ماwhat هاجَstirred مِنin ذيone possessed of طَرَبٍyearning مِخماصِlean-bellied
ما هاجَ مِن ذي طَرَبٍ مِخماصِ
لَيلُthe night أَبيof Abu العَوامِal-Awwam وَالقِلاصِand the young she-camels
لَيلُ أَبي العَوامِ وَالقِلاصِ
What it stirred in a lean-bellied man of yearning—
The night of the father of troubles and calamities has excited one prone to madness and giddiness.
The night of Abu al-Awwam and the young she-camels!
It dispatched him barefoot in the darkness
أَرسَلَهاhe sent them forth خَمصاءَlean-bellied فيamong خِماصِlean ones
أَرسَلَها خَمصاءَ في خِماصِ
زَوراءَturned aside مِنfrom رَعيِgrazing الجَميمِthe lush herbage الواصيclosely grown
زَوراءَ مِن رَعيِ الجَميمِ الواصي
He sent them forth lean-bellied, among lean companions,
After the separation of intimate kin to the furthest horizon.
Turned away from grazing on lush, closely grown herbage,
The watering places overflowed with bitter tears,
بَعدَafter مِطالِprolonging القَرَبِthe night-march to water البَصاصِheadlong
بَعدَ مِطالِ القَرَبِ البَصاصِ
رامٍcasting إِلىtoward غايَتِهاtheir destination الأَقاصيthe farthest reaches
رامٍ إِلى غايَتِها الأَقاصي
After a protracted, headlong night-march to water,
As the bright stars flicker in the darkness,
Casting the farthest reaches toward their destination,
Like the shimmering of the brilliant planet.
قَذىgrit المَآقيthe eye-corners لَبِدُmatted العَناصيthe hair-tufts
قَذى المَآقي لَبِدُ العَناصي
فيin مُطلَقٍan open expanse أَنجُمُهُits stars شَواصيrising high
في مُطلَقٍ أَنجُمُهُ شَواصي
With grit in the eye-corners and matted locks,
The blue sky of the tribe of Milas
In an open expanse whose stars rose high,
Until the suns were protected with tent pegs.
لَمعُthe glint المَداريof the hairpins جُلنَthey moved about فيamong العِقاصِthe braids
لَمعُ المَداري جُلنَ في العِقاصِ
كَأَنَّas though خَفقَthe flickering الكَوكَبِof the star الوَباصِgleaming
كَأَنَّ خَفقَ الكَوكَبِ الوَباصِ
The glint of hairpins moving among the braids.
Wide open from the side of Nishaas,
As though the flicker of the gleaming star
The Pleiades peer out from Khasaas.
زَرقاءُa blue blade مِنfrom زُرقِthe blue blades بَنيthe sons of مِلاصِMilas
زَرقاءُ مِن زُرقِ بَني مِلاصِ
حَتّىuntil اِتَّقَينَthey shielded themselves from الشَمسَthe sun بِالنَواصيwith the forelocks
حَتّى اِتَّقَينَ الشَمسَ بِالنَواصي
Were a blue blade among the blue blades of Banu Milas.
What is the matter with me and with defiant fate
Until they shielded themselves from the sun with their forelocks,
Like a caravan stricken upon the skull.
مُفتَقَةٌunveiled مِنfrom جَنِبِthe side النِشاصِtowering clouds
مُفتَقَةٌ مِن جَنِبِ النِشاصِ
تَطَلُّعَthe peering الرودِof the tender maiden مِنَthrough الخَصاصِthe gaps
تَطَلُّعَ الرودِ مِنَ الخَصاصِ
Unveiled through the side of towering clouds,
Where is the father of troubles for the defiant,
Like a tender maiden peering through the gaps.
Training his horses and the warrior.
ماwhat ليfor me وَماand what لِلقَدَرِfor fate المُعاصيdefiant
ما لي وَما لِلقَدَرِ المُعاصي
كَالعَيرِlike the ass مَضروباًbeaten عَلىfor القِماصِbucking
كَالعَيرِ مَضروباً عَلى القِماصِ
What have I to do with defiant fate,
And grazing them between the reedbeds of 'Arraas
Like an ass beaten for bucking?
