يسائلُهاhe asks her والبينُand separation ترغوbellow رواحِلُهْits riding camels
يسائلُها والبينُ ترغو رواحِلُهْ
أيرجِعُwill they return? مِنfrom عهدِthe time of الكثيبِthe sand dune أوائلُهْits earliest days
أيرجِعُ مِن عهدِ الكثيبِ أوائلُهْ
He asks her while separation's riding camels bellow:
He asks her, while the camel litter sways
Will the first days of the time by the sand dune return?
Will he return from the barren sands one day?
اِذاwhen مرَّpasses يومٌa day لاnot أراكِI see you فاِنَّهُthen indeed it
اِذا مرَّ يومٌ لا أراكِ فاِنَّهُ
هوit is الموتُdeath أوor أسبابُهُits causes أوor دلائلُهْits signs
هو الموتُ أو أسبابُهُ أو دلائلُهْ
When a day passes in which I do not see you, it is
If a day should pass when I don't see you
death itself, or its causes, or its signs.
It is death itself, or portents of death, I rue
يسائلُhe questions ربعاًa dwelling بعدَafter بينكِyour departure كلَّماwhenever
يسائلُ ربعاً بعدَ بينكِ كلَّما
ألمَّhe visits يُحييَّهِhe greets it شجتْهُgrieve him منازلُهْits dwellings
ألمَّ يُحييَّهِ شجتْهُ منازلُهْ
He questions a dwelling after your departure; whenever
He asks the encampment, whene'er we part
he visits to greet it, its dwellings grieve him.
Does it pain him that the trail leads him far?
وماذاand what عسىmight يُجديavail عليهfor him سؤالُهُhis questioning
وماذا عسى يُجدي عليه سؤالُهُ
وقدand indeed كادتِalmost الأطلالُthe ruins شوقاًin longing تسائلُهquestion him
وقد كادتِ الأطلالُ شوقاً تسائلُه
And what might his questioning avail him,
What use is it for him to ask, when the ruins
when the ruins themselves almost question him in longing?
Yearn for him till they are asking too?
يزورُhe visits مِنَout of الوجدِyearning الديارَthe dwellings واِنَّهاand indeed they
يزورُ مِنَ الوجدِ الديارَ واِنَّها
لتضرِمُsurely kindle نارَthe fire of الشوقِlonging والشوقُand longing قاتلُهhis slayer
لتضرِمُ نارَ الشوقِ والشوقُ قاتلُه
He visits the dwellings out of yearning, and they
He visits the abode of love, though it
surely kindle longing's fire, and longing is his slayer.
Kindles the fires of longing that slay him
واِنْand if لمعتْgleam فيin الليلِthe night مِنfrom نحوِthe direction of ارضِهاher land
واِنْ لمعتْ في الليلِ مِن نحوِ ارضِها
بوارقُlightning flashes مزنٍrainclouds فالتصبُّرُthen patient endurance خاذلُهfails him
بوارقُ مزنٍ فالتصبُّرُ خاذلُه
And if at night there gleam, from the direction of her land,
If the lightning flashes toward her land at night
flashes of raincloud lightning, his patience fails him.
Patience fails him, though he vowed to brace
واِنْand if هبَّblows عنfrom دارٍa dwelling تَحُلُّshe inhabits ربوعَهاits grounds
واِنْ هبَّ عن دارٍ تَحُلُّ ربوعَها
نسيمٌa breeze أبتْrefuse أنto تستقرَّsettle بلابلُهhis inward torments
نسيمٌ أبتْ أن تستقرَّ بلابلُه
And if from a home whose grounds she inhabits there blows
If a breeze blows from a house where he reveled
a breeze, his inward torments refuse to rest.
It refuses to settle, stirring his craze
أليسis it not عجيباًstrange أنthat يفارقَhe should part from اِلفَهُhis beloved
أليس عجيباً أن يفارقَ اِلفَهُ
وتقوىand are strong enough علىto withstand نَيْلِthe harm of الفراقِseparation مقاتلُهhis vital parts
وتقوى على نَيْلِ الفراقِ مقاتلُه
Is it not strange that he should leave his beloved,
Isn't it odd that he leaves his friends
and that his vital parts withstand separation's harm?
