وَضَعتُI laid aside قِناعيmy veil وَاِرتَبَبتُand I slung on نِجاديmy sword-belt
وَضَعتُ قِناعي وَاِرتَبَبتُ نِجادي
وَأَيقَظتُand I roused دونَin defense of الشِعرِpoetry بِسthe wildcat of قَتاديmy thornbush
وَأَيقَظتُ دونَ الشِعرِ بِس قَتادي
I laid aside my veil and slung on my sword-belt,
And in poetry's defense roused the wildcat of my thornbush.
وَلَمّاand when رَأَيتُI saw القَومَthe people مَلّواthey grew weary of سَلامَةًpeace
وَلَمّا رَأَيتُ القَومَ مَلّوا سَلامَةً
وَقادَهُمُand led them الزِنجِيُّthe Zanj man شَرَّthe worst مَقادِcourse
وَقادَهُمُ الزِنجِيُّ شَرَّ مَقادِ
And when I saw the people had grown weary of peace,
And the Zanj man had led them on the worst of paths,
صَنَعتُI readied لَقوحَthe milch-camel of الحَربِwar ثُمَّthen بَعَثتُهاI sent her forth
صَنَعتُ لَقوحَ الحَربِ ثُمَّ بَعَثتُها
تَدِرُّshe pours out دِماءَthe blood of القَومِthe people غَيرَnot جَمادِdry of milk
تَدِرُّ دِماءَ القَومِ غَيرَ جَمادِ
I readied war's milch-camel, then sent her forth,
Pouring out the people's blood, never running dry.
أَهيجواrouse yourselves بَنيsons of زَيدٍZayd عَلىat ذُلِّthe humiliation of دَعوَةٍa summons
أَهيجوا بَني زَيدٍ عَلى ذُلِّ دَعوَةٍ
وَلاand do not تَقطَعواstrike إِلّاexcept بَطيقِwith the strength of عَتادِequipment
وَلا تَقطَعوا إِلّا بَطيقِ عَتادِ
Rouse yourselves, sons of Zayd, at a degrading summons,
And strike only with the strength your equipment affords.
لَكُمyou have شاعِرٌa poet قَدalready نيكَhas been fucked فيin بَيتِthe house of يوسُفٍYusuf
لَكُم شاعِرٌ قَد نيكَ في بَيتِ يوسُفٍ
وَفيand in بَيتِthe house of كِنديرٍKindir وَبَيتِand the house of هَدادِHadad
وَفي بَيتِ كِنديرٍ وَبَيتِ هَدادِ
You have a poet who has been fucked in Yusuf's house,
And in Kindir's house and Hadad's house.
وَلاand do not تَفخَرواboast بِالشِعرِof poetry لَستُمyou are not مِنَamong اَهلِهِits people
وَلا تَفخَروا بِالشِعرِ لَستُم مِنَ اَهلِهِ
وَلكِنَّكُمbut you أَهلٌare fit لِنَقلِfor carrying سِمادِmanure
وَلكِنَّكُم أَهلٌ لِنَقلِ سِمادِ
Do not boast of poetry: you are not its people;
Rather, you are fit for carrying manure.
تَعالواcome بَنيsons of زَيدٍZayd إِلىto بَيتِthe house of كيرِكُمyour forge-bellows
تَعالوا بَني زَيدٍ إِلى بَيتِ كيرِكُم
تَسيلُshe flows دَماًblood مِنfrom طَعنَةٍa thrust بِبَدادِwith a saddle-piece
تَسيلُ دَماً مِن طَعنَةٍ بِبَدادِ
Come, sons of Zayd, to the house of your forge-bellows:
She streams blood from a thrust with a saddle-piece.
