لَنwill not تَشُقّواcleave لِذاof this الجَوادِnoble steed غُباراdust
لَن تَشُقّوا لِذا الجَوادِ غُبارا
فَاِربَحواso reap خَلفَهُbehind him الوَحىhaste وَالعِثاراand stumbling
فَاِربَحوا خَلفَهُ الوَحى وَالعِثارا
You will never cleave this steed's dust;
so reap haste and stumbling behind him.
وَقَفواthey halted فيin مَصارِعِthe places of downfall العَجزِinability عَنهُto match him
وَقَفوا في مَصارِعِ العَجزِ عَنهُ
فاتَoutstripped فَوتَwith the swiftness الوَميضِof a flash مَنhe who لاnot يُجارىcan be rivaled
فاتَ فَوتَ الوَميضِ مَن لا يُجارى
They halted where failure to match him lays men low;
he whom none can rival sped past like a flash.
سابِقٌa frontrunner غُضَّتِwere closed الأَكُفُّthe hands عَليهِover him
سابِقٌ غُضَّتِ الأَكُفُّ عَليهِ
أَنجَدَhe ascended the highlands اليَومَtoday فيin العَلاءِglory وَغاراand descended to the lowlands
أَنجَدَ اليَومَ في العَلاءِ وَغارا
A frontrunner over whom hands close fast,
today he has climbed glory's highlands and descended its valleys.
قامَhe rose يَجنيto gather العُلىglory وَأَنتُمwhile you قُعودٌsat idle
قامَ يَجني العُلى وَأَنتُم قُعودٌ
وَصَحاand became sober لِلنَدىfor generosity وَأَنتُمwhile you سَكارىwere drunk
وَصَحا لِلنَدى وَأَنتُم سَكارى
He rose to gather glory while you sat idle,
and sobered himself to give while you were drunk.
طَلَبواthey sought شَأوَكَyour reach المُبَرِّزَsurpassing هَيهاfar beyond reach (continued)
طَلَبوا شَأوَكَ المُبَرِّزَ هَيها
تَcompletion of 'far beyond reach' طَريقاًa course عَلىfor الجِيادِthe thoroughbreds خَباراof yielding ground
تَ طَريقاً عَلى الجِيادِ خَبارا
They sought your surpassing reach—far, far
beyond them! A course of yielding ground for thoroughbreds.
لَيسَthere is not مِنهُمamong them مَنone who ساقَdrove تِلكَthose المَصاعيthe refractory camels (continued)
لَيسَ مِنهُم مَن ساقَ تِلكَ المَصاعي
بِcompletion of 'refractory camels' غِلاباًby force وَقادَand led ذاكَthat القِطاراcaravan
بِ غِلاباً وَقادَ ذاكَ القِطارا
None among them has driven those refractory camels
by force, or led that caravan.
شَمِّريpress on أَيُّهاO الرِكابُriding camels وَخَلّيand leave
شَمِّري أَيُّها الرِكابُ وَخَلّي
عَطَنَthe watering ground اللُؤمِof baseness وَالعِمادَand the tent poles القِصاراshort
عَطَنَ اللُؤمِ وَالعِمادَ القِصارا
Press on, O riding camels, and leave
the watering ground of baseness and the short tent poles.
وَاِنزِليand alight بيwith me مُجاوِراًas a guest فيamong أُناسٍa people
وَاِنزِلي بي مُجاوِراً في أُناسٍ
لاnot يَذُمُّfaults النَزيلِthe guest فيهِمamong them جِواراhospitality
لا يَذُمُّ النَزيلِ فيهِم جِوارا
And set me down as a guest among a people
whose guests never fault their hospitality.
خَلَطواthey mingled الضَيفَthe guest بِالنُفوسِwith their souls عَلىdespite العُسhardship (continued)
خَلَطوا الضَيفَ بِالنُفوسِ عَلى العُس
رِcompletion of 'hardship' وَباتواand spent the night عَلىover السَماحِgenerosity غَيارىjealously protective
رِ وَباتوا عَلى السَماحِ غَيارى
They mingled the guest with their own souls amid
hardship, and jealously guarded generosity through the night.
