أُنبِئتُI was told أَنَّthat بَنيthe sons of جَديلَةَJadilah أَوعَبواthey mustered in full
أُنبِئتُ أَنَّ بَني جَديلَةَ أَوعَبوا
نُفراءَmobilized warriors مِنfrom سَلمىSalma لَناagainst us وَتَكَتَّبواand they formed battalions
نُفراءَ مِن سَلمى لَنا وَتَكَتَّبوا
I was told that the sons of Jadilah had mustered in full,
I was told the sons of Jadilah burdened
As warriors from Salma against us, forming battalions.
Some men of Salma against us and wrote
وَلَقَدand indeed جَرىcrossed the path لَهُمُfor them فَلَمyet did not يَتَعَيَّفواthey read omens
وَلَقَد جَرى لَهُمُ فَلَم يَتَعَيَّفوا
تَيسٌa buck قَعيدٌcoming from behind كَالوَلِيَّةِlike a saddlecloth أَعضَبُbroken-horned
تَيسٌ قَعيدٌ كَالوَلِيَّةِ أَعضَبُ
Indeed, there crossed their path—yet they read no omen—
And it went for them, but they did not notice
A broken-horned buck coming from behind, like a saddlecloth;
A lame billy goat like the guardian is disabled
وَأَبوand the father of الفِراخِthe chicks عَلىon خَشاشِthe dry twigs of هَشيمَةٍa withered tree
وَأَبو الفِراخِ عَلى خَشاشِ هَشيمَةٍ
مُتَنَكِّباًveering toward إِبطَthe quarter of الشَمائِلِthe left-hand sides يَنعَبُcawing
مُتَنَكِّباً إِبطَ الشَمائِلِ يَنعَبُ
And the chicks’ father, on a withered tree’s dry twigs,
And Abu Al-Firakh on a small donkey
Veering toward the left-hand quarter, cawing.
With humps turning away, the shoulders bending
وَتَجاوَزواand they passed beyond ذاكُمthat إِلَيناtoward us كُلَّهُall of it
وَتَجاوَزوا ذاكُم إِلَينا كُلَّهُ
عَدواًat a run وَمَرقَصَةًand making mounts prance فَلَمّاthen when قَرَّبواthey drew near
عَدواً وَمَرقَصَةً فَلَمّا قَرَّبوا
They passed all that by and came toward us,
And they all went past that to us
At a run, making their mounts prance; when they drew near,
As an enemy and a warrior, so when they came near
طَعَنواthey thrust بِمُرّانِwith ash-wood shafts of الوَشيجِclose-set spears فَماso not تَرىyou see
طَعَنوا بِمُرّانِ الوَشيجِ فَما تَرى
خَلفَbehind الأَسِنَّةِthe spearheads غَيرَanything but عِرقٍa vein يَشخَبُspurts blood
خَلفَ الأَسِنَّةِ غَيرَ عِرقٍ يَشخَبُ
They thrust with close-set ash spears; you could see
They stabbed with spears of sinew, so you see
Behind the spearheads nothing but a spurting vein.
Nothing behind the tongues but blood dripping
وَتَبَدَّلواand they adopted instead اليَعبوبَal-Ya‘bub بَعدَafter إِلَهِهِمtheir god
وَتَبَدَّلوا اليَعبوبَ بَعدَ إِلَهِهِم
صَنَماًas an idol فَقَرّواso stay still ياO جَديلَJadil وَأَعذِبواand desist
صَنَماً فَقَرّوا يا جَديلَ وَأَعذِبوا
They adopted al-Ya‘bub after their former god,
And they changed their idol after their god
As an idol; stay still, Jadil, and desist.
To an idol, so aim, O Jadilah, and sweeten
إِنif تَقتُلواyou kill مِنّاof us ثَلاثَةَthree فِتيَةٍyoung men
إِن تَقتُلوا مِنّا ثَلاثَةَ فِتيَةٍ
فَلِمَنthen whose بِساحوقَat Sahuq الرَعيلُthe cavalry troop المُطنِبُstretching far
فَلِمَن بِساحوقَ الرَعيلُ المُطنِبُ
If you kill three young men of ours,
If you kill three of our young men
Whose, then, was the far-stretching troop at Sahuq?
