ديوانa poetry collection عَنتَرةAntarah الفَوارسthe Horsemen جَوهَرٌa jewel
ديوان عَنتَرة الفَوارس جَوهَرٌ
تَغلوgrow dearer وَتَعلوand rise فيin النُهىdiscerning minds أَثمانُهُits prices
تَغلو وَتَعلو في النُهى أَثمانُهُ
The divan of Antarah of the Horsemen is a jewel,
The Diwan of Antarah al-Absi the Bravest Knight contains gems
Its worth grows dearer and higher in discerning minds.
Whose value transcends infinity
غَزَلlove poetry تَمازجmingled بِالحَماسwith martial ardor فَفاخَرَتand then vied in pride
غَزَل تَمازج بِالحَماس فَفاخَرَت
أُسدthe lions of الفَلاthe wilderness بِعُقودهِwith its necklaces غزلانهُits gazelles
أُسد الفَلا بِعُقودهِ غزلانهُ
Love poetry mingled with martial ardor, and its gazelles vied
Love songs intertwined with heroism thus he sang proudly
With the desert lions, adorned with its necklaces.
The lion cub roared loud to the melody
ماnot زالَceased رَونَقهits luster جَديداًfresh عِندَناto us
ما زالَ رَونَقه جَديداً عِندَنا
مَهماhowever much تَقادَمgrew old عَهدهits era وَزَمانهُand its time
مَهما تَقادَم عَهده وَزَمانهُ
Its luster remains fresh to us,
His charm remains ever renewing
However old its era and time become.
Regardless of times gone by
أَكرِمhow noble بِفارسis the knight آلthe clan of عَبسٍAbs فارِساًas a horseman
أَكرِم بِفارس آل عَبسٍ فارِساً
قَدindeed كانَwas فَوقabove الفرقدينthe two Farqad stars مَكانهُhis station
قَد كانَ فَوق الفرقدين مَكانهُ
How noble a horseman is the knight of the clan of Abs!
Honor this Absi knight, a horseman
His station was indeed above the two Farqad stars.
Who sat higher than canopies
بَطلa hero حَباهendowed him اللَهGod سَطوةthe might of فاتكٍa deadly warrior
بَطل حَباه اللَه سَطوة فاتكٍ
خَضعتsubmitted لِهيبةto the dread of بِطشِهِhis onslaught أَقرانهُhis peers
خَضعت لِهيبة بِطشِهِ أَقرانهُ
A hero whom God endowed with a deadly warrior's might,
A hero gifted by God with might—relentless
His peers bowed before the dread of his onslaught.
His peers bowed to his force
أسدa lion إِذاwhen الأَسَدthe lion الهصورthe fierce بِهِwith him اِلتَقىmet
أسد إِذا الأَسَد الهصور بِهِ اِلتَقى
مِنfrom صَدرِهِits breast طَلبsought الفَرارflight جنانهُits heart
مِن صَدرِهِ طَلب الفَرار جنانهُ
A lion—when the fierce lion met him,
A lion, when lions shrink away
Its heart sought to flee its breast.
Seeking escape from his blows
قَهرhe subdued الجَبابرةthe mighty الطُغاةthe tyrants وَطالَماand often
قَهر الجَبابرة الطُغاة وَطالَما
منعprotected الكَواعبthe young maidens سَيفهُhis sword وَسنانهُand his spearhead
منع الكَواعب سَيفهُ وَسنانهُ
He subdued the mighty tyrants, and often
He subdued despots and tyrants and denied
His sword and spearhead shielded the young maidens.
Many a sword and lance
مَنwho مثلis like عَنتَرAntar وَالهياجand the battle's tumult كَأَنَّهُas though it were
مَن مثل عَنتَر وَالهياج كَأَنَّهُ
بَحرa sea طَمىoverflowed وَتَنافَرَتand scattered apart حيتانُهُits fish
بَحر طَمى وَتَنافَرَت حيتانُهُ
Who is like Antar, when the battle's tumult seems
Who rivals Antarah in ferocity
A sea in flood, its fish scattering apart?
