هَلis there? عِندَwith عَمرَةَAmrah مِنany بَتاتِtraveling provisions مُسافِرِa traveler
هَل عِندَ عَمرَةَ مِن بَتاتِ مُسافِرِ
ذيhaving حاجَةٍa need مُتَرَوَّحٍsetting out at evening اَوor باكِرِsetting out early
ذي حاجَةٍ مُتَرَوَّحٍ اَو باكِرِ
Has Amrah any provisions for a traveler,
Does Ummrah have any travelers,
A man in need, setting out at evening or at dawn?
In urgent need or getting ready at dawn,
سئِمَgrew weary of الإقامةstaying بَعدَafter طولِthe length of ثَوائِهِhis residence
سئِمَ الإقامة بَعدَ طولِ ثَوائِهِ
وَقَضىand fulfilled لُبانَتَهُhis desire فَلَيسَso he is not بِناظِرِwaiting
وَقَضى لُبانَتَهُ فَلَيسَ بِناظِرِ
He has tired of staying after his long sojourn,
Who got bored of staying after a long period,
And fulfilled his desire; he waits no longer
And finished their supplies, not waiting anymore
لِعِداتِfor promises ذيone possessing أَرَبٍa desire وَلاnor لِمَواعِدٍfor pledges
لِعِداتِ ذي أَرَبٍ وَلا لِمَواعِدٍ
خُلُفٍbroken وَلَوeven if حَلَفَتshe swore بِأَسحَمَby dark blood مائِرِflowing
خُلُفٍ وَلَو حَلَفَت بِأَسحَمَ مائِرِ
For promises made to a man in need, nor for pledges
For procrastinators, even if they swore on swift she-camels,
That are broken, even if she swore by dark, flowing blood.
You promised and then broke your promise,
وَعَدَتكَshe promised you ثُمَّتthen أَخلَفَتshe broke مَوعودَهاher promise
وَعَدَتكَ ثُمَّت أَخلَفَت مَوعودَها
وَلَعَلand perhaps ماwhat مَنَعَتكَshe withheld from you لَيسَis not بِضائِرِharmful
وَلَعَل ما مَنَعَتكَ لَيسَ بِضائِرِ
She promised you, then broke her promise,
Maybe what prevented you was not harmful,
And perhaps what she withheld from you does no harm.
And I see flirts do not last in their union,
وَأَرىand I see الغَوانيbeautiful women لاnot يَدومُendures وِصالُهاtheir intimacy
وَأَرى الغَواني لا يَدومُ وِصالُها
أَبَداًforever عَلىthrough عُسرٍhardship وَلاnor لِمُياسِرِfor a man of means
أَبَداً عَلى عُسرٍ وَلا لِمُياسِرِ
And I see that beautiful women's love does not endure
Never during hardship or for a lucky person,
Forever, through hardship or for a man of means.
And if your friend did not continue his connection with you,
وَإِذاand if خَليلُكَyour friend لَمnot يَدُمendures لَكَfor you وَصلُهُhis affection
وَإِذا خَليلُكَ لَم يَدُم لَكَ وَصلُهُ
فَاِقطَعthen sever لُبانَتَهُyour longing for him بِحَرفٍwith a hardy she-camel ضامِرِlean
فَاِقطَع لُبانَتَهُ بِحَرفٍ ضامِرِ
And if your friend's affection does not endure for you,
Then cut off his supplies with a destructive act,
Then sever your longing for him with a lean, hardy she-camel:
A smooth-bodied mare with prominent ribs,
وَجناءَthick-cheeked مُجفَرَةِbroad الضُلوعِribs رجيلَةٍstrong-legged
وَجناءَ مُجفَرَةِ الضُلوعِ رجيلَةٍ
وَلَقىswift through الهَواجِرِmidday heats ذاتِpossessing خَلقٍa build حادِرِmassive
وَلَقى الهَواجِرِ ذاتِ خَلقٍ حادِرِ
Thick-cheeked, broad-ribbed, strong-legged,
Who met mares with an ugly nature,
Swift through midday heat, with a massive frame.
