وَبَلْدَةٍand a wasteland يَدْعُوcalls صَدَاهاits echo هِنْدَاHind
وَبَلْدَةٍ يَدْعُو صَدَاها هِنْدَا
يُهَيِّجُstirs اللَيْلُthe night عَلَيْهاover it وَجْداlonging
يُهَيِّجُ اللَيْلُ عَلَيْها وَجْدا
And a wasteland whose echo calls out 'Hind!'
A village whose echo he calls India
Night awakens longing over it,
The night excites longing in it
كَذاتlike a woman with أَحْزانsorrows أَرَاحَتْreturned at dusk فَقداloss
كَذات أَحْزان أَرَاحَتْ فَقدا
يُحْمِيscorches بِهَاin it الحَرُّthe heat المَهارَىthe Mahri she-camels وِرْداseeking water
يُحْمِي بِهَا الحَرُّ المَهارَى وِرْدا
like a sorrowing woman returning at dusk bereft.
Like one with sorrows who finds solace in loss
There the heat scorches the Mahri she-camels on their way to water,
Wherein the hot sands harbor roses
مِمّاfrom what تَصَلَّيْنَthey endure burning الهَجِيرthe midday heat الصَخْداthe scorching
مِمّا تَصَلَّيْنَ الهَجِير الصَخْدا
تَفْصِدdraws off أَوْشالtrickles الذَفارَىthe hollows behind the ears فَصْداa bloodletting
تَفْصِد أَوْشال الذَفارَى فَصْدا
with the searing midday heat they endure;
Of what the twittering grouse bowed to
sweat trickles from behind their ears as though blood were being let.
Nibbling the Euphorbia stalks
ماdid not زالَcease إِسْآدُthe night-march المَطايَاof the mounts سَمْداrelentlessly
ما زالَ إِسْآدُ المَطايَا سَمْدا
يَنْسَلِبُslips away اللَيْلُthe night انْسِلاباًa slipping away مَسْداswiftly and steadily
يَنْسَلِبُ اللَيْلُ انْسِلاباً مَسْدا
The mounts' night-march kept on relentlessly,
The kneading of the dough was still damp
while the night slipped away in a swift, unbroken course,
The night slips smoothly down
بِحَيْثُwhere سَمَّىnamed أَهْلُthe people of نَجْدٍNajd نَجْداNajd
بِحَيْثُ سَمَّى أَهْلُ نَجْدٍ نَجْدا
حَتَّىuntil بَرَىwore down الجَلْسَthe sturdy camel وَأنْضَىand exhausted الأُجْداthe firm-built she-camel
حَتَّى بَرَى الجَلْسَ وَأنْضَى الأُجْدا
where the people of Najd named it Najd,
Where the people of Najd called it Najd
until it wore down the sturdy camel and exhausted the strong one—
Until the sitting was blessed and the love fulfilled
تَقْلِيبthe repeated movement of أَخْفافٍcamel-hooves تُدَنِّيbring near البُعْدَاthe distance
تَقْلِيب أَخْفافٍ تُدَنِّي البُعْدَا
بِأَرْجُلٍwith legs ساقَتْdrove نَعاماًostriches زُبْداpale-feathered (uncertain)
بِأَرْجُلٍ ساقَتْ نَعاماً زُبْدا
the repeated movement of hooves that brings distance near,
The pattering of hooves that shorten the distance
with legs that drove pale-feathered ostriches before them.
With legs that raced an ostrich to water
كَأَنَّas though رَفْضَthe scattered offshoots of الشَركِthe tracks المُرْقَدّاstretched out
كَأَنَّ رَفْضَ الشَركِ المُرْقَدّا
إِذاwhen الطَرِيقُthe road بِالفَلاةِin the wasteland ارْمَدّاturned ash-gray
إِذا الطَرِيقُ بِالفَلاةِ ارْمَدّا
As though the sprawling offshoots of the tracks,
As if refusing the partnership that slumbers
when the road in the wilderness turns ash-gray,
When the path in the wilderness crooked
أَنْساعُstraps of مَكِّيٍّa Meccan أَجادdid expertly القَدَّاthe cutting into strips
أَنْساعُ مَكِّيٍّ أَجاد القَدَّا
وَإِنْand if خَصاصُthe openings in لَيْلِهِنَّtheir night اسْتَدّاclosed up
وَإِنْ خَصاصُ لَيْلِهِنَّ اسْتَدّا
were straps expertly cut by a Meccan.
