لَوْif ليfor me علىagainst الأيامthe days ناصرْa helper
لَوْ لي على الأيام ناصرْ
فيماin what تجرُّthey drag along منof الجَرائرْthe offenses
فيما تجرُّ من الجَرائرْ
Had I a helper against the days
Had I an ally against the days
for the offenses they drag along,
To ward off harm and pain,
لمنعتهاI would have prevented them ظفرَthe triumph الجباthe coward (start)
لمنعتها ظفرَ الجبا
نِcoward (end) وحنيةَand the bowing البطلِof the champion المغاورْthe raiding
نِ وحنيةَ البطلِ المغاورْ
I would have denied them the coward’s triumph
I would prevent misfortune's hand from gaining victory
and the raiding champion’s bowing.
And quell the might of heroes vain.
ياO دهرُTime ماnot تُمحىare erased ذنوsins (start)
يا دهرُ ما تُمحى ذنو
بُكyour sins (end) بعدafter شيبيmy gray hair بالمعاذرْby excuses
بُك بعد شيبي بالمعاذرْ
O Time, your sins cannot be erased
O Time, no more your sins beguile
after my hair has whitened, by excuses.
With weak excuses and pretense,
تَهبُyou grant المنىwishes هِبةَthe bounty الجواof the generous giver (start)
تَهبُ المنى هِبةَ الجوا
دِgiver (end) وأَنتwhile you بالآمالِat hopes ساخرْmocking
دِ وأَنت بالآمالِ ساخرْ
You grant wishes with a generous giver’s bounty,
You snatch away all hope of joy
yet you mock our hopes.
Yet mock my dreams - how insolent!
عُذرan excuse الترائبِfor the breastbones بالغواin the upper backs (start)
عُذر الترائبِ بالغوا
ربِupper backs (end) والمعاصمِand the wrists بالنواشرْin the protruding sinews
ربِ والمعاصمِ بالنواشرْ
The breastbones’ excuse lies in hunched shoulders,
Far off the caravan bells chime
and the wrists’ in protruding sinews.
While here my people wield their blades.
تَطويyou fold وتَنشُرُand you unfold دائباًunceasingly
تَطوي وتَنشُرُ دائباً
لاmay not كنتَyou be منas a طاوٍfolder وناشرْand unfolder
لا كنتَ من طاوٍ وناشرْ
You fold and unfold unceasingly;
You constantly unfold and fold
may you cease to be, folder and unfolder!
Were you creator or destroyer made!
وأرىand I see تغيرَthe change هذهof these الشْthe (start of ‘hairs’)
وأرى تغيرَ هذه الشْ
شَعَراتِhairs أَعدتْhave infected ماwhat تجاورْthey adjoin
شَعَراتِ أَعدتْ ما تجاورْ
I see that the change in these
And I behold these locks of mine
hairs has infected what surrounds them.
Turn hoary-grey with months and years.
نصبُweariness لمفاصلin joints والتغضْand wrinkling (start)
نصبُ لمفاصل والتغضْ
ضُنُwrinkling (end) فيin محيلِfaded اللونِcomplexion داثرْweather-worn
ضُنُ في محيلِ اللونِ داثرْ
Weariness in the joints, and wrinkling
My joints grow stiff, my face is lined,
in a faded, weather-worn complexion;
Frail youth precedes frail age it nears.
ضعفweakness الأصاغرُof the young ثمthen يسbegs (start)
ضعف الأصاغرُ ثم يس
تعطيbegs (end) بهthrough it ضعفَthe weakness الأكابرْof the old
تعطي به ضعفَ الأكابرْ
the weakness of the young; then one begs
How brief the time between my prime
through it for the weakness of the old.
Of life and sadly, its decline!
ماhow أَقربَclose الشَّبَهَthe likeness الذيthat
ما أَقربَ الشَّبَهَ الذي
بينbetween الأوائلِthe beginnings والأواخرْand the endings
بين الأوائلِ والأواخرْ
How close is the likeness that lies
Sulayma spoke: “Forbear thy fight,
between beginnings and endings!
Against the blows of fate resign.”
قالتْshe said سليمىSulayma اِذْwhen صَرَمْsettled (start)
قالتْ سليمى اِذْ صَرَمْ
تُI (verb ending) الأمرَthe matter ماwhat لكَis with you لاnot تُشاورْyou consult
تُ الأمرَ ما لكَ لا تُشاورْ
Sulayma said, when I settled
But I have long defied my sires
the matter, “Why do you not consult?”
