جادَت عَزالي النُوبِ

جادَت عَزالي النُوبِ

لربع مَنلا جَلَبِي

لربع مَنلا جَلَبِي

May the waterspouts of calamity pour down

May the waterspouts of calamity pour freely

upon the abode of Molla Çelebi,

upon the dwelling of Manla Jalabi,

بِعارِضٍ ذي بارق

بِعارِضٍ ذي بارق

يُمطِر غَيثَ النُوبِ

يُمطِر غَيثَ النُوبِ

from a cloudbank flashing with lightning,

from a cloud bearing lightning,

raining down a deluge of disasters:

raining down showers of calamity.

شَيخُ عِنادٍ ظالِمٌ

شَيخُ عِنادٍ ظالِمٌ

مبلَّدُ الطَبعِ غَبي

مبلَّدُ الطَبعِ غَبي

a stubborn, unjust old man,

An obstinate, unjust old man,

dull by nature, a fool.

dull-natured and stupid.

بَل لا عَدَت أَطلالهُ

بَل لا عَدَت أَطلالهُ

سُحبُ المَنايا الصُخَّبِ

سُحبُ المَنايا الصُخَّبِ

No—may there never pass beyond his ruins

Nay—may his ruins never be spared

the clamorous clouds of death,

by death's clamorous clouds.

بِمثلِها قَد أُهلِكَت

بِمثلِها قَد أُهلِكَت

عادٌ بِمَرِّ الحِقَبِ

عادٌ بِمَرِّ الحِقَبِ

the like of which once destroyed

By their like was indeed destroyed

the people of ʿĀd as ages rolled by,

ʿAd, in the course of the ages.

تُرسِلُها الريح العَقي

تُرسِلُها الريح العَقي

مُ مِن سَماء الغَضَبِ

مُ مِن سَماء الغَضَبِ

sent by the barren wind

The barren wind sends them

from the heaven of wrath;

from the sky of wrath.

وَكَّافَةٌ ذَرّافَةٌ

وَكَّافَةٌ ذَرّافَةٌ

جَرافَةٌ بِالهَيدَبِ

جَرافَةٌ بِالهَيدَبِ

clouds pouring, streaming,

Pouring copiously, streaming profusely,

sweeping all away with their trailing skirts.

sweeping all away with trailing rain.

تَتبَعها صَواعِقٌ

تَتبَعها صَواعِقٌ

فيها دَواهي الكُرَبِ

فيها دَواهي الكُرَبِ

Thunderbolts follow them,

Thunderbolts follow them,

fraught with dire afflictions;

bearing dreadful calamities of anguish.

تَؤُمّها بَواعِقٌ

تَؤُمّها بَواعِقٌ

تَصُمُّ سَمعَ العَوطَبِ

تَصُمُّ سَمعَ العَوطَبِ

crashing thunderclaps head toward them,

Stormbursts lead them,

deafening even a giant’s ears;

deafening the hearing of the hulking fool.

في إِثرِها بَوارِقٌ

في إِثرِها بَوارِقٌ

تَرمي شرارَ اللَهَبِ

تَرمي شرارَ اللَهَبِ

in their wake come lightning flashes,

In their wake are lightning flashes,

hurling sparks of flame;

hurling sparks of flame.

يَعقبُها بَوائِقٌ

يَعقبُها بَوائِقٌ

فيها دَواعي الوَصَبِ

فيها دَواعي الوَصَبِ

calamities follow after,

Calamities follow them,

bearing causes of lasting pain,

bearing causes of sickness.

مُرَدَّفةً بَعَوطَبٍ

مُرَدَّفةً بَعَوطَبٍ

تُسلِمُهُ لِلعَطبِ

تُسلِمُهُ لِلعَطبِ

one behind another, with a crushing blow

With a hulking fool following close,

that delivers him to ruin.

they deliver him to destruction.

يَشفَعُها عَلى وَجأ

يَشفَعُها عَلى وَجأ

فُرسانُ طَعنٍ ذَرِبِ

فُرسانُ طَعنٍ ذَرِبِ

And hard upon their assault, let them be seconded

Reinforcing them on swift mounts

by horsemen wielding keen-thrusting spears:

are horsemen of keen thrusts.

