أَثِرهاrouse them عَلىdespite ماwhat بِهاis in them مِنof لَغَبweariness
أَثِرها عَلى ما بِها مِن لَغَب
يُقَلقِلُjolts أَغراضَهاtheir girths وَالحَقَبand the rear girths
يُقَلقِلُ أَغراضَها وَالحَقَب
Rouse them despite the weariness they bear,
which jolts their girths and rear straps.
وَلاand do not تَرقُبِattend to اليَومَtoday مَيطَremoval of الأَذىhurt
وَلا تَرقُبِ اليَومَ مَيطَ الأَذى
عَنِfrom اِخفافِهاtheir padded feet وَاِندِماءَand bleeding of الجُلَبthe scabs
عَنِ اِخفافِها وَاِندِماءَ الجُلَب
Do not concern yourself today with easing the hurt
in their padded feet, nor with their bleeding scabs,
إِلىuntil أَنthat تُعَجعِجَهاyou make them kneel كَالحَنيِّlike bent bows
إِلى أَن تُعَجعِجَها كَالحَنيِّ
تَجتَرُّthey chew cud بِالدَمِwith blood لاnot بِالعُشُبwith grass
تَجتَرُّ بِالدَمِ لا بِالعُشُب
until you make them kneel, bent like bows,
chewing blood for cud, not grass.
عَلَيهاupon them أَخامِصُhollow-bellied men مِثلُlike الصُقورِfalcons
عَلَيها أَخامِصُ مِثلُ الصُقورِ
طِوالُfar-reaching in الرَجاءِhope جِسامُgreat in الأَرَبpurpose
طِوالُ الرَجاءِ جِسامُ الأَرَب
Upon them ride hollow-bellied men like falcons,
far-reaching in hope, mighty in purpose.
وَكُلُّand every فَتىًyoung man حَظُّthe share of أَجفانِهِhis eyelids
وَكُلُّ فَتىً حَظُّ أَجفانِهِ
مِنَof الضيمِill-usage مَضمَضَةٌa mouth-rinse تُستَلَبis snatched away
مِنَ الضيمِ مَضمَضَةٌ تُستَلَب
And each youth's eyelids have for their share,
in their ill-usage, a snatched mouthful of sleep.
فَبَيناthen while يُقالُit is said كَرىhas dozed جَفنُهُhis eyelid
فَبَينا يُقالُ كَرى جَفنُهُ
بِقِطعٍfor a stretch مِنَof اللَيلِthe night إِذwhen suddenly قيلَit is said هَبrise!
بِقِطعٍ مِنَ اللَيلِ إِذ قيلَ هَب
Even as they say his eyelid has slept
a stretch of night, they cry: 'Rise!'
إِذاwhen وَقَعواthey alight بَعدَafter طولِlong الكَلالِexhaustion
إِذا وَقَعوا بَعدَ طولِ الكَلالِ
لَمnot يَغمِزواthey massage قَدَماًa foot مِنfrom تَعَبweariness
لَم يَغمِزوا قَدَماً مِن تَعَب
When they alight after long exhaustion,
they do not massage a foot for weariness,
وَلَمّاand not yet يَعافواthey disdain عَلىdespite عِزِّهِمtheir pride
وَلَمّا يَعافوا عَلى عِزِّهِم
تَوَسُّدَtaking as a pillow أَعضادُهاtheir upper forelegs وَالرُكَبand knees
تَوَسُّدَ أَعضادُها وَالرُكَب
nor have they yet disdained, for all their pride,
to pillow their heads on the camels' forelegs and knees.
وَعَرِّجand turn aside عَلىto الغُرِّthe radiant nobles مِنof هاشِمٍHashim
وَعَرِّج عَلى الغُرِّ مِن هاشِمٍ
فَأَهدِthen offer السَلامَgreetings لَهُمto them مِنfrom كَثَبnearby
فَأَهدِ السَلامَ لَهُم مِن كَثَب
Turn aside to the radiant nobles of Hashim,
and offer them greetings from close by.
