أَأَطلالُare these ruins دارٍa dwelling مِنof سُعادَSu'ad بِيَلبَنِat Yalban
أَأَطلالُ دارٍ مِن سُعادَ بِيَلبَنِ
وَقَفتُI stood بِهاat it وَحشاًdesolate كَأَنas though لَمnot تُدَمَّنِit had been inhabited
وَقَفتُ بِها وَحشاً كَأَن لَم تُدَمَّنِ
Are these the ruins of Su'ad's dwelling at Yalban?
I stood there in desolation, as though it had never been inhabited.
إِلىas far as تَلَعاتِthe upland gullies الخُرجِal-Khurj غَيَّرَchanged رَسمَهاtheir traces
إِلى تَلَعاتِ الخُرجِ غَيَّرَ رَسمَها
هَمائِمُrain-showers هَطّالٍa pouring rain مِنَfrom الدَلوِthe Bucket-star مُدجِنِcloud-darkened
هَمائِمُ هَطّالٍ مِنَ الدَلوِ مُدجِنِ
Extending to the upland gullies of al-Khurj, their traces were changed
by showers of cloud-darkened, pouring rain from the Bucket-star.
عَرَفتُI recognized لِسُعدىas Su'da's بَعدَafter عِشرينَtwenty حجَّةًyears
عَرَفتُ لِسُعدى بَعدَ عِشرينَ حجَّةً
بِهاat it دَرسُthe worn trace نُؤيٍa drainage trench فيin المَحَلَّةِthe campsite مُنحنِcurving
بِها دَرسُ نُؤيٍ في المَحَلَّةِ مُنحنِ
I recognized, as Su'da's, after twenty years,
the worn trace there of a curved drainage trench in the campsite,
قَديمٌancient كَوَقفِlike a bangle العاجِof ivory ثُبِّتَwere firmly set حَولَهُaround it
قَديمٌ كَوَقفِ العاجِ ثُبِّتَ حَولَهُ
مَغارِزُsockets أَوتادٍof tent pegs بِرَضمٍamid piled stones مُوَضَّنِclosely packed
مَغارِزُ أَوتادٍ بِرَضمٍ مُوَضَّنِ
ancient, like an ivory bangle; around it were fixed
tent-peg sockets amid closely packed stones.
فَلاso do not تُذكِراهُyou two remind him of الحاجِبِيَّةَal-Hajibiyya إِنَّهُfor he
فَلا تُذكِراهُ الحاجِبِيَّةَ إِنَّهُ
مَتىwhenever تُذكِراهُyou two remind him of الحاجِبِيَّةَal-Hajibiyya يَحزَنِhe grieves
مَتى تُذكِراهُ الحاجِبِيَّةَ يَحزَنِ
So do not remind him of al-Hajibiyya, you two, for he—
whenever you two remind him of al-Hajibiyya, he grieves.
تَراهاyou see her إِذاwhen اِستَقبَلتَهاyou face her مُحزَئِلَّةًdrawn up compactly
تَراها إِذا اِستَقبَلتَها مُحزَئِلَّةً
عَلىon ثَفَنٍcalloused pads مِنهاof hers دَوامٍenduring مُسَفَّنِworn smooth
عَلى ثَفَنٍ مِنها دَوامٍ مُسَفَّنِ
You see her, when you face her, drawn up compactly
on her enduring calloused pads, worn smooth.
كَأَنَّas though قُتودَwooden bows الرَحلِof the saddle مِنهاfrom her تُبينُهاoutline her
كَأَنَّ قُتودَ الرَحلِ مِنها تُبينُها
قُرونٌhorns تَحَنَّتcurved فيupon جَماجِمِskulls أَبدُنِaged ibexes
قُرونٌ تَحَنَّت في جَماجِمِ أَبدُنِ
As though the wooden saddle-bows upon her, outlining her,
were horns curved upon the skulls of aged ibexes.
