خُذْbegin فيin البُكَاweeping إنّindeed الخَليطَthe company مُقَوِّضُstriking camp
خُذْ في البُكَا إنّ الخَليطَ مُقَوِّضُ
فمُصَرِّحٌso one declares openly بِفِراقِهِمْof their parting ومُعَرِّضُand one hints indirectly
فمُصَرِّحٌ بِفِراقِهِمْ ومُعَرِّضُ
Begin to weep: the company is striking camp.
Give way to weeping, for the beloved company is striking camp; / Some declare their departure plainly, while others merely hint.
One declares their parting openly, and another hints at it.
Let your heart melt; your only allies against the distance / Are eyes that overflow and a soul that shatters into silver shards.
وأَذِبْand melt فُؤَادَكَyour heart فَالنَّصيرُfor the helper علىagainst النَّوَىseparation
وأَذِبْ فُؤَادَكَ فَالنَّصيرُ على النَّوَى
عَينٌan eye تَفيضُoverflows ومُهجةٌand a soul تتفضَّضُshatters
عَينٌ تَفيضُ ومُهجةٌ تتفضَّضُ
And melt your heart, for the helper against separation
Over there, the litters are strapped tight upon the beasts, / And here, the tent ropes are loosened and cast down.
is an overflowing eye and a soul breaking apart.
Behind their kneeling camels stands a band of lovers, / Whose hearts race wildly though their feet remain still.
هَاتيكَthose yonder أَحْدَاجٌcamel-litters تُشَدُّare fastened وهَذهِand these here
هَاتيكَ أَحْدَاجٌ تُشَدُّ وهَذهِ
أطْنَابُropes of أخْبِيةٍtents تُحَلُّare loosened وتُنْقَضُand are undone
أطْنَابُ أخْبِيةٍ تُحَلُّ وتُنْقَضُ
Those are camel-litters being fastened, and these
They stood while their inner souls were stuffed with grief, / As the vessels of their tears poured out until dry.
are tent ropes being loosened and undone.
Wasted by love, they whisper low—one releases a moan, / While another suppresses a sigh, keeping it hidden deep.
وورَاءَand behind عيسِهِمُtheir pale camels المُنَاخَةُkneeling عُصْبةٌa band
وورَاءَ عيسِهِمُ المُنَاخَةُ عُصْبةٌ
أكْبادُهُمtheir livers وهُمُwhile they وقُوفٌstand still تركُضُgallop
أكْبادُهُم وهُمُ وقُوفٌ تركُضُ
And behind their kneeling pale camels is a band:
They clutched their burning hearts within their hands, / Yet longing wrests away whatever the hand attempts to hold.
their livers gallop though they stand still.
When safe from prying eyes, they spoke their sorrow plain, / But if they sensed a spy, they turned aside in silence.
وقفُواthey stood وأَحْشَاءُand the inner depths of الضَّمَائِرِthe souls بالأسَىwith sorrow
وقفُوا وأَحْشَاءُ الضَّمَائِرِ بالأسَى
تُحشَىare filled وأوْعيةُand the vessels of المَدَامِعِtears تَنْفُضُare emptied
تُحشَى وأوْعيةُ المَدَامِعِ تَنْفُضُ
They stood, while the innermost depths of their souls with sorrow
They departed, leaving the weepers in disarray behind them— / One shedding torrents of tears, another swallowing his grief.
were filled, and the vessels of their tears were emptied.
I pursued them with a sigh and a tear: the fire of one / Scorches the gardens, while the water of the other makes them bloom.
يَتَخافتُونَthey whisper ضَنىًfrom wasting sorrow فَمُطْلِقُso one releases أَنَّةٍa moan
يَتَخافتُونَ ضَنىً فَمُطْلِقُ أَنَّةٍ
ومُطَامِنٌand one subdues منof زفرةٍa sigh ومُخَفِّضُand one lowers his voice
ومُطَامِنٌ من زفرةٍ ومُخَفِّضُ
They whisper, worn with longing: one lets out a moan,
Who will seek for me at al-Aqiq a remnant of my soul, / That fell behind the caravan the moment they struck camp?
another quiets a sigh, and another lowers his voice.
It neither turned back to return nor caught up with them, / Until it grew frail from stumbling and rising again.
قبضُواthey clutched بأَيدِيهِمْwith their hands علَىupon أكبادِهِمْtheir livers
قبضُوا بأَيدِيهِمْ علَى أكبادِهِمْ
والشَّوقُand longing ينزِعُwrenches away منfrom يدٍa hand ماwhat تَقبِضُit grasps
والشَّوقُ ينزِعُ من يدٍ ما تَقبِضُ
They clutched their livers with their hands,
Do their archers know into whose heart they have driven / Those fatal arrows, and twisted the barbs within?
and longing wrenches from a hand whatever it grasps.
