دَرَسَfaded المَناthe dwelling sites بِمُتالِعٍat Mutaliʿ فَأَبانِthen at Aban
دَرَسَ المَنا بِمُتالِعٍ فَأَبانِ
وَتَقادَمَتand grew old بِالحُبسِat al-Hubs فَالسوبانِthen at al-Suban
وَتَقادَمَت بِالحُبسِ فَالسوبانِ
The dwelling sites have faded at Mutaliʿ, then Aban,
The stars taught with an observer, thus made clear
And grown old at al-Hubs, then al-Suban,
And lingered in confinement, so Suhban went far
فَنعافِthen at the slopes of صارَةَSara فَالقَنانِthen al-Qanan كَأَنَّهاas though they were
فَنعافِ صارَةَ فَالقَنانِ كَأَنَّها
زُبُرٌwritings يُرَجِّعُهاhe retraces them وَليدُa boy يَمانِYemeni
زُبُرٌ يُرَجِّعُها وَليدُ يَمانِ
Then the slopes of Sara and al-Qanan, as though they were
The breath of ease blew on the bottle as though
Writings retraced by a Yemeni boy,
It were a lute restored by a Yemeni lad
مُتَعَوِّدٌpracticed لَحِنٌquick-witted يُعيدُhe moves repeatedly بِكَفِّهِwith his hand
مُتَعَوِّدٌ لَحِنٌ يُعيدُ بِكَفِّهِ
قَلَماًa pen عَلىover عُسُبٍpalm stalks ذَبُلنَwithered وَبانِand ban wood
قَلَماً عَلى عُسُبٍ ذَبُلنَ وَبانِ
Practiced and clever, moving again and again with his hand
One accustomed to a melody repeating with his palm
A pen over withered palm stalks and ban wood.
A pen on withered reeds that bloomed and were erect
أَوor مُسلَمٌa tattoo عَمِلَتshe fashioned لَهُfor it عُلوِيَّةٌan upland woman
أَو مُسلَمٌ عَمِلَت لَهُ عُلوِيَّةٌ
رَصَنَتshe marked firmly ظُهورَthe backs of رَواجِبٍfinger-joints وَبَنانِand fingertips
رَصَنَت ظُهورَ رَواجِبٍ وَبَنانِ
Or a tattoo fashioned by a woman of the uplands,
Or a Muslim whose Ulawiyyah was wrought
Who fixed her marks on the backs of finger-joints and fingertips.
That molded the backs of she-camels and erected tents
لِلحَنظَلِيَّةِof the Hanzali woman أَصبَحَتhave become آياتُهاher traces
لِلحَنظَلِيَّةِ أَصبَحَت آياتُها
يَبرُقنَthey glitter تَحتَbeneath كَنَهبُلِgreat acacias الغُلّانِthe wooded hollows
يَبرُقنَ تَحتَ كَنَهبُلِ الغُلّانِ
The Hanzali woman's traces have come to
For the Hanthalia its verses became like signs
Glitter beneath the great acacias of the wooded hollows.
That shine beneath the darkness of the young men
خَلَدَتthey endured وَلَمand did not يَخلُدendure بِهاthere مَنthose who حَلَّهاsettled there
خَلَدَت وَلَم يَخلُد بِها مَن حَلَّها
وَتَبَدَّلَتand took in exchange خَيطاًa flock مِنَof الأُحدانِsolitary ostriches
وَتَبَدَّلَت خَيطاً مِنَ الأُحدانِ
They endured, but those who dwelt there did not;
It endured, but those who solved it did not endure
They have taken instead a flock of solitary ostriches,
And it was transformed into a thread from cords
وَالخاذِلاتُand cows lingering behind مَعَwith الجَآذِرِthe calves خِلفَةًin succession
وَالخاذِلاتُ مَعَ الجَآذِرِ خِلفَةً
وَالأُدمُand pale does حانِيَةٌbending tenderly مَعَwith الغِزلانِthe fawns
وَالأُدمُ حانِيَةٌ مَعَ الغِزلانِ
And cows lingering with their calves, coming and going,
While the negligent with the resolute behind
And pale does bending tenderly beside their fawns.