كَأَنَّas though خَليفَيthe two flanks زَورِهاof her breast وَرَحاهُماand their broad round mass
كَأَنَّ خَليفَي زَورِها وَرَحاهُما
بُنىthe structures مَكَوَينِof two burrows ثُلِّماboth breached بَعدَafter صَيدَنِa fox
بُنى مَكَوَينِ ثُلِّما بَعدَ صَيدَنِ
As though the two sides of her breast and their broad round mass
were the walls of two burrows, breached after a fox had gone.
إِلىtoward اِبنِthe son أَبيof Abu العاصيal-'Asi بِدَوَّةَat Dawwa أَرقَلَتshe trotted swiftly
إِلى اِبنِ أَبي العاصي بِدَوَّةَ أَرقَلَت
وَبِالسَفحِand along the slope مِنof ذاتِDhat الرُبىal-Ruba فَوقَabove مُظعِنِMuz'in
وَبِالسَفحِ مِن ذاتِ الرُبى فَوقَ مُظعِنِ
Toward Ibn Abi al-'Asi she sped at Dawwa,
and along the slope of Dhat al-Ruba, above Muz'in,
بِشُعثٍwith disheveled men عَلَيهاupon her غَيّرَaltered السَيرُtravel مِنهُمُof theirs
بِشُعثٍ عَلَيها غَيّرَ السَيرُ مِنهُمُ
صَفاءَthe freshness وُجوهٍof faces وَهيَwhile she لَمnot تَتَشَنَّنِgrew gaunt
صَفاءَ وُجوهٍ وَهيَ لَم تَتَشَنَّنِ
with disheveled men upon her, in whom travel had altered
the freshness of their faces, while she had not grown gaunt.
إِذاwhen ذَرَّappeared قَرنُthe horn الشَمسِof the sun مالَتdrooped طُلاهُمُtheir necks
إِذا ذَرَّ قَرنُ الشَمسِ مالَت طُلاهُمُ
عَلَيهاupon her وَأَلقَواand they cast aside كُلَّevery سَوطٍwhip وَمِحجَنِand hooked staff
عَلَيها وَأَلقَوا كُلَّ سَوطٍ وَمِحجَنِ
When the sun's horn appeared, their necks drooped
upon her, and they dropped every whip and hooked staff.
كَأَنَّهُمُas though they كانواthey had مِنَfrom النَومِsleepiness عاقَرواthey drank deeply
كَأَنَّهُمُ كانوا مِنَ النَومِ عاقَروا
بِلَيلٍby night خَراطيمَthe choicest draughts السُلافِof fine wine المُسَخَّنِwarmed
بِلَيلٍ خَراطيمَ السُلافِ المُسَخَّنِ
As though in their drowsiness they had drunk deeply
by night the choicest draughts of warmed, fine wine.
إِلىtoward خَيرِthe best أَحياءِof the living البَرِيَّةِof creation كُلِّهاall of it
إِلى خَيرِ أَحياءِ البَرِيَّةِ كُلِّها
لِذيtoward one with رَحِمٍkinship أَوor خُلَّةٍfriendship مُتَأَسِّنِfaithfully mindful
لِذي رَحِمٍ أَو خُلَّةٍ مُتَأَسِّنِ
Toward the best of the living in all creation,
faithfully attentive to a kinsman or a friend.
لَهُhe has عَهدُa bond وُدِّof affection لَمnot يُكَدَّرwas clouded يَزينُهُadorns it
لَهُ عَهدُ وُدِّ لَم يُكَدَّر يَزينُهُ
رَدىa mantle قَولِof speech مَعروفٍkindly حَديثٍrecent وَمُزمِنِand longstanding
رَدى قَولِ مَعروفٍ حَديثٍ وَمُزمِنِ
He has an unclouded bond of affection, adorned by
a mantle of kindly words, new and longstanding.
