Sol 6.1

  1. أَلَم يَسأَلِ الرَكبُ الدِيارَ العَوافِيا

    بِوَجهِ نَوى مِن حَلَّها أَو مَتى هِيا

    Did the riders not question the effaced dwellings

    on the side of Nawa—who had dwelt there, or when?

  2. ظَلِلنا سَراةَ اليَومِ مِن حُبِّ أَهلِها

    نُسائِلُ آناءً لَها وَأَثافِيا

    We lingered through the height of day, for love of their people,

    questioning their vessels and hearthstones.

  3. بِذي الرَضمِ سارَ الحَيُّ مِنها فَما تَرى

    بِها العَينُ إِلّا مَسجِداً وَأَوارِيا

    At Dhu al-Radm the tribe departed; nothing is seen

    there by the eye but a prayer-place and tethering pegs,

  4. وَجوناً أَظَلَّتها رِكابٌ مُناخَةٌ

    رِكابُ قُدورٍ لا يَرِمنَ المَثاوِيا

    and darkened patches shaded by kneeling mounts—

    mounts of cauldrons that never leave their resting places.

  5. وَآناءَ حَيٍّ تَحتَ عَينٍ مَطيرَةٍ

    عِظامِ البُيوتِ يَنزِلونَ الرَوابِيا

    And the vessels of a tribe beneath a rain-laden cloud,

    whose tents were large, who camped upon the heights.

  6. أَرَبَّت بِها شَهرَي رَبيعٍ عَلَيهِمُ

    جَنائِبُ يَنتِجنَ الغَمامَ المَتالِيا

    For Rabi‘’s two months there lingered over them

    south winds, breeding cloud after cloud;

  7. بِأَسحَمَ مِن هَيجِ الذِراعَينِ أَتأَقَت

    مَسايِلَهُ حَتّى بَلَغنَ المَناجِيا

    with a black cloud from the Two Forearms’ stirring, they filled

    its channels, until they reached the high refuges.

  8. عَهِدنا الجِيادَ الجُردِ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ

    يُشارُ بِها وَالمَجلِسَ المُتَباهِيا

    We knew the sleek thoroughbreds there, every evening

    being paraded, and the gathering vying in glory;

  9. وَضَربَ نِساءٍ لَو رَآهُنَّ راهُبٌ

    لَهُ ظُلَّةٌ في قُلَّةٍ ظَلَّ رانِيا

    and a band of women whom, if a monk beheld—

    one with a shelter on a summit—he would keep gazing.

  10. جَوامِعَ أُنسٍ في حَياءٍ وَعِفَّةٍ

    يَصِدنَ الفَتى وَالأَشمَطَ المُتَناهِيا

    Combining charm with modesty and chastity,

    they ensnare youths and the gray-haired man who restrains himself.

  11. بِأَعلامِ مَركوزٍ فَعَيرٍ فَغُرَّبٍ

    مَغانِيَ أُمِّ الوَبرِ إِذ هِيَ ما هِيا

    By the landmarks of Markuz, then ‘Ayr, then Ghurrab,

    Umm al-Wabr’s haunts, when she was—what she was!

  12. لَها بِحَقيلٍ فَالنُمَيرَةِ مَنزِلٌ

    تَرى الوَحشَ عوذاتٍ بِهِ وَمَتالِيا

    She has a dwelling at Haqil, then al-Numayra,

    where you see wild beasts newly calved and followed by young.

  13. وَمُعتَرَكٍ مِن أَهلِها قَد عَرَفنَهُ

    بِوادي أَريكٍ حَيثُ كانَ مَحانِيا

    And a gathering-place of her people, now known to those beasts,

    in Wadi Arik, where its bends lay.

  14. وَإِنَّ نِساءَ الحَيِّ لَمّا رَمَينَني

    أَصَبنَ الشَوى مِنّي وَصِدنَ فُؤادِيا

    Indeed, when the women of the tribe shot at me,

    they struck my limbs and captured my heart.

  15. ثَقالٌ إِذا رادَ النِساءُ خَريدَةٌ

    صَناعٌ فَقَد سادَت إِلَيَّ الغَوانِيا

    Stately when other women roam, a bashful maiden,

    skilled of hand—she surpasses all beauties in my eyes.

  16. وَلَستُ بِلاقٍ في قَبائِلَ قَومِها

    لِوَبرَةَ جاراً آخِرَ الدَهرِ قالِيا

    Among the tribes of her people I shall never meet

    a neighbor hostile to Wabra, to the end of time.

  17. كَغَرّاءَ سَوداءِ المَدامِعِ تَرتَعي

    بِحَومَلَ عِطفَي رَملَةٍ وَتَناهِيا

    Like a white-faced antelope, black around the eyes, grazing

    at Hawmal, on a dune’s two flanks and in water-hollows.

