لَيتَif only شِعريmy knowing هَلwhether تُخَبِّرُنيtell me الدِيارُthe dwellings
لَيتَ شِعري هَل تُخَبِّرُني الدِيارُ
بَيَقينٍwith certainty عَنabout أَهلِهاtheir people أَينَwhere سارواthey traveled
بَيَقينٍ عَن أَهلِها أَينَ ساروا
If only I knew: will the dwellings tell me
Would that I knew, do the dwellings inform me with certainty
with certainty about their people, where they went?
About their people, whither they went?
أَسَفاًsorrow هَيَّجَتthey stirred فَمالَكَso what have you مِنهاfrom them الthe- (begins 'today')
أَسَفاً هَيَّجَت فَمالَكَ مِنها ال
يَومَday (completes 'today') إِلّاexcept تَفَجُّعٌanguish وَاِدِّكارُand remembrance
يَومَ إِلّا تَفَجُّعٌ وَاِدِّكارُ
They stirred sorrow; from them today you have
Griefs have stirred you so nothing of them remains
nothing but anguish and remembrance.
Except every day anguish and remembrance.
لاnot يُجيبُanswers الأَحياءَthe living مَنone who لَيسَis not حَيّاًalive
لا يُجيبُ الأَحياءَ مَن لَيسَ حَيّاً
وَالعَمىand blindness عِندَwith غَيرِهِsomeone other than him الأَخبارُthe news
وَالعَمى عِندَ غَيرِهِ الأَخبارُ
One who is not alive cannot answer the living.
The living answer not him who is no longer living,
Blindness—news lies with someone other than him.
And news is blind save to him who is present.
دارُan abode حَيٍّa tribe تَقادَمَgrew long past العَهدُthe time of acquaintance مِنهاwith it
دارُ حَيٍّ تَقادَمَ العَهدُ مِنها
بَعدَafter حُضّارِهاits residents فَبارَتso it perished وَبارواand they perished
بَعدَ حُضّارِها فَبارَت وَباروا
A tribe's abode, its days of habitation long past;
A home of the living whose date has receded in the past,
its dwellers gone, it fell desolate, and they perished.
After its civilization it remained barren and they too became barren.
صادَفواthey encountered مِنamong غَوائِلthe calamities of الدَهرِtime غَولاًa scourge
صادَفوا مِن غَوائِل الدَهرِ غَولاً
بَعدَماafter أَنجَدواthey entered the uplands سِنينَyears وَغارواand entered the lowlands
بَعدَما أَنجَدوا سِنينَ وَغاروا
They encountered a scourge among time's calamities,
They encountered mischances of fate unforeseen
after years of traveling through uplands and lowlands.
After they gave succor for years and went into exile.
فَكَأَنّيso it is as though I مِنthrough ذِكرِهِمremembering them خالَطَتنيit suffused me
فَكَأَنّي مِن ذِكرِهِم خالَطَتني
مِنfrom فِلَسطينَPalestine خَمرُwine جَلسٍthe uplands عُقارُpotent wine
مِن فِلَسطينَ خَمرُ جَلسٍ عُقارُ
Remembering them, I feel as though I were suffused
So it is as though from the mention of them
with potent highland wine from Palestine,
I was imbued with wine from a chalice of Palestine.
عُتِّقَتwas aged فيin القِلالِthe jars مِنfrom بَيتِBayt رَأسٍRa's
عُتِّقَت في القِلالِ مِن بَيتِ رَأسٍ
سَنواتٍyears وَماand not سَبَتهاbought it التِجارُthe merchants
سَنواتٍ وَما سَبَتها التِجارُ
aged in jars, from Bayt Ra's,
She grew to maturity in the hills, far from the hands of vintners
for years, never bought by merchants.
For years, unassailed by the tasters.
فَهيَso it is صَهباءُtawny wine تَترُكُleaves المَرءَa man أَعشىdim-sighted
فَهيَ صَهباءُ تَترُكُ المَرءَ أَعشى
فيin بَياضِthe whites of العَينَينِthe two eyes مِنهُof his اِحمِرارُredness
في بَياضِ العَينَينِ مِنهُ اِحمِرارُ
It is tawny wine that leaves a man dim-sighted,
So she is radiant, leaving the one who beholds her distraught
with redness in the whites of his eyes.
