بَنوsons of أَسَدٍAsad رِجلانِtwo legs رِجلٌone leg تَذَبذَبَتwavered
بَنو أَسَدٍ رِجلانِ رِجلٌ تَذَبذَبَت
وَرِجلٌand one leg أَضافَتهاbrought it إِلَيناto us التَراتِرُhardships
وَرِجلٌ أَضافَتها إِلَينا التَراتِرُ
The sons of Asad are two legs: one has wavered,
The sons of Asad, two men - one whose allegiance wavered,
and the other was brought to us by hardships.
And one who was brought to us by the camels’ litters.
فَماso not الدينَreligion حاوَلتُمyou sought وَلَكِنbut دَعاكُمُcalled you
فَما الدينَ حاوَلتُم وَلَكِن دَعاكُمُ
إِلىto الدينِreligion جوعٌhunger لاnot يُغَمِّضُcloses its eyes ساهِرُwakeful
إِلى الدينِ جوعٌ لا يُغَمِّضُ ساهِرُ
It was not religion you sought; rather, what called you
Not for religion did you endeavor, but hunger called you
to religion was hunger, ever wakeful, never closing its eyes.
To religion - hunger that no wakeful sleeper can ignore.
بَنيO sons of أَسَدٍAsad قيسَتwere measured بِيَagainst me الرُهنُthe racing steeds قَبلَكُمbefore you
بَني أَسَدٍ قيسَت بِيَ الرُهنُ قَبلَكُم
ذَواتُthose possessing المَدىlong reach وَالمُلهِباتُand those setting ablaze المَحاضِرُthe racecourses
ذَواتُ المَدى وَالمُلهِباتُ المَحاضِرُ
Sons of Asad, before you, racing steeds were measured against me—
O sons of Asad, my pledge was tested before yours
those of long reach, those that set the racecourses ablaze.
By those of great distances and destructive wars.
فَماso no كانَwas فيin مَدِّextending المَدىthe course لِيَfor me نَكبَةٌa mishap
فَما كانَ في مَدِّ المَدى لِيَ نَكبَةٌ
وَلاnor عَثرَةٌa stumble إِنَّindeed البِطاءَthe slow ones العَواثِرُthe stumbling ones
وَلا عَثرَةٌ إِنَّ البِطاءَ العَواثِرُ
No mishap befell me when the course was lengthened,
Never in the length of distances did I stumble
nor any stumble; it is the slow ones that stumble.
Nor trip - truly it is slowness that causes one to stumble.
أَخَنجَرُO Khanjar لَوif كُنتُمyou had been قُرَيشاًQuraysh شَبِعتُمُyou would have eaten your fill
أَخَنجَرُ لَو كُنتُم قُرَيشاً شَبِعتُمُ
وَماand not هَلَكَتperished جوعاًof hunger بِلَغوىat Laghwa المَعاصِرُmarriageable maidens
وَما هَلَكَت جوعاً بِلَغوى المَعاصِرُ
Khanjar, had you been Quraysh, you would have eaten your fill,
O Khnajar, had you been Quraysh, you'd be sated
and the marriageable maidens would not have starved at Laghwa.
And would not have perished from the pangs of hunger that torment.
إِذاًthen لَضَرَبتُمyou would have claimed فيin البِطاحِthe valley flats بِسُهمَةٍwith a share
إِذاً لَضَرَبتُم في البِطاحِ بِسُهمَةٍ
وَكانَand there would have been لَكُمfor you مِنamong طَيرِthe birds of مَكَّةَMecca طائِرُa bird
وَكانَ لَكُم مِن طَيرِ مَكَّةَ طائِرُ
Then you would have claimed a share in the valley flats,
Then you'd shoot arrows in the valleys with perfect aim
and one of Mecca's birds would have been yours.
And the birds of Mecca would be your catch.
