وقال رواةُ الحي لا بل غواتُهُ

وقال رواةُ الحي لا بل غواتُهُ

وتلك أحاديث الظُّنونِ الكواذبِ

وتلك أحاديث الظُّنونِ الكواذبِ

The clan’s tale-bearers said—no, rather, its misleaders—

And the tribe's narrators said—no, rather its misguided men—

but those are tales born of lying suspicions:

and those are tales of false conjectures:

ثنى دونك الودُّ الحساميُّ عِطفه

ثنى دونك الودُّ الحساميُّ عِطفه

وأصبحت منه في عِديدِ الأجانبِ

وأصبحت منه في عِديدِ الأجانبِ

“The sword-keen bond of love turned aside before reaching you,

“Husam's affection has turned its flank away from you,

and because of it you came to be numbered among strangers.”

and you have become, to him, numbered among strangers.”

وغرَّهم إِخْلافُ نوْءٍ وعارضٍ

وغرَّهم إِخْلافُ نوْءٍ وعارضٍ

من المُزْن أمسى حابساً غير ساكب

من المُزْن أمسى حابساً غير ساكب

What fooled them was a rain-star and cloud-bank that failed their promise—

And they were deceived by the broken promise of a rain-star and a cloudbank

from the rain-clouds, by evening withholding, not pouring.

of rainclouds, which by evening held back instead of pouring forth.

فقلتُ صَهٍ جلَّ الودادُ قديمهُ

فقلتُ صَهٍ جلَّ الودادُ قديمهُ

وحادثهُ عن مُستزيدٍ وعاتبِ

وحادثهُ عن مُستزيدٍ وعاتبِ

I said, “Hush! Affection stands sublime—its old

So I said, “Hush! Affection is too lofty—both longstanding

and new alike—beyond one who demands more or reproaches.

and new—for one who asks for more or reproaches.

وكيف التياثُ الودِّ بات اعْتصامهُ

وكيف التياثُ الودِّ بات اعْتصامهُ

بخِرْقٍ من الجاوان جمِّ الرَّغائب

بخِرْقٍ من الجاوان جمِّ الرَّغائب

How could affection twist awry, when its hold is anchored

And how could affection falter, when its refuge now lies

in a lavish man of al-Jawān, rich in coveted gifts—

in a generous nobleman of al-Jawan, lavish in gifts,

بفارس يومَيْ أزمْمةٍ وكريهةٍ

بفارس يومَيْ أزمْمةٍ وكريهةٍ

وهازمِ جيشَي معْركٍ ومَساغبٍ

وهازمِ جيشَي معْركٍ ومَساغبٍ

a horseman for the twin days of reins and battle,

in a horseman for both hardship's day and battle's,

who routs the twin armies of combat and famine;

and a vanquisher of the two armies of battle and famine,

وقائدِها قُبْلَ العيونِ كأنها

وقائدِها قُبْلَ العيونِ كأنها

كواسِرُ عِقْبانٍ هوت عن مراقب

كواسِرُ عِقْبانٍ هوت عن مراقب

who leads his steeds in full view, as though they were

and their leader before the eyes, as though they were

rapacious eagles swooping down from watch-heights;

swooping eagles that plunged from lookout perches,

تَجانفُ عن رَعْي الرياضِ مُغيرةً

تَجانفُ عن رَعْي الرياضِ مُغيرةً

فلا رعي إلاَّ في اللِّحى والذَّوائب

فلا رعي إلاَّ في اللِّحى والذَّوائب

they shun the meadow’s pasture when they raid,

turning aside from meadow-grazing as they raid,

and graze nowhere but among beards and forelocks.

so that they graze only among beards and tresses?

إذا استعْرفت في الطرد بابن مهلهل

إذا استعْرفت في الطرد بابن مهلهل

أبي الفارس الحاوي شتيتَ المناقب

أبي الفارس الحاوي شتيتَ المناقب

When, in pursuit, they seek renown through Ibn Muhalhil—

When, in pursuit, they make themselves known through Ibn Muhalhil,

Abu al-Faris, possessor of manifold virtues—

Abu al-Faris, who gathers scattered virtues,

ثناها وللنَّصْر المُبين مع الضُّحى

ثناها وللنَّصْر المُبين مع الضُّحى

مِراحٌ على أعْرافِها والسَّبائبِ

مِراحٌ على أعْرافِها والسَّبائبِ

he wheels them home, and by morning manifest victory

he wheels them back, while manifest victory, with the midmorning light,

goes proudly prancing over their manes and hooves.

revels upon their manes and streaming locks.”