Between the redness in her eyes and the pallor.
حالَتِbarred the way الحَربُwar دونَaccess to سَلمىSalma فَقَلبِيso my heart
حالَتِ الحَربُ دونَ سَلمى فَقَلبِي
عِندَهاwith her لَوif only تُثيبُهُshe would reward it مُستَعارُon loan
عِندَها لَو تُثيبُهُ مُستَعارُ
War barred the way to Salma; my heart
War prevented a tryst with Salma, so my heart,
is on loan to her—if only she would reward it.
Were it to be given the choice, would be outraged.
فَنَأَتso she went far away وَاِنثَوىand withdrew بِهاwith her عَنaway from هَواهاher love
فَنَأَت وَاِنثَوى بِها عَن هَواها
شَظَفُharshness العَيشِof life آبِلٌa camel-herd سَيّارُever roaming
شَظَفُ العَيشِ آبِلٌ سَيّارُ
She went far away; a man withdrew with her from her love—
She turned aside from her passion and journeyed with a roving,
a rough-living camel-herd, ever roaming.
Hard life, a tribe wandering without cease.
رُبَّowner of إِبلٍcamels إِذاwhen اِجتَوىhe loathes أَرضَthe land of قَومٍa people
رُبَّ إِبلٍ إِذا اِجتَوى أَرضَ قَومٍ
شَيَّعَتهُsaw him off هُمومُهُhis cares نَعّارُa loud bawler
شَيَّعَتهُ هُمومُهُ نَعّارُ
Owner of camels, when he loathes a people's land,
Many a camel, when it enters the land of a people
his cares see him off, a loud-bawling man.
Its longings escort it, bleating and bellowing.
وَحشُa wild creature بَرِّيَةٍa wilderness بِهاthere وَلَدَتهُshe bore him
وَحشُ بَرِّيَةٍ بِها وَلَدَتهُ
أُمُّهُhis mother لاnot يَزولُdeparts مِنهاfrom it الصِيارُthe wild-cattle herds
أُمُّهُ لا يَزولُ مِنها الصِيارُ
A wild creature of the wilderness; there she bore him—
A wild creature whom its mother bore in the wilderness,
his mother; its wild-cattle herds never leave.
Never far from it is its plaintive crying.
غَيرُnot صَبٍّone who pines إِلىfor الصَديقِa friend إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle
غَيرُ صَبٍّ إِلى الصَديقِ إِذا ما
أَضمَرَتconcealed بَيتَهُhis tent اللِماعُthe glimmering tracts القِفارُthe desert wastes
أَضمَرَت بَيتَهُ اللِماعُ القِفارُ
Not one to pine for a friend when
Nothing can console the friend when the lightning of his abode
the empty, glimmering wastes conceal his tent.
Is shrouded in darkness by a barren, rugged waste.
عُلِّقَwas attached to القَلبُthe heart عِرسَthe wife of ذاكَthat man وَأَنّىand how
عُلِّقَ القَلبُ عِرسَ ذاكَ وَأَنّى
تُمَكِّنُgives a chance to الرامِيَthe archer المَهاةُthe oryx cow النَوارُthe skittish one
تُمَكِّنُ الرامِيَ المَهاةُ النَوارُ
My heart is attached to that man's wife; yet how
My heart clings to the memory of that encampment, but how
can a skittish oryx cow give the archer his chance?
Can the far-shooting arrow attain the distant mark?
رَوضَةٌa meadow ظاهَرَsustained الرَبيعُspring ثَراهاits soil
رَوضَةٌ ظاهَرَ الرَبيعُ ثَراها
بِسُيولٍwith floods وَزانهاand adorned it النُوّارُthe blossoms
بِسُيولٍ وَزانها النُوّارُ
A meadow whose soil spring has enriched
A garden in full flower in the spring,
with floods, and which blossoms have adorned.