تَرَوَّحَwent at evening غيلانُGhaylan المُصَلّىthe prayer ground وَغودِرَتand she was left
تَرَوَّحَ غيلانُ المُصَلّى وَغودِرَت
مُفَرَّدَةًalone مِنapart from شادِنٍShadin وَزِيادِand Ziyad
مُفَرَّدَةً مِن شادِنٍ وَزِيادِ
Ghaylan went at evening to the prayer ground, and she was left
All alone, without Shadin and Ziyad.
أَقامَتshe stayed عَلىwith ذيone possessed of نيقَةٍfastidious taste وَتَفَحُّشٍand obscenity
أَقامَت عَلى ذي نيقَةٍ وَتَفَحُّشٍ
لَعرٍa lecher ماan emphatic particle بَينَbetween مِثلِهاone like her وَوِدادِand Widad
لَعرٍ ما بَينَ مِثلِها وَوِدادِ
She stayed with one fastidious and obscene,
A lecher between one like her and Widad.
دَعَوتُI summoned بَنيthe sons of زَيدٍZayd وَكانواand they were أَذِلَّةًabject
دَعَوتُ بَني زَيدٍ وَكانوا أَذِلَّةً
يَقومونَthey stand بِالمَعزاءِon stony ground غَيرَnot جِلادِhardy men
يَقومونَ بِالمَعزاءِ غَيرَ جِلادِ
I summoned the sons of Zayd, and they were abject,
Standing on stony ground, no hardy fighters.
بَلِrather اِفتُرِعَتwas deflowered مِنهُمfrom among them فَتاةٌa maiden وَسيطَةٌwell-born
بَلِ اِفتُرِعَت مِنهُم فَتاةٌ وَسيطَةٌ
فَماyet not قَدَحواthey struck sparks فيover عَقرِهاher violation بِزِنادِwith a fire-stick
فَما قَدَحوا في عَقرِها بِزِنادِ
Indeed, a well-born maiden among them was deflowered,
Yet they struck no flint over her violation.
عَدِمتُكُمُmay I be rid of you لَمnot تَأنَفواyou felt indignation لِعَروسِكُمfor your bride
عَدِمتُكُمُ لَم تَأنَفوا لِعَروسِكُم
يُنَطِّقُهاhe girdles her الكَفَّينِboth palms قَبلَbefore وِسادِa pillow
يُنَطِّقُها الكَفَّينِ قَبلَ وِسادِ
May I be rid of you! You felt no indignation for your bride,
He girdles her with both hands before the pillow.
فَأَمسَتso by evening she was تَشَكّىcomplaining of حَوزَةَthe intrusion of الرُمحِthe spear فيin اِستِهاher arse
فَأَمسَت تَشَكّى حَوزَةَ الرُمحِ في اِستِها
وَماand not كانَwas يُخطيhe would miss عامِرُAmir بنُson of نِجادِNijad
وَما كانَ يُخطي عامِرُ بنُ نِجادِ
So by evening she complained of the spear's intrusion in her arse,
And Amir son of Nijad never used to miss.
تَلافواtend بَنيsons of زَيدٍZayd جِراحَthe wounds of فَتاتِكُمyour maiden
تَلافوا بَني زَيدٍ جِراحَ فَتاتِكُم
بِخَلٍّwith vinegar وَماءٍand water بارِدٍcold وَرَمادِand ashes
بِخَلٍّ وَماءٍ بارِدٍ وَرَمادِ
Tend, sons of Zayd, your maiden's wounds
With vinegar, cold water, and ashes.
فَإِنَّfor indeed أُيورَthe cocks of العامِرِيّينَthe Amiris زَعفَةٌdeadly
فَإِنَّ أُيورَ العامِرِيّينَ زَعفَةٌ
إِذاwhen طَعَنَتthey thrust فيin غَيرِother than وَجهِthe direction of سَدادِproper aim
إِذا طَعَنَت في غَيرِ وَجهِ سَدادِ
For the Amiris' cocks are deadly
When they thrust in a direction other than the proper one.
