شَرُفَتwere ennobled بِنَظمِby composing مَديحِكَyour praise الفِكَرُthoughts
شَرُفَت بِنَظمِ مَديحِكَ الفِكَرُ
وَتَجَمَّلَتand were adorned بِحَديثِكَby accounts of you السِيَّرُthe chronicles
وَتَجَمَّلَت بِحَديثِكَ السِيَّرُ
Thoughts were ennobled by composing your praise,
Your praise has ennobled thought,
And chronicles were adorned by accounts of you.
And talk of you has adorned biography.
آثارُthe traces of جودِكَyour generosity غَيرُnot خافِيَةٍhidden
آثارُ جودِكَ غَيرُ خافِيَةٍ
لاneither البَحرُthe sea يُنكِرُهاdenies them وَلاnor المَطَرُthe rain
لا البَحرُ يُنكِرُها وَلا المَطَرُ
The traces of your generosity are not hidden;
The effects of your generosity are manifest,
Neither the sea denies them nor the rain.
Neither sea nor rain deny them.
وَلِسَعدِand in the auspiciousness of جَدِّكَyour fortune فيin الوَغىbattle عِبَرٌlessons
وَلِسَعدِ جَدِّكَ في الوَغى عِبَرٌ
إِنif كانَتِare الأَلبابُminds تَعتَبِرُtaking heed
إِن كانَتِ الأَلبابُ تَعتَبِرُ
Your good fortune in battle offers lessons,
And your forefathers’ bravery in battle is a lesson,
If minds are taking heed.
If minds would learn.
أَينَwhere الَّذينَthose who بِبُعدِهِمُthrough their remoteness أَمِنواfelt secure
أَينَ الَّذينَ بِبُعدِهِمُ أَمِنوا
وَلَرُبَّand many a أَمنٍsafety كُلُّهُall of it حَذَرُapprehension
وَلَرُبَّ أَمنٍ كُلُّهُ حَذَرُ
Where are those who felt secure in their remoteness?
Where are those who felt secure in their remoteness
And many a safety is wholly apprehension.
And every feeling of security was fraught with danger?
أَضمَرتَyou harbored عَزماًa resolve فيin طِلابِهِمُpursuing them
أَضمَرتَ عَزماً في طِلابِهِمُ
فَمَضىso sped on يُسابِقُracing سَيفَكَyour sword القَدَرُfate
فَمَضى يُسابِقُ سَيفَكَ القَدَرُ
You harbored a resolve to pursue them,
You harbored a resolve against their likes
And fate sped on, racing your sword.
So fate raced ahead of your sword.
فَكَأَنَّماas though خافَتfeared نَوائِبُهُits calamities
فَكَأَنَّما خافَت نَوائِبُهُ
مِنfrom جَيشٍthe surge of عَفوِكَyour pardon حينَwhen تَقتَدِرُyou have power
مِن جَيشٍ عَفوِكَ حينَ تَقتَدِرُ
As though its calamities feared
It was as if the vicissitudes feared your attacking army
The surge of your pardon when you have power.
When you were capable of attacking.
فَأَتَتهُمُso it came upon them هَوجاءraging خابِطَةٌstriking blindly
فَأَتَتهُمُ هَوجاء خابِطَةٌ
كَالمَوتِlike death لاnot تُبقيsparing وَلاnor تَذَرُleaving
كَالمَوتِ لا تُبقي وَلا تَذَرُ
So a raging calamity came upon them, striking blindly,
So there came to them a crushing disaster
Like death, sparing nothing and leaving nothing.
Like death, leaving naught, annihilating all.
تَفريit rends وَبيضُwhile the bright ظُباكَyour sword-edges مُغمَدَةare sheathed
تَفري وَبيضُ ظُباكَ مُغمَدَة
كُلُّeach one لَعَمرُكَby your life صارِمٌa keen sword ذَكَرُhard-steeled
كُلُّ لَعَمرُكَ صارِمٌ ذَكَرُ
It rends, while your bright blades lie sheathed;
The whites of your swords flash bare in their sheaths,
Each, by your life, a keen, hard-steeled sword.
Each and every one, by your life, a male palm-tree.