وَلَكِنَّماbut only اِحتَكَّتrubbed herself بِكُمagainst you قَمَلِيَّةٌa lice-ridden woman
وَلَكِنَّما اِحتَكَّت بِكُم قَمَلِيَّةٌ
بِهاin her باطِنٌan inward aspect مِنof داءِa disease سوءٍfoulness وَظاهِرُand an outward aspect
بِها باطِنٌ مِن داءِ سوءٍ وَظاهِرُ
But only a lice-ridden woman rubbed herself against you,
But you were infested with parasites -
with a foul disease within her and without.
Inside, diseased; outside, appearing healthy.
وَأَمّاand as for تَمَنّيكُمyour yearning for قُرَيشاًQuraysh فَإِنَّهاfor indeed they are
وَأَمّا تَمَنّيكُم قُرَيشاً فَإِنَّها
مَصابيحُlamps يَرميهاaims at them بِعَينَيهِwith his two eyes ناظِرُan onlooker
مَصابيحُ يَرميها بِعَينَيهِ ناظِرُ
As for your yearning to be Quraysh, they are
As for your wish to be Quraysh, it is but
lamps at which an onlooker casts his gaze.
Lamps that a watcher casts with his eyes.
إِذاwhen نَوفَلٌNawfal حَلَّتsets down بِزَمزَمَat Zamzam أَرحُلاًsaddles
إِذا نَوفَلٌ حَلَّت بِزَمزَمَ أَرحُلاً
وَعَبدُand Abd مَنافٍManaf حَيثُwhere تُهدىare brought as offerings النَحائِرُsacrificial camels
وَعَبدُ مَنافٍ حَيثُ تُهدى النَحائِرُ
When Nawfal sets down its saddles at Zamzam,
When An-Nawfal camped at Zamzam with camel-litters
and Abd Manaf where sacrificial camels are brought,
And Abd Manaf where offerings are guided.
فَتِلكُمso that, addressing you قُرَيشٌQuraysh عِندَat ذاكَthat time وَأَنتُمُwhile you
فَتِلكُم قُرَيشٌ عِندَ ذاكَ وَأَنتُمُ
مَكانَin the place of الخُصىthe testicles قُدّامَهُنَّahead of them المَناخِرُthe nostrils
مَكانَ الخُصى قُدّامَهُنَّ المَناخِرُ
that is Quraysh then; you, however, are
Those were Quraysh at that time, while you
where the testicles are, with the nostrils ahead of them.
Were in front of them like the nostrils in front of the snout.
فَماso not أَنتُمُyou مِنهُمof them وَلَكِنَّكُمbut you are لَهُمbelonging to them
فَما أَنتُمُ مِنهُم وَلَكِنَّكُم لَهُم
عَبيدُslaves of العَصاthe rod ماas long as دامَthere remains لِلزَيتِfor oil عاصِرُa presser
عَبيدُ العَصا ما دامَ لِلزَيتِ عاصِرُ
You are not of them; rather, you are their
You are not of them; rather you are their slaves
slaves of the rod, as long as anyone presses oil.
As long as there is oil for which to press.
وَماand not خُتِمَتwere sealed أَكتافُكُمyour shoulders لِنُبُوَّةٍfor prophethood
وَما خُتِمَت أَكتافُكُم لِنُبُوَّةٍ
وَأَستاهُكُمand your arses ماnot فَسَّحَتهاmade room for them المَنابِرُthe pulpits
وَأَستاهُكُم ما فَسَّحَتها المَنابِرُ
Nor were your shoulders sealed for prophethood,
Nor were your shoulders sealed with prophecy,
nor have pulpits made room for your arses.
And your master never sat upon a pulpit.
بَنيO sons of أَسَدٍAsad لَستُمyou are not بِسِيِيِon a par with me فَتُشتَمواso you should be reviled
بَني أَسَدٍ لَستُم بِسِيِيِ فَتُشتَموا
وَلَكِنَّماbut only سِيِيِmy equals سُلَيمٌSulaym وَعامِرُand Amir
وَلَكِنَّما سِيِيِ سُلَيمٌ وَعامِرُ
Sons of Asad, you are not my equals, to be reviled;
O sons of Asad! You are not noble to be insulted,
my equals are only Sulaym and Amir.
