لَقَدindeed عَلِمَhave learned الأَحياءُthe tribes بِالغَورِin al-Ghawr أَنَّكُمthat you all
لَقَد عَلِمَ الأَحياءُ بِالغَورِ أَنَّكُم
إِذاwhen هَبَّتِblows النَكباءُthe crosswind أَكثَرُهُمthe greatest among them فَضلاin generosity
إِذا هَبَّتِ النَكباءُ أَكثَرُهُم فَضلا
The tribes in al-Ghawr have surely learned that you
The living knew of the valley’s demise, that when misfortune strikes, most prove their worth
When the crosswind blows, are the most generous among them,
Its udders withered from drought when snakes died there, no longer nursing its young
وَأَضحَتand have become بِأَجرازٍin barren tracts مُحولٍdrought-stricken عِضاهُهاtheir thorn-trees
وَأَضحَت بِأَجرازٍ مُحولٍ عِضاهُها
مِنَfrom الجَدبِthe drought إِذwhen ماتَdied الأَفاعيthe vipers بِهاin them هَزلاfrom emaciation
مِنَ الجَدبِ إِذ ماتَ الأَفاعي بِها هَزلا
And their thorn-trees stand amid barren, drought-stricken wastes,
Women’s breasts came to you unadorned by bracelets or necklaces
From drought, when the vipers there have died of wasting.
With the camels they walked to the guests’ abodes hoping for charity
وَراحَتand came مَراضيعُnursing mothers النِساءِamong the women إِلَيكُمُto you all
وَراحَت مَراضيعُ النِساءِ إِلَيكُمُ
سَواغِبَstarving لَمdid not تَلبَسwear سِواراًa bracelet وَلاnor ذَبلاivory bangles
سَواغِبَ لَم تَلبَس سِواراً وَلا ذَبلا
And nursing mothers have come to you,
From generous hosts who oblige the asking neighbor, pouring freely when the jug is empty
Starving, wearing neither bracelets nor ivory bangles.
You are of a family who inherited glory for helping others, and nobility of great repute
وَجاءَتand came مَعَwith الأَبرامِthe miserly non-gamblers تَمشيwalking نِساؤُهاtheir women
وَجاءَت مَعَ الأَبرامِ تَمشي نِساؤُها
إِلىto حُجَرِchambers الأَضيافِof the guests تَلتَمِسُseeking الفَضلاthe bounty
إِلى حُجَرِ الأَضيافِ تَلتَمِسُ الفَضلا
And their women have come walking with the miserly non-gamblers
To the guests’ chambers, seeking bounty
مِنَfrom المانِحينَthose who grant الجارَthe neighbor كُلَّevery مُمَنَّحٍoft-winning gaming arrow
مِنَ المانِحينَ الجارَ كُلَّ مُمَنَّحٍ
فَوُوزٍfrequently winning إِذاwhen اِصتَكَّتclashed together مُقَرَّمَةًnotched عُصلاcrooked
فَوُوزٍ إِذا اِصتَكَّت مُقَرَّمَةً عُصلا
From those who grant their neighbor every oft-winning gaming arrow—
A frequent winner when the notched, crooked shafts clash.
وَأَنتَand you اِمرُؤٌa man مِنfrom أَهلِthe members of بَيتٍa house تَوارَثواthey inherited successively
وَأَنتَ اِمرُؤٌ مِن أَهلِ بَيتٍ تَوارَثوا
كِرامَnoble مَساعيendeavors الناسِof men وَالحَسَبَand ancestral honor الجَزلاabundant
كِرامَ مَساعي الناسِ وَالحَسَبَ الجَزلا
And you are a man of a house whose members have inherited
The noble deeds of men and abundant ancestral honor.
Partial English translation: 6 of 12 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1