صَبراًpatience! غَريمَO claimant of الثَأرِblood vengeance مِنfrom عَدنانِAdnan
صَبراً غَريمَ الثَأرِ مِن عَدنانِ
حَتّىuntil تَقَرَّcome to rest البيضُthe white swords فيin الأَجفانِthe scabbards
حَتّى تَقَرَّ البيضُ في الأَجفانِ
Patience, O claimant of vengeance from Adnan,
until the white blades settle in their scabbards.
أَوَماand did you not اِتَّقَيتَtake heed وَقَدalthough already كُفيتَyou were spared فَوارِساًhorsemen
أَوَما اِتَّقَيتَ وَقَد كُفيتَ فَوارِساً
يَتَجاذَبونَthey tug back and forth at عَوالِيَthe tips of المُرانِash-wood lances
يَتَجاذَبونَ عَوالِيَ المُرانِ
And did you not take heed, though you were spared horsemen
who tug back and forth at the tips of ash-wood lances?
مِنfrom among كُلِّevery مَيّالِone tilting العِمامَةِthe turban كَفَّهُhis hand
مِن كُلِّ مَيّالِ العِمامَةِ كَفَّهُ
تَلويwraps الرِداءَthe cloak عَلىaround أَغَرَّa radiant-faced man هِجانِpureborn
تَلوي الرِداءَ عَلى أَغَرَّ هِجانِ
Each a man with turban tilted, whose hand
wraps his cloak about his radiant, pureborn self.
فيon كُلِّevery يَومٍday أَوor بِكُلِّat every مَقامَةٍgathering
في كُلِّ يَومٍ أَو بِكُلِّ مَقامَةٍ
يَتَذاكَرونَthey recount together مَقاتِلَthe slayings of الفُرسانِthe horsemen
يَتَذاكَرونَ مَقاتِلَ الفُرسانِ
Every day, or at every gathering,
they recount the slayings of horsemen.
إِذfor لاnot يُضيفونَthey give lodging to المَعائِبَfaults بَينَهُمamong themselves
إِذ لا يُضيفونَ المَعائِبَ بَينَهُم
وَبُيوتُهُمand their houses وَقفٌreserved عَلىfor الضيفانِthe guests
وَبُيوتُهُم وَقفٌ عَلى الضيفانِ
For they give no lodging to faults among them,
while their houses are reserved for guests.
الضامِنينَthose guaranteeing لِطَيرِهِمto their birds مُهَجَthe lifeblood of العِداthe foes
الضامِنينَ لِطَيرِهِم مُهَجَ العِدا
عَنthrough كُلِّevery ضَربٍblow صادِقٍunerring وَطِعانِand lance-thrusts
عَن كُلِّ ضَربٍ صادِقٍ وَطِعانِ
Those who promise their birds their enemies' lifeblood
through every unerring blow and lance-thrust;
الراكِبينَthose riding الخَيلَthe horses تَعرِفُهاyou recognize them بِهِمby them
الراكِبينَ الخَيلَ تَعرِفُها بِهِم
تَحتَbeneath العَجاجِthe battle-dust إِذاwhen التَقىmeet الخَيلانِthe two cavalries
تَحتَ العَجاجِ إِذا التَقى الخَيلانِ
riders whose horses you recognize by them
beneath the battle-dust when the two cavalries meet.
قَومٌa people إِذاwhen هَطَلَتpour down سَحابُthe clouds of أَكُفِّهِمtheir palms
قَومٌ إِذا هَطَلَت سَحابُ أَكُفِّهِم
هَطَلَpours down الحَياthe rain فَتَعانَقَand then embrace القَطرانِthe two showers
هَطَلَ الحَيا فَتَعانَقَ القَطرانِ
A people: when the clouds of their palms pour down,
the rain pours too, and the two showers embrace.
وَإِذاand when حَوَواthey win سَبقَprecedence over القَبائِلِthe tribes خَلَّقواthey anoint
وَإِذا حَوَوا سَبقَ القَبائِلِ خَلَّقوا
غُرَرَthe white blazes of السَوابِقِthe racing steeds بِالنَجيعِwith fresh gore القانيdeep crimson
غُرَرَ السَوابِقِ بِالنَجيعِ القاني
And when they gain precedence over the tribes, they anoint
their racing steeds' white blazes with crimson gore.
وَإِذاand when رَأَيتَهُمُyou see them عَلىupon سَرَواتِهاtheir backs
وَإِذا رَأَيتَهُمُ عَلى سَرَواتِها
أَبصَرتَyou behold عِقباناًeagles عَلىupon عِقبانِeagles
أَبصَرتَ عِقباناً عَلى عِقبانِ
And when you see them upon those steeds' backs,
you behold eagles upon eagles.
آسادُlions of حَربٍwar لاnot يُنَهنِهُهاrestrains them الرَدىdeath
آسادُ حَربٍ لا يُنَهنِهُها الرَدى
تَحتَbeneath الظُبىthe sword-edges وَأَسِنَّةِand the spearheads of المُرّانِash-wood lances
تَحتَ الظُبى وَأَسِنَّةِ المُرّانِ
Lions of war whom death cannot restrain
beneath sword-edges and the points of ash-wood lances.
