لَعَلَّperhaps دُنوَّthe nearness الحَيِّof the clan بَعدَafter شُسوعِهِits remoteness
لَعَلَّ دُنوَّ الحَيِّ بَعدَ شُسوعِهِ
يُعَلِّلُconsoles قَلباًa heart هائِماًenamored بِجَميعِهِof them all
يُعَلِّلُ قَلباً هائِماً بِجَميعِهِ
Perhaps the clan's nearness, after its remoteness,
will console a heart enamored of them all.
أَأَحبابَناO our beloved ones بَينَbetween الأَحَصِّal-Ahass وَجَوشَنٍand Jawshan
أَأَحبابَنا بَينَ الأَحَصِّ وَجَوشَنٍ
دُعاءa cry مُعَنىًّof one tormented بِالفِراقِby separation صَريعِهِits stricken victim
دُعاء مُعَنىًّ بِالفِراقِ صَريعِهِ
O our beloved ones between al-Ahass and Jawshan,
hear the cry of one tormented by parting, its stricken victim.
مُقيمٌsteadfast عَلىin الحُبِّthe love الَّذيthat تَعرِفونَهُyou know it
مُقيمٌ عَلى الحُبِّ الَّذي تَعرِفونَهُ
وَإِنand even if جَهِدَتhave striven أَفعالُكُمyour deeds فيtoward نُزُوعِهِhis turning away
وَإِن جَهِدَت أَفعالُكُم في نُزُوعِهِ
He remains true to the love that you know,
though your deeds have striven to make him turn away.
يُحِبُّhe loves سَناthe gleam البَرقِof lightning الَّذيthat لاحَflashed مِنكُمُfrom you
يُحِبُّ سَنا البَرقِ الَّذي لاحَ مِنكُمُ
وَماand not هوَit إِلّاexcept جَمرَةan ember فيamong ضُلوعِهِhis ribs
وَما هوَ إِلّا جَمرَة في ضُلوعِهِ
He loves the lightning's gleam that flashed from your direction,
yet it is only an ember among his ribs.
وَمُنتَصِرٍand many a seeker of aid بِالدَّمعِthrough tears فيat رَسمِthe traces مَنزِلٍof a dwelling
وَمُنتَصِرٍ بِالدَّمعِ في رَسمِ مَنزِلٍ
تَذَكَّرَrecalled أَيّامَthe days الصِّباof youth فيin رُبوعِهِits grounds
تَذَكَّرَ أَيّامَ الصِّبا في رُبوعِهِ
And many a man seeking aid in tears at a dwelling's traces
has recalled the days of youth within its grounds.
فَلَوso even if أَعشَبَتsprouted grass أَطلالُهاtheir ruins مِنfrom بُكائِهِhis weeping
فَلَو أَعشَبَت أَطلالُها مِن بُكائِهِ
لَماwould not رَضِيَتbe satisfied أَجفانُهُhis eyelids عَنwith دُموعِهِhis tears
لَما رَضِيَت أَجفانُهُ عَن دُموعِهِ
Even if their ruins sprouted grass from his weeping,
his eyelids would still not be satisfied with his tears.
إِذاif كانَit was خَوفُfear الضَّيمِof humiliation أَبعَدَthat drove far away دارِهِhis dwelling
إِذا كانَ خَوفُ الضَّيمِ أَبعَدَ دارِهِ
فَلاthen do not تَطمَعواhope فيfor قُربِهِhis nearness وَرُجوعِهِand his return
فَلا تَطمَعوا في قُربِهِ وَرُجوعِهِ
If fear of humiliation has driven his dwelling far away,
do not hope for his nearness and return.
فَماfor not هِيَit إِلّاexcept نَخوَةa pride عامِرِيَّةٌ‘Amiri
فَما هِيَ إِلّا نَخوَة عامِرِيَّةٌ
تَعَلَّقَهاhe acquired it مِنfrom حَربِهِhis Harb وَرَبيعِهِand his Rabi‘
تَعَلَّقَها مِن حَربِهِ وَرَبيعِهِ
It is nothing but an ‘Amiri pride
that he acquired from his Harb and his Rabi‘.
وَرُبَّand many هِناتslights مِنكُمُfrom you صارَhas become ذِكرُهاtheir remembrance
وَرُبَّ هِنات مِنكُمُ صارَ ذِكرُها
يَمُنُّbestows favor عَلىon أَجفانِهِhis eyelids بِهُجوعِهِwith his slumber
يَمُنُّ عَلى أَجفانِهِ بِهُجوعِهِ
And many are your slights whose memory now
bestows on his eyelids the favor of slumber.
