لَمّاwhen تَخايَلَتِloomed in the distance الحُمولُthe laden camels حَسِبْتَهاI thought them
لَمّا تَخايَلَتِ الحُمولُ حَسِبْتَها
دُوماًdoum palms بأَيْلةَat Aylah ناعماًlush مَكْموماsheathed in spathes
دُوماً بأَيْلةَ ناعماً مَكْموما
When the laden camels loomed, I thought them
When the camels' saddles were removed, I mistook them
lush doum palms at Aylah, their buds sheathed.
For a soft and delicate tent, erect and pegged.
ياO أَيّهاyou السَّدِمُthe vexed one المُلَوِّيtwisting رَأْسَهُhis head
يا أَيّها السَّدِمُ المُلَوِّي رَأْسَهُ
لِيَقُودَto lead مِنْfrom أَهْلِthe people of الحجازِthe Hijaz بريماa mixed host
لِيَقُودَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الحجازِ بريما
O you vexed man, twisting your head
O you whose head is wrapped to lead
to lead a mixed host from the people of the Hijaz!
The people of Hejaz on a she-camel!
أَتُريدُdo you seek عمرَوʿAmr بنson of الخليعِal-Khalīʿ ودُونَهُand between you and him
أَتُريدُ عمرَو بن الخليعِ ودُونَهُ
كَعْبٌKaʿb إذاًthen لَوَجَدْتَهُyou would surely find him مَرْؤُوماcherished
كَعْبٌ إذاً لَوَجَدْتَهُ مَرْؤُوما
Do you seek ʿAmr ibn al-Khalīʿ? Between you and him
Do you want ‘Amr ibn Al-Khalid and his allies
stands Kaʿb; then you would surely find him cherished.
While Ka’b if found would be blamed?
إنَّindeed الخليعَal-Khalīʿ ورَهْطَهُand his kinsmen فيamong عامِرٍʿĀmir
إنَّ الخليعَ ورَهْطَهُ في عامِرٍ
كالقَلْبِlike the heart أُلبسَwas clothed in جؤجؤاًa breastbone وحزيماand a chest
كالقَلْبِ أُلبسَ جؤجؤاً وحزيما
Indeed, al-Khalīʿ and his kinsmen among ʿĀmir
Indeed Al-Khalid and his group in ‘Amir
are like a heart clothed in breastbone and chest.
Are like a heart clad with metal plates.
لاdo not تُسرِعَنَّrush إلىagainst رَبِيعَةَRabīʿah إِنَّهُمْindeed they
لا تُسرِعَنَّ إلى رَبِيعَةَ إِنَّهُمْ
جَمَعُواgathered سواداًa host للعدوّto face the enemy عظيماmighty
جَمَعُوا سواداً للعدوّ عظيما
Do not rush against Rabīʿah; they
Do not hastily head for Rabee’ah, they
have gathered a mighty host to face the enemy:
Have gathered massive troops against the enemy.
شَعْباًa tribe تَفَرَّقَbranched out منfrom جِماعٍa common stock واحدٍsingle
شَعْباً تَفَرَّقَ من جِماعٍ واحدٍ
عَدَلَتْequaled مَعَدّاًMaʿadd تابعاًclient stock وصَمِيماand pure-born stock
عَدَلَتْ مَعَدّاً تابعاً وصَمِيما
a tribe branched from a single common stock,
A people who split from one group
equaling Maʿadd, clients and pure-born kin alike.
And leaned towards a loyal ally.
لاdo not تَغْزُوَنَّraid الدَّهْرَever آلَthe clan of مطرَّفٍMuṭarraf
لا تَغْزُوَنَّ الدَّهْرَ آلَ مطرَّفٍ
لاneither ظالماًas an aggressor أبداًever ولاnor مَظْلُوماas one wronged
لا ظالماً أبداً ولا مَظْلُوما
Never raid the clan of Muṭarraf,
Do not attack the clan of Matraf
neither as aggressor, ever, nor as one wronged.
Ever unjust or oppressed.
فاقْصِدْso be moderate بِذَرْعِكَwithin your strength لوif وُطِئْتَyou trod بلادَهُمْtheir lands
فاقْصِدْ بِذَرْعِكَ لو وُطِئْتَ بلادَهُمْ
لاقَتْwould meet بِكارَتُكَyour young camels الحِقاقُthe three-year-olds قُروماbreeding bull camels
لاقَتْ بِكارَتُكَ الحِقاقُ قُروما
So keep within your powers; if you trod their lands,
So aim your spear, if you tread their land
your young, three-year-old camels would meet full-grown studs.
You will see their righteousness manifest.
