ياO صاحِfriend هاجَتْكَstirred you الدِيارthe dwelling-sites الأَكْراسْheaped remains
يا صاحِ هاجَتْكَ الدِيار الأَكْراسْ
عَلَىtoward هَوىًa love فيin النَفْسِthe soul مِنْهُfrom it وَسْواسْobsessive whispering
عَلَى هَوىً في النَفْسِ مِنْهُ وَسْواسْ
O friend, the heaped remains of dwellings have stirred you,
To a love whose whispering haunts the soul.
كَيْفَhow وَقَدْand already مَرَّتْhave passed لَهُنover them أَحْراسْlong ages
كَيْفَ وَقَدْ مَرَّتْ لَهُن أَحْراسْ
وَهُنَّand they عُجْمٌspeechless لَوْif سَأَلْتَyou asked أَخْراسْmute
وَهُنَّ عُجْمٌ لَوْ سَأَلْتَ أَخْراسْ
How, when long ages have passed over them,
And they are speechless, mute if you question them?
كَأَنَّهُنَّas though they were دَارِساتٌworn away أَطْلاسْeffaced
كَأَنَّهُنَّ دَارِساتٌ أَطْلاسْ
مِنْof صُحُفpages أَوْor غالِياتcostly أَطْراسْwritten parchments
مِنْ صُحُف أَوْ غالِيات أَطْراسْ
As though they were worn, effaced traces
Of pages, or costly parchments,
فِيهِنَّin them مِنْfrom عَهْدthe days of التَهَجِّيlearning letters أَنْقاسْinks
فِيهِنَّ مِنْ عَهْد التَهَجِّي أَنْقاسْ
إِذْwhen فيin الغَوانِيlovely women طَمَعٌhope وَإِئْناسْand companionship
إِذْ في الغَوانِي طَمَعٌ وَإِئْناسْ
Bearing ink from the days of learning letters.
When there was hope in lovely women, and companionship,
وعِفَّةٌand chastity فِيamong خَرَدٍshy maidens وَاسْتِئْناسْand familiarity
وعِفَّةٌ فِي خَرَدٍ وَاسْتِئْناسْ
وَهُنَّand they كَالْجِنِّlike the jinn لَهُنَّthey have إِلْباسْmystification
وَهُنَّ كَالْجِنِّ لَهُنَّ إِلْباسْ
And chastity among shy maidens, and familiar ease,
And they were like jinn, full of mystification,
مِنْfrom غَيْرِother than أَنْthat يَخْدَعَهُنَّdeceive them الأَكْياسْthe clever
مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَخْدَعَهُنَّ الأَكْياسْ
مُسْتَوِياتٌwell-proportioned مَكْرُهُنَّtheir guile أَنْطاسْexpert
مُسْتَوِياتٌ مَكْرُهُنَّ أَنْطاسْ
Without the clever being able to deceive them.
Well-proportioned, expert in their guile,
كَماjust as اسْتَوَىwas evenly formed بَيْضُeggs النَعامostriches الأَمْلاسْsmooth
كَما اسْتَوَى بَيْضُ النَعام الأَمْلاسْ
مِثْلlike الدُمَىstatues تَصْوِيرُهُنtheir shaping أَطْواسْornate designs
مِثْل الدُمَى تَصْوِيرُهُن أَطْواسْ
As smooth ostrich eggs are evenly formed,
Like statues, their figures richly ornamented.
وَمِرْفَلُand the trailing robe العَيْشِof life رِفَلٌّample مَيَّاسْgracefully swaying
وَمِرْفَلُ العَيْشِ رِفَلٌّ مَيَّاسْ
وَبَلَدٍand many a land يَجْرِيruns عَلَيْهِover it العَسْعاسْwavering haze
وَبَلَدٍ يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِ العَسْعاسْ
And life's trailing robe was ample and swaying.
And many a waste over which wavering haze runs,
مِنَof السَرابِthe mirage وَالقَتامِand the dust المَسْماسْfine and faint
مِنَ السَرابِ وَالقَتامِ المَسْماسْ
مِنْfrom خِرَقshreds الآلِthe shimmering mirage عَلَيْهupon it أَعْباسْdark patches
مِنْ خِرَق الآلِ عَلَيْه أَعْباسْ
Of mirage and fine, faint dust,
With dark patches upon it from shreds of shimmering mirage,
وَقُحَمand arduous stretches أَظْماؤُهُنtheir watering intervals أَسْداسْsix-day cycles
وَقُحَم أَظْماؤُهُن أَسْداسْ
فِيهِin it لأَنْواعِfor the varieties of المَهَارَىMahri camels مُقْتاسْa testing ground
فِيهِ لأَنْواعِ المَهَارَى مُقْتاسْ
And arduous stretches with six-day watering cycles,
A testing ground therein for every kind of Mahri camel,
إِذَاwhen القَطاthe sandgrouse أَوْرَدَهُنbrought them to water الأَخْماسْfive-day cycles
إِذَا القَطا أَوْرَدَهُن الأَخْماسْ
وَضُمَّرٍand lean she-camels فِيin لِينِهِنtheir suppleness أَشْراسْrough strength
وَضُمَّرٍ فِي لِينِهِن أَشْراسْ
When five-day thirsts bring the sandgrouse to water.
