وَبَلَدٍand a land عامِيَةobscure أَعْمَاؤُهُits blind reaches
وَبَلَدٍ عامِيَة أَعْمَاؤُهُ
كَأَنَّas though لَوْنthe color أَرْضِهِits earth سَمَاؤُهُits sky
كَأَنَّ لَوْن أَرْضِهِ سَمَاؤُهُ
And a land whose trackless reaches lie obscure,
A land obscured, with sky its hue
As though its sky were the color of its earth.
As if its ground were heaven's blue
أَيْهاتَfar away مِنْfrom جَوْزِthe heart of الفَلاةِthe wilderness مَاؤُهُits water
أَيْهاتَ مِنْ جَوْزِ الفَلاةِ مَاؤُهُ
يَحْسِرُwearies طَرْفَthe gaze عَيْنِهِhis eye فَضَاؤُهُits expanse
يَحْسِرُ طَرْفَ عَيْنِهِ فَضَاؤُهُ
Far from the heart of the waste lies its water.
Alas, its palms hold little dew
Its expanse wearies his eye's gaze,
Its glance laments with tearless rue
هابِيdust-hazed العَشِيِّthe evening دَيْسَقٍgleaming white ضَحَاؤهُits forenoon
هابِي العَشِيِّ دَيْسَقٍ ضَحَاؤهُ
إِذاwhen السَرابُthe mirage انْتَسَجَتْbecame interwoven إِضَاؤُهُits pools
إِذا السَرابُ انْتَسَجَتْ إِضَاؤُهُ
Dust-hazed at evening, its forenoon gleaming white,
Dusk’s redness pales at evening’s brew
When the mirage's pools weave themselves together,
When mirage melts, its glimmer through
أَوْor مُجْنَthey surged عَنْهُaway from it عُرِّيَتwere laid bare أَعْراؤُهُits open reaches
أَوْ مُجْنَ عَنْهُ عُرِّيَت أَعْراؤُهُ
وَاجْتَابَand it donned قَيْظاًsummer heat يَلْتَظِيblazes الْتِظاؤُهُits burning
وَاجْتَابَ قَيْظاً يَلْتَظِي الْتِظاؤُهُ
Or surge away from it, leaving its open reaches bare.
Or wraps its form in modest few
And it dons summer, whose burning flares,
Broiling in day’s relentless stew
ذَاhaving وَهَجٍfierce heat يُحْمِيheats الحَصَاthe pebbles إِحْمَاؤُهُits heating
ذَا وَهَجٍ يُحْمِي الحَصَا إِحْمَاؤُهُ
يَبْحَثُdigs مُكْتَنَّthe concealed part الثَرَىthe damp earth ظِبَاؤُهُits gazelles
يَبْحَثُ مُكْتَنَّ الثَرَى ظِبَاؤُهُ
With a fierce glow whose heat scorches the pebbles.
With blazing brand inflames the grass anew
Its gazelles dig for the concealed damp earth,
Seeking what secrets earth imbue
فِيin كَوْكَبٍfierce heat مُلْتَهِبٍblazing صِلاؤُهُits scorching glow
فِي كَوْكَبٍ مُلْتَهِبٍ صِلاؤُهُ
تَقْلِصُshrinks عَنْfrom مَكْنِسِهits thicket-lair أَفْيَاؤُهُits shadows
تَقْلِصُ عَنْ مَكْنِسِه أَفْيَاؤُهُ
Amid fierce heat whose scorching glow blazes.
Upon a flaming orb it flew
Its shadows shrink away from the gazelle's lair,
Shrinking from its besom ashen hue
فِيin الظِلِّthe shade حَيْثwhere أَصْطَفَقَتcrowded together أَفْناؤُهُits patches
فِي الظِلِّ حَيْث أَصْطَفَقَت أَفْناؤُهُ
مِنْfrom ظِلِّthe shade of أَرْطىًarta shrubs خَضِلٍmoist and lush آلاؤُهُits alā shrubs
مِنْ ظِلِّ أَرْطىً خَضِلٍ آلاؤُهُ
In the shade, where its patches crowd together,
In shade where its worn garb askew
From arta's shade, its alā shrubs moist and lush.
By a branched acacia it withdrew
إِذَاwhen جَرَىflows بَيْنَbetween الفَلَاthe wastes زُهَاؤُهُits shimmering mirage
إِذَا جَرَى بَيْنَ الفَلَا زُهَاؤُهُ
وَخَشَعَتْand sank low مِنْfrom بُعْدِهits remoteness أَصْواءُهُits cairns
وَخَشَعَتْ مِنْ بُعْدِه أَصْواءُهُ
When its shimmering mirage streams across the wastes,
When midst emptiness it flew
And distance makes its cairns sink low,
Hushed, beyond, its cries flew
وَضَبَحَتand cried hoarsely فِيin لَيْلِهits night أَصْداؤُهُits owls
وَضَبَحَت فِي لَيْلِه أَصْداؤُهُ
داعٍa caller دَعَاcalled لَمdid not أَدْرِI know ماwhat دُعَاؤُهُits call
داعٍ دَعَا لَم أَدْرِ ما دُعَاؤُهُ
And its owls cry hoarsely through its night.
