أَاَلْيَوْمَis it today? بانَdeparted الحَيُّthe clan أَمْor وَاعَدُواthey agreed on a time غَدَاtomorrow
أَاَلْيَوْمَ بانَ الحَيُّ أَمْ وَاعَدُوا غَدَا
وَقَدْand already كَانَhad been حَادِيthe camel-driver of البَيْنِdeparture بِالْبَيِنْwith separation أَوْعَدَاthreatened
وَقَدْ كَانَ حَادِي البَيْنِ بِالْبَيِنْ أَوْعَدَا
Has the clan departed today, or agreed on tomorrow?
Is the living one present today, or have they promised tomorrow?
And the driver of departure had already threatened separation.
The guide to separation has certainly promised separation.
تَيَمَّمَmade for خَبْتاًa low, open plain حَادِياthe two camel-drivers of أُمِّUmm (mother of) حَاجِزٍHajiz
تَيَمَّمَ خَبْتاً حَادِيا أُمِّ حَاجِزٍ
فَشَطَّاso the two went far وجَارَاand the two swerved عَنْaway from هَوَاكَyour desire فَأَبْعَدَاso the two went farther
فَشَطَّا وجَارَا عَنْ هَوَاكَ فَأَبْعَدَا
Umm Hajiz's two camel-drivers made for a low plain,
The guide set out early, O mother of a barrier,
then went far, swerved from your desire, and moved farther away.
So they rode away from your love and went far.
إِذَاwhenever لَبَّثَاthe two delayed عَقْدَtying القِبَالِthe sandal-strap لِحَاجَةٍfor a need
إِذَا لَبَّثَا عَقْدَ القِبَالِ لِحَاجَةٍ
بِدَيْمُومَةٍin a trackless desert غَبْرَاءَdust-gray خَبّاthe two trotted وخَوَّدَاand the two sped on
بِدَيْمُومَةٍ غَبْرَاءَ خَبّا وخَوَّدَا
Whenever they delayed tying a sandal-strap for some need
When they tied the knot of kissing due to need
in a dust-gray waste, they trotted and hastened on.
With a gloomy, dusty love and dug it.
لَعَمْرِيby my life لَئِنْindeed, if أَمْسِىhas become; reached evening قَبِيصَةُQabisa مُمْسِكاًgrasping
لَعَمْرِي لَئِنْ أَمْسِى قَبِيصَةُ مُمْسِكاً
بِحَبْلِonto the cord of وَفَاةٍdeath بَيْنَbetween كَفَّيْنِtwo palms مُسْنَدَاpropped up
بِحَبْلِ وَفَاةٍ بَيْنَ كَفَّيْنِ مُسْنَدَا
By my life, if Qabisa has come to lie clutching
By my life, if the short robe holds me
death's cord, propped up between two palms,
With the rope of loyalty between two palms propped.
لقَدْindeed قَطَعَcut off الإِجْذَامُswift departure عَنهُfrom him بِمَوْتِهِby his death
لقَدْ قَطَعَ الإِجْذَامُ عَنهُ بِمَوْتِهِ
بَوَاكِيَweeping women لاَnot يَذْخَرْنَthey spare دَمْعاًtears وعُوَّدَاand sickbed visitors
بَوَاكِيَ لاَ يَذْخَرْنَ دَمْعاً وعُوَّدَا
his swift departure in death has indeed cut him off
The pruning shears have cut him off in his death
from weeping women who spare no tears, and sickbed visitors.
From crying that no longer hoards tears and became accustomed.
فَلَمَّاthen when رَأَيْتُI saw الحَيَّthe clan خَفَّhastened نَعَامُهُمْtheir ostriches
فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُ الحَيَّ خَفَّ نَعَامُهُمْ
بِمُسْتَلْحَقٍwith an adopted kinsman مِنْfrom آلِthe house of قَيْسٍQays وأَسْوَدَاand Aswad
بِمُسْتَلْحَقٍ مِنْ آلِ قَيْسٍ وأَسْوَدَا
Then, when I saw the clan's ostriches hasten off,
So when I saw the living, their ostriches became light
with an adopted kinsman of Qays's house, and Aswad,
With a band from the family of Qais and Aswad.
