أَلاAh حَيِّgreet مِنْof أَسْمَاءَAsma رَسْمَthe trace الْمَنَازِلِthe dwellings
أَلا حَيِّ مِنْ أَسْمَاءَ رَسْمَ الْمَنَازِلِ
وَإِنْand even if هِيَthey لَمْdid not تَرْجِعْreturn بَيَانَاًa clear reply لِسَائِلِto an inquirer
وَإِنْ هِيَ لَمْ تَرْجِعْ بَيَانَاً لِسَائِلِ
Ah, greet the traces of Asma's dwellings,
though they give no clear answer to an inquirer.
خَلاءٌdesolate ground تَعَفَّتْهَاhave effaced them الرَّوَامِسُthe dust-laden winds وَالْتَقَتْand converged
خَلاءٌ تَعَفَّتْهَا الرَّوَامِسُ وَالْتَقَتْ
عَلَيْهَاupon them أَهَاضِيبُdownpours الْغُيُومِthe clouds الْحَوَافِلِrain-laden
عَلَيْهَا أَهَاضِيبُ الْغُيُومِ الْحَوَافِلِ
Desolate—effacing winds have erased them, and there gathered
upon them the downpours of rain-laden clouds.
فَلأْياًso, with difficulty عَرَفْتُI recognized الدَّارَthe dwelling بَعْدَafter تَرَسُّمٍstudying the traces
فَلأْياً عَرَفْتُ الدَّارَ بَعْدَ تَرَسُّمٍ
أَرَانِيshowed me بِهَاin it مَاwhat كَانَwas بِالأَمْسِyesterday شَاغِلِيoccupying me
أَرَانِي بِهَا مَا كَانَ بِالأَمْسِ شَاغِلِي
Only with difficulty did I recognize the dwelling, after studying its traces,
which showed me there what had engrossed me in days gone by.
غَدَتْit became وَهْيَwhile it is مَرْعَىًa pasture لِلظِّبَاءِfor gazelles وَطَالَمَاand for so long
غَدَتْ وَهْيَ مَرْعَىً لِلظِّبَاءِ وَطَالَمَا
غَنَتْit flourished وَهْيَwhile it was مَأْوَىًa home لِلْحِسَانِfor beautiful women الْعَقَائِلِthe noblewomen
غَنَتْ وَهْيَ مَأْوَىً لِلْحِسَانِ الْعَقَائِلِ
It has become a pasture for gazelles, though for so long
it flourished as a home for beautiful, noble women.
فَلِلْعَيْنِso, for the eye مِنْهَاof it بَعْدَafter تَزْيَالِthe departure أَهْلِهَاits people
فَلِلْعَيْنِ مِنْهَا بَعْدَ تَزْيَالِ أَهْلِهَا
مَعَارِفُrecognizable features أَطْلالٍruins كَوَحْيِlike the script الرَّسَائِلِletters
مَعَارِفُ أَطْلالٍ كَوَحْيِ الرَّسَائِلِ
After its people departed, the eye could still discern in it
recognizable ruins, like the script of letters.
فَأَسْبَلَتِthen poured forth الْعَيْنَانِthe two eyes فِيهَاover it بِوَاكِفٍwith a dripping flow
فَأَسْبَلَتِ الْعَيْنَانِ فِيهَا بِوَاكِفٍ
مِنَof الدَّمْعِtears يَجْرِيflows بَعْدَafter سَحٍّa torrent بِوَابِلِin a deluge
مِنَ الدَّمْعِ يَجْرِي بَعْدَ سَحٍّ بِوَابِلِ
Then both eyes poured over it a flowing stream
of tears that flowed, a deluge following a torrent.
دِيارُthe dwellings الَّتِيher who هَاجَتْstirred عَلَيَّagainst me صَبَابَتِيmy ardent longing
دِيارُ الَّتِي هَاجَتْ عَلَيَّ صَبَابَتِي
وَأَغْرَتْand incited بِقَلْبِيagainst my heart لاعِجِاتِthe burning pangs الْبَلابِلِanguish
وَأَغْرَتْ بِقَلْبِي لاعِجِاتِ الْبَلابِلِ
The dwellings of her who stirred my ardent longing
and unleashed the burning pangs of anguish upon my heart.
مِنَamong الْهيفِthe slender-waisted women مِقْلاقُmaking slip الْوِشَاحَيْنِthe two sashes غَادَةٌa delicate maiden
مِنَ الْهيفِ مِقْلاقُ الْوِشَاحَيْنِ غَادَةٌ
سَلِيمَةُunblemished مَجْرَىthe path الدَّمْعِtears رَيَّاfull-fleshed الْخَلاخِلِat the anklets
سَلِيمَةُ مَجْرَى الدَّمْعِ رَيَّا الْخَلاخِلِ
A delicate maiden among the slender-waisted, her twin sashes loose,
unblemished along the path of tears, full-fleshed beneath her anklets.
