1. قالَ آخِيلُ يا اُذِيسُ المؤَنِس

    لِيَ فَاسمَع فَإِنني لا أُلابِس

    Achilles said: “Odysseus, my comforting friend,

    listen to me, for I do not dissemble.

  2. لِي مَقالٌ فَلَن أحُولَنَّ عَنهُ

    فَعِهِ واطرَحَنَّ عَنكَ الوَساوِس

    I have a statement from which I shall not depart;

    heed it, and cast your misgivings aside.

  3. مَن يَقل غَيرَ ما تَيَقَّنَ فِكرا

    كانَ عندي مِنَ الجَحَيمِ أَشرَّا

    Whoever says something other than what he truly thinks

    is, to me, worse than hell.

  4. فالذي قد أَسرَرتُ هاكُم جَهاراً

    لِجَميعِ الإِغرِيقِ لَستُ بِناكِس

    What I kept secret, I now declare openly

    to all the Greeks; I shall not recant.

  5. ما بأَتريذَ والاَغارِقِ جَمعا

    مَن حُقَوقَ الأَبطالِ بالحَقِّ يَرعَى

    Neither Atreides nor all the Greeks together

    have one who rightfully safeguards the heroes' rights.

  6. فَلدَيهِم سِيَّانِ قَرمٌ عَنِيدٌ

    وجَبانٌ عَنِ الوَغى مُتَقاعِس

    For to them a defiant champion

    and a coward who hangs back from battle are equal.

  7. ولدَيهِم سَهمُ الفَتى الصَّندِيدِ

    مِثلُ سَهمِ الهَيَّابَةِ الرِّعدِيدِ

    To them the brave young man's share

    equals the fearful, trembling coward's share.

  8. والرَّدى يَحصُدُ الجَميعَ سَواءٌ

    مُتَّقِي الهَولِ والجَسُورُ الحُمَارِس

    Death reaps everyone alike:

    the one who shuns terror and the fierce, daring warrior.

  9. أيَّ نَفَعٍ جَنَيتُ مِن قَهرِ نَفسِي

    واقتِحامِ الأَهوالِفَتكاً بِبَأسِي

    What gain did I reap from driving myself hard

    and plunging into terrors, killing with my might?

  10. كُنتُ كالطَّيرِ لِلفراخِ يُوَافي

    بِطَعامٍ عَن نَفسِهِ هُوَ حابِس

    I was like a bird coming to its chicks

    with food it withholds from itself.

  11. كَم لَيالٍ أَحيَيتُ كَم مِن نَهارِ

    باصطِكاكِ القَنا اثَرتُ أُوَراي

    How many nights I kept vigil, how many days

    I kindled my flames with the clash of spears!

  12. كُلُّ هذا حِفظاً لِعِرضِ نِساكُم

    ولَكُم خُضتُ فادِحاتِ الدَّراهِس

    All this to preserve your women's honor;

    for you I plunged into crushing ordeals.

  13. إثنَتَي عَشرَةً مَدائِنَ بَحرا

    نِلتُ ثُمَّ الطُّروادَ اقلَقتُ بَراَّ

    Twelve cities by sea

    I captured; then on land I harried the Troad,

  14. حَيثُ عَشراً وبَلدَةً ثمَّ دَمَّرا

    تُ ومِنها قَسراً سَلَبتُ النَّفائِس

    where I destroyed ten cities and one more,

    and forcibly plundered their treasures.

  15. ولأَترِيذَ سُقُتُ كُلَّ الغَنَائِم

    وَهوَ بَينَ السَّفينِ بالاَمنِ قائم

    To Atreides I brought all the spoils,

    while he stayed safely among the ships.

  16. فَحَبا الصِّيدَ والقُيُولَ يَسيراً

    وبِجُلِّ الأَسلابِ قد ظَلَّ آنِس

    He gave the noble chiefs and kings a little,

    and remained content with most of the spoils.

  17. إِنَّما مِن جَمِيعِهِم ما استَرَدَّا

    أَنا مِن دُونِهِم بِسَهمِي استَبَدَّا

    Yet from all the others he took nothing back;

    from me alone he seized my share.

