ياO دارهاher dwelling بالشعبin the mountain pass شعبthe pass of الحائلal-Ha'il
يا دارها بالشعب شعب الحائل
غاداكmay ... visit you at dawn مرفضthe outpouring of الغمامthe clouds الهاطلpouring rain
غاداك مرفض الغمام الهاطل
O her dwelling in the mountain pass, the pass of al-Ha'il,
O home in Al-Shaab, the people of Ha'il's home
may the outpouring of rain-laden clouds visit you at dawn!
The descending clouds have left you
تبدلتit has exchanged عنaway from كلevery حالstate آنسcheerful
تبدلت عن كل حال آنس
منfrom أهلهاits inhabitants بكلfor every نادdew-laden هاطلpouring
من أهلها بكل ناد هاطل
It has exchanged every once-cheerful state
You have changed from all familiarity
bestowed by its people for every dew-laden, pouring shower.
From your people in every inhabited place
عجباhow strange! بهاthere ركابناour mounts لكيso that نرىwe may see
عجبا بها ركابنا لكي نرى
ماwhat صنعتhave wrought أيديthe hands of الزمانtime الماحلtreacherous
ما صنعت أيدي الزمان الماحل
How strange! Our mounts there, that we may see [wording unclear]
How strange for our mounts so we can see
what the hands of treacherous time have wrought.
What the hands of time, the changer, have done
كأنماas though كلall هوىthe yearning of قلوبناour hearts
كأنما كل هوى قلوبنا
ركبwas lodged فيin قوائمthe legs of الرواحلthe riding beasts
ركب في قوائم الرواحل
As though all the yearning of our hearts
As if all the passion of our hearts
had been lodged in the legs of the riding beasts.
Rode on the legs of the departing ones
والتأمتand met جحفلهاits beast-lip ترابهاits dust
والتأمت جحفلها ترابها
فمسعديso my comforter ملتئمjoined together الجحافلthe lips of beasts
فمسعدي ملتئم الجحافل
And the beast's lip met the dwelling's dust,
And their throngs gathered their dust
so my comforter is the one with lips pressed together.
So my comrades' groups have gathered
انif مصحhas stripped bare الدهرtime بهاthere ربوعهاits dwelling-places
ان مصح الدهر بها ربوعها
فليسthen ... is not تمصيحthe stripping of الرباthe hills بباطلin vain
فليس تمصيح الربا بباطل
If time has stripped its dwelling-places bare there,
If fate smiled upon it with its meadows
the stripping of the hills is not in vain.
Then smiling upon the land is not in vain
وانand if نمتhave flourished بعدهمafter them ديارهمtheir dwellings
وان نمت بعدهم ديارهم
فالنازلونfor the inhabitants انفسthe souls of المنازلthe dwellings
فالنازلون انفس المنازل
And if their dwellings have flourished after them,
And if their homes slept after them
the inhabitants are the souls of the dwellings.
Those who descend are the same as those who ascended
للّهto God! (exclamation) عيشa life ذهبتhas vanished نضرتهits freshness
للّه عيش ذهبت نضرته
كأنهas though it were رقدةa slumber ظلshade زائلfleeting
كأنه رقدة ظل زائل
Ah, for a life whose freshness has vanished,
For God, a life whose radiance is gone
like a slumber beneath a fleeting shade!
As if it were a vanishing shadow's slumber
وليلةand a night قضيتهاI spent it بعاقلat ʿAqil
وليلة قضيتها بعاقل
سبقىunclear; perhaps 'may ... water' الغمامthe clouds ليلتيmy night بعاقلat ʿAqil
سبقى الغمام ليلتي بعاقل
And a night I spent at ʿAqil—
And a night I spent with a lover
may the clouds water my night at ʿAqil [reading uncertain]!
