أَعائِشُO A'ish ماwhat لِأَهلِكِwith your kin لاnot أَراهُمI see them
أَعائِشُ ما لِأَهلِكِ لا أَراهُم
يُضيعونَthey squander الهِجانَthe purebred camels مَعَwith المُضيعِthe squanderer
يُضيعونَ الهِجانَ مَعَ المُضيعِ
O A'ish, what is with your people? I do not see them
Aish, I see not your people losing composure
Squandering purebred camels with the squanderer.
Amid the passionate cries and the discomposure
وَكَيفَand how يُضيعُcomes to want صاحِبُthe owner of مُدفِئاتٍwarm-coated she-camels
وَكَيفَ يُضيعُ صاحِبُ مُدفِئاتٍ
عَلىupon أَثباجِهِنَّtheir upper backs مِنَof الصَقيعِfrost
عَلى أَثباجِهِنَّ مِنَ الصَقيعِ
And how could the owner of warm-coated she-camels come to want,
How could the keeper of warming fires
With frost upon their broad backs?
Lose it over their blazing embers in the freeze
يُبادِرنَthey race toward العِضاهَthe thorn-trees بِمُقنَعاتٍwith raised heads
يُبادِرنَ العِضاهَ بِمُقنَعاتٍ
نَواجِذُهُنَّtheir molars كَالحَدَإِlike axes الوَقيعِsharpened
نَواجِذُهُنَّ كَالحَدَإِ الوَقيعِ
They race toward the thorn-trees with uplifted heads,
They confront him with veils over their mouths
Their molars like sharpened axes.
Their wrists like well-honed blades that lacerate
لَمالُsurely the wealth المَرءِof a man يُصلِحُهُhe tends it فَيُغنيand so relieves
لَمالُ المَرءِ يُصلِحُهُ فَيُغني
مَفاقِرَهُhis needs أَعَفُّmore dignified مِنَthan القُنوعِbegging
مَفاقِرَهُ أَعَفُّ مِنَ القُنوعِ
A man's wealth, which he tends so that it supplies
A man's wealth saves him so he's self-sustained
His needs, is more dignified than begging.
Better than being in poverty, steeped in sorrow
يَسُدُّhe wards off بِهِwith it نَوائِبَmisfortunes تَعتَريهِthat beset him
يَسُدُّ بِهِ نَوائِبَ تَعتَريهِ
مِنَfrom الأَيّامِthe days كَالنَهَلِlike thirsty beasts الشُروعِcoming to water
مِنَ الأَيّامِ كَالنَهَلِ الشُروعِ
With it he wards off misfortunes that beset him
It helps him cope with the pitfalls of days
From passing days, like thirsty herds coming to water.
Like rain pouring from saturated clouds
أَلاLo تِلكَthat اِبنَةُdaughter الأَمَوِيِّof al-Umawi قالَتsaid
أَلا تِلكَ اِبنَةُ الأَمَوِيِّ قالَت
أَراكَI see you اليَومَtoday جِسمُكَyour body كَالرَجيعِlike a travel-worn mount
أَراكَ اليَومَ جِسمُكَ كَالرَجيعِ
Lo, that daughter of al-Umawi said:
Did not that Umayyad say, seeing you today
"I see you today, your body like a travel-worn mount,
Your body is limp and lacking all vigor?
كَأَنَّas though نَطاةَNatat خَيبَرَof Khaybar زَوَّدَتهُhad provisioned it
كَأَنَّ نَطاةَ خَيبَرَ زَوَّدَتهُ
بَكورَearly-coming الوِردِvisitation رَيِّثَةَslow القُلوعِdeparture
بَكورَ الوِردِ رَيِّثَةَ القُلوعِ
As though Natat of Khaybar had provisioned it
As if the palms of Khaybar adorned you
With a fever early to visit and slow to depart."
With early buds, still moist with sap?
وَلَوand if أَنّيthat I أَشاءُwish كَنَنتُI would shelter نَفسيmyself
وَلَو أَنّي أَشاءُ كَنَنتُ نَفسي
إِلىagainst لَبّاتِthe throat-hollows of هَيكَلَةٍa stately woman شَموعِplayful
إِلى لَبّاتِ هَيكَلَةٍ شَموعِ
And if I wished, I would shelter myself
If I wished, I could make myself
Against the bosom of a stately, playful woman.
A bosom friend of the statues, glowing candles
تُلاعِبُنيshe plays with me إِذاwhen ماemphasis شِئتُI wished خَودٌa tender young woman
تُلاعِبُني إِذا ما شِئتُ خَودٌ
عَلىupon الأَنماطِpatterned rugs ذاتُpossessing حَشىًa belly قَطيعِslender
عَلى الأَنماطِ ذاتُ حَشىً قَطيعِ
A tender young woman would dally with me whenever I wished,
Caressing me if I want, cheeks
Upon patterned rugs, slender at the waist.
