سَرىtraveled by night والنَّسيمُand the breeze الرَّطْبُmoist بالرَّوْضِin the garden يَعْبَثُplays
سَرى والنَّسيمُ الرَّطْبُ بالرَّوْضِ يَعْبَثُ
خَيالٌa phantom بأذيالِto the hems of الدُّجَىdarkness يَتَشَبَّثُclings
خَيالٌ بأذيالِ الدُّجَى يَتَشَبَّثُ
By night there came, while the moist breeze played in the garden,
a phantom clinging to the hems of darkness.
طوىtraversed بُردَةَthe mantle of الظَّلْماءِdarkness واللّيلُwhile night ضارِبٌwas pitching
طوى بُردَةَ الظَّلْماءِ واللّيلُ ضارِبٌ
بِرَوْقَيْهِwith its two tent-flaps لاnot يَلويturns aside ولاnor يتَلَبَّثُlingers
بِرَوْقَيْهِ لا يَلوي ولا يتَلَبَّثُ
It crossed darkness's mantle, while night had pitched
its two tent-flaps; the phantom neither turned aside nor lingered.
فيَمَّمَthen sought عَنْafter عُفْرٍa long interval طَليحَone exhausted by صَبابَةٍpassionate longing
فيَمَّمَ عَنْ عُفْرٍ طَليحَ صَبابَةٍ
وللفَجْرِand for dawn داعٍa herald باليَفاعِon a hilltop يُغَوِّثُcries out
وللفَجْرِ داعٍ باليَفاعِ يُغَوِّثُ
Then, after long absence, it sought one worn out by longing,
while a herald of dawn cried out on a hilltop:
مُتَوَّجُcrowned أعلىatop قِمَّةِthe crest of الرّأسِthe head ساحِبٌtrailing
مُتَوَّجُ أعلى قِمَّةِ الرّأسِ ساحِبٌ
جَناحَيْهِits two wings فيin العَصْبِthe striped cloth اليَمانيYemeni مُرَعَّثُadorned with pendants
جَناحَيْهِ في العَصْبِ اليَماني مُرَعَّثُ
crowned atop the crest of its head, trailing
its wings, clad in Yemeni striped cloth and hung with pendants.
إذاwhen ماever دَعاcalled لبَّاهُanswered it حُمْشٌslender-legged hens كأنَّهاas though they
إذا ما دَعا لبَّاهُ حُمْشٌ كأنَّها
تُفَتِّشُsearch عنfor سِرِّthe secret of الصَّباحِdawn وتَبحَثُand probe
تُفَتِّشُ عن سِرِّ الصَّباحِ وتَبحَثُ
Whenever it called, slender-legged hens answered it, as though they
were searching and probing for dawn's secret.
لَكَfor you اللهGod منْwhat a زَوْرٍvisitor إذاwhen كَتَمَconceals السُّرىthe night journey
لَكَ الله منْ زَوْرٍ إذا كَتَمَ السُّرى
فلاso neither ضَوْؤُهُhis radiance يَخفىis hidden ولاnor اللَّيلُnight يَمكُثُremains
فلا ضَوْؤُهُ يَخفى ولا اللَّيلُ يَمكُثُ
God bless this visitor! Though he hides his night journey,
his radiance cannot be hidden, nor does night remain.
ينُمُّtells tales علَيْناagainst us الحَلْيُthe jewelry حتىuntil إذاwhen رَمىcasts away
ينُمُّ علَيْنا الحَلْيُ حتى إذا رَمى
بهِit باتَspends the night واشِيthe telltale of العِطْرِperfume عنّاabout us يُحدِّثُspeaking
بهِ باتَ واشِي العِطْرِ عنّا يُحدِّثُ
The jewelry betrays us, until, when he casts
it aside, telltale perfume spends the night speaking of us.
