أينwhere منّيfrom me عَتْبُreproach أحبابٍloved ones هجودْasleep
أين منّي عَتْبُ أحبابٍ هجودْ
قَتَلُواthey killed نوميmy sleep بإِحياءِby reviving الصُّدودْrejection
قَتَلُوا نومي بإِحياءِ الصُّدودْ
How can I reproach loved ones fast asleep?
Where is the reproach of friends whose hearts have turned to stone?
They killed my sleep by reviving rejection.
They killed my sleep by reviving estrangement.
وخِلِّيand my beloved لمdid not تَبِتْspend the night أحْشاؤُهُhis innards
وخِلِّي لم تَبِتْ أحْشاؤُهُ
آهah! منfor وصلٍunion عَنِfrom القُربِnearness يَذودdrives away
آه من وصلٍ عَنِ القُربِ يَذود
And my beloved's heart did not pass the night—
My innermost being did not spend the night in tranquility.
ah, a union that drives one away from closeness!
Alas for a union that avoids intimacy and draws apart!
وخَلِّيand my beloved لمْdid not تَبِتْspend the night أحْشاؤهُhis innards
وخَلِّي لمْ تَبِتْ أحْشاؤهُ
وهيَwhile they are بِالتبريحِthrough torment لِلنارِfor fire وَقودfuel
وهيَ بِالتبريحِ لِلنارِ وَقود
And my beloved's heart did not pass the night
My innermost being did not spend the night in tranquility,
as fuel for fire in anguished torment.
While it is fuel for the fire through separation.
قَالَhe said كَمhow long تَظماyou thirst مِنَfrom الظَّلْمِgleaming saliva إلىtoward
قَالَ كَم تَظما مِنَ الظَّلْمِ إلى
مَوْرِدٍa watering place لمnot تَرْوَyou were quenched منهُfrom it بِوُرودby visiting
مَوْرِدٍ لم تَرْوَ منهُ بِوُرود
He said: How long will gleaming saliva make you thirst for
He said, "How long will you continue to suffer injustice,
a spring where coming to drink has never quenched you,
Until you arrive at a meadow where you see no flowers blooming?"
شِيبَwas mingled بِالمِسكِwith musk وَبِالشهدِand with honey معاًtogether
شِيبَ بِالمِسكِ وَبِالشهدِ معاً
وَالمَساويكُand the tooth-sticks علىconcerning ذاكَthat شُهودwitnesses
وَالمَساويكُ على ذاكَ شُهود
mingled with musk and honey together,
My hair turned white and black at the same time,
with the tooth-sticks bearing witness to that?
And witnesses attest to that.
أَوor تُرجِّيyou hope for نَيلَattainment صادٍa thirsty man لِلَّمىof dusky lips
أَو تُرجِّي نَيلَ صادٍ لِلَّمى
قلتُI said لولاwere it not for الماءُwater ماnot أوْرَقَgrew leaves عودa branch
قلتُ لولا الماءُ ما أوْرَقَ عود
Or do you hope a thirsty man will attain those dusky lips?
Or do you hope to attain the wishes of the afflicted one?
I said: Without water, no branch would put forth leaves.
I said, "Without water, wood would not leaf out."
قَالَhe said إِنَّindeed البيضَfair women لاnot تَحظىyou win favor بِهاwith them
قَالَ إِنَّ البيضَ لا تَحظى بِها
أوunless تَرىyou see بِيضَthe white ذؤاباتِكَyour forelocks سُودblack
أو تَرى بِيضَ ذؤاباتِكَ سُود
He said: You cannot win the fair women
He said, "You will not win white chickens;
unless you see your white forelocks turn black.
Or do you see your speckled hens as black?"
قُلتُI said عِنديI have يومَon the day أَصطادُI hunt المُنىdesires
قُلتُ عِندي يومَ أَصطادُ المُنى
جَذَعٌa vigorous young one يُحْكِمُmasters تأنيسَtaming الشَّرُودthe shy
جَذَعٌ يُحْكِمُ تأنيسَ الشَّرُود
I said: When I hunt my desires, I have
I said, "On the day I hunt wishes,
a vigorous young one, skilled at taming the shy.