عِندَwith أَقنىa hooked-beaked one مِنَamong البُزاةِthe hawks عَتيقٍpurebred
عِندَ أَقنى مِنَ البُزاةِ عَتيقٍ
تَرَكَhe left الطَيرَthe birds واقِعاتٍperched وَطاراand flew
تَرَكَ الطَيرَ واقِعاتٍ وَطارا
With a hooked-beaked hawk of noble breed,
who left the birds perched while he took wing.
مَنone who إِذاwhen عَرَضّواthey hinted تَعَرَّضَstepped forward جوداًin generosity
مَن إِذا عَرَضّوا تَعَرَّضَ جوداً
وَإِذاand when جارَتِdealt unjustly اللَياليthe nights أَجاراhe granted refuge
وَإِذا جارَتِ اللَيالي أَجارا
One who, when they hint, steps forth in generosity,
and when the nights deal unjustly, grants refuge.
ماwhy مُقاميmy lingering عَلىby الجَداوِلِthe streams أَرجوI hope for
ما مُقامي عَلى الجَداوِلِ أَرجو
هاthem لِنَيلٍfor bounty وَقَدwhen already رَأَيتُI have seen البِحاراthe seas
ها لِنَيلٍ وَقَد رَأَيتُ البِحارا
Why linger by the streams, hoping
for bounty from them, when I have seen the seas?
كَالَّذيlike one who شاوَرَconsulted الدُجىthe darkness فيduring سُراهُhis night journey
كَالَّذي شاوَرَ الدُجى في سُراهُ
وَاِستَغَشَّand distrusted النُجومَthe stars وَالأَقماراand the moons
وَاِستَغَشَّ النُجومَ وَالأَقمارا
Like one who consulted darkness on his night journey
and distrusted the stars and moons.
ياO أَباAbu غالِبٍGhalib دَعَوتُكَI called upon you لِلخَطin calamity (continued)
يا أَبا غالِبٍ دَعَوتُكَ لِلخَط
بِcompletion of 'calamity' وَمَنand whoever يَظمَthirsts يَستَدِرَّseeks to draw down القُطاراrain
بِ وَمَن يَظمَ يَستَدِرَّ القُطارا
O Abu Ghalib, I called upon you in affliction;
and whoever thirsts seeks to draw down rain.
لَمnot أُجاوِزكَI went beyond you بِالدُعاءِin my appeal فَلَبَيso you answered (continued)
لَم أُجاوِزكَ بِالدُعاءِ فَلَبَي
تَcompletion of 'you answered' جَهاراًopenly وَقَدthough already دَعَوتُI had called سَراراsecretly
تَ جَهاراً وَقَد دَعَوتُ سَرارا
I sought none beyond you in my appeal; you answered
openly, though I had called in secret.
لَمnot تَقُلyou said لاno وَلَمand did not تَشُدَّyou bind عَلىupon خِلthe teat (continued)
لَم تَقُل لا وَلَم تَشُدَّ عَلى خِل
فِcompletion of 'teat' النَدىof bounty بَينَbetween راحَتَيكَyour two palms صِراراa binding cord
فِ النَدى بَينَ راحَتَيكَ صِرارا
You never said 'No,' nor bound the teat
of bounty with a cord between your palms.
وَسَبَقتَand you outstripped العِلّاتِexcuses لَمnot تَنتَظِرهاyou awaited them
وَسَبَقتَ العِلّاتِ لَم تَنتَظِرها
وَلَوand had شِئتَهاyou wished for them لَكانَتthey would have been كِثاراmany
وَلَو شِئتَها لَكانَت كِثارا
And you outstripped excuses, never waiting for them;
had you wished for them, they would have been many.
قَدindeed هَزَزناكَwe shook you لِلنَدىfor bounty فَوَجَدناso we found
قَد هَزَزناكَ لِلنَدى فَوَجَدنا
وَرَقاًleaves ناضِراًfresh وَعوداًand a bough نُضاراof pure gold
وَرَقاً ناضِراً وَعوداً نُضارا
We shook you for bounty and found
fresh leaves and a bough of pure gold.
