نامَhas slept الخَليُّthe carefree man فَنَومُso the sleep of العَينِthe eye تَسهيدُsleeplessness
نامَ الخَليُّ فَنَومُ العَينِ تَسهيدُ
وَالقَلبُand the heart مُحتَبَلٌensnared بالخَودِby the maiden مَعمودُsorely stricken
وَالقَلبُ مُحتَبَلٌ بالخَودِ مَعمودُ
The carefree man has slept; the eye's sleep is sleeplessness.
And the heart is ensnared by the maiden, sorely stricken.
إِنif ساعفَتgranted access دارُهاher dwelling ضَنَّتshe was stingy بِنائِلِهاwith her favors
إِن ساعفَت دارُها ضَنَّت بِنائِلِها
وَسَقيُهاand her giving drink الصاديthe thirsty man الحَرّانَburning with thirst تَصريدُscant watering
وَسَقيُها الصادي الحَرّانَ تَصريدُ
If her dwelling grants access, she withholds her favors.
And her drink for the parched, burning-thirsty man is scant.
شَطتbecame distant نَواهاher destination وَحانَتand drew near غُربَةٌan exile قَذَفٌfar-flung
شَطت نَواها وَحانَت غُربَةٌ قَذَفٌ
وَذِكرُand remembering ماwhat قَدalready مَضىhas passed بالمَرءِin a man تَفنيدُloss of judgment
وَذِكرُ ما قَد مَضى بالمَرءِ تَفنيدُ
Her destination lay far off, and far-flung exile drew near.
And remembering what has already passed makes a man foolish.
إِذwhen تَستَبيكَshe captivates you بِمَيّالٍwith swaying hair لَهit has حَبَكٌbraids
إِذ تَستَبيكَ بِمَيّالٍ لَه حَبَكٌ
وَواضِحٍand a radiant breast زانَهُadorned it اللباتُthe throat's hollows وَالجيدُand the neck
وَواضِحٍ زانَهُ اللباتُ وَالجيدُ
When she captivates you with swaying, braided hair,
And a radiant breast graced by the throat's hollows and the neck,
وَذيand one with طَرائِقَfolds لَمnot تَحمِلshe has carried بِهِin it وَلَداًa child
وَذي طَرائِقَ لَم تَحمِل بِهِ وَلَداً
فالكَشحُso the waist مُضطَمِرٌslender رَيّانُfull-fleshed مَمسودُtaut
فالكَشحُ مُضطَمِرٌ رَيّانُ مَمسودُ
And a folded belly that has never carried a child,
Thus her waist is slender, full-fleshed, and taut.
كَأَنَّas though أَردافَهاher buttocks دِعصٌa sand mound بِرابيَةٍon a rise
كَأَنَّ أَردافَها دِعصٌ بِرابيَةٍ
مُستَهدَفٌstanding high نخلتهُsifted it الريحُthe wind مَنضودُheaped in layers
مُستَهدَفٌ نخلتهُ الريحُ مَنضودُ
As though her buttocks were a sand mound on a rise,
Standing high, sifted by the wind, heaped in layers.
خَودٌa maiden خَدلَّجةٌfull-limbed نَضحُa sprinkling العَبيرِof perfume بِهاupon her
خَودٌ خَدلَّجةٌ نَضحُ العَبيرِ بِها
يُشفيsatisfies مَضاجِعَهاher bedfellow لُبسٌbeing clothed وَتَجريدُand being bared
يُشفي مَضاجِعَها لُبسٌ وَتَجريدُ
A full-limbed maiden, with perfume sprinkled upon her,
Clothed and bare alike, she satisfies her bedfellow.
لَمّاwhen رأَتshe saw أَنَّنيthat I لابُدَّinevitably منطَلِقٌdeparting
لَمّا رأَت أَنَّني لابُدَّ منطَلِقٌ
وَلِلفَتىand a young man has أَجَلٌa lifespan قَدalready خُطَّwas inscribed مَعدودُnumbered
وَلِلفَتى أَجَلٌ قَد خُطَّ مَعدودُ
When she saw that I was bound to depart,
And a young man has a numbered term already inscribed,
قامَتshe began تُكَرِّهُنيto make me dislike غَزوىmy raiding وَتُخبِرُنيand to tell me
قامَت تُكَرِّهُني غَزوى وَتُخبِرُني
أَنthat سَوفَwill يُخلِدُنيmake me immortal رَوعٌfear وَتَبليدُand hanging back
أَن سَوفَ يُخلِدُني رَوعٌ وَتَبليدُ
She began discouraging me from my raids and telling me
That fear and hanging back would make me immortal.
