أبىrefused الجسمthe body إلاexcept أنthat يُزَالَbe removed لداِئهِfor its ailment
أبى الجسم إلا أن يُزَالَ لداِئهِ
علىupon; despite العِزّhonor ماليmy wealth والأذىand affliction يالَunclear appeal, perhaps 'O…' نُبّعِunclear name or word
على العِزّ مالي والأذى يالَ نُبّعِ
My body insists that, for its ailment, there be taken away
My body refused but to be healed of its malady
my wealth, despite honor—and affliction [this line's wording and closing appeal are partly unclear].
Regardless of my honor and discomfort, oh helpers!
أضَعتُI neglected عظيماتِgreat matters الأمورaffairs ولمand not أكنI was
أضَعتُ عظيماتِ الأمور ولم أكن
لتدبيرهاin managing them لولاwere it not for أذىaffliction بالمضيَّعat all negligent
لتدبيرها لولا أذى بالمضيَّع
I have neglected great affairs, though I would not have been
I lost control over important affairs, for I was not
remiss in managing them, were it not for affliction.
Fit to manage them, except for the pain of loss
وأقسمand I swear لوif يلقيencounters امرؤٌa man ماwhat لقيتهI suffered it
وأقسم لو يلقي امرؤٌ ما لقيته
لباتَhe would spend the night بحالin the state of الآيسِthe despairing المتضعضعِthe broken
لباتَ بحال الآيسِ المتضعضعِ
And I swear: if a man suffered what I have suffered,
And I swear if a man experienced what I did
he would spend the night despairing and broken.
He would spend the night in despair and dejection
وإنيand indeed I لجَلدtruly resilient فيamid المصيباتِcalamities صابرpatient
وإني لجَلد في المصيباتِ صابر
علىunder كلِّevery فَجَّاجٍrending منof الخطبmisfortune موجعِpainful
على كلِّ فَجَّاجٍ من الخطب موجعِ
Yet I am resilient amid calamities, patient
Yet I am resilient in calamities, patient
under every rending, painful blow of misfortune.
With every disaster that brings distressing sorrows
فلوso even if هوتِfell الأفلاكthe celestial spheres فوقيَupon me لمnot أبتْI spend the night
فلو هوتِ الأفلاك فوقيَ لم أبتْ
كليلاًexhausted ولمand not أجزعI panic ولمand not أتخشعِI cower
كليلاً ولم أجزع ولم أتخشعِ
Even if the celestial spheres fell upon me, I would not spend the night
So even if the heavens fell upon me, I wouldn't
exhausted, nor would I panic or cower.
Become downcast or despair or lose composure
صَبورpatient ولوand even if لمnot تبقَremains منيof me بقيّةa remnant
صَبور ولو لم تبقَ مني بقيّة
وقورcomposed إذاwhen ماemphasis طاشَlost composure كلَّevery مشجّعbold man
وقور إذا ما طاشَ كلَّ مشجّع
Patient, even if no remnant of me remained;
I am forbearing even if no part of me remained
composed when every bold man loses his composure.
Dignified even if every encourager despaired
وإنيand indeed I لطَوْدtruly a mountain لاnot يزالceases رِعانهits ridges
وإني لطَوْد لا يزال رِعانه
لسيلٍagainst a torrent تَداَعىcame cascading منfrom ذراهits summits مدفّعِrepelling
لسيلٍ تَداَعى من ذراه مدفّعِ
Indeed, I am a mountain whose ridges never cease
I am a steadfast mountain whose slopes
repelling a torrent cascading down from its summits.
Withstand the torrents pouring heavily downhill
ألاah! ليتَwould that شعريmy knowledge هلwill? تصِرّفwields راحتيmy palm
ألا ليتَ شعري هل تصِرّف راحتي
عِنانَthe reins of ابنِson of نهدٍNahd أوor زمامَthe halter of ابنُson of جُرشعِJurshaʿ
عِنانَ ابنِ نهدٍ أو زمامَ ابنُ جُرشعِ
Ah, would that I knew: will my palm ever wield
Oh how I wish I knew! Will my respite be spent
the reins of Ibn Nahd or the halter of Ibn Jurshaʿ?
With a son of Nehd or reins held by a Jorasheep son?
وهلand will? أرِدُI go down to الماءَthe water السَّدامَstagnant إذاwhen عَوَتhowled
وهل أرِدُ الماءَ السَّدامَ إذا عَوَت
ضواريravening ذئابٍwolves حولهaround it الليلّat night جُوَّعِhungry
ضواري ذئابٍ حوله الليلّ جُوَّعِ
And shall I reach the stagnant water when they howl—
Shall I seek murky water when thirsty wolves,
the ravenous, prowling wolves around it at night?
Surrounding it hungry all night, have muddied it?
