لِدارِكِfor your dwelling ياO لَيلىLayla سَماءٌa raincloud تَجودُهاwaters it generously
لِدارِكِ يا لَيلى سَماءٌ تَجودُها
وَأَنفاسُand breaths of ريحٍwind كُلَّevery يَومٍday تَعودُهاrevisit it
وَأَنفاسُ ريحٍ كُلَّ يَومٍ تَعودُها
May a raincloud water your dwelling generously, Layla,
and breaths of wind revisit it each day,
وَإِنand though خَفَّhas departed مِنfrom تِلكَthose الرُسومِtraces أَنيسُهاtheir familiar company
وَإِن خَفَّ مِن تِلكَ الرُسومِ أَنيسُها
وَأَخلَقَand has worn out مِنfrom بَعدِafter الأَنيسِthe inhabitants جَديدُهاtheir freshness
وَأَخلَقَ مِن بَعدِ الأَنيسِ جَديدُها
though its familiar company has departed from those traces,
and its freshness has faded since its people left.
مَنازِلُabodes لاnot الأَيّامُtime تُعديaids عَلىagainst البِلىdecay
مَنازِلُ لا الأَيّامُ تُعدي عَلى البِلى
رُباهاtheir hillocks وَلاand not أَوبُthe return of الخَليطِthe companions يُقيدُهاwins them redress
رُباها وَلا أَوبُ الخَليطِ يُقيدُها
Abodes: time gives no aid against decay
to their hillocks, nor does the companions' return win them redress.
وَعَهديand my recollection بِهاof them مِنfrom قَبلِbefore أَنthat تَحكُمَshould decree النَوىseparation
وَعَهدي بِها مِن قَبلِ أَن تَحكُمَ النَوى
عَلىbefore عَينِهاtheir eye أَلّاthat not تَدومَshould endure عُهودُهاtheir bonds
عَلى عَينِها أَلّا تَدومَ عُهودُها
I remember them before separation decreed,
before their very eyes, that their bonds should not endure:
بَعيدَةُfar removed ماwhat lies بَينَbetween المُحِبّينَthe lovers وَالجَوىand love's anguish
بَعيدَةُ ما بَينَ المُحِبّينَ وَالجَوى
وَمَجموعَةٌand gathered together غيدُthe tender ones of اللَياليthe nights وَغيدُهاand their graceful women
وَمَجموعَةٌ غيدُ اللَيالي وَغيدُها
with a wide gulf between lovers and heartache,
and gentle nights and their graceful women gathered together.
وَساكِنَةُand a woman dwelling in الأَرجاءِthe precincts يُمرِضُcauses lovesickness طَرفُهاher glance
وَساكِنَةُ الأَرجاءِ يُمرِضُ طَرفُها
وَإِنand though هِيَshe لَمnot تَعلَمknow وَيُمرِضُand causes lovesickness جيدُهاher neck
وَإِن هِيَ لَم تَعلَم وَيُمرِضُ جيدُها
And a woman dwelling there, whose glance brings lovesickness,
though she knows it not—and her neck brings lovesickness too.
أَساءَتshe acted badly بِناtoward us إِذwhen كانَwas يَبعُدُgrowing distant وَعدُهاher promise
أَساءَت بِنا إِذ كانَ يَبعُدُ وَعدُها
مِنَfrom النُجحِfulfillment أَحياناًat times وَيَدنوand draws near وَعيدُهاher threat
مِنَ النُجحِ أَحياناً وَيَدنو وَعيدُها
She wronged us, for her promise would lie far
from fulfillment at times, while her threat drew near.
لَهاhers is الدَهرُforever إِضرارٌharm فَإِمّاso either فِراقُهاher parting
لَها الدَهرُ إِضرارٌ فَإِمّا فِراقُها
مُجِدٌّrenewing لَناfor us وَجداًlove's anguish وَإِمّاor else صُدودُهاher rejection
مُجِدٌّ لَنا وَجداً وَإِمّا صُدودُها
Hers is ceaseless harm: either her parting
renews our anguish, or else her turning away.
