عاذِلَO reproacher قَدْalready أُطِعْتُI have been obeyed بِالتَرْقِيشِthrough embroidered talk
عاذِلَ قَدْ أُطِعْتُ بِالتَرْقِيشِ
إِلَيَّto me سِرّاًsecretly فَاطْرُقِيso come by night وَمِيشِيand mix your tales
إِلَيَّ سِرّاً فَاطْرُقِي وَمِيشِي
O reproacher, embroidered talk has won me obedience.
Come to me secretly by night, and mix your tales.
فَالخُسْرُfor ruin قَوْلُspeaking الكَذِبِlies المَنْجُوشِfabricated
فَالخُسْرُ قَوْلُ الكَذِبِ المَنْجُوشِ
إِنَّكِindeed you إِلَّاunless تَقْصِدِيyou aim straight تَطِيشِيyou go astray
إِنَّكِ إِلَّا تَقْصِدِي تَطِيشِي
For ruin lies in speaking fabricated lies.
Unless you keep a straight course, you will go astray.
فَقَدfor already أَشَطْتِyou have scorched اللَحْمَthe meat بِالنَشِيشِwith sizzling
فَقَد أَشَطْتِ اللَحْمَ بِالنَشِيشِ
أَصْبَحْتِyou have become مِنْfrom حِرْصٍeagerness عَلَىfor التَأْرِيشِstirring up strife
أَصْبَحْتِ مِنْ حِرْصٍ عَلَى التَأْرِيشِ
You have already scorched the meat with sizzling.
Your eagerness to stir up strife has made you
غَضْبَىangry كَأَفْعَىlike the viper الرِمْثَةِof the saltbush الحَرِيشِrough-scaled
غَضْبَى كَأَفْعَى الرِمْثَةِ الحَرِيشِ
فَقُلْso say لِذاكَto that المُزْعجِharried one المَحْنُوشِhunted
فَقُلْ لِذاكَ المُزْعجِ المَحْنُوشِ
angry as the rough-scaled viper of the saltbush.
Tell that harried, hunted man:
أَصْبِحْcome to your senses فَمَاfor there is not مِنْany بَشَرٍskin مَأْرُوشِwounded
أَصْبِحْ فَمَا مِنْ بَشَرٍ مَأْرُوشِ
وَازْجُرْand rebuke بَنِيthe sons النَجَاخَةِof loud boasting الفَشُوشِempty
وَازْجُرْ بَنِي النَجَاخَةِ الفَشُوشِ
Come to your senses: no man's skin has been wounded.
And rebuke the sons of loud, empty boasting,
مِنْfrom مُسْمَهِرٍّa steadfast man لَيْسَnot بِالفَيُوشِa hollow braggart
مِنْ مُسْمَهِرٍّ لَيْسَ بِالفَيُوشِ
إِنِّيindeed I إِذَاwhen حَمَّشَنِيgoads me تَحْمِيشِيmy own rousing
إِنِّي إِذَا حَمَّشَنِي تَحْمِيشِي
as one steadfast, no hollow braggart.
Indeed, when my own rousing stirs me,
يَوْماًone day وَجِدُّand the gravity الأَمْرِof the affair ذُوpossesses تَكْمِيشِurgency
يَوْماً وَجِدُّ الأَمْرِ ذُو تَكْمِيشِ
هَدَرْتُI bellow هَدْراًa bellowing لَيْسَnot بِالكَشِيشِa mere hiss
هَدَرْتُ هَدْراً لَيْسَ بِالكَشِيشِ
one day, and grave affairs demand swift action,
I bellow with a bellow that is no mere hiss,
وَفَاتَand escaped رَأْسِيmy head بَهْشَةُthe grasp البُهُوشِof the graspers
وَفَاتَ رَأْسِي بَهْشَةُ البُهُوشِ
يَاO عَجَباًwonder وَالدَهْرُand time ذُوpossesses تَخْوِيشِwasting ravages
يَا عَجَباً وَالدَهْرُ ذُو تَخْوِيشِ
and my head escapes the grasp of grasping hands.
