وَغَيْثٍand a rain-fed pasture مَرِيعٍlush لمْnot يُجَدَّعْbe cropped نَبَاتُهُits vegetation
وَغَيْثٍ مَرِيعٍ لمْ يُجَدَّعْ نَبَاتُهُ
وَلَتْهُwatered it أَهَالِيلُshowers السِّمَاكينْthe two Simāk stars مُعْشِبِgrass-covered
وَلَتْهُ أَهَالِيلُ السِّمَاكينْ مُعْشِبِ
And a lush rain-fed pasture, its growth uncropped,
With a downpour unceasing, the plants did not wither,
Watered by showers of the two Simāks, thick with grass:
As night fell, insects hummed songs nigh the meadows.
بَسَرْتُI sought it early وغَنَّانِيand sang to me الذَبابُthe flies عَشِيَّةًone evening
بَسَرْتُ وغَنَّانِي الذَبابُ عَشِيَّةً
بِذَابِلِهِamong its withered plants والشَّمْسُand the sun لَمَّاnot yet تَغَيَّبِset
بِذَابِلِهِ والشَّمْسُ لَمَّا تَغَيَّبِ
I sought it early, and flies sang to me one evening
The sun sank on the horizon, its rays withdrawing
Among its withered stalks, before the sun had set.
Like tent ropes coiled in a dark, shaded dweeling.
وللشَّمْسِand the sun has أَسْبَابٌcords كَأَنَّas though شُعَاعَهَاits rays
وللشَّمْسِ أَسْبَابٌ كَأَنَّ شُعَاعَهَا
مَمَدُّa stretch of حِبَالٍropes فيin خِبَاءٍa tent مُطنبِsecured with guy ropes
مَمَدُّ حِبَالٍ في خِبَاءٍ مُطنبِ
And the sun had cords, as though its rays
A fox with a bushy tail trotted by stealthily,
Were ropes stretched in a tent secured with guy lines.
His coat was the color of sand in the dunes drifting high.
بِذِيon one possessing مَيْعَةٍhigh spirits كَأَنَّas though بَعْضَsome of سِقَاطِهِits successive strides
بِذِي مَيْعَةٍ كَأَنَّ بَعْضَ سِقَاطِهِ
وتَعْدَائِهِand its running رِسْلاًat ease ذَآلِيلdarting trots ثَعْلَبِof a fox
وتَعْدَائِهِ رِسْلاً ذَآلِيل ثَعْلَبِ
On a spirited steed, as though some of its strides
Escaping his collar, he twisted and raced from the trap,
And its easy running were a fox’s darting trots.
Not halting his stride till he found a flat burrow nearby.
جَرَىit ran قَفِصاًwith limbs drawn in وارْتَدَّand curved back مِنْfrom أَسْرِthe strength of صُلْبِهِits spine
جَرَى قَفِصاً وارْتَدَّ مِنْ أَسْرِ صُلْبِهِ
إِلَىto موضِعٍa place مِنْin سَرِجْهِits saddle غَيْرَnot أَحْدَبِhumped
إِلَى موضِعٍ مِنْ سَرِجْهِ غَيْرَ أَحْدَبِ
It ran with gathered limbs, its powerful spine curving back
His brush and lithe frame were suited for pouncing with ease
To a level spot beneath its saddle.
On a plump partridge distracted while pecking some grain.
كَأَنَّas though ذُنَابَاهُits tail-root ومَنْسِجَand the withers of مَتْنِهِits back
كَأَنَّ ذُنَابَاهُ ومَنْسِجَ مَتْنِهِ
مَدَاحِضُslippery surfaces وَقْعِthe falling of القَطْرِrain عَنْoff تَيْسِa buck حُلَّبِḤullab
مَدَاحِضُ وَقْعِ القَطْرِ عَنْ تَيْسِ حُلَّبِ
Its tail-root and the withers of its back seemed
His legs were poised to take flight, his belly low
Like slick places where rain slides off a buck of Ḥullab.
As a cloak draped over a rider while galloping free.
يَكَادُit nearly بِرِجْلَيْهِwith its hind legs يَطِيرُflies وبَطْنُهُand its belly
يَكَادُ بِرِجْلَيْهِ يَطِيرُ وبَطْنُهُ
بِطَيِّagainst the fold of رِدَاءِthe cloak of الرَّاكِبِthe rider المُتَلِّببِgirded
بِطَيِّ رِدَاءِ الرَّاكِبِ المُتَلِّببِ
It almost flew on its hind legs, its belly
With arrogance he scorned all except the most noble,
Against the fold of the girded rider’s cloak.
None could enter his den save those grave and sublime.
ومُسْتَكْبرٍand a haughty man مَنْwhoever بَاتَspent the night حَاجِبَas gatekeeper of بَابِهِhis door
ومُسْتَكْبرٍ مَنْ بَاتَ حَاجِبَ بَابِهِ
مِنَamong الناسِthe people إلاَّexcept ذَاone possessing المَهَابَةِawe يُحْجَبِis barred
مِنَ الناسِ إلاَّ ذَا المَهَابَةِ يُحْجَبِ
And a haughty man, whose gatekeeper watched his door through the night:
He emerged like a hawk with his feathers groomed fair,
All men were barred, except the man who inspired awe.
Attired in a tunic embroidered with patterns sublime.
بَدَاhe appeared كَعَتِيقِlike a noble one of الطيرِْthe birds قَاصِرَlowering طَرْفِهِhis gaze
بَدَا كَعَتِيقِ الطيرِْ قَاصِرَ طَرْفِهِ
مُسَرْبَلَclad in دِيبَاجِbrocade القَمِيصِthe shirt المُطَيَّبِperfumed
مُسَرْبَلَ دِيبَاجِ القَمِيصِ المُطَيَّبِ
He appeared like a noble bird of prey, lowering his gaze,
I brandished a stick and startled the knave,
Clad in a perfumed shirt of brocade.
Defending another from his acts so depraved.
عَرَضْتُI confronted بِأَجْدَالٍwith falcons لهhim فَضَرقْتُهُthen I befouled him
عَرَضْتُ بِأَجْدَالٍ له فَضَرقْتُهُ
مُدَافَعَةًin defense عَنْagainst ذَنْبِthe offense of آخَرَanother مُذْنِبِguilty man
مُدَافَعَةً عَنْ ذَنْبِ آخَرَ مُذْنِبِ
I confronted him with falcons and befouled him,
When he fled, I was glad, for in his jaws
To fend off blame for another guilty man’s offense.
He held a small chick stolen from an enemy's cage.
فَرُحْتُso I departed بِبُرْدَيْهِwith his two cloaks ومَنْand whoever كَانَwas عِنْدَهُwith him
فَرُحْتُ بِبُرْدَيْهِ ومَنْ كَانَ عِنْدَهُ
يَعَضُّbites البَنَانَthe fingertips مِنْamong عَدُوٍّan enemy ومُعْجَبِand an admirer
يَعَضُّ البَنَانَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّ ومُعْجَبِ
So I departed with his two cloaks, while those beside him
Bit their fingertips—enemy and admirer alike.
Partial English translation: 20 of 22 Arabic lines translated.