أَفيIs it over رَسمِthe traces of أَطلالٍruins بِشَطبٍat Shatb فَمِرجمِthen at Mirjam
أَفي رَسمِ أَطلالٍ بِشَطبٍ فَمِرجمِ
دَوارِسَeffaced لَمّاwhen اِستُنطِقَتwere asked to speak لَمdid not تَكَلَّمِspeak
دَوارِسَ لَمّا اِستُنطِقَت لَم تَكَلَّمِ
Is it over the traces of ruins at Shatb, then Mirjam—
In the drawing of ruins with erased traces
effaced, which did not speak when asked to speak—
When the spinning girls were asked to speak, they did not utter a word
تُكَفكِفُyou stem أَعداداًperennial springs مِنَfrom العَينِthe eye رُكِّبَتwere harnessed
تُكَفكِفُ أَعداداً مِنَ العَينِ رُكِّبَت
سَوانِيُّهاtheir water-drawing camels ثُمَّthen اِندَفَعنَthey rushed forth بِأَسلُمِat Aslum
سَوانِيُّها ثُمَّ اِندَفَعنَ بِأَسلُمِ
that you stem springs from your eye, whose harnessed
They cover their eyes in groups
water-drawing camels then rushed forth at Aslum?
Their spindles then rushed in violently
فَأَصبَحَso came to be مِنbecause of تِربَيthe two age-mates of خُصَيلَةَKhusayla قَلبُهُhis heart
فَأَصبَحَ مِن تِربَي خُصَيلَةَ قَلبُهُ
لَهُwithin it رِدَّةٌa recurrence مِنof حاجَةٍlonging لَمhas not تَصَرَّمِended
لَهُ رِدَّةٌ مِن حاجَةٍ لَم تَصَرَّمِ
So, for Khusayla's two age-mates, his heart
So his heart became from the soil of his ribs
feels a resurgence of longing that has not ended.
With a need it did not announce
كَذيlike one with الظَلعِlameness إِنif يَقصِدone deals gently عَلَيهِwith it فَإِنَّهُthen it
كَذي الظَلعِ إِن يَقصِد عَلَيهِ فَإِنَّهُ
يَهُمُّstirs to move وَإِنand if يَخرَقone deals harshly بِهِwith it يَتَيَمَّمِmakes for its goal
يَهُمُّ وَإِن يَخرَق بِهِ يَتَيَمَّمِ
Like a lame beast: if gently handled, it
Like rough ground, if headed towards, it worries
stirs to move; if harshly driven, it makes for its goal.
And if penetrated, it dresses its wounds
وَماand why ذِكرُهُhis recalling تِربىthe two age-mates of خُصَيلَةَKhusayla بَعدَماafter
وَما ذِكرُهُ تِربى خُصَيلَةَ بَعدَما
ظَعَنَّthey departed بِأَجوازِthrough the midst of المَراضِal-Marad فَتَغلَمِthen Taghlam
ظَعَنَّ بِأَجوازِ المَراضِ فَتَغلَمِ
And why recall Khusayla's two age-mates after
And the mention of the soil of his ribs after
they departed through the midst of al-Marad, then Taghlam?
It suffered from the splitting of veins so it darkened
فَأَصبَحنَso by morning they were بِاللَعباءِat al-La'ba يَرمينَthey fling بِالحَصىwith pebbles
فَأَصبَحنَ بِاللَعباءِ يَرمينَ بِالحَصى
مَدىas far as وَحشِيِّthe outer side لَهُنَّof theirs وَمُستَميand a hunter
مَدى وَحشِيِّ لَهُنَّ وَمُستَمي
By morning they were at al-La'ba, flinging pebbles
In the morning they threw pebbles
out to their far side and toward the hunter.
