حَدِّثrecount حَديثَa tale of فَتاةِa maiden of حَيٍّa tribe مَرَّةًonce
حَدِّث حَديثَ فَتاةِ حَيٍّ مَرَّةً
بِالجِزعِat the valley bend بَينَbetween أَذاخِرٍAdhakhir وَحَراءِand Hara
بِالجِزعِ بَينَ أَذاخِرٍ وَحَراءِ
Recount once the tale of a maiden of the tribe,
Tell the tale of a maiden of a lively clan
at the valley bend between Adhakhir and Hara.
Who once lamented while amid ruins and wasteland:
قالَتshe said لِجارَتِهاto her neighbor عِشاءًat nightfall إِذwhen رَأَتshe saw
قالَت لِجارَتِها عِشاءً إِذ رَأَت
نُزَهَpleasant retreats المَكانِof the place وَغَيبَةَand the absence of الأَعداءِthe foes
نُزَهَ المَكانِ وَغَيبَةَ الأَعداءِ
She said to her neighbor at nightfall, when she saw
She said to her neighbor in the evening when she saw
the place's pleasant retreats and the absence of foes,
The beauty of the spot and absence of foes:
فيin رَوضَةٍa meadow يَمَّمنَهاthey made for it مَولِيَّةٍwatered by later rains
في رَوضَةٍ يَمَّمنَها مَولِيَّةٍ
مَيثاءَsoft-soiled رابِيَةٍrising بُعَيدَshortly after سَماءِrain
مَيثاءَ رابِيَةٍ بُعَيدَ سَماءِ
in a meadow they had sought, watered by later rains,
In a garden made pleasant by a gently blowing breeze,
soft-soiled and rising, shortly after rain,
A resting place far from the distant firmament,
فيin ظِلِّthe shade of دانِيَةِlow-hanging الغُصونِbranches وَريقَةٍleafy
في ظِلِّ دانِيَةِ الغُصونِ وَريقَةٍ
نَبَتَتit grew بِأَبطَحَin a pebbly streambed طَيِّبِgood الثَرياءِmoist soil
نَبَتَت بِأَبطَحَ طَيِّبِ الثَرياءِ
in the shade of a leafy tree with low-hanging branches
In the shade of a thick-branched tree and soft meadow
that had grown in a broad streambed of rich, moist earth.
That sprang in the hollow of good fertile soil,
وَكَأَنَّand as though ريقَتَهاher saliva صَبيرُa dense cloudbank غَمامَةًa cloud
وَكَأَنَّ ريقَتَها صَبيرُ غَمامَةً
بَرَدَتshed hail عَلىin صَحوٍclear weather بُعَيدَshortly after ضَحاءِforenoon
بَرَدَت عَلى صَحوٍ بُعَيدَ ضَحاءِ
And her saliva seemed a dense bank of cloud
And it was as if its softness were a raincloud
that shed hail in clear weather, just after forenoon.
That cooled over distant, hot, barren land.
لَيتَif only المُغيرِيَّal-Mughiri العَشيَّةَthis evening أَسعَفَتfavored
لَيتَ المُغيرِيَّ العَشيَّةَ أَسعَفَت
دارٌa dwelling بِهِwith him لِتَقارُبِbecause of the closeness of الأَهواءِdesires
دارٌ بِهِ لِتَقارُبِ الأَهواءِ
“If only this evening al-Mughiri could be brought near
Would that the one who brings evening had favored
by a dwelling, for our desires are so alike,
A house where we could be near each other!
إِذnow that غابَwas absent عَنّاfrom us مَنthose whom نَخافُwe fear وَطاوَعَتand yielded
إِذ غابَ عَنّا مَن نَخافُ وَطاوَعَت
أَرضٌland لَناfor us بِلَذاذَةٍwith pleasure وَخَلاءِand seclusion
أَرضٌ لَنا بِلَذاذَةٍ وَخَلاءِ
now that those we fear are away from us, and we are favored
When he who we fear is absent from us
with a place of pleasure and seclusion.”
The land is ours in pleasantness and solitude."
قُلتُI said اِركَبواmount up نَزُرِlet us visit الَّتيthe one who زَعَمَتclaimed لَناto us
قُلتُ اِركَبوا نَزُرِ الَّتي زَعَمَت لَنا
أَنthat لاnot نُباليهاwe care about her كَبيرَgreat بَلاءِconcern
أَن لا نُباليها كَبيرَ بَلاءِ
I said, “Mount up; let us visit the one who claimed to us
I said, "Ride on! He who professed to us
that we show her no great concern.”
