وَقالَand said القُضاةُthe judges مِنfrom مَعَدٍّMaʿadd وَغَيرِهاand others besides it
وَقالَ القُضاةُ مِن مَعَدٍّ وَغَيرِها
تَميمُكَyour Tamim أَكفاءَpeers of المُلوكِthe kings الأَعاظِمِthe mightiest
تَميمُكَ أَكفاءَ المُلوكِ الأَعاظِمِ
And the judges of Maʿadd and others said:
The judges said, of Ma'add and others,
Your Tamim are peers of the mightiest kings.
"Your Tameem are peers of the greatest kings.
هُمthey أَهلُpossessors of عِزٍّmight ثابِتٍsteadfast وَأَرومَةٍand ancestral stock
هُم أَهلُ عِزٍّ ثابِتٍ وَأَرومَةٍ
وَهُمand they مِنamong مَعَدٍّMaʿadd فيat الذُرىthe crests والغَلاصِمِand the throats
وَهُم مِن مَعَدٍّ في الذُرى والغَلاصِمِ
They possess steadfast might and ancestral stock,
They are a people of lasting might and loftiness,
And among Maʿadd they stand at the crests and throats.
And they, among Ma'add, are lions in war and battle.
وَهُمand they يَضمَنونَsafeguard المالَthe property لِلجارِfor the protected neighbor ماas long as ثَوىhe stays
وَهُم يَضمَنونَ المالَ لِلجارِ ما ثَوى
وَهُمand they يُطعِمونَprovide food الدَهرَfor all time ضَربَةَa fixed obligation لازِمِbinding
وَهُم يُطعِمونَ الدَهرَ ضَربَةَ لازِمِ
And they safeguard a neighbor's property for as long as he stays,
They guarantee the wealth of a neighbor in their abode,
And they provide food for all time, as a binding duty:
And they feed the ages with unceasing generosity.
شَريفُlofty الذُرىthe humps مِنfrom كُلِّevery كَوماءَhigh-humped she-camel بازِلٍfully mature
شَريفُ الذُرى مِن كُلِّ كَوماءَ بازِلٍ
مُقيمٌever present لِمَنfor whoever يَعفوهُمseeks their bounty غَيرَnot حازِمِrestraining; binding
مُقيمٌ لِمَن يَعفوهُم غَيرَ حازِمِ
The lofty humps of every high-humped, full-grown she-camel
Noble throughout the ages, spurning all baseness,
Are always there for whoever seeks their bounty, without restraint.
Standing with forgiveness for those who do not rebuke.
وَكَيفَand how تُناهيهِcan rival him الأَعاجِمُthe non-Arabs بَعدَماafter
وَكَيفَ تُناهيهِ الأَعاجِمُ بَعدَما
عَلواthey rose لِجُسَيمِto mighty المَجدِglory أَسلsmooth-faced (reading uncertain) المَواسِمِthe features
عَلوا لِجُسَيمِ المَجدِ أَسل المَواسِمِ
And how can non-Arabs rival Tamim, after
How could foreigners ever compete, after
They rose to mighty glory, smooth of feature,
They have risen to the summit of glorious grandeur?
وَبَذلُand the giving of النَدىbounty لِلسائِلينَto the petitioners إِذاwhen اِختَفواthey hide themselves
وَبَذلُ النَدى لِلسائِلينَ إِذا اِختَفوا
وَحُبَّand love of المَتاليshe-camels followed by their young فيin السِنينِthe years اللَوازِمِunrelenting
وَحُبَّ المَتالي في السِنينِ اللَوازِمِ
And gave bounty to petitioners when they hid themselves,
Giving drink to the thirsty when they disappear,
And loved she-camels with young in the relentless years,
And loving intimacy through the binding years.