When parting's blade proves too strong to fight?
اِذاwhen ماemphatic particle اقتضىhe demands fulfillment of وعدَthe promise of الزمانِtime بقربِهاof nearness to her
اِذا ما اقتضى وعدَ الزمانِ بقربِها
وياand oh بعدهits remoteness أضحىhas begun الزمانُtime يماطلُهputting him off
ويا بعده أضحى الزمانُ يماطلُه
Whenever he demands fulfillment of time's promise of nearness to her,
When time's promise of nearness seems binding
time begins putting him off—alas, how far away it is!
It tricks him, keeping their union from sight
تُؤرَّقُهkeeps him sleepless تحتَbeneath الظلامِthe darkness حمامةٌa dove
تُؤرَّقُه تحتَ الظلامِ حمامةٌ
يُهَيَّجهاstir her بانُthe bān trees of الحمىthe preserve وخمائلُهand its thickets
يُهَيَّجها بانُ الحمى وخمائلُه
A dove keeps him sleepless beneath the darkness;
A dove stirs beneath the darkness, fevered
the preserve's bān trees and thickets stir her.
By the glow of embers and songs of delight
لهاshe has فيهfor it لمّاwhen أنthat نأتْshe went far away عنfrom جَنابِهِits precincts
لها فيه لمّا أن نأتْ عن جَنابِهِ
هَدِيلٌa cooing تُرَجَّيshe hopes for قُرْبَهُnearness to it وتُحاولُهand seeks it
هَدِيلٌ تُرَجَّي قُرْبَهُ وتُحاولُه
For it, since she has gone far from its precincts, she has
It approaches him, hoping closeness, yet
a cooing, hoping to come near it and striving for it.
Fate obstructs it, though it strains in its flight
صبتْshe yearns نحوَهtoward it والدهرُand time قهراًby force يعوقُهاhinders her
صبتْ نحوَه والدهرُ قهراً يعوقُها
وأحداثُهand its vicissitudes عنfrom قصدِهِmaking for it وغوائلُهand its calamities
وأحداثُه عن قصدِهِ وغوائلُه
She yearns toward it, but time forcibly bars her,
It rises high on the litter, its coos
along with its vicissitudes and calamities, from making for it.
Troubling his rest, as the night grows late
تُردَّدُshe repeats فيin أعلىthe top of الاراكةthe arak tree نوحهاher lament
تُردَّدُ في أعلى الاراكة نوحها
فتقلقهand so disturbs him والليلwhile the night تدجوgrow dark غياطلهits thick shadows
فتقلقه والليل تدجو غياطله
She repeats her lament high in the arak tree,
He weeps for friends lost to the hand of fate
and disturbs him as the night's thick shadows darken.
In copious tears that flow without abate
فيبكيand so he weeps علىfor اِلْفٍa beloved رَمتْهُcast him away يدُthe hand of النوىseparation
فيبكي على اِلْفٍ رَمتْهُ يدُ النوى
بفائضِwith an overflow of دمعٍtears لاnot تَغُبُّcease هواملُهits flowing streams
بفائضِ دمعٍ لا تَغُبُّ هواملُه
He weeps for a beloved whom separation's hand has cast away,
The dunes remind him at dusk, as they curve
with a flood of tears whose streams never cease.
Sighing from the wind's gentle gait
ويُذْكِرُهand remind him البانُthe bān trees القدودَthe figures إذاwhen انثنتْthey bend
ويُذْكِرُه البانُ القدودَ إذا انثنتْ
تَرنَّحُsway مِنfrom مَرَّthe passing of النَّسيمِthe breeze موائلُهits leaning boughs
تَرنَّحُ مِن مَرَّ النَّسيمِ موائلُه
The bān trees remind him of figures when they bend,
As if parting and exile were created
their leaning boughs swaying as the breeze passes.
Just for him, one leaves the other won't wait
كأنَّas though النوىseparation والهجرَand estrangement قدindeed خُلِقاwere both created لهُfor him
كأنَّ النوى والهجرَ قد خُلِقا لهُ
اِذاif زالَleaves ذاthis one عنهfrom him فذاthen the other لاnot يُزايلُهleaves him
اِذا زالَ ذا عنه فذا لا يُزايلُه
As though separation and estrangement were created for him:
After their separation, sickness occupies him
if one leaves him, the other never departs.
