أَلاَah! يَاO دِيَارَdwellings الحَيِّof the clan بِالسَّبُعَانِat al-Sabuʿān
أَلاَ يَا دِيَارَ الحَيِّ بِالسَّبُعَانِ
أَمَلَّimposed عَلَيْهَاupon them بِالبِلَىwith decay المَلَوَانِthe two cycles of day and night
أَمَلَّ عَلَيْهَا بِالبِلَى المَلَوَانِ
Ah, dwellings of the clan at al-Sabuʿān!
O dwellings of the living with the two Sabu'ans,
The two cycles have imposed decay upon them.
Upon them time has spread its manifold changes,
نَهَارٌday ولَيْلٌand night دَاِئمٌunceasing مَلَوَاهُمَاtheir two spans of time
نَهَارٌ ولَيْلٌ دَاِئمٌ مَلَوَاهُمَا
عَلَىthrough كُلِّevery حَالِcondition الدَّهْرِof time يَخْتَلِفَانِthey both alternate
عَلَى كُلِّ حَالِ الدَّهْرِ يَخْتَلِفَانِ
Day and night, their two courses unceasing,
Day and night are constant in their succession
alternate through every condition of time.
Through every state of fate they alternate.
أَبِينيanswer clearly دِيَارَdwellings الحَيِّof the clan لاَno هَجْرَestrangement بَيْنَنَاbetween us
أَبِيني دِيَارَ الحَيِّ لاَ هَجْرَ بَيْنَنَا
ولَكِنَّand yet رَوْعَاتٍshocks مِنَfrom الحَدَثَانِtime's vicissitudes
ولَكِنَّ رَوْعَاتٍ مِنَ الحَدَثَانِ
Answer me, dwellings of the clan: no estrangement lies between us,
Show me dwellings of the living, let no estrangement be between us,
but shocks from time's vicissitudes.
But only the excitements of youth.
لِدَهْمَاءَbelonging to Dahmāʾ إِذْwhen لِلنَّاسِfor people والعَيْشِand life غِرَّةٌcarefree innocence
لِدَهْمَاءَ إِذْ لِلنَّاسِ والعَيْشِ غِرَّةٌ
وإِذْاand when خُلُقَانَاour two natures بِالصِّبَاin youth يَسَرَانِboth yielding
وإِذْا خُلُقَانَا بِالصِّبَا يَسَرَانِ
Dahmāʾ's—when people and life were carefree,
For to people and life there is always allurement,
and when our two natures were yielding in youth.
And when we were young our manners were easy.
تَشَكَّتْshe complained بِبَعْضِwith a little of الطَّرْفِthe gaze حَتَّىuntil فَهِمْتُهُI understood it
تَشَكَّتْ بِبَعْضِ الطَّرْفِ حَتَّى فَهِمْتُهُ
حَيَاءًout of modesty ومَاand not فَاهَتْuttered بِهِof it الشَّفَتَانِthe two lips
حَيَاءً ومَا فَاهَتْ بِهِ الشَّفَتَانِ
She complained with a slight glance, until I understood it,
She hinted with a glance of her eye until I understood
out of modesty; her two lips never uttered it.
Modestly, though her lips did not speak it.
كَبَيْضَةِlike an egg أُدْحِيٍّan ostrich's sand-nest يُوَحْوِحُcalls hoarsely فَوْقَهَاabove it
كَبَيْضَةِ أُدْحِيٍّ يُوَحْوِحُ فَوْقَهَا
هِجَفَّانِtwo hulking ostriches مُرْتَاعَاboth frightened الضُّحَىat forenoon وَحدَانِboth alone
هِجَفَّانِ مُرْتَاعَا الضُّحَى وَحدَانِ
Like an egg in an ostrich's sand-nest, over which call hoarsely
Like the egg of a crested lark fluttering above,
two hulking ostriches, frightened at forenoon, alone.
