ياO مخجلyou who put to shame السحبthe rainclouds الغَواديcoming in the morning
يا مخجل السحب الغَوادي
لاmay you never زلتcease to be بدرa full moon ندىbounty وناديand assembly
لا زلت بدر ندى ونادي
O you who shame the morning rainclouds,
O one who veils the radiant clouds,
may you ever remain the full moon of bounty and assembly.
You remain the full moon of dew and grove.
أصبحتyou have become أثرىthe wealthiest المنعميthe benefactors (first part)
أصبحت أثرى المنعمي
نbenefactors (completion) ثرىًwealth; moist earth وأجرىand the swiftest-flowing سيلa torrent وادِof a valley
ن ثرىً وأجرى سيل وادِ
You have become the richest of benefactors
You have made the fertile land overflow,
in wealth, and the swiftest-flowing valley-torrent.
With torrents and floods through the valley.
ياO مبديَyou who display الجودِgenerosity المعاrenewed (first part)
يا مبديَ الجودِ المعا
دrenewed (completion) لحاضرto a townsman مناamong us وباديand a desert-dweller
د لحاضر منا وبادي
O you who display ever-renewed generosity
O you whose generosity is renewed
to townsman and desert-dweller among us;
For those present and absent alike.
ياO ذائبmelting; freely flowing الجدوىbounty لمنfor whoever
يا ذائب الجدوى لمن
يرجوهlooks to him فيin السنةthe year الجمادِbarren; rainless
يرجوه في السنة الجمادِ
O you whose bounty flows for anyone
O you whose favor is sought
who looks to you in the rainless year;
In times of drought and sterility.
ومبلغand you who bring القصادthe petitioners أقutmost (first part)
ومبلغ القصاد أق
صىutmost (completion) السؤلthe desired wish منfrom غيرabsence of اقتصادmoderation; restraint
صى السؤل من غير اقتصاد
and who bring petitioners to the utmost
O you who gives without limit
of their desire, without restraint.
When asked, not stinting your gift.
أغنتhave made independent أناملُكyour fingers السباlong and supple (first part)
أغنت أناملُك السبا
طُlong and supple (completion) يديmy hand عنfrom needing لاأيديthe ungiving hands الجمادthe unyielding misers
طُ يدي عن لاأيدي الجماد
Your long, open fingers have made
Your generous hands have enriched me,
my hand independent of the ungiving hands of misers.
So I need no other's.
كمhow often قدindeed نقصتyou have diminished بماءwith the water لبشgood cheer (apparent fragment)
كم قد نقصت بماء لبش
رgood cheer (completion) ماwhat يغيضdrains; diminishes غليلburning thirst صادِof a thirsty person
ر ما يغيض غليل صادِ
How often, with the water of good cheer, you have reduced
How you have lessened with your rain
what a thirsty one's burning thirst would drain away!
The bitter grief in my heart's drought.
وفككتand you freed بالأصفادwith gifts; also fetters منfrom (first part of 'from you')
وفككت بالأصفاد من
كyou (completing 'from you') أسيرa captive ففرso he fled منfrom صفادfetters
ك أسير ففر من صفاد
And with gifts from you, you have freed
You have freed me from shackles
a captive, who fled his fetters.
So I escaped like a prisoner from chains.
وإذاand when الحروبwars استفحلتgrew fierce
وإذا الحروب استفحلت
وأتتand came بداهيةwith a calamity نادِّwild; unrestrained
وأتت بداهية نادِّ
And when wars grow fierce
And when wars grew severe
and bring an unbridled calamity,
And ruin came to our homes,
أوردتهاyou led into them البيضthe white blades التيwhich
أوردتها البيض التي
يصدرنthey return from watering فيin حللrobes ورادِcrimson
يصدرن في حلل ورادِ
you send into them the white blades
You led the white swords
that return clad in crimson robes.
That march forth in fine robes.
وغدوتand you became أهدىthe most skillful منwhoever يرىis seen
وغدوت أهدى من يرى
فيهاin them إلىtoward; at ضربstriking الهواديthe necks
فيها إلى ضرب الهوادي
And you are the most skilled of all who are seen
You became the best gift for one who sees
in them, at striking necks.
In you a respite from disasters.