With torrents streaming over its banks.
حَصِرَwere unable الناسُthe people أَنto يَنالواreach حِماهاits protected ground
حَصِرَ الناسُ أَن يَنالوا حِماها
وَأَرَنَّتand resounded بِرَوضِهاover its meadow الأَمطارُthe rains
وَأَرَنَّت بِرَوضِها الأَمطارُ
People are powerless to reach its protected ground,
Men despaired of enjoying its shelter,
and rains have resounded across its meadow.
Yet it made its meadows green with the rains.
فَهيَso it is حَوّاءُdark-green تَكتَسيclothes itself in كُلَّevery لَونٍcolor
فَهيَ حَوّاءُ تَكتَسي كُلَّ لَونٍ
زينَةًas adornment كُلَّماwhenever اِستَقَلَّrose high النَهارُthe daylight
زينَةً كُلَّما اِستَقَلَّ النَهارُ
Dark-green, it clothes itself in every color,
She is an enchantress adopting every guise
as adornment whenever the daylight rises.
As ornament, each time the day wanes.
وَلَقَدand indeed أَغتَديI go out at dawn بِأَجرَدَon a sleek steed نَهدٍpowerfully built
وَلَقَد أَغتَدي بِأَجرَدَ نَهدٍ
لاحَهُpared him lean بَعدَafter طَيِّهِhis slimming المِضمارُthe training-course
لاحَهُ بَعدَ طَيِّهِ المِضمارُ
Indeed, I ride out at dawn on a sleek, powerful steed,
Once I grew intoxicated with the swaying of a bare,
whom the training-course has pared lean after his slimming.
Graceful arm, gleaming after its mantle slipped.
أَبِّدُwide-set القُصرَيَينِat the two short ribs ماnot قِيدَwas led يَوماًever
أَبِّدُ القُصرَيَينِ ما قِيدَ يَوماً
لِيُعَنّىfor someone to be troubled بِصَرعِهِwith throwing him down بَيطارُa farrier
لِيُعَنّى بِصَرعِهِ بَيطارُ
Broad between the short ribs, never once was he led
I would ransom the two captives forever from their bonds
for a farrier to labor at throwing him down.
So the archer might be tasked with their deliverance.
حَوشَبَthick الصُلبِof backbone أفرِعَتrose high كَتِفاهُhis two shoulders
حَوشَبَ الصُلبِ أفرِعَت كَتِفاهُ
فيin مَحانيthe curves of ضُلوعِهِhis ribs اِجفارُbarrel-like breadth
في مَحاني ضُلوعِهِ اِجفارُ
Thick of backbone, his shoulders rise high;
The firm, the well-knit, his shoulders were ennobled
his curved ribs enclose a spacious barrel.
In the thickets of his ribcage by knotted scars
وَيُرىand he is seen مُجفِراًbroad-barreled إِذاwhen هُوَhe وَلّىturns away
وَيُرى مُجفِراً إِذا هُوَ وَلّى
فيin حِمايَتِهِhis impetuous running شِدَّةٌforce وَاِنبِتارُand rapid bursts
في حِمايَتِهِ شِدَّةٌ وَاِنبِتارُ
He looks broad-barreled as he turns away;
And when he turned his back, his leanness was adorned
his running has force and a swift, cutting rush.
By the hide, impervious to branding iron and sealed.
مُدمَجاًcompact خَلقُهُhis build يِكادُhe almost إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle
مُدمَجاً خَلقُهُ يِكادُ إِذا ما
راعَهُstartled him صَوتُthe voice of صارِخٍa crier يُستَطارُis swept into flight
راعَهُ صَوتُ صارِخٍ يُستَطارُ
His build is compact; he almost, whenever
His physique welded together; if a crier's voice
a crier's voice alarms him, takes flight.
Startled him, he seemed molded of molten metal.
