مَرِضَتgrew languid جفونُكyour eyelids والحُتوفُand death شِعارُهاtheir close-worn garb
مَرِضَت جفونُك والحُتوفُ شِعارُها
هنَّthey السُّيوفُthe swords شِفارُهاtheir cutting edges أشفارُهاtheir eyelashes
هنَّ السُّيوفُ شِفارُها أشفارُها
Your eyelids grew languid, with death their close-worn garb;
they are swords whose cutting edges are their lashes.
جَاوَرْتَyou dwelt beside منamong شِيَمِthe traits of الكَواعبِbudding maidens فيin الهَوىlove
جَاوَرْتَ من شِيَمِ الكَواعبِ في الهَوى
مَنْone who لاnot يُجارُis sheltered منfrom الصبَّابَةِpassionate longing جارُهاher neighbor
مَنْ لا يُجارُ من الصبَّابَةِ جارُها
Among budding maidens' ways in love, you have dwelt beside
one whose neighbor finds no refuge from passionate longing.
للهِto God! (in admiration) موقِفُناour halt بمنعرِجِat the bend of اللِّوىal-Liwa
للهِ موقِفُنا بمنعرِجِ اللِّوى
ومَحارُناand our bewilderment فيin لَوْعَةٍburning anguish ومَحارُهاand her bewilderment
ومَحارُنا في لَوْعَةٍ ومَحارُها
How wondrous our halt at the bend of al-Liwa,
and our bewilderment in burning anguish, and hers!
نَضَتِshe stripped off البراقعَthe veils عنfrom مَحاسِنِthe beauties of رَوْضَةٍa garden
نَضَتِ البراقعَ عن مَحاسِنِ رَوْضَةٍ
ريضَتْwere nurtured بمحتَفلِby an abundance of الحَياrain أنوارُهاits blossoms
ريضَتْ بمحتَفلِ الحَيا أنوارُها
She stripped the veils from the beauties of a garden,
whose blossoms were nurtured by abundant rain.
فَمِنَand so from الثُّغورِthe mouths المُشرقاتِradiant لُجَيْنُهاits silver
فَمِنَ الثُّغورِ المُشرقاتِ لُجَيْنُها
ومنand from الخُدورِthe secluded chambers المُذْهَباتِgilded نُضارُهاits pure gold
ومن الخُدورِ المُذْهَباتِ نُضارُها
Its silver came from radiant mouths,
and its pure gold from gilded chambers.
مصقولَةٌpolished بِسَناwith the radiance of الصبَّاحِmorning جِباهُهاtheir foreheads
مصقولَةٌ بِسَنا الصبَّاحِ جِباهُها
مَصبوغَةٌdyed بِدُجىwith the blackness of الظَّلامِdarkness طِرارُهاtheir forelocks
مَصبوغَةٌ بِدُجى الظَّلامِ طِرارُها
Their foreheads were polished with morning's radiance,
their forelocks dyed with the blackness of night.
أغصانُbranches بانٍof the ban-tree أعربتْspoke eloquently فيin حَمْلِهاtheir bearing
أغصانُ بانٍ أعربتْ في حَمْلِها
فغَرائِبُso the rarest of الوَرْدِroses الجَنيِّfreshly plucked ثِمارُهاtheir fruits
فغَرائِبُ الوَرْدِ الجَنيِّ ثِمارُها
Boughs of the ban-tree, eloquent in their bearing:
their fruits were rare, freshly plucked roses.
طالَتْgrew long لياليthe nights of الحُبِّlove بعدَafter فِراقِهاparting from her
طالَتْ ليالي الحُبِّ بعدَ فِراقِها
وأحبُّهنَّand the dearest of them إلىto المُحِبِّthe lover قِصارُهاtheir short ones
وأحبُّهنَّ إلى المُحِبِّ قِصارُها
Long grew love's nights after parting from her,
and the dearest to the lover are the shortest.
