أَمِنis it from آلِthe household of مَيَّةَMayya رائِحٌdeparting at evening أَوor مُغتَدِdeparting at dawn
أَمِن آلِ مَيَّةَ رائِحٌ أَو مُغتَدِ
عَجلانَin haste ذاpossessing زادٍprovisions وَغَيرَand not مُزَوَّدِprovisioned
عَجلانَ ذا زادٍ وَغَيرَ مُزَوَّدِ
Are you leaving Mayya's household at evening or at dawn,
Is it the fragrance of the House of Mayya, or an impassioned lover?
hastening, provisioned or unprovisioned?
Unbridled steeds without provision, unrestrained.
أَفِدَdraws near التَرَجُّلُdismounting غَيرَexcept أَنَّthat رِكابَناour riding camels
أَفِدَ التَرَجُّلُ غَيرَ أَنَّ رِكابَنا
لَمّاnot yet تَزُلhave departed بِرِحالِناwith our saddles وَكَأَنand as though قَدِalready
لَمّا تَزُل بِرِحالِنا وَكَأَن قَدِ
Dismounting draws near, though our riding camels
Our saddles still weigh down our mounts, as if
have not yet moved with our saddles, yet it is as though they had.
They were firmly strapped and steadfast.
زَعَمَclaimed البَوارِحُill-omened passing creatures أَنَّthat رِحلَتَناour departure غَداًtomorrow
زَعَمَ البَوارِحُ أَنَّ رِحلَتَنا غَداً
وَبِذاكَand of that خَبَّرَناinformed us الغُدافُthe raven الأَسوَدُblack
وَبِذاكَ خَبَّرَنا الغُدافُ الأَسوَدُ
The ill-omened creatures foretold that our departure is tomorrow,
The messengers claimed our departure would be tomorrow,
and the black raven brought us that same news.
And the raven-black courier told us this.
لاno مَرحَباًwelcome بِغَدٍto tomorrow وَلاand no أَهلاًgreeting بِهِto it
لا مَرحَباً بِغَدٍ وَلا أَهلاً بِهِ
إِنif كانَwas تَفريقُthe separation of الأَحِبَّةِloved ones فيon غَدِtomorrow
إِن كانَ تَفريقُ الأَحِبَّةِ في غَدِ
No welcome to tomorrow, and no greeting for it,
No welcome or greeting for tomorrow,
if tomorrow brings the parting of loved ones.
If it brings separation from loved ones.
حانَhas come الرَحيلُdeparture وَلَمand have not تُوَدِّعyou bid farewell to مَهدَداًMahdad
حانَ الرَحيلُ وَلَم تُوَدِّع مَهدَداً
وَالصُبحُand morning وَالإِمساءُand evening مِنهاfrom her مَوعِديmy appointed time
وَالصُبحُ وَالإِمساءُ مِنها مَوعِدي
Departure is at hand, and you have not bidden Mahdad farewell,
The time of departure came, and no farewell to Mahdada,
and morning and evening are my appointed times with her.
The morn and eve were my appointed time.
فيin إِثرِthe wake of غانِيَةٍa beauty رَمَتكَshe shot you بِسَهمِهاwith her arrow
في إِثرِ غانِيَةٍ رَمَتكَ بِسَهمِها
فَأَصابَso it struck قَلبَكَyour heart غَيرَexcept أَنthat لَمdid not تُقصِدِkill outright
فَأَصابَ قَلبَكَ غَيرَ أَن لَم تُقصِدِ
In the wake of a beauty who shot you with her arrow,
Because a singing girl shot you with her arrow,
it struck your heart, though she did not kill you outright.
Striking your heart though she did not mean to.
غَنيَتyou were content بِذَلِكَwith that إِذwhen هُمُthey لَكَto you جيرَةٌneighbors
غَنيَت بِذَلِكَ إِذ هُمُ لَكَ جيرَةٌ
مِنهاfrom her بِعَطفِwith the kindness of رِسالَةٍa message وَتَوَدُّدِand affection
مِنها بِعَطفِ رِسالَةٍ وَتَوَدُّدِ
You were content with that when they were your neighbors,
She sang of that, as they were your neighbours,
with a kindly message from her and affection.
With a message of affection and courtship.
