هَذا هُوَ السَعيُ لا ما يَدَّعي الواني

هَذا هُوَ السَعيُ لا ما يَدَّعي الواني

وَذي الوَقائِعُ لا أَيام ذبيانِ

وَذي الوَقائِعُ لا أَيام ذبيانِ

This is true endeavor, not what the laggard claims.

This is the quest, not what the cups claim

These are battles, not the battle-days of Dhubyan.

And reality, not days of delusion

أَدنيتَ حَين تَميم حينَ صُلتَ بِهِ

أَدنيتَ حَين تَميم حينَ صُلتَ بِهِ

وَرُعتَ ياقوتاً المُستَكبرِ الجاني

وَرُعتَ ياقوتاً المُستَكبرِ الجاني

You brought Tamim's doom near when you assailed him,

You drew near when you made peace with Tameem

and terrified Yaqut, the arrogant offender.

And you restrained the tyrannical ruby

وَحط بأسكَ عَن عَلياهُ مُرتَفِعاً

وَحط بأسكَ عَن عَلياهُ مُرتَفِعاً

وَعزَّ جَيشُكَ قَهراً عِزّ طرخان

وَعزَّ جَيشُكَ قَهراً عِزّ طرخان

Your might cast a lofty man down from his eminence,

And your might lowered itself from its height

and your army forcibly overcame Tarkhan's might.

And your army conquered the pride of Turkhan

ما زِلتَ تُوليهِ احساناً وَتُضمَرهُ

ما زِلتَ تُوليهِ احساناً وَتُضمَرهُ

لَهُ وَيُضمِرُ غَدراً تَحتَ اِدهانِ

لَهُ وَيُضمِرُ غَدراً تَحتَ اِدهانِ

You kept bestowing kindness on him and harboring it

You still grant him kindness and harbor him

for him, while he harbored treachery beneath flattery.

For him while he harbors deceit beneath cosmetics

يَبغي السَماءَ رَجاءً أَن سَيبلغها

يَبغي السَماءَ رَجاءً أَن سَيبلغها

جَهلاً بِهِ كانَ قَد ماهَلك هامانِ

جَهلاً بِهِ كانَ قَد ماهَلك هامانِ

He seeks the sky, hoping that he will reach it,

He aspires to the sky hoping to reach it

through an ignorance by which Haman had long ago perished.

In ignorance that before him Haman had perished

ما خلتُ أَنَّ الأَماني تَخدَعَنَّ فَتىً

ما خلتُ أَنَّ الأَماني تَخدَعَنَّ فَتىً

بِمَدِّ باعٍ قَصير نَحوَ كِيوان

بِمَدِّ باعٍ قَصير نَحوَ كِيوان

I never thought that hopes could so deceive a young man

I have not seen that hopes deceive a knight

into stretching a short reach toward Kiwan, Saturn.

With the extended hand of a seller toward Keywan

وَلا مَشى وَيَرى الضَحضاحَ يُغرِقُه

وَلا مَشى وَيَرى الضَحضاحَ يُغرِقُه

نَحوَ العُبابِ مَجدٌ غير سَكران

نَحوَ العُبابِ مَجدٌ غير سَكران

Nor would anyone walk, seeing the shallows drown him,

Nor walked seeing mirage that would drown him

toward the surging deep, earnest and not drunk.

Toward clouds, glory not intoxicated

وَغَرَّهُ البُعدُ عَن أُسدِ الشَرى فَطَغى

وَغَرَّهُ البُعدُ عَن أُسدِ الشَرى فَطَغى

حَتّى رَآها تَبارى فَوقَ عُقبانِ

حَتّى رَآها تَبارى فَوقَ عُقبانِ

Distance from the lions of al-Shara deceived him, and he grew insolent,

And distance from the lion of war made him arrogant

until he saw them racing one another upon eagles.

Until he saw them above the hills

سَروا مَعَ اللَيلِ يُغنيهم تَهلُّلهم

سَروا مَعَ اللَيلِ يُغنيهم تَهلُّلهم

عَن ضَوءِ بدر وَعَن اِيقاد نيران

عَن ضَوءِ بدر وَعَن اِيقاد نيران

They journeyed with the night, their radiance dispensing

They traveled with the night, made merry by their trilling

with full moonlight and the kindling of fires.

From the light of the moon and lighting fires

مِن كُلِّ أَبلج مطعام إِذا جَنَحوا

مِن كُلِّ أَبلج مطعام إِذا جَنَحوا

للسلم أَشوسَ يَومَ الرَوع طَعّانِ

للسلم أَشوسَ يَومَ الرَوع طَعّانِ

Each one bright-faced and generous with food when they incline

With every blizzard when they approached

to peace, fierce-eyed and thrusting spears on the day of terror.

