أَتَنسىdo you forget يَومَthe day of حَومَلَHawmal وَالدَخولِand al-Dakhul
أَتَنسى يَومَ حَومَلَ وَالدَخولِ
وَمَوقِفَناand our standing عَلىby الطَلَلِthe campsite ruins المُحيلِweathered
وَمَوقِفَنا عَلى الطَلَلِ المُحيلِ
Do you forget the day at Hawmal and al-Dakhul,
Do you forget the day of departure and entering,
And our standing by the weathered ruins?
And our stance at the ruins that decay?
وَقالَتand she said قَدindeed نَحِلتَyou have grown thin وَشِبتَand you have gone gray بَعديafter me
وَقالَت قَد نَحِلتَ وَشِبتَ بَعدي
بِحَقِّby the truth of الشَيبِgray hair بَعدَكِafter you وَالنُحولِand wasting
بِحَقِّ الشَيبِ بَعدَكِ وَالنُحولِ
And she said, 'You have grown thin and gray since I left.'
And she said, "You've become gaunt and grey after me,
By the truth of my gray hair and wasting since you left!
By the right of greyness after you and leanness."
كَأَنَّas though الراحَwine شُعشِعَwas diluted فيin زُجاجٍa glass
كَأَنَّ الراحَ شُعشِعَ في زُجاجٍ
بِماءِwith the water of المُزنِrain clouds فيamong رَصَفٍclose-set stones ظَليلِshaded
بِماءِ المُزنِ في رَصَفٍ ظَليلِ
As though wine had been diluted in a glass
As if the wind rustled in glass,
With rainwater among shaded, close-set stones.
With the water of spouts in a shady pavement.
يَقولُsays لَكَto you الخَليلُthe friend أَباO father of فِراسٍFiras
يَقولُ لَكَ الخَليلُ أَبا فِراسٍ
لَحىmay curse اللَهُGod الفَرَزدَقَal-Farazdaq مِنas a خَليلِfriend
لَحى اللَهُ الفَرَزدَقَ مِن خَليلِ
Your friend says to you, Abu Firas:
Your friend says to you, O Abu Firas,
May God curse al-Farazdaq—what a friend!
May God shame Al-Farazdaq from his friend.
خَرَجتَyou came out مِنَfrom العِراقِIraq وَأَنتَand you are رِجسٌan abomination
خَرَجتَ مِنَ العِراقِ وَأَنتَ رِجسٌ
تَلَبَّسُyou don فيin الظِلالِthe shadows ثِيابَgarments of غولٍa ghoul
تَلَبَّسُ في الظِلالِ ثِيابَ غولٍ
You came out of Iraq, an abomination,
You left Iraq while you were filth,
You don a ghoul's garments in the shadows.
Wearing the garb of tyrants in the shadows.
وَماand no يَخفىis hidden عَلَيكَfrom you شَرابُdrink حَدٍّprescribed penalty
وَما يَخفى عَلَيكَ شَرابُ حَدٍّ
وَلاnor وَرهاءُa foolish woman غائِبَةُwhose ... is absent الحَليلِhusband
وَلا وَرهاءُ غائِبَةُ الحَليلِ
And no drink warranting the prescribed penalty escapes you,
And the drink of Hadd is not hidden from you,
Nor any foolish woman whose husband is away.
Nor the fox of the absent wasteland.
إِذاif دَخَلَhe enters المَدينَةَMedina فَاِرجُموهُthen stone him
إِذا دَخَلَ المَدينَةَ فَاِرجُموهُ
وَلاand do not تَدنوهُbring him near مِنto جَدَثِthe grave of الرَسولِthe Messenger
وَلا تَدنوهُ مِن جَدَثِ الرَسولِ
If he enters Medina, stone him,
If he enters the city, then stone him,
And do not bring him near the Messenger's grave.
And do not let him near the Prophet's grave.
لَقَدsurely عَلِمَhas learned الفَرَزدَقُal-Farazdaq أَنَّthat تَيماًTaym
لَقَد عَلِمَ الفَرَزدَقُ أَنَّ تَيماً
عَلىon شِربٍa draught إِذاwhen نَهِلواthey take their first drink وَبيلِunwholesome
عَلى شِربٍ إِذا نَهِلوا وَبيلِ
Al-Farazdaq has surely learned that Taym
Al-Farazdaq knew that Taym
Have an unwholesome draught whenever they drink.
Gets drunk when they drink and urinate.
