أَلَمَّvisited خَيالٌa vision مِنكِof you ياO أُمَّmother of غالِبِGhalib
أَلَمَّ خَيالٌ مِنكِ يا أُمَّ غالِبِ
فَحُيّيتِso may you be greeted عَنّاfrom us مِنas a حَبيبٍbeloved مُجانِبِdistant
فَحُيّيتِ عَنّا مِن حَبيبٍ مُجانِبِ
A vision of you visited me, O Umm Ghalib.
So greetings to you from us, beloved though distant.
وَمازِلتِand you have remained ليto me شَجواًa sorrow وَماand not زِلتُhave I ceased مُقصَداًstricken
وَمازِلتِ لي شَجواً وَما زِلتُ مُقصَداً
لِهَمٍّby a grief عَرانيthat befell me مِنfrom فِراقِكَparting from you ناصِبِwearisome
لِهَمٍّ عَراني مِن فِراقِكَ ناصِبِ
You have remained a sorrow to me, and I remain stricken
by a wearying grief that seized me at parting from you.
فَماso whatever أَنسَI forget لاnot أَنسىI shall forget اِنفتالَكَyour turning فيin الضُحىthe forenoon
فَما أَنسَ لا أَنسى اِنفتالَكَ في الضُحى
إِلَيناtoward us مَعَwith البيضِthe fair-skinned women الوِسامِthe beautiful الخَراعِبِthe supple young women
إِلَينا مَعَ البيضِ الوِسامِ الخَراعِبِ
Whatever I forget, I shall not forget your turning in the morning
toward us, with the fair, lovely, supple young women.
تَراءَتshe appeared لَناto us هَيفاءَslender-waisted مَهضومَةَslender الحَشاin the belly
تَراءَت لَنا هَيفاءَ مَهضومَةَ الحَشا
لَطيفَةَdelicate طَيِّthe folds of الكَشحِthe waist رَيّاfull الحَقائِبِin the haunches
لَطيفَةَ طَيِّ الكَشحِ رَيّا الحَقائِبِ
She appeared to us, slim-waisted, slender in the middle,
delicate in the folds of her waist, full in the haunches.
مُبَتَّلَةًwell-proportioned غَرّاءَradiant رُؤدٌtender شَبابُهاher youth
مُبَتَّلَةً غَرّاءَ رُؤدٌ شَبابُها
كَشَمسِlike the sun of الضُحىthe forenoon تَنكَلُّshines forth بَينَbetween السَحائِبِthe clouds
كَشَمسِ الضُحى تَنكَلُّ بَينَ السَحائِبِ
Perfectly formed and radiant, her youth tender,
like the morning sun shining between the clouds.
فَلَمّاthen when تَغَشّاهاshrouded her السَحابُthe cloud وَحَولَهُand around it
فَلَمّا تَغَشّاها السَحابُ وَحَولَهُ
بَداappeared حاجِبٌone brow مِنهاof hers وَضَنَّتand she was sparing بِحاجِبِwith another brow
بَدا حاجِبٌ مِنها وَضَنَّت بِحاجِبِ
Then, when the cloud shrouded her, around it
one brow of hers appeared, while she withheld the other.
فَتِلكَso she is الهَوىpassion وَهيَand she is الجَوىheartache لِيَfor me وَالمُنيand hopes
فَتِلكَ الهَوى وَهيَ الجَوى لِيَ وَالمُني
فَأَحبِبso how dear بِهاis she مِنas a خُلَّةٍsweetheart لِمnot تُصاقِبِshe dwells nearby
فَأَحبِب بِها مِن خُلَّةٍ لِم تُصاقِبِ
She is my passion, my heart's torment, and my hopes.
How dear she is as a sweetheart, though she is not near!
وَلاand may not يُبعِدِbanish اللَهُGod الشَبابَyouth وَذِكرَهُand its memory
وَلا يُبعِدِ اللَهُ الشَبابَ وَذِكرَهُ
وَحُبَّand love of تَصافيmutual affection المُعصِراتِnewly mature maidens الكَواعِبِbudding-breasted
وَحُبَّ تَصافي المُعصِراتِ الكَواعِبِ
May God never banish youth or its memory,
or the love of mutual tenderness with newly mature, budding-breasted maidens.
