لولاwere it not for طلابيmy quest للعُلىfor lofty heights
لولا طلابي للعُلى
وسموُّand the aspiration نفسيof my soul للفضائلْtoward virtues
وسموُّ نفسي للفضائلْ
Were it not for my quest for lofty heights,
Were it not for my students reaching for glory,
and my soul's aspiration toward virtue,
And my soul aspiring to virtues,
ماnot كنتُI was أوَّلthe first نازلٍone entering battle
ما كنتُ أوَّل نازلٍ
بينamong الفيَالقِِthe legions والجحافلْand the massed armies
بين الفيَالقِِ والجحافلْ
I would not be the first to take the field
I would not have been the first to descend
amid the legions and massed armies,
Amongst the armies and crowds,
والمشرفيَّاتِand the Mashrafi swords الصوارthe keen-edged (partial word)
والمشرفيَّاتِ الصوار
مِcompletion of 'keen-edged' والَّلهازمِand the Lahazim والقبائلْand the tribes
مِ والَّلهازمِ والقبائلْ
and the keen-edged Mashrafi swords,
With the towering fortresses,
and the Lahazim and the tribes,
And the camps and tribes,
والموتُand death يُبدىbares ناجذَيْtwo molars
والموتُ يُبدى ناجذَيْ
هِits إذاwhen تشاجرتinterlock الذَّوابلْthe slender lances
هِ إذا تشاجرت الذَّوابلْ
while Death bares its molars
And death baring its fangs
when slender lances clash.
When the swords clash.
ولقدand indeed فنيwas exhausted ماليmy wealth الجزيthe abundant (partial word)
ولقد فني مالي الجزي
لُcompletion of 'abundant' علىon الوسائلِpetitions والسوائلْand petitioners
لُ على الوسائلِ والسوائلْ
Indeed, my abundant wealth has been exhausted
I spent all my money
on petitions and petitioners.
On the means and expenses,
بذَّرتُI lavished ماليmy wealth فيon الثَّناpraise
بذَّرتُ مالي في الثَّنا
والحمدِand good repute قِدماًfrom of old غيرَnot نافلْholding back
والحمدِ قِدماً غيرَ نافلْ
I have lavished my wealth on praise
I scattered my money in praise,
and good repute from of old, never holding back.
Gratefully, not superfluously.
ماnot كلُّevery هاوٍlover للجميof noble deeds (partial word)
ما كلُّ هاوٍ للجمي
لِcompletion of 'noble deeds' وللثناءِand of praise سوايَother than me فاعلْa doer
لِ وللثناءِ سوايَ فاعلْ
Not every lover of noble deeds
Not every impassioned praiser,
and praise, apart from me, is a doer.
And eulogizer can equate.
ولطالماand how often خُضتُI plunged into الحروthe wars (partial word)
ولطالما خُضتُ الحرو
بَcompletion of 'wars' وطالماand how often أغنيتُI enriched عائلْa needy person
بَ وطالما أغنيتُ عائلْ
And how often have I plunged into wars,
Many a times I fought wars,
and how often have I enriched the needy.
And many a times I enriched families,
ولطالماand how often رضُتُI tamed العزيthe mighty man (partial word)
ولطالما رضُتُ العزي
زَcompletion of 'mighty man' فصارَso he became تحتbeneath الذَّلhumiliation ناصِلْstripped
زَ فصارَ تحت الذَّل ناصِلْ
And how often have I tamed the mighty man,
Many a times I accepted honor,
so he became stripped and abased.
That later turned into disgrace.
ولطالماand how often قُدتُI led الجياthe fine steeds (partial word)
ولطالما قُدتُ الجيا
دَcompletion of 'fine steeds' لشاعرto a poet بثناءِwith praise قائلْspeaking
دَ لشاعر بثناءِ قائلْ
And how often have I led fine steeds
Many a times I led armies,
to a poet uttering praise.
Eulogizing a praising poet.
