الْقِset down الحدائجthe camel litters ترعlet graze الضُّمَّرthe lean camels القودthe long-necked
الْقِ الحدائج ترع الضُّمَّر القود
طالhas been long السُّرىthe night journey وتشكَّتْand complained وخْدكof your swift trot البيدthe wastelands
طال السُّرى وتشكَّتْ وخْدك البيد
Set down the litters; let the lean, long-necked camels graze.
The earnest seeker swiftly attains his quest
The night journey has been long, and the wastelands have complained of your swift trot.
Long has the night endured, and thy cheek grown wan and wasted.
ياO سائرtraveler الليلby night لاno جدبdrought ولاand no فرقٌfear
يا سائر الليل لا جدب ولا فرقٌ
النبتُthe vegetation أغيدُlush and supple والسلطانُand the sultan محمودُMahmud (praised)
النبتُ أغيدُ والسلطانُ محمودُ
O traveler by night, there is neither drought nor fear;
O thou that pass the dark hours without sleep, no dearth is here, no severance.
The plants are lush and supple, and the sultan is Mahmud.
The meadows smile with flowers, and glad is the estate of our lord.
قَيْلٌa king تألفتcame together الأضدادthe opposites خيفتهُdread of him
قَيْلٌ تألفت الأضداد خيفتهُ
فالموردthus the watering place الضنكcramped فيهat it والشَّاءُand the sheep والسيِّدand the wolf
فالمورد الضنك فيه والشَّاءُ والسيِّد
A king whose dread has brought opposites together:
The contrary natures are reconciled, its harshness gentled.
At the cramped watering place are sheep and wolf.
The morning star arises, and the dark of night gleams radiant at its rising,
أغرُّradiant يشرقshines ديجورُthe blackness الظلامof darkness بهthrough him
أغرُّ يشرق ديجورُ الظلام به
ومشرقاتand the bright hours الضحىof the forenoon منfrom غزوهhis raiding سودُblack
ومشرقات الضحى من غزوه سودُ
Radiant, he makes the deepest darkness shine,
As sunrise glows upon the east through victory of our lord.
And bright mornings are blackened by his raids.
It gives drink at eve to the wild cows and the devoted suppliants,
يرويslakes غروبthe cutting edges الظُّبيof the blades والمعتفينand those seeking bounty بهfrom him
يروي غروب الظُّبي والمعتفين به
ماwhat أنبطbrought forth الجُرحُthe wound أوor ماwhat أسبلَpoured down الجودgenerosity
ما أنبط الجُرحُ أو ما أسبلَ الجود
The blades’ sharp edges and those seeking his bounty are slaked
Whether the wound drip blood or the hand of aid show bounty.
By what the wound brings forth or generosity pours down.
To tribesman and honored mighty one are rations here,
فللقبيلينthus, for the two kinds منof نيءٍraw flesh ومُقْتدرٍand pot-cooked meat
فللقبيلين من نيءٍ ومُقْتدرٍ
زادانِtwo provisions ماno فيهماin either of them مَنٌّreproach for favors وتَصْريدُand scant rationing
زادانِ ما فيهما مَنٌّ وتَصْريدُ
Thus the two kinds have raw flesh and pot-cooked meat—
Food and fine flour enough, wine and purest musk.
Two provisions, without reproach or scant portions.
Fierce charger whose pace makes sunbeams lag behind,
مسحنفرrushing headlong الخطوin stride غطىcovered الشمسthe sun عثيرهits dust
مسحنفر الخطو غطى الشمس عثيره
فيهwithin it السَّوابقُthe fleet steeds والغرُّand the illustrious men المناجيدthe valiant
فيه السَّوابقُ والغرُّ المناجيد
A host with headlong stride: its dust has veiled the sun;
Among them racers of purest strain, and warrior steeds of breeding true.
Within it are fleet steeds and illustrious, valiant men.
The highland stone-heaps it outstrips outstripping,
تحيدswerve aside سمرthe dusky shafts العواليof tall lances وهوwhile he is مقتحمٌplunging in
تحيد سمر العوالي وهو مقتحمٌ
وتستطيرand fly apart الرواسيthe rooted mountains وهوwhile he is صِنديدa mighty champion
وتستطير الرواسي وهو صِنديد
The dusky shafts of tall lances swerve aside, while he plunges in;
While down the ravines thunder stones dislodged.
The rooted mountains fly apart, while he stands a champion.
