بَذَّBadhdh الجِلادُbattle فَهوَso it is دَفينُburied
بَذَّ الجِلادُ فَهوَ دَفينُ
ماnot إِنindeed بِهِin it إِلاَّexcept الوُحوشَwild beasts قَطينُdwellers
ما إِن بِهِ إِلاَّ الوُحوشَ قَطينُ
Badhdh of battle lies buried;
none dwell there but wild beasts.
لَمnot يُقرَwas fed هَذاthis السَيفُsword هَذاthis الصَبرَendurance فيin
لَم يُقرَ هَذا السَيفُ هَذا الصَبرَ في
هَيجاءَbattle إِلّاexcept that عَزَّgrew mighty هَذاthis الدينُfaith
هَيجاءَ إِلّا عَزَّ هَذا الدينُ
Never was this sword fed such endurance in
battle without this faith growing mighty.
قَدindeed كانَhad been عُذرَةَvirginity مَغرِبٍthe West فَاِفتَضَّهاthen deflowered it
قَد كانَ عُذرَةَ مَغرِبٍ فَاِفتَضَّها
بِالسَيفِwith the sword فَحلُthe stallion المَشرِقِof the East الأَفشينُal-Afshin
بِالسَيفِ فَحلُ المَشرِقِ الأَفشينُ
It had been the West's virginity; then it was deflowered
with the sword by the East's stallion, al-Afshin.
فَأَعادَهاso he transformed it تَعويhowl الثَعالِبُfoxes وَسطَهاin its midst
فَأَعادَها تَعوي الثَعالِبُ وَسطَها
وَلَقَدand indeed تُرىwas seen بِالأَمسِyesterday وَهيَwhile it was عَرينُa lion's den
وَلَقَد تُرى بِالأَمسِ وَهيَ عَرينُ
So he left it with foxes howling in its midst,
though yesterday it was seen as a lion's den.
جادَتpoured generously عَلَيهاupon it مِنfrom جَماجِمِskulls أَهلِهاits people
جادَت عَلَيها مِن جَماجِمِ أَهلِها
دِيَمٌsteady rains أَمارَتهاsent them flowing طُلىًnecks وَشُئونُand cranial sutures
دِيَمٌ أَمارَتها طُلىً وَشُئونُ
From its people's skulls there poured upon it
steady rains, sent flowing by necks and skull seams.
كانَتhad been مِنَas regards الدَمِblood قَبلَbefore ذاكَthat مَفازَةًa desert
كانَت مِنَ الدَمِ قَبلَ ذاكَ مَفازَةً
غَوراًsunken deep فَأَمسَتso it became وَهيَwhile it was مِنهُof it مَعينُa flowing spring
غَوراً فَأَمسَت وَهيَ مِنهُ مَعينُ
Before that it had been a bloodless desert,
dry in its depths; now it is a flowing spring of blood.
بَحراًa sea مِنَof الهَيجاءِbattle يَهفوsurges مالَهُit has no
بَحراً مِنَ الهَيجاءِ يَهفو مالَهُ
إِلّاexcept الجَناجِنَbreastbones وَالضُلوعَand ribs سَفينُships
إِلّا الجَناجِنَ وَالضُلوعَ سَفينُ
A surging sea of battle, with no
ships but breastbones and ribs.
لاقاهُمُmet them مَلِكٌa king حَباهُendowed him بِالعُلىwith eminence
لاقاهُمُ مَلِكٌ حَباهُ بِالعُلى
جَرسٌJars وَجاناand Jana خُرَّةُKhurra المَيمونُthe auspicious
جَرسٌ وَجانا خُرَّةُ المَيمونُ
A king met them, endowed with eminence by
Jars and auspicious Jana Khurra.
مَلِكٌa king تُضيءُshine المَكرُماتُnoble deeds إِذاwhen بَداappears
مَلِكٌ تُضيءُ المَكرُماتُ إِذا بَدا
لِلمُلكِfor kingship مِنهُfrom him غُرَّةٌa radiant brow وَجَبينُand a forehead
لِلمُلكِ مِنهُ غُرَّةٌ وَجَبينُ
A king whose noble deeds shine whenever
kingship shows through him a radiant brow and forehead.
