أَقِلّيlessen عَلَيَّupon me اللَومَthe blame ياO بِنتَdaughter of مُنذِرٍMundhir
أَقِلّي عَلَيَّ اللَومَ يا بِنتَ مُنذِرٍ
وَناميand sleep وَإِنand if لَمnot تَشتَهيyou desire النَومَsleep فَاِسهَريthen stay awake
وَنامي وَإِن لَم تَشتَهي النَومَ فَاِسهَري
Blame me less, O daughter of Mundhir,
Blame me less, O daughter of Munzir
and sleep; if you do not desire sleep, then stay awake.
And sleep even if you don’t feel like sleeping, stay up
ذَرينيleave me وَنَفسيand my soul أُمَّmother of حَسّانَHassan إِنَّنيindeed I
ذَريني وَنَفسي أُمَّ حَسّانَ إِنَّني
بِهاwith it قَبلَbefore أَنthat لاnot أَملِكَI control البَيعَthe sale مُشتَريa buyer
بِها قَبلَ أَن لا أَملِكَ البَيعَ مُشتَري
Leave me to myself, Umm Hassan, for I am
Leave me and my soul be, O Umm Hasan
buying with my life, before I can no longer bargain,
For I was with it before I lose the ability to sell
أَحاديثَtales تَبقىremain وَالفَتىand the young man غَيرُnot خالِدٍimmortal
أَحاديثَ تَبقى وَالفَتى غَيرُ خالِدٍ
إِذاwhen هُوَhe أَمسىhas become هامَةًan owl فَوقَabove صُيَّرِa grave-cairn
إِذا هُوَ أَمسى هامَةً فَوقَ صُيَّرِ
tales that endure, though a young man is not immortal,
Conversations remain while the young man is not eternal
when he has become an owl above a grave-cairn,
If one evening he becomes obsessed above the palm trees
تُجاوِبُanswers أَحجارَthe stones of الكِناسِthe lair وَتَشتَكيand complains
تُجاوِبُ أَحجارَ الكِناسِ وَتَشتَكي
إِلىto كُلِّevery مَعروفٍfamiliar one رَأَتهُit saw him وَمُنكَرِand unfamiliar one
إِلى كُلِّ مَعروفٍ رَأَتهُ وَمُنكَرِ
answering the stones of the lair, and lamenting
It answers the rocks of the fort and complains
to every familiar one and stranger it has seen.
To every good and bad it saw
ذَرينيleave me أُطَوِّفI roam فيthrough البِلادِthe lands لَعَلَّنيperhaps I
ذَريني أُطَوِّف في البِلادِ لَعَلَّني
أُخَلّيكِI leave you free أَوor أُغنيكِI enrich you عَنfrom سوءِthe misery of مَحضِريmy presence
أُخَلّيكِ أَو أُغنيكِ عَن سوءِ مَحضِري
Let me roam through the lands; perhaps I shall
Leave me wander in the countries maybe
leave you free, or enrich you beyond the hardship of my company.
I will spare you or make you needless of my presence
فَإِنthen if فازَwins سَهمٌan arrow لِلمَنِيَّةِfor Death لَمnot أَكُنI shall be
فَإِن فازَ سَهمٌ لِلمَنِيَّةِ لَم أَكُن
جَزوعاًdistraught وَهَلand is there عَنfrom ذاكَthat مِنany مُتَأَخِّرِone who can hold back
جَزوعاً وَهَل عَن ذاكَ مِن مُتَأَخِّرِ
If Death's arrow wins, I shall not be
If an arrow of death takes me I won’t be
distraught—and can anyone delay that fate?
Saddened, and does anyone escapes that?
وَإِنand if فازَwins سَهميmy arrow كَفَّكُمit spares you all عَنfrom مَقاعِدٍseats
وَإِن فازَ سَهمي كَفَّكُم عَن مَقاعِدٍ
لَكُمfor you خَلفَbehind أَدبارِthe backs of البُيوتِthe houses وَمُنظَرِand a waiting-place
لَكُم خَلفَ أَدبارِ البُيوتِ وَمُنظَرِ
And if my arrow wins, it will spare you those seats
And if my arrow takes you I spare you seats
of yours behind the backs of houses, and the waiting there.