With chubby folds, fattened livestock
كَأَنَّas though الزَعفَرانَthe saffron بِمِعصَمَيهاon her two wrists
كَأَنَّ الزَعفَرانَ بِمِعصَمَيها
وَبِاللَبّاتِand at the throat-hollows نَضحُa sprinkling دَمٍof blood نَجيعِfresh and dark-red
وَبِاللَبّاتِ نَضحُ دَمٍ نَجيعِ
As though the saffron upon her wrists
As if saffron on their wrists
And at her throat-hollows were splashes of fresh, dark-red blood.
And ruby lips were dripping crimson liquid
وَلَكِنّيbut I إِلىamong تَرِكاتِthe legacies قَوميof my people
وَلَكِنّي إِلى تَرِكاتِ قَومي
بَقيتُI remained وَغادَرونيand they left me كَالخَليعِlike an outcast
بَقيتُ وَغادَروني كَالخَليعِ
But among the legacies of my people
But I stayed with my people's remains
I have remained; they left me like an outcast.
Abandoned by them like filth discarded
تُصيبُهُمُstrike them وَتُخطِئُنيand miss me المَناياdeaths
تُصيبُهُمُ وَتُخطِئُني المَنايا
وَأَخلُفُand I live on فيin رُبوعٍdwellings عَنafter رُبوعِdwellings
وَأَخلُفُ في رُبوعٍ عَن رُبوعِ
Death strikes them and misses me,
Death finding them but missing me
And I live on in dwelling after dwelling.
As I lurk behind in every nook
أَعائِشُO A'ish هَلcan يُقَرِّبُbring closer بَينَbetween وَصليmy bond
أَعائِشُ هَل يُقَرِّبُ بَينَ وَصلي
وَوَصلِكِand your bond مِرجَمٌa gravel-flinging camel خاظيthick البَضيعِflesh
وَوَصلِكِ مِرجَمٌ خاظي البَضيعِ
O A'ish, can the distance between my bond
Do I still hope, Aish, that some union
And yours be closed by a gravel-flinging camel, thick of flesh?
Between you and I, is possible after such disgrace?
كَأَنَّas though حِبالَهُits ropes وَالرَحلَand the saddle مِنهُof it
كَأَنَّ حِبالَهُ وَالرَحلَ مِنهُ
عَلىupon عِلجٍa sturdy wild ass رَعىthat grazed أُنُفَthe first growth of الرَبيعِspring
عَلى عِلجٍ رَعى أُنُفَ الرَبيعِ
As though its ropes and the saddle it bears
His mount and saddle seem to be
Were on a sturdy wild ass that grazed spring's first growth.
Pastured on alfalfa, grazed in spring
وَخَرقٍand a trackless waste قَدindeed جَعَلتُI made بِهِin it وِساديmy pillow
وَخَرقٍ قَد جَعَلتُ بِهِ وِسادي
يَدَيthe two forelegs of وَجناءَa broad-cheeked she-camel مُجفَرَةِbroad الضُلوعِof ribs
يَدَي وَجناءَ مُجفَرَةِ الضُلوعِ
And many a trackless waste where I made my pillow
And the rag I made my pillow
The forelegs of a broad-cheeked she-camel, wide of ribs:
Cradling my arms and ribs
عُذافِرَةٍmassive كَأَنَّas though بِذِفرَيَيهاat her two ear-base swellings
عُذافِرَةٍ كَأَنَّ بِذِفرَيَيها
كُحَيلاًtar بَضَّoozed مِنfrom هَرِعٍswift-flowing sweat هَموعِcopious
كُحَيلاً بَضَّ مِن هَرِعٍ هَموعِ
A massive beast, as though behind her ears
A she-camel whose hoofs
Were tar oozing from swiftly, copiously flowing sweat.
Stampede as if a bellowing ox
إِذاwhen ماemphasis أَدلَجَتshe traveled by night وَصَفَتtraced يَداهاher two forelegs
إِذا ما أَدلَجَت وَصَفَت يَداها
لَهاfor her إِدلاجَnight travel لَيلَةَa night لاno هُجوعِsleep
لَها إِدلاجَ لَيلَةَ لا هُجوعِ
When she travels by night, her forelegs trace
When it grows dark, her hands grope
For her a night's journey without sleep.
