This article is about the metre used in classical Arabic poetry. For other uses, see Basit (disambiguation).
Basīṭ (Arabic: بسيط), or al-basīṭ (البسيط), is a metre used in classical Arabic poetry. The word literally means "extended" or "spread out" in Arabic.[1] Along with the ṭawīl, kāmil, and wāfir, it is one of the four most common metres used in pre-Islamic and classical Arabic poetry.[2]
The metrical form of the basīṭ is often as follows (where "–" is a long syllable, "u" is a short syllable, and "x" is anceps, i.e., a syllable which can be either long or short):[3][4]
| x – u – | x u – | – – u – | u u – |
The mnemonic words (tafāʿīl) used by Arab prosodists to describe this metre are: Mustafʿilun Fāʿilun Mustafʿilun Faʿilun (مُسْتَفْعِلُنْ فَاعِلُنْ مُسْتَفْعِلُنْ فَعِلُنْ).
The metre is usually used in couplets of eight feet each.
Exampleedit
An example is the qasīda by al-Mutanabbi (915-965): “The poet reproaches Sayf al-Dawla” (king of Aleppo), a poem of 38 couplets, from which come the following well-known verses:
| u – u – | u u – | – – u – | u u – |
| u – u – | – u – | – – u – | u u – |
إذا رَأيْـتَ نُيُـوبَ اللّيْـثِ بـارِزَةً * فَـلا تَظُـنّـنّ أنّ اللّيْـثَ يَبْتَسِـمُ
و مهجـة مهجتي من هم صاحبها * أدركتـــه بجواد ظهره حـــرم
رجلاه في الركض رجل و اليدان يد * وفعلـــه ماتريد الكف والقدم
ومرهف سرت بين الجحفليـــن به * حتى ضربت و موج الموت يلتطم
الخيل والليل والبيــداء تعرفنــــي * والسيف والرمح والقرطاس و القلم
’idā ra’ayta nuyūba l-layti bārizatan
falā taẓunnanna ’anna l-layta yabtasimū
wamuhjatin muhjatī min hammi ṣāḥibihā
adraktuhā bĭ-jawādin ḍahruhū ḥaramu
rijlāhu fir-rakḍi rijlun wal-yadāni yadun
wa-fi’luhū mā turīdu l-kaffu wal-qadamu
wa-murhafin sirtu bayna l-jaḥfalayni bihi
ḥattā ḍarabtŭ wa-mawju l-mawti yaltaṭimu
al-kaylu wal-laylu wal-baydā’u ta‘rifunī
was-sayfu war-rumḥu wal-qirṭāsu wal-qalamu
If you see the lion’s fangs on display
do not imagine for a moment that the lion is smiling.
And a soul whose owner’s concern was my soul
I have overtaken on a steed whose back was inviolable;
His two hind legs in the galloping were one and his two forelegs were one,
and his action was whatever my hand and my foot desired.
And I have ridden with a blade between the two armies,
until I struck while the wave of death was crashing round me.
The horses and the night and the desert know me
and the sword and the spear and the paper and the pen.
Variationsedit
Although in the poem of al-Mutanabbi quoted above, the last foot of each half-verse is always | u u – |, other poets use the metre in the following form, where "uu" represents a biceps element, i.e. one where the two short syllables can optionally be replaced by one long one.
| x – u – | x u – | – – u – | uu – |
An example is the following drinking-song by Abu Nuwas which begins:
Occasionally the first foot of each half-verse can be | – u u – |.
Very rarely (in less than 1% of lines) the third foot can be | u – u – |.[6]
In a musical contextedit
The term basīṭ is also used in a musical context; in the Andalusi nubah, or classical suites, of Morocco, each nubah, or suite, is divided into five main movements (called mīzān (ميزان; plural: mawāzīn, موازين)) each of which uses a different rhythm, as follows:
^Edward W. Lane (1863) Arabic-English Lexicon 2015-04-08 at the Wayback Machine.
^Golston, Chris & Riad, Tomas (1997). "The Phonology of classical Arabic meter". Linguistics 35 (1997), 111-132; p. 120.
^McCarus, Ernest N. (1983). "Identifying the Meters of Arabic Poetry", Al-'Arabiyya vol 16. no. 1/2, pp. 57-83. (Georgetown University Press).
^Wright, W. (1951). A Grammar of the Arabic Language, vol. II, Cambridge University Press; pp. 350-390.
^Translation from Kennedy, Philip F. (1997). The wine song in classical Arabic poetry: Abu Nuwas and the literary tradition. Oxford University Press.)