Their war-cry at daybreak makes it more passionate,
يزيدهُincreases his جذلاًdelight صوتthe voice الصريخof the caller for help ضحىًin the forenoon
يزيدهُ جذلاً صوت الصريخ ضحىً
كأنماas though الحربُwar فيin ألحاظهhis glances رُودُa tender maiden
كأنما الحربُ في ألحاظه رُودُ
A cry for help at morning increases his delight,
As though the din of war rose loud within its hearing.
As though war were a tender maiden in his eyes.
War-flame its ardour on the day of battle,
ألْهوبa fierce blaze حربof war لهhe has يومon the day الوغىof battle شعلٌflames
ألْهوب حرب له يوم الوغى شعلٌ
ويومand on a day سلمٍof peace شهيُّdelicious الطَّعمin taste مورودُsought as a watering place
ويوم سلمٍ شهيُّ الطَّعم مورودُ
A blaze of war, he has flames on the day of battle;
But tempered and benign its mood in days of peace.
And on a day of peace, he is sweet to taste, a watering place sought out.
It roams the plain's breadth, driving wild goats to mountain lair;
يصميkills outright بطيرwith birds منof الأعوادwooden shafts هافيةٍfluttering
يصمي بطير من الأعواد هافيةٍ
أوكارهُنَّtheir nests المجاليthe exposed body parts واللَّغاديدُand the soft flesh of throats
أوكارهُنَّ المجالي واللَّغاديدُ
He kills outright with fluttering birds of wood,
Therein a motley throng, the black, the white, the tawny.
Whose nests are exposed body parts and the soft flesh of throats.
The eagle has bound pact with it over its onslaughts,
منof كلevery أهيفslender shaft ممشوقٍfinely shaped يظاهرهsupports it
من كل أهيف ممشوقٍ يظاهره
مؤلَّلٌa sharpened point منof حديدthe iron الهندof India مجرودbare
مؤلَّلٌ من حديد الهند مجرود
Each made of a slender, finely shaped shaft, reinforced
Measuring its course through the field of war.
By a sharp, bare point of Indian iron.
Its aim as the magnet-stone unerring;
ألفىfound بهin it النسرُthe vulture عهداًa bond منfrom قوادمهits primary wing feathers
ألفى به النسرُ عهداً من قوادمه
يميرُهُfeeds it ورواقُwhile the canopy الحربof war ممدودُis spread
يميرُهُ ورواقُ الحرب ممدودُ
The vulture found in it a bond through its own flight feathers,
Ere the intent forms, the stroke hits home.
That feeds it while war’s canopy is spread.
Had David's eye but glimpsed its notches,
كأنas though مرماهُhis target مغناطيسa magnet for أنصُلهhis arrowheads
كأن مرماهُ مغناطيس أنصُله
ففيهso in it قبلbefore انتحاءِdirecting القصدthe aim تسديدُunerring aim
ففيه قبل انتحاءِ القصد تسديدُ
As though his target were a magnet for his arrowheads,
He had not vied with it, weaving his coat of mail.
So his shot is true there before he even takes aim.
From smoothed bow of toughest wood,
لوif أبصرتhad seen عينُthe eye داوودٍof David منافذهits paths of penetration
لو أبصرت عينُ داوودٍ منافذه
لماthen would not تحدىhave boasted بنسجof weaving السَّرْدِchain mail داوودُDavid
لما تحدى بنسج السَّرْدِ داوودُ
Had David’s eye seen its paths of penetration,
Alike to send shaft near and wing it afar.
David would not have boasted of weaving chain mail.
When it clangs the warrior's soul exults
منfrom قلبthe heart محنيَّةٍof a curved bow ملويَّةٍtwisted قُذُفٍfar-shooting
من قلب محنيَّةٍ ملويَّةٍ قُذُفٍ
سيَّانalike فيin قصدهاits aim قربٌnearness وتبعيدُand distance
سيَّان في قصدها قربٌ وتبعيدُ
From the heart of a curved, twisted, far-shooting bow,
As exulted the soul of Moses' tree when it bowed.
Near and far are alike to its aim.
It curves menacing as the frown of the indignant,
لهاit has رنينa ring إذاwhen ماever (emphatic) أنْبضتْit is twanged زجِلٌresounding
لها رنين إذا ما أنْبضتْ زجِلٌ
كماas أرنَّcried out أبيُّa proud man النفسِin spirit مجهودworn out
كما أرنَّ أبيُّ النفسِ مجهود
It has a resounding ring whenever it is twanged,
Where no softening appears, no gentle bend.
