طَرِبْتُI was stirred with longing وماand not هذاthis بسَاعَةِat an hour of مَطْرَبٍrejoicing
طَرِبْتُ وما هذا بسَاعَةِ مَطْرَبٍ
إلىfor الحيthe tribe حَلّواthey settled بَيْنَbetween عاذٍ‘Adh فجُبْجُبِand Jubjub
إلى الحي حَلّوا بَيْنَ عاذٍ فجُبْجُبِ
I was stirred with longing, though this is no hour for rejoicing,
for the tribe that settled between ‘Adh and Jubjub
قَدِيماًlong ago فأَمْسَتْand it has become دارُهُمْtheir dwelling قَدْalready تَلَعَّبَتْhave toyed
قَدِيماً فأَمْسَتْ دارُهُمْ قَدْ تَلَعَّبَتْ
بِهاwith it خَرَقاتُgusts الريحِof wind منfrom كُلِّevery مَلْعَبِplaying-ground
بِها خَرَقاتُ الريحِ من كُلِّ مَلْعَبِ
long ago; now their dwelling has been toyed with
by gusts of wind from every quarter.
وكَمْand how many قَدْindeed رَأَىsaw رائِيهِمُone who saw them وَرَأَيْتُهُand I saw him
وكَمْ قَدْ رَأَى رائِيهِمُ وَرَأَيْتُهُ
بِهاthere ليَof mine مِنْof عمٍّa paternal uncle كَرِيمٍnoble ومِنْand of أَبِa father
بِها ليَ مِنْ عمٍّ كَرِيمٍ ومِنْ أَبِ
How many a man their beholder saw, and I saw him too,
there—a noble paternal uncle of mine, and a father.
فَوارِسُhorsemen مِنْfrom آلِthe family of النَّفاضَةِal-Nafadah سادَةٌlords
فَوارِسُ مِنْ آلِ النَّفاضَةِ سادَةٌ
ومِنْand from آلِthe family of كَعْبٍKa‘b سُؤْدَدٌnobility غَيْرُnot مُعْقَبِsuperseded
ومِنْ آلِ كَعْبٍ سُؤْدَدٌ غَيْرُ مُعْقَبِ
Horsemen from the house of al-Nafadah, lords,
and from the house of Ka‘b—nobility never superseded.
وحيٍّand a tribe حرِيدٍisolated قدindeed صَبَحْناwe attacked at dawn بِغارَةٍwith a raid
وحيٍّ حرِيدٍ قد صَبَحْنا بِغارَةٍ
فَلَمْso not يُمْسِremained at evening بَيْتٌa tent مِنْهُمُof theirs تَحْتَbeneath كَوْكَبِa star
فَلَمْ يُمْسِ بَيْتٌ مِنْهُمُ تَحْتَ كَوْكَبِ
And an isolated tribe we assailed in a dawn raid,
so by evening not one of their tents remained beneath a star.
شَنَنَّاwe unleashed عليهمupon them كلَّevery جَرْداءَsleek mare شَطْبَةٍslender
شَنَنَّا عليهم كلَّ جَرْداءَ شَطْبَةٍ
لَجُوجٍheadstrong تُبارِيvies with كُلَّevery أَجْرَدَsleek stallion شَرْجَبِlong-bodied
لَجُوجٍ تُبارِي كُلَّ أَجْرَدَ شَرْجَبِ
We unleashed upon them every sleek, slender mare,
headstrong, vying with every sleek, long-bodied stallion,
أَجَشَّhoarse هَزِيمٍthunderous فيon الخَبارِsoft ground إذاwhen انْتَحىhe turns
أَجَشَّ هَزِيمٍ في الخَبارِ إذا انْتَحى
هَوادِيthe foreparts of عِطْفَيْهِhis two flanks العِنانthe rein مُقرّبِcherished
هَوادِي عِطْفَيْهِ العِنان مُقرّبِ
hoarse and thunderous on soft ground when he turns
his shoulders to the rein—a cherished steed.
لوَحْشِيِّهاat her outer side مِنْfrom جانبَيْboth sides of زَفَيانِهاher swaying gallop
لوَحْشِيِّها مِنْ جانبَيْ زَفَيانِها
حَفِيفٌa whir كَخُذْرُوفِlike the spinning top of الوَلِيدِa child المُثَقَّبِperforated
حَفِيفٌ كَخُذْرُوفِ الوَلِيدِ المُثَقَّبِ
At her outer flank, as she darts from side to side,
is a whir like a child's perforated spinning top.
إذاwhen جاشَsurged بالماءِwith water الحَمِيمِhot سِجالُهاher buckets
إذا جاشَ بالماءِ الحَمِيمِ سِجالُها
نَضَخْنَthey spurted بِهِwith it نَضْخَthe spurting of المَزادِwaterskins المسَرَّبِleaking
نَضَخْنَ بِهِ نَضْخَ المَزادِ المسَرَّبِ
When her buckets surge with hot water,
they spurt it as leaking waterskins spurt.