I accepted the blood they willfully shed from me, / Defying the tribe's anger—but have they found contentment?
فإذَاthen when هُمُthey أَمِنُواfelt safe from المُرَاقِبَthe watcher صَرَّحُواspoke openly
فإذَا هُمُ أَمِنُوا المُرَاقِبَ صَرَّحُوا
بِشَكاتِهِمْof their complaints وإنْand if اسْتَرابُواbecame suspicious أعْرَضُواturned away
بِشَكاتِهِمْ وإنْ اسْتَرابُوا أعْرَضُوا
When they felt safe from the watcher, they spoke openly
May they enjoy the purest water, though on the day / Of their farewell, they left me choking on my own thirst.
of their complaints; and if they grew suspicious, they turned away.
They slept with hearts untouched by pain, while we endure / Because of them, in distance, a lingering, wasting sickness.
رَحَلُواthey departed وآراءُand the choices of البُكَاةِthe weepers ورَاءَهُمْbehind them
رَحَلُوا وآراءُ البُكَاةِ ورَاءَهُمْ
شَتَّىvaried فَسَافِحُso one pours out عَبْرَةٍa tear ومُغيّضُand one restrains tears
شَتَّى فَسَافِحُ عَبْرَةٍ ومُغيّضُ
They departed; the ways of the weepers behind them
O companion, you are the one I consult when calamity strikes, / The one I call upon to rise against the turns of fate.
were varied: one pouring out tears, another holding them back.
I complain to you of a passion that aids the lightning against my blood— / A bolt that flashed and flickered in the dead of night.
أتْبَعْتُهُمْI sent after them نَفَساًa sigh ودَمْعاًand tears نَارُthe fire of ذاthis one
أتْبَعْتُهُمْ نَفَساً ودَمْعاً نَارُ ذا
يشْويscorches الرِّياضَthe meadows وماءُand the water of ذَاكَthat one يُروّضُmakes meadows flourish
يشْوي الرِّياضَ وماءُ ذَاكَ يُروّضُ
I sent a sigh and tears after them: the fire of the former
Who can protect my eyes from the glare of that lightning, / Striking like a sand-viper flicking its deadly tongue?
scorches the meadows; the latter's water makes them bloom.
Restless in its flashing, it never closes its own eye at night, / And forbids my weary eyelids from closing too.
مَنْwho نَاشِدٌwill seek ليfor me بالعَقِيقِat al-ʿAqīq حُشَاشةًa remnant of life
مَنْ نَاشِدٌ لي بالعَقِيقِ حُشَاشةً
طَاحَتْfell ورَاءَbehind الرَّكبِthe caravan سَاعةَat the moment قَوَّضُواthey struck camp
طَاحَتْ ورَاءَ الرَّكبِ سَاعةَ قَوَّضُوا
Who will seek for me at al-ʿAqīq a remnant of life
Over the sweet waters of the sanctuary, night spread out robes for it / That turned to gold one moment, and silver the next.
that fell behind the caravan the moment they struck camp?
It brought the dark to life with its pulse, but annihilated me; / Its light did not fade until my every vein lay still.
لمْdid not تَلْوِturn راجِعَةًback ولَمْand did not تلْحَقْcatch up بِهِمْwith them
لمْ تَلْوِ راجِعَةً ولَمْ تلْحَقْ بِهِمْ
حتَّىuntil وَهَتْit weakened ممّاfrom its تُطيحُfalling وتنهَضُand rising
حتَّى وَهَتْ ممّا تُطيحُ وتنهَضُ
It did not turn back, nor did it catch up with them,
At the bend of al-Jar'a dwells a tribe who stirred within my heart / The departing caravan, even as they settled down to stay.
until it weakened from falling and rising.
I called out, while the face of my longing turned toward them, / And the face of patience turned its back on me.
أَتُرَىdo you suppose رُمَاتُهُمُtheir archers درَواknew مَنْwhom أوغَلُواthey pierced deeply
أَتُرَى رُمَاتُهُمُ درَوا مَنْ أوغَلُوا
فيinto قَلبِهِhis heart تلْكَthose السِّهَامَarrows وخَضْخضُواand stirred them about
في قَلبِهِ تلْكَ السِّهَامَ وخَضْخضُوا
Do you think their archers knew whom they pierced so deeply
"Return my heart that I may live, or let my whole self join it, / For a living soul cannot survive when torn in two."
in the heart with those arrows, stirring them about?
They withheld the precious prize, and gave me sorrow in exchange— / Woe unto the bitter substitute they offered!
