بانَdeparted الخَليطُthe companions وَلَمand did not يَأوُواshow pity لِمَنfor those whom تَرَكواthey left behind
بانَ الخَليطُ وَلَم يَأوُوا لِمَن تَرَكوا
وَزَوَّدوكَand they provisioned you اِشتِياقاًlonging أَيَّةًwhichever way سَلَكواthey went
وَزَوَّدوكَ اِشتِياقاً أَيَّةً سَلَكوا
The companions departed, taking no pity on those they left behind,
and provisioned you with longing, whichever way they went.
رَدَّbrought back القِيانُthe servants جِمالَthe camels of الحَيِّthe tribe فَاِحتَمَلواso they broke camp
رَدَّ القِيانُ جِمالَ الحَيِّ فَاِحتَمَلوا
إِلىtoward الظَهيرَةِnoon أَمرٌan affair بَينَهُمamong them لَبِكُtangled
إِلى الظَهيرَةِ أَمرٌ بَينَهُم لَبِكُ
The servants brought back the tribe's camels, and they broke camp
toward noon, their business tangled among them.
ماnot إِنemphatic particle يَكادُnearly يُخَلّيهِمlets them go لِوِجهَتِهِمtoward their destination
ما إِن يَكادُ يُخَلّيهِم لِوِجهَتِهِم
تَخالُجُthe conflicting pulls of الأَمرِthe affair إِنَّindeed الأَمرَthe undertaking مُشتَرَكُshared
تَخالُجُ الأَمرِ إِنَّ الأَمرَ مُشتَرَكُ
Scarcely did it leave them free to go their way—
the conflicting pulls of their affairs; the undertaking concerned them all.
ضَحَّواthey halted at forenoon قَليلاًbriefly قَفاbehind كُثبانِthe dunes of أَسنُمَةٍAsnuma
ضَحَّوا قَليلاً قَفا كُثبانِ أَسنُمَةٍ
وَمِنهُمُand among them بِالقَسومِيّاتِat al-Qasumiyyat مُعتَرَكُa throng
وَمِنهُمُ بِالقَسومِيّاتِ مُعتَرَكُ
They halted briefly at forenoon behind Asnuma's dunes,
and at al-Qasumiyyat there was a throng of them.
ثُمَّthen اِستَمَرّواthey pressed on وَقالواand they said إِنَّindeed مَشرَبَكُمyour watering place
ثُمَّ اِستَمَرّوا وَقالوا إِنَّ مَشرَبَكُم
ماءٌwater بِشَرقِيِّeast of سَلمىSalma فَيدُFayd أَوor رَكَكُRakak
ماءٌ بِشَرقِيِّ سَلمى فَيدُ أَو رَكَكُ
Then they pressed on and said, 'Your watering place
is water east of Salma—Fayd or Rakak.'
يَغشىlead into الحُداةُthe camel-drivers بِهِمwith them وَعثَthe soft sand of الكَثيبِthe dune كَماjust as
يَغشى الحُداةُ بِهِم وَعثَ الكَثيبِ كَما
يُغشيdrive into السَفائِنَthe ships مَوجَthe waves of اللُجَّةِthe deep sea العَرَكُthe mariners
يُغشي السَفائِنَ مَوجَ اللُجَّةِ العَرَكُ
The drivers lead them into the dune's soft sand, as
mariners drive ships into the waves of the deep.
هَلquestion particle تُبلِغَنِّيَbring me أَدنىthe nearest دارِهِمof their dwellings قُلُصٌyoung she-camels
هَل تُبلِغَنِّيَ أَدنى دارِهِم قُلُصٌ
يُزجيurges onward أَوائِلَهاtheir foremost التَبغيلُa mule-like gait وَالرَتَكُand a quick trot
يُزجي أَوائِلَها التَبغيلُ وَالرَتَكُ
Will young she-camels bring me to their nearest dwelling,
their foremost urged onward by a mule-like gait and a quick trot?
مُقوَرَّةٌlean-flanked تَتَبارىracing one another لاno شَوارَgear لَهاfor them
مُقوَرَّةٌ تَتَبارى لا شَوارَ لَها
إِلّاexcept القُطوعُthe saddle-pads عَلىover الأَنساعِthe girths وَالوُرُكُand hip-cushions
إِلّا القُطوعُ عَلى الأَنساعِ وَالوُرُكُ
Lean-flanked, racing one another, they have no gear
except saddle-pads over the girths and hip-cushions.
