تَذَكَّرتُI recalled ماwhat بَينَbetween العُذَيبِal-'Udhayb وَبارِقِand Bariq
تَذَكَّرتُ ما بَينَ العُذَيبِ وَبارِقِ
مَجَرَّthe trail of عَواليناour lance-points وَمَجرىand the course of السَوابِقِthe swift steeds
مَجَرَّ عَوالينا وَمَجرى السَوابِقِ
I recalled what lies between al-'Udhayb and Bariq:
I remember what's between Al-‘Udhayb and Bāriq
I called to mind the lands 'twixt ‘Udhayb and Bāriq,
The trails of our lances and the courses of swift steeds;
The passage of our camels and the course of the forerunners
Where our long lances trailed and noble coursers raced,
وَصُحبَةَand the company of قَومٍmen يَذبَحونَthey slaughter قَنيصَهُمtheir hunted game
وَصُحبَةَ قَومٍ يَذبَحونَ قَنيصَهُم
بِفَضلَةِwith the remainder of ماwhat قَدalready كَسَّرواthey had shattered فيin المَفارِقِthe crowns of heads
بِفَضلَةِ ما قَد كَسَّروا في المَفارِقِ
And the company of men who slaughtered their game
And the company of people who sacrifice their shirts
And the fellowship of men who slaughter their quarry,
With remnants of what they had shattered on crowns of heads;
For the surplus of what they had broken in the departures
With shards of blades they shattered upon foemen’s crowns.
وَلَيلاًand a night تَوَسَّدناwe used as a pillow الثَوِيَّةَal-Thawiyya تَحتَهُbeneath it
وَلَيلاً تَوَسَّدنا الثَوِيَّةَ تَحتَهُ
كَأَنَّas though ثَراهاits soil عَنبَرٌambergris فيin المَرافِقِthe cushions
كَأَنَّ ثَراها عَنبَرٌ في المَرافِقِ
And a night beneath which we made al-Thawiyya our pillow,
And a night we used the sand as a pillow underneath us
And a night we made Al-Thawiyya our pillow beneath the stars,
As though its soil were ambergris inside cushions.
As if its down was amber in the accompaniments
As though its very dust were ambergris upon our arms.
بِلادٌa land إِذاif زارَvisited الحِسانَthe beautiful women بِغَيرِهاoutside it
بِلادٌ إِذا زارَ الحِسانَ بِغَيرِها
حَصاpebbles تُربِهاof its soil ثَقَّبنَهُthey would pierce it لِلمَخانِقِfor necklaces
حَصا تُربِها ثَقَّبنَهُ لِلمَخانِقِ
A land—if fair women in other lands were visited
A country, if Al-Hisān visits other than it
A land where, if the beauties roamed elsewhere,
By pebbles from its soil, they would pierce them for necklaces.
It counts its soil, riddled for the stranglers
They would bore its pebbles to string as necklaces.
سَقَتنيshe gave me to drink بِهاin it القُطرُبُّلِيَّQutrabbul wine مَليحَةٌa lovely woman
سَقَتني بِها القُطرُبُّلِيَّ مَليحَةٌ
عَلىon كاذِبٍa false one مِنof وَعدِهاher promise ضَوءُthe light of صادِقِa true one
عَلى كاذِبٍ مِن وَعدِها ضَوءُ صادِقِ
There a lovely woman gave me Qutrabbul wine to drink;
A beautiful red wine gave me to drink in it
There a fair maiden poured me the wine of Qutrubbul,
On her lying promise gleamed the light of truth.
Over a liar, the light of the truthful is shining
Upon whose false promises a truthful radiance shines:
سُهادٌsleeplessness لِأَجفانٍfor eyelids وَشَمسٌand a sun لِناظِرٍfor a beholder
سُهادٌ لِأَجفانٍ وَشَمسٌ لِناظِرٍ
وَسُقمٌand sickness لِأَبدانٍfor bodies وَمِسكٌand musk لِناشِقِfor one who inhales
وَسُقمٌ لِأَبدانٍ وَمِسكٌ لِناشِقِ
Sleeplessness for eyelids, a sun for the beholder,
Pillows for eyelids, and a sun for the onlooker
Sleeplessness for the eyelids, a sun to the beholder,
And sickness for bodies, and musk for whoever breathes it in.
