لَقَدindeed طَلَبَتthey sought بِالذَحلِfor blood vengeance غَيرَnot ذَميمَةٍblameworthy
لَقَد طَلَبَت بِالذَحلِ غَيرَ ذَميمَةٍ
إِذاwhen ذُمَّwere censured طُلّابُseekers الذُحولِblood feuds الأَخاضِرُthe Akhadir
إِذا ذُمَّ طُلّابُ الذُحولِ الأَخاضِرُ
Indeed, they sought blood vengeance without reproach—
They sought glory, no ignoble men,
the Akhadir, when seekers of blood vengeance were censured.
When the seekers of fresh glory were blamed,
هُمُthey جَرَّدواunsheathed الأَسيافَthe swords يَومَthe day of اِبنِIbn (son of) أَخضَرٍAkhdar
هُمُ جَرَّدوا الأَسيافَ يَومَ اِبنِ أَخضَرٍ
فَنالواand they attained الَّتيthat which لاnot فَوقَهاbeyond it نالَattained ثائِرُan avenger
فَنالوا الَّتي لا فَوقَها نالَ ثائِرُ
They unsheathed their swords on the day of Ibn Akhdar,
They drew swords on the day of Ibn Akhdar,
and achieved a vengeance no avenger ever surpassed.
And attained what no rebel had attained before.
أَقادواthey killed in requital بِهِfor him أُسداًlions لَهاfor them فيin اِقتِحامِهاtheir charging
أَقادوا بِهِ أُسداً لَها في اِقتِحامِها
عَلىinto الغَمَراتِthe engulfing perils فيin الحُروبِthe wars بَصائِرُkeen insights
عَلى الغَمَراتِ في الحُروبِ بَصائِرُ
They slew lions in requital for him, lions that, in charging
They roused a lioness, skillful in her raids,
into the perils of war, possessed keen insight.
With insights into wars and their turmoil.
وَلَمand did not يُعتِمِdelay الإِدراكُattainment مِنهُمon their part بِذَحلِهِمin their blood vengeance
وَلَم يُعتِمِ الإِدراكُ مِنهُم بِذَحلِهِم
فَيَطمَعُso might hope فيهِمagainst them بَعدَafter ذَلِكَthat غادِرُa traitor
فَيَطمَعُ فيهِم بَعدَ ذَلِكَ غادِرُ
Nor was their attainment of blood vengeance delayed,
Their glory did not blind their judgment,
so as to give a traitor hope against them thereafter,
So no traitor afterward coveted them.
كَفِعلِlike the conduct of كُلَيبٍKulayb يَومَthe day يَدعوcalls out اِبنُIbn (son of) أَخضَرٍAkhdar
كَفِعلِ كُلَيبٍ يَومَ يَدعو اِبنُ أَخضَرٍ
وَقَدand already نَشِبَتhad lodged فيهِin him الرِماحُthe spears الشَواجِرُinterlacing
وَقَد نَشِبَت فيهِ الرِماحُ الشَواجِرُ
as in Kulayb's conduct when Ibn Akhdar called out,
Unlike Kulayb on the day Ibn Akhdar called,
with the interlacing spears already lodged in him.
When lances bristled up like tall trees,
فَلَمso did not يَأتِهِcome to him مِنهاfrom them وَبَينَand among بُيوتِهاtheir houses
فَلَم يَأتِهِ مِنها وَبَينَ بُيوتِها
أُصيبَhe was struck down ضَياعاًforsaken يَومَthe day of ذَلِكَthat ناجِرُa hewer (unclear reading)
أُصيبَ ضَياعاً يَومَ ذَلِكَ ناجِرُ
There came to him from them—though among their houses
No help came to him from their dwellings
he was struck down, forsaken that day—not a single hewer.
Though his estate was ravaged, bereft and bare.
وَهُمand they حَضَروهُwere present with him غائِبينَabsent بِنَصرِهِمin their support
وَهُم حَضَروهُ غائِبينَ بِنَصرِهِم
وَنَصرُand the aid اللَئيمِthe base man غائِبٌabsent وَهوَwhile he حاضِرُpresent
وَنَصرُ اللَئيمِ غائِبٌ وَهوَ حاضِرُ
And they were present with him, yet absent in their support;
Absent, they gave him their support in victory,
a base man's aid is absent even when he is present.
The coward's aid, when present, profits him not.
وَهُمand they أَسلَموهُabandoned him فَاِكتَسَواso they clothed themselves ثَوبَa garment لامَةٍreproach
وَهُم أَسلَموهُ فَاِكتَسَوا ثَوبَ لامَةٍ
سَيَبقىit will remain لَهُمfor them مادامَas long as لِلزَيتِfor oil عاصِرُa presser
سَيَبقى لَهُم مادامَ لِلزَيتِ عاصِرُ
And they abandoned him, thus clothing themselves in a garment of reproach,
They left him so he wore the garb of blame -
which will remain theirs as long as there is a presser of oil.
A garb that clings to them who press the oil.
فَماso there is no لِكُلَيبٍfor Kulayb فيin المَكارِمِnoble deeds أَوَّلٌa first (forebear)
فَما لِكُلَيبٍ في المَكارِمِ أَوَّلٌ
وَلاnor لِكَلَيبٍfor Kulayb فيin المَكارِمِnoble deeds آخِرُa last (successor)
وَلا لِكَلَيبٍ في المَكارِمِ آخِرُ
So Kulayb has no forebear known for noble deeds,
Kulayb was neither first nor last in glory.
nor any successor of Kulayb known for noble deeds;
No first, no last, of glory Kulayb knew.
وَلاnor فيamong كُلَيبٍKulayb إِنif عَرَتهُمbefalls them مُلِمَّةٌa calamity
وَلا في كُلَيبٍ إِن عَرَتهُم مُلِمَّةٌ
كَريمٌa noble man عَلىin the face of ماwhat أَحدَثَbrought about الدَهرُTime صابِرُsteadfast
كَريمٌ عَلى ما أَحدَثَ الدَهرُ صابِرُ
nor is there among Kulayb, if a calamity befalls them,
No noble soul endured with patience like theirs
a noble man steadfast under whatever Time brings.
When tribes faced hardship - they firm and true.
Sol 6.1