Behind the houses and sights
تَقولُshe says لَكَto you الوَيلاتُwoes هَلare أَنتَyou تارِكٌabandoning
تَقولُ لَكَ الوَيلاتُ هَل أَنتَ تارِكٌ
ضُبُوّاًlying in ambush بِرَجلٍwith footmen تارَةًat one time وَبِمِنسَرِand with a mounted band
ضُبُوّاً بِرَجلٍ تارَةً وَبِمِنسَرِ
She says: Woe to you! Will you abandon
You are told woes, are you leaving
lying in wait, now with footmen, now with a mounted band,
Angrily, sometimes on foot and sometimes riding
وَمُستَثبِتٌand holding firm فيin مالِكَyour wealth العامَthis year أَنَّنيthat I
وَمُستَثبِتٌ في مالِكَ العامَ أَنَّني
أَراكَI see you عَلىon أَقتادِthe saddle-frames of صَرماءَa milkless she-camel مُذكِرِmale-like
أَراكَ عَلى أَقتادِ صَرماءَ مُذكِرِ
and hold fast to your wealth this year? For I
And claiming in your property that I
see you on the saddle-frames of a milkless, male-like she-camel.
See you chasing the sterility of an old woman
فَجوعٌfor hunger لِأَهلِfor the households of الصالِحينَthe righteous مَزَلَّةٌa slippery place
فَجوعٌ لِأَهلِ الصالِحينَ مَزَلَّةٌ
مَخوفٌfeared رَداهاits deadly fall أَنthat تُصيبُكَit strikes you فَاِحذَرِso beware
مَخوفٌ رَداها أَن تُصيبُكَ فَاِحذَرِ
For hunger is a slippery place for the households of the righteous,
Hunger of good people is a feared shelter
its deadly fall feared; beware lest it strike you.
Drive it back lest it afflicts you
أَبىdenied الخَفضَease مَنwhoever يَغشاكِvisits you مِنfrom among ذيone with قَرابَةٍkinship
أَبى الخَفضَ مَن يَغشاكِ مِن ذي قَرابَةٍ
وَمِنand from كُلِّevery سَوداءِblack المَعاصِمِwrists تَعتَريcomes calling
وَمِن كُلِّ سَوداءِ المَعاصِمِ تَعتَري
The kinsmen who visit you deny me ease,
He who approaches you from a relative refused politeness
and every black-wristed woman who comes calling,
And from every black-lipped woman that comes to you
وَمُستَهنِئٍand a seeker of gifts زَيدٌZayd أَبوهُhis father فَلاso not أَرىI see
وَمُستَهنِئٍ زَيدٌ أَبوهُ فَلا أَرى
لَهُfor him مَدفَعاًa means of rebuff فَاِقنَيso preserve حَياءَكِyour modesty وَاِصبِريand be patient
لَهُ مَدفَعاً فَاِقنَي حَياءَكِ وَاِصبِري
and the seeker of gifts whose father is Zayd; so I see
And Zayd feels happy that his father
no way to turn him away; hold fast to your modesty and be patient.
I don’t see a defender for you so be patient
لَحىmay curse اللَهُGod صُعلوكاًa pauper إِذاwhen جَنَّdarkens لَيلُهُhis night
لَحى اللَهُ صُعلوكاً إِذا جَنَّ لَيلُهُ
مُصافيa friend of المُشاشِgristly bone-ends آلِفاًfrequenting كُلَّevery مَجزَرِslaughter-place
مُصافي المُشاشِ آلِفاً كُلَّ مَجزَرِ
May God curse the pauper who, when night enfolds him,
May Allah disfigure Souloka if his night comes
is a friend to gristly bone-ends, haunting every slaughter-place.
Slaughtering the shepherd of sheep, a butcher of every sacrifice
يَعُدُّcounts الغِنىwealth مِنfrom نَفسِهِhimself كُلَّevery لَيلَةٍnight
يَعُدُّ الغِنى مِن نَفسِهِ كُلَّ لَيلَةٍ
أَصابَhe obtained قِراهاits guest-meal مِنfrom صَديقٍa friend مُيَسَّرِwell-off
أَصابَ قِراها مِن صَديقٍ مُيَسَّرِ
He counts himself rich each night
He counts richness from himself every night
he gets that night's supper from a well-off friend.
