يَدٌa hand فيon قائِمِthe hilt of العَضبِthe keen sword
يَدٌ في قائِمِ العَضبِ
فَماso why الإِنظارُthe delay بِالضَربِin striking
فَما الإِنظارُ بِالضَربِ
A hand upon the keen sword's hilt—
why, then, delay the blow?
وَقَدand already أَمكَنَتِhave placed within reach الهامُthe heads
وَقَد أَمكَنَتِ الهامُ
ظُبىthe edges of المَطرورَةِthe sharpened القُضبِswords
ظُبى المَطرورَةِ القُضبِ
Heads have already offered themselves
to the edges of sharpened swords.
وَلِلأَرماحِand for the spears بِالقَومِamong those men
وَلِلأَرماحِ بِالقَومِ
حِكاكُitching الإِبِلِthe camels الجُربِmange-stricken
حِكاكُ الإِبِلِ الجُربِ
Among those men the spears have
the itch of mange-stricken camels.
يُنازِعنَthey struggle نِزاعَthe struggling of الذَوthe camel herd (continued)
يُنازِعنَ نِزاعَ الذَو
دِcompletion of 'camel herd' يُرمَينَthey are driven away عَنِfrom الشُربِdrinking
دِ يُرمَينَ عَنِ الشُربِ
They struggle like a camel herd
driven back from drinking.
قِوامُthe mainstay of الدينِreligion وَالدُنياand worldly life
قِوامُ الدينِ وَالدُنيا
غِياثُsuccor in الأَزلِdire want وَاللَزبِand hardship
غِياثُ الأَزلِ وَاللَزبِ
Pillar of religion and the world,
succor in want and hardship,
لَزِدتَyou have surely added المُلكَthe kingdom أَوضاحاًbright splendors
لَزِدتَ المُلكَ أَوضاحاً
إِلىto أَوضاحِهِits splendors الشُهبِgleaming
إِلى أَوضاحِهِ الشُهبِ
you have surely added splendors to the kingdom,
beside its gleaming splendors.
وَقَرَّرتَand you firmly established مَبانيهِits foundations
وَقَرَّرتَ مَبانيهِ
عَلىupon الذابِلِthe slender spear وَالعَضبِand the keen sword
عَلى الذابِلِ وَالعَضبِ
And firmly set its foundations
upon the slender spear and keen sword.
وَأَوضَحتَand you made clear إِلىtoward المَجدِglory
وَأَوضَحتَ إِلى المَجدِ
مَنارَthe beacon of اللَقَمِthe broad main road اللَجبِclamorous
مَنارَ اللَقَمِ اللَجبِ
And you have made clear, toward glory,
the beacon of the broad, clamorous road.
رَأَيناwe saw المُلكَthe kingdom مِنthrough بَأسِmight
رَأَينا المُلكَ مِن بَأسِ
كَyour قَدalready دارَrevolved عَلىaround القُطبِthe axis
كَ قَد دارَ عَلى القُطبِ
We saw the kingdom, through your might,
revolve upon its axis.
فَقُلso say لِلخائِنِto the traitor المَغروthe deluded man (continued)
فَقُل لِلخائِنِ المَغرو
رِcompletion of 'deluded' مَنwho أَغراكَenticed you بِالشَغبِinto rebellion
رِ مَن أَغراكَ بِالشَغبِ
So tell the deluded traitor:
Who enticed you into rebellion?
وَمَنand who طَوَّحَكَcast you اليَومَtoday
وَمَن طَوَّحَكَ اليَومَ
بِدارِinto the dwelling of الأُسُدِthe lions الغُلبِthick-necked
بِدارِ الأُسُدِ الغُلبِ
And who cast you today
into the dwelling of thick-necked lions?
فَأَقبَلتَso you came بِمِحفارِwith a pickaxe
فَأَقبَلتَ بِمِحفارِ
كَyour كَيto تَصدَعَcleave بِالهَضبِinto the rocky heights
كَ كَي تَصدَعَ بِالهَضبِ
So you came with your pickaxe
to cleave the rocky heights.
وَهَيهاتَbut far from it لَقَدindeed already طالَpeered (continued)
وَهَيهاتَ لَقَد طالَ
عَكَat you (word completion) الحَينُdoom مِنَfrom النَقبِthe breach
عَكَ الحَينُ مِنَ النَقبِ
But far from it! Doom has already peered
out at you from the breach.
ضَلالاًruin لَكَto you مِنas a غاوٍmisguided one
ضَلالاً لَكَ مِن غاوٍ
سَليبِbereft of الرَأيِjudgment وَاللُبِّand reason
سَليبِ الرَأيِ وَاللُبِّ
Ruin to you, misguided one,
bereft of judgment and reason!
