دَعَتْنَاshe called us عُتَيْبَةُʿUtaybah مِنْfrom عَالِجٍʿĀlij
دَعَتْنَا عُتَيْبَةُ مِنْ عَالِجٍ
وقَدْand already حَانَwas due مِنَّاfor us رَحِيلٌdeparture فَشَالاَthen it moved off
وقَدْ حَانَ مِنَّا رَحِيلٌ فَشَالاَ
ʿUtaybah called us from ʿĀlij,
when our departure was due, and we were moving off.
فَقُمْنَاso we rose إلىto قُلُصٍyoung she-camels ضُمَّرٍlean
فَقُمْنَا إلى قُلُصٍ ضُمَّرٍ
نَشُدُّwe fasten بِأَجْوَازِهِنَّabout their midriffs الرِّحَالاَthe saddles
نَشُدُّ بِأَجْوَازِهِنَّ الرِّحَالاَ
So we rose to lean young she-camels,
tightening the saddles about their midriffs.
دَنَتْshe drew near دَنْوَةًa little approach بِحِبَالِby the cords of الصِّبَاyouthful love
دَنَتْ دَنْوَةً بِحِبَالِ الصِّبَا
فَهَابَتْso she feared وَدَاعَكَbidding you farewell إِلاَّexcept سُؤَالاَa question
فَهَابَتْ وَدَاعَكَ إِلاَّ سُؤَالاَ
She drew a little nearer by the cords of youthful love,
yet feared to bid you farewell, save with a question.
ورَقْرَقَتِand she made shimmer الدَّمْعَthe tears فيin رِقْبَةٍwatchful fear
ورَقْرَقَتِ الدَّمْعَ في رِقْبَةٍ
فَلَمَّاthen when تَرَقّرَقَit shimmered عَادَit became again انْفِتَالاَa turning away
فَلَمَّا تَرَقّرَقَ عَادَ انْفِتَالاَ
She made tears shimmer in watchful fear;
when they welled, she turned away again.
وهَلْand is عَاشِقٌa lover رُدَّturned back عَنْfrom حَاجَةٍa desire
وهَلْ عَاشِقٌ رُدَّ عَنْ حَاجَةٍ
كَذشيlike one with (unclear spelling) حَاجَةٍa desire أَمكَنَتْهُit came within his reach فَنَالاَand he attained it
كَذشي حَاجَةٍ أَمكَنَتْهُ فَنَالاَ
Is a lover denied his desire
like one whose desire came within reach, and who attained it?
وطَافَتْand she visited بِنَاaround us مُرْشِقٌlong-necked حُرَّةٌnoble
وطَافَتْ بِنَا مُرْشِقٌ حُرَّةٌ
بِهِرْجَابَat Hirjāb تَنْتَابُfrequenting سِدْراًlote trees وضَالاَand wild lote trees
بِهِرْجَابَ تَنْتَابُ سِدْراً وضَالاَ
And a long-necked, noble doe visited us,
at Hirjāb, frequenting lote and wild lote trees.
تَرَعَّاهُshe browses it حَتَّىuntil إِذَاwhen أَظْلَمَتْshe entered darkness
تَرَعَّاهُ حَتَّى إِذَا أَظْلَمَتْ
تَأَوَّتْshe yearned tenderly فَأَزْجَتْthen she urged إِلَيْهَاtoward her غَزَالاَa fawn
تَأَوَّتْ فَأَزْجَتْ إِلَيْهَا غَزَالاَ
She browsed them until, when darkness fell,
she yearned tenderly and coaxed a fawn toward her:
غَزَالُa fawn خَلاَءٍof the open waste تَصَدَّىshe turns toward لَهُit
غَزَالُ خَلاَءٍ تَصَدَّى لَهُ
لِتُرْضِعَهُto suckle it دِرَّةًa flow of milk أَوْor عُلاَلاَa second draught
لِتُرْضِعَهُ دِرَّةً أَوْ عُلاَلاَ
a fawn of the open waste—she turns toward it
to suckle it with flowing milk or a second draught,
بِخَلِّin the sandy pass of بُزُوخَةَBuzūkhah إِذْwhen ضَمَّهُenfolded it
بِخَلِّ بُزُوخَةَ إِذْ ضَمَّهُ
كَثِيبَاthe two dunes of عُوَيْرٍʿUwayr فَغَمَّاso both screened الحِبَالاَthe sand-ridges
كَثِيبَا عُوَيْرٍ فَغَمَّا الحِبَالاَ
in the sandy pass of Buzūkhah, where it was enfolded
by ʿUwayr's two dunes, which screened the sand-ridges.