Hit his towns with a friend made wealthy
يَنامُhe sleeps عِشاءًat nightfall ثُمَّthen يُصبِحُhe rises in the morning ناعِساًdrowsy
يَنامُ عِشاءً ثُمَّ يُصبِحُ ناعِساً
يَحُتُّhe scrapes off الحَصىthe pebbles عَنfrom جَنبِهِhis side المُتَعَفِّرِdust-covered
يَحُتُّ الحَصى عَن جَنبِهِ المُتَعَفِّرِ
He sleeps at nightfall, then rises drowsy,
He sleeps dinner then wakes up sleepy
scraping pebbles from his dust-covered side.
Scratches pebbles off his dirty side
قَليلُlittle اِلتِماسِseeking الزادِprovisions إِلّاexcept لِنَفسِهِfor himself
قَليلُ اِلتِماسِ الزادِ إِلّا لِنَفسِهِ
إِذاwhen هُوَhe أَمسىhas become كَالعَريشِlike a hut المُجَوَّرِsagging
إِذا هُوَ أَمسى كَالعَريشِ المُجَوَّرِ
He scarcely seeks provisions, except for himself,
Little asking for provision except for himself
when evening finds him like a sagging hut.
If one evening he becomes like an empty falcon nest
يُعينُhe helps نِساءَthe women of الحَيِّthe tribe ماwhenever يَستَعِنُّهُthey seek his help
يُعينُ نِساءَ الحَيِّ ما يَستَعِنُّهُ
وَيُمسيand he reaches evening طَليحاًexhausted كَالبَعيرِlike a camel المُحَسَّرِworn out
وَيُمسي طَليحاً كَالبَعيرِ المُحَسَّرِ
He helps the women of the tribe whenever they seek his help,
He helps the women of the neighborhood what helps him
and reaches evening exhausted, like a worn-out camel.
And becomes a smooth camel like a captive camel
وَلَكِنَّand yet صُعلوكاًa pauper صَفيحَةُthe broad surface of وَجهِهِhis face
وَلَكِنَّ صُعلوكاً صَفيحَةُ وَجهِهِ
كَضَوءِlike the light of شِهابِa firebrand القابِسِthe fire-seeker المُتَنَوِّرِseeking light
كَضَوءِ شِهابِ القابِسِ المُتَنَوِّرِ
And yet, the pauper whose broad face
Except Souloka’s face is like the shiny rising
is like the glow of a fire-seeker's torch,
Light of the burning torch
مُطِلّاًlooming عَلىover أَعدائِهِhis enemies يَزجُرونَهُthey shout him away
مُطِلّاً عَلى أَعدائِهِ يَزجُرونَهُ
بِساحَتِهِمin their courtyard زَجرَthe rebuking of المَنيحِthe blank gaming-arrow المُشَهَّرِwell-known
بِساحَتِهِم زَجرَ المَنيحِ المُشَهَّرِ
looming over his enemies, who shout him away
Looking at his enemies, they scare him
in their courtyard, as they rebuke a well-known blank gaming-arrow,
In their yard, the scare of a roaring lion
إِذاwhen بَعُدواthey are far away لاnot يَأمَنونَthey feel safe from اِقتِرابَهُhis approach
إِذا بَعُدوا لا يَأمَنونَ اِقتِرابَهُ
تَشَوُّفَwatching expectantly أَهلَthe family of الغائِبِthe absent one المُتَنَظَّرِawaited
تَشَوُّفَ أَهلَ الغائِبِ المُتَنَظَّرِ
when they are far away, they never feel safe from his approach,
If they are away they don’t feel safe from his approach
watching like the family of an absent man long awaited—
Those who miss the absent hope for his return
فَذالِكَthen that man إِنif يَلقَhe meets المَنِيَّةَDeath يَلقَهاhe meets it
فَذالِكَ إِن يَلقَ المَنِيَّةَ يَلقَها
حَميداًpraiseworthy وَإِنand if يَستَغنِhe grows rich يَوماًone day فَأَجدَرِthen more deserving
حَميداً وَإِن يَستَغنِ يَوماً فَأَجدَرِ
that man, if he meets Death, meets it
So if he meets death he meets it
with honor; and if one day he grows rich, he well deserves it.
