أَتَعرِفُdo you recognize? بِالصَحراءِin the desert شَرقِيَّeast of شابِكٍShabik
أَتَعرِفُ بِالصَحراءِ شَرقِيَّ شابِكٍ
مَنازِلَdwellings أَعراهاleft them bare الأَنيسُthe inhabitants وَمَلعَباand a playground
مَنازِلَ أَعراها الأَنيسُ وَمَلعَبا
Do you recognize, in the desert east of Shabik,
Do you know in the eastern desert a youthful, playful abode,
dwellings abandoned by their people, and a place of play?
Whose people I show to my friend though he sees
ظَلَلتُI kept on أُريهاshowing them صاحِبَيَّmy two companions وقَدand once أَرىI saw
ظَلَلتُ أُريها صاحِبَيَّ وقَد أَرى
بِهاthere أَهلَهاtheir inhabitants مِنfrom بَينِamong غُرٍّfresh-faced youths وأَشيَباand a grey-haired man
بِها أَهلَها مِن بَينِ غُرٍّ وأَشيَبا
I kept showing them to my two companions, though once I saw
Veiled women in the quarters as if their houses
their people there, fresh-faced youths and grey-haired men,
Were filled with the murmur of doves?
وَمُحتَجِباتٍand veiled women بِالستورِbehind curtains كَأَنَّماas though
وَمُحتَجِباتٍ بِالستورِ كَأَنَّما
تَجِنُّconceal بُيوتthe tents الحَيِّof the clan مِنهُنَّamong those women رَبرَباa herd of gazelles
تَجِنُّ بُيوت الحَيِّ مِنهُنَّ رَبرَبا
and women screened by curtains, as though
Nothing to be seen but a dripping forehead
the clan's tents hid, in those women, a herd of gazelles.
Or rouged fingers here and there.
حَواضِنُsecluded women إِلّاexcept أَنthat يرىmight see مُتَعَرِّضٌan onlooker
حَواضِنُ إِلّا أَن يرى مُتَعَرِّضٌ
جَبيناًa forehead أَسيلاًsmooth أَوor بَناناًfingers مُخَضَّباhenna-stained
جَبيناً أَسيلاً أَو بَناناً مُخَضَّبا
Secluded women, save that an onlooker might glimpse
We were joyous and could barely leave in the evening
a smooth forehead or henna-stained fingers.
When they said, No more loitering; be off!
فَرُحناso we departed وَماand not كِدناwe could scarcely نَروحُdepart عَشِيَّةًone evening
فَرُحنا وَما كِدنا نَروحُ عَشِيَّةً
وَقيلَand it was said أَلاlook! لاحَيَّno living soul فيin الدارِthe dwelling فَاِذهَباso go, you two
وَقيلَ أَلا لاحَيَّ في الدارِ فَاِذهَبا
So we left one evening, scarcely able to leave,
As if we left on swaying camels that vie
and were told, 'Look, no one lives in the camp—go, you two.'
With the twisted trees in loftiness,
كَأَنّاas though we وَرَحلَيناand our two saddles عَلىupon أَخدَرِيَّةٍan Akhdari she-ass
كَأَنّا وَرَحلَينا عَلى أَخدَرِيَّةٍ
نَحوصٍunfoaled تُباريracing alongside طاوِيَlean الكَشحِin the flank أَحقَباwhite-rumped
نَحوصٍ تُباري طاوِيَ الكَشحِ أَحقَبا
As though we and our two saddles rode an Akhdari she-ass,
Brought to us by the chiefs of the land who pasture it
unfoaled, racing a lean-flanked, white-rumped male.
And seek hospitality even from a stranger till we were intimate.
أَتِناthe two stayed (uncertain reading) عِهادَrain-renewed tracts الأَرضِof the land يَرتَعِيانِهاthe two graze them
أَتِنا عِهادَ الأَرضِ يَرتَعِيانِها
مِنَfrom الضَيفِthe guest (perhaps 'summer') حَتّىuntil أَنسَلاthe two molted وَتَقَوَّباand both shed their coats
مِنَ الضَيفِ حَتّى أَنسَلا وَتَقَوَّبا
The two stayed on rain-renewed lands, grazing them,
They lead the she-camels in the night rain to the meadow,
from 'the guest' [perhaps 'summer'], until they molted and shed their coats.
