أَأَقامَdid they stay? أَمسِyesterday خَليطُناour companions أَمor ساراdeparted
أَأَقامَ أَمسِ خَليطُنا أَم سارا
سائِلask بِعَمرِكَby your life أَيَّwhich ذاكَthat اِختاراthey chose
سائِل بِعَمرِكَ أَيَّ ذاكَ اِختارا
Did our companions stay yesterday, or depart?
Did our gathering last night choose to depart or stay?
Ask, by your life, which course they chose.
Asking, by your life, which of those did it prefer?
وَإِخالُand I think أَنَّthat نَواهُمُtheir departure قَذّافَةٌfar-flinging
وَإِخالُ أَنَّ نَواهُمُ قَذّافَةٌ
كانَتit was مُعاوِدَةَrepeating الفِراقِseparation مِراراtime after time
كانَت مُعاوِدَةَ الفِراقِ مِرارا
And I think their departure casts them far away;
And I feared their intention was to suddenly leave,
it has brought separation back time after time.
As parted lovers oft repeated their bitterness.
قالَsaid الرَسولُthe messenger وَقَدwhile already تَحَدَّرَflowed down واكِفٌa stream of tears
قالَ الرَسولُ وَقَد تَحَدَّرَ واكِفٌ
فَكَفَفتُso I checked مِنهُof it مُسبِلاًpouring down مِدراراcopiously flowing
فَكَفَفتُ مِنهُ مُسبِلاً مِدرارا
The messenger spoke as a stream of tears ran down,
The messenger said, tears flowing,
so I checked its copious, pouring flow:
So I stopped him, letting those tears flow freely.
أَنsaying سِرgo فَشَيِّعناthen escort us وَلَيسَand he is not بِنازِعٍone to withdraw
أَن سِر فَشَيِّعنا وَلَيسَ بِنازِعٍ
لَوif شَدَّhe fastened فَوقَupon مَطِيِّهِhis riding beasts الأَكواراthe saddles
لَو شَدَّ فَوقَ مَطِيِّهِ الأَكوارا
"Go, and escort us"; and he would not draw back,
"Travel secretly, none shall hinder you,
were he to fasten the saddles upon his riding beasts,
Even if mountains collapsed onto his mount."
فيon حاجَةٍan errand جَهدُthe anguish of الصَبابَةِyearning قادَهاled it
في حاجَةٍ جَهدُ الصَبابَةِ قادَها
وَبِماand by what يُوافِقُbrings into accord لِلهَوىwith love الأَقداراthe destinies
وَبِما يُوافِقُ لِلهَوى الأَقدارا
on an errand driven by the anguish of yearning,
Needing help, the vigor of youth led him
and by what brings fate into accord with love.
To that which fate's caprice made congruous.
قامَتshe stood تَراءىshowing herself بِالصِفاحِat al-Sifah كَأَنَّماas though
قامَت تَراءى بِالصِفاحِ كَأَنَّما
عَمداًdeliberately تُريدُshe desires لَناfor us بِذاكَthrough that ضِراراharm
عَمداً تُريدُ لَنا بِذاكَ ضِرارا
She stood in view at al-Sifah, as though
She appeared, looking from her litter as though
deliberately seeking to hurt us by doing so.
She meant us harm by so revealing herself.
فَبَدَتthen appeared تَرائِبُcollarbones مِنof رَبيبٍtenderly reared شادِنٍa young gazelle
فَبَدَت تَرائِبُ مِن رَبيبٍ شادِنٍ
ذَكَرَit remembered المَقيلَthe midday rest إِلىto الكِناسِthe gazelle's covert فَصاراthen it went
ذَكَرَ المَقيلَ إِلى الكِناسِ فَصارا
Then appeared the collarbones of a tenderly reared young gazelle,
Charms peeked out from a blooming branch,
that remembered its midday rest and went to its covert.
Recalling lodgings to the settled abodes.