وَإِذاand when اِهتَزَّhe quivers مُقبِلاًcoming forward زانَهُadorns him أَتلَعa lofty neck
وَإِذا اِهتَزَّ مُقبِلاً زانَهُ أَتلَع
كَالجِذعِlike a palm trunk ماnot يُنالُis reached العِذارُthe cheek-strap
كَالجِذعِ ما يُنالُ العِذارُ
When he quivers, coming forward, a lofty neck adorns him,
When he surged forward, his smoothness was ornamented by stripes
like a palm trunk, the cheek-strap out of reach.
Like the trunk immune from the woodcutter's ax.
حَمَلَتهُcarried him رَجلٌa hind leg قَذوفٌpowerfully thrusting عَلىupon
حَمَلَتهُ رَجلٌ قَذوفٌ عَلى
عَضبِa powerful يَدٍforeleg ماnot يُخافُis feared مِنهاfrom it عِثارُa stumble
عَضبِ يَدٍ ما يُخافُ مِنها عِثارُ
A thrusting hind leg carries him upon
Carried by a hand that hurls without caution
a powerful foreleg, from which no stumble is feared.
On the fury of an arm impervious to stumbling.
وَنُسورٌand hoof-frogs لَهاthey have حَوافِرُhooves صُمٌّsolid
وَنُسورٌ لَها حَوافِرُ صُمٌّ
ماnot يُرىis seen فيin أَرساغِهِنَّtheir pasterns اِنتِشارُsplaying
ما يُرى في أَرساغِهِنَّ اِنتِشارُ
And hoof-frogs, enclosed by solid hooves,
Lionesses whose hooves are silent,
with no splaying visible in their pasterns,
No spreading is seen in their forelegs.
كَالجَلاميدِlike boulders فيin المَسيلِthe watercourse عَلاهُنَّoverlaid them
كَالجَلاميدِ في المَسيلِ عَلاهُنَّ
مِنَfrom الماءِthe water خُضرَةٌgreenness وَاِسمِرارُand brownness
مِنَ الماءِ خُضرَةٌ وَاِسمِرارُ
like boulders in a streambed, overlaid
Their hides are soaked by the water of the torrents,
by water with green and dusky brown.
Greenish, tending toward blackness.
مُشِقَwas pared away اللَحمُthe flesh عَنfrom شَواهِنَtheir lower limbs مَشْbegins 'raised high'
مُشِقَ اللَحمُ عَن شَواهِنَ مَشْ
تَماًcompletes 'raised high' فَتَعالىso it rose وَاِشتَدَّتِand grew taut الأَوتارُthe tendons
تَماً فَتَعالى وَاِشتَدَّتِ الأَوتارُ
The flesh was pared from their lower limbs, drawn high,
The flesh parts from their lips, revealign sharp,
then rose, and the tendons grew taut.
Gleaming incisors, as the strings are pulled taut.
وَعَلاand rose above الزَورُthe breast مِنبَضَthe pulsing place of القَلبِthe heart مِنهُwithin him
وَعَلا الزَورُ مِنبَضَ القَلبِ مِنهُ
بِحَيازيمَwith breast-ribs بَينَهاbetween them أَستارُveils
بِحَيازيمَ بَينَها أَستارُ
His breast rises above the heart's pulsing place,
The lute rose up, the heart strings quivered within,
with breast-ribs and veils between them.
Among gut strings where veils hang.
وَضُلوعٌand ribs كَأَنَّهاas though they حينَwhen وَلّىhe turned away
وَضُلوعٌ كَأَنَّها حينَ وَلّى
لاحَappeared مِنهاfrom them بِكُلِّin every ضِلعٍrib شِجارُa wooden brace
لاحَ مِنها بِكُلِّ ضِلعٍ شِجارُ
And ribs that seem, when he turns away,
Ribs that seem, when he turned his back,
to show a wooden brace in each rib.
To flash with each rib a crescent moon.
فَعَلاso rose الصُلبُthe backbone فَاِستَتَبَّand ran straight إِلىto حَيbegins 'where'
فَعَلا الصُلبُ فَاِستَتَبَّ إِلى حَي
ثُcompletes 'where' تَكونُsit الفُرسانُthe riders مِنهُon him الفِقارُthe vertebrae
ثُ تَكونُ الفُرسانُ مِنهُ الفِقارُ
The backbone rises, running even as far as where
Then the firm breast rose, poised
horsemen sit upon his vertebrae.
