أثِرْهاrouse them فماfor no دونَbefore الصّرائِمِthe sand tracts حاجِزُbarrier
أثِرْها فما دونَ الصّرائِمِ حاجِزُ
ولاnor فَوْقَهاupon them واهيfeeble العَزائِمِresolve عاجِزُhelpless
ولا فَوْقَها واهي العَزائِمِ عاجِزُ
Urge them on: no barrier lies before the sand tracts,
Her ruins - below the red hills a barrier
nor upon them a helpless man of feeble resolve.
And above, weak resolves, powerless,
أطَلَّloomed علىover الأكْوارِthe camel-saddles سِرْحانُa wolf رَدْهَةٍa rocky hollow
أطَلَّ على الأكْوارِ سِرْحانُ رَدْهَةٍ
وأرْقَمُand a speckled snake ممّاamong those that يُوطِنُinhabit القُفَّthe stony upland ناكِزُstriking
وأرْقَمُ ممّا يُوطِنُ القُفَّ ناكِزُ
Over the camel-saddles loomed a wolf of a rocky hollow,
A horseman roamed the dunes, his stallion Usays swift,
and a striking, speckled snake inhabiting the stony upland:
A warrior, whom maidens couldn't make recoil,
فتًىa youth لمْnot تَوَرَّكْهُcarried him on their hips الإماءُthe slave women وهَجْمَةٌand a large camel-herd
فتًى لمْ تَوَرَّكْهُ الإماءُ وهَجْمَةٌ
تَضُمُّgather قَواصِيهاits stragglers إليهِtoward him المَفاوِزُthe deserts
تَضُمُّ قَواصِيها إليهِ المَفاوِزُ
a youth no slave women carried on their hips, and a great camel-herd
With warriors close-ranked around him as he charged,
whose stragglers the deserts draw close to him.
I set him to the Sleepers' valley as dusk fell,
أهَبْتُI called out بهِto him حَيْثُwhen الهِدانُthe laggard منَfrom السُّرىnight travel
أهَبْتُ بهِ حَيْثُ الهِدانُ منَ السُّرى
لِهامَتِهِhis head فيin غَمْرَةِthe depths النّومِsleep غارِزُsinking
لِهامَتِهِ في غَمْرَةِ النّومِ غارِزُ
I called to him when the laggard, after night travel,
He leapt like lightning to the Pleiades at dawn,
sinks his head into the depths of sleep.
A flame, made timid by the whip's loud crack, to drive him on.
فهَبَّso he sprang up كماas اسْتَتْلىmade follow القَرينَةَthe yokemate شامِسٌa restive mount
فهَبَّ كما اسْتَتْلى القَرينَةَ شامِسٌ
بهِwithin it وَجَلٌfear منْof رَوْعَةِthe terror السّوْطِthe whip حافِزُspurring onward
بهِ وَجَلٌ منْ رَوْعَةِ السّوْطِ حافِزُ
He sprang up like a restive mount leading its yokemate,
He pierced the dark where stars shot rays askance
with fear of the whip's terror spurring it onward.
Across the night now blurring into morn.
يَخوضُhe wades through الدُّجىthe darkness والنّجْمُand the star يُومِضُwinks بالكَرىwith drowsiness
يَخوضُ الدُّجى والنّجْمُ يُومِضُ بالكَرى
إِلىtoward طَرْفِهِhis eye والليلُand the night بالصُّبْحِwith dawn رامِزُhinting
إِلى طَرْفِهِ والليلُ بالصُّبْحِ رامِزُ
He wades through darkness while the star winks with sleep
"My brother, make the women walk in line;
toward his eye, and night hints at dawn.
They straggle over pastures open, wide."
أُخَيَّmy little brother أقِمْstraighten أعْناقَهُنَّtheir necks لحاجِزٍtoward Ḥājiz
أُخَيَّ أقِمْ أعْناقَهُنَّ لحاجِزٍ
فهُنَّfor they علىupon بَطْحاءِthe gravel plain نَجْدٍNajd نَواشِزُrising restlessly
فهُنَّ على بَطْحاءِ نَجْدٍ نَواشِزُ
My little brother, turn their necks toward Ḥājiz:
When you take on the fateful hour, advancing,
they rise restlessly on Najd's gravel plain.
The foe will see humiliation, side by side.
