مَاذَاwhat تَصَبَّاكَhas beguiled you مِنْin حَالٍa state of life تُجَدِّدُهَاyou revive it
مَاذَا تَصَبَّاكَ مِنْ حَالٍ تُجَدِّدُهَا
عَنْfrom عَهْدِthe days of عَنْتَرَةَAntarah العَبْسِيِّal-Absi, of Abs فِيin القِدَمِantiquity
عَنْ عَهْدِ عَنْتَرَةَ العَبْسِيِّ فِي القِدَمِ
What has beguiled you in the life you revive
From the ancient days of Antarah al-Absi,
وَأَنْتَwhile you فِيin بَلَدِthe land of الأَنْوَارِlights لاno أَثَرٌtrace
وَأَنْتَ فِي بَلَدِ الأَنْوَارِ لا أَثَرٌ
فِيهِin it يُذَكِّرُrecalls عَصْراًan age بَاتَlay فِيin الظُّلَمِdarkness
فِيهِ يُذَكِّرُ عَصْراً بَاتَ فِي الظُّلَمِ
While you dwell in the land of lights, with no trace
There to recall an age that lay in darkness?
هَلْis there مُلْتَقًىa meeting place يَجْمَعُunites الروحَthe spirit الَّتِيthat رَجَعَتْreturned
هَلْ مُلْتَقًى يَجْمَعُ الروحَ الَّتِي رَجَعَتْ
أَدْرَاجَهاits steps وَالَّتِيand the one that تُزْجَىis ushered forth مِنَfrom العَدَمِnothingness
أَدْرَاجَها وَالَّتِي تُزْجَى مِنَ العَدَمِ
Is there a meeting place uniting the spirit that retraced
Its steps, and the one ushered forth from nothingness?
وَمَاand what احْتِيَارُكَyour perplexity عَبْداًa slave مِحْرَباًwarlike خَشِناًrough
وَمَا احْتِيَارُكَ عَبْداً مِحْرَباً خَشِناً
مِنَfrom البَدَاوَةِBedouin life فَظَّcoarse اللَّوْنِcomplexion وَالأَدَمِand skin
مِنَ البَدَاوَةِ فَظَّ اللَّوْنِ وَالأَدَمِ
And what perplexes you about a slave, warlike and rough,
From desert life, coarse in complexion and skin,
مُهَيَّماًlove-stricken بِفَتَاةٍwith a maiden بِنْتِdaughter of سَادَتِهِhis masters
مُهَيَّماً بِفَتَاةٍ بِنْتِ سَادَتِهِ
يَشْكُوlaments هَوَاهُhis love بِمَنْظُومٍin verse مِنَof الكَلِمِwords
يَشْكُو هَوَاهُ بِمَنْظُومٍ مِنَ الكَلِمِ
Love-stricken for a maiden, the daughter of his masters,
Who laments his love in words woven into verse?
يَحْكِيrecount الحُكَاةُthe storytellers لَنَاto us عَنْهُabout him تَوَغُّلَهُhis deep plunging
يَحْكِي الحُكَاةُ لَنَا عَنْهُ تَوَغُّلَهُ
فِيinto الفَتْكِslaughter بِالنَّاسِof people فَتْكَthe ravaging of الآكِلِthe eater النَّهِمِvoracious
فِي الفَتْكِ بِالنَّاسِ فَتْكَ الآكِلِ النَّهِمِ
The storytellers tell us how deeply he plunged
Into slaughtering people, with a ravenous eater's violence,
وَلِينَهُand his tenderness فِيin تَصَابِيهِhis amorous play وَغِلْظَتَهُand his harshness
وَلِينَهُ فِي تَصَابِيهِ وَغِلْظَتَهُ
فِيon مَلْعِبِthe playing field of المَوْتِdeath بَيْنَamong السُّمْرِbrown spears وَالخَذُمِand keen swords
فِي مَلْعِبِ المَوْتِ بَيْنَ السُّمْرِ وَالخَذُمِ
And of his tenderness in love-play and his harshness
On death's playing field, among brown spears and keen swords.
فَهْوَfor he is المُتَيَّمُthe love-enslaved man يَسْتَقْضِيseeks fulfillment of لبَانَتَهُhis desire
فَهْوَ المُتَيَّمُ يَسْتَقْضِي لبَانَتَهُ
وَهْوَand he is المُكَافِحُthe fighter حُبَّfor love of القَتْلِkilling وَالنِّقَمِand vengeance
وَهْوَ المُكَافِحُ حُبَّ القَتْلِ وَالنِّقَمِ
For he is the love-enslaved man seeking his desire's fulfillment,
And the fighter driven by love of killing and vengeance.
