بانَhas departed الشَبابُyouth وَأَمسىand is now الشَيبُgray hair قَدalready أَزِفاhas drawn near
بانَ الشَبابُ وَأَمسى الشَيبُ قَد أَزِفا
وَلاand not أَرىI see لِشَبابٍfor youth ذاهِبٍdeparting خَلَفاa replacement
وَلا أَرى لِشَبابٍ ذاهِبٍ خَلَفا
Youth has departed, and gray hair has now drawn near.
Youth has departed and old age has come nigh,
I see no replacement for youth that is gone.
I see no remnant of departed youth.
عادَbecame السَوادُthe black hair بَياضاًwhite فيin مَفارِقِهِits hair-partings
عادَ السَوادُ بَياضاً في مَفارِقِهِ
لاno مَرحَباًwelcome هابِذاto this here اللَونِcolor الَّذيwhich رَدِفاfollowed
لا مَرحَباً هابِذا اللَونِ الَّذي رَدِفا
The black hair has turned white along its partings.
Darkness has returned to whiteness where it parted,
No welcome to this color that has followed it!
No welcome to you, O hue that followed after.
فيin كُلِّevery يَومٍday أَرىI see مِنهُof it مُبَيِّنَةًa clear sign
في كُلِّ يَومٍ أَرى مِنهُ مُبَيِّنَةً
تَكادُnearly تُسقِطُtakes away مِنيfrom me مُنَّةًstrength أَسَفاout of grief
تَكادُ تُسقِطُ مِني مُنَّةً أَسَفا
Each day I see a clear sign of it,
Every day it shows me some mark
which nearly saps my strength with grief.
That almost makes me weep with sadness.
لَيتَif only الشَبابَyouth حَليفٌan ally لاnot يُزايلُناleaves us
لَيتَ الشَبابَ حَليفٌ لا يُزايلُنا
بَلrather لَيتَهُif only it اِرتَدَّreturned مِنهُof it بَعضُsome ماwhat سَلفاhas passed
بَل لَيتَهُ اِرتَدَّ مِنهُ بَعضُ ما سَلفا
Would that youth were an ally that never left us!
Would that youth were a lasting friend,
Rather, would that some of its bygone self returned!
If only some of what is past could return!
ماwhat شَرُّهاher ill temper بَعدَafter ماthat إِبيَضَّتturned white مَسائِحُهاher temple-locks
ما شَرُّها بَعدَ ما إِبيَضَّت مَسائِحُها
لاnot الوُدَّaffection أَعرِفُهُI recognize it مِنهاfrom her وَلاnor اللَطَفاtenderness
لا الوُدَّ أَعرِفُهُ مِنها وَلا اللَطَفا
What ill temper she shows, now her temple-locks have turned white!
When her temples turned white, how evil she was!
I recognize neither affection from her nor tenderness.
Neither love nor kindness do I know in her.
لَوif أَنَّهاthat she آذَنَتgave notice بِكراًas a maiden لَقُلتُI would have said لَهاto her
لَو أَنَّها آذَنَت بِكراً لَقُلتُ لَها
ياO هيدَhold on مالِكِwhat is wrong with you? أَوor لَوif آذَنَتshe gave notice نَصَفاmiddle-aged
يا هيدَ مالِكِ أَو لَو آذَنَت نَصَفا
Had she given notice as a maiden, I would have said to her,
Had she given notice at first I'd have said to her,
'Hold on—what is wrong with you?'—or had she given notice in middle age.
"Gently, slowly, Malik's confidante!" Or even, "Halfway!"
لَولاbut for بَنوهاher sons وَقولُand the talk الناسِof people ماnot عُطِفَتshe was turned back
لَولا بَنوها وَقولُ الناسِ ما عُطِفَت
عَلىin response to العِتابِreproach وَشرُّand the worst الوُدِّaffection ماthat which عُطِفاwas coaxed back
عَلى العِتابِ وَشرُّ الوُدِّ ما عُطِفا
But for her sons and people's talk, she would not have been brought back
Were it not for her children and people's talk
by reproach; the worst affection is affection coaxed back.
