رِيعَتْshe was startled لتَنْعابِby the cawing of الغرابthe crow الهاتفِcalling
رِيعَتْ لتَنْعابِ الغراب الهاتفِ
وتأَوّلتهاand she interpreted it فُرْقةًas a separation منfrom آلِفِa close companion
وتأَوّلتها فُرْقةً من آلِفِ
She was startled by the calling crow's caw,
The croaking of the raven foretold the withering of the branches,
and read it as a parting from a beloved companion.
And a group interpreted it as portending calamities.
فاِستَبطنتْso she harbored inwardly منfrom رِقْبَةٍdread لعُداتهاof her enemies
فاِستَبطنتْ من رِقْبَةٍ لعُداتها
حُرَقاًburning griefs نُضِحْنَwere moistened بدمعwith tears of جَفْنٍan eyelid ذارفِstreaming
حُرَقاً نُضِحْنَ بدمع جَفْنٍ ذارفِ
So, dreading her enemies, she harbored within her
They anxiously examined the neck of the enemy
burning griefs, bathed in tears from a streaming eyelid.
And saw burns that made their weeping eyes overflow.
ورأتْand she saw بياضاًwhiteness فيin نواحيthe fringes of لِمَّةٍa head of hair
ورأتْ بياضاً في نواحي لِمَّةٍ
ماnot كانwas فيهاin it فيin الزّمانtime السّالفِbygone
ما كان فيها في الزّمان السّالفِ
And she saw white along the fringes of a head of hair,
They saw a whiteness in parts of an old wound
which had not been there in days gone by.
That was not present in bygone times.
مثلَlike الثَّغامِthagham, a white-flowering plant تلاحقتْcame in succession أنوارُهits blossoms
مثلَ الثَّغامِ تلاحقتْ أنوارُه
عمداًdeliberately لتأخذهto pluck it بَنانُthe fingertips of القاطِفِthe gatherer
عمداً لتأخذه بَنانُ القاطِفِ
like thagham, whose blossoms came in close succession,
Like thick fog its lights massed together
deliberately, so the gatherer's fingertips might pluck it.
Intending for the buds to pluck it.
ولقدand indeed تقولshe says ومِنand from أَساهاher grief قولُهاher words
ولقد تقول ومِن أَساها قولُها
ماnot كانwas هذاthis فيin حسابِthe reckoning of العائفِthe bird-diviner
ما كان هذا في حسابِ العائفِ
And indeed she says—her words born of her grief—
And she says, her saying coming from her grief:
This was not in the bird-diviner's reckoning.
“This was not in the calculations of the soothsayer.
أينwhere الشّبابyouth وأينand where ماwhat تمشيyou walk بهwith it
أين الشّباب وأين ما تمشي به
فيamong البِيضfair women بينbetween مساعدٍa favoring companion ومساعفِand an obliging companion
في البِيض بين مساعدٍ ومساعفِ
Where is youth, and where is what once let you walk
Where is youth and where is what it walks with
among fair women, between one who favored you and one who obliged?
In the open desert between aiding friend and amplifying echo?"
ماnothing فيكin you ياO شَمِطَgrizzled العِذارِthe cheek-whiskers لرامِقٍfor a gazer
ما فيك يا شَمِطَ العِذارِ لرامِقٍ
عَبِقِsteeped الجَوانِحِthe breast بِالهَوىwith love منany شاعفِenthralling charm
عَبِقِ الجَوانِحِ بِالهَوى من شاعفِ
There is nothing in you, O gray-whiskered man, for a gazer—
"What is it to you, censurer, about a gazelle
his breast steeped in love—to find enthralling.
Whose limbs passionately quiver with love?”
فَليَخلُso let it be empty قلبُكyour heart مِنof أَحاديثِtales الهوىof love
فَليَخلُ قلبُك مِن أَحاديثِ الهوى
وليخلُand let it be empty غُمضُكyour slumber منof مطيفthe visitation of الطائفِthe phantom
وليخلُ غُمضُك من مطيف الطائفِ
So let your heart be free of love's tales,
“Let your heart be empty of love talk
and let your slumber be free of the phantom's visitation.
And let your closed eyes be devoid of dreams.”
وَلَقدand indeed سريتُI journeyed by night بفِتيَةٍwith youths مُضَرِيَّةٍof Mudar
وَلَقد سريتُ بفِتيَةٍ مُضَرِيَّةٍ
ليلَthe night of التمامutmost length إلىuntil الصّباحِthe dawn الكاشفِrevealing
ليلَ التمام إلى الصّباحِ الكاشفِ
And indeed I journeyed by night with youths of Mudar,
“Many a night I walked with lovely Mudari lasses
through the longest night until the revealing dawn.