And the lover coquetting with the weavers
فَصَدَدتُso I turned away عَنfrom أَطلالِهِنَّtheir ruins بِجَسرَةٍon a sturdy she-camel
فَصَدَدتُ عَن أَطلالِهِنَّ بِجَسرَةٍ
عَيرانَةٍpowerful كَالعَقرِlike a palace ذيpossessing البُنيانِsolid construction
عَيرانَةٍ كَالعَقرِ ذي البُنيانِ
So I turned from their ruins on a sturdy she-camel,
So I turned away from their ruins arrogantly
Powerful, like a solidly built palace.
Like a mare free of restraint or construction
فَقَدَرتُso I planned لِلوَردِfor watering المُغَلِّسِin predawn darkness غُدوَةًearly in the morning
فَقَدَرتُ لِلوَردِ المُغَلِّسِ غُدوَةً
فَوَرَدتُso I reached water قَبلَbefore تَبَيُّنِthe distinguishing of الأَلوانِcolors
فَوَرَدتُ قَبلَ تَبَيُّنِ الأَلوانِ
I planned to reach water in the darkness of early morning,
I timed the plastered rose a morning
And arrived before colors could be distinguished:
I arrived before the colors were distinct
سُدُماًan abandoned well قَديماًlong ago عَهدُهُits acquaintance بِأَنيسِهِwith its familiar visitor
سُدُماً قَديماً عَهدُهُ بِأَنيسِهِ
مِنfrom بَينِamong أَصفَرَa yellow one ناصِعٍbright وَدِفانِand an earth-choked one
مِن بَينِ أَصفَرَ ناصِعٍ وَدِفانِ
An abandoned well, long unacquainted with a visitor,
An old friendship its pact with companions
Among bright-yellow wells and others choked with earth.
Amongst yellow, brilliant and rolling sands
فَهَرَقتُthen I poured أُذنِبَةًbucketfuls عَلىinto مُتَثَلِّمٍa chipped trough
فَهَرَقتُ أُذنِبَةً عَلى مُتَثَلِّمٍ
خَلقٍworn-out بِمُعتَدِلٍusing a medium-sized one مِنَof الأَصفانِthe leather buckets
خَلقٍ بِمُعتَدِلٍ مِنَ الأَصفانِ
Then I poured bucketfuls into a chipped trough,
So I shed a tear upon a well-formed one
Worn with age, using a medium-sized leather bucket.
Of fair creation and balanced limbs
فَتَغَمَّرَتso she drank sparingly نَفساًherself وَأَدرَكَand overtook شَأوُهاher pace
فَتَغَمَّرَت نَفساً وَأَدرَكَ شَأوُها
عُصَبَflocks القَطاof sandgrouse يَهوينَswooping down لِلأَذقانِchin-first
عُصَبَ القَطا يَهوينَ لِلأَذقانِ
She took a scant drink; her pace had overtaken
So a soul was immersed and realized its goal
Flocks of sandgrouse, swooping down chin-first.
The tendons of the throat plunging to the chins
فَثَنَيتُthen I drew back كَفّيmy hand وَالقُرابَand the sword-case وَنُمرُقيand my cushion
فَثَنَيتُ كَفّي وَالقُرابَ وَنُمرُقي
وَمَكانَهُنَّand their place الكورُthe camel-saddle وَالنِسعانِand the two girths
وَمَكانَهُنَّ الكورُ وَالنِسعانِ
Then I drew back my hand, the sword-case, and my cushion;
Then I folded my palms, the wine flask and bread
Their place was the saddle and its two girths.
And their places, the guitars and entertainers
كَسَفينَةِlike the ship of الهِندِيِّthe Indian طابَقَhe overlaid دَرءَهاher curved hull
كَسَفينَةِ الهِندِيِّ طابَقَ دَرءَها
بِسَقائِفٍwith planks مَشبوحَةٍspread broad وَدِهانِand oily coatings
بِسَقائِفٍ مَشبوحَةٍ وَدِهانِ
Like an Indian's ship, whose curved hull he overlaid
Like an Indian ship with a repaired hull
With broad planks and oily coatings.
