لِمَنِwhose الدارُthe dwelling مِثلُlike خَطِّthe writing of الكِتابِthe book
لِمَنِ الدارُ مِثلُ خَطِّ الكِتابِ
بِالمَراقيدِat al-Maraqid أَوor بِذِكرِat Dhikr العُقابِal-Uqab
بِالمَراقيدِ أَو بِذِكرِ العُقابِ
Whose is the dwelling, like the writing in a book,
at al-Maraqid, or at Dhikr al-Uqab?
جَرَتِswept الريحُthe wind فَوقَهاover it مُذلَعِبّاًrushing swiftly
جَرَتِ الريحُ فَوقَها مُذلَعِبّاً
مِنfrom إِهابِيَّIhabiyy تَرتَميflinging about بِالتُرابِwith dust
مِن إِهابِيَّ تَرتَمي بِالتُرابِ
The wind swept over it, rushing swiftly,
from Ihabiyy, flinging dust about.
لَيتَwould that ليfor me جيرَةًneighbors كَآلِlike the family of خُلَيدٍKhulayd
لَيتَ لي جيرَةً كَآلِ خُلَيدٍ
حَسبيenough for me الَّذيwho ماتِعيlofty in الأَحسابِlineage
حَسبي الَّذي ماتِعي الأَحسابِ
Would that I had neighbors like the family of Khulayd—
enough for me are those of lofty lineage.
بَذَلواthey gave freely الماءَwater يَومَthe day جِئناwe came وَحَيّواand offered greetings
بَذَلوا الماءَ يَومَ جِئنا وَحَيّوا
وَسَقَوناand gave us drink عَلىover مَناقيthe marrow-rich ones among الرِكابِthe riding camels
وَسَقَونا عَلى مَناقي الرِكابِ
They freely offered water when we came, and welcomed us,
and gave us drink over a feast of marrow-rich camels.
ظاهِروopenly displaying الأُنسِfriendliness وَالعَفافِand chastity إِذاwhen
ظاهِرو الأُنسِ وَالعَفافِ إِذا
ماever لُّزَّare tightly joined بَينَamong البُيوتِthe tents بِالأَطنابِby the guy ropes
ما لُّزَّ بَينَ البُيوتِ بِالأَطنابِ
Open in friendliness and chastity, whenever
the tents are drawn close together by their guy ropes.
وَرَأَيتُand I saw الدُخانَthe smoke يَنسِلُslipping قُدماًstraight ahead
وَرَأَيتُ الدُخانَ يَنسِلُ قُدماً
نَسَلَthe slipping of الذيبِthe wolf مِنfrom وَراءِbehind الحِجابِthe screen
نَسَلَ الذيبِ مِن وَراءِ الحِجابِ
And I saw the smoke slip straight ahead,
like a wolf slipping out from behind a screen.
عادَreturned لِلقَلبِto the heart مِنfrom رُوَيمَةَRuwaymah رَدُّrenewed longing
عادَ لِلقَلبِ مِن رُوَيمَةَ رَدُّ
بَعدَafter صَرمٍa rupture مُبَيَّنٍclear وَاِجتِنابِand avoidance
بَعدَ صَرمٍ مُبَيَّنٍ وَاِجتِنابِ
Longing for Ruwaymah returned to my heart,
after a clear break and avoidance.
وَسَبَتهُand captivated it بِناصِعِwith radiant اللَونِcomplexion حُرٍّunblemished
وَسَبَتهُ بِناصِعِ اللَونِ حُرٍّ
وَثَناياand front teeth مُفَلَّجاتٍspaced apart وَاِجتِنابِand aloofness
وَثَنايا مُفَلَّجاتٍ وَاِجتِنابِ
She captured it with a bright, unblemished complexion,
and parted front teeth, and her aloofness.
