وقالand he said أيضاًalso:
وقال أيضاً:
البسيطthe basīṭ metre
البسيط
And he also said:
O house of Hind, whose traces have vanished
The basīṭ metre.
Except for its winding valleys and ravines
ياO دَارَdwelling هِندٍHind عَفَتfaded away إِلّاexcept أَثافِيهاits hearthstones
يا دَارَ هِندٍ عَفَت إِلّا أَثافِيها
بَينَbetween الطَويِّal-Ṭawiyy فَصاراتٍand Ṣārāt فَواديهاand its valley
بَينَ الطَويِّ فَصاراتٍ فَواديها
O Hind's dwelling, effaced save for its hearthstones,
A friend once looked after it but could not preserve it
Between al-Ṭawiyy, Ṣārāt, and its valley.
And a lovely woman once dwelled in its isolation
أَرَّىlingered عَلَيهاover it وَلِيٌّa succeeding shower ماnot يُغَيِّرُهاchanges it
أَرَّى عَلَيها وَلِيٌّ ما يُغَيِّرُها
وَديمَةٌand a steady rain حُلِّلَتwere unfastened فيهاin it عَزاليهاits rain-spouts
وَديمَةٌ حُلِّلَت فيها عَزاليها
A following shower lingered over it without changing it,
Time has changed its acquaintances after me
And a steady rain whose spouts were loosed there.
And the winds have scattered its melodies
قَدalready غَيَّرَchanged الدَهرُtime مِنfrom بَعديafter my departure مَعارِفَهاits familiar traces
قَد غَيَّرَ الدَهرُ مِن بَعدي مَعارِفَها
وَالريحُand the wind فَاِدَّفَنَتso became buried فيهاin it مَغانيهاits dwelling sites
وَالريحُ فَاِدَّفَنَت فيها مَغانيها
Time has changed its familiar traces since I left,
Destruction has overwritten it with its trails
And so has the wind; its dwelling sites became buried there.
So it became like crushed ice in its barrenness
جَرَتswept عَلَيهاover it بِأَذيالٍwith trailing skirts لَهاit has عُصُفٌviolent gusts
جَرَت عَلَيها بِأَذيالٍ لَها عُصُفٌ
فَأَصبَحَتso became مِثلَlike سَحقِa threadbare remnant of البُردِthe cloak عافيهاits faded remains
فَأَصبَحَت مِثلَ سَحقِ البُردِ عافيها
It swept over it with trailing skirts full of gusts,
It was as if a twig of boxthorn reproached me
So its faded remains became like a threadbare cloak.
When I asked about it but it did not heed my chant
كَأَنَّنيas though I ساوَرَتنيassailed me يَومَon the day أَسأَلُهاI questioned it
كَأَنَّني ساوَرَتني يَومَ أَسأَلُها
عَودٌan old one مِنَamong الرُقشِspeckled snakes ماnot تُصغيlistens لِراقيهاto its charmer
عَودٌ مِنَ الرُقشِ ما تُصغي لِراقيها
As though, the day I questioned it, I was assailed by
Until when it disappeared from me I sat upon
An old, speckled serpent that would not heed its charmer.
A cliff perishing in a land enduring its misery
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle اِنجَلَتcleared away عَنَّيfrom me قَعَدتُI sat عَلىupon
حَتّى إِذا ما اِنجَلَت عَنَّي قَعَدتُ عَلى
هَرفٍa swift she-camel تَهالَكُhurls herself onward فيthrough بِيدٍdeserts تُقاسِيهاshe endures them
هَرفٍ تَهالَكُ في بِيدٍ تُقاسِيها
Until, when it lifted from me, I sat astride
I hurl it away from me although it withers
A swift she-camel, plunging through deserts she endures.
On a night when its resident knows no sleep
أَرميI drive بِهاwith her مَعرِضَthe expanse of الدَوِّيِّthe vast desert ضامِرَةًlean
أَرمي بِها مَعرِضَ الدَوِّيِّ ضامِرَةً
فيduring لَيلَةٍa night ماnot يَذُوقُtastes النَومَsleep سارِيهاits night traveler
في لَيلَةٍ ما يَذُوقُ النَومَ سارِيها
I drive her, lean, across the vast desert's expanse,
When it climbs a barren land toward a town
Through a night whose traveler tastes no sleep.