From the protector of Qullaam and Qurraas
أَينَwhere أَبوAbu العَوّامِal-Awwam لِلعَواصيfor the unruly ones
أَينَ أَبو العَوّامِ لِلعَواصي
يَروضُهاhe tames them وَالخَيلُand the horses وَالدِلاصِand gleaming mail
يَروضُها وَالخَيلُ وَالدِلاصِ
Where is Abu al-Awwam for the unruly beasts,
And of the towns and the ways of Khiraas
To tame them—and for horses and gleaming mail,
And of the reedbeds stung by the snakes.
وَرَعيِهاand pasturing them بَينَamong القَناthe spears العَرّاصِquivering
وَرَعيِها بَينَ القَنا العَرّاصِ
مِنfrom آمِنِsafe القُلّامِthe saltwort وَالقُرّاصِand the nettles
مِن آمِنِ القُلّامِ وَالقُرّاصِ
And to pasture them amid quivering spears,
Alas! There is no protector against ruin.
Away from the safe pasture of saltwort and nettles;
It is the way of the antelope and the gathering of the bowls.
وَلِلقِرىand for hospitality وَالطُرُقِand the roads الخِراصِuncharted
وَلِلقِرى وَالطُرُقِ الخِراصِ
وَلِلقَناand for the spears يَلدَغنَthey sting بِالأَخراصِwith the spearheads
وَلِلقَنا يَلدَغنَ بِالأَخراصِ
And for hospitality and uncharted roads,
It names the saddled horses on the night of dancing.
And for spears that sting with their points?
They will return empty without persons.
هَيهاتَalas لاno حاميdefender إِلىto العِراصِthe open grounds
هَيهاتَ لا حامي إِلى العِراصِ
شيمَwere sheathed الظُبىthe blades وَضُمَّتِand were gathered القَواصيthe strays
شيمَ الظُبى وَضُمَّتِ القَواصي
Alas, no defender comes to the open grounds.
The youth and the tribe are decreasing,
The blades are sheathed, and the strays gathered in.
And they have moved away from an ardent investigator
سَمُّthe bane المَطاياof the riding-camels لَيلَةَthe night of الإِرقاصِurging to a trot
سَمُّ المَطايا لَيلَةَ الإِرقاصِ
يَرجِعنَthey return أَرماقاًremnants of life بِلاwithout أَشخاصِbodies
يَرجِعنَ أَرماقاً بِلا أَشخاصِ
The riding-camels' bane on the night of hard trotting—
Far from retaliation and revenge.
They return mere remnants of life, without bodies.
The emigrants arose and the advisors grew old
زادَgrew greater الفَتىthe young man وَالقومُand the people فيin اِنتِقاصِdecline
زادَ الفَتى وَالقومُ في اِنتِقاصِ
وَبَعُدواand they grew distant عَنfrom جامِحٍan unbridled steed فَحّاصِearth-pawing
وَبَعُدوا عَن جامِحٍ فَحّاصِ
The young man grew greater while the people dwindled,
From a group perfumed with fresh myrtle,
And they fell far behind an unbridled, earth-pawing steed,
Between the essence of glory and suckling.
بُعدَthe distance اللَغاديدِof the dewlaps مِنَfrom القِصاصِthe hairline
بُعدَ اللَغاديدِ مِنَ القِصاصِ
قامَstood firm المُجاريthe one keeping pace وَكَباand stumbled المُناصيthe challenger
قامَ المُجاري وَكَبا المُناصي
As far as dewlaps are from the hairline.
They have in manners of dew allegiance,
The one who kept pace stood firm; the challenger stumbled.
Of every pioneering snatcher of opportunities.
مِنfrom مَعشَرٍa clan مُطَيَّبِmade fragrant الأَعياصِancestral stocks
مِن مَعشَرٍ مُطَيَّبِ الأَعياصِ
بَينَbetween لُبابِthe heart المَجدِof glory وَالمُصاصِand the purest essence
بَينَ لُبابِ المَجدِ وَالمُصاصِ
From a clan of fragrant roots,
A people for the necks of the enemy, executioners.
Between glory's heart and its purest essence.
The troop of meeting, quick to slaughter.
