ياO عَبلَAbla خَلّيput aside عَنكِfrom you قَولَthe words of المُفتَريthe slanderer
يا عَبلَ خَلّي عَنكِ قَولَ المُفتَري
وَاِصغيand listen إِلىto قَولِthe words of المُحِبِّthe lover المُخبِرِthe teller of news
وَاِصغي إِلى قَولِ المُحِبِّ المُخبِرِ
O Abla, set aside the slanderer’s words;
O Abla, put aside the slanderer's words,
and heed the words of the loving informant.
And listen to the words of the lover who brings you tidings.
وَخُذيand take كَلاماًwords صُغتُهُI fashioned them مِنfrom عَسجَدٍgold
وَخُذي كَلاماً صُغتُهُ مِن عَسجَدٍ
وَمَعانِياًand meanings رَصَّعتُهاI inlaid them بِالجَوهَرِwith jewels
وَمَعانِياً رَصَّعتُها بِالجَوهَرِ
Take words I fashioned out of gold,
And take words I have fashioned from gold,
and meanings I studded with jewels.
And meanings I have inlaid with jewels.
كَمhow many a مَهمَهٍvast wilderness قَفرٍbarren بِنَفسيby myself خُضتُهُI crossed it
كَم مَهمَهٍ قَفرٍ بِنَفسي خُضتُهُ
وَمُفاوِزٍand desert wastes جاوَزتُهاI traversed them بِالأَبجَرِon al-Abjar
وَمُفاوِزٍ جاوَزتُها بِالأَبجَرِ
How many a trackless, desolate waste I plunged into alone,
How many a barren wilderness I have crossed by myself,
and perilous deserts I crossed upon al-Abjar.
And desert wastes I have traversed on al-Abjar!
كَمhow many a جَحفَلٍmighty army مثْلlike الضَبابِthe fog هَزَمتُهُI routed it
كَم جَحفَلٍ مثْل الضَبابِ هَزَمتُهُ
بِمُهَنَّدٍwith an Indian-steel sword ماضٍkeen وَرُمحٍand a spear أَسمَرِdusky
بِمُهَنَّدٍ ماضٍ وَرُمحٍ أَسمَرِ
How many a host, like mist, I routed
How many an army, like the fog, I have routed
with a keen Indian sword and a dark-brown spear.
With a keen Indian-steel sword and a dusky spear!
كَمhow many a فارِسٍhorseman بَينَamong الصُفوفِthe ranks أَخَذتُهُI seized him
كَم فارِسٍ بَينَ الصُفوفِ أَخَذتُهُ
وَالخَيلُand the horses تَعثُرُstumble بِالقَناover the spears المُتَكَسِّرِshattered
وَالخَيلُ تَعثُرُ بِالقَنا المُتَكَسِّرِ
How many a horseman amid the battle ranks I seized
How many a horseman I have seized amid the ranks,
while the horses stumbled over shattered lances.
While the horses stumble over shattered spears!
ياO عَبلَAbla دونَكِbefore you كُلَّevery حَيٍّtribe فَاِسأَليso ask
يا عَبلَ دونَكِ كُلَّ حَيٍّ فَاِسأَلي
إِنif كانَthere is عِندَكِwith you شُبهَةٌa doubt فيabout عَنتَرِAntar
إِن كانَ عِندَكِ شُبهَةٌ في عَنتَرِ
O Abla, everyone is before you—ask them all,
O Abla, all the tribes are before you—ask them,
if you harbor any doubt concerning Antarah.
If you have any doubt about Antar.
ياO عَبلَAbla هَلwhether بُلِّغتِyou were told يَوماًever أَنَّنيthat I
يا عَبلَ هَل بُلِّغتِ يَوماً أَنَّني
وَلَّيتُI turned away مُنهَزِماًdefeated هَزيمَةَthe flight of مُدبِرِone retreating
وَلَّيتُ مُنهَزِماً هَزيمَةَ مُدبِرِ
O Abla, has it ever reached you that I
O Abla, were you ever told that I
turned away defeated, in the flight of one retreating?
Turned away in defeat, fleeing like a man in retreat?
