سَلِAsk المَنازِلَthe dwellings كَيْفَhow صَرْمُthe severing الوَاصِلِof the bond-keeper
سَلِ المَنازِلَ كَيْفَ صَرْمُ الوَاصِلِ
أَمْor هَلْwhether تُبِينُspeak clearly رُسُومُهَاtheir traces لِلسَّائِلِto the questioner
أَمْ هَلْ تُبِينُ رُسُومُهَا لِلسَّائِلِ
Ask the dwellings how one who kept ties broke them,
Ask the abodes how the arriver fared,
or whether their traces speak plainly to the questioner.
Or did their features show aught to the questioner?
عَرَّجْتُI turned aside أَسْأَلُهَاquestioning them بِقَارِعَةِon the main track الغَضَاof al-Ghada
عَرَّجْتُ أَسْأَلُهَا بِقَارِعَةِ الغَضَا
وكَأنَّهَاand as though they أَلْوَاحُtablets سَيْفٍof Sayf ثَامِلِdrunken
وكَأنَّهَا أَلْوَاحُ سَيْفٍ ثَامِلِ
I turned aside to question them on al-Ghada's main track,
I wandered asking them with the knocking of the heavy rain,
and they seemed like the tablets of drunken Sayf.
As if they were tablets of a drawn sword.
أَوْرَدَset down حِمْيَرُHimyar بَيْنَهَاamong them أَخْبَارَهَاits histories
أَوْرَدَ حِمْيَرُ بَيْنَهَا أَخْبَارَهَا
بِالحِمْيَرِيَّةِin Himyarite فيin كِتَابٍa book ذَابِلِwithered
بِالحِمْيَرِيَّةِ في كِتَابٍ ذَابِلِ
Himyar set down its histories among them,
The donkeys recited their news amongst them
in Himyarite, in a faded book.
In donkey fashion in a withered scroll,
بِالخَلِّin the sandy passage تَقْتَسِمُdivide among themselves الرِّيَاحُthe winds تُرَابَهَاtheir dust
بِالخَلِّ تَقْتَسِمُ الرِّيَاحُ تُرَابَهَا
تَسْفِيblow sand عَلَيْهَاover them مِنْfrom صَباًan east wind وشَمَائِلِand north winds
تَسْفِي عَلَيْهَا مِنْ صَباً وشَمَائِلِ
In the sandy passage, the winds divide their dust,
With vinegar the winds share their dust,
sweeping sand over them from east and north.
Blowing on them from Sabbah and changeful blowing.
لِلرِّيحِfor the wind والأَمْطَارِand the rains مَاwhatever سَبَقَاthe two took first بِهِwith it
لِلرِّيحِ والأَمْطَارِ مَا سَبَقَا بِهِ
ومَاand whatever تَرَكْنَthey left فَمِنْthen from نَصِيبِthe share الخَابِلِof the ravager
ومَا تَرَكْنَ فَمِنْ نَصِيبِ الخَابِلِ
Wind and rain claim whatever they seized first,
To the winds and rains belongs what they already carried away
and what they left is the ravager's share.
And what remains is the share of the destroyer.
تَرْعَىgraze الفَلاَةَthe wasteland بِهَاin them أَوَابِدُwild creatures رُتَّعٌgrazing freely
تَرْعَى الفَلاَةَ بِهَا أَوَابِدُ رُتَّعٌ
نُبْلٌlarge and fine هَجَائِنُpure-white مِثْلُlike ذَوْدِa small camel herd القَافِلِof a returning traveler
نُبْلٌ هَجَائِنُ مِثْلُ ذَوْدِ القَافِلِ
There wild creatures graze the wasteland at their ease,
Ruined abodes in the wilderness are pastured
large and pure-white, like a returning traveler's small camel herd.
By a tribe armed with weapons like the waist ropes of a caravan.
يَلْقَيْنَthey meet آرَامَwhite oryx الشَّقِيقِof al-Shaqiq وعُفْرَهُand its tawny gazelles
يَلْقَيْنَ آرَامَ الشَّقِيقِ وعُفْرَهُ
كَالْوَدْعِlike cowries أَصْبَحَhas come to lie فيin مَنَشِّthe drying-ground السَّاحِلِof the shore
كَالْوَدْعِ أَصْبَحَ في مَنَشِّ السَّاحِلِ
They meet al-Shaqiq's white oryx and its tawny gazelles,
They meet the rush of dawn and dusk
like cowries now lying on the shore's drying sands.
