طَرَقَتْكَvisited you by night زَيْنَبُZaynab بَعْدَمَاafter طَالَgrew long الْكَرَىslumber
طَرَقَتْكَ زَيْنَبُ بَعْدَمَا طَالَ الْكَرَى
دُونَshort of الْمَدِينَةِMedina غَيْرَwithout ذِيpossessing أَصْحَابِcompanions
دُونَ الْمَدِينَةِ غَيْرَ ذِي أَصْحَابِ
Zaynab visited you by night after slumber had grown long,
Zainab sought you when longing was prolonged
short of Medina, without companions,
Outside the town unattended but by
إِلاَّexcept عِلاَفِيّاan ʿIlāfī saddle وَسَيْفاًand a sword مُلْطَفاًtucked close
إِلاَّ عِلاَفِيّا وَسَيْفاً مُلْطَفاً
وضِبِرَّةًand a sturdy she-camel وَجْنَاءَthick-cheeked ذَاتَpossessing هِبَابِlively speed
وضِبِرَّةً وَجْنَاءَ ذَاتَ هِبَابِ
save an ʿIlāfī saddle and a sword tucked close,
A sword, well sharpened, a coat of mail, and a mare
and a sturdy, thick-cheeked she-camel full of lively speed.
Swift, of erect ears, mingled with musk is her scent
طَرَقَتْshe visited by night وَقَدْand already شَحَطَhad gone far الفُؤادُthe heart عَنِfrom الصِّبَاyouthful passion
طَرَقَتْ وَقَدْ شَحَطَ الفُؤادُ عَنِ الصِّبَا
وَأَتَىand came المَشِيبُgray hair فَحَالَso it stood as a barrier دُونَbefore شَبَابِيmy youth
وَأَتَى المَشِيبُ فَحَالَ دُونَ شَبَابِي
She came by night when the heart had strayed far from youthful passion,
Zainab sought you when my heart had drifted from passion
and gray hair had come, standing between me and my youth.
And grey hairs advanced barring my youth
طَرَقَتْshe visited by night بِرَيَّاwith the fragrance رَوْضَةof a meadow وَسمِيَّةwatered by the first rains
طَرَقَتْ بِرَيَّا رَوْضَة وَسمِيَّة
غَرِدٍsweet-sounding بِذَابِلِهَاamong its withering plants غِنَاءُthe song ذَبابِof flies
غَرِدٍ بِذَابِلِهَا غِنَاءُ ذَبابِ
She came by night with the scent of a meadow fed by the first rains,
Zainab sought you, she halted her well-bred mare
where flies sing sweetly among its withering plants,
At a garden, where grasshoppers still sang
بِقَرَارَةٍin a hollow مُتَرَاكِبٍgrowing in layers خَطْمِيُّهَاits mallow
بِقَرَارَةٍ مُتَرَاكِبٍ خَطْمِيُّهَا
وَالمِسْكُand musk خَالَطَهَاmingled with her ذَكِيُّfragrant مَلاَبِmalāb perfume
وَالمِسْكُ خَالَطَهَا ذَكِيُّ مَلاَبِ
in a hollow where its mallows grow in thick layers,
Loftily pacing, haughty of mien, mixed with scent
and musk has mingled with her—fragrant malāb perfume.
As if what covers her flanks is a fox’s tail
خَوْدٌa young woman مُنَعَّمَةٌpampered كَأنَّas though خِلاَفَهاher hindquarters
خَوْدٌ مُنَعَّمَةٌ كَأنَّ خِلاَفَها
وَهْناًlate at night إذَاwhen فُرِرَتْshe is uncovered إلَىdown to الجِلْبَابِthe gown
وَهْناً إذَا فُرِرَتْ إلَى الجِلْبَابِ
A pampered young woman, as though her hips,
Graceful, plump, as if her coat behind her
late at night, when she is stripped down to her gown,
Sways gently when she moves towards her cover
دِعْصَاtwo sand-mounds نَقاَof a dune رَفَدَheaped up العَجَاجُthe dust-wind تُرَابَهُits earth
دِعْصَا نَقاَ رَفَدَ العَجَاجُ تُرَابَهُ
حُرٍّpure and fine صَبِيحَةَon the morning دِيمَةٍof steady rain وذِهَابِand showers
حُرٍّ صَبِيحَةَ دِيمَةٍ وذِهَابِ
were twin mounds of dune-sand whose earth the dust-wind had heaped,
She raised her staff, the restless one, from the soil
fine and pure, on the morning after steady rain and showers,
Of a bare wilderness on a hazy morning
قَفْرٍdesolate أَحَاطَsurrounded بِهِit غَوَارِبُthe crests رَمْلَةٍof a sandy tract
قَفْرٍ أَحَاطَ بِهِ غَوَارِبُ رَمْلَةٍ
تَثْنِيturn back النِّعَاجَthe wild cows فُرُوعُهُنَّtheir summits صِعَابِhard to climb
تَثْنِي النِّعَاجَ فُرُوعُهُنَّ صِعَابِ
desolate, ringed by the crests of a sandy tract,
A waste enclosed by sand-dunes' bushes
whose steep summits turn the wild cows back.