إِذَاwhen مَاfor emphasis دَنَتْshe draws near فَوْقَupon الْفِرَاشِthe bed لِوَسْنَةٍfor a doze
إِذَا مَا دَنَتْ فَوْقَ الْفِرَاشِ لِوَسْنَةٍ
جَفَاrose away خَصْرُهَاher waist عَنْfrom رِدْفِهَاher buttocks الْمُتَخَاذِلِsoftly yielding
جَفَا خَصْرُهَا عَنْ رِدْفِهَا الْمُتَخَاذِلِ
When she settles on the bed for a doze,
her waist arches above her soft, yielding hips.
تَعَلَّقْتُهَاI fell in love with her فِيin الْحَيِّthe tribe إِذْwhen هِيَshe طِفْلَةٌa child
تَعَلَّقْتُهَا فِي الْحَيِّ إِذْ هِيَ طِفْلَةٌ
وَإِذْand when أَنَاI مَجْلُوبٌbrought إِلَيَّto me وَسَائِلِيmy means of fulfillment
وَإِذْ أَنَا مَجْلُوبٌ إِلَيَّ وَسَائِلِي
I fell in love with her among the tribe when she was a child,
and I had the means to my wishes brought to me.
فَلَمَّاso when اسْتَقَرَّsettled الْحُبُّlove فِيin الْقَلْبِthe heart وَانْجَلَتْand cleared
فَلَمَّا اسْتَقَرَّ الْحُبُّ فِي الْقَلْبِ وَانْجَلَتْ
غَيَابَتُهُits darkness هَاجَتْrose عَلَيَّagainst me عَوَاذِلِيmy reprovers
غَيَابَتُهُ هَاجَتْ عَلَيَّ عَوَاذِلِي
But when love settled in my heart and shed
its darkness, my reprovers rose against me.
فَيَاand oh لَيْتَwould that أَنَّthat الْعَهْدَthe former days بَاقٍenduring وَأَنَّنَاand that we
فَيَا لَيْتَ أَنَّ الْعَهْدَ بَاقٍ وَأَنَّنَا
دَوَارِجُtoddlers فِيin غُفْلٍunmarked obscurity مِنَof الْعَيْشِlife خَامِلِunnoticed
دَوَارِجُ فِي غُفْلٍ مِنَ الْعَيْشِ خَامِلِ
Ah, would that those days remained, and that we
were children toddling through a life unmarked and obscure.
تَمُرُّpass بِنَاby us رُعْيَانُthe shepherds كُلِّevery قَبِيلَةٍtribe
تَمُرُّ بِنَا رُعْيَانُ كُلِّ قَبِيلَةٍ
فَمَاso not يَمْنَحُونَاthey grant us غَيْرَother than نَظْرَةِa glance غَافِلِof someone heedless
فَمَا يَمْنَحُونَا غَيْرَ نَظْرَةِ غَافِلِ
The shepherds of every tribe would pass us by,
giving us no more than an absentminded glance.
صَغِيرَيْنِtwo children لَمْdid not يَذْهَبْcarry بِنَاus along الظَّنُّsuspicion مَذْهَباًa course
صَغِيرَيْنِ لَمْ يَذْهَبْ بِنَا الظَّنُّ مَذْهَباً
بَعِيداًfar وَلَمْand not يُسْمَعْbe heard لَنَاof us بِطَوَائِلِof grave offenses
بَعِيداً وَلَمْ يُسْمَعْ لَنَا بِطَوَائِلِ
Two children—suspicion about us had never wandered
far, nor had any offenses been reported of us.
نَسِيرُwe set out إِذَاwhen مَاfor emphasis الْقَوْمُthe people سَارُواthey set out غَدِيَّةًat daybreak
نَسِيرُ إِذَا مَا الْقَوْمُ سَارُوا غَدِيَّةً
إِلَىto كُلِّevery بَهْمٍlambs and kids رَاتِعَاتٍgrazing freely وَجَامِلِand a camel herd
إِلَى كُلِّ بَهْمٍ رَاتِعَاتٍ وَجَامِلِ
We would go, when the folk set out at daybreak,
to every flock of grazing lambs and kids, and every camel herd.
وَإِنْand if نَحْنُwe عُدْنَاwe returned بِالْعَشِيِّin the evening أَضَافَنَاhosted us
وَإِنْ نَحْنُ عُدْنَا بِالْعَشِيِّ أَضَافَنَا
إِلَيْهِto itself سَدِيلٌa hanging curtain مِنْof نَقاًsand dunes مُتَقَابِلِfacing one another
إِلَيْهِ سَدِيلٌ مِنْ نَقاً مُتَقَابِلِ
And if we returned at evening, we were given shelter
by a curtain of sand dunes facing one another.