لَناours السَلَفُthe forebears المُقَدَّمُthe foremost ياO اِبنَson of تَيمٍTaym
لَنا السَلَفُ المُقَدَّمُ يا اِبنَ تَيمٍ
إِذاwhen ماever ضاقَgrew narrow مُطَّلَعُthe ascent of السَبيلِthe road
إِذا ما ضاقَ مُطَّلَعُ السَبيلِ
O son of Taym, ours are the foremost forebears,
We have the ancestors, O son of Taym,
When the road's ascent grew narrow.
If the path narrows.
وَأَفخَرُand I boast بِالقَماقِمِof the great chiefs مِنof تَميمٍTamim
وَأَفخَرُ بِالقَماقِمِ مِن تَميمٍ
وَتَفخَرُand you boast بِالخَبيثِof the vile وَبِالقَليلِand of the few
وَتَفخَرُ بِالخَبيثِ وَبِالقَليلِ
And I boast of the great chiefs of Tamim,
And I take pride in the perfect ones of Tamim,
And you boast of the vile and the few.
While you take pride in the vile and little.
فَلَنso never تَسطيعَyou be able ياO اِبنَson of دَعيِّa spurious kinsman of تَيمٍTaym
فَلَن تَسطيعَ يا اِبنَ دَعيِّ تَيمٍ
عَلىon دَحضٍslippery ground مُزَحَمَةَjostling القُيولِthe kings
عَلى دَحضٍ مُزَحَمَةَ القُيولِ
So you will never be able, son of Taym's spurious kinsman,
So you will not be able, O son of begging Taym,
To jostle kings on slippery ground.
To withstand the onslaught of warriors.
كَأَنَّas though التَيمَTaym وَسطَamong بَنيthe sons of تَميمٍTamim
كَأَنَّ التَيمَ وَسطَ بَني تَميمٍ
خَصيٌّa gelding بَينَamong أَحصِنَةٍhorses فُحولِvirile males
خَصيٌّ بَينَ أَحصِنَةٍ فُحولِ
Taym among the sons of Tamim are like
As if Taym were castrated among the clans of Tamim,
A gelding among virile stallions.
A eunuch among virile men.
أَعَبدَO slave of التَيمِTaym إِنَّindeed بَنيthe sons of تَميمٍTamim
أَعَبدَ التَيمِ إِنَّ بَني تَميمٍ
تَلَبَّسَhave become entwined فيهِمُamong them أَجَميmy thickets وَغَيليand my woodland
تَلَبَّسَ فيهِمُ أَجَمي وَغَيلي
O slave of Taym, the sons of Tamim indeed—
I censure Taym, the sons of Tamim
My thickets and my woodland are entwined among them.
Wore on them my camel load.
وَإِنّيand I قَدindeed رَمَيتُكَhave hurled at you مِنfrom تَميمٍTamim
وَإِنّي قَد رَمَيتُكَ مِن تَميمٍ
بِعِبءٍwith a burden لاnot تَقومُyou stand up لَهُagainst it ثَقيلِheavy
بِعِبءٍ لا تَقومُ لَهُ ثَقيلِ
And I have hurled at you, from Tamim,
And I have pelted you from Tamim
A heavy burden you cannot stand against.
With a burden you cannot withstand, O heavy one.
فَرَغتُI have finished مِنَwith القُيونِthe smiths وَعَضَّand bit تَيماًTaym
فَرَغتُ مِنَ القُيونِ وَعَضَّ تَيماً
فِرِندُa watered-steel blade الوَقعِstriking لَيسَis not بِذيpossessed of فُلولِnicks
فِرِندُ الوَقعِ لَيسَ بِذي فُلولِ
I have finished with the smiths, and Taym was bitten
I am done with the bows, and Taym is bitten,
By a watered-steel blade, unnotched in its blows.
A steed of battle, not one who lingers.
وَقُلتُand I said نَصاحَةًin sincere counsel لِبَنيto the sons of عَديٍّʿAdi
وَقُلتُ نَصاحَةً لِبَني عَديٍّ
ثِيابَكُمُyour garments وَنَضحَand the spray of دَمِblood of القَتيلِthe slain man
ثِيابَكُمُ وَنَضحَ دَمِ القَتيلِ
And I said, in sincere counsel to the sons of ʿAdi:
And I advised the clan of 'Adiyy
'Guard your clothes from the spray of the slain man's blood.'
To wash their clothes and the blood of the slain.
