بِرغمِto the chagrin of العَوَالِيthe lofty lances والمُهَنَّدَةِand the Indian-forged swords البُتْرِkeen-cutting
بِرغمِ العَوَالِي والمُهَنَّدَةِ البُتْرِ
دِمَاءٌblood أَرَاقَتْهَاshed it سُبَيْطِيَّةُa subayti fish of البَحْرِthe sea
دِمَاءٌ أَرَاقَتْهَا سُبَيْطِيَّةُ البَحْرِ
To the shame of lofty lances and keen Indian-forged swords,
blood has been spilled by a subayti fish of the sea.
أَلاَlo قَدْindeed جَرَىhas brought بَحْرُthe sea of البِلادِal-Bilad وتُوبِلِيand Tubli
أَلاَ قَدْ جَرَى بَحْرُ البِلادِ وتُوبِلِي
عَلَيَّupon me بِماwith what ضَاقَتْwas too narrow بِهِfor it سَاحَةُthe expanse of البَرِّdry land
عَلَيَّ بِما ضَاقَتْ بِهِ سَاحَةُ البَرِّ
Lo, the sea of al-Bilad and Tubli has brought
upon me what the breadth of dry land could not bear.
فَويلٌthen woe بَنِيsons of شَنِّShann بنِson of أفصىAfsa وماand what الذيthat which
فَويلٌ بَنِي شَنِّ بنِ أفصى وما الذي
رَمَتهُمْhave struck them بِهِwith it أيْدِيthe hands of الحَوادِثِcalamities منof وتْرِa blood grievance
رَمَتهُمْ بِهِ أيْدِي الحَوادِثِ من وتْرِ
Woe to the sons of Shann ibn Afsa! What is this
wrong demanding vengeance that calamity's hands have dealt them?
دَمٌblood لمْnot يُرَقْwas shed منsince عَهْدِthe time of نُوحٍNoah ولاnor جَرَىflowed
دَمٌ لمْ يُرَقْ من عَهْدِ نُوحٍ ولا جَرَى
علَىupon حَدِّthe edge of نَابٍa fang للعَدُوِّbelonging to the enemy ولاnor ظُفْرِa claw
علَى حَدِّ نَابٍ للعَدُوِّ ولا ظُفْرِ
Blood unspilled since the days of Noah, never flowing
over an enemy's sharp fang or claw!
تَحامَتْهُavoided it أَطْرَافُthe points of القَنَاthe spears وتَعَرَّضَتْand came forward
تَحامَتْهُ أَطْرَافُ القَنَا وتَعَرَّضَتْ
لَهُagainst it الحُوتُthe fish ياoh بُؤْسَthe wretchedness of الحَوَادِثِcalamities والدَّهْرِand time
لَهُ الحُوتُ يا بُؤْسَ الحَوَادِثِ والدَّهْرِ
The points of spears avoided it, yet
fish assailed it—how wretched are calamities and time!
لَعَمْرُby the life of أبِيthe father of الأيَّامِthe days إنْif بَاءَhas returned صَرْفُهَاtheir fickleness
لَعَمْرُ أبِي الأيَّامِ إنْ بَاءَ صَرْفُهَا
بِثَارِwith vengeance upon امرئٍa man مِنْin كُلِّevery صَالحةٍvirtue مُثْرِيrich
بِثَارِ امرئٍ مِنْ كُلِّ صَالحةٍ مُثْرِي
By the life of the father of days, if their fickleness has exacted
vengeance upon a man rich in every virtue,
فَلاthen no غَرْوَwonder فالأيَّامُfor the days بَينَbetween صُرُوفِهَاtheir vicissitudes
فَلا غَرْوَ فالأيَّامُ بَينَ صُرُوفِهَا
وبينَand between ذَوِيmen of الأخْطَارِhigh standing حَربٌwar إلىuntil الحَشْرِthe Resurrection
وبينَ ذَوِي الأخْطَارِ حَربٌ إلى الحَشْرِ
no wonder: the days, through all their vicissitudes,
are at war with men of worth until the Resurrection.
أَلاَlo أبْلِغُواconvey word to الحَيينthe two tribes بَكْراًBakr وتَغْلباًand Taghlib
أَلاَ أبْلِغُوا الحَيين بَكْراً وتَغْلباً
فَمَاfor no الغَوثُaid إلاَّexcept عِندَwith تَغْلبَTaghlib أوor بَكْرِBakr
فَمَا الغَوثُ إلاَّ عِندَ تَغْلبَ أو بَكْرِ
Lo, carry word to the two tribes, Bakr and Taghlib,
for help is found only with Taghlib or Bakr.