إِذاwhen شَبِعَhas eaten his fill الزَيدِيُّthe Zaydi لاعَبَhe dallies with أُمَّهُhis mother
إِذا شَبِعَ الزَيدِيُّ لاعَبَ أُمَّهُ
سَبوقٌa front-runner إِلىtoward اللَذّاتِpleasures غَيرَnot جَوادِa generous man
سَبوقٌ إِلى اللَذّاتِ غَيرَ جَوادِ
When the Zaydi has eaten his fill, he dallies with his mother,
Quick to pleasures, but no generous man.
يَشينُdisgraces بَنيthe sons of زَيدٍZayd بَقِيَّةُa remnant of أَعصُرٍages
يَشينُ بَني زَيدٍ بَقِيَّةُ أَعصُرٍ
كَماjust as شِبتَyou stained وَجهاًa face فاضِحاًshameful بِسَوادِwith blackness
كَما شِبتَ وَجهاً فاضِحاً بِسَوادِ
A remnant of bygone ages disgraces the sons of Zayd,
As you might stain a shameful face with blackness.
جَماعَةُan assemblage of قَومٍpeople مُعصِمينَclinging بِدَعوَةٍto a claim of kinship
جَماعَةُ قَومٍ مُعصِمينَ بِدَعوَةٍ
وَكُلِّand of every دَعِيّbastard مُعوِدٍrepeatedly returning لِفَسادِto depravity
وَكُلِّ دَعِيّ مُعوِدٍ لِفَسادِ
An assemblage of people clinging to a claim of kinship,
And of every bastard ever returning to depravity.
أَجِدَّهُمُare they serious? لَمnot يَشعُرواthey took notice بِقَصائِديof my poems
أَجِدَّهُمُ لَم يَشعُروا بِقَصائِدي
تَحِنُّthey moan حَنينَwith the moaning of الحارِساتِthe watchwomen غَواديgoing forth at dawn
تَحِنُّ حَنينَ الحارِساتِ غَوادي
Are they serious—have they not noticed my poems,
Moaning like watchwomen as they go forth at dawn?
إِذاwhen خَلَصَwas confined الناديthe gathering بِزَيدٍto Zayd فَكُلُّهُمthen each of them
إِذا خَلَصَ النادي بِزَيدٍ فَكُلُّهُم
يَرىhe sees وَجهَthe face of عَبدٍa slave فيin النِداءِthe call مُنادِa caller
يَرى وَجهَ عَبدٍ في النِداءِ مُنادِ
When the gathering consists of Zayd alone, each of them
Sees a slave's face when a caller calls.
لَهُمthey have زِنيَةٌa taint of bastardy فيamong مِثلِهِمtheir own kind يَحمِلونَهاthey bear it
لَهُم زِنيَةٌ في مِثلِهِم يَحمِلونَها
وَلَيسَand there is not لَهُمfor them فيamong الناسِpeople زِنيَةُthe bastardy of عادِa transgressor
وَلَيسَ لَهُم في الناسِ زِنيَةُ عادِ
They have a taint of bastardy among their own kind, which they bear,
But no transgressor's bastardy among other people.
إِذاwhen اللَيلُthe night غَطّاهُمcovers them غَدَواthey set out تَحتَbeneath ظِلِّهِits shade
إِذا اللَيلُ غَطّاهُم غَدَوا تَحتَ ظِلِّهِ
وَأَثوابُهُمand their garments مَسحورَةٌare bewitched لِفَسادِfor depravity
وَأَثوابُهُم مَسحورَةٌ لِفَسادِ
When night covers them, they set out beneath its shade,
Their garments bewitched for depravity.
يَعيشونَthey live فيin أُمّاتِهِمtheir mothers وَبَناتِهِمand their daughters
يَعيشونَ في أُمّاتِهِم وَبَناتِهِم
يَعُقّونَهاthey cut her off عَنfrom رائِدٍa seeker وَمَرادِand one sought
يَعُقّونَها عَن رائِدٍ وَمَرادِ
They live inside their mothers and daughters,
Cutting them off from seeker and sought.
