جاءتكcame to you أولادُoffspring الوجيهal-Wajih ولاحقِand Lahiq
جاءتك أولادُ الوجيه ولاحقِ
فأرَتْكَso showed you فيin الخَلقِcreated form ابتداعَthe invention الخالقِof the Creator
فأرَتْكَ في الخَلقِ ابتداعَ الخالقِ
The offspring of al-Wajih and Lahiq have come to you,
The sons of the notable came to you eagerly,
and shown you the Creator's invention in their form.
So they saw in you the Creator's innovation in creation,
نينانُfish أمواهof waters وفُتْخُand broad-winged eagles سباسبٍof open plains
نينانُ أمواه وفُتْخُ سباسبٍ
وظباءُand gazelles آجامٍof thickets وعُصْمُand white-footed ibex شواهقِof lofty peaks
وظباءُ آجامٍ وعُصْمُ شواهقِ
Fish of the waters, broad-winged eagles of the plains,
Twisting serpents, fluttering hummingbirds,
and gazelles of the thickets and white-footed ibex of the peaks.
Gazelles of Ajjam, and the necks of towering ones.
بمؤلَّلاتٍwith pointed ears تستديرُswivel كَأَنّهاas though they were
بمؤلَّلاتٍ تستديرُ كَأَنّها
أقلامُpens مُبتدعِof the inventor الكتابةِof writing ماشقِa swift penman
أقلامُ مُبتدعِ الكتابةِ ماشقِ
With pointed ears that swivel as though they were
With twists as if they were pens of the innovator of writing unsheathing,
the pens of writing's inventor, a swift penman.
They have signed to you with happiness and have not drawn
قدindeed وَقّعتْinscribed لكfor you بالسعودwith good fortune وماand did not جَرَتْrun
قد وَقّعتْ لك بالسعود وما جَرَتْ
بسوادِwith the blackness نِقْسٍof ink فيin بياضthe whiteness مَهارِقِof writing sheets
بسوادِ نِقْسٍ في بياض مَهارِقِ
They have inscribed good fortune for you, though they have not run
With the blackness of patterns in the whiteness of beautifully decked out,
with black ink across white writing sheets.
A cave decorated whose creation was perfected
غُرٌّwhite-blazed محجَّلَةٌwhite-socked تكامَلَbecame complete خلقهاtheir form
غُرٌّ محجَّلَةٌ تكامَلَ خلقها
بمجانسٍwith what harmonizes منof حسنهاtheir beauty ومطابقِand what matches
بمجانسٍ من حسنها ومطابقِ
White-blazed and white-socked, their form is perfected
With beauties from her beauty and proportions.
by harmonious and matching features of their beauty.
It is as if her faces gave life to your elevation
وكأنّماand as though حَيّتْsaluted عُلاكَyour eminence وجوههاtheir faces
وكأنّما حَيّتْ عُلاكَ وجوهها
فأسالso poured فيهاacross them الصبحُdawn بيضَwhite طَرائقِstreaks
فأسال فيها الصبحُ بيضَ طَرائقِ
And their faces seemed to salute your eminence,
So the dawn poured in them the whites of paths.
so dawn poured white streaks across them.
The treasures of their Arabic in their necks rattled
كرّتreappeared ذخائرtreasures عربهاof their Arab stock فيin عتقهاtheir pure breeding
كرّت ذخائر عربها في عتقها
وَشَأتْand outstripped بفضلةwith the surplus of عَدوِهاtheir gallop المُتلاحِقِunceasing
وَشَأتْ بفضلة عَدوِها المُتلاحِقِ
The treasures of their Arab stock reappear in their pure breeding,
And thrived through the abundance of their successive opponent.
and they outstrip them, with speed to spare in their unbroken gallop.
And when majesty stripped off its garb,
وإذاand when الجلالthe horsecloths تجرّدَتwere stripped away عنfrom جردهاtheir sleek bodies
وإذا الجلال تجرّدَت عن جردها
لبستthey donned غلالةَa thin robe كلّevery لونٍcolor رائقِpleasing
لبست غلالةَ كلّ لونٍ رائقِ
And when the horsecloths are stripped from their sleek bodies,
She wore a transparent garment of every pleasant color.
they don a thin robe of every pleasing hue.
From every edge it takes flight like its edge,
منof كلّevery طِرْفٍnoble steed يستطيرُflies كَطَرْفِهِlike its glance
من كلّ طِرْفٍ يستطيرُ كَطَرْفِهِ
جَرْياًin running فوثبَتُهso its leap غِلابُoutstripping السابِقِthe frontrunner
جَرْياً فوثبَتُه غِلابُ السابِقِ
Each noble steed flies as swiftly as its glance,
Its leaping overriding that of the preceding.
in its gallop; its leap outstrips the frontrunner.
