ماwhat ضَرَّwould harm مَنthe one whose حَدَتِdrove onward النَوىseparation أَجمالَهاher camels
ما ضَرَّ مَن حَدَتِ النَوى أَجمالَها
لَوif أَنَّهاthat she أَهدَتsent as a gift إِلَيكَto you خَيالَهاher phantom
لَو أَنَّها أَهدَت إِلَيكَ خَيالَها
What harm would it do her, whose camels separation drove away,
if she sent you her phantom as a gift?
ضَنَّتshe grudged عَلَيكَfrom you بِوَصلِهاunion with her فيin قُربِهاher nearness
ضَنَّت عَلَيكَ بِوَصلِها في قُربِها
أَفَتَبتَغيthen do you seek بَعدَafter النُزُوحِgoing far away وِصالَهاunion with her
أَفَتَبتَغي بَعدَ النُزُوحِ وِصالَها
She grudged you union even when she was near;
then would you seek union with her after she has gone far away?
نَزَلَتshe settled in جِبالَthe mountains of تِهامَةٍTihamah فَلِأَجلِهاso for her sake
نَزَلَت جِبالَ تِهامَةٍ فَلِأَجلِها
يَهوىloves الفُؤَادُthe heart تِهامَةًTihamah وَجِبالَهاand its mountains
يَهوى الفُؤَادُ تِهامَةً وَجِبالَها
She settled in Tihamah's mountains; for her sake,
the heart loves Tihamah and its mountains.
وَتَدَيَّرَتand she made her home مَنشَاthe growing-place of السَيالِsayal acacias فَلَيتَنيso would that I
وَتَدَيَّرَت مَنشَا السَيالِ فَلَيتَني
رَوَّيتُI watered مِنfrom سَيلِthe torrent of الدُموعِtears سَيالَهاher sayal acacias
رَوَّيتُ مِن سَيلِ الدُموعِ سَيالَها
And she made her home where the sayal acacias grow; would that I
might water her acacias with the torrent of tears.
ياO صاحِبَيَّmy two companions قِفاstop, you two عَليَّbeside me بِقَدرِfor the span ماthat
يا صاحِبَيَّ قِفا عَليَّ بِقَدرِ ما
أَسقيI water بِواكِفِwith the flow of عَبرَتيmy tears أَطلالَهاher ruined dwellings
أَسقي بِواكِفِ عَبرَتي أَطلالَها
O my two companions, stand by me long enough
for me to water her ruined dwellings with my streaming tears.
فَلَطالَماfor many a time مَلَأتfilled سُعادُSu'ad عِراصَهاher courtyards
فَلَطالَما مَلَأت سُعادُ عِراصَها
طيباًfragrance إِذاwhen سَحَبَتshe trailed بِهِin it أَذيالَهاher hems
طيباً إِذا سَحَبَت بِهِ أَذيالَها
For many a time Su'ad filled her courtyards
with fragrance as she trailed her hems there.
وَمَشَتand she walked عَلىacross تِلكَthose الرُبوعِdwelling grounds فَصَيَّرَتso she made
وَمَشَت عَلى تِلكَ الرُبوعِ فَصَيَّرَت
أَغلىdearer مِنَthan الدُرِّpearls الثَمينِprecious رِمالَهاtheir sands
أَغلى مِنَ الدُرِّ الثَمينِ رِمالَها
And she walked across those dwelling grounds, making
their sands dearer than precious pearls.
صَرَمَتshe severed حِبالَكyour bonds فَاستَرَبتَso you grew suspicious وَإِنَّماbut only
صَرَمَت حِبالَك فَاستَرَبتَ وَإِنَّما
صَرَمَتshe severed حِبالَكَyour bonds إِذاwhen صَرَمتَyou severed حِبالَهاher bonds
صَرَمَت حِبالَكَ إِذا صَرَمتَ حِبالَها
She severed your bonds, and you grew suspicious; yet she only
severed your bonds when you severed hers.
وَلَقَدand indeed سَرَتtraveled by night بِكَwith you وَالرِكابُwhile the riding camels لَواغِبٌweary
وَلَقَد سَرَت بِكَ وَالرِكابُ لَواغِبٌ
مِرقالَةٌa swift-trotting she-camel شَكَتlamented الفَلاthe open desert إِرقالَهاher swift trot
مِرقالَةٌ شَكَت الفَلا إِرقالَها
And indeed, while the mounts were weary, she bore you by night—
a swift-trotting she-camel whose pace the wasteland bewailed.
