عَفَتbecame effaced ذَروَةٌDharwah مِنof أَهلِهاits people فَجَفيرُهاand its Jafir
عَفَت ذَروَةٌ مِن أَهلِها فَجَفيرُها
فَخَرجُand Kharj المَرَوراةِal-Marawrah الدَوانيnearby فَدورُهاand its dwellings
فَخَرجُ المَرَوراةِ الدَواني فَدورُها
Dharwah is effaced of its people, and so is its Jafir,
A peak of its people departed, so its torrent subsided,
and nearby Kharj al-Marawrah, and its dwellings.
And the circling stars of Al-Dawani went out.
عَلىalthough أَنَّindeed لِلمَيلاءِal-Mayla has أَطلالَruins of دِمنَةٍan old campsite
عَلى أَنَّ لِلمَيلاءِ أَطلالَ دِمنَةٍ
بِأَسقُفَat Asquf تُسديهاlays their warp الصَباthe east wind وَتُنيرُهاand threads their heddles
بِأَسقُفَ تُسديها الصَبا وَتُنيرُها
Yet al-Mayla has the ruins of an old campsite
It's as if the white nights have the ruins of Dimnah
at Asquf, where the east wind lays their warp and threads their heddles.
With roofs that the morning breeze makes desolate and illuminates.
وَخَفَّتand departed خِباهاher tents مِنfrom جَنوبِsouth of عُنَيزَةٍUnayzah
وَخَفَّت خِباها مِن جَنوبِ عُنَيزَةٍ
كَماjust as خَفَّgrew light مِنfrom نَيلِthe taking of المَراميarrows جَفيرُهاtheir quiver
كَما خَفَّ مِن نَيلِ المَرامي جَفيرُها
Her tents have departed from south of Unayzah,
And its darkness faded from the south of Unaizah
as a quiver grows light when its arrows are taken.
As the darkness of watching faded from its torrent.
فَإِنso if حَلَّتِsettles المَيلاءُal-Mayla عُسفانَUsfan أَوor دَنَتdraws near
فَإِن حَلَّتِ المَيلاءُ عُسفانَ أَو دَنَت
لِحَرَّةِto the lava plain of لَيلىLayla أَوor لِبَدرٍto Badr مَصيرُهاher destination
لِحَرَّةِ لَيلى أَو لِبَدرٍ مَصيرُها
If al-Mayla settles in Usfan, or draws near
So if the white nights camp at Usfan or come near
to Harrat Layla, or Badr is her destination,
To Layla's sand hill or to Badr is their destination.
لِيَبكِlet him weep عَلىfor المَيلاءِal-Mayla مَنwhoever كانَwas باكِياًweeping
لِيَبكِ عَلى المَيلاءِ مَن كانَ باكِياً
إِذاwhen خَرَجَتdepart مِنfrom رَحرَحانَRahrahan خُدورُهاher curtained litters
إِذا خَرَجَت مِن رَحرَحانَ خُدورُها
let whoever would weep weep for al-Mayla
Let whoever weeps for white nights weep
when her curtained litters depart Rahrahan.
When they leave from Rahrahan their little homes.
وَماذاand what عَلىupon المَيلاءِal-Mayla لَوif بَذَلَتshe offered لَناto us
وَماذا عَلى المَيلاءِ لَو بَذَلَت لَنا
مِنَof الوُدِّaffection ماwhat يَخفىremains hidden وَماand what لاnot يَضيرُهاharms her
مِنَ الوُدِّ ما يَخفى وَما لا يَضيرُها
What harm would it do al-Mayla if she offered us
What harm could the white nights have caused us
some affection kept hidden, which would do her no harm?
If they had shown affection, kept secret or open?
أَرَتناshe showed us حِياضَthe pools of المَوتِdeath ثُمَّتَthen قَلَّبَتshe turned
أَرَتنا حِياضَ المَوتِ ثُمَّتَ قَلَّبَت
لَناtoward us مُقلَةًan eye كَحلاءَdark-rimmed ظَلَّتshe kept تُديرُهاturning it
لَنا مُقلَةً كَحلاءَ ظَلَّت تُديرُها
She showed us the pools of death, then turned
They showed us the basins of death, then tossed
toward us a dark-rimmed eye she kept turning.
For us a ladle like an aloe wood bucket turned by them.
كَأَنَّas though غَضيضاًa gentle-eyed one مِنfrom among ظِباءِthe gazelles of تَبالَةٍTabalah
كَأَنَّ غَضيضاً مِن ظِباءِ تَبالَةٍ
يُساقُis driven بِهِwith it aboard يَومَon the day of الفِراقِparting بَعيرُهاher camel
يُساقُ بِهِ يَومَ الفِراقِ بَعيرُها
As though a gentle-eyed gazelle from Tabalah
It's as if an unmated mountain goat of Tabalah
were borne on her camel, driven away on the day of parting.