With the groping of a sleepless night
مَروحٍlively تَغتَليshe bounds بِالبيدِacross the wastes حَرفٍa lean, hardy she-camel
مَروحٍ تَغتَلي بِالبيدِ حَرفٍ
تَكادُshe almost تَطيرُflies مِنfrom رَأيِthe sight of القَطيعِthe whip
تَكادُ تَطيرُ مِن رَأيِ القَطيعِ
Lively, she bounds across the wastes, a lean, hardy camel,
A stirring mare twining with sorcery
Almost flying at the sight of the whip.
Nearly takes flight from the herd’s sight
تَلوذُseek refuge ثَعالِبُthe foxes الشَرَفَينof the two uplands مِنهاfrom her
تَلوذُ ثَعالِبُ الشَرَفَين مِنها
كَماas لاذَsought refuge الغَريمُthe debtor مِنَfrom التَبيعِthe pursuing creditor
كَما لاذَ الغَريمُ مِنَ التَبيعِ
The foxes of the two uplands seek refuge from her,
Flanks fleeing her on both sides
As the debtor sought refuge from his pursuing creditor.
As an enemy flees from selling his wares
نَماهاtraced her lineage العِزُّnobility فيin قَطَنٍQatan نَماهاtraced her lineage
نَماها العِزُّ في قَطَنٍ نَماها
إِلىto فَرخَينِtwo fledglings فيin وَكرٍa nest رَفيعِlofty
إِلى فَرخَينِ في وَكرٍ رَفيعِ
Nobility in Qatan traced her ancestry, traced her
Honor nursed her in cotton, nursed her
To two fledglings in a lofty nest.
To fledglings in a lofty nest
كَمِشحاجٍlike a loud-braying ass أَضَرَّkept close بِخانِفاتٍto veering she-asses
كَمِشحاجٍ أَضَرَّ بِخانِفاتٍ
ذَوابِلَlean مِثلَlike أَخلافِthe ends of النُسوعِgirth-straps
ذَوابِلَ مِثلَ أَخلافِ النُسوعِ
Like a loud-braying wild ass keeping close to veering females,
Like an ostrich who harmed with young
Lean as the ends of girth-straps.
Dripping juices like saplings oozing wetness
كَأَنَّas though سَحيلَهُhis braying فيin كُلِّevery فَجٍّmountain pass
كَأَنَّ سَحيلَهُ في كُلِّ فَجٍّ
تَغَرُّدُthe song of شارِبٍa wine-drinker ناءٍfar away فَجوعِgrief-stricken
تَغَرُّدُ شارِبٍ ناءٍ فَجوعِ
As though his braying in every mountain pass
Her stallion in every valley croons
Were the song of a far-off, grief-stricken drinker.
When rain leaves every pasture green
يَعِنُّappear لَهُto him بِمِذنَبِat the lower end of كُلِّevery وادٍvalley
يَعِنُّ لَهُ بِمِذنَبِ كُلِّ وادٍ
إِذاwhen ماemphasis الغَيثُthe rain أَخضَلَsoaked كُلَّevery ريعِridge
إِذا ما الغَيثُ أَخضَلَ كُلَّ ريعِ
At the lower end of every valley they appear to him,
Like the whistling of springs from granite cliffs
When rain has soaked each ridge,
Making bracelets on wrists resonate
كَقُضبِlike shoots of النَبعِnab' trees مِنfrom among نُحُصٍnonpregnant she-asses أَوابٍreturning
كَقُضبِ النَبعِ مِن نُحُصٍ أَوابٍ
صَوَتdried up مِنهُنَّon them أَقراطُthe earrings of الضُروعِthe udders
صَوَت مِنهُنَّ أَقراطُ الضُروعِ
Like nab' shoots—barren she-asses making their return,
She led him to drink from the valley of chaste ones
The earrings of their udders shriveled dry.
The clashing of water in an unviolated throat
وَسَقنَand they drove لَهُfor him بِرَوضَةِin the meadow of واقِصاتٍWaqisat
وَسَقنَ لَهُ بِرَوضَةِ واقِصاتٍ
سِجالَbucketfuls of الماءِwater فيinto حَلَقٍa throat مَنيعِunassailable
سِجالَ الماءِ في حَلَقٍ مَنيعِ
And for him, in Waqisat's meadow, they drove
When she riled them, they struck him
Bucketfuls of water into an unassailable throat.
Where the spear strikes the refined noble’s snout
إِذاwhen ماemphasis اِستافَهُنَّhe sniffed them ضَرَبنَthey struck مِنهُon him
إِذا ما اِستافَهُنَّ ضَرَبنَ مِنهُ
مَكانَthe spot of الرُمحِthe spear مِنon أَنفِthe nose of القَدوعِthe unruly camel
مَكانَ الرُمحِ مِن أَنفِ القَدوعِ
Whenever he sniffed them, they struck him
She made their resentments conspicuous
Where a spear strikes the nose of an unruly camel.
