أَظُنُّI think دُموعَهاher tears سَنَنَthe course of الفَريدِpearls
أَظُنُّ دُموعَها سَنَنَ الفَريدِ
وَهىbroke سِلكاهُits two threads مِنfrom نَحرٍan upper chest وَجيدِand a neck
وَهى سِلكاهُ مِن نَحرٍ وَجيدِ
I think her tears follow the course of pearls,
I think her tears are the unique pearls
whose two threads have snapped at breast and neck.
And her necklace is made of sincere devotion
لَهاshe has مِنfrom لَوعَةِanguish البَينِparting اِلتِدامٌcheek-beating
لَها مِن لَوعَةِ البَينِ اِلتِدامٌ
يُعيدُturns بَنَفسَجاًinto violets وَردَthe roses of الخُدودِthe cheeks
يُعيدُ بَنَفسَجاً وَردَ الخُدودِ
In the anguish of parting, she beats her cheeks,
She suffers so much from separation
turning the roses of her cheeks to violets.
Bringing violet and blush back to her cheeks
حَمَتناdenied us الطَيفَthe dream-vision مِنfrom أُمِّUmm (mother of) الوَليدِal-Walid
حَمَتنا الطَيفَ مِن أُمِّ الوَليدِ
خُطوبٌcalamities شَيَّبَتturned gray رَأسَthe head of الوَليدِthe infant
خُطوبٌ شَيَّبَت رَأسَ الوَليدِ
We were barred from Umm al-Walid's dream-visit
Our destiny brought us together in Umm Al-Walid
by calamities that turned an infant's head gray.
Hardships that turned Al-Walid's hair gray
رَآناit saw us مُشعَريclad in أَرَقٍsleeplessness وَحُزنٍand grief
رَآنا مُشعَري أَرَقٍ وَحُزنٍ
وَبُغيَتُهُand its desire لَدىamong الرَكبِthe caravan الهُجودِthe sleeping
وَبُغيَتُهُ لَدى الرَكبِ الهُجودِ
It saw us clad in sleeplessness and grief,
We saw Al-Mushaari so worried and sad
while its desire lies among the sleeping caravan.
While his camel wandered with the caravan
سُهادٌsleeplessness يَرجَحِنُّdroops heavily الطَرفُthe eye مِنهُfrom it
سُهادٌ يَرجَحِنُّ الطَرفُ مِنهُ
وَيولِعُand makes fond كُلَّevery طَيفٍdream-vision بِالصُدودِof turning away
وَيولِعُ كُلَّ طَيفٍ بِالصُدودِ
Sleeplessness from which the eye droops heavily,
Drowsiness weighing down his eyelids
and which urges every dream-vision to turn away.
And igniting the passion in every specter
بِأَرضِin the land of البَذِّal-Badhdh فيin خَيشومِthe nostrils of حَربٍa war
بِأَرضِ البَذِّ في خَيشومِ حَربٍ
عَقيمٍbarren مِنin وَشيكِswift-coming رَدىًdeath وَلودِprolific
عَقيمٍ مِن وَشيكِ رَدىً وَلودِ
In the land of al-Badhdh, in a war's very nostrils,
In the barren land, in the midst of war
barren, yet prolific in swift-coming death,
Sterile, swiftly approaching destruction
تَرىyou see قَسَماتِناour features تَسوَدُّturn black فيهاin it
تَرى قَسَماتِنا تَسوَدُّ فيها
وَماand not أَخلاقُناour character فيهاin it بِسودِblack at all
وَما أَخلاقُنا فيها بِسودِ
you see our features turn black there,
You see our fates darkened there
yet our character there is not black.
And our morals are no longer virtuous
تُقاسِمُناshare with us بِهاin it الجُردُthe sleek horses المَذاكيthe mature ones
تُقاسِمُنا بِها الجُردُ المَذاكي
سِجالَalternating rounds of الكَرِّcharging وَالدَأبِand toil العَنيدِrelentless
سِجالَ الكَرِّ وَالدَأبِ العَنيدِ
There the sleek, mature steeds share with us
It makes us share the same rough blanket
the rounds of charging and relentless toil.