The strides of a Meccan excelling at racing
And if the openings in their night close,
Though the specialty of their nights straightened
صَدَدْنَthey turned away عَنْfrom عِرْنِينِهits nose أَوْor صَدّاit turned away
صَدَدْنَ عَنْ عِرْنِينِه أَوْ صَدّا
عَنْهاaway from them وَتَعْرَوْرَىand rode bareback across سِهاباًwide expanses جُرْداbare
عَنْها وَتَعْرَوْرَى سِهاباً جُرْدا
they turn away from its nose—or it turns
They blocked it from its burrows or blocked
away from them, riding bareback over naked expanses,
It from them as it limped, injured, away
إِذاwhen تَهَاوىthe headlong rush of القَرَبِthe journey toward water اجْرَهَدَّاstretched on
إِذا تَهَاوى القَرَبِ اجْرَهَدَّا
كَأَنَّas though تَحْتِيbeneath me ذاone bearing شِيّاتٍmarkings فَرْداsolitary
كَأَنَّ تَحْتِي ذا شِيّاتٍ فَرْدا
as the headlong journey toward water stretches on.
When the war drums beat exhausted
As though beneath me were a solitary beast with markings,
You'd think there were some hyenas underneath me
بادَرَhastened ahead of لَيْلاًnight وَشَمالاًand a north wind صَرْداpiercingly cold
بادَرَ لَيْلاً وَشَمالاً صَرْدا
أَرْطَىarṭā shrubs وَأَحْقافاًand sand-dunes يَذُدْنَward off البَرْداthe cold
أَرْطَى وَأَحْقافاً يَذُدْنَ البَرْدا
hastening ahead of night and a piercing north wind
He ventured out in the night and cold violently
to arṭā bushes and sand-dunes that ward off the cold.
Arching and bleating, warding off the cold
يَنْضُوoutstrips المَطايَاthe mounts عَنَقاًat a swift pace وَوَخْداand a brisk trot
يَنْضُو المَطايَا عَنَقاً وَوَخْدا
نَضْوَكَyour stripping عَنfrom صَدْرِthe breast of اليَمانِيthe Yemeni sword الغِمْداthe sheath
نَضْوَكَ عَن صَدْرِ اليَمانِي الغِمْدا
It outstrips the mounts at a swift pace and a brisk trot,
The camels straighten their necks, awakened
as you strip the sheath from a Yemeni sword's breast.
Your awakening from the Yemeni's sheath
تَطْرُدُdrives away ذَمّاًblame وَتُدَنِّيand brings near حَمْداpraise
تَطْرُدُ ذَمّاً وَتُدَنِّي حَمْدا
تَعْمِيobscure مَعَانِيهاits meanings اللُغامَthe mouth-foam الجَعْداthe thick and curled
تَعْمِي مَعَانِيها اللُغامَ الجَعْدا
It drives away blame and brings praise near;
Repelling blame and shortening praise
its meanings obscure the thick, clotted mouth-foam.
Their dark manes obscuring meanings
لاlet not تَعْدmake for أَقْوامpeoples إِلَيَّtoward me القَصْداstraight ahead
لا تَعْد أَقْوام إِلَيَّ القَصْدا
أَبْدَوْاthey showed مِنَfrom الغَيْظِrage وُجُوهاًfaces رُبْداdarkened
أَبْدَوْا مِنَ الغَيْظِ وُجُوهاً رُبْدا
Let no peoples make straight for me:
They no longer reckon people will visit me
they have shown faces darkened with rage,
Showing, from anger, faces like pus
مَرْضَىsick وَإِنْand though كانُواthey were بِطاناًbig-bellied كُبْداlarge-livered
مَرْضَى وَإِنْ كانُوا بِطاناً كُبْدا
لاmay not بَرِئَتْheal غُدَّةُthe glandular swelling of مَنwhoever أَغَدّاdeveloped gland disease
لا بَرِئَتْ غُدَّةُ مَن أَغَدّا
sick, though big-bellied and large-livered.