وهلand shall? أُنهلُI give drink to القرنَthe adversary الطويلَlong نجادهhis sword-belt
وهل أُنهلُ القرنَ الطويلَ نجاده
بسخْنِwith the hot دَمِblood of الأجوافِthe entrails منfrom كلevery مجمعِgathering
بسخْنِ دَمِ الأجوافِ من كل مجمعِ
And shall I give the foe with the long sword-belt to drink
Shall I drink deep the long spear though blood
the hot blood of entrails from every gathering?
Of entrails has heated it in every battle?
وهلand shall? أُحطمI shatter الرمحَthe spear الرُّدَينيَّRudayni طاعناًthrusting
وهل أُحطم الرمحَ الرُّدَينيَّ طاعناً
صدورَthe chests of المَذاكيmature warhorses فيin النهارِthe day المسفَعِscorching
صدورَ المَذاكي في النهارِ المسفَعِ
And shall I shatter the Rudayni spear, thrusting
Shall I break the strong spear piercing the chests
into the chests of mature warhorses in the scorching daylight?
Of foes at high noon in the raging, dusty fight?
وهلْand shall? أهبI bestow الخيلَhorses الجيادَfine لشاعرٍupon a poet
وهلْ أهب الخيلَ الجيادَ لشاعرٍ
تيمَّمheaded toward منfrom أقصىthe farthest المدائنِcities مَربعيmy dwelling
تيمَّم من أقصى المدائنِ مَربعي
And shall I bestow fine horses upon a poet
Shall I rouse the noble steeds for a poet
who has sought my dwelling from the farthest cities?
Who has journeyed from the furthest city?
سئمتI grew weary of اضطجاعيmy lying down فوقَupon مَتنthe surface of حشيتيmy mattress
سئمت اضطجاعي فوقَ مَتن حشيتي
وقدand indeed ملَّgrew weary of جسميmy body ياO ابنةَdaughter of القومِthe clan مضجعيmy bed
وقد ملَّ جسمي يا ابنةَ القومِ مضجعي
I have wearied of lying upon the surface of my mattress,
I grew weary lying atop the saddle of my camel
and my body, O daughter of the clan, has grown tired of my bed.
My body tired, o daughter of my tribe, of my bed!
ألاcome! قدّميbring forward ليto me ياO ابنةdaughter of القومِthe clan لامَتيmy armor
ألا قدّمي لي يا ابنة القومِ لامَتي
وسيفيand my sword ورمحيand my spear ذاwith السّنِانِthe point المردَّعِblood-stained
وسيفي ورمحي ذا السّنِانِ المردَّعِ
Come, bring me, O daughter of the clan, my armor,
Come, o daughter of my tribe, bring me my staff
and my sword and my spear with its blood-stained point.
My sword and spear with double edged blade
وقوليand say لعبديto my servant كيso that يبّيتhe attacks by night جَفْلةa host
وقولي لعبدي كي يبّيت جَفْلة
فقدfor now آنthe time has come أنto أرميI strike الطغاةthe tyrants بمفجعwith a devastating blow
فقد آن أن أرمي الطغاة بمفجع
And tell my servant to raid a host by night;
And tell my slave to spend the night awake
for the time has come to strike the tyrants with a devastating blow.
For it is time I hurled my spears at the oppressors
فإنْso if أبْلَI waste away أوْصاباًailments فلمyet not تبْلhas worn away همَّتيmy resolve
فإنْ أبْلَ أوْصاباً فلم تبْل همَّتي
ولمand not يَثنِturns aside عزميmy determination عنfrom مراميmy goal ومطمعيand my aspiration
ولم يَثنِ عزمي عن مرامي ومطمعي
Even if I waste away with ailments, my resolve has not withered,
If I gained triumphs and my resolve was not weakened,
nor has it turned my determination from my goal and aspiration.
Nor my zeal to attain my hopes and aims deferred,
لبستI donned ثيابَgarments of الحمدpraise إذwhile كلُّevery مالكٍwealthy man
لبست ثيابَ الحمد إذ كلُّ مالكٍ
يتيهstruts بسربالٍin a robe مَلومِblameworthy مرقَّعِpatched
يتيه بسربالٍ مَلومِ مرقَّعِ
I donned the garments of praise while every wealthy man
I shall wear the raiment of praise though every ruler
struts in a patched robe of blame.
Wanders lost in a tattered and blameworthy gown
فجوديَso my generosity يثنيturns ممرعاًfertile كلَّevery ممعِرِbarren place
فجوديَ يثني ممرعاً كلَّ ممعِرِ
وبؤسيand my severity يثنيturns ممعراًbarren كلَّevery ممرعِfertile place
وبؤسي يثني ممعراً كلَّ ممرعِ
My generosity turns every barren place fertile,
My generosity makes misers fold up
and my severity turns every fertile place barren.
