جَزِعتَyou grieved أَنthat شَتَّscattered صَرفُfate الحَيَّthe clan فَاِنفَرَقواso they parted
جَزِعتَ أَن شَتَّ صَرفُ الحَيَّ فَاِنفَرَقوا
وَأَجمَعواand they resolved البَينَdeparture بِالرَهنِwith the pledge الَّذيwhich عَلَقواthey held fast
وَأَجمَعوا البَينَ بِالرَهنِ الَّذي عَلَقوا
You grieved that fate scattered the clan, and they parted,
You were distressed that the turns of fate scattered them
And resolved on departure with the pledge they held.
And they collected the separation with the pledge they hung
فَقُمتُso I stood أَتبَعُهُمfollowing them عَيناًwith an eye إِذاwhenever طَمَعَتit hoped
فَقُمتُ أَتبَعُهُم عَيناً إِذا طَمَعَت
أَنthat يَرعَوواthey might relent أَوor يَعوجواturn aside ساعَةًfor a while وَسَقواthey drove onward
أَن يَرعَووا أَو يَعوجوا ساعَةً وَسَقوا
So I stood following them with my eye; whenever it hoped
So I stood watching them when hope arose
They might relent or turn aside awhile, they drove onward.
That they would pause or waver for an hour and quench their thirst
لَمّاحَةًkeen-sighted يَرفَعُlooms into view الشَخصُthe figure البَعيدُdistant لَهاbefore it
لَمّاحَةً يَرفَعُ الشَخصُ البَعيدُ لَها
قَبلَbefore العُيونِthe eyes إِذاwhen ماever اِغرورقَbrimmed with tears الحَدَقُthe pupils
قَبلَ العُيونِ إِذا ما اِغرورقَ الحَدَقُ
A keen-sighted eye, before which a distant figure looms
With a glance the distant person raises to it
Before other eyes, even when the pupils brim with tears.
Before the eyes when the eyelids were overflowing
وَاِستَنفَرواand they took flight بِنَوىًthrough separation حَذّاءَswift تَقذِفُهُمflinging them
وَاِستَنفَروا بِنَوىً حَذّاءَ تَقذِفُهُم
إِلىto أَقاصيthe farthest reaches هَواهُمof their desire ساعَةَthe moment اِنطَلَقواthey departed
إِلى أَقاصي هَواهُم ساعَةَ اِنطَلَقوا
They took flight through a swift separation that flung them
And they were roused by an ardent intent that drives them
To the farthest reaches of their desire the moment they departed.
To the furthest extents of their passion when they set out
إِذاwhen عَلَواthey climbed ظَهرَthe back حَرباءٍof a ridge يُحامِلُهُمbears them along
إِذا عَلَوا ظَهرَ حَرباءٍ يُحامِلُهُم
آلُthe mirage الضُحىof midmorning وَإِذاand when ماever أَسهَلواthey reached level ground غَرِقواthey drowned
آلُ الضُحى وَإِذا ما أَسهَلوا غَرِقوا
When they climbed a ridge's back, they were carried by
When they surmounted the ridge of the noon mirage bearing them
The midmorning mirage; when they reached level ground, they drowned
The kith of morning and when they went down they drowned
فيin آلِthe mirage دَوِيَّةٍof a vast desert تَجريflows السَرابُthe shimmering haze بِهاthrough it
في آلِ دَوِيَّةٍ تَجري السَرابُ بِها
إِذاwhen تَرَقرَقَquivered ضَحلُthe shallow water القاعَةِof the plain القَرِقُsmooth
إِذا تَرَقرَقَ ضَحلُ القاعَةِ القَرِقُ
In a vast desert's mirage, through which the shimmering haze flows,
In a house of sand where the mirage flows through it
When the shallow water of the smooth plain quivers.