And lean she-camels, tough beneath their suppleness,
يحْفِزُهَاdrives them onward لَيْلٌnight وَحادٍand a camel-driver قَسْقاسْhard-driving
يحْفِزُهَا لَيْلٌ وَحادٍ قَسْقاسْ
كَأَنَّهُنَّas though they were مِنْof سَرَاءsara wood أَقْواسْbows
كَأَنَّهُنَّ مِنْ سَرَاء أَقْواسْ
Driven onward by night and a hard-driving camel-driver,
As though they were bows of sara wood,
لَمْdid not يُعْلِقfasten الأَوْتارَthe bowstrings فِيهاin them العَكّاسْthe bow-bender
لَمْ يُعْلِق الأَوْتارَ فِيها العَكّاسْ
إِذاwhen جَرَتْran فِيهاalong them النُسُوعthe girth-straps الأَسْلاسْsupple
إِذا جَرَتْ فِيها النُسُوع الأَسْلاسْ
On which the bow-bender has fastened no strings,
When supple girth-straps glide along them.
وَالقُورُand the rocky hills مِنْهاamong them راسِبٌsinking وقَمَّاسْand plunging
وَالقُورُ مِنْها راسِبٌ وقَمَّاسْ
يَطوِينَهَاthey traverse it أَوْلاَدُهُنَّtheir young أَغْراسْbirth-membranes
يَطوِينَهَا أَوْلاَدُهُنَّ أَغْراسْ
And the rocky hills, some sinking, some plunging;
They cross it, their young still in birth-membranes,
لِلْعَرَقof the sweat البانِيaccumulating بِهِنَّupon them أَنْجاسْfilthy crusts
لِلْعَرَق البانِي بِهِنَّ أَنْجاسْ
وَقُلْتُand I said إِذْwhen آسَّestablished الأُمُورَaffairs الأُسَّاسْthe foundation-layers
وَقُلْتُ إِذْ آسَّ الأُمُورَ الأُسَّاسْ
With filthy crusts of accumulating sweat upon them.
And I said, when the founders established affairs,
وَرَكِبَand took to الشَغْبَtroublemaking المُسِيءُthe evildoer المَأَّاسthe talebearer
وَرَكِبَ الشَغْبَ المُسِيءُ المَأَّاس
وَاجتَسَّand felt out شَرّاًevil بِيَديهِwith both his hands الجَسّاسthe inveterate spy
وَاجتَسَّ شَرّاً بِيَديهِ الجَسّاس
And the evildoing talebearer took to troublemaking,
And the spy felt out evil with both his hands,
وَالحَربُand war فيهاin it شُعَلُflames وَأَقباسand firebrands
وَالحَربُ فيها شُعَلُ وَأَقباس
تَجِلُّis too mighty أَنْthat تُذْكَرَbe mentioned فِيهَاin it الأَنْكاسْweaklings
تَجِلُّ أَنْ تُذْكَرَ فِيهَا الأَنْكاسْ
And war held flames and firebrands,
Too mighty for weaklings to be mentioned within it,
إِذَاwhen أَبْلَغَbrought to the utmost الجَهْدُexertion العِرَاكَthe combat الدَوَّاسْcrushing
إِذَا أَبْلَغَ الجَهْدُ العِرَاكَ الدَوَّاسْ
وَزَيَّلَand sifted الدَعْوَىthe claims الخِلاطُthe melee الحَوَّاسْgrinding
وَزَيَّلَ الدَعْوَى الخِلاطُ الحَوَّاسْ
When exertion intensified the crushing fray,
And the grinding melee sifted the claims,
هُناكَthere مِرْدانَاour battering weapon مِدَقٌّpounding مِرْداسْcrushing
هُناكَ مِرْدانَا مِدَقٌّ مِرْداسْ
وَالمَوْتُand death بِالمُسْتَورِدِينَamong those venturing in غَمّاسْdeeply engulfing
وَالمَوْتُ بِالمُسْتَورِدِينَ غَمّاسْ
There our battering weapon pounds and crushes,
And death engulfs those who venture in.
