ياoh حَبَّذاhow lovely فَوقَupon الكَثَيبِthe sand dune الأَعفَرِthe dun-colored
يا حَبَّذا فَوقَ الكَثَيبِ الأَعفَرِ
رَكزُplanting upright الذَوابِلِthe slender lances فيin ظِلالِthe shade الضُمَّرِof lean steeds
رَكزُ الذَوابِلِ في ظِلالِ الضُمَّرِ
Oh, how lovely upon the dun-colored dune
O how excellent above the sandy hill
the planting of slender lances in the lean steeds' shade,
Are the spear-tips planted in the shadows of the sand dunes,
وَمُناخُand the resting-place كُلِّevery مَطِيَّةٍriding mount مَعقولَةٍhobbled
وَمُناخُ كُلِّ مَطِيَّةٍ مَعقولَةٍ
وَمَجالُand the coursing-ground كُلِّevery مُناقِلٍnimble steed مُتَمَطِّرِgalloping swiftly
وَمَجالُ كُلِّ مُناقِلٍ مُتَمَطِّرِ
and the resting-place of every hobbled mount,
And the place for tying every rational she-camel,
and the coursing-ground of every nimble, galloping steed;
And the wide plain for every rain-pouring cloud.
تَطَرُّحُsprawling الرَكبِthe riders الطِلاحِthe exhausted عَلىupon النَقاthe sands
تَطَرُّحُ الرَكبِ الطِلاحِ عَلى النَقا
يَهفونَthey doze بَينَbetween مُزَمَّلٍone wrapped up وَمُعَفَّرِand one dust-covered
يَهفونَ بَينَ مُزَمَّلٍ وَمُعَفَّرِ
the sprawling of exhausted riders upon the sands,
The riders descend on the sandy plain,
dozing, some wrapped up, others covered in dust.
Wandering between being fully dressed and stripped.
رُفِعَتwas raised لِعَينِbefore the eye الناظِرِof the watcher المُتَنَوِّرِseeking a fire's light
رُفِعَت لِعَينِ الناظِرِ المُتَنَوِّرِ
وَاللَيلُwhile the night مِثلُlike الواقِفِone standing المُتَحَيِّرِbewildered
وَاللَيلُ مِثلُ الواقِفِ المُتَحَيِّرِ
Raised before the eye of the watcher seeking a fire's light,
The eyes of the enlightened beholder are raised,
while night stood like a bewildered man,
And the night is like someone standing confused.
نارٌa fire كَأَطرافِlike the tips البُزوقِlightning flashes (uncertain reading) تَشُبُّهاkindle it
نارٌ كَأَطرافِ البُزوقِ تَشُبُّها
بِمَطالِعِat the approaches البَيداءِof the desert أَيديthe hands مَعشَرِof a band
بِمَطالِعِ البَيداءِ أَيدي مَعشَرِ
was a fire like the tips of lightning flashes, kindled
A fire whose edges resemble tent pegs
at the desert's approaches by the hands of a band.
That look like the dawning places of the white desert.
كَمhow often نَفَّرَتit drove away مِنof شَجوِsorrow قَلبٍa heart نافِرٍunquiet
كَم نَفَّرَت مِن شَجوِ قَلبٍ نافِرٍ
وَاِستَمطَرَتand it drew down مِنof دَمعِtears عَينٍan eye مُمطِرِrain-shedding
وَاِستَمطَرَت مِن دَمعِ عَينٍ مُمطِرِ
How often it drove sorrow from an unquiet heart,
How many hearts shedding tears it startled,
and drew down tears from a rain-shedding eye.
And how many eyes pouring tears it made rain!
لِلَّهِby God أَيَّةُwhat an ساعَةٍhour حَضَرَcame الأَسىsorrow
لِلَّهِ أَيَّةُ ساعَةٍ حَضَرَ الأَسى
فيهاwithin it فَغُيِّبَthen was hidden فيin القُلوبِthe hearts الحُضَّرِassembled there
فيها فَغُيِّبَ في القُلوبِ الحُضَّرِ
By God, what an hour, when sorrow came
O God, what an hour when grief attended
and was hidden in the hearts assembled there!
