الرَأيُ قَبلَ شَجاعَةِ الشُجعانِ

هُوَ أَوَّلٌ وَهِيَ المَحَلُّ الثاني

Opinion before the bravery of the brave

Wisdom precedes the courage of the brave;

Is the first, and bravery is the second place

It holds the first rank, and she the second.

فَإِذا هُما اِجتَمَعا لِنَفسٍ حُرّةٍ

بَلَغَت مِنَ العَلياءِ كُلَّ مَكانِ

So when they both gather in a free soul

If these two gather in a noble soul,

It reaches the highest of high places

It reaches every height of glory known.

وَلَرُبَّما طَعَنَ الفَتى أَقرانَهُ

بِالرَأيِ قَبلَ تَطاعُنِ الأَقرانِ

And sometimes the young man stabs his peers

A young man may strike down his rivals

With opinion before the stabbing of peers

With wisdom, before the spears engage.

لَولا العُقولُ لَكانَ أَدنى ضَيغَمٍ

أَدنى إِلى شَرَفٍ مِنَ الإِنسانِ

Without intellects, the lowest of insects

Were it not for reason, the lowest lion

Would be closer to glory than mankind

Would be closer to honor than man.

وَلَما تَفاضَلَتِ النُفوسُ وَدَبَّرَت

أَيدي الكُماةِ عَوالِيَ المُرّانِ

And had souls not been distinguished and managed

Nor would souls excel, nor warrior hands

The hands of the unripe, the steeds unbroken

Master the wielding of the towering spears.

لَولا سَمِيُّ سُيوفِهِ وَمَضاؤُهُ

لَمّا سُلِلنَ لَكُنَّ كَالأَجفانِ

Without his sharp swords and their brightness

Were it not for the swords’ namesake and his edge,

They would have been drawn as eyelids closed

The drawn blades would be but scabbards.

خاضَ الحِمامَ بِهِنَّ حَتّى ما دُرى

أَمِنِ اِحتِقارٍ ذاكَ أَم نِسيانِ

He entered the battle till none could tell

He plunged into death with them, until none knew:

Whether from disdain or just forgetfulness

Was it out of contempt, or oblivion?

وَسَعى فَقَصَّرَ عَن مَداهُ في العُلى

أَهلُ الزَمانِ وَأَهلُ كُلِّ زَمانِ

He fell short of his goal though he struggled and raced

He strove, and falling short of his high stride

The people of this time and people of every time

Were the men of this age, and of every age.

تَخِذوا المَجالِسَ في البُيوتِ وَعِندَهُ

أَنَّ السُروجَ مَجالِسُ الفِتيانِ

They took the gatherings in homes and by him

They took their councils in houses, but to him,

That saddles are the gatherings of young men

The saddles are the councils of the youth.

وَتَوَهَّموا اللَعِبَ الوَغى وَالطَعنُ في ال

هَيجاءِ غَيرُ الطَعنِ في المَيدانِ

And imagined play and jesting and stabbing

They mistook sport for war; yet thrusting in battle

Other than battlefield stabbing, the crazed babbling

Is unlike the thrust upon the tilting ground.

قادَ الجِيادَ إِلى الطِعانِ وَلَم يَقُد

إِلّا إِلى العاداتِ وَالأَوطانِ

He led the steeds to battle and did not lead

He led the coursers to the clash, leading them

Except to customs and homelands

Only to their habits and their true homes.

كُلُّ اِبنِ سابِقَةٍ يُغيرُ بِحُسنِهِ

في قَلبِ صاحِبِهِ عَلى الأَحزانِ

Every son of a swift camelia changes with his beauty

Each foal of a noble mare raids with his beauty

In his companion's heart over sorrows

Into his master's heart, dispelling grief.

إِن خُلِّيَت رُبِطَت بِآدابِ الوَغى

فَدُعاؤُها يُغني عَنِ الأَرسانِ

If left unrestrained, tied by the ethics of battle

If left loose, they are bound by the laws of war;

Their calling suffices instead of horsemen

A mere call suffices in place of reins.

