Sol 6.1

  1. بِسُمرِ القَنا وَالمُرهَفاتِ الصَوارِمِ

    بِناءُ المَعالي وَاِقتِناءُ المَكارِمِ

    With brown spears and keen-edged cutting swords

    are lofty honors built and noble virtues acquired.

  2. وَفي صَهَواتِ الخَيلِ تَدمى نُحُورها

    شِفاءٌ لِأَدواءِ القُلوبِ الحَوائِمِ

    And on the backs of horses whose throats bleed

    is healing for the ailments of thirsting hearts.

  3. وَلَيسَ بِبِسمِ اللَهِ قُدّامَ بلغَةٍ

    فَخارٌ لِجَعدِ الكَفِّ جَعدِ المَلاغِمِ

    Not in saying "In God's name" before a meager meal

    is there glory for a tight-fisted man with puckered lips.

  4. وَما الفَخرُ إلّا الطَعنُ وَالضَربُ وَالنَدى

    وَرَفضُ الدَنايا وَاِغتِفارُ الجَرائِمِ

    Glory is only thrusting, striking, and generosity,

    rejecting base deeds and pardoning offenses.

  5. وَلَفُّ السَرايا بِالسَرايا تَخالُها

    حِرارَ الحِجازِ أَو بِحارَ اللَواطِمِ

    And clashing squadrons against squadrons, which you would think

    the lava fields of the Hijaz, or seas of crashing waves.

  6. تَقَحَّمَها قُدماً إِلى المَوتِ فِتيَةٌ

    تَرى عِيشَةً في الذُلِّ حَزَّ الغَلاصِمِ

    Young men plunge headlong into them toward death,

    regarding life in humiliation as the slitting of throats.

  7. خَلِيلَيَّ مِن عَمرِو بنِ غَنمِ بنِ تَغلِبٍ

    ذَراني فَإِنّي لِلعُلا جِدُّ هائِمِ

    My two friends from Amr ibn Ghanm ibn Taghlib,

    leave me, for I am utterly enamored of glory.

  8. وَما السُمرُ عِندي غَيرُ خَطِّيَّةِ القَنا

    وَما البيضُ عِندي غَيرُ بِيضِ اللَهازِمِ

    The dusky ones I prize are only spears from al-Khatt,

    and the fair ones I prize are only bright cutting blades.

  9. وَلا تَذكُرَا الصَهباءَ ما لَم تَكُن دَماً

    وَلا مُسمِعاً ما لَم يَكُن صَوتَ صارِمِ

    Do not mention tawny wine unless it is blood,

    nor a minstrel unless it is the sound of a cutting sword.

  10. فَإِنّي أُحِبُّ الشُربَ في ظِلِّ قَسطَلٍ

    مَجالِسُهُم فيهِ ظُهورُ الصُلادِمِ

    For I love drinking in the shade of battle-dust,

    where their seats are the backs of sturdy steeds.

  11. وَأَهوى اِعتِناقَ الدارِعينَ وَأَجتَوي

    عِناقَ بُنَيّاتِ الخُدورِ النَواعِمِ

    I love embracing armored men, and I loathe

    the embrace of delicate young maidens in secluded chambers.

  12. وَمَن طَلَبَ العَلياءَ جَرَّدَ سَيفَهُ

    وَخاضَ بِهِ بَحرَ الرَدى غَيرَ وَاجِمِ

    Whoever seeks lofty glory unsheathes his sword

    and plunges with it into the sea of destruction, undaunted.

  13. فَما عُظِّمَت قِدماً قُرَيشٌ وَوائِلٌ

    عَلى الناسِ إِلّا بِاِرتِكابِ العَظائِمِ

    Quraysh and Wa'il were exalted of old

    above other people only by undertaking mighty deeds.

  14. وَمَن لَم يَلِج بِالنَفسِ في كُلِّ مُبهَمٍ

    يَعِش عَرَضاً لِلذُلِّ عَيشَ البَهائِمِ

    Whoever does not venture with his life into every dark peril

    lives a target for abasement, the life of beasts.

