يشيرُhe gestures بِأُذْنيهِwith his two ears إليَّtoward me مُخاطِباًaddressing
يشيرُ بِأُذْنيهِ إليَّ مُخاطِباً
فأفَهمُso I understand فَهْمَthe understanding of الخُرسthe mute فَحواهُhis meaning والطُّرشِand the deaf
فأفَهمُ فَهْمَ الخُرس فَحواهُ والطُّرشِ
He gestures toward me with his two ears, addressing me,
He gestures to me with his ears as if to speak
and I understand his meaning as the mute and deaf understand.
So I understand like a deaf person his muteness
وأقسِمُand I swear إنّيthat I ماnot تَوَخّيْتُsought لَزِّهُurging him on
وأقسِمُ إنّي ما تَوَخّيْتُ لَزِّهُ
بِمِقْرَعةٍwith a whip تنكيهِthat hurts him بالضّربِwith blows والخَدْشِand scratches
بِمِقْرَعةٍ تنكيهِ بالضّربِ والخَدْشِ
I swear that I never sought to urge him on
And I swear I never intended any harm for him
with a whip that hurt him with blows and scratches.
With a goad that would poke and scratch
سَلواask عنهُabout him أَصحابَthe people of المراغةِal-Maragha إنّهُمْindeed they
سَلوا عنهُ أَصحابَ المراغةِ إنّهُمْ
رأوهsaw him معيwith me ماnot زالَceased يُحْبَبُbeing cherished كالكبشِlike a ram
رأوه معي ما زالَ يُحْبَبُ كالكبشِ
Ask the people of al-Maragha about him; they
Ask his barn mates - they saw him with me
saw him with me, always cherished like a ram.
He remained beloved like a lamb
إذاwhen نامَhe slept فوقَupon الرَّمِاْلِthe sands واختَبَطand churned up الثرىthe dust
إذا نامَ فوقَ الرَّمِاْلِ واختَبَط الثرى
لهُbelonging to him الذَّنَبُthe tail الذَّيالُlong and trailing أَبدىdisplayed سَطاforce or assault (uncertain reading) قَرْشِa shark
لهُ الذَّنَبُ الذَّيالُ أَبدى سَطا قَرْشِ
When he slept upon the sands and churned up the dust,
When he slept on the sand and kicked up dust
his long, sweeping tail displayed a shark's force [wording uncertain].
His long tail always showing white underneath
وَكَمْand how many مَوْقفٍa halt نَقّيتُI cleared فيهِat it ذُبابَهُhis flies
وَكَمْ مَوْقفٍ نَقّيتُ فيهِ ذُبابَهُ
مُفَرِّقُهdispersing it منْfrom ذلكَthat الدَّنِّdroning والنّشِّand shooing
مُفَرِّقُه منْ ذلكَ الدَّنِّ والنّشِّ
At many a halt I cleared away his flies,
And how many times did I shoo away the flies for him
scattering them amid that droning and shooing.
Driving them from him in care and affection
وَكُنتُand I used to كَجَنيْlike freshly picked الياسمينِjasmine نَثَرتَهُI scattered it
وَكُنتُ كَجَنيْ الياسمينِ نَثَرتَهُ
علىupon المخزنِthe storeroom المعمورِwell-kept بالكنسby sweeping والرَّشِّand sprinkling
على المخزنِ المعمورِ بالكنس والرَّشِّ
I used to scatter it like freshly picked jasmine
I was like a gardener strewing jasmine on him
over the storeroom kept tidy by sweeping and sprinkling.
In the packed stable, sweeping and sprinkling
وماand not زالَceased يُلهينيdistracting me بترجيعِwith the repetition of صّوْتهِhis voice
وما زالَ يُلهيني بترجيعِ صّوْتهِ
نَهيقاًbraying عنِfrom الورقاءِthe gray dove تهتفُcalling فيin العُشِّthe nest
نَهيقاً عنِ الورقاءِ تهتفُ في العُشِّ
His repeated cries always distracted me,
And he would entertain me with his loud neighing
his braying turning me from the gray dove calling in its nest.
