أَياO راكِباًrider تَرميhurls بِهِhim اللَيلَthe night جَسرَةٌa sturdy she-camel
أَيا راكِباً تَرمي بِهِ اللَيلَ جَسرَةٌ
لَهاshe has نِمرِقٌa cushion مِنof نَيِّهاher fat وَوِراكُand a saddle-pad
لَها نِمرِقٌ مِن نَيِّها وَوِراكُ
O rider whom a sturdy she-camel hurls through the night,
O rider whom night hurls over a bridge
she has a cushion and saddle-pad made of her own fat.
With a gleam from its tent and a cloak,
قَراهاfed her رَبيعَthe spring pasture الوادِيَينِof the two valleys وَأَتمَكَتand filled out
قَراها رَبيعَ الوادِيَينِ وَأَتمَكَت
قَراهاher back عِهادٌrecurring rains بِاللِوىat al-Liwa وَرِكاكُand light showers
قَراها عِهادٌ بِاللِوى وَرِكاكُ
They fed her the spring pasture of the two valleys and filled out
Springtime in the two valleys recognized it,
her back—the recurring rains at al-Liwa and light showers.
And firmness with twisting recognized it too.
لَهاshe has هادِياtwo guides عَينٍan eye وَأُذنٍand an ear سَميعَةٍkeen-hearing
لَها هادِيا عَينٍ وَأُذنٍ سَميعَةٍ
إِذاwhen غارَsets أَوor غَرَّdeceives العُيونَthe eyes سِماكُSimak
إِذا غارَ أَو غَرَّ العُيونَ سِماكُ
She has two guides: an eye and a keen-hearing ear,
It has a guide, an ear and an eye that sees,
when Simak sets or deceives the eyes.
When the eyes wink or roll.
تَحَمَّلbear أَلوكاًa message رُبَّماoften حُمِّلَتwere laden بِهِwith it
تَحَمَّل أَلوكاً رُبَّما حُمِّلَت بِهِ
رَذاياexhausted ones المَطاياof the riding-camels مَشيُهُنَّtheir gait سِواكُa feeble shuffle
رَذايا المَطايا مَشيُهُنَّ سِواكُ
Bear a message, one often laid upon
It bears burdens sometimes loaded on it,
exhausted riding-camels whose gait is a feeble shuffle.
The paces of mounts walking only with it.
وَأَبلِغand tell عِمادَImad (pillar) الدينِal-Din (the faith) إِمّاif بَلَغتَهُyou reach him
وَأَبلِغ عِمادَ الدينِ إِمّا بَلَغتَهُ
بِأَنَّthat سِلاحَthe weapon اللَومِof reproach عِندِيَin my possession شاكُsharp
بِأَنَّ سِلاحَ اللَومِ عِندِيَ شاكُ
And tell Imad al-Din, if you reach him,
And convey to Imad al-Din, if you reach him,
that the weapon of reproach I hold is sharp.
That for me the weapon of blame is doubtful,
أَفيis it within الرَأيِsound judgment أَنto تَستَرعِيَentrust with tending الذِئبَthe wolf ثَلَّةًa flock
أَفي الرَأيِ أَن تَستَرعِيَ الذِئبَ ثَلَّةً
وَغَوثُكَand your aid بِطءٌslow وَالخُطوبُand calamities وِشاكُswift
وَغَوثُكَ بِطءٌ وَالخُطوبُ وِشاكُ
Is it sound judgment to entrust a wolf with a flock,
Do you think it wise to provoke the wolf pack
while your aid is slow and calamities are swift?
While your help is slow and dangers pressing?
أَرَدتَyou sought وِقاءَprotection الرِجلِfor the foot وَالنَعلُand the sandal عَقرَبٌa scorpion
أَرَدتَ وِقاءَ الرِجلِ وَالنَعلُ عَقرَبٌ
مُراصِدَةٌlying in wait وَالأَفعُوانُand the viper شِراكُa sandal-strap
مُراصِدَةٌ وَالأَفعُوانُ شِراكُ
You sought to protect the foot, yet the sandal is a scorpion
You wanted to protect the man but the sandal was a scorpion,
lying in wait, and a viper is the sandal-strap.
Lying in wait while snakes are tangled.
وَكانَand was أَبوكَyour father القَرمُthe mighty lord هادِمَthe destroyer عَرشِهِof his throne
وَكانَ أَبوكَ القَرمُ هادِمَ عَرشِهِ
فَلِمso why أَنتَyou أَعمادٌpillars لَهُfor him وَسِماكُand a support
فَلِم أَنتَ أَعمادٌ لَهُ وَسِماكُ
Your father, the mighty lord, was the destroyer of his throne;
Your father was the destructive tent pole,
so why are you pillars and a support for him?
