طافَتshe went about أُمامَةُUmāmah بِالرُكبانِamong the riders آوِنَةًat intervals
طافَت أُمامَةُ بِالرُكبانِ آوِنَةً
ياoh حُسنَهُits beauty مِنof قَوامٍa figure ماindeed وَمُنتَقَباand a veiled face
يا حُسنَهُ مِن قَوامٍ ما وَمُنتَقَبا
Umāmah moved among the riders at intervals;
oh, how lovely her figure and her veiled face!
إِذwhen تَستَبيكَshe captivates you بِمَصقولٍwith a polished mouth عَوارِضُهُits side-teeth
إِذ تَستَبيكَ بِمَصقولٍ عَوارِضُهُ
حُمشِfine اللِثاتِgums تَرىyou discern فيin غَربِهِits edge شَنَباcool sweetness
حُمشِ اللِثاتِ تَرى في غَربِهِ شَنَبا
When she captivates you with a mouth whose side-teeth gleam,
fine-gummed, with cool sweetness you discern along its edge.
قَدalready أَخلَقَتshe has worn out عَهدَهاher pledge مِنfrom بَعدِafter جِدَّتِهِits newness
قَد أَخلَقَت عَهدَها مِن بَعدِ جِدَّتِهِ
وَكَذَّبَتand she belied حُبَّthe love of مَلهوفٍan anguished man وَماthough he did not كَذَباlie
وَكَذَّبَت حُبَّ مَلهوفٍ وَما كَذَبا
She has worn her once-new pledge threadbare,
and belied an anguished man's love, though he had not lied.
وَبَلدَةٍand many a wilderness جُبتُهاI crossed it وَحديalone بِيَعمَلَةٍon a sturdy she-camel
وَبَلدَةٍ جُبتُها وَحدي بِيَعمَلَةٍ
إِذاwhen السَرابُthe mirage عَلىover صَحرائِهاits desert plain اِضطَرَباshimmered
إِذا السَرابُ عَلى صَحرائِها اِضطَرَبا
And many a wilderness I crossed alone on a sturdy she-camel,
when the mirage shimmered over its desert plain,
بِحَيثُwhere يَنسىforgets زِمامَthe rein of العَنسِthe sturdy she-camel راكِبُهاits rider
بِحَيثُ يَنسى زِمامَ العَنسِ راكِبُها
وَيُصبِحُand becomes المَرءُa man فيهاin it ناعِساًdrowsy وَصِباailing
وَيُصبِحُ المَرءُ فيها ناعِساً وَصِبا
where a rider forgets his sturdy she-camel's rein,
and a man grows drowsy and ailing there.
مُستَهلِكِexhausting الوِردِthe journey to water كَالأُسدِيِّlike Usdī cloth قَدalready جَعَلَتhave made
مُستَهلِكِ الوِردِ كَالأُسدِيِّ قَد جَعَلَت
أَيديthe forefeet of المَطِيِّthe riding-camels بِهِin it عادِيَّةًage-old رُغُباbroad
أَيدي المَطِيِّ بِهِ عادِيَّةً رُغُبا
An exhausting route to water, like Usdī cloth, where
the camels' forefeet have made broad, age-old furrows.
يَجتازُit traverses أَجوازَthe inner reaches of قَفرٍa wasteland مِنfrom جَوانِبِهِits sides
يَجتازُ أَجوازَ قَفرٍ مِن جَوانِبِهِ
تَأويyou make your way إِلَيهِtoward it وَتَلقىand you encounter دونَهُbefore reaching it عَتَباrises
تَأوي إِلَيهِ وَتَلقى دونَهُ عَتَبا
It crosses the inner reaches of a waste; from its sides
you make for it, meeting rises before you reach it.
إِذاwhen مَخارِمُmountain passes أَحياءٌwell-marked عَرَضنَappeared لَهُto it
إِذا مَخارِمُ أَحياءٌ عَرَضنَ لَهُ
لَمdid not يَنبُswerve عَنهاaway from them وَخافَand it feared الجَورَdeviation فَاِعتَتَباso it straightened its course
لَم يَنبُ عَنها وَخافَ الجَورَ فَاِعتَتَبا
When well-marked mountain passes appear before it,
it does not swerve from them; fearing deviation, it keeps straight.
وَالذِئبُand the wolf يَطرُقُناvisits us by night فيat كُلِّevery مَنزِلَةٍstopping-place
وَالذِئبُ يَطرُقُنا في كُلِّ مَنزِلَةٍ
عَدوَrunning like القَرينَينِthe two companions فيin آثارِناour tracks خَبَباat a trot
عَدوَ القَرينَينِ في آثارِنا خَبَبا
And the wolf visits us by night at every stopping-place,
running like the two companions, trotting in our tracks.
قالَتshe said أُمامَةُUmāmah لاdo not تَجزَعdespair فَقُلتُso I said لَهاto her
قالَت أُمامَةُ لا تَجزَع فَقُلتُ لَها
إِنَّindeed العَزاءَsolace وَإِنَّand indeed الصَبرَpatience قَدalready غُلِباhave both been overcome
إِنَّ العَزاءَ وَإِنَّ الصَبرَ قَد غُلِبا
Umāmah said, 'Do not despair'; I said to her,
'Solace and patience have both been overcome.
