أَقَصرَdesist حُمَيدٍHumayd لاno عَزاءَsolace لِمُغرَمِfor one consumed by love
أَقَصرَ حُمَيدٍ لا عَزاءَ لِمُغرَمِ
وَلاand no قَصرَrestraint عَنfrom دَمعٍtears وَإِنand even if كانَthey are مِنof دَمِblood
وَلا قَصرَ عَن دَمعٍ وَإِن كانَ مِن دَمِ
Desist, Humayd: there is no solace for one captive to love,
The mansion of Humaid has no consolation for the lovesick,
nor any withholding tears, even if they are blood.
Nor does it lack tears, even if it is made of blood.
أَفيis it in كُلِّevery عامٍyear لاnot تَزالُyou cease مُرَوَّعاًappalled
أَفي كُلِّ عامٍ لا تَزالُ مُرَوَّعاً
بِفَذِّby a single نَعِيٍّdeath announcement تارَةًat times أَوor بِتَوأَمِby a pair
بِفَذِّ نَعِيٍّ تارَةً أَو بِتَوأَمِ
Must you every year remain appalled
Every year you continue to be terrified
by a single death announcement now, or by a pair?
By news of calamity, now and then.
مَضىpassed away أَهلُكَyour kin الأَخيارُthe noble إِلّاexcept أَقَلَّهُمa very few of them
مَضى أَهلُكَ الأَخيارُ إِلّا أَقَلَّهُم
وَبادواand they perished كَماas بادَتperished أَوائِلُthe earliest generations of جُرهُمِJurhum
وَبادوا كَما بادَت أَوائِلُ جُرهُمِ
Your noble kin have passed away, save a very few,
Your best people have passed away except for a few.
and perished as the earliest generations of Jurhum perished.
They perished as the tips of their lances perished.
فَصِرتَso you became كَعُشٍّlike a nest خَلَّفَتهُits fledglings left it فِراخُهُits fledglings
فَصِرتَ كَعُشٍّ خَلَّفَتهُ فِراخُهُ
بِعَلياءِat the height of فَرعِthe branch of الأَثلَةِthe tamarisk المُتَهَشِّمِshattered
بِعَلياءِ فَرعِ الأَثلَةِ المُتَهَشِّمِ
So you have become like a nest its fledglings have left,
Thus you became like a nest whose chicks abandoned it
high on the shattered branch of a tamarisk.
On the branches of withering oleander.
أَحَبَّloved بَنوكَyour sons المَكرُماتِnoble deeds فَفُرِّقَتso was scattered
أَحَبَّ بَنوكَ المَكرُماتِ فَفُرِّقَت
جَماعَتُهُمtheir company فيin كُلِّevery دَهياءَcalamity صَيلَمِdevastating
جَماعَتُهُم في كُلِّ دَهياءَ صَيلَمِ
Your sons loved noble deeds, and so was scattered
Your noble children loved each other, but they were separated,
their company in every devastating calamity.
Their group in every low valley.
تَدانَتdrew near مَناياهُمtheir deaths بِهِمto them وَتَباعَدَتand grew far apart
تَدانَت مَناياهُم بِهِم وَتَباعَدَت
مَضاجِعُهُمtheir resting places عَنfrom تُربِكَyour soil المُتَنَسَّمِwhose scent is breathed
مَضاجِعُهُم عَن تُربِكَ المُتَنَسَّمِ
Their deaths drew close around them, while far apart lay
Their deaths drew near them while their resting places grew distant
their resting places, far from your fragrant soil.
From your scented soil.
فَكُلٌّso each one لَهُhas for himself قَبرٌa grave غَريبٌlonely بِبَلدَةٍin a land
فَكُلٌّ لَهُ قَبرٌ غَريبٌ بِبَلدَةٍ
فَمِنso among them مُنجِدٍone in Najd نائيdistant الضَريحِin tomb وَمُتهِمِand one in Tihamah
فَمِن مُنجِدٍ نائي الضَريحِ وَمُتهِمِ
Each has a lonely grave in some land,
Each has a lonely grave in a country,
one in Najd, his tomb far away, and another in Tihamah.