In laid and painted compartments
فَاِلتامَso fitted together طائِقُهاher planking القَديمُthe old فَأَصبَحَتand she became
فَاِلتامَ طائِقُها القَديمُ فَأَصبَحَت
ماnot إِنat all يُقَوِّمُcan straighten دَرءَهاher sway رِدفانِtwo rear riders
ما إِن يُقَوِّمُ دَرءَها رِدفانِ
Her old planking fitted tight, and now
So its ancient planking came together
Not even two rear riders could straighten her sway.
That barely two planks can make it right
فَكَأَنَّهاso she seemed هِيَshe herself يَومَon the day غِبِّafter كَلالِهاher exhaustion
فَكَأَنَّها هِيَ يَومَ غِبِّ كَلالِها
أَوor أَسفَعُdark الخَدَّينِin both cheeks شاةُa wild bull إِرانِof a lair
أَو أَسفَعُ الخَدَّينِ شاةُ إِرانِ
She seemed, the day after her exhaustion, either herself
It was as if it, on the day its crescent waned
Or a dark-cheeked wild bull, a creature of the lair,
Or the smooth-cheeked ewe of Iran
حَرِجٌhuddled إِلىagainst أَرطاتِهِhis arta shrubs وَتَغَيَّبَتand disappeared
حَرِجٌ إِلى أَرطاتِهِ وَتَغَيَّبَت
عَنهُfrom him كَواكِبُthe stars of لَيلَةٍa night مِدجانِdark and overcast
عَنهُ كَواكِبُ لَيلَةٍ مِدجانِ
Huddled against his arta shrubs, while hidden
Inclined to its poles with its stars obscured
From him were the stars of an overcast night.
On a moonless night
يَزَعُshields الهَيامُloose dry sand عَنِfrom الثَرىthe damp earth وَيَمُدُّهُand replenishes it
يَزَعُ الهَيامُ عَنِ الثَرى وَيَمُدُّهُ
بُطحٌbroad sandy flats تَهايُلُهُits drifting heaps عَلىover الكُثبانِthe dunes
بُطحٌ تَهايُلُهُ عَلى الكُثبانِ
Loose sand shields him from the damp earth, replenished
The sands blow away from the ground which
By broad sandy flats, its drifting heaps spread over the dunes.
A dune whose slipping is on the sand hills
فَتَدارَكَthen rescued الإِشراقُsunrise باقِيَthe remainder of نَفسِهِhis life
فَتَدارَكَ الإِشراقُ باقِيَ نَفسِهِ
مُتَجَرِّداًstripped bare كَالمائِحِlike a well-water scooper العُريانِthe naked one
مُتَجَرِّداً كَالمائِحِ العُريانِ
Then sunrise rescued what remained of his life,
So dawn salvaged the remainder of its breath
Bare as a naked man scooping water inside a well.
Stripped bare like the flash of lightning
لَوif كانَhe were يَزجُرُهاreading their omens لَقَدsurely سَنَحَتhad crossed لَهُbefore him
لَو كانَ يَزجُرُها لَقَد سَنَحَت لَهُ
طَيرُbirds الشِياحِof warning بِغَمرَةٍwith peril وَطِعانِand spear-thrusts
طَيرُ الشِياحِ بِغَمرَةٍ وَطِعانِ
Had he read their omens, there had crossed his path
Had it been to scare it away, the birds
Birds of warning, foretelling peril and spear-thrusts.