إِذا دَعتها غارَةٌ

إِذا دَعتها غارَةٌ

خَبَّت لَها في خَبَبِ

خَبَّت لَها في خَبَبِ

whenever a raid summons them,

When a raid summons them,

they gallop to it at full trot,

they hasten to it at a trot,

كَالهُوجِ لا لَأيَ بِها

كَالهُوجِ لا لَأيَ بِها

تَقُودُ قَودَ الشُذَّبِ

تَقُودُ قَودَ الشُذَّبِ

like a raging wind, with no slowing,

like raging winds, without delay,

driven at the pace of lean, long steeds—

leading as lank riders do

خَيلَ المَنايا ضُمَّراً

خَيلَ المَنايا ضُمَّراً

مَسروجَةً كَالشُهُبِ

مَسروجَةً كَالشُهُبِ

the lean horses of death,

the lean horses of death,

saddled and swift as meteors,

saddled like shooting stars.

مِن أَشقَرٍ وَأَحمَرٍ

مِن أَشقَرٍ وَأَحمَرٍ

وَأَدهَمٍ وَأَشهَبِ

وَأَدهَمٍ وَأَشهَبِ

chestnut and red,

Among them chestnut and red,

black and gray,

and black and gray,

وَأَزرَقٍ وَأَبلَقٍ

وَأَزرَقٍ وَأَبلَقٍ

وَأَخرَجٍ وَأَصهَبِ

وَأَخرَجٍ وَأَصهَبِ

blue-gray and piebald,

and blue-gray and piebald,

white-faced and sorrel.

and mottled and tawny.

يَحمِلنَ كُلَّ باسِلٍ

يَحمِلنَ كُلَّ باسِلٍ

لَيثِ عَرين أَغلَبِ

لَيثِ عَرين أَغلَبِ

They carry every valiant warrior,

They carry every valiant warrior,

a mighty lion of the lair,

a thick-necked lion of the lair,

مُستَلثِماً صُفحَ الحَدي

مُستَلثِماً صُفحَ الحَدي

دِ مِن صَفيحِ اليَلَبِ

دِ مِن صَفيحِ اليَلَبِ

his face veiled behind iron—

his face veiled with plates of iron,

—behind plates of armor,

from the flat sheets of armor;

مُتَّشِحاً بيضَ الظُبا

مُتَّشِحاً بيضَ الظُبا

نَوازِعاً لِلسَلبِ

نَوازِعاً لِلسَلبِ

girded with gleaming sword-blades,

girt with bright sword-edges,

drawn forth to despoil the foe,

straining for plunder;

مُعتَقِلاً سُمرَ القَنا ال

مُعتَقِلاً سُمرَ القَنا ال

عِراضِ فَوقَ المَنكبِ

عِراضِ فَوقَ المَنكبِ

bearing the brown shafts of broad—

grasping the brown spears,

—bladed lances above his shoulder.

broad, above his shoulder.

لَبوسُها لَبوسُها

لَبوسُها لَبوسُها

صنعةُ داودَ النَبي

صنعةُ داودَ النَبي

Their armor—what armor it is!—

Their armor—their armor—

is the handiwork of David the prophet,

is the work of David the Prophet,

مُضاعَفُ السَردِ لَهُ

مُضاعَفُ السَردِ لَهُ

مثلُ عيونِ الشُحَّبِ

مثلُ عيونِ الشُحَّبِ

its rings doubly interwoven,

double-woven, with

like the eyes of the pallid.

rings like the eyes of the gaunt.

بيضٌ عَلى هاماتِها

بيضٌ عَلى هاماتِها

براقُ لَمعِ الكوكَبِ

براقُ لَمعِ الكوكَبِ

White helmets sit upon their heads,

Helmets upon their heads,

with the flashing gleam of stars.

gleaming with a star's radiance.

تَفنى بِها مَهمَا سَرَت

تَفنى بِها مَهمَا سَرَت

غائِرَةً عَن كَوكَبِ

غائِرَةً عَن كَوكَبِ

By them all things perish wherever they ride,

You perish by them whenever they march,

raiding far beneath the stars.

raiding forth from a host.

