أَهاجَكَhas it stirred you? مِنof أَسماءَAsma رَسمُthe traces of المَنازِلِthe dwellings
أَهاجَكَ مِن أَسماءَ رَسمُ المَنازِلِ
بِرَوضَةِat the meadow of نُعمِيٍّNu'miyy فَذاتِand at Dhat الأَجاوِلِal-Ajawil
بِرَوضَةِ نُعمِيٍّ فَذاتِ الأَجاوِلِ
Have the traces of Asma's dwellings stirred your longing,
The outlines of the dwellings aroused your longing
at Rawdat Nu'miyy and Dhat al-Ajawil?
In the gardens of Nu'mayy, the owner of wide spaces
أَرَبَّتlingered بِهاthere الأَرواحُthe winds حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّماas though
أَرَبَّت بِها الأَرواحُ حَتّى كَأَنَّما
تَهادَينَthey exchanged أَعلىthe upper layer of تُربِهاits soil بِالمَناخِلِthrough sieves
تَهادَينَ أَعلى تُربِها بِالمَناخِلِ
The winds lingered there until it seemed
The spirits were comforted by it, as though
they passed its topsoil to one another through sieves.
They were gently rocking at its summit among the palm trees
وَكُلُّand every مُلِثٍlingering rainstorm مُكفَهِرٍdark and scowling سَحابُهُits cloud-mass
وَكُلُّ مُلِثٍ مُكفَهِرٍ سَحابُهُ
كَميشِswift التَواليin its trailing clouds مُرثَعِنَّdrooping الأَسافِلِin its lower reaches
كَميشِ التَوالي مُرثَعِنَّ الأَسافِلِ
And every lingering storm, its cloud-mass dark,
And every pregnant cloud, its darkness intense
swift in its trailing clouds, its lower reaches drooping:
Is like a procession of camels, fully laden
إِذاwhen رَجَفَتshook فيهِwithin it رَحىًa millstone-like cloud mass مُرجَحِنَّةٌheavy and swaying
إِذا رَجَفَت فيهِ رَحىً مُرجَحِنَّةٌ
تَبَعَّقَburst forth ثَجّاجٌa gushing downpour غَزيرُabundant الحَوافِلِrain-filled udders
تَبَعَّقَ ثَجّاجٌ غَزيرُ الحَوافِلِ
when a ponderous millstone of cloud shook within it,
When the millstone rumbles within it, churning,
a copious, gushing torrent burst from its brimming udders.
It rains copiously, pouring down showers
عَهِدتُI once knew بِهاthere حَيّاًa clan كِراماًnoble فَبُدِّلَتthen it was given instead
عَهِدتُ بِها حَيّاً كِراماً فَبُدِّلَت
خَناطيلَscattered bands آجالِflocks of النِعامِostriches الجَوافِلِfleeing
خَناطيلَ آجالِ النِعامِ الجَوافِلِ
I knew a noble clan there; their place has been taken by
I knew them alive, generous, but they were changed
scattered flocks of fleeing ostriches.
To cranes, with long necks, wandering freely
تَرىyou see كُلَّeach ذَيّالٍlong-tailed male يُعارِضُruns alongside رَبرَباًa herd of antelope
تَرى كُلَّ ذَيّالٍ يُعارِضُ رَبرَباً
عَلىon كُلِّevery رَجّافٍquivering dune مِنَof الرَملِsand هائِلِloose and crumbling
عَلى كُلِّ رَجّافٍ مِنَ الرَملِ هائِلِ
You see each long-tailed male running beside a herd of antelope,
You see every long-necked one vying with another
on every quivering dune of loose sand.
On every towering sand dune
يُثِرنَthey stir up الحَصىthe pebbles حَتّىuntil يُباشِرنَthey touch directly بَردَهُits coolness
يُثِرنَ الحَصى حَتّى يُباشِرنَ بَردَهُ
إِذاwhen الشَمسُthe sun مَجَّتspits out ريقَهاits saliva بِالكَلاكِلِwith their breasts
إِذا الشَمسُ مَجَّت ريقَها بِالكَلاكِلِ
They stir up the pebbles until they touch their coolness,
They paw the pebbles until they feel its coolness
with their breasts, when the sun spits out its saliva.
When the sun beats down with intense heat
وَناجِيَةٍand a swift she-camel عَدَّيتُI drove onward فيalong مَتنِthe back of لاحِبٍa clear, beaten road
وَناجِيَةٍ عَدَّيتُ في مَتنِ لاحِبٍ
كَسَحلِlike the white cloth of اليَمانيthe Yemeni قاصِدٍleading straight لِلمَناهِلِto watering places
كَسَحلِ اليَماني قاصِدٍ لِلمَناهِلِ
And a swift she-camel I drove along the back of a beaten road,
And I rode a smooth-gaited she-camel, in a beloved's saddle
like a Yemeni's white cloth, leading straight to watering places.
