أمُعوِّجٌWill you turn aside? أمor أنتyou غيرُnot مُعوّجturning aside
أمُعوِّجٌ أم أنت غيرُ مُعوّج
بِنتَdaughter الجَديلal-Jadīl بدارat the home of ذاتthe woman with الدُّملجِthe armlet
بِنتَ الجَديل بدار ذات الدُّملجِ
Will you turn aside, or will you not turn aside
Are you crooked or are you straight, not crooked?
the daughter of al-Jadīl, at the home of the armlet-wearer?
O daughter of the barren, in the house with hanging garlands
إنْif لمْnot تكنthere be لكَfor you نيَّةٌan intention فيin عوجةٍturning aside
إنْ لمْ تكن لكَ نيَّةٌ في عوجةٍ
برسومهاat her dwelling's traces فادْلجْthen travel by night فلَستُfor I am not بُمدلجِa night traveler
برسومها فادْلجْ فلَستُ بُمدلجِ
If you have no intention of turning aside
If you have no intention of being crooked
at her dwelling's traces, then travel by night; I shall not.
Then be straightforward, for I am not to be fooled
نهجيmy path كنهجكَlike your path إنif وقَفتَyou stop مُسلماًoffering a greeting
نهجي كنهجكَ إن وقَفتَ مُسلماً
فإذاbut if أبيتyou refuse فليسthen is not نهجكَyour path منهجيmy path
فإذا أبيت فليس نهجكَ منهجي
My path is yours if you stop to offer a greeting;
My path is like yours, if you stand as a Muslim
but if you refuse, your path is not mine.
But if you refuse, then your path is not my path
سّلمْoffer greetings علىto طلَلthe ruins of الحبيبِthe beloved ولاand do not تكُنْbe
سّلمْ على طلَل الحبيبِ ولا تكُنْ
حلفsworn companion الصَّبابةِof passionate longing كالخليِّlike the carefree man المُثلجِcool-hearted
حلف الصَّبابةِ كالخليِّ المُثلجِ
Greet the beloved's ruins, and do not be,
Greet the ruins of the beloved and do not be
O sworn companion of longing, like the carefree, cool-hearted man.
Like the oaths of youth, like frozen butter
أقوىbecame deserted وأقفرand became desolate غيرَexcept for سُفعٍsoot-darkened hearthstones جُثَّمٍcrouching
أقوى وأقفر غيرَ سُفعٍ جُثَّمٍ
هِجنthey stirred الهُمومَsorrows واورقِand gray ash ومُشجَّجِand a battered tent-peg
هِجن الهُمومَ واورقِ ومُشجَّجِ
It lay deserted and desolate, save for dark, crouching hearthstones,
Stronger and more desolate, not coarse or crude
which stirred my sorrows, gray ash, and a battered tent-peg.
Bearer of sorrows, leafy and interwoven
أنكَرتُهI did not recognize it لولاbut for شَذىa fragrance بِترابِهin its dust
أنكَرتُه لولا شَذى بِترابِه
يحكيresembles فتيتcrumbled pieces of العَنبرambergris المُتأرّجِexhaling fragrance
يحكي فتيت العَنبر المُتأرّجِ
I would not have recognized it, but for a scent in its dust
I would not have recognized him were it not
resembling crumbled, fragrant ambergris.
For the scent of his dust that tells of perfumed ambergris
ولَقدand indeed دَعاit called فأجابهُthen answered it لمَّاwhen دّعاit called
ولَقد دَعا فأجابهُ لمَّا دّعا
دمعٌtears كمنصَلتlike the rushing flow of الخليجthe water-channel المُخلجِdiverted from a river
دمعٌ كمنصَلت الخليج المُخلجِ
Indeed it called, and when it called it was answered
He called and tears answered his call
by tears like the rushing flow of a diverted water-channel.
Like the tears of the gulf, turbulent
ظلَّتremained بهat it صحبيmy companions قياماًstanding جُردُهمْtheir sleek mounts
ظلَّت به صحبي قياماً جُردُهمْ
قُبّاًhollow-bellied حنينَthe moaning of اليَعْملاتِstrong she-camels الوُسَّجِswift-striding
قُبّاً حنينَ اليَعْملاتِ الوُسَّجِ
My companions lingered there, their sleek mounts standing,
My companions kept vigil over him, their necks bared
hollow-bellied, moaning like strong, swift-striding she-camels—
Like the howling camels, adorned
منof كلَّevery سلهبةٍtall, slender mare وأسوقand a long-legged stallion سلَهبtall and slender
من كلَّ سلهبةٍ وأسوق سلَهب
أوor كلَّevery ذِعلبةswift she-camel وذعلبَand a swift male camel أعوجcurved-necked
أو كلَّ ذِعلبة وذعلبَ أعوج
every tall, slender mare and long-legged, tall stallion,
From every rough terrain and winding path
or every fleet she-camel and fleet, curved-necked male.
