أَقصِرdesist فَإِنَّfor indeed الدَهرَTime لَيسَis not بِمُقصِرِdesisting
أَقصِر فَإِنَّ الدَهرَ لَيسَ بِمُقصِرِ
حَتّىuntil يَلُفَّit folds together مُقَدَّماًa foremost one بِمُؤَخَّرِwith a hindmost one
حَتّى يَلُفَّ مُقَدَّماً بِمُؤَخَّرِ
Desist, for Time will not desist,
until it folds the foremost together with the hindmost.
أَودىbrought death بِلُقمانَto Luqman بنِson of عادٍʿAd بَعدَماafter
أَودى بِلُقمانَ بنِ عادٍ بَعدَما
أَودَتbrought death شَبيبَتُهُhis youth بِسَبعَةِto seven أَنسُرِvultures
أَودَت شَبيبَتُهُ بِسَبعَةِ أَنسُرِ
It brought Luqman ibn ʿAd to his end, after
his youth had brought seven vultures to their end.
وَتَناوَلَand seized الضَحّاكَal-Dahhak مِنfrom خَلفِbehind القَناthe spears
وَتَناوَلَ الضَحّاكَ مِن خَلفِ القَنا
وَالمَشرَفِيَّةِand the Mashrafi swords وَالعَديدِand the host الأَكثَرِmore numerous
وَالمَشرَفِيَّةِ وَالعَديدِ الأَكثَرِ
And it seized al-Dahhak from behind the spears
and the Mashrafi swords and the larger host.
وَجَذيمَةَand Jadhimah الوَضّاحَal-Waddah عَطَّلَleft bereft تاجَهُhis crown
وَجَذيمَةَ الوَضّاحَ عَطَّلَ تاجَهُ
مِنهُof him وَأَتبَعَand followed تُبَّعاًTubbaʿ بِالمُنذِرِwith al-Mundhir
مِنهُ وَأَتبَعَ تُبَّعاً بِالمُنذِرِ
And Jadhimah al-Waddah—it left his crown bereft
of him, and made al-Mundhir follow Tubbaʿ.
وَإِذاand when ذَكَرتُI recall بَنيthe sons of عُبَيدٍʿUbayd عَبَّدواthey enslave
وَإِذا ذَكَرتُ بَني عُبَيدٍ عَبَّدوا
حُرَّpure الدُموعِtears لِلَوعَةِto the anguish of المُتَذَكِّرِthe one remembering
حُرَّ الدُموعِ لِلَوعَةِ المُتَذَكِّرِ
And when I recall the sons of ʿUbayd, they enslave
pure tears to the anguish of remembrance.
أَكَلَتهُمُdevoured them نُوَبُcalamities الزَمانِof time وَفَلَّلَتand blunted
أَكَلَتهُمُ نُوَبُ الزَمانِ وَفَلَّلَت
مِنfrom حَدِّthe edge of شَوكَتِهِمtheir might صُروفُvicissitudes الأَدهُرِof the ages
مِن حَدِّ شَوكَتِهِم صُروفُ الأَدهُرِ
Time's calamities devoured them; blunted
was their might's keen edge by the turns of the ages.
مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماwhen كانواthey were كَواكِبَstars of طَيِّئTayy
مِن بَعدِ ما كانوا كَواكِبَ طَيِّئ
عَدَداًin number غَدَواthey became وَهُمُand they are أَهِلَّةُcrescent moons of بُحتُرِBuhtur
عَدَداً غَدَوا وَهُمُ أَهِلَّةُ بُحتُرِ
After they had been the stars of Tayy
in number, they became the crescent moons of Buhtur.
قَلّواthey dwindled وَماbut not قَلَّتdwindled صَواعِقُthe thunderbolts of نارِهِمtheir fire
قَلّوا وَما قَلَّت صَواعِقُ نارِهِم
دُفَعاًin volleys بِصَحراءِin the desert of العَدُوِّthe enemy المُصحِرِventuring into the desert
دُفَعاً بِصَحراءِ العَدُوِّ المُصحِرِ
They dwindled, but the thunderbolts of their fire did not dwindle,
in volleys across the desert of the foe who ventures into the open.
وَأَرىand I see الضَغائِنَthe grudges لَيسَdo not تَخبوdie down مِنهُمُamong them
وَأَرى الضَغائِنَ لَيسَ تَخبو مِنهُمُ
فيin مَعشَرٍa clan إِلّاexcept that ذَكَتthey blaze up فيin مَعشَرِa clan
في مَعشَرٍ إِلّا ذَكَت في مَعشَرِ
And I see that their grudges never die down
in one clan without blazing up in another.
مَهلاًgently بَنيsons of شَملالَShamlal إِنَّindeed وُرودَكُمyour arrival
مَهلاً بَني شَملالَ إِنَّ وُرودَكُم
حَوضَthe pool of التَقاطُعِmutual estrangement غَيرُnot سَهلِeasy المَصدَرِdeparture
حَوضَ التَقاطُعِ غَيرُ سَهلِ المَصدَرِ
Gently, sons of Shamlal! Your coming
to the pool of broken ties offers no easy way out.