ياO ماجداًnoble man جسمwho made great السلاthe tall steeds (first part)
يا ماجداً جسم السلا
هبtall steeds (completion) والمواهبand gifts والرمادِand ashes
هب والمواهب والرمادِ
O noble man who has made great his tall steeds,
O glorious pillar of weapons and gifts and ashes,
his gifts, and his heaps of ash!
Joy still proclaims itself in your presence.
لاmay they never زالتcease الأفراحjoys فيin
لا زالت الأفراح في
ناديكyour assembly معلنةًopenly proclaiming تناديcall out
ناديك معلنةً تنادي
May joys forever, in
I stand in my father Sa'id's honor,
your assembly, proclaim aloud:
The dewy one, calling out in the grove.
أناI فيin جنابthe protection of أبيAbu; father of سعيSaʿid (first part)
أنا في جناب أبي سعي
يدٍSaʿid (completion) ذيpossessor of الندىbounty حتىuntil التنادِthe Day of Calling
يدٍ ذي الندى حتى التنادِ
"I am under the protection of Abu Saʿid,
The brave leader makes his army surge
the bountiful, until the Day of Calling."
With the stallions charging over the plain.
القائدhe who leads الجيشthe army اللهاvast; devouring (first part)
القائد الجيش اللها
مvast; devouring (completion) يجيشsurges بالجردwith sleek horses الجيادnoble; excellent
م يجيش بالجرد الجياد
He leads the vast, devouring army,
The piercing lancer shows you
surging with sleek, noble steeds;
The mouths of the trembling spears.
والطاعنand he who thrusts الطعنspear-thrusts الدراsuccessive (first part)
والطاعن الطعن الدرا
كsuccessive (completion) يريكshows you أفواهthe mouths المزادِof waterskins
ك يريك أفواه المزادِ
and thrusts with the spear in quick succession,
And when he grasps his weapons,
showing you the mouths of waterskins.
He gives generously without restraint.
وإذاand when احتبىhe sits with knees drawn up فيin دستهِhis seat of honor
وإذا احتبى في دستهِ
يسديhe bestows المكارموالأياديnoble deeds and favors
يسدي المكارموالأيادي
And when he sits, knees drawn up, in his seat of honor,
I saw Hatim and witnessed Qais
bestowing noble deeds and favors,
In their most generous days.
أبصرتyou behold حاتمHatim طيىءof Tayy
أبصرت حاتم طيىء
وشهدتand you witness قساQuss فيamong أيادِIyad
وشهدت قسا في أيادِ
you behold Hatim of Tayy
Easy for the people's allegiance, but hard
and witness Quss among Iyad.
In driving away enemies.
سهلgentle الخلائقin disposition للولاtoward rulers (first part)
سهل الخلائق للولا
ةrulers (completion) وللعداand toward enemies صعبhard; unyielding القيادِto lead
ة وللعدا صعب القيادِ
Gentle in disposition toward rulers,
He brings glory that rushes to aid
yet hard for enemies to lead;
And length in spears.
يُزهيhe glories بطولٍin bounty ينجدlends aid الthe
يُزهي بطولٍ ينجد ال
سعافيsuccor (apparent continuation) وطولٍand length فيin النجادِthe sword-belt
سعافي وطولٍ في النجادِ
he glories in bounty that lends
Known for kindness that mocks
succor, and in the length of his sword-belt.
The jealous with gifts for all.
ذوpossessor of راحةa palm معهودةwell known
ذو راحة معهودة
بالجودfor generosity تهزأit mocks بالعهادِat repeated rainshowers
بالجود تهزأ بالعهادِ
He has a palm long known
My lord, the radiant, high summit,
for generosity, mocking the rainshowers;
How many have found rest in your shelter.
معروفةrenowned بالعرفfor kindness كاguaranteeing (first part)
معروفة بالعرف كا
فلةguaranteeing (completion) بأرزاقfor the livelihoods of العبادpeople; God's servants
فلة بأرزاق العباد
renowned for kindness, guaranteeing
Bring me a shining sword
the livelihoods of humankind.
Or an Indian blade, pure and black,
مولايmy lord عزʿIzz; glory الدينal-Din; the faith راcounsel (first part)
مولاي عز الدين را
يكyour counsel (completion) مشرقradiant واريfire-producing الزنادِthe firesticks
يك مشرق واري الزنادِ
My lord, ʿIzz al-Din, your counsel
Its color like the night, a star
is radiant, its firesticks throwing sparks.