تَلاَ'I made up for' (first fragment) فَيْتُ'I made up for' (second fragment) إِذْwhen فَاتُواthey outstripped الحَاقِيmy catching up بِدَعْوَةٍwith a call
تَلاَ فَيْتُ إِذْ فَاتُوا الحَاقِي بِدَعْوَةٍ
وَكَيْفَbut how دُعَائِيmy calling عَامِراًAmir قَدْalready تَجَرَّدَاhe committed himself wholly
وَكَيْفَ دُعَائِي عَامِراً قَدْ تَجَرَّدَا
I tried, when they eluded my pursuit, to close the gap with a call.
The elegy was recited when they missed the pursuit with a call
But what use was my calling Amir, who had committed himself
And how can my call avail when Aamir took off.
عَلَىto أَمْرِهِhis own course والحَزْمُand prudence بَيْنِيbetween me وبَيْنهُand between him
عَلَى أَمْرِهِ والحَزْمُ بَيْنِي وبَيْنهُ
يَرَىhe considers غَيْرَother than مَاwhat أَهْوَىI desire مِنَof الأَمْرِthe course أَرْشَدَاmore sound
يَرَى غَيْرَ مَا أَهْوَى مِنَ الأَمْرِ أَرْشَدَا
to his own course? Prudence lies between me and him;
About his matter, and wisdom between me and him
he deems another course than the one I desire more sound.
Sees other than what I desire of the matter as more rightly guided.
ولكِنْbut بِوَاهِيwith the leaky شَنَّتَيْtwo worn waterskins of مُتَعَجِّلٍa hurrying traveler
ولكِنْ بِوَاهِي شَنَّتَيْ مُتَعَجِّلٍ
عَلَىon ظَهْرِthe back of عَجْعَاجٍa bellowing mount مِنَamong الجُونِthe dark-colored ones أَجْرَدَاsleek-coated
عَلَى ظَهْرِ عَجْعَاجٍ مِنَ الجُونِ أَجْرَدَا
But with a hurried traveler's two leaky old waterskins,
But with the slander of two hastening lips
on the back of a bellowing, sleek-coated dark mount.
On the back of a bald eagle made bald.
أَرَذَّاthe two dripped وقَدْwhile already كَانَhad been المَزَادُthe waterskins سِوَاهُمَاother than those two
أَرَذَّا وقَدْ كَانَ المَزَادُ سِوَاهُمَا
عَلَىon دُبُرٍthe rear مِنْof صَادِرٍa beast returning from water قَدْalready تَبَدَّدَاhad split apart
عَلَى دُبُرٍ مِنْ صَادِرٍ قَدْ تَبَدَّدَا
The two dripped, while the other waterskins
They slandered, and the bidding had been equal between them,
had split apart on the rear of a beast returning from water.
Upon the back of a breast that had scattered.
وكنْتُand I was كَذِيlike an owner of الآلاَفِthousands سُرِّبْنَthey were driven off قَبْلَهُahead of him
وكنْتُ كَذِي الآلاَفِ سُرِّبْنَ قَبْلَهُ
فَخَنَّso he whimpered وقَدْwhen already فُتْنَthey had outstripped البَعِيرَthe camel المُقَيَّدَاtethered
فَخَنَّ وقَدْ فُتْنَ البَعِيرَ المُقَيَّدَا
And I was like a man whose thousands were driven off ahead of him,
And I was like the owner of thousands, Surbin before him
so he whimpered, once they had outdistanced the tethered camel.
So he betrayed when the tied camel was tried.
أَشَاقَكَhas it stirred your longing? رَبْعٌan encampment ذُوhaving بَنَاتٍgirls; daughters ونِسْوَةٍand women
أَشَاقَكَ رَبْعٌ ذُو بَنَاتٍ ونِسْوَةٍ
بِكِرْمَانَin Kirman يُسْقَيْنَthey are given to drink السَّوِيقَroasted-grain drink المُقَنَّدَاsugar-sweetened
بِكِرْمَانَ يُسْقَيْنَ السَّوِيقَ المُقَنَّدَا
Has an encampment of girls and women stirred your longing,
You have pained a land of daughters and women
in Kirman, where they are served sugar-sweetened roasted-grain drink?
