لِمَنbelonging to whom الديارُthe dwellings بروضةin the meadow of السُلَّانِal-Sullān
لِمَن الديارُ بروضة السُلَّانِ
فالرَقمَتَينِand at al-Raqmatayn فجانبِand beside الصَّمَانِal-Ṣammān
فالرَقمَتَينِ فجانبِ الصَّمَانِ
Whose are the dwellings in the meadow of al-Sullān,
For whom are the abodes in the gardens of the Sultans
And at al-Raqmatayn, and beside al-Ṣammān?
With the two inscriptions by the side of the idols
لَعِبَتplayed بهاover them هُوجُviolent الرياحِthe winds وَبُدِّلَتand were transformed
لَعِبَت بها هُوجُ الرياحِ وَبُدِّلَت
بعدafter الأَنيسِfamiliar company مَكَانِسَlairs of الثيرانِthe wild bulls
بعد الأَنيسِ مَكَانِسَ الثيرانِ
Wild winds have played over them, and they have become,
The winds have played with it and changed
After familiar company, the lairs of wild bulls.
After the companion, the places of the beasts
فكأنَّand as though ماwhat أَبقَينَthey left منof آياتِهاits traces
فكأنَّ ما أَبقَينَ من آياتِها
رَقمٌa pattern يُنَمَّقُis embellished بالأَكُفِّby hands يَمَانيYemeni
رَقمٌ يُنَمَّقُ بالأَكُفِّ يَمَاني
And as though what they left of its traces
So it seems that the relics left from its symbols
Were a Yemeni pattern, embellished by hand.
Are lines drawn by the right hand
دارٌa dwelling لِعَمرَةَof ʿAmrah إِذwhen تُريكَshe shows you مُفَلَّجاًa gap-toothed mouth
دارٌ لِعَمرَةَ إِذ تُريكَ مُفَلَّجاً
عَذبَsweet المَذاقَةِin taste واضِحَbright الأَلوانِin color
عَذبَ المَذاقَةِ واضِحَ الأَلوانِ
A dwelling of ʿAmrah, when she shows you a gap-toothed mouth,
A house for a bride, when it shows you dilapidated
Sweet to the taste and bright in color,
Sweet tasting and bright colored
خَصِراًcool يُشَبَّهُis likened بَردُهُits coolness وَبَيَاضُهُand its whiteness
خَصِراً يُشَبَّهُ بَردُهُ وَبَيَاضُهُ
بالثلجِto snow أَوor بِمُنَوِّرِto the blossoms of القُحوانِchrysanthemums
بالثلجِ أَو بِمُنَوِّرِ القُحوانِ
Cool, its chill and whiteness likened
A waist that its coldness and whiteness are compared
To snow, or to chrysanthemum blossoms.
To ice or the bright moons
وكأنَّand as though طَعمَthe taste of مُدامَةٍwine جَبَليّةٍfrom the mountains
وكأنَّ طَعمَ مُدامَةٍ جَبَليّةٍ
بالمِسكِwith musk والكافورِand camphor والرَّيحانِand sweet basil
بالمِسكِ والكافورِ والرَّيحانِ
And as though the taste of mountain wine,
And it tastes like a mountainous mixed wine
With musk and camphor and sweet basil,
With musk, camphor, and basil
والشُّهدِand honeycomb شِيبَwas blended بماءِwith water of وَردٍroses باردٍcool
والشُّهدِ شِيبَ بماءِ وَردٍ باردٍ
منهاfrom her علىupon المُتَنفَّسِthe breathing mouth الوَهنانِlanguid
منها على المُتَنفَّسِ الوَهنانِ
And honeycomb, blended with cool rosewater,
And honey whitened by the water of cool roses
Were upon her languid, breathing mouth.