Is led by it the day they part, her camel.
لَهاshe has أُقحُوانٌdaisies قَيَّدَتهُbordered it بِإِثمِدٍwith antimony
لَها أُقحُوانٌ قَيَّدَتهُ بِإِثمِدٍ
يَدٌa hand ذاتُbearing أَصدافٍshells يُمارُis mixed نَؤورُهاits tattooing soot
يَدٌ ذاتُ أَصدافٍ يُمارُ نَؤورُها
She has daisies, bordered with antimony
It has an Uqhuwan camel tied with a tether
by a shell-bearing hand whose tattooing soot is mixed.
A hand with shells pulls its leading rope.
كَأَنَّas though حَصاناًan untouched wine-jar فَضَّهاunsealed it القَينُthe craftsman غُدوَةًat dawn
كَأَنَّ حَصاناً فَضَّها القَينُ غُدوَةً
لَدىnear حَيثُwhere يُلقىis cast بِالفِناءِin the courtyard حَصيرُهاits matting
لَدى حَيثُ يُلقى بِالفِناءِ حَصيرُها
As though a virgin wine-jar, unsealed by the craftsman at dawn,
As if it were a mare whose strap the guide loosed one morning
where its matting is cast out in the courtyard.
Where its bedding is discarded into destruction.
كَأَنَّas though عُيونَthe eyes of الناظِرينَonlookers يَشوقُهاentices them
كَأَنَّ عُيونَ الناظِرينَ يَشوقُها
بِهاin her عَسَلٌhoney طابَتblessed are يَداthe two hands of مَنwhoever يَشورُهاgathers it
بِها عَسَلٌ طابَت يَدا مَن يَشورُها
As though the eyes of those who gaze were enticed
It's as if the eyes of onlookers crave
by honey in her—blessed be the hands that gather it!
The honey its hand milks, good is the hand that milks it.
تَناوَلنَthey drank شَوباًa mixture مِنof مُجاجاتِthe spittle of شُمَّذٍbees
تَناوَلنَ شَوباً مِن مُجاجاتِ شُمَّذٍ
بِأَعجازِهاat their hindquarters قُبٌّhollow-bellied لِطافٌdelicate خُصورُهاtheir waists
بِأَعجازِها قُبٌّ لِطافٌ خُصورُها
They drank a blend of the spittle of bees,
They drank a draft of fermented juice from the water-skins of Shumaz
hollow-bellied behind, their waists slender.
Behind them a skin whose stitches are not yet rent.
كِنانِيَّةٌa Kinanite woman شَطَّتwent far بِهاwith her غُربَةُthe estrangement of النَوىseparation
كِنانِيَّةٌ شَطَّت بِها غُربَةُ النَوى
كَدَلوِlike the bucket of الصَناعِa craftsman رَدَّهاreturned it مُستَعيرُهاits borrower
كَدَلوِ الصَناعِ رَدَّها مُستَعيرُها
A Kinanite woman, carried far by estranging distance,
A little Kinani mare that estrangement of desire drove on
like a craftsman's bucket, returned by its borrower.
Like a borrowed bucket the manufacturers sent back to its owner.
وَكانَتand she was عَلىdespite العِلّاتِtroubles لَوif أَنَّthat مُدنَفاًa sick man
وَكانَت عَلى العِلّاتِ لَو أَنَّ مُدنَفاً
تَداوىsought healing بِرَيّاهاwith her scent شَفاهُwould cure him نُشورُهاher wafting fragrance
تَداوى بِرَيّاها شَفاهُ نُشورُها
And such was she, despite all troubles, that had a sick man
If a lovesick man sought cure in its spit
sought healing in her scent, its waft would have cured him.
It would heal the split lips of him who tastes it.
تَعوذُshe seeks protection بِحَبلِin the bond of التَغلِبِيِّthe Taghlibi وَلَوand if دَعَتshe called upon
تَعوذُ بِحَبلِ التَغلِبِيِّ وَلَو دَعَت
عَلِيَّAli بنَson of مَسعودٍMasud لَعَزَّsurely would be mighty نَصيرُهاher champion
عَلِيَّ بنَ مَسعودٍ لَعَزَّ نَصيرُها
She seeks shelter in the Taghlibi's bond; had she called
It seeks protection in the Tughlibi lineage and if it called
on Ali ibn Masud, her champion would have been mighty.
On Ali ibn Masud its supporter would have might.