Until dawn’s first light burst into morn.”
فيover ظهرthe surface of مُلْتَبِسِindistinct الصُّوىlandmarks متنكّرٍunfamiliar
في ظهر مُلْتَبِسِ الصُّوى متنكّرٍ
لاnot يُهتدىone is guided فيهin it بسوفِby the sniffing of السّائفِthe scent-tracker
لا يُهتدى فيه بسوفِ السّائفِ
over an unfamiliar expanse with indistinguishable landmarks,
“In the darkness of the twisted path, disguised,
where a scent-tracker's sniffing yields no guidance.
Where no late night walker can find his way.”
ظاميparched المواردthe water sources ليسthere is not فيin غدرانِهِits pools
ظامي الموارد ليس في غدرانِهِ
لمُسَوَّفٍfor one put off with promises بالوِرْدِof reaching water غَرفةُa scoopful غارفِof a scooper
لمُسَوَّفٍ بالوِرْدِ غَرفةُ غارفِ
Its water sources were parched; its pools held not
“My night visitor has no treachery in his nature,
a scooper's handful for one put off with promises of water.
No late-coming lover deprived of a brimming cup.”
وكأنّماand as though حُزُقُflocks of النّعامostriches بدوِّهin its desert
وكأنّما حُزُقُ النّعام بدوِّه
ريحٌa wind تلَوْنfollowed طوائفاًbands بطرائفِwith fresh wonders
ريحٌ تلَوْن طوائفاً بطرائفِ
And the flocks of ostriches in its desert seemed
“As if the feathers of the ostrich in the wilderness
a wind, one band following another in wondrous succession.
Were a wind coloring the horizons with hues.”
وإذاand when تَقَرَّاهُyou explore it فلاthen no أثراًtrace ترىyou see
وإذا تَقَرَّاهُ فلا أثراً ترى
بِترابهin its dust إلّاexcept لِريحٍof a wind عاصفِraging
بِترابه إلّا لِريحٍ عاصفِ
And when you explore it, you see no trace
“And if you look closely you see no trace in its dust
in its dust except a raging wind's track.
Other than that left by a raging gust.”
منof كلّeach أبّاءٍa proud refuser لكلِّof every دَنِيَّةٍbase deed
من كلّ أبّاءٍ لكلِّ دَنِيَّةٍ
ذيpossessing مارنٍa nose-tip للذُّلِّwith humiliation ليسis not بعارفِacquainted
ذي مارنٍ للذُّلِّ ليس بعارفِ
Each of them a man who spurns every base deed,
“Too proud for anything base,
whose nose-tip is unacquainted with humiliation.
Uncaring of degraded status.”
وتراهand you see him ينتعلwearing as sandals الظّهائرَthe noonday heats كلّماwhenever
وتراه ينتعل الظّهائرَ كلّما
جَحَرَdrove into a burrow الهجيرُthe midday blaze بناعمٍa soft-living man مُتتارِفِpampered
جَحَرَ الهجيرُ بناعمٍ مُتتارِفِ
And you see him wear the noonday heats as sandals whenever
“You see him switch sandals whenever
the midday blaze drives a soft, pampered man into his burrow.
The hissing serpent sheds its old skin.”
قومٌmen يخوضونwade into الغِمارَbattle's depths إلىtoward الرّدىdeath
قومٌ يخوضون الغِمارَ إلى الرّدى
خوضَlike the wading of الجبانِthe coward الأمنَsafety غِبَّafter مخاوفِterrors
خوضَ الجبانِ الأمنَ غِبَّ مخاوفِ
Men who wade into battle's depths toward death,
“A people who plunge into the unknown toward demise
as a coward wades into safety after terrors.
Like the coward's plunging recklessly into fears.”
لاnot يَأخذونَthey take المالَwealth إلّاexcept بالظُّباwith sword-edges
لا يَأخذونَ المالَ إلّا بالظُّبا
تَنْدىare wet دماًwith blood أوor منfrom سِنانٍa spearhead راعِفِbleeding
تَنْدى دماً أو من سِنانٍ راعِفِ
They take wealth only with sword-edges
“They take no wealth but by the sword
wet with blood, or from a bleeding spearhead.
That drips with blood or by a piercing blade.”
وإذاand when رأيتَyou see علىagainst الرّدىdeath مِقدامَهمْtheir bold warrior
وإذا رأيتَ على الرّدى مِقدامَهمْ
فكأنّthen as though قلباًa heart منهwithin him ليسis not بخائفِafraid
فكأنّ قلباً منه ليس بخائفِ
And when you see their bold warrior confronting death,
“And if you see their stance in the face of adversity
it is as though the heart within him knows no fear.
Their hearts seem to know no fear.”
