وَهاجِرَةٍand a scorching noon لاnot تَستَريدُseek pasture ظِباؤُهاits gazelles
وَهاجِرَةٍ لا تَستَريدُ ظِباؤُها
لِأَعلامِهاfor its landmarks مِنَof السَرابِthe mirage عَمائمُturbans
لِأَعلامِها مِنَ السَرابِ عَمائمُ
And many a scorching noon, whose gazelles will not seek pasture,
whose landmarks wear turbans of mirage.
تَرىyou see الكاسِعاتِthe tail-flicking beasts العُفرَthe dun-colored فيهاin it كَأَنَّماas though
تَرى الكاسِعاتِ العُفرَ فيها كَأَنَّما
شَواهاroasted them فَصَلّاهاthen scorched them مِنَof النارِthe fire جاحِمُa stoker
شَواها فَصَلّاها مِنَ النارِ جاحِمُ
You see the dun-colored, tail-flicking beasts there as though
a fire-stoker had roasted them, then scorched them.
نَصَبتُI set لَهاtoward it وَجهيmy face عَلىon ظَهرِthe back of لاحِبٍa broad track
نَصَبتُ لَها وَجهي عَلى ظَهرِ لاحِبٍ
طَحينِground fine الحَصىthe gravel قَدalready سَهَّلَتهُsmoothed it المَناسِمُcamel footpads
طَحينِ الحَصى قَد سَهَّلَتهُ المَناسِمُ
I set my face toward it along the back of a broad track,
its gravel ground fine, smoothed by camel footpads.
تَراهُyou see it إِذاwhen يَعلوrises over الأَحِزَّةَthe stony ridges واضِحاًclearly
تَراهُ إِذا يَعلو الأَحِزَّةَ واضِحاً
لِمَنto whoever كانَwas يَسريtraveling by night وَهُوَwhile it بِاللَيلِin the night طاسِمُis indistinct
لِمَن كانَ يَسري وَهُوَ بِاللَيلِ طاسِمُ
You see it clearly where it climbs the stony ridges,
visible to a night-traveler, though in the darkness it is dim.
زَجَرتُI urged عَلَيهِalong it حُرَّةَfine اللَيطِthe hide رَفَّعَتraised high
زَجَرتُ عَلَيهِ حُرَّةَ اللَيطِ رَفَّعَت
عَلىon رَبِذٍnimble legs كَأَنَّهُنَّas though they دَعائِمُpillars
عَلى رَبِذٍ كَأَنَّهُنَّ دَعائِمُ
I urged along it a fine-skinned she-camel, borne high
on nimble legs that seemed like pillars.
تَخالُyou would imagine بِضاحيon the exposed surface of جِلدِهاher hide وَدُفوفِهاand her flanks
تَخالُ بِضاحي جِلدِها وَدُفوفِها
عَصيمَa coating هَناءٍof tar أَعقَدَتهُthickened it الحَناتِمُearthen jars
عَصيمَ هَناءٍ أَعقَدَتهُ الحَناتِمُ
You would imagine on her exposed hide and flanks
a coating of tar, thickened by earthen jars.
يَظَلُّkeep remaining حَصىpebbles المَعزاءِthe stony ground بَينَbetween فُروجِهاthe gaps between her legs
يَظَلُّ حَصى المَعزاءِ بَينَ فُروجِها
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle اِرتَمَتdarted forward شَرواتِهِنَّtheir matching counterparts القوائِمُthe legs
إِذا ما اِرتَمَت شَرواتِهِنَّ القوائِمُ
The stony ground's pebbles keep scattering between her legs
when her matching limbs dart forward,
فُضاضاًin fragments كَماjust as تَنزوleap دَراهِمُdirhams تاجِرٍa merchant
فُضاضاً كَما تَنزو دَراهِمُ تاجِرٍ
يُقَمِّصُهاmakes them leap فَوقَabove البَنانthe fingertips الأَباهِمُthe thumbs
يُقَمِّصُها فَوقَ البَنان الأَباهِمُ
in fragments, as a merchant's dirhams leap,
his thumbs making them spring above his fingertips.
كَأَنّيas though I كَسَوتُclothed الرَحلَthe saddle جَوناa dark wild ass رَباعِياًfour-toothed
كَأَنّي كَسَوتُ الرَحلَ جَونا رَباعِياً
تَضَمَّنَهُsheltered him وَاديthe valley of الجَباal-Jaba وَالصَرائِمُand the detached dunes
تَضَمَّنَهُ وَادي الجَبا وَالصَرائِمُ
As though I had saddled a dark, four-toothed wild ass,
sheltered by Wadi al-Jaba and the detached dunes.
