رأىsaw أطلالَهمtheir ruins دَمعيmy tears فسالاso flowed
رأى أطلالَهم دَمعي فسالا
فأظمأنيso it made me thirsty وقدand it had رَوَّىwatered الرِمالاthe sands
فأظمأني وقد رَوَّى الرِمالا
My tears beheld their ruins and flowed,
My tears flowed when I saw their ruins,
and left me thirsty, though they had watered the sands.
So it quenched my thirst as it moistened the sands.
عَرَفتُI recognized لبعضِهاof some of them أثراًa trace وبعضٌand others
عَرَفتُ لبعضِها أثراً وبعضٌ
عَفتْهُeffaced it الرِّيحُthe wind إذْwhen عَصَفَتْraged شَمَالاfrom the north
عَفتْهُ الرِّيحُ إذْ عَصَفَتْ شَمَالا
I recognized a trace of some of them; others
I recognized the traces of some, while others
the wind erased when it raged from the north.
Were erased by the north wind when it blew.
ديارٌdwellings للظِباfor gazelles صارَتْbecame كِناساًa lair
ديارٌ للظِبا صارَتْ كِناساً
فماso not بَرِحتْceased لهاfor them الغِزلانُthe gazelles آلاa household
فما بَرِحتْ لها الغِزلانُ آلا
Homes became a lair for gazelles,
Homes of gazelles have become shacks,
and gazelles have remained their household.
Yet the fawns do not cease to return to them.
وأينَand where ظِباؤهاtheir gazelles منcompared with ظَبْيa gazelle of إنسٍhumankind
وأينَ ظِباؤها من ظَبْي إنسٍ
يَشُقُّis burdensome عليهِfor him أنْto يُدْعَىbe called غَزالاa gazelle
يَشُقُّ عليهِ أنْ يُدْعَى غَزالا
But how can their gazelles compare with a human gazelle
And where are their gazelles compared to human company
who cannot bear to be called a gazelle?
That would grieve being called a fawn?
منfrom العَرَبِthe Arabs الكِرامِthe noble عزيزُcherished by قومٍa people
من العَرَبِ الكِرامِ عزيزُ قومٍ
تَمضَّرَwas of Mudar descent بينَهُمْamong them عَمَّاin paternal kin وخالاand in maternal kin
تَمضَّرَ بينَهُمْ عَمَّا وخالا
Of the noble Arabs, the pride of his people,
Among the generous Arabs was an honorable tribe
of Mudar lineage among them, paternal and maternal alike.
Whose tents were pitched between us.
وَثِقْناand we trusted مِنهُin him بالتَّوحيدin God's oneness لمَّاwhen
وَثِقْنا مِنهُ بالتَّوحيد لمَّا
رأيناwe saw فوقَupon وَجنتِهِhis cheek بِلالاBilal
رأينا فوقَ وَجنتِهِ بِلالا
We trusted his belief in God's oneness when
We trusted them in monotheism when
we saw Bilal upon his cheek.
We saw Bilal above their tents.
أرِقتُI lay sleepless لعُصبَةٍfor a band فيin الحيِّthe encampment زَمُّواthey haltered
أرِقتُ لعُصبَةٍ في الحيِّ زَمُّوا
فُؤَاديmy heart عِندَماwhen زَمُّواthey haltered الجِمالاthe camels
فُؤَادي عِندَما زَمُّوا الجِمالا
I lay sleepless for a band in the camp who haltered
I was troubled for a group who in war
my heart when they haltered the camels.
Broke my heart when they loaded their camels.
وقدand indeed جَدَّhastened الرَّحيلَdeparture جَميلُgracious صبريmy patience
وقد جَدَّ الرَّحيلَ جَميلُ صبري
غَداةَon the morning of البينِparting إذْwhen شَدُّواthey fastened الرِحالاthe saddles
غَداةَ البينِ إذْ شَدُّوا الرِحالا
And my fair patience hastened to depart
And my patience found leaving hard
on the morning of parting, when they fastened the saddles.
The morning after they departed.
وَقَفْناwe stood فيamid رُسومِthe traces of الدَّارِthe dwelling ندعوwe call out
وَقَفْنا في رُسومِ الدَّارِ ندعو
ولكنْbut منْwho يُجيبُanswers لَناfor us سُؤَالاa plea
ولكنْ منْ يُجيبُ لَنا سُؤَالا
We stood amid the dwelling's traces, calling,
We stood at the site of the abode praying
but who would answer our plea?
