لَأَظماhas indeed parched مُعِلّيناour cupbearers وَأَروىand quenched المَصائِباthe calamities
لَأَظما مُعِلّينا وَأَروى المَصائِبا
وَأَسخَطَand angered آمالاًhopes وَأَرضىand satisfied نَوائِباmisfortunes
وَأَسخَطَ آمالاً وَأَرضى نَوائِبا
It has indeed parched our cupbearers and slaked calamities,
angered hopes and gratified misfortunes:
مُصابٌa bereavement نُجومُthe stars المَجدِof glory فيهِin it نَواجِمٌrising
مُصابٌ نُجومُ المَجدِ فيهِ نَواجِمٌ
تَرَكنَthey left نَجومَthe stars الصَبرِof patience عَنهُaway from it غَوارِباsetting
تَرَكنَ نَجومَ الصَبرِ عَنهُ غَوارِبا
a loss in which the stars of glory rise,
leaving the stars of patience setting before it.
أَصابَتstruck سِهامُthe arrows الحادِثاتِof calamities قُلوبَهاtheir hearts
أَصابَت سِهامُ الحادِثاتِ قُلوبَها
فَكَمso how often أَعقَبَتthey brought in their wake رَوعاًterror يَروعُthat terrifies العَواقِباwhat comes after
فَكَم أَعقَبَت رَوعاً يَروعُ العَواقِبا
The arrows of calamity have struck their hearts;
how often they have left a terror that appalls the future!
لَقَدindeed وَعَدَتناthey promised us إِذwhen رَغِبناwe yearned رَغايباًdesirable things
لَقَد وَعَدَتنا إِذ رَغِبنا رَغايباً
فَلَمّاthen when أَصَبنَthey fulfilled الظَنَّthe expectation أَعطَتthey gave مَصايباcalamities
فَلَمّا أَصَبنَ الظَنَّ أَعطَت مَصايبا
Indeed, they promised us our heart's desires when we yearned,
yet, when they met our expectations, they gave us calamities.
وَأَرضَعنَand they suckled أَفواهَthe mouths المَطامِعِof ambition فَجعَةًbereavement
وَأَرضَعنَ أَفواهَ المَطامِعِ فَجعَةً
فَطَمنَthey weaned بِهاwith it عِندَat النَجاحِsuccess المَطالِباthe pursuits
فَطَمنَ بِها عِندَ النَجاحِ المَطالِبا
And they suckled the mouths of ambition on bereavement,
with which they weaned our pursuits at the moment of success.
بِمَفقودَةٍfor a lost one يَنهَلُّpours down ماءُthe water مُصابِهاof her loss
بِمَفقودَةٍ يَنهَلُّ ماءُ مُصابِها
دُموعاًas tears عَلىupon خَدِّthe cheek الزَمانِof Time سَواكِباstreaming
دُموعاً عَلى خَدِّ الزَمانِ سَواكِبا
For one departed, the waters of whose loss pour
as streaming tears down the cheek of Time.
إِذاwhen قَعَدَتsettles أَحزانُهاgrief for her فيin قُلوبِناour hearts
إِذا قَعَدَت أَحزانُها في قُلوبِنا
أَقَمناwe raise عَلىover الصَبرِpatience الشِفاهَthe lips نَوادِباas mourners
أَقَمنا عَلى الصَبرِ الشِفاهَ نَوادِبا
When grief for her settles in our hearts,
we make our lips mourners lamenting patience.
صَبَرناwe endured فَغَصَّصناso we choked الزَمانَTime بِريقِهِon its own saliva
صَبَرنا فَغَصَّصنا الزَمانَ بِريقِهِ
عَلىdespite أَنَّthe fact that لِلأَيّامِthe days have فيناin us مَضارِباplaces to strike
عَلى أَنَّ لِلأَيّامِ فينا مَضارِبا
We endured, and made Time choke on its own saliva,
though the days have targets within us.
وَلَمand did not نَطرَحِwe cast aside الأَسلابَthe spoils يَوماًever لِنَكبَةٍfor a calamity
وَلَم نَطرَحِ الأَسلابَ يَوماً لِنَكبَةٍ
وَإِنand even if جَذَبَtugged المِقدارُfate مِنّاfrom us المَجاذِباthe handholds
وَإِن جَذَبَ المِقدارُ مِنّا المَجاذِبا
We never surrendered spoils to any calamity,
even though fate tugged at every hold upon us.
