أَتُنكِرُdo you fail to recognize? الدارَthe dwelling أَمor عِرفانَrecognition of مَنزِلَةٍa campsite
أَتُنكِرُ الدارَ أَم عِرفانَ مَنزِلَةٍ
لَمdid not يَبقَremain غَيرُother than مُناخِthe resting-place of القِدرِthe cooking pot وَالحُمَمِand charred coals
لَم يَبقَ غَيرُ مُناخِ القِدرِ وَالحُمَمِ
Do you not recognize the abode—or is this recognition of a dwelling-place?
Do you find the dwelling unfamiliar, or recognize a campsite
Nothing remains but the pot’s resting-stones and ashes,
where nothing remains but the pot's resting-place and charred coals,
وَغَيرُand other than نُؤيٍa rain-ditch رَمَتهُbattered it الريحُthe wind أَعصُرَهُthroughout its ages
وَغَيرُ نُؤيٍ رَمَتهُ الريحُ أَعصُرَهُ
فَهوَso it is ضَئيلٌdiminished كَحَوضِlike the basin of الآجِنِstagnant water الهَدِمِruined
فَهوَ ضَئيلٌ كَحَوضِ الآجِنِ الهَدِمِ
And a tent trench the wind has battered through the ages,
and a rain-ditch the wind has battered through its ages,
Now faint as the hollow of a ruined, stagnant pool.
now shrunken like a ruined basin of stagnant water?
كانَتthey were مَنازِلَdwellings of أَقوامٍpeoples فَغَيَّرَهاthen altered them
كانَت مَنازِلَ أَقوامٍ فَغَيَّرَها
مَرُّthe passing of اللَياليthe nights وَنَضخُand the downpour of العارِضِthe rain-cloud الهَزِمِthundering
مَرُّ اللَيالي وَنَضخُ العارِضِ الهَزِمِ
These once were a people’s dwellings, transformed
These were people's dwellings; they were changed by
By passing nights and the downpour of a thunderous cloud.
the passing of nights and the downpour of the thundering cloud.
وَقَدand once تَكونُthere were بِهاin it هيفٌslender-waisted women مُنَعَّمَةٌpampered
وَقَد تَكونُ بِها هيفٌ مُنَعَّمَةٌ
لاnot يَلتَفِعنَthey wrap themselves عَلىover سوءٍa blemish وَلاnor سَقَمِillness
لا يَلتَفِعنَ عَلى سوءٍ وَلا سَقَمِ
Slender, pampered women may once have lived there,
And once slender-waisted, pampered women dwelt there,
Veiling themselves for neither blemish nor illness;
whose wraps concealed neither blemish nor illness.
لاnot يَصطَلينَthey warm themselves by دُخانَthe smoke of النارِthe fire شاتِيَةًin winter
لا يَصطَلينَ دُخانَ النارِ شاتِيَةً
إِلّاexcept بِعودِwith wood of يَلَنجوجٍagarwood عَلىon فَحَمِcharcoal
إِلّا بِعودِ يَلَنجوجٍ عَلى فَحَمِ
In winter they warmed themselves by no smoky fire
They did not warm themselves in winter by smoky fire,
Except yalankūj wood crackling over coals.
except with agarwood sticks laid upon charcoal.
يَمشينَthey walk مَشيَwith the gait of الهِجانِpurebred she-camels الأُدمِpale-coated روَّحَهاdrove them home
يَمشينَ مَشيَ الهِجانِ الأُدمِ روَّحَها
عِندَat الأَصيلِlate afternoon هَديرُthe bellowing of المُصعَبِthe unbroken bull camel القَطِمِrutting
عِندَ الأَصيلِ هَديرُ المُصعَبِ القَطِمِ
They walked like tawny, high-bred she-camels driven home
They walk like pale, purebred she-camels driven home
At evening by the roar of a fierce, biting stallion-camel.
at dusk by the bellow of an unbroken, rutting bull.