And my misery makes any generous man fold up
أناI الفارسthe horseman القتَّالthe deadly fighter فيin حَوْمةِthe thick of الوغىbattle
أنا الفارس القتَّال في حَوْمةِ الوغى
إذاwhen ريعَis frightened قلبُthe heart of الشمَّريَthe resolute warrior المشَّيعِthe intrepid
إذا ريعَ قلبُ الشمَّريَ المشَّيعِ
I am the horseman, the deadly fighter in the thick of battle,
I am the warrior fatal in the tumult of battle
when fear strikes the heart of the resolute, intrepid warrior.
When the zealous heart of the warrior flames up
وكائِنْand how many تركتُI left منof شجاعٍa brave man مدَّججٍheavily armored
وكائِنْ تركتُ من شجاعٍ مدَّججٍ
صريعاًfallen برمحٍby a spear ذيwith عرانينjutting points أصلعِbare; unadorned
صريعاً برمحٍ ذي عرانين أصلعِ
And how many a brave, heavily armored warrior have I left
And though I may leave a courageous, armored man
fallen, struck by a bare spear with jutting points!
Lying dead by a spear with smooth, bare shaft
لهtoward him يتهادىsways along النَّسرُthe vulture فيin المشيwalking حائناًill-fated
له يتهادى النَّسرُ في المشي حائناً
تهاديَwith the swaying gait of شيخٍan old man فيin نجادٍa sword-belt مقنّعِhooded
تهاديَ شيخٍ في نجادٍ مقنّعِ
Toward him the vulture sways as it walks, ill-fated,
While the vultures waddle slowly around him
with the swaying gait of a hooded old man wearing a sword-belt.
Waddling like an old man in a striped cloak
وكائنْand how many تركتI left منof نساءٍwomen حَوَاسراًbareheaded
وكائنْ تركت من نساءٍ حَوَاسراً
يُنحنَthey lament علىover قَرْمٍa chieftain قتيلٍslain مبضَّعِhacked apart
يُنحنَ على قَرْمٍ قتيلٍ مبضَّعِ
And how many women have I left bareheaded,
And though I may leave women mourning
lamenting a chieftain, slain and hacked apart!
Bending over a bleeding corpse mutilated in death
ودرعٍand a coat of mail هتكتI tore بالحسامwith the keen sword فروجَهاits openings
ودرعٍ هتكت بالحسام فروجَها
بضربيwith my striking علىupon حاميthe defender of الحقيقةhonor أروعِvaliant
بضربي على حامي الحقيقة أروعِ
And how many a coat of mail have I torn open with my keen sword,
And coats of mail whose seams my sword tore open
by striking a valiant defender of honor!
With a blow against the defender of truth most wondrous
وحربِand a war تعضُّbites الدارعينَarmored men عضضتهاI bit it
وحربِ تعضُّ الدارعينَ عضضتها
ببأسwith might فقالتand it said يالهwhat a man he is! منa (exclamatory) سَميدعِnoble, brave lord
ببأس فقالت ياله من سَميدعِ
And many a war that bites armored men have I bitten
And battles biting soldiers that I engaged
with might, until it said, 'What a noble, brave lord!'
Ferociously so it said: “What a lethal contender!”
وخيلٍand cavalry كأسرابِlike flocks of القَطاءsandgrouse طردتهاI drove them off
وخيلٍ كأسرابِ القَطاء طردتها
بضربٍwith blows يطيرsends flying الهامَheads فيin كلevery موضعِplace
بضربٍ يطير الهامَ في كل موضعِ
And cavalry like flocks of sandgrouse I have driven off
And horses like herds of wild goats that I scattered
with blows that send heads flying everywhere.
With a blow making their skulls fly in every direction
ففرَّتso they fled فرارَwith the flight of الحاصناتchaste women يشلهاdrives them on
ففرَّت فرارَ الحاصنات يشلها
زئيرُthe roar of هِزَبْرٍa mighty lion بالدماءِwith blood مردَّعِsplashed
زئيرُ هِزَبْرٍ بالدماءِ مردَّعِ
They fled as chaste women flee, driven onward
So they fled like terrified ostriches, terrified
by the roar of a mighty lion splashed with blood.
By the roaring of a growling lion bloody with gore
ونحنand we بنوsons of ماءِWater of السماءِHeaven فهلthen is there? لماto what
ونحن بنو ماءِ السماءِ فهل لما
لبسناهwe have donned it منof ذيpossessing الملكkingship والعزّand honor مدَّعيa claimant
لبسناه من ذي الملك والعزّ مدَّعي
We are the sons of Māʾ al-Samāʾ, 'Water of Heaven'; can anyone claim
We are the sons of heaven’s rain – is there due us, then,
the kingship and honor in which we have clothed ourselves?
Anything we wear of robes of kings and honored glory?
