وَكانَتand were يَداthe two hands of بِشرٍBishr يَدٌone hand تُمطِرُrains النَدىgenerosity
وَكانَت يَدا بِشرٍ يَدٌ تُمطِرُ النَدى
وَأُخرىand another تُقيمُupholds الدينَthe faith قَسراًby force عَلىupon قَسرِforce
وَأُخرى تُقيمُ الدينَ قَسراً عَلى قَسرِ
Bishr’s two hands were: one raining generosity,
And the other upholding the faith, force upon force.
أَقولُI say لِمَحبوكِto the well-knit السَراةِback كَأَنَّهُas though he
أَقولُ لِمَحبوكِ السَراةِ كَأَنَّهُ
مِنَamong الخَيلِhorses مَجنونُone mad with الإِطاقَةِendurance وَالحُضرِand galloping
مِنَ الخَيلِ مَجنونُ الإِطاقَةِ وَالحُضرِ
I say to the firm-backed steed, as though he were
Among horses one mad with stamina and speed,
أَغَرَّwhite-blazed صَريحِيٍّpurebred أَبوهُhis sire وَأُمُّهُand his dam
أَغَرَّ صَريحِيٍّ أَبوهُ وَأُمُّهُ
طَويلٍtall أَمَرَّتهُhave tightly fashioned him الجِيادُnoble steeds عَلىwith شَزرِtight twisting
طَويلٍ أَمَرَّتهُ الجِيادُ عَلى شَزرِ
White-blazed, with a purebred sire and dam,
Tall, tightly knit and firmly wrought by noble steeds:
أَتَصهِلُdo you neigh عِنديbeside me بَعدَafter بِشرٍBishr وَلَمand have not تَذُقtasted
أَتَصهِلُ عِندي بَعدَ بِشرٍ وَلَم تَذُق
ذُكورَةَthe steely hardness of قَطّاعِa keen cleaver of الضَريبَةِthe object struck ذيbearing أَثرِa blade-pattern
ذُكورَةَ قَطّاعِ الضَريبَةِ ذي أَثرِ
“Do you neigh beside me after Bishr, not having tasted
The steely bite of a patterned sword that cleaves its target?”
غَضِبتُI raged وَلَمand could not أَملِكrestrain myself لِبِشرٍfor Bishr بِصارِمٍwith a keen sword
غَضِبتُ وَلَم أَملِك لِبِشرٍ بِصارِمٍ
عَلىagainst فَرَسيmy horse عِندَbeside الجَنازَةِthe bier وَالقَبرِand the grave
عَلى فَرَسي عِندَ الجَنازَةِ وَالقَبرِ
I raged for Bishr and, unable to restrain myself, turned a keen sword
Against my horse, beside the bier and the grave.
حَلَفتُI swore لَهُto him لاnot يَتبَعُhe would follow الخَيلَthe horses بَعدَهاafter it
حَلَفتُ لَهُ لا يَتبَعُ الخَيلَ بَعدَها
صَحيحُsound of الشَوىlimbs حَتّىuntil يَكوسَhe hobbles three-legged مِنَfrom العَقرِhamstringing
صَحيحُ الشَوى حَتّى يَكوسَ مِنَ العَقرِ
I swore to him: after that he would not follow the horses
Sound of limb, until he hobbled from hamstringing.
أَلَستُam I not شَحيحاًmiserly إِنif رَكِبتُكَI rode you بَعدَهُafter him
أَلَستُ شَحيحاً إِن رَكِبتُكَ بَعدَهُ
لِيَومَfor a day of رِهانٍracing أَوor غَدَوتَyou went forth مَعيwith me تَجريrunning
لِيَومَ رِهانٍ أَو غَدَوتَ مَعي تَجري
Would I not be miserly if I rode you after him
For a day of racing, or you went forth running with me?
وَكُنّاand we had بِبِشرٍthrough Bishr قَدalready أَمِنّاfelt safe from عَدُوَّناour enemy
وَكُنّا بِبِشرٍ قَد أَمِنّا عَدُوَّنا
مِنَfrom الخَوفِfear وَاِستَغنىand became self-sufficient الفَقيرُthe poor man عَنِfrom الفَقرِpoverty
مِنَ الخَوفِ وَاِستَغنى الفَقيرُ عَنِ الفَقرِ
And through Bishr we had been secure against our enemy,
Free from fear; and the poor were delivered from poverty.
Sol 6.1