Bending their branches, pathless, waterless
وَلَقَدْand indeed أَرَانَاI see us لاَnot يَشِيعُspreads حَدِيثُنَاour talk
وَلَقَدْ أَرَانَا لاَ يَشِيعُ حَدِيثُنَا
فيamong الأقْربِينَclose relatives وَلاَnor إلَىto الأَجْنَابِoutsiders
في الأقْربِينَ وَلاَ إلَى الأَجْنَابِ
And indeed I remember us, our talk never spreading
Our talk interests none amongst next of kin
among close kin, nor reaching outsiders.
Nor unrelated men. And we live self-reliant
ولقدand indeed نعيشwe live وماشياناand our two go-betweens بينناbetween us
ولقد نعيش وماشيانا بيننا
صلفانboth unfavored وهيand it is غريزةthe inherent nature الاترابof maidens of like age
صلفان وهي غريزة الاتراب
And once we lived, our two go-betweens between us
Enduring bleak luck – the nomad’s wont
both unfavored—such is the nature of maidens of like age,
Guarding the eyes of our enemy in a streak
إِذْwhen نَحْنُwe مُحْتَفِظَانِboth guarding against عَيْنَthe eye عَدُوِّنَاof our enemy
إِذْ نَحْنُ مُحْتَفِظَانِ عَيْنَ عَدُوِّنَا
فيin رَيِّقٍthe fresh prime مِنْof غِرَّةٍinnocence وَشَبَابِand youth
في رَيِّقٍ مِنْ غِرَّةٍ وَشَبَابِ
when we both guarded against our enemy's eye,
Of passion and youth. She appears to our fervor
in the fresh bloom of innocence and youth.
And her person is hidden like sunrise after fog
تَبْدُوshe appears لِغِرَّتنَاin our unguarded moments وَيَخْفَىand is hidden شَخْصُهَاher figure
تَبْدُو لِغِرَّتنَا وَيَخْفَى شَخْصُهَا
كَطُلُوعِlike the rising قَرْنِof the rim الشَّمْسِof the sun بَعْدَafter ضَبَابِfog
كَطُلُوعِ قَرْنِ الشَّمْسِ بَعْدَ ضَبَابِ
She appears in our unguarded moments, yet her figure is hidden,
Appears when absent is the sentinel
like the sun's rim rising after fog.
And the eye of the lover sees through no veil
تَبْدُوshe appears إذَاwhen غَفَلَis heedless الرَّقِيبُthe watcher وَزَايَلَتْand moved away
تَبْدُو إذَا غَفَلَ الرَّقِيبُ وَزَايَلَتْ
عَيْنُthe eye الْمُحِبِّof the lover دُونَon this side of كُلِّevery حِجَابِveil
عَيْنُ الْمُحِبِّ دُونَ كُلِّ حِجَابِ
She appears when the watcher is heedless, and away moves
She let slip some lying, doubtful words
the lover's gaze, this side of every veil.
Hers, and some words true and right
لَفَظَتْuttered كُبَيْشَةُKubayshah قَوْلَa word شَكٍّof suspicion كَاذِبٍfalse
لَفَظَتْ كُبَيْشَةُ قَوْلَ شَكٍّ كَاذِبٍ
مِنْهَاfrom her وَبعْضُand some القَوْلِspeech غَيْرُnot صَوَابِcorrect
مِنْهَا وَبعْضُ القَوْلِ غَيْرُ صَوَابِ
Kubayshah uttered a word of false suspicion,
My tribe, why do you not ask in their honor
of her own—and some speech is not right.
When your folk are the object of taunts?
قَوْمِيmy people فَهَلاَّthen why not تَسْأَلِينَyou ask بِعِزِّهِمْabout their might
قَوْمِي فَهَلاَّ تَسْأَلِينَ بِعِزِّهِمْ
إذْwhen كَانَwere قَوْمُكِyour people مَوْضِعَthe place الأَذْنَابِof the tails
إذْ كَانَ قَوْمُكِ مَوْضِعَ الأَذْنَابِ
My people—why not ask about their might,
Mudar whose precincts must not be dishonored
when your people stood at the tail end?
