أَتَعرِفُdo you recognize? رَسماًa dwelling's trace كَاِطِّرادِlike the continuous course of المَذاهِبِwatercourses
أَتَعرِفُ رَسماً كَاِطِّرادِ المَذاهِبِ
لَعَمرَةَbelonging to Amrah وَحشاًdesolate غَيرَexcept for مَوقِفِthe halting-place of راكِبِa rider
لَعَمرَةَ وَحشاً غَيرَ مَوقِفِ راكِبِ
Do you recognize a trace, like watercourses running on,
Do you know a path like the persistence of doctrines?
Amrah's, desolate save for a rider's halting-place?
For a wilderness without a resting place for the rider.
دِيارَthe dwelling-places of الَّتيher who كادَتalmost وَنَحنُwhile we عَلىat مِنىًMina
دِيارَ الَّتي كادَت وَنَحنُ عَلى مِنىً
تَحُلُّbring ruin بِناupon us لَولاwere it not for نَجاءُthe swift escape of الرَكائِبِthe riding camels
تَحُلُّ بِنا لَولا نَجاءُ الرَكائِبِ
The dwelling of her who nearly, while we were at Mina,
The abodes which, while we were at Mina,
brought us to ruin, had our mounts not sped away.
Were about to befall us, had the riders not come to our aid.
تَبَدَّتshe appeared لَناto us كَالشَمسِlike the sun تَحتَbeneath غَمامَةٍa cloud
تَبَدَّت لَنا كَالشَمسِ تَحتَ غَمامَةٍ
بَداappeared حاجِبٌan edge مِنهاof her وَضَنَّتand she withheld بِحاجِبِanother edge
بَدا حاجِبٌ مِنها وَضَنَّت بِحاجِبِ
She appeared to us like the sun beneath a cloud:
She appeared to us as the sun beneath a cloud,
one edge of her showed, while the other she withheld.
Her eyebrow emerged from it, and she winked with her eyebrow.
وَلَمand not أَرَهاI saw her إِلّاexcept ثَلاثاًthree times عَلىat مِنىًMina
وَلَم أَرَها إِلّا ثَلاثاً عَلى مِنىً
وَعَهديand my last knowledge بِهاof her عَذراءُa virgin ذاتَwith ذَوائِبِtresses
وَعَهدي بِها عَذراءُ ذاتَ ذَوائِبِ
And I saw her only three times at Mina;
I only saw her three times at Mina,
I had last known her a virgin with tresses.
And she was, by my life, a chaste maiden with braids.
وَمِثلُكِand a woman like you قَدindeed أَصبَيتُI made love-struck لَيسَتshe was not بِكَنَّةٍa daughter- or sister-in-law
وَمِثلُكِ قَد أَصبَيتُ لَيسَت بِكَنَّةٍ
وَلاnor جارَةٍa female neighbor وَلاnor حَليلَةِthe wife of صاحِبِa companion
وَلا جارَةٍ وَلا حَليلَةِ صاحِبِ
And a woman like you I have charmed—not a kinsman's wife,
And one like you, I have indeed found not to be effeminate,
nor a neighbor, nor a companion's wife.
Nor a neighbor, nor the wife of a companion.
دَعَوتُI called on بَنيthe sons of عَوفٍAwf لِحَقنِto spare دِمائَهُمtheir blood
دَعَوتُ بَني عَوفٍ لِحَقنِ دِمائَهُم
فَلَمّاbut when أَبواthey refused سامَحتُI consented فيto حَربِthe war of حاطِبِHatib
فَلَمّا أَبوا سامَحتُ في حَربِ حاطِبِ
I called on the sons of Awf to spare their blood;
I called on the Bani Auf to cease their bloodshed,
but when they refused, I consented to Hatib's war.
But when they refused, I overlooked it in the War of Hatib.
وَكُنتُand I was اِمرِأًa man لاnot أَبعَثُI start الحَربَwar ظالِماًacting unjustly
وَكُنتُ اِمرِأً لا أَبعَثُ الحَربَ ظالِماً
فَلَمّاbut when أَبَواthey refused أَشعَلتُهاI set it ablaze كُلَّon every جانِبِside
فَلَمّا أَبَوا أَشعَلتُها كُلَّ جانِبِ
I was a man who would not start war unjustly;
I was a man who did not instigate unjust war,
but when they refused, I set it blazing on every side.
But when they refused, I ignited it on all sides.