How strange! Time, with its wasting ravages,
لاnot يُتَّقَىis warded off بِالدَرَقِwith shields المَجْرُوشِscraped smooth
لا يُتَّقَى بِالدَرَقِ المَجْرُوشِ
مُرُّbitter الزُوَانِdarnel مِطْحَنُa mill الجَشِيشِfor coarse-crushed grain
مُرُّ الزُوَانِ مِطْحَنُ الجَشِيشِ
cannot be warded off by scraped-hide shields:
bitter with darnel, a mill for coarse-crushed grain.
كَمْhow many ساقَhas driven مِنْfrom دارِthe home امْرِىءٍof a man جَحِيشِsolitary
كَمْ ساقَ مِنْ دارِ امْرِىءٍ جَحِيشِ
إِلَيْكَto you نَأْشُthe grasp القَدَرِof fate النَؤُوشِgrasping
إِلَيْكَ نَأْشُ القَدَرِ النَؤُوشِ
How many a solitary man has been driven from home
to you by the grasp of grasping fate,
وَطُولُand the length مَحْشِof scorching السَنَةِof the famine-year المَحُوشِsearing
وَطُولُ مَحْشِ السَنَةِ المَحُوشِ
جَدْبَاءُbarren فَكَّتْit loosened أُسَرَthe bindings القُعُوشِof the huts
جَدْبَاءُ فَكَّتْ أُسَرَ القُعُوشِ
and the long scorching of the searing famine-year!
Barren, it loosened the bindings of the huts;
جَرَّتْit dragged رَحَانَاour millstone مِنْfrom بِلادِthe lands الحُوشِof wild beasts
جَرَّتْ رَحَانَا مِنْ بِلادِ الحُوشِ
وَغَيْرُنَاand others besides us مِنْfrom غائِرٍa lowlander وَبِيشِيand a man of Bishah
وَغَيْرُنَا مِنْ غائِرٍ وَبِيشِي
it dragged our millstone from the lands of wild beasts,
and others too—lowlanders and men of Bishah.
جَاؤُواthey came فِرارَfleeing like الهارِبِthe fugitive الجَهُوشِpanic-stricken
جَاؤُوا فِرارَ الهارِبِ الجَهُوشِ
شَلّاًdriven away كَشَلِّlike the driving الطَرَدِof hunted game المَكْدُوشِhard-pressed
شَلّاً كَشَلِّ الطَرَدِ المَكْدُوشِ
They came fleeing like a panic-stricken fugitive,
driven hard, like hard-pressed quarry.
وَمَاand not نَجَاescaped مِنْfrom حَشْرِهَاits mustering المَحْشَوشِdriven hard
وَمَا نَجَا مِنْ حَشْرِهَا المَحْشَوشِ
وَحْشٌa wild beast وَلاnor طَمْشٌa human band مِنَamong الطُمُوشِhuman throngs
وَحْشٌ وَلا طَمْشٌ مِنَ الطُمُوشِ
Nothing escaped its relentless mustering—
no wild beast, nor any human throng—
وَحَطْمِهاand its crushing بِالْحَطْمِwith smashing وَالتَخْوِيشِand wearing away
وَحَطْمِها بِالْحَطْمِ وَالتَخْوِيشِ
حَصّاًshearing bare تُبَقِّيit leaves المالَwealth بِالتَحْوِيشِby rounding up
حَصّاً تُبَقِّي المالَ بِالتَحْوِيشِ
or its crushing, with smashing and wearing away,
leaving wealth shorn bare by its sweeping-up,
دَقّاًpounding كَدَقِّlike the pounding الوَضَمِof the butcher's board المَرْفَوشِbattered
دَقّاً كَدَقِّ الوَضَمِ المَرْفَوشِ
أَوْor كَاحْتِلاقِlike the shaving النُورَةِof depilatory lime الجَمُوشِhair-stripping
أَوْ كَاحْتِلاقِ النُورَةِ الجَمُوشِ
pounding like a battered butcher's board,
or shaving like hair-stripping lime.