Who quench sikhaq al-sawiq, the strained.
لَكَto you الخَيْرُgood fortune هَلْwhether كَانَتْwas مَدِينَةُthe city of فَارِسٍPersia
لَكَ الخَيْرُ هَلْ كَانَتْ مَدِينَةُ فَارِسٍ
لأَهْلِكَto your family حَمّاًa close kinship tie أَمْor لأَمِّكَfor your mother مَوْلِداa birthplace
لأَهْلِكَ حَمّاً أَمْ لأَمِّكَ مَوْلِدا
Bless you! Was the city of Persia
Good for you! Was the city of Fars
kin to your family, or your mother's birthplace?
A protector for your family or a birthplace for your mother?
وإِنَّاand indeed we وإِيَّاكُمْand you ومَوْعِدُand an appointed meeting بَيْنَنَاbetween us
وإِنَّا وإِيَّاكُمْ ومَوْعِدُ بَيْنَنَا
كَمِثْلlike لَبِيدٍLabid يَوْمَon the day زَايَلَhe parted from أَرْبَدَاArbad
كَمِثْل لَبِيدٍ يَوْمَ زَايَلَ أَرْبَدَا
We and you, and the rendezvous between us,
As for us and you, our promised meeting
are like Labid on the day he parted from Arbad.
Is like Labid, the day he bid farewell to Arbad.
وحَدَّثَهُand he told him أَنَّthat السَّبِيلعthe road (apparent typo) ثَنِيَّةٌa mountain pass
وحَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ السَّبِيلع ثَنِيَّةٌ
صَعُودَاءُsteeply rising تَدْعُوcalling كُلَّevery كَهْلٍmature man وأَمْرَدَاand beardless youth
صَعُودَاءُ تَدْعُو كُلَّ كَهْلٍ وأَمْرَدَا
And he told him that the road is a mountain pass,
And he told him the path is winding,
a steep ascent summoning every mature man and beardless youth.
Ascending, calling every old and decrepit one.
صعُوداءُa steep ascent مَنْwhoever تُلْمِعْit beckons بِهِto him اليَوْمَtoday يَأْتِهَاwill come to it
صعُوداءُ مَنْ تُلْمِعْ بِهِ اليَوْمَ يَأْتِهَا
ومَنْand whoever لاَnot تَلَهَّtake your ease بِالضَّحَاءِin the forenoon فَأَوْرَدَاthen bring to water
ومَنْ لاَ تَلَهَّ بِالضَّحَاءِ فَأَوْرَدَا
A steep ascent—whoever it beckons to today will come to it;
Ascending whom it takes in the day comes to it
and whoever it does not may idle at forenoon, then bring his beasts to water.
And whoever the dawn does not inspire rushes.
فَأَمْسَيْتُso I have become شَيْخاًan old man لاَnot جَميعاًwhole; gathered صبَابَتِيmy passionate longing
فَأَمْسَيْتُ شَيْخاً لاَ جَميعاً صبَابَتِي
ولاَand not نَازِعاًwithdrawing مِنْfrom كُلِّall مَاthat which رَابَنِيgave me misgivings يَدَاa hand
ولاَ نَازِعاً مِنْ كُلِّ مَا رَابَنِي يَدَا
So I have grown old, my longing no longer whole,
So I have become an old man, no longer all my youth
nor my hand withdrawn from all that gives me misgivings.
Nor competing against all that troubled me, defended me.
تَزَوَّدَtake as provision رَيَّاthe fragrance of أُمِّUmm (mother of) سَهْمٍSahm مَحَلَّهَاher dwelling
تَزَوَّدَ رَيَّا أُمِّ سَهْمٍ مَحَلَّهَا
فُرُوعَthe heights of النِّسَارِal-Nisar فَالبَدِيَّthen al-Badi فَثَهْمَدَاthen Thahmad
فُرُوعَ النِّسَارِ فَالبَدِيَّ فَثَهْمَدَا
Take provision of Umm Sahm's fragrance; her home lies
Umm Sahm’s she-mount took provision,
on the heights of al-Nisar, then al-Badi, then Thahmad.