فَإِنso if تَكُshe is قَدalready شَطَّتgone far وَشَطَّand is distant مَزارُهاthe place of visiting her
فَإِن تَكُ قَد شَطَّت وَشَطَّ مَزارُها
وَجَذَّمَand severed حَبلَthe bond of الوَصلِunion مِنهاwith her أَميرُهاher lord
وَجَذَّمَ حَبلَ الوَصلِ مِنها أَميرُها
If she has gone far, and far is the journey to her,
If you are one whose bonds are severed, whosedwelling abandoned,
and her lord has severed the bond of union with her,
One whose friend tore the rope of harmony from it.
فَماthen not وَصلُهاreaching her إِلّاexcept عَلىupon ذاتِone possessing مِرَّةٍstrength
فَما وَصلُها إِلّا عَلى ذاتِ مِرَّةٍ
يُقَطِّعُbreaks أَعناقَthe necks of النَواجيswift she-camels ضَريرُهاher endurance
يُقَطِّعُ أَعناقَ النَواجي ضَريرُها
there is no reaching her except on a strong she-camel
Then its only tiesare tothe creature of Mirrah
whose endurance breaks the necks of swift mounts:
Whose neigh breaks the necks of ostriches.
جُمالِيَّةٌlarge as a male camel فيon عِطفِهاthe side of her neck صَيعَرِيَّةٌa Say'ari brand
جُمالِيَّةٌ في عِطفِها صَيعَرِيَّةٌ
إِذاwhen البازِلُthe mature camel الوَجناءُstout-cheeked أُردِفَis given a second rider كورُهاher saddle
إِذا البازِلُ الوَجناءُ أُردِفَ كورُها
huge as a male, with a Say'ari brand on the side of her neck,
A beautiful, Sairee creature,when the long-necked
when a mature, stout-cheeked camel bears a second rider on her saddle;
Ostrich is coupled, the last of its flock.
عَلَنداةُa massive she-camel أَسفارٍof long journeys إِذاwhen نالَهاovertakes her الوَنىweariness
عَلَنداةُ أَسفارٍ إِذا نالَها الوَنى
وَماجَتand sway بِهاabout her أَنساعُهاher girths وَضُفورُهاand her braided straps
وَماجَت بِها أَنساعُها وَضُفورُها
a massive traveler, when weariness overtakes her
A release of journeys, when it meets misfortune
and her girths and braided straps sway about her.
And its gut twists within it and its lungs contract.
يَرُدُّsend back أَنابيبُthe rings of الجِرانِthe lower neck بُغامَهاher lowing
يَرُدُّ أَنابيبُ الجِرانِ بُغامَها
كَماjust as اِرتَدَّresounded فيin قَوسِa bow of السَراءِsara wood زَفيرُهاits sigh
كَما اِرتَدَّ في قَوسِ السَراءِ زَفيرُها
The rings of her throat send back her lowing,
The pipes of the water-skin turn back its bubbles
as a sara-wood bow echoes back its sigh.
As the arrow recoiled in the bow flexible.
لَجوجٌunyielding إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle الآلُthe mirage آضَbecame كَأَنَّهُas though it were
لَجوجٌ إِذا ما الآلُ آضَ كَأَنَّهُ
أَعاصيرُwhirlwinds of زَرّاعٍa farmer بِنَخلٍamong date-palms يُثيرُهاhe raises them
أَعاصيرُ زَرّاعٍ بِنَخلٍ يُثيرُها
Unrelenting, when the mirage has become as though it were
A bay in full frolic when the family mounted it, it is as if
whirlwinds a farmer raises among date-palms.
It were gales thrashing palm trees that rouse them.
كَأَنَّas though قُتوديmy saddle-woods فَوقَupon أَحقَبَa white-bellied wild ass قارِبٍbound for water
كَأَنَّ قُتودي فَوقَ أَحقَبَ قارِبٍ
أَطاعَyielded readily لَهُto him مِنfrom ذيDhu نُجارٍNijar غَميرُهاits fresh undergrowth
أَطاعَ لَهُ مِن ذي نُجارٍ غَميرُها
As though my saddle-woods were upon a white-bellied ass bound for water,
As if its movement were above the bent frame of a boat
for whom Dhu Nijar's fresh undergrowth lay ready.
Obeying the caulker who repaired its base.
وَقَدand already سُلَّhas been drawn out عَنهاfrom her الضِغنُrancor فيin كُلِّevery سَربَخٍtrackless waste
وَقَد سُلَّ عَنها الضِغنُ في كُلِّ سَربَخٍ
لَهُit has فَورُthe boiling of قِدرٍa pot ماnot تَبوخُsubsides سَعيرُهاits blaze
لَهُ فَورُ قِدرٍ ما تَبوخُ سَعيرُها
Her rancor has been drawn out in every trackless waste,
And about it the old camels were asked in every herd
each with a cauldron's boiling, its blaze never subsiding.
