آثارُtraces أَطلالٍruins بِرَومَةَat Rawma دُرَّسِeffaced
آثارُ أَطلالٍ بِرَومَةَ دُرَّسِ
هِجنَstirred الصَبابَةَlonging وَاِستَثَرنَand disturbed مُعَرَّسيmy night's resting place
هِجنَ الصَبابَةَ وَاِستَثَرنَ مُعَرَّسي
The traces of encampments at Rawma have worn away.
Traces of effaced ruins at Rawma
They stirred lovesick longing and awakened my old passion.
stirred longing and disturbed my night's rest.
أَوحَتsignaled إِلىto دِرَرِtorrents الدُموعِof tears فَأَسبَلَتso they streamed down
أَوحَت إِلى دِرَرِ الدُموعِ فَأَسبَلَت
وَاِستَفهَمَتهاand I questioned them غَيرَexcept أَنthat لَمdid not تَنبِسِutter a word
وَاِستَفهَمَتها غَيرَ أَن لَم تَنبِسِ
They summoned pearls of tears, and my eyes poured them forth;
They signaled to the torrents of tears, and they streamed down;
I questioned them, but they uttered not a word.
and I questioned them, but they uttered not a word.
زَجِّthrust aside الهَوىpassion أَوor دَعlet دُموعَكَyour tears تَبكِهِweep for it
زَجِّ الهَوى أَو دَع دُموعَكَ تَبكِهِ
وَاِجنَحand incline إِلىtoward خُطَطِpaths المَتالِفِof destruction وَاِحبِسِand stay
وَاِجنَح إِلى خُطَطِ المَتالِفِ وَاِحبِسِ
Rebuke desire—or let your tears weep for it;
Thrust passion aside, or let your tears lament it.
turn toward the pathways of destruction, and halt there.
And incline toward the paths of ruin, and stay.
وَكَلَconsigned الزَمانُtime إِلىto البِلىdecay أَطلالَهاher ruins
وَكَلَ الزَمانُ إِلى البِلى أَطلالَها
فَخَلَتso stood empty مَعالِمُهاher landmarks كَأَنas though لَمhad never تُؤنِسِoffered companionship
فَخَلَت مَعالِمُها كَأَن لَم تُؤنِسِ
Leave her ruins to time and decay:
Time consigned her ruins to decay,
their landmarks stand empty, as though never inhabited.
so her landmarks stood empty, as though they had never offered companionship.
وَلَرُبَّand many a صاحِبِcompanion in لَذَّةٍpleasure نادَمتُهُI drank with him
وَلَرُبَّ صاحِبِ لَذَّةٍ نادَمتُهُ
فيin رَوضَةٍa meadow أُنُفٌuntouched كَريمُnoble المَعطِسِof nose
في رَوضَةٍ أُنُفٌ كَريمُ المَعطِسِ
How many a pleasure-loving companion I joined over wine
And many a companion in pleasure I drank with
in a fresh, untouched meadow, fragrant to the nostrils,
in an untouched meadow, noble of nose.
صَفراءَyellow wine مِنfrom حَلَبِthe milking of الكُرومِthe vines كَسَوتُهاI clothed it
صَفراءَ مِن حَلَبِ الكُرومِ كَسَوتُها
بَيضاءَwhite water مِنfrom صَوبِthe downpour of الغُيومِthe clouds البُجَّسِgushing
بَيضاءَ مِن صَوبِ الغُيومِ البُجَّسِ
with golden wine pressed from the grapes, which I clothed
Yellow wine, milked from the vines, I clothed
in limpid water from the gushing rain-clouds.
with white water from the downpour of gushing clouds.
مُزِجَتwas blended وَلاوَذَهاand nestled against it الحُبابُthe bubbles فَحاكَهاthen wove around it
مُزِجَت وَلاوَذَها الحُبابُ فَحاكَها
فَكَأَنَّso as though حِليَتَهاits ornament جِنِيُّfreshly gathered النَرجِسِnarcissus
فَكَأَنَّ حِليَتَها جِنِيُّ النَرجِسِ
When it was mixed, the bubbles clustered around it and embroidered it,
It was blended; bubbles nestled against it and wove round it,
until its ornament seemed a harvest of narcissus blossoms.
so its ornament seemed freshly gathered narcissus.
