أَتُذكِرانيdo you two remind me طَلَبَthe pursuit of الطَوائِلِvengeance
أَتُذكِراني طَلَبَ الطَوائِلِ
أَيقَظتُماyou two have roused مِنِّيَin me غَيرَnot غافِلِheedless
أَيقَظتُما مِنِّيَ غَيرَ غافِلِ
Do you two remind me to seek vengeance?
You have roused in me one who was not heedless.
قوماrise, you two فَقَدfor already مَلَلتُI have grown weary مِنof إِقامَتيmy staying
قوما فَقَد مَلَلتُ مِن إِقامَتي
وَالبيدُand the deserts أَولىmore fitting بيfor me مِنَthan المَعاقِلِstrongholds
وَالبيدُ أَولى بي مِنَ المَعاقِلِ
Rise, you two: I have tired of staying here,
and deserts suit me better than strongholds.
شُنّاlaunch, you two بِيَwith me الغاراتِraids كُلَّevery لَيلَةٍnight
شُنّا بِيَ الغاراتِ كُلَّ لَيلَةٍ
وَعَوِّدانيand accustom me, you two طَرَدَto driving off الهَوامِلِuntended camels
وَعَوِّداني طَرَدَ الهَوامِلِ
Launch raids with me every night,
and accustom me to driving off untended camels.
وَصَيِّرانيand make me, you two سَبَباًa means إِلىto العُلىlofty glory
وَصَيِّراني سَبَباً إِلى العُلى
إِنِّيَindeed I am عَينُthe very embodiment البَطَلِof the hero الحُلاحِلِmighty
إِنِّيَ عَينُ البَطَلِ الحُلاحِلِ
And make me a means to lofty glory:
I am the very embodiment of the mighty hero.
قَدalready حَشَدَhas mustered الدَهرُTime عَلَيَّagainst me كَيدَهُits guile
قَد حَشَدَ الدَهرُ عَلَيَّ كَيدَهُ
وَجاءَتِand came الأَيّامُthe days بِالزَلازِلِwith earthquakes
وَجاءَتِ الأَيّامُ بِالزَلازِلِ
Time has mustered its guile against me,
and the days have brought earthquakes.
وَمِنand among عَجيبِthe marvels ماwhat أَرىI see مِنof صَرفِهِits vicissitudes
وَمِن عَجيبِ ما أَرى مِن صَرفِهِ
قَدalready دَمِيَتhave bled مِنfrom ناجِذيmy molar أَنامِليmy fingertips
قَد دَمِيَت مِن ناجِذي أَنامِلي
And among the marvels I see in its reversals:
my fingertips have bled against my molar.
توكِسُbring loss to أَحداثُthe events اللَياليof the nights صَفقَتيmy bargain
توكِسُ أَحداثُ اللَيالي صَفقَتي
لاmay ... not دَرَّflow دَرُّthe milk الدَهرِof Time مِنas a مُعامِلِtrading partner
لا دَرَّ دَرُّ الدَهرِ مِن مُعامِلِ
The nights' events bring loss upon my bargain;
may Time's milk run dry, that trading partner!
لاmay ... never خَطَرَcross الجودُgenerosity عَلىupon باليmy mind وَلاnor
لا خَطَرَ الجودُ عَلى بالي وَلا
سَقَتmay water يَديmy hand يَومَon the day الطِعانِof spear-fighting ذابِليmy slender spear
سَقَت يَدي يَومَ الطِعانِ ذابِلي
May generosity never cross my mind, nor
my hand water my slender spear on the day of battle,
إِنif لَمnot أَقُدهاI lead them كَأَضاميمِlike clusters of القَطاsandgrouse
إِن لَم أَقُدها كَأَضاميمِ القَطا
أَوor بَدَدِscattered groups of العَقارِبِscorpions الشَوائِلِwith raised tails
أَو بَدَدِ العَقارِبِ الشَوائِلِ
unless I lead them like clustered sandgrouse,
or scattered scorpions with tails upraised,
طَوامِحَuplifted الأَبصارِeyes يَهفوbillows نَقعُهاtheir dust
طَوامِحَ الأَبصارِ يَهفو نَقعُها
عَلىabove طُموحِthe upward gaze الناظِرينَof the onlookers بازِلِtowering
عَلى طُموحِ الناظِرينَ بازِلِ
their eyes uplifted, their dust billowing
high above the onlookers' upturned gaze,
مُستَصحَباًtaking along إِلىinto الوَغىthe fray فَوارِساًhorsemen
مُستَصحَباً إِلى الوَغى فَوارِساً
يَستَنزِلونَsummon down المَوتَdeath بِالعَوامِلِwith spearheads
يَستَنزِلونَ المَوتَ بِالعَوامِلِ
taking horsemen with me into the fray,
who summon death down with spearheads.
