بُدِّلَتshe was given in exchange عَبرَةًa tear مِنَin place of الإيماضِflashing glances
بُدِّلَت عَبرَةً مِنَ الإيماضِ
يَومَthe day شَدّواthey fastened الرِحالَthe saddles بِالأَغراضِwith the saddle-girths
يَومَ شَدّوا الرِحالَ بِالأَغراضِ
She was given a tear in place of flashing glances,
My tears changed to suppression
the day they fastened the saddles with girths.
The day they set out with their luggage
أَعرَضَتshe turned away بُرهَةًfor a while لَمّاwhen أَحَسَّتshe became aware
أَعرَضَت بُرهَةً لَمّا أَحَسَّت
بِالنَوىof the separation أَعرَضَتshe turned away عَنِfrom الإِعراضِturning away
بِالنَوى أَعرَضَت عَنِ الإِعراضِ
She turned away awhile; when she sensed
She turned away for a while when she felt
the parting, she turned away from turning away.
The intention - she turned away from ignoring
غَصَبَتهاwrested from her نَحيبَهاher sobbing عَزَماتٌfirm resolutions
غَصَبَتها نَحيبَها عَزَماتٌ
غَصَبَتنيwrested from me تَصَبُّريmy self-restraint وَاِغتِماضيand my shutting my eyes
غَصَبَتني تَصَبُّري وَاِغتِماضي
Resolutions wrested her sobs from her,
Her weeping was suppressed by determinations
and wrested from me my self-restraint and sleep.
My composure and worry were forced upon me
نَظَرَتshe looked فَاِلتَفَتُّso I turned مِنهاfrom her إِلىtoward أَحsweetest (first part)
نَظَرَت فَاِلتَفَتُّ مِنها إِلى أَح
لىsweetest (completion) سَوادٍblackness رَأَيتُهُI saw it فيin بَياضِwhiteness
لى سَوادٍ رَأَيتُهُ في بَياضِ
She looked, and I turned from her toward the sweetest
She looked, so I turned from her to the most
blackness I had seen amid whiteness.
Beautiful darkness I saw in her radiance
يَومَon the day وَلَّتshe turned away مَريضَةَlanguid اللَحظِthe glance وَالجَفand the eyelid (first part)
يَومَ وَلَّت مَريضَةَ اللَحظِ وَالجَف
نِeyelid (completion) وَلَيسَتand were not دُموعُهاher tears بِمِراضِat all languid
نِ وَلَيسَت دُموعُها بِمِراضِ
On the day she turned away, languid of glance and eyelid,
The day the sick glance and eyelid departed
her tears were anything but languid.
Her tears were not from illness
إِنَّindeed خَيراًbetter مِمّاthan what رَأَيتُI saw مِنَof الصَفforbearance (first part)
إِنَّ خَيراً مِمّا رَأَيتُ مِنَ الصَف
حِforbearance (completion) عَنِtoward النائِباتِcalamities وَالإِغماضِand closing one's eyes
حِ عَنِ النائِباتِ وَالإِغماضِ
Indeed, better than the forbearance I have seen
Better than what I saw withdrawing
toward calamities, and the shutting of one's eyes,
From misfortunes and ignoring
غُربَةٌan exile تَقتَديfollows the example بِغُربَةِof the exile قَيسِQays بson (first part)
غُربَةٌ تَقتَدي بِغُربَةِ قَيسِ ب
نِson (completion) زُهَيرٍZuhayr وَالحارِثِand al-Harith بنِson of مُضاضِMudad
نِ زُهَيرٍ وَالحارِثِ بنِ مُضاضِ
is exile patterned on the exile of Qays,
A stranger emulating the strangeness of Qais
son of Zuhayr, and al-Harith son of Mudad.
Ibn Zuhair and Al-Harith ibn Mudar
غَرَضاtwo targets of نَكبَتَينِtwo calamities ماnever فَتَلاthey both twined رَأa resolve (first part)
غَرَضا نَكبَتَينِ ما فَتَلا رَأ
ياًa resolve (completion) فَخافاand then they both feared عَلَيهِfor it نَكثَundoing اِنتِقاضِunraveling
ياً فَخافا عَلَيهِ نَكثَ اِنتِقاضِ
Targets of two calamities, they never twined a resolve
Two setbacks almost made me stumble and fall
only to fear its undoing through unraveling.
Fearing they would break my resolve
مَنwhoever أَبَنَّkeeps to البُيوتَthe houses أَصبَحَcomes to be فيin ثَوa garment (first part)
مَن أَبَنَّ البُيوتَ أَصبَحَ في ثَو
بٍa garment (completion) مِنَof العَيشِlife لَيسَis not بِالفَضفاضِat all roomy
بٍ مِنَ العَيشِ لَيسَ بِالفَضفاضِ
Whoever clings to home finds himself in a garment
Whoever abandoned homes woke up
of life that is not roomy.