فَذَرْso leave ذاthis ولكنّيand yet I تَمَنَّيْتُwished for رَاكِباًa rider
فَذَرْ ذا ولكنّي تَمَنَّيْتُ رَاكِباً
إذاwhen قالَhe speaks قَوْلاًa word صادِقاًtruthful لَمْnot يُكَذَّبِis disbelieved
إذا قالَ قَوْلاً صادِقاً لَمْ يُكَذَّبِ
Leave that; but I have wished for a rider
who, when he speaks a truthful word, is not disbelieved.
لَهُfor him ناقَةٌa she-camel عِنْدِيwith me وَساعٌwide-striding وكُورُهاand her saddle
لَهُ ناقَةٌ عِنْدِي وَساعٌ وكُورُها
كِلاboth مِرْفَقَيْهاher elbows عَنْaway from رَحاهاher chest pad بمُجْنَبِset apart
كِلا مِرْفَقَيْها عَنْ رَحاها بمُجْنَبِ
For him I have a wide-striding she-camel, and her saddle;
both her elbows stand clear of her chest pad.
إذاwhen حَرَّكَتْهاsets her moving رحْلَةٌa journey جَنَحَتْshe swoops بِهِwith him
إذا حَرَّكَتْها رحْلَةٌ جَنَحَتْ بِهِ
جُنُوحَthe swooping of القطاةِthe sandgrouse تَنْتَحِيheads toward كُلَّevery سَبْسَبِopen plain
جُنُوحَ القطاةِ تَنْتَحِي كُلَّ سَبْسَبِ
When a journey sets her moving, she swoops with him,
with a sandgrouse's swoop, heading for every open plain:
جُنُوحَthe swooping of قَطاةِa sandgrouse الوِرْدِgoing to water فيamong عُصَبِflocks of القَطاsandgrouse
جُنُوحَ قَطاةِ الوِرْدِ في عُصَبِ القَطا
قَرَبْنَthey approached مِياهَthe waters of النِّهْيِthe pool مِنfrom كُلِّevery مَقْرَبِapproach
قَرَبْنَ مِياهَ النِّهْيِ مِن كُلِّ مَقْرَبِ
the swoop of a watering sandgrouse among flocks of sandgrouse.
They approached the pool's waters from every side.
فَغادَيْنَthen they came at dawn بالأَجْزاعِto the valley bends فَوْقَabove صَوائِقٍSawa’iq
فَغادَيْنَ بالأَجْزاعِ فَوْقَ صَوائِقٍ
وَمَدْفَعِand the outflow of ذاتِDhat العَيْنِal-‘Ayn أَعْذَبَsweetest مَشْرَبِdrinking-place
وَمَدْفَعِ ذاتِ العَيْنِ أَعْذَبَ مَشْرَبِ
At dawn they came to the valley bends above Sawa’iq,
and the outflow of Dhat al-‘Ayn, the sweetest drinking-place.
فَظَلْنَand they remained نَشاوىtipsy بالعُيونِat the springs كأَنَّهاas though they were
فَظَلْنَ نَشاوى بالعُيونِ كأَنَّها
شَرُوبٌdrinkers بَدَتْemerged عَنْfrom مَرْزُبانٍa marzuban مُحَجَّبِsecluded
شَرُوبٌ بَدَتْ عَنْ مَرْزُبانٍ مُحَجَّبِ
They lingered tipsy at the springs, as though they were
drinkers emerging from a secluded marzuban.
فَنالَتْthen she took قلِيلاًa little شافِياًthirst-quenching وَتَعجَّلتْand she hurried
فَنالَتْ قلِيلاً شافِياً وَتَعجَّلتْ
لنادِلِهاto her nestling بَيْنَbetween الشِّباكِal-Shibak وَتَنْضُبِand Tandub
لنادِلِها بَيْنَ الشِّباكِ وَتَنْضُبِ
She took a little that quenched her thirst, then hurried
to her nestling between al-Shibak and Tandub.
تَبِيتُit spends the night بمَوْماةٍin a wasteland وتُصْبِحُand it is at dawn ثاوياًresting
تَبِيتُ بمَوْماةٍ وتُصْبِحُ ثاوياً
بِهاthere فيin أَفاحِيصِthe nest-scrapes of الغَوِيِّthe foolish one المُعَصَّبِturban-crowned
بِها في أَفاحِيصِ الغَوِيِّ المُعَصَّبِ
It spends the night in a wasteland, and is still resting at dawn,
there in the nest-scrapes of the foolish, turban-crowned one.
