أَبيmy father حامِلُbearer of الأَلفِthe thousand الَّتيthat جَرَّincurred حارِثٌḤārith
أَبي حامِلُ الأَلفِ الَّتي جَرَّ حارِثٌ
لِمُرَّةَfor Murrah إِذwhen لَمdid not يُرقِstaunch عِرقاًa vein رِجالُهاher men
لِمُرَّةَ إِذ لَم يُرقِ عِرقاً رِجالُها
My father bore the thousand that Ḥārith incurred
My father bears the banner which Harith
For Murrah, when her men had not staunched a vein.
Dragged at Murra when her men's veins did not quiver,
وَنَحنُand we وَدَيناpaid compensation to الجَونَal-Jawn مِنfor جَذمِthe severing of كَفِّهِhis hand
وَنَحنُ وَدَينا الجَونَ مِن جَذمِ كَفِّهِ
غَناءَworth اليَمينِthe right hand زايَلَتهاparted from it شِمالُهاits left hand
غَناءَ اليَمينِ زايَلَتها شِمالُها
And we paid al-Jawn compensation for the severing of his hand:
And we cherished life from his palm though
The right hand’s worth, bereft of its left.
The melody of fortune forsook its right.
وَنَحنُand we حَمَلناbore عَنon behalf of كِنانَةَKinānah جُرحَهاher wound
وَنَحنُ حَمَلنا عَن كِنانَةَ جُرحَها
وَجُرمَand the offense of هِلالٍHilāl حينَwhen ضاقَتgrew tight نِعالُهاher sandals
وَجُرمَ هِلالٍ حينَ ضاقَت نِعالُها
And we bore, for Kinānah, the burden of her wound,
We, for Kinana's wound, her suffering have borne
And Hilāl’s offense, when her sandals grew tight.
And for a crescent moon, when her shoes were straitened,
وَنَحنُand we إِذاwhen ضاقَتgrew narrow مَعَدٌّMaʿadd حُلومُهاher powers of judgment
وَنَحنُ إِذا ضاقَت مَعَدٌّ حُلومُها
وَنَحنُand we إِذاwhen خَفَّتgrew light مَعَدٌّMaʿadd جِبالُهاher mountains
وَنَحنُ إِذا خَفَّت مَعَدٌّ جِبالُها
And we are there when Maʿadd’s judgment is strained,
And when the bowels of Ma'add were gripped with hunger
And we are there when Maʿadd’s mountains grow light.
And when the mountains of Ma'add were stripped bare.
وَلَسناand we are not كَقَومٍlike a people مُحدِثينَnewly acquiring سِيادَةًleadership
وَلَسنا كَقَومٍ مُحدِثينَ سِيادَةً
يُرىis seen مالُهاits wealth وَلاand not يُحَسُّis felt فَعالُهاits deeds
يُرى مالُها وَلا يُحَسُّ فَعالُها
And we are not like a people newly come to leadership,
We are not like a people who newly come to power,
Whose wealth is seen, but whose deeds are not felt.
Their wealth is seen, but their works are not felt.
مَساعيهُمُtheir endeavors مَقصورَةٌconfined فيwithin بُيوتِهِمtheir houses
مَساعيهُمُ مَقصورَةٌ في بُيوتِهِم
وَمَسعاتُناand our endeavor ذُبيانُDhubyān طُرّاًall together عِيالُهاits dependents
وَمَسعاتُنا ذُبيانُ طُرّاً عِيالُها
Their endeavors are confined to their houses,
Their labours are limited to their houses,
And all Dhubyān are dependents of our endeavor.
While our forays are dove-flighted raids sending their families into mourning.
يُريغونَthey pursue فيin الخِصبِplenty الأُمورَaffairs وَنَفعُهُمand their help
يُريغونَ في الخِصبِ الأُمورَ وَنَفعُهُم
قَليلٌscant إِذاwhen الأَموالُthe livestock طالَlasted long هُزالُهاtheir leanness
قَليلٌ إِذا الأَموالُ طالَ هُزالُها
They pursue affairs in times of plenty, but their help
They slander destiny in prosperity, but their benefit
Is scant when the livestock have long been gaunt.
Is little when possessions lose their savour,
وَقُلناand we spoke بِلاwithout عِيٍّinarticulateness وَسُسناand we governed بِطاقَةٍwith strength
وَقُلنا بِلا عِيٍّ وَسُسنا بِطاقَةٍ
إِذاwhen النارُthe fire نارُthe fire of الحَربِwar طالَlasted long اِشتِعالُهاits blazing
إِذا النارُ نارُ الحَربِ طالَ اِشتِعالُها
And we spoke without faltering and governed with strength,
And we spoke without defect and spun with an effortless whorl
When the fire—the fire of war—burned long.
What time the fires of war sent up their flames.
Sol 6.1