نَبِئتُI was told زُرعَةَZur'a وَالسَفاهَةُand folly كَاِسمِهاlike its name
نَبِئتُ زُرعَةَ وَالسَفاهَةُ كَاِسمِها
يُهديsends إِلَيَّto me غَرائِبَstrange pieces الأَشعارِpoetry
يُهدي إِلَيَّ غَرائِبَ الأَشعارِ
I was told that Zur'a—folly is true to its name—
I warned Zur'ah though folly is his name
sends me strange poems.
He sends me strange verses and odd lines of verse.
فَحَلَفتُso I swore ياO زُرعَZur' بنِson of عَمروٍ'Amr أَنَّنيthat I
فَحَلَفتُ يا زُرعَ بنِ عَمروٍ أَنَّني
مِمّاamong what يَشُقُّweighs heavily عَلىupon العَدوِّthe enemy ضِراريthe harm I inflict
مِمّا يَشُقُّ عَلى العَدوِّ ضِراري
So I swore, O Zur', son of 'Amr, that I
So I swore, O Zur'ah son of 'Amr, that I
am one whose harm weighs heavily on the enemy.
Am harsh to the foe when battle is averse.
أَرَأَيتَhave you considered يَومَthe day of عُكاظَ'Ukaz حينَwhen لَقيتَنيyou met me
أَرَأَيتَ يَومَ عُكاظَ حينَ لَقيتَني
تَحتَbeneath العَجاجِthe dust-cloud فَماyet not شَقَقتَyou pierced غُباريmy dust
تَحتَ العَجاجِ فَما شَقَقتَ غُباري
Have you considered the day of 'Ukaz, when you met me
Remember the day we met at Okaz fair
beneath the dust-cloud, yet never pierced my dust?
When under the pack-saddles you did disperse?
إِنّاindeed we اِقتَسَمناwe divided خُطَّتَيناour two courses بَينَناbetween us
إِنّا اِقتَسَمنا خُطَّتَينا بَينَنا
فَحَمَلتُso I bore بَرَّةَVirtue وَاِحتَمَلتَand you took on فَجارِWickedness
فَحَمَلتُ بَرَّةَ وَاِحتَمَلتَ فَجارِ
We divided our two courses between us:
We shared two lots between us and I assumed
I bore Virtue, and you took on Wickedness.
The better portion while the worst was yours.
فَلَتَأتِيَنكَso they shall surely reach you قَصائِدٌpoems وَلَيَدفَعَنand shall surely thrust forward
فَلَتَأتِيَنكَ قَصائِدٌ وَلَيَدفَعَن
جَيشٌan army إِلَيكَtoward you قَوادِمَthe front parts of الأَكوارِthe camel-saddles
جَيشٌ إِلَيكَ قَوادِمَ الأَكوارِ
So poems shall surely reach you, and surely there will advance
Expect then verses and an army at your gates
an army, thrusting its saddle-fronts toward you.
That will surround you on all sides diverse.
رَهطُthe kinsmen of اِبنِthe son of كُوزٍKuz مُحقِبيcarrying behind their saddles أَدراعِهِمtheir coats of mail
رَهطُ اِبنِ كُوزٍ مُحقِبي أَدراعِهِم
فيهِمamong them وَرَهطُand the kinsmen of رَبيعَةَRabi'a بنِson of حُذارِHudhar
فيهِم وَرَهطُ رَبيعَةَ بنِ حُذارِ
The kinsmen of Ibn Kuz, their mail strapped behind their saddles,
Kin of Ibn Khuzam will hem you in behind
are among them, and the kinsmen of Rabi'a son of Hudhar.
As will the Banu Rabi'ah take your purse.
وَلِرَهطِand for the kinsmen of حَرّابٍHarrab وَقَدٍّand Qadd سورَةٌeminence
وَلِرَهطِ حَرّابٍ وَقَدٍّ سورَةٌ
فيin المَجدِglory لَيسَis not غُرابُهُمtheir raven بِمُطارِto be driven away
في المَجدِ لَيسَ غُرابُهُم بِمُطارِ
And the kinsmen of Harrab and Qadd have eminence
Banu Harrab and Banu Qadd have surging waves
in glory; their raven is not to be driven away.
