كَمhow many بِالكَثيبِat al-Kathib مِنِof اِعتِراضِa swelling profile كَثيبِa sand dune
كَم بِالكَثيبِ مِنِ اِعتِراضِ كَثيبِ
وَقَوامِand the stature of غُصنٍa branch فيin الثِيابِthe garments رَطيبِsupple
وَقَوامِ غُصنٍ في الثِيابِ رَطيبِ
How many a swelling dune at al-Kathib,
How many sand dunes have I traversed
and a supple branch's stature clothed in robes!
And swaying branches in sweet robes embraced
وَبِذيand at Dhu الأَراكَةِal-Arakah مِنof مَصيفٍa summer abode لابِسٍclothed in
وَبِذي الأَراكَةِ مِن مَصيفٍ لابِسٍ
نَسجَthe weave of الرِياحِthe winds وَمَربَعٍand a spring abode مَهضوبِrain-drenched
نَسجَ الرِياحِ وَمَربَعٍ مَهضوبِ
And at Dhu al-Arakah, how many a summer abode clothed in
In the land of palms, a summer refuge donned
the winds' weave, and a rain-drenched spring abode!
Woven by winds and checkered tents beyond
دِمَنٌruined encampments لِزَينَبَbelonging to Zaynab قَبلَbefore تَشريدِthe scattering by النَوىseparation
دِمَنٌ لِزَينَبَ قَبلَ تَشريدِ النَوى
مِنfrom ذيDhu الأَراكِal-Arak بِزَينَبٍtaking Zaynab away وَلَعوبِand La'ub
مِن ذي الأَراكِ بِزَينَبٍ وَلَعوبِ
Zaynab's ruined encampments, before separation drove
A love before Zainab left, while hearts yet whole
Zaynab and La'ub away from Dhu al-Arak.
Of play and palms ‘twixt Zainab and my soul
تَأبىrefuse المَنازِلُthe dwellings أَنto تُجيبَanswer وَمِنand from جَوىًburning grief
تَأبى المَنازِلُ أَن تُجيبَ وَمِن جَوىً
يَومَon the day الدِيارِof the dwellings دَعَوتُI called غَيرَwhat was not مُجيبِresponsive
يَومَ الدِيارِ دَعَوتُ غَيرَ مُجيبِ
The dwellings refuse to answer; out of burning grief,
The dwellings refuse to answer, no passion resonates
that day among the dwellings, I called to what could not answer.
The day I called on past homes, no reply awaits
هَلwill تُبلِغَنَّهُمُsurely convey to them السَلامَthe greeting دُجُنَّةٌa dark cloud
هَل تُبلِغَنَّهُمُ السَلامَ دُجُنَّةٌ
وَطفاءُthick-fringed سارِيَةٌtraveling by night بِريحِon a wind جَنوبِfrom the south
وَطفاءُ سارِيَةٌ بِريحِ جَنوبِ
Will a dark cloud carry my greeting to them,
Can any messenger my greetings bear
thick-fringed, traveling by night on a south wind?
A swift south wind or dimming torch flare
أَوor تُدنِيَنَّهُمُsurely bring them near نَوازِعُstraining camels فيagainst البُرىthe nose-rings
أَو تُدنِيَنَّهُمُ نَوازِعُ في البُرى
عُجُلٌswift كَوارِدَةِlike those coming to water القَطاthe sandgrouse المَسروبِgathered in flocks
عُجُلٌ كَوارِدَةِ القَطا المَسروبِ
Or will camels straining against their nose-rings bring them near,
Or near them, draw the nomad bands astray
swift as flocking sandgrouse coming to water?
Stallions like leaping wild cats at play
فَسَقىso may rain water الغَضاthe ghada trees وَالنازِليهِand those dwelling in it وَإِنeven though هُمُthey
فَسَقى الغَضا وَالنازِليهِ وَإِن هُمُ
شَبّوهُkindled it بَينَbetween جَوانِحٍribs وَقُلوبِand hearts
شَبّوهُ بَينَ جَوانِحٍ وَقُلوبِ
May rain water the ghada and its dwellers, though they
They watered yearning in those camps, though now
have kindled it within ribs and hearts.
