أَرىI see القَلبَthe heart أَمسىhas become بِالأَوانِسِwith maidens مولَعاًenamored
أَرى القَلبَ أَمسى بِالأَوانِسِ مولَعاً
وَإِنand though كانَit was مِنsince عَهدِthe days of الصِباyouth قَدalready تَمَتَّعاenjoyed itself
وَإِن كانَ مِن عَهدِ الصِبا قَد تَمَتَّعا
I see the heart has grown enamored of maidens,
though it has enjoyed itself since the days of youth.
وَلَمّاand when سَرىcame by night الهَمُّcare الغَريبُthe stranger قَرَيتُهُI entertained it
وَلَمّا سَرى الهَمُّ الغَريبُ قَرَيتُهُ
قِرىthe hospitality of مَنone who أَزالَremoved الشَكَّdoubt عَنهُfrom himself وَأَزمَعاand resolved
قِرى مَن أَزالَ الشَكَّ عَنهُ وَأَزمَعا
And when care, a stranger, came by night, I entertained it
with the hospitality of one who had cast off doubt and resolved.
عَزَمتُI resolved فَعَجَّلتُso I hastened الرَحيلَdeparture وَلَمand not أَكُنI was
عَزَمتُ فَعَجَّلتُ الرَحيلَ وَلَم أَكُن
كَذىlike one with لَوثَةِfeebleness لاnot يَطلِعُleads upward الهَمَّcare مَطلَعاan ascent
كَذى لَوثَةِ لا يَطلِعُ الهَمَّ مَطلَعا
I resolved and hastened my departure; I was not
like a feeble man who finds no upward path for his care.
فَأَمَّتso made for رِكابيmy riding camels أَرضَthe land of مَعنٍMa'n وَلَمand not تَزَلceased
فَأَمَّت رِكابي أَرضَ مَعنٍ وَلَم تَزَل
إِلىtoward أَرضِthe land of مَعنٍMa'n حَيثُماwherever كانَhe was نُزَّعاyearning
إِلى أَرضِ مَعنٍ حَيثُما كانَ نُزَّعا
So my riding camels made for Ma'n's land, never ceasing
to yearn for Ma'n's land, wherever he might be.
نَجائِبُnoble she-camels لَولاwere it not أَنَّهاthat they سُخِّرَتwere subjected لَناto us
نَجائِبُ لَولا أَنَّها سُخِّرَت لَنا
أَبَتwould have refused عِزَّةُpride مِنfrom جَهلِهاtheir wildness أَنto تُوَزَّعاbe restrained
أَبَت عِزَّةُ مِن جَهلِها أَن تُوَزَّعا
Noble she-camels—had they not been subjected to us,
pride born of their wildness would have refused restraint.
كَسَوناwe clothed رِحالsaddles of المَيسِhackberry wood مِنهاof theirs غَوارِباًwithers
كَسَونا رِحال المَيسِ مِنها غَوارِباً
تَدارَكَhad accumulated فيهاin them النَيُّfat صَيفاًin summer وَمَربَعاًand spring
تَدارَكَ فيها النَيُّ صَيفاً وَمَربَعاً
We clothed their withers in saddles of hackberry wood,
where fat had gathered through summer and spring.
فَماand not بَلَغَتthey reached صَنعاءَSanaa حَتّىuntil تَواضَعَتsank low
فَما بَلَغَت صَنعاءَ حَتّى تَواضَعَت
ذُراهاtheir lofty humps وَزالَand departed الجَهلُwildness عَنهاfrom them وَأَقلَعاand ceased
ذُراها وَزالَ الجَهلُ عَنها وَأَقلَعا
Before they reached Sanaa, low had sunk
their lofty humps, and their wildness had left them and ceased.
وَماnor الغَيثُrain إِذwhen عَمَّcovered البِلادَthe lands بِصَوبِهِwith its downpour
وَما الغَيثُ إِذ عَمَّ البِلادَ بِصَوبِهِ
عَلىfor الناسِthe people مِنthan مَعروفِthe bounty of مَعنٍMa'n بِأَوسَعاany more extensive
عَلى الناسِ مِن مَعروفِ مَعنٍ بِأَوسَعا
Nor is rain, when its downpour covers the lands,
more far-reaching for people than Ma'n's bounty.
تَدارَكَrescued مَعنُMa'n قُبَّةَthe pavilion of الدينِfaith بَعدَماafter
تَدارَكَ مَعنُ قُبَّةَ الدينِ بَعدَما
خَشيناwe feared عَلىfor أَوتادِهاits stakes أَنthat تُنَزَّعاthey be torn out
خَشينا عَلى أَوتادِها أَن تُنَزَّعا
Ma'n rescued the pavilion of faith, after
we had feared its stakes would be torn out.
