إِنif تَرىyou see رَأسِيَmy head فيهِin it قَزَعٌscattered tufts
إِن تَرى رَأسِيَ فيهِ قَزَعٌ
وَشَواتيand my scalp خَلَّةًa bare patch فيهاin it دُوارُa ring
وَشَواتي خَلَّةً فيها دُوارُ
If you see scattered tufts upon my head,
If you see my head has become hoary,
and my scalp a bare patch with a ring,
And my temples have become bare of hair,
أَصبَحَتit became مِنfrom بَعدِafter لَونٍa color واحدٍsingle
أَصبَحَت مِن بَعدِ لَونٍ واحدٍ
وَهيَand it is لَونانِtwo colors وَفيand in ذاكَthat اِعتِبارُa lesson
وَهيَ لَونانِ وَفي ذاكَ اِعتِبارُ
it has become, after being a single color,
They were once of a single color,
two-colored—and in that is a lesson.
But are now two colors, and in that is a lesson.
فَصُروفُso the vicissitudes of الدَهرِTime فيin أَطباقِهِits successive phases
فَصُروفُ الدَهرِ في أَطباقِهِ
خِلعَةٌa robe فيهاin it اِرتِفاعٌascent وَاِنحِدارُand descent
خِلعَةٌ فيها اِرتِفاعٌ وَاِنحِدارُ
For Time's vicissitudes, through its successive phases,
The turns of fate in its cycles
are a robe with ascent and descent.
Are a garment, rising and falling.
بَينَماwhile الناسُthe people علىupon عَليائِهاits heights
بَينَما الناسُ على عَليائِها
إِذsuddenly هَوَواthey plunged فيinto هُوَّةٍan abyss مِنهاof it فَغارواthen sank out of sight
إِذ هَوَوا في هُوَّةٍ مِنها فَغاروا
While people stand upon its heights,
While people in their pride
suddenly they plunge into its abyss and sink from sight.
Suddenly plunge into an abyss and are gone.
إِنَّماonly نِعمَةُprosperity قَومٍof a people مُتعَةٌtemporary enjoyment
إِنَّما نِعمَةُ قَومٍ مُتعَةٌ
وَحَياةُand the life of المَرءِa person ثَوبٌa garment مُستَعارُborrowed
وَحَياةُ المَرءِ ثَوبٌ مُستَعارُ
A people's prosperity is only a passing enjoyment,
The blessings of a people are but a loan,
and a person's life is a borrowed garment.
And a man's life is a borrowed garb.
وَلَياليهِand his nights إِلالٌspears لِلقُوىagainst the strands of strength
وَلَياليهِ إِلالٌ لِلقُوى
مِنfrom مُداهَits knives تَختَليهاthey mow them down وَشِفارُand cutting edges
مِن مُداهَ تَختَليها وَشِفارُ
And his nights are spears against his strands of strength,
Its nights sap his strength
from Time's knives that mow them down, and cutting edges.
Cutting it down, while the horizons gleam red.
تَقطَعُcuts اللَيلَةُthe night مِنهُfrom him قُوَّةًa strand of strength
تَقطَعُ اللَيلَةُ مِنهُ قُوَّةً
وَكَماand whenever كَرَّتit returned عَلَيهِupon him لاnot تُغارُis twisted anew
وَكَما كَرَّت عَلَيهِ لا تُغارُ
Each night cuts a strand from him,
The night takes from him a power,
and as often as it returns upon him, none is twisted anew.
And as it revolves around him it does not diminish.
حَتَمَdecreed الدَهرُTime عَلَيناupon us أَنَّهُthat it
حَتَمَ الدَهرُ عَلَينا أَنَّهُ
ظَلَفٌunrequited ماwhatever نالَit took مِنّاfrom us وَجُبارُand uncompensated
ظَلَفٌ ما نالَ مِنّا وَجُبارُ
Time has decreed for us that
Fate has decreed for us that it
whatever it takes from us goes unavenged and uncompensated.