وَكَأَنَّهاand as though it were وَالماءُand the water يَطلُبُseeks حِلمَهاits forbearance
وَكَأَنَّها وَالماءُ يَطلُبُ حِلمَها
لَهَبٌa flame تُلاطِمُهُbuffets it الصَباthe east wind فيin مَقبَسِa hearth
لَهَبٌ تُلاطِمُهُ الصَبا في مَقبَسِ
It seemed—as the water sought to temper it—
And it seemed, as the water sought its forbearance,
a flame buffeted by the east wind in a brazier.
a flame buffeted by the east wind in a hearth.
جَهِلَتgrew unruly فَدارىso it soothed جَهلَهاits unruliness فَتَبَسَّمَتso it smiled
جَهِلَت فَدارى جَهلَها فَتَبَسَّمَت
عَنrevealing مُشرَبٍtinged with لَونَthe color of الشُهولَةِhazel أَعيَسِyellowish-white
عَن مُشرَبٍ لَونَ الشُهولَةِ أَعيَسِ
She grew wanton; he humored her folly, and she smiled,
It grew unruly; the water soothed its unruliness, and it smiled,
revealing a draught tawny as a blue-gray eye.
revealing a yellowish-white hue tinged with hazel.
وَالناسُand people كُلُّهُمُall of them لِضِنيٍof a stock واحِدٍsingle
وَالناسُ كُلُّهُمُ لِضِنيٍ واحِدٍ
ثُمَّthen اِختِلافُa difference of طَبائِعٍtemperaments فيwithin أَنفُسِsouls
ثُمَّ اِختِلافُ طَبائِعٍ في أَنفُسِ
All people, to my mind, were one;
And all people belong to a single stock,
then temperaments proved different within their souls.
yet within their souls are differing temperaments.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen نَضَبَebbed النَهارُthe day وَأُدرِجَتand was enfolded
حَتّى إِذا نَضَبَ النَهارُ وَأُدرِجَت
فيin اللَيلِnight شَمسُthe sun of نَهارِهِits day المُتَوَرِّسِsaffron-tinted
في اللَيلِ شَمسُ نَهارِهِ المُتَوَرِّسِ
Until, when daylight ebbed and was folded away,
Until, when the day ebbed away and was enfolded
within the night shone the saffron-dyed sun of its day.
in night the sun of its saffron-tinted day,
ساوَرتُهُI grappled with it فَاِمتَدَّso it lengthened ثُمَّthen تَقَطَّعَتwere cut off
ساوَرتُهُ فَاِمتَدَّ ثُمَّ تَقَطَّعَت
أَنفاسُهُits breaths فيin صُبحِهِits dawn المُتَنَفِّسِbreathing forth
أَنفاسُهُ في صُبحِهِ المُتَنَفِّسِ
I grappled with it; it lingered on, then broke apart—
I grappled with it; it lengthened, then came the breaking
its breaths, at its dawn, gasping for air.
of its breaths in its breathing dawn.
وَالعيسُand the pale camels عاطِفَةُbending الرُؤوسِthe heads كَأَنَّماas though
وَالعيسُ عاطِفَةُ الرُؤوسِ كَأَنَّما
يَختِلنَstealthily seek سِرَّthe secret of مُحَدِّثٍa speaker فيamong الأَحلُسِthe saddlecloths
يَختِلنَ سِرَّ مُحَدِّثٍ في الأَحلُسِ
The white camels turned their heads, as though
And the pale camels bent their heads, as though
stealthily bearing Muhammad’s secret beneath the saddlecloths.
stealthily seeking a speaker's secret among the saddlecloths.
يَخرُجنَthey emerge مِنfrom لَيلٍa night كَأَنَّas though نُجومَهُits stars
يَخرُجنَ مِن لَيلٍ كَأَنَّ نُجومَهُ
أَسيافُناour swords يَومَon the day of العَجاجِswirling dust الأَغبَسِdark gray
أَسيافُنا يَومَ العَجاجِ الأَغبَسِ
They emerged from a night whose stars seemed
They emerge from a night whose stars seem
the swords of a dim, dust-clouded day.
our swords on a day of dark-gray swirling dust.
ثُمَّthen اِستَقَلَّتrose up بِالحُتوفِbearing deaths رِماحُناour spears
ثُمَّ اِستَقَلَّت بِالحُتوفِ رِماحُنا
وَالخَيلُand the horses فيin لَيلٍa night مُسَدّىwoven مُلبَسِshrouded
وَالخَيلُ في لَيلٍ مُسَدّى مُلبَسِ
Then our spears rose, laden with deaths,
Then our spears rose laden with death,
and the horses were in a thick-woven, enshrouding night.
and the horses were in a night, woven and shrouded.
