شَطتْgrew distant نَوَىthe destination of مَنْthose who يَحُلُّdwell in السِّرَّal-Sirr فَالشَّرَفَاthen al-Sharaf
شَطتْ نَوَى مَنْ يَحُلُّ السِّرَّ فَالشَّرَفَا
مِمَنْamong those who يَقِيظُspend the summer عَلَىat نَعْوَانَNaʿwan أَوْor عُصُفَاʿUsuf
مِمَنْ يَقِيظُ عَلَى نَعْوَانَ أَوْ عُصُفَا
Far lies the destination of those who dwell in al-Sirr, then al-Sharaf,
The determination of one who would unravel the secret showed nobility,
among those who summer at Naʿwan or ʿUsuf.
From one who awakes to the calls of mounts or to a loud cry,
حَتَّىuntil إِذَاwhen الرِّيحُthe wind هَاجتْstirred up بِالسَّفَىwith drifting sand خَبْتاًa low plain
حَتَّى إِذَا الرِّيحُ هَاجتْ بِالسَّفَى خَبْتاً
عَرْضَacross البِلاَدِthe land أَشَتَّbecame scattered الأَمْرُthe common purpose فَاخْتَلَفَاand became divided
عَرْضَ البِلاَدِ أَشَتَّ الأَمْرُ فَاخْتَلَفَا
Until, when the wind stirred a low plain with drifting sand,
Until when the wind stirred up the dust with blowing,
across the land, their common purpose scattered and divided.
Across the land the matter became confused and they differed,
أَمَّاas for اليَمَانِيthe Yemeni group مِنَof الحَيَّيْنِthe two clans فَانْشَمَرُواthey hurried away
أَمَّا اليَمَانِي مِنَ الحَيَّيْنِ فَانْشَمَرُوا
وكُلِّفَand was burdened القَلْبُthe heart مِنْfor دَهْمَاءَDahmaʾ مَاwhat كَلِفَاit passionately loved
وكُلِّفَ القَلْبُ مِنْ دَهْمَاءَ مَا كَلِفَا
As for the Yemeni clan of the two, they hurried away,
The right wing of the army dispersed
and the heart was burdened with its passion for Dahmaʾ.
And every heart was assigned its share of cares,
وقَرَّبُواand they brought near كُلَّevery صِهْمِيمٍstout camel مَنَاكِبُهُits shoulders
وقَرَّبُوا كُلَّ صِهْمِيمٍ مَنَاكِبُهُ
إِذَاwhen تَدَاكَأَpressed together مِنْهُof it دَفْعُهُits forequarters شَنَفَاit raised its head
إِذَا تَدَاكَأَ مِنْهُ دَفْعُهُ شَنَفَا
And they brought near every camel of massive shoulders,
And they drew near each beloved comrade
which tossed its head when its forequarters pressed together.
When warding off his thrusts made him recede.
إِذَاwhen تَثَاءَبَit yawned أَبْدَىit revealed مِخْلَبَيْthe two claws of أَسَدٍa lion
إِذَا تَثَاءَبَ أَبْدَى مِخْلَبَيْ أَسَدٍ
قَدْalready عَادَيَاthe two faced الحَنَكَthe palate الأَعْلَىupper ومَاand not عُطِفَاthe two were bent
قَدْ عَادَيَا الحَنَكَ الأَعْلَى ومَا عُطِفَا
When it yawned, it revealed two lion's claws,
When he yawned, he bared the claws of a lion
set opposite the upper palate, neither bent back.
That had contended with the upper jaw, and it did not turn away.
حَتَّىuntil إِذَاwhen احْتَمَلُواthey loaded up to depart كَانَتْwere حَقَائِبُهُمْtheir saddle-packs
حَتَّى إِذَا احْتَمَلُوا كَانَتْ حَقَائِبُهُمْ
طَيَّfolded rolls of السَّلُوقِيِّSaluqi mail والمَلْبُونَةَand breast-patched الخُنُفَاcoarse linen garments
طَيَّ السَّلُوقِيِّ والمَلْبُونَةَ الخُنُفَا
Until, when they loaded up to depart, their saddle-packs held
Until when they took up burdens, their saddlebags
folded Saluqi mail and breast-patched coarse linen garments.