Where horsemen find their backbone.
فَهوَso he is طاوٍlean-bellied أَقَبُّnarrow-bellied كَالمَسَدِlike plaited rope الأَمْbegins 'the smooth'
فَهوَ طاوٍ أَقَبُّ كَالمَسَدِ الأَمْ
لسcompletes 'smooth' عاريbare of flesh on الشَوىthe lower limbs مُمَرٌّfirmly twisted مُغارُtightly wound
لس عاري الشَوى مُمَرٌّ مُغارُ
Lean and narrow-bellied, like a smooth rope,
He is a stallion, more dusky than the blackest night,
bare-limbed, firmly wound and tightly twisted.
Bare of covering, a cave with no doors.
فَاِقتَنَصناso we hunted بِهِwith him وَقيلَand it was said بِأَحوىin a dark-green tract
فَاِقتَنَصنا بِهِ وَقيلَ بِأَحوى
ذاتِhaving فِرقَينِtwo parts عانَةٌa wild-ass herd وَحِبارُand bustards
ذاتِ فِرقَينِ عانَةٌ وَحِبارُ
We hunted with him; word came: 'In a dark-green tract,
We gained him by barter, and it was said
divided in two, are a wild-ass herd and bustards.'
He is the swiftest of a noble stock.
فَإِذاand behold الأَخدَرِيَّةُthe Akhdari wild asses الصُهبُthe tawny ones تَقرواbrowse
فَإِذا الأَخدَرِيَّةُ الصُهبُ تَقروا
لَمَعاًpatches بَينَهاbetween them لَهُنَّfor them اِخضِرارُgreen growth
لَمَعاً بَينَها لَهُنَّ اِخضِرارُ
And there were the tawny Akhdari wild asses, browsing
And there the reddish mares glanced
patches with green growth for them in between.
With a radiance among them and fresh greenness.
كَأَنَّas though جُزوءاًforage without drinking لَمnot يَعدُwent beyond ذَلِكَthat حَتّىuntil
كَأَنَّ جُزوءاً لَم يَعدُ ذَلِكَ حَتّى
بَدُنَgrew plump اللَحمُthe flesh وَالبُطونُand the bellies صِغارُsmall
بَدُنَ اللَحمُ وَالبُطونُ صِغارُ
As though forage without drinking had been enough, until
It was as though each one were but a part
their flesh grew plump, while their bellies stayed small.
Until the flesh and little bellies appeared.
فَحَمَلناso we mounted غُلامَناour boy فَوقَupon طِرفٍa noble steed
فَحَمَلنا غُلامَنا فَوقَ طِرفٍ
وَأَشَرناand we pointed فَقالَso he said أَنّىwhere أَشارواthey pointed
وَأَشَرنا فَقالَ أَنّى أَشاروا
We mounted our boy upon a noble steed,
We escorted our boy above the hill's rim,
and pointed; he said, 'Where did they point?'
And gestured, then said, 'Whither did they point?'
فَتَكَشَّفنَthen they emerged مُقبِلاتٍcoming toward us فَقُلناso we said
فَتَكَشَّفنَ مُقبِلاتٍ فَقُلنا
أَسُكونٌis it calm بِهِنَّin them ذاthis أَمor نِفارُalarm
أَسُكونٌ بِهِنَّ ذا أَم نِفارُ
Then they emerged, coming toward us, and we said,
Some came slowly toward us, so we said
'Is this calm in them, or alarm?'
'Grant us peace or hasten to flee!'
فَزِعَtook fright الوَحشُthe wild beasts ثُمَّthen وَلَينَthey turned away لَمّاwhen
فَزِعَ الوَحشُ ثُمَّ وَلَينَ لَمّا
صَدَقَتهُنَّshowed them truly ماwhat هُوَhe was الأَبصارُthe eyes
صَدَقَتهُنَّ ما هُوَ الأَبصارُ
The wild beasts took fright, then turned away when
The game took fright but then came to a halt
their eyes showed them truly what he was.
