ياO أيهاyou الغاديthe morning traveler علىupon
يا أيها الغادي على
وجناءَa sturdy she-camel تامكِةlofty السَّنامِthe hump
وجناءَ تامكِة السَّنامِ
O you who set out in the morning upon
O you who passes by
A sturdy she-camel, high of hump,
The well-built, complete walls
منfrom عيسِpale camels مهرةَMahrah بازلٍfully mature
من عيسِ مهرةَ بازلٍ
عوجاءcrooked-legged مؤجَدةfirmly knit العظامِthe bones
عوجاء مؤجَدة العظامِ
Of Mahrah's pale camels, fully mature,
Of Isa, an experienced builder
Crooked-legged, her bones firmly knit,
Of twisted, solid bones
غلباءَthick-necked مائرةِswinging اليَديْthe forelegs (continued)
غلباءَ مائرةِ اليَديْ
نِcompletes 'forelegs' كأنَّهاas though she were فحلُa male النعامِthe ostriches
نِ كأنَّها فحلُ النعامِ
Thick-necked, her forelegs swinging,
With hands that bend as if they were the legs of an ostrich
As though she were a male ostrich,
Who remembered her eggs
صَعلٍsmall-headed تذكَّرَhe recalled بيضهُhis eggs
صَعلٍ تذكَّرَ بيضهُ
بأمقَّin a broad expanse أوsoft-sanded (continued) عَسَcompletes 'soft-sanded' ذيwith يمامdoves
بأمقَّ أو عَسَ ذي يمام
Small-headed, recalling his eggs
At Amá or the nest of Yamáma's dove
In a broad, sandy tract inhabited by doves:
So she walked away worried
فصَراthen he hastened فراحَthen he went مُهِمْلجاًat a smooth, swift trot
فصَرا فراحَ مُهِمْلجاً
مستقبلاًfacing وجهَthe face of الظلامِdarkness
مستقبلاً وجهَ الظلامِ
He hastened, then went at a smooth, swift trot,
Facing the darkness
Facing the darkness head-on.
Driven by the hissing of Hajaf
يُزجيهِdrives him onward حاصبُa gravel-lashing wind حرجفbitterly cold
يُزجيهِ حاصبُ حرجف
ومجَلجلand a resounding roar صلقِloud-voiced الغَمامِthe clouds
ومجَلجل صلقِ الغَمامِ
A bitter, gravel-lashing wind drives him,
And the rumbling clouds overhead
And the resounding crash of loud-voiced clouds.
Is that you or a shaggy hyena
أفذاكis it that one, then أمor جَأبٌa sturdy wild ass اقبُّlean-bellied
أفذاك أم جَأبٌ اقبُّ
مصلصلٌringing-voiced صلبhard الحوامىthe hoof-walls
مصلصلٌ صلب الحوامى
Is she like that one, or a lean-bellied wild ass,
Howling, hard rocks
Ringing-voiced, with hard hoof-walls,
Whose ugliness shone
منfrom حُقبwhite-bellied wild asses عورone-eyed لاحهwasted him
من حُقب عور لاحه
برحtorment النظارةkeeping watch ذوpossessing الفطامِweaning
برح النظارة ذو الفطامِ
Of the white-bellied, one-eyed herd, wasted
When the milk teeth fell out
By the torment of keeping watch, with weanlings,
Galloping to the meadows
يحدوdrives onward نحائضlean she-asses وقَّحاhard-hoofed
يحدو نحائض وقَّحا
لمُطَحلبto a moss-grown pool الأرجاءthe margins طاميbrimming
لمُطَحلب الأرجاء طامي
Driving lean, hard-hoofed she-asses
Spreading far and wide
To a brimming pool with moss-grown margins?
So I welcomed him
فوردتهُso they came to it بنقيَّةٍat clear water
فوردتهُ بنقيَّةٍ
وردَthe coming to drink الظماءthe thirsty ones منamong الحمامِdoves
وردَ الظماء من الحمامِ
They came to its clear water,
With spears, from cisterns of water
As thirsty doves come down to drink.
And found, by the law, a straight shooter
ولدىand at الشريعةthe watering-place قانِصa hunter
ولدى الشريعة قانِص
ماnot زالُhe ceased يرزقُearning sustenance بالسهامِwith arrows
ما زالُ يرزقُ بالسهامِ
At the watering-place lurked a hunter,
Who still feeds on arrows
Who had long earned his living with arrows,
Wearing a coat of mail
متولجٌhidden in cover متوشقtattered الِسّربالِthe tunic
متولجٌ متوشق الِسّربالِ
منخرقtorn through اللثامthe face-covering
منخرق اللثام
Hidden in cover, his tunic tattered,
With a ripped covering
His face-covering torn.