أَلاbehold إِنَّindeed هَذاthis man الثاكِلَbereaved الحَسَبِof noble lineage الَّذيwho
أَلا إِنَّ هَذا الثاكِلَ الحَسَبِ الَّذي
بِهِthrough him ثَكِلَwas bereaved of المَجدُglory التَليدُancestral المَناقِباvirtues
بِهِ ثَكِلَ المَجدُ التَليدُ المَناقِبا
Behold this bereaved nobleman, through whom
ancestral glory has been bereaved of virtues,
رَمىcast فيinto يَمينِthe right hand الدَهرِof Time دُرَّةَa pearl سُؤدُدٍof lordship
رَمى في يَمينِ الدَهرِ دُرَّةَ سُؤدُدٍ
فَأَحجِso how fitting! بِهاfor her يَحنوit should fold عَليهاaround her الرَواجِباthe finger joints
فَأَحجِ بِها يَحنو عَليها الرَواجِبا
who has cast a pearl of lordship into Time's right hand:
how fitting that it should fold its fingers around her!
وَقَدand indeed شَنَّlaunched فيهاagainst her حادِثُthe calamity المَوتِof death غارَةًa raid
وَقَد شَنَّ فيها حادِثُ المَوتِ غارَةً
ثَنَتناit turned us back وَلَمand did not تَطلُعadvance إِلَيناtoward us كَتائِباin battalions
ثَنَتنا وَلَم تَطلُع إِلَينا كَتائِبا
And death's calamity has launched a raid against her
that drove us back, though it advanced toward us in no battalions.
فَلاso do not تَحسَبَنever think رُزءَthe loss الصَغائِرِof little ones هَيِّناًtrifling
فَلا تَحسَبَن رُزءَ الصَغائِرِ هَيِّناً
فَإِنَّfor indeed وَجىsoreness الأَخفافِof camel-feet يُنضيwears down الغَوارِباthe withers
فَإِنَّ وَجى الأَخفافِ يُنضي الغَوارِبا
So never think the loss of little ones is slight;
for aching camel-feet wear down the withers.
سَقىmay water اللَهُGod صَحباءَtawny-hued الثَرىearth كُلَّevery لَيلَةٍnight
سَقى اللَهُ صَحباءَ الثَرى كُلَّ لَيلَةٍ
سَحائِبَclouds يَنزَعنَthat drive away الرِياحَthe winds الحَواصِباthat hurl gravel
سَحائِبَ يَنزَعنَ الرِياحَ الحَواصِبا
May God water the tawny earth each night
with clouds that drive away the gravel-flinging winds.
جَنادِلُstones مِنof قَبرٍa grave كَأَنَّas though صُدورَهاtheir fronts
جَنادِلُ مِن قَبرٍ كَأَنَّ صُدورَها
حَباهُmay favor it الحَياrain دونَabove القُبورِthe other graves مَحارِباprayer niches
حَباهُ الحَيا دونَ القُبورِ مَحارِبا
Stones of a grave, whose fronts seem
like prayer niches—may rain favor it above other graves.
أَقامَتshe dwelt بِهِin it حَتّىuntil لَوَدَّتsurely wished عُيونُناour eyes
أَقامَت بِهِ حَتّى لَوَدَّت عُيونُنا
وَلَمand did not تُبقِleave دَمعاًany tears أَنthat يَكونَit might become سَحائِباclouds
وَلَم تُبقِ دَمعاً أَن يَكونَ سَحائِبا
She has dwelt there until our eyes have wished—
all their tears spent—that those tears might be clouds.
تُرابٌdust يَرىthat considers أَنَّthat النُجومَthe stars تُرابُهُits dust
تُرابٌ يَرى أَنَّ النُجومَ تُرابُهُ
وَيَحسَبُand reckons أَحجارَthe stones الصَفيحِof the flat slabs الكَواكِباthe stars
وَيَحسَبُ أَحجارَ الصَفيحِ الكَواكِبا
Dust that considers the stars its own dust,
and reckons the flat grave-slabs to be stars.