Rather, it is the Sii'i - Sulaym and Aamir.
بَنيO sons of أَسَدٍAsad لاdo not تَذكُرواyou mention الفَخرَpride بَينَكُمamong yourselves
بَني أَسَدٍ لا تَذكُروا الفَخرَ بَينَكُم
فَأَنتُمfor you are لِئامَthe baseborn of الناسِmankind بادٍa nomad وَحاضِرُand a townsman
فَأَنتُم لِئامَ الناسِ بادٍ وَحاضِرُ
Sons of Asad, do not speak of pride among yourselves;
O sons of Asad! Do not boast of glory among yourselves,
for you are mankind's baseborn, nomad and townsman alike.
For you are the worst of people, sedentary and nomadic.
بَنيO sons of أَسَدٍAsad لاdo not تَذكُرواyou mention المَجدَglory وَالعُلاand high standing
بَني أَسَدٍ لا تَذكُروا المَجدَ وَالعُلا
فَإِنَّكُمُfor indeed you are فيin السوقِthe marketplace كُذبٌliars سَماسِرُbrokers
فَإِنَّكُمُ في السوقِ كُذبٌ سَماسِرُ
Sons of Asad, do not speak of glory and high standing;
O sons of Asad! Do not mention glory and highness,
for in the marketplace you are lying brokers.
For in the market you are liars and swindlers.
فَإِنso if تَدعُyou call upon سَعداًSa'd لاnot يُجِبكَhe answers you وَدونَهاand before it
فَإِن تَدعُ سَعداً لا يُجِبكَ وَدونَها
لُجَيمُLujaym بنُson of صَعبٍSa'b وَالحُلولُand the encamped tribes الكَراكِرُthe massed throngs
لُجَيمُ بنُ صَعبٍ وَالحُلولُ الكَراكِرُ
If you call on Sa'd, he will not answer you; barring the way are
If you call upon Saad he will not answer you, and below him
Lujaym son of Sa'b and the great encamped throngs.
Is Lujaym ibn S'ab and the galloping horses.
هُمُthey يَومَon the day of ذيDhi قارٍQar أَناخواmade their camels kneel فَجالَدواand then fought
هُمُ يَومَ ذي قارٍ أَناخوا فَجالَدوا
غَداةَthe morning when أَتاهُمcame against them بِالفُيولِwith elephants الأَساوِرُthe Persian horsemen
غَداةَ أَتاهُم بِالفُيولِ الأَساوِرُ
They, on the day of Dhi Qar, made their camels kneel and fought,
They on the day of Dhi Qar tethered and fought
the morning the Persian horsemen came against them with elephants.
The next morning when the horsemen came to them.
تُمَسّيyou spend the evening بِآجامَin the reed beds of الفُراتِthe Euphrates سَفاهَةًin folly
تُمَسّي بِآجامَ الفُراتِ سَفاهَةً
وَتُحصِدُand you gather strength فيalong حافاتِهِits banks وَتُكاثِرُand you vie in numbers
وَتُحصِدُ في حافاتِهِ وَتُكاثِرُ
In folly you spend your evenings in the Euphrates' reed beds,
You spend the evening by the banks of the Euphrates as fools
and gather strength along its banks and vie in numbers.
And harvest along its edges proliferating.
إِذاif شِئتَyou wish أَنto تَلقىmeet غُلامَthe son of نَزيعَةٍa captive woman
إِذا شِئتَ أَن تَلقى غُلامَ نَزيعَةٍ
بَنوthe sons of كاهِلٍKahil أَخوالُهُhis maternal uncles وَالغَواضِرُand the Ghawadir
بَنو كاهِلٍ أَخوالُهُ وَالغَواضِرُ
If you wish to meet the son of a captive woman—
If you wish to meet a boy of Nuza'ah
the sons of Kahil and the Ghawadir are his maternal uncles—
The sons of Kahil are his uncles and defenders.