أَيُرضِيكُمَاdoes it please you both أنَّthat امرأًa man مِنْamong بنِيكُمَاthe sons of you both
أَيُرضِيكُمَا أنَّ امرأً مِنْ بنِيكُمَا
وأَيَّand what a امرئٍman يُدْعَىis summoned إلىto الخَيرِgood والشَّرِّand evil
وأَيَّ امرئٍ يُدْعَى إلى الخَيرِ والشَّرِّ
Does it please you both that a man among your sons—
and what a man, summoned for good and ill—
يُرَاقُis shed علَىupon غَيرِother than الظُّبَاthe sword-edges دَمُthe blood of وَجْهِهِhis face
يُرَاقُ علَى غَيرِ الظُّبَا دَمُ وَجْهِهِ
ويَجرِيand flows علَىupon غَيرِother than المُثقَّفَةِthe straightened السُّمْرِdark-shafted spears
ويَجرِي علَى غَيرِ المُثقَّفَةِ السُّمْرِ
should have the blood of his face shed on something other than blades,
and flowing over something other than straightened, dark-shafted spears?
وتَنْبوand recoil نُيوبُthe fangs of اللَّيثِthe lion عَنهُfrom him ويَنْثَنِيand turns back
وتَنْبو نُيوبُ اللَّيثِ عَنهُ ويَنْثَنِي
أخُوa fellow of الحُوتِthe fish عَنهُfrom him دَاميَbloodied in الفَمِthe mouth والثَّغْرِand the teeth
أخُو الحُوتِ عَنهُ دَاميَ الفَمِ والثَّغْرِ
A lion's fangs recoil from him, yet back turns
one of the fish, its mouth and teeth bloodied.
لِيَقْضِlet ... exhaust امرؤٌa man مِنْfrom قِصَّتِيmy story عَجَباًhis wonder فَمَنْso whoever
لِيَقْضِ امرؤٌ مِنْ قِصَّتِي عَجَباً فَمَنْ
يرِدْseeks شَرحَan explanation of هَذاthis الحَالcondition يَنْظُرْlet him look إلىat شِعْرِيmy poetry
يرِدْ شَرحَ هَذا الحَال يَنْظُرْ إلى شِعْرِي
Let a man marvel at my story; whoever
seeks an account of this affair, let him look at my verse.
أنَاI الرَّجُلُthe man المَشْهُورُwell-known ماnot مِنْany مَحلَّةٍsettlement
أنَا الرَّجُلُ المَشْهُورُ ما مِنْ مَحلَّةٍ
مِنَon الأرْضِthe earth إلاّexcept قدindeed تخلَّلَهَاhas permeated it ذِكرِيmy renown
مِنَ الأرْضِ إلاّ قد تخلَّلَهَا ذِكرِي
I am the well-known man; there is no settlement
on earth that my fame has not permeated.
فإنْand if أُمْسِI spend the evening فيin قُطْرٍa region منof الأرْضِthe earth إنَّindeed لِيI have
فإنْ أُمْسِ في قُطْرٍ من الأرْضِ إنَّ لِي
بَريدَa courier of اشْتِهَارٍfame فيover مَنَاكِبِهَاits shoulders يَسْرِيtravels
بَريدَ اشْتِهَارٍ في مَنَاكِبِهَا يَسْرِي
If evening finds me in one region of earth, indeed I have
a courier of fame that travels over its shoulders.
تَوَلَّعَbecame obsessed بِيwith me صرْفُthe turns of القَضَاءِfate ولَمْand not يَكُنْwas it
تَوَلَّعَ بِي صرْفُ القَضَاءِ ولَمْ يَكُنْ
لِتَجرِيto befall صُرُوفُthe vicissitudes of الدَّهْرِtime إلاّexcept علَىupon الحُرِّthe noble man
لِتَجرِي صُرُوفُ الدَّهْرِ إلاّ علَى الحُرِّ
Fate's fickleness has become obsessed with me; yet never
do time's vicissitudes fall on any but the noble.