Until, when it jangled
حتىuntil إذاwhen خضخضُنُهthey churned its waters
حتى إذا خضخضُنُه
ونسَخنand they ended وضعاًswift running للأوامِfor burning thirst
ونسَخن وضعاً للأوامِ
When they had churned its waters
And rang the bells for camels
And ended their thirst-driven haste,
He rushed to his spring
اهوىhe reached لنبعتهfor his nab‘-wood bow ليَسto make drink (continued)
اهوى لنبعته ليَس
قيcompletes 'make drink' بعضهاsome of them كأسthe cup of الحمامِdeath
قي بعضها كأس الحمامِ
He reached for his nab‘-wood bow, to make
To drink some like a pigeon drinks
Some of them drink the cup of death.
He threw and missed, and fate
ورمَىand he shot فأخطأbut he missed والمقدَّand what is decreed (continued)
ورمَى فأخطأ والمقدَّ
رُcompletes 'decreed' كائِنcoming to pass بَينَamong الأنامِhumankind
رُ كائِن بَينَ الأنامِ
He shot and missed; what is decreed
Lies between people
Comes to pass among humankind.
The sand grouse rose, striking the ground
فانصعنso they darted away يرضخنَpounding البراthe stony flats (continued)
فانصعن يرضخنَ البرا
قcompletes 'stony flats' بوقَّحwith hard hooves سودblack ظواميparched
ق بوقَّح سود ظوامي
They darted away, pounding the stony flats
With the black crow's tent pegs
With hard, black, parched hooves.
Is that you or a frightened oryx
أفذاكis it that one, then أمor ربُدُdusky الشواthe legs (continued)
أفذاك أم ربُدُ الشوا
متcompletes 'legs' اسحمblack الرَّوقينthe two horns سامِlofty
مت اسحم الرَّوقين سامِ
Is she like that one, or a bull with dusky legs,
With the two slender, dark horns
Black-horned and lofty,
From a beast and a fearsome lair
منamong وحشthe wild cattle of وجرةWajrah يختليcropping grass
من وحش وجرة يختلي
سعدانsa‘dān plants منfrom طرفيboth sides of سجامِSajām
سعدان من طرفي سجامِ
Of Wajrah's wild cattle, cropping
Happy from the sides of spearheads
Sa‘dān plants on both sides of Sajām?
The darkness threw its cloak on him
القىcast الظلامdarkness عليهover him شمmantle (continued)
القى الظلام عليه شم
لتهcompletes 'its mantle' بذيwith one possessing عجمdensity زكامِthickly piled
لته بذي عجم زكامِ
Darkness cast its mantle over him
And choked him with dumb mumps
With a dense, thickly piled cloud.
So he slipped into deep darkness
فلجاso he took refuge لأرطاةٍin an arṭā bush والجأand drove to shelter (continued)
فلجا لأرطاةٍ والجأ
هhim (verb ending) لهاto it صوبthe downpour of الغَمامِthe clouds
ه لها صوب الغَمامِ
He sought refuge in an arṭā bush, driven
And took cover in the clouds
There by the clouds' downpour.
He kept digging while the ruin
ماnot زالhe ceased يحفرdigging والكثيand the dune (continued)
ما زال يحفر والكثي
بcompletes 'dune' عليهover him يمعِنgoes ever further فيin انِهدامِcollapsing
ب عليه يمعِن في انِهدامِ
He kept digging, while the dune
Kept collapsing on him
Above him crumbled more and more,
And the frogs hit him
والوَدقand the rain يخبطهbeats upon him كماjust as أنْslipped loose (continued)
والوَدق يخبطه كما أنْ
خرَطcompletes 'slipped loose' الجمانpearls منfrom النظامِthe string
خرَط الجمان من النظامِ
And rain beat upon him like
Like the ringing of wet wood
Pearls slipping loose from their string.
