دَعَتْناshe called us بِكَهْفٍat a cave مِنْin كُنَاKuna (part of Kunabayn) بَيْنBayn (part of Kunabayn) دَعْوَةًa call
دَعَتْنا بِكَهْفٍ مِنْ كُنَا بَيْن دَعْوَةً
عَلَىin عَجَلٍhaste دَهْمَاءُDahma والرَّكْبُand the caravan رَائِحُdeparting
عَلَى عَجَلٍ دَهْمَاءُ والرَّكْبُ رَائِحُ
At a cave in Kunabayn she called out to us,
She called to us from a cave, though we were between a call
Dahma, in haste, while the caravan was departing.
In haste, and the caravan was departing,
فَقُلْتُso I said وقَدْwhen already جَاوَزْنَthey had passed بَطْنَthe valley floor of خُمَاصَةٍKhumasa
فَقُلْتُ وقَدْ جَاوَزْنَ بَطْنَ خُمَاصَةٍ
جَرَتْran دُونَbetween us and دَهْمَاءَDahma الظِّبَاءُthe gazelles البَوَارِحُcrossing right to left, ill-omened
جَرَتْ دُونَ دَهْمَاءَ الظِّبَاءُ البَوَارِحُ
So I said, once they had passed the valley floor of Khumasa:
So I said, when we had passed the belly of Khumasah,
Between us and Dahma ran the ill-omened gazelles;
The gazelles raced below Dahma, the wild beasts.
أَتَىcame دُونَهَاbefore her ذَبُّrestless الرِّيَادِin roaming كَأَنَّهُas though he were
أَتَى دُونَهَا ذَبُّ الرِّيَادِ كَأَنَّهُ
فَتىًa youth فَارِسيٌّPersian فيin سَرَاوِيلtrousers َرَامِحُbearing a spear
فَتىً فَارِسيٌّ في سَرَاوِيل َرَامِحُ
Before her came a restless-roaming wild bull, as though he were
There came below it the pursuers, as though
A Persian youth in trousers, bearing a spear.
A Persian youth in striped trousers, a lancer,
ومَاand not ذِكْرُهُhis recalling دَهْمَاءَDahma بَعْدَafter مَزَارِهَاvisiting her
ومَا ذِكْرُهُ دَهْمَاءَ بَعْدَ مَزَارِهَا
بِنَجْرَانَin Najran إلاَّexcept التُّرَّهَاتُidle nonsense الصَحَاصِحُempty and groundless
بِنَجْرَانَ إلاَّ التُّرَّهَاتُ الصَحَاصِحُ
And his recalling Dahma, after visiting her
And the mention of it is not Dahma after her burial place
In Najran, is nothing but empty, groundless talk.
In Najran, but the twitterings, the wakeful.
عَفَاeffaced الدَّارَthe dwelling مِنْof دَهْمَاءَDahma بَعْدَafter إِقَامَةٍa stay
عَفَا الدَّارَ مِنْ دَهْمَاءَ بَعْدَ إِقَامَةٍ
عَجَاجٌdust بِجَنْبَيْon both flanks of مَنْدَدٍMandad مُتَنَاوِحُdriven from opposing directions
عَجَاجٌ بِجَنْبَيْ مَنْدَدٍ مُتَنَاوِحُ
Dahma's dwelling, after her stay, was effaced by
The house was vacated of Dahma after staying,
Dust driven to and fro on both flanks of Mandad.
Bustards near a mourning ostrich moaning.
فَضِخْدٌthen Dikhd فَشِسْعَىthen Shis'a مِنْin عُمَيْرَةUmayra فَالِّلوَىthen al-Liwa
فَضِخْدٌ فَشِسْعَى مِنْ عُمَيْرَة فَالِّلوَى
يَلُحْنَthey show كَماjust as لاَحَappeared الوُشُومُthe tattoos القَرَائِحُfreshly pricked
يَلُحْنَ كَما لاَحَ الوُشُومُ القَرَائِحُ
Then Dikhd, then Shis'a in Umayra, then al-Liwa
So pleasure and travel from Umayrah, then bending over,
Show like freshly pricked tattoos.