I have a body that perfectly masters the taming of the wild beasts."
كمmany a مُليمٍblameworthy man قدalready نَضَاshed ثَوْبَthe garment الصّباof youth
كم مُليمٍ قد نَضَا ثَوْبَ الصّبا
عنهoff him رَدّتْهُbrought him back إلىto الصّبْوَةِamorous desire رُوْدa graceful woman
عنه رَدّتْهُ إلى الصّبْوَةِ رُوْد
Many a blameworthy man has stripped youth's garment
How often has the roughness of youth worn out his garment,
off himself, then a graceful woman restored him to desire,
Only to have the down of adolescence return it to softness!
بحديثٍwith talk يُسْحَرُis enchanted السحرenchantment بهby it
بحديثٍ يُسْحَرُ السحر به
يَتمنَّاهhe longs for it مُعَاداًrepeated أنto يَعودreturn
يَتمنَّاه مُعَاداً أن يَعود
with talk by which enchantment itself is enchanted.
With a tale that enchants enchantment itself,
He longs for it to return, repeated once more.
Which, were it repeated, he would wish to come back,
تُنْزَلُare brought down الطيرُthe birds منfrom الجوِّthe sky بهby it
تُنْزَلُ الطيرُ من الجوِّ به
وتُحَطّand are brought down العُصْمُwhite-footed ibex منfrom شُمّlofty الرُّيُودmountain ridges
وتُحَطّ العُصْمُ من شُمّ الرُّيُود
Birds are brought down from the sky by it,
At which the birds alight from the air,
and white-footed ibex from lofty mountain ridges.
And the wild cows' halters slip from the herdsmen.
وَسَبَتْهُand captivated him قُضُبٌslender boughs فيamid كُثُبٍsand dunes
وَسَبَتْهُ قُضُبٌ في كُثُبٍ
مالتِswayed الأكفالُthe hips منهاof them بالقُدودwith the figures
مالتِ الأكفالُ منها بالقُدود
And slender boughs amid sand dunes captivated him;
Juveniles courted him in the bosom of the wind that growled
their hips made their slender figures sway.
To the companions between tent walls and loom weights.
وثمارٌand fruits نَطَقَتْspoke أوصافهاtheir descriptions
وثمارٌ نَطَقَتْ أوصافها
بإِشاراتٍthrough allusions إِلىto صُغرِthe smallness النُهودof breasts
بإِشاراتٍ إِلى صُغرِ النُهود
And fruits whose descriptions spoke
In darkness whose edges enfolded them
through allusions to small breasts.
Above a land of plateaus and sand dunes,
عَدِّturn aside بيwith me عنfrom كلّall هذاthis إنّنيindeed I
عَدِّ بي عن كلّ هذا إنّني
لاnot أرىI see الدهرTime لإِحسانيfor my kindness كَنُودungrateful
لا أرى الدهر لإِحساني كَنُود
Turn me away from all this; indeed, I
Where it was as though the moon were an angel among them
do not find Time ungrateful for my good deeds.
With the stars thronging around it like flowers.
ليI have هوىًa passion آويI take refuge إليهin it مرحاًjoyfully
لي هوىً آوي إليه مرحاً
غَيرَexcept أَنِّيthat I بِالنهىthrough reason عَنهُfrom it حَيودhabitually turning away
غَيرَ أَنِّي بِالنهى عَنهُ حَيود
I have a passion to which I turn joyfully,
As though meteors had bound
yet through reason I habitually shun it.
Their hands to the Pleiades with chains.
إِنَّindeed هَمِّيmy concern هِمَّةٌan ambition أَسمَرهاI converse with it at night
إِنَّ هَمِّي هِمَّةٌ أَسمَرها
ولهاand for it قُمْتُI rose فماso what ليhave I والقُعودand sitting still
ولها قُمْتُ فما لي والقُعود
My concern is an ambition I converse with at night,
Truly, I said to the cheek of our Iesa,
and for it I have risen—what have I to do with sitting still?