Of the winds presented themselves to peck
فَعداso he ran عَلىwith حَذَرٍcaution مُوَرَّثُendowed by inheritance عُدَّةٍweapons
فَعدا عَلى حَذَرٍ مُوَرَّثُ عُدَّةٍ
يَهتَزُّquivering فَوقَabove جَبينِهِhis brow رُمحانِtwo spears
يَهتَزُّ فَوقَ جَبينِهِ رُمحانِ
He ran warily, endowed with weapons,
So he proceeded cautiously, inherited readiness
Two spears quivering above his brow,
With a lance quivering above his forehead
حَتّىuntil أُشِبَّwere set on لَهُagainst him ضِراءُtrained hounds مُكَلِّبٍof a huntsman
حَتّى أُشِبَّ لَهُ ضِراءُ مُكَلِّبٍ
يَسعىruns بِهِنَّwith them أَقَبُّa lean-bellied man كَالسِرحانِlike a wolf
يَسعى بِهِنَّ أَقَبُّ كَالسِرحانِ
Until a huntsman's trained hounds were set upon him,
Until a pack resembling hyenas drew near
A lean-bellied man running with them like a wolf.
Racing with them, most quick like the mules
فَحَمىso he defended مَقاتِلَهُhis vital parts وَذادَand repelled بِرَوقِهِwith his horn
فَحَمى مَقاتِلَهُ وَذادَ بِرَوقِهِ
حَميَthe guarding المُحارِبِof a warrior عَورَةَthe exposed flank of الصُحبانِthe companions
حَميَ المُحارِبِ عَورَةَ الصُحبانِ
He shielded his vital parts and drove them off with his horn,
So he protected his warriors and warded off with his lightning
As a warrior guards his companions' exposed flank,
The vulnerability of the companions in battle
شَزَراًsideways عَلىat نَبضِthe pulsing القُلوبِof hearts وَمُقدِماًand advancing
شَزَراً عَلى نَبضِ القُلوبِ وَمُقدِماً
فَكَأَنَّماas though يَختَلُّهاhe pierced them بِسِنانِwith a spearhead
فَكَأَنَّما يَختَلُّها بِسِنانِ
Striking sideways at pulsing hearts, and charging forward,
Sparks upon the pulse of hearts advancing
As though he pierced them with a spearhead.
As if he cleaved them with a blade
حَتّىuntil اِنجَلَتcleared عَنهُfrom him عَمايَةُthe blind confusion of نَفرِهِhis fright
حَتّى اِنجَلَت عَنهُ عَمايَةُ نَفرِهِ
فَكَأَنَّas though صَرعاهاits fallen ones ظُروفُcasings دِنانِof wine jars
فَكَأَنَّ صَرعاها ظُروفُ دِنانِ
Until the confusion of his fright cleared from him,
Until the blindness of his horde turned from him
Their fallen bodies seeming like wine-jar casings.
As if their prone forms were those of Dhi Nun
فَاِجتازَthen he crossed مُنقَطَعَthe end of الكَثيبِthe dune كَأَنَّهُas though he were
فَاِجتازَ مُنقَطَعَ الكَثيبِ كَأَنَّهُ
نِصعٌa white cloth جَلَتهُbrightened it الشَمسُthe sun بَعدَafter صِوانِprotective covering
نِصعٌ جَلَتهُ الشَمسُ بَعدَ صِوانِ
Then he crossed the dune's far end, as though he were
He crossed the interrupted dune as if he were
A white cloth brightened by the sun after being kept covered.
A lion stripped bare by the sun after imprisonment
يَمتَلُّhe speeds away مَوفوراًunharmed وَيَمشيand walks جانِباًaside
يَمتَلُّ مَوفوراً وَيَمشي جانِباً
رَبِذاًnimble يُسَلّيeasing حاجَةَthe concern الخَشيانِof the fearful one
رَبِذاً يُسَلّي حاجَةَ الخَشيانِ
He speeds away unharmed and walks aside,
Walking proudly and going to the side
Nimble, easing the fearful one's anxiety.
A few steps to fulfill the need of the timid
أَفَذاكَis it that one, then? أَمor صَعلٌa small-headed ostrich كَأَنَّas though عِفائَهُhis shaggy plumage
أَفَذاكَ أَم صَعلٌ كَأَنَّ عِفائَهُ
أَوزاعُscattered patches أَلقاءٍof discarded rags عَلىon أَغصانِbranches
أَوزاعُ أَلقاءٍ عَلى أَغصانِ
Is it that one, then, or a small-headed ostrich, whose plumage seems
Was it that or was it Sa’al like his beard hair
Patches of discarded rags upon branches?
