مُنىwishes النَفسِof the soul فيin أَسماءَAsma' لَوif only تَستَطيعُهاit could attain them
مُنى النَفسِ في أَسماءَ لَو تَستَطيعُها
بِهاfor her وَجدُهاits longing مِنfor غادَةٍa graceful maiden وَوَلوعُهاand its infatuation
بِها وَجدُها مِن غادَةٍ وَوَلوعُها
The soul's wishes lie in Asma', if only it could attain them;
The soul yearns for the names, if only you could attain them
for her, a graceful maiden, it feels longing and infatuation.
Through them you would find it, from absence and its passion
وَقَدand indeed راعَنيalarmed me مِنهاfrom her الصُدودُrejection وَإِنَّماbut only
وَقَد راعَني مِنها الصُدودُ وَإِنَّما
تَصُدُّshe turns away لِشَيبٍbecause of gray hair فيin عِذاريmy cheek-whiskers يَروعُهاfrightens her
تَصُدُّ لِشَيبٍ في عِذاري يَروعُها
Her rejection has indeed alarmed me; yet she only
The repulsions have startled me, but only
turns away because the gray in my cheek-whiskers frightens her.
Repulses old age whose white hairs alarm it
حَمَلتُI bore هَواهاlove for her يَومَon the day of مُنعَرَجِthe bend of اللِوىal-Liwa
حَمَلتُ هَواها يَومَ مُنعَرَجِ اللِوى
عَلىupon كَبِدٍa liver قَدalready أَوهَنَتهاhad weakened it صُدوعُهاits cracks
عَلى كَبِدٍ قَد أَوهَنَتها صُدوعُها
I bore my love for her on the day at al-Liwa's bend
I carried its love the day curves intersected
upon a liver already weakened by its cracks.
Upon a liver weakened by its fractures
وَكُنتُand I was تَبيعَa devotee of الغانِياتِbeautiful women وَلَمand not يَزَلceased
وَكُنتُ تَبيعَ الغانِياتِ وَلَم يَزَل
يَذُمُّdecries وَفاءَthe fidelity of الغانِياتِbeautiful women تَبيعُهاtheir devotee
يَذُمُّ وَفاءَ الغانِياتِ تَبيعُها
And I was a devotee of beautiful women; ceaselessly
I used to sell singing girls but never ceased
their devotee decries the fidelity of beautiful women.
To blame the selling of singing girls
وَحَسناءَand many a beauty لَمnot تُحسِنdid well صَنيعاًa deed وَرُبَّماand often
وَحَسناءَ لَم تُحسِن صَنيعاً وَرُبَّما
صَبَوتُI became enamored إِلىof حَسناءَa beauty سَيءٌbad صَنيعُهاher conduct
صَبَوتُ إِلى حَسناءَ سَيءٌ صَنيعُها
And many a beauty has shown no kindness; often
A beauty who did not act well, but maybe
I have yearned for a beauty whose conduct was bad.
Evil poured onto a beauty of ill deeds
عَجِبتُI marveled لَهاat her تُبديshe shows القِلىaversion وَأَوَدُّهاand I love her
عَجِبتُ لَها تُبدي القِلى وَأَوَدُّها
وَلِلنَفسِand at the soul تَعصينيit disobeys me هَوىًout of passion وَأُطيعُهاand I obey it
وَلِلنَفسِ تَعصيني هَوىً وَأُطيعُها
I marveled at her: she shows aversion, yet I love her;
I was amazed at her displaying coquetry though I love her
and at my soul: in passion it defies me, yet I obey it.
And my soul disobeyed me in love so I obeyed it
تَشَكّىshe complains of الوَجاfoot soreness وَاللَيلُand the night مُلتَبِسُwrapped in الدُجىgloom
تَشَكّى الوَجا وَاللَيلُ مُلتَبِسُ الدُجى
غُرَيرِيَّةُGhurayri الأَنسابِin lineage مَرتٌbarren بَقيعُهاher open pasture
غُرَيرِيَّةُ الأَنسابِ مَرتٌ بَقيعُها
She complains of sore feet while night is wrapped in gloom—
The cheek and night complained, its darkness confused
a camel of Ghurayri lineage, her open pasture barren.
A chick of noble lineage passed by its tomb
وَلَستُand I am not بِزُوّارِa frequent visitor to المُلوكِkings عَلىthrough الوَجاfoot soreness
وَلَستُ بِزُوّارِ المُلوكِ عَلى الوَجا
لَئِنif indeed لَمnot تَجُلsway loose أَغراضُهاher girths وَنُسوعُهاand her straps
لَئِن لَم تَجُل أَغراضُها وَنُسوعُها
And I am no frequent visitor of kings through footsore travel
And I’m not one who visits kings over cheeks
if her girths and straps have not loosened.