I'd not have turned to censure her; base is the love that is forced.
فَلَنso never أَزالَI cease وَإِنand even if جامَلتُI acted courteously مُضطَّغِناًharboring rancor
فَلَن أَزالَ وَإِن جامَلتُ مُضطَّغِناً
فيwith غَيرِno نأَرَةٍoutcry ضَبَّاrancorous لَهاtoward her شَنَفاfull of hatred
في غَيرِ نأَرَةٍ ضَبَّا لَها شَنَفا
So I shall never cease, though I am courteous, to harbor rancor,
So I shall not cease, though outwardly flattering,
without an outcry, bitterly resentful and full of hatred for her.
Bitterly blaming her though not with frown or grimace,
وَلاحِبٍand a broad road كَحَصيرِlike a mat الرامِلاتِthe mat-weaving women تَرىyou see
وَلاحِبٍ كَحَصيرِ الرامِلاتِ تَرى
مِنَof الَمَطِيِّriding camels عَلىon حافاتِهِits edges جِيَفاcarcasses
مِنَ الَمَطِيِّ عَلى حافاتِهِ جِيَفا
And many a broad road, like a mat the women weave, where you see
Nor lover, like a worn-out mat with,
carcasses of riding camels along its edges,
On its borders, the dung of camels.
وَالمُرذِياتِand worn-out camels عَلَيهاupon them الطَيرُbirds تَنقُرُهاpeck at them
وَالمُرذِياتِ عَلَيها الطَيرُ تَنقُرُها
إِمّاeither لَهيداًcrushed وَإِمّاor else زاحِفاًcrawling from exhaustion نَطِفاdiseased
إِمّا لَهيداً وَإِمّا زاحِفاً نَطِفا
and worn-out beasts with birds upon them, pecking at them,
There peck at it the dung-beetles
either crushed, or crawling along, diseased.
Now bent over, now crawling sluggishly.
قَدalready تَرَكَhave left العامِلاتُthe tireless camels الراسِماتُthe brisk-trotting ones بِهِon it
قَد تَرَكَ العامِلاتُ الراسِماتُ بِهِ
مِنَamong الأَحِزَّةِrocky ridges فيalong حافاتِهِits edges خُنُفاtattered rags
مِنَ الأَحِزَّةِ في حافاتِهِ خُنُفا
The tireless, brisk-trotting camels have left there
The workers left upon it, the weavers,
tattered rags among the rocky ridges along its edges.
Of ravellings on its edges, tufts.
يَهديit guides الضَلولَthe lost traveler ذَلولٍeasy to travel غَيرِnot مُعتَرِفٍknowing the way
يَهدي الضَلولَ ذَلولٍ غَيرِ مُعتَرِفٍ
إِذاwhen تَكاءَدَهُdaunts him دَوِّيُهُits desert expanse عَسَفاhe travels blindly
إِذا تَكاءَدَهُ دَوِّيُهُ عَسَفا
It guides the lost along an easy way, though he knows it not,
It misleads the lost, unrecognized stragglers,
when its desert expanse daunts him and he strikes out blindly.
When its echoing roar comes on them suddenly.
سَمحٌeasy دَريرٍswift-going إِذاwhen ماever صُوَّةٌa rocky marker عَرَضَتappeared
سَمحٌ دَريرٍ إِذا ما صُوَّةٌ عَرَضَت
لهُto it قَريباًnearby لِسَهلٍtoward level ground مالَit turned فَاِنحَرَفاthen bent aside
لهُ قَريباً لِسَهلٍ مالَ فَاِنحَرَفا
Easy and swift to travel: whenever a rocky marker appears
It is submissive, humble, if a plain stretch near it;
close by, it turns and bends toward level ground.
