هَلis there فيin تَذَكُّرِrecalling أَيّامِthe days of الصِباyouth فَنَدُfolly
هَل في تَذَكُّرِ أَيّامِ الصِبا فَنَدُ
أَمor هَلis there لِماfor what فاتَhas passed مِنof أَيّامِهِits days رِدَدُany return
أَم هَل لِما فاتَ مِن أَيّامِهِ رِدَدُ
Is there folly in recalling the days of youth?
Is there any joy in remembering the days of youth,
Or can any of its vanished days return?
Or hope of bringing back time gone by?
أَمor هَلwill يُلامَنَّsurely be blamed باكٍa weeping man هاجَstirred عَبرَتَهُhis tears
أَم هَل يُلامَنَّ باكٍ هاجَ عَبرَتَهُ
بِالحِجرِat al-Hijr إِذwhen شَفَّهُwasted him الوَجدُlonging الَّذيwhich يَجِدُhe feels
بِالحِجرِ إِذ شَفَّهُ الوَجدُ الَّذي يَجِدُ
Or shall a weeping man be blamed, his tears stirred
Should one be blamed whose streaming tears
at al-Hijr, when the longing he feels has wasted him?
Flow to the rocks as sorrow pierces his heart?
أَوفىhe climbed عَلىonto شَرَفٍa rise نَشزٍlofty فَأَزعَجَهُthen it roused him
أَوفى عَلى شَرَفٍ نَشزٍ فَأَزعَجَهُ
قَلبٌa heart إِلىtoward آلِthe kin of سَلمىSalma تائِقٌyearning كَمِدُgrief-stricken
قَلبٌ إِلى آلِ سَلمى تائِقٌ كَمِدُ
He climbed a lofty rise, then was roused
More loyal than high-minded zeal which disturbs him
by a grief-stricken heart yearning for Salma's kin.
Is a heart inclined towards the family of Salma.
مَتىwhen تُرىbe seen دارُthe dwelling of حَيٍّa clan عَهدُناour acquaintance بِهِمُwith them
مَتى تُرى دارُ حَيٍّ عَهدُنا بِهِمُ
حَيثُwhere اِلتَقىmet الغَورُthe lowland مِنof نَعمانَNa'man وَالنُجُدُand the uplands
حَيثُ اِلتَقى الغَورُ مِن نَعمانَ وَالنُجُدُ
When will that clan's dwelling be seen? We knew them
When will we see the home of Life whose pact we made with them
where Na'man's lowland met the uplands.
Where the valley meets the sands of Na’man and Najd?
لَهُمfor them هَوىًa love مِنof هَواناour love ماthat يُقَرِّبُناdraws us near
لَهُم هَوىً مِن هَوانا ما يُقَرِّبُنا
ماتَتdied عَلىfor قُربِهِits nearness الأَحشاءُthe entrails وَالكَبِدُand the liver
ماتَت عَلى قُربِهِ الأَحشاءُ وَالكَبِدُ
They have a share of our love that draws us near;
For them is a passion from our passion which brings us close –
the entrails and liver have died yearning for that nearness.
Without their nearness hearts and livers would die.
إِنّيindeed I لِماfor what اِستَودَعَتنيshe entrusted to me يَومَon the day at ذيDhu غُذُمٍGhudhum
إِنّي لِما اِستَودَعَتني يَومَ ذي غُذُمٍ
راعٍa guardian إِذاwhen طالَgrows long بِالمُستَودَعِfor the entrusted pledge الأَمَدُthe time
راعٍ إِذا طالَ بِالمُستَودَعِ الأَمَدُ
Indeed, for what she entrusted to me on the day at Dhu Ghudhum,
When she who entrusted me, left on a day of parting,
I am a guardian, however long the trust endures.
She was like a caretaker, long absent from one in her trust.
