أَهاجَتكَhas she stirred you? سَلمىSalma أَمor أَجَدَّbecame earnest بُكورُهاher early departure
أَهاجَتكَ سَلمى أَم أَجَدَّ بُكورُها
وَحُفَّتand were enclosed بِأَنطاكِيّin Antiochian رَقمٍpatterned cloth خُدورُهاher curtained litters
وَحُفَّت بِأَنطاكِيّ رَقمٍ خُدورُها
Has Salma stirred your longing, or has her early departure become earnest?
Whether Salma aroused you, or the early dawn of her abode hastened,
And her curtained litters were enclosed in patterned Antiochian cloth,
And she circled Antioch with steps of partridges.
عَلىupon هاجِراتِchoice ones الشَولِdry-uddered camels قَدalready خَفَّlessened خَطرُهاtheir tail-swishing
عَلى هاجِراتِ الشَولِ قَد خَفَّ خَطرُها
وَأَسلَمَهاand handed them over لِلظاعِناتِto the departing women جُفورُهاtheir drying up
وَأَسلَمَها لِلظاعِناتِ جُفورُها
On choice, dry-uddered she-camels, whose tail-swishing had eased,
Over those emigrating at night her danger subsided,
And their drying up had left them free for the departing women.
And she surrendered them to the restless hyenas.
قَوارِضُskirting حَضنَيْboth flanks of بَطنِthe valley of يَنبُعَYanbu غُدوَةًat dawn
قَوارِضُ حَضنَيْ بَطنِ يَنبُعَ غُدوَةً
قَواصِدُheading for شَرقِيِّthe eastern side of العَناقينِal-Anaqayn عيرُهاher caravan
قَواصِدُ شَرقِيِّ العَناقينِ عيرُها
Skirting both flanks of Yanbu's valley at dawn,
Morning drinkers from the bosom of my embrace,
Her caravan headed for the eastern side of al-Anaqayn.
Evening quarry of the two hugging sides.
عَلىupon جِلَّةٍlarge, mature camels كَالهَضبِlike hills تَختالُstrutting فيin البُرىthe nose-rings
عَلى جِلَّةٍ كَالهَضبِ تَختالُ في البُرى
فَأَحمالُهاand their loads مَقصورَةٌheld close وَكؤورُهاand their saddle-frames
فَأَحمالُها مَقصورَةٌ وَكؤورُها
On large, mature camels like hills, strutting in their nose-rings,
On a hillock, pacing about the land, their burdens confined, their homes clustered,
Their loads and saddle-frames held close.
Brooks at the top of Dhat al-Balid as though it were
بُروكٌkneeling بِأَعلىat the upper reaches of ذيDhu البُلَيدِal-Bulayd كَأَنَّهاas though they were
بُروكٌ بِأَعلى ذي البُلَيدِ كَأَنَّها
صَريمَةُa grove of نخلٍpalms مُغطَئِلٌّdense and luxuriant شَكيرُهاits young shoots
صَريمَةُ نخلٍ مُغطَئِلٌّ شَكيرُها
Kneeling in the upper reaches of Dhu al-Bulayd, they seemed
A date palm hanging over with its ripe dates.
A grove of palms with dense, luxuriant shoots,
From much riding, watering from the shoulder of an eminent she-camel, collected for watering and gathering for the watering places its water skin.
مِنَof الغُلبِthick-trunked palms مِنfrom عِضدانِtall palms of هامَةَHamah شُرِّبَتwere watered
مِنَ الغُلبِ مِن عِضدانِ هامَةَ شُرِّبَت
لِسَقيٍfor irrigation وَجَمَّتand filled up لِلنَواضِحِfor water-drawing camels بيرُهاits well
لِسَقيٍ وَجَمَّت لِلنَواضِحِ بيرُها
Thick-trunked palms from Hamah's tall stands, watered
She traveled at night and her abode was independent,
For irrigation, their well brimming for the water-drawing camels.
Her caravan passed with portions of the night.