دُميَةٌa statue شافَهاburnished it رِجالٌmen نَصارىChristian
دُميَةٌ شافَها رِجالٌ نَصارى
يَومَthe day of فَقحٍa festival بِماءِwith the liquid of كَنزٍtreasure مُذابِmolten
يَومَ فَقحٍ بِماءِ كَنزٍ مُذابِ
A statue burnished by Christian men
on a feast day, with the liquid of molten treasure;
أَوor مَهاةٌa white oryx تَبَلَّجَbroke into light اللَيلُthe night عَنهاaway from her
أَو مَهاةٌ تَبَلَّجَ اللَيلُ عَنها
بِاللَوىat al-Liwa بِينَbetween عالِجٍAlij فَالجَنابِand al-Janab
بِاللَوى بِينَ عالِجٍ فَالجَنابِ
or a white oryx revealed as the night broke,
at al-Liwa, between Alij and al-Janab.
وَإِذاand when الناشِئُthe young man الرِفَلُّpampered رَآهاsees her
وَإِذا الناشِئُ الرِفَلُّ رَآها
لَجَّpersists مِنfrom ذاتِthe depths of نَفسِهِhis soul فيin التَصابيyouthful passion
لَجَّ مِن ذاتِ نَفسِهِ في التَصابي
When a pampered youth sees her,
he persists, from his very soul, in youthful passion.
بَيَّتَتناshe visited us by night تَزورُvisiting صَرعىfelled by نُعاسٍdrowsiness
بَيَّتَتنا تَزورُ صَرعى نُعاسٍ
عَرَّسواthey halted for the night مَوهِناًlate at night بِأَرضِin a land يَبابِbarren
عَرَّسوا مَوهِناً بِأَرضِ يَبابِ
She came by night to visit us, whom drowsiness had felled,
after we had halted late at night on barren ground.
فَتَرىso you see الغِرَّthe callow man بِالمَناكِبِonto the shoulders يَكبوhe topples
فَتَرى الغِرَّ بِالمَناكِبِ يَكبو
شَهوَةَcraving النَومِsleep كَالأَميمِlike one wounded in the skull المُصابِstricken
شَهوَةَ النَومِ كَالأَميمِ المُصابِ
So you see the callow man pitching shoulder-first,
craving sleep, like one stricken with a head wound.
هُجَّداًsleeping فاتِريdrooping of العُيونِeyes تَراهُمyou see them
هُجَّداً فاتِري العُيونِ تَراهُم
كَالثَمالىlike drunkards وَماthough not اِنتَشَواhad they grown tipsy مِنfrom شَرابِdrink
كَالثَمالى وَما اِنتَشَوا مِن شَرابِ
Asleep, with drooping eyes, you see them
like drunkards, though no drink has made them tipsy.
راعَهُمstartled them بَعدَafter رَقدَةٍa sleep رَقَدوهاthey had slept through it
راعَهُم بَعدَ رَقدَةٍ رَقَدوها
دَعوَةٌa call مِنfrom صَمَحمَحٍa sturdy man غَيرِnot كابِfaltering
دَعوَةٌ مِن صَمَحمَحٍ غَيرِ كابِ
After a sleep they had slept, they were startled
by a call from a sturdy, unflagging man.
قَدalready فَشاhad spread فيin مُضمَرِthe hiding place of الغِسلِthe washing herbs مِنهُof him
قَد فَشا في مُضمَرِ الغِسلِ مِنهُ
وَضَحُthe whiteness of الشيبِgray hair بَعدَafter غَضِّthe freshness of الشَبابِyouth
وَضَحُ الشيبِ بَعدَ غَضِّ الشَبابِ
Through his hair, where washing herbs lay hidden, had spread
the brightness of gray, after youth's freshness.
قَدalready دَعاهُمhe called them حَتّىuntil تَغَلَّلَpenetrated لَأياًwith difficulty
قَد دَعاهُم حَتّى تَغَلَّلَ لَأياً
صَوتُهُhis voice مِنof رُؤوسِهِمtheir heads فيinto النِقابِthe openings
صَوتُهُ مِن رُؤوسِهِم في النِقابِ
He called them until, with difficulty, there seeped
his voice into the passages of their heads.
