وعيتI heard هذيمthe rumbling of واعيةthe lament of اللياليthe nights
وعيت هذيم واعية الليالي
فماso what لنوائبfor the calamities of الدنياthe world وماليand what of me?
فما لنوائب الدنيا ومالي
Hudhaym, you have heeded the admonition of the nights.
I heard the rumbling of the nights' lament.
What have this world's calamities to do with me—and I with them?
What, then, do the world's calamities want with me?
رمتit struck مضراًMudar بثالثةwith the third of الأثافيthe hearthstones
رمت مضراً بثالثة الأثافي
ضحىat midmorning فبكتand so it wept بأربعةin four خصالways
ضحى فبكت بأربعة خصال
They struck Mudar with the third hearthstone—the crowning calamity—
It struck Mudar with the third hearthstone, the direst calamity,
at broad noon, and it mourned four noble virtues.
at midmorning, and it wept in four ways.
رُبوعُthe abodes of المجدglory مقفرةٌdesolate خواليempty
رُبوعُ المجد مقفرةٌ خوالي
يرنُّrings بهاwithin them صدىthe echo of الحججthe years الخواليbygone
يرنُّ بها صدى الحجج الخوالي
The dwellings of glory stand deserted and empty;
The abodes of glory are desolate and empty;
within them resounds the echo of bygone years.
the echo of bygone years rings through them.
خلاdeparted عنهاfrom them الانيسfamiliar company سوىexcept اشجّa scarred one
خلا عنها الانيس سوى اشجّ
بعافيin the effaced الربعdwelling ذيhaving رممremnants بواليdecaying
بعافي الربع ذي رمم بوالي
Every familiar companion has left them, save a hoarse-voiced mourner
All company has left them, save a scarred one,
amid the campsite's effaced traces, its decayed and weatherworn remains.
in the effaced dwelling, amid its decaying remains.
وقفتI stood اعضُّbiting منfrom جزعيmy anguish يمينيmy right hand
وقفت اعضُّ من جزعي يميني
وقدand already ادمىhad bloodied العضاضthe biting بهاthere شماليmy left hand
وقد ادمى العضاض بها شمالي
I stood there, biting my right hand in anguish,
I stood biting my right hand in my anguish,
until the violence of my biting made my left hand bleed.
and biting had already bloodied my left there.
اظلُّI keep لهاfor them بولولةwailing loudly كانيas though I were
اظلُّ لها بولولة كاني
سليمٌsnake-bitten بينamong ذيa place of سلمٍsalm acacias وضالand dal, wild lote trees
سليمٌ بين ذي سلمٍ وضال
I linger over it, wailing aloud as though I were
I keep wailing for them, as though I were
a snake-bitten man among acacias and wild lote trees.
a snake-bitten man amid salm and dal trees.
تعطلwas stripped of ornament جيدthe neck of معهدهاtheir familiar haunt المحلىonce adorned
تعطل جيد معهدها المحلى
بسرحwith a roaming herd of سوانحauspiciously passing العفرdun gazelles الحواليnearby
بسرح سوانح العفر الحوالي
The finest part of its once-adorned dwelling has been stripped bare
The neck of their familiar haunt lies bare, once adorned
by roaming herds of pale gazelles wandering all around.
with roaming herds of dun gazelles passing auspiciously nearby,
وابيضand a fair-faced warrior ينثنيwheels about بالبيضwith bright swords حمراًblood-red
وابيض ينثني بالبيض حمراً
تقدُّcleaving البيضhelmets منfrom سودdark القذالnapes
تقدُّ البيض من سود القذال
Many a fair-faced warrior returned with white swords turned red,
and a fair-faced warrior wheeling with bright swords turned blood-red,
the white blades cleaving dark-haired napes.
cleaving helmets from dark-haired napes.
فتسمعso you hear للرفاقfrom the companions بهاthere اليلاa lament
فتسمع للرفاق بها اليلا
يهدّshatters قنانthe summits of ماثلتيthe two looming heights in الالthe mirage
يهدّ قنان ماثلتي الال
Then you hear his comrades there raise a battle cry
So there you hear the companions' lament,
that shakes the twin peaks looming in the mirage.
shattering the summits of two heights looming in the mirage.