وَتراهُمُand you see them فيon كلّevery يومِday of عَظيمةٍgrave calamity
وَتراهُمُ في كلّ يومِ عَظيمةٍ
مُتَنصِّتِينlistening intently إلىto صريخِthe cry for help of الخائفِthe frightened one
مُتَنصِّتِين إلى صريخِ الخائفِ
And you see them on every day of grave calamity,
“You see them listening intently on each momentous day
listening intently for the frightened one's cry for help.
To the screams of the terrified.”
سحبواthey trailed مُروطَrobes of العزِّglory يومَon the day لَزَزْتَهمyou pitted them together
سحبوا مُروطَ العزِّ يومَ لَزَزْتَهم
بالفخرin boasting سَحْبَlike the trailing of غلائلٍfine tunics ومطارفِand bordered cloaks
بالفخر سَحْبَ غلائلٍ ومطارفِ
They trailed glory's robes the day you pitted them
“They dragged the train of glory when you cowered,
in boasting, as one trails fine tunics and bordered cloaks.
With pride dragging trains and hems.”
وتَلَوْاand they followed علىdespite كلبِthe rabid fury of الزّمانِtime وضِيقهِand its hardship
وتَلَوْا على كلبِ الزّمانِ وضِيقهِ
للمُمْلقينfor the destitute عوارفاًbenefactions بعوارفِwith benefactions
للمُمْلقين عوارفاً بعوارفِ
And despite time's rabid fury and hardship, they followed
“And they turned upon the curs of time in their distress
favor with favor for the destitute.
With odes to the refugee that were familiar.”
أَيدٍhands تفجَّرُgush forth بالعطاءِwith gifts سماحةًgenerously
أَيدٍ تفجَّرُ بالعطاءِ سماحةً
فتَوالِدٌso inherited wealth فيin بذلهاtheir giving كطوارفِlike newly gained riches
فتَوالِدٌ في بذلها كطوارفِ
Hands that gush forth generously with gifts,
“Hands that overflow with generosity
so inherited wealth, in their giving, is like newly gained riches.
So their giving proliferates like trains.”
وندىًand bounty يَفيضoverflows تعَجرُفاًwith rash force وتَغَشْمُراًand reckless abandon
وندىً يَفيض تعَجرُفاً وتَغَشْمُراً
وعجارفُand the rash excesses المعروفof kindness غيرُare unlike عجارفِother excesses
وعجارفُ المعروف غيرُ عجارفِ
And bounty overflowing with rash force and reckless abandon—
“A gushing kindness that exceeds pretense and deception,
yet kindness's rash excesses are unlike other excesses.
Unlike the cloying overtures of the obsequious.”
وأرىand I deem شجاعَthe champion of الجودgenerosity يومon a day of تَواهُبٍexchanging gifts
وأرى شجاعَ الجود يوم تَواهُبٍ
شَرْوىthe equal of شجاعِthe champion of الحربِwar يومَon a day of تسايُفِsword-fighting
شَرْوى شجاعِ الحربِ يومَ تسايُفِ
And I deem the champion of generosity, on a day of gift-giving,
“And I see the generous as bold as the valiant
the equal of war's champion on a day of clashing swords.
On a day of shared valor and reciprocal thrust.”
وَمحذّريand the one warning me شرَّthe evil of الزّمانtime كأنّهas though he
وَمحذّري شرَّ الزّمان كأنّه
لمdid not يدرِknow أنّيthat I am ناقدٌan assayer للزّائفِof counterfeit coin
لم يدرِ أنّي ناقدٌ للزّائفِ
And the man who warns me of time's evil seems
“Those who warn me of the evil of these times
not to know that I am an assayer of counterfeit coin.
Are unaware that I am a critic of imposters.”
قدindeed كنتI used to أُلحِيrebuke فيهon its account كلَّevery مفارقٍone who departs
قد كنت أُلحِي فيه كلَّ مفارقٍ
فَالآنso now أُلِحيI rebuke فيهon its account كلَّevery مُقارفِone who consorts with it
فَالآن أُلِحي فيه كلَّ مُقارفِ
I once rebuked everyone who parted from it;
“I used to censure every dissenter among them
now I rebuke everyone who consorts with it.
But now I censure all who conform.”
وإذاand when الشّكوكُdoubts تقاربتْdraw together وتلاءمتْand align
وإذا الشّكوكُ تقاربتْ وتلاءمتْ
فعنso from الزّمانِtime وماand what حواهit contains تجانُفيmy turning away
فعن الزّمانِ وما حواه تجانُفي
And when doubts converge and fall into accord,
“And when doubts converge and agree,
I turn away from time and all it contains.
I turn away from the times and all they contain.”