لَحىmay curse اللَّهُGod مَنwhoever يَرضىaccepts الدَّنِيَّةَabasement واصِلاًkeeping ties
لَحى اللَّهُ مَن يَرضى الدَّنِيَّةَ واصِلاً
لهاجِرَةٍwith a woman who shuns أَوor حافِظاًcaring لِمَضيعِهِfor one who neglects him
لهاجِرَةٍ أَو حافِظاً لِمَضيعِهِ
May God curse whoever accepts abasement, keeping ties
with a woman who shuns him, or caring for one who neglects him;
يُقيمُhe remains عَلىin أَوطانِهِhis native lands فيamid مُلِمَّةٍa calamity
يُقيمُ عَلى أَوطانِهِ في مُلِمَّةٍ
مِنَfrom الدَّهرِfate يَلقىhe meets عِزَّهاits might بِخُضوعِهِwith his submission
مِنَ الدَّهرِ يَلقى عِزَّها بِخُضوعِهِ
who stays in his homeland amid a calamity
of fate, meeting its might with his submission.
وَأَينَand where ذَميلُthe trot الأَرحَبِيَّةِof the Arhabite she-camel فيin الدُّجاthe darkness
وَأَينَ ذَميلُ الأَرحَبِيَّةِ في الدُّجا
وأخذand the taking السُّرىby night travel مِنfrom بَينِهاits intervening distance وَهَزيعِهِand its night-watch
وأخذ السُّرى مِن بَينِها وَهَزيعِهِ
And where is the Arhabite she-camel's trot through darkness,
and night travel consuming the distance and a stretch of night?
وَنُصرَةُand the aid مَحمودِof Mahmud بنِson نَصرٍof Nasr فَلَمfor never تَكُنwas it
وَنُصرَةُ مَحمودِ بنِ نَصرٍ فَلَم تَكُن
بِعازِبَةٍfar removed عَنfrom عَبدِهِhis servant وَرَضيعِهِand his nursling
بِعازِبَةٍ عَن عَبدِهِ وَرَضيعِهِ
And the aid of Mahmud ibn Nasr? It has never been
far from his servant and nursling.
نَزَلتُI alighted عَلىwith رَحبِone spacious in الفَناءcourtyard مُريعِهِfertile in it
نَزَلتُ عَلى رَحبِ الفَناء مُريعِهِ
وَلُذتُand sought refuge بِعاديِّwith one ancient as ‘Ad البِناءin building رَفيعِهِlofty in it
وَلُذتُ بِعاديِّ البِناء رَفيعِهِ
I lodged with one whose courtyard is spacious and fertile,
and sought shelter with one whose edifice is lofty, ancient as ‘Ad.
فَمُذso since سَمَحَgranted الدَّهرfate اللَّئيمُthe ignoble بِقُربِهِnearness to him
فَمُذ سَمَحَ الدَّهر اللَّئيمُ بِقُربِهِ
صَفَحناwe pardoned لَهُit عَمّاfor what مَضىhad passed مِنof صَنيعِهِits deeds
صَفَحنا لَهُ عَمّا مَضى مِن صَنيعِهِ
Since ignoble fate granted me nearness to him,
we have pardoned it for its past deeds.
أَخيa brother of الغارَةthe raid الشَّعواءthe sweeping فيin كُلِّevery جانِبcorner
أَخي الغارَة الشَّعواء في كُلِّ جانِب
مِنَof الأَرضِthe earth يَرويhe slakes باغِياًan aggressor مِنwith نَجيعِهِhis fresh blood
مِنَ الأَرضِ يَروي باغِياً مِن نَجيعِهِ
A brother to the sweeping raid in every corner
of the earth, he slakes an aggressor's thirst with his own blood.
وَذيand a master of الحَربِwar ماnot أَلقىdid he cast off تَمائِمَthe amulets مَهدِهِof his cradle
وَذي الحَربِ ما أَلقى تَمائِمَ مَهدِهِ
عنِfrom الجيدِthe neck حَتّىuntil اجتابَhe donned زَغفَthe fine mesh دُروعِهِof his armor
عنِ الجيدِ حَتّى اجتابَ زَغفَ دُروعِهِ
And a master of war: he had not cast his cradle's amulets
from his neck before donning his armor's fine mail.