And scorned the bonds of destiny.
إنif آباءdefiant (uncertain reading) عليكtoward you
إن آباء عليك
فلقدfor indeed أَبيتُI defied علىagainst المقادرْfate’s decrees
فلقد أَبيتُ على المقادرْ
If I am defiant toward you,
My spear's point split the ranks of foes
I have already defied fate.
While rage and slaughter frothed within me.
ووردتُand I encountered أطرافَthe points القناof the spears
ووردتُ أطرافَ القنا
ففللتهاso I blunted them والطعنُwhile the thrusting فائرْraged
ففللتها والطعنُ فائرْ
I have met the spear-points
The phantom host I led was drawn
and blunted them while thrusts raged.
From Nejd's heart to scenes of strife,
ولقدand indeed جلبتُI brought الطيفَthe dream-vision منfrom
ولقد جلبتُ الطيفَ من
أَرضthe land الحجازِof the Hijaz الىto المَنَاظِرْal-Manazir
أَرض الحجازِ الى المَنَاظِرْ
And I brought the dream-vision from
With warriors who would fearless ride
the land of the Hijaz to al-Manazir,
O'er meadows soaked in blood-red life.
بِمُعَرّسٍat a night-camp يطأtreads الخزاthe rough ground (uncertain; start)
بِمُعَرّسٍ يطأ الخزا
ورَrough ground (uncertain; end) فيهthere سعدانُthe rounded knobs الكَراكِرْof the camels’ breast-pads
ورَ فيه سعدانُ الكَراكِرْ
at a night-camp where [rough ground] is trodden
Their traces by the camping-grounds
by the rounded knobs of the camels’ breast-pads.
Were like the prints of hooves impaled.
آثارُهاtheir impressions عندduring التزاthe turning aside (start)
آثارُها عند التزا
ورِturning aside (end) مثلlike آثارِthe marks الحوافرْof hooves
ورِ مثل آثارِ الحوافرْ
Their impressions, as they turn aside,
The heaped up corpses that they left
resemble the marks of hooves.
Were by the death-shawls greyly veiled.
كُومُhigh-humped الغواربِat the humps صاغهاshaped them
كُومُ الغواربِ صاغها
واصٍunceasing منfrom الاشراطِthe al-Ashrat stars ماطرْraining
واصٍ من الاشراطِ ماطرْ
High-humped, they were fashioned
No throat amid that carnage cried
by an unceasing raincloud of al-Ashrat.
For mercy, pity or remorse.
لمdid not يعتذرoffer an excuse فيin ناجرٍNajir
لم يعتذر في ناجرٍ
منهاfrom them النطافُthe water-drops الىto الحناجرْthe throats
منها النطافُ الى الحناجرْ
In Najir, no excuse was offered
Only the lifeblood of young boys
by their water-drops to the throats.
Still pulsed in neck and reddened corse.
فيamong فتيةٍyoung men باضَlaid eggs الكرىsleep
في فتيةٍ باضَ الكرى
فيin الطرِفthe eyes منهمof them والمَحَاجرْand the eye-sockets
في الطرِف منهم والمَحَاجرْ
Among youths, sleep had laid its eggs
I roused each knight with falcon's glare
in their eyes and eye-sockets.
To pierce the enemy's rearguard line,
نَبَّهتI roused كلَّevery سَميدَعٍnoble young man
نَبَّهت كلَّ سَميدَعٍ
كالصقرِlike a falcon فيalong عِطفيهhis two flanks ناظرْwatching
كالصقرِ في عِطفيه ناظرْ
I roused each noble young man,
Hurling their javelins at the foe
like a falcon watching along both flanks.
Then drawing swords in battle fine,
يَرميhe pelts الهواجرَthe midday heats بالدياwith darkness (start)
يَرمي الهواجرَ بالديا
جرِdarkness (end) والدياجرَand the darkness بالهواجرْwith midday heats
جرِ والدياجرَ بالهواجرْ
He pelts the midday heats with darkness,
Until he circled back with spoils
and the darkness with midday heats,
Like the full moon in radiant might.
حتىuntil يعودَhe returns كماas يعوreturns (start)
حتى يعودَ كما يعو
دreturns (end) البدرُthe full moon طفلاًa child وهوwhile it باهرْis radiant
د البدرُ طفلاً وهو باهرْ
until he returns, as does
Say to Abu Hassan I'm still true
the full moon, a child again, still radiant.