Why then are you its pillar and rope?
يَكونُhe would be سِماماًpoison لِلمُعادينَto his foes ناقِعاًdeadly
يَكونُ سِماماً لِلمُعادينَ ناقِعاً
وَأَنتَand you لِأَرماقِfor the last breaths العُداةِof the enemies مِساكُa sustainer
وَأَنتَ لِأَرماقِ العُداةِ مِساكُ
He would be deadly poison to his foes,
Let it be poison to the enemies, falling,
yet you sustain the enemies’ last breaths.
While you are the poultice for the foes' wounds.
أَلاtake heed فَاِحذَروهاso beware of it أَوَّلُthe beginning السَيلِof the flood دَفعَةٌa surge
أَلا فَاِحذَروها أَوَّلُ السَيلِ دَفعَةٌ
وَرُبَّand many a ضَئيلٍpuny thing عادَbecame وَهوَand it is ضِناكُimmense
وَرُبَّ ضَئيلٍ عادَ وَهوَ ضِناكُ
Take heed—beware of it! A flood begins with a surge,
Beware of it, the first torrent of the flood,
and many a puny thing has grown immense.
And many a slight thing has returned grown strong.
نَذارِa warning لَكُمto you مِنagainst وَثبَةٍa spring ضَيغَميَّةٍlion-like
نَذارِ لَكُم مِن وَثبَةٍ ضَيغَميَّةٍ
لَهاit has بَعدَafter غَرّارِdeceptive السُكونِstillness حَراكُmovement
لَها بَعدَ غَرّارِ السُكونِ حَراكُ
A warning to you against a lion-like spring,
A warning to you from a sudden Ghayghani leap,
whose motion follows a deceptive stillness.
After the stillness it has sudden movement.
وَلاand do not تَزرَعواsow شَوكَthe thorns القَتادِof the qatad thornbush فَإِنَّكُمfor you
وَلا تَزرَعوا شَوكَ القَتادِ فَإِنَّكُم
جَديرونَliable أَنto تُدمَواbe bloodied بِهِby it وَتُشاكواand be pricked
جَديرونَ أَن تُدمَوا بِهِ وَتُشاكوا
Do not sow the thorns of qatad, for you
And plant not the spear-fruit of al-Qatad, for you
are liable to be bloodied by them and pricked.
Deserve to be speared by it and complain.
طُبِعتُمyou were forged نُصولاًas blades لِلعَدوِّagainst the enemy قَواطِعاًkeen-edged
طُبِعتُم نُصولاً لِلعَدوِّ قَواطِعاً
وَلَيسَand there is no عَلَيكُمupon you لِلضِرابِfor combat شِكاكُarmour
وَلَيسَ عَلَيكُم لِلضِرابِ شِكاكُ
You were forged as blades, keen-edged against the enemy,
You were created biting the foe, striking,
and you wear no armour for battle.
And the blows upon you are no cause for doubt.
وَكانَand he was قَنيصاًquarry أَفلَتَتهُlet him escape حِبالَةٌa snare
وَكانَ قَنيصاً أَفلَتَتهُ حِبالَةٌ
وَأَينَand where حِبالٌropes بَعدَهاafter it وَشِراكُand snares
وَأَينَ حِبالٌ بَعدَها وَشِراكُ
He was quarry that a snare had let escape;
It was a shirt freed by an unbinding,
and where are ropes and snares after that?
Where now are the ropes and knots?
يَكادُhe nearly مِنَfrom الأَضغانِrancor يُعدِمُkills بَعضَكُمsome of you
يَكادُ مِنَ الأَضغانِ يُعدِمُ بَعضَكُم
عَلىdespite أَنَّthe fact that فيin فيهِhis mouth الشَكيمُthe bit يُلاكُis chewed
عَلى أَنَّ في فيهِ الشَكيمُ يُلاكُ
He nearly kills some of you in his rancor,
The grudges almost destroy some of you
though the bit is being chewed in his mouth.
Though in its belly the magnanimous are destroyed.
فَكَيفَwhat then إِذاwhen أَلقىhe casts away العِذارَينِboth cheek-straps خالِعاًbreaking free
فَكَيفَ إِذا أَلقى العِذارَينِ خالِعاً
وَزالَand is gone لِجامٌa bridle قادِعٌrestraining وَحِناكُand a chin-strap
وَزالَ لِجامٌ قادِعٌ وَحِناكُ
What then, when he throws off both cheek-straps, breaking free,
How will it be when it casts aside the loincloths
and the restraining bridle and chin-strap are gone?