Praiseworthy and if lives for days then better
أَيَهلِكُshall perish? مُعتَمٌّMu'tamm وَزَيدٌand Zayd وَلَمwhile not أَقُمI have risen
أَيَهلِكُ مُعتَمٌّ وَزَيدٌ وَلَم أَقُم
عَلىon نُدَبٍa spirited steed يَوماًone day وَليand I have نَفسُthe soul of مُخطِرِa risk-taker
عَلى نُدَبٍ يَوماً وَلي نَفسُ مُخطِرِ
Shall Mu'tamm and Zayd perish, while I have never mounted
Does an uncertain or Zayd die and I don’t
a spirited steed even once, though mine is a risk-taker's soul?
Stand for condoling one day and my soul warns me
سَتُفزِعُwill frighten بَعدَafter اليَأسِdespair مَنthose who لاnot يَخافُناfear us
سَتُفزِعُ بَعدَ اليَأسِ مَن لا يَخافُنا
كَواسِعُrear-striking steeds فيat أُخرىthe rear of السَوامَthe grazing herd المُنَفَّرِdriven in alarm
كَواسِعُ في أُخرى السَوامَ المُنَفَّرِ
Those who do not fear us will be startled, after despair,
After despair those who don’t fear us will be scared
by steeds striking at the rear of the frightened grazing herd.
Like the spacious ostrich to the scattered arrows
يُطاعِنُhe exchanges thrusts عَنهاin its defense أَوَّلَthe foremost of القَومِthe men بِالقَناwith lances
يُطاعِنُ عَنها أَوَّلَ القَومِ بِالقَنا
وَبيضٍand white swords خِفافٍlight ذاتِhaving لَونٍa sheen مُشَهَّرِgleaming
وَبيضٍ خِفافٍ ذاتِ لَونٍ مُشَهَّرِ
He fights the foremost men with lances in its defense,
Stabbing the best of people with the spear
and with light, white swords of a gleaming sheen.
And white thin with colorful complexion
فَيَوماًso one day عَلىin نَجدٍNajd وَغاراتِand raids on أَهلِهاits people
فَيَوماً عَلى نَجدٍ وَغاراتِ أَهلِها
وَيَوماًand one day بِأَرضٍin a land ذاتِhaving شَتٍّshatt shrubs وَعَرعَرِand juniper
وَيَوماً بِأَرضٍ ذاتِ شَتٍّ وَعَرعَرِ
So one day in Najd, raiding its people,
One day in Najd and its people’s raids
and another in a land of shatt and juniper.
Another in a cold and flat land
يُناقِلنَthey travel swiftly بِالشُمطِwith the gray-haired men الكِرامِthe noble أُليpossessors of القُوىstrength
يُناقِلنَ بِالشُمطِ الكِرامِ أُلي القُوى
نِقابَthe passes of الحِجازِthe Hijaz فيamid السَريحِthe grazing livestock المُسَيَّرِdriven onward
نِقابَ الحِجازِ في السَريحِ المُسَيَّرِ
They swiftly carry noble gray-haired men of strength
Transfer with dancers the generous vanguards
through the passes of the Hijaz, amid the grazing herds driven onward.
The veils of Hejaz in the strung unit
يُريحُbrings in at evening عَلَيَّto me اللَيلُthe night أَضيافَthe guests of ماجِدٍa noble man
يُريحُ عَلَيَّ اللَيلُ أَضيافَ ماجِدٍ
كَريمٍgenerous وَماليand my wealth سارِحاًout grazing مالُthe wealth of مُقتَرِan impoverished man
كَريمٍ وَمالي سارِحاً مالُ مُقتَرِ
Night brings me the guests of a noble man,
The night rests guests of generous
a generous one, though my grazing herds are a poor man's wealth.
Kind Ma jid whose money is spent by an asker
Sol 6.1