ماwhat يَصنَعونَcan they do وَفيwhile in ذَوابِلِهاits slender spears
ما يَصنَعونَ وَفي ذَوابِلِها
طُولٌlength وَفيwhile in أَعمارِهِمtheir lifespans قِصَرُbrevity
طُولٌ وَفي أَعمارِهِم قِصَرُ
What can they do, when its slender spears have
What can they do, when amidst its twisting folds
Length, while their lifespans have brevity?
Lie length—and in their lives, shortness?
سَلask جِلَّقاًJilliq عَنهُمabout them وَماand what صَنَعَتit did
سَل جِلَّقاً عَنهُم وَما صَنَعَت
بِهِمto them وَعِندَand with جُهَينَةَJuhaynah الخَبَرُthe news
بِهِم وَعِندَ جُهَينَةَ الخَبَرُ
Ask Jilliq about them and what it did
Ask a seasoned warrior about them and what
To them; with Juhaynah lies the news.
It did to them, and where the news is known.
وَمُطوَّحٌand one cast far away عَنهاfrom it يُراقُis shed لَهُfor him
وَمُطوَّحٌ عَنها يُراقُ لَهُ
فيin كُلِّevery ناحِيَةٍquarter دَمٌblood هَدَرُunavenged
في كُلِّ ناحِيَةٍ دَمٌ هَدَرُ
And one cast far from it, for whom is shed
And from it one tossed away bleeds freely
In every quarter blood that goes unavenged.
In every spot—blood shed wantonly.
تَرميfling البِلادُthe lands بِهِhim مُعَوَّدَةaccustomed
تَرمي البِلادُ بِهِ مُعَوَّدَة
أَنthat لاnot يُقَصُّis tracked وَراءَهاbehind them أَثَرُa trail
أَن لا يُقَصُّ وَراءَها أَثَرُ
The lands fling him about, accustomed
The lands hurl him so far
To no trail being tracked behind them.
That no trace of him remains behind them.
أَنَزَلتَهاdid you settle in it جاراًas a neighbor وَتَترُكُهاand leave it
أَنَزَلتَها جاراً وَتَترُكُها
هَرَباًin flight لبئسَtruly wretched are الوِردُthe arrival at water وَالصَّدَرُand the departure from water
هَرَباً لبئسَ الوِردُ وَالصَّدَرُ
Did you settle there as a neighbor, only to leave it
You brought them as neighbors, but they fled,
In flight? Wretched indeed the coming and the going!
Miserable the lot, and the encounter!
وَمِنَand out of الشَّقاءِmisfortune نَأَيتَyou withdrew عَنfrom نَفَرٍa group of men
وَمِنَ الشَّقاءِ نَأَيتَ عَن نَفَرٍ
أَرداكَbrought you to ruin جدهمtheir fortune وَماwhile not شَعَرواthey knew
أَرداكَ جدهم وَما شَعَروا
And, to your misfortune, you withdrew from men
And you saved a band
Whose fortune ruined you, though they did not know.
Whose forebears’ nobility you never sensed.
وَلَقَدand indeed سَأَلتَهُمُyou asked them فَماand not بَخِلواthey were stingy
وَلَقَد سَأَلتَهُمُ فَما بَخِلوا
وَعاقَلتَand you contracted mutual obligations عَهدَهُمُtheir covenant فَماand not غَدَرواthey betrayed
وَعاقَلتَ عَهدَهُمُ فَما غَدَروا
You did indeed ask them, and they were not stingy;
Indeed you asked, and they did not stint;
And you entered their covenant; they did not betray it.
You made a pact with them—no treachery.
وَبَنواand they built لِبَيتِكَfor your house إِنif فَخَرتَyou boast بِهِof it
وَبَنوا لِبَيتِكَ إِن فَخَرتَ بِهِ
عَلياءَa lofty height يَحسُرُgrows weary دونَهاshort of it البَصَرُthe gaze
عَلياءَ يَحسُرُ دونَها البَصَرُ
And, if you boast of your house, they built for it
And if you boast of the house they built for you,
A height that leaves the gaze exhausted short of it.
Sublime, at which vision falls short—
غَلَبَovercame المُلوكَthe kings عَلىover مَعاقِلِهاtheir strongholds
غَلَبَ المُلوكَ عَلى مَعاقِلِها
أَسَدٌa lion إِمامat the head of طِلابِهِhis quest الظَّفَرُvictory
أَسَدٌ إِمام طِلابِهِ الظَّفَرُ
He wrested their strongholds from kings—
With it the lion leading its seekers of victory
A lion, with victory leading his quest.