ساسَgoverned الجُيوشَthe armies سِياسَةَthe governance اِبنِa son تَجارِبٍexperience
ساسَ الجُيوشَ سِياسَةَ اِبنِ تَجارِبٍ
رَمَقَتهُwatched him عَينُthe eye المُلكِof kingship وَهوَwhile he was جَنينُan unborn child
رَمَقَتهُ عَينُ المُلكِ وَهوَ جَنينُ
He governed the armies like a son of experience;
the eye of kingship watched him while still unborn.
لانَتgrew supple مَهَزَّتُهُhis bearing فَعَزَّso he grew mighty وَإِنَّماand only
لانَت مَهَزَّتُهُ فَعَزَّ وَإِنَّما
يَشتَدُّgrows strong بَأسُthe force الرُمحِof the spear حينَwhen يَلينُit bends
يَشتَدُّ بَأسُ الرُمحِ حينَ يَلينُ
His bearing grew supple, and he grew mighty; for
a spear's force grows strong only when it bends.
وَتَرىand you see الكَريمَthe noble man يَعِزُّis honored حينَwhen يَهونُhe is humble
وَتَرى الكَريمَ يَعِزُّ حينَ يَهونُ
وَتَرىand you see اللَئيمَthe base man يَهونُis despised حينَwhen يَهونُhe is humble
وَتَرى اللَئيمَ يَهونُ حينَ يَهونُ
And you see the noble honored when he is humble,
and see the base despised when he is humble.
قادَled المَناياdeaths وَالجُيوشَand armies فَأَصبَحَتso they became
قادَ المَنايا وَالجُيوشَ فَأَصبَحَت
وَلَهاand they had بِأَرشَقَat Arshaq قَسطَلٌbattle-dust عُثنونُshaggy
وَلَها بِأَرشَقَ قَسطَلٌ عُثنونُ
He led deaths and armies, and they came to stand
with a shaggy cloud of battle-dust at Arshaq.
فَتَرَكتَso you left أَرشَقَArshaq وَهيَwhile it was يُرقىis charmed بِاِسمِهاby its name
فَتَرَكتَ أَرشَقَ وَهيَ يُرقى بِاِسمِها
صُمُّdeaf الصَفاhard rock فَتَفيضُso gush مِنهُfrom it عُيونُsprings
صُمُّ الصَفا فَتَفيضُ مِنهُ عُيونُ
So you left Arshaq, whose name is invoked to charm
deaf rock, so that springs gush from it.
لَوif تَستَطيعُcould الحَجَّthe pilgrimage يَوماًone day بَلدَةٌa town
لَو تَستَطيعُ الحَجَّ يَوماً بَلدَةٌ
حَجَّتwould make pilgrimage إِلَيهاto it كَعبَةٌthe Kaaba وَحَجونُand Hajun
حَجَّت إِلَيها كَعبَةٌ وَحَجونُ
If a town could one day make the pilgrimage,
the Kaaba and Hajun would make pilgrimage to it.
لاقاكَmet you بابَكُBabak وَهوَwhile he was يَزئِرُroaring فَاِنثَنىthen recoiled
لاقاكَ بابَكُ وَهوَ يَزئِرُ فَاِنثَنى
وَزَئيرُهُand his roar قَدalready عادَhad become وَهوَwhile it was أَنينُa moan
وَزَئيرُهُ قَد عادَ وَهوَ أَنينُ
Babak met you roaring, then recoiled,
his roar already changed into a moan.
لاقىmet شَكائِمَfierce resolves مِنكَfrom you مُعتَصِمِيَّةًof al-Mu'tasim
لاقى شَكائِمَ مِنكَ مُعتَصِمِيَّةً
أَهزَلنَmade lean جَنبَthe flank الكُفرِof unbelief وَهوَwhile it was سَمينُfat
أَهزَلنَ جَنبَ الكُفرِ وَهوَ سَمينُ
He faced in you fierce resolve worthy of al-Mu'tasim,
which made unbelief's flank lean, though it was fat.
لَمّاwhen رَأىhe saw عَلَمَيكَyour two banners وَلّىhe turned away هارِباًfleeing
لَمّا رَأى عَلَمَيكَ وَلّى هارِباً
وَلِكُفرِهِand for his unbelief طَرفٌan eye عَلَيهِover him سَخينُhot with tears
وَلِكُفرِهِ طَرفٌ عَلَيهِ سَخينُ
When he saw your two banners, he turned and fled,
while his unbelief's eye wept hot tears over him.