وَلَقَدand indeed أَصابَتshe struck قَلبَهُhis heart مِنthrough حُبِّهاlove of her
وَلَقَد أَصابَت قَلبَهُ مِن حُبِّها
عَنfrom ظَهرِthe back of مِرنانٍa twanging bow بِسَهمٍwith an arrow مُصرَدِpiercing through
عَن ظَهرِ مِرنانٍ بِسَهمٍ مُصرَدِ
Indeed, through love of her, she struck his heart
And she had struck his heart with love for her,
from the back of a twanging bow, with a piercing shaft.
With a well-aimed arrow from Marwan's back.
نَظَرَتshe gazed بِمُقلَةِwith the eye of شادِنٍa fawn مُتَرَبِّبٍcarefully reared
نَظَرَت بِمُقلَةِ شادِنٍ مُتَرَبِّبٍ
أَحوىdark-coated أَحَمِّcoal-black in المُقلَتَينِboth eyes مُقَلَّدِcollared
أَحوى أَحَمِّ المُقلَتَينِ مُقَلَّدِ
She gazed with the eye of a carefully reared fawn,
She looked with a kohl-darkened eyelid, fluttering,
dark-coated, coal-black in both eyes, and collared.
More bent than the bentest of bent eyelids.
وَالنَظمُand the strung beads فيon سِلكٍa thread يُزَيَّنُis adorned نَحرَهاher throat
وَالنَظمُ في سِلكٍ يُزَيَّنُ نَحرَها
ذَهَبٌgold تَوَقَّدُblazes كَالشِهابِlike a flame الموقَدِkindled
ذَهَبٌ تَوَقَّدُ كَالشِهابِ الموقَدِ
And her throat is adorned with beads threaded on a string—
With verse arrayed like the necklace adorning her neck,
gold, blazing like a kindled flame.
Molten gold blazing like leaping flames.
صَفراءُgolden-complexioned كَالسِيَراءِlike striped silk أُكمِلَwas perfected خَلقُهاher form
صَفراءُ كَالسِيَراءِ أُكمِلَ خَلقُها
كَالغُصنِlike a branch فيin غُلَوائِهِits prime growth المُتَأَوِّدِswaying
كَالغُصنِ في غُلَوائِهِ المُتَأَوِّدِ
Golden-complexioned like striped silk, her form perfected,
Pale as an oriole, perfect in form,
like a swaying branch in the fullness of its growth.
Like a branch in its prime, supple and swaying.
وَالبَطنُand the belly ذوhaving عُكَنٍfolds لَطيفٌdelicate طَيُّهُits folding
وَالبَطنُ ذو عُكَنٍ لَطيفٌ طَيُّهُ
وَالإِتبُand the sleeveless tunic تَنفُجُهُshe makes it bulge بِثَديٍwith a breast مُقعَدِfirm-set
وَالإِتبُ تَنفُجُهُ بِثَديٍ مُقعَدِ
And her belly has folds, delicately creased,
A belly soft and slight, its surface smooth,
and she swells her sleeveless tunic with a firm-set breast.
With prominent breasts the fingers could grasp.
مَحطوطَةُsmoothly contoured المَتنَينِboth sides of the back غَيرُnot مُفاضَةٍbroad-waisted
مَحطوطَةُ المَتنَينِ غَيرُ مُفاضَةٍ
رَيّاfull-fleshed الرَوادِفِthe buttocks بَضَّةُsoft-skinned المُتَجَرَّدِthe bare body
رَيّا الرَوادِفِ بَضَّةُ المُتَجَرَّدِ
Smooth along both sides of her back, not broad-waisted,
Steadfast in the saddle, not tossing about,
full in the buttocks, soft in her bare flesh.
Bareback rider solid in pose.
قامَتshe stood تَراءىshowing herself بَينَbetween سَجفَيthe two curtains of كِلَّةٍa gauze canopy
قامَت تَراءى بَينَ سَجفَي كِلَّةٍ
كَالشَمسِlike the sun يَومَon the day of طُلوعِهاits rising بِالأَسعُدِamong auspicious stars
كَالشَمسِ يَومَ طُلوعِها بِالأَسعُدِ
She stood, showing herself between the two curtains of a gauze canopy,
She stood to be seen between saddlebags,
like the sun on the day it rises among auspicious stars.