Two fledglings, startled at dawn yet alone.
أَحَسَّاthey both sensed حَسِيساًa faint rustling مِنْfrom سِبَاعٍbeasts of prey وطَائِفٍand a prowler
أَحَسَّا حَسِيساً مِنْ سِبَاعٍ وطَائِفٍ
فَلاَso no وَخْدَswift striding إِلاَّexcept دُونَless than مَاwhat يَخِدَانِthey both stride swiftly
فَلاَ وَخْدَ إِلاَّ دُونَ مَا يَخِدَانِ
They sensed a rustling from beasts of prey and a prowler,
They sensed the presence of beasts of prey and enemies,
so no swift stride is anything but slower than theirs.
So they crouched fearful beneath the tall nest.
يَكَادَانِthey both almost بَيْنَbetween الدَّوْنَكَيْنِal-Dawnakayn وأَلْوَةٍand Alwa
يَكَادَانِ بَيْنَ الدَّوْنَكَيْنِ وأَلْوَةٍ
وذَاتِand Dhāt (the place of) القَتَادِal-Qatād (thorn-trees) السُّمْرِdark-brown يَنْسَلِخَانِthey both shed their skins
وذَاتِ القَتَادِ السُّمْرِ يَنْسَلِخَانِ
They almost, between al-Dawnakayn and Alwa,
They huddled between the two sand hills and thickets
and dark-thorned Dhāt al-Qatād, shed their skins.
And the smooth-barked jujube tree's branches.
عَشِيَّةَone evening قَالَتْshe said لِيto me وقَالَتْand she said لِصَاحِبِيto my companion
عَشِيَّةَ قَالَتْ لِي وقَالَتْ لِصَاحِبِي
بِبُرْقَةِat Burqat (rocky ground) مَلْحُوبٍMalḥūb أَلاَwill you not? تَلِجَانِyou two enter
بِبُرْقَةِ مَلْحُوبٍ أَلاَ تَلِجَانِ
One evening she said to me, and said to my companion,
One evening she said to me and to my companion
at Burqat Malḥūb: “Will you two not come in?”
With a flash of her beautiful teeth, "Will you not come in?"
فَلَمَّاso when وَلَجْنَاwe entered أَمْكَنَتْshe allowed access مِنْto عِنَانِهَاher reins
فَلَمَّا وَلَجْنَا أَمْكَنَتْ مِنْ عِنَانِهَا
وأَمْسَكْتُand I held back عَنْfrom بَعْضِsome of الخِلاَطِintimacy عِنَانِيmy reins
وأَمْسَكْتُ عَنْ بَعْضِ الخِلاَطِ عِنَانِي
So when we entered, she let me take her reins,
When we entered she drew in her bridle
and I held my own reins back from some intimacy.
And I held back from some of the boon companions.
تَأَمَّلْlook closely خَلِيلِيmy close friend هَلْdo تَرَىyou see مِنْany ظَعَائِنٍwomen in howdahs
تَأَمَّلْ خَلِيلِي هَلْ تَرَى مِنْ ظَعَائِنٍ
تَحَمَّلْنَthey departed بِالْعَلْيَاءِon the high ground فَوْقَabove إِطَانِIṭān
تَحَمَّلْنَ بِالْعَلْيَاءِ فَوْقَ إِطَانِ
Look closely, my dear friend: do you see any women in howdahs
Consider, my friend, do you see any of the gazelles
who set off on the high ground above Iṭān?
Borne by the lofty sands above the meadow?
فَقَالَso he said أَرَاهَاI see them بَيْنَbetween تِبْرَاكَTibrāk مَوْهِناًlate at night
فَقَالَ أَرَاهَا بَيْنَ تِبْرَاكَ مَوْهِناً
وطِلْحَامَand Ṭilḥām إِذْsince عِلْمُknowledge البِلاَدِof the land هَدَانِيguided me
وطِلْحَامَ إِذْ عِلْمُ البِلاَدِ هَدَانِي
He said, “I see them, late at night, between Tibrāk
He said, "I see them between the soft sands of Tibraka
and Ṭilḥām, for knowledge of the land has guided me.”