بَنوsons of مُردَفاتٍwomen carried pillion رَدَّهُنَّdrove them back لِعَنوَةٍinto forced submission
بَنو مُردَفاتٍ رَدَّهُنَّ لِعَنوَةٍ
قِراعُthe blows of الكُماةِarmored champions وَالرِماحُand the spears الشَواجِرُinterlacing
قِراعُ الكُماةِ وَالرِماحُ الشَواجِرُ
sons of women carried pillion, driven into submission by
The sons of Muddafat who were driven back by the curse
the blows of armored champions and the interlacing spears.
Of the club-bearers and the piercing, long spears.
أَخَنجَرُO Khanjar قَدindeed أَخزَيتَyou disgraced قَومَكَyour people بِالَّتيwith that which
أَخَنجَرُ قَد أَخزَيتَ قَومَكَ بِالَّتي
رَمَتكَstruck you فُوَيقَjust above الحاجِبَينِthe two eyebrows السَنابِرُthe missiles (uncertain sense)
رَمَتكَ فُوَيقَ الحاجِبَينِ السَنابِرُ
Khanjar, you have disgraced your people with the wound
O Khnagar, you have disgraced your people with her
the missiles dealt you just above your eyebrows.
Who tossed you the brow-raising glance.
فَلَوso if كُنتَyou had been ذاpossessing عِزٍّmight مَنَعتَyou would have protected بِبَعضِهِwith some of it
فَلَو كُنتَ ذا عِزٍّ مَنَعتَ بِبَعضِهِ
جَبينَكَyour forehead أَنthat تَدمىbleed عَلَيهِupon it البَصائِرُthe bloodstains
جَبينَكَ أَن تَدمى عَلَيهِ البَصائِرُ
Had you possessed any might, you would have used some of it to shield
If you had any honor you'd have used some of it
your forehead from the bleeding marks upon it.
To prevent your brow being bloodied by the looks.
فَأَبدِso show لِمَنto whomever لاقَيتَyou meet وَجهَكَyour face وَاِعتَرِفand acknowledge
فَأَبدِ لِمَن لاقَيتَ وَجهَكَ وَاِعتَرِف
بِشَنعاءَto a hideous wound لِلذِبّانِfor the flies فيهاin it مَصايِرُhaunts
بِشَنعاءَ لِلذِبّانِ فيها مَصايِرُ
So show your face to those you meet, and acknowledge
So pretend to those who saw your face and confess
a hideous wound where the flies have their haunts:
To the ugliness which leads the wolves to their doom.
بِنَعّارَةٍwith a gushing wound يَنفيdrives out المَسابيرَthe probes أَريُهاits discharge
بِنَعّارَةٍ يَنفي المَسابيرَ أَريُها
عَلَيهاupon it مِنَof الزُرقِthe blue العُيونِeyes العَساكِرِarmies
عَلَيها مِنَ الزُرقِ العُيونِ العَساكِرِ
a gushing wound whose discharge drives out the probes,
With glance removing the eyeliner I see her
upon it are armies of the blue-eyed.
As if upon her are armies with bright blue eyes.
أَمِنwas it from عَوَزِa shortage of الأَسماءِnames سُمّيتَyou were named خَنجَراًKhanjar
أَمِن عَوَزِ الأَسماءِ سُمّيتَ خَنجَراً
وَشَرُّand the worst of سِلاحِthe weapons of المُسلِمينَthe Muslims الخَناجِرُdaggers
وَشَرُّ سِلاحِ المُسلِمينَ الخَناجِرُ
Were you named Khanjar because names were scarce?
Is it from lack of names you were called Khnagar?