تَحتَهُمُbeneath them ضَوامِرٌlean steeds كَأَنَّهاas though they were
تَحتَهُمُ ضَوامِرٌ كَأَنَّها
أَجادِلٌfalcons تَنهَضُrise بِالأَجادِلِbearing falcons
أَجادِلٌ تَنهَضُ بِالأَجادِلِ
Beneath them are lean steeds, as though
falcons bearing falcons aloft.
غُرٌّwhite-blazed إِذاwhen سُدَّتare closed ثَنيّاتُthe passes الدُجىof darkness
غُرٌّ إِذا سُدَّت ثَنيّاتُ الدُجى
طَلَعنَهاthey ascend them بِالغُرَرِwith forehead-blazes السَوائِلِstreaming
طَلَعنَها بِالغُرَرِ السَوائِلِ
White-blazed, when the passes of darkness close,
they climb them with streaming white blazes.
وَذيand one with حُجولٍwhite leg-markings نافِضٍshaking out سَبيبَهُhis flowing hair
وَذي حُجولٍ نافِضٍ سَبيبَهُ
عُجباًin pride عَلىover مِثلِa form like المَهاةِan oryx cow الخاذِلِapart from the herd
عُجباً عَلى مِثلِ المَهاةِ الخاذِلِ
And a white-stockinged steed, tossing his flowing hair
proudly over a form like a solitary oryx cow,
يَنقَضُّhe swoops لاnot تَلحَقُyou catch مِنof غُبارِهِhis dust
يَنقَضُّ لا تَلحَقُ مِن غُبارِهِ
إِلّاexcept بَقاياremnants فِلَقِof fragments الجَراوِلِof rocks
إِلّا بَقايا فِلَقِ الجَراوِلِ
swoops: nothing of his dust can you catch
save remnants of splintered rocks.
يَكرَعُhe drinks فيwithin غُرَّتِهِhis forehead-blaze مِنbecause of طولِهاits length
يَكرَعُ في غُرَّتِهِ مِن طولِها
وَيَتَّقيand guards against الجَندَلَrocks بِالجَنادِلِwith rocks
وَيَتَّقي الجَندَلَ بِالجَنادِلِ
He drinks within his blaze, so long it is,
and guards against rocks with rocks.
بِمِثلِهِwith his like أَبغيI seek العُلىlofty glory وَأَغتَديand go out at dawn
بِمِثلِهِ أَبغي العُلى وَأَغتَدي
أَوَّلَthe first نَزّالٍto enter combat إِلىagainst النَوازِلِcalamities
أَوَّلَ نَزّالٍ إِلى النَوازِلِ
With his like I seek glory and set out at dawn,
the first to plunge into calamities.
وَذيand one bearing فُلولٍedge-nicks مُرهَفٍkeen-edged نِجادُهُits baldric
وَذي فُلولٍ مُرهَفٍ نِجادُهُ
عَلىover لَموعٍgleaming mail ذاتِhaving ذَيلٍa skirt ذائِلِtrailing
عَلى لَموعٍ ذاتِ ذَيلٍ ذائِلِ
And a keen, battle-notched sword, its baldric
over gleaming mail with a trailing skirt.