When they were convinced by what their eyes conveyed,
هارِباتٍfleeing فَماand so not يَرَينَthey see وَلَكِنbut
هارِباتٍ فَما يَرَينَ وَلَكِن
لاnot يُنَجّيsaves مِنَfrom المَناياthe dooms of death الفِرارُflight
لا يُنَجّي مِنَ المَنايا الفِرارُ
Fleeing, they could see nothing; yet
Fleeing but unable to see.
flight does not save one from death.
Yet flight cannot save from destiny.
ثُمَّthen أَربىgained عَلىupon النَواشِطِthe darting ones مِنهاamong them
ثُمَّ أَربى عَلى النَواشِطِ مِنها
سابِحٌa swimming runner بَعدَafter غَربِهِhis initial burst مَوّارُsurging
سابِحٌ بَعدَ غَربِهِ مَوّارُ
Then the darting ones among them were overtaken
Then he swam out toward the fleeing beasts,
by a swimming steed, still surging after his first burst.
A swimmer, after his setting like the moon obscured.
شاخِصُupright الحُرَّتَينِat the two fine ears يَنفُضُshakes off عَنهُfrom himself
شاخِصُ الحُرَّتَينِ يَنفُضُ عَنهُ
قُطَعَbursts of الرَبوِpanting مَنخَرٌa nostril نَثّارُscattering
قُطَعَ الرَبوِ مَنخَرٌ نَثّارُ
With his two fine ears erect, he shakes off
With prominent throat, snorting, shaking off
bursts of panting through a snorting nostril.
The cut reeds, his nostrils scattering spray.
فَتَصَدَّعنَso they scattered عَنaway from جَرائِحِwounded creatures of مَرعىthe pasture
فَتَصَدَّعنَ عَن جَرائِحِ مَرعى
وَاِنجلىand cleared عَنfrom مُتونِهِنَّtheir backs الغُبارُthe dust
وَاِنجلى عَن مُتونِهِنَّ الغُبارُ
They scattered, leaving wounded grazers behind,
They bolted from the meadow of his pool,
and dust cleared from their backs.
And the dust cleared from their backs.
وَهوَand he is شاحٍgaping كَأَنَّas though لَحيَيهِhis two jaws حِنواthe two bows of
وَهوَ شاحٍ كَأَنَّ لَحيَيهِ حِنوا
قَتَبٍa pack-saddle لاحَwas visible مِنهُماfrom the two of them النَجارُthe timber
قَتَبٍ لاحَ مِنهُما النَجارُ
He gapes, his jaws like the two bows
With a thick forelock, as though his two lips
of a pack-saddle, their timber laid bare,
Were the shining new moon.
عَنrevealing لِسانٍa tongue كَجُثَّةِlike the body of الوَرِلِthe monitor lizard الأَصbegins 'the yellow'
عَن لِسانٍ كَجُثَّةِ الوَرِلِ الأَص
فَرِcompletes 'yellow' مَجَّspat النَدىdew عَلَيهِupon it العَرارُthe 'arar blossoms
فَرِ مَجَّ النَدى عَلَيهِ العَرارُ
exposing a tongue like the body of a yellow
With a tongue like the yellow oriole,
monitor lizard, with dew spat upon it by 'arar blossoms.
Polished by the dew, darting out sparks.
زَعَمَsaid الناسُthe people أَنَّthat خَيرَthe best of قُرَيشٍQuraysh
زَعَمَ الناسُ أَنَّ خَيرَ قُرَيشٍ
حَسَباًin lineage حينَwhen تُنسَبُare genealogically traced الأَسوارُthe nobles
حَسَباً حينَ تُنسَبُ الأَسوارُ
People say that the best of Quraysh
Men claim the best of Quraysh,
in lineage, when the nobles' pedigrees are traced,
Noble when pedigrees are recounted,
بَينَbetween حَربٍHarb وَعامِرِand Amir بنِson of كَريزٍKurayz
بَينَ حَربٍ وَعامِرِ بنِ كَريزٍ
فَأُلالَso those are الأَكارِمُthe noble ones الأَخيارُthe excellent ones
فَأُلالَ الأَكارِمُ الأَخيارُ
are between Harb and Amir ibn Kurayz;
Are the offspring of Harb and ‘Amir ibn Lu’ayy -
those are the noble, the excellent.