  15. وَمَن لَم يَقُدها ضامِراتٍ إِلى العِدى

    تُقَد نَحوَهُ عُوجُ البُرى وَالشكائِمِ

    Whoever does not lead lean steeds against the foe

    will have mounts with curved nose-rings and bits led against him.

  16. فَما اِنقادَتِ الأَشرارُ إِلّا لِغاشِمٍ

    لَهُ فيهِمُ فَتكُ الأُسُودِ الضَراغِمِ

    The wicked submit only to a ruthless man

    who slaughters them as fierce lions do.

  17. فَمَن رامَ أَن يَستَعبِدَ الناسَ فَليَمِل

    عَلَيهِم بِأَطرافِ القَنا غَيرَ راحِمِ

    Whoever seeks to enslave people, let him charge

    against them with spear-points, without mercy.

  18. فَأَكثَرُ مَن تَلقى لِسانُ مُسالِمٍ

    وَتَحتَ جَآجي الصَدرِ قَلبُ مُصادِمِ

    Most whom you meet have a peaceable man's tongue,

    but beneath the breastbones lies a fighter's heart.

  19. كَلامٌ كَأَريِ النَحلِ حُلوٌ وَإِنَّهُ

    لَأَخبَثُ غِبّاً مِن لُعابِ الأَراقِمِ

    Their speech is sweet as the honey of bees, yet it

    is more malignant in its aftermath than serpents' venom.

  20. فَيا خاطِبَ العَلياءِ لَيسَ مَنالُها

    بِرَفعِ الغَواشي وَاِتِّخاذِ التَراجِمِ

    O suitor of lofty glory, she is not attained

    by hoisting ceremonial saddle-covers and employing interpreters.

  21. فَدَع عَنكَ ذِكراها فَبَعضُ صَداقِها

    وَرُودُ المَنايا وَاِحتِمالُ المَغارِمِ

    Set thoughts of her aside: part of her dowry

    is to meet death and bear heavy costs.

  22. وَلا تَبسُطَن كَفّاً إِلَيها وَخَلِّها

    لِأَروَعَ يُغلي مَهرَها غَيرَ نادِمِ

    Do not stretch a hand toward her; leave her

    to a gallant man who makes her dowry dear, without regret.

  23. وَخَف سَيفَ بَدرِ الدِينِ وَاِحذَر فَإِنَّهُ

    لَأَغيَرُ مِن لَيثٍ جَرِيِّ المَقادِمِ

    Fear Badr al-Din's sword and beware, for he

    is more fiercely jealous than a lion bold in attack.

  24. فَلَيسَ لَها كُفؤٌ سِواهُ فَإِن تَكُن

    يَسارَ الغَواني تُخصَ ضَربَةَ لازِمِ

    She has no worthy match but him; if you become

    the fair women's Yasar, you will be castrated by a relentless man's blow.

  25. أَلا إِنَّ بَدرَ الدّينِ تَأبى طِباعُهُ

    نَظيراً وَفي هِندِيِّهِ فَضلُ قائِمِ

    Indeed, Badr al-Din's nature refuses

    a rival, and his Indian sword has hilt to spare.

  26. هُوَ المَلِكُ السَامي إِلى كُلِّ غايَةٍ

    مَراهِصُها لا تُرتَقى بِالسَلالِمِ

    He is the king who rises toward every goal

    whose very foundations cannot be scaled with ladders.

  27. إِذا هَمَّ أَمضى عَزمَهُ بِكَتائِبٍ

    حِمى المَلِكِ المُردى بِها غَيرُ سالِمِ

    When he resolves, he carries out his purpose with battalions;

    the domain of the king they overthrow is never safe.