And sickness for bodies, and musk for the kisser
A fever for the body, and musk for him who breathes;
وَأَغيَدُand a graceful youth يَهوىloves نَفسَهُhis soul كُلُّevery عاقِلٍwise man
وَأَغيَدُ يَهوى نَفسَهُ كُلُّ عاقِلٍ
عَفيفٍchaste وَيَهوىand loves جِسمَهُhis body كُلُّevery فاسِقِlibertine
عَفيفٍ وَيَهوى جِسمَهُ كُلُّ فاسِقِ
And a graceful youth whose soul is loved by every wise
And the chaste soul desires itself every reasonable person
And a slender youth whose soul the chaste man loves,
And chaste man, whose body every libertine desires;
And the debauched body is desired by every immoral person
While the dissolute desires only his form;
أَديبٌcultured إِذاwhen ماever جَسَّhe plucked أَوتارَthe strings of مِزهَرٍa lute
أَديبٌ إِذا ما جَسَّ أَوتارَ مِزهَرٍ
بَلاhe afflicted كُلَّevery سَمعٍear عَنfrom سِواهاanything besides them بِعائِقِwith a barrier
بَلا كُلَّ سَمعٍ عَن سِواها بِعائِقِ
Cultured—whenever he plucked a lute's strings,
A literate, when he tunes the strings of Mihrzhar
A virtuoso, who, when he strikes the lute’s strings,
He barred every ear from hearing anything else.
Without any hearing from anything else, distracted
Deafens all ears to any sound but his.
يُحَدِّثُhe speaks عَمّاabout what بَينَbetween عادٍ'Ad وَبَينَهُand between him
يُحَدِّثُ عَمّا بَينَ عادٍ وَبَينَهُ
وَصُدغاهُand his sidelocks فيon خَدَّيthe cheeks of غُلامٍa boy مُراهِقِapproaching puberty
وَصُدغاهُ في خَدَّي غُلامٍ مُراهِقِ
He tells of all between 'Ad and his own time,
He talks about what's between ‘Ād and it
He recounts the tales of ages 'twixt ‘Ād and himself,
Yet his sidelocks lie on an adolescent boy's cheeks.
And its cheeks on the cheeks of an adolescent boy
Though his temples frame the cheeks of a tender lad.
وَماand not الحُسنُbeauty فيin وَجهِthe face of الفَتىa young man شَرَفاًan honor لَهُfor him
وَما الحُسنُ في وَجهِ الفَتى شَرَفاً لَهُ
إِذاif لَمnot يَكُنit is فيin فِعلِهِhis conduct وَالخَلائِقِand character traits
إِذا لَم يَكُن في فِعلِهِ وَالخَلائِقِ
Beauty in a young man's face brings him no honor
Beauty on the face of a young man is no honor to him
Beauty in a youth’s face grants no true honor,
Unless it is in his conduct and character.
If it’s not in his actions and manners
If it dwell not also in his deeds and character.
وَماand not بَلَدُthe homeland of الإِنسانِa person غَيرُother than المُوافِقِthe congenial place
وَما بَلَدُ الإِنسانِ غَيرُ المُوافِقِ
وَلاand not أَهلُهُhis kin الأَدنَونَthe nearest غَيرُother than الأَصادِقِsincere friends
وَلا أَهلُهُ الأَدنَونَ غَيرُ الأَصادِقِ
A man's homeland is only the place that suits him,
A person’s home country is nothing but the agreeing one
Man’s true home is but where he finds accord,
And his nearest kin are none but true friends.
And his family are none but the truthful ones
And his nearest kin are none but faithful friends.
وَجائِزَةٌand admissible دَعوىa claim of المَحَبَّةِlove وَالهَوىand passion
وَجائِزَةٌ دَعوى المَحَبَّةِ وَالهَوى
وَإِنand even though كانَit is لاnot يَخفىis hidden كَلامُthe speech of المُنافِقِthe hypocrite
وَإِن كانَ لا يَخفى كَلامُ المُنافِقِ
A claim to love and passion is admissible,
Professing love and passion is acceptable
Claims of love and passion may freely be made,
Though a hypocrite's words are not hard to discern.
