جادَتpoured generously عَزاليwaterskin spouts النُوبِcalamities
جادَت عَزالي النُوبِ
لربعupon the dwelling of مَنلاMulla جَلَبِيChalabi
لربع مَنلا جَلَبِي
May the spouts of calamity pour freely
The storms of misfortune have wandered
upon the dwelling of Mulla Chalabi,
To the abode of one with no worries or sorrows
بِعارِضٍwith a rain cloud ذيbearing بارقlightning
بِعارِضٍ ذي بارق
يُمطِرrains غَيثَa downpour of النُوبِcalamities
يُمطِر غَيثَ النُوبِ
from a cloud bank bearing lightning,
With lightning flashing brilliantly
raining a downpour of calamities.
Watering the land with heavy rains
شَيخُa sheikh عِنادٍobstinacy ظالِمٌunjust
شَيخُ عِنادٍ ظالِمٌ
مبلَّدُdulled الطَبعِin disposition غَبيstupid
مبلَّدُ الطَبعِ غَبي
An obstinate, unjust sheikh,
An obstinate old tyrant
dull by nature, stupid.
Whose nature is obstinate and ignorant
بَلrather لاnot عَدَتpassed over أَطلالهُhis ruins
بَل لا عَدَت أَطلالهُ
سُحبُclouds of المَناياdeath الصُخَّبِclamorous
سُحبُ المَنايا الصُخَّبِ
Rather, may his ruins never be spared
Nay, his ruins did not remain
by death's clamorous clouds.
Clouds of calamities poured down
بِمثلِهاby their like قَدindeed أُهلِكَتwas destroyed
بِمثلِها قَد أُهلِكَت
عادٌʿAd بِمَرِّin the passing of الحِقَبِages
عادٌ بِمَرِّ الحِقَبِ
By their like was destroyed
The like of which destroyed the tribe of Aad
ʿAd, in ages long past.
With the evil of frequent years
تُرسِلُهاsends them الريحthe wind العَقيthe barren (continued)
تُرسِلُها الريح العَقي
مُcompletes 'barren' مِنfrom سَماءa heaven of الغَضَبِwrath
مُ مِن سَماء الغَضَبِ
The barren wind sends them
The winds blow them
from a heaven of wrath.
From the furious heavens
وَكَّافَةٌpouring abundantly ذَرّافَةٌstreaming copiously
وَكَّافَةٌ ذَرّافَةٌ
جَرافَةٌsweeping away بِالهَيدَبِwith trailing rain
جَرافَةٌ بِالهَيدَبِ
They pour and stream,
Tempestuous, scattering dust
sweeping all away with their trailing rain.
Tearing out palm trees by the roots
تَتبَعهاfollow them صَواعِقٌthunderbolts
تَتبَعها صَواعِقٌ
فيهاin them دَواهيdire afflictions of الكُرَبِdistress
فيها دَواهي الكُرَبِ
Thunderbolts follow them;
Followed by thunderbolts
within them lie dire afflictions.
Containing deadly sorrows
تَؤُمّهاlead them بَواعِقٌviolent downpours
تَؤُمّها بَواعِقٌ
تَصُمُّdeafen سَمعَthe hearing of العَوطَبِthe hulking fool
تَصُمُّ سَمعَ العَوطَبِ
Violent downpours lead them,
Preceded by deafening thunder
deafening the hulking fool's hearing.
That makes the mountains tremble
فيin إِثرِهاtheir wake بَوارِقٌlightning flashes
في إِثرِها بَوارِقٌ
تَرميhurl شرارَsparks of اللَهَبِflame
تَرمي شرارَ اللَهَبِ
In their wake come lightning flashes,
Then flashing lightning
hurling sparks of flame.
Casting sparks of flames
يَعقبُهاfollow them بَوائِقٌcalamities
يَعقبُها بَوائِقٌ
فيهاin them دَواعيcauses of الوَصَبِsuffering
فيها دَواعي الوَصَبِ
Calamities follow them;
Followed by dazzling light
within them lie causes of suffering.
Where lurk deadly disasters
مُرَدَّفةًfollowed بَعَوطَبٍby a mighty host
مُرَدَّفةً بَعَوطَبٍ
تُسلِمُهُdelivers him لِلعَطبِto destruction
تُسلِمُهُ لِلعَطبِ
They are followed by a mighty host
Capped with roaring thunder
that delivers him to destruction.
Delivering it to destruction
يَشفَعُهاfollow them عَلىwith وَجأstabbing blows
يَشفَعُها عَلى وَجأ
فُرسانُhorsemen طَعنٍthrusts ذَرِبِpiercing
فُرسانُ طَعنٍ ذَرِبِ
Following them with stabbing blows
Backed by the onslaught
come horsemen of piercing thrusts.
