طَرِبتَyou were stirred وَهاجَتكَand roused you الدِيارُthe dwellings البَلاقِعُdesolate
طَرِبتَ وَهاجَتكَ الدِيارُ البَلاقِعُ
وَعادَكَand revisited you شَوقٌlonging بَعدَafter عامَينِtwo years راجِعُreturning
وَعادَكَ شَوقٌ بَعدَ عامَينِ راجِعُ
You were stirred, and the desolate dwellings roused you,
and longing returned to you after two years.
وَأَوقَدَand kindled ناراًa fire فيin فُؤادِكَyour heart مُحرِقاscorching
وَأَوقَدَ ناراً في فُؤادِكَ مُحرِقا
غَداتَئِذٍthat morning لِلبَينِfor separation أَسفَعُdusky نازِعُdeparting
غَداتَئِذٍ لِلبَينِ أَسفَعُ نازِعُ
And a scorching fire was kindled within your heart
that morning by a dusky raven bound for departure.
شَحاopened wide فاهُits beak نُطقاًspeaking بِالفُراقِof separation كَأَنَّهُas though it were
شَحا فاهُ نُطقاً بِالفُراقِ كَأَنَّهُ
سَليبٌdespoiled حَريبٌbereft خَلفَهُbehind it السِربُthe flock جازِعُanguished
سَليبٌ حَريبٌ خَلفَهُ السِربُ جازِعُ
It opened its beak to speak of separation, as though
despoiled and bereft, distraught, with its flock behind it.
فَقُلتُso I said أَلاlisten قَدalready بَيَّنَbecame clear الأَمرُthe matter فَاِنصَرِفso go away
فَقُلتُ أَلا قَد بَيَّنَ الأَمرُ فَاِنصَرِف
فَقَدfor already راعَناfrightened us بِالبَينِwith separation قَبلَكَbefore you رائِعُa frightener
فَقَد راعَنا بِالبَينِ قَبلَكَ رائِعُ
So I said: Listen! The matter is clear; go away,
for another harbinger frightened us with parting before you.
سُقيتُI was given to drink سِماماًpoisons مِنfrom غُرابٍa raven فَإِنَّماfor only
سُقيتُ سِماماً مِن غُرابٍ فَإِنَّما
تَبَيَّنتُI discerned ماwhat حاوَلتَyou intended إِذwhen أَنتَyou واقِعُalighting
تَبَيَّنتُ ما حاوَلتَ إِذ أَنتَ واقِعُ
I was given poisons by a raven; for I only
understood your intent when you alighted.
أَلَمhave you not تَرَseen أَنّيthat I لاnot مُحِبٌّa lover أَلومُهُI blame him
أَلَم تَرَ أَنّي لا مُحِبٌّ أَلومُهُ
وَلاnor بِبَديلٍwith a substitute مِنهُمُfor them أَناI قانِعُcontent
وَلا بِبَديلٍ مِنهُمُ أَنا قانِعُ
Do you not see that I blame no lover,
nor am I content with anyone in their place?
فَسِرso go بِكَwith yourself عَنّيaway from me لاdo not تَرىsee وَجدَthe anguish of مُقصَدٍone mortally struck
فَسِر بِكَ عَنّي لا تَرى وَجدَ مُقصَدٍ
لَهُhe has زَفَراتٌsighs أَحلَبَتهاdrew them forth المَدامِعُthe tears
لَهُ زَفَراتٌ أَحلَبَتها المَدامِعُ
So take yourself away; do not witness the anguish of one struck down,
whose sighs are drawn forth by tears.
أَلَمhave you not تَرَseen دارَthe dwelling of الحَيِّthe tribe فيin رَونَقِthe brilliance of الضُحىmidmorning
أَلَم تَرَ دارَ الحَيِّ في رَونَقِ الضُحى
بِحَيثُwhere اِنحَنَتcurved لِلهَضبَتَينِtoward the two hills الأَجارِعُthe sandy tracts
بِحَيثُ اِنحَنَت لِلهَضبَتَينِ الأَجارِعُ
Have you not seen the tribe's dwelling in the brilliance of midmorning,
where the sandy tracts curve toward the two hills?
وَقَدand sometimes يَشعَبُpart الأُلّافُclose companions مِنfrom بَعدِafter عِزَّةٍstrength
وَقَد يَشعَبُ الأُلّافُ مِن بَعدِ عِزَّةٍ
وَيَصدَعُand splits ماwhat بَينَbetween الخَليطَينِthe two companions صادِعُa sunderer
وَيَصدَعُ ما بَينَ الخَليطَينِ صادِعُ
Companions may part after being strong together,
and a sundering force sever the bond between two companions.