مائِلاًdrooping رَأسُهُhis head نُعاساًin drowsiness يُناديhe calls out
مائِلاً رَأسُهُ نُعاساً يُنادي
ثُمَّthen يَعياfails لِسانُهُhis tongue بِالجَوابِat answering
ثُمَّ يَعيا لِسانُهُ بِالجَوابِ
With head drooping in drowsiness, he calls out,
then his tongue cannot manage a reply.
عَشِقَhe loved الكَرَمَةَthe vine الَّتيthat اَستَنكَحَتهُtook him as her husband
عَشِقَ الكَرَمَةَ الَّتي اَستَنكَحَتهُ
فَهوَso he يُنصىis tugged by the forelock بِرَأسِهِby his head وَهوَwhile he آبِis unwilling
فَهوَ يُنصى بِرَأسِهِ وَهوَ آبِ
He loved the vine that had taken him as her husband,
so his head is tugged by the forelock, though he resists.
فَاِتَقواso they shielded themselves from ظاهِرَthe surface of الحَصاthe gravel بِرِحالٍwith saddles
فَاِتَقوا ظاهِرَ الحَصا بِرِحالٍ
مُثبَتاتٍfirmly fastened عَلىon ظُهورِthe backs of الرِكابِthe riding camels
مُثبَتاتٍ عَلى ظُهورِ الرِكابِ
So they kept off the bare gravel by means of saddles
firmly fastened to the riding camels' backs.
فَتَحَزحَزنَso they shifted إِذwhen سَمِعنَthey heard وَغاناour clamor
فَتَحَزحَزنَ إِذ سَمِعنَ وَغانا
جَزَعاًin alarm أَوor تَيَسُّراًin readiness لِلهِبابِto spring up
جَزَعاً أَو تَيَسُّراً لِلهِبابِ
The she-camels shifted when they heard our clamor,
in alarm, or making ready to spring up.
ضامِراتٍlean-flanked عَلىover ذَخائِرَstored reserves كَانَتwere
ضامِراتٍ عَلى ذَخائِرَ كَانَت
جَرَّةًcud يَأنَدِمنَهاthey seasoned it بِاللُعابِwith saliva
جَرَّةً يَأنَدِمنَها بِاللُعابِ
Lean-flanked, with stores inside them that were
cud they seasoned with saliva.
يَبتَدِرنَthey hasten toward القِيامَrising يَجمُزنَthey bound قُدماًstraight forward
يَبتَدِرنَ القِيامَ يَجمُزنَ قُدماً
ثانِياتٍturning وَهُنَّthough they غَيرُare not صِعابِunruly
ثانِياتٍ وَهُنَّ غَيرُ صِعابِ
They hurry to rise and bound straight forward,
turning, though they are not unruly.
قَدindeed شَهِدتُI witnessed الجِيادَthe fine horses يَخرُجنَemerging فَوتاًbeyond pursuit
قَد شَهِدتُ الجِيادَ يَخرُجنَ فَوتاً
مِنfrom غُبارٍdust مُجَلَّلٍenveloping مُنجابِparting
مِن غُبارٍ مُجَلَّلٍ مُنجابِ
I have seen fine horses race out of reach
from an enveloping cloud of dust that parts,
ساطِعٍrising high يَصطَنِعنَthey fashion مِنهُfrom it ذُيولاًtrains
ساطِعٍ يَصطَنِعنَ مِنهُ ذُيولاً
كَمُلاءِlike the cloth of العِراقِIraq ذيpossessing الهَدّابِfringes
كَمُلاءِ العِراقِ ذي الهَدّابِ
rising high—they fashion trains from it,
like the fringed cloth of Iraq.