إِنَّindeed اِمرَأًa man رَهطُهُhis clan بِالشامِin al-Shām مَنزِلُهُhis dwelling
إِنَّ اِمرَأً رَهطُهُ بِالشامِ مَنزِلُهُ
بِرَملِin the sands of يَبرينَYabrīn جاراًas a protected stranger شَدَّvery greatly ماindeed اِغتَرَباhe has gone far from home
بِرَملِ يَبرينَ جاراً شَدَّ ما اِغتَرَبا
A man whose clan is in al-Shām, while his dwelling
is in Yabrīn's sands as a protected stranger—how far he is from home!
هَلّاwhy did you not اِلتَمَستِyou sought لَناfor us إِنif كُنتِyou were صادِقَةًtruthful
هَلّا اِلتَمَستِ لَنا إِن كُنتِ صادِقَةً
مالاًwealth فَيُسكِنُناso it may settle us بِالخُرجِin al-Khurj أَوor نَشَباproperty
مالاً فَيُسكِنُنا بِالخُرجِ أَو نَشَبا
Why did you not seek for us, if you were truthful,
wealth to settle us in al-Khurj, or property?'
حَتّىso that يُجازِيَhe may repay أَقواماًsome people بِسَعيِهِمِfor their efforts
حَتّى يُجازِيَ أَقواماً بِسَعيِهِمِ
مِنfrom آلِthe house of لَأيٍLaʾy وَكانواand they were سادَةًchiefs نُجُباnoble-born
مِن آلِ لَأيٍ وَكانوا سادَةً نُجُبا
So that he might repay some people for their efforts,
of the house of Laʾy, who were noble-born chiefs.
لَمdid not يَعدَمواthey lack رائِحاًan evening returner مِنfrom إِرثِthe inheritance of مَجدِهِمِtheir glory
لَم يَعدَموا رائِحاً مِن إِرثِ مَجدِهِمِ
وَلَنand never will يَبيتَspend the night سِواهُمaway from them حِلمُهُمtheir forbearance عَزَباabsent
وَلَن يَبيتَ سِواهُم حِلمُهُم عَزَبا
Their inherited glory has never failed to return at evening,
nor will their forbearance ever spend a night away from them.
لاthere is no بُدَّescape فيin الجِدِّearnest conflict أَنthat تَلقىyou encounter حَفيظَتَهُمtheir protective fury
لا بُدَّ في الجِدِّ أَن تَلقى حَفيظَتَهُم
يَومَon the day of اللِقاءِbattle وَعيصاًand a thicket دونَهُمbefore them أَشِباtangled
يَومَ اللِقاءِ وَعيصاً دونَهُم أَشِبا
When matters turn serious, you must meet their protective fury
on battle day—and a tangled thicket before them.
رَدّواthey restored عَلىto جارِthe neighbor of مَولاهُمtheir ally بِمَهلِكَةٍin a deadly waste
رَدّوا عَلى جارِ مَولاهُم بِمَهلِكَةٍ
لَولاbut for الإِلَهُGod وَلَولاand but for عَطفُهُمtheir compassion عَطَباhe would have perished
لَولا الإِلَهُ وَلَولا عَطفُهُم عَطَبا
They restored the fortunes of their ally's neighbor in a deadly waste—
but for God and their compassion, he would have perished.
فَوَفَّرواso they replenished مالَهُhis wealth مِنfrom فَضلِthe surplus of مالِهِمُtheir wealth
فَوَفَّروا مالَهُ مِن فَضلِ مالِهِمُ
لَولاbut for الإِلَهُGod وَلَولاand but for سَعيُهُمtheir efforts ذَهَباit would have vanished
لَولا الإِلَهُ وَلَولا سَعيُهُم ذَهَبا
They replenished his wealth from the surplus of their own;
but for God and their efforts, it would have vanished.
لَنwill never يَترُكواthey abandon جارَthe neighbor of مَولاهُمtheir ally بِمَتلَفَةٍin a deadly waste
لَن يَترُكوا جارَ مَولاهُم بِمَتلَفَةٍ
غَبراءَdust-gray ثُمَّتَthen يَطوُواthey coil up دونَهُout of his reach السَبَباthe rope
غَبراءَ ثُمَّتَ يَطوُوا دونَهُ السَبَبا
They will not leave their ally's neighbor in a deadly waste,
dust-gray, then coil up the rope out of his reach.
