أَبائِنَةٌis she departing? سُعدىSaʿda نَعَمyes سَتَبينُshe will depart
أَبائِنَةٌ سُعدى نَعَم سَتَبينُ
كَماas اِنبَتَّwas severed مِنfrom حَبلِthe bond القَرينِthe companion قَرينُa companion
كَما اِنبَتَّ مِن حَبلِ القَرينِ قَرينُ
Is Saʿda departing? Yes, she will depart,
A sweetheart, whose love makes life happy
As a companion is severed from his companion's bond.
As love grows from the bonds of affection between the couple
أَإِنis it because زُمَّwere bridled أَجمالٌcamels وَفارَقَand departed جيرَةٌneighbors
أَإِن زُمَّ أَجمالٌ وَفارَقَ جيرَةٌ
وَصاحَand cried غُرابُthe raven البَينِof separation أَنتَyou حَزينُsorrowful
وَصاحَ غُرابُ البَينِ أَنتَ حَزينُ
Is it because camels were bridled and neighbors departed,
My friends have departed and the neighbours scattered away
And the raven of parting cried, that you are sorrowful?
While the raven of separation cried “you seem sad!”
كَأَنَّكَas though you لَمdid not تَسمَعhear وَلَمand did not تَرَsee قَبلَهاbefore it
كَأَنَّكَ لَم تَسمَع وَلَم تَرَ قَبلَها
تَفَرُّقَthe parting أُلّافٍclose companions لَهُنَّfor them حَنينُlonging
تَفَرُّقَ أُلّافٍ لَهُنَّ حَنينُ
As though you had never heard or seen before this
It's as if you never saw or heard them before
The parting of close companions who feel longing—
When thousands bid farewell in yearning
حَنينٌlonging إِلىfor أُلّافِهِنَّtheir companions وَقَدand already بَداappeared
حَنينٌ إِلى أُلّافِهِنَّ وَقَد بَدا
لَهُنَّto them مِنfrom الشَكِّdoubt الغَداةَthis morning يَقينُcertainty
لَهُنَّ مِن الشَكِّ الغَداةَ يَقينُ
Longing for their companions, now that
Yearning for those thousands when morning erased
This morning certainty has emerged for them from doubt.
Any doubts and brought certainty
وَهاجَand stirred الهَوىlonging أَظعانُdeparting litters عَزَّةَʿAzza غُدوَةًat dawn
وَهاجَ الهَوى أَظعانُ عَزَّةَ غُدوَةً
وَقَدand already جَعَلَتbegan أَقرانُهُنَّtheir companions تَبينُdepart
وَقَد جَعَلَت أَقرانُهُنَّ تَبينُ
At dawn, ʿAzza's departing litters stirred longing,
Passion was aroused at dawn by the departure of Aziza’s caravan
As their companions began to draw away.
As their peers bid them farewell
فَلَمّاso when اِستَقَلَّتrose up عَنfrom مَناخٍa resting-place جِمالُهاher camels
فَلَمّا اِستَقَلَّت عَن مَناخٍ جِمالُها
وَأَسفَرنَand appeared بِالأَحمالِwith the loads قُلتُI said سَفينُships
وَأَسفَرنَ بِالأَحمالِ قُلتُ سَفينُ
When her camels rose from their resting-place
When their camels were relieved of burdens
And appeared bearing their loads, I said, 'Ships!'
And the ships appeared full in the harbor
تَأَطَّرنَthey swayed فيin الميناءِthe harbor ثُمَّthen تَرَكنَهُthey left it
تَأَطَّرنَ في الميناءِ ثُمَّ تَرَكنَهُ
وَقَدand already لاحَshowed مِنfrom أَثقالِهِنَّtheir burdens شحونُcargoes
وَقَد لاحَ مِن أَثقالِهِنَّ شحونُ
They swayed in the harbor, then left it,
They were framed in the harbor then left it behind
Their heavy burdens appearing as cargoes.
With their heavy cargo sounding portentous
كَأَنّيas though I وَقَدand already نُكِّبنَwere turned aside بَرقَةَthe stony tract واسِطٍWasit
كَأَنّي وَقَد نُكِّبنَ بَرقَةَ واسِطٍ
وَخَلَّفنَand left behind أَحواضَthe watering pools النُجَيلِal-Nujayl طَعينُpierced
وَخَلَّفنَ أَحواضَ النُجَيلِ طَعينُ
It was as though, once they were turned aside from Wasit's stony tract
As if the ships of Wasit were capsized
And left al-Nujayl's watering pools behind, I had been pierced.
And left behind the docks of An-Nujail
فَأَتبَعتُهُمso I followed them عَينَيَّmy two eyes حَتّىuntil تَلاحَمَتclosed together
فَأَتبَعتُهُم عَينَيَّ حَتّى تَلاحَمَت
عَلَيهاover them قِنانٌsummits مِنof خَفَينَنَKhafaynan جونُdark
عَلَيها قِنانٌ مِن خَفَينَنَ جونُ
So I followed them with my eyes, until there closed
I followed them with my eyes until they disappeared
Over them the dark summits of Khafaynan.