While she is stingy toward stinginess in her generosity:
وفَلاةٍand many a desert أَبَداًever ظامِئَةٍthirsty
وفَلاةٍ أَبَداً ظامِئَةٍ
مُشْفِقٌfearful منof قَطعِهاcrossing it العَوْدُthe old camel عَنودstubborn
مُشْفِقٌ من قَطعِها العَوْدُ عَنود
And many an ever-thirsty desert
"Do openings that rend holes come to you from me,
a stubborn old camel fears to cross.
Or have you gotten them from chewing your liver?
حَمَلit carried الماءَwater ولاand does not يَشْرَبُهُdrink it
حَمَل الماءَ ولا يَشْرَبُهُ
فهوso it is للمُرْوَىfor one quenched بهby it عينُthe eye الحَسُودof the envier
فهو للمُرْوَى به عينُ الحَسُود
It carries water, yet does not drink it;
So when will the darkness lift from her eyes
to anyone quenched by it, it is the envier's eye.
The pillar of night at the gleam of dawn?
جُبْتُهَاI crossed it فيon مَتنِthe back ريحٍof a wind تَنبَريsets forth
جُبْتُهَا في مَتنِ ريحٍ تَنبَري
للسُّرَىfor night travel بينbetween سَيُوعٍsaddle-straps وَقتودand saddle-bows
للسُّرَى بين سَيُوعٍ وَقتود
I crossed it on the back of a wind that sets forth
When I see what had blackened of the gloom of night
for night travel, amid saddle-straps and saddle-bows,
Melted away at the flames of the sun."
فيin ظلامٍdarkness طَنّبَتْstretched tent-ropes أكنافُهُits edges
في ظلامٍ طَنّبَتْ أكنافُهُ
فوقover أرجاءِthe expanses وهادٍof lowlands وَنُجودand uplands
فوق أرجاءِ وهادٍ وَنُجود
in darkness whose fringes stretched their tent-ropes
Revealing the ugly discoloration of an eye whose eyelash
over expanses of lowlands and uplands.
Had been bent by the beauty of a radiant full moon.
وكَأَنَّand as though البدرَthe full moon فيهِin it ملكٌa king
وكَأَنَّ البدرَ فيهِ ملكٌ
والنجومُand the stars الزُّهرُbright حَولَيهaround him وُفودdelegations
والنجومُ الزُّهرُ حَولَيه وُفود
As though the full moon there were a king,
More charming, if the eye of the sublime one grows hot,
and the bright stars around him delegations.
Its kohl smudged by its glare with coolness.
وكأنّand as though الشُّهبَthe bright stars شُهْبٌgrey steeds قَيّدَتْfettered
وكأنّ الشُّهبَ شُهْبٌ قَيّدَتْ
أَيدِياًforelegs منهاof them علىagainst الجريِrunning قُيودfetters
أَيدِياً منها على الجريِ قُيود
And as though the bright stars were grey steeds, restrained
In the portico of royalty, he is a king
by fetters on their forelegs from running.
Whose reign dates from ancient ʿĀd and Thamūd.
ولَقَدand indeed قُلتُI said لحاديto the driver عيسِناof our pale camels
ولَقَد قُلتُ لحادي عيسِنا
وهيَwhile they بِالبُخلِby stinginess عَنِfrom البُخلِstinginess تَجودgive generously
وهيَ بِالبُخلِ عَنِ البُخلِ تَجود
Indeed, I said to the driver of our pale camels,
He stretched out his palm with streaming generosity,
while, stingy with stinginess, they gave freely:
But the tight‐fisted withdrew their palms from giving.
أنَجَاءٌis it swiftness? تَخرِقُshe cleaves الخَرْقَthe wilderness بهwith it
أنَجَاءٌ تَخرِقُ الخَرْقَ به
كَابَدَتهُendured it مِنكِfrom you أَمor مَضغُchewing الكبودlivers
كَابَدَتهُ مِنكِ أَم مَضغُ الكبود
Is it swiftness with which she cleaves the wilderness,
How many paths lead to him well‐traveled,
endured at your hands, or the chewing of livers?
Yet to hunters they are like a mother to her child!
فمتىso when يَفْلُقُcleaves عنaway from أبصارهاtheir eyes
فمتى يَفْلُقُ عن أبصارها
هامَةَthe head اللَّيلof night منَof الصبحِdawn عَمودa pillar
هامَةَ اللَّيل منَ الصبحِ عَمود
When will there be split away from their eyes
Possessing praiseworthy morals created
night's head, by a pillar of dawn?
