أَبارِقٌis it a lightning flash طالَعناappeared to us مِنfrom نَجدِNajd
أَبارِقٌ طالَعنا مِن نَجدِ
يُضيءُshines فيin عارِضِهِits raincloud المُربَدِّdusky
يُضيءُ في عارِضِهِ المُربَدِّ
Is it a lightning flash that has appeared to us from Najd,
Flashes have appeared to us from Najd
shining within its dusky raincloud,
Illuminating in its horizon the frigid
مُستَعبِراًshedding tears عَنat زَفَراتِthe sighs of الرَعدِthunder
مُستَعبِراً عَن زَفَراتِ الرَعدِ
ماءًwater كَماas اِرتَجَّتsurged شِعابُthe channels of العِدِّthe perennial spring
ماءً كَما اِرتَجَّت شِعابُ العِدِّ
weeping at the sighs of thunder,
Voicing the rumblings of thunder
water, as the channels of a perennial spring surge,
Like water as the valleys of Mount 'Ed trembled
يَقرِنُjoins أَعناقَthe necks of الرُبىthe hills بِالوَهدِto the hollows
يَقرِنُ أَعناقَ الرُبى بِالوَهدِ
وَمَنهَلٌand a watering place مُبَرقَعٌveiled بِالثَمدِin shallow water
وَمَنهَلٌ مُبَرقَعٌ بِالثَمدِ
joining the necks of the hills to the hollows?
Connecting the necks of mounts with ties
And a watering place veiled in shallow water—
And a meadow dotted with dew
هَتَكتُهُI tore it open بِاليَعمَلاتِwith swift she-camels الجُردِsleek
هَتَكتُهُ بِاليَعمَلاتِ الجُردِ
مُلَثَّماتٍmuzzle-veiled بِاللُغامِwith foam الجَعدِclotted
مُلَثَّماتٍ بِاللُغامِ الجَعدِ
I tore its veil with sleek, swift she-camels,
Torn by firm mountain goats
their muzzles veiled in clotted foam.
Veiled in thick hair
يَفقَأنَthey gouge out بِالمَصدَرِwith departure عَينَthe eye of الوِردِarrival at water
يَفقَأنَ بِالمَصدَرِ عَينَ الوِردِ
وَلَيلَةٍand a night صَدِيَّةِrust-dark الفِرِندِwatered-steel pattern
وَلَيلَةٍ صَدِيَّةِ الفِرِندِ
They gouge out the eye of arrival with their departure.
It bursts the eye of the wild rose with its source
And a night, its watered-steel pattern rust-dark:
And a resonant starry night
بيضُwhite النُجومِthe stars وَاِحمِرارُand the redness of الوَقدِthe blaze
بيضُ النُجومِ وَاِحمِرارُ الوَقدِ
مِثلُlike سِماطَيtwo rows of نَرجِسٍnarcissus وَوَردِand roses
مِثلُ سِماطَي نَرجِسٍ وَوَردِ
the white stars and the fire's red glow
The whiteness of stars and the redness of ember
like twin rows of narcissus and roses,
Like the cups of narcissus and rose
أَوor مُقَلٍeyes صَحائِحٍhealthy وَرُمدِand inflamed
أَو مُقَلٍ صَحائِحٍ وَرُمدِ
تُنازِعُvie for اللَحظَthe gaze وَلَيسَyet do not تُعديinfect
تُنازِعُ اللَحظَ وَلَيسَ تُعدي
or eyes, some healthy and some inflamed,
Or kohl-lined eyes and powder
vying for the gaze, yet spreading no infection.
They vie with the glance but cannot exceed
يَقولُsays ليto me الدَهرُTime أَلاwill you not تَستَجِديseek a gift
يَقولُ لي الدَهرُ أَلا تَستَجِدي
أَينَwhere ضِياءُthe light of المَطلَبِthe quest المُسوَدِّdarkened
أَينَ ضِياءُ المَطلَبِ المُسوَدِّ
Time says to me, 'Will you not seek a gift?'
Time says to me, do not ask
Where is the light of the darkened quest?