ياah قَدْindeed رَضِيتُI am content بِمَاwith what أَرَاقُواthey spilled مِنْof دَمِيmy blood
يا قَدْ رَضِيتُ بِمَا أَرَاقُوا مِنْ دَمِي
عَمْداًdeliberately علَىdespite سُخْطِthe anger of القَبيلِthe tribe فهَلْso, have رَضُواthey been satisfied
عَمْداً علَى سُخْطِ القَبيلِ فهَلْ رَضُوا
Ah, I am content with the blood of mine they spilled
They did not dwell in the shelter of al-Aqiq, but rather / They scattered through the chambers of my soul and settled there.
deliberately, despite the tribe's anger—are they content?
O companion, is there a giver who grants endurance? / Is there a lender who will lend me solace for my loss?
فَهَنَاهُمُso may it delight them صَفْوُthe purity of الزُّلالِclear, fresh water وإنْand though هُمُthey
فَهَنَاهُمُ صَفْوُ الزُّلالِ وإنْ هُمُ
بالرِّيقِon saliva يَومَon the day of وَداعِهِمْtheir farewell ليto me أجْرَضُواthey caused choking
بالرِّيقِ يَومَ وَداعِهِمْ لي أجْرَضُوا
May pure, limpid water delight them, although they
By my father's life, comfort is rare; my grip has slipped, / And the hilt of the sword of patience remains not in my hand.
made me choke on my saliva the day they bade me farewell.
I have exhausted my stores of forgetfulness, and what hope remains / For the traveler when his provisions are gone and he is destitute?
باتُواthey spent the night أَصِحَّاءَhealthy القُلُوبِof heart وعندنَاwhile with us
باتُوا أَصِحَّاءَ القُلُوبِ وعندنَا
منهُمْfrom them علَىdespite النأْيthe distance المُعلُّwhat afflicts المُمْرِضُwhat sickens
منهُمْ علَى النأْي المُعلُّ المُمْرِضُ
They passed the night with sound hearts, while with us remains
from them, despite the distance, what afflicts and sickens.
ياO صَاحِfriend أنْتَyou المسْتَشَارُthe one consulted لِمَاabout what عَرَاbefell
يا صَاحِ أنْتَ المسْتَشَارُ لِمَا عَرَا
منfrom حَادِثِthe misfortune of الأيَّامِthe days والمُسْتنهضُand the one called upon for aid
من حَادِثِ الأيَّامِ والمُسْتنهضُ
Friend, you are the one I consult about what has befallen me
through the mishaps of time, and the one I call upon for aid.
أشْكُوI complain إليكَto you صَبَاًin passionate longing يُعِينُhelps علىagainst دَمِيmy blood
أشْكُو إليكَ صَبَاً يُعِينُ على دَمِي
بَرْقاًlightning تَأَلَّقَgleamed بعدَafter وَهْنٍa stretch of night يُومِضُflashes
بَرْقاً تَأَلَّقَ بعدَ وَهْنٍ يُومِضُ
In longing I complain to you of what helps shed my blood:
lightning that gleamed after a watch of night and keeps flashing.
فَمَنِso who المُذِمُّgrants protection علَىto المحَاجِرthe eye-sockets منfrom سَنَاthe radiance of
فَمَنِ المُذِمُّ علَى المحَاجِر من سَنَا
بَرْقٍlightning كصِلِّlike a viper of الرَّملِthe sand حينَwhen يُنْضنِضُit flicks its tongue
بَرْقٍ كصِلِّ الرَّملِ حينَ يُنْضنِضُ
Who, then, will protect the eye-sockets from the radiance
of lightning like a sand-viper flicking its tongue?
قَلِقُrestless in الوميضِflashing فَلَيسَso it does not يغمُضُclose طرفَهُits eye
قَلِقُ الوميضِ فَلَيسَ يغمُضُ طرفَهُ
لَيلاًat night ولاand does not يَدَعُlet المَحَاجِرَthe eye-sockets تَغمُضُclose
لَيلاً ولا يَدَعُ المَحَاجِرَ تَغمُضُ
Restless in its flashing, it never shuts its eye
at night, nor lets the eyes close.
نُشِرَتْwere spread لَهُfor it لَيلاًat night علىover عَذْبِthe sweet ground of الحِمَىthe protected pasture
نُشِرَتْ لَهُ لَيلاً على عَذْبِ الحِمَى
حُلَلٌrobes تُذهَّبُare gilded تارةًat one time وتُفضَّضُand are silvered
حُلَلٌ تُذهَّبُ تارةً وتُفضَّضُ
At night, over the sweet pastureland, there were spread for it
robes gilded at one moment and silvered at another.