Vanquished kings in their strongholds.
أَلقىhe laid عَلىupon الشَّهباءِal-Shahba كَلكَلَهُhis breast
أَلقى عَلى الشَّهباءِ كَلكَلَهُ
وَلَهُand he has بِكُلِّat every ثَنِيَّةٍmountain pass ظَفَرُvictory
وَلَهُ بِكُلِّ ثَنِيَّةٍ ظَفَرُ
He laid his breast upon al-Shahba,
Upon the gray hair he cast his turban
And at every mountain pass he has a victory.
And gained victory in every defile.
وَعَلاand he rose above النُّجومَthe stars فَظَنَّso thought حاسِدُهُhis envier
وَعَلا النُّجومَ فَظَنَّ حاسِدُهُ
أَنَّthat السَّماءَheaven إِلَيهِtoward him تَنحَدِرُdescends
أَنَّ السَّماءَ إِلَيهِ تَنحَدِرُ
He rose above the stars, so his envier thought
He ascended above the stars, so his envious foe
That heaven was descending toward him.
Thought heaven itself was falling to him.
خَلَصَتgrew pure بِهِthrough him الدُّنياthe world وَماand not عُرِفَتwas known
خَلَصَت بِهِ الدُّنيا وَما عُرِفَت
إِلَّاexcept وَفيهاwith within it النَّفعُbenefit وَالضَّرَرُand harm
إِلَّا وَفيها النَّفعُ وَالضَّرَرُ
Through him the world grew pure, though it had never been known
Through him the world was delivered, though before
Except with benefit and harm within it.
None knew it save in harm and benefit.
وَجَلَتand cleared away قَذىthe grit of الأَيّامِthe days دَولتُهُhis reign
وَجَلَت قَذى الأَيّامِ دَولتُهُ
وَلِكُلِّand for every صَفوٍclarity دونَهاapart from it كَدَرُcloudiness
وَلِكُلِّ صَفوٍ دونَها كَدَرُ
His reign cleared away the grit of days,
The turbidities of time vanished during his reign,
And every other clarity is marred by cloudiness.
Though all else beneath it is turbid.
شَهِدَتbore witness رِياضَتُهُhis taming of حَوادِثَهاits vicissitudes
شَهِدَت رِياضَتُهُ حَوادِثَها
إِنَّindeed الزَّمانَTime إِلَيهِof him مُفتَقِرُis in need
إِنَّ الزَّمانَ إِلَيهِ مُفتَقِرُ
His taming of its vicissitudes bore witness:
Its tribulations witnessed his competence—
Time truly stands in need of him.
Times needs must lean upon him.
فَكَأَنَّماand it is as though آلَتswore مَواهِبُهُhis gifts
فَكَأَنَّما آلَت مَواهِبُهُ
أَنthat لاnot يَفوتَshould elude مُؤمِّلاًone who hopes وَطَرُa wish
أَن لا يَفوتَ مُؤمِّلاً وَطَرُ
It is as though his gifts had sworn
It was as if his abilities were determined
That no wish should elude a hopeful man.
Never to disappoint an expectant soul.
عَجَباًhow strange لِمَغرورٍat a deluded man وَقَدwhen indeed ظَهَرَتhave appeared
عَجَباً لِمَغرورٍ وَقَد ظَهَرَت
لِسُيوفِكَfor your swords الآياتُthe signs وَالنُّذُرُand the warnings
لِسُيوفِكَ الآياتُ وَالنُّذُرُ
How strange a deluded man, when there have appeared
Amazing, one deluded when your swords’ signs
For your swords the signs and warnings!
And warnings have appeared!
وَمُعَرِّضٍand one exposing لِقَناكَto your spears ثَغرَتَهُhis throat
وَمُعَرِّضٍ لِقَناكَ ثَغرَتَهُ
مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماthe fact that شَقِيَتsuffered بِهِthrough it الثُّغَرُthe frontier strongholds
مِن بَعدِ ما شَقِيَت بِهِ الثُّغَرُ
And one who offers his throat to your spears,
One exposing his throat to your spearhead
After the frontier strongholds have suffered through them!