لَهُمthey have بِآدابِin the courtesies النَدىof generosity تَواصيmutual exhortation
لَهُم بِآدابِ النَدى تَواصي
مِنfrom كُلِّevery سَبّاقِracer ahead المَدىthe goal نَوّاصِever in motion
مِن كُلِّ سَبّاقِ المَدى نَوّاصِ
They urge one another to the courtesies of generosity,
O grave among graves and mounds,
Each one racing ahead to the goal, ever in motion.
Enclose the pearl of the diver,
قَومٌa people لِأَعناقِfor the necks العِدىof the foes قَواصِcutters
قَومٌ لِأَعناقِ العِدى قَواصِ
قِرنُan adversary لِقاءٍin battle عَجِلُswift الإِقعاصِkilling outright
قِرنُ لِقاءٍ عَجِلُ الإِقعاصِ
A people who sever the necks of foes,
Who was resolute and excelled in strength.
A foe in battle, swift to kill outright.
You were quenched from the cupbearer of life and destiny.
ياO قَبرُgrave بَينَbetween القَورِthe flat-topped hills وَالدِعاصِand the dunes
يا قَبرُ بَينَ القَورِ وَالدِعاصِ
ضُمَّclose عَلىover لُؤلُؤَةِthe pearl الغَوّاصِof the diver
ضُمَّ عَلى لُؤلُؤَةِ الغَوّاصِ
O grave between the flat-topped hills and dunes,
The leader of the tribe of Mu'taas led the son of Layla.
Close over the diver's pearl,
He was a horseman, but is now a avenger.
ضَمَّthe clasping الوِعاof the vessel وَبَزَّand surpass بِالعِقاصِwith binding cords
ضَمَّ الوِعا وَبَزَّ بِالعِقاصِ
سُقيتَmay you be watered مِنby دانيnearby الحَياrain وَالقاصيand distant
سُقيتَ مِن داني الحَيا وَالقاصي
With a vessel's clasp, and outdo it in knotted binding.
How heavy is despair upon the passionate one.
May you be watered by rain from near and far.
Is there any retaliation for the wounds of fate?
قادَled بنَthe son of ليلىLayla قائِدُthe leader المُعتاصِthe unyielding
قادَ بنَ ليلى قائِدُ المُعتاصِ
كانَhe was سِياغيmy easy swallowing فَغَداthen he became اِغتِصاصيmy choking
كانَ سِياغي فَغَدا اِغتِصاصي
He who leads the unyielding led Ibn Layla away.
Misfortune attacked and the people live in fear.
He was my easy draught, then became what chokes me.
The herds stayed away from the hunter.
ماhow أَثقَلَheavy اليَأسَdespair عَلىupon الحِراصِthe eager
ما أَثقَلَ اليَأسَ عَلى الحِراصِ
هَلis there لِجُروحِfor the wounds الدَهرِof Time مِنany قِصاصِretribution
هَل لِجُروحِ الدَهرِ مِن قِصاصِ
How heavy despair weighs upon the eager!
The exalted may descend from the peak.
Is there retribution for the wounds of Time?
And the head may obey while it is defiant.
جَدَّpressed on الرَدىdeath وَالناسُand the people فيin حِياصِflight
جَدَّ الرَدى وَالناسُ في حِياصِ
حيدَthe swerving الأَقاطيعُof the herds عَنِaway from القَنّاصِthe hunter
حيدَ الأَقاطيعُ عَنِ القَنّاصِ
Death pressed on while people fled,
The command of the ferocious cup of destiny,
Like herds swerving away from the hunter.
Whatever it wills, there is no escape.
قَدmay يَنزِلُdescend العاليthe exalted one مِنَfrom الصِياصيthe strongholds
قَد يَنزِلُ العالي مِنَ الصِياصي
وَقَدand may يُطيعُobey الرَأسُthe head وَهوَthough it is عاصيdefiant
وَقَد يُطيعُ الرَأسُ وَهوَ عاصي
The exalted may descend from the strongholds,
And a head may obey, though it is defiant,
أَمرَthe command لِجامِof the bridle القَدَرِof fate القَرّاصِbiting
أَمرَ لِجامِ القَدَرِ القَرّاصِ
ماشاءَwhatever it wills مِنof حُكمٍa decree فَلاso no مَناصِescape
ماشاءَ مِن حُكمٍ فَلا مَناصِ
The command of fate's biting bridle.
Whatever decree it wills, there is no escape.
Partial English translation: 46 of 50 Arabic lines translated.