تَشَكّى الكُمَيتُ الجَريَ لَمّا جَهَدتُهُ

تَشَكّى الكُمَيتُ الجَريَ لَمّا جَهَدتُهُ

وَبَيَّنَ لَو يَسطيعُ أَن يَتَكَلَّما

وَبَيَّنَ لَو يَسطيعُ أَن يَتَكَلَّما

The bay horse complained of running when I pressed him hard,

The she-camel complained to me when I overburdened her,

And would have made it plain, had he been able to speak.

And made clear that if she could speak, she would.

فَقُلتُ لَهُ إِن أَلقَ لِلعَينِ قُرَّةً

فَقُلتُ لَهُ إِن أَلقَ لِلعَينِ قُرَّةً

فَهانَ عَلَينا أَن تَكِلَّ وَتَسأَما

فَهانَ عَلَينا أَن تَكِلَّ وَتَسأَما

I said to him, “If I find a delight for the eye,

I said to her, "If carrying the load brings delight to my eyes,

Then your weariness and boredom matter little to us.

Then it is easy for us if you moan and become weary."

عَدِمتُ إِذاً وَفري وَفارَقتُ مُهجَتي

عَدِمتُ إِذاً وَفري وَفارَقتُ مُهجَتي

لَئِن لَم أَقِل قَرناً إِذا اللَهُ سَلَّما

لَئِن لَم أَقِل قَرناً إِذا اللَهُ سَلَّما

May I then lose my wealth and part with my soul

If so, I would be ruined, and my resolve would leave me;

If I do not rest for an age, should God grant safety.”

Were I not to carry my supplies, even if at ease and safe.

لِذَلِكَ أُدني دونَ خَيلي رِباطَهُ

لِذَلِكَ أُدني دونَ خَيلي رِباطَهُ

وَأَوصي بِهِ أَن لا يُهانَ وَيُكرَما

وَأَوصي بِهِ أَن لا يُهانَ وَيُكرَما

For that I keep his tether nearer than those of my other horses,

Therefore I walk beside my camel to fasten her saddle,

And enjoin that he not be mistreated, but honored.

And instruct that she not be humiliated, but honored.

فَما راعَها إِلّا الأَغَرَّ كَأَنَّهُ

فَما راعَها إِلّا الأَغَرَّ كَأَنَّهُ

عُقابٌ هَوَت مُنقَضَّةً قَد رَأَت دَما

عُقابٌ هَوَت مُنقَضَّةً قَد رَأَت دَما

Nothing startled her but the white-blazed horse, as though he were

She paid it no heed, bounding away like a vicious eagle

An eagle swooping down in a dive, having seen blood.

Who dives down, having spotted blood.

فَقُلتُ لَهُم كَيفَ الثُرَيّا هَبِلتُمُ

فَقُلتُ لَهُم كَيفَ الثُرَيّا هَبِلتُمُ

فَقالوا سَتَدري ما نَكَرنا وَتَعلَما

فَقالوا سَتَدري ما نَكَرنا وَتَعلَما

I said to them, “How is al-Thurayya? May you be bereaved!”

I said to them, "Why did you panic over the she-camel?"

They said, “You will discover what puzzled us, and know.

They said, "You will know what we disliked and understand."

هُنالِكَ فَاِنزِل فَاِستَرِح فَإِذا بَدَت

هُنالِكَ فَاِنزِل فَاِستَرِح فَإِذا بَدَت

ثُرَيّاكَ في أَترابِها الحورِ كَالدُمى

ثُرَيّاكَ في أَترابِها الحورِ كَالدُمى

Dismount there and rest; and when she appears—

Thereupon dismount and rest, but when your she-camel

Your Thurayya among her wide-eyed peers, like statues—

Appears among her companions like a bloody corpse,

يُرِدنَ اِحتِيازَ السِرِّ مِنكَ فَلا تَبُح

يُرِدنَ اِحتِيازَ السِرِّ مِنكَ فَلا تَبُح

بِما لَم تَكُن عَنهُ لَدَينا مُجَمجِما

بِما لَم تَكُن عَنهُ لَدَينا مُجَمجِما

They will seek to draw the secret from you, so do not divulge

Seeking to conceal the secret from you, do not divulge

What you were not evasive about in our company.”

What was not disclosed to us—not even a hint.