  28. جَرى وَجَرَت كُلُّ المُلوكِ إِلى العُلى

    فَجَلّى جَلاءَ الأَعوَجِيِّ المُتائِمِ

    He raced, and all the kings raced toward glory;

    he won as an A'waji steed wins, gallop after gallop.

  29. جَوادٌ إِذا ما الخُورُ عامَت فِصالُها

    وَلَم يَبقَ في أَخلافِها فُطرُ صائِمِ

    Generous when the milch-camels' weanlings flounder,

    and not a draught to break a fast remains in their teats.

  30. يُسَرُّ بِمَرأى النازِلينَ بِبابِهِ

    سُرورَ أَبٍ بِاِبنٍ مِن الغَزوِ قادِمِ

    He rejoices at the sight of those arriving at his gate

    as a father rejoices at a son returning from war.

  31. هُوَ البَحرُ إِذ لَو زاحَمَ البَحرُ مَدَّهُ

    لَأَربى عَلَى تَيّارِهِ المُتَلاطِمِ

    He is the sea: if the sea contended with his tide,

    he would surpass its surging current.

  32. هُوَ السَيفُ بَل لَو أَنَّ لِلسَيفِ عَزمَهُ

    لَشَقَّ الطُلا وَالهامَ قَبلَ التَصادُمِ

    He is the sword—nay, if a sword possessed his resolve,

    it would cleave necks and heads before the clash.

  33. هُوَ الشَمسُ بَل لَو قابَلَ الشَمسَ بشرُهُ

    لَما اِستوضحَت إِلّا كَحَلقَةِ خاتِمِ

    He is the sun—nay, if his smiling face confronted the sun,

    it would shine as no more than the hoop of a ring.

  34. عَلا في النَدى أَوساً وَفي الزُهدِ وَالتُقى

    أُوَيساً وَفي الإِغضاءِ قَيسَ بنَ عاصِمِ

    He surpassed Aws in generosity, and in asceticism and piety

    Uways, and in forbearance Qays ibn Asim.

  35. وَأَولى الرَعايا عَدلَ كِسرى وَساسَها

    سِياسَةَ مَيمُونِ النَقيبَةِ حازِمِ

    He bestowed Kisra's justice on his subjects and governed them

    with the rule of a resolute man of fortunate disposition.

  36. تَهادى رَعاياهُ اللَطيمَةَ بَينَها

    وَكَم مِثلها في مِثلِ حَرِّ الأَطايِمِ

    His subjects exchange perfume caravans among themselves;

    and how many like them amid heat like that of furnaces!

  37. وَيُمسي قَريرَ العَينِ مَن في جَنابِهِ

    وَإِن كانَ نَائي الدارِ جَمَّ الدَراهِمِ

    Those within his protection pass the evening content,

    even if far from home and rich in dirhams.

  38. إِذا جادَ لَم يُذكَر لِفَضلٍ وَجَعفَرٍ

    سَماحٌ وَلَم يُحفَل بِكَعبٍ وَحاتِمِ

    When he gives, none remembers Fadl's or Ja'far's

    generosity, nor pays heed to Ka'b or Hatim.

  39. وَإِن قالَ أَلغى الناسُ سَحبانَ وائِلٍ

    وُقسّاً وَما فاها بِهِ في المَواسِمِ

    When he speaks, people dismiss Sahban of Wa'il,

    and Quss, and what those two proclaimed at the assemblies.

  40. وَإِن صالَ أَنسى حارِساً وَمُهَلهِلاً

    وَعَمراً وَبسطاماً وَحار بنَ ظالِمِ

    When he charges, he makes Haris and Muhalhil forgotten,

    and Amr, Bistam, and Har ibn Zalim.

  41. سَلِ الخَيلَ عَنهُ وَالكُماةُ كَأَنَّها

    قِيامٌ عَلى مَوجٍ مِنَ النارِ جاحِمِ

    Ask the horses about him, while the armored warriors seem

    to stand upon a fiercely blazing wave of fire.