إذاif أنتَyou عاطَيْتَexchange الأزِمَّةَthe reins مارِناًa supple spear
إذا أنتَ عاطَيْتَ الأزِمَّةَ مارِناً
بهِwith it يَرأَمُembraces الذُّلَّabasement العَدُوَّthe enemy المُناجِزُeager for combat
بهِ يَرأَمُ الذُّلَّ العَدُوَّ المُناجِزُ
If you exchange for reins a supple spear
Not for your sake the planets swerved in orbit,
with which a battling foe embraces abasement,
Old men and crones accusing you deride.
فماthen not صَدَقَتْspoke truthfully عنكَabout you القَوابِلُthe midwives وانْثَنَتْand turned back
فما صَدَقَتْ عنكَ القَوابِلُ وانْثَنَتْ
تَذُمُّblaming شُيوخَthe elders الحَيِّthe clan فيكَon your account العَجائِزُthe old women
تَذُمُّ شُيوخَ الحَيِّ فيكَ العَجائِزُ
then the midwives spoke falsely of you; and, turning back,
Is glory not to ward off hurt,
the old women blame the clan's elders on your account.
Take care no critic's arrow finds your side?
هلِis…? العِزُّhonor إلاanything but أنthat تُليحَyou guard yourself منَagainst الأذىharm
هلِ العِزُّ إلا أن تُليحَ منَ الأذى
مُحاذَرَةًout of caution أنlest يَسْتَلينَكَfind you soft غامِزُone who tests
مُحاذَرَةً أن يَسْتَلينَكَ غامِزُ
Is honor anything but guarding yourself against harm,
Curb your reproaches, noble maid, I stand my ground
lest someone testing you find you soft?
Facing the spear-point, will not step aside.
فغُضّيso lessen مَلاماًreproach ياO بْنَةَdaughter القَومِthe tribe إننيindeed I
فغُضّي مَلاماً يا بْنَةَ القَومِ إنني
مُقيمٌremaining بحيثُwhere الوَجْهِthe face للقِرْنِto the adversary بارِزُexposed
مُقيمٌ بحيثُ الوَجْهِ للقِرْنِ بارِزُ
So lessen your reproach, daughter of the tribe: I
My sire's poetry I recite - he hears me out -
remain where my face stands exposed to the adversary.
Though sometimes answering critics break my stride.
يَروضُtames أَبيَّthe unruly الشِّعْرِverse منّيin me مُقَصِّدٌan ode-poet
يَروضُ أَبيَّ الشِّعْرِ منّي مُقَصِّدٌ
مِراراًrepeatedly وأحياناًand at times يُصاديهِcoaxes it راجِزُa rajaz-poet
مِراراً وأحياناً يُصاديهِ راجِزُ
The ode-poet in me tames recalcitrant verse,
From me take stems of palms - none ever bore
time after time; sometimes a rajaz-poet coaxes it.
Save mine, descended from Mu'awiyah's line of pride.
خُذيtake قَصَباتِthe reeds السِّبْقِvictory منّيfrom me فَماfor no لَهاfor them
خُذي قَصَباتِ السِّبْقِ منّي فَما لَها
منَamong الحَيِّthe tribe غيرَexcept ابنِson of المُعاوِيِّal-Muʿāwī حائِزُa winner
منَ الحَيِّ غيرَ ابنِ المُعاوِيِّ حائِزُ
Take from me the reeds of victory; they have no
Do not reproach me: Aus ibn Uwaimir
winner among the tribe but Ibn al-Muʿāwī.
Is not esteemed among you, set aside.
ولاand do not تَعْذُليreproach بيon my account أزْهَرَAzhar بْنَson of عُوَيْمِرٍʿUwaymir
ولا تَعْذُلي بي أزْهَرَ بْنَ عُوَيْمِرٍ
فماfor not الزّائِفُthe counterfeit المَنْفيُّthe rejected عندَكِwith you جائِزُacceptable
فما الزّائِفُ المَنْفيُّ عندَكِ جائِزُ
Do not reproach Azhar ibn ʿUwaymir on my account:
Wonder not at a coat of mail the ages wore;
counterfeit, rejected coin finds no currency with you.
How many a mail the twisting years have plied!
ولاand do not تَعْجَبيmarvel منْat مِدْرَعٍa tunic مَسّهُtouched it البِلىwear
ولا تَعْجَبي منْ مِدْرَعٍ مَسّهُ البِلى
فكَمْfor many a حَسَبٍnoble lineage لُفَّتْwere wrapped عليهِaround it المَعاوِزُrags
فكَمْ حَسَبٍ لُفَّتْ عليهِ المَعاوِزُ
Nor marvel at a tunic touched by wear:
A horse the wolves at dusk pursue, when night
many a noble lineage has had rags wrapped about it.
Enshrouds it, or with daylight, goats scatter in fright.