If her purposes and travel bags do not depart
تَؤُمُّshe heads toward القُصورَthe palaces البيضَwhite مِنin أَرضِthe land of بابِلٍBabylon
تَؤُمُّ القُصورَ البيضَ مِن أَرضِ بابِلٍ
بِحَيثُwhere تَلاقىmeet غَردُهاits Ghard وَبَديعُهاand its Badi'
بِحَيثُ تَلاقى غَردُها وَبَديعُها
She heads for the white palaces in the land of Babylon,
It frequents the white palaces from Babylonian land
where its Ghard and Badi' meet.
Where its twittering and refined manners meet
إِذاwhen أَشرَفَlooms البُرجُthe tower المُطِلُّoverlooking رَمَينَهُthey cast at it
إِذا أَشرَفَ البُرجُ المُطِلُّ رَمَينَهُ
بِأَبصارِwith the eyes of خوصٍsunken-eyed ones قَدalready أَرَثَّتgrew threadbare قُطوعُهاtheir saddle-cloths
بِأَبصارِ خوصٍ قَد أَرَثَّت قُطوعُها
When the overlooking tower looms, they cast at it
When the overlooking tower aims its glance
glances from sunken eyes, their saddle-cloths now threadbare.
With the stares of a loving gazelle, bleary are its eyes
يُضيءُlights up لَهاfor them قَصدَthe course of السُرىnight travel لَمَعانُهُits gleam
يُضيءُ لَها قَصدَ السُرى لَمَعانُهُ
إِذاwhen اِسوَدَّgrows black مِنfrom ظَلماءِthe darkness of لَيلٍa night هَزيعُهاits watch
إِذا اِسوَدَّ مِن ظَلماءِ لَيلٍ هَزيعُها
Its gleam lights for them the course of night travel
Its purpose illuminates for it the way to travel
when a watch of night grows black with darkness.
When the darkness of a gloomy night overwhelms it
تَزورُshe visits أَميرَthe Commander of المُؤمِنينَthe Faithful وَدونَهُand before him
تَزورُ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ وَدونَهُ
سُهوبُthe steppes of البِلادِthe land رَحبُهاtheir broad stretches وَوَسيعُهاand their vast stretches
سُهوبُ البِلادِ رَحبُها وَوَسيعُها
She visits the Commander of the Faithful, though before him lie
It visits the Commander of the Faithful and beneath him
the steppes of the land, broad and vast.
Are the plains of the country, vast is its expanse
إِذاwhen ماever هَبَطناwe came down to بَلدَةًa town كَرَّrepeated أَهلُهاits people
إِذا ما هَبَطنا بَلدَةً كَرَّ أَهلُها
أَحاديثَaccounts of إِحسانِthe kindness of نَداهُhis bounty يُذيعُهاthey spread them
أَحاديثَ إِحسانِ نَداهُ يُذيعُها
Whenever we came down to a town, its people repeated
When we alight in a town, its people mention
tales of the good his bounty did, proclaiming them abroad.
Tales of his benevolence, widely announced
حَمىhe protected حَوزَةَthe domain of الإِسلامِIslam فَاِرتَدَعَso were deterred العِدىthe enemies
حَمى حَوزَةَ الإِسلامِ فَاِرتَدَعَ العِدى
وَقَدand indeed عَلِمواthey knew أَلّاthat not يُرامَbe assailed مَنيعُهاits impregnable stronghold
وَقَد عَلِموا أَلّا يُرامَ مَنيعُها
He guarded Islam's domain, and the foes were checked,
It protected the fortress of Islam so enemies recoiled
for they knew its impregnable stronghold could not be assailed.
And they knew none would covet its loftiness
وَلَمّاand when رَعىhe tended سِربَthe flock of الرَعِيَّةِthe subjects ذادَهاkept it away
وَلَمّا رَعى سِربَ الرَعِيَّةِ ذادَها
عَنِfrom الجَدبِdrought مُخضَرُّthe verdant part of البِلادِthe lands مَريعُهاtheir fertile part
عَنِ الجَدبِ مُخضَرُّ البِلادِ مَريعُها
And when he tended his subjects' flock, it was kept
And when it shepherded the flock of commoners, it drove them
from drought by the land's green, fertile stretches.