فَكَمso how many مِنof هَوىa beloved أَوor خَلَّةٍan intimate قَدalready أَلِفتَهُمyou grew attached to them
فَكَم مِن هَوى أَو خَلَّةٍ قَد أَلِفتَهُم
زَماناًfor a time فَلَمyet not يَمنَعهُمُkept them from البَينَseparation مانِعُany protector
زَماناً فَلَم يَمنَعهُمُ البَينَ مانِعُ
How many a beloved or intimate you have cherished
for a time—yet none could shield them from separation.
كَأَنّيas though I were غَداةَon the morning of البَينِseparation رَهنُa hostage to مَنيَّةٍdeath
كَأَنّي غَداةَ البَينِ رَهنُ مَنيَّةٍ
أَخوone afflicted with ظَمَإٍthirst سُدَّتwere barred عَلَيهِto him المَشارِعُthe watering places
أَخو ظَمَإٍ سُدَّت عَلَيهِ المَشارِعُ
On the morning of parting, I was like one held hostage to death,
a thirsty man whose watering places were barred to him.
تَخلِسُshe steals مَنthe one whom يَهواهُhe loves her ماءَthe water of حَياتِهِhis life
تَخلِسُ مَن يَهواهُ ماءَ حَياتِهِ
فَلاso neither الشُربُthe drink مَبذولٌfreely offered وَلاnor هُوَit ناقِعُthirst-quenching
فَلا الشُربُ مَبذولٌ وَلا هُوَ ناقِعُ
She whom he loves steals away the water of his life;
the drink is neither freely given nor thirst-quenching.
وَبيضُand fair women غِذاهُنَّtheir nourishment النَعيمُluxury كَأَنَّهاas though they were
وَبيضُ غِذاهُنَّ النَعيمُ كَأَنَّها
نِعاجُwild cows المَلاthe open plain جيبَتwere cut to fit عَلَيهاover them البَراقِعُthe face-veils
نِعاجُ المَلا جيبَت عَلَيها البَراقِعُ
And fair women, whose nourishment was luxury, were like
wild cows of the open plain, with veils fitted over them,
عِراضُbroad المَطاof back قُبَّslender البَطونِof belly كَأَنَّماas though
عِراضُ المَطا قُبَّ البَطونِ كَأَنَّما
وَعىlearned السِرَّthe secret مِنهُنَّfrom them الغَمامُthe clouds اللَوامِعُgleaming
وَعى السِرَّ مِنهُنَّ الغَمامُ اللَوامِعُ
broad of back and slender of belly, as though
the gleaming clouds had learned their secret from them.
تَحَمَّلنَthey departed مِنfrom ذاتِDhat التَناضُبِal-Tanadub وَاِنبَرَتand sprang forth
تَحَمَّلنَ مِن ذاتِ التَناضُبِ وَاِنبَرَت
لَهُنَّfor them بِأَطرافِat the corners of العُيونِthe eyes المَدامِعُtears
لَهُنَّ بِأَطرافِ العُيونِ المَدامِعُ
They departed from Dhat al-Tanadub, and there welled up
for them, at the corners of eyes, tears.
فَماso not رِمنَthey left هَجلَthe hollow of الدارِthe dwelling حَتّىuntil تَشابَهَتbecame alike
فَما رِمنَ هَجلَ الدارِ حَتّى تَشابَهَت
هَجائِنُهاits white thoroughbreds وَالجونُand the dark camels مِنهاamong them الخَواضِعُbowing low
هَجائِنُها وَالجونُ مِنها الخَواضِعُ
They did not leave the dwelling's hollow until they looked alike—
its pale thoroughbreds and its dark camels, bowing low—
وَحَتّىand until حَمَلنَthey carried الحورَthe dark-eyed women مِنfrom كُلِّevery جانِبٍside
وَحَتّى حَمَلنَ الحورَ مِن كُلِّ جانِبٍ
وَخاضَتand plunged through سُدولَthe curtains of الرَقمِembroidered cloth مِنهاof them الأَكارِعُthe lower legs
وَخاضَت سُدولَ الرَقمِ مِنها الأَكارِعُ
and until they bore the dark-eyed women on every side,
their legs plunging through embroidered hangings.
فَلَمّاthen when اِستَوَتthey settled تَحتَbeneath الخُدورِthe curtained canopies وَقَدwhile already جَرىwafted
فَلَمّا اِستَوَت تَحتَ الخُدورِ وَقَد جَرى
عَبيرٌblended perfume وَمِسكٌand musk بِالعَرانينِat the nostrils ساطِعُstrongly diffusing
عَبيرٌ وَمِسكٌ بِالعَرانينِ ساطِعُ
When they settled beneath the curtained canopies, there wafted
blended perfume and musk, rising strongly to the nostrils.