هلِis? المَنيَّةُdeath إِلاanything but طالِبٌa pursuer ظَفِرٌvictorious
هلِ المَنيَّةُ إِلا طالِبٌ ظَفِرٌ
وَحَوضُهاand its pool مَنهَلٌa watering place لابُدَّinevitably مورودُto be visited
وَحَوضُها مَنهَلٌ لابُدَّ مورودُ
Is death anything but a victorious pursuer?
And its pool is a watering place one must visit.
وَالناسُand people شَتّىdiverse فمَهدِيٌّso one is rightly guided نَقيبَتُهُhis disposition
وَالناسُ شَتّى فمَهدِيٌّ نَقيبَتُهُ
وَجائِرٌand one who strays عَنfrom سَبيلِthe path of الحَقِّtruth مَحدودُill-fated
وَجائِرٌ عَن سَبيلِ الحَقِّ مَحدودُ
And people differ: one is rightly guided in character,
And another strays from the path of truth, ill-fated.
وَذوand one possessing نَوالٍbounty إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle جئتَyou come تَسأَلهُasking him
وَذو نَوالٍ إِذا ما جئتَ تَسأَلهُ
شَيئاًsomething وَمستَكثِرٌand one abounding بالخَيرِin good مَوجودُis found
شَيئاً وَمستَكثِرٌ بالخَيرِ مَوجودُ
And one is bountiful when you come to ask him
For something; and one abounding in good is to be found.
وَالخَيرُand good وَالشرُّand evil إِمّاif كُنتِyou are سائِلَتيasking me
وَالخَيرُ وَالشرُّ إِمّا كُنتِ سائِلَتي
شَتىdistinct مَعاًtogether وَكَذاكَand likewise البُخلُmiserliness وَالجُودُand generosity
شَتى مَعاً وَكَذاكَ البُخلُ وَالجُودُ
And good and evil, if you ask me,
Are distinct, both of them; so too are miserliness and generosity.
إِنّيindeed I امرؤٌa man أَعرِفُknow المَعروفَright conduct ذوpossessing حَسَبٍancestral honor
إِنّي امرؤٌ أَعرِفُ المَعروفَ ذو حَسَبٍ
سَميحٌgenerous إِذاwhen حاردَceased giving milk الكومُthe high-humped camels المَرافيدُthe heavy milk-givers
سَميحٌ إِذا حاردَ الكومُ المَرافيدُ
I am a man who knows right conduct, of honored lineage,
Generous when the high-humped, heavy-milking camels run dry.
أَجريI follow عَلىaccording to سُنَّةٍa custom مِنfrom والديmy father سبقتthat preceded me
أَجري عَلى سُنَّةٍ مِن والدي سبقت
وَفيand in أرومتِهhis rootstock ماwhat يُنبِتُmakes grow العودُthe branch
وَفي أرومتِه ما يُنبِتُ العودُ
I follow an old custom inherited from my father,
And in his rootstock lies what makes the branch grow.
مُطَلَّبٌmuch pursued بِتراتٍfor blood-debts غَيرِnot مُدرَكةٍavenged
مُطَلَّبٌ بِتراتٍ غَيرِ مُدرَكةٍ
مُحسَّدٌmuch envied وَالفَتىand a young man ذوpossessing اللُبِّsense مَحسودُis envied
مُحسَّدٌ وَالفَتى ذو اللُبِّ مَحسودُ
Pursued for blood-debts still unavenged,
Much envied—and a man of sense is envied.
عِنديI have لِصالحِfor the worthy of قَوميmy people ماas long as بَقيتُI remain لَهمfor them
عِندي لِصالحِ قَومي ما بَقيتُ لَهم
حَمدٌpraise وَذمand blame لأهلِfor those deserving الذَّمِّblame مَعدودُmeasured
حَمدٌ وَذم لأهلِ الذَّمِّ مَعدودُ
While I live, I have for the worthy among my people
Praise, and measured blame for those deserving blame.
أَعيَتproved too hard صفاتيmy rock عَلىfor مَنwhoever يَبتَغيseeks عنَّتيmy ruin
أَعيَت صفاتي عَلى مَن يَبتَغي عنَّتي
فَماso not يُوَهِّنُweakens متنَيهاits two sides الجَلاميدُhard boulders
فَما يُوَهِّنُ متنَيها الجَلاميدُ
My rock defies whoever seeks my ruin;
So hard boulders cannot weaken its two sides.