أَرِبتُI was intent بِدَفعِon averting الحَربِwar حَتّىuntil رَأَيتُهاI saw it
أَرِبتُ بِدَفعِ الحَربِ حَتّى رَأَيتُها
عَنِdespite الدَفعِefforts at averting لاnot تَزدادُit grew غَيرَexcept in تَقارُبِnearness
عَنِ الدَفعِ لا تَزدادُ غَيرَ تَقارُبِ
I was intent on averting war, until I saw it,
I strove to ward off war until I saw it
for all efforts to avert it, only drawing nearer.
Would not abate through warding off, only draw nearer.
فَإِذso since لَمnot يَكُنthere was عَنfrom غايَةِthe final end of المَوتِdeath مَدفَعٌany escape
فَإِذ لَم يَكُن عَن غايَةِ المَوتِ مَدفَعٌ
فَأَهلاًthen welcome بِهاto it إِذsince لَمnot تَزَلit ceased فيin المَراحِبِplaces of welcome
فَأَهلاً بِها إِذ لَم تَزَل في المَراحِبِ
Since there was no escape from the end that is death,
Since there is no defense against the inevitability of death,
then welcome to it: it has always found welcome.
Welcome to it, as long as it continues to reside in encampments.
فَلَمّاthen when رَأَيتُI saw الحَربَwar حَرباًtrue war تَجَرَّدَتlaid itself bare
فَلَمّا رَأَيتُ الحَربَ حَرباً تَجَرَّدَت
لَبِستُI donned مَعَwith البُردَينِthe two cloaks ثَوبَthe garment of المُحارِبِthe warrior
لَبِستُ مَعَ البُردَينِ ثَوبَ المُحارِبِ
When I saw war laid bare as war in earnest,
When I saw that war had stripped bare,
I donned, with my two cloaks, the warrior's garment:
I donned, along with the burda, the garb of the warrior.
مُضاعَفَةًdouble-layered mail يَغشىcovers الأَنامِلَthe fingertips فَضلُهاits extra length
مُضاعَفَةً يَغشى الأَنامِلَ فَضلُها
كَأَنَّas though قَتيرَيهاits two sets of rivets عُيونُthe eyes of الجَنادِبِgrasshoppers
كَأَنَّ قَتيرَيها عُيونُ الجَنادِبِ
double-layered mail, its extra length covering the fingertips,
Doubled over, its excess covers the fingernails,
as though its two sets of rivets were grasshoppers' eyes.
As if its shoulder pads are the eyes of the hyena.
أَتَتcame عَصَبٌbands مِنَfrom الكاهِنَينِthe two Kahins وَمالِكٍand Malik
أَتَت عَصَبٌ مِنَ الكاهِنَينِ وَمالِكٍ
وَثَعلَبَةَand Thalabah الأَثرينَthe numerous رَهطِthe clan of اِبنِthe son of غالِبِGhalib
وَثَعلَبَةَ الأَثرينَ رَهطِ اِبنِ غالِبِ
Bands came from the two Kahins and Malik,
There came a band of Quraysh and Malik
and numerous Thalabah, the clan of Ibn Ghalib:
And Tha‘labah and the comrades of Ibn Ghalib -
رِجالٌmen مَتىwhenever يُدعَواthey are called إِلىto المَوتِdeath يُرقِلواthey hasten
رِجالٌ مَتى يُدعَوا إِلى المَوتِ يُرقِلوا
إِلَيهِtoward it كَإِرقالِlike the swift trotting of الجِمالِcamels المَصاعِبِunbroken
إِلَيهِ كَإِرقالِ الجِمالِ المَصاعِبِ
men who, whenever called to death, hasten
Men who, when summoned to death, sway
toward it like the swift trotting of unbroken camels.
Toward it like the swaying of pregnant camels.
إِذاwhen فَزِعواthey are roused مَدّواthey send forth إِلىinto اللَيلِthe night صارِخاًa crier
إِذا فَزِعوا مَدّوا إِلى اللَيلِ صارِخاً
كَمَوجِlike the waves of الأَتِيِّthe oncoming torrent المُزبِدِfoaming المُتَراكِبِpiling up
كَمَوجِ الأَتِيِّ المُزبِدِ المُتَراكِبِ
When roused, they send a crier into the night,
When they are alarmed, they cry out to the night
like the foaming, piled-up waves of an oncoming torrent.
Like the swelling crests of waves, piling up.
تَرىyou see قِصَدَbroken pieces of المُرّانِashwood spears تَهويfalling كَأَنَّهاas though they were
تَرى قِصَدَ المُرّانِ تَهوي كَأَنَّها
تَذَرُّعُmeasuring by cubits خِرصانٍpalm-stalks بِأَيديin the hands of الشَواطِبِwomen who split fronds
تَذَرُّعُ خِرصانٍ بِأَيدي الشَواطِبِ
You see fragments of ashwood spears falling as though they were
You see the blow of the lances plunge down as if
palm-stalks being measured in the hands of frond-splitting women.