Even if the words of the hypocrite do not hide
Though the hypocrite’s speech is never truly hid.
بِرَأيِby the counsel of مَنِwhom اِنقادَتsubmitted عُقَيلٌ'Uqayl إِلىto الرَدىruin
بِرَأيِ مَنِ اِنقادَت عُقَيلٌ إِلى الرَدى
وَإِشماتِand causing gloating in مَخلوقٍa creature وَإِسخاطِand angering خالِقِthe Creator
وَإِشماتِ مَخلوقٍ وَإِسخاطِ خالِقِ
By whose counsel did 'Uqayl submit to ruin,
By the opinion of those whom ‘Uqayl inclined to misguidance
By whose counsel was ‘Uqayl led to their doom,
To making a creature gloat and angering the Creator?
And the gloating of a creature and the wrath of the Creator
To the joy of foes and the wrath of the Creator?
أَرادواthey sought عَلِيّاً'Ali بِالَّذيwith what يُعجِزُrenders powerless الوَرىmankind
أَرادوا عَلِيّاً بِالَّذي يُعجِزُ الوَرى
وَيوسِعُand widens قَتلَthe slaughter of الجَحفَلِthe host المُتَضايِقِthe tightly packed
وَيوسِعُ قَتلَ الجَحفَلِ المُتَضايِقِ
They sought to do to 'Ali what lies beyond mankind's power,
They wanted Ali what makes the creation helpless
They sought to vanquish Ali with impossible odds,
And spreads slaughter through a tightly packed host.
And facilitates killing the distressed and tight crowd
He who lays waste to the crowded, swarming host.
فَماso not بَسَطواthey stretched out كَفّاًa hand إِلىtoward غَيرِother than قاطِعٍa severer
فَما بَسَطوا كَفّاً إِلى غَيرِ قاطِعٍ
وَلاand not حَمَلواthey carried رَأساًa head إِلىto غَيرِother than فالِقِa splitter
وَلا حَمَلوا رَأساً إِلى غَيرِ فالِقِ
They stretched no hand toward anyone but its severer,
So they have not stretched out a palm to other than a cutter
They reached out their hands only to the severing blade,
Nor brought a head to anyone but its splitter.
And they have not carried a head to other than a splitter
And bore their heads only to the cleaving stroke.
لَقَدindeed أَقدَمواthey advanced لَوif صادَفواthey had encountered غَيرَother than آخِذٍa captor
لَقَد أَقدَموا لَو صادَفوا غَيرَ آخِذٍ
وَقَدand indeed هَرَبواthey fled لَوif صادَفواthey had encountered غَيرَother than لاحِقِan overtaker
وَقَد هَرَبوا لَو صادَفوا غَيرَ لاحِقِ
They would indeed have advanced, had they met anyone but a captor;
They would have attacked if they had met other than a griper
They would have advanced, had they met one who spares,
And would have escaped, had they met anyone but one who overtook them.
And they would have fled if they had met other than a chaser
And they would have fled, had they met one who lags.
وَلَمّاand when كَساhe clothed كَعباًKa'b ثِياباًgarments طَغَواthey grew insolent بِهاbecause of them
وَلَمّا كَسا كَعباً ثِياباً طَغَوا بِها
رَمىhe shot at كُلَّevery ثَوبٍgarment مِنof سِنانٍa spearpoint بِخارِقِwith a piercer
رَمى كُلَّ ثَوبٍ مِن سِنانٍ بِخارِقِ
When he clothed Ka'b in garments that made them insolent,
And when Ka‘b clothed the elevated places with clothes, they rebelled with them
When he clothed the tribe of Ka‘b in robes that bred their pride,
He hurled at every garment a piercing spearpoint.
Every garment threw an arrow from the quivers
He pierced every robe with the thrust of his spear.