عَذيرِيَmy vindicator مِنagainst حارِHarith بنِson of كَعبٍKa'b تَعَسَّفَتthey blindly traversed
عَذيرِيَ مِن حارِ بنِ كَعبٍ تَعَسَّفَت
مِنَof الظُلمِinjustice صَعداءًa steep slope مَهولاًdreadful صُعودُهاits ascent
مِنَ الظُلمِ صَعداءً مَهولاً صُعودُها
Who will vindicate me against Harith ibn Ka'b? They have blindly taken
injustice's steep slope, dreadful to ascend.
وَدامَتand they persisted وَإِنand if دامَتthey persist عَلىin عُدَوائِهاtheir hostility
وَدامَت وَإِن دامَت عَلى عُدَوائِها
فَقائِمُهاthen their standing crop عَمّاin but قَليلٍa little while حَصيدُهاtheir reaped crop
فَقائِمُها عَمّا قَليلٍ حَصيدُها
They have persisted; if they persist in their hostility,
their standing crop will soon lie reaped.
وَماand not كانَwas يَرضىcontent بِالَّذيwith what رَضِيَتthey accepted بِهِwith it
وَما كانَ يَرضى بِالَّذي رَضِيَت بِهِ
لِأَنفُسِهاfor themselves دَيّانُهاtheir Dayyan وَيَزيدُهاand their Yazid
لِأَنفُسِها دَيّانُها وَيَزيدُها
They would not have approved what the clan accepted
for itself—their Dayyan and their Yazid.
وَلِلظُلمِand to injustice ماhow أَمسَتthey have become وَعَبدُand 'Abd يَغوثِهاtheir Yaghuth
وَلِلظُلمِ ما أَمسَت وَعَبدُ يَغوثِها
يُخَزّيهِdisgraces him غاويthe wayward of مَذحِجٍMadhhij وَرَشيدُهاand its wise ones
يُخَزّيهِ غاوي مَذحِجٍ وَرَشيدُها
How unjust they have become, while their 'Abd Yaghuth
is disgraced by Madhhij's wayward and wise alike.
وَلاقَتand met عَلىon الزابِthe Zab الصَغيرِthe Little حُماتُهاtheir defenders
وَلاقَت عَلى الزابِ الصَغيرِ حُماتُها
حِمامَthe doom of المَناياthe fates إِذwhen عِمادٌ'Imad عَميدُهاtheir chief
حِمامَ المَنايا إِذ عِمادٌ عَميدُها
Their defenders met upon the Little Zab
fate's doom, when 'Imad was their chief.
فَإِنso if هِيَthey لَمnot تَقنَعare content بِمَكروهِwith the hardship of ماwhat مَضىhas passed
فَإِن هِيَ لَم تَقنَع بِمَكروهِ ما مَضى
عَلَيهاover them فَعِندَthen with المُرهَفاتِthe keen-edged swords مَزيدُهاtheir further share
عَلَيها فَعِندَ المُرهَفاتِ مَزيدُها
If they are not content with the hardship that has passed
over them, keen-edged swords have more in store for them.
عَلىdespite أَنَّنيthat I أَخشىI fear عَلىfor دارِthe abode of أَمنِهاtheir safety
عَلى أَنَّني أَخشى عَلى دارِ أَمنِها
بَنيthe sons of الرَوعِterror تَصطادُhunts الفَوارِسَthe horsemen صَيدُهاtheir quarry
بَني الرَوعِ تَصطادُ الفَوارِسَ صَيدُها
Yet for their haven of safety I fear
the sons of terror, whose very quarry hunts horsemen,
وَإِنand if تَجلُبِbring المَوتَdeath الذُعافَswift and poisonous إِلَيهِمِto them
وَإِن تَجلُبِ المَوتَ الذُعافَ إِلَيهِمِ
كَتائِبُbattalions مِنfrom نَبهانَNabhan مُرٌّMurr يَقودُهاleads them
كَتائِبُ مِن نَبهانَ مُرٌّ يَقودُها
even if swift, poisonous death is brought upon them
by battalions of Nabhan, which Murr leads.
