أَعبّاسُ إِنّا وَما بَينَنا

أَعبّاسُ إِنّا وَما بَينَنا

كَصَدعِ الزُجاجَةِ لا يُجبَرُ

كَصَدعِ الزُجاجَةِ لا يُجبَرُ

O Abbas, we and what lies between us

Abbas, between us is like a crack in glass that cannot be mended.

are like a crack in glass that cannot be mended.

You are not worthy of our regard, though you deserve our insults more.

فَلَستَ بِكُفءٍ لِأَعراضِنا

فَلَستَ بِكُفءٍ لِأَعراضِنا

وَأَنتَ بِشَتمِكُم أَجدَرُ

وَأَنتَ بِشَتمِكُم أَجدَرُ

So you are no match for our honor,

We are not the kind for what you have said, yet in insulting you we have more excuse.

and you are more deserving of abuse.

I see you keenly observe she who refuses while to others blind.

وَلَسنا بِأَهلٍ لَما قُلتُمو

وَلَسنا بِأَهلٍ لَما قُلتُمو

وَنَحنُ بِشَتمِكُمُ أَعذَرُ

وَنَحنُ بِشَتمِكُمُ أَعذَرُ

We do not deserve what you have said,

Your falling short of me is a gentle doe whose anger mutilates her fawn.

and we are more justified in insulting you.

She is blue-coated, a sinner, when she shakes her hump she startles.

أَراكَ بَصيراً بِتِلكَ الَّتي

أَراكَ بَصيراً بِتِلكَ الَّتي

تُردُ وَعَن غَيرِها أَعوَرُ

تُردُ وَعَن غَيرِها أَعوَرُ

I see you clear-sighted concerning what

Her teeth flash on her back like a fire lit on a watchtower.

you turn to, but one-eyed toward everything else.

A lively piebald like a pool inherited by donkeys before her.

فَقَصرُكُ مِنّي رَقيقُ الذُبا

فَقَصرُكُ مِنّي رَقيقُ الذُبا

بِ عَضبُ كَريهَتِهِ مُبترُ

بِ عَضبُ كَريهَتِهِ مُبترُ

So enough for you from me is a fine-edged

That is a naked, Khayfanah, who, when the horses are scolded, is not scolded.

keen sword, severing in battle;

When the horses birth their young, you surpass in racing them.

وَأَزرَقُ في رَأَسِ خَطِيَّةٍ

وَأَزرَقُ في رَأَسِ خَطِيَّةٍ

إِذا هَزَّ اِكعَبَها تَخطِرُ

إِذا هَزَّ اِكعَبَها تَخطِرُ

and a blue point at the head of a Khatti spear,

When the water wets their shoulders, they startle the steeds but do not dazzle.

which sways when one shakes its shaft-joints.

I spur her from the west and drive her where none would deny.

يَلوحُ السِنانُ عَلى مَتنِها

يَلوحُ السِنانُ عَلى مَتنِها

كَنارٍ عَلى مَرقَبٍ تُسعَرُ

كَنارٍ عَلى مَرقَبٍ تُسعَرُ

The spearhead gleams upon its shaft,

I race her blameless with her red spittle frothing.

like a fire kindled on a lookout height;

I say, and her kin have doubted, you betrayed; one like me is not betrayed.

وَزَعفٌ دِلاصٌ كَماءِ الغَديرِ

وَزَعفٌ دِلاصٌ كَماءِ الغَديرِ

تَوارَثَهُ قَبلَهُ حِميَرُ

تَوارَثَهُ قَبلَهُ حِميَرُ

and supple, gleaming mail like water in a pool,

And I call to witness against her the torrents of wars - indifferent is she to survival or uprooting.

which Himyar passed down before him.

Abbas, the ode has borrowed outside its own kind, which is shameful.

فَتِلكَ وَجَرداءُ خَيفانَةٌ

فَتِلكَ وَجَرداءُ خَيفانَةٌ

إِذا زُجِرَ الخَيلُ لا تُزجَرُ

إِذا زُجِرَ الخَيلُ لا تُزجَرُ

So those, and a sleek mare like a locust:

Why grasp what you cannot obtain, only to break yourself or lose?

when the horses are urged on, she needs no urging.

For when the wager is desired, the lofty, daring one wins it.

