أَلاbehold تِلكَthat one عِرسيmy wife إذاwhen أمعَرتshe grew impoverished
أَلا تِلكَ عِرسي إذا أمعَرت
أَساءَتshe dealt harshly مَلامَتَناreproaching us والإِماراand giving counsel
أَساءَت مَلامَتَنا والإِمارا
Behold my wife: when she grows poor,
Behold, when ‘Arsi turns away her mount,
She reproaches and counsels us harshly.
She blames us though blameless are we;
وقالَتand she said أرىI see المالَthe wealth أَهلَكتَهُyou squandered it
وقالَت أرى المالَ أَهلَكتَهُ
وَأَحسَبُهُand I reckon it لَوif تَراهُyou saw it مُعاراon loan
وَأَحسَبُهُ لَو تَراهُ مُعارا
And she says, “I see you have squandered the wealth,
“I see,” she says, “you have squandered your wealth,
And I reckon it, if you saw it, merely a loan.”
And I think were you to see it, ashamed you would be.
وَيَمنَعُand withholds مِنهاfrom her نَماءَthe increase of الإِفالthe camel colts
وَيَمنَعُ مِنها نَماءَ الإِفال
نسيءُdeferred payment القِداحَthe gaming arrows وَنَقديand my cash payments التِجاراto the merchants
نسيءُ القِداحَ وَنَقدي التِجارا
And she is denied the increase of camel colts
The creditors deny us access to loans—
By gaming on credit and my paying merchants in cash,
Those who sell on credit seek what we owe;
وَقَولُand the words of الأَلَدَّةِthe quarrelsome men عِندَat الفِصالِparting
وَقَولُ الأَلَدَّةِ عِندَ الفِصالِ
إِذاwhen قُمتُI rise لاdo not تَترُكَنّاleave us حَراراthirsty
إِذا قُمتُ لا تَترُكَنّا حَرارا
And the quarrelsome men’s words at parting,
The slaves say, as I rise to depart,
When I rise: “Do not leave us thirsty!”
‘Do not abandon us here lest we burn!’”
غَشيتُI traversed حُزوناًrugged ground بِبَطنِin the valley of الضِباعِal-Ḍibāʿ
غَشيتُ حُزوناً بِبَطنِ الضِباعِ
فَأَلمَحتُthen I glimpsed مِنfrom آلِthe household of سَلمىSalmā دِثاراa covering
فَأَلمَحتُ مِن آلِ سَلمى دِثارا
I crossed rugged ground in the valley of al-Ḍibāʿ,
Gloomy, I entered a wolf-lair by night.
Then glimpsed a covering belonging to Salmā’s household.
Then I glimpsed the mantles of Salma’s clan.
نَظَرتُI looked وَأَهليwhile my people عَلىwere at صائِفٍṢāʾif
نَظَرتُ وَأَهلي عَلى صائِفٍ
هُدُوّاًin the still of night فَآنَستُthen I perceived بِالفَردِat al-Fard ناراa fire
هُدُوّاً فَآنَستُ بِالفَردِ نارا
I looked, while my people were at Ṣāʾif,
I looked and saw my family on Sa’if,
In the still of night, and sighted a fire at al-Fard.
Migrating. I glimpsed a lone fire in the distance.
عَلَيهاbeside it خَذولٌa solitary female كَأُمِّlike the mother of الغَزالِthe gazelle
عَلَيها خَذولٌ كَأُمِّ الغَزالِ
تَقروshe seeks out بِذَروَةِat Dharwa ضالاًwild lote trees قِصاراshort
تَقرو بِذَروَةِ ضالاً قِصارا
Beside it stood a solitary woman, like a gazelle’s dam,
Upon it a forlorn gazelle like a mother gazelle
Seeking short wild lote trees at Dharwa.
Grazing by herself lost from the herd.
تَنُصُّshe stretches up لِرَوعاتِهِat his alarms جيدَهاher neck
تَنُصُّ لِرَوعاتِهِ جيدَها
إِذاwhen سَمِعَتshe hears مِنfrom مُغَمٍّa shaggy lion جُؤاراa roar
إِذا سَمِعَت مِن مُغَمٍّ جُؤارا
She stretches her neck at his alarms,
She offers her smooth neck to any feared sound—
When she hears a shaggy lion’s roar.
If she but hears the complaint of a dove.
أَصاحِO friend تَرىdo you see البَرقَthe lightning لَمhas not يَغتَمِضblinked
أَصاحِ تَرى البَرقَ لَم يَغتَمِض
إِذاwhen زَعزَعَتهُshakes it الجَنوبُthe south wind اِستطاراit flared far and wide
إِذا زَعزَعَتهُ الجَنوبُ اِستطارا
O friend, do you see the lightning that has not blinked?
Behold the lightning which did not go out
When the south wind shakes it, it flares far and wide.
When the gale shook it and it flashed time and again.