ولرُبَّand how many لَيلاتٍnights بهنَّduring them تَفرَّجَتْparted
ولرُبَّ لَيلاتٍ بهنَّ تَفرَّجَتْ
أسدافُهاtheir veils of darkness وتأرَّجَتْand grew fragrant أَسحارُهاtheir predawn hours
أسدافُها وتأرَّجَتْ أَسحارُها
How many nights there were in which were parted
their veils of darkness, and their predawn hours grew fragrant!
ماnot كانَwas ذاكَthat العيشُlife إلاexcept سكرةًintoxication
ما كانَ ذاكَ العيشُ إلا سكرةً
رَحَلتْdeparted لَذاذتُهاits delight وحلَّand settled in خُمارُهاits hangover
رَحَلتْ لَذاذتُها وحلَّ خُمارُها
That life was nothing but intoxication;
its delight departed, and its hangover settled in.
اللهُGod أكبرُis greatest فرَّقَscattered السَّيفُthe sword العِدَاthe foes
اللهُ أكبرُ فرَّقَ السَّيفُ العِدَا
فتفرَّقَتْand so scattered أيديthe scattered bands of سَباSaba أخبارُهاnews of them
فتفرَّقَتْ أيدي سَبا أخبارُها
God is greatest! The sword scattered the foes,
and news of them scattered like Saba's people.
لاnot تَجبُرُwill mend الأيَّامُthe days كَسْرَthe fracture of عِصابةٍa band
لا تَجبُرُ الأيَّامُ كَسْرَ عِصابةٍ
كُسِرَتْwas broken وذَلَّand was humbled بجابرٍby Jabir جَبَّارُهاits tyrant
كُسِرَتْ وذَلَّ بجابرٍ جَبَّارُها
The days will not mend the fracture of a band
once broken, its tyrant humbled by Jabir.
رحلَتْit departed فكانَand so was إلىtoward السُّيوفِthe swords رحيلُهاits departure
رحلَتْ فكانَ إلى السُّيوفِ رحيلُها
وثوَتْand it stayed فكانَand so was علىupon الحُتوفِdeadly fates قَرارُهاits resting place
وثوَتْ فكانَ على الحُتوفِ قَرارُها
It departed, but its departure led toward swords;
it stayed, but its resting place was death.
سجَرَتْwere filled بحارُهُمُtheir seas دماًwith blood فَتَيَقَّنَتْso it became certain
سجَرَتْ بحارُهُمُ دماً فَتَيَقَّنَتْ
أَنَّthat الأُسودَthe lions عرينُهاtheir lair سِنْجارُهاits Sinjar
أَنَّ الأُسودَ عرينُها سِنْجارُها
Their seas were filled with blood, and it became certain
that its Sinjar was the lions' lair.
برَزتْsallied forth لهاagainst it أُسْدُthe lions of الرَّهاal-Raha إذwhen حُوصِرَتْit was besieged
برَزتْ لها أُسْدُ الرَّها إذ حُوصِرَتْ
والأُسْدُand lions تأنَفُdisdain أنthat يطولَbe prolonged حِصارُهاtheir siege
والأُسْدُ تأنَفُ أن يطولَ حِصارُها
The lions of al-Raha sallied against it when it was besieged,
and lions disdain a lingering siege.
ثَبَتواthey stood firm إلىat أجدارِهاits walls فكأنَّهمso it was as though they
ثَبَتوا إلى أجدارِها فكأنَّهم
والطَّعْنُwhile spear-thrusts يَقتَلِعُuproot الكُماةَthe armored champions جدارُهاits wall
والطَّعْنُ يَقتَلِعُ الكُماةَ جدارُها
They stood firm at its walls, as though they were—
while spear-thrusts uprooted armored champions—its very wall.
مُستَعصِمينَseeking refuge منin الأميرِthe emir بهَضْبةٍas in a mountain
مُستَعصِمينَ من الأميرِ بهَضْبةٍ
عَدَوِيَّةٍof Adawi stock لاnot تُرتَقىcan be climbed أوعارُهاits rugged slopes
عَدَوِيَّةٍ لا تُرتَقى أوعارُها
Taking refuge in the emir as in a mountain
of Adawi stock, whose rugged slopes cannot be scaled.