And was hidden in hearts full of care!
أَجَنَتgrew stagnant بِهاtherein غُدرَthe pools الوَفاءِof fidelity فَلَمyet did not تَغِضrecede
أَجَنَت بِها غُدرَ الوَفاءِ فَلَم تَغِض
وَالغُدرُwhile the pools طاميbrimming الماءِwith water غَيرُnot مُكَدَّرِclouded
وَالغُدرُ طامي الماءِ غَيرُ مُكَدَّرِ
The pools of fidelity grew stagnant there, yet did not recede,
It betrayed the loyalty of faithfulness, but it did not diminish,
their waters brimming and unclouded.
And betrayal is water not made turbid.
وَفَوارِسٍand many horsemen رَكِبواrode النَجاءَat speed وَأَدلَجواand set out by night
وَفَوارِسٍ رَكِبوا النَجاءَ وَأَدلَجوا
مِنamong them موغِلٍone pressing far خَلفَin pursuit of المُنىhopes وَمَغَرِّرِand one risking himself
مِن موغِلٍ خَلفَ المُنى وَمَغَرِّرِ
And many horsemen rode at speed and set out by night,
And horsemen who rode to deliverance and traveled
some pursuing hopes far afield, others risking their lives.
From a remote depth behind wishes and hills.
مَرّواthey passed يَجُرّونَdragging الرِماحَthe spears لِغارَةٍfor a raid
مَرّوا يَجُرّونَ الرِماحَ لِغارَةٍ
وَالطالِعاتُwhile the rising lights عَنِfrom الدُجىdarkness لَمnot yet تُجرَرِhad been drawn away
وَالطالِعاتُ عَنِ الدُجى لَم تُجرَرِ
They passed, dragging spears toward a raid,
They passed leading their spears for a raid
while the lights rising from darkness had not yet been drawn away.
While the rising stars had not pulled the darkness.
فَكَأَنَّماso it was as though الجَرباءُthe star-speckled sky لِمَّةُthe locks أَحلَسٍof a dark-haired man
فَكَأَنَّما الجَرباءُ لِمَّةُ أَحلَسٍ
وَلَهاand for it المَجَرَّةُthe Milky Way مَفرِقٌa hair-parting لَمnot يُستَرِcovered
وَلَها المَجَرَّةُ مَفرِقٌ لَم يُستَرِ
The star-speckled sky seemed a dark-haired man's locks,
So it was as if the Pleiades were a tribe of Ahlas
and the Milky Way its uncovered parting.
And for them the cluster had a separator that did not veil.
أَفشىrevealed حَنينُthe yearning cries رِكابِهِمof their mounts سِرَّthe secret السُرىof night travel
أَفشى حَنينُ رِكابِهِم سِرَّ السُرى
لَغَباًthrough weariness فَأَضمَرَthen concealed فيwithin نَزائِعَstraining mounts ضُمَّرِlean
لَغَباً فَأَضمَرَ في نَزائِعَ ضُمَّرِ
Their mounts' yearning cries disclosed the night march's secret,
The neighing of their riding-beasts told the secret of the journey
through weariness, then hid within lean, straining mounts.
Yearning, so it harbored in the inclinations of the sand dunes.
نَحَرواthey pierced بِهاwith them نَحرَthe throat الفَلاةِof the wilderness وَقَلَّبواand overturned
نَحَروا بِها نَحرَ الفَلاةِ وَقَلَّبوا
قَلبَthe heart الظَلامِof darkness عَلىat ذَميلٍa brisk trot مِسعَرِblazing
قَلبَ الظَلامِ عَلى ذَميلٍ مِسعَرِ
They pierced the desert's throat with them and overturned
With it they slaughtered the slaughter of desolation and overturned
the heart of darkness at a blazing trot.