And the biting bridle and the reins are gone?
هُناكَthen تَرَونَyou will see الرَأيَjudgment قَدalready فالَfailed وَاِلتَوَتand became tangled
هُناكَ تَرَونَ الرَأيَ قَد فالَ وَاِلتَوَت
حِبالٌropes بِأَيديin the hands of الجاذِبينَthose pulling رِكاكُfrail
حِبالٌ بِأَيدي الجاذِبينَ رِكاكُ
Then you will see that judgment has failed, and see tangled
There you will see opinion overturned and twisted,
frail ropes in the hands of those who pull.
Ropes in the hands of the angry pullers.
دِماءٌblood نِيامٌasleep فيin الأَباجِلِthe veins أوقِظَتwas awakened
دِماءٌ نِيامٌ في الأَباجِلِ أوقِظَت
وَظَنِّيَand my belief يَوماًone day أَنthat يَطولَwill last long سِفاكُbloodshed
وَظَنِّيَ يَوماً أَن يَطولَ سِفاكُ
Blood asleep in the veins has been awakened,
Blood sleeping in the sandals is awakened
and I think that one day the bloodshed will be prolonged.
And I think one day the killing will be long.
أَلَيسَis not أَبوهُhis father مَنthe one who لَهُhas فيagainst مِجَنَّكُمyour shield
أَلَيسَ أَبوهُ مَن لَهُ في مِجَنَّكُم
ضِرابٌblows عَلىthrough مَرِّthe passage الزَمانِof time دِراكُsuccessive
ضِرابٌ عَلى مَرِّ الزَمانِ دِراكُ
Is not his father the one who, against your shield,
Is not his father one whose blows are on your skulls
struck repeated blows through the course of time?
For ages, a flail that does not stop?
وَكانَand he was سِناناًa spearhead فيin قَناةِthe spear-shaft اِبنِof Ibn واصِلٍWasil
وَكانَ سِناناً في قَناةِ اِبنِ واصِلٍ
إِلَيكُمtoward you وَلِلأَجدادِand for the forefathers ثَمَّthere عِراكُbattle
إِلَيكُم وَلِلأَجدادِ ثَمَّ عِراكُ
He was a spearhead on the spear-shaft of Ibn Wasil,
It was a lance in Ibn Wasil's canal
aimed at you; and there the forefathers fought.
Against you and your ancestors, ever striking.
فَأَمسَتthus there came to be لَهُfor him بَينَbetween الغِمادِal-Ghimad وَأَربَقٍand Arbaq
فَأَمسَت لَهُ بَينَ الغِمادِ وَأَربَقٍ
رُهونُhostages مَناياto deaths ماno لَهُنَّfor them فِكاكُrelease
رُهونُ مَنايا ما لَهُنَّ فِكاكُ
Thus, between al-Ghimad and Arbaq, he had
So there stuck to it, between sword and spearhead,
hostages to death, with no release for them.
The death-pledges of what have no release.
تَلاقَتconverged عَلَيهِupon him العاسِلاتُthe quivering spears كَأَنَّهاas though they were
تَلاقَت عَلَيهِ العاسِلاتُ كَأَنَّها
أَنامِلُfingertips أَيدٍof hands بَينَهُنَّbetween them شِباكُnets
أَنامِلُ أَيدٍ بَينَهُنَّ شِباكُ
The quivering spears converged upon him, as though they were
The riders crowded on it as if their fingers
fingertips of hands with netting between them.
Were fingers interlaced together.
وَأَمَّلَand he hoped أَنthat يَرعىwould graze حِمىthe protected pasture المَلكِof the king سِربُهُhis herd
وَأَمَّلَ أَن يَرعى حِمى المَلكِ سِربُهُ
وَبِالجِزعِand at the valley bend حَمضٌsalt-loving forage عازِبٌremote وَأَراكُand arak trees
وَبِالجِزعِ حَمضٌ عازِبٌ وَأَراكُ
He hoped his herd would graze in the royal preserve,
And he hoped his troop might pasture in the preserve of kings
while at the valley bend lay remote salt-loving forage and arak trees.
But with panic, a desolate, sterile panic.