ومَرْتٍand many a barren waste يضِلُّloses its way الذّئْبُthe wolf فيهِin it إذاwhen دَجاgrew dark
ومَرْتٍ يضِلُّ الذّئْبُ فيهِ إذا دَجا
بهِover it الليلُthe night أوor شَبَّتْkindled لَظاهاtheir blaze الأماعِزُthe stony tracts
بهِ الليلُ أو شَبَّتْ لَظاها الأماعِزُ
And many a barren waste where the wolf strays when
On it we walked the horses, as if it strode
night darkens it, or its stony tracts kindle their blaze—
Across the land, feet unfettered, unconfined.
أقَمْناwe straightened بهِthere صِغْوَthe leaning المَطاياthe mounts كأنّماas though
أقَمْنا بهِ صِغْوَ المَطايا كأنّما
يمُدُّstretches بِهاwith them سَيْراًa leather thong علىupon الأرضِthe ground خارِزُa leather stitcher
يمُدُّ بِها سَيْراً على الأرضِ خارِزُ
we righted the leaning mounts there, as though
From you, seasoned warrior, we seize the steeds,
a leatherworker stretched them out as a thong upon the earth.
Their saddles wearing out, the girths untwined.
إليكَtoward you أباO Abū الغَمْرِal-Ghamr استَلبْناwe stripped away مِراحَهاtheir liveliness
إليكَ أبا الغَمْرِ استَلبْنا مِراحَها
وقدand already بَلِيَتْhad worn out أنْساعُهاtheir girth-straps والرّجائزُand the litter-balancing sacks
وقد بَلِيَتْ أنْساعُها والرّجائزُ
Toward you, Abū al-Ghamr, we robbed them of their vigor,
They roam your ample courtyard after days
their girth-straps and balancing sacks already worn out.
Pent in a narrow stall, hemmed in behind.
تَؤُمُّhead toward المُناخَthe resting place الرّحْبَthe spacious عندَكَbeside you بَعدَماafter
تَؤُمُّ المُناخَ الرّحْبَ عندَكَ بَعدَما
تَضايَقَgrew too narrow عنهاfor them المَبْرَكُthe kneeling-ground المُتلاحِزُthe crowded
تَضايَقَ عنها المَبْرَكُ المُتلاحِزُ
They head for the spacious resting place beside you, after
They quit their stalls at dawn, though the neighbor there
the crowded kneeling-ground grew too narrow for them,
Derides and slanders, curses them maligned.
وتَزْوَرُّand veer away عنْfrom بَكْرٍBakr وللجارِand for the neighbor فيهِمُamong them
وتَزْوَرُّ عنْ بَكْرٍ وللجارِ فيهِمُ
مُهينٌone who demeans ومُغْتابٌand a backbiter وهاجٍand a lampooner ونابِزُand a name-caller
مُهينٌ ومُغْتابٌ وهاجٍ ونابِزُ
and veer away from Bakr, where a neighbor encounters
To Sufyan ibn Abd I say, while grief
one who demeans, one who backbites, one who lampoons, and one who calls him names.
Consumes your breast, clutches your heart entwined:
أقولُI say لسُفيانَto Sufyān بنِson of عَبدٍʿAbd وفيand within الحَشىthe breast
أقولُ لسُفيانَ بنِ عَبدٍ وفي الحَشى
هُمومٌcares لهاfor them بينَbetween الضّلوعِthe ribs حَزائِزُgnawing pains
هُمومٌ لها بينَ الضّلوعِ حَزائِزُ
I say to Sufyān ibn ʿAbd, while within my breast
You have assailed a neighbor, treating as foe
lie cares with gnawing pains between the ribs:
Those gentle, placid camels, sweet and kind.
أغَرْتَyou raided علىagainst أذْوادِthe small camel-herds جارِكَyour neighbor عادِياًas an aggressor
أغَرْتَ على أذْوادِ جارِكَ عادِياً
عليهِagainst him وهنَّand they المُنفَساتُthe prized possessions الحَرائِزُthe guarded treasures
عليهِ وهنَّ المُنفَساتُ الحَرائِزُ
You raided your neighbor's small camel-herds, trespassing
Cursed is the man whose clan is Thaqif - they blame
against him, though they were prized, guarded treasures.
Him, mourning over graves he leaves behind.