لَقَدindeed حَلَفتُI swore بِماby that which أَسرىjourneyed at night الحَجيجُthe pilgrims لَهُto it
لَقَد حَلَفتُ بِما أَسرى الحَجيجُ لَهُ
وَالناذِرينَand by those vowing دِماءَthe blood of البُدنِsacrificial camels بِالحَرَمِin the Sanctuary
وَالناذِرينَ دِماءَ البُدنِ بِالحَرَمِ
I have sworn by that to which the pilgrims journey by night,
Indeed, I have sworn by that to which pilgrims journey by night,
And by those who vow the sacrificial camels’ blood within the Sanctuary:
and by those who vow sacrificial camels' blood in the Sanctuary:
لَولاwere it not for الوَليدُal-Walid وَأَسبابٌand cords تَناوَلَنيhe reached out to me
لَولا الوَليدُ وَأَسبابٌ تَناوَلَني
بِهِنَّwith them يَومَon the day of اِجتِماعِthe gathering of الناسِthe people بِالثَلَمِat al-Thalam
بِهِنَّ يَومَ اِجتِماعِ الناسِ بِالثَلَمِ
Had it not been for al-Walid, and the ties that reached me
had it not been for al-Walid and the cords with which he reached me,
Through them on the day the people gathered at al-Thalam,
on the day the people gathered at al-Thalam,
إِذاًthen لَكُنتُI would have been كَمَنlike one who أَودىperished وَوَدَّأَهُand buried him
إِذاً لَكُنتُ كَمَن أَودى وَوَدَّأَهُ
أَهلُmembers of القَرابَةِkinship بَينَbetween اللَحدِthe grave-niche وَالرَجَمِand the piled grave-stones
أَهلُ القَرابَةِ بَينَ اللَحدِ وَالرَجَمِ
I would have been like one who perished and was laid low
I would then have been like one who perished and was buried
By his own kin, between the grave-niche and the piled stones.
by his kin between the grave-niche and the piled stones.
أَهليmy family فِداؤُكَyour ransom يَومَon the day when المُجرِمونَthe wrongdoers بِهاin it
أَهلي فِداؤُكَ يَومَ المُجرِمونَ بِها
مُقاسَمُmade to share المالِwealth أَوor مُغضٍsilently enduring عَلىunder أَلَمِpain
مُقاسَمُ المالِ أَو مُغضٍ عَلى أَلَمِ
May my people ransom you, on the day when wrongdoers there
May my family be your ransom, on the day when the guilty there
Must divide the wealth or swallow their pain in silence—
are made to share their wealth or endure their pain in silence;
يَومَon the day of المَقاماتِassemblies وَالأَموالِand the wealth مُحضَرَةٌbrought forth
يَومَ المَقاماتِ وَالأَموالِ مُحضَرَةٌ
حَولَaround اِمرِئٍa man غَيرِnot ضَجّاجٍclamorous وَلاnor بَرِمِimpatient
حَولَ اِمرِئٍ غَيرِ ضَجّاجٍ وَلا بَرِمِ
The day of assemblies, when fortunes are brought forth
the day of assemblies, with wealth brought forth
Around a man neither clamorous nor peevish.
around a man neither clamorous nor impatient.
بِالثَنيِat al-Thani تَضرِبُbeats back عَنهُfrom him الناسَthe people شُرطَتُهُhis guards
بِالثَنيِ تَضرِبُ عَنهُ الناسَ شُرطَتُهُ
كَاللَيثِlike a lion تَحتَbeneath ظِلالِthe shade of الغابَةِthe thicket الضَرِمِraging
كَاللَيثِ تَحتَ ظِلالِ الغابَةِ الضَرِمِ
At the mountain pass his guards beat the people back from him,
At al-Thani his guards beat the people back from him,
Like a lion beneath the shade of a blazing thicket.
like a raging lion beneath the thicket's shade.
