غالَتslew بنيthe sons of مَطَرَMatar الأيامُthe days واكتأبَتand grew sorrowful
غالَت بني مَطَرَ الأيامُ واكتأبَت
كأنماas though استعبَرتwept منfrom بعدهِمafter them ندَماin remorse
كأنما استعبَرت من بعدهِم ندَما
The days destroyed Banu Matar, then sank into grief,
The days slew Banu Matar and grew sorrowful,
as though, after them, they wept in remorse.
as though, after their passing, they wept in remorse.
أمّاnow وقَدand indeed غَدَرَتْacted treacherously بِيضُthe gleaming ones السيوفِof the swords بهمtoward them
أمّا وقَد غَدَرَتْ بِيضُ السيوفِ بهم
فليسَso they do not تَرعَىhonor لخَلْقٍfor any creature بعدَهمafter them ذِمَماpledges
فليسَ تَرعَى لخَلْقٍ بعدَهم ذِمَما
But now that the white swords have betrayed them,
Now that the gleaming swords have betrayed them,
they will honor no covenant with any creature after them.
they honor no pledges to anyone after them.
فنازحٌso one far from home حكَمَruled الأعداءُthe enemies فيover دمِهhis blood
فنازحٌ حكَمَ الأعداءُ في دمِه
وكانand he had been فيover مُهَجِthe lifeblood of الأعداءِthe enemies مُحتكِماholding sway
وكان في مُهَجِ الأعداءِ مُحتكِما
One far away—his enemies passed judgment upon his blood,
So one far from home—his enemies ruled over his blood,
though he had held judgment over his enemies’ very lifeblood.
though he had held sway over his enemies’ lifeblood.
وباسطُand one outstretching الباعِhis arm-span يَسقِيwaters الغيثُthe rain رِمَّتَهhis decaying remains
وباسطُ الباعِ يَسقِي الغيثُ رِمَّتَه
قبلَbefore الأنامِhumankind إذاwhen ماever (emphatic) فاضَit overflows فانسجَماthen pours down
قبلَ الأنامِ إذا ما فاضَ فانسجَما
Open-handed and far-reaching in bounty—the rain waters his remains
And one of generous reach—the rain waters his remains
before all humankind, whenever it overflows and pours.
before humankind, whenever it overflows and pours down.
مُغضيlowering الجُفونِhis eyelids علىupon هيفاءَa slender spear ساميةٍlofty
مُغضي الجُفونِ على هيفاءَ ساميةٍ
قدalready وشَّحَتهdraped him ظُباةُthe edge المشرَفيِّof the Mashrafi sword دَماin blood
قد وشَّحَته ظُباةُ المشرَفيِّ دَما
One who lowered his eyes before a slender, stately woman,
With eyelids lowered atop a slender, lofty spear,
the point of a Mashrafī sword had sashed him in blood.
the Mashrafi sword’s edge had draped him in blood,
كأنَّماas though بشَّروهthey gave him glad tidings بالرجوعِof returning إلىto
كأنَّما بشَّروه بالرجوعِ إلى
ماthat which كانَhe had been منهfrom it فغضَّso he lowered الطَّرْفَhis gaze وابتسَماand smiled
ما كانَ منه فغضَّ الطَّرْفَ وابتسَما
As though they had brought him glad tidings of returning to
as though they had given him glad tidings of returning to
that from which he came, he lowered his gaze and smiled.
that from which he came—so he lowered his gaze and smiled.