Branches of nisar so the desert, so it became desolate.
تَرَاءَتshe appeared لَنَاto us يَوْمَon the day النِّسَارِal-Nisar بِفَاحِمٍwith coal-black hair
تَرَاءَت لَنَا يَوْمَ النِّسَارِ بِفَاحِمٍ
وسُنَّةِand the face of رِيمٍa white gazelle خَافَthat feared سَمْعاًa wolf-like predator فَأوْفَدَاso it bounded away
وسُنَّةِ رِيمٍ خَافَ سَمْعاً فَأوْفَدَا
She appeared to us on the day of al-Nisar, with coal-black hair,
It appeared to us on the day of Nisar with streaming dust
and the face of a white gazelle that feared a wolf-like beast and bounded away.
And the tradition of fleeing Rim, fearing to listen, so it hastened.
قَطُوفُshort and slow in الخُطَىsteps لاَnot يَبْلُغُreaches الشِّبْرَa handspan مَشْيُهَاher walking
قَطُوفُ الخُطَى لاَ يَبْلُغُ الشِّبْرَ مَشْيُهَا
ولاَnor مَاwhat وَرَاءَbeyond الشِّبْرِa handspan إِلاَّexcept تَأَوُّدَاswaying; bending
ولاَ مَا وَرَاءَ الشِّبْرِ إِلاَّ تَأَوُّدَا
Short-stepped, her walking does not reach a handspan,
Steps whose walking does not reach a span
and she goes beyond a handspan only with a swaying bend,
Nor what is beyond the span except slowly.
تَأَوُّدَthe swaying of مَظْلُومِa battered plant of النَّقَاthe sand-dune خَضِلَتْdrenched بِهِupon it
تَأَوُّدَ مَظْلُومِ النَّقَا خَضِلَتْ بِهِ
أَهَالِيلُshowers يَوْمٍof a day مَاطِرٍrainy فَتَلَبَّدَاso it became matted
أَهَالِيلُ يَوْمٍ مَاطِرٍ فَتَلَبَّدَا
the sway of a battered dune-plant, drenched
It went slowly with the wronged companion, its forelock was disheveled by it.
by a rainy day's showers, until it lay matted.
Hilal on a rainy day so it was covered in clouds.
فَلَبَّدَهُso it matted it down مَسُّthe touch of القِطَارِraindrops ورَخَّهُand softened it
فَلَبَّدَهُ مَسُّ القِطَارِ ورَخَّهُ
نِعَاجُthe ewes of رُؤَافٍRu'af قَبْلَbefore أَنْthat يَتَشَدَّدَاit grew firm
نِعَاجُ رُؤَافٍ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَتَشَدَّدَا
Rain's touch matted it down, and it was softened
So the rain wet it and its softness relaxed it
by the ewes of Ru'af before it could grow firm.
Like the relaxation of Ra'uf’s sheep before it became firm.
فَخَبَّرَthen reported عَنْهُمْabout them رَاكِبٌa rider قَذَفَتْhurled forward بِهِwith him
فَخَبَّرَ عَنْهُمْ رَاكِبٌ قَذَفَتْ بِهِ
مَطِيَّةُa riding mount of مِصْرٍEgypt لَحمُهَاits flesh قدْalready تَخَدَّدَاbecame deeply furrowed
مَطِيَّةُ مِصْرٍ لَحمُهَا قدْ تَخَدَّدَا
Then a rider brought news of them, hurled onward
So a rider informed about them, whom an Egyptian mare threw off
by a mount from Egypt, its flesh worn into furrows.
Whose flesh had become emaciated.
مُسَامِيَةٌhigh-striding خَوْصَاءُnarrow-eyed ذَاتُpossessing مَخِيلَةٍa proud bearing
مُسَامِيَةٌ خَوْصَاءُ ذَاتُ مَخِيلَةٍ
إِذَاwhen كَانَwas قَيْدُومُthe leading edge of المَجَرَّةِthe Milky Way أَقْوَدَاlong-drawn
إِذَا كَانَ قَيْدُومُ المَجَرَّةِ أَقْوَدَا
High-striding, narrow-eyed, with a proud bearing,
Smooth-stepping, spoilt, having imagination,
when the Milky Way's leading edge stretched long.