أَقْحَمَنِيthrust me in جَارُthe neighbor أَبِيof Abu الخَامُوشِal-Khamush
أَقْحَمَنِي جَارُ أَبِي الخَامُوشِ
كَالنَسْرِlike a vulture فِيin جَيْشٍa host مِنَamong الجُيُوشِthe hosts
كَالنَسْرِ فِي جَيْشٍ مِنَ الجُيُوشِ
The neighbor of Abu al-Khamush thrust me in,
like a vulture in one of the hosts.
جاؤُواthey came بِأُخْراهُمْwith their last ones عَلَىupon خُنْشُوشِa scant remnant
جاؤُوا بِأُخْراهُمْ عَلَى خُنْشُوشِ
مِنْfrom مُهْوَأَنٍّa broad hollow بِالدَنَاnearby (uncertain) مَدْبُوشِstripped bare
مِنْ مُهْوَأَنٍّ بِالدَنَا مَدْبُوشِ
They came, to the last of them, upon a scant remnant
from a broad hollow, stripped bare nearby.
قَدindeed كَانَcould have يُغْنِيهِمْsufficed them عَنِinstead of الشُغُوشِpaltry pickings (uncertain)
قَد كَانَ يُغْنِيهِمْ عَنِ الشُغُوشِ
وَالخَشْلِand worthless scraps مِنْfrom تَساقُطِthe scattering القُرُوشِof gathered earnings (uncertain)
وَالخَشْلِ مِنْ تَساقُطِ القُرُوشِ
They could have been spared the paltry pickings,
and worthless scraps from scattered earnings,
شَحْمٌfat وَمَحْضٌand pure milk لَيْسَnot بِالمَغْشُوشِadulterated
شَحْمٌ وَمَحْضٌ لَيْسَ بِالمَغْشُوشِ
أُلاكَthose people حَفَّشْتُI amassed لَهُمْfor them تَحْفِيشِيmy amassing
أُلاكَ حَفَّشْتُ لَهُمْ تَحْفِيشِي
by fat and pure, unadulterated milk.
For those people I gathered all I could:
فَرضِيmy stipend وَمَاand whatever جَمَّعْتُI gathered مِنْfrom خُرُوشِيmy scrapings
فَرضِي وَمَا جَمَّعْتُ مِنْ خُرُوشِي
فِيin وَخْطِthe briskness بَيْعٍof trade لَيْسَnot بِالتَغْبِيشِby shady dealing
فِي وَخْطِ بَيْعٍ لَيْسَ بِالتَغْبِيشِ
my stipend and what I scraped together from my earnings,
through brisk trading, with no shady dealing.
لَولَاwere it not for هُبَاشَاتٌsmall gains مِنَfrom التَهْبِيشِscraping together
لَولَا هُبَاشَاتٌ مِنَ التَهْبِيشِ
لِصِبْيَةٍfor children كَأَفْرُخِlike nestlings العُشُوشِof nests
لِصِبْيَةٍ كَأَفْرُخِ العُشُوشِ
But for small gains scraped together
for children like nestlings in their nests,
لَبَاتَwould have spent the night فَوْقَon الناعِجِthe white camel المَخْشُوشِnose-toggled
لَبَاتَ فَوْقَ الناعِجِ المَخْشُوشِ
سَيْفِيmy sword وَأَلْوَاحِيand my bony frame عَلَىupon المَنْقُوشِthe carved saddle
سَيْفِي وَأَلْوَاحِي عَلَى المَنْقُوشِ
there would have lain by night, on a white, nose-toggled camel,
my sword and my bony frame upon the carved saddle.
وَكُنْتُand I was مَاnot أُوبَنُaccused بِالتَخْفِيشِof skulking
وَكُنْتُ مَا أُوبَنُ بِالتَخْفِيشِ
حارِثُHarith ماnot سَجْلُكَyour great bucket بِالتَغْطِيشِa scant sprinkling
حارِثُ ما سَجْلُكَ بِالتَغْطِيشِ
And I was never accused of skulking.