A savage range belonging to them extending
مُوازِيَةًrunning parallel to هَضبَthe hills of المُضَيَّحِal-Mudayyah وَاِتَّقَتand avoided
مُوازِيَةً هَضبَ المُضَيَّحِ وَاِتَّقَت
جِبالَthe mountains of الحِمىal-Hima وَالأَخشَبينِand al-Akhshabayn بِأَخرُمِby Akhrum
جِبالَ الحِمى وَالأَخشَبينِ بِأَخرُمِ
Keeping abreast of al-Mudayyah's hills, they avoided
Parallel to the plateau of Mudhayyah, and it feared
the mountains of al-Hima and al-Akhshabayn by Akhrum.
The mountains of sanctuary and the two bare (hills) of Akhshabayn
إِلَيكَtoward you تَبارىthey race one another بَعدَماafter قُلتُI said قَدalready بَدَتhave appeared
إِلَيكَ تَبارى بَعدَما قُلتُ قَد بَدَت
جِبالُthe mountains of الشَباal-Shaba أَوor نَكَّبَتthey skirted هَضبَthe hills of تَريمِTarim
جِبالُ الشَبا أَو نَكَّبَت هَضبَ تَريمِ
Toward you they race, after I said, ‘There have appeared
Towards you they compete after I said the
the mountains of al-Shaba’—or they had skirted Tarim's hills.
Mountains of youth have appeared or the plateau of Traym bowed down
بِناwith us العيسُthe pale camels تَجتَابُcross الفَلاةَthe wilderness كَأَنَّهاas though they were
بِنا العيسُ تَجتَابُ الفَلاةَ كَأَنَّها
قَطاsandgrouse الكُدرِal-Kudr أَمسىat evening قارِباًnearing water جَفرَthe waterhole of ضَمضَمِDamdam
قَطا الكُدرِ أَمسى قارِباً جَفرَ ضَمضَمِ
With us, the pale camels cross the wilderness, as though they were
With us the camel herds roam the desert as if they are
al-Kudr's sandgrouse, nearing Damdam's waterhole at evening.
The ships of brackish waters that have become vessels sailing freely
تَشَكّىcomplain بِأَعلىat the heights of ذيDhu جَراوِلَJarawil مَوهِناًlate at night
تَشَكّى بِأَعلى ذي جَراوِلَ مَوهِناً
مناسِمُfootpads مِنهاof theirs تَخضِبُstain المَروَflint بِالدَمِwith blood
مناسِمُ مِنها تَخضِبُ المَروَ بِالدَمِ
High in Dhu Jarawil, late at night, cry out
They complain at the top of the one with prominent anklebones
their footpads, staining the flint with blood.
Whose landscapes dye Al-Marw with blood
تَنوطُhitch العِتاقَthe thoroughbreds الحِميَرِيَّةَHimyarite صُحبَتيmy companions
تَنوطُ العِتاقَ الحِميَرِيَّةَ صُحبَتي
بِأَعيَسَto a pale camel نَهّاضٍever rising عَلىdespite الأَينِweariness مِرجَمِstone-flinging
بِأَعيَسَ نَهّاضٍ عَلى الأَينِ مِرجَمِ
My companions hitch the thoroughbred Himyarite camels
My company ties the she-camels of Itiq herd
to a pale camel, ever rising despite weariness, flinging stones.
With a stimulator on the thick rope
كَأَنَّas though المَطاياthe mounts تَتَّقيkeep clear مِنfrom زُبانَةZubana
كَأَنَّ المَطايا تَتَّقي مِن زُبانَة
مَناكِبَthe shoulders of رُكنٍa crag مِنof نَضادِNadad مُلَملَمِcompact and rounded
مَناكِبَ رُكنٍ مِن نَضادِ مُلَملَمِ
As though the mounts, from Zubana, kept clear
As if the riding beasts avoid the shoulder
of the shoulders of a compact, rounded crag of Nadad.