Croaking as the storks croaked, the sleepless.
إِذَاwhen النَّاسُthe people قَالُواsaid كَيْفَhow أَنْتَyou وقَدْthough already بَدَاbecame apparent
إِذَا النَّاسُ قَالُوا كَيْفَ أَنْتَ وقَدْ بَدَا
ضَمِيرُthe hidden inward state الَّذِيthat which بيis within me قُلْتُI said لِلنَّاسِto the people صَالِحُwell
ضَمِيرُ الَّذِي بي قُلْتُ لِلنَّاسِ صَالِحُ
When people ask, “How are you?”—though already revealed
When people say how are you, and it appears,
Is the suffering I kept within—I tell them, “Well,”
The conscience that is in me, I say to people, well.
لِيَرْضَىso that he may be pleased صَدِيقٌa friend أوْor لِيَبْلُغَso it may reach كَاشِحاًa spiteful foe
لِيَرْضَى صَدِيقٌ أوْ لِيَبْلُغَ كَاشِحاً
ومَاand not كُلُّevery مَنْperson whom سَلفْتَهُyou have offered him الوُدَّaffection نَاصِحُa sincere well-wisher
ومَا كُلُّ مَنْ سَلفْتَهُ الوُدَّ نَاصِحُ
To please a friend, or let the word reach a spiteful foe;
That a friend may be content, or reach a desirer,
And not everyone to whom you offered affection is a well-wisher.
And not everyone you preceded in love is an advisor.
إِذَاwhen قِيلَit was asked مَنْwho دَهْمَاءُDahma خَبَّرْتُI reported أَنَّهَاthat she
إِذَا قِيلَ مَنْ دَهْمَاءُ خَبَّرْتُ أَنَّهَا
مِنْof الجِنِّthe jinn لَمْdid not يَقْدَحْstrike fire لَهَاfor her الزَّنْدَthe fire-stick قَادِحُa fire-kindler
مِنْ الجِنِّ لَمْ يَقْدَحْ لَهَا الزَّنْدَ قَادِحُ
When asked, “Who is Dahma?” I declare that she
When it is said who is Dahma, I relate that she
Is of the jinn; no one has struck a fire-stick for her.
Is of the Jinn, no flint sparked fire for her.
وكَيْفَand how ولاَand no نَارٌfire لِدَهْمَاءَfor Dahma أَوْقِدَتْwas lit
وكَيْفَ ولاَ نَارٌ لِدَهْمَاءَ أَوْقِدَتْ
قَرِيباًnearby ولاَand no كَلْبٌdog لِدَهْمَاءَbelonging to Dahma نَابِحُbarking
قَرِيباً ولاَ كَلْبٌ لِدَهْمَاءَ نَابِحُ
How could it be otherwise, when no fire of Dahma's has been lit
And how not, when no fire was kindled for Dahma,
Nearby, and no dog of Dahma's barks?
Nor a dog barked for Dahma nearby.
وإِنَّيand indeed I لَيَلْحَانِيindeed reproaches me عَلَىfor أَنْthat أُحِبَّهَاI love her
وإِنَّي لَيَلْحَانِي عَلَى أَنْ أُحِبَّهَا
رِجَالٌmen تُعَزِّيهمْconsole them قُلُوبٌhearts صَحَائِحُsound and untroubled
رِجَالٌ تُعَزِّيهمْ قُلُوبٌ صَحَائِحُ
Indeed, for loving her, I am reproached
And I am urged to love her by men
By men whose untroubled hearts console them.
Whose hearts are consolation-seeking hearts.