اذاwhenever احتضرgallops الكميتthe bay steed تكنفتهsurround it
اذا احتضر الكميت تكنفته
اراقمspeckled serpents منfrom بنيthe sons of عمa paternal uncle وخالand a maternal uncle
اراقم من بني عم وخال
When the chestnut charger galloped, they ringed him—
Whenever the bay steed gallops, it is surrounded
warriors like serpents, from his paternal and maternal kin.
by speckled serpents, sons of paternal and maternal uncles.
تخالهمyou imagine them اذاwhen ركبواthey mount العواديthe chargers
تخالهم اذا ركبوا العوادي
جبالاmountains قدalready ركبنmounted علىupon جبالmountains
جبالا قد ركبن على جبال
When they mounted their charging steeds, you would imagine them
You imagine them, when they mount their chargers,
mountains mounted upon mountains.
as mountains mounted upon mountains.
لئنthough indeed سمحwas generous الزمانtime بهمwith them اخيراًlate
لئن سمح الزمان بهم اخيراً
فقدyet indeed سبقواthey surpassed الاواخرthe last والاواليand the first
فقد سبقوا الاواخر والاوالي
Though Time brought them forth only at the last,
Though time bestowed them late,
they surpassed generations both latter and former.
they have surpassed the last and the first.
ولمand did not يألfall short ابنthe son of هاديthe guide of الخلقcreation فرداًalone
ولم يأل ابن هادي الخلق فرداً
لدىbefore جمعthe host of ابنthe son of ملحدةa heretical woman of الضلالerror
لدى جمع ابن ملحدة الضلال
Alone, the descendant of creation's Guide spared no effort
Nor did the son of creation's guide falter, though alone,
before the host of the godless woman's son, the man of error.
before the host of the son of a woman steeped in heresy and error.
غداةon the morning السبطthe Grandson وهوand he was نبيلa nobleman of فهرٍFihr
غداة السبط وهو نبيل فهرٍ
غداbecame غرضاًa target لغاشيةfor an engulfing swarm of النبالarrows
غدا غرضاً لغاشية النبال
That morning the Prophet's grandson, the noble scion of Fihr,
That morning, the Grandson, noble scion of Fihr,
became the target of an engulfing cloud of arrows.
became a target for an engulfing storm of arrows.
فصارand so it was اذاwhenever اصابتهstruck him سهامarrows
فصار اذا اصابته سهام
تكسرتshattered النصالthe arrowheads علىagainst النصالthe arrowheads
تكسرت النصال على النصال
Whenever their arrows struck him,
And so, whenever arrows struck him,
their arrowheads shattered against arrowheads already lodged there.
arrowheads shattered against arrowheads.
تعسفهاhe forced his way through them وضربand the striking of الهامheads يرغوbellowed
تعسفها وضرب الهام يرغو
كماas ترغوbellow مخطمةnose-haltered الجمالcamels
كما ترغو مخطمة الجمال
He forced his way through them while the striking of heads roared
He forced his way through them, and blows upon heads bellowed
as haltered camels roar.
as nose-haltered camels bellow.
اذاwhen سيمhe was offered الهوانhumiliation النصلthe blade يرميcasts forth
اذا سيم الهوان النصل يرمي
بمثلthe like of شواظthe blaze of نضنضةthe tongue-flickering of الصلالvipers
بمثل شواظ نضنضة الصلال
Whenever he was made to suffer humiliation, his blade shot forth
When he was offered humiliation, his blade cast forth
like a leaping flame—the flickering tongues of vipers.
something like the fire of vipers' flickering tongues.
يموجheaves السرجthe saddle منهbecause of him بمستقرٍwith a seated rider
يموج السرج منه بمستقرٍ
عليهupon it يجولhe wheels فيin ضنكthe constriction of المجالthe field
عليه يجول في ضنك المجال
The saddle surged beneath him, though its rider sat firm;
The saddle heaves beneath his seated form,
upon it he wheeled through the battlefield's narrow bounds.
as he wheels upon it within a narrow field.