Like a turbulent sea with sharks abound
مَنwho مثلis like عَنتَرAntar وَالعَجاجand the swirling dust كَأَنَّهُas though it were
مَن مثل عَنتَر وَالعَجاج كَأَنَّهُ
قطعpieces الغَمامthe cloud تَقلَّصَتcontracted أَردانُهُits sleeves
قطع الغَمام تَقلَّصَت أَردانُهُ
Who is like Antar, when the swirling dust seems
Who rivals Antarah in vigor
Patches of cloud with their sleeves drawn back?
Like clouds with thunder he astounds
مَنwho مثلis like عَنتَرAntar وَالرِماحand the spears كَأَنَّهاas though they were
مَن مثل عَنتَر وَالرِماح كَأَنَّها
قضبrods الأَراكthe arak tree تَمايَلَتswayed أَفنانهُits boughs
قضب الأَراك تَمايَلَت أَفنانهُ
Who is like Antar, when the spears seem
Who rivals Antarah in spears that seem
Rods of the arak tree, its boughs swaying?
Like straight date palms in his hands abound
حلمٌforbearance عَلىupon كَرَمٍgenerosity عَلىupon أَدَبٍcourtesy عَلىupon
حلمٌ عَلى كَرَمٍ عَلى أَدَبٍ عَلى
بَأسٍvalor تَسودgain eminence بِوَصفِهِby describing him أَخدانهُhis close companions
بَأسٍ تَسود بِوَصفِهِ أَخدانهُ
Forbearance upon generosity upon courtesy upon
Wisdom, generosity, courtesy and might—his traits
Valor—his companions gain eminence by describing him.
Adorn his character by bounds
فَاِستجلِso unveil كُلّeach خَريدةa maiden مِنfrom شعرهhis poetry
فَاِستجلِ كُلّ خَريدة مِن شعره
زانَتadorned تَرائبthe collarbones of صَدرِهاher breast عقيانهُhis pure gold
زانَت تَرائب صَدرِها عقيانهُ
So unveil each maiden from his poetry:
Let each verse shine like a pearl
The collarbones of her breast adorned his pure gold.
Adorning his chest by the pound
وَاِطربand rejoice إِذاwhen غَنّىsang بِهاwith it الشاديthe singer وَقُلand say
وَاِطرب إِذا غَنّى بِها الشادي وَقُل
سَجعthe cooing of الحَمائمthe doves أَعرَبَتvoiced clearly أَلحانهُhis melodies
سَجع الحَمائم أَعرَبَت أَلحانهُ
And rejoice when the singer sings it, and say:
Rejoice when singers chant his glory and say
"His melodies give voice to the cooing of doves."
The tunes of doves expressed his tones
لِلّهto God درُّthe excellence of أَبيAbu (father of) الفَوارسal-Fawaris (the Horsemen) إِنَّهُindeed, he
لِلّه درُّ أَبي الفَوارس إِنَّهُ
سَحَرَbewitched العُقولthe minds بَديعهhis artistry وَبَيانهُand his eloquence
سَحَرَ العُقول بَديعه وَبَيانهُ
God bless Abu al-Fawaris! Indeed,
God bless this knight of knights
His artistry and eloquence have bewitched minds.
Who captivated minds by his eloquence
قَدindeed كانَwas سُلطانthe sultan of الكَلامspeech فَإِنso if تُردyou want
قَد كانَ سُلطان الكَلام فَإِن تُرد
بُرهانproof of ذاthis منّىfrom me فَذاthen here is ديوانُهُhis divan
بُرهان ذا منّى فَذا ديوانُهُ
He was indeed the sultan of speech; so if you want
If you want proof he is the sultan of words
Proof of this from me, here is his divan.
Partial English translation: 29 of 30 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1