Were the excellent work of Saluqi and the soft leather of Khunf.
فَلاَso not أَرَىI see مِثْلَthe like of أُخْرَاهُمْtheir rearmost group إِذَاwhen احْتَمَلُواthey departed
فَلاَ أَرَى مِثْلَ أُخْرَاهُمْ إِذَا احْتَمَلُوا
وَلاَnor أَرَىI see مِثْلَthe like of أَولَىthe foremost of رَكْبِهِمْtheir riders سَلَفاgoing ahead
وَلاَ أَرَى مِثْلَ أَولَى رَكْبِهِمْ سَلَفا
So I see none like their rearmost company when they depart,
I do not see any like their rear guard when they took up burdens,
nor do I see the like of their foremost riders going ahead—
Nor do I see any like the first of their riding company aforetime
أَجَدَّmore determined قَطْعاًin crossing عَلَىupon نَاجٍa swift male camel ونَاجِيَةٍand a swift she-camel
أَجَدَّ قَطْعاً عَلَى نَاجٍ ونَاجِيَةٍ
إِذَاwhen أَلَحَّاthe two pressed hard عَلَىupon أَلْحِيهِمَاtheir jaws أَسِفَاboth grew angry
إِذَا أَلَحَّا عَلَى أَلْحِيهِمَا أَسِفَا
more determined to press on, astride a swift camel and she-camel,
More quick to cut off the intimate conversation of a companion and his beloved
when the two riders pressed upon their jaws and both beasts grew angry—
When they persist in their intimate discourse of longing.
عَيْثاًwreaking havoc بِلُبِّwith the mind of ابْنَةِthe daughter of المَكْتُومِal-Maktum إِذْwhen لَمَعَتْshe beckoned
عَيْثاً بِلُبِّ ابْنَةِ المَكْتُومِ إِذْ لَمَعَتْ
بِالرَّاكِبَيْنto the two riders عَلَىat نَعْوَانَNaʿwan أَنْto يَقِفَاboth stop
بِالرَّاكِبَيْن عَلَى نَعْوَانَ أَنْ يَقِفَا
wreaking havoc with al-Maktum's daughter's mind when she beckoned
A flirtatious glance from the daughter of Maktum when she shone forth
to the two riders at Naʿwan to stop.
To the two riders to stop at the halt of the mounts.
خَوْدٌa tender maiden تَطَلَّىanoints herself بِوَرْدِwith blossoms of المَرْدَقُوشِmarjoram علىover
خَوْدٌ تَطَلَّى بِوَرْدِ المَرْدَقُوشِ على
المِسْكِmusk الذَّكِيِّsweet-scented بِهَاupon her كَافُورَةًa camphor bud أُنُفَاfresh and untouched
المِسْكِ الذَّكِيِّ بِهَا كَافُورَةً أُنُفَا
A tender maiden, she anoints herself with marjoram blossoms over
A cheek that adorned itself with myrtle's blossoms over
fragrant musk, bearing a fresh, untouched camphor bud.
Pure musk, mixing with it camphor as perfume.
أَعْطَتْshe gave بِبَطْنِin the valley-bottom of سُهَيٍّSuhay بَعْضَsome of مَاwhat مَنَعَتْshe withheld
أَعْطَتْ بِبَطْنِ سُهَيٍّ بَعْضَ مَا مَنَعَتْ
حُكْمَthe will of المُحِبِّthe lover فَلَمَّاbut when نَالَهُhe obtained it صَرَفَاhe turned away
حُكْمَ المُحِبِّ فَلَمَّا نَالَهُ صَرَفَا
In the valley-bottom of Suhay she gave some of what she had withheld
She yielded to the belly of Suhayy some of what she had refused
from the lover's will; but once he gained it, he turned away.