Or every dune and crooked dune
دَارٌa home لَصامتهِof her whose ... is silent السْوارِbracelet خَريدةٍa secluded maiden
دَارٌ لَصامتهِ السْوارِ خَريدةٍ
خمصانةslender-waisted رَّياfull الرَّوادفin the hips ضمَعجِfull-bodied
خمصانة رَّيا الرَّوادف ضمَعجِ
The home of a secluded maiden whose bracelet is silent,
A house whose panels lament
slender-waisted, full-hipped and richly formed;
Like the cooing of doves and the crying of ostriches
خَودٍa tender young woman بَرهرهةٍsoft-skinned شَموعplayful رودةٍsupple and graceful
خَودٍ بَرهرهةٍ شَموع رودةٍ
كالشَمسlike the sun إلاexcept أنَّهاthat she لمْhas not تخرجcome forth
كالشَمس إلا أنَّها لمْ تخرج
a tender young woman, soft-skinned, playful and graceful,
With cheeks like flowers, candles shining
like the sun, except that she has not come forth.
Like the sun but it has not risen
إذwhen تَسْتبيكshe captivates you بمعصمٍwith a wrist وبساعدand with a forearm
إذ تَسْتبيك بمعصمٍ وبساعد
وبمرفقand with an elbow ضخمِplump أجمَّsmooth, without protruding bone مُدَّمجِcompactly rounded
وبمرفق ضخمِ أجمَّ مُدَّمجِ
When she takes you captive with a wrist and forearm,
As you flirt with a wrist, forearm
and a plump elbow, smooth and compactly rounded;
And bulky elbow, completely covered
وبفاحمٍand with coal-black hair كالَّليلِlike the night مُنسدلٍhanging down علىover
وبفاحمٍ كالَّليلِ مُنسدلٍ على
وجهٍa face كغرةٍlike the bright brow of صبحهِits dawn المُتبلجِbreaking brightly
وجهٍ كغرةٍ صبحهِ المُتبلجِ
and coal-black hair, like night, falling over
And a gaping darkness spreads over
a face like the bright brow of its breaking dawn;
A face like the dawn, snow-covered
ومُؤشّرٍand finely serrated teeth ألمىdusky المراكِزat the gum-roots واضحٍgleaming
ومُؤشّرٍ ألمى المراكِز واضحٍ
يقِقٍpure white كنُوارlike the blossoms of الأقاحِdaisies مُفلَّجِspaced apart
يقِقٍ كنُوار الأقاحِ مُفلَّجِ
and finely serrated teeth with dusky gums, gleaming,
And fingertips that hurt as they touch
pure white as daisy blossoms, set apart.
Delicate like the light of candles, opened
وكأنماand as though جِريالُred wine عانةَʿĀna شَعشَعتْwas diluted
وكأنما جِريالُ عانةَ شَعشَعتْ
فيin صحنِهاits bowl بزُلالِwith limpid ماءِwater الحشْرجِamong pebbles
في صحنِها بزُلالِ ماءِ الحشْرجِ
And it is as though the red wine of ʿĀna were diluted
As if the braids of cAnah were gleaming
in its bowl with clear water from among pebbles,
With the moisture of water from Husharj
خُلطتwas mixed بمسحوقwith powdered العبيرِblended perfume وعلَّلتْand was infused anew
خُلطت بمسحوق العبيرِ وعلَّلتْ
بذكيِّwith the pungent scent of نافِجةٍa musk-pod ونَشرand the fragrance of يَلنجَجaloeswood
بذكيِّ نافِجةٍ ونَشر يَلنجَج
mixed with powdered perfume and infused anew
Mixed with fragrant powder and scented
with pungent musk-pod scent and the fragrance of aloeswood.
With musky perfume and scattering of Jasmine
عَلَّتْshe moistened again بهِwith it بعدَafter الكَرىsleep أنيابهاher canine teeth
عَلَّتْ بهِ بعدَ الكَرى أنيابها
فَذهبنَthen they went away بعدafter تضوُّعٍwafting fragrance وتأرُّجand diffusing sweet scent
فَذهبنَ بعد تضوُّعٍ وتأرُّج
She moistened her canine teeth with it after sleep;
She showed her teeth after some time
then they went away, after wafting fragrance and sweet scent.