And water oozes into it, greening the dry land.
يَرفانِthe two nibble نَضاخاًlush, dripping growth إِذاwhen ماindeed أَعانَهُaided it
يَرفانِ نَضاخاً إِذا ما أَعانَهُ
نَدىdew اللَيلِof the night مجَّgushed الماءَwater ريانwell-watered مُعشِباgrassy
نَدى اللَيلِ مجَّ الماءَ ريان مُعشِبا
They nibbled lush growth which, when aided
At Wusmiyyah, though its meadows resemble
by the night's dew, gushed water, well-watered and grassy,
Broidered coat of mail or a bejeweled mantle,
بِوَسمِيَّةٍin first-rain pasture قَفرٍuninhabited كَأَنَّas though رِياضَهاits meadows
بِوَسمِيَّةٍ قَفرٍ كَأَنَّ رِياضَها
كُسينَwere clothed مِنَwith النَوارِblossoms وَشياًbrocade مُذَهَّباgilded
كُسينَ مِنَ النَوارِ وَشياً مُذَهَّبا
in an uninhabited first-rain pasture whose meadows seemed
We stayed till the dew had soaked in
clothed in gilded brocade of blossoms.
And nothing was seen but what cleaved hill and plain,
فَكاناso the two stayed بِهاthere حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen رَسَخَsank away النَدىthe moisture
فَكانا بِها حَتّى إِذا رَسَخَ النَدى
وَلَمand not تَرَyou saw إِلّاexcept غائِراًreceding underground مُتَصَبصِباtrickling thinly
وَلَم تَرَ إِلّا غائِراً مُتَصَبصِبا
They remained there until the moisture sank away,
And the heat of summer had withered
and you saw only water receding underground and trickling thinly,
Whatever was left of herbage but colocynth and sorrel
وَشَفشَفَand shriveled حَرُّthe heat القَيظِof high summer كُلَّevery بَقِيَّةٍremnant
وَشَفشَفَ حَرُّ القَيظِ كُلَّ بَقِيَّةٍ
مِنَof النَبتِvegetation إِلّاexcept سَيكَراناًsaykaran, a plant وَحُلَّباand hullab, a plant
مِنَ النَبتِ إِلّا سَيكَراناً وَحُلَّبا
and the summer heat shriveled every remnant
While we sought shade from the rays with strips
of vegetation except saykaran and hullab.
Of cloudless sky, wrapped around us.
وَظَلَّand he kept on بِأَحزانِthrough rugged ground الأَجيدِof al-Ajid يَذودُهاdriving her
وَظَلَّ بِأَحزانِ الأَجيدِ يَذودُها
وَقَدwhile already لَبِساthe two wore يَوماًa day مِنَof الصَيفِsummer صَيهَباblazing hot
وَقَد لَبِسا يَوماً مِنَ الصَيفِ صَيهَبا
He kept driving her through al-Ajid's rugged ground,
When she wanted something he disliked
while both were clad in a blazing summer day.
He forced her until she was submissive.
إِذاwhenever ماindeed أَرادَتshe wanted وُجهَةًa direction لاnot يُريدُهاhe wanted it
إِذا ما أَرادَت وُجهَةً لا يُريدُها
أَضَرَّhe harried بِهاher حَتّىuntil تَلينَshe yields وَتَلغُباand grows weary
أَضَرَّ بِها حَتّى تَلينَ وَتَلغُبا
Whenever she chose a direction he did not want,
Like the leader of a mixed band whose perverseness
he harried her until she yielded and grew weary,
Increased her reluctance until she was angry.