More than blame, it distracts and berates
ويكفيهِand suffices him شُغلاًas an occupation بعدَafter فُرقةِthe rupture of بينهِhis separation
ويكفيهِ شُغلاً بعدَ فُرقةِ بينهِ
سَقامٌan illness عَنِfrom العذّالِthe censurers واللَّومِand blame شاغلُهْdistracting him
سَقامٌ عَنِ العذّالِ واللَّومِ شاغلُهْ
And after his separation, he has enough to occupy him:
His body wastes from passion's excess
an illness that keeps him from censurers and blame.
Wasting him more, though his brethren hate
بَرىwasted جسمَهhis body فرطُthe excess of الغرامِpassion وزادَهand increased him
بَرى جسمَه فرطُ الغرامِ وزادَه
غراماًin passion لواحيهِhis rebukers بهfor it وعواذلُهand his reproachers
غراماً لواحيهِ به وعواذلُه
Excessive passion has wasted his body, and still more
His tears have watered many a barren plain
passion is stirred in him by those who chide and reproach him for it.
And poured on the land where their tents were pitched
سقىwatered دمعُهhis tears ربعاًa dwelling لاْسماءَbelonging to Asmā مُقْفِراًdeserted
سقى دمعُه ربعاً لاْسماءَ مُقْفِراً
وروَّىand soaked ثرىthe soil of تلكَthose المرابعِdwelling-grounds هاطلُهits downpour
وروَّى ثرى تلكَ المرابعِ هاطلُه
His tears watered a deserted dwelling of Asmā,
For in it there's a trace that almost
and their downpour soaked the earth of those dwelling-grounds.
Wakens his companions when breezes hitch
فاِنَّfor indeed بهاthere رسماًa remnant يكادُalmost لأُنسِهِfrom its fondness
فاِنَّ بها رسماً يكادُ لأُنسِهِ
بهfor him كلَّماwhenever حيّاهُhe greets it حيّاهُgreets him ماحلُهits barren ground
به كلَّما حيّاهُ حيّاهُ ماحلُه
For there is a remnant there; almost, from its fondness
When he passes an abandoned camp, he weeps
for him, whenever he greets it, its barren ground greets him.
For days gone by, tears streaming without stitch
اِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أتاهُhe comes to it بعدَafter لاْيٍhardship وقدand already عَفاit has faded
اِذا ما أتاهُ بعدَ لاْيٍ وقد عَفا
بكَىhe weeps for عهدَهُhis former time فيهthere فرقَّتْand so grow tender جنادِلُهits rocks
بكَى عهدَهُ فيه فرقَّتْ جنادِلُه
When he reaches it after hardship, though it has faded,
How many dawns were serene when he walked there
he weeps for his time there, and its rocks grow tender.
While the whisperer rose and night wind was still
مرابعُdwelling-grounds كمhow often راقتْwere delightful بهاthere غَدَواتُهُhis mornings
مرابعُ كم راقتْ بها غَدَواتُهُ
علىduring غِرَّةِthe unwariness of الواشيthe tale-bearer ورقَّتْand were gentle أصائلُهhis late afternoons
على غِرَّةِ الواشي ورقَّتْ أصائلُه
Dwelling-grounds where his mornings were so often delightful,
He trudged on though the journey was long
while the tale-bearer was unwary, and his late afternoons gentle.
More lively when his camel lifted its tail
يعوجُhe turns aside عليهاtoward them وهيwhile they are قفرٌdesolate وماand not بهاin them
يعوجُ عليها وهي قفرٌ وما بها
سوىexcept طللٍa ruined dwelling بادٍvisible لعينيهِto his eyes ماثلُهits standing form
سوى طللٍ بادٍ لعينيهِ ماثلُه
He turns aside toward them, though they are desolate and hold nothing
Weakened by hunger, he tugs the reins
except a ruin whose form stands plainly before his eyes.