أَتىcame دونَin front of ماءِthe water of الرَسِّal-Rass بادٍnomads وَحاضِرٌand settled folk
أَتى دونَ ماءِ الرَسِّ بادٍ وَحاضِرٌ
وَفيهاand in it الجِمامُthe pools الطامِياتُoverflowing الخَضارِمُvast and deep
وَفيها الجِمامُ الطامِياتُ الخَضارِمُ
Nomads and settled folk had come between him and al-Rass's water,
where there were brimming pools, vast and deep.
فَصَدَّso he turned aside فَأَضحىthen he was by day بِالسَليلِin al-Salil كَأَنَّهُas though he
فَصَدَّ فَأَضحى بِالسَليلِ كَأَنَّهُ
سَليبُa man stripped by رِجالٍmen فَوقupon عَلياءَhigh ground قائِمُstanding
سَليبُ رِجالٍ فَوق عَلياءَ قائِمُ
So he turned aside and stood by day in al-Salil, as though
a man stripped by other men, standing on a height.
يُقَلِّبُturns لِلأَصواتِtoward the sounds وَالريحِand the wind هادِياًa neck
يُقَلِّبُ لِلأَصواتِ وَالريحِ هادِياً
تَميمَfully formed النَضِيِّin its shaft بَرَّصَتهُmottled it white المَكادِمُbite marks
تَميمَ النَضِيِّ بَرَّصَتهُ المَكادِمُ
He turns toward sounds and wind a neck,
its shaft full-grown, mottled white by bite marks,
وَغائِرَةًand a sunken eye فيin الحِنوِthe bony arch دارَcurved around حِجامُهاits rim
وَغائِرَةً في الحِنوِ دارَ حِجامُها
لَهاit has بَصرٌa gaze تَرمىcasts بِهِwith it الغَيبَthe unseen distance ساهِمُfixed
لَها بَصرٌ تَرمى بِهِ الغَيبَ ساهِمُ
and a sunken eye within the bony arch, its rim rounded,
with a fixed gaze that it casts into the unseen distance,
وَرَأساًand a head كَدَنِّlike a cask التَجرِof the merchants جَأباًmassive كَأَنَّماas though
وَرَأساً كَدَنِّ التَجرِ جَأباً كَأَنَّما
رَمىpelted حاجِبَيهِhis two brows بِالجَلاميدِwith boulders راجِمُa stone-thrower
رَمى حاجِبَيهِ بِالجَلاميدِ راجِمُ
and a massive head like a trader's cask, as though
a stone-thrower had pelted its brows with boulders.
وَفوهُand his mouth كَشَرخِlike the side-frame of الكورِa camel-saddle خانَbetrayed بِأَسرِهِentirely
وَفوهُ كَشَرخِ الكورِ خانَ بِأَسرِهِ
مَساميرُهُits pegs فَحِنوُهُso its curved frame مُتَفاقِمُgaping wide
مَساميرُهُ فَحِنوُهُ مُتَفاقِمُ
His mouth is like a saddle's side-frame, wholly betrayed by
its pegs, so that its arch gapes wide.
كِلاboth مِنخَرَيهِhis nostrils سائِفاًwhile sniffing وَمُعَشِّراًand braying
كِلا مِنخَرَيهِ سائِفاً وَمُعَشِّراً
بِماwith what اِنصَبَّpoured down مِنfrom ماءِthe fluid of الخَياشيمِthe nasal passages راذِمُdripping
بِما اِنصَبَّ مِن ماءِ الخَياشيمِ راذِمُ
Both his nostrils, as he sniffs and brays,
run with the fluid streaming from his nasal passages.
فَهُنَّso they قِيامُstand يَنتَظِرنَwait for قَضاءَهُhis decision
فَهُنَّ قِيامُ يَنتَظِرنَ قَضاءَهُ
وَهُنَّand they هَوادٍstretching their necks لِلرَكِيِّtoward the wells نَواظِمُin ordered rows
وَهُنَّ هَوادٍ لِلرَكِيِّ نَواظِمُ
So they stand, waiting for his decision,
their necks stretched toward the wells, in ordered rows.