So some are far from Munjid and some from Mutahim.
قُبورٌgraves بِأَطرافِat the edges of الثُغورِthe frontier lands كَأَنَّماas though
قُبورٌ بِأَطرافِ الثُغورِ كَأَنَّما
مَواقِعُهاtheir locations مِنهاwithin them مَواقِعُthe locations of أَنجُمِstars
مَواقِعُها مِنها مَواقِعُ أَنجُمِ
Graves at the edges of the frontier lands, as though
Graves are on the edges of the frontiers as if
their places there were the places of stars.
Their positions there are positions of stars.
بِشاهِقَةِon the lofty height of البَذَّينِal-Badhdhayn قَبرُthe grave of مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad
بِشاهِقَةِ البَذَّينِ قَبرُ مُحَمَّدٍ
بَعيدٌfar عَنِfrom الباكينَthe weepers فيin كُلِّevery مَأتَمِmourning gathering
بَعيدٌ عَنِ الباكينَ في كُلِّ مَأتَمِ
On the lofty height of al-Badhdhayn lies Muhammad's grave,
In lofty Al-Nibaj is the grave of Muhammad,
far from those who weep at every mourning gathering.
Far from the weepers in every funeral.
تَشُقُّrends عَلَيهِover him الريحُthe wind كُلَّevery عَشِيَّةٍevening
تَشُقُّ عَلَيهِ الريحُ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ
جُيوبَthe bosoms of الغَمامِthe clouds بَينَbetween بَكرٍa maiden وَأَيَّمِand a widow
جُيوبَ الغَمامِ بَينَ بَكرٍ وَأَيَّمِ
Each evening the wind rends over him
The wind tears open for him every evening
the bosoms of clouds, maidens and widows alike.
The bosoms of clouds between dawn and dusk.
وَقَبرانِand two graves فيin أَعلىthe upper part of النِباجِal-Nibaj سَقَتهُماwatered them both
وَقَبرانِ في أَعلى النِباجِ سَقَتهُما
بُروقُthe flashes of سُيوفِthe swords of الغَوثِal-Ghawth غَيثاًwith rain مِنَof الدَمِblood
بُروقُ سُيوفِ الغَوثِ غَيثاً مِنَ الدَمِ
And two graves in upper al-Nibaj were watered
And two graves are atop Al-Qatul which
by the flashes of al-Ghawth's swords with a rain of blood.
Were watered by the lightning of swords with blood.
أَقَبراare the two graves of أَبيAbu نَصرٍNasr وَقَحطَبَةٍand Qahtabah هُماthey both
أَقَبرا أَبي نَصرٍ وَقَحطَبَةٍ هُما
بِحَيثُwhere هُماthey both are أَمor يَذبُلٍYadhbul وَيَرَمرَمِand Yaramram
بِحَيثُ هُما أَم يَذبُلٍ وَيَرَمرَمِ
Are they the graves of Abu Nasr and Qahtabah,
They are my father Nasr and Qahtaba where they are,
there where they lie—or Yadhbul and Yaramram?
Or are they withering and decaying?
وَبِالموصِلِand in Mosul الزَهراءِthe radiant مُلحَدُthe burial niche of أَحمَدٍAhmad
وَبِالموصِلِ الزَهراءِ مُلحَدُ أَحمَدٍ
وَبَينَand among رُبىthe hills of القاطولِal-Qatul مَضجَعُthe resting place of أَصرَمِAsram
وَبَينَ رُبى القاطولِ مَضجَعُ أَصرَمِ
In radiant Mosul is Ahmad's grave,
And in beautiful Mosul is the atheist grave of Ahmad,
and among the hills of al-Qatul lies Asram's resting place.
And between Ruba and Al-Qatul is the resting place of Asram.
وَكَمand how many طَلَبَتهُمsought them مِنof سَوابِقِrushing عَبرَةٍtears
وَكَم طَلَبَتهُم مِن سَوابِقِ عَبرَةٍ
مَتىwhen ماever تُنَهنَهthey are restrained بِالمَلامَةِby reproach تَسجُمِthey stream
مَتى ما تُنَهنَه بِالمَلامَةِ تَسجُمِ
How many rushing tears have sought them out,
How often did the outpourings of devotion seek them
streaming whenever reproach tries to restrain them.