And thankful for thy noble fight,
أَبلغtell أَباAbu (father of) حسانَHassan أَنْthat (start of ‘that I’)
أَبلغ أَبا حسانَ أَنْ
نِيI (end of ‘that I’) للذيfor what أَوليتَyou bestowed شاكرْgrateful
نِي للذي أَوليتَ شاكرْ
Tell Abu Hassan that
No sin have I against thee wrought
I am grateful for what you bestowed.
Nor sought to stain thy fair repute.
لمdid not أَقترفI commit ذَنباًan offense ولَمand did not
لم أَقترف ذَنباً ولَم
ألسعْI sting صنيعَكَyour favor بالمأبرْwith a needle
ألسعْ صنيعَكَ بالمأبرْ
I committed no offense, nor did I
From weak excuses I have turned
sting your favor with a needle.
Though bards delight in boastful flute.
ورغبتُand I turned away عنfrom حُججthe arguments المعاof excuses (start)
ورغبتُ عن حُجج المعا
ذِرِexcuses (end) اِنَّindeed أَكثرهاmost of them مفاخرْare boasts
ذِرِ اِنَّ أَكثرها مفاخرْ
I shunned the arguments of excuses;
Whenever you descend to fight
most of them are boasts.
Curb your rash temper I implore!
فاذاso if نزتleapt بكwith you نازياyour impulses (start)
فاذا نزت بك نازيا
تُكyour impulses (end) فالقthen deploy حلمكَyour forbearance أَوْor فشاورْthen seek counsel
تُك فالق حلمكَ أَوْ فشاورْ
If your impulses carry you away,
Think not I cannot bear our parting;
bring your forbearance to bear, or seek counsel.
Though pained, my hands still grip the oar.
لاdo not تَحسِبَنّيsuppose me انif صَرمsevered ties (start)
لا تَحسِبَنّي ان صَرم
تyou (verb ending) علىof فراقكَparting from you غيرَnot قادرْable
ت على فراقكَ غيرَ قادرْ
Do not suppose that, if you sever ties, I am
Prove you can master passion's flood,
unable to part from you.
For I am stern and strong of will,
حددsharpen مُداكyour knives فاننيfor I am
حدد مُداك فانني
جلدٌtough علىin the face of الحدثانِvicissitudes صابرْpatient
جلدٌ على الحدثانِ صابرْ
Sharpen your knives, for I am
Since I have shed all callow ways
tough, patient in the face of vicissitudes.
And gained the wit to plan and kill,
مذsince جبتُI cut through كلَّevery مُلاءةmantle
مذ جبتُ كلَّ مُلاءة
فنضوتهاthen I cast it off والعِرضand honor وافرْundiminished
فنضوتها والعِرض وافرْ
Since I cut through every mantle
Since I have sought the best in raiding
and cast it off, with my honor undiminished,
And the long spear-thrusts multiplied,
وطلبتُand I sought لبيmy wits فيamong الحُمُوthe laden camels (start)
وطلبتُ لبي في الحُمُو
لِladen camels (end) وهِزةَand the swaying الظعنِof the camel-litters السوائرْthe traveling
لِ وهِزةَ الظعنِ السوائرْ
and sought my wits among the laden camels,
Since I have probed that workman's artful,
and the swaying of the traveling litters,
Enchanting rhymes and rhythms tried,
وطرقتand I visited by night مصطنعاًa favored one بعقabout his hair-knot (start)
وطرقت مصطنعاً بعق
صتهِhis hair-knot (end) خِميصَتُهُhis mantle الغدائرْthe tresses
صتهِ خِميصَتُهُ الغدائرْ
I visited by night a favored one; about his hair-knot,
One day deep drink and song inspiring,
his mantle was his tresses.
Another, racing steeds about,
ولهوتُand I dallied منهwith him بفاترwith one languid الthe (start of ‘glances’)
ولهوتُ منه بفاتر ال
أَلحاظِglances والألفاظِand words ساحرْenchanting
أَلحاظِ والألفاظِ ساحرْ
I dallied with him, languid in
Plucking the vines of mirth and laughter
his glances, and enchanting in his words,
Till joy comes flooding from the spout,
يوماًone day علىover كأسٍa cup ويوand one day (start)
يوماً على كأسٍ ويو
ماًday (end) فيin بهيمِthe blackness النقعof battle-dust ثائرْcharging
ماً في بهيمِ النقع ثائرْ
one day over a cup, and another
As though it were a phantom's dream
day charging in the blackness of battle-dust.
Come knocking softly at my door.