For valor, and peace from evil and perfection.
وأَرىand I see ماwhat اسوَدَّturned black منof قارِthe pitch الدُّجىof darkness
وأَرى ما اسوَدَّ من قارِ الدُّجى
ذابَmelted مِنهُof it بِلَظىin the blaze الشَّمسِof the sun جُمُودa congealed mass
ذابَ مِنهُ بِلَظى الشَّمسِ جُمُود
And when will I see the black pitch of darkness,
And clemency established in a nature
its congealed mass melted by the sun's blaze,
Like the flowers in a well‐watered meadow.
جالياًclearing away أقذاءَspecks عينٍof an eye مَقَلَتْbeheld
جالياً أقذاءَ عينٍ مَقَلَتْ
منfrom محيّاthe face حَسَنٍof Hasan بَدْرَthe full moon السعودof good fortune
من محيّا حَسَنٍ بَدْرَ السعود
clearing specks from an eye that has beheld
With honor protected, kindness given lavishly,
the full moon of good fortune in Hasan's face?
Steeped in the noble manners of his ancestors.
أروعٌawe-inspiring إنif سَخُنَتْgrew hot عَيْنُthe eye العلىof glory
أروعٌ إن سَخُنَتْ عَيْنُ العلى
كَحَلَتْهاshe lined it with kohl مِنْfrom سَناهُhis radiance بِبُرودwith cooling eye-salve
كَحَلَتْها مِنْ سَناهُ بِبُرود
An awe-inspiring man: if glory's eye grows hot,
Firm in noble deeds, so how could night refuse
she lines it with cooling kohl from his radiance.
The dawn its favor?
فيin رُوَاقِthe pavilion المُلْكِof sovereignty منهin him مَلِكٌa king
في رُوَاقِ المُلْكِ منه مَلِكٌ
مُلْكُهُhis kingship منfrom قبلِbefore عادٍAd وثَمودand Thamud
مُلْكُهُ من قبلِ عادٍ وثَمود
In sovereignty's pavilion, he is a king
Going forward, hunting the heroes of turmoil—
whose kingship precedes Ad and Thamud.
For the lion cub is a terrifying creature to the wild beasts.
بَسَطَhe opened الكفّhis palm بجودٍwith generosity غَدَقٍabundant
بَسَطَ الكفّ بجودٍ غَدَقٍ
قُبِضَتْwas closed عَنagainst بَذلِهِhis giving كَفّthe hand الصَّلُودof the miser
قُبِضَتْ عَن بَذلِهِ كَفّ الصَّلُود
He opened his hand with overflowing generosity;
Possessing skillful stratagems in still dignity
the miser's hand is closed against such giving.
Like tinder for the burning coal's dormant fire.
كَمmany a سَبيلٍroad نَحوَهُtoward him مسلوكةٍwell-trodden
كَم سَبيلٍ نَحوَهُ مسلوكةٍ
فهيand it is للقُصّادfor petitioners كالأمِّlike a mother الوَلودprolific
فهي للقُصّاد كالأمِّ الوَلود
How many a well-trodden road leads toward him!
His right hand has grown accustomed to the lions' beneficence,
For petitioners, it is like a prolific mother.
And beneficence makes prosperous his right hand when he rules.
ذُوpossessing سَجاياtraits فيamid المَعاليnoble virtues خُلِقَتْwere formed
ذُو سَجايا في المَعالي خُلِقَتْ
لِلوَغىfor war والسلمِand peace منof بَأسٍvalor وَجُودand generosity
لِلوَغى والسلمِ من بَأسٍ وَجُود
Possessing traits fashioned amid noble virtues,
How many lawless nomads in the land emigrated from it,
for war and peace, of valor and generosity,
With his hands exacting dues and tribute from them!
