بأَبيwith my father as ransom وأُمّيand my mother كُلُّevery ذِيpossessor of
بأَبي وأُمّي كُلُّ ذِي
نَفسٍa soul تَعافُabhors الضَّيمَhumiliation مُرَّهْits bitterness
نَفسٍ تَعافُ الضَّيمَ مُرَّهْ
May my father and mother be ransom for every man
By my father and mother,
whose soul abhors humiliation's bitterness,
Every soul who spurns the oppressive deeds as bitter,
يَرضىis willing بأَنْwith the fact that يَرِدَhe approaches الرَّدىdeath
يَرضى بأَنْ يَرِدَ الرَّدى
فَيُمِيْتُهاso he kills it ويَشيدُand raises high ذِكْرَهْhis renown
فَيُمِيْتُها ويَشيدُ ذِكْرَهْ
who willingly approaches death,
Would accept that fate returns it decreed.
ending his life and exalting his name;
So it dies while exalting its mention.
وفتىًand a youth يُعَرِّضُexposes فيin صِياpreservation (start)
وفتىً يُعَرِّضُ في صِيا
نَةِpreservation (end) عِرضهِhis honor للرُّمْحِto the spear نَحْرَهْhis throat
نَةِ عِرضهِ للرُّمْحِ نَحْرَهْ
and for a youth who, to preserve
And a noble youth exposing his honor,
his honor, exposes his throat to the spear.
To spearpoints in defending it from disgrace.
لوif كانَwere أَنفُكَyour nose, symbolizing pride أَنفَهُhis nose, symbolizing pride
لو كانَ أَنفُكَ أَنفَهُ
لمnot تَلْحَهُyou reproach him وَعَرَفْتَand you would understand عُذْرَهْhis justification
لم تَلْحَهُ وَعَرَفْتَ عُذْرَهْ
Had your nose been his,
Had you but smelt his fragrance, you'd
you would not reproach him, and would understand his justification.
Excuse him, and perceive his sorrow.
تَمضيpass by أَحَادِيْثُthe tales of الرِّجَاthe men (start)
تَمضي أَحَادِيْثُ الرِّجَا
لِmen (end) كأَنَّهاas though they فيin النَّومِsleep خَطْرَهْa fleeting thought
لِ كأَنَّها في النَّومِ خَطْرَهْ
Tales of men pass by,
The stories of men flow as if a dream, their concern but thoughts for the youth.
like a fleeting thought in sleep.
Oh time, your vicissitudes to me are but sorrow.
وَحَوادِثُand the events of الأَيامِthe days فيin
وَحَوادِثُ الأَيامِ في
هاthem للفَتَىfor a man عَجَبٌwonder وفِكْرَهْand reflection
ها للفَتَى عَجَبٌ وفِكْرَهْ
And the events of the days
The sweetness of bliss mixed with harm,
within them give a man wonder and reflection.
And benefit mingled with damage.
ماnever تَنْقَضِيcomes to an end ياO دَهرُTime ليfor me
ما تَنْقَضِي يا دَهرُ لي
فيin صَرْفِكyour vicissitudes المجنونِmad عَبْرَهْa tear
في صَرْفِك المجنونِ عَبْرَهْ
My tears never cease, O Time,
How excellent unalloyed happiness,
amid your mad vicissitudes.
Though it come with bitterness in life!
صَفْوُthe purity of النعيمِbliss تَشُوبُهُyou taint it
صَفْوُ النعيمِ تَشُوبُهُ
والنفعُand benefit يُمزجُis mixed بالمَضَرَّهْwith harm
والنفعُ يُمزجُ بالمَضَرَّهْ
You sully the purity of bliss,
Revealing what it had kept hidden,
and benefit is mixed with harm.
Scandals it had kept secret.
ياO حَبَّذَاhow welcome محضُthe pure essence of السُّرُوjoy (start)
يا حَبَّذَا محضُ السُّرُو
رِjoy (end) ولَوand even if أَتىit came فيin العيشِlife مَرَّهْonce
رِ ولَو أَتى في العيشِ مَرَّهْ
Oh, how welcome is unalloyed joy,
Oh careless one! Do not let relaxation make you heedless.
even if it comes but once in life!
Whose nature is marred, for every intoxicant.
قدindeed صَرَّحَتْhas openly revealed عنabout ذاتِهاits own nature
قد صَرَّحَتْ عن ذاتِها
بزلاءَa grave ordeal كانتhad been مُسْتَسِرَّهْconcealed
بزلاءَ كانت مُسْتَسِرَّهْ
Now it has revealed its true nature:
Therein duties roar and sins terrify.
a grave ordeal that had lain concealed.