وَرَأَيناand we saw النَوالَbounty عَيناًas ready cash بِلاwithout مَطdelay (continued)
وَرَأَينا النَوالَ عَيناً بِلا مَط
لٍcompletion of 'delay' إِذاwhen مَاemphatic particle النَوالُbounty كانَwas ضِماراunrecoverable wealth
لٍ إِذا مَا النَوالُ كانَ ضِمارا
We found bounty ready cash, without
delay, when other bounty was wealth beyond recovery.
لَمnot تَزَلyou ceased to be كامِلاًperfect وَلَمand not تَسمُyou were called بِالكاperfect (continued)
لَم تَزَل كامِلاً وَلَم تَسمُ بِالكا
مِلِcompletion of 'perfect' مِنfrom قَبلِbefore أَنthat تَشُدَّyou tied الإِزاراthe waistcloth
مِلِ مِن قَبلِ أَن تَشُدَّ الإِزارا
You were ever perfect, though not yet called
'perfect,' before you tied your waistcloth.
صِبيَةٌchildren مِنof مَعاشِرِclans حَذَقوهُمtrained them
صِبيَةٌ مِن مَعاشِرِ حَذَقوهُم
أَدَبَthe discipline الجودِof generosity وَالعَلاءَand loftiness صِغاراwhile young
أَدَبَ الجودِ وَالعَلاءَ صِغارا
Children of clans that trained them
in generosity's code and loftiness while still small.
أَليَقُmost fitting الناسِof people بِالسَماحِfor generosity أَكُفّاًin hands
أَليَقُ الناسِ بِالسَماحِ أَكُفّاً
وَالمَعاليand high deeds شَمائِلاًin character وَنِجاراand lineage
وَالمَعالي شَمائِلاً وَنِجارا
Of all people, their hands best befit generosity,
and their character and lineage best befit high deeds.
فيwith صِيالِthe onslaught الأُسودِof lions إِنwhen نَزَلَdescended الخَطcalamity (continued)
في صِيالِ الأُسودِ إِن نَزَلَ الخَط
بُcompletion of 'calamity' عَليهِمupon them وَفيand with حَياءِthe modesty العَذارىof maidens
بُ عَليهِم وَفي حَياءِ العَذارى
With the onslaught of lions when calamity falls
upon them, and with the modesty of maidens.
كَلَقاحٍlike milk-camels تَأبىthat refuse عَلىunder العَصبِbinding دَرّاًmilk
كَلَقاحٍ تَأبى عَلى العَصبِ دَرّاً
وَعَلىand under المَسحِstroking تَستَهِلُّpour forth غِزاراabundantly
وَعَلى المَسحِ تَستَهِلُّ غِزارا
Like milk-camels that yield no milk when bound,
yet pour it in abundance at a stroke.
أَطلَقوناthey freed us مِنَfrom الخُطوبِcalamities فَبِتناso we passed the night
أَطلَقونا مِنَ الخُطوبِ فَبِتنا
فيin يَدِthe hand المَنِّof beneficence مُطلَقينَfreed أَسارىcaptives
في يَدِ المَنِّ مُطلَقينَ أَسارى
They freed us from calamities, so we passed the night
in bounty's hand, free and yet captive.
ماnot نَرىwe see عِندَin غَيرِكُمanyone besides you مِنany جَميلٍkindness
ما نَرى عِندَ غَيرِكُم مِن جَميلٍ
لَيسَit is not إِلّاexcept مِنfrom عِندِكُمyou مُستَعاراborrowed
لَيسَ إِلّا مِن عِندِكُم مُستَعارا
We see no kindness in anyone else
save what has been borrowed from you.