For the feeble breathers
وَأَغَرَّand a radiant face مَصقولاًpolished وَعَينَيand the two eyes of جُؤذَرٍa wild-ox calf
وَأَغَرَّ مَصقولاً وَعَينَي جُؤذَرٍ
وَمُقَلَّداًand a neck كَمُقَلَّدِlike the neck of الأُدمانِpale gazelles
وَمُقَلَّداً كَمُقَلَّدِ الأُدمانِ
And a radiant, polished face, the eyes of a wild-ox calf,
And it seduces polished, with lazy eyes
And a neck like the neck of pale gazelles.
And necklaced like the necks of addicted ones
سَنَّتshe draped عليهupon it قَلائداًnecklaces مَنظومةًstrung
سَنَّت عليه قَلائداً مَنظومةً
بالشَّذرِwith gold beads والياقوتِand rubies والمَرجانِand coral
بالشَّذرِ والياقوتِ والمَرجانِ
She draped upon it necklaces strung
It made necklaces for it, strung
With gold beads and rubies and coral.
With beads, ruby, and coral
ولقدand indeed تَعارَفَتِrecognized one another الضِّباتُal-Ḍibāt وجعفرٌand Jaʿfar
ولقد تَعارَفَتِ الضِّباتُ وجعفرٌ
وبنوand the sons of أَبيAbū (father of) بكرٍBakr بنوthe sons of الهَصَّانِal-Haṣṣān
وبنو أَبي بكرٍ بنو الهَصَّانِ
Indeed, al-Ḍibāt and Jaʿfar recognized one another,
And Ja’far and the clan of Abi Bakr and the clan of Al-Hassan
And the sons of Abū Bakr, the sons of al-Haṣṣān,
Have mingled around it, captives sitting
سَبياًas captives علىon القُعُداتِthe riding camels تَخفُقُflutter فوقَهمabove them
سَبياً على القُعُداتِ تَخفُقُ فوقَهم
راياتbanners of أَبيضَa fair-complexioned man كالفَنيقِlike a pampered stallion camel هِجانِwhite and purebred
رايات أَبيضَ كالفَنيقِ هِجانِ
As captives on riding camels, fluttering above them
Above them the banners of the White Tribe flutter
The banners of a fair man, like a pampered, purebred stallion camel.
Like angry hissing serpents
والأَشعثُand al-Ashʿath الكِنديُّthe Kindite حينَwhen سَماhe advanced لناagainst us
والأَشعثُ الكِنديُّ حينَ سَما لنا
منfrom حَضرَمَوتَHadramawt مُجَنِّبَleading alongside الذُكرانِthe stallions
من حَضرَمَوتَ مُجَنِّبَ الذُكرانِ
And al-Ashʿath the Kindite, when he advanced against us
And Al-Ashtar the Kindi, when he obtained for us
From Hadramawt, with stallions led at his side,
From Hadramout, free of males
قادَhe led الجِيادَthe steeds علىdespite وَجَاهاtheir sore hooves شُزَّباًlean
قادَ الجِيادَ على وَجَاها شُزَّباً
قُبَّhollow البطونِthe bellies نَواحِلَgaunt الأَبدانِthe bodies
قُبَّ البطونِ نَواحِلَ الأَبدانِ
Led the steeds, despite their sore hooves, lean,
He led the steeds angrily toward it
Hollow-bellied and gaunt of body.
With bellies close to the ground
حتىuntil إِذاwhen أَسرىhe traveled by night وأَوَّبَand traveled by day دُونَناtoward us
حتى إِذا أَسرى وأَوَّبَ دُونَنا
منfrom حَضرَمَوتَHadramawt إِلىto قَضيبِQaḍīb يَمَانِYemeni
من حَضرَمَوتَ إِلى قَضيبِ يَمَانِ
When at last he had traveled by night and day toward us,
Until when he traveled and bent toward us
From Hadramawt to Qaḍīb of Yemen,
From Hadramout to the rod of Yemen
أَضحىhe reached morning وقدand already كانتwere عليهagainst him بلادُناour lands
أَضحى وقد كانت عليه بلادُنا
محفوفةًsurrounded كَحَظِيرةِlike the enclosure of البستانِthe orchard
محفوفةً كَحَظِيرةِ البستانِ
He reached morning, with our lands closed against him,
He started his journey, and our lands had been
Fenced round like an orchard's enclosure.