The struggle of glory and tireless work
فَتُمسيso you spend the evening فيin سَوابِغَfull-length mail coats مُحكَماتٍfirmly wrought
فَتُمسي في سَوابِغَ مُحكَماتٍ
وَتُمسيand they spend the evening فيin السُروجِthe saddles وَفيand in اللُبودِthe felt saddlecloths
وَتُمسي في السُروجِ وَفي اللُبودِ
So you spend the evening in full-length, firmly wrought mail,
So we spend the night in solid tents
and they spend it in saddles and felt saddlecloths.
And the night in saddles and in cloaks
حَذَوناهاwe shod them الوَجىhoof-soreness وَالأَينَand exhaustion حَتّىuntil
حَذَوناها الوَجى وَالأَينَ حَتّى
تَجاوَزَتِthey passed beyond الرُكوعَbowing إِلىto السُجودِprostration
تَجاوَزَتِ الرُكوعَ إِلى السُجودِ
We shod them with hoof-soreness and exhaustion, until
Hardship and grief led us
they passed beyond bowing to prostration.
Beyond kneeling into full prostration
إِذاwhen خَرَجَتthey emerged مِنَfrom الغَمَراتِthe battle's perils قُلناwe said
إِذا خَرَجَت مِنَ الغَمَراتِ قُلنا
خَرَجتِyou have emerged حَبائِساًconsecrated mounts إِنif لَمdo not تَعوديyou return
خَرَجتِ حَبائِساً إِن لَم تَعودي
When they emerged from the battle's perils, we said:
When she emerges from the darkness we say
"You have emerged as consecrated mounts, if you do not return."
You’ve come out ruined if you don’t come back
فَكَمfor how much مِنof سُؤدُدٍlordly glory أَمكَنتِyou made attainable مِنهُof it
فَكَم مِن سُؤدُدٍ أَمكَنتِ مِنهُ
بِرُمَّتِهِin its entirety عَلىdespite أَنthat لَمdid not تَسوديyou attain lordship
بِرُمَّتِهِ عَلى أَن لَم تَسودي
For how much lordly glory you have made attainable,
How many misfortunes has she enabled
in its entirety, though you never became lords!
By her will, though she is not yet darkened
أَهانَكِhe put you to hard use لِلطِرادِfor pursuit وَلَمand not تَهونيyou become cheap
أَهانَكِ لِلطِرادِ وَلَم تَهوني
عَلَيهِto him وَلِلقِيادِand for the reins أَبوAbu (father of) سَعيدِSa'id
عَلَيهِ وَلِلقِيادِ أَبو سَعيدِ
He put you to hard use for pursuit—though you were not held cheap
He humiliated you, chasing you
by him—and for the reins: Abu Sa'id.
While I did not accept his leadership, Abu Saeed
بَلاكِhe tested you فَكُنتِso you were أَرشِيَةَwell-ropes of الأَمانيhopes
بَلاكِ فَكُنتِ أَرشِيَةَ الأَماني
وَبُردَand relays مَسافَةِthe distance to المَجدِglory البَعيدِfar-off
وَبُردَ مَسافَةِ المَجدِ البَعيدِ
He tested you, and you became the well-ropes of hopes,
Without you I was the hostage of my wishes
and the relays across the distance to far-off glory.
And the coolness of the distance to great glory
فَتىًa young man هَزَّbrandished القَناthe spears فَحَوىand so gained سَناءًsplendor
فَتىً هَزَّ القَنا فَحَوى سَناءً
بِهاwith them لاnot بِالأَحاظيthrough lucky chances وَالجُدودِand good fortunes
بِها لا بِالأَحاظي وَالجُدودِ
A young man who brandished spears and gained splendor
A young man shook the spear and gained glory
with them, not through lucky chances and good fortune.