قَدindeed رَأَيناwe have seen الإِحسانَbeneficence مِنكُمfrom you عِياناًwith our own eyes
قَد رَأَينا الإِحسانَ مِنكُم عِياناً
وَسَمِعناهُand we heard it عَنكُمُabout you أَخباراin reports
وَسَمِعناهُ عَنكُمُ أَخبارا
We have seen your beneficence with our own eyes,
and heard it told in reports about you.
مَنwho رَأىsaw قَبلَكُمbefore you شُموساًsuns مُضِيّاradiant (continued)
مَن رَأى قَبلَكُم شُموساً مُضِيّا
تٍcompletion of 'radiant' جَمَعنَthey combined الأَنوارَthe lights وَالأَمطاراand the rains
تٍ جَمَعنَ الأَنوارَ وَالأَمطارا
Who before you ever saw radiant suns
that joined light with rainfall?
نَظَرُregard for الخِلَّةِthe need الخَفِيَّةِhidden عِنديwithin me
نَظَرُ الخِلَّةِ الخَفِيَّةِ عِندي
نَظَرُthe gaze الغَيثِof rain صابَpoured down يَبغيseeking قَراراa resting place
نَظَرُ الغَيثِ صابَ يَبغي قَرارا
His regard for the hidden need within me
is rain's gaze as it pours, seeking a place to settle.
لَمdid not يُغالِطfeign ignorance عَنهاof it اللَحاظُthe gaze وَلاnor أَصturned away (continued)
لَم يُغالِط عَنها اللَحاظُ وَلا أَص
فَحُcompletion of 'turned away' عَنهاfrom it فِعلَin the manner اللَئيمِof a miser اِزوِراراin aversion
فَحُ عَنها فِعلَ اللَئيمِ اِزوِرارا
His gaze did not feign ignorance of it, nor did he turn
away from it with a miser's aversion.
بادَرَhe forestalled الحادِثَthe misfortune المُعَدَّpoised إِلَيهاagainst it
بادَرَ الحادِثَ المُعَدَّ إِلَيها
وَرَأىand saw الغُنمَthe gain أَنthat تَكونَit should be بِداراswift action
وَرَأى الغُنمَ أَن تَكونَ بِدارا
He forestalled the misfortune poised against it,
and saw his gain in making haste.
يوقِدُhe kindles النارَthe fire لِلقِرىfor hospitality وَعَليهاand above it
يوقِدُ النارَ لِلقِرى وَعَليها
حَسَبٌancestral honor لَوif خَباdied down الوُقودُthe fuel أَنارَاwould shine
حَسَبٌ لَو خَبا الوُقودُ أَنارَا
He kindles the guest-fire, and above it
is ancestral honor that would shine if the fuel died.
وَلوِand if اِسطاعَhe could وَالمَطِيُّwhile the riding camels تَسامىrose high
وَلوِ اِسطاعَ وَالمَطِيُّ تَسامى
شَبَّhe would kindle فَوقَabove الرِجالِthe men بِاللَيلِat night ناراa fire
شَبَّ فَوقَ الرِجالِ بِاللَيلِ نارا
And could he, as the riding camels rose high,
he would kindle a fire above the men at night.
هِمَمٌaspirations هَمُّهاwhose concern العُلَىis glory عَلَّمَتهُtaught him
هِمَمٌ هَمُّها العُلَى عَلَّمَتهُ
بِالنَدىthrough generosity كَيفَhow يَملِكُhe can possess الأَحراراfree men
بِالنَدى كَيفَ يَملِكُ الأَحرارا
Aspirations intent on glory taught him
how to possess free men through bounty.
لاnot كَقَومِlike a people لَمwho did not يَطلُعواclimb شَرَفَthe heights الجَوgenerosity (continued)
لا كَقَومِ لَم يَطلُعوا شَرَفَ الجَو
دِcompletion of 'generosity' وَلَمand did not يَرفَعواthey raise لِمَجدٍfor glory مَناراa beacon
دِ وَلَم يَرفَعوا لِمَجدٍ مَنارا
Unlike a people who never climbed the heights of
generosity, nor raised a beacon to glory.