  18. لَها اِبنُ لَيالٍ وَدَّأَتهُ بِقَفرَةٍ

    وَتَبغي بِغيطانٍ سِواهُ المَراعِيا

    She has a calf a few nights old, laid down in a waste,

    and seeks pasture in lowlands away from him.

  19. أَغَنُّ غَضيضُ الطَرفِ باتَت تَعُلُّهُ

    صَرى ضَرَّةٍ شَكرى فَأَصبَحَ طاوِيا

    Soft-bleating and downcast-eyed; all night she gives him

    stored milk from a brimming udder; by day he fasts.

  20. وَقَد عَوَّدَتهُ بَعدَ أَوَّلِ بُلجَةٍ

    مِنَ الصُبحِ حَتّى اللَيلِ أَن لا تَلاقِيا

    She has accustomed him, after the first gleam

    of dawn, to no reunion until night.

  21. تَظَلُّ بِذي الأَرطى تَسَمَّعُ صَوتَهُ

    مُفَزَّعَةً تَخشى سِباعاً وَرامِيا

    She stays at Dhu al-Arta, listening for his voice,

    terrified, fearing predators and an archer.

  22. إِذا نَظَرَت نَحوَ اِبنِ إِنسٍ فَإِنَّهُ

    يَرى عَجَباً ما واجَهَتهُ كَما هِيا

    When she looks toward a human being, he

    sees a marvel whenever she faces him just as she is.

  23. دَعاني الهَوى مِن أُمِّ وَبرٍ وَدونَها

    ثَلاثَةُ أَخماسٍ فَلَبَّيكَ داعِيا

    Love called me from Umm Wabr, though between us lay

    three five-day journeys; so, caller, here I am!

  24. فَعُجنا لِذِكراها وَتَشبيهِ صَوتِها

    قِلاصاً بِمَجهولِ الفَلاةِ صَوادِيا

    So, at her memory and a likeness of her voice, we turned

    thirsting young she-camels through the unknown wilderness:

  25. نَجائِبَ لا يُلقَحنَ إِلّا يَعارَةً

    عِراضاً وَلا يُشرَينَ إِلّا غَوالِيا

    noble mounts, mated only on the run,

    broad-bodied, and bought only at great cost.

  26. كَأَنّا عَلى صُهبٍ مِنَ الوَحشِ صَعلَةٍ

    سَماوِيَّةٍ تَرعى المُروجَ خَوالِيا

    As though we rode tawny, small-headed wild asses

    of al-Samawa, grazing meadows in solitude,

  27. مِنَ المُفرَعاتِ المُجفَراتِ كَأَنَّها

    غَمامٌ حَدَتهُ الريحُ فَاِنقَضَّ سارِيا

    among the tall, broad-bellied ones, as though they were

    a cloud driven by the wind, swooping through the night.

  28. إِذا شَرِبَ الظِمءُ الأَداوى وَنَضَّبَت

    ثَمائِلُها حَتّى بَلَغنَ العَزالِيا

    When thirst has drunk the waterskins and drained

    their last dregs, down to the spouts,

  29. بِغَبراءَ مِجزارٍ يَبيتُ دَليلُها

    مُشوحاً عَلَيها لِلفَراقِدِ راعِيا

    in a dust-gray, deadly wilderness, whose guide spends the night

    straining across it, watching the Farqad stars,

  30. طَوى البُعدَ أَن أَمسَت نَعاماً وَأَصبَحَت

    قَطاً طالِقاً مُسحَنفِراً مُتَدانِيا

    they swallow distance—ostriches at dusk, becoming at dawn

    free-ranging sandgrouse, racing close together.

  31. تَداعَينَ مِن شَتىً ثَلاثاً وَأَربَعاً

    وَواحِدَةً حَتّى بَرَزنَ ثَمانِيا

    They called to one another from scattered places, three and four,

    and one, till eight came into view.

  32. دَعا لُبَّها غَمرٌ كَأَن قَد وَرَدنَهُ

    بِرِجلَةِ أُبلِيٍّ وَلَو كانَ نائِيا

    A deep pool called to their hearts, as though they had already reached it,

    at Rijlat Ubli, however far away it was.

  33. فَصَبَّحنَ مَسجوراً سَقَتهُ غَمامَةٌ

    رِعالُ القَطا يَنفُضنَ فيهِ الخَوافِيا

    At dawn they came to a brimful pool, fed by a raincloud,

    where flocks of sandgrouse shook their inner wing-feathers.

  34. فَلَمّا نَشَحناهُنَّ مِنهُ بِشَربَةٍ

    رَكِبنا فَيَمَّمنا بِهِنَّ الفَيافِيا

    When we had given them a draught from it,

    we mounted and turned them toward the wastes.