وَعَرَفَتْand knew يَوْمَon the day of الخَميِسthe army الأَخْماسْthe five divisions
وَعَرَفَتْ يَوْمَ الخَميِس الأَخْماسْ
وَقَدْand already نَزَتْleapt بَيْنَbetween التَرَاقِيthe collarbones الأَنْفاسْthe breaths
وَقَدْ نَزَتْ بَيْنَ التَرَاقِي الأَنْفاسْ
And the five divisions knew, on the army's day,
As breaths leapt between the collarbones,
وَفِيand in الوُجُوهِthe faces صُفْرَةٌpallor وَإِبْلاسْand despair
وَفِي الوُجُوهِ صُفْرَةٌ وَإِبْلاسْ
مَنْwho يَرِدِenters المَوْتَdeath وَقَدْand already هَابَbecame afraid الناسْthe people
مَنْ يَرِدِ المَوْتَ وَقَدْ هَابَ الناسْ
And faces bore pallor and despair,
Who would enter death when the people were afraid.
وَالتَرْجُمَانُand al-Tarjuman بْنُson of هُرَيْمٍHuraym هَرّاسa crusher
وَالتَرْجُمَانُ بْنُ هُرَيْمٍ هَرّاس
كَأَنَّهُas though he were لَيثُa lion عَرينٍa den دِرواسٍmassive
كَأَنَّهُ لَيثُ عَرينٍ دِرواسٍ
And al-Tarjuman ibn Huraym is a crusher,
As though he were a massive lion of the den,
بِالعَثَّرينِat al-'Aththarayn ضَيغَمِيٌّlion-like هَوَّاسprowling
بِالعَثَّرينِ ضَيغَمِيٌّ هَوَّاس
لَيْسَnot لَهfor him إِلّاexcept الزَئِيرroaring أَجْراسْsounds
لَيْسَ لَه إِلّا الزَئِير أَجْراسْ
At al-'Aththarayn, lion-like and prowling,
With no sounds but roaring,
كَماjust as يَرُجُّshakes الرَعدَthunder أَحوىdark رَجّاسrumbling
كَما يَرُجُّ الرَعدَ أَحوى رَجّاس
أَشجَعَexceedingly brave خَوّاضُplunging through غِياضٍthickets جَوّاسprowling
أَشجَعَ خَوّاضُ غِياضٍ جَوّاس
As a dark, rumbling cloud sets thunder rolling,
Surpassingly brave, plunging through thickets, a prowler,
فِيin نَمِراتٍstriped cloaks لِبْدُهُنtheir felted layers أَحْلاسْsaddlecloths
فِي نَمِراتٍ لِبْدُهُن أَحْلاسْ
عَادَتُهُhis habit خَبْطٌbattering وَعَضٌّand biting هَمَّاسْcrunching
عَادَتُهُ خَبْطٌ وَعَضٌّ هَمَّاسْ
In striped cloaks, their felted layers like saddlecloths.
His habit is battering and crunching bites,
وَوقْعُand the stroke of نابَيْهِhis two fangs مِجَدٌّrelentless وَهُوَand he is فَئَّاسْan axe-like cleaver
وَوقْعُ نابَيْهِ مِجَدٌّ وَهُوَ فَئَّاسْ
يَعْدُوruns بِأشْبالwith cubs أَبُوهاtheir father الهِرْماسْthe mighty lion
يَعْدُو بِأشْبال أَبُوها الهِرْماسْ
And his two fangs strike relentlessly; he cleaves like an axe.
He runs with cubs whose father is the mighty lion.
وَقَدْand already رَأَىsaw الذَوّادُthe defender وَهوَwhile he is خَنَّاسْskulking away
وَقَدْ رَأَى الذَوّادُ وَهوَ خَنَّاسْ
نَجَاescaped فِراراًin flight وَالفَرُورُand the fugitive خَيّاسْfaithless
نَجَا فِراراً وَالفَرُورُ خَيّاسْ
And the defender saw him, shrinking away,
And escaped in flight; the fugitive is faithless.
لَوْif لَمْnot يُبَرِّزْهُcarried him clear جَوادٌa noble steed مِرْآسْhead-tossing
لَوْ لَمْ يُبَرِّزْهُ جَوادٌ مِرْآسْ
لَسَقَطَتْwould have fallen بِالْماضِغِينfrom the two jaws الأَضْراسْthe molars
لَسَقَطَتْ بِالْماضِغِين الأَضْراسْ
Had a head-tossing steed not carried him clear,
His molars would have fallen from his two jaws.
وَابْنُand the son of هُرَيْمٍHuraym وَالرَئِيسُand the chief مُرْتاسْtaking command
وَابْنُ هُرَيْمٍ وَالرَئِيسُ مُرْتاسْ
لِلْمُصْعَباتِof the untamable وَالاأُسُودِand of lions فَرَّاسْa fierce slayer
لِلْمُصْعَباتِ وَالاأُسُودِ فَرَّاسْ
And Ibn Huraym, the chief who takes command,
Is a slayer of the untamable and of lions,
ضارٍpracticed بِإِفْراءِin tearing apart الذَفَارَىthe napes رَءَّاسْa head-crusher
ضارٍ بِإِفْراءِ الذَفَارَى رَءَّاسْ
وَالتَرْجُمانُand al-Tarjuman حِينَwhen يُعْيِيfails الإِبْساسْcoaxing
وَالتَرْجُمانُ حِينَ يُعْيِي الإِبْساسْ
Practiced in tearing napes, a crusher of heads.