مُغِذٌّhastening إِلىto الدينَورِDinawar تَحتَbeneath عَجاجَةٍa dust cloud
مُغِذٌّ إِلى الدينَورِ تَحتَ عَجاجَةٍ
تَزاءَرُroar at one another فيin غابِthe thicket of الرِماحِthe spears أُسودُهاits lions
تَزاءَرُ في غابِ الرِماحِ أُسودُها
Hastening to Dinawar beneath a cloud of dust,
whose lions roar to one another in a thicket of spears,
يَهُزُّhe brandishes سُيوفاًswords ماnever تَجِفُّdry نِصالُهاtheir blades
يَهُزُّ سُيوفاً ما تَجِفُّ نِصالُها
وَيَزجُرُand urges on خَيلاًhorses ماnever تُحَطُّare removed لُبودُهاtheir saddle-felts
وَيَزجُرُ خَيلاً ما تُحَطُّ لُبودُها
he brandishes swords whose blades never dry,
and urges horses whose saddle-felts are never removed.
وَإِنand if كَلَّفوهُthey charge him أَنto يُهينَhumiliate كِرامَهُمtheir nobles
وَإِن كَلَّفوهُ أَن يُهينَ كِرامَهُم
فَقَدthen indeed كَلَّفوهُthey have charged him خُطَّةًa course of action ماnot يُريدُهاhe desires it
فَقَد كَلَّفوهُ خُطَّةً ما يُريدُها
If they charge him to humiliate their nobles,
they have charged him with a course he does not desire.
غَداhe has become مُمسِكاًholding back عَنهُمfrom them أَعِنَّةَthe reins of خَيلِهِhis horses
غَدا مُمسِكاً عَنهُم أَعِنَّةَ خَيلِهِ
وَلَوand if أُطلِقَتwere loosened كَدَّwould weary النُجومَthe stars كَديدُهاtheir pounding gallop
وَلَو أُطلِقَت كَدَّ النُجومَ كَديدُها
He has held back from them the reins of his horses;
were they loosened, their pounding gallop would weary the stars.
وَمُستَظهِراًand seeking strength بِالعَفوِthrough pardon مِنfrom قَبلِbefore أَنthat تُرىare seen
وَمُستَظهِراً بِالعَفوِ مِن قَبلِ أَن تُرى
لَهُfrom him سَطَواتٌonslaughts ماnot يُناديcalls out وَليدُهاtheir infant
لَهُ سَطَواتٌ ما يُنادي وَليدُها
And he seeks strength through pardon before there appear
his onslaughts, amid which no infant cries out.
فَيُصبِحُthen there would be فيin أَفناءِthe quarters of سَعدِSa'd بنِson of مالِكٍMalik
فَيُصبِحُ في أَفناءِ سَعدِ بنِ مالِكٍ
وُجوهٌfaces مِنَfrom المَخزاةِdisgrace سودٌblack خُدودُهاtheir cheeks
وُجوهٌ مِنَ المَخزاةِ سودٌ خُدودُها
Then in the quarters of Sa'd ibn Malik there would be
faces whose cheeks were black with disgrace.
أَقيمواset straight بَنيO sons of الدَيّانِal-Dayyan مِنamong سُفَهائِكُمyour fools
أَقيموا بَني الدَيّانِ مِن سُفَهائِكُم
فَقَدfor indeed طالَhas lasted long عَنfrom قَصدِthe straight course of السَبيلِthe road مَحيدُهاtheir straying
فَقَد طالَ عَن قَصدِ السَبيلِ مَحيدُها
Set your fools straight, sons of al-Dayyan,
for long have they strayed from the straight path.