وَفيand at جانِبِthe side of الماءِthe water الَّذيwhich كانَwas يَبتَغيseeking
وَفي جانِبِ الماءِ الَّذي كانَ يَبتَغي
بِهِwith it الرِيَّthe quenching of thirst دَبّابٌa stealthy stalker إِلىtoward الصَيدِgame عَالِمُexpert
بِهِ الرِيَّ دَبّابٌ إِلى الصَيدِ عَالِمُ
Beside the water where he sought
to slake his thirst was a stealthy stalker, skilled in hunting.
وَمِنand from خَلفِهِbehind him ذوa man of قُتَرَةٍa hunting hide مُتَسَمِّعٌlistening intently
وَمِن خَلفِهِ ذو قُتَرَةٍ مُتَسَمِّعٌ
طَويلُlong الطَوىin hunger خِفٌّnimble بِهاat it مُتعالِمُwell practiced
طَويلُ الطَوى خِفٌّ بِها مُتعالِمُ
And behind him, a man of a hunting hide, listening intently,
long hungry, nimble there, well versed in his craft.
رَفيقٌskillful بِتَنضيدِat stacking الصَفاstone slabs ماnot تَفوتُهُescapes him
رَفيقٌ بِتَنضيدِ الصَفا ما تَفوتُهُ
بِمُرتَصَدٍat an ambush وَحشِيَّةٌa wild female وَهُوَeven while he نائِمُis asleep
بِمُرتَصَدٍ وَحشِيَّةٌ وَهُوَ نائِمُ
Skillful at stacking stone slabs, he never misses
a wild female at his ambush, even while he sleeps.
فَلَمّاthen when اِرتَدىclothed himself جُلّاًa blanket مِنَof اللَيلِthe night هاجَهاroused them
فَلَمّا اِرتَدى جُلّاً مِنَ اللَيلِ هاجَها
إِلىtoward الحائِرِthe pool المَسجونِimprisoned فيهِin it العَلاجِمُthe frogs
إِلى الحائِرِ المَسجونِ فيهِ العَلاجِمُ
When he had put on a blanket of night, he roused them
toward the pool where the frogs lay imprisoned.
فَلَمّاthen when دَناdrew near لِلماءِto the water سافَsniffed حِياضَهُits basins
فَلَمّا دَنا لِلماءِ سافَ حِياضَهُ
وَخافَand feared الجَبانُthe timid one حَتفَهُhis death وَهُوَwhile he قائِمُstood
وَخافَ الجَبانُ حَتفَهُ وَهُوَ قائِمُ
As he neared the water, he sniffed its basins,
and the timid one feared his death as he stood.
فَوافَينَهُthen they joined him حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle تَصَوَّبَتbent down
فَوافَينَهُ حَتّى إِذا ما تَصَوَّبَت
أَكَارِعُهُhis shanks أَهوىtook aim لَهُat him وَهُوَwhile he سادِمُwas brooding
أَكَارِعُهُ أَهوى لَهُ وَهُوَ سادِمُ
They joined him, until, just as he lowered
his shanks, a brooding man took aim at him,
طَليحٌworn out مِنَfrom التَعساءِal-Taʿsa حَتّىso that كَأَنَّهُas though he
طَليحٌ مِنَ التَعساءِ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ
حَديثٌnewly afflicted بِحُمّىwith a fever أَسأَرَتهاleft some of it سُلالِمُSulalim
حَديثٌ بِحُمّى أَسأَرَتها سُلالِمُ
worn out from al-Taʿsa, so that he seemed
newly afflicted with a fever whose remnants Sulalim had left.
لَطيفٌslender كَصُدّادِlike a lizard الصَفاof the rock لاnot تَغُرُّهُdeceives him
لَطيفٌ كَصُدّادِ الصَفا لا تَغُرُّهُ
بِمُرتَقَبٍat a lookout وَحشِيَّةٌa wild female وَهُوَwhile he حازِمُis wary
بِمُرتَقَبٍ وَحشِيَّةٌ وَهُوَ حازِمُ
Slender as a rock-lizard, he is never deceived
by a wild female at his lookout, wary as he is.
أَخوa man of قُتُراتٍhunting hides لايَزالُalways remains كَأَنَّهُas though he
أَخو قُتُراتٍ لايَزالُ كَأَنَّهُ
إِذاwhen لَمdoes not يُصِبtake صَيداًgame مِنَfrom الوَحشِwild beasts غارِمُa debtor
إِذا لَم يُصِب صَيداً مِنَ الوَحشِ غارِمُ
A man of hunting hides, he always seems,
when he takes no wild game, like a debtor.