لهُhe has لَفْتةُthe turn of الخِشْفِthe fawn الأغَنِّnasal-voiced ونَظْرَةٌand a glance
لهُ لَفْتةُ الخِشْفِ الأغَنِّ ونَظْرَةٌ
بأمثالِهاwith the likes of it فيinto عُقدَةِthe knot of السِّحْرِmagic يُنفَثُbreath is blown
بأمثالِها في عُقدَةِ السِّحْرِ يُنفَثُ
He has the turn of a softly calling fawn, and a glance
with whose like spells are breathed into magic's knot.
وَقَدٌّand a figure كخُوطِlike a shoot of البانِthe bān tree غازَلَهُwooed it الصَّباthe east wind
وَقَدٌّ كخُوطِ البانِ غازَلَهُ الصَّبا
يُذَكَّرis called masculine أحياناًat times وحِيناًand at times يؤَنَّثُis called feminine
يُذَكَّر أحياناً وحِيناً يؤَنَّثُ
And a figure like a bān-tree shoot wooed by the east wind,
spoken of now as masculine, now as feminine.
وقدand indeed كادَalmost يَشكوcomplains of حَجْلَهُhis anklet وسِوارَهُand his bracelet
وقد كادَ يَشكو حَجْلَهُ وسِوارَهُ
إليهِto him وِشاحٌa sash يَشبَعانِthe two are sated ويَغْرَثُand it goes hungry
إليهِ وِشاحٌ يَشبَعانِ ويَغْرَثُ
And almost a complaint is raised against his anklet and bracelet
to him by his sash: the two are sated, while it goes hungry.
ومنْand among بَيِّناتِclear proofs of الشَّوقِlonging أنِّيthat I علىin النَّوىseparation
ومنْ بَيِّناتِ الشَّوقِ أنِّي على النَّوى
أموتُdie لذِكراهُat his remembrance مِراراًrepeatedly وأُبعَثُand am resurrected
أموتُ لذِكراهُ مِراراً وأُبعَثُ
And one clear proof of longing is that, in separation,
I die at his remembrance again and again, and am raised anew.
وحَيْثُand where يَقيلrests at noon الهَمُّsorrow والحُبُّwhile love جَذْوَةٌan ember
وحَيْثُ يَقيل الهَمُّ والحُبُّ جَذْوَةٌ
علىupon كَبِدٍa liver منْfrom خَشيةِfear of البَيْنِparting تُفرَثُis torn apart
على كَبِدٍ منْ خَشيةِ البَيْنِ تُفرَثُ
And where sorrow rests at noon, while love is an ember
upon a liver torn apart by fear of parting,
بَقاياremnants of جَوًىburning grief تحتَbeneath الضُّلوعِthe ribs كأنّهاas though they were
بَقايا جَوًى تحتَ الضُّلوعِ كأنّها
لَظىًa blaze بِشآبيبِby showers of الدّموعِtears يُؤَرَّثُis kindled
لَظىً بِشآبيبِ الدّموعِ يُؤَرَّثُ
lie remnants of burning grief beneath the ribs, as though they were
a blaze kindled by showers of tears.
أمَاindeed والعُلاby high honor واهاًah! لَهاfor it منْwhat an ألِيّةٍoath
أمَا والعُلا واهاً لَها منْ ألِيّةٍ
لَحىmay curse اللهGod مَنْwhoever يوليswears بِهاby it ثُمَّthen يَحْنَثُbreaks the oath
لَحى الله مَنْ يولي بِها ثُمَّ يَحْنَثُ
Indeed, by high honor—ah, what an oath!
May God curse whoever swears it, then breaks it!
لأبتَعِثَنَّI shall surely send forth العِيسَthe pale camels شُعْثاًshaggy وراءَهاbehind them
لأبتَعِثَنَّ العِيسَ شُعْثاً وراءَها
أُسَيْمِرُa swarthy little man جَوّابُa rover of الدّياميمِtrackless deserts أشْعَثُtousled
أُسَيْمِرُ جَوّابُ الدّياميمِ أشْعَثُ
I shall surely send the pale camels forth, shaggy, with behind them
a swarthy little man, tousled, roaming the trackless wastes.
