لَستُI am not لِمُرَّةَof Murrah إِنif لَمnot أوفِI ascend مَرقَبَةًa lookout
لَستُ لِمُرَّةَ إِن لَم أوفِ مَرقَبَةً
يَبدوappears لِيَto me الحَرفُal-Harf مِنهاfrom it وَالمَقاضيبُand al-Maqadib
يَبدو لِيَ الحَرفُ مِنها وَالمَقاضيبُ
I am not of Murrah if I do not climb a lookout,
I am not one to miss an appointment
From which al-Harf and al-Maqadib are visible to me.
The letters and dots appear clearly to me
فيon ذاتِhaving رَيدٍa projecting spur كَذَلَقlike the edge of الفَأسِthe axe مُشرِفَةٍtowering
في ذاتِ رَيدٍ كَذَلَق الفَأسِ مُشرِفَةٍ
طَريقُهاits path سَرَبٌa passage بِالناسِby people دُعبوبُwell trodden
طَريقُها سَرَبٌ بِالناسِ دُعبوبُ
On a towering height with a spur like an axe's edge.
Like the blade of an axe poised to strike
Its path is a passage well trodden by people.
Its path strewn with people laid low
لَمnot يَبقَremains مِنof عَرشِهاits roof إِلّاexcept دِعامَتُهاits support
لَم يَبقَ مِن عَرشِها إِلّا دِعامَتُها
جِذلانِtwo tree trunks مُنهَدِمٌfallen مِنهاof it وَمَنصوبُand upright
جِذلانِ مُنهَدِمٌ مِنها وَمَنصوبُ
Nothing remains of its roof except its supports—
Of its throne only the pillar remains
Two tree trunks, one fallen and one upright.
Split timber and debris scattered about
بِصاحِبٍwith a companion لاnot تُنالُis caught الدَهرَever غِرَّتُهُhis unguarded moment
بِصاحِبٍ لا تُنالُ الدَهرَ غِرَّتُهُ
إِذاwhen اِفتَلىseek out الهَدَفَthe hulking man القِنَّthe slave by birth المَعازيبُthe far-roaming men
إِذا اِفتَلى الهَدَفَ القِنَّ المَعازيبُ
With a companion who can never be caught off guard,
With a steadfast companion, time's fickleness cannot be grasped
When the far-roaming men seek out the hulking slave.
When the goal is the bowstring taut
بَعَثتُهُI sent him بِسَوادِin the blackness of اللَيلِthe night يَرقُبُنيhe watches over me
بَعَثتُهُ بِسَوادِ اللَيلِ يَرقُبُني
إِذwhen آثَرَpreferred النَومَsleep وَالدِفءَand warmth المَناجيبُthe weaklings
إِذ آثَرَ النَومَ وَالدِفءَ المَناجيبُ
I sent him in the blackness of night to watch over me,
I sent him into the black night to watch over me
When the weaklings preferred sleep and warmth.
While he chose sleep and warmth instead
مِثلُlike اِبنِthe son of وائِلَةَWa'ilah الطَرّادِthe relentless pursuer أَوor رَجُلٍa man
مِثلُ اِبنِ وائِلَةَ الطَرّادِ أَو رَجُلٍ
مِنfrom آلِthe house of مُرَّةَMurrah كَالسِرحانِlike a wolf سُرحوبُlong and lean
مِن آلِ مُرَّةَ كَالسِرحانِ سُرحوبُ
Like Ibn Wa'ilah, the relentless pursuer, or a man
Like Ibn Wailah the scout or a man
From the house of Murrah, long and lean as a wolf.
From the clan of Murrah, restless and roaming
يَظَلُّhe remains by day فيon رَأسِهاits summit كَأَنَّهُas though he were زُلَمٌa bare arrow-shaft
يَظَلُّ في رَأسِها كَأَنَّهُ زُلَمٌ
مِنَamong القِداحِthe arrow-shafts بِهِon it ضَرسٌroughness وَتَعقيبُand sinew wrapping
مِنَ القِداحِ بِهِ ضَرسٌ وَتَعقيبُ
He stays upon its summit as though he were a bare arrow-shaft
In her head he lingers like an old wound
Among the shafts, roughened and wrapped with sinew.
With an ache and recurring throb
سَمحٌgenerous مِنَamong القَومِthe people عُريانٌbare أَشاجِعُهُhis hand tendons
سَمحٌ مِنَ القَومِ عُريانٌ أَشاجِعُهُ
خَفَّare lean النَواشِرُthe forearm sinews مِنهُof him وَالظَنابيبُand the shinbones
خَفَّ النَواشِرُ مِنهُ وَالظَنابيبُ
A generous tribesman, the tendons of his hands showing,
An easygoing man, hot-tempered when roused
Lean in his forearm sinews and his shins.
Who makes the slanderers uneasy and anxious
كَأَنَّهُas though he were خالِدٌKhalid فيin بَعضِsome of مِرَّتِهِhis strength
كَأَنَّهُ خالِدٌ في بَعضِ مِرَّتِهِ
وَبَعضُand some of ماwhat يَنحَلُascribe القَومُthe people الأَكاذيبُlies
وَبَعضُ ما يَنحَلُ القَومُ الأَكاذيبُ
As though he were Khalid in some of his strength—
As though he were Khalid in the midst of battle
Yet some of what people ascribe is falsehood.
While the people spread lies and gossip
Sol 6.1