But who would answer our call?
جَرَتْflowed عَبرَاتُناour tears دالاًdāl (d) وميماًand mīm (m)
جَرَتْ عَبرَاتُنا دالاً وميماً
فأصبحَso became جَزْرُهاtheir ebb ميماًmīm (m) ودالاand dāl (d)
فأصبحَ جَزْرُها ميماً ودالا
Our tears flowed as dāl and mīm—blood,
Our tears flowed in circles
so their ebb became mīm and dāl—a flood.
Until their ebb became Meem and Daal.
نُرَدِّدُwe repeat بينَamong هاتيكَthose الأثافيthe hearthstones
نُرَدِّدُ بينَ هاتيكَ الأثافي
حنينَthe yearning cries of النُوقِthe she-camels أبصَرَتِhave seen الفِصالاthe weaned calves
حنينَ النُوقِ أبصَرَتِ الفِصالا
Among those hearthstones we repeat
We repeat between these ruins,
the longing cries of she-camels that have seen their weaned calves.
The yearning of she-camels when they saw the departure.
ونَلقَىand we encounter منfrom عَواصِفِهاits gales غُباراًdust
ونَلقَى من عَواصِفِها غُباراً
حسِبناهُwe deemed it لأوجُهِناfor our faces جَمالاbeauty
حسِبناهُ لأوجُهِنا جَمالا
And we catch dust from its gales,
And we faced from its storms dust
which we deemed an adornment for our faces.
That we mistook for the beauty of faces.
إذاwhen ناحَlaments الحمامُthe doves أصابَpierces قلبيmy heart
إذا ناحَ الحمامُ أصابَ قلبي
كأنَّas though علىupon حَناجِرهِtheir throats نِبالاarrows
كأنَّ على حَناجِرهِ نِبالا
When the doves lament, they pierce my heart,
Whenever the pigeons cooed, my heart was struck
as though arrows lay upon their throats.
As if their throats were adorned with arrows.
وأذكُرُand I recall منthrough مُطوَّقِهِtheir ring-necked kind أيادٍfavors
وأذكُرُ من مُطوَّقِهِ أيادٍ
بِطَوْقِwith the collar of البِرِّkindness قَلَّدَتadorned الرِجالاmen
بِطَوْقِ البِرِّ قَلَّدَت الرِجالا
And their ring-necked kind reminds me of favors
And I remember hands decorated
that have adorned men with the collar of kindness—
With the bracelets of righteousness worn by men.
أيادٍfavors ظلَّkept يَبسُطُهاextending them كريمٌa generous man
أيادٍ ظلَّ يَبسُطُها كريمٌ
تتيهُtake pride المَكرُماتُnoble deeds بهِin him دَلالاwith coy grace
تتيهُ المَكرُماتُ بهِ دَلالا
favors a generous man has kept extending,
Hands whose generous owner
in whom noble deeds take a coquettish pride.
Distributes favors continuously.
إذاif قلتُI say السَّحابُthe clouds كراحَتَيهِlike his two palms
إذا قلتُ السَّحابُ كراحَتَيهِ
فقدthen indeed شَبَّهتُI have likened بالشَّمسto the sun الهِلالاthe crescent moon
فقد شَبَّهتُ بالشَّمس الهِلالا
If I say the clouds are like his two palms,
If I said, “the clouds are like his palms,”
then I have likened the crescent moon to the sun.
I would compare the crescent to the sun.
فتىًa young man يَستَغرِقُexhausts الأموالَwealth جُوداًthrough generosity
فتىً يَستَغرِقُ الأموالَ جُوداً
ولوand even if أنَّthat الجِبالَthe mountains جُعِلنَwere made مالاwealth
ولو أنَّ الجِبالَ جُعِلنَ مالا
A young man whose bounty consumes all wealth,
A man who spends his wealth freely,
even if the mountains were made into riches.
Even if mountains were made his money.
تَزيدُincrease جبينَهُhis brow الأضيافُthe guests بِشراًin cheerfulness
تَزيدُ جبينَهُ الأضيافُ بِشراً
كنصلِlike the blade of السَيفِthe sword تُوسِعُهُyou lavish upon it صِقالاpolishing
كنصلِ السَيفِ تُوسِعُهُ صِقالا
Guests add radiance to his brow,
Guests increase the joy in his face
like a sword-blade you lavishly polish.