كَزوجِlike the husband of الجُموعِa headstrong wife (uncertain reading) ناشَطَتهُshe resisted him فَزادَهُso it increased in him الشْthe— (start of 'discord')
كَزوجِ الجُموعِ ناشَطَتهُ فَزادَهُ الشْ
شِقاقُdiscord عَلَيهاtoward her بُعدَةًestrangement وَتَغَضُّباand anger
شِقاقُ عَلَيها بُعدَةً وَتَغَضُّبا
like the husband of a headstrong wife [reading uncertain]: she resists him, and the
Suns, when he visited them, spread out for him
quarrel deepens his estrangement from her and his anger.
The train of their robes while he smiled and she almost loved him.
شَموسٌskittish إِذاwhen مازارَهاhe ever visits her أَجَمَتshe kept in reserve لَهُfor him
شَموسٌ إِذا مازارَها أَجَمَت لَهُ
سَنابِكَhooves رِجلَيهاof her two hind legs فَصَدَّso he turned aside وَحَبَّباand trotted
سَنابِكَ رِجلَيها فَصَدَّ وَحَبَّبا
Skittish, whenever he visits her she keeps in reserve for him
Unaware, he lagged behind while she sped ahead,
the hooves of her hind legs; he turns away and trots.
And when he saw her determination, he reproached her.
وَلَمand not يَدرِhe noticed حَتّىuntil أَدبَرَتshe turned away وَهوَwhile he راتِعٌwas grazing
وَلَم يَدرِ حَتّى أَدبَرَت وَهوَ راتِعٌ
فَلَمّاthen when رَآهاhe saw her جاهَدَتهُshe strove against him وَأَهذَباand he sped along
فَلَمّا رَآها جاهَدَتهُ وَأَهذَبا
He did not notice until she turned away while he grazed;
A she-camel aroused when walking, confusing tracks
when he saw her, she strove against him, and he sped along.
When he drew near, stretching the earth behind her.
مُذكِيَةٌfully mature تَنباعُshe stretches forward قدماًstraight ahead إِذاwhen جَرَتshe ran
مُذكِيَةٌ تَنباعُ قدماً إِذا جَرَت
وَتَخلُطُand she mixes تَقريباًa canter إِذاwhen هُوَhe قَرَّباcantered
وَتَخلُطُ تَقريباً إِذا هُوَ قَرَّبا
Full-grown, she stretches straight ahead when she runs,
At nightfall we brought her to soft dunes, a haunt
and mixes a canter into her pace when he canters.
Of wild cows, and left her alone.
إِذاwhen قَطَعَتshe crossed داوِيَّةَa vast wilderness بَسَطَتshe opened لَهُbefore him
إِذا قَطَعَت داوِيَّةَ بَسَطَت لَهُ
مِنَof الأَرضِthe land شأَواًa running-distance بَعدَbeyond ذَلِكَthat مُغرَباfar-reaching
مِنَ الأَرضِ شأَواً بَعدَ ذَلِكَ مُغرَبا
When she crosses a vast wilderness, she opens before him
You'd think the night-lamp in it a lighthouse
a further, far-reaching stretch of land beyond it.
That shines when darkness falls in the west.
فَأَورَدَهاso he brought her to water لَمّاwhen اِنجَلىcleared اللَيلُthe night أَودَناwater-hollows (uncertain reading)
فَأَورَدَها لَمّا اِنجَلى اللَيلُ أَودَنا
فِضىًwide open كُنَّthey were لِلجَونِfor the dark ones الخَواتِمِin their ring-markings مَشرَباa drinking place
فِضىً كُنَّ لِلجَونِ الخَواتِمِ مَشرَبا
He led her, when the night had cleared, to water-hollows,
We met a starved dog who, famished,
wide open, a drinking place for the dark-ringed ones.
Had grown thin until he was just skin and bones.
تَرىyou see لِسِراجِfor the lamp اللَيلِof the night فيهِin it مَنارَةًa beacon
تَرى لِسِراجِ اللَيلِ فيهِ مَنارَةً
تَخايَلُshimmers وَضّاحاًbrightly shining إِذاwhen لاحَit appeared مَغرِباwestering
تَخايَلُ وَضّاحاً إِذا لاحَ مَغرِبا
You see the night's lamp reflected there like a beacon,
Hunting for young that were his get
shimmering brightly as it appears in the west.