إِنif تُمسِshould become دارُهُمُtheir dwelling عَنّاfrom us مُباعَدَةًfar removed
إِن تُمسِ دارُهُمُ عَنّا مُباعَدَةً
فَماthen not الأَحِبَّةُthe loved ones إِلّاexcept هُمthey وَإِنand even if بَعُدواthey are distant
فَما الأَحِبَّةُ إِلّا هُم وَإِن بَعُدوا
If their dwelling should lie far away from us,
If their home is far removed from us,
still they alone are the loved ones, however distant they may be.
Still, they are the loved ones, even if distant.
ياO صاحِبِيَّmy two companions اِنظُراlook, you two وَالغَورُwhile the lowland دونَكُماbefore you both
يا صاحِبِيَّ اِنظُرا وَالغَورُ دونَكُما
هَلwill يَبدُوَنَّsurely appear لَناto us فيماamong what نَرىwe see الجُمُدُal-Jumud
هَل يَبدُوَنَّ لَنا فيما نَرى الجُمُدُ
My two companions, look—the lowland lies before you:
My friend, look, as the valley lies before you,
will al-Jumud appear to us among what we see?
Can you see any sign of life in what we view?
هَيهاتَfar away هَيهاتَfar away مِنfrom نَجدٍNajd وَساكِنِهِand its dweller
هَيهاتَ هَيهاتَ مِن نَجدٍ وَساكِنِهِ
مَنwhoever قَدalready أَتىhas come دونَهُbefore him البَغثاءُal-Baghtha وَالثَمَدُand al-Thamad
مَن قَد أَتى دونَهُ البَغثاءُ وَالثَمَدُ
Far, far from Najd and its dweller
Alas! Alas for Najd and its dwellers!
is he before whom al-Baghtha and al-Thamad now lie.
Those whom misfortune and decay have overtaken.
إِلىtoward اِبنِthe son of سَلمىSalma سِنانٍSinan وَاِبنِهِand his son هَرِمٍHarim
إِلى اِبنِ سَلمى سِنانٍ وَاِبنِهِ هَرِمٍ
تَنجوspeeds بِأَقتادِهاwith her saddle-frame عيدِيَّةٌan 'Idiyya she-camel تَخِدُstrides swiftly
تَنجو بِأَقتادِها عيدِيَّةٌ تَخِدُ
Toward Sinan, Salma's son, and his son Harim,
To the sons of Sinan and his son Harim
an 'Idiyya she-camel speeds with her saddle-frame, striding fast.
My greeting speeds on its messenger-beasts.
فيin مُسبَطِرٍّa stretched-out train تَبارىrace one another فيin أَزِمَّتِهاtheir reins
في مُسبَطِرٍّ تَبارى في أَزِمَّتِها
فُتلُoutward-turned المَرافِقِthe elbows فيin أَعناقِهاtheir necks قَوَدُlength
فُتلُ المَرافِقِ في أَعناقِها قَوَدُ
In a long, strung-out train, racing one another in their reins,
In Musabthir they vie in their halting places,
are camels with outward-turned elbows and long necks.
The bucket-skins are looped around their necks.
مُعصَوصِباتٌbunched together يُبادِرنَthey vie in النَجاءَswift travel بِناwith us
مُعصَوصِباتٌ يُبادِرنَ النَجاءَ بِنا
إِذاwhen تَرامَتstretches away بِهاwith them الدَيمومَةُthe trackless waste الجَدَدُlevel
إِذا تَرامَت بِها الدَيمومَةُ الجَدَدُ
Bunched together, they vie in speeding us along,
Pressing onwards, they hasten to safety,
when the level, trackless waste stretches far around them.
As the new moons rise over them.
عَومَthe swimming of القَوادِسِships قَفّىset behind الأَردَمونَthe ship's sail بِهاwith them
عَومَ القَوادِسِ قَفّى الأَردَمونَ بِها
إِذاwhen تَرامىtosses about بِهاwith them المُغلَولِبُthe surging sea الزَبِدُfoaming
إِذا تَرامى بِها المُغلَولِبُ الزَبِدُ
Swimming like ships, with the sail set behind them,
The ships sailed the seas foaming with oars
when the surging, foaming sea flings them afar.
