رَأَيتُI saw بَنيthe sons of مَروانَMarwan يَرفَعُraises مُلكَهُمtheir dominion
رَأَيتُ بَني مَروانَ يَرفَعُ مُلكَهُم
مُلوكٌkings شَبابٌyoung كَالأُسودِlike lions وَشيبُهاand their gray-haired elders
مُلوكٌ شَبابٌ كَالأُسودِ وَشيبُها
I saw the sons of Marwan, their dominion raised high
by young kings like lions, and their gray-haired elders.
بِهِمthrough them جَمَعَunited اللَهُGod الصَلاةَprayer فَأَصبَحَتand so it became
بِهِم جَمَعَ اللَهُ الصَلاةَ فَأَصبَحَت
قَدِalready اِجتَمَعَتcame together بَعدَafter اِختِلافٍdiscord شُعوبُهاits peoples
قَدِ اِجتَمَعَت بَعدَ اِختِلافٍ شُعوبُها
Through them God united prayer, and so
its peoples came together after discord.
وَمَنand whoever وَرِثَinherited العودَينِthe two wooden emblems (pulpit and staff) وَالخاتَمَand the signet الَّذيwho
وَمَن وَرِثَ العودَينِ وَالخاتَمَ الَّذي
لَهُto him المُلكُsovereignty وَالأَرضُand the earth الفَضاءُopen رَحيبُهاits broad reaches
لَهُ المُلكُ وَالأَرضُ الفَضاءُ رَحيبُها
And he who inherited the two wooden emblems and the signet—
his are sovereignty and the earth's broad, open reaches.
وَكانَand he was لَهُمfor them حَبلاًa rope قَدِalready اِستَكرَبواthey tightly lashed بِهِwith it
وَكانَ لَهُم حَبلاً قَدِ اِستَكرَبوا بِهِ
عَراقِيَthe crossbars دَلوٍof a bucket كانَhad فاضَoverflowed ذَنوبُهاits brimming bucketful
عَراقِيَ دَلوٍ كانَ فاضَ ذَنوبُها
He was a rope for them, with which they tightly lashed
a bucket's crossbars, its full measure having overflowed
عَلىonto الأَرضِthe earth مَنwhoever يَنهَزdips the bucket بِهاwith it مِنamong مُلوكِهِمtheir kings
عَلى الأَرضِ مَن يَنهَز بِها مِن مُلوكِهِم
يَفِضoverflows كَالفُراتِlike the Euphrates الجَونِthe dark عَفواًwithout effort قَليبُهاits well
يَفِض كَالفُراتِ الجَونِ عَفواً قَليبُها
onto the earth; whichever of their kings dips it,
its well flows freely like the dark Euphrates.
تُرَدِّدُنيcarries me back and forth بَينَbetween المَدينَةِMedina وَالَّتيand the one that
تُرَدِّدُني بَينَ المَدينَةِ وَالَّتي
إِلَيهاtoward it قُلوبُhearts الناسِof people يَهويhastens مُنيبُهاthe repentant among them
إِلَيها قُلوبُ الناسِ يَهوي مُنيبُها
My mounts carry me back and forth between Medina and the city
toward which the repentant hearts of humankind hasten.
هِيَit is القَريَةُthe city الأولىthe first الَّتيwhich كُلُّevery قَريَةٍcity
هِيَ القَريَةُ الأولى الَّتي كُلُّ قَريَةٍ
لَهاto her وَلَدٌa child يَنميtraces descent إِلَيهاto her مُجيبُهاthe one who answers her
لَها وَلَدٌ يَنمي إِلَيها مُجيبُها
It is the first city, and every city
is her child; whoever answers her traces descent to her.
هُدوءًin the night's stillness رِكابيmy riding-camels لاnot تَزالُcease to be نَجيبَةًchoice-bred
هُدوءً رِكابي لا تَزالُ نَجيبَةً
إِلىtoward رَجُلٍa man مُلقىًset down; delivered تَحِنُّyearn سُلوبُهاtheir calf-bereft females
إِلى رَجُلٍ مُلقىً تَحِنُّ سُلوبُها
In the stillness of night, my mounts remain choice-bred,
toward a man before whom I am set down; their calf-bereft females yearn.