يَطَأُونَthey tread خَدَّthe cheek of التُربِthe earth وَهوَwhile it is مُضَرَّجٌbloodstained
يَطَأُونَ خَدَّ التُربِ وَهوَ مُضَرَّجٌ
مِنfrom طَعنِهِمtheir thrusts بِدَمِwith the blood of القُلوبِthe hearts الآنيseething hot
مِن طَعنِهِم بِدَمِ القُلوبِ الآني
They tread the earth's cheek, bloodstained
by their thrusts with the seething blood of hearts.
ياO آلَhouse of عَدنانَAdnan الَّذينَwho تَبَوَّأواhave taken up residence
يا آلَ عَدنانَ الَّذينَ تَبَوَّأوا
فيin المَجدِglory كُلَّevery مُمَنَّعِstrongly fortified in الأَركانِthe corners
في المَجدِ كُلَّ مُمَنَّعِ الأَركانِ
O house of Adnan, who have made your home
in every strong-walled citadel of glory,
أَيديكُمُyour hands أَريُthe honey of العِبادِhumankind وَشَريُهاand its bitter colocynth
أَيديكُمُ أَريُ العِبادِ وَشَريُها
وَمَفاتِحُand the keys to الأَرزاقِsustenance وَالحِرمانِand deprivation
وَمَفاتِحُ الأَرزاقِ وَالحِرمانِ
your hands are mankind's honey and bitter colocynth,
and the keys to sustenance and deprivation.
وَإِلَيكَand toward you عَطَّtore through بِيَwith me الظَلامَthe darkness عُذافِرٌa mighty camel
وَإِلَيكَ عَطَّ بِيَ الظَلامَ عُذافِرٌ
مُتَجَلبِبٌcloaked بِالنَصِّin full speed وَالذَمَلانِand a swift trot
مُتَجَلبِبٌ بِالنَصِّ وَالذَمَلانِ
And toward you a mighty camel tore the darkness, bearing me,
cloaked in full speed and a swift trot.
وَإِذاand when تَرَشَّفَهُsips him dry السُرىnight travel فيin جَريِهِhis running
وَإِذا تَرَشَّفَهُ السُرى في جَريِهِ
لَفَظَتspat out يَدَيهِhis forelegs مَكامِنُthe hidden depths of الغيطانِthe hollows
لَفَظَت يَدَيهِ مَكامِنُ الغيطانِ
And when night-travel sips him dry as he runs,
the hollows' hidden depths spit out his forelegs.
وَكَأَنَّand as though نوراًa light مِنكَfrom you عاقَarrested لِحاظَهُhis gaze
وَكَأَنَّ نوراً مِنكَ عاقَ لِحاظَهُ
فَأَتاكَso he came to you لاnot يَرنوgazes إِلىtoward الغُدرانِthe pools
فَأَتاكَ لا يَرنو إِلى الغُدرانِ
As though a light from you had arrested his gaze,
he came to you without looking toward the pools.
كَفّاكَyour two palms فيin اللَأواءِhardship يُنقَعُis quenched فيهِماin them both
كَفّاكَ في اللَأواءِ يُنقَعُ فيهِما
ظَمَأُthe thirst of المَطامِعِambitions أَوor صَداthe parching thirst of الخِرصانِspears
ظَمَأُ المَطامِعِ أَو صَدا الخِرصانِ
Your two palms—in hardship, within them is quenched
the thirst of ambitions or the parching thirst of spears,
فيamid ضُمَّرٍlean steeds يَخرُجنَthey emerge مِنfrom حُلَلِthe robes of الدُجىdarkness
في ضُمَّرٍ يَخرُجنَ مِن حُلَلِ الدُجى
كَالغُضفِlike droop-eared hounds خارِجَةًcoming forth مِنَfrom الأَرسانِthe tethers
كَالغُضفِ خارِجَةً مِنَ الأَرسانِ
amid lean steeds emerging from the robes of darkness,
like droop-eared hounds coming free of their tethers.
قَدِمَarrived السُرورُjoy بِقُدمَةٍwith a coming لَكَof yours بَشَّرَتbrought glad tidings to
قَدِمَ السُرورُ بِقُدمَةٍ لَكَ بَشَّرَت
غُرَرَthe bright brows of العُلىglory وَعَوالِيَand the lofty crests of التيجانِthe crowns
غُرَرَ العُلى وَعَوالِيَ التيجانِ
Joy came with your arrival, which brought glad tidings
to glory's bright brows and the lofty crests of crowns.
فَلَقَتgrew restless (probable reading) ظُبىthe edges of الأَسيافِthe swords مِنكَfrom you بَعَرجَةٍat a brief halt
فَلَقَت ظُبى الأَسيافِ مِنكَ بَعَرجَةٍ
فَيَكادُso it almost يُنهِضُهاraises them مِنَfrom الأَجفانِthe scabbards
فَيَكادُ يُنهِضُها مِنَ الأَجفانِ
The sword-blades grew restless at your brief halt,
and joy almost lifts them from their scabbards.