Where is the light of the jet-black desire
أَرىI see اللَياليthe nights يَشتَهينَdesiring بُعديmy distance
أَرى اللَيالي يَشتَهينَ بُعدي
وَلاand do not يُقَرِّبنَbring near يَداًa hand مِنto زَنديmy forearm
وَلا يُقَرِّبنَ يَداً مِن زَندي
I see the nights wishing me far away,
I see the nights wish for my absence
and bringing no hand near my forearm.
And do not extend a hand to my waist
يَلِجنَthey enter بَينَbetween صارِميmy keen sword وَغِمديand my sheath
يَلِجنَ بَينَ صارِمي وَغِمدي
كَأَنَّas though صَمصاميmy sharp sword بِغَيرِwithout حَدِّan edge
كَأَنَّ صَمصامي بِغَيرِ حَدِّ
They slip between my sharp blade and my sheath,
They penetrate between my sword and its sheath
as though my sword had no edge.
As if my sword has no edge
وَحاجَتيand my need تُصلىis scorched بِنارِin the fire of الرَدِّrefusal
وَحاجَتي تُصلى بِنارِ الرَدِّ
أُلاحِظُI regard الغَيَّerror بِعَينِwith the eye of الرُشدِright judgment
أُلاحِظُ الغَيَّ بِعَينِ الرُشدِ
And my need is scorched in the fire of refusal.
And my need is prayed with the fire of rejection
I regard error with the eye of right judgment,
I observe the absent with the eye of certitude
وَلاand do not أُباليcare مِنabout تَماديthe prolonging of بُعديmy distance
وَلا أُبالي مِن تَمادي بُعدي
أَعوذُI seek refuge مِنfrom رِزقٍa livelihood بِغَيرِwithout كَدِّtoil
أَعوذُ مِن رِزقٍ بِغَيرِ كَدِّ
and do not care how long my estrangement lasts.
And do not care for the extent of my distance
I seek refuge from a livelihood without toil.
I seek refuge from sustenance without toil
فيamong ذاthis الوَرىhumankind قَلبٌa heart بِغَيرِwithout حِقدِrancor
في ذا الوَرى قَلبٌ بِغَيرِ حِقدِ
مَنwho ذاis there الَّذيwho عَلىagainst الزَمانِTime يُعديgrants redress
مَن ذا الَّذي عَلى الزَمانِ يُعدي
Is there among these people a heart without rancor?
In this abode, a heart without malice
Who is there to grant redress against Time?
Who is it that surpasses time?
كُلُّevery جَوادٍgenerous man كاذِبٌfalse فيin الوَعدِthe promise
كُلُّ جَوادٍ كاذِبٌ في الوَعدِ
وَكُلُّand every خِلٍّclose friend خائِنٌtreacherous فيin الوُدِّaffection
وَكُلُّ خِلٍّ خائِنٌ في الوُدِّ
Every generous man is false to his promise,
Every steed is false in its promise
and every friend is treacherous in affection.
And every friend is treacherous in affection
يَحِلُّloosens بِالعُذرِwith an excuse نِطاقَthe girdle of العَهدِthe covenant
يَحِلُّ بِالعُذرِ نِطاقَ العَهدِ
لاmay not عانَقَتembrace هُوجُraging الرِياحِthe winds بُرديmy cloak
لا عانَقَت هُوجُ الرِياحِ بُردي
He loosens the covenant's girdle with an excuse.
The girth of the pact loosens
May the raging winds never embrace my cloak,
The biting winds embraced my chill
إِلاّexcept عَلىon ظَهرِthe back of أَقَبِّa lean-bellied steed نَهدِsturdy
إِلاّ عَلى ظَهرِ أَقَبِّ نَهدِ
يَخطوstrides عَلىon مُلَملَماتٍrounded hooves مُلدِsmooth
يَخطو عَلى مُلَملَماتٍ مُلدِ
except on the back of a lean-bellied, sturdy steed,
Only over the back of a firm, tender breast
striding on smooth, rounded hooves,
It steps upon slippery slopes
كَأَنَّهُas though he فيَin سَرعانِthe swiftness of الوَخدِthe stride
كَأَنَّهُ فيَ سَرعانِ الوَخدِ
يَلعَبُplays فيin أَرساغِهِhis pasterns بِالنَردِwith dice
يَلعَبُ في أَرساغِهِ بِالنَردِ
as though, in the swiftness of his stride,
As if it plays dice in its stirrups
he were playing dice in his pasterns.