إِذا أَلقَتِ الخَيلُ أَولادَها

إِذا أَلقَتِ الخَيلُ أَولادَها

فَأَنتَ عَلى جَريِها أَقدَرُ

فَأَنتَ عَلى جَريِها أَقدَرُ

When the mares cast their foals,

You bargain when you lack the means, as if your hatred blinds you.

you are better able to make her run.

Your falling short, if it remains, I will preserve to sober you or intoxicate you.

مَتى يَبلُلِ الماءُ أَعطافَها

مَتى يَبلُلِ الماءُ أَعطافَها

تَبُذُّ الجِيادَ وَما تُبهِرُ

تَبُذُّ الجِيادَ وَما تُبهِرُ

Whenever water wets her flanks,

My tongue and my sword together - behold which of them will strike first!

she outstrips the steeds and is not winded.

أُنَهنِهُ بِالسَوطِ مِن غَربِها

أُنَهنِهُ بِالسَوطِ مِن غَربِها

وَأُقدمُها حَيثُ لا يُنكرُ

وَأُقدمُها حَيثُ لا يُنكرُ

I curb her impetuosity with the whip,

and drive her forward where none can object.

وَأَرحَضُها غَيرَ مَذمومَةٍ

وَأَرحَضُها غَيرَ مَذمومَةٍ

بِلَبّاتِها العَلَقَ الأَحمَرُ

بِلَبّاتِها العَلَقَ الأَحمَرُ

And I wash her clean, free of blame,

of the red blood clotted upon her breast.

أَقولُ وَقَد شُكَّ أَقرابُها

أَقولُ وَقَد شُكَّ أَقرابُها

غَدَرتَ وَمِثلي لا يُغدَرُ

غَدَرتَ وَمِثلي لا يُغدَرُ

I say, when her flanks have been pierced,

"You have acted treacherously; one like me is not betrayed."

وَأُشهِدُها غَمَراتِ الحُروبِ

وَأُشهِدُها غَمَراتِ الحُروبِ

فَسِيّانِ تَسلُمِ أَو تُعقَرُ

فَسِيّانِ تَسلُمِ أَو تُعقَرُ

I bring her into the engulfing depths of war;

it is all the same whether she escapes unharmed or is hamstrung.

أَعبّاسُ أَنّ اِستَعارَ القَصيدُ

أَعبّاسُ أَنّ اِستَعارَ القَصيدُ

في غَيرِ مَعشَرِهِ مُنكَرُ

في غَيرِ مَعشَرِهِ مُنكَرُ

O Abbas, borrowing verse

outside its own people is reprehensible.

عَلامَ تَناوَلُ ما لا تَنالَ

عَلامَ تَناوَلُ ما لا تَنالَ

فَتَقطَعُ نَفسَكَ أَو تَخسَرُ

فَتَقطَعُ نَفسَكَ أَو تَخسَرُ

Why reach for what you cannot attain,

only to wear yourself out or lose?

فَإِنَّ الرِهانَ إِذا ما أُريدَ

فَإِنَّ الرِهانَ إِذا ما أُريدَ

فَصاحِبُهُ الشامِخَ المُخطِرُ

فَصاحِبُهُ الشامِخَ المُخطِرُ

For when a wager is sought,

its contender is the proud risk-taker.

تُخاوِضُ لَم تَستَطِع عُدَّةً

تُخاوِضُ لَم تَستَطِع عُدَّةً

كَأَنَّكَ مِن بُغضِنا أَعوَرُ

كَأَنَّكَ مِن بُغضِنا أَعوَرُ

You wade in, though you could not muster equipment,

as though hatred of us has made you one-eyed.

فَقَصرُكَ مَأَثورَةٌ إِن بَقيت

فَقَصرُكَ مَأَثورَةٌ إِن بَقيت

أَصحو بِها لَكَ أَو أَسكَرُ

أَصحو بِها لَكَ أَو أَسكَرُ

So enough for you is a time-honored weapon, if I live,

ready against you whether I am sober or drunk:

لِساني وَسَيفي مَعاً فَاِنظُرَن

لِساني وَسَيفي مَعاً فَاِنظُرَن

إِلى تَلكَ إِيَّهُما تَبدُرُ

إِلى تَلكَ إِيَّهُما تَبدُرُ

my tongue and my sword together—so consider

which of those two you will rush to face.