غَدَتset out at dawn أُمُّUmm (mother of) عَمروAmr وَاِستَقَلَّتand were borne away خُدورُهاher curtained litters
غَدَت أُمُّ عَمرو وَاِستَقَلَّت خُدورُها
وَزالَتand departed بِأَسدافٍthrough darkness مِنَof اللَيلِthe night عيرُهاher caravan
وَزالَت بِأَسدافٍ مِنَ اللَيلِ عيرُها
Umm Amr set out at dawn, her curtained litters borne away,
Her chastity appeared in the evening between us,
And her caravan departed through the darkness of night.
And the screens between us were uncovered.
تَبَدَّتshe appeared فَصادَتهُand ensnared him عَشِيَّةَon the evening of بَينِهاher departure
تَبَدَّت فَصادَتهُ عَشِيَّةَ بَينِها
وَقَدand already كُشِفَتwere lifted مِنهاfrom her لِبَينٍfor departure سُتورُهاher veils
وَقَد كُشِفَت مِنها لِبَينٍ سُتورُها
She appeared and ensnared him on the evening of her departure,
With a neck like the neck of the curving sand grouse its plumage adorns it,
Her veils already lifted from her for parting,
The braids of the relaxed pleats portray it.
بِجيدٍwith a neck كَجيدِlike the neck of الرِئمِa white gazelle حالٍjeweled تزينُهُadorn it
بِجيدٍ كَجيدِ الرِئمِ حالٍ تزينُهُ
غَدائِرُtresses مُستَرخيloosened العِقاصِbraid-bindings يَصورُهاmake her incline
غَدائِرُ مُستَرخي العِقاصِ يَصورُها
With a jeweled neck like a white gazelle's, graced
The hem of her gown dirtied with sand
By tresses whose loose bindings make her incline.
From a hill whose accumulated dust colored it.
تَلوثُshe winds إِزارَa waist-wrap of الخَزِّsilk مِنهاof hers بِرَملَةٍabout a sandhill
تَلوثُ إِزارَ الخَزِّ مِنها بِرَملَةٍ
رَداحٍbroad and heavy كَساهاclothed it هائِلَloose heaps of التُربِearth مورُهاits drifting
رَداحٍ كَساها هائِلَ التُربِ مورُها
She winds her silken waist-wrap around her sandhill,
She hastened from the southern parts of Kinanah
Broad and heavy, clothed in loose earth by its drifting.
To Wajmah, when its heated sands burned.
أَجَدَّتshe hastened خُفوفاًa swift departure مِنfrom جَنوبِsouth of كُنانَةٍKunanah
أَجَدَّت خُفوفاً مِن جَنوبِ كُنانَةٍ
إِلىtoward وَجمَةٍWajmah لَمّاwhen اِسجَهَرَّتblazed intensely حَرورُهاits scorching heat
إِلى وَجمَةٍ لَمّا اِسجَهَرَّت حَرورُها
She hastened to depart from south of Kunanah
And she passed by Tagwa with young she-camels as though they were
Toward Wajmah, when its scorching heat blazed.
Ships sailing smoothly on the sea.
وَمَرَّتand passed عَلىover التَقوىal-Taqwa بِهِنَّwith them كَأَنَّهاas though they were
وَمَرَّت عَلى التَقوى بِهِنَّ كَأَنَّها
سَفائِنُships of بحرٍa sea طابَwas pleasant فيهاupon it مَسيرُهاtheir passage
سَفائِنُ بحرٍ طابَ فيها مَسيرُها
And she passed al-Taqwa with them, as though they were
Or cattle from Wadi Ghiran taking the air
Ships upon a sea where their passage was smooth,
For whom the wind built a lofty and ruined abode.