Like a Yemeni mare, heading for the waterholes
لَهُit has خُلُجٌbranchways تَهويplunge away فُرادىsingly وَتَرعَويand turn back
لَهُ خُلُجٌ تَهوي فُرادى وَتَرعَوي
إِلىto كُلِّeach ذيhaving نيرَينِtwo tracks باديclearly showing الشَواكِلِits flanks
إِلى كُلِّ ذي نيرَينِ بادي الشَواكِلِ
It has branchways that plunge away singly, then turn back
It has resting places where it goes alone to drink
to each two-tracked road whose flanks lie clear.
To every freshwater spring in the horizon
وَإِنّيand indeed I عَدانيkept me away عَنfrom لِقائِكِmeeting you حادِثٌan event
وَإِنّي عَداني عَن لِقائِكِ حادِثٌ
وَهَمٌّand a worry أَتىcame مِنfrom دونِbefore هَمَّكِmy concern for you شاغِلُabsorbing
وَهَمٌّ أَتى مِن دونِ هَمَّكِ شاغِلُ
And indeed an event has kept me from meeting you,
And I was distracted from meeting you by an event
and an absorbing worry has displaced my thoughts of you.
And a care that came, besides your cares, distracting me
نَصَحتُI counseled بَنيthe sons of عَوفٍAwf فَلَمbut did not يَتَقَبَّلواthey accept
نَصَحتُ بَني عَوفٍ فَلَم يَتَقَبَّلوا
وَصاتيmy advice وَلَمand did not تَنجَحsucceed لَدَيهِمwith them وَسائِليmy pleas
وَصاتي وَلَم تَنجَح لَدَيهِم وَسائِلي
I counseled the sons of Awf, but they would not accept
I advised the Bani ‘Awf, but they did not accept
my advice, nor did my pleas succeed with them.
My advice, and my means were not successful with them
فَقُلتُso I said لَهُمto them لاlet me not أَعرِفَنَّever see عَقائِلاًnoble women
فَقُلتُ لَهُم لا أَعرِفَنَّ عَقائِلاً
رَعابيبَtender young beauties مِنfrom جَنبَيboth sides of أَريكٍArik وَعاقِلِand Aqil
رَعابيبَ مِن جَنبَي أَريكٍ وَعاقِلِ
So I told them: Let me never see noble women,
So I said to them, “I will not recognize
tender beauties from both sides of Arik and Aqil,
Maidens by my couch, or a wise old man
ضَوارِبَstriking themselves بِالأَيديwith their hands وَراءَbehind بَراغِزٍfawn-like children
ضَوارِبَ بِالأَيدي وَراءَ بَراغِزٍ
حِسانٍbeautiful كَآرامِlike white antelopes of الصَريمِthe sand tract الخَواذِلِapart from the herd
حِسانٍ كَآرامِ الصَريمِ الخَواذِلِ
beating themselves with their hands behind fawn-like children,
Rushing with hands behind bright curtains
fair as white antelopes of the sand tract, apart from their herd,
Beautiful visions like the sand grouse in pairs
خِلالَamong المَطاياthe riding-camels يَتَّصِلنَthey call to their kin وَقَدand already أَتَتhave come
خِلالَ المَطايا يَتَّصِلنَ وَقَد أَتَت
قِنانُthe peaks of أَبيرٍAbir دونَهاbefore them وَالكَوائِلِand al-Kawa'il
قِنانُ أَبيرٍ دونَها وَالكَوائِلِ
among the riding-camels, calling to their kin, while
Through the range of view, they are linked, and there came
the peaks of Abir and al-Kawa'il now stand before them.
Waterskins of leather, below them and the skins
وَخَلّواand make way لَهُfor him بَينَbetween الجِنابِal-Jinab وَعالِجٍand Alij
وَخَلّوا لَهُ بَينَ الجِنابِ وَعالِجٍ
فِراقَparting from الخَليطِthe companion ذيhaving الأَذاةِharmfulness المُزايِلِwho departs
فِراقَ الخَليطِ ذي الأَذاةِ المُزايِلِ
And make way for him between al-Jinab and Alij,
And they left it between association and a comrade
parting as from a harmful companion who goes away.
