وَجَدتَand you found شفاءَthe cure for الهُمومِworries الرَّحيلَdeparture
وَجَدتَ شفاءَ الهُمومِ الرَّحيلَ
فَصُرمُthus severing الخِلاجِdistractions وَوَشكُand swiftness of القَضاءِaccomplishment
فَصُرمُ الخِلاجِ وَوَشكُ القَضاءِ
You found departure the cure for worries:
the severing of distractions and swift accomplishment.
وَإِثواؤُكَand your harboring الهَمَّgrief لَمnot تُمضِهِyou send it away
وَإِثواؤُكَ الهَمَّ لَم تُمضِهِ
إِذاwhen ضافَكَit visits you الهَمُّgrief أَعنىmost wearisome العَناءِtoil
إِذا ضافَكَ الهَمُّ أَعنى العَناءِ
And your harboring grief without banishing it,
when grief visits you, is the weariest toil.
وَلماعَةٍand many a shimmering waste ماnot بِهاin it مِنْany عِلامٍlandmark
وَلماعَةٍ ما بِها مِنْ عِلامٍ
وَلاnor أَمراتٍwaymarks وَلاnor رِعيpasturage of ماءِwater
وَلا أَمراتٍ وَلا رِعي ماءِ
And many a shimmering waste, with no landmark,
nor waymarks, nor water-fed pasture,
كَأَنَّas though قُلوبَthe hearts of أَدلَّائِهاits guides
كَأَنَّ قُلوبَ أَدلَّائِها
مُعَلَّقَةٌsuspended بِقُرونِfrom the horns of الظِّباءِgazelles
مُعَلَّقَةٌ بِقُرونِ الظِّباءِ
as though the hearts of its guides
were hung upon gazelles' horns.
يَظَلُّspends the day الشُّجاعُthe brave man الشَّديدُstrong الجنانِof heart
يَظَلُّ الشُّجاعُ الشَّديدُ الجنانِ
مَخافَتَهاin fear of it مُعصِماًseeking protection بِالدُّعاءِin prayer
مَخافَتَها مُعصِماً بِالدُّعاءِ
The brave man, stout of heart, spends the day
in dread of it, seeking protection in prayer.
إِذاwhen نَظَرَlooks القَومُthe party ماwhat مِيلُهاits extent
إِذا نَظَرَ القَومُ ما مِيلُها
رَأىsees القَومُthe party دَوّيَةًa vast wilderness كَالسَماءِlike the sky
رَأى القَومُ دَوّيَةً كَالسَماءِ
When the party looks to gauge its extent,
the party sees a wilderness like the sky.
يُسِرُّconceals الدَليلُthe guide بِهاwithin it خيفَةًfear
يُسِرُّ الدَليلُ بِها خيفَةً
وَماbut not بِكَآبَتِهِin his dejection مِنany خَفاءِconcealment
وَما بِكَآبَتِهِ مِن خَفاءِ
The guide conceals his fear there,
but there is no hiding his dejection.
إِذاwhen هُوَhe أَنكَرَfails to recognize أَسماءَهاits place-names
إِذا هُوَ أَنكَرَ أَسماءَها
وَعَيَّand is bewildered وَحُقَّand it is fitting لَهُfor him بِالعَياءِto be bewildered
وَعَيَّ وَحُقَّ لَهُ بِالعَياءِ
When he fails to recognize its place-names
and is bewildered—as well he may be—
وَخَلَّىand abandons الرِّكابَthe riding camels وَأَهوالَهاand their terrors
وَخَلَّى الرِّكابَ وَأَهوالَها
وَأَسلَمَهُنَّand surrenders them لِتيهٍto a wilderness قَواءِdesolate
وَأَسلَمَهُنَّ لِتيهٍ قَواءِ
and abandons the riding camels to their terrors,
surrendering them to a desolate wilderness,
لَهُhe has نَظرَتانِtwo glances فَمَرفوعَةٌthen one raised upward
لَهُ نَظرَتانِ فَمَرفوعَةٌ
وَأُخرىand another تَأَمَّلُexamines ماwhat فيin السِّقاءِthe waterskin
وَأُخرى تَأَمَّلُ ما في السِّقاءِ
he casts two looks: one raised upward,
another examining what is in the waterskin;
وَثالِثَةٌand a third بِعدَafter طولِa long stretch of الصُّماتِsilence
وَثالِثَةٌ بِعدَ طولِ الصُّماتِ
إِلَيَّtoward me وَفيand in صَوتِهِhis voice كَالبُكاءِlike weeping
إِلَيَّ وَفي صَوتِهِ كَالبُكاءِ
and a third, after a long silence,
toward me, with something like weeping in his voice,
بِأَرضٍin a land عَلاهاhe has crossed it وَلَمbut not أَعْلُهاI have crossed it
بِأَرضٍ عَلاها وَلَم أَعْلُها
لِتُخرِجَهُso it may bring him out هِمَّتيmy resolve أَوor مَضائيmy boldness
لِتُخرِجَهُ هِمَّتي أَو مَضائي
in land he has crossed before, though I have not,
hoping my resolve or boldness will bring him out.