Like the rising sun on its brightest dawn.
أَوor دُرَّةٍa pearl صَدَفِيَّةٍfrom an oyster shell غَوّاصُهاits diver
أَو دُرَّةٍ صَدَفِيَّةٍ غَوّاصُها
بَهِجٌjoyful مَتىwhenever يَرَهاhe sees it يُهِلَّhe cries out وَيَسجُدِand prostrates himself
بَهِجٌ مَتى يَرَها يُهِلَّ وَيَسجُدِ
Or a pearl from its shell, whose diver
Or a pearl inside an oyster shell,
rejoices, crying aloud and prostrating himself whenever he sees it.
Dazzling to behold, inducing prostration.
أَوor دُميَةٍa statue مِنof مَرمَرٍmarble مَرفوعَةٍraised high
أَو دُميَةٍ مِن مَرمَرٍ مَرفوعَةٍ
بُنِيَتbuilt بِآجُرٍّwith fired brick تُشادُraised high وَقَرمَدِand baked tiles
بُنِيَت بِآجُرٍّ تُشادُ وَقَرمَدِ
Or a marble statue raised high,
Or a marble doll raised up high,
built high with fired brick and tiles.
Built of baked bricks, interlaced and checkerboard.
سَقَطَfell النَصيفُthe veil وَلَمand did not تُرِدintend إِسقاطَهُdropping it
سَقَطَ النَصيفُ وَلَم تُرِد إِسقاطَهُ
فَتَناوَلَتهُso she picked it up وَاِتَّقَتناand shielded herself from us بِاليَدِwith the hand
فَتَناوَلَتهُ وَاِتَّقَتنا بِاليَدِ
Her veil fell, though she had not meant to drop it;
The kerchief slipped, and she did not mean to drop it,
so she picked it up and shielded herself from us with her hand,
So she caught it, sparing us with her hand.
بِمُخَضَّبٍwith a henna-dyed hand رَخصٍtender كَأَنَّas though بَنانَهُits fingertips
بِمُخَضَّبٍ رَخصٍ كَأَنَّ بَنانَهُ
عَنَمٌred ʿanam twigs يَكادُalmost مِنَfrom اللَطافَةِsuppleness يُعقَدِis tied in knots
عَنَمٌ يَكادُ مِنَ اللَطافَةِ يُعقَدِ
a tender, henna-dyed hand whose fingertips seemed
Dyed a cheap red, as if its fabric
red ʿanam shoots, so supple one could almost knot them.
Were gossamer, almost too delicate to knot.
نَظَرَتshe looked إِلَيكَat you بِحاجَةٍwith a desire لَمhad not تَقضِهاfulfilled it
نَظَرَت إِلَيكَ بِحاجَةٍ لَم تَقضِها
نَظَرَthe gaze of السَقيمِthe sick man إِلىat وُجوهِthe faces of العُوَّدِsickbed visitors
نَظَرَ السَقيمِ إِلى وُجوهِ العُوَّدِ
She looked at you with a desire she had not satisfied,
She looked to you with an unmet need,
as a sick man looks at the faces of his visitors.
Like a sick man looking to loving faces.
تَجلوshe polishes بِقادِمَتَيwith the two leading feathers of حَمامَةِa dove of أَيكَةٍa thicket
تَجلو بِقادِمَتَي حَمامَةِ أَيكَةٍ
بَرَداًhailstones أُسِفَّwere dusted لِثاتُهُits gums بِالإِثمِدِwith antimony powder
بَرَداً أُسِفَّ لِثاتُهُ بِالإِثمِدِ
She polishes, with two leading feathers of a thicket-dove,
Dawn lit her pair of doves, cooling
hail-white teeth whose gums are powdered with antimony,
With gentle tread, barely rippling the water.
كَالأُقحُوانِlike daisies غَداةَin the morning غِبَّafter سَمائِهِits rain
كَالأُقحُوانِ غَداةَ غِبَّ سَمائِهِ
جَفَّتhave dried أَعاليهِits upper parts وَأَسفَلُهُand its lower part نَديmoist
جَفَّت أَعاليهِ وَأَسفَلُهُ نَدي
like daisies on the morning after rain:
Like an ostrich flock the morning after losing its sky,
their tops have dried, while their lower parts are moist.
