قِفstop بِالدِيارِat the dwellings الَّتيthat لَمnot يَعفُهاefface them القِدَمُage
قِف بِالدِيارِ الَّتي لَم يَعفُها القِدَمُ
بَلىindeed وَغَيَّرَهاand altered them الأَرواحُthe winds وَالدِيَمُand steady rains
بَلى وَغَيَّرَها الأَرواحُ وَالدِيَمُ
Stop at the dwellings that age has not effaced.
Stand in the dwellings not worn by time,
Yet it has: winds and steady rains have altered them.
Rather, the winds and blood changed them.
لاnot الدارُthe dwelling غَيَّرَهاchanged it بَعديafter me الأَنيسُthe familiar inhabitant وَلاnor
لا الدارُ غَيَّرَها بَعدي الأَنيسُ وَلا
بِالدارِin the dwelling لَوif كَلَّمَتit spoke to ذاone with حاجَةٍa need صَمَمُdeafness
بِالدارِ لَو كَلَّمَت ذا حاجَةٍ صَمَمُ
No familiar inhabitant changed the dwelling after I left; nor
Not the abode changed after my companion, nor
is there deafness in the dwelling, could it speak to one in need.
If it were addressed, would it respond though deaf and dumb.
دارٌa dwelling لِأَسماءَbelonging to Asma بِالغَمرَينِat al-Ghamrayn ماثِلَةٌstill standing
دارٌ لِأَسماءَ بِالغَمرَينِ ماثِلَةٌ
كَالوَحيِlike an inscription لَيسَthere is not بِهاin it مِنof أَهلِهاits people أَرِمُanyone
كَالوَحيِ لَيسَ بِها مِن أَهلِها أَرِمُ
A dwelling of Asma at al-Ghamrayn still stands,
A house of Asma in Al-Ghamrein lies desolate,
like an inscription; not one of its people is there.
Like revelation with none of its people left.
وَقَدand indeed أَراهاI saw it حَديثاًrecently غَيرَnot مُقوِيَةٍdeserted
وَقَد أَراها حَديثاً غَيرَ مُقوِيَةٍ
السِرُّal-Sirr مِنهاamong its sites فَواديthen Wadi الحَفرِal-Hafr فَالهِدَمُthen al-Hidam
السِرُّ مِنها فَوادي الحَفرِ فَالهِدَمُ
Not long ago I saw it still undeserted:
I saw it recently, no longer sturdy,
al-Sirr among its sites, then Wadi al-Hafr and al-Hidam;
Its secret is the valley’s trench, then its ruin.
فَلاnor لُكانُLukan إِلىto واديWadi الغِمارِal-Ghimar فَلاnor
فَلا لُكانُ إِلى وادي الغِمارِ فَلا
شَرقِيُّthe eastern side of سَلمىSalma فَلاnor فَيدٌFayd فَلاnor رِهَمُRiham
شَرقِيُّ سَلمى فَلا فَيدٌ فَلا رِهَمُ
nor Lukan as far as Wadi al-Ghimar, nor
So neither a bower in the valley of clouds, nor
the eastern side of Salma, nor Fayd, nor Riham.
An eastern Salma, nor tents, nor spears, nor a tent peg.
شَطَّتcarried far away بِهِمwith them قَرقَرىQarqara بِركٌBirk بِأَيمُنِهِمon their right
شَطَّت بِهِم قَرقَرى بِركٌ بِأَيمُنِهِم
وَالعالِياتُand al-'Aliyat وَعَنand to أَيسارِهِمtheir left خِيَمُKhiyam
وَالعالِياتُ وَعَن أَيسارِهِم خِيَمُ
Qarqara carried them far away; Birk lay on their right,
The hills flanked them, blessed on their right,
and al-'Aliyat, with Khiyam on their left.
While the heights and tents were to their left.
عَومَfloating السَفينِships فَلَمّاthen when حالَintervened دونَهُمُbetween us and them
عَومَ السَفينِ فَلَمّا حالَ دونَهُمُ
فِندُthe crag of القُرَيّاتِal-Qurayyat فَالعِتكانُthen al-'Itkan فَالكَرَمُthen al-Karam
فِندُ القُرَيّاتِ فَالعِتكانُ فَالكَرَمُ
Gliding like ships; then, when there stood between us and them
The ships sailed until blocked for them
the crag of al-Qurayyat, al-'Itkan, and al-Karam—
By the palm groves, then farms, then vines.