Whose rising the Pleiades obey.
للهby God! (admiration) كمhow much منof سؤددeminence
لله كم من سؤدد
فيin بردَتيكyour two cloaks ومنand of سدادِsound judgment; rectitude
في بردَتيك ومن سدادِ
By God, how much eminence
The torrents have left it in the valleys
lies within your two cloaks, and how much sound judgment!
For the sharp-edged rocks.
جدbe generous; grant ليto me باشقرwith a chestnut horse ساطعgleaming
جد لي باشقر ساطع
أوor أدهمa black horse صافيpure in السوادِblackness
أو أدهم صافي السوادِ
Grant me a gleaming chestnut horse,
The four winds competed
or a black horse of purest black,
To hone its four edges.
كالليلlike the night لوناin color نجمthe star of غرa forehead-blaze (first part)
كالليل لونا نجم غر
رتهhis forehead-blaze (completion) مضيswift; ready الإنقيادِobedience to the rein
رته مضي الإنقيادِ
night-dark in color, his forehead-blaze a star,
It kept pace with lightning, guiding it
swift to answer the rein;
In its course, a willing, gentle guide.
والسيلand the torrent حطّتهsent it downward التلاthe ravines (first part)
والسيل حطّته التلا
عravines (completion) المشرماتdeeply cleft; jagged إلىinto الوعادِthe lowlands
ع المشرمات إلى الوعادِ
and like a torrent sent down by ravines,
You have been just in seeking
deeply cleft, into the lowlands.
A steed from a stud of steeds.
فاتoutstripped الرياحthe winds الأربعfour اشraged fiercely (first part)
فات الرياح الأربع اش
تدتraged fiercely (completion) بأربعةwith four شدادِstrong; sturdy
تدت بأربعة شدادِ
He outstrips the four winds, however fiercely
Now listen to melodious poetry,
they rage, on four sturdy legs.
Sweet in meaning, freshly coined.
كَفِلاًboth guarantee بسبقto outstrip البرقlightning ليfor me
كَفِلاً بسبق البرق لي
فيin جريهِhis running كفَلa croup; hindquarters وهاديand a neck
في جريهِ كفَل وهادي
They guarantee me that he will outrun lightning—
Verses that have become provisions
his croup and neck, when he runs.
For nobility, gifts for chiefs.
وانعمand grant a favor فقدfor indeed أنصفتI have been fair فيin
وانعم فقد أنصفت في
طلبasking for الجوادthe noble horse منfrom الجوادِthe generous giver
طلب الجواد من الجوادِ
And grant the favor: I have been fair in
Draw the trains of happiness
asking a noble horse from a noble giver.
Before they are depleted.
واسمعand listen بشعرto poetry رائقlimpid; pleasing
واسمع بشعر رائق
حلوsweet المعانيin meanings مستجادِadmired; excellent
حلو المعاني مستجادِ
And listen to limpid verse,
In an enduring state, firm-pillared,
sweet in meaning, prized for its excellence:
With abundant ropes.
شعرpoetry غداhas become زادprovision for الرفاtraveling companions (first part)
شعر غدا زاد الرفا
قِtraveling companions (completion) وتحفَتيand two gifts for شادٍa singer وحادand a camel-driver
قِ وتحفَتي شادٍ وحاد
poetry that has become the travelers' provision,
and gifts for singer and camel-driver.
واسحبand trail ذيولَthe skirts of سعادةٍhappiness
واسحب ذيولَ سعادةٍ
ماnever أنemphatic particle تحولturns إلىtoward نفادexhaustion; an end
ما أن تحول إلى نفاد
And trail the skirts of happiness
that never turns toward an end,
فيin دولةٍa dominion; reign ممتدةٍfar-stretching الthe
في دولةٍ ممتدةٍ ال
أطنابtent-ropes ثابتةِfirmly fixed العمادِthe tent-pole
أطناب ثابتةِ العمادِ
in a dominion with far-stretching
tent-ropes and a firmly fixed tent-pole.
Partial English translation: 62 of 68 Arabic lines translated.