مَذعُورَةٌterrified ذُعرَwith the terror of النَعامَةِthe ostrich أُلهِبَتwas inflamed
مَذعُورَةٌ ذُعرَ النَعامَةِ أُلهِبَت
لَماwhen أَضَلَّتshe lost بِالعَشِيِّat dusk رِئالَهاher ostrich chicks
لَما أَضَلَّت بِالعَشِيِّ رِئالَها
Terrified as an ostrich, fired into frenzy
when she lost her chicks at dusk.
لَعِبَتtoyed بِنُمرُقِهاwith her saddle-cushion الشَمالُthe north wind وَمَزَّقَتand tore
لَعِبَت بِنُمرُقِها الشَمالُ وَمَزَّقَت
فيin البيدِthe wastes أَنيابُthe fangs of العَضاهِthorn-trees جِلالَهاher coverings
في البيدِ أَنيابُ العَضاهِ جِلالَها
The north wind toyed with her saddle-cushion, and her coverings were torn
in the wastes by the thorn-trees' fangs.
وَكَأَنَّand as though مِشفَرَهاher lip عَلىupon مِعوالَةٍa creaking well-pulley
وَكَأَنَّ مِشفَرَها عَلى مِعوالَةٍ
مَتَحَhauled up الرِجالُthe men مِنَfrom القَليبthe well سِجالَهاits full buckets
مَتَحَ الرِجالُ مِنَ القَليب سِجالَها
And her lip seemed to hang upon a creaking pulley,
whose brimming buckets men hauled up from the well.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though لَطَخَsmeared الدَباyoung locusts بِلُعابِهِwith their spittle
وَكَأَنَّما لَطَخَ الدَبا بِلُعابِهِ
أَرفاغَهاher groins وَحِجالَهاand her fetlocks وَقِلالَهاand her upper parts
أَرفاغَها وَحِجالَها وَقِلالَها
And it was as though young locusts had smeared with their spittle
her groins, her fetlocks, and her upper parts.
صَهباءُa tawny she-camel أَدمَتهاbloodied her السِياطُthe whips فَأَشبَهَتso she resembled
صَهباءُ أَدمَتها السِياطُ فَأَشبَهَت
صَهباءَtawny wine سَيَّلَتِmade flow الأَكُفُّthe hands بُزالَهاits tap
صَهباءَ سَيَّلَتِ الأَكُفُّ بُزالَها
A tawny she-camel, bloodied by the whips, she came to resemble
tawny wine whose tap hands had set flowing.
بَرَكَتshe knelt حِياليbefore me كَالحَنِيَّةِlike a bow فيin الدُجىthe darkness
بَرَكَت حِيالي كَالحَنِيَّةِ في الدُجى
وَهَجَدتُand I slept مِثلَlike المَشرَفيّthe Mashrafi sword حِيالَهاopposite her
وَهَجَدتُ مِثلَ المَشرَفيّ حِيالَها
She knelt before me like a bow in the darkness,
and I slept opposite her like a Mashrafi sword.
مِثلُlike الهِلالِthe crescent moon مِنَfrom الوَجيفِswift running تَؤُمُّshe heads toward بيwith me
مِثلُ الهِلالِ مِنَ الوَجيفِ تَؤُمُّ بي
مِصباحَthe lamp of قَيسٍQays كُلِّهاall of it وَهِلالَهاand its crescent moon
مِصباحَ قَيسٍ كُلِّها وَهِلالَها
Crescent-thin from her swift running, she bears me toward
the lamp of all Qays and its crescent moon.
مَلِكٌa king أَنالَgave gifts فَنالَand so attained أَبعَدَthe farthest غايَةٍgoal
مَلِكٌ أَنالَ فَنالَ أَبعَدَ غايَةٍ
فيin المَجدِglory لَمnot تَرَyou have seen مَنanyone who أَنالَgave gifts مَنالَهاits attainment
في المَجدِ لَم تَرَ مَن أَنالَ مَنالَها
A king who gave, and so attained the farthest goal
in glory—you have seen no giver attain it.
وَعَدَhe promised الذَوابِلَthe slender lances أَنthat يُهينَhe would abase صُدورَهاtheir breasts
وَعَدَ الذَوابِلَ أَن يُهينَ صُدورَها
لِتُعِزَّهُso they might exalt him فَوَفَتso they kept faith لَهُto him وَوَفىand he kept faith لَهاto them
لِتُعِزَّهُ فَوَفَت لَهُ وَوَفى لَها
He promised the slender lances to abase their breasts
so they might exalt him; they kept faith with him, and he with them.