فَقُلتُso I said التَزِمcling to عَنكَfor your part ظَهرَthe back of البَعيرِthe camel
فَقُلتُ التَزِم عَنكَ ظَهرَ البَعيرِ
جَزىmay requite اللَّهُGod مِثلَكَyour like شَرَّthe worst of الجَزاءِrewards
جَزى اللَّهُ مِثلَكَ شَرَّ الجَزاءِ
So I said: For your part, cling to the camel's back!
May God repay your like with the worst reward!
أُحيدىone small one هَناتيamong my trials وَأَمثالهاand their like
أُحيدى هَناتي وَأَمثالها
إِذاwhen لَمَعَgleams البَرقُlightning لمعَthe gleam of الرِّداءِa cloak
إِذا لَمَعَ البَرقُ لمعَ الرِّداءِ
One small trial of mine, and others like it,
when lightning gleams as a cloak gleams.
وَلَيسَand there is not بِهاin it غَيرُanything but أَمرٍa purpose زَميعٍresolute
وَلَيسَ بِها غَيرُ أَمرٍ زَميعٍ
وَغَيرُand other than التَوَكُّلِtrust ثُمَّthen النَّجاءِswift escape
وَغَيرُ التَوَكُّلِ ثُمَّ النَّجاءِ
There is no recourse there but firm resolve,
and trust, and then a swift escape.
رَمَيتُI plunged in وَأَيقَظتُand I roused غِزلانَهاits gazelles
رَمَيتُ وَأَيقَظتُ غِزلانَها
بِمِثلِwith the like of السّكارىdrunkards مِنfrom الإِنطِواءِleanness
بِمِثلِ السّكارى مِن الإِنطِواءِ
I plunged in and roused its gazelles
on mounts like drunkards from their leanness.
تَساوَرُthey assail حَدّthe sharp edge of الضُّحىforenoon بَعدَماafter
تَساوَرُ حَدّ الضُّحى بَعدَما
طَوَتthey folded away لَيلَهاtheir night مِثلَlike طَيِّthe folding of الرِّداءِa cloak
طَوَت لَيلَها مِثلَ طَيِّ الرِّداءِ
They brave the sharp heat of forenoon, after
folding away their night as a cloak is folded.
تعاديthey draw aside نَواحِيَedges منof قَبصِهاtheir hooves
تعادي نَواحِيَ من قَبصِها
عَنِaway from المَروِflint تخضبُهُthey stain it بِالدِّماءِwith blood
عَنِ المَروِ تخضبُهُ بِالدِّماءِ
They draw the edges of their hooves away
from the flint, staining it with blood.
كَأَنَّas though الحَصاthe pebbles حينَwhen يَترُكنَهُthey leave them
كَأَنَّ الحَصا حينَ يَترُكنَهُ
رَضيخُcrushed fragments of نَدىmoist القَسبِhard dates بَينَamid الصّلاءِthe fires
رَضيخُ نَدى القَسبِ بَينَ الصّلاءِ
As though the pebbles, when they leave them,
were crushed, moist dates amid the fires,
إِلىuntil أَنthat تنعلَthey wear as sandals أَظلالَهاtheir shadows
إِلى أَن تنعلَ أَظلالَها
وَلَمthough not يَعلُhe covered from above أَظلالهاtheir shadows بِالحِذاءِwith shoes
وَلَم يَعلُ أَظلالها بِالحِذاءِ
until they wear their shadows as sandals,
though none has covered their shadows with shoes.