For peace, the day of panic, most ravenous wolves

ساروا إِلى المَوتِ بَسّامينَ تَحسَبُهُم

ساروا إِلى المَوتِ بَسّامينَ تَحسَبُهُم

ساروا لِوَصلِ حَبيب غِبَّ هُجران

ساروا لِوَصلِ حَبيب غِبَّ هُجران

They marched toward death smiling; you would think

They marched to death smiling, you'd think them

they had gone to rejoin a beloved after estrangement.

Marching to meet an absent beloved

يَستَعذِبونَ المَنايا نَجدَةً فَلَهُم

يَستَعذِبونَ المَنايا نَجدَةً فَلَهُم

إِلى ظُباة المَواضي وَردُ ظَمآنِ

إِلى ظُباة المَواضي وَردُ ظَمآنِ

They savor death through valor; for them,

They find death pleasant, so for them belong

approaching keen sword-edges is a thirsty man's coming to water.

The beasts of the meadows and return of the thirsty

لا يَرهبُ المَوتَ أَدناهُم فَهُم بَدَدٌ

لا يَرهبُ المَوتَ أَدناهُم فَهُم بَدَدٌ

في كُلِّ دَهماءَ مِن مثنى وَوحدانِ

في كُلِّ دَهماءَ مِن مثنى وَوحدانِ

Even their least fears no death; they are scattered

Not one of them fears getting close to death, they are scattered

through every dark host, in pairs and singly.

In every fray, some in pairs and some alone

أَبدى هَوى بالعلى لِكِن رأى صَعَداً

أَبدى هَوى بالعلى لِكِن رأى صَعَداً

مِن دونِها فَسلاها أيَّ سُلوانِ

مِن دونِها فَسلاها أيَّ سُلوانِ

He professed love for high glory, but saw steep ascents

He harbored love for the exalted, but saw ascent

barring the way to it, and forgot it utterly.

Beyond it so he let it go, which ladder?

لَو مُدىً في مَداها غَيرُ هيِّنَةٍ

لَو مُدىً في مَداها غَيرُ هيِّنَةٍ

ِذا لَنالَ المَعالي كُلُّ اِنسانِ

ِذا لَنالَ المَعالي كُلُّ اِنسانِ

If there were stretches along its course that were not easy [text unclear],

If extended in its extension without hardship

then every person would attain high honors.

Then every human would achieve the heights

أَيُغتَرى فِريةً في ذِكرِ ماريَة

أَيُغتَرى فِريةً في ذِكرِ ماريَة

وآلِ جَفنةَ إِلّا عَقل حَيرانِ

وآلِ جَفنةَ إِلّا عَقل حَيرانِ

Would anyone fabricate a slander in speaking of Mariya

Does one become infatuated with the mention of Mariah

and the house of Jafna, save a bewildered mind?

And the people of Jafnah except a confused mind?

قَد كانَ يَزأرُ زَأَرَ الأَسَدِ حينَ خَلا

قَد كانَ يَزأرُ زَأَرَ الأَسَدِ حينَ خَلا

وَمَرَّ لَمّا أَتَتهُ مَرَّ سَرحانِ

وَمَرَّ لَمّا أَتَتهُ مَرَّ سَرحانِ

He used to roar a lion's roar when alone,

He used to roar the lions' roar when alone

but when they came upon him, he fled like a wolf.

And passed when she approached him, like a frolicking colt

كَتائِبٌ سَدَّ عَينَ الشَمسِ عثيَرُها

كَتائِبٌ سَدَّ عَينَ الشَمسِ عثيَرُها

فَأَشرقَت عُرُبٌ مِن تَحتِ تيجانِ

فَأَشرقَت عُرُبٌ مِن تَحتِ تيجانِ

Battalions whose dust veiled the eye of the sun,

Regiments that blocked the sun in their great numbers

so Arabs shone forth beneath crowns.

So Arabs shone beneath the crowns

سَماءُ نَقع تَرى حيث اِتجهتَ بِها

سَماءُ نَقع تَرى حيث اِتجهتَ بِها

بَدراً يَكُرُّ بِنَجمِ اثر شَيطانِ

بَدراً يَكُرُّ بِنَجمِ اثر شَيطانِ

A sky of dust, in which, wherever you turn, you see

The sky of Naqaa you see wherever you turn with it

a full moon charging with a star in a devil's wake.