وَلّىturned away وَلَمand did not يَظلِمdo wrong وَهَلand did ظَلَمَdo wrong اِمرِؤٌa man
وَلّى وَلَم يَظلِم وَهَل ظَلَمَ اِمرِؤٌ
حَثَّhastened النَجاءَescape وَخَلفَهُand behind him التِنّينُthe dragon
حَثَّ النَجاءَ وَخَلفَهُ التِنّينُ
He fled, nor did he do wrong; has a man done wrong
by hastening his escape with the dragon behind him?
أَوقَعتَyou fought فيin أَبرَشتَويمَAbrashtawim وَقائِعاًbattles
أَوقَعتَ في أَبرَشتَويمَ وَقائِعاً
أَضحَكنَmade laugh سِنَّthe tooth الدينِof the faith وَهوَwhile it was حَزينُsorrowful
أَضحَكنَ سِنَّ الدينِ وَهوَ حَزينُ
At Abrashtawim you fought battles
that made the faith show its teeth in laughter, though grieving.
أَوسَعتَهُمyou showered them with ضَرباًblows تُهَدُّare shattered بِهِby it الكُلىthe kidneys
أَوسَعتَهُم ضَرباً تُهَدُّ بِهِ الكُلى
وَيَخِفُّand grows light مِنهُfrom it المَرءُa man وَهوَwhile he is رَكينُsteadfast
وَيَخِفُّ مِنهُ المَرءُ وَهوَ رَكينُ
You showered them with blows that shatter kidneys
and make even a steadfast man grow light and unsteady.
ضَرباًblows كَأَشداقِlike the mouths المَخاضِof pregnant she-camels وَتَحتَهُand beneath it
ضَرباً كَأَشداقِ المَخاضِ وَتَحتَهُ
طَعنٌspear-thrusts كَأَنَّas though وَجاءَهُits piercing طاعونُa plague
طَعنٌ كَأَنَّ وَجاءَهُ طاعونُ
Blows like the mouths of pregnant she-camels, and beneath them
spear-thrusts whose piercing seemed a plague.
بَأسٌmight تُفَلُّare shattered بِهِby it الصُفوفُthe ranks وَتَحتَهُand beneath it
بَأسٌ تُفَلُّ بِهِ الصُفوفُ وَتَحتَهُ
رَأيٌjudgment تُفَلُّare shattered بِهِby it العُقولُminds رَزينُweighty
رَأيٌ تُفَلُّ بِهِ العُقولُ رَزينُ
Might that shatters ranks, and beneath it
weighty judgment that shatters minds.
أَخلىemptied جِلادُكَyour sword-fighting صَدرَهُhis breast وَلَقَدand indeed يُرىwas seen
أَخلى جِلادُكَ صَدرَهُ وَلَقَد يُرى
وَفُؤادُهُand his heart مِنby نَجدَةٍvalor مَسكونُinhabited
وَفُؤادُهُ مِن نَجدَةٍ مَسكونُ
Your sword-fighting emptied his breast, though he was once seen
with his heart inhabited by valor.
سَجَنَتimprisoned تَجارِبُهُhis experiences فُضولَthe excesses عُرامِهِof his fierceness
سَجَنَت تَجارِبُهُ فُضولَ عُرامِهِ
إِنَّindeed التَجارِبَexperiences لِلعُقولِfor minds سُجونُprisons
إِنَّ التَجارِبَ لِلعُقولِ سُجونُ
His experiences imprisoned the excesses of his fierceness;
indeed, experiences are prisons for minds.
وَعَشِيَّةَand on the evening التَلِّof the hill اِنصَرَفتَyou departed وَلِلهُدىand for guidance
وَعَشِيَّةَ التَلِّ اِنصَرَفتَ وَلِلهُدى
شَوقٌlonging إِلَيكَfor you مُداوِرٌcircling وَحَنينُand yearning
شَوقٌ إِلَيكَ مُداوِرٌ وَحَنينُ
And on the evening at the hill you departed, while guidance had
an encircling longing for you, and yearning.
عَبَأَhe arrayed الكَمينَthe ambush لَهُfor him فَظَلَّso he remained لِحَينِهِto his doom
عَبَأَ الكَمينَ لَهُ فَظَلَّ لِحَينِهِ
وَكَمينُهُand his ambush المُخفىconcealed عَلَيهِagainst him كَمينُan ambush
وَكَمينُهُ المُخفى عَلَيهِ كَمينُ
He arrayed an ambush for him, but was left, to his own doom,
with his hidden ambush turned into an ambush against himself.
