بلا

Root entry · 27 derived lemmas

This root primarily deals with concepts of distance, remoteness, and being lost or unknown. It also encompasses the particle 'balā' used as an affirmative answer to a negative question, and related place names and tribal affiliations.

Derived headwords

أَبْلِيname

1.
place nameclassical
A place name mentioned in the context of distance and being unknown.

أَبْلَاءname

1.
place nameclassical
A place name, noted as being one of the few Arabic place names following the 'af'āl' pattern.

أَبَالِيverb

1.
to be distant
The present tense form of the verb meaning to be distant or far away, used when not in a jussive mood.

بَالَيْتُverb

1.
to care about
The past tense form of the verb meaning to care about or be concerned with.

بَلِيَverb

1.
to be distantclassical
A verb form related to being distant or unknown, often used in place names.

بَلِيَّةnoun

1.
calamityclassical
A noun derived from the root, potentially related to a difficult or distant situation.

بَلِيَّانname

1.
place nameclassical
A place name, often used to denote a distant or unknown location.

بَلْوَىnoun

1.
trial
A noun meaning trial or tribulation, often implying a difficult or testing situation.

بَلْوَانname

1.
place nameclassical
A place name, similar to 'Balyan', indicating a remote or unknown place.

بَلْparticle

1.
but rather
A particle used for correction, transition, or to introduce a contrasting statement.
2.
rather
Used to affirm what was negated or to correct a previous statement.

بَلَىparticle

1.
yes
An affirmative particle used to answer a negative question or a question implying negation.
2.
indeedclassical
Used to confirm or affirm a statement, especially after a negation.

بُلِيَverb

1.
to be worn out
The passive form of the verb meaning to be worn out or decayed.

بُليانname

1.
place nameclassical
A place name, often referring to a remote or unknown location.

بَوَّانِيهnoun

1.
foundationsclassical
Plural of 'bawāniyah', referring to foundations or settled aspects of something.

تَبْلَىname

1.
tribal nameclassical
The name of a tribe, mentioned as a proper noun.

ذِي بَلِيname

1.
place of remotenessclassical
A place name signifying remoteness or being far away, where one's location is unknown.

ذِي بَلْيَانname

1.
place of remotenessclassical
A place name indicating a remote or unknown location, similar to 'Dhi Baly'.

عَلْبَطَاadjective

1.
tallclassical
An adjective describing something tall, mentioned as an example of word shortening.

غَدnoun

1.
tomorrow
The word for 'tomorrow', mentioned as an example of a word that underwent shortening.

قُضَاعَةname

1.
tribal nameclassical
The name of a tribe, to which the tribe 'Baly' belongs.

لَمْ أَبْلُهْverb

1.
I did not careclassical
A jussive form of the verb 'to care', with the final vowel omitted.

لَمْ أَبْلُهُverb

1.
I did not careclassical
A jussive form of the verb 'to care', with the final vowel omitted.

لَمْ أُبَلْهُverb

1.
I did not careclassical
A jussive form of the verb 'to care', with the final vowel omitted.

مُذْ وَلَدَphrase

1.
since he was bornclassical
A phrase meaning 'since he was born', used as an example of shortened speech.

نَاسٌnoun

1.
people
The word for people, mentioned in the context of a specific dialectal usage.

يَكُنْverb

1.
to be
The jussive form of the verb 'to be', used as a grammatical example.

بَلَوَىnoun

1.
trial
A noun meaning trial or tribulation, often implying a difficult or testing situation.

Parallel reading

قال سيبويه وسألت الخليل عن قولهم لم أبل فقال: هي من باليت، ولكنهم لما أسكنوا اللام حذفوا الألف لئلا يلتقي ساكنان

Sibawayh said, and I asked Al-Khalil about their saying 'lam ubal', and he said: It is from 'bālaitu', but when they made the 'lām' quiescent, they deleted the 'alif' so that two quiescent letters would not meet.

وإنما فعلوا ذلك بالجزم لأنه موضع حذف، فلما حذفوا الياء التي هي من نفس الحرف بعد اللام صارت عندهم بمنزلة نون يكن حيث أسكنت

They only did that in the jussive mood because it is a position of deletion, and when they deleted the 'yā'' which is part of the same letter after the 'lām', it became for them like the 'nūn' in 'yakun' when it is made quiescent.

وزعم أن ناسا من العرب يقولون لم أبله، لا يزيدون على حذف الألف كما حذفوا علبطا

And he claimed that some Arabs say 'lam ablah', they do not add more than deleting the 'alif' as they deleted it in 'albatā'.

وكذلك فعلوا بقولهم بلية كأنها بالية بمنزلة العافية

And similarly, they did with their saying 'baliyyah', as if it were 'bāliyah' (worn out), in the manner of 'āfiyah'.