فَسَلَّthen it unsheathed مَصابيحَهُits lamps بِالعِشاءِat nightfall
فَسَلَّ مَصابيحَهُ بِالعِشاءِ
تَحسَبُyou imagine مِنfrom حافَتَيهِits two edges المَناراthe beacons
تَحسَبُ مِن حافَتَيهِ المَنارا
Then it unsheathed its lamps at nightfall;
So it shed its lamps in the darkening night,
At its two edges you would imagine beacons.
Its edges seeming to be cressets.
كَأَنَّas though تَكَشّفهُits unveiling بِالنَشاصِamong the high clouds
كَأَنَّ تَكَشّفهُ بِالنَشاصِ
بُلقٌpiebald mares تَكَشَّفُemerging تَحميprotecting مِهاراfoals
بُلقٌ تَكَشَّفُ تَحمي مِهارا
As though its unveiling among the high clouds
As if, when it lightened, its veil lifted displayed
Were piebald mares emerging, guarding foals.
An adorable one who a secret would guard.
أَقامَit stationed بِذيat Dhū النَخلِal-Nakhl رَيعانَهُits first surge
أَقامَ بِذي النَخلِ رَيعانَهُ
وَجادَand drenched مُسَلِّحَةًMusalliḥa فَالسِتاراthen al-Sitār
وَجادَ مُسَلِّحَةً فَالسِتارا
Its first surge lingered at Dhū al-Nakhl,
The saplings of date palms it made stand straight,
And drenched Musalliḥa, then al-Sitār.
And generous palm trees it violently stripped.
وَحَطَّطَand brought down أَحمَرَAḥmar بِالدَونَكَينِat al-Dawnakayn
وَحَطَّطَ أَحمَرَ بِالدَونَكَينِ
يغشَينَthey cover مُعتَصِماتٍclinging for shelter تِعاراTiʿār
يغشَينَ مُعتَصِماتٍ تِعارا
And brought Aḥmar low at al-Dawnakayn;
Blood-red streaks mar the smooth dunes,
They shrouded Tiʿār, clinging fast.
Covering shrinking cowerers.
فَأَضحىso by morning it was بِمُعتَلِجِat the turbulent meeting of الوادِيَينِthe two valleys
فَأَضحى بِمُعتَلِجِ الوادِيَينِ
يَبرُقُflashes مِنهُfrom it صَبيرٌa cloud-bank نَهاراby day
يَبرُقُ مِنهُ صَبيرٌ نَهارا
So by morning, at the meeting of the two valleys,
So at mid-day the two valleys’ cleft
A bank of cloud flashed from it in daylight.
Flashes with glittering pools of running water,
حَسيفَragged-edged يَزيفُsways along كَزَيفِlike the gait of الكَسيرِthe broken-limbed one
حَسيفَ يَزيفُ كَزَيفِ الكَسيرِ
يَنهَمِرُpours down الماءُthe water مِنهُfrom it اِنهِماراin torrents
يَنهَمِرُ الماءُ مِنهُ اِنهِمارا
Ragged, it swayed like a broken-limbed creature,
Like the torrent of melted lead
Water pouring from it in torrents.
Pouring water as in ceaseless rain,
وَغَيثٍand a rain-fed pasture تَبَطَّنتُI explored the heart of قُريانَهُits watercourses
وَغَيثٍ تَبَطَّنتُ قُريانَهُ
يُجاوِبُanswers فيهِwithin it نَهيقَan ass’s bray عِراراan ostrich’s cry
يُجاوِبُ فيهِ نَهيقَ عِرارا
And a rain-fed pasture whose watercourses I explored,
Or a cloud whose sides took in water
Where an ass’s bray answers an ostrich’s cry.
Answered by the braying roar of camels,
ذَعَرتُI startled عَصافيرَهُits sparrows بِالسَوادِwith the dark silhouette
ذَعَرتُ عَصافيرَهُ بِالسَوادِ
أُوَزِّعُI rein in ذاone possessed of مَيعَةٍimpetuous vigor مُستَطاراhigh-strung
أُوَزِّعُ ذا مَيعَةٍ مُستَطارا
I startled its sparrows with my dark silhouette,
I startled its black birds
Reining in a spirited, high-strung steed.
Distributing calls in various notes,
مِنَone of المُغضِباتِthe anger-rousing steeds بِفَضِّby scattering القُرونِthe rivals
مِنَ المُغضِباتِ بِفَضِّ القُرونِ
إِذاwhen كَرَّrecurred فيهِin him حَميمٌhot sweat غِراراin brief spurts
إِذا كَرَّ فيهِ حَميمٌ غِرارا
One of the maddening steeds that scatter rivals,
Made angry by the vieing of voices
When hot sweat courses over him in brief spurts.