From barrenness, the greens of the land its pasture
عَلِمتُI knew يَقيناًwith certainty مُذsince تَوَكَّلَput his trust جَعفَرٌJa'far
عَلِمتُ يَقيناً مُذ تَوَكَّلَ جَعفَرٌ
عَلىin اللَهِGod فيهاconcerning it أَنَّهُthat he لايُضيعُهاdoes not neglect it
عَلى اللَهِ فيها أَنَّهُ لايُضيعُها
I knew with certainty, since Ja'far placed his trust
I knew with certainty since Ja’far entrusted
in God concerning it, that he would not neglect it.
Himself to God regarding it, He will not waste it
جَلاdeparted الشَكُّdoubt عَنfrom أَبصارِناour eyes بِخِلافَةٍthrough a caliphate
جَلا الشَكُّ عَن أَبصارِنا بِخِلافَةٍ
نَفىbanished الظُلمَinjustice عَنّاfrom us وَالظَلامَand darkness صَديعُهاits dawn
نَفى الظُلمَ عَنّا وَالظَلامَ صَديعُها
Doubt cleared from our eyes through a caliphate
Doubt departed from our sights with a caliphate
whose dawn banished injustice and darkness from us.
That removed injustice from us, healed are its wounds
هِيَit is الشَمسُthe sun أَبدىrevealed رَونَقَthe splendor of الحَقِّtruth نورُهاits light
هِيَ الشَمسُ أَبدى رَونَقَ الحَقِّ نورُها
وَأَشرَقَand shone فيin سِرِّthe secrets of القُلوبِhearts طُلوعُهاits rising
وَأَشرَقَ في سِرِّ القُلوبِ طُلوعُها
It is the sun: its light revealed the splendor of truth,
It is the sun whose light the truth forever graces
and its rising shone in the hearts' secret depths.
And it rose in hearts’ secrets, its ascent
أَسيتُI grieved لِأَخواليfor my maternal kin رَبيعَةَRabi'a إِذwhen عَفَتwere effaced
أَسيتُ لِأَخوالي رَبيعَةَ إِذ عَفَت
مَصانِعُهاher great buildings مِنهاfrom her midst وَأَقوَتand grew deserted رُبوعُهاher settlements
مَصانِعُها مِنها وَأَقوَت رُبوعُها
I grieved for my maternal kin, Rabi'a, when
I grieved for my maternal uncles, Rabee’ah, when
her great buildings vanished from her midst and her settlements lay deserted.
Its dwellings were devoid of them, desolate their homes
بِكُرهِيَagainst my wishes أَنthat باتَتbecame خَلاءًempty دِيارُهاher dwellings
بِكُرهِيَ أَن باتَت خَلاءً دِيارُها
وَوَحشاًand desolate مَغانيهاher haunts وَشَتّىand scattered جَميعُهاher united people
وَوَحشاً مَغانيها وَشَتّى جَميعُها
It pained me that her dwellings stood empty,
And their songs grew desolate, scattered all
her haunts desolate, her united people scattered.
And they came to swig death, when once
وَأَمسَتand they came to تَساقىexchange draughts of المَوتَdeath مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماthat غَدَتthey had been
وَأَمسَت تَساقى المَوتَ مِن بَعدِ ما غَدَت
شُروباًdrinking bands تَساقىsharing الراحَwine رِفهاًin ease شُروعُهاtheir drinkers
شُروباً تَساقى الراحَ رِفهاً شُروعُها
And they came to share death's cup, after once being
Their morning drinks were to swig wine, sips exalted
drinking bands, their drinkers sharing wine at ease.
When they dispersed from a battle that gathered them
إِذاwhen اِفتَرَقواthey parted عَنafter وَقعَةٍa battle جَمَعَتهُمُgathered them
إِذا اِفتَرَقوا عَن وَقعَةٍ جَمَعَتهُمُ
لِأُخرىfor another دِماءٌblood ماnot يُطَلُّleft unavenged نَجيعُهاits freshly shed blood
لِأُخرى دِماءٌ ما يُطَلُّ نَجيعُها
Whenever they parted after one battle, they were gathered
To another, blood whose abundance cannot cease flowing
for another by blood whose spilling was never left unavenged.