Gone, only memories between heart and brow
وَقِصارَand brief أَيّامٍdays بِهِin it سُرِقَتwere stolen لَناfor us
وَقِصارَ أَيّامٍ بِهِ سُرِقَت لَنا
حَسَناتُهاtheir delights مِنfrom كاشِحٍan ill-wisher وَرَقيبِand a watcher
حَسَناتُها مِن كاشِحٍ وَرَقيبِ
And the brief days there, when there were stolen for us
Our days together were cut short and fleet
their delights, away from an ill-wisher and a watcher.
Robbed of joy by spy and watcher discreet
خُضراًgreen يُساقِطُهاsheds them الصَباthe east wind وَكَأَنَّهاand as though they were
خُضراً يُساقِطُها الصَبا وَكَأَنَّها
وَرَقٌleaves يُساقِطُهاsheds them اِهتِزازُthe swaying of قَضيبِa branch
وَرَقٌ يُساقِطُها اِهتِزازُ قَضيبِ
Green, shed by the east wind, as though they were
Green leaves the dawn winds scatter and shake
leaves shaken down by the swaying of a branch.
As a rod stirs leaves until they break
كانَتthey were فُنونَvarieties of بَطالَةٍidle pleasure فَتَقَطَّعَتthen they ended
كانَت فُنونَ بَطالَةٍ فَتَقَطَّعَت
عَنthrough هَجرِthe desertion of غانِيَةٍa beautiful woman وَوَخطِand a sprinkling of مَشيبِgray hair
عَن هَجرِ غانِيَةٍ وَوَخطِ مَشيبِ
They were varied pleasures of idleness, then came to an end
Arts of leisure now severed and torn
through a beauty's desertion and the first flecks of gray.
From sweet song and hoary lessons borne
إِمّاif دَنَوتُI have drawn near مِنَto السُلُوِّforgetting love مُرَوِّياًreflecting
إِمّا دَنَوتُ مِنَ السُلُوِّ مُرَوِّياً
فيهِon it وَبِعتُand I sold مِنَof الشَبابِyouth نَصيبيmy share
فيهِ وَبِعتُ مِنَ الشَبابِ نَصيبي
If I have drawn near to forgetting, reflecting
Did I approach death sated and wise
on it, and sold my share of youth,
Or lost my youth for the grave's prize
فَلَرُبَّماyet many a time لَبَّيتُI answered داعِيَةَthe summons of الصِباyouth
فَلَرُبَّما لَبَّيتُ داعِيَةَ الصِبا
وَعَصَيتُand I defied مِنof عَذَلٍreproach وَمِنand of تَأنيبِrebuke
وَعَصَيتُ مِن عَذَلٍ وَمِن تَأنيبِ
yet many a time have I answered youth's summons
Capricious youth I sometimes obey
and defied reproach and rebuke.
Yet regret and rebuke hold my way
يَعشىis blind عَنِto المَجدِglory الغَبِيُّthe dullard وَلَنand never will تَرىyou see
يَعشى عَنِ المَجدِ الغَبِيُّ وَلَن تَرى
فيfor سُؤدُدٍeminence أَرَباًa desire لِغَيرِin anyone other than أَريبِa discerning man
في سُؤدُدٍ أَرَباً لِغَيرِ أَريبِ
The dullard is blind to glory; you will never see
The fool spurns glory and is blind
a desire for eminence in anyone but a discerning man.
To allies outside his craven kind
لاdo not تَغلُgo to excess فيin praising جودِthe generosity الرِجالِof men فَإِنَّهُfor the fact is that
لا تَغلُ في جودِ الرِجالِ فَإِنَّهُ
لَمnot أَرضَI have accepted جوداًgenerosity غَيرَother than جودِthe generosity of أَديبِa cultivated man
لَم أَرضَ جوداً غَيرَ جودِ أَديبِ
Do not overpraise men's generosity, for
Judge not the generosity of men
I have accepted no generosity but a cultivated man's.
None give more than those with writer's pen
وَالأَرضُand the earth تُخرِجُbrings forth فيin الوِهادِthe hollows وَفيand on الرُبىthe hills
وَالأَرضُ تُخرِجُ في الوِهادِ وَفي الرُبى
عَفوَspontaneous growth النَباتِof plants وَجُلُّand most ذَلِكَof that يوبيcauses sickness
عَفوَ النَباتِ وَجُلُّ ذَلِكَ يوبي
The earth brings forth in hollows and on hills
The land brings forth from waste and wild
spontaneous plants, most of which bring sickness.