Whenever it was stirred to blame by the darkness.
نَوادِبُlamenting women فيin أَقصىthe farthest reaches of خُراسانَKhurasan جاوَبَتanswered
نَوادِبُ في أَقصى خُراسانَ جاوَبَت
نَوائِحَmourning women فيin بَغدادَBaghdad بُحَّhoarse التَرَنُّمِin chanting
نَوائِحَ في بَغدادَ بُحَّ التَرَنُّمِ
Women lamenting in farthest Khurasan answered
Mourners in the farthest part of Khurasan answered
mourners in Baghdad, hoarse in their chanting.
The lamentations in Baghdad in murmuring song.
لَهُنَّthe women have عَلَيهِمover them حَنَّةٌa yearning cry بَعدَafter أَنَّةٍa groan
لَهُنَّ عَلَيهِم حَنَّةٌ بَعدَ أَنَّةٍ
وَوَجدٌand anguish كَدُفّاعِlike the surges of الحَريقِthe fire المُضَرَّمِfiercely kindled
وَوَجدٌ كَدُفّاعِ الحَريقِ المُضَرَّمِ
Over them the women utter a yearning cry after each groan,
For them the sorrow after sorrow,
and feel anguish like the surges of a fiercely kindled fire.
And passion like the burning embers.
أَباO Abu غانِمٍGhanim أَردىkilled بَنيكَyour sons اِعتِقادُهُمtheir conviction
أَبا غانِمٍ أَردى بَنيكَ اِعتِقادُهُم
بِأَنَّthat الرَدىdeath فيin الحَربِwar أَكرَمُthe noblest مَغنَمِprize
بِأَنَّ الرَدى في الحَربِ أَكرَمُ مَغنَمِ
Abu Ghanim, your sons were slain by their conviction
Abu Ghanim, your children’s faith led them to destruction,
that death in war is the noblest prize.
To hold that destruction in war is the most noble gain.
مَضواthey went forth يَستَلِذّونَsavoring المَناياdeaths حَفيظَةًout of zealous honor
مَضوا يَستَلِذّونَ المَنايا حَفيظَةً
وَحِفظاًand to preserve لِذاكَthat السُؤدُدِlordship المُتَقَدِّمِlong-established
وَحِفظاً لِذاكَ السُؤدُدِ المُتَقَدِّمِ
They went forth savoring death, out of zealous honor,
They went happily to meet their deaths, preserving
and to preserve that long-established lordship.
That advancing glory and honor.
وَماand not طَعَنواthey thrust إِلّاexcept بِرُمحٍwith a spear مُوَصَّلٍmended
وَما طَعَنوا إِلّا بِرُمحٍ مُوَصَّلٍ
وَماand not ضَرَبواthey struck إِلّاexcept بِسَيفٍwith a sword مُثَلَّمِnotched
وَما ضَرَبوا إِلّا بِسَيفٍ مُثَلَّمِ
They thrust only with a mended spear,
They stabbed only with a sharp spear,
and struck only with a notched sword.
And struck only with a notched sword.
وَلَمّاand when رَأَواthey saw بَعضَsome of الحَياةِlife مَذَلَّةًa humiliation
وَلَمّا رَأَوا بَعضَ الحَياةِ مَذَلَّةً
عَلَيهِمfor them وَعِزَّand the honor of المَوتِdeath غَيرَnot مُحَرَّمِforbidden
عَلَيهِم وَعِزَّ المَوتِ غَيرَ مُحَرَّمِ
And when they saw some forms of life were a humiliation
And when they saw that some of life was disgraceful to them
to them, and death's honor was not forbidden,
While death was not forbidden to them,
أَبَواthey refused أَنto يَذوقواtaste العَيشَlife وَالذَمُّwhile blame واقِعٌlay
أَبَوا أَن يَذوقوا العَيشَ وَالذَمُّ واقِعٌ
عَلَيهِupon it وَماتواand they died مَيتَةًa death لَمnot تُذَمَّمِcondemned
عَلَيهِ وَماتوا مَيتَةً لَم تُذَمَّمِ
they refused to taste life while blame lay
They refused to taste life and blame, which had fallen upon it,
upon it, and died a death that was not condemned.
