لَطَمَحتَyou have indeed gone far فيin الإِبراقِflashing lightning وَالإِرعادِand thundering
لَطَمَحتَ في الإِبراقِ وَالإِرعادِ
وَغَداand came at dawn عَلَيَّupon me بِسَيلِwith a torrent of لَومِكِyour reproach غادِan early visitor
وَغَدا عَلَيَّ بِسَيلِ لَومِكِ غادِ
You have indeed gone far in lightning and thunder,
and an early visitor came upon me with a torrent of your reproach.
أَنتَyou الفَتىthe noble youth كُلُّwholly الفَتىthe noble youth لَوif أَنَّthat ماwhat
أَنتَ الفَتى كُلُّ الفَتى لَو أَنَّ ما
تُسديهِyou bestow it فيin التَأنيبِrebuke فيin الإِسعادِgiving support
تُسديهِ في التَأنيبِ في الإِسعادِ
You would be the man, all that a man can be, if what
you lavish in rebuke were lavished in support.
لاdo not تُنكِرَنever find it strange أَنthat يَشتَكيcomplains of ثِقلَthe burden of الهَوىlove
لا تُنكِرَن أَن يَشتَكي ثِقلَ الهَوى
بَدَنيmy body فَماfor not أَناI مِنamong بَقِيَّةِthe survivors of عادِʿAd
بَدَني فَما أَنا مِن بَقِيَّةِ عادِ
Do not think it strange that love's burden draws complaints
from my body; I am no survivor of ʿAd.
كَمhow many وَقعَةٍa battle ليfor me فيin الهَوىlove مَشهورَةٍrenowned
كَم وَقعَةٍ لي في الهَوى مَشهورَةٍ
ماnot كُنتُI was فيهاin it الحارِثَal-Harith بنَson of عُبادِʿUbad
ما كُنتُ فيها الحارِثَ بنَ عُبادِ
Many a renowned battle have I fought in love,
in which I was no al-Harith ibn ʿUbad.
رَحَلَdeparted العَزاءُsolace مَعَwith الرَحيلِdeparture كَأَنَّماas though
رَحَلَ العَزاءُ مَعَ الرَحيلِ كَأَنَّما
أُخِذَتwere taken عُهودُهُماtheir pledges عَلىfor ميعادِan appointed time
أُخِذَت عُهودُهُما عَلى ميعادِ
Solace departed along with departure, as though
they had been bound by pledges to one appointed hour.
جادَgave freely الفِراقُseparation بِمَنwith the one whom أَضَنُّI begrudge بِنَأيِهِhis absence
جادَ الفِراقُ بِمَن أَضَنُّ بِنَأيِهِ
بِمَسالِكِon the paths of الإِتهامِdescent to Tihamah وَالإِنجادِand ascent to Najd
بِمَسالِكِ الإِتهامِ وَالإِنجادِ
Parting lavished the one whose absence I begrudge
on the roads down to Tihamah and up to Najd.
وَكَأَنَّand as though أَفئِدَةَthe hearts of النَوىseparation مَصدوعَةٌshattered
وَكَأَنَّ أَفئِدَةَ النَوى مَصدوعَةٌ
حَتّىuntil تَصَدَّعَshattered بِالفِراقِthrough parting فُؤاديmy heart
حَتّى تَصَدَّعَ بِالفِراقِ فُؤادي
And it was as though separation's hearts were shattered
until my heart was shattered by parting.
فَإِذاthen whenever فَضَضتُI broke open مِنَin اللَياليthe nights فُرجَةًan opening
فَإِذا فَضَضتُ مِنَ اللَيالي فُرجَةً
خالَفنَهاthey opposed it فَسَدَدنَهاso they sealed it بِبِعادِwith estrangement
خالَفنَها فَسَدَدنَها بِبِعادِ
Then, whenever I force an opening through the nights,
they thwart it and seal it with estrangement.
بَلrather ذِكرَةٌa memory طَرَقَتvisited by night فَلَمّاand when لَمdid not أَبِتI rest at night
بَل ذِكرَةٌ طَرَقَت فَلَمّا لَم أَبِت
باتَتit spent the night تُفَكِّرُpondering فيabout ضُروبِthe kinds of رُقاديmy sleep
باتَت تُفَكِّرُ في ضُروبِ رُقادي
Rather, a memory visited by night; and when I could not rest,
it spent the night pondering the forms of my slumber.