He found since they were conceived only riffraff.
فَصادَفنَthen they encountered مَشبوحَwide-spread الأَشاجِعِfinger-joints قَدalready طَوىhad gone without food
فَصادَفنَ مَشبوحَ الأَشاجِعِ قَد طَوى
مِنَfrom الجوعِhunger حَتّىuntil عادَhe became شُرباًgaunt (uncertain reading) مُحَنَّباbow-legged
مِنَ الجوعِ حَتّى عادَ شُرباً مُحَنَّبا
They encountered a broad-knuckled man who had gone without food
We held back until she waded in
through hunger until he was gaunt [reading uncertain] and bow-legged.
And started to kneel, leaning on one foreleg.
يَصيدُhe hunts لِأَولادٍfor children لَهُof his قَلَّseldom ماever غَداpassed the morning
يَصيدُ لِأَولادٍ لَهُ قَلَّ ما غَدا
مُذsince اِجتَمَعواthey came together إِلّاexcept صَعاليكَpaupers سُغَّباfamished
مُذ اِجتَمَعوا إِلّا صَعاليكَ سُغَّبا
He hunts for children of his, who have rarely passed a morning,
Against his bow of knotted cords which seemed
since they came together, except as hungry paupers.
To answer when drawn - but it hit nothing.
فَأَمهَلَهاso he gave her time حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماindeed تَغَمَّرَتshe drank a little
فَأَمهَلَها حَتّى إِذا ما تَغَمَّرَت
وَقارَبَتناand she neared us لَدىnearby اِكلَأَنَّhe crouched وَرَكَّباand nocked an arrow
وَقارَبَتنا لَدى اِكلَأَنَّ وَرَكَّبا
He gave her time until she had drunk a little,
He followed her with eyes whose lids
and she drew near us; nearby, he crouched and nocked an arrow.
Were darkened by her dusty trail.
وَقامَand he rose بِإِحدىon one of رُكبَتَيهِhis two knees وَلَمand not يَقُمhe rose
وَقامَ بِإِحدى رُكبَتَيهِ وَلَم يَقُم
بِرُكبَتِهِon his knee الأُخرىthe other عَلىto الشقِّthe side أَنكَباhe bent sideways
بِرُكبَتِهِ الأُخرى عَلى الشقِّ أَنكَبا
He propped himself on one knee, but not
My heart quivered with longing
on the other, bending down to one side.
To tear apart the timid soul and make it quake.
وَمالَand he leaned عَلىover كَبداءَa thick-bellied bow ذاتِpossessing أَسِرَّةٍgrain-ridges
وَمالَ عَلى كَبداءَ ذاتِ أَسِرَّةٍ
نَزيعَةِcut from نَبعٍnab' wood تُرسِلُsends forth السَهمَthe arrow مُتعَباexhausted
نَزيعَةِ نَبعٍ تُرسِلُ السَهمَ مُتعَبا
He leaned over a thick-bellied bow with ridged grain,
Her white legs I thought were cast idols
cut from nab' wood, driving its arrow to exhaustion.
When the cover of fog was lifted from them.
إِذاwhen الوَتَرُthe bowstring المَحبوكُtightly braided حَنَّmoaned حَسِبتَهُyou would think it
إِذا الوَتَرُ المَحبوكُ حَنَّ حَسِبتَهُ
يُجاوِبُهُanswers it مِنfrom عودِهاits wood ماwhat تَغَيَّباwas hidden
يُجاوِبُهُ مِن عودِها ما تَغَيَّبا
When the tightly braided bowstring moans, you would think
I saw their ornaments on the cheeks of a fawn
the hidden parts of its wood were answering it.
Delighting the eye and heart.