Parting from the mixed company, vexatious, blighting
وَلاand not أَعرِفَنّيever find myself بَعدَماafter قَدalready نَهَيتُكُمI warned you
وَلا أَعرِفَنّي بَعدَما قَد نَهَيتُكُم
أُجادِلُI argue يَوماًone day فيover شَوِيٍّsheep وَجامِلِand a camel-herd
أُجادِلُ يَوماً في شَوِيٍّ وَجامِلِ
And let me not find myself, after I have warned you,
And I do not recognize, after I prohibited you
one day arguing over sheep and herds of camels,
That I contend one day over roasted meat and a gambler
وَبيضٍand fair-skinned women غَريراتٍinnocent تَفيضُoverflow دُموعُهاtheir tears
وَبيضٍ غَريراتٍ تَفيضُ دُموعُها
بِمُستَكرَهٍin a hateful plight يُذرينَهُthey flick it away بِالأَنامِلِwith their fingertips
بِمُستَكرَهٍ يُذرينَهُ بِالأَنامِلِ
and fair-skinned, innocent women whose tears overflow,
And white sheep with teary eyes
in a hateful plight, flicking them away with their fingertips.
Driven away with a crook in flocks”
وَقَدand indeed خِفتُI feared حَتّىuntil ماnot تَزيدُexceeds مَخافَتيmy fear
وَقَد خِفتُ حَتّى ما تَزيدُ مَخافَتي
عَلىthan وَعِلٍan ibex فيin ذيDhu المَطارَةِal-Matarah عاقِلِtaking refuge
عَلى وَعِلٍ في ذي المَطارَةِ عاقِلِ
And I have feared until my dread is no greater
And I feared so much that my fear
than an ibex's, taking refuge in Dhu al-Matarah—
Would not increase over a sharp-witted foal
مَخافَةَfor fear of عَمروٍAmr أَنlest تَكونَshould be جِيادُهُhis noble steeds
مَخافَةَ عَمروٍ أَن تَكونَ جِيادُهُ
يُقَدنَare led إِلَيناtoward us بَينَbetween حافٍunshod وَناعِلِand shod
يُقَدنَ إِلَينا بَينَ حافٍ وَناعِلِ
in fear of Amr, lest his noble steeds be
The fear that ‘Amr’s horses may be
led against us, some unshod and some shod.
Led out to us between valiant and swift
إِذاwhen اِستَعجَلوهاthey hurry them عَنbeyond سَجِيَّةِthe natural manner of مَشيهاtheir gait
إِذا اِستَعجَلوها عَن سَجِيَّةِ مَشيها
تَتَلَّعُthey stretch upward فيin أَعناقِهاtheir necks بِالجَحافِلِwith their thick lips
تَتَلَّعُ في أَعناقِها بِالجَحافِلِ
When they hurry them beyond their natural gait,
If they were rushed from the pace of their walking
they stretch their necks upward, thrusting out their lips.
They jerk their necks, stampeding in throngs
شَوازِبَgaunt كَالأَجلامِlike bare arrow-shafts قَدalready آلَhas become رِمُّهاtheir fat
شَوازِبَ كَالأَجلامِ قَد آلَ رِمُّها
سَماحيقَthin films صُفراًyellow فيon تَليلٍthe neck وَفائِلِand the haunch
سَماحيقَ صُفراً في تَليلٍ وَفائِلِ
Gaunt as bare arrow-shafts, their fat has become
Geldings whose manes have turned
thin yellow films on neck and haunch.
To yellow from long journeys and partings
وَيَقذِفنَand they cast out بِالأَولادِthe foals فيat كُلِّevery مَنزِلٍhalting-place
وَيَقذِفنَ بِالأَولادِ في كُلِّ مَنزِلٍ
تَشَحَّطُwrithe فيin أَسلائِهاtheir birth-membranes كَالوَصائِلِlike striped cloths
تَشَحَّطُ في أَسلائِها كَالوَصائِلِ
And they cast out their foals at every halt,
And they hurl the boys in every stop
writhing in their birth-membranes like striped cloths.
Tumbling in theirequipment like floodwaters
تَرىyou see عافِياتِfood-seeking الطَيرِbirds قَدalready وَثِقَتare confident لَهاbecause of them
تَرى عافِياتِ الطَيرِ قَد وَثِقَت لَها
بِشَبعٍof a full meal مِنَof السَخلِthe newborn foals العِتاقِpurebred الأَكائِلِto be eaten
بِشَبعٍ مِنَ السَخلِ العِتاقِ الأَكائِلِ
You see the foraging birds now sure of finding through them
You see wild birds have grown accustomed to them
their fill of purebred foals to feed upon.