So they were dazzling white after being covered
فتَّانةٌbewitching تَرنوshe gazes بِعَينيwith the two eyes of فَرقدِa wild calf
فتَّانةٌ تَرنو بِعَيني فَرقدِ
وَلهاand she has إذاwhen التفتتshe looks back تلفتُthe turning glance of عَوهجِa long-necked gazelle
وَلها إذا التفتت تلفتُ عَوهجِ
Bewitching, she gazes with a wild calf's eyes;
A seducer glancing with sleepy eyes
and when she turns, hers is a long-necked gazelle's backward glance.
When she turns, I turn, feverish
ماno ظبيةٌgazelle منamong أدمpale gazelles حيرةḤīra مُطفلِwith a fawn
ما ظبيةٌ من أدم حيرة مُطفلِ
ترنوshe gazes لأتلَعَtoward a long-necked fawn عاطفٍbending its neck كالدَّملجِlike an armlet
ترنو لأتلَعَ عاطفٍ كالدَّملجِ
No fawn-tending gazelle among the pale gazelles of Ḥīra,
Not a gazelle with graceful neck
gazing at a long-necked fawn, its neck curved like an armlet,
Seeking the feelings of one infatuated like me
تنتَاشُplucks غُصنَa branch الضَّالof the wild lote-tree فيin مَوليَّةٍrain-watered ground
تنتَاشُ غُصنَ الضَّال في مَوليَّةٍ
ميثاءsoft and sandy حُفَّwas surrounded بعرفجٍby ʿarfaj shrubs وبعوَسجand by boxthorn
ميثاء حُفَّ بعرفجٍ وبعوَسج
plucking a branch of wild lote on rain-watered ground,
Roaming the stray branch in an orchard
soft and sandy, surrounded by ʿarfaj shrubs and boxthorn,
Serene, surrounded by aromatic plants and grasses
يوماًever بأحسنَany more beautiful مُقلةًin eye ومقَّلداًand in neck
يوماً بأحسنَ مُقلةً ومقَّلداً
منهاthan she وَلاnor أبهىmore splendid هُناكthere وابهجand more radiant
منها وَلا أبهى هُناك وابهج
was ever lovelier in eye and neck
One day in the most beautiful place, adorned
than she, nor more splendid there, nor more radiant.
With nothing lovelier than it, more brilliant
دعْleave ذاthis وقضّand fulfill لُبانتيكyour two desires بعَرمسٍon a sturdy she-camel
دعْ ذا وقضّ لُبانتيك بعَرمسٍ
وجناءَthick-cheeked ناجيةٍswift أمونٍdependable نْيزجِlong-bodied and swift
وجناءَ ناجيةٍ أمونٍ نْيزجِ
Leave this, and fulfill your two desires on a sturdy she-camel,
Leave this and fulfill my wishes with a poem
thick-cheeked, swift, dependable and long-bodied;
Of intimate whispers, protected and delicate
حَرفٍlean and hardy هَجنّعةٍtall and large-bodied دِفاقٍsurging forward رَسْلةٍeasy-gaited
حَرفٍ هَجنّعةٍ دِفاقٍ رَسْلةٍ
مهماwhenever تُعرِّضْهاconfront her التنائفُthe desert wastes تمعجِshe sweeps swiftly onward
مهما تُعرِّضْها التنائفُ تمعجِ
lean and hardy, tall-bodied, surging and easy-gaited,
Words of a throaty voice, a message
whenever the desert wastes confront her, she sweeps onward.
Flowing no matter how circumstances change
وكأنَّand as though رْحليmy saddle والقرابَand the scabbard وَنمرقيand my cushion
وكأنَّ رْحلي والقرابَ وَنمرقي
بسراةon the back of مخضُوبِred-stained الظَّناببِin the shanks أخرجِa black-and-white ostrich
بسراة مخضُوبِ الظَّناببِ أخرجِ
It is as though my saddle, the scabbard, and my cushion
As if my saddle, flask, and spear
were on the back of a red-shanked, black-and-white ostrich.
Were dyed with the blood of enemies in battle
تْترىfollows closely لَهاafter it صَعْلاءُa small-headed ostrich hen كلَّفهاhas driven her النَّجاhaste
تْترى لَها صَعْلاءُ كلَّفها النَّجا
لفِراخfor chicks قيْضٍeggshells بالدَّماثupon soft ground مشحّجِcracked open
لفِراخ قيْضٍ بالدَّماث مشحّجِ
A small-headed hen follows it, driven to haste
You see it has straps, tanned to perfection
for chicks from eggshells cracked upon soft ground.
For the nestlings of hawks in blood stained ruins
أفذَاكis it that, then? أمor شببٌa full-grown wild bull أقبُّlean-flanked مُسفّعٌdark-faced
أفذَاك أم شببٌ أقبُّ مُسفّعٌ
شخْتُslender القوائمin the legs ربُّpossessor of رَوقٍa horn أعوجِcurved
شخْتُ القوائم ربُّ رَوقٍ أعوجِ
Is it that, then, or a full-grown, lean-flanked, dark-faced wild bull,
Is this it or is it a striped hyena, feet bound
slender-legged, bearing a curved horn?