سيريtravel on أُمامَUmām فَإِنَّfor indeed الأَكثَرينَthe most numerous حَصىًin counting-pebbles
سيري أُمامَ فَإِنَّ الأَكثَرينَ حَصىً
وَالأَكرَمينَand the noblest إِذاwhen ماindeed يُنسَبونَtheir lineage is traced أَباin ancestry
وَالأَكرَمينَ إِذا ما يُنسَبونَ أَبا
Travel on, Umām: those most numerous by the pebble-count,
and noblest in ancestry when pedigrees are traced,
قَومٌa people يَبيتُsleeps قَريرَtranquil العَينِof eye جارُهُمُtheir neighbor
قَومٌ يَبيتُ قَريرَ العَينِ جارُهُمُ
إِذاwhen لَوىhe twists بِقُوىwith the strands of أَطنابِهِمtheir tent-ropes طُنُباa tent-rope
إِذا لَوى بِقُوى أَطنابِهِم طُنُبا
are a people whose neighbor sleeps with eyes at peace,
once he entwines a tent-rope with the strands of theirs.
قَومٌa people إِذاwhen عَقَدواthey bind عَقداًa pact لِجارِهِمِfor their neighbor
قَومٌ إِذا عَقَدوا عَقداً لِجارِهِمِ
شَدّواthey tighten العِناجَthe bucket's bracing-rope وَشَدّواand they tighten فَوقَهُabove it الكَرَباthe bucket-binding
شَدّوا العِناجَ وَشَدّوا فَوقَهُ الكَرَبا
A people who, when they bind a pact for their neighbor,
tighten the bucket's bracing-rope and tighten the binding above it.
قَومٌa people هُمُthey الأَنفُthe nose وَالأَذنابُand the tails غَيرُهُمُothers than them
قَومٌ هُمُ الأَنفُ وَالأَذنابُ غَيرُهُمُ
وَمَنand who يُسَوّيequates بِأَنفِwith the nose of الناقَةِthe she-camel الذَنَباthe tail
وَمَن يُسَوّي بِأَنفِ الناقَةِ الذَنَبا
A people who are the nose, while others are the tails—
and who would equate a she-camel's tail with her nose?
أَبلِغconvey سَراةَthe chiefs of بَنيthe sons of سَعدٍSaʿd مُغَلغَلَةًa far-reaching message
أَبلِغ سَراةَ بَني سَعدٍ مُغَلغَلَةً
جَهدَwith the utmost effort in الرِسالَةِthe message لاno أَلتاًomission وَلاand no كَذِباfalsehood
جَهدَ الرِسالَةِ لا أَلتاً وَلا كَذِبا
Carry to the chiefs of Banū Saʿd a far-reaching message,
with the utmost effort in delivery, no omission and no lie:
ماwhat كانَwas ذَنبُthe fault of بَغيضٍBaghīḍ لاmay there be no أَباfather لَكُمُfor you
ما كانَ ذَنبُ بَغيضٍ لا أَبا لَكُمُ
فيconcerning بائِسٍa destitute man جاءَwho came يَحدوdriving with song أَينُقاًshe-camels شُسُباgaunt
في بائِسٍ جاءَ يَحدو أَينُقاً شُسُبا
'What was Baghīḍ's offense—may you have no father—
concerning a wretch who came driving gaunt she-camels with song?
حَطَّتbrought down بِهِwith him مِنfrom بِلادِthe lands of الطورِal-Ṭūr عادِيَةٌa calamity
حَطَّت بِهِ مِن بِلادِ الطورِ عادِيَةٌ
حَصّاءُstripping bare لَمdid not تَتَّرِكleave دونَbesides العَصاthe staff شَذَباa splinter
حَصّاءُ لَم تَتَّرِك دونَ العَصا شَذَبا
A calamity brought him down from the lands of al-Ṭūr,
stripping him bare, leaving not a splinter besides his staff.
ماwhat كانَwas ذَنبِيَmy fault فيconcerning جارٍa neighbor جَعَلتُI provided لَهُfor him
ما كانَ ذَنبِيَ في جارٍ جَعَلتُ لَهُ
عَيشاًa livelihood وَقَدwhen already كانَhe had ذاقَtasted المَوتَdeath أَوor كَرَباcome close to it
عَيشاً وَقَد كانَ ذاقَ المَوتَ أَو كَرَبا
What was my fault concerning a neighbor for whom I provided
a livelihood, when he had tasted death, or come close?
جارٍa neighbor أَنِفتُI could not bear لِعَوفٍfor ʿAwf أَنthat تُسَبَّbe reviled بِهِbecause of him
جارٍ أَنِفتُ لِعَوفٍ أَن تُسَبَّ بِهِ
أَلقاهُcast him aside قَومٌa people دُناةٌbase ضَيَّعواthey squandered الحَسَباancestral honor
أَلقاهُ قَومٌ دُناةٌ ضَيَّعوا الحَسَبا
A neighbor because of whom I would not have ʿAwf reviled,
whom base men cast aside, squandering their ancestral honor.
أَخرَجتَyou brought out جارَهُمُtheir neighbor مِنfrom قَعرِthe depths of مُظلِمَةٍa dark pit
أَخرَجتَ جارَهُمُ مِن قَعرِ مُظلِمَةٍ
لَوif لَمnot تُغِثهُyou had aided him ثَوىhe would have lain فيin قَعرِهاits depths حِقَباfor ages
لَو لَم تُغِثهُ ثَوى في قَعرِها حِقَبا
You brought their neighbor out of the depths of a dark pit;
had you not aided him, he would have lain in its depths for ages.'
Sol 6.1