وَنَحنُand we حَدَرناdrove down طَيِّئاًṬayyiʾ عَنfrom جِبالِهاits mountains
وَنَحنُ حَدَرنا طَيِّئاً عَن جِبالِها
وَنَحنُand we حَدَرناdrove down عَنfrom ذُرىthe heights الغَورِal-Ghawr جَعفَراJaʿfar
وَنَحنُ حَدَرنا عَن ذُرى الغَورِ جَعفَرا
And we drove Ṭayyiʾ down from its mountains,
And we drove Jaʿfar down from the heights of al-Ghawr,
بِأَرعَنَwith a mighty host جَرّارٍfar-stretching تَفيءُbow لَهُbefore it الصُوىthe waymark cairns
بِأَرعَنَ جَرّارٍ تَفيءُ لَهُ الصُوى
إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle اِغتَدىit sets out at dawn مِنfrom مَنزِلٍa camp أَوor تَهَجَّراmarches at midday
إِذا ما اِغتَدى مِن مَنزِلٍ أَو تَهَجَّرا
With a vast, far-stretching host before which the waymark cairns bow,
When it leaves a camp at dawn or marches at midday.
لَهُit has كَوكَبٌa mass of troops إِذwhen ذَرَّتِrose الشَمسُthe sun واضِحٌbright
لَهُ كَوكَبٌ إِذ ذَرَّتِ الشَمسُ واضِحٌ
تَرىyou see فيهِin it مِنّاfrom among us دارِعينَmen clad in mail وَحُسَّراand unarmored men
تَرى فيهِ مِنّا دارِعينَ وَحُسَّرا
Its massed ranks shine bright when the sun rises;
In it you see our men in mail and our unarmored men.
أَبيmy father يَومَon the day جاءَتcame فارِسٌPersia بِجُنودِهاwith its armies
أَبي يَومَ جاءَت فارِسٌ بِجُنودِها
عَلىat حَمَضىḤamaḍā رَدَّdrove back الرَئيسَthe commander المُشَوَّراsplendidly arrayed
عَلى حَمَضى رَدَّ الرَئيسَ المُشَوَّرا
My father, the day Persia came with its armies,
At Ḥamaḍā drove back the splendidly arrayed commander.
غَداhe went forth at dawn وَمَساحيwhile the spade-like hooves الخَيلِof the horses تَقرَعُclattered بَينَهاamong them
غَدا وَمَساحي الخَيلِ تَقرَعُ بَينَها
وَلَمand not يَكُhe was فيon يَومِthe day الحِفاظِof defending honor مُغَمِّراan untried warrior
وَلَم يَكُ في يَومِ الحِفاظِ مُغَمِّرا
He went forth at dawn, the horses’ spade-like hooves clattering together,
And on the day of defending honor he was no untried warrior.
كَأَنَّas though جُذوعِtrunks النَخلِof palm trees لَمّاwhen غَشينَهُthey closed upon him
كَأَنَّ جُذوعِ النَخلِ لَمّا غَشينَهُ
سَوابِقَهاtheir foremost steeds مِنfrom بَينِamong وَردٍbay horses وَأَشقَراand chestnut ones
سَوابِقَها مِن بَينِ وَردٍ وَأَشقَرا
Like palm trunks, when they closed upon him,
Were their foremost steeds, bay and chestnut alike.
Sol 6.1