The wife blames her husband’s honor when he sleeps
تَذُمُّcondemns الفَتاةُthe young woman الرودُdelicate شيمَةَthe character of بَعلِهاher husband
تَذُمُّ الفَتاةُ الرودُ شيمَةَ بَعلِها
إِذاif باتَhe spends the night دونَshort of الثَأرِblood vengeance وَهوَwhile he is ضَجيعُهاher bedfellow
إِذا باتَ دونَ الثَأرِ وَهوَ ضَجيعُها
The delicate young woman condemns her husband's character
Without avenging, while he is her bedmate
if he spends the night beside her without taking vengeance.
Hotheaded ignorance and arrogant zeal
حَمِيَّةُfervor for شَغبٍstrife جاهِلِيٍّpre-Islamic وَعِزَّةٍand pride
حَمِيَّةُ شَغبٍ جاهِلِيٍّ وَعِزَّةٍ
كُلَيبِيَّةٍlike Kulayb's أَعياbaffled الرِجالَmen خُضوعُهاits submission
كُلَيبِيَّةٍ أَعيا الرِجالَ خُضوعُها
A fervor of pre-Islamic strife, and a pride
That made men yield to its power
like Kulayb's, which men could not subdue.
Valiant warriors whose chests seethe
وَفُرسانُand horsemen of هَيجاءِbattle تَجيشُseethe صُدورُهاtheir breasts
وَفُرسانُ هَيجاءِ تَجيشُ صُدورُها
بِأَحقادِهاwith their grudges حَتّىuntil تَضيقَgrow tight دُروعُهاtheir armor
بِأَحقادِها حَتّى تَضيقَ دُروعُها
And warriors of battle, their breasts seething
With their hatreds until their armors tighten
with rancor until their armor grows tight.
They kill the dearest souls with hands they scarcely
تُقَتِّلُthey slaughter مِنfor وِترٍa blood-feud أَعَزَّthe dearest of نُفوسِهاtheir lives
تُقَتِّلُ مِن وِترٍ أَعَزَّ نُفوسِها
عَلَيهاto them بِأَيدٍwith hands ماتَكادُcan scarcely تُطيعُهاobey them
عَلَيها بِأَيدٍ ماتَكادُ تُطيعُها
They slaughter, for a blood-feud, the lives most precious
Obey when embroiled in war, blood overflowing
to them, with hands that scarcely obey them.
They remember kinship so their tears pour
إِذاwhen اِحتَرَبَتthey fought يَوماًone day فَفاضَتand then flowed دِماؤُهاtheir blood
إِذا اِحتَرَبَت يَوماً فَفاضَت دِماؤُها
تَذَكَّرَتِthey remembered القُربىkinship فَفاضَتand then flowed دُموعُهاtheir tears
تَذَكَّرَتِ القُربى فَفاضَت دُموعُها
When they fight one day and their blood pours out,
Swords sever ties of condemned kin, cut off
they remember kinship, and their tears pour out.
Were it not for the Commander of the Faithful and his justice
شَواجِرُinterlacing أَرماحٍspears تُقَطِّعُsever بَينَهُمamong them
شَواجِرُ أَرماحٍ تُقَطِّعُ بَينَهُم
شَواجِرَinterlacing أَرحامٍkinship ties مَلومٍblameworthy قُطوعُهاtheir severance
شَواجِرَ أَرحامٍ مَلومٍ قُطوعُها
Interlacing spears sever among them
Bloodshed and crimes would have resumed
interlacing bonds of kinship, whose severance is condemned.
And a root of the Taghlib tribe would have endured
فَلَولاwere it not for أَميرُthe Commander of المُؤمِنينَthe Faithful وَطولُهُand his bounty
فَلَولا أَميرُ المُؤمِنينَ وَطولُهُ
لَعادَتwould again have become جُيوبٌshirt-fronts وَالدِماءُand blood رُدوعُهاtheir stains
لَعادَت جُيوبٌ وَالدِماءُ رُدوعُها
Were it not for the Commander of the Faithful and his bounty,
Through which its branches and offshoots persisted
shirt-fronts would again have been stained with blood,
You raised the fallen flank of Taghlib’s daughter
وَلَاِصطُلِمَتand would have been uprooted جُرثومَةٌa rootstock تَغلِبِيَّةٌof Taghlib
وَلَاِصطُلِمَت جُرثومَةٌ تَغلِبِيَّةٌ
بِهاthrough it اِستُبقِيَتwere preserved أَغصانُهاher boughs وَفُروعُهاand her branches
بِها اِستُبقِيَت أَغصانُها وَفُروعُها
and Taghlib's rootstock would have been uprooted,
When she despaired her prostrate form would rise
through which her boughs and branches were preserved.