O you who intimidate with bliss
يَأَيُّهاO you المُخَوَّفيyou who frighten me بِسَعدِwith Sa'd
يَأَيُّها المُخَوَّفي بِسَعدِ
طَرَحتَنيyou flung me بَينَamong النُيوبِthe fangs الدُردِtoothless
طَرَحتَني بَينَ النُيوبِ الدُردِ
O you who frighten me with Sa'd,
You have cast me amongst the fierce wolves
you have flung me among toothless fangs.
And if victory came to you from preparation
وَلَوand even if أَتاكَcame to you النَصرُhelp مِنfrom مَعَدِّMa'add
وَلَو أَتاكَ النَصرُ مِن مَعَدِّ
جَلجَلَتَyou would make resound مِنfrom لَحميmy flesh زَئيرَthe roar of الأُسدِlions
جَلجَلَتَ مِن لَحمي زَئيرَ الأُسدِ
And even if help came to you from Ma'add,
You would snarl from my flesh the roar of a lion
you would make the roar of lions resound from my flesh.
Alas for a soul imprisoned in my hide
آهاًah لِنَفسٍfor a soul حُبِسَتwas imprisoned فيin جِلديmy skin
آهاً لِنَفسٍ حُبِسَت في جِلدي
إِنَّindeed الأَسيرَthe captive غَرِضٌis weary بِالقِدِّof the rawhide bond
إِنَّ الأَسيرَ غَرِضٌ بِالقِدِّ
Ah, for a soul imprisoned in my skin!
Indeed the captive is purposeful in seeking ransom
Indeed, the captive chafes at the rawhide bond.
The noblest of my treasures is a sword in its sheath
أَشرَفُthe noblest of ذُخريmy treasure صارِمٌa keen sword فيin الغِمدِthe sheath
أَشرَفُ ذُخري صارِمٌ في الغِمدِ
إِنَّindeed العُلىlofty honor نَشوُthe offspring of سُيوفِthe swords of الهِندِIndia
إِنَّ العُلى نَشوُ سُيوفِ الهِندِ
My noblest treasure is a sharp sword in its sheath.
Indeed high ambition is the sword of India
Indeed, lofty honor is born of India's swords.
I must knock on the door of seriousness
لاno بُدَّescape أَنthat أَطرُقَI knock at بابَthe door of الجَدِّgood fortune
لا بُدَّ أَن أَطرُقَ بابَ الجَدِّ
وَأَجعَلَand I make الخُلَّةَfriendship عُرسَthe wedding of الرِفدِbounty
وَأَجعَلَ الخُلَّةَ عُرسَ الرِفدِ
I must knock at the door of good fortune,
And make the sword-belt the groom of my waist
and wed friendship to bounty,
And the tongue of my sword dispel the night
وَيَطرُدَand drives away اللَيلَthe night لِسانُthe tongue of زَنديmy firestick
وَيَطرُدَ اللَيلَ لِسانُ زَندي
حَتّىuntil أُقاسَI am measured بِأَبيagainst my father وَجدّيand my grandfather
حَتّى أُقاسَ بِأَبي وَجدّي
and my firestick's tongue must drive away the night,
Until I match my father and grandfather
until I am measured against my father and grandfather.
Congratulations O owner of the softness of glory
هُنِّئتَmay you be congratulated يامالِكَO possessor of رِقَّthe bondage of المَجدِglory
هُنِّئتَ يامالِكَ رِقَّ المَجدِ
وَمُتعِبيand you who weary me دونَapart from الوَرىhumankind بِالحَمدِwith praise
وَمُتعِبي دونَ الوَرى بِالحَمدِ
Congratulations to you, who hold glory in thrall,
And fatigue in the earth with praise
and you alone among mankind exhaust me with the labor of praise.
From you are gifts, and wishes from me
مِنكَfrom you العَطاياgifts وَالمُنىand wishes مِنfrom عِنديmy side
مِنكَ العَطايا وَالمُنى مِن عِندي
From you come gifts, and from me come wishes.
Partial English translation: 48 of 49 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1