أَغارُI am jealous عَلىover ثَراكَyour dust مِنَof الرِياحِthe winds
أَغارُ عَلى ثَراكَ مِنَ الرِياحِ
وَأَسأَلُand I ask عَنabout غَديرِكَyour pool وَالمَراحِand the resting-ground
وَأَسأَلُ عَن غَديرِكَ وَالمَراحِ
I begrudge the winds your dust,
And ask after your pool and resting-ground.
وَأَجهَرُand I speak aloud بِالسَلامِwith greetings وَدونَand before صَوتيmy voice
وَأَجهَرُ بِالسَلامِ وَدونَ صَوتي
مَنيعٌan impregnable barrier لاnot يُجاعِزُcan be breached بِالصِياحِby shouting
مَنيعٌ لا يُجاعِزُ بِالصِياحِ
And raise my voice in greeting, but before my voice
Stands an impregnable barrier that cries cannot breach.
وَأَهوىand I long أَنthat يُخالِطَكَmingle with you الحُزامىlavender
وَأَهوى أَن يُخالِطَكَ الحُزامى
وَيَلمَعَand gleam فيin أَباطِحِكَyour valley beds الأَقاحيdaisies
وَيَلمَعَ في أَباطِحِكَ الأَقاحي
And I long for lavender to mingle with you,
And for daisies to gleam in your valley beds.
وَكَمand how many ليfor me نَحوَtoward أَرضِكَyour land مِنof مَسيرٍa journey
وَكَم لي نَحوَ أَرضِكَ مِن مَسيرٍ
دَفَعتُI drove بِهِwith it الغُدُوَّmorning travel إِلىinto الرَواحِevening travel
دَفَعتُ بِهِ الغُدُوَّ إِلى الرَواحِ
And how many journeys I have made toward your land,
On which I drove morning onward into evening.
وَهَذاand this الدَهرُage خَفَّضَhas subdued مِنsome of عُراميmy fierceness
وَهَذا الدَهرُ خَفَّضَ مِن عُرامي
وَرَنَّقَand muddied مِنsome of غَبوقيmy evening drink وَاِصطِباحيand my morning drinking
وَرَنَّقَ مِن غَبوقي وَاِصطِباحي
And this age has subdued my fierceness
And clouded my evening drink and morning draught.
وَقَدand indeed كانَwas المَلامُreproach يَطيفُcircling مِنّيin me
وَقَد كانَ المَلامُ يَطيفُ مِنّي
بِمُنجَذِبِaround one drawn العِنانِthe reins إِلىtoward الجِماحِbolting
بِمُنجَذِبِ العِنانِ إِلى الجِماحِ
Reproach once circled around me,
One whose reins were drawn toward running wild.
تَؤولُturn النائِباتُmisfortunes إِلىtoward مُراديmy desire
تَؤولُ النائِباتُ إِلى مُرادي
وَيُعطينيand grants me الزَمانُtime عَلىaccording to اِقتِراحيmy request
وَيُعطيني الزَمانُ عَلى اِقتِراحي
Misfortunes would turn as I desired,
And time would grant me what I asked.
وَعالِيَةِand high-raised السَوالِفِneck-sides وَالهَواديand fore-necks
وَعالِيَةِ السَوالِفِ وَالهَوادي
تَدافَعُsurge forward فيamong الأَسِنَّةِspearheads وَالصَفاحِand sword-blades
تَدافَعُ في الأَسِنَّةِ وَالصَفاحِ
And many a steed with neck and head held high
Surged among spearheads and sword-blades.
إِذاwhen اِستَقصَينَthey had plumbed غامِضَةَthe obscure depths الدَياجيof night-darkness
إِذا اِستَقصَينَ غامِضَةَ الدَياجي
فَقَأتُI gouged out بِهِنَّwith them عاشِيَةَthe bleary eye الصَباحِof dawn
فَقَأتُ بِهِنَّ عاشِيَةَ الصَباحِ
When they had plumbed the hidden darkness of night,
I gouged out with them the bleary eye of dawn.
