عَفاgrew effaced الجَوُّal-Jaww مِنof سَلمىSalma فَبادَتso vanished رُسومُهاher traces
عَفا الجَوُّ مِن سَلمى فَبادَت رُسومُها
فَذاتُand Dhat الصَفاal-Safa صَحراؤُهاits desert plain فَقَصيمُهاand its sandy woodland
فَذاتُ الصَفا صَحراؤُها فَقَصيمُها
Al-Jaww lies deserted without Salma; her traces have vanished,
The air has relented from Salma, so its traces faded away
and Dhat al-Safa—its desert plain and its sandy woodland.
Thus Dhat Safa became a desert, its hillocks and meadows
فَأَصبَحَand became ماwhat بَينَbetween الكُلابِal-Kulab وَحابِسٍand Habis
فَأَصبَحَ ما بَينَ الكُلابِ وَحابِسٍ
قِفاراًa wilderness يُغَنّيهاsings to it مَعَwith اللَيلِthe night بومُهاits owls
قِفاراً يُغَنّيها مَعَ اللَيلِ بومُها
What lies between al-Kulab and Habis has become
So what’s between dogs and a guardian became desolate
a wilderness, sung to by its owls at night.
The night sings to it along with its howling
خَلَتlay empty غَيرَexcept for أُحدانٍisolated remnants تَلوحُgleam كَأَنَّهاas though they were
خَلَت غَيرَ أُحدانٍ تَلوحُ كَأَنَّها
نُجومٌstars بَدَتappeared وَاِنجابَand cleared away عَنهاfrom them غُيومُهاtheir clouds
نُجومٌ بَدَت وَاِنجابَ عَنها غُيومُها
It lies empty, save for lone remnants gleaming as though they were
Nothing left but two lovers signaling as if they were
stars appearing as their clouds clear away.
Stars that appeared but their clouds have concealed them
بِمُستَأسِدٍamid luxuriant growth يَجريflows النَدىmoisture فيin رِياضِهِits meadows
بِمُستَأسِدٍ يَجري النَدى في رِياضِهِ
سَقَتهُwatered it أَهاضيبُdownpours of الصَباthe east wind فَمُديمُهاthen its steady rain
سَقَتهُ أَهاضيبُ الصَبا فَمُديمُها
Amid luxuriant growth, moisture flows through its meadows;
With a lion that drags droplets in its meadows
the east wind's downpours watered it, then its steady rain.
Morning dews have quenched it so its bounty is lasting
إِذاwhenever قُلتُI said قَدalready خَفَّتhad slackened تَواليهِits trailing showers أَقبَلَتcame forward
إِذا قُلتُ قَد خَفَّت تَواليهِ أَقبَلَت
بِهِwith it الريحُthe wind مِنfrom عَينٍa source سَريعٍswift جُمومُهاits replenishment
بِهِ الريحُ مِن عَينٍ سَريعٍ جُمومُها
Whenever I said, 'Its trailing showers have slackened,' there came
When I say its downpour has subsided, the wind comes to it
the wind bearing more from a source that swiftly replenishes.
From a swift well whose buckets are overflowing
فَماso did not زالَcease يَسفيsweep rain over بَطنَthe valley floor of خَبتٍKhabt وَعَرعَرٍand Ar'ar
فَما زالَ يَسفي بَطنَ خَبتٍ وَعَرعَرٍ
وَأَرضَهُماand their land حَتّىuntil اِطمَأَنَّsettled low جَسيمُهاits massive bulk
وَأَرضَهُما حَتّى اِطمَأَنَّ جَسيمُها
It kept showering the valley floor of Khabt and Ar'ar,
So it continues to pour in the valley of Khabt and Ar’ar
and their land, until its massive bulk settled low.