Prepare for it with the strength of a high minded lion.
ياO أَيُّهاyou الصَمْصَامُthe keen sword لاlet not
يا أَيُّها الصَمْصَامُ لا
تَأخُذْكَseize you دونَshort of الحزِمfirm resolve فَتْرَهْslackness
تَأخُذْكَ دونَ الحزِم فَتْرَهْ
O keen sword, let no
Not fatigued by the chase, unaware of stumbling.
slackness keep you from firm resolve.
The wolves of Babel seek to take advantage if they find unwariness.
أَنتَyou الذيthe one whose طُبِعَتْwere forged مَضَاstriking edges (start)
أَنتَ الذي طُبِعَتْ مَضَا
رِبُهُhis striking edges (end) الرقاقُslender لكلfor every غَمْرَهْperilous fray
رِبُهُ الرقاقُ لكل غَمْرَهْ
You are the one whose striking edges were forged,
Hone your swords for their thick necks.
slender, for every perilous fray,
May God facilitate what you desire.
فيهاin it الفَرائضُthe duties (likely intended: flanks) مُرعَدَاtrembling (start)
فيها الفَرائضُ مُرعَدَا
تٌtrembling (end) والذوائِبُand the forelocks مُقْشَعِرَّهْbristling
تٌ والذوائِبُ مُقْشَعِرَّهْ
where the flanks tremble
Had you but walked a mile,
and the forelocks bristle.
The doves would have cooed at sight of you.
شَمِّرْmake ready لَهَاfor it تَشْميِرَthe readiness of طاa famished beast (start)
شَمِّرْ لَهَا تَشْميِرَ طا
وٍa famished beast (end) لاnot يُقيلُpardons الصَّيدَthe prey عَثْرَهْa stumble
وٍ لا يُقيلُ الصَّيدَ عَثْرَهْ
Make ready for it like a famished beast
Leap with the spring of a supported lion,
that grants its quarry no pardon for a stumble.
His fang seizing the game in fright.
انَّindeed الذئابَthe wolves ببابلٍin Babylon
انَّ الذئابَ ببابلٍ
يَطلُبنَthey seek لوif صادفنَthey chanced upon غِرَّهْan unguarded moment
يَطلُبنَ لو صادفنَ غِرَّهْ
Indeed, the wolves in Babylon
None earns money nor attains provision,
seek an unguarded moment, if they can find one.
Until he parts from the slothful stupor of kinsfolk.
فاهدِso guide السيوفَthe swords لِهَامِهَاto their heads
فاهدِ السيوفَ لِهَامِهَا
أهَدىmay grant لكَto you اللهُGod المَسَرَّهْjoy
أهَدى لكَ اللهُ المَسَرَّهْ
So guide the swords to their heads;
The enemies tried your courage and patience in combat.
may God grant you joy.
Thus you may gain riches from one you had hated.
لوif سِرْتَyou marched مِيلاًa mile واحداًsingle
لو سِرْتَ مِيلاً واحداً
نَعَرَwould bellow الحِمامُDeath بِهنَّamong them نَعْرَهْa roar
نَعَرَ الحِمامُ بِهنَّ نَعْرَهْ
If you marched a single mile,
I shepherded a hand against you
Death would bellow among them.
That came down like rain in abundance.
ثِبْleap وثبةَthe leap of الأَسدِthe lion المُسَاsupporting (start)
ثِبْ وثبةَ الأَسدِ المُسَا
نِدِsupporting (end) نابَهits fang فيin الروعِterror ظُفْرَهْits claw
نِدِ نابَه في الروعِ ظُفْرَهْ
Leap like the lion that joins
I never sensed its lightning, it attained my hopes,
its fang to its claw in the hour of terror.
And the land became vacant wilderness.
لاnot يكسِبُit earns الكسبَthe gain الكريnoble (start)
لا يكسِبُ الكسبَ الكري
مَnoble (end) ولاand not ينالُreaches الزَّادُthe provisions قَدْرَهْits due measure
مَ ولا ينالُ الزَّادُ قَدْرَهْ
It wins no noble gain,
When your father summoned me,
nor does its food reach its due measure,
I replied and obeyed his command,
حتىuntil يفارقit forsakes منfrom لفيthe tangle of (start)
حتى يفارق من لفي
فِthe tangle of (end) الغِيلِthe thicket والطرفاءِand the tamarisks خِدرَهْits lair
فِ الغِيلِ والطرفاءِ خِدرَهْ
until it forsakes, amid the tangle
After my love for you had been continuous
of thicket and tamarisks, its lair.
With intimates.