^Stoetzer, Willem (1982) "Some Observations on Quantity in Arabic Metrics". Journal of Arabic Literature Vol. 13 (1982), pp. 66-75
External linksedit
A recitation in Arabic of al-Mutanabbi's line
Recitation of the Abu Nuwas poem by Bashar Al-Roumi
Version of the Abu Nuwas poem sung to a lute
December 15, 2023
basit, this, article, about, metre, used, classical, arabic, poetry, other, uses, disambiguation, basīṭ, arabic, بسيط, basīṭ, البسيط, metre, used, classical, arabic, poetry, word, literally, means, extended, spread, arabic, along, with, ṭawīl, kāmil, wāfir, fo. This article is about the metre used in classical Arabic poetry For other uses see Basit disambiguation Basiṭ Arabic بسيط or al basiṭ البسيط is a metre used in classical Arabic poetry The word literally means extended or spread out in Arabic 1 Along with the ṭawil kamil and wafir it is one of the four most common metres used in pre Islamic and classical Arabic poetry 2 Contents 1 Form of the metre 2 Example 3 Variations 4 In a musical context 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksForm of the metre editThe metrical form of the basiṭ is often as follows where is a long syllable u is a short syllable and x is anceps i e a syllable which can be either long or short 3 4 x u x u u u u The mnemonic words tafaʿil used by Arab prosodists to describe this metre are Mustafʿilun Faʿilun Mustafʿilun Faʿilun م س ت ف ع ل ن ف اع ل ن م س ت ف ع ل ن ف ع ل ن The metre is usually used in couplets of eight feet each Example editAn example is the qasida by al Mutanabbi 915 965 The poet reproaches Sayf al Dawla king of Aleppo a poem of 38 couplets from which come the following well known verses u u u u u u u u u u u u u إذا ر أي ـت ن ي ـوب الل ي ـث بـار ز ة ف ـلا ت ظ ـن ـن أن الل ي ـث ي ب ت س ـم و مهجـة مهجتي من هم صاحبها أدركتـــه بجواد ظهره حـــرم رجلاه في الركض رجل و اليدان يد وفعلـــه ماتريد الكف والقدم ومرهف سرت بين الجحفليـــن به حتى ضربت و موج الموت يلتطم الخيل والليل والبيــداء تعرفنــــي والسيف والرمح والقرطاس و القلم ida ra ayta nuyuba l layti barizatan fala taẓunnanna anna l layta yabtasimuwamuhjatin muhjati min hammi ṣaḥibiha adraktuha bĭ jawadin ḍahruhu ḥaramurijlahu fir rakḍi rijlun wal yadani yadun wa fi luhu ma turidu l kaffu wal qadamuwa murhafin sirtu bayna l jaḥfalayni bihi ḥatta ḍarabtŭ wa mawju l mawti yaltaṭimual kaylu wal laylu wal bayda u ta rifuni was sayfu war rumḥu wal qirṭasu wal qalamuIf you see the lion s fangs on display do not imagine for a moment that the lion is smiling And a soul whose owner s concern was my soul I have overtaken on a steed whose back was inviolable His two hind legs in the galloping were one and his two forelegs were one and his action was whatever my hand and my foot desired And I have ridden with a blade between the two armies until I struck while the wave of death was crashing round me The horses and the night and the desert know me and the sword and the spear and the paper and the pen Variations editAlthough in the poem of al Mutanabbi quoted above the last foot of each half verse is always u u other poets use the metre in the following form where uu represents a biceps element i e one where the two short syllables can optionally be replaced by one long one x u x u u uu An example is the following drinking song by Abu Nuwas which begins د ع ع ن ك ل و مي فإن الل و م إغ ر اء ود اوني بال تي كان ت هي الد اء daʿ ʿanka lawmi fa inna l lawma iḡra u wa dawini bil lati kanat hiya d da u u u u u u u u Censure me not for censure but tempts me cure me rather with the cause of my ill 5 The metre also exists in a trimeter form of which the half verse is as follows x u u x u There is also a catalectic trimeter form x u u x Occasionally the first foot of each half verse can be u u Very rarely in less than 1 of lines the third foot can be u u 6 In a musical context editThe term basiṭ is also used in a musical context in the Andalusi nubah or classical suites of Morocco each nubah or suite is divided into five main movements called mizan ميزان plural mawazin موازين each of which uses a different rhythm as follows Basiṭ 6 4 Qaim wa nusf 8 4 Btayhi 8 4 Darj 4 4 Quddam 3 4 or 6 8 1 See also editArabic prosody Tawil Metron poetry References edit Edward W Lane 1863 Arabic English Lexicon Archived 2015 04 08 at the Wayback Machine Golston Chris amp Riad Tomas 1997 The Phonology of classical Arabic meter Linguistics 35 1997 111 132 p 120 McCarus Ernest N 1983 Identifying the Meters of Arabic Poetry Al Arabiyya vol 16 no 1 2 pp 57 83 Georgetown University Press Wright W 1951 A Grammar of the Arabic Language vol II Cambridge University Press pp 350 390 Translation from Kennedy Philip F 1997 The wine song in classical Arabic poetry Abu Nuwas and the literary tradition Oxford University Press Stoetzer Willem 1982 Some Observations on Quantity in Arabic Metrics Journal of Arabic Literature Vol 13 1982 pp 66 75External links editA recitation in Arabic of al Mutanabbi s line Recitation of the Abu Nuwas poem by Bashar Al Roumi Version of the Abu Nuwas poem sung to a lute Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Basit amp oldid 1155225045, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