فَماyet no أَتبَعَتهُfollowed him نَشطَةٌa draught مِنof حَميمِهِits hot water
فَما أَتبَعَتهُ نَشطَةٌ مِن حَميمِهِ
وَلاnor مِنfrom أَراكِthe arak trees الجَلهَتَينِof the two valley-banks سِواكُa tooth-stick
وَلا مِن أَراكِ الجَلهَتَينِ سِواكُ
Yet not a draught of its hot water followed him,
No she-camel of his loved ones followed it
nor a tooth-stick from the arak of the two valley-banks.
Except you, neither of the two herds.
يُطاوِلُكُمhe vies with you in height وَهوَwhile he is الحَضيضُthe depths إِلىtoward العُلىthe heights
يُطاوِلُكُم وَهوَ الحَضيضُ إِلى العُلى
فَكَيفَwhat then إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle عادَbecomes وَهوَand he is سِكاكُthe sky
فَكَيفَ إِذا ما عادَ وَهوَ سِكاكُ
He vies with you for the heights, though he is the depths;
He defies you when he is most abject
what then, when he becomes the sky?
So what will he do if he returns empowered?
أَحيلواfall upon عَلَيهاthem بِالمَحافِرِwith spades إِنَّهاfor they are
أَحيلوا عَلَيها بِالمَحافِرِ إِنَّها
مَعاثِرُstumbling places فيon طُرُقِthe paths العُلاto greatness وَنِباكُand rough mounds
مَعاثِرُ في طُرُقِ العُلا وَنِباكُ
Fall upon them with spades, for they are
Hurl at it the mattocks, for it is an obstacle
stumbling places on the paths to greatness, and rough mounds.
To the paths of high endeavor and building.
وَماand not الحَزمُprudence لِلأَقوامِfor people أَنto يَطَأواtread الرُبىthe hills
وَما الحَزمُ لِلأَقوامِ أَن يَطَأوا الرُبى
وَبَينَand among نِعالِthe sandals الواطِئينَof those treading شِياكُthorns
وَبَينَ نِعالِ الواطِئينَ شِياكُ
It is not prudent for people to tread the hills
Prudence is not for the people to tread the high ground
while thorns lie among the treaders’ sandals.
While the sandals of those who tread have thorns.
وَلَوand had عَضُدُAdud (supporting arm) المُلكِal-Mulk (kingship) اِجتَلاهاbeheld it مَخيلَةًa rain-threatening cloud
وَلَو عَضُدُ المُلكِ اِجتَلاها مَخيلَةً
لَقَطَّعَهاhe would have cut it apart بِالعَضبِwith the keen sword وَهيَwhile it was تُحاكُbeing woven
لَقَطَّعَها بِالعَضبِ وَهيَ تُحاكُ
Had Adud al-Mulk beheld it as a looming rain-cloud,
Were the pillar of the kingdom to face it like a phantom
he would have cut it apart with the keen sword while it was being woven.
It would cut it with curbing though being woven.
فَلَيتَso would that لَناwe had ذاكَthat الجُذَيلَlittle rubbing-log يَطُبُّناto heal us
فَلَيتَ لَنا ذاكَ الجُذَيلَ يَطُبُّنا
إِذاwhen لَجَّpersists بِالداءِwith the disease العُضالِincurable حِكاكُitching
إِذا لَجَّ بِالداءِ العُضالِ حِكاكُ
Would that we had that little rubbing-log to heal us,
Would that we had that tail comforting us
when the itching of an incurable disease persists.
When the unhealable disease is severe!
وَإِنَّand indeed مِلاكَthe key الرَأيِto sound judgment نَزعُremoving حُماتِهاits venomous stings
وَإِنَّ مِلاكَ الرَأيِ نَزعُ حُماتِها
قُبَيلَjust before أُمورٍaffairs ماno لَهُنَّover them مِلاكُcontrol
قُبَيلَ أُمورٍ ما لَهُنَّ مِلاكُ
Indeed, the key to sound judgment is to pull out its venomous stings
But the course of wisdom is removing its protective cover
just before affairs that admit of no control.
Before matters that cannot be controlled.
فَإِنfor if تُطفِئوهاyou extinguish it اليَومَtoday فَهيَthen it is شَرارَةٌa spark
فَإِن تُطفِئوها اليَومَ فَهيَ شَرارَةٌ
وَغَدواًand tomorrow أُوارٌa blaze وَالأُوارُand the blaze هَلاكُdestruction
وَغَدواً أُوارٌ وَالأُوارُ هَلاكُ
For if you quench it today, it is but a spark;
If you put it out today, it is an ember
and tomorrow, a blaze—and the blaze is destruction.
Tomorrow a blaze, and blazes destroy.
Sol 6.1