مِثلُlike النَعامِostriches إِذاwhen هَيَّجتَهاyou rouse them اِرتَفَعَتthey speed away
مِثلُ النَعامِ إِذا هَيَّجتَها اِرتَفَعَت
عَلىalong لَواحِبَclear tracks بيضٍwhite بَينَهاbetween them الشَرَكُbranching paths
عَلى لَواحِبَ بيضٍ بَينَها الشَرَكُ
Like ostriches that, when you rouse them, speed away
along clear white tracks, with branching paths between them.
وَقَدand often أَروحُI ride in the afternoon أَمامَahead of الحَيِّthe tribe مُقتَنِصاًhunting
وَقَد أَروحُ أَمامَ الحَيِّ مُقتَنِصاً
قُمراًpale wild asses مَراتِعُهاtheir pastures القيعانُlevel plains وَالنَبَكُand sandy hillocks
قُمراً مَراتِعُها القيعانُ وَالنَبَكُ
And often I ride ahead of the tribe in the afternoon, hunting
pale wild asses whose pastures are the flats and sandy hillocks.
وَصاحِبيand my companion وَردَةٌa rose-red mare نَهدٌpowerfully built مَراكِلُهاher flanks
وَصاحِبي وَردَةٌ نَهدٌ مَراكِلُها
جَرداءُsleek-coated لاno فَحَجٌbow-leggedness فيهاin her وَلاnor صَكَكُknock-knees
جَرداءُ لا فَحَجٌ فيها وَلا صَكَكُ
My companion is a rose-red mare with powerful flanks,
sleek-coated, neither bow-legged nor knock-kneed.
مَرّاًfleet-running كِفاتاًcompact in stride إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle الماءُthe water أَسهَلَهاbrings her onto level ground
مَرّاً كِفاتاً إِذا ما الماءُ أَسهَلَها
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ضُرِبَتshe is struck بِالسَوطِwith the whip تَبتَرِكُshe races at full stretch
حَتّى إِذا ضُرِبَت بِالسَوطِ تَبتَرِكُ
Fleet and compact in stride when water brings her to the plain,
until, when struck with the whip, she races at full stretch.
كَأَنَّهاas though she were مِنone of قَطاthe sandgrouse of الأَجبابِal-Ajbab حَلَّأَهاdrove her from water
كَأَنَّها مِن قَطا الأَجبابِ حَلَّأَها
وِردٌa watering party وَأَفرَدَand separated عَنهاfrom her أُختَهاher sister الشَرَكُthe snare
وِردٌ وَأَفرَدَ عَنها أُختَها الشَرَكُ
As though she were one of al-Ajbab's sandgrouse, driven away
by a watering party, a snare having parted her from her sister.
جونِيَّةٌdusky كَحَصاةِlike the pebble of القَسمِwater-apportioning مَرتَعُهاher pasture
جونِيَّةٌ كَحَصاةِ القَسمِ مَرتَعُها
بِالسِيِّat al-Siyy ماwhat تُنبِتُproduce القَفعاءُthe qaf'a herb وَالحَسَكُand caltrop
بِالسِيِّ ما تُنبِتُ القَفعاءُ وَالحَسَكُ
Dusky, like a water-sharing pebble; her pasture
at al-Siyy is what qaf'a and caltrop produce.
أَهوىswooped لَهاat her أَسفَعُdark الخَدَّينِin both cheeks مُطَّرِقٌwith overlapping
أَهوى لَها أَسفَعُ الخَدَّينِ مُطَّرِقٌ
ريشَfeathers of القَوادِمِthe wing primaries لَمnot يُنصَبhad been set لَهُfor him الشَبَكُthe net
ريشَ القَوادِمِ لَم يُنصَب لَهُ الشَبَكُ
A dark-cheeked hawk swooped at her, with overlapping
primary feathers; no net had been set for him.
لاno شَيءَthing أَسرَعُswifter مِنهاthan her وَهيَand she is طَيِّبَةٌcontent
لا شَيءَ أَسرَعُ مِنها وَهيَ طَيِّبَةٌ
نَفساًin spirit بِماwith what سَوفَwill يُنجيهاsave her وَتَتَّرِكُand relies on it
نَفساً بِما سَوفَ يُنجيها وَتَتَّرِكُ
Nothing is swifter than she, and she is content
in spirit with what will save her, on which she relies.