And in its night did echoes spew
A caller called; I did not know what its call meant:
A caller called I know not what he sued
أَطَرَبٌis it joy? أَمْor وَجْدُanguish of حُزْنٍsorrow داؤُهُits ailment
أَطَرَبٌ أَمْ وَجْدُ حُزْنٍ داؤُهُ
فَقُلْتso I said أَذwhen أَرَّقَنِيkept me awake بُكاؤُهُits weeping
فَقُلْت أَذ أَرَّقَنِي بُكاؤُهُ
Was it joy, or sorrow's anguish, that ailed it?
Melancholy or rapture his endued
So I said, when its weeping kept me awake:
I said perhaps his tears me moved
أَنَوْحهwas it its lament? رَاعَكstartled you أَمْor غِناؤُهُits song
أَنَوْحه رَاعَك أَمْ غِناؤُهُ
والعِيسُand the pale camels فِيin مُعْصَوْصِبٍtightly clustered حِزّاؤُهُits rocky ridges
والعِيسُ فِي مُعْصَوْصِبٍ حِزّاؤُهُ
Was it its lament that startled you, or its song?
His moan or song my heart proved
And the pale camels are among its clustered rocky ridges,
The she-camel in her saddle strewed
يَطْلُبْنَthey seek خِمْساًa fifth-day watering صادِقاًunfailing نجاؤُهُits swift pace
يَطْلُبْنَ خِمْساً صادِقاً نجاؤُهُ
يَرْكَبْنَthey cross تَيْماءَa vast wilderness وَمَاand what تَيْماؤُهُits wilderness
يَرْكَبْنَ تَيْماءَ وَمَا تَيْماؤُهُ
Seeking their fifth-day watering with unfailing speed.
Five true-ones for salvation wooed
They cross a vast waste—and what a waste it is!
Riding Taima though none subdued
يهْماءَtrackless يَدْعُوcalls to جِنَّهَاits jinn يَهْماؤُهُits trackless waste
يهْماءَ يَدْعُو جِنَّهَا يَهْماؤُهُ
وَالسَيْرُand the march مُحْزَوْزٍclose-stepped بِنَاwith us احْزِيزَاؤُهُits gathered haste
وَالسَيْرُ مُحْزَوْزٍ بِنَا احْزِيزَاؤُهُ
Trackless, its wilderness calls to its jinn.
Yahma calling djinns in solitude
And the march bears us on with a close, hurried gait,
Plodding we jar and jostle rude
ناجٍswift وَقَدْand already زَوْزَىhurried in short steps بِنَاwith us زِيزَاؤُهُits short-stepped haste
ناجٍ وَقَدْ زَوْزَى بِنَا زِيزَاؤُهُ
يَغْشَىcrosses قَرَاa ridge-back عارِيَةbare أَعْرَاؤُهُits open stretches
يَغْشَى قَرَا عارِيَة أَعْرَاؤُهُ
Swift, its short-stepped haste has hurried us along,
Muttering as jolts we elude
Crossing a ridge-back whose open stretches lie bare.
Covering ruins bare and nude
تَحْبُوcreep إِلَىtoward أَصْلَابِهits rocky spines أَمْعاؤُهُits valley-guts
تَحْبُو إِلَى أَصْلَابِه أَمْعاؤُهُ
وَالرَمْلُand the sand فِيin مُعْتَلَجa tangled mass أَنْقَاؤُهُits dunes
وَالرَمْلُ فِي مُعْتَلَج أَنْقَاؤُهُ
Its valley-guts creep toward its rocky spines.
Yearning inwards its entrails protrude
And the sand's dunes crowd together in a tangled mass,
The sands in winding hills accrue
وَعْرrugged البُطُونِthe hollows وَعْثَةsoft and yielding أَكْفَاؤُهُits slopes
وَعْر البُطُونِ وَعْثَة أَكْفَاؤُهُ
يُذْرِىscatters إِذاwhen طارَتflew بِهwith it أَذْراؤُهُits crests
يُذْرِى إِذا طارَت بِه أَذْراؤُهُ
Rugged in its hollows, loose and yielding on its slopes.
Of bellies round, obese their brood
It scatters when its crests take flight.
Darting when its flints endued
لَيْسَis not امْرُؤٌa man يَمْضِيcarries onward بِهِwith him مَضَاؤُهُhis resolve
لَيْسَ امْرُؤٌ يَمْضِي بِهِ مَضَاؤُهُ
إِلّاexcept امْرُؤٌa man مِنْfrom فَتْكِهِhis ruthless daring دَهاؤُهُhis cunning
إِلّا امْرُؤٌ مِنْ فَتْكِهِ دَهاؤُهُ
No man is carried onward by his resolve,
No man proceeds when death imbued
Except one whose cunning springs from ruthless daring.