في جَحفَلٍ سَتَرَ العُيونَ غُبارُهُ

فَكَأَنَّما يُبصِرنَ بِالآذانِ

In a mighty army, its dust veils

In a host where dust has veiled the eyes,

Eyes, as if they see with their ears

It is as if they see with ears alone.

يَرمي بِها البَلَدَ البَعيدَ مُظَفَّرٌ

كُلُّ البَعيدِ لَهُ قَريبٌ دانِ

With it the distant land he strikes victorious

A victor hurls them at a distant land;

For him all distant is near and submissive

To him, the farthest reach is near at hand.

فَكَأَنَّ أَرجُلَها بِتُربَةِ مَنبِجٍ

يَطرَحنَ أَيدِيَها بِحِصنِ الرانِ

As if their legs with Manbij's soil

As if their hind legs tread the soil of Manbij,

Cast their hands at Hisn al-Ranid

While they cast their forehooves at the fort of Ran.

حَتّى عَبَرنَ بِأَرسَناسَ سَوابِحاً

يَنشُرنَ فيهِ عَمائِمَ الفُرسانِ

Until they crossed the Orontes swimming

Until they crossed the Arsanas, swimming deep,

There spreading the turbans of horsemen

Unfurling in it the turbans of the knights.

يَقمُصنَ في مِثلِ المُدى مِن بارِدٍ

يَذَرُ الفُحولَ وَهُنَّ كَالخِصيانِ

Seizing in a span of vastness from cool water

They plunge into water sharp as knives, so cold

Leaving the stallions as if they were geldings

It leaves the stallions shrunken as geldings.

وَالماءُ بَينَ عَجاجَتَينِ مُخَلِّصٌ

تَتَفَرَّقانِ بِهِ وَتَلتَقِيانِ

And the water between two barnacle geese delivers

The river flows clear between two clouds of dust;

Parting them and then uniting

By its banks they part, and across it they meet.

رَكَضَ الأَميرُ وَكَاللُجَينِ حَبابُهُ

وَثَنى الأَعِنَّةَ وَهوَ كَالعِقيانِ

The prince galloped, his love like two floods

The Prince spurred on, the bubbles like silver;

Bent the spear shafts as if they were saplings

He turned the rein, and they gleamed like gold.

فَتَلَ الحِبالَ مِنَ الغَدائِرِ فَوقَهُ

وَبَنى السَفينَ لَهُ مِنَ الصُلبانِ

He cut the ropes from above, built him a ship

He wove ropes from the locks of hair above it,

From the planks and loaded it with females

And built his rafts from the timber of crosses.

وَحَشاهُ عادِيَةً بِغَيرِ قَوائِمٍ

عُقمَ البُطونِ حَوالِكَ الأَلوانِ

Barren bellied, mixed colored, that bring

He filled the stream with legless chargers,

What the horses seized, as if under the cinches

With barren bellies and colors pitch-dark.

تَأتي بِما سَبَتِ الخُيولُ كَأَنَّها

تَحتَ الحِسانِ مَرابِضُ الغِزلانِ

Doe beds of fawns. A sea accustomed

Bearing the cavalry’s spoils, as though

To subdue for its people the dawns and raiders

Beneath the fair captives lay the beds of gazelles.

بَحرٌ تَعَوَّدَ أَن يُذِمَّ لِأَهلِهِ

مِن دَهرِهِ وَطَوارِقِ الحَدَثانِ

You left it, though it raged against mankind

A sea accustomed to rebuke, on behalf of his kin,

Making exception for the Hamdanid clan

The turning tides of time and sudden fate.