مُتَمَكِّنٌfirmly grounded فيin الحِلمِforbearance لَوif وازَنتَهُyou weighed him
مُتَمَكِّنٌ في الحِلمِ لَو وازَنتَهُ
بِالشامِخاتِagainst the towering mountains الباذِخاتِthe lofty ones أَمالَهاhe would tip them
بِالشامِخاتِ الباذِخاتِ أَمالَها
Firmly grounded in forbearance—if you weighed him
against the towering, lofty mountains, he would outweigh them.
ضَلَّتstrayed رَكائِبُناour riding camels فَأَوضَحَso he made clear سُبلَهاtheir paths
ضَلَّت رَكائِبُنا فَأَوضَحَ سُبلَها
مَلِكٌa king أَزالَremoved ضَلالَناour straying وَضَلالَهاand their straying
مَلِكٌ أَزالَ ضَلالَنا وَضَلالَها
Our riding camels strayed; he made their paths clear—
a king who ended our straying and theirs.
وَشَكَتand they complained إِلَيهِto him كَلالَهاtheir fatigue فَأَنالَهاso he granted them
وَشَكَت إِلَيهِ كَلالَها فَأَنالَها
نَيلاًbounty يَزيدُincreases لَغوبَهاtheir weariness وَكَلالَهاand their fatigue
نَيلاً يَزيدُ لَغوبَها وَكَلالَها
And they complained to him of their fatigue, and he bestowed on them
bounty that increases their weariness and fatigue.
حَمَلَتthey carried لهُاهُhis largesse وَمَنand one who تَحَمَّلَundertook شُكرَهُthanking him
حَمَلَت لهُاهُ وَمَن تَحَمَّلَ شُكرَهُ
منّاًfor a favor فَكَثَّرَso multiplied فَضلُهُhis bounty أَحمالَهاtheir loads
منّاً فَكَثَّرَ فَضلُهُ أَحمالَها
They carried his largesse, and one who undertook to thank him
for a favor; thus his bounty multiplied their loads.
تَجِدُyou find المُلوكَkings إِذاwhen عَدَدتَyou count كَثيرَةًmany
تَجِدُ المُلوكَ إِذا عَدَدتَ كَثيرَةً
وَترىand you see الكَبيرَthe great one إِذاwhen عَدَدتَyou count ثِمالِهاtheir refuge
وَترى الكَبيرَ إِذا عَدَدتَ ثِمالِها
You find kings many when you count them,
and when you count them, you see the great one, their refuge.
أَلقىhe cast النِجادَthe sword-belt عَلىupon مَناكِبِthe shoulders of ماجِدٍa noble man
أَلقى النِجادَ عَلى مَناكِبِ ماجِدٍ
أَلقَتlaid down إِلَيهِto him المَكرُماتُnoble deeds رِحالَهاtheir saddles
أَلقَت إِلَيهِ المَكرُماتُ رِحالَها
He slung the sword-belt over a noble man's shoulders,
with whom noble deeds laid down their saddles.
مِنَfrom مَعشَرٍa people يَتَغايَرونَwho vie jealously عَلىfor العُلىhigh honor
مِنَ مَعشَرٍ يَتَغايَرونَ عَلى العُلى
وَيَرونَand they deem أَنكَرَthe most abhorrent مُنكَرٍwrong إِغفالَهاneglecting it
وَيَرونَ أَنكَرَ مُنكَرٍ إِغفالَها
From a people who vie jealously for high honor,
and deem neglecting it the most abhorrent wrong.
وَإِذاand when تُلِمُّbefalls مِنَfrom الزَمانِtime مُلِمَّةٌa calamity
وَإِذا تُلِمُّ مِنَ الزَمانِ مُلِمَّةٌ
حَمَلَتbear ظُهُورُthe backs of جِيادِهِمtheir steeds أَثقالَهاits burdens
حَمَلَت ظُهُورُ جِيادِهِم أَثقالَها
And when a calamity from time descends,
the backs of their steeds bear its burdens.
