Claude 2

  1. أَعاذِلَ شِكَّتي بَدَني ورُمحي

    وكلُّ مُقَلِّصٍ سَلِسِ القِيادِ

    My body complains of my spear and bow

    And every smooth-running knight

  2. أَعاذِلَ إِنَّما أَفنى شبابي

    وأَقرَحَ عاتقي ثِقَلُ النِّجادِ

    My body complains; indeed, my youth is spent

    And the heavy armor chafes my shoulder

  3. تَمَنّاني ليلقاني أُبَيٌّ

    وَدِدتُ وأينما منّي وِدادي

    He wished he had met me, the obstinate one

    And I too, wherever my love was

  4. ولو لاقيتَني ومعي سلاحي

    تَكَشَّفَ شَحمُ قَلبِكَ عن سَوادِ

    Had you met me with my weapons

    The fat around your heart would be exposed

  5. أُريدُ حِباءَهُ ويُريد قَتلي

    عَذِيرَكَ من خليلِكَ من مُرادِ

    He wants my love, and wants me dead

    Your excuse from your friend, from what he desires

  6. تَمَنَّاني وسابغتي دِلاصٌ

    كأَنَّ قَتِيرَها حَدَقُ الجَرَادِ

    He wished for me, while my coat of mail is impenetrable

    As if its rings were locusts’ eyes

  7. وسيفي كانَ من عهد ابن ضِدٍّ

    تَخَيَّرَهُ الفتى من قومِ عادِ

    My sword has been, since the days of Ibn Didd

    Chosen by the young warrior from the people of ‘Aad

  8. ورُمحي العنبريُّ تَخالُ فيه

    سِناناً مثلَ مِقباسِ الزِّنادِ

    My spear of amber, in which

    Appear blades like the blacksmith’s pincers

  9. وعِجلِزَةٌ يَزِلُّ اللِّبدُ عنها

    أَمَرَّ سَراتَها حَلَقُ الجِيادِ

    And a mare whose smooth flank

    Shows wheals where the straps of warriors have rubbed

  10. إذا ضُرِبَت سمعتَ لها أَزيزاً

    كَوَقع القطرِ في الأُدُمِ الجِلادِ

    When struck, it gives a buzzing sound

    Like the patter of rain on the tanned leather

  11. إذن لوجدتَ خالَك غيرَ نِكسٍ

    ولا مُتَعلِّماً قَتلَ الوِحادِ

    So you would have found your maternal uncle quite different

    From one who has slain the solitary camels

  12. يُقلِّبُ للأمور شَرَنبَثاتٍ

    بأظفارٍ مَغَارِزُها حِدادِ

    Making confused tracks

    With claws that scratch like a blacksmith’s