أَغرَتit incited هُموميmy cares فَاِستَلَبنَso they stole فُضولُهاtheir excesses
أَغرَت هُمومي فَاِستَلَبنَ فُضولُها
نَوميmy sleep وَنِمنَand they slept عَلىon فُضولِthe unused space of وِساديmy pillow
نَومي وَنِمنَ عَلى فُضولِ وِسادي
It roused my cares, and their excesses stole
my sleep, and slept on my pillow's unused space.
وَإِلىand toward جَنابِthe court of أَبيAbu المُغيثِal-Mughith تَواهَقَتraced neck and neck
وَإِلى جَنابِ أَبي المُغيثِ تَواهَقَت
خوصُsunken العُيونِeyes مَوائِرُheaving الأَعضادِupper forelegs
خوصُ العُيونِ مَوائِرُ الأَعضادِ
And toward the court of Abu al-Mughith raced neck and neck
sunken-eyed camels, their upper forelegs heaving.
يَلقَينَthey meet مَكروهَthe hardship of السُرىnight travel بِنَظيرِهِwith its equal
يَلقَينَ مَكروهَ السُرى بِنَظيرِهِ
مِنfrom جِدِّهِits rigor فيin النَصِّswift travel وَالإِسآدِand night marching
مِن جِدِّهِ في النَصِّ وَالإِسآدِ
They meet the hardships of night travel with their equal
in the rigor of its swift and nightlong marching.
الآنَnow جُرِّدَتِwere unsheathed المَدائِحُthe praise-poems وَاِنتَهىand reached
الآنَ جُرِّدَتِ المَدائِحُ وَاِنتَهى
فَيضُthe flood of القَريضِverse إِلىto عُبابِthe surging waters of الواديthe valley
فَيضُ القَريضِ إِلى عُبابِ الوادي
Now the praise-poems have been unsheathed, and
the flood of verse has reached the valley's swelling waters.
أَضحَتbecame مَعاطِنُthe camel-resting places of رَوضِهِhis meadow وَمِياهُهُand his waters
أَضحَت مَعاطِنُ رَوضِهِ وَمِياهُهُ
وَقفاًan endowment عَلىfor الرُوّادِpasture-seekers وَالوُرّادِand water-seekers
وَقفاً عَلى الرُوّادِ وَالوُرّادِ
His meadow's watering places and his waters have become
an endowment for pasture-seekers and those who come to drink.
عُذناwe sought refuge بِموسىwith Musa مِنfrom زَمانٍan age أَنشَرَتresurrected
عُذنا بِموسى مِن زَمانٍ أَنشَرَت
سَطَواتُهُits assaults فِرعَونَPharaoh ذاlord of الأَوتادِthe stakes
سَطَواتُهُ فِرعَونَ ذا الأَوتادِ
We sought refuge in Musa from an age whose
assaults resurrected Pharaoh, lord of the stakes.
جَبَلٌa mountain مِنَof المَعروفِkindness مَعروفٌknown لَهُof him
جَبَلٌ مِنَ المَعروفِ مَعروفٌ لَهُ
تَقيِيدُthe fettering of عادِيَةِthe ravages of الزَمانِtime العاديravaging
تَقيِيدُ عادِيَةِ الزَمانِ العادي
A mountain of kindness, renowned for
fettering the ravages of ravaging Time.
ماthere is no لِاِمرِىءٍfor a man أَسرَtook captive القَضاءُfate رَجاءَهُhis hope
ما لِاِمرِىءٍ أَسرَ القَضاءُ رَجاءَهُ
إِلّاexcept رَجاؤُكَhope in you أَوor عَطاؤُكَyour giving فاديa redeemer
إِلّا رَجاؤُكَ أَو عَطاؤُكَ فادي
For a man whose hope Fate has taken captive,
none can redeem him but hope in you or your giving.