فَلَيْسَso there is not لَهَاfor her مَطْلَبٌa way of reaching بَعْدَمَاafter
فَلَيْسَ لَهَا مَطْلَبٌ بَعْدَمَا
مَرَرْنَthey passed بِفِرْتَاجَby Firtāj خُوصاًnarrow-eyed عِجَالاَhurrying
مَرَرْنَ بِفِرْتَاجَ خُوصاً عِجَالاَ
There is no reaching her, now that
they have passed Firtāj, narrow-eyed and hurrying.
جَعَلْنَthey put القَنَاةَal-Qanāh بِأَيْمَانهَاon their right
جَعَلْنَ القَنَاةَ بِأَيْمَانهَا
وسَاقاًand Sāq وعُرْفَةَand ʿUrfat سَاقٍSāq شَمَالاَon the left
وسَاقاً وعُرْفَةَ سَاقٍ شَمَالاَ
They put al-Qanāh upon their right,
and Sāq and ʿUrfat Sāq upon their left,
عَلَىat حِينَthe time when أَوْفَتْshe came عَلَىupon سَاعَةٍan hour
عَلَى حِينَ أَوْفَتْ عَلَى سَاعَةٍ
تَرَىyou see النَّوْمَsleep أَمْكَنَmost firmly established فِيهَاin it كَلاَلاَthrough weariness
تَرَى النَّوْمَ أَمْكَنَ فِيهَا كَلاَلاَ
just as she reached an hour
when sleep takes firmest hold through weariness,
بِهَادٍalong a guiding track تَجَاوَبُanswer one another أَصْدَاؤُهُits echoes
بِهَادٍ تَجَاوَبُ أَصْدَاؤُهُ
يَشُقُّit cleaves بِأَيْدِيwith the forefeet of المَطِيِّthe riding-camels الرِّمَالاَthe sands
يَشُقُّ بِأَيْدِي المَطِيِّ الرِّمَالاَ
along a track whose echoes answer one another,
cleaving the sands with the riding-camels' forefeet.
كَأَنَّas though مَصَاعِيبَthe rugged heights of أَنْقَائِهِits dunes
كَأَنَّ مَصَاعِيبَ أَنْقَائِهِ
جِمَالٌcamels هِجَانٌwhite and purebred تُسَامِيtower above جِمَالاَcamels
جِمَالٌ هِجَانٌ تُسَامِي جِمَالاَ
As though the rugged heights of its dunes
were white camels towering above other camels.
تَسُوفُsniff النَّوَاعِجُthe swift she-camels خَلاَّتِهِits sandy hollows
تَسُوفُ النَّوَاعِجُ خَلاَّتِهِ
كَسَوْفِlike the sniffing of الجِمَالِthe bull camels الغَيَارَىjealous مَبَالاَa place of urination
كَسَوْفِ الجِمَالِ الغَيَارَى مَبَالاَ
The swift she-camels sniff its sandy hollows,
as jealous bull camels sniff a patch of urine.
فَأَوْرَدْتُهَاso I brought them to water مَنْهَلاًa watering-place آجِناًstagnant
فَأَوْرَدْتُهَا مَنْهَلاً آجِناً
نُعَاجِلُwe hurry حِلاٍّa halt بِهِat it وارْتِحَالاَand departure
نُعَاجِلُ حِلاٍّ بِهِ وارْتِحَالاَ
So I brought them to a stagnant watering-place,
hurrying our halt there and our departure.
فَأَفْرَغْتُthen I poured out مِنْfrom مَاصِعٍbright لَوْنُهُits color
فَأَفْرَغْتُ مِنْ مَاصِعٍ لَوْنُهُ
عَلَىupon قُلُصٍyoung she-camels يَنْتَهِبْنَgreedily snatching السِّجَالاَthe bucketfuls
عَلَى قُلُصٍ يَنْتَهِبْنَ السِّجَالاَ
Then I poured out water of a shining hue,
for young she-camels greedily snatching the bucketfuls.