وَمَدَّهُمand their stretching out الأَيديthe hands إِلىtoward الباعِreach; prowess وَالعُلىand lofty honor
وَمَدَّهُم الأَيدي إِلى الباعِ وَالعُلى
إِذاwhen كَرُمَتwere generous حيناًfor a while أَكُفُّthe hands of الأَلائِمِthe basest men
إِذا كَرُمَت حيناً أَكُفُّ الأَلائِمِ
And stretched their hands toward prowess and lofty honor,
Their hands extend to every height and breadth
When the basest men's hands were generous for a while?
When their palms sometimes perform without blame.
وَإِذand when مالَهُمtheir wealth فيin النائِباتِcalamities تلادَهُمtheir inherited possessions
وَإِذ مالَهُم في النائِباتِ تلادَهُم
لِفَكِّto free العُناةِthe captives أَوor لِكَشفِto relieve المَغارِمِdebts; financial liabilities
لِفَكِّ العُناةِ أَو لِكَشفِ المَغارِمِ
And when, in calamities, their wealth—their inherited possessions—was spent
And when troubles befall them, testing their endurance
To free captives or relieve debts;
To undo the enemy or ward off misfortune.
وَقودُهُمand their leading الخَيلَthe horses العِتاقthe well-bred إِلىtoward العِداthe foes
وَقودُهُم الخَيلَ العِتاق إِلى العِدا
ضَوامِرَlean steeds تُرديgallop فيthrough فِجاجِthe broad paths of المَخارِمِthe mountain passes
ضَوامِرَ تُردي في فِجاجِ المَخارِمِ
And their leading of thoroughbred horses toward their foes,
Riding horses, racing to the fight,
Lean steeds galloping along the paths through mountain passes,
Chargers sweeping into the midst of fierce combat.
مُجَنّبَةٍled alongside تَشكوcomplain النُسورthe hoof-frogs مِنof الوَجاhoof soreness
مُجَنّبَةٍ تَشكو النُسور مِن الوَجا
يُعانِدنَkeep abreast of أَعناقَthe necks of المَطِيَّthe riding camels الرَواسِمِthe brisk-striding
يُعانِدنَ أَعناقَ المَطِيَّ الرَواسِمِ
Led alongside, their hoof-frogs complaining of soreness,
Keeping clear of eagles, complaining of the distance,
Keeping abreast of the necks of brisk-striding riding camels,
Resisting the necks of the striding racers.
لتَنقُضَto settle وَتَراًa blood-debt أَوor لَتحوِيَto gather مَغنَماًspoils
لتَنقُضَ وَتَراً أَو لَتحوِيَ مَغنَماً
كَذَلِكَthus قُدماًfrom of old هُمthey حُماَةُguardians of المَغانِمِthe spoils
كَذَلِكَ قُدماً هُم حُماَةُ المَغانِمِ
To settle a blood-debt or gain plunder.
To demolish a foe or gain spoils—
Thus, from of old, they have been guardians of the spoils.
Thus were they guardians of all gains.
وَكائِنand how many أَصابواthey seized مِنof غَنيمَةِthe spoils of قاهِرٍa conqueror
وَكائِن أَصابوا مِن غَنيمَةِ قاهِرٍ
حَرائِقَdense palm groves مِنof نَخلٍdate palms بقَرّانَat Qarrān ناعِمِlush
حَرائِقَ مِن نَخلٍ بقَرّانَ ناعِمِ
And how much of a conqueror's booty they seized:
However much they seized of a vanquished enemy's loot,
Lush groves of date palms at Qarrān.
Fires of soft-skinned palms and ripening fruits.
وَكانَand there was لِهَذاfor this الحَيِّclan مِنهُمfrom them غَنيمَةٍbooty
وَكانَ لِهَذا الحَيِّ مِنهُم غَنيمَةٍ
كَماjust as أَحرَزواthey secured المَرباعَthe chief's quarter-share عِندَat المَقاسِمِthe divisions of spoils
كَما أَحرَزوا المَرباعَ عِندَ المَقاسِمِ
And this clan had booty from them,
Many were the spoils gained by these clans,
As they secured the chief's quarter-share when spoils were divided.