Sick, though they were healthy inside
May the swelling of one stricken with gland disease never heal!
No tumor of one who swelled healed
إِذاwhen اعْتِراضُthe clash of الرَجَزٍrajaz verse اصْمَعَدّاgrew fierce
إِذا اعْتِراضُ الرَجَزٍ اصْمَعَدّا
عَرَفْتyou know أَنَّthat العَدَدthe numbers الأَعَدّاthe most numerous
عَرَفْت أَنَّ العَدَد الأَعَدّا
When the clash of rajaz verse grows fierce,
When the satire's opposition hardened
you know that the greatest numbers
I knew the greater number prepared
وَالرُكْنَand the pillar إِنْif زاحَمْتَهyou press against it الأَشَدّاthe strongest
وَالرُكْنَ إِنْ زاحَمْتَه الأَشَدّا
لَناbelong to us إِذاwhen يَوْمُthe day of الحِفَاظِdefending honor امْتَدَّاstretched on
لَنا إِذا يَوْمُ الحِفَاظِ امْتَدَّا
and the strongest pillar, should you press against it,
And the pillar, if you compete with the firmest
are ours when the day of defending honor stretches long,
For us, when the day of horrors stretched out
وَعَمَّand spread widely أَيّامin the days of الضِناكhardship الحَشْداthe mustering
وَعَمَّ أَيّام الضِناك الحَشْدا
وَإِنand if أَمَرَّtwisted tightly المُحْصِدُونthe cord-twisters الحَصْداthe binding
وَإِن أَمَرَّ المُحْصِدُون الحَصْدا
and the muster spreads in days of hardship.
And the days of misery spread wide
And if the cord-twisters tighten their binding
And though they commanded harvesting the harvest
فِيon يَوْمِa day of هَيْجَاbattle أَوْor غَشِينthey entered الجِدّاearnest struggle
فِي يَوْمِ هَيْجَا أَوْ غَشِين الجِدّا
وَلَمْand did not نَجِدْwe find مِنْfrom عُظْمthe magnitude of أَمْرٍan undertaking بُدَّاan escape
وَلَمْ نَجِدْ مِنْ عُظْم أَمْرٍ بُدَّا
on a day of battle, or plunge into earnest struggle,
On a day of stirring or covering intensity
and we find no escape from a mighty undertaking,
And we did not find any matter of import
وَنَحْنُand we ماso long as لَمْnot نَرwe see أَمْراًa course رُشْدَاrightly guided
وَنَحْنُ ما لَمْ نَر أَمْراً رُشْدَا
نُدْنِيwe bring near لِنُكْدِin answer to the trouble of الناسِpeople مِنّاfrom us نُكْداtrouble
نُدْنِي لِنُكْدِ الناسِ مِنّا نُكْدا
we, so long as we see no prudent course,
While we have not seen any proper matter
answer people's trouble with trouble of our own.
We bring down upon the people because of us misery
وَمَنand whomever أَرَدْنَاwe sought جُرْأَةًboldness وَمَكْداand guile
وَمَن أَرَدْنَا جُرْأَةً وَمَكْدا
بِقَسْرِنَاthrough our coercion التَعْبِيدَenslavement كانَhe became عَبْداa slave
بِقَسْرِنَا التَعْبِيدَ كانَ عَبْدا
And whomever we sought, boldly and with guile,
And whoever we wanted boldness and schemes from
to force into bondage became a slave.