And Tilham, now that the knowledge of places has led me."
وقدْand indeed أَفْضَلَتْsurpassed عَيْنِيmy eye عَلَىover عَيْنِهِhis eye
وقدْ أَفْضَلَتْ عَيْنِي عَلَى عَيْنِهِ
وقَطَّعَand severed إِلْحَاقُhastening to catch up الحُدَاةِthe camel-drivers قِرَانِيmy bond
وقَطَّعَ إِلْحَاقُ الحُدَاةِ قِرَانِي
And my eyesight had proved keener than his,
And her eye has excelled over his,
and the camel-drivers' haste to catch up severed my bond.
While the cutting of separation has sundered my companion from me.
تَحَمَّلْنَthey departed مِنْfrom جَنَّانَJannān بَعْدَafter إِقَامَةٍa stay
تَحَمَّلْنَ مِنْ جَنَّانَ بَعْدَ إِقَامَةٍ
وبَعْدَand after عَنَاءٍsuffering مِنْfrom فُؤَادِكَyour heart عَانِيcaptive
وبَعْدَ عَنَاءٍ مِنْ فُؤَادِكَ عَانِي
They departed from Jannān after a stay,
We journeyed from those gardens after staying
and after the suffering of your captive heart.
And suffering anguish in your heart from my distress.
عَلَىon كُلِّevery وَخَّادِswift-striding اليَدَيْنِin the two forelegs مُشَمِّرٍnimble
عَلَى كُلِّ وَخَّادِ اليَدَيْنِ مُشَمِّرٍ
كَأَنَّas though مِلاَطَيْهِits two flanks ثَقِيفُsturdily built إِرَانِa bier
كَأَنَّ مِلاَطَيْهِ ثَقِيفُ إِرَانِ
On each nimble camel, swift-striding in its forelegs,
With each forearm bared and rolled up
as though its two flanks were a bier's sturdy frame.
As if his sleeves were tailored by Thaqif of Ira.
كَسَوْنَthey clothed السَّدِيلَthe hanging curtain كُلَّevery أَدْمَاءَpale she-camel حُرَّةٍpurebred
كَسَوْنَ السَّدِيلَ كُلَّ أَدْمَاءَ حُرَّةٍ
وحَمْرَاءَand a red she-camel لاnot يَحْذِيcuts to match بِهَاto her pattern جَلَمَانِa pair of shears
وحَمْرَاءَ لا يَحْذِي بِهَا جَلَمَانِ
They draped the hanging curtain over every well-bred, pale she-camel,
Like the shedding of the skin by every free and noble
and every red one whose like no pair of shears can fashion,
Bay or chestnut horse, unmatched by any other.
وكُلَّand every رَبَاعٍfour-toothed camel أَوْor سَدِيسٍsix-toothed camel مُسَدَّمٍkept from mating
وكُلَّ رَبَاعٍ أَوْ سَدِيسٍ مُسَدَّمٍ
يَمُدُّstretches forward بِذِفْرَىwith a nape حُرَّةٍfinely formed وجِرَانِand a throat
يَمُدُّ بِذِفْرَى حُرَّةٍ وجِرَانِ
and every four-toothed or six-toothed male kept from mating,
And every courser, either asfour or musaddam,
stretching forward a fine nape and throat.
Extending with the gait of a free and noble steed.
سَلَكْنَthey traveled past لُكَيْزاًLukayz بِاليَمِينon the right ولَوْزَةًand Lawza
سَلَكْنَ لُكَيْزاً بِاليَمِين ولَوْزَةً
شِمَالاًon the left ومُفْضَىand the outlet of السَّيْلِthe torrent ذِيhaving الغَذَيانِa rushing flow
شِمَالاً ومُفْضَى السَّيْلِ ذِي الغَذَيانِ
They passed Lukayz on the right, and Lawza
We took a path to the right through the twisted Lukayz
on the left, and the outlet of the rushing torrent.