وَيَومٍand many a day مِنَof النَّجمِthe Pleiades مُستَوقِدٍblazing
وَيَومٍ مِنَ النَّجمِ مُستَوقِدٍ
يَسوقُdrives إِلىtoward المَوتِdeath نورَthe shy ones of الظِّباءِthe gazelles
يَسوقُ إِلى المَوتِ نورَ الظِّباءِ
And many a blazing day of the Pleiades,
driving the shy gazelles toward death:
تَراهاyou see them تَدورُcircling بِغيرانِهاaround their caves
تَراها تَدورُ بِغيرانِها
ويَهجُمهاand assails them بارِحٌa hot wind ذوbearing عَماءِblinding dust
ويَهجُمها بارِحٌ ذو عَماءِ
you see them circling about their caves,
while a hot wind bearing blinding dust assails them,
عَكوفَthe devoted gathering of النَّصارىChristians إِلىat عيدِهاtheir feast
عَكوفَ النَّصارى إِلى عيدِها
تَمشّىwalk دَهاقينُهاtheir notables فيin المُلاءِmantles
تَمشّى دَهاقينُها في المُلاءِ
like Christians gathered in devotion at their feast,
their notables walking in mantles.
إِذاwhen خَرَجَتthey emerge تَتقيthey shield themselves بِالقُرونِwith their horns
إِذا خَرَجَت تَتقي بِالقُرونِ
أجيجَthe blaze of سُمومٍa scorching wind كَلَفحِlike the blast of الصِّلاءِfire
أجيجَ سُمومٍ كَلَفحِ الصِّلاءِ
When they emerge, they shield themselves with their horns
from a scorching wind's blaze, like the blast of fire.
لَجَأتُI sought shelter بِصَحبيwith my companions إِلىto خافِقٍa fluttering awning
لَجَأتُ بِصَحبي إِلى خافِقٍ
عَلىupon نبقَتَينِtwo lote-trees بِأَرضِin a land فَضاءِopen
عَلى نبقَتَينِ بِأَرضِ فَضاءِ
I sought shelter with my companions beneath a fluttering awning,
set upon two lote-trees in open ground.
تَنازَعناwrestled with us over الرِّيحُthe wind أَرواقهits curtains
تَنازَعنا الرِّيحُ أَرواقه
وَكَسريهِand its two side-flaps يَرمَحنَthey kick رُمحَthe kicking of الفِلاءِfoals
وَكَسريهِ يَرمَحنَ رُمحَ الفِلاءِ
The wind wrestled with us over its curtains,
and its two side-flaps kicked like foals.
وَبَيضاءَand a white sun تَنْفَلُّrecoil عَنهاfrom it العُيونُthe eyes
وَبَيضاءَ تَنْفَلُّ عَنها العُيونُ
تُطالِعُناpeers at us مِنfrom وَراءِbeyond الخباءِthe tent
تُطالِعُنا مِن وَراءِ الخباءِ
And a white sun, from which eyes recoil,
peered at us from beyond the tent,
لَدىbeside أَرحُلٍsaddles وَلَدىand beside أَينُقٍshe-camels
لَدى أَرحُلٍ وَلَدى أَينُقٍ
بِآباطِهاin their armpits كَعَصيمِlike dried traces of الهناءِcamel-tar
بِآباطِها كَعَصيمِ الهناءِ
beside saddles and beside she-camels,
with crusts like dried tar beneath their forelegs.
صَواديthirst-parched قَدalready نَصَبَتthey have raised لِلهَجيرِto the midday heat
صَوادي قَد نَصَبَت لِلهَجيرِ
جَماجِمَskulls مِثلَlike خَوابيlarge jars of الطِّلاءِthickened wine
جَماجِمَ مِثلَ خَوابي الطِّلاءِ
Thirst-parched, they had raised to the midday heat
skulls like jars of thickened wine.