أَماis it not آنَtime أَنthat يَنهىshould deter عَنِfrom الجَهلِfolly وَالخَناand foulness
أَما آنَ أَن يَنهى عَنِ الجَهلِ وَالخَنا
قِيامُthe rising of المَناياdeath فيكُمُamong you وَقُعودُهاand its sitting
قِيامُ المَنايا فيكُمُ وَقُعودُها
Is it not time that folly and foulness were checked
by death's rising and sitting in your midst?
قَرابَتُكُمyour kinsfolk لاdo not تَظلِموهاwrong them فَتَبعَثواlest you stir up
قَرابَتُكُم لا تَظلِموها فَتَبعَثوا
عَلَيكُمagainst yourselves صُدوراًbreasts ماnever تَموتُdie حُقودُهاtheir grudges
عَلَيكُم صُدوراً ما تَموتُ حُقودُها
Do not wrong your kin, lest you stir up
against yourselves breasts whose grudges never die.
لَهاtheirs is الحَسَبُancestral honor الزاكيpure الَّذيwhich تَعرِفونَهُyou know it
لَها الحَسَبُ الزاكي الَّذي تَعرِفونَهُ
وَفيهاand in them طَريفاتُnewly won forms of العُلاglory وَتَليدُهاand its inherited forms
وَفيها طَريفاتُ العُلا وَتَليدُها
Theirs is the pure ancestral honor you know,
and theirs are glories newly won and inherited.
فَلاso do not تَسأَلوهاask them عَنabout قَديمِthe antiquity of تُراثِهاtheir inheritance
فَلا تَسأَلوها عَن قَديمِ تُراثِها
فَعَسجَدُهاfor their gold مِمّاfrom what أَفادَwon حَديدُهاtheir iron
فَعَسجَدُها مِمّا أَفادَ حَديدُها
So do not ask them about their ancient inheritance:
their gold comes from what their iron won.
ذَوُpossessors of النَخِلاتِthe palms الخُضرِgreen فيin بَطنِthe valley of حائِلٍHa'il
ذَوُ النَخِلاتِ الخُضرِ في بَطنِ حائِلٍ
وَفيand in فَلَجٍFalaj خُطبانُهاtheir ripening colocynths وَهَبيدُهاand their colocynth seeds
وَفي فَلَجٍ خُطبانُها وَهَبيدُها
Owners of green palms in the valley of Ha'il,
and in Falaj are their colocynths and their seeds;
وَأَهلُand dwellers on سُفوحٍslopes مِنof شَمائِلَnoble traits تَكتَسيare clothed
وَأَهلُ سُفوحٍ مِن شَمائِلَ تَكتَسي
بِهِمthrough them أَرَجاًin fragrance حَتّىuntil يُشَمَّis smelled صَعيدُهاtheir soil
بِهِم أَرَجاً حَتّى يُشَمَّ صَعيدُها
and dwellers on slopes of noble character, which are clothed
through them in fragrance, until their very soil is scented.
يَنامونَthey sleep عَنunconcerned about أَكفائِهِمtheir equals وَعَلَيهِمُwhile upon them
يَنامونَ عَن أَكفائِهِم وَعَلَيهِمُ
مِنَfrom اللَهِGod نُعمىa blessing ماnever يَنامُsleeps حَسودُهاits envier
مِنَ اللَهِ نُعمى ما يَنامُ حَسودُها
They sleep untroubled by their equals, while upon them
rests God's blessing, whose envier never sleeps.
مَقاماتُهُمtheir stands أَركانُthe buttresses of رَضوىRadwa وَيَذبُلٍand Yadhbul
مَقاماتُهُم أَركانُ رَضوى وَيَذبُلٍ
وَأَيديهِمُand their hands بَأسُthe might of اللَياليthe nights وَجودُهاand their bounty
وَأَيديهِمُ بَأسُ اللَيالي وَجودُها
Their stands are the buttresses of Radwa and Yadhbul,
and their hands are the nights' might and bounty.
