ياO عَينُeye بَكّيweep لِمَسعودِfor Masʿud بنِson of شَدّادِShaddad
يا عَينُ بَكّي لِمَسعودِ بنِ شَدّادِ
بُكاءَthe weeping of ذيone with عَبَراتٍtears شَجوَهُhis grief باديplain
بُكاءَ ذي عَبَراتٍ شَجوَهُ بادي
O eye, weep for Mas‘ud ibn Shaddad—
O eye, weep for Masʿud son of Shaddad,
with the weeping of one whose tears stream, whose grief lies plain—
with the weeping of one in tears, whose grief is plain.
مَنone who لاnot يُذابُis melted لَهُfor him السَديفُcamel-hump fat وَلاnor
مَن لا يُذابُ لَهُ السَديفُ وَلا
يَجفوneglects العِيالَthe dependents إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle ضُنَّstinginess was shown بِالزادِwith provisions
يَجفو العِيالَ إِذا ما ضُنَّ بِالزادِ
for one who never had hump-fat melted for his own sake, nor
He for whom no camel-hump fat is melted, and who does not
shunned his dependents when provisions grew scarce;
neglect his dependents when provisions are withheld.
وَلاnor يَحُلُّdoes he camp إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle حَلَّhe camps مُنتَبِذاًapart
وَلا يَحُلُّ إِذا ما حَلَّ مُنتَبِذاً
يَخشىfearing الرَزِيَّةَloss بَينَbetween الماءِthe watering place وَالبادِand the desert
يَخشى الرَزِيَّةَ بَينَ الماءِ وَالبادِ
nor, whenever he made camp, would he settle apart,
Nor, when he camps, does he camp apart,
fearing calamity among those at the water or those in the open desert.
fearing loss, between the watering place and the desert.
قَوّالُspeaker of مَحكَمَةٍsound judgment نَقّاضُunraveler of مُبرَمَةٍa firmly bound matter
قَوّالُ مَحكَمَةٍ نَقّاضُ مُبرَمَةٍ
فَتّاحُopener of مُبهَمَةٍa closed matter حَباّسُrestrainer of أَورادِbands coming to water
فَتّاحُ مُبهَمَةٍ حَباّسُ أَورادِ
A forceful speaker of decisive judgments, an undoer of settled designs;
A speaker of sound judgments, an unraveler of firmly bound matters;
an opener of mysteries, one who holds arriving hosts in check;
An opener of closed matters, a restrainer of bands coming to water;
حَلّالُsettler in مُمرِعَةٍa lush pasture فَرّاجُreliever of مُفظِعَةٍa dreadful calamity
حَلّالُ مُمرِعَةٍ فَرّاجُ مُفظِعَةٍ
حَمّالُbearer of مُضلِعَةٍa crushing burden طَلّاعُclimber of أَنجادِhighlands
حَمّالُ مُضلِعَةٍ طَلّاعُ أَنجادِ
one who camps amid lush pasture, a dispeller of dreadful crises;
A settler in lush pastures, a reliever of dreadful calamities;
a bearer of crushing burdens, a climber of highlands;
A bearer of crushing burdens, a climber of highlands;
قَتّالُslayer of طاغِيَةٍa tyrant رَبّاءُclimber of مُرقَبَةٍa lookout height
قَتّالُ طاغِيَةٍ رَبّاءُ مُرقَبَةٍ
مَنّاعُwarder-off of مَغلَبَةٍdefeat فَكّاكُloosener of أَقيادِfetters
مَنّاعُ مَغلَبَةٍ فَكّاكُ أَقيادِ
a slayer of every tyrant, a vigilant watcher at the lookout;
A slayer of tyrants, a climber of lookout heights;
a warder-off of overwhelming defeat, a breaker of fetters;
A warder-off of defeat, a loosener of fetters;
حَمّالُbearer of أَلوِيَةٍbanners شَدّادُstrengthener of أَنجِيَةٍprivate councils
حَمّالُ أَلوِيَةٍ شَدّادُ أَنجِيَةٍ
سَدّادُmender of أَوهِيَةٍbreaches فَتّاحُopener of أَسدادِbarriers
سَدّادُ أَوهِيَةٍ فَتّاحُ أَسدادِ
a bearer of banners, a strengthener of the means of deliverance;
A bearer of banners, a strengthener of private councils;
a mender of breaches, an opener of barriers;
A mender of breaches, an opener of barriers;
جَمّاعُgatherer of كُلِّall خِصالِtraits of الخَيرِgoodness قَدindeed عَلِمواthey knew
جَمّاعُ كُلِّ خِصالِ الخَيرِ قَد عَلِموا
زَينُornament of القَرينِthe companion وَنِكلُand scourge of الظالِمِthe oppressor العاديaggressive
زَينُ القَرينِ وَنِكلُ الظالِمِ العادي
a man who possessed every virtue of goodness—as both well knew—
A gatherer of every good trait, as they well knew,
an honor to his companion and a scourge to the unjust aggressor.
an ornament to his companion, a scourge to the unjust aggressor.
