أَلاَcome! قِفْstop بِالمَنَازِلِat the dwellings والرُّبُوعِand encampments
أَلاَ قِفْ بِالمَنَازِلِ والرُّبُوعِ
دِيَارُdwellings الحَيِّof the tribe كَانَتْonce were لِلْجَمِيعِfor the whole clan
دِيَارُ الحَيِّ كَانَتْ لِلْجَمِيعِ
Come, stop at the dwellings and encampments,
The tribe's homes, once shared by the whole clan.
تَلُوحُthey loom وقَدْand already مَضَتْhave passed حِجَجٌyears ثَمَانٍeight
تَلُوحُ وقَدْ مَضَتْ حِجَجٌ ثَمَانٍ
بِنَجْدٍin Najd بَيْنَbetween أَجْمَادٍAjmād ورِيعِand Rīʿ
بِنَجْدٍ بَيْنَ أَجْمَادٍ ورِيعِ
They loom, though eight years have passed,
In Najd, between Ajmād and Rīʿ.
تَطَالِعُهَاcomes upon them الجَنُوبُthe south wind مِنَfrom الثَّنَايَاthe mountain passes
تَطَالِعُهَا الجَنُوبُ مِنَ الثَّنَايَا
بِهَيْفٍwith a hot, dry wind مَاnot يَمَلُّtires مِنَof الطُّلُوعِrising
بِهَيْفٍ مَا يَمَلُّ مِنَ الطُّلُوعِ
The south wind comes upon them from the mountain passes,
With a scorching blast, never weary of rising.
فَلَمَّاso when أَنْthat غَدَتْit set out at morning مِنْfrom ذَاتِDhāt عِرْقٍʿIrq
فَلَمَّا أَنْ غَدَتْ مِنْ ذَاتِ عِرْقٍ
تَكَادُit almost تَجِفُّrattles بِالْخَشَبِthrough the timber الصَّرِيعِfallen
تَكَادُ تَجِفُّ بِالْخَشَبِ الصَّرِيعِ
And when it came at morning from Dhāt ʿIrq,
It almost made the fallen timber rattle.
دِيَارٌdwellings لِلَّتِيof her who ذَهَبَتْdeparted بِقَلْبِيwith my heart
دِيَارٌ لِلَّتِي ذَهَبَتْ بِقَلْبِي
فَمَاso not يُرْجَىis hoped for لِقَلْبِيfor my heart مِنْof رُجُوعِreturn
فَمَا يُرْجَى لِقَلْبِي مِنْ رُجُوعِ
Dwellings of the woman who carried off my heart;
There is no hope that my heart will return.
وليْلَةِand many a night of خَائِفٍa frightened man قَدْindeed بِتُّI passed the night وَحْدِيalone
وليْلَةِ خَائِفٍ قَدْ بِتُّ وَحْدِي
وأَبْيَضُand a bright sword قدْindeed وَثِقْتُI trusted بِهِin it ضَجِيعِيmy bedfellow
وأَبْيَضُ قدْ وَثِقْتُ بِهِ ضَجِيعِي
And many a fearful night I passed alone,
And a bright sword I trusted was my bedfellow.
وعِنْدِيand beside me العَنْسُthe sturdy she-camel يَصْرِفُgrind بَاِزلاَهَاher two fangs
وعِنْدِي العَنْسُ يَصْرِفُ بَاِزلاَهَا
عَليْهَاon her قَاتِرٌa narrow saddle قَلِقُrestless النُّسُوعِthe girths
عَليْهَا قَاتِرٌ قَلِقُ النُّسُوعِ
And beside me was the sturdy she-camel, her two fangs grinding,
Bearing a narrow saddle with shifting girths.
تَرُدُّshe returns إِلَىto المَرِيءthe gullet ودَأيَتَيْهَاand both sides of her chest
تَرُدُّ إِلَى المَرِيء ودَأيَتَيْهَا
صُبَابَthe remnants of المَاءِwater بِالْفَرْثِwith stomach contents الرَّجِيعِregurgitated
صُبَابَ المَاءِ بِالْفَرْثِ الرَّجِيعِ
She returns to her gullet and both sides of her chest
The last of the water, mixed with regurgitated cud.