فَإِنand if تُنجِزِfulfill الأَيّامُthe days مَمطولَthe long-delayed وَعدِهِpromise to him
فَإِن تُنجِزِ الأَيّامُ مَمطولَ وَعدِهِ
فَقَدthen already بانَhas appeared ضوءthe light الصُّبحِof dawn قَبلَbefore طُلوعِهِits rising
فَقَد بانَ ضوء الصُّبحِ قَبلَ طُلوعِهِ
If the days fulfill their long-delayed promise to him,
dawn's light has already appeared before its rising.
وَمِنand among عادَةِthe ways اللَّهِof God الحَميدَةِpraiseworthy عِندَهُtoward him
وَمِن عادَةِ اللَّهِ الحَميدَةِ عِندَهُ
مَنِيَّةُthe death عاصِيهof one who defies him بِسَيفِby the sword مُطيعِهِof one who obeys him
مَنِيَّةُ عاصِيه بِسَيفِ مُطيعِهِ
Among God's praiseworthy ways toward him
is the death of his rebel by the sword of his loyal follower.
أَقولُI say لِمَغرورٍto a deluded man يُخادِعُtries to deceive سِلمَهُhis peacefulness
أَقولُ لِمَغرورٍ يُخادِعُ سِلمَهُ
حَذارِbeware وُثوبَthe leap اللَّيثِof the lion بَعدَafter قُبوعِهِits crouching
حَذارِ وُثوبَ اللَّيثِ بَعدَ قُبوعِهِ
I tell a deluded man who would exploit his peacefulness:
beware the lion's leap after its crouching.
فَإِنَّfor indeed الَّتيwhat أَبصَرتُI saw فيon يَومthe day مالِكٍof Malik
فَإِنَّ الَّتي أَبصَرتُ في يَوم مالِكٍ
مَكانَكkeep your distance مِنهاfrom it فُرقَةٌa detachment مِنof جُموعِهِhis forces
مَكانَك مِنها فُرقَةٌ مِن جُموعِهِ
For what I saw on the day of Malik—
keep clear of it!—was but a detachment of his host.
تَضُمُّgathers كِلابٌKilab كُلَّevery يَومday أُمورَهاits affairs
تَضُمُّ كِلابٌ كُلَّ يَوم أُمورَها
إِلىto ناشِرِthe spreader المَعروفِof beneficence فيهاamong them مُذيعِهِits disseminator
إِلى ناشِرِ المَعروفِ فيها مُذيعِهِ
Kilab gathers its affairs each day
to him who spreads beneficence among them and makes it known.
إِذاwhenever نابَهاbefalls them خَطبٌa calamity مِنَfrom الدَّهرِfate عَوَّلَتthey rely
إِذا نابَها خَطبٌ مِنَ الدَّهرِ عَوَّلَت
عَلىon رَأيِهِhis judgment أَوor سَيفِهِhis sword أَوor قَطيعِهِhis herd
عَلى رَأيِهِ أَو سَيفِهِ أَو قَطيعِهِ
Whenever a calamity of fate assails them, they rely
on his judgment, or his sword, or his herd.
كَفيلٌa guarantor بِرَدِّof restoring الأَمرauthority بَعدَafter ذهابِهِits loss
كَفيلٌ بِرَدِّ الأَمر بَعدَ ذهابِهِ
عَلَيهاto their detriment وَدَفعُand averting الخَطبِcalamity قَبلَbefore وقوعِهِits occurrence
عَلَيها وَدَفعُ الخَطبِ قَبلَ وقوعِهِ
He guarantees to restore their power once it has slipped
from them, and to avert calamity before it strikes.
لَعَمريby my life لَقَدindeed قادَhas led ابنُthe son خانٍof Khan غَليلَهُhis burning thirst
لَعَمري لَقَد قادَ ابنُ خانٍ غَليلَهُ
إِلىto مَنهَلٍa watering place يَلقىhe meets الرَّدىdeath فيin شُروعِهِhis entering it
إِلى مَنهَلٍ يَلقى الرَّدى في شُروعِهِ
By my life, Ibn Khan has indeed led his burning thirst
to a watering place where he meets death as he enters.
تَعَرَّضَhe exposed himself لِلسُّمرِto the brown spears الطِّوالِthe long بِنَحرِهِwith his throat
تَعَرَّضَ لِلسُّمرِ الطِّوالِ بِنَحرِهِ
وَفيهاand in them شِفاءa cure مِنfor صَداهُhis thirst وَجوعِهِand his hunger
وَفيها شِفاء مِن صَداهُ وَجوعِهِ
He exposed his throat to the long, brown spears;
in them lies a cure for his thirst and hunger.