وَقُلand say لِبَنيto the sons of عَمِّناour paternal uncle الواجِدينَwho are resentful
وَقُل لِبَني عَمِّنا الواجِدينَ
بَنيO sons of عَمِّناour paternal uncle بَعضَsome of هَذاthis الغَضَبanger
بَني عَمِّنا بَعضَ هَذا الغَضَب
And tell our resentful cousins:
'Cousins, curb this anger a little.
أَماhas it not آنَcome time لِلراقِدِfor the sleeper المُستَمِرِّpersisting
أَما آنَ لِلراقِدِ المُستَمِرِّ
فيin ظُلَمِthe darkness of الغَيِّerror أَنto يَستَهِبawaken
في ظُلَمِ الغَيِّ أَن يَستَهِب
Has the time not come for the sleeper who persists
in the darkness of error to awaken?
سَرَحتُمyou let loose سَفاهَتَكُمyour folly فيin العُقوقِbreach of kinship
سَرَحتُم سَفاهَتَكُم في العُقوقِ
وَلَمand not تَحفِلواyou heeded الحِلمَforbearance لَمّاwhen غَرَبit departed
وَلَم تَحفِلوا الحِلمَ لَمّا غَرَب
You let your folly roam in breach of kinship,
and cared nothing when forbearance departed.
وَلَمّاand when أَرِنتُمyou grew restive إِرانَthe restiveness of الجَموحِan unruly steed
وَلَمّا أَرِنتُم إِرانَ الجَموحِ
وَماجَand swayed بِكُمwith you حَبلُكُمyour rope وَاِضطَرَبand shook
وَماجَ بِكُم حَبلُكُم وَاِضطَرَب
When you grew restive like an unruly steed,
and your rope swayed and shook with you,
أَقَمناwe straightened أَنابيبَكُمyour spear-shafts بِالثِقافِwith the straightening vise
أَقَمنا أَنابيبَكُم بِالثِقافِ
وَداوىand cured الهِناءُthe tar salve مِطالَthe persistence of الجَرَبmange
وَداوى الهِناءُ مِطالَ الجَرَب
we straightened your spear-shafts with the straightening vise,
and tar salve cured the lingering mange.
وَياand oh رُبَّماhow often عادَhas brought سوءُharshness of العِقابِpunishment
وَيا رُبَّما عادَ سوءُ العِقابِ
عَلىupon المُذنِبينَthe offenders بِحُسنِwith good الأَدَبdiscipline
عَلى المُذنِبينَ بِحُسنِ الأَدَب
How often harsh punishment has brought
offenders good discipline!
وَلَيسَand not يُلامُis blamed اِمرُؤٌa man شَفَّهُhas worn him thin
وَلَيسَ يُلامُ اِمرُؤٌ شَفَّهُ
مَضيضٌa sharp sting مِنَof الداءِillness أَنto يَستَطِبseek treatment
مَضيضٌ مِنَ الداءِ أَن يَستَطِب
No blame falls on a man worn thin
by sickness's sting, if he seeks a cure.
أَطالَhas grown long وَأَعرَضَand broad ماwhat بَينَناis between us
أَطالَ وَأَعرَضَ ما بَينَنا
مُبيرَdestroying الحَياءِmodesty مُثيرَstirring الرِيَبdoubts
مُبيرَ الحَياءِ مُثيرَ الرِيَب
What lies between us has grown long and wide,
destroying modesty and stirring doubts.
أَفيis it on كُلِّevery يَومٍday لِرِقِّinto bondage to الهَوانِhumiliation
أَفي كُلِّ يَومٍ لِرِقِّ الهَوانِ
صَبيبَةُthe outpouring of أَنفُسِكُمyour souls تَنسَكِبpours out
صَبيبَةُ أَنفُسِكُم تَنسَكِب
Must every day, into humiliation's bondage,
the outpouring of your souls be spilled?
