دَعوهاlet them تُناضِلُvie بِالأَذرُعwith their forelegs
دَعوها تُناضِلُ بِالأَذرُع
فَأَينَfor where العَواصِمُal-'Awasim مِنfrom لَعلَعِLa'la'
فَأَينَ العَواصِمُ مِن لَعلَعِ
Let them vie with their forelegs;
for how far al-'Awasim lies from La'la'!
وَقودواand guide أَزِمَّتَهاtheir reins بِالحَنينِwith yearning
وَقودوا أَزِمَّتَها بِالحَنينِ
فَلَولاfor were it not for الصَّبابَةardent longing لَمnot تَتبَعِwould follow
فَلَولا الصَّبابَة لَم تَتبَعِ
And guide their reins with yearning;
without love's longing, they would not follow.
وَياand O سَعدُSa'd هَلwould لَكَfor you فيin وَقفَةٍa pause
وَيا سَعدُ هَل لَكَ في وَقفَةٍ
عَلىat الدّارِthe dwelling تَجهَلُact foolishly فيهاin it مَعيwith me
عَلى الدّارِ تَجهَلُ فيها مَعي
And Sa'd, would you care to pause
at the dwelling and share my folly there?
فَماfor not لِيَfor me قَلبٌa heart يَبُثُّpours out الغَرامَpassion
فَما لِيَ قَلبٌ يَبُثُّ الغَرامَ
عَلىover رَسمthe trace دِمنَتهاits campsite البَلقَعِbarren
عَلى رَسم دِمنَتها البَلقَعِ
For I have no heart to pour out passion
over the traces of its barren campsite.
وَلَكِنَّهُand yet it كانَwas لَمّاwhen مَضىdeparted
وَلَكِنَّهُ كانَ لَمّا مَضى
مَعَwith الظَّعنِthe departing caravan وَصّىentrusted its charge إِلىto أَدمُعيmy tears
مَعَ الظَّعنِ وَصّى إِلى أَدمُعي
Yet when it departed
with the caravan, it entrusted its charge to my tears.
فَهُنَّso they إِذاwhen ماemphasis عَدِمنَlost الخَليطَthe companions
فَهُنَّ إِذا ما عَدِمنَ الخَليطَ
رَعَينَkept الأَمانَةَthe trust فيin الأَربُعِthe dwelling-sites
رَعَينَ الأَمانَةَ في الأَربُعِ
So when they could no longer find the companions,
they kept their trust among the dwelling-sites.
عذيريَmy defender مِنagainst عاذِلٍa reproacher فيfor هَواكِlove for you
عذيريَ مِن عاذِلٍ في هَواكِ
يَعُزُّis unyielding عَلىto سَومِهِhis demands مَسمَعيmy ear
يَعُزُّ عَلى سَومِهِ مَسمَعي
Who will defend me from a reproacher of my love for you?
My ear resists his demands.
كتَمتُI concealed الغَرامَpassion وَلَكِنbut أَتَيتI was betrayed
كتَمتُ الغَرامَ وَلَكِن أَتَيت
بِحُكمِby the decree of الصَّبابَةِardent longing مِنthrough مَدمَعيmy tearful eye
بِحُكمِ الصَّبابَةِ مِن مَدمَعي
I concealed my passion, but was betrayed
by love's decree through my tearful eye.
وَأَودَعتُand I entrusted سِرَّكَyour secret سَفحَthe slope of الغُوَيرِal-Ghuwayr
وَأَودَعتُ سِرَّكَ سَفحَ الغُوَيرِ
فَضَلَّso went astray الوَفاءfidelity عَلىfor المُودَعِthe custodian
فَضَلَّ الوَفاء عَلى المُودَعِ
And I entrusted your secret to the slope of al-Ghuwayr,
but fidelity eluded its custodian.
وَصارَتand began صَباهُits east wind تَبُثُّspreading الحَديثَthe tale
وَصارَت صَباهُ تَبُثُّ الحَديثَ
وَتسندُand attributes the report عَنon the authority of بانَةِthe ban-tree of الأَجرُعِal-Ajra'
وَتسندُ عَن بانَةِ الأَجرُعِ
And its east wind began spreading the tale,
citing the ban-tree of al-Ajra' as its authority.