Not by luck but by merit and sacrifice
إِذاif سَفَكَspilled الحَياءَmodesty الرَوعُterror يَوماًone day
إِذا سَفَكَ الحَياءَ الرَوعُ يَوماً
وَقىhe guarded دَمَthe blood of وَجهِهِhis face بِدَمِwith the blood of الوَريدِthe jugular vein
وَقى دَمَ وَجهِهِ بِدَمِ الوَريدِ
If terror ever spills modesty's blood,
When shyness sheds blood one day
he guards his face's blood with the blood of the jugular.
He will protect his face with his own blood
قَضىhe fulfilled مِنfrom سَندَباياSandabaya كُلَّevery نَحبٍvow
قَضى مِن سَندَبايا كُلَّ نَحبٍ
وَأَرشَقَand Arshaq وَالسُيوفَand the swords مِنَamong الشُهودِthe witnesses
وَأَرشَقَ وَالسُيوفَ مِنَ الشُهودِ
He fulfilled every vow at Sandabaya
He fulfilled every plight of helplessness
and Arshaq, with swords among the witnesses.
As the swords shone in his hands
وَأَرسَلَهاand he sent them عَلىagainst موقانَMuqan رَهواًat an easy pace
وَأَرسَلَها عَلى موقانَ رَهواً
تُثيرُraising النَقعَthe dust أَكدَرَdark and turbid بِالكَديدِover hard ground
تُثيرُ النَقعَ أَكدَرَ بِالكَديدِ
He sent them against Muqan at an easy pace,
And he sent them to the terrified enemy
raising dark, turbid dust over the hard ground.
Stirring up the dusty, murky turmoil
رَآهُhe saw him العِلجُthe foreign warrior مُقتَحِماًstorming in عَلَيهِupon him
رَآهُ العِلجُ مُقتَحِماً عَلَيهِ
كَماas اِقتَحَمَstormed in الفَناءُannihilation عَلىupon الخُلودِimmortality
كَما اِقتَحَمَ الفَناءُ عَلى الخُلودِ
The foreign warrior saw him storming in upon him,
The beast saw him attacking
as annihilation storms in upon immortality.
As if the hereafter were attacking eternity
فَمَرَّso he sped away وَلَوand had يُجاريhe raced الريحَthe wind خيلَتit would seem
فَمَرَّ وَلَو يُجاري الريحَ خيلَت
لَدَيهِbeside him الريحُthe wind تَرسُفُshuffles فيin القُيودِchains
لَدَيهِ الريحُ تَرسُفُ في القُيودِ
He sped away; had he raced the wind, one would have thought
And if his horse raced with the wind
the wind beside him was shuffling in chains.
The wind would struggle in chains next to it
شَهِدتُI bear witness لَقَدindeed أَوىtook refuge الإِسلامُIslam مِنهُthrough him
شَهِدتُ لَقَد أَوى الإِسلامُ مِنهُ
غَدائِتِذٍthat morning إِلىto رُكنٍa pillar شَديدِstrong
غَدائِتِذٍ إِلى رُكنٍ شَديدِ
I bear witness: through him Islam took refuge
Truly I saw Islam find in him
that morning in a mighty pillar.
A strong pillar instead of one about to fall
وَلِلكَذَجاتِand toward al-Kadhajat كُنتَyou were لِغَيرِnot out of بُخلٍstinginess
وَلِلكَذَجاتِ كُنتَ لِغَيرِ بُخلٍ
عَقيمَbarren in الوَعدِpromises مِنتاجَprolific in الوَعيدِthreats
عَقيمَ الوَعدِ مِنتاجَ الوَعيدِ
And toward al-Kadhajat you were, not out of stinginess,
And to the evildoers you were, without stinginess,
barren in promises, prolific in threats.