تِلكَ الَّتي إِن غالَبَت

تِلكَ الَّتي إِن غالَبَت

جُند المَنون تَغلِبِ

جُند المَنون تَغلِبِ

This is the force that, if it vied

These, if they challenge

with Death’s own host, would prevail;

the army of Death, prevail;

أَو حارَبت جَيشَ القَضا

أَو حارَبت جَيشَ القَضا

ءِ ما اِنثَنَت عَن رَهَبِ

ءِ ما اِنثَنَت عَن رَهَبِ

or if it fought the army of Fate—

or battle the army of Fate,

—it would never recoil in fear;

never turn back from fear;

أَو صادَمَت رَضوى غَدا

أَو صادَمَت رَضوى غَدا

سَقطاً مهيل الجَنبِ

سَقطاً مهيل الجَنبِ

or if it struck Mount Raḍwā,

or strike Radwa, it would become

it would become a fallen heap, its flank crumbling.

fallen rubble, its flank a loose heap.

في سَدِّ ياجُوج لَها

في سَدِّ ياجُوج لَها

قَرابَةٌ مِن نَسَبِ

قَرابَةٌ مِن نَسَبِ

With Gog’s barrier it has

With Yajuj's barrier they share

a kinship of blood.

a kinship of lineage.

دَعَتهُمُ ثُمَّ اِنثَنَت

دَعَتهُمُ ثُمَّ اِنثَنَت

وَاللَيلُ مُرخي الطُنُبِ

وَاللَيلُ مُرخي الطُنُبِ

The raid summoned them, then wheeled away

The storm summoned them, then wheeled back,

while night let down its tent ropes.

while night let down its tent-ropes.

فَأَقبَلَت صَخّابَةً

فَأَقبَلَت صَخّابَةً

تَفري أَديمَ الغَيهَبِ

تَفري أَديمَ الغَيهَبِ

They came on, clamorous,

Then it came, clamorous,

rending the hide of pitch-black darkness,

rending the hide of pitch-black darkness,

وَصَبَّحَت دِيارهُ

وَصَبَّحَت دِيارهُ

مَعَ الصَباحِ الأَشهَبِ

مَعَ الصَباحِ الأَشهَبِ

and fell upon his dwellings at dawn

and assailed his dwellings at dawn,

with the gray-white morning,

with the pale-gray morning,

بِصَيحَةٍ تَقلَعُها

بِصَيحَةٍ تَقلَعُها

قَلعَ أُصُولِ الكرَبِ

قَلعَ أُصُولِ الكرَبِ

with a cry that uprooted them

with a cry that uproots them,

as palm trunks are torn out by the roots.

as palm-frond bases are torn out.

فَتَجعَلَن عالِيَها

فَتَجعَلَن عالِيَها

سافِلَها حَتّى تَبي

سافِلَها حَتّى تَبي

They would turn their highest part

So it shall surely turn their uppermost

into their lowest, until they appeared

into their lowest, until they appear

لِلعَينِ قاعاً صَفصَفاً

لِلعَينِ قاعاً صَفصَفاً

أَو مِثلَ قَفرٍ سَبسَبِ

أَو مِثلَ قَفرٍ سَبسَبِ

to the eye a level, featureless plain,

to the eye a level plain,

or like a vast and trackless waste,

or like a vast, desolate waste.

خاوِيَةً عُروشُها

خاوِيَةً عُروشُها

عَلى فناءٍ خَرِبِ

عَلى فناءٍ خَرِبِ

their roofs collapsed

Their roofs collapsed

over a ruined courtyard.

upon a ruined courtyard.

