حُيّيتَmay you be greeted ياO رَبْعَcampsite اللّوىal-Liwā منas a مَرْبَعِspringtime dwelling
حُيّيتَ يا رَبْعَ اللّوى من مَرْبَعِ
وسُقيتَand may you be watered أنديَةَmoisture الغُيوثِthe rains الهُمَّعِpouring profusely
وسُقيتَ أنديَةَ الغُيوثِ الهُمَّعِ
Hail to you, O campsite of al-Liwā, a springtime dwelling!
You were greeted, o quarter of al-Lawá, from a square,
And may you be watered with the moisture of pouring rains.
And were watered the valleys' rains, copious.
فلقدfor indeed عهدتُكI knew you والزّمانُand time مسالمٌpeaceable
فلقد عهدتُك والزّمانُ مسالمٌ
فيكin you المُنىwishes وشفاءُand healing داءِthe ailment of المُوجَعِthe sufferer
فيك المُنى وشفاءُ داءِ المُوجَعِ
For I knew you when time was friendly;
For I knew you while time was peaceful,
in you were hopes and a cure for the sufferer's ailment.
In you is wish and cure of disease of anguish.
أيّامَin days when إنْif يدعُcalls الهوىpassion بيfor me أتّبعْI follow
أيّامَ إنْ يدعُ الهوى بي أتّبعْ
وإِذاand when دُعيتُI was called إلىto النُّهىreason لمdid not أَتبعِfollow
وإِذا دُعيتُ إلى النُّهى لم أَتبعِ
In days when, if passion called for me, I followed,
Days if desire calls me I will follow,
and when called to reason, I did not follow.
And if I am called to propriety I will not follow.
إذْwhen قامَتيmy stature مُمتدّةٌtall وَذَوائِبيand my locks
إذْ قامَتي مُمتدّةٌ وَذَوائِبي
مُسودّةٌblack وَمسائحِيand my temples لمnot تَصْلَعِgrow bald
مُسودّةٌ وَمسائحِي لم تَصْلَعِ
When my stature was tall, and my locks
For my standing was extended and my plaits
were black, and my temples had not grown bald;
Were blackened and my hair did not grey.
وَإِذِand when النّضارةُfreshness فيin أَديميmy skin جَمّةٌabundant
وَإِذِ النّضارةُ في أَديمي جَمّةٌ
وَالشّيبُand gray hair فيin فَوْدَيَّboth my temples لمّاnot yet يطلُعِappeared
وَالشّيبُ في فَوْدَيَّ لمّا يطلُعِ
and when freshness abounded in my skin,
And youthfulness on my skin was plenty,
and gray hair had not yet appeared at my temples.
And greyness in my tresses did not appear.
سَقْياًa blessing of rain لهfor it زمناًa time نَعِمتُI lived in bliss بظلِّهِin its shade
سَقْياً له زمناً نَعِمتُ بظلِّهِ
لكنّهbut it لمّاwhen مضىpassed لمdid not يَرجِعِreturn
لكنّه لمّا مضى لم يَرجِعِ
May rain bless that time beneath whose shade I lived in bliss,
I watered it for a time, I enjoyed its shade,
but once it passed, it never returned.
But when it passed it did not return.
شَعَرٌhair شفيعيmy intercessor فيwith الحسانِthe beautiful women سوادُهُits blackness
شَعَرٌ شفيعي في الحسانِ سوادُهُ
حتّىuntil إذاwhen ماemphatic particle اِبيضّturned white بيon me لمdid not يَشْفَعِintercede
حتّى إذا ما اِبيضّ بي لم يَشْفَعِ
Hair—its blackness was my intercessor with the beauties,
Poetry my intercessor in beauty was its blackness
until, when it turned white on me, it interceded no more.
Until when it whitened in me it did not intercede.
عُوّضتُI was given in exchange قَسْراًforcibly منfor غُدافِa black raven مفارِقيmy hair's partings
عُوّضتُ قَسْراً من غُدافِ مفارِقي
وهْيَand it is الغَبِينَةُa losing bargain بالغرابِfor the crow الأبقعِpiebald
وهْيَ الغَبِينَةُ بالغرابِ الأبقعِ
I was forced to exchange the black raven at my hair's partings—
I was compensated forcibly for my ruddy sweetheart,
a losing bargain—for the piebald crow.
And it is the little raven with the piebald crow.