وَلَمّاand when سَقىhe watered الغَيثَthe rain الَّذيwhich كَفَرواthey showed ingratitude بِهِfor it
وَلَمّا سَقى الغَيثَ الَّذي كَفَروا بِهِ
سَقىhe watered غَيرَهُother than it فيin غَيرِother than تِلكَthose البَوارِقِlightning flashes
سَقى غَيرَهُ في غَيرِ تِلكَ البَوارِقِ
When he watered them with rain for which they proved ungrateful,
And when the rain they had disbelieved in quenched their thirst
And when he poured the rain of bounty they denied,
He watered them with another rain, from other lightning flashes.
It quenched others in other than those lightnings
He poured a different draught from different lightning-clouds.
وَماand not يوجِعُhurts الحِرمانُdeprivation مِنfrom كَفِّthe hand of حارِمٍa withholder
وَما يوجِعُ الحِرمانُ مِن كَفِّ حارِمٍ
كَماas يوجِعُhurts الحِرمانُdeprivation مِنfrom كَفِّthe hand of رازِقِa provider
كَما يوجِعُ الحِرمانُ مِن كَفِّ رازِقِ
Deprivation from a withholding hand does not hurt
Deprivation does not hurt from the palm of a depriver
To be denied by a miser brings little pain,
As deprivation from a giving hand hurts.
Like the hurt from deprivation from the palm of a sustainer
But the denial of a generous hand strikes deep.
أَتاهُمhe came upon them بِهاwith them حَشوَamid العَجاجَةِthe dust-cloud وَالقَناand the lances
أَتاهُم بِها حَشوَ العَجاجَةِ وَالقَنا
سَنابِكُهاtheir hooves تَحشوfill بُطونَthe insides of الحَمالِقِthe eyelids
سَنابِكُها تَحشو بُطونَ الحَمالِقِ
He came upon them with steeds amid dust and lances,
He brought them the contents of snakes and canes
He came upon them amidst the dust and lances,
Their hooves filling the hollows of the eyelids;
Whose baskets contain the insides of female serpents
With steeds whose hooves fill the very eyes of men.
عَوابِسَgrim-faced حَلّىadorned يابِسُthe dried residue of الماءِwater (sweat) حُزمَهاtheir girths
عَوابِسَ حَلّى يابِسُ الماءِ حُزمَها
فَهُنَّso they عَلىon أَوساطِهاtheir waists كَالمَناطِقِlike girdles
فَهُنَّ عَلى أَوساطِها كَالمَناطِقِ
Grim-faced steeds, dried sweat adorning their girths,
Frowning faces, the dry one beautified its bundles
Grim-faced mares, adorned with dried sweat on their girths,
So these lay about their waists like girdles.
So they are, in their middles, like tied
Circling their bellies like belts of salt.
فَلَيتَso, would that أَباAbu الهَيجاal-Hayja يَرىcould see خَلفَbeyond تَدمُرٍTadmur
فَلَيتَ أَبا الهَيجا يَرى خَلفَ تَدمُرٍ
طِوالَthe long العَواليlances فيin طِوالِthe long السَمالِقِwastelands
طِوالَ العَوالي في طِوالِ السَمالِقِ
Would that Abu al-Hayja could see beyond Tadmur
If only Abul-Hayjā sees, behind Tadmur
Would that Abū al-Hayjā could see beyond Palmyra,
The long lances across long stretches of wasteland,
The elevated places in the elevated sand dunes
The long spears traversing the endless wastes,
وَسَوقَand the driving by عَليٍّ'Ali مِنfrom مَعَدٍّMa'add وَغَيرِهاand others besides it
وَسَوقَ عَليٍّ مِن مَعَدٍّ وَغَيرِها
قَبائِلَtribes لاnot تُعطيyield القُفِيَّthe napes لِسائِقِto a drover
قَبائِلَ لا تُعطي القُفِيَّ لِسائِقِ
And 'Ali driving, from Ma'add and others,
And Ali’s driving of Ma‘ad and others
And Ali driving the tribes of Ma‘add and the rest,
Tribes that yield their napes to no drover.
Tribes that do not give the carrier to the driver
Tribes that never before bowed their necks to a drover.
