Sol 6.1

  1. Behind the foes, a mighty army, advancing into terror;

    And a deadly serpent, a speckled viper whom vipers shun.

  2. And two swords: the one God's hand has brandished

    Is clothed; the one the smiths have brandished is bare.

  3. A folder of the cloak of dust, unfurling it with a charge;

    And a bender, through whom the spear's breast is straightened.

  4. A mighty army guided by the earth's landmarks;

    And a day marked out by the young warriors of battle.

  5. When the son of Abu al-Hayja is roused, there scowl

    The faces of death amid sword-edges that smile.

  6. He is the sword; his namesake cuts through the clash,

    But he is keener of edge and more trenchant.

  7. He cuts when gleaming swords glance off and fail to cut;

    A nurturer of ties: his two edges hold hardship and blessings.

  8. His enemies shunned al-Sham, as though

    A blazing fire of spear-thrusts had encircled it.

  9. The Romans esteemed him greatly, and beside him belittled

    Their greatest men: truly, the brave man is revered.

  10. So they undid their crowns' fastenings for one granted aid,

    Before whom the crown-bearer falls, though he himself is turbaned.

  11. He needs no ravening army, sufficient in himself;

    The army needs him, though it is a vast host.

  12. When he presses earnestly in his night halts and dawn departures,

    You see the regions of the earth grow rich and destitute.

  13. He marched by night while thirsty earth awaited his rainclouds;

    Then over Harran he went, pouring and streaming down.

  14. His virtues unveiled themselves, and clearly shone

    His qualities, while dawn wore no veil.

  15. And he made stars rise from the blue spearheads

    On the frontier, watched over by auspicious stars.

  16. And between the passes his cloud flashed lightning;

    It poured—but the downpour of its lightning was blood.

  17. And if his tents were pitched this side of the gulf,

    Beyond it, terror has an army encamped.

  18. And one who takes refuge in Mashrafi swords: it was not possible

    For a white-footed ibex to escape him on the mountain's peaks.

  19. And a host with tightly gathered flanks, its dust cloud filled with

    Thoroughbred, full-grown steeds and straightened reed spear-shafts.

  20. It shimmers in the wing of darkness, and darkness clears;

    And raises dust in the breast of day, so day grows dark.

  21. Its hooves strike the hard rock beneath it,

    And its banners sing above it.

  22. And horses that shun the plain, until they seem

    Circling falcons protected by the lofty peaks.

  23. They raid the enemies while the star is setting,

    And travel by night for him while night is black and dark.

  24. They reached both banks of Arsanas while the spears still had

    Their stout shafts; they returned from it with these shattered.

  25. May there always be a place of death for lair-dwelling lions

    With you, and a festival for graceful, budding-breasted maidens.

  26. And watering-places for delegations, and a lodging for riders,

    And homes for visitors, and a smiling mouth for praise.

  27. You ravaged the foes; if a lion's savagery were less

    Against its enemies, it would not be called a ferocious lion.

  28. You fought until no rebel remained on earth,

    And gave until no destitute person remained on earth.

  29. When a day radiant with gladness has passed,

    After it comes a day dusky with battle dust.

  30. Battles that put the battles before them to shame;

    So, counted up, they surpass them and take the lead.

  31. Through them you mastered the two peoples of Nizar and Ya'rub;

    So they yielded their hands to you and surrendered.

  32. Bending aside only before your spears, as though

    Their protected domain were forbidden to all but you.

  33. So among them is a lion whose thicket shelters the prey,

    And it grazes in his lair, though he is a fierce lion.

  34. And one whose claw-points are bloodied by his foe,

    Yet against whatever you protect, his claws are clipped.

  35. I bear witness: Adi has indeed gained supremacy through a lord

    Who gives when the rainclouds withhold, and is forbearing.

  36. How can people attain the glory of a tribe

    To which Ali son of Abd Allah—and glory itself—belong?

  37. You understood, so gave lavish bounty; it was not possible

    For one who does not understand to give, even if he gave.

  38. Our praises are an endowment for you; unceasingly

    Our thoughts brocade and finely embroider them.

  39. And our hopes go far away when you are far away,

    And arrive bearing bounty for us when you arrive.

Sol 6.1