تَزْدادُshe grows more مَنْعَاًwithholding إذاwhen ماemphatic particle رُمْتُI sought إسعَافاa favor
تَزْدادُ مَنْعَاً إذا ما رُمْتُ إسعَافا
وتُعلِنُand she proclaims الظُّلمَinjustice إنْif حاولتُI attempted إنصافَاfair treatment
وتُعلِنُ الظُّلمَ إنْ حاولتُ إنصافَا
She grows more withholding whenever I seek a favor,
My woes increase when I try to relieve them,
and proclaims injustice if I seek fair treatment.
And oppression is declared when I seek equity.
غُصْنٌa bough يُحمِّلُنيloads me with عِبءَthe burden of الهَوىlove فمَتىso whenever
غُصْنٌ يُحمِّلُني عِبءَ الهَوى فمَتى
ضَعُفْتُI grew weak عنهto bear it حَبتْنيshe bestowed on me منهof it أَضعافاmany times more
ضَعُفْتُ عنه حَبتْني منه أَضعافا
A bough burdens me with love's weight; whenever
A branch that burdens me with the weight of passion -
I weaken beneath it, she grants me many times more of it.
When I weaken under it, it loves me manifold.
ماذاwhat عليهاupon her وقدand already خَفَّتْhastened رَكائِبُهاher mounts
ماذا عليها وقد خَفَّتْ رَكائِبُها
لوif كانwas يأمَنُfeels safe منهاfrom her الصَّبُّthe lovelorn lover ماwhat خَافاhe feared
لو كان يأمَنُ منها الصَّبُّ ما خَافا
What would it cost her, now that her mounts have hastened away,
What fault is hers when her guards are few?
if the lovelorn were safe from what he feared from her?
If youth felt safe from her, it would not have feared.
بلrather ماwhat علىupon السَّرْبِthe herd إذwhen فاجاكَit surprised you لوif عَطَفَتْturned
بل ما على السَّرْبِ إذ فاجاكَ لو عَطَفَتْ
ظِباؤُهits gazelles لكtoward you أجياداًnecks وأعطافاand flanks
ظِباؤُه لك أجياداً وأعطافا
Rather, what would it cost the herd, when it surprised you, to turn
Rather, what fault lies with the flock when a wolf surprises it,
its gazelles' necks and flanks toward you?
If its young camels had not surrounded you to protect you?
أَقبَلْنَthey approached يَكْسِرْنَthey lower أَجفاناًeyelids مُفَتَّرَةًlanguid
أَقبَلْنَ يَكْسِرْنَ أَجفاناً مُفَتَّرَةً
إلىtoward الصَّبابَةِyearning أوor يَمدُدْنَthey extend أَطرافاglances
إلى الصَّبابَةِ أو يَمدُدْنَ أَطرافا
They approached, lowering languid eyelids
They came breaking weakly fluttering eyelids
toward yearning, or extending their glances.
Toward youthfulness, or they stretch out glances.
تثنىsways مثقلةheavy منهاamong them مخففةlight
تثنى مثقلة منها مخففة
كأنماas though قسمتshe were divided قضباًboughs وأخفافاslippers
كأنما قسمت قضباً وأخفافا
One of them sways, heavy yet light,
Bending, laden; from them lightened,
as though divided into boughs and slippers [possibly: sand dunes].
As though they had divided staves and tent pegs.
وربماand sometimes عَنَّappeared ديباجُthe brocade of الخُدودِthe cheeks لناto us
وربما عَنَّ ديباجُ الخُدودِ لنا
وقدand already كَساهhad clothed it وَشيكُimminent البَيْنِparting أفْوافاstriped fabrics
وقد كَساه وَشيكُ البَيْنِ أفْوافا
And sometimes the brocade of cheeks appeared before us,
Sometimes the brocade of cheeks discloses itself to us
with imminent parting having clothed it in striped fabrics.
When imminent separation has clothed it in perdition.