It swerves aside. Through it the wild ass,
يَجتازُcrosses فيهِthrough it القَطاthe sandgrouse الكُدرِيُّthe dusky kind ضاحِيَةًin broad daylight
يَجتازُ فيهِ القَطا الكُدرِيُّ ضاحِيَةً
حَتّىuntil يَؤوبَit returns سِمالاًragged young قَدalready خَلَتwere left alone خُلُفاbehind
حَتّى يَؤوبَ سِمالاً قَد خَلَت خُلُفا
The dusky sandgrouse crosses it in broad daylight,
Passes joyously, until he turns left:
until it returns to ragged young left behind.
The does have passed leaving no trace behind.
يَسقينَthey give drink طُلساًdusky chicks خَفِيّاتٍfaint تَراطُنُهاtheir chatter
يَسقينَ طُلساً خَفِيّاتٍ تَراطُنُها
كَماjust as تَراطَنُchatter together عُجمٌnon-Arabs تَقرَأُread الصُحُفاwritten pages
كَما تَراطَنُ عُجمٌ تَقرَأُ الصُحُفا
They give drink to dusky chicks whose chatter is faint,
It waters slender, hidden, that murmur
like non-Arabs chattering as they read written pages.
As foreign rabble reciting the parchments.
جَوانِحٌdrooping كَالأَفانيlike afānī plants فيin أَفاحِصِهاtheir nest-scrapes
جَوانِحٌ كَالأَفاني في أَفاحِصِها
يَنظُرنَthey gaze خَلفَafter رَواياwater-bearers تَستَقيfetching water نُطَفاscant drops
يَنظُرنَ خَلفَ رَوايا تَستَقي نُطَفا
Drooping like afānī plants within their nest-scrapes,
Gazelles whose eyes in their sockets
they gaze after water-bearers fetching little drops.
Look behind, seeking the sperm-drops.
حُمرٌred حَواصِلُهاtheir crops كَالمَغدِlike maghd fruit قَدalready كُسِيَتthey have been clothed
حُمرٌ حَواصِلُها كَالمَغدِ قَد كُسِيَت
فَوقَabove الحواجِبِthe brows مِمّاfrom what سَبَّدَتhas sprouted as down شَعَفاcrest-tufts
فَوقَ الحواجِبِ مِمّا سَبَّدَت شَعَفا
Their crops are red as maghd fruit; they are clothed
Bay camels whose girths, like the swelling clouds,
above the brows with tufts of new-grown down.
Covered above the eyebrows from what was knotted.
يَوماًone day قَطَعَتُI crossed وَموماةٍand a wasteland سَرَيتُI traveled by night إِذاwhen
يَوماً قَطَعَتُ وَموماةٍ سَرَيتُ إِذا
ماever ضارِبُa player الدُفِّof the tambourine مِنamong جِنّانِهاits jinn عَزَفاplayed
ما ضارِبُ الدُفِّ مِن جِنّانِها عَزَفا
One day I crossed it; and many a wasteland I traveled through at night, when
One day I passed Womamah. I walked when
a tambourine-player among its jinn struck up his music.
The tambourine player began to beat time.
كَلَّفتُهاI assigned it حُرَّةَfine-bred اللَيتَينِin both neck-sides ناجِيَةًa swift she-camel
كَلَّفتُها حُرَّةَ اللَيتَينِ ناجِيَةً
قَصرَthe close العَشِيِّof afternoon تُباريshe races أَينُقاًshe-camels عُصُفاstorm-swift
قَصرَ العَشِيِّ تُباري أَينُقاً عُصُفا
I charged a swift she-camel, fine on both sides of her neck, to cross it,
I charged the "alas" of the two encampments, chanting,
at the close of afternoon, vying with storm-swift she-camels.
Vying toward evening with a moaner.
أَبقَىleft التَهَجُّرُtravel through noonday heat مِنهاof her بَعدَafter ماthat اِبتُذِلَتshe was worn with use
أَبقَى التَهَجُّرُ مِنها بَعدَ ما اِبتُذِلَت
مَخيَلَةًproud carriage وَهِباباًand bounding vigor خاَلِطاًmingling with كَثَفاsturdy bulk
مَخيَلَةً وَهِباباً خاَلِطاً كَثَفا
The noonday march, after she had been worn with use, still left her
Did separation from her persist after she was worn threadbare,
a proud carriage and bounding vigor joined to sturdy bulk.