فهودٌfor Hud نبيُّthe prophet of اللهGod جدّيَmy forefather وابنهand his son
فهودٌ نبيُّ الله جدّيَ وابنه
أبوfather of الخيرِgoodness قحطانٌQahtan أمانُa refuge for مرَوَّعِthe terrified
أبو الخيرِ قحطانٌ أمانُ مرَوَّعِ
Hud, God's prophet, is my forefather, and his son,
Hud, Allah’s prophet, is my grandfather, and his son
Abu al-Khayr, Qahtan, is a refuge for the terrified.
Qahtan, trustworthy and protected, their offspring
فهلthen is there? مركزٌa station حازَattained الفَخارglory كمركزيlike my station
فهل مركزٌ حازَ الفَخار كمركزي
وهلand is there? منبعٌa source ضمَّheld الفَخَارglory كمنبعيlike my source
وهل منبعٌ ضمَّ الفَخَار كمنبعي
Has any station attained glory like mine?
Has any lineage gained repute like mine?
And has any source held glory like my source?
Any origin contained glory like my origin?
وهلand are there? فيamong الورىmankind قومٌa people كقوميlike my people إذاwhen انتمواthey trace their descent
وهل في الورى قومٌ كقومي إذا انتموا
بأشرفَto the noblest بيتٍhouse فيin يَمانٍYemen ومَرفعِand a lofty station
بأشرفَ بيتٍ في يَمانٍ ومَرفعِ
And are there among mankind any people like mine, when they trace their descent
Are there in the world people like my people when
to the noblest house in Yemen, exalted in rank?
They identify with the noblest house in high Yemen?
لناours is حومةُthe heartland of العزّhonor الذيwhich طأطأتbowed لهbefore it
لنا حومةُ العزّ الذي طأطأت له
رؤسُthe heads of رؤسِthe leaders of الناسِmankind فيin كلevery مجمعِassembly
رؤسُ رؤسِ الناسِ في كل مجمعِ
Ours is the heartland of honor, before which have bowed
For us is the mighty glory before which
the heads of mankind's leaders in every assembly.
Heads of all other men bow down in every assembly
لناto us تنتميtrace their lineage التيجانُthe crowns قدindeed علمتhas known بهof it
لنا تنتمي التيجانُ قد علمت به
معدٌّMaʿadd ومرهوبُand the feared one الجَنابِthe domain الممَّنعِthe impregnable
معدٌّ ومرهوبُ الجَنابِ الممَّنعِ
To us the crowns trace their lineage; this is known to
To us belong the crowns, as is known
Maʿadd and the one whose domain is feared and impregnable.
By Ma’add’s tribe, revered and of inaccessible camp
لناfor us أنزلsent down اللهُGod المديحَpraise بقولهِin His saying
لنا أنزل اللهُ المديحَ بقولهِ
أهمare they? خيرthe best أهلِpeople of الأرضِthe earth أمor قوُمthe people of تبّعِTubbaʿ
أهم خير أهلِ الأرضِ أم قوُم تبّعِ
For us God sent down praise in His saying:
To us Allah revealed praise in His words
'Are they the best of earth's people, or the people of Tubbaʿ?'
“Are they better or the people of Tubba’?”
فلوso if خلقَcreated الرحمنُthe Merciful قوماًa people كأسرتيlike my family
فلو خلقَ الرحمنُ قوماً كأسرتي
أتىHe came بهمwith them فيin مُحكمٍa definitive text غيرnot مُدْفَعِrefutable
أتى بهم في مُحكمٍ غير مُدْفَعِ
Had the Merciful created a people like my family,
If the Merciful created a people like my clan,
He would have included them in a definitive text, beyond dispute.
He would have brought them in an unassailable verse!
ونحنand we ملوكkings of الأرضِthe earth منsince عهدthe time of آدمٍAdam
ونحن ملوك الأرضِ من عهد آدمٍ
فخاراًas glory لعمرby the life of اللهGod غيرnot مُدفّعِdeniable
فخاراً لعمر الله غير مُدفّعِ
We have been kings of the earth since the age of Adam,
We are the kings of earth since Adam’s time
a glory—by God's life—that cannot be denied.
Superior, by God’s life, and unexcelled!
أولوpossessors of كلِّevery معروفٍkindness ومُلكٍand kingship معظَّمexalted
أولو كلِّ معروفٍ ومُلكٍ معظَّم
وتختٍand a throne يَمانّيٍYemeni وتاجٍand a crown مرصّعِjewel-studded
وتختٍ يَمانّيٍ وتاجٍ مرصّعِ
Possessors of every kindness and exalted kingship,
Possessors of all good, and magnificent kingdom,
of a Yemeni throne and a jewel-studded crown.
A Yemeni throne, and jewel-studded crown.
Sol 6.1