مَنwhoever سَّرهُpleases him كَرُمُthe nobility of الحَياةِlife فَلاthen let him not يَزَلcease
مَن سَّرهُ كَرُمُ الحَياةِ فَلا يَزَل
فيin مِقنَبٍa mounted troop مِنof صالِحيthe virtuous men of الأَنصارِthe Ansar
في مِقنَبٍ مِن صالِحي الأَنصارِ
Whoever delights in life's nobility, let him remain
In a troop of the virtuous Ansar.
تَزِنُmatch in weight الجِبالَthe mountains رَزانَةًin gravity أَحلامُهُمtheir judgments
تَزِنُ الجِبالَ رَزانَةً أَحلامُهُم
وَأَكُفُّهمand their palms خَلَفٌa substitute مِنَfor الأَمطارِthe rains
وَأَكُفُّهم خَلَفٌ مِنَ الأَمطارِ
Their judgments match the mountains in gravity,
And their hands stand in place of rain.
المُكرِهينَthose who force forward السَمهَرِيِّSamhari spears بِأَذرُعٍwith arms
المُكرِهينَ السَمهَرِيِّ بِأَذرُعٍ
كَصَواقِلِlike polished blades of الهِندِيِّIndian steel غَيرِnot قِصارِshort
كَصَواقِلِ الهِندِيِّ غَيرِ قِصارِ
Those who drive Samhari spears hard with arms
Like polished Indian blades, not short.
وَالناظِرينَand those who gaze بِأَعيُنٍwith eyes مُحَمَرَّةٍreddened
وَالناظِرينَ بِأَعيُنٍ مُحَمَرَّةٍ
كَالجَمرِlike embers غَيرِnot كَليلَةِdulled in الإِبصارِsight
كَالجَمرِ غَيرِ كَليلَةِ الإِبصارِ
And those who gaze with reddened eyes,
Like embers, their sight undimmed.
وَالذائِدينَand those who drive away الناسَpeople عَنfrom أَديانِهِمtheir faiths
وَالذائِدينَ الناسَ عَن أَديانِهِم
بِالمِشرَفِيِّwith Mashrafi swords وَبِالقَناand with spears الخَطّارِswaying
بِالمِشرَفِيِّ وَبِالقَنا الخَطّارِ
And those who defend their faiths against men
With Mashrafi swords and swaying spears.
وَالباذِلينَand those who offer نُفوسَهُمtheir lives لِنَبِّيِهِمfor their Prophet
وَالباذِلينَ نُفوسَهُم لِنَبِّيِهِم
يَومَon the day of الهِياجِbattle وَقُبَةِand the pavilion of الجَبّارِthe tyrant
يَومَ الهِياجِ وَقُبَةِ الجَبّارِ
And those who offer their lives for their Prophet
On battle's day, and at the tyrant's pavilion.
دَرِبواthey became seasoned كَماjust as دَرِبتbecame seasoned أُسودٌthe lions of خَفِيَّةٌKhafiyyah
دَرِبوا كَما دَرِبت أُسودٌ خَفِيَّةٌ
غُلبُthick الرِقابِof neck مِنَamong الأُسودِlions ضَواريravening
غُلبُ الرِقابِ مِنَ الأُسودِ ضَواري
They are seasoned, as are the lions of Khafiyyah,
Thick-necked, ravening among lions.
وَهُمand they إِذاwhen خَوَتِfailed to bring rain النُجومُthe stars فَإِنَّهُمthen indeed they
وَهُم إِذا خَوَتِ النُجومُ فَإِنَّهُم
لِلطائِفينَfor wanderers السائِلينَwho ask for help مَقاريhospitable hosts
لِلطائِفينَ السائِلينَ مَقاري
And when the stars bring no rain, they are indeed
Hosts to wandering supplicants.
وَهُمُand they إِذاwhen اِنقَلَبواthey return كَأَنَّas though ثِيابَهُمtheir garments
وَهُمُ إِذا اِنقَلَبوا كَأَنَّ ثِيابَهُم
مِنهاfrom them تَضَوُّعُthe wafting scent of فَأرَةِa musk-pod of العَطّارِthe perfumer
مِنها تَضَوُّعُ فَأرَةِ العَطّارِ
And when they return, it is as though their garments
Exhale the fragrance of a perfumer's musk-pod.
