أَحبِبhow dear! إِلَيَّto me بِطَيفِwith the phantom of سُعدىSu'da الآتيapproaching
أَحبِب إِلَيَّ بِطَيفِ سُعدى الآتي
وَطُروقِهِand its night-visit فيat أَعجَبِthe strangest of الأَوقاتِtimes
وَطُروقِهِ في أَعجَبِ الأَوقاتِ
How dear to me is Su'da's approaching phantom,
And its night-visit at the strangest of times!
أَنّيhow اهتَدَيتُyou found your way لِمُحرِمينَto pilgrims in ihram تَصَوَّبواwho descended
أَنّي اهتَدَيتُ لِمُحرِمينَ تَصَوَّبوا
لِسُفوحِtoward the slopes of مَكَّةَMecca مِنfrom رُبىthe hills of عَرَفاتِArafat
لِسُفوحِ مَكَّةَ مِن رُبى عَرَفاتِ
How did you find your way to pilgrims who descended
Toward Mecca's slopes from the hills of Arafat?
ذَكَّرتَناyou reminded us عَهدَthe days of الشَآمِal-Sham وَعَيشَناand our life
ذَكَّرتَنا عَهدَ الشَآمِ وَعَيشَنا
بَينَamong القِنانِthe peaks السودِblack وَالهَضَباتِand the plateaus
بَينَ القِنانِ السودِ وَالهَضَباتِ
You reminded us of our days in al-Sham and our life
Among the black peaks and plateaus,
إِذwhen أَنتَyou شَكلُthe likeness of مُخالِفٍone who opposes وَمُوافِقِand one who agrees
إِذ أَنتَ شَكلُ مُخالِفٍ وَمُوافِقِ
وَالدَهرُand fate فيكَthrough you مُمانِعٌobstructive وَمُؤاتِand accommodating
وَالدَهرُ فيكَ مُمانِعٌ وَمُؤاتِ
When you were like one who refused and one who yielded,
And fate, through you, both thwarted and favored me.
لَولاbut for مُكاثَرَةُthe overwhelming multitude of الخُطوبِcalamities وَنَحتُهاand their chipping away
لَولا مُكاثَرَةُ الخُطوبِ وَنَحتُها
مِنat جانِبَيَّmy two sides لَكُنتَyou would be مِنamong حاجاتيmy desires
مِن جانِبَيَّ لَكُنتَ مِن حاجاتي
But for the host of calamities and their chipping away
At both my sides, you would be among my desires.
فَيئيreturn! إِلَيكَto yourself فَقَدfor indeed تَخَوَّنَhas worn away أُسرَتيmy family
فَيئي إِلَيكَ فَقَد تَخَوَّنَ أُسرَتي
حَيفُthe injustice of الرَدىdeath وَتَحامُلُand the oppressive onslaught of النَكَباتِcalamities
حَيفُ الرَدى وَتَحامُلُ النَكَباتِ
Return to yourself; for my family has been worn away
By death's injustice and calamities' relentless onslaught.
تِلكَthose المَنازِلُdwellings ماnot تُمَتِّعُgive enjoyment to واقِفاًone standing there
تِلكَ المَنازِلُ ما تُمَتِّعُ واقِفاً
بِزُهاwith the sight of الشُخوصِfigures وَلاnor وَغىthe clamor of الأَصواتِvoices
بِزُها الشُخوصِ وَلا وَغى الأَصواتِ
Those dwellings give no joy to one who stands there
Through the sight of figures or the clamor of voices.
أَبَنيO sons of عُبَيدٍ'Ubayd شَدَّماhow fiercely اِحتَرَقَتburned لَكُمfor you
أَبَني عُبَيدٍ شَدَّما اِحتَرَقَت لَكُم
كَبِديmy liver وَفاضَتand overflowed فيكُمُover you عَبَراتيmy tears
كَبِدي وَفاضَت فيكُمُ عَبَراتي
O sons of 'Ubayd, how fiercely for you has burned
My liver, and my tears have overflowed for you!