عُذَافِرَةٌa powerful she-camel أَضَرَّcaused harm بِهَاto her سِفَارِيmy journeys
عُذَافِرَةٌ أَضَرَّ بِهَا سِفَارِي
وأَعْيَتْand she grew weary مِنْfrom مُعَايَنَةِseeing القَطِيعِthe whip
وأَعْيَتْ مِنْ مُعَايَنَةِ القَطِيعِ
A powerful she-camel, worn down by my journeys,
And exhausted by the sight of the whip.
كَجَأْبٍlike a stout wild ass يَرْتَعِيgrazing بِجُنُوبalong the sides of فَلْجٍFalj
كَجَأْبٍ يَرْتَعِي بِجُنُوب فَلْجٍ
تُؤَامَtwin shoots of البَقْلِherbage فيin أَحْوَىa dark-green meadow مَرِيعِfertile
تُؤَامَ البَقْلِ في أَحْوَى مَرِيعِ
Like a stout wild ass grazing along the sides of Falj,
On twin shoots of herbage in a dark-green, fertile meadow.
يُقَلِّبُhe drives about سَمْحَجاًa long-bodied jenny قَبَّاءَslender-bellied تُضْحِيshe becomes by morning
يُقَلِّبُ سَمْحَجاً قَبَّاءَ تُضْحِي
كَقَوْسِlike a bow of الشَّوْحَطِshawhat wood العُطُلِunstrung الصَّنِيعِfinely made
كَقَوْسِ الشَّوْحَطِ العُطُلِ الصَّنِيعِ
He drives a long-bodied, slender-bellied jenny, who by morning is
Like an unstrung, finely crafted bow of shawhat wood.
يَظَلاَّنِthe two spend النَّهَارَthe day بِرَأْسِatop قُفٍّa rocky rise
يَظَلاَّنِ النَّهَارَ بِرَأْسِ قُفٍّ
كُمَيْتِreddish-brown اللَّوْنِin color ذِيhaving فَلَكٍa rounded crest رَفيعِlofty
كُمَيْتِ اللَّوْنِ ذِي فَلَكٍ رَفيعِ
They spend the day atop a rocky rise,
Reddish-brown in color, with a lofty rounded crest.
ويَرْتَعِيَانِand the two graze لَيْلَهُمَاthroughout their night قَرَاراًa lowland hollow
ويَرْتَعِيَانِ لَيْلَهُمَا قَرَاراً
سَقَتْهُwatered it كُلُّevery مُغْضِنَةٍbillowing raincloud هَمُوعِpouring rain
سَقَتْهُ كُلُّ مُغْضِنَةٍ هَمُوعِ
And through their night they graze a lowland hollow,
Watered by every billowing, rain-pouring cloud.
زُخَارِيَّabounding in النَّبَاتِvegetation كَأَنَّas though فِيهِin it
زُخَارِيَّ النَّبَاتِ كَأَنَّ فِيهِ
جِيَادَfine examples of العَبْقَرِيَّةِrich patterned carpets والقُطُوعِand rugs
جِيَادَ العَبْقَرِيَّةِ والقُطُوعِ
Luxuriant with plants, as though within it lay
Fine patterned carpets and rugs.
فَلَمَّاso when قَلَّصَshrank back الحَوْذَانُthe buttercups عَنْهُfrom it
فَلَمَّا قَلَّصَ الحَوْذَانُ عَنْهُ
وآلَand dwindled لَوِيُّهُits withering herbage بَعْدَafter المُتُوعِgrowing tall
وآلَ لَوِيُّهُ بَعْدَ المُتُوعِ
When the buttercups shrank back from it,
And its withering herbage dwindled after growing tall,
وَهَيَّجَهَاand he roused her الطَّرِيقَonto the road فَأَصْحَبَتْهُso she followed him
وَهَيَّجَهَا الطَّرِيقَ فَأَصْحَبَتْهُ
بِرِجْلٍwith a hind leg رَأْدَةٍsupple ويَدٍand a foreleg ضَبُوعِfar-reaching
بِرِجْلٍ رَأْدَةٍ ويَدٍ ضَبُوعِ
And he urged her onto the road, she followed him,
With a supple hind leg and a far-reaching foreleg.