إِذاwhen قادَكُمit leads you مِثلَlike قَودِthe leading of الذَلولِa docile beast
إِذا قادَكُم مِثلَ قَودِ الذَلولِ
نَفَرناwe shy away نُفورَthe shying of البَعيرِthe camel الأَزَبshaggy
نَفَرنا نُفورَ البَعيرِ الأَزَب
When it leads you as a docile beast is led,
we shy away like a shaggy camel.
وَفيand on كُلِّevery يَومٍday إِلىtoward دارِكُمyour home
وَفي كُلِّ يَومٍ إِلى دارِكُم
مَزاحِفُadvancing columns مِنfrom فَيلَقٍan army ذيpossessing لَجَبclamor
مَزاحِفُ مِن فَيلَقٍ ذي لَجَب
And every day toward your home
advance columns of a clamorous host,
بِوَهوَهَةِwith the neighing of الخَيلِthe horses تَحتَbeneath الرِماحِthe spears
بِوَهوَهَةِ الخَيلِ تَحتَ الرِماحِ
مُكرَهَةًdriven unwillingly وَرُغاءِand the bellowing of النُجُبnoble camels
مُكرَهَةً وَرُغاءِ النُجُب
with horses neighing beneath the spears,
driven unwillingly, and noble camels bellowing.
سِياطُwhips of الجِيادِthe steeds بِهِin it إِنif وَنَينَthey flag
سِياطُ الجِيادِ بِهِ إِن وَنَينَ
وَزَجرُand urging of الرِحالِthe saddled mounts بِهالٍwith 'Hāl!' وَهَبand 'Hab!'
وَزَجرُ الرِحالِ بِهالٍ وَهَب
There are whips for steeds should they flag,
and saddled mounts are urged with 'Hāl!' and 'Hab!'
وَتَلقَونَهاand you meet them كَقِداحِlike arrow-shafts of السَرsarrāʾ-wood (word continues)
وَتَلقَونَها كَقِداحِ السَر
راءِcompletion of 'sarrāʾ-wood' قوداًlong-necked تَجُرُّdrawing العَواليthe tall spear-shafts وَقَبdeep-hollowed steeds
راءِ قوداً تَجُرُّ العَوالي وَقَب
You meet them like arrow-shafts of sarrāʾ-wood—
long-necked, deep-hollowed steeds drawing lofty spears.
كَأَنَّas though حَوافِرَهاtheir hooves وَالصُخورَand the rocks
كَأَنَّ حَوافِرَها وَالصُخورَ
إِذاwhen ماemphasis ذَرَعنَthey stride across الدُجىthe darkness فيin صَخَبclamor
إِذا ما ذَرَعنَ الدُجى في صَخَب
As though their hooves and the rocks,
when they stride through darkness in uproar,
تَسُدُّseal عَلىover البيدِthe deserts خَرقَthe opening of الشَمالِthe north wind
تَسُدُّ عَلى البيدِ خَرقَ الشَمالِ
بِماwith what نَسَجَتthey have woven مِنof سَحيلِfine-spun fabric التُرَبdust
بِما نَسَجَت مِن سَحيلِ التُرَب
seal the north wind's opening over the wastes
with what they weave of fine-spun dust.
وَطِئنَand they trod النَجيعَfresh blood بِأَرساغِهِنَّwith their fetlocks
وَطِئنَ النَجيعَ بِأَرساغِهِنَّ
مِمّاbecause اِنتَعَلنَthey wore as sandals الرُبىthe hillocks وَالذَأَبand summits
مِمّا اِنتَعَلنَ الرُبى وَالذَأَب
They have trodden fresh blood up to their fetlocks
from wearing hillocks and summits for sandals.
وَكَمand how many قَرَعَstruck الدوَّthe open desert مِنof حافِرٍa hoof
وَكَم قَرَعَ الدوَّ مِن حافِرٍ
يُخالُis imagined عَلىon الأَرضِthe ground قَعباًa wooden bowl يُكَبbeing overturned
يُخالُ عَلى الأَرضِ قَعباً يُكَب
How many a hoof has struck the open desert,
seeming a bowl overturned upon the ground!