So the cream of the noble and the free are brought low.
وَلَدَتهُمbore them حَواضِنٌnurturing mothers مُنجِباتٌbearers of noble offspring
وَلَدَتهُم حَواضِنٌ مُنجِباتٌ
وَأُلالُand those are الحَواضِنُthe nurturing mothers الأَحرارُthe freeborn
وَأُلالُ الحَواضِنُ الأَحرارُ
Nurturing mothers, bearers of noble offspring, bore them,
Who were born from wombs that engender
and those nurturing mothers are freeborn.
The cream of the free and noble.
وَإِذاand when ماan emphatic particle تَضَعضَعَتdwindled نارُthe fire of حَربٍwar
وَإِذا ما تَضَعضَعَت نارُ حَربٍ
رَفَعواthey raised نارَthe fire of حَربِهِمtheir war فَاِستَثارواand stirred it up
رَفَعوا نارَ حَربِهِم فَاِستَثاروا
And when the fire of war dwindles,
And if the fires of war flare up,
they raise their own war-fire and stir it up.
They kindle their own war fires and so enrage them.
وَإِذاand when ماan emphatic particle الرَبيعُspring أَحجَمَheld back أَحيَواthey kept alive
وَإِذا ما الرَبيعُ أَحجَمَ أَحيَوا
مَنthose who يَليهِمneighbor them وَأَحرَزواand they secured مَنthose whom أَجارواthey sheltered
مَن يَليهِم وَأَحرَزوا مَن أَجاروا
And when spring holds back, they keep alive
And if the spring shrinks back the revive
their neighbors and keep safe those they shelter.
Those who follow them and give refuge to those they protect.
فَهُمُso they are القَومُthe men سُؤدَداًin eminence وَفعالاًand deeds
فَهُمُ القَومُ سُؤدَداً وَفعالاً
وَنَدىًand generosity حينَwhen تُبتَلىare put to the test الأَخبارُthe reports
وَنَدىً حينَ تُبتَلى الأَخبارُ
They are the men of eminence and worthy deeds,
So they are a people staunch and active,
and generosity, when reports are put to the test.
When calamities try men and test reports.
وَالمُحامونَand the defenders حينَwhen يَحتَضِرُgather الناسُthe people
وَالمُحامونَ حينَ يَحتَضِرُ الناسُ
وَبِالأَكرَمينَand by the noblest يُحمىis protected الذِمارُhonor and dependents
وَبِالأَكرَمينَ يُحمى الذِمارُ
They are the defenders when people gather;
The upholders of right when mankind is laid low
by the noblest, honor and dependents are protected.
And the noblest by whom reputations are protected.
طَرَدواthey drove away الذَمَّreproach فَهوso it is مِنهُمfrom them بَعيدٌfar
طَرَدوا الذَمَّ فَهو مِنهُم بَعيدٌ
مالَهُit has no حَيثُwherever يَسكُنونَthey dwell قَرارُresting place
مالَهُ حَيثُ يَسكُنونَ قَرارُ
They drove reproach away; it lies far from them,
They drove away humiliation, so it is far removed from them,
finding no resting place wherever they dwell.
It has no place wherever they dwell.
وَأَبىand refused الحَمدُpraise أَنto يُحالِفَally itself with قَوماًa people
وَأَبى الحَمدُ أَن يُحالِفَ قَوماً
غَيرَهُمother than them فَهوَso it is صائِرٌgoing حَيثُwherever صارواthey went
غَيرَهُم فَهوَ صائِرٌ حَيثُ صاروا
Praise refuses to ally itself with any people
And glory refused except to ally itself with a people
but them; it follows wherever they go.
Other than them, so it will go wherever they go.
Sol 6.1