وَلَمand not يَلقَhas met ماwhat لاقَيتُI met إِلّاexcept صَحابَتيmy companions
وَلَم يَلقَ ما لاقَيتُ إِلّا صَحابَتي
وَإِلّاand except رِكابٌriding-camels لاnot يُراحُis relieved لُغوبُهاtheir weariness
وَإِلّا رِكابٌ لا يُراحُ لُغوبُها
None has endured what I endured except my companions
and riding-camels whose weariness is never relieved.
أَتَتكَthey came to you بِقَومٍwith a people لَمnot يَدَعleft سارِحاًa grazing animal لَهُمfor them
أَتَتكَ بِقَومٍ لَم يَدَع سارِحاً لَهُم
تَتابُعُa succession أَعوامٍof years أَلَحَّتpersisted جُدوبُهاtheir droughts
تَتابُعُ أَعوامٍ أَلَحَّت جُدوبُها
They brought you a people, for whom no grazing beast was left
by successive years of relentless drought.
وَخَوقاءِand a vast, empty expanse أَرضٍof land مِنfrom بَعيدٍafar رَمَتhurled بِناwith us
وَخَوقاءِ أَرضٍ مِن بَعيدٍ رَمَت بِنا
إِلَيكَtoward you مَعَwith الصُهبِthe tawny المَهاريMahri camels سُهوبُهاits steppes
إِلَيكَ مَعَ الصُهبِ المَهاري سُهوبُها
And a vast, empty land—its steppes hurled us from afar
toward you, with the tawny Mahri camels,
بِمَتَّخِذينَwith men taking اللَيلَthe night فَوقَabove رِحالِهِمtheir saddles
بِمَتَّخِذينَ اللَيلَ فَوقَ رِحالِهِم
بِهاthere جَبَلاًa mountain قَدalready كانَhad become مَشياًwalking خَبيبُهاtheir trot
بِها جَبَلاً قَد كانَ مَشياً خَبيبُها
bearing men who made the night above their saddles
a mountain there; their camels' trot had become a walk.
إِلَيكَtoward you بِأَنضاءٍwith worn-out travelers عَلىon كُلِّevery نَضوَةٍworn-out she-camel
إِلَيكَ بِأَنضاءٍ عَلى كُلِّ نَضوَةٍ
نَجيبَتُهاits noble woman قَدalready أُدرِجَتhas been bundled up وَنَجيبُهاand its noble man
نَجيبَتُها قَد أُدرِجَت وَنَجيبُها
Toward you, with worn-out riders on every worn-out she-camel,
each with its noble woman and noble man bundled together.
رَأَيتُI saw عُرىthe loops الأَحقابَof the rear-straps وَالغُرَضِand the girths اِلتَقَتmet
رَأَيتُ عُرى الأَحقابَ وَالغُرَضِ اِلتَقَت
إِلىagainst فُلفُلِpeppercorns الأَطباءِof the teats مِنهاof them دُؤوبُهاtheir ceaseless toil
إِلى فُلفُلِ الأَطباءِ مِنها دُؤوبُها
I saw the loops of the rear-straps and girths draw together
against their peppercorn teats, from ceaseless toil.
كَأَنَّas though الخَلاياthe great ships فَوقَabove كُلِّevery ضَريرَةٍhardy she-camel
كَأَنَّ الخَلايا فَوقَ كُلِّ ضَريرَةٍ
تُخَطِّمُهُbridle it فيin دَوسَرِthe mighty mass الماءِof water نيبُهاtheir aged she-camels
تُخَطِّمُهُ في دَوسَرِ الماءِ نيبُها
As though great ships rode above every hardy she-camel,
their aged she-camels bridling it in the mighty surge of water.
أَقولُI say لِأَصحابيto my companions وَقَدand already صَدَقَتهُمُtold them the truth
أَقولُ لِأَصحابي وَقَد صَدَقَتهُمُ
مِنَamong الأَنفُسِthe souls اللاتيthat جَزِعنَlost heart كَذوبُهاtheir lying one
مِنَ الأَنفُسِ اللاتي جَزِعنَ كَذوبُها
I tell my companions, now that truth has been told them
by even the liar among the souls that lost heart:
عَسىperhaps بِيَديby the two hands of خَيرِthe best البَرِيَّةِof creation تَنجَليwill clear away
عَسى بِيَدي خَيرِ البَرِيَّةِ تَنجَلي
مِنَfrom اللَزَباتِthe crushing hardships الغُبرِthe dust-dark عَنّاfrom us خُطوبُهاtheir calamities
مِنَ اللَزَباتِ الغُبرِ عَنّا خُطوبُها
Perhaps, by the hands of the best of creation, there will be lifted
from us the calamities of these dust-dark hardships.