دونَbelow السَماءِthe sky وَفَوقَand above الأَرضِthe earth قَدرُهُماtheir separation
دونَ السَماءِ وَفَوقَ الأَرضِ قَدرُهُما
عِندَat الذُنابىher tail فَلاso no فَوتٌescape وَلاand no دَرَكُovertaking
عِندَ الذُنابى فَلا فَوتٌ وَلا دَرَكُ
Below the sky and above the earth, their separation
lies at her tail: neither escape nor capture.
عِندَat الذُنابىher tail لَهاfor her صَوتٌa cry وَأَزمَلَةٌand a clamor
عِندَ الذُنابى لَها صَوتٌ وَأَزمَلَةٌ
يَكادُhe almost يَخطَفُهاsnatches her طَوراًat times وَتَهتَلِكُand she struggles desperately
يَكادُ يَخطَفُها طَوراً وَتَهتَلِكُ
At her tail comes a cry and a clamor;
at times he almost snatches her, and she struggles desperately.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle هَوَتswooped down كَفُّthe hand of الوَليدُthe boy لَهاat her
حَتّى إِذا ما هَوَت كَفُّ الوَليدُ لَها
طارَتshe flew off وَفيand in كَفِّهِhis hand مِنof ريشِهاher feathers بِتَكُtufts
طارَت وَفي كَفِّهِ مِن ريشِها بِتَكُ
Until, when the boy's hand swooped down at her,
she flew off, tufts of her feathers left in his hand.
ثُمَّthen اِستَمَرَّتshe sped on إِلىtoward الواديthe valley فَأَلجَأَهاand forced her to seek refuge
ثُمَّ اِستَمَرَّت إِلى الوادي فَأَلجَأَها
مِنهُfrom him وَقَدand already طَمِعَhe had grown eager الأَظفارُthe talons وَالحَنَكُand the jaws
مِنهُ وَقَد طَمِعَ الأَظفارُ وَالحَنَكُ
Then she sped toward the valley, driven to seek refuge
by his talons and jaws, for he had grown eager.
حَتّىuntil اِستَغاثَتshe sought refuge بِماءٍin water لاno رِشاءَwell-rope لَهُfor it
حَتّى اِستَغاثَت بِماءٍ لا رِشاءَ لَهُ
مِنَfrom الأَباطِحِthe gravelly streambeds فيalong حافاتِهِits margins البُرَكُthe ducks
مِنَ الأَباطِحِ في حافاتِهِ البُرَكُ
Until she sought refuge in water needing no well-rope,
from the gravelly streambeds, with ducks along its edges,
مُكَلَّلٍwreathed بِأُصولِwith the roots of النَبتِthe plants تَنسُجُهُweaves it
مُكَلَّلٍ بِأُصولِ النَبتِ تَنسُجُهُ
ريحٌa wind خَريقٌfierce لِضاحيacross the open surface of مائِهِits water حُبُكُwoven ripples
ريحٌ خَريقٌ لِضاحي مائِهِ حُبُكُ
wreathed with plant-roots, its surface woven
by a fierce wind into patterned ripples on its open water.
كَماjust as اِستَغاثَsought relief بِسَيءٍin scant milk فَزُّthe calf of غَيطَلَةٍa large wild cow
كَما اِستَغاثَ بِسَيءٍ فَزُّ غَيطَلَةٍ
خافَhe feared العُيونَwatchful eyes فَلَمso was not يُنظَرawaited بِهِon his account الحَشَكُthe full milk-flow
خافَ العُيونَ فَلَم يُنظَر بِهِ الحَشَكُ
As the calf of a large wild cow sought relief in scant milk,
afraid of watchful eyes, not waiting for the full milk-flow.
فَزَلَّso he slipped away عَنهاfrom her وَأَوفىand climbed to رَأسَthe summit of مَرقَبَةٍa lookout height
فَزَلَّ عَنها وَأَوفى رَأسَ مَرقَبَةٍ
كَمَنصِبِlike an erected stone for العِترِsacrifice دَمّىbloodied رَأسَهُits head النُسكُsacrificial rites
كَمَنصِبِ العِترِ دَمّى رَأسَهُ النُسكُ
Then he slipped away from her and climbed a lookout's crest,
like an upraised sacrificial stone, its head bloodied by rites.
هَلّاwhy not سَأَلتَyou asked بَنيthe sons of الصَيداءِal-Sayda كُلَّهُمُall of them
هَلّا سَأَلتَ بَني الصَيداءِ كُلَّهُمُ
بِأَيِّby which حَبلِrope of جِوارٍprotection كُنتُI was أَمتَسِكُholding fast
بِأَيِّ حَبلِ جِوارٍ كُنتُ أَمتَسِكُ
Why not ask all of Banu al-Sayda
to what rope of protection I was holding fast?