أَبىrefused العِزُّmight لِبَيتِfor the den of الصَلthe viper (continued)
أَبى العِزُّ لِبَيتِ الصَل
لِcompletion of 'viper' أَنto يُطرَقَbe assailed بِالضَبِّby a desert lizard
لِ أَن يُطرَقَ بِالضَبِّ
Might forbids the viper's den
to be raided by a desert lizard.
وَماذاand what آنَسَdiscerned الكُردُthe Kurds
وَماذا آنَسَ الكُردُ
بِمَنin one who زَلزَلَmade quake بِالعُرَبِthe Arabs
بِمَن زَلزَلَ بِالعُرَبِ
And what did the Kurds discern
in one who made the Arabs quake?
شِمِذsheathe (reading uncertain) السَيفَthe sword فَقَدfor already قوتِhave been fought (continued)
شِمِذ السَيفَ فَقَد قوتِ
لَcompletion of 'have been fought' أَعداؤُكَyour foes بِالرُعبِwith terror
لَ أَعداؤُكَ بِالرُعبِ
Sheathe the sword, for
your foes have already been fought with terror.
وَمُذand since أَسخَطَكَangered you المَغروthe deluded man (continued)
وَمُذ أَسخَطَكَ المَغرو
رُcompletion of 'deluded' ماnot قَرَّrested عَلىon الجَنبِhis side
رُ ما قَرَّ عَلى الجَنبِ
And since the deluded man angered you,
he has found no rest upon his side.
وَقِدماًand long before طالَهُworked upon him الخَوفُfear
وَقِدماً طالَهُ الخَوفُ
مَطالَthe working of المَخضِchurning لِلوَطبِupon the milk-skin
مَطالَ المَخضِ لِلوَطبِ
Long before, fear had worked upon him,
as churning works upon a milk-skin.
بَغىsought السَلمَpeace وَقَدand already أَشفىdrew near
بَغى السَلمَ وَقَد أَشفى
عَلىto مَزلَقَةِthe slippery brink of الخَطبِcalamity
عَلى مَزلَقَةِ الخَطبِ
He sought peace when already poised
on the slippery brink of calamity.
وَكَمand how many a سِلمٍpeace وَإِنand though غَرَّالbeguiles the…
وَكَم سِلمٍ وَإِن غَرَّال
عِدىfoes أَدمىbloodier مِنَthan الحَربِwar
عِدى أَدمى مِنَ الحَربِ
And many a peace, though it beguiles
the foes, is bloodier than war!
نَقَلتَyou shifted الطَعنَthe thrust فيin الجِلدِthe skin
نَقَلتَ الطَعنَ في الجِلدِ
إِلىto طَعنِكَyour thrust فيin القَلبِthe heart
إِلى طَعنِكَ في القَلبِ
You shifted the thrust at the skin
to your thrust at the heart.
تَقواbeware مِنof رَبضَةِthe crouch of اللَيثِthe lion
تَقوا مِن رَبضَةِ اللَيثِ
فَقَدfor perhaps يَربِضُhe crouches لِلوَثبِto spring
فَقَد يَربِضُ لِلوَثبِ
Beware the lion's crouching,
for he may crouch to spring.
وَخافواand fear نَومَةَthe slumber of الأَسياthe swords (continued)
وَخافوا نَومَةَ الأَسيا
فِcompletion of 'swords' فيin الإِغمادِsheathing وَالقُربِand scabbards
فِ في الإِغمادِ وَالقُربِ
And fear the swords' slumber
when sheathed within their scabbards.
سَتُرمَونَyou will be struck بِهاwith them يَقظىawake
سَتُرمَونَ بِها يَقظى
إِذاwhen قالَhe says لَهاto them هُبّيrise!
إِذا قالَ لَها هُبّي
You shall be struck by them, awakened,
when he tells them, 'Rise!'
قَضىdecreed اللَهُGod لِراياتِfor the banners
قَضى اللَهُ لِراياتِ
كَyour بِالإِظهارِwith ascendancy وَالغَلبِand victory
كَ بِالإِظهارِ وَالغَلبِ
God has decreed for your banners
ascendancy and victory.
وَأَصفاكَand He singled you out بِمُلكِfor dominion over الأَرthe earth (continued)
وَأَصفاكَ بِمُلكِ الأَر
ضِcompletion of 'earth' مِنfrom شَرقٍeast إِلىto غَربِwest
ضِ مِن شَرقٍ إِلى غَربِ
And singled you out for dominion over the earth,
from east to west.
وَأَغنىand He enriched بِكَthrough you مِنout of عُدمٍdestitution
وَأَغنى بِكَ مِن عُدمٍ
وَأَسقىand He gave water بِكَthrough you مِنout of جَدبِdrought
وَأَسقى بِكَ مِن جَدبِ
And through you He relieved want,
and through you brought water in drought.
وَوَلّىand He sent fleeing بِأَعاديكَyour enemies
وَوَلّى بِأَعاديكَ
مَعَwith الزَعازِعِthe violent winds النُكبِcross-blowing
مَعَ الزَعازِعِ النُكبِ
And sent your enemies fleeing
with the blustering crosswinds.
