Egyptian Arabic Curriculum — Grade 10, Sirat Antara (سيرة عنترة) — Page 7

Arabic text · النص

Line-by-line translation · المعاني

ثُمَّ نَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا نَظْرَةً بَاسِمَةً وَأَسْرَعَ خَفِيفًا يَثِبُ فِي خُطُوَاتِهِ، لِكَيْ يَرَى سَائِرَ مَنْ فِي الْقَافِلَةِ، مِنْ بَنَاتٍ وَنِسَاءٍ لِيُسَاعِدَ مَنْ تَحْتَاجُ مِنْهُنَّ إِلَى الْمُسَاعَدَةِ.

He looked at her with a smile and quickened his pace, leaping as he walked to check on the rest of the caravan, helping the women and girls who needed it.

وَسَارَتِ الْفَتَاةُ تَخْطِرُ فِي ظِلِّ السِّدْرِ تَنْظُرُ إِلَى الْإِبِلِ وَهِيَ تُنِيخُ وَأَصْوَاتُهَا تُدَوِّي.

The young woman strolled through the shade of the lote trees, watching the camels as they knelt, their lowing sounds echoing.

تِلْكَ الْفَتَاةُ هِيَ عَبْلَةُ ابْنَةُ الْفَارِسِ الْعَبْسِيِّ مَالِكِ بْنِ قُرَادٍ، وَكَانَتْ آتِيَةً مِنْ عُرْسِ ابْنَةِ خَالَتِهَا فِي قَبِيلَةِ هَوَازِنَ عَائِدَةً إِلَى مَنَازِلِ قَوْمِهَا عَبْسٍ فِي أَرْضِ الشَّرْبَةِ وَالْعَلَمِ السَّعْدِيِّ.

That young woman was Abla, daughter of the Absi knight Malik ibn Qurad, returning from her cousin’s wedding in the Hawazin tribe to the dwellings of her people, the Abs, in the lands of Sharba and the Sa'di Alam.

كَانَتْ عَبْلَةُ تَلْبَسُ ثَوْبًا مُعَصْفَرًا مِنَ الْكَتَّانِ يَلْمَعُ فِي نُورِ الشَّمْسِ، وَتَضَعُ حَوْلَ رَأْسِهَا خِمَارًا مِنَ الْحَرِيرِ الْمِصْرِيِّ، يَتَغَيَّرُ لَوْنُهُ فِي شُعَاعِ الضَّوْءِ وَيَتَأَلَّقُ فَوْقَ وَجْهِهَا الْجَمِيلِ.

Abla wore a saffron-dyed linen dress that shimmered in the sunlight, with a veil of Egyptian silk draped over her head, its colors shifting in the light and glowing above her beautiful face.

وَكَانَ لَوْنُهَا الْخَمْرِيُّ مُشْرَبًا بِحُمْرَةٍ يَسْرِي فِيهَا رَوْنَقُ الشَّبَابِ، وَعَيْنَاهَا السَّوْدَاوَانِ تُضِيئَانِ فِي حَلَاوَةٍ فَإِذَا نَظَرَتْ بِهِمَا تَرَقْرَقَتْ فِيهِمَا بَسْمَةٌ وَدِيعَةٌ.

Her bronze complexion was flushed with the bloom of youth, and her black eyes sparkled with sweetness; whenever she looked at someone, a gentle smile seemed to dance within them.

وَكَانَ فِي أُذُنَيْهَا قُرْطَانِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ تَتَدَلَّى مِنْهُمَا حَبَّاتٌ مِنْ لُؤْلُؤِ الْبَحْرَيْنِ أَهْدَاهُمَا إِلَيْهَا أَبُوهَا مَالِكُ بْنُ قُرَادٍ.

In her ears hung gold earrings set with Bahraini pearls, a gift from her father, Malik ibn Qurad.

وَأَقْبَلَ نَحْوَهَا نِسَاءُ أَعْمَامِهَا وَبَنَاتُهُنَّ وَمَنْ كَانَ مَعَهُنَّ مِنَ الْأَهْلِ، فَأَسْرَعَتْ نَحْوَهُنَّ تَسْتَقْبِلُهُنَّ وَكَانَتْ فِيهِنَّ ابْنَةُ عَمِّهَا مَرْوَةُ ابْنَةُ شَدَّادٍ فَقَالَتْ لَهَا تُعَابِثُهَا: أَنْتِ أَوَّلًا وَنَحْنُ بَعْدَكِ أَلَسْتِ يَا عَبْلَةُ أَمِيرَةَ فَتَيَاتِ عَبْسٍ؟

The women of her family and their daughters approached her, and she hurried to greet them. Among them was her cousin Marwa, daughter of Shaddad, who teased her, 'You first, and we follow; aren't you the princess of the girls of Abs, Abla?'

فَنَظَرَتْ إِلَيْهَا سُمَيَّةُ أُمُّهَا بَاسِمَةً، وَقَالَتْ: أَهِيَ الْغِيرَةُ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى يَا مَرْوَةُ؟

Her mother, Sumayya, looked at her with a smile and said, 'Is it jealousy again, Marwa?'

