عَفَتhas faded فَردَةٌFardah مِنof أَهلِهاits people فَشَطيبُهاand its Shaṭīb
عَفَت فَردَةٌ مِن أَهلِها فَشَطيبُها
فَجِزعُand the valley-bend of مُحَيّاةٍMuḥayyāh عَفاhas faded فَكَثيبُهاand its dune
فَجِزعُ مُحَيّاةٍ عَفا فَكَثيبُها
Fardah has faded, emptied of its people, and so has its Shaṭīb;
and Muḥayyāh's valley-bend has faded, and its dune,
عفُوَّthe fading of الَّتيshe who إِمّاeither بِلاداًlands تَبَدَّلَتshe changed
عفُوَّ الَّتي إِمّا بِلاداً تَبَدَّلَت
وَإِمّاor نَهىchecked شَوقَthe longing of النُفوسِsouls مَشيبُهاher gray hair
وَإِمّا نَهى شَوقَ النُفوسِ مَشيبُها
like the fading of her who either moved to other lands,
or whose gray hair has checked the longing of souls.
وَلَمand did not تَدرِknow نَفسُthe soul of المَرءِa man ماwhat يَجلُبُbrings الهَوىdesire
وَلَم تَدرِ نَفسُ المَرءِ ما يَجلُبُ الهَوى
إِلَيهاto it وَلاnor فيin أَيِّwhich حَيٍّtribe نَصيبُهاits allotted share
إِلَيها وَلا في أَيِّ حَيٍّ نَصيبُها
And a man's soul does not know what desire brings
to it, nor in which tribe its allotted share lies—
أَفيwhether in الكُرهِaversion أَوor فيماin what يُحِبُّhe loves وَإِنَّماand it is only
أَفي الكُرهِ أَو فيما يُحِبُّ وَإِنَّما
يُعاقِبُpunishes أَوor يعفيpardons النُفوسَsouls حَسيبُهاtheir Reckoner
يُعاقِبُ أَو يعفي النُفوسَ حَسيبُها
whether in what he dislikes or what he loves; it is only
their Reckoner who punishes or pardons souls.
يُساقُis driven فَيُلقىthen is encountered أَوor يُقادُis led فَيَنبَريand springs forth
يُساقُ فَيُلقى أَو يُقادُ فَيَنبَري
إِلَيهِtoward him بِمِقدارٍby an appointed measure حمامdeath يُصيبُهاstrikes it
إِلَيهِ بِمِقدارٍ حمام يُصيبُها
It is driven and encountered, or led, and springs
toward him by an appointed measure—death that strikes the soul.
نَعَمyes لَيسَthere is not عِندَwith اللَّهِGod ظُلمٌinjustice لِتائِبٍtoward a penitent
نَعَم لَيسَ عِندَ اللَّهِ ظُلمٌ لِتائِبٍ
يَتوبُwho repents وَلاnor ذيone possessing قربَةٍa pious deed يَستَثيبُهاseeking its reward
يَتوبُ وَلا ذي قربَةٍ يَستَثيبُها
Yes, with God there is no injustice to a penitent
who repents, nor to one seeking reward for a pious deed.
فَقَدfor indeed طالَhas been long ماthat مَيَّلتُI vacillated بِالغَيِّtoward error حِقبَةًfor an age
فَقَد طالَ ما مَيَّلتُ بِالغَيِّ حِقبَةً
وَبِالرُشدِand toward right guidance وَالأَخلاقُand character traits جَمٌّmany ضُروبُهاtheir kinds
وَبِالرُشدِ وَالأَخلاقُ جَمٌّ ضُروبُها
For long, over an age, I wavered toward error
and toward right guidance; many are the kinds of character.
وَقُدتُand I led وَقادَتنيand led me رِياضٌmeadows بَهيجَةٌdelightful
وَقُدتُ وَقادَتني رِياضٌ بَهيجَةٌ
جَميلٌbeautiful تناهيهاtheir farthest reaches طَويلٌlong عُزوبُهاtheir absence
جَميلٌ تناهيها طَويلٌ عُزوبُها
I led, and delightful meadows led me—
beautiful in their farthest reaches, long absent.