قُشَيرٌQushayr وَبَلعَجلانِand Banu al-'Ajlan فيهاwithin it خَفِيَّةٌhidden
قُشَيرٌ وَبَلعَجلانِ فيها خَفِيَّةٌ
كَراءَينِlike two r-sounds فيin أَلفاظِthe utterances of أَلثَغَlisping ناطِقِa speaker
كَراءَينِ في أَلفاظِ أَلثَغَ ناطِقِ
Qushayr and Banu al-'Ajlan are hidden among them,
Destitute and Bal‘ajlān among which is something hidden
Qushayr and Bal‘ajlān are lost within the throng,
Like two r-sounds in a lisping speaker's words.
Like the views in the wordings of the slurred speaker
Like the elusive 'R' on a lisper's tongue.
تُخَلِّيهِمِleave them النِسوانُthe women غَيرَnot فَوارِكٍhating their husbands
تُخَلِّيهِمِ النِسوانُ غَيرَ فَوارِكٍ
وَهُمand they خَلَّوِthey left النِسوانَthe women غَيرَnot طَوالِقِdivorced
وَهُم خَلَّوِ النِسوانَ غَيرَ طَوالِقِ
Their women leave them without loathing them,
The women separate them without isolators
Their women leave them, yet not out of hate,
And they have left their women without divorcing them.
And they separated the women without divorcers
And they leave their wives, yet not through divorce.
يُفَرِّقُhe separates ماwhat بَينَbetween الكُماةِthe armored warriors وَبَينَهاand between them
يُفَرِّقُ ما بَينَ الكُماةِ وَبَينَها
بِضَربٍwith blows يُسَلّيdistracts حَرُّهُits heat كُلَّevery عاشِقِlover
بِضَربٍ يُسَلّي حَرُّهُ كُلَّ عاشِقِ
He parts the armored warriors from their women
A strike that comforts its heat every lover separates what’s between the reserve and it
What parts the warriors from their beloveds
With blows whose heat makes every lover forget his love.
The cavalry came until no small bird flies
Is a blow whose burning heat makes lovers forget.
أَتىhe reached الظُعنَthe women's litters حَتّىuntil ماnot تَطيرُflies رَشاشَةٌa spatter
أَتى الظُعنَ حَتّى ما تَطيرُ رَشاشَةٌ
مِنَfrom الخَيلِthe horses إِلّاexcept فيonto نُحورِthe throats of العَواتِقِthe maidens
مِنَ الخَيلِ إِلّا في نُحورِ العَواتِقِ
He reached the women's litters till no spatter flew
From the horses except in the abdomens of the old ladies
He overtook the litters, till no drop of blood could fly
From the horses but onto the throats of maidens.
With every wilderness, its land denies the human
From the horses, save onto the maidens' throats.
بِكُلِّin every فَلاةٍwilderness تُنكِرُdoes not recognize الإِنسَhumankind أَرضُهاits earth
بِكُلِّ فَلاةٍ تُنكِرُ الإِنسَ أَرضُها
ظَعائِنُwomen in litters حُمرُred الحَليِthe ornaments حُمرُred الأَيانِقِthe she-camels
ظَعائِنُ حُمرُ الحَليِ حُمرُ الأَيانِقِ
In every wilderness whose earth knows no humankind,
Grayish red snakes, red sand grouse
In every wilderness where the earth knows no man,
Women in litters, with red ornaments and red she-camels;
And an accursed, sword-like, quarter-like one
Are litters of red gems borne by red she-camels.
وَمَلمومَةٌand a massed host سَيفِيَّةٌbelonging to Sayf رَبَعِيَّةٌof Rabi'a
وَمَلمومَةٌ سَيفِيَّةٌ رَبَعِيَّةٌ
يَصيحُcry out الحَصىthe pebbles فيهاwithin it صِياحَthe cry of اللَقالِقِthe storks
يَصيحُ الحَصى فيها صِياحَ اللَقالِقِ
And a massed host of Sayf and Rabi'a,
In which the pebbles scream like the crested larks
A compact legion of Sayf, vast as the spring rain,
Within which pebbles cry with the cries of storks;
Far are its edges from the cane roots
Wherein pebbles cry out like the clatter of storks.