  18. وإِلى زوجتي استَطالَ فَدَعهُ

    يَتَمتَّع بِقُربها ويُنافِس

    He encroached upon my wife; so leave him

    to enjoy her company and vie for her.

  19. فَعَلامَ الإغرِيقُ هاجُوا وماجُوا

    وبحَربِ الطُّروَادِ ثارَ العَجاجُ

    Why, then, did the Greeks stir and rage,

    and war against the Troad raise clouds of dust?

  20. أَفَما في اطِّلابِ هِيلانَةٍ قد

    جاءَ أَترِيذُ بالكُمَاة القَوامِس

    Was it not in pursuit of Helen that

    Atreides came with mighty warriors?

  21. كُلُّ شَهمٍ لِعِرسِهِ يَتَوَدَّد

    لَم يَكُن ذا بالأَترِذَينِ مُقَيَّد

    Every noble man shows affection to his wife;

    this was not reserved for the two Atreidae.

  22. وبعِرسي أَنا كَلِفتُ وإِن لَم

    تَكُ إِلاَّ مِنَ السَّبايا العَطامِس

    I too was devoted to my wife, though she

    was only one of the fair, well-formed captives.

  23. إنَّ أَترِيذَ غَلَّ سَهمِيَ مِنِّي

    مِثلَما غَرَّني فَلَن يَخدَعَنِّي

    Atreides stole my allotted share from me;

    just as he deceived me, he shall not trick me again.

  24. بكَ أُوذِيسُ والملوكِ لِدَرءِ ال

    ضَّيمِ عَنهُ فَليَعقِدَنَّ المَجالِس

    With you, Odysseus, and the kings, to ward off

    harm from himself, let him hold his councils.

  25. بَعدَ بُعدي كَم جاءَ أَمراً خَطِيرا

    رَفَعَ السُّورَ ثمَّ مَدَّ الحَفِيرا

    Since my withdrawal, how many momentous deeds he has undertaken!

    He raised the wall, then extended the trench;

  26. ثُمَّ شادَ الأَبوابَ لكِن أَراهُ

    مِن لِقا هَكطُرَ المُدَمِّرِ راعِس

    then he built the gates, but I see him

    trembling before a meeting with destructive Hector.

  27. قَطُّ ما جازَ هَكطُرُ الزَّانَ قَبلا

    لا ولا بابَ إسكِيا اجتَازَ فِعلا

    Never before did Hector pass beyond the beech;

    no, nor did he ever cross the Scaean Gate.

  28. بَل إِزاءَ الحُصُونِ ظَلَّ يُبَارِي

    عندَما كُنتُ في صُدُورِ الفَوارِس

    Rather, he stayed before the fortifications, contending,

    when I was at the forefront of the horsemen.

  29. لِلًقائي بالحَربِ يَوماً تَرَبَّص

    كادَ يُصمَى لكِن نَجا وتَمَلًّص

    One day he lay in wait to meet me in battle;

    he was nearly slain outright, but escaped and slipped away.

  30. بَيدَ أَنّي لا أَبغِيَنَّ لَهُ بَع

    دُ كِفاحاً فالعَودُ بَعدَ الحَنادِس

    But I shall not seek combat with him

    again; my return will come after the dark nights.

  31. فِلِزَفسٍ وسائِرِ الأَربابِ

    سأُضَحِّي غَداً قُبَيلَ المَآبِ

    To Zeus and all the other gods

    I shall sacrifice tomorrow, just before returning.

  32. وإِذا شِئتُمُ ارقُبُنَّ سَفِيني

    جُسنَ قَلبَ العُبابِ أَيَّ جَوائِس

    And if you wish, watch my ships

    ranging through the heart of the swell—what voyagers!

  33. بِثَقيلِ الأًَحمالِ تَمخَرُ مَخرا

    وبها الأَردَمُونَ تَخرُقُ بَحرا

    Heavy-laden, they plow through the water,

    and, with oarsmen aboard, cut through the sea.

