أَعاتِكَO ‘Atika بِنتَdaughter of العَبشَمِيَّةِthe ‘Abshamite woman عاتِكا‘Atika
أَعاتِكَ بِنتَ العَبشَمِيَّةِ عاتِكا
أَثيبيreward اِمرَأًa man أَمسىhas become بِحُبِّكِthrough love of you هالِكاperishing
أَثيبي اِمرَأً أَمسى بِحُبِّكِ هالِكا
O ‘Atika, daughter of the ‘Abshamite woman, ‘Atika,
My love for you consumes me, O daughter of Al-Abshami
reward a man now perishing for love of you.
Have mercy on a man who is dying for your love
بَدَتshe appeared لِيَto me فيamong أَترابِهاher age-mates فَقَتَلنَنيso they slew me
بَدَت لِيَ في أَترابِها فَقَتَلنَني
كَذَلِكَthus يَقتُلنَthey slay الرِجالَmen كَذالِكاjust so
كَذَلِكَ يَقتُلنَ الرِجالَ كَذالِكا
She appeared to me among her age-mates, and they slew me.
When she appeared among her people, she killed me
Thus they slay men—just so.
Thus do women kill men, in this manner
نَظَرنَthey gazed إِلَيناat us بِالوُجوهِwith their faces كَأَنَّماas though
نَظَرنَ إِلَينا بِالوُجوهِ كَأَنَّما
جَلَونَthey unveiled لَناfor us فَوقَabove البِغالِthe mules السَبائِكاthe ingots
جَلَونَ لَنا فَوقَ البِغالِ السَبائِكا
They gazed at us with faces as though
They looked at us with faces like
they unveiled ingots for us above the mules.
Swords unsheathed above spirited steeds
إِذاwhen غَفَلَتbecame heedless عَنّاof us العُيونُthe eyes الَّتيthat تَرىwatch
إِذا غَفَلَت عَنّا العُيونُ الَّتي تَرى
سَلَكنَthey led بِناus along حَيثُwherever اِشتَهَينَthey desired المَسالِكاthe paths
سَلَكنَ بِنا حَيثُ اِشتَهَينَ المَسالِكا
When the watching eyes were heedless of us,
Whenever her eyes that see us grew inattentive
they led us along whatever paths they desired.
They took us wherever the roads led
وَقالَتand she said لَوَif أَنّاthat we نَستَطيعُcan لَزارَكُمwould surely visit you
وَقالَت لَوَ أَنّا نَستَطيعُ لَزارَكُم
طَبيبانِtwo physicians مِنّاfrom among us عالِمانِboth well versed بِدائِكاin your malady
طَبيبانِ مِنّا عالِمانِ بِدائِكا
And she said, “If we could, there would come to visit you
And she said, "If only we were able, two doctors
two physicians from among us, well versed in your malady.
From among us, learned in curing your illness, would visit you"
وَلَكِنَّand yet قَوميmy people أَحدَثواstirred up بَعدَafter عَهدِناour bond
وَلَكِنَّ قَومي أَحدَثوا بَعدَ عَهدِنا
وَعَهدِكَand your bond أَضغاناًgrudges كَلِفنَthey became obsessed بِشانِكاwith your affairs
وَعَهدِكَ أَضغاناً كَلِفنَ بِشانِكا
But my people have stirred up, since our bond
But after our pact and your pact, my people created
and yours, grudges intent upon your affairs.”
Rancor and were burdened with your affair
تُذَكِّرُنيshe reminds me قَتلىthe slain بِحَرَّةِat the lava-field of واقِمٍWaqim
تُذَكِّرُني قَتلى بِحَرَّةِ واقِمٍ
أُصيبَتwere struck down وَأَرحاماًand kinship ties قُطِعنَthey were severed شَوابِكاinterwoven
أُصيبَت وَأَرحاماً قُطِعنَ شَوابِكا
She reminds me of the slain at the lava-field of Waqim,
You remind me of the slain at Hurrat Wakim
struck down, and of interwoven kinship ties severed.
Whose bonds were severed and ropes cut
وَقَدand indeed كانَhad قَوميmy people قَبلَbefore ذاكَthat وَقومُهاand her people
وَقَد كانَ قَومي قَبلَ ذاكَ وَقومُها
قَدَindeed اورَواthey fattened بِهاthrough them عَوداًan old male camel مِنَof المَجدِglory تامِكاhigh-humped
قَدَ اورَوا بِها عَوداً مِنَ المَجدِ تامِكا
And before that, my people and hers had
Before that, my people and her people
indeed fattened thereby a high-humped old camel of glory.
