ياO عيْنُeye بُكِّيweep لمسعودِfor Masʿud بنson of شدّادِShaddad
يا عيْنُ بُكِّي لمسعودِ بن شدّادِ
بكاءَthe weeping ذيof one with عبَراتٍtears شَجْوهُhis grief باديmanifest
بكاءَ ذي عبَراتٍ شَجْوهُ بادي
O eye, weep for Masʿud ibn Shaddad,
O eye shed tears for Mas'ud ibn Shaddad
The weeping of a tearful man whose grief is plain.
With flowing tears and lamentations laid bare
منْone who لاnot يذابُis melted لهfor him شحمُfat السَّديفِthe camel's hump ولاand not
منْ لا يذابُ له شحمُ السَّديفِ ولا
يجفوspurns الضيوفَthe guests إذاwhen ماemphatic particle ضُنَّstinginess is shown بالزادِwith provisions
يجفو الضيوفَ إذا ما ضُنَّ بالزادِ
One for whom no camel-hump fat is melted, and who never
For one whose fat does not melt for guests
Spurns guests when provisions are grudged.
Nor are guests denied when provisions run scarce
ولاand not يحلُّhe camps إذاwhen ماemphatic particle حلَhe camped منتبذاًapart
ولا يحلُّ إذا ما حلَ منتبذاً
خوفَfor fear of الرَّزيَّةloss بينamong الحضْرِthe settled folk والباديand the nomads
خوفَ الرَّزيَّة بين الحضْرِ والبادي
Nor, when he camps, does he settle apart
Who does not shy from drinking fermented brew
For fear of loss, among settled folk and nomads.
Fearing gossip mid campsite and open plain
قَوّالُa speaker of مُحْكَمةٍsound counsel نقَّاضُan undoer of مُبْرَمَةٍtightly bound affairs
قَوّالُ مُحْكَمةٍ نقَّاضُ مُبْرَمَةٍ
فتَّاحُan opener of مُبْهمَةٍobscure matters حبَّاسُa restrainer of أورادِbands seeking water
فتَّاحُ مُبْهمَةٍ حبَّاسُ أورادِ
A speaker of sound counsel, an undoer of tightly bound affairs,
A judge of firm decree and contracts resolved
An opener of obscure matters, a restrainer of bands seeking water;
Key holder of the ambiguous and guardian of covenants
حلاَّلُa dweller in مُمْرعةٍlush pasture فَرَّاجُa reliever of مطْعَنَةspear-fought strife
حلاَّلُ مُمْرعةٍ فَرَّاجُ مطْعَنَة
حمَّالُa bearer of مُضْلِعةٍcrushing burdens طلاَّعa climber of أَنْجادِhighlands
حمَّالُ مُضْلِعةٍ طلاَّع أَنْجادِ
A dweller in lush pastures, a reliever of spear-fought strife,
One who makes the forbidden allowed and clarifies doubt
A bearer of crushing burdens, a climber of highlands;
Bearer of burdens and climber of high peaks
قتَّالُa slayer of طاغيةٍa tyrant رَبَّاءُa climber of مَرْقَبةٍa lookout height
قتَّالُ طاغيةٍ رَبَّاءُ مَرْقَبةٍ
منَّاعa warder-off of مَغْلبَةٍdefeat فكَّاكُa breaker of أقْيادِfetters
منَّاع مَغْلبَةٍ فكَّاكُ أقْيادِ
A slayer of tyrants, a climber of lookout heights,
Slayer of tyrants and watcher of frontiers
A warder-off of defeat, a breaker of fetters;
Repeller of defeat and looser of shackles
حمّالُa bearer of ألويةٍbanners شدادُa strengthener of أنْجيةٍprivate councils
حمّالُ ألويةٍ شدادُ أنْجيةٍ
سدّادa closer of أَوْهيَةٍbreaches فتّاحُan opener of أسدادِbarriers
سدّاد أَوْهيَةٍ فتّاحُ أسدادِ
A bearer of banners, a strengthener of private councils,
Bearer of banners, helper of pleas
A closer of breaches, an opener of barriers;
Blocker of weaknesses, opener of strongholds
جمّاعa gatherer of كلall خصالِqualities of الخيرِgoodness قدindeed عَلِمُواthey knew
جمّاع كل خصالِ الخيرِ قد عَلِمُوا
زَيْنُthe adornment of القرِينthe companion ونِكْلُand the scourge of الظالمِthe unjust man العاديthe aggressor
زَيْنُ القرِين ونِكْلُ الظالمِ العادي
A gatherer of all good qualities, as they well knew,
They knew all traits of virtue
An adornment to his companion, a scourge to the unjust aggressor.