As a proud-spirited, exhausted man cries out.
And it curves without strain, when unleashed,
كأنهاas though it were حاجبthe eyebrow المذعورof a frightened man مُرْشقةًready to shoot
كأنها حاجب المذعور مُرْشقةً
ماno فيهin it للخوفfrom fear تدريجٌfolding into ridges وتجعيدُand wrinkling
ما فيه للخوف تدريجٌ وتجعيدُ
When readied to shoot, it is like a frightened man’s eyebrow,
As the frown curves untroubled and firmly controlled.
With no folds or wrinkles in it from fear.
A thousand straight and rightly measured,
وتنثنيand it bends back حينwhen تُلفيit is found غيرُnot موترةٍstrung
وتنثني حين تُلفي غيرُ موترةٍ
كأنهاas though it were حاجبٌan eyebrow بالغَيظwith rage معقودُknotted
كأنها حاجبٌ بالغَيظ معقودُ
And it bends back when found unstrung,
Flecked with the markings of calligraphy.
Like an eyebrow knotted with rage.
Intoxicated with virgin honey in their scabbards,
لهhe has ألَفٌa companion قويمstraight القدin stature معتدلٌwell-proportioned
له ألَفٌ قويم القد معتدلٌ
مثقَّفٌstraightened منfrom عروقthe rootstock الخطof al-Khatt أُمْلودُsupple
مثقَّفٌ من عروق الخط أُمْلودُ
He has a companion, straight in stature and well-proportioned,
At the throat-thrust biting as a wolf's fang.
Straightened and supple, from the rootstock of al-Khatt.
Blue as the vault, it sweeps in its flight,
سكرانُdrunk منfrom عسلانٍquivering فيin معاطفهits bends
سكرانُ من عسلانٍ في معاطفه
لكنهbut it عندwhen طعنpiercing النَّحرthe throat عِرْبيدُa drunken brawler
لكنه عند طعن النَّحر عِرْبيدُ
Drunk with the quivering in its curves,
And curves back like the planet Mars reversed in its course.
Yet when it pierces a throat, it is a drunken brawler.
A blade so keen it anticipates the deadly blow;
يجريhe rides بهwith it وهوwhile it is كيوانٌSaturn لزرقتهbecause of its blueness
يجري به وهو كيوانٌ لزرقته
وينثنيand he turns back وهوwhile it is كالمريخlike Mars مردودُbrought back
وينثني وهو كالمريخ مردودُ
He rides with it, and it is Saturn in its blueness;
On the day of evil the widows were its tidings.
And he turns back, bringing it home like Mars.
It destroys with a glance, no wavering in the stroke,
وصارمٌand a keen sword تسبقُprecedes التقحيمthe charge قتلتهُits killing stroke
وصارمٌ تسبقُ التقحيم قتلتهُ
يومon the day الكريهةِof battle فالأيماءُso a gesture تقْديدcutting into strips
يوم الكريهةِ فالأيماءُ تقْديد
And a keen sword whose killing stroke precedes the charge;
No slit of pupil not centered on the slain.
On the day of battle, a gesture slices flesh into strips.
As the torrent in spate sucked down by the ocean,
يغتالُsteals away منthrough لمعانٍgleaming لحظthe gaze ناظِرهِof its beholder
يغتالُ من لمعانٍ لحظ ناظِرهِ
فماso no لمُقْلةfor the eye راءٍof a beholder فيهat it ترديدrepeated glance
فما لمُقْلة راءٍ فيه ترديد
With its gleam it steals its beholder’s gaze,
When the two embrace, fierce, resistless, unchecked!
So no beholder’s eye can look at it twice.
On broad chest that fears no piercing,
كأنهas though it were جدولٌa brook والبحرand the sea قابضهُits wielder
كأنه جدولٌ والبحر قابضهُ
إذاwhen انتضاهdraws it شديدmighty البأسin valor مجدودfortunate
إذا انتضاه شديد البأس مجدود
It is like a brook, with the sea as its wielder,
A star of unalloyed Indian steel engraves its sign.
When a fortunate man of mighty valor draws it.