أَعِبتَhave you faulted فَوارِساًhorsemen رَجَعواwho returned بِتَيمٍwith Taym
أَعِبتَ فَوارِساً رَجَعوا بِتَيمٍ
وَرَكضَهُمُand their galloping مُبادَرَةَracing against الأَصيلِthe evening
وَرَكضَهُمُ مُبادَرَةَ الأَصيلِ
Have you faulted horsemen who brought Taym back,
You have brought the horsemen of Taym, who returned
And their galloping in a race against evening?
With the zeal of racers and the noble.
فَرَدَّthen brought back المُردَفاتِthe pillion-riding women بَناتِthe daughters of تَيمٍTaym
فَرَدَّ المُردَفاتِ بَناتِ تَيمٍ
لِيَربوعٍof Yarbuʿ فَوارِسُhorsemen غَيرُnot ميلِunsteady in the saddle
لِيَربوعٍ فَوارِسُ غَيرُ ميلِ
So Taym's daughters, riding pillion, were brought back
The last riders, the daughters of Taym, returned them
By horsemen of Yarbuʿ, steady in the saddle.
To the riders, men without deviation.
تَدارَكناwe caught up with عُيَينَةَʿUyaynah وَاِبنَand the son of شَمخٍShamkh
تَدارَكنا عُيَينَةَ وَاِبنَ شَمخٍ
وَقَدand already مَرّاthe two passed بِهِنَّwith them عَلىby حَقيلِHaqil
وَقَد مَرّا بِهِنَّ عَلى حَقيلِ
We caught up with ʿUyaynah and Ibn Shamkh,
We saved Uyaynah and Ibn Shamkh
And the two had passed with them by Haqil.
When they passed by them in a field.
رَأواthey saw قُعسَconcave الظُهورِbacks بَناتِthe daughters of تَيمٍTaym
رَأوا قُعسَ الظُهورِ بَناتِ تَيمٍ
تَكَشَّفُcome into view عَنfrom عَلاهِبَةٍtall steeds رُعولِtroops
تَكَشَّفُ عَن عَلاهِبَةٍ رُعولِ
They saw the sway-backed daughters of Taym
They saw the hidden behinds of the daughters of Taym
Emerging from troops of tall steeds.
Bared from dresses cast off.
لَقَدindeed خاقَتhave torn through بُحوريmy seas أَصلَthe root of تَيمٍTaym
لَقَد خاقَت بُحوري أَصلَ تَيمٍ
فَقَدso indeed غَرِقواthey drowned بِمُنتَطِحِat the collision of السُيولِthe torrents
فَقَد غَرِقوا بِمُنتَطِحِ السُيولِ
My seas have indeed torn through Taym's root;
My seas have drowned the origin of Taym,
So they have drowned where the torrents collide.
For they drowned in the torrent's surge.
قَرَنتَyou paired أَباthe father of اللِئامِthe base أَباكَyour father تَيماًTaym
قَرَنتَ أَبا اللِئامِ أَباكَ تَيماً
بِأَدفىwith a hunched one فيin مَناكِبِهِhis shoulders صَؤولِfiercely charging
بِأَدفى في مَناكِبِهِ صَؤولِ
You paired the father of the base, your father Taym,
You have paired the most wicked, your father Taym,
With a hunched-shouldered, fierce assailant—
To a camel at its utmost burden.
بِزَيدِwith Zayd مَناةَManat يَحطِمُcrushes كُلَّevery عَظمٍbone
بِزَيدِ مَناةَ يَحطِمُ كُلَّ عَظمٍ
بُوازِلُهُhis mature camels وَزِدنَand they have grown عَلىbeyond البُزولِfull maturity
بُوازِلُهُ وَزِدنَ عَلى البُزولِ
With Zayd Manat: every bone is crushed
With Zayd Manat he crushes every bone,
By his mature camels, grown beyond maturity.
His camels and more than the kneeling ones.
عَلىhe bore down on تَيماًTaym فَدَقَّthen crushed رِقابَthe necks of تَيمٍTaym
عَلى تَيماً فَدَقَّ رِقابَ تَيمٍ
ثَقيلُheavy الوَطءِof tread ذوpossessing جَرَزٍa mace نَبيلِmassive
ثَقيلُ الوَطءِ ذو جَرَزٍ نَبيلِ
He bore down on Taym and crushed Taym's necks,
He stomped the necks of Taym,
Heavy of tread, bearing a mighty mace.
Heavy of step, of noble descent.
