لَمَّاwhen رَأيتُI saw الدّهرَtime; fate قَدhad already
لَمَّا رَأيتُ الدّهرَ قَد
أَزَمَتbit hard; gripped بوَاجِدِهِupon whoever experiences it الأَوَازِمthe biting afflictions
أَزَمَت بوَاجِدِهِ الأَوَازِم
When I saw how time's
When I saw fate had
biting afflictions had gripped whoever endured it,
Brought down its blows with force
وتَتَابَعَتand followed one another فيin الأَهلِthe family والمَاand wealth (first part)
وتَتَابَعَت في الأَهلِ والمَا
لِcompletion of 'wealth' المُصِيبَاتُthe calamities العَظَائِمthe immense
لِ المُصِيبَاتُ العَظَائِم
and there followed upon family and wealth
And misfortunes followed one another against family and wealth
great calamities, one after another,
And time denied me the joy of youth
وَنَفَىand drove away الكَرَىsleep عنِّيfrom me جَوًىburning grief
وَنَفَى الكَرَى عنِّي جَوًى
هَمٌّanxiety أَجَنَّتهُconcealed it الحَيَازِمthe ribs
هَمٌّ أَجَنَّتهُ الحَيَازِم
and burning grief drove sleep away from me—
With concerns that have made me anxious
an anxiety my ribs had concealed—
I made up my mind firmly
قَلّبتُI turned over بِالعَزمِwith resolve الأُمُوaffairs (first part)
قَلّبتُ بِالعَزمِ الأُمُو
رَcompletion of 'affairs' لِتكُفَّso as to restrain ذَاthe bearer of الهَمِّgrief العَزَائِمfirm resolves
رَ لِتكُفَّ ذَا الهَمِّ العَزَائِم
I turned affairs over with resolve,
To stop this terrible anxiety
so firm resolves might steady the bearer of grief.
So I remembered that my brother of generosity and constancy
فَذكَرتُthen I remembered أنّthat أخَاthe brother of السَّمَاgenerosity (first part)
فَذكَرتُ أنّ أخَا السَّمَا
حَةِcompletion of 'generosity' والمُواصَلةand maintaining ties المُدَاوِمever constant
حَةِ والمُواصَلة المُدَاوِم
Then I remembered that the brother of generosity
And the keeper of my secrets
and fellowship, ever constant,
Wherever I have sought the unlawful
والحافِظُand the guardian الحُرُمَاتsacred rights مِfrom me (first part)
والحافِظُ الحُرُمَات مِ
نِّيcompletion of 'from me' حيثُwhere شَيَّعتُI bade farewell to المحَارِمsacred ties
نِّي حيثُ شَيَّعتُ المحَارِم
and guardian of my sacred rights
Ibn Shibrimah the accomplished said:
where I had bidden farewell to sacred ties,
"Injustice after truth is an oppressor"
قالsaid ابنُson of شبرمَةَShubrumah الموفَّguided aright (first part)
قال ابنُ شبرمَةَ الموفَّ
قُcompletion of 'guided aright' إنَّindeed بَعَدَbeyond الحَقِّjustice ظالمa wrongdoer
قُ إنَّ بَعَدَ الحَقِّ ظالم
Ibn Shubrumah, guided aright, had said:
A nose too proud to be led
'Truly, beyond justice stands a wrongdoer.'
Into wickedness by oppressions
أنِفٌproud; averse to disgrace أبِيٌّunyielding لاَnot يُقِرُّhe consents
أنِفٌ أبِيٌّ لاَ يُقِرُّ
بِاَنto the fact that تُورِّدَهُthey draw him in المظَالمinjustices
بِاَن تُورِّدَهُ المظَالم
Proud and unyielding, he will not consent
A sword that, when spears were thrown
to injustices drawing him in.
And the disputants flowing in multitudes
فصلٌa decisive arbiter إِذَاwhen شَغَبَraised a clamor الألَدthe obstinate opponent (first part)
فصلٌ إِذَا شَغَبَ الألَد
دُcompletion of 'the obstinate opponent' وَفَيّضَand poured forth الحِجَجَthe arguments المُخَاصِمthe disputant
دُ وَفَيّضَ الحِجَجَ المُخَاصِم
Decisive when the obstinate opponent raises a clamor,
Does not bend to blame
and the disputant pours forth arguments.