تُهَزُّare brandished السُيوفُthe swords لِأَعناقِكُمfor your necks
تُهَزُّ السُيوفُ لِأَعناقِكُم
فَتَأبىbut they refuse مَضارِبَthe striking edges of تِلكَthose القُضُبblades
فَتَأبى مَضارِبَ تِلكَ القُضُب
Swords are brandished toward your necks,
but your necks refuse those blades' striking edges.
وَتُسفِرُand shine forth أَحسابُناour ancestral honors بَينَناbetween us
وَتُسفِرُ أَحسابُنا بَينَنا
فَنُلقيso we lay aside طَوائِلَناour blood-feuds أَوor نَهَبwe grant pardon
فَنُلقي طَوائِلَنا أَو نَهَب
Our ancestral honors shine forth between us,
so we lay aside our blood-feuds, or grant pardon.
يُناشِدُناit adjures us by اللَهَGod فيconcerning حَربِكُمwar with you
يُناشِدُنا اللَهَ في حَربِكُم
عُرَيقٌa small ancestral root لَكُمof yours فيin أَبيناour father ضَرَبhas struck
عُرَيقٌ لَكُم في أَبينا ضَرَب
It adjures us by God against warring on you—
a small root of yours, sunk in our father.
وَماand whatever أَحدَثَhas caused الدَهرُtime مِنof نَبوَةٍestrangement
وَما أَحدَثَ الدَهرُ مِن نَبوَةٍ
وَقَطَّعَand has severed ماwhat بَينَناis between us مِنof سَبَبa bond
وَقَطَّعَ ما بَينَنا مِن سَبَب
Whatever estrangement time has brought about,
and whatever bonds between us it has severed,
فَإِنَّyet indeed النُفوسَthe souls إِلَيكُمtoward you تُشاقُyearn
فَإِنَّ النُفوسَ إِلَيكُم تُشاقُ
وَإِنَّand indeed القُلوبَthe hearts عَلَيكُمfor you تَجِبthrob
وَإِنَّ القُلوبَ عَلَيكُم تَجِب
still our souls yearn toward you,
and our hearts beat anxiously for you.
وَإِنّاand we indeed نَرىhold لِجِوارِfor the neighboring of الدِيارِdwellings
وَإِنّا نَرى لِجِوارِ الدِيارِ
حُقوقاًrights فَكَيفَthen what of جِوارُthe nearness of النَسَبkinship
حُقوقاً فَكَيفَ جِوارُ النَسَب
We hold that neighboring dwellings
have rights—what then of kinship's nearness?
تَماسُسُmutual contact of أَرحامِناour blood ties وَالذِماand bonds of honor (word continues)
تَماسُسُ أَرحامِنا وَالذِما
مُcompletion of 'bonds of honor' مِنfrom دونِapart from ذاكَthat عَلَيناupon us يَجِبis obligatory
مُ مِن دونِ ذاكَ عَلَينا يَجِب
The joining of our blood ties, and the bonds
of honor besides, are duties we owe.
فَإِنand if نَرعَwe honor شِركَةَthe sharing of أَحسابِناour ancestral honors
فَإِن نَرعَ شِركَةَ أَحسابِنا
جَميعاًall together فَذَلِكَthen that دينُthe way of العَرَبthe Arabs
جَميعاً فَذَلِكَ دينُ العَرَب
If we honor our shared ancestral nobility
all together, that is the Arab way:
إِذاwhen لَبِسَتintertwine بِقُواهاwith their strands قُوىًstrands
إِذا لَبِسَت بِقُواها قُوىً
وَإِنand if طُنُبٌa tent-rope مَسَّtouches مِنهاof theirs طُنُبa tent-rope
وَإِن طُنُبٌ مَسَّ مِنها طُنُب
when strands intertwine with their strands,
and one tent-rope touches another of theirs.
أَراحَgave ease to بَنيBanu عامِرٍAmir ذُلُّهُمtheir abasement
أَراحَ بَني عامِرٍ ذُلُّهُم
وَعَرَّضَناand exposed us عِزُّناour pride لِلتَعَبto toil
وَعَرَّضَنا عِزُّنا لِلتَعَب
The abasement of Banu Amir gave them ease,
while our pride exposed us to toil.