By our forcing servitude, became a slave
تَرَىyou see إِذاwhen ذُوone possessing الحَسَبِnoble lineage اسْتَعَدّاmade ready
تَرَى إِذا ذُو الحَسَبِ اسْتَعَدّا
مِنّاfrom among us رَسُولاًa messenger هادِياًguiding وَحَمْدَاand praise
مِنّا رَسُولاً هادِياً وَحَمْدَا
You see, when a man of noble lineage makes ready,
You see, when the respectable prepared
among us a guiding messenger, and praise;
A messenger from us, guiding and praiseworthy
بِهِthrough him تَفَنَّخْنَاwe proudly surmounted الذُرَىthe heights وَالمَجْداand glory
بِهِ تَفَنَّخْنَا الذُرَى وَالمَجْدا
وَعَمُّنَاand our uncle أَفْضَلُthe best عَمٍّuncle زَبْداin bounty
وَعَمُّنَا أَفْضَلُ عَمٍّ زَبْدا
through him we surmounted the heights and attained glory.
Through him we scattered the parasites and glory
And our uncle is the finest uncle in bounty—
And our uncle is the best of uncles, mottled
قَيْسٌQays إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle المَحْلِبُthe milking vessel اسْتَمَدّاsought replenishment
قَيْسٌ إِذا ما المَحْلِبُ اسْتَمَدّا
الأَعَظَمُونَthe greatest ones فِيin الجِهادِbattle جُنْداin troops
الأَعَظَمُونَ فِي الجِهادِ جُنْدا
Qays, when the milking vessel needs replenishing.
Qais, when the milkbag was extracted
The mightiest hosts in battle,
The greatest in battle, an army
وَالأَمْنَعُونَand the staunchest protectors ذِمَماًpledges of protection وَعَهْداand covenant
وَالأَمْنَعُونَ ذِمَماً وَعَهْدا
ذَاكَthat one وَسَعْدِيand my Saʿd الأَفْضَلُونَthe finest سَعْداSaʿd
ذَاكَ وَسَعْدِي الأَفْضَلُونَ سَعْدا
and the staunchest protectors of pledges and covenants:
The safest with covenants and pacts
that one—and my Saʿd, the finest of those named Saʿd.
That, and my grandfather the most fortunate, Sa'd
إِنَّكَindeed you إِنْif تَعْدِلْweigh equally بِنَاagainst us مَعَدّاMaʿadd
إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَعْدِلْ بِنَا مَعَدّا
نَعْدِلُwe equal مَعَدّاًMaʿadd عَدَداًin numbers وَجَدَّاand good fortune
نَعْدِلُ مَعَدّاً عَدَداً وَجَدَّا
Indeed, if you weigh Maʿadd against us,
If you judge us fairly, judging
we equal Maʿadd in numbers and good fortune,
We judge fairly, a number judged
وَحَسَباًand in noble lineage يَوْمَon the day of الفِضالِvying for superiority عِدّاcounted
وَحَسَباً يَوْمَ الفِضالِ عِدّا
وَإِنand if ظَلَمناwe wronged الناسَpeople قُلناwe said عَمداdeliberately
وَإِن ظَلَمنا الناسَ قُلنا عَمدا
and in lineage, reckoned on the day of rivalry.
And enough the day of superiority, reckoned
And if we wrong people, we say, 'Deliberately.'
And if we wronged people, we said, deliberately
فَأَيُّهاso, O الرائِمُthe seeker of أَمراًa deed إِدَّاmonstrous
فَأَيُّها الرائِمُ أَمراً إِدَّا
إِنْif كُنْتَyou are تَرْجُونَاyou hope to face us فَنَاطِحthen butt against أُحْداUhud
إِنْ كُنْتَ تَرْجُونَا فَنَاطِح أُحْدا
So, you who seek a monstrous deed,
So you, blaming a matter done
if you hope to take us on, then butt against Uhud!