قَالَتْ مَرْوَةُ ضَاحِكَةً: سَوْفَ أَشْكُو هَذَا الْعَبْدَ لِأَبِي: إِنَّهُ عَبْدُ أَبِي شَدَّادٍ، وَلَكِنَّهُ لَا يَخْدِمُ إِلَّا عَبْلَةَ.

Marwa laughed and said, 'I shall complain about this slave to my father. He belongs to Shaddad, yet he serves no one but Abla.'

فَقَالَتْ عَبْلَةُ فِي عِتَابٍ: أَلَا تَتَرَفَّقِينَ بِهِ يَا مَرْوَةُ؟ أَلَيْسَ هُوَ عَنْتَرَةُ بْنُ زَبِيبَةَ الَّتِي أَرْضَعَتْكِ؟

Abla replied in reproach, 'Can you not be kind to him, Marwa? Is he not Antara, the son of Zabiba, who breastfed you?'

فَقَالَتْ مَرْوَةُ ضَاحِكَةً فِي خُبْثٍ: نَعَمْ وَهُوَ الْفَتَى الَّذِي يُعْلِي ذِكْرَ عَبْسٍ بِالْإِنْشَادِ فِي جَمَالِ بَنَاتِهَا.

Marwa laughed mischievously, 'Yes, he is the same young man who elevates the fame of the Abs by singing of the beauty of their girls.'

فَصَاحَتْ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ إِحْدَى الْفَتَيَاتِ تَقُولُ: مَا هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ وَيَكَادُ الْعَطَشُ يَقْتُلُنِي.

At that, one of the girls cried out, 'Enough of this talk! I am dying of thirst.'

وَقَالَتْ أُخْرَى: أَلَا تَعْرِفِينَ مَكَانَ الْحَوْضِ.

Another asked, 'Do you not know where the basin is?'

ثُمَّ انْدَفَعَتْ تَجْرِي نَحْوَ وَهْدَةٍ فِي جَانِبِ الْوَادِي الصَّخْرِيِّ وَأَسْرَعَتِ الْفَتَيَاتُ وَرَاءَهَا فَلَمْ يَبْقَ إِلَّا سُمَيَّةُ مَعَ بَعْضِ النِّسَاءِ وَقَدِ اسْتَلْقَتْ فِي الظِّلِّ فَوْقَ الشَّمْلَةِ الَّتِي كَانَ عَنْتَرَةُ بَسَطَهَا لِعَبْلَةَ.

She then rushed toward a hollow in the side of the rocky valley, and the other girls followed, leaving only Sumayya and a few women behind, resting in the shade on the cloak Antara had spread for Abla.

وَلَمَّا فَرَغَ عَنْتَرَةُ مِنْ إِنَاخَةِ الْإِبِلِ فَرَّقَ الْعَبِيدَ وَالْأَتْبَاعَ فِرَقًا، فَأَمَرَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِأَنْ يَذْهَبُوا لِسِقَايَةِ الْإِبِلِ وَأَمَرَ آخَرِينَ أَنْ يَضْرِبُوا أَخْبِيَةَ النِّسَاءِ قَرِيبًا مِنَ الْمَاءِ، وَأَمَرَ غَيْرَهُمْ أَنْ يُوقِدُوا النِّيرَانَ لِإِعْدَادِ الطَّعَامِ.

Once Antara finished settling the camels, he divided the slaves and followers into groups, ordering some to water the camels, others to pitch the women's tents near the water, and the rest to kindle fires for the meal.

ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَى نَاقَةٍ بَيْضَاءَ فَحَلَبَ مِنْهَا فِي إِنَاءٍ مَلَأَهُ، وَوَضَعَهُ فِي الظِّلِّ فَوْقَ صَخْرَةٍ عَالِيَةٍ لِيَبْرُدَ فِي الْهَوَاءِ.

He then went to a white she-camel, milked a full vessel, and set it in the shade atop a high rock to cool in the breeze.

وَمَضَى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ إِلَى الْبِئْرِ فَسَقَى جَوَادَهُ، ثُمَّ رَكِبَهُ وَدَارَ حَوْلَ الْوَادِي لِيَرَى هَلْ هُنَاكَ قَوْمٌ يَنْزِلُونَ عَلَى مَقْرُبَةٍ مِنَ الْمَاءِ، حَتَّى إِذَا مَا اطْمَأَنَّ إِلَى أَنَّهُ فِي مَأْمَنٍ، وَأَنْ لَيْسَ هُنَاكَ مَا يَخْشَاهُ أَوْغَلَ بَيْنَ الْكُثْبَانِ وَجَعَلَ يَجُوسُ خِلَالَهَا، وَيَتَأَمَّلُ مَا عَلَى رِمَالِهَا مِنْ آثَارِ الْأَقْدَامِ وَأَخْفَافِ الْإِبِلِ وَمَخَالِبِ الْحَيَوَانِ.

