أدْنىthe lowest الفوارِسِhorsemen مَنone who يُغِيرُraids لمَغْنَمِfor plunder
أدْنى الفوارِسِ مَن يُغِيرُ لمَغْنَمِ
فاجْعَلْso make مُغَارَكَyour raiding للمَكارِمfor noble deeds تَكرُمِyou will be noble
فاجْعَلْ مُغَارَكَ للمَكارِم تَكرُمِ
The lowest of horsemen is he who raids for plunder.
The noblest horsemen are those who raid for plunder,
So make your raids for noble deeds, and you will be noble.
So make your cave a refuge for the generous.
وتَوَقّand beware أمْرَthe command of الغانِياتِfair women فإنّهُfor it is
وتَوَقّ أمْرَ الغانِياتِ فإنّهُ
أمْرٌa command إذاif خالفْتَهyou disobey it لمnot تَنْدَمِyou regret
أمْرٌ إذا خالفْتَه لم تَنْدَمِ
And beware the command of fair women, for it is
And abstain from the matter of singing girls, for it
a command you will not regret disobeying.
Is a matter that if you go against it, you will not regret.
أناI أقْدَمُthe longest-standing of الخُلاّنِfriends فارْضَso accept نصيحتيmy counsel
أنا أقْدَمُ الخُلاّنِ فارْضَ نصيحتي
إنّindeed الفَضِيلةَexcellence للحُسامِbelongs to the keen blade الأقْدَمِthe oldest
إنّ الفَضِيلةَ للحُسامِ الأقْدَمِ
I am your longest-standing friend, so accept my counsel;
I am the most senior advisor, so accept my advice,
indeed, excellence belongs to the oldest keen blade.
For merit belongs to the oldest sword.
والْحَقْand join بتُبّاعِwith the followers of الأميرِthe prince فكُنْso be لهfor him
والْحَقْ بتُبّاعِ الأميرِ فكُنْ له
تَبَعاًa follower لتُصْبِحَso that you become بالمحَلّin the station الأعظَمِthe highest
تَبَعاً لتُصْبِحَ بالمحَلّ الأعظَمِ
And join the prince's followers, and be his
And the truth is with following the prince, so be
follower, to attain the highest station.
A follower of him, to reach the greatest status.
واسْتَزْرِand disdain بالبِيضِthe fair-skinned women الحِسانِbeautiful ولاand not يكُنْlet there be
واسْتَزْرِ بالبِيضِ الحِسانِ ولا يكُنْ
لكَfor you غيرُother than هِمّةِan ambition صارمٍa keen sword أوor لَهْذَمِa piercing spear
لكَ غيرُ هِمّةِ صارمٍ أو لَهْذَمِ
And scorn fair, beautiful women, and let yours be
And make the white your armor, and let there be
no ambition beyond a keen sword or a piercing spear.
No other ambition for you but a sharp sword or firm spear.
المُتّقيthe one who wards off بالخيْلْwith horses كلّevery عظيمةٍgreat calamity
المُتّقي بالخيْلْ كلّ عظيمةٍ
والمُسْتَبِيحِand the one who overruns بهِنّwith them كلّevery عَرَمْرَمِmighty army
والمُسْتَبِيحِ بهِنّ كلّ عَرَمْرَمِ
He wards off every calamity with horses,
The God-conscious man takes down every greatness with his horse
and with them overruns every mighty army,
And the transgressor seduces every cheap woman.
ومُزِيرِهاand the one who brings them to الغَوْرَthe deep lowland الذيwhich لوif سَلّمَتْgreeted
ومُزِيرِها الغَوْرَ الذي لو سَلّمَتْ
ريحٌa wind علىupon أرجائِهاits reaches لمnot تَسْلَمescape unharmed
ريحٌ على أرجائِها لم تَسْلَم
and brings them into the deep lowland where, should
And its rugged valley, if a wind blew on its edges
a wind greet its reaches, it would not escape unharmed.
It would not be safe, or the Wasmi arose early seeking his land
أوor بَكّرَset out early الوَسمِيُّthe first autumn rains يَطْلُبُseeking أَرضَهits soil
أو بَكّرَ الوَسمِيُّ يَطْلُبُ أَرضَه
نَفِدَwas exhausted الرّبيعُthe spring rains وتُرْبُهاand its soil لمnot يُوسمِbe marked by rain
نَفِدَ الرّبيعُ وتُرْبُها لم يُوسمِ
Or should the first autumn rain set out early, seeking its soil,
Spring ran out and its soil was not marked.
the spring rains would be spent, its earth still unmarked.