وَيَزدادُand grows ماwhat اِحبَبتُهُI have loved it مِنthrough عِتابِناour mutual reproaches
وَيَزدادُ ما اِحبَبتُهُ مِن عِتابِنا
لُعاباًthe mouth's moisture وَسُقياًand refreshment لِلخَدِينِfor the intimate companion المُقارِبِclose at hand
لُعاباً وَسُقياً لِلخَدِينِ المُقارِبِ
And what I love grows with our mutual reproaches—
the mouth's moisture, a draught for the close companion.
فَإِنّيfor indeed I وَإِنeven though لَمnot أَنسَهُنَّI have forgotten them لَذاكِرٌshall surely recall
فَإِنّي وَإِن لَم أَنسَهُنَّ لَذاكِرٌ
رَزيئَةَthe loss of مِخبابٍa dashing warrior كَريمِnoble المَناصِبِin ancestry
رَزيئَةَ مِخبابٍ كَريمِ المَناصِبِ
Yet I, though I have not forgotten those women, shall surely recall
the loss of a dashing warrior of noble ancestry.
تَوَسَّلَhe sought nearness بِالتَقوىthrough piety إِلىto اللَهِGod صادِقاًsincerely
تَوَسَّلَ بِالتَقوى إِلى اللَهِ صادِقاً
وَتَقوىand reverence for إلهيmy God خَيرُthe best تَكسابِgain of كاسِبِan earner
وَتَقوى إلهي خَيرُ تَكسابِ كاسِبِ
He sincerely sought nearness to God through piety,
and reverence for my God is the best gain anyone can earn.
وَخَلّىand he withdrew عَنِfrom الدُنياthe world فَلَمand did not يَلتَبِسbecome entangled بِهاin it
وَخَلّى عَنِ الدُنيا فَلَم يَلتَبِس بِها
وَتابَand he repented إِلىto اللَهِGod الرَفيعِexalted المَراتِبِin rank
وَتابَ إِلى اللَهِ الرَفيعِ المَراتِبِ
He forsook the world and was not entangled in it,
and turned in repentance to God, exalted in rank.
تَخَلّىhe withdrew عَنfrom الدُنياthe world وَقالَand said اِطَّرَحتُهاI have cast it aside
تَخَلّى عَن الدُنيا وَقالَ اِطَّرَحتُها
فَلَستُso I am not إِلَيهاto it ماas long as حَييتُI live بِآيِبِreturning
فَلَستُ إِلَيها ما حَييتُ بِآيِبِ
He withdrew from the world and said, "I have cast it aside;
never, while I live, shall I return to it.
وَماand not أَناI فيماfor what يُكبِرُdeem great الناسُpeople فَقدَهُits loss
وَما أَنا فيما يُكبِرُ الناسُ فَقدَهُ
وَيَسعىand strive لَهُfor it الساعونَthe seekers فيهاin it بِراغِبِdesirous
وَيَسعى لَهُ الساعونَ فيها بِراغِبِ
And for what people deem so great a loss,
and seekers strive for in this world, I have no desire."
فَوَجَّهَهُthen he sent him نَحوَtoward الثَوِيَّةِal-Thawiyya سائِراًmarching
فَوَجَّهَهُ نَحوَ الثَوِيَّةِ سائِراً
إِلىtoward اِبنِthe son of زِيادٍZiyad فيamong الجُموعِthe armies الكَباكِبِdensely massed
إِلى اِبنِ زِيادٍ في الجُموعِ الكَباكِبِ
Then he sent him marching toward al-Thawiyya,
toward Ibn Ziyad, amid densely massed armies,
بِقَومٍwith men هُمُthey أَهلُpossessors of التَقِيَّةِpiety وَالنُهىand sound judgment
بِقَومٍ هُمُ أَهلُ التَقِيَّةِ وَالنُهى
مَصاليتُdauntless fighters أَنجادٍvaliant men سَراةُnoble leaders مَناحِبِmen who stake their lives
مَصاليتُ أَنجادٍ سَراةُ مَناحِبِ
with men possessed of piety and sound judgment,
dauntless, valiant men, noble leaders who staked their lives.
مَضواthey went on تارِكيleaving رَأيَthe counsel of اِبنِthe son of طَلحَةَTalha حَسبَهُto him alone
مَضوا تارِكي رَأيَ اِبنِ طَلحَةَ حَسبَهُ
وَلَمand did not يَستَجيبواrespond لِلأَميرِto the commander المُخاطِبِwho addressed them
وَلَم يَستَجيبوا لِلأَميرِ المُخاطِبِ
They went on, leaving Ibn Talha's counsel to him alone,
and did not heed the commander who addressed them.