Harith, your great bucket pours no scant sprinkling,
وَماand not جَدَاthe bounty غَيْثِكَof your rain بِالطُشُوشِmere drizzle
وَما جَدَا غَيْثِكَ بِالطُشُوشِ
وَلَيْسَand is not مِنْكَfrom you الجَزْلُthe abundant gift بِالتَقْمِيشِpaltry gleanings
وَلَيْسَ مِنْكَ الجَزْلُ بِالتَقْمِيشِ
nor is the bounty of your rain mere drizzle.
Your abundant gifts are no paltry gleanings.
كَمْhow many مِنْa خَلِيلٍfriend وَأَخٍand brother مَنْهُوشِravaged
كَمْ مِنْ خَلِيلٍ وَأَخٍ مَنْهُوشِ
مُنْتَعشٍrevived بِفَضْلِكُمْby your bounty مَنْعُوشِuplifted
مُنْتَعشٍ بِفَضْلِكُمْ مَنْعُوشِ
How many a friend and ravaged brother
has revived, uplifted by your bounty!
أَنْتَyou الجَوَادُthe generous one رِقَّةَthe tenderness الرُهْشُوشِof the open-handed man
أَنْتَ الجَوَادُ رِقَّةَ الرُهْشُوشِ
وَالمانِعُand the defender العِرْضَof honor مِنَfrom التَخْدِيشِscratching
وَالمانِعُ العِرْضَ مِنَ التَخْدِيشِ
You are generous, tender-hearted and open-handed,
shielding your honor from scratches,
تَكَرُّماًout of nobility وَالهَشُّand cheerful لِلْتَهْشِيشِat a friendly greeting
تَكَرُّماً وَالهَشُّ لِلْتَهْشِيشِ
طَلْقٌopen-faced إِذَاwhen اسْتكْرَشَhe knots his brow ذُوone given to التَكْريشِscowling
طَلْقٌ إِذَا اسْتكْرَشَ ذُو التَكْريشِ
out of nobility, and brightening at a friendly greeting;
open-faced when the scowler knots his brow,
أَبْلَجُbright-faced صَدَّافٌturning away عَنِfrom التَحْرِيشِinciting strife
أَبْلَجُ صَدَّافٌ عَنِ التَحْرِيشِ
وَارِيkindling readily الزِنادِthe fire-sticks مُسْفِرُradiant البَشِيشِin smiling
وَارِي الزِنادِ مُسْفِرُ البَشِيشِ
radiant, turning away from incitement,
with fire-sticks quick to kindle and a beaming smile.
أَشْكُوI complain إِلَيْكَto you شِدَّةَof the harshness المَعِيشِof living
أَشْكُو إِلَيْكَ شِدَّةَ المَعِيشِ
دَهْرَاan age تَنَقَّىthat picked clean المُخَّthe marrow بِالتَمْشِيشِby sucking the bones
دَهْرَا تَنَقَّى المُخَّ بِالتَمْشِيشِ
I complain to you of the harshness of living:
an age that sucked the bones and picked the marrow clean,
وَجَهْدand the hardship أَعْوامٍof years بَرَيْنَthat wore away رِيشِيmy feathers
وَجَهْد أَعْوامٍ بَرَيْنَ رِيشِي
نَتْفَthe plucking الحُبَارَىof the bustard عَنْfrom قَرىًa back رَهِيشِfrail
نَتْفَ الحُبَارَى عَنْ قَرىً رَهِيشِ
and the hardship of years that stripped my feathers,
like a bustard plucked along its frail back,
حَتَّىuntil تَرَكْنthey left أَعْظَمthe bones الجُؤُشُوشِof the chest
حَتَّى تَرَكْن أَعْظَم الجُؤُشُوشِ
حَدْباًbent عَلَىover أَحْدَبَa hunched back كَالعَرِيشِlike a trellis
حَدْباً عَلَى أَحْدَبَ كَالعَرِيشِ
until they left my breastbones
bent over a hunched back like a trellis,
غَثّاًgaunt ضَعِيفَweak حِيلَةِin capacity النَطِيشِfor movement
غَثّاً ضَعِيفَ حِيلَةِ النَطِيشِ
فِيin جِسْمِa body شَخْتِslender المِنْكَبَيْنِin both shoulders قُوشِsmall and frail
فِي جِسْمِ شَخْتِ المِنْكَبَيْنِ قُوشِ
gaunt, with little strength for movement,
in a small body, thin through both shoulders,
يَلْوِيهِtwisting it جَذْبthe tug الأَخْدَعِof the neck-vein المَعْنُوشِstretched taut
يَلْوِيهِ جَذْب الأَخْدَعِ المَعْنُوشِ
بَعْدَafter اعْتِمادِthe pressing down الجَرَزِof the mace البَطِيشِfiercely striking
بَعْدَ اعْتِمادِ الجَرَزِ البَطِيشِ
twisted by the tug of its stretched neck-vein,
after the onslaught of the battering mace.