ذَاكَthat الَّذِيwhat قَالَهُsaid it عَنْهُabout him الرُّوَاةُthe narrators فَهَلْso has
ذَاكَ الَّذِي قَالَهُ عَنْهُ الرُّوَاةُ فَهَلْ
بَدَاappeared مَزِيدٌsomething more لِفِكْرِto the mind of البَاحِثِthe researcher الفَهِمِdiscerning
بَدَا مَزِيدٌ لِفِكْرِ البَاحِثِ الفَهِمِ
That is what the narrators said of him; has
Something more dawned on the discerning scholar's mind?
حَيَّاكَmay He bless you رَبُّكَyour Lord يَاO مَنْyou who قَامَrose يُنْصِفُهُdoes him justice
حَيَّاكَ رَبُّكَ يَا مَنْ قَامَ يُنْصِفُهُ
بِالعِلْمِwith knowledge مِنْagainst جَهْلِthe ignorance of سُمَّارٍnighttime talkers وَمِنْand against تُهَمِaccusations
بِالعِلْمِ مِنْ جَهْلِ سُمَّارٍ وَمِنْ تُهَمِ
May your Lord bless you, you who rose to do him justice,
Through knowledge, against nighttime talkers' ignorance and accusations.
مَاnot كَانَwas عَنْتَرَةٌAntarah فِيamong القَوْمِthe people غَيْرَother than فَتىًa young man
مَا كَانَ عَنْتَرَةٌ فِي القَوْمِ غَيْرَ فَتىً
يَرَىenvisions لَهُمْfor them مَاwhat يَرَاهُenvision it قَادَةُleaders of الأُمَمِnations
يَرَى لَهُمْ مَا يَرَاهُ قَادَةُ الأُمَمِ
Among his people, Antarah was but a young man
Who envisioned for them what the leaders of nations envision.
إِنْif أَمْكَنَgave power to الحُبَّlove مِنْهُover himself حِينَduring خَلْوَتِهِhis solitude
إِنْ أَمْكَنَ الحُبَّ مِنْهُ حِينَ خَلْوَتِهِ
فَأَسْمَعَso he made hear النَّاسَthe people فِيهِabout it أَشْوَقَthe most yearning of النَّغَمِmelodies
فَأَسْمَعَ النَّاسَ فِيهِ أَشْوَقَ النَّغَمِ
If he gave love power over himself in his solitude,
And made people hear its most yearning melodies,
فَإِنَّthen indeed مَاwhat كَانَwas يَبْغِيهِhe sought it لأُمَّتِهِfor his nation
فَإِنَّ مَا كَانَ يَبْغِيهِ لأُمَّتِهِ
أَسْمَىthe loftiest أَمَانِيhopes of حُرٍّa free man غَيْرِnot مُتَّهَمِsuspect
أَسْمَى أَمَانِي حُرٍّ غَيْرِ مُتَّهَمِ
What he sought for his nation was nonetheless
The loftiest hopes of a free man beyond suspicion.
سَقَىwatered هَوَىlove for عَبْلَةٍAbla مِنْwith مَاءِthe water of أَدْمُعِهِhis tears
سَقَى هَوَى عَبْلَةٍ مِنْ مَاءِ أَدْمُعِهِ
وَكَادَand nearly يُرْوِيwaters fully الفَلاthe desert wastes مِنْfor أَجْلِهِمْtheir sake بِدَمِwith blood
وَكَادَ يُرْوِي الفَلا مِنْ أَجْلِهِمْ بِدَمِ
He watered his love for Abla with the water of his tears,
And almost watered the desert wastes with blood for their sake.
وَالحُبًّand love أَلْزَمُmore essential لِلأَرْوَاحِto souls مَاas عَظُمَتْthey grow great
وَالحُبًّ أَلْزَمُ لِلأَرْوَاحِ مَا عَظُمَتْ
وَقَدْand may يَكُونُbe لَهَاfor them أَدْعَىmore conducive إِلَىto العِمَمِfull stature
وَقَدْ يَكُونُ لَهَا أَدْعَى إِلَى العِمَمِ
And love is all the more essential to souls as they grow great,
And may draw them still more toward full stature.
فَإِنْso if ظَفِرْتَyou find بِعِزْهَاةٍwith a man averse to love وَمَنْصِبُهُand his station
فَإِنْ ظَفِرْتَ بِعِزْهَاةٍ وَمَنْصِبُهُ
فِيamong المَالِكِينَthe masters فَتِلْكَthen that النَّفْسِthe soul فِيamong الخَدَمِservants
فِي المَالِكِينَ فَتِلْكَ النَّفْسِ فِي الخَدَمِ
So if you find a man averse to love, though his station
Is among masters, that soul is among servants.