Of glory - ravens do not prey on hearse.
وَبَنوand the sons of قُعَينٍQu'ayn لاno مَحالَةَescape أَنَّهُمthat they
وَبَنو قُعَينٍ لا مَحالَةَ أَنَّهُم
آتوكَcoming to you غَيرَnot مُقَلَّميwith clipped الأَظفارِnails
آتوكَ غَيرَ مُقَلَّمي الأَظفارِ
And the sons of Qu'ayn—there is no doubt that they
Banu Qu'ain will surely come to you minus
will come to you with their nails unclipped.
No claws however carefully immersed;
سَهِكينَreeking مِنfrom صَدَءِthe rust of الحَديدِiron كَأَنَّهُمas though they
سَهِكينَ مِن صَدَءِ الحَديدِ كَأَنَّهُم
تَحتَbeneath السَنَوَّرِthe armor جِنَّةُthe jinn of البَقّارِal-Baqqar
تَحتَ السَنَوَّرِ جِنَّةُ البَقّارِ
Reeking of iron-rust, as though they were
Their swords ring like the hive-bees buzz and seem
beneath their armor, the jinn of al-Baqqar.
Wasps 'neath the helmet-domes that never cease.
وَبَنوand the sons of سُواءَةَSuwa'a زائِروكَvisiting you بِوَفدِهِمwith their company
وَبَنو سُواءَةَ زائِروكَ بِوَفدِهِم
جَيشاًas an army يَقودُهُمُhe leads them أَبوfather of المِظفارِal-Mizfar
جَيشاً يَقودُهُمُ أَبو المِظفارِ
And the sons of Suwa'a will visit you with their company,
Banu Suw'ah will visit you, their envoy leading,
as an army led by Abu al-Mizfar.
An army with Abu'l-Mughaffar at its head.
وَبَنوand the sons of جَذيمَةَJadhima حَيَّa clan of صِدقٍintegrity سادَةٌlords
وَبَنو جَذيمَةَ حَيَّ صِدقٍ سادَةٌ
غَلَبواthey prevailed عَلىover خَبتٍKhabt إِلىas far as تِعشارِTi'shar
غَلَبوا عَلى خَبتٍ إِلى تِعشارِ
And the sons of Jadhima, a worthy clan, are lords
Banu Jadhimah, a folk of truth and honour,
who hold sway over Khabt as far as Ti'shar,
Won victory o'er Khabt's men till tithed.
مُتَكَنِّفيflanking جَنبَيthe two sides of عُكاظَ'Ukaz كِلَيهِماboth of them
مُتَكَنِّفي جَنبَي عُكاظَ كِلَيهِما
يَدعوcall out بِهاin it وِلدانُهُمtheir boys عَرعارِ'Ar'ar!'
يَدعو بِها وِلدانُهُم عَرعارِ
flanking both sides of 'Ukaz,
Flanking Okaz on this and that side, calling
where their boys cry, 'Ar'ar!'
Their lads to arm, both clans of note well-bred.
قَومٌa people إِذاwhen كَثُرَincreases الصِياحُthe shouting رَأَيتَهُمyou see them
قَومٌ إِذا كَثُرَ الصِياحُ رَأَيتَهُم
وُفُراًin full strength غَداةَon the morning of الرَوعِalarm وَالإِنفارِand mobilization
وُفُراً غَداةَ الرَوعِ وَالإِنفارِ
A people whom, when the shouting grows, you see
A tribe who, when the war-cry's raised, are seen
undiminished on the morning of alarm and mobilization.
In serried squadrons charging in all haste.
وَالغاضِرِيّونَand the Ghadiris الَّذينَwho تَحَمَّلواthey departed
وَالغاضِرِيّونَ الَّذينَ تَحَمَّلوا
بِلِوائِهِمwith their banner سَيراًjourneying لِدارِto an abode of قَرارِpermanence
بِلِوائِهِم سَيراً لِدارِ قَرارِ
And the Ghadiris, who have set out
The Ghadiri who marched beneath their banner
with their banner, journeying to an abode of permanence.
To pitch their camp-fires by the wells they traced.