Quiet its sheath, wakeful the field of its endeavour,
علىon أقبَّa lean-bellied steed رحيبbroad الصدرin the chest ذيwith خصلlocks of hair
على أقبَّ رحيب الصدر ذي خصل
فيهin it علىover الريحthe wind تبريزٌsurpassing speed وتجويدand fine galloping
فيه على الريح تبريزٌ وتجويد
On a lean-bellied, broad-chested steed with flowing locks,
Gentle of rein, but remorseless pursuing the adversary.
It surpasses the wind in speed and fine galloping.
Hearkening to its rider's whisper, as though
نوَّامُsleepy مربطهat its tether يقظانُwakeful معركهِon its battlefield
نوَّامُ مربطه يقظانُ معركهِ
سهلُgentle العنانِon the rein وفيand in التعداءgalloping تشديدforceful effort
سهلُ العنانِ وفي التعداء تشديد
Sleepy at its tether, wakeful on its battlefield,
The secret thought of the steed were captive in its heart.
Gentle on the rein, and forceful in its gallop.
In a dense phalanx like the towering mountains,
مصغlistening إلىto هاجسa fleeting thought منfrom سرِّthe secret mind فارسهِof its rider
مصغ إلى هاجس من سرِّ فارسهِ
كأنَّهas though it were بضميرby the inward thought الركضof galloping مجلودُwhipped
كأنَّه بضمير الركض مجلودُ
Listening to a fleeting thought in its rider’s secret mind,
Cleaving the desert plain to make its way.
As though whipped by the thought of galloping.
As though the ground were parchment, it the writing,
فيwithin جحفلa vast host كأتيِّlike the torrent الطودof a mountain ذيwith لجبٍa roar
في جحفل كأتيِّ الطود ذي لجبٍ
لهit has بمخترقat the crossing البيداءof the desert تنضيدordered ranks
له بمخترق البيداء تنضيد
Within a roaring host like a mountain torrent,
Black specks and tawny, a maze of dark and brightness.
Arrayed in ranks along the passage through the desert.
Like burns of fiery match-cord plain by night,
كأنماas though القاعthe plain طِرْسa parchment وهوand it is أسطرُهits lines
كأنما القاع طِرْس وهو أسطرُه
والبيضُand the white swords والسمرُand the dusky spears أعرابٌinflection marks وتأكيدand emphasis
والبيضُ والسمرُ أعرابٌ وتأكيد
As though the plain were a parchment, and it the lines upon it,
Where steel-blue mail is lit by gleaming torches.
With white swords and dusky spears as inflection marks and emphasis.
The sheen of morn has revealed it, as it veiled
كأنas though حياًa tribe تهادواexchanged gifts نارfire ممسيةٍat evening
كأن حياً تهادوا نار ممسيةٍ
نارُthe fire السنابكِof the hooves تُعليهاsend it aloft الجلاميدُthe boulders
نارُ السنابكِ تُعليها الجلاميدُ
As though a tribe were exchanging gifts of evening fire:
The sun at daybreak, light suffusing the day.
The fire of hooves, which the boulders send aloft.
A light whose whiteness brooks no spot of shadow,
لاحتshone بهwithin it الطلعةُthe countenance الغراءradiant إذwhen حجبتwas veiled
لاحت به الطلعةُ الغراء إذ حجبت
شمسthe sun الضحىof the forenoon فضياءso the light اليومof the day موجودis present
شمس الضحى فضياء اليوم موجود
His radiant face shone within it when
Nor flaw in purpose, nor doubt to mar its truth.
The morning sun was veiled; still, daylight remained,
Its judgment of events strikes home unerring,
منfrom نورthe light أبلجof a radiant man لاno فيin عودهhis timber خَورٌweakness
من نور أبلج لا في عوده خَورٌ
للعاجمينfor those who test ولاand no فيin الرأيjudgment تفنيدُgrounds for censure
للعاجمين ولا في الرأي تفنيدُ
From a radiant man’s light, with no weakness in his timber
As though the course of fate moved only at its will.
For those who test him, nor any fault to find in his judgment.
The subjects sleep untroubled under its rule,
صَدْقِunerring البديهةin immediate insight فيin تأميمaiming toward مقصدِهhis goal
صَدْقِ البديهة في تأميم مقصدِه
وللرويَّةِand for deliberation تصويبٌdownward movement وتصْعيدُand upward movement
وللرويَّةِ تصويبٌ وتصْعيدُ
Unerring in his first thought when aiming at his goal,
While from the eyelids of the sultan sleep is banished.