And who take all spoils that are to be taken
مُضَرُMudar الَّتيwhose لاَnot يُسْتَبَاحُis violated حَرِيمُهَاits protected domain
مُضَرُ الَّتي لاَ يُسْتَبَاحُ حَرِيمُهَا
وَالآخِذُونَand those who take نَوَافِلَextra shares الأَنْهَابِof plunder
وَالآخِذُونَ نَوَافِلَ الأَنْهَابِ
Mudar, whose protected domain is never violated,
Threatening, so none may threaten their number
and those who seize extra shares of plunder,
Or loose the ties of pacts they concluded
وَالحَائِطُونَand the guardians فَلاَso not يُرَامُis assailed ذِمَارُهُمْwhat they defend
وَالحَائِطُونَ فَلاَ يُرَامُ ذِمَارُهُمْ
وَالحَافِظُونَand the preservers مَعَاقِدَthe bonds الأَحْسَابِof ancestral honor
وَالحَافِظُونَ مَعَاقِدَ الأَحْسَابِ
and guardians, so what they defend is never assailed,
What stretches between Homs and Hazramawt we gird
and keepers of the bonds of ancestral honor.
With our swords, from valley and hill
مَاall that بَيْنَbetween حِمْصَHoms وَحضْرَمَوْتَand Hadramawt نَحُوطُهُwe protect it
مَا بَيْنَ حِمْصَ وَحضْرَمَوْتَ نَحُوطُهُ
بِسُيُوفِنَاwith our swords مِنْof مَنْهَلٍa watering place وَتُرَابِand earth
بِسُيُوفِنَا مِنْ مَنْهَلٍ وَتُرَابِ
All between Homs and Hadramawt we protect
In all this, Kubeisha, our abodes
with our swords, watering places and earth alike.
Are eminent, lofty-tented, glorious
فيthroughout كُلِّall ذلِكَthat ياO كُبَيْشَKubaysh بُيُوتُنَاour dwellings
في كُلِّ ذلِكَ يا كُبَيْشَ بُيُوتُنَا
حِلَقُcircles الحُلُولِof encampments ثَوَابِتَfirmly fixed الأَطْنَابِthe tent-ropes
حِلَقُ الحُلُولِ ثَوَابِتَ الأَطْنَابِ
Throughout all that, O Kubaysh, our dwellings
Mud huts built by warriors
form rings of encampments, their tent-ropes firmly fixed:
On the plain, about wells and tents
آطامُfortresses طِينٍof clay شَيَّدَتْهَاraised them فَارِسٌPersia
آطامُ طِينٍ شَيَّدَتْهَا فَارِسٌ
عِنْدَbeside السُّيُوحِflowing waters رَوَافِدٍsupporting beams وقِبَابِand domes
عِنْدَ السُّيُوحِ رَوَافِدٍ وقِبَابِ
clay fortresses that Persia raised,
Whenever enemies appear we shoot them with arrows
beside flowing waters, with supporting beams and domes.
And they know the truth who are wise
نَرْميwe strike at النَّوابِحَthe barkers كُلَّمَاwhenever ظَهَرَتْthey appear لَنَاto us
نَرْمي النَّوابِحَ كُلَّمَا ظَهَرَتْ لَنَا
وَالحَقُّand the truth يَعْرِفُهُknow it ذَوُوthose possessing الأَلْبَابِunderstanding
وَالحَقُّ يَعْرِفُهُ ذَوُو الأَلْبَابِ
We strike at the barkers whenever they appear to us—
With troops of foot, their gear as though
and those with understanding know the truth—
Thorn-bushes in early morn bristling and dense
بِكتَائِبٍwith battalions رُدُحٍmassive تَخَالُyou would suppose زُهَاءَهَاtheir mass
بِكتَائِبٍ رُدُحٍ تَخَالُ زُهَاءَهَا
كَالشِّعْبِlike the ravine أَصْبَحَhas become حَاجِراًa barrier بِضَنَابِat Ḍanāb
كَالشِّعْبِ أَصْبَحَ حَاجِراً بِضَنَابِ
with massive battalions, whose mass you would liken
The Za’ibiyya, their tips are broken spear-shafts
to the ravine that forms a barrier at Ḍanāb;
And steeds folded close, battened to loins
وَالزَّاعِبِيَّةِand Zaʿabī spears رُذَّماًdripping أَطْرَافُهَاtheir points
وَالزَّاعِبِيَّةِ رُذَّماً أَطْرَافُهَا
وَالخَيْلand the horses قَدْalready طُوِيَتْhave been drawn tight إلَىto الأَصْلاَبِthe backbones
وَالخَيْل قَدْ طُوِيَتْ إلَى الأَصْلاَبِ
and with Zaʿabī spears, their points dripping,
Armored in steel plate, their coats suffice them
and horses, their bellies drawn tight to their spines,