وَلَيسَand is not اِمرؤُa man مَنwho لَمnot يَنَلattained ذاكَthat كَاِمرِئٍlike a man
وَلَيسَ اِمرؤُ مَن لَم يَنَل ذاكَ كَاِمرِئٍ
بَداbecame clear نُصحُهُhis sincere loyalty فَاِستَوجَبَand so deserved الرِفدَthe bounty مُحسِنِdoing good
بَدا نُصحُهُ فَاِستَوجَبَ الرِفدَ مُحسِنِ
And a man who has not attained that is not like one
whose loyalty became clear and who, doing good, deserved bounty.
فَإِنso if لَمnot تَكُنis بِالشَأمِin al-Sham داريmy dwelling مُقيمَةًsettled
فَإِن لَم تَكُن بِالشَأمِ داري مُقيمَةً
فَإِنَّthen indeed بِأَجنادينَat Ajnadayn مِنّيof mine وَمَسكِنِand Maskin
فَإِنَّ بِأَجنادينَ مِنّي وَمَسكِنِ
So if my dwelling is not established in al-Sham,
then indeed I have at Ajnadayn and Maskin
مَنازِلَdwellings لَمnot يَعفُhas effaced التَنائيremoteness قَديمَهاtheir old traces
مَنازِلَ لَم يَعفُ التَنائي قَديمَها
وَأُخرىand others بِمَيّاat Mayya- فارِقينَFariqin فَمَوزَنِthen Mawzan
وَأُخرى بِمَيّا فارِقينَ فَمَوزَنِ
dwellings whose old traces remoteness has not effaced,
and others at Mayyafariqin, then Mawzan.
إِذاwhen النَبلُthe arrows فيin نَحرِthe breast الكُمَيتِof the bay horse كَأَنَّهاas though they
إِذا النَبلُ في نَحرِ الكُمَيتِ كَأَنَّها
شَوارِعُreaching in دَبرٍbees فيinto حُشافَةِa shriveled date مُدهنِan oil-bowl
شَوارِعُ دَبرٍ في حُشافَةِ مُدهنِ
When the arrows in the bay horse's breast resemble
bees reaching into a shriveled date in an oil-bowl.
وَأَنتَand you كَريمٌnoble بَينَbetween بَيتيtwo houses أَمانَةof trust
وَأَنتَ كَريمٌ بَينَ بَيتي أَمانَة
بِعَلياءِat the height مَجدٍof glory قُدَّمَتwas established لَكَfor you فَاِبتَنِso build
بِعَلياءِ مَجدٍ قُدَّمَت لَكَ فَاِبتَنِ
And you are noble between two houses of trust,
on a height of glory established for you; so build
مَصانِعَstrongholds عِزٍّof might لَيسَnot بِالتّربِwith earth شُرِّفَتwere made lofty
مَصانِعَ عِزٍّ لَيسَ بِالتّربِ شُرِّفَت
وَلَكِنbut بِصُمَwith solid shafts السَمهَرِيِّof Samhari spears المُعَرَّنِpinned at the spearhead
وَلَكِن بِصُمَ السَمهَرِيِّ المُعَرَّنِ
strongholds of might, made lofty not with earth,
but with solid Samhari spears, their heads firmly pinned.
وَقَدand indeed عَلِمَتhas known قِدماًlong ago أُمَيَّةُUmayya أَنكُمthat you all
وَقَد عَلِمَت قِدماً أُمَيَّةُ أَنكُم
مِنَamong الحَيِّthe tribe مَأوىa refuge الخائِفِof the fearful one المُتَحَصِّنِseeking protection
مِنَ الحَيِّ مَأوى الخائِفِ المُتَحَصِّنِ
And Umayya has long known that you
among the tribe are the refuge of the fearful seeking protection.
وَإِنand if تَقصُرِis confined الدَعوىthe claim إِلىto الرَهطِthe clan قَصرَةًstrictly
وَإِن تَقصُرِ الدَعوى إِلى الرَهطِ قَصرَةً
فَإِنَّكَthen you indeed ذوpossess فَضلٍmerit عَلىin الحَقِّtruth بَيَّنِmanifest
فَإِنَّكَ ذو فَضلٍ عَلى الحَقِّ بَيَّنِ
And if the claim is confined strictly to the clan,
you indeed possess clear merit, in truth.