Surrounding it, like an orchard fence
فدَعاthen he called out فَسَوَّمَهاthen sent them forth وَأَيقَنَand was certain أَنّهthat it was
فدَعا فَسَوَّمَها وَأَيقَنَ أَنّه
لاno شكَّdoubt يومُa day of تَسَايُفٍsword-fighting وَطِعانِand spear-thrusts
لا شكَّ يومُ تَسَايُفٍ وَطِعانِ
Then he called out, sent his horses forth, and knew that it was
Horses tied to their feed
Without doubt, a day of sword-fighting and spear-thrusts.
Being milked in front of the enclosure
لمَّاwhen رأىsaw الجَمعُthe host المُصَبَّحُassailed at dawn خَيلَهُhis horses
لمَّا رأى الجَمعُ المُصَبَّحُ خَيلَهُ
مَبثوثةًscattered كَكَواسِرِlike swooping العِقبانِeagles
مَبثوثةً كَكَواسِرِ العِقبانِ
When the host assailed at dawn saw his horses
And their women hastened with all generosity
Scattered like swooping eagles,
Plump, hefty, and with bodies
فَزِعُواthey rushed إِلىto الحُصُنِthe stallions المَذَاكيfully mature عِندَهمin their keeping
فَزِعُوا إِلى الحُصُنِ المَذَاكي عِندَهم
وَسطَamong البيوتِthe houses يَرُدنَthey wander فيin الأَرسانِthe halters
وَسطَ البيوتِ يَرُدنَ في الأَرسانِ
They rushed to the mature stallions in their keeping,
So he threw them to elderly lords
Among the houses, wandering in their halters—
And to the handsomest of youths
خيلٌhorses مُرَبَّطَةٌtethered علىbeside أَعلافهاtheir fodder
خيلٌ مُرَبَّطَةٌ على أَعلافها
يُقفَينَare favored دونrather than الحَيِّthe tribesfolk بالأَلبانِwith milk
يُقفَينَ دون الحَيِّ بالأَلبانِ
Horses tethered beside their fodder,
Until when begging ceased, and the slain
Given milk in preference to the tribesfolk.
Fell like grapes from the loaded vines
وَسَعَتand hurried نساؤهُمُtheir women بكلِّwith every مُفاضَةٍample mail-coat
وَسَعَت نساؤهُمُ بكلِّ مُفاضَةٍ
جَدلاءَtightly woven سابغةٍfull-length وبالأَبدانِand breastplates
جَدلاءَ سابغةٍ وبالأَبدانِ
And their women hurried with every ample mail-coat,
They rushed the rest and ransomed themselves from our might
Tightly woven and full-length, and with breastplates.
By fleeing into the thickets and ravines
فَقَذفنَهُنَّthen they cast them علىover كُهولٍmature men سادةٍchieftains
فَقَذفنَهُنَّ على كُهولٍ سادةٍ
وعلىand over شَرَامِحَةٍtall men منamong الشُّبَّانِthe youths
وعلى شَرَامِحَةٍ من الشُّبَّانِ
Then cast them over mature chieftains,
And they recovered after the fighting, but they
And over tall men among the youths.
Were creeping like crawling worms
حتىuntil إِذاwhen خَفَتَgrew faint الدُعاءُthe cries وَصُرِّعَتand were felled
حتى إِذا خَفَتَ الدُعاءُ وَصُرِّعَت
قَتلىthe slain كمُنقَعِرٍlike an uprooted tree منfrom الغُلَّانِwooded valleys
قَتلى كمُنقَعِرٍ من الغُلَّانِ
When at last the cries grew faint and there lay fallen
So ninety of their noblemen were caught
Dead men, like trees uprooted from wooded valleys,
Prisoners, fettered at the wrists
نَشَدُواthey begged for البقيّةَquarter وافتدَواand ransomed themselves منfrom وَقعِناour blows
نَشَدُوا البقيّةَ وافتدَوا من وَقعِنا
بالرَّكضِby running فيthrough الأَدغالِthe thickets والقِيعانِand the flat plains
بالرَّكضِ في الأَدغالِ والقِيعانِ
They begged for quarter and ransomed themselves from our blows
The chief of Kindah was humiliated among us
By running through thickets and open plains.