The darkness upon a kindled sand hill.
وَالعيسُand the pale camels تَلطِمُslap خَدَّthe cheek كُلِّof every مَفازَةٍdesert waste
وَالعيسُ تَلطِمُ خَدَّ كُلِّ مَفازَةٍ
وَتُريقُand pour out ماwhat أَبقىhad left المَزادُthe waterskins وَتَمتَريand draw forth
وَتُريقُ ما أَبقى المَزادُ وَتَمتَري
The pale camels slapped the cheek of every desert waste,
And the wolf tears the cheek of every plain
pouring out what the waterskins had left, and drawing more.
And wipes out what the place of auction left.
وَلَرُبَّand many a مُنذَلِقٍrushing warrior تَمَنطَقَgirded on سَيفَهُhis sword
وَلَرُبَّ مُنذَلِقٍ تَمَنطَقَ سَيفَهُ
بِنَجيعِwith the shed blood كُلِّof every مُمَنطَقٍbelted warrior وَمُسَوَّرِand bracelet-wearer
بِنَجيعِ كُلِّ مُمَنطَقٍ وَمُسَوَّرِ
And many a rushing warrior girded on his sword
And for many a coward his sword clanks
with the blood of every belted warrior and bracelet-wearer.
Against the neck of every clanking and chained one.
وَمُسَوِّدٍand one blackening بِالغَدرِwith treachery وَجهَthe face وَفائِهِof his fidelity
وَمُسَوِّدٍ بِالغَدرِ وَجهَ وَفائِهِ
عَصفَرتُهُI dyed him safflower-red بِشَباwith the points الوَشيجِof the spears الأَسمَرِthe brown
عَصفَرتُهُ بِشَبا الوَشيجِ الأَسمَرِ
And one who blackened the face of his fidelity with treachery—
And a blackened face whose loyalty it betrayed
I dyed him safflower-red with the points of brown spears.
Its pallor with the flames of the branching firewood.
فَشَفَيتُso I healed غُلَّthe burning thirst النَفسِof the soul مِنwith حَوبائِهِhis lifeblood
فَشَفَيتُ غُلَّ النَفسِ مِن حَوبائِهِ
نَهلاًa first draught يُعَلُّfollowed by another draught مِنَof الدَمِblood المُثعَنجِرِgushing
نَهلاً يُعَلُّ مِنَ الدَمِ المُثعَنجِرِ
So I slaked my soul's burning thirst with his lifeblood,
So I quenched the bitterness of my soul from its sorrows
a first draught, followed by another from the gushing blood.
With a drink that lifts up from the streaming blood.
خَلَعَcast off الحَياءَshame جُناتُهُhis wrongdoers وَصَوارِميwhile my sharp swords
خَلَعَ الحَياءَ جُناتُهُ وَصَوارِمي
خَلَعَتbestowed a robe عَلَيهِupon him يَلقَماًa coat لَمnot يُزرَرِbuttoned
خَلَعَت عَلَيهِ يَلقَماً لَم يُزرَرِ
His wrongdoers cast off shame, while my sharp swords
Its armor cast off modesty, and my swords
bestowed on him a coat left unbuttoned.
Cast off against it a bite that did not sever.
وَلَقَدand indeed رَمَيتُI struck ضَميرَهُhis innermost heart مِنthrough خَشيَتيdread of me
وَلَقَد رَمَيتُ ضَميرَهُ مِن خَشيَتي
بِأَحَدَّwith something sharper مِنthan طَرَفِthe point السِنانِof the spearhead وَأَعقَرِand more crippling
بِأَحَدَّ مِن طَرَفِ السِنانِ وَأَعقَرِ
Indeed, I struck his innermost heart, through dread of me,
And I surely threw its conscience, fearing it,
with something sharper and more crippling than a spear-tip.
With sharper than the edge of a spear and more penetrating.
