أَفِدَdrew near الرَحيلُdeparture وَلَيتَهُand would that it لَمnot يَأفَدِdraw near
أَفِدَ الرَحيلُ وَلَيتَهُ لَم يَأفَدِ
وَاليَومَand today عاجِلُهُits pressing hour وَيُعذَلُand one is reproached فيon غَدِthe morrow
وَاليَومَ عاجِلُهُ وَيُعذَلُ في غَدِ
Departure draws near—would that it had not.
Departure has drawn near—would that it had not! Today it hastens, and tomorrow brings blame.
Today is its pressing hour; tomorrow comes reproach.
Ghaniyya claimed that gray hair now fills my head; a trifle to endure, provided she grows not distant.
زَعَمَتclaimed غَنِيَّةُGhaniyyah أَنthat اَكثَرَmost of لِمَّتيmy tresses
زَعَمَت غَنِيَّةُ أَن اَكثَرَ لِمَّتي
شَيبٌgray hair وَهانَand it matters little بِذاكَwith that ماso long as لَمnot تَزدَدِyou gain more
شَيبٌ وَهانَ بِذاكَ ما لَم تَزدَدِ
Ghaniyyah claimed that most of my tresses were
When I saw pure-blooded camels with noble ones amidst them, she exulted and roamed amidst the distant cries.
Gray; that matters little, so long as you gain no more.
I bestowed my word upon her, riding a wild, unruly mount, soothing her malice with gentle coaxing.
لَمّاwhen رَأَيتُI saw عُرباًloving women هَجائِنَnoble-born وَسطَهاamid her company
لَمّا رَأَيتُ عُرباً هَجائِنَ وَسطَها
مَرِحَتshe frolicked وَجالَتand roamed فيamid الصُراخِthe clamor الأَبعَدِmost distant
مَرِحَت وَجالَت في الصُراخِ الأَبعَدِ
When I saw loving, noble-born women in her company,
She knew not the weaving of the saddle-cloth before this, nor the treading of a rugged, furrowed path.
She grew merry and roamed amid the distant clamor.
One raised in luxury, who feared not the outcome of the Decree, nor the ancient scripts of fate.
وَمَنَحتُهاand I offered her قَوليmy words عَلىupon عُرضِيَّةٍa restive she-camel
وَمَنَحتُها قَولي عَلى عُرضِيَّةٍ
عُلُطٍunbranded أُداريI soothe ضِغنَهاher rancor بِتَوَدُّدِwith affection
عُلُطٍ أُداري ضِغنَها بِتَوَدُّدِ
I offered her my words upon a restive she-camel,
Drunken, struck by the arrow of Fate's wheel; he cast a sinful arrow in return but struck no game.
Unbranded, as I soothed her rancor with affection.
Do you see Time baring its touch, save upon a fleeting madness that comes and goes?
لَمnot تَدرِshe knew ماwhat نَسجُthe weaving of البَرَندَجِblack leather قَبلَهاbefore it
لَم تَدرِ ما نَسجُ البَرَندَجِ قَبلَها
وَدِراسُand the study of أَعوَصَan obscure text دارِسٍworn away مُتَخَدِّدِfurrowed
وَدِراسُ أَعوَصَ دارِسٍ مُتَخَدِّدِ
She had never known before how black leather was woven,
It marred the bond with the Harithi woman that she departs, and things occur that we never knew.
Nor the study of an obscure, worn, furrowed text.
She spoke to us one day in the valley of Sabuha, amidst a noisy cavalcade seeking cool from the midday heat.
مِمَّنof those whom تَرَبَّبَهُreared him النَعيمُluxury وَلَمand not يَخَفfeared
مِمَّن تَرَبَّبَهُ النَعيمُ وَلَم يَخَف
عُقُبَthe consequences of الكِتابِthe written decree وَلاnor بَناتِthe daughters of المُسنَدِFate
عُقُبَ الكِتابِ وَلا بَناتِ المُسنَدِ
Of those whom luxury had nurtured, who never feared
"How vast the distance now between our lands and our desires! So flash your lightning and thunder in your own land!"