يَقِفُstands الحَقُّa rightful claim عِندَهُمbefore them فَيُلاقيso it finds
يَقِفُ الحَقُّ عِندَهُم فَيُلاقي
طُرُقَthe paths الجودِof bounty بَينَهُمamong them أوعاراrugged
طُرُقَ الجودِ بَينَهُم أوعارا
A rightful claim stands before them and finds
the paths of bounty among them rugged.
عَرَفواthey knew مُحكَمَthe sure lessons التَجارِبِof experience فيin البُخstinginess (continued)
عَرَفوا مُحكَمَ التَجارِبِ في البُخ
لِcompletion of 'stinginess' وَكانواand were عَنِconcerning النَدىgenerosity أَغماراnovices
لِ وَكانوا عَنِ النَدى أَغمارا
They mastered the sure lessons of experience in
stinginess, yet were novices in generosity.
عِندَwhen جَولِthe circulation الآراءِof opinions بُلهٌfools عَنِconcerning الحَزsound judgment (continued)
عِندَ جَولِ الآراءِ بُلهٌ عَنِ الحَز
مِcompletion of 'sound judgment' وَفيand in الخَطبِcalamity عاجِزونَhelpless حَيارىbewildered
مِ وَفي الخَطبِ عاجِزونَ حَيارى
When opinions are debated, they are ignorant of sound
judgment, and in crisis helpless and bewildered.
ياO كَمالَperfection العُلىof glory وَياand O وَزَرَrefuge المُلof kingship (continued)
يا كَمالَ العُلى وَيا وَزَرَ المُل
كِcompletion of 'kingship' إِذاwhen لَمnot يَجِدit finds مَعاناًa shelter وَداراًand a home
كِ إِذا لَم يَجِد مَعاناً وَداراً
O perfection of glory, O refuge of kingship
when it finds neither shelter nor home,
مُعمِلاًwielding فيamid الخَميسِthe army أَقلامَكَyour pens الغُرradiant (continued)
مُعمِلاً في الخَميسِ أَقلامَكَ الغُر
رَcompletion of 'radiant' إِذاwhen أَعمَلواthey wield القَناthe spears الخَطّاراswaying
رَ إِذا أَعمَلوا القَنا الخَطّارا
wielding your radiant pens amid the army
when others wield their swaying spears.
كُلَّماwhenever أَشرَعواthey level الذَوابِلَthe slender spears أَشرَعyou level (continued)
كُلَّما أَشرَعوا الذَوابِلَ أَشرَع
تَcompletion of 'you level' غَريماًa rival صَدقاًtrue وَراياًand a judgment مُغاراtightly wrought
تَ غَريماً صَدقاً وَراياً مُغارا
Whenever they level their slender shafts, you level
a true rival and a tightly wrought judgment.
بِكَwith you سَدّواthey stopped فَوّارَthe gushing جائِشَةِseething القَعthe depth (continued)
بِكَ سَدّوا فَوّارَ جائِشَةِ القَع
رِcompletion of 'depth' لَهاit has عائِدٌa recurring surge يَرُدُّthat drives back السِباراthe probe
رِ لَها عائِدٌ يَرُدُّ السِبارا
With you they stopped the gushing of a seething
depth, whose recurring surge drives back the probe.
وَجَدواthey found طِبَّهاits cure لَدَيكَwith you فَوَلّوso they entrusted (continued)
وَجَدوا طِبَّها لَدَيكَ فَوَلّو
كَyou عَلىdespite البُعدِthe distance عِرقَهاits vein النَغّاراspurting
كَ عَلى البُعدِ عِرقَها النَغّارا
They found its cure with you, so they entrusted
its spurting vein to you, despite the distance.
لَوhad أَقامواthey set up لَهاto confront it سِواكَanyone but you لَثَبَّتit would have remained
لَو أَقاموا لَها سِواكَ لَثَبَّت
صَعبَةًunruly تَمَنعُrefusing المَطاits back وَالعِذاراand the bridle
صَعبَةً تَمَنعُ المَطا وَالعِذارا
Had they set another over it, it would have stayed
unruly, yielding neither its back nor its bridle.