If you expect us, then strike Uhod
إِنَّindeed لَنَاwe have مِنْfrom كُلِّevery نِهدٍpooled provision نِهْداa share
إِنَّ لَنَا مِنْ كُلِّ نِهدٍ نِهْدا
مِنَfrom الرِبابِal-Ribāb حَلَباًmilk وَرِفْداand support
مِنَ الرِبابِ حَلَباً وَرِفْدا
Indeed, from every pooled provision we have a share:
We have from each spearpoint a spearpoint
from al-Ribāb, milk and support,
From cows, milk and provision
وَعَمْرُنَاand our ʿAmr رِفْداًas aid لَناfor us وَرِدَّاand defense
وَعَمْرُنَا رِفْداً لَنا وَرِدَّا
وَآلُand the house of زَيْدٍZayd سَلَفاًas an advance party وَوَفْداand a delegation
وَآلُ زَيْدٍ سَلَفاً وَوَفْدا
and our ʿAmr brings us aid and defense,
And our life provision for us and repayment
and the house of Zayd, an advance party and a delegation,
And the family of Zayd, an advance and delegation
مُسْتَأْسِداًlion-hearted مِنْfrom كُلِّevery قَوْمٍpeople أُسْدَاlions
مُسْتَأْسِداً مِنْ كُلِّ قَوْمٍ أُسْدَا
تَرَىyou see لَهُمamong them إِنْif رامhe sought أَمْراًa deed ضَهْداdomineering
تَرَى لَهُم إِنْ رام أَمْراً ضَهْدا
lion-hearted, with lions from every people.
As lions from each people, lions
You see among them, if one seeks a deed of domination,
You'd see them, if an affair became serious
مِنْfrom قَسْوَةِthe hardness of العِزِّmight رِقاباًnecks لُدّاunyielding
مِنْ قَسْوَةِ العِزِّ رِقاباً لُدّا
وَجِلَّةًand great mature camels لاnot يَشْتَكٍينَthey complain of اللَهْداrough treatment
وَجِلَّةً لا يَشْتَكٍينَ اللَهْدا
necks unyielding with the hardness of their might,
Necks hardened from the harshness of glory
and great, mature camels that never complain of rough treatment.
And a group who don't complain of twisting
يَخْضِدْنthey snap أَعْناقthe necks of القُرُومِthe mighty stallions خَضْداa crushing break
يَخْضِدْن أَعْناق القُرُومِ خَضْدا
إِذاwhen إحْتَضَرْنَthey are present يَوْمَon a day of زَأدٍterror زَأْداsheer terror
إِذا إحْتَضَرْنَ يَوْمَ زَأدٍ زَأْدا
They snap the necks of mighty stallions clean through;
Slavering the necks of phalanxes with biting
when they appear on a day of terror—sheer terror—
When they charge on a day of arming, charging
لَمْnot تَرَyou see إِلّاexcept مُقْرَماًa breeding male عِلَّكْداmassive and thick-set
لَمْ تَرَ إِلّا مُقْرَماً عِلَّكْدا
فُرَانِساًa thick-necked lion أُرِبَّfully grown جِسْماًin body مَغْداsupple-fleshed
فُرَانِساً أُرِبَّ جِسْماً مَغْدا
you see only a massive, thick-set breeding male,
You see only one grimacing, chewing
a thick-necked lion, full-bodied and supple of flesh.
A Franciscan made fat in body
يَزِيدُهُmakes him more نَهْمُthe shouting of الوَعِيدِthreats حَرْداfurious
يَزِيدُهُ نَهْمُ الوَعِيدِ حَرْدا
إِذاwhen أَعادhe repeated الزَأْرَthe roaring وَاسْمَعَدّاand swelled up
إِذا أَعاد الزَأْرَ وَاسْمَعَدّا
Threatening shouts only increase his fury
Whose appetite for threats grows
when he roars again and swells up,
When he repeats the roar and readies
وَقَدْand already غَضِبْنَthey grew angry غَضَباًan anger عِرْبَدّاfierce and frenzied
وَقَدْ غَضِبْنَ غَضَباً عِرْبَدّا
حَسِبْتُهُI thought him غَشَّاهُhad coated him لَوْناًa hue وَرْداrose-red
حَسِبْتُهُ غَشَّاهُ لَوْناً وَرْدا
while they rage with savage, frenzied anger.