وَالمُطعِمَونَand those who feed الضَيفَthe guest حينَwhen يَنوبُهُمhe visits them
وَالمُطعِمَونَ الضَيفَ حينَ يَنوبُهُم
مِنfrom لَحمِthe meat of كومٍhigh-humped she-camels كَالهِضابِlike hills عِشارِten months pregnant
مِن لَحمِ كومٍ كَالهِضابِ عِشارِ
And those who feed the guest when he visits them
With meat from high-humped, hill-like she-camels, ten months with young.
وَالمُنعِمونand those who bestow bounty المُفضِلونَthose who give generously إِذاwhen شَتَواthey enter winter
وَالمُنعِمون المُفضِلونَ إِذا شَتَوا
وَالضارِبونand those who strike عِلاوَةَthe head of الجَبّارِthe tyrant
وَالضارِبون عِلاوَةَ الجَبّارِ
And those who lavish bounty and favors when winter comes,
And those who strike the tyrant's head.
رُمِيَتwas assailed نَطاةٌNatah مِنَfrom الرَسولِthe Messenger بِفَيلَقٍwith a great host
رُمِيَت نَطاةٌ مِنَ الرَسولِ بِفَيلَقٍ
شَهباءَsteel-gray ذاتِhaving مَناكِبٍshoulders وَفَقارِand a spine
شَهباءَ ذاتِ مَناكِبٍ وَفَقارِ
Natah was assailed by a host from the Messenger,
Steel-gray, with shoulders and a spine.
بِالمُرهَفاتِwith keen-edged swords كَأَنَّas though لَمعَthe gleam of ظُباتِهاtheir edges
بِالمُرهَفاتِ كَأَنَّ لَمعَ ظُباتِها
لَمعُthe flashing of السَواريnight clouds فيin الصَبيرِthe dense cloudbank الساريmoving by night
لَمعُ السَواري في الصَبيرِ الساري
With keen-edged swords, as though their edges' gleam
Were night clouds flashing in a cloudbank drifting through the dark.
لاnot يَشتَكونthey complain of المَوتَdeath إِنif نَزَلَتdescends بِهِمupon them
لا يَشتَكون المَوتَ إِن نَزَلَت بِهِم
شَهباءُa gray calamity ذاتُhaving مَعاقِمٍdire straits وَأُوارِand searing heat
شَهباءُ ذاتُ مَعاقِمٍ وَأُوارِ
They do not complain of death if there descends upon them
A gray calamity, with dire straits and searing heat.
وَإذاand if نَزَلتَyou lodge لِيَمنَعوكَso they may protect you إِلَيهُمُwith them
وَإذا نَزَلتَ لِيَمنَعوكَ إِلَيهُمُ
أَصبَحتَyou find yourself عِندَamong مَعاقِلِthe strongholds of الأَغفارِyoung ibex
أَصبَحتَ عِندَ مَعاقِلِ الأَغفارِ
And if you lodge with them so they may protect you,
You find yourself amid the strongholds of young ibex.
وَرِثواthey inherited السِيادَةَlordship كابِراًa great forefather عَنfrom كابِرٍa great forefather
وَرِثوا السِيادَةَ كابِراً عَن كابِرٍ
إِنَّtruly الكِرامَthe noble هُمُthey بَنوthe sons of الأَخيارِthe virtuous
إِنَّ الكِرامَ هُمُ بَنو الأَخيارِ
They inherited lordship from one great forefather after another;
Truly, the noble are the sons of the virtuous.
لِلصُلبِto the pure stock مِنof غَسّانَGhassan فَوقَupon جَراثِمٍfoundations
لِلصُلبِ مِن غَسّانَ فَوقَ جَراثِمٍ
تَنبوare unyielding خَوالِدُهاtheir enduring rocks عَنِto المِنقارِthe pickaxe
تَنبو خَوالِدُها عَنِ المِنقارِ
They belong to Ghassan's pure stock, upon foundations
Whose enduring rocks defy the pickaxe.