تَوَجهْتُI set out مِنfrom مِرِّيMirri ضُحَىًin the forenoon فَكَأنَّمَاso it was as though
تَوَجهْتُ مِن مِرِّي ضُحَىً فَكَأنَّمَا
توَجَّهتُI set out منfrom مِرِّيMirri إلىtoward العَلْقَمِcolocynth المُرِّbitter
توَجَّهتُ من مِرِّي إلى العَلْقَمِ المُرِّ
I set out from Mirri in the forenoon, as though
I had gone from Mirri to bitter colocynth.
تَلَجْلَجْتُI waded through خُورَthe inlet of القَرْيَتَينِthe two villages مُشَمِّراًwith clothes hitched up
تَلَجْلَجْتُ خُورَ القَرْيَتَينِ مُشَمِّراً
وشِبْلِيand my cub مَعِيwith me والماءُand the water فيat أوَّلِthe beginning of الجَزْرِthe ebb
وشِبْلِي مَعِي والماءُ في أوَّلِ الجَزْرِ
I waded through the two villages' inlet with my clothes hitched up,
my cub with me, the water at the start of ebb tide.
فَمَاthen not هُوَit إلاّexcept أنthat فُجِئْتُI was taken unawares بِطَافِرٍby a leaping one
فَمَا هُوَ إلاّ أن فُجِئْتُ بِطَافِرٍ
مِنَof الحُوتِthe fish فيin وَجْهِيmy face ولاnor even ضَرْبةَa blow from الفِهْرِa stone
مِنَ الحُوتِ في وَجْهِي ولا ضَرْبةَ الفِهْرِ
Then, all at once, I was startled by a leaping
fish in my face—a stone's blow could not match it!
لَقَدْindeed شَقَّit split يُمْنَىthe right of وَجْنَتَيَّmy two cheeks بِنَطْحَةٍwith a headbutt
لَقَدْ شَقَّ يُمْنَى وَجْنَتَيَّ بِنَطْحَةٍ
وقَعتُI fell لَهَاfrom it دَامِيbleeding in المُحَيَّاthe face علَىonto قِطْرِيmy side
وقَعتُ لَهَا دَامِي المُحَيَّا علَى قِطْرِي
It split my right cheek with a headbutt,
and I fell at the blow, face bleeding, onto my side.
فَخُيِّلَthen it seemed لِيto me أنَّthat السَّمواتِthe heavens أطْبِقَتْhad closed down
فَخُيِّلَ لِي أنَّ السَّمواتِ أطْبِقَتْ
عَليَّupon me وأَبْصَرتُand I saw الكَوَاكِبَthe stars فيat الظُّهْرِnoon
عَليَّ وأَبْصَرتُ الكَوَاكِبَ في الظُّهْرِ
It seemed to me that the heavens had closed
down upon me, and I saw stars at noon.
وقُمْتُand I rose كهَدْيٍlike a sacrificial beast نَدَّthat bolted منfrom يَدِthe hand of ذَابِحٍa slaughterer
وقُمْتُ كهَدْيٍ نَدَّ من يَدِ ذَابِحٍ
وقدwhen already بَلَغتْhad reached سِكِّينُهُhis knife ثَغْرةَthe hollow of النَّحْرِthe throat
وقد بَلَغتْ سِكِّينُهُ ثَغْرةَ النَّحْرِ
I rose like a sacrificial beast escaped from a slaughterer's hand,
when his knife had already reached the hollow of its throat.
يُطَوِّحُنيtosses me about نَزْفُthe loss of الدِّمَاءِblood كأنَّنِيas though I were
يُطَوِّحُني نَزْفُ الدِّمَاءِ كأنَّنِي
نَزيفُone drunk on طِلَىwine مَالَتْswayed بِهِhim نَشْوَةُthe intoxication of الخَمْرِwine
نَزيفُ طِلَى مَالَتْ بِهِ نَشْوَةُ الخَمْرِ
Blood loss tossed me about as though I were
a man drunk on wine, swayed by its headiness.
فَمَنْso who لامرئٍfor a man لاnot يَلْبَسُwears الوَشْيَbrocade قَدindeed غَدَاhas gone out
فَمَنْ لامرئٍ لا يَلْبَسُ الوَشْيَ قَد غَدَا
ورَاحَand returned موَشَّىembroidered الجَيْبِat the collar بالنُّقَطِwith the spots الحُمْرِred
ورَاحَ موَشَّى الجَيْبِ بالنُّقَطِ الحُمْرِ
Who will aid a man who wears no brocade, yet goes out
and returns, his collar embroidered in red dots?