وَبَوارِقُand the flashes of الأَغمادِthe scabbards تَبدوappear تارَةًat times
وَبَوارِقُ الأَغمادِ تَبدو تارَةً
حُمراًred وَتُخفىand are hidden تارَةًat times فيin الأَرؤُسِheads
حُمراً وَتُخفى تارَةً في الأَرؤُسِ
Flashes from the scabbards appeared now,
And flashes from the scabbards appear at times,
red, then vanished again within men’s heads.
red, and at times are hidden within heads.
حَربٌa war يَكونُis وَقودَهاits fuel أَبناؤُهاits sons
حَربٌ يَكونُ وَقودَها أَبناؤُها
لَقِحَتconceived عَلىdespite عُقرٍbarrenness وَلَمّاand not yet تَنفِسِgive birth
لَقِحَت عَلى عُقرٍ وَلَمّا تَنفِسِ
A war whose own sons were its fuel,
A war whose sons are its fuel—
conceived despite barrenness, before it had even drawn breath:
it conceived despite barrenness, and has not yet given birth.
مِنamong هارِبٍa fugitive رَكِبَmounted النَجاءَflight وَمُقعَصٍand one slain outright
مِن هارِبٍ رَكِبَ النَجاءَ وَمُقعَصٍ
جَثَمَتcrouched مَنِيَّتُهُhis death عَلىupon المُتَنَفَّسِthe breathing passage
جَثَمَت مَنِيَّتُهُ عَلى المُتَنَفَّسِ
among them one fugitive mounted escape, and another was struck dead,
Among them a fugitive who took to flight, and one felled outright,
his doom crouching upon him while he still breathed.
his death crouched upon the passage of his breath.
غَصَبَتهُrobbed him of أَطرافُthe tips of الأَسِنَّةِthe spearheads نَفسَهُhis life
غَصَبَتهُ أَطرافُ الأَسِنَّةِ نَفسَهُ
فَثَوىso he lay فَريسَةَprey to وُلَّغٍlapping beasts أَوor نُهَّسِbiting beasts
فَثَوى فَريسَةَ وُلَّغٍ أَو نُهَّسِ
The spearpoints wrested his soul from him,
The tips of the spearheads robbed him of his life,
and he lay as prey to licking or gnawing.
so he lay, prey to lapping or biting beasts.
إِنif كُنتِyou are نازِلَةَsettling on اليَفاعِthe high ground فَجَنِّبيthen avoid
إِن كُنتِ نازِلَةَ اليَفاعِ فَجَنِّبي
دارَthe dwelling of الرَبابِal-Rabab وَخَزرَجيand a Khazraji أَوor أَوسيan Awsi
دارَ الرَبابِ وَخَزرَجي أَو أَوسي
If you must descend upon the heights, then spare
If you settle on the high ground, then avoid
the home of al-Rabab, and every Khazrajite or Awsī;
the dwelling of al-Rabab, and any Khazraji or Awsi.
وَتَجَنَّبيand avoid الخُفراءَthe protectors إِنَّindeed سُيوفَهُمtheir swords
وَتَجَنَّبي الخُفراءَ إِنَّ سُيوفَهُم
حُدُثٌnew وَإِنَّand indeed قَناتَهُمtheir spear-shaft لَمhas not تَضرَسِbeen battle-worn
حُدُثٌ وَإِنَّ قَناتَهُم لَم تَضرَسِ
and spare the sheltered women—for their swords
And avoid the protectors: their swords
are newly forged, though their spear-shafts bear no battle-scars.
are new, and their spear-shaft has not been battle-worn.
رَفَعَتraised بَنوthe sons of النَجّارِal-Najjar بَيتيmy house فيهِمُamong them
رَفَعَت بَنو النَجّارِ بَيتي فيهِمُ
ثُمَّthen اِنتَمَيتُI declared my lineage فَأَفسَحواso they made room فيin المَجلِسِthe assembly
ثُمَّ اِنتَمَيتُ فَأَفسَحوا في المَجلِسِ
The Banū al-Najjār raised my standing among them;
Banu al-Najjar raised my house among them;
then, when I declared my lineage, they made room in the assembly.
then I declared my lineage, so they made room in the assembly.