إِنَّindeed أَميرَthe Commander المُؤمِنينَof the Faithful والِديmy father
إِنَّ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ والِدي
حَزَّsevered الرِقابَnecks بِالقَضاءِwith judgment الفاصِلِdecisive
حَزَّ الرِقابَ بِالقَضاءِ الفاصِلِ
Indeed, the Commander of the Faithful, my father,
severed necks with decisive judgment.
وَجَدِّيَand my grandsire النَبيُّthe Prophet فيamong آبائِهِhis forefathers
وَجَدِّيَ النَبيُّ في آبائِهِ
عَلاsurmounted ذُرىthe summits العَلياءِof glory وَالكَواهِلِand the shoulders
عَلا ذُرى العَلياءِ وَالكَواهِلِ
And my grandsire the Prophet, in his ancestry,
surmounted glory's summits and shoulders.
فَمَنthen who كَأَجداديlike my forefathers إِذاif نَسَبتَنيyou trace my descent
فَمَن كَأَجدادي إِذا نَسَبتَني
أَمor مَنwho كَأَحيائِيَlike my clans أَوor قَبائِليmy tribes
أَم مَن كَأَحيائِيَ أَو قَبائِلي
Who, then, are like my forebears, if you trace my descent?
Or who are like my clans or my tribes?
مِنfrom هاشِمٍHashim أَكرَمِnoblest مَنof those who حَجَّmade pilgrimage وَمَنand those who
مِن هاشِمٍ أَكرَمِ مَن حَجَّ وَمَن
جَلَّلَdraped بَيتَthe House اللَهِof God بِالوَصائِلِin striped cloths
جَلَّلَ بَيتَ اللَهِ بِالوَصائِلِ
From Hashim, noblest of those who made pilgrimage and those who
draped God's House in striped cloths.
قَومٌa people لِأَيديهِمfor their hands عَلىabove كُلِّevery يَدٍhand
قَومٌ لِأَيديهِم عَلى كُلِّ يَدٍ
فَضلُpreeminence سِجالٍbrimming buckets مِنof رَدىًdeath وَنائِلِand bounty
فَضلُ سِجالٍ مِن رَدىً وَنائِلِ
A people whose hands surpass every hand
in brimming bucketfuls of death and bounty.
فَوارِسُhorsemen الغاراتِof raids لاnot يُطرِبُهُمdelights them
فَوارِسُ الغاراتِ لا يُطرِبُهُم
إِلّاexcept نَوّازيthe leaping strains نَغَمِof the music الصَواهِلِof neighing steeds
إِلّا نَوّازي نَغَمِ الصَواهِلِ
Horsemen of the raids, nothing delights them
except the leaping notes of neighing steeds.
بِالسُمرِon the tawny lances تَختَبُّtrot ثُعَيلِباتُهاtheir little foxes (spear-tips)
بِالسُمرِ تَختَبُّ ثُعَيلِباتُها
مِثلَlike ذِئابِthe wolves الرَدهَةِof the rocky hollow العَواسِلِloping
مِثلَ ذِئابِ الرَدهَةِ العَواسِلِ
Along the tawny lances their little foxes trot,
like loping wolves of the rocky hollow.
وَالبيضُand the white blades قَدalready طَلَعنَhave emerged مِنfrom أَغمادِهاtheir scabbards
وَالبيضُ قَد طَلَعنَ مِن أَغمادِها
لِلرَوعِfor battle تَعلوrise above قِمَمَthe crowns القَبائِلِof the tribes
لِلرَوعِ تَعلو قِمَمَ القَبائِلِ
And the white blades have emerged from their scabbards
for battle, rising above the tribes' crowns.
يُخضَبنَare dyed إِمّاeither مِنfrom دِماءِthe blood مارِقٍof a renegade
يُخضَبنَ إِمّا مِن دِماءِ مارِقٍ
أَوor مِنfrom دِماءِthe blood العوذِof new-calved she-camels وَالمَطافِلِand mothers with young
أَو مِن دِماءِ العوذِ وَالمَطافِلِ
They are dyed either with a renegade's blood
or the blood of new-calved she-camels and mothers with young.