A rose whose red moisture pulsed in it
وَرْدٌa rosy bay تَمَيَّعَmelted فيهwithin it عَنْدَمُred dye حُمْرَةٍredness
وَرْدٌ تَمَيَّعَ فيه عَنْدَمُ حُمْرَةٍ
كالوردlike a rose أُهْدِيَwas offered فيin الرّبيعspring لناشقِto one smelling it
كالورد أُهْدِيَ في الرّبيع لناشقِ
A rosy bay, with crimson dye dissolved within it,
Like a rose gifted in spring to one smiling.
like a rose offered in spring to one who breathes its scent.
It is as if its bashfulness and the bashfulness of its face
وكأَنَّهُand as though it وكأنَّand as though غُرَّةَthe white blaze وَجهِهِits face
وكأَنَّهُ وكأنَّ غُرَّةَ وَجهِهِ
شفقٌtwilight glow تألّقَshone فيهwithin it مطلَعُthe rising شارِقِof a radiant sun
شفقٌ تألّقَ فيه مطلَعُ شارِقِ
And it seems, with the white blaze upon its face,
Were an afterglow in which shone the rise of the radiant.
a twilight glow in which a rising sun shines.
It is as if the morn honored its mouth with a kiss
وَكَأَنَّand as though صبحاًdawn خصَّfavored فاهits mouth بِقُبلَةٍwith a kiss
وَكَأَنَّ صبحاً خصَّ فاه بِقُبلَةٍ
فابيضّso turned white موضعهاits spot لِعَيْنto the eye الرامقِof the beholder
فابيضّ موضعها لِعَيْن الرامقِ
And dawn seems to have favored its mouth with a kiss,
So the place of the kiss whitened to the eye of the observer.
so the spot of that kiss turned white to the beholder's eye.
Hunting with vigor and charm
مُتَصيِّدٍa hunter برياضةٍwith training وطلاقةٍand freedom of movement
مُتَصيِّدٍ برياضةٍ وطلاقةٍ
فيin تيهhaughtiness معشوقٍof a beloved وطاعةand obedience عاشقِof a lover
في تيه معشوقٍ وطاعة عاشقِ
A hunter, well-trained and free-moving,
In the bewilderment of the beloved and obedience of the lover.
with a beloved's haughtiness and a lover's obedience.
And if it neighs, singing with the neigh,
وإذاand when تَغَنّىit sings بالصهيلwith neighing مطرِّباًenchantingly
وإذا تَغَنّى بالصهيل مطرِّباً
أنسىmade one forget أغانِيَthe songs مَعْبَدٍof Ma'bad ومخارقِand Mukhariq
أنسى أغانِيَ مَعْبَدٍ ومخارقِ
And when it sings enchantingly in neighs,
It makes me forget the songs of place of worship and places of ascension.
it makes one forget the songs of Ma'bad and Mukhariq.
And red-gold is the color of its shirt with duskiness
ومزعفرٍand a saffron-tinted one لونَthe color القميصof the tunic بِشُقْرَةٍwith chestnut coloring
ومزعفرٍ لونَ القميص بِشُقْرَةٍ
كالرّيحlike the wind تعصفُrages فيin التِهابthe blaze البارقِof lightning
كالرّيح تعصفُ في التِهاب البارقِ
And one whose tunic's hue is saffron-tinted with chestnut,
Like the blowing wind in the kindling of lightning.
like wind raging through lightning's blaze.
You see it trot away like the darkening with its crupper
وتَراهُand you see it يدبرُturning away كالظليمِlike a male ostrich بِرِدفِهِin its hindquarters
وتَراهُ يدبرُ كالظليمِ بِرِدفِهِ
عُجْباًproudly ويُقبِلُand approaches كانتصابِlike the upright stance الباشقِof a sparrowhawk
عُجْباً ويُقبِلُ كانتصابِ الباشقِ
And you see it turn away, its hindquarters like a male ostrich's,
Amazingly and turn towards like the rising of the hero.
proudly, and approach with a sparrowhawk's upright stance.
And if the unobtainable is accompanied by it, it takes you
وإِذاand when طَرَقتyou travel by night بهupon it انتَهىit reaches بكَwith you غايَةa destination
وإِذا طَرَقت به انتَهى بكَ غايَة
أبداًalways تشقّis hard to reach علىfor الخيالthe phantom الطارقِvisiting by night
أبداً تشقّ على الخيال الطارقِ
And when you travel by night upon it, it takes you to a goal
To a limit that is forever hard on the imagining mind.
always hard for the night-visiting phantom to attain.
The bay horse nearly acted for the absence of the studied
كَادَalmost الكميتُthe dark bay يَنوبُsubstitutes عَنfor لَعسِthe dusky tint اللمىdusky lips
كَادَ الكميتُ يَنوبُ عَن لَعسِ اللمى
ويسوغُand is palatable كالخمرlike wine الكُمَيْتِdark-red لذائقِto a taster
ويسوغُ كالخمر الكُمَيْتِ لذائقِ
The dark bay almost takes the place of the dusky hue of lips,
And legitimized like wine the forbidden to the taster.
and goes down like dark-red wine for one who tastes it.