وأَومَضَتْand flashed منfrom خِلالِthe gaps in السِّجْفِthe curtain بارِقَةٌa lightning-flash
وأَومَضَتْ من خِلالِ السِّجْفِ بارِقَةٌ
أطاعَهاobeyed it مَطَرُthe rain of الأجفانِthe eyelids تَذرافاcopious shedding
أطاعَها مَطَرُ الأجفانِ تَذرافا
And a lightning-flash gleamed through the curtain;
And there flashed from beneath the eyelids a gleaming
the rain of eyelids obeyed it, pouring down.
To which the rain of the eyelids submitted, dripping.
أيَّامَin the days when يَحسُدُenvies عِطْفَيْهِhis two flanks الحُسامُthe keen sword إذاwhen
أيَّامَ يَحسُدُ عِطْفَيْهِ الحُسامُ إذا
ماemphatic particle هَزَّهُhe brandishes it وثَنَىand bends عِطْفَيْهhis two flanks إرهافَاslenderness
ما هَزَّهُ وثَنَى عِطْفَيْه إرهافَا
In days when the sword envied his two flanks, whenever
Days when the swords envy its flexing
he brandished it and bent his sides with slender grace.
When it sways and bends its flexing in langour.
حيَّاhe greeted الكثيبَthe dune ونادىand called الشَّوقَlonging منfrom كَثَبٍnearby
حيَّا الكثيبَ ونادى الشَّوقَ من كَثَبٍ
فلمso did not يُطِقْmanage لغُروبِfor the torrents of الدَّمْعِtears إيقافاa halt
فلم يُطِقْ لغُروبِ الدَّمْعِ إيقافا
He greeted the dune and called to longing from nearby,
It saluted the dune and called out longing from a hill,
but could not halt the torrents of tears.
But could not stop the setting of tears.
وماand never خَفاflashed البَرقُthe lightning إلاexcept that عادَreturned يُذكِرهُreminds him
وما خَفا البَرقُ إلا عادَ يُذكِرهُ
منof الثَّنِيَّةِthe mountain pass أَجزاعاًvalley bends وأخيافاand foothills
من الثَّنِيَّةِ أَجزاعاً وأخيافا
And whenever the lightning flashed, it reminded him again
And lightning did not disappear but came back
of valley-bends and foothills by the mountain pass.
Recalling it again with twisting and bending.
ألِيَّةٌan oath بالكَرىby sleep المَجفُوِّforsaken تُبعِدُهdrives it away
ألِيَّةٌ بالكَرى المَجفُوِّ تُبعِدُه
عنَّاfrom us الرَّكائِبُthe mounts إرقالاًtrotting وإيجافاand galloping
عنَّا الرَّكائِبُ إرقالاً وإيجافا
I swear by forsaken sleep, which is driven
A charming woman, kept away from us
far from us by the mounts' trotting and galloping:
By mounts, distancing and preventing.
لقَدindeed أبحتُI made available شريفَnoble القَولِspeech ذاone possessing حَسَبٍlineage
لقَد أبحتُ شريفَ القَولِ ذا حَسَبٍ
فيamong الأزدِthe Azd مُوفٍoverlooking علىabove العَلياءthe heights إشرافاloftily
في الأزدِ مُوفٍ على العَلياء إشرافا
I have indeed bestowed noble speech upon a man of lineage
Indeed, I have declared honorable words of virtuous lineage
among the Azd, loftily overlooking the heights.
Among the Azd, overlooking the noble ones.
إلىto ابنِthe son of فَهْدٍFahd زَفَفْناwe escorted as brides كلَّevery آنسَةٍcharming maiden
إلى ابنِ فَهْدٍ زَفَفْنا كلَّ آنسَةٍ
عذراءَa virgin تُتحِفُهُshe presents him بالحَمْدِwith praise إتحافاas a gift
عذراءَ تُتحِفُهُ بالحَمْدِ إتحافا
To Ibn Fahd we led in bridal procession every charming maiden,
To the son of Fahd we have led every gentlewoman,
a virgin presenting him with praise as her gift.