I task it with erecting the poles of flags reaching its summit
إِذاwhen عَلَتshe crossed بَلَداًa land قَفراًbarren إِلىtoward بَلَدٍa land
إِذا عَلَت بَلَداً قَفراً إِلى بَلَدٍ
كَلَّفتُهاI tasked her روسَthe crests of أَعلامٍmountains تُساميهاshe rivals their height
كَلَّفتُها روسَ أَعلامٍ تُساميها
Whenever she crossed a barren land toward another,
To you, O son of Shammas, I complained of it
I tasked her with mountain crests she rose to rival.
As we traversed the expanse when its aspects appeared
إِلَيكُمُtoward you ياO اِبنَson of شَمّاسٍShammās شَجَجتُI cleft بِهاwith her
إِلَيكُمُ يا اِبنَ شَمّاسٍ شَجَجتُ بِها
عُرضَthe breadth of الفَلاةِthe wilderness إِذاwhen لاحَتcame into view فَيافيهاits wastelands
عُرضَ الفَلاةِ إِذا لاحَت فَيافيها
Toward you, O son of Shammās, on her I cleft
Until I steered my camel in your lands
The wilderness's breadth, when its wastes came into view.
With the best of those who don unshod and shod feet
حَتّىuntil أَنَختُI made kneel قَلوصيmy young she-camel فيin دِيارِكُمُyour dwellings
حَتّى أَنَختُ قَلوصي في دِيارِكُمُ
بِخَيرِwith the best of مَنthose who يَحتَذيwears نَعلاًa sandal وَحافيهاand those barefoot without it
بِخَيرِ مَن يَحتَذي نَعلاً وَحافيها
Until I made my young she-camel kneel among your dwellings,
By the life of Him who flows to His Sacred House
With the best of those who wear sandals and those who go barefoot.
Great throngs of pilgrims arriving at its appointment
إِنّيindeed I لَعَمرُby the life of الَّذيHim who يَسريtravels by night لِكَعبَتِهِto His Kaaba
إِنّي لَعَمرُ الَّذي يَسري لِكَعبَتِهِ
عُظمُthe main body of الحَجيجِpilgrims لِميقاتٍfor an appointed time يُوافيهاreaches it
عُظمُ الحَجيجِ لِميقاتٍ يُوافيها
Indeed, by the life of Him to whose Kaaba journeys by night
He came to my aid and brought me close
The main body of pilgrims, reaching it at the appointed time:
A youth who donned his mantle though bare
لَقَدcertainly تَدارَكَنيrescued me مِنهُfrom him وَلاحَمَنيand restored my flesh
لَقَد تَدارَكَني مِنهُ وَلاحَمَني
سَيبٌbounty كَساclothed أَعظُماًbones قَدalready لاحَhad appeared عاريهاtheir bare parts
سَيبٌ كَسا أَعظُماً قَد لاحَ عاريها
Indeed, from him came what rescued me and restored my flesh—
May God reward him well, a trusted brother
A bounty that clothed bones whose nakedness had shown.
And guide him with virtuous guidance, his leader
فَليَجزِهِso may He reward him اللَهُGod خَيراًwith good مِنas أَخيa brother of ثِقَةٍtrust
فَليَجزِهِ اللَهُ خَيراً مِن أَخي ثِقَةٍ
وَليَهدِهِand may He guide him بِهُدىby the guidance of الخَيراتِgood deeds هاديهاtheir Guide
وَليَهدِهِ بِهُدى الخَيراتِ هاديها
So may God reward him well, a brother worthy of trust,
Who joins thousands to thousands in alliance
And may the Guide to good deeds lead him by their guidance.
And gives hundreds in plenty, their shepherd
المُخلِفُthe replenisher of الأَلفَthe thousand بَعدَafter الأَلفِthe thousand يُتلِفُهاhe lavishes them
المُخلِفُ الأَلفَ بَعدَ الأَلفِ يُتلِفُها
وَالوَاهِبُand the giver of المِئَةَthe hundred camels المِعكىtethered together وَراعيهاand their herdsman
وَالوَاهِبُ المِئَةَ المِعكى وَراعيها
Who replaces thousand after thousand as he lavishes them,
A people who grew in the line of Sa’d at its peak
And gives a hundred tethered camels, along with their herdsman.