Until the highlands settled and the peaks bowed down
وَعَمَّهُماand covered them both بِالماءِwith water حَتّىuntil تَواضَعَتbowed low
وَعَمَّهُما بِالماءِ حَتّى تَواضَعَت
رُؤوسُthe crests of المِتانِhard uplands سَهلُهاtheir level tracts وَحُزومُهاand their rugged hills
رُؤوسُ المِتانِ سَهلُها وَحُزومُها
It covered them both with water until bowed low
With pouring water until the tips of sand dunes bent over
the crests of the uplands—their flats and rugged hills.
Submissive, their lofty heads bowed down
بِمُرتَجِزٍwith a thunder-chanting cloud دانيlow-lying الرَبابِcloud-banks كَأَنَّهُas though it were
بِمُرتَجِزٍ داني الرَبابِ كَأَنَّهُ
عَلىover ذاتِDhat مِلحٍMilh مُقسِمٌsworn لاnot يَرَيمُهاto leave it
عَلى ذاتِ مِلحٍ مُقسِمٌ لا يَرَيمُها
With a thunder-chanting cloud, its cloud-banks low, as though it were
With a ship anchored, drawing near as if
sworn never to leave Dhat Milh.
It cleaves the salt plain, never swerving from its course
إِذاwhen طَعَنَتthrust فيهِinto it الجَنوبُthe south wind تَحامَلَتbore onward
إِذا طَعَنَت فيهِ الجَنوبُ تَحامَلَت
بِأَعجازِwith the rear of جَرّارٍa vast host تَداعىtumbled together خُصومُهاits flanks
بِأَعجازِ جَرّارٍ تَداعى خُصومُها
When the south wind thrust into it, it drove forward
When the southern winds thrust into it, it confronts them
the rear of a vast host, whose flanks tumbled together.
With the sterns of nomads, clashing with the waves crashing into them
سَقىmay water اللَهُGod مِنهُfrom it دارَthe abode of سَلمىSalma بِرَيَّةٍwith a full draught
سَقى اللَهُ مِنهُ دارَ سَلمى بِرَيَّةٍ
عَلىdespite أَنَّthe fact that سَلمىSalma لَيسَis not يُشفىcured سَقيمُهاher lovesick one
عَلى أَنَّ سَلمى لَيسَ يُشفى سَقيمُها
May God give Salma's dwelling a full draught of its rain,
May God water Salma’s abode with a quenching rain
though no one lovesick for Salma is cured.
For Salma’s malady cannot be cured with any medicine
وَلَوand if حَمَّلَتنيshe entrusted me with السِرَّthe secret سَلمىSalma حَمَلتُهُI would bear it
وَلَو حَمَّلَتني السِرَّ سَلمى حَمَلتُهُ
وَهَلand can anyone يَحمِلُbear الأَسرارَsecrets إِلّاexcept كَتومُهاtheir discreet keeper
وَهَل يَحمِلُ الأَسرارَ إِلّا كَتومُها
If Salma entrusted me with a secret, I would bear it;
Had Salma confided in me a secret, I would have kept it
and who bears secrets but their discreet keeper?
For who else bears secrets but the tight-lipped one?
مِنَamong العَرَبِيّاتِArab women البَواديdesert-dwelling وَلَمand never تَكُنwas she
مِنَ العَرَبِيّاتِ البَوادي وَلَم تَكُن
تُلَوِّحُهاscorch her حُمّىthe fever of دِمَشقَDamascus وَمومُهاand its pleurisy
تُلَوِّحُها حُمّى دِمَشقَ وَمومُها
One of the desert-dwelling Arab women, she was never
Of Arab girls, the Bedouin ones, not those
scorched by Damascus's fever and pleurisy.
Whose fever is Damascus, though it whets their zeal
إِلَيكَtoward you أَباAbu مَروانَMarwan يَمَّمَheaded أَركُبٌriding parties
إِلَيكَ أَبا مَروانَ يَمَّمَ أَركُبٌ
أَتَوكَthey came to you بِأَنضاءِon worn-out mounts خِفافٍscant لُحومُهاtheir flesh
أَتَوكَ بِأَنضاءِ خِفافٍ لُحومُها
Toward you, Abu Marwan, riding parties headed,
To you, Abu Marwan, riders have set out
coming to you on worn-out mounts, scant of flesh.