وَلَرُبَّand many a رَوعٍterror رُعتُهُI terrified it بِفَوارِسٍwith horsemen
وَلَرُبَّ رَوعٍ رُعتُهُ بِفَوارِسٍ
قَلَبواthey turned صُدورَthe fronts رِماحِهِمof their spears لِلأَظهُرِtoward backs
قَلَبوا صُدورَ رِماحِهِم لِلأَظهُرِ
And many a terror I terrified with horsemen
And for many a herd I herded with horsemen
who turned their spearheads toward backs.
Who turned the breasts of their spears to the foreparts.
فَكَدَرتُso I dimmed تَحتَbeneath النَقعِthe dust مِنof جَبَهاتِهِمtheir brows
فَكَدَرتُ تَحتَ النَقعِ مِن جَبَهاتِهِم
مِثلَlike النُجومِthe stars عَلىagainst العَجاجِthe swirling dust الأَكدَرِthe murky
مِثلَ النُجومِ عَلى العَجاجِ الأَكدَرِ
So beneath the dust I dimmed those brows of theirs,
So I stirred beneath the surfaces from their foreheads
like stars against the murky dust-cloud.
Like stars upon the turbid sand dunes.
وَهُمُand they الأُلىare those who رَبَّتreared لَهُمfor them أَحسابُهُمtheir noble lineages
وَهُمُ الأُلى رَبَّت لَهُم أَحسابُهُم
وَلَدَthe offspring المَعاليof greatness فيin حُجورِthe laps الأَعصُرِof the ages
وَلَدَ المَعالي في حُجورِ الأَعصُرِ
They are those whose noble lineages reared for them
And they are the superior ones whom their accounts reared
the offspring of greatness in the laps of the ages.
And nobility was born in the laps of honor.
مِنamong them كُلِّevery أَبلَجَradiant-faced man مُذsince تَلَثَّمَwas veiled وَجهُهُhis face
مِن كُلِّ أَبلَجَ مُذ تَلَثَّمَ وَجهُهُ
بِالنَقعِin dust فيin طَلَبِpursuit العُلىof glory لَمnot يُسفِرِhe unveiled his face
بِالنَقعِ في طَلَبِ العُلى لَم يُسفِرِ
Each a radiant-faced man who, since his face was veiled
From every knight since his face was wrapped
in dust while pursuing glory, has never unveiled it.
With imprint in seeking the heights, it did not reveal.
ماnot زالَceased يَخطِرُstriding proudly فيin غَمامَةِa cloud قَسطَلٍof battle-dust
ما زالَ يَخطِرُ في غَمامَةِ قَسطَلٍ
بَينَamid العَواليthe lance-tips أَوor قَميصِa shirt سَنَوَّرِof armor
بَينَ العَوالي أَو قَميصِ سَنَوَّرِ
He never ceased to stride proudly in a cloud of battle-dust,
He continued to float in the clouds of a decorated tunic
amid lance-tips, or in a shirt of mail.
Between the high places or an embroidered shirt.
لاnot يَتَّقيhe shields himself from الشَمسَthe sun الظَهائِرَat noon إِنwhen سَرىhe journeys
لا يَتَّقي الشَمسَ الظَهائِرَ إِن سَرى
إِلّاexcept بِظِلِّwith the shade قَناًof spears وَعارِضِand a cloud عِثيَرِof raised dust
إِلّا بِظِلِّ قَناً وَعارِضِ عِثيَرِ
He shields himself from the noonday sun, when marching,
He does not avoid the midday suns if he travels
only with the shade of spears and a cloud of raised dust.
Except in the shade of a spear and ample quiver.
فيin مَعرَكٍa battlefield سَحَبَtrailed العَجاجُthe dust-cloud ذَوائِباًtresses
في مَعرَكٍ سَحَبَ العَجاجُ ذَوائِباً
سوداًblack بِهِacross it فَوقَabove النَجيعِthe shed blood الأَحمَرِthe red
سوداً بِهِ فَوقَ النَجيعِ الأَحمَرِ
In a battlefield where the dust-cloud trailed tresses,
In a battle the turbans drew tails
black across it, above the crimson gore,
Black thereby above the red hillock.