يَغشَونَthey enter قارعةَthe clash of القِراعِcombat بأوجهٍwith faces
يَغشَونَ قارعةَ القِراعِ بأوجهٍ
أَلِفَتْhave grown used to مباشرةَthe direct touch of القَناlances أبشارُهاtheir skins
أَلِفَتْ مباشرةَ القَنا أبشارُها
They enter the clash of battle with faces
whose skin is used to the touch of lances.
عَلِمَlearned الأعاجمُthe non-Arabs أنَّthat َوقْعَthe stroke of سُيوفِكُمْyour swords
عَلِمَ الأعاجمُ أنَّ َوقْعَ سُيوفِكُمْ
نارٌa fire تُشَبُّis kindled وأنتمُand you are إعصارُهاits whirlwind
نارٌ تُشَبُّ وأنتمُ إعصارُها
The non-Arabs have learned that the stroke of your swords
is a kindled fire, and you are its whirlwind.
مَنْwho ذاis it that يَنازِعُكُمْcontests with you كريماتِthe noblest prizes of العُلىhigh glory
مَنْ ذا يَنازِعُكُمْ كريماتِ العُلى
وهيwhen they are البروجُthe constellations وأنتمُand you are أقمارُهاtheir moons
وهي البروجُ وأنتمُ أقمارُها
Who can contest with you the noblest heights,
when they are the constellations, and you their moons?
الحربُwar تعلمُknows أنكمthat you are آسادُهاits lions
الحربُ تعلمُ أنكم آسادُها
والأرضُand the earth تعلمُknows أنكمthat you are أمطارُهاits rains
والأرضُ تعلمُ أنكم أمطارُها
War knows that you are its lions,
and earth knows that you are its rains.
هيit وقعةٌa battle لكَfor you عِزّهاits glory وسَناؤُهاand its splendor
هي وقعةٌ لكَ عِزّها وسَناؤُها
وعلىand upon عَدوِّكَyour enemy نارُهاits fire وشَنارُهاand its disgrace
وعلى عَدوِّكَ نارُها وشَنارُها
This is a battle whose glory and splendor are yours,
while its fire and disgrace fall upon your foe.
رَكِبَhe boarded السفينَthe ships مُشرِّقاًheading east فيamong مَعْشَرٍa company
رَكِبَ السفينَ مُشرِّقاً في مَعْشَرٍ
مَنْwhoever قالَspoke تغرُبwould set خيفةًin fear أبصارُهاtheir eyes
مَنْ قالَ تغرُب خيفةً أبصارُها
He boarded ships, heading east with a company
whose eyes would set in fear whenever anyone spoke.
مَوتورَةٌbereaved بِشَباby the sharp points of الأسِنَّةِthe spearheads لوif بَغَتْit sought
مَوتورَةٌ بِشَبا الأسِنَّةِ لو بَغَتْ
وِتْراًvengeance إليكَagainst you تضاعَفَتْwould multiply أوتارُهاits unavenged losses
وِتْراً إليكَ تضاعَفَتْ أوتارُها
Bereaved by spear-points, if it sought
vengeance against you, its blood-debts would multiply.
عَمَرَتْgrew populous ديارُكَyour lands منwith قبورِthe tombs of ملوكِهمtheir kings
عَمَرَتْ ديارُكَ من قبورِ ملوكِهم
وخلَتْand stood empty منof الأُنْسِhuman company المُقيمِabiding ديارُهاtheir lands
وخلَتْ من الأُنْسِ المُقيمِ ديارُها
Your lands grew populous with the tombs of their kings,
while their lands stood empty of abiding human company.
وردَتْit came بآسادِwith lions of الشَّرىal-Shara مُبيضَّةًwhite
وردَتْ بآسادِ الشَّرى مُبيضَّةً
أفعالُهاtheir deeds مُحمرَّةًcrimson أظفارُهاtheir claws
أفعالُها مُحمرَّةً أظفارُها
It came with lions of al-Shara, white
in their deeds, crimson in their claws.