أَباAbu (father of) زُرارَةَZurarah لاmay you not تَبعَدbe far away فَكُلُّfor every فَتىًyoung man
أَبا زُرارَةَ لا تَبعَد فَكُلُّ فَتىً
يَوماًone day رَهينَa captive of صَفيحاتٍstone slabs وَأَعوادِand timbers
يَوماً رَهينَ صَفيحاتٍ وَأَعوادِ
Abu Zurara, may you never be lost! Every true man
Abu Zurarah, may you not be far away; for every young man
will one day lie hostage to grave-slabs and timbers.
will one day be captive to stone slabs and timbers.
هَلّاwhy did you not سَقَيتُمyou gave water بِنيsons of جَرمٍJarm أَسيرَكُمُyour captive
هَلّا سَقَيتُم بِني جَرمٍ أَسيرَكُمُ
نَفسيmy soul فِداؤُكَyour ransom مِنas ذيone with كُربَةٍdistress صاديthirsty
نَفسي فِداؤُكَ مِن ذي كُربَةٍ صادي
Why did you not give your captive drink, O Banu Jarm—
Why did you not give your captive water, sons of Jarm?
my life be your ransom? He was anguished and parched with thirst!
My soul be your ransom, distressed and thirsty one!
نَعمَexcellent is الفَتىthe young man وَيَمينُand by the oath of اللَهِGod قَدindeed عَلِمواthey knew
نَعمَ الفَتى وَيَمينُ اللَهِ قَد عَلِموا
يَخلوmeets privately بِهِwith him الحَيُّthe clan أَوor يَغدوsets out at dawn بِهِwith him الغاديthe early traveler
يَخلو بِهِ الحَيُّ أَو يَغدو بِهِ الغادي
What a splendid man! By God, both knew it:
An excellent young man—by God, as they well knew—
the clan that dwelt with him and the morning traveler who journeyed with him.
whether the clan meets him in private or a traveler sets out with him at dawn.
هُوَhe الفَتىthe young man يَحمَدُpraise الجيرانُthe neighbors مَشهَدَهُhis presence
هُوَ الفَتى يَحمَدُ الجيرانُ مَشهَدَهُ
عِندَduring الشِتاءِwinter وَقَدand already هَمّواthey intended بِإِخمادِto extinguish
عِندَ الشِتاءِ وَقَد هَمّوا بِإِخمادِ
He is the true man whose neighbors praise his presence
He is the young man whose presence the neighbors praise,
in winter, when they had nearly extinguished their fires;
in winter, when they are about to put their fires out.
الطاعِنُthe one who thrusts الطَعنَةَthe thrust النَجلاءwide-gaping يَتبَعُهاthere follows it
الطاعِنُ الطَعنَةَ النَجلاء يَتبَعُها
مُثعنجِرٌgushing blood بَعدَماafter تَغليit seethes بِإِزبادِwith frothing
مُثعنجِرٌ بَعدَما تَغلي بِإِزبادِ
the spearman whose broad, gaping thrust is followed
The giver of the wide-gaping thrust, which is followed by
by a copious gush of blood once it boils up foaming;
gushing blood, after the wound seethes with froth;
وَالسابيءand the wine-buyer الزِقthe wineskin لِلأَصحابِfor the companions إِذwhen نَزَلواthey alighted
وَالسابيء الزِق لِلأَصحابِ إِذ نَزَلوا
إِلىto دارِهِhis home وَغَيثُand relief-giving rain المُحوجِthe needy one الجاديseeking aid
إِلى دارِهِ وَغَيثُ المُحوجِ الجادي
the first to bring the wineskin to his companions when they alighted
And he buys a wineskin for his companions when they alight
at his house, and the succor of the needy petitioner.
at his home, and is rain to the needy seeker of aid.
لاهِto God (in praise) اِبنُson of عَمِّكَyour paternal uncle لاnot أَنساكَI forget you مِنas a رَجُلٍman
لاهِ اِبنُ عَمِّكَ لا أَنساكَ مِن رَجُلٍ
حَتّىuntil يَجيءَcomes مِنَfrom القَبرِthe grave اِبنُson of مَيّادِMayyad
حَتّى يَجيءَ مِنَ القَبرِ اِبنُ مَيّادِ
By God, cousin, I shall never forget what a man you were
How splendid, by God, is your cousin! I shall not forget you, such a man,
until Ibn Mayyad comes forth from the grave.
until Ibn Mayyad comes out of the grave.