طَوىturned عنْaway from مَقَرِّthe abode of الهُونِabasement كَشْحَthe flank of ابنِa son of حُرَّةٍa free woman
طَوى عنْ مَقَرِّ الهُونِ كَشْحَ ابنِ حُرَّةٍ
لهُhe has جانِبٌa side شأَزٌrugged وآخَرُand another أوعَثُsofter
لهُ جانِبٌ شأَزٌ وآخَرُ أوعَثُ
A free woman's son, he turned his flank away from humiliation's abode;
one side of him is rugged, the other softer.
وأعتَقَand freed مِنْfrom رِقِّthe bondage of المطامِعِgreed عاتِقاًa shoulder
وأعتَقَ مِنْ رِقِّ المطامِعِ عاتِقاً
بِثِنْيَيْwith the two folds of نِجادِthe baldric of المَشْرَفِيَّةِthe Mashrafi sword يُولَثُis bound
بِثِنْيَيْ نِجادِ المَشْرَفِيَّةِ يُولَثُ
And he freed from the bondage of greed a shoulder
bound by the two folds of a Mashrafi sword's baldric.
يَبيتُspends the night خَميصاًempty-bellied منْabstaining from طَعامٍfood يَشينُهُthat disgraces him
يَبيتُ خَميصاً منْ طَعامٍ يَشينُهُ
ويَشرَبُand drinks سُمَّاًpoison فيin الإناءِthe bowl يُمَيَّثُis dissolved
ويَشرَبُ سُمَّاً في الإناءِ يُمَيَّثُ
He goes to bed empty-bellied, shunning food that would disgrace him,
and drinks poison dissolved in the bowl.
فلَيْتَso would that الذيthe one who يُغضيcloses الجُفونَthe eyelids علىover القَذىgrit
فلَيْتَ الذي يُغضي الجُفونَ على القَذى
لَقىًa discarded fetus أُجْهِضَتْwere made to miscarry عنهُof him عَوارِكُmenstruating women طُمَّثُin their courses
لَقىً أُجْهِضَتْ عنهُ عَوارِكُ طُمَّثُ
Would that the man who closes his eyelids over grit
were a discarded fetus miscarried by menstruating women!
أُخَيَّmy little brother إِلىuntil كمْhow long تَتْبَعُyou follow الغَيْثَthe rain رائِداًas a pasture scout
أُخَيَّ إِلى كمْ تَتْبَعُ الغَيْثَ رائِداً
وفيand in غيرother than أرضٍland تُنْبِتُthat grows العِزَّhonor تَحْرُثُyou plow
وفي غير أرضٍ تُنْبِتُ العِزَّ تَحْرُثُ
My little brother, how long will you follow the rain as a scout,
and plow in soil that does not grow honor?
فخَيِّمْso pitch your tent بحَيْثُwhere الدَّهرُTime يُؤْمَنُone is safe from كَيدُهُits guile
فخَيِّمْ بحَيْثُ الدَّهرُ يُؤْمَنُ كَيدُهُ
فلاso neither صَرْفُهُits reversals يُخشىare feared ولاnor الخَطْبُcalamity يُكْرَثُcauses distress
فلا صَرْفُهُ يُخشى ولا الخَطْبُ يُكْرَثُ
Pitch your tent where you are safe from Time's guile,
where its reversals need not be feared, nor calamity weigh heavily.
بِآلِwith the house of قُصَيٍّQusayy حاوِلِseek المَجْدَglory تَنصرِفْwill turn back
بِآلِ قُصَيٍّ حاوِلِ المَجْدَ تَنصرِفْ
علىin لَغَبٍexhaustion عنfrom شأْوِكَyour course الرّيحُthe wind تَلهَثُpants
على لَغَبٍ عن شأْوِكَ الرّيحُ تَلهَثُ
Seek glory with the house of Qusayy, and there will turn back
the wind from your course, exhausted and panting.
جَحاجِحَةٌgreat chieftains بِيضُbright الوُجوهِof face أكُفُّهُمْtheir palms
جَحاجِحَةٌ بِيضُ الوُجوهِ أكُفُّهُمْ
سِباطٌopenhanded مَتىwhenever تُستَمطَرِare asked to shower الرِّفْدَgifts يُقعِثواthey give abundantly
سِباطٌ مَتى تُستَمطَرِ الرِّفْدَ يُقعِثوا
Great chieftains, bright of face, whose palms
are open: whenever asked to shower gifts, they pour them forth.
