أَهاجَكَdid they stir you? مِنof سُعدىSaʿdā الغَداةَthis morning طُلولُruins
أَهاجَكَ مِن سُعدى الغَداةَ طُلولُ
بِذيat the place of الطَلحِthe acacias عامِيٌّa year old بِهاin it وَمُحيلُand weathered by years
بِذي الطَلحِ عامِيٌّ بِها وَمُحيلُ
Did Saʿdā’s ruins stir you this morning,
At Dhū al-Ṭalḥ, some a year old, others weathered by years?
وَماand what هاجَهُstirred him مِنof مَنزِلٍa dwelling لَعِبَتplayed بِهِover it
وَما هاجَهُ مِن مَنزِلٍ لَعِبَت بِهِ
لِعَوجاءof a wayward wind مِرقالِswift-moving العَشِيِّthe evening ذُيولُtrailing skirts
لِعَوجاء مِرقالِ العَشِيِّ ذُيولُ
And what dwelling stirred him, over which played
The trailing skirts of a wayward wind, racing at dusk,
بِماwhere قَدonce تَرىyou would see سُعدىSaʿdā بِهِin it وَكَأَنَّهاand as though she were
بِما قَد تَرى سُعدى بِهِ وَكَأَنَّها
طَلىًa young gazelle رائِحٌreturning at dusk لِلسارِحاتِfrom the grazing does خَذولُkeeping apart
طَلىً رائِحٌ لِلسارِحاتِ خَذولُ
Where you once would see Saʿdā, as though she were
A young gazelle returning at dusk, apart from the grazing does?
رَأَيتُI saw وَعَينيand my eye قَرَّبَتنيbrought me near لِماbecause of what أَرىI see
رَأَيتُ وَعَيني قَرَّبَتني لِما أَرى
إِلَيهاtoward her وَبَعضُand some of العاشِقينَthe lovers قَتولُa slayer
إِلَيها وَبَعضُ العاشِقينَ قَتولُ
I saw—my eye had drawn me, for what I beheld,
Toward her, and some lovers can kill—
عُيوناًeyes جلاهاmade them radiant الكُحلُkohl أَمّاas for ضَميرُهاher inner self
عُيوناً جلاها الكُحلُ أَمّا ضَميرُها
فَعَفٌّthen it is chaste وَأَمّاand as for طَرفَهاher gaze فَجَهولُthen it is reckless
فَعَفٌّ وَأَمّا طَرفَها فَجَهولُ
Eyes brightened by kohl; as for her heart,
It is chaste, but her gaze is reckless.
وَرَكبٍand a band of riders كَأَطرافِlike the points of الأَسِنَّةِthe lanceheads عَرَّسواhalted for the night
وَرَكبٍ كَأَطرافِ الأَسِنَّةِ عَرَّسوا
قَلائِصَyoung she-camels فيin أَصلابِهِنَّtheir spines نُحولُleanness
قَلائِصَ في أَصلابِهِنَّ نُحولُ
And riders, like lance-points, halted for the night,
Their young she-camels gaunt along their spines.
إِلَيكَtoward you أَباO father of بَكرٍBakr تَروحُshe travels at evening وَتَغتَديand travels at dawn
إِلَيكَ أَبا بَكرٍ تَروحُ وَتَغتَدي
بِرَحليَbearing my saddle مِرداةُa swift she-camel الرَواحِevening travel ذَميلُsmooth-trotting
بِرَحليَ مِرداةُ الرَواحِ ذَميلُ
Toward you, Abū Bakr, goes at dusk and dawn,
Bearing my saddle, a she-camel swift at evening, trotting smoothly.
كثيرُthe abundance of عَطَاءِthe giving of الفاعلينthe benefactors معdespite الغِنىwealth
كثيرُ عَطَاءِ الفاعلين مع الغِنى
بجودهمُwith their generosity إنif كاثروكthey vie with you in abundance قليلis little
بجودهمُ إن كاثروك قليل
The ample gifts of benefactors, for all their wealth,
Are little if they vie with you in generosity.
وَإِنّيand indeed I لَأَثريam indeed enriched أَنto أَراكُمsee you بِغِبطَةٍin prosperity
وَإِنّي لَأَثري أَن أَراكُم بِغِبطَةٍ
وَإِنّيand indeed I أَباO father of بَكرٍBakr بِكُمthrough you لَجَميلُindeed fair
وَإِنّي أَبا بَكرٍ بِكُم لَجَميلُ
And I am enriched by seeing you prosper,
And through you, Abū Bakr, I am made fair.
وَإِنand though أَكُI am قَصراًshort فيamong الرَجالِmen فَإِنّنيyet indeed I
وَإِن أَكُ قَصراً في الرَجالِ فَإِنّني
إِذاwhen حَلَّcomes to أَمرٌtrouble ساحَتيmy courtyard لَطَويلُindeed tall
إِذا حَلَّ أَمرٌ ساحَتي لَطَويلُ
And though I am short among men, I stand
Tall indeed when trouble comes to my courtyard.
Sol 6.1