A moon that wanders with the traces of a devil

فاِستعذَب الذُلَّ خَوفَ المَوتَ مُنهَزِماً

فاِستعذَب الذُلَّ خَوفَ المَوتَ مُنهَزِماً

يَستقربُ البُعدَ أَو يَستَبعِدُ الداني

يَستقربُ البُعدَ أَو يَستَبعِدُ الداني

So, fleeing in defeat, he found humiliation sweet for fear of death,

So he found humiliation's taste sweet, fearing death defeated

counting the distant near, or the near distant.

Seeking distance or excluding the nearer

أَمرانِ مُرّانِ أَطرافُ البِلادِ عَلى

أَمرانِ مُرّانِ أَطرافُ البِلادِ عَلى

ناجي السَوابِق أَو أَطرافِ مُرّانِ

ناجي السَوابِق أَو أَطرافِ مُرّانِ

Two bitter choices: the farthest ends of the lands upon

Two bitter ends, the lands' extremities are

a fleet courser, or the tips of ash-wood spears.

The advisor of precedents or bitter ends

وَلَم يُفتَهَم وَلَكِن فاتَهُم شَرَف الا

وَلَم يُفتَهَم وَلَكِن فاتَهُم شَرَف الا

قدامِ مِن غبن وَخُسرانِ

قدامِ مِن غبن وَخُسرانِ

He did not elude them, but they missed the honor of

And it was not understood, but they missed the glory of

bold advance—a disappointment and a loss.

Ranks from injustice and loss

فَوَيلَهُ مِن غَبيٍ بتَّ تطلِبُهُ

فَوَيلَهُ مِن غَبيٍ بتَّ تطلِبُهُ

وَباتَ نَشوانَ خَمرٍ غَيرَ نشيانِ

وَباتَ نَشوانَ خَمرٍ غَيرَ نشيانِ

Woe to him, the heedless fool whom you spent the night pursuing,

Woe to the fool whom ignorance seeks

while he spent it drunk on wine and unaware.

And who spent the night intoxicated without joy

وَكانَ نَيل المَنايا لَو تُباحُ لَهُ

وَكانَ نَيل المَنايا لَو تُباحُ لَهُ

خَيراً لَهُ مِن حَياةٍ تُشمِتُ الشاني

خَيراً لَهُ مِن حَياةٍ تُشمِتُ الشاني

Meeting death, had it been permitted him,

And meeting death would have been better if allowed

would have been better for him than a life that made his hater gloat.

Than a life that gloats over him, the critic

حاطَ اِنتِقامَكَ بأساً قَبلَ باشِرِهِ

حاطَ اِنتِقامَكَ بأساً قَبلَ باشِرِهِ

فَمذ مَلكتَ رَجا مَعمودَ احسان

فَمذ مَلكتَ رَجا مَعمودَ احسان

Your vengeance hemmed him in with might before he faced it [text unclear];

You have contained your revenge with might before taking it

but once you had him in your power, he hoped for deliberate kindness.

So when you ruled, hope returned with kindness

ما أَحسَنَ العَفوَ عَفوٌ بَعدَ مَقدِرَةٍ

ما أَحسَنَ العَفوَ عَفوٌ بَعدَ مَقدِرَةٍ

عَن أَقبحِ الذَنبِ كُفرٍ بَعدَ إِيمانِ

عَن أَقبحِ الذَنبِ كُفرٍ بَعدَ إِيمانِ

How beautiful is pardon—a pardon after power,

How excellent is pardon, pardon after ability

for the ugliest sin: unbelief after faith.

For the ugliest sin, blasphemy after faith

هَذي مَصارِعُ شانيكُم يُبَصِّرُها

هَذي مَصارِعُ شانيكُم يُبَصِّرُها

ذو احنةٍ فيُلاقيكُم بشنان

ذو احنةٍ فيُلاقيكُم بشنان

These are your hater's death-sites; would one behold them,

One with affection, so you meet them with fury

bearing a grudge, then meet you in hatred?

O you who remembers and whose stirrups

يا ذاكِري وَرِكابي عَنهُ نازِحَةٌ

يا ذاكِري وَرِكابي عَنهُ نازِحَةٌ

إِذا اللَئيمُ عَلى قُربِ تَناساني

إِذا اللَئيمُ عَلى قُربِ تَناساني

O you who remember me, though my mounts are far from you,

Depart from him when the despicable approaches intimacy

when the ignoble man, despite his nearness, feigned forgetting me.

My tears of separation have clouded me with their clouds

مَدامِعُ البُعدَ أَغشَتني سَحائِبُها

مَدامِعُ البُعدَ أَغشَتني سَحائِبُها

عَليَّ يَهمينَ عَن ذي الهيدَبِ الداني

عَليَّ يَهمينَ عَن ذي الهيدَبِ الداني

The tears of separation—their clouds have enveloped me,

Raining upon me from the owner of the braids, who is close

pouring over me from a cloud with low-hanging rain-fringes.