كَمhow many قَدindeed هَجانيlampooned me مِنof مستَقتِلٍone courting death حَمِقٍfoolish
كَم قَد هَجاني مِن مستَقتِلٍ حَمِقٍ
فيهِin him إِذاwhen هَزَّstirred عِندbefore الحَقِّthe truth تَغريدُchirping
فيهِ إِذا هَزَّ عِند الحَقِّ تَغريدُ
How many a fool courting death has lampooned me,
He chirps when shaken in the face of truth.
جانٍwronging عَلىagainst قَومِهِhis people بادٍexposed مُقاتلهhis vital spots
جانٍ عَلى قَومِهِ بادٍ مُقاتله
كالعيرِlike the ass أَحزنَهُdistressed him دجنٌconfinement وَتَقييدُand fettering
كالعيرِ أَحزنَهُ دجنٌ وَتَقييدُ
Wronging his people, his vital spots exposed,
Like an ass distressed by confinement and fetters.
كَأَنَّهُas though he كَودَنٌa packhorse تَدمىbleed دَوابِرُهُhis heels
كَأَنَّهُ كَودَنٌ تَدمى دَوابِرُهُ
فيهِon him منfrom السوطِthe whip وَالساقَينِand the two legs تَربيدُdark bruising
فيهِ من السوطِ وَالساقَينِ تَربيدُ
As though he were a packhorse whose heels bleed,
Darkly bruised by the whip and the rider's legs.
كَزُّstingy النَدىwith bounty مَجدُهhis glory دَينٌa debt يؤخِّرُهُhe postpones it
كَزُّ النَدى مَجدُه دَينٌ يؤخِّرُهُ
وَلؤمُهand his baseness حاضِرٌat hand لابُدَّinevitably مَنقودُpaid in cash
وَلؤمُه حاضِرٌ لابُدَّ مَنقودُ
Stingy with bounty, his glory is a debt he postpones,
And his baseness is cash on hand, paid out without fail.
مِنfrom مَعشَرٍa people كُحِلتwere lined with kohl باللؤمِwith baseness أَعيُنُهُمtheir eyes
مِن مَعشَرٍ كُحِلت باللؤمِ أَعيُنُهُم
زُرقٌblue-eyed بِهمupon them ميسَمٌa brand منهfrom it وَتَقليدُand a collar
زُرقٌ بِهم ميسَمٌ منه وَتَقليدُ
From a people whose eyes are kohled with baseness,
Blue-eyed; upon them are its brand and collar.
مازِلتُI kept أَقدُمُهمgoing ahead of them حَتّىuntil عَلوتهُمI rose above them
مازِلتُ أَقدُمُهم حَتّى عَلوتهُم
وَهَرَّنيand snarled at me رافِدٌa giver منهمamong them وَمَرفودُand a recipient
وَهَرَّني رافِدٌ منهم وَمَرفودُ
I kept outstripping them until I rose above them,
And their givers and receivers alike snarled at me.
وَقَدand indeed نَهيتُهُمI warned them off عَنّيfrom me عَلانيَةًopenly
وَقَد نَهيتُهُم عَنّي عَلانيَةً
لَوif كانَwere ينفعُهمto benefit them نَهيٌa warning وَتَوصيدُand shutting out
لَو كانَ ينفعُهم نَهيٌ وَتَوصيدُ
And I openly warned them to keep away from me,
If warning and shutting them out could do them any good.
أُمَّO mother of الصَّبيينِthe two boys دوميremain steadfast إِنَّنيindeed I am رجلٌa man
أُمَّ الصَّبيينِ دومي إِنَّني رجلٌ
حَبليmy rope لأهلِto the people of النَّدىbounty وَالوَصلِand fellowship مَمدودُstretched out
حَبلي لأهلِ النَّدى وَالوَصلِ مَمدودُ
Mother of the two boys, remain steadfast: I am a man
Whose rope is stretched out to people of bounty and fellowship.
لاdo not تَسأليask القَومَthe people عَنabout ماليmy wealth وكَثرتِهِand its abundance
لا تَسألي القَومَ عَن مالي وكَثرتِهِ
وَقَدand sometimes يُقتِّرُlives on little المَرءُa man يَوماًone day وَهوَand he is مَحمودُpraised
وَقَد يُقتِّرُ المَرءُ يَوماً وَهوَ مَحمودُ
Do not ask the people about my wealth and its abundance;
A man may live on little one day and still be praised.
