Egyptian Arabic Curriculum — Grade 10, Sirat Antara (سيرة عنترة) — Page 8

Arabic text · النص

Line-by-line translation · المعاني

عَادَ يَسِيرُ وَئِيدًا وَهُوَ يُغَنِّي وَيَنْقُلُ طَرْفَهُ فِي جَوَانِبِ الْأُفُقِ، حَتَّى اقْتَرَبَ مِنَ الْمَاءِ فَوَثَبَ عَنْ فَرَسِهِ وَأَلْقَى زِمَامَهُ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ وَبَعَثَهُ إِلَى نَاحِيَةٍ مِنَ الْوَادِي.

He walked back slowly, singing and casting his gaze across the horizon. When he neared the water, he jumped off his horse, threw the reins over its back, and sent it off toward a part of the valley.

وَاتَّجَهَ عَنْتَرَةُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ إِلَى الْمَاءِ وَهُوَ لَا يَزَالُ يُغَنِّي، وَكَانَ الْعَبِيدُ قَدْ فَرَغُوا مِنْ سِقَايَتِهِمْ.

Antarah then headed toward the water, still singing, as the slaves had already finished watering their animals.

فَسَمِعَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ شُجَيْرَاتٍ صَوْتَ فَتَيَاتٍ يَضْحَكْنَ وَيَمْرَحْنَ فِي أَقْصَى شِعْبٍ صَخْرِيٍّ مِنْ شِعَابِ الْوَادِي.

From behind some bushes, he heard the sound of girls laughing and frolicking in the farthest rocky ravine of the valley.

وَكَانَ يَعْرِفُ ذَلِكَ الشِّعْبَ وَفِيهِ حَوْضٌ وَاسِعٌ مِنَ الصَّخْرِ تَجْتَمِعُ فِيهِ الْمِيَاهُ إِذَا أَمْطَرَتِ السَّمَاءُ فَيَكُونُ مِثْلَ بُحَيْرَةٍ صَافِيَةٍ تُظَلِّلُهَا أَغْصَانُ السَّيَّالِ.

He knew that ravine well; it held a wide rock basin that collected rainwater, forming a clear pool shaded by acacia branches.

فَأَطَلَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الشُّجَيْرَاتِ فَرَأَى عَبْلَةَ وَصَاحِبَاتِهَا يَتَوَاثَبْنَ وَيَعْبَثُ بَعْضُهُنَّ بِالْمَاءِ وَيَتَقَاذَفْنَ بِهِ وَرَأَى عَبْلَةَ وَهِيَ تَلْهُو بَيْنَهُنَّ وَتُجَاوِبُهُنَّ.

He peered from behind the bushes and saw Abla and her companions jumping about, some splashing each other with water, and he watched Abla playing and laughing along with them.

فَوَقَفَ يَتَأَمَّلُ وَجْهَهَا وَيَسْتَمِعُ إِلَى صَوْتِهَا إِذْ تُكَرْكِرُ فِي ضِحْكِهَا، وَعَاوَدَ ذِكْرَيَاتِ أَحْلَامِهِ الَّتِي كَانَ يَكْتُمُهَا فِي طَيَّاتِ صَدْرِهِ وَلَا يَجْرُؤُ عَلَى أَنْ يَنْطِقَ بِسِرِّهَا.

He stood watching her face and listening to her chuckling, his mind drifting back to the dreams he kept locked within his chest, never daring to speak their secret.

وَأَحَسَّ قَبْضَةَ حُزْنٍ أَلِيمٍ تَعْصِرُ قَلْبَهُ إِذْ تَذَكَّرَ أَنَّهُ لَا يَزِيدُ عَلَى أَنْ يَكُونَ عَبْدَ عَمِّهَا شَدَّادٍ.

He felt a painful grip of sorrow tighten around his heart as he remembered he was nothing more than the slave of her uncle, Shaddad.

نَعَمْ، فَمَا كَانَ عَنْتَرَةُ سِوَى عَبْدٍ مِنْ عَبِيدِ ذَلِكَ الْبَطَلِ الْعَبْسِيِّ الْبَاسِلِ الصَّارِمِ.

Yes, Antarah was merely a slave belonging to that brave, stern, and heroic warrior of Abs.

وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَجْرُؤُ عَلَى أَنْ يَفُوزَ مِنْ عَبْلَةَ بِأَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَنْ يَدْعُوَهَا قَائِلًا: «سَيِّدَتِي».

He did not dare to claim anything from Abla beyond the right to address her as 'my mistress.'

