يَاO صَاحِبَيَّmy two companions انْظُرَانِيwait for me, you two لاَmay ... not عَدِمْتُكمَاI lose you both
يَا صَاحِبَيَّ انْظُرَانِي لاَ عَدِمْتُكمَا
هَلْdo تُؤْنِسَانِyou both discern بِذِيat Dhu رَيْمَانَRayman مِنْany نَارِfire
هَلْ تُؤْنِسَانِ بِذِي رَيْمَانَ مِنْ نَارِ
O my two companions, wait for me—may I never lose you both!
Do you discern any fire at Dhu Rayman?
نَارَthe fire الأَحِبَّةِof the loved ones شَطَّتْgrew distant بَعْدَمَاafter اقْتَرَبَتْit drew near
نَارَ الأَحِبَّةِ شَطَّتْ بَعْدَمَا اقْتَرَبَتْ
هَيْهَاتَhow far away! أَهْلُthe people of الصَّفَاal-Safa مِنْfrom دَيْرِthe monastery of دِينَارِDinar
هَيْهَاتَ أَهْلُ الصَّفَا مِنْ دَيْرِ دِينَارِ
The loved ones' fire has grown distant after drawing near.
How far the people of al-Safa are from Dayr Dinar!
نَاراًa fire تُؤَرَّثُis stoked أَحْيَاناًat times إِذَاwhen خَمَدَتْit dies down
نَاراً تُؤَرَّثُ أَحْيَاناً إِذَا خَمَدَتْ
بَعْدَafter الهَدُوِّthe stillness بِجَزْلٍwith stout firewood غَيْرِnot خِوّارِweak
بَعْدَ الهَدُوِّ بِجَزْلٍ غَيْرِ خِوّارِ
A fire stoked from time to time when it dies down,
after all is still, with stout, unyielding logs.
لاnot تستطيعcan المباريthe shaping tools أنto تؤيسهاmark it
لا تستطيع المباري أن تؤيسها
ولاnor البراهthe carvers إذاwhen ماever جسهاhe feels it الباريthe carver
ولا البراه إذا ما جسها الباري
No shaping tools can leave a mark on it,
nor can the carvers, when a carver feels it.
يَاO صَاحِبَيَّmy two companions انْظُرَاlook, you two إِنِّيindeed I مُعِينُكُمَاam helper to you both
يَا صَاحِبَيَّ انْظُرَا إِنِّي مُعِينُكُمَا
بِمُقْلَةٍwith an eye لَمْnot يَخُنْهَاhas betrayed it عَائِرٌan eye ailment سَارِيcoming by night
بِمُقْلَةٍ لَمْ يَخُنْهَا عَائِرٌ سَارِي
O my two companions, look: I am helping you both
with an eye no night-borne ailment has dimmed.
رَاقَتْit surpassed عَلَىover مُقْلَتَيْthe two eyes of سُوذَانِقٍa falcon خَرِصٍhungry and chilled
رَاقَتْ عَلَى مُقْلَتَيْ سُوذَانِقٍ خَرِصٍ
خَاوٍhollow-bellied تَنَفَّضَshook itself free مِنْof طَلٍّdew وأَمْطَارِand rain
خَاوٍ تَنَفَّضَ مِنْ طَلٍّ وأَمْطَارِ
It surpasses the eyes of a cold, hungry falcon,
hollow-bellied, that has shaken off dew and rain.
إِنْif تُؤْنِسَاyou both discern نَارَthe fire of حَيٍّa tribe قَدْindeed فُجِعْتُI was stricken by loss بِهِمْthrough them
إِنْ تُؤْنِسَا نَارَ حَيٍّ قَدْ فُجِعْتُ بِهِمْ
أَمْسَتْhas come to be عَلَىat شَزَنٍa distance مِنْfrom دَارِهِمْtheir dwelling دَارِيmy dwelling
أَمْسَتْ عَلَى شَزَنٍ مِنْ دَارِهِمْ دَارِي
If you discern the fire of a tribe whose loss has stricken me—
my dwelling now lies far from theirs—
عَلَىdespite تَبَاعُدِهِمْtheir remoteness يَنْزلْwill descend ثَوَابُكُمَاyour reward, you two
عَلَى تَبَاعُدِهِمْ يَنْزلْ ثَوَابُكُمَا
والدَّهْرُand time بِالنَّاسِwith people ذُوpossessing نَقْصٍloss وإِمْرَارِand embittering
والدَّهْرُ بِالنَّاسِ ذُو نَقْصٍ وإِمْرَارِ
despite their distance, your reward will come.