And to the left through the almond trees, following the torrent valley.
وأَوْقَدْنَand they kindled نَاراًa fire لِلرِّعَاءِfor the herdsmen بِأَذْرُعٍat Adhruʿ
وأَوْقَدْنَ نَاراً لِلرِّعَاءِ بِأَذْرُعٍ
سَيَالاًsayāl acacia wood وشِيحاًand wormwood غَيْرَnot ذَاتِhaving دُخَانِsmoke
سَيَالاً وشِيحاً غَيْرَ ذَاتِ دُخَانِ
And at Adhruʿ they kindled a fire for the herdsmen,
We kindled a fire for the herdsmen with sticks
of sayāl acacia and wormwood, without smoke.
Flaring and smoking without emitting smoke.
فَصَبَّحْنَso they reached at dawn مِنْof مَاءِthe water الوَحِيدَيْنِal-Waḥīdayn نُقْرَةًa hollow basin
فَصَبَّحْنَ مِنْ مَاءِ الوَحِيدَيْنِ نُقْرَةً
بِمِيزَانِin line with رَعْمٍRaʿm إِذْwhen بَدَاappeared ضَدَوانِḌadawān
بِمِيزَانِ رَعْمٍ إِذْ بَدَا ضَدَوانِ
So at dawn they reached a basin of al-Waḥīdayn's water,
We breakfasted on the water of the two valleys, pure
in line with Raʿm, as Ḍadawān came into view.
By the measure of a water skin when the ibexes appeared.
وأَصْبَحْنَand they reached morning لمْdid not يَتْرُكْنَthey leave مِنْof لَيْلَةِthe night of السُّرَىnight travel
وأَصْبَحْنَ لمْ يَتْرُكْنَ مِنْ لَيْلَةِ السُّرَى
لِذِيfor the one with الشَّوْقِlonging إِلاَّexcept عُقْبَةَthe watch of الدَّبَرَانِAldebaran
لِذِي الشَّوْقِ إِلاَّ عُقْبَةَ الدَّبَرَانِ
And by morning they had left nothing of the night of travel
We arose and from that night of intimacy
for the yearning lover but Aldebaran's watch.
Left for the lover nothing but the rear guard.
وعَرَّسْنَand they halted to rest والشِّعْرَىwhile Sirius تَغُورُwas setting كَأَنَّهَاas though it were
وعَرَّسْنَ والشِّعْرَى تَغُورُ كَأَنَّهَا
شِهَابُa firebrand غَضاof ghaḍā wood يُرْمَىis hurled بِهِwith it الرَّجَوَانِthe two edges
شِهَابُ غَضا يُرْمَى بِهِ الرَّجَوَانِ
They halted for rest while Sirius sank, as though it were
And we married at nightfall when the Pleiades withdrew
a firebrand of ghaḍā wood hurled toward the two horizons.
Like a shooting star flung at the neighing camels.
أَتَاهُنَّhe came to them لبَّانُLabbān بِبَيْضِwith eggs نَعَامَةٍof an ostrich
أَتَاهُنَّ لبَّانُ بِبَيْضِ نَعَامَةٍ
حَوَاهَاhe gathered them بِذِيat Dhū (the place of) اللِّصْبَيْنِal-Liṣbayn (two narrow clefts) فَوْقَabove جَنَانِJanān
حَوَاهَا بِذِي اللِّصْبَيْنِ فَوْقَ جَنَانِ
Labbān came to them with an ostrich's eggs,
There came to them the milk of the ostrich
which he had gathered at Dhū al-Liṣbayn, above Janān.
Contained in the vessel with two handles above the gardens.
Sol 6.1