Had entwined around it a staff of perfected glory
هُمُthey يَرتُقونَstitch up الفَتقَthe breach بَعدَafter اِنخِراقِهِits being torn open
هُمُ يَرتُقونَ الفَتقَ بَعدَ اِنخِراقِهِ
بِحِلمٍwith forbearance وَيَهدونَand they guide الحَجيجَthe pilgrims المَناسِكاthe rites
بِحِلمٍ وَيَهدونَ الحَجيجَ المَناسِكا
They stitch up the breach after it is torn open,
They would mend the tear after it was rent
with forbearance, and guide the pilgrims through the rites.
With wisdom, guiding pilgrims in their rituals
فَقُطِّعَso were severed أَرحامٌkinship ties وَفُضَّتand was dispersed جَماعَةٌa community
فَقُطِّعَ أَرحامٌ وَفُضَّت جَماعَةٌ
وَعادَتand became رَواياwater-bearing camels الحِلمِforbearance بَعدُafterward رَكائِكاfrail
وَعادَت رَوايا الحِلمِ بَعدُ رَكائِكا
So kinship ties were severed and the community dispersed,
So bonds were severed and a group ambushed
and the water-bearing camels of forbearance afterward grew frail.
And the traditions of wisdom returned after your absence
فَمَنso who مُبلِغٌwill convey عَنّيfrom me خَليلَيَّmy two dear friends آيَةًa message
فَمَن مُبلِغٌ عَنّي خَليلَيَّ آيَةً
عُيَينَةَ‘Uyayna أَعنيI mean بِالعِراقِin Iraq وَمالِكاand Malik
عُيَينَةَ أَعني بِالعِراقِ وَمالِكا
Who, then, will convey a message from me to my two dear friends—
Is there anyone to convey a message from me
‘Uyayna, I mean, in Iraq, and Malik?
To my dear friend Uyaynah in Iraq and its outskirts?
فَهَلso is there مِنany طَبيبٍphysician بِالعِراقِin Iraq لَعَلَّهُperhaps he
فَهَل مِن طَبيبٍ بِالعِراقِ لَعَلَّهُ
يُداويhe heals كَريماًa noble man هالِكاًperishing مُتَهالِكاutterly spent
يُداوي كَريماً هالِكاً مُتَهالِكا
Is there, then, a physician in Iraq who might
Is there a doctor in Iraq who may
heal a noble man, dying and utterly spent?
Heal a noble one, sick and wasting away?
فَلَولاso, were it not for جُيوشُthe armies of الشَأمِal-Sham كانَwould be شِفاؤُهُhis cure
فَلَولا جُيوشُ الشَأمِ كانَ شِفاؤُهُ
قَريباًnear وَلَكِنّيand yet I أَخافُfear النَيازِكاthe short spears
قَريباً وَلَكِنّي أَخافُ النَيازِكا
But for the armies of al-Sham, his cure would be
Were it not for the Syrian armies, his cure
close at hand; but I fear the short spears.
Would be near, but I fear the manic assaults
أَخافُI fear الرَدىdeath مِنfrom دونِهاbefore reaching her أَنif أَرومَهاI seek her
أَخافُ الرَدى مِن دونِها أَن أَرومَها
وَأَرهَبُand I dread كَلباًKalb دونَهاbarring access to her وَالسَكاسِكاand al-Sakasik
وَأَرهَبُ كَلباً دونَها وَالسَكاسِكا
I fear death before reaching her if I seek her,
Without them I fear the whims, and dread
and dread Kalb barring the way to her, and al-Sakasik.
A dog without them and the barking wolves
رِجالٌmen هُمُthey الأَقتالُthe adversaries مِنsince يَومِthe day of راهِطٍRahit
رِجالٌ هُمُ الأَقتالُ مِن يَومِ راهِطٍ
أَجازواthey sanctioned الغِوارَraiding بَينَناbetween us وَالتَسافُكاand mutual bloodshed
أَجازوا الغِوارَ بَينَنا وَالتَسافُكا
Men who have been our adversaries since the day of Rahit
Men who are the epitomes of warriors since the days of Rahat
have sanctioned raids and mutual bloodshed between us.