وَتُقسِمُand swears أَنّيthat I أَهواكُمُlove you
وَتُقسِمُ أَنّي أَهواكُمُ
وَلَيسَand is not اليَمينُthe oath عَلىincumbent on المُدَّعيthe claimant
وَلَيسَ اليَمينُ عَلى المُدَّعي
And it swears that I love you—
though the oath is not the claimant's burden.
وَبَرقand lightning أَضاءflashed فَلَولاbut were it not for السُّهاsleeplessness (first part)
وَبَرق أَضاء فَلَولا السُّها
دُending of 'sleeplessness' دَلَّwould have guided الخَيالَthe apparition عَلىto مَضجَعيmy bed
دُ دَلَّ الخَيالَ عَلى مَضجَعي
And lightning flashed; but for sleeplessness,
it would have guided the apparition to my bed.
سَرىtraveled by night وَهوَand it فيin الأَعيُنِthe eyes السّاهِراwakeful (first part)
سَرى وَهوَ في الأَعيُنِ السّاهِرا
تِending of 'wakeful' أَحلىsweeter مِنَthan النَّومِsleep فيamong الهُجَّعِthe sleepers
تِ أَحلى مِنَ النَّومِ في الهُجَّعِ
It traveled by night, and to wakeful eyes
was sweeter than sleep to sleepers.
فَطارَحَناso conversed with us بِحَديثِin talk of العُذَيبِal-'Udhayb
فَطارَحَنا بِحَديثِ العُذَيبِ
وَلَكِنbut جَزِعناwe grew distraught وَلَمand did not يَجزَعِgrow distraught
وَلَكِن جَزِعنا وَلَم يَجزَعِ
It exchanged talk of al-'Udhayb with us,
but we grew distraught, and it did not.
خَليلَيَّmy two friends هَلhas ضَلَّgone astray حاديthe driver of الصَّباdawn (first part)
خَليلَيَّ هَل ضَلَّ حادي الصَّبا
حِending of 'dawn' أَمor الأفقانِthe two horizons بِلاwithout مَطلَعِa rising-place
حِ أَم الأفقانِ بِلا مَطلَعِ
My two friends, has dawn's driver gone astray,
or have the two horizons no place of rising?
هُمومٌworries تُعينُaid عَلَيناagainst us الظَّلامَthe darkness
هُمومٌ تُعينُ عَلَينا الظَّلامَ
فَلَوso even if صَدَعbroke apart اللَّيلُthe night لَمwould not تَصدَعِbreak apart
فَلَو صَدَع اللَّيلُ لَم تَصدَعِ
Worries aid the darkness against us;
even if night broke apart, they would not.
وَدَهرٌand an age تفاخرُvie in boasting أَيّامُهُits days
وَدَهرٌ تفاخرُ أَيّامُهُ
فُروعُthe heights الكَواكِبِof the stars بِاليَرمُعِwith soft white stones
فُروعُ الكَواكِبِ بِاليَرمُعِ
And an age whose days vie in boasting
with the stars' heights, boasting of soft white stones.
يُحاوِلُseeks ضَيميmy oppression وَمِنand from دونِهِbefore it
يُحاوِلُ ضَيمي وَمِن دونِهِ
طِوالُlong الذَّوابِلِslender spears وَالأَذرُعِand arms
طِوالُ الذَّوابِلِ وَالأَذرُعِ
It seeks to wrong me, but in its way
stand long, slender spears and long arms.
وَيَحسِبُنيand thinks me طالِباًseeking جودَهُits bounty
وَيَحسِبُني طالِباً جودَهُ
مَتىwhen خَدَعَتbeguiled مِنَّةٌa favor مَطمَعيmy hopes
مَتى خَدَعَت مِنَّةٌ مَطمَعي
And it thinks I seek its bounty;
when has a favor ever beguiled my hopes?
أَبيتُI refuse فَإِنso if أَسلَمتنيsurrendered me المُنىwishes
أَبيتُ فَإِن أَسلَمتني المُنى
إِلَيكَto you فَماطِلthen delay بِهاover them أَوor دَعِleave
إِلَيكَ فَماطِل بِها أَو دَعِ
I refuse; if wishes should surrender me
to you, then put them off or leave them.