وَفِيمَا كَانَ هَائِمًا فِي خَيَالِهِ تَذَكَّرَ إِنَاءَ اللَّبَنِ الَّذِي وَضَعَهُ فَوْقَ الصَّخْرَةِ؛ لِيَبْرُدَ فِي الْهَوَاءِ فَأَسْرَعَ إِلَيْهِ وَعَادَ بِهِ فَجَعَلَهُ عَلَى حَجَرٍ قَرِيبًا مِنْ عَبْلَةَ إِذَا خَرَجَتْ مَعَ صَاحِبَاتِهَا.

Lost in his thoughts, he remembered the vessel of milk he had set on a rock to cool in the breeze, so he hurried to retrieve it and placed it on a stone near where Abla would emerge with her friends.

وَجَعَلَ يُفَكِّرُ فِي نَفْسِهِ حَزِينًا وَهُوَ وَاقِفٌ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى الْفَتَيَاتِ، وَهُنَّ لَا يَشْعُرْنَ بِوُجُودِهِ.

He stood there, lost in sad reflection as he watched the girls, who remained unaware of his presence.

لَقَدْ مَلَأَ وِعَاءَ اللَّبَنِ عَلَى عَادَتِهِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ لِتَشْرَبَ مِنْهُ عَبْلَةُ، قَانِعًا بِمَا تُكَافِئُهُ بِهِ مِنْ نَظَرَاتِهَا وَبَسَمَاتِهَا.

He had filled the milk vessel as he did every day for Abla to drink, content with the reward of her glances and smiles.

وَلَكِنَّهُ مَا كَانَ يَجْرُؤُ عَلَى أَنْ يَتَنَفَّسَ بِاسْمِهَا أَمَامَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ عَبْسٍ خَوْفَ أَنْ يَتَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ بِأَنَّهُ عَبْدٌ يَتَطَلَّعُ إِلَى ابْنَةِ مَالِكٍ أَخِي سَيِّدِهِ شَدَّادٍ.

Yet he dared not breathe her name to anyone in Abs, for fear people would gossip that a slave was aspiring to the daughter of Malik, the brother of his master Shaddad.

لَقَدْ كَانَ يُحَاذِرُ أَنْ يَتَحَدَّثَ أَحَدٌ بِأَنَّهُ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهَا إِلَّا كَمَا يَنْبَغِي لِلْعَبْدِ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ إِلَى مَوْلَاةٍ لَهُ، فَمَا كَانَ مَالِكُ بْنُ قُرَادٍ لِيَرْضَى أَنْ يَتَطَلَّعَ عَبْدٌ مِثْلُهُ إِلَى ابْنَتِهِ الْجَمِيلَةِ الَّتِي يَتَنَافَسُ عَلَى التَّقَرُّبِ إِلَيْهَا سَادَةُ الشُّبَّانِ مِنْ كِرَامِ الْأَنْسَابِ.

He was careful that no one should think he looked at her as anything other than a slave looking at his mistress, for Malik bin Qurad would never tolerate a slave like him setting his sights on his beautiful daughter, whom the young noblemen of the tribe competed to court.

وَمَا كَانَ أَخُوهَا الْمُتَكَبِّرُ عَمْرُو بْنُ مَالِكٍ لِيَرْضَى أَنْ يُعَيِّرَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ مِنْ فِتْيَانِ عَبْسٍ بِأَنَّ عَنْتَرَةَ الْعَبْدَ يَطْمَحُ إِلَى أَنْ يَمْلَأَ عَيْنَيْهِ مِنْ أُخْتِهِ.

Her arrogant brother, Amr bin Malik, would never stand for his companions among the youth of Abs to taunt him that Antarah the slave dared to feast his eyes on his sister.

وَقَفَ عَنْتَرَةُ سَابِحًا فِي خَيَالِهِ وَهُوَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى عَبْلَةَ بَيْنَ الْفَتَيَاتِ وَيَسْتَمِعُ إِلَى صَوْتِهَا بَيْنَ أَصْوَاتِهِنَّ وَامْتَلَأَ قَلْبُهُ شَجَنًا.

Antarah stood lost in his reverie, watching Abla among the girls and listening to her voice, his heart heavy with longing.

أَلَيْسَ هُوَ عَنْتَرَةُ الَّذِي يَحْمِي حِمَى عَبْسٍ إِذَا أَغَارَ الْمُغِيرُ عَلَيْهَا؟

Is he not the Antarah who protects the sanctuary of Abs whenever raiders strike?

أَلَيْسَ هُوَ الْفَارِسُ الَّذِي سَارَ ذِكْرُهُ فِي قَبَائِلِ الْعَرَبِ وَتَغَنَّى الرُّكْبَانُ بِقَصَائِدِهِ فِي تَمْجِيدِ عَبْسٍ؟

Is he not the knight whose fame has spread among the Arab tribes, the one whose poems in praise of Abs are sung by travelers?