إذاwhen نَحنُwe جاورْناdwelt beside زُهَيرَZuhayr بنَson of عامِرٍʿAmir
إذا نَحنُ جاورْنا زُهَيرَ بنَ عامِرٍ
فلاthen neither جارُهُhis neighbor يُقْصَىis banished ولاnor الحَبْلُthe rope يُنْكَثُis untwisted
فلا جارُهُ يُقْصَى ولا الحَبْلُ يُنْكَثُ
When we dwell as neighbors of Zuhayr ibn ʿAmir,
his neighbor is never banished, nor the rope untwisted.
هُمَامٌa resolute lord يَرُدُّrepels المُعضِلاتِdaunting troubles بمَنكِبٍwith a shoulder
هُمَامٌ يَرُدُّ المُعضِلاتِ بمَنكِبٍ
تَسَدَّاهُmounted it عِبْءٌa burden للمَكارِمِof noble deeds مُجْئِثُcrushing
تَسَدَّاهُ عِبْءٌ للمَكارِمِ مُجْئِثُ
A resolute lord, he repels daunting troubles with a shoulder
laden with a crushing burden of noble deeds.
مَهيبٌawe-inspiring فلاso no رائِيهِone seeing him يَملأُfills طَرْفَهُhis gaze
مَهيبٌ فلا رائِيهِ يَملأُ طَرْفَهُ
لَدَيهِin his presence ولاnor نادِيهِhis assembly يَلْغوspeaks idly ويَرْفُثُand speaks obscenely
لَدَيهِ ولا نادِيهِ يَلْغو ويَرْفُثُ
Awe-inspiring: no observer looks his fill
in his presence, nor does his assembly speak idly or obscenely.
أخوmaster of الكَلِماتِthe words الغُرِّradiant لاnot يَستَطيعُهاcan utter them
أخو الكَلِماتِ الغُرِّ لا يَستَطيعُها
لِسانُthe tongue of دَعِيّa pretender فيin الفَصاحَةِeloquence ألْوَثُhalting
لِسانُ دَعِيّ في الفَصاحَةِ ألْوَثُ
A master of radiant words beyond the power
of an impostor's tongue, faltering in eloquence.
إذاwhen انْتَسَبَتْdeclare their lineage ألْفَيْتَهاyou find them قُرَشِيَّةًof Quraysh
إذا انْتَسَبَتْ ألْفَيْتَها قُرَشِيَّةً
تُشابُare blended بعُلْويِّwith the loftiest of اللُّغاتِdialects وتُعْلَثُand are mingled
تُشابُ بعُلْويِّ اللُّغاتِ وتُعْلَثُ
When they declare their lineage, you find them Qurashi,
blended and mingled with the loftiest dialects.
تَريعُreturn هَواديهاtheir foremost ranks إليهِto him ودُونَهاand short of them
تَريعُ هَواديها إليهِ ودُونَها
مَدًىa span فيat حَواشِيهِits fringes المُقَصِّرُthe laggard يَدْلِثُscurries
مَدًى في حَواشِيهِ المُقَصِّرُ يَدْلِثُ
Their foremost ranks return to him; short of them lies
a span along whose fringes the laggard scurries.
ويَهفوand sways بِعِطْفَيْهِabout his two sides الثّناءُpraise كَماas هَفاswayed
ويَهفو بِعِطْفَيْهِ الثّناءُ كَما هَفا
نَزيفٌa drunkard يُغَنّيهِsings to him الغَريضُal-Gharid وعَثْعَثُand ʿAthʿath
نَزيفٌ يُغَنّيهِ الغَريضُ وعَثْعَثُ
Praise sways about his two sides, as sways
a drunkard serenaded by al-Gharid and ʿAthʿath.