تَمشيwalk بِهِمcarrying them أُدمٌwhite camels كَأَنَّas though رِحالَهاtheir saddles
تَمشي بِهِم أُدمٌ كَأَنَّ رِحالَها
عَلَقٌthick blood هُريقَwas spilled عَلىover مُتونِthe backs of صُوارِa herd of wild cattle
عَلَقٌ هُريقَ عَلى مُتونِ صُوارِ
White camels carry them, their saddles seeming
You see them lead along their sturdy camels
like thick blood spilled over the backs of a herd of wild cattle.
With littersarison their humps bedight.
شُعَبُthe forks of العِلافِيّاتِ'Allafian saddles بَينَbetween فُروجِهِمtheir crotches
شُعَبُ العِلافِيّاتِ بَينَ فُروجِهِم
وَالمُحصَناتُand the chaste wives عَوازِبُfar from الأَطهارِmenstrual courses
وَالمُحصَناتُ عَوازِبُ الأَطهارِ
The forks of 'Allafian saddles lie between their legs,
The vales between their ranks like crests enfolding
and the chaste wives have no menstrual courses.
And noble ladies pure, serene and bright.
بُرُزُexposed الأَكُفِّthe feet مِنَfrom الخِدامِthe anklets خَوارِجٌprotruding
بُرُزُ الأَكُفِّ مِنَ الخِدامِ خَوارِجٌ
مِنfrom فَرجِthe opening of كُلِّevery وَصيلَةٍstriped garment وَإِزارِand waist-wrap
مِن فَرجِ كُلِّ وَصيلَةٍ وَإِزارِ
Their feet exposed, protruding from their anklets,
The slave girls' arms thrust out from every curtain
through the opening of every striped robe and waist-wrap.
And mantle-hem, a moon no shame can blight.
شُمُسٌunapproachable مَوانِعُwithholding themselves كُلِّevery لَيلَةِnight حُرَّةٍmoonless
شُمُسٌ مَوانِعُ كُلِّ لَيلَةِ حُرَّةٍ
يُخلِفنَthey frustrate ظَنَّthe expectation of الفاحِشِthe lewd man المِغيارِthe habitual raider
يُخلِفنَ ظَنَّ الفاحِشِ المِغيارِ
Unapproachable, withholding themselves each moonless night,
A throng to shade the plain and leave no hollow.
they frustrate the lewd marauder's expectations.
As though they spread a pebbly wild in sight.
جَمعاًa host يَظَلُّremains بِهِwith it الفَضاءُthe open plain مُعَضِّلاًchoked
جَمعاً يَظَلُّ بِهِ الفَضاءُ مُعَضِّلاً
يَدَعُleaves الإِكامَthe hills كَأَنَّهُنَّas though they صَحاريdeserts
يَدَعُ الإِكامَ كَأَنَّهُنَّ صَحاري
A host with which the open plain remains choked,
No lack of savoury meat and drink denied them
leaving the hills as though they were deserts.
And lavished on you girls are their delight.
لَمnot يُحرَمواthey were deprived حُسنَgood الغِذاءِnourishment وَأُمُّهُمand their mother
لَم يُحرَموا حُسنَ الغِذاءِ وَأُمُّهُم
طَفَحَتhas overflowed عَلَيكَagainst you بِناتِقٍwith a prolific womb مِذكارِbearing many sons
طَفَحَت عَلَيكَ بِناتِقٍ مِذكارِ
They were not deprived of fine nourishment, and their mother
The tribes of Dudan gird me round nor thwart me.
has flooded you from a prolific womb, rich in sons.
And so the Baghid - stauncharies are they.
حَوليaround me بَنوthe sons of دودانَDudan لاnot يَعصونَنيthey disobey me
حَولي بَنو دودانَ لا يَعصونَني
وَبَنوand the sons of بَغيضٍBaghid كُلُّهُمall of them أَنصاريmy supporters
وَبَنو بَغيضٍ كُلُّهُم أَنصاري
Around me are the sons of Dudan, who do not disobey me,
Zayd ibn Zayd with warriors of 'Urair
and the sons of Baghid are all my supporters.