كَمhow many a فارِسٍhorseman غادَرتُI left behind يَأكُلُdevours لَحمَهُhis flesh
كَم فارِسٍ غادَرتُ يَأكُلُ لَحمَهُ
ضاريsavage الذِئابِthe wolves وَكاسِراتُand rending الأَنسُرِthe vultures
ضاري الذِئابِ وَكاسِراتُ الأَنسُرِ
How many a horseman I left, his flesh devoured
How many a horseman I have left, his flesh devoured
by ravening wolves and bone-breaking vultures.
By savage wolves and rending vultures!
أَفريI cleave الصُدورَthe chests بِكُلِّwith every طَعنٍthrust هائِلٍdreadful
أَفري الصُدورَ بِكُلِّ طَعنٍ هائِلٍ
وَالسابِغاتِand long coats of mail بِكُلِّwith every ضَربٍblow مُنكَرِterrible
وَالسابِغاتِ بِكُلِّ ضَربٍ مُنكَرِ
I split open chests with every dreadful thrust,
I cleave chests with every dreadful thrust,
and ample coats of mail with every fearsome blow.
And long coats of mail with every terrible blow.
وَإِذاand when رَكِبتُI ride تَرىyou see الجِبالَthe mountains تَضِجُّresound مِنfrom
وَإِذا رَكِبتُ تَرى الجِبالَ تَضِجُّ مِن
رَكضِthe galloping of الخُيولِthe horses وَكُلَّand every قُطرٍregion موعِرِrugged
رَكضِ الخُيولِ وَكُلَّ قُطرٍ موعِرِ
When I ride, you see the mountains roar from
And when I ride, you see the mountains resound with
the gallop of the horses—and every rugged tract as well.
The galloping of horses—and every rugged region too.
وَإِذاand when غَزَوتُI raid تَحومُcircle عِقبانُthe eagles of الفَلاthe wilderness
وَإِذا غَزَوتُ تَحومُ عِقبانُ الفَلا
حَوليaround me فَتَطعُمُthen they eat كَبدَthe liver of كُلِّevery غَضَنفَرِlion
حَولي فَتَطعُمُ كَبدَ كُلِّ غَضَنفَرِ
When I raid, the eagles of the wilderness circle
And when I raid, the eagles of the wilderness circle
around me, then feed upon the liver of every lionhearted warrior.
Around me, then eat the liver of every lion.
وَلَكَمand how often خَطِفتُI snatched away مُدَرَّعاًan armored man مِنfrom سَرجِهِhis saddle
وَلَكَم خَطِفتُ مُدَرَّعاً مِن سَرجِهِ
فيin الحَربِbattle وَهوَwhile he بِنَفسِهِof himself لَمdid not يَشعُرِbecome aware
في الحَربِ وَهوَ بِنَفسِهِ لَم يَشعُرِ
How many an armored man I snatched from his saddle
And how often I have snatched an armored man from his saddle
in battle, while he himself did not notice.
In battle, while he was unaware even of himself.
وَلَكَمand how often وَرَدتُI approached المَوتُdeath أَعظَمَthe greatest مَورِدٍencounter
وَلَكَم وَرَدتُ المَوتُ أَعظَمَ مَورِدٍ
وَصَدَرتُand I departed عَنهُfrom it فَكانَso it was أَعظَمَthe greatest مَصدَرِreturn
وَصَدَرتُ عَنهُ فَكانَ أَعظَمَ مَصدَرِ
How often I entered Death at its most terrible approach,
And how often I have approached death in the greatest encounter,
and emerged from it in the greatest emergence.
And come away from it in the greatest return!
ياO عَبلَAbla لَوif only عايَنتِyou had witnessed فِعليmy deeds فيagainst العِداthe foes
يا عَبلَ لَو عايَنتِ فِعلي في العِدا
مِنof كُلِّevery شِلوٍsevered limb بِالتُرابِwith dust مُعَفَّرِsmeared
مِن كُلِّ شِلوٍ بِالتُرابِ مُعَفَّرِ
O Abla, if only you had witnessed my deeds among the foe:
O Abla, if only you had witnessed my deeds against the foes:
every severed limb, dust-besmeared.