فلاso neither خَيْرُهُhis bounty يُطْوىis folded away ولاnor الشّرُّevil يُتَّقَىis feared
فلا خَيْرُهُ يُطْوى ولا الشّرُّ يُتَّقَى
ولاnor المُعتَفِيthe seeker of gifts يُجْفَىis spurned ولاnor العِرضُhonor يُمْغَثُis mangled
ولا المُعتَفِي يُجْفَى ولا العِرضُ يُمْغَثُ
His bounty is not folded away, nor is harm feared,
no petitioner is spurned, nor his honor mangled.
ويَومٍand a day تَظَلُّremains الشّمْسُthe sun فيهِin it مريضَةًsickly
ويَومٍ تَظَلُّ الشّمْسُ فيهِ مريضَةً
لِنَقْعٍbecause of dust بجلْبابِto the robe of الضُحىforenoon يتَضَبَّثُclings
لِنَقْعٍ بجلْبابِ الضُحى يتَضَبَّثُ
And on a day when the sun remained sickly
from dust clutching the robe of forenoon,
رَمىhurled طَرَفَيْهِits two flanks بالمَذاكيwith full-grown horses عَوابِساًgrim-faced
رَمى طَرَفَيْهِ بالمَذاكي عَوابِساً
وخَبَّand trotted إليهِto him صارِخُthe alarm-crier of الحَيِّthe tribe يَنْجُثُstirs things up
وخَبَّ إليهِ صارِخُ الحَيِّ يَنْجُثُ
he hurled full-grown, grim-faced steeds against its two flanks,
and the tribe's alarm-crier hurried to him, stirring alarm.
فَماso what بالُis the matter with لاحِيهِhis reproacher يَلومُblames علىfor الندىًgenerosity
فَما بالُ لاحِيهِ يَلومُ على الندىً
بِفيهِin his mouth إذاwhen ماever تابَعَpersists in العَذْلَreproach كِثْكِثُfine grit
بِفيهِ إذا ما تابَعَ العَذْلَ كِثْكِثُ
Why does his reproacher blame him for generosity?
May fine grit fill his mouth whenever he persists in blame!
هوhe البَحْرُthe sea لاnot راجِيهِone hoping in him يَرتَشِفُsips الصَّرَىstagnant water
هو البَحْرُ لا راجِيهِ يَرتَشِفُ الصَّرَى
ولاnor مُجتَديهِone seeking his bounty بالمَواعيدِwith promises يُمْلَثُis put off
ولا مُجتَديهِ بالمَواعيدِ يُمْلَثُ
He is the sea: no one hoping in him sips stagnant water,
nor is his petitioner put off with promises.
ورَكْبٍand riders يَزُجُّونَurge on المَطاياthe mounts كأنّهُمْas though they
ورَكْبٍ يَزُجُّونَ المَطايا كأنّهُمْ
أثارواroused بِهاwith them رُبْدَdusky النَّعامِostriches وحَثْحَثواand drove them hard
أثاروا بِها رُبْدَ النَّعامِ وحَثْحَثوا
And riders urging on their mounts, as though they
had roused dusky ostriches with them and driven them hard,
سَرَوْاtraveled by night فأناخوهاthen made them kneel لَدَيْكَbeside you لَواغِباًexhausted
سَرَوْا فأناخوها لَدَيْكَ لَواغِباً
يَشِمْنَwatch بُروقاًlightning flashes وَدْقُهاtheir rain لاnot يُرَيَّثُis delayed
يَشِمْنَ بُروقاً وَدْقُها لا يُرَيَّثُ
traveled by night and made them kneel beside you, exhausted,
watching lightning-flashes whose rain is never delayed.
وفارَقْنَand left behind قَوْماًa people لاnot تَبِضُّoozes صَفاتُهُمْtheir rock
وفارَقْنَ قَوْماً لا تَبِضُّ صَفاتُهُمْ
هُمُthey وَرِثواinherited اللُّؤْمَbaseness التَّليدَancestral وأورَثواand bequeathed it
هُمُ وَرِثوا اللُّؤْمَ التَّليدَ وأورَثوا
And they left behind a people whose rock yields no moisture:
they inherited ancestral baseness and bequeathed it.