وأناةٍand patience أُرْسِيَتْwas anchored فيin خُلُقٍa character
وأناةٍ أُرْسِيَتْ في خُلُقٍ
كَنَظيرِlike the counterpart الزَّهرِof flowers فيin الرّوضِthe garden المَجُودrain-watered
كَنَظيرِ الزَّهرِ في الرّوضِ المَجُود
and patience anchored in a character,
Of kings whom their eulogists have strung together
like flowers in a rain-watered garden.
In the poor rhymes of poems like necklaces.
وَمَصونُand protected العرضِhonor مَبذولُfreely bestowed الندىbounty
وَمَصونُ العرضِ مَبذولُ الندى
مُعْرِقُdeep-rooted الآباءforefathers فيin مَحْضِpure الجُدودancestry
مُعْرِقُ الآباء في مَحْضِ الجُدود
His honor is guarded, his bounty freely bestowed;
In houses built only so the man
his forefathers are rooted in unalloyed ancestry.
Might live forever in their praise.
ثابِتٌestablished عِندَamong المَعاليlofty virtues فَضلُهُhis excellence
ثابِتٌ عِندَ المَعالي فَضلُهُ
هلwhether يُطيقُcan bear اللَّيلُnight للصُّبحof dawn جُحودdenial
هل يُطيقُ اللَّيلُ للصُّبح جُحود
His excellence is established among lofty virtues;
Every steady and wise ruler carrying his realm,
can night bear to deny the dawn?
Just in conduct and faithful to his pacts.
مُقْدِمٌboldly advancing يصطادُhe hunts أبطالَheroes الوغىof battle
مُقْدِمٌ يصطادُ أبطالَ الوغى
إنَّindeed شِبلَthe cub اللَّيثِof the lion للوَحشِof wild beasts صَيُودa keen hunter
إنَّ شِبلَ اللَّيثِ للوَحشِ صَيُود
Boldly advancing, he hunts the champions of battle;
A lion—though one might think his agent
the lion's cub is indeed a keen hunter of wild beasts.
A snarling wolf tearing bodies to pieces.
ذوpossessing ابتدارٍswift initiative فيwithin وقارٍdignity كامنٍlatent
ذو ابتدارٍ في وقارٍ كامنٍ
لِلَظَىfor the blaze الزّنْدِof the fire-stick وقودٌfuel منfrom خُمودdormancy
لِلَظَى الزّنْدِ وقودٌ من خُمود
His swift initiative lies hidden within dignity;
They were brought up amid plenty from their resolve
the fire-stick's flame finds fuel in dormancy.
For noble deeds in breasts and souls.
ألِفَتْbecame accustomed يمناهُhis right hand إسداءَbestowing الغنىwealth
ألِفَتْ يمناهُ إسداءَ الغنى
والغنىand wealth تُسديهbestows it يُمنَىthe right hand مَنof whoever يَسودrules
والغنى تُسديه يُمنَى مَن يَسود
His right hand is accustomed to bestowing wealth,
A house of glory whose reputation
and wealth is bestowed by the right hand of one who rules.
Exceeded the four directions' every limit.
كمmany عُفَاةٍpetitioners فيin بلادٍlands نَزَحَتْbecame distant
كم عُفَاةٍ في بلادٍ نَزَحَتْ
فَسَبَتْand captivated مِنهُمfrom among them أَياديهِhis favors وُفُودdelegations
فَسَبَتْ مِنهُم أَياديهِ وُفُود
Many are the petitioners in lands far away;
It hurls armies with curled hair like stirring seas
his favors have captivated delegations from among them.
At the battle, with spears bared and soldiers intrepid.
منfrom ملوكٍkings نَظَمَتْstrung together مُدّاحُهُمْtheir panegyrists
من ملوكٍ نَظَمَتْ مُدّاحُهُمْ
فِقَرَpassages المَدحِof praise لَهُمfor them نَظْمَlike stringing العُقودnecklaces
فِقَرَ المَدحِ لَهُم نَظْمَ العُقود
Of kings whose panegyrists have strung
Whose iron flanks the blood's cascade has washed
passages of praise for them as necklaces are strung,
From the stab wounds of lances piercing coats of mail.