Calling from the meadows, voices echoing from the stalls
كماjust as كانَhe was يُلهينيdistracting me بِسَيْرِwith the strap of عِذارهِhis cheekpiece
كما كانَ يُلهيني بِسَيْرِ عِذارهِ
الصَقيلِpolished إذاwhen ماever (emphasis) لاحَgleamed عنfrom لَعَطِthe dark lip-markings of الحُبْشِthe Abyssinians
الصَقيلِ إذا ما لاحَ عن لَعَطِ الحُبْشِ
Just as he charmed me with the strap of his cheekpiece,
As he entertained me with the smooth gait of his trot
polished, whenever it gleamed against Abyssinian blackness.
When his polished hooves flashed under the saddle
عِذارٌa cheekpiece بهthrough it قدindeed قامَwas established عُذريmy excuse بِحُبِّهِfor loving him
عِذارٌ به قد قامَ عُذري بِحُبِّهِ
فياoh, how حُسْنَهُhandsome he is فيamong عُصْبَةِa band القُشُبthe fresh ones الرُّقْشِthe speckled ones
فيا حُسْنَهُ في عُصْبَةِ القُشُب الرُّقْشِ
A cheekpiece that furnished my excuse for loving him—
With a trot that justified my love for him
oh, how handsome he was among that fresh, speckled band!
What beauty he had among the slender sorrels!
فياoh لَيْتَهُمْif only they إذْwhen حمّلوهُloaded him with متاعَهُمْtheir belongings
فيا لَيْتَهُمْ إذْ حمّلوهُ متاعَهُمْ
حُمِلتُI had been carried ولاand not عاينتُI witnessed ذاكthat علىon النّعشِthe bier
حُمِلتُ ولا عاينتُ ذاك على النّعشِ
If only, when they loaded him with their belongings,
Would that they had taken me along when they loaded his belongings
I had been carried on a bier and never witnessed that.
Instead of leaving me to witness him on the bier
وماand not ساءَنيdistressed me لمّاwhen نطقتُI spoke بِبَيْعهِof selling him
وما ساءَني لمّا نطقتُ بِبَيْعهِ
سِوَىexcept وَحْشَتَيmy loneliness منaway from ذلكَthat المنظَرِsight الهَشِّcheerful
سِوَى وَحْشَتَي من ذلكَ المنظَرِ الهَشِّ
Nothing distressed me when I spoke of selling him
Nothing saddened me when I spoke of selling him
except my loneliness away from that cheerful sight.
Except seeing his frightened, trembling form
وقدand indeed سالَflowed منfrom هميmy grief الغداةَِthat morning وَعَينهand his eye
وقد سالَ من همي الغداةَِ وَعَينه
منَof الدِّمْعِtears ماthat which يُعميblinds المتّيمَthe lovesick one أوor يَعسيmakes rigid (uncertain reading)
منَ الدِّمْعِ ما يُعمي المتّيمَ أو يَعسي
From my grief that morning, and from his eye, there flowed
Tears streamed from him in the morning from sorrow
tears enough to blind the lovesick or leave him rigid [uncertain verb].
Enough to blind the blinking one or make the sleeper wake
ولمand not أنسَهُI forget him إذْwhen حَنَّhe yearned نَحويtoward me وَكُلّماand whenever
ولم أنسَهُ إذْ حَنَّ نَحوي وَكُلّما
تَجافاهُshunned him مولاهُhis master تشاغَلَhe busied himself بالقُشِّwith straw
تَجافاهُ مولاهُ تشاغَلَ بالقُشِّ
I have not forgotten him when he yearned toward me; whenever
I cannot forget him leaning towards me, speaking
his master shunned him, he busied himself with straw.
Whenever his master ignored him, busy with the hay
لَقَدindeed كانَhe was ذُخريmy treasure فيamong الدَّوابthe beasts وَعُمدَتيand my mainstay
لَقَد كانَ ذُخري في الدَّواب وَعُمدَتي
وَمَوْثلand the refuge of (uncertain spelling) آماليmy hopes وَعَوْنيand my help علىin بَطْشيmy forceful action
وَمَوْثل آمالي وَعَوْني على بَطْشي
He was indeed my treasure among beasts and my mainstay,
Truly he was my wealth among the livestock and my pillar
the refuge of my hopes, and my help in exerting my strength.