Every severed limb smeared with dust,
وَالخَيلُand the horses فيin وَسطِthe midst of المَضيقِthe narrow pass تَبادَرَتraced ahead
وَالخَيلُ في وَسطِ المَضيقِ تَبادَرَت
نَحويtoward me كَمِثلِjust like العارِضِthe rain cloud المُتَفَجِّرِbursting
نَحوي كَمِثلِ العارِضِ المُتَفَجِّرِ
The horses, in the midst of the narrow pass, surged
And the horses racing through the midst of the narrow pass
toward me like a bursting storm cloud—
Toward me like a bursting rain cloud,
مِنof كُلِّevery أَدهَمَblack horse كَالرِياحِlike the winds إِذاwhen جَرىit ran
مِن كُلِّ أَدهَمَ كَالرِياحِ إِذا جَرى
أَوor أَشهَبٍa gray horse عاليhigh المَطاthe back أَوor أَشقَرِa chestnut horse
أَو أَشهَبٍ عالي المَطا أَو أَشقَرِ
every black steed like the winds when it ran,
Every black horse like the winds when it ran,
or a high-backed dapple-gray, or a chestnut.
Or a high-backed gray, or a chestnut—
فَصَرَختُthen I shouted فيهِمamong them صَرخَةًa cry عَبسِيَّةًof Abs
فَصَرَختُ فيهِم صَرخَةً عَبسِيَّةً
كَالرَعدِlike thunder تَدويit resounds فيin قُلوبِthe hearts of العَسكَرِthe army
كَالرَعدِ تَدوي في قُلوبِ العَسكَرِ
I shouted among them an Absian battle cry,
Then I let out among them a cry of Abs,
like thunder resounding in the army’s hearts.
Like thunder booming in the hearts of the army.
وَعَطَفتُand I wheeled نَحوَهُمُtoward them وَصُلتُand I charged عَلَيهِمُupon them
وَعَطَفتُ نَحوَهُمُ وَصُلتُ عَلَيهِمُ
وَصَدَمتُand I rammed مَوكِبَهُمtheir column بِصَدرِwith the chest of الأَبجَرِal-Abjar
وَصَدَمتُ مَوكِبَهُم بِصَدرِ الأَبجَرِ
I wheeled toward them and charged upon them,
And I wheeled toward them and charged upon them,
and shattered their formation with al-Abjar’s chest.
And rammed their column with al-Abjar's chest.
وَطَرَحتُهُمand I flung them فَوقَupon الصَعيدِthe bare ground كَأَنَّهُمas though they were
وَطَرَحتُهُم فَوقَ الصَعيدِ كَأَنَّهُم
أَعجازُthe trunks of نَخلٍpalm trees فيin حَضيضِthe lowest part of المَحجَرِthe rocky ground
أَعجازُ نَخلٍ في حَضيضِ المَحجَرِ
I cast them upon the ground as though they were
And flung them upon the bare ground, as though they were
palm trunks at the bottom of a rocky hollow.
Palm trunks on low-lying rocky ground.
وَدِماؤُهُمand their blood فَوقَupon الدُروعِthe armor تَخَضَّبَتwas stained
وَدِماؤُهُم فَوقَ الدُروعِ تَخَضَّبَت
مِنهاwith it فَصارَتso it became كَالعَقيقِlike agate الأَحمَرِred
مِنها فَصارَت كَالعَقيقِ الأَحمَرِ
Their blood stained the armor over them;
And their blood lay upon the armor, which was stained
with it, the armor became like red carnelian.
With it, and so became like red agate.
وَلَرُبَّماand often عَثَرَstumbled الجَوادُthe steed بِفارِسٍwith a horseman
وَلَرُبَّما عَثَرَ الجَوادُ بِفارِسٍ
وَيَخالُand he supposes أَنَّthat جَوادَهُhis steed لَمdid not يَعثُرِstumble
وَيَخالُ أَنَّ جَوادَهُ لَم يَعثُرِ
Often the noble steed stumbled over a horseman,
And often a steed stumbles beneath a horseman,
while he imagined that his steed did not stumble.
While he supposes his steed has not stumbled.