وَمُدَّرِعٍand an armored man سَمَوتُI advanced لَهُtoward him مِغَذّاًhastening
وَمُدَّرِعٍ سَمَوتُ لَهُ مِغَذّاً
وَقَدand already غَرِضَhad grown weary المُقارِعُthe combatant بِالرِماحِwith spears
وَقَد غَرِضَ المُقارِعُ بِالرِماحِ
And many an armored man I charged at in haste,
When the spear-fighter had grown weary,
بِنافِذَةٍwith a piercing thrust تَمَطَّقُsmacks its lips عَنover نَجيعٍdark blood
بِنافِذَةٍ تَمَطَّقُ عَن نَجيعٍ
تَمَطُّقَthe lip-smacking of شارِبِa drinker of المَقِرِbitter aloe-juice الصُراحِunmixed
تَمَطُّقَ شارِبِ المَقِرِ الصُراحِ
With a piercing thrust that smacked its lips over dark blood,
Like a drinker smacking over pure bitter aloe;
وَأُخرىand another فيwithin الضُلوعِthe ribs لَهاit has هَديرٌa roar
وَأُخرى في الضُلوعِ لَها هَديرٌ
هَديرَthe roaring of الفَحلِa camel-bull قُرِّبَwas brought near لِلِّقاحِfor mating
هَديرَ الفَحلِ قُرِّبَ لِلِّقاحِ
And another within the ribs, with a roar
Like a camel-bull brought forward to mate.
فَماso why ليfor me تَطلُبُseek الأَعداءَthe enemies حَربيwar against me
فَما لي تَطلُبُ الأَعداءَ حَربي
وَيُصبِحُand becomes جانِبيmy flank فَرَضَa target for اللَواحِattackers
وَيُصبِحُ جانِبي فَرَضَ اللَواحِ
Why, then, do enemies seek war with me,
And my flank become a target for attackers?
أَباO father of هَرِمٍHarim وَأَنتَwhile you تُريدُseek ضَيميmy humiliation
أَبا هَرِمٍ وَأَنتَ تُريدُ ضَيمي
بِأَيِّwith what يَدٍhand تُطامِنُwill you lower مِنsome of طَماحيmy soaring ambition
بِأَيِّ يَدٍ تُطامِنُ مِن طَماحي
Abu Harim, while you seek to wrong me,
With what hand will you bring down my soaring ambition?
لَحِقتُI matched أَبيmy father نِزاعاًin striving فيfor المَعاليhigh deeds
لَحِقتُ أَبي نِزاعاً في المَعالي
وَعِرقاًand by lineage فيin الشَجاعَةِcourage وَالسَماحِand generosity
وَعِرقاً في الشَجاعَةِ وَالسَماحِ
I matched my father in striving for high deeds,
And by blood in courage and generosity.
وَأَنتَand you فَماso not لَحِقتَhave matched أَباكَyour father إِلّاexcept
وَأَنتَ فَما لَحِقتَ أَباكَ إِلّا
كَماjust as لَحِقَfollowed الذُنابىthe tail-feathers بِالجَناحِafter the wing
كَما لَحِقَ الذُنابى بِالجَناحِ
But you have matched your father only
As the tail-feathers follow the wing.
نُميتَyou are traced مِنَfrom العُقوقِfilial impiety إِلىto المَخازيdisgraces
نُميتَ مِنَ العُقوقِ إِلى المَخازي
كَماjust as يُنمىis traced الهَريرُgrowling إِلىto النَباحِbarking
كَما يُنمى الهَريرُ إِلى النَباحِ
You are traced from filial impiety to disgrace,
As growling is traced to barking.
فَنَحنُso we نَرىsee مَكانَكَyour place مِنamong نِزارٍNizar
فَنَحنُ نَرى مَكانَكَ مِن نِزارٍ
مَكانَthe place of الداءِdisease فيin الأَدَمِhides الصِحاحِunblemished
مَكانَ الداءِ في الأَدَمِ الصِحاحِ
We see your place among Nizar
As the place of disease in sound hides.
بَنيsons of مَطَرٍMatar دَعواleave العَلياءَthe heights
بَني مَطَرٍ دَعوا العَلياءَ
يَطلَعُclimbs إِلَيهاtoward them كُلُّevery مُنذَلِقٍglib fellow وَقاحِshameless
يَطلَعُ إِلَيها كُلُّ مُنذَلِقٍ وَقاحِ
Sons of Matar, abandon the heights;
Every glib, shameless fellow climbs toward them.
وَوَلّواand turn away عَنfrom مُقارَعَةِgrappling with المَناياdeath's fates
وَوَلّوا عَن مُقارَعَةِ المَنايا
وَلُقيانِand meeting المُلَملَمَةِthe massed host الرَداحِthe massive one
وَلُقيانِ المُلَملَمَةِ الرَداحِ
And turn away from grappling with death
And meeting the close-packed, massive host.