Like the farewell, become in the shore-man's anchorage
مَاذَاwhat تَذَكَّرُdo you recall مِنْof وِصَالِloving union غَرِيبَةٍa woman far from home
مَاذَا تَذَكَّرُ مِنْ وِصَالِ غَرِيبَةٍ
طَالَتْwas prolonged إِقَامَتُهَاher stay بِخَلِّin the sandy passage الحَائِلِof al-Ha'il
طَالَتْ إِقَامَتُهَا بِخَلِّ الحَائِلِ
What do you recall of love with a woman far from home,
What does it remember of the sojourn of a strange woman
whose stay in al-Ha'il's sandy passage was long—
Whose stay amongst the separating sands was long?
لِفَتَاةِof a maiden جُعْفِيٍّof Ju'fi لِيَاليَon nights تَجْتَنِيshe plucks
لِفَتَاةِ جُعْفِيٍّ لِيَاليَ تَجْتَنِي
ثَمَرَthe fruit القُلُوبِof hearts بِجِيدِwith the neck آدَمَof a dusky gazelle خَاذِلِstaying apart from the herd
ثَمَرَ القُلُوبِ بِجِيدِ آدَمَ خَاذِلِ
of a maiden of Ju'fi, on nights when she plucked
Of nights with a Ju‘fi maiden who picked
the fruit of hearts with a dusky, herd-shunning gazelle's neck?
The fruit of hearts with languid fingers.
عَجَبَتْmarveled لِيَat me الجُعْفِيَّةُthe Ju'fi woman ابْنَةَdaughter مِالِكٍof Malik
عَجَبَتْ لِيَ الجُعْفِيَّةُ ابْنَةَ مِالِكٍ
أَنْthat شَابَturned gray أَصْدَاغِيmy temples وأَقْصَرَand ceased بَاطِليmy folly
أَنْ شَابَ أَصْدَاغِي وأَقْصَرَ بَاطِلي
The Ju'fi woman, Malik's daughter, marveled at me:
The Ju‘fi girl wondered at me, daughter of Malik,
that my temples had turned gray and my folly had ceased.
That my cheeks grew young and the false one cut short.
ولَقَدْand indeed تَحَيَّنَتِshe awaited the right moment الصِّبَاyouthful passion وطِلاَبَهُand its pursuit
ولَقَدْ تَحَيَّنَتِ الصِّبَا وطِلاَبَهُ
لِتِبَاعَةِto claim the due المَتْبُولِof the love-stricken عِنْدَwith التّابِلِlove's tormentor
لِتِبَاعَةِ المَتْبُولِ عِنْدَ التّابِلِ
And indeed she bided her time for youthful passion and its pursuit,
Indeed did time spy out me and its turning
to claim the love-stricken one's due from love's tormentor.
For following the slowly moving one at the cooking pots.
وخَطِيبِand many an orator أَقْوَامٍof tribes عَبَأْتُI marshaled لِنَارِهِagainst his fire
وخَطِيبِ أَقْوَامٍ عَبَأْتُ لِنَارِهِ
مَطَرِيmy rain فَأَطْفَأَهَاso it quenched it بِدِيمَةِwith steady rain وَابِلِa heavy downpour
مَطَرِي فَأَطْفَأَهَا بِدِيمَةِ وَابِلِ
And against many a tribal orator's fire I marshaled
And for wooing a people I provided for his fire
my rain, which quenched it with a steady, heavy downpour.
A rain-pourer but it put it out with heavy downpour.
ولَقَدْand indeed تَعَسَّفَتْI crossed without a path الفَلاَةَthe wasteland بِجَسْرَةٍon a sturdy she-camel
ولَقَدْ تَعَسَّفَتْ الفَلاَةَ بِجَسْرَةٍ
قَلِقٍrestless
قَلِقٍ
And indeed I crossed the waste without a path, on a sturdy she-camel,
Indeed the wilderness presumed against Jasrah,
restless,
Disturbing its foetuses or partitioning it.
حُشُوشُthe withering جَنِينِهَاof her fetus أَوْor حَائِلِbarren
حُشُوشُ جَنِينِهَا أَوْ حَائِلِ
أَجُدٍfirm-fleshed كَأَنَّas though صَرِيفَthe screech أَخْطَبِof a mottled bird ضَالَةٍin a wild lote-tree
أَجُدٍ كَأَنَّ صَرِيفَ أَخْطَبِ ضَالَةٍ
her fetus withered in the womb, or barren;
I find it as if the twilight of a straying old she-camel
firm-fleshed, as though a mottled bird's screech in a wild lote-tree
Were between es-Sadees and the west of el-Bazil.