وَقَلَّand dwindled لبينكat your parting قَلَّdwindled السَّماحgenerosity
وَقَلَّ لبينك قَلَّ السَّماح
وَحُزناًand sorrow عَلىfor الخُلقِthe character الأَشنَعِmost hideous
وَحُزناً عَلى الخُلقِ الأَشنَعِ
And at your parting, generosity dwindled—dwindled;
and sorrow for the vilest character,
وَبُخلاًand miserliness فَلِلَّهِso to God belongs دَرُّthe excellence of الطَّوىhunger
وَبُخلاً فَلِلَّهِ دَرُّ الطَّوى
إِذاif كانَis عِندَهُمamong them مَرتَعيmy pasture
إِذا كانَ عِندَهُم مَرتَعي
and miserliness! God bless hunger,
if my pasture must be among them.
بَلىindeed لِبَنيfor the sons of مُنقِذٍMunqidh مَنهَلٍa watering-place
بَلى لِبَني مُنقِذٍ مَنهَلٍ
مِنَof الجودِgenerosity لَولاهُbut for it لَمnot أَشرَعِI would come to drink
مِنَ الجودِ لَولاهُ لَم أَشرَعِ
Indeed, Banu Munqidh have a watering-place
of generosity; without it I would not have come to drink.
هُمُthey جَنَّبونيled me at their side بَعدَafter الإباءrefusal
هُمُ جَنَّبوني بَعدَ الإباء
إِلىto خِصبِthe fertility of واديهِمtheir valley الممرعِlush
إِلى خِصبِ واديهِم الممرعِ
They led me, after my refusal,
to the fertility of their lush valley.
نَقَعتُI quenched بِهِمthrough them غُلَّتيmy thirst بَعدَafter ماthat
نَقَعتُ بِهِم غُلَّتي بَعدَ ما
غَرَفتُI drew water عنِfrom السُّحبِthe clouds الهُمَّعِpouring rain
غَرَفتُ عنِ السُّحبِ الهُمَّعِ
I quenched my thirst through them, after
drawing from the pouring clouds.
وَأَبلَجَand a bright-faced man مِنهُمamong them بَغواthey sought شَأوهhis reach
وَأَبلَجَ مِنهُم بَغوا شَأوه
وَقَدthough already فاتَhe outstripped شارِدَةَthe fleeing creature الأَربَعِwith four legs
وَقَد فاتَ شارِدَةَ الأَربَعِ
And a bright-faced man among them—they sought his reach,
though he had outstripped the fleeing four-legged beast.
فَماso not أَدرَكوهُthey overtook him وَلاnor ماطَلواthey lagged
فَما أَدرَكوهُ وَلا ماطَلوا
مِطالَthe lagging of البَطيءthe slow عَنِbehind السُّرَّعِthe swift
مِطالَ البَطيء عَنِ السُّرَّعِ
They did not catch him, nor did they lag
as the slow lag behind the swift.
وَلَكِنbut جَرىhe ran سابِقاًin the lead فيin الرِّهانِthe race
وَلَكِن جَرى سابِقاً في الرِّهانِ
وَضَلّواand they lost their way عَلىon الأَثَرِthe trail المَهيَعِbroad and clear
وَضَلّوا عَلى الأَثَرِ المَهيَعِ
But he ran ahead in the race,
and they lost their way on the broad, clear trail.
تُرَنِّحُهُmakes him sway هِزَّةa thrill لِلسَّماحِof generosity
تُرَنِّحُهُ هِزَّة لِلسَّماحِ
عَزَتهُascribed him إِلىto الأَسَلِthe spears الزَّعزَعِquivering
عَزَتهُ إِلى الأَسَلِ الزَّعزَعِ
A thrill of generosity sets him swaying,
claiming him as kin to the quivering spears.
وَينسِبُهُand claims his kinship البأسvalor فيamong البيضِthe bright swords وَهوَwhile he
وَينسِبُهُ البأس في البيضِ وَهوَ
بَينَamid الصَّوارِمِkeen swords وَالشُّرَّعِand leveled spears
بَينَ الصَّوارِمِ وَالشُّرَّعِ
And valor claims him as kin to bright swords, while he is
among keen blades and leveled lances.