That we should not heed it, though great the test."
بَيناwhile كَذَلِكَthus إِذsuddenly عَجاجَةُa dust cloud of مَوكِبٍa cavalcade
بَينا كَذَلِكَ إِذ عَجاجَةُ مَوكِبٍ
رَفَعواthey quickened ذَميلَthe brisk trot of العيسِthe pale camels بِالصَحراءِacross the desert
رَفَعوا ذَميلَ العيسِ بِالصَحراءِ
While things were thus, behold, a cavalcade's dust cloud—
While we were thus, suddenly the creaking sound
they had quickened the pale camels' trot across the desert.
Of a procession raising the hem of a robe in the desert.
قالَتshe said لِجارَتِهاto her neighbor اِنظُريlook هاthere مَنwho أُلىthose people
قالَت لِجارَتِها اِنظُري ها مَن أُلى
وَتَأَمَّليand look closely مَنwho راكِبُthe rider of الأَدماءِthe white she-camel
وَتَأَمَّلي مَن راكِبُ الأَدماءِ
She said to her neighbor, “Look—who are those?
She said to her neighbor, "Look! See who has come
And look closely: who rides the white she-camel?”
And observe well the rider of the roan camel."
قالَتshe said أَبوAbu (father of) الخَطابِal-Khattab أَعرِفُI recognize زِيَّهُhis appearance
قالَت أَبو الخَطابِ أَعرِفُ زِيَّهُ
وَلِباسَهُand his clothing لاno شَكَّdoubt غَيرَwithout خَفاءُobscurity
وَلِباسَهُ لا شَكَّ غَيرَ خَفاءُ
She said, “Abu al-Khattab; I recognize his appearance
She said, "I know his garb and dress -
and his clothing—without doubt or uncertainty.”
Without doubt it is none other than Khafaja."
قالَتshe said وَهَلand is it so? قالَتshe said نَعَمyes فَاِستَبشِريso rejoice
قالَت وَهَل قالَت نَعَم فَاِستَبشِري
مِمَّنof one whose يُحَبُّis loved لَقِيُّهُmeeting him بِلِقاءِat a meeting
مِمَّن يُحَبُّ لَقِيُّهُ بِلِقاءِ
She said, “Is it he?” She replied, “Yes—so rejoice
She said, "Indeed! Then be glad,
at meeting someone whom it is a joy to meet.”
For the one whom we love to meet is come."
قالَتshe said لَقَدindeed جاءَتhas come إِذاًthen أُمنِيَّتيmy wish
قالَت لَقَد جاءَت إِذاً أُمنِيَّتي
فيin غَيرِabsence of تَكلِفَةٍeffort وَغَيرِand absence of عَناءِhardship
في غَيرِ تَكلِفَةٍ وَغَيرِ عَناءِ
She said, “Then my wish has indeed come true,
She said, "My wish has indeed been answered
without effort and without hardship.
Without effort or exertion on my part.
ماnot كُنتُI was أَرجوexpecting أَنthat يُلِمَّhe would visit بِأَرضِناin our land
ما كُنتُ أَرجو أَن يُلِمَّ بِأَرضِنا
إِلّاexcept تَمَنِّيَهُwishing for him كَبيرَgreat رَجاءِhope
إِلّا تَمَنِّيَهُ كَبيرَ رَجاءِ
I had not expected him to visit our land,
I did not hope that he would visit our land
but only wished for him with great hope.
Except by greatly wishing and hoping for it.
فَإِذاand behold المُنىthe wishes قَدindeed قَرَّبَتbrought within reach بِلِقائِهِthrough meeting him
فَإِذا المُنى قَد قَرَّبَت بِلِقائِهِ
وَأَجابَand he responded فيin سِرٍّsecrecy لَناto us وَخَلاءِand seclusion
وَأَجابَ في سِرٍّ لَنا وَخَلاءِ
And now my wishes are within reach through meeting him,
And so my desire is brought near by meeting him,
and he has responded to us in secrecy and seclusion.”
And he has answered in secret, for me and in solitude."