أَلقىI find مَكارِمَكُمyour noble deeds شَجىًa choking sorrow ليfor me بَعدَكُمafter you
أَلقى مَكارِمَكُم شَجىً لي بَعدَكُم
وَأَرىand I see سَوابِقَthe earlier feats of مَجدِكُمyour glory حَسَراتيmy heartaches
وَأَرى سَوابِقَ مَجدِكُم حَسَراتي
I find your noble deeds a choking sorrow after you are gone,
And see your earlier glories as my heartaches.
شَرَفٌnobility تَفاقَدَlost one another وارِثوهُits heirs فَأَصبَحواso they became
شَرَفٌ تَفاقَدَ وارِثوهُ فَأَصبَحوا
أَصداءَechoes of فَقرٍpoverty بِالعَراءِin the open رُفاتِcrumbling remains
أَصداءَ فَقرٍ بِالعَراءِ رُفاتِ
A nobility whose heirs lost one another and became
Echoes of poverty, crumbling remains in the open.
مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماthat بُنِيَتwere built عَلىupon جَبَلِthe mountain of العُلاgreatness
مِن بَعدِ ما بُنِيَت عَلى جَبَلِ العُلا
أَحسابُهُمtheir ancestral honors وَجَرَواand they raced إِلىtoward الغاياتِthe ultimate goals
أَحسابُهُم وَجَرَوا إِلى الغاياتِ
After there had been built upon the mountain of greatness
Their ancestral honors, and they had raced to the utmost goals.
كانواthey were هُمُthey themselves ثَبَجَthe core of الجَميعِthe assembled host لِطَيِّئٍof Tayy
كانوا هُمُ ثَبَجَ الجَميعِ لِطَيِّئٍ
فيin أَمرِهاits affairs وَطَوائِفَand the companies of الأَشتاتِthe scattered groups
في أَمرِها وَطَوائِفَ الأَشتاتِ
They were the very core of Tayy's assembled host,
In its affairs, and its scattered companies.
لَنwill never تُحدِثِbring about الأَيّامُthe days ليfor me بَدَلاًa replacement بِهِمin their stead
لَن تُحدِثِ الأَيّامُ لي بَدَلاً بِهِم
أَيهاتِfar beyond reach! مِنfrom بَدَلٍa replacement بِهِمfor them أَيهاتِfar beyond reach!
أَيهاتِ مِن بَدَلٍ بِهِم أَيهاتِ
The days will never bring me a replacement for them;
Far beyond reach is any replacement for them—far beyond reach!
ذاكيblazing حَريقٍfire أَثقَبَتflared شُهُباتُهُits sparks
ذاكي حَريقٍ أَثقَبَت شُهُباتُهُ
فيinto الجَوِّthe sky مُصعِدَةًascending وَمَدُّand a flood of فُراتِthe Euphrates
في الجَوِّ مُصعِدَةً وَمَدُّ فُراتِ
A blazing fire whose sparks flared
Upward into the sky, and a flood of the Euphrates.
وَمُعَيِّريand he who taunts me بِالدَهرِover fate يَعلَمُwill know فيon غَدٍthe morrow
وَمُعَيِّري بِالدَهرِ يَعلَمُ في غَدٍ
أَنَّthat الحَصادَthe harvest وَراءَafter كُلِّevery نَباتِgrowth
أَنَّ الحَصادَ وَراءَ كُلِّ نَباتِ
And he who taunts me over fate will learn tomorrow
That a harvest follows every growing thing.
أَبُنَيَّO my dear son إِنّيindeed I قَدalready نَضَوتُhave cast off بَطالَتيmy frivolity
أَبُنَيَّ إِنّي قَد نَضَوتُ بَطالَتي
فَتَحَسَّرَتso it fell away وَصَحَوتُand I sobered مِنfrom سَكَراتيmy intoxications
فَتَحَسَّرَت وَصَحَوتُ مِن سَكَراتي
My dear son, I have cast off my frivolity;
It has fallen away, and I have sobered from my intoxications.