أَسَفْنَthey lowered المَشَافِرَthe lips كَتَّانَهُits surface weed
أَسَفْنَ المَشَافِرَ كَتَّانَهُ
فأَمْرَرْنَهُthen they drew it through مُسْتَدِرّاًflowing freely فَجَالاَand it swirled
فأَمْرَرْنَهُ مُسْتَدِرّاً فَجَالاَ
They lowered their lips to its surface weed,
then drew it through, flowing freely, and it swirled.
نُقَسّمُwe apportion أَذْنِبَةًlarge bucketfuls بَيْنَهَاamong them
نُقَسّمُ أَذْنِبَةً بَيْنَهَا
فَنُرْسِلُهَاthen we send them عَرَكاًjostling together أَوْor رِسَالاَin separate bands
فَنُرْسِلُهَا عَرَكاً أَوْ رِسَالاَ
We divided bucketfuls among them,
sending them in jostling throngs or separate groups.
كَأَنَّas though حَنَاتِمِgreen earthenware jars حَارِيَةٍof Ḥīrah
كَأَنَّ حَنَاتِمِ حَارِيَةٍ
جَمَاجِمُهَاtheir heads إِذْwhen مَسِسْنَthey touched ابْتِلاَلاَwetness
جَمَاجِمُهَا إِذْ مَسِسْنَ ابْتِلاَلاَ
Like green earthenware jars of Ḥīrah were
their heads, when touched by wetness.
يُصَابِينَهَاthey tilt them وَهْيَwhile they are مَثْنِيَّةٌfolded back
يُصَابِينَهَا وَهْيَ مَثْنِيَّةٌ
كَثِنْيِlike the folding of السُّبُوتِtanned hides حُذِينَwere cut to fit المِثَالاَthe pattern
كَثِنْيِ السُّبُوتِ حُذِينَ المِثَالاَ
They tilted them down, folded back,
like folded, tanned hides cut to a pattern.
ويَوْمٍand many a day تَقَسَّمَoverspread رَيْعَانُهُits first fierce heat
ويَوْمٍ تَقَسَّمَ رَيْعَانُهُ
رُؤُوسَthe tops of الإِكَامِthe hills تَغَشَّيْنَthey clothed themselves in آلاَmirage
رُؤُوسَ الإِكَامِ تَغَشَّيْنَ آلاَ
And many a day whose first fierce heat overspread
the hilltops as they clothed themselves in mirage:
تَرَىyou see البِيدَthe wastes تَهْدِجُtremble مِنْfrom حَرِّهِits heat
تَرَى البِيدَ تَهْدِجُ مِنْ حَرِّهِ
كَأَنَّas though عَلَىupon كُلِّevery حَزْمٍridge بِغَالاَmules
كَأَنَّ عَلَى كُلِّ حَزْمٍ بِغَالاَ
you see the wastes tremble from its heat,
as though upon each ridge there stood mules—
بِغَالاًmules عَقَارَىsaddle-galled يُغَشِّينَهُthey cover it
بِغَالاً عَقَارَى يُغَشِّينَهُ
فَكُلٌّand each تَحَمَّلَset off مِنْهُfrom it فَزَالاَand vanished
فَكُلٌّ تَحَمَّلَ مِنْهُ فَزَالاَ
saddle-galled mules, covering it,
each setting off from it and vanishing.
يَذُودُdrives away الأَوَابِدَthe wild beasts فِيهَاin them السَّمُومُthe scorching wind
يَذُودُ الأَوَابِدَ فِيهَا السَّمُومُ
ذِيَادthe driving-away of المُحِرِّone whose camels thirst المَخَاضَthe pregnant camels النِّهَالاَalready watered
ذِيَاد المُحِرِّ المَخَاضَ النِّهَالاَ
The scorching wind drives off the wild beasts there,
as one whose camels thirst drives off watered, pregnant camels.
وقَافِيَةٍand a rhyme مِثْلِlike وَقْعِthe impact of الرَّدَاthe rock (word continues)
وقَافِيَةٍ مِثْلِ وَقْعِ الرَّدَا
ةِ(completes 'rock') لَمْnot تَتَّرِكْit left لِمُجِيبٍfor an answerer مَقَالاَanything to say
ةِ لَمْ تَتَّرِكْ لِمُجِيبٍ مَقَالاَ
And a rhyme like the impact of a rock—
it left no answerer a word to say.
