بشراكمُglad tidings to you بسعادةٍof happiness وهناءِand bliss
بشراكمُ بسعادةٍ وهناءِ
ياO أهلpeople of تلكthat المَوصلMosul الحدباءِal-Hadba
يا أهل تلك المَوصل الحدباءِ
Glad tidings to you of happiness and bliss!
I bring you glad tidings of happiness and delight
O people of that Mosul, al-Hadba!
O people of Mosul the hunchbacked
بشراكمُglad tidings to you ياO أهلpeople of موصلMosul إنكّمindeed you
بشراكمُ يا أهل موصل إنكّم
نلتمyou attained منfrom الرحمنthe All-Merciful خيرthe best جزاءreward
نلتم من الرحمن خير جزاء
Glad tidings, people of Mosul! You have
I bring you glad tidings, O people of Mosul, that you
won the finest reward from the All-Merciful.
Have received the best reward from the Most Merciful
منwhoever حَيَّsurvived منكمamong you فيamong الغَزَاةthe warriors نصيبهhis share
من حَيَّ منكم في الغَزَاة نصيبه
ونصيبand the share of منwhoever قدalready ماتdied فيamong الشهداءthe martyrs
ونصيب من قد مات في الشهداء
Whoever among you survived has his share among the warriors,
Those among you who survived the battles got their share
and whoever died has his share among the martyrs.
As did those who died as martyrs
جاهدتُمُyou strove فيfor God اللهthe true measure of حقّstriving for Him through sacrifice and effort in jihad جهادهbeyond the measured covenant
جاهدتُمُ في الله حقّ جهاده
وصبرتُمُand you endured لحوادثthrough the calamities of الأنواءthe storms
وصبرتُمُ لحوادث الأنواء
You strove for God with the striving due to Him,
You strived in the way of God as Jihad requires
and endured the calamities of the storms.
And you were patient in the face of calamities
ودفعتمand you defended عنon behalf of بيضكمyour fair ones بلrather سُمرِكمyour dark ones
ودفعتم عن بيضكم بل سُمرِكم
بالبيضwith bright swords بلrather بالسَّمرةwith brown spears الصعداءupright
بالبيض بل بالسَّمرة الصعداء
You defended your fair ones—nay, your dark ones—
You defended your homes, indeed your honor
with bright swords—nay, with upright brown spears.
With your lives, indeed with your most precious possession
وحَميتُمُand you protected العرضhonor المصونinviolable منfrom الأذىharm
وحَميتُمُ العرض المصون من الأذى
حيثsince التزمتمyou upheld شيمةthe character of الآباءthe forefathers
حيث التزمتم شيمة الآباء
You protected inviolable honor from harm,
And you protected the inviolable honor
holding fast to the character of your forefathers.
As you upheld the ways of your forefathers
تاللَهby God إنّكمindeed you فوارسhorsemen كهمسٍlike a lion
تاللَه إنّكم فوارس كهمسٍ
تاللَهby God أنتمyou عُدَّةthe mainstay of الهيجاءbattle
تاللَه أنتم عُدَّة الهيجاء
By God, you are horsemen like lions;
By God, you are horsemen like lions
by God, you are the mainstay of battle!
By God, you are the equipment of warriors
للهto God درّكمyour excellence ودرّand the excellence of رئيسكمyour commander
لله درّكم ودرّ رئيسكم
ملكٍa king تولّىwho attained قُنَّةthe summit of العلياءِglory
ملكٍ تولّى قُنَّة العلياءِ
How splendid you are, and how splendid your commander—
May God bless you and your leader
a king who has attained the summit of glory.
The king who assumed leadership of the sublime
بَطَلa hero إذاwhen حَمِيَblazed الوطيسُthe battle-furnace رأيتهyou saw him
بَطَل إذا حَمِيَ الوطيسُ رأيته
وَرَدَhe went to الدماءَblood مكانin place of وردgoing to الماءwater
وَرَدَ الدماءَ مكان ورد الماء
A hero whom, when the battle-furnace blazes, you see
A hero, when the battle was enflamed you would see him
coming to blood instead of coming to water.
Driving back the blood just as water flows
قَرمa champion إذاwhen أغبرّgrew dusty السماءthe sky بمهمهٍin a wilderness
قَرم إذا أغبرّ السماء بمهمهٍ
قدalready ألبسَhe clothed الغبراءthe dusty earth ثوبa robe of دماءblood
قد ألبسَ الغبراء ثوب دماء
A champion who, when the sky grows dusty over a wilderness,
A warrior, when the sky thundered with his threats
has clothed the dusty earth in a robe of blood.