To the authority of her lover. So when he attained it, he turned away,
وَلَوْand if تَأَلَّفُshe would entice مَوْشِيّاًone dappled أَكَارِعُهُhis shanks
وَلَوْ تَأَلَّفُ مَوْشِيّاً أَكَارِعُهُ
مِنْfrom فُدْرِthe great mountain bucks of شُوْطٍShut بِأَدْنَىwith the least of دَلِّهَاher coquetry أَلِفَاhe would grow tame
مِنْ فُدْرِ شُوْطٍ بِأَدْنَى دَلِّهَا أَلِفَا
And were she to entice a buck with dappled shanks
As if a camel-driver who yokes his camels would be friendly with her
from Shut's great mountain bucks, her slightest coquetry would tame him—
If the saddlebags' fringes touched the slightest part of her flank.
عَوْداًan old buck أَحَمَّdark القَرَىin the back أُزْمُولَةًa sturdy mountain buck وقِلاًsure-footed
عَوْداً أَحَمَّ القَرَى أُزْمُولَةً وقِلاً
عَلَىin keeping with تُرَاثِthe legacy of أَبِيهِhis father يَتْبِعُhe follows القُذَفَاthe peaks
عَلَى تُرَاثِ أَبِيهِ يَتْبِعُ القُذَفَا
an old, black-backed buck, sturdy and sure-footed,
A aromatic twig that heated up the villages and seldom
following his father's legacy, tracing the mountain peaks.
Followed his father's inheritance but pursued what was discarded,
إِذاًthen تَأَنَّسَhe would grow tame يَبْغِيهَاseeking her بِحَاجَتِهِwith his need
إِذاً تَأَنَّسَ يَبْغِيهَا بِحَاجَتِهِ
إِنْwhether أَيْأَسَتْهُshe made him despair وإِنْor whether جَرَّتْshe drew لَهُfor him كَنَفَاa sheltering side
إِنْ أَيْأَسَتْهُ وإِنْ جَرَّتْ لَهُ كَنَفَا
Then he would grow tame, seeking her for his need,
Then he would be intimate, seeking her for his need,
whether she made him despair or drew him into her shelter.
Whether she despaired him or drew her lap close to him.
مَالِلْكَوَاعِبِwhat ails the budding maidens? لَمَّاwhen جِئْتُI came تَحْدِجُنيthey stare sharply at me
مَالِلْكَوَاعِبِ لَمَّا جِئْتُ تَحْدِجُني
بِالطَّرْفِwith their gaze تَحْسِبُthey think شَيْبِيmy gray hair زَادَنِيincreased me in ضَعَفَاweakness
بِالطَّرْفِ تَحْسِبُ شَيْبِي زَادَنِي ضَعَفَا
What ails the budding maidens, who, when I came, eyed me
Why, O flirtatious one, do you stare at me
with piercing glances, thinking my gray hair had made me weaker?
With a glance, thinking my gray hair has increased my weakness?
يَتْبَعْنَthey seek مِنْfrom عَارِكٍa seasoned man بِيضٍpure are سَلاَئِقُهُhis innate dispositions
يَتْبَعْنَ مِنْ عَارِكٍ بِيضٍ سَلاَئِقُهُ
بَعْضَsome of الَّذِيwhat كانَwas مِنْamong عَادِاتِهِhis habits سَلَفِاformerly
بَعْضَ الَّذِي كانَ مِنْ عَادِاتِهِ سَلَفِا
They seek from a seasoned man, pure in his natural disposition,
There follow me some consequences of a censured whiteness,
some of the ways that were once his habits.
Some of the habits he was known for aforetime.
وكَانَand was عَهْدِيmy reputation مِنَamong اللاَّئِيthe women who مَضَيْنَwent before مِنَamong
وكَانَ عَهْدِي مِنَ اللاَّئِي مَضَيْنَ مِنَ
البِيضِthe fair women البَهَالِيلِthe noble, gracious ones لاَneither رَثّاًshabby وَلاَnor صَلِفَاunloved
البِيضِ البَهَالِيلِ لاَ رَثّاً وَلاَ صَلِفَا
And those women of earlier days knew me, among
My experience of those white, shining women of the past
the fair and noble, as neither shabby nor unloved.