My hopes, my aid against adversity
إخالُI imagine بهِwith him الأَرضينَthe lands يُطوىis folded away بَعيدُهاtheir far reaches
إخالُ بهِ الأَرضينَ يُطوى بَعيدُها
فَواoh, alas أَسفيmy sorrow إذْwhen صرْتُI came to منْfrom بَعْدِهِafter him أمشيwalk
فَوا أَسفي إذْ صرْتُ منْ بَعْدِهِ أمشي
With him, I imagined the far reaches of the lands folded away;
With him I crossed vast lands effortlessly
alas for me, now that without him I must walk!
Alas that after him I walk on my own two feet!
وماand not بالَhe urinated تحتيbeneath me قَطُّever مذْsince كُنْتُI was أَغتَدىgoing out in the morning
وما بالَ تحتي قَطُّ مذْ كُنْتُ أَغتَدى
عليهِon him ولمand not يَبْحَثْhe searched عنfor الأَكلِfood بالنَبشِby digging
عليهِ ولم يَبْحَثْ عن الأَكلِ بالنَبشِ
He never once urinated beneath me since I began going out each morning
No longer does my coat brush the ground as when
on his back, nor did he dig about for food.
I used to ride him high, unconcerned with food or crumbs
وماand not كانَhe was ذاpossessed of جُبْنٍcowardice علىdespite أنَّthe fact that بولَهُhis urine
وما كانَ ذا جُبْنٍ على أنَّ بولَهُ
تراهُyou see it إذاwhen ماever (emphasis) بالَhe urinated أبيضَwhite كالمشِّlike mish cheese
تراهُ إذا ما بالَ أبيضَ كالمشِّ
Nor was he cowardly, although his urine,
He was no coward, his urine you could see
when he urinated, looked white as mish cheese.
Was white when he discharged it copiously
وماand not كانَhe was ممّنْamong those who يَنْشُقُsniff البولَurine كالذيlike the one who
وما كانَ ممّنْ يَنْشُقُ البولَ كالذي
يتوقُyearns إذاwhen لاحَتْappeared أتانٌa she-ass إلىfor الفُحشlewdness
يتوقُ إذا لاحَتْ أتانٌ إلى الفُحش
Nor was he one to sniff urine, like the one
He was not one to dribble urine like a jackass
who longs for lewdness whenever a she-ass appears.
Aroused when any jenny came into heat
وماand not كانَhe was يُدليputting forward قَطُّever يوماًone day بحُجَةwith a plea
وما كانَ يُدلي قَطُّ يوماً بحُجَة
إلىfor القَفْزِmounting إلاَّexcept خَلتُهُI thought him نابلاًan archer أَقْشِAqsh (unclear term or name)
إلى القَفْزِ إلاَّ خَلتُهُ نابلاً أَقْشِ
Nor did he ever put forward a plea
Never did he on a whim bound off
for mounting without my thinking him an archer—'Aqsh' [unclear term or name].
Unless I left him unbridled and unchecked
وماand not كانَhe was ممَنْamong those who يُسرعُquicken الخطوَtheir step نَهمةًout of greed
وما كانَ ممَنْ يُسرعُ الخطوَ نَهمةً
ولاnor يَتَمَطّىstretches himself إلاَexcept كلَeat (uncertain fragment) للْحَبِّfor grain إذْwhen عُشتيpossibly fed at evening (unclear)
ولا يَتَمَطّى إلاَ كلَ للْحَبِّ إذْ عُشتي
Nor was he one to quicken his pace out of greed,
He was not one to rush his pace greedily
nor stretch himself except to eat grain at supper [wording uncertain].
Or prance, except when passion bound us mutually
ولاnor كانَhe was رفَاساًa habitual kicker ولاnor كانَhe was شامساًrefractory
ولا كانَ رفَاساً ولا كانَ شامساً
ولاnor كانَhe was كَدَّاماًa habitual biter يُكَلِّمُinflicting wounds بالنّهْشِby biting
ولا كانَ كَدَّاماً يُكَلِّمُ بالنّهْشِ
He was no habitual kicker, nor was he refractory,
He was neither tricky nor mischievous
nor a habitual biter who inflicted wounds with his teeth.