You were God’s trustee, protector of its life
رَفَعتَyou lifted بِضَبعَيby both upper arms of تَغلِبَTaghlib اِبنَةِdaughter of وائِلٍWa'il
رَفَعتَ بِضَبعَي تَغلِبَ اِبنَةِ وائِلٍ
وَقَدand already يَئِسَتshe had despaired أَنthat يَستَقِلَّcould rise صَريعُهاher fallen one
وَقَد يَئِسَت أَن يَستَقِلَّ صَريعُها
You lifted Taghlib, daughter of Wa'il, by both arms,
And your opening was its intercessor that day
when she had despaired of her fallen ever rising.
By my life, you truly ennobled it with a deed
فَكُنتَso you became أَمينَthe trustee of اللَهِGod مَولىthe protector of حَياتِهاher life
فَكُنتَ أَمينَ اللَهِ مَولى حَياتِها
وَمَولاكَand your retainer فَتحٌFath يَومَذاكَthat day شَفيعُهاher intercessor
وَمَولاكَ فَتحٌ يَومَذاكَ شَفيعُها
So, God's trustee, you became the protector of her life,
To them, and a shade of favor lingered spreading among them
and your retainer Fath was her intercessor that day.
You reconciled them after morals had scattered them
لَعَمريby my life لَقَدindeed شَرَّفتَهُyou honored him بِصَنيعَةٍwith a kindness
لَعَمري لَقَد شَرَّفتَهُ بِصَنيعَةٍ
إِلَيهِمto them وَنُعمىand a blessing ظَلَّhe continued فيهِمamong them يُشيعُهاspreading it
إِلَيهِم وَنُعمى ظَلَّ فيهِم يُشيعُها
By my life, you indeed honored him with a kindness
Whose return is slow, that self-restraint contains
to them, and a blessing he kept spreading among them.
So its misguided saw clear evidence and were guided
تَأَلَّفَهُمhe won them over مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماشَرَّدَتthat had scattered بِهِمthem
تَأَلَّفَهُم مِن بَعدِ ماشَرَّدَت بِهِم
حَفائِظُresentments of أَخلاقٍtempers بَطيءٍslow رُجوعُهاtheir subsiding
حَفائِظُ أَخلاقٍ بَطيءٍ رُجوعُها
He won them over after they had been scattered
And its arrogant humbled, heads bowed down
by the resentments of tempers slow to relent.
And the judge ruled justly between them so they parted
فَأَبصَرَso saw غاويهاher errant one المَحَجَّةَthe clear path فَاِهتَدىand found guidance
فَأَبصَرَ غاويها المَحَجَّةَ فَاِهتَدى
وَأَقصَرَand desisted غاليهاher extremist وَدانىand drew near شُسوعُهاher distant one
وَأَقصَرَ غاليها وَدانى شُسوعُها
Her errant one saw the clear path and found guidance;
And its lowered satisfied therewith and its lofty
her extremist desisted, and her distant one drew near.
So spear points were fixed and sword blades sheathed
وَأَمضىand he enforced قَضاءَa judgment بَينَهاamong her people فَتَحاجَزَتso they ceased hostilities
وَأَمضى قَضاءَ بَينَها فَتَحاجَزَت
وَمَخفوضُهاand her lowly ones راضٍcontent بِهِwith it وَرَفيعُهاand her high-ranking ones
وَمَخفوضُها راضٍ بِهِ وَرَفيعُها
He enforced a judgment among them, and they ceased hostilities,
Its slender straight and curved, its lofty
her lowly and high-ranking alike content with it.
Hearts that blazed calmed, their hatreds quelled
فَقَدso indeed رُكِزَتwere planted سُمرُthe brown shafts of الرِماحِspears وَأُغمِدَتand were sheathed
فَقَد رُكِزَت سُمرُ الرِماحِ وَأُغمِدَت
رِقاقُslender الظُباsword-blades مَجفُوَّهاtheir neglected ones وَرَفيعُهاand their fine ones
رِقاقُ الظُبا مَجفُوَّها وَرَفيعُها
So the brown shafts of spears were planted, and sheathed were
And eyes that watched little slept, their winkings ceased
the slender sword-blades, the neglected and the fine alike.
They came to you, inclining toward you steadily
فَقَرَّتso grew calm قُلوبٌhearts كانَhad been جَمّاًgreat وَجيبُهاtheir pounding
فَقَرَّت قُلوبٌ كانَ جَمّاً وَجيبُها
وَنامَتand slept عُيونٌeyes كانَhad been نَزراًscant هُجوعُهاtheir slumber
وَنامَت عُيونٌ كانَ نَزراً هُجوعُها
Thus hearts whose pounding had been great grew calm,
And you distanced them from what their tendencies disliked
and eyes whose slumber had been scant fell asleep.