They were the forelegs of gazelles in the hands of youths at play.
صَبَحناwe raided at dawn بِهاwith it الآطامَthe forts حَولَaround مُزاحِمٍMuzahim
صَبَحنا بِها الآطامَ حَولَ مُزاحِمٍ
قَوانِسُthe crests of أولىthe foremost of بَيضَناour helmets كَالكَواكِبِlike stars
قَوانِسُ أولى بَيضَنا كَالكَواكِبِ
With it we raided at dawn the forts around Muzahim;
We spent the night at Atam, surrounding Mushammis,
the crests of our foremost helmets were like stars.
Torches whose gleaming blades were like stars.
لَوَif أَنَّكَyou تُلقيtoss حَنظَلاًa bitter gourd فَوقَonto بَيضِناour helmets
لَوَ أَنَّكَ تُلقي حَنظَلاً فَوقَ بَيضِنا
تَدَحرَجَit would roll عَنoff ذيone with سامِهِits metal ribs المُتَقارِبِclosely set
تَدَحرَجَ عَن ذي سامِهِ المُتَقارِبِ
If you tossed a bitter gourd onto our helmets,
If only you cast Hanzhala upon our blades,
it would roll off a helmet with closely set metal ribs.
He would roll off the one equal to its piercer.
إِذاif ماever فَرَرناwe fled كانَwas أَسوَاthe worst of فِرارِناour flight
إِذا ما فَرَرنا كانَ أَسوَا فِرارِنا
صُدودَthe turning away of الخُدودِcheeks وَاِزوِرارَand the angling of المَناكِبِshoulders
صُدودَ الخُدودِ وَاِزوِرارَ المَناكِبِ
If ever we fled, the worst of our flight was
When we flee, the ugliest aspect of our flight
turning our cheeks aside and angling our shoulders:
Is baring the foreheads and exposing the shoulder blades.
صُدودَthe turning away of الخُدودِcheeks وَالقَناwhile the spears مُتَشاجِرٌwere interlocked
صُدودَ الخُدودِ وَالقَنا مُتَشاجِرٌ
وَلاand not تَبرَحُbudge الأَقدامُthe feet عِندَduring التَضارُبِthe exchange of blows
وَلا تَبرَحُ الأَقدامُ عِندَ التَضارُبِ
turning our cheeks aside while the spears interlocked,
Baring the foreheads and lances mixed in altercation
and our feet do not budge amid the exchange of blows.
While feet do not stop at the striking of blows.
إِذاif قَصُرَتfell short أَسيافُناour swords كانَwas وَصلُهاtheir extension
إِذا قَصُرَت أَسيافُنا كانَ وَصلُها
خُطاناour steps إِلىtoward أَعدائِناour enemies فَنُضارِبِand then we trade blows
خُطانا إِلى أَعدائِنا فَنُضارِبِ
If our swords fell short, their extension was
When our swords are short, their attachment is
our steps toward our enemies, so we could trade blows.
Our lines stabbing our enemies, so we strike.
أُجالِدُهُمI fight them يَومَon the day of الحَديقَةِal-Hadiqah حاسِراًunarmored
أُجالِدُهُم يَومَ الحَديقَةِ حاسِراً
كَأَنَّas though يَديmy hand بِالسَيفِwith the sword مِخراقُa rolled-cloth whip لاعِبِa player
كَأَنَّ يَدي بِالسَيفِ مِخراقُ لاعِبِ
On the day of al-Hadiqah I fought them unarmored,
On the day of Al-Hudayqah I engaged them recklessly,
as though my hand with the sword were a player's cloth whip.
My hand with the sword was like a playful tearing lion.
وَيَومَand on the day of بُعاثٍBuath أَسلَمَتناdelivered us سُيوفُناour swords
وَيَومَ بُعاثٍ أَسلَمَتنا سُيوفُنا
إِلىto نَسَبٍa lineage فيin جِذمِthe ancestral stock of غَسّانَGhassan ثاقِبِillustrious
إِلى نَسَبٍ في جِذمِ غَسّانَ ثاقِبِ
And on the day of Buath our swords delivered us
And on the day of Bu‘ath our swords
to an illustrious lineage in the ancestral stock of Ghassan.
submission to a lineage whose penetration splits the compact body of Ghassan.