فَتَرَكتَهُ وَإِذا أَذَمَّ مِنَ الوَرى

راعاكَ وَاِستَثنى بَني حَمدانِ

Guarding with every bare sharp sword

You left it behind; and if it censured mankind,

Responsible for the armor over turbaned heads

It honored you, excepting the Sons of Hamdan—

المُخفِرينَ بِكُلِّ أَبيَضَ صارِمٍ

ذِمَمَ الدُروعِ عَلى ذَوي التيجانِ

Haughty in the density of their kingdom

Those who enforce with every sharp white blade

Humble in magnificent position

The rights of armor against the wearers of crowns.

مُتَصَعلِكينَ عَلى كَثافَةِ مُلكِهِم

مُتَواضِعينَ عَلى عَظيمِ الشانِ

Seeking shade of each striped cloak

Living like ascetics despite their vast domain,

A mighty shade, a steed unsaddled

Humble in spirit despite their high estate.

يَتَقَيَّلونَ ظِلالَ كُلِّ مُطَهَّمٍ

أَجَلِ الظَليمِ وَرِبقَةِ السَرحانِ

Bowed before your cleansing blade perforce

They nap in the shadow of the sleek-flanked steed,

And your religion humbled all religions

The doom of the ostrich, the snare of the wolf.

خَضَعَت لِمُنصُلِكَ المَناصِلُ عَنوَةً

وَأَذَلَّ دينُكَ سائِرَ الأَديانِ

On the roads, in returning, precaution

To your sword, all other swords have bowed by force;

And traveling prevented by inability

Your creed has humbled the creeds of all the rest.

وَعَلى الدُروبِ وَفي الرُجوعِ غَضاضَةٌ

وَالسَيرُ مُمتَنِعٌ مِنَ الإِمكانِ

The paths have narrow straits with spears

Upon the passes, retreat meant shame,

And disbelief assembled against belief

While advance was barred beyond all hope.

وَالطُرقُ ضَيِّقَةُ المَسالِكِ بِالقَنا

وَالكُفرُ مُجتَمِعٌ عَلى الإيمانِ

They looked upon iron mass as if it

The paths were choked narrow with bristling spears,

Rose between shoulder blades of eagles

And unbelief massed heavily against the faith.

نَظَروا إِلى زُبَرِ الحَديدِ كَأَنَّما

يَصعَدنَ بَينَ مَناكِبِ العِقبانِ

And horsemen whom battle enlivens their souls

They gazed upon the iron-clad ranks as if

As if they were not of animals

They climbed among the shoulders of eagles.

وَفَوارِسٍ يُحَيِ الحِمامُ نُفوسَها

فَكَأَنَّها لَيسَت مِنَ الحَيَوانِ

Youcontinued to smite them in the fray twofold

Knights whose souls are greeted fondly by Death,

A strike as if the sword were doubled

As if they were not made of mortal flesh.

ما زِلتَ تَضرِبُهُم دِراكاً في الذُرى

ضَرباً كَأَنَّ السَيفَ فيهِ اِثنانِ

Specific to the skulls and faces as if

You struck them blow upon blow on the heights,

Their corpses had come to you in truce

Striking so fast, one sword seemed to be two.

خَصَّ الجَماجِمَ وَالوُجوهَ كَأَنَّما

جاءَت إِلَيكَ جُسومُهُم بِأَمانِ

So they threw what they threw and turned away

It sought out only skulls and faces, as though

Stepping every gentle pass flexible

Their bodies came to you under flag of truce.

فَرَمَوا بِما يَرمونَ عَنهُ وَأَدبَروا

يَطَؤونَ كُلَّ حَنِيَّةٍ مِرنانِ

Shower's rain drenched them in phases

They cast away their weapons and turned in flight,

With lancer and piercing and fencer

Trampling the singing bows beneath their feet.

يَغشاهُمُ مَطَرُ السَحابِ مُفَصَّلاً

بِمُثَقَّفٍ وَمُهَنَّدٍ وَسِنانِ

Deprived of what they hoped and attained of them

A cloud-burst overwhelmed them, raining down

Those who returned in deprivation of hopes

Straightened shafts, Indian steel, and spear-points.