Like the whetstone expands the sword’s blade.
كريمٌa generous man شَنَّwaged فيamong الأموالwealth حرباًa war
كريمٌ شَنَّ في الأموال حرباً
فماso not كانتْit was ولاnor كانتْmay it be سِجالاa contest of alternating victories
فما كانتْ ولا كانتْ سِجالا
A generous man who waged war upon wealth,
A generous man who waged war on wealth,
so it was not—nor may it be—a war of alternating fortunes.
And it mattered not whether he had it or struggled over it.
شَرَىbought بالمالِwith wealth بينَamong الناسِthe people حمداًpraise
شَرَى بالمالِ بينَ الناسِ حمداً
ورَبُّand the master of الحمدِpraise مَنwhoever بَذَلَbestowed النَوالاbounty
ورَبُّ الحمدِ مَن بَذَلَ النَوالا
He bought praise among people with wealth,
He bought praise among people with wealth,
and praise belongs to him who bestows bounty.
While the Lord of Praise is He who bestowed the bounty.
وإنَّand indeed المالَwealth كالصَهباءِlike tawny wine يُبديreveals
وإنَّ المالَ كالصَهباءِ يُبدي
لَناto us منfrom نَفسِthe soul of صاحِبهِits possessor خِصالاtraits
لَنا من نَفسِ صاحِبهِ خِصالا
And wealth, like tawny wine, reveals
Wealth is like a sword that reveals to us
to us traits within its possessor's soul.
The qualities of its owner.
فيكَتِسبُso acquires اللئيمُthe base man بهthrough it هَواناًcontempt
فيكَتِسبُ اللئيمُ به هَواناً
ويكتسِبُand acquires الكريمُthe noble man بهِthrough it جَلالاdignity
ويكتسِبُ الكريمُ بهِ جَلالا
So the base man gains contempt through it,
The despicable earns humiliation with it,
and the noble man gains dignity through it.
While the generous earns glory.
عرَفْناwe knew القاسمَal-Qasim الدِّرْعيَّal-Dir‘i شَخصاًa real person
عرَفْنا القاسمَ الدِّرْعيَّ شَخصاً
تَوَهّمنْاwe imagined الكرَامَthe noble لهُof him خَيالاa shadow
تَوَهّمنْا الكرَامَ لهُ خَيالا
We knew al-Qasim al-Dir‘i as a real person;
We knew Al-Qasim Adh-Dhuree to be a man
we imagined the noble to be his shadow.
Whose generosity we imagined.
ينالُdraws دَمَthe blood of الفوَارِسِthe horsemen يومَon a day of حَرْبٍbattle
ينالُ دَمَ الفوَارِسِ يومَ حَرْبٍ
وليسَand does not يَنالُtake منfrom سَلَبٍspoils عِقالاa camel-hobble
وليسَ يَنالُ من سَلَبٍ عِقالا
He draws the horsemen's blood on a day of battle,
He attains the blood of knights in battle
yet takes not even a camel-hobble from the spoils.
But does not take spoils of war.
أشَدُّthe fiercest of الناسِmen فيamid الغَمَراتِbattle's perils بأساًin valor
أشَدُّ الناسِ في الغَمَراتِ بأساً
وأحسَنُهمand the best of them علىin الحَالينboth states حالاin condition
وأحسَنُهم على الحَالين حالا
The fiercest of men in the thick of battle,
The fiercest of people in wars,
and the best of them in both states.
Yet the best of them in all conditions.
وأفصحُand the most eloquent of كلِّevery ذيone possessing قولٍspeech مَقالاًin expression
وأفصحُ كلِّ ذي قولٍ مَقالاً
وأنجَحُand the most successful of كلِّevery ذيone possessing فعلٍaction فَعَالاin deeds
وأنجَحُ كلِّ ذي فعلٍ فَعَالا
The most eloquent in speech of all who speak,
The most eloquent speaker of any saying,
and the most successful in deeds of all who act.
And the most successful doer of any deed.
تُفاجيsurprises الوَفدَthe delegation نِعمتُهُhis bounty اغتيالاًُby stealth
تُفاجي الوَفدَ نِعمتُهُ اغتيالاًُ
فتىًa young man لاnot يَعرِفُknows الحربَwar اغتيالاas treacherous assault
فتىً لا يَعرِفُ الحربَ اغتيالا
His bounty ambushes the visiting delegation—
His generosity takes delegations by surprise,
a young man who knows no treacherous ambush in war.
