ألوتdeparted بأهلِwith the people of اللوىal-Liwa المهريةُthe Mahri camels النجبُthe noble, swift ones
ألوت بأهلِ اللوى المهريةُ النجبُ
فالحيُّso the tribe لاneither أَمَمٌnear منَّاfrom us ولاnor كَثَبُclose at hand
فالحيُّ لا أَمَمٌ منَّا ولا كَثَبُ
The noble Mahri camels carried off the people of al-Liwa.
The tribe of passionate love called me,
So the tribe is neither near us nor close at hand.
So I responded, for I am no coward or dullard.
لاno عُذْرَexcuse للعينِfor the eye إنْif هَبَّتْblew يمانيةٌa Yemeni breeze
لا عُذْرَ للعينِ إنْ هَبَّتْ يمانيةٌ
ولمand did not يبلَّwet نجاديmy sword-belt ماؤُهاits water السَّرِبstreaming
ولم يبلَّ نجادي ماؤُها السَّرِب
The eye has no excuse, if a Yemeni breeze blows,
My eyes cannot be blamed if a beauty has captivated them -
and its streaming tears do not drench my sword-belt.
Though her glances poured no wine, my veins were intoxicated.
نوىًseparation شطونٌfar-off وجيرانٌand neighbors نَشدْتُهُمI implored them
نوىً شطونٌ وجيرانٌ نَشدْتُهُم
عهدَthe pledge of الجوارneighborliness علىdespite بُعْدٍdistance فماyet not قربواthey drew near
عهدَ الجوار على بُعْدٍ فما قربوا
A far-off separation, and neighbors whom I implored
I called upon my neighbors at Nuway and Shatawan
by our bond as neighbors, despite the distance—yet they drew no nearer.
To uphold our bond of neighborliness, but they did not draw near.
رأواthey saw دماءًblood هُريقتْwas spilled يومَthe day of بينهمُtheir parting
رأوا دماءً هُريقتْ يومَ بينهمُ
فأنكروهاyet they denied it وهمthough they يدرونknow ماwhat السببthe cause
فأنكروها وهم يدرون ما السبب
They saw blood spilled on the day of their parting,
They saw blood spilled among them one day,
yet denied it, though they knew the cause.
Yet denied it, though the cause was clear.
أستودعُI entrust اللهGod أقماراًmoons علىat إضَمٍIdam
أستودعُ الله أقماراً على إضَمٍ
تُنازِعُvie with الحليَthe jewelry فيat لبَّاتِهاtheir throats الشُّهُبُthe bright stars
تُنازِعُ الحليَ في لبَّاتِها الشُّهُبُ
I entrust to God moons at Idam;
I entrust to God moons that adorn a binding -
the bright stars vie with the jewels at their throats.
They rival the new crescent with their brilliance.
ناديتُهاI called to them بمغانيat the dwellings of الجِزْعِthe valley's bend منْfrom كثَبٍnearby
ناديتُها بمغاني الجِزْعِ منْ كثَبٍ
حُيّيتِmay you be greeted أيتهاO الأغصانُthe boughs والكُثُبand the dunes
حُيّيتِ أيتها الأغصانُ والكُثُب
I called to them at the dwellings in the valley's bend, from close by:
With songs of sadness for the bond of Kuthayyir
"Greetings to you, O boughs and dunes!"
I greeted you, O branches and shrubs!
ياO لائميَّmy two reproachers غداةَon the morning of البينِparting لومُكماyour reproach (you two)
يا لائميَّ غداةَ البينِ لومُكما
لنارِfor the fire of قلبيmy heart علىamid شَحْطِthe remoteness of النوىseparation حَصَبfuel
لنارِ قلبي على شَحْطِ النوى حَصَب
O my two reproachers on the morning of parting, your reproach
O you who blame me at dawn for your absence -
is fuel for my heart's fire amid separation's remoteness.
For the fire in my heart upon the slopes of Nuwayy there is kindling.