هَلis ...? طَيِّئُTayy الأَجبالِof the mountains شاكِرَةُgrateful to اِمرِئٍa man
هَل طَيِّئُ الأَجبالِ شاكِرَةُ اِمرِئٍ
ذادَwarded off القَوافيrhymes عَنfrom حِماهاits protected domain الأَقعَسِimpregnable
ذادَ القَوافي عَن حِماها الأَقعَسِ
Is mountain-dwelling Ṭayyiʾ grateful to a man
Is Tayy of the mountains grateful to a man
who warded satirical verses from her lofty sanctuary?
who warded rhymes away from its impregnable domain?
أَحميI defend أَباO Abu نَفَرٍNafar عِظامَthe bones of حَفيرَةٍa grave
أَحمي أَبا نَفَرٍ عِظامَ حَفيرَةٍ
دَرَسَتwas effaced وَباقيand the remnant of عِزِّهاits glory لَمhas not يَدرُسِfaded
دَرَسَت وَباقي عِزِّها لَم يَدرُسِ
The staunchest protector, father of a band—the bones within his grave
I defend, O Abu Nafar, the bones of a grave
have crumbled, yet the remnant of their glory has not.
effaced, though its surviving glory has not faded.
كافَأتُI repaid نِعمَتَهاits favor بِفَضلِfor the excellence of بَلائِهاits service
كافَأتُ نِعمَتَها بِفَضلِ بَلائِها
ثُمَّthen اِنفَرَدتُI stood apart بِمَنصِبٍin a station لَمnever يُدنَسِwas sullied
ثُمَّ اِنفَرَدتُ بِمَنصِبٍ لَم يُدنَسِ
I repaid his favor through the excellence of her service,
I repaid its favor for its excellent service,
then stood alone in a distinction never sullied.
then I stood apart in a station never sullied.
وَإِذاand when اِفتَخَرتُI boast عَدَدتُI recount سَعيَthe pursuit of مَآثِرٍnoble deeds
وَإِذا اِفتَخَرتُ عَدَدتُ سَعيَ مَآثِرٍ
قَصَرَتforced عَلىto الإِغضاءِlowering the eyes طَرَفَthe gaze of الأَشوَسِthe fierce-eyed man
قَصَرَت عَلى الإِغضاءِ طَرَفَ الأَشوَسِ
Whenever I boast, I recount the striving of a glorious exploit
And when I boast, I recount the pursuit of noble deeds
that forced the fierce man’s gaze to lower.
that forced the fierce-eyed man to lower his gaze.
فَاِعقِلso bridle لِسانَكَyour tongue عَنfrom شَتائِمَinsults to عِرضِناour honor
فَاِعقِل لِسانَكَ عَن شَتائِمَ عِرضِنا
لاlest يَعلَقَنَّكَsurely seize you خادِرٌa lurking lion مِنfrom مَأنَسِa haunt
لا يَعلَقَنَّكَ خادِرٌ مِن مَأنَسِ
So bridle your tongue from reviling our honor,
So bridle your tongue against insults to our honor,
lest a lion in its lair seize you from your familiar haunt.
lest a lurking lion from its haunt seize you.
أَخلَقتَyou wore out فَخرَكَyour boast مِنfrom أَبيكَyour father فَجِئتَنيthen you came to me
أَخلَقتَ فَخرَكَ مِن أَبيكَ فَجِئتَني
بِأَبٍwith a father جَديدٍnew بَعدَafter طولِa long period of تَلَمُّسِgroping search
بِأَبٍ جَديدٍ بَعدَ طولِ تَلَمُّسِ
You wore out the pride inherited from your father, then came to us
You wore out your boast of your father, then came to me
with a new father after a long search.
with a new father after a long, groping search.
أَخَذَتtook عَلَيهِagainst him المُحكَماتُthe well-wrought verses طَريقَهاtheir course
أَخَذَت عَلَيهِ المُحكَماتُ طَريقَها
فَغَداso he began يُناقِضُdisputing with أَعظُماًbones فيin أَرمُسِgraves
فَغَدا يُناقِضُ أَعظُماً في أَرمُسِ
The decisive verses found their way against him,
The well-wrought verses took their course against him,
so off he went disputing with a mute man in a grave.
so he began disputing with bones in graves.
Sol 6.1