إِذاwhen ذُكِّرَتis reminded of نَفسيmy soul اِبنَthe son of مَروانَMarwan صاحِبيmy companion
إِذا ذُكِّرَت نَفسي اِبنَ مَروانَ صاحِبي
وَمَروانَand Marwan فاضَتoverflowed ماءَwater عَينيof my eye غُروبُهاits buckets
وَمَروانَ فاضَت ماءَ عَيني غُروبُها
When my soul is reminded of Marwan's son, my companion,
and of Marwan, my eye's buckets overflow with water.
هُماthe two of them مَنَعانيboth protected me إِذwhen فَرَرتُI fled إِلَيهِماto them both
هُما مَنَعاني إِذ فَرَرتُ إِلَيهِما
كَماjust as مَنَعَتprotected أَروىmountain goats الهِضابِof the hills لُهوبُهاtheir ravines
كَما مَنَعَت أَروى الهِضابِ لُهوبُها
Those two protected me when I fled to them,
as the hills' ravines sheltered their mountain goats.
فَماso not رُمتُI stirred حَتّىuntil ماتَdied مَنthe one whom كُنتُI was خائِفاًfearing
فَما رُمتُ حَتّى ماتَ مَن كُنتُ خائِفاً
وَطومِنَand was quieted مِنwithin نَفسِthe soul الفَروقِof the timid one وَجيبُهاits pounding
وَطومِنَ مِن نَفسِ الفَروقِ وَجيبُها
I did not stir until the man I feared had died,
and the timid soul's pounding was quieted.
وَهَلand is there دَعوَتيmy call مِنfrom بَعدِafter مَروانَMarwan وَاِبنِهِand his son
وَهَل دَعوَتي مِن بَعدِ مَروانَ وَاِبنِهِ
لَهاfor it أَحَدٌanyone إِذnow that فارَقاهاboth left it يُجيبُهاto answer it
لَها أَحَدٌ إِذ فارَقاها يُجيبُها
And has my call, after Marwan and his son,
anyone to answer it, now that both have left it?
وَكُنتُand I was إِذاwhen ماever (emphasis) خِفتُI feared أَوor كُنتُI was راغِباًdesirous
وَكُنتُ إِذا ما خِفتُ أَو كُنتُ راغِباً
كَفانِيَsufficed me مِنfrom أَيديهِماthe hands of them both ليfor me رَغيبُهاtheir ample bounty
كَفانِيَ مِن أَيديهِما لي رَغيبُها
And whenever I feared or sought a favor,
their hands' generous bounty to me sufficed.
بِأَخلاقِwith the ways of أَيديthe hands المُطعِمينَof those who feed others إِذاwhen الصَباthe east wind
بِأَخلاقِ أَيدي المُطعِمينَ إِذا الصَبا
تَصَبَّبَpoured down قُرّاًcold غَيرَrather than ماءٍwater صَبيبُهاits outpouring
تَصَبَّبَ قُرّاً غَيرَ ماءٍ صَبيبُها
With the ways of hands that feed others, when the east wind
pours down cold, not water, in its outpouring.
رَأَيتُI saw بَنيthe sons of مَروانَMarwan إِذwhen شُقَّتِwas split العَصاthe staff
رَأَيتُ بَني مَروانَ إِذ شُقَّتِ العَصا
وَهَرَّand snarled مِنَfrom الحَربِthe war العَوانِthe recurrent كَليبُهاits curs
وَهَرَّ مِنَ الحَربِ العَوانِ كَليبُها
I saw the sons of Marwan when the staff was split,
and the curs of recurrent war snarled.
شَفَواthey soothed ثائِرَthe wrath المَظلومِof the wronged man وَاِستَمسَكَتand clung بِهِمto them
شَفَوا ثائِرَ المَظلومِ وَاِستَمسَكَت بِهِم
أَكُفُّhands رِجالٍof men رُدَّwas restrained قَسراًby force شَغوبُهاtheir unruly ones
أَكُفُّ رِجالٍ رُدَّ قَسراً شَغوبُها
They soothed the wronged man's wrath, and to them clung
men's hands, whose rebelliousness was forcibly quelled.