Of a pillar of the scrubbed and smooth (idol)
تُعاليvie in height with وَقَدhaving already نُكّبنَbeen steered aside from أَعلامَthe peaks of عابِدٍAbid
تُعالي وَقَد نُكّبنَ أَعلامَ عابِدٍ
بِأَركانِهاwith their flanks اليُسرىleft هِضابَthe hills of المُقطَّمِal-Muqattam
بِأَركانِها اليُسرى هِضابَ المُقطَّمِ
They vie in height—having been steered past Abid's peaks—
You rise after the flags of `Abid were overturned
with al-Muqattam's hills, along their left flanks.
With their left pillars, the plateaus of Mugattam
تَرىyou see طَبَقَthe aligned row of الأَعناقِthe necks مِنهاof them كَأَنَّهُas though it were
تَرى طَبَقَ الأَعناقِ مِنها كَأَنَّهُ
إِلَيكَtoward you كُعوبُjoints of السَمهَرِيِّSamhari spears المُقَوَّمِstraightened
إِلَيكَ كُعوبُ السَمهَرِيِّ المُقَوَّمِ
You see the aligned row of their necks, as though it were
You see their necks like
joints of straightened Samhari spears pointing toward you.
The curved goblets of Samhar made even
إِذاwhen اِنتَقَدَتthey tug at فَضلَthe slack of الأَزِمَّةِthe reins زَعزَعَتset swaying
إِذا اِنتَقَدَت فَضلَ الأَزِمَّةِ زَعزَعَت
أِنابيبُهاtheir neck-joints العُلياupper خَوابِيَlarge jars حَنتَمِgreen-glazed earthenware
أِنابيبُها العُليا خَوابِيَ حَنتَمِ
When they tug at the slack reins, there sway
When the surplus of the crisis shook them
great green-glazed jars, rocked by their upper neck-joints.
Their upper pipes shook the ridges of Hantam
تَزورُthey visit اِمرِءاًa man أَمّاas for الإِلَهَGod فَيَتَّقيso he fears
تَزورُ اِمرِءاً أَمّا الإِلَهَ فَيَتَّقي
وَأَمّاand as for بِفِعلِin the deeds of الصالِحينَthe righteous فَيَأتَميso he follows their example
وَأَمّا بِفِعلِ الصالِحينَ فَيَأتَمي
They visit a man who, as for God, fears Him,
They visit a man, as for God, they avoid Him
and, in the deeds of the righteous, follows their example.
And as for the deeds of the righteous, they inspire him
نُجِدُّwe renew لَكَfor you القَولَthe speech الحَلِيَّadorned وَنَمتَطيand we ride
نُجِدُّ لَكَ القَولَ الحَلِيَّ وَنَمتَطي
إِلَيكَtoward you بَناتِthe daughters of الصَيعَرِيِّal-Say'ari وَشَدقَمِand Shadqam
إِلَيكَ بَناتِ الصَيعَرِيِّ وَشَدقَمِ
We renew for you our bejeweled words, and ride
We will lavish our sweet words upon you and we will mount
toward you the daughters of al-Say'ari and Shadqam.
The daughters of Say'ari towards you and Shadaqam
إِلَيكَtoward you فَلَيسَfor it is not النَيلُthe Nile أَصبَحَhas begun the day غادِياًsetting forth early
إِلَيكَ فَلَيسَ النَيلُ أَصبَحَ غادِياً
بِذيwith something having حُبُكٍripples يَعلوrises above القُرىthe villages مِتَسَنَّمِmounting high
بِذي حُبُكٍ يَعلو القُرى مِتَسَنَّمِ
To you—for the Nile, setting forth at morning,
Towards you, so the Nile did not become flowing
with rippled waves overtopping villages, mounting high,
With crooked course, rising above the settlements
بِطامٍin flood يَكِبُّoverturns الفُلكَthe ships حَولَaround جَنابهِits banks
بِطامٍ يَكِبُّ الفُلكَ حَولَ جَنابهِ
لَأَذقانِهِonto its chins مُعلَولِبَcoiling المَدِّthe flood يَرتَميsurges forward
لَأَذقانِهِ مُعلَولِبَ المَدِّ يَرتَمي
in flood, overturning ships around its banks,
With a flood that topples ships around its sides
onto their chins, its coiling surge rushing forward,
With its violent, high, overwhelming waves
بِأَفضَلَgreater سَيباًin bounty مِنكَthan you بَلrather لَيسَis not كُلَّهُall of it
بِأَفضَلَ سَيباً مِنكَ بَل لَيسَ كُلَّهُ
كَبَعضِlike part of أَياديthe gifts of سَيبِكَyour bounty المُتَقَسَّمِshared out
كَبَعضِ أَيادي سَيبِكَ المُتَقَسَّمِ
is no greater in bounty than you; indeed, not all of it
With the best arrows from you, but not all of them
equals even part of the gifts of your shared-out bounty.