أَرَيْتَنَاyou showed us مِنْof فَتَىthe young man of عَبْسٍAbs حَقِيقَتَهُhis true nature
أَرَيْتَنَا مِنْ فَتَى عَبْسٍ حَقِيقَتَهُ
حَقِيقَةَthe true nature of المَرْءِthe man لَمْnot يُوصَمْwas blemished وَلَمْand not يَصِمِdid he blemish
حَقِيقَةَ المَرْءِ لَمْ يُوصَمْ وَلَمْ يَصِمِ
You have shown us the true nature of the young man of Abs:
The true nature of a man neither blemished nor blemishing;
حَقِيقَةَthe true nature of البَدَوِيِّthe Bedouin الحُرِّfree مُبْتَغِياًseeking
حَقِيقَةَ البَدَوِيِّ الحُرِّ مُبْتَغِياً
لِقَوْمِهِfor his people غَيْرَnot بَاغٍaggressive أُلْفَةَthe fellowship of الرَّحِمِkinship
لِقَوْمِهِ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ أُلْفَةَ الرَّحِمِ
The true nature of the free Bedouin, seeking
For his people, without aggression, the bonds of kinship.
يُهْدِيoffers لِعَبْلَةًto Abla مَاwhat يُوحِيinspires الغَرَامُpassionate love لَهُin him
يُهْدِي لِعَبْلَةً مَا يُوحِي الغَرَامُ لَهُ
وَلِلحَقِيقَةِand to truth وَحْيَthe inspiration of العَزْمِresolve وَالشِّمَمِand noble pride
وَلِلحَقِيقَةِ وَحْيَ العَزْمِ وَالشِّمَمِ
He offers Abla what passionate love inspires in him,
And to truth, the inspiration of resolve and noble pride.
وَإِنَّمَاand only سُؤْلُهُhis wish إِعْزَازُthe honoring of مَوْطِنِهِhis homeland
وَإِنَّمَا سُؤْلُهُ إِعْزَازُ مَوْطِنِهِ
وَقَوْمِهِand his people بِاتِّحَادِthrough the unity of الرَّأْيِthought وَالهِمَمِand resolve
وَقَوْمِهِ بِاتِّحَادِ الرَّأْيِ وَالهِمَمِ
His sole wish is to exalt his homeland
And his people through unity of thought and resolve.
فَإِنْso if رَنَاhe gazed وَهِلالُwhile the crescent of الشَّهْرِthe month مُبْتَسِمٌsmiling
فَإِنْ رَنَا وَهِلالُ الشَّهْرِ مُبْتَسِمٌ
حَيَّاهُhe greeted it مِنْas أَمَلٍa hope فِيon الأُفْقِthe horizon مُبْتَسِمِsmiling
حَيَّاهُ مِنْ أَمَلٍ فِي الأُفْقِ مُبْتَسِمِ
And if he gazed while the month's crescent smiled,
He hailed it as a hope smiling on the horizon,
مُنَبِّيءٍforetelling بِسَنَاهُby its radiance عَنْof سَنَىthe radiance of قَمَرٍa moon
مُنَبِّيءٍ بِسَنَاهُ عَنْ سَنَى قَمَرٍ
مَاحِيdispeller of الظَّلامِdarkness نَبِيٍّa prophet حَاطِمِbreaker of الصَّنَمِthe idol
مَاحِي الظَّلامِ نَبِيٍّ حَاطِمِ الصَّنَمِ
Foretelling, by its glow, the radiance of a moon,
A dispeller of darkness, a prophet, a breaker of the idol.