ولَوْand if كَانَwere حُبِّيmy love أُمَّmother of ذِيthe wearer of الوَدْعِcowrie shells كُلُّهُall of it
ولَوْ كَانَ حُبِّي أُمَّ ذِي الوَدْعِ كُلُّهُ
لأهْلِكِfor your family مَالاًwealth لَمْdid not تَسَعْهُcontain it المَسَارِحُthe grazing grounds
لأهْلِكِ مَالاً لَمْ تَسَعْهُ المَسَارِحُ
And if all my love for the Mother of the Cowrie-Wearer
And if my love for Umm Dhi Al-Wadaa were all,
Were wealth for your family, the pastures could not contain it.
It would destroy property the meadows could not contain.
أبَىprevented الهَجْرَabandonment مِنْfrom دَهْمَاءَDahma والصَّرْمَand severing ties أَنَّنِيthat I
أبَى الهَجْرَ مِنْ دَهْمَاءَ والصَّرْمَ أَنَّنِي
مُجِدٌّearnest بِدَهْمَاءَabout Dahma الحَدِيثَin conversation ومَازِحُand joking
مُجِدٌّ بِدَهْمَاءَ الحَدِيثَ ومَازِحُ
What prevents my forsaking Dahma and cutting ties is that I
She refused separation from Dahma and conversation that I
Speak of Dahma in earnest and in jest.
Am eminent in talk of Dahma and joking.
ويَوْماًand one day عَلَىat نَجْرَانَNajran وَافَتْshe arrived فَخِلْتُهَماthen I thought them both
ويَوْماً عَلَى نَجْرَانَ وَافَتْ فَخِلْتُهَما
كَأَحْسَنِlike the fairest of مَاwhat ضَمَّتْbrought together إِلَيَّto me الأَبَاطِحُthe gravelly riverbeds
كَأَحْسَنِ مَا ضَمَّتْ إِلَيَّ الأَبَاطِحُ
And one day at Najran she came; I thought the two of them
And one day at Najran we met, so I joined them,
As fair as the fairest the gravelly riverbeds had brought me.
As best as the tents drew me in.
بِمَشْيٍwith a gait كَهَزِّlike the swaying of الرُّمْحِa spear بَادٍplainly visible جَمَالُهُits beauty
بِمَشْيٍ كَهَزِّ الرُّمْحِ بَادٍ جَمَالُهُ
إِذَاwhen جَدَفَscurried in short steps المَشْيَin walking القِصَارُthe short ones الدَّحَادِحُthe squat, stocky ones
إِذَا جَدَفَ المَشْيَ القِصَارُ الدَّحَادِحُ
With a gait like a swaying spear, its beauty plain,
With a gait like the shaking of a spear, whose beauty,
When the short, squat ones scurry along.
When the short-stepped gait hastens, sways.
ولَسْتُand I am not بِنَاسٍforgetting قَوْلَهَاher words إِذْwhen لَقِيتُهَاI met her
ولَسْتُ بِنَاسٍ قَوْلَهَا إِذْ لَقِيتُهَا
أَجِدِّيtruly, I ask? نَبَتْpassed by عَنْكَaway from you الخُطُوبُmisfortunes الجَوَارِحُwounding
أَجِدِّي نَبَتْ عَنْكَ الخُطُوبُ الجَوَارِحُ
And I do not forget her words when I met her:
And I am not people whose speech, when I meet it,
“Tell me truly: have wounding misfortunes passed you by?”
I take seriously - the calamities sprouted from you!
نَبَاpassed by مَاwhatever نَبَاpassed by عَنِّيaway from me مِنَof الدَّهْرِtime مَاجِداًnoble
نَبَا مَا نَبَا عَنِّي مِنَ الدَّهْرِ مَاجِداً
أُكَارِمُI treat honorably مَنْwhomever آخَيْتُهُI have taken him as a brother وأُسَامِحُand I deal generously
أُكَارِمُ مَنْ آخَيْتُهُ وأُسَامِحُ
Whatever blows of time passed me by did so while I was noble,
It foretold what it foretold about me, gloriously,
Honoring those I had made my brothers, and dealing generously.
I befriend those I befriended, and pardon.