لونٌa color تراهُyou see it ناصعاًpure white حتّىuntil إذاwhen
لونٌ تراهُ ناصعاً حتّى إذا
خَلَفَreplaced الشّبابُyouth فليسthen it is not بالمُسْتَنْصِعِdeemed pure
خَلَفَ الشّبابُ فليس بالمُسْتَنْصِعِ
A color you see as pure white, until, when
A colour you see it glistening until when
it takes youth's place, it is no longer deemed pure.
Youth disperses, it is not easily obtained.
أحْبِبْhow dear إليّto me وقدand already تغشّىveiled ناظريmy sight
أحْبِبْ إليّ وقد تغشّى ناظري
وَسَنُdrowsiness الكرىsleep بالطّيفthe phantom (exclamatory) يطرقvisits by night مضجعيmy bed
وَسَنُ الكرى بالطّيف يطرق مضجعي
How dear to me—when my sight was veiled
Love me and chronic blindness covers my sight,
by sleep's drowsiness—the phantom visiting my bed!
And the tooth of time by apparition disturbs my bed.
ماnot زالceased يخدعنيbeguiling me بأسبابthrough the means of الكرىsleep
ما زال يخدعني بأسباب الكرى
حتّىuntil حسبتُI thought بأنهthat it was حقّاًtruly معيwith me
حتّى حسبتُ بأنه حقّاً معي
It kept beguiling me through the devices of sleep,
It did not stop deceiving me with causes of delusion
until I thought it was truly with me.
Until I reckoned that it was truly with me.
ولقدand indeed عجبتُI marveled علىdespite المسافةِthe distance بينناbetween us
ولقد عجبتُ على المسافةِ بيننا
كَيفhow اِهتدىfound its way منwith غيرno هادٍguide موضعيmy place
كَيف اِهتدى من غير هادٍ موضعي
And I marveled, despite the distance between us,
And I wondered at the distance between us,
how it found my place without a guide.
How he found his way without a guide my place.
أفضىit came إلىto شُعْثٍdisheveled men لقواrested هاماتِهمْtheir heads
أفضى إلى شُعْثٍ لقوا هاماتِهمْ
لمّاwhen سُقُواthey were given drink خمرَthe wine of الكرىsleep بالأذرُعِupon the arms
لمّا سُقُوا خمرَ الكرى بالأذرُعِ
It reached disheveled men who rested their heads—
They relaxed to dissipation when they were given
when given the wine of sleep—upon their arms.
Wine of delusion in cups.
هجعواthey slept قليلاًa little ثمّthen ذَعْذعَscattered نَومهمْtheir sleep
هجعوا قليلاً ثمّ ذَعْذعَ نَومهمْ
غِبَّafter السُّرىnight travel داعيthe herald of الصَّباحِdawn المُسمِعِloud-voiced
غِبَّ السُّرى داعي الصَّباحِ المُسمِعِ
They slept a little; then their sleep was scattered,
They slept a little then their slumber was disturbed
after their night journey, by dawn's loud-voiced herald.
Dawn’s caller, the perceivable, was hidden.
منfrom بعدafter أنthat عَلِقَclung to الرُّقادُsleep جفونَهمْtheir eyelids
من بعد أن عَلِقَ الرُّقادُ جفونَهمْ
هجرواthey forsook الكرىsleep فيat أيّwhat an ساعةِhour of مضجعِrepose
هجروا الكرى في أيّ ساعةِ مضجعِ
After sleep had clung to their eyelids,
After sleep clung to their eyelids,
they forsook sleep—at what an hour for repose!
They neglected delusion at any time of rest.
فَتَبادرواso they rushed toward بَطنَthe belly of السَّفينِthe ships وأَسرعواand hastened
فَتَبادروا بَطنَ السَّفينِ وأَسرعوا
زُمراًin bands كجافلةِlike a fleeing flock of القطاsandgrouse المُتَرَوِّعِfrightened
زُمراً كجافلةِ القطا المُتَرَوِّعِ
So they rushed into the ships' bellies and hastened,
So they rushed to the ship’s belly and hastened
in bands like frightened sandgrouse taking flight.
A group like a flock of startled sandgrouse.
منof كلّevery سوداءِblack الأديمِskin كأنّهاas though it were
من كلّ سوداءِ الأديمِ كأنّها
شَغْواءُa hooked-beaked eagle تنجوflies swiftly فيthrough الرّياحِthe winds الأربعِthe four
شَغْواءُ تنجو في الرّياحِ الأربعِ
Each black-skinned vessel seemed to be
From every black scarf as though it was
a hooked-beaked eagle speeding through the four winds.
A she-owl escaping in the four winds.
