ياO سَلمُSalm كَمhow many مِنof جَبانٍa coward قَدindeed صَبَرتَyou made stand firm بِهِhim
يا سَلمُ كَم مِن جَبانٍ قَد صَبَرتَ بِهِ
تَحتَbeneath السُيوفِthe swords وَلَولاand were it not for أَنتَyou ماnot صَبَراhe stood firm
تَحتَ السُيوفِ وَلَولا أَنتَ ما صَبَرا
O Salm, how many a coward you have kept steadfast
O ladder, how many cowards have you endured
Beneath the swords; but for you, he would not have stood firm.
Beneath the swords, and if not for you, they would not have endured
ماnot زِلتَyou ceased تَضرِبُyou strike وَالأَبطالُwhile the champions كالِحَةٌscowling
ما زِلتَ تَضرِبُ وَالأَبطالُ كالِحَةٌ
فيin الحَربِbattle هامَةَthe head كَبشِram القَومِthe people إِذwhen عَكَراhe wheeled back to attack
في الحَربِ هامَةَ كَبشِ القَومِ إِذ عَكَرا
You kept striking, while the champions scowled,
You continued to ascend while the heroes attacked furiously
In battle, the head of the people's ram as he wheeled back to attack.
In battle, plunging into the enemy throng when they clashed
وَماand not أَغَبَّneglected تَميماًTamim فارِسٌa horseman بَطَلٌvaliant
وَما أَغَبَّ تَميماً فارِسٌ بَطَلٌ
مِنfrom مازِنٍMazin يَرتَديclothes himself بِالنَصرِin victory مَنwhoever نَصَراhe aided
مِن مازِنٍ يَرتَدي بِالنَصرِ مَن نَصَرا
Nor has a valiant horseman ever neglected Tamim,
No valiant knight of Tameem was ever absent
From Mazin: whoever he aids robes himself in victory.
From Mazin, wearing victory like one who grants triumph
طَلّابُan ardent seeker ذَحلٍvengeance سَبوقٌswift to outstrip لِلعَدُوِّthe enemy بِهِin it
طَلّابُ ذَحلٍ سَبوقٌ لِلعَدُوِّ بِهِ
لاnot يُستَقادُis subjected to retaliation بِأَوتارٍfor blood-debts إِذاwhen وَتَراhe leaves others bereaved
لا يُستَقادُ بِأَوتارٍ إِذا وَتَرا
An ardent seeker of vengeance, outstripping his enemy in it,
Seekers of Dhahal, outstripping the enemy with it
No retaliation is exacted from him for blood-debts when he leaves others bereaved.
That cannot be overtaken if the strings are cut
أَغَرُّradiant تَنصَدِعُsplits apart الظَلماءُthe darkness عَنto reveal قَمَرٍa moon
أَغَرُّ تَنصَدِعُ الظَلماءُ عَن قَمَرٍ
بَدرٍa full moon إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle بَداit appears يَستَغرِقُwholly outshines القَمَراthe moon
بَدرٍ إِذا ما بَدا يَستَغرِقُ القَمَرا
Radiant—darkness parts to reveal a moon,
The darkness breaks away, astonished, from a shining
A full moon that, when it appears, wholly outshines the moon.
Full moon when it appears, inundating with moonlight
حَمّالُa bearer أَلوِيَةٍbanners بِالنَصرِwith victory خافِقَةٍfluttering
حَمّالُ أَلوِيَةٍ بِالنَصرِ خافِقَةٍ
يَدعوhe summons الحَبيبَينِthe two beloveds شَتّىdifferent المَوتَdeath وَالظَفَراand triumph
يَدعو الحَبيبَينِ شَتّى المَوتَ وَالظَفَرا
A bearer of banners fluttering with victory,
Bearing the standards of victory fluttering
He summons the two beloveds, so different: death and triumph.
It calls the two beloveds—varied death and victory
أَرجوI hope for فَواضِلَbounties مِنهُfrom him إِنَّindeed راحَتَهُhis palm
أَرجو فَواضِلَ مِنهُ إِنَّ راحَتَهُ
مِثلُlike الفُراتِthe Euphrates إِذاwhen آذِيُّهُits waves زَخَراsurge
مِثلُ الفُراتِ إِذا آذِيُّهُ زَخَرا
I hope for bounties from him; indeed, his palm
I hope for overflowing generosity from him; his comfort
Is like the Euphrates when its waves surge.
Is like the Euphrates when annoyed, overflowing
لَوif لَمnot تَكُنyou were بَشَراًa human ياO سَلمُSalm نَعرِفُهُwe know him
لَو لَم تَكُن بَشَراً يا سَلمُ نَعرِفُهُ
لَكُنتَyou would surely be نَوءَa rainstorm سَحابٍof clouds يَسحَلُpours down المَطَراthe rain
لَكُنتَ نَوءَ سَحابٍ يَسحَلُ المَطَرا
Were you not a human we know, O Salm,
If you were not a human, O ladder, we would recognize you
You would be a rainstorm from clouds pouring down rain.
As a rain cloud, trailing rain
Sol 6.1