A virgin who grants him praise as a gift.
جاءَتْهshe came to him لاnot تتقاضىdemanding fulfillment عندَهfrom him عِدَةًa promise
جاءَتْه لا تتقاضى عندَه عِدَةً
أنَّىhow وقدand already أخذَتْshe received جَدواهhis bounty أسلافاin advance
أنَّى وقد أخذَتْ جَدواه أسلافا
She came to him, not demanding fulfillment of a promise;
She came to him not demanding a bride price from him -
how could she, having already received his bounty in advance?
How, when his forefathers have taken it?
أَلِفْنَthey grew familiar with منهof his فِناءًa courtyard ماnot حَلَلْنَthey alighted بهin it
أَلِفْنَ منه فِناءً ما حَلَلْنَ به
إلاّexcept that وَجَدْنَthey found جِنانَthe gardens of العَيْشِlife ألفافاlushly intertwined
إلاّ وَجَدْنَ جِنانَ العَيْشِ ألفافا
They grew familiar with his courtyard, never alighting there
They found through him the pleasures of life destroyed,
without finding life's gardens lushly intertwined.
Except they found the gardens of life blooming.
أَغَرُّbright-browed يَكشِفُhe dispels عنَّاfrom us كلَّevery نائبَةٍcalamity
أَغَرُّ يَكشِفُ عنَّا كلَّ نائبَةٍ
كالصُّبحِlike dawn ماnot زالَceased للظَّلماءِfor the darkness كَشَّافاa dispeller
كالصُّبحِ ما زالَ للظَّلماءِ كَشَّافا
Bright-browed, he dispels every calamity from us,
A flower that uncovers for us every misfortune
like dawn, which never ceases to dispel darkness.
Like the dawn that still unveils for those in darkness.
يَجريhe runs إلىtoward الجُودِgenerosity يومَon the day of الجُودِgenerosity مُبْتَسِماًsmiling
يَجري إلى الجُودِ يومَ الجُودِ مُبْتَسِماً
إذاwhen البَخيلُthe miser غداbecame للبُخلِfor miserliness وَقَّافاsteadfast
إذا البَخيلُ غدا للبُخلِ وَقَّافا
He runs smiling toward generosity on the day of giving,
He flows into generosity on the day of generosity smiling
when the miser stands fast in his stinginess.
When the miserly soul inclines to miserliness.
سامٍlofty إذاwhen القومُthe men رامواthey sought نَيْلَattainment of سُؤدُدِهhis lordly rank
سامٍ إذا القومُ راموا نَيْلَ سُؤدُدِه
عَلاhe rose سُمُواًin loftiness فحَطَّand so lowered القومَthe men إسفافاinto lowliness
عَلا سُمُواً فحَطَّ القومَ إسفافا
Lofty—when men seek to attain his lordly rank,
Transcendent, when the people seek his flowing generosity,
he rises higher, bringing them down to lowliness.
He rises in transcendence, degrading the people.
إنْif خالفُواthey opposed المجدَglory لمnot يَعْدِلْhe turns aside مُخالفَةًin defiance
إنْ خالفُوا المجدَ لم يَعْدِلْ مُخالفَةً
أوor أخَلفُواthey broke الوَعْدَthe promise لمnot يُتْبِعْهُhe follows it with إخلافاa breach
أو أخَلفُوا الوَعْدَ لم يُتْبِعْهُ إخلافا
If they defy glory, he does not swerve into defiance;
If they oppose glory, he does not equal their opposition,
or break a promise, he does not follow it with broken faith.
Or if they break a promise, he does not repeat their breach.