فَوَيْلٌso woe لِهَذَاto this الدَّهْرِtime مَاذَاwhat أَرَادَهُit intended it
فَوَيْلٌ لِهَذَا الدَّهْرِ مَاذَا أَرَادَهُ
إِلَيْنَاtoward us وَقَدْthough indeed كُنَّاwe were كِرَامَnoble الْمَحَاصِلِessential qualities
إِلَيْنَا وَقَدْ كُنَّا كِرَامَ الْمَحَاصِلِ
Woe to this age! What did it want
with us, though we were of noble character,
عَلَىin عِفَّةٍchastity قَدْsurely يَعْلَمُknows اللَّهُGod أَنَّهَاthat it is
عَلَى عِفَّةٍ قَدْ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ أَنَّهَا
مُبَرَّأَةٌfree مِنْfrom كُلِّevery غَيٍّwaywardness وَبَاطِلِand falsehood
مُبَرَّأَةٌ مِنْ كُلِّ غَيٍّ وَبَاطِلِ
keeping a chastity that God well knows
to be free of every waywardness and falsehood?
وَلَكِنَّهَاbut such are they الأَيَّامُthe days لَمْdid not تَأْتِbring صَالِحَاًanything good
وَلَكِنَّهَا الأَيَّامُ لَمْ تَأْتِ صَالِحَاً
مِنَof الأَمْرِaffairs إِلاunless أَعْقَبَتْfollowed up بِالتَّنَازُلِwith combat
مِنَ الأَمْرِ إِلا أَعْقَبَتْ بِالتَّنَازُلِ
But such are the days: they bring no good
in any matter without following it with strife.
إِذَاwhen مَاfor emphasis تَذَكَّرْتُI recalled الزَّمَانَthe time الَّذِيthat مَضَىpassed
إِذَا مَا تَذَكَّرْتُ الزَّمَانَ الَّذِي مَضَى
تَسَاقَطُcrumbles نَفْسِيmy soul إِثْرَin the wake of تِلْكَthose الْقَبَائِلِtribes
تَسَاقَطُ نَفْسِي إِثْرَ تِلْكَ الْقَبَائِلِ
Whenever I recall the time that has passed,
my soul crumbles in the wake of those tribes.
قَبَائِلُtribes أَفْنَتْهَاannihilated them الْحُرُوبُthe wars وَلَمْand not تَكُنْbe
قَبَائِلُ أَفْنَتْهَا الْحُرُوبُ وَلَمْ تَكُنْ
لِتَفْنَىto perish كِرَامُthe noblest النَّاسِpeople مَاso long as لَمْnot تُقَاتِلِthey fight
لِتَفْنَى كِرَامُ النَّاسِ مَا لَمْ تُقَاتِلِ
Tribes annihilated by wars—for never would
the noblest of people perish without fighting.
قَضَتْexhausted بَعْدَهُمْafter them نَفْسِيmy soul عَزَاءًconsolation وَأَصحَبَتْand grew docile
قَضَتْ بَعْدَهُمْ نَفْسِي عَزَاءً وَأَصحَبَتْ
عَشَوْزَنَتِيmy stubborn strength وَانْقَادَand yielded لِلذُّلِّto humiliation كَاهِلِيmy shoulders
عَشَوْزَنَتِي وَانْقَادَ لِلذُّلِّ كَاهِلِي
After them my soul exhausted its solace, and tamed
was my stubborn strength; my shoulders bowed to humiliation.
وَأَصْبَحْتُand I became مَغْلُولَshackled الْيَدَيْنِboth hands عَنِfrom الَّتِيthat which
وَأَصْبَحْتُ مَغْلُولَ الْيَدَيْنِ عَنِ الَّتِي
أُحَاوِلُهَاI strive for it وَالدَّهْرُwhile time جَمُّabounding in الْغَوائِلِcalamities
أُحَاوِلُهَا وَالدَّهْرُ جَمُّ الْغَوائِلِ
And I became shackled at both hands, barred from what
I strive for, while time abounds in calamities.
صَرِيعَa victim of لُبَانَاتٍdesires تَقَسَّمْنَthey divided up نَفْسَهُhis soul
صَرِيعَ لُبَانَاتٍ تَقَسَّمْنَ نَفْسَهُ
وَغَادَرْنَهُand they left him نَهْبَplunder الأَكُفِّthe hands الْخَواتِلِtreacherous
وَغَادَرْنَهُ نَهْبَ الأَكُفِّ الْخَواتِلِ
Felled by desires that have divided his soul
and left him plunder for treacherous hands.