Was neither depravity nor corruptness.
يَسُفْنَthey sniff بَوِّيmy stuffed-calf likeness عَلَىdespite شَحْطِthe distance of المَزَارِthe meeting-place كَمَاas
يَسُفْنَ بَوِّي عَلَى شَحْطِ المَزَارِ كَمَا
سَافَsniffed الأَوَابِيthe reluctant she-camels قَرِيعُthe stud of الشَّوْلِthe dry she-camels إِذْwhen عَرَفَاhe recognized
سَافَ الأَوَابِي قَرِيعُ الشَّوْلِ إِذْ عَرَفَا
They would sniff my stuffed-calf likeness, though the meeting-place was far, as
He will mourn for my monument among the graves as
the stud of the dry she-camels sniffs the reluctant ones when he recognizes them.
The solitary, unfortunate owl mourned when it recognized.
قَدْonce كُنْتُI was رَاعِيَthe keeper of أَبْكَارٍyoung she-camels مُنَعَّمَةٍpampered
قَدْ كُنْتُ رَاعِيَ أَبْكَارٍ مُنَعَّمَةٍ
فَاليَوْمَbut today أَصْبَحْتُI have become أَرْعَىI tend جِلَّةًfull-grown camels شُرُفَاaged ones
فَاليَوْمَ أَصْبَحْتُ أَرْعَى جِلَّةً شُرُفَا
Once I tended pampered young she-camels;
I used to be the shepherd of pampered maidens,
today I have come to tend full-grown, aged ones.
But today I have become the shepherd of an aged flock.
أَمْسَتْhave now become تِلاَدِيmy old stock مِنَof الحاجَاتِdesires قَدْalready ذَهَبَتْgone
أَمْسَتْ تِلاَدِي مِنَ الحاجَاتِ قَدْ ذَهَبَتْ
وقَدْand now تَبَدَّلَتْhave changed حَاجَاتٍdesires بِهَاin their place طُرُفَاfresh ones
وقَدْ تَبَدَّلَتْ حَاجَاتٍ بِهَا طُرُفَا
My old stock of desires has now departed,
My assets from needs have gone,
and fresh desires have taken their place.
And new needs have changed places with them.
وليْلَةٍand many a night قَدْindeed جَعَلْتُI made الصُّبْحَdawn مَوْعِدَهَاits appointed time
وليْلَةٍ قَدْ جَعَلْتُ الصُّبْحَ مَوْعِدَهَا
بِصُدْرَةِwith the breast of العَنْسِthe sturdy she-camel حَتَّىuntil تَعْرِفَshe discerned السَّدَفَاthe twilight
بِصُدْرَةِ العَنْسِ حَتَّى تَعْرِفَ السَّدَفَا
And many a night I made dawn its appointed end,
And a night I had made its appointment at dawn
pressing on with a sturdy she-camel's breast until she discerned the twilight.
At the Pleiades, until it recognizes the cooked meat.
ثُمَّthen اضْطَبَنْتُI tucked under my arm سِلاَحِيmy weapons عِنْدَbeside مَغْرِضِهَاher girth-place
ثُمَّ اضْطَبَنْتُ سِلاَحِي عِنْدَ مَغْرِضِهَا
ومِرْفَقٍand an elbow كَرِئَاسِlike the hilt of السَّيْفِthe sword إِذْwhen شَسَفَاit grew lean
ومِرْفَقٍ كَرِئَاسِ السَّيْفِ إِذْ شَسَفَا
Then I tucked my weapons under my arm beside her girth
Then I prepared my weapons at the place of its cooking,
and an elbow like a sword's hilt when it grew lean.
And a elbow like the hilt of a sword when it flashed.