He dressed the dusty ground in blood
شاكيbristling with السلاحweapons مُقذَّفpowerfully built فكأنهso he is like
شاكي السلاح مُقذَّف فكأنه
ليثthe lion of الشرىal-Shara يسطوhe assails علىupon الأعداءthe enemies
ليث الشرى يسطو على الأعداء
Bristling with arms, powerfully built, he is like
Brandishing his sword he seemed
the lion of al-Shara, assailing his enemies.
Like a ferocious lion pouncing on the enemy
ياO صاحfriend إنif هزّhe shakes القناthe spears لعداتهِat his enemies
يا صاح إن هزّ القنا لعداتهِ
تلقاهمyou find them سجدواthey fell prostrate علىupon الغبراءthe dusty earth
تلقاهم سجدوا على الغبراء
Friend, if he shakes his spears at his foes,
Oh you who roar, when he shook his spear at them
you find them prostrate upon the dusty earth.
You would find them bowing down on the dusty ground
ياOh كمhow much لهhe has نظمٌstringing (verse) ونثرٌand scattering (prose) فيهمamong them
يا كم له نظمٌ ونثرٌ فيهم
فهمُso they إذنtherefore منهfrom him بكلّin every عناءtorment
فهمُ إذن منه بكلّ عناء
Oh, how much stringing and scattering he works among them!
Oh how many prose and poetry he has composed about them
They therefore suffer every torment at his hands.
And so they must be tired of him in every way
لاnot يرعويhe desists عنهمfrom them لحتفfor the destruction of نفوسهمtheir lives
لا يرعوي عنهم لحتف نفوسهم
حتىuntil تغيضthey ebb away بقاعةin a hollow الوعساءthe sandy tract
حتى تغيض بقاعة الوعساء
He never draws back from them, seeking their lives' destruction,
He does not care about their lives to the point of death
until those lives ebb away in a sandy hollow.
Until the plain of Al-Wisaa is flooded
عرَبيُّArab أصلorigin فاتكٌdeadly ذوpossessing نجدةcourage
عرَبيُّ أصل فاتكٌ ذو نجدة
ذوpossessing شيمةa character محمودةpraiseworthy وسخاءand generosity
ذو شيمة محمودة وسخاء
Arab by lineage, deadly and courageous,
An Arab of noble origin, generous
endowed with praiseworthy character and generosity.
Of praiseworthy character and generosity
منfrom كفّهhis palm الحتفdeath المبينunmistakable لدىamid الوغىbattle
من كفّه الحتف المبين لدى الوغى
وبكفّهand in his palm الإحياءُlife-giving عندwhen عطاءgiving
وبكفّه الإحياءُ عند عطاء
From his palm comes unmistakable death in battle,
From his hands comes clear death in times of strife
and in his palm is life when he gives.
And from his hands comes life when giving
تاللَهby God قدindeed ضنَّhas been sparing الزمانtime بمثلهof his like
تاللَه قد ضنَّ الزمان بمثله
إذwhen جاءhe came بالصفراءwith gold والبيضاءand silver
إذ جاء بالصفراء والبيضاء
By God, time has been sparing of his like,
By God, time has been stingy in offering the likes of him
when he came bearing gold and silver.
Since he came in yellow and white
لاno عيبfault فيهin him غيرexcept انَّthat نقودهhis money
لا عيب فيه غير انَّ نقوده
مقبوضةclasped بأناملby the fingers of الفقراءthe poor
مقبوضة بأنامل الفقراء
He has no fault, except that his money
He has no fault other than his money
is clasped in the fingers of the poor.
Is held in the hands of the poor
تُلفىare found دنانيرthe dinars of الصّلاتgifts بكفّهin his palm
تُلفى دنانير الصّلات بكفّه
منfrom their sorrow حزنهاin فيa robe حُلَّةٍyellow, as if sorrow-colored in gold's hue with pallor, grief, and longing صفراءa garment woven of dark mourning
من حزنها في حُلَّةٍ صفراء
The dinars of his gifts are found in his palm,
Coins of prayers are wrapped in his palms
wearing, in their sorrow, a yellow robe.