When the leather strap of Al-Mujarrat pulled her along.
دَلُوقُrushing onward in السُّرَىnight travel يَنْضُوwears out الهَمَالِيجَthe ambling mounts مَشْيُهَاher pace
دَلُوقُ السُّرَى يَنْضُو الهَمَالِيجَ مَشْيُهَا
كَمَاas دَلَقَlet slip الغِمْدُthe scabbard الحُسَامَthe keen sword المُهَنَّدَاof Indian steel
كَمَا دَلَقَ الغِمْدُ الحُسَامَ المُهَنَّدَا
Pouring onward by night, her pace wears out the ambling mounts,
Sliding, her walking folds the skirts,
as a scabbard lets slip a keen sword of Indian steel.
As the scabbard slides off the polished sword.
غَدَتْshe set out in the morning عَنْaway from جَبِينٍa brow تَمْزُقُtear الطيْرthe birds مَسْكَهُits skin
غَدَتْ عَنْ جَبِينٍ تَمْزُقُ الطيْر مَسْكَهُ
كَمَزْقِlike the tearing of اليَمَانِيthe Yemeni السَّابِرِيَّfine Sabiri cloth المُقَدَّدَاcut into strips
كَمَزْقِ اليَمَانِي السَّابِرِيَّ المُقَدَّدَا
At dawn she left a brow whose skin the birds were tearing,
It travelled from a forehead whose musk the birds tear
as a Yemeni tears fine Sabiri cloth into strips.
Like the tearing of the Yamanite wrapper, the embroidered.
ولَمْand did not تَرَshe see حَيّاًa clan كَانَwas أَكْثَرَgreater in قُوَّةًstrength
ولَمْ تَرَ حَيّاً كَانَ أَكْثَرَ قُوَّةً
وأطْعَنَand more assailing فيagainst دِينِthe rule of المُلُوكِkings وأَفْسَدَاand more destructive
وأطْعَنَ في دِينِ المُلُوكِ وأَفْسَدَا
She had seen no clan greater in strength,
You have not seen anyone alive who had more power
more hostile to kings' dominion, or more destructive.
Or more piercing in the religion of kings and more corrupting.
نُصَبْنَاwe planted رِمَاحَاًspears فَوْقَهَاabove them جَدُّthe fortune of عَامِرٍAmir
نُصَبْنَا رِمَاحَاً فَوْقَهَا جَدُّ عَامِرٍ
كَظِلِّlike the shade of السَّمَاءِthe sky كُلَّevery أَرْضٍland تَعَمَّدَاit deliberately sought
كَظِلِّ السَّمَاءِ كُلَّ أَرْضٍ تَعَمَّدَا
We planted spears, with Amir's fortune above them,
We were erected as spears above which the ancestry of ‘Amir
like the sky's shade over every land it sought.
Like the shade of the sky over every land he supported.
جُلُوساًseated بِهَاthere; on them الشُّمُّthe proud, high-nosed men العِجَافُthe lean ones كأَنَّهُمْas though they were
جُلُوساً بِهَا الشُّمُّ العِجَافُ كأَنَّهُمْ
أُسُودٌlions بِتَرْجٍat Tarj أَوْor أُسُودٌlions بِعِتْوَدَاat Itwad
أُسُودٌ بِتَرْجٍ أَوْ أُسُودٌ بِعِتْوَدَا
Seated there are the high-nosed, lean men, as though they were
Sitting around it the brave bats as if they
lions at Tarj, or lions at Itwad.
Were lions in Taraj or lions in ‘itwad.
وكُلَّand every عَلَنْدَاةٍsturdy she-camel جَعَلْنَاwe made دَوَاءَهَاher remedy
وكُلَّ عَلَنْدَاةٍ جَعَلْنَا دَوَاءَهَا
عَلَىfrom; since عهدِthe age of عادٍAd أَنْto تُقَاتَbe fed وتُرْبَدَاand be kept penned
عَلَى عهدِ عادٍ أَنْ تُقَاتَ وتُرْبَدَا
And for every sturdy she-camel we made the remedy,
And we made the cure for every boast
since the days of Ad: to be fed and kept penned.