يُقَلِّبُturns over حَشَراتٍslender arrows وَيَختارُand selects نابِلٌan archer
يُقَلِّبُ حَشَراتٍ وَيَختارُ نابِلٌ
مِنَfrom الريشِthe plumage ماwhat اِلتَفَّتclustered عَلَيهِaround it القَوادِمُthe primary feathers
مِنَ الريشِ ما اِلتَفَّت عَلَيهِ القَوادِمُ
An archer turns over slender arrows and selects
from the plumage what the primary feathers enfold.
صَدَرنَcame away رِواءًfull-drunk عَنfrom أَسِنَّةَwhetstones صُلَّبٍhard
صَدَرنَ رِواءً عَن أَسِنَّةَ صُلَّبٍ
يَقِئنَvomit وَيَقطُرنَand drip السِمامَpoisons سَلاجِمُbroad arrowheads
يَقِئنَ وَيَقطُرنَ السِمامَ سَلاجِمُ
They came away full-drunk from hard whetstones—
broad arrowheads, vomiting and dripping poison.
وَصَفراءَand a yellow bow شَكَّتهاtraversed it الأَسِرَّةُgrain-lines عودُهاits wood
وَصَفراءَ شَكَّتها الأَسِرَّةُ عودُها
عَلىdespite الطَلِّfine dew وَالأَنداءِand moisture أَحمَرُred كاتِمُdeep-hued
عَلى الطَلِّ وَالأَنداءِ أَحمَرُ كاتِمُ
And a yellow bow, traversed by grain-lines, whose wood,
despite dew and damp, is deep red.
إِذاwhen أُطِرَis bent المَربوعُthe squared middle مِنهاof it تَرَنَّمَتit sings
إِذا أُطِرَ المَربوعُ مِنها تَرَنَّمَت
كَماjust as أَرزَمَتmoaned softly بَكرٌa young she-camel عَلىover البَوِّa calf's stuffed hide رائِمُyearning for her calf
كَما أَرزَمَت بَكرٌ عَلى البَوِّ رائِمُ
When its squared middle is bent, it sings,
as a young she-camel croons over her calf's stuffed hide, yearning.
فَأَورَدَهاthen he brought them to water فيin عُكوَةِthe depths of اللَيلِthe night جَوشَناًa coat of mail
فَأَورَدَها في عُكوَةِ اللَيلِ جَوشَناً
لِأَكفالِهاfor their hindquarters حَتّىuntil أَتىreached الماءَthe water لازِمُkeeping close
لِأَكفالِها حَتّى أَتى الماءَ لازِمُ
He led them to water in the depths of night, a coat of mail
for their hindquarters, keeping close until he reached the water.
فَلَمّاthen when أَرادَintended الصَوتَa bray يَوماًone day وَأَشرَعَتand they waded in
فَلَمّا أَرادَ الصَوتَ يَوماً وَأَشرَعَت
زَوىturned aside سَهمَهُhis arrow عاوٍa howler مِنَfrom الجِنِّthe jinn حارِمُthwarting
زَوى سَهمَهُ عاوٍ مِنَ الجِنِّ حارِمُ
Then, one day, as he meant to bray and they waded in,
a howling jinn, thwarting the hunter, turned his arrow aside.
فَمَرَّthen he sped عَلىon مُلسِsmooth النَواشِرleg-sinews قَلَّماseldom
فَمَرَّ عَلى مُلسِ النَواشِر قَلَّما
تُثَبِّطُهُنَّhold them back بِالخَبارِin soft ground الجِراثِمُmounds
تُثَبِّطُهُنَّ بِالخَبارِ الجِراثِمُ
He sped off on smooth-sinewed legs, seldom
checked by mounds in yielding ground.
وَمَرَّand passed بِأَكنافِbeside اليَدَينِthe forelegs نَضِيَّهُhis arrow-shaft
وَمَرَّ بِأَكنافِ اليَدَينِ نَضِيَّهُ
وَلِلحَتفِand for death أَحياناًat times عَنِfrom النَفسِthe soul عاجِمُa restrainer
وَلِلحَتفِ أَحياناً عَنِ النَفسِ عاجِمُ
And his arrow-shaft passed beside the forelegs;
sometimes a force holds death back from the soul.
يَعُضُّbites بِإِبهامِon the thumb اليَدَينِof both hands تَنَدُّماًin remorse
يَعُضُّ بِإِبهامِ اليَدَينِ تَنَدُّماً
وَلَهَّفَand cried woe for سِرّاًsecretly أُمَّهُhis mother وَهُوَwhile he نادِمُwas regretful
وَلَهَّفَ سِرّاً أُمَّهُ وَهُوَ نادِمُ
He bites the thumbs of both hands in remorse,
and secretly cries, 'Woe to my mother!' full of regret.