ذَوُوowners of القِبابِpavilions الحُمرِred يُنضىis drawn back سَجفُهاtheir curtain
ذَوُو القِبابِ الحُمرِ يُنضى سَجفُها
عَنfrom عَدَدٍa multitude مِنof سامِرٍnight-companions وَجامِلِand camel herds
عَن عَدَدٍ مِن سامِرٍ وَجامِلِ
Owners of red pavilions whose curtains are drawn back
from multitudes of night-companions and camel herds.
أَرىI see مُلوكاًkings كَالبِهامِlike lambs غَفلَةًin heedlessness
أَرى مُلوكاً كَالبِهامِ غَفلَةً
فيin مِثلِthe likeness of طَيشِthe flightiness النَعَمِof livestock الجَوافِلِstampeding
في مِثلِ طَيشِ النَعَمِ الجَوافِلِ
I see kings as heedless as lambs,
with the flightiness of stampeding livestock.
أَولىmore suited مِنَthan الذَودِa small camel herd إِذاif جَرَّبتَهُمyou test them
أَولى مِنَ الذَودِ إِذا جَرَّبتَهُم
بِرَعيِto grazing ذيthese الرِياضِmeadows وَالخَمائِلِand thickets
بِرَعيِ ذي الرِياضِ وَالخَمائِلِ
More suited than a camel herd, if you test them,
to grazing these meadows and thickets.
إِنif أَناI أَعطَيتُهُمُgive them مَقادَتيmy reins
إِن أَنا أَعطَيتُهُمُ مَقادَتي
فَلِمso why إِذاًthen أَطلَقَset free غَربيmy edge صاقِليmy polisher
فَلِم إِذاً أَطلَقَ غَربي صاقِلي
If I yield them my reins,
why, then, did my polisher set my edge free?
وَمِقوَليand my tongue كَالسَيفِlike a sword يَحتَميseeks protection بِهِwith it
وَمِقوَلي كَالسَيفِ يَحتَمي بِهِ
أَشوَسُa fierce man أَبّاءٌunyielding عَلىagainst المَقاوِلِchieftains
أَشوَسُ أَبّاءٌ عَلى المَقاوِلِ
And my tongue is like a sword, used for protection by
a fierce, unyielding man who defies chieftains.
ماwhat لَكَis with you تَرضىyou are content أَنthat يُقالَit be said شاعِرٌa poet
ما لَكَ تَرضى أَن يُقالَ شاعِرٌ
بُعداًaway لَهاwith it مِنfrom عَدَدِthe number الفَضائِلِof virtues
بُعداً لَها مِن عَدَدِ الفَضائِلِ
Why are you content to be called a poet?
Away with that from the ranks of virtues!
كَفاكَenough for you ماwhat أَورَقَhas put forth leaves مِنfrom أَغصانِهِits branches
كَفاكَ ما أَورَقَ مِن أَغصانِهِ
وَطالَand has risen high مِنamong أَعلامِهِits peaks الأَطاوِلِloftiest
وَطالَ مِن أَعلامِهِ الأَطاوِلِ
Enough of the foliage its branches have put forth,
and the height its loftiest peaks have attained.
فَكَمthen how long تَكونُwill you remain ناظِماًcomposing verse وَقائِلاًand speaking
فَكَم تَكونُ ناظِماً وَقائِلاً
وَأَنتَwhile you غِبَّafter القَولِspeech غَيرُnot فاعِلِa man of action
وَأَنتَ غِبَّ القَولِ غَيرُ فاعِلِ
How long, then, will you compose and speak,
yet, after speaking, remain no man of action?
كَمhow often يَقتَضينيdemands of me السَيفُthe sword عَزميmy resolve وَيَديand my hand
كَم يَقتَضيني السَيفُ عَزمي وَيَدي
تَدفَعُهُputs it off دَفعَthe deferral الغَريمِof a debtor الماطِلِdelaying payment
تَدفَعُهُ دَفعَ الغَريمِ الماطِلِ
How often the sword demands my resolve, while my hand
puts it off like a debtor delaying payment.
