شاقَتكَstirred your longing أَظعانٌdeparting camel-litters لِلَيـof Layla (begins)
شاقَتكَ أَظعانٌ لِلَيـ
ـلىLayla (completion) يَومَon the day of ناظِرَةٍNazirah بَواكِرdeparting early
ـلى يَومَ ناظِرَةٍ بَواكِر
Layla's departing camel-litters stirred your longing,
setting out early that day at Nazirah.
فيin الآلِthe mirage يَحفِزُهاurges them onward الحُداthe camel-drivers (begins)
في الآلِ يَحفِزُها الحُدا
ةُcamel-drivers (completion) كَأَنَّهاas though they were سُحُقٌtall palms مَواقِرladen with fruit
ةُ كَأَنَّها سُحُقٌ مَواقِر
Through the mirage the camel-drivers urge them onward,
as though they were tall, fruit-laden palms.
كَظِباءِlike gazelles of وَجرَةَWajrah ساقَهُنـdrove them (begins)
كَظِباءِ وَجرَةَ ساقَهُنـ
ـنَthem (completion) إِلىto ظِلالِthe shade of السِدرِthe lote-trees ناجِرNajir, a hot month
ـنَ إِلى ظِلالِ السِدرِ ناجِر
Like Wajrah's gazelles, driven
by Najir's heat into the lote-trees' shade.
وَقَدَتblazed بِهِin it الشِعرىSirius فَأَand so (begins 'frequented')
وَقَدَت بِهِ الشِعرى فَأَ
لَفَتِfrequented (completion) الخُدودَthe cheeks بِهاthere الهَواجِرthe scorching noons
لَفَتِ الخُدودَ بِها الهَواجِر
Sirius blazed in that season, and
the scorching noons frequented their cheeks there.
ياO لَيلَةًa night قَدindeed بِتُّهاI spent it
يا لَيلَةً قَد بِتُّها
بِجَدودَat Jadud نَومُthe sleep of العَينِthe eye ساهِرwakeful
بِجَدودَ نَومُ العَينِ ساهِر
Oh, what a night I spent
at Jadud, with sleep itself wakeful in my eyes.
وَرَدَتarrived عَلَيَّupon me هُمومُهاits cares
وَرَدَت عَلَيَّ هُمومُها
وَلِكُلِّand for every وارِدَةٍarrival مَصادِرdepartures
وَلِكُلِّ وارِدَةٍ مَصادِر
Its cares came upon me,
and every arrival has its departures.
وَإِذاand when تُباشِرُكَtouch you closely الهُموcares (begins)
وَإِذا تُباشِرُكَ الهُمو
مُcares (completion) فَإِنَّهاthen they are داءٌa malady مُخامِرlodged within
مُ فَإِنَّها داءٌ مُخامِر
And when cares touch you closely,
they are a malady lodged within.
وَلَقَدand indeed تُقَضّيهاmay dispel them الصَريـfirm resolve (begins)
وَلَقَد تُقَضّيها الصَريـ
ـمَةُfirm resolve (completion) عَنكَfrom you وَالقَلِقُand the restless العُذافِرpowerful camel
ـمَةُ عَنكَ وَالقَلِقُ العُذافِر
Firm resolve can indeed dispel them
for you, as can a restless, powerful camel.
هَلّاwhy did you not غَضِبتَgrow angry لِرَحلِfor the baggage of جاneighbor (begins)
هَلّا غَضِبتَ لِرَحلِ جا
رِكَyour neighbor (completion) إِذwhen تُنَبِّذُهُshe tosses it aside حَضاجِرHadajir
رِكَ إِذ تُنَبِّذُهُ حَضاجِر
Why did you not grow angry for your neighbor's baggage,
when Hadajir tossed it aside?
أَغرَرتَنيdid you deceive me وَزَعَمتَand you claimed أَنـthat (begins)
أَغرَرتَني وَزَعَمتَ أَنـ
ـكَyou (completes 'that you') لابِنٌpossessing milk فيin الصَيفِsummer تامِرpossessing dates
ـكَ لابِنٌ في الصَيفِ تامِر
Did you deceive me, claiming
you had milk in summer, and dates?
فَلَقَدso indeed كَذَبتَyou lied فَماand did not خَشيـfear (begins)
فَلَقَد كَذَبتَ فَما خَشيـ
ـتَyou (completes 'you feared') بِأَنthat تَدورَturn بِكَagainst you الدَوائِرreversals of fortune
ـتَ بِأَن تَدورَ بِكَ الدَوائِر
You surely lied, and never feared
that reversals of fortune would turn against you.
وَأَمَرتَنيand you ordered me كَيماso that أُجاI join (begins)
وَأَمَرتَني كَيما أُجا
مِعَI join (completion) عُصبَةًa band فيهاin it مَقاذِرfoul men
مِعَ عُصبَةً فيها مَقاذِر
And you bade me join
a band with foul men in its midst.