Time brings people loss and bitterness.
لاَdoes not يُعْتِبُmake amends to الدَّهْرُtime مَنْwhoever أَمْسَىhas come to يُعَاتِبُهُreproach it
لاَ يُعْتِبُ الدَّهْرُ مَنْ أَمْسَى يُعَاتِبُهُ
ولاَand never يَزَالُceases عَلَيْهِwith it سَاخِطاًresentful زَارِيa faultfinder
ولاَ يَزَالُ عَلَيْهِ سَاخِطاً زَارِي
Time makes no amends to those who reproach it,
and its critic remains forever angry with it.
ليْسَis not الفُؤَادُthe heart بِرَاءٍseeing أَرْضَهَاher land أَبَداًever
ليْسَ الفُؤَادُ بِرَاءٍ أَرْضَهَا أَبَداً
ولَيْسَand is not صَارِيَهُits restrainer عَنْfrom ذِكْرِهِمْremembering them صَارِيable to restrain
ولَيْسَ صَارِيَهُ عَنْ ذِكْرِهِمْ صَارِي
My heart will never behold her land,
nor can anyone turn it from remembering them.
كَمْhow many دُونَهُمْbefore reaching them مِنْof فَلاَةٍa wasteland ذَاتِhaving مُطَّرِدٍa streaming mirage
كَمْ دُونَهُمْ مِنْ فَلاَةٍ ذَاتِ مُطَّرِدٍ
قَفَّىfollowed عَلَيْهَاover it سَرَابٌa mirage رَاسِبٌlow-lying حَارِيwavering
قَفَّى عَلَيْهَا سَرَابٌ رَاسِبٌ حَارِي
How many a wasteland lies before them, with a streaming shimmer,
followed across it by a low-lying, wavering mirage!
رَاخَىput farther off مَزَارَكَyour visit عَنْهُمْfrom them أَنْto تُلِمَّalight بِهِمْamong them
رَاخَى مَزَارَكَ عَنْهُمْ أَنْ تُلِمَّ بِهِمْ
مَعْجُthe swaying rush القِلاَصِof young she-camels بِفِتْيَانٍwith young men وأَكْوَارِand camel-saddles
مَعْجُ القِلاَصِ بِفِتْيَانٍ وأَكْوَارِ
What put your visit to them, your reaching them, far off
was the swaying rush of young she-camels bearing youths and saddles.
دَأَبْنَthey toiled onward شَهْرَيْنِfor two months يَجْتَبْنَthey traverse البِلاَدَthe lands إِذَاwhen
دَأَبْنَ شَهْرَيْنِ يَجْتَبْنَ البِلاَدَ إِذَا
كَانَwas الظَّلاَمُthe darkness شَبِيهَsimilar اللّوْنِin color بِالقَارِto pitch
كَانَ الظَّلاَمُ شَبِيهَ اللّوْنِ بِالقَارِ
For two months they pressed on, crossing the lands when
darkness was the color of pitch.
كَمْhow many فِيهِمُamong them مِنْof أَشَمِّhigh-bridged الأَنْفِof nose ذِيpossessing مَهَلٍforbearance
كَمْ فِيهِمُ مِنْ أَشَمِّ الأَنْفِ ذِي مَهَلٍ
يَأْبَىrejects الظُّلاَمَةَoppression مِثْلَlike الضَّيْغَمِthe lion الضَّارِيravening
يَأْبَى الظُّلاَمَةَ مِثْلَ الضَّيْغَمِ الضَّارِي
How many among them are high-nosed and forbearing,
refusing injustice like a ravening lion!
لمْnot يَرْضَعِhe suckled الذُّلَّhumiliation مِنْfrom ثَدْيَيْthe two breasts of مُرَبِّيَةٍa nurse
لمْ يَرْضَعِ الذُّلَّ مِنْ ثَدْيَيْ مُرَبِّيَةٍ
حَتَّىuntil يَشِبَّhe grows to manhood ولَمْand did not يَصْبِرْendure عَلَىin the face of عَارِdisgrace
حَتَّى يَشِبَّ ولَمْ يَصْبِرْ عَلَى عَارِ
He did not suckle humiliation at a nurse's breasts
as he grew to manhood, nor did he endure disgrace.