أَأَرهَبُshall I fear القَتلَbeing killed حِذارَfor fear of ميتَةٍa death
أَأَرهَبُ القَتلَ حِذارَ ميتَةٍ
لاthere is no بُدَّescape أَلقاهاI shall meet it بِغَيرِwithout قاتِلِa killer
لا بُدَّ أَلقاها بِغَيرِ قاتِلِ
Shall I fear being killed, dreading a death
I must meet even without a killer?
قَدalready غارَsank deep قَبليbefore me الرُمحُthe spear فيinto عُتَيبَةٍUtaybah
قَد غارَ قَبلي الرُمحُ في عُتَيبَةٍ
تَحتَbeneath العَواليthe spearheads وَكُلَيبِand Kulayb وائِلِof Wa'il
تَحتَ العَوالي وَكُلَيبِ وائِلِ
Before me, the spear sank deep into Utaybah,
beneath the spearheads, and into Kulayb of Wa'il.
هَبنيsuppose me شَبيباًShabib يَومَon the day طاحَتfell عُنقُهُhis neck
هَبني شَبيباً يَومَ طاحَت عُنقُهُ
عَنby حَدِّthe edge مَفتوقِbroad الغِرارِof blade قاصِلِshearing
عَن حَدِّ مَفتوقِ الغِرارِ قاصِلِ
Count me as Shabib, the day his neck was severed
by the edge of a broad-bladed, shearing sword.
لَمّاwhen رَأىhe saw المَوتَdeath أَوِor الذُلَّhumiliation اِنبَرىhe rushed forth
لَمّا رَأى المَوتَ أَوِ الذُلَّ اِنبَرى
إِلىtoward الرَدىdeath مُشَمِّرَtucking up الذَلاذِلِhis robe-hems
إِلى الرَدى مُشَمِّرَ الذَلاذِلِ
When faced with death or humiliation, he sprang
toward death, his robe-hems tucked up.
أَوor مُصعَباًMus'ab لَمّاwhen دَناdrew near ميقاتُهُhis appointed time
أَو مُصعَباً لَمّا دَنا ميقاتُهُ
وَضَرَبَand struck المِقدارُfate بِالحَبائِلِwith snares
وَضَرَبَ المِقدارُ بِالحَبائِلِ
Or Mus'ab, when his appointed hour drew near
and fate laid its snares.
حَمىhe barred يَمينَthe right hand الضَيمِof oppression أَنfrom يَقودَهُleading him
حَمى يَمينَ الضَيمِ أَن يَقودَهُ
وَاِنقادَand submitted فيin حَبلِthe rope الرَدىof death المُعاجِلِswiftly striking
وَاِنقادَ في حَبلِ الرَدى المُعاجِلِ
He barred oppression's right hand from leading him,
and yielded to the rope of swiftly striking death.
فِعلَthe act اِمرِىءٍof a man رَأىwho deemed الخُمولَobscurity ذِلَّةًhumiliation
فِعلَ اِمرِىءٍ رَأى الخُمولَ ذِلَّةً
فَاِختارَso he chose أَنto يُقبَرَbe buried غَيرَnot خامِلِobscure
فَاِختارَ أَن يُقبَرَ غَيرَ خامِلِ
The act of a man who deemed obscurity humiliation,
so chose to be buried, but not in obscurity.
إِنif كانَthere is لاno بُدَّescape مِنَfrom المَوتِdeath فَمُتthen die
إِن كانَ لا بُدَّ مِنَ المَوتِ فَمُت
تَحتَbeneath ظِلالِthe shadows الأَسَلِof spears الذَوابِلِslender
تَحتَ ظِلالِ الأَسَلِ الذَوابِلِ
If there is no escaping death, then die
beneath the shadows of slender spears.
Translation model: Sol 6.1