A man who knows not war knows not ambush.
فليسَso not القومُthe people ينتظِرونَawait وَعداًa promise
فليسَ القومُ ينتظِرونَ وَعداً
ولاnor يِشْكُونَthey complain منof وعدٍa promise مِطالاdelay
ولا يِشْكُونَ من وعدٍ مِطالا
So the people do not await a promise,
So the people do not wait for a promise,
nor complain of delay in fulfilling a promise.
Nor complain of a delayed promise.
فتىًa young man يُصليheats الحُسامَthe keen sword بنارِin the fire of حربٍwar
فتىً يُصلي الحُسامَ بنارِ حربٍ
فلوso if لمnot يَنطفِئْbe quenched بِدَمٍwith blood لَسالاit would melt and flow
فلو لم يَنطفِئْ بِدَمٍ لَسالا
A young man who heats the sword in the fire of war,
A man who refines swords in the fires of war,
so, if blood did not quench it, it would melt and flow.
That were they not quenched with blood, would melt.
ويَفتخِرُand boasts الحدِيدُiron براحَتيهِin his two palms
ويَفتخِرُ الحدِيدُ براحَتيهِ
علىover الحَجَرِstone الكريمِprecious وإنْand even if تَغالَىit grows costly
على الحَجَرِ الكريمِ وإنْ تَغالَى
And iron boasts in his two palms
And iron takes pride in his grip
over precious stone, however high its price.
Over precious stones, however much it presumed.
إذاif حَمَتِdefend النِصالُthe blades دِيارَthe dwellings of قومٍa people
إذا حَمَتِ النِصالُ دِيارَ قومٍ
فبعضُthen some of القومِthe people يَحْمُونdefend النِصالاthe blades
فبعضُ القومِ يَحْمُون النِصالا
If blades defend a people's dwellings,
When swords protected the homes of a people,
then some of those people defend the blades.
Some of the people protected the swords.
وماand not تُجدِيavail النِصالُthe blades بلاwithout أكُفٍّhands
وما تُجدِي النِصالُ بلا أكُفٍّ
تكونُare حُدُودُهنَّtheir edges لهاfor them مِثالاa model
تكونُ حُدُودُهنَّ لها مِثالا
And blades avail nothing without hands
But swords are useless without hands
whose edges serve them as a model.
That make them fitting examples.
تَكلَّفَstrained to undertake حاسدُوهُhis enviers لهُto him طريقاًa path
تَكلَّفَ حاسدُوهُ لهُ طريقاً
فزَادَهمso it increased them الضَّلالُstraying بهاon it ضَلالاin straying
فزَادَهم الضَّلالُ بها ضَلالا
His enviers strained to find a path to him,
His enviers undertook a path for him
so straying upon it led them further astray.
But it increased their misguidance.
لَعَمْرُكَby your life لاnot يكونُbecomes العَفْوُan ass's colt مُهراًa horse's foal
لَعَمْرُكَ لا يكونُ العَفْوُ مُهراً
ولوand even if كانَwere النُضارُpure gold لهُfor it نِعالاhorseshoes
ولو كانَ النُضارُ لهُ نِعالا
By your life, an ass's colt never becomes a horse's foal,
By your life, forgiveness cannot be a dowry,
even if pure gold were its horseshoes.
Even if purity were his slippers!
وَفَدْناwe came as a delegation بالقريضِwith poetry علىto ثَناهُhis praise
وَفَدْنا بالقريضِ على ثَناهُ
نُطاوِلُهُwe vie with him in height فَقَصَّرناso we fell short وطالاand he towered
نُطاوِلُهُ فَقَصَّرنا وطالا
We came with poetry to sing his praise,
We visited him with poetry at his encampment,
vying with him in height; we fell short and he towered.
Trying to match him, but we fell short.
إذاwhenever مَرَّتْpassed قَوافيناour rhymes بِهَضبٍby hills
إذا مَرَّتْ قَوافينا بِهَضبٍ
أراناhe showed us منamong عَظائِمِهِhis mighty deeds جِبالاmountains
أرانا من عَظائِمِهِ جِبالا
Whenever our rhymes pass by hills,
When our poems passed by a plateau,
he shows us mountains of his mighty deeds.
It showed us its mighty mountains.
Sol 6.1