Adornment of the noble and scourge of the unjust aggressor
أباO father of زُرارةَZurarah لاdo not تبعُدْbe far away فَكُلُّfor every فتىًyoung man
أبا زُرارةَ لا تبعُدْ فَكُلُّ فتىً
يوماًone day رهينُa captive of صَفيحاتٍstone slabs وأعوادِand timbers
يوماً رهينُ صَفيحاتٍ وأعوادِ
Abu Zurarah, be not far away! For every young man
Father of Zurarah do not go too far
Is one day held captive by stone slabs and timbers.
For each young man is one day hostage to spears and tent posts
هلاّwhy did you not سقَيتمْyou gave water بنيO sons of جَرْمJarm أسيركمُyour captive
هلاّ سقَيتمْ بني جَرْم أسيركمُ
نفسيmy soul فداؤُكَyour ransom منas ذيone with كُرْبةٍanguish صاديthirsty
نفسي فداؤُكَ من ذي كُرْبةٍ صادي
Why did you not give your captive water, sons of Jarm?
Why not give your captive foe to drink
My soul be your ransom, you anguished, thirsty man!
My soul his ransom from one gripped by sorrow laid bare
نعمَexcellent is الفتىthe young man ويمينُand by the oath of اللهِGod قدindeed علمواthey knew
نعمَ الفتى ويمينُ اللهِ قد علموا
يخلوis alone بهwith him الحيُّthe clan أوor يغدوgoes forth at dawn بهwith him الغاديthe early traveler
يخلو به الحيُّ أو يغدو به الغادي
A fine young man—by God, they knew it—
Indeed they knew him as a noble youth by God's oath
Whether the clan is alone with him or the early traveler goes forth with him.
Whether the living spoke of him or those who walked at dawn
هوhe الفتىthe young man يحمدُpraise الجيرانُthe neighbors مشهدَهhis presence
هو الفتى يحمدُ الجيرانُ مشهدَه
عندduring الشتاءِwinter وقدwhen indeed همّواthey contemplated extinguishing بإخمادِof extinguishing
عند الشتاءِ وقد همّوا بإخمادِ
He is the young man whose presence the neighbors praise
He whose presence neighbors praise
In winter, when they have thought of extinguishing their fires.
When winter comes and kindling is scarce
الطاعنُthe spear-thruster الطعنةَthe thrust النجْلاءwide-gaping يتبعُهاfollows it
الطاعنُ الطعنةَ النجْلاء يتبعُها
مُثْعَنْجرٌgushing blood بعدماafter تغليit seethes بإِزْبادِwith foaming
مُثْعَنْجرٌ بعدما تغلي بإِزْبادِ
He delivers the wide-gaping spear-thrust, followed by
The fierce thrust of the spear he follows
A gush of blood, after the wound seethes with foam.
With the Indian sword once wounds are gashed open
ويتركُand he leaves القِرْنَthe adversary مُصْفَرّاًyellowed أناملُهhis fingertips
ويتركُ القِرْنَ مُصْفَرّاً أناملُه
كأنَّas though أثوابَهhis garments مُجَّتْwere spat upon بفُرصادِwith mulberry juice
كأنَّ أثوابَه مُجَّتْ بفُرصادِ
And leaves his adversary with yellowed fingertips,
Leaving the spear yellowed by his grip
As though his garments had been spattered with mulberry juice.
As if his robes were dyed with saffron
والسابئُand the wine-buyer الزّقِّthe wineskin للأصحابِfor the companions إذwhen نزلواthey alighted
والسابئُ الزّقِّ للأصحابِ إذ نزلوا
إلىto ذُراهُhis shelter وغيثُand rain المُحْوجِthe needy man الجاديthe seeker of bounty
إلى ذُراهُ وغيثُ المُحْوجِ الجادي
And he who buys a wineskin for companions when they come
The rain clouds unleash on friends when they alight
To his shelter, and a rain to the needy seeker of bounty.