أَكَانَ فِي عَبْسٍ كُلِّهَا بَطَلٌ يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يَثْبُتَ لَهُ فِي نِزَالٍ أَوْ يُنْكِرَ فَضْلَهُ فِي الدِّفَاعِ؟

Was there any hero in all of Abs who could stand against him in combat or deny his prowess in battle?

وَمَعَ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ كَانَ لَا يَزِيدُ عَلَى أَنْ يَكُونَ عَبْدَ شَدَّادِ بْنِ قُرَادٍ.

And yet, he was nothing more than the slave of Shaddad bin Qurad.

وَفِيمَا هُوَ خَيَالَاتُهُ رَأَى عَبْلَةَ تَمِيلُ فَوْقَ حَوْضٍ صَغِيرٍ لِتَرَى صُورَتَهَا عَلَى صَفْحَةِ مَائِهِ، وَجَعَلَتْ تُصْلِحُ مِنْ شَعْرِهَا الَّذِي اضْطَرَبَ فِي أَثْنَاءِ جَرْيِهَا وَلَعِبِهَا فَلَمْ يَمْلِكْ نَفْسَهُ وَانْدَفَعَ مِنْ مَكَانِهِ مُسْرِعًا نَحْوَهَا وَقَالَ بِصَوْتٍ هَامِسٍ: أَلَا تَرَيْنَ عَرَارَةً يَانِعَةً مِنْ عَرَارِ الرَّبِيعِ؟

While lost in his thoughts, he saw Abla leaning over a small basin to see her reflection, fixing the hair that had come loose during her play. Unable to restrain himself, he rushed toward her and whispered, 'Do you not see a ripe Arar flower, a bloom of spring?'

صَرَخَتْ عَبْلَةُ عِنْدَ سَمَاعِ الصَّوْتِ فَجْأَةً، وَلَكِنَّهَا اطْمَأَنَّتْ عِنْدَمَا رَأَتْهُ، وَقَالَتْ ضَاحِكَةً: لَكِ الْوَيْلُ يَا عَنْتَرَةُ؟

Abla screamed at the sudden sound, but she calmed when she saw him and said with a laugh, 'Woe to you, Antarah!'

فَمَضَى عَنْتَرَةُ قَائِلًا: أَوْ أُقْحُوَانَةً بَاسِمَةً سَقَاهَا الندى؟

Antarah continued, 'Or perhaps a smiling daisy watered by the dew?'

Vocabulary · المفردات (74 verbs · 112 nouns)

