ماnot سَدِكَتclung عِلَّةٌan illness بِمَورودِto a fever-stricken man
ما سَدِكَت عِلَّةٌ بِمَورودِ
أَكرَمَnobler مِنthan تَغلِبَTaghlib بنِson of داوُّدِDawud
أَكرَمَ مِن تَغلِبَ بنِ داوُّدِ
No illness ever clung to a fever-stricken man
No affliction befell a noble man like Taghlib bin Dawud
No illness ever clung to a visited soul / Nobler than Taghlib, the son of Dawud.
nobler than Taghlib ibn Dawud.
Who disdained death by plague though that was his destined fate
He disdained to die resting upon a bed, / Though now the truest of promises has settled on him.
يَأنَفُhe disdains مِنof ميتَةِa death الفِراشِthe bed وَقَدand already
يَأنَفُ مِن ميتَةِ الفِراشِ وَقَد
حَلَّbefell بِهِhim أَصدَقُthe truest of المَواعيدِpromises
حَلَّ بِهِ أَصدَقُ المَواعيدِ
He disdains death in bed, though already
Another like him disdained dying anywhere but on
One like him denied that death should take him / Save on the saddles of long-necked, swimming steeds,
the truest of promises has overtaken him.
Saddled steeds with glinting swords held high
After the lances had stumbled within his chest, / And he had shattered the heads of stubborn chiefs,
وَمِثلُهُand his like أَنكَرَrejected المَماتَdeath عَلىon
وَمِثلُهُ أَنكَرَ المَماتَ عَلى
غَيرِother than سُروجِsaddles of السَوابِحِthe swimming steeds القودِlong-necked
غَيرِ سُروجِ السَوابِحِ القودِ
And one like him rejected death on
After surviving the perils of war with his firmness
And after wading the flood of every peril / Where the hero’s heart trembles like a coward’s.
anything but the saddles of long-necked, swimming steeds,
And smiting the heads of warriors with might
If we endure, then we are a patient breed; / And if we weep, the lost is not returned.
بَعدَafter عِثارِthe stumbling of القَناthe spears بِلَبَّتِهِagainst his upper chest
بَعدَ عِثارِ القَنا بِلَبَّتِهِ
وَصَربِهِand his severing أَرؤُسَheads of الصَناديدِthe champions
وَصَربِهِ أَرؤُسَ الصَناديدِ
after spears had stumbled against his upper chest,
And plunging into the midst of every fray
If we mourn him in panic, it is no wonder; / Such an ebb in the sea was never known before.
and he had severed the heads of champions,
Where the hearts of the brave tremble in fright
Where are the gifts he used to scatter wide / Upon the throngs and on the solitary soul?
وَخَوضِهِand his wading غَمرَthe depths of كُلِّevery مَهلَكَةِdeadly peril
وَخَوضِهِ غَمرَ كُلِّ مَهلَكَةِ
لِلذِمرِfor the brave warrior فيهاin it فُؤادُa heart of رِعديدِa trembling coward
لِلذِمرِ فيها فُؤادُ رِعديدِ
and waded through the depths of every deadly peril,
Whether we show patience or weep incessantly
He who survives his loved ones after they pass / Survives for sorrow, not for immortality.
where a brave man has a trembling coward's heart.
Or agonize over him, it is no surprise
What do souls hope for from a time wherein / The fairest state is far from fair or praised?
فَإِنso if صَبَرناwe endure patiently فَإِنَّناthen indeed we are صُبُرٌsteadfast
فَإِن صَبَرنا فَإِنَّنا صُبُرٌ
وَإِنand if بَكَيناwe weep فَغَيرُthen not مَردودِbrought back
وَإِن بَكَينا فَغَيرُ مَردودِ
So if we endure patiently, we are steadfast;
This ebb in fate’s sea we have not known before
The fangs of Time know me well indeed— / I am he whose wood they have gnawed for an age.
and if we weep, he will not be brought back.
Where are the gifts he would lavish freely
In me lies that which has dueled with disaster, / And made me tame to black catastrophes.
وَإِنand if جَزِعناwe grieve لَهُfor him فَلاthen no عَجَبٌwonder
وَإِن جَزِعنا لَهُ فَلا عَجَبٌ
ذاthis الجَزرُthe ebb فيin البَحرِthe sea غَيرُnot مَعهودِcustomary
ذا الجَزرُ في البَحرِ غَيرُ مَعهودِ
And if we grieve for him, it is no wonder:
On the noble and the commoner equally?
You were not absent when he cried for help, / O Sword of Bani Hashim, never sheathed!
this ebbing in the sea is unheard of.
Greetings of peace to his beloved friends
O noblest of the noble, O King of all / The Kings on earth, O proudest of the proud.
أَينَwhere الهِباتُthe gifts الَّتيthat يُفَرِّقُهاhe distributes them
أَينَ الهِباتُ الَّتي يُفَرِّقُها
عَلىamong الزَرافاتِthe groups وَالمَواحيدِand the individuals
عَلى الزَرافاتِ وَالمَواحيدِ
Where are the gifts he used to distribute
Who now must bid peace to sorrow, not felicity
He had died before, but you raised him up / By the stroke of Khatt spears in the throats of foes,
among groups and individuals?
What hopes can souls harbor for an era
By hurling your armies against the night, / While you hurled sleeplessness into their lids.
