هاجَstirred القَريضَverse الذِكَرُmemories
هاجَ القَريضَ الذِكَرُ
لَمّاwhen غَدواthey went out in the morning فَاِبتَكَرواand set out early
لَمّا غَدوا فَاِبتَكَروا
Memories stirred the verse
The recollection stirred the buried past,
when they set out in the morning, leaving early,
When at dawn they set out to discover,
عَلىon بِغالٍmules وُسَّجٍswift-trotting
عَلى بِغالٍ وُسَّجٍ
قَدhad already ضَمَّهُنَّworn them lean السَفَرُthe journey
قَد ضَمَّهُنَّ السَفَرُ
on swift-trotting mules
On camels and howdahs well prepared
that the journey had worn lean;
For the rigours of travel that lay ahead.
وَقَولُهاand her words لِأُختِهاto her sister
وَقَولُها لِأُختِها
أَمُطمَئنٌّis ... at ease? عُمَرُUmar
أَمُطمَئنٌّ عُمَرُ
and her words to her sister:
And she said to her sister, “Does he stay
“Is Umar at ease
Content in our land, or plan to flee?
بِأَرضِناin our land فَماكِثٌand staying on
بِأَرضِنا فَماكِثٌ
أَمor حانَhas become due مِنهُfor him سَفَرُa departure
أَم حانَ مِنهُ سَفَرُ
in our land, and staying on,
Tomorrow, or seven days from now,
or is it time for him to travel?”
Will he leave, or will he tarry?”
قالَتshe said غَداًtomorrow أَوor سَبعَةًseven days
قالَت غَداً أَو سَبعَةً
يَروحُhe leaves in the afternoon أَوor يَبتَكِرُhe sets out early
يَروحُ أَو يَبتَكِرُ
She said, “Tomorrow, or in seven days,
Both roads they pondered, and laboured on,
he leaves in the afternoon, or sets out early.”
To smooth the journey before their dawn.
أَمّواthey headed for الطَريقَينِthe two roads مَعاًtogether
أَمّوا الطَريقَينِ مَعاً
وَيَسَّرواand traveled easily ماas far as يَسَّرواthey traveled easily
وَيَسَّروا ما يَسَّروا
They headed for the two roads together
Till having circled Al-Muarra mosque,
and traveled easily as far as they went,
When their rituals of worship were done,
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle وازَنواthey drew abreast of
حَتّى إِذا ما وازَنوا
المُرُوَةَal-Muruwa حينَwhen اِئتَمَرواthey took counsel
المُرُوَةَ حينَ اِئتَمَروا
until, when they drew abreast of
It was said, “Dismount from your night’s course,
al-Muruwa, as they took counsel,
Set up camp and kindle your fires.”
قيلَit was said اِنزِلواdismount مِنduring لَيلِكُمyour night
قيلَ اِنزِلوا مِن لَيلِكُم
فَعَرِّسواso halt for a short rest at night فَاِستَقمِرواthen await the moon
فَعَرِّسوا فَاِستَقمِروا
it was said, “Dismount during this night of yours;
When settled, their tent was pitched
halt to rest, and await the moon.”
Where the stones had been set.
لَمّاwhen اِستَقَرّواthey settled ضُرِبَتwere pitched
لَمّا اِستَقَرّوا ضُرِبَت
حَيثُwhere أَرادواthey wished الحُجَرُthe tented chambers
حَيثُ أَرادوا الحُجَرُ
When they settled, there were pitched
A terrible din fell upon them,
where they wished, the tented chambers.
Like the moon it darkened the sky.
فيهِمamong them مَهاةٌan oryx كاعِبٌa maiden with budding breasts
فيهِم مَهاةٌ كاعِبٌ
كَأَنَّماas though هِيَshe قَمَرُa moon
كَأَنَّما هِيَ قَمَرُ
Among them is an oryx, a budding-breasted maiden,
Too narrow its flanks for the saddle’s girth
as though she were the moon.
When the garment is drawn round its waist.
يَضيقُis too tight عَنfor أَردافِهاher hips
يَضيقُ عَن أَردافِها
إِذاwhen يُلاثُis wrapped المِئزَرُthe waistcloth
إِذا يُلاثُ المِئزَرُ
Too tight for her hips
Cheeks that breathe musk from their soft perfumed robes,
is the waistcloth when wrapped around her.
Ambergris-scented, gently composed.
خَودٌa delicate maiden يَفوحُwafts المِسكُmusk مِنfrom
خَودٌ يَفوحُ المِسكُ مِن
أَردانِهاher sleeves وَالعَنبَرُand ambergris
أَردانِها وَالعَنبَرُ
A delicate maiden: musk wafts from
She parts her lips like a hungry snake,
her sleeves, and ambergris too.
Parched ribs thinly veiled in her clothes.
تَفتَرُّshe parts her lips in a smile عَنrevealing مِثلِlike أَقاfirst part of 'daisies'
تَفتَرُّ عَن مِثلِ أَقا
حيremaining part of 'daisies' الرَملِthe sand فيهاin them أُشُرُfine serrations
حي الرَملِ فيها أُشُرُ
Her smile reveals teeth like daisies
None in creation can equal her,
of the sand, their edges finely serrated.
She is beyond all human compare.
تِلكَthat woman الَّتيwho لَيسَthere is no لَهاfor her
تِلكَ الَّتي لَيسَ لَها
فيamong الناسِpeople شِبهاًa likeness بَشَرُa human being
في الناسِ شِبهاً بَشَرُ
That is she who has no
An army of giants could scarce restrain
human likeness among people.
The passions of youth her allure would evoke.
نَأَتwent far away بِهاwith her عَنّاfrom us عُيوfirst part of 'lean she-camels'
نَأَت بِها عَنّا عُيو
جٌremaining part of 'lean she-camels' فيin مَطاهاtheir backs عُمُرُvigor
جٌ في مَطاها عُمُرُ
Lean she-camels have borne her far from us,
By God, I would forfeit my soul or my life,
their backs full of vigor.
Just to sate my desire she provoke.
تَاللَهِby God أَنسىI shall not forget حُبَّهاlove for her
تَاللَهِ أَنسى حُبَّها
حَياتَناthroughout our lives أَوor until أُقبَرُI am buried
حَياتَنا أَو أُقبَرُ
By God, I shall not forget my love for her
while we live, or until I am buried.
Partial English translation: 30 of 32 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1