  35. فَتِلكَ مَطايانا وَفَوقَ رِحالِها

    نُجومٌ تَخَطّى ظُلمَةً وَصَحارِيا

    Those are our mounts, and above their saddles

    are stars striding through darkness and deserts.

  36. أُرَجّي المُنى مِن عِندِ بِشرٍ وَلَم أَزَل

    لِأَمثالِها مِن آلِ مَروانَ راجِيا

    I hope for my wishes from Bishr, and have always

    hoped for such things from the house of Marwan.

  37. لَعَمرُكَ إِنَّ العاذِلاتِ بِيَذبُلٍ

    وَناعِمَتَي دَمخٍ لِيَنهَينَ ماضِيا

    By your life, the reproaching women at Yadhbul

    and at Damkh’s twin smooth heights truly bid a resolute man stop—

  38. بَعيدَ الهَوى رامَ الأُمورَ فَلَم يَرى

    لِحاجَتِهِ دونَ اِبنِ مَروانَ قاضِيا

    far-reaching in desire, seeking great things, who found

    none but Ibn Marwan to fulfill his need.

  39. لِوارِدِ ماءٍ مِن فَلاةٍ بَعيدَةٍ

    تَذَكَّرَ أَينَ الشِربُ إِن كانَ صافِيا

    For, seeking water from a distant wilderness,

    he recalled where the drink lay, if it was clear.

  40. فَأَصبَحنَ قَد أَقصَرنَ عَن مُتَسَبِّلٍ

    قَرى طارِقَ الهَمِّ القِلاصَ المَناقِيا

    By morning they had ceased reproaching a man who gives his all,

    who feasted Care, his night-visitor, on marrow-rich young camels.

  41. وَهُنَّ يُحاذِرنَ الرَدى أَن يُصيبَني

    وَمِن قَبلِ خَلقي خُطَّ ما كُنتُ لاقِيا

    They fear lest death should strike me,

    though what I would meet was written before my creation.

  42. وَأَعلَمُ أَنَّ المَوتَ يا أُمَّ سالِمٍ

    قَرينٌ مُحيطٌ حَبلُهُ مِن وَرائِيا

    I know, Umm Salim, that death

    is a companion, its rope encircling me from behind.

  43. فَكائِن تَرى مِن مُسعِفٍ بِمَنِيَّةٍ

    يُجَنَّبُها أَو مُعصَمٍ لَيسَ ناجِيا

    How many a man you see drawing near to death,

    yet spared it; or seeking shelter, yet not escaping.

  44. وَمَنَّيتُ مِن بِشرٍ صَحابي مَنِيَّةً

    فَكُلُّهُمُ أَمسى لِما قُلتُ راضِيا

    I offered my companions a hope in Bishr,

    and all were pleased that evening with what I said.

  45. فَأَنتَ اِبنُ خَيرَي عُصبَتَينِ تَلاقَتا

    عَلى كُلِّ حَيٍّ عِزَّةً وَمَعالِيا

    You are the son of two clans’ finest, who came together

    above every tribe in might and lofty rank.

  46. وَأَنتَ اِبنُ أَملاكٍ وَلَيثُ خَفِيَّةٍ

    تَفادى الأُسودُ الغُلبُ مِنهُ تَفادِيا

    You are the son of kings, a lion of Khafiyya,

    from whom thick-necked lions shrink away.

  47. وَنائِلُكَ المَرجُوُّ سَيبُ غَمامَةٍ

    سَقَت أَهلَها عَذباً مِنَ الماءِ صافِيا

    Your hoped-for bounty is a raincloud’s outpouring,

    watering its people with sweet, clear water.

  48. نَزَلتَ مِنَ البَيضاءِ في آلِ عامِرٍ

    وَفي عَبدِ شَمسَ المَنزِلَ المُتَعالِيا

    From al-Bayda’, you took among the house of ‘Amir

    and among ‘Abd Shams the loftiest station.

  49. فَلَم نَرَ خالاً مِثلَ خالِكَ سوقَةً

    إِذا اِبتَدَرَ القَومُ الكِرامُ المَساعِيا

    We have seen no maternal uncle among subjects to equal yours,

    when noble men race to glorious deeds.

  50. وَكانَ العِراقُ يَومَ صَبَّحتَ أَهلَهُ

    كَذي الداءِ لاقى مِن أُمَيَّةَ شافِيا

    Iraq, the day you came to its people at dawn,

    was like a sick man meeting a healer from Umayya.

  51. كَشَفتَ غِطاءَ الكُفرِ عَنّا وَأَقلَعَت

    زَلازِلُهُ لَمّا وَضَعتَ المَراسِيا

    You lifted unbelief’s covering from us, and its

    convulsions ceased when you set down the anchors.

  52. وَعَفَّيتَ مِنهُم بَعدَ آثارِ فِتنَةٍ

    وَأَحيَيتَ باباً لِلنَدى كانَ خاوِيا

    Afterward you effaced among them the traces of strife,

    and revived a door to generosity that had stood deserted.