Is a darkness that cannot be dispelled by might.
فَلَهُso it has فيin كُلِّevery يَومٍday عَدوَةٌan assault
فَلَهُ في كُلِّ يَومٍ عَدوَةٌ
لَيسَthere is no عَنهاfrom it لِاِمرِئٍfor a man طارَtakes flight مَطارُescape in flight
لَيسَ عَنها لِاِمرِئٍ طارَ مَطارُ
Each day it makes an assault,
Each day it has a new adversity,
from which no man, even in flight, can escape.
From which no man of foresight escapes unscathed.
رَيَّشَتfletched جُرهُمُJurhum نَبلاًarrows فَرَمىthen struck
رَيَّشَت جُرهُمُ نَبلاً فَرَمى
جُرهُماًJurhum مِنهُنَّof those arrows فوقٌnocks وَغِرارُand cutting edges
جُرهُماً مِنهُنَّ فوقٌ وَغِرارُ
Jurhum fletched arrows; then they struck
They unleashed their asperity upon us and shot
Jurhum itself, with their nocks and cutting edges.
Their arrows above and below.
عَلَّمواthey taught الطَعنَspear-thrusting مَعَدّاًMa'add فيinto الكُلىthe kidneys
عَلَّموا الطَعنَ مَعَدّاً في الكُلى
وَاِدِّراعَand donning اللَأَمِarmor فَالطَرفُso the eye يَحارُis dazzled
وَاِدِّراعَ اللَأَمِ فَالطَرفُ يَحارُ
They taught Ma'add to thrust into the kidneys,
They taught stab wounds in the kidneys,
and to don armor, so that the eye is dazzled,
And the cutting of tendons, leaving the victim confused.
وَرُكوبَand riding الخَيلِhorses تَعدوالمَرَطىgalloping at full stretch
وَرُكوبَ الخَيلِ تَعدوالمَرَطى
قَدalready عَلاهاcovered them نَجَدٌsweat فيهِin it اِحمِرارُredness
قَد عَلاها نَجَدٌ فيهِ اِحمِرارُ
and to ride horses galloping at full stretch,
And charging on horseback, speeding across the plain,
already covered in sweat tinged with red.
The horses' necks dyed red in gallantry.
ياO بَنيsons of هاجَرَHagar ساءَتwas evil خُطَّةًa course
يا بَني هاجَرَ ساءَت خُطَّةً
أَنto تَرومواyou seek النِصفَequality مِنّاwith us وَنُجارُand lineage
أَن تَروموا النِصفَ مِنّا وَنُجارُ
O sons of Hagar, an evil course it is
O sons of Hagar, evil was the idea
to seek equality with us in standing and lineage.
That you should attack and dispossess us!
إِنif يَجُلwheels مُهرِيَmy colt فيكُمamong you جَولَةًone turn
إِن يَجُل مُهرِيَ فيكُم جَولَةً
فَعَلَيهِthen he must الكَرُّcharging back فيكُمamong you وَالغِوارُand raiding
فَعَلَيهِ الكَرُّ فيكُم وَالغِوارُ
If my colt wheels once among you,
If my dowry circulates among you for a round,
then he must charge back among you and raid.
The responsibility among you is to restore it fully.
كَشِهابِlike a meteor القَذفِhurling يَرميكُمhe pelts you بِهwith it
كَشِهابِ القَذفِ يَرميكُم بِه
فارِسٌa horseman فيin كَفِّهِhis palm لِلحَربِfor war نارُfire
فارِسٌ في كَفِّهِ لِلحَربِ نارُ
Like a hurled meteor, launched at you by
A horseman hurls it at you
a horseman with a fire for war in his palm.
Like a shooting star, his palm holding the fire of war.