لَوif يَعلَمُknew الأَحياءُthe tribes عِلمِيwhat I know فيهُمof them
لَو يَعلَمُ الأَحياءُ عِلمِي فيهُم
حَقّاًtruly لصَدّقَنيwould surely believe me الَّذينَthose whom أُمارِيI dispute with
حَقّاً لصَدّقَني الَّذينَ أُمارِي
If the tribes knew what I know of them,
Those I dispute with would truly believe me.
صَدَمواthey struck عَلِيّاًAliyy يَومَon the day of بَدرٍBadr صَدمَةًa blow
صَدَموا عَلِيّاً يَومَ بَدرٍ صَدمَةً
داَنَتsubmitted عَلِيُّAliyy بَعدَهاafter it لِنِزارِto Nizar
داَنَت عَلِيُّ بَعدَها لِنِزارِ
They dealt Aliyy a blow on the day of Badr,
After which Aliyy submitted to Nizar.
يَتَطَّهرونَthey purify themselves كَأَنَّهُas though it were نُسُكٌa sacred rite لَهُمfor them
يَتَطَّهرونَ كَأَنَّهُ نُسُكٌ لَهُم
بِدِماءِwith the blood of مَنthose whom عَلِقواthey grappled with مِنَamong الكُفّارِthe unbelievers
بِدِماءِ مَن عَلِقوا مِنَ الكُفّارِ
They purify themselves, as though it were a sacred rite for them,
With the blood of the unbelievers they grapple with.
وَإِلَيهِمُand toward them اِستَقبَلتُI faced كُلَّevery وَديقَةٍscorching noonday
وَإِلَيهِمُ اِستَقبَلتُ كُلَّ وَديقَةٍ
شَهباءَpale-gray يَسفُعscorches حَرُّهاits heat كَالنارِlike fire
شَهباءَ يَسفُع حَرُّها كَالنارِ
And toward them I faced every scorching noonday,
Pale-gray, its heat searing like fire.
وَمَريضَةٍand an ailing eye مَرَضَwith the sickness of النُعاسِdrowsiness ذَعَرتُهاI startled it awake
وَمَريضَةٍ مَرَضَ النُعاسِ ذَعَرتُها
بادَرتُI forestalled عِلَةَthe affliction of نَومِهاits sleep بِغِرارِwith a brief nap
بادَرتُ عِلَةَ نَومِها بِغِرارِ
And an eye sick with drowsiness I startled awake;
I forestalled the affliction of its sleep with a brief nap.
وَعَلِمتُand I knew أَنّيthat I مُصبِحٌwould be at dawn بِمَضيَعَةٍin a desolate wilderness
وَعَلِمتُ أَنّي مُصبِحٌ بِمَضيَعَةٍ
غَبراءَdust-gray تَعزِفُmake eerie music جِنُّهاits jinn مِذكارِfearsome
غَبراءَ تَعزِفُ جِنُّها مِذكارِ
And I knew dawn would find me in a desolate wilderness,
Dust-gray and fearsome, where its jinn make music.
وَكَسَوتُand I clothed كاهِلَthe withers of حُرَّةٍa noble she-camel مَنهوكَةٍexhausted
وَكَسَوتُ كاهِلَ حُرَّةٍ مَنهوكَةٍ
بِالفَجرِat dawn حارِيّاًa Hari saddle عَديمَdevoid of شَوارِtrappings
بِالفَجرِ حارِيّاً عَديمَ شَوارِ
And I clothed the withers of a noble, exhausted she-camel
At dawn with a Hari saddle, bare of trappings.
سَلِسَتgrew loose عَراقيهِits crossbars فَكُلُّso every قَبيلَةٍframe-piece
سَلِسَت عَراقيهِ فَكُلُّ قَبيلَةٍ
مِنof حِنوِهِits curved frame قَلِقَتwobbled إِلىagainst مِسمارِa nail
مِن حِنوِهِ قَلِقَت إِلى مِسمارِ
Its crossbars had loosened, so every piece
Of its curved frame wobbled against a nail.