As they obtained their share at the divisions.
كَذَلِكَthus كانَhad اللَهُGod شَرَّفَhonored قَومناour people
كَذَلِكَ كانَ اللَهُ شَرَّفَ قَومنا
بِهاwith it فيin الزَمانِthe age الأَوَّلِthe earliest المُتقادِمِlong past
بِها في الزَمانِ الأَوَّلِ المُتقادِمِ
Thus had God honored our people
Thus did Allah ennoble our people with this
With these deeds in the earliest, long-past age.
In former times of old.
وَحينَand when أَتىcame الإِسلامُIslam كانواthey were أَئِمَّةًleaders
وَحينَ أَتى الإِسلامُ كانوا أَئِمَّةً
وَقادواand they led مَعَدّاًMaʿadd كُلَّهاall of it بِالخَزائِمِby the nose-rings
وَقادوا مَعَدّاً كُلَّها بِالخَزائِمِ
And when Islam came, they were leaders,
And when Islam came they were leaders,
And led all of Maʿadd by the nose-rings,
Guiding all of Ma'add with resolve.
إِلىtoward عِزَّةglory; might كانَتwas سَناءًsplendor وَرِفعَةًand exaltation
إِلى عِزَّة كانَت سَناءً وَرِفعَةً
لِباقيهِمfor those of them remaining فيهِمamong them وَخَيرُand the best مُراغِمِrefuge
لِباقيهِم فيهِم وَخَيرُ مُراغِمِ
Toward a glory that was splendor and exaltation
To a glory that was a lofty distinction
For those remaining among them, and the best refuge.
For the rest among them—the best intimates.
إِذاwhen الريفُthe fertile countryside لَمdid not يَنزِلsettle عَريفٌa commander بِصحنِهِin its open heart
إِذا الريفُ لَم يَنزِل عَريفٌ بِصحنِهِ
وَإِذand when هُوit تكفكفهُrestrain it مُلوكُthe kings of الأَعاجِمِthe non-Arabs
وَإِذ هُو تكفكفهُ مُلوكُ الأَعاجِمِ
When no commander had settled in the heart of the fertile country,
If the rural areas were not graced by a noble's descent,
And when non-Arab kings held it in check,
As foreign kings scorned and shunned them,
فَجاءَتthen came تَميمُTamim فيin الكَتائِبِthe battalions نُصرَةًas aid
فَجاءَت تَميمُ في الكَتائِبِ نُصرَةً
يَسيرونَthey march صَفّاًin a rank كَاللُيوثlike the lions الضَراغِمِthe fierce lions
يَسيرونَ صَفّاً كَاللُيوث الضَراغِمِ
Then Tamim came in battalions to give aid,
Then Tameem arrived in battalions, defending
Marching in ranks like lions, fierce lions,
Marching in ranks like snarling lions.
عَلىon كُلِّevery جَرداءَsleek-coated mare السراةِthe back وَمُلهِبand a fiery steed
عَلى كُلِّ جَرداءَ السراةِ وَمُلهِب
بَعيدُfar-reaching مَدىrange of التَقريبُthe canter عَبلُstout القَوائِمِthe legs
بَعيدُ مَدى التَقريبُ عَبلُ القَوائِمِ
On every sleek-backed mare and fiery steed,
Against all bare and flaming evil,
Long-striding at the canter, stout of limb.
Far and wide the goal of the resolute.
عَلَيهِمupon them مِنَof الماذِيِّpure iron زَعفٌample coats of mail مُضاعَفٌdouble-layered
عَلَيهِم مِنَ الماذِيِّ زَعفٌ مُضاعَفٌ
لَهُit has حُبُكٌwoven links مِنof شَكَّةِbattle-gear المُتَلازِمِtightly interlocked
لَهُ حُبُكٌ مِن شَكَّةِ المُتَلازِمِ
Upon them were ample coats of pure iron mail, double-layered,
Against them a redoubled fold of iron
With woven links of closely interlocking battle-gear.
