عَلانيovertook me الشَيبُgray hair وَاِشتَعَلَand blazed اِشتِعالاwith a blaze
عَلاني الشَيبُ وَاِشتَعَلَ اِشتِعالا
وَقَدand already غَشِيَcovered المَفارِقَthe hair-partings وَالقَذالاand the back of the head
وَقَد غَشِيَ المَفارِقَ وَالقَذالا
Gray hair has overtaken me and blazed brightly,
And covered my hair-partings and the back of my head.
وَقَدand indeed بُدِّلتُI was given in exchange بَعدَafter الجَهلِfolly حِلماًforbearance
وَقَد بُدِّلتُ بَعدَ الجَهلِ حِلماً
وَبَعدَand after اللَهوِdalliance فَاِستَرضِso be content with البِدالاthe exchange
وَبَعدَ اللَهوِ فَاِستَرضِ البِدالا
After folly, I have been given forbearance,
And after dalliance—so be content with the exchange.
وَماand not قَدpreviously كُنتَyou used to تَلهوdally فيin اللَياليthe nights
وَما قَد كُنتَ تَلهو في اللَيالي
بِمثلِwith one like البكرِthe maiden تَتَّبِعُshe follows الغَزالاthe gazelle
بِمثلِ البكرِ تَتَّبِعُ الغَزالا
Never did you dally in the nights
With one like the maiden who follows the gazelle.
كَأَنَّas though غَمامَةًa cloud نَضَحَتsprinkled ذَراهاits heights
كَأَنَّ غَمامَةً نَضَحَت ذَراها
عَلىupon أَنيابِهاher canine teeth عَذباًsweet water زُلالاlimpid
عَلى أَنيابِها عَذباً زُلالا
As though a cloud had sprinkled from its heights
Sweet, limpid water over her canine teeth.
وَماءٌand water سَحابِof rainclouds مُقفَرَةٍa deserted place زَهَتهاstirred it
وَماءٌ سَحابِ مُقفَرَةٍ زَهَتها
جَنوبٌa south wind نَفَّضَتshook off عَنهاfrom it الطِلالاthe dews
جَنوبٌ نَفَّضَت عَنها الطِلالا
Nor is rainwater in a deserted place, stirred
By a south wind that shook the dews from it,
يَرِفُّflutters الإِقحُوانُthe daisies بحافَتَيهاat its two edges
يَرِفُّ الإِقحُوانُ بحافَتَيها
بِحَيثُwhere يُقابِلُmeets الجِلدُthe firm ground الرِمالاthe sands
بِحَيثُ يُقابِلُ الجِلدُ الرِمالا
With daisies fluttering at its two edges,
Where firm ground meets the sands,
بِأَطيَبَany sweeter مَوهِناًat night مِنهاthan she إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle
بِأَطيَبَ مَوهِناً مِنها إِذا ما
لَوَتshe bent لِضَجيعِهاfor her bedfellow القَصَبَthe limb-bones الخِدالاfull and rounded
لَوَت لِضَجيعِها القَصَبَ الخِدالا
Any sweeter than she by night, when
She bends her full, rounded limbs for her bedfellow.
فَأَصبَحَso became دَهرُهاher time دَهراًa time تَوَلّىgone by
فَأَصبَحَ دَهرُها دَهراً تَوَلّى
وَقَطَّعَتِand she severed الوِصالَthe union قَلاout of aversion وِصالاunion
وَقَطَّعَتِ الوِصالَ قَلا وِصالا
So her days have become days gone by,
And she severed our bond, loathing union.
سِوىexcept أَنّيthat I سَأَبكيshall weep فيin دِيارٍdwellings
سِوى أَنّي سَأَبكي في دِيارٍ
بِبُرقَةِat Burqat ضاحِكٍDahik حِجَجاًyears طِوالاlong
بِبُرقَةِ ضاحِكٍ حِجَجاً طِوالا
Except that I shall weep among the dwellings
At Burqat Dahik, for long years.
وَإِنَّand indeed الحُبَّlove بَعدَكَafter you غابَvanished عَنّيfrom me
وَإِنَّ الحُبَّ بَعدَكَ غابَ عَنّي
فَلَستُso I do not أَرىsee لَغانِيَةٍin a beautiful woman دَلالاcoquettish charm
فَلَستُ أَرى لَغانِيَةٍ دَلالا
And love, after you, has vanished from me,
So I see no coy charm in any beautiful woman.
وَإِنّيand I عِندَin بَأسيmy distress لُمتُblamed نَفسيmyself
وَإِنّي عِندَ بَأسي لُمتُ نَفسي
وَلومُand blame النَفسِof oneself لاdoes not يُغنيavail قِبالاa sandal-strap's worth
وَلومُ النَفسِ لا يُغني قِبالا
And in my distress I reproached myself,
And self-reproach avails not a sandal-strap's worth.