The stars do not appear in it, shining,
لاnot تَسْتَبِينُare discernible الشّهْبُthe bright stars فيهin it تنائِياًthrough distance
لا تَسْتَبِينُ الشّهْبُ فيه تنائِياً
ويَلُوحُand appears فيهin it البَدْرُthe full moon مثلَlike الدّرهَمِa dirham
ويَلُوحُ فيه البَدْرُ مثلَ الدّرهَمِ
The bright stars cannot be discerned there, so distant are they,
And the moon gleams in it like a dirham.
and the full moon appears there like a dirham.
This, and how many mountains whose people disobeyed them
هذاthis وكمand how many جَبَلٍa mountain عصَاهاdefied them أهْلُهits people
هذا وكم جَبَلٍ عصَاها أهْلُه
فَهَوَتْso they swooped عليهupon it معwith الطّيورِthe birds الحُوّمِcircling
فَهَوَتْ عليه مع الطّيورِ الحُوّمِ
This—and how many a mountain whose people defied them
So they collapsed upon them with the ravens.
they swooped upon with the circling birds!
And it let through the strikes of every quiver
وأجازَهَاand he led them across قُذَفاتِthe summits of كلّevery مُنِيفَةٍlofty height
وأجازَهَا قُذَفاتِ كلّ مُنِيفَةٍ
وَكْرُthe nest of العُقابِthe eagle بهاon it وبيْتُand the home of الأعْصَمِthe white-legged ibex
وَكْرُ العُقابِ بها وبيْتُ الأعْصَمِ
And he led them across the summits of every lofty height,
And the nests of eagles in it and homes of black snakes.
where the eagle nests and the white-legged ibex dwells.
So they trod the lairs of ostriches and panicked them
فوطِئْنَso they trod أوْكارَthe nests of الأنُوقِthe vulture ورُوّعَتand she was terrified
فوطِئْنَ أوْكارَ الأنُوقِ ورُوّعَت
مِنهاby them وباتَand spent the night المُهْرُthe foal ضَيْفَa guest of الهَيْثَمِthe eaglet
مِنها وباتَ المُهْرُ ضَيْفَ الهَيْثَمِ
So they trampled the vulture's nests, and she was terrified
And the wild animal spent the night a guest of hyenas.
of them; the foal spent the night a guest of the eaglet.
It knew and caution weakened it, so it did not fly
علِمَتْshe knew وأضْعَفَهاand weakened her الحِذارُfear فلمso not تَطِرْfly
علِمَتْ وأضْعَفَها الحِذارُ فلم تَطِرْ
منfrom ضَعْفِهاher weakness فكأنّهاso as though she لمnot تَعْلَمِknew
من ضَعْفِها فكأنّها لم تَعْلَمِ
She knew, but fear weakened her, so she did not fly
Though weak, as if it had no knowledge.
from weakness, as though she had never known.
With widespread wings, it cried with pride
وبَعيدةِand a far-stretching wilderness الأطرافِin its reaches رُعْنَthey startled بماجِدٍwith a noble man
وبَعيدةِ الأطرافِ رُعْنَ بماجِدٍ
يَرْدِينَthey gallop فوقَover أساوِدٍblack serpents لمnot تَطْعَمِfed
يَرْدِينَ فوقَ أساوِدٍ لم تَطْعَمِ
And many a far-stretching wilderness they startled with a noble rider,
Flying over lions that had not been fed.
galloping over black serpents that had not fed.
It grazes the remnants of dew in its burrows
تَرعىfeeds on خوافيthe inner wing-feathers of الرُّبْدِthe gray ostriches فيin حَجَراتِهاits tracts
تَرعى خوافي الرُّبْدِ في حَجَراتِها
سَغْباًhungrily وتَعْثُرُand stumbles بالغَطَاطِover sandgrouse النُّوَمِsleeping
سَغْباً وتَعْثُرُ بالغَطَاطِ النُّوَمِ
They feed on gray ostriches' inner wing-feathers in its reaches,
And stumbles over the thickets of sleep.
hungrily, and stumble over sleeping sandgrouse.