  34. وَإِذا شاءَ فُوِسذٌ ثالِثَ الأَ

    يَّامِ في إِفثيا رَسَونض أَوانِس

    And if Poseidon wills, on the third

    day they will anchor in Phthia, at ease.

  35. فَبِها قد غادرتُ مالاً وَفِيرا

    وإِلَيهِ أَضُمُّ كَسباً كَثِيرا

    There I left abundant wealth,

    and to it I shall add rich gains:

  36. ذَهَباً ساطِعاً حَدِيداً وصُفراً

    والسبايا ذَاتَ القُدُودِ المَوائِس

    shining gold, iron, and bronze,

    and captive women with gracefully swaying figures.

  37. كُلَّ هذا أَحرَزتُ سَهماً حلالا

    وأَغامَمَنُونٌ أَجازَ وغَالا

    All this I secured as my rightful share,

    and Agamemnon rewarded me, then robbed me.

  38. أَبلٍغُوهُ قَولي جَهاراً لِيُخزَى

    إِن رأآ بَعدُ أَن يَدُسَّ الدَّسائِس

    Tell him my words openly, to shame him,

    if he should think of plotting further schemes.

  39. وَهوَ مَهما عَتا ولَم يَتَهَيَّب

    ذَلَّ عَن أَن يَدنُو وَوَجهَي يَقرَب

    However insolent and fearless he may be,

    he shrinks from approaching and facing me.

  40. لا يَرُومَنَّ بَعدُ قَولي وفِعلي

    لا يُطِيلَنَّ لي الحَدِيثَ الخُلابِس

    Let him no longer seek my words or deeds;

    let him not prolong his deceitful talk to me.

  41. ولَيَسيرَن لِلهَلاكِ ثُبُورا

    إِنَّ زَفساً أَبادَ مِنهُ الشُّعُورا

    Let him go to destruction and utter ruin!

    Zeus has stripped him of all understanding.

  42. هُوَ عِندِي كَشعرَةِ باحتِقارٍ

    وأًَنا كُلَّ ما بِهِ جادَ باخِس

    In my contempt, I count him no more than a hair,

    and I scorn everything he offers.

  43. لَو حَباني عَشراً وَعِشرِينَ مِثلاً

    للَّذي رامَ والذي حازَ فِعلا

    Even if he gave me ten and twenty times

    what he sought and what he actually owns,

  44. أَو حَباني ما قد حَوَت أُرخُمِينا

    أَو حَوَت طِيبةُ القُصُورِ الطَّواِئِس

    or gave me all that Orchomenus holds,

    or Thebes with its splendid palaces—

  45. تِلكَ في مِصرَ رَحبَةُ الأَبوابِ

    مِئَةٌ قَد عَلَونَ مِثلَ الرَّوابي

    that city in Egypt, with spacious gates,

    a hundred rising like hills,

  46. مِئتا فارِسٍ على مَركَباتٍ

    وَخُيُولٍ في كُلِّ بابٍ حَوارِس

    two hundred warriors in chariots

    and on horses guarding each gate—

  47. أَو حباني عَدَّ الهَبا والرِّمالِ

    لَن أَحُولَنَّ عَنِ بَعِيدِ اعتِزَالي

    or gave me as much as dust and sand,

    I would never abandon my distant seclusion.

  48. لَن أَحِلَّنَّ وَسطَ نادِيهِ حَتَّى

    شَرَّ عُقبَى يَلقَى لِتلكَ المَدانِس

    I shall not take my place in his assembly until

    he meets the worst fate for those foul deeds.

  49. بِنتُهُ لو كَعَفرُذِيتَ سَناءً

    أَو أَثِينا الجَلالِ كانت ذَكاءً

    Even if his daughter shone like Aphrodite,

    or had the wisdom of majestic Athena,

  50. لَن أَرُومَنَّها فَغَيرِيَ يَلقَى

    مَن يُجَاري هَواهُ بَينَ الأَراغِس

    I would not seek her; let him find another

    among the Argives to indulge his wishes.