والسُّمْرُand the brown lances قدhad خضَبَdyed الطِّعانُspear-thrusting صدورَهاtheir breasts
والسُّمْرُ قد خضَبَ الطِّعانُ صدورَها
فكأنهاso it was as though they قدhad أُذهَبتْbeen gilded أشطارُهاtheir halves
فكأنها قد أُذهَبتْ أشطارُها
And the brown lances—thrusting had dyed their breasts,
as though their halves had been gilded.
والمُرهَفاتُand the keen-edged swords جميلةٌfair أفعالُهاtheir deeds
والمُرهَفاتُ جميلةٌ أفعالُها
فيin المُلْكِthe kingdom غيرُnot جميلةٍfair آثارُهاtheir traces
في المُلْكِ غيرُ جميلةٍ آثارُها
And the keen-edged swords: their deeds are fair
in the kingdom, but their traces are not fair.
فلتشكرنَّكَso let it surely thank you دولةٌa dynasty جَدَّدْتَهاyou renewed it
فلتشكرنَّكَ دولةٌ جَدَّدْتَها
فتجدَّدَتْand so were renewed أعلامُهاits banners ومنارُهاand its beacon
فتجدَّدَتْ أعلامُها ومنارُها
Let the dynasty you renewed give you thanks indeed;
its banners and its beacon were renewed.
حلَّيتْهَاyou adorned it وحَمَيْتَand you protected بيضةَthe heart of مُلكِهاits dominion
حلَّيتْهَا وحَمَيْتَ بيضةَ مُلكِها
فغِرارُso the edge of سيفِكَyour sword سورُهاits wall وسِوارُهاand its bracelet
فغِرارُ سيفِكَ سورُها وسِوارُها
You adorned it and guarded the heart of its dominion,
so your sword's edge is its wall and its bracelet.
وغريبةٍand many a rare poem تجريblow عليكover you رياحُهاits winds
وغريبةٍ تجري عليك رياحُها
أَرَجاًas fragrance إذاwhen لفَحَتْscorches عدوَّكَyour enemy نارُهاits fire
أَرَجاً إذا لفَحَتْ عدوَّكَ نارُها
And many a rare poem, whose breezes waft over you
as perfume when its fire scorches your foe,
مِمَّنْfrom one who لهfor him غُرَرُthe finest parts of الكلامِspeech تفتَّحَتْhave opened
مِمَّنْ له غُرَرُ الكلامِ تفتَّحَتْ
أبوابُهاits doors وترفَّعتْand have risen أستارُهاits curtains
أبوابُها وترفَّعتْ أستارُها
from one for whom the finest speech has opened
its doors, and its curtains have risen.
تَجريrace وتَطلُبُهand pursue him عصائبُbands قصَّرَتْfell short
تَجري وتَطلُبُه عصائبُ قصَّرَتْ
عنof شأوِهِhis course فقُصارُهاso their utmost أقصارُهاis their falling short
عن شأوِهِ فقُصارُها أقصارُها
Bands race and pursue him, but have fallen short
of his course: their utmost is to fall short.
يَحويencompasses لهfor him الأسَدُthe lion البعيدُfar-off نِجارَهُhis lineage
يَحوي له الأسَدُ البعيدُ نِجارَهُ
ويعوقُهاand hinders them عمَّاfrom what حَواهhe has won it نجارُهاtheir lineage
ويعوقُها عمَّا حَواه نجارُها
The far-off lion encompasses his lineage for him,
while their lineage bars them from what he has won.
فتعيشُso live on بعدَafter مماتِهhis death أشعارُهhis poems
فتعيشُ بعدَ مماتِه أشعارُه
وتموتُand die قبلَbefore مماتِهاtheir death أشعارُهاtheir poems
وتموتُ قبلَ مماتِها أشعارُها
So his poems live on after his death,
while their poems die before their own death.
Sol 6.1