أَشَرنَthey signaled بِأَنthat حُثّواurge onward المَطِيَّthe mounts وَقَدand already بَداappeared
أَشَرنَ بِأَن حُثّوا المَطِيَّ وَقَد بَدا
مِنَof الصَيفِsummer يَومٌa day طَيِّبُpleasant in الظِلِّshade ماتِعُlong
مِنَ الصَيفِ يَومٌ طَيِّبُ الظِلِّ ماتِعُ
They signaled: Urge the mounts onward! There had appeared
a long summer day with pleasant shade.
فَقُمنَthen they rose يُبارينَkeeping abreast of السُدولَthe curtains بِوافِرٍon a sturdy mount
فَقُمنَ يُبارينَ السُدولَ بِوافِرٍ
يُلاعِبُplays upon عِطفَيهِits two flanks الجَريرُthe rein وَدافِعُand a driver
يُلاعِبُ عِطفَيهِ الجَريرُ وَدافِعُ
They set off beside the curtains, on a sturdy mount
whose flanks the rein and a driver played upon,
وَكُلِّand all نَجيباتِnoble she-camels هِجانٍpure white كَأَنَّهاas though they were
وَكُلِّ نَجيباتِ هِجانٍ كَأَنَّها
إِذاwhen رَدَعَتchecked مِنهاone of them الخِشاشَةُthe nose-peg طالِعُrising aloft
إِذا رَدَعَت مِنها الخِشاشَةُ طالِعُ
and on all the noble white she-camels, each seeming,
when its nose-peg checked it, to rear aloft.
يُعارِصُهاruns beside them عَودٌa mature bull camel كَأَنَّas though رُضابَهُits spittle
يُعارِصُها عَودٌ كَأَنَّ رُضابَهُ
سُلافَةُthe pure extract of قارٍpitch سَيَّلَتهُmade it flow الأَكارِعُthe lower legs
سُلافَةُ قارٍ سَيَّلَتهُ الأَكارِعُ
A mature bull camel ran alongside them, as though its spittle were
the finest pitch, set flowing by the legs.
رَفيقٌeasy بِرَجعِin the swing of المَرفِقَينِthe two elbows مُمانِعٌresistant
رَفيقٌ بِرَجعِ المَرفِقَينِ مُمانِعٌ
إِذاwhen راعَcaused alarm مِنهُfrom it بِالخِشاشَةِwith the nose-peg رائِعُsomeone causing alarm
إِذا راعَ مِنهُ بِالخِشاشَةِ رائِعُ
Easy in the swing of its elbows, yet resistant
when anyone startled it with the nose-peg.
عَلَيهِupon it كَريمُnoble الخيمِin character يَخبِطُknocks رِجلَهُhis foot
عَلَيهِ كَريمُ الخيمِ يَخبِطُ رِجلَهُ
بِرِجليagainst my foot وَلَمand not تُسدَدwere barred عَلَيناto us المَطالِعُthe mountain passes
بِرِجلي وَلَم تُسدَد عَلَينا المَطالِعُ
Upon it rode a noble-natured man, knocking his foot
against mine; the mountain passes were not barred to us.
يُجيبُhe answers بِلَبَّيهِwith his ‘at your service’ إِذاwhen ماever دَعَوتُهُI call him
يُجيبُ بِلَبَّيهِ إِذا ما دَعَوتُهُ
عَلىdespite عِلَّةٍhardship وَالنَجمُand the star لِلغَورِtoward setting طالِعُappearing
عَلى عِلَّةٍ وَالنَجمُ لِلغَورِ طالِعُ
He answered, ‘At your service!’ whenever I called him,
despite hardship, as the star appeared toward its setting.
وَلَمّاand when لَحِقناwe caught up بِالحُمولِwith the laden camels تَباشَرَتrejoiced
وَلَمّا لَحِقنا بِالحُمولِ تَباشَرَت
بِناat our coming مُفصِداتٌwomen who draw blood غابَwere absent عَنهاfrom them الطَلائِعُthe lookouts
بِنا مُفصِداتٌ غابَ عَنها الطَلائِعُ
When we caught up with the laden camels, there rejoiced
at our coming, women who draw blood, their lookouts absent.
تَعَرَّضنَthey displayed themselves بِالدَلِّwith coquetry المَليحِcharming وَإِنyet if يَرِدapproaches
تَعَرَّضنَ بِالدَلِّ المَليحِ وَإِن يَرِد
حِماهُنَّtheir protected domain مَشعوفٌa passion-stricken man فَهُنَّthen they are مَوانِعُbarring access
حِماهُنَّ مَشعوفٌ فَهُنَّ مَوانِعُ
They displayed themselves with charming coquetry; yet if there approached
their preserve a passion-stricken man, they barred him.