And they became angry with great anger
I thought he had been coated in a rose-red hue
I thought it covered him in the color pink
طالِيهhis painter إِلّاexcept for بِتَكاًtufts أَوْor لِبْداmatted locks
طالِيه إِلّا بِتَكاً أَوْ لِبْدا
كَأَنَّas though نَابَيْهِhis two fangs إِذَاwhen اسْتَحَدّاbecame sharp
كَأَنَّ نَابَيْهِ إِذَا اسْتَحَدّا
by his painter, except for tufts or matted locks.
Wearing only a loincloth or tattered garment
As though his two fangs, when sharpened
It's as if when his fangs sharpen
بِالآخَرَيْنِagainst the other two مِغْوَلاَنِtwo daggers ارْتَدّاhad turned back
بِالآخَرَيْنِ مِغْوَلاَنِ ارْتَدّا
فِيin وُرَّمٍa massive swollen frame أَرْآدُهits joints أَلَدّاunyielding
فِي وُرَّمٍ أَرْآدُه أَلَدّا
against the other pair, were two daggers turned back
They rebound off the other two, blunted
into a massive, swollen frame whose joints are unyielding,
In a cleft I see him most severe
وَهامَةٍand a head كَالصَمْدِlike a boulder لاَقَتْmet صَمْداa boulder
وَهامَةٍ كَالصَمْدِ لاَقَتْ صَمْدا
إِذاwhen اضْمَأَكَّswelled أَخْدَعَاهhis two neck-veins ابْتَدّاspread apart
إِذا اضْمَأَكَّ أَخْدَعَاه ابْتَدّا
and a head like a rock that has met another rock.
With resolve like an anvil that met an anvil
When his two neck-veins swell, they jut apart,
When he frowned his scowl intensified
صَلِيفَa neck-side مُرْدِيٍّa punting pole وَمُصْلَخِدّاand towering rigidly
صَلِيفَ مُرْدِيٍّ وَمُصْلَخِدّا
أَعانَsupported حَيْداهُhis two skull-ridges جَبِيناًa forehead صَلْداsmooth and hard
أَعانَ حَيْداهُ جَبِيناً صَلْدا
a neck-side like a punting pole, towering and rigid;
Arrogant, defiant, sneering
his twin skull-ridges support a smooth, hard forehead.
His rage helped his wrathful brow
يَزْغَدْنَthey thrust at بَخْباخَthe loud-gurgling one الهَدِيرِthe bellowing زَغْداwith forceful thrusts
يَزْغَدْنَ بَخْباخَ الهَدِيرِ زَغْدا
بَوَاذِخاًtowering راجِسَةًloudly rumbling وَرَدّاand repelling
بَوَاذِخاً راجِسَةً وَرَدّا
They batter the loud-gurgling roarer with heavy thrusts,
They race with the gargle of the stream racing
towering, thunderous, and driving back.
High-stepping and purplish red
تَسْمَعُyou hear لِلأَرْضِfrom the earth بِهِنَّthrough them وَأْداa heavy thud
تَسْمَعُ لِلأَرْضِ بِهِنَّ وَأْدا
وَإِنْand if رَأَيْتَyou saw مَنْكِباًa shoulder وَعَضْداand an upper arm
وَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ مَنْكِباً وَعَضْدا
You hear the ground thud beneath them.
You hear for them the earth groan
And if you see a shoulder and an upper arm
And if you saw a shoulder and arm
مِنْهُنَّof theirs تُرْمَىis heaped upon بِاللَكِيكِwith compact flesh لَثْداdensely packed
مِنْهُنَّ تُرْمَى بِاللَكِيكِ لَثْدا
حَسِبْتَyou would think فِيin أَجْلادِهِنَّtheir hides سُخْداbirth-fluid
حَسِبْتَ فِي أَجْلادِهِنَّ سُخْدا
of theirs, densely heaped with compact flesh,
Of them pelted with firm throws
you think their hides contain birth-fluid,
You'd think their skins full of vesicles
مِنْfrom نَضْوthe shedding of (sense uncertain) أَوْرامٍswellings تَمَشَّتْcrept سَأْدَاby night
مِنْ نَضْو أَوْرامٍ تَمَشَّتْ سَأْدَا
from the shedding of swellings that crept by night.
From the swelling of tumors that crept out
Sol 6.1