أَيَخفىcan be hidden لُؤمُthe baseness of أَصلِكُمُyour stock وَهَذيwhile these
أَيَخفى لُؤمُ أَصلِكُمُ وَهَذي
قُروفُكُمُyour scabs تَنُمُّbetray عَلىthe presence of الجِراحِthe wounds
قُروفُكُمُ تَنُمُّ عَلى الجِراحِ
Can the baseness of your stock be hidden, when these
Scabs of yours betray the wounds?
تُعَيُّرُناreproach us القَبائِلُthe tribes أَنthat قَطَعناwe severed
تُعَيُّرُنا القَبائِلُ أَن قَطَعنا
قَرائِنَbonds عامِرٍAmir وَبَنيand the sons of رِياحِRiyah
قَرائِنَ عامِرٍ وَبَني رِياحِ
The tribes reproach us for having severed
The bonds with Amir and the sons of Riyah,
وَعَلَّقناand we hung مَطامِعَناour hopes بِحَبلٍon a rope
وَعَلَّقنا مَطامِعَنا بِحَبلٍ
تُعَلَّقُهُgrasp it القُلوبُhearts بِغَيرِwithout راحِhands
تُعَلَّقُهُ القُلوبُ بِغَيرِ راحِ
And hung our hopes upon a rope
That hearts grasp without hands.
وَكُلُّهُمُand all of them يَجُرّونَdrag العَواليthe long spears
وَكُلُّهُمُ يَجُرّونَ العَوالي
مُحافَظَةًsafeguarding عَلىof عُشبِthe grass of البِطاحِthe valley flats
مُحافَظَةً عَلى عُشبِ البِطاحِ
While all of them drag their long spears
To safeguard the grass of the valley flats.
فَبَلِّغso tell سادَةَthe chiefs of الأَحياءِthe tribes أَنّاthat we
فَبَلِّغ سادَةَ الأَحياءِ أَنّا
سَلَوناwe have forgotten بِالغِناthrough wealth ضَربَthe casting of القِداحِgaming arrows
سَلَونا بِالغِنا ضَربَ القِداحِ
So tell the chiefs of the tribes that we
Have, through wealth, forgotten drawing lots with arrows.
وَعِفناand we spurned القاعَthe plain نَسكُنُهُwe dwell in it وَمِلناand we turned away
وَعِفنا القاعَ نَسكُنُهُ وَمِلنا
عَنِfrom السَمُراتِthe acacias وَالنَعَمِand the livestock المِراحِbrought home at evening
عَنِ السَمُراتِ وَالنَعَمِ المِراحِ
And have spurned dwelling on the plain, and turned away
From the acacias and the herds returning home.
وَطَبَّقَتِand spread across العِراقَIraq لَناfor us قِبابٌpavilions
وَطَبَّقَتِ العِراقَ لَنا قِبابٌ
نُظَلِّلُهاwe shade them بِأَطرافِwith the tips of الرِماحِthe spears
نُظَلِّلُها بِأَطرافِ الرِماحِ
And pavilions of ours have spread across Iraq;
We shade them with the tips of spears.
نُعَلَّلُwe are refreshed بِالزُلالِwith clear water مِنَfrom الغَواديmorning rains
نُعَلَّلُ بِالزُلالِ مِنَ الغَوادي
وَنُتحَفُand we are gifted بِالنَسيمِwith a breeze مِنَfrom الرِياحِthe winds
وَنُتحَفُ بِالنَسيمِ مِنَ الرِياحِ
We are refreshed with clear water from morning rains,
And gifted with soft breezes from the winds.
وَجاوَرَناand we dwelt beside الخَليفَةَthe caliph حَيثُwhere تَسموrise
وَجاوَرَنا الخَليفَةَ حَيثُ تَسمو
عَرانينُthe proud noses of الرِجالِmen إِلىtoward الطَماحِsoaring ambition
عَرانينُ الرِجالِ إِلى الطَماحِ
And we have dwelt beside the caliph, where
Men's proud noses rise toward lofty aspiration.
نُوَجِّهُwe address بِالثَناءِwith praise لَهُto him مَصوناًtreasured
نُوَجِّهُ بِالثَناءِ لَهُ مَصوناً
وَنَرتَعُand we graze مِنهُfrom him فيin مالٍwealth مُباحِfreely available
وَنَرتَعُ مِنهُ في مالٍ مُباحِ
We address him with treasured praise,
And graze on wealth he freely grants.