خَضَعنَthey softened their voices بِمَعروفِwith friendly الحَديثِspeech بَشاشَةًcheerfully
خَضَعنَ بِمَعروفِ الحَديثِ بَشاشَةً
كَماjust as مُدَّتِwere stretched الأَعناقُthe necks وَهيَwhile they were شَوارِعُreaching forward
كَما مُدَّتِ الأَعناقُ وَهيَ شَوارِعُ
They softened their voices in friendly speech, smiling,
like necks stretched out, reaching forward.
فَياso, oh لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowing هَلwhether أَبيتَنَّI shall surely spend لَيلَةًa night
فَيا لَيتَ شِعري هَل أَبيتَنَّ لَيلَةً
بِحَيثُwhere اِطمَأَنَّتrested peacefully بِالحَبيبِwith the beloved المَضاجِعُthe resting places
بِحَيثُ اِطمَأَنَّت بِالحَبيبِ المَضاجِعُ
Ah, would that I knew: shall I ever spend a night
where the resting places lie peaceful with the beloved?
وَهَلand shall أُلقِيَنI surely set down رَحليmy saddle إِلىto جَنبِthe side of خَيمَةٍa tent
وَهَل أُلقِيَن رَحلي إِلى جَنبِ خَيمَةٍ
بِأَجرَعَon a sandy tract حَفَّتهاencircled it الرُباthe hills فَمُتالِعُand Mutali'
بِأَجرَعَ حَفَّتها الرُبا فَمُتالِعُ
And shall I ever set my saddle down beside a tent
on a sandy tract, encircled by hills and Mutali'?
وَهَلand shall أَتبَعَنَّI surely follow الدَهرَever فيduring نَهضَةِthe departure of الضُحىmidmorning
وَهَل أَتبَعَنَّ الدَهرَ في نَهضَةِ الضُحى
سَواماًgrazing herds تُزَجّيهِdrives it onward الحُمولُthe laden camels الدَوافِعُpressing onward
سَواماً تُزَجّيهِ الحُمولُ الدَوافِعُ
And shall I ever follow, at the midmorning departure,
grazing herds urged onward by the pressing, laden camels?
سَقاهاmay it water her عَلىdespite نَأيِthe remoteness of الدِيارِthe dwellings خَسيفَةٌa rain-laden cloud
سَقاها عَلى نَأيِ الدِيارِ خَسيفَةٌ
وَبِالخَطِّand at al-Khatt نَضّاخُgushing العَثانينَrain-beards واسِعُvast
وَبِالخَطِّ نَضّاخُ العَثانينَ واسِعُ
May a rain-laden cloud water her, though her dwelling is far,
and at al-Khatt, a vast cloud with gushing rain-beards,
أَجَشُّhoarse-voiced جُمادِيٌّof Jumada إِذاwhen عَجَّit roared عَجَّةًa roar
أَجَشُّ جُمادِيٌّ إِذا عَجَّ عَجَّةً
وَأَقبَلَand approached يَستَتليdrawing others after it تُسَكُّare deafened المَسامِعُthe ears
وَأَقبَلَ يَستَتلي تُسَكُّ المَسامِعُ
hoarse-voiced, a cloud of Jumada; when it gives a roar
and comes on, drawing others after it, ears are deafened.
يَحِطُّit casts down الوُعولَthe ibex الشُهلَgrey-eyed مِنfrom رَأسِthe summit of شاهِقٍa lofty height
يَحِطُّ الوُعولَ الشُهلَ مِن رَأسِ شاهِقٍ
وَلِلسِدرِand for the lote trees وَالدَومِand the doum palms الطِوالِtall المَصارِعُplaces of falling
وَلِلسِدرِ وَالدَومِ الطِوالِ المَصارِعُ
It hurls grey-eyed ibex down from a lofty summit,
and lays low the lote trees and tall doum palms.
فَقُلتُthen I said لِأَصحابيto my companions وَدَمعِيَwhile my tears مُسبَلٌstreaming
فَقُلتُ لِأَصحابي وَدَمعِيَ مُسبَلٌ
وَقَدand already صَدَعَsplit الشَملَthe company المُشَتَّتَscattered صادِعُa sunderer
وَقَد صَدَعَ الشَملَ المُشَتَّتَ صادِعُ
Then I said to my companions, my tears streaming,
after a sundering force had split our scattered company:
أَلَيلىwas it Layla بِأَبوابِat the entrances of الخُدورِthe curtained chambers تَعَرَّضَتappeared
أَلَيلى بِأَبوابِ الخُدورِ تَعَرَّضَت
لِعَينِيَbefore my eyes أَمor قَرنٌa rim مِنَof الشَمسِthe sun طالِعُrising
لِعَينِيَ أَم قَرنٌ مِنَ الشَمسِ طالِعُ
Was it Layla who appeared at the doors of the curtained chambers
before my eyes, or a rising rim of the sun?
Sol 6.1