فَكَسَفتُso I eclipsed ضاحِيَهُits sunlit part بِنَقعٍwith dust مُظلِمٍdark
فَكَسَفتُ ضاحِيَهُ بِنَقعٍ مُظلِمٍ
وَكَشَفتُand I dispelled داجِيَهُits darkness بِوَجهٍwith a face مُقمِرِmoon-bright
وَكَشَفتُ داجِيَهُ بِوَجهٍ مُقمِرِ
I eclipsed its sunlit part with dark dust,
So I eclipsed its borders with a dark imprint
and dispelled its darkness with a moon-bright face.
And exposed its interior with a shining face.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though ثَغَرَknocked out like teeth الظَلامُthe darkness نُجومَهُits stars
وَكَأَنَّما ثَغَرَ الظَلامُ نُجومَهُ
فَتَساقَطَتso they fell فَوقَupon الرِماحِthe spears الخُطَّرِthe swaying
فَتَساقَطَت فَوقَ الرِماحِ الخُطَّرِ
It was as though darkness had knocked out its stars like teeth,
And it was as if the darkness smiled its stars
and they fell upon the swaying spears.
So they dropped upon the feathered spears.
أَفَلَwaned السِنانُthe spearhead عَنِfrom الطِعانِthrusting كَأَنَّهُas though it were الthe
أَفَلَ السِنانُ عَنِ الطِعانِ كَأَنَّهُ ال
مَرّيخُMars بَعدَafter طُلوعِهِits rising كَالمُشتَريlike Jupiter
مَرّيخُ بَعدَ طُلوعِهِ كَالمُشتَري
The spearhead waned from thrusting, as though it were the planet
The flashes diminished from the piercing
Mars, after rising like Jupiter.
As if it were Mars after its rising like Jupiter.
وَتَقَعقَعَتand rattled بَينَbetween الكُلىthe kidneys قِصَدُsplinters القَناof spear-shafts
وَتَقَعقَعَت بَينَ الكُلى قِصَدُ القَنا
فَكَأَنَّso as though كُلَّevery حَشىًbelly رِبابَةُa quiver مَيسِرِfor arrow-gambling
فَكَأَنَّ كُلَّ حَشىً رِبابَةُ مَيسِرِ
Splinters of spear-shafts rattled between the kidneys,
And the thrusts of spears rattled between the kidneys
as though each belly were a quiver for gaming arrows.
So it was as if every gut was a melodious lute.
عَثَرَتstumbled بِأَرياشِagainst the feathers القَشاعِمِof aged vultures شَمسُهُits sun
عَثَرَت بِأَرياشِ القَشاعِمِ شَمسُهُ
وَالطَعنُbut the thrusting فيwithin هَبَواتِهِits dust-clouds لَمnot يَعثُرِstumbled
وَالطَعنُ في هَبَواتِهِ لَم يَعثُرِ
Its sun stumbled against the feathers of aged vultures,
Its sun tripped on the feathers of the vultures
but the thrusting never stumbled within its dust-clouds.
And the stabbing in its declination did not trip.
نَثَرَتit scattered عَلىupon بَيضِthe helmets الكُماةِof the warriors دَراهِماًdirhams
نَثَرَت عَلى بَيضِ الكُماةِ دَراهِماً
فَنُثِرنَso they were scattered ضَرباًby blows وَهيَwhile it لَمnot تَتَنَثَّرِwas scattered
فَنُثِرنَ ضَرباً وَهيَ لَم تَتَنَثَّرِ
It scattered dirhams upon the warriors' helmets;
It scattered dirhams upon the white swords
they were scattered by blows, while it remained unscattered.
So they were struck down while they did not scatter.