The written decree's consequences, nor the daughters of Fate.
Were I at Al-Tabsayn, or Ulala, or Bar Ba'is with the black Jinan,
ثَمِلٌintoxicated رَمَتهُstruck him المَنجَنونُthe wheel of Fate بِسَهمِهاwith its arrow
ثَمِلٌ رَمَتهُ المَنجَنونُ بِسَهمِها
وَرَمىand he shot بِسَهمٍwith an arrow جَريمَةٍfor sustenance لَمnot يَصطَدِcatch game
وَرَمى بِسَهمٍ جَريمَةٍ لَم يَصطَدِ
Drunk, he was struck by the wheel of Fate's arrow;
A smooth Yemeni journey, an old man of resolve, cut off before the rising star of Yemen.
He shot an arrow for sustenance, yet caught no game.
Birds flew past for her omen; my companion cried out at them, but I said, "This is a herald that brings no praise."
أَوor هَلdo…? تَرَينَyou see الدَهرَTime عَرّىlaid bare مَسَّهُits touch
أَو هَل تَرَينَ الدَهرَ عَرّى مَسَّهُ
إِلّاexcept عَلىupon لَمَمٍlocks of hair يَروحُit goes at evening وَيَغتَديand goes forth at dawn
إِلّا عَلى لَمَمٍ يَروحُ وَيَغتَدي
Or do you see Time lay bare its touch
I went forth early... The youth hopes in life for that which he cannot ransom.
Except upon locks of hair, passing evening and morning?
On a lean-flanked steed that overtakes the prey, his back like a smooth rock in a dusty plain.
أَزرىmarred بِوَصلِthe bond with الحارِثِيَّةِthe Ḥārithiyyah أَنَّهاthat she
أَزرى بِوَصلِ الحارِثِيَّةِ أَنَّها
تَنأىdraws far away وَيَحدُثُand arises بَعضُsome of ماwhat لَمnot نَعهَدِwe have known
تَنأى وَيَحدُثُ بَعضُ ما لَم نَعهَدِ
What mars the bond with the Ḥārithiyyah is that
Eager and swift when sweat beneath the bridle wets his neck, his hair tufts flowing—wild as the thorny gharqad.
She draws away, and some things we never knew arise.
He trots on shanks of distinct strength, with solid hooves that need no protection from the stony ground.
قالَتshe said لَناto us يَوماًone day بِبَطنِin the valley of سَبوحَةٍSabūḥah
قالَت لَنا يَوماً بِبَطنِ سَبوحَةٍ
فيin مَوكِبٍa procession زَجِلِclamorous الهَواجِرِthe noonday heats مُبرِدِtraveling in the cool
في مَوكِبٍ زَجِلِ الهَواجِرِ مُبرِدِ
She said to us one day in Sabūḥah's valley,
With fleshy shoulders and thick rib-roots, a neck strong and high as he glances about.
Amid a procession, noisy at noon, traveling in the cool:
His ribs are vaulted, his back firmly propped; yet when he charges, you would deem him unsupported in his flight.
ياoh جَلَّgreatly ماhow بَعُدَتhave grown distant عَلَيكَfrom you بِلادُناour lands
يا جَلَّ ما بَعُدَت عَلَيكَ بِلادُنا
وَطِلابُناand seeking us فَاِبرُقso flash lightning بِأَرضِكَin your land وَاِرعُدِand thunder
وَطِلابُنا فَاِبرُق بِأَرضِكَ وَاِرعُدِ
Oh, how far our lands have grown from you,
A full, round rump joins his high withers, set upon a strong chest and a lofty neck.
And the quest for us! Flash in your own land, and thunder!