Bringing you the prime of nimble she-camels
تَحَسَّرنَthey grew bare and worn وَاِستَقبَلنَand they faced لِلصَيفِof summer وَقدَةًa blaze
تَحَسَّرنَ وَاِستَقبَلنَ لِلصَيفِ وَقدَةً
تُغَيِّرُchanges أَلوانَthe complexions of الرِجالِmen سَمومُهاits scorching wind
تُغَيِّرُ أَلوانَ الرِجالِ سَمومُها
They grew bare and worn, facing the summer's blaze,
They trotted and headed for summer, though it brings
whose scorching wind changes men's complexions.
An affliction that alters the complexion of men
إِلَيكَtoward you مِنَfrom الأَغوارِthe lowlands حَتّىuntil تَزاحَمَتbunched together
إِلَيكَ مِنَ الأَغوارِ حَتّى تَزاحَمَت
عُراهاtheir saddle-loops عَلىon جونٍdark mounts قَليلٍscant شُحومُهاtheir fat
عُراها عَلى جونٍ قَليلٍ شُحومُها
Toward you from the lowlands, until crowded together
To you from the lowlands, until their bare bellies
were their saddle-loops on dark mounts with little fat.
Crowded over a little flesh with barely any fat
رَجاءَhoping for ثَراكُمyour wealth إِنَّindeed مَنwhoever يَنتَويكُمُheads for you
رَجاءَ ثَراكُم إِنَّ مَن يَنتَويكُمُ
يُوافِقُencounters حُسنىgood fortune ماnot يُغِبُّlapses نَعيمُهاits delights
يُوافِقُ حُسنى ما يُغِبُّ نَعيمُها
In hope of your wealth: whoever makes for you
Hoping for your generosity, he who relies on you
finds good fortune whose delights never lapse.
Attains the best of what had been denied to him
فَأَنتَfor you الَّذيare the one who تَرجوhope for الصَعاليكُthe destitute سَيبَهُhis bounty
فَأَنتَ الَّذي تَرجو الصَعاليكُ سَيبَهُ
إِذاwhen السَنَةُthe year الشَهباءُashen with drought خَوَّتfailed to bring rain نُجومُهاits stars
إِذا السَنَةُ الشَهباءُ خَوَّت نُجومُها
For you are he whose bounty the destitute hope for,
So you are the one the horsemen hope for his departure
when the ashen year's stars fail to bring rain.
When the grey year folds its stars and constellations
وَنَفسيand my soul تُمَنّينيmakes me long for العِراقَIraq وَأَهلَهُand its people
وَنَفسي تُمَنّيني العِراقَ وَأَهلَهُ
وَبِشرٌand Bishr هَواهاits beloved مِنهُمُamong them وَحَميمُهاand its intimate friend
وَبِشرٌ هَواها مِنهُمُ وَحَميمُها
My soul fills me with longing for Iraq and its people;
My soul desires Iraq and its people
Bishr among them is its beloved and intimate friend.
And there are loved ones among them, intimate and dear
إِذاwhen بَلَغَتreached بِشرَBishr اِبنَson of مَروانَMarwan ناقَتيmy she-camel
إِذا بَلَغَت بِشرَ اِبنَ مَروانَ ناقَتي
سَرَتshed خَوفَهاits fear نَفسيmy soul وَنامَتand fell asleep هُمومُهاits cares
سَرَت خَوفَها نَفسي وَنامَت هُمومُها
When my she-camel reaches Bishr ibn Marwan,
When my she-camel reaches Bishr ibn Marwan
my soul sheds its fear, and its cares fall asleep.