She gets excited when the riding animal gallops as if
تُضحيshe is by midmorning إِذاwhen دَقَّgrow thin المَطِيُّthe riding camels كَأَنَّهاas though she were
تُضحي إِذا دَقَّ المَطِيُّ كَأَنَّها
فَدَنُthe palace اِبنِson of حَيَّةَHayyah شادَهُhe raised it بِالآجُرِwith baked bricks
فَدَنُ اِبنِ حَيَّةَ شادَهُ بِالآجُرِ
By midmorning, when the riding camels grow gaunt, she seems
She is the daughter of a snake charmer aroused by the flute,
Ibn Hayyah's palace, which he raised in baked brick.
Her charm and the rest of her allure,
وَكَأَنَّand as though عَيبَتَهاher saddlebag وَفَضلَand the overhang of فِتانِهاher leather saddle-cover
وَكَأَنَّ عَيبَتَها وَفَضلَ فِتانِها
فَنَنانِtwo branches مِنfrom كَنَفَيthe two sides of ظَليمِa male ostrich نافِرِfleeing
فَنَنانِ مِن كَنَفَي ظَليمِ نافِرِ
And her saddlebag and the overhang of her leather saddle-cover seem
Are like the sprouts of a shady lofty palm tree,
Two branches from the flanks of a fleeing male ostrich,
Swaying to a scent that makes its feathers fall,
يَبريraces لِرائِحَةٍbeside an evening-roving hen يُساقِطُsheds ريشَهاher feathers
يَبري لِرائِحَةٍ يُساقِطُ ريشَها
مَرُّthe rush of النَجاءِswift flight سِقاطَthe shedding of ليفِpalm fiber الآبِرِthe palm-pollinator
مَرُّ النَجاءِ سِقاطَ ليفِ الآبِرِ
Racing beside an evening-roving hen, whose feathers are shed
Like palm fiber falling from trees,
By the rush of flight, like palm fiber falling from the pollinator.
So she remembered after being slow-witted,
فَتَذَكَّرَتthen she remembered ثَقَلاًa clutch of eggs رَثيداًclosely piled بَعدَماafter
فَتَذَكَّرَت ثَقَلاً رَثيداً بَعدَما
أَلقَتcast ذُكاءُDhuka, the sun يَمينَهاher right hand فيinto كافِرِthe shrouding night
أَلقَت ذُكاءُ يَمينَها في كافِرِ
Then she remembered her closely piled eggs, after
When her right hand threw its intelligence to the infidels,
Dhuka, the sun, had cast her right hand into the shrouding night.
Her glance flirted and her falcon chirped
طَرِفَتbecame unfamiliar مَراوِدُهاher grazing grounds وَغَرَّدَand piped سَقبُهاher chick
طَرِفَت مَراوِدُها وَغَرَّدَ سَقبُها
بِالآءِamong alāʾ trees وَالحَدَجِand colocynths الرِواءِlush الحادِرِswollen
بِالآءِ وَالحَدَجِ الرِواءِ الحادِرِ
Her grazing grounds were unfamiliar, and her chick piped
With moaning, coquetry, and piercing coos,
Among alāʾ trees and lush, swollen colocynths.
So they both relaxed vigorously, refined,
فَتَرَوَّحاthen the two set off at evening أُصُلاًlate in the day بِشَدٍّwith a run مُهذِبٍswift
فَتَرَوَّحا أُصُلاً بِشَدٍّ مُهذِبٍ
ثَرٍّstreaming كَشُؤبوبِlike a downpour العَشِيِّof evening الماطِرِrainy
ثَرٍّ كَشُؤبوبِ العَشِيِّ الماطِرِ
So the pair set off late in the day with a headlong run,
Fresh like the drizzle of an evening rain,
Streaming like a downpour on a rainy evening.