فسلso ask الأسنَّةَthe spearheads والأعنَّand the reins (partial word)
فسل الأسنَّةَ والأعنَّ
ةَcompletion of 'reins' والعمائرَand the clan groups والقبائلْand the tribes
ةَ والعمائرَ والقبائلْ
So ask the spearheads and the reins,
Ask the tribes and clans,
and the clan groups and the tribes,
About my morals and manners,
عنabout شيمتيmy character وخَليقتيand my nature
عن شيمتي وخَليقتي
إنif كنتَyou are عنabout ذاthis الفخرِglory سائلْasking
إن كنتَ عن ذا الفخرِ سائلْ
about my character and my nature,
If you inquire about this pride.
if you are asking about this glory.
I am the ink of war, when the virtuous clash,
أناI ضَيْغمُthe lion الحربِof war العَواthe oft-renewed (partial word)
أنا ضَيْغمُ الحربِ العَوا
نcompletion of 'oft-renewed' إذاwhen تصادمتِclash الأفاضلْthe noblest
ن إذا تصادمتِ الأفاضلْ
I am the lion of oft-renewed war
And I am the orator of the eloquent, when they gather.
when the noblest clash.
I am prepared for every profound address,
وأناand I خطيبُthe orator أوليthose possessing البُلاeloquence (partial word)
وأنا خطيبُ أولي البُلا
غِةcompletion of 'eloquence' إنْif ترامتcontends فيin المحافلْthe assemblies
غِة إنْ ترامت في المحافلْ
And I am the orator among the eloquent
With its afflictions and burdens.
when eloquence contends in the assemblies.
I am the one called when the brave falter,
وأناand I المُعَدُّthe prepared one لكلَّfor every خَطْcalamity (partial word)
وأنا المُعَدُّ لكلَّ خَطْ
بٍcompletion of 'calamity' فادحٍgrievous ببَلاهُwith its ordeal نازلْdescending
بٍ فادحٍ ببَلاهُ نازلْ
And I am ready for every calamity,
I am the sword, the helper and lodger.
grievous and descending with its ordeal.
I am the king, son of a king,
وأناand I الذيthe one who يُكنّىis called by a byname إذاwhen
وأنا الذي يُكنّى إذا
هالَappalls الكُماةthe champions هناكthere هائلْa terror
هالَ الكُماة هناك هائلْ
And I am the one called by his byname when
Compared to their similar monarchs.
a terror there appalls the champions.
I am the praised and master of the Hashemites,
وأناand I المُسائفُthe sword-fighter والمُداعِسُand the spear-thruster
وأنا المُسائفُ والمُداعِسُ
والمُساورُand the assailant والمُنازلْand the duelist
والمُساورُ والمُنازلْ
And I am the sword-fighter and the spear-thruster,
When their tall kings are mentioned.
the assailant and the duelist.
Who dare contend, take pride, lavish or argue?
وأناand I المليكُthe king ابنُson المليof the king (partial word)
وأنا المليكُ ابنُ الملي
كِcompletion of 'king' إلىback to مُلوكهمُtheir kings الأماثلْthe most excellent
كِ إلى مُلوكهمُ الأماثلْ
And I am a king, the son of a king,
I plunge into war like a hissing serpent,
back to their most excellent kings.
A coated lion with lofty shoulders.
وأناand I الهُمامُthe valiant one التُّبَّthe Tubba‘i (partial word)
وأنا الهُمامُ التُّبَّ
عيُّcompletion of 'Tubba‘i' وسيَّدُand the lord الأزْدِof the Azd الحُلاحلْthe mighty chieftain
عيُّ وسيَّدُ الأزْدِ الحُلاحلْ
And I am the valiant Tubba‘i,
I have prepared him to meet the champions,
and the mighty lord of the Azd.
Gushing, narrating, and withering.
وأناand I سُليمانُSulayman المعظَّthe exalted (partial word)
وأنا سُليمانُ المعظَّ
مُcompletion of 'exalted' فيamong ملوكهمtheir kings الأطاولْthe loftiest
مُ في ملوكهم الأطاولْ
And I am Sulayman, exalted
Supple and towering, bones like joints.
among their loftiest kings.