Except his slaughter certain and shrewd
فَقُلْتso I said إِذْwhen لمdid not أَدْرِI know ماwhat أَسْماؤُهُits names
فَقُلْت إِذْ لم أَدْرِ ما أَسْماؤُهُ
سَعْمُdriving hard المَهارَىthe Mahri camels وَالسُرَىand night travel دَواؤُهُits cure
سَعْمُ المَهارَى وَالسُرَى دَواؤُهُ
So I said, not knowing what its names were:
Not knowing his name I viewed
Driving the Mahri camels hard, and night travel, are its cure.
Sa'al's advice the astray renewed
يَرْمِىflings بِأَنْقاضwith worn-out mounts السُرَىnight travel أَرْجاؤُهُits reaches
يَرْمِى بِأَنْقاض السُرَى أَرْجاؤُهُ
هَيْهاتَfar away! فِيin مُنْخَرِقٍan open expanse هَيْهَاؤُهُits remoteness
هَيْهاتَ فِي مُنْخَرِقٍ هَيْهَاؤُهُ
Its reaches fling out mounts worn down by night travel.
Casting ruins, destruction he strewed
Far, far its distance stretches through an open waste,
Alas confused, wandering his feud
مُشْتَبِهٍindistinguishable مُتَيِّهٍleading astray تَيْهاؤُهُits wilderness
مُشْتَبِهٍ مُتَيِّهٍ تَيْهاؤُهُ
إِذاwhen ارْتَمَىstretched away لَمdid not أَدْرِI know ماwhat مِيداؤُهُits extent
إِذا ارْتَمَى لَم أَدْرِ ما مِيداؤُهُ
Indistinguishable, its wilderness leading one astray.
When he perished I knew not his cue
When it stretched away, I could not tell its extent,
Beyond his grasp or means to allude
ماwhat بُعْدُdistance ماwhat قايَسmeasured by comparison أَوْor حِذَاؤُهُits corresponding reach
ما بُعْدُ ما قايَس أَوْ حِذَاؤُهُ
هاتكْتُهُI tore through it حَتَّىuntil مَضَتpassed أَكْراؤُهُits passes
هاتكْتُهُ حَتَّى مَضَت أَكْراؤُهُ
How far its measured span extends, or its corresponding reach.
I drew him till his vigor stewed
I tore through it until its passes lay behind me,
His strangeness to me was true
وَانْحَسَرَتْand fell away عَنْfrom مَعْرِفِيmy knowledge نَكْراؤُهُits strangeness
وَانْحَسَرَتْ عَنْ مَعْرِفِي نَكْراؤُهُ
ولَمْand did not تَكَاءَدْoverburden رِحْلَتِيmy journey كَأْدَاؤُهُits hardships
ولَمْ تَكَاءَدْ رِحْلَتِي كَأْدَاؤُهُ
And its strangeness fell away before my knowledge.
My journey his pace ne'er subdued
Nor did its hardships overburden my journey—
Dusk or night to darkness grew
هَوْلٌterror وَلَاnor لَيْلٌa night دَجَتgrew dark أَدْجاؤُهُits glooms
هَوْلٌ وَلَا لَيْلٌ دَجَت أَدْجاؤُهُ
وَإِنْand even if تَغَشَّتْshrouded بَلَداa land أَغْشاؤُهُits coverings
وَإِنْ تَغَشَّتْ بَلَدا أَغْشاؤُهُ
Neither terror nor a night whose darkness grew thick,
Though shadows a land imbue
Even when its veils shrouded a land.
I tracked him till gloom withdrew
أَلْحَقْتُهُI pursued it حَتَّىuntil انْجَلَتْcleared ظَلْمَاؤُهُits darkness
أَلْحَقْتُهُ حَتَّى انْجَلَتْ ظَلْمَاؤُهُ
عَنِّيfrom me وَعَنْand from مُلْمُوسَةfelt by touch أَحْناؤُهُits curved flanks
عَنِّي وَعَنْ مُلْمُوسَة أَحْناؤُهُ
I pursued it until its darkness lifted
From me and his trace I pursued
From me and a mount whose curved flanks had been felt,
Yearning afar did seep and exude
وَناضِبٍand a lean camel يُنْضِيwears out الوَأَىthe wild ass إِنْضاؤُهُits exhausting pace
وَناضِبٍ يُنْضِي الوَأَى إِنْضاؤُهُ
إِذَاwhen انْتَحَىheaded onward فِيthrough البَلَدِthe land انْتِحَاؤُهُits course
إِذَا انْتَحَى فِي البَلَدِ انْتِحَاؤُهُ
And a lean camel whose wearying pace wears out the wild ass,
When he shunned the lands and withdrew
When its course strikes onward across the land,
To solitude till ardors cooled
لِلْهَجْرِthrough the midday heat حَتَّىuntil بَرَدَتْcooled غَرّاؤُهُits blazing sun
لِلْهَجْرِ حَتَّى بَرَدَتْ غَرّاؤُهُ
Through the midday heat, until its blazing sun cooled.
Partial English translation: 50 of 51 Arabic lines translated.