أَباO father of خالِدٍKhalid ماnever جاوَرَplaced beside اللَهُGod نِعمَةًa blessing
أَبا خالِدٍ ما جاوَرَ اللَهُ نِعمَةً
بِمِثلِكَbeside one like you إِلّاexcept that كانَwas جَمّاًabundant خُلودُهاits endurance
بِمِثلِكَ إِلّا كانَ جَمّاً خُلودُها
Abu Khalid, God never placed a blessing
beside one like you without its lasting long.
وَجَدناwe found خِلالَthe qualities of الخَيرِgoodness عِندَكَin you كُلَّهاall of them
وَجَدنا خِلالَ الخَيرِ عِندَكَ كُلَّها
وَلَوand if طُلِبَتthey were sought فيin الغَيثِrain عَزَّwould be difficult وُجودُهاfinding them
وَلَو طُلِبَت في الغَيثِ عَزَّ وُجودُها
We found all the qualities of goodness in you;
if sought in rain, they would be hard to find.
وَقَدand indeed جَزِعَتhas taken fright جَلدٌJald وَلَولاكَand but for you لَمnot يَكُنwould be
وَقَد جَزِعَت جَلدٌ وَلَولاكَ لَم يَكُن
لِيَجزَعَto be dismayed مِنby صَرفِthe reversals of الزَمانِtime جَليدُهاtheir stout-hearted one
لِيَجزَعَ مِن صَرفِ الزَمانِ جَليدُها
Jald has taken fright; but for you, never would
their stout-hearted one fear time's reversals.
فَأَولِهِمُso grant them نُعمىa blessing فَكُلُّfor every صَنيعَةٍkindness
فَأَولِهِمُ نُعمى فَكُلُّ صَنيعَةٍ
رَأَيناكَwe saw you تُبديهاbestow it فَأَنتَthen you تُعيدُهاrepeat it
رَأَيناكَ تُبديها فَأَنتَ تُعيدُها
So grant them a blessing, for every kindness
we have seen you bestow, you bestow again.
قَرابَتُكَyour kinsfolk الأَدنَونَthe nearest مِنfrom حَيثُwhere تَنتَميyou trace your descent
قَرابَتُكَ الأَدنَونَ مِن حَيثُ تَنتَمي
وَجيرَتُكَand your neighbors الدانيclose إِلَيكَto you بَعيدُهاtheir distant ones
وَجيرَتُكَ الداني إِلَيكَ بَعيدُها
They are your nearest kin in the lineage you claim,
and your neighbors, whose distant ones are close to you.
أَتَهدِمُwill you demolish جُرفَيهاtheir two banks وَطَودُكَwhile your mountain طَودُهاis their mountain
أَتَهدِمُ جُرفَيها وَطَودُكَ طَودُها
وَتَنحِتُand hew away فَرعَيهاtheir two branches وَعودُكَwhile your trunk عودُهاis their trunk
وَتَنحِتُ فَرعَيها وَعودُكَ عودُها
Will you tear down their two banks, when your mountain is theirs,
and hew their two branches, when your trunk is theirs?
وَلاand no غَروَwonder إِلّاexcept أَنthat تَكيدَyou scheme against سَراتَهاtheir chiefs
وَلا غَروَ إِلّا أَن تَكيدَ سَراتَها
وَتَغمِسَand plunge نَصلَthe blade of السَيفِthe sword فيمَنinto whoever يَكيدُهاschemes against them
وَتَغمِسَ نَصلَ السَيفِ فيمَن يَكيدُها
The only wonder is that you scheme against their chiefs,
yet plunge your swordblade into those who scheme against them,
وَتَنهَضَand rise فيamong الأَبطالِthe heroes تُفنيannihilating عَديدَهاtheir numbers
وَتَنهَضَ في الأَبطالِ تُفني عَديدَها
وَسُؤلُكَwhile your wish فيlies in أَنَّthat التُرابَthe dust عَديدُهاis their equal in number
وَسُؤلُكَ في أَنَّ التُرابَ عَديدُها
and rise among heroes to destroy their numbers,
though you wish their numbers equaled the dust.