Of piercing, slashing swords
إِذاwhenever دَعتهاsummons them غارَةٌa raid
إِذا دَعتها غارَةٌ
خَبَّتthey trot لَهاto it فيat خَبَبِa quick trot
خَبَّت لَها في خَبَبِ
Whenever a raid summons them,
Whenever it calls them
they hasten to it at a trot,
They crawl to it in the thickets
كَالهُوجِlike raging winds لاno لَأيَweariness بِهاin them
كَالهُوجِ لا لَأيَ بِها
تَقُودُlead قَودَthe leading of الشُذَّبِthe long-limbed
تَقُودُ قَودَ الشُذَّبِ
like raging winds, without weariness,
Like camels with no herder
leading as the long-limbed lead
Leading a drove of wild asses
خَيلَthe horses of المَناياdeath ضُمَّراًlean
خَيلَ المَنايا ضُمَّراً
مَسروجَةًsaddled كَالشُهُبِlike meteors
مَسروجَةً كَالشُهُبِ
the lean horses of death,
The horses of death, bridled
saddled like meteors:
Like meteors streaking
مِنamong them أَشقَرٍchestnut وَأَحمَرٍand red
مِن أَشقَرٍ وَأَحمَرٍ
وَأَدهَمٍand black وَأَشهَبِand gray
وَأَدهَمٍ وَأَشهَبِ
among them, chestnut and red,
Bay, chestnut, gray and dappled
and black and gray,
Blue, piebald, dark and blond
وَأَزرَقٍand blue-gray وَأَبلَقٍand piebald
وَأَزرَقٍ وَأَبلَقٍ
وَأَخرَجٍand mottled وَأَصهَبِand tawny
وَأَخرَجٍ وَأَصهَبِ
and blue-gray and piebald,
Each warrior carrying
and mottled and tawny.
A lion of the jungle, conqueror
يَحمِلنَthey bear كُلَّevery باسِلٍvaliant warrior
يَحمِلنَ كُلَّ باسِلٍ
لَيثِa lion of عَرينa lair أَغلَبِthick-necked
لَيثِ عَرين أَغلَبِ
They bear every valiant warrior,
Veiled, his face shining
a thick-necked lion of the lair,
With polished steel armor
مُستَلثِماًveiling his face with صُفحَplates of الحَديiron (continued)
مُستَلثِماً صُفحَ الحَدي
دِcompletes 'iron' مِنfrom صَفيحِsheets of اليَلَبِarmor
دِ مِن صَفيحِ اليَلَبِ
his face veiled in plates of iron,
Wrapped in white silk
from sheets of armor;
Eager for plunder
مُتَّشِحاًwearing as a sash بيضَwhite الظُباsword-edges
مُتَّشِحاً بيضَ الظُبا
نَوازِعاًstraining لِلسَلبِfor plunder
نَوازِعاً لِلسَلبِ
wearing bright blades as a sash,
Grasping a slim lance
straining for plunder;
Raised above the shoulder
مُعتَقِلاًgrasping سُمرَbrown القَناthe lances الthe
مُعتَقِلاً سُمرَ القَنا ال
عِراضِbroad فَوقَabove المَنكبِthe shoulder
عِراضِ فَوقَ المَنكبِ
grasping brown lances—
Their coats of mail were made
broad ones—above his shoulder.
By David the prophet
لَبوسُهاtheir armor لَبوسُهاtheir armor
لَبوسُها لَبوسُها
صنعةُthe handiwork of داودَDavid النَبيthe Prophet
صنعةُ داودَ النَبي
Their armor—their armor—
Their double chainmail like
is the handiwork of David the Prophet,
The eyes of a wakeful leopard
مُضاعَفُdoubled السَردِthe interlacing لَهُit has
مُضاعَفُ السَردِ لَهُ
مثلُlike عيونِthe eyes of الشُحَّبِthe pale and gaunt
مثلُ عيونِ الشُحَّبِ
double-linked, with
White on their foreheads
rings like the eyes of the pale and gaunt.
Shining like planets
بيضٌhelmets عَلىupon هاماتِهاtheir heads
بيضٌ عَلى هاماتِها
براقُgleaming لَمعِthe gleam of الكوكَبِthe star
براقُ لَمعِ الكوكَبِ
Helmets upon their heads,
However fast they race
flashing with the gleam of a star.
Swooping down from the sky
تَفنىyou perish بِهاby them مَهمَاwhenever سَرَتthey march by night
تَفنى بِها مَهمَا سَرَت
غائِرَةًraiding عَنfrom كَوكَبِa massed host
غائِرَةً عَن كَوكَبِ
You perish by them whenever they march by night,
When they defeat
raiding forth from a massed host.