And daggers are the worst of the Muslims' weapons.
Daggers are the worst weapons of Muslims.
غَمَرناكَwe overwhelmed you إِسلاماًin peace وَإِنand if تَكُthere is فِتنَةٌstrife
غَمَرناكَ إِسلاماً وَإِن تَكُ فِتنَةٌ
تَكُنyou will be ثَعلَباًa fox دارَتcircled عَلَيهِaround it الدَوائِرُcalamities
تَكُن ثَعلَباً دارَت عَلَيهِ الدَوائِرُ
We have overwhelmed you in peace; and if there is strife,
We submerged you in Islam - and if there remains deviance
you will be a fox around which calamities circle.
It would be a fox around which fates revolved.
وَلَوand if كُنتَyou had أَبصَرتَseen القَنابِلَthe squadrons وَالقَناand the spears
وَلَو كُنتَ أَبصَرتَ القَنابِلَ وَالقَنا
وَهَبوَةَand the dust cloud of يَومٍa day هَيَّجَتهاstirred it up الحَوافِرُthe hooves
وَهَبوَةَ يَومٍ هَيَّجَتها الحَوافِرُ
And had you seen the squadrons and the spears,
Had you seen the bombs, the spears
and the dust cloud of a day stirred up by the hooves,
And the fervor of a day stirred by the horses
بِرابِيَةِon the rise by الخابورِthe Khabur ماnot أَقرَنَتproved equal لَناto us
بِرابِيَةِ الخابورِ ما أَقرَنَت لَنا
خُزَيمَةُKhuzayma إِذwhen سارَتmarched إِلَيناagainst us وَعامِرُand Amir
خُزَيمَةُ إِذ سارَت إِلَينا وَعامِرُ
on the rise by the Khabur—no match for us were
At Rabee'ah al-Khaboor, Khuzaymah would not have linked
Khuzayma, when it marched against us, and Amir.
Herself to us when she went out to us and Aamir.
وَإِنَّand indeed اِمرَأًa man ماwhat is بَينَbetween عَينَيهِhis two eyes كَاِستِهِlike his arse
وَإِنَّ اِمرَأً ما بَينَ عَينَيهِ كَاِستِهِ
هَجاlampooned وائِلاًWa'il طُرّاًall لِأَحمَقُsurely a fool فاجِرُwicked
هَجا وائِلاً طُرّاً لِأَحمَقُ فاجِرُ
Indeed, a man whose brow is like his arse,
A man blames Waa'il, impudent corruptor,
who has lampooned all of Wa'il, is surely a wicked fool.
To what's between his eyes though he's blind and immoral.
تَرىyou see الحَنظَلَcolocynth العامِيُّyear-old حَولَaround بُيوتِهِمtheir houses
تَرى الحَنظَلَ العامِيُّ حَولَ بُيوتِهِم
فَبِئسَhow wretched القِرىguest-fare مِمّاamong what تُسيغُcan swallow الحَناجِرُthroats
فَبِئسَ القِرى مِمّا تُسيغُ الحَناجِرُ
You see year-old colocynth around their houses;
You see the uncouth Bedouin around their homes -
what wretched guest-fare, among the things throats can swallow!
Miserable settlements from which throats are fed.
وَمالَكَand you have no فيamong حَيَّيthe two tribes of خُزَيمَةَKhuzayma مِنany حَصىًnumbers, literally pebbles
وَمالَكَ في حَيَّي خُزَيمَةَ مِن حَصىً
وَلاnor لَكَfor you فيamong قَيسِQays بنِson of عَيلانَAylan ناصِرُa supporter
وَلا لَكَ في قَيسِ بنِ عَيلانَ ناصِرُ
And you have no following in Khuzayma's two tribes,
You have no allies in the valley of Khuzaymah
nor any supporter in Qays son of Aylan.
Nor among Qais ibn Ailan's helpers.
Sol 6.1