أَقامhe stood firm عَلىupon الثَغرِthe frontier المَخوفِthe dreaded وَهاشِمٌwhile Hashim
أَقام عَلى الثَغرِ المَخوفِ وَهاشِمٌ
تَساقىexchanged draughts سِماماًpoison بِالأَسِنَّةِwith spearheads مُنقَعاwell-steeped
تَساقى سِماماً بِالأَسِنَّةِ مُنقَعا
He stood firm upon the dreaded frontier, while Hashim
exchanged draughts of well-steeped poison with spearheads.
مُقامَthe stand of اِمرِىءٍa man يَأبىwho refuses سِوىanything but الخُطَّةِthe course الَّتيthat
مُقامَ اِمرِىءٍ يَأبى سِوى الخُطَّةِ الَّتي
تَكونُwill be لَدىat غِبِّthe aftermath of الأَحاديثِthe stories أَروَعاmost awe-inspiring
تَكونُ لَدى غِبِّ الأَحاديثِ أَروَعا
The stand of a man who accepts no course except one
that will inspire most awe when the stories are told afterward.
وَماnor كانَwas he فيهاin it مِثلَlike مُعطٍone accepting دَنِيَّةًabasement
وَما كانَ فيها مِثلَ مُعطٍ دَنِيَّةً
بِهاthrough it العارَdisgrace أَبقىhe preserved وَالحَفيظَةَand zeal for honor ضَيَّعاhe squandered
بِها العارَ أَبقى وَالحَفيظَةَ ضَيَّعا
Nor was he in this like one accepting abasement,
thereby preserving disgrace and squandering his sense of honor.
وَماnor أَحجَمَheld back الأَعداءُthe enemies عَنكَfrom you بَقِيَّةًout of mercy
وَما أَحجَمَ الأَعداءُ عَنكَ بَقِيَّةً
عَلَيكَfor you وَلكِنbut لَمnot يَرَواthey saw فيكَin you مَطمَعاan opening
عَلَيكَ وَلكِن لَم يَرَوا فيكَ مَطمَعا
Nor did your enemies shrink from you out of mercy
for you; rather, they saw no hope of prevailing against you.
رَأَواthey saw مُخدِراًa lair-dwelling lion قَدalready جَرَّبوهُthey had tested him وَعايَنواand they witnessed
رَأَوا مُخدِراً قَد جَرَّبوهُ وَعايَنوا
لَدىbeside غيلِهِhis thicket مِنهُمof their own مَجَرّاًa dragging trail وَمَصرَعاًand a place of death
لَدى غيلِهِ مِنهُم مَجَرّاً وَمَصرَعاً
They saw a lair-dwelling lion they had already tested, and witnessed,
beside his thicket, their own dragged away and slain.
إِذاwhen عَجَمَتهُtested him by biting الحَربُwar لَمnot توهِweaken عَظمَهُhis bone
إِذا عَجَمَتهُ الحَربُ لَم توهِ عَظمَهُ
وَفَلَّand he blunted شَباthe sharp tips of الأَنيابِthe fangs مِنهاof it فَأَسرَعاand acted swiftly
وَفَلَّ شَبا الأَنيابِ مِنها فَأَسرَعا
When war bit to test him, it could not weaken his bone;
and he swiftly blunted the sharp points of its fangs.
وَلَيسَnor is بِثانيهِturning him back إِذاwhen شَدَّhe charges أَنthat يَرىhe sees
وَلَيسَ بِثانيهِ إِذا شَدَّ أَن يَرى
لَدىat نَحرِهِhis throat زُرقَblue الأَسِنَّةِspearheads شُرَّعاleveled
لَدى نَحرِهِ زُرقَ الأَسِنَّةِ شُرَّعا
Nor, when he charges, is he turned back by seeing
blue spearheads leveled at his throat.
لَهُhe has راحَتانِtwo palms الحَتفُdeath وَالغَيثُand rain فيهِماin them both
لَهُ راحَتانِ الحَتفُ وَالغَيثُ فيهِما
أَبىrefused اللَهُGod إِلّاanything but أَنthat تَضُرَّyou harm وَتَنفَعاand you benefit
أَبى اللَهُ إِلّا أَن تَضُرَّ وَتَنفَعا
He has two palms, with death and rain within them;
God has willed that you should both harm and help.
لَقَدindeed دَوَّخَhas subdued الأَعداءُthe enemies مَعنٌMa'n فَأَصبَحواso now they are
لَقَد دَوَّخَ الأَعداءُ مَعنٌ فَأَصبَحوا
وَأَمنَعُهُمand their strongest لاnot يَدفَعُcan repel الذُلَّhumiliation مَدفَعاany repulse
وَأَمنَعُهُم لا يَدفَعُ الذُلَّ مَدفَعا
Ma'n has indeed subdued his enemies, so now
even their strongest has no defense against humiliation.
نَجيبُa noble scion مَناجيبٍof noble sires وَسَيَّدُand a lord سادَةٍof lords
نَجيبُ مَناجيبٍ وَسَيَّدُ سادَةٍ
ذُراthe summits of المَجدِglory مِنfrom فَرعَيthe two branches of نِزارٍNizar تَفَرَّعاhe rose
ذُرا المَجدِ مِن فَرعَي نِزارٍ تَفَرَّعا
A noble scion of noble sires, a lord of lords,
he rose to glory's summits from Nizar's two branches.