ألا ترى أنها لا تحذف في أبالي في غير موضع الجزم، وإنما تحذف في الموضع الذي تحذف منه الحركة؟

Do you not see that it is not deleted in 'ubālī' outside of the jussive mood, and it is only deleted in the position from which the vowel is deleted?

وهو بذي بلي وبلى وبلى وبلى وبلي وبليان وبليان، بفتح الباء واللام إذا بعد عنك حتى لا تعرف موضعه

And it is 'dhi balī' and 'balā' and 'balā' and 'balā' and 'balī' and 'baliyān' and 'baliyān', with fathah on the 'bā'' and 'lām', when it is far from you until you do not know its location.

قولهم أتى على ذي بليان غير مصروف وهو علم البعد

Their saying 'atā 'alā dhi balyān' is not declined, and it is a proper noun for distance.

فلما ألقى الشام بوانيه وصار ثنيه «3». عزلني واستعمل غيري

And when the Levant cast its foundations and became settled, he dismissed me and appointed another.

فقال خالد: أما وابن الخطاب حي فلا، ولكن ذاك إذا كان الناس بذي بلي وذي بلى

Khalid said: As long as Ibn Al-Khattab is alive, no, but that is when people are in 'dhi balī' and 'dhi balā'.

أي قر قراره واطمأن أمره

Meaning its resting place settled and its affair became stable.

أراد تفرق الناس وأن يكونوا طوائف وفرقا من غير إمام يجمعهم

He meant the people scattering and becoming sects and groups without an imam to unite them.

وكان الكسائي ينشد هذا البيت في رجل يطيل النوم: تنام ويذهب الأقوام حتى ... يقال: أتوا على ذي بليان

And Al-Kisa'i used to recite this verse about a man who sleeps for a long time: He sleeps and people pass by until... it is said: They reached 'dhi balyān'.

يعني أنه أطال النوم ومضى أصحابه في سفرهم حتى صاروا إلى الموضع الذي لا يعرف مكانهم من طول نومه

Meaning he slept for a long time and his companions went on their journey until they reached the place whose location is unknown due to his long sleep.

يقال فلان بذي بلي وذي بليان إذا كان ضائعا بعيدا عن أهله

It is said of someone: 'He is in 'dhi balī' and 'dhi balyān' if he is lost and far from his family.

بلى: جواب استفهام فيه حرف نفي كقولك ألم تفعل كذا؟ فيقول: بلى

Balā: An answer to a question containing a negation particle, like your saying 'Did you not do such and such?' and he says: 'Balā'.

ألست بربكم قالوا بلى

Am I not your Lord? They said: 'Balā'.

وإنما صارت بلى تتصل بالجحد لأنها رجوع عن الجحد إلى التحقيق، فهو بمنزلة بل

Balā became connected to negation because it is a return from negation to affirmation, so it is like 'bal'.

ما قام أخوك بل أبوك

Your brother did not stand, but rather your father.

وقالوا لن تمسنا النار إلا أياما معدودة، ثم قال: بلى من كسب سيئة

And they said: 'The Fire will not touch us except for a few days,' then He said: 'Balā, whoever earns evil deeds...

والمعنى بل من كسب سيئة

And the meaning is: 'But rather, whoever earns evil deeds'.

وبلى يكون إيجابا للمنفي لا غير

And 'balā' is an affirmation of the negated, and nothing else.

بل عندي له دينار لا بل ديناران

Rather, I have one dinar for him, no, rather two dinars.

بل والله لا آتيك

But by God, I will not come to you.

بلى قد جاءتك آياتي

Balā, My signs had come to you.

فمن حيث جازت إمالة الأسماء جازت أيضا إمالة بلى، ألا ترى أنك تقول في جواب من قال ألم تفعل كذا وكذا: بلى، فلا تحتاج لكونها جوابا مستقلا إلى شيء بعدها

So, just as the declension of nouns is permissible, the inclination of 'balā' is also permissible. Do you not see that you say in response to someone who said 'Did you not do such and such': 'Balā', and it does not need anything after it to be an independent answer?

وهي حرف لأنها نقيضة لا

And it is a particle because it is the opposite of 'lā'.

ما جاءني زيد بل عمرو

Zayd did not come to me, but rather 'Amr.

وجاءني أخوك بل أبوك

And your brother came to me, but rather your father.

بل مهمه قطعت بعد مهمه

Rather, I traversed a difficult terrain after a difficult terrain.

بل جوز تيهاء كظهر الحجفت

Rather, I crossed a desert like the back of a shield.

ص والقرآن ذي الذكر بل الذين كفروا في عزة وشقاق

Sād. By the Qur'an, the reminder. But those who disbelieve are in arrogance and opposition.

بل ما هاج أحزانا وشجوا قد شجا

Rather, what stirred up sorrows and grief that had already afflicted.

بل وبلدة ما الإنس من آهالها

And a land where humans are not from its inhabitants.