That for it has boiling pots—its driver does not conceal it.
تَرَبَّعَhe grazed in spring مَيثَthe soft ground of النيرِal-Nir حَتّىuntil تَطالَعَتrose into view
تَرَبَّعَ مَيثَ النيرِ حَتّى تَطالَعَت
نُجومُthe stars of الثُرَيّاthe Pleiades وَاِستَقَلَّتand rose high عَبورُهاits Sirius
نُجومُ الثُرَيّا وَاِستَقَلَّت عَبورُها
He grazed in spring on al-Nir's soft ground, until there rose
It remained long at the spring till Canopus rose
the stars of the Pleiades, and Sirius climbed high.
And its figure followed the sun and its shape disappeared.
فَلَمّاthen when فَنىwere exhausted الأَسمالُthe last pools غاضَتreceded وَقَلَّصَتand shrank
فَلَمّا فَنى الأَسمالُ غاضَت وَقَلَّصَت
ثَمائِلُهاits remaining waters وَتابَعَand followed الشَمسَthe sun صورُهاits herds
ثَمائِلُها وَتابَعَ الشَمسَ صورُها
When the last pools were spent, and dwindled and shrank
When the Pleaides went down it hid and drew in
their remaining waters, and its herds followed the sun,
Its pillars while the sun copied its image.
فَظَلَّthen he lingered عَلىupon الأَشرافِthe heights يَقسِمُweighing أَمرَهُhis course
فَظَلَّ عَلى الأَشرافِ يَقسِمُ أَمرَهُ
أَيَنظُرُshould he await جُنحَthe onset of اللَيلِnight أَمor يَستَثيرُهاrouse them
أَيَنظُرُ جُنحَ اللَيلِ أَم يَستَثيرُها
he lingered on the heights, weighing his course:
It remained undecided whether to watch the wings of night
should he await night's onset, or rouse them?
Or rouse them. From Ain al-'Arikah it viewed a watering-place
فَأَزمَعَthen he resolved on مِنat عَينِthe spring of الأَراكَةِal-Arakah مَورِداًa watering-place
فَأَزمَعَ مِن عَينِ الأَراكَةِ مَورِداً
لَهُit has غارَةٌa laurel tree لَفّاءُthick-leaved صافٍclear غَديرُهاits pool
لَهُ غارَةٌ لَفّاءُ صافٍ غَديرُها
So he resolved on a watering-place at Ayn al-Arakah,
For it a twisting valley with clear, pure water.
with a thick-leaved laurel tree, its pool clear.
It called to a skin like the baskets the washerman carries
فَصاحَthen he cried out بِقُبٍّto lean-bellied she-asses كَالمَقاليlike frying pans يَشُلُّهاdriving them on
فَصاحَ بِقُبٍّ كَالمَقالي يَشُلُّها
كَماjust as شَلَّdrove أَجمالَthe camels of المُصَلّيthe praying man أَجيرُهاtheir hired keeper
كَما شَلَّ أَجمالَ المُصَلّي أَجيرُها
He cried out to lean-bellied she-asses, like frying pans, driving them on,
As the employee's camel carried the clothes of the washerman.
as a hired keeper drives the praying man's camels.
It buttsthe wildcats so they strike its throat
يُزَرُّare bitten القَطاthe rumps مِنهاof them فَتَضرِبُthen strike نَحرَهُhis chest
يُزَرُّ القَطا مِنها فَتَضرِبُ نَحرَهُ
وَمُجتَمِعَand the junction of الخَيشومِthe nose مِنهُof him نُسورُهاtheir hoof-frogs
وَمُجتَمِعَ الخَيشومِ مِنهُ نُسورُها
Their rumps are bitten; then his chest is struck,
And the collected (hump) fat from it, its eagles.
and the bridge of his nose, by the frogs of their hooves.
Against the like of it I relieve my anxieties when they come
عَلىupon مِثلِهاone like her أَقضيI dispel الهُمومَcares إِذاwhen اِعتَرَتthey assail
عَلى مِثلِها أَقضي الهُمومَ إِذا اِعتَرَت
إِذاwhen جاشَsurges هَمُّthe grief of النَفسِthe soul مِنهاfrom within it ضَميرُهاits hidden sorrow
إِذا جاشَ هَمُّ النَفسِ مِنها ضَميرُها
On such a mount I dispel cares when they assail,
When the soul's grief boiled from it, its conscience.
when the soul's hidden sorrow surges up from within.
Partial English translation: 59 of 60 Arabic lines translated.