وَإِذاand when المَنونُdeath تَخَمَّطَتraged furiously صَولاتُهاits onslaughts
وَإِذا المَنونُ تَخَمَّطَت صَولاتُها
عَسفاًruthlessly بِيَومِon a day of تَواقُفٍmutual confrontation وَطِرادِand cavalry charges
عَسفاً بِيَومِ تَواقُفٍ وَطِرادِ
And when Death's assaults rage furiously,
ruthlessly, on a day of facing foes and charging,
وَضَمائِرُand the hearts of الأَبطالِthe champions تَقسِمُapportion رَوعَهاtheir terror
وَضَمائِرُ الأَبطالِ تَقسِمُ رَوعَها
فيهاin them ظُهورُthe baring of ضَمائِرِthe hidden contents of الأَغمادِthe scabbards
فيها ظُهورُ ضَمائِرِ الأَغمادِ
and the champions' hearts have their terror apportioned
there by the baring of the scabbards' hidden blades,
وَالخَيلُand the horses تَستَسقيask for drink الرِماحُthe spears نُحورَهاtheir throats
وَالخَيلُ تَستَسقي الرِماحُ نُحورَها
مُستَكرَهاًforcibly extracted كَعُصارَةِlike the juice of الفِرصادِmulberries
مُستَكرَهاً كَعُصارَةِ الفِرصادِ
and the spears demand a drink from the horses' throats,
wrung out by force like the juice of mulberries,
أَمتَعتَyou delighted سَيفَكَyour sword مِنfrom يَدَيكَyour two hands بِضَربَةٍwith a stroke
أَمتَعتَ سَيفَكَ مِن يَدَيكَ بِضَربَةٍ
لاnot تُمَتِعُgrants enjoyment الأَرواحَthe souls بِالأَجسادِof bodies
لا تُمَتِعُ الأَرواحَ بِالأَجسادِ
you delight your sword with a stroke from your hands
that denies souls the pleasure of their bodies.
مِنfrom أَبيَضٍa white blade لِبَياضِfor the whiteness of وَجهِكَyour face ضامِنٌa guarantor
مِن أَبيَضٍ لِبَياضِ وَجهِكَ ضامِنٌ
حينَwhen الوُجوهُfaces مَشوبَةٌtinged بِسَوادِwith blackness
حينَ الوُجوهُ مَشوبَةٌ بِسَوادِ
From a white blade that guarantees your face's whiteness,
when faces are tinged with blackness.
قَدindeed كادَalmost مَضرِبُهُits striking edge يُجالِدُfights جَفنَهُits sheath
قَد كادَ مَضرِبُهُ يُجالِدُ جَفنَهُ
لَوif لَمnot تُسَكِّنهُyou calm it بِيَومِwith a day of جِلادِcombat
لَو لَم تُسَكِّنهُ بِيَومِ جِلادِ
Its striking edge would almost have fought its sheath,
had you not calmed it with a day of combat.
وَالسَيفُand the sword مُغفٍdozing غَيرَexcept أَنَّthat غِرارَهُits edge
وَالسَيفُ مُغفٍ غَيرَ أَنَّ غِرارَهُ
يَقِظٌawake إِذاwhen هادٍa guide نَحاهُaims it لِهادِat a neck
يَقِظٌ إِذا هادٍ نَحاهُ لِهادِ
And the sword dozes, yet its edge
is awake when a wielder aims it at a neck.
أَحيَيتَyou revived ثَغرَthe frontier of الجودِgenerosity مِنكَfrom you بِنائِلٍwith bounty
أَحيَيتَ ثَغرَ الجودِ مِنكَ بِنائِلٍ
قَدindeed ماتَdied مِنهُfrom it ثَغرُthe frontier of كُلِّevery فَسادِcorruption
قَد ماتَ مِنهُ ثَغرُ كُلِّ فَسادِ
You revived generosity's frontier with bounty from you,
by which every frontier of corruption has perished.
جاهَدتَyou battled فيهِin it المالَwealth عَنfor حَوبائِهِits soul
جاهَدتَ فيهِ المالَ عَن حَوبائِهِ
وَالمالُand wealth لَيسَis not جِهادُهُbattling it كَجِهادِlike any other battle
وَالمالُ لَيسَ جِهادُهُ كَجِهادِ
In that gift you battled wealth to wrest away its soul;
and battling wealth is unlike any other battle.