وَوَافَيْتُand I reached بَيتِيmy house ماnot رَآنِيsaw me امْرؤٌa man ولَمْand did not
وَوَافَيْتُ بَيتِي ما رَآنِي امْرؤٌ ولَمْ
يَقُلْsay أوand ...? هَذَاthis man جَاءَhas come منfrom مُلْتقَىthe clash of الكرِّbattle charges
يَقُلْ أو هَذَا جَاءَ من مُلْتقَى الكرِّ
I reached my home; no man saw me without
saying, "Has this man come from the clash of battle?"
فَهَاso here هُوَit قدْindeed ألقَىhas left بوَجهِيon my face عَلاَمَةًa mark
فَهَا هُوَ قدْ ألقَى بوَجهِي عَلاَمَةً
كَمَاas اعتَرَضَتْlies across فيon الطِّرسِthe sheet إعْرابَةُthe inflection-mark of الكَسْرِthe kasra vowel
كَمَا اعتَرَضَتْ في الطِّرسِ إعْرابَةُ الكَسْرِ
There it has left a mark upon my face,
like a kasra vowel-mark drawn across a page.
فَإنْand if يَمْحُeffaces شَيئاًsomething منof مُحَيَّايَmy face أثرُهَاits scar
فَإنْ يَمْحُ شَيئاً من مُحَيَّايَ أثرُهَا
بِمقْدَارِto the extent of أخذِthe taking of المَحْوِthe dark blemish منfrom صَفْحَةِthe disk of البَدْرِthe full moon
بِمقْدَارِ أخذِ المَحْوِ من صَفْحَةِ البَدْرِ
If its scar effaces something of my face,
as the dark patch takes something from the full moon's disk,
فَلاَthen no غَرْوَwonder فالبِيْضُfor the white blades الرِّقَاقُslender أَدَلُّهَاthose most indicative
فَلاَ غَرْوَ فالبِيْضُ الرِّقَاقُ أَدَلُّهَا
علَىof العِتْقِnoble quality ماthat which لاَحتْappears بِهِon it سِمَةُthe mark of الأَثْرِa scar
علَى العِتْقِ ما لاَحتْ بِهِ سِمَةُ الأَثْرِ
no wonder: of slender white blades, those that best proclaim
their noble quality are the ones that bear a visible scar.
وَقُلْand say بَعْدَafter هَذَاthis للسُّبيْطيَّةِto the subayti fish افْخَرِيboast!
وَقُلْ بَعْدَ هَذَا للسُّبيْطيَّةِ افْخَرِي
علَىover سَائِرِall الشُّجْعَانِthe brave warriors بالفتْكَةِof the sudden attack البِكْرِunprecedented
علَى سَائِرِ الشُّجْعَانِ بالفتْكَةِ البِكْرِ
And after this, tell the subayti fish: "Boast
over all the brave warriors of your unprecedented attack!"
وقُلْand say للظُّبَاto the sword-edges فِيئِيdraw back! إلَيْكِto yourself عَنaway from الطُّلَىthe throats
وقُلْ للظُّبَا فِيئِي إلَيْكِ عَن الطُّلَى
وللسُّمْرِand to the dark spears لاnot تَهزُزْنَbe brandished يَوماًever إلىtoward صَدْرِa breast
وللسُّمْرِ لا تَهزُزْنَ يَوماً إلى صَدْرِ
And tell the blades: "Draw back from throats,"
and the dark spears: "Never be brandished at a breast!"
فَلَوْfor had هَمَّmeant harm غَيرُany other than الحُوتِthe fish بِيagainst me لتَوَاثَبَتْwould have sprung up
فَلَوْ هَمَّ غَيرُ الحُوتِ بِي لتَوَاثَبَتْ
رِجَالٌmen يَخُوضُونَwho wade into الحِمَامَdeath إلىto نَصْرِيmy aid
رِجَالٌ يَخُوضُونَ الحِمَامَ إلى نَصْرِي
Had anything but a fish meant me harm, there would have sprung up
men who wade through death to come to my aid.