فَلَمّاthen when رَمىhe shot لَمnot يُغنِavailed شَيئاًanything وَلاand not تَرىyou see
فَلَمّا رَمى لَم يُغنِ شَيئاً وَلا تَرى
كَحَيِّصِهِlike his swerving مِنfrom سَهمِهِhis arrow حينَwhen أَنضَباhe loosed it
كَحَيِّصِهِ مِن سَهمِهِ حينَ أَنضَبا
When he shot, it availed him nothing; you could never see
She said, Your aloofness is a rebuke.
a dodge like the ass's from his arrow when he loosed it.
Have you decided to shun me and keep apart?
وَأَتبَعَهاand he sent after her عَينَينِtwo eyes قَدalready كَحَلَتهُماhad kohled them both
وَأَتبَعَها عَينَينِ قَد كَحَلَتهُما
سَنابِكُهاher hooves ثَوراًstirred dust مِنَfrom القاعِthe level plain أَصهَباtawny
سَنابِكُها ثَوراً مِنَ القاعِ أَصهَبا
He sent his gaze after her, his two eyes kohled
I said, No, but a certain man has beguiled me,
by her hooves with tawny dust stirred from the plain.
One who considers praise unearned gain.
أَخُطوَةُa step? شَوقٍof longing فيin الفُؤادِthe heart تَغَمَّرَتplunged deeply
أَخُطوَةُ شَوقٍ في الفُؤادِ تَغَمَّرَت
لِتَنكَأَto wound afresh قَلباًa heart مُستَهاماًlove-crazed فَيَطرَباso it quivers with feeling
لِتَنكَأَ قَلباً مُستَهاماً فَيَطرَبا
Has a step of longing plunged into the heart,
He sees wealth does not last for its defender
to reopen a lovesick heart's wound and set it quivering,
And wealth is only to be gotten and lost.
مِنَfrom among الخَفِراتِthe bashful women البيضِthe fair-complexioned يَحسِبُone considers لَونَهاher complexion
مِنَ الخَفِراتِ البيضِ يَحسِبُ لَونَها
إِذاwhen طارَflew عَنهاoff her مِدرَعُa tunic الشَفِّof sheer gauze مَذهَباgilded
إِذا طارَ عَنها مِدرَعُ الشَفِّ مَذهَبا
for one of the fair, bashful women, whose complexion seems
His father the Commander of the Faithful, his mother
gilded when her gauze tunic flies off?
A Kindeh, the best of the tribe of Hajr ibn Amr.
تَرىyou see الحُليَthe jewelry مِنهاof hers فيon عَوارِضِthe contours حُرَّةٍof a freeborn woman
تَرى الحُليَ مِنها في عَوارِضِ حُرَّةٍ
وَأَورَقَand it put forth leaves لِلعَينَينِfor the two eyes وَالنَفسِand the soul مُعجَباdelightful
وَأَورَقَ لِلعَينَينِ وَالنَفسِ مُعجَبا
You see her jewelry against a freeborn woman's contours,
He was raised by Abu 'l-Aswad and Amr who came together
and it has put forth leaves, pleasing to the eyes and soul.
So honor one as uncle, the other as father.
تَقولُshe says وَإِعلانُand the airing of العِتابِreproach مَلامَةٌblame
تَقولُ وَإِعلانُ العِتابِ مَلامَةٌ
أَأَجمَعتَhave you resolved? هِجراناًabandonment لَناof us وَتَجَنُّباand avoidance
أَأَجمَعتَ هِجراناً لَنا وَتَجَنُّبا
She says—and airing reproach is blame—
Two nobles from different clans who vied
'Have you resolved to desert us and keep away?'
To raise a precious scion and so engendered him.
فَقُلتُso I said لَهاto her لاno بَلrather تَأَلَّفَنيwon me over اِمرُؤٌa man
فَقُلتُ لَها لا بَل تَأَلَّفَني اِمرُؤٌ
وَوَرِيُّand readily sparking الزِنادِfiresticks يَحسِبُconsiders الحَمدَpraise مَنهَباbooty
وَوَرِيُّ الزِنادِ يَحسِبُ الحَمدَ مَنهَبا
I told her: no; rather, a man has won me over,
I give him unequaled praise that will not
whose firesticks spark readily, who counts praise as booty.