Nor would he bite aggressively with his big teeth
ولاnor كنَhe was (irregular spelling) همّازاًa persistent nudger ولاnor كانَhe was غامزاًlimping
ولا كنَ همّازاً ولا كانَ غامزاً
ولاnor بأحصَّas a hairless beast أزعَنَunclear adjective واسعِbroad الكَرِشِthe belly
ولا بأحصَّ أزعَنَ واسعِ الكَرِشِ
Nor was he a persistent nudger, nor did he limp,
He was gentle, though lively if hay was heaped
nor was he hairless, [unclear epithet], and broad-bellied.
I would share that food with him in delight
وقدand indeed كانَhe was مَهماwhenever حُشَّfodder was cut فَرْطاًin excess أوor دلُّوa bucketful (uncertain here)
وقد كانَ مَهما حُشَّ فَرْطاً أو دلُّو
أُشارِكُهُI shared with him فيin ذلكَthat الأًَكلِeating للْحشof cut fodder
أُشارِكُهُ في ذلكَ الأًَكلِ للْحش
Whenever fodder was cut in plenty, or by the bucket [wording uncertain],
What companion like him if he was aloof, would
I joined him in eating that cut grass.
Ignore my secrets and not gossip or tell
وَهَلْand is there منany ندِيمٍboon companion مثلهِlike him وَهْوَand he إنif جَفَاwas aloof
وَهَلْ من ندِيمٍ مثلهِ وَهْوَ إن جَفَا
تغاضىhe overlooked ولاand not يوميhints بسرِّيْat my secret ولاand not يُفْشيdivulges
تغاضى ولا يومي بسرِّيْ ولا يُفْشي
Is there a boon companion like him? Even if he was aloof,
Most difficult after he left were the words
he overlooked things, neither hinting at my secret nor divulging it.
That if I but sighed, people said "Be Gone!"
وأصعَبُand the hardest ماwhat لاقيتُI encountered بعدَafter فِراقهparting from him
وأصعَبُ ما لاقيتُ بعدَ فِراقه
مقالَthe saying of الذيthe one who إنif قلتُI said آهah! يَقُلْsays مَشِّيwalk!
مقالَ الذي إن قلتُ آه يَقُلْ مَشِّي
The hardest thing I encountered after parting from him
They see me eat fenugreek the day I bought him
was someone who, when I said 'Ah!', said 'Walk!'
Yet now I am feeble, overpowered by worries
تَرانيdo you think I أكَلْتُate البنجَhenbane يومon the day of ابتياعهhis purchase
تَراني أكَلْتُ البنجَ يوم ابتياعه
وأصبحتُand I became يَكَاًa one (gaming term) إذْwhen غُلِبتُI was defeated بِشاسِشِّيby shāshishī (unclear gaming term)
وأصبحتُ يَكَاً إذْ غُلِبتُ بِشاسِشِّي
Do you think I ate henbane on the day he was bought,
I paid his price in barley but they said to me
and became a 'one' when beaten by 'shāshishī' [unclear gaming term]?
“His sale price would be bonds if he could be returned”
ضَرَبْتُI staked (uncertain sense) عليهِon him بالشَعيرِwith barley فقيلَso it was said ليto me
ضَرَبْتُ عليهِ بالشَعيرِ فقيلَ لي
يُردُّhe will be returned ودُوِّيand my wish (uncertain spelling) لوif only يَرُدُّوهُthey would return him بالأرشwith compensation
يُردُّ ودُوِّي لو يَرُدُّوهُ بالأرش
I staked barley on him [sense uncertain], and was told,
I will complain, now that I have marked the days of separation
'He will be returned'; if only they would return him with compensation!
In grief, to the Dweller of the Throne.
سأشكوI shall complain وقدhaving already صَرَّمْتُpassed أيّامَthe days of هجرِهِseparation from him
سأشكو وقد صَرَّمْتُ أيّامَ هجرِهِ
بموقفِat the station of أحزانيmy sorrows إلىto ساكنthe Dweller upon العرشthe Throne
بموقفِ أحزاني إلى ساكن العرش
I shall complain, having passed the days of separation from him,
from the station of my sorrows, to the Dweller upon the Throne.
Partial English translation: 54 of 56 Arabic lines translated.