وَفَوارِسٍand many horsemen ليof mine قَدindeed عَلِمتُهُمُI have known them
وَفَوارِسٍ لي قَد عَلِمتُهُمُ
صُبُرٍsteadfast عَلىthrough التَكرارِrepeated charges وَالكَلمِand wounds
صُبُرٍ عَلى التَكرارِ وَالكَلمِ
And many horsemen of mine have I known,
steadfast through repeated charges and wounds.
يَمشونَthey walk وَالماذِيُّand the gleaming mail فَوقَهُمُupon them
يَمشونَ وَالماذِيُّ فَوقَهُمُ
يَتَوَقَّدونَthey blaze تَوَقُّدَthe blazing of الفَحمِcharcoal
يَتَوَقَّدونَ تَوَقُّدَ الفَحمِ
They walk with gleaming mail upon them,
blazing as charcoal blazes.
كَمhow many مِنof فَتىًa young man فيهِمamong them أَخيpossessed of ثِقَةٍtrustworthiness
كَم مِن فَتىً فيهِم أَخي ثِقَةٍ
حُرٍّfreeborn أَغَرَّbright-faced كَغُرَّةِlike the white brow of الرَأمِthe white antelope
حُرٍّ أَغَرَّ كَغُرَّةِ الرَأمِ
How many a trustworthy youth is among them,
freeborn, bright-faced as a white antelope’s brow.
لَيسواthey are not كَأَقوامٍlike peoples عَلِمتُهُمُI have known them
لَيسوا كَأَقوامٍ عَلِمتُهُمُ
سودِblack الوُجوهِof face كَمَعدَنِlike the quarry of البُرمِstone cooking pots
سودِ الوُجوهِ كَمَعدَنِ البُرمِ
They are not like folk I have known,
black-faced as the stone quarried for cooking pots.
عَجِلَتhastened بَنوthe sons of شَيبانَShayban مُدَّتَهُمtheir allotted span
عَجِلَت بَنو شَيبانَ مُدَّتَهُم
وَالبُقعُand the mottled أَستاهاًin the buttocks بَنوthe sons of لَأمِLa'm
وَالبُقعُ أَستاهاً بَنو لَأمِ
Banu Shayban hastened their allotted end,
and Banu La'm, with their mottled buttocks.
كُنّاwe used to إِذاwhen نَفَرَsped off المَطِيُّthe riding camels بِناwith us
كُنّا إِذا نَفَرَ المَطِيُّ بِنا
وَبَداand appeared لَناto us أَحواضُthe pools of ذيDhu الرَضمِal-Radm
وَبَدا لَنا أَحواضُ ذي الرَضمِ
We would, when the riding camels sped off with us,
and the pools of Dhu al-Radm came into view,
نُعديwe charge فَنَطعَنُthen we thrust فيat أُنوفِهِمُtheir noses
نُعدي فَنَطعَنُ في أُنوفِهِمُ
نَختارُwe choose بَينَbetween القَتلِslaughter وَالغُنمِand plunder
نَختارُ بَينَ القَتلِ وَالغُنمِ
charge, then thrust at their noses,
choosing between slaughter and plunder.
إِنّاindeed we كَذَلِكَare like that ياO سُهَيَّSuhayy إِذاwhenever
إِنّا كَذَلِكَ يا سُهَيَّ إِذا
غَدَرَbetrays الحَليفُthe ally نَقورُwe pierce بِالخَطمِwith spearpoints
غَدَرَ الحَليفُ نَقورُ بِالخَطمِ
Such indeed are we, O Suhayy, whenever
an ally betrays us: we pierce with spearpoints,
وَبِكُلِّand with every مُرهَفَةٍkeen-edged blade لَهاit has نَفَذٌa piercing opening
وَبِكُلِّ مُرهَفَةٍ لَها نَفَذٌ
بَينَbetween الضُلوعِthe ribs كَطُرَّةِlike the hem of الفَدَمِcrimson cloth
بَينَ الضُلوعِ كَطُرَّةِ الفَدَمِ
and with every keen blade that leaves an opening
between the ribs like the hem of crimson cloth.
Sol 6.1