ماwhat بالَكُمails you تَتَقاذَفونَyou assail one another بِأَعيُنٍwith eyes
ما بالَكُم تَتَقاذَفونَ بِأَعيُنٍ
فيin لَحظِهاtheir glance جَمرُembers of الغَضاghada wood المُتَسَعِّرِblazing
في لَحظِها جَمرُ الغَضا المُتَسَعِّرِ
What ails you, assailing one another with eyes
whose glances hold the blazing embers of ghada wood?
تَتَجاذَبونَyou tug back and forth at المَجدَglory جَذبَthe tugging of تَعَجرُفٍarrogance
تَتَجاذَبونَ المَجدَ جَذبَ تَعَجرُفٍ
وَتَعَجرُفُand the arrogance of الأَمجادِthe nobles بَعضُpart of المُنكَرِthe reprehensible
وَتَعَجرُفُ الأَمجادِ بَعضُ المُنكَرِ
You tug at glory with arrogant force,
and arrogance among nobles is a reprehensible thing.
إِنَّindeed التَنازُعَcontention فيover الرِئاسَةِleadership زَلَّةٌa lapse
إِنَّ التَنازُعَ في الرِئاسَةِ زَلَّةٌ
لاnot تُستَقالُcan be pardoned وَدَعوَةٌand a call لَمnot تُنصَرِwas supported
لا تُستَقالُ وَدَعوَةٌ لَم تُنصَرِ
Contention for leadership is a lapse
that cannot be pardoned, and a call left unsupported.
أَفنىdestroyed أَوائِلَthe forebears of جُرهُمٍJurhum إِفراطُهُمtheir excess
أَفنى أَوائِلَ جُرهُمٍ إِفراطُهُم
فيهِin it وَأَسرَعَand sped فيthrough مَقاوِلِthe chieftains of حِميَرِHimyar
فيهِ وَأَسرَعَ في مَقاوِلِ حِميَرِ
Their excess destroyed the forebears of Jurhum
in this strife, and swiftly ravaged the chieftains of Himyar.
فَتَحاجَزواso disengage مِنfrom قَبلِbefore أَنthat تَتَناجَزواyou fight to the finish
فَتَحاجَزوا مِن قَبلِ أَن تَتَناجَزوا
عَنover مَنهَلٍa watering place صافٍclear وَرَبعٍand a dwelling مُقفِرِdesolate
عَن مَنهَلٍ صافٍ وَرَبعٍ مُقفِرِ
So disengage before you fight to the finish
over a clear watering place and a desolate dwelling,
حَتّىuntil تَكَسَّرَshatter أَعظُمٌbones فيin جابِرٍJabir
حَتّى تَكَسَّرَ أَعظُمٌ في جابِرٍ
وَهناًby night وَتَسهَرَand stay awake أَعيُنٌeyes فيin مُسهِرِMus-hir
وَهناً وَتَسهَرَ أَعيُنٌ في مُسهِرِ
until bones shatter in Jabir
by night, and eyes in Mus-hir lie sleepless.
وَتَذَكَّرواand remember حَربَthe war of الفَسادِruin وَماand what مَرَتit milked
وَتَذَكَّروا حَربَ الفَسادِ وَما مَرَت
لِلأَبرَهَينِfor the two Abrahahs مِنَof الأُجاجِbitter brine الأَكدَرِturbid
لِلأَبرَهَينِ مِنَ الأُجاجِ الأَكدَرِ
And remember the war of ruin, and what it milked
for the two Abrahahs of bitter, turbid brine.
نَقَلاthe two removed جَديلَةَJadilah عَنfrom فَضاءٍan expanse واسِعٍwide
نَقَلا جَديلَةَ عَن فَضاءٍ واسِعٍ
وَحَدائِقٍand gardens غُلبٍthick-treed وَرَوضٍand meadowland أَخضَرِgreen
وَحَدائِقٍ غُلبٍ وَرَوضٍ أَخضَرِ
They removed Jadilah from a wide expanse
and thick-treed gardens and green meadowland.
وَمِنَand among العَجائِبِthe marvels أَنَّthat غُلَّthe rancor in صُدورِكُمyour breasts
وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ أَنَّ غُلَّ صُدورِكُم
لَمnot يُطفَwas extinguished لِلحَدَثِby the calamity الجَليلِmomentous الأَكبَرِgreatest
لَم يُطفَ لِلحَدَثِ الجَليلِ الأَكبَرِ
And among the marvels is that the rancor in your breasts
was not quenched by the most momentous calamity:
لِمُصيبَةٍat a calamity بِأَبيbefalling Abu عُبَيدٍʿUbayd أَردَفَتit followed up
لِمُصيبَةٍ بِأَبي عُبَيدٍ أَردَفَت
بِأَبيwith Abu حُمَيدٍHumayd بَعدَهُafter him وَمُبَشِّرِand Mubashshir
بِأَبي حُمَيدٍ بَعدَهُ وَمُبَشِّرِ
the loss of Abu ʿUbayd, followed
by Abu Humayd after him, and Mubashshir.
