قليلٌlittle لهاfor her أنthat يتْبعَshould follow الدَّمعُthe tears غيرَهاanother than her
قليلٌ لها أن يتْبعَ الدَّمعُ غيرَها
وقدwhen indeed أزمعَتْshe resolved يومَon the day of الفراقِparting مسيرَهاher departure
وقد أزمعَتْ يومَ الفراقِ مسيرَها
It does her little honor that tears should follow another,
when, on the day of parting, she had resolved to depart.
شفَاhealed كَمَديmy grief أُنْسُthe companionship of الظِّباءِthe gazelles وإنَّماyet only
شفَا كَمَدي أُنْسُ الظِّباءِ وإنَّما
عَرَتْbefell فرقةٌseparation شتَّىthe scattered among الظِّباءِthe gazelles نَفُورَهاtheir skittish ones
عَرَتْ فرقةٌ شتَّى الظِّباءِ نَفُورَها
The gazelles' companionship healed my grief; only
the skittish among the scattered gazelles were struck by separation.
وماand not عاقَنيkept me يومَon the day at العقيقِal-ʿAqīq عنfrom الجَوىlove's anguish
وما عاقَني يومَ العقيقِ عن الجَوى
سُفورُthe unveiling of دُمىًdoll-like beauties أبدَتْdisplayed لبَيْنٍfor parting سُفورَهاtheir unveiled faces
سُفورُ دُمىً أبدَتْ لبَيْنٍ سُفورَها
Nor was I kept from love's anguish on the day at al-ʿAqīq
by doll-like beauties unveiling their faces for farewell.
إذاwhen رَدَّهاleft them كَرُّthe repetition of العِناقِembracing عواطلاًunadorned
إذا رَدَّها كَرُّ العِناقِ عواطلاً
منof الحَلْيِjewelry حلَّتْthey adorned بالدُّموعِwith tears نحورَهاtheir throats
من الحَلْيِ حلَّتْ بالدُّموعِ نحورَها
When embrace upon embrace left them stripped
of jewelry, they adorned their throats with tears.
غداwent forth الشَّوقُlonging فيwithin الأحشاءِthe innards ثَانِيَbending عِطْفِهِits flank
غدا الشَّوقُ في الأحشاءِ ثَانِيَ عِطْفِهِ
غداةِon the morning when ثَنَتْthey swayed أعطافَهاtheir flanks وخصورَهاand their waists
غداةِ ثَنَتْ أعطافَها وخصورَها
Longing strutted within my breast, bending its flank,
the morning they swayed their flanks and waists.
دعَتْنيsummoned me إساءاتُthe cruelties of الخُطوبِmisfortunes إلىto السُّرىnight travel
دعَتْني إساءاتُ الخُطوبِ إلى السُّرى
وكمand how many منof سُرىًa night journey أهدَتْbestowed لنفسٍon a soul سرورَهاits joy
وكم من سُرىً أهدَتْ لنفسٍ سرورَها
The cruelties of misfortune summoned me to night travel,
and how many a night journey has brought a soul its joy!
فبُحْتُso I disclosed بماof what استودَعْتُI had entrusted to صَدْريmy breast منof الهُوىlove
فبُحْتُ بما استودَعْتُ صَدْري من الهُوى
وباحَتْand they disclosed بماof what استودَعْتُI had entrusted to منهof it صدورَهاtheir breasts
وباحَتْ بما استودَعْتُ منه صدورَها
So I disclosed the love I had entrusted to my breast,
and they disclosed what of it I had entrusted to their breasts.
فبِعتُso I sold وِصالاًunion لاnot أَمَلُّI tire of أصيلَهits late afternoon
فبِعتُ وِصالاً لا أَمَلُّ أصيلَه
بأيامِfor days of هَجرٍestrangement لاnot أملُّI tire of هجيرَهاtheir noonday heat
بأيامِ هَجرٍ لا أملُّ هجيرَها
I sold a union whose late afternoons never wearied me
for days of estrangement whose noonday heat I never tire of.