Their tops and bottoms dried of rain.
زَعَمَclaimed الهُمامُthe noble lord بِأَنَّthat فاهاher mouth بارِدٌcool
زَعَمَ الهُمامُ بِأَنَّ فاها بارِدٌ
عَذبٌsweet مُقَبَّلُهُits kissing-place شَهِيُّdelicious المَورِدِthe drinking-place
عَذبٌ مُقَبَّلُهُ شَهِيُّ المَورِدِ
The noble lord claimed that her mouth was cool,
The passions claimed her mouth was cool,
sweet to kiss, a delicious place to drink.
Sweet to kiss, delectable watering-place.
زَعَمَclaimed الهُمامُthe noble lord وَلَمand have not أَذُقهُI tasted it أَنَّهُthat it
زَعَمَ الهُمامُ وَلَم أَذُقهُ أَنَّهُ
عَذبٌsweet إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle ذُقتَهُyou taste it قُلتَyou say اِزدُدِtake more!
عَذبٌ إِذا ما ذُقتَهُ قُلتَ اِزدُدِ
The noble lord claimed—though I have not tasted it—that
The passions claimed, though I never tasted,
it is sweet: whenever you taste it, you say, 'More!'
That it was sweet, and if I tasted I would say "give me more!"
زَعَمَclaimed الهُمامُthe noble lord وَلَمand have not أَذُقهُI tasted it أَنَّهُthat it
زَعَمَ الهُمامُ وَلَم أَذُقهُ أَنَّهُ
يُشفىis healed بِرَيّاby the fragrance of ريقِهاher saliva العَطِشُthe thirsty man الصَديparched
يُشفى بِرَيّا ريقِها العَطِشُ الصَدي
The noble lord claimed—though I have not tasted it—that
The passions claimed, though I never tasted,
the thirsty, parched man is healed by the fragrance of her saliva.
That her saliva could quench the most raging thirst.
أَخَذَtook العَذارىthe maidens عِقدَهاher necklace فَنَظَمنَهُso they strung it
أَخَذَ العَذارى عِقدَها فَنَظَمنَهُ
مِنof لُؤلُؤٍpearls مُتَتابِعٍsuccessive مُتَسَرِّدِin an unbroken sequence
مِن لُؤلُؤٍ مُتَتابِعٍ مُتَسَرِّدِ
The maidens took her necklace and strung it
She took her necklace and strung it together
with pearls following one another in an unbroken sequence.
With a sequence of contiguous, aligned pearls.
لَوif أَنَّهاthat she عَرَضَتappeared لِأَشمَطَbefore a gray-haired راهِبٍmonk
لَو أَنَّها عَرَضَت لِأَشمَطَ راهِبٍ
عَبَدَworshiped الإِلَهِGod صَرورَةٍcelibate مُتَعَبِّدِdevout
عَبَدَ الإِلَهِ صَرورَةٍ مُتَعَبِّدِ
If she appeared before a gray-haired monk,
Had she displayed it to the devout hermit,
who worshiped God, celibate and devout,
Who worships God with great devotion,
لَرَناhe would gaze لِبَهجَتِهاat her beauty وَحُسنِand the charm of حَديثِهاher speech
لَرَنا لِبَهجَتِها وَحُسنِ حَديثِها
وَلَخالَهُand would deem it رُشداًright guidance وَإِنeven though لَمnot يَرشُدِbe rightly guided
وَلَخالَهُ رُشداً وَإِن لَم يَرشُدِ
he would gaze at her beauty and the charm of her speech,
We would have seen, from her charm and pleasant talk,
and would deem it right guidance, though he was not rightly guided.
And her tattoo, wisdom, though he was not wise.
بِتَكَلُّمٍwith speech لَوif تَستَطيعُyou could سَماعَهُhear it
بِتَكَلُّمٍ لَو تَستَطيعُ سَماعَهُ
لَدَنَتwould grow gentle لَهُfor it أَروىfemale ibex الهِضابِthe hills الصُخَّدِsun-scorched
لَدَنَت لَهُ أَروى الهِضابِ الصُخَّدِ
With speech that, if you could hear it,
With a speech, if you could hear it,
would soften the ibex of sun-scorched hills,
The nearby mountains would soften from its impact.
