يذكّرناhe reminds us فيin الودlove أَيّامَthe days of شَعثَمِSha'tham
يذكّرنا في الود أَيّامَ شَعثَمِ
لَياليَnights أَسبابُbonds الهوىlove لمnot تُجَذَّمِwere severed
لَياليَ أَسبابُ الهوى لم تُجَذَّمِ
He recalls for us, in love, the days of Shaʿtham—
He reminds us, in love, of the days of Sha'tham,
nights when the cords of passion had not yet been cut.
the nights when love's bonds had not been severed.
وَماand what ذِكرهُhis recalling عصرَthe time of الصَباyouthful passion وَقَدand already اِكتَسَتhave donned
وَما ذِكرهُ عصرَ الصَبا وَقَد اِكتَسَت
مفارِقَهhis hair-partings لَونيthe two colors of خَليسٍgray mingled with black وأَسحَمand jet-black
مفارِقَه لَوني خَليسٍ وأَسحَم
What use is his remembrance of youth’s heyday, now that
And why does he recall the time of youthful passion, when
his temples wear two colors, gray-flecked and black?
his hair-partings wear two colors: mingled gray and jet-black?
وأَنّيand that I عدانيkept me away أَنto أَزورَكI visit you فاِعلميso know
وأَنّي عداني أَن أَزورَك فاِعلمي
شَبابُthe flaring of حُروبwars كالحَريقِlike a fire المُضَرَّمِset ablaze
شَبابُ حُروب كالحَريقِ المُضَرَّمِ
Know, then, that what kept me from visiting you
And know that I was kept from visiting you
was the keen onset of wars, like a fiercely kindled fire.
by the flaring of wars, like a fire set ablaze.
الأَهلthe kinsfolk أَتىcame عناfrom us حِجازيَّthe Hijazi man of قومِناour people
الأَهل أَتى عنا حِجازيَّ قومِنا
عَلىacross النأيthe distance أَبناءَthe sons of الخَميسِthe army العَرَمرَمِvast
عَلى النأي أَبناءَ الخَميسِ العَرَمرَمِ
Has news concerning us reached a Hijazi woman of our people—
The kinsfolk came from us to our people's Hijazi man,
despite the distance—news of the sons of the vast, teeming host?
across the distance—the sons of the vast army.
وَمُنذُand since لَقيناwe met المُرزُبانَthe Marzuban, a frontier governor وقَومَهand his people
وَمُنذُ لَقينا المُرزُبانَ وقَومَه
بكلwith every فَتىًyoung man عاريbare الأَشاجعِknuckles ضَيغَمِa lion
بكل فَتىً عاري الأَشاجعِ ضَيغَمِ
And when we met the marzbān and his men,
And since we met the Marzuban and his people,
we had with us every young warrior, bare-knuckled and lion-bold,
with every bare-knuckled young man, a lion,
عَلىon كلevery محبوكِfirmly knit in السَراةthe back مُصَدَّرٍbroad-chested
عَلى كل محبوكِ السَراة مُصَدَّرٍ
ومنand of كلevery مِضخامِimmense in الحرارَةardor صَلدَمstout and hard-hoofed
ومن كل مِضخامِ الحرارَة صَلدَم
astride every compact-backed, broad-chested steed,
on every firmly knit-backed, broad-chested steed,
and every hulking fighter, battle-fierce and hard as rock,
and every mighty, fiery, hard-hoofed mount,
عليهمupon them منof الماذيِّfine, bright iron كلُّevery مَفاضَةٍample coat of mail
عليهم من الماذيِّ كلُّ مَفاضَةٍ
كَمَتننlike the surface (unclear spelling) الغَديرthe pool سَردُهاits linked weave لمnot يُخَضرِمwas cut short
كَمَتنن الغَدير سَردُها لم يُخَضرِم
each clad in an ample coat of fine mādhī mail,
upon each was an ample coat of fine, bright mail,
its linked mesh like a pool’s smooth surface, without a breach.
like a pool's surface, its linked weave unbroken.
فَلَمّاthen when التَقَيناwe met لمnot تهنهfalter (unclear form) زيادناour Ziyad
فَلَمّا التَقَينا لم تهنه زيادنا
وَلَمand not تُلفَbe found أَنكاساًweaklings ولَمand not تَتَلعثَمِhesitate
وَلَم تُلفَ أَنكاساً ولَم تَتَلعثَمِ
Then, when we met in battle, our Ziyād did not weaken,
Then, when we met, our Ziyad did not [falter],
nor would you find us cravens, nor did we hide our faces.
nor were they found weaklings, nor did they hesitate.
إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) بدرناwe charged بَدرةًa sudden charge نَصبواthey raised لناagainst us
إِذا ما بدرنا بَدرةً نَصبوا لنا
فِسيّاbows (probable reading) كأَعناقِlike the necks of المطيِّthe riding camels المُخَدَّمِringed at the ankles
فِسيّا كأَعناقِ المطيِّ المُخَدَّمِ
Whenever we sprang upon them in a sudden charge, they arrayed against us
Whenever we launched a sudden charge, they raised against us
bows like the necks of riding-camels bound with leg-tethers.
[bows], like the necks of ankle-ringed camels.
يَصيحونَthey shout فيat أَدبارِهاtheir rears وورُودهاand their approach
يَصيحونَ في أَدبارِها وورُودها
بِحِلٍّwith 'Hil!', a driving cry وتَرجيفِand shaking الوَشيجِthe spear-shafts المقوَّمِstraightened
بِحِلٍّ وتَرجيفِ الوَشيجِ المقوَّمِ
They shouted in retreat and in attack,
They shouted at their rear and as they came forward,
with cries of “Ḥillī!” and the quivering of straight, well-fashioned spear-shafts.
crying 'Hil!' and shaking straightened spear-shafts.