كَأَنِّيَas though I لَمْdid not أَعْقِدْfasten مَعَwith الْفَجْرِthe dawn رَايَةًa banner
كَأَنِّيَ لَمْ أَعْقِدْ مَعَ الْفَجْرِ رَايَةً
وَلَمْand not أُدْعَbe summoned بِاسْمِيby my name لِلْكَمِيِّto face the armored warrior الْمُنَازِلِoffering single combat
وَلَمْ أُدْعَ بِاسْمِي لِلْكَمِيِّ الْمُنَازِلِ
As though I had never raised a banner with the dawn,
nor been called by name to face an armored challenger,
وَلَمْand not أَبْعَثِI send forth الْخَيْلَthe horses الْمُغِيرَةَraiding فِيin الضُّحَاthe forenoon
وَلَمْ أَبْعَثِ الْخَيْلَ الْمُغِيرَةَ فِي الضُّحَا
بِكُلِّwith every رَكُوبٍone who plunges لِلْكَرِيهَةِinto battle بَاسِلِfearless
بِكُلِّ رَكُوبٍ لِلْكَرِيهَةِ بَاسِلِ
nor sent forth the raiding horses in the forenoon,
with every valiant man who plunges into battle.
نَزَائِعَfar-brought steeds يَعْلُكْنَthey champ الشَّكِيمَthe bits عَلَىdespite الْوَجَىsore hooves
نَزَائِعَ يَعْلُكْنَ الشَّكِيمَ عَلَى الْوَجَى
إِذَاwhen عُرِّيَتْwere unsaddled أَمْثَالُهَاtheir equals فِيin الْمَنَازِلِthe camps
إِذَا عُرِّيَتْ أَمْثَالُهَا فِي الْمَنَازِلِ
Far-brought steeds, champing their bits despite sore hooves,
when their equals stood unsaddled in the camps.
مِنَfrom الْقَوْمِthe men بَادٍevident مَجْدُهُمْtheir glory فِيin شِمَالِهِمْtheir disposition
مِنَ الْقَوْمِ بَادٍ مَجْدُهُمْ فِي شِمَالِهِمْ
وَلاand no مَجْدَglory إِلاexcept دَاخِلٌresiding فِيin الشَّمَائِلِcharacter
وَلا مَجْدَ إِلا دَاخِلٌ فِي الشَّمَائِلِ
From men whose glory is plain in their nature—
and there is no glory but what dwells in character.
إِذَاwhen مَاfor emphasis دَعَوْتَyou called upon الْمَرْءَa man مِنْهُمْamong them لِدَعْوَةٍto an appeal
إِذَا مَا دَعَوْتَ الْمَرْءَ مِنْهُمْ لِدَعْوَةٍ
عَلَىwith عَجَلٍhaste لَبَّاكَhe answered you غَيْرَwithout مُسَائِلِasking questions
عَلَى عَجَلٍ لَبَّاكَ غَيْرَ مُسَائِلِ
Whenever you called upon a man among them for help,
he answered you at once, asking no questions.
يُكَفْكِفُhe drives back أُولَىthe foremost الْخَيْلِcavalry مِنْهُaway from him بِطَعْنَةٍwith a thrust
يُكَفْكِفُ أُولَى الْخَيْلِ مِنْهُ بِطَعْنَةٍ
تَمُجُّgushes دَمَاًblood مَطْعُونُهَاits pierced victim غَيْرُnot وَائِلِescaping
تَمُجُّ دَمَاً مَطْعُونُهَا غَيْرُ وَائِلِ
He drives the foremost cavalry back from him with a thrust
that gushes blood, its victim finding no escape.
يَكُونُhe is عَشَاءَat the evening meal الزَّادِthe provisions آخِرَthe last آكِلٍto eat
يَكُونُ عَشَاءَ الزَّادِ آخِرَ آكِلٍ
وَيَوْمَand on the day اخْتِلاجِthe flurry الطَّعْنِspear-thrusts أَوَّلَthe first حَامِلِto charge
وَيَوْمَ اخْتِلاجِ الطَّعْنِ أَوَّلَ حَامِلِ
At the evening meal he is the last to eat,
and on the day of flurrying spear-thrusts, the first to charge.
قَضَوْاthey spent مَاwhat قَضَوْاthey spent مِنْof دَهْرِهِمْtheir lifetime ثُمَّthen فَوَّزُواthey passed on
قَضَوْا مَا قَضَوْا مِنْ دَهْرِهِمْ ثُمَّ فَوَّزُوا
إِلَىto دَارِan abode خُلْدٍeternity ظِلُّهَاits shade غَيْرُnot زَائِلِvanishing
إِلَى دَارِ خُلْدٍ ظِلُّهَا غَيْرُ زَائِلِ
They spent what they spent of their days, then passed on
to an eternal home whose shade never vanishes.
Sol 6.1