إِنّيindeed I وَإِياهُمُand them حَتّىuntil نُصيبَwe strike بِهِfor him
إِنّي وَإِياهُمُ حَتّى نُصيبَ بِهِ
مِنهُمfrom among them أَخاa man of ثِقَةٍtrust فيin ثَوبِa garment of حِدّادِmourning
مِنهُم أَخا ثِقَةٍ في ثَوبِ حِدّادِ
They and I shall remain at feud until, in requital for him, we strike
Indeed, I stand against them until we strike down, for him,
one of theirs—a trusted champion clad in mourning garb.
a trusted man among them, while I wear mourning clothes.
ياO مَنwho يَرىsees بارِقاًa lightning flash قَدindeed بِتُّI spent the night أَرمُقُهُwatching it
يا مَن يَرى بارِقاً قَد بِتُّ أَرمُقُهُ
يَسريtravels by night عَلىover الحَرَّةِthe lava field السَوداءblack فَالواديthen the valley
يَسري عَلى الحَرَّةِ السَوداء فَالوادي
O you who see the lightning flash that I spent the night watching,
O you who see a flash of lightning—I spent the night watching it—
traveling by night over the black lava-field and then the valley—
traveling by night over the black lava field, then the valley;
بَرقاlightning تَلّألاءَdazzling غَورِيّاًfrom the lowlands جَلَستُI sat لَهُfor it
بَرقا تَلّألاءَ غَورِيّاً جَلَستُ لَهُ
ذاتَat the time of العِشاءnightfall وَأَصحابيand my companions بِأَفنادِin scattered bands
ذاتَ العِشاء وَأَصحابي بِأَفنادِ
a lowland lightning-flash that glittered; I sat watching it
a dazzling flash from the lowlands; I sat to watch it
one evening, while my companions were at Anfad.
at nightfall, while my companions were in scattered bands.
بِتناwe spent the night وَباتَتand they spent the night رِياحُwinds of الغَورِthe lowlands تُزجلُهُdriving it along
بِتنا وَباتَت رِياحُ الغَورِ تُزجلُهُ
حَتّىuntil اِستَتَبَّsettled firmly تَواليهِits trailing parts بِأَنجادِupon uplands
حَتّى اِستَتَبَّ تَواليهِ بِأَنجادِ
We passed the night while the lowland winds drove it onward,
We spent the night, while the lowland winds kept driving it,
until its successive masses settled firmly over the highlands.
until its trailing clouds settled firmly upon the uplands.
أَلقىit cast down مَراسِيَanchors of غَيثٍrain مُسبِلٍstreaming غَدِقٍabundant
أَلقى مَراسِيَ غَيثٍ مُسبِلٍ غَدِقٍ
دانٍnear يَسِحُّpours سُيوباًtorrents ذاتَbearing إِرعادِthunder
دانٍ يَسِحُّ سُيوباً ذاتَ إِرعادِ
A copious, streaming rainstorm cast down its anchors,
It cast down the anchors of abundant, streaming rain,
close overhead, pouring torrents laden with thunder.
close at hand, pouring torrents accompanied by thunder.
أَسقيI water بِهِwith it قَبرَthe grave of مَنthe one whom أَعنىI mean وَحُبَّand how dear بِهِit is (exclamatory)
أَسقي بِهِ قَبرَ مَن أَعنى وَحُبَّ بِهِ
قَبراًa grave إِلَيَّto me وَلَمّاand not yet يَفدِهِransom him فاديa ransomer
قَبراً إِلَيَّ وَلَمّا يَفدِهِ فادي
May I water with it the grave of the one I mean—how dear he is—
I water with it the grave of the one I mean—and how dear
the grave to which he has gone, with no ransomer yet to redeem him.
a grave it is to me! And no ransomer has yet ransomed him.
ياO لَهفَanguish of نَفسيmy soul لَهفاًanguish دائماًenduring أَبَداًforever
يا لَهفَ نَفسي لَهفاً دائماً أَبَداً
عَلىfor اِبنِthe son of عاصِيَةَʿAsiyah المَقتولِthe one slain بِالواديin the valley
عَلى اِبنِ عاصِيَةَ المَقتولِ بِالوادي
Ah, my soul’s grief for this man, always and forever—
O my soul's anguish, an anguish enduring forever,
for Ibn Asiyya, slain in the valley.
for the son of ʿAsiyah, slain in the valley.
Sol 6.1