When the violent winds lashed up the spume.
بِفِتيَةٍwith young men كَسُيوفِlike swords of الهِندِIndia يَبعَثُهُمdrives them
بِفِتيَةٍ كَسُيوفِ الهِندِ يَبعَثُهُم
هَمٌّcare فَكُلُّهُمُso each of them ذوpossessing حاجَةٍa need يَقِدُburns
هَمٌّ فَكُلُّهُمُ ذو حاجَةٍ يَقِدُ
With young men like Indian swords, driven onward
With youths like Indian swords – their passion
by care, each one burning with a need.
Sends them forth, all with some need to meet.
مَنَّهُمُexhausted them السَيرُthe journey فَاِنآدَتso bent سَوالِفُهُمthe sides of their necks
مَنَّهُمُ السَيرُ فَاِنآدَت سَوالِفُهُم
وَماand no بِأَعناقِهِمin their necks إِلّاexcept الكَرىdrowsiness أَوَدُa bend
وَما بِأَعناقِهِم إِلّا الكَرى أَوَدُ
The journey wore them down, and their necks bent;
Travel distracted them till their tales flowed together
drowsiness alone bowed their necks.
With none but the wine-skins gracing their necks.
إِنّيindeed I لَأَبعَثُهُمsurely rouse them وَاللَيلُwhile the night مُطَّرَقٌlayered in darkness
إِنّي لَأَبعَثُهُم وَاللَيلُ مُطَّرَقٌ
وَلَمand not يَنامواthey slept سِوىexcept أَنthat قُلتُI said قَدalready هَجَدواthey slumbered
وَلَم يَناموا سِوى أَن قُلتُ قَد هَجَدوا
Indeed I rouse them while night lies thick with darkness—
I send them off while the night is furled closed
their sleep lasting only long enough for me to say, 'They have dozed'—
Though they have scarcely slept till I said “they have set forth”.
إِلىto مَطاياmounts لَهُمof theirs حُدبٍarched عَرائِكُهاtheir backs
إِلى مَطايا لَهُم حُدبٍ عَرائِكُها
وَقَدand already تَحَلَّلَhas melted away مِنfrom أَصلابِهاtheir spines القَحَدُthe hump-fat
وَقَد تَحَلَّلَ مِن أَصلابِها القَحَدُ
to their mounts, whose backs are arched,
To camels whose saddles’ humps are threadbare
the fat of their humps already melted from their spines.
And whose girths the rubbing has severed and thinned.
أَقولُI say لِلقَومِto the men وَالأَنفاسُwhile the breaths قَدalready بَلَغَتhave reached
أَقولُ لِلقَومِ وَالأَنفاسُ قَد بَلَغَت
دونَjust below اللَهاthe uvulas غَيرَexcept أَنthat لَمnot يَنقُصِhas decreased العَدَدُthe number
دونَ اللَها غَيرَ أَن لَم يَنقُصِ العَدَدُ
I say to the men, as their breaths have reached
I say to my clan, though the breaths are drawn hard,
just beneath the uvulas, yet their number is undiminished:
“None but God – but let not the number decrease!”
سيرواjourney إِلىtoward خَيرِthe best of قَيسٍQays كُلِّهاall of it حَسَباًin ancestral honor
سيروا إِلى خَيرِ قَيسٍ كُلِّها حَسَباً
وَمُنتَهىand the goal of مَنwhoever يُريدُseeks المَجدَglory أَوor يَفِدُcomes as a guest
وَمُنتَهى مَن يُريدُ المَجدَ أَو يَفِدُ
Journey to the best of all Qays in ancestral honor,
“Make your way to the best of Kais’ sons, all are worthy;
the goal of whoever seeks glory or comes as a guest.
He who seeks glory or help will gain there.”