The clouds preceded my night with a lover
اذwhen الثرياthe Pleiades لهمto them نجومهاits stars
اذ الثريا لهم نجومها
كأنهاas though it were ترسthe shield of فتىa young man منازلdueling
كأنها ترس فتى منازل
When the Pleiades—its stars belonged to them—
As if for them the Pleiades
looked like a young duelist's shield,
Were like the shields of one who camps
والبدرand the full moon فيin كبدthe heart of السماءthe sky حائرbewildered
والبدر في كبد السماء حائر
كأنهas though it were وعدthe promise of حبيبa beloved ماطلprocrastinating
كأنه وعد حبيب ماطل
and the full moon hung bewildered in the heart of the sky,
And the moon in the belly of the sky wandering
like the promise of a procrastinating beloved.
As if it were a promise of an absent lover
احببتهاI loved it مرتشفاًsipping بلاwithout (phrase unclear) بلاwithout (phrase unclear)
احببتها مرتشفاً بلا بلا
مهربa refuge عندwhen شربهاdrinking it بلاwithout بلىdecay
مهرب عند شربها بلا بلى
I loved it, sipping—without, without [phrase unclear];
I loved it sipping without but
a refuge when drinking it, without decay.
Fleeing from drinking it without a but
ارشفهاI sip it حتىuntil إذاwhen ماan emphatic particle فرغتI have finished
ارشفها حتى إذا ما فرغت
جمعتI brought together بينbetween القرطthe earring والخلاخلand the anklets
جمعت بين القرط والخلاخل
I sip it until, when I have finished,
I sipped it until when it ran out
I bring the earring and the anklets together.
I gathered between the anklet and the ankle bracelets
للهوfor pleasure آونةmoments نمرwe pass خلسةby stealth
للهو آونة نمر خلسة
كأنهاas though they were تقبيلkissing ثغرthe lips of راحلone departing
كأنها تقبيل ثغر راحل
Pleasure has moments through which we pass by stealth,
For amusement, like a panther stealing
like kissing the lips of one departing.
As if kissing the mouth of a departing one
قدindeed جنحhas swerved الدهرtime فلاso not الوصلunion بهin it
قد جنح الدهر فلا الوصل به
بخالصsincere منfrom الصدورthe hearts كاملcomplete
بخالص من الصدور كامل
Time has swerved; union in it is not
Fate has turned away, and sincere separation
sincere from the heart and complete,
Is not complete in hearts
حتىuntil ابيAbu الفضلal-Fadl الشريفthe noble راشدRashid
حتى ابي الفضل الشريف راشد
كنزthe treasure of الرجاhope ومهزةand the stirrer of القبائلthe tribes
كنز الرجا ومهزة القبائل
until Abu al-Fadl, the noble Rashid,
Until my father, the noble Al Rashid
the treasure of hope, who stirs the tribes.
Treasure of hope and standard of the tribes
معتدقembracing (reading uncertain) الحلمforbearance اعتناقthe embracing of فتكهhis deadly force
معتدق الحلم اعتناق فتكه
مجتتبshunning (reading uncertain) البخلmiserliness اجتئابshunning (reading uncertain) الباطلfalsehood
مجتتب البخل اجتئاب الباطل
He embraces forbearance as he embraces his deadly force [reading uncertain],
Embracing wisdom with the embrace of his might
shunning miserliness as he shuns falsehood [readings uncertain].
Abstaining from stinginess with the abstinence of falsehood
اذاwhen ارتدىhe dons الفضفاضthe ample coat of mail قالsaid قبائلtribes
اذا ارتدى الفضفاض قال قبائل
منwho نظرhas seen البحورthe seas فيin الجداولthe streams
من نظر البحور في الجداول
When he dons the ample coat of mail, tribes say:
If he dons the wide cloak, the tribes say
Who has seen seas within streams?
"Who saw the oceans in the streams?"
لاnot يلتقيhe meets الجيشthe army بغيرwithout مهجةa soul
لا يلتقي الجيش بغير مهجة
جليلةof lofty worth تدخرis reserved للجلائلfor momentous deeds
جليلة تدخر للجلائل
He meets no army without a soul
The army does not meet without
of lofty worth, saved for momentous deeds.