فَسارواso they marched وَهُمand they were مِنfrom بَينِamong مُلتَمِسِone seeking التُقىpiety
فَساروا وَهُم مِن بَينِ مُلتَمِسِ التُقى
وَآخَرَand another مِمّاof what جَرَّhe had wrought بِالأَمسِyesterday تائِبِrepenting
وَآخَرَ مِمّا جَرَّ بِالأَمسِ تائِبِ
They marched, some seeking piety,
and others repenting of what they had wrought yesterday.
فَلاقواthen they met بِعَينِat Ayn الوَردَةِal-Warda الجَيشَthe army فاصِلاًadvancing
فَلاقوا بِعَينِ الوَردَةِ الجَيشَ فاصِلاً
إِلَيهِمtoward them فَحَسّوهُمthen they slew them بِبيضٍwith gleaming swords قَواضِبِkeen-cutting
إِلَيهِم فَحَسّوهُم بِبيضٍ قَواضِبِ
At Ayn al-Warda they met the army marching
against them, and cut them down with gleaming, keen-edged swords,
يَمانِيَّةٍYemeni تُذريscattering الأَكُفَّhands وَتارَةًand sometimes
يَمانِيَّةٍ تُذري الأَكُفَّ وَتارَةً
بِخَيلٍwith horses عِتافٍspirited مُقرَباتٍwell-tended سَلاهِبِtall and long-bodied
بِخَيلٍ عِتافٍ مُقرَباتٍ سَلاهِبِ
Yemeni blades that scattered hands, and at times
with spirited, well-tended, long-bodied horses.
فَجاءهُمُthen came upon them جَمعٌa host مِنfrom الشامِSyria بَعدَهُafter it
فَجاءهُمُ جَمعٌ مِن الشامِ بَعدَهُ
جُموعٌhosts كَمَوجِlike the waves of البَحرِthe sea مِنfrom كُلِّevery جانِبِside
جُموعٌ كَمَوجِ البَحرِ مِن كُلِّ جانِبِ
Then a host from Syria came upon them after that,
hosts like the waves of the sea, from every side.
فَماyet not بَرِحواthey moved away حَتّىuntil أُبيدَتwere destroyed سَراتُهُمtheir leaders
فَما بَرِحوا حَتّى أُبيدَت سَراتُهُم
فَلَمand not يَنجُescape مِنهُمof them ثَمَّthere غَيرُexcept عَصائِبِsmall bands
فَلَم يَنجُ مِنهُم ثَمَّ غَيرُ عَصائِبِ
They did not budge until their leaders were destroyed,
and only scattered bands among them escaped there.
وَغودِرَand were left أَهلُthe men of الصَبرِsteadfastness صَرعَيfallen dead فَأَصبَحواand by morning they were
وَغودِرَ أَهلُ الصَبرِ صَرعَي فَأَصبَحوا
تُعاوِرهُمُsweeping over them in turn ريحُthe wind of الصَّباthe east وَالجَنائِبِand the south winds
تُعاوِرهُمُ ريحُ الصَّبا وَالجَنائِبِ
The steadfast were left lying slain; by morning,
the east wind and the south winds swept over them in turn.
فَأَضحىso he lay الخُزاعِيُّthe Khuza'i الرَئيسُthe chief مُجَدَّلاًfelled to the ground
فَأَضحى الخُزاعِيُّ الرَئيسُ مُجَدَّلاً
كَأَنas though لَمnot يُقاتِلُhe had fought مَرَّةًonce وَيُحارِبِand waged war
كَأَن لَم يُقاتِلُ مَرَّةً وَيُحارِبِ
The Khuza'i chief lay felled upon the ground,
as though he had never once fought or waged war.
وَرَأسُand the chief of بَنيthe sons of شَمخٍShamkh وَفارِسُand the horseman of قَومِهِhis people
وَرَأسُ بَني شَمخٍ وَفارِسُ قَومِهِ
شَنوءَةَShanu'a وَالتَيمِيُّand al-Taymi هاديleader of الكتائِبِthe battalions
شَنوءَةَ وَالتَيمِيُّ هادي الكتائِبِ
And the chief of Banu Shamkh, and the champion of his people,
Shanu'a, and al-Taymi, leader of the battalions;
وَعَمرُوand Amr بنُson of بِشرٍBishr وَالوَليدُand al-Walid وَخالِدٌand Khalid
وَعَمرُو بنُ بِشرٍ وَالوَليدُ وَخالِدٌ
وَزَيدُand Zayd بنُson of بَكرٍBakr وَالخُلَيسُand al-Khulays بنُson of غالِبِGhalib
وَزَيدُ بنُ بَكرٍ وَالخُلَيسُ بنُ غالِبِ
and Amr ibn Bishr, al-Walid, and Khalid,
and Zayd ibn Bakr, and al-Khulays ibn Ghalib.