إِذاif شِئتَyou wish لاقَيتَyou will meet اِمرَأًa man مِنamong سَراتِهِمtheir chiefs
إِذا شِئتَ لاقَيتَ اِمرَأً مِن سَراتِهِم
عَلىon top of أُختِهِhis sister يَحكيimitating لُصوقَthe clinging of قُرادِa tick
عَلى أُختِهِ يَحكي لُصوقَ قُرادِ
If you wish, you will meet one of their leading men
On his sister, clinging like a tick.
وَوَيلُand woe to اَمِّهِhis mother يَرجوhe hopes لَهُfor himself غَفرَthe forgiveness of غافِرٍa forgiver
وَوَيلُ اَمِّهِ يَرجو لَهُ غَفرَ غافِرٍ
لِماfor what جَرَّهُhe brought it about مِنof عائِدٍrecurrence وَمَعادِand return
لِما جَرَّهُ مِن عائِدٍ وَمَعادِ
And woe to his mother! He hopes a forgiver will pardon him
For what he has wrought, time and time again.
فَأَمّاand as for اللَعينُthe accursed one اِبنُson of الخُلَيقِal-Khulayq فَإِنَّهُthen indeed he
فَأَمّا اللَعينُ اِبنُ الخُلَيقِ فَإِنَّهُ
يَبُلُّhe dribbles إِلىtoward سودِblack الوُجوهِof face جِعادِcurly-haired men
يَبُلُّ إِلى سودِ الوُجوهِ جِعادِ
As for the accursed Ibn al-Khulayq, he
Dribbles toward black-faced, curly-haired men.
لَعَلَّكَperhaps you ياO جَعدُJa'd بنُson of جَعدٍJa'd حَسِبتَنيyou thought me
لَعَلَّكَ يا جَعدُ بنُ جَعدٍ حَسِبتَني
كَأَيرِlike the cock of فَتىًa youth كَدَّحتَهُyou chafed it بِكِدادِwith hard rubbing
كَأَيرِ فَتىً كَدَّحتَهُ بِكِدادِ
Perhaps, Ja'd son of Ja'd, you took me
For a youth's cock that you chafed with hard rubbing.
سَتَعلَمُyou will learn أَنّيthat I مُقصِدٌstrike home لَكَat you عامِداًdeliberately
سَتَعلَمُ أَنّي مُقصِدٌ لَكَ عامِداً
بِمِثلِwith the like of ذِراعِthe foreleg of البَكرِa young camel غَيرِnot كَسادِslack
بِمِثلِ ذِراعِ البَكرِ غَيرِ كَسادِ
You will learn that I strike home at you deliberately,
With the like of a young camel's foreleg, never slack.
ثَنَيتُكَI turned you away عَنfrom لَقطِgathering النَوىdate stones فَهَجَوتَنيso you lampooned me
ثَنَيتُكَ عَن لَقطِ النَوى فَهَجَوتَني
وَكَلَّفتَنيand you demanded of me داداًjustice (uncertain) فَرُحتَso you went away بِدادِwith justice (uncertain)
وَكَلَّفتَني داداً فَرُحتَ بِدادِ
I turned you from gathering date stones, so you lampooned me;
You demanded 'justice' of me, and went away with 'justice'.
فَلَيتَso, if only حَوىhad possessed البَرصاءَal-Barsa, the white-spotted woman أَيرٌa cock مُجَوَّفٌhollow
فَلَيتَ حَوى البَرصاءَ أَيرٌ مُجَوَّفٌ
يَكُفُّكَit would restrain you عَنfrom شَتميinsulting me وَأَيرُand the cock of رُقادِRuqad
يَكُفُّكَ عَن شَتمي وَأَيرُ رُقادِ
If only a hollow cock had possessed al-Barsa, the white-spotted woman,
To keep you from reviling me—and Ruqad's cock as well.
Sol 6.1