دعاhe called السَّماحَgenerosity شَقيقاًa brother منهof his حينَwhen دعاhe called
دعا السَّماحَ شَقيقاً منه حينَ دعا
منfrom among المُلوكِthe kings أَخلاَّءًclose friends وأحلافاand allies
من المُلوكِ أَخلاَّءً وأحلافا
He called generosity his own brother when he called
He calls magnanimity a sister of his when he calls
close friends and allies from among kings.
The kings most loyal and allied.
نَزورُwe visit منهin him وِساعَboundless الجُودِgenerosity نُوسِعُهwe lavish on him
نَزورُ منه وِساعَ الجُودِ نُوسِعُه
حَمْداًpraise ويُوسِعُناand he lavishes on us بِرّاًkindness وألطافاand favors
حَمْداً ويُوسِعُنا بِرّاً وألطافا
We visit him, boundless in generosity, and lavish on him
We visit him and his overflowing generosity expands us,
praise, while he lavishes on us kindness and favors.
Praise, and he expands us with righteousness and grace.
يَفُلُّhe blunts عنَّاfor us سِهامَthe arrows of الخَطْبِmisfortune مُقتَدِراًwith power
يَفُلُّ عنَّا سِهامَ الخَطْبِ مُقتَدِراً
حتىuntil يُعيدَhe turns سِهامَthe arrows of الخَطْبِmisfortune أهدافاinto targets
حتى يُعيدَ سِهامَ الخَطْبِ أهدافا
He blunts misfortune's arrows for us with power,
He deflects from us the arrows of affliction, able
until he turns misfortune's arrows into targets.
Until he returns the arrows of affliction to their targets.
مَنْwho ذاthis one يُفاخِرُهُrivals him in glory إنif عَدَّhe counts مُفْتَخِراًboasting
مَنْ ذا يُفاخِرُهُ إن عَدَّ مُفْتَخِراً
منfrom سِرَّthe choicest stock of يَعْرُبَYa'rub أمجاداًglorious men وأشرافاand nobles
من سِرَّ يَعْرُبَ أمجاداً وأشرافا
Who can rival him in glory when, boasting, he counts
Who can compete with him if he counts himself a competitor
glorious men and nobles from Ya'rub's choicest stock?
In mysteries that bring glories and noble deeds?
عُلاًlofty deeds تَطيبُare sweetened بريَّاهاby their fragrance مدائِحُناour praises
عُلاً تَطيبُ بريَّاها مدائِحُنا
كالمِسْكِlike musk تأخُذُtakes منهfrom it الرِّيحُthe wind أعرافاscents
كالمِسْكِ تأخُذُ منه الرِّيحُ أعرافا
Lofty deeds whose fragrance sweetens our praises,
Sublimity which our praises scent
like musk, from which the wind gathers scents.
Like musk whose aromatic summit the wind seizes.
وشيمَةٌand a character إنif رأَيْناwe saw الجودَgenerosity مُقتصِداًrestrained
وشيمَةٌ إن رأَيْنا الجودَ مُقتصِداً
فيمَنْin anyone سواهother than him أرَتْناshowed us الجُودَgenerosity إسرافاin lavish excess
فيمَنْ سواه أرَتْنا الجُودَ إسرافا
And a character that, when we see generosity restrained
And a quality such that if we see generosity restricted
in anyone else, shows us generosity in lavish excess.
In others, we see generosity in him as extravagance.
وعَزمَةٌand a resolve لاnot تَزالُceases الدَّهرَthrough all time نَجدَتَهhis valor
وعَزمَةٌ لا تَزالُ الدَّهرَ نَجدَتَه
تَهُزُّbrandishes منهاfrom it علىagainst الأَعداءِthe enemies أسيافاswords
تَهُزُّ منها على الأَعداءِ أسيافا
And a resolve: his valor never ceases, through all time,
And a resolve that always helps him
to brandish its swords against his enemies.
Brandishing over the enemies swords that shake.
