أَلمِمpay a visit عَلىto طَلَلٍruined campsite عَفاbecame effaced مُتَقادِمِancient
أَلمِم عَلى طَلَلٍ عَفا مُتَقادِمِ
بَينَbetween الذُؤَيبِal-Dhu'ayb وَبَينَand between غَيبِGhayb الناعِمِal-Na'im
بَينَ الذُؤَيبِ وَبَينَ غَيبِ الناعِمِ
Visit an ancient campsite's time-effaced ruins,
between al-Dhu'ayb and Ghayb al-Na'im.
بِمَجَرِّat the course of أَهبِرَةِsandy hollows الكِناسِal-Kinas تَلَفَّعَتwrapped themselves
بِمَجَرِّ أَهبِرَةِ الكِناسِ تَلَفَّعَت
بَعديafter me بِمُنكَرِin the unrecognizable تُربِهاtheir dust المُتَراكِمِheaped-up
بَعدي بِمُنكَرِ تُربِها المُتَراكِمِ
At the course through al-Kinas's sandy hollows, they have wrapped themselves,
since I left, in their strange, heaped-up dust.
لِتَزورَso you may visit أَرمِدَةًash-heaps كَأَنَّas though مُتونَهاtheir backs
لِتَزورَ أَرمِدَةً كَأَنَّ مُتونَها
فيon الأَرضِthe earth عَنafter حِجَجٍyears مُتونُthe backs of حَمائِمِdoves
في الأَرضِ عَن حِجَجٍ مُتونُ حَمائِمِ
to visit ash-heaps whose backs seem,
after years upon the earth, like the backs of doves.
فَظَلِلتُso I remained مُكتَئِباًdowncast كَأَنَّas though تَذَكُّريmy recollection
فَظَلِلتُ مُكتَئِباً كَأَنَّ تَذَكُّري
مِمّاof what عَرِفتُI recognized بهاat it تَوهُمُthe imagining of حالِمِa dreamer
مِمّا عَرِفتُ بها تَوهُمُ حالِمِ
So I remained downcast, as though my recollection
of what I recognized there were a dreamer's imagining.
ثُمَّthen اِنتَبَهتُI awoke وَقُلتُand I said بعدafter لُجاجَةًpersistence
ثُمَّ اِنتَبَهتُ وَقُلتُ بعد لُجاجَةً
ماذاwhat يَرُدُّbrings back سُؤالُquestioning أَخرَسَa mute thing كاظِمِkeeping silent
ماذا يَرُدُّ سُؤالُ أَخرَسَ كاظِمِ
Then I awoke and said, after persisting:
What can questioning a mute, silent thing bring back?
وَتَجَلَّتِand cleared away الكَأباءُsorrow عَنّىfrom me بَعدَماafter
وَتَجَلَّتِ الكَأباءُ عَنّى بَعدَما
شَرِقَchoked الجُفونُthe eyelids بِماءِwith the water of شَجوٍgrief ساجِمِstreaming
شَرِقَ الجُفونُ بِماءِ شَجوٍ ساجِمِ
And sorrow lifted from me after
my eyelids choked with the streaming water of grief.
لَولاwere it not for الحَياءُmodesty وَأَنَّand that رَأسِيَmy head قَدalready عَثاwrought havoc
لَولا الحَياءُ وَأَنَّ رَأسِيَ قَد عَثا
فيهِin it المَشيبُgray hair لِزُرتُI would have visited أُمَّmother of القاسِمِal-Qasim
فيهِ المَشيبُ لِزُرتُ أُمَّ القاسِمِ
But for modesty, and the havoc wrought upon my head
by gray hair, I would have visited Umm al-Qasim.
وَكَأَنَّهاand as though she وَسَطَamid النِساءِthe women أَعارَهاlent her
وَكَأَنَّها وَسَطَ النِساءِ أَعارَها
عَينَيهِits two eyes أَحوَرُa dark-eyed one مِنamong جَآذِرِwild-cow calves جاسِمِJasim
عَينَيهِ أَحوَرُ مِن جَآذِرِ جاسِمِ
And among women, it is as though she were lent
the eyes of a dark-eyed wild-cow calf of Jasim.
وَسنانُdrowsy أَقصَدَهُfelled it النُعاسُsleepiness فَرَنَّقَتso hovered
وَسنانُ أَقصَدَهُ النُعاسُ فَرَنَّقَت
فيin عَينِهِits eye سِنَةٌa drowse وَلَيسَand is not بِنائِمِasleep
في عَينِهِ سِنَةٌ وَلَيسَ بِنائِمِ
Drowsy, felled by sleepiness, so there hovered
a drowse in its eye, though it was not asleep.