فَإمَّاbut as for إذَاwhen ماindeed عَزَّis unattainable ذَاكَthat ولَمْand not يكُنْwas it possible
فَإمَّا إذَا ما عَزَّ ذَاكَ ولَمْ يكُنْ
لأُدْرِكَfor me to exact ثَارِيmy vengeance مِنهُfrom it ماas long as مُدَّis prolonged فيin عُمْرِيmy lifespan
لأُدْرِكَ ثَارِي مِنهُ ما مُدَّ في عُمْرِي
But when that proves impossible, and I cannot
exact my vengeance on it, however long my life may last,
فَلسْتُthen I am not بِمَوْلَىa master of الشِّعْرِpoetry إنْif لَمْnot أَزُجُّهُI spear it
فَلسْتُ بِمَوْلَى الشِّعْرِ إنْ لَمْ أَزُجُّهُ
بِكُلِّwith every شَرُودِfar-ranging verse الذِّكْرِin renown أعدَىmore contagious منthan العرِّmange
بِكُلِّ شَرُودِ الذِّكْرِ أعدَى من العرِّ
then I am no master of poetry if I do not spear it
with every verse of far-roaming fame, more contagious than mange,
أَضَرُّmore harmful عَلَىto الأجْفَانِthe eyelids منthan حَادِثِthe onset of العَمَىblindness
أَضَرُّ عَلَى الأجْفَانِ من حَادِثِ العَمَى
وَأَبْلَىand more afflicting علَىto الآذَانِthe ears منthan عَارِضِa bout of الوَقْرِdeafness
وَأَبْلَى علَى الآذَانِ من عَارِضِ الوَقْرِ
more harmful to eyelids than the onset of blindness,
and more afflicting to ears than a bout of deafness;
يُخَافُis feared علَىfor منwhoever يَركَبُrides البَحْرَthe sea شَرُّهَاits harm
يُخَافُ علَى من يَركَبُ البَحْرَ شَرُّهَا
ولَيسَand is not بِمَأمُونٍsafe علَىfor سَالِكِa traveler of البَرِّthe land
ولَيسَ بِمَأمُونٍ علَى سَالِكِ البَرِّ
whose harm is feared for whoever rides the sea,
nor are those who travel by land safe from it.
تَجُوسُit roams خِلالَthrough البَحْرِthe sea تَطْفَحُit floats to the surface تَارَةًat times
تَجُوسُ خِلالَ البَحْرِ تَطْفَحُ تَارَةً
وتَرْسُوand sinks رُسَوَّlike the sinking of الغَيصِthe diver فيin طَلَبsearch of الدُّرِّpearls
وتَرْسُو رُسَوَّ الغَيصِ في طَلَب الدُّرِّ
It roams through the sea, at times floating to the surface,
and sinks like a diver in search of pearls.
تَنَاولُit seizes مِنهُfrom it ماwhatever تَعَالَىrises high بِسَبْحِهِby its swimming
تَنَاولُ مِنهُ ما تَعَالَى بِسَبْحِهِ
وتُدْرِكُand overtakes دُونَshort of القَعْرِthe bottom مُبْتَدرَone racing toward القَعْرِthe bottom
وتُدْرِكُ دُونَ القَعْرِ مُبْتَدرَ القَعْرِ
It takes from the sea whatever swims aloft,
and overtakes, before the bottom, whatever races to the bottom.
لَعَمْرُby the life of أبِيthe father of الخطِيِّal-Khatti إنْif بَاتَhas come to rest ثَارُهُhis blood-debt
لَعَمْرُ أبِي الخطِيِّ إنْ بَاتَ ثَارُهُ
لدَىwith غَيرِone who is not كُفْوٍan equal وهوَwhile he is نَادرةُthe marvel of العَصْرِthe age
لدَى غَيرِ كُفْوٍ وهوَ نَادرةُ العَصْرِ
By the life of al-Khatti's father, if his blood-debt
is owed by one no match for him, though he is the marvel of the age,
فَثَارُso the blood-debt for عَليٍّAli بَاتَlay عِنْدَwith ابنِIbn مُلْجَمٍMuljam
فَثَارُ عَليٍّ بَاتَ عِنْدَ ابنِ مُلْجَمٍ
وأعقَبَهُand after it came ثَارُthe blood-debt for الحُسَينِHusayn لَدَىwith شِمْرِShimr
وأعقَبَهُ ثَارُ الحُسَينِ لَدَى شِمْرِ
the debt for Ali's blood was owed by Ibn Muljam,
and after it, the debt for Husayn's blood was owed by Shimr.
Sol 6.1