فَاِستَمطِرواso seek showers of الخَيرَgoodness مِنfrom كَفَّيهِhis two palms إِنَّهُماindeed they both
فَاِستَمطِروا الخَيرَ مِن كَفَّيهِ إِنَّهُما
بِسَيبِهِwith his bounty يَتَرَوّىdrink their fill مِنهُماfrom them both البُعُدُthe distant
بِسَيبِهِ يَتَرَوّى مِنهُما البُعُدُ
Seek showers of goodness from his two palms, for
“Draw goodness from their hands – both brim and overflow;
even the distant drink their fill of his bounty from them both.
Through their swords, those far off drink full.”
مُبارَكُblessed البَيتِthe house مَيمونٌauspicious نَقيبَتُهُhis character
مُبارَكُ البَيتِ مَيمونٌ نَقيبَتُهُ
جَزلُlavish المَواهِبِgifts مَنwhomever يُعطيhe gives to كَمَنlike whomever يَعِدُhe promises
جَزلُ المَواهِبِ مَن يُعطي كَمَن يَعِدُ
Blessed is his house, auspicious his character,
“Blessed the house, auspicious its chieftain-lead,
lavish his gifts: his promise is as good as his giving.
Great his gifts – unlike one who but promises!”
فَالناسُso the people فَوجانِtwo throngs فيin مَعروفِهِhis generosity شَرَعٌon equal terms
فَالناسُ فَوجانِ في مَعروفِهِ شَرَعٌ
فَمِنهُمُso among them صادِرٌdeparting after drinking أَوor قارِبٌapproaching water يَرِدُcomes to drink
فَمِنهُمُ صادِرٌ أَو قارِبٌ يَرِدُ
People are two throngs, equal in his bounty:
“Men are of two streams in his generous ways,
some depart after drinking, others approach to drink.
Some give, while others but take as they come.”
رَحبُwide الفِناءِthe courtyard لَوَif أَنَّthat الناسَthe people كُلَّهُمُall of them
رَحبُ الفِناءِ لَوَ أَنَّ الناسَ كُلَّهُمُ
حَلّواcamped إِلَيهِwith him إِلىuntil أَنthat يَنقَضيends الأَبَدُeternity
حَلّوا إِلَيهِ إِلى أَن يَنقَضي الأَبَدُ
Wide is his courtyard: were all people
“Spacious his hall, if all people together
to camp with him until eternity ended,
Came thronging to him till time meets its end.”
ماnot زالَceased فيin سَيبِهِhis bounty سَجلٌa brimming bucket يَعُمُّهُمُencompasses them all
ما زالَ في سَيبِهِ سَجلٌ يَعُمُّهُمُ
مادامَas long as فيin الأَرضِthe earth مِنof أَوتادِهاits pegs وَتِدُone peg
مادامَ في الأَرضِ مِن أَوتادِها وَتِدُ
a brimming bucket of his bounty would always cover them,
“His register remains spreading to all
as long as one of the earth's pegs remained.
While tent-pegs stand rooted in soil.”
فيamong الناسِpeople لِلناسِfor people أَندادٌpeers وَلَيسَand there is not لَهُfor him
في الناسِ لِلناسِ أَندادٌ وَلَيسَ لَهُ
فيهِمamong them شَبيهٌa likeness وَلاnor عَدلٌan equal وَلاnor نِدَدُa peer
فيهِم شَبيهٌ وَلا عَدلٌ وَلا نِدَدُ
Men have their peers among men, but he has
“Among men there are peers, but none is his peer,
among them no likeness, no equal, no peer.
No equal matches him, nor any contend.”
إِنّيindeed I لَمُرتَحِلٌsurely setting out بِالفَجرِat dawn يُنصِبُنيit wearies me
إِنّي لَمُرتَحِلٌ بِالفَجرِ يُنصِبُني
حَتّىuntil يُفَرَّجَis lifted عَنّيfrom me هَمُّthe grief of ماwhat أَجِدُI feel
حَتّى يُفَرَّجَ عَنّي هَمُّ ما أَجِدُ
I shall indeed set out at dawn, though it wearies me,
“I set forth at dawn, though it wearies me,
until the grief I feel is lifted from me.