His glorious strategy reserved for crises
وشزبand lean steeds انif صدرتreturns رايتهاtheir banner
وشزب ان صدرت رايتها
سلمىunscathed الصفاحthe sides كلمwounded الاباطلthe armpits of beasts
سلمى الصفاح كلم الاباطل
And lean steeds, when their banner returns,
And his sword, if banners are raised
their sides unscathed, their armpits wounded,
Makes the blades of the polished swords blunt
تركضthey gallop فيin غبارهاtheir dust بعارضamid a cloud
تركض في غبارها بعارض
يسمحgives freely منfrom دمائهاtheir blood بقابلto a recipient
يسمح من دمائها بقابل
gallop through their dust amid a cloud
It gallops in its dust with one facing it
that gives freely of their blood to a recipient.
Who spares blood with retaliation
ياO مظىءmaking thirsty (reading uncertain) الخيلthe steeds كأنas though ليسthere is not لهاfor them
يا مظىء الخيل كأن ليس لها
غيرother than دماءthe blood of الصيدproud lords منany مناهلwatering places
غير دماء الصيد من مناهل
O you who make the steeds thirst [reading uncertain], as though they had
O shelter of horses, as if they have
no watering places but the blood of proud lords;
No drink but the blood of prey from watering places
وموردand bringing to drink البيضthe white blades كأنas though صوتهاtheir sound
ومورد البيض كأن صوتها
علىagainst العداthe enemies قعقعةthe clattering of السنادلanvils
على العدا قعقعة السنادل
and who bring the white blades to drink, as though their sound
And the watering place, as if their sound
against the enemy were the clatter of anvils.
Against enemies is the rattling of snakes
تختطفyou snatch away الهامheads بهاwith them نواشداًcalling in entreaty
تختطف الهام بها نواشداً
لاmay ... not قطعتbe severed سواعدthe forearms of الصياقلthe sword-polishers
لا قطعت سواعد الصياقل
With them you snatch away heads, crying in entreaty:
Snatching resolve with melodies
May the sword-polishers' forearms never be severed!
That cut the wrists of polished swords
كأنماas though حكمتهاtheir wisdom علىover الشوىthe limbs
كأنما حكمتها على الشوى
حكمةthe wisdom of لقمانLuqman علىover المفاصلthe joints
حكمة لقمان على المفاصل
As though their wisdom over the limbs
As if its wisdom over the embers
were Luqman's wisdom over the joints.
Is Luqman's wisdom over joints
هلis there? لكfor you فيin فخركyour glory منany مفاخرrival in glory
هل لك في فخرك من مفاخر
هلis there? لكfor you فيin فضلكyour excellence منany مفاضلrival in excellence
هل لك في فضلك من مفاضل
Is there anyone to rival you in your glory?
Do you have prides among prides?
Is there anyone to rival you in your excellence?
Do you have merits among merits?
وماand what عسىcould be فخرهمtheir pride ومنعهمand their withholding
وما عسى فخرهم ومنعهم
كمادرlike Madir وقسهمand their Quss كباقلlike Baqil
كمادر وقسهم كباقل
And what can their pride and withholding amount to?
What can their pride and prevention be
Like Madir—and their Quss is like Baqil.
Like vegetables and their harshness like onions?
قدindeed قصدواthey aimed at واللّهby God غيرone not قاصدaiming
قد قصدوا واللّه غير قاصد
وافتعلواand they schemed واللّهby God غيرone not فاعلacting
وافتعلوا واللّه غير فاعل
They aimed, by God, at one who was not aiming,
By God, they intended without intending
and schemed, by God, against one who had not acted,
And plotted without being plotters
وخاصمواand they challenged مهنداan Indian-steel sword ليسthere is no لهfor it
وخاصموا مهندا ليس له
للدينfor the faith غيرother than النصرvictory منany حمائلsword-belts
للدين غير النصر من حمائل
and challenged an Indian blade with no
And disputed with someone who has
baldric in religion's cause but victory.
