أسىً وسرورٌ ناصِرٌ ومُخذِّلُ
أتاحهما لي عنترٌ ومُهلهلُ
Sorrow and joy both came from ‘Antarah, who helped me or let me down,
Brought to me by ‘Antarah and Muhallahil.
فماضٍ بكت عيني لفقد كمالهِ
وباقٍ لما فيه من المجد أجْذَلُ
My eyes wept for the loss of his perfection,
Yet his glory remains, magnificent.
سقى عنتراً والدمع لولا حرارةٌ
أحقُّ به هامٍ من المُزن مُسبل
But for the heat of passion, ‘Antarah’s tears
Would have befitted a lovesick, woeful camel herder.
سحوحٌ إذا ما جرَّ فضل ذيولهِ
أُذيب له وانْماع صخرٌ وجندلُ
When Smooth-Coat dragged his robe’s train majestically,
Even solid rock and granite melted for him.
قضى نحبهُ جمَّ الثَّناءِ كأنما
يشب على النادي بذكراه منْدلُ
He fulfilled glory, gathering all praise, as though
His name set the whole encampment ablaze.
فتىً لم يخُن عهداً ولا ملَّ صاحباً
ولا بات عن ودٍّ وإن غاب يزحلُ
A man who never broke faith or grew weary of a friend,
Who never spent a night away from love, though he wandered far,
ولا بخلتْ كفَّاهُ يوماً بنائلٍ
ولكن ملومٌ في النَّوال مُعَذَلُ
His palms never stinted from giving on a day of want,
Yet blame for stinginess was heaped on Mu’adhdhal.
غزيرُ التقى لم يألُ في الله طاعةً
ولا لاقه في غير تقواهُ منزلُ
Steadfast in devotion, he never failed serving God,
Nor lodged, save in the shelter of his piety.
لِيبْك عليه معْركٌ وكتيبةٌ
ويندبْهُ نادٍ ذو سَراةٍ ومَحْفلُ
Let a tribe weep for him, and a troop,
As well as a clan of lofty estate.
وجُرْدٌ تمطَّى في الشكيم كأنها
على القاع مُعْطٌ بالمناكب عُسَّلُ
And a regiment who wrapped themselves in dignity, as though
Prostrating themselves on the ground, clad in fine mantles.
رعاها رماح الحظ حتى أعادها
ومرتعها روض من العز مخضل
They were kept safe by fortune’s spears until it returned them
To pasture in a meadow of honor and eminence.
وضيف شتاءٍ بات في حُجُراته
يُطافُ عليه بالنَّعيم ويُكْفلُ
A winter’s guest who lodged in its rooms,
Lavished with comforts and pampered.
سرى بخفاف العيس عجلى فزادهُ
من الوضع على ظهر المطيَّةِ أعجلُ
He rode with the swift gait of a gentle steed, thereby increasing
His unsteady seat on his mount’s back.
وجارٌ تحامته العشائر فانْثنى
يحيدُ به عن واضح السمت أفْكلُ
And a neighbor whose clan was exalted, yet he inclined
To deviate from the clear path into crooked ways.
حمتهُ فحالت دونهُ قسوريَّةٌ
من العزِّ لا تُعْلى ولا تُتوقَّلُ
Valor protected him, impeding others,
Insurmountable and unshakable.
ولو أنني أنصفتُ في حكم ودِّهِ
لَبِتُّ وكُلي من مراثيهِ مِقْولُ
If I were just in judging his love,
I would spend my nights weeping for him.