إِنَّindeed اِبنَthe son of مَروانَMarwan أَسقانيgave me drink عَلىin ظَمَإٍthirst
إِنَّ اِبنَ مَروانَ أَسقاني عَلى ظَمَإٍ
بِسَجلِwith a full bucket لاnot عاتِمٍslow رَيّاًa quenching draught وَلاnor خَذِمِcut short
بِسَجلِ لا عاتِمٍ رَيّاً وَلا خَذِمِ
The son of Marwan gave me drink when I was parched,
Indeed, Marwan's son gave me drink while I thirsted,
From a brimming bucket—neither slow to quench nor cut short.
with a bucketful, neither slow to quench nor cut short.
لاnot يَحرُمُhe denies السائِلَthe supplicant الدُنياworldly wealth إِذاwhen عَرَضَتit presents itself
لا يَحرُمُ السائِلَ الدُنيا إِذا عَرَضَت
وَلاnor يُعَوَّذُis protected مِنهُfrom him المالُwealth بِالقَسَمِby an oath
وَلا يُعَوَّذُ مِنهُ المالُ بِالقَسَمِ
He never denies a petitioner worldly bounty when it appears,
He does not deny a supplicant worldly wealth when it is at hand,
Nor can wealth take refuge from him behind an oath.
nor can an oath protect wealth from him.
لاnot يَستَقِلُّcan shoulder رِجالٌmen ماwhat يُحَمَّلَهُhe is made to carry
لا يَستَقِلُّ رِجالٌ ما يُحَمَّلَهُ
وَلاnor قَريبونَnear مِنto أَخلاقِهِhis virtues العُظُمِgreat
وَلا قَريبونَ مِن أَخلاقِهِ العُظُمِ
No band of men could bear alone what is laid upon him,
Men cannot shoulder what he is made to carry,
Nor could they approach his mighty virtues:
nor do they approach his great virtues.
مِنfrom آلِthe house of مَروانَMarwan فَيّاضُoverflowing with العَطاءِgifts إِذاwhen
مِن آلِ مَروانَ فَيّاضُ العَطاءِ إِذا
أَمسىbecomes at evening السَحابُthe cloud خَفيفَscant of القَطرِrain كَالصَرِمِlike a miser
أَمسى السَحابُ خَفيفَ القَطرِ كَالصَرِمِ
A lavish giver from the house of Marwan, when
From the house of Marwan, he overflows with gifts when
The evening cloud is as scant of rain as one wholly spent,
the cloud at evening yields scant rain, like a miser;
تَسوقُهُdrives it تَحمِلُcarries الصُرّادَthin cloud-shreds مُجدِبَةٌa barren wind
تَسوقُهُ تَحمِلُ الصُرّادَ مُجدِبَةٌ
حَتّىuntil تَساقَطَit falls scattered بَينَbetween الضالِwild lote-trees وَالسَلَمِand acacias
حَتّى تَساقَطَ بَينَ الضالِ وَالسَلَمِ
Driven by a barren wind bearing piercing cold,
a barren wind drives it, carrying wisps of cloud,
Until its drops fall among lote trees and acacias.
till it scatters among the wild lote-trees and acacias.