شَنَّhe launched مِنfrom أَودٍAwd عَلَيكُمagainst you شَنَّةًa raid
شَنَّ مِن أَودٍ عَلَيكُم شَنَّةً
إِنَّهُindeed he يَحميprotects حِماهاher protected territory وَيَغارُand guards jealously
إِنَّهُ يَحمي حِماها وَيَغارُ
He launched a raid against you from Awd;
He who has protected his honor from you
he protects her domain and guards it jealously.
Now wages battle and is jealous for it.
فارِسٌa horseman صَعدَتُهُhis spear مَسمومَةٌpoisoned
فارِسٌ صَعدَتُهُ مَسمومَةٌ
تَخضِبُstains الرُمحَthe lance إِذاwhen طارَflies up الغُبارُthe dust
تَخضِبُ الرُمحَ إِذا طارَ الغُبارُ
A horseman whose spear is poisoned,
A knight whose steed is well-trained,
staining the lance when the dust flies.
Staining the lance when the dust rises.
مُستَطيرٌenraged لَيسnot مِنfrom جَهلٍfolly وَهَلand is there
مُستَطيرٌ لَيس مِن جَهلٍ وَهَل
لِأَخيfor a man of الحِلمِforbearance عَلىamid الحَربِwar وَقارُcomposure
لِأَخي الحِلمِ عَلى الحَربِ وَقارُ
Enraged, but not from folly—and is there
He charges not out of ignorance and recklessness,
composure in war for a man of forbearance?
But with dignified forbearance for war.
يَحلُمُshows forbearance الجاهِلُthe fool لِلسِلمِfor peace وَلاand not
يَحلُمُ الجاهِلُ لِلسِلمِ وَلا
يَقِرُremains الحِلمُforbearance إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle القَومُthe people غارواthey raided
يَقِرُ الحِلمُ إِذا ما القَومُ غاروا
The fool is forbearing for the sake of peace, but
The fool shows tolerance to be spared,
forbearance does not endure when the people raid.
While the forbearing cannot restrain themselves when war comes.
نَحنُwe أَودٌAwd وَلِأَودٍand Awd has سُنَّةٌa tradition
نَحنُ أَودٌ وَلِأَودٍ سُنَّةٌ
شَرَفٌhonor لَيسَthere is no لَناfor us عَنهُfrom it قَصارُdesisting
شَرَفٌ لَيسَ لَنا عَنهُ قَصارُ
We are Awd, and Awd has a tradition:
We are the tribe of Awd, and for Awd there is a precedent
honor, from which we never draw back.
Of glory, which for us cannot be diminished.
سُنَّةٌa tradition أَورَثناهاbequeathed it to us مَذحِجٌMadhhij
سُنَّةٌ أَورَثناها مَذحِجٌ
قَبلَbefore أَنthat يُنسَبَwas reckoned by lineage لِلناسِamong people نِزارُNizar
قَبلَ أَن يُنسَبَ لِلناسِ نِزارُ
A tradition Madhhij bequeathed to us
A precedent we inherited from Mudhij
before Nizar was reckoned in people's genealogies.
Before Nasr was attributed to the people.
نَحنُwe قُدناwe led الخَيلَthe horses حَتّىuntil اِنقَطَعَتbecame cut off
نَحنُ قُدنا الخَيلَ حَتّى اِنقَطَعَت
شُدُنُthe sturdy young ones الأَفلاءِof the foals عَنهاfrom them وَالمِهارُand the colts
شُدُنُ الأَفلاءِ عَنها وَالمِهارُ
We led the horses until left behind were
We trained horses until the leather straps
their sturdy foals and colts.
Were cut from their chests and withers.
كُلَّماwhenever سِرناwe marched تَرَكناwe left مَنزِلاًa campsite
كُلَّما سِرنا تَرَكنا مَنزِلاً
فيهِin it شَتّىvarious kinds مِنof سِباعِbeasts of prey الأَرضِthe earth غارواthey descended
فيهِ شَتّى مِن سِباعِ الأَرضِ غاروا
Whenever we marched, we left a campsite
Whenever we marched we left behind a place
where various beasts of prey of the earth had descended.