يُعَرّينَthey are unsheathed بيضاًwhite حينَwhen نَلقىwe meet عَدُوَّناour enemy
يُعَرّينَ بيضاً حينَ نَلقى عَدُوَّنا
وَيُغمَدنَand they are sheathed حُمراًred ناحِلاتِslender المَضارِبِat the striking edges
وَيُغمَدنَ حُمراً ناحِلاتِ المَضارِبِ
They are drawn white when we meet our enemy,
They render white when we meet our foe
and sheathed red, their striking edges worn thin.
And they redden sheathed, the well-aimed deadly strokes.
أَطاعَتobeyed بَنوthe sons of عَوفٍAwf أَميراًa commander نَهاهُمwho forbade them
أَطاعَت بَنو عَوفٍ أَميراً نَهاهُم
عَنِfrom السِلمِpeace حَتّىuntil كانَhe was أَوَّلَthe first واجِبِto fall dead
عَنِ السِلمِ حَتّى كانَ أَوَّلَ واجِبِ
The sons of Awf obeyed a chief who forbade them
The Bani ‘Awf obeyed a leader who forbade them
to make peace, until he was the first to fall.
From peace, until it was the first duty.
أَوَيتُI pitied لِعَوفٍAwf إِذwhen تَقولُsay نِساؤُهُمtheir women
أَوَيتُ لِعَوفٍ إِذ تَقولُ نِساؤُهُم
وَيَرمينَand they throw دَفعاًin defense لَيتَناwould that we لَمhad not نُحارِبِfought
وَيَرمينَ دَفعاً لَيتَنا لَم نُحارِبِ
I pitied Awf when their women said,
I wish for ‘Awf that their women say,
while throwing in defense, 'If only we had not fought!'
Hurling rejection: “Would that we had not fought!”
صَبَحناهُمُwe attacked them at dawn شَهباءَa gray host يَبرُقُflash بَيضُهاits helmets
صَبَحناهُمُ شَهباءَ يَبرُقُ بَيضُها
تُبينُit exposes خَلاخيلَthe anklets of النِساءِthe women الهَوارِبِfleeing
تُبينُ خَلاخيلَ النِساءِ الهَوارِبِ
We struck them at dawn with a gray host, its helmets flashing,
We spent the morning repelling them, their gleaming white
exposing the anklets of the fleeing women.
Revealing the anklets of the fleeing women.
أَصابَتstruck سَراةًchiefs مِنَfrom الأَغَرِّal-Agharr سُيوفُناour swords
أَصابَت سَراةً مِنَ الأَغَرِّ سُيوفُنا
وَغودِرَand were left behind أَولادُthe sons of الإِماءِthe slave-women الحَواطِبِwood-gathering
وَغودِرَ أَولادُ الإِماءِ الحَواطِبِ
Our swords struck chiefs from al-Agharr,
Our swords reached a caravan of negroes,
and the sons of wood-gathering slave-women were left behind.
And the children of slave women were slain.
وَمِنّاand among us الَّذيhe who آلىswore an oath ثَلاثينَthirty لَيلَةًnights
وَمِنّا الَّذي آلى ثَلاثينَ لَيلَةً
عَنِto abstain from الخَمرِwine حَتّىuntil زارَكُمhe visited you بِالكَتائِبِwith battalions
عَنِ الخَمرِ حَتّى زارَكُم بِالكَتائِبِ
And among us was he who vowed, for thirty nights,
Among us is one who renounced wine for thirty nights
to forgo wine, until he visited you with battalions.
Until he joined you with the battalions.
رَضيتُI was content لَهُمfor them إِذsince لاnot يَريمونَthey leave قَعرَهاits depths
رَضيتُ لَهُم إِذ لا يَريمونَ قَعرَها
إِلىfor عازِبِthe outlying الأَموالِlivestock إِلّاexcept بِصاحِبِwith a companion
إِلى عازِبِ الأَموالِ إِلّا بِصاحِبِ
I was content with their lot, for they do not leave its depths
I allowed it for them when they would not drink
for their distant herds except with a companion.
Its dregs unless accompanied by the wine-server.
فَلَولاbut for ذُرىthe tops of الآطامِthe forts قَدindeed تَعلَمونَهُyou know it
فَلَولا ذُرى الآطامِ قَد تَعلَمونَهُ
وَتَركُand abandoning الفَضاthe open ground شورِكتُمُyou would have been made to share فيin الكَواعِبِbudding-breasted maidens
وَتَركُ الفَضا شورِكتُمُ في الكَواعِبِ
But for the forts' high tops—as you well know—
Were it not for the notion of nobility that you know
and abandoning open ground, you would have been made to share your budding-breasted maidens.
And abandoning what your valor claimed among the drinking vessels.