هزّتْshe beat جناحيهاher two wings علىdespite سَغَبٍhunger بهاwithin her
هزّتْ جناحيها على سَغَبٍ بها
وقدِand already اِهتَدتْshe found her way بعدafter الضّلالِwandering astray المُطمِعِenticing
وقدِ اِهتَدتْ بعد الضّلالِ المُطمِعِ
She beat her wings despite the hunger within her,
It shook its wings over arid ground wherein
having found her way after enticing wanderings.
It was guided after straying, expecting.
لاnot تَشتَكيshe complains مَعْdespite طولِthe long duration of إدمانِpersistence in السُّرىnight travel
لا تَشتَكي مَعْ طولِ إدمانِ السُّرى
مَسَّthe touch of اللُّغوبِfatigue ولاnor كَلالَthe exhaustion of الظُّلَّعِthe lame
مَسَّ اللُّغوبِ ولا كَلالَ الظُّلَّعِ
She does not complain, despite long, unceasing travel by night,
Do not complain with length of wine’s company
of fatigue's touch or the exhaustion of the lame.
Of touching the forlorn or weariness of shadow’s shade.
رَكِبواthey rode عَميقاًdeep قعرُهُits bottom متلاطماًclashing
رَكِبوا عَميقاً قعرُهُ متلاطماً
أمواجُهُits waves ذاpossessing غاربٍa wave-crest مُستَتلعِtowering
أمواجُهُ ذا غاربٍ مُستَتلعِ
They rode a sea, deep in its bed, with clashing
They embarked profoundly, its depth surging,
waves and a crest that towered high.
Its billows having a hidden riptide.
يَلجونَthey enter كلَّevery قرارةٍdepth لاnot تَهتَدِيyou find your way
يَلجونَ كلَّ قرارةٍ لا تَهتَدِي
أوor يطلعونthey ascend ثَنِيَّةًa mountain pass لمnot تُطْلَعِbeen ascended
أو يطلعون ثَنِيَّةً لم تُطْلَعِ
They enter every depth where you cannot find your way,
They enter every abyss not finding guidance
or climb a mountain pass never climbed before,
Or emerge on a slope not previously ascended.
فيin حيثwhere لاnot تُنجيsaves الرّجالَmen جَلادةٌhardiness
في حيث لا تُنجي الرّجالَ جَلادةٌ
ولَربّماand often نجّتكsaved you دعوةُa prayer of إصبعِa finger
ولَربّما نجّتك دعوةُ إصبعِ
where hardiness cannot save men,
Where bravery does not save men
though often a finger's prayer has saved you.
And perhaps a finger’s prayer may save you.
ولقدand indeed عجبتُI marveled لخابطٍat one beating down ورقَthe leaves of الغِنىwealth
ولقد عجبتُ لخابطٍ ورقَ الغِنى
منamong كلّevery ذيone possessed of جَشَعٍgreed وخدٍّand a cheek أضرَعِabased
من كلّ ذي جَشَعٍ وخدٍّ أضرَعِ
And I marveled at one who beats down wealth's leaves,
And I wondered at one who soils wealth’s paper
each greedy man with a humbled cheek.
From every greedy and gaping pauper.
وكأنّهمْand as though they لمnot يعلمواknew أنّthat الّذيwhat
وكأنّهمْ لم يعلموا أنّ الّذي
جَمَعواthey gathered بمرأىًwithin sight للخطوبof calamities ومسمعِand within hearing
جَمَعوا بمرأىً للخطوب ومسمعِ
And as though they did not know that what
As though they did not know that He who
they amassed lies within calamities' sight and hearing.
Gathered under sights of disasters and hearing
والعامرُand the well-stocked one الكفّينboth hands منamong هذاthese الورىmortals
والعامرُ الكفّين من هذا الورى
لاnot يَنثنيdeparts إلّاexcept بكفٍّwith a hand بَلْقَعِempty
لا يَنثني إلّا بكفٍّ بَلْقَعِ
And he among these mortals whose two hands are full
The one whose palms teem in this abode
goes away with nothing but an empty hand.
Recoils only with a piebald palm
جَمَعواthey gathered لِينتَفِعواto benefit فلمّاbut when أنْemphatic particle دَعوْاthey called upon
جَمَعوا لِينتَفِعوا فلمّا أنْ دَعوْا
أموالهمْtheir wealth حينat الرّدىdeath لمnot تنفعِwas useful
أموالهمْ حين الرّدى لم تنفعِ
They amassed wealth for benefit, but when they called upon
They gathered to benefit but when they were destroyed
their riches at death, they were of no use.