Are like some of the arrows you have distributed
رَأَيتُI saw اِبنَthe son of لَيلىLayla يَعتَريbesets صُلبَthe core of مالِهِhis wealth
رَأَيتُ اِبنَ لَيلى يَعتَري صُلبَ مالِهِ
مَسائِلُrequests شَتّىdiverse مِنfrom غَنِيٍّa rich man وَمُصرِمِand a penniless man
مَسائِلُ شَتّى مِن غَنِيٍّ وَمُصرِمِ
I have seen Ibn Layla, the core of whose wealth is beset
I saw the son of Layla, various issues bother him
by diverse requests, from rich and penniless alike.
From a rich or a deprived person
مَسائِلُrequests إِنif توجَدare found لَدَيهِwith him تَجُدgive generously بِهاwith them
مَسائِلُ إِن توجَد لَدَيهِ تَجُد بِها
يَداهُhis two hands وَإِنand if يُظلَمhe is wronged بِهاover them يَتَظَلَّمِhe complains of injustice
يَداهُ وَإِن يُظلَم بِها يَتَظَلَّمِ
Requests: if he has what is sought, it is freely given
Issues, if found with him, you find his hands with them
by his hands; and if wronged over them, he protests.
And if he is wronged with them, he complains
يَداكَyour two hands رَبيعٌspringtime يُنتَوىis sought as a destination فَضلُthe abundance of سَيبِهits bounty
يَداكَ رَبيعٌ يُنتَوى فَضلُ سَيبِه
وَوَجهُكَand your face باديrevealing الخَيرِgoodness للمُتَوَسِّمِto the discerning observer
وَوَجهُكَ بادي الخَيرِ للمُتَوَسِّمِ
Your hands are springtime, whose abundant bounty is sought,
Your hands are spring, the surplus of its arrows abound
and your face reveals goodness to the discerning.
And your face openly good to the destined
لَقَدindeed أَبرَزَتhave brought forth مِنكَfrom you الحَوادِثُevents لِلعِدىto the enemies
لَقَد أَبرَزَت مِنكَ الحَوادِثُ لِلعِدى
عَلىdespite رَغمِهِمtheir resistance ذَرِّيَّthe gleaming edge of عَضبٍa keen sword مُصَمِّمِcleaving straight through
عَلى رَغمِهِم ذَرِّيَّ عَضبٍ مُصَمِّمِ
Indeed, events have revealed in you to your enemies,
You have surely brought out from yourself against the enemies
against their will, the gleaming edge of a keen, cleaving sword.
Descendants of anger, determined, hardened
وَذيand one with قَونَسٍa helmet crest يَوماًone day شَكَكتَyou transfixed لُبانَهُhis breast
وَذي قَونَسٍ يَوماً شَكَكتَ لُبانَهُ
بِذيwith one having حُمَةٍa sharp point فيat عامِلِthe fore-shaft of الرَمحِthe spear لَهذَمِkeen-edged
بِذي حُمَةٍ في عامِلِ الرَمحِ لَهذَمِ
And many a helmeted man's breast you once transfixed
And Thul-Qarnayn one day you doubted his purity
with a sharp point on the fore-shaft of a keen spear.