رَمَيْتُI shot بِهَاwith it عَنْin defense of بَنِيthe sons of عَامِرٍʿĀmir
رَمَيْتُ بِهَا عَنْ بَنِي عَامِرٍ
وقَدْand already كَانَthere had been فَوْتُthe outstripping of الرِّجَالِthe men النِّضَالاَthe arrow-shooting
وقَدْ كَانَ فَوْتُ الرِّجَالِ النِّضَالاَ
I hurled it in defense of Banū ʿĀmir,
when the men had already passed beyond bowshot.
وخَوْدٍand a young beauty خَرُودِshy of السُّرَىnight journeys طَفْلَةٍtender
وخَوْدٍ خَرُودِ السُّرَى طَفْلَةٍ
تَنَقَّذْتُI drew out مِنْهَاfrom her حَدِيثاًconversation حَلاَلاَinnocent
تَنَقَّذْتُ مِنْهَا حَدِيثاً حَلاَلاَ
And a tender young beauty, shy of night journeys—
I drew from her innocent conversation,
مِنَamong الشُّمُسِthe coy women العُرْبِthe amorous مِنْby ذَاتِهَاher own nature
مِنَ الشُّمُسِ العُرْبِ مِنْ ذَاتِهَا
يُدَانِينَthey draw near حَالاًat times ويَنْأَيْنَand they draw away حَالاَat times
يُدَانِينَ حَالاً ويَنْأَيْنَ حَالاَ
one of the coy yet loving women, by her own nature,
who draw near at times and keep their distance at others.
فَلَمَّاthen when تَلَبَّسَbecame entangled مَاwhat بَيْنَنَاlay between us
فَلَمَّا تَلَبَّسَ مَا بَيْنَنَا
لَبِسْتُI clothed myself لَهَاfor her مِنْfrom حِبَاليmy snares حِبَالاَsnares
لَبِسْتُ لَهَا مِنْ حِبَالي حِبَالاَ
When what lay between us became entangled,
I clothed myself for her in some of my own snares.
وعَنْسٍand a sturdy she-camel ذَمُولٍsteady-trotting جُمَالِيَّةٍbull-like
وعَنْسٍ ذَمُولٍ جُمَالِيَّةٍ
إِذَاwhen مَاemphatic particle الجَهَامُthe rainless cloud أَطَاعَobeyed الشَّمَالاَthe north wind
إِذَا مَا الجَهَامُ أَطَاعَ الشَّمَالاَ
And a sturdy, trotting she-camel, strong as a bull—
when the rainless cloud obeyed the north wind,
عَرَضْتُI presented لَهَاto her السَّيْفَthe sword عَنْfrom قُدْرَةٍample means
عَرَضْتُ لَهَا السَّيْفَ عَنْ قُدْرَةٍ
ومَاand not أَحْدَثَgave anew القَيْنُthe smith فِيهِon it صِقَالاَa polish
ومَا أَحْدَثَ القَيْنُ فِيهِ صِقَالاَ
I put the sword to her, having ample means,
though the smith had given it no fresh polish.
يُقَسَّمُare shared فيamong الحَيِّthe clan أَبْدَاؤُهَاher portions
يُقَسَّمُ في الحَيِّ أَبْدَاؤُهَا
وبَعْضُand some الحَدِيثِtalk يَكُونُis انْتِحَالاَa falsely borrowed claim
وبَعْضُ الحَدِيثِ يَكُونُ انْتِحَالاَ
Her portions were shared among the clan,
and some talk is merely borrowed boasting.