My soul will forget its fear and worries will fall asleep
إِمامٌa leader يَقودُleads الخَيلَthe cavalry حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّهاthey seem like
إِمامٌ يَقودُ الخَيلَ حَتّى كَأَنَّها
صُدورُthe points of القَناspears مُعوَجُّهاtheir crooked ones وَقَويمُهاand their straight ones
صُدورُ القَنا مُعوَجُّها وَقَويمُها
A leader who drives the cavalry, till they seem
A leader who guides the horses as if they are
spear-points, crooked and straight alike,
The twisted sand dunes, upright and straight
إِلىinto الحَربِbattle حَتّىuntil تَخضَعَsubmits الحَربُwar بَعدَماafter
إِلى الحَربِ حَتّى تَخضَعَ الحَربُ بَعدَما
تَخَمَّطَraged مَرحاهاits swaggerers وَتَحمىand grow hot with fury قُرومُهاits mighty stud-camels
تَخَمَّطَ مَرحاها وَتَحمى قُرومُها
into battle, till war bows after
To war until war surrenders, after
its swaggerers have raged and its great bull-camels grow hot with fury.
Struggling in its death-throes, feverish and enraged
أَبوكَyour father أَبوAbu العاصيal-Asi عَلَيكُمtoward you تَعَطَّفَتinclined
أَبوكَ أَبو العاصي عَلَيكُم تَعَطَّفَت
قُرَيشٌQuraysh لَكُمyours are عِرنينُهاits proud nose (leaders) وَصَميمُهاand its very core
قُرَيشٌ لَكُم عِرنينُها وَصَميمُها
Your father is Abu al-Asi; toward you has turned
Your father tried to win the hearts of Quraysh
Quraysh: its proud nose and its very core are yours.
For you, their noblest sons, their quintessence
أَبىhe refused أَنthat يَكونَshould be التاجُthe crown إِلّاexcept عَلَيكُمُon you
أَبى أَن يَكونَ التاجُ إِلّا عَلَيكُمُ
لِصَيدِfor the proud lords of أَبيAbu العاصيal-Asi الشَديدِunyielding شَكيمُهاtheir bridle
لِصَيدِ أَبي العاصي الشَديدِ شَكيمُها
He refused to let the crown rest on any but you,
He refused for the crown to be on any other head
for Abu al-Asi's proud lords, whose bridle is unyielding.
For the formidable hunting of your mighty father
بِكُمthrough you أَدرَكَrescued اللَهُGod البَرِيَّةَcreation بَعدَafter ماthat
بِكُم أَدرَكَ اللَهُ البَرِيَّةَ بَعدَ ما
سَعىprowled لِصُّهاits thief فيهاwithin it وَهَبَّand rose غَشومُهاits tyrant
سَعى لِصُّها فيها وَهَبَّ غَشومُها
Through you God rescued creation, after
Through you, God regained the desert after
its thief had prowled within it and its tyrant had risen.
The rebels roamed it, their mischief swirling
وَإِنَّكَand you indeed لِلمَأمولِare surely the hoped-for one وَالمُتَّقىand the one sought for protection بِهِthrough him
وَإِنَّكَ لِلمَأمولِ وَالمُتَّقى بِهِ
إِذاwhen خيفَwas feared مِنamong تِلكَthose الأُمورِaffairs عَظيمُهاtheir gravest part
إِذا خيفَ مِن تِلكَ الأُمورِ عَظيمُها
You are indeed the one hoped for and the one through whom refuge is sought,
You are the hoped for, the God-fearing one, when
when the gravest of those affairs are feared.
Fear looms regarding such monumental affairs
وَإِنَّكَand you indeed فيin الأُخرىthe other ordeal إِذاwhen هِيَit شَبَّهَتbecame confusing
وَإِنَّكَ في الأُخرى إِذا هِيَ شَبَّهَت
لَقَطّاعُsurely a cutter of أَقرانِthe binding cords of الأُمورِaffairs صَرومُهاtheir decisive severer
لَقَطّاعُ أَقرانِ الأُمورِ صَرومُها
And in the other ordeal, when it grows confused, you
And you, regarding others—when they pretend to be like them—
surely sever the binding cords of affairs, decisively cutting them.