بِحَقِّكَby your right إِنif تَنطُقyou speak تَقُلyou say غَيرَnot مُهجِرٍspeaking obscenely
بِحَقِّكَ إِن تَنطُق تَقُل غَيرَ مُهجِرٍ
صَواباًwhat is right وَإِنand if يَخفَفgrows light حَصىpebbles; figuratively, judgment القَومِof the people تَرزُنِyou remain weighty
صَواباً وَإِن يَخفَف حَصى القَومِ تَرزُنِ
By your right, if you speak, you say, without obscenity,
what is right; and if the people's pebbles grow light, you remain weighty.
بَهاليلُgenerous lords مَعروفit is known لَكُمof you all أَنthat تَفَضَّلواyou bestow favors
بَهاليلُ مَعروف لَكُم أَن تَفَضَّلوا
وَأَنand that تَحفَظواyou preserve الأَحسابَancestral honors فيin كُلِّevery مَوطِنِplace
وَأَن تَحفَظوا الأَحسابَ في كُلِّ مَوطِنِ
Generous lords, it is known of you that you bestow favors,
and preserve ancestral honors in every place,
بِصَبرٍwith patience وَإِبقاءٍand forbearance عَلىtoward جُلِّmost قَومِكُمof your people
بِصَبرٍ وَإِبقاءٍ عَلى جُلِّ قَومِكُم
عَلىin كُلِّevery حالٍcircumstance بِالأُناwith deliberation وَالتَحَنُّنِand compassion
عَلى كُلِّ حالٍ بِالأُنا وَالتَحَنُّنِ
with patience and forbearance toward most of your people,
in every circumstance, with deliberation and compassion,
وَلينٍand gentleness لَهُمtoward them حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّas though صُدورَهُمtheir breasts
وَلينٍ لَهُم حَتّى كَأَنَّ صُدورَهُم
مِنthrough الحِلمِforbearance كانَتwere عِزَّةًdignity لَمnot تَخَشَّنِgrew harsh
مِن الحِلمِ كانَت عِزَّةً لَم تَخَشَّنِ
and gentleness toward them, until it is as though their breasts
through forbearance were dignity itself, never grown harsh.
وَأَنتَand you فَلاso may not تُفقَدyou be lost وَلاand may never زالَcease to be مِنكُمُamong you all
وَأَنتَ فَلا تُفقَد وَلا زالَ مِنكُمُ
إِمامٌa leader يُحَيّاis saluted فيbehind حِجابٍa curtain مُسَدَّنِwell guarded
إِمامٌ يُحَيّا في حِجابٍ مُسَدَّنِ
And you—may you never be lost; and may there never cease among you
a leader saluted behind a well-guarded curtain,
أَشَمُّhigh-nosed and noble مِنَamong الغادينَthose going out at dawn فيin كُلِّevery حُلَّةٍfine robe
أَشَمُّ مِنَ الغادينَ في كُلِّ حُلَّةٍ
يَميسونَthey sway proudly فيin صِبغٍdyed fabric مِنَof العَصبِstriped cloth مُتقَنِexpertly made
يَميسونَ في صِبغٍ مِنَ العَصبِ مُتقَنِ
a high-nosed lord among those who go forth at dawn in every fine robe,
swaying proudly in expertly dyed, striped cloth.
لَهُمthey have أُزُرٌwaist-wraps حُمرُred الحَواشيat the borders يَطَونَهاthey tread on them
لَهُم أُزُرٌ حُمرُ الحَواشي يَطَونَها
بَأَقدامِهِمwith their feet فيin الحَضرَمِيِّHadrami sandals المُلَسَّنِtongue-shaped
بَأَقدامِهِم في الحَضرَمِيِّ المُلَسَّنِ
They have waist-wraps with red borders, which they tread
with their feet in tongue-shaped Hadrami sandals.
Sol 6.1