In shreds of life not luxurious rags
وَالفَتىand the true man مَنone whom تَعَرَّقَتهُhave gnawed him bare اللَياليthe nights
وَالفَتى مَن تَعَرَّقَتهُ اللَيالي
وَالفَيافيand the desert wastes كَالحَيَّةِlike a snake النَضناضِtongue-flicking
وَالفَيافي كَالحَيَّةِ النَضناضِ
And the true man is one gnawed bare by nights
And the gallant whom the nights exhausted
and desert wastes, like a tongue-flicking snake.
Like the molting serpent's skin
صَلَتانٌa vigorous man أَعداؤُهُhis enemies حَيثُwherever حَلّواthey settled
صَلَتانٌ أَعداؤُهُ حَيثُ حَلّوا
فيin حَديثٍtalk مِنof عَزمِهِhis resolve مُستَفاضِwidely spread
في حَديثٍ مِن عَزمِهِ مُستَفاضِ
A vigorous man: his enemies, wherever they settle,
Two prayers: wherever his enemies settled
are amid widespread talk of his resolve.
Speaking of his resolute determination
كُلَّevery يَومٍday لَهُhe has بِصَرفِamid the vicissitudes of اللَياليthe nights
كُلَّ يَومٍ لَهُ بِصَرفِ اللَيالي
فَتكَةٌa deadly surprise attack مِثلُlike فَتكَةِthe surprise attack of البَرّاضِal-Barrad
فَتكَةٌ مِثلُ فَتكَةِ البَرّاضِ
Each day, amid the nights' vicissitudes, he makes
Each day in the passing of nights
a deadly surprise attack like al-Barrad's.
He has a blow like the violent warrior's
وَإِلىand toward أَحمَدٍAhmad نَقَضتُI undid عُراthe bonds of العَجhelplessness (first part)
وَإِلى أَحمَدٍ نَقَضتُ عُرا العَج
زِhelplessness (completion) بِوَخدِwith the swift stride of السَواهِمِthe lean camels الأَنقاضِthe worn-out ones
زِ بِوَخدِ السَواهِمِ الأَنقاضِ
And toward Ahmad I undid the bonds of helplessness
And unto Ahmed I destroyed the handicaps of incapacity
with the swift stride of lean, worn-out camels.
With the cheeks of spears in ruins
فَكَأَنّيso, as though I لَمّاwhen حَطَطتُI set down إِلَيهِbefore him الرَthe saddle (first part)
فَكَأَنّي لَمّا حَطَطتُ إِلَيهِ الرَ
حلَthe saddle (completion) أَطلَقتُI released حاجَتيmy need مِنfrom إِباضِa camel-hobble
حلَ أَطلَقتُ حاجَتي مِن إِباضِ
So it was as though, when I set down my saddle before him,
As if, when I arrived to him, I released
I had released my need from a hobble.
My need from suppression
حَلَّhe settled فيin البَيتِthe noble house مِنamong إِيادٍIyad إِذاwhen عُدَّwas reckoned (first part)
حَلَّ في البَيتِ مِن إِيادٍ إِذا عُدَّ
تwas reckoned (completion) وَفيand in المَنصِبِthe station الطُوالِlofty العُراضِbroad
ت وَفي المَنصِبِ الطُوالِ العُراضِ
He occupies the noble house in Iyad, when lineages are reckoned,
He settled in the house, when counted, among the generous
and a station lofty and broad.
And in high enduring positions
مَعشَرٌa people أَصبَحواthey became حُصونَfortresses of المَعاليlofty deeds
مَعشَرٌ أَصبَحوا حُصونَ المَعالي
وَدُروعَand shields of الأَحسابِancestral nobility وَالأَعراضِand honor
وَدُروعَ الأَحسابِ وَالأَعراضِ
A people who have become fortresses of lofty deeds,
A group who became fortresses of glory
and shields of ancestral nobility and honor.
And shields of reputations and honors
بِكَthrough you عادَhas returned النِضالُthe archery contest دونَin defense of المَساعيnoble endeavors
بِكَ عادَ النِضالُ دونَ المَساعي
وَاِهتَدَينَand have found their way النِبالُthe arrows لِلأَغراضِto the targets
وَاِهتَدَينَ النِبالُ لِلأَغراضِ
Through you, the contest to uphold noble deeds has returned,
Through you, strife returned minus efforts
and arrows have found their way to the targets.
And arrows found their targets
وَغَدَتand have become أَسهُمُthe arrows of القَبائِلِthe tribes أَيقاawake (first part)
وَغَدَت أَسهُمُ القَبائِلِ أَيقا
ظاًawake (completion) وَكانَتand had been قَدalready نُوِّمَتput to sleep فيin الوِفاضِthe quivers
ظاً وَكانَت قَد نُوِّمَت في الوِفاضِ
And the tribes' arrows have become wide awake,
And the tribes' spears awoke
though they had been put to sleep in the quivers.
When they were dormant in the scabbards
عادَتِhave become again المَكرُماتُnoble deeds بُزلاًmature camels وَكانَتand had been
عادَتِ المَكرُماتُ بُزلاً وَكانَت
أُدخِلَتintroduced بَينَهاamong them بَناتُdaughters of مَخاضِpregnant she-camels
أُدخِلَت بَينَها بَناتُ مَخاضِ
Noble deeds are full-grown camels once again, though
The generous deeds returned in force and
yearling she-camels had been introduced among them.