By what he had already attained without intervention
وَقَدand already جَعَلَتbegan ضَغائِنُهُنَّtheir grudges تَبدوto appear
وَقَد جَعَلَت ضَغائِنُهُنَّ تَبدو
بِماbecause of what قَدalready كانَhe had نالَtaken بِلاwithout شَفيعِan intercessor
بِما قَد كانَ نالَ بِلا شَفيعِ
And their grudges had begun to show
Sulkers wanting distance from him
Because of what he had taken without an intercessor.
While watching with expectant, observant eyes
مُدِلّاتٌself-assured يُرِدنَthey want النَأيَdistance مِنهُfrom him
مُدِلّاتٌ يُرِدنَ النَأيَ مِنهُ
وَهُنَّand they بِعَينِunder the eye of مُرتَقِبٍa watcher تَبوعِa persistent pursuer
وَهُنَّ بِعَينِ مُرتَقِبٍ تَبوعِ
Self-assured, they wish to keep far from him,
Their bodies swerving from him
Yet they are under the eye of a watchful, persistent pursuer.
Like the ribs of an eager, ravenous she-camel
كَأَنَّas though مُتونَهُنَّtheir backs مُوَلِّياتٍturning away
كَأَنَّ مُتونَهُنَّ مُوَلِّياتٍ
عِصِيُّthe shafts of جَناحِthe wing of طالِبَةٍa hunting bird لَموعِswift-winged
عِصِيُّ جَناحِ طالِبَةٍ لَموعِ
As though their backs, as they turn away,
Rarely waiting when she can grab
Were the wing-shafts of a darting bird hunting prey.
The morsel of flesh from a lanky gazelle
قَليلاًlittle ماemphasis تَريثُshe lingers إِذاwhen اِستَفادَتshe obtained
قَليلاً ما تَريثُ إِذا اِستَفادَت
غَريضَfresh اللَحمِflesh مِنfrom ضَرَمٍravenous جَزوعِskittish
غَريضَ اللَحمِ مِن ضَرَمٍ جَزوعِ
She scarcely tarries when she has obtained
Ever roaming between ravines
Fresh meat from a ravenous, skittish creature.
Dragging the head of a muscular young calf
فَماso she does not تَنفَكُّcease بَينَamong عُوَيرِضاتٍ'Uwayridat
فَما تَنفَكُّ بَينَ عُوَيرِضاتٍ
تَجُرُّshe drags بِرَأسِby the head of عِكرِشَةٍa female hare زَموعِquick-stepping
تَجُرُّ بِرَأسِ عِكرِشَةٍ زَموعِ
So she is ever among 'Uwayridat,
Chasing the master of mule deer one day
Dragging a quick-footed female hare by the head.
At the meadows of crowds of cattle
تُطارِدُshe chases سيدَthe wolf of صارَاتٍSarat وَيَوماًand one day
تُطارِدُ سيدَ صارَاتٍ وَيَوماً
عَلىagainst خِزّانِthe male hares of قاراتِthe hillocks of الجُموعِal-Jumu'
عَلى خِزّانِ قاراتِ الجُموعِ
She chases the wolf of Sarat, and another day
You’d see fragments of skulls among them
The male hares of the hillocks of al-Jumu'.
Like dissolving gravel, crumbling away
تَرىyou see قِطَعاًpieces مِنَof الأَحناشِserpents فيهِin it
تَرى قِطَعاً مِنَ الأَحناشِ فيهِ
جَماجِمُهُنَّtheir skulls كَالخَشلِlike shell-beads النَزيعِpulled free
جَماجِمُهُنَّ كَالخَشلِ النَزيعِ
You see fragments of serpents in it,
She shook him off in constant evasion
Their skulls like shell-beads pulled from a string.
And he was integrated into the folds of wondrous creation
أَطارَit cast off عَقيقَهُits first-grown coat عَنهُfrom itself نُسالاًin shed tufts
أَطارَ عَقيقَهُ عَنهُ نُسالاً
وَأُدمِجَand was compacted دَمجَlike the twisting of ذيone with شَطَنٍa long rope بَديعِnewly made
وَأُدمِجَ دَمجَ ذي شَطَنٍ بَديعِ
It cast its first-grown coat off in shed tufts,
And was tightly knit, like a freshly twisted long rope.
Partial English translation: 66 of 68 Arabic lines translated.