Sol 6.1

  1. لَعَمرُكَ ما آسى حِراضُ اِبنَ أُمِّهِ

    عَلى النَصفِ مِن شَطرِ الكَلاءَةِ قائِمُ

    By your life, Ḥirāḍ did not aid his mother's son

    by standing his fair share of the watch.

  2. تَطاوَلَ حَربُ اللَيلِ عَن قَدرِ ظَنِّهِ

    فَنامَ وَهَذا آمِنُ الفَتكِ نائِمُ

    The night's battle dragged on beyond his reckoning,

    so he slept, while this one lay asleep, secure from treacherous attack.

  3. فَيا خُطَّةً راثَت عَلَيكَ وَنى لَها

    ثُمامَةُ يَرعاها عَلى السَيفِ جاثِمُ

    Ah, what a scheme, slow to reach you, over which faltered

    Thumāmah, watching over it, crouched over his sword.

  4. يَدُبُّ إِلَيهِ السَبعُ يَختُلُ ظِلَّهُ

    وَفي كَفِّهِ صافي الحَديدَةِ صارِمُ

    The beast of prey creeps toward him, outwitting his shadow,

    and in his palm is a keen sword of pure iron.

  5. فَأَمكَنَ حَدَّ السَيفِ مَرجِعَ خَصمِهِ

    وَكَرَّ يُساوي الخَطوَ وَالشَخصُ قائِمُ

    Then he gave the sword's edge access to his foe's back,

    and turned back with measured steps, while the figure remained standing.

  6. فَآبَ إِلى جَيبٍ نَصيحٍ فَلامَهُ

    وَمِن سُرَرِ الجَيبِ النَصيحُ المُلاوِمُ

    He returned to a faithful bosom, which reproached him;

    and within the bosom's depths is the reproving counsellor.

  7. فَقالَ لَهُ عُد تُشفَ نَفساً وَلا تَكُن

    عَلى ظِنَّةٍ مِنها وَلِلحَزمِ لائِمُ

    Then he said to him, 'Return: your soul will be healed; do not be

    in doubt about it, nor one who blames prudence.'

  8. فَقَلَّدَهُ لَمّا تَبَيَّنَ شَخصَهُ

    بِضَربَةِ ثَأرٍ لَم تَخُنها العَزائِمُ

    Then, when he discerned his figure, he garlanded him

    with a stroke of vengeance that firm resolves did not betray.

  9. فَماتا صَريعَي غِرَّةٍ وَلَمَن سَعى

    إِلى المَوتِ لَم تُنظَم عَلَيهِ التَمائِمُ

    So both died, felled unawares; and surely whoever hastens

    toward death has no amulets strung upon him.