Are the vanquisher, cutting pretenders down to size
فَلاso do not تُطعِمَنfeed لَحميmy flesh الأَعادِيَto enemies إِنَّهُindeed it is
فَلا تُطعِمَن لَحمي الأَعادِيَ إِنَّهُ
سَريعٌswift إِلَيكُمto you مَكرُهاtheir guile وَنَميمُهاand their slander
سَريعٌ إِلَيكُم مَكرُها وَنَميمُها
So do not feed my flesh to enemies; indeed,
So do not feed my flesh to enemies, it is
their guile and slander hurry toward you.
Quickly prone to plot against you and slander
لَعَمريby my life لَئِنsurely if كانَتhad كُلَيبٌKulayb تَتابَعَتfollowed one another
لَعَمري لَئِن كانَت كُلَيبٌ تَتابَعَت
عَلىin following أَمرِthe command of غاويهاtheir misleader وَضَلَّتand went astray حُلومُهاtheir judgments
عَلى أَمرِ غاويها وَضَلَّت حُلومُها
By my life, if Kulayb have followed one another
By my life, if Kulaib continues his madness
in obeying their misleader, and their judgments have gone astray,
Deceived by his foolish goal, his band gone astray
لَقَدcertainly عَجَمواthey tested by biting مِنّيin me قَناةًa spear-shaft صَليبَةًhard and stout
لَقَد عَجَموا مِنّي قَناةً صَليبَةً
إِذاwhen ضَجَّgroaned خَوّارُthe feeble ones among القَناspear-shafts وَسَؤومُهاand their easily wearied ones
إِذا ضَجَّ خَوّارُ القَنا وَسَؤومُها
they have surely tested in me a hard, stout spear-shaft,
They have sealed off from me a twisted canal
when the feeble shafts and the easily wearied ones groan.
When the roar of canals and misfortunes grow loud
وَماand not أَناI إِنif مُدَّis lengthened المَدىthe course بِمُقَصِّرٍa laggard
وَما أَنا إِن مُدَّ المَدى بِمُقَصِّرٍ
وَلاand no عَضَّةٌbite مِنّيfrom me بِناجٍescaping سَليمُهاits bitten victim
وَلا عَضَّةٌ مِنّي بِناجٍ سَليمُها
I am no laggard if the course is lengthened,
I am no coward if the contest is prolonged
and no victim of a bite from me escapes.
Nor am I biased against an unblemished companion
وَإِنّيand I indeed لَقَوّامٌsurely stand firm مَقاوِمُin positions لَمnot يَكُنcould
وَإِنّي لَقَوّامٌ مَقاوِمُ لَم يَكُن
جَريرٌJarir وَلاnor مَولىa client of جَريرٍJarir يَقومُهاhold them
جَريرٌ وَلا مَولى جَريرٍ يَقومُها
I surely stand firm in positions that neither
I stand firmly, facing every opponent and none can match me
Jarir nor a client of Jarir could hold.
Not Jarir, nor the patron of Jarir can confront me
أَيَشتِمُنيdoes he revile me? اِبنُthe son of الكَلبِthe dog أَنbecause فاضَsurged دارِمٌDarim
أَيَشتِمُني اِبنُ الكَلبِ أَن فاضَ دارِمٌ
عَلَيهِover him وَرادىand grappled with صَخرَةًa rock ماnot يَرومُهاhe can budge it
عَلَيهِ وَرادى صَخرَةً ما يَرومُها
Does the son of a dog revile me because Darim surged
Does the dog’s son insult me because Darim’s abode
over him, and he wrestled with a rock he cannot budge?
Overflowed upon him as a torrent he cannot stem?
بَنوthe sons of دارِمٍDarim نَبعٌnab' bow-wood صِلابٌhard وَأَنتُمُbut you
بَنو دارِمٍ نَبعٌ صِلابٌ وَأَنتُمُ
بَنيsons of الكَلبِthe dog أَثلٌtamarisks ماnot تَوارىare concealed وُصومُهاtheir flaws
بَني الكَلبِ أَثلٌ ما تَوارى وُصومُها
The sons of Darim are hard nab' trees; but you,
The clan of Darim is an impregnable spring, while you
sons of the dog, are tamarisks whose flaws are never hidden.