فَهُمso they are هُنالِكَthen خَيرُthe best of الناسِpeople كُلِّهِمِall of them
فَهُم هُنالِكَ خَيرُ الناسِ كُلِّهِمِ
عِندَin البَلاءِtrial وَأَحماهُمand most protective among them عَنِin defense of الكَرَمِnoble honor
عِندَ البَلاءِ وَأَحماهُم عَنِ الكَرَمِ
Those men there are the best of all mankind
They are then the best of all people
In adversity, and the fiercest guardians of honor:
under trial, and the staunchest defenders of noble honor:
الباسِطونَthose extending بِدُنياهُمwith their worldly wealth أَكُفَّهُمُtheir palms
الباسِطونَ بِدُنياهُم أَكُفَّهُمُ
وَالضارِبونَand those striking غَداةَon the morning of العارِضِthe cloud الشَبِمِcold
وَالضارِبونَ غَداةَ العارِضِ الشَبِمِ
They spread their hands with all the wealth of this world,
those who extend their palms with their worldly wealth,
And strike on the morning of the cold storm-cloud;
and strike on the morning of the chill cloud;
وَالمُطعِمونَand those feeding others إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أَزمَةٌfamine أَزَمَتbites
وَالمُطعِمونَ إِذا ما أَزمَةٌ أَزَمَت
وَالمُقدِمونَand those advancing عَلىinto الغاراتِraids بِالجِذَمِwith horse-troops
وَالمُقدِمونَ عَلى الغاراتِ بِالجِذَمِ
They feed the people whenever a crisis tightens,
those who feed others when biting famine grips,
And charge into raids in close-packed bands,
and advance into raids with squadrons
عَوابِسَgrim-faced الخَيلِhorses إِذwhen عَضَّتthey bit شَكائِمَهاtheir bits
عَوابِسَ الخَيلِ إِذ عَضَّت شَكائِمَها
وَأَصحَرَتand laid bare عَنfrom أَديمِthe hide of الفِتنَةِstrife الحَلِمِworm-eaten
وَأَصحَرَت عَن أَديمِ الفِتنَةِ الحَلِمِ
On scowling horses, when the bits bite hard,
of grim-faced horses when they bite their bits,
And bring forth forbearance when strife bares its face.
and lay bare the worm-eaten hide of strife.
هُمُthey الأُلىare those who كَشَفواcleared عَنّاaway from us ضَبابَتَهاits haze
هُمُ الأُلى كَشَفوا عَنّا ضَبابَتَها
وَقَوَّموهاand straightened it بِأَيديهِمwith their hands عَنِaway from الضَجَمِcrookedness
وَقَوَّموها بِأَيديهِم عَنِ الضَجَمِ
They are the ones who cleared its fog away from us
They are those who cleared its haze away from us
And straightened it with their hands out of crookedness.
and set it straight with their hands, freeing it from crookedness.
فَإِذso now that أَتَتكُمit came to you فَأَعطَتكُمand gave you بِدِرَّتِهاwith its flowing milk
فَإِذ أَتَتكُم فَأَعطَتكُم بِدِرَّتِها
فَاِحتَلِبوهاso milk it هَنيئاًwith pleasure ياO بَنيsons of الحَكَمِal-Hakam
فَاِحتَلِبوها هَنيئاً يا بَني الحَكَمِ
So when it comes to you and lets its full udder flow,
So now that it has come to you and yielded you its milk,
Milk it in good health, O sons of al-Hakam.
milk it to your delight, sons of al-Hakam.
بَنيsons of أُمَيَّةَUmayya قَدindeed أَجدَتhave enriched فَواضِلُكُمyour generous gifts
بَني أُمَيَّةَ قَد أَجدَت فَواضِلُكُم
مِنكُمfrom you جِياديmy steeds وَمِنكُمand from you قَبلَهاbefore them نَعَميmy livestock
مِنكُم جِيادي وَمِنكُم قَبلَها نَعَمي
O sons of Umayya, your favors have brought me gain:
Sons of Umayya, your generous gifts have enriched me;
From you came my steeds, and before them my herds.
from you are my steeds, and from you, before them, my livestock.
فَهيَso they are إِذاwhen ذُكِرَتare recalled عِنديin my presence وَإِنeven if قَدُمَتthey have grown old
فَهيَ إِذا ذُكِرَت عِندي وَإِن قَدُمَت
يَوماًon any day حَديثٌa fresh tale كَخَطِّlike the writing of الكَفِّthe hand بِالقَلَمِwith a pen
يَوماً حَديثٌ كَخَطِّ الكَفِّ بِالقَلَمِ
Whenever that favor is recalled to me, though it has grown old,
So whenever they are mentioned to me, however old they have grown,
It remains ever fresh, like writing traced by a pen upon the palm.
on any day, they are a fresh tale, like a hand's writing with a pen.