يَصطادُensnares يَقظانَthe wakeful الرِجالِamong men حَديثُهاher speech
يَصطادُ يَقظانَ الرِجالِ حَديثُها
وَتَطيرُand flies away لَذَّتُهاher sweetness بِروحِwith the soul of النائِمِthe sleeper
وَتَطيرُ لَذَّتُها بِروحِ النائِمِ
Her speech ensnares the wakeful among men,
and her sweetness flies away with the sleeper's soul.
وَإِذاand when هِيَshe اِبتَسَمَتsmiled بَذاappeared (apparently بدا) مُتَشَتَّتٌspaced apart
وَإِذا هِيَ اِبتَسَمَت بَذا مُتَشَتَّتٌ
عَذبٌsweet تَروعُshe startles بهِwith it فُؤادَthe heart of الحَالِمِthe dreamer
عَذبٌ تَروعُ بهِ فُؤادَ الحَالِمِ
And when she smiles, a spaced row of teeth appears,
sweet, with which she startles the dreamer's heart.
وَمِنَand of الضَلالَةِfolly بِعدَماafter ذَهَبَdeparted الصِباyouth
وَمِنَ الضَلالَةِ بِعدَما ذَهَبَ الصِبا
نَظَريmy gazing إِلىat حورِdark-eyed women العُيونِeyes نَواعِمِdelicate
نَظَري إِلى حورِ العُيونِ نَواعِمِ
And it is folly, after youth has gone,
for me to gaze at delicate women with dark, lustrous eyes.
يَذعَرنَthey recoil مِنfrom صَلَعِthe baldness of الرِجالِmen وَشَيبِهِمand their gray hair
يَذعَرنَ مِن صَلَعِ الرِجالِ وَشَيبِهِم
وِيَمِقنَand they love شيمَةَthe disposition of كُلِّevery أَهيَفَslender-waisted youth عارِمِunruly
وِيَمِقنَ شيمَةَ كُلِّ أَهيَفَ عارِمِ
They recoil from men's baldness and gray hair,
and love the disposition of every slender, unruly youth.
أَعرَضنَthey turned away حينَwhen فَقَدنَthey lost غَربَthe sharp edge of بَطالَتيmy revelry
أَعرَضنَ حينَ فَقَدنَ غَربَ بَطالَتي
وَنَسينَand they forgot حُسنَthe beauty of خَلائِقيmy character traits وَتَمائِميand my amulets
وَنَسينَ حُسنَ خَلائِقي وَتَمائِمي
They turned away when the edge of my revelry was gone,
and forgot my fine character and my amulets.
فَإِذاand then, behold مُلامَسَةُthe caressing of الشَبابِyouth وَلَهوُهُand its play
فَإِذا مُلامَسَةُ الشَبابِ وَلَهوُهُ
مِنهُنَّfrom them لاnot قَصَصَthe tales of الفَقيدِthe bereft man العالِمِthe learned
مِنهُنَّ لا قَصَصَ الفَقيدِ العالِمِ
So it is youth's caresses and its play
that come from them—not the tales of a bereft, learned man.
فَاِقطَعso sever بَقِيَّةَthe remainder of وَصلِهِنَّties with them بِأَينُقٍwith she-camels
فَاِقطَع بَقِيَّةَ وَصلِهِنَّ بِأَينُقٍ
خَوصٍnarrow-eyed يَسِجنَthey stride swiftly بِرَكبِهِنَّwith their riders سَواهِمِgaunt
خَوصٍ يَسِجنَ بِرَكبِهِنَّ سَواهِمِ
Sever what remains of your bond with them by riding she-camels,
narrow-eyed and gaunt, striding swiftly with their riders.
يَعدونَهُنَّthey drive them onward إِذاwhen أَرادواthey want حاجَةًa need
يَعدونَهُنَّ إِذا أَرادوا حاجَةً
بِأَزمَةٍwith reins مَجدولَةٍplaited وَخَزائِمِand nose-rings
بِأَزمَةٍ مَجدولَةٍ وَخَزائِمِ
They drive them onward when they seek some purpose,
with plaited reins and nose-rings.
وَإِذاand when بَداappeared عَلَمٌa landmark لَهُنَّto them كَأَنَّهُas though it
وَإِذا بَدا عَلَمٌ لَهُنَّ كَأَنَّهُ
فيin الآلِthe mirage حينَwhen بَداappeared ذُؤابَةُthe forelock of عائِمِa swimmer
في الآلِ حينَ بَدا ذُؤابَةُ عائِمِ
And when a landmark appears to them, as though it were
in the mirage, when it appears, a swimmer's forelock,
سَبَحَتswam إِلّيهِtoward it صُدورُهُنَّtheir chests بِأَذرُعٍwith forelegs
سَبَحَت إِلّيهِ صُدورُهُنَّ بِأَذرُعٍ
وَفُراسِنٍand padded feet سُمرِdark brown العَجاthe leg sinews وَمناسِمِand hoof-tips
وَفُراسِنٍ سُمرِ العَجا وَمناسِمِ
their chests swim toward it on forelegs
and padded feet with dark sinews, and hoof-tips.