وَلَحَيتَنيand you reproached me فيover مَعشَرٍa people
وَلَحَيتَني في مَعشَرٍ
هُمthey أَلحَقوكَraised you بِمَنto those whom تُفاخِرyou rival in pride
هُم أَلحَقوكَ بِمَن تُفاخِر
And you reproached me over a people
who raised you to the rank of those you rival in pride.
وَلَقَدand indeed سَبَقتَهُمُyou preceded them إِلَـto (begins)
وَلَقَد سَبَقتَهُمُ إِلَـ
ـيَme (completes 'to me') فَقَدyet indeed نَزَعتَyou drew back وَأَنتَand you are آخِرlast
ـيَ فَقَد نَزَعتَ وَأَنتَ آخِر
You had indeed reached me before them;
yet you have drawn back, and now you are last.
شَغَلواthey engaged مُؤازَرَتيmy support عَلَيـagainst (begins)
شَغَلوا مُؤازَرَتي عَلَيـ
ـكَyou (completes 'against you') الآنَnow فَاِبتَغِso seek مَنsomeone whom تُؤازِرyou support
ـكَ الآنَ فَاِبتَغِ مَن تُؤازِر
They have enlisted my support against you;
now seek someone you can support.
وَمَنَعتَand you withheld وَفراًabundant wealth جُمِّعَتwere gathered
وَمَنَعتَ وَفراً جُمِّعَت
فيهاtherein مُذَمَّمَةٌblameworthy خَناجِرgluttons
فيها مُذَمَّمَةٌ خَناجِر
And you withheld abundant wealth, amid which
blameworthy gluttons had been gathered.
فَكَفاكَهاso he took care of it for you سَمحُgenerous اليَدَيـboth hands (begins)
فَكَفاكَها سَمحُ اليَدَيـ
ـنِboth hands (completion) بِصالِحِin good الأَخلاقِconduct ماهِرskilled
ـنِ بِصالِحِ الأَخلاقِ ماهِر
So an open-handed man took care of it for you,
a master of good conduct.
سَمحٌgenerous أَخوa man of ثِقَةٍtrustworthiness شُجاbrave (begins)
سَمحٌ أَخو ثِقَةٍ شُجا
عٌbrave (completion) لاnot تُنَهنِهُهُrestrain him المَزاجِرrebukes
عٌ لا تُنَهنِهُهُ المَزاجِر
Generous, trustworthy, brave—
no rebukes can hold him back.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen حَصَلَbecame clear الأُموmatters (begins)
حَتّى إِذا حَصَلَ الأُمو
رُmatters (completion) وَصارَand came to belong لِلحَسَبِto ancestral honor المَصائِرthe outcomes
رُ وَصارَ لِلحَسَبِ المَصائِر
Until, when matters became clear
and the outcomes rested on ancestral honor,
وَتَبَرَّزَand pulled ahead النُجُبُthe noble mounts الجِياthe excellent (begins)
وَتَبَرَّزَ النُجُبُ الجِيا
دُthe excellent (completion) وَقامَتِand stood still الكُذُبُthe false pretenders المَحامِرdonkey-like mounts
دُ وَقامَتِ الكُذُبُ المَحامِر
and the noble thoroughbreds pulled ahead,
while the sham, donkey-like mounts stood still,
وَغَرِقتَand you drowned فيin زَبَدٍfoam تَعوswim (begins)
وَغَرِقتَ في زَبَدٍ تَعو
مُswim (completion) خِلالَthrough لُجَّتِهِits depths القَراقِرgreat ships
مُ خِلالَ لُجَّتِهِ القَراقِر
and you drowned in foam, while
great ships swam through its depths,
أَنشَأتَyou began تَطلُبُseeking ماwhat تَغَبremained (begins)
أَنشَأتَ تَطلُبُ ما تَغَب
بَرَremained (completion) بَعدَماafter نَشِبَhad fastened الأَظافِرthe claws
بَرَ بَعدَما نَشِبَ الأَظافِر
you began to seek what remained
after the claws had sunk in.
إِنّيindeed I نَهانيforbade me أَنto أَذُمـI revile (begins)
إِنّي نَهاني أَن أَذُمـ
ـكَyou (completes 'I revile you') ماجِدُnoble in الجَدَّينِboth ancestral lines فاخِرproud
ـكَ ماجِدُ الجَدَّينِ فاخِر
Indeed, I was forbidden to revile
you by a proud man, noble on both ancestral sides.
قَرمٌa chief لِقَرمٍson of a chief ماجِدٍnoble
قَرمٌ لِقَرمٍ ماجِدٍ
ماnot إِنindeed (emphatic) يُنافِرُهُrivals him in nobility المُنافِرthe challenger
ما إِن يُنافِرُهُ المُنافِر
A chief, son of a noble chief,
whom no challenger can rival in nobility.
هُوَhe مَدَّextended بَيتَthe house of المَجدِglory حَيـwhere (begins)
هُوَ مَدَّ بَيتَ المَجدِ حَيـ
ـثُwhere (completion) بَناهُbuilt it شَمّاسٌShammas وَعامِرand Amir
ـثُ بَناهُ شَمّاسٌ وَعامِر
He extended the house of glory
where Shammas and Amir had built it.