أَوor الدَومُdoum-palms مِنfrom واديthe valley of غُرانَGhuran تَرَوَّحَتthere blew
أَو الدَومُ مِن وادي غُرانَ تَرَوَّحَت
لَهُtoward them الريحُthe wind قَصراًin late afternoon شَمأَلٌa north wind وَدَبورُهاand its west wind
لَهُ الريحُ قَصراً شَمأَلٌ وَدَبورُها
Or doum-palms from Wadi Ghuran, to which there blew
I looked and the Camels of Balaqith prevented them
The late-afternoon wind, from the north and from the west.
And the bellies of Wadi Biramah and its hills.
نَظَرتُI looked وَقَدand already حالَتintervened بَلاكِثُBalakith دونَهُمbetween me and them
نَظَرتُ وَقَد حالَت بَلاكِثُ دونَهُم
وَبُطنانُand the hollows of واديthe valley of بِرمَةٍBirmah وَظهورُهاand its ridges
وَبُطنانُ وادي بِرمَةٍ وَظهورُها
I looked, though Balakith stood between me and them,
To mounts with branded forelocks, branded as was done for Mayasir,
And Wadi Birmah's hollows and its ridges,
Their successive brands gashed their breasts.
إِلىtoward ظُعنٍwomen in traveling litters بِالنَعفِon the slope نَعفِthe slope of مَياسِرٍMayasir
إِلى ظُعنٍ بِالنَعفِ نَعفِ مَياسِرٍ
حَدَتهاurged them onward تَواليهاtheir rear ranks وَمارَتand swayed صُدورُهاtheir leading ranks
حَدَتها تَواليها وَمارَت صُدورُها
At the women's traveling litters on the slope—the slope of Mayasir—
Over them were docile camels from Dibab, their necks oscillating,
Their rear ranks urging them onward, their leaders swaying.
The girths of their saddles rubbing their backs.
عَلَيهِنَّupon them لُعسٌdark-lipped ones مِنfrom ظِباءthe gazelles of تَبالَةٍTabalah
عَلَيهِنَّ لُعسٌ مِن ظِباء تَبالَةٍ
مُذَبذَبَةُswaying الخِرصانِearrings بادٍexposed نُحورُهاtheir throats
مُذَبذَبَةُ الخِرصانِ بادٍ نُحورُها
Upon them sat dark-lipped gazelles of Tabalah,
So when they reached the destination between Ghayqah
Their earrings swinging, their throats exposed.
And Yalayl, they turned aside and spread out their breasts.
فَلَمّاand when بَلَغنَthey reached المُنتَضىal-Muntada بَينَbetween غَيقَةٍGhayqah
فَلَمّا بَلَغنَ المُنتَضى بَينَ غَيقَةٍ
وَيَليَلَand Yalyal مالَتturned فَاِحزَأَلَّتthen clustered صُدورُهاtheir leading ranks
وَيَليَلَ مالَت فَاِحزَأَلَّت صُدورُها
And when they reached al-Muntada, between Ghayqah
And I followed them with my eyes until I saw them
And Yalyal, they turned, their leading ranks bunching together.
Approach Fayruz and al-Qanan and visit it.
وَأَتبَعتُهاand I followed it عَينَيَّwith my eyes حَتّىuntil رَأَيتُهاI saw it
وَأَتبَعتُها عَينَيَّ حَتّى رَأَيتُها
أَلَمَّتdrew near بِفِعرىto Fi'ra وَالقَنانِand al-Qanan تَزورُهاvisiting them
أَلَمَّت بِفِعرى وَالقَنانِ تَزورُها
I followed the caravan with my eyes until I saw it
And I continued to shed tears and my companion did not cease
Draw near to Fi'ra and al-Qanan, visiting them.
Weeping for your love until it distressed my conscience.
وَمازِلتُand I have kept أَستَدميseeking to sustain وَماwhile not yet طَرَّsprouted شارِبيmy moustache
وَمازِلتُ أَستَدمي وَما طَرَّ شارِبي
وِصالَكِunion with you حَتّىuntil ضَرَّharmed نَفسيmy soul ضَميرُهاthe inward thought of her
وِصالَكِ حَتّى ضَرَّ نَفسي ضَميرُها
And I have kept seeking to sustain, since before my moustache sprouted,
For I and my meditation on the distant love
Union with you, till inward longing for her hurt my soul.