The army of death they are victorious
تِلكَthat الَّتيwhich إِنif غالَبَتcontends with
تِلكَ الَّتي إِن غالَبَت
جُندthe troops of المَنونdeath تَغلِبِprevails
جُند المَنون تَغلِبِ
Such is the force that, if it challenges
When they battle the troops
death's troops, prevails;
Of destiny, they do not falter
أَوor حارَبتbattles جَيشَthe army of القَضاFate (continued)
أَو حارَبت جَيشَ القَضا
ءِcompletes 'Fate' ماnot اِنثَنَتretreats عَنfrom رَهَبِfear
ءِ ما اِنثَنَت عَن رَهَبِ
or battles the army of Fate,
When they clash with the ranks
never retreats in fear;
Of the foe, they rip open their flanks
أَوor صادَمَتclashes with رَضوىRadwa غَداbecomes
أَو صادَمَت رَضوى غَدا
سَقطاًfallen rubble مهيلcrumbled الجَنبِthe flank
سَقطاً مهيل الجَنبِ
or strikes Radwa, the mountain becomes
For them the barrier of Gog
a fallen heap, its flank crumbling.
Is merely a family tie
فيwith سَدِّthe barrier of ياجُوجGog لَهاit has
في سَدِّ ياجُوج لَها
قَرابَةٌkinship مِنof نَسَبِlineage
قَرابَةٌ مِن نَسَبِ
With the barrier of Gog it has
They called them and swooped
a kinship of lineage.
As night let down its braids
دَعَتهُمُit summoned them ثُمَّthen اِنثَنَتturned back
دَعَتهُمُ ثُمَّ اِنثَنَت
وَاللَيلُwhile night مُرخيletting down الطُنُبِthe tent-ropes
وَاللَيلُ مُرخي الطُنُبِ
It summoned them, then wheeled round,
Then charged, tearing
while night let down its tent-ropes,
The skin of darkness
فَأَقبَلَتthen it came صَخّابَةًclamorous
فَأَقبَلَت صَخّابَةً
تَفريrending أَديمَthe hide of الغَيهَبِdeep darkness
تَفري أَديمَ الغَيهَبِ
and came on, clamorous,
And turned their abodes
rending the hide of deep darkness.
To ruins at dawn
وَصَبَّحَتand assailed at dawn دِيارهُhis dwellings
وَصَبَّحَت دِيارهُ
مَعَwith الصَباحِthe morning الأَشهَبِgray-white
مَعَ الصَباحِ الأَشهَبِ
And it struck his dwellings at dawn,
With a deafening roar
with the gray-white morning,
That tears up the roots of disasters
بِصَيحَةٍwith a cry تَقلَعُهاuprooting them
بِصَيحَةٍ تَقلَعُها
قَلعَthe uprooting of أُصُولِthe roots of الكرَبِpalm-frond bases
قَلعَ أُصُولِ الكرَبِ
with a cry that uprooted them,
Making their heights
as the roots of palm-stalks are torn out.
As low as can be
فَتَجعَلَنthen it shall surely make عالِيَهاtheir upper parts
فَتَجعَلَن عالِيَها
سافِلَهاtheir lower parts حَتّىuntil تَبيthey become visible
سافِلَها حَتّى تَبي
It will surely make their highest parts
Leaving the land
their lowest, till they appear
Level plain or hollow
لِلعَينِto the eye قاعاًan open plain صَفصَفاًflat and bare
لِلعَينِ قاعاً صَفصَفاً
أَوor مِثلَlike قَفرٍa deserted waste سَبسَبِvast and level
أَو مِثلَ قَفرٍ سَبسَبِ
to the eye as a bare, level plain,
Their nests abandoned
or like a vast deserted waste,
To ruin and decay
خاوِيَةًcollapsed عُروشُهاtheir roofs
خاوِيَةً عُروشُها
عَلىupon فناءٍa courtyard خَرِبِruined
عَلى فناءٍ خَرِبِ
their roofs collapsed
Leaving only a bare trunk
upon a ruined courtyard.