Becoming confused and intermixed abundantly?
تَنجوshe speeds away وَتَقطُرand drip ذِفراهاher two ear-bases عَلىonto عُنُقٍa neck
تَنجو وَتَقطُر ذِفراها عَلى عُنُقٍ
كَالجِذعِlike a palm-trunk شَذَّبlopped عَنهُfrom it عاذِقٌa palm-tender سَعَفاfronds
كَالجِذعِ شَذَّب عَنهُ عاذِقٌ سَعَفا
She speeds on, sweat behind her ears dripping onto a neck
She escapes and her braids drip down upon a neck
like a palm-trunk from which a palm-tender has lopped the fronds.
Like a sapling from which its leaves were stripped.
كَأَنَّas though رَحليmy saddle وَقَدand already لاَنَتhas softened عَريكَتُهاher disposition
كَأَنَّ رَحلي وَقَد لاَنَت عَريكَتُها
كَسَوتُهُI draped it جَورَفاًa huge male ostrich أَقرابُهُhis flanks خَصِفاmottled
كَسَوتُهُ جَورَفاً أَقرابُهُ خَصِفا
My saddle, now her temper has softened, looks as though
As if my riding beast, its saddle worn out
I had draped it over a huge male ostrich with mottled flanks.
Were clothed with a coverlet by its owner in patches.
يَجتازُhe crosses أَرضَthe ground فَلاةٍof a desert غَيرَexcept أَنَّthat بِهاin it
يَجتازُ أَرضَ فَلاةٍ غَيرَ أَنَّ بِها
آثارَtracks جِنٍّof jinn وَوَسماًand a mark بَينَهُمamong them سَلَفاdated from before
آثارَ جِنٍّ وَوَسماً بَينَهُم سَلَفا
He crosses a desert land containing nothing but
It crosses a desolate land where yet are
traces of jinn and an old mark left among them.
Traces of jinn and a pact struck between them long ago.
تَبريdraws alongside لَهُto him هِقلَةٌa hen-ostrich خَرجاءُpiebald تَحسَبُهاyou would take her
تَبري لَهُ هِقلَةٌ خَرجاءُ تَحسَبُها
فيin الآَلِthe mirage مَخلولَةًwrapped and pinned فيin قَرطَفٍa shaggy cloak شَرَفاa tall figure
في الآَلِ مَخلولَةً في قَرطَفٍ شَرَفا
A piebald hen-ostrich draws alongside him; you would take her,
Overhanging rocks point out to it
in the mirage, for a tall figure with a shaggy cloak pinned about her.
What they suppose in the cooking pots to be left as scraps.
ظَلّاthey both spent the day بِأَقرِيَةِin the watercourses النَفّاخِal-Naffākh يَومَهُماtheir day
ظَلّا بِأَقرِيَةِ النَفّاخِ يَومَهُما
يَحتَفِرانِthey both dig up أُصولَthe roots المَغدِmaghd plants وَاللَصَفاand laṣaf plants
يَحتَفِرانِ أُصولَ المَغدِ وَاللَصَفا
They spent their day in the watercourses of al-Naffākh,
A shade beneath the blower's leather bag the day they
digging up the roots of maghd and laṣaf plants,
Sift the flour's bran and its coarseness.
وَالشَرىand colocynth حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen إِخضَرَّتturned green أُنوفُهُماboth their noses
وَالشَرى حَتّى إِذا إِخضَرَّت أُنوفُهُما
لاnot يَألَوانِthey both slacken مِنَin التَنُّوِمtannūm plants ماwhat نَقَفاthey both pecked
لا يَألَوانِ مِنَ التَنُّوِم ما نَقَفا
and colocynth, until their noses had turned green,
And they buy, until when their snouts grow green
never slackening in pecking up the tannūm plants.
They do not abstain from sleep a moment.