When the surface of the desert flashes hot
وَصاحِبٌand a companion غَيرِno نِكسٍweakling قَدindeed نَشَأتُI roused بِهِhim
وَصاحِبٌ غَيرِ نِكسٍ قَد نَشَأتُ بِهِ
عَنfrom نَومِةٍa sleep وَهوَwhile he فيهاin it مُهمَدٌmotionless أَنِقُcontent
عَن نَومِةٍ وَهوَ فيها مُهمَدٌ أَنِقُ
And a companion, no weakling, whom I had roused
And a steadfast companion with whom I was brought up
From sleep, in which he lay motionless and content:
From a slumber while he in it was extinguished, limp
مُسافِرٌa traveler فَرَشَتهُhad bedded him الأَرضُthe earth مَنزِلَةًas a lodging
مُسافِرٌ فَرَشَتهُ الأَرضُ مَنزِلَةً
أَدّىbrought كَراهُhis drowsiness إِلَيهاto it النَصُّthe hard pace وَالعَنَقُand the easy trot
أَدّى كَراهُ إِلَيها النَصُّ وَالعَنَقُ
A traveler, the earth spread beneath him as a lodging;
A traveler whose bed the earth made into a halt
The hard pace and easy trot had brought his drowsiness to it.
To which his composure and neck submitted
فَمالَso he leaned مَيلاًto one side وَلَمand had not يَسلَخstripped away بَواطِنَهُhis inward parts
فَمالَ مَيلاً وَلَم يَسلَخ بَواطِنَهُ
سِرباًin a flowing stream عَنfrom ذُنوبِthe lower end المَتنِof the back مُنخَرِقُissuing forth
سِرباً عَن ذُنوبِ المَتنِ مُنخَرِقُ
He slumped to one side, his inward parts not yet drained
He inclined aside and did not slip out of his innermost
By a stream issuing from the lower end of his back.
Like a drove turning away from the sins of the stretcher torn
كَأَنَّهُas though he شارِبٌa drinker يَشفيsatisfies لَذاذَتَهُhis craving for pleasure
كَأَنَّهُ شارِبٌ يَشفي لَذاذَتَهُ
بِالخَمرِwith wine أَوor وارِمُswollen الأَوداجِin the jugular veins مُختَنِقُchoking
بِالخَمرِ أَو وارِمُ الأَوداجِ مُختَنِقُ
As though he were a drinker satisfying his craving
As if he were a drinker who savors its delight
With wine, or choking with swollen jugular veins.
With wine or strangling the innards choked
فَقُمتُso I rose أُخبِرُهُto tell him بِالغَيثِof the rain لَمnot أَرَهُI had seen it
فَقُمتُ أُخبِرُهُ بِالغَيثِ لَم أَرَهُ
وَالبَرقُand the lightning إِذas أَناI مَحزونٌgrieving لَهُover it أَرِقُsleepless
وَالبَرقُ إِذ أَنا مَحزونٌ لَهُ أَرِقُ
So I rose to tell him of rain I had not seen,
So I stood to tell him about the rain I did not see
And the lightning, as I grieved over it, sleepless.
While I, distressed for him, was sleepless
مُزنٌrain clouds تُسَبِّحُswim along فيin ريحٍa wind شَآمِيَةٍfrom Syria
مُزنٌ تُسَبِّحُ في ريحٍ شَآمِيَةٍ
مُكَلَّلٌwreathed بِعَماءِin a veil الماءِof water مُنطَلِقُsweeping onward
مُكَلَّلٌ بِعَماءِ الماءِ مُنطَلِقُ
Rain clouds swimming in a Syrian wind,
Sad, glorifying in a north wind
Wreathed in a veil of water, sweeping onward.
Crowned by the turbid water freed
لَمّاwhen اِكفَهَرَّit blackened شُرَيقِيِّa little east of اللَوىal-Liwa وَأَوىand sought shelter
لَمّا اِكفَهَرَّ شُرَيقِيِّ اللَوى وَأَوى
إِلىat تَواليهِits rear مِنof سُفّارِهِits outriders رَفَقُbands
إِلى تَواليهِ مِن سُفّارِهِ رَفَقُ
When it blackened just east of al-Liwa, and shelter was sought
When my boon receptor of renewal turned
At its rear by bands of its outriders,
To its sequences from its envoys composed
تَرَبَّصَit awaited الَيلُthe night حَتّىuntil قالَsaid شائِمُهُits lightning-watcher
تَرَبَّصَ الَيلُ حَتّى قالَ شائِمُهُ
عَلىon الرُوَيشِدِal-Ruwayshid أَوor خَرجائِهِits Kharja' يَدِقُit beats down
عَلى الرُوَيشِدِ أَو خَرجائِهِ يَدِقُ
It awaited night, until its lightning-watcher said:
The night held back until its blamer said
"It will beat down on al-Ruwayshid or its Kharja'."