Be matched by another though he live in the west.
يَرىhe sees المالَwealth لاnot يَبقىremains لِمَنfor one who كانَwas مانِعاًwithholding it
يَرى المالَ لا يَبقى لِمَن كانَ مانِعاً
وَماand not المالُwealth إِلّاexcept مُستَعادٌregained لِيَذهَباso it may depart
وَما المالُ إِلّا مُستَعادٌ لِيَذهَبا
He knows wealth will not remain with one who withholds it,
Rhymes that, were they made of brashness, would not sell
and wealth is only regained so that it may go again.
And would meet with success only if perfectly wrought.
أَبوهُhis father أَميرُCommander المُؤمِنينَof the Faithful وَأُمُّهُand his mother
أَبوهُ أَميرُ المُؤمِنينَ وَأُمُّهُ
بِحَجَرِthrough Hajar بنِson of عَمرُوAmr خَيرُthe best كِندَةَof Kinda مَنصباin lineage
بِحَجَرِ بنِ عَمرُو خَيرُ كِندَةَ مَنصبا
His father is the Commander of the Faithful, and his mother,
The praise of a man who, if he wins merit, will repay it,
through Hajar ibn Amr, is of Kinda's noblest lineage.
Not brooding over what escaped him.
نَماهُgave him lineage أَبوAbu العاصيal-Asi وَعَمرُوand Amr تَلاقَياthe two met
نَماهُ أَبو العاصي وَعَمرُو تَلاقَيا
فَأَكرِمhow noble, then بِذاthis one خالاًas a maternal uncle وَأَكرِمand how noble بِذاthis one أَباas a father
فَأَكرِم بِذا خالاً وَأَكرِم بِذا أَبا
Abu al-Asi and Amr gave him lineage; the two came together—
how noble this one as a maternal uncle, and that one as a father!
نَجيبَينِtwo noble men مِنfrom شَعبَينِtwo tribal branches شَتىdifferent تَنازَعاboth laid claim
نَجيبَينِ مِن شَعبَينِ شَتى تَنازَعا
لِصِرّهِماfor their common stock فَرعاًa branch كَريماًnoble فَأَنجَباand so they begot nobly
لِصِرّهِما فَرعاً كَريماً فَأَنجَبا
Two noble men from distinct tribal branches, both laying claim
to a noble branch for their stock; nobly they begot.
أُحَبِّرُI adorn قَولاًverse لَنnever will يُحَبَّرَbe adorned مِثلُهُits like
أُحَبِّرُ قَولاً لَن يُحَبَّرَ مِثلُهُ
لَهُfor him صاحِبُa fellow poet غَيريother than me وَلَوeven if كانَhe were مَغرِباexceptionally inventive
لَهُ صاحِبُ غَيري وَلَو كانَ مَغرِبا
I adorn verse whose like will never be adorned
for him by another poet, however inventive.
قَوافيrhymed verses لَوif كانَتthey were مِنَof البَزِّfine cloth لَمnot تُبَعbe sold
قَوافي لَو كانَت مِنَ البَزِّ لَم تُبَع
وَلَمand not تَكسُclothe إِلّاexcept ذاone possessing تَمامٍcomplete worth مُجَرَّباproven
وَلَم تَكسُ إِلّا ذا تَمامٍ مُجَرَّبا
Rhymes which, were they fine cloth, would not be sold,
and would clothe only a proven man of perfect worth:
ثَناءِpraise اِمرِئٍof a man إِنif نالَhe received خَيراًkindness جَزىhe repaid بِهِfor it
ثَناءِ اِمرِئٍ إِن نالَ خَيراً جَزى بِهِ
وَلَيسَand he is not عَلىover ماwhat فاتَهُpassed him by مُتَحَوِّباgrieving
وَلَيسَ عَلى ما فاتَهُ مُتَحَوِّبا
the praise of a man who repays kindness when he receives it,
and does not grieve over what has passed him by.
Partial English translation: 70 of 80 Arabic lines translated.