وَبِفاحِمٍand with coal-black hair رَجلٍgently wavy أَثيثٍdense نَبتُهُits growth
وَبِفاحِمٍ رَجلٍ أَثيثٍ نَبتُهُ
كَالكَرمِlike a grapevine مالَleaning عَلىon الدِعامِsupports المُسنَدِbraced
كَالكَرمِ مالَ عَلى الدِعامِ المُسنَدِ
and with coal-black, wavy hair, thick in its growth,
With an unsheathed, well-built, sturdy leg,
like a grapevine leaning on braced supports.
Bent like a vine leaning on a pillar.
فَإِذاso when لَمَستَyou touch لَمَستَyou touch أَجثَمَa bulky mound جاثِماًcrouching
فَإِذا لَمَستَ لَمَستَ أَجثَمَ جاثِماً
مُتَحَيِّزاًcompactly gathered بِمَكانِهِin its place مِلءَfilling اليَدِthe hand
مُتَحَيِّزاً بِمَكانِهِ مِلءَ اليَدِ
So when you touch, you touch a bulky, crouching mound,
When you touched, you felt something crouched and ready,
compact in its place, filling the hand.
Holding its position, filling the hand.
وَإِذاand when طَعَنتَyou thrust طَعَنتَyou thrust فيinto مُشَهدِفٍa broad opening
وَإِذا طَعَنتَ طَعَنتَ في مُشَهدِفٍ
رابيswollen المَجَسَّةِthe place touched بِالعَبيرِwith perfume مُقَرمَدِplastered
رابي المَجَسَّةِ بِالعَبيرِ مُقَرمَدِ
And when you thrust, you thrust into a broad opening,
And when you stabbed, you stabbed into one experienced in combat,
swollen to the touch, plastered with perfume.
A seasoned horseman, perfumed and embroidered.
وَإِذاand when نَزَعتَyou withdraw نَزَعتَyou withdraw عَنfrom مُستَحصِفٍa tightly gripping place
وَإِذا نَزَعتَ نَزَعتَ عَن مُستَحصِفٍ
نَزعَthe pulling of الحَزَوَّرِa sturdy youth بِالرَشاءِon the well-rope المُحصَدِtightly twisted
نَزعَ الحَزَوَّرِ بِالرَشاءِ المُحصَدِ
And when you withdraw, you withdraw from a tightly gripping place,
And when you pulled away, you pulled from one who fortifies,
like a sturdy youth hauling on a tightly twisted well-rope.
Like stripping millet stalks at harvest.
وَإِذاand when يَعَضُّit bites تَشُدُّهُhold it tight أعضاؤهُits parts
وَإِذا يَعَضُّ تَشُدُّهُ أعضاؤهُ
عَضَّthe bite of الكَبيرِthe old man مِنَamong الرِجالِmen الأَدرَدِtoothless
عَضَّ الكَبيرِ مِنَ الرِجالِ الأَدرَدِ
And when it bites, its parts hold it tight,
And when he bites, his limbs constrict
like the bite of an old, toothless man.
Like a full-grown man, mute but intent.
وَيَكادُand it almost يَنزِعُstrips away جِلدَthe skin of مَنwhoever يُصلىis scorched بِهِby it
وَيَكادُ يَنزِعُ جِلدَ مَن يُصلى بِهِ
بِلَوافِحٍwith scorching blasts مِثلِlike السَعيرِa blaze الموقَدِkindled
بِلَوافِحٍ مِثلِ السَعيرِ الموقَدِ
And it almost strips the skin from whoever is scorched by it,
He nearly strips the skin of whoever he wraps around
with scorching blasts like a kindled blaze.
With a blistering grip like burning embers.
لاno وارِدٌone coming to drink مِنهاfrom her يَحورُturns back لِمَصدَرٍto a departure-place
لا وارِدٌ مِنها يَحورُ لِمَصدَرٍ
عَنهاaway from her وَلاnor صَدِرٌone leaving the water يَحورُreturns لِمَورِدِto a watering-place
عَنها وَلا صَدِرٌ يَحورُ لِمَورِدِ
No one who comes to drink from her turns back to depart
None who approach can evade and leave,
from her, nor does one departing return to drink.
Nor any who arrive can evade and depart.
Sol 6.1