To the guide star or its appearance knocking
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen المَنظرُthe prospect الغَربِيُّwestern جادَpoured forth دَماًblood
حَتّى إِذا المَنظرُ الغَربِيُّ جادَ دَماً
مِنfrom حُمَرةِthe redness الشَمسِof the sun لَمّاwhen اِغتالَهاslew her الأُفُقُthe horizon
مِن حُمَرةِ الشَمسِ لَمّا اِغتالَها الأُفُقُ
Until, when the western prospect poured out blood
Until when the westerly view ran blood
From the sun's redness, when the horizon slew her,
From the redness of the sun when the horizon assassinated it
القىit laid عَلىupon ذاتِDhat أَحفارٍAhfar كَلاكِلَهُits breasts
القى عَلى ذاتِ أَحفارٍ كَلاكِلَهُ
وَشَبَّand kindled نيرانُهُits fires وَاِنجابَand parted يَأتلِقُflashing
وَشَبَّ نيرانُهُ وَاِنجابَ يَأتلِقُ
It laid its breasts upon Dhat Ahfar,
It cast upon the lair of anklets its sparks
And kindled its fires, parting in flashing light—
And its fires blazed and its kindling flashed
ناراًa fire يُراجِعُregains مِنهاthrough it العودُthe aged camel جَدَّتَهُits youthful vigor
ناراً يُراجِعُ مِنها العودُ جَدَّتَهُ
وَالنارُwhile fire تَسفَعُscorches عيداناًsticks فَتَحتَرِقُso they burn
وَالنارُ تَسفَعُ عيداناً فَتَحتَرِقُ
A fire through which the aged camel regains its youth,
A fire which the firewood takes back to its grandmother
While fire scorches sticks until they burn.
And the fire climbs logs so they catch flame
وَباتَand spent the night يَحتِلِبُmilking الجَوزاءَal-Jawza' دِرَّتَهاher flowing yield
وَباتَ يَحتِلِبُ الجَوزاءَ دِرَّتَها
بِنَوئِهاwith her seasonal rain حينَwhen هاجَتshe rose مَربَعٌa spring-rain cloud لَثِقُsodden
بِنَوئِها حينَ هاجَت مَربَعٌ لَثِقُ
And all night it milked al-Jawza' of her yield,
And he spent the night weeping to the Goat star its loss
With her seasonal rain when she rose—a sodden cloud of spring.
With his bellowing when Aquarius was set boiling
يَبكيit weeps لِيُدرِكَto overtake فَحلاًa sire كانَit had ضَيَّعَهُlet it slip
يَبكي لِيُدرِكَ فَحلاً كانَ ضَيَّعَهُ
بِرَيِّقٍwith an initial downpour سَبَطٍcopious مِنهُfrom itself وَيَنزَهِقُand rushes onward
بِرَيِّقٍ سَبَطٍ مِنهُ وَيَنزَهِقُ
It weeps to overtake a sire it had let slip,
Crying to regain honey which he had squandered
With a copious first downpour of its own, rushing headlong.
With a copious draft from it and panting
فَماso no بِهِbeneath it بَطنُfloor وادٍof a valley غِبَّafter نَضحَتِهِits drenching
فَما بِهِ بَطنُ وادٍ غِبَّ نَضحَتِهِ
وَإِنeven if تَراغَبَit spreads wide إِلّاexcept مُسفَهٌhumbled تَئِقُbrimful
وَإِن تَراغَبَ إِلّا مُسفَهٌ تَئِقُ
So no valley floor beneath it, after its drenching,
The interior of no valley poured is sated by its flooding even if
However wide, is anything but humbled and brimming.
None but a fool is tempted
جَونُdark المَسارِبِin its channels رَقراقٌrippling تَظَلُّkeep بِهِwithin it
جَونُ المَسارِبِ رَقراقٌ تَظَلُّ بِهِ
شُمُّlofty المَخارِمِmountain clefts وَالأَثناءُand bends تَصطَفِقُsurge against one another
شُمُّ المَخارِمِ وَالأَثناءُ تَصطَفِقُ
Dark in its channels and shimmering; within it
The runnels of the valleys dripping which the summits
Lofty clefts and winding bends keep surging against one another.