لقدindeed حاوَلَتْsought سِلْمَpeace with الأميرِthe emir عِداتُهhis enemies
لقد حاوَلَتْ سِلْمَ الأميرِ عِداتُه
لتحمَدَso they might praise فيin سِلمِpeace with الأميرِthe emir أميرَهاtheir prince
لتحمَدَ في سِلمِ الأميرِ أميرَها
Indeed, his enemies sought peace with the emir,
to praise their own prince for that peace with the emir.
فزارَتْهُso they visited him منfrom أَعلىthe highest part of الصَّعيدِthe land وقدwhen already ثنىhe had turned
فزارَتْهُ من أَعلى الصَّعيدِ وقد ثنى
إليهاtoward them عِنانَthe rein of السَّيرِthe march كيماso that يزورَهاhe might visit them
إليها عِنانَ السَّيرِ كيما يزورَها
They visited him from the uplands, when he had already turned
the rein of his march toward them, meaning to visit them.
مُطِلٌّlooming علىover أرضِthe land of العِراقِIraq بِعَزمَةٍwith firm resolve
مُطِلٌّ على أرضِ العِراقِ بِعَزمَةٍ
وثاوٍand dwelling بأرضِin the land of الشامِSyria يحميguarding ثغورَهاits frontiers
وثاوٍ بأرضِ الشامِ يحمي ثغورَها
He looms over the land of Iraq with firm resolve,
while dwelling in Syria, guarding its frontiers.
مُعِدٌpreparing ليومِfor the day of الرَّوْعِterror بِيضاًgleaming swords تذكَّرَتْthat recalled
مُعِدٌ ليومِ الرَّوْعِ بِيضاً تذكَّرَتْ
ظُباتِthe edges of الاعاديthe enemies فاستقالَتْso sought reprieve ذُكورَهاtheir hardened blades
ظُباتِ الاعادي فاستقالَتْ ذُكورَها
He readies bright swords for the day of terror; they recalled
the enemies' edges, and their hardened blades sought reprieve.
وسُمراًand brown spears تَثنَّىthat sway فيin الطِّعانِlance-combat كأنَّهاas though they were
وسُمراً تَثنَّى في الطِّعانِ كأنَّها
نَشاوىdrunken women سقَتْهاgave them to drink الأَندرينَal-Andarīn خمورَهاits wines
نَشاوى سقَتْها الأَندرينَ خمورَها
And brown spears that sway in lance-combat as though
drunken women whom al-Andarīn plied with its wines.
فقدfor indeed تارَكَتْهleft him unmolested التُّركُthe Turks لمَّاwhen تأمَّلَتْthey considered
فقد تارَكَتْه التُّركُ لمَّا تأمَّلَتْ
سَطاهhis might ولوand had لاقَتْهthey faced him لاقَتْthey would have met مُبيرَهاtheir destroyer
سَطاه ولو لاقَتْه لاقَتْ مُبيرَها
The Turks left him unmolested when they considered
his might; had they faced him, they would have met their destroyer.
أَزارَهمُhe sent to visit them أُسْدَthe lions of العرينِthe lair خَوادراًlurking in their dens
أَزارَهمُ أُسْدَ العرينِ خَوادراً
تُرَدِّدُrepeating فيamid غابِa forest of الرِّماحِlances زئيرَهاtheir roaring
تُرَدِّدُ في غابِ الرِّماحِ زئيرَها
He made the lair's lurking lions visit them,
repeating their roars amid a forest of lances:
كتائبَbattalions لوif لاقَيْنَthey had faced كِسرىKisrā وقدwhen already سَمتْthey had advanced
كتائبَ لو لاقَيْنَ كِسرى وقد سَمتْ
لإيوانِtoward the palace of كِسرىKisrā غادرَتْهُthey would have left him كسيرَهاtheir broken victim
لإيوانِ كِسرى غادرَتْهُ كسيرَها
battalions which, had they met Kisrā as they advanced
upon Kisrā's palace, would have left him broken.
ورامَتْand sought حُماةُthe champions of الرُّومِthe Byzantines لُقياهto meet him فاغتدَتْand so became
ورامَتْ حُماةُ الرُّومِ لُقياه فاغتدَتْ
مواقفُهاtheir positions يومَon the day of اللِّقاءِencounter قبورَهاtheir graves
مواقفُها يومَ اللِّقاءِ قبورَها
The champions of Byzantium sought to face him; thereupon,
their stations on the day of battle became their graves.