ضَرَبَتهُstruck it الرِياحُthe winds فَاِغتَصَبَتهُand wrested it away
ضَرَبَتهُ الرِياحُ فَاِغتَصَبَتهُ
جِلدَthe skin of الأَرضِthe earth وَقعُthe impact of صُمَّsolid [hooves] صَلابِhard
جِلدَ الأَرضِ وَقعُ صُمَّ صَلابِ
The winds buffeted it, wrested away
from earth's skin by blows of solid, hard hooves.
جنِحاتٍleaning كَأَنَّهُنَّas though they were رِجالٌmen
جنِحاتٍ كَأَنَّهُنَّ رِجالٌ
مُستَغيرونَraiding طارِحوcasting off الأَسلابِclothing
مُستَغيرونَ طارِحو الأَسلابِ
Leaning, as though they were men,
raiders who have cast aside their clothing.
فَوقَهُنَّupon them المُستَلئِمونَthe armored men قُعوداًseated
فَوقَهُنَّ المُستَلئِمونَ قُعوداً
يَستَحِثّونَهُنَّthey urge them onward بِالأَحقابِwith the saddle-girths
يَستَحِثّونَهُنَّ بِالأَحقابِ
Armored men sit upon them,
urging them onward with the saddle-girths,
بَينَbetween أَيديthe hands of عَرَمرَمٍa mighty host ذيpossessing دُروءٍsurging divisions
بَينَ أَيدي عَرَمرَمٍ ذي دُروءٍ
جَحفَلٍa massed army فيهِin it رايَةٌa banner كَالعُقابِlike an eagle
جَحفَلٍ فيهِ رايَةٌ كَالعُقابِ
before a mighty host with surging ranks,
a massed army with a banner like an eagle.
تَحتَهاbeneath it وَاحِدٌone وَعِشرونَand twenty كَعاباًshaft-joints
تَحتَها وَاحِدٌ وَعِشرونَ كَعاباً
رُدَنِيّاًRudayni وَمُذلَقٌand a sharpened point كَالشِهابِlike a shooting star
رُدَنِيّاً وَمُذلَقٌ كَالشِهابِ
Beneath it are twenty-one joints
of Rudayni spear-shaft, and a sharp point like a shooting star.
وَكُماةٌand warriors كَسَتهُمُclothed them الحَربُwar بَيضاًhelmets
وَكُماةٌ كَسَتهُمُ الحَربُ بَيضاً
وَسَرابيلُand mail-shirts كُسِّرَتworked into folds لِلضِرابِfor combat
وَسَرابيلُ كُسِّرَت لِلضِرابِ
And warriors whom war has clothed in helmets
and mail-shirts worked into folds for combat,
مِنfrom بَنيthe sons of قاسِطٍQasit وَأَبناءِand the sons of زُهدٍZuhd
مِن بَني قاسِطٍ وَأَبناءِ زُهدٍ
ذانَكَthose two المَخلَبانِthe two talons ظُفريmy claw وَنابيand my fang
ذانَكَ المَخلَبانِ ظُفري وَنابي
from the sons of Qasit and the sons of Zuhd—
those two talons, my claw and my fang.
طَوَتset her course طَلَّتيmy wife إِلىtoward أَرضِthe land of قَوميmy people
طَوَت طَلَّتي إِلى أَرضِ قَومي
وَشَجاهاand grieved her تَقَلُّبيmy wandering وَاِغتِرابيand my exile
وَشَجاها تَقَلُّبي وَاِغتِرابي
My wife set her course toward my people's land,
grieved by my wandering and my exile,
بَعدَماafter حَرَّتِgrew hot المِياهُthe waters وَقِظناand we spent the summer
بَعدَما حَرَّتِ المِياهُ وَقِظنا
وَالمُنىyet wishes لَيسَare not مِنamong أُمورِthe matters of الصَوابِsound judgment
وَالمُنى لَيسَ مِن أُمورِ الصَوابِ
after the waters grew hot and we had summered—
yet wishes are no part of sound judgment.