بَيْنَbetween السَّدِيسِthe outer incisor وبَيْنَand between غَرْبِthe sharp edge البَازِلِof the mature fang
بَيْنَ السَّدِيسِ وبَيْنَ غَرْبِ البَازِلِ
سُرُحِlong and free-moving العَنِيقِin the neck إِذَاwhen تَرَفَّعَتِrose high الضُّحَىthe forenoon
سُرُحِ العَنِيقِ إِذَا تَرَفَّعَتِ الضُّحَى
rang between her outer incisor and her fang's sharp edge;
Release the she-camel when dawn rises high
long-necked, when the forenoon rises high,
Bearing a heavy burden and tottering with it.
هَدَجَthe tottering gait الثَّفَالِof the laden beast بِحِمْلِهِunder its burden المُتَثَاقِلِponderously heavy
هَدَجَ الثَّفَالِ بِحِمْلِهِ المُتَثَاقِلِ
فَكَأَنَّso as though رَحْلِيmy saddle فَوْقَover أَحْقَبَa white-bellied wild ass قَارِبٍheading to water
فَكَأَنَّ رَحْلِي فَوْقَ أَحْقَبَ قَارِبٍ
with a laden beast's tottering gait beneath its heavy burden.
So my riding beast is as if above the hump of a listing boat
So my saddle seemed to ride a white-bellied wild ass heading to water,
From what is awakened by a moaner and then tossed about.
مِمَّاone of those that يَقِيظُspends the summer بِأَظْرُبٍat Azrub فَيُرَامِلِthen at Yuramil
مِمَّا يَقِيظُ بِأَظْرُبٍ فَيُرَامِلِ
عَضَّاضِa fierce biter أَعْرَافِof the manes الحَمِيرِof asses شُتَامَةٍgrim-faced
عَضَّاضِ أَعْرَافِ الحَمِيرِ شُتَامَةٍ
one of those that summer at Azrub, then at Yuramil.
Biting the livers of the donkeys, a Shutaamah viper,
A grim-faced biter of asses' manes
And their bellies the deed of the hissing cobra,
ومُتُونِهَاand their backs فِعْلَin the manner الفَنِيقِof a breeding camel الصَّائِلِcharging
ومُتُونِهَا فِعْلَ الفَنِيقِ الصَّائِلِ
قَصَّامِa frequent snapper أَوْسَاطِof the middles السَّفَىof awned grasses مُتَعَلِّقٍcaught; entangled
قَصَّامِ أَوْسَاطِ السَّفَى مُتَعَلِّقٍ
and their backs, like a charging stallion-camel;
Clinging to the shoulders of the mean folk, hanging,
he snaps awned stalks at mid-length; caught fast are
Its burden with the harvest of a molar-toothed asp,
أَرْسَاغُهُhis fetlocks بِحَصَادِin the stubble عِرْبٍ'irb grass نَاصِلِshedding its awns
أَرْسَاغُهُ بِحَصَادِ عِرْبٍ نَاصِلِ
سَوَّافِa habitual sniffer أَبْوَالِof the urine الحَمِيرِof asses مُحَشْرِجٍgargling
سَوَّافِ أَبْوَالِ الحَمِيرِ مُحَشْرِجٍ
his fetlocks in the stubble of shedding 'irb grass.
Making the waters of the donkeys gush forth, a Mashrijah adder,
A sniffer of asses' urine, gargling
Water from the veins of the jetting one.
مَاءَthe fluid السَّوَافيof the sniffed she-asses مِنْfrom عُرُوقِthe channels السَّاعِلِof the throat
مَاءَ السَّوَافي مِنْ عُرُوقِ السَّاعِلِ
وإِذَاand when رَأىhe sees الوُرَّادَthose coming to water ظَلَّhe stays by day بِأَسْقُفٍat Asquf
وإِذَا رَأى الوُرَّادَ ظَلَّ بِأَسْقُفٍ
the sniffed she-asses' fluid from the passages of his throat.
And when the water-carrier saw a shade cover
And when he sees those coming to water, he stays at Asquf
With a roof like the day of high-peaking ‘Urubah,
يَوْماًa day كَيَوْمِlike the day عَرُوبَةَ'Aruba (Friday) المُتَطَاوِلِdrawn-out
يَوْماً كَيَوْمِ عَرُوبَةَ المُتَطَاوِلِ
وَرَّادُa frequent visitor to water أَعْلَىupper دَحْلَDahl يَهْدِجُhe trots دُونَهَاon its near side
وَرَّادُ أَعْلَى دَحْلَ يَهْدِجُ دُونَهَا
a day like the lingering day of 'Aruba.