لَمnot تَشعُرِfelt الهاماتُthe heads عِندَat نِثارِهاtheir scattering
لَم تَشعُرِ الهاماتُ عِندَ نِثارِها
بِقَرارِهاof their settling فَكَأَنَّهاso as though they لَمnot تُنثَرِwere scattered
بِقَرارِها فَكَأَنَّها لَم تُنثَرِ
The heads, at the moment of their scattering, did not sense
The skulls did not feel when they were scattered
where they settled, as though they had never been scattered.
As if they were not scattered.
يَجرونَthey run وَهيَwhile it مُقيمَةٌstands still لَكِنَّهاyet it
يَجرونَ وَهيَ مُقيمَةٌ لَكِنَّها
خَطّارَةٌflits مِنfrom مِغفَرٍa helmet فيinto مِغفَرِa helmet
خَطّارَةٌ مِن مِغفَرٍ في مِغفَرِ
They run while it stands still, yet it
They flow while still standing, but they
flits from helmet to helmet.
Are quivering from a forgiving one in forgiving.
مَنwho مُبلِغٌwill convey عَنّيon my behalf القَبائِلَto the tribes أَنَّنيthat I
مَن مُبلِغٌ عَنّي القَبائِلَ أَنَّني
مُتَوَطِّنٌam dwelling عُنقَon the neck العَلاءِof greatness بِمَفخَرِwith proud distinction
مُتَوَطِّنٌ عُنقَ العَلاءِ بِمَفخَرِ
Who will tell the tribes on my behalf that I
Who will convey from me to the tribes that I
dwell upon greatness's neck with proud distinction?
Settle at the neck of high ground proudly?
أَشرَعتُI brought to water ضَمَّthe gathering الجودِof bounty مَشرَعَthe watering-place تالِديof my ancestral wealth
أَشرَعتُ ضَمَّ الجودِ مَشرَعَ تالِدي
فَاِمتاحَهَمso it drew water for them وَطَلاحُهُمwhile their exhausted mounts لَمnot تَصدُرِdeparted from water
فَاِمتاحَهَم وَطَلاحُهُم لَم تَصدُرِ
I brought gathered bounty to the watering-place of my ancestral wealth;
I set sail the vessel of generosity spreading its sail
so it drew water for them, while their weary mounts had not departed.
So their access and descent did not voyage.
جاءَتit came كَماjust as جاءَcame الشَهابُthe shooting star مُضيئَةًradiant
جاءَت كَما جاءَ الشَهابُ مُضيئَةً
تَجلوclearing الأَسىsorrow عَنfrom قَلبِthe heart كُلِّof every مُفَكِّرِthoughtful person
تَجلو الأَسى عَن قَلبِ كُلِّ مُفَكِّرِ
It came radiant, as a shooting star comes,
They came as the shooting star comes, shining,
clearing sorrow from every thoughtful heart,
Dispelling grief from the heart of every thoughtful one.
مِنfrom خاطِرٍa mind خَطَرَتstirred بِهِwithin it هِمَمُaspirations العُلىfor greatness
مِن خاطِرٍ خَطَرَت بِهِ هِمَمُ العُلى
وَالشِعرُwhile poetry بَعدُyet بِقَلبِهِin his heart لَمnot يَخطُرِhad occurred
وَالشِعرُ بَعدُ بِقَلبِهِ لَم يَخطُرِ
from a mind in which aspirations for greatness stirred,
From a thought the aspirations of highness occurred,
while poetry had not yet crossed his heart.
And the poetry thereafter in his heart did not occur.
نائيfar-reaching الحَناin scope دانيnear النُهىin understanding صافيpure السَدىin bounty
نائي الحَنا داني النُهى صافي السَدى
ضافيabundant العَطاياin gifts وَالعُلىand greatness وَالمَفخَرِand proud distinction
ضافي العَطايا وَالعُلى وَالمَفخَرِ
Far-reaching in scope, near in understanding, pure in bounty,
Distant, comely, refined, pure,
abundant in gifts, greatness, and proud distinction.
Bestower of gifts, highness, and pride.
Sol 6.1