إنَّindeed اللياليَthe nights والأيامَand the days أجدرmore deserving بالof the
إنَّ اللياليَ والأيامَ أجدر بال
تأنيبِreproach ممَّنthan one whom أطالتprolonged ظُلمَةُthe darkness of النُّوَبcalamities
تأنيبِ ممَّن أطالت ظُلمَةُ النُّوَب
The nights and days are surely more deserving of
The nights and days are more deserving of blame
reproach than one whose suffering the darkness of calamities has prolonged.
Than one darkened by the gloom of estrangement.
أشكوI complain منof الدهرِtime أنياباًfangs مُذَرَّبْةًsharpened
أشكو من الدهرِ أنياباً مُذَرَّبْةً
وبينand between فكيَّmy jaws هذاthis المِقْوَلُthe tongue الذَّرِبsharp
وبين فكيَّ هذا المِقْوَلُ الذَّرِب
I complain of time's sharpened fangs,
Of fate I complain of fangs made ragged -
while between my jaws lies this keen-edged tongue.
And between my jaws are words that flutter and flee.
تَغُضُّdetracts منِّيَfrom me فواso, oh عجباًwhat a wonder
تَغُضُّ منِّيَ فوا عجباً
لروضةٍat a garden غَضَّdetracted منهاfrom it النَّوْرُthe blossoms والعُشُبand the grass
لروضةٍ غَضَّ منها النَّوْرُ والعُشُب
My worth is diminished—oh, what a wonder
How strange that a garden once verdant
at a garden diminished by its own blossoms and grass!
Now withers, its greenery and radiance diminished!
ليعلمنَّshall surely learn زمانيmy age أيَّwhat مُنْقَلَبٍreversal
ليعلمنَّ زماني أيَّ مُنْقَلَبٍ
إذاwhen لقيتI meet بنيthe sons of داودَDawud يَنْقَلِبُit will turn
إذا لقيت بني داودَ يَنْقَلِبُ
My age shall surely learn what reversal
Let my age know what turmoil awaits
it will undergo when I meet the sons of Dawud.
When I meet the tribe of Dāwud recoiling in alarm.
قومٌa people لهاthey have شُفَراتٌblades منfrom عزائمهمtheir resolves
قومٌ لها شُفَراتٌ من عزائمهم
حدُّthe edge of السيوفِthe swords المواضيkeen-edged عندهاbeside them لُعَبُtoys
حدُّ السيوفِ المواضي عندها لُعَبُ
A people whose resolve has blades,
A people whose resolves have keen edges -
beside which the edges of keen swords are mere toys.
The gleam of their Indian swords is but child’s play to them.
إذاwhen احتَبَواthey sit with knees clasped فالجبالُthen the mountains الشمُّlofty راسخةٌfirmly rooted
إذا احتَبَوا فالجبالُ الشمُّ راسخةٌ
وإنand if حَبَواthey bestow gifts فالغمامُthen the clouds الجَوْدُrain-rich مُنْسَكِبُpouring down
وإن حَبَوا فالغمامُ الجَوْدُ مُنْسَكِبُ
When they sit with knees clasped, lofty mountains stand firmly rooted;
When they yearn, mountains firm as pillars stand fast,
and if they give, rain-laden clouds pour down.
And when they love, the clouds pour down torrents unceasing.
كمhow often صرَّفَmaneuvered الجيشَthe army منهمamong them قادةٌcommanders فُهُمٌdiscerning
كم صرَّفَ الجيشَ منهم قادةٌ فُهُمٌ
وأحرزَand secured المجدَglory منهمamong them سادةٌlords نُجُبُnoble
وأحرزَ المجدَ منهم سادةٌ نُجُبُ
How often have discerning commanders among them maneuvered the army,
How many armies have their wise leaders routed,
and noble lords among them won glory!
And how much glory their noble lords have secured!