وَسائِليand ask عِندَwhen جدِّthe gravity of الأَمرِthe matter ماwhat حَسبيmy honor is
وَسائِلي عِندَ جدِّ الأَمرِ ما حَسبي
إِذاwhen الكُماةُthe warriors التَقىclash فُرسانُهاtheir horsemen الصيدُthe proud
إِذا الكُماةُ التَقى فُرسانُها الصيدُ
And ask, when matters grow grave, what my honor is,
When the warriors' proud horsemen clash.
وَقَدand often أَروعُI frighten سَوامَthe grazing herds of الحَيِّthe tribe تحمِلُنيshe carries me
وَقَد أَروعُ سَوامَ الحَيِّ تحمِلُني
شَقاءُlong-limbed مِثلَlike عُقابِan eagle of الدجنِdark cloud قيدودُlong-backed
شَقاءُ مِثلَ عُقابِ الدجنِ قيدودُ
And often I startle the tribe's grazing herds, carried by
A long-limbed, long-backed mare, like an eagle in dark cloud.
حَقباءُwhite-flanked سَهلَبَةُlong الساقينِthe two legs منهِبَةٌfleet
حَقباءُ سَهلَبَةُ الساقينِ منهِبَةٌ
فيin لَحمِهاher flesh مِنfrom وَجيفِhard galloping by القَومِthe company تَخديدُfurrowing
في لَحمِها مِن وَجيفِ القَومِ تَخديدُ
White-flanked, long-legged, fleet,
Her flesh furrowed by the company's hard galloping.
تُؤَخِّرُshe pushes back السَّرجَthe saddle تأَخيراًfar backward إِذاwhen جَمَزَتshe bounds
تُؤَخِّرُ السَّرجَ تأَخيراً إِذا جَمَزَت
عَنaway from مَتنِهاher back وَحِزامُand the girth of السَّرجِthe saddle مَشدودُfastened tight
عَن مَتنِها وَحِزامُ السَّرجِ مَشدودُ
She pushes the saddle far backward when she bounds,
Away from her back, though the saddle's girth is fastened tight.
تَرىyou see بسُنبُكِهاfrom her hoof وَقعاًan imprint تُبَيِّنُهُshe makes it plain
تَرى بسُنبُكِها وَقعاً تُبَيِّنُهُ
كَأَنَّهُas though it فيin جَديدِthe surface of الأَرضِthe earth أُخدودُa trench
كَأَنَّهُ في جَديدِ الأَرضِ أُخدودُ
You see the imprint of her hoof, plainly stamped,
As though it were a trench in the earth's surface.
فيin رأسِهاher head حينَwhen يَندىgrows damp عِطفُهاher side صَدَدٌa sideways turn
في رأسِها حينَ يَندى عِطفُها صَدَدٌ
وَفيand in مَناكِبهاher shoulders للشَّدِّfor galloping تَحديدُsharp definition
وَفي مَناكِبها للشَّدِّ تَحديدُ
Her head turns aside when her flank grows damp,
And her shoulders are sharply defined for galloping.
كَأَنَّهاas though she هِقلَةٌa hen ostrich رَبداءُdusky عارضهاapproached her
كَأَنَّها هِقلَةٌ رَبداءُ عارضها
هَيقٌa cock ostrich تأَوَّبَreturned at night جُنحَthe onset of الليلِnight مَطرودُpursued
هَيقٌ تأَوَّبَ جُنحَ الليلِ مَطرودُ
As though she were a dusky hen ostrich, approached by
A hunted cock ostrich, returning at nightfall.
كَأَنَّas though هادِيهاher neck إِذwhen قامَstood up مُلجِمُهاher bridler
كَأَنَّ هادِيها إِذ قامَ مُلجِمُها
جِذعٌa trunk تَحَسَّرَpeeled away عَنهُfrom it الليفُthe fiber مَجرودُstripped bare
جِذعٌ تَحَسَّرَ عَنهُ الليفُ مَجرودُ
As though her neck, when her bridler stands up,
Were a bare trunk, its fiber peeled away.
