أَحْبِبْhow dear بِهِنَّthey are مَعَاهِدَاًfamiliar haunts وَمَعَانَاand dwellings
أَحْبِبْ بِهِنَّ مَعَاهِدَاً وَمَعَانَا
كَانَتْwere مَنَازِلُنَاour dwellings بِهَاthere أَحْيَانَاat times
كَانَتْ مَنَازِلُنَا بِهَا أَحْيَانَا
How dear they are, those familiar haunts and abodes!
There, at times, our dwellings used to stand.
دِمَنٌold encampment traces عَفَتْwere effaced بَعْدَafter الأَنِيسِthe friendly inhabitants فَأَصْبَحَتْand so became
دِمَنٌ عَفَتْ بَعْدَ الأَنِيسِ فَأَصْبَحَتْ
لِلْجَازِئَاتِfor those needing no water مِنَamong الظِّبَاءِthe gazelles مَكَانَاa dwelling
لِلْجَازِئَاتِ مِنَ الظِّبَاءِ مَكَانَا
Camp ruins, effaced after their people left, have become
a home for gazelles content with herbage alone.
وَلَقَدْand indeed نَرَىwe see فِيهَاthere مَلاعِبَplaces of play لَمْnot تَزَلْcease
وَلَقَدْ نَرَى فِيهَا مَلاعِبَ لَمْ تَزَلْ
تُشْجِيsadden الْفُؤَادَthe heart وَلاyet not نَرَىwe see إِنْسَانَاa human being
تُشْجِي الْفُؤَادَ وَلا نَرَى إِنْسَانَا
Indeed, we see there playgrounds that never cease
to grieve the heart, yet we see no human soul.
عَرَفَتْrecognized بِهَاthere الْجُرْدُthe sleek horses الْعِتَاقُthe purebred مَجَالَهَاtheir running ground
عَرَفَتْ بِهَا الْجُرْدُ الْعِتَاقُ مَجَالَهَا
فَغَدَتْso they began تُحَمْحِمُwhinnying softly رِقَّةًwith tenderness وَحَنَانَاand longing
فَغَدَتْ تُحَمْحِمُ رِقَّةً وَحَنَانَا
There the sleek, thoroughbred horses recognized their running ground,
and began to whinny with tenderness and longing.
بِتْنَاwe spent the night بِهَاthere مُتَسَانِدِينَleaning on one another عَلَىon الثَّرَىthe earth
بِتْنَا بِهَا مُتَسَانِدِينَ عَلَى الثَّرَى
نَصِفُwe describe الْكَلالَweariness وَنَذْكُرُand we recall الإِخْوَانَاthe companions
نَصِفُ الْكَلالَ وَنَذْكُرُ الإِخْوَانَا
We spent the night there, leaning against one another on the earth,
speaking of our weariness and recalling our comrades.
أَيَّامَin days when لاnot يَرِدُcomes to drink at الْجِمَامَthe full pools لِعِزِّهَاbecause of their inviolability
أَيَّامَ لا يَرِدُ الْجِمَامَ لِعِزِّهَا
أَحَدٌanyone وَلاnor يَرْعَىgrazes الْجَمِيمَthe tender grass سِوَانَاexcept us
أَحَدٌ وَلا يَرْعَى الْجَمِيمَ سِوَانَا
In days when, so well guarded, the pools were approached
by none, nor was the tender grass grazed, save by us.
فِيamong مَعْشَرٍa people رَسَخَتْstood firm حَصَاةُthe rock-like solidity حُلُومِهِمْof their judgment
فِي مَعْشَرٍ رَسَخَتْ حَصَاةُ حُلُومِهِمْ
أَدَباًin refinement وَخَفُّواand they hastened لِلْوَغَىto battle فُرْسَانَاas horsemen
أَدَباً وَخَفُّوا لِلْوَغَى فُرْسَانَا
Among a people whose judgment stood firm as stone,
cultured, yet swift as horsemen into battle.
قَرَنُواthey joined الشَّجَاعَةَcourage بِالسَّمَاحَةِwith generosity فَاغْتَدَوْاand so they became
قَرَنُوا الشَّجَاعَةَ بِالسَّمَاحَةِ فَاغْتَدَوْا
قَيْدَa tether for الْمَحَامِدِpraiseworthy qualities شِدَّةًin firmness وَلِيَانَاand gentleness
قَيْدَ الْمَحَامِدِ شِدَّةً وَلِيَانَا
They joined courage with generosity and became
the captors of all virtues, in firmness and gentleness.