When the efforts of Sa’d are recounted
قَومٌa people نَمَواrose فيamong بَنيthe sons of سَعدِنSaʿdin وَذِروَتِهاand its summit
قَومٌ نَمَوا في بَني سَعدِن وَذِروَتِها
يَوماًon a day إِذاwhen عُدَّare counted مِنof سَعدٍSaʿd مَساعيهاits noble deeds
يَوماً إِذا عُدَّ مِن سَعدٍ مَساعيها
A people who rose among Banū Saʿdin and at its summit,
May God protect them, a people of lineage
On a day when Saʿd's noble deeds are counted.
When crisis befalls people, present and absent
لِلَّهِto God belongs دَرُّهُمُtheir excellence قَوماًa people ذَويpossessing حَسَبٍnoble lineage
لِلَّهِ دَرُّهُمُ قَوماً ذَوي حَسَبٍ
يَوماًon a day إِذاwhen جُلبَةٌa tumult حَلَّتsets down مَرَاسيهاits anchors
يَوماً إِذا جُلبَةٌ حَلَّت مَرَاسيها
God bless them—a people of noble lineage,
The trusted allies of the Prophet’s neighbor whatever they knot
On a day when tumult sets down its anchors.
Among them the foremost to heed the call and its summoner
أَهلُpeople of الحِفاظِsteadfast honor إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أَزمَةٌa crisis أَزَمَتgripped
أَهلُ الحِفاظِ إِذا ما أَزمَةٌ أَزَمَت
بِالناسِupon the people حاضِرِهِمtheir settled folk مِنهاamong them وَباديهاand their nomads
بِالناسِ حاضِرِهِم مِنها وَباديها
Defenders of honor whenever hardship grips
And those who ignite the flames of war when ignited
The people, both their townsfolk and their nomads.
On a day when the prayer caller is driven away from it
الموثِقونَthose who make firm لِجارِfor the neighbor of البَيتِthe house ماwhatever عَقَدواthey pledged
الموثِقونَ لِجارِ البَيتِ ما عَقَدوا
وَمِنهُمُand among them سابِقُthe first to face الجُلّىthe great ordeal وَداعيهاand its summoner
وَمِنهُمُ سابِقُ الجُلّى وَداعيها
Who uphold for the household's neighbor the pledges they have made;
They walk in the armor of David as though they are
And among them is the first to face great peril, and the one who summons others to it.
Stallions whose hides are smeared with tar
وَالمُشعِلونَand those who kindle ضِرامَthe blaze of الحَربِwar إِذwhen لَقِحَتit conceives
وَالمُشعِلونَ ضِرامَ الحَربِ إِذ لَقِحَت
يَوماًon a day إِذاwhen اِزوَرَّturned aside عَنهاfrom it مَنthose who يُصاليهاbrave its heat
يَوماً إِذا اِزوَرَّ عَنها مَن يُصاليها
And those who kindle war's blaze when it conceives,
They wage the heat of fray in every battlefield
On a day when those who face its fire turn away from it.
With horses altogether, blond and dark-coated
يَمشونَthey walk فيin نَسجِthe weaving of داوُودٍDavid كَأَنَّهمُas though they were
يَمشونَ في نَسجِ داوُودٍ كَأَنَّهمُ
بُزلٌmature camels طَلىcoated أُدمَهاtheir hides بِالزِفتِwith pitch طاليهاtheir dauber
بُزلٌ طَلى أُدمَها بِالزِفتِ طاليها
They walk in David's weave, as though they were
Beneath their framed forelocks walks disheveled hair
Mature camels, their hides smeared with pitch by their dauber.
Tied on high beneath the headbands
يَصلَونَthey brave حَرَّthe heat of الوَغىbattle فيin كُلِّevery مُعتَرَكٍbattlefield
يَصلَونَ حَرَّ الوَغى في كُلِّ مُعتَرَكٍ
بِالخَيلِon horses قاطِبَةًall together شُقراًruddy هَواديهاtheir necks
بِالخَيلِ قاطِبَةً شُقراً هَواديها
They brave the heat of battle in every fray,
On horses all together, their necks ruddy.
تَمشيwalk بِشِكِّتِهِمwith their arms and armor شُعثٌshaggy steeds مُسَوَّمَةٌmarked
تَمشي بِشِكِّتِهِم شُعثٌ مُسَوَّمَةٌ
تَحتَbeneath الضَبابَةِthe dust-haze مَعقوداًknotted نَواصيهاtheir forelocks
تَحتَ الضَبابَةِ مَعقوداً نَواصيها
Shaggy, marked steeds walk bearing their arms and armor,
Beneath the dust-haze, their forelocks knotted.
Partial English translation: 42 of 46 Arabic lines translated.