وَضارَبَand exchanged blows مِنfrom هَمَدانُHamdan كُلُّevery مُشَيَّغٍfearless warrior
وَضارَبَ مِن هَمَدانُ كُلُّ مُشَيَّغٍ
إِذاwhen شَدَّhe charged لَمnot يَنكُلhe flinched كَريمُnoble المَكاسِبِin achievements
إِذا شَدَّ لَم يَنكُل كَريمُ المَكاسِبِ
And every fearless warrior of Hamdan exchanged blows,
never flinching when he charged, noble in his achievements.
وَمِنand from كُلِّevery قَومٍpeople قَدindeed أُصيبَwas struck down زَعيمُهُمtheir leader
وَمِن كُلِّ قَومٍ قَد أُصيبَ زَعيمُهُم
وَذوand one possessed of حَسَبٍnoble lineage فيat ذِروَةِthe summit of المَجدِglory ثاقِبِradiant
وَذو حَسَبٍ في ذِروَةِ المَجدِ ثاقِبِ
From every people their leader was struck down,
and men of noble lineage at the summit of radiant glory.
أَبَواغَيرَthey refused all but ضَربٍblows يَفلِقُsplits الهامَskulls وَقعُهُits impact
أَبَواغَيرَ ضَربٍ يَفلِقُ الهامَ وَقعُهُ
وَطَعنٍand thrusts بِأَطرافِwith the tips of الأَسِنَّةِspearheads صائِبِunerring
وَطَعنٍ بِأَطرافِ الأَسِنَّةِ صائِبِ
They accepted nothing but blows whose impact split skulls,
and unerring thrusts with the points of spearheads.
وَإِنَّand indeed سَعيداًSa'id يَومَon the day يَذمُرhe urged on عامِراًAmir
وَإِنَّ سَعيداً يَومَ يَذمُر عامِراً
لأَشجَعُsurely braver مِنthan لَيثٍa lion بِدُرناat Durna مُواثِبِspringing to attack
لأَشجَعُ مِن لَيثٍ بِدُرنا مُواثِبِ
And Sa'id, on the day he urged Amir onward,
was surely braver than a lion at Durna springing to attack.
فَياso O خَيرَbest جَيشٍarmy لِلعِراقِfor Iraq وَأَهلِهِand its people
فَيا خَيرَ جَيشٍ لِلعِراقِ وَأَهلِهِ
سُقيتُمmay you be watered رَواياbrimming water-skins كُلِّevery أَسحَمَdark cloud ساكِبِpouring
سُقيتُم رَوايا كُلِّ أَسحَمَ ساكِبِ
O finest army for Iraq and its people,
may you be watered from the brimming skins of every dark, pouring cloud.
فَلاso may not يَبعَدَنperish فُرسانُناour horsemen وَحُماتُناand our defenders
فَلا يَبعَدَن فُرسانُنا وَحُماتُنا
إِذاwhen البيضُthe bright swords أَبدَتlaid bare عَنfrom over خِدامِthe anklets of الكَواعِبِthe budding-breasted maidens
إِذا البيضُ أَبدَت عَن خِدامِ الكَواعِبِ
May our horsemen and defenders never be lost to us,
when bright swords laid bare the anklets of budding-breasted maidens.
فَإِنfor if يُقتَلواthey are slain فَالقَتلُthen being slain أَكرَمُthe noblest ميتَةٍdeath
فَإِن يُقتَلوا فَالقَتلُ أَكرَمُ ميتَةٍ
وَكُلُّand every فَتىًyoung man يَوماًone day لإِحدىis destined for one of الشَواعِبِthe sundering dooms
وَكُلُّ فَتىً يَوماً لإِحدى الشَواعِبِ
If they are slain, being slain is the noblest death,
and every young man one day meets one of the sundering dooms.
وَماand not قُتِلواwere they slain حَتّىuntil أَثارواthey roused عِصابَةًa band
وَما قُتِلوا حَتّى أَثاروا عِصابَةً
مُحِلّينَencamped at ثَوراًThawr كَاللُيوثِlike lions الضَوارِبِstriking
مُحِلّينَ ثَوراً كَاللُيوثِ الضَوارِبِ
Nor were they slain before they roused a band
encamped at Thawr, like lions striking.
Sol 6.1