فَبانَتso shone forth خِصالُthe qualities of الخَيرِgoodness فيهَin him وَأُكمِلَتand were perfected
فَبانَت خِصالُ الخَيرِ فيهَ وَأُكمِلَت
ماnot yet كَمُلَتhad totaled خَمسٌfive سِنوهُhis years وَأَربِعاand four
ما كَمُلَت خَمسٌ سِنوهُ وَأَربِعا
The qualities of goodness shone in him and were perfected
before his years had numbered five and four.
لَقَدindeed أَصبَحَتhave become فيin كُلِّevery شَرقٍeast وَمَغرِبٍand west
لَقَد أَصبَحَت في كُلِّ شَرقٍ وَمَغرِبٍ
بِسَيفِكَby your sword أَعناقُthe necks of المُريبينَthose under suspicion خُضَّعاbowed
بِسَيفِكَ أَعناقُ المُريبينَ خُضَّعا
Indeed, now throughout every east and west,
the necks of those under suspicion are bowed beneath your sword.
وَطِئتَand you trampled خُدودَthe cheeks of الحَضرَميينَthe Hadramis وَطأَةًa trampling
وَطِئتَ خُدودَ الحَضرَميينَ وَطأَةً
لَهاbecause of it هُدَّwere shattered رُكناthe two pillars of عِزِّهِمtheir might فَتَضَعضَعاso both crumbled
لَها هُدَّ رُكنا عِزِّهِم فَتَضَعضَعا
You trampled the Hadramis' cheeks with such a tread
that both pillars of their might were shattered and crumbled.
فَأَقعَواso they squatted عَلىon الأَذبابِthe flies (likely intended: tails) إَقعاءَthe squatting of مَعشَرٍa people
فَأَقعَوا عَلى الأَذبابِ إَقعاءَ مَعشَرٍ
يَرَونَthey consider لُزومadherence to السِلمِpeace أَبقىsafer for survival وَأَودَعاand more restful
يَرَونَ لُزوم السِلمِ أَبقى وَأَودَعا
So they squatted on their [tails], like men
who deem keeping peace safer and more restful.
فَلَومُدَّتِso if they were extended الأَيديthe hands إِلىtoward الحَربِwar كُلِّهاall of them
فَلَومُدَّتِ الأَيدي إِلى الحَربِ كُلِّها
لَكَفّواthey would hold back وَماand not مَدّواthey extended إِلىtoward الحَربِwar إِصبَعاa finger
لَكَفّوا وَما مَدّوا إِلى الحَربِ إِصبَعا
So if all hands were stretched out toward war,
they would hold back, not extending a finger toward war.
رَأَيتُI saw رِجالاًmen يَومَon the day of مَكَّةَMecca أَجلَبواthey mustered
رَأَيتُ رِجالاً يَومَ مَكَّةَ أَجلَبوا
عَلَيكَagainst you فَرامواand they sought مِنكَin you طَوداًa mighty mountain مُمَنَّعاimpregnable
عَلَيكَ فَراموا مِنكَ طَوداً مُمَنَّعا
I saw men, on the day of Mecca, rally
against you, assailing you—a mighty, impregnable mountain.
عَلىfor غَيرِno شَيءٍreason غَيرَexcept أَنthat كُنتَyou were مِنهُمُamong them
عَلى غَيرِ شَيءٍ غَيرَ أَن كُنتَ مِنهُمُ
أَعَفَّmore upright وَأَعطىand more generous لِلجَزيلِwith lavish gifts وَأَشجَعاand braver
أَعَفَّ وَأَعطى لِلجَزيلِ وَأَشجَعا
For no reason except that you were, among them,
more upright, more generous with lavish gifts, and braver.
فَأَصبَحتَso you became كَالعَضبِlike a sharp sword الحُسامِkeen-cutting وَأَصبَحواand they became
فَأَصبَحتَ كَالعَضبِ الحُسامِ وَأَصبَحوا
عَباديدَscattered bands شَتّىdispersed شَملُهُمtheir unity قَدalready تَصَدَّعاhad split apart
عَباديدَ شَتّى شَملُهُم قَد تَصَدَّعا
So you became like a keen, cutting sword, and they became
scattered bands, dispersed, their unity split apart.
أَخَذتُI took hold بِحَبلٍof a rope مِنamong حِبالكَyour ropes مُحصَدٍtightly twisted
أَخَذتُ بِحَبلٍ مِن حِبالكَ مُحصَدٍ
مَتينٍstrong أَبَتrefused مِنهُof it القُوىthe strands أَنto تَقَطَّعاbe severed
مَتينٍ أَبَت مِنهُ القُوى أَن تَقَطَّعا
I have grasped a tightly twisted rope among your ropes,
strong, its strands refusing to be severed.
Sol 6.1