قِفَا نَبْكِ مِنْ ذِكْرَى حَبِيبٍ وَمَنْزِلِ بسِقْطِ اللَّوَى بَيْنَ الدَّخُولِ فَحَوْمَلِ
This poem is part of the famous Mu'allaqat by Imru' al-Qais, a pre-Islamic poet. The poem begins with the poet asking his companions to pause and weep over the memories of a beloved and a dwelling place, evoking nostalgia and longing. The imagery of the night is used to convey the poet's emotional turmoil, comparing it to the waves of the sea, enveloping him with worries. The poet addresses the night, wishing for it to end, but acknowledges that the morning offers no relief. The poem vividly describes the stars and the Pleiades, using them as metaphors for the poet's feelings of entrapment and longing. The poet then shifts to describing a horse, symbolizing strength and freedom, yet also depicting the challenges and struggles of life. The horse's movements are likened to natural phenomena, emphasizing the poet's connection to nature and the transient nature of life. The poem captures the essence of Bedouin life, reflecting themes of love, loss, and the harsh realities of existence.
| Word | In Arabic | In English | Pron. |
|---|---|---|---|
| قِفَا | توقفا | stop | qifaa |
| نَبْكِ | نبكي | weep | nabki |
| مِنْ | من | from | min |
| ذِكْرَى | ذكرى | remembrance | dhikraa |
| حَبِيبٍ | محبوب | beloved | habeebin |
| وَمَنْزِلِ | بيت | dwelling | wamanzil |
| بسِقْطِ | في مكان | at | bisiqt |
| اللَّوَى | اسم مكان | name of a place | al-lawaa |
| بَيْنَ | بين | between | bayna |
| الدَّخُولِ | اسم مكان | name of a place | ad-dukhool |
| فَحَوْمَلِ | اسم مكان | name of a place | fahawmal |
| وَلَيْلٍ | ليل | night | walaylin |
| كَمَوْجِ | مثل موج | like the waves | kamawji |
| الْبَحْرِ | البحر | sea | al-bahri |
| أَرْخَى | أنزل | spread | arkhaa |
| سُدُولَهُ | ستائره | its veils | sudoolahu |
| عَلَيَّ | علي | on me | alayya |
| بِأَنْوَاعِ | بأنواع | with types | bi-anwaa'i |
| الهُمُومِ | القلق | worries | al-humoomi |
| لِيَبْتَلِي | ليختبر | to test | liyabtalee |
| فَقُلْتُ | قلت | I told | faqultu |
| لَهُ | له | to him | lahu |
| لَمَّا | عندما | when | lammaa |
| تَمَطَّى | امتد | extended | tamattaa |
| بِصُلْبِهِ | بظهره | its back | bisulbihi |
| وأَرْدَفَ | وتبع | and followed | wa-ardafa |
| أَعْجَارًا | أثقال | burdens | a'jaaran |
| وَنَاءَ | مال | leaned | wanaa |
| بِكَلْكَلِ | بثقله | with its weight | bikalkali |
| أَلا | يا | O | alaa |
| أَيُّهَا | أيها | O | ayyuh |
| اللَّيْلُ | الليل | night | al-laylu |
| الطَّوِيلُ | الطويل | long | at-taweelu |
| أَلَّا | ألا | will not | alla |
| انْجَلِي | انكشف | clear away | injali |
| بِصُبْحٍ | بصباح | with a morning | bisubh |
| وَمَا | وما | and | wa ma |
| الإِصْبَاحُ | الصباح | morning | al-isbaah |
| مِنْكَ | منك | than you | minka |
| بِأَمْثَلِ | أفضل | better | bi-amthal |
| فَيَالَكَ | يا لك | Oh, what a | fayaalak |
| لَيْلٍ | ليل | night | laylin |
| كَأَنَّ | كأن | as though | ka'anna |
| نُجُومَهُ | نجومه | its stars | nujoomahu |
| بِكُلِّ | بكل | with all | bikulli |
| مُغَارِ | حبل | rope | mughaar |