بَعيدَةُdistant أَطرافِthe tips of القَناthe lances مِنfrom أُصولِهِtheir bases
بَعيدَةُ أَطرافِ القَنا مِن أُصولِهِ
قَريبَةُclose بَينَthe space between البيضِthe helmets غُبرُdust-covered اليَلامِقِthe coats
قَريبَةُ بَينَ البيضِ غُبرُ اليَلامِقِ
Its spearheads far from their shafts' bases,
Close is the distance between the eggs and the ashes of nitre
Where spear-points are far removed from their hafts,
Its helmets close together, its coats gray with dust.
His generosity sufficed it from looting
And dusty mail-coats crowd close to white blades.
نَهاهاforbade it وَأَغناهاand made it self-sufficient عَنِfrom النَهبِplunder جودُهُhis generosity
نَهاها وَأَغناها عَنِ النَهبِ جودُهُ
فَماso not تَبتَغيit seeks إِلّاexcept حُماةَthe defenders of الحَقائِقِwhat must be protected
فَما تَبتَغي إِلّا حُماةَ الحَقائِقِ
His generosity forbade it plunder and freed it from need,
So it only seeks the protectors of the truths
His bounty forbade them plunder, making them rich,
So it seeks only defenders of what men hold dear.
The bedouins fancied it a fence of luxury
So they seek naught but the guardians of honor.
تَوَهَّمَهاimagined it الأَعرابُthe Bedouins سَورَةَthe onrush of مُترَفٍa pampered man
تَوَهَّمَها الأَعرابُ سَورَةَ مُترَفٍ
تُذَكِّرُهُreminds him البَيداءُthe desert ظِلَّthe shade of السُرادِقِthe pavilion
تُذَكِّرُهُ البَيداءُ ظِلَّ السُرادِقِ
The Bedouins imagined it the onrush of a pampered man
The desert reminds it of the shade of the canopy
The Bedouins deemed it a soft prince's assault,
Whom the desert would remind of his pavilion's shade.
So you reminded them of water an hour when
Whom the desert would remind of pavilion shade.
فَذَكَّرتَهُمso you reminded them بِالماءِof water ساعَةَthe moment غَبَّرَتraised dust
فَذَكَّرتَهُم بِالماءِ ساعَةَ غَبَّرَت
سَماوَةُSamawa كَلبٍof Kalb فيin أُنوفِthe nostrils of الحَزائِقِthe bands
سَماوَةُ كَلبٍ في أُنوفِ الحَزائِقِ
But you made them remember water the moment
The thirst of a dog flared up in the noses of the fleers
But you reminded them of water when dust turned gray
Samawat Kalb raised dust in the nostrils of their bands.
And they used to frighten kings that the Bedouins appeared
The Samāwa desert in the nostrils of their herds.
وَكانواand they were يَروعونَterrifying المُلوكَthe kings بِأَنbecause بَدَواthey lived in the desert
وَكانوا يَروعونَ المُلوكَ بِأَن بَدَوا
وَأَنand because نَبَتَتgrew فيin الماءِwater نَبتَlike the growth of الغَلافِقِwaterweed
وَأَن نَبَتَت في الماءِ نَبتَ الغَلافِقِ
They used to frighten kings because they lived in the desert,
And plants have grown in the water, the plants of Ghulāfiq
They used to terrify kings merely by appearing,
And because the kings grew in water like waterweed.
So they raged against you, more rightly guided in the wilderness than its stars
Thriving by the water like spreading moss.
فَهاجوكَso they roused you أَهدىbetter at wayfinding فيin الفَلاthe wastes مِنthan نُجومِهِits stars
فَهاجوكَ أَهدى في الفَلا مِن نُجومِهِ
وَأَبدىand more desert-dwelling بُيوتاًin dwellings مِنthan أَداحيthe nesting hollows of النَقانِقِmale ostriches
وَأَبدى بُيوتاً مِن أَداحي النَقانِقِ
But they roused you, better guided in the waste than its stars,
And more lasting, of the houses, than the sand dunes
They roused you, who are deeper versed in the wastes than the stars,
Your dwellings deeper in the desert than ostriches' nesting hollows;
And more patient over its water holes than its mirages
And whose tents are more visible than ostrich nests.