فيin بُيوتٍhouses بُنِيَتْwere built شِعْرِيّةٍpoetic
في بُيوتٍ بُنِيَتْ شِعْرِيّةٍ
لِثَناءِfor the praise المَرءِof a man فيهِنَّin them خُلودimmortality
لِثَناءِ المَرءِ فيهِنَّ خُلود
in houses built of poetry,
With eagles that fill their entrails
where a man's praise lives forever.
On the corpses of Banū Hājiz like feasts laid out.
كُلُّeach راسيfirm الحلمin forbearance حامٍguarding مُلْكَهُhis kingdom
كُلُّ راسي الحلم حامٍ مُلْكَهُ
عادلِjust السيرةِin conduct وافٍfaithful بالعُهودto covenants
عادلِ السيرةِ وافٍ بالعُهود
Each firm in forbearance, guarding his kingdom,
Crawling like the sea swelling with the rising wind
just in conduct and faithful to covenants;
Amid the bitterness of death in the giants' shadow.
أَسدٍa lion تَحسبُyou imagine فيin عامِلِهhis spear-shaft
أَسدٍ تَحسبُ في عامِلِه
أَسْوَداًa black serpent يَنهَشُgnawing أَعضاءَthe limbs الحُقودof the spiteful one
أَسْوَداً يَنهَشُ أَعضاءَ الحُقود
a lion whose spear-shaft you imagine to hold
Its surge like the massing clouds, wrapping
a black serpent, gnawing the spiteful man's limbs.
Lightning bolts and rumbling thunderclaps.
نَشَؤواthey grew up فيin مَنعةٍstrength مِنfrom عَزمِهمtheir resolve
نَشَؤوا في مَنعةٍ مِن عَزمِهم
لِلمَعاليfor greatness فيin حُجورٍlaps وَبُنودand banners
لِلمَعالي في حُجورٍ وَبُنود
They grew up in strength born of their resolve,
And when its swords kneel
for greatness, in laps and beneath banners.
Over the skulls of the foe, they bow down kneeling.
بيتُa house مجدٍof glory جاوزتsurpassed أرْبَعُهُits dwellings
بيتُ مجدٍ جاوزت أرْبَعُهُ
أرْبُعَthe dwellings الشُّهْبِof the stars حُدوداًboundaries بِحُدودby boundaries
أرْبُعَ الشُّهْبِ حُدوداً بِحُدود
A house of glory whose dwellings have surpassed
For death, it has tongues
the stars' dwellings, boundary for boundary.
That scarcely rest within the mouths of despondent cowards.
يَقذِفُhe hurls الحربَwar بِجَيشٍwith an army لَجِبٍclamorous
يَقذِفُ الحربَ بِجَيشٍ لَجِبٍ
مُشْرَعِwith leveled الأَرماحِspears مِقدامِboldly advancing الجُنودtroops
مُشْرَعِ الأَرماحِ مِقدامِ الجُنود
He hurls into war a clamorous army,
Every angry man believes the onlooker sees in
with leveled spears and boldly advancing troops,
Its midst flames with water as the fuel.
ذيpossessing موازيبspouts حديدٍof iron فَهَقَتْoverflowed
ذي موازيب حديدٍ فَهَقَتْ
بِصَبيبِwith pouring الدَّمblood منfrom طَعنِpiercing الكُبودlivers
بِصَبيبِ الدَّم من طَعنِ الكُبود
possessing iron spouts that overflow
And attributes of white blended with red in it,
with pouring blood from piercing livers,
For the blood that dyes the coats of mail black.
ونُسورٍand vultures تَغتَديbecome at dawn أَحشاؤُهاtheir bellies
ونُسورٍ تَغتَدي أَحشاؤُها
مِنamong بَنيthe sons الهَيجاءِof battle لِلقَتلىfor the slain لُحودtombs
مِن بَني الهَيجاءِ لِلقَتلى لُحود
and vultures whose bellies become at dawn
Where the trace upon them seems an embroidered pattern
tombs for the slain among the sons of battle.
Nearly obscured by the deep blackness of their tint.
زَاحِفٌadvancing كَالبَحرlike the sea مَدّاًsurging بِالصباwith the east wind
زَاحِفٌ كَالبَحر مَدّاً بِالصبا
بِحَرورِwith scorching heat الموتِof death فيin ظلِّthe shade البُنودof banners
بِحَرورِ الموتِ في ظلِّ البُنود
Advancing like a sea surging with the east wind,
As though slaughter in them lives forever,
with death's scorching heat in the banners' shade.