لَوif تَقَدَّمتِyou had come forward أَمسِyesterday كَنتِyou would have been شَفيعاًan intercessor
لَو تَقَدَّمتِ أَمسِ كَنتِ شَفيعاً
وَتَأَخَّرتِand you were late أَشهُراًmonths فيin العِتابِreproach
وَتَأَخَّرتِ أَشهُراً في العِتابِ
Had you come forward yesterday, you would have been an intercessor;
yet you were months late with your reproaches.
سَوفَwill يَكفيكَsuffice you بَعدَهُمafter them إِذwhen نَأَوناthey went far from us
سَوفَ يَكفيكَ بَعدَهُم إِذ نَأَونا
سَنِماتٌhigh-humped she-camels قَناعِسٌhuge كَالهِضابِlike hills
سَنِماتٌ قَناعِسٌ كَالهِضابِ
In their stead, when they have left us, these will suffice you:
high-humped, mighty she-camels like hills.
طَرَفاتٌwide-ranging إِذاwhenever اِستَبَحنَthey take possession of مَكاناًa place
طَرَفاتٌ إِذا اِستَبَحنَ مَكاناً
صاحَcried out فيهِنَّamong them يافِعٌa youth كَالغُرابِlike a raven
صاحَ فيهِنَّ يافِعٌ كَالغُرابِ
Wide-ranging, whenever they take possession of a place,
a youth like a raven shouts among them,
حَبَشِيٌّan Abyssinian يُلاعِبُhe plays with السَقبَthe male camel calf مِنهاfrom among them
حَبَشِيٌّ يُلاعِبُ السَقبَ مِنها
فَرَحاًdelighted أَنthat يَعَضَّهُit bites him بِالثِيابِthrough the clothes
فَرَحاً أَن يَعَضَّهُ بِالثِيابِ
an Abyssinian who plays with one of their male calves,
delighted when it nips him through his clothes.
يَمتَطيmounts كُلِّevery صَعبَةٍunruly she-camel وَذَلولٍand tame one
يَمتَطي كُلِّ صَعبَةٍ وَذَلولٍ
سَمِنٌfat خالِدٌabiding عَلىupon الأَصلابِthe backbones
سَمِنٌ خالِدٌ عَلى الأَصلابِ
Every unruly beast and every tame one is ridden
by fat that stays along their backbones.
فَتَراهُنَّso you see them بُدَّناًplump رَهِلاتٍloose-fleshed
فَتَراهُنَّ بُدَّناً رَهِلاتٍ
وارِماتِswollen in الشُطوطِthe flanks غُلبَthick of الرِقابِneck
وارِماتِ الشُطوطِ غُلبَ الرِقابِ
So you see them plump and loose-fleshed,
swollen in the flanks, thick-necked.
فَرَعَتso they grazed شابِكاًShabik فَبَطنَthen the valley floor of شُهَيبٍShuhayb
فَرَعَت شابِكاً فَبَطنَ شُهَيبٍ
حَيثُwhere مَجَّspat forth الرَبيعُspring ماءَthe water of السَحابِthe clouds
حَيثُ مَجَّ الرَبيعُ ماءَ السَحابِ
So they grazed Shabik, then Shuhayb's valley floor,
where spring spat forth the water of the clouds.
وَإِذاand when بَرَكَتthey kneel تَلَجلَجَquiver مِنهاfrom them
وَإِذا بَرَكَت تَلَجلَجَ مِنها
سُرَرٌnavels يَقتَحِمنَthey plunge into حُرَّthe pure part of التُرابِthe dust
سُرَرٌ يَقتَحِمنَ حُرَّ التُرابِ
And when they kneel, beneath them quiver
navels plunging into the pure, fine dust,
فيin دِيارِthe domains of العَزيزِal-Aziz مِنof أَرضِthe land of كَلبٍKalb
في دِيارِ العَزيزِ مِن أَرضِ كَلبٍ
بَينَbetween أَحياءِthe clans of عامِرٍAmir وَجَنابِand Janab
بَينَ أَحياءِ عامِرٍ وَجَنابِ
in al-Aziz's domains, in the land of Kalb,
between the clans of Amir and Janab.