وتَعاقَبَتْكَand assailed you in succession كتائبُbattalions ابنِson of مطرّفٍMuṭarraf
وتَعاقَبَتْكَ كتائبُ ابنِ مطرّفٍ
فَأَرَتْكَso they made you see فيin وَضَحِthe brightness of الصَّباحِthe morning نُجُوماstars
فَأَرَتْكَ في وَضَحِ الصَّباحِ نُجُوما
And Ibn Muṭarraf’s battalions would assail you in turn,
And Matraf’s battalions will alternate attacking you
making you see stars in the broad light of morning.
And show you stars in broad daylight.
قَوْمٌa people رِباطُtethering الخَيْلِthe horses وَسْطَamid بيُوتِهِمْtheir dwellings
قَوْمٌ رِباطُ الخَيْلِ وَسْطَ بيُوتِهِمْ
وأَسِنَّةٌand spearheads زُرْقٌblue تُخالُare taken for نجوماstars
وأَسِنَّةٌ زُرْقٌ تُخالُ نجوما
A people whose horses are tethered among their homes,
A people whose horses are tied amidst their homes
and whose blue spearheads are taken for stars.
And blue sharp swords that shine like stars.
ومُخرّقٍand many a ragged man عَنْهُfrom him القَمِيصُthe shirt تَخالُهُyou would think him
ومُخرّقٍ عَنْهُ القَمِيصُ تَخالُهُ
وَسْطَamid البُيُوتِthe dwellings منَfrom الحياءِbashfulness سَقِيماsick
وَسْطَ البُيُوتِ منَ الحياءِ سَقِيما
And many a man with a tattered shirt—you would think him
With Muakhir whose shirt slides off him
among the homes, sick with bashfulness,
Ashamed amidst the homes, sickly and bleak.
حتّىuntil إذاwhen رَفَعَhe raised اللّواءَthe banner رَأَيْتَهُyou saw him
حتّى إذا رَفَعَ اللّواءَ رَأَيْتَهُ
تَحْتَbeneath اللّواءِthe banner علىover الخميسِthe army زَعيماa commander
تَحْتَ اللّواءِ على الخميسِ زَعيما
until, when he raises the banner, you see him
Until Rafraf raises the banner, you will see him
beneath the banner, commander of the army.
Beneath the banner as the leader of his tribe.
وإذاand if تَشاءُyou wish وَجَدْتَyou found منْهُمamong them مانِعاًa defender
وإذا تَشاءُ وَجَدْتَ منْهُم مانِعاً
فَلْجاًFalj عَلىdespite سَخَطthe anger of العَدُوِّthe enemy مُقيماstanding firm
فَلْجاً عَلى سَخَط العَدُوِّ مُقيما
And if you wish, you will find among them a defender of
And if you wish, you will find among them a protector
Falj, standing firm despite the enemy’s anger,
Standing firmly against the enemy's wrath.
أوor ناشئاًa young man حَدَثاًyouthful تُحَّكمُappoint as arbiter مِثْلَهُone like him
أو ناشئاً حَدَثاً تُحَّكمُ مِثْلَهُ
صُلْعُbald-headed الرجالِmen تَوارَثَhas inherited التحكيماthe office of arbiter
صُلْعُ الرجالِ تَوارَثَ التحكيما
or a young man, still a youth, whose like is made arbiter
Or a youth judged by the elders
by bald-headed men: he has inherited the right to judge.
As the elders' baldness denotes their wisdom.
لَنْwill not تَسْتَطِيعَyou are able بأَنْto تحوِّلِdisplace عِزَّهُمْtheir might
لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ بأَنْ تحوِّلِ عِزَّهُمْ
حتّىuntil تُحوِّلَyou move ذاpossessor of الهضابِthe ridges يَسُوماYasūm
حتّى تُحوِّلَ ذا الهضابِ يَسُوما
You will never be able to dislodge their might
You will not manage to change their glory
until you move Yasūm with its ridges.
Unless you change the slopes of Yasum.
إنْif سالَمُوكَthey make peace with you فدَعْهُمُthen leave them alone مِنْout of هذهthis
إنْ سالَمُوكَ فدَعْهُمُ مِنْ هذه
وارْقُدْand sleep كفىsuffices لكَfor you بالرّقادِwith sleep نَعيماas bliss
وارْقُدْ كفى لكَ بالرّقادِ نَعيما
If they make peace with you, leave them out of this,
If they make peace with you, then leave them be
and sleep; sleep is bliss enough for you.
And sleep, for sleeping is sufficient bliss for you.
قَوْمٌa people إذاwhen غَضِبُواthey grow angry تَزِيدُincreases قَناتُهُمْtheir spear-shaft
قَوْمٌ إذا غَضِبُوا تَزِيدُ قَناتُهُمْ
ضِلْعاًcrookedness إذاwhen قايَسْتَهاyou gauge it وكُتوماand concealment
ضِلْعاً إذا قايَسْتَها وكُتوما
A people whose spear-shaft, when they rage, grows
A people, if enraged, their spears
more crooked and inscrutable when you gauge it.
Add a rib, if you take measure.
Sol 6.1