Crossing the wastelands between us and the bloodbaths
فَلاso no سِلمَpeace إِلّاexcept أَنthat نَقودَwe lead إِلَيهِمُtoward them
فَلا سِلمَ إِلّا أَن نَقودَ إِلَيهِمُ
عَناجيجَspirited steeds يَتبَعنَthey follow القِلاصَthe young she-camels الرَواتِكاswift-stepping
عَناجيجَ يَتبَعنَ القِلاصَ الرَواتِكا
There is no peace, then, unless we lead against them
The only peace is to lead against them
spirited steeds following the swift-stepping young she-camels.
Bleating sheep pursued by nimble shepherds
إِذاwhen حَثَّهاurge them الفُرسانُthe horsemen رَكضاًinto a gallop رَأَيتَهاyou see them
إِذا حَثَّها الفُرسانُ رَكضاً رَأَيتَها
مَصاليتَfleet chargers بِالذَحلِfor the blood-debt القَديمِancient مَدارِكاswift pursuers
مَصاليتَ بِالذَحلِ القَديمِ مَدارِكا
When the horsemen urge them into a gallop, you see them
When the horsemen drive them into a gallop, you see them
fleet chargers pursuing the ancient blood-debt.
Like well-rounded old camels, accustomed to their runs
تَدارَكُthey catch up with أُخراناour rear ranks وَنَمضيand we advance أَمامَناstraight ahead
تَدارَكُ أُخرانا وَنَمضي أَمامَنا
وَنَتبَعُand we follow مَيمونَblessed النَقيبَةَin disposition ناسِكاdevout
وَنَتبَعُ مَيمونَ النَقيبَةَ ناسِكا
They catch up with our rear ranks as we press ahead,
Overtaking our rear while we advance ahead
and we follow a devout man of blessed disposition.
And we follow the auspicious guide carefully
إِذاwhen فَرِغَتhave finished أَظفارُهُhis claws مِنwith قَبيلَةٍa tribe
إِذا فَرِغَت أَظفارُهُ مِن قَبيلَةٍ
أَمالَhe turns عَلىagainst أُخرىanother السُيوفَthe swords البَواتِكاcleaving
أَمالَ عَلى أُخرى السُيوفَ البَواتِكا
When his claws have finished with one tribe,
Whenever his claws finish off one tribe
he turns the cleaving swords upon another.
He turns his sharpened swords against another
عَلىon بَيعَةِthe pledge of allegiance of الإِسلامِIslam بايَعنَthey pledged allegiance to مُصعَباًMus‘ab
عَلى بَيعَةِ الإِسلامِ بايَعنَ مُصعَباً
كَراديسَsquadrons مِنof خَيلٍcavalry وَجَمعاًand a host ضُبارِكاmighty and massed
كَراديسَ مِن خَيلٍ وَجَمعاً ضُبارِكا
On the pledge of Islam they swore allegiance to Mus‘ab,
He pledged allegiance to Mus'ab on the pledge of Islam
squadrons of horse and a mighty, massed host.
Regiments of horses and a thickening crowd
نَفَيتَyou drove away بِنَصرِwith the aid of اللَهِGod عَنهُمfrom them عَدوَّهُمtheir enemy
نَفَيتَ بِنَصرِ اللَهِ عَنهُم عَدوَّهُم
فَأَصبَحتَso you became تَحميyou guard حَوضَهُمtheir watering-pool بِرِماحِكاwith your spears
فَأَصبَحتَ تَحمي حَوضَهُم بِرِماحِكا
With God's aid you drove their enemy away from them,
With God's help you warded off their enemy
so now you guard their watering-pool with your spears.
So you protect their basin with your spears
تَدارَكتَyou remedied مِنهُمof theirs عَثرَةًa stumble نَهَكَتyou wore down بِهِمwith them
تَدارَكتَ مِنهُم عَثرَةً نَهَكَت بِهِم
عَدُوَّهُمُtheir enemy وَاللَهُand God أَولاكَbestowed upon you ذالِكاthat
عَدُوَّهُمُ وَاللَهُ أَولاكَ ذالِكا
You remedied a stumble of theirs; with them you wore down
You came to their rescue when an adversary had overwhelmed them
their enemy—and God bestowed that upon you.
And God made you apt for that task
Sol 6.1