• عَادَ — to return
• سَارَ — to walk
• غَنَّى — to sing
• نَقَلَ — to move
• اقْتَرَبَ — to approach
• وَثَبَ — to jump
• أَلْقَى — to throw
• بَعَثَ — to send
• اتَّجَهَ — to head
• فَرَغَ — to finish
• سَمِعَ — to hear
• ضَحِكَ — to laugh
• مَرَحَ — to frolic
• عَرَفَ — to know
• اجْتَمَعَ — to gather
• أَمْطَرَ — to rain
• كَانَ — to be
• ظَلَّلَ — to shade
• أَطَلَّ — to look out
• رَأَى — to see
• تَوَاثَبَ — to jump about
• عَبَثَ — to play
• تَقَاذَفَ — to throw at each other
• لَهَا — to play
• تَجَاوَبَ — to respond
• وَقَفَ — to stand
• تَأَمَّلَ — to contemplate
• اسْتَمَعَ — to listen
• كَرْكَرَ — to chuckle
• عَاوَدَ — to resume
• كَتَمَ — to hide
• جَرُؤَ — to dare
• نَطَقَ — to speak
• أَحَسَّ — to feel
• عَصَرَ — to squeeze
• تَذَكَّرَ — to remember
• زَادَ — to increase
• فَازَ — to win
• دَعَا — to call
• وَضَعَ — to place
• بَرَدَ — to cool
• أَسْرَعَ — to hurry
• جَعَلَ — to make
• فَكَّرَ — to think
• نَظَرَ — to look
• شَعَرَ — to feel
• مَلَأَ — to fill
• شَرِبَ — to drink
• كَافَأَ — to reward
• تَنَفَّسَ — to breathe
• تَحَدَّثَ — to talk
• تَطَلَّعَ — to aspire
• حَاذَرَ — to be cautious
• اِنْبَغَى — to be appropriate
• رَضِيَ — to be satisfied
• تَنَافَسَ — to compete
• عَيَّرَ — to taunt
• طَمَحَ — to aspire
• امْتَلَأَ — to be filled
• حَمَى — to protect
• أَغَارَ — to raid
• تَغَنَّى — to sing
• اسْتَطَاعَ — to be able
• ثَبَتَ — to stand firm
• أَنْكَرَ — to deny
• مَالَ — to lean
• أَصْلَحَ — to fix
• اضْطَرَبَ — to be disturbed
• مَلَكَ — to possess
• انْدَفَعَ — to rush
• صَرَخَ — to scream
• اطْمَأَنَّ — to be reassured
• مَضَى — to proceed
• سَقَى — to water
• طَرَفٌ — glance
• جَانِبٌ — side
• أُفُقٌ — horizon
• مَاءٌ — water
• فَرَسٌ — mare
• زِمَامٌ — rein
• ظَهْرٌ — back
• نَاحِيَةٌ — direction
• وَادٍ — valley
• عَبْدٌ — slave
• سِقَايَةٌ — providing water, watering
• شُجَيْرَةٌ — bush
• صَوْتٌ — voice
• فَتَاةٌ — young woman
• أَقْصَى — farthest
• شِعْبٌ — mountain path
• صَخْرِيٌّ — rocky
• حَوْضٌ — basin
• وَاسِعٌ — wide
• صَخْرٌ — rock
• سَمَاءٌ — sky
• بُحَيْرَةٌ — lake
• صَافِيَةٌ — clear
• غُصْنٌ — branch
• سَيَّالٌ — acacia tree
• وَجْهٌ — face
• ضِحْكٌ — laughter
• ذِكْرَى — memory
• حُلْمٌ — dream
• طَيَّةٌ — fold
• صَدْرٌ — chest
• سِرٌّ — secret
• قَبْضَةٌ — grip
• حُزْنٌ — sadness
• أَلِيمٌ — painful
• قَلْبٌ — heart
• بَطَلٌ — hero
• عَبْسِيٌّ — Absi (tribal affiliation)
• بَاسِلٌ — brave
• صَارِمٌ — stern
• سَيِّدٌ — master
• هَائِمٌ — wandering
• خَيَالٌ — imagination
• إِنَاءٌ — vessel
• لَبَنٌ — milk
• هَوَاءٌ — air
• حَجَرٌ — stone
• قَرِيبٌ — near
• نَفْسٌ — self
• حَزِينٌ — sad (adjective)
• وَاقِفٌ — standing
• وُجُودٌ — presence
• وِعَاءٌ — container
• عَادَةٌ — habit
• يَوْمٌ — day
• قَانِعٌ — content
• نَظْرَةٌ — look
• بَسْمَةٌ — smile
• اسْمٌ — name
• خَوْفٌ — fear
• نَاسٌ — people
• ابْنَةٌ — daughter
• أَخٌ — brother
• مَوْلَاةٌ — mistress
• جَمِيلٌ — beautiful
• تَقَرُّبٌ — approach
• سَادَةٌ — masters
• شَابٌّ — young man
• كَرِيمٌ — noble
• نَسَبٌ — lineage
• مُتَكَبِّرٌ — arrogant
• صَاحِبٌ — companion
• فَتًى — youth
• عَيْنٌ — eye
• أُخْتٌ — sister
• سَابِحٌ — swimming
• شَجَنٌ — sorrow
• حِمًى — protection
• مُغِيرٌ — raider
• فَارِسٌ — knight
• ذِكْرٌ — fame
• قَبِيلَةٌ — tribe
• عَرَبٌ — Arabs (as a people or ethnic group)
• رُكْبَانٌ — riders (especially those traveling in a group, often on camels or mounts)
• قَصِيدَةٌ — poem
• تَمْجِيدٌ — glorification
• نِزَالٌ — combat
• فَضْلٌ — merit
• دِفَاعٌ — defense
• صَغِيرٌ — small
• صُورَةٌ — copy, image
• صَفْحَةٌ — surface
• شَعْرٌ — hair
• أَثْنَاءٌ — during
• جَرْيٌ — running
• لَعِبٌ — play
• مَكَانٌ — place, location, site
• مُسْرِعٌ — hurrying
• هَامِسٌ — whispering (person)
• عَرَارَةٌ — Arar flower
• يَانِعٌ — ripe
• عَرَارٌ — Arar plant
• رَبِيعٌ — spring
• سَمَاعٌ — hearing
• فَجْأَةٌ — suddenness; an instant; (as adverb) suddenly
• وَيْلٌ — woe
• أُقْحُوَانَةٌ — daisy
• بَاسِمٌ — smiling
• نَدًى — dew
• أَكْثَر — more
• وَئِيد — slow, deliberate
• ضَاحِكَة — a molar tooth; a laughing woman