Then who owns the mass of poetry that flows
فَبِحَمدِso to the praise of حَيِّهِمُtheir clan وَحَمدِand the praise of قَبيلِهِمtheir tribe
فَبِحَمدِ حَيِّهِمُ وَحَمدِ قَبيلِهِم
إِذwhen طالَgrew long يَومُهُمُtheir day وَعابَand found fault العُيَّبُthe faultfinders
إِذ طالَ يَومُهُمُ وَعابَ العُيَّبُ
So, to the praise of their clan and the praise of their tribe,
So by the praise of their alive and their tribes
When their day dragged on and faultfinders found fault.
When their day was long and the fault finder wearied
إِنّيindeed I اِمرُؤٌa man فيamong الناسِthe people لَيسَthere is not لَهُfor him أَخٌa brother
إِنّي اِمرُؤٌ في الناسِ لَيسَ لَهُ أَخٌ
إِمّاeither يُسَرُّhe is gladdened بِهِby him وَإِمّاor else يُغضَبُhe is angered
إِمّا يُسَرُّ بِهِ وَإِمّا يُغضَبُ
I am a man among men who has no brother
I am a man among people who has no brother
To delight in, or else be angered by.
Either glad with him or angry
وَإِذاand if أَخوكَyour brother تَرَكتَهُyou leave him وَأَخاwith the brother of اِمرِئٍa man
وَإِذا أَخوكَ تَرَكتَهُ وَأَخا اِمرِئٍ
أَودىperished أَخوكَyour brother وَكُنتَand you were أَنتَyou yourself تَتَبَّبُyou come to grief
أَودى أَخوكَ وَكُنتَ أَنتَ تَتَبَّبُ
If you leave your brother to another man’s brother,
And when you leave your brother and the brother of a man
Your brother perishes, and you yourself come to grief.
Your brother perishes while you wander
فَلتَعزِفِso let them play music القَيناتُthe singing-girls فَوقَabove رُؤوسِهِمtheir heads
فَلتَعزِفِ القَيناتُ فَوقَ رُؤوسِهِم
وَشَرابُهُمand their drink ذوhaving فَضلَةٍa surplus وَمُحَنَّبُand laid aside
وَشَرابُهُم ذو فَضلَةٍ وَمُحَنَّبُ
Let the singing-girls play above their heads,
So let the lutes play over their heads
Their drink in plenty, with some laid aside.
And their drink is diluted and flavored
بَلrather لاno مَحالَةَescape مِنfrom لِقاءِmeeting فَوارِسٍhorsemen
بَل لا مَحالَةَ مِن لِقاءِ فَوارِسٍ
كَرَمٍnoble مَتىwhenever يُدعَواthey are summoned لِرَوعٍto danger يَركَبواthey mount
كَرَمٍ مَتى يُدعَوا لِرَوعٍ يَركَبوا
Yet there is no escape from meeting horsemen,
But meeting horsemen is inevitable
Noble men who mount whenever summoned to danger.
Generous, whenever called to ride they mount
شُمٍّproud, high-nosed كَأَنَّas though سَناthe gleam of القَوانِسِthe helmets فَوقَهُمabove them
شُمٍّ كَأَنَّ سَنا القَوانِسِ فَوقَهُم
نارٌa fire عَلىon شَرَفِthe crest of اليَفاعِhigh ground تَلَهَّبُblazes
نارٌ عَلى شَرَفِ اليَفاعِ تَلَهَّبُ
Proud, high-nosed men, as though the helmets’ gleam above them
Keen scented as if the lamps’ brightness were over them
Were a fire blazing on the crest of high ground.
A fire blazing on the hilltop flaming
تَمشيwalk بِهِمcarrying them أُدمٌwhite camels تَئِطُّcreak نُسوعُهاtheir girth-straps
تَمشي بِهِم أُدمٌ تَئِطُّ نُسوعُها
خوصٌnarrow-eyed كَماjust as يَمشيwalks الهِجانُthe white ones الرَبرَبُthe oryx herd
خوصٌ كَما يَمشي الهِجانُ الرَبرَبُ
White camels carry them, their girths creaking,
Udum trees walk with them, their fibrous parts
Narrow-eyed, moving like a herd of white oryx.