After throats were miserable through it!
لَعِبَmade sport الرَّجاءhope بِفَضلِwith the excess of عِزَّتِهِhis pride
لَعِبَ الرَّجاء بِفَضلِ عِزَّتِهِ
وَلَهَتand trifled بِعازِبِwith the absent لُبِّهِhis reason الفِكَرُthoughts
وَلَهَت بِعازِبِ لُبِّهِ الفِكَرُ
Hope made sport of the excess of his pride,
Hope toyed with the wits of his lofty glory,
And thoughts trifled with his absent reason.
And thought sported with the tends of his mind.
وَمِنَand among المدىfar reaches ماthat which دونَهُbefore it أَمَدٌa span
وَمِنَ المدى ما دونَهُ أَمَدٌ
لاnot يَستَقِلُّcan sustain بِمِثلِهِthe like of it العُمُرُa lifetime
لا يَستَقِلُّ بِمِثلِهِ العُمُرُ
And some far goals have before them a span
Of the vast span, less than which is duration
The like of which no lifetime can sustain.
Too narrow for a life to encompass.
وَإِذاand when تَدَبَّرَتِdeliberate النُّجومthe stars فَلاthen neither
وَإِذا تَدَبَّرَتِ النُّجوم فَلا
سَهمٌarrow وَلاnor قَوسٌbow وَلاnor وَتَرُbowstring
سَهمٌ وَلا قَوسٌ وَلا وَتَرُ
And when the stars deliberate, neither
When the stars are pondered, there are neither
Arrow nor bow nor bowstring avails.
Arrows, nor bow, nor bowstring.
غُرَّتdeceived عَقيلاًUqayl هَفوَةa lapse عَرَضَتoccurred
غُرَّت عَقيلاً هَفوَة عَرَضَت
يَصحوsobers up الزَّمانُTime لَهاfor it وَيَعتَذِرُand apologizes
يَصحو الزَّمانُ لَها وَيَعتَذِرُ
A passing lapse deceived Uqayl,
Drowsiness deluded a rational man;
For which Time sobers up and apologizes.
The times will wake to it and apologize.
خافَfeared الكَمالperfection عَلىfor عُلاكَyour eminence بِهاbecause of it
خافَ الكَمال عَلى عُلاكَ بِها
وَمِنَand of الكَمالِperfection يُحاذِرُis wary القَمَرُthe moon
وَمِنَ الكَمالِ يُحاذِرُ القَمَرُ
Perfection feared for your eminence because of it,
Perfection feared for your supremeness through it
And perfection is what the moon fears.
And the moon dreads perfection.
لاdo not تَغفَلواbe heedless عَنهاof it فَإِنَّهُمُfor they
لا تَغفَلوا عَنها فَإِنَّهُمُ
يَدرونَknow أَيَّwhich فَوارِسٍhorsemen وَتَرواthey bereaved
يَدرونَ أَيَّ فَوارِسٍ وَتَروا
Do not neglect it, for they
Do not neglect it—they know well
Know which horsemen they have bereaved.
What horsemen they saw and what they deemed.
ياO ابنَson of الأُلىthose who فَخَرَتboasted بِجُودِهِمُof their generosity
يا ابنَ الأُلى فَخَرَت بِجُودِهِمُ
مُضَرٌMudar وَماand what أَدراكَcan make you know ماwhat مُضَرُMudar
مُضَرٌ وَما أَدراكَ ما مُضَرُ
O son of those whose generosity made
O son of exalted ones, through whose nobility
Mudar boast—and what can tell you what Mudar is?
Muḍar took pride! And what, pray, is Muḍar?
يَكفيكَsuffices you نَصراًas support مِنهُمُfrom them نَسَباًas lineage
يَكفيكَ نَصراً مِنهُمُ نَسَباً
مَعنىa theme عَلىfor المُدّاحِthe panegyrists مُختَصَرُbrief
مَعنى عَلى المُدّاحِ مُختَصَرُ
Your descent from them suffices you as support—
Their lineage suffices you as ample aid,
A theme made brief for the panegyrists.
A meaning for the praiser I abbreviate.