سائلْask بهمْabout them كلَevery عَرَّاصٍquivering spear ومنصلتٍand drawn sword
سائلْ بهمْ كلَ عَرَّاصٍ ومنصلتٍ
تُخْبِرْكَwill tell you بالمأثُراتِof glorious deeds السُّمْرُthe tawny spears والقُضُبُand the blades
تُخْبِرْكَ بالمأثُراتِ السُّمْرُ والقُضُبُ
Ask about them every quivering spear and drawn sword;
Ask any soothsayer or diviner about their feats -
the tawny spears and blades will tell you of their glorious deeds.
The only response will be reverent silence.
أبناءَsons of حميرَHimyar إنْif أمسىhas become عليّكمُyour Ali
أبناءَ حميرَ إنْ أمسى عليّكمُ
بدراًa full moon لكمfor you فلأنتمthen surely you حولهaround him شُهُبُbright stars
بدراً لكم فلأنتم حوله شُهُبُ
O sons of Himyar, if your Ali has become
Sons of donkeys! If to you
a full moon for you, then surely you are bright stars around him.
I am the moon, then you are but shooting stars about it.
المرسلُhe who sends forth السمرَthe tawny spears أشطاناًas well-ropes أسنتهاtheir spearheads
المرسلُ السمرَ أشطاناً أسنتها
دِلاؤُناour buckets وقلوبُand the hearts of الفيلقِthe army القُلُبthe wells
دِلاؤُنا وقلوبُ الفيلقِ القُلُب
He who sends forth tawny spears as well-ropes—their spearheads
The horseman thrusting steeds until the steeds say:
our buckets, and the army's hearts the wells—
“Would that the crooked had never a hoof created!”
والطاعنُand he who pierces الخيلَthe horses حتىuntil الخيلُthe horses قائلةٌsaying
والطاعنُ الخيلَ حتى الخيلُ قائلةٌ
ياoh ليْتَwould that أعوجَA‘waj لمnot يُخْلَقwere created لهfor him عقِبoffspring
يا ليْتَ أعوجَ لم يُخْلَق له عقِب
and pierces the horses until the horses cry:
A eulogy I composed, stripping away
"Oh, would that no offspring had ever been born to A‘waj!"
Every adornment of praise - its elegance lies in its candor.
نَدْبٌa gallant man خلعتُI bestowed عليهupon him كلَّevery مُعْلَمَةٍornamented robe
نَدْبٌ خلعتُ عليه كلَّ مُعْلَمَةٍ
منof المدائحpraises وَشَّىembroidered بُرْدَهاtheir mantle الأدبliterary art
من المدائح وَشَّى بُرْدَها الأدب
is a gallant man; I have draped him in every ornamented robe
Had it been recited at Ukaz, while the tribes
of praise, whose mantle literary art has embroidered.
Harked to feats made eternal in verse and oration,
لوif أُنْشِدَتْthey were recited بعكاظٍat ‘Ukaz والقبائلwhile the tribes قدalready
لو أُنْشِدَتْ بعكاظٍ والقبائل قد
نَصَّتْproclaimed مآثرَهاtheir glorious deeds الأشعارُthe poems والخطبand the speeches
نَصَّتْ مآثرَها الأشعارُ والخطب
If these praises were recited at ‘Ukaz, while the tribes had already
The Arabs would acknowledge its surpassing merit
had their glorious deeds proclaimed in poems and speeches,
And concur in extolling its preeminence.
أَقرَّwould concede يعربُYa‘rub بالسَّبْقِthe lead المبينِclear لهاfor them
أَقرَّ يعربُ بالسَّبْقِ المبينِ لها
وأَجْمَعَand agreed unanimously الرأيَin judgment فيon تفضيلهاpreferring them العربthe Arabs
وأَجْمَعَ الرأيَ في تفضيلها العرب
Ya‘rub would acknowledge their clear preeminence,
and the Arabs would unanimously deem them superior.
Partial English translation: 40 of 42 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1