وَإذاand when اِلتفتّI turn إلىtoward اِختِلافthe succession of خطوبهits calamities
وَإذا اِلتفتّ إلى اِختِلاف خطوبه
فَإلىthen toward اِختِلافa succession of عجائبٍwonders وطرائفِand curiosities
فَإلى اِختِلاف عجائبٍ وطرائفِ
And when I turn to the succession of its calamities,
“And when I consider the differing strokes of its calamities,
it is to a succession of wonders and curiosities.
I turn to the differing wonders and subtleties.”
يَستَرجعُit reclaims الموهوبَwhat was given رَجْعَlike the reclaiming of مناقشٍan exacting reckoner
يَستَرجعُ الموهوبَ رَجْعَ مناقشٍ
منfrom بعدafter أنthat أعطىit gave عطاءَlike the giving of مُجازِفِa reckless giver
من بعد أن أعطى عطاءَ مُجازِفِ
It reclaims its gifts like an exacting reckoner,
“It reclaims gifts like a fault-finding questioner
after having given like a reckless giver.
After freely giving beyond what is expected.”
ياO منهلاًa watering place للسّوءِfor evil ماnot ألقىI encounter لهtoward it
يا منهلاً للسّوءِ ما ألقى له
فيin كلُall أحيافِthe quarters of الورىhumankind منany عائِفِone who shuns
في كلُ أحيافِ الورى من عائِفِ
O watering place of evil, I find no one
“O spring of evil, what disasters have befallen
in all the quarters of humankind who shuns it.
The inhabitants of the world because of you!”
لمhas not يَخْلُbeen devoid برقُكyour lightning خُلَّباًrainless and deceptive منof شائمٍa watcher for rain
لم يَخْلُ برقُك خُلَّباً من شائمٍ
وسَرابُand the mirage of أرضِكyour land مُطمعاًenticing منof عاكفِa devotee
وسَرابُ أرضِك مُطمعاً من عاكفِ
Your rainless lightning has never lacked a watcher,
“Your lightning never lacked a critic
nor your land's enticing mirage a devotee.
And the mirage of your lands a coveting onlooker.”
وحطامُand the scraps of رزقكyour sustenance وهوwhile it is جِدُّexceedingly مُصَرَّدٌstinted
وحطامُ رزقك وهو جِدُّ مُصَرَّدٌ
فيon كلِّevery يومٍday مِنof محبٍّa lover كالفِardently devoted
في كلِّ يومٍ مِن محبٍّ كالفِ
And the scraps of your sustenance, though severely stinted,
“The wreckage of your provision, though it is serious,
never lack, on any day, an ardent lover.
Is for each loving day a clown.”
كَمhow many فيin صروفكyour vicissitudes للنُّدوبِfor scars تلاحَمَتْknit closed
كَم في صروفك للنُّدوبِ تلاحَمَتْ
بعدafter المِطالِlong delay ببُرْئهاin their healing منof قارفِa wound-reopener
بعد المِطالِ ببُرْئها من قارفِ
How often, amid your vicissitudes, are scars that knit closed
“How many sorrows in your changes were joined together
after long delays in healing torn open again!
After being rid of the critic of their author!”
ويدٍand a hand تَمُدُّstretches ذراعَهاits arm ببليَّةٍwith calamity
ويدٍ تَمُدُّ ذراعَها ببليَّةٍ
فتنالthen reaches شِلْوَthe body of النّازِحthe distant one المتقاذِفِfar-flung
فتنال شِلْوَ النّازِح المتقاذِفِ
And how many a hand stretches out its arm with calamity,
“A hand that stretches out its arm in affliction
then reaches the body of one distant and far-flung!
And grasps but a fragment offered by the fleeing refugee.”
لاnot يَعصمُprotects البانينthe builders منهاfrom it ماwhat اِبتنَوْاthey built
لا يَعصمُ البانين منها ما اِبتنَوْا
واِستَفرشواand they spread beneath them منof نُمْرُقٍa cushion ورفارفِand coverlets
واِستَفرشوا من نُمْرُقٍ ورفارفِ
What the builders build cannot shield them from it,
“It does not safeguard those who built
nor the cushions and coverlets they spread beneath them.
And furnished with soft carpets and luxurious cushions.”
وَأَناand I الغبينthe dupe لأَنْbecause مَنحتُكI gave you طائعاًwillingly
وَأَنا الغبين لأَنْ مَنحتُك طائعاً
قَلبيmy heart وفيكand in you كماas علمتُI knew متالِفِيmy paths to ruin
قَلبي وفيك كما علمتُ متالِفِي
And I am the dupe, for I willingly gave you
“And I was foolish because I freely gave you
my heart, though in you, as I knew, lie my paths to ruin.
My heart, though I knew we were incompatible.”
Sol 6.1