وَأَصبَرَand more patient عَنwithout أَمواهِهِits waters مِنthan ضِبابِهِits lizards
وَأَصبَرَ عَن أَمواهِهِ مِن ضِبابِهِ
وَآلَفَand more accustomed مِنهاthan them مُقلَةًin eyesight لِلوَدائِقِto midday heats
وَآلَفَ مِنها مُقلَةً لِلوَدائِقِ
More patient without its waters than its lizards,
And tamer, of it, taming for the affectionates
More patient of thirst than the lizards of the rock,
Your eyes more accustomed than theirs to scorching midday heat.
It used to be noise from the stallions it left
With an eye more attuned to the shimmering mirage.
وَكانَand it was هَديراًa bellowing مِنfrom فُحولٍcamel stallions تَرَكتَهاyou left them
وَكانَ هَديراً مِن فُحولٍ تَرَكتَها
مُهَلَّبَةَshorn الأَذنابِof tails خُرسَmute الشَقاشِقِin throat-sacs
مُهَلَّبَةَ الأَذنابِ خُرسَ الشَقاشِقِ
It was the bellowing of camel stallions that you left
With torn tails, deaf battered vipers
There was a roaring of stallions, which you left
With shorn tails and mute throat-sacs.
So they did not deprive your horses, from running, of rest
With tails docked and bellows silenced.
فَماso not حَرَمواthey deprived بِالرَكضِby galloping خَيلَكَyour horses راحَةًof rest
فَما حَرَموا بِالرَكضِ خَيلَكَ راحَةً
وَلَكِنbut كَفاهاspared them البَرُّthe open land قَطعَthe crossing of الشَواهِقِlofty peaks
وَلَكِن كَفاها البَرُّ قَطعَ الشَواهِقِ
Their flight did not deprive your horses of rest;
Rather, the expanse sufficed it, cutting through the towering
By fleeing, they denied your horses no rest;
Rather, the open desert spared them the crossing of lofty peaks.
Nor did they distracted the concentration of the hard-hearted with their hearts
The land itself, crossing high peaks, was trial enough.
وَلاand not شَغَلواthey occupied صُمَّthe solid القَناlances بِقُلوبِهِمwith their hearts
وَلا شَغَلوا صُمَّ القَنا بِقُلوبِهِم
عَنِfrom الرِكزِbeing planted in earth لَكِنbut عَنfrom قُلوبِthe hearts of الدَماسِقِByzantine generals
عَنِ الرِكزِ لَكِن عَن قُلوبِ الدَماسِقِ
Nor did their hearts divert the solid lances
Rather from the hearts of the harsh
They did not busy your hard spears with their hearts
From being planted in earth—only from Byzantine generals' hearts.
Did they not fear the distortion that distorts the enemies
From finding rest, but kept them from the hearts of champions.
أَلَمdid ... not? يَحذَرواthey fear مَسخَthe transformation by الَّذيthe one who يَمسَخُtransforms العِداthe foes
أَلَم يَحذَروا مَسخَ الَّذي يَمسَخُ العِدا
وَيَجعَلُand makes أَيديthe paws of الأُسدِlions أَيديthe paws of الخَرانِقِleverets
وَيَجعَلُ أَيدي الأُسدِ أَيدي الخَرانِقِ
Did they not fear the transformation wrought by him who transforms foes,
And makes, of the hands of lions, the hands of sinners
Did they not fear the wrath of him who transforms foes,
And turns lions' paws into leverets' paws?
And they have seen it in others and maybe
And turns the paws of lions into the paws of hares?
وَقَدand already عايَنوهُthey witnessed it فيin سِواهُمothers besides themselves وَرُبَّماand often
وَقَد عايَنوهُ في سِواهُم وَرُبَّما
أَرىhe showed مارِقاًa rebel فيin الحَربِwar مَصرَعَthe fall of مارِقِa rebel
أَرى مارِقاً في الحَربِ مَصرَعَ مارِقِ
They had seen it in others; and often
I would see a deviant’s death in war, the death of a deviant
They had witnessed him dealing with others,
He showed one rebel in war another rebel's fall.
It has been accustomed that its horses do not break the seeds
For often the fate of one rebel warns the next.