وَجَلَتand she unveiled عَشِيَّةَat evening بَطنِthe valley of مَكَّةَMecca إِذwhen بَدَتshe appeared
وَجَلَت عَشِيَّةَ بَطنِ مَكَّةَ إِذ بَدَت
وَجهاًa face يُضيءُilluminates بَياضُهُits whiteness الأَستاراthe curtains
وَجهاً يُضيءُ بَياضُهُ الأَستارا
And at evening in Mecca's valley, when she appeared, she unveiled
She shone one evening in Mecca's valley, her face
a face whose whiteness illuminates the curtains.
Lighting the curtains with its radiance.
كَالشَمسِlike the sun تُعجِبُdelights مَنwhoever رَأىsaw وَيُزَينُهاand adorns her
كَالشَمسِ تُعجِبُ مَن رَأى وَيُزَينُها
حَسَبٌancestral honor أَغَرُّillustrious إِذاwhen تُريدُshe wishes فِخاراpride
حَسَبٌ أَغَرُّ إِذا تُريدُ فِخارا
Like the sun, she delights whoever sees her; she is adorned by
Like the sun, pleasing those who saw her, and adorned
illustrious ancestry, whenever she wishes to boast.
By pride enough when she wished to boast.
سُقِيَتmay be watered بِوَجهِكِfor your face's sake كُلُّevery أَرضٍland جُبتِهاyou traversed it
سُقِيَت بِوَجهِكِ كُلُّ أَرضٍ جُبتِها
وَبِمِثلِand with the like of وَجهِكِyour face نَستَقيwe seek rain الأَمطاراthe rains
وَبِمِثلِ وَجهِكِ نَستَقي الأَمطارا
May every land you have traversed be watered for your face's sake;
Every desolate land was watered by your face,
and with a face like yours we pray for rain.
And by your like we seek rains.
لَوif يُبصِرُwere to see الثَقفُthe discerning man البَصيرُthe keen-sighted جَبينَهاher brow
لَو يُبصِرُ الثَقفُ البَصيرُ جَبينَها
وَصَفاءَand the purity of خَدَّيهاher two cheeks العَتيقَexquisite لَحاراhe would surely be bewildered
وَصَفاءَ خَدَّيها العَتيقَ لَحارا
Were the discerning, keen-sighted man to see her brow
If only the insightful Thaqifite saw her forehead
and the exquisite purity of her cheeks, he would be bewildered.
And the pristine clarity of her cheeks, he'd burn!
وَأَرىand I see جَمالَكِyour beauty فَوقَabove كُلِّevery جَميلَةٍbeautiful woman
وَأَرى جَمالَكِ فَوقَ كُلِّ جَميلَةٍ
وَجَمالُand the beauty of وَجهِكِyour face يَخطَفُsnatches الأَبصاراthe gazes
وَجَمالُ وَجهِكِ يَخطَفُ الأَبصارا
And I see your beauty surpassing every beautiful woman's;
I see your beauty above all beauties,
and your face's beauty steals the gaze.
Your beautiful face captures all eyes.
إِنّيindeed I رَأَيتُكِI saw you غادَةًa tender woman خُمصانَةًslender-waisted
إِنّي رَأَيتُكِ غادَةً خُمصانَةً
رَيّاfull-fleshed الرَوادِفِthe hips لَذَّةًa delight مِبشاراbright-faced
رَيّا الرَوادِفِ لَذَّةً مِبشارا
Indeed, I have seen you, a tender, slender-waisted woman,
I saw you leaving, redolent with perfume,
full-hipped, delightful and bright-faced;
Swaying in the saddle, a delightful sight.
مَحطوطَةَsmoothly shaped المَتنَينِboth sides of the back أُكمِلَwas perfected خَلقُهاher form
مَحطوطَةَ المَتنَينِ أُكمِلَ خَلقُها
مِثلَlike السَبيكَةِan ingot بَضَّةًsoft-skinned مِعطاراwell-perfumed
مِثلَ السَبيكَةِ بَضَّةً مِعطارا
smooth-backed, her form perfected,
Poised on the camel, perfect in creation,
like an ingot, soft-skinned and fragrant.