أَهوَنhow slight بِشِعريmy verse بَعدَafter ماwhen سَبَقَتpreceded
أَهوَن بِشِعري بَعدَ ما سَبَقَت
مَدحيmy praise إِلَيكَto you ذَرائِعٌmeans of approach أُخَرُother
مَدحي إِلَيكَ ذَرائِعٌ أُخَرُ
How slight my verse, now that there have come before
After my praises reached you, my poetry
My praise to you other means of approach!
Seems paltry—yet there are means other.
وَدَعِand leave aside القَوافيthe rhymes السّائِراتِwidely circulating وَلَوeven if
وَدَعِ القَوافي السّائِراتِ وَلَو
كانَتthey were نُجوماًstars قيلَit would be said تَستَتِرُthey hide themselves
كانَت نُجوماً قيلَ تَستَتِرُ
Leave aside the far-traveling rhymes, even if
Leave rhymed prose though it pace on,
They were stars: one would say they should hide themselves.
Were it stars, it is said to be veiled.
فَلَطالَماfor very often فاضَتoverflowed يَداكَyour two hands عَلىupon
فَلَطالَما فاضَت يَداكَ عَلى
قَومpeople وَماand not نَظَمواthey composed verse وَلاnor نَثَرواthey wrote prose
قَوم وَما نَظَموا وَلا نَثَروا
For so often your hands have overflowed upon
For so often your hands overflowed upon
People who composed neither verse nor prose.
A people—they rhymed not, nor prosified.
ماnot أَخَّرَتنيheld me back عَنهُمُbehind them قَدَمٌa foot
ما أَخَّرَتني عَنهُمُ قَدَمٌ
لَوif كانَthere had been فِيَّregarding me وَفيهِمُand regarding them نَظَرُconsideration
لَو كانَ فِيَّ وَفيهِمُ نَظَرُ
No foot would have held me back behind them,
No step delayed me from them,
Had there been consideration of me and of them.
Had there been in me and them any insight.
لَكِنَّهُbut it is قَدَرٌfate رَضيتُI was content بِهِwith it
لَكِنَّهُ قَدَرٌ رَضيتُ بِهِ
قَسراًunder compulsion وَكَيفَand how يُغالِبُcan be contended with القَدَرُfate
قَسراً وَكَيفَ يُغالِبُ القَدَرُ
But it is a fate I have accepted,
But it is fate—I accept it unwillingly,
Under compulsion—and how can one contend with fate?
And how can fate be overcome?
بَينيbetween me وَبَينَand between الحَظِّgood fortune داجِيَةٌa dark night
بَيني وَبَينَ الحَظِّ داجِيَةٌ
عَمياءَblind لاno نَجمٌstar وَلاnor سَحَرُpredawn
عَمياءَ لا نَجمٌ وَلا سَحَرُ
Between me and good fortune lies a dark night,
Between me and fortune a darkness lies,
Blind, with neither star nor dawn.
Blind, with neither planets nor magic.
لاnot يَهتَديone finds the way فيهاwithin it وَلَوeven if طَلَعَتrose
لا يَهتَدي فيها وَلَو طَلَعَت
مِنfrom أفقِهاits horizon أَخلاقُكَyour virtues الغُرَرُradiant
مِن أفقِها أَخلاقُكَ الغُرَرُ
No one finds his way in it, even were there to rise
Your brilliant character would not there guide
From its horizon your radiant virtues.
Though it dawned in that horizon.
وَأَرىand I see وَحاشاكَexcepting you الكِرامُthe generous وَماyet not
وَأَرى وَحاشاكَ الكِرامُ وَما
ليfor me عِندَهُمwith them ظِلٌّshade وَلاnor ثَمَرُfruit
لي عِندَهُم ظِلٌّ وَلا ثَمَرُ
And I see the generous—excepting you—yet
Yet I see—far from you—graciousness possesses no
With them I have neither shade nor fruit.
Shade or fruit for me, among them.
لَوif أَنَّنيthat I نَبَّهتُroused فيfor وَطَرٍa need
لَو أَنَّني نَبَّهتُ في وَطَرٍ
عُمُراًAmr لَماتَwould surely die مِنَfrom الكَرىslumber عُمَرُUmar
عُمُراً لَماتَ مِنَ الكَرى عُمَرُ
Were I to rouse, to meet some need,
Had I been roused to keenness of discernment
Amr, Umar would die of slumber.
A lifetime, lifetimes would have died of grief.
Sol 6.1