وَسَيّالُand flowing اليَدَينِof both hands مِنَwith العَطاياgifts
وَسَيّالُ اليَدَينِ مِنَ العَطايا
مَهيبُawe-inspiring in الجِدِّearnestness مَأمونُtrustworthy in المُزاحِjest
مَهيبُ الجِدِّ مَأمونُ المُزاحِ
And his two hands flow with gifts;
Awe-inspiring in earnest, trustworthy in jest.
إِذاwhen اِبتَدَرَoutruns المَلامَreproach نَدىthe dew-like bounty of يَدَيهِhis two hands
إِذا اِبتَدَرَ المَلامَ نَدى يَدَيهِ
مَضىit proceeds طَلقاًfreely عَلىalong سُنَنِthe paths of المِراحِexuberance
مَضى طَلقاً عَلى سُنَنِ المِراحِ
When the dew of his hands outruns reproach,
It courses freely along the paths of exuberance.
أَميرُO Commander of المُؤمِنينَthe Faithful أَذالَhas worn down سَيريmy journey
أَميرُ المُؤمِنينَ أَذالَ سَيري
ذُرىthe humps of هَذيthese المُعَبَّدَةِhard-worked mounts الرِزاحِthe exhausted ones
ذُرى هَذي المُعَبَّدَةِ الرِزاحِ
Commander of the Faithful, my journey has worn down
The humps of these hard-worked, exhausted camels.
فَكَمso how often خاضَwaded through المَطِيُّthe riding camels إِلَيكَtoward you بَحراًa sea
فَكَم خاضَ المَطِيُّ إِلَيكَ بَحراً
يَموجُsurges عَلىover الأَماعِزِstony ground وَالضَواحيand open country
يَموجُ عَلى الأَماعِزِ وَالضَواحي
How often the mounts have waded toward you through a sea
Surging over stony ground and open country:
سَرابٌa mirage كَالغَديرِlike a pool تَعومُswim فيهِin it
سَرابٌ كَالغَديرِ تَعومُ فيهِ
رُبىًhillocks كَغَوارِبِlike the withers of الإِبِلِthe camels القِماحِholding their heads high
رُبىً كَغَوارِبِ الإِبِلِ القِماحِ
A mirage like a pool, in which swim
Hills like the withers of camels holding their heads high.
وَكَمand how much لَكَyou have مِنof غَرامٍpassion بِالمَعاليfor high deeds
وَكَم لَكَ مِن غَرامٍ بِالمَعالي
وَهَمٍّand concern فيfor الأَمانيaspirations وَاِرتِياحِand joyful eagerness
وَهَمٍّ في الأَماني وَاِرتِياحِ
And how much passion you have for lofty deeds,
And care for aspirations, and joyful eagerness!
وَأَيّامٍand days تَشُنُّyou unleash بِهاduring them المَناياthe fates of death
وَأَيّامٍ تَشُنُّ بِها المَنايا
عَوابِسَscowling يَطَّلِعنَthey rise مِنَfrom النَواحيthe quarters
عَوابِسَ يَطَّلِعنَ مِنَ النَواحي
And days when you unleash the fates of death,
Scowling as they rise from every quarter.
إِذاwhen ريعَis terrified الشَجاعُthe brave man بِهِنَّby them قُلناwe say
إِذا ريعَ الشَجاعُ بِهِنَّ قُلنا
لِأَمرٍfor a reason غَصَّhe choked بِالماءِon water القَراحِpure
لِأَمرٍ غَصَّ بِالماءِ القَراحِ
When the brave man is terrified by them, we say:
'For good reason he choked on pure water.'
فَلاso may not نَقَلَremove المُهَيمِنُthe Guardian عَنكَfrom you ظِلّاًa shade
فَلا نَقَلَ المُهَيمِنُ عَنكَ ظِلّاً
مِنَof النَعماءِblessing لَيسَis not بِمُستَباحِopen to violation
مِنَ النَعماءِ لَيسَ بِمُستَباحِ
So may the Guardian never remove from you a shade
Of blessing, inviolable.
وَواجَهَكَand may greet you الثَناءُpraise بِكُلِّin every أَرضٍland
وَواجَهَكَ الثَناءُ بِكُلِّ أَرضٍ
مُعاوِنَةٍlending support لِشُكريto my gratitude وَاِمتِداحيand my praise
مُعاوِنَةٍ لِشُكري وَاِمتِداحي
And may praise greet you in every land
That lends support to my gratitude and praise.