Growth and fruit, as heaven's blessed child
وَإِذاand when أَبوAbu الفَضلِal-Fadl استَعارَborrows سَجِيَّةًa quality
وَإِذا أَبو الفَضلِ استَعارَ سَجِيَّةً
لِلمَكرُماتِfor noble deeds فَمِنthen from أَبيAbu يَعقوبِYa'qub
لِلمَكرُماتِ فَمِن أَبي يَعقوبِ
And when Abu al-Fadl borrows a quality
When the noble need virtues extolled
for noble deeds, it is from Abu Ya'qub.
They seek Abu Yaqub's rhymes bold
لاnot يَحتَذيhe imitates خُلُقَthe character of القَصِيِّone far removed وَلاand not يُرىis seen
لا يَحتَذي خُلُقَ القَصِيِّ وَلا يُرى
مُتَشَبِّهاًmodeling himself فيin سُؤدُدٍeminence بِغَريبِon a stranger
مُتَشَبِّهاً في سُؤدُدٍ بِغَريبِ
He copies no distant man's character, nor is he seen
He shares not the crass lowborn's ways
modeling himself, in eminence, on a stranger.
Nor mimics the vulgar's empty praise
تُمضيdrive forward صَريمَتَهُhis firm resolve وَتوقِدُand kindle رَأيَهُhis judgment
تُمضي صَريمَتَهُ وَتوقِدُ رَأيَهُ
عَزَماتُthe resolves of جوذَرزٍJudharz وَسَورَةُand the fierce ardor of بيبِBib
عَزَماتُ جوذَرزٍ وَسَورَةُ بيبِ
His firm resolve is driven forward, and his judgment kindled,
His zeal and wisdom both shine bright
by Judharz's resolves and Bib's fierce ardor.
Lit by his genius and scripture's light
شَرَفٌhonor تَتابَعَcame in succession كابِراًone great forebear عَنfrom كابِرٍanother great forebear
شَرَفٌ تَتابَعَ كابِراً عَن كابِرٍ
كَالرُمحِlike a spear أُنبوباًsection عَلىupon أُنبوبِsection
كَالرُمحِ أُنبوباً عَلى أُنبوبِ
Honor passed down from one great forebear to another,
Noble sire succeeded noble son
like a spear, section upon section.
As spear shaft follows spear in one
وَأَرىand I hold النَجابَةَnobility لاnot يَكونُbe تَمامُهاits perfection
وَأَرى النَجابَةَ لا يَكونُ تَمامُها
لِنَجيبِfor a nobleman of قَومٍa people لَيسَwho is not بِاِبنِa son of نَجيبِa nobleman
لِنَجيبِ قَومٍ لَيسَ بِاِبنِ نَجيبِ
And I hold that nobility cannot reach perfection
True excellence is not found complete
in a people's nobleman who is not a nobleman's son.
Unless born of the noble elite
قَمَرٌa moon مِنَamong الفِتيانِyoung men أَبيَضُwhite صادِعٌcleaving
قَمَرٌ مِنَ الفِتيانِ أَبيَضُ صادِعٌ
لِدُجىthrough the darkness of الزَمانِtime الفاحِمِcoal-black الغِربيبِutterly black
لِدُجى الزَمانِ الفاحِمِ الغِربيبِ
A white moon among young men, cleaving
A moon amid the youth so fair
the darkness of time, coal-black and utterly black.
To counter the gloomy times and care
أَعيىhe wore out خُطوبَthe calamities الدَهرِof time حَتّىuntil كَفَّهاhe checked them
أَعيى خُطوبَ الدَهرِ حَتّى كَفَّها
وَالدَهرُand time سِلكُa string حَوادِثٍof happenings وَخُطوبِand calamities
وَالدَهرُ سِلكُ حَوادِثٍ وَخُطوبِ
He wore out time's calamities until he checked them,
I grew weary of fate's bitter test
and time is a string of happenings and calamities.
Yet life is the crucible to assess
قَولٌspeech كَماjust as صَدَقَتproved true مَخايِلُthe portents of بارِقٍa lightning cloud
قَولٌ كَما صَدَقَت مَخايِلُ بارِقٍ
يَهميpours down rain وَفَضلٌand excellence ناصِعُspotless التَهذيبِin refinement
يَهمي وَفَضلٌ ناصِعُ التَهذيبِ
Speech as true as the portents of a lightning cloud
A speech whose truths like lightning crack
pouring down rain, and excellence of spotless refinement.