وَفَرناwe preserved عَلَيهِمfor them طَريقَthe road of البَقاءِsurvival
وَفَرنا عَلَيهِم طَريقَ البَقاءِ
وَخَلّواand they withdrew لَناfor us عَنfrom طَريقِthe road of العَطَبdestruction
وَخَلّوا لَنا عَن طَريقِ العَطَب
We left them the road to survival intact,
and they left us the road to destruction clear.
فَقَدfor already أَصبَحواthey have become فيin ذِمامِthe protection of الخُموobscurity (word continues)
فَقَد أَصبَحوا في ذِمامِ الخُمو
لِcompletion of 'obscurity' لاnot تَدَّريهِمhunt them down مَراميthe shafts of النُوَبmisfortunes
لِ لا تَدَّريهِم مَرامي النُوَب
They now live under obscurity's protection;
the darts of misfortune do not stalk them.
أَبىrefuse الناسُpeople إِلّاanything but ذَميمَvile النِفاقِhypocrisy
أَبى الناسُ إِلّا ذَميمَ النِفاقِ
إِذاwhen جَرَّبواthey gain experience أَوor قَبيحَugly الكَذِبlying
إِذا جَرَّبوا أَو قَبيحَ الكَذِب
People insist on nothing but vile hypocrisy,
once they have gained experience—or on ugly lies.
كِلابٌdogs تُبَصبِصُwagging their tails خَوفَfor fear of الهَوانِhumiliation
كِلابٌ تُبَصبِصُ خَوفَ الهَوانِ
وَتَنبَحُand bark بَينَbetween يَدَيthe hands of مَنwhoever غَلَبhas prevailed
وَتَنبَحُ بَينَ يَدَي مَن غَلَب
Dogs that wag their tails for fear of humiliation,
and bark before whoever has prevailed.
أَذُمُّI pledge protection لِوَجهيfor my face عَلىdespite ماwhat بِهِit bears
أَذُمُّ لِوَجهي عَلى ما بِهِ
وَلاand not يَعدِلُequals الذُلُّhumiliation عِنديin my eyes النَشَبwealth
وَلا يَعدِلُ الذُلُّ عِندي النَشَب
I pledge my face protection, whatever it bears;
wealth cannot compensate me for humiliation.
وَمَنand whoever وَجَدَfinds الرِزقَsustenance عِندَat السُيوفِthe swords
وَمَن وَجَدَ الرِزقَ عِندَ السُيوفِ
فَلَمthen has not يَتَحَمَّلtaken on لِذُلِّthe abasement of الطَلَبasking
فَلَم يَتَحَمَّل لِذُلِّ الطَلَب
Whoever finds sustenance at the swords
has not taken on the abasement of begging.
وَإِنَّand indeed مَنازِلَthe stations of هَذاthis الزَمانِage
وَإِنَّ مَنازِلَ هَذا الزَمانِ
لِأَبنائِهِfor its children نُوَبٌturns أَوor عُقَبsuccessive shifts
لِأَبنائِهِ نُوَبٌ أَو عُقَب
The stations of this age
come to its children in turns or successive shifts.
لِذَلِكَfor that reason يَركَبُcomes to ride مَنwhoever قَدhas سَعىstriven
لِذَلِكَ يَركَبُ مَن قَد سَعى
طَويلاًlong وَيَرحَلُand departs مَنwhoever قَدhas رَكِبridden
طَويلاً وَيَرحَلُ مَن قَد رَكِب
Thus one who has striven comes to ride,
after long toil, while one who rode departs.
أَناI اِبنُson of الأَناجِبِthe noblest men مِنof هاشِمٍHashim
أَنا اِبنُ الأَناجِبِ مِن هاشِمٍ
إِذاwhen لَمnot يَكُنthere were نُجُبٌnoble sons مِنof نُجُبnoble sires
إِذا لَم يَكُن نُجُبٌ مِن نُجُب
I am the son of Hashim's noblest men,
when there were no noble sons of noble sires.