He possesses an ear attuned to every sound, and an eye sharp as the side-glance of a proud viper.
لَوif كُنتُI were بِالطَبسَينِat al-Ṭabsayn أَوor بِأُلالَةٍat Ulālah
لَو كُنتُ بِالطَبسَينِ أَو بِأُلالَةٍ
اَوor بَرthe land of بَعيصَBaʿīṣ مَعَwith الجِنانِthe jinn الأَسوَدِblack
اَو بَر بَعيصَ مَعَ الجِنانِ الأَسوَدِ
If I were at al-Ṭabsayn or Ulālah,
A storm-swept night passed over him; rain fell as he stood by a threatening sand-dune.
Or in Baʿīṣ's land, with the black jinn—
I anticipated him with my eye, while he fixed his gaze away from me, on the fresh, swaying shoots.
مَلسىslipping swiftly away يَمانِيَةٌa Yemeni woman وَشَيخٌand an old man هَمَّةٌdecrepit
مَلسى يَمانِيَةٌ وَشَيخٌ هَمَّةٌ
مُتَقَطِّعٌexhausted دونَbehind اليَمانيthe Yemeni المُصعِدِheading upland
مُتَقَطِّعٌ دونَ اليَماني المُصعِدِ
A Yemeni woman slips away, and a decrepit old man
When the darkness lifted, I came upon him—a vigorous beast, wild and bright as the star Farqad.
Falters behind the Yemeni heading upland.
Then I charged to challenge him and clung close, while his heart beat fast like the drumming of a hoopoe.
وَجَرَتand flew لَهاfor her طَيرٌbirds فَيَزجُرand he reads the omen صاحِبيmy companion
وَجَرَت لَها طَيرٌ فَيَزجُر صاحِبي
وَأَقولُand I say هَذاthis رائِدٌa scout لَمnot يُحمَدِwas praised
وَأَقولُ هَذا رائِدٌ لَم يُحمَدِ
Birds flew as omens for her; my companion read their flight,
He ceased his bellowing and lost the guidance of his horns, as I pierced his heart with my spear.
And I said: This is a scout that wins no praise.
He collapsed, plummeting down, his vitality extinguished like a spark falling from a flint-striker's hand.
وَلَقَدand indeed غَدَوتُI set out at dawn رَأَيَّa familiar spirit of أَفتُنِthe most crazed of دَهرِهِhis age
وَلَقَد غَدَوتُ رَأَيَّ أَفتُنِ دَهرِهِ
يَرجوhopes الفَتىthe young man فيin العَيشِlife ماso long as لَمnot يَفتَدِhe dies
يَرجو الفَتى في العَيشِ ما لَم يَفتَدِ
I have set out at dawn, a familiar spirit of the maddest of his age—
May Allah the Majestic grant you long life! For I would turn to you, if only your mind were guided right.
A young man hopes in life so long as he has not died—
Has any companion I ever journeyed with found fault in me—be he unarmored, mailed, or cloaked?
بِمُقَلِّصٍon a lean, swift horse دَركِovertaking الطَريدَةِthe quarry مَتنُهُhis back
بِمُقَلِّصٍ دَركِ الطَريدَةِ مَتنُهُ
كَصَفاlike the smooth rock of الخَليقَةِa newly dug well بِالفَضاءِin the open plain المُلبِدِfirm-packed
كَصَفا الخَليقَةِ بِالفَضاءِ المُلبِدِ
On a lean, swift horse that overtakes the quarry, his back
Have people ever blamed me when a beggar stood before me, or when facing the dispute of a stubborn, proud foe?
Like a well's smooth rock in the firm-packed open plain.