وَكَأَنَّand as though رَنَّةَthe ringing of ماwhat يُصبنَthey strike مِنَof الحَصىpebbles
وَكَأَنَّ رَنَّةَ ما يُصبنَ مِنَ الحَصى
فيon كُلِّevery فَدفَدَةٍbroad upland صَليلُthe clinking of دَراهِمِdirhams
في كُلِّ فَدفَدَةٍ صَليلُ دَراهِمِ
And the ringing of the pebbles they strike seems,
on every broad upland, like the clink of dirhams.
يَتبَعنَthey follow ناجِيَةًa swift she-camel كَأَنَّas though بِدَفِّهاon her flank
يَتبَعنَ ناجِيَةً كَأَنَّ بِدَفِّها
مِنfrom غَرضَthe tightening of نَسعَيهاher two girth-straps عُلوبَscars مَواسِمِbranding irons
مِن غَرضَ نَسعَيها عُلوبَ مَواسِمِ
They follow a swift she-camel, as though on her flank were
branding scars from the tightening of her two girth-straps.
إِنif شاكَهاpricked her حَجَرٌa stone يَضُرُّhurts حُسامُهُits sharp edge
إِن شاكَها حَجَرٌ يَضُرُّ حُسامُهُ
بِالخُفِّat the foot-pad أَوor أَذِيَتshe was hurt بِأَخنَسَby a snub-nosed fly آزِمِbiting
بِالخُفِّ أَو أَذِيَت بِأَخنَسَ آزِمِ
If a stone pricks her, its sharp edge hurting
her foot-pad, or a snub-nosed biting fly troubles her,
خَبَطَتshe struck بِفَرسَنِهاwith her padded foot الجَنوبُthe flanks (read الجُنوب) كَأَنَّماas though
خَبَطَت بِفَرسَنِها الجَنوبُ كَأَنَّما
صالَتlashed out بِنَصرَتِهاin her defense يَمينُthe right hand of مُلاطِمِa man trading slaps
صالَت بِنَصرَتِها يَمينُ مُلاطِمِ
she strikes her flanks with her padded foot, as though
a brawler's right hand struck in her defense.
وَالقَومُand the men قَدalready شَدّواbound الأَخادِعَthe neck-veins وَاللَحىand the beards
وَالقَومُ قَد شَدّوا الأَخادِعَ وَاللَحى
بِفُضولِwith the loose ends of أَردِيَةٍcloaks لَهُمbelonging to them وَعمائِمِand turbans
بِفُضولِ أَردِيَةٍ لَهُم وَعمائِمِ
And the men have bound their necks and beards
with the loose ends of their cloaks and turbans.
جَشَمواthey endured السُرىnight travel بَعدَafter الرواحِevening travel فَأَصبَحواso they reached morning
جَشَموا السُرى بَعدَ الرواحِ فَأَصبَحوا
سودَblack الوجوهِfaces بِهِمupon them سُهامَscorching effects سَمائِمِof hot winds
سودَ الوجوهِ بِهِم سُهامَ سَمائِمِ
They endured night travel after the evening march, and reached morning
black-faced, bearing the ravages of scorching winds.
وَلَقَدand indeed لَجَأتُI sought refuge مِنَfrom الوَليدِal-Walid إِلىto اِمرِئٍa man
وَلَقَد لَجَأتُ مِنَ الوَليدِ إِلى اِمرِئٍ
أَغنىenriched وَلَيسَand is not مَنwhoever اِصطِفاهُchose him بِنادِمِregretful
أَغنى وَلَيسَ مَن اِصطِفاهُ بِنادِمِ
Indeed, I sought refuge in al-Walid—a man
who enriched me; whoever chooses him does not regret it.
لِلحَمدِfor praise فيهِin him مَذاهِبٌavenues ماnot تَنتَهيend
لِلحَمدِ فيهِ مَذاهِبٌ ما تَنتَهي
وَمَكارِمٌand noble deeds يَعلونَthey surpass كُلَّall مَكارِمِnoble deeds
وَمَكارِمٌ يَعلونَ كُلَّ مَكارِمِ
In him are endless avenues for praise,
and noble deeds surpassing all noble deeds,
وَمَهابَةُand the awe of المَلَكِthe king العَزيزِmighty وَنائِلٌand bounty
وَمَهابَةُ المَلَكِ العَزيزِ وَنائِلٌ
يُنضيexhausts الجَوادَthe generous giver وَأَنتَand you نِكلُthe scourge of الظالِمِthe oppressor
يُنضي الجَوادَ وَأَنتَ نِكلُ الظالِمِ
and the awe of a mighty king, and bounty
that exhausts the generous; you are the oppressor's scourge.