وَأَتىand came الزَمانُTime مُهَنِّئاًoffering congratulations يَحدوurges onward بِهِhim
وَأَتى الزَمانُ مُهَنِّئاً يَحدو بِهِ
غُلُّthe thirst of المَشوقِthe yearning lover وَغُلَّةُand the burning thirst of اللَهفانِthe anguished one
غُلُّ المَشوقِ وَغُلَّةُ اللَهفانِ
And Time came offering congratulations, driven onward
by a lover's thirst and a yearning soul's fever.
قَدindeed كانَused to هَذاthis الدَهرُage يَلحَظُlook toward جانِبيmy side
قَد كانَ هَذا الدَهرُ يَلحَظُ جانِبي
عَنthrough طَرفِthe eye of لَيثٍa lion ساغِبٍfamished ظَمآنِthirsty
عَن طَرفِ لَيثٍ ساغِبٍ ظَمآنِ
This age once looked my way
with the eye of a famished, thirsty lion.
فَالآنَbut now حينَwhen قَدِمتَyou arrived عُدنَthey have turned صُروفُهُits vicissitudes
فَالآنَ حينَ قَدِمتَ عُدنَ صُروفُهُ
يَرمُقنَنيthey gaze at me بِنَواظِرِwith the eyes of الغِزلانِgazelles
يَرمُقنَني بِنَواظِرِ الغِزلانِ
But now, since you arrived, its vicissitudes have turned
to gaze at me with gazelles' eyes.
ياO مُنتَهىutmost reach of الآمالِhopes بَلrather ياO مُحتَويencompasser of الthe
يا مُنتَهى الآمالِ بَل يا مُحتَوي ال
آجَلِfuture بَلrather ياO أَشجَعَbravest of الشُجعانِthe brave
آجَلِ بَل يا أَشجَعَ الشُجعانِ
O utmost reach of hopes—nay, O you who encompass the
future—nay, O bravest of the brave!
ياO أَفضَلَbest of الفُضَلاءِthe excellent بَلrather ياO أَعلَمَmost learned of الthe
يا أَفضَلَ الفُضَلاءِ بَل يا أَعلَمَ ال
عُلَماءِscholars بَلrather ياO أَطعَنَmost forceful in spearing الأَقرانِrival champions
عُلَماءِ بَل يا أَطعَنَ الأَقرانِ
O best of the excellent—nay, O most learned of the
scholars—nay, O mightiest lancer against rival champions!
ياO قائِدَleader of الجُردِthe sleek steeds العِتاقِthe thoroughbreds بَهَيبَةٍwith awe-inspiring majesty
يا قائِدَ الجُردِ العِتاقِ بَهَيبَةٍ
تُغنيهِspares him the need عَنfor لُجُمٍbridles وَعَنand for أَرسانِhalters
تُغنيهِ عَن لُجُمٍ وَعَن أَرسانِ
O leader of sleek thoroughbreds, with a majesty
that spares him any need for bridles or halters!
ياO ضارِبَstriker of الهاماتِthe heads وَهيَwhile they are نَوافِرٌflying apart
يا ضارِبَ الهاماتِ وَهيَ نَوافِرٌ
تَشكوcomplain of تَفَرُّقَهاtheir separation إِلىto الأَبدانِthe bodies
تَشكو تَفَرُّقَها إِلى الأَبدانِ
O striker of heads, as they fly apart,
complaining to their bodies of their separation!
ياO طاعِناًone thrusting بِالرُمحِwith the spear بَرعَفُbleeds (probable reading) زُجُّهُits butt-spike
يا طاعِناً بِالرُمحِ بَرعَفُ زُجُّهُ
عَلَقاًclotted blood بِمَجَّةِwith a spurt from عامِلٍthe upper spear-shaft وَسِنانِand the spearhead
عَلَقاً بِمَجَّةِ عامِلٍ وَسِنانِ
O you who thrust with a spear whose butt-spike bleeds
gore, spat forth by its upper shaft and spearhead!
هَذيthese القَوافيrhymes واثِقاتٌconfident أَنَّهاthat they
هَذي القَوافي واثِقاتٌ أَنَّها
مِنthrough رَحبِthe breadth of جودِكَyour generosity فيin أَعَزَّthe most honored مَكانِplace
مِن رَحبِ جودِكَ في أَعَزَّ مَكانِ
These rhymes are confident that they
hold, within your ample bounty, the most honored place.
تاهَتthey vaunted themselves إِلَيكَto you عَلىover القَريضِpoetry فَرُدَّهاso send them back
تاهَت إِلَيكَ عَلى القَريضِ فَرُدَّها
بِنَداكَwith your bounty تائِهَةًproudly exultant عَلىabove الأَزمانِthe ages
بِنَداكَ تائِهَةً عَلى الأَزمانِ
They came to you proud above all verse; send them back
with your largesse, proud above all ages.
Sol 6.1