If blamed in truth by a blamer
لاnot يَنثَنِيhe turns aside لملامَةٍbecause of reproach
لا يَنثَنِي لملامَةٍ
إنif لاَمَهُreproached him فيconcerning الحقِّwhat is right لاَئِمa reproacher
إن لاَمَهُ في الحقِّ لاَئِم
He does not bend before reproach,
Awake in seeking the sublime
if a reproacher blames him for upholding right.
While others from that are sleeping
يَقظَانُwakeful فيin طَلَبِpursuit of العُلاَeminence
يَقظَانُ في طَلَبِ العُلاَ
إذwhile غَيرُهُsomeone other than him عَنaway from تَلكَthat نَائِمasleep
إذ غَيرُهُ عَن تَلكَ نَائِم
Wakeful in pursuit of eminence,
And very clement when the tribes'
while another sleeps, heedless of it.
Tents are crowded with thronging men
وسَمَاحَةand generosity جداًّexceedingly إِذَاwhen ازcrowded together (first part)
وسَمَاحَة جداًّ إِذَا از
دحمتcompletion of 'crowded together' حُدbounds (first part) ودُcompletion of 'bounds' القومِthe people زَاحَمhe jostled
دحمت حُد ودُ القومِ زَاحَم
And exceedingly generous; when
Of the family of Hassaan whom
the people's bounds crowd together, he presses forward.
They are the pillars and the supports
مِنfrom آلِthe house of حَسَّانَHassan اللَّذِيwho (first part)
مِن آلِ حَسَّانَ اللَّذِي
نَcompletion of 'who' هُمُthey الذَّوَائِبُthe crests; leaders والدّعَائِمand the pillars
نَ هُمُ الذَّوَائِبُ والدّعَائِم
Of the house of Hassan, who
The protectors when an inviolable is
are the crests and pillars.
Filled if they protect it while it is imperiled
المانِعُونَthe protectors المُستَجِيthe seeker of refuge (first part)
المانِعُونَ المُستَجِي
رَcompletion of 'the seeker of refuge' بِهمwith them إِذَاwhen مَأemphatic particle عَاذَsought shelter حَارِمa luckless man
رَ بِهم إِذَا مَأ عَاذَ حَارِم
Those who protect the man seeking refuge
Until pledges are redeemed
with them, whenever a luckless man seeks shelter,
While honor remains unblemished
حَتَّىuntil تُؤدِّيهِdeliver him العهوthe pledges (first part)
حَتَّى تُؤدِّيهِ العهو
دَcompletion of 'the pledges' مُسَلَّماًsafe and unharmed والعِرضُand honor سَالِمintact
دَ مُسَلَّماً والعِرضُ سَالِم
until the pledges deliver him
They accept no baseness, and no
safe and sound, his honor intact.
Slanderer slanders them with treason
لَمdid not يَقبَلواthey accept خَيساًbreach of faith ولَمnor did
لَم يَقبَلوا خَيساً ولَم
يَشتِمهُمُrevile them بالغَدرِfor treachery شاتِمa reviler
يَشتِمهُمُ بالغَدرِ شاتِم
They have accepted no breach of faith, nor
They, though the noses of some folk
has any reviler charged them with treachery.