عَلىalong آثارِهِمtheir tracks حَدوُthe goading of الthe
عَلى آثارِهِم حَدوُ ال
قَناlances بِالضُمَّرِon lean steeds القُبِّhollow-flanked
قَنا بِالضُمَّرِ القُبِّ
Along their tracks comes the goading
of lances on lean, hollow-flanked steeds.
رَفَعتَyou raised اليَومَtoday مِنof قَدريmy standing
رَفَعتَ اليَومَ مِن قَدري
وَأَوطَأتَand you put underfoot العِدىthe foes عَقبيmy heel
وَأَوطَأتَ العِدى عَقبي
Today you have raised my standing,
and put my foes beneath my heel.
وَوَطَّأتَand you made comfortable لِيَfor me الرَحلَthe camel-saddle
وَوَطَّأتَ لِيَ الرَحلَ
عَلىon عَرعَرَةِthe high back of الصَعبِthe unruly mount
عَلى عَرعَرَةِ الصَعبِ
And made the saddle comfortable for me
atop the unruly mount's back.
وَحَلَّيتَand you adorned لِيَfor me العاطِthe unadorned one (continued)
وَحَلَّيتَ لِيَ العاطِ
لَcompletion of 'unadorned' بِالطَوقِwith a neck-ring وَبِالقُلبِand with a bracelet
لَ بِالطَوقِ وَبِالقُلبِ
And adorned the unadorned for me
with a neck-ring and a bracelet.
وَوَسَّعتَand you widened لِيَfor me الضيقَnarrowness
وَوَسَّعتَ لِيَ الضيقَ
إِلىinto المُضطَرَبِa place to move الرَحبِspacious
إِلى المُضطَرَبِ الرَحبِ
And widened my narrow confines
into ample room to move.
وَزاوَجتَand you wedded لِيَto me الطولَbounty
وَزاوَجتَ لِيَ الطولَ
زَواجَlike the union of الماءِwater لِلعُشبِwith grass
زَواجَ الماءِ لِلعُشبِ
And wedded bounty to me
as water is wedded to grass.
فَكَمso how many مِنof نِعمَةٍa blessing مِنكَfrom you
فَكَم مِن نِعمَةٍ مِنكَ
كَعَرفِlike the fragrance of المَندَلِMandal incense-wood الرَطبِfresh
كَعَرفِ المَندَلِ الرَطبِ
How many a blessing from you,
like the scent of fresh Mandal wood,
أَتَتنيcame to me سَمحَةَeasy القَودِto lead
أَتَتني سَمحَةَ القَودِ
ذَلولاًdocile سَهلَةَeasy الرَكبِto ride
ذَلولاً سَهلَةَ الرَكبِ
has come to me, easy to lead,
docile and easy to ride,
مُهَنّاةًpleasant to enjoy كَماas ساغَwent down easily
مُهَنّاةً كَما ساغَ
زُلالُclear water البارِدِcool العَذبِsweet
زُلالُ البارِدِ العَذبِ
pleasant to enjoy, going down as easily
as clear, cool, sweet water.
وَلَمand not أَظفَرdid I obtain بِهاit مِنكَfrom you
وَلَم أَظفَر بِها مِنكَ
جِذابَby wresting العِلقِa precious treasure بِالعَضبِwith the keen sword
جِذابَ العِلقِ بِالعَضبِ
Nor did I gain it from you
by wresting a treasure with the sword.
وَماand not إِنعامُكَyour bounty الغَمرُabundant
وَما إِنعامُكَ الغَمرُ
بِزَوّارٍa visitor عَلىat الغِبِّalternate-day intervals
بِزَوّارٍ عَلى الغِبِّ
Your overflowing bounty is no
visitor who comes only on alternate days.
سَقانيit gave me drink كَرَعَa direct draught of الجَمِّplentiful water
سَقاني كَرَعَ الجَمِّ
بِلاwithout واسِطَةِthe mediation of القَعبِa wooden bowl
بِلا واسِطَةِ القَعبِ
It gave me a direct draught of plentiful water,
without a wooden bowl between.
وَأَرضانيand it made me content عَلىwith الأَيّاthe days (continued)
وَأَرضاني عَلى الأَيّا
مِcompletion of 'days' بَعدَafter اللَومِblame وَالعَتبِand reproach
مِ بَعدَ اللَومِ وَالعَتبِ
And reconciled me with the days
after blame and reproach.
وَأَعلىand the highest المَدحِpraise ماwhat يُثنيpraises
وَأَعلى المَدحِ ما يُثني
بِهِwith which العَبدُthe servant عَلىupon الرَبِّthe lord
بِهِ العَبدُ عَلى الرَبِّ
And the highest praise is what
a servant offers his lord.
Translation model: Sol 6.1