كَأَنَّas though عَينيmy eye وَقَدand already سالَstreamed السَليلُal-Salil بِهِمwith them
كَأَنَّ عَيني وَقَد سالَ السَليلُ بِهِم
وَعَبرَةٌand a cause for tears ماwhat هُمُthey لَوif أَنَّهُمthat they أَمَمُnearby
وَعَبرَةٌ ما هُمُ لَو أَنَّهُم أَمَمُ
my eye, as al-Salil streamed with their passing, seemed—
My eyes flowed with tears for them,
and what a cause for tears they are, were they nearby—
Sadly, though they are nations.
غَربٌa great well-bucket عَلىon بَكرَةٍa pulley أَوor لُؤلُؤٌpearls قَلِقٌloose
غَربٌ عَلى بَكرَةٍ أَو لُؤلُؤٌ قَلِقٌ
فيin السِلكِthe thread خانَfailed بِهِwith it رَبّاتُهُits women owners النُظُمُthe strings
في السِلكِ خانَ بِهِ رَبّاتُهُ النُظُمُ
a great well-bucket on a pulley, or loose pearls
A west wind at dawn, or restless pearls
in a thread whose strings have failed the women who own it.
In a necklace whose knots slipped from its string.
عَهديmy last encounter بِهِمwith them يَومَon the day of بابِBab القَريَتَينِal-Qaryatayn وَقَدand already
عَهدي بِهِم يَومَ بابِ القَريَتَينِ وَقَد
زالَmoved away الهَماليجُthe ambling horses بِالفُرسانِwith the riders وَاللُجُمُand the bridles
زالَ الهَماليجُ بِالفُرسانِ وَاللُجُمُ
My last encounter with them was at Bab al-Qaryatayn, when
My pact with them the day of the two villages, when
the ambling horses moved away with riders and bridles.
The tents and armed men vanished.
فَاِستَبدَلَتthen she exchanged بَعدَناafter us داراًa dwelling يَمانِيَّةًYemeni
فَاِستَبدَلَت بَعدَنا داراً يَمانِيَّةً
تَرعىpastures الخَريفَthe autumn growth فَأَدنىand the nearest دارِهاof her dwellings ظَلِمُZalim
تَرعى الخَريفَ فَأَدنى دارِها ظَلِمُ
After leaving us, she took a dwelling in Yemen instead,
After us it adopted a Yemeni abode,
pasturing on autumn growth; Zalim is her nearest abode.
Grazing the autumn, its nearest house gloomy.
إِنَّindeed البَخيلَthe miser مَلومٌblamed حَيثُwherever كانَhe is وَلَbut (first part)
إِنَّ البَخيلَ مَلومٌ حَيثُ كانَ وَلَ
كِنَّbut (completion) الجَوادَthe generous man عَلىdespite عِلّاتِهِhis troubles هَرِمُHarim
كِنَّ الجَوادَ عَلى عِلّاتِهِ هَرِمُ
Indeed, the miser is blamed wherever he is; but
The miser is blamed wherever he is, but
the generous man, whatever his circumstances, is Harim.
The generous man in his high place grows old.
هُوَhe الجَوادُthe generous man الَّذيwho يُعطيكَgives you نائِلَهُhis bounty
هُوَ الجَوادُ الَّذي يُعطيكَ نائِلَهُ
عَفواًfreely وَيُظلَمُand is wronged أَحياناًsometimes فَيَظَّلِمُthen bears the wrong
عَفواً وَيُظلَمُ أَحياناً فَيَظَّلِمُ
He is the generous man who gives you his bounty
He is generous, granting the seeker,
freely, and sometimes is wronged, yet bears the wrong.
Forgiving, though occasionally treated unjustly, so he acts unjustly.
وَإِنand if أَتاهُcomes to him خَليلٌa friend يَومَon a day of مَسأَلَةٍasking
وَإِن أَتاهُ خَليلٌ يَومَ مَسأَلَةٍ
يَقولُhe says لاnot غائِبٌabsent ماليmy wealth وَلاnor حَرِمُwithheld
يَقولُ لا غائِبٌ مالي وَلا حَرِمُ
And if a friend comes to him on a day of asking,
And if a friend comes asking one day,
he says, 'My wealth is neither absent nor withheld.'
He says, “No absent wealth is mine, nor sacred.”
القائِدُthe leader of الخَيلَthe horses مَنكوباًbattered دَوابِرُهاtheir heels
القائِدُ الخَيلَ مَنكوباً دَوابِرُها
مِنهاsome of them الشَنونُmoderately lean وَمِنهاand some of them الزاهِقُplump الزَهِمُfat
مِنها الشَنونُ وَمِنها الزاهِقُ الزَهِمُ
He leads horses whose heels are battered,
The leader’s horses are defeated, their backs
some moderately lean, others plump and fat.