نَظَرَتlooked إِلَيَّupon me الأَربَعونَforty years فَأَصرَخَتand called forth
نَظَرَت إِلَيَّ الأَربَعونَ فَأَصرَخَت
شيبيmy gray hair وَهَزَّتand shook لُلحُنُوِّtoward bending قَناتيmy spear-shaft
شيبي وَهَزَّت لُلحُنُوِّ قَناتي
Forty years looked upon me and called forth
My gray hair, and shook my spear-shaft till it bent.
وَأَرىand I see لِداتَthe contemporaries of أَبيmy father تَتابَعَfollowed in succession كُثرُهُمmost of them
وَأَرى لِداتَ أَبي تَتابَعَ كُثرُهُم
فَمَضَواso they passed away وَكَرَّand wheeled back الدَهرُtime نَحوَtoward لِداتيmy contemporaries
فَمَضَوا وَكَرَّ الدَهرُ نَحوَ لِداتي
And I see that most of my father's peers followed one another;
They passed away, and time wheeled upon my own peers.
وَمِنَand among الأَقارِبِrelatives مَنthose who يُسَرُّrejoice بِميتَتيat my death
وَمِنَ الأَقارِبِ مَن يُسَرُّ بِميتَتي
سَفَهاًfoolishly وَعِزُّand the strength of حَياتِهِمtheir lives بِحَياتيthrough my life
سَفَهاً وَعِزُّ حَياتِهِم بِحَياتي
And among my relatives are those who rejoice at my death,
Foolishly, though the strength of their lives depends on mine.
إِنif أَبقَI live on أَوor أَهلَكI perish فَقَدfor indeed نُلتُI have attained الَّتيthat which
إِن أَبقَ أَو أَهلَك فَقَد نُلتُ الَّتي
مَلَأَتhas filled صُدورَthe breasts of أَصادِقيmy friends وَعُداتيand my enemies
مَلَأَت صُدورَ أَصادِقي وَعُداتي
Whether I live on or perish, I have attained that which
Has filled the breasts of my friends and my enemies.
وَغَنيتُand I lived نَدمانَa boon companion of الخَلائِفِthe caliphs نابِهاًillustrious
وَغَنيتُ نَدمانَ الخَلائِفِ نابِهاً
ذِكرىmy renown وَناعِمَةًand delightful بِهِمthrough them نَشَواتيmy raptures
ذِكرى وَناعِمَةً بِهِم نَشَواتي
And I lived as the caliphs' boon companion, illustrious
In renown, my raptures made sweet by them.
وَشَفَعتُand I interceded فيin الأَمرِthe matter الجَليلِweighty إِلَيهِمِwith them
وَشَفَعتُ في الأَمرِ الجَليلِ إِلَيهِمِ
بَعدَafter الجَليلِthe weighty one فَأَنجَحواso they fulfilled طَلَباتيmy requests
بَعدَ الجَليلِ فَأَنجَحوا طَلَباتي
And I interceded with them over one weighty matter
After another, and they granted my requests.
وَصَنَعتُand I performed فيamong العَرَبِthe Arabs الصَنائِعَbenefactions عِندَهُمwith them
وَصَنَعتُ في العَرَبِ الصَنائِعَ عِندَهُم
مِنincluding رِفدِaid to طُلّابٍpetitioners وَفَكِّand freeing عُناةِcaptives
مِن رِفدِ طُلّابٍ وَفَكِّ عُناةِ
And through them I bestowed favors upon the Arabs,
Giving aid to petitioners and freeing captives.
فَالآنَso now إِذwhen ناصَيتُI reached أَعنانَthe heights of العُلاgreatness
فَالآنَ إِذ ناصَيتُ أَعنانَ العُلا
وَرَقيتُand I climbed مِنهاof it أَرفَعَthe loftiest الدَرَجاتِdegrees
وَرَقيتُ مِنها أَرفَعَ الدَرَجاتِ
So now, when I have reached the heights of greatness
And climbed its loftiest degrees,
يَجريhe runs لَيَدخُلَto enter فيinto غُبارِthe dust of تَسَرُّعيmy haste
يَجري لَيَدخُلَ في غُبارِ تَسَرُّعي
مَنone who لَيسَdoes not يَعشُرُreach a tenth of فيin الرَهانِthe race أَناتيmy unhurried pace
مَن لَيسَ يَعشُرُ في الرَهانِ أَناتي
He runs to enter the dust of my swift advance—
One who, in a race, cannot reach a tenth of my unhurried pace.