Instilling vitality in the enemies it lays low.
نَقْعُهُits dust كالغيمِlike clouds ملتفّاًenveloping عَلىaround
نَقْعُهُ كالغيمِ ملتفّاً عَلى
صَعِقَاتٍthunderbolts منof بُروقٍlightning flashes ورُعودand thunder
صَعِقَاتٍ من بُروقٍ ورُعود
Its dust is like clouds wrapped around
Grant us, O son of ʿAlī, a king
thunderbolts of lightning and thunder.
In glory, soaring high and climbing upward!
وَإِذاand when ماever رَكَعتْbowed أَسيافُهُhis swords
وَإِذا ما رَكَعتْ أَسيافُهُ
فَوقَabove هاماتِthe heads العِدىof the foes خَرَّتْfell سُجودprostrate
فَوقَ هاماتِ العِدى خَرَّتْ سُجود
And whenever his swords bow
And draw us near to you by kissing the earth,
above the foes' heads, they fall prostrate.
Each honored chieftain, though his cheek be blackened!
لِلمَناياfor death عِندَهُin his keeping أَلْسِنَةٌtongues
لِلمَنايا عِندَهُ أَلْسِنَةٌ
قَلَّماseldom تَعْمُرُinhabit أفْواهَthe mouths الغُمودof scabbards
قَلَّما تَعْمُرُ أفْواهَ الغُمود
In his keeping, death has tongues
that seldom inhabit the mouths of scabbards.
كلّevery عَضبٍkeen sword يحسبُimagines الناظرُthe beholder فيin
كلّ عَضبٍ يحسبُ الناظرُ في
مَتْنِهِits blade's flat للنارfor fire بالماءِwith water وقودfuel
مَتْنِهِ للنار بالماءِ وقود
Each keen sword—the beholder imagines in
its blade, fire fueled by water.
ونعوتُand descriptions البيضof white swords حُمْرٌred عِندَهُwith him
ونعوتُ البيض حُمْرٌ عِندَهُ
لِدَمٍbecause of blood تُكْسَاهُthey are clothed in it منfrom قَتلِkilling الأُسودlions
لِدَمٍ تُكْسَاهُ من قَتلِ الأُسود
With him, the white swords' epithets are red,
from the blood they wear through killing lions.
وكَأَنَّand as though الأثْرَthe blade-pattern فيهاin them نَمَشٌfreckles
وكَأَنَّ الأثْرَ فيها نَمَشٌ
كادnearly أنto يَخْفَىbe hidden بِتَوريدِby reddening الخُدودthe cheeks
كاد أن يَخْفَى بِتَوريدِ الخُدود
And as though the pattern in them were freckles,
almost hidden by the reddening of cheeks.
وكأنّand as though الفتكَdeadly force فيهاin them أبداًforever
وكأنّ الفتكَ فيها أبداً
ذوpossessed of حَياةٍlife لِلعِداfor the foes مِنهُfrom it هُمودlifelessness
ذو حَياةٍ لِلعِدا مِنهُ هُمود
And as though the deadly force in them were forever
alive, while from it the foes fall lifeless.
دُمْremain لَناfor us ياO ابنson عَلِيّof Ali مَلِكاًa king
دُمْ لَنا يا ابن عَلِيّ مَلِكاً
فيin عُلاًheights ذاتِpossessing سُعودٍgood fortune وصُعودand ascent
في عُلاً ذاتِ سُعودٍ وصُعود
Remain our king, O son of Ali,
in heights blessed with good fortune and ascent!
ودَناand may approach مِنكَnear you بِتَقبيلِby kissing الثرىthe dust
ودَنا مِنكَ بِتَقبيلِ الثرى
كلّevery قَرمٍnoble chief سَيِّدٍlord وهوَwhile he is مَسودsubject to rule
كلّ قَرمٍ سَيِّدٍ وهوَ مَسود
And may there draw near to you, kissing the dust,
every noble lord, himself your subject.
Partial English translation: 102 of 116 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1