In sorrow, dressed in yellow
ماnot حاتمHatim الطائيُّal-Ta'i عندbeside عطائهhis giving
ما حاتم الطائيُّ عند عطائه
إلاّexcept كقطرlike a drop وهوwhile he is كلّall الماءthe water
إلاّ كقطر وهو كلّ الماء
Hatim al-Ta'i, beside his generosity,
Hatem al-Ta'i in his generosity
is only a drop, while he is all the water.
Was but a drop while he is an entire sea
ليثٌa lion لأعباءfor the burdens of الوزارةthe vizierate حاملbearing
ليثٌ لأعباء الوزارة حامل
فلقدfor indeed سَماhe rose قدراًin rank علىabove الجوزاءal-Jawza
فلقد سَما قدراً على الجوزاء
A lion bearing the burdens of the vizierate,
A lion bearing the burdens of leadership
he has risen in rank above al-Jawza.
For he has attained the highest rank
قدindeed جادhe gave generously فيin حفظprotecting النساءwomen بجدّهwith his earnest effort
قد جاد في حفظ النساء بجدّه
وبحفظand in protecting أطفالchildren وحفظand protecting إماءslave women
وبحفظ أطفال وحفظ إماء
He has generously devoted his efforts to protecting women,
He has been generous in protecting women with his sacrifice
and to protecting children and slave women.
And in protecting children and female slaves
لولاهwithout him ماnot طَوبthe cannon of الحُدَيباal-Hudayba نافعuseful
لولاه ما طَوب الحُدَيبا نافع
كلاno كذاكlikewise قنابرthe bombs of الحدباءal-Hadba
كلا كذاك قنابر الحدباء
Without him, al-Hudayba's cannon would be useless;
Were it not for him, Al-Hudaybiya would not have benefitted
no—so too would al-Hadba's bombs.
Neither would the fortresses of the hunchback
إنif لمnot يكنthere were نارthe fire of البنادقthe muskets لمnot تكنthey would be
إن لم يكن نار البنادق لم تكن
تحميprotecting الديارthe dwellings صيالةَthe onslaught of الأعداءthe enemies
تحمي الديار صيالةَ الأعداء
Without the muskets' fire, they could not have
Had it not been for the firing of guns, the homes
protected the dwellings from the enemies' onslaught.
Would not have been protected from the jaws of the enemy
لولاهwithout him كانتwould have been فin (split fragment) يالوحوشthe wild beasts (broken spelling) قبوركمyour graves
لولاه كانت ف يالوحوش قبوركم
ونساؤكمand your women يُدعُونَwould be called بالأُسراءِas captives
ونساؤكم يُدعُونَ بالأُسراءِ
Without him, your graves would have been inside wild beasts,
Had it not been for him, your graves would have been
and your women would have been called captives.
In the bellies of beasts, and your women taken captive
لولاهwithout him كادalmost الدينthe faith يُمحىbe erased ربُعهits dwelling-place
لولاه كاد الدين يُمحى ربُعه
وتزولand would vanish عنكمfrom you نسبةaffiliation الغرّاءillustrious
وتزول عنكم نسبة الغرّاء
Without him, the dwelling-place of faith would have all but vanished,
Had it not been for him, a quarter of the religion would have perished
and your glorious affiliation would have disappeared.
And you would have lost the title of excellence
لولاهwithout him ماnot ذكرmention of الصحابةthe Companions شائعwidespread
لولاه ما ذكر الصحابة شائع
فيin حيّكمyour quarter إلاّexcept علىwith استهزاءmockery
في حيّكم إلاّ على استهزاء
Without him, mention of the Companions would not be common
Had it not been for him, the name of the Noble Companions
in your quarter, except in mockery.
Would not have spread in your quarters except in mockery
أأباO Abu مرادٍMurad قدindeed مدحتكI praised you حِسبةًseeking God's reward
أأبا مرادٍ قد مدحتك حِسبةً
منfrom غيرwithout ماany ميلٍinclination إلىtoward إعطاءِgiving
من غير ما ميلٍ إلى إعطاءِ
O Abu Murad, I have praised you seeking God's reward,
O Abu Murad, I have praised you out of duty
with no inclination toward a gift.
Not out of any desire for reward
أأباO Abu مرادٍMurad انif جهلتyou do not know حقيقتيmy true identity
أأبا مرادٍ ان جهلت حقيقتي
فاعلمthen know بأنّيthat I am شاعرthe poet of الزوراءal-Zawra
فاعلم بأنّي شاعر الزوراء
O Abu Murad, if you do not know who I am,
O Abu Murad, if you do not know me,
know that I am the poet of al-Zawra.