طَلَعُواthey rose عَلَىupon الزَّمَنِthe age الْبَهِيمِpitch-dark فَأَثْقَبُواand so kindled
طَلَعُوا عَلَى الزَّمَنِ الْبَهِيمِ فَأَثْقَبُوا
نَارَthe fire of الْفَضَائِلِvirtues حُجَّةًas proof وَبَيَانَاand demonstration
نَارَ الْفَضَائِلِ حُجَّةً وَبَيَانَا
They rose upon an age of darkness and kindled
the fire of virtue as proof and demonstration.
مِنْof كُلِّevery مَشْبُوبٍfiery man تَخَالُyou would deem لِسَانَهُhis tongue
مِنْ كُلِّ مَشْبُوبٍ تَخَالُ لِسَانَهُ
عِنْدَduring التَّخَاصُمِdisputing فِيin النَّدِيِّthe assembly سِنَانَاa spearhead
عِنْدَ التَّخَاصُمِ فِي النَّدِيِّ سِنَانَا
Each a fiery man, whose tongue you would deem
a spearhead when disputing in the assembly.
إِنْif قَالَhe speaks بَرَّhe keeps faith وَإِنْand if أَتَاهُcomes to him مُطَرَّدٌan outcast
إِنْ قَالَ بَرَّ وَإِنْ أَتَاهُ مُطَرَّدٌ
آوَىhe gives shelter وَإِنْand if سُئِلَhe is asked for الْكَرَامَةَkindness لانَاhe is gracious
آوَى وَإِنْ سُئِلَ الْكَرَامَةَ لانَا
If he speaks, he keeps faith; if an outcast comes to him,
he gives shelter; if asked for kindness, he is gracious.
أَنَاI مِنْهُمُone of them وَالْعُودُand the branch يَتْبَعُtakes after أَصْلَهُits root
أَنَا مِنْهُمُ وَالْعُودُ يَتْبَعُ أَصْلَهُ
وَابْنُand the son of الْهَجِينَةِa mixed-bred mother لاnot يَكُونُcan be هِجَانَاpurebred
وَابْنُ الْهَجِينَةِ لا يَكُونُ هِجَانَا
I am one of them; a branch takes after its root,
and a mixed-bred mother's son can never be purebred.
فَاكْوِso sear الْحَسُودَthe envier بِنَاظِرَيْهِthrough his own eyes وَقُلْand say لَهُto him
فَاكْوِ الْحَسُودَ بِنَاظِرَيْهِ وَقُلْ لَهُ
إِنْif كُنْتَyou are تَجْهَلُنَاyou do not know us فَكَيْفَthen how تَرَانَاdo you see us
إِنْ كُنْتَ تَجْهَلُنَا فَكَيْفَ تَرَانَا
So sear the envier through his own eyes, and tell him:
If you do not know us, how then do you see us?
إِنَّاwe indeed إِذَاwhen مَاever (emphatic) الْحَرْبُwar شَبَّflares up سَعِيرُهَاits raging fire
إِنَّا إِذَا مَا الْحَرْبُ شَبَّ سَعِيرُهَا
نَحْمِيwe protect النَّزِيلَthe guest وَنَمْنَعُand we defend الْجِيرَانَاthe neighbors
نَحْمِي النَّزِيلَ وَنَمْنَعُ الْجِيرَانَا
We, whenever war's raging fire flares up,
protect the guest and defend our neighbors.
وَنَرُدُّand we repel عَادِيَةَthe onslaught of الْخَمِيسِthe army بِأَنْفُسٍwith souls
وَنَرُدُّ عَادِيَةَ الْخَمِيسِ بِأَنْفُسٍ
عَلِمَتْhave learned بِأَنَّthat مِنَsome of الْحَيَاةِlife هَوَانَاhumiliation
عَلِمَتْ بِأَنَّ مِنَ الْحَيَاةِ هَوَانَا
And we repel the army's onslaught with souls
that know life can mean humiliation.