She built her tent near him in the darkness,
فَبَنَتthen she built عَلَيهِover him مَعَwith الظَلامِdarkness خِباءَهاher tent
فَبَنَت عَلَيهِ مَعَ الظَلامِ خِباءَها
كَالأَحمَسِيَّةِlike an Ahmasi woman فيin النَصيفِa veil الحاسِرِdrawn back
كَالأَحمَسِيَّةِ في النَصيفِ الحاسِرِ
Then, with darkness, she built her tent over him,
Like a woman from Al-Ahsa in destructive summer,
Like an Ahmasi woman with her veil drawn back.
How lovely are some youths
أَسُمَيَّO Sumayya ماwhat يُدريكِlets you know أَنthat رُبَّmany a فِتيَةٍyoung men
أَسُمَيَّ ما يُدريكِ أَن رُبَّ فِتيَةٍ
بيضِwhite الوُجوهِfaces ذَويpossessing نَدىًgenerosity وَمَآثِرِand noble deeds
بيضِ الوُجوهِ ذَوي نَدىً وَمَآثِرِ
O Sumayya, how could you know how many young men—
With bright faces, dew, and great feats,
White of face, men of generosity and noble deeds,
My delightful humor does not blame their protectiveness,
حَسَنيpleasant in الفَكاهَةِconversation لاnot تُذَمُّis reproached لِحامُهُمtheir flesh
حَسَني الفَكاهَةِ لا تُذَمُّ لِحامُهُم
سَبِطيopen الأَكُفِّhands وَفيand in الحُروبِwars مَساعِرِkindlers of battle
سَبِطي الأَكُفِّ وَفي الحُروبِ مَساعِرِ
Pleasant in their talk, their flesh beyond reproach,
My generous-handed who are fierce in wars,
Open-handed, and kindlers of battle in war—
I met them early while the cattle were grazing
باكَرتُهُمI visited them early بِسِباءِwith purchased wine جَونٍa dark wineskin ذارِعٍlarge
باكَرتُهُم بِسِباءِ جَونٍ ذارِعٍ
قَبلَbefore الصَباحِdawn وَقَبلَand before لَغوِchatter الطائِرِthe bird
قَبلَ الصَباحِ وَقَبلَ لَغوِ الطائِرِ
I visited early with bought wine from a large, dark wineskin,
Before dawn and before the birds started singing,
Before dawn, before the chatter of birds?
So I made their day short with the call of a watchman
فَقَصَرتُso I shortened يَومَهُمُtheir day بِرَنَّةِwith the cry of شارِفٍan aged she-camel
فَقَصَرتُ يَومَهُمُ بِرَنَّةِ شارِفٍ
وَسَماعِand the singing of مُدجِنَةٍa home-kept songstress وَجَدوىand the bounty of جازِرِa butcher
وَسَماعِ مُدجِنَةٍ وَجَدوى جازِرِ
I made their day seem short with the cry of an aged she-camel,
And the echo of a singer and a butcher’s chant,
And a home-kept songstress's singing, and a butcher's bounty,
Until their day ended and they went away
حَتّىuntil تَوَلّىpassed يَومُهُمtheir day وَتَرَوَّحواand they departed at evening
حَتّى تَوَلّى يَومُهُم وَتَرَوَّحوا
لاnot يَنثَنونَthey turn aside إِلىtoward مَقالِthe words of الزاجِرِthe reprover
لا يَنثَنونَ إِلى مَقالِ الزاجِرِ
Until their day passed and they departed at evening,
Without turning to the words of deterrent,
Heedless of a reprover's words.
