لَأَمدَحَنَّI shall surely praise بَنيthe sons of المُهَلَّبِal-Muhallab مِدحَةًa poem of praise
لَأَمدَحَنَّ بَني المُهَلَّبِ مِدحَةً
غَرّاءَradiant ظاهِرَةًstanding out عَلىabove الأَشعارِpoems
غَرّاءَ ظاهِرَةً عَلى الأَشعارِ
I shall surely praise the sons of al-Muhallab in verse,
radiant, rising above other poems—
مِثلَlike النُجومِthe stars أَمامَهاbefore them قَمَرٌa moon لَهاfor them
مِثلَ النُجومِ أَمامَها قَمَرٌ لَها
يَجلوdispels الدُجىthe darkness وَيُضيءُand lights لَيلَthe night of الساريthe night traveler
يَجلو الدُجى وَيُضيءُ لَيلَ الساري
like stars with their moon before them,
dispelling darkness and lighting the night traveler's night.
وَرِثواthey inherited الطِعانَspear-fighting عَنِfrom المُهَلَّبِal-Muhallab وَالقِرىand hospitality
وَرِثوا الطِعانَ عَنِ المُهَلَّبِ وَالقِرى
وَخَلائِقاًand character traits كَتَدَفُّقِlike the rushing of الأَنهارِrivers
وَخَلائِقاً كَتَدَفُّقِ الأَنهارِ
They inherited spear-fighting from al-Muhallab, and hospitality,
and qualities like the rushing of rivers.
أَمّاas for البَنونَsons فَإِنَّهُمthen indeed they لَمnot يورَثواwere bequeathed
أَمّا البَنونَ فَإِنَّهُم لَم يورَثوا
كَتُراثِهِlike his legacy لِبَنيهِto his sons يَومَon a day of فَخارِglory
كَتُراثِهِ لِبَنيهِ يَومَ فَخارِ
As for sons, none have been bequeathed
the like of his legacy to his sons on a day of glory.
كُلَّall المَكارِمِnoble virtues عَنfrom يَدَيهِhis two hands تَقَسَّمواthey shared out
كُلَّ المَكارِمِ عَن يَدَيهِ تَقَسَّموا
إِذwhen ماتَhe died رِزقُthe sustenance of أَرامِلِthe widows of الأَمصارِthe cities
إِذ ماتَ رِزقُ أَرامِلِ الأَمصارِ
All noble virtues they shared out from his hands,
when he died—the sustenance of widows in the cities.
كانَwas المُهَلَّبُal-Muhallab لِلعِراقِfor Iraq سَكينَةًtranquility
كانَ المُهَلَّبُ لِلعِراقِ سَكينَةً
وَحَياand the life-giving rain of الرَبيعِspring وَمَعقِلَand a refuge for الفُرّارِthose fleeing
وَحَيا الرَبيعِ وَمَعقِلَ الفُرّارِ
Al-Muhallab was tranquility for Iraq,
the rain of spring, and a refuge for those in flight.
كَمhow much مِنof غِنىًwealth فَتَحَopened up الإِلَهُGod لَهُمfor them بِهِthrough him
كَم مِن غِنىً فَتَحَ الإِلَهُ لَهُم بِهِ
وَالخَيلُand the horses مُقعِيَةٌcrouching on their haunches عَلىon الأَقتارِthe flanks
وَالخَيلُ مُقعِيَةٌ عَلى الأَقتارِ
How much wealth God opened to them through him,
while horses crouched along the flanks,
وَالنُبلُand the arrows مُلجَمَةٌbridled بِكُلِّwith every مَحَدرَجٍrounded bowstring
وَالنُبلُ مُلجَمَةٌ بِكُلِّ مَحَدرَجٍ
مِنfrom رِجلِa leg خاصِبَةٍrich مِنَin الأَوتارِsinews
مِن رِجلِ خاصِبَةٍ مِنَ الأَوتارِ
and arrows were bridled with every rounded string
from a leg rich in sinews.
أَمّاas for يَزيدُYazid فَإِنَّهُthen indeed he تَأبىrefuses لَهُfor him
أَمّا يَزيدُ فَإِنَّهُ تَأبى لَهُ
نَفسٌa soul مُوَطَّنَةٌinured عَلىto المِقدارِappointed fate
نَفسٌ مُوَطَّنَةٌ عَلى المِقدارِ
As for Yazid, he is kept from yielding by
a soul inured to the decree of fate,
وَرّادَةٌever entering شُعَبَthe ravines of المَنِيَّةِdeath بِالقَناwith spears
وَرّادَةٌ شُعَبَ المَنِيَّةِ بِالقَنا
فَيُدِرُّso makes flow كُلُّevery مُعانِدٍunstaunchable vein نَعّارِspurting
فَيُدِرُّ كُلُّ مُعانِدٍ نَعّارِ
ever entering death's ravines with spears;
so every unstaunchable, spurting vein pours out
شُعَبَthe branches of الوَتينِthe aorta بِكُلِّthrough every جائِشَةٍsurging wound لَهاwhich has
شُعَبَ الوَتينِ بِكُلِّ جائِشَةٍ لَها
نَفَثٌa spurt يَجيشُsurges فَماهُits two mouths بِالمِسبارِwith the probe
نَفَثٌ يَجيشُ فَماهُ بِالمِسبارِ
blood from the aorta's branches through each surging wound,
whose two mouths spurt when touched by the probe.
وَإِذاand when النُفوسُsouls جَشَأنَquailed طامَنَhe steadied جَأشَهاits heart
وَإِذا النُفوسُ جَشَأنَ طامَنَ جَأشَها
ثِقَةًin confidence بِهاin it لِحِمايَةِto protect الأَدبارِthe rear
ثِقَةً بِها لِحِمايَةِ الأَدبارِ
When souls take fright, he steadies his own heart,
trusting it to defend the rear.
إِنّيindeed I رَأَيتُsaw يَزيدَYazid عِندَin شَبابِهِhis youth
إِنّي رَأَيتُ يَزيدَ عِندَ شَبابِهِ
لَبِسَhe donned التُقىpiety وَمَهابَةَand awe of الجَبّارِthe Almighty
لَبِسَ التُقى وَمَهابَةَ الجَبّارِ
Indeed, I saw Yazid in his youth
clothed in piety and the awe of the Almighty.
مَلِكٌa king عَلَيهِupon him مَهابَةُthe majesty of المَلِكِthe king اِلتَقىmet
مَلِكٌ عَلَيهِ مَهابَةُ المَلِكِ اِلتَقى
قَمَرُthe moon of التَمامِfullness بِهِin him وَشَمسُand the sun of نَهارِday
قَمَرُ التَمامِ بِهِ وَشَمسُ نَهارِ
A king bearing a king's majesty; in him met
the full moon and the sun of day.
Sol 6.1