قدalready جَرَّبَhave tested الاعداءُthe enemies فيin الthe (continued next line)
قد جَرَّبَ الاعداءُ في ال
هَيْجَاءِbattle جُرأَتَهُits daring وَصَبْرَهْand its endurance
هَيْجَاءِ جُرأَتَهُ وَصَبْرَهْ
The enemies have tested, in
I praised you in soft song but it was
battle, its daring and endurance.
The envy of foes.
فَلرَبُمَّاfor indeed, perhaps نِلتَyou gained الغنيthe spoils (start)
فَلرَبُمَّا نِلتَ الغني
مةَspoils (end) فيin الذيthat which قدalready كنتَyou had been تَكْرَهْdisliking
مةَ في الذي قد كنتَ تَكْرَهْ
For you may well win spoils
I saw your sea abundant,
in what you once disliked.
Whose depths the whales cannot reach.
أَرعىI cherish يداًa hand of favor لكمof yours عليْupon me (start)
أَرعى يداً لكم عليْ
يَupon me (end) تَهَلَّلَتْshone كالغيثِlike rain ثَرَّهْcopious
يَ تَهَلَّلَتْ كالغيثِ ثَرَّهْ
I cherish your hand of favor upon me,
Mine are the pulpits, armies and captives.
radiant and copious as the rain.
If you are gone, you are not gone,
ماnot شِمْتُI watched for بارقَهَاits lightning وَشَاand it discerned (start)
ما شِمْتُ بارقَهَا وَشَا
مَتْit discerned (end) مَطلبيmy need والأَرضُwhile the earth قَفْرَهْbarren
مَتْ مَطلبي والأَرضُ قَفْرَهْ
I had not watched for its lightning, yet it discerned
As long as the dawn kindles its light,
my need while the earth lay barren.
Until the sun returns to the constellation,
وأََبوكَand your father لماwhen أَنْthat (connective) دَعَاhe called
وأََبوكَ لما أَنْ دَعَا
لَبَّيْتُهُI answered him وأَطَعْتُand I obeyed أَمْرَهْhis command
لَبَّيْتُهُ وأَطَعْتُ أَمْرَهْ
And when your father called,
From the sphere to the moon station.
I answered him and obeyed his command,
مِنْfrom بَعْدِafter ماthat كانتْhad been حِبَاcords (start)
مِنْ بَعْدِ ما كانتْ حِبَا
ليmy cords (end) بالقَرائِنِto the companions مُسْتَمِرَّهْfirmly bound
لي بالقَرائِنِ مُسْتَمِرَّهْ
after my cords
had been firmly bound to companions.
أَنشَدْتُI recited مَدْحَكَyour praise فيin النَّدِيْthe assembly (start)
أَنشَدْتُ مَدْحَكَ في النَّدِيْ
يassembly (end) فكانَand so it became للحُسَّادِfor the envious زَفْرَهْa groan
ي فكانَ للحُسَّادِ زَفْرَهْ
I recited your praise in the assembly,
and it drew a groan from the envious.
وَرَأَيتُand I saw بَحْرَكَyour sea زاخِراًsurging
وَرَأَيتُ بَحْرَكَ زاخِراً
لاnot تُدرِكُreach الحيتانُthe fish قَعْرَهْits bottom
لا تُدرِكُ الحيتانُ قَعْرَهْ
And I saw your sea surging:
no fish can reach its bottom.
مَنْwho للمنابرِfor the pulpits وَالعَسَاand the armies (start)
مَنْ للمنابرِ وَالعَسَا
كِرِarmies (end) والمناسِرِand the raiding squadrons والأَسِرَّهْand the thrones
كِرِ والمناسِرِ والأَسِرَّهْ
Who will tend the pulpits and the armies,
the raiding squadrons and the thrones,
انْif غبتُمُyou are absent لاmay you not غِبِتُمُyou be absent
انْ غبتُمُ لا غِبِتُمُ
ماas long as دامَcontinues يَحْدُوurges onward الصبحُmorning فَجْرَهْits dawn
ما دامَ يَحْدُو الصبحُ فَجْرَهْ
if you are absent? May you never be absent
so long as morning urges on its dawn,
حتَّىuntil تَعُوْدَreturns الشَّمسُthe sun مِنْfrom
حتَّى تَعُوْدَ الشَّمسُ مِنْ
فَلَكِthe sphere of البُروجِthe zodiac الىto المَجَرَّهْthe Milky Way
فَلَكِ البُروجِ الى المَجَرَّهْ
until the sun returns from
the sphere of the zodiac to the Milky Way.
Partial English translation: 49 of 62 Arabic lines translated.