وغَيْثٍand a rain-fed pasture تَبَطَّنْتُI traversed the depths of قُرْيَانَهُits streambeds
وغَيْثٍ تَبَطَّنْتُ قُرْيَانَهُ
تَرَىyou see النَّبْتَthe plants مَكَّنَestablished firmly فِيهِin it اكْتِهَالاَfull maturity
تَرَى النَّبْتَ مَكَّنَ فِيهِ اكْتِهَالاَ
And a rain-fed pasture whose streambeds I traversed,
where you see the plants firmly in their full growth,
بِنَهْدِon one full المَرَاكِلِin the flanks ذِيpossessing مَيْعَةٍardent speed
بِنَهْدِ المَرَاكِلِ ذِي مَيْعَةٍ
إِذَاwhen احْتَفَلَgathered force الشَّدُّthe gallop زَادَhe increased احْتِفَالاَin vigor
إِذَا احْتَفَلَ الشَّدُّ زَادَ احْتِفَالاَ
on a full-flanked mount, possessed of ardent speed:
as the gallop gathered force, he grew still more vigorous,
شَدِيدِstrong الدَّسِيعِat the neck-base رَفِيعِhigh القَذَاat the nape (word continues)
شَدِيدِ الدَّسِيعِ رَفِيعِ القَذَا
لِ(completes 'nape') يَرْفَعُhe lifts بَعْدَafter نَقَالٍa swift stride نِقَالاَanother swift stride
لِ يَرْفَعُ بَعْدَ نَقَالٍ نِقَالاَ
strong at the neck's base, high in the nape,
lifting swift stride after swift stride,
مِنَamong those swaying المَائِحَاتِwith their flanks بِاعْرَاضِهَاline_74
مِنَ المَائِحَاتِ بِاعْرَاضِهَا
إِذَاwhen الحَالِبَانِthe two sweat-veins أَرَادَاboth sought اغْتِسَالاَa drenching
إِذَا الحَالِبَانِ أَرَادَا اغْتِسَالاَ
one of those that sway their flanks
when their two sweat-veins seek to bathe them.
يَشُدُّhe braces مَجَامِعَthe meeting-points of أَرْآدِهِhis limb-bones
يَشُدُّ مَجَامِعَ أَرْآدِهِ
بِذِيwith one possessing شَأْوَةٍfar-reaching vigor لَمْnot يُعْتَّبْwas checked سُعَالاَby coughing
بِذِي شَأْوَةٍ لَمْ يُعْتَّبْ سُعَالاَ
He braces the meeting-points of his limb-bones
with far-reaching vigor, never checked by coughing.
فَأَخْرَجْتُthen I brought out مِنْfrom جَوْزِهِits midst مَقْصِراًa compact one (sense uncertain)
فَأَخْرَجْتُ مِنْ جَوْزِهِ مَقْصِراً
أَقَبَّlean-flanked لَطِيفاًslender مُمَرّاًsinewy جُلاَلاَmighty
أَقَبَّ لَطِيفاً مُمَرّاً جُلاَلاَ
Then from its midst I brought out a compact one,
lean-flanked, slender, sinewy and mighty.
وكَمْand how many مِنْof قُرُومٍbull camels لَهَاthey have سَاقَةٌa following herd
وكَمْ مِنْ قُرُومٍ لَهَا سَاقَةٌ
يُرِدْنَthey seek إِذَاwhen مَاemphatic particle الْتَقَيْنَاwe meet الصِّيَالاَcombat
يُرِدْنَ إِذَا مَا الْتَقَيْنَا الصِّيَالاَ
And how many bull camels, with a following herd,
sought combat when we met,
تَعَرَّضُthey turn broadside تَصْرِفُgrinding أَنْيَابَهَاtheir fangs
تَعَرَّضُ تَصْرِفُ أَنْيَابَهَا
ويَقْذِفْنَand they fling فَوْقَabove اللُّحِيِّthe jaws التُّفَالاَspittle
ويَقْذِفْنَ فَوْقَ اللُّحِيِّ التُّفَالاَ
turning broadside and grinding their fangs,
flinging spittle above their jaws!
حَمَلْتُI charged عَلَيْهَاagainst them فَشَرَّدْتُهَاand scattered them
حَمَلْتُ عَلَيْهَا فَشَرَّدْتُهَا
بِسَامِيon one high اللَّبَانِin the chest يَبُذُّwho surpasses الفِحَالاَthe stallions
بِسَامِي اللَّبَانِ يَبُذُّ الفِحَالاَ
I charged them and scattered them
on a high-chested one who outstrips the stallions,
كَرِيمِnoble النِّجَارِin stock حَمَىhe protected ظَهْرَهُhis back
كَرِيمِ النِّجَارِ حَمَى ظَهْرَهُ
فَلَمْso not يُنْتَقَصْwas he diminished بِرُكُوبٍby riding زِبَالاَa whit
فَلَمْ يُنْتَقَصْ بِرُكُوبٍ زِبَالاَ
of noble stock, with his back kept inviolate,
so riding had not diminished him a whit.
Sol 6.1