قَومٌa people إِذاwhen سَلّواthey draw السُيوفَtheir swords رَأَيتَهاyou see them
قَومٌ إِذا سَلّوا السُيوفَ رَأَيتَها
أَمثالَهُمtheir likenesses وَرَأَيتَهُمand you see them أَمثالَهاtheir likenesses
أَمثالَهُم وَرَأَيتَهُم أَمثالَها
A people: when they draw their swords, you see the blades
as likenesses of the men, and see the men as likenesses of the blades.
لَكِنَّهُمbut as for them أَحسابُهُمtheir ancestral honors مَصقُولَةٌare polished
لَكِنَّهُم أَحسابُهُم مَصقُولَةٌ
وَسُيوفُهُمand their swords يَتَعاهَدونَthey keep tending صِقالَهاtheir polish
وَسُيوفُهُم يَتَعاهَدونَ صِقالَها
Yet their ancestral honors are polished,
and they keep renewing the polish of their swords.
رَجَحَتare weighty حُلومُهُمُtheir judgments وَفيand on يَومِthe day of الوَغىbattle
رَجَحَت حُلومُهُمُ وَفي يَومِ الوَغى
تَلقاُهُمُfind them حُلَماؤُهاits sages جُهّالَهاits reckless men
تَلقاُهُمُ حُلَماؤُها جُهّالَها
Their judgment is weighty; yet on the day of battle
its sages find them its reckless warriors.
أُسدٌlions تَعَوَّدَتِbecame accustomed to الجَميلَnoble deeds وَعَوَّدَتand trained
أُسدٌ تَعَوَّدَتِ الجَميلَ وَعَوَّدَت
فِعلَdoing الجَميلِnoble deeds مِنَfrom الصِباyouth أَشبالَهاtheir cubs
فِعلَ الجَميلِ مِنَ الصِبا أَشبالَها
Lions accustomed to noble deeds, who have trained
their cubs from youth to do noble deeds.
غالَتslew أَعاديهاtheir foes وَغالَتand aspired beyond measure فيin العُلىhigh honor
غالَت أَعاديها وَغالَت في العُلى
وَحَمَتand defended بِأَطرافِwith the points of القَناlances أَغيالَهاtheir thickets
وَحَمَت بِأَطرافِ القَنا أَغيالَها
They slew their foes and aspired beyond measure to high honor,
and defended their thickets with the points of lances.
ياO مَنyou who أَراحَfreed مِنَfrom المَذمَّةِreproach راحَةًa palm
يا مَن أَراحَ مِنَ المَذمَّةِ راحَةً
أَضحىbecame جَميعُall العالمينَthe world's people عِيالَهاits dependents
أَضحى جَميعُ العالمينَ عِيالَها
O you who freed from reproach a palm
on which all the world's people have come to depend,
أَنعِلshoe جِيادَكَyour steeds بِالأَهِلَّةِwith crescent moons إِنَّهاindeed they
أَنعِل جِيادَكَ بِالأَهِلَّةِ إِنَّها
لَتَجِلَّare surely too noble أَنto تَلقىfind الحَديدَiron نِعالَهاtheir shoes
لَتَجِلَّ أَن تَلقى الحَديدَ نِعالَها
shoe your steeds with crescent moons, for they
are too noble to wear iron shoes.
عَوَّدتَهاyou trained them أَنto لاnot تَصونَshield صُدورَهاtheir breasts
عَوَّدتَها أَن لا تَصونَ صُدورَها
وَتَصونُand they shield مِنfrom وَقعِthe impact of القَناlances أَكفالَهاtheir rumps
وَتَصونُ مِن وَقعِ القَنا أَكفالَها
You trained them not to shield their breasts,
yet to shield their rumps from the impact of lances.
فيin مَأزِقٍa battle's crush لاnot يَستَقِرُّremain secure بِهِin it الطُلىnecks
في مَأزِقٍ لا يَستَقِرُّ بِهِ الطُلى
لَوif طالَعتَyou faced فيهِin it المَنونَDeath لَهالَهاit would appall her
لَو طالَعتَ فيهِ المَنونَ لَهالَها
In a battle's crush, where necks find no safety,
were you to meet Death there, she would be appalled.
حُزتَyou won العُلىhigh honor حَتّىuntil غَدَوتَyou became يَمينَهاits right hand
حُزتَ العُلى حَتّى غَدَوتَ يَمينَها
وَغَداand became المُلوكُkings بَنوthe sons of المُلوكِkings شِمالَهاits left hand
وَغَدا المُلوكُ بَنو المُلوكِ شِمالَها
You won high honor until you became its right hand,
while kings, the sons of kings, became its left.
