شَرَيتُ القَنا مِن قَبلِ أَن يُشتَرى القَنا
وَنِلتُ المُنى مِن كُلِّ أَشوَسَ عابِسِ
I bought lances before lances were ever bought,
and won my heart’s desire from every fierce, scowling foe.
فَما كُلُّ مَن يَشري القَنا يَطعَنُ العِدا
وَلا كُلُّ مَن يَلقى الرِجالَ بِفارِسِ
Not everyone who buys lances thrusts them at his foes,
nor is everyone who faces warriors a knight.
خَرَجتُ إِلى القَرمِ الكَمِيِّ مُبادِراً
وَقَد هَجَسَت في القَلبِ مِنّي هَواجِسي
I hastened forth against the lordly armored champion,
while forebodings whispered in my heart.
وَقُلتُ لِمُهري وَالقَنا يَقرَعُ القَنا
تَنَبَّه وَكُن مُستَيقِظاً غَيرَ ناعِسِ
I said to my colt, as lance rang against lance:
“Take heed; stay wide awake, never drowsy.”
فَجاوَبَني مُهري الكَريمُ وَقالَ لي
أَنا مِن جِيادِ الخَيلِ كُن أَنتَ فارِسي
My noble colt answered me and said:
“I am one of the finest steeds—you be my rider.”
وَلَمّا تَجاذَبنا السُيوفَ وَأُفرِغَت
ثِيابُ المَنايا كُنتُ أَوَّلَ لابِسِ
And when we crossed swords, and there were spread
the robes of death, I was the first to don them.
وَرُمحي إِذا ما اِهتَزَّ يَومَ كَريهَةٍ
تَخِرُّ لَهُ كُلَّ الأُسودِ القَناعِسِ
When my spear quivers on a day of bitter battle,
every mighty lion falls before it.
وَما هالَني يا عَبلَ فيكِ مَهالِكٌ
وَلا راعَني هَولُ الكَمِيِّ المُمارِسِ
No deadly peril for your sake has daunted me, O ʿAbla,
nor has the terror of the seasoned armored champion.
فَدونَكَ يا عَمروُ بنَ وُدٍّ وَلا تَحُل
فَرُمحِيَ ظَمآنٌ لِدَمِّ الأَشاوِسِ
Then face me, ʿAmr ibn Wudd, and do not retreat:
for my spear stands surety for the blood of fierce warriors.
Sol 5.6