هَوْجَاءُimpetuous تَجْتابُshe cuts through أَوْسَاطَthe midst of الجَهَادِthe bare plains بِإِرْwith a swift—
هَوْجَاءُ تَجْتابُ أَوْسَاطَ الجَهَادِ بِإِرْ
قَالٍ—trot قَذَافٍbounding إِذَاwhen دِيكُthe cock of القُرَىthe villages هَتَفَاcrowed
قَالٍ قَذَافٍ إِذَا دِيكُ القُرَى هَتَفَا
Impetuous, she crosses the midst of the bare plains with a
Driving camels that penetrate the midst of struggle with
swift, bounding trot when the villages' cock crows.
Quick, bounding, bounding again when the village cock crows.
مُسْتَخْرِبُthe fastening-place of الرَّحْلِthe saddle مِنْهَاon her مُفْرَعُlofty سَنَدٌa rising slope
مُسْتَخْرِبُ الرَّحْلِ مِنْهَا مُفْرَعُ سَنَدٌ
وشَمَّرَتْand she swept onward عَنْaway from فَيَافٍdeserts وَاجَهَتْshe faced خُلُفَاfresh ones
وشَمَّرَتْ عَنْ فَيَافٍ وَاجَهَتْ خُلُفَا
Her saddle's fastening-place is lofty, a rising slope;
With saddle strap disconnected from it, a firmly fixed wrist strap,
and, leaving deserts behind, she faces fresh ones.
And it bared its forearms and turned its behind.
أَبْقَىleft سِفَارِيmy travels ونَصِّيand my hard driving مِنْof عَرِيكَتِهَاher hump
أَبْقَى سِفَارِي ونَصِّي مِنْ عَرِيكَتِهَا
مِلْءَa filling for العِلاَفِيِّthe ʿIlafi saddle لاَneither نيّاfat ولاَnor عَجَفَاemaciated
مِلْءَ العِلاَفِيِّ لاَ نيّا ولاَ عَجَفَا
My travels and hard driving left of her hump
It keeps my travel supplies and my drinking-vessels from its saddlebag
enough to fill the ʿIlafi saddle, neither fat nor wasted.
Full of fodder − no chaff and no chopped straw.
مِجْهَالُheadstrong رَأْدِthe rise of الضُّحَىthe forenoon حَتَّىuntil تُوَزِّعَهَاyou restrain her
مِجْهَالُ رَأْدِ الضُّحَى حَتَّى تُوَزِّعَهَا
كَمَاas تُوَزِّعُyou restrain عَنْfrom تَهْذَائِهِhis rambling الخَرِفَاthe dotard
كَمَا تُوَزِّعُ عَنْ تَهْذَائِهِ الخَرِفَا
Headstrong as the forenoon rises, until you curb her,
A unknown horse of the morning pasture until it distributes it
as you curb a dotard from his rambling.
As it distributes its spittle from its cud.
فِيهَاin her مِرَاحٌlively spirits إِذَاwhen مَالَtilted الإرَانُthe bier كَمَاas
فِيهَا مِرَاحٌ إِذَا مَالَ الإرَانُ كَمَا
نَجَّىhurried away اليَهُودِيُّthe Jewish man يَسْتَدْمِيletting blood flow إِذَاwhen رَعَفَاhis nose bled
نَجَّى اليَهُودِيُّ يَسْتَدْمِي إِذَا رَعَفَا
She has a lively spring when the bier tilts, like
In it are resting places when the chestnut turns aside as
a Jewish man hurrying off, letting blood flow when his nose bleeds.
The Jew murmurs prayer when he bows down.
يُضْحِيat forenoon there is عَلَىon خَطْمِهَاher muzzle مِنْfrom فَرِطهاher excessive speed زَبَدٌfoam
يُضْحِي عَلَى خَطْمِهَا مِنْ فَرِطها زَبَدٌ
كَأَنّas though بِالرَّأْسِupon the head مِنْهَاof her خُرْفُعاًa tuft of cotton خَشِفَاdry and rustling
كَأَنّ بِالرَّأْسِ مِنْهَا خُرْفُعاً خَشِفَا
At forenoon, foam lies on her muzzle from her headlong haste,
From its velocity foam flows over its nose
as though a dry, rustling tuft of cotton lay upon her head.
As if there were a frog on its head that leapt off.
Sol 6.1