أمالَhe turned إليهمtoward them أوجُهَthe faces of الخيلِthe horses آلفاًaccustomed to
أمالَ إليهم أوجُهَ الخيلِ آلفاً
سُراهاtheir night marches إلىto أوطانِهمtheir homelands وبُكورَهاand their dawn rides
سُراها إلى أوطانِهم وبُكورَها
He turned the horses' faces toward them, accustomed to
their night marches into those homelands and their dawn rides.
وجاءَهُمُand there came to them فيon الرِّيحِthe wind رَيَّاthe fragrance of عَجاجَةٍa dust cloud
وجاءَهُمُ في الرِّيحِ رَيَّا عَجاجَةٍ
تَبُثُّscatters الصَّباthe east wind كافورَهاits camphor وعبيرَهاand its perfume
تَبُثُّ الصَّبا كافورَها وعبيرَها
Upon the wind came to them the fragrance of a dust cloud,
whose camphor and perfume the east wind scattered.
فحلَّso he unstrung بنَصْلِwith the blade of السيفِthe sword لُؤلُؤَthe pearls of تاجِهاits crown
فحلَّ بنَصْلِ السيفِ لُؤلُؤَ تاجِها
وحطَّand brought down بأطرافِwith the points of الرِّماحِthe lances سريرَهاits throne
وحطَّ بأطرافِ الرِّماحِ سريرَها
He unstrung its crown's pearls with his sword's blade,
and brought down its throne with the points of his lances.
وشَنَّand launched علىagainst الحُورِdark-eyed maidens الكواعبِthe full-breasted غارَةًa raid
وشَنَّ على الحُورِ الكواعبِ غارَةً
أغارَhe made jealous بهاby it غِيدَthe graceful among النِّساءِwomen وحُورَهاand their dark-eyed beauties
أغارَ بها غِيدَ النِّساءِ وحُورَها
He launched a raid upon dark-eyed, full-breasted maidens,
making the graceful and dark-eyed among women jealous thereby.
فإنْso if تَطْغَthey rebel يوماًone day عايَنَتْthey behold منهfrom him حَتفَهاtheir death
فإنْ تَطْغَ يوماً عايَنَتْ منه حَتفَها
وإنْand if تَستَجِرْthey seek refuge يوماًone day أضلَّتْthey lose مجيرَهاtheir protector
وإنْ تَستَجِرْ يوماً أضلَّتْ مجيرَها
If ever they rebel, they behold their death at his hands;
and if ever they seek refuge, they lose their protector.
وكمand how many حومَةٍa battlefield حامَتْcircled عُقابُthe eagle of لوائِهاits banner
وكم حومَةٍ حامَتْ عُقابُ لوائِها
عليكَabove you ونارُwhile the fire of الحربِwar تُذكيkindles سعيرَهاits blaze
عليكَ ونارُ الحربِ تُذكي سعيرَها
On how many a battlefield did its banner's eagle wheel
above you, while the fire of war kindled its blaze!
وشاهقةٍand a towering fortress يَحميguards الحِمامُdeath سهولَهاits easy slopes
وشاهقةٍ يَحمي الحِمامُ سهولَها
وتمنَعُand defend أسبابُthe instruments of المناياdeath وعورَهاits rugged terrain
وتمنَعُ أسبابُ المنايا وعورَها
And many a towering fortress, its easy slopes guarded by Death,
its rugged ways defended by the instruments of doom—
إذاwhen سترَتْveiled غُرُّthe bright masses of السَّحابِclouds وقدas they had سرَتْdrifted
إذا سترَتْ غُرُّ السَّحابِ وقد سرَتْ
جوانِبَهاits flanks خِلْتَyou would think السَّحابَthe clouds سُتورَهاits curtains
جوانِبَها خِلْتَ السَّحابَ سُتورَها
when bright clouds, drifting past, veiled
its flanks, you would think the clouds its curtains.
وإنْand if عادَreturned خوفاًin fear منof سُيوفِكَyour swords ربُّهاits lord
وإنْ عادَ خوفاً من سُيوفِكَ ربُّها
بِدِرَّتِهاwith its bounty أضحَىhe became لَديْكَbefore you أسيرَهاits captive
بِدِرَّتِها أضحَى لَديْكَ أسيرَها
Even if its lord returns, fearing your swords,
with its riches, he stands before you as its captive.