إِلَيكَin your hands وُقودُthe kindling of الحَربِwar عِندَat اِبتِدائِهاits beginning
إِلَيكَ وُقودُ الحَربِ عِندَ اِبتِدائِها
وَلَيسَbut not إِذاwhen تَمَّتit is full-grown إِلَيكَin your hands خُمودُهاits quenching
وَلَيسَ إِذا تَمَّت إِلَيكَ خُمودُها
War's kindling at its outset lies in your hands,
but once full-blown, its quenching does not.
فَأَقصِرso desist فَفيfor in الإِقصارِrestraint بُقياpreservation فَإِنَّهاfor they are
فَأَقصِر فَفي الإِقصارِ بُقيا فَإِنَّها
مَكارِمُthe noble honors of حَيَّيthe two tribes of يَعرُبٍYa'rub تَستَفيدُهاyou acquire them
مَكارِمُ حَيَّي يَعرُبٍ تَستَفيدُها
So desist: restraint preserves, for these
are the honors of Ya'rub's two tribes that you gain.
وَدونَكَand the choice is yours فَاِختَرso choose فيregarding قَبائِلِthe tribes of مَذحِجٍMadhhij
وَدونَكَ فَاِختَر في قَبائِلِ مَذحِجٍ
أَتَقهَرُهاwill you coerce them عَنagainst أَمرِهاtheir will أَمor تَسودُهاbe their lord
أَتَقهَرُها عَن أَمرِها أَم تَسودُها
The choice is yours: choose concerning Madhhij's tribes—
will you coerce them against their will, or be their lord?
أَبَتhas refused لَكَto let you أَنto تَأبىspurn المَكارِمَnoble deeds أُسرَةٌa family
أَبَت لَكَ أَن تَأبى المَكارِمَ أُسرَةٌ
أَبوهاits father عَنِfrom الفِعلِthe action الدَنِيِّbase يَذودُهاkeeps it back
أَبوها عَنِ الفِعلِ الدَنِيِّ يَذودُها
A family will not let you spurn noble deeds,
whose father keeps it from base actions.
وَهَلand is طَيِّئٌTayy إِلّاanything but نُجومُstars تَوَقَّدَتhave blazed
وَهَل طَيِّئٌ إِلّا نُجومُ تَوَقَّدَت
عَلىon صَفحَتَيthe two faces of لَيلٍnight وَأَنتُمand you are سُعودُهاtheir auspicious stars
عَلى صَفحَتَي لَيلٍ وَأَنتُم سُعودُها
Is Tayy anything but stars that have blazed
on night's two faces, and you their stars of good fortune?
تَطوعُyield willingly القَوافِيَthe rhymes فيكُمُin your praise فَكَأَنَّماso it is as though
تَطوعُ القَوافِيَ فيكُمُ فَكَأَنَّما
يَسيلُflows إِلَيكُمto you مِنfrom عُلوٍّon high قَصيدُهاtheir verse
يَسيلُ إِلَيكُم مِن عُلوٍّ قَصيدُها
Rhymes yield willingly in your praise, as though
their verse pours down to you from on high.
وَكَمand how many لِيَmine مِنof مَحبوكَةِfinely woven الوَشيِbrocade فيكُمُin your praise
وَكَم لِيَ مِن مَحبوكَةِ الوَشيِ فيكُمُ
إِذاwhen أُنشِدَتit is recited قامَrises اِمرُؤٌa man يَستَعيدُهاasks to hear it again
إِذا أُنشِدَت قامَ اِمرُؤٌ يَستَعيدُها
And many a finely woven brocade is mine in your praise:
when recited, a man rises to ask to hear it again.
Translation model: Sol 6.1