وإِنِّيand indeed I إِذَاwhen مَلَّتْtired of رِكَابيmy riding camels مُنَاخَهَاtheir halting-place
وإِنِّي إِذَا مَلَّتْ رِكَابي مُنَاخَهَا
رَكِبْتُI mounted ولَمْand not تَعْجَزْprove inaccessible عَلَيَّto me المَنَادِحُthe open expanses
رَكِبْتُ ولَمْ تَعْجَزْ عَلَيَّ المَنَادِحُ
And when my riding camels tire of their halting-place,
And when my she-camels end their resting place,
I ride on, never lacking open country.
I ride, and the passes do not hinder me.
وإَنَّيand indeed I إِذَاwhen ضَنَّwas stingy الرَّفُودُthe generous giver بِرِفْدِهِwith his bounty
وإَنَّي إِذَا ضَنَّ الرَّفُودُ بِرِفْدِهِ
لَمُخْتَبِطٌfor a petitioner مِنْfrom تَالِدِinherited المَالِwealth جِازِحُa giver of portions
لَمُخْتَبِطٌ مِنْ تَالِدِ المَالِ جِازِحُ
And when the generous giver withholds his bounty,
And when scarcity was stingy with its charity,
I grant a petitioner a portion of my inherited wealth.
I am a winner from the birth of possessions, desirous.
وعَاوَدْتُand I revisited أَسْدَامَneglected pools المِيَاهِof water ولمْand did not تَزَلْcease
وعَاوَدْتُ أَسْدَامَ المِيَاهِ ولمْ تَزَلْ
قَلاَئِصُyoung she-camels تَحْتيbeneath me فيon طَرِيقٍa road طَلاَئِحُtravel-worn
قَلاَئِصُ تَحْتي في طَرِيقٍ طَلاَئِحُ
And I revisited neglected waterholes, while still
And I returned to the valleys of water, and still
Young she-camels beneath me were travel-worn along the road.
My dogs were under me on a path, yearning.
تَظَلُّspend the day تُغَشِّيcovering ظِلَّهَاtheir shadows سَدِرَاتِهَاtheir dazed ones
تَظَلُّ تُغَشِّي ظِلَّهَا سَدِرَاتِهَا
وتُعْقَدُand are tied فيaround أَرْسَاغِهِنَّtheir pasterns السَّرَائِحُthe leather strips
وتُعْقَدُ في أَرْسَاغِهِنَّ السَّرَائِحُ
Their dazed ones spend the day covering their own shadows,
It shades, covering with its shade its lotuses,
And leather strips are tied about their pasterns.
And knots in their ponytails the turbans.
وتُولِجُand they thrust فيinto الظِّلِّthe shade الزَّنَاءِcramped رُؤوسَهَاtheir heads
وتُولِجُ في الظِّلِّ الزَّنَاءِ رُؤوسَهَا
وتَحْسَبُهَاand you think them هِيماًstricken with unquenchable thirst وهُنَّthough they صَحَائِحُare sound
وتَحْسَبُهَا هِيماً وهُنَّ صَحَائِحُ
And they thrust their heads into the cramped shade,
And it inserts into the shade of adultery their heads,
And you would think them sick with thirst, though they are sound.
Deeming them delirious, while they are wakeful.
كَأَنَّas though مُنَحَّاهَاthose of them drawn aside إِذَاwhen الشَّمْسُthe sun أَعْرَضَتْslanted
كَأَنَّ مُنَحَّاهَا إِذَا الشَّمْسُ أَعْرَضَتْ
وأَجْسَامَهَاand their bodies تَحْتَbeneath الرِّحَالِthe saddles النَّوَائِحُmourning women
وأَجْسَامَهَا تَحْتَ الرِّحَالِ النَّوَائِحُ
As though those of them drawn aside, when the sun slants,
As if its swinging parts, when the sun turns away,
And their bodies beneath the saddles, were mourning women.
And their bodies beneath the traveling pouches, are mournful.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.