نستلwe pluck هاماتthe heads الكماof the warriors (start)
نستل هامات الكما
ةِwarriors (end) علىupon المهندةِthe Indian-steel swords البواترْthe keen-cutting
ةِ على المهندةِ البواترْ
We pluck the warriors’ heads
What valiant knights Kab was among
upon the keen Indian-steel blades.
When qualities of men were sure!
فكأَنso, as though ذلكَthat مرُّthe passing طيof a dream-vision (start)
فكأَن ذلكَ مرُّ طي
فٍdream-vision (end) جاءcame فيin ألأحلامِdreams زائرْa visitor
فٍ جاء في ألأحلامِ زائرْ
It is as though that were a passing dream-vision
Who filled their saddles as they charged,
come visiting in dreams.
Mouths gaping, breathing winds of war,
نِعمَexcellent are الفوارسthe horsemen عندwhere مخthe crossing (start)
نِعمَ الفوارس عند مخ
تلفِcrossing (end) القناof the spears كعبُKa‘b بنson of عامرْ‘Amir
تلفِ القنا كعبُ بن عامرْ
Fine horsemen where the spears clash—
And poured across the east in squadrons -
the men of Ka‘b ibn ‘Amir,
Najd's high hills and rocks that soar!
المالئينَthose filling بسرجهمwith their saddles
المالئينَ بسرجهم
شدقَthe maw الدياميمِof the trackless wastes الفواغرْthe gaping
شدقَ الدياميمِ الفواغرْ
who fill with their saddles
They ruled all people, and were ruled
the maw of the gaping wastes.
By those exalted o'er them all -
شَرقَتْchoked بهمon them شَرقَthe choking الشجيْof the bone-choked one (start)
شَرقَتْ بهم شَرقَ الشجيْ
يِbone-choked one (end) بطونُthe hollows نجدٍof Najd والظواهرْand the uplands
يِ بطونُ نجدٍ والظواهرْ
Choked by them, as one chokes on a bone,
Proud scions of Jawtha, for they are
were the hollows of Najd and the uplands.
The sum of highborn virtues tall!
سادواthey ruled الأَنامَmankind وسادَهمand ruled over them
سادوا الأَنامَ وسادَهم
منfrom فوقهمabove them خلقٌa people كَراكَرْin mighty masses
من فوقهم خلقٌ كَراكَرْ
They ruled mankind, while over them ruled
No legacy to heirs remained
from above a people in mighty masses:
Except their glory and renown.
أَولادُthe sons جوثةَof Jawtha انهمindeed they are
أَولادُ جوثةَ انهم
شُمُّlofty السوالفِof neck-sides والمناخرْand nostrils
شُمُّ السوالفِ والمناخرْ
the sons of Jawtha; they are
They came to Iraq with their bright banners
lofty of neck and nostril.
While people watched them from the town,
لاnot يتركونَthey leave منof التلاthe ancestral wealth (start)
لا يتركونَ من التلا
دِancestral wealth (end) لوارثٍfor an heir الاexcept المآثرْnoble deeds
دِ لوارثٍ الا المآثرْ
They leave of their ancestral wealth
With regiments whose blades sent lightning
nothing to an heir but noble deeds.
To cleave the thick of milling foes,
نزلواthey alighted in العراقَIraq علىupon نواظthe eyes (start)
نزلوا العراقَ على نواظ
رِeyes (end) أَهلهاof its people وعلىand upon النواظرْthe eyes
رِ أَهلها وعلى النواظرْ
They descended on Iraq upon the eyes
They conquered lands along the Tigris
of its people, and upon the eyes,
And palace towers that o'er it rose,
بململمٍwith a massed host صَخِبِclamorous الجَنَاat the heart (start)
بململمٍ صَخِبِ الجَنَا
نِheart (end) منof الصَّاهلِthe neighing horses والهَوادرْand the bellowing camels
نِ من الصَّاهلِ والهَوادرْ
with a massed host, loud at its heart,
Imposing annual tax on those
of neighing horses and bellowing camels.
Who by the river sowed and reaped -
وَجَبَواand they exacted from دهاقينَthe landed lords العراof Iraq (start)
وَجَبَوا دهاقينَ العرا
قِIraq (end) خَراجthe land-tax دِجلةَof the Tigris والدَّسَاكرْand the villages
قِ خَراج دِجلةَ والدَّسَاكرْ
They exacted from Iraq’s landed lords
Oh noblest of all Arabs then!
the land-tax of the Tigris and the villages.
Your memory stirs though long you've slept.
Sol 6.1