تضيقgrows tight بمنكبيهaround his shoulders الدرعthe mail حتىuntil
تضيق بمنكبيه الدرع حتى
يشقُّhe splits مضاعفthe doubled layers of الزردchainmail الدخالclosely interlinked
يشقُّ مضاعف الزرد الدخال
The armor tightened around his shoulders until
The mail grows tight around his shoulders, until
he split the doubled layers of closely woven mail.
he bursts its doubled, closely interlinked rings.
فكيفhow, then يعوقhinders مختلساone swift to strike داركاًone who overtakes
فكيف يعوق مختلسا داركاً
عليهupon him موصلthe linked السردmail-weave المذالlong-hanging
عليه موصل السرد المذال
How could it hinder one swift to seize and overtake,
How could one swift to strike and overtake be hindered
though its linked, trailing rings lay upon him?
by the linked, trailing coat of mail upon him?
وكيفand how اعتاقensnared فيin شركthe snare of المناياdeath
وكيف اعتاق في شرك المنايا
فتىًa youth دقَّcrushed الرعالthe squadrons علىupon الرعالthe squadrons
فتىً دقَّ الرعال على الرعال
And how could he be caught within the snares of death—
And how did death's snare capture
a warrior who crushed squadron upon squadron?
a youth who crushed squadron upon squadron?
فتىa youth فقدتlost نساءthe women of نزارNizar فيهin him
فتى فقدت نساء نزار فيه
فتىthe finest youth of فتيانهاtheir young men رجلthe man of الرجالmen
فتى فتيانها رجل الرجال
In losing him, the women of Nizar lost a peerless youth—
A youth in whom the women of Nizar lost
the champion of their young men, the man among men:
the finest of their youths, the man of men.
فتىa youth يلقىwelcomes الوفودdelegations بطلقwith a cheerful وجهٍface
فتى يلقى الوفود بطلق وجهٍ
شمائلهhis manners ارقّgentler منthan الشمالthe north wind
شمائله ارقّ من الشمال
a warrior who welcomed visiting delegations with a cheerful face,
A youth who welcomes delegations with a cheerful face,
whose qualities were gentler than the north wind.
whose manners are gentler than the north wind.
تمرُّpass بهby him رواحلهاtheir mounts خفافاًlightly laden
تمرُّ به رواحلها خفافاً
فيصدرهاand he sends them away بأوعيةwith containers ثقالheavy
فيصدرها بأوعية ثقال
Their caravan mounts passed by him lightly laden,
Their mounts pass by him lightly laden,
and he sent them away with vessels heavy with gifts.
and he sends them away with heavy sacks.
عجبتI marvel يموتhe dies منof ظمأthirst وجريand the flow of الthe
عجبت يموت من ظمأ وجري ال
فراتEuphrates العذبsweet يطفحoverflows بالزلالwith clear water
فرات العذب يطفح بالزلال
I marvel: he dies of thirst while the ever-flowing Eu—
I marvel: he dies of thirst, while the flow of the
—phrates, sweet to drink, brims with limpid water.
sweet Euphrates brims with crystal-clear water.
لهfor him الماءwater الحلالlawful فكيفso how حربHarb
له الماء الحلال فكيف حرب
تحلئهbars him عنfrom الماءwater الحلالlawful
تحلئه عن الماء الحلال
That water was lawfully his—how could the clan of Harb
Water is lawful to him; how, then, can Harb
bar him from water that was lawfully his?
bar him from lawful water?
فقلthen tell فيof عاطشa thirsty man ارجاسthe vile ones of حربHarb
فقل في عاطش ارجاس حرب
صوادرdeparting منهfrom him بالاسلwith spears النهالthat have drunk their fill
صوادر منه بالاسل النهال
Then say: may the foul brood of Harb be condemned to thirst,
Tell, then, of a thirsty man: Harb's vile men
though they leave it fully sated with stagnant, fetid water.
depart from him with spears that have drunk their fill.
ويهويand he falls للرمالonto the sands لحرonto the noble part of وجهٍa face
ويهوي للرمال لحر وجهٍ
ولمand did not تهوِfall النجومthe stars علىupon الرمالthe sands
ولم تهوِ النجوم على الرمال
He falls upon the sands, upon a noble face,
And he falls on his noble face upon the sands,
though never before had stars fallen upon the sands.
yet the stars have not fallen upon the sands.