فَسِيَّانِso equal are مَنْthe one who لاحَgleamed القَتيرُgray hair بِفَوْدِهِat his temple
فَسِيَّانِ مَنْ لاحَ القَتيرُ بِفَوْدِهِ
وطِفْلٌand a child يُناغيcoos to وَدْعَتَيْهِhis two cowries ويَمْرُثُand rubs
وطِفْلٌ يُناغي وَدْعَتَيْهِ ويَمْرُثُ
So equal are the man with gray hairs gleaming at his temple
and an infant cooing to his two cowries and rubbing them.
لهمْthey have صَفَحاتٌcheeks لاnot يَرِقُّsoftens أديمُهاtheir skin
لهمْ صَفَحاتٌ لا يَرِقُّ أديمُها
علَيهاupon them رُواءٌan appearance كاسِفُdull اللّونِin color أبْغَثُmottled gray
علَيها رُواءٌ كاسِفُ اللّونِ أبْغَثُ
They have cheeks whose skin never softens,
bearing a dull-colored, mottled gray appearance.
وغِلْظَةُand coarseness of أخلاقٍcharacter يوَلِّدُهاbreeds it الغِنىwealth
وغِلْظَةُ أخلاقٍ يوَلِّدُها الغِنى
علىdespite أنّهاthe fact that it عندَin الخَصاصَةِpoverty تَدْمُثُsoftens
على أنّها عندَ الخَصاصَةِ تَدْمُثُ
And a coarseness of character bred by wealth,
though it turns gentle in poverty.
لَئِنْeven if قَدُمَتْgrew old تلكَthose المَساويvices وأُكْبرَتْand were deemed grave
لَئِنْ قَدُمَتْ تلكَ المَساوي وأُكْبرَتْ
فماso not صَغُرَتْare smaller عَنهاthan them مَعايِبُdefects تَحدُثُarise
فما صَغُرَتْ عَنها مَعايِبُ تَحدُثُ
Though those vices are old and held to be grave,
newly arising faults are no smaller than they.
كَثيرونَnumerous لوeven if يَنْمِيهِمُgives them lineage ابنُa son of كَريهَةٍbattle
كَثيرونَ لو يَنْمِيهِمُ ابنُ كَريهَةٍ
حَليفُa sworn ally of الوَغىwar أوor ناسِكٌan ascetic مُتحَنِّثُdevout
حَليفُ الوَغى أو ناسِكٌ مُتحَنِّثُ
They are many; even if descended from a son of battle,
a sworn ally of war, or a devout ascetic,
أسَفَّdragged down بِهمْthem عِرْقٌa strain لَئيمٌbase إِلىinto الخَنىfoulness
أسَفَّ بِهمْ عِرْقٌ لَئيمٌ إِلى الخَنى
وكيفَand how يَطيبُis wholesome الفَرْعُthe branch والأصلُwhile the root يَخبُثُis foul
وكيفَ يَطيبُ الفَرْعُ والأصلُ يَخبُثُ
a base strain would drag them down to foulness;
and how can the branch be wholesome when the root is foul?
وأنتَand you الذيthe one who تُعطِيgive المَكارِمَnoble deeds حَقَّهاtheir due
وأنتَ الذي تُعطِي المَكارِمَ حَقَّها
وتَفحَصُand probe عنinto أسوائِهنَّtheir innermost parts وتَنبِثُand dig
وتَفحَصُ عن أسوائِهنَّ وتَنبِثُ
But you are the one who gives noble deeds their due,
and probes their inmost parts, digging them out.
إذاwhen قدَحَstrikes العافيthe petitioner بزَنْدِكَwith your firestick فيfor الندىًbounty
إذا قدَحَ العافي بزَنْدِكَ في الندىً
فلاthen neither نارُهُits fire تَخْبوfades ولاnor الزَّنْدُthe firestick يَغْلَثُfails to spark
فلا نارُهُ تَخْبو ولا الزَّنْدُ يَغْلَثُ
When a petitioner strikes your firestick in quest of bounty,
its fire never fades, nor does the firestick fail to spark.
Translation model: Sol 6.1