Be vexed at them, are soft-hearted
فهمُso they وإنand even if رَغِمَتwere rubbed in dust لِذَاbecause of that (first part)
فهمُ وإن رَغِمَت لِذَا
كَcompletion of 'because of that' أَنُوفُnoses أقوامٍpeoples رَوَاغِمhumbled against their will
كَ أَنُوفُ أقوامٍ رَوَاغِم
So they—though that rubs in the dust
The people of bounty, when bearing it
the noses of peoples forced to submit—
Weighs heavy with expenditures
أهلُmen of الحَمالَةِundertaking indemnities حِينwhen يَفweighs heavily (first part)
أهلُ الحَمالَةِ حِين يَف
دَحُcompletion of 'weighs heavily' مِنfrom تحمُّلِهَاundertaking it المُغَارِمfinancial liabilities
دَحُ مِن تحمُّلِهَا المُغَارِم
are bearers of indemnities, when
And the sweet drinking-place which
the costs of undertaking them weigh heavily,
The thirsty throng drains to the last
والمَشرَبُand the watering-place العَذبُsweet; fresh الذِيwhich
والمَشرَبُ العَذبُ الذِي
يُروىare given their fill بِجمَّتِهِwith its abundant water الحَوَائِمthose circling in thirst
يُروى بِجمَّتِهِ الحَوَائِم
and the sweet watering-place where
They are the shelter, the deciders
those circling in thirst drink their fill from its pool.
When raiders clash in the charge
وهُمُand they الأُساةُthe healers الفاصِلُوthe arbiters (first part)
وهُمُ الأُساةُ الفاصِلُو
نَcompletion of 'the arbiters' إِذَاwhen تَنَافرَتdisputed precedence الأَقَادِمthe elders
نَ إِذَا تَنَافرَت الأَقَادِم
And they are the healers, the arbiters,
They are the white swords, the stirring
when the elders dispute precedence.
Lances, the shining Indian blades
وهمُand they المَسَامِيحُthe generous المَرَاthe judicious (first part)
وهمُ المَسَامِيحُ المَرَا
جيحُcompletion of 'the judicious' المَسَاعِيرُthe kindlers of war المَطَاعِمthe givers of food
جيحُ المَسَاعِيرُ المَطَاعِم
And they are the generous, the judicious,
Those noble deeds and influences
the kindlers of war, the givers of food,
When nobilities are reckoned
فيin العامthe year لاَnot تَحنُوshow tenderness عَلَىtoward
في العام لاَ تَحنُو عَلَى
أولادِهَاtheir young فِيهin it الرَّوَائِمaffectionate mother camels
أولادِهَا فِيه الرَّوَائِم
in the year when no affection is shown
They want no money or wealth
to their young by the tender mother camels.
Of religion and the world's dirhams
وإذاand when مَعَدٌّMa'add حصَّلَتis sifted; assessed
وإذا مَعَدٌّ حصَّلَت
فهمُso they مِنَamong الرِّيشthe plumage القوادمthe primary flight-feathers
فهمُ مِنَ الرِّيش القوادم
And when Ma'add is sifted,
they are the primary flight-feathers among the plumage.
وهُمُand they إِذَاwhen مَاemphatic particle الحَربُwar شبflared up
وهُمُ إِذَا مَا الحَربُ شب
ضَرَامُهاits blaze الأُسدُthe lions الضّراغِمmighty lions
ضَرَامُها الأُسدُ الضّراغِم
And they, when war kindles
its blaze, are lions, mighty lions.
قَومٌa people حصُونُهُمtheir fortresses عِتَاقُnoble-bred الthe
قَومٌ حصُونُهُم عِتَاقُ ال
خَيلِhorses والبِيضُand the bright blades الصَّوَارِمthe keen-cutting
خَيلِ والبِيضُ الصَّوَارِم
A people whose fortresses are thoroughbred
horses and bright, keen-cutting swords.
تلكَthose المَكَارِمُnoble deeds والمَأَand glorious exploits (first part)
تلكَ المَكَارِمُ والمَأَ
ثِرُcompletion of 'glorious exploits' حِينَwhen تُعتَدُّare reckoned المكَارِمnoble deeds
ثِرُ حِينَ تُعتَدُّ المكَارِم
Those are the noble deeds and glorious exploits,
when noble deeds are reckoned.
لاnot يرجونthey hope for مالاًwealth وَمَاand wealth (first part)
لا يرجون مالاً وَمَا
لُcompletion of 'wealth' الدِّينِreligion والدُّنيَاand worldly life الدَّرَاهِمdirhams
لُ الدِّينِ والدُّنيَا الدَّرَاهِم
They do not hope for wealth, and the wealth
of religion and this world is dirhams.
Partial English translation: 44 of 54 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1