And died an unblemished death.
وَكُلُّهُمُand each of them أَفضىcame إِلَيهِto him حِمامُهُhis destined death
وَكُلُّهُمُ أَفضى إِلَيهِ حِمامُهُ
أَميراًas a commander عَلىover تَدبيرِthe direction of جَيشٍan army عَرَمرَمِmighty
أَميراً عَلى تَدبيرِ جَيشٍ عَرَمرَمِ
To each of them his destined death came
And each was led to it by the zeal of his soul
as a commander directing a mighty army.
As the commander of a tottering army.
تَوَلّىdealt الرَدىdeath مِنهُمamong them بِهَبَّةِwith the spring of صارِمٍa keen sword
تَوَلّى الرَدى مِنهُم بِهَبَّةِ صارِمٍ
وَمَجَّةِand the spitting of ثُعبانٍa serpent وَعَدوَةِand the charge of ضَيغَمِa lion
وَمَجَّةِ ثُعبانٍ وَعَدوَةِ ضَيغَمِ
Each among them dealt death with a keen sword's spring,
Destruction took them away with the blow of a sharp sword,
a serpent's spit, and a lion's charge.
The coil of an adder, and a wolf’s pounce.
حُتوفٌdeaths أَصابَتهاstruck them الحُتوفُdeaths وَأَسهُمٌand arrows
حُتوفٌ أَصابَتها الحُتوفُ وَأَسهُمٌ
مِنَof المَوتِdeath كَرَّcharged المَوتُdeath فيهاagainst them بِأَسهُمِwith arrows
مِنَ المَوتِ كَرَّ المَوتُ فيها بِأَسهُمِ
Deaths struck down by deaths, and arrows
Slaughter overtook them, and arrows
of death against which death charged with arrows.
Whose arrows thickly sowed death in them.
تُرىone wonders البيضَthe bright swords لَمnot تَعرِفُهُمrecognized them حينَwhen واجَهَتthey faced
تُرى البيضَ لَم تَعرِفُهُم حينَ واجَهَت
وُجوهَهُمُtheir faces فيin المَأزِقِthe press of battle المُتَهَجِّمِmenacing
وُجوهَهُمُ في المَأزِقِ المُتَهَجِّمِ
I wonder: did the bright swords fail to know them when they faced
You would see war did not recognize them when
their faces in the menacing press of battle,
It confronted their faces in the crowded fray,
وَلَمand did not تَتَذَكَّرremember رِيَّهاtheir slaking بِأَكُفِّهِمby their hands
وَلَم تَتَذَكَّر رِيَّها بِأَكُفِّهِم
إِذاwhen أَورَدوهاthey brought them to drink تَحتَbeneath أَغبَرَdust-gray أَقتَمِdusky
إِذا أَورَدوها تَحتَ أَغبَرَ أَقتَمِ
and fail to remember being slaked by their hands,
And it did not remember being suckled by their palms
when they brought them to drink beneath dark, thick dust?
When they gave it to drink beneath the darkness of spears.
بَلىyes indeed غَيرَexcept أَنَّthat السَيفَthe sword أَغدَرُthe most treacherous صاحِبٍcompanion
بَلى غَيرَ أَنَّ السَيفَ أَغدَرُ صاحِبٍ
وَأَكفَرُand the most ungrateful مَنof those whom نالَتهُreached him نِعمَةُthe kindness of مُنعِمِa benefactor
وَأَكفَرُ مَن نالَتهُ نِعمَةُ مُنعِمِ
Indeed they knew; but the sword is the most treacherous companion,
But the sword is more treacherous to a companion
and the most ungrateful of those blessed by a benefactor.
And more ungrateful to one who enjoys the favor of a benefactor.