As his rider, a swordblade, bites without fail
تقضَّىhas ended بهاthere الوصلُthe union القليلُbrief وزادَهand increased him
تقضَّى بها الوصلُ القليلُ وزادَه
بهاfor them شغفاًin ardent love والوصلُand union تُصبيcaptivate قلائلُهits few moments
بها شغفاً والوصلُ تُصبي قلائلُه
The brief union there has ended, leaving him more
He has resolves like strokes that adorn
passionately attached to them; even union's brief moments captivate.
Swords with inscriptions for all details
أأحبابَهُO his beloved ones غبتمْyou have gone فأوحشَand so has made lonely ربعُكمْyour dwelling
أأحبابَهُ غبتمْ فأوحشَ ربعُكمْ
مُحِبَّكمْyour lover والربعُand the dwelling يُؤْنِسُmakes welcoming آهلُهits inhabitant
مُحِبَّكمْ والربعُ يُؤْنِسُ آهلُه
O his beloved ones, you have gone, and your dwelling has left lonely
Saplings of his enemies' blood spend the night
your lover; a dwelling is made welcoming by its inhabitant.
When battle calls him, they sprout and prevail
وقدand indeed كنتمُyou had هدَّدتُموهyou threatened him ببينِكمْwith your departure
وقد كنتمُ هدَّدتُموه ببينِكمْ
مُزاحاًin jest إلىuntil أنthat حُقَّbecame true لاحُقَّmay it not come true باطلُهits falsehood
مُزاحاً إلى أن حُقَّ لاحُقَّ باطلُه
You had indeed threatened him with your departure
Were it not for his courage, they would bloom
in jest, until its falsehood came true—would that it had not!
When he touches them with hands strong as flail
فعوَّضتُموهُand so you gave him instead عنin place of تدانيthe nearness of مزارِكمْyour place of visitation
فعوَّضتُموهُ عن تداني مزارِكمْ
بِعاداًdistance لقدindeed خابَhas failed الذيwhat كانَhe was يأمُلُهhoping for it
بِعاداً لقد خابَ الذي كانَ يأمُلُه
And so, in place of the nearness of your abode, you gave him
You'd think him the twin of Badr, girded
distance; what he once hoped for has surely failed.
With blades, prepared for all travails
وكدَّرتُمand you clouded صفَوthe purity of الوصالِunion فهلso might تُرىone wonders
وكدَّرتُم صفَو الوصالِ فهل تُرى
تعودُreturn كماas كانتْthey were عِذاباًsweet مناهلُهits watering-places
تعودُ كما كانتْ عِذاباً مناهلُه
You clouded the purity of union; might, I wonder,
its watering-places become sweet again, as they once were?
ويَرجِعُand returns عصرُthe age of القربِnearness يبسِمُsmiles ثغرُهُits mouth
ويَرجِعُ عصرُ القربِ يبسِمُ ثغرُهُ
وتُبديand reveal لهto him بُشرىthe glad tidings of التدانيdrawing near مخايلُهits signs
وتُبدي له بُشرى التداني مخايلُه
And will the age of nearness return, its mouth smiling,
with its signs showing him glad tidings of reunion?
لئنif indeed عُدْنَreturn أيامُthe days of الأُثيلِal-Uthayl وطيبُهاand their sweetness
لئن عُدْنَ أيامُ الأُثيلِ وطيبُها
كميدانِهاlike their course الماضيbygone فهنَّthen they are وسائلُهhis means
كميدانِها الماضي فهنَّ وسائلُه
If the days of al-Uthayl and their sweetness return,
as in their former course, they will be his means.
يغازلُhe woos فيin ظلَّthe shade of الكِناسِthe gazelle's covert غزالَهُhis gazelle
يغازلُ في ظلَّ الكِناسِ غزالَهُ
وترنواand gaze اليهtoward him بالعشيَّat evening مطافلُهْits does with young
وترنوا اليه بالعشيَّ مطافلُهْ
He woos his gazelle in the shade of the covert,
and its does with young gaze toward him at evening.