Know that I am the poet of Az-Zawra
خذهاtake her فريدةa peerless one عصرهاher age منfrom خدرهاher private chamber
خذها فريدة عصرها من خدرها
بكرa virgin of المعانيmeanings لمnot تزلshe ceases to be بخباءwithin a tent
بكر المعاني لم تزل بخباء
Take her, peerless in her age, out of her chamber—
Take this poem, unique in its era, from its planter
a virgin in her meanings, still within a tent.
The first of meanings, never revealed before
ياO راكبrider of الوجناءthe sturdy she-camel يمّمhead toward مَوصِلاًMosul
يا راكب الوجناء يمّم مَوصِلاً
وانزلand alight بهاin it ياO راكبrider of الوجناءthe sturdy she-camel
وانزل بها يا راكب الوجناء
Rider of the sturdy she-camel, set your course for Mosul,
O rider of the camel, head for Mosul
and alight there, rider of the sturdy she-camel.
And dismount in it, O rider of the camel
واقرأand convey السلامَgreetings علىto الأُلىthose who قدhave جاهدواstriven
واقرأ السلامَ على الأُلى قد جاهدوا
فيfor God اللَهnot لاfrom عنdesire for fame سمعةٍand ostentation that springs from self-advertisement and outward display ورياءnor idle boasting
في اللَه لا عن سمعةٍ ورياء
Convey greetings to those who have striven
Convey greetings to the forefathers who strove
for God, not for fame or display.
In the way of God, not for fame or ostentation
وقلand say ابنson of عبدservant of اللَهGod ودلوwished that (fused words) أنهthat he
وقل ابن عبد اللَه ودلو أنه
معكمwith you بتلكin that الوقعةbattle الدهماءdark and dreadful
معكم بتلك الوقعة الدهماء
And say: Ibn Abd Allah wished that he
And say Ibn Abdullah and his bucket that he
had been with you in that dark battle.
Is with you in that fateful battle
ولكمand for you بأحمدin Ahmad أسوةan example محمودةpraiseworthy
ولكم بأحمد أسوة محمودة
أكرمhow noble بهاit is منas أسوةan example حسناءbeautiful
أكرم بها من أسوة حسناء
In Ahmad you have a praiseworthy example—
And in Ahmad you have a splendid model
how noble an example, how beautiful!
More honorable than any beautiful model
فيin غزوةthe battle of الأحزابthe Confederates غزوةthe battle of خندقthe Trench
في غزوة الأحزاب غزوة خندق
حيثwhen العدوthe enemy أحاطclosed in بالأحياءaround the settlements
حيث العدو أحاط بالأحياء
In the Battle of the Confederates, the Battle of the Trench,
In the Ghazwa of Al-Ahzab, the battle of the Trench
when the enemy surrounded the settlements.
Where the enemy surrounded the living
قَصَدَتsought أعاديكمyour enemies بلوغto attain مُرادهمtheir aim
قَصَدَت أعاديكم بلوغ مُرادهم
منكمfrom you بأنby يرموكمthey would strike you بدهاءِwith guile
منكم بأن يرموكم بدهاءِ
Your foes sought to achieve their aim
Your enemies intended to achieve their purpose against you
against you by striking you with guile.
By cunningly attacking you
رفعواthey raised قنابرهمtheir bombs لخفضto bring low نسوركمyour eagles
رفعوا قنابرهم لخفض نسوركم
لكنّهاbut these نصبتwere set up علىagainst الأغراءthe gullible
لكنّها نصبت على الأغراء
They raised their bombs to bring your eagles low,
They set up their fortresses to bring down your eagles
but these were set against the gullible.
But those were set up on barren ground
بقرواthey dug open بأرضكمin your land اللقومَmines لضيركمto harm you
بقروا بأرضكم اللقومَ لضيركم
رَجَعتreturned إليهمto them نارهاtheir fire بِرَداءِwith destruction
رَجَعت إليهم نارها بِرَداءِ
They dug mines in your land to harm you;
They dug trenches in your land to spite you
their fire returned upon them with destruction.