أحْيَاbrought to life الدُّجَىthe darkness نَبْضاًwith pulses وأَفْنَانِيand consumed me فَمَاso never
أحْيَا الدُّجَى نَبْضاً وأَفْنَانِي فَمَا
أجْلَىdeparted سَنَاهُits radiance وفيَّwhile in me عِرْقٌa vein ينبِضُpulses
أجْلَى سَنَاهُ وفيَّ عِرْقٌ ينبِضُ
It brought the darkness to life with pulses and consumed me; never
did its radiance depart while a vein in me still pulsed.
وبمُنْحَنَىand at the bend of الجرْعَاءَal-Jarʿāʾ حَيٌّa clan ثَوَّرُواthey roused
وبمُنْحَنَى الجرْعَاءَ حَيٌّ ثَوَّرُوا
بالقَلْبِin the heart سَائِرةَthe traveling الظُّعُونِcamel-litters وأَرْبَضُواand made them settle
بالقَلْبِ سَائِرةَ الظُّعُونِ وأَرْبَضُوا
And at al-Jarʿāʾ's bend is a clan who roused
the traveling camel-litters in my heart and made them settle.
ولَقَدْand indeed دعَوتُI called out ووجْهُwhile the face of شَوقيmy longing مُقْبِلٌadvanced
ولَقَدْ دعَوتُ ووجْهُ شَوقي مُقْبِلٌ
بِهِمُwith them ووجهُand the face of الصَّبْرِpatience عنِّيfrom me مُعْرِضُturned away
بِهِمُ ووجهُ الصَّبْرِ عنِّي مُعْرِضُ
Indeed I cried out, while the face of my longing advanced
with them, and the face of patience turned away from me:
رُدُّوهُbring it back أَحْيَI shall live بِرَدِّهِby its return أوor فالحَقُواthen join
رُدُّوهُ أَحْيَ بِرَدِّهِ أو فالحَقُوا
كُلِّيall of me بِهِto it فالحَيُّfor the living being لاdoes not يتَبعَّضُbecome divided
كُلِّي بِهِ فالحَيُّ لا يتَبعَّضُ
Bring it back: I shall live by its return; or else join
all of me to it, for a living being cannot be divided.
نَفُسُواthey begrudged بِردِّهِمُtheir giving back النَّفيسِthe precious thing وعَوَّضُواand substituted
نَفُسُوا بِردِّهِمُ النَّفيسِ وعَوَّضُوا
عَنْهُfor it الأسَىsorrow بُعْداًperdition لِمَاto what قَدindeed عَوَّضُواthey gave in exchange
عَنْهُ الأسَى بُعْداً لِمَا قَد عَوَّضُوا
They begrudged returning the precious thing and substituted
sorrow for it—away with what they gave in exchange!
لَمْdid not يألَفُواthey make their home in كَنَفَthe environs of العَقِيقِal-ʿAqīq وإِنَّمَاbut rather
لَمْ يألَفُوا كَنَفَ العَقِيقِ وإِنَّمَا
شَتُّواthey wintered بأَرْبَاعِin the quarters of الضَّمِيرِthe inner heart وقَيَّضُواand summered
شَتُّوا بأَرْبَاعِ الضَّمِيرِ وقَيَّضُوا
They did not make al-ʿAqīq's environs their home; rather,
they wintered in the quarters of my soul and summered there.
ياO صَاحِfriend هَلْis there يَهَبُbestows التَّجلَّدَfortitude وَاهِبٌa giver
يا صَاحِ هَلْ يَهَبُ التَّجلَّدَ وَاهِبٌ
أوor تُقرِضُlends السُّلْوانَforgetfulness عنهُof it مُقْرِضُa lender
أو تُقرِضُ السُّلْوانَ عنهُ مُقْرِضُ
Friend, is there a giver who can bestow fortitude,
or a lender who will lend forgetfulness of it?
وأبِيby my father لَقَدْindeed عَزَّbecame hard to find العَزَاءُconsolation وماand no بَقَىremains
وأبِي لَقَدْ عَزَّ العَزَاءُ وما بَقَى
بِيديَّin my two hands منof سَيفِthe sword of التجلُّدِfortitude مِقْبَضُa hilt
بِيديَّ من سَيفِ التجلُّدِ مِقْبَضُ
By my father, consolation is hard to find, and there remains no
hilt of the sword of fortitude in my hands.
أنْفَضْتُI ran out منof زَادِthe provisions of السُّلُوِّforgetfulness وماand how long عَسَىcan
أنْفَضْتُ من زَادِ السُّلُوِّ وما عَسَى
يبقَىlast عُقَيبَjust after نَفَادِthe exhaustion of زَادٍprovisions مُنْفِضُone whose provisions are spent
يبقَى عُقَيبَ نَفَادِ زَادٍ مُنْفِضُ
I have run out of the provisions of forgetting; how long can
one without provisions last once his store is exhausted?
Partial English translation: 30 of 60 Arabic lines translated.