So I was prevented the day of frenzy,
مَنwho ذاis there يُطاولُrivals in greatness أوor يُفاvies in boasting (partial word)
مَن ذا يُطاولُ أو يُفا
خِرُcompletion of 'vies in boasting' أوor يُباذخُvies in grandeur أوor يُساجلْcontends
خِرُ أو يُباذخُ أو يُساجلْ
Who can rival me in greatness or in boasting,
To see safety and optional prayers.
or vie in grandeur, or contend with me?
He marched against me to receive death, O marcher!
ولقدand indeed يخوضُplunges through بيwith me العَجًاthe dust (partial word)
ولقد يخوضُ بي العَجًا
جَcompletion of 'dust' أقبُّlean-bellied كالسِّرْحانِlike a wolf صاهلْneighing
جَ أقبُّ كالسِّرْحانِ صاهلْ
Indeed, into the dust he plunges with me—
And I am the warner to mankind,
a lean-bellied, wolf-like, neighing steed,
When calamities hurry.
مُتلاحكٌcompactly built ذوpossessing مَيْعَةٍvigor
مُتلاحكٌ ذو مَيْعَةٍ
متمطّرٌswift-running ساميhigh الكواهلْthe withers
متمطّرٌ سامي الكواهلْ
compactly built and full of vigor,
They were snarling like faces,
swift-running, high at the withers.
Similar savages like charging lions.
أعددتُهُI readied him للِقاfor meeting الكُماthe champions (partial word)
أعددتُهُ للِقا الكُما
ةِcompletion of 'champions' مُفاضةًan ample coat of mail سَرداًlinked ring-work وذابلْand a slender spear
ةِ مُفاضةً سَرداً وذابلْ
I readied him to face the champions,
They charge in a group with clamor,
with ample linked mail and a slender spear,
Like howling cats, a roaring torrent.
ومُهنَّداًand an Indian sword يفَريcleaves العظاthe bones (partial word)
ومُهنَّداً يفَري العظا
مَcompletion of 'bones' وهنَّand they معهwith it كالمفاصلْlike joints
مَ وهنَّ معه كالمفاصلْ
and an Indian blade that cleaves bones,
Each bearing a cleaver,
and to it they are like joints.
Like a fierce lion.
فتوقَّنيso beware of me يومَthe day of الهيِاthe battle-clamor (partial word)
فتوقَّني يومَ الهيِا
جِcompletion of 'battle-clamor' ترىyou will find السلامةَsafety والنّوافلْand added gains
جِ ترى السلامةَ والنّوافلْ
So keep clear of me on the day of battle;
you will find safety and added gains.
وابرزُand come forth إليَّto me منازِلاًas a duelist
وابرزُ إليَّ منازِلاً
تلقَyou will meet المنيَّةdeath ياO مُنازلْduelist
تلقَ المنيَّة يا مُنازلْ
And come forth to duel with me:
you will meet death, O duelist.
وأناand I النذيرُthe warner إلىto الوَرىmankind
وأنا النذيرُ إلى الوَرى
منيfrom me إذاwhen سرْنَadvance الطَّوائلْthe tall steeds
مني إذا سرْنَ الطَّوائلْ
And I warn mankind
against me when the tall steeds advance,
إذْwhen هُنَّthey كالحةُgrim الوُجوthe faces (partial word)
إذْ هُنَّ كالحةُ الوُجو
هِcompletion of 'faces' سواهمٌgaunt مثلُlike العَواسلْtrotting wolves
هِ سواهمٌ مثلُ العَواسلْ
when they are grim-faced,
gaunt, like trotting wolves.
يركضنَthey gallop سِرْباًin a troop للوغىtoward battle
يركضنَ سِرْباً للوغى
كقَطاlike sandgrouse ندىdew قرفينQarfayn ناهلْdrinking
كقَطا ندى قرفين ناهلْ
They gallop in a troop toward battle,
like sandgrouse drinking Qarfayn's dew.
يحملنَthey carry كلَّevery غَشَمْشَمٍfierce warrior
يحملنَ كلَّ غَشَمْشَمٍ
ذيpossessing نجدةٍvalor كاللَّيثِlike a lion باسلْvaliant
ذي نجدةٍ كاللَّيثِ باسلْ
They carry every fierce warrior,
possessed of valor, brave as a lion.
Partial English translation: 50 of 62 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1