وَيَذيمُنيand reviles me مَنone who لَوif ضَغَمتُI seized in my jaws قَبيلَهُhis clan
وَيَذيمُني مَن لَو ضَغَمتُ قَبيلَهُ
يَومَon the day of الفَخارِboasting لَطارَwould fly فيin لَهَواتيmy gullet
يَومَ الفَخارِ لَطارَ في لَهَواتي
And one reviles me whose clan, if I caught it in my jaws
On the day of boasting, would fly about in my gullet.
جَدّيmy grandfather الَّذيwho رَفَعَraised الأَذانَthe call to prayer بِمَنبِجٍat Manbij
جَدّي الَّذي رَفَعَ الأَذانَ بِمَنبِجٍ
وَأَقامَand established فيهاin it قِبلَةَthe prayer-direction of الصَلواتِthe prayers
وَأَقامَ فيها قِبلَةَ الصَلواتِ
My grandfather is he who raised the call to prayer at Manbij
And established there the direction of prayer.
وَأَبيand my father أَبوحَيّانَAbu Hayyan قائِدُcommander of طَيِّئٍTayy
وَأَبي أَبوحَيّانَ قائِدُ طَيِّئٍ
لِلرومِagainst the Romans تَحتَbeneath لِوائِهِhis banner المُنصاتِraised
لِلرومِ تَحتَ لِوائِهِ المُنصاتِ
And my father, Abu Hayyan, commander of Tayy,
Against the Romans beneath his raised banner,
وَوَلِيُّand the overseer of فَتحِthe capture of الجِسرِthe bridge إِذwhen أُغريwas urged بِهِto it
وَوَلِيُّ فَتحِ الجِسرِ إِذ أُغري بِهِ
عُمَرٌ'Umar وَفاعِلُand the doer of تِلكُمُthose (addressing you all) الفَعَلاتِdeeds
عُمَرٌ وَفاعِلُ تِلكُمُ الفَعَلاتِ
And overseer of the capture of the bridge, when
'Umar was urged to it, and the doer of those deeds.
وَخُؤولَتيand my maternal kin فَالحَوفَزانُnamely al-Hawfazan وَحاتِمٌand Hatim
وَخُؤولَتي فَالحَوفَزانُ وَحاتِمٌ
وَالخالِدانِand the two Khalids الرافِدانِthe two benefactors حُماتيmy protectors
وَالخالِدانِ الرافِدانِ حُماتي
And my maternal kin: al-Hawfazan and Hatim,
And the two Khalids, the benefactors, my protectors.
وَمِنَand among المَعاشِرِthe clans أَقدَمونَmen of ancient standing وَمُحدَثٌand a newcomer
وَمِنَ المَعاشِرِ أَقدَمونَ وَمُحدَثٌ
طَرِفُnew to النَباهَةِeminence رَيِّضُunpracticed in المَسعاةِnoble endeavor
طَرِفُ النَباهَةِ رَيِّضُ المَسعاةِ
And among the clans are men of ancient standing and a newcomer,
New to eminence, unpracticed in noble endeavor,
إِذwhen لَمnot يَكُنwas شَرَفُthe honor of المَناكِحِmarriage alliances يُشتَرىbought
إِذ لَم يَكُن شَرَفُ المَناكِحِ يُشتَرى
بِالمالِwith money فيamid اللَأواءِhardship وَاللَزَباتِand famines
بِالمالِ في اللَأواءِ وَاللَزَباتِ
When the honor of marriage alliances was not bought
With money amid hardship and famines.
Sol 6.1