وَلَوَand if اَنَّهُمthat they مِنfrom هَضبِthe crags of أَعفَرَAʿfar ثُلِّمواwere chipped away
وَلَوَ اَنَّهُم مِن هَضبِ أَعفَرَ ثُلِّموا
لَتَتابَعَتwould surely have followed one another قِطَعاًin fragments ذَوائِبُthe summits of أَعفَرِAʿfar
لَتَتابَعَت قِطَعاً ذَوائِبُ أَعفَرِ
And had they been chipped away from the crags of Aʿfar,
Aʿfar's summits would have fallen in fragments, one after another.
كانواthey were ثَلاثَةَthree أَبحُرٍseas أَفضىbrought بِهاthem
كانوا ثَلاثَةَ أَبحُرٍ أَفضى بِها
وَلَعُthe obsession of المَنونِDeath إِلىto ثَلاثَةِthree أَقبُرِgraves
وَلَعُ المَنونِ إِلى ثَلاثَةِ أَقبُرِ
They were three seas, brought
by Death's obsession into three graves.
وَأَرىand I see شُمَيلاًShumayl لِلفَناءِtoward death وَبارِعاًand Bariʿ
وَأَرى شُمَيلاً لِلفَناءِ وَبارِعاً
يَتَأَوَّدانِthe two stoop وَمَنand whoever يُعَمَّرis given long life يَكبُرِgrows old
يَتَأَوَّدانِ وَمَن يُعَمَّر يَكبُرِ
And I see Shumayl and Bariʿ, bound for death,
both stooping; whoever lives long grows old.
رَكِباthe two rode upon القَناthe spears مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماwhen حَمَلاthe two carried القَناthe spears
رَكِبا القَنا مِن بَعدِ ما حَمَلا القَنا
فيin عَسكَرٍan army مُتَحامِلٍbearing down فيagainst عَسكَرِan army
في عَسكَرٍ مُتَحامِلٍ في عَسكَرِ
They now lean upon spear-shafts, after once bearing spears
in an army bearing down upon another army.
شَيخانِtwo old men قَدalready ثَقُلَgrew heavy السِلاحُthe weaponry عَلَيهِماupon them both
شَيخانِ قَد ثَقُلَ السِلاحُ عَلَيهِما
وَعَداهُماand deserted them both رَأيُthe judgment of السَميعِthe keen-eared المُبصِرِthe clear-eyed
وَعَداهُما رَأيُ السَميعِ المُبصِرِ
Two old men: weapons have grown heavy upon them,
and the judgment of the keen-eared, clear-eyed has deserted them.
لاnot يُدعَيانِare the two called إِلىto اِختِنالِstratagem (uncertain form) مُقاتِلِa combatant
لا يُدعَيانِ إِلى اِختِنالِ مُقاتِلِ
يَومَon the day of اللِقاءِbattle وَلاnor اِحتِيالِthe cunning of مُدَبِّرِa strategist
يَومَ اللِقاءِ وَلا اِحتِيالِ مُدَبِّرِ
They are not called upon for a combatant's stratagem
on the day of battle, nor for a strategist's cunning.
مِنof غائِبٍone absent عَمّاfrom what عَناكُمconcerns you لَمnot يَغِبbe absent
مِن غائِبٍ عَمّا عَناكُم لَم يَغِب
دَرَكَthe reach of العُيونِeyes وَحاضِرٍand one present لَمnot يَحضُرِattend
دَرَكَ العُيونِ وَحاضِرٍ لَم يَحضُرِ
Absent from what concerns you, yet not beyond
the reach of eyes; present, yet not truly present.
أَوor ماnot تَرَونَyou see الشامِتينَthose gloating أَمامَكُمbefore you
أَو ما تَرَونَ الشامِتينَ أَمامَكُم
وَوَراءَكُمand behind you مِنincluding مُضمِرٍone concealing أَوor مُظهِرِone displaying
وَوَراءَكُم مِن مُضمِرٍ أَو مُظهِرِ
Or do you not see the gloaters before you
and behind you, whether hiding it or showing it,
عَنfor غَيرِno ذَنبٍfault جِئتُموهُyou committed it سِوىexcept عُلاًlofty honors
عَن غَيرِ ذَنبٍ جِئتُموهُ سِوى عُلاً
زُهرٍradiant لِجَدِّكُمُof your forefather الأَغَرِّbright-browed الأَزهَرِresplendent
زُهرٍ لِجَدِّكُمُ الأَغَرِّ الأَزهَرِ
for no fault you have committed, save the lofty,
radiant honors of your bright-browed, resplendent forefather?
وَكَأَنَّماand as though شَرَفَthe honor of الشَريفِthe nobleman إِذاwhen اِنتَمىhe declares his lineage
وَكَأَنَّما شَرَفَ الشَريفِ إِذا اِنتَمى
جُرمٌa crime جَناهُhe committed it إِلىagainst الوَضيعِthe lowly man الأَصغَرِthe lesser
جُرمٌ جَناهُ إِلى الوَضيعِ الأَصغَرِ
And it is as though a nobleman's honor, when he declares his lineage,
were a crime he had committed against the lowly, lesser man.
Sol 6.1