And mountains being pastured around us and their clefts.
فَإِنّيfor I وَتَأميليand my hope عَلىdespite النَأيِthe distance وَصلَهاunion with her
فَإِنّي وَتَأميلي عَلى النَأيِ وَصلَها
وَأَجبالُand the mountains of تُرعىTur'a دونَناbetween us وَثَبيرُهاand its Thabir
وَأَجبالُ تُرعى دونَنا وَثَبيرُها
For I, and my hope of union with her despite the distance—
And hands of Saba like fawns stretched over the departed
With Tur'a's mountains and its Thabir between us—
Their forearms white without bracelets.
وَعَنَّand appeared لَناto us بِالجِزعِat the valley bend فَوقَabove فُراقِدٍFuraqid
وَعَنَّ لَنا بِالجِزعِ فَوقَ فُراقِدٍ
أَياديscattered bands of سَباSaba كَالسَحلِlike linen بيضاًwhite سُفورُهاtheir unveiled faces
أَيادي سَبا كَالسَحلِ بيضاً سُفورُها
And at the valley bend above Furaqid there appeared to us
I imagined myself in the land of Ibn Layla,
Bands scattered like Saba's, their unveiled faces white as linen.
Spacious though desolate its abandoned encampment.
نَشيمُwe watch for lightning عَلىover أَرضِthe land of اِبنِthe son of لَيلىLayla مَخيلَةًa raincloud
نَشيمُ عَلى أَرضِ اِبنِ لَيلى مَخيلَةً
عَريضاًbroad سَناهاits lightning مُكرَهِفّاًtowering صَبيرُهاits cloudbank
عَريضاً سَناها مُكرَهِفّاً صَبيرُها
We watch a raincloud over Ibn Layla's land,
So if I gathered the skirts of my mount it would alarm me
Its lightning broad, its cloudbank towering.
at the desolate encampments of Hulwan and their deserted homes.
فَأَصبَحتُso I have become لَوif أَلمَمتُI drew near بِالحَوفِto al-Hawf شاقَنيaroused my longing
فَأَصبَحتُ لَو أَلمَمتُ بِالحَوفِ شاقَني
مَنازِلُdwellings مِنfrom حُلوانَHulwan وَحشٌdesolate قُصورُهاits palaces
مَنازِلُ مِن حُلوانَ وَحشٌ قُصورُها
So now, were I to reach al-Hawf, I would be stirred to longing by
I say when the birds pass in fright,
The dwellings of Hulwan, whose palaces lie deserted.
their wings fluttering without my stirring them.
أَقولُI say إِذاwhen ماever الطَيرُthe birds مَرَّتpassed مُخيفَةًcausing fear
أَقولُ إِذا ما الطَيرُ مَرَّت مُخيفَةً
سوانِحُهاtheir auspicious crossers تَجريpass along وَلاand not أَستَثيرُهاI flush them
سوانِحُها تَجري وَلا أَستَثيرُها
I say, whenever the birds pass, causing dread,
May your daughters ransom you Ibn Layla - the misfortunes have rendered my she-camel infirm,
Their auspicious ones passing by, though I do not flush them:
and whoever was riding her, man or jinn, and his home.
فَدَتكَmay she ransom you اِبنَO son of لَيلىLayla ناقَتيmy she-camel حَدَثَthe calamity of الرَدىdeath
فَدَتكَ اِبنَ لَيلى ناقَتي حَدَثَ الرَدى
وَراكِبُهاand her rider إِنif كانَthere were كونٌa calamity وَكورُهاand her saddle
وَراكِبُها إِن كانَ كونٌ وَكورُها
May my she-camel ransom you, Ibn Layla, from death's onslaught,
The daughter of al-Bakri said the day she met me,
And her rider, should disaster strike, and her saddle.