Swaying as the love-mad camel sways
وَهُمُand they قَدِalready اِتَّخَذواthey have taken الحَديدَiron حَقائِباًas saddle-baggage
وَهُمُ قَدِ اِتَّخَذوا الحَديدَ حَقائِباً
وَخِلالَهُمand among them أُدمُbrown of المَراكِلِthe flanks تُجنَبُare led alongside
وَخِلالَهُم أُدمُ المَراكِلِ تُجنَبُ
They have made iron their saddle-baggage,
And they have made iron their burdens
And among them brown-flanked horses are led alongside:
While their midst is filled with leather skins
مِنof كُلِّevery مَمسودِtaut السَراةِback مُقَلِّصٍlong-legged
مِن كُلِّ مَمسودِ السَراةِ مُقَلِّصٍ
قَدalready شَفَّهُhas worn it thin طولُthe length of القِيادِleading by the rein وَأَلغَبواand they grew weary
قَد شَفَّهُ طولُ القِيادِ وَأَلغَبوا
Each one taut-backed and long-legged,
From every strong, firm, compact rides
Long leading had worn it thin, and they grew weary.
Whose length of leadership has emaciated
وَطِمِرَّةٍand a swift mare كَالسيدِlike a wolf يَعلوrides high فَوقَهاupon her
وَطِمِرَّةٍ كَالسيدِ يَعلو فَوقَها
ضِرغامَةٌa lion عَبلُmassive in المَناكِبِthe shoulders أَغلَبُthick-necked
ضِرغامَةٌ عَبلُ المَناكِبِ أَغلَبُ
And a swift mare like a wolf—high upon her rides
And a red like the master rising over it
A lion, broad-shouldered and thick-necked.
Is a black camel saddle, the sides overflowing
وَلَقَدand indeed شَبَبناwe kindled بِالجِفارِat al-Jifar لِدارِمٍfor Darim
وَلَقَد شَبَبنا بِالجِفارِ لِدارِمٍ
ناراًa fire بِهاat it طَيرُthe birds of الأَشائِمِill omen يَنعَبُcaw
ناراً بِها طَيرُ الأَشائِمِ يَنعَبُ
Indeed, at al-Jifar we kindled for Darim
And we have raged against Darim’s abode
A fire where birds of ill omen caw.
A fire in which the birds of evil omen cry
وَلَقَدand indeed تَقادَمَhappened long ago بِالنِسارِat al-Nisar لِعامِرٍfor Amir
وَلَقَد تَقادَمَ بِالنِسارِ لِعامِرٍ
يَومٌa day لَهُمfor them مِنّاfrom us هُناكَthere عَصَبصَبُharsh and grievous
يَومٌ لَهُم مِنّا هُناكَ عَصَبصَبُ
Indeed, long ago at al-Nisar there befell Amir
And there was revenge at Al-Nisar for Aamir
A harsh, crushing day at our hands there.
A day for them from us, disputing there
حَتّىuntil سَقَيناهُمwe made them drink بِكَأسٍfrom a cup مُرَّةٍbitter
حَتّى سَقَيناهُم بِكَأسٍ مُرَّةٍ
فيهاin it المُثَمَّلُthe stupefying poison ناقِعاًsteeped فَليَشرَبواso let them drink
فيها المُثَمَّلُ ناقِعاً فَليَشرَبوا
Until we made them drink a bitter cup,
Until we gave them a bitter cup
With stupefying poison steeped within—so let them drink!
In which poison lies dormant, so let them drink
بِمُعَضِّلٍwith an overwhelming host لَجِبٍclamorous كَأَنَّas though عُقابَهُits banner
بِمُعَضِّلٍ لَجِبٍ كَأَنَّ عُقابَهُ
فيon رَأسِthe tip of خُرصٍa lance طائِرٌa bird يَتَقَلَّبُflutters about
في رَأسِ خُرصٍ طائِرٌ يَتَقَلَّبُ
With an overwhelming, clamorous host, whose banner seemed
With a strong, unyielding, as if its hills
A bird fluttering atop the point of a lance.
Were, on the head of an eagle, a lion turning
وَلَقَدand indeed أَتاناhas reached us عَنconcerning تَميمٍTamim أَنَّهُمthat they
وَلَقَد أَتانا عَن تَميمٍ أَنَّهُم
ذَئِرواthey became incensed لِقَتلىfor the slain of عامِرٍAmir وَتَغَضَّبواand they grew angry
ذَئِروا لِقَتلى عامِرٍ وَتَغَضَّبوا
Word has indeed reached us of Tamim—that they
And news reached us from Tameem that they
Bristled over Amir’s slain and raged.