In the time of ‘Ad to be killed and made humble.
ومُخْلَصَةًand pure بِيضاًwhite blades كَأَنَّas though مُتُونَهَاtheir blade-flats
ومُخْلَصَةً بِيضاً كَأَنَّ مُتُونَهَا
مَدَبُّthe crawling-tracks of دَباًlocust nymphs طِفْلٍyoung تَبَطَّنَthat traversed جَدْجَدَاhard, level ground
مَدَبُّ دَباً طِفْلٍ تَبَطَّنَ جَدْجَدَا
And pure, white blades, their flats resembling
And pure white camels as if their bodies
the crawling-tracks of young locusts across hard, level ground.
Were a young hyena turning over out of hunger.
وأَجْدَرَand more deserving مِنَّاthan we أَنthat تَبِيتَspend the night نِسَاؤُهُمْtheir women
وأَجْدَرَ مِنَّا أَن تَبِيتَ نِسَاؤُهُمْ
نِيَاماًasleep إِذَاwhen داعيthe herald of المَخَافَةِfear; danger نَدَّدَاcried the alarm
نِيَاماً إِذَا داعي المَخَافَةِ نَدَّدَا
Or more deserving than we that their women should lie
And it is more fitting for their women to spend the night
asleep when fear's herald raises the alarm.
Sleeping when the caller to fear yells.
وأَكْثَرَand more plentiful مِنَّاthan we ذَاan owner of مَخَاضٍpregnant she-camels يَسُوقُهَاdriving them
وأَكْثَرَ مِنَّا ذَا مَخَاضٍ يَسُوقُهَا
لِيَنْتِجَهَاso as to deliver their young قَوْمٌa people سِوَانَاother than us ونُحْمَدَاand we be praised
لِيَنْتِجَهَا قَوْمٌ سِوَانَا ونُحْمَدَا
Or with more men than we who own and drive pregnant camels,
And more of us who owns the one giving birth he drives
so others may deliver their young, while we are praised.
So some people can take her and we are praised.
وأَخْلَجَand more vigorous in motion نَهَّاماًa loud-voiced mount إِذَاwhen الخَيْلُthe horses أَوْعَثَتْentered soft sand
وأَخْلَجَ نَهَّاماً إِذَا الخَيْلُ أَوْعَثَتْ
جَرَىit ran بِسِلاَحِwith the arms of الكَهْلِthe mature man والكَهْلِwhile the mature man أَحْرَدَاlame; stiff-legged
جَرَى بِسِلاَحِ الكَهْلِ والكَهْلِ أَحْرَدَا
Or more vigorous in loud-voiced mounts, when horses enter soft sand,
And most snarling when war makes the horses unkempt,
running with a mature man's arms, though the man himself is lame.
He runs with the weapon of an old man, and the old man is red.
وأعْظَمَand greater جُمْهُوراًin a massed host مِنَof الخَيْلِhorses خَلْفَهُbehind it
وأعْظَمَ جُمْهُوراً مِنَ الخَيْلِ خَلْفَهُ
جَمَاهِيرُmassed ranks يَحْمِلْنَthey bear الوَشيجَspear-shafts المُقَصَّدَاsplintered
جَمَاهِيرُ يَحْمِلْنَ الوَشيجَ المُقَصَّدَا
Or greater in a mass of horses, behind which
And greatest in numbers of horses behind him
are massed ranks bearing splintered spear-shafts.
Crowds carrying wisuj, the intended.
تَخَرَّمَit cut across خَفَّانَيْنَKhaffanayn والَّليْلُwhile the night كَانِعٌcrouching low
تَخَرَّمَ خَفَّانَيْنَ والَّليْلُ كَانِعٌ
وكَشْحاًand Kashh وآلاتٍand Alat تُغَاوِلُstretching toward مِعْضَداMi'dad
وكَشْحاً وآلاتٍ تُغَاوِلُ مِعْضَدا
It cut across Khaffanayn while night crouched low,
It probed two sandals and the night was pitch black
and Kashh and Alat, stretching toward Mi'dad.
And rags and belongings struggling to help each other.
Sol 6.1