By your life, the world and all its tumult is a delusion.
تَقولُsays اِبنَةُthe daughter of البَكريِّal-Bakri يَومَthe day لَقيتُهاI met her
تَقولُ اِبنَةُ البَكريِّ يَومَ لَقيتُها
لَعَمرُكَby your life وَالدُنياand the world مَتينٌstrong غُرورُهاits deception
لَعَمرُكَ وَالدُنيا مَتينٌ غُرورُها
The daughter of al-Bakri said, the day I met her:
You would have been humbled by the blows of fate and battered,
By your life—and the world's deception is strong—
Excellent - the hair of the head perishes and is little.
لَأَصبَحتَyou have indeed become هَدَّتكَshattered you الحَوادِثُcalamities هَدَّةًa shattering blow
لَأَصبَحتَ هَدَّتكَ الحَوادِثُ هَدَّةً
نَعَمyes فَشَواةُfor the scalp of الرَأسِthe head بادٍvisible قَتيرُهاits gray flecks
نَعَم فَشَواةُ الرَأسِ بادٍ قَتيرُها
You have indeed been utterly shattered by calamities.
The cords of Salma's litter and the youth which passed away -
Yes—the scalp plainly shows its flecks of gray.
The death of Ibn Layla when its news reached you.
وَأَسلاكَand made you forget سَلمىSalma وَالشَبابَand the youth الَّذيwhich مَضىpassed
وَأَسلاكَ سَلمى وَالشَبابَ الَّذي مَضى
وَفاةُthe death of اِبنِthe son of لَيلىLayla إِذwhen أَتاكَcame to you خَبيرُهاthe bearer of its news
وَفاةُ اِبنِ لَيلى إِذ أَتاكَ خَبيرُها
And what made you forget Salma and the youth now gone
If the days of Ibn Layla preceded me,
Was Ibn Layla's death, when the bearer of its news came to you.
And my years were long after him and his months.
فَإِنso if تَكُshould be أَيّامُthe days of اِبنِthe son of لَيلىLayla سَبَقنَنيhave gone before me
فَإِن تَكُ أَيّامُ اِبنِ لَيلى سَبَقنَني
وَطالَتand lengthened سِنِيَّmy years بَعدَهُafter him وَشُهورُهاand their months
وَطالَت سِنِيَّ بَعدَهُ وَشُهورُها
So if Ibn Layla's days have passed before mine,
Then surely I will come to his grave, resigned,
And my years and their months stretch long after him,
Though a dug pit will not speak to its visitor.
فَإِنّيthen I لَآتٍwill surely come to قَبرَهُhis grave فَمُسَلَّمٌand offering greetings
فَإِنّي لَآتٍ قَبرَهُ فَمُسَلَّمٌ
وَإِنand even if لَمnot تُكَلِّمspeaks to حُفرَةٌa grave-pit مَنwhoever يَزورُهاvisits it
وَإِن لَم تُكَلِّم حُفرَةٌ مَن يَزورُها
Then I shall surely come to his grave and greet him,
Nor were my companionship with Abdulaziz and my praise of him,
Though a grave-pit does not speak to the one who visits it.
With borrowed phrases tossed back by the one who borrows them.
وَماand not صُحبَتيmy companionship with عَبدَAbd (servant of) العَزيزِal-Aziz وَمِدحَتيand my praise
وَما صُحبَتي عَبدَ العَزيزِ وَمِدحَتي
بِعارِيَةٍa loan يَرتَدُّهاreclaims it مَنwhoever يُعيرُهاlends it
بِعارِيَةٍ يَرتَدُّها مَن يُعيرُها
Neither my companionship with Abd al-Aziz nor my praise
I witnessed Ibn Layla in critical situations
Is a loan that its lender can reclaim.
Where wisdom increases the wise man's wisdom through their gravity.