Behind the dunes surrounding Khaif Nan
فَقَدfor already حالَintervened مِنfrom حَزمِthe rocky ridge الحَماتَينِal-Hamatayn دونَهُمbetween me and them
فَقَد حالَ مِن حَزمِ الحَماتَينِ دونَهُم
وَأَعرَضَand stretched across مِنfrom واديthe valley البُليدِal-Bulayd شُجونُbranching ravines
وَأَعرَضَ مِن وادي البُليدِ شُجونُ
For the rocky ridge of al-Hamatayn came between us,
They were barred by the determination of the protectors
And branches of al-Bulayd's valley stretched across.
And the valleys of Bulayd roared with agony
وَفاتَتكَand eluded you عيرُthe caravan الحَيِّthe tribe لَمّاwhen تَقَلَّبَتrolled
وَفاتَتكَ عيرُ الحَيِّ لَمّا تَقَلَّبَت
ظُهورٌridges بِهِمwith them مِنof يَنبُعٍYanbuʿ وَبُطونُand hollows
ظُهورٌ بِهِم مِن يَنبُعٍ وَبُطونُ
And the tribe's caravan eluded you, as there rolled
You missed the caravan of the living when they turned
Beneath them Yanbuʿ's ridges and hollows.
Their backs on Yanbu’a and Butun
وَقَدand already حالَintervened مِنfrom رَضوىRadwa وَضَيبَرَand Daybar دونَهُمbetween me and them
وَقَد حالَ مِن رَضوى وَضَيبَرَ دونَهُم
شَماريخُhigh pinnacles لِلأَروىfor the ibex بِهِنَّin them حُصونُstrongholds
شَماريخُ لِلأَروى بِهِنَّ حُصونُ
And from Radwa and Daybar rose, screening them,
The castles of Arwa obstructed them
High pinnacles where ibex have their strongholds.
With their red battlements and solid walls
عَلىupon الكُمتِthe bay-colored ones أَوor أَشباهِهاtheir like غَيرَexcept أَنَّهاthat they
عَلى الكُمتِ أَو أَشباهِها غَيرَ أَنَّها
صُهابِيَّةٌtawny حُمرُred الدُفوفِthe flanks وَجونُand dark ones
صُهابِيَّةٌ حُمرُ الدُفوفِ وَجونُ
Upon the bay-colored ones, or their like, except that these
A cavalry from Abathir veered past them
Are tawny, red-flanked, and dark.
And the lofty cliffs of Radwa frowned
وَأَعرَضَand stretched across رَكبٌa company of riders مِنfrom عَباثِرَʿAbathir دونَهُمbetween me and them
وَأَعرَضَ رَكبٌ مِن عَباثِرَ دونَهُم
وَمِنand from حَدِّthe ridge رَضوىRadwa المُكفَهِرِّthe grim-looking جَبينُa brow
وَمِن حَدِّ رَضوى المُكفَهِرِّ جَبينُ
And riders from ʿAbathir stretched across my view of them,
They broke their promise and betrayed my trust
And a brow of Radwa's grim ridge.
For one who betrays has no faith
فَأَخلَفنَso they failed to keep ميعاديmy appointment وَخُنَّand betrayed أَمانَتيmy trust
فَأَخلَفنَ ميعادي وَخُنَّ أَمانَتي
وَلَيسَand there is no لِمَنfor whoever خانَbetrayed الأَمانَةَthe trust دينُfaith
وَلَيسَ لِمَن خانَ الأَمانَةَ دينُ
So they failed to keep my appointment and betrayed my trust,
And so we grew estranged, until they seemed
And whoever betrays a trust has no faith.
Like madmen on the day of farewell
وَأَروَثنَهُand bequeathed him (likely intended) نَأياًseparation فَأَضحىso he became كَأَنَّهُas though he
وَأَروَثنَهُ نَأياً فَأَضحى كَأَنَّهُ
مُخالِطُهُpossessing him يَومَon the day السُرَيرِal-Surayr جُنونُmadness
مُخالِطُهُ يَومَ السُرَيرِ جُنونُ
And they bequeathed him separation, so he became as though
They lied about true affection on the day of bitterness
Madness possessed him on the day of al-Surayr.
And affliction reached me because of them
كَذَبنَthey belied صَفاءَthe purity الوُدِّof affection يَومَon the day شَنوكَةٍShanuka
كَذَبنَ صَفاءَ الوُدِّ يَومَ شَنوكَةٍ
وَأَدرَكَنيand overtook me مِنfrom عَهدِهِنَّtheir pledge وُهونُweakness
وَأَدرَكَني مِن عَهدِهِنَّ وُهونُ
They belied the purity of affection on the day of Shanuka,
A friend continues conversing with ghosts
And weakness in their pledge caught up with me.