إنif وَفَّرَpreserved السَّيفَthe sword يومَon the day of الرَّوْعِterror تالِدُهhis inherited wealth
إن وَفَّرَ السَّيفَ يومَ الرَّوْعِ تالِدُه
أعادَhe turned تَوفيرَهits preservation بالبَذْلِthrough giving إتلافاinto dissipation
أعادَ تَوفيرَه بالبَذْلِ إتلافا
If the sword preserves his inherited wealth on the day of terror,
If the swords diminish on the day of horror, their sharpener
he turns that preservation into dissipation through giving.
Returns to sharpen them through generosity and destruction.
بَيْناwhile تراهُyou see him عَطوفاًkindhearted فيin مَكارِمِهhis noble deeds
بَيْنا تراهُ عَطوفاً في مَكارِمِه
حتىthen suddenly تَراهyou see him علىagainst الأقرانِthe rivals عَطَّافاcharging repeatedly
حتى تَراه على الأقرانِ عَطَّافا
One moment you see him kindly in his noble deeds,
While you see him gentle in his virtues
the next you see him charging again and again against his rivals.
Until you see him above his peers, encompassing.
يَمشيhe walks بِضَوْءِby the light of الظُّباsword-edges فيin كلِّevery مُعتَرَكٍbattlefield
يَمشي بِضَوْءِ الظُّبا في كلِّ مُعتَرَكٍ
مُدَّتْwere stretched عليهover it سُجوفُthe curtains of النَّقْعِbattle-dust أسدافاlayers of darkness
مُدَّتْ عليه سُجوفُ النَّقْعِ أسدافا
He walks by the light of sword-edges in every battlefield
O father of knights, our praises still make us
over which curtains of battle-dust are stretched in layers of darkness.
Your visitors and guests.
أباO father of الفوارسِthe horsemen لاmay not زَالتْcease مدائِحُناour praises
أبا الفوارسِ لا زَالتْ مدائِحُنا
تَعتَدُّناcount us لكَfor you زوَّاراًvisitors وأضيافاand guests
تَعتَدُّنا لكَ زوَّاراً وأضيافا
Abu al-Fawaris, may our praises never cease
Whenever fate surpassed me with an arrow, I feared it
to count us as your visitors and guests.
Only to find you for me an armor and shield.
ماnever فَوَّقَnocked الدَّهرُTime ليfor me سَهْماًan arrow جَزِعْتُI dreaded لهat it
ما فَوَّقَ الدَّهرُ لي سَهْماً جَزِعْتُ له
إلاّexcept that وَجَدتُكَI found you ليfor me دِرْعاًa coat of mail وتِجفافاand quilted armor
إلاّ وَجَدتُكَ لي دِرْعاً وتِجفافا
Never has Time nocked an arrow at me that I feared
Meaning and richly wrought words have come to you
without finding you my coat of mail and quilted armor.
As if they were pearls split from their shells.
جَاءَتْكَthey came to you معنىًin meaning وألفاظاًand words مُدَبَّجَةًembroidered
جَاءَتْكَ معنىً وألفاظاً مُدَبَّجَةً
كأنَّهاas though they were دُرَرٌpearls شَقَّقْنَthey split أصدافاshells
كأنَّها دُرَرٌ شَقَّقْنَ أصدافا
They came to you, embroidered in meaning and words,
They have come to congratulate you on the great reward for
as though they were pearls that had split their shells.
The month of fasting, and for the Eid that has arrived.
وافَتْthey arrived تُهنِّيكَto congratulate you بالأجرِon the reward الجزيلِabundant علىfor
وافَتْ تُهنِّيكَ بالأجرِ الجزيلِ على
شَهْرِthe month of الصِّيامِfasting وبالعيدِand on Eid الذيthat وافىhas arrived
شَهْرِ الصِّيامِ وبالعيدِ الذي وافى
They have arrived to congratulate you on the abundant reward for
the month of fasting, and on the Eid that has come.
Partial English translation: 66 of 68 Arabic lines translated.