وَسَدَتand she strode مُهَملِجَةًsmooth-gaited عُلالَةَthe remnant of مُدمَجٍa tightly plaited rein
وَسَدَت مُهَملِجَةً عُلالَةَ مُدمَجٍ
مِنof فالِقٍsplit fiber حَصِدٍfirmly twisted مِنَthrough الإِمرارِtight twisting
مِن فالِقٍ حَصِدٍ مِنَ الإِمرارِ
And she strode, smooth-gaited, with the remnant of a tightly plaited rein,
Of split fiber, made firm by twisting.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen اِكتَسَتِput on الأَبارِقُthe stony ridges نُقبَةًa skirt
حَتّى إِذا اِكتَسَتِ الأَبارِقُ نُقبَةً
مِثلَlike المُلاءِbroad mantles مِنَof السَرابِthe mirage الجاريflowing
مِثلَ المُلاءِ مِنَ السَرابِ الجاري
Until, when the stony ridges donned a skirt
Like mantles of flowing mirage,
وَرَضيتُand I was pleased عَنهاwith her بِالرِضاwith full contentment لَمَّاwhen أَتَتshe brought
وَرَضيتُ عَنها بِالرِضا لَمَّا أَتَت
مِنfrom دونshort of عُسرَةِthe hardship of ضِغنِهاher stubbornness بِيَسارِwith ease
مِن دون عُسرَةِ ضِغنِها بِيَسارِ
I was well content with her when she brought
Ease instead of the hardship of her stubbornness.
تَنجوbears swiftly بِهاwith her عُنُقٌa neck كِنازٌdense لَحمُهاits flesh
تَنجو بِها عُنُقٌ كِنازٌ لَحمُها
حَفَزَتit thrust فَقاراًvertebrae لاحِقاًclosely joined بِفَقارِto vertebrae
حَفَزَت فَقاراً لاحِقاً بِفَقارِ
A neck, dense in flesh, carries her swiftly on,
Thrusting vertebrae close against vertebrae
فيin كاهِلٍthe withers وَشَجَتare interlaced إِلىwith أَطباقِهِits layers
في كاهِلٍ وَشَجَت إِلى أَطباقِهِ
دَأَياتُthe vertebral joints of مُنتَفِخٍa swelling one مِنَamong الأَزوارِchests
دَأَياتُ مُنتَفِخٍ مِنَ الأَزوارِ
Within the withers, to whose layers are knit
The vertebral joints of a swelling chest.
وَتُديرُand she turns لِلخَرقِtoward the wilderness البَعيدِfar-reaching نِياطُهُits reaches
وَتُديرُ لِلخَرقِ البَعيدِ نِياطُهُ
بَعدَafter الكَلالِweariness وَبَعدَand after نَومِthe sleep of الساريthe night traveler
بَعدَ الكَلالِ وَبَعدَ نَومِ الساري
And toward the waste, whose reaches stretch afar, she turns,
After weariness and after the night traveler's sleep,
عَيناًan eye كمِرآةِlike the mirror of الصَناعِa skilled woman تُديرُهاshe turns it
عَيناً كمِرآةِ الصَناعِ تُديرُها
بِأَنامِلِwith the fingertips of الكَفَّينِboth hands كُلَّevery مُدارِturn
بِأَنامِلِ الكَفَّينِ كُلَّ مُدارِ
An eye like a skilled woman's mirror, which she turns
With both hands' fingertips in every direction,
بِجَمالِfor the beauty of مَحجَرِهاher eye's socket وَتعلَمُand she knows ماwhat الَّذيwhich
بِجَمالِ مَحجَرِها وَتعلَمُ ما الَّذي
تُبديshe reveals لِنَظرَةِto the gaze of زَوجِهاher husband وَتُواريand she conceals
تُبدي لِنَظرَةِ زَوجِها وَتُواري
For the beauty of her eye's setting, knowing what
She reveals to her husband's gaze, and what she hides.
Sol 6.1