And excellence polished without lack
وَإِذاand when اجتَداهُseek bounty from him المُجتَدونَthe bounty-seekers فَإِنَّهُthen indeed he
وَإِذا اجتَداهُ المُجتَدونَ فَإِنَّهُ
يَهَبُbestows العُلاeminence فيin نَيلِهِhis bounty المَوهوبِbestowed
يَهَبُ العُلا في نَيلِهِ المَوهوبِ
And when seekers of bounty ask him, he
The learned find him beyond reproach
bestows eminence with the bounty he gives.
Bestowed in plenty all gifts encroach
نُشِرَتwere spread abroad عَطاياهُhis gifts فَصِرنَand so they became قَبائِلاًtribes
نُشِرَت عَطاياهُ فَصِرنَ قَبائِلاً
لِقَبائِلٍfor tribes مِنamong زَورِهِhis visitors وَشُعوبِand peoples
لِقَبائِلٍ مِن زَورِهِ وَشُعوبِ
His gifts were spread abroad and became tribes
His gifts like tribes multiplied sevenfold
for tribes and peoples among his visitors.
For every tribe that he blessed of old
كَمhow much حُزنَthey won مِنof ذِكرٍrenown لِغُفلٍfor a nameless man خامِلٍobscure
كَم حُزنَ مِن ذِكرٍ لِغُفلٍ خامِلٍ
وَبَنَينَand they built مِنof حَسَبٍnoble standing لِغَيرِfor someone other than حَسيبِa man of noble standing
وَبَنَينَ مِن حَسَبٍ لِغَيرِ حَسيبِ
How much renown they won for a nameless, obscure man,
What sorrow to muse on neglect so vain
and how much noble standing they built for one without noble standing!
And merits built for no clear gain
دانٍnear عَلىto أَيديthe hands العُفاةِof petitioners وَشاسِعٌand far removed
دانٍ عَلى أَيدي العُفاةِ وَشاسِعٌ
عَنfrom كُلِّevery نِدٍّpeer فيin العُلاeminence وَضَريبِand equal
عَن كُلِّ نِدٍّ في العُلا وَضَريبِ
Within reach of petitioners' hands, yet far removed
Above the masses, sublime and apart
from every peer and equal in eminence.
Beyond each rival's deceit and art
كَالبَدرِlike the full moon أَفرَطَreached the utmost فيin العُلُوِّheight وَضَوءُهُand its light
كَالبَدرِ أَفرَطَ في العُلُوِّ وَضَوءُهُ
لِلعُصبَةِto the band السارينَtraveling by night جَدُّvery قَريبِnear
لِلعُصبَةِ السارينَ جَدُّ قَريبِ
Like the full moon, exceedingly high, yet its light
His brilliance and radiance pure outshone
is very near to the band traveling by night.
For his clan first among their own
يَهنيmay it gladden بَنيthe sons of نَوبُختَNawbukht أَنَّthat جِيادَهُمtheir steeds
يَهني بَني نَوبُختَ أَنَّ جِيادَهُم
سَبَقَتraced ahead إِلىto أَمَدِthe goal of العُلاeminence المَطلوبِsought
سَبَقَت إِلى أَمَدِ العُلا المَطلوبِ
May it gladden the sons of Nawbukht that their steeds
The house of Nobukht has cause to boast
have been first to the sought-for goal of eminence.
Their steeds surpass all other horses
إِنif قيلَone speaks of رِبعِيُّthe early rain of الفَخارِglory فَإِنَّهُمthen indeed they
إِن قيلَ رِبعِيُّ الفَخارِ فَإِنَّهُم
مُطِرواwere rained upon بِأَوَّلِby the first of ذَلِكَthat الشُؤبوبِdownpour
مُطِروا بِأَوَّلِ ذَلِكَ الشُؤبوبِ
If one speaks of glory's early rain, then they
Say they are but artisans in clay
were drenched by the first of that downpour.
They were first blessed by heaven's rains in play
أَوor تُجتَبىare chosen أَقلامُهُمtheir pens لِكِتابَةِfor writing
أَو تُجتَبى أَقلامُهُم لِكِتابَةِ
فَلَقَبلُthen long before ماindeed كانَتthey were رِماحَspears حُروبِof war
فَلَقَبلُ ما كانَت رِماحَ حُروبِ
Or if their pens are chosen for writing,
Else their pens would write world history
long before, they were spears of war.
Rather than wage war's sanguinary fury
Sol 6.1