حُرِموا الَّذي أَمِلوا وَأَدرَكَ مِنهُمُ

آمالَهُ مَن عادَ بِالحِرمانِ

And when the spears preoccupied the insides of a rebel

They lost what they had hoped for; while from them,

His insides preoccupied him from his brothers

He who dealt loss attained his every hope.

وَإِذا الرِماحُ شَغَلنَ مُهجَةَ ثائِرٍ

شَغَلَتهُ مُهجَتُهُ عَنِ الإِخوانِ

Alas, they were too noble for retaliation

When spears distract the soul of a vengeful man,

Many killed by them and few harmed

His own life distracts him from his kin.

هَيهاتَ عاقَ عَنِ العِوادِ قَواضِبٌ

كَثُرَ القَتيلُ بِها وَقَلَّ العاني

And refined, he commanded deaths among them

Alas! Sharp blades cut off those who came to help;

So he obeyed in obeying the Merciful

The dead were many, and the captives few.

وَمُهَذَّبٌ أَمَرَ المَنايا فيهِمِ

فَأَطَعنَهُ في طاعَةِ الرَحمَنِ

Their hair had blackened the trees of the mountains

A chivalrous lord commanded Death among them,

As if amongst it were the cinders of crows

And Death obeyed him, in obedience to the Lord.

قَد سَوَّدَت شَجَرَ الجِبالِ شُعورُهُم

فَكَأَنَّ فيهِ مُسِفَّةَ الغِربانِ

And the sap flowed on the leaves, drooping

Their severed hair turned the mountain forests black,

As if it were the orange in the branches

As if a flock of crows had settled low.

وَجَرى عَلى الوَرَقِ النَجيعُ القاني

فَكَأَنَّهُ النارَنجُ في الأَغصانِ

The swords are with those whose hearts

And crimson blood flowed down upon the leaves,

Are like theirs when two armies meet

Like bright oranges hanging from the boughs.

إِنَّ السُيوفَ مَعَ الَّذينَ قُلوبُهُم

كَقُلوبِهِنَّ إِذا اِلتَقى الجَمعانِ

Meeting the blade in the sharpness of its edge

For swords belong to those whose very hearts

Is like the coward with the palm of every coward

Are forged of steel, when armies clash in war.

تَلقى الحُسامَ عَلى جَراءَةِ حَدِّهِ

مِثلَ الجَبانِ بِكَفِّ كُلِّ جَبانِ

With you the Arabs raised the pillar and made

You find the blade, for all its daring edge,

The summits of kings into hearths

Turns coward in the grasp of fearful men.

رَفَعَت بِكَ العَرَبُ العِمادَ وَصَيَّرَت

قِمَمَ المُلوكِ مَواقِدَ النيرانِ

Lineages of their pride to you, though the

Through you, the Arabs raised their pillars high,

Lineages of their origin are to Adnan

And made the heads of kings their hearth-stones.

أَنسابُ فَخرِهِمِ إِلَيكَ وَإِنَّما

أَنسابُ أَصلِهِمِ إِلى عَدنانِ

O you who kills whom he wants with his sword

Their lineage of glory traces back to you,

I have become, from your killing, in comfort

Though their bloodline traces back to Adnan.

يا مَن يُقَتِّلُ مَن أَرادَ بِسَيفِهِ

أَصبَحتُ مِن قَتلاكَ بِالإِحسانِ

So when I see you, my eyes are dazzled by you

O you who slays with the sword whom you desire,

And when I praise you, my tongue is bewildered by you

I am slain by your overwhelming grace.

فَإِذا رَأَيتُكَ حارَ دونَكَ ناظِري

وَإِذا مَدَحتُكَ حارَ فيكَ لِساني

For when I see you, my sight is dazzled blind;

And when I praise you, my tongue is lost in awe.