هَمِقٌheadlong إِذاwhen رَشَحَoozes sweat العِذارُthe cheek-strap بِلَيتِهِon his neck's side
هَمِقٌ إِذا رَشَحَ العِذارُ بِلَيتِهِ
وَكَفَتdripped خَصائِلُهُhis locks وَكَيفَthe dripping of الغَرقَدِthe gharqad thorn-tree
وَكَفَت خَصائِلُهُ وَكَيفَ الغَرقَدِ
Headlong: when his cheek-strap oozes sweat upon his neck,
His locks drip as the gharqad thorn-tree drips.
يَخديhe strides swiftly بِأَوظِفَةٍon shanks شَديدٍstrong أَسرُهاtheir binding
يَخدي بِأَوظِفَةٍ شَديدٍ أَسرُها
صُمِّsolid السَنابِكِthe hooves لاnot تَقيflinch بِالجَدجَدِon hard ground
صُمِّ السَنابِكِ لا تَقي بِالجَدجَدِ
He strides swiftly on firmly knit shanks,
Solid-hoofed, never flinching on hard ground.
ذيwith مَنكِبٍa shoulder رَهلٍfleshy وَقُصرىand a short rib جَأبَةٍstout
ذي مَنكِبٍ رَهلٍ وَقُصرى جَأبَةٍ
وَصَليفِand a neck-side أَرعَنَmountain-like يافِعِlofty المُتَلَدَّدِat the neck's turning
وَصَليفِ أَرعَنَ يافِعِ المُتَلَدَّدِ
With a fleshy shoulder and a stout short rib,
And a mountain-like neck-side, lofty where it turns.
حَبِطَتswelled قُصَيراهhis two short ribs وَسونِدَand was raised ظَهرُهُhis back
حَبِطَت قُصَيراه وَسونِدَ ظَهرُهُ
وَإِذاand when تَدافَعَhe surges onward خِلتَهُyou would think it لَمnot يُسنَدِraised up
وَإِذا تَدافَعَ خِلتَهُ لَم يُسنَدِ
His short ribs swell, and his back rises high;
Yet when he surges forward, you would think it had not been raised.
حُدِيَتwas driven up بِحارِكِهِtoward his withers قَطاةُa croup فَعمَةٌfull-fleshed
حُدِيَت بِحارِكِهِ قَطاةُ فَعمَةٌ
فيin صَندَلٍa massive frame لَهزٍcompact وَهادٍand a neck موفِدِheld high
في صَندَلٍ لَهزٍ وَهادٍ موفِدِ
A full-fleshed croup was driven up toward his withers,
In a massive, compact frame, with a high-held neck.
وَحَبَتand rose up لَهُfor him أُذُنٌan ear يُراقِبُkeeps watch over سَمعَهاits hearing
وَحَبَت لَهُ أُذُنٌ يُراقِبُ سَمعَها
بَصَرٌa gaze كاصِيَةِlike the eye of الشُجاعِthe serpent الأَصيَدِstiff-necked
بَصَرٌ كاصِيَةِ الشُجاعِ الأَصيَدِ
An ear rose for him, its hearing watched over by
A gaze like that of the stiff-necked serpent.
باتَتspent the night عَلَيهِupon him لَيلَةُa night عَرشِيَّةٌstormy
باتَت عَلَيهِ لَيلَةُ عَرشِيَّةٌ
شَرِيَتraged وَباتَand he spent the night إِلىbeside نَقاًa sand-dune مُتَهَدِّدِcrumbling
شَرِيَت وَباتَ إِلى نَقاً مُتَهَدِّدِ
A stormy night settled over him;
It raged, while he lay beside a crumbling sand-dune.
فَبَدَرتُهُso I saw him first عَيناin sight وَلَجَّand he persisted بِطَرفِهِwith his gaze
فَبَدَرتُهُ عَينا وَلَجَّ بِطَرفِهِ
عَنّيaway from me لُعاعَةُa tender morsel لَغوَسٍof a ravenous wolf مُتَرَئِّدِstalking warily
عَنّي لُعاعَةُ لَغوَسٍ مُتَرَئِّدِ
I saw him first; he persisted in turning his gaze
Away from me—a tender morsel for a ravenous, stalking wolf.