بِنَفسيwith my soul as ransom نُفوسٌsouls لَمnot تَكُنwas حَملَةُthe assault of العِدىthe foes
بِنَفسي نُفوسٌ لَم تَكُن حَملَةُ العِدى
أَشَدَّharder عَلَيهِمon them مِنthan وُقوفِthe cessation of التَكَرُّمِgenerosity
أَشَدَّ عَلَيهِم مِن وُقوفِ التَكَرُّمِ
I would ransom with my soul those to whom the foes' assault
By my life, they were not the kind of souls
was no harder than the halting of generosity.
That harsher to them than noble acts.
وَلَوand if أَنصَفَتhad been fair نَبهانُNabhan ماnot طَلَبَتwould have sought بِهِمfor them
وَلَو أَنصَفَت نَبهانُ ما طَلَبَت بِهِم
سِوىother than المَجدِglory إِنَّindeed المَجدَglory خُطَّةُa course of مَغرَمِcostly loss
سِوى المَجدِ إِنَّ المَجدَ خُطَّةُ مَغرَمِ
Had Nabhan been fair, it would have sought for them
If Nabhan had been just, it would not have sought them
nothing but glory: glory is a costly undertaking.
Except for glory, and glory is the goal of the lover.
دَعاهاcalled it الرَدىdeath بَعدَafter الرَدىdeath فَتَتابَعَتand followed in succession
دَعاها الرَدى بَعدَ الرَدى فَتَتابَعَت
تَتابُعَin the succession of مُنبَتِa broken strand of الفَريدِpearls المُنَظَّمِstrung in order
تَتابُعَ مُنبَتِ الفَريدِ المُنَظَّمِ
Death called Nabhan, death after death, and they followed in succession,
Destruction called them, destruction after destruction,
like strung pearls when their thread is severed.
Coming in succession like the growth of a lofty palm tree.
سَلامٌpeace عَلىupon تِلكَthose الخَلائِقِnatures إِنَّهاfor they are
سَلامٌ عَلى تِلكَ الخَلائِقِ إِنَّها
مُسَلَّمَةٌfree مِنfrom كُلِّevery عارٍdisgrace وَمَأثَمِand sin
مُسَلَّمَةٌ مِن كُلِّ عارٍ وَمَأثَمِ
Peace upon those natures, for they
Greetings to those spirits, they are
are free of every disgrace and sin.
Safe from every shame and sin.
مَساعٍdeeds عِظامٌgreat لَيسَnot يَبلىwears away جَديدُهاtheir freshness
مَساعٍ عِظامٌ لَيسَ يَبلى جَديدُها
وَإِنand even if بَلِيَتdecayed مِنهُمof theirs رَمائِمُcrumbling remains of أَعظُمِbones
وَإِن بَلِيَت مِنهُم رَمائِمُ أَعظُمِ
Great deeds whose freshness never wears away,
Time effaces them not, their bones do not decay,
though the remnants of their bones have crumbled.
Though the remains of greater bones do decay.
وَلاand no عَجَبٌwonder لِلأُسدِfor the lions إِنif ظَفِرَتtriumphed بِهاover them
وَلا عَجَبٌ لِلأُسدِ إِن ظَفِرَت بِها
كِلابُthe dogs of الأَعاديthe enemies مِنamong فَصيحٍclear-speaking ones وَأَعجَمِand foreign-tongued ones
كِلابُ الأَعادي مِن فَصيحٍ وَأَعجَمِ
It is no wonder if the lions are overcome
It is no wonder if the lions were brought down by
by the enemies' dogs, clear-speaking and foreign-tongued alike.
The dogs of enemies, eloquent and mute alike.
فَحَربَةُfor the spear of وَحشِيٍّWahshi سَقَتgave to drink حَمزَةَHamzah الرَدىdeath
فَحَربَةُ وَحشِيٍّ سَقَت حَمزَةَ الرَدى
وَحَتفُand the death of عَلِيٍّAli فيin حُسامِthe keen blade of ابنِIbn مُلجَمِMuljam
وَحَتفُ عَلِيٍّ في حُسامِ ابنِ مُلجَمِ
For Wahshi's spear gave Hamzah death to drink,
So the dagger of a savage gave Hamza his destruction
and Ali's death lay in the blade of Ibn Muljam.
