لَقَدsurely تَعلَمُknow الخَيلُthe horses المُغيرَةُraiding أَنَّناthat we
لَقَد تَعلَمُ الخَيلُ المُغيرَةُ أَنَّنا
إِذاwhen اِبتَدَرَrushed to vie for الناسُthe people الفَعالَnoble deeds أُسودُهاtheir lions
إِذا اِبتَدَرَ الناسُ الفَعالَ أُسودُها
Surely the raiding horses know that we,
The horses have learned when people attack
when men race to noble deeds, are their lions.
That we are lions when war is black.
عَلىon رَبِذٍa nimble steed يَزدادُincreases جوداًfleetness إِذاwhen جَرىit runs
عَلى رَبِذٍ يَزدادُ جوداً إِذا جَرى
وَقَدand indeed قَلِقَتshifted about تَحتَbeneath السُروجِthe saddles لُبودُهاtheir felt pads
وَقَد قَلِقَت تَحتَ السُروجِ لُبودُها
On a nimble steed that grows swifter as it runs,
Our steeds excel when battle is due
and their felt pads have shifted beneath the saddles.
Their legs now shake in the stirrups' bend.
وَقَدand indeed خُضِبَتwere stained بِالماءِwith water حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّماas though
وَقَد خُضِبَت بِالماءِ حَتّى كَأَنَّما
تَشَبَّهُresemble كُمتَthe dark bays الخَيلِof the horses مِنهُنَّamong them سودُهاtheir black ones
تَشَبَّهُ كُمتَ الخَيلِ مِنهُنَّ سودُها
And they have been stained with water, until it seems
Their coats are dyed till you'd understand
the black ones among them resemble the dark-bay horses.
The darkest horses take our dark stand.
وَنَحنُand we نَفَيناwe drove out مَذحِجاًMadhhij عَنfrom بِلادِهاits lands
وَنَحنُ نَفَينا مَذحِجاً عَن بِلادِها
تُقَتَّلُbeing slaughtered حَتّىuntil عادَbecame فَلّاًa routed remnant شَديدُهاits mighty force
تُقَتَّلُ حَتّى عادَ فَلّاً شَديدُها
And we drove Madhhij from its lands,
We drove the foe from the border behind
slaughtered until its mighty force became a routed remnant.
Till only their dead and weak remained.
فَأَمّاso as for فَريقٌa band بِالمَصامَةِat al-Masamah مِنهُمُof them
فَأَمّا فَريقٌ بِالمَصامَةِ مِنهُمُ
فَفَرّواso they fled وَأُخرىand another band قَدalready أُبيرَتwere destroyed جُدودُهاits fortunes
فَفَرّوا وَأُخرى قَد أُبيرَت جُدودُها
As for one band of them at al-Masamah,
Some fled from the striking mortal fight
they fled, while another band's fortunes were destroyed.
While others their reins had severed outright.
إِذاwhen سَنَةٌa drought year عَزَّتgrew harsh وَطالَand lengthened طِوالُهاits long spells
إِذا سَنَةٌ عَزَّت وَطالَ طِوالُها
وَأَقحَطَand failed عَنهاfrom it القَطرُthe rain وَاِصفَرَّand turned yellow عودُهاits stalks
وَأَقحَطَ عَنها القَطرُ وَاِصفَرَّ عودُها
When a drought year grows harsh and its long spells drag on,
When the year's harsh, its harshness long
and rain fails it and its stalks turn yellow,
No rain comes and wood all withers gaunt
وُجِدناwe were found كِراماًgenerous لاnot يُحَوَّلُis sent elsewhere ضَيفُناour guest
وُجِدنا كِراماً لا يُحَوَّلُ ضَيفُنا
إِذاwhen جَفَّhardened فَوقَover المَنزِلاتِthe encampments جَليدُهاits frost
إِذا جَفَّ فَوقَ المَنزِلاتِ جَليدُها
we are found generous; our guest is not sent elsewhere,
We give hospitality, guest never spurned
when its frost hardens over the encampments.
Though ice lies hard on the camp's old haunt
وَقَدand indeed أَصبَحَتshe began عِرسيmy wife الغَداةَthis morning تَلومُنيshe reproaches me
وَقَد أَصبَحَت عِرسي الغَداةَ تَلومُني
عَلىfor غَيرِno ذَنبٍfault هَجرُهاher estrangement وَصُدودُهاand her aversion
عَلى غَيرِ ذَنبٍ هَجرُها وَصُدودُها
And this morning my wife began reproaching me;
My love scolded me at dawn today
her estrangement and aversion are for no fault of mine.
With no fault of mine, her affection she shunned
فَإِنّيfor indeed I إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) قُلتُI said قَولِيَmy words فَاِنقَضىand it ended
فَإِنّي إِذا ما قُلتُ قَولِيَ فَاِنقَضى
أَتَتنيshe came to me بِأُخرىwith another خُطَّةٌa matter لاnot أُريدُهاI want it
أَتَتني بِأُخرى خُطَّةٌ لا أُريدُها
For whenever I say my piece and it is done,
When I speak my piece then it comes to an end
she brings me another matter that I do not want.
Another mistake she brings I never meant
فَلاso no خَيرَgood فيin وِدٍّaffection إِذاwhen رَثَّbecame frayed حَبلُهُits cord
فَلا خَيرَ في وِدٍّ إِذا رَثَّ حَبلُهُ
وَخَيرُand the best حِبالِcords الواصِلينَof those who keep ties جَديدُهاtheir new ones
وَخَيرُ حِبالِ الواصِلينَ جَديدُها
So there is no good in affection when its cord is frayed,
No good in love if affection now lacks
and the best cords of those who keep ties are the new ones.
The best rope for lovers is ever fresh spun.
Sol 6.1