And the water-carrier at the top of Dahl cries out beneath it
A frequenter of upper Dahl, he trots on its near side,
A near approach making it complete with a fifth,
قَرَباًon a night-march to water يُوَاصِلُهُhe joins it بِخِمْسٍto a five-day watering interval كَامِلِcomplete
قَرَباً يُوَاصِلُهُ بِخِمْسٍ كَامِلِ
يُوفيhe mounts اليَفَاعَthe high ground إِذَاwhen تَقَاصَرَshortens ظِلًّهُhis shadow
يُوفي اليَفَاعَ إِذَا تَقَاصَرَ ظِلًّهُ
on a night-march to water, joining it to a full five-day interval.
Fulfilling the Yafa‘ when its shade diminishes
He mounts the high ground when his shadow shortens,
So he lingers in it like the Rabbi arguing,
فَيَظَلُّso he remains by day فِيهِin it كَالرَّبِيِّlike a lookout المَاثِلِstanding upright
فَيَظَلُّ فِيهِ كَالرَّبِيِّ المَاثِلِ
حَتَّىuntil يُخَالِفَهُمْhe goes in their absence وقَدْand already حَجَبَhas screened الدُّجَىthe darkness
حَتَّى يُخَالِفَهُمْ وقَدْ حَجَبَ الدُّجَى
and stays there like a standing lookout,
Until the glooms oppose them, and dark has hidden
until he goes there in their absence, darkness now screening
Aside from the forms, the superfluities of dangling things,
دُونَin front of الشُّخُوصِthe figures إِلىtoward فُضُولِthe remnants ثَمَائِلِof small water-pools
دُونَ الشُّخُوصِ إِلى فُضُولِ ثَمَائِلِ
يَعْدُوhe races across النِّجَادَthe ridges إِذَاwhen تَغَمَّرَhe takes sparingly شُرْبَهُhis drink
يَعْدُو النِّجَادَ إِذَا تَغَمَّرَ شُرْبَهُ
the figures from sight, toward the water left in small pools.
The pack-camel gallops when its drinking plunges
He races over the ridges when he has taken his scant drink,
Deep, and that is of the nature of the plunger.
غَلَساًin predawn gloom وذلِكَand that مِنْfrom جَوَازِthe water allowance النَّاهِلِof the drinker
غَلَساً وذلِكَ مِنْ جَوَازِ النَّاهِلِ
تَلقَىyou find بِجَنْبِbeside السَّعْدِal-Sa'd مِنْfrom وَضَحَاتِهِhis white stone-chips
تَلقَى بِجَنْبِ السَّعْدِ مِنْ وَضَحَاتِهِ
in the predawn gloom—that is a drinker's water allowance.
It meets by Sa‘d some of its clear ones,
Beside al-Sa'd you find, among his white stone-chips,
Rushing madly between overfalls and flash floods,
شُذَّانَscattered fragments بَيْنَamong ضَوَامِرٍslender ones وأَوَابِلِand heavy ones
شُذَّانَ بَيْنَ ضَوَامِرٍ وأَوَابِلِ
يَقِصُhe crushes الإِكَامَthe hillocks بِسِرْطِمٍwith a broad hoof مُتَحَادِبٍarched
يَقِصُ الإِكَامَ بِسِرْطِمٍ مُتَحَادِبٍ
scattered pieces, both slender and heavy.
Picking its way down the Ikaam pass with lofty sides,
He crushes the hillocks with a broad, arched hoof,
A smooth mountain road whose middle parts are like the head-ropes of a camel-litter.
سَبِطٍsmooth بِطَانَتُهُits inner surface كَسِبْتِlike the tanned hide النّابِلِof an archer
سَبِطٍ بِطَانَتُهُ كَسِبْتِ النّابِلِ
صَخِبٌclamorous كَأَنَّas though دُعَاءَthe call عَبْدَ'Abd مَنَافَةٍManafa
صَخِبٌ كَأَنَّ دُعَاءَ عَبْدَ مَنَافَةٍ
smooth, its inner surface like an archer's tanned leather.
Clamour like the call of ‘Abd Manafah
Clamorous, as though the call of 'Abd Manafa
Is in its head above the morning of heavy downpour.
فيin رَأْسِهِhis head عَقِبَin the wake of الصَّبَاحِthe dawn الجَافِلِrushing past
في رَأْسِهِ عَقِبَ الصَّبَاحِ الجَافِلِ
were in his head, at the heels of the rushing dawn.
Partial English translation: 54 of 55 Arabic lines translated.