بِرِجْلٍwith a hind leg رَأْدَةٍsupple لاَno عَيْبَblemish فِيهَاin it
بِرِجْلٍ رَأْدَةٍ لاَ عَيْبَ فِيهَا
أَضَرَّcaused harm بِهَاto it العِثَارُstumbling ولاَnor ظَلُوعِlameness
أَضَرَّ بِهَا العِثَارُ ولاَ ظَلُوعِ
With a supple hind leg without a blemish—
Neither stumbling nor lameness has harmed it.
تَصُكُّshe strikes النَّحْرَthe breast والدَّأَيَاتِand the ribs مِنْهُof him
تَصُكُّ النَّحْرَ والدَّأَيَاتِ مِنْهُ
بِضَرْبٍwith a blow لَوْif تَوَجَّعَهُfelt its pain وَجِيعِa sufferer
بِضَرْبٍ لَوْ تَوَجَّعَهُ وَجِيعِ
She strikes his breast and ribs
With a blow that would hurt anyone who felt it.
فَأَوْرَدَهاso he brought her to water مَعَat الإِبْصَارِfirst light ضَحْلاًa shallow pool
فَأَوْرَدَها مَعَ الإِبْصَارِ ضَحْلاً
ضَفادِعُهُits frogs تَنِقُّcroak عَلىat الشُّروعِthe water's approaches
ضَفادِعُهُ تَنِقُّ عَلى الشُّروعِ
So he brought her at first light to a shallow pool;
Its frogs croak along the water's edge.
وَلَمَّاand not yet يَنْذَراdid the two become aware بِضُبُوءِof the lurking of طِمْلٍa grimy man
وَلَمَّا يَنْذَرا بِضُبُوءِ طِمْلٍ
أَخِيone devoted to قَنَصٍhunting بِرزِّهِمَاfor their faint sounds سَمِيعِkeen-eared
أَخِي قَنَصٍ بِرزِّهِمَا سَمِيعِ
And neither had yet sensed a grimy man crouching in hiding,
A hunter, keenly listening for their faint sounds.
خَفِيِّhidden in الشَّخْصِappearance يَغْمِزُhe flexes عَجْسَthe grip of فَرْعٍa branch-bow
خَفِيِّ الشَّخْصِ يَغْمِزُ عَجْسَ فَرْعٍ
مِنَof الشِّرْيانِshiryan wood مِرْزَامٍloud-twanging سَجُوعِmelodious
مِنَ الشِّرْيانِ مِرْزَامٍ سَجُوعِ
Unseen, he flexes the grip of a branch-bow,
Of shiryan wood, loud-twanging and melodious.
إِذَاwhen غُمِزَتْit is flexed تَرَنَّمَsing أَبْهَرَاهَاits two limbs
إِذَا غُمِزَتْ تَرَنَّمَ أَبْهَرَاهَا
حَنِينَthe moan of النَّابِan old she-camel بِالأُفُقِon the horizon النَّزُوعِhomesick
حَنِينَ النَّابِ بِالأُفُقِ النَّزُوعِ
When flexed, its two limbs sing
Like the moan of a homesick old she-camel on the horizon.
فَلَمْso not تَكُit was غَيْرَanything but خَاطِئَةٍa missed shot ووَلَّىand he fled
فَلَمْ تَكُ غَيْرَ خَاطِئَةٍ ووَلَّى
سَرِيعاًswiftly أَوْor يَزِيدُhe is faster عَلَىthan السَّرِيعِthe swift
سَرِيعاً أَوْ يَزِيدُ عَلَى السَّرِيعِ
It was only a shot that missed, and he fled,
Swiftly—or swifter than swift.
أَقُولُI say وقَدْand already قَطَعْنَthey have crossed بِنَاcarrying us شَرَوْرَىSharawrā
أَقُولُ وقَدْ قَطَعْنَ بِنَا شَرَوْرَى
ثَوَانِيَturning واسْتَوَيْنَand came up مِنَfrom الضَّجُوعِal-Ḍajūʿ
ثَوَانِيَ واسْتَوَيْنَ مِنَ الضَّجُوعِ
I say, after they have carried us across Sharawrā,
Turning, and having come up from al-Ḍajūʿ,
لِصَحْبِيto my companions والقِلاَصُand the young she-camels العِيسُpale تَثْنِيbend
لِصَحْبِي والقِلاَصُ العِيسُ تَثْنِي
أَزِمَّتَهَاtheir reins سَوَالِفُnecks كَالجُذُوعِlike tree trunks
أَزِمَّتَهَا سَوَالِفُ كَالجُذُوعِ
To my companions, while the pale young camels bend
Their reins with necks like tree trunks:
أَبَالِغَةٌwill ... reach? بَلِيَّتَهَاits doomed victim المَنَايَاdeath
أَبَالِغَةٌ بَلِيَّتَهَا المَنَايَا
ولَمَّاwhile not yet أَلْقَI have met حَيَّthe clan of بَنِيBanu الخَلِيعِal-Khalīʿ
ولَمَّا أَلْقَ حَيَّ بَنِي الخَلِيعِ
Will death reach its doomed victim
Before I meet the clan of Banu al-Khalīʿ?