Thrown on branches
يُلقيhe sheds سَقيطَthe fallen bits of عِفائِهِhis plumage مُتَقاصِراًcrouching low
يُلقي سَقيطَ عِفائِهِ مُتَقاصِراً
لِلشَدِّfor running عاقِدَdrawing tight مَنكِبٍa shoulder وَجِرانِand lower neck
لِلشَدِّ عاقِدَ مَنكِبٍ وَجِرانِ
He sheds the loose feathers of his plumage, crouching low
Casting the train of his beard, gathering
To run, drawing shoulder and lower neck tight.
Gripping the shoulders, a captive of assemblies
صَعلٌsmall-headed كَسافِلَةِlike the lower end of القَناةِa spear-shaft وَظيفُهُhis shank
صَعلٌ كَسافِلَةِ القَناةِ وَظيفُهُ
وَكَأَنَّand as though جُؤجُؤُهُhis breast صَفيحُthe broad face of كِرانِa lute
وَكَأَنَّ جُؤجُؤُهُ صَفيحُ كِرانِ
Small-headed, his shank like the butt of a spear,
Sa'al like the lower canal performing his duty
His breast like the broad face of a lute.
As if his braid was a bucket of tar
كَلِفٌenamored بِعارِيَةِof one bare الوَظيفِin the shank شِمِلَّةٍfleet-footed
كَلِفٌ بِعارِيَةِ الوَظيفِ شِمِلَّةٍ
يَمشيhe walks خِلالَthrough الشَريِthe colocynth فيamid خيطانِslender shoots
يَمشي خِلالَ الشَريِ في خيطانِ
Enamored of a fleet hen with bare shanks,
Busy with the nakedness of duty, a garment
He walks through colocynth amid slender shoots.
Walking amidst the milk in two lines
ظَلَّتshe continued تَتَبَّعseeking مِنfrom نِهاءِthe water-hollows of صَعائِدٍSaʿaʾid
ظَلَّت تَتَبَّع مِن نِهاءِ صَعائِدٍ
بَينَbetween السَليلِal-Salil وَمَدفَعِand the outlet of السُلّانِal-Sullan
بَينَ السَليلِ وَمَدفَعِ السُلّانِ
She kept seeking in the water-hollows of Saʿaʾid,
It followed from the limit of robes
Between al-Salil and the outlet of al-Sullan,
Between the conduit and discharge of the culverts
سَبَداًa shaggy growth مِنَof التَنّومِtannum plants يَخبِطُهُbeats it النَدىthe dew
سَبَداً مِنَ التَنّومِ يَخبِطُهُ النَدى
وَنَوادِراًand scattered patches مِنof حَنظَلِcolocynth الخُطبانِal-Khutban
وَنَوادِراً مِن حَنظَلِ الخُطبانِ
A shaggy growth of tannum plants, beaten by dew,
A basket of luxuries struck by dew
And scattered colocynth from al-Khutban.
And rarities from the sermon of the preachers
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen أَفِدِdrew near العَشِيُّevening تَرَوَّحاthe two returned at dusk
حَتّى إِذا أَفِدِ العَشِيُّ تَرَوَّحا
لِمَبيتِto the night-nest of رِبعِيِّearly-spring النِتاجِbrood هَجانِpure-white
لِمَبيتِ رِبعِيِّ النِتاجِ هَجانِ
Until, when evening drew near, the two went back
Until when evening came they took comfort
To the night-nest of a pure-white, early-spring brood.
For staying a night in a Bedouin camp
طالَتgrew long إِقامَتُهُits stay وَغَيَّرَand changed عَهدَهُits former state
طالَت إِقامَتُهُ وَغَيَّرَ عَهدَهُ
رِهَمُlight rains الرَبيعِof spring بِبُرقَةِon the stony tract of الكَبَوانِal-Kabawan
رِهَمُ الرَبيعِ بِبُرقَةِ الكَبَوانِ
Long had it lain there; its former state was altered
His stay grew long and spring changed his era
By spring drizzles on the stony ground of al-Kabawan.
With the lightning of Al Kabu
Sol 6.1