ياO وَقعَةًbattle ماhow كانَwas أَعتَقَnobly bred يَومَهاits day
يا وَقعَةً ما كانَ أَعتَقَ يَومَها
إِذwhen بَعضُsome أَيّامِdays الزَمانِof time هَجينُmongrel-born
إِذ بَعضُ أَيّامِ الزَمانِ هَجينُ
O battle, how nobly bred was its day,
when some of time's days are mongrel-born!
لَوif أَنَّthat هَذاthis الفَتحَvictory شَكٌّdoubt لَاِشتَفَتwould find healing
لَو أَنَّ هَذا الفَتحَ شَكٌّ لَاِشتَفَت
مِنهُfrom it القُلوبُhearts فَكَيفَthen how وَهوَwhile it is يَقينُcertainty
مِنهُ القُلوبُ فَكَيفَ وَهوَ يَقينُ
Were this victory in doubt, healing would still come
from it to hearts; how much more, when it is certain!
وَأَخَذتَand you captured بابَكَBabak حائِراًbewildered دونَshort of المُنىhopes
وَأَخَذتَ بابَكَ حائِراً دونَ المُنى
وَمُنىand the hopes الضَلالِof error مِياهُهُنَّtheir waters أُجونُstagnant
وَمُنى الضَلالِ مِياهُهُنَّ أُجونُ
And you captured Babak bewildered, short of his hopes;
and the waters of error's hopes are stagnant.
طَعَنَpierced التَلَهُّفُregret قَلبَهُhis heart فَفُؤادُهُso his heart
طَعَنَ التَلَهُّفُ قَلبَهُ فَفُؤادُهُ
مِنfrom غَيرِother than طَعنَةِa thrust فارِسٍa horseman مَطعونُpierced
مِن غَيرِ طَعنَةِ فارِسٍ مَطعونُ
Regret pierced his heart, so his heart was
pierced without a horseman's thrust.
وَرَجاand he hoped for بِلادَthe lands الرومِof the Romans فَاِستَعصىbut grew intractable بِهِagainst him
وَرَجا بِلادَ الرومِ فَاِستَعصى بِهِ
أَجَلٌan appointed death أَصَمُّdeaf عَنِto النَجاءِescape حَرونُbalking
أَجَلٌ أَصَمُّ عَنِ النَجاءِ حَرونُ
He hoped for the Roman lands, but blocking him was
a doom deaf to escape, stubbornly refusing to budge.
هَيهاتَvain hope! لَمdid not يَعلَمknow بِأَنَّكَthat you لَوif ثَوىhe dwelt
هَيهاتَ لَم يَعلَم بِأَنَّكَ لَو ثَوى
بِالصينِin China لَمnot تَبعُدbe far عَلَيكَfor you الصينُChina
بِالصينِ لَم تَبعُد عَلَيكَ الصينُ
Vain hope! He did not know that, had he dwelt
in China, China would not have been beyond your reach.
ماnot نالَattained ماwhat قَدalready نالَhe attained فِرعَونُPharaoh وَلاnor
ما نالَ ما قَد نالَ فِرعَونُ وَلا
هامانُHaman فيin الدُنياthis world وَلاnor قارونُQarun
هامانُ في الدُنيا وَلا قارونُ
What he had attained was never attained by Pharaoh, nor
by Haman in this world, nor by Qarun.
بَلrather كانَhe was كَالضَحّاكِlike al-Dahhak فيin سَطواتِهِhis assaults
بَل كانَ كَالضَحّاكِ في سَطواتِهِ
بِالعالَمينَupon humankind وَأَنتَand you are إِفريدونُIfridun
بِالعالَمينَ وَأَنتَ إِفريدونُ
Rather, he was like al-Dahhak in his assaults
upon humankind, while you are Ifridun.
فَسَيَشكُرُso will thank الإِسلامُIslam ماwhat أَولَيتَهُyou bestowed on it
فَسَيَشكُرُ الإِسلامُ ما أَولَيتَهُ
وَاللَهُand God عَنهُon its behalf بِالوَفاءِfor full recompense ضَمينُa guarantor
وَاللَهُ عَنهُ بِالوَفاءِ ضَمينُ
So Islam will thank you for what you bestowed on it,
and God guarantees full recompense on its behalf.
Translation model: Sol 6.1