وَرَدَدتُand I restored بِالبيضِwith the white blades الصَوارِمِthe cleaving ones دَولَةًa realm
وَرَدَدتُ بِالبيضِ الصَوارِمِ دَولَةً
لَولاكَbut for you ماnot كانَwould have الزَمانُtime أَدالَهاreturned it to power
لَولاكَ ما كانَ الزَمانُ أَدالَها
And I restored a realm with white, cleaving blades,
which, without you, time would never have returned to power.
فَأَقمتَso you erected أَركانَthe pillars of الشَريعَةِthe sacred Law بَعدَماafter
فَأَقمتَ أَركانَ الشَريعَةِ بَعدَما
كانَhad الزَمانُtime بِمَنكِبيهِwith its shoulders أَمالَهاtilted them
كانَ الزَمانُ بِمَنكِبيهِ أَمالَها
So you raised the pillars of the sacred Law after
time had tilted them with its shoulders.
وَحَمَلتَand you bore عَنهاaway from it النائِباتِcalamities وَلَمand not تَزَلceased
وَحَمَلتَ عَنها النائِباتِ وَلَم تَزَل
كَشّافَthe dispeller of كُلِّevery مُلِمَّةٍaffliction حَمّالَهاthe bearer of it
كَشّافَ كُلِّ مُلِمَّةٍ حَمّالَها
And you lifted calamities from it, and have ever been
the dispeller of every affliction, the bearer of its burden.
وَكَذاكَand likewise كانَused to أَبوكَyour father يَكشِفُdispel ضُرَّهاits suffering
وَكَذاكَ كانَ أَبوكَ يَكشِفُ ضُرَّها
وَيَفُكَّand unfasten مِنfrom أَعناقِهاits necks أَغلالَهاits shackles
وَيَفُكَّ مِن أَعناقِها أَغلالَها
And so too your father used to dispel its suffering,
and loosen its shackles from its necks.
لِلّهِto God be praise عاقِبَةُthe outcome of الشِهابِShihab فَإِنَّهاfor it
لِلّهِ عاقِبَةُ الشِهابِ فَإِنَّها
ماnot بَلَّغَتlet attain فيناagainst us العِداthe foes آمالَهاtheir hopes
ما بَلَّغَت فينا العِدا آمالَها
God be praised for Shihab's outcome, for it
did not let our foes fulfill their hopes against us.
وَلَقَدand indeed تَأَلَّمَتِsuffered المَكارِمُnoble virtues وَاِغتَدىand became
وَلَقَد تَأَلَّمَتِ المَكارِمُ وَاِغتَدى
إِبلالُهُhis recovery مِمّاfrom what شَكاhe suffered إِبلالَهاtheir recovery
إِبلالُهُ مِمّا شَكا إِبلالَها
Noble virtues truly suffered, and
his recovery from his ailment became their recovery.
ياO مَنyou whose تَجَمَّلَتِwere adorned العُصورُthe ages بِوَجهِهِby his face
يا مَن تَجَمَّلَتِ العُصورُ بِوَجهِهِ
لاmay not أَعدَمَdeprive اللَهُGod القُصورَthe palaces جَمالَهاof their beauty
لا أَعدَمَ اللَهُ القُصورَ جَمالَها
O you whose face has adorned the ages,
may God never deprive the palaces of their beauty.
إِنّيindeed I حَبَستُreserved عَلىfor عُلاكَyour high honor مَدائِحيmy praises
إِنّي حَبَستُ عَلى عُلاكَ مَدائِحي
وَحَلَلتُand I loosened عَنهاfrom them فيthroughout البِلادِthe lands عِقالَهاtheir tether
وَحَلَلتُ عَنها في البِلادِ عِقالَها
Indeed, I have reserved my praises for your high honor,
and throughout the lands have untied their tether.
لاdo not تَحمَدَنيpraise me فيfor مَقالِuttering قَصيدَةٍa poem
لا تَحمَدَني في مَقالِ قَصيدَةٍ
وَاحمَدand praise نَداكَyour generosity فَإِنَّfor indeed فَضلَكَyour bounty قالَهاspoke it
وَاحمَد نَداكَ فَإِنَّ فَضلَكَ قالَها
Do not praise me for uttering a poem;
and praise your generosity, for your bounty spoke it.
Sol 6.1