They gather themselves so they can attain what
يَجْمَعْنَthey gather أنفُسَهُنّthemselves كيso that يَبْلُغْنthey attain ماwhat
يَجْمَعْنَ أنفُسَهُنّ كي يَبْلُغْن ما
يَهْوَىhe desires فمُجْفَرُهنّso their deep-barreled steed مثْلُlike الأهضَمِthe hollow-flanked one
يَهْوَى فمُجْفَرُهنّ مثْلُ الأهضَمِ
They gather themselves together to attain what
They desire, so their beaks are like chisels.
he desires; their deep-barreled steed is like a hollow-flanked one.
It harbored enmity and leadership emboldened it, so it became
ضَمَرَتْthey grew lean وشَزّبَهاand thinned them القِيادُbeing driven فأصْبحتْso they became
ضَمَرَتْ وشَزّبَها القِيادُ فأصْبحتْ
والطّرْفُand the steed يرْكُضُgallops فيin مَسابِthe track of الأرقَمِthe speckled serpent
والطّرْفُ يرْكُضُ في مَسابِ الأرقَمِ
They grew lean, and being driven thinned them, so that now
A lookout, while the eyelid gallops in pupils of the blind.
the steed gallops along the speckled serpent's track.
Its saddle rises above every other saddle
مِنfrom كلّevery مُعْطِيَةِmare yielding to الأعِنّةِthe reins سرْجُهاher saddle
مِن كلّ مُعْطِيَةِ الأعِنّةِ سرْجُها
تَرْقىclimb فوارِسُهاher riders إليهto it بسُلّمِwith a ladder
تَرْقى فوارِسُها إليه بسُلّمِ
Each mare yielding to the reins has a saddle
So its horsemen ascend to it with a ladder.
her riders climb to with a ladder:
A chestnut steed as if its bridle
غَرّاءَwhite-blazed سَلْهَبَةٍtall and long-bodied كَأنّas though لجامَهاher bridle
غَرّاءَ سَلْهَبَةٍ كَأنّ لجامَها
نالَreached السماءَthe sky بهwith it بَنانُthe fingertips of المُلْجِمِthe bridler
نالَ السماءَ به بَنانُ المُلْجِمِ
white-blazed and towering, as though, with her bridle,
Reached the sky with it, like the stars of Aldebaran.
the bridler's fingertips had reached the sky.
And a challenger between the noble and pursuer
ومُقابَلٍand a steed noble on both sides بينَbetween الوَجيهِal-Wajih ولاحِقٍand Lahiq
ومُقابَلٍ بينَ الوَجيهِ ولاحِقٍ
وافاكَcame to you بينَbetween مُطَهَّمٍa fine-formed steed ومُطَهَّمِand a fine-formed steed
وافاكَ بينَ مُطَهَّمٍ ومُطَهَّمِ
And a steed noble on both sides, between al-Wajih and Lahiq,
Who found you between the armed and the armed.
came to you between one fine-formed steed and another.
The day molded its specula and it was as if
صاغَfashioned النّهارُthe day حُجُولَهُhis white fetlock-rings فكأنّماso as though
صاغَ النّهارُ حُجُولَهُ فكأنّما
قَطعتْcut لهfor him الظّلماءُthe darkness ثوبَthe coat of الأدهَمِthe black steed
قَطعتْ له الظّلماءُ ثوبَ الأدهَمِ
Day fashioned his white anklets, as though
The darkness cut for it a garment of pitch.
darkness had tailored him a black steed's coat.
The fish were disturbed by its gallop and sometimes
قلِقَtrembled السّماكُal-Simak لرَكْضِهِat his gallop ولربّماand many a time
قلِقَ السّماكُ لرَكْضِهِ ولربّما
نَفَضَshook off الغُبارَthe dust علىonto جبِينِthe brow of المِرْزَمِal-Mirzam
نَفَضَ الغُبارَ على جبِينِ المِرْزَمِ
Al-Simak trembled at his gallop, and many a time
It shook the dust off the forehead of the sick man.
he shook dust onto al-Mirzam's brow.
Like brides, nothing it raided retreated
مِثلُlike العرائسِbrides ماnever انثَنَتْthey returned منfrom غارةٍa raid
مِثلُ العرائسِ ما انثَنَتْ من غارةٍ
إلاexcept مُخَضَّبَةَdyed السّنابِكِthe hoof-tips بالدّمِwith blood
إلا مُخَضَّبَةَ السّنابِكِ بالدّمِ
Like brides, they never returned from a raid
Except stained doorframes with blood.
save with their hoof-tips dyed in blood.