No weapons but victory to defend the faith
رامواthey sought اكتتامthe concealment of نورthe light of حقtruth باهرdazzling
راموا اكتتام نور حق باهر
وحاولواand they attempted قصرthe curtailment of كمالperfection طائلlofty
وحاولوا قصر كمال طائل
They sought to conceal the dazzling light of truth,
They wanted to veil the evident light of truth
and tried to curtail a lofty perfection.
And attempted to limit the far-reaching perfect
وماand not سمعناwe have heard أوor رأيناwe have seen فيin الدجاthe darkness
وما سمعنا أو رأينا في الدجا
قدindeed كميتwas concealed شعشعةthe radiance of المشاعلthe torches
قد كميت شعشعة المشاعل
We have neither heard nor seen, in the darkness,
We did not hear or see in the gloom
the radiance of torches ever concealed.
The illumination of torches obscured
احبthe dearest of كلall مرتعpastures معشيةgrassy (reading uncertain)
احب كل مرتع معشية
وأيمنand the most blessed of الاكفhands كفthe hand of باذلa giver
وأيمن الاكف كف باذل
The dearest of all pastures is the grassy one [reading uncertain],
I love every place of evening pasture
and the most blessed of hands is the hand of a giver.
And the best palms are giving palms
اذاwhen ارادwishes اللّهGod كشفto uncover منقبa merit (reading uncertain)
اذا اراد اللّه كشف منقب
خافhidden رماهHe assails it بعنادwith the obstinacy of جاهلan ignoramus
خاف رماه بعناد جاهل
When God wishes to uncover a merit [reading uncertain],
If God wills to uncover a reputation
hidden, He subjects it to an ignoramus's obstinacy.
One who fears its throwing fears an ignorant fool
لولاwere it not for اشتعالthe kindling of النارthe fire واضطرامهاand its fierce blazing
لولا اشتعال النار واضطرامها
ماnot عرفwas distinguished الرمثramth brushwood منfrom الصنادلsandalwood
ما عرف الرمث من الصنادل
Were it not for the fire's kindling and fierce blaze,
If not for the flame's kindling and flaring up
ramth brushwood could not be distinguished from sandalwood.
The tinder would not be known from the flints
فجأتهمyou surprised them لاno سيفsword of عزمresolve كاهمblunt
فجأتهم لا سيف عزم كاهم
ولاnor جوادa steed of همةambition بناكلshrinking back
ولا جواد همة بناكل
You surprised them, no sword of resolve blunted,
They came upon them, no resolute sword humbled them
nor any steed of ambition shrinking back.
Nor did the resolve of a biter humiliate them
قطعتهمyou cut them down معتجلاhastening علىupon القتاunclear; perhaps 'spears'
قطعتهم معتجلا على القتا
كدقlike pounding لامينtwo lām letters بفرقby the separation of نائلa giver
كدق لامين بفرق نائل
You cut them down, hastening upon the spears [reading uncertain],
It cut them, hastily attacking the slain
like pounding two lāms by a giver's separation [wording unclear].
Like the striking of lightning, obtaining drink
قدmay يدركbe attained المجدglory يجهلacts ignorantly جاهلan ignorant man
قد يدرك المجد يجهل جاهل
ويصحبand accompanies الذلhumiliation بعقلwith the reason of عاقلa wise man
ويصحب الذل بعقل عاقل
Glory may be attained while an ignorant man acts ignorantly,
Glory may be attained by an ignorant one
and humiliation may accompany a wise man's reason.
And humiliation accompanies a wise one
لاmay ... not عدمlack الناسthe people جنىthe fruit of فضيلةa virtue
لا عدم الناس جنى فضيلة
منكfrom you فأنتfor you are معدنthe mine of الفضائلvirtues
منك فأنت معدن الفضائل
May people never lack the fruit of a virtue
People will not lack the fruits of your merit
from you, for you are the mine of virtues.
For you are the essence of merits
Sol 6.1