مُقيمٌa dweller تَمُرُّpass الطَّيرُthe birds دونَbelow مَقامِهhis dwelling
مُقيمٌ تَمُرُّ الطَّيرُ دونَ مَقامِه
فليسَso not تَرىsee عيناهhis two eyes إلاexcept ظُهورَهاtheir backs
فليسَ تَرى عيناه إلا ظُهورَها
He dwells where birds pass beneath his abode,
so his eyes see nothing of them but their backs.
ثَنَيْتَyou turned إلىtoward غاياتِهاits heights الأُسْدَthe lions فانثَنتْso they wheeled
ثَنَيْتَ إلى غاياتِها الأُسْدَ فانثَنتْ
تُساوِرُassailing بالبِيضِwith gleaming swords الصَّوارمِthe keen-edged سُورَهاits wall
تُساوِرُ بالبِيضِ الصَّوارمِ سُورَها
You turned the lions toward its heights, and they wheeled,
assailing its wall with gleaming, keen-edged swords.
وآثَرْتَand you favored بالعَدْلِwith justice الخلافةَthe caliphate فاعتلَىso rose
وآثَرْتَ بالعَدْلِ الخلافةَ فاعتلَى
سَناهاits radiance وكادand almost الجَوْرُtyranny يُخمِدُextinguish نورَهاits light
سَناها وكاد الجَوْرُ يُخمِدُ نورَها
You favored the caliphate with justice, and high rose
its radiance, when tyranny had almost quenched its light.
بعثْتَyou sent إليهاto it تَغْلِبَTaghlib ابنةَdaughter of وائلٍWāʾil
بعثْتَ إليها تَغْلِبَ ابنةَ وائلٍ
فكانَتْso they became وقدwhen already عَمَّspread everywhere الظَّلامُdarkness بُدورَهاits full moons
فكانَتْ وقد عَمَّ الظَّلامُ بُدورَها
You sent to it Taghlib, daughter of Wāʾil,
and, as darkness spread, they became its full moons.
فإنْfor if تُدْعَyou are summoned دونَbefore الأولياءthe allies لِنُصْرَةٍfor aid
فإنْ تُدْعَ دونَ الأولياء لِنُصْرَةٍ
عَليَّʿAlī بنَson of عبدِʿAbd (servant of) اللهِAllāh (God) تُدْعَyou are summoned نصيرَهاits champion
عَليَّ بنَ عبدِ اللهِ تُدْعَ نصيرَها
For if you are summoned for aid before the other allies,
O ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd Allāh, you are summoned as its champion.
أَتتْكَcame to you القوافيthe rhymes ظامئاتٍthirsting إلىfor النَّدىgenerosity
أَتتْكَ القوافي ظامئاتٍ إلى النَّدى
فأَوردْتَهاso you brought them to drink عَذْبَthe sweet of المياهِwaters نميرَهاtheir wholesome water
فأَوردْتَها عَذْبَ المياهِ نميرَها
The rhymes came to you thirsting for generosity,
and you brought them to sweet, wholesome water.
وعادَتْand they returned بكُفءِwith a worthy match منكَfrom you يُكثِرُwho increases مَهرَهاtheir bridal gift
وعادَتْ بكُفءِ منكَ يُكثِرُ مَهرَها
وقدand previously عَدِمَتْlacked أكفاءَهاtheir worthy matches ومُهورَهاand their bridal gifts
وقد عَدِمَتْ أكفاءَها ومُهورَها
They returned with a worthy match in you, who increases their bridal gift,
though they had lacked both worthy matches and bridal gifts.
فأيقنْتُso I became certain بالنُّجْحِof success الذيwhich كنتُI had been أرتجيhoping for
فأيقنْتُ بالنُّجْحِ الذي كنتُ أرتجي
لديكَwith you وعاينتُand I beheld المُنىhopes وغرورَهاand their delusions
لديكَ وعاينتُ المُنى وغرورَها
Thus I became certain of the success I had hoped for
with you, and beheld hopes and their delusions.
Sol 6.1