وَداوِيَةٍand many a desert يُحارُloses its way الرَكبُthe caravan فيهاin it
وَداوِيَةٍ يُحارُ الرَكبُ فيها
كَأَنَّas though عَلىupon مَخارِمِهاits passes جِلالاblankets
كَأَنَّ عَلى مَخارِمِها جِلالا
And many a desert where the caravan loses its way,
As though blankets lay over its passes,
قَطَعتُI crossed بِفِتيَةٍwith young men وَمُخَزَّماتٍand nose-ringed she-camels
قَطَعتُ بِفِتيَةٍ وَمُخَزَّماتٍ
يُناطِحنَthey butt against المَوارِكَthe saddle-rests وَالجِلالاand the blankets
يُناطِحنَ المَوارِكَ وَالجِلالا
I crossed with young men and nose-ringed she-camels,
Which butt against the saddle-rests and blankets.
يُجَهِّضنَthey miscarry الأَجِنَّةَthe fetuses مُحفَداتٍurged to speed
يُجَهِّضنَ الأَجِنَّةَ مُحفَداتٍ
بِحَيُwhere (text uncertain) بُرَشِّحُrear (text uncertain) الرَبُدُthe gray ostriches الرِئالاthe ostrich chicks
بِحَيُ بُرَشِّحُ الرَبُدُ الرِئالا
They miscarry their fetuses, urged on at speed,
Where gray ostriches rear their chicks.
إِذاwhen خَطَرَتswung سِياطُهُمtheir whips عَلَيهاabove them
إِذا خَطَرَت سِياطُهُم عَلَيها
بِخَرقٍin a vast waste وَاِنسَحَلنَand they raced بِهِthrough it اِنسِحالاat full speed
بِخَرقٍ وَاِنسَحَلنَ بِهِ اِنسِحالا
When their whips swung above them
In a vast waste, and they raced through it at full speed,
تَرَكنَthey left بِهِin it مَواقِفَhalting-places باقِياتٍenduring
تَرَكنَ بِهِ مَواقِفَ باقِياتٍ
وَضَعنَthey delivered بِهِin it مُجَلَّلَةًstill enveloped عِجالاin haste
وَضَعنَ بِهِ مُجَلَّلَةً عِجالا
They left enduring signs of their halts there;
They dropped their still-wrapped young there in haste.
تَظَلُّthey remain إِذاwhen الرِحالُthe saddles وُضِعنَare taken off عَنهاfrom them
تَظَلُّ إِذا الرِحالُ وُضِعنَ عَنها
حَراجيجاًgaunt camels كَأَنَّas though بِهاin them مُلالاa fever
حَراجيجاً كَأَنَّ بِها مُلالا
They remain, when the saddles are taken off them,
Gaunt and lank, as though afflicted with fever.
فَإِنso if يَكُthere is فيin مَناسِمِهاtheir footpads رِجاءٌhope
فَإِن يَكُ في مَناسِمِها رِجاءٌ
فَقَدthen indeed لَقِيَتhave met مِناسِمُهاtheir footpads العِدالاthe balanced loads (sense uncertain)
فَقَد لَقِيَت مِناسِمُها العِدالا
If any hope lies in their footpads,
Then their footpads have already borne balanced loads.
أَتَتthey came to عَمراًAmr فَلاقَتand found مِنfrom نَداهُhis bounty
أَتَت عَمراً فَلاقَت مِن نَداهُ
سِجالاbrimming buckets of الخَيرِgoodness إِنَّindeed لَهُhe has سِجالاbrimming buckets
سِجالا الخَيرِ إِنَّ لَهُ سِجالا
They came to Amr and found in his bounty
Brimming buckets of goodness—he has buckets indeed.
أَلَستَare you not إِذاwhen نُسِبتَyour lineage is traced فَتىthe noble man of قُرَيشٍQuraysh
أَلَستَ إِذا نُسِبتَ فَتى قُرَيشٍ
وَأَكرَمَهاand its most generous وَأَفضَلَهاand its finest رِجالاamong men
وَأَكرَمَها وَأَفضَلَها رِجالا
Are you not, by lineage, Quraysh's noble man,
And its most generous and finest among men?
أَبَتrefused لَكُمُfor you all مَواطِنُstations طَيِّباتٌnoble
أَبَت لَكُمُ مَواطِنُ طَيِّباتٌ
وَأَحلامٌand wisdom لَكُمof yours تَزِنُweighs as much as الجِبالاthe mountains
وَأَحلامٌ لَكُم تَزِنُ الجِبالا
Noble stations have forbidden you [dishonor],
And wisdom of yours that weighs as much as mountains.
وَقَدand indeed عَلِمَتhas learned قُرَيشٌQuraysh أَنَّthat فيكُمamong you all
وَقَد عَلِمَت قُرَيشٌ أَنَّ فيكُم
سُيوفاًswords حينَwhen يَحتَضِرُone enters القِتالاthe fighting
سُيوفاً حينَ يَحتَضِرُ القِتالا
And Quraysh has learned that among you
Are swords whenever battle is joined.