فَلَنso will not يَقولواthey say بِحَبلٍwith a rope واهِنٍweak خَلَقٍworn-out
فَلَن يَقولوا بِحَبلٍ واهِنٍ خَلَقٍ
لَوif كانَwere قَومُكَyour people فيwithin أَسبابِهِits cords هَلَكواthey would perish
لَو كانَ قَومُكَ في أَسبابِهِ هَلَكوا
They will not say it was a frail, worn-out rope;
had your people been within its strands, they would have perished.
ياO حارِHarith لاnot أُرمَيَنI am assailed مِنكُمby you all بِداهِيَةٍwith a calamity
يا حارِ لا أُرمَيَن مِنكُم بِداهِيَةٍ
لَمnot يَلقَهاhas encountered it سوقَةٌa commoner قَبليbefore me وَلاnor مَلِكُa king
لَم يَلقَها سوقَةٌ قَبلي وَلا مَلِكُ
O Harith, let me not be assailed by you with a calamity
that neither commoner before me nor king has encountered.
اِردُدreturn يَساراًYasar وَلاand do not تَعنُفbe harsh عَلَيهِwith him وَلاand do not
اِردُد يَساراً وَلا تَعنُف عَلَيهِ وَلا
تَمعَكstall بِعِرضِكَat your honor's expense إِنَّindeed الغادِرَthe treacherous man المَعِكُthe staller
تَمعَك بِعِرضِكَ إِنَّ الغادِرَ المَعِكُ
Return Yasar; do not be harsh with him, and do not
stall at your honor's expense: a staller is treacherous.
وَلاand do not تَكونَنever be كَأَقوامٍlike people عَلِمتُهُمُI have known
وَلا تَكونَن كَأَقوامٍ عَلِمتُهُمُ
يَلوُونَthey withhold ماwhat عِندَهُمis with them حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen نُهِكواthey are worn down
يَلوُونَ ما عِندَهُم حَتّى إِذا نُهِكوا
And never be like people I have known,
who withhold what they owe until, when worn down,
طابَتbecame willing نُفوسُهُمُtheir souls عَنto give up حَقِّthe due of خَصمِهِمُtheir adversary
طابَت نُفوسُهُمُ عَن حَقِّ خَصمِهِمُ
مَخافَةَfor fear of الشَرِّharm فَاِرتَدّواso they returned لِماto what تَرَكواthey had abandoned
مَخافَةَ الشَرِّ فَاِرتَدّوا لِما تَرَكوا
they willingly surrender their adversary's due,
for fear of harm, and so return to what they had abandoned.
تَعَلَّمَنknow for certain هاtake heed لَعَمرُby the life of اللَهِGod ذاthis قَسَماًas an oath
تَعَلَّمَن ها لَعَمرُ اللَهِ ذا قَسَماً
فَاِقدِرso measure بِذَرعِكَby your own arm-span وَاِنظُرand see أَينَwhere تَنسَلِكُyou make your way
فَاِقدِر بِذَرعِكَ وَاِنظُر أَينَ تَنسَلِكُ
Know well—mark this oath, by the life of God—
so measure by your own arm-span, and see where you venture.
لَئِنeven if حَلَلتَyou settle بِجَوٍّat Jaww فيamong بَنيthe sons of أَسَدٍAsad
لَئِن حَلَلتَ بِجَوٍّ في بَني أَسَدٍ
فيunder دينِthe rule of عَمروٍAmr وَحالَتand intervened بَينَناbetween us فَدَكُFadak
في دينِ عَمروٍ وَحالَت بَينَنا فَدَكُ
Even if you settle at Jaww among Banu Asad,
under Amr's rule, with Fadak lying between us,
لَيَأتِيَنَّكَwill surely reach you مِنّيfrom me مَنطِقٌspeech قَذَعٌfoully abusive
لَيَأتِيَنَّكَ مِنّي مَنطِقٌ قَذَعٌ
باقٍenduring كَماjust as دَنَّسَstained القُبطِيَّةَCoptic linen الوَدَكُgrease
باقٍ كَما دَنَّسَ القُبطِيَّةَ الوَدَكُ
foully abusive words from me will surely reach you,
enduring as grease's stain on Coptic linen.
Sol 6.1