أَلَمhave ... not? تَرَyou see أَنَّنيthat I وَتَّرتُI strung قَوسيmy bow
أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّني وَتَّرتُ قَوسي
لأَبقَعَfor a spotted one مِنamong كِلابِthe dogs of بَنيthe sons of تَميمTamim
لأَبقَعَ مِن كِلابِ بَني تَميم
Do you not see that I have strung my bow
Have you not seen that I have strung my bow
for a piebald cur among the dogs of Banu Tamim?
for a spotted dog among the dogs of Banu Tamim?
عَوىhe howled فَرَمَيتُهُso I shot him بِسِهامِwith arrows of مَوتٍdeath
عَوى فَرَمَيتُهُ بِسِهامِ مَوتٍ
يُصِبنَthey strike عَوادِيَthe limbs of الكَلبِthe dog اللَّئيمvile
يُصِبنَ عَوادِيَ الكَلبِ اللَّئيم
It howled, so I shot it with arrows of death
He howled, so I shot him with arrows of death
that strike the vile cur in its hostile charge.
that strike the vile dog's limbs.
وَكُنتُand I used to إِذاwhenever غَمَزتُI pressed قَناةَthe spear-shaft of قَومٍa people
وَكُنتُ إِذا غَمَزتُ قَناةَ قَومٍ
كَسَرتُI broke كعوبهاits joints أَوor تَستَقيمit straightens
كَسَرتُ كعوبها أَو تَستَقيم
Whenever I pressed a people’s spear-shaft,
And whenever I pressed a people's spear-shaft,
I broke its knots—or made it come straight.
I would break its joints—or it would straighten.
هُمُthey الحَشوthe rabble القَليلُpaltry لِكُلِّfor every حَيٍّclan
هُمُ الحَشو القَليلُ لِكُلِّ حَيٍّ
وهُمand they تَبَعٌfollowers كَزائِدَةِlike the appendage of الظَّليمthe male ostrich
وهُم تَبَعٌ كَزائِدَةِ الظَّليم
They are the paltry rabble of every clan,
They are the paltry rabble of every clan,
mere followers, like the male ostrich’s appendage.
and they are followers, like the male ostrich's appendage.
فَلَستَso you are not بِسابِقيoutstripping me هَرِماًaged وَلَمّاand not yet
فَلَستَ بِسابِقي هَرِماً وَلَمّا
يَمرُّpasses عَلىover نَواجِذكyour molars القَدومthe adze
يَمرُّ عَلى نَواجِذك القَدوم
You shall not outstrip me into decrepit age—not before
So you will not outstrip me, old as I am—and not yet
the adze has passed across your molars.
has the adze passed over your molars.
فَحاولso try كَيفَhow تَنجوyou escape مِنfrom وقاعيmy attacks
فَحاول كَيفَ تَنجو مِن وقاعي
فَإِنَّكَfor indeed you بَعدafter ثالِثَةٍa third رَميمdecayed remains
فَإِنَّكَ بَعد ثالِثَةٍ رَميم
Then try to discover how you might escape my assault;
So try to find how you can escape my attacks,
for after a third onslaught, you will be crumbling remains.
for after a third blow, you will be decayed remains.
سراتُكُمyour chiefs الكلابُthe dogs البُقعُspotted فيكُمamong you
سراتُكُم الكلابُ البُقعُ فيكُم
لِلؤمِكُمُbecause of your baseness وَليسَand there is no لَكُمamong you كَريمnoble man
لِلؤمِكُمُ وَليسَ لَكُم كَريم
Your chiefs are the piebald dogs among you;
Your chiefs are the spotted dogs among you,
they are your baseborn, and you have no noble man.
because of your baseness, and you have no noble man.
فَقَدfor indeed قَدُمَتhas grown old عبودَتكُمyour bondage وَدُمتمand you have persisted
فَقَد قَدُمَت عبودَتكُم وَدُمتم
عَلىin الفَحشاءِindecency وَالطَّبعِand the disposition اللَّئيمvile
عَلى الفَحشاءِ وَالطَّبعِ اللَّئيم
Your servitude is ancient, and you have been found
For your bondage is age-old, and you have persisted
given to obscenity and an ignoble disposition.
in indecency and a vile disposition.
Sol 6.1