فَلَمand not تَمنَعواyou barred مِنّاagainst us مَكاناًa place نُريدُهُwe wanted it
فَلَم تَمنَعوا مِنّا مَكاناً نُريدُهُ
لَكُمfor you مُحرِزاًas a refuge إِلّاexcept ظُهورَthe roofs of المَشارِبِupper chambers
لَكُم مُحرِزاً إِلّا ظُهورَ المَشارِبِ
You kept us from no place we sought
You did not deny us any place we wanted
that sheltered you, save the roofs of upper rooms.
As an inviolable place for you but the water-skins’ mouths.
فَهَلّاwhy then did you not لَدىamid الحَربِthe war العَوانِrenewed صَبَرتُمstand firm
فَهَلّا لَدى الحَربِ العَوانِ صَبَرتُم
لِوَقعَتِناagainst our assault وَالبَأسُand battle صَعبُhard المَراكِبِmounts
لِوَقعَتِنا وَالبَأسُ صَعبُ المَراكِبِ
Why did you not stand firm in the renewed war
Why, in the thick of war, did you not show more patience
against our assault? Battle's mounts are hard to ride.
For our onslaught, though battle is difficult to ride?
ظَأَرناكُمُwe subdued you بِالبَيضِwith bright swords حَتّىuntil لَأَنتُمُyou indeed
ظَأَرناكُمُ بِالبَيضِ حَتّى لَأَنتُمُ
أَذَلُّmore abject مِنَthan السُقبانِmale camel-calves بَينَamong الحَلائِبِmilch camels
أَذَلُّ مِنَ السُقبانِ بَينَ الحَلائِبِ
We subdued you with bright swords, until you indeed were
We took vengeance on you with the blades until you were
more abject than male camel-calves among milch camels.
More abject than foxes among the milk pails.
وَلَمّاand when هَبَطناwe descended upon الحَرثَal-Harth قالَsaid أَميرُناour commander
وَلَمّا هَبَطنا الحَرثَ قالَ أَميرُنا
حَرامٌforbidden عَلَيناto us الخَمرُwine ماso long as لَمnot نُضارِبِwe trade blows
حَرامٌ عَلَينا الخَمرُ ما لَم نُضارِبِ
And when we descended upon al-Harth, our commander said,
And when we descended on the plowed fields, our leader said:
'Wine is forbidden to us until we trade blows.'
“Wine is prohibited for us unless we fight.”
فَسامَحَهُthen agreed with him مِنّاamong us رِجالٌmen أَعِزَّةٌmighty
فَسامَحَهُ مِنّا رِجالٌ أَعِزَّةٌ
فَماand not بَرِحواthey desisted حَتّىuntil أُحِلَّتit was made lawful لِشارِبِfor a drinker
فَما بَرِحوا حَتّى أُحِلَّت لِشارِبِ
Then mighty men among us assented to him,
So the proud men among us gave him leeway
and did not desist until wine was lawful to drink.
Until it was permitted for the drinker.
فَلَيتَso would that سُوَيداًSuwayd راءَhad seen مَنthose who جُرَّwere dragged مِنكُمُfrom among you
فَلَيتَ سُوَيداً راءَ مَن جُرَّ مِنكُمُ
وَمَنand those who فَرَّfled إِذas يَحدونَهُمthey drove them كَالجَلائِبِlike market-bound livestock
وَمَن فَرَّ إِذ يَحدونَهُم كَالجَلائِبِ
Would that Suwayd had seen those of you dragged away,
Would that Suwayd had seen those whom you dragged
and those who fled, driven like livestock brought to market.
And those who fled when the spears prodded them like hyenas.
فَأُبناthen we returned إِلىto أَبنائِناour children وَنِسائِناand our women
فَأُبنا إِلى أَبنائِنا وَنِسائِنا
وَماbut not مَنthose whom تَرَكناwe left فيat بُعاثٍBuath بِآئِبِreturning
وَما مَن تَرَكنا في بُعاثٍ بِآئِبِ
Then we returned to our children and our women,
So we turned to our children and women,
but none we left at Buath would return.
And there was none we left behind in Bu‘ath in sorrow.
وَغُيِّبتُand I was kept away عَنfrom يَومٍa day كَنَتنيsheltered me عَشيرَتيmy clan
وَغُيِّبتُ عَن يَومٍ كَنَتني عَشيرَتي
وَيَومُand the day of بُعاثٍBuath كانَwas يَومَa day of التَغالُبِcontending for mastery
وَيَومُ بُعاثٍ كانَ يَومَ التَغالُبِ
And I was kept away from a day; my clan sheltered me,
I forgot, from the day my tribe
and the day of Buath was a day of contending for mastery.
Reproached me, the day of Bu‘ath the day of rivalry.
Sol 6.1