وَأَبلَتْand they wore away وَأَبقَتْand they left behind مِنfrom حَياتيmy life قَصائِداًpoems
وَأَبلَتْ وَأَبقَتْ مِن حَياتي قَصائِداً
يُفَدّيelicits pledges of ransom وَيَستَبكيand moves to tears الرُواةَthe reciters غَريبُهاtheir rare verse
يُفَدّي وَيَستَبكي الرُواةَ غَريبُها
They wore away my life yet left behind poems,
whose rare verses draw pledges of ransom and tears from reciters.
هَلِdoes? الحلمُforbearance ناهيrestraining الجَهلfolly أَوor رائِدُa guide to الصِّباyouthful passion
هَلِ الحلمُ ناهي الجَهل أَو رائِدُ الصِّبا
يُنَجّيكَsaves you مِنهُfrom it تَوبَةrepentance لَوif تَتوبُهاyou undertake it
يُنَجّيكَ مِنهُ تَوبَة لَو تَتوبُها
Does forbearance restrain folly, or guide youthful passion?
Repentance would save you from it, if you undertook it.
وَقَدand indeed كانَwere أَيّامُthe days of الغَوانيlovely women ضَمانَةًa chronic affliction
وَقَد كانَ أَيّامُ الغَواني ضَمانَةً
مِنَof الداءِillness يَعياis at a loss بِالشِفاهِwith the lips طَبيبُهاits physician
مِنَ الداءِ يَعيا بِالشِفاهِ طَبيبُها
And the days of lovely women were a chronic affliction,
a disease whose physician is baffled by the lips.
وَلاand no مِثلَlike يَومٍa day مِنfrom جَنوبٍJanūb تَضَعَّفَتshe overpowered
وَلا مِثلَ يَومٍ مِن جَنوبٍ تَضَعَّفَت
فُؤادَكَyour heart وَالأَيّامُand days جَمّmany عَجيبُهاtheir marvels
فُؤادَكَ وَالأَيّامُ جَمّ عَجيبُها
And no day is like a day with Janūb, when she overpowered
your heart—and many are the marvels of days.
دَعَتهُshe called it جَنوبُJanūb النَوفَلِيَّيْنِof the two Nawfalīs بِالهَوىwith love
دَعَتهُ جَنوبُ النَوفَلِيَّيْنِ بِالهَوى
فَماso what للِشَذىfor the afflicted one المَدعُوّthe one summoned هَلاwhy not يُجيبُهاhe answers her
فَما للِشَذى المَدعُوّ هَلا يُجيبُها
Janūb of the two Nawfalīs called it with love;
what ails the afflicted one she called—why does he not answer her
بِلَبَّيكَwith ‘At your service’ أَوor يُهديhe offers لَهاto her حُسنَthe beauty of مِدحَةٍa praise-poem
بِلَبَّيكَ أَو يُهدي لَها حُسنَ مِدحَةٍ
تُصَبِّحُهاit greets her at morning فيin أَرضِهاher land وَتَؤوبُهاand returns to her at evening
تُصَبِّحُها في أَرضِها وَتَؤوبُها
with ‘At your service,’ or offer her a lovely song of praise
that greets her in her land at morning and returns to her at evening?
هِجانٌnoble and fair تَنَمَّتshe grew up فيamong الرَوابيthe heights وَزُيِّنَتand was adorned
هِجانٌ تَنَمَّت في الرَوابي وَزُيِّنَت
بِخُلقٍwith character وَخَلقٍand bodily form كامِلٍperfect لاnot يعيبُهاblemishes her
بِخُلقٍ وَخَلقٍ كامِلٍ لا يعيبُها
Noble and fair, she grew among the heights and was adorned
with perfect character and form, with nothing to mar her.
كَأَنَّas though نَقاًa sandhill منfrom عالجٍʿĀlij حَيثُwhere تَلتَقيmeet
كَأَنَّ نَقاً من عالجٍ حَيثُ تَلتَقي
مَلاحِفُهاher outer wraps إِذwhen أزّرتshe girded herself وَسُبوبُهاand her fine veils
مَلاحِفُها إِذ أزّرت وَسُبوبُها
As though a sandhill of ʿĀlij lay where they meet—
her wraps, when she girds herself, and her fine veils.
وَماand not بَعُدَتshe went far مِنّاfrom us وَفيand in اليَأسِdespair راحَةٌrest
وَما بَعُدَت مِنّا وَفي اليَأسِ راحَةٌ
وَماand not اِقتَرَبَتshe came near إِلاexcept بَعيداًdistant قَريبُهاher nearness
وَما اِقتَرَبَت إِلا بَعيداً قَريبُها
She has not gone far from us, though despair brings rest,
nor has she drawn close: even her nearness is distant.