Without loss or disgrace
واستسملواand surrendered بعدafter القتالthe fighting فإِنَّماfor they only
واستسملوا بعد القتال فإِنَّما
يَتَربَّقونَsubmit to tethering تَرَبُّقَthe tethering of الحُملانِlambs
يَتَربَّقونَ تَرَبُّقَ الحُملانِ
And they surrendered after battle, for they only
And Qadisiyah where Rustum
Yield to the halter as lambs do.
Fought against us, as we fiercely shook like demons
فأُصيبَso he was captured فيamong تسعينَninety منof أَشرافهمtheir nobles
فأُصيبَ في تسعينَ من أَشرافهم
أَسرىcaptives مُصَفَّدَةًshackled إِلىup to الأَذقانِthe chins
أَسرى مُصَفَّدَةً إِلى الأَذقانِ
So he was captured among ninety of their nobles,
Striking with every unsheathed white sword
Captives shackled up to their chins.
And stabbing the joints of elbows
فَشَتاso he wintered وقاظَand summered رئيسُthe chief of كِندَةَKindah عِندَناwith us
فَشَتا وقاظَ رئيسُ كِندَةَ عِندَنا
فيwith غيرِno مَنقَصَةٍdiminishment وغيرَand no هَوانِhumiliation
في غيرِ مَنقَصَةٍ وغيرَ هَوانِ
So the chief of Kindah wintered and summered with us,
And Rabee marched on with the troops gloriously
Without loss of standing or humiliation.
Intending jihad and obedience to the Merciful
والقادسيّةُand al-Qādisiyyah حيثُwhere زاحَمَpressed in battle رُستُمٌRustam
والقادسيّةُ حيثُ زاحَمَ رُستُمٌ
كنّاwe were الحُماةَthe defenders نَهُزُّwe brandish كالأَشطانِlike well-ropes
كنّا الحُماةَ نَهُزُّ كالأَشطانِ
And at al-Qādisiyyah, where Rustam pressed in battle,
Until he conquered the villages of the Sawad, Persia,
We were the defenders, brandishing spears like well-ropes,
The plains, and the mountains from Mukran
الضاربينthose striking بكلِّwith every أبيَضَa white blade مِخذَمٍkeen-cutting
الضاربين بكلِّ أبيَضَ مِخذَمٍ
والطاعِنينَand those thrusting مَجامِعَthe seats of الأَضغانِrancor
والطاعِنينَ مَجامِعَ الأَضغانِ
Striking with every keen, white sword,
And piercing the seats of rancor.
ومضىand marched ربيعٌRabīʿ بالجنودwith the troops مُشَرِّقاًeastward
ومضى ربيعٌ بالجنود مُشَرِّقاً
يَنويintending الجهادَstriving in God's cause وطاعةَand obedience to الرحمنِthe Merciful
يَنوي الجهادَ وطاعةَ الرحمنِ
And Rabīʿ marched eastward with the troops,
Intent on jihad and obedience to the Merciful,
حتىuntil استباحَhe overran قُرىthe villages of السَّوادِal-Sawād وفارسٍand Persia
حتى استباحَ قُرى السَّوادِ وفارسٍ
والسهلَand the plain والأَجبالَand the mountains منof مُكرانِMakrān
والسهلَ والأَجبالَ من مُكرانِ
Until he overran the villages of al-Sawād and Persia,
And the plain and mountains of Makrān.
Partial English translation: 54 of 60 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1