Until when the darkness cleared
حتىuntil اذاwhen انجابcleared away الظلاdarkness (continued)
حتى اذا انجاب الظلا
مcompletes 'darkness' ولاحَand appeared ازهرradiant dawn ذوwith قرامِa tinted veil
م ولاحَ ازهر ذو قرامِ
Until, when darkness cleared
And the blossoms of the gum tree appeared
And radiant dawn appeared in its tinted veil,
It came to him suddenly
فاجاهthen he surprised him للقدرthrough fate المتاthe allotted (continued)
فاجاه للقدر المتا
حِcompletes 'allotted' مغرَّثfamished بغرthirsty الحسامِthe cutting sword
حِ مغرَّث بغر الحسامِ
Then, through allotted fate, he was surprised
A steaming pot with hot swords
By a famished hunter with a thirsty blade,
Racing with five dogs
يَسعىrunning بخمسةِwith five أكلبٍhounds
يَسعى بخمسةِ أكلبٍ
غُضفdroop-eared مهرَّتةwide-mouthed ظئامِravenous
غُضف مهرَّتة ظئامِ
Running with five hounds,
With vicious, rabid fangs
Droop-eared, wide-mouthed, ravenous.
So the youth escaped while the others
فنجاso he fled الشبوبthe mature wild bull وثبتهand he set them on (continued)
فنجا الشبوب وثبته
نَcompletes 'them' عليهupon him بثa loosing of الانتقامِvengeance
نَ عليه بث الانتقامِ
The full-grown bull fled; he set the hounds
Remained busy seeking vengeance
Upon him, loosing them in vengeance.
Then he turned back, slipping away
فانصبَّso he rushed away ينسلبslipping away انسلاa slipping away (continued)
فانصبَّ ينسلب انسلا
بcompletes 'slipping away' الظبيthe gazelle فزَّعstartled بالزحامِby crowding
ب الظبي فزَّع بالزحامِ
He rushed away, slipping off like
The fleeing gazelle startled the crowds
A gazelle startled by the press.
Until when they caught up with him
حتىuntil إذاwhen ادركنهthey caught him
حتى إذا ادركنه
أوor كدنthey nearly did وهوand he يمرَّsped onward حامِaflame
أو كدن وهو يمرَّ حامِ
Until, when they caught him,
As he passed in haste
Or nearly did, as he sped, aflame,
The brave one threw the tent pole at him
واعتادهand returned to him أنَفُproud scorn الكريthe noble one (continued)
واعتاده أنَفُ الكري
مِcompletes 'noble one' فكرَّso he wheeled back كالبطلlike the champion المحاميthe defender
مِ فكرَّ كالبطل المحامي
The noble one's proud scorn returned to him;
So he fell, collapsing with pain
He wheeled like a champion defending his ground.
He ripped him in the chest
فرمىso he hurled العمودَal-‘Amūd بضمهwith his crushing thrust
فرمى العمودَ بضمه
فهوىso he fell وعاجand he turned إلىtoward سمامِSamām
فهوى وعاج إلى سمامِ
He hurled al-‘Amūd with his crushing thrust;
With a strong, solid spear
It fell, and he turned toward Samām.
And finished him off, washing his spear
فاشتكّهso he impaled him فيin صدرِthe breast of اسthe black one (continued)
فاشتكّه في صدرِ اس
حمِcompletes 'black one' لِهذماًa keen spearpoint صعبdifficult المرامِto assail
حمِ لِهذماً صعب المرامِ
He impaled him in that black breast
In his blood, staining it red
With a keen spearpoint, hard to ward off.
Then he shone as he tore through
فقضىso he finished عليهhim وناطَand he hung ناNāṭif (continued)
فقضى عليه وناطَ نا
طفcompletes 'Nāṭif' فيon مباريthe sharpened edges of الرمحthe spear داميbloodied
طف في مباري الرمح دامي
He finished him, and hung Nāṭif,
His garment's dusty rags
Bloodied, on the sharpened edges of his lance.
Convey to the ruler of Hijaz
ثمthen اشمعلَّhe bounded away يشقُّrending فيin
ثم اشمعلَّ يشقُّ في
وجفانهhis swift gallop ثوبَthe robe of الرغامِdust
وجفانه ثوبَ الرغامِ
Then he bounded away, rending, in
If you reach the glorious king
His swift gallop, the mantle of dust.
Who defeated tyrants and routed
فطوىso he traversed الكثاكثthe sand-heaps والعثاand loose sands (continued)
فطوى الكثاكث والعثا
عثcompletes 'loose sands' والمدامثand soft flats والمواميand desert wastes
عث والمدامث والموامي
He crossed the sand-heaps and loose sands,
The ferocious army
The soft flats and the desert wastes.