إِذَاwhen الرِّفَاقُthe traveling companions أَنَاخُواmade their camels kneel فيin مَبَاءَتِهِhis dwelling
إِذَا الرِّفَاقُ أَنَاخُوا في مَبَاءَتِهِ
حَلُّواthey lodge بِذِيwith one possessing فُجَرَاتٍoutpourings of bounty زَنْدُهُhis fire-stick وَارِيyielding flame
حَلُّوا بِذِي فُجَرَاتٍ زَنْدُهُ وَارِي
When travelers kneel their camels at his dwelling,
they lodge with a man of overflowing gifts, his fire-stick alight.
جَمِّabundant المَخَارِجِin outlays أَخْلاَقُthe virtues الكِرَامِof the noble لَهُare his
جَمِّ المَخَارِجِ أَخْلاَقُ الكِرَامِ لَهُ
صَلْتِclear and smooth الجَبِينِof brow كَرِيمِnoble الخالِin maternal kin مِغْوَارِa daring raider
صَلْتِ الجَبِينِ كَرِيمِ الخالِ مِغْوَارِ
Lavish in his outlay, he has the virtues of the noble,
clear-browed, noble in his mother's kin, daring in raids;
قُمَاقِمٍa mighty chief بَارِعٍpreeminent خَضَّامَةٍa great devourer أُنُفٍproud
قُمَاقِمٍ بَارِعٍ خَضَّامَةٍ أُنُفٍ
جَمِّabundant المَوَاهِبِin gifts بَدْءٍforemost غَيْرِnot عُوَّارِa weakling
جَمِّ المَوَاهِبِ بَدْءٍ غَيْرِ عُوَّارِ
a mighty, preeminent chief, a proud devourer,
abounding in gifts, foremost, no weakling.
يَأْبَىdefies عَلَىagainst النَّاسِpeople إِنْif رَامُواthey seek ظُلاَمَتَهُto wrong him
يَأْبَى عَلَى النَّاسِ إِنْ رَامُوا ظُلاَمَتَهُ
عُودٌa stem نَمَاgrew فيin صَفَاةٍa rock ظَهْرُهَاits back عَارِيbare
عُودٌ نَمَا في صَفَاةٍ ظَهْرُهَا عَارِي
What defies men, should they seek to wrong him,
is a stem grown in rock whose back lies bare.
تَأْبَىresists عَلَيْهِمْagainst them قَنَاةٌa spear-shaft مَاnot لَهَاit has أَوَدٌcrookedness
تَأْبَى عَلَيْهِمْ قَنَاةٌ مَا لَهَا أَوَدٌ
أَلْوَىbrandished بِهَاwith it فَرْعُa bough نَبْعٍof nabʿ wood غَيْرُnot خَوَّارِweak
أَلْوَى بِهَا فَرْعُ نَبْعٍ غَيْرُ خَوَّارِ
A spear-shaft without a bend defies them,
wielded by a stout bough of nabʿ wood.
لاَdoes not يُحْمِدُseek praise from النَّاسَpeople بِالشَّيْءِwith a thing القَلِيلِpaltry ولاَnor
لاَ يُحْمِدُ النَّاسَ بِالشَّيْءِ القَلِيلِ ولاَ
يُهْدَىis offered لَهُto him الذَّمُblame مِنْfrom ضَيْفِa guest ولاَnor جَارِa neighbor
يُهْدَى لَهُ الذَّمُ مِنْ ضَيْفِ ولاَ جَارِ
He does not court people's praise with a paltry gift, nor
does blame reach him from guest or neighbor.
شَطَّتْgrew distant وزَادَتْand increased نَوَاهُمْtheir separation بَعْدَمَاafter اقْتَرَبَتْit drew near
شَطَّتْ وزَادَتْ نَوَاهُمْ بَعْدَمَا اقْتَرَبَتْ
حِيناًfor a while وكُلُّand every نَوىًseparation يَوْماًone day لِمِقْدَارto an appointed measure
حِيناً وكُلُّ نَوىً يَوْماً لِمِقْدَار
It grew distant, and their separation widened, after drawing near
for a while; every separation will one day reach its appointed limit.
Sol 6.1