He proceeded to the well to water his steed, then mounted it and circled the valley to see if any strangers were camped nearby. Once he was certain they were safe and had nothing to fear, he rode into the dunes, roaming through them and examining the sand for the tracks of feet, camel hooves, and animal prints.

Vocabulary · المفردات (58 verbs · 92 nouns)

• نَظَرَ — to look
• أَسْرَعَ — to hasten
• وَثَبَ — to jump
• رَأَى — to see
• سَاعَدَ — to help
• اِحْتَاجَ — to need
• سَارَ — to walk
• خَطَرَ — to stride
• أَنَاخَ — to make kneel
• دَوَّى — to resound
• لَبِسَ — to wear
• لَمَعَ — to shine
• وَضَعَ — to place
• تَغَيَّرَ — to change
• تَأَلَّقَ — to sparkle
• سَرَى — to flow
• أَضَاءَ — to illuminate
• تَرَقْرَقَ — to glisten
• تَدَلَّى — to hang down
• أَهْدَى — to gift
• أَقْبَلَ — to approach
• كَانَ — to be
• اِسْتَقْبَلَ — to receive
• عَابَثَ — to tease
• شَكَا — to complain
• خَدَمَ — to serve
• تَرَفَّقَ — to be gentle
• أَرْضَعَ — to breastfeed
• أَعْلَى — to elevate
• صَاحَ — to shout
• قَالَ — to say
• كَادَ — to be on the verge of
• قَتَلَ — to kill
• عَرَفَ — to know
• اِنْدَفَعَ — to rush
• جَرَى — to run
• بَقِيَ — to remain
• اِسْتَلْقَى — to lie down
• بَسَطَ — to spread
• فَرَغَ — to finish
• فَرَّقَ — to divide
• أَمَرَ — to order
• ذَهَبَ — to go
• ضَرَبَ — to strike/set up
• أَوْقَدَ — to kindle
• حَلَبَ — to milk
• مَلَأَ — to fill
• بَرَدَ — to cool
• مَضَى — to proceed
• سَقَى — to water
• رَكِبَ — to ride
• دَارَ — to circle
• نَزَلَ — to descend
• اِطْمَأَنَّ — to be reassured
• خَشِيَ — to fear
• أَوْغَلَ — to penetrate
• جَاسَ — to roam
• تَأَمَّلَ — to contemplate
• نَظْرَة — look
• خُطْوَة — step
• قَافِلَة — caravan
• بِنْت — girl
• نِسَاء — women
• مُسَاعَدَة — help
• فَتَاة — young woman
• ظِلّ — shade
• سِدْر — lote tree
• إِبِل — camel
• صَوْت — voice
• فَارِس — knight
• عُرْس — wedding
• خَالَة — aunt
• قَبِيلَة — tribe
• مَنْزِل — dwelling
• قَوْم — people
• أَرْض — land
• شَرْبَة — Sharba (place)
• عَلَم — Alam (place)
• ثَوْب — a garment
• كَتَّان — linen
• نُور — light
• شَمْس — sun
• رَأْس — head
• خِمَار — veil
• حَرِير — silk
• شُعَاع — ray
• ضَوْء — light
• وَجْه — face
• لَوْن — color
• حُمْرَة — redness
• رَوْنَق — splendor
• شَبَاب — youth
• عَيْن — eye
• حَلَاوَة — sweetness
• بَسْمَة — smile
• أُذُن — ear
• قُرْط — earring
• ذَهَب — gold
• حَبَّة — bead
• لُؤْلُؤ — pearl
• أَب — father
• عَمّ — paternal uncle
• أَهْل — family
• أَمِيرَة — princess
• غِيرَة — jealousy
• مَرَّة — time
• عَبْد — slave
• عِتَاب — reproach
• فَتَى — young man
• ذِكْر — fame
• إِنْشَاد — recitation
• جَمَال — beauty
• حَدِيث — talk
• عَطَش — thirst
• حَوْض — basin
• وَهْدَة — hollow
• جَانِب — side
• وَادِي — valley
• شَمْلَة — cloak
• عَبِيد — slaves
• أَتْبَاع — followers (of a leader, ideology, or religion)
• فِرْقَة — group
• سِقَايَة — providing water, watering
• خِبَاء — tent
• مَاء — water
• نَار — fire
• إِعْدَاد — preparation
• طَعَام — food
• نَاقَة — female camel
• إِنَاء — vessel
• صَخْرَة — rock
• هَوَاء — air
• بِئْر — well
• جَوَاد — steed
• مَقْرُبَة — proximity
• مَأْمَن — safe place
• كَثِيب — dune
• رَمْل — sand
• أَثَر — trace
• قَدَم — foot
• خُفّ — hoof
• مِخْلَب — claw
• حَيَوَان — animal
• اِبْنَة — daughter
• مَكَان — place, location, site
• مُعَصْفَر — safflower-colored
• بَاسِمَة — smiling
• ضَاحِكَة — a laughing woman
• بَيْضَاء — white
• خَفِيف — light