As redemption even if he has seldom graced me with what

فِدىً وان قَلَّ مَنّانٌ عَليَّ بِما

فِدىً وان قَلَّ مَنّانٌ عَليَّ بِما

لَم يعطنيهِ لِمُعطٍ غَيرَ مَنّانٍ

لَم يعطنيهِ لِمُعطٍ غَيرَ مَنّانٍ

Let a boaster, though worth little, be ransom—he boasts to me of what

He did not give another graceless patron

he never gave me—for a giver who never boasts.

He wishes if only the morning donned its hue

يَودُّ لَو كُسيَ الاصباحُ صِبغَتَهُ

يَودُّ لَو كُسيَ الاصباحُ صِبغَتَهُ

أَو زيد في لَيلِهِ مِن عُمرِهِ الفاني

أَو زيد في لَيلِهِ مِن عُمرِهِ الفاني

He wishes that dawn might wear the night's hue,

Or the fleeting night gained of its vanishing life

or that his night be lengthened from his fleeting lifetime.

When he saw the wonder his people had for his generosity

إِذا رأى قَومه مِن جودِهِ عَجَباً

إِذا رأى قَومه مِن جودِهِ عَجَباً

قِدماً أَتاكَ بِثَان يَومُه الثاني

قِدماً أَتاكَ بِثَان يَومُه الثاني

Whenever his people behold a marvel of his generosity,

He gave them yesterday, today for the second time

as of old, his next day brings you another.

Generosity, valor and patience, those are his traits

جُودٌ وَبأسٌ وَحِلمٌ تِلكَ شيمَتُهُ

جُودٌ وَبأسٌ وَحِلمٌ تِلكَ شيمَتُهُ

مَعروفة أَبَداً في آل غَسّانِ

مَعروفة أَبَداً في آل غَسّانِ

Generosity, valor, and forbearance—such are his traits,

Known forever in the clan of Ghassan

ever known in the house of Ghassan.

He builds upon your glorious renown, diligent

يَبنى عَلى مَجدِكَ المَعروف مُجتَهِداً

يَبنى عَلى مَجدِكَ المَعروف مُجتَهِداً

لا مَجدَ حَقاً لِغَيرِ الوارِث الباني

لا مَجدَ حَقاً لِغَيرِ الوارِث الباني

He diligently builds upon your well-known glory;

Since no glory in truth belongs to any but the building heir

there is no true glory but for an heir who builds.

I have wasted my merit that I made known among the ignorant

أَضاعَ فَضليَ أَنّي بَينَ جاهِلهِ

أَضاعَ فَضليَ أَنّي بَينَ جاهِلهِ

ذوُ الفَضلِ فيهم بَصيرٌ بَينَ عُميان

ذوُ الفَضلِ فيهم بَصيرٌ بَينَ عُميان

My merit has been wasted by my being among those ignorant of it.

The virtuous among them is seeing among the blind

A man of merit among them is a sighted man among the blind.

And I do not care if fate ordains that I meet you

وَما أُبالي إِذا ما الدَهرُ قَيّض لي

وَما أُبالي إِذا ما الدَهرُ قَيّض لي

لقياك مِن بعد ما يَمنى ليَ الماني

لقياك مِن بعد ما يَمنى ليَ الماني

I do not care, if fate grants me

After what is wished for me by the patron

a meeting with you after whatever the ordainer decrees for me.

Exalting glory and making generosity immortal

اعلاءَ مَجدٍ وَتَخليدٌ لِمكرُمة

اعلاءَ مَجدٍ وَتَخليدٌ لِمكرُمة

لا رَفعُ قَصر وَلا تَخليدُ ايوانِ

لا رَفعُ قَصر وَلا تَخليدُ ايوانِ

The exalting of glory and the perpetuation of a noble deed,

Not raising a palace or immortalizing a hall

not raising a palace or making an iwan endure.

A quest with seriousness and a quest sometimes the two

سَعيٌ بِجدٍّ وَسَعيٌ رُبَّما اِختلفَ الأ

سَعيٌ بِجدٍّ وَسَعيٌ رُبَّما اِختلفَ الأ

مرانِ جدّاهُما في الأَمرِ سِيّانِ

مرانِ جدّاهُما في الأَمرِ سِيّانِ

Earnest striving, and another striving: different, perhaps, are the two

Matters differ but in purpose they are equal

undertakings, though their earnestness in the affair is equal.