And al-Tarjuman, when coaxing fails,
وَيَكْرَهُand resents الحَقَّwhat is due البَخِيلُthe miser العَبّاسْscowling
وَيَكْرَهُ الحَقَّ البَخِيلُ العَبّاسْ
كَالْغَيْثِlike rain يَحْيَاcomes to life فِيin ثَراهُhis moist earth البُؤَّاسْthe destitute
كَالْغَيْثِ يَحْيَا فِي ثَراهُ البُؤَّاسْ
And the scowling miser begrudges what is due,
Is like rain: the destitute find life in his moist earth.
تَراهُyou see him مَنْصوراًvictorious عَلَيْهupon him الأَرْغاسْabundant blessings
تَراهُ مَنْصوراً عَلَيْه الأَرْغاسْ
يَخْضَرُّstays green ماas long as اخْضَرَّstays green الأَلاءُthe ala shrub وَالآسْand myrtle
يَخْضَرُّ ما اخْضَرَّ الأَلاءُ وَالآسْ
You see him victorious, with blessings upon him;
He stays green as long as ala shrubs and myrtle stay green.
إِنَّindeed تَمِيماًTamim حارَبَتْهاwaged war against her الأَرْجاسْthe vile ones
إِنَّ تَمِيماً حارَبَتْها الأَرْجاسْ
وَنَحْنُand we إِنْif حَطَّdescend الحُرُوبwars الأَعْماسْdark and tangled
وَنَحْنُ إِنْ حَطَّ الحُرُوب الأَعْماسْ
Indeed, the vile have waged war against Tamim.
And we, if dark and tangled wars descend,
يَأْبَىrefuses لَناfor us قِبْضٌa nimble warrior وَجَدٌّand good fortune قِنْعاسْmighty and steadfast
يَأْبَى لَنا قِبْضٌ وَجَدٌّ قِنْعاسْ
لَهُit has مَلاطِيسُclubs وَخَبْطٌand blows مِلْطاسْcrushing
لَهُ مَلاطِيسُ وَخَبْطٌ مِلْطاسْ
A nimble warrior and mighty fortune will not let us yield.
It has clubs and crushing blows,
وَعُنُقٌand a neck ثَمَّthere وَجَوْزٌand a midsection مِهْراسْa crushing pestle
وَعُنُقٌ ثَمَّ وَجَوْزٌ مِهْراسْ
وَمَنْكِبَاand two shoulders of عِزٍّmight لَنَاfor us وَأَعْجاسْand bow-grips
وَمَنْكِبَا عِزٍّ لَنَا وَأَعْجاسْ
And a neck there, and a pestle-like trunk,
And two shoulders of might for us, and bow-grips.
إِذَاwhen الدّوَاهِيcalamities اجْتَمَعَتْgather وَالأَحْسَاسْand deadly afflictions
إِذَا الدّوَاهِي اجْتَمَعَتْ وَالأَحْسَاسْ
نَهْنَهَهُمْheld them back عَنَّاfrom us ذِيادُdefense حَبّاسْrestraining
نَهْنَهَهُمْ عَنَّا ذِيادُ حَبّاسْ
When calamities and deadly afflictions gather,
A restraining defense holds them back from us,
وَحَرْشَفٌand foot soldiers خُشْنٌrugged وَخَيْلand horses أَكْداسْin masses
وَحَرْشَفٌ خُشْنٌ وَخَيْل أَكْداسْ
وَلَمْand did not يُعَوِّقْنَاdelay us النُجُومthe stars الأَنْحاسْill-omened
وَلَمْ يُعَوِّقْنَا النُجُوم الأَنْحاسْ
And rugged foot soldiers and massed horses.
And the ill-omened stars have not delayed us,
وَإِنْand even if تَبَارَىvie ناعِبٌa cawing crow وَعَطَّاسْand a sneezer
وَإِنْ تَبَارَى ناعِبٌ وَعَطَّاسْ
وَالنَصْرُand victory مِنَّاfrom us وَالمَضَاءُand resolve الحَدَاسْheadlong
وَالنَصْرُ مِنَّا وَالمَضَاءُ الحَدَاسْ
Even if a cawing crow and a sneezer vie.
And from us come victory and headlong resolve,
يَشْفِيcures الشَياطِينَthe devils بِناthrough us والفُجّاسْand the braggarts
يَشْفِي الشَياطِينَ بِنا والفُجّاسْ
It cures devils and braggarts through us.
Sol 6.1