Are the mongrels, your ugly faces cannot be masked
فَلَولاbut were it not for التَحَشّيwariness مِنtoward رِياحٍRiyah رَمَيتُهاI would assail it
فَلَولا التَحَشّي مِن رِياحٍ رَمَيتُها
بِكالِمَةِwith a wounder of الأَعراضِhonors باقٍenduring وُسومُهاits brands
بِكالِمَةِ الأَعراضِ باقٍ وُسومُها
But for my wariness of Riyah, I would assail it
Were it not for fear of gossiping winds, I would have pelted him
with honor-wounding satire whose brands endure.
With words that pierce honor, indelible stigmata
يُغَنّيsings اِبنُthe son of يَربوعٍYarbu بِشَتمِيَof my reviling أُمَّهُhis mother
يُغَنّي اِبنُ يَربوعٍ بِشَتمِيَ أُمَّهُ
وَماyet not اِنفَلَتَتshe escaped مِنّيfrom me صَحيحاًintact أَديمُهاher hide
وَما اِنفَلَتَت مِنّي صَحيحاً أَديمُها
The son of Yarbu sings of my reviling his mother,
The son of Yarbu taunts my mother, but she is protected
yet she did not escape me with her hide intact.
No sincere insult of her has ever slipped out from me
وَلاnor وَجَدواdid they find أُمّاًa mother لَهُfor him عَرَبِيَّةًArab
وَلا وَجَدوا أُمّاً لَهُ عَرَبِيَّةً
وَلاnor أَسهَرَتهاkept her awake مِنfrom خِتانٍcircumcision كُلومُهاher wounds
وَلا أَسهَرَتها مِن خِتانٍ كُلومُها
Nor did they find him an Arab mother,
They could not find for him an Arab mother
nor did circumcision-wounds keep her awake.
No midwife ever circumcised the ugly thing
وَقَدand indeed آلَit has emerged مِنfrom نَسلِthe offspring of المَراغَةِal-Maragha أَنَّهاthat she
وَقَد آلَ مِن نَسلِ المَراغَةِ أَنَّها
عَلىdespite النَخسِprodding وَالإِتعابِand exhaustion باقٍenduring رَسيمُهاher brisk trot
عَلى النَخسِ وَالإِتعابِ باقٍ رَسيمُها
And it has emerged from al-Maragha's offspring that
It is known his line descends from Maragha, for it
despite prodding and exhaustion, her brisk trot endures.
Remains notorious for abasement, a cooling breeze
وَعَرَّتand she stripped bare حِمارَيهاher two donkeys وَقَدalthough كانَتِhad been اِستُهاher arse
وَعَرَّت حِمارَيها وَقَد كانَتِ اِستُها
شَديداًfierce بِسيساءِupon the backbone of الحِمارِthe donkey أُزومُهاits biting grip
شَديداً بِسيساءِ الحِمارِ أُزومُها
She stripped her two donkeys bare, though her arse had been
They exposed his female donkeys, though they were
gripping the donkey's backbone fiercely.
Once too proud, decked out in donkeys’ saddlebags
وَجَدتُI found كُلَيباًKulayb أَلأَمَthe basest of الناسِpeople كُلِّهِمall of them
وَجَدتُ كُلَيباً أَلأَمَ الناسِ كُلِّهِم
وَأَنتَand you إِذاwhen عُدَّتare counted كُلَيبٌKulayb لَئيمُهاtheir basest
وَأَنتَ إِذا عُدَّت كُلَيبٌ لَئيمُها
I found Kulayb the basest of all people,
I found Kulaib pestering all the people
and when Kulayb are counted, you are their basest.
While you, Kulaib, are the most wretched of them
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.