Where beasts of the land had banded together in dens.
وَتَرىand you see الطَيرَthe birds عَلىupon آثارِناour tracks
وَتَرى الطَيرَ عَلى آثارِنا
رَأيَsight عَينٍeye ثِقَةًconfident أَنthat سَتُمارُthey will be provisioned
رَأيَ عَينٍ ثِقَةً أَن سَتُمارُ
And you see the birds upon our tracks,
You could see birds above our trail
plain before your eyes, confident that they will be fed.
Peering down, confident that it would continue.
جَحفَلٌa great host أَورَقَgray فيهِin it هَبوَةٌa dust cloud
جَحفَلٌ أَورَقَ فيهِ هَبوَةٌ
وَنُجومٌand stars تَتَلَظّىblaze وَشَرارُand sparks
وَنُجومٌ تَتَلَظّى وَشَرارُ
A gray host, with a cloud of dust in its midst,
A mass of cloud pregnant with rain,
and stars ablaze, and sparks.
And stars flaring and flashing.
تَرَكَleft الناسُthe people لَناto us أَكتافَهُمtheir shoulders
تَرَكَ الناسُ لَنا أَكتافَهُم
وَتَوَلَّواand they turned away لاتَtoo late لَمdid not يُغنِavail الفِرارُflight
وَتَوَلَّوا لاتَ لَم يُغنِ الفِرارُ
The people left their backs exposed to us
The people deserted us, showing us their backs,
and turned to flee—too late; flight availed nothing.
And fled, though fleeing does not ward off destiny.
مُلكُناour dominion مُلكٌa dominion لَقاحٌindependent أَوَّلٌancient
مُلكُنا مُلكٌ لَقاحٌ أَوَّلٌ
وَأَبوناand our father مِنamong بَنيsons of أَودٍAwd خِيارُthe finest
وَأَبونا مِن بَني أَودٍ خِيارُ
Our dominion is an ancient, independent dominion,
Our kingdom is an ancient, original kingdom,
and our father is among the finest sons of Awd.
And the best of our people are the tribe of Awd.
وَلَقَدand indeed كُنتُمyou were حَديثاًrecently زَمَعاًdewclaws
وَلَقَد كُنتُم حَديثاً زَمَعاً
وَذُنابىand tail-ends حَيثُwhere يَحتَلُّdwells الصَغارُhumiliation
وَذُنابى حَيثُ يَحتَلُّ الصَغارُ
And indeed, only lately you were mere dewclaws,
Not long ago you were few in number,
and tail-ends, where humiliation dwells.
Like the tail tufts of lambs among the young.
نَحنُwe أَصحابُwielders of شَباًsharp points يَومَthe day of شَباShaba
نَحنُ أَصحابُ شَباً يَومَ شَبا
بِصِفاحِwith the broad blades of البيضِthe white swords فيهِنَّin them اِظِّفارُvictory
بِصِفاحِ البيضِ فيهِنَّ اِظِّفارُ
We are wielders of sharp points on the day of Shaba,
We are the people of valor on the day of valor,
with the broad blades of white swords, in which lies victory.
When white hands flashing in it are taloned.
عَنكُمُstand aside, you فيin الأَرضِthe land إِنّاindeed we are مَذحِجٌMadhhij
عَنكُمُ في الأَرضِ إِنّا مَذحِجٌ
وَرُوَيداًand wait a little يَفضَحُlays bare اللَيلَthe night النَهارُthe day
وَرُوَيداً يَفضَحُ اللَيلَ النَهارُ
Stand aside in the land: we are Madhhij.
Away from you across the land we are Mudhij,
And wait a little: the day lays bare the night.
And steadily the night betrays the day.
Sol 6.1