Vicious creatures pelted with rocks
مُتَسَرْبِلاَتٍclad فيin الحَدِيدِiron تَكُفُّهَاrestrain them
مُتَسَرْبِلاَتٍ في الحَدِيدِ تَكُفُّهَا
شَقِّيَّةٌtwo-piece bits يُقْرَعْنَare struck بِالأَنْيَابِwith the canine teeth
شَقِّيَّةٌ يُقْرَعْنَ بِالأَنْيَابِ
clad in iron, restrained by
Splashed with boiling pitch, as though
two-piece bits that their canine teeth strike,
Their saddle-skins were daubed with fox-tails
مُتَفَضِّخَاتٍstreaming بِالحَمِيمِwith hot sweat كَأّنَّماas though
مُتَفَضِّخَاتٍ بِالحَمِيمِ كَأّنَّما
نُضِحَتْwere splashed لُبُودُthe felt pads سُرُوجِهَاof their saddles بِذِنَابِwith bucketfuls
نُضِحَتْ لُبُودُ سُرُوجِهَا بِذِنَابِ
streaming with hot sweat, as though
Chestnut and grey-coated and sorrel
their felt saddle-pads had been splashed with bucketfuls:
Copper-colored, their bellies white
حُوٍّdark bay وَشُقْرٍand chestnut قرَّحٍfull-grown مَلْبُونَةٍmilk-fed
حُوٍّ وَشُقْرٍ قرَّحٍ مَلْبُونَةٍ
جُلُحٍscant-forelocked مُبَرِّزَةِoutstanding in النِّجَارِlineage عِرَابِpure Arabian-bred
جُلُحٍ مُبَرِّزَةِ النِّجَارِ عِرَابِ
dark bay and chestnut, full-grown and milk-fed,
Scrawny with ribs that jut through their hides
scant of forelock, outstanding in lineage, pure Arabian-bred,
Lean racers that outstrip hounds’ return
مِنْof كُلِّevery شَوْحَطَةٍtall, supple mare رَفِيعٍhigh صَدْرُهَاher chest
مِنْ كُلِّ شَوْحَطَةٍ رَفِيعٍ صَدْرُهَا
شَقَّاءَlong-bodied تَسْبِقُoutstrips رَجْعَةَthe echo الكَلاَّبِof the huntsman's call
شَقَّاءَ تَسْبِقُ رَجْعَةَ الكَلاَّبِ
of every tall, supple mare, high-chested,
And every dark-bay curly-haired stallion
long-bodied, outstripping the echo of the huntsman's call,
Following the piebald, close to his kin
وَكُلِّand every أَقْوَدَlong-necked horse أَعْوَجِيٍّof Aʿwaj's stock سَابِحٍswimming in his gallop
وَكُلِّ أَقْوَدَ أَعْوَجِيٍّ سَابِحٍ
عَبْلِthick المُقَلَّدِin the neck لاَحِقِtucked-up الأَقْرَابِthe flanks
عَبْلِ المُقَلَّدِ لاَحِقِ الأَقْرَابِ
and every long-necked Aʿwajī, swimming in his gallop,
Flicking flies with eyelash and tossing forelock
thick-necked, his flanks drawn lean.
Raising dust clouds about mares heavy with foal
يَقِصُhe strikes down الذُّبَابَthe flies بِطَرْفِهِwith his blinking وَنثِيرِهِand his snorting
يَقِصُ الذُّبَابَ بِطَرْفِهِ وَنثِيرِهِ
وَيُثِيرُand raises نَقْعاًdust فيupon ذُرَىthe crests الأَظْرَابِof low hills
وَيُثِيرُ نَقْعاً في ذُرَى الأَظْرَابِ
He strikes down flies with his blinking and snorting,
And weapons of every tall slim warrior
and raises dust upon the crests of low hills;
Posted at mountain-holds, belts tight-drawn
وَسُلاَحِand the arms كُلِّof every أَشَمَّhigh-nosed شَهْمٍbrave رَابِطٍsteadfast man
وَسُلاَحِ كُلِّ أَشَمَّ شَهْمٍ رَابِطٍ
عِنْدَwhen الحِفَاظِdefending honor مُقْلِّصِtucking up الأَثْوَابِthe garments
عِنْدَ الحِفَاظِ مُقْلِّصِ الأَثْوَابِ
and with the arms of every high-nosed, brave, steadfast man,
They charge Mu’sharrifa, whenever they ride by it
when honor is defended, his garments tucked up,
Breaking men’s bones and necks.
بالمُشْرَفيِّةwith Mashrafī swords كُلَّماwhenever صالواthey charged بهاwith them
بالمُشْرَفيِّة كُلَّما صالوا بها
قَطَعَتْthey severed عِظامَthe bones سَواعِدٍof forearms ورِقابِand necks
قَطَعَتْ عِظامَ سَواعِدٍ ورِقابِ
with Mashrafī swords: whenever they charge with them,
they sever the bones of forearms and necks.
Partial English translation: 60 of 62 Arabic lines translated.