Like crafted silverwork, fragrant and pure.
تَشفيshe soothes الضَجيعَthe bedmate بِبادِرٍwith a cool mouth (uncertain reading) ذيpossessing رَونَقٍradiance
تَشفي الضَجيعَ بِبادِرٍ ذي رَونَقٍ
لَوif كانَit were فيin غَلَسِthe murk of الظَلامِdarkness أَناراit would shine
لَو كانَ في غَلَسِ الظَلامِ أَنارا
She soothes her bedmate with a cool, gleaming mouth [reading uncertain],
Comforting one laid low with a graceful initiative -
which would shine even in the murk of darkness.
It would illuminate deepest gloom.
فَسَقَتكَthen she gave you to drink بِشرَةُBishra عَنبَراًambergris وَقَرَنفُلاًand cloves
فَسَقَتكَ بِشرَةُ عَنبَراً وَقَرَنفُلاً
وَالزَنجَبيلَand ginger وَخِلطَand an admixture of ذاكَthat عُقاراwine
وَالزَنجَبيلَ وَخِلطَ ذاكَ عُقارا
Then Bishra gave you ambergris and cloves to drink,
You intoxicated him with amber, cloves,
and ginger, and wine mingled with them,
And ginger mixed into a healing potion.
وَالذَوبُand pure honey مِنfrom عَسَلِthe honey of الشُراةِal-Shurah كَأَنَّماas though
وَالذَوبُ مِن عَسَلِ الشُراةِ كَأَنَّما
غَصَبَrobbed الأَميرُthe emir تَبيعَهُhis retainer المُشتاراthe honey-gatherer
غَصَبَ الأَميرُ تَبيعَهُ المُشتارا
and the pure honey of al-Shurah, as though
Like honey robbed by an emir from the sellers,
the emir had robbed his retainer, the honey-gatherer.
Or a draft of chilled Nabrid in tumblers.
وَكَأَنَّand as though نُطفَةَa drop بارِدٍof cool water وَطَبَرذَداًand rock sugar
وَكَأَنَّ نُطفَةَ بارِدٍ وَطَبَرذَداً
وَمُدامَةًand wine قَدalready عُتِّقَتhad been aged أَعصاراfor ages
وَمُدامَةً قَد عُتِّقَت أَعصارا
And as though a drop of cool water, and rock sugar,
It flows over your smiling lips whenever
and wine that has been aged for ages,
You take a sip, though you know not its danger.
تَجريflow عَلىover أَنيابِthe canine teeth of بِشرَةَBishra كُلَّماwhenever
تَجري عَلى أَنيابِ بِشرَةَ كُلَّما
طَرَقَتshe came by night وَلاand not تَدريshe knows بِذاكَof that غِراراin brief snatches
طَرَقَت وَلا تَدري بِذاكَ غِرارا
flow over Bishra's canine teeth whenever
Quenching thirst when the thirsty beholds it -
she comes by night, unaware of it, in brief snatches.
Sweetly intoxicating the impassioned kisser.
يُروىis quenched بِهِby it الظَمآنُthe thirsty man حينَwhen يَشوفُهُhe sips it
يُروى بِهِ الظَمآنُ حينَ يَشوفُهُ
لَذَّsweet المُقَبَّلِthe place kissed بارِداًcool مِخماراintoxicating
لَذَّ المُقَبَّلِ بارِداً مِخمارا
The thirsty man is quenched by it when he sips it,
He who wears it in winter will succeed
sweet to kiss, cool and intoxicating.
More graciously than any fur cloak.