  51. فَاذَا عُدتُ سالِماً لِبلادي

    ثَمَّ فِيلا كُفءٌ لِكُلِّ مُرَادي

    When I return safely to my homeland,

    there Peleus can fulfill all my wishes.

  52. فَبِهِيلاذَةٍ وفي إِفثِيا عِن

    دَ الصَّنادِيدِ لا تَقِلُّ العَرَائِس

    For in Hellas and in Phthia, among

    the champions, brides are not scarce.

  53. أَتَنَقَّى مِنهُنَّ مَن أَتَمَنَّى

    وبِزاهِي جَمالِها أَتَهَنَّا

    I shall choose from them the one I desire,

    and delight in her radiant beauty.

  54. تِلكَ لي زَوجَةٌ حَلالٌ تَلِيني

    في رَياشِ الشَّيخِ الجَليلِ المُؤَانِس

    She shall be my lawful wife, beside me

    amid the comforts of the noble, kindly old man.

  55. لا يُوازِي الحَياةَ مالٌ تَوفَّر

    ضِمنَ إِليُونَ قَبلَ سَوقِ المُعَسكَر

    No wealth amassed can equal life,

    within Ilium before the army's coming,

  56. لا ولا كُلُّ ما بِفِيثُسَ في هَي

    كَلِ فِيبُس رَبِّ السِّهامِ الطَّوامِس

    nor all that lies in Pytho, within the

    temple of Phoebus, lord of obliterating arrows.

  57. يَتَسَنَّى بالسَّيفِ كَسبُ عُجُولٍ

    وغَنِيمٍ مَنَاضِدٍ وخُيُولٍ

    With the sword one may win calves,

    and sheep, tables, and horses;

  58. إِنَّما النَّفسُ لا تَعُودُ إِذا جا

    زت خِلال الأَسنانِ يَوم الدُّلامِس

    but the soul does not return once it has passed

    between the teeth on the day of darkness.

  59. أَنبَأَتنِي ثِيتِيسُ أُمِّيَ حَقَّا

    أَنَّني لِلرَّدى سبِيلَينِ أَلقَى

    Thetis, my mother, truly told me

    that I face two paths to death:

  60. خالدَ فيما إِذا طَلَبتُ الطِّعَانا

    ثُمَّ هذا إِن أَبتَغِي الأَوطانا

    immortal in that, if I seek the clash of spears;

    then this, if I seek my homeland.

  61. ومَرامي حَثُّ الاراغِس طُرًّا

    أَن يَؤُوبُوا إِلى الدِّيارِ نَوَاكِس

    My aim is to urge all the Argives

    to return to their homes in retreat.

  62. فَاذهَبُوا أَخبِرُوا الأَخاءَةَ جِدَّا

    لَن تَنالُنَّ بالطَّراوِدِ قَصدا

    Go and tell the Achaeans in earnest:

    you will not achieve your aim against the Trojans.

  63. زَفسُ أَلقَى على القُلُوبِ يَدَ الأَم

    منِ وبالنَّفسِ ظَلَّ مِن فَوقُ حارِس

    Zeus has laid upon their hearts the hand of

    security, and he himself stands guard above.

  64. أَبلِغُوا والبلاغُ شَأنُ الشِّيبِ

    يَنظُرُوا في خِلافِ رأي مُصيبِ

    Deliver the message—such is the task of the gray-haired—

    and let them consider a different, sound plan.

  65. فَعَساهُم يَنجُونَ إِذ أَخطأُوا في

    طَلبي لَستُ بَينَهُم قَطُّ دائِس

    Perhaps they may escape, for they erred in

    seeking me; I shall never set foot among them.

  66. وفِنكسٌ هُنا يَبِيتُ وإِمَّا

    رامَ عَوداً مَعِي غَداً فَنِعِمَّا

    Phoenix shall stay here tonight; and if

    he wishes to return with me tomorrow, well and good.

  67. بِسَفِيني سَأُقلِعَنَّ يَقِيناً

    عِندَ طَرِّ الصَّباحِ غَيرَ مُلايِس

    I shall certainly sail in my ships,

    at the first light of dawn, without delay.”