تظللُare shaded فيهنwithin them أَبصارُهُنtheir eyes
تظللُ فيهن أَبصارُهُن
كَماas ظَلَّلَshades الصَّخرُthe rock ماءَthe water of الصِّهاءِrock-pools
كَما ظَلَّلَ الصَّخرُ ماءَ الصِّهاءِ
Their eyes lay shaded within them,
as rock shades the water of rock-pools
بِرَأسِat the crest of الفَلاةِthe desert وَلَمand not يَنحَدِرْit has flowed down
بِرَأسِ الفَلاةِ وَلَم يَنحَدِرْ
وَلَكِنَّهاbut they بِمَثابٍin a catchment سَواءِlevel
وَلَكِنَّها بِمَثابٍ سَواءِ
at the desert's crest, where it has not flowed down;
rather, the pools lie in a level catchment.
إِلىuntil أَنthat مَللتُI grew weary of ثَواءَlingering at المَقيلِthe midday halt
إِلى أَن مَللتُ ثَواءَ المَقيلِ
وَكُنتُand I was مَلولاًeasily wearied لِطولِby the length of الثَّواءِstaying
وَكُنتُ مَلولاً لِطولِ الثَّواءِ
Until I tired of lingering at the midday halt—
and I was easily wearied by a lengthy stay.
هَتَكتُI tore aside الرواقَthe awning وَلَمand not yet يُبرِدُواthey reached the cool hours
هَتَكتُ الرواقَ وَلَم يُبرِدُوا
وَنادَيتُand I called فَاِنتَبِهواso rouse yourselves لِلنِّداءِat the summons
وَنادَيتُ فَاِنتَبِهوا لِلنِّداءِ
I tore aside the awning before the cool hours came,
and called out: Rouse yourselves at the summons!
فَقُمتُso I rose إِلَيهاtoward them بِأَكوارِهاwith their pack-saddles
فَقُمتُ إِلَيها بِأَكوارِها
فَكادَتْand they nearly تُكَلِّمُناspoke to us بِاِشتِكاءِin complaint
فَكادَتْ تُكَلِّمُنا بِاِشتِكاءِ
Then I went over to them with their pack-saddles,
and they nearly spoke to us in complaint.
فَأَقبلهاthen he turned them toward الشَّمسَthe sun راعa herdsman لَهاof theirs
فَأَقبلها الشَّمسَ راع لَها
رَهينٌbound لَهاto them بِجَفاءِby forgoing العَشاءِsupper
رَهينٌ لَها بِجَفاءِ العَشاءِ
A herdsman of theirs turned them toward the sun,
pledged to their care, forgoing his supper.
فَأَمسَتby evening they were تُغاليracing on وَقَدand already شارَفَتْthey neared
فَأَمسَت تُغالي وَقَد شارَفَتْ
لايرادِfor watering قائِلَةٍnoontime أَوor ضَحاءِforenoon
لايرادِ قائِلَةٍ أَو ضَحاءِ
By evening they raced on, already nearing
a watering at noon or in the forenoon.
إِذاwhen ماever وَنَتْthey flag حَثَّهاhe urges them بِالنَّهيمِwith driving cries
إِذا ما وَنَتْ حَثَّها بِالنَّهيمِ
وَطَوراًand sometimes يُعَلِّلُهاhe cheers them بِالحُداءِwith camel-song
وَطَوراً يُعَلِّلُها بِالحُداءِ
Whenever they flag, he urges them with driving cries,
and sometimes cheers them with camel-song.
فَباتَتْso they passed the night لَهاfor them لَيلَةa night لَمnot تَنَمthey slept
فَباتَتْ لَها لَيلَة لَم تَنَم
تَميلُincline الجرومُthe bodies بِهاupon them لِلوَطاءِtoward soft bedding
تَميلُ الجرومُ بِها لِلوَطاءِ
They passed a night without sleeping,
the riders' bodies drooping toward soft bedding.
وَضحوتهاand their forenoon ياoh لَهاwhat a time it was ضَحوَةًa forenoon
وَضحوتها يا لَها ضَحوَةً
إِلىuntil أَنthat وَرَدنَthey reached water قُبَيلَjust before الرِّعاءِthe herdsmen
إِلى أَن وَرَدنَ قُبَيلَ الرِّعاءِ
And their forenoon—what a forenoon!—
until they reached water just before the herdsmen.