وَيَفوزُand is fortunate مَنwhoever هِيَshe فيin الشِتاءِwinter شِعارُهُhis inner garment
وَيَفوزُ مَن هِيَ في الشِتاءِ شِعارُهُ
أَكرِمhow splendid بِهاshe is دونَbeneath اللَحافِthe quilt شِعاراas an inner covering
أَكرِم بِها دونَ اللَحافِ شِعارا
And fortunate is he who wears her next to his skin in winter;
Show kindness to one whose mind you've addled,
how splendid an inner covering she is beneath the quilt!
Who hasn't fulfilled his promise from you.
جوديbe generous لِمَحزونٍto a sorrowful man ذَهَبتِyou went away بِعَقلِهِwith his reason
جودي لِمَحزونٍ ذَهَبتِ بِعَقلِهِ
لَمdid not يَقضِhe fulfill مِنكِfrom you بُشَيرَةُBushayra الأَوطاراthe desires
لَم يَقضِ مِنكِ بُشَيرَةُ الأَوطارا
Be generous to a sorrowful man whose reason you have stolen;
When I pine, I mark my heart with her absence,
he has not fulfilled his desires with you, Bushayra.
And find it confused and distraught.
وَإِذاand whenever ذَهَبتُI set about أَسومُimposing upon قَلبيmy heart خُطَّةًa resolve
وَإِذا ذَهَبتُ أَسومُ قَلبي خُطَّةً
مِنof هَجرِهاabandoning her أَلفَيتُهُI found it خَوّاراfainthearted
مِن هَجرِها أَلفَيتُهُ خَوّارا
And whenever I set about imposing on my heart a resolve
My eyes well up when I pine for her,
to abandon her, I find it fainthearted.
While my heart rages at remembering her anger.
وَاِغرَورَقَتand brimmed with tears عَينايَmy two eyes حينَwhen أَسومُهاI impose it
وَاِغرَورَقَت عَينايَ حينَ أَسومُها
وَالقَلبُand the heart هاجَsurged لِذِكرِهاat remembering her اِستِعباراinto weeping
وَالقَلبُ هاجَ لِذِكرِها اِستِعبارا
And my eyes well with tears when I press that resolve,
Thus do I rave, for as long as I live, O youths!
and remembering her stirs my heart to weeping.
And by it in the morn I gray my hair.
فَبِتِلكَso of that woman أَهذيI rave ماas long as حَيِيتُI live صَبابَةًin longing
فَبِتِلكَ أَهذي ما حَيِيتُ صَبابَةً
وَبِهاand with her الغَداةَthis morning أُشَيِّبُI make gray الأَشعاراthe poems
وَبِها الغَداةَ أُشَيِّبُ الأَشعارا
So I rave of her in longing for as long as I live;
Who can maintain ties if you sever our bonds?
and with her, this morning, I turn my verses gray.
Or confide in us your secrets after you?
مَنwho ذاis it يُواصِلُremains close إِنif صَرَمتِyou severed حِبالَناour cords
مَن ذا يُواصِلُ إِن صَرَمتِ حِبالَنا
أَمor مَنwhom نُحَدِّثُwe tell بَعدَكِafter you الأَسراراthe secrets
أَم مَن نُحَدِّثُ بَعدَكِ الأَسرارا
Who will remain close if you sever our cords?
Alas for Ku'ayqian and his people -
Or whom shall we tell our secrets after you?
With those two sorrows his tomb overflowed.
هَيهاتَfar away مِنكِfrom you قُعَيقِعانُQu'ayqi'an وَأَهلُهاand its people
هَيهاتَ مِنكِ قُعَيقِعانُ وَأَهلُها
بِالحَزنَتَينِat al-Haznatayn فَشَطَّso became distant ذاكَthat مَزاراas a place to visit
بِالحَزنَتَينِ فَشَطَّ ذاكَ مَزارا
How far from you are Qu'ayqi'an and its people,
at al-Haznatayn—so distant a place to visit!
Partial English translation: 52 of 54 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1