وَقالَand he said أَلاah فيin خَيبَةٍfailure أَنتِyou مِنas a يَدٍhand
وَقالَ أَلا في خَيبَةٍ أَنتِ مِن يَدٍ
وَجَدَّand may sever بِذيwith a blade bearing إِثرٍpatterning بَنانَكِyour fingers جاذِمُa cutter
وَجَدَّ بِذي إِثرٍ بَنانَكِ جاذِمُ
And he said, 'Ah, what a hapless hand you are!
May a cutter lop your fingers off with a patterned blade!'
وَأَصبَحَand by morning he was يَبغيseeking نَصلَهُhis arrowhead وَنَضِيَّهُand his shaft
وَأَصبَحَ يَبغي نَصلَهُ وَنَضِيَّهُ
فَريقَينِin two parts شَتّىseparated وَهُوَwhile he أَسفانُwas sorrowful واجِمُsilent
فَريقَينِ شَتّى وَهُوَ أَسفانُ واجِمُ
By morning he was seeking his arrowhead and shaft,
the two scattered apart, while he was grieving and mute.
وَصاحَand called بِهاto them جَأبٌa stout wild ass كَأَنَّas though نُسورَهُhis hoof-frogs
وَصاحَ بِها جَأبٌ كَأَنَّ نُسورَهُ
نَوىًdate-stones عَضَّهُgnawed it مِنfrom تَمرِthe dates of قُرّانَQurran عاجِمُa chewer
نَوىً عَضَّهُ مِن تَمرِ قُرّانَ عاجِمُ
The stout ass called to them, as though his hoof-frogs
were pits from Qurran dates, gnawed by a chewer.
وَقَفّىand went away فَأَضحىthen he was by day بِالسِتارِat al-Sitar كَأَنَّهُas though he
وَقَفّى فَأَضحى بِالسِتارِ كَأَنَّهُ
خَليعُan outcast of رِجالٍmen فَوقَupon عَلياءَhigh ground صائِمُstanding motionless
خَليعُ رِجالٍ فَوقَ عَلياءَ صائِمُ
He went away and by morning was at al-Sitar, like
an outcast of men, motionless upon a height.
قَليلُlittle التَأَنّيpausing مُستَتِبٌّpressing straight on كَأَنَّهُas though he
قَليلُ التَأَنّي مُستَتِبٌّ كَأَنَّهُ
لَهاfor them واسِقٌa herd-driver يَنجوflees بِهاwith them اللَيلَthrough the night غانِمُladen with booty
لَها واسِقٌ يَنجو بِها اللَيلَ غانِمُ
Pausing little, pressing straight on, as though he were
their drover, escaping with them through the night, laden with plunder.
فَوَرَّكَthen left behind قِدراًQidr بِالشَمالِon the left وَضَلفَعاًand Dalfaʿ
فَوَرَّكَ قِدراً بِالشَمالِ وَضَلفَعاً
وَحاذَتهُand came abreast of him أَعلاَمٌlandmarks لَهاof it ومَخارِمُand mountain passes
وَحاذَتهُ أَعلاَمٌ لَها ومَخارِمُ
He left Qidr and Dalfaʿ behind on his left,
and its landmarks and mountain passes came abreast of him.
وَأَمَّand headed بِهاwith them ماءَthe water of الرَسيسِal-Rasis فَصَوَّبَتthen they descended
وَأَمَّ بِها ماءَ الرَسيسِ فَصَوَّبَت
لِلَينَةَtoward Linah وَاِنقَضَّand sank down النُجومُthe stars القَوائِمُstanding high
لِلَينَةَ وَاِنقَضَّ النُجومُ القَوائِمُ
He headed them toward al-Rasis's water, and they descended
toward Linah, as the stars standing high sank down.
فَلَمso did not أَرَI see مَوسوقاًa driven beast أَقَلَّless وَتيرَةًslackening
فَلَم أَرَ مَوسوقاً أَقَلَّ وَتيرَةً
وَلاnor واسِقاًa herd-driver ماso long as لَمdid not تَخُنهُfail him القَوائِمُthe legs
وَلا واسِقاً ما لَم تَخُنهُ القَوائِمُ
I have never seen a driven beast less prone to lagging,
nor a driver, so long as his legs did not fail him.
Sol 6.1