Their wealth when depleted did not benefit.
وَاِستَدفَعواand they warded off بِالمالِwith wealth كلَّevery مضرَّةٍharm
وَاِستَدفَعوا بِالمالِ كلَّ مضرَّةٍ
حتّىuntil أتىcame الأمرُthe decree العزيزُhard المَدفَعِto repel
حتّى أتى الأمرُ العزيزُ المَدفَعِ
And with wealth they warded off every harm,
And they deflected with wealth every harm
until there came the decree that could not be warded off.
Until the Almighty matter, the Deflector came.
هَيهاتَfar, far away! أينَwhere الأوّلونthe men of old وأينَand where ماwhat
هَيهاتَ أينَ الأوّلون وأينَ ما
شادوهthey built it منof مَغْنىًa dwelling ومنand of مُتَرَبَّعِa springtime abode
شادوه من مَغْنىً ومن مُتَرَبَّعِ
How far away! Where are the men of old, and where is what
Alas! Where are the earlier ones and where is what
they built of homes and springtime dwellings?
They built of shelter and towering structure?
والرّاحضونand those washing away العارَdisgrace عنfrom أثوابهمْtheir garments
والرّاحضون العارَ عن أثوابهمْ
والرّافعونand those raising النّارَthe fire للمُسْتَلمِعِfor the light-seeker
والرّافعون النّارَ للمُسْتَلمِعِ
And those who washed disgrace from their garments,
And those baring their cloth’s dishonour
and those who raised fires for the seeker of light,
And those igniting the kindling for the observant?
والموسعوand those lavishing مُعتامِهمْtheir petitioner أموالَهمْtheir wealth
والموسعو مُعتامِهمْ أموالَهمْ
والنّازلونand those settling علىon الطّريقِthe road المَهْيَعِwide and open
والنّازلون على الطّريقِ المَهْيَعِ
and those who lavished their wealth upon their petitioners,
And those who widened their situation’s blindness
and those who dwelt beside the wide, open road?
And those descending the precipitous road?
منamong كلّevery معتَصِبِone wearing a turban المفارقthe hair's partings إنْif مشىhe walked
من كلّ معتَصِبِ المفارق إنْ مشى
نَمّتْbetrayed عليهhim ثيابُهhis garments بتضوُّعِwith wafting fragrance
نَمّتْ عليه ثيابُه بتضوُّعِ
Each had his head bound in a turban; when he walked,
Whoever the clothes fit of the departing
his clothes gave him away with their wafting fragrance.
His garments would flourish on him in folds
تعنوbow الرّجالmen لذيbefore the wearer of التّمائمِamulets منهمُamong them
تعنو الرّجال لذي التّمائمِ منهمُ
ويسودand holds lordship طفلُهمُtheir child ولمand had not يَتَرَعْرَعِgrown up
ويسود طفلُهمُ ولم يَتَرَعْرَعِ
Men bow before the amulet-wearer among them,
The men complain to the bearer of charms among them
and their child is a lord before he has grown up.
While their child darkens and did not grow.
لاnot يَجمَعونَthey gather المالَwealth إلّاexcept للنّدىfor generosity
لا يَجمَعونَ المالَ إلّا للنّدى
أَوor لاِصطِناعto bestow صنيعةٍa kindness لمnot yet تُصنعِdone
أَو لاِصطِناع صنيعةٍ لم تُصنعِ
They gather wealth for nothing but generosity,
They gather money only for hospitality
or to do a kindness never done before.
Or adopting a craft not crafted.
وإذاand if وفدتَyou come as a visitor إليهمُto them عنout of أزْمَةٍhardship
وإذا وفدتَ إليهمُ عن أزْمَةٍ
فإليthen to أعزِّthe noblest ندىًbounty وأخصبِand the most fertile مَرْتَعِpasture
فإلي أعزِّ ندىً وأخصبِ مَرْتَعِ
And if you come to them out of hardship,
And if you seek them over a crisis
then you come to the noblest bounty and the richest pasture,
Then to my most honoured hospitality and most fertile pasture.
وإلىand to الجِفانِthe large bowls الغُرِّgleaming فيon يومِthe day of القِرىhospitality
وإلى الجِفانِ الغُرِّ في يومِ القِرى
والطّعنِand spear-thrusts فيinto اللَّبّاتِthroat-hollows يومَthe day of المَفزعِalarm
والطّعنِ في اللَّبّاتِ يومَ المَفزعِ
and to gleaming bowls on the day of hospitality,
And to the unripe doum-palms the day of neighing
and spear-thrusts into throat-hollows on the day of alarm,
And the piercing in the hillsides the day of milling.