مرادُthe roaming of شَموسa restive one among الخَيلِhorses تَدنوshe draws near وَتَتَّقيand avoids
مرادُ شَموس الخَيلِ تَدنو وَتَتَّقي
يَدthe hand of الرَبِّthe master حَتَّىso that لاnot يُنالَcan be reached سَبيبُهاher mane
يَد الرَبِّ حَتَّى لا يُنالَ سَبيبُها
Like a restive mare's roaming, she draws near yet avoids
her master's hand, so that her mane cannot be grasped.
فَقَدfor indeed أُعطِيَتshe was granted فَوقَabove الغَوانيlovely women مَحَبَّةًlove
فَقَد أُعطِيَت فَوقَ الغَواني مَحَبَّةً
جَنوبُJanūb كَماjust as خَيرُthe best of الرِّياحِwinds جَنوبُهاtheir south wind
جَنوبُ كَما خَيرُ الرِّياحِ جَنوبُها
For love beyond that of lovely women was granted her—
Janūb—just as the best of winds is their south wind.
إِذاwhen هِيَit هَبَّتblows زادَتِincreased الأَرضُthe earth بَهجَةًin beauty
إِذا هِيَ هَبَّت زادَتِ الأَرضُ بَهجَةً
يَمانِيَّةًYemeni يَستَنشِرُrevives المَيتَthe dead طيبُهاits fragrance
يَمانِيَّةً يَستَنشِرُ المَيتَ طيبُها
When it blows, the earth grows more beautiful—
a Yemeni wind whose fragrance brings the dead to life.
أَدَلَّfound the way دَليلُthe guide of الحُبِّlove وَهناًlate at night فَزارَناand visited us
أَدَلَّ دَليلُ الحُبِّ وَهناً فَزارَنا
وَأَحجِand how fitting بِنَفسٍfor a soul أَنthat يُلِمَّshould visit حَبيبُهاits beloved
وَأَحجِ بِنَفسٍ أَن يُلِمَّ حَبيبُها
Love's guide found the way late at night and visited us;
and how fitting for a soul that its beloved should visit!
بِغيدٍwith graceful maidens عَلىon قودٍlong-necked mounts سَرَواthey traveled at night ثُمَّthen هَوَّمواdozed
بِغيدٍ عَلى قودٍ سَرَوا ثُمَّ هَوَّموا
بِدَويةٍin a wasteland يَعويhowls مِنَfrom الفَقرِprivation ذيبُهاits wolf
بِدَويةٍ يَعوي مِنَ الفَقرِ ذيبُها
With graceful maidens on long-necked mounts, they traveled at night, then dozed
in a wasteland whose wolf howls from hunger,
بَعيدَةfar from ماءِthe water of الرَّكبِthe caravan يَغتالُundermines سَيرَهُمtheir progress
بَعيدَة ماءِ الرَّكبِ يَغتالُ سَيرَهُم
إِذاwhen قَرَّبواthey press toward water غيطانُهاits hollows وَسُهوبُهاand its open plains
إِذا قَرَّبوا غيطانُها وَسُهوبُها
far from the caravan's water; their progress is stolen
when they press toward water, by its hollows and open plains.
إِذاwhen ماever تَدَلّىhung low النَّجمُthe star وَاِعصَوصَبَتand clustered together بِهِمwith them aboard
إِذا ما تَدَلّى النَّجمُ وَاِعصَوصَبَت بِهِم
نَجائِبُnoble camels صُهبtawny ضُمَّرlean وَنَجيبُهاand her noble mount
نَجائِبُ صُهب ضُمَّر وَنَجيبُها
When the star hung low and there clustered beneath them
tawny, lean, noble camels, along with her own fine mount,
تَرامَتflung onward بِهِمcarrying them أَرضٌone land وَأَرضٌand another land فَأَصبَحواand at dawn they were
تَرامَت بِهِم أَرضٌ وَأَرضٌ فَأَصبَحوا
بِحَيثُwhere تلاقيmeet قُفهاits rocky ridge وَكَثيبُهاand its sand dune
بِحَيثُ تلاقي قُفها وَكَثيبُها
land after land flung them onward, until at dawn they were
where its rocky ridge and sand dune meet.