Formed of interlocked rings ever binding.
فَقيلَthen it was said لَكُمfor you مَجدُglory of الحَياةِlife فَجاهدواso fight
فَقيلَ لَكُم مَجدُ الحَياةِ فَجاهدوا
وَأَنتُمand you حُماةُdefenders of الناسِthe people عِندَat times of العَظائِمِgrave calamities
وَأَنتُم حُماةُ الناسِ عِندَ العَظائِمِ
Then it was said: Yours is life's glory, so fight,
You were told, 'the glory of life is to strive,'
And you are the people's defenders in grave calamities.
While you are defenders of men in dire straits.
وَهَبّواand they rose up لَأَهلِagainst the people of الشِركِpolytheism ثمَّthen تَكَبكَبواthey massed together
وَهَبّوا لَأَهلِ الشِركِ ثمَّ تَكَبكَبوا
فَطارواthen they flew عَلَيهِمupon them بِالسُيوفِwith swords الصَوارِمِkeen-cutting
فَطاروا عَلَيهِم بِالسُيوفِ الصَوارِمِ
And they rose against the polytheists, then massed together,
They roared at the idolaters and then became arrogant
And flew upon them with keen-cutting swords.
Sweeping over them with sharpened swords.
فَماand not بَرَحواthey ceased يَعصونَهمstriking them بِسُيوفِهِمwith their swords
فَما بَرَحوا يَعصونَهم بِسُيوفِهِم
عَلىupon الهامِthe skulls مِنهُمof them وَالأُنوفand the noses الرَواغِمِhumbled in dust
عَلى الهامِ مِنهُم وَالأُنوف الرَواغِمِ
And they never ceased striking them with their swords
They never stopped defying them with their blades
Upon their skulls and noses humbled in the dust,
Raised over them—noses high and threatening.
لَدُنfrom غدوَةearly morning حَتّىuntil تَوَلّواthey retreated نسوقهُمwe drive them
لَدُن غدوَة حَتّى تَوَلّوا نسوقهُم
رِجالmen تَميمٍof Tamim ذَحلُهاits blood-feud غَيرَnot نائِمِsleeping
رِجال تَميمٍ ذَحلُها غَيرَ نائِمِ
From early morning until they retreated, with us driving them—
From the morning raid till they led back their captives
Men of Tamim, whose blood-feud never sleeps,
The men of Tameem sleepless and driving them onward.
مِنَamong الراَكِبينَthose riding الخَيلَthe horses شُعثاًdisheveled إِلىtoward الوَغىbattle
مِنَ الراَكِبينَ الخَيلَ شُعثاً إِلى الوَغى
بِصُمِّwith solid shafts of القَناthe spears وَالمُرسِفاتِand the fettering arms القَواصِمِthe shattering ones
بِصُمِّ القَنا وَالمُرسِفاتِ القَواصِمِ
Among those riding horses, disheveled, into battle,
Riders racing their horses, disheveled, to the fray
With solid spear-shafts and fettering, shattering arms.
With file and fang like wolves for the attack.
فَتِلكَthose, then مَساعيthe deeds of الأَكرَمينَthe noblest ذَويpossessors of النَدىbounty
فَتِلكَ مَساعي الأَكرَمينَ ذَوي النَدى
تَميمُكَyour Tamim لاnot مَسعاةthe striving of أَهلthe people of الأَلائِمِthe basest men
تَميمُكَ لا مَسعاة أَهل الأَلائِمِ
Those, then, are the deeds of the noblest, men of bounty—
Those are the endeavors of the noble givers of bounty—
Your Tamim—not the striving of the basest people.
Your Tameem, not the deeds of the blameworthy."
Sol 6.1