فَيَاso O مُعِيداًyou who restore إِلَيْنَاto us اليَوْمَtoday عَنْتَرَةًAntarah
فَيَا مُعِيداً إِلَيْنَا اليَوْمَ عَنْتَرَةً
فِيin يَقْظَةٍwakefulness شَابَهَاmingled with it لُطْفٌgentleness مِنَof الحُلُمِdream
فِي يَقْظَةٍ شَابَهَا لُطْفٌ مِنَ الحُلُمِ
So, O you who restore Antarah to us today,
In wakefulness touched by the delicacy of dream,
بِشِبْهِwith the like of مَاwhat جَوَّدَتْperfected نَظْماًas verse قَرِيحَتُهُhis poetic gift
بِشِبْهِ مَا جَوَّدَتْ نَظْماً قَرِيحَتُهُ
فِيin خَيْرِthe finest of مَاwhat جَوَّدَتْهُperfected it أَلْسُنُthe tongues of العَجَمِnon-Arabs
فِي خَيْرِ مَا جَوَّدَتْهُ أَلْسُنُ العَجَمِ
With verse akin to what his poetic gift perfected,
In the finest that non-Arab tongues have perfected,
أَرَيْتَyou showed مَنْthose who كَانَused to يَرْمِينَاaccuse us بِمَنْقَصَةٍof inferiority
أَرَيْتَ مَنْ كَانَ يَرْمِينَا بِمَنْقَصَةٍ
أَنَّاthat we بَنُوsons of بَجْدَةِthe essence of الأَفْلاحِsuccess إِنْif نَرُمِwe seek
أَنَّا بَنُو بَجْدَةِ الأَفْلاحِ إِنْ نَرُمِ
You have shown those who charged us with inferiority
That we are masters of success, if we seek it;
وَأَنَّنَاand that we القَوْمُthe people نَسْتَبْقِيpreserve مَفَاخِرَنَاour glories
وَأَنَّنَا القَوْمُ نَسْتَبْقِي مَفَاخِرَنَا
حَتَّىuntil تُوَاتِينَاfavor us الأَقْدَارُthe fates مِنْfrom أمُمِnear at hand
حَتَّى تُوَاتِينَا الأَقْدَارُ مِنْ أمُمِ
And that we are a people who preserve our glories
Until the fates favor us from close at hand;
وَأَنَّand that مَاwhat بَيْنَbetween مَاضِينَاour past وَحَاضِرَنَاand our present
وَأَنَّ مَا بَيْنَ مَاضِينَا وَحَاضِرَنَا
مِنَof العَلاقَةِconnection حَبْلاًa cord غَيْرَnot مُنْفَصِمِsevered
مِنَ العَلاقَةِ حَبْلاً غَيْرَ مُنْفَصِمِ
And that between our past and our present
The bond is an unbroken cord;
وَأَنَّنَاand that we أُمَّةٌa nation تَهْوَىloves مَوَاطِنَهَاits homelands
وَأَنَّنَا أُمَّةٌ تَهْوَى مَوَاطِنَهَا
حَتَّىeven عَلَىin الذِّكْرِremembrance مِنْof عَادٍAd وَمِنْand of إِرَمِIram
حَتَّى عَلَى الذِّكْرِ مِنْ عَادٍ وَمِنْ إِرَمِ
And that we are a nation in love with its homelands,
Even in the memory of Ad and Iram;
وَأَنَّand that كُلَّevery بَيَانٍeloquence طَوْعُat the command of خَاطِرِنَاour thought
وَأَنَّ كُلَّ بَيَانٍ طَوْعُ خَاطِرِنَا
وَنَحْنُand we أَهْلُmasters of بَيَانِthe eloquence of السَّيْفِthe sword وَالقَلَمِand the pen
وَنَحْنُ أَهْلُ بَيَانِ السَّيْفِ وَالقَلَمِ
And that every form of eloquence obeys our thought,
And we are masters of the eloquence of sword and pen;
وَأَنَّand that كلَّeach فَتىًyoung man مِنَّاamong us بِمُفْرَدِهِon his own
وَأَنَّ كلَّ فَتىً مِنَّا بِمُفْرَدِهِ
شَمْلٌan assemblage جَمِيعٌcomplete مِنَof الآدَابِlearning وَالشَّيمِand virtues
شَمْلٌ جَمِيعٌ مِنَ الآدَابِ وَالشَّيمِ
And that each young man among us, on his own,
Is a whole assemblage of learning and virtues;
وَأَنَّنَاand that we لَوْif تَآلَفْنَاwe united in harmony لِمَاwould not عَجِزَتْhave failed
وَأَنَّنَا لَوْ تَآلَفْنَا لِمَا عَجِزَتْ
بِنَاfor us النُّهَىreason عَنْfrom مَقَامٍa station فِيamong العُلَىthe heights سَنِمِlofty
بِنَا النُّهَى عَنْ مَقَامٍ فِي العُلَى سَنِمِ
And that, had we united, there would have been no failure
Of our reason to win us a lofty station among the heights.
فَيَاso O سُرُوراًjoy بِذِكْرٍat a remembrance أَنْتَyou بَاعِثُهُits reviver
فَيَا سُرُوراً بِذِكْرٍ أَنْتَ بَاعِثُهُ
وَيَاand O أَسىًsorrow لِحِمَىfor a homeland بِالجَهْلِby ignorance مُنْقَسِمِdivided
وَيَا أَسىً لِحِمَى بِالجَهْلِ مُنْقَسِمِ
So, oh, the joy in a remembrance you revive,
And oh, the sorrow for a homeland divided by ignorance!
Sol 6.1