إِذاwhen المَوتُdeath كانَhad لَهُof its own ظِلالٌshadows
إِذا المَوتُ كانَ لَهُ ظِلالٌ
بِمَعرَكِin a battlefield مَأزِقٍa cramped place كَشَفواthey stripped away الظِلالاthe shadows
بِمَعرَكِ مَأزِقٍ كَشَفوا الظِلالا
When death casts its shadows
In a cramped battleground, they strip those shadows away.
فَنِعمَhow excellent مُعَرَّسُa night resting-place for الأَضيافِthe guests وَهناًat night
فَنِعمَ مُعَرَّسُ الأَضيافِ وَهناً
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle الشَولُthe dry she-camels عارَضَتِfaced الشَمالاthe north wind
إِذا ما الشَولُ عارَضَتِ الشَمالا
How fine a resting-place for guests at night,
When the dry she-camels face the north wind!
أَباO Abu حَفصٍHafs جَزاكَmay He reward you اللَهُGod خَيراًwith good
أَبا حَفصٍ جَزاكَ اللَهُ خَيراً
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle المُعتَزىthe one claiming kinship كَرِهَwas loath to السُؤالاask
إِذا ما المُعتَزى كَرِهَ السُؤالا
Abu Hafs, may God reward you well,
When one who claims kinship is loath to ask.
جَوادٌa generous man لَيسَis not قالاًone who says حينَwhen يُؤتىhe is approached
جَوادٌ لَيسَ قالاً حينَ يُؤتى
لِطالِبِto a seeker of حاجَةٍa need أَبَداًever أَلاindeed لاno
لِطالِبِ حاجَةٍ أَبَداً أَلا لا
A generous man who, when approached, never says
To anyone in need, ever: “Indeed, no!”
تَفيضُoverflows يَمينُهُhis right hand بِالخَيرِwith goodness فَيضاًin abundance
تَفيضُ يَمينُهُ بِالخَيرِ فَيضاً
وَلاand never يَلقىmeets بِنائِلِهِwith his bounty الشَمالاthe left hand
وَلا يَلقى بِنائِلِهِ الشَمالا
His right hand pours out goodness in abundance,
And his gifts never meet his left hand.
وَماذاnor is this الموجُthe waves يَطرَحُcasts forth ساجِلاهُits two surging sides
وَماذا الموجُ يَطرَحُ ساجِلاهُ
بغَوّاصيهِthrough its divers طَرحاًan outpouring حينَwhen سالاit flowed
بغَوّاصيهِ طَرحاً حينَ سالا
Nor is this sea, whose twin surges cast up bounty
Through its divers, in an outpouring as it flows,
بِأَجوَدَmore generous مِنthan أَبيAbu حَفصٍHafs إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle
بِأَجوَدَ مِن أَبي حَفصٍ إِذا ما
أَتَتهُcame to him العيسُthe pale camels تَختَرِقُcutting through النِقالاthe stony tracts
أَتَتهُ العيسُ تَختَرِقُ النِقالا
More generous than Abu Hafs, when
Pale camels come to him, cutting through stony tracts.
وَجارُهُمand their neighbor أَعَزُّmore unassailable مِنَthan الثُرَيّاthe Pleiades
وَجارُهُم أَعَزُّ مِنَ الثُرَيّا
إِذاwhen عَقَدواthey knotted لِجارِهِمfor their neighbor الحِبالاthe ropes
إِذا عَقَدوا لِجارِهِم الحِبالا
And their neighbor is more unassailable than the Pleiades,
When they knot the ropes of protection for their neighbor.
هُوَhe القَرمُthe noble camel-bull الفَحيلُthe virile sire إِذاwhen قُرَيشٌQuraysh
هُوَ القَرمُ الفَحيلُ إِذا قُرَيشٌ
لِيَومٍfor a day of حَفيظَةٍdefending honor عَدّواthey count الفِحالاthe camel-sires
لِيَومٍ حَفيظَةٍ عَدّوا الفِحالا
He is the noble, virile camel-bull, when Quraysh
Counts its sires for a day of defending honor.
أَلَيتُكَI adjured you ثُمَّthen عُدتُI returned فَعُدso return بِخَيرٍwith bounty
أَلَيتُكَ ثُمَّ عُدتُ فَعُد بِخَيرٍ
وَخَيرُand the best of الخَيرِbounty ماwhat يُجرىis poured عِلالاin repeated draughts
وَخَيرُ الخَيرِ ما يُجرى عِلالا
I adjured you, then returned—so return with bounty;
And the best of bounty is what is poured in repeated draughts.
فَصَدِّقso prove true مَدحَتيmy praise وَأَجِزand reward كَريماًa noble man
فَصَدِّق مَدحَتي وَأَجِز كَريماً
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle عَفَّhe abstains عَنfrom بَلَدٍa town أَطالاstays away long
إِذا ما عَفَّ عَن بَلَدٍ أَطالا
So prove my praise true, and reward a noble man
Who, when he abstains from a town, stays away long.
Sol 6.1