لَقيتَyou encountered لَناof ours حَوامِيَprotective bulwarks راسِياتٍfirmly planted
لَقيتَ لَنا حَوامِيَ راسِياتٍ
وَجولاًand a side يَرتَميhurls بِكَwith you بَعدَafter جولِanother side
وَجولاً يَرتَمي بِكَ بَعدَ جولِ
You encountered our firmly planted bulwarks,
You have met for us the protectors, steadfast,
And side after side that hurls you about.
And a raid that hurls itself at you after a raid.
كَأَنَّas though التَيمَTaym إِذwhen فَخَرَتthey boasted بِسَعدٍof Saʿd
كَأَنَّ التَيمَ إِذ فَخَرَت بِسَعدٍ
إِماءُslave women of الحَيِّthe tribe تَفخَرُboast بِالحُمولِof the laden camels
إِماءُ الحَيِّ تَفخَرُ بِالحُمولِ
Taym, when they boasted of Saʿd, were like
As if Taym, when boasting of Sa'd,
The tribe's slave women boasting of laden camels.
The slave girls of the tribe boast of pregnancies.
تَرىyou see التَيمِيَّthe man of Taym يَزحَفُcreeping كَالقَرَنبىlike a long-legged beetle
تَرى التَيمِيَّ يَزحَفُ كَالقَرَنبى
إِلىtoward تَيمِيَّةٍa woman of Taym كَعَصاlike the stick of المَليلِash-baked bread
إِلى تَيمِيَّةٍ كَعَصا المَليلِ
You see the Taymi creeping like a long-legged beetle
You see the Taymi crawling like a locust
Toward a Taymi woman, like a stick for ash-baked bread.
To a Taymi woman, like a twisted staff.
إِذاwhen كَشَرَتshe bares her teeth إِلَيهِat him يَقولُhe says بَلوىan affliction
إِذا كَشَرَت إِلَيهِ يَقولُ بَلوى
بَلاwithout حَسَنٍbeauty كَشَرتِyou bared your teeth وَلاnor جَميلِgrace
بَلا حَسَنٍ كَشَرتِ وَلا جَميلِ
When she bares her teeth at him, he says, 'An affliction!
If she grins at him, he says without shame,
You bare your teeth with neither beauty nor grace!'
"You have grinned without beauty or grace!"
تَشينُmars الزُعفُرانَsaffron عَروسُthe bride of تَيمٍTaym
تَشينُ الزُعفُرانَ عَروسُ تَيمٍ
وَتَمشيand she walks مِشيَةَthe gait of الجُعَلِthe dung beetle الزَحولِbackward-shuffling
وَتَمشي مِشيَةَ الجُعَلِ الزَحولِ
Taym's bride mars the saffron,
Saffron stains the bride of Taym
And walks with a dung beetle's backward shuffle.
And she walks the walk of a loping hyena.
يَقولُsay المُجتَلونَthose beholding her عَروسُthe bride of تَيمٍTaym
يَقولُ المُجتَلونَ عَروسُ تَيمٍ
شَوىthe limbs of أُمِّUmm (mother of) الحُبَينِHubayn وَرَأسُand the head of فيلِan elephant
شَوى أُمِّ الحُبَينِ وَرَأسُ فيلِ
Those beholding her say, 'Taym's bride has
The meddlers say the bride of Taym
An Umm Hubayn lizard's limbs and an elephant's head.'
Roasted the mother of the two loves and the head of an elephant.
وَلوand even if غُسِلَتshe were washed بِساقِيَتيwith the two canals of دُجَيلٍDujayl
وَلو غُسِلَت بِساقِيَتي دُجَيلٍ
لَقالَتshe would say ماnot اِكتَفَيتُI have had enough مِنَof الغَسولِwashwater
لَقالَت ما اِكتَفَيتُ مِنَ الغَسولِ
And even if she were washed with Dujayl's two canals,
If she were washed with my pitcher of Dujayl,
She would say, 'I have not had enough washwater.'
She would say, "I am not satiated from washing."
إِذاwhen ماever اِستَبعَرَتshe acts like a camel كَلَحَتshe bares her teeth إِلَيهِat him
إِذا ما اِستَبعَرَت كَلَحَت إِلَيهِ
بِقَحفٍwith a skull فيin عَنيَّةِthickened camel-urine salve مُستَبيلِsoaked in urine
بِقَحفٍ في عَنيَّةِ مُستَبيلِ
Whenever she acts like a camel, she bares her teeth at him,
When she frowns at him
With a skull steeped in thickened camel-urine salve.
With a frown in a grimacing eye.