Whenever you are distant and doubts haunt his abode
وَإِنَّand indeed خَليلاًa companion يُحدِثُcauses الصَرمَestrangement كُلَّماwhenever
وَإِنَّ خَليلاً يُحدِثُ الصَرمَ كُلَّما
نَأَيتَyou went away وَشَطَّتand grew distant دارُهُhis home لَظَنونُsurely untrustworthy
نَأَيتَ وَشَطَّت دارُهُ لَظَنونُ
Indeed, a companion who brings about estrangement whenever
The specter of Hajibiyya circled around submissively
You go away and his home grows distant is surely untrustworthy.
While a wild ostrich passed with clamor
وَطافَand visited خَيالُthe phantom الحاجِبِيَّةِal-Hajibiyya موهِناًin the night
وَطافَ خَيالُ الحاجِبِيَّةِ موهِناً
وَمَرَّand passed وَقَرنٌand Qarn دونَهاbetween me and her وَرَنينُand Ranin
وَمَرَّ وَقَرنٌ دونَها وَرَنينُ
And al-Hajibiyya's phantom visited in the night,
An adulteress seeks my mercy in her salvation
And passed, though Qarn and Ranin lay between me and her.
For I have no tenderness towards adulteresses
وَعاذِلَةٍand many a reproaching woman تَرجوhoping for لِيانيmy yielding نَجَهتُهاI rebuffed her
وَعاذِلَةٍ تَرجو لِياني نَجَهتُها
بِأَنby saying that لَيسَthere is no عِنديin me لِلعواذِلِfor reproaching women لينُsoftness
بِأَن لَيسَ عِندي لِلعواذِلِ لينُ
And many a reproaching woman, hoping I would yield, I rebuffed,
You blame a man in the prime of his youth
Saying that I have no softness for reproaching women.
For leaving behind the supporters of youth
تَلومُshe reproaches اِمرِءاًa man فيin عُنفُوانِthe prime شَبابِهِhis youth
تَلومُ اِمرِءاً في عُنفُوانِ شَبابِهِ
وَلِلْتَّركِand for forsaking أَشياعَthe companions الصَبابَةِof passion حينُa time
وَلِلْتَّركِ أَشياعَ الصَبابَةِ حينُ
She reproaches a man in the prime of his youth,
You did not realize that my criticism of youth
Yet there is a time to forsake passion's companions.
Is the custom of the old since ancient times
وَماand not شَعَرَتshe realized أَنَّthat الصِباyouthful passion إِذwhile تَلومُنيshe reproaches me
وَما شَعَرَت أَنَّ الصِبا إِذ تَلومُني
عَلىsince عَهدِthe age عادٍʿAd لِلشَبابِfor youth خَدينُan intimate companion
عَلى عَهدِ عادٍ لِلشَبابِ خَدينُ
She does not realize, as she reproaches me, that youthful passion
And if my youth persisted I would know
Has been youth's companion since the age of ʿAd.
That I will be buried in a grave one day
وَإِنِّيand I وَلَوand even if داماboth endured لأَعلَمُI surely know أَنَّنيthat I
وَإِنِّي وَلَو داما لأَعلَمُ أَنَّني
لِحُفرَةِfor a pit مَوتٍof death مَرَّةًat some time لَدَفينُsurely to be buried
لِحُفرَةِ مَوتٍ مَرَّةً لَدَفينُ
And I know full well, even were both to last, that I
I did not know, nor did I find that youth
Shall one day lie buried in a pit of death.
Pairs well with anything but youth itself
وَأَنِّيَand that I لَمdid not أَعلَمknow وَلَمand did not أَجِدِfind الصِباyouthful passion
وَأَنِّيَ لَم أَعلَم وَلَم أَجِدِ الصِبا
يُلائِمُهُsuits it إِلّاexcept الشَبابَyouth قَرينُa companion
يُلائِمُهُ إِلّا الشَبابَ قَرينُ
And that I have never known or found youthful passion
While white hair brings prohibitions
To have a fitting companion other than youth.
The ruins of youth are adornment
وَأَنَّand that بَياضَthe whitening الرَأسِof the head يُعقِبُbrings on بِالنُهىgood sense
وَأَنَّ بَياضَ الرَأسِ يُعقِبُ بِالنُهى
وَلَكِنَّand yet أَطلالَthe ruins الشَبابِof youth تَزينُadorn
وَلَكِنَّ أَطلالَ الشَبابِ تَزينُ
And that the whitening of the head brings good sense,
By my life, bitterness has been hard on me
Yet the ruins of youth still lend beauty.
In a house where termites have made you dwell
لَعَمريby my life لَقَدindeed شَقَّتwas hard عَلَيَّon me مَريرَةٌa bitter ordeal
لَعَمري لَقَد شَقَّت عَلَيَّ مَريرَةٌ
وَدارٌand a dwelling أَحَلَّتكِlodged you البُوَيبَal-Buwayb شَطونُfar-distant
وَدارٌ أَحَلَّتكِ البُوَيبَ شَطونُ
By my life, a bitter ordeal has weighed upon me,
And a far-off dwelling that lodged you at al-Buwayb.
Partial English translation: 50 of 52 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1