۔
This poem by Imru' al-Qais is a classic example of pre-Islamic Arabic poetry, known as the Mu'allaqat. It begins with a call to pause and mourn the memories of a beloved and a place, evoking nostalgia and a sense of loss. The poet describes a night filled with worries, comparing it to the vast and tumultuous sea. He personifies the night, questioning its length and yearning for the morning. The imagery of the night is vivid, with stars likened to being tied with ropes, and the Pleiades depicted as anchored to stones. The poet also describes setting out with a swift horse, emphasizing its speed and agility, akin to a torrent of rocks. The poem captures themes of longing, the passage of time, and the harshness of life, all conveyed through rich metaphors and vivid imagery.
| Word | In Arabic | In English | Pron. |
|---|---|---|---|
| قِ | قف | stop | qi |
| فا | ثم | then | fa |
| ن | نحن | we | na |
| بْكِ | نبكي | cry | bki |
| مِ نْ | من | from | min |
| ذِكْ رى | تذكر | memory | dhikraa |
| حبِیبٍ | محبوب | beloved | habeeb |
| و | و | and | wa |
| منِْْلِ | مكان | place | manzil |
| بِسِقْطِ | في | in | bisqti |
| اللَِّ وى | الوادي | lowland | allawaa |
| ب ین | بين | between | bayna |
| ال دَّخُولِ | مكان | Dakhul | ad-dakhul |
| ف حوْ ملِ | مكان | Hawmal | fahawmal |
| ول | و | and | wa |
| یْلٍ | ليل | night | laylin |
| ك | مثلك | like you | ka |
| موْجِ | أمواج | waves | mawj |
| ال بحْرِ | البحر | the sea | al-bahr |
| أ رْ خ | أرخى | drawn | arkha |
| سُدُول هُ | ستائر | curtains | sudoolahu |
| ع ل يَّ | علي | over me | alayya |
| بِأنْواعِ | بأنواع | various | bi-anwaa'i |
| الهُمُومِ | هموم | worries | al-humoom |
| لِ یبْ تلِي | ليختبرني | to challenge me | liyabtalee |
| فقُلْتُ | قلت | I said | faqultu |
| ل هُ | له | to it | lahu |
| ل مَّ ا | عندما | when | lammaa |
| ت م طَّى | امتد | stretched | tamattaa |
| بِصُلْبِهِ | بظهره | its back | bisulbihi |
| وأ رْ د ف | وتبع | and followed | wa-ardafa |
| أ عْجازًا | نهايات | hind parts | a'jaazan |
| ون ا ء | وحمل | burdened | wanaa |
| بِک لْ | بكل | everything | bikulli |
| كلِ | كل | everything | kulli |
| أ لا | ألا | won't you | alaa |
| أ یَُّها | أيها | O | ayyuhal |
| الل یْلُ | الليل | night | al-laylu |
| ال طَّویلُ | الطويل | long | at-taweel |
| انْ جلِی | تظهر | clear | anjali |
| بِصُبْحٍ | بصباح | with morning | bisubh |
| وما | وما | and what | wa ma |
| الإِصْباحُ | الصباح | the morning | al-isbaah |
| مِنْ | من | from | min |
| بِأ مْ ثلِ | بمثل | like | bi-mithli |
| فیا | يا | Oh | faya |
| ل ك | لك | what a | laka |
| ل یْلٍ | ليل | night | laylin |
| ک | مثل | as if | ka |
| أ نَّ | أن | as if | anna |
| نُجُو مهُ | نجومه | its stars | nujumahu |
| بِکلَُِّ | بكل | with all | bikulli |
| مُ غارِ | مغار | twisted | mughaar |
| ال فتْلِ | الفتل | thread | al-fatli |
| شُ دَّتْ | شدت | were tied | shuddat |
| بِ یذْبُلِ | بيذبل | to Yathbul | bi-yathbul |
| الثَُّ ری ا | الثريا | the Pleiades | ath-thurayaa |
| عُلَِّ قتْ | علقت | were hung | ulliquat |
| في | في | in | fi |
| م صامِها | مصامها | their places | masaamiha |
| بِأ مْراسِ | بأمراس | with ropes | bi-amraas |
| ك تَّانٍ | كتان | flax | kataan |
| إ لی | إلى | to | ila |
| صُمَِّ جنْ دلِ | صم جندل | solid rocks | sum jandal |
| قدْ | قد | and | qad |
| أ غْ تدِي | أغتدي | I set out | aghtadi |
| وال طَّیْرُ | والطير | while the birds | wa-at-tayru |
| فِي | في | in | fi |
| وُكُناتِها | وكناتها | their nests | wukunaatiha |
| بِمُنْ جرِدٍ | بمنجر | with a swift horse | bimunjarid |
| قیْدِ | قيد | captures | qayd |
| الأ وابِدِ | الأوابد | wild beasts | al-awabid |
| ھیْ ك | هيك | captures | hayk |
| ی لِ | يل | swift | yil |
| مِ كرٍَّ | مكر | forward | mikr |
| مِ فرٍَّ | مفر | backward | mifr |
| مُقْبِلٍ | مقبل | coming | muqbil |
| مُدْبِرٍ | مدبر | going | mudbir |
| معًا | معا | together | ma'an |
| كجُل مُودِ | كجل مود | torrent | kajul mood |
| صخْرٍ | صخر | rocks | sakhr |
| ح طَّهُ | حطه | washed | hatthahu |
| ال سَّیْل | السيل | flood | as-sayl |
| علِ | على | above | ala |
| کُ میْتٍ | كميت | dark horse | kumayt |
| ی زِلَُّ | يزل | slips | yazillu |
| الل بْدُ | اللبد | saddle | al-labdu |
| عنْ | عن | from | an |
| حالِ | حال | back | haal |
| متْنِهِ | متنه | back | matnihi |
| ك ما | كما | like | kama |
| زل تِ | زلت | slips | zallat |
| ال صَّفْ واءُ | الصفاء | smoothness | as-safwaa |
| بِالمُ ت ن زَّلِ | بالمتنزل | polished stone | bil-mutanzal |
Imru' al-Qais was a pre-Islamic Arabian poet from Najd, considered the father of Arabic poetry. His famous poem 'Let us stop and weep' is part of the Mu'allaqat, a collection of pre-Islamic poems. He led a scandalous lifestyle and was eventually exiled, but later avenged his father's death.
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