Barren of promise, fertile of threats
غَدَتbecame غيرانُهُمtheir caves لَهُمُfor them قُبوراًgraves
غَدَت غيرانُهُم لَهُمُ قُبوراً
كَفَتspared فيهِمfor them مَؤوناتِthe trouble of اللُحودِburial niches
كَفَت فيهِم مَؤوناتِ اللُحودِ
Their caves became their graves,
Their animosity became their graves
sparing the trouble of digging burial niches for them.
Sparing them the provisions of shrouds
كَأَنَّهُمُas though they مَعاشِرُcommunities أُهلِكواwere destroyed مِنfrom
كَأَنَّهُمُ مَعاشِرُ أُهلِكوا مِن
بَقاياthe remnants of قَومٍthe people of عادِ'Ad أَوor ثَمودِThamud
بَقايا قَومٍ عادِ أَو ثَمودِ
As though they were destroyed communities from
As if they were the remnants of ‘Aad
the remnants of the people of 'Ad or Thamud.
Or Thamud who perished long ago
وَفيand at أَبرِشتَويمَAbrishtawim وَهَضبَتَيهاand its two hills
وَفي أَبرِشتَويمَ وَهَضبَتَيها
طَلَعتَyou rose عَلىover الخِلافَةِthe caliphate بِالسُعودِwith auspicious stars
طَلَعتَ عَلى الخِلافَةِ بِالسُعودِ
And at Abrishtawim and its two hills,
In Abrushtoyma and its plateaus
you rose over the caliphate with auspicious stars,
You rose to the caliphate with good fortune
بِضَربٍwith strokes تَرقُصُdance الأَحشاءُthe entrails مِنهُfrom it
بِضَربٍ تَرقُصُ الأَحشاءُ مِنهُ
وَتَبطُلُand perishes مُهجَةُthe life-blood of البَطَلِthe champion النَجيدِvaliant
وَتَبطُلُ مُهجَةُ البَطَلِ النَجيدِ
with strokes that set the entrails dancing
With a blow that shakes the viscera
and extinguish the valiant champion's life-blood.
And defeats the skill of the noble hero
وَبَيَّتَّand you attacked by night البَياتَthe night raid بِعَقدِwith firmness جَأشٍof heart
وَبَيَّتَّ البَياتَ بِعَقدِ جَأشٍ
أَشَدُّstronger قُوىًin strength مِنَthan الحَجَرِstone الصَلودِunyielding
أَشَدُّ قُوىً مِنَ الحَجَرِ الصَلودِ
And you countered the night raid with a heart bound firm,
You tied a solid knot with the pledge
greater in strength than hard, unyielding stone.
Stronger than solid rock
رَأَواthey saw لَيثَthe lion of الغَريفَةِthe thicket وَهوَwhile he مُلقٍwas laying out
رَأَوا لَيثَ الغَريفَةِ وَهوَ مُلقٍ
ذِراعَيهِhis two forelegs جَميعاًtogether بِالوَصيدِat the threshold
ذِراعَيهِ جَميعاً بِالوَصيدِ
They saw the lion of the thicket as he laid
They saw the lion of chivalry
both his forelegs out upon the threshold,
Tossing both arms with prey
عَليماًknowing أَنthat سَيَرفُلُhe will stride proudly فيin المَعاليhigh honors
عَليماً أَن سَيَرفُلُ في المَعالي
إِذاif ماever باتَhe spent the night يَرفُلُstriding proudly فيin الحَديدِiron
إِذا ما باتَ يَرفُلُ في الحَديدِ
knowing he would stride proudly amid high honors
Knowing he would luxuriate in glories
if ever he spent the night striding proudly in iron.
If he spent the night luxuriating in iron
وَيَومَand on the day of التَلِّthe hill تَلِّthe hill of البَذِّal-Badhdh أُبناwe returned
وَيَومَ التَلِّ تَلِّ البَذِّ أُبنا
وَنَحنُand we قِصارُshort أَعمارِin the lifetimes of الحُقودِgrudges
وَنَحنُ قِصارُ أَعمارِ الحُقودِ
And on the day of the hill, al-Badhdh's hill, we returned,
On the day of scattering, the day of calamity
with our grudges short-lived.