Their fires returned to them in a cloak
أودتit destroyed بهمthem كسيوفكمlike your swords إذwhen جُرِّدتwere unsheathed
أودت بهم كسيوفكم إذ جُرِّدت
حينwhen ارمعلّواthey surged نحوكمtoward you لبلاءto bring affliction
حين ارمعلّوا نحوكم لبلاء
It destroyed them, as your swords did when unsheathed,
Your swords, when unsheathed, destroyed them
when they surged toward you to bring affliction.
As they arrogantly marched against you for affliction
فقريتمso you feasted طيرthe birds of الفلاةthe wilderness ووحشهاand its beasts
فقريتم طير الفلاة ووحشها
فعليكمso upon you منهاfrom them عميمabundant ثناءِpraise
فعليكم منها عميم ثناءِ
Thus you feasted the birds of the wilderness and its beasts,
You fed the birds and beasts of the wilderness
and from them abundant praise is yours.
So for that you deserve fulsome praise
أنجبتمُyou acted nobly ياO قومpeople حيثwhen جعلتمyou made
أنجبتمُ يا قوم حيث جعلتم
جوفthe bellies of الوحوشwild beasts مقابرgraves for اللؤماءthe base
جوف الوحوش مقابر اللؤماء
You acted nobly, my people, when you made
You have sired, O people, by making
the bellies of wild beasts the graves of the base.
The bellies of beasts the graves of villains
اللَهGod أعلمknows best كانwas هذاthis منكمfrom you
اللَه أعلم كان هذا منكم
قصداًdeliberately لأجلfor the sake of طهارةpurifying الصحراءthe desert
قصداً لأجل طهارة الصحراء
God knows best whether you did this
God knows best, this was your intention
deliberately, to cleanse the desert.
To purify the desert area
لمnot يتّفقhas occurred فيin الكونcreation مثلthe like of ثباتكمyour steadfastness
لم يتّفق في الكون مثل ثباتكم
حيثwhen الرؤوسheads تُبَثُّare scattered فيin البيداءthe wilderness
حيث الرؤوس تُبَثُّ في البيداء
Nothing like your steadfastness has occurred in all creation,
None in existence can match your steadfastness
when heads were scattered across the wilderness.
As heads are scattered in the desert
ولكمand for you ببدرٍat Badr أسوةan example بشراكمُglad tidings to you
ولكم ببدرٍ أسوة بشراكمُ
عنكمfrom you أزُيلتwere removed جملةthe entirety of الأسواءevils
عنكم أزُيلت جملة الأسواء
You have an example in Badr—glad tidings to you!
And in Badr you have a model that brings you glad tidings
Every evil has been removed from you.
All kinds of evil have been driven away from you
تبّاًperdition لكركوكٍto Kirkuk وتبّتand may perish أهلهاits people
تبّاً لكركوكٍ وتبّت أهلها
جلبواthey brought لأنفسهمupon themselves جميعevery إساءِmisfortune
جلبوا لأنفسهم جميع إساءِ
Perdition to Kirkuk, and may its people perish!
Damn Kirkuk and damn its people
They brought every misfortune upon themselves,
Who brought upon themselves every evil
إذbecause لمnot يحامواthey defended عنon behalf of عيالٍdependents ساعةًan hour
إذ لم يحاموا عن عيالٍ ساعةً
معalthough أنthat حصنهمtheir fortress لخيرُsurely the finest بِناءِstructure
مع أن حصنهم لخيرُ بِناءِ
for they did not defend their dependents even for an hour,
When they did not defend their families for an instant
although their fortress was the finest of structures.
Despite their fortress being most well-built
ياO أهلpeople of موصلMosul فاخرواvie in glory with منwhomever شئتمyou wish
يا أهل موصل فاخروا من شئتم
فلأنتمfor indeed you أحرىmost worthy بكلof every علاءlofty honor
فلأنتم أحرى بكل علاء
People of Mosul, vie in glory with whomever you wish,
O people of Mosul, boast over whoever you wish
for you are most worthy of every lofty honor.
For you are most deserving of every elevation
لاnot زلتمmay you cease to be بسعادةin happiness أبديةeverlasting
لا زلتم بسعادة أبدية
ياO أهلpeople of تلكthat الموصلMosul الحدباءal-Hadba
يا أهل تلك الموصل الحدباء
May you ever enjoy everlasting happiness,
You remain in eternal happiness
O people of that Mosul, al-Hadba!
O people of Mosul the hunchbacked
Sol 6.1