وَلا تَدَع في ساحِها

وَلا تَدَع في ساحِها

مِن هامِها وَالخُرَبِ

مِن هامِها وَالخُرَبِ

And in their grounds they would leave

Nor does it leave within their precincts,

amid its skulls and ruins

of their owls and male bustards,

سِوى شَخيص شاخِصٍ

سِوى شَخيص شاخِصٍ

مِن مُسنَدات الخُشُبِ

مِن مُسنَدات الخُشُبِ

nothing but a tall, upright specter

save a hulking figure, standing upright,

of propped-up timbers,

one of the propped-up timbers,

مُنطَلِقٍ مِن ظِلِّها

مُنطَلِقٍ مِن ظِلِّها

إِلى ثَلاثِ شُعَبِ

إِلى ثَلاثِ شُعَبِ

departing from its shade

departing from their shade

toward one split into three branches—

toward three branches,

غَيرَ ظَليل لا وَلا

غَيرَ ظَليل لا وَلا

فيهِ غِنىً مِن لَهَبِ

فيهِ غِنىً مِن لَهَبِ

no cooling shade, nor

offering no shade—no, nor

any shelter there from flame.

any protection within it from flame.

تَبّاً لَهُ مِن خادِعٍ

تَبّاً لَهُ مِن خادِعٍ

عَن خَتلِهِ غَيرَ أَبي

عَن خَتلِهِ غَيرَ أَبي

Damn him for a deceiver,

Perdition to him, such a deceiver,

never recoiling from his guile!

never averse to his own guile.

فَهوَ الَّذي يَصُدُّني

فَهوَ الَّذي يَصُدُّني

مِن جَهلِهِ عَن مَطلبي

مِن جَهلِهِ عَن مَطلبي

For it is he who turns me away,

For he is the one who bars me,

in his ignorance, from what I seek.

out of his ignorance, from my aim.

وَكُلَّما سَأَلتُهُ

وَكُلَّما سَأَلتُهُ

مَدرَسَةً بَرّح بي

مَدرَسَةً بَرّح بي

Whenever I asked him

And whenever I ask him

for a school, he sorely tormented me.

for a school, he torments me.

يَحسَبُني مِن حُمقِهِ

يَحسَبُني مِن حُمقِهِ

حاوَلتُ عنقا مَغرِبِ

حاوَلتُ عنقا مَغرِبِ

In his stupidity he imagines

In his folly he thinks that I

I sought the phoenix of the West.

have sought the fabled ʿAnqa Mughrib.

وَما دَرى بِأَنَّني

وَما دَرى بِأَنَّني

عَبدٌ لِسامي الرُتَبِ

عَبدٌ لِسامي الرُتَبِ

He did not know that I am

Nor did he know that I

a servant of the man of lofty rank:

am a servant of one lofty in rank:

سَعدُ البَرايا عالِمٌ

سَعدُ البَرايا عالِمٌ

آراؤهُ كَالشُهُبِ

آراؤهُ كَالشُهُبِ

Saʿd, the felicity of humankind, a sage

Saʿd—creation's good fortune—a scholar,

whose judgments are like meteors;

whose views are like shooting stars;

القائِلُ الفَصلَ إِذا اِح

القائِلُ الفَصلَ إِذا اِح

تَكَّت ظُهورُ الرُكبِ

تَكَّت ظُهورُ الرُكبِ

the speaker of the decisive word when

who speaks the decisive word when

the riders’ backs press together;

the backs of knees rub together,

وَالطاعِنُ القِرنَ مَتى

وَالطاعِنُ القِرنَ مَتى

اِشتَكّت مُتونُ العَرَبِ

اِشتَكّت مُتونُ العَرَبِ

the lancer of his rival whenever

and thrusts at his foe whenever

the backs of Arab steeds clash;

the shafts of spears lock together.

مَولىً حِماهُ حَرَمٌ

مَولىً حِماهُ حَرَمٌ

أَمنٌ لِأَهل الطَلَبِ

أَمنٌ لِأَهل الطَلَبِ

a lord whose sanctuary is sacred,

A patron whose domain is a sanctuary,

a haven for those who seek;

secure for those who seek.

تَهوى لَهُ أَفئِدَةٌ

تَهوى لَهُ أَفئِدَةٌ

مِن عُجمِها وَالعَرَبِ

مِن عُجمِها وَالعَرَبِ

hearts incline toward him,

Hearts yearn toward him,

both non-Arab and Arab.

from among non-Arabs and Arabs.