Of wooden poles
وَلاand not تَدَعleave فيin ساحِهاtheir precincts
وَلا تَدَع في ساحِها
مِنof هامِهاtheir owls وَالخُرَبِand the bustards
مِن هامِها وَالخُرَبِ
And it will leave none in their precincts
Its shadow stretching
of their owls and bustards,
In three directions
سِوىexcept شَخيصa little figure شاخِصٍstaring
سِوى شَخيص شاخِصٍ
مِنamong مُسنَداتpropped-up الخُشُبِtimbers
مِن مُسنَدات الخُشُبِ
except a little, staring figure
With no shade or comfort
among propped-up timbers,
Or warmth from fire
مُنطَلِقٍdeparting مِنfrom ظِلِّهاtheir shade
مُنطَلِقٍ مِن ظِلِّها
إِلىinto ثَلاثِthree شُعَبِbranches
إِلى ثَلاثِ شُعَبِ
departing from their shade
Curse the deceiver
into a three-branched shade,
Who rebuked me unjustly
غَيرَnot ظَليلshady لاno وَلاnor
غَيرَ ظَليل لا وَلا
فيهِin it غِنىًprotection مِنfrom لَهَبِflame
فيهِ غِنىً مِن لَهَبِ
offering no shade—no, nor
It is he who stops me
any protection from flame.
In my ignorance from my goal
تَبّاًruin لَهُupon him مِنas a خادِعٍdeceiver
تَبّاً لَهُ مِن خادِعٍ
عَنfrom خَتلِهِhis deceit غَيرَnot أَبيaverse
عَن خَتلِهِ غَيرَ أَبي
Ruin upon him, the deceiver,
Whenever I asked him
who never shrinks from his deceit!
For guidance he spurned me
فَهوَfor he الَّذيthe one who يَصُدُّنيbars me
فَهوَ الَّذي يَصُدُّني
مِنthrough جَهلِهِhis ignorance عَنfrom مَطلبيmy aim
مِن جَهلِهِ عَن مَطلبي
For he is the one who bars me,
In his folly he thought me
in his ignorance, from my aim.
An ostrich trying to fly
وَكُلَّماand whenever سَأَلتُهُI ask him
وَكُلَّما سَأَلتُهُ
مَدرَسَةًa school بَرّحdealt harshly بيwith me
مَدرَسَةً بَرّح بي
And whenever I ask him
Little did he know I am
for a school, he torments me.
A servant of the Exalted Lord
يَحسَبُنيhe thinks I مِنout of حُمقِهِhis stupidity
يَحسَبُني مِن حُمقِهِ
حاوَلتُI have sought عنقاthe ʿAnqa bird مَغرِبِelusive
حاوَلتُ عنقا مَغرِبِ
He thinks, in his stupidity,
Saad, bright star, knowledgeable man
that I have sought the elusive ʿAnqa.
Whose views are like shooting stars
وَماand did not دَرىknow بِأَنَّنيthat I am
وَما دَرى بِأَنَّني
عَبدٌa servant لِساميto one exalted in الرُتَبِranks
عَبدٌ لِسامي الرُتَبِ
Yet he did not know that I am
The decisive speaker when
a servant of the one exalted in rank—
The riding beasts stir
سَعدُSaʿd (good fortune) البَراياof mankind عالِمٌa scholar
سَعدُ البَرايا عالِمٌ
آراؤهُhis counsels كَالشُهُبِlike meteors
آراؤهُ كَالشُهُبِ
Saʿd, mankind's good fortune, a scholar
The piercing lance when
whose counsels are like meteors,
The frames of steeds quiver
القائِلُthe speaker of الفَصلَthe decisive word إِذاwhen اِحbegins 'rub together'
القائِلُ الفَصلَ إِذا اِح
تَكَّتcompletes 'rub together' ظُهورُthe backs of الرُكبِthe knees
تَكَّت ظُهورُ الرُكبِ
who speaks the decisive word when
A master whom a sacred covenant protects
the backs of knees rub together,
Giving safety to seekers
وَالطاعِنُand the one who spears القِرنَthe adversary مَتىwhenever
وَالطاعِنُ القِرنَ مَتى
اِشتَكّتare pierced مُتونُthe backs of العَرَبِthe Arabs
اِشتَكّت مُتونُ العَرَبِ
and spears his adversary whenever
Hearts yearn for him
the Arabs' backs are pierced.
Both non-Arab and Arab
مَولىًa patron حِماهُhis protected domain حَرَمٌa sanctuary
مَولىً حِماهُ حَرَمٌ
أَمنٌsafe لِأَهلfor the people of الطَلَبِseeking
أَمنٌ لِأَهل الطَلَبِ
A patron whose domain is a sanctuary,
safe for seekers.
تَهوىyearn لَهُtoward him أَفئِدَةٌhearts
تَهوى لَهُ أَفئِدَةٌ
مِنamong عُجمِهاits non-Arabs وَالعَرَبِand the Arabs
مِن عُجمِها وَالعَرَبِ
Hearts yearn toward him,
from non-Arabs and Arabs alike.
Partial English translation: 98 of 102 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1