وَضَمَّتْand she drew إلىtoward جَوْفٍa belly جَناحاًa wing وجُؤْجُؤاًand a breast
وَضَمَّتْ إلى جَوْفٍ جَناحاً وجُؤْجُؤاً
وناطَتْand she suspended قليلاًa little فيin سِقاءٍa waterskin مُحَبَّبِpebbled
وناطَتْ قليلاً في سِقاءٍ مُحَبَّبِ
She drew a wing and breast against her belly,
and suspended a little in a pebbled waterskin.
إذاwhen فَتَرَتْshe slackened ضَرْبَthe beating of الجَناحَيْنِthe two wings عاقَبَتْshe alternated
إذا فَتَرَتْ ضَرْبَ الجَناحَيْنِ عاقَبَتْ
عَلىon شُزُنَيْهاher two flanks مَنْكِباًa shoulder بَعْدَafter مَنْكَبِa shoulder
عَلى شُزُنَيْها مَنْكِباً بَعْدَ مَنْكَبِ
When she slackened the beating of her two wings, she alternated
along her two flanks, one shoulder after the other.
فَلَمَّاthen when أَحَسَّاthe two sensed جَرْسَهاher sound وتضوَّراand the two cried in distress
فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّا جَرْسَها وتضوَّرا
وَأَوْبَتهاand her return منْfrom ذلكَthat المُتَأوِّبِhomeward journey
وَأَوْبَتها منْ ذلكَ المُتَأوِّبِ
When the two sensed her sound and cried in distress,
and her return from that homeward journey,
تَدَلَّتْshe descended إلىto حُصِّbare الرُّؤُّوسِheads كأنَّهاas though they were
تَدَلَّتْ إلى حُصِّ الرُّؤُّوسِ كأنَّها
كُراتُballs غُلامٍa boy مِنْfrom كِساءٍcloth مُرَنَّبِwoven with rabbit fur
كُراتُ غُلامٍ مِنْ كِساءٍ مُرَنَّبِ
she descended to the bare-headed ones, as though they were
a boy's balls made of cloth woven with rabbit fur.
فَلَمَّاthen when انْجَلَتْcleared عَنْهاfrom her الدُّجىthe darkness وسَقَتْهُماand she gave the two drink
فَلَمَّا انْجَلَتْ عَنْها الدُّجى وسَقَتْهُما
صَبِيبَthe outpouring of سِقاءٍa waterskin نِيطَhung لمّاnot yet يخرّبِtorn
صَبِيبَ سِقاءٍ نِيطَ لمّا يخرّبِ
When darkness cleared from her and she gave the two to drink
the outpouring of a suspended waterskin, not yet torn,
غَدَتْshe went at dawn كَنَواةِlike the stone of القَسْبِdry dates عنهاfrom them وأَصْبَحَتْand in the morning she was
غَدَتْ كَنَواةِ القَسْبِ عنها وأَصْبَحَتْ
تُراطِنُهاspeaks to her in a foreign tongue دَوّيّةٌa wilderness لَمْnot تُعَرَّبِmade Arabic
تُراطِنُها دَوّيّةٌ لَمْ تُعَرَّبِ
she left them like a dry date-stone, and in the morning
a wilderness babbled to her in a tongue never made Arabic.
وليand for me فيamong المُنىwishes ألاّthat not يُعرّجَturn aside راكبيmy rider
ولي في المُنى ألاّ يُعرّجَ راكبي
وَيحْبِسَand keep back عنهاfrom her كُلَّevery شيءٍthing مُتَرَّبِdust-covered
وَيحْبِسَ عنها كُلَّ شيءٍ مُتَرَّبِ
Among my wishes is that my rider not turn aside,
and keep every dust-covered thing away from her.
ويُفْرِجُand opens بَوَّابٌa gatekeeper لَهاfor her عَنْto reveal مُناخِهاher kneeling-place
ويُفْرِجُ بَوَّابٌ لَها عَنْ مُناخِها
بإقْلِيدِهwith his key بابَthe door of الرِّتَاجِthe great gate المُضبّبِiron-braced
بإقْلِيدِه بابَ الرِّتَاجِ المُضبّبِ
And may a gatekeeper open for her, giving access to her kneeling-place,
with his key, the iron-braced door of the great gate.
إذاwhen ماindeed أُنيخَتْis made to kneel بابنِbefore Ibn مَرْوانَMarwan ناقَتيmy she-camel
إذا ما أُنيخَتْ بابنِ مَرْوانَ ناقَتي
فلَيسَthen there is not عَلَيْهاupon her لِلْهَبانِيقِfor fools مَرْكَبيmy riding-place
فلَيسَ عَلَيْها لِلْهَبانِيقِ مَرْكَبي
When my she-camel is made to kneel before Ibn Marwan,
then my seat upon her is not for fools.