تَعَوَّدَhe became accustomed أَنthat لاnot تَقضَمَcrunch الحَبَّgrain خَيلُهُhis horses
تَعَوَّدَ أَن لا تَقضَمَ الحَبَّ خَيلُهُ
إِذاif الهامُthe skulls لَمnot تَرفَعraise جُنوبَthe sides of العَلائِقِthe feedbags
إِذا الهامُ لَم تَرفَع جُنوبَ العَلائِقِ
He is accustomed to his horses eating no grain
When the zeal does not raise the litters of the howdahs
His steeds are wont to taste no grain,
Unless skulls raise the sides of their feedbags,
And the returning horses only return, their water
Save when skulls prop up their fodder-bags.
وَلاand not تَرِدَdrink at الغُدرانَthe pools إِلّاexcept وَماؤُهاwhile their water
وَلا تَرِدَ الغُدرانَ إِلّا وَماؤُها
مِنَfrom الدَمِblood كَالرَيحانِlike basil تَحتَbeneath الشَقائِقِanemones
مِنَ الدَمِ كَالرَيحانِ تَحتَ الشَقائِقِ
Nor drinking at pools unless their water,
Being from blood like basil under chicory
Nor do they drink from pools, unless the draught
With blood upon it, is like basil beneath anemones.
If Nimr’s delegation came, it would be more right-guided than them
Is red with blood, like basil beneath anemones.
لَوَفدُindeed the delegation of نُمَيرٍNumayr كانَwas أَرشَدَwiser مِنهُمُthan them
لَوَفدُ نُمَيرٍ كانَ أَرشَدَ مِنهُمُ
وَقَدand already طَرَدواthey had driven الأَظعانَthe women's litters طَردَlike the driving of الوَسائِقِstolen camels
وَقَد طَرَدوا الأَظعانَ طَردَ الوَسائِقِ
Numayr's delegation was indeed wiser than they,
And they had expelled the humiliation, expelling the drivers
The delegation of Numayr was wiser than they,
Though they had driven the women's litters like stolen camels.
They prepared spears of submission, so they stabbed with them
When they drove the women's litters like stolen herds.
أَعَدّواthey prepared رِماحاًlances مِنfrom خُضوعٍsubmission فَطاعَنواthen they jousted
أَعَدّوا رِماحاً مِن خُضوعٍ فَطاعَنوا
بِهاwith them الجَيشَthe army حَتّىuntil رَدَّturned back غَربَthe sharp edge of الفَيالِقِthe legions
بِها الجَيشَ حَتّى رَدَّ غَربَ الفَيالِقِ
They prepared lances of submission and fought
The army until it pushed back the empty wilderness
They prepared lances of submission, and thrust
The army with them, until the legions' edge was turned back.
So I did not see anyone shooting arrows but a fighter
At the army with humility, turning back the legions' edge.
فَلَمso not أَرَI have seen أَرمىmore accurate in shooting مِنهُthan him غَيرَnot مُخاتِلٍa deceiver
فَلَم أَرَ أَرمى مِنهُ غَيرَ مُخاتِلٍ
وَأَسرىand better at night-marching إِلىagainst الأَعداءِthe enemies غَيرَnot مُسارِقِa stealthy attacker
وَأَسرى إِلى الأَعداءِ غَيرَ مُسارِقِ
I have seen none shoot more truly than he, without deceit,
And captives to the enemies other than looters
I have seen none strike truer, without guile,
Or march by night on enemies more ably, without stealth.
The catapults’ bones strikes its palm’s
Nor march by night against the foe so openly.
تُصيبُstrike المَجانيقُthe catapults العِظامُthe mighty بِكَفِّهِin his hand
تُصيبُ المَجانيقُ العِظامُ بِكَفِّهِ
دَقائِقَminute targets قَدalready أَعيَتhave baffled قِسِيَّthe bows of البَنادِقِpellets
دَقائِقَ قَد أَعيَت قِسِيَّ البَنادِقِ
In his hand, mighty catapults strike
Tiny pieces that have made the shiverers of spears tired
The mighty catapults, directed by his hand,
Minute targets that have baffled pellet bows.
Strike marks too fine for the pellet-bow to hit.
Partial English translation: 93 of 94 Arabic lines translated.