فَتَرَىthen you see عِتَاقَthe thoroughbreds of الْخَيْلِthe horses حَوْلَaround بُيُوتِنَاour dwellings
فَتَرَى عِتَاقَ الْخَيْلِ حَوْلَ بُيُوتِنَا
قُبَّlean الْبُطُونِof belly تُنَازِعُstraining against الأَرْسَانَاthe halters
قُبَّ الْبُطُونِ تُنَازِعُ الأَرْسَانَا
Then you see the thoroughbred horses around our dwellings,
lean of belly, straining at their halters.
مَشَقَpared away الطِّرَادُthe chase لُحُومَهُنَّtheir flesh فَلَمْand did not يَدَعْleave
مَشَقَ الطِّرَادُ لُحُومَهُنَّ فَلَمْ يَدَعْ
إِلَّاexcept خَوَاصِرَflanks كَالْقِسِيِّlike bows مِتَانَاsturdy
إِلَّا خَوَاصِرَ كَالْقِسِيِّ مِتَانَا
The chase has pared their flesh away, leaving nothing
but sturdy flanks like bows.
مِنْof كُلِّevery مُنْتَصِبٍone standing erect عَلَىagainst أَقْيَادِهِits fetters
مِنْ كُلِّ مُنْتَصِبٍ عَلَى أَقْيَادِهِ
مُتَطَلِّعٍraising its head يَتَنَظَّرُawaiting الْحَدَثَانَاthe turns of fortune
مُتَطَلِّعٍ يَتَنَظَّرُ الْحَدَثَانَا
Each one standing erect against its fetters,
with head raised, awaiting the turns of fortune.
بَذَخَتْgrew lofty قَوَائِمُهُits legs وَأَقْبَلَand sloped forward مَتْنُهُits back
بَذَخَتْ قَوَائِمُهُ وَأَقْبَلَ مَتْنُهُ
وَانْضَمَّand drew together كَلْكَلُهُits chest وَطَالَand was long عِنَانَاin rein-length
وَانْضَمَّ كَلْكَلُهُ وَطَالَ عِنَانَا
Its legs are lofty, its back slopes forward,
its chest is compact, and its neck is long.
فَإِذَاso when عَلاit climbs حَزْناًrugged ground أَطَارَit sends flying شَرَارَهُits sparks
فَإِذَا عَلا حَزْناً أَطَارَ شَرَارَهُ
وَإِذَاand when أَتَىit reaches سَهْلاًlevel ground أَطَارَit sends flying دُخَانَاsmoke
وَإِذَا أَتَى سَهْلاً أَطَارَ دُخَانَا
When it climbs rough ground, it sends its sparks flying,
and on reaching level ground, it sends up smoke.
وَالْخَيْلُand horses أَكْرَمُthe noblest صَاحِبٍcompanion يَوْمَon the day of الْوَغَىbattle
وَالْخَيْلُ أَكْرَمُ صَاحِبٍ يَوْمَ الْوَغَى
وَالسِّلْمand in peace تَبْعَثُyou send forth غَارَةًraiding وَرِهَانَاand racing
وَالسِّلْم تَبْعَثُ غَارَةً وَرِهَانَا
Horses are the noblest companions on the day of battle
and in peace: you send them raiding and racing.
فَعَلَىso on بُطُونِthe wombs of خِيَارِهَاtheir choicest أَرْزَاقُنَاour livelihoods
فَعَلَى بُطُونِ خِيَارِهَا أَرْزَاقُنَا
وَعَلىand on ظُهُورِthe backs of جِيَادِهَاtheir swift steeds مُغْدَانَاour morning departure
وَعَلى ظُهُورِ جِيَادِهَا مُغْدَانَا
So our livelihoods rest on the wombs of their finest,
and on their swift steeds' backs we set out in the morning.
هَذَاthis الْفَخَارُglory فَدُرْso turn بِعَينَيْكَwith your two eyes حَيْثُمَاwherever
هَذَا الْفَخَارُ فَدُرْ بِعَينَيْكَ حَيْثُمَا
دَارَturns الزَّمَانُtime فَلَنْthen never will تَرَىyou see نُقْصَانَاany decline
دَارَ الزَّمَانُ فَلَنْ تَرَى نُقْصَانَا
This is glory: turn your eyes wherever
time may turn—you will never see it diminished.
Sol 6.1