تَطولُrises in stature بِهِthrough him الأَرضُthe earth حَتّىuntil يُظَنَّit is thought
تَطولُ بِهِ الأَرضُ حَتّى يُظَنَّ
أختَa sister of المَجَرَّةِthe Milky Way فيin المَوضِعِposition
أختَ المَجَرَّةِ في المَوضِعِ
Through him the earth rises, until it seems
the Milky Way's sister in station.
فَجاءَso he proved كَماas أَمَّلَhoped المَجدُGlory فيهِin him
فَجاءَ كَما أَمَّلَ المَجدُ فيهِ
مَلِيّاًfully capable بِغارِبَةِof the withers of الأَتلَعِthe long-necked mount
مَلِيّاً بِغارِبَةِ الأَتلَعِ
Thus he proved as Glory had hoped of him,
fit to bestride the long-necked mount's withers.
غَذاهُnourished him أَبوهُhis father بِحُبِّwith love of النَّوالِgiving
غَذاهُ أَبوهُ بِحُبِّ النَّوالِ
فَلَمso never يَسلُgrew indifferent عَنهُto it وَلَمand never يَنزَعِdesisted
فَلَم يَسلُ عَنهُ وَلَم يَنزَعِ
His father nourished him on love of giving,
so he never grew indifferent to it or forsook it.
وَعَرَّقَand took root فيهِin him نَدىthe generosity of خَالِهِhis maternal uncle
وَعَرَّقَ فيهِ نَدى خَالِهِ
إِذاwhen لَؤمَتwas grudging دَرَّةُthe milk-flow of المُرضعِthe nursing woman
إِذا لَؤمَت دَرَّةُ المُرضعِ
And his maternal uncle's generosity took root in him,
whenever the nurse's milk-flow proved grudging.
أَباO father of حَسَنٍHasan ليI have فيin مَدحِكُمpraise of you
أَبا حَسَنٍ لي في مَدحِكُم
شَوارِدُfugitive verses لَولاكَbut for you لَمnot تُجمَعِwould be gathered
شَوارِدُ لَولاكَ لَم تُجمَعِ
Abu Hasan, in praise of you I have
fugitive verses that, without you, would not be gathered.
نَهَيتُI warned عَدُوَّكَyour enemy عَنaway from غَيِّهِhis waywardness
نَهَيتُ عَدُوَّكَ عَن غَيِّهِ
بِوَخزِwith the sting of العِتابِrebuke فَلَمbut did not يَسمَعِlisten
بِوَخزِ العِتابِ فَلَم يَسمَعِ
I warned your enemy away from his waywardness
with the sting of rebuke, but he would not listen.
وَقُلتُand I said لَهُto him مَنwhoever يَرومُseeks النُّجومَthe stars
وَقُلتُ لَهُ مَن يَرومُ النُّجومَ
بِباعwith an arm-span كَباعِكَlike your arm-span فَليَربَعِthen let him hold back
بِباع كَباعِكَ فَليَربَعِ
And I told him: whoever seeks the stars
with an arm-span like yours should hold back.
أَلَستَdo you not تَرىsee شِيَمَthe traits of الأَكرَمينَthe noblest
أَلَستَ تَرى شِيَمَ الأَكرَمينَ
تَهزَأmocking مِنat أَنفِكَyour nose الأَجدَعِmutilated
تَهزَأ مِن أَنفِكَ الأَجدَعِ
Do you not see the traits of the noblest
mocking your mutilated nose?
حَذارِbeware بَنيthe sons of مُنقِذٍMunqidh أَنlest يَغيsubside (first part)
حَذارِ بَني مُنقِذٍ أَن يَغي
ضَending of 'subside' بَحركyour sea فيin بَحرِهاtheir sea المُترَعِbrimming
ضَ بَحرك في بَحرِها المُترَعِ
Beware Banu Munqidh, lest
your sea dwindle within their brimming sea.
فَإِنَّهُمُfor they فَرَعواscaled غايَةًa summit
فَإِنَّهُمُ فَرَعوا غايَةً
بِغَيرِwithout الصَّوارمِkeen swords لَمnever تُفزَعِwas shaken
بِغَيرِ الصَّوارمِ لَم تُفزَعِ
For they have scaled a summit
never shaken without keen swords.