وَإِلىand to الحديثspeech تَطيبgrow sweet فيon يومِthe day of الثّناpraise
وَإِلى الحديث تَطيب في يومِ الثّنا
نَفَحاتُهُits fragrant breaths وَيضيءand it shines يومَthe day of المجمعِassembly
نَفَحاتُهُ وَيضيء يومَ المجمعِ
and to speech—sweet on the day of praise are
And to the discourse whose wafts are fragrant the day of intimacy
its fragrant breaths, and it shines on the day of assembly.
And it illuminates the day of council.
وَكأنَّماand as though فتّحتَyou opened منهُfrom it لِمُبصرٍfor a beholder
وَكأنَّما فتّحتَ منهُ لِمُبصرٍ
أَنوارَthe blossoms of رَوضٍa meadow غِبَّafter غَيثٍrain مُقلعِceasing
أَنوارَ رَوضٍ غِبَّ غَيثٍ مُقلعِ
And it is as though you opened from it for a beholder
And as though you opened from it to a beholder
a meadow's blossoms after rain has ceased.
The lights of a meadow deprived of pouring rain.
سَكَنواthey dwelt in الخَوَرنَقَal-Khawarnaq والسَّديرَand al-Sadīr وحلّقواand soared
سَكَنوا الخَوَرنَقَ والسَّديرَ وحلّقوا
فيat رأسthe summit of غُمدانَGhumdān البناءِthe building الأرفعِthe loftiest
في رأس غُمدانَ البناءِ الأرفعِ
They dwelt in al-Khawarnaq and al-Sadīr, and soared
They settled al-Khowarnaq and al-Saddayr and circulated
at the summit of Ghumdān, the loftiest building.
At the ridge of lofty structure’s pinnacle.
وتقسّمواand they divided among themselves منof مَأْرِبٍMaʾrib عَرصَاتِهِits open grounds
وتقسّموا من مَأْرِبٍ عَرصَاتِهِ
والأبلَقِand al-Ablaq الفردِthe Peerless العرينthe lair المُسبِعِteeming with lions
والأبلَقِ الفردِ العرين المُسبِعِ
And they divided among themselves Maʾrib's open grounds,
And they shared Ma’rib’s flats
and al-Ablaq al-Fard, the lair teeming with lions.
And the unique, purely bred rugged valley.
أخذواthey took إتاواتthe tributes of الملوكkings غُلُبَّةًby force
أخذوا إتاوات الملوك غُلُبَّةً
ماwhat lies بينbetween بُصرىBuṣrā والفراتِand the Euphrates ويَنْبُعِand Yanbuʿ
ما بين بُصرى والفراتِ ويَنْبُعِ
They took the tribute of kings by force,
They took the kings’ levies by force
between Buṣrā, the Euphrates, and Yanbuʿ.
Between Busra, Euphrates and Yanbu.
وَأَطاعَهمْand obeyed them واِنقادَand submitted فيinto أَيديهمُtheir hands الدthe… (word fragment)
وَأَطاعَهمْ واِنقادَ في أَيديهمُ الد
دانيnear (continuation) القريبُclose by إلىto البعيدthe distant المَنْزَعِthe destination
داني القريبُ إلى البعيد المَنْزَعِ
And obeying them and yielding into their hands were the
And the nearby and distant subjects submitted to them
near and close, through to those far removed.
And yielded into their hands the suppliant to the obstinate.
هتفcalled out الحِمامُdeath بكلّto every حيٍّliving one منهمُamong them
هتف الحِمامُ بكلّ حيٍّ منهمُ
فأجابهso he answered it مستكرهاًunwillingly كالطّيعِlike the willing
فأجابه مستكرهاً كالطّيعِ
Death called to every living one among them,
The pigeons cooed in every living quarter of theirs
and each answered it unwillingly, like the willing.
And it answered them disgustedly like the obedient.
وَأَراهُمُand I see them فيin مَضجعٍa resting place وأتاهُمُand it came to them
وَأَراهُمُ في مَضجعٍ وأتاهُمُ
منfrom مطلعٍa rising-place وسقاهمُand gave them drink منfrom مَكرَعِa watering-place
من مطلعٍ وسقاهمُ من مَكرَعِ
And I see them in a resting place; it came to them
And I saw them in a bed and he came to them
from a rising-place, and gave them drink from a watering-place.
From a place of emergence and gave them drink from a watering place.
Sol 6.1