Were outraged at the dead of Aamir and angry
رَغمٌabasement لِأَنفِfor the nose of أَبيكَyour father عِنديto me ضائِعٌof no account
رَغمٌ لِأَنفِ أَبيكَ عِندي ضائِعٌ
إِنّيindeed I يَهونُmatters little عَلَيَّto me أَنthat لاnot يُعتَبواthey are appeased
إِنّي يَهونُ عَلَيَّ أَن لا يُعتَبوا
Dust on your father’s nose—it means nothing to me;
Damn your father’s nose! The loss to me is nothing
I care little that they remain unappeased.
I think little of their not being blamed
وَغَداةَand on the morning صَبَّحنَthey attacked at dawn الجِفارَal-Jifar عَوابِساًgrim-faced
وَغَداةَ صَبَّحنَ الجِفارَ عَوابِساً
يَهديlead أَوائِلَهُنَّtheir foremost ranks شُعثٌdisheveled riders شُزَّبُgaunt
يَهدي أَوائِلَهُنَّ شُعثٌ شُزَّبُ
And on the morning the mares struck al-Jifar, grim-faced,
And in the morning we left the Jifar scowling
Their vanguard led by disheveled, gaunt riders,
The foreparts of them disheveled, unkempt
لَمّاwhen رَأَوناthey saw us وَالمَغاوِلُwith the daggers وَسطَهُمin their midst
لَمّا رَأَونا وَالمَغاوِلُ وَسطَهُم
وَالخَيلُand the horses تَبدوappear تارَةًat times وَتَغَيَّبُand disappear
وَالخَيلُ تَبدو تارَةً وَتَغَيَّبُ
When they saw us, with daggers in their midst,
When they saw us and the swords amidst them
And the horses now appearing, now vanishing,
And the horses appearing and disappearing
وَلَّواthey fled وَهُنَّwhile they يَجُلنَcoursed فيin آثارِهِمtheir tracks
وَلَّوا وَهُنَّ يَجُلنَ في آثارِهِم
شَلَلاًdriving them off وَبالَطناهُمُand we fought them closely فَتَكَبكَبواso they fell in heaps
شَلَلاً وَبالَطناهُمُ فَتَكَبكَبوا
They fled, with the mares coursing in their tracks,
They turned and fled, stumbling in their tracks
Driving them off; we closed with them, and they fell in heaps.
Sliding, and we made them stumble and stagger
سائِلask بِناabout us حُجرَHujr بنَson of أُمِّmother of قَطامِQatam إِذwhen
سائِل بِنا حُجرَ بنَ أُمِّ قَطامِ إِذ
ظَلَّتkept on بِهِwith him السُمرُthe brown spears النَواهِلُdrinking their fill تَلعَبُtoying
ظَلَّت بِهِ السُمرُ النَواهِلُ تَلعَبُ
Ask Hujr son of Umm Qatam about us, when
Hujr bin Umm Qatam asked us when
The brown, blood-drinking spears kept toying with him.
The emaciated she-camels circled him
صَبراًpatience عَلىwith ماwhat كانَhas happened مِنfrom حُلَفائِناour allies
صَبراً عَلى ما كانَ مِن حُلَفائِنا
مِسكٌmusk وَغِسلٌand cleansing herbs فيin الرُؤوسِthe heads يُشَيَّبُis mingled
مِسكٌ وَغِسلٌ في الرُؤوسِ يُشَيَّبُ
Patience with what has come from our allies—
Patience for what was from our allies
Musk and cleansing herbs are mingled in the hair.
Musk and washing heads white
فَليَبكِهِمso let him mourn them مَنwhoever لاnot يَزالُceases نِساؤُهُhis women
فَليَبكِهِم مَن لا يَزالُ نِساؤُهُ
يَومَon the day of الحِفاظِdefending honor يَقُلنَthey say أَينَwhere المَهرَبُthe place of escape
يَومَ الحِفاظِ يَقُلنَ أَينَ المَهرَبُ
Let him mourn them whose women always,
So let those who still have wives who say, on the day of departure
On the day of defending honor, ask, ‘Where can we flee?’
Where is the escape? weep for them
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.