ومُنْخَرَقٍand many a vast wilderness تبقىremain الرَّكابُthe riding camels بعَرضِهacross its breadth
ومُنْخَرَقٍ تبقى الرَّكابُ بعَرضِه
مطلَّحةًexhausted مماbecause of how تَمُدُّstretch مجاهلُهits trackless wastes
مطلَّحةً مما تَمُدُّ مجاهلُه
And many a wilderness, across whose breadth the riding camels remain
exhausted by its stretching trackless wastes,
سرىtraveled by night فيهthrough it مغلوبُovercome in التجلُّدِfortitude والِهٌa distraught man
سرى فيه مغلوبُ التجلُّدِ والِهٌ
يؤمُّmaking for النقاthe sand dune واليومُwhile the day تَغليseethe مراجلُهits cauldrons
يؤمُّ النقا واليومُ تَغلي مراجلُه
a distraught man traversed by night, his endurance overcome,
making for the sand dune, while the day's cauldrons seethed,
علىon ضامرٍa lean camel أودىdestroyed الكَلالُweariness بِنَيَّهِwith its fat
على ضامرٍ أودى الكَلالُ بِنَيَّهِ
يَصِرُّgrinds مِنَfrom الاِعياءِexhaustion والجَهدِand strain بازلُهits protruding fang
يَصِرُّ مِنَ الاِعياءِ والجَهدِ بازلُه
on a lean camel whose fat weariness had consumed,
its protruding fang grinding from exhaustion and strain.
يزيدُincreases علىdespite بعدِthe length of المسافةِthe distance وَخْدُهُits swift pace
يزيدُ على بعدِ المسافةِ وَخْدُهُ
نشاطاًin vigor متىwhenever شطَّتْgrow distant لديهِahead of it مراحلُهits stages
نشاطاً متى شطَّتْ لديهِ مراحلُه
Despite the length of the distance, its swift pace increases
in vigor whenever its stages stretch far ahead.
يناحلُrivals in thinness مِنfrom فرطِthe excess of الهزالِemaciation زِمامَهits rein
يناحلُ مِن فرطِ الهزالِ زِمامَه
وراكبُهand its rider نَصْلُthe blade of الحُسامِthe sharp sword يناحلُهrivals him in thinness
وراكبُه نَصْلُ الحُسامِ يناحلُه
Through excessive wasting, it rivals its rein in thinness,
and a sword-blade rivals its rider in slenderness.
لهhe has عزماتٌfirm resolves فيin الأمورِaffairs كأنمَّاas though
له عزماتٌ في الأمورِ كأنمَّا
حكتْهimitated him مُضَاءًin keenness وانصلاتاًand swift unsheathing مناصِلُهhis swords
حكتْه مُضَاءً وانصلاتاً مناصِلُه
He has firm resolves in affairs, as though
his swords copied him in keenness and swift springing forth.
تبيتُthey spend the night نِهالاًwith thirst quenched مِنfrom دماءِthe blood of عُداتِهhis enemies
تبيتُ نِهالاً مِن دماءِ عُداتِه
اِذاwhen ماemphatic particle دعتْهُcall him بالنزالِto combat ذوابلُهhis slender spears
اِذا ما دعتْهُ بالنزالِ ذوابلُه
They spend the night with thirst quenched by his enemies' blood,
whenever his slender spears call him to combat.
ولولاand were it not for تلظَّيthe blazing of البأسِmartial might منهfrom him لأورقتْthey would put forth leaves
ولولا تلظَّي البأسِ منه لأورقتْ
وقدand indeed لمستْهاtouched them كفُّهhis palm وأناملُهand his fingers
وقد لمستْها كفُّه وأناملُه
But for his blazing martial might, they would have sprouted leaves,
when his palm and fingers touched them.
اِذاwhen خاضَhe plunges into بالسيفِwith the sword العجاجَthe battle-dust حسبتَهُyou would think him
اِذا خاضَ بالسيفِ العجاجَ حسبتَهُ
أخاa possessor of لِبَدٍa thick mane نيطتْwere slung عليهover him حمائلُهhis sword-belts
أخا لِبَدٍ نيطتْ عليه حمائلُه
When he plunges with his sword into the battle-dust, you would think him
a maned lion with his sword-belts slung upon him.
Partial English translation: 54 of 80 Arabic lines translated.