وَمَنand whoever يَكُنِhas العَشارُthe tax-gatherer رائِدَas scout سَرعِهِof his advance
وَمَن يَكُنِ العَشارُ رائِدَ سَرعِهِ
فَلاthen do not تَتَعَجَّبmarvel مِنat وَخيمthe ill effects رُتوعِهِof his grazing
فَلا تَتَعَجَّب مِن وَخيم رُتوعِهِ
Whoever has the tax-gatherer as scout for his advance,
do not marvel at the deadly outcome of his grazing.
وَماand not يَترُكُleaves الأَصلَthe root الذَّميمَthe vile دَناءَةany baseness
وَما يَترُكُ الأَصلَ الذَّميمَ دَناءَة
مِنَof اللُّؤمِignobility إِلّاexcept رَدَّهاit reproduces it فيin فُروعِهِits branches
مِنَ اللُّؤمِ إِلّا رَدَّها في فُروعِهِ
The vile root leaves no despicable trait
of baseness without reproducing it in its branches.
جَزىmay reward اللَّهُGod خَيراًwith good عُصبَةًa band أَنزَلَتthat visited بِهِupon him
جَزى اللَّهُ خَيراً عُصبَةً أَنزَلَت بِهِ
عَلىby حُكمthe judgment مَصقولِof a polished الغرارsword-edge صَنيعِهِhis own deed
عَلى حُكم مَصقولِ الغرار صَنيعِهِ
May God reward with good a band that visited upon him
his own deeds, by the verdict of a polished sword-edge.
أَجابَتthey answered ضَريحَthe tomb المُرتَضىof al-Murtada فيin غُريةٍGhurayya
أَجابَت ضَريحَ المُرتَضى في غُريةٍ
وَسَرَّتand gladdened ضَريحَthe tomb المُصطَفىof al-Mustafa فيin بَقيعِهِhis Baqi‘
وَسَرَّت ضَريحَ المُصطَفى في بَقيعِهِ
They answered al-Murtada's tomb in Ghurayya,
and gladdened al-Mustafa's tomb in his Baqi‘.
دَمٌblood طَلَّfell unavenged هاويهِthe one who craved it وَنَجدَةُand the valor ثائِرٍof an avenger
دَمٌ طَلَّ هاويهِ وَنَجدَةُ ثائِرٍ
هُوَhe السَّيفُthe sword إِلّاexcept نَبوَةa recoil مِنfrom هُلوعِهِhis panic
هُوَ السَّيفُ إِلّا نَبوَة مِن هُلوعِهِ
Blood whose seeker fell unavenged, and an avenger's valor—
he is the sword, save for a recoil born of his panic.
أَباO Abu سابِقٍSabiq لِلّهGod has فيكَin you سَريرَةa hidden purpose
أَبا سابِقٍ لِلّه فيكَ سَريرَة
قَضَتthat decreed بِقَريبِnear at hand النَّصرِvictory مِنهُfrom Him سَريعِهِswift in its coming
قَضَت بِقَريبِ النَّصرِ مِنهُ سَريعِهِ
O Abu Sabiq, God has a hidden purpose in you
that decreed victory from Him, near and swift.
إِذاwhen أَظلَمَتgrow dark سودُthe black الخُطوبcalamities جَلَوتَهاyou dispel them
إِذا أَظلَمَت سودُ الخُطوب جَلَوتَها
بِرَأيwith judgment يُعيرُthat lends الصُّبحَthe dawn ضوءthe light صَديعِهِof its breaking
بِرَأي يُعيرُ الصُّبحَ ضوء صَديعِهِ
When black calamities bring darkness, you dispel them
with judgment that lends dawn the light of its own breaking.
وَليand I have فيكَin you آمالٌhopes طِوالٌfar-reaching تَرَدَّدَتthat have stirred
وَلي فيكَ آمالٌ طِوالٌ تَرَدَّدَت
بِقَلبٍin a heart جَميلِfair in الظَّنِّopinion فيكَof you وَسيعِهِand boundless in it
بِقَلبٍ جَميلِ الظَّنِّ فيكَ وَسيعِهِ
I have far-reaching hopes in you, which have stirred
in a heart whose fair trust in you is boundless.
وَمَنand whoever كانَwould يَبغيseek شافِعاًan intercessor فيfor لُبانِهِhis need
وَمَن كانَ يَبغي شافِعاً في لُبانِهِ
فَوَجهُكَthen your face يغنيsuffices for سائِلاًa petitioner عَنinstead of شَفيعِهِhis intercessor
فَوَجهُكَ يغني سائِلاً عَن شَفيعِهِ
Whoever seeks an intercessor for his need—
your face spares a petitioner the need for his intercessor.
Sol 6.1