I walked on hands, Lord of gentle sand dunes
باتتْpassed the night عليهِover it ليلةٌa night بمدَلّجwith a night-moving raincloud
باتتْ عليهِ ليلةٌ بمدَلّج
غدقٍrain-laden فباتso it spent the night مبيتin the manner of سَارٍa traveler مُدَلجِjourneying by night
غدقٍ فبات مبيت سَارٍ مُدَلجِ
A night passed over it with a night-moving raincloud,
The night stayed over it in a shelter
heavy with rain; so it spent the night like a traveler journeying by night.
So it spent the night sleeping soundly
حَّتىuntil إذاwhen ماemphatic particle الفجرdawn أشرقَshone وانجلتْand cleared away
حَّتى إذا ما الفجر أشرقَ وانجلتْ
تلكَthose الغَياهبُdeep shadows بالصَّباحwith the morning الأبلجِradiant
تلكَ الغَياهبُ بالصَّباح الأبلجِ
Until, when dawn shone and there vanished
Until dawn shone and those dark clouds
those deep shadows in the radiant morning,
Disappeared with the clear morning
وافاهُcame upon it قنَّاصٌa hunter مشومٌill-omened سَاغبٌhungry
وافاهُ قنَّاصٌ مشومٌ سَاغبٌ
خلَقُworn-out السَّرابلِin clothing صامتsilent لمdid not يهرجِmake a clamor
خلَقُ السَّرابلِ صامت لم يهرجِ
a hunter came upon it, ill-omened and hungry,
A grim hunter came, eager
ragged-clothed and silent, making no clamor.
With smooth legs, silent without shouting
يَسعىhe hurries بغُضفٍwith droop-eared hounds كالأمَاعطِlike sparsely furred wolves ضمَّرٍlean
يَسعى بغُضفٍ كالأمَاعطِ ضمَّرٍ
قُبٍhollow-bellied كوالحَbaring their teeth ضارياتtrained for hunting وُسَّجٍswift-striding
قُبٍ كوالحَ ضاريات وُسَّجٍ
He hurried with droop-eared, lean hounds like sparsely furred wolves,
He went after it like a swarm of locusts
hollow-bellied, baring their teeth, hunt-trained and swift-striding.
Necks like Indian swords, adorned
فتبعنُهthen they pursued it سبعاًseven of them كأنَّas though صفاِتهاtheir hard paws
فتبعنُه سبعاً كأنَّ صفاِتها
نبلٌarrows تَتابعَfollowed in succession عنfrom رهيشa quick-handed archer مُدججِarmored
نبلٌ تَتابعَ عن رهيش مُدججِ
Seven of them pursued it, their hard paws seeming
As if their swords were arrows following
like arrows loosed in succession by a quick-handed, armored archer.
The feathers of an arrow, armed
فانصاعَthen it wheeled about يطعنُgoring ناشطاًvigorously صفَحاتهاtheir flanks
فانصاعَ يطعنُ ناشطاً صفَحاتها
بشَباةِwith the sharp point of مسلوبslender and tapered السِّنانat the tip مُضرّجblood-stained
بشَباةِ مسلوب السِّنان مُضرّج
It wheeled about, vigorously goring their flanks
He lunged stabbing its sides
with the sharp point of a slender-tipped, bloodied horn.
With a spear, smooth blade bloodstained
حتىuntil إذاwhen غودرْنَthey were left بينَamong مُجدَّلٍone struck down
حتى إذا غودرْنَ بينَ مُجدَّلٍ
ومُهلَلِand one turning tail ناجٍescaping alive وبَينَand among مُبعَّجِone with its belly ripped open
ومُهلَلِ ناجٍ وبَينَ مُبعَّجِ
Until, when they were left—some struck down,
Until when it fell between interwoven
some escaping in terror, and some with bellies ripped open—
Valleys and sand dunes
وليَّit turned away يشوبmixing عسيجَةُa long-reaching stride بوَسيجِةِwith a brisk trot
وليَّ يشوب عسيجَةُ بوَسيجِةِ
أعتقْhow noble! بذلكَthat one is منas a وسوجٍswift-striding معسجrunning with outstretched neck
أعتقْ بذلكَ من وسوجٍ معسج
it turned away, mixing a long-reaching stride with a brisk trot.
And so it was freed from entanglement
How noble that swift runner, its neck outstretched!
In the valley of Waseejah and Waseejah
Sol 6.1