وَسَيفٌand a sword نُضيdrawn مِنfrom جَفنِهِits sheath غَيرَexcept أَنَّهُthat it
وَسَيفٌ نُضي مِن جَفنِهِ غَيرَ أَنَّهُ
رَضيit accepted لَحدَهُits grave مِنinstead of غِمدِهِits scabbard الدَهرَforever صاحِباas a companion
رَضي لَحدَهُ مِن غِمدِهِ الدَهرَ صاحِبا
And a sword drawn from its sheath, except that it
has accepted its grave, instead of its scabbard, as companion forever.
يُغَطّيhides الثَرىthe earth عَنّاfrom us وُجوهاًfaces مُضيئَةًradiant
يُغَطّي الثَرى عَنّا وُجوهاً مُضيئَةً
كَماjust as كَفَرَconceals الغَيمُthe cloud النُجومَthe stars الثَواقِباpiercingly bright
كَما كَفَرَ الغَيمُ النُجومَ الثَواقِبا
Earth hides radiant faces from us,
as clouds conceal the piercingly bright stars.
وَرَزءٌand a loss رَمىstruck صَدرَthe breast الأَمانيof hopes بِيَأسِهاwith their despair
وَرَزءٌ رَمى صَدرَ الأَماني بِيَأسِها
وَكُنَّand they were إِلىtoward وِردِthe watering-place المَعاليof high honors قَوارِباdrawing near
وَكُنَّ إِلى وِردِ المَعالي قَوارِبا
And a loss has struck the breast of hopes with their despair,
while they were nearing the watering-place of high honors.
أَلاah رُبَّmany a لَيلٍnight قَلقَلَتهُhave shaken it عَزائِميmy resolves
أَلا رُبَّ لَيلٍ قَلقَلَتهُ عَزائِمي
إِلىuntil أَنthat نَضاit stripped عَنfrom مَنكِبَيهِits two shoulders الغَياهِباthe deep darkness
إِلى أَن نَضا عَن مَنكِبَيهِ الغَياهِبا
Ah, many a night my resolves have shaken,
until it stripped the darkness from its shoulders.
جَذَبتُI drew بِضَبعِby the upper arm العَزمِof resolve مِنfrom بَينِbetween أَضلُعيmy ribs
جَذَبتُ بِضَبعِ العَزمِ مِن بَينِ أَضلُعي
وَزاحَمتُand I pressed through بِالهَمِّwith high purpose الدُجىthe darkness وَالسَباسِباand the desert plains
وَزاحَمتُ بِالهَمِّ الدُجى وَالسَباسِبا
I drew resolve by the arm from between my ribs,
and with high purpose pressed through darkness and desert plains.
وَجُرداًand sleek steeds ضَرَبنَthat struck الدَهرَTime فيon أُمِّthe crown رَأسِهِof its head
وَجُرداً ضَرَبنَ الدَهرَ في أُمِّ رَأسِهِ
وَجُزنَand crossed بِناwith us أَعجازَهُits hindquarters وَالمَناكِباand the shoulders
وَجُزنَ بِنا أَعجازَهُ وَالمَناكِبا
And sleek steeds that struck Time on the crown of its head
and bore us across its hindquarters and shoulders.
وَمَرَّتand passed حَواميهاtheir hoof-edges عَلىover لِمَّةِthe locks الدُجىof darkness
وَمَرَّت حَواميها عَلى لِمَّةِ الدُجى
تُجاذِبُtugging بِالإِدلاجِby night-travel مِنهاfrom it الذَوائِباthe tresses
تُجاذِبُ بِالإِدلاجِ مِنها الذَوائِبا
Their hoof-edges passed over the locks of darkness,
tugging tresses from it as they journeyed by night.
وَإِنّيand indeed I لَمِنam surely of قَومٍa people إِذاwhen رَكِبواthey ride النَدىgenerosity
وَإِنّي لَمِن قَومٍ إِذا رَكِبوا النَدى
إِلىtoward الحَمدِpraise باتواthey spend the night يَعسِفونَdriving hard الرَكائِباthe mounts
إِلى الحَمدِ باتوا يَعسِفونَ الرَكائِبا
And I am indeed of a people who, when they ride generosity
toward praise, drive their mounts hard through the night.
إِذاwhen فاضَoverflows رَقراقُthe shimmering flow المَحامِدِof praise صَيَّرواthey make
إِذا فاضَ رَقراقُ المَحامِدِ صَيَّروا
لَهُfor it جودَهُمtheir generosity دونَexcluding اللِئامِthe ignoble نَصائِباretaining stones
لَهُ جودَهُم دونَ اللِئامِ نَصائِبا
When the shimmering waters of praise overflow, they make
their bounty its retaining stones, shutting out the ignoble.