هُمُthey جَبَلٌa mountain يَلُوذُseek refuge النَّاسُpeople فِيهِin it
هُمُ جَبَلٌ يَلُوذُ النَّاسُ فِيهِ
وفَرْعٌand a branch نَابِتٌgrowing فَرْعَat the crown of الفُرُوعِthe branches
وفَرْعٌ نَابِتٌ فَرْعَ الفُرُوعِ
They are a mountain in which people seek refuge,
And a growing branch crowning all other branches.
مَقَارٍgenerous hosts حِينَwhen تَنْكَفِئُretreat الأَفَاعِيthe vipers
مَقَارٍ حِينَ تَنْكَفِئُ الأَفَاعِي
إِلَىto أَحْجَارِهِنَّtheir stones مِنَfrom الصَّقِيعِthe frost
إِلَى أَحْجَارِهِنَّ مِنَ الصَّقِيعِ
Generous hosts when the vipers retreat
To their stones, fleeing the frost.
تَرَىyou see الرَّيْطَfine seamless robes اليَمَانِيYemeni دَانِيَاتٍhanging low
تَرَى الرَّيْطَ اليَمَانِي دَانِيَاتٍ
عَلَىover أَقْدَامِهِمْtheir feet وَقتَat the time of الشُّرُوعِgoing down to water
عَلَى أَقْدَامِهِمْ وَقتَ الشُّرُوعِ
You see Yemeni robes hanging low
Over their feet when they go down to water.
ويَوْماًand one day بَاكَرُواthey begin the morning with مِسْكاًmusk ويَوْماًand another day
ويَوْماً بَاكَرُوا مِسْكاً ويَوْماً
تَرَىyou see بِثَيابِهِمْon their clothes صَدَأَthe rust of الدُّرُوعِmail coats
تَرَى بِثَيابِهِمْ صَدَأَ الدُّرُوعِ
And one day they begin with musk, and on another
You see the rust of mail on their clothes.
إِذَاwhen فَزْعُواthey are alarmed غَدَاةَon the morning of الرَّوْعِterror ثَابُواthey rally
إِذَا فَزْعُوا غَدَاةَ الرَّوْعِ ثَابُوا
بِكُلِّwith every نَزِيعَةٍchoice mare ووَأىًand a sturdy stallion نَزِيعِfleet
بِكُلِّ نَزِيعَةٍ ووَأىً نَزِيعِ
When alarmed on a morning of terror, they rally
With every choice mare and sturdy, fleet stallion,
رَحِيبِbroad in الجَوْفِthe barrel وَهْوَاهٍmettlesome تَرَاهُyou see him
رَحِيبِ الجَوْفِ وَهْوَاهٍ تَرَاهُ
إِذَاwhen مَاever قِيدَhe is led كَالصَّدَعِlike a young ibex المَرُوعِstartled
إِذَا مَا قِيدَ كَالصَّدَعِ المَرُوعِ
Broad of barrel, mettlesome—you see him,
When led, like a startled young ibex.
يَحُلُّونَthey settle الفضَاءَopen country بِحَيِّas a clan of صِدْقٍtrue worth
يَحُلُّونَ الفضَاءَ بِحَيِّ صِدْقٍ
جَمِيعِunited in الأَمْرِpurpose مِيقَاصِa shatterer of الجُمُوعِgathered hosts
جَمِيعِ الأَمْرِ مِيقَاصِ الجُمُوعِ
They camp in the open as a steadfast clan,
United in purpose, shattering gathered hosts.
Sol 6.1