While we are the short-lived firewood
قَسَمناهُمwe divided them فَشَطرٌso one half لِلعَواليfor the tall lances
قَسَمناهُم فَشَطرٌ لِلعَوالي
وَآخَرُand the other فيin لَظىًa blaze حَرِقِburning الوَقودِfuel
وَآخَرُ في لَظىً حَرِقِ الوَقودِ
We divided them: one half for the tall lances,
We divided them, some for greatness
and the other in a blaze of fiercely burning fuel.
Others for the inferno of burning
كَأَنَّas though جَهَنَّمَHell اِنضَمَّتclosed in عَلَيهِمupon them
كَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ اِنضَمَّت عَلَيهِم
كِلاهاboth its forms غَيرَexcept for تَبديلِthe replacing of الجُلودِskins
كِلاها غَيرَ تَبديلِ الجُلودِ
As though Hell had closed upon them,
As if Hell had converged upon them
in both its forms, save for the replacing of skins.
Changing neither their skin nor state
وَيَومَand on the day اِنصاعَhe fled بابَكُBabak مُستَمِرّاًpressing onward
وَيَومَ اِنصاعَ بابَكُ مُستَمِرّاً
مُباحَlaid open العُقرِthe home ground مُجتاحَswept away العَديدِthe forces
مُباحَ العُقرِ مُجتاحَ العَديدِ
And on the day Babak fled, pressing onward,
And the day your door opened continuously
his home ground laid open, his forces swept away,
Plundering the forbidden, conquering enemies
تَأَمَّلَhe contemplated شَخصَthe figure of دَولَتِهِhis rule فَعَنَّتso it appeared
تَأَمَّلَ شَخصَ دَولَتِهِ فَعَنَّت
بِجِسمٍin a body لَيسَwas not بِالجِسمِa body المَديدِtall
بِجِسمٍ لَيسَ بِالجِسمِ المَديدِ
he contemplated the figure of his rule, and it appeared
He examined his state
in a body that was not a towering body.
With a body no longer solid
فَأَزمَعَso he resolved نِيَّةًan intention هَرَباًon flight فَحامَتand so it hovered
فَأَزمَعَ نِيَّةً هَرَباً فَحامَت
حُشاشَتُهُhis last spark of life عَلىover أَجَلٍa destined death بَليدِslow-coming
حُشاشَتُهُ عَلى أَجَلٍ بَليدِ
So he resolved on flight, and there hovered
He intended to flee
his last flicker of life over a slow-coming death.
So his guards hastened upon an indolent decision
تَقَنَّصَهُthey hunted him down بَنوthe sons of سِنباطَSinbat أَخذاًtaking captive
تَقَنَّصَهُ بَنو سِنباطَ أَخذاً
بِأَشراكِin the snares of المَواثِقِbinding covenants وَالعُهودِand pledges
بِأَشراكِ المَواثِقِ وَالعُهودِ
The sons of Sinbat hunted him down, capturing him
The Beni Sinbata seized him
in the snares of binding covenants and pledges.
By the traps of covenants and promises
وَلَولاand were it not for أَنَّthat ريحَكَyour wind دَرَّبَتهُمtrained them
وَلَولا أَنَّ ريحَكَ دَرَّبَتهُم
لَأَحجَمَتِwould have shrunk back الكِلابُthe dogs عَنِfrom الأُسودِthe lions
لَأَحجَمَتِ الكِلابُ عَنِ الأُسودِ
And had your wind not schooled them,
Had your wind not trained them
the dogs would have shrunk from the lions.
The dogs would have recoiled from the lions
وَهِرجاماًand Hirjam بَطَشتَyou struck fiercely بِهِat it فَقُلناso we said
وَهِرجاماً بَطَشتَ بِهِ فَقُلنا
خِيارُthe choicest البَزِّcloth كانَwas عَلىon القَعودِthe young riding-camel
خِيارُ البَزِّ كانَ عَلى القَعودِ
And you struck hard at Hirjam, and we said:
You attacked him violently so we said
"The choicest cloth was on the young riding-camel."