فَجاءَتso they arrived وَرُكبانُهاand their riders كَالشروبِlike drunkards
فَجاءَت وَرُكبانُها كَالشروبِ
وَسائِقُهاand their driver مِثلُlike صنعِthe handiwork of الشّواءِthe meat-roaster
وَسائِقُها مِثلُ صنعِ الشّواءِ
They arrived, their riders like drunkards,
and their driver like a roaster's handiwork:
حَميدَpraiseworthy البَلاءِin trial مَتينَfirm القُوىin strength
حَميدَ البَلاءِ مَتينَ القُوى
مُبينَplainly showing البراءَةِfreedom مِنfrom كُلِّevery داءِailment
مُبينَ البراءَةِ مِن كُلِّ داءِ
praiseworthy in trial, firm in strength,
plainly free of every ailment,
سوىexcept ماwhat أَصابَafflicted السرىnight travel وَالسموand the scorching wind (continued)
سوى ما أَصابَ السرى وَالسمو
مُcompletion of 'scorching wind' وَلَيسَand he is not بِناسٍforgetful جميلَgracious الحَياءِmodesty
مُ وَلَيسَ بِناسٍ جميلَ الحَياءِ
save the harm of night travel and the scorching
wind; nor is he forgetful of gracious modesty.
إِذاwhen صدرَdepart from water القَومُthe party ناجٍspeeding away بِهِمwith them
إِذا صدرَ القَومُ ناجٍ بِهِم
إِذاwhen وَرَدَarrives at water القَومُthe party مَسقىa watering-place of الرِّواءِfull draughts
إِذا وَرَدَ القَومُ مَسقى الرِّواءِ
When the party leaves water, he speeds away with them;
when the party reaches a watering-place of full draughts,
سَريعٌswift إِراغَتُهُhis fetching دَلوَهُمtheir bucket
سَريعٌ إِراغَتُهُ دَلوَهُم
سَريعٌswift تعلقهhis taking hold بِالرُّشاءِof the well-rope
سَريعٌ تعلقه بِالرُّشاءِ
swift is his fetching of their bucket,
swift his grasp upon the well-rope.
وَجاءَand came الدَّليلُthe guide لِشَرِّas the worst of المَتاعِbaggage
وَجاءَ الدَّليلُ لِشَرِّ المَتاعِ
مُعَلّىhoisted aloft بِهِwith him مِثلُlike حَملِthe carrying of الوِعاءِa sack
مُعَلّى بِهِ مِثلُ حَملِ الوِعاءِ
The guide came along as the worst of baggage,
hoisted up like a sack being carried.
فَقالَتso they rested at noon عَلىby الماءِthe water ثُمَّthen اِنتَحَتthey headed
فَقالَت عَلى الماءِ ثُمَّ اِنتَحَت
لِمُنجَرِدٍtoward a bare tract مِثلlike سَيْحِstriped cloth of العَباءِwoollen cloaks
لِمُنجَرِدٍ مِثل سَيْحِ العَباءِ
They rested by the water at noon, then headed
toward a bare tract like a striped woollen cloak:
وَخيمperilous تخونَhad worn away أَطرافَهاtheir extremities
وَخيم تخونَ أَطرافَها
تراجعُهُthey revisit it بَعدَafter سوءِthe severity of البَلاءِthe ordeal
تراجعُهُ بَعدَ سوءِ البَلاءِ
perilous, it had worn away their extremities;
they revisited it after a grievous ordeal.
وَواجَهَهاand faced them بَلَدٌcountry مَعلَمٌmarked by landmarks
وَواجَهَها بَلَدٌ مَعلَمٌ
وَبانَand became clear الطَّريقُthe road فَماso not مِنany خَفاءِobscurity
وَبانَ الطَّريقُ فَما مِن خَفاءِ
And landmarked country lay before them,
and the road stood clear, with nothing hidden.
وَقَضَّتand they fulfilled مَآرِبَthe purposes of أَسفارِهاtheir journeys
وَقَضَّت مَآرِبَ أَسفارِها
وَحُبُّand the love of الإِيابِhomecoming كَحُبِّlike the love of الشّفاءِhealing
وَحُبُّ الإِيابِ كَحُبِّ الشّفاءِ
They fulfilled the purposes of their journeys,
and love of homecoming is like love of healing.
Translation model: Sol 6.1