وَهَزَّand it shook رَأْسِيmy head رَعْشَةَwith a tremor التَرْعِيشِof shuddering
وَهَزَّ رَأْسِي رَعْشَةَ التَرْعِيشِ
ضَبّاًa lizard كَضَبِّlike the lizard الكَلَدِof hard ground المَحْرُوشِteased from its burrow
ضَبّاً كَضَبِّ الكَلَدِ المَحْرُوشِ
And it shook my head with a quivering tremor:
a lizard, like the hard-ground lizard teased from its burrow.
وَتَرَكَتْand she abandoned صاحِبَتِيmy wife تَفْرِيشِيmaking my bed
وَتَرَكَتْ صاحِبَتِي تَفْرِيشِي
وَأَسْقَطَتْand she cast me out مِنْfrom الحِظْوَةِfavor الحَفُوشِabundant
وَأَسْقَطَتْ مِنْ الحِظْوَةِ الحَفُوشِ
My wife gave up making my bed
and cast me out of her abundant favor,
لَمَّاwhen رَأَتْنِيshe saw me نَزِقَrestless التَحْفِيشِin scurrying about
لَمَّا رَأَتْنِي نَزِقَ التَحْفِيشِ
ذَاafflicted with رَثَيَاتٍjoint-aches دَهِشَdazed التَدْهِيشِwith bewilderment
ذَا رَثَيَاتٍ دَهِشَ التَدْهِيشِ
when she saw me restless in my scurrying,
afflicted with joint-aches, dazed with bewilderment,
كَالبُوهِlike a male owl تَحْتَbeneath الظُلَّةِthe awning المَرْشُوشِsprinkled
كَالبُوهِ تَحْتَ الظُلَّةِ المَرْشُوشِ
فِيamid هِبْرِيَاتِwisps الكُرسُفِof cotton المَنفوسِteased out
فِي هِبْرِيَاتِ الكُرسُفِ المَنفوسِ
like a sprinkled male owl beneath the awning,
amid wisps of fluffed-out cotton,
بَعدَafter انتِياشِbeing swept away الرِحلَةِby the journey النَؤوشِfar-reaching
بَعدَ انتِياشِ الرِحلَةِ النَؤوشِ
يُؤنِسُنيkeeps me company جَأشٌa stout heart مِنَamong الجُؤوشِstout hearts
يُؤنِسُني جَأشٌ مِنَ الجُؤوشِ
after the far-reaching journey had swept me away.
A heart of true mettle keeps me company,
ماضِيresolute التَمَضِّيin pressing on مَرِسُexperienced التَفْتِيشِin searching
ماضِي التَمَضِّي مَرِسُ التَفْتِيشِ
اَغْدُوI go out at dawn لِهَبْشِto gather المَغْنَمِthe gains الهَبُوشِthere for the gathering
اَغْدُو لِهَبْشِ المَغْنَمِ الهَبُوشِ
resolute in pressing on, seasoned in searching.
At dawn I go to gather whatever gains can be gathered,
سِيداًa wolf كَسِيدِlike the wolf الرَدْهَةِof the rocky hollow المَبْغُوشِsprinkled with rain
سِيداً كَسِيدِ الرَدْهَةِ المَبْغُوشِ
a wolf, like the rain-sprinkled wolf of a rocky hollow.