While deliberation has its downward and upward turns.
How towering and thick its stalk of glories,
يصيبhits the mark منwith غيرno تقديرcalculation ولاand no فكرthought
يصيب من غير تقدير ولا فكر
كأنَّas though آراءهُhis judgments فيin الأمرthe matter تأييدُdivine aid
كأنَّ آراءهُ في الأمر تأييدُ
He hits the mark without calculation or thought,
You reap at harvest the high theme your songs would hymn!
As though his judgments in affairs were divine aid.
A people whose touch is rain, whose chief ones
تنامsleep عنهunconcerned about him الرعاياthe subjects وهيwhile they are وادعةٌat ease
تنام عنه الرعايا وهي وادعةٌ
والنومwhile sleep عنfrom مقلةthe eye السلطانof the sultan مطرودُbanished
والنوم عن مقلة السلطان مطرودُ
His subjects sleep, heedless of him, at ease,
Are heavy clouds, pouring in the waste their plenteous bounty,
While sleep is banished from the sultan’s eye.
The song-birds thrill in ecstasy at their fame,
كمhow many شامخٍa towering height ذيwith قنانٍpeaks منamong مفاخرهhis glories
كم شامخٍ ذي قنانٍ من مفاخره
نمتكraised you by lineage نحوtoward ذُراهits summits السادةُthe lords الصيدُthe proud, noble
نمتك نحو ذُراه السادةُ الصيدُ
How many a towering, many-peaked height among his glories—
And to bold singers they are impulse and engrafted bough.
The proud lords have raised you toward its summits!
Those who plant in the live ground are well nourished,
قومٌa people أناملهمtheir fingertips سحبٌrainclouds وأعصرهمand their times
قومٌ أناملهم سحبٌ وأعصرهم
خصبplenty وعافيهُمand their suppliant فيin الجدبdrought مودودbeloved
خصب وعافيهُم في الجدب مودود
A people whose fingertips are rainclouds, and whose times
While builders of the waste must soon decamp.
Are plenty; in drought, their suppliant is beloved.
All that have bound the diadem about their heads
تُسطْربare stirred to delight العيسthe pale camels منby ذكرىremembrance محامدهمof their virtues
تُسطْرب العيس من ذكرى محامدهم
فللحداةِso the camel-drivers have بهمof them رجْعٌrefrains وتغريدُand song
فللحداةِ بهم رجْعٌ وتغريدُ
The pale camels thrill at the remembrance of their virtues,
Laud them aloud from pulpits, extolling and magnifying.
So the camel-drivers chant refrains and songs of them.
Feared while yet unborn, ere seen their might,
المطعمونthose who feed others وأرضwhile the land الحيof the tribe مُكْديةٌbarren
المطعمون وأرض الحي مُكْديةٌ
والمقدمونand those who advance إذاwhen فرَّflee الرعاديدُthe trembling cowards
والمقدمون إذا فرَّ الرعاديدُ
They feed others when the tribe’s land is barren,
And trooped to for aid while cradle babes.
And advance when trembling cowards flee.
O sworn before the day to works of piety,
منamong كلevery معتصبone girded بالتاجwith the crown ينعتهُdescribes him
من كل معتصب بالتاج ينعتهُ
علىon المنابرthe pulpits تعظيمٌexaltation وتمجيدُand glorification
على المنابر تعظيمٌ وتمجيدُ
Each a wearer of the crown, acclaimed
There in the Yemen was such fast and festival observed!
On the pulpits with exaltation and glorification.
يُهابis held in awe وهوwhile he is جنينan unborn child قبلbefore رؤيتهِseeing him
يُهاب وهو جنين قبل رؤيتهِ
ويُستفادand people come seeking bounty إليهto him وهوwhile he is مولودُnewborn
ويُستفاد إليه وهو مولودُ
He is held in awe while still in the womb, before he is seen,
And people come to him for bounty while he is newborn.
ياO صائماًone who fasts قبلbefore صومthe fast اليومof today منout of ورعٍpiety
يا صائماً قبل صوم اليوم من ورعٍ
هَناكَmay it gladden you باليُمنwith good fortune هذاthis الصَّومُfast والعيدand Eid
هَناكَ باليُمن هذا الصَّومُ والعيد
O you who fasted out of piety before today’s fast,
May this fast and Eid bring you joy and good fortune.
Partial English translation: 81 of 86 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1