And Malik ibn Himar has Kunayb today.
زَيدُZayd بنُson of زَيدٍZayd حاضِرٌpresent بِعُراعِرٍat 'Ura'ir
زَيدُ بنُ زَيدٍ حاضِرٌ بِعُراعِرٍ
وَعَلىand at كُنَيبٍKunayb مالِكُMalik بنُson of حِمارِHimar
وَعَلى كُنَيبٍ مالِكُ بنُ حِمارِ
Zayd son of Zayd is present at 'Ura'ir,
Sukayn holds Rumaythah; whilst at Duthaynah
and at Kunayb is Malik son of Himar.
Encamped are the renowned clan, Bani Sayyar.
وَعَلىand at الرُمَيثَةِal-Rumaytha مِنfrom سُكَينٍSukayn حاضِرٌa settled company
وَعَلى الرُمَيثَةِ مِن سُكَينٍ حاضِرٌ
وَعَلىand at الدُثَينَةِal-Duthayna مِنfrom بَنيthe sons of سَيّارِSayyar
وَعَلى الدُثَينَةِ مِن بَني سَيّارِ
And at al-Rumaytha is a contingent of Sukayn,
Among them are the beauties of 'Asjad
and at al-Duthayna, one of the sons of Sayyar.
And Lahiq - smooth steeds brought out to race;
فيهِمamong them بَناتُthe daughters of العَسجَدِيَّal-'Asjadi وَلاحِقٍand Lahiq
فيهِم بَناتُ العَسجَدِيَّ وَلاحِقٍ
وُرقاًgray مَراكِلُهاtheir heel-struck flanks مِنَfrom المِضمارِthe training-ground
وُرقاً مَراكِلُها مِنَ المِضمارِ
Among them are the daughters of al-'Asjadi and Lahiq,
The Ya'zibid snort yellow through their nostrils
their flanks gray from the training-ground.
And the white marks on thei legs enhance their grace.
يَتَحَلَّبُtrickles اليَعضيدُsow-thistle مِنfrom أَشداقِهاtheir jaws
يَتَحَلَّبُ اليَعضيدُ مِن أَشداقِها
صُفراًyellow مَناخِرُهاtheir nostrils مِنَfrom الجِرجارِjirjar, a yellow-flowered plant
صُفراً مَناخِرُها مِنَ الجِرجارِ
Sow-thistle juice trickles from their jaws,
Their troops of females follow in succession
their nostrils yellow with jirjar.
Like wild beasts ravening without restraint.
تُشلىare called تَوابِعُهاtheir followers إِلىto أُلّافِهاtheir familiar companions
تُشلى تَوابِعُها إِلى أُلّافِها
خَبَبَthe trot of السِباعِwild beasts الوُلَّهِdistraught الأَبكارِfirst-time mothers
خَبَبَ السِباعِ الوُلَّهِ الأَبكارِ
Their followers are called to their familiar companions,
Rumaythah's sure defence bars all our lances;
trotting like distraught wild beasts with their firstborn.
No coward clan in arms were e'er there pent.
إِنَّindeed الرُمَيثَةَal-Rumaytha مانِعٌdefending أَرماحُناour spears
إِنَّ الرُمَيثَةَ مانِعٌ أَرماحُنا
ماwhatever كانَthere is مِنof سَحَمٍblack camels بِهاin it وَصَفارِand yellow camels
ما كانَ مِن سَحَمٍ بِها وَصَفارِ
Indeed, at al-Rumaytha our spears defend
They captured only maids, for they
whatever black and yellow camels are there.
Made haste, fearing dishonour and dissent.
فَأَصَبنَso they struck أَبكاراًyoung she-camels وَهُنَّwhile they بِإِمَّةٍat Imma
فَأَصَبنَ أَبكاراً وَهُنَّ بِإِمَّةٍ
أَعجَلنَهُنَّthey forestalled them مَظِنَّةَthe customary site of الإِعذارِcheek-branding
أَعجَلنَهُنَّ مَظِنَّةَ الإِعذارِ
So they struck young she-camels while these were at Imma,
forestalling their cheek-branding at its customary site.
Partial English translation: 54 of 56 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1