It extended over the sea at its crossing
ويَمدُّand stretches فَوْقَover البحرِthe sea عِندَat عُبورِهِits crossing
ويَمدُّ فَوْقَ البحرِ عِندَ عُبورِهِ
جسراًa bridge بهادٍwith a neck للسماءِto the sky معانقِembracing
جسراً بهادٍ للسماءِ معانقِ
And, as it crosses, it stretches over the sea
A bridge, calmly embracing the sky.
a bridge, with its neck embracing the sky.
Horses as if the galloping from their arrogance
خَيلٌhorses كَأنَّas though الرّكضَthe galloping منfrom خيلائهاtheir proud swagger
خَيلٌ كَأنَّ الرّكضَ من خيلائها
فيin قلبthe heart كلّof every معاندٍadversary ومنافقِand hypocrite
في قلب كلّ معاندٍ ومنافقِ
Horses that, in their pride, seem to gallop
Were in the heart of each stubborn and hypocritical one.
in the heart of every adversary and hypocrite.
It is as if they divided between themselves the eyes of contentious ones
وكَأَنَّماand as though اقتَسَمَتْthey shared out عيونَthe eyes أَجادلٍof falcons
وكَأَنَّما اقتَسَمَتْ عيونَ أَجادلٍ
وشدوقَand the jaws غربانٍof ravens وسوقِand the shanks نقانِقِof male ostriches
وشدوقَ غربانٍ وسوقِ نقانِقِ
And it is as though they had shared out the eyes of falcons,
And the anuses of ravens and the market of chatterboxes.
and the jaws of ravens and the shanks of male ostriches.
Their forelocks deceive every foolish slanderer
قُدْهاlead them تخبthey trot بكلّwith every ذِمْرٍbrave warrior أبلهٍguileless
قُدْها تخب بكلّ ذِمْرٍ أبلهٍ
بخداعِat outwitting أبطالchampions الوقائِعِof battles حاذِقِskilled
بخداعِ أبطال الوقائِعِ حاذِقِ
Lead them: they trot with every brave, guileless warrior,
With the guile of the heroes of events, clever,
skilled at outwitting the champions of battle.
And if they stirred up clouds with their hooves,
وإِذاand when أثَرْنَthey raise بِنَقعِهِنَّwith their dust سحائِباًclouds
وإِذا أثَرْنَ بِنَقعِهِنَّ سحائِباً
صبَّتْthey poured down علىupon الأعداءِthe enemies صَوْبَa shower صواعِقِof thunderbolts
صبَّتْ على الأعداءِ صَوْبَ صواعِقِ
And when they raise clouds with their dust,
They would pour upon the enemies a pouring of bolts.
those pour a shower of thunderbolts upon the enemy.
You have become among the masters a supporter of a state
أصبحتَyou have become فيamong الساداتthe lords ناصرَa champion دَوْلَةٍof a realm
أصبحتَ في السادات ناصرَ دَوْلَةٍ
تصفُdescribe العُلىlofty glory عدلtruthful مناطقِutterances
تصفُ العُلى عدل مناطقِ
You have become, among the lords, a champion of a realm,
Whose justice describes the highest domains.
whose lofty glory truthful tongues proclaim.
A hero whose mention in its registers lengthens
بطلاًa hero يطولtowers بذكرهthrough his renown فيin سلمهِhis peacetime
بطلاً يطول بذكره في سلمهِ
كصيالهas in his onslaught بحسامِهِwith his sharp sword فيin المازقِthe perilous straits
كصياله بحسامِهِ في المازقِ
A hero who towers through his renown in peacetime,
Like his sword in the scabbards during battle.
as in his onslaught with his sword in the press of battle.
Traveling towards the heights, residing
مُتَرَحِّلاًjourneying نحوَtoward المعاليhigh honors ساكِناًdwelling
مُتَرَحِّلاً نحوَ المعالي ساكِناً
بالجيشwith the army فيin ظلِّthe shade اللواءِof the banner الخافِقِfluttering
بالجيش في ظلِّ اللواءِ الخافِقِ
Journeying toward high honors, yet dwelling
With the army in the shade of the fluttering banner.
with the army in the shade of the fluttering banner.
His resolves tightened its perils as
شَدّتْmade firm عزائمُهُhis resolves مهالكَهُhis perilous paths كماjust as
شَدّتْ عزائمُهُ مهالكَهُ كما
شُدّتْwere made firm فرازينٌchess viziers بعقدِby a chain of بيادِقِpawns
شُدّتْ فرازينٌ بعقدِ بيادِقِ
His resolves have secured his perilous paths, just as
The straps were tightened with the knot of WHITE beads.
chess viziers are secured by a chain of pawns.
Partial English translation: 53 of 54 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1