  53. فَإِنّا وَبِشراً كَالنُجومِ رَأَيتُها

    يَمانِيَةً يَتبَعنَ بَدراً شَآمِيا

    We and Bishr are like stars I have seen,

    Yemeni stars following a Syrian full moon.

  54. أَبوكَ الَّذي آسى الخَليفَةَ بَعدَما

    رَأى المَوتَ مِنهُ بِالمَدينَةِ وانِيا

    Your father is the one who stood by the caliph after

    seeing death in Medina, worn down by it.

  55. فَلَو كُنتَ مِن أَصحابِ مَروانَ إِذ دَعا

    بِعَذراءَ يَمَّمتُ الهُدى إِذ بَدا لِيا

    Had I been among Marwan’s companions when he called

    at ‘Adhra’, I would have followed the guidance that appeared to me,

  56. عَلى بَرَدى إِذ قالَ إِن كانَ عَهدُهُم

    أُضيعَ فَكونوا لا عَلَيَّ وَلا لِيا

    on Barada, when he said, ‘If their covenant has been

    neglected, then be neither against me nor for me.’

  57. وَلَكِنَّني غُيِّبتُ عَنهُم فَلَم يُطِع

    رَشيدٌ وَلَم تَعصِ العَشيرَةُ غاوِيا

    But I was kept away from them: no

    right-minded man was obeyed, nor did the clan defy a misleader.

  58. وَكَم مِن قَتيلٍ يَومَ عَذراءَ لَم يَكُن

    لِصاحِبِهِ في أَوَّلِ الدَهرِ قالِيا

    How many a man killed on the day of ‘Adhra’ had not

    hated his fellow in earlier days.

  59. فَإِن يَكُ سوقٌ مِن أُمَيَّةَ قَلَّصَت

    لِقَيسٍ بِحَربٍ لا تَجِنُّ المَعارِيا

    If Umayya’s shanks have been bared

    against Qays in a war that leaves no nakedness covered,

  60. فَقَد طالَ أَيّامِ الصَفاءِ عَلَيهِمُ

    وَأَيُّ صَفاءٍ لا يَحورُ تَغاوِيا

    long indeed were their days of concord,

    and what concord does not turn to mutual strife?

  61. أَلَسنا أَشَدَّ الناسِ يا أُمَّ سالِمٍ

    لَدى المَوتِ عِندَ الحَربِ قِدماً تَآسِيا

    Are we not, Umm Salim, the staunchest of men

    in aiding one another before death in battle, since olden times?

  62. فَلَم يُبقِ مِنّا القَتلُ إِلّا بَقِيَّةً

    وَلَم يُبقِ مِن حَيَّي رَبيعَةَ باقِيا

    Slaughter left of us only a remnant,

    and left no survivor of Rabi‘a’s two tribes.

  63. بَرَزنا لِضِبعانَي مَعَدٍّ فَلَم نَدَع

    لِبَكرٍ وَلا أَفناءِ تَغلِبَ نادِيا

    We faced Ma‘add’s two hyenas, leaving

    no gathering for Bakr or the clans of Taghlib.

  64. بِرَهطِ اِبنِ كُلثومٍ بَدَأنا فَأَصبَحوا

    لِتَغلِبَ أَذناباً وَكانوا نَواصِيا

    We began with the kin of Ibn Kulthum, and they became

    Taghlib’s tails, though once they were its forelocks.

  65. أَعَدنا بِأَيّامِ الفُراةِ عَلَيهِمُ

    وَقائِعَنا وَالمُشعَلاتِ الغَواشِيا

    In the days of the Euphrates we brought back upon them

    our battles and the far-spreading, engulfing steeds—

  66. سَلاهِبَ مِن أَولادِ أَعوَجَ فَوقَها

    فَوارِسُ قَيسٍ مُشرِعينَ العَوالِيا

    long-limbed descendants of A‘waj, bearing

    Qays’s horsemen with their long lances leveled.

  67. وَغارَتُنا أَودَت بِبَهراءَ إِنَّها

    تُصيبُ الصَميمَ مَرَّةً وَالمَوالِيا

    Our raid destroyed Bahra’; indeed,

    it strikes now the true-born, now their clients.

  68. وَنَحنُ تَرَكنا بِالعُقَيرِ نِساءَكُم

    مَعَ الثُكلِ هَزلى يَشتَوينَ الأَفاعِيا

    We left your women at al-‘Uqayr,

    bereaved and emaciated, roasting vipers.

  69. وَكانَت لَنا نارانِ نارٌ بِجاسِمٍ

    وَنارٌ بِدَمخٍ يَحرِقانِ الأَعادِيا

    We had two fires: one at Jasim,

    and one at Damkh, both burning our foes.