شَهِدتُI witnessed اِبنَthe son of لَيلىLayla فيin مَواطِنَgatherings جَمَّةٍmany
شَهِدتُ اِبنَ لَيلى في مَواطِنَ جَمَّةٍ
يَزيدُincreases بِهاin them ذاone possessing الحلمِforbearance حِلماًin forbearance حُضورُهاattendance at them
يَزيدُ بِها ذا الحلمِ حِلماً حُضورُها
I have seen Ibn Layla in many gatherings,
You would see the people hiding their smiles in his presence,
Where attendance increased a forbearing man's forbearance.
And the shame of frivolous talk warns them of it.
تَرىyou see القَومَthe people يُخفونَhide التَبَسُّمَsmiling عِندَهُin his presence
تَرى القَومَ يُخفونَ التَبَسُّمَ عِندَهُ
وَيُنذِرهُمand warns them عورَshameful flaws of الكَلامِspeech نَذيرُهاthe warning against it
وَيُنذِرهُم عورَ الكَلامِ نَذيرُها
You see the people hide their smiles in his presence,
So neither the aloof words attract him,
And a warning keeps them from shameful speech.
Nor the sincere counsel, however far its implication.
فَلاso not هاجِراتُoffensive utterances of القَولِspeech يُؤثِرنَcarry weight عندَهُwith him
فَلا هاجِراتُ القَولِ يُؤثِرنَ عندَهُ
وَلاand not كَلِماتُwords of النُصحِcounsel مُقصىًbanished مُشيرُهاtheir adviser
وَلا كَلِماتُ النُصحِ مُقصىً مُشيرُها
Thus offensive words carry no weight with him,
And I will not forget him though the sands separate us
Nor is an adviser offering counsel sent away.
As the winds blow over the earth and its clefts gape.
فَلَستُso I am not بِناسيهِforgetting him وَإِنand even if حيلَaccess is barred دونَهُto him
فَلَستُ بِناسيهِ وَإِن حيلَ دونَهُ
وَجالَand roamed بِأَحوازِthrough the reaches of الصَحاصِحِthe bare plains مورُهاtheir swirling dust
وَجالَ بِأَحوازِ الصَحاصِحِ مورُها
So I shall not forget him, even if access to him is barred,
My life remains as long as the east wind blows
And dust swirls through the outer reaches of the bare plains,
At Baram, though it does not drive the rocks.
وَإِنand even if طُوِيَتis folded منfrom دونِهِbefore him الأَرضُthe earth وَاِنبَرىand stood exposed
وَإِن طُوِيَت من دونِهِ الأَرضُ وَاِنبَرى
لَنُكبِto the crosswinds الرِياحِthe winds وَفيُهاits high ground وَحَفيرُهاand its hollows
لَنُكبِ الرِياحِ وَفيُها وَحَفيرُها
Though the earth be folded between me and him, and there stand exposed
But the sincerity of love, however the north blows,
To the slanting winds its high ground and its hollows.
And it has not ceased to be decisive in its gravity.
حَياتِيَthroughout my life ماas long as دامَتremains بِشَرقِيِّeast of يَلبَنٍYalban
حَياتِيَ ما دامَت بِشَرقِيِّ يَلبَنٍ
بَرامٌBaram وَأَضحَتand has remained لَمnot تُسَيَّرbe moved صُخورُهاits rocks
بَرامٌ وَأَضحَت لَم تُسَيَّر صُخورُها
Throughout my life, as long as east of Yalban there stands
Baram, its rocks remaining unmoved.
وَلَكِنbut صَفاءُthe purity of الوِدِّaffection ماas long as هَبَّتِblows الصَباthe east wind
وَلَكِن صَفاءُ الوِدِّ ما هَبَّتِ الصَبا
وَماand as long as لَمnot تَزَلcease حِسمىHisma رُباهاits uplands وَقورُهاand its rocky hills
وَما لَم تَزَل حِسمى رُباها وَقورُها
But pure affection endures as long as the east wind blows,
And while Hisma's uplands and rocky hills remain.
Partial English translation: 72 of 76 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1