ماwhat لِلخُطوبِails misfortunes طَغَتran rampant عَلَيَّagainst me كَأَنَّهاas though they
ما لِلخُطوبِ طَغَت عَلَيَّ كَأَنَّها
جَهِلَتdid not know بِأَنَّthat نَداكَyour bounty بِالمِرصادِlies in ambush
جَهِلَت بِأَنَّ نَداكَ بِالمِرصادِ
Why do misfortunes rage against me, as though
they did not know your bounty lies in ambush?
وَلَقَدand indeed تَراءَتنيthey beheld me بِأَمنَعِwith the strongest جُنَّةٍshield
وَلَقَد تَراءَتني بِأَمنَعِ جُنَّةٍ
لَمّاwhen بَرَزتُI went forth لَهاto face them وَأَنتَand you عَتاديmy armament
لَمّا بَرَزتُ لَها وَأَنتَ عَتادي
Indeed, they saw me behind the strongest shield
when I came forth to face them, with you as my armament.
مازِلتُI always أَعلَمُknew أَنَّthat شِلويmy body ضائِعٌforsaken
مازِلتُ أَعلَمُ أَنَّ شِلوي ضائِعٌ
حَتّىuntil جَعَلتُكَI made you مَوئِليmy refuge وَمَصاديand my shelter
حَتّى جَعَلتُكَ مَوئِلي وَمَصادي
I had always known my body was forsaken,
until I made you my refuge and shelter.
سَلask مُخبِراتِthe tellers of الشِعرِpoetry عَنّيabout me هَلwhether بَلَتthey tested
سَل مُخبِراتِ الشِعرِ عَنّي هَل بَلَت
فيin قَدحِkindling نارِthe fire of المَجدِglory مِثلِthe like of زِناديmy fire-sticks
في قَدحِ نارِ المَجدِ مِثلِ زِنادي
Ask poetry's tellers about me: have they ever tried
anything like my fire-sticks for kindling glory's fire?
لَمnot أُبقِI left حَلبَةَa racecourse of مَنطِقٍeloquence إِلّاexcept وَقَدand already
لَم أُبقِ حَلبَةَ مَنطِقٍ إِلّا وَقَد
سَبَقَتoutstripped سَوابِقَهاits frontrunners إِلَيكَtoward you جِياديmy steeds
سَبَقَت سَوابِقَها إِلَيكَ جِيادي
I have left no racecourse of eloquence without
my steeds outstripping its frontrunners on their way to you.
أَبقَينَthey left فيon أَعناقِthe necks of جودِكَyour bounty جَوهَراًjewels
أَبقَينَ في أَعناقِ جودِكَ جَوهَراً
أَبقىmore enduring مِنَthan الأَطواقِnecklaces فيon الأَجيادِnecks
أَبقى مِنَ الأَطواقِ في الأَجيادِ
They have left jewels around the necks of your bounty,
more lasting than necklaces upon necks.
وَغَداًand tomorrow تَبَيَّنُyou will see clearly كَيفَhow غِبُّthe outcome of مَدائِحيmy praises
وَغَداً تَبَيَّنُ كَيفَ غِبُّ مَدائِحي
إِنif مِلنَincline بيwith me هِمَميmy ambitions إِلىtoward بَغدادِBaghdad
إِن مِلنَ بي هِمَمي إِلى بَغدادِ
And tomorrow you will see the outcome of my praises,
if my ambitions draw me toward Baghdad.
وَمَفاوِزُand the deserts of الآمالِhopes يَبعُدُgrows distant شَأوُهاtheir goal
وَمَفاوِزُ الآمالِ يَبعُدُ شَأوُها
إِنif لَمnot تَكُنis جَدواكَyour bounty فيهاin them زاديmy provision
إِن لَم تَكُن جَدواكَ فيها زادي
And the deserts of hope stretch far to their goal,
if your bounty is not my provision through them.
وَمِنَand among العَجائِبِwonders شاعِرٌa poet قَعَدَتheld back بِهِhim
وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ شاعِرٌ قَعَدَت بِهِ
هِمّاتُهُhis ambitions أَوor ضاعَwas neglected عِندَwith جَوادِa generous man
هِمّاتُهُ أَو ضاعَ عِندَ جَوادِ
And among wonders is a poet held back
by his ambitions, or neglected by a generous man.
Sol 6.1