And the sword of the son of Muljam was the death of Ali.
أَباO Abu مُسلِمٍMuslim لاnever زِلتَmay you cease بَينَbetween مُوَدَّعٍone bid farewell
أَبا مُسلِمٍ لا زِلتَ بَينَ مُوَدَّعٍ
مِنَfrom المُزنِthe rainclouds مَسكوبِpoured forth الحَياrain وَمُسَلِّمand one offering greetings
مِنَ المُزنِ مَسكوبِ الحَيا وَمُسَلِّم
Abu Muslim, may you ever be between one taking leave
Abu Muslim, you remained between one bidding farewell
among the rainclouds, its rain poured forth, and one offering greetings:
From the family of Muzn, shedding his life blood, and one surrendering.
مَدامِعُtears باكٍof one weeping مِنamong بَنيthe children of الغَيثِrain والِهٍdistraught
مَدامِعُ باكٍ مِن بَني الغَيثِ والِهٍ
أَعارَكَهاlent them to you أَوor ضاحِكٍone laughing مُتَبَسِّمِsmiling
أَعارَكَها أَو ضاحِكٍ مُتَبَسِّمِ
tears of a distraught weeper among the children of rain,
The tears of a weeper from the clan of Ghaith and Walih
lent to you—or of one laughing and smiling.
Who lent them to you, or a laughing one smiling.
لَئِنif indeed لَمnot تَمُتyou died نَهبَprey to السُيوفِthe swords وَلَمand did not تُقِمrouse
لَئِن لَم تَمُت نَهبَ السُيوفِ وَلَم تُقِم
بَواكيكَyour mourners أَطرافُthe points of الوَشيجِspear-shafts المُقَوَّمِstraightened
بَواكيكَ أَطرافُ الوَشيجِ المُقَوَّمِ
If you did not die as the swords' prey, nor were
If the swords did not kill you and the wailers did not establish
your mourners raised by the points of straightened spears,
Your bereavement, the edges of the twisted windpipe would.
لَبِالرَكضِsurely through galloping فيthrough آلِthe mirage of المَنِيَّةِdeath مُعلِماًbearing a battle-mark
لَبِالرَكضِ في آلِ المَنِيَّةِ مُعلِماً
إِلىtoward كُلِّevery قَرمٍchampion بِالمَنِيَّةِwith death مُعلِمِbearing a battle-mark
إِلى كُلِّ قَرمٍ بِالمَنِيَّةِ مُعلِمِ
then surely you died from galloping through death's mirage, battle-marked,
Teaching every shallow-minded fool about death
toward every champion bearing death's mark,
With death you teach the teacher of death.
وَحَملِكَand your bearing ثِقلَthe weight of الدَرعِthe armor يَحمىgrows hot حَديدُهاits iron
وَحَملِكَ ثِقلَ الدَرعِ يَحمى حَديدُها
عَلىdespite ضَعفِthe weakness of جِسمٍa body بِالحَديدِby iron مُهَدَّمِbattered
عَلى ضَعفِ جِسمٍ بِالحَديدِ مُهَدَّمِ
and from bearing the armor's weight while its iron grew hot
And your bearing the weight of armor protects its iron
despite the frailty of a body battered by iron.
Against the weakness of a body broken by iron.
وَماand no جَدَثٌgrave فيهِin it اِبتِسامُكَyour smile لِلنَدىfor generosity
وَما جَدَثٌ فيهِ اِبتِسامُكَ لِلنَدى
إِذاwhen أَظلَمَتgrew dark أَجداثُthe graves of قَومٍpeople بِمُظلِمِat all dark
إِذا أَظلَمَت أَجداثُ قَومٍ بِمُظلِمِ
And no grave that holds your smile for generosity,
What is new in your smiling at the dew
when the graves of others darken, is dark itself.
When the lowlands of a people darken with darkness?
Sol 6.1