With Thul-Huma in the worker of the spear to crush him
وَذيand one with مَغرَمٍa debt burden فَرَّجتَyou dispelled عَنfrom لَونِthe complexion of وَجهِهِhis face
وَذي مَغرَمٍ فَرَّجتَ عَن لَونِ وَجهِهِ
صُبابَةَthe lingering remnant of ذيsomething bearing دَجنٍclouded darkness مِنَof الهَمِّgrief مُظلِمِdark
صُبابَةَ ذي دَجنٍ مِنَ الهَمِّ مُظلِمِ
And from many a debtor's complexion you dispelled
And to the love-sick you relieved the complexion of his face
the remnant of a dark cloud of grief.
The youthfulness of Thul-Dajn from the gloomy worries
وَعانٍand a captive فَكَكتَyou undid الغُلَّthe neck-shackle عَنهُfrom him وَكَبلَهُand his fetter
وَعانٍ فَكَكتَ الغُلَّ عَنهُ وَكَبلَهُ
وَقَدand already أَندَباboth had scarred مِنهُon him بِساقٍon a leg وَمِعصَمِand a wrist
وَقَد أَندَبا مِنهُ بِساقٍ وَمِعصَمِ
And a captive—you undid his neck-shackle and his fetter,
And to the chained you removed the shackle from him and bound it
and both had scarred his leg and wrist.
While they both appealed with a leg and wrist
وَلَوand if وُزِنَتwere weighed رَضوىRadwa الجِبالِof the mountains بِحِلمِهِagainst his forbearance
وَلَو وُزِنَت رَضوى الجِبالِ بِحِلمِهِ
لَمالَwould tip the scales بِرَضوىagainst Radwa حِلمُهُhis forbearance وَيَرَمرَمِand Yaramram
لَمالَ بِرَضوى حِلمُهُ وَيَرَمرَمِ
And were Mount Radwa weighed against his forbearance,
And if the consent of mountains was weighed with his forbearance
his forbearance would outweigh Radwa and Yaramram.
His forbearance would tilt and the mountains crumble
مِنَof النفَرِthe company البيضِfair الَّذينَwho وُجوهُهُمtheir faces
مِنَ النفَرِ البيضِ الَّذينَ وُجوهُهُم
دَنانيرُgold dinars شيفَتwere polished مِنfrom هِرَقلٍHeraclius بِرَوسَمِwith a stamp
دَنانيرُ شيفَت مِن هِرَقلٍ بِرَوسَمِ
He is of the fair company whose faces
Of the fair-skinned group whose faces
are polished dinars bearing Heraclius's stamp.
Are dinars poured from Heraclius with stamps
فَأَنتَso you إِذاwhen عُدَّare counted المَكارِمُnoble deeds بَينَهُbetween him
فَأَنتَ إِذا عُدَّ المَكارِمُ بَينَهُ
وَبَينَand between اِبنِthe son of حَربٍHarb ذيpossessing النُهىunderstanding المُتَفَخِّمِmajestic
وَبَينَ اِبنِ حَربٍ ذي النُهى المُتَفَخِّمِ
So you—when noble deeds are reckoned between him
So you, when virtues are counted between him
and Ibn Harb, wise and majestic—
And the son of Harb, the one with arrogant commands
مَتىwhenever ماever أَقُلI utter فيat آخِرِthe end of الدَهرِtime مِدحَةًa praise-poem
مَتى ما أَقُل في آخِرِ الدَهرِ مِدحَةً
فَماthen not هِيَit إِلّاexcept لِاِبنِfor the son of لَيلىLayla المُكَرَّمِthe honored
فَما هِيَ إِلّا لِاِبنِ لَيلى المُكَرَّمِ
whenever I utter a praise-poem, even at the end of time,
When I utter a final eulogy at the end of time
it is only for honored Ibn Layla.
It will only be for the honorable son of Layla
Sol 6.1