سَلِ المَعشَرَ الأَعداءَ إِن رُمتَ صَرفَهُم

سَلِ المَعشَرَ الأَعداءَ إِن رُمتَ صَرفَهُم

عَنِ القَصدِ إِن أَعياكَ مِنهُ مَرامُ

عَنِ القَصدِ إِن أَعياكَ مِنهُ مَرامُ

Ask the enemy host, if you sought to turn them

Ask the host of enemies if you wish to turn them away,

from their purpose, whether any aim in doing so eluded you.

From their purpose if their scheme troubles you,

أَتوكَ كَآسادِ الثَرى فَرَدَدتَهُم

أَتوكَ كَآسادِ الثَرى فَرَدَدتَهُم

كَما أَجفَلَت وَسطَ الفَلاةِ نَعامُ

كَما أَجفَلَت وَسطَ الفَلاةِ نَعامُ

They came at you like lions of the earth, and you drove them back,

They came to you like vipers of the earth yet you repelled them

as ostriches flee in panic amid the wilderness.

As the ostriches were scattered amidst the barren valley,

مَضَوا يَسأَلونَ الناسَ عَمّا وَراءَهُم

مَضَوا يَسأَلونَ الناسَ عَمّا وَراءَهُم

فَيُخبِرُهُم بِالمُبكِياتِ عِصامُ

فَيُخبِرُهُم بِالمُبكِياتِ عِصامُ

They went away, asking people what lay behind them,

They went asking people about what was behind them,

and Isam tells them tidings that bring tears.

So he informs them with grievous news, blade.

وَما ضاقَ عَنهُم جانِبُ العُذرِ إِنَّهُم

وَما ضاقَ عَنهُم جانِبُ العُذرِ إِنَّهُم

كَمِثلِ القَطا لَو يُترَكونَ لَناموا

كَمِثلِ القَطا لَو يُترَكونَ لَناموا

Nor was the scope for excuse too narrow for them; indeed, they

Nor was the side of excuse too narrow for them, they are

were like sandgrouse: had they been left alone, they would have slept.

Like cats, if left alone, they would sleep.

فِداءٌ لِباديسَ النُفوسُ وَجادَهُ

فِداءٌ لِباديسَ النُفوسُ وَجادَهُ

مِنَ الشُكرِ في أُفقِ الوَفاءِ غَمامُ

مِنَ الشُكرِ في أُفقِ الوَفاءِ غَمامُ

May souls be a ransom for Badis; may he be showered

The souls are ransomed and their generosity overflowed

by a cloud of gratitude on the horizon of loyalty.

With gratitude on the horizon of loyalty, cloud.

فَما لَحَقَت تِلكَ العُهودَ مَلامَةٌ

فَما لَحَقَت تِلكَ العُهودَ مَلامَةٌ

وَلا ذَمَّ مِن ذاكَ الحِفاظِ ذِمامُ

وَلا ذَمَّ مِن ذاكَ الحِفاظِ ذِمامُ

So no blame attached to those pledges,

So those covenants were not blamed,

nor did any bond of honor find fault with that loyalty.

Nor did any flaw from that preservation get blamed.

وَمِثلُكَ والى مِثلَهُ فَتَصافَيا

وَمِثلُكَ والى مِثلَهُ فَتَصافَيا

كَما صافَتِ الماءَ القَراحَ مُدامُ

كَما صافَتِ الماءَ القَراحَ مُدامُ

And one like you befriended his equal, and the two grew close,

And the like of you, loyal to the like of him, so you matched,

as wine mingles with pure water.

As the rainwater matched the valley’s runnel.

رَسيلُكَ في شَأوِ المَعالي كِلاكُما

رَسيلُكَ في شَأوِ المَعالي كِلاكُما

بَعيدُ المَدى صَعبُ الهُمومِ هُمامُ

بَعيدُ المَدى صَعبُ الهُمومِ هُمامُ

He is your peer in the race for high honors; both of you

Your messages in the matter of noble deeds, both of you

are far-reaching, formidable in ambition, and valiant.

Far-reaching, having lofty aspirations, resolute.

لَعَمري لَقَد أَحظَيتَهُ بِوِفادَةٍ

لَعَمري لَقَد أَحظَيتَهُ بِوِفادَةٍ

لِأَسنى كَريمٍ أَنجَبَتهُ كِرامُ

لِأَسنى كَريمٍ أَنجَبَتهُ كِرامُ

By my life, you have indeed favored him with the visit

By my life, you have endowed him with such loyalty

of a most exalted nobleman, whom noble people begot.

That the noblest parentage produced, honor.

فَما اِنفَكَّ إِلّا عَدلَ نَفسِكَ إِن يَسِر

فَما اِنفَكَّ إِلّا عَدلَ نَفسِكَ إِن يَسِر

فَلِلجِسمِ لا لِلنَفسِ مِنكَ مُقامُ

فَلِلجِسمِ لا لِلنَفسِ مِنكَ مُقامُ

For he has never been other than your soul's equal; if he journeys,

So it didn’t cease unless your fair soul relented, if possible

then of you, only the body remains—not the soul.

For the body not the soul from you has its abode.

حُسامُكَ مَهما تَختَرِطهُ لِمِثلِها

حُسامُكَ مَهما تَختَرِطهُ لِمِثلِها

فَقَلَّ غَناءُ السَيفِ حينَ يُشامُ

فَقَلَّ غَناءُ السَيفِ حينَ يُشامُ

He is your keen sword whenever you draw it for such a mission;

Your sword, however much you unsheathe it for its like

for a sword avails little when it is sheathed.

The glory of the sword when unsheathed is little.