أُذِلَّتْshe was humbled بقُرْبيthrough my nearness عِنْدَهto him وقَضىand he decreed لهاfor her
أُذِلَّتْ بقُرْبي عِنْدَه وقَضى لها
قَضاءًa judgment فَلَمْand not يُنْقَضْwas annulled ولمand not يُتَعَقَّبِwas reconsidered
قَضاءً فَلَمْ يُنْقَضْ ولم يُتَعَقَّبِ
She was humbled through my closeness to him, and he decreed for her
a judgment neither annulled nor reconsidered.
فإنَّكَfor indeed you بَعْدَafter اللّهِGod أَنْتَyou أَميرُهاher ruler
فإنَّكَ بَعْدَ اللّهِ أَنْتَ أَميرُها
وقُنْعانُهاand her trusted protector مِنْfrom كُلِّevery خَوْفٍfear ومرغبِand desire
وقُنْعانُها مِنْ كُلِّ خَوْفٍ ومرغبِ
For, after God, you are her ruler,
and her trusted refuge in every fear and longing.
فَتَقضِيso you judge فَلَوْلاand were it not for أَنَّهthat it is كُلُّevery ريبَةٍmisgiving
فَتَقضِي فَلَوْلا أَنَّه كُلُّ ريبَةٍ
وكُلُّand every قلِيلٍsmall amount مِنْof وَعِيدِكِyour threat مُرْهِبيterrifying me
وكُلُّ قلِيلٍ مِنْ وَعِيدِكِ مُرْهِبي
You judge; were it not that every misgiving
and every slight threat of yours terrifies me,
إذاًthen ماnot ابْتَغىwould seek العادِيthe aggressor الظَّلُومُoppressive ظُلامةًan injustice
إذاً ما ابْتَغى العادِي الظَّلُومُ ظُلامةً
عَلَيَّagainst me ومَاnor أَجْلَبْتُwould I muster forces للْمُتَجَلِّبِagainst the one mustering
عَلَيَّ ومَا أَجْلَبْتُ للْمُتَجَلِّبِ
then the oppressive aggressor would seek no wrong
against me, nor would I rally against one mustering forces.
تُبادِرُyou forestall أبناءَthe sons of الوشاةِslanderers وَتَبْتَغِيand you seek
تُبادِرُ أبناءَ الوشاةِ وَتَبْتَغِي
لَهاfor her طَلَباتِclaims الحقِّof right مِنfrom كُلِّevery مَطْلَبِquarter
لَها طَلَباتِ الحقِّ مِن كُلِّ مَطْلَبِ
You forestall the sons of slanderers and seek
her rightful claims from every quarter.
إذاwhen أَدْلَجَتْshe journeys by night حَتَّىuntil تَرىshe sees الصُبحَdawn واصَلَتْshe continues
إذا أَدْلَجَتْ حَتَّى تَرى الصُبحَ واصَلَتْ
أدِيمَthe full span of نَهارِday الشَّمْسِthe sun ماas long as لَمْnot تَغَيَّبِit sets
أدِيمَ نَهارِ الشَّمْسِ ما لَمْ تَغَيَّبِ
When she journeys by night until she sees dawn, she continues
through the whole sunlit day, until the sun sets.
فَلمَّاthen when رَأَتْshe saw دَارَthe house of الأَميرِthe prince تَحاوَصَتْshe squinted
فَلمَّا رَأَتْ دَارَ الأَميرِ تَحاوَصَتْ
وصَوْتُand the voice of المُناديthe caller بالأذانِwith the call to prayer المثوَّبِreiterated
وصَوْتُ المُنادي بالأذانِ المثوَّبِ
When she saw the prince's house, she narrowed her eyes,
and the caller's voice with the reiterated call to prayer,
وتَرْجِيعُand the reverberation of أصْواتِthe voices of الخصومِthe litigants يردّهاechoes them back
وتَرْجِيعُ أصْواتِ الخصومِ يردّها
سُقُوفُroofs of بيوتٍhouses فيin طِمارِa lofty structure مُبَوَّبِfitted with gates
سُقُوفُ بيوتٍ في طِمارِ مُبَوَّبِ
and the reverberation of litigants' voices, echoed back
by the roofs of houses in a lofty, gated structure.
يَظَلُّlingers لأَعْلاهاat their tops دَوِيٌّa hum كأنَّهُas though it were
يَظَلُّ لأَعْلاها دَوِيٌّ كأنَّهُ
تَرَنُّمُthe humming of قارِيa honey-gatherer بَيْتِa hive of نَحْلٍbees مُجَوَّبِhollowed-out
تَرَنُّمُ قارِي بَيْتِ نَحْلٍ مُجَوَّبِ
A hum lingers at their tops, as though it were
the humming of a honey-gatherer in a hollowed-out beehive.
Sol 6.1