Bent, some thin, some gaunt and small.
قَدalready عولِيَتrepeatedly ridden فَهيَso they مَرفوعٌraised جَواشِنُهاtheir chests
قَد عولِيَت فَهيَ مَرفوعٌ جَواشِنُها
عَلىupon قَوائِمَlegs عوجٍbent لَحمُهاtheir flesh زِيَمُscattered scraps
عَلى قَوائِمَ عوجٍ لَحمُها زِيَمُ
They have been ridden repeatedly, their chests held high
They are worn out, their shoulders high
upon bent legs, their flesh reduced to scattered scraps.
On crooked legs, their flesh little more than skin.
تَنبِذُcast off أَفلائَهاtheir foals فيat كُلِّevery مَنزِلَةٍhalting-place
تَنبِذُ أَفلائَها في كُلِّ مَنزِلَةٍ
تَنتِخُpluck out أَعيُنَهاtheir eyes العِقبانُthe eagles وَالرَخَمُand the vultures
تَنتِخُ أَعيُنَها العِقبانُ وَالرَخَمُ
They drop their foals at every halting-place;
They toss the grey hair of their forelocks at every halt,
eagles and vultures pluck out their eyes.
Crows and vultures peck out their eyes.
فَهيَso they تَبَلَّغُstruggle onward بِالأَعناقِwith outstretched necks يُتبِعُهاfollows them
فَهيَ تَبَلَّغُ بِالأَعناقِ يُتبِعُها
خَلجُthe tugging of الأَجِرَّةِthe bits فيin أَشداقِهاtheir mouths ضَجَمُcrookedness
خَلجُ الأَجِرَّةِ في أَشداقِها ضَجَمُ
So they struggle onward with outstretched necks, followed
They stretch their necks, the death rattle
by tugs at the bits that twist their mouths.
In their throats, their nasal passages blocked.
تَخطوthey step عَلىon رَبِذاتٍswift-moving hooves غَيرِnot فائِرَةٍsplit
تَخطو عَلى رَبِذاتٍ غَيرِ فائِرَةٍ
تُحذىare shod وَتُعقَدُand are fastened فيaround أَرساغِهاtheir pasterns الخَدَمُthe ankle-bands
تُحذى وَتُعقَدُ في أَرساغِها الخَدَمُ
They step on swift, uncracked hooves,
They tread on stiff-legged, barely walking,
which are shod, with bands fastened around their pasterns.
Bandaged and fettered in their hobbles.
قَدalready أَبدَأَتhave begun قُطُفاًtaking short steps فيin المَشيِwalking مُنشَزَةَraised الthe
قَد أَبدَأَت قُطُفاً في المَشيِ مُنشَزَةَ ال
أَكتافِshoulders تَنكُبُهاbuffet them الحِزّانُthe rugged ground وَالأَكَمُand the hillocks
أَكتافِ تَنكُبُها الحِزّانُ وَالأَكَمُ
They have begun to walk in short steps, with raised
They begin to falter in their pace, their
shoulders buffeted by rugged ground and hillocks.
Shoulders weighed down by sorrow and pain.
يَهويrushes بِهاwith them ماجِدٌa noble man سَمحٌgenerous خَلائِقُهُhis character
يَهوي بِها ماجِدٌ سَمحٌ خَلائِقُهُ
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماemphasis أَناخَmade the camels kneel القَومُthe company فَاِحتَزَمواthen girded themselves
حَتّى إِذا ما أَناخَ القَومُ فَاِحتَزَموا
A noble man, generous in character, drives them swiftly,
A noble and generous man urges them on
until, when the company makes camp and girds itself,
Until, when the people camp and settle down,
صَدَّتthey swerved صُدوداًfar aside عَنِaway from الأَشوالِthe dry she-camels وَاِشتَرَفَتand raised their heads
صَدَّت صُدوداً عَنِ الأَشوالِ وَاِشتَرَفَت
قُبلاًfacing forward تَقَلقَلُshake فيat أَعناقِهاtheir necks الجِذَمُthe broken rein-ends
قُبلاً تَقَلقَلُ في أَعناقِها الجِذَمُ
they swerve away from the dry she-camels and lift their heads,
They turn aside from the watering places
facing forward, broken rein-ends shaking at their necks.
And face forward, tossing their plaited forelocks.