لبئسَwretched indeed الفَتىthe youth جاءَتْcame بهِwith him ثَقَفيَّةٌa woman of Thaqīf
لبئسَ الفَتى جاءَتْ بهِ ثَقَفيَّةٌ
تذُمُّreviles بَنيهاher sons أوجَعَتْهاmay they grieve her الجَنائِزُthe funerals
تذُمُّ بَنيها أوجَعَتْها الجَنائِزُ
Wretched indeed is the youth born to a woman of Thaqīf,
You are our comfort, yours the nature we know well,
a woman who reviles her sons—may funerals torment her!
The customs you exemplify, designed.
وأنتَand you الذيthe one who تَضْفوspreads broadly عليناover us ظِلالُهُhis shade
وأنتَ الذي تَضْفو علينا ظِلالُهُ
وتَصْفوand are pure لَناtoward us أخْلاقُهُhis character والغَرائِزُand the innate qualities
وتَصْفو لَنا أخْلاقُهُ والغَرائِزُ
And you are the one whose shade spreads over us,
At the time you came not to the water-spring,
whose character and innate qualities are pure toward us,
None loosed the camel-loads or left them lined.
علىat حينَa time when لمْnot يُرسَلْwas sent إِلىto الماءِthe water فارِطٌa water-scout
على حينَ لمْ يُرسَلْ إِلى الماءِ فارِطٌ
ولاnor شَدَّfastened أوْذاماًbucket-straps علىonto السَّجْلِthe large bucket ناهِزُa water-drawer
ولا شَدَّ أوْذاماً على السَّجْلِ ناهِزُ
at a time when no water-scout was sent to the water,
You brought what people treasure in their homes;
nor any water-drawer tied straps to the great bucket.
Yet clutched those hands that clutched, and stayed confined.
وجُدْتَand you gave freely بِماof what أضْحىhad come to الوَرىhumankind يكْنِزونَهُhoard it
وجُدْتَ بِما أضْحى الوَرى يكْنِزونَهُ
فلاso may not ظَفِرَتْsucceed تلكthose الأكُفُّhands الكَوانِزُhoarding
فلا ظَفِرَتْ تلك الأكُفُّ الكَوانِزُ
And you gave freely of what humankind had begun to hoard;
You fend off enemies from a tribe enraged,
so may those hoarding hands never prosper!
When raiders drive their string of camels blind.
تَذودُyou repel العِداthe enemies عنْfrom دَوْلَةٍa state أرْعَدَتْtrembled لَهاon its account
تَذودُ العِدا عنْ دَوْلَةٍ أرْعَدَتْ لَها
فَرائِصُflanks تَسْتَشْريrage fiercely عليهاagainst it الهَزاهِزُthe upheavals
فَرائِصُ تَسْتَشْري عليها الهَزاهِزُ
You fend foes off a state that set
Khalid and Ibn Wushikah and Kuthayr's clan
flanks trembling, while upheavals rage against it.
And Ibn Ka'b and warrior Lahiz combined.
نَزاsprang up خالدٌKhālid فيهنّamid them وابنُand the son of وَشيكَةٍWashīka
نَزا خالدٌ فيهنّ وابنُ وَشيكَةٍ
وآلُand the house of كَثيرٍKathīr وابنُand the son of كَعبٍKaʿb ولاهِزُand Lāhiz
وآلُ كَثيرٍ وابنُ كَعبٍ ولاهِزُ
Khālid sprang up amid them, and Ibn Washīka,
Into its sheath he rammed his Yemeni sword;
and the house of Kathīr, Ibn Kaʿb, and Lāhiz.
The lancer from Rudein fell, his spear inclined.
فرَدَّso returned إِلىto الغِمْدِthe sheath السُّرَيْجيَّthe Surayjī sword مُنْتَضٍone who drew a sword
فرَدَّ إِلى الغِمْدِ السُّرَيْجيَّ مُنْتَضٍ
وألْقَىand cast علىonto الأرضِthe ground الرُّدَيْنيَّthe Rudaynī spear راكِزُa spear-planter
وألْقَى على الأرضِ الرُّدَيْنيَّ راكِزُ
So the swordsman returned the Surayjī blade to its sheath,
Each man with aims unlike your own will fail,
and the spearman cast the Rudaynī spear onto the ground.
But he who seeks your course is sure to find.
وكُلُّand every امرِئٍperson يَنويintends خِلافَكَopposition to you خائِبٌfoiled
وكُلُّ امرِئٍ يَنوي خِلافَكَ خائِبٌ
ومَنْand whoever هوhe يَسعىstrives فيin وِفاقِكَaccord with you فائِزُsuccessful
ومَنْ هو يَسعى في وِفاقِكَ فائِزُ
And every man who intends to oppose you is foiled,
and whoever strives in accord with you succeeds.
Partial English translation: 58 of 60 Arabic lines translated.