They repeat praise as though it were
أَتَتكَthey came to you وَقَدand already ثابَتhad returned إِلَيهاto them حُلومُهاtheir reason
أَتَتكَ وَقَد ثابَت إِلَيها حُلومُها
وَباعَدَهاand distanced them عَمّاfrom what كَرِهَتyou hated نُزوعُهاtheir desisting
وَباعَدَها عَمّا كَرِهَت نُزوعُها
They came to you, their reason returned to them,
Springdownpour on the garden of grief, its bloom
their desisting having distanced them from what you hated.
They shyly evade seeing you with faces
تُعيدُthey repeat وَتِبديand they express مِنof ثَناءٍpraise كَأَنَّهُas though it were
تُعيدُ وَتِبدي مِن ثَناءٍ كَأَنَّهُ
سَبائِبُribbons of رَوضِthe meadow of الحَزنِthe upland جادَlavishly watered رَبيعُهاits spring
سَبائِبُ رَوضِ الحَزنِ جادَ رَبيعُها
They repeat and offer praise as though it were
Wherever sin, its defiant obeyed, its gentle resisted
ribbons of upland meadow, lavishly watered by its spring.
No excuse but that the patience of its forbearing
تَصُدُّthey turn away حَياءًout of shame أَنto تَراكَsee you بِأَوجُهٍwith faces
تَصُدُّ حَياءً أَن تَراكَ بِأَوجُهٍ
أَنىcommitted الذَنبَthe fault عاصيهاtheir rebellious one فَليمَso was blamed مُطيعُهاtheir obedient one
أَنى الذَنبَ عاصيها فَليمَ مُطيعُها
They turn away in shame from meeting you face to face:
Was foolish toward the evil its villainy earned
their rebels committed the fault, and their obedient ones were blamed.
And a mother fears battle upon her son
وَلاand no عُذرَexcuse إِلّاexcept أَنَّthat حِلمَthe forbearance of حَليمِهاtheir prudent one
وَلا عُذرَ إِلّا أَنَّ حِلمَ حَليمِها
تَسَفَّهَturned foolish فيamid شَرٍّevil جَناهُhe committed it خَليعُهاtheir reckless one
تَسَفَّهَ في شَرٍّ جَناهُ خَليعُها
They have no excuse, save that their prudent one's forbearance
For the first burst of zeal their crowds encountered
turned to folly amid evil wrought by their reckless one.
You tied with the peace of the people its hostile intensity
وَمُشفِقَةٍand an anxious mother تَخشىfears الحِمامَdeath عَلىfor اِبنِهاher son
وَمُشفِقَةٍ تَخشى الحِمامَ عَلى اِبنِها
لِأَوَّلِat the first هَيجاءٍbattle تَلاقىmeet جُموعوهاits hosts
لِأَوَّلِ هَيجاءٍ تَلاقى جُموعوها
And many an anxious mother, fearing death for her son
So its audacity calmed and its chests eased
at the first battle in which its hosts might meet—
You remained forgiving, excellently
رَبَطتَyou tethered بِصُلحِthrough peace among القَومِthe people نافِرَthe skittishness of جَأشِهاher heart
رَبَطتَ بِصُلحِ القَومِ نافِرَ جَأشِها
فَقَرَّتso grew calm حَشاهاher inward parts وَاِطمَأَنَّتand rested ضُلوعُهاher ribs
فَقَرَّت حَشاها وَاِطمَأَنَّت ضُلوعُها
you tethered her skittish heart through peace among the people,
Upon Taghlib until its shadow persisted
so her breast grew calm and her ribs were at rest.
بَقيتَmay you endure فَكَمso how many أَبقَيتَyou spared بِالعَفوِthrough pardon مُحسِناًshowing kindness
بَقيتَ فَكَم أَبقَيتَ بِالعَفوِ مُحسِناً
عَلىto تَغلِبٍTaghlib حَتّىuntil اِستَمَرَّwent steadily on ظَليعُهاher lame one
عَلى تَغلِبٍ حَتّى اِستَمَرَّ ظَليعُها
May you endure! How many lives you spared through pardon, showing kindness
to Taghlib, until her lame could move steadily on.
Partial English translation: 87 of 90 Arabic lines translated.