Till worry for what I find is relieved.”
لَوif كانَcould يَخلُدُlive forever أَقوامٌpeoples بِمَجدِهِمُthrough their glory
لَو كانَ يَخلُدُ أَقوامٌ بِمَجدِهِمُ
أَوor ماwhat تَقَدَّمَhas gone before مِنof أَيّامِهِمtheir days خَلَدواthey would live forever
أَو ما تَقَدَّمَ مِن أَيّامِهِم خَلَدوا
If peoples could live forever through their glory,
“If men could eternally glory in pride,
or through their days gone by, they would be immortal.
Or live on through their days that have passed,
أَوor كانَcould يَقعُدُsit فَوقَabove الشَمسِthe sun مِنthrough كَرَمٍnobility
أَو كانَ يَقعُدُ فَوقَ الشَمسِ مِن كَرَمٍ
قَومٌa people بِأَوَّلِهِمthrough their ancestors أَوor مَجدِهِمtheir glory قَعَدواthey would sit
قَومٌ بِأَوَّلِهِم أَو مَجدِهِم قَعَدوا
Or if nobility could grant a seat above the sun
Or if some through merit sat throned o’er the sun
to a people through ancestry or glory, they would sit there.
Foremost or in fame, enthroned from the first,”
قَومٌa people أَبوهُمtheir father سِنانٌSinan حينَwhen تَنسُبُهُمyou trace their descent
قَومٌ أَبوهُم سِنانٌ حينَ تَنسُبُهُم
طابواthey are noble وَطابَand noble are مِنَamong الأَولادِthe children ماthose whom وَلَدواthey begot
طابوا وَطابَ مِنَ الأَولادِ ما وَلَدوا
A people whose father is Sinan, when you trace their descent:
“Then a people whose lineage goes back to Sinan,
they are noble, and noble are the children they begot.
Noble whenever their birth’s certified.”
إِنسٌhumans إِذاwhen أَمِنواthey are secure جِنٌّjinn إِذاwhen غَضِبواthey become angry
إِنسٌ إِذا أَمِنوا جِنٌّ إِذا غَضِبوا
مُرَزَّؤونَmuch drawn upon for gifts بَهاليلُopenhanded chiefs إِذاwhen جُهِدواthey are hard pressed
مُرَزَّؤونَ بَهاليلُ إِذا جُهِدوا
Humans when secure, jinn when angered,
“Mortal-kind when secure, demon-folk when enraged,
much drawn upon, openhanded chiefs when hard pressed.
Lightning-lions when forced to fight on.”
مُحَسَّدونَmuch envied عَلىfor ماwhat كانَthere is مِنof نِعَمٍblessings
مُحَسَّدونَ عَلى ما كانَ مِن نِعَمٍ
لاmay ... not يَنزِعُtake away اللَهُGod مِنهُمfrom them ماwhat لَهُfor which حُسِدواthey were envied
لا يَنزِعُ اللَهُ مِنهُم ما لَهُ حُسِدوا
Much envied for the blessings they possess;
“Envied for all the blessings granted them,
may God never strip them of what has made them envied.
God does not remove what they’re envied.”
لَوif يوزَنونَthey were weighed عِياراًagainst a standard weight أَوor مُكايَلَةًby volume
لَو يوزَنونَ عِياراً أَو مُكايَلَةً
مالواthey would tip the scales بِرَضوىagainst Radwa وَلَمand not يَعدِلُهُمequal them أُحُدُUhud
مالوا بِرَضوى وَلَم يَعدِلُهُم أُحُدُ
If they were weighed against a standard or measured by volume,
“Weighed in the scale or measured in bushels,
they would outweigh Radwa, and Uhud would not equal them.
They would lean to grace, with none to match them.”
Sol 6.1