فَجَزىso may He reward الإِلَهُGod أَخيmy brother بَغيـBaghid (begins)
فَجَزى الإِلَهُ أَخي بَغيـ
ـضاًBaghid (completion) خَيرَthe best ماthat which يُجزىis awarded المُعاشِرa companion
ـضاً خَيرَ ما يُجزى المُعاشِر
So may God reward my brother Baghid
with the best reward a companion receives.
أَمثالُmen like عَلقَمَةَAlqamah بنِson of هَوHawdhah (begins)
أَمثالُ عَلقَمَةَ بنِ هَو
ذَةَHawdhah (completion) كُلَّevery غالِيَةٍprecious thing مَياسِرgenerous gamblers
ذَةَ كُلَّ غالِيَةٍ مَياسِر
Men like Alqamah son of Hawdhah
generously stake every precious thing.
الواهِبُthe giver of المِئَةَa hundred الهِجاwhite, purebred camels (begins)
الواهِبُ المِئَةَ الهِجا
نَwhite, purebred camels (completion) مَعاًall together لَهاthey have وَبَرٌhair مُظاهِرthickly layered
نَ مَعاً لَها وَبَرٌ مُظاهِر
The giver of a hundred white, purebred camels,
all together, their coats thickly layered;
دَهماءَa teeming herd مِدفَأَةُkept warm in الشِتاwinter (begins)
دَهماءَ مِدفَأَةُ الشِتا
ءِwinter (completion) كَأَنَّas though بِركَتهاtheir kneeling herd الحَظائِرenclosures
ءِ كَأَنَّ بِركَتها الحَظائِر
a teeming herd, kept warm in winter,
their kneeling ranks like enclosures.
وَإِذاand when الحُزونُrugged ground وَطِئنَهاthey tread it
وَإِذا الحُزونُ وَطِئنَها
صَلَّrang الفَراسِنُthe footpads وَالكَراكِرand breast-calluses
صَلَّ الفَراسِنُ وَالكَراكِر
And when they tread the rugged ground,
their footpads and breast-calluses ring.
وَإِذاand when الفَصيلُthe weanling دَعَونَهُthey call him
وَإِذا الفَصيلُ دَعَونَهُ
صَدَحَتrang out لَهُto him مِنهاfrom them الحَناجِرthe throats
صَدَحَت لَهُ مِنها الحَناجِر
And when they call their weanling,
their throats ring out to him.
لِلفَحلِfor the stallion فيin آثارِهاtheir tracks
لِلفَحلِ في آثارِها
زَجَلٌa loud bellow يُخايِلُhe struts أَوor يُخاطِرlashes his tail
زَجَلٌ يُخايِلُ أَو يُخاطِر
Behind them the stallion
bellows, strutting or lashing his tail.
عَطَفواthey turned kindly عَلَيَّtoward me بِغَيرِwithout آa bond (begins)
عَطَفوا عَلَيَّ بِغَيرِ آ
صِرَةٍa bond (completion) فَقَدand indeed عَظُمَhave grown strong الأَواصِرthe bonds
صِرَةٍ فَقَد عَظُمَ الأَواصِر
They turned kindly toward me without a bond
of kinship; now those bonds have grown strong.
حَتّىuntil وَعيتُI healed كَوَعيِlike the mending of عَظـa bone (begins)
حَتّى وَعيتُ كَوَعيِ عَظـ
ـمِa bone (completion) الساقِthe shin لاحَمَهُknit it together الجَبائِرthe splints
ـمِ الساقِ لاحَمَهُ الجَبائِر
Until I healed, like the bone
of a shin that splints have knit together.
يَتَقَرَّبُdraws near المَجدُglory البَعيـthe distant (begins)
يَتَقَرَّبُ المَجدُ البَعيـ
ـدُthe distant (completion) بِحَيثُwhere يَغضَبُgrows angry مَنone who يُفاخِرvies in pride
ـدُ بِحَيثُ يَغضَبُ مَن يُفاخِر
Far-distant glory draws near
where the man who vies for glory grows angry.
وَهُمُand they سَقَونيgave me to drink المَحضَunmixed milk إِذwhen
وَهُمُ سَقَوني المَحضَ إِذ
قَلَصَتdrew back عَنِfrom الماءِthe water المَشافِرthe camels' lips
قَلَصَت عَنِ الماءِ المَشافِر
And they gave me unmixed milk to drink when
the camels' lips drew back from water.
وَتَفَرَّعَand he ascended الحَسَبَancestral honor الجَسيـthe great (begins)
وَتَفَرَّعَ الحَسَبَ الجَسيـ
ـمَthe great (completion) إِذاwhen يُفاخِرُhe vies in honor أَوor يُكاثِرcompetes in numbers
ـمَ إِذا يُفاخِرُ أَو يُكاثِر
And he scaled the heights of great ancestral honor
whenever he vied in honor or in numbers.
Translation model: Sol 6.1