  42. أَلَم يَكُ أَمضاها جَناناً وَصارِماً

    وَلِلبيضِ وَقعٌ في الطُلا وَالجَماجِمِ

    Was he not the keenest of them in heart and blade,

    with bright swords striking necks and skulls?

  43. وَكَم هامَةٍ حَسناءَ راحَت جِباهُها

    نِعالاً لِأَيدي خَيلِهِ في المَلاحِمِ

    How many beautiful heads had their foreheads turned

    into sandals for his horses' forelegs in battle!

  44. لَقَد أَصبَحَ الإِسلامُ في كُلِّ مَوطِنٍ

    يَنُوءُ بِرُكنٍ مِنهُ عَبلِ الدَعائِمِ

    Indeed, Islam has come, in every land,

    to stand upon a pillar he provides, with massive supports.

  45. أَقامَ لَهُ في كُلِّ ثَغرٍ كَتائِباً

    يُقيمُ اِصعِرارَ الأَبلَجِ المُتَضاخِمِ

    He stationed battalions for it at every frontier,

    straightening the haughty neck of the broad-browed man swollen with pride.

  46. دَعاهُ لِنَصرِ الدِّينِ خَيرُ خَليفَةٍ

    وَما زالَ يُدعى لِلأُمورِ العَظائِمِ

    The finest caliph called him to support the faith,

    and he has always been summoned for mighty affairs.

  47. فَلَبّى مُطيعاً لِلإِمامِ وَحَسبُهُ

    بِذا مَفخَراً في عُربِها وَالأَعاجِمِ

    He answered obediently to the Imam; this is enough

    as glory for him among Arabs and non-Arabs.

  48. فَقادَ إِلى الإِفرَنجِ جَيشاً زُهاؤُهُ

    عَديدُ الحَصا ذا أَزمَلٍ وَزَمازِمِ

    He led against the Franks an army whose number

    matched the pebbles, full of clamor and rumbling.

  49. وَجَيشاً يُواري الشَمسَ رَيعانُ نَقعِهِ

    إِلى التُركِ إِذ جاؤُوا لِهَتكِ المَحارِمِ

    And an army whose first surge of dust obscures the sun

    against the Turks, when they came to violate sanctities.

  50. إِذا التَترُ الباغُونَ ذاقُوا لِقاءَهُ

    تَمَنّوا بِأَن كانُوا دَماً في المَشائِمِ

    When the aggressive Tatars taste a meeting with him,

    they wish they had been blood within the placentas.

  51. جُيوشٌ هِيَ الطُوفانُ لا رَملُ عالِجٍ

    وَلا جَبَلُ الأَمرارِ مِنها بِعاصِمِ

    Armies that are the flood: neither the sands of 'Alij

    nor Mount al-Amrar can shelter anyone from them.

  52. مُعَوَّدَةٌ نَصرَ الإِلَهِ فَما غَزَت

    مَنيعَ حِمىً إِلّا اِنثَنَت بِالغَنائِمِ

    Accustomed to God's victory, they never attack

    an impregnable domain without returning with spoils.

  53. إِذا ما دَعَت يابا الفَضائِلِ أَرعَدَت

    فَرِيصَ الأَعادي فَاِتَّقَت بِالهَزائِمِ

    When they cry, "O Abu al-Fada'il!" they make tremble

    the enemies' flanks, forcing them to seek shelter in flight.

  54. سَتَبقى بِهِ الإِفرِنجُ وَالتُركُ ما بَقَت

    كَأَنَّ حَشاياها ظُهُورَ الشَياهِمِ

    Because of him, the Franks and Turks will remain, as long as they live,

    as though their mattresses were porcupines' backs.

  55. تُقَلِّبُها جَنباً فَجَنباً مَخافَةٌ

    ثَوَت فَاِستَقَرَّت بَينَ تِلكَ الحَيازِمِ

    Fear turns them from side to side,

    having lodged and settled within those rib-cages.