كانواthey were فَريقَينِtwo companies يُصغونَtilt الزُجاجَthe spear-butts عَلىover
كانوا فَريقَينِ يُصغونَ الزُجاجَ عَلى
قُعسِhollowed الكَواهِلَwithers فيin أَكتافِهاtheir shoulders شَمَمُloftiness
قُعسِ الكَواهِلَ في أَكتافِها شَمَمُ
They were two companies: some tilted their spear-butts over
Some listen to the chainmail on
steeds with hollowed withers and lofty shoulders;
Their shoulders’ nape where their long hair grows.
وَآخَرينَand others تَرىyou see الماذِيَّfine chain mail عُدَّتَهُمtheir equipment
وَآخَرينَ تَرى الماذِيَّ عُدَّتَهُم
مِنof نَسجِthe weaving of داوُدَDawud أَوor ماwhat أَورَثَتleft as an inheritance إِرَمُIram
مِن نَسجِ داوُدَ أَو ما أَورَثَت إِرَمُ
and others whose equipment you see is fine chain mail,
Others you see whose equipment
of Dawud's weaving, or what Iram left as an inheritance.
Is from David’s weaving or what Iram left behind.
هُمthey يَضرِبونَstrike حَبيكَclosely wrought البَيضِhelmets إِذwhen لَحِقواcaught up
هُم يَضرِبونَ حَبيكَ البَيضِ إِذ لَحِقوا
لاnot يَنكُصونَdraw back إِذاwhen ماemphasis اِستُلحِمواwere surrounded وَحَمواand grew fierce
لا يَنكُصونَ إِذا ما اِستُلحِموا وَحَموا
They strike closely wrought helmets when they catch the foe;
They strike the eggshell lances when they join,
they do not retreat when surrounded and fired for battle.
Never retreating when meeting the enemy.
يَنظُرُawait فُرسانُهُمtheir horsemen أَمرَthe command of الرَئيسِthe leader وَقَدand already
يَنظُرُ فُرسانُهُم أَمرَ الرَئيسِ وَقَد
شَدَّtightened السُروجَthe saddles عَلىupon أَثباجِهاtheir backs الحُزُمُthe girths
شَدَّ السُروجَ عَلى أَثباجِها الحُزُمُ
Their horsemen await their leader's command, while already
Their horsemen watch for the chief’s order, then
the girths have tightened the saddles upon their backs.
Cinch the saddles tight around their saddle-cloths.
يَمرونَهاmilk their speed ساعَةًa while مَرياًa milking بِأُسؤُقِهِمwith their shins
يَمرونَها ساعَةً مَرياً بِأُسؤُقِهِم
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماemphasis بَداappeared لِلغارَةِfor the raid النَعَمُthe livestock
حَتّى إِذا ما بَدا لِلغارَةِ النَعَمُ
For a while they milk them for speed with their shins,
They pass the time going gently with their spear butts
until livestock comes into view for the raid.
Until, when raiding seems propitious,
شَدّواthey charged جَميعاًall together وَكانَتand they were كُلُّهاall of them نُهزاًready to charge
شَدّوا جَميعاً وَكانَت كُلُّها نُهزاً
تَحشِكُdraw forth دِرّاتِهاtheir milk-flows الأَرسانُthe halters وَالجِذَمُand the rein-ends
تَحشِكُ دِرّاتِها الأَرسانُ وَالجِذَمُ
They charge together, all their mounts ready,
They all spur ahead, all gaunt,
the halters and rein-ends milking their streaming speed.
Their coats of mail and rings clinking.
يَنزِعنَthey wrest away إِمَّةَthe wealth of أَقوامٍpeoples لِذيfor one possessing كَرَمٍgenerosity
يَنزِعنَ إِمَّةَ أَقوامٍ لِذي كَرَمٍ
بَحرٍa sea يَفيضُoverflowing عَلىupon العافينَthose seeking bounty إِذwhen عَدِمواthey are destitute
بَحرٍ يَفيضُ عَلى العافينَ إِذ عَدِموا
They wrest peoples' wealth for a generous man,
They snatch away the goods of a generous people
a sea overflowing upon those seeking bounty when destitute,
A sea overflowing to the safe when they are gone,
حَتّىuntil تَآوىthey return إِلىto لاnot فاحِشٍcoarse بَرَمٍone who shirks wagering
حَتّى تَآوى إِلى لا فاحِشٍ بَرَمٍ
وَلاnor شَحيحٍmiserly إِذاwhen أَصحابُهُhis companions غَنِمواhave gained spoils
وَلا شَحيحٍ إِذا أَصحابُهُ غَنِموا
until they return to a man neither coarse nor unwilling to wager,
Until it turns to no wanton waste or
nor miserly when his companions have gained spoils.