هَشُّlight الفُؤادِof heart هواءُhollow الصَّدرِof chest مُنتَخِبٌswift-striding
هَشُّ الفُؤادِ هواءُ الصَّدرِ مُنتَخِبٌ
مُقَلِّصٌwith covering drawn up عَنfrom قَميصِthe shirt of الساقِthe shank مَوطودُfirmly built
مُقَلِّصٌ عَن قَميصِ الساقِ مَوطودُ
Light of heart, hollow-chested, swift-striding,
Its shank's shirt drawn up, firmly built.
وَفَيلَقٍand an army كَشُعاعِlike the rays of الشَّمسِthe sun مُشعلةٍblazing
وَفَيلَقٍ كَشُعاعِ الشَّمسِ مُشعلةٍ
تُعشيdazzles البَصيرَthe keen-sighted إِذاwhen مالَتswayed بِهِwith it البيدُthe deserts
تُعشي البَصيرَ إِذا مالَت بِهِ البيدُ
And an army like the rays of the blazing sun,
Dazzling keen eyes as the deserts sway with it.
قَوميmy people إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle لَقَواmeet أَعداءَهُمtheir enemies صَبَرواstand firm
قَومي إِذا ما لَقَوا أَعداءَهُم صَبَروا
واِستورَدوهمand drove them to water كَماas يُستَورَدُis driven to water العودُthe old camel
واِستورَدوهم كَما يُستَورَدُ العودُ
My people stand firm when they meet their enemies,
And drive them to water as an old camel is driven.
تَرىyou see نَوادِرَsevered pieces of أَطرافٍlimbs بمَزحَفِهمat their battle-front
تَرى نَوادِرَ أَطرافٍ بمَزحَفِهم
والهامُand heads بينهمُamong them مُذرىًscattered وَمَقدودُand cleft
والهامُ بينهمُ مُذرىً وَمَقدودُ
You see severed limbs where their battle line advances,
And heads among them, scattered and cleft.
وَالمَشرَفِيَّةُand the Mashrafi swords قَدalready فُلَّتwere nicked مَضارِبُهاtheir striking edges
وَالمَشرَفِيَّةُ قَد فُلَّت مَضارِبُها
وَالسَّمهَريَّةُand the Samhari spears مُرفَضsplintered وَمَقصودُand snapped
وَالسَّمهَريَّةُ مُرفَض وَمَقصودُ
And the Mashrafi swords have their striking edges nicked,
And the Samhari spears are splintered and snapped.
وَفِتيَةٌand youths كَسُيوفِlike the swords of الهِندِIndia قُلتُI said لَهُمto them
وَفِتيَةٌ كَسُيوفِ الهِندِ قُلتُ لَهُم
سيرواpress on وأَعناقُهمand their necks غِبّafter السُّرىnight travel غيدُdrooping
سيروا وأَعناقُهم غِبّ السُّرى غيدُ
And youths like the swords of India—I said to them:
"Press on!"—their necks drooping after the night's journey.
أَرميI cast بِهمwith them وَبِنَفسيand with myself مَهمَهاًa wasteland زَلِقاًslippery
أَرمي بِهم وَبِنَفسي مَهمَهاً زَلِقاً
وَعُرضَand the breadth of مُطَّرِدٍa flowing stream أَكنافُهits banks سودُblack
وَعُرضَ مُطَّرِدٍ أَكنافُه سودُ
I cast them and myself into a slippery waste,
And across the breadth of a flowing stream with black banks.
تَخديtrot swiftly بِهمwith them فيin الوَغىbattle قُبٌّlean-bellied mounts مساحِلُهاtheir cheeks
تَخدي بِهم في الوَغى قُبٌّ مساحِلُها
جُردٌbare ضَوامِرُlean أَمثالَlike القَناspear-shafts قُودُlong-bodied
جُردٌ ضَوامِرُ أَمثالَ القَنا قُودُ
Lean-bellied mounts trot with them through battle, their cheeks
Bare; lean, long-bodied steeds like spear-shafts.
فيهِمamong them فَوارِسُhorsemen لاnot مَيلٌunsteady riders وَلاnor كُشفٌunshielded men
فيهِم فَوارِسُ لا مَيلٌ وَلا كُشفٌ
عليهمupon them زَغَفٌample coats of mail بالشَّكِّby interlinking مَسرودُwoven in rows
عليهم زَغَفٌ بالشَّكِّ مَسرودُ
Among them are horsemen, neither unsteady nor unshielded,
Wearing ample mail, interlinked in ordered rows.
Translation model: Sol 6.1