وَرَثتَyou inherited إِلىalong with أَخلاقِهِhis virtues عاجِلَprompt القِرىhospitality
وَرَثتَ إِلى أَخلاقِهِ عاجِلَ القِرى
وَضَربَand striking عَراقيبِthe hamstrings المَتاليof camels followed by calves شَبوبُهاtheir full-grown ones
وَضَربَ عَراقيبِ المَتالي شَبوبُها
You inherited, along with his virtues, prompt hospitality,
and striking the hamstrings of full-grown camels with calves.
رَأَيتَyou saw بَنيthe sons of مَروانَMarwan ثَبَّتَmade firm مُلكَهُمtheir dominion
رَأَيتَ بَني مَروانَ ثَبَّتَ مُلكَهُم
مَشورَةُcounsel حَقٍّof truth كانَwas مِنهاfrom among them قَريبُهاits close adviser
مَشورَةُ حَقٍّ كانَ مِنها قَريبُها
You saw the sons of Marwan: their dominion was secured
by sound counsel, whose close adviser was among them.
جَزىmay reward اللَهُGod خَيراًwith good مِنas خَليفَةِa caliph of أُمَّةٍa community
جَزى اللَهُ خَيراً مِن خَليفَةِ أُمَّةٍ
إِذاwhen الريحُthe wind هَبَّتblew بَعدَafter نوءٍa rain-star's setting جَنوبُهاits south wind
إِذا الريحُ هَبَّت بَعدَ نوءٍ جَنوبُها
May God reward with good such a caliph of a people,
when, after a rain-star's setting, the wind blows from the south.
كَفىhe spared أُمَّةَthe community of الأُمِّيَّthe unlettered Prophet كُلَّevery مُلِحَّةٍrelentless calamity
كَفى أُمَّةَ الأُمِّيَّ كُلَّ مُلِحَّةٍ
مِنَfrom الدَهرِtime مَحذورٍfeared عَلَيناfor us شَصيبُهاits harsh privation
مِنَ الدَهرِ مَحذورٍ عَلَينا شَصيبُها
He spared the unlettered Prophet's community every relentless calamity
of time, whose harsh privation was feared for us.
عَسَتperhaps هَذِهِthis اللَأواءُhardship تَطرُدُwill drive away كَربَهاits anguish
عَسَت هَذِهِ اللَأواءُ تَطرُدُ كَربَها
عَلَيناupon us سَماءٌrain مِنfrom هِشامٍHisham تُصيبُهاfalling upon it
عَلَينا سَماءٌ مِن هِشامٍ تُصيبُها
Perhaps the anguish of this hardship will be driven away
by rain from Hisham falling upon it over us,
كَماjust as كانَwas أَروىmore thirst-quenching إِذwhen أَتاهُمhe came to them بِأَهلِهِwith his household
كَما كانَ أَروى إِذ أَتاهُم بِأَهلِهِ
حُطَيئَةُHutay'a عَبسٍof Abs مِنfrom قُرَيعٍQuray' ذَنوبُهاits brimming bucket
حُطَيئَةُ عَبسٍ مِن قُرَيعٍ ذَنوبُها
just as, when he came to them with his household, most thirst-quenching was
the brimming bucket of Quray' for Hutay'a of Abs.
فَهَبso grant لِيَme سَجلاًa brimming bucket مِنfrom سَجالِكَyour buckets يُروِنيto quench my thirst
فَهَب لِيَ سَجلاً مِن سَجالِكَ يُروِني
وَأَهليand my family إِذاwhen الأَورادُthe thirsty herds طالَgrew long لُؤوبُهاtheir thirsty circling
وَأَهلي إِذا الأَورادُ طالَ لُؤوبُها
So grant me a brimming bucket from your buckets, to water me
and my family, when the thirsty herds have circled long.
وَكَمand how often أَنعَمَتfavored كَفّاthe two hands of هِشامٍHisham عَلىupon اِمرِئٍa man
وَكَم أَنعَمَت كَفّا هِشامٍ عَلى اِمرِئٍ
لَهُfor him نِعمَةٌa blessing خَضراءَgreen; flourishing ماnot يَستَثيبُهاseeks recompense for it
لَهُ نِعمَةٌ خَضراءَ ما يَستَثيبُها
And how often Hisham's two hands have favored a man
with a verdant blessing for which no repayment is sought.
Sol 6.1