وَأَنتَand you كَماas حَكَمَhas decreed اللؤمُbaseness فيwithin
وَأَنتَ كَما حَكَمَ اللؤمُ في
كَyou تَلوبُcircle thirstily عَلىaround ذَلِكَthat المَشرَعِwatering-place
كَ تَلوبُ عَلى ذَلِكَ المَشرَعِ
And you, as baseness has decreed within
you, circle thirstily around that watering-place.
وَقَدand already غَمَروكَthey flooded you بِبَذلِby bestowing النَّوالِgifts
وَقَد غَمَروكَ بِبَذلِ النَّوالِ
فَطِرso fly بِمَواعيدِهِمon their promises أَوor قَعِalight
فَطِر بِمَواعيدِهِم أَو قَعِ
They have flooded you with gifts;
so fly on their promises, or alight.
فَلَوso if نُسِبَتwere traced مُرهَفاتُthe honed blades of السُّيوفِswords
فَلَو نُسِبَت مُرهَفاتُ السُّيوفِ
إِلىto لُؤمthe baseness of أَصلِكَyour stock لَمnot تُقطَعِcut
إِلى لُؤم أَصلِكَ لَم تُقطَعِ
If the finely honed swords were traced
to the baseness of your stock, they would not cut.
وَآخرَand another نازَعَنيdisputed with me فيكُمُabout you
وَآخرَ نازَعَني فيكُمُ
وَلَوand had تُرِكَbeen left alone الصلthe asp لَمnot يَلسَعِwould have stung
وَلَو تُرِكَ الصل لَم يَلسَعِ
And another disputed with me about you—
had the asp been left alone, it would not have stung.
فَراحَso he departed بِغَرّاءwith a brilliant poem وَضّاحَةٍradiant
فَراحَ بِغَرّاء وَضّاحَةٍ
تَبَلَّجُshining فيin عِرضِهِhis honor الأَسفَعِdarkened
تَبَلَّجُ في عِرضِهِ الأَسفَعِ
So he departed with a brilliant, radiant poem,
gleaming against his darkened honor—
مِنَone of الواخِزاتِthe piercing poems الَّتيwhich لاnot تَصُدrepel (first part)
مِنَ الواخِزاتِ الَّتي لا تَصُد
دُending of 'repel' عَنهُنَّagainst them سابِغَةُa full-length coat of mail الأَذرُعِin arm-lengths
دُ عَنهُنَّ سابِغَةُ الأَذرُعِ
one of those piercing poems that no
full-length coat of mail can ward off.
نَوافِرُfugitive verses تُعجِزُdefeat طلابَهاtheir pursuers
نَوافِرُ تُعجِزُ طلابَها
مَتىwhenever أَبغِI seek شارِدهاtheir stray verse تُسرِعِthey hasten
مَتى أَبغِ شارِدها تُسرِعِ
Fugitive verses that defeat their pursuers;
whenever I seek their strays, they hasten to me.
إِذاwhen ماemphasis دَعَوتُI summon جُموحَthe unbridled force of الكَلاspeech (first part)
إِذا ما دَعَوتُ جُموحَ الكَلا
مending of 'speech' جاءَit comes بِمُمتَنِعwith the elusive طَيِّعِtractable
م جاءَ بِمُمتَنِع طَيِّعِ
When I summon unbridled speech,
it comes with words elusive yet obedient:
بِغُرّwith radiant poems إِذاwhen ماemphasis غَشينَthey cover الظَّلاdarkness (first part)
بِغُرّ إِذا ما غَشينَ الظَّلا
مَending of 'darkness' كَسَفنَthey eclipse سَناthe radiance of شُهبِهِits meteors المطلَعِrising
مَ كَسَفنَ سَنا شُهبِهِ المطلَعِ
with radiant poems that, when they cover the darkness,
eclipse the radiance of its rising meteors.
لَكُمfor you أريهاtheir honey وَلأَعدائِكُمand for your enemies
لَكُم أريها وَلأَعدائِكُم
مَوارِدُdrinking-places مِنof سُمِّهاtheir poison المُنقِعِlethal
مَوارِدُ مِن سُمِّها المُنقِعِ
For you is their honey; for your enemies,
drinking-places of their deadly poison.
Sol 6.1