Whenever the red blaze burst out from it,
إِذاwhen نَزَّعَتهُpulled him back إِلَيَّtoward me الشَمالthe left hand
إِذا نَزَّعَتهُ إِلَيَّ الشَمال
راجَعَresumed تَقريبَهُhis canter ثُمَّthen غاراgalloped
راجَعَ تَقريبَهُ ثُمَّ غارا
When my left hand draws him back toward me,
When the north wind tugged it toward me,
He resumes his canter, then gallops.
It turned back after nearing me, then disappeared,
كَماjust as جاشَseethed بِالماءِwith water عِندَat الوَقودِthe kindling of the fire
كَما جاشَ بِالماءِ عِندَ الوَقودِ
مِرجَلُa cauldron طَبّاخِهِits cook’s ثُمَّthen فاراboiled over
مِرجَلُ طَبّاخِهِ ثُمَّ فارا
As water surges when the fire is kindled
As broth boiled before the kindling
In the cook’s cauldron, then boils over.
In the pot of its cook, who then departed.
يَعِزُّoutstrips القَوافِلthe homeward caravans سَهلَthe level part of الطَريقِthe road
يَعِزُّ القَوافِل سَهلَ الطَريقِ
إِذاwhen طابَقَتmet وَعثَهُنَّtheir soft sand الحِراراthe lava fields
إِذا طابَقَت وَعثَهُنَّ الحِرارا
He outstrips homeward caravans on the level road,
The highroad makes travel hard for caravans
When their sandy tracks meet the lava fields.
When its glowing heat reaches them.
يَفينَthey keep pace (uncertain reading) وَيَحسَبُهُand one considers him قافِلاًhomeward-bound
يَفينَ وَيَحسَبُهُ قافِلاً
إذاwhen اِقوَرَّgrew lean حملاجَa slender blowpipe ليفٍpalm fiber مُغاراtightly twisted
إذا اِقوَرَّ حملاجَ ليفٍ مُغارا
They keep pace, and one takes him for a homebound steed,
It ebbs as if it were the fading torrent bed
When he grows lean as a rod of tightly twisted palm fiber.
Filled with the rich alluvia of the floodwater.
وَمُفرِهَةِand a fine-breeding she-camel تامِكٍhigh-piled نَيُّهاher fat
وَمُفرِهَةِ تامِكٍ نَيُّها
إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle تُساقُshe is driven تَزينُshe adorns العِشاراthe ten-month-pregnant she-camels
إِذا ما تُساقُ تَزينُ العِشارا
And a fine-breeding she-camel, her fat piled high,
The she-camel of Tami!, when she kneels down,
When driven, she adorns the ten-month-pregnant camels.
Adorning the litter as the trappings sway.
لَقَيتُI encountered قَوائِمهاher legs أَربُعاًfour
لَقَيتُ قَوائِمها أَربُعاً
فَعادَتthen they became ثَلاثاًthree وَعادَتand she became ضِماراirrecoverable wealth
فَعادَت ثَلاثاً وَعادَت ضِمارا
I found her legs to be four;
I found she had lost the use of all four legs—
They became three, and she became lost wealth.
She could only walk on three, disabled.
فَجاءَthen came إِلَيناto us أَلَذَّthe most delightful الرِجالِof men
فَجاءَ إِلَينا أَلَذَّ الرِجالِ
يُقسِمُhe swears يَأَخُذُhe takes مِنهُfrom it اليَساراwealth
يُقسِمُ يَأَخُذُ مِنهُ اليَسارا
Then came to us the most delightful of men,
To me came the best of men. He swore
Swearing he would draw wealth from it.
He would take 10 percent of her price in brokers fee.
تَفَلَّتhe broke away عَنfrom غِلمَةٍyoung lads شارِبينَdrinking
تَفَلَّت عَن غِلمَةٍ شارِبينَ
لَوif طارَflew شَيءٌanything مِنَfrom الجَهلِrecklessness طاراhe would fly
لَو طارَ شَيءٌ مِنَ الجَهلِ طارا
He broke away from young men drinking—
Freed from boyish folly by one hardened drinker,
If anything could fly from recklessness, he would fly.
Were anything there to make us fly, we’d fly away!
فَلَمّاthen when تَبَيَّنَbecame clear مِكروهُناour hostility
فَلَمّا تَبَيَّنَ مِكروهُنا
وَأَيقَنَand he became certain أَنّاthat we نُهينُtreat with contempt السَياراthe wayfarers
وَأَيقَنَ أَنّا نُهينُ السَيارا
Then, when our hostility became clear,
When our ugly business became clear to him
And he knew we held wayfarers in contempt,
And he knew we were saddling up to go,
تَصَدّىhe confronted us لِنَجزِيَهُso we might repay him مِثلَهاwith her like
تَصَدّى لِنَجزِيَهُ مِثلَها
وَنَنظُرَand we might see ماذاwhat يَكونُwould be الحِواراthe exchange of words
وَنَنظُرَ ماذا يَكونُ الحِوارا
He confronted us, so we might repay him with her like,
He set himself to complete his promise—
And see how the exchange of words would go.
And we wait to see what the result will be!
Sol 6.1