وَقالواand they said دلوكُthe decline of الشَمسِthe sun ماwhat يورِدَنَّكُمwill surely bring you to water
وَقالوا دلوكُ الشَمسِ ما يورِدَنَّكُم
بِجهدٍwith hardship وَمِنهُمand among them مَنone who يَقولُsays غُروبُهاits setting
بِجهدٍ وَمِنهُم مَن يَقولُ غُروبُها
They said, ‘The sun's decline is what will bring you to water
with hardship’; some among them said, ‘Its setting.’
فَجاءواthen they came وَلاand no وِردٌwatering-party عَلىat الماءِthe water غَيرُهُمbesides them
فَجاءوا وَلا وِردٌ عَلى الماءِ غَيرُهُم
وَلاnor الماءُthe water مَأمونُto be trusted الحِياضِthe pools شَريبُهاtheir fellow-drinker
وَلا الماءُ مَأمونُ الحِياضِ شَريبُها
They came, with no other company drinking at the water;
nor, at the water, was the pools' fellow-drinker to be trusted.
فَأَدلَواthen they lowered buckets فَرَدّواand brought back سَجْلَa full bucket of أَجنٍstagnant water كَأَنَّماas though
فَأَدلَوا فَرَدّوا سَجْلَ أَجنٍ كَأَنَّما
بِهِin it غسلَةٌa washing-mixture حِنّاؤُهاits henna وَصَبيبُهاand its safflower dye
بِهِ غسلَةٌ حِنّاؤُها وَصَبيبُها
They lowered their buckets and drew back a bucket of stagnant water, as though
it held a washing-mixture of henna and safflower dye.
فَعادواthen they returned فَسامُوهاand offered them لِكُلِّto each مَطِيَّةٍriding-camel
فَعادوا فَسامُوها لِكُلِّ مَطِيَّةٍ
مِنَof الشّربِdrink ماwhat أَدّىdelivered إِلَيهاto it ذنوبُهاits full bucket
مِنَ الشّربِ ما أَدّى إِلَيها ذنوبُها
They returned and offered each riding-camel
as much drink as its full bucket delivered to it.
فَلَمّاthen when سَقَوهاthey watered them وَاِستَقَواand drew water for themselves قَلَّصَتthey sped بِهِمcarrying them
فَلَمّا سَقَوها وَاِستَقَوا قَلَّصَت بِهِم
تَخَطّىstriding across أَهاوِيّاًchasms لأُخرىtoward another stretch تَجوبُهاthey traverse it
تَخَطّى أَهاوِيّاً لأُخرى تَجوبُها
Once they watered them and drew water for themselves, the camels sped off with them,
crossing chasms to traverse yet another stretch.
تَراعَىthey keep one another in sight بِأَثلامِthrough gaps in الرِّعانِthe mountain spurs كَأَنَّهاas though they
تَراعَى بِأَثلامِ الرِّعانِ كَأَنَّها
عَلىover مُستَوىlevel ground إِصعادهاtheir ascent وَصبوبُهاand their descent
عَلى مُستَوى إِصعادها وَصبوبُها
They kept one another in sight through gaps in the mountain spurs, as though
their climbing and descending were over level ground.
تُقاسيyou contend with أُلاتَthose possessing الضِّغنِspite مِنهاamong them فَتَرعَويthen they desist
تُقاسي أُلاتَ الضِّغنِ مِنها فَتَرعَوي
وَبِالنَقرِand with clicking وَالأَشلاءِand driving calls يُرقىis coaxed أَديبُهاtheir trained one
وَبِالنَقرِ وَالأَشلاءِ يُرقى أَديبُها
You contend with the spiteful among them until they yield;
their well-trained ones are coaxed with clicking and driving calls.
مَتىwhen ماever تَدَعْناthey leave us أَوor نَدَعهاwe leave them لِغَيرِناto others besides us
مَتى ما تَدَعْنا أَو نَدَعها لِغَيرِنا
فَقَدthen indeed أُعمِلَتthey have been worked حيناًfor a time وَحَلَّتand has become lawful لُحوبُهاtheir skinning
فَقَد أُعمِلَت حيناً وَحَلَّت لُحوبُها
Whenever they leave us, or we leave them to others,
they have been worked awhile, and their skinning is lawful.
Sol 6.1