It stayed up while the guide slept in a worn cloak
سَهِرَتْthey kept vigil وقدwhile already هجَعَslept الدليلُthe guide بلابسٍwith one wearing
سَهِرَتْ وقد هجَعَ الدليلُ بلابسٍ
بُرْدَthe cloak of الحُبابِthe serpent مُعيدِrepeating فعْلِthe deeds of الضّيْغَمِthe lion
بُرْدَ الحُبابِ مُعيدِ فعْلِ الضّيْغَمِ
They kept vigil while the guide slept, with one clad in
Repeating the actions of twisting.
the serpent's cloak, reenacting the lion's deeds.
Its claws made the gazelles bleed so it was as if
أدْمَتْbloodied نواجِذَهاtheir molars الظُّبَىthe sword-edges فكأنّماso as though
أدْمَتْ نواجِذَها الظُّبَى فكأنّما
صُبِغَتْwere dyed شكائِمُهاtheir bridle-bits بمثْلِwith something like العَنْدَمِred dye
صُبِغَتْ شكائِمُها بمثْلِ العَنْدَمِ
Sword-edges bloodied their molars, as though
Their cheeks were dyed with the same as jujube.
their bridle-bits had been stained with something like red dye.
And its hooves built a shining darkness?
وبنَتْand built حوافِرُهاtheir hooves قَتاماًa dust-cloud ساطعاًsoaring
وبنَتْ حوافِرُها قَتاماً ساطعاً
لولاbut for انْقِيادُthe submission of عِداكَyour enemies لمnot يَتَهَدّمِwould crumble
لولا انْقِيادُ عِداكَ لم يَتَهَدّمِ
And their hooves built up soaring dust,
If not for your obedience, it would not have crumbled.
which, but for your enemies' submission, would not have crumbled.
The eagles nested in it and pitched above it
باضَlaid eggs النّسورُthe vultures بهin it وخيّمَand camped مُصْعِداًrising upward
باضَ النّسورُ به وخيّمَ مُصْعِداً
حتىuntil تَرَعْرَعَgrew up فيهin it فَرْخُthe chick of القَشْعَمِthe great vulture
حتى تَرَعْرَعَ فيه فَرْخُ القَشْعَمِ
Vultures laid eggs in it, and it camped aloft,
Until the fledgling eagle chirped in it.
until the great vulture's chick grew up within it.
And it aimed for the basin of clouds, and its water
وسماand rose إلىto حَوْضِthe basin of الغَمامِthe clouds فماؤهُso its water
وسما إلى حَوْضِ الغَمامِ فماؤهُ
كَدِرٌturbid بمُنْهالِwith the downpour of الغُبارِthe dust الأقْتَمِdusky
كَدِرٌ بمُنْهالِ الغُبارِ الأقْتَمِ
It rose to the clouds' basin, so its water
Was turbid from the descending dusty fog.
grew turbid with the downpour of dusky dust.
They came in numbers like goblets, overflowing
جاءتْthey came بأمْثالِwith the likes of القِداحِlot-arrows مُفِيضَةًcasting lots
جاءتْ بأمْثالِ القِداحِ مُفِيضَةً
منof كلّevery أشْعَثَdisheveled warrior بالسّيوفِby swords مُوَسَّمِscarred
من كلّ أشْعَثَ بالسّيوفِ مُوَسَّمِ
They came bearing men like lot-arrows, casting them forth,
From every disheveled one with swords marked.
each disheveled and scarred by swords.
So they were found sharper than the arrows of Turks when
فوُجِدْنَand they were found أمْضىkeener منthan سِهامِthe arrows of التُّركthe Turks إذwhen
فوُجِدْنَ أمْضى من سِهامِ التُّرك إذ
نُفِضَتْloosed وأنْفَدَand more deadly مِنthan حِرابِthe spears of الدّيْلمِthe Daylamites
نُفِضَتْ وأنْفَدَ مِن حِرابِ الدّيْلمِ
And they proved keener than the Turks' arrows when
Released, and more piercing than the spears of Delam.
loosed, and more deadly than the Daylamites' spears,
Until they left the water not pure
حتىuntil تركْنَthey left الماءَthe water ليسnot بطاهِرٍpure
حتى تركْنَ الماءَ ليس بطاهِرٍ
والتُّرْبَand the soil ليسnot يَحِلُّis lawful للمُتَيَمّمِfor one performing dry ablution
والتُّرْبَ ليس يَحِلُّ للمُتَيَمّمِ
until they left the water no longer pure,
And the soil not permissible for one who performs ablution.
and the soil unfit for one performing dry ablution.
Partial English translation: 61 of 62 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1