لَئِنif indeed حَلَفتُI have sworn لَقَدindeed أَصبَحتُI have become شاكِرَهاgrateful for them
لَئِن حَلَفتُ لَقَد أَصبَحتُ شاكِرَها
لاnot أَحلِفُI swear اليَومَtoday مِنconcerning هاتاthis عَلىto إِثِمِa sin
لا أَحلِفُ اليَومَ مِن هاتا عَلى إِثِمِ
If I swear, I have indeed risen grateful;
If I have sworn, I am indeed grateful for them;
Today I swear no sinful oath concerning this.
I swear no false oath today concerning this.
لَولاwere it not for بَلاؤُكُمُyour good services فيon غَيرِmore than واحِدَةٍone occasion
لَولا بَلاؤُكُمُ في غَيرِ واحِدَةٍ
إِذاًthen لَقُمتُI would have stood مَقامَin the place of الخائِفِone afraid الزَرِمِunable to urinate from fear
إِذاً لَقُمتُ مَقامَ الخائِفِ الزَرِمِ
Had it not been for your exploits on more than one occasion,
Had it not been for your help on more than one occasion,
I would have stood like a terrified, helpless man.
I would then have stood like one too frightened to pass water.
أَسمَعتُكُمI made you hear يَومَon the day أَدعوI cried out فيin مُوَدَّأَةٍa deadly pit
أَسمَعتُكُم يَومَ أَدعو في مُوَدَّأَةٍ
لَولاكُمُbut for you شَعَّwould have scattered لَحميmy flesh عِندَهاthere at it وَدَميand my blood
لَولاكُمُ شَعَّ لَحمي عِندَها وَدَمي
You heard me on the day I cried out from within a burial pit;
I made you hear me on the day I cried out from a deadly pit;
Without you, my flesh and blood would have been scattered.
but for you, my flesh and blood would have been scattered there.
لَولاbut for تَناوُلُكُمyour reaching out to إِيّايَme ماnot عَلِقَتwould have clung
لَولا تَناوُلُكُم إِيّايَ ما عَلِقَت
كَفّيmy hand بِأَرجائِهاto its edges القُصوىfarthest وَلاnor قَدَميmy foot
كَفّي بِأَرجائِها القُصوى وَلا قَدَمي
Had you not reached out and taken hold of me, my hand would never have clung
Had you not reached out to me, there would have been no hold
To its farthest edges, nor would my foot have found purchase.
for my hand on its farthest edges, nor for my foot.
لَقَدindeed عَلِمتُمyou have known وَإِنeven though أَصبَحتُI have become نائِيَكُمfar from you
لَقَد عَلِمتُم وَإِن أَصبَحتُ نائِيَكُم
نُصحيmy loyalty قَديماًlong ago وَفِعليand my conduct غَيرُnot مُتَّهَمِsuspect
نُصحي قَديماً وَفِعلي غَيرُ مُتَّهَمِ
You know, though I have now become far removed from you,
You surely knew, though I am now far from you,
My longstanding loyal counsel and my conduct beyond suspicion.
my loyalty long ago; and my conduct is above suspicion.
لَقَدindeed خَشيتُI feared وُشاةَthe slanderers of الناسِthe people عِندَكُمُin your presence
لَقَد خَشيتُ وُشاةَ الناسِ عِندَكُمُ
وَلاand no صَحيحَunharmed person عَلىagainst الأَعداءِenemies وَالكَلِمِand wounds
وَلا صَحيحَ عَلى الأَعداءِ وَالكَلِمِ
I have feared the people’s tale-bearers in your presence—
I have feared the people's slanderers in your presence;
For no man remains whole amid enemies and wounds.
and no one remains unscathed in the face of enemies and wounds.