وَإِذاand when نَظَرتَyou looked بِحَرِّwith the front of وَجهِكَyour face كُلِّهِall of it
وَإِذا نَظَرتَ بِحَرِّ وَجهِكَ كُلِّهِ
نَحوَtoward اِمرِئٍa man فَيَظَلُّthen he remains مِثلَlike الغائِمِone parched with thirst
نَحوَ اِمرِئٍ فَيَظَلُّ مِثلَ الغائِمِ
And when you gaze, turning the full front of your face
toward a man, he remains like one parched with thirst.
وَإِذاand when قَضىhe pronounced فَصلُdecisive settlement القَضاءِjudgment فَلَمand did not تَمِلsway
وَإِذا قَضى فَصلُ القَضاءِ فَلَم تَمِل
قُربىkinship عَلَيهِupon him وَلاnor مَلامَةُthe blame of لائِمِa reproacher
قُربى عَلَيهِ وَلا مَلامَةُ لائِمِ
And when he pronounces decisive judgment, he is not swayed
by kinship, nor by a reproacher's blame.
تُربيsurpass عَلىbeyond الفَيضِthe flood الكَثيرِabundant فَواضِلاًin favors
تُربي عَلى الفَيضِ الكَثيرِ فَواضِلاً
نَفَحاتُwafts of bounty أَيامٍdays لَهُof his وَمُقاوَمِand public occasions
نَفَحاتُ أَيامٍ لَهُ وَمُقاوَمِ
Surpassing the abundant flood in favors are
the generous breezes of his days and public occasions.
فَرعٌa noble scion كَأَنَّas though الناسَthe people حينَwhen يَرَونَهُthey see him
فَرعٌ كَأَنَّ الناسَ حينَ يَرَونَهُ
يَتباشَرونَthey rejoice together بِقُبلِat the approach of غَيثٍrain دائِمِunceasing
يَتباشَرونَ بِقُبلِ غَيثٍ دائِمِ
A noble scion: when people see him, it is as though
they rejoice together at the approach of ceaseless rain.
الجامِعَthe one combining الحِلمَforbearance الأَصيلَdeep-rooted وَسُؤدَداًand nobility
الجامِعَ الحِلمَ الأَصيلَ وَسُؤدَداً
غَمراًabundant يُعاشُone lives بِهِby it وَحِكمَةَand the wisdom of حازِمِa resolute man
غَمراً يُعاشُ بِهِ وَحِكمَةَ حازِمِ
He combines deep-rooted forbearance with nobility
so abundant that people live by it, and a resolute man's wisdom.
وَإِذاand when وَدِدتَyou loved فَإِنَّthen indeed وُدَّكَyour love نافِعٌbeneficial
وَإِذا وَدِدتَ فَإِنَّ وُدَّكَ نافِعٌ
وَمَنِand whoever اِنتَطَحَتyou locked horns with فَلَيسَthen is not مِنكَfrom you بِسالِمِunharmed
وَمَنِ اِنتَطَحَت فَلَيسَ مِنكَ بِسالِمِ
And when you love, your love brings benefit;
whoever you lock horns with does not escape you unharmed.
الواهِبُthe giver of القَيناتِsinging slave-girls أَمثالَlike الدُمىsculpted figures
الواهِبُ القَيناتِ أَمثالَ الدُمى
مُتَسَجِياتِcloaked ظِلالِthe shadows of أَسوَدَblack hair فاحِمِcoal-black
مُتَسَجِياتِ ظِلالِ أَسوَدَ فاحِمِ
The giver of singing-girls like sculpted figures,
cloaked in the shadows of coal-black hair,
وَالخَيلُand horses وَالنِعَمُand livestock المُبينُconspicuous وطالَماand how often
وَالخَيلُ وَالنِعَمُ المُبينُ وطالَما
أَعطىhe gave الجَزيلَlavish gifts وَلَيسَand is not ذاكَthat بِعاتِمِdelayed
أَعطى الجَزيلَ وَلَيسَ ذاكَ بِعاتِمِ
and of horses and conspicuous livestock; how often
he has given lavishly, without delay,
مِنfrom بَينِamong خوصٍnarrow-eyed camels فيin مَناخِرِهاtheir nostrils البُرىthe nose-rings
مِن بَينِ خوصٍ في مَناخِرِها البُرى
وَحَوافِلٍand full-uddered she-camels ضَرّاتُهُنَّtheir udders رَوائِمِtenderly nursing
وَحَوافِلٍ ضَرّاتُهُنَّ رَوائِمِ
from among narrow-eyed camels with nose-rings in their nostrils,
and milk-laden females with tenderly nursing udders.
Sol 6.1