At Dura and the pouring rain on the needy wanderer
لاهِto God, in praise ابنُthe son of عمِّكyour paternal uncle لاnot أنساكَI forget you منas رجُلٍa man
لاهِ ابنُ عمِّك لا أنساكَ من رجُلٍ
حتىuntil يجئcomes منfrom القبرِthe grave ابنُthe son of ميّادِMayyad
حتى يجئ من القبرِ ابنُ ميّادِ
God bless your cousin! I shall not forget you, man,
By God son of your uncle I'll not forget a man
Until Ibn Mayyad comes forth from the grave.
Until one buried comes from the grave of Mayyad
إنيindeed I وإياهُمand them حتىuntil نصيبَwe strike بهِfor him
إني وإياهُم حتى نصيبَ بهِ
منهمْfrom among them أخاa man of ثقةٍtrustworthiness فيin ثوبِthe garment of حدّادِa blacksmith
منهمْ أخا ثقةٍ في ثوبِ حدّادِ
I shall contend with them until, avenging him, we strike
Him and I until we meet in the one
A trusted man of theirs, clad in a blacksmith's garment.
Among them a trusted brother in mourner's robes
ياO منْyou who رأىsaw بارقاًa lightning-flash قدindeed بتI spent the night أرمُقهُwatching it
يا منْ رأى بارقاً قد بت أرمُقهُ
يسريit travels by night علىover الحَرَّةِthe lava-field السوداءblack فالواديthen the valley
يسري على الحَرَّةِ السوداء فالوادي
O you who saw a lightning-flash—I spent the night watching it—
O you who saw lightning flashing in the night
It traveled by night over the black lava-field, then the valley.
Flowing through the black plateau and valley
برقاًlightning تلألأَit glittered غوْريَاًfrom the lowlands جلستُI went upland لهfor it
برقاً تلألأَ غوْريَاً جلستُ له
ذاتَat the time of العشاءِnightfall وأصحابيand my companions بأفْنادِamong mountain spurs
ذاتَ العشاءِ وأصحابي بأفْنادِ
A lowland lightning-flash that glittered; I went upland to watch it
Lightning flickering gorgeously I sat for it
At nightfall, while my companions were among mountain spurs.
One night with my friends at their resting places
بتناwe spent the night وباتتْand spent the night رياحُthe winds of الغوْرthe lowlands تُزْجلهdriving it along
بتنا وباتتْ رياحُ الغوْر تُزْجله
حتىuntil اسْتتبَّbecame settled تواليهits trailing clouds بأنْجادِon highlands
حتى اسْتتبَّ تواليه بأنْجادِ
We spent the night, while the winds of the lowlands kept driving it,
We stayed and the gorge winds stirred it
Until its trailing clouds settled on the highlands.
Until its succession was complete with peals
ألقىit cast down مَراسِيَthe anchors of غيْثٍrain مُسْبلpouring down غَدِقٍcopious
ألقى مَراسِيَ غيْثٍ مُسْبل غَدِقٍ
دانnear يَسِحُّit pours سُيوباtorrents ذاتَbearing إِرْعادِthunder
دان يَسِحُّ سُيوبا ذاتَ إِرْعادِ
It cast the anchors of copious, streaming rain,
It brought downpouring showers of ample rain
Near at hand, pouring torrents accompanied by thunder.
With rumbling clouds and lightning strikes
أسقيI water بهwith it قبرَthe grave of منْthe one whom أعنيI mean وَحُبَّand how dear بهِit is
أسقي به قبرَ منْ أعني وَحُبَّ بهِ
قبراًa grave إِليّto me ولمّاand not yet يفْدِهransoms him فاديa ransomer
قبراً إِليّ ولمّا يفْدِه فادي
With it I water the grave of the one I mean—how dear
To water the graves of those I love and mourn
A grave it is to me, though no ransomer has yet ransomed him.
A grave dear to me though no savior redeems
Sol 6.1