وَإِنand if ضاقَnarrows صَدرُthe breast الخَطبِof crisis وَسَّعَopens wide بِأَسُهُمtheir valor
وَإِن ضاقَ صَدرُ الخَطبِ وَسَّعَ بِأَسُهُم
لِسُمرِfor the brown shafts القَناof spears بَينَbetween الضُلوعِthe ribs مَذاهِباpassages
لِسُمرِ القَنا بَينَ الضُلوعِ مَذاهِبا
And if the breast of crisis grows narrow, their valor opens
passages between the ribs for brown spear-shafts,
بِطَعنٍwith thrusts كَدُفّاعِlike a torrent الغَمامِof clouds تَحُثُّهُthey drive it on
بِطَعنٍ كَدُفّاعِ الغَمامِ تَحُثُّهُ
ذَوابِلُslender spears يُمطِرنَthat rain الدِماءَblood صَوائِباpouring down
ذَوابِلُ يُمطِرنَ الدِماءَ صَوائِبا
with thrusts like a torrent from clouds, driven on
by slender spears that rain blood in downpours.
لَهُit has شَرَرٌsparks يَرميthat pelt الرِماحَthe spears بِلَفحِهِwith its scorching blast
لَهُ شَرَرٌ يَرمي الرِماحَ بِلَفحِهِ
يَكادُalmost يُرىis seen ماءُthe watery sheen الأَسِنَّةِof the spearheads ذائِباmelting
يَكادُ يُرى ماءُ الأَسِنَّةِ ذائِبا
Its sparks pelt the spears with their scorching heat;
the spearheads' watery sheen almost seems to melt.
إِذاwhen أَنكَرواthey fail to recognize فيin النَقعِthe battle-dust أَلوانَthe colors خَيلِهِمof their horses
إِذا أَنكَروا في النَقعِ أَلوانَ خَيلِهِم
أَضاءَit shines لَهُمfor them حَتّىuntil يَشيمواthey can discern السَبائِباthe manes
أَضاءَ لَهُم حَتّى يَشيموا السَبائِبا
When they cannot recognize their horses' colors in the battle-dust,
it shines for them until they can discern the manes.
أَباO Abu قاسِمٍQasim جاءَتhave come إِلَيكَto you قَلائِدٌnecklaces
أَبا قاسِمٍ جاءَت إِلَيكَ قَلائِدٌ
تُقَلِّدُthey garland أَعناقَthe necks الكَرامِof the noble مَناقِباwith virtues
تُقَلِّدُ أَعناقَ الكَرامِ مَناقِبا
Abu Qasim, necklaces have come to you,
garlanding the necks of the noble with virtues.
قَلائِدُnecklaces مِنfrom نَظميmy verse يَوَدُّwish لِحُسنِهاfor their beauty
قَلائِدُ مِن نَظمي يَوَدُّ لِحُسنِها
قُلوبُthe hearts الأَعاديof enemies أَنthat تَكونَthey might be تَرائِباbreastbones
قُلوبُ الأَعادي أَن تَكونَ تَرائِبا
Necklaces of my verse, whose beauty makes
the hearts of enemies wish they were breastbones.
إِذاwhen هَدَّهاhe declaims them راويa reciter القَريضِof poetry حَسِبتَهُyou would think him
إِذا هَدَّها راوي القَريضِ حَسِبتَهُ
يَقومُhe stands بِهاwith them فيin نَدوَةِthe assembly الحَيِّof the tribe خاطِباas an orator
يَقومُ بِها في نَدوَةِ الحَيِّ خاطِبا
When a reciter of poetry declaims them, you would think him
standing with them in the tribal assembly as an orator.
فَلَوso if كُنَّthey were غُدراناًpools لَكُنَّthey would surely be مَشارِباdrinking-places
فَلَو كُنَّ غُدراناً لَكُنَّ مَشارِبا
وَلوand if كُنَّthey were أَحداثاًevents لَكُنَّthey would surely be تَجارِباlessons from experience
وَلو كُنَّ أَحداثاً لَكُنَّ تَجارِبا
So, were they pools, they would be drinking-places;
and were they events, they would be lessons in experience.
Translation model: Sol 6.1