  56. فَإِن هَوَّمَت أَهدَت لَها سِنَةُ الكَرى

    سَراياهُ تُردي بِالقَنا وَالصَوارِمِ

    If they doze, sleep's drowsiness presents to them

    his squadrons, dealing death with spears and cutting swords.

  57. فَتُزعِجُها حَتّى كَأن قَد أَصابَها

    مِنَ المَسِّ ما لا يُتَّقى بِالتَمائِمِ

    It rouses them until they seem afflicted

    with a possession no amulets can ward off.

  58. فَلَيسَ لَها في نَومِها مِنهُ راحَةٌ

    إِذا النَومُ أَسرى الهَمَّ عَن كُلِّ نائِمِ

    They have no rest from him even in their sleep,

    when sleep carries care away from every sleeper.

  59. إِلَيكَ طَوَت يابا الفَضائِلِ وَاِمتَطَت

    بِيَ البُعدَ هِمّاتُ النُفوسِ الكَرائِمِ

    Toward you, O Abu al-Fada'il, they have covered the way and ridden—

    the aspirations of noble souls, bearing me across the distance.

  60. فَكَم مَتن ساجٍ تَحتَ ساجٍ قَطَعتهُ

    عَلى ظَهرِ ساجٍ غَيرَ وَاهي العَزائِمِ

    How many a calm sea's expanse beneath a still night have I crossed,

    upon the back of a teakwood vessel, unwavering in resolve.

  61. وَكَم جُبتُ مِن خَرقا تَمُوتُ بِها الظِبا

    بِعَزمَةٍ مَضّاءٍ عَلى الهَولِ حازِمِ

    How many vast wastes, where gazelles perish, have I traversed

    with unyielding resolve, steadfast in the face of terror.

  62. وَقَد كُنتُ ذا مالٍ حَلالٍ وَثَروَةٍ

    يُضاعَفُ إِكرامي وَتُرجى مَكارِمي

    I once possessed lawful wealth and riches,

    with my honors redoubled and my generous deeds hoped for.

  63. فَمالَ عَلَى مالي وَحالي وَثَروَتي

    وَجاهي وَأَصغى لِاِختِلاقِ النَمائِمِ

    Then he assailed my property, my condition, and my wealth,

    and my rank, lending an ear to fabricated slanders.

  64. وَظَلتُ أُعاني السِجنَ في قَعرِ هُوَّةٍ

    سَماعي وَأَلحاني غِناءُ الأَداهِمِ

    I languished in prison at the bottom of a pit,

    the music I heard, my melodies, the song of iron fetters.

  65. وَها أَنا قَد أَلقَيتُ رَحليَ عائِذاً

    بِنعماكَ مِن أَيدي الخُطوبِ الغَواشِمِ

    Here I am, having laid down my saddle, seeking refuge

    in your favor from the hands of merciless calamities.

  66. وَخَلَّفتُ بِالبَحرَينِ أَهلي وَمَنزِلي

    رَجاءَ الغِنى مِن سَيبِكَ المُتراكِمِ

    I left my family and my home in Bahrain,

    hoping for wealth from your accumulating bounty.

  67. وَطُولُ مُقامي مُتعِبٌ لِي وَجالِبٌ

    عَلَيَّ مِنَ الأَدنى أَحَرَّ المَلاوِمِ

    The length of my stay wearies me and brings

    upon me the hottest reproaches from those nearest.

  68. فَبُورِكتَ مِن مَلكٍ أَقَلُّ هِباتِهِ

    تُبِرُّ عَلى فَيضِ البِحارِ الخَضارِمِ

    May you be blessed, a king whose smallest gifts

    surpass the outpouring of the vast seas.

  69. وَعِشتَ عَلى مَرِّ اللَيالي مُخَلَّداً

    لِنُصرَةِ مَظلُومٍ وَإِرغامِ ظالِمِ

    May you live forever through the passing nights,

    to aid the wronged and abase the oppressor.