ حَصاكا
When the superiority of Tamim's pebbles is reckoned,
Your own pebbles seem paltry when you gather them.
حَمَتdefended قَيسٌQays بِدِجلَةَat the Tigris عَسكَرَيهاits two camps
حَمَت قَيسٌ بِدِجلَةَ عَسكَرَيها
فَأُنهِبَso were plundered يَومَon the day of دِجلَةَthe Tigris عَسكَراكاyour two camps
فَأُنهِبَ يَومَ دِجلَةَ عَسكَراكا
Qays defended its two camps at the Tigris;
So your two camps were plundered on the day of the Tigris.
هُمُthey حَدَروكَdrove you down مِنfrom نَجدٍNajd فَأَمسَتso became
هُمُ حَدَروكَ مِن نَجدٍ فَأَمسَت
مَعَbeside الخِنزيرِthe pig قاصِيَةًfar away نَواكاyour dwelling
مَعَ الخِنزيرِ قاصِيَةً نَواكا
They drove you down from Najd, and so
Your home came to lie far away, beside the pig.
تُكَفِّرُyou bow in homage بِاليَدَينِwith both hands إِذاwhen اِلتَقَيناwe meet
تُكَفِّرُ بِاليَدَينِ إِذا اِلتَقَينا
وَتُلقيand you cast down مِنout of مَخافَتِناfear of us عَصاكاyour staff
وَتُلقي مِن مَخافَتِنا عَصاكا
You bow with both hands folded when we meet,
And cast down your staff in fear of us.
عَطاءُthe gift of اللَهِGod تَكرِمَةًas an honor وَفَضلاًand as a bounty
عَطاءُ اللَهِ تَكرِمَةً وَفَضلاً
بِسُخطِكَdespite your anger لَيسَis not ذَلِكَthat عَنfrom رِضاكاyour consent
بِسُخطِكَ لَيسَ ذَلِكَ عَن رِضاكا
God's gift—an honor and a bounty—
Comes despite your anger, not by your consent.
رَشَتكَbribed you مُجاشِعٌMujashi‘ سَكَراًwine بِفَلسٍfor a copper coin
رَشَتكَ مُجاشِعٌ سَكَراً بِفَلسٍ
فَلاso may not يَهنيكَit bring you joy رِشوَةُthe bribe of مَنwhoever رَشاكاbribed you
فَلا يَهنيكَ رِشوَةُ مَن رَشاكا
Mujashi‘ bribed you with a copper coin's worth of wine;
So may your briber's bribe bring you no joy.
أَلَيسَhas not اللَهُGod فَضَّلَfavored سَعيَthe efforts of قَومٍa people
أَلَيسَ اللَهُ فَضَّلَ سَعيَ قَومٍ
هَداهُمHe guided them لِصِراطِto a path وَماbut did not هَداكاguide you
هَداهُم لِصِراطِ وَما هَداكا
Has not God favored the efforts of a people
Whom He guided to a path, while He did not guide you?
تُكَفِّرُyou bow in homage بِاليَدَينِwith both hands إِذاwhen اِلتَقَيناwe meet
تُكَفِّرُ بِاليَدَينِ إِذا اِلتَقَينا
وَأَدِّand pay إِلىto خَليفَتِناour caliph جِزاكاyour tribute
وَأَدِّ إِلى خَليفَتِنا جِزاكا
You bow with both hands folded when we meet,
And pay your tribute to our caliph.
أَتَزعُمُdo you claim ذاDhu المَناخِرِal-Manakhir كانَwas سَبطاًstraight-haired
أَتَزعُمُ ذا المَناخِرِ كانَ سَبطاً
يَهودِيّاًa Jew وَنَزعُمُهُand we claim him to be أَباكاyour father
يَهودِيّاً وَنَزعُمُهُ أَباكا
Do you claim Dhu al-Manakhir was a straight-haired
Jew, while we claim him as your father?
Sol 6.1