And the slopes stream
يَكادُit almost يَطلُعُclimbs صَعداًupward ثُمَّthen يغلِبُهُovercomes it
يَكادُ يَطلُعُ صَعداً ثُمَّ يغلِبُهُ
غِرُّthe folds الظَواهِرِof the ridges فَالواديso the valley بِهِwith it شَرِقُchoking
غِرُّ الظَواهِرِ فَالوادي بِهِ شَرِقُ
It almost climbs uphill, but then is overcome
It almost rises upward then the deceptiveness of phenomena overcomes it
By the ridges' folds; the valley chokes on it.
And the valley because of it is deluged
إِذاwhenever تَحَرَّفَit veered مِنaway from بَرواءَBarwa' مُعرِضَةٍstretching broadside
إِذا تَحَرَّفَ مِن بَرواءَ مُعرِضَةٍ
دَعاهُcalls it أَبطَحُa gravelly bed ذوwith حَرفَينِtwo banks مُنفَهِقُwide-open
دَعاهُ أَبطَحُ ذو حَرفَينِ مُنفَهِقُ
Whenever it veers away from broad-lying Barwa',
When it turns from an aversion of purpose
A wide-open gravelly bed with two banks calls it.
A winding depression with two sides tunneling calls it
عودٌan old channel لَهُit has شُعبٌbranches يُدعَينَare called أَودِيَةًvalleys
عودٌ لَهُ شُعبٌ يُدعَينَ أَودِيَةً
بِمُلتَقاهُنَّat their confluence مِنهُof it الصَفوَthe clear water وَالرَتَقُand the joining
بِمُلتَقاهُنَّ مِنهُ الصَفوَ وَالرَتَقُ
An old channel, with branches that are called valleys,
A jujube tree it has valleys called after it
At their meeting, its waters clear and knit together.
By their conjunction from it chalk and gravel
فَمِنsome of حَصاهُits pebbles نَقِيٌّwashed clean فيalong جَوانِبِهِits sides
فَمِن حَصاهُ نَقِيٌّ في جَوانِبِهِ
مَعَwith الغَثاءِthe flood debris وَمِنهُand some of it الراسِبُsunken الغَرِقُsubmerged
مَعَ الغَثاءِ وَمِنهُ الراسِبُ الغَرِقُ
Some of its pebbles lie washed clean along its sides,
So from its pebbles the pure and in its sides
With flood-borne debris; others lie sunken and drowned,
With the scum and from it the settling thick
مُستَمسِكٌheld fast بِعِزازِin the hard crust الأَرضِof the earth ضَنَّclung jealously بِهِto it
مُستَمسِكٌ بِعِزازِ الأَرضِ ضَنَّ بِهِ
كادَalmost يَرُدُّrepels غُرابَthe beak الفاسِof the axe مُطَّرِقُhard-packed
كادَ يَرُدُّ غُرابَ الفاسِ مُطَّرِقُ
Held fast in the hard earth, which grudges their release,
Clinging to the retainers of the earth, diminished by it
Hard-packed enough almost to turn back the axe's beak.
He almost repels the raven of the sword bowing
يَوماًby day يُظِلّstays بِهِthere الحَرباءُthe chameleon مُعتَقِلاًclasping
يَوماً يُظِلّ بِهِ الحَرباءُ مُعتَقِلاً
جِذعَthe trunk الهَشيمَةِof a withered tree يَعلوclimbing ثُمَّthen يَرتَفِقُleaning on an elbow
جِذعَ الهَشيمَةِ يَعلو ثُمَّ يَرتَفِقُ
By day the chameleon stays there, clasping
A day he takes shade under the noon mirage making it
The trunk of a withered tree, climbing, then leaning on an elbow.
A refuge, atop the brushwood ascending then descending
كَأَنَّهُas though it شَيخُan old man سَوءٍwretched بَزَّstripped of خِلعَتَهُhis robe
كَأَنَّهُ شَيخُ سَوءٍ بَزَّ خِلعَتَهُ
عاريbare الأَشاجِعِat the knuckles مَكلومٌwounded بِهِin him رَمَقُa spark of life
عاري الأَشاجِعِ مَكلومٌ بِهِ رَمَقُ
As though it were a wretched old man stripped of his robe,
As if he were an evil old man shedding his garments
Bare-knuckled, wounded, with a spark of life still in him.
Bare of armpits, blameworthy, by it feeble
Sol 6.1