لَمّاwhen تَواقَفناwe stood facing each other وَحَيَّيناهُماand we greeted them both
لَمّا تَواقَفنا وَحَيَّيناهُما
رَدَّتshe returned تَحِيَّتَناour greeting عَلىwith اِستِحياءِshyness
رَدَّت تَحِيَّتَنا عَلى اِستِحياءِ
When we stood facing each other and greeted them both,
When we stopped and greeted them,
she returned our greeting shyly.
He returned our greeting bashfully.
قُلنَthey said اِنزِلواdismount فَتَيَمَّمواthen seek لِمَطِيِّكُمfor your mounts
قُلنَ اِنزِلوا فَتَيَمَّموا لِمَطِيِّكُم
غَيباًa hiding place تُغَيِّبُهُyou conceal it إِلىuntil الإِمساءِevening
غَيباً تُغَيِّبُهُ إِلى الإِمساءِ
They said, “Dismount, and seek for your mounts
We said, "Dismount, rest your riding beasts
a hidden place where you can conceal them until evening.
Hidden away until nightfall."
إِنif تَنظُرواyou consider اليَومَtoday الثَواءَstaying بِأَرضِناin our land
إِن تَنظُروا اليَومَ الثَواءَ بِأَرضِنا
فَغَدٌthen tomorrow لَكُمfor you رَهنٌis pledged بِحُسنِfor a pleasant ثَواءِstay
فَغَدٌ لَكُم رَهنٌ بِحُسنِ ثَواءِ
If you consider staying in our land today,
"If you look upon our land today favorably,
then tomorrow is pledged to you for a pleasant stay.”
Tomorrow you will be indebted to its hospitality."
عُجناwe turned aside مَطاياmounts قَدalready عَيَينَhad grown weary وَعُوِّدَتand had been trained
عُجنا مَطايا قَد عَيَينَ وَعُوِّدَت
أَلّاnot to يَرُمنَthey seek تَرَغُّماًdispleasure بِرُغاءِby bellowing
أَلّا يَرُمنَ تَرَغُّماً بِرُغاءِ
We turned our mounts aside, already weary and trained
"We have wearied our riding beasts which are accustomed
not to seek to voice displeasure by bellowing.
Not to grumble with a roar of discontent,
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen أُمِنَwas no longer feared الرَقيبُthe watcher وَنُوِّمَتand were lulled to sleep
حَتّى إِذا أُمِنَ الرَقيبُ وَنُوِّمَت
عَنّاaway from us عُيونُthe eyes of سَواهِرِthe wakeful among الأَعداءِthe foes
عَنّا عُيونُ سَواهِرِ الأَعداءِ
At last, when we were safe from the watcher, and sleep had closed
Until, when the watcher is reassured and
the eyes of our wakeful foes, leaving us unwatched,
Eyes of hostile spies are closed in slumber,
خَرَجَتshe came out تَأَطَّرُswaying فيamong ثَلاثٍthree women كَالدُمىlike figurines
خَرَجَت تَأَطَّرُ في ثَلاثٍ كَالدُمى
تَمشيshe walks كَمَشيِlike the gait of الظَبيَةِthe gazelle الأَدماءِthe pale-coated one
تَمشي كَمَشيِ الظَبيَةِ الأَدماءِ
she came out swaying, among three women like figurines,
She emerged, wrists adorned with bracelets, walking like
walking with the gait of a pale gazelle.
A roe deer, in a party of three, with graceful gait.
جاءَcame البَشيرُthe herald بِأَنَّهاwith news that she قَدalready أَقبَلَتapproached
جاءَ البَشيرُ بِأَنَّها قَد أَقبَلَت
ريحٌa breeze لَهاit has أَرجٌfragrance بِكُلِّin every فَضاءِopen space
ريحٌ لَها أَرجٌ بِكُلِّ فَضاءِ
The herald came with news that she was approaching:
The herald brought news that she approached,
a breeze whose fragrance spread through every open space.
A breeze with a fragrance pervading the atmosphere."
قالَتshe said لِرَبّيto my Lord الشُكرُthanks هَذيthis لَيلَةًnight
قالَت لِرَبّي الشُكرُ هَذي لَيلَةً
نَذراًa vow أُؤَدّيهِI fulfill it لَهُto Him بِوَفاءِfaithfully
نَذراً أُؤَدّيهِ لَهُ بِوَفاءِ
She said, “Thanks to my Lord on this night—
She said, "Thanks to my Lord! Tonight in fulfillment
a vow I faithfully fulfill to Him.”
Of a vow I will faithfully perform for His sake."
Sol 6.1