لَمّاwhen تَجَلىcleared غَلَسُthe dimness of الظَلامِdarkness صَبَحتُهُI assailed him at dawn
لَمّا تَجَلى غَلَسُ الظَلامِ صَبَحتُهُ
ذاpossessing مَيعَةٍkeen force خَرِصاًa slender spear كَلَونِlike the color of الفَرقَدِal-Farqad
ذا مَيعَةٍ خَرِصاً كَلَونِ الفَرقَدِ
When the night's dim darkness cleared, I greeted him at dawn
With a keen, slender spear, colored like al-Farqad.
ثُمَّthen اِقتَحَمتُI charged مُناجِداًfighting boldly وَلَزِمتُهُand kept close to him
ثُمَّ اِقتَحَمتُ مُناجِداً وَلَزِمتُهُ
وَفُؤادُهُand his heart زَجِلٌclamorous كَعَزفِlike the song of الهُدهُدِthe hoopoe
وَفُؤادُهُ زَجِلٌ كَعَزفِ الهُدهُدِ
Then I charged boldly and kept close to him,
His heart clamoring like the hoopoe's song.
نَبَذَhe cast off الجَؤارَbellowing وَضَلَّand lost هِديَةَthe guidance of رَوقِهِhis horn
نَبَذَ الجَؤارَ وَضَلَّ هِديَةَ رَوقِهِ
لضمّاwhen اِختَلَلتُI pierced فُؤادَهُhis heart بِالمِطرَدِwith the spear
لضمّا اِختَلَلتُ فُؤادَهُ بِالمِطرَدِ
He ceased his bellowing and lost the aim of his horn
When I pierced his heart with the spear.
وَاِنقَضَّand he crashed down مُنسَدِراًheadlong كَأَنَّas though إِرانَهُhis body
وَاِنقَضَّ مُنسَدِراً كَأَنَّ إِرانَهُ
قَبسٌa firebrand تَقَطَّعَbroke off دونَshort of كَفِّthe hand of الموقِدِthe fire-kindler
قَبسٌ تَقَطَّعَ دونَ كَفِّ الموقِدِ
He crashed down headlong, as though his body
Were a firebrand broken off short of the kindler's hand.
عَمَّرتُكَI adjure you by اللَهُGod الجَليلَthe Majestic فَإِنَّنيfor indeed I
عَمَّرتُكَ اللَهُ الجَليلَ فَإِنَّني
أَلويturn in care عَلَيكَtoward you لَوif only أَنَّthat لُبَّكَyour understanding يَهتَديfinds guidance
أَلوي عَلَيكَ لَو أَنَّ لُبَّكَ يَهتَدي
I adjure you by God the Majestic, for I
Turn toward you, if only your understanding would find guidance.
هَلhas…? لامَنيblamed me مِنany صاحِبٍcompanion صاحَبتُهُwhom I accompanied
هَل لامَني مِن صاحِبٍ صاحَبتُهُ
مِنwhether حاسِرٍunarmored أَوor دارِعٍarmor-clad أَوor مُرتَديmantled
مِن حاسِرٍ أَو دارِعٍ أَو مُرتَدي
Has any companion I have kept ever blamed me,
Whether unarmored, armor-clad, or mantled?
هَلhave…? لامَنيblamed me قَومٌa people لِمَوقِفِfor the standing of سائِلٍa petitioner
هَل لامَني قَومٌ لِمَوقِفِ سائِلٍ
أَوor فيin مُخاصَمَةِdisputing with اللَجوجِthe obstinate man الأَصيَدِthe haughty
أَو في مُخاصَمَةِ اللَجوجِ الأَصيَدِ
Have any people blamed me over a petitioner's appeal,
Or in a dispute with the stubborn, haughty man?
Partial English translation: 31 of 62 Arabic lines translated.