| الفَتْلِ | الفتل | twisting | al-fatli |
| شُدَّتْ | ربطت | tied | shuddat |
| بِيَذْبُلِ | اسم مكان | name of a place | biyathbul |
| الثَّرَيَّا | الثريا | the Pleiades | ath-thurayaa |
| عُلِقَتْ | علقت | were hung | uliqat |
| فِي | في | inside | fi |
| مَصَامِها | أماكنها | their places | masaamiha |
| بِأَمْرَاسِ | بحبال | with ropes | bi-amraas |
| كَتَانٍ | كتان | linen | katan |
| إِلَى | إلى | towards | ila |
| صُمَّ | صلب | solid | summ |
| جَنْدَلِ | صخور | rocks | jandal |
| وقَدْ | وقد | and | waqad |
| أَغْتَدِي | أخرج صباحًا | rise early | aghtadee |
| وَالطَّيْرُ | والطيور | while the birds | wat-tayru |
| وُكُناتِها | أعشاشها | their nests | wukunatiha |
| بِمُنْجَرِدٍ | بفرس سريع | with a swift horse | bimunjarid |
| قَيْدِ | مقيد | restrained | qaydi |
| الأَوَابِدِ | الوحوش | wild beasts | al-awabidi |
| هَيْكَيلِ | هيكل | structure | haykal |
| مُكِرٍ | ماكر | deceptive | mukir |
| مِفَرٍ | هارب | fleeing | mifar |
| مُقْبِلٍ | مقبل | coming | muqbil |
| مُدْبِرٍ | مدبر | going | mudbir |
| مَعًا | معًا | together | ma'an |
| كَجُلْمُودِ | مثل صخرة | like a boulder | kajulmud |
| صَخْرٍ | صخرة | rock | sakhr |
| حَطَّهُ | أسقطه | brought down | hattahu |
| السَّيْلِ | السيل | the torrent | as-sayl |
| عَلِ | فوق | above | ali |
| كُمَيْتٍ | فرس أحمر | bay horse | kumayt |
| يَزِلُّ | ينزلق | slips | yazil |
| اللَّبْدُ | السراج | the saddle | al-labd |
| عَنْ | عن | from | an |
| حَالِ | ظهر | back | haal |
| مَتْنِهِ | ظهره | its back | matnihi |
| كَمَا | كما | as | kamaa |
| زَلْتِ | انزلقت | slips | zalt |
| الصَّفْوَاءُ | الصخرة | the smooth rock | as-safwaa |
| بِالْمُتَنَزَّلِ | في النزول | at the descent | bilmutanazzil |
| يُطِيرُ | يطير | throws | yuteer |
| الغُلَامَ | الولد | the boy | al-ghulaam |
| الخِفَ | الخفيف | the light | al-khifa |
| عَن | عن | off | an |
| صَهَوَاتِه | ظهره | its back | sahawaatihi |
| وَيُلوِي | يلوي | bends | wayulwi |
| بِأَثْوَابِ | بملابس | with the clothes | bi-athwaabi |
| العَنِيفِ | الثقيل | the heavy | al-aneef |
| مُثْقَلِ | المثقل | rider | muthqal |
| دَرِيرِ | سريع | swift | dareer |
| كَخُذَرُوفِ | مثل خذروف | like the top | kakhuthroof |
| الوَلِيدِ | الطفل | child | al-waleed |
| أَمَرَّه | أداره | turned | amarrah |
| تَقَلُّبُ | تدوير | turning | taqallub |
| كَفَّيهِ | يديه | his hands | kaffayhi |
| بِخَيطٍ | بخيط | with a string | bikhaytin |
| مُوَصَّلِ | موصول | connected | muwassal |
| له | له | it possesses | lahu |
| ايطلا | سرعة | agility | aytla |
| ظبي | غزال | gazelle | zabi |
| وَسَاقَا | ساقي | legs | wasaaqaa |
| نَعَامَة | نعامة | ostrich | naama |
| وَارِخَاهُ | طويل | long | waarikhaahu |
| سِرحَانَ | ذئب | wolf | sirhan |
| وَتَقْرِيبُ | خطوة | stride | wataqreeb |
| تَنفُلِ | ثعلب | fox | tanful |
Imru' al-Qais was a pre-Islamic Arabian poet, often regarded as one of the greatest poets of the Arabic language. He is known for his Mu'allaqat, a series of seven pre-Islamic poems that are considered some of the finest examples of classical Arabic poetry.
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