للهto God (expressing admiration) منزلناour dwelling علىat الزوراءal-Zawra
لله منزلنا على الزوراء
درّتpoured abundantly عليهupon it هواطلdownpours الأنواءِthe rain-bearing stars
درّت عليه هواطل الأنواءِ
How wondrous our dwelling at al-Zawra!
Our abode was in Zorah, where the winds blew
The rain-stars' downpours poured upon it,
And the breeze of morning flowed upon it
وجرتand flowed عليهover it منfrom الصَّباthe east wind أرواحهاits breezes
وجرت عليه من الصَّبا أرواحها
تجريflow عليهover it ببكرةin the early morning ومساءand evening
تجري عليه ببكرة ومساء
And the east wind's breezes flowed over it,
O rider of the carriage, you avoided calamity
Flowing over it morning and evening.
If you come to Karkh, wander in the winds
ياO راكبrider of الوجناءthe sturdy she-camel وقّيتَmay you be protected الردىdeath
يا راكب الوجناء وقّيتَ الردى
إنif جئتyou come كرخاًKarkh فارنُthen gaze فيamong الأنواءthe rain-bearing stars
إن جئت كرخاً فارنُ في الأنواء
O rider of the sturdy she-camel, may you be spared death!
And call upon a heart that strayed in its plains
If you come to Karkh, gaze among the rain-bearing stars,
It was by Al-Ghadah, the place of rest
وانشدand seek فؤاداًa heart ضلَّwent astray فيin عرصاتهits courtyards
وانشد فؤاداً ضلَّ في عرصاته
قدindeed كانwas عندwith الغادةthe graceful maiden الوطفاءlong, thick-lashed
قد كان عند الغادة الوطفاء
And seek a heart that strayed in its courtyards;
And inform the people of the tribe about me saying
It had been with the maiden of luxuriant lashes.
I left him in Basra, the radiant
واخبرand tell رجالthe men of الحيّthe quarter عنّيabout me قائلاًsaying
واخبر رجال الحيّ عنّي قائلاً
غادرتهI left him فيin البصرةBasra الفيحاءspacious
غادرته في البصرة الفيحاء
And tell the men of the quarter about me, saying:
The hand of separation darkened him, as he
“I left him in spacious Basra.
Cries for you with a tear of red
قدindeed سوّدتهhas blackened him يدthe hand of الفراقseparation لكونهbecause he
قد سوّدته يد الفراق لكونه
يبكيكمhe weeps for you بالدمعةwith the tear الحمراءred
يبكيكم بالدمعة الحمراء
The hand of separation has blackened him, for he
He has become frail, unable to move
Weeps for you with a crimson tear.
From what has befallen him of affliction
أمسىhe has become ضئيلاًfrail لاnot يطيقcan manage تحرّكاًmovement
أمسى ضئيلاً لا يطيق تحرّكاً
مماbecause of what بهupon him قدindeed حلhas befallen منof برحاءanguish
مما به قد حل من برحاء
He has grown frail, unable to stir,
O masters, time has been harsh to them
From the anguish that has befallen him.”
After me, due to my distance from the land of Zorah
ياO سادةlords جارacted unjustly الزمانtime عليهمtoward them
يا سادة جار الزمان عليهم
بَعديafter me لبُعديbecause of my distance عنfrom حمىthe sanctuary of الزوراءal-Zawra
بَعدي لبُعدي عن حمى الزوراء
O lords whom Time has wronged
You will remember me by the interlocked branches
After my departure, because I am far from al-Zawra's sanctuary,
Like the moon remembered on a dark night
فستذكرونيthen you will remember me عندat مشتبكthe interlocking of القناthe spears
فستذكروني عند مشتبك القنا
كالبدرlike the full moon يُذكرُis remembered ليلةon a night الظلماءpitch-dark
كالبدر يُذكرُ ليلة الظلماء
Then you will remember me when the spears interlock,
I am the rock of the valley when turmoil comes
As the full moon is remembered on a dark night.
I am the master of the clan, hero of enemies
أناI صخرةthe rock of الواديthe valley إذاwhen ماemphatic particle زوحمتit is jostled
أنا صخرة الوادي إذا ما زوحمت
أناI سيدthe lord of الناديthe assembly فتىa gallant youth الأعداءthe foes
أنا سيد النادي فتى الأعداء
I am the valley's rock when it is jostled;
Why have I become like Abu Firas
I am the lord of the assembly, a young champion against foes.
With no battlefield or fervor
ماليwhat is wrong with me? غدوتُI have become أباAbu فراسFiras مشبهاًresembling
مالي غدوتُ أبا فراس مشبهاً
منfrom غيرother than ميدانa battlefield ولاnor هيجاءbattle
من غير ميدان ولا هيجاء
Why have I come to resemble Abu Firas,
Time has betrayed me until I
Without a battlefield or a battle?
Cry for your homes like Al-Khansa crying
أخنىhas brought ruin الزمانtime عليّupon me حتىuntil أننيthat I
أخنى الزمان عليّ حتى أنني
أبكيI weep for دياركمُyour homes بُكاthe weeping of الخنساءal-Khansa
أبكي دياركمُ بُكا الخنساء
Time has ravaged me to the point that I
Between Mintefik and Mount Thawiyah
Weep for your homes as al-Khansa wept,
Like a wounded lion on heated sands
ماemphatic particle بينbetween منتفقٍMuntafiq وكعبand Ka'b ثاوياًdwelling
ما بين منتفقٍ وكعب ثاوياً
كالليثlike the lion مجروحاًwounded علىon رمضاءsun-scorched ground
كالليث مجروحاً على رمضاء
Dwelling between Muntafiq and Ka'b,
Family of Suwaidi, who are the most high
Like a wounded lion on sun-scorched ground.
Surpassing people in valor and generosity
آلthe family of السويديّal-Suwaydi الذينwho همthey الألىthose who
آل السويديّ الذين هم الألى
فاقواsurpassed الورىhumankind بشجاعةin courage وسخاءand generosity
فاقوا الورى بشجاعة وسخاء
O house of al-Suwaydi, the very ones who
If you are pleased with this, then inform me
Surpassed humankind in courage and generosity,
For your pleasure, I live happily
إنif كنتمyou are راضينcontent فيconcerning ذاthis فاخبرواthen tell
إن كنتم راضين في ذا فاخبروا
فعلىfor upon رضاكمyour contentment ماas long as حييتI live رضائيmy contentment
فعلى رضاكم ما حييت رضائي
If you are content with this, then say so;
For as long as I live, my contentment rests on yours.
Partial English translation: 28 of 30 Arabic lines translated.