Well-fed on millet and scattered grain
يَرىwears away وَقَعُthe striking of الصَوّانِflint حَدَّthe edge of نُسورِهاtheir hoof-frogs
يَرى وَقَعُ الصَوّانِ حَدَّ نُسورِها
فَهُنَّso they لِطافٌare slender كَالصِعادِlike spear-shafts الذَوابِلِdried
فَهُنَّ لِطافٌ كَالصِعادِ الذَوابِلِ
The impact of flint wears away their hoof-frogs' edges,
It sees the hooves land so they are gentle
so they are slender as dried spear-shafts,
Like feathers floating softly downwards
مُقَرَّنَةًtethered together بِالعيسِwith pale camels وَالأُدمِand tawny camels كَالقَناlike spears
مُقَرَّنَةً بِالعيسِ وَالأُدمِ كَالقَنا
عَلَيهاupon them الخُبورُlarge waterskins مُحقَباتُrear-loaded with المَراجِلِcauldrons
عَلَيها الخُبورُ مُحقَباتُ المَراجِلِ
paired with pale and tawny camels, like spears,
Coupled with the stallion and sorrel like the anklets
with waterskins upon them and cauldrons strapped behind,
On which are fastened the rounded bells
وَكُلُّand every صَموتٍsilent نَثلَةٍample mail-coat تُبَّعِيَّةٍof Tubba'
وَكُلُّ صَموتٍ نَثلَةٍ تُبَّعِيَّةٍ
وَنَسجُand the weaving of سُلَيمٍSulaym كُلَّevery قَضّاءَrough-linked mail-coat ذائِلِlong and trailing
وَنَسجُ سُلَيمٍ كُلَّ قَضّاءَ ذائِلِ
and every silent, ample coat of Tubba' mail,
And every silent, following, dependent weakling
and Sulaym's weave, each rough-linked, trailing coat.
And Sulaym’s progeny, all are protectors
عُلينَthey were coated بِكِديَونٍwith oil dregs وَأُبطِنَّand were lined كَرَّةًcoarse woollen cloth
عُلينَ بِكِديَونٍ وَأُبطِنَّ كَرَّةً
فَهُنَّso they وِضاءٌare bright صافِياتُclean in القَلائِلِtheir linings
فَهُنَّ وِضاءٌ صافِياتُ القَلائِلِ
Coated with oil-dregs and lined with woollen cloth,
They carried trappings and were girded with halters
they are bright, with spotless linings.
So they are resplendent, pure white
عَتادُthe equipment of اِمرُؤٍa man لاnot يَنقُضُundoes البُعدُdistance هَمَّهُhis resolve
عَتادُ اِمرُؤٍ لا يَنقُضُ البُعدُ هَمَّهُ
طَلوبُa relentless pursuer of الأَعاديenemies واضِحٌillustrious غَيرُnot خامِلِobscure
طَلوبُ الأَعادي واضِحٌ غَيرُ خامِلِ
The gear of a man whose resolve no distance can undo,
The resolve of a man which distance does not destroy
a relentless pursuer of foes, illustrious, never obscure.
Seeking the enemies, evident, not fading
تَحينُcome due بِكَفَّيهِat his two hands المَناياdeaths وَتارَةًand at other times
تَحينُ بِكَفَّيهِ المَنايا وَتارَةً
تَسُحّانِthey both pour سَحّاًin torrents مِنof عَطاءٍgifts وَنائِلِand bounty
تَسُحّانِ سَحّاً مِن عَطاءٍ وَنائِلِ
Death comes at his two hands; at other times
At times he holds back death with his palms
they pour forth torrents of gifts and bounty.
At times smoothly, from a gift and attainment
إِذاwhen حَلَّhe settles بِالأَرضِin the land البَريَّةِopen and wild أَصبَحَتit becomes
إِذا حَلَّ بِالأَرضِ البَريَّةِ أَصبَحَت
كَئيبَةَgloomy وَجهٍof face غِبُّهاits aftermath غَيرُnot طائِلِprofitable
كَئيبَةَ وَجهٍ غِبُّها غَيرُ طائِلِ
When he settles in the open country, it becomes
When he encamps on barren land, it becomes
sad-faced, its aftermath yielding no good.
Gloomy like a face whose end is fruitless
يَؤُمَhe advances بِرِبعِيٍّwith a springtime army كَأَنَّas though زُهائَهُits multitude
يَؤُمَ بِرِبعِيٍّ كَأَنَّ زُهائَهُ
إِذاwhen هَبَطَit descends into الصَحراءَthe desert حَرَّةُthe lava-field of راجِلِRajil
إِذا هَبَطَ الصَحراءَ حَرَّةُ راجِلِ
He advances with a springtime army, as though its multitude,
He comes with a troop as though its beauty
when it descends into the desert, were Rajil's lava-field.
When it descends the flat land is a hot ember