رمىhe was struck down فاخوso the brother of الغزالةthe sun كيفhow يبدوappears
رمى فاخو الغزالة كيف يبدو
ولمand was not ترمَstruck الغزالةthe sun بالزوالby decline
ولم ترمَ الغزالة بالزوال
He was struck down—how could the sun's own brother rise
He was struck down—how can the sun's brother appear,
when the sun itself had not yet inclined toward setting?
when the sun has not been struck by decline?
يُعلّىis raised مثلlike بدرa full moon التمat fullness منهfrom him
يُعلّى مثل بدر التم منه
كريمa noble head بالمثقفةon the straightened العواليlofty spears
كريم بالمثقفة العوالي
Raised aloft from him is something like the moon at perfect fullness—
Raised from him, like the moon at its full,
a noble one, upon the tall, straight spears.
is a noble head upon the tall, straightened spears.
ويبقىand remains مثلlike قرنthe rim of الشمسthe sun جسمa body
ويبقى مثل قرن الشمس جسم
لهbelonging to him بهجيرin the noonday blaze of حرّthe heat of الشمسthe sun صاليburning
له بهجير حرّ الشمس صالي
And there remains a body like the disk of the sun,
And there remains a body like the sun's rim,
scorched in the blazing heat of noonday.
his, burning in the sun's fierce noonday heat.
وربّand many a مصونةsheltered woman للطهرof the pure one طهTaha
وربّ مصونة للطهر طه
تبدَّتappeared تستشيطin a frenzy منfrom الحجالthe curtained chambers
تبدَّت تستشيط من الحجال
Many a sheltered woman of Taha's pure household
And many a sheltered woman of the pure one, Taha,
emerged from the curtained chambers, blazing with anguish.
emerged in a frenzy from the curtained chambers,
وتجهشand bursts into sobs بالبكاءin tears عقيبafter دلٍّcoy grace
وتجهش بالبكاء عقيب دلٍّ
فياoh, then لبكاwhat weeping تعقبfollowed منafter دلالcoy grace
فيا لبكا تعقب من دلال
She burst into sobs after a life of coy, pampered grace—
and bursts into tears after her tender grace—
alas for such weeping, following such delicacy!
oh, what weeping followed such tender grace!
فياoh, then لعواصفwhat tempests عصفتraged فهبَّتand then arose
فيا لعواصف عصفت فهبَّت
بلابلهاtheir sorrows ولمand had not تخطرcrossed بباليmy mind
بلابلها ولم تخطر ببالي
Oh, what tempests! They stormed and rose,
Oh, what tempests raged, and up arose
with tumults that had never crossed my mind.
their sorrows, which had never crossed my mind!
وناعand a death-herald صكَّstruck سمعthe hearing of الدهرTime نعياًwith death's tidings
وناع صكَّ سمع الدهر نعياً
وفجرand burst مسمعthe ears of الرممthe bones البواليdecaying
وفجر مسمع الرمم البوالي
A mourning herald struck the ear of Time with a death cry
And a death-herald struck Time's ear with tidings of death,
and rent the hearing of ancient, crumbling bones,
and burst the ears of decaying bones.
يطوّحflings his cry afar معلناًannouncing بمحاقthe extinguishing of بدرٍa full moon
يطوّح معلناً بمحاق بدرٍ
عراهovertook it خسفهits eclipse عندat الكمالperfection
عراه خسفه عند الكمال
proclaiming far and wide that the full moon had been blotted out:
He flings his cry afar, proclaiming the extinction of a full moon,
an eclipse overtook it at the height of its fullness.
whose eclipse overtook it at the height of perfection.
لشُقّsurely was cleft لهfor him ضراحDurah, the heavenly sanctuary لاnot ضريحa grave
لشُقّ له ضراح لا ضريح
وهيلand was heaped التربthe dust منهfrom it علىupon الهلالthe crescent
وهيل الترب منه على الهلال
The celestial shrine al-Durah—not an earthly tomb—should have opened for him;
Surely Durah was cleft open for him, not a grave,
yet grave-earth was heaped upon the crescent moon.
and dust from it was heaped upon the crescent.
Sol 6.1