تُلاثُare wrapped بُرودُهُمُtheir mantles بِالرِماحِwith spears
تُلاثُ بُرودُهُمُ بِالرِماحِ
وَتُلوىand are wound عَمائِمُهُمtheir turbans بِالشُهُبwith shooting stars
وَتُلوى عَمائِمُهُم بِالشُهُب
Their mantles are wound with spears,
and their turbans twisted with shooting stars.
عِتاقُnoble in الوُجوهِface وَعُتقُand the noble breeding of الجِياthe steeds (word continues)
عِتاقُ الوُجوهِ وَعُتقُ الجِيا
دِcompletion of 'steeds' فيin الضُمرِleanness تَعرِفُهُyou recognize it وَالقَبَبand tucked-up bellies
دِ في الضُمرِ تَعرِفُهُ وَالقَبَب
Noble of face—and the breeding of steeds
you recognize by leanness and tucked-up bellies.
يَخِفُّglimmers الوَضاءُradiance خِلالَthrough الشُحوpallor (word continues)
يَخِفُّ الوَضاءُ خِلالَ الشُحو
بِcompletion of 'pallor' مِنهاin them وَخَلفَand behind الدُخانِsmoke اللَهَبflame
بِ مِنها وَخَلفَ الدُخانِ اللَهَب
Radiance glimmers through their pallor,
and behind the smoke is flame.
وَقارٌdignity يُهابُheld in awe وَنادٍand an assembly يُنابُsought out
وَقارٌ يُهابُ وَنادٍ يُنابُ
وَحِلمٌand forbearance يُراحُsought for solace وَرَأيٌand judgment يُغَبّrevisited at intervals
وَحِلمٌ يُراحُ وَرَأيٌ يُغَبّ
Dignity held in awe, a gathering sought out,
forbearance sought for solace, judgment revisited.
إِذاwhen اِستَبَقَrace القَومُthe people طُرقَalong the paths of النَجاءِescape
إِذا اِستَبَقَ القَومُ طُرقَ النَجاءِ
وَذَمَّand condemns الجَبانُthe coward قُعودَdelay in الهَرَبflight
وَذَمَّ الجَبانُ قُعودَ الهَرَب
When men race along the paths of escape,
and the coward condemns delay in flight,
رَأَيتَهُمُyou see them فيin ظِلالِthe shade of القَناspears
رَأَيتَهُمُ في ظِلالِ القَنا
وَقَدand already ضاقَhas tightened لِلكَربِfrom anguish عِقدُthe knot of اللَبَبthe breast-strap
وَقَد ضاقَ لِلكَربِ عِقدُ اللَبَب
you see them in the shade of spears,
when anguish has tightened the breast-strap's knot.
قَدِindeed اِمتَنَعواthey have fortified themselves بِحُصونِin the strongholds of الدُروarmor (word continues)
قَدِ اِمتَنَعوا بِحُصونِ الدُرو
عِcompletion of 'armor' وَاِستَعصَمواand sought protection بِقِبابِin the domes of اليَلَبleather armor
عِ وَاِستَعصَموا بِقِبابِ اليَلَب
They have fortified themselves in armor's strongholds,
and sought protection in domes of leather armor.
أولَئِكَthose قَومِيَmy people لَمnot يُغمَزواwere faulted
أولَئِكَ قَومِيَ لَم يُغمَزوا
بِهُجنَةِfor the low birth of أُمٍّa mother وَلاnor لُؤمِthe baseness of أَبa father
بِهُجنَةِ أُمٍّ وَلا لُؤمِ أَب
Those are my people, never faulted
for a mother's low descent or a father's baseness.
وَمَنand whoever قالَsays إِنَّthat جَميعَall الفَخارِglory
وَمَن قالَ إِنَّ جَميعَ الفَخارِ
لِغَيرِbelongs to other than ذَوائِبِthe crests of قَوميmy people كَذَبhas lied
لِغَيرِ ذَوائِبِ قَومي كَذَب
Whoever says that all glory
belongs to any but my people's high crests has lied.
Sol 6.1