The pretenders were introduced among them
كَمhow much ظَلامٍdarkness عَنِfrom العُلىhigh honor قَدindeed تَجَلّىhas cleared
كَم ظَلامٍ عَنِ العُلى قَد تَجَلّى
بِكَthrough you وَالمَكرُماتُand noble deeds عَنكَwith you رَواضِcontent
بِكَ وَالمَكرُماتُ عَنكَ رَواضِ
How much darkness has lifted from the heights of honor
How much darkness about loftiness was illuminated
through you, while noble deeds are pleased with you!
By you, and generous deeds are your meadows
أَيُّany ذيpossessor of سُدَدٍhigh stations يُناويكَrivals you فيهِin it
أَيُّ ذي سُدَدٍ يُناويكَ فيهِ
ظالِماًunjustly وَالنَدىand generosity بِذَلِكَon that قاضِa judge
ظالِماً وَالنَدى بِذَلِكَ قاضِ
Any man of high station who rivals you in this
What sane person intends to wrong you
does so unjustly; generosity pronounces that verdict.
When the dew itself prevents injustice?
كَمhow many مَعانٍthemes وَشَّيتُهاI embroidered them فيكَin your praise قَدalready أَمbecame at evening (first part)
كَم مَعانٍ وَشَّيتُها فيكَ قَد أَم
سَتbecame at evening (completion) وَأَصبَحَتand became at morning ضَرائِراًrival wives لِلرِياضِto the gardens
سَت وَأَصبَحَت ضَرائِراً لِلرِياضِ
How many themes I embroidered in your praise have become, at evening
How many meanings I suggested in you
and at morning, rival brides to the gardens!
Became properties of gardens
بِقَوافٍwith rhymes هِيَthey are البَواقيthe lasting ones عَلىthrough الدَهtime (first part)
بِقَوافٍ هِيَ البَواقي عَلى الدَه
رِtime (completion) وَلَكِنbut أَثمانُهُنَّtheir prices مَواضِpassing away
رِ وَلَكِن أَثمانُهُنَّ مَواضِ
With rhymes that endure through time,
With faces that are ruins over time
though their payments pass away.
Yet their prices are meadows
ماnot أُباليI care بَعدَafter اِنبِساطِكَyour open-handedness بِالمَعروwith kindness (first part)
ما أُبالي بَعدَ اِنبِساطِكَ بِالمَعرو
فِkindness (completion) مَنwho كانَwas مِنهُمُamong them ذاpossessing اِنقِباضِtight-fistedness
فِ مَن كانَ مِنهُمُ ذا اِنقِباضِ
I do not care, after your open-handed kindness,
After you were liberal with the renowned
who among them is tight-fisted.
I don't care who among them recoiled
أَنتَyou ليfor me مَعقِلٌa stronghold مِنَagainst الدَهرِtime إِنif راbrings disquiet (first part)
أَنتَ لي مَعقِلٌ مِنَ الدَهرِ إِن را
بَbrings disquiet (completion) بِرَيبٍwith misfortune أَوor حادِثٍan event مَضّاضِagonizing
بَ بِرَيبٍ أَو حادِثٍ مَضّاضِ
You are my stronghold against time, should it trouble me
You are for me a fortress from time
with misfortune or an agonizing event.
If it was disturbed by doubt or distress
ماnot شَدَدتُI fastened الأَوذامَthe bucket-straps فيat عُقَدِthe knots of الأَكthe bucket-ropes (first part)
ما شَدَدتُ الأَوذامَ في عُقَدِ الأَك
رابِthe bucket-ropes (completion) حَتّىuntil وَرَدتُI reached the water مِلءَthe fullness of الحِياضِthe basins
رابِ حَتّى وَرَدتُ مِلءَ الحِياضِ
I had scarcely fastened the bucket-straps at the rope-knots
I did not tie the tent ropes in the
before I reached basins filled to the brim.
Encampment of nomads until I filled the meadows
أَنتَyou أَمضىmore resolute مِنthan أَنto تَصُدَّyou turn away عَنِfrom الرَمshooting (first part)
أَنتَ أَمضى مِن أَن تَصُدَّ عَنِ الرَم
يِshooting (completion) إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle جَدَدتَyou applied yourself earnestly فيto الإِنباضِtwanging the bowstring
يِ إِذا ما جَدَدتَ في الإِنباضِ
You are too resolute to turn aside from shooting
You are too resolute to bar the spear
when you earnestly set the bowstring twanging.
If you renew the charge
وَإِذاand when المَجدُnobility كانَis عَونيmy ally عَلىagainst المَرthe man (first part)
وَإِذا المَجدُ كانَ عَوني عَلى المَر
ءِthe man (completion) تَقاضَيتُهُI claimed my due from him بِتَركِby abandoning التَقاضيdemanding payment
ءِ تَقاضَيتُهُ بِتَركِ التَقاضي
And when nobility is my ally against a man,
And when glory was my aid against
I collect my due from him by making no demand.
A person, I took its payment by not asking payment