Second to none when angry
ابلغconvey to وشاحاًWishāḥ إنif بلغْyou reach (continued)
ابلغ وشاحاً إن بلغْ
تَcompletes 'you reach' الوكةَa message الملكof the king الهمامِthe valiant
تَ الوكةَ الملك الهمامِ
Convey to Wishāḥ, if you reach him,
And third with sharp swords
The message of the valiant king,
Crushing the Arameans and walls
مُجليthe expeller of الطغاةtyrants عنfrom البلاthe land (continued)
مُجلي الطغاة عن البلا
دِcompletes 'land' وهازمand router of الجيشthe army اللَّهامِthe immense
دِ وهازم الجيش اللَّهامِ
Who drives tyrants from the land
And fortresses and towering buildings
And routs the immense army,
How he overpowered the powerful
ثانيa second to الغمامthe rain-cloud وثالثand a third beside الthe (continued article)
ثاني الغمام وثالث ال
صمصامةṢamṣāmah sword العضبthe sharp الحسامthe cutting blade
صمصامة العضب الحسام
A second to the rain-cloud, and a third beside
In the heat of battle
Ṣamṣāmah, the sharp, cutting blade,
How he rammed the boulder
ومطحطحand crusher of الآرامstone monuments والand the (continued article)
ومطحطح الآرام وال
أسوارwalls والقلعand fortresses العظامِthe mighty
أسوار والقلع العظامِ
Crusher of stone monuments and
Falling solidified in its tracks
Walls and mighty fortresses:
Courage is not like cowardice
كمhow long ذاthis تغالبyou struggle against أغلباa mighty foe
كم ذا تغالب أغلبا
الويunbending الدَّfiercely contentious لدىin الخصامِstrife
الوي الدَّ لدى الخصامِ
How long will you struggle against a mighty foe,
Nor the brave like the grasping
Unbending, fiercely contentious in strife?
It is as if I see you
كمhow long ذاthis تناطحyou butt against صخرةa rock
كم ذا تناطح صخرة
تهوىplunging down مجلمدةrock-hard الرَّضامِthe piled boulders
تهوى مجلمدة الرَّضامِ
How long will you butt against a rock
Having drunk cups of pigeons
That plunges down, a solid mass of boulders?
I still forgive you
ليسis not الرئالةthe ostrich brood كالهِزبرlike the lion
ليس الرئالة كالهِزبر
ولاnor المصمّمthe cleaving sword كالكهامِlike the blunt blade
ولا المصمّم كالكهامِ
The ostrich brood is no lion,
Forgiveness is the mark of nobility
Nor is a cleaving sword like a blunt blade.
And my patience indicates
فكأننيso it is as though I بكمwith you وقدand already
فكأنني بكم وقد
جرعتمyou have swallowed غصصchoking pangs الحمامِdeath
جرعتم غصص الحمامِ
So it is as though I already saw you
My nobility, like a Tatam or Qatam
Swallowing the choking draughts of death.
So fear my punishment and beware
لاnever زلتI ceased اصفحpardoning عنكمyou
لا زلت اصفح عنكم
والصفحand pardon منamong شيمthe traits of الكرامِthe noble
والصفح من شيم الكرامِ
I have never ceased to pardon you;
My wrath, for I take revenge
Pardon is among the traits of the noble.
And send blessings upon
ويدلكمand emboldens you حلميmy forbearance علtoward (continued)
ويدلكم حلمي عل
تّيَme (word ending) دلالcoquettish presumption خولةKhawlah أوor قطامِQaṭām
تّيَ دلال خولة أو قطامِ
My forbearance emboldens you toward me
The Prophet and his family—
With the coquettish airs of Khawlah or Qaṭām.
The purest prayer and peace.
فاخشواso fear عقابيmy punishment واحذرواand beware
فاخشوا عقابي واحذروا
سَخطيmy wrath فإنيfor I am ذوone possessing انتقامِvengeance
سَخطي فإني ذو انتقامِ
So fear my punishment, and beware
My wrath: I am one who takes revenge.
وعلىand upon النبيّthe Prophet وآلهand his family
وعلى النبيّ وآله
أزكىthe purest الصلاةblessings معtogether with السلامِpeace
أزكى الصلاة مع السلامِ
And upon the Prophet and his family,
The purest blessings, together with peace.
Partial English translation: 88 of 92 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1