Stingy hoarding when its men take spoils,
يَقسِمُhe distributes ثُمَّthen يُسَوّيequalizes القَسمَthe shares بَينَهُمُamong them
يَقسِمُ ثُمَّ يُسَوّي القَسمَ بَينَهُمُ
مُعتَدِلُbalanced الحُكمِin judgment لاnot هارٍinfirm وَلاnor هَشِمُbroken
مُعتَدِلُ الحُكمِ لا هارٍ وَلا هَشِمُ
He distributes them, then makes the shares equal among them,
But divides and makes even the shares among them,
balanced in judgment, neither infirm nor broken.
The just arbiter, neither captious nor rash.
فَضَّلَهُraised him فَوقَabove أَقوامٍpeoples وَمَجَّدَهُand ennobled him
فَضَّلَهُ فَوقَ أَقوامٍ وَمَجَّدَهُ
ماwhat لَمnot يَنالواthey attained وَإِنeven though جادواthey were generous وَإِنeven though كَرُمواthey were noble
ما لَم يَنالوا وَإِن جادوا وَإِن كَرُموا
What raised him above other men and ennobled him
He preferred them above other peoples and honored them
was what they never attained, though generous and noble:
With what those did not obtain, though generous and noble,
قَودُleading الجِيادِfine steeds وَإِصهارُand kinship by marriage with المُلوكِkings وَصَبand patience (first part)
قَودُ الجِيادِ وَإِصهارُ المُلوكِ وَصَب
رٌpatience (completion) فيin مَواطِنَplaces of trial لَوif كانواthey were بِهاin them سَئِمواthey would grow weary
رٌ في مَواطِنَ لَو كانوا بِها سَئِموا
leading fine steeds, kinship by marriage with kings, and patient
The steeds’ leaders and brothers of kings, lions
endurance in places where they would have grown weary.
In places, though there they are indifferent.
يَنزِعُhe wrests away إِمَّةَthe wealth of أَقوامٍpeoples ذَويpossessing حَسَبٍnoble lineage
يَنزِعُ إِمَّةَ أَقوامٍ ذَوي حَسَبٍ
مِمّاfrom what تُيَسَّرُare won in wagering أَحياناًsometimes لَهُfor him الطُعَمُfood-shares
مِمّا تُيَسَّرُ أَحياناً لَهُ الطُعَمُ
He wrests away the wealth of men of noble lineage
He snatches away the goods of worthy men
through food-shares sometimes won for him in wagering.
Made accessible to him sometimes as spoils,
وَمِنand among ضَريبَتِهِhis natural traits التَقوىpiety وَيَعصِمُهُand protects him
وَمِن ضَريبَتِهِ التَقوى وَيَعصِمُهُ
مِنfrom سَيِّءِthe evil of العَثَراتِmissteps اللَهُGod وَالرَحِمُand kinship
مِن سَيِّءِ العَثَراتِ اللَهُ وَالرَحِمُ
Piety is among his natural traits, and he is protected
And from his tithe, piety protects him
from grievous missteps by God and the bond of kinship.
From stumbling into sin – God and family honor.
مُوَرَّثُheir to المَجدِglory لاnot يَغتالُstealthily diverts هَمَّتَهُhis resolve
مُوَرَّثُ المَجدِ لا يَغتالُ هَمَّتَهُ
عَنِaway from الرِياسَةِleadership لاneither عَجزٌincapacity وَلاnor سَأَمُweariness
عَنِ الرِياسَةِ لا عَجزٌ وَلا سَأَمُ
Heir to glory, his resolve is not diverted
Inheritor of glory, neither weakness nor tedium
from leadership by either incapacity or weariness.
Tempt his resolve for leadership away.
كَالهِندُوانِيِّlike an Indian blade لاnot يُخزيكَdisgraces you مَشهَدُهُhis presence in battle
كَالهِندُوانِيِّ لا يُخزيكَ مَشهَدُهُ
وَسطَamid السُيوفِthe swords إِذاwhen ماemphasis تُضرَبُare struck البُهَمُthe mighty warriors
وَسطَ السُيوفِ إِذا ما تُضرَبُ البُهَمُ
Like an Indian blade, his presence brings you no disgrace
Like the Indian, his presence in the midst of swords
amid the swords, when mighty warriors are struck.
When lances strike does not shame you.
Sol 6.1