The best choice was to remain seated
وَقائِعُbattles قَدindeed سَكَبتَyou poured بِهاthrough them سَواداًblackness
وَقائِعُ قَد سَكَبتَ بِها سَواداً
عَلىover ماwhat اِحمَرَّwas red مِنof ريشِthe feathers of البَريدِthe courier
عَلى ما اِحمَرَّ مِن ريشِ البَريدِ
Battles through which you poured blackness
You have spilled blood in battles
over what was red in the courier's feathers.
Upon the crimson plumage of messages
لَئِنif indeed عَمَّتthey embraced بَنيthe children of حَوّاءَEve نَفعاًin benefit
لَئِن عَمَّت بَني حَوّاءَ نَفعاً
لَقَدsurely خَصَّتthey singled out بَنيthe sons of عَبدِ'Abd (servant of) الحَميدِal-Hamid (the Praiseworthy)
لَقَد خَصَّت بَني عَبدِ الحَميدِ
Though they spread benefit to all the children of Eve,
If it has benefited all mankind
they surely singled out the sons of 'Abd al-Hamid.
It especially benefited the clan of Abdul-Hamid
أَقولُI say لِسائِليto my questioner بِأَبيabout Abu (father of) سَعيدٍSa'id
أَقولُ لِسائِلي بِأَبي سَعيدٍ
كَأَنas though لَمdid not يَشفِهِsatisfy him خَبَرُthe account of القَصيدِthe ode
كَأَن لَم يَشفِهِ خَبَرُ القَصيدِ
I say to one who asks me about Abu Sa'id,
I say to those who ask about Abu Saeed
as though the ode's account had not satisfied him:
As if the news of the poem has not reached him
أَجِلlet roam عَينَيكَyour two eyes فيover وَرَقيmy leaves مَلِيّاًfor a long while
أَجِل عَينَيكَ في وَرَقي مَلِيّاً
فَقَدfor indeed عايَنتَyou saw firsthand عامَthe year of المَحلِdrought عوديmy trunk
فَقَد عايَنتَ عامَ المَحلِ عودي
"Let your eyes rove long over my leaves,
For your eyes' sake, gently upon my paper
for you saw my trunk in the year of drought."
For you have witnessed the return of habitation
لَبِستُI wore سِواهُother than him أَقواماًmen فَكانواand they were
لَبِستُ سِواهُ أَقواماً فَكانوا
كَماjust as أَغنىsufficed التَيَمُّمُdry ablution بِالصَعيدِwith earth
كَما أَغنى التَيَمُّمُ بِالصَعيدِ
I clothed myself in men other than him; they proved
I wore it out for people and they became
as sufficient as dry ablution with earth.
As if cleansed by sand instead of water
وَتَركيand my foregoing سُرعَةَthe haste of الصَدَرِdeparture from water اِغتِباطاًin contentment
وَتَركي سُرعَةَ الصَدَرِ اِغتِباطاً
يَدُلُّpoints عَلىto مُوافَقَةِthe suitability of الوُرودِcoming to water
يَدُلُّ عَلى مُوافَقَةِ الوُرودِ
And my happily foregoing a swift departure from water
And leaving the swiftness of inspiration
shows how well my coming to water suited me.
Indicates the return of rains
فَتىًa young man أَحيَتrevived يَداهُhis two hands بَعدَafter يَأسٍdespair
فَتىً أَحيَت يَداهُ بَعدَ يَأسٍ
لَناfor us المَيتَينِthe two dead ones مِنof كَرَمٍnobility وَجودِand generosity
لَنا المَيتَينِ مِن كَرَمٍ وَجودِ
A young man whose hands revived, after despair,
A young man whose hands you revived after despair
for us the two dead qualities—nobility and generosity.
For us, the deceased, by your kindness and generosity
Sol 6.1