With Mughira who estimated the locusts and their swarm
وَمُغيرَةٍand a raiding band سَومَranging like الجَرادِlocusts وَزَعتُهاI restrained it
وَمُغيرَةٍ سَومَ الجَرادِ وَزَعتُها
قَبلَbefore الصَباحِdawn بِشَيِّئانٍwith a spirited horse ضامِرِlean
قَبلَ الصَباحِ بِشَيِّئانٍ ضامِرِ
And a raiding band, ranging like locusts, I checked
Before dawn with two destructive things,
Before dawn with a lean, spirited horse,
Weapons like firewood and scattered gravel,
تَئِقٍpowerful كَجُلمودِlike a boulder القِذافِof the heights وَنَثرَةٍand a coat of mail
تَئِقٍ كَجُلمودِ القِذافِ وَنَثرَةٍ
ثَقفٍnimble وَعَرّاصِand a quivering spear المَهَزَّةِwhen shaken عاتِرِdeadly
ثَقفٍ وَعَرّاصِ المَهَزَّةِ عاتِرِ
Powerful as a boulder from the heights, and a coat of mail,
Thaqif and the chanter with the shaking,
Nimble, and a deadly spear that quivers when shaken.
And sometimes a bright-foreheaded grinning one
وَلَرُبَّand indeed many a واضِحَةِclear الجَبينِbrow غَريرَةٍinnocent maiden
وَلَرُبَّ واضِحَةِ الجَبينِ غَريرَةٍ
مِثلِlike المَهاةِan oryx cow تَروقُdelights عَينَthe eye of الناظِرِthe beholder
مِثلِ المَهاةِ تَروقُ عَينَ الناظِرِ
And many a clear-browed, innocent maiden,
Captures the onlooker’s eye like a wanderer,
Like an oryx cow, delighting the beholder's eye,
I spend time playing with her and distract her worries
قَدindeed بِتُّI spent the night اُلعِبُهاplaying with her وَأَقصُرُand relieving هَمَّهاher cares
قَد بِتُّ اُلعِبُها وَأَقصُرُ هَمَّها
حَتّىuntil بَداappeared وَضَحُthe brightness of الصَباحِdawn الجاشِرِbreaking
حَتّى بَدا وَضَحُ الصَباحِ الجاشِرِ
I have passed the night playing with her and easing her cares,
Until the shining dawn comes out,
Until the brightness of breaking dawn appeared.
And sometimes quarreling opponents, who have rare habits,
وَلَرُبَّand indeed many a خَصمٍband of adversaries جاهِدينَstriving fiercely ذَويpossessing شِذاًmalice
وَلَرُبَّ خَصمٍ جاهِدينَ ذَوي شِذاً
تَقذيspew filth صُدورُهُمtheir breasts بِهِترٍwith abuse هاتِرِoutrageous
تَقذي صُدورُهُم بِهِترٍ هاتِرِ
And many a striving band of adversaries, men of malice,
Their chests are pierced with a penetrating stab,
Whose breasts spew outrageous abuse,
Hostility whose transgression against them I despised,
لُدٍّstubbornly contentious ظَأَرتُهُمُI compelled them عَلىto ماwhat ساءَهُمdispleased them
لُدٍّ ظَأَرتُهُمُ عَلى ما ساءَهُم
وَخَسَأتُand I repelled باطِلَهُمtheir falsehood بِحَقٍّwith truth ظاهِرِmanifest
وَخَسَأتُ باطِلَهُم بِحَقٍّ ظاهِرِ
Stubborn disputants—I bent them to what displeased them,
And I defeated their falsehood with apparent truth,
And drove back their falsehood with manifest truth,
With the saying of a resolute eloquent one
بِمَقالَةٍwith a statement مِنfrom حازِمٍa resolute man ذيpossessing مِرَّةٍstrength
بِمَقالَةٍ مِن حازِمٍ ذي مِرَّةٍ
يَدَأُterrifies العَدُوَّthe enemy زَئيرُهُhis roar لِلزائِرِat the visitor
يَدَأُ العَدُوَّ زَئيرُهُ لِلزائِرِ
With the words of a resolute man, possessed of strength,
Whose enemy moans to the visitor.
Whose roar at a visitor terrifies the foe.
Partial English translation: 51 of 52 Arabic lines translated.