ضَرَبواthey struck أَوجُهَthe faces البِكارِof the young camels وَقادواand led
ضَرَبوا أَوجُهَ البِكارِ وَقادوا
لِلأَعاديagainst the foes قَباقِباًa massive camel هَدّاراbellowing
لِلأَعادي قَباقِباً هَدّارا
They struck the young camels' faces, and led
a huge, bellowing camel against the foes.
وَرَأَواand they saw فيin مَناكِبِthe shoulders المُلكِof kingship وَهناًweakness
وَرَأَوا في مَناكِبِ المُلكِ وَهناً
فَدَعَواso they called بِاِسمِهِhis name فَكانَand he was جِباراa splint
فَدَعَوا بِاِسمِهِ فَكانَ جِبارا
And they saw weakness in the shoulders of kingship,
so they called his name, and he proved its splint.
قائِداًleading لِلقِراعِto combat كُلَّevery حِصانٍstallion
قائِداً لِلقِراعِ كُلَّ حِصانٍ
تَتَراءىyou appear بِهِupon it عُقاباًas an eagle مُطاراsent flying
تَتَراءى بِهِ عُقاباً مُطارا
Leading every stallion into combat,
on which you appear as an eagle sent aloft.
مِثلَlike لَونِthe color العُقارِof wine تَحسَبُهُyou would think it ناfire (continued)
مِثلَ لَونِ العُقارِ تَحسَبُهُ نا
راًcompletion of 'fire' يَطيرُflies الطَعانُspear-thrusting مِنهاfrom it شِراراas sparks
راً يَطيرُ الطَعانُ مِنها شِرارا
Wine-colored, you would take it for
fire, from which spear-thrusts fly as sparks.
دافِعاًdriving forth بِالرِماحِwith spears فيat كُلِّevery ثَغرٍfrontier
دافِعاً بِالرِماحِ في كُلِّ ثَغرٍ
لُجَجاًdeep seas تَركَبُthat ride over العَدُوَّthe enemy غِماراas engulfing floods
لُجَجاً تَركَبُ العَدُوَّ غِمارا
Driving forth with spears at every frontier
deep seas whose floods engulf the enemy.
يَتَلاغَطنَthey clamor بِاِصطِكاكِwith the clashing العَواليof spearheads
يَتَلاغَطنَ بِاِصطِكاكِ العَوالي
لَغَطَwith the clamor الحَجِّof the pilgrims يَرجُمونَas they pelt الجِماراthe ritual stoning sites
لَغَطَ الحَجِّ يَرجُمونَ الجِمارا
They clamor with the clashing of spearheads,
with the pilgrims' din as they stone the jamarāt.
عَجَباًhow strange لِلَّذيof the one whom أَجَرتَyou sheltered مِنَfrom الأَيthe days (continued)
عَجَباً لِلَّذي أَجَرتَ مِنَ الأَي
يامِcompletion of 'the days' لِمwhy لاnot يُحارِبُdoes he fight الأَقداراthe fates
يامِ لِم لا يُحارِبُ الأَقدارا
I marvel at one you have sheltered from
the days—why does he not wage war on fate?
أَيَخافُdoes he fear الخُطوبَcalamities مَنone who كانَhas been لِلَّيthe lion's (continued)
أَيَخافُ الخُطوبَ مَن كانَ لِلَّي
ثِcompletion of 'the lion' نَزيلاًa guest وَكانَand has been لِلنَجمِthe star's جاراa neighbor
ثِ نَزيلاً وَكانَ لِلنَجمِ جارا
Can one fear calamities who has been the lion's
guest, and the star's neighbor?
لَوif قَدَرناwe could وَساعَفَتناand aided us اللَياليthe nights
لَو قَدَرنا وَساعَفَتنا اللَيالي
لَوَصَلناwe would join بِعُمرِكَto your lifetime الأَعماراlifetimes
لَوَصَلنا بِعُمرِكَ الأَعمارا
If we could, and the nights lent us aid,
we would join all lifetimes to your own.
Sol 6.1