راجاthey both went off يَطيرانِthey both fly مُعوَجَّينِboth bent over فيin سَرَعٍhaste
راجا يَطيرانِ مُعوَجَّينِ في سَرَعٍ
وَلاand not يَريعانthey both turn back حَتّىuntil يَهبِطاthey both descend أُنُفاuntouched ground
وَلا يَريعان حَتّى يَهبِطا أُنُفا
They went off, flying bent over in haste,
Like ostriches they fly, swerving, hastily,
not turning back until they descended to untouched ground.
And do not light till they stick nose first.
كَالحَبشيينِlike two Abyssinians خافاthey both feared مِنfrom مَليكِهِماtheir king
كَالحَبشيينِ خافا مِن مَليكِهِما
بَعضَsome العَذابِpunishment فَجالاso they both ran about بَعدَماafter كُتِفاboth were pinioned
بَعضَ العَذابِ فَجالا بَعدَما كُتِفا
Like two Abyssinians who feared from their king
Like the Ethiopians, fearing their lord's
some punishment, and ran about after their arms were bound behind them.
Punishment, so they fled after being confined.
كَالخالِيَينِlike two unburdened creatures إِذاwhen ماever صَوَّباthey both dipped down اِرتَفَعاthey both rose
كَالخالِيَينِ إِذا ما صَوَّبا اِرتَفَعا
لاnot يَحقِرانِthey both disdain مِنَof الخُطبانِkhuṭbān plants ماwhat نَقِفاthey both pecked
لا يَحقِرانِ مِنَ الخُطبانِ ما نَقِفا
Like two unburdened creatures: whenever they dip, they rise,
Like the two stammerers, when they straighten up, mounting,
disdaining none of the khuṭbān plants they peck.
They disdain not the orators' pulpits.
فَاِغتَرَّهاthen he caught her unawares فَشَآهاand he outstripped her وَهِيَwhile she غافِلَةٌheedless
فَاِغتَرَّها فَشَآها وَهِيَ غافِلَةٌ
حَتّىuntil رَأَتهُshe saw him وَقَدand already أَوفىhe mounted لَهاbefore her شَرَفاa rise
حَتّى رَأَتهُ وَقَد أَوفى لَها شَرَفا
Then he caught her unawares and outstripped her while she was heedless,
It took her unawares when she was heedless
until she saw him already atop a rise before her.
Until she saw him and he had fulfilled her wish.
فَشَمَّرتthen she tucked up عَنto expose عَمودَيtwo shafts بانَةٍa bān tree ذَبَلاthat had withered
فَشَمَّرت عَن عَمودَي بانَةٍ ذَبَلا
كَأَنَّas though ضاحِيَthe outer surface قِشرٍof bark عَنهُماfrom them both اِنقَرَفاhad been peeled away
كَأَنَّ ضاحِيَ قِشرٍ عَنهُما اِنقَرَفا
Then she bared two withered shafts of a bān tree,
She bared two columns of twisted fiber
as though the outer bark had been stripped from them both.
As if the side of a parchment scroll were stripped off.
وَقارَبَتand she drew close مِنof جَناحَيهاher two wings وَجُؤجُئِهاand her breast
وَقارَبَت مِن جَناحَيها وَجُؤجُئِها
سَكّاءَearless تَثنيshe folds إِلَيهاtoward herself لَيِّناًsoft plumage خَصِفاmottled
سَكّاءَ تَثني إِلَيها لَيِّناً خَصِفا
She drew her wings close to her breast,
She approached the wings and shoulders of her mate
an earless bird, folding soft, mottled plumage against herself.
Humbly bending toward her, supple of shoulder.
كانَتshe was كَذِلكَlike that فيin شَأوٍa race مُمَنَّعَةًunassailable
كانَت كَذِلكَ في شَأوٍ مُمَنَّعَةً
وَلوand even if تَكلَّفَhe attempted مِنهاof hers مِثلَهُits like كَلِفاhe suffered strain
وَلو تَكلَّفَ مِنها مِثلَهُ كَلِفا
Thus she was unassailable in a race,
Such she was, inviolate,
and even if he tried to match her run, he would be hard-pressed.
Though the like of her might for him be sought.
Sol 6.1