سالِمُa survivor of أَهلِthe people of الوِدادِaffection بَعدَهُمُafter them
سالِمُ أَهلِ الوِدادِ بَعدَهُمُ
يَسلَمُsurvives لِلحُزنِfor sorrow لاnot لِتَخليدِfor immortality
يَسلَمُ لِلحُزنِ لا لِتَخليدِ
He who lives on after his loved ones
Whose present is disagreeable, future unsought?
So the vanguard surprised them at dawn, on lean mounts, / Between steady ranks and scattered bands.
lives on for sorrow, not for immortality.
The calamities of time let me recognize
Their scabbards bore the ransom, yet they chose / To deal out blows that carve like furrowed trenches.
فَماso what تُرَجّيhope for النُفوسُthe souls مِنfrom زَمَنٍan age
فَما تُرَجّي النُفوسُ مِن زَمَنٍ
أَحمَدُthe more praiseworthy of حالَيهِits two states غَيرُnot مَحمودِpraiseworthy
أَحمَدُ حالَيهِ غَيرُ مَحمودِ
What, then, do souls hope for from an age
That I have long been inured to its hurts
The strike found its rest in the cushions of their skulls, / And its scent lingered in the nostrils of the wolf.
whose better of two states is unworthy of praise?
And immersed in all the misfortunes it has inflicted
He consumed the life that you granted him / In honor, in thankfulness, and in sovereignty.
إِنَّindeed نُيوبَthe fangs of الزَمانِtime تَعرِفُنيknow me
إِنَّ نُيوبَ الزَمانِ تَعرِفُني
أَناI الَّذيthe one who طالَlasted long عَجمُهاtheir testing by biting عوديmy wood
أَنا الَّذي طالَ عَجمُها عودي
Indeed, time's fangs know me;
What aid were you unable to render him
Frail in body, yet sound in nobility; / Besieged by pain, yet a rescue to the besieged.
I am he whose wood they have long tested by biting.
When the swords of Hashim’s sons sought you in need?
Then death became his shackle, and from this / The hand of the prisoner finds no liberation.
وَفيَّand within me ماthat which قارَعَbattled الخُطوبَthe calamities وَماand that which
وَفيَّ ما قارَعَ الخُطوبَ وَما
آنَسَنيaccustomed me بِالمَصائِبِto the misfortunes السودِblack
آنَسَني بِالمَصائِبِ السودِ
And within me is what has battled calamities, and what
O noblest of the noble, king of all kings
The perishing deplete no number so long as / Ali remains to constrict the desert's breadth.
has accustomed me to black misfortunes.
Quick to soar, outmatching all in the hunt!
His battalions sweep across the desert's back / Like the blowing of its gentle, guiding winds.
ماnot كُنتَyou were عَنهُfrom him إِذِwhen اِستَغاثَكَhe sought your help ياO
ما كُنتَ عَنهُ إِذِ اِستَغاثَكَ يا
سَيفَsword of بَنيthe sons of هاشِمٍHashim بِمَغمودِsheathed
سَيفَ بَني هاشِمٍ بِمَغمودِ
You were not, when he sought your aid, O
Before you he died by the swords unleashed
The first letter of his name is written out / By the hooves of horses upon the solid rock.
sword of the sons of Hashim, kept sheathed from him.
Like the stones hurtling down the rugged cliffs
Whatever solace is offered the Prince for him, / It cannot replace his courage or his bounty.
ياO أَكرَمَmost generous of الأَكرَمينَthe generous ياO مَلِكَking of الthe
يا أَكرَمَ الأَكرَمينَ يا مَلِكَ ال
أَملاكِkings طُرّاًall ياO أَصيَدَproudest of الصيدِthe proud
أَملاكِ طُرّاً يا أَصيَدَ الصيدِ
O most generous of the generous, O king of the
You assailed the night with battalions galore
And our wish is that he remain forevermore, / Until he is consoled for every soul born.
kings, one and all, O proudest of the proud!
But it assailed their eyes with a tranquilizing spell
قَدalready ماتَhe died مِنfrom قَبلِهاbefore it فَأَنشَرَهُthen revived him
قَد ماتَ مِن قَبلِها فَأَنشَرَهُ
وَقعُthe impact of قَناspears of الخَطِّal-Khatt فيin اللَغاديدِthe flesh beneath the jaws
وَقعُ قَنا الخَطِّ في اللَغاديدِ
He had died before this, then was revived
So at dawn their steeds were limp and languid
by the blows of al-Khatt's spears into throats,
Scattered from regiment to lonely abode
وَرَميُكَand your hurling اللَيلَthe night بِالجُنودِwith troops وَقَدand already
وَرَميُكَ اللَيلَ بِالجُنودِ وَقَد
رَمَيتَyou hurled أَجفانَهُمtheir eyelids بِتَسهيدِwith sleeplessness
رَمَيتَ أَجفانَهُم بِتَسهيدِ
and by your hurling troops against the night, when
Their sheaths bore liberation but they
you had already hurled sleeplessness upon their eyelids.
Parried the blows like solid boulders
فَصَبَّحَتهُمthen attacked them at dawn رِعالُهاtheir cavalry bands شُزَّباًlean
فَصَبَّحَتهُم رِعالُها شُزَّباً
بَينَbetween ثُباتٍcompanies إِلىto عَباديدِscattered individuals
بَينَ ثُباتٍ إِلى عَباديدِ
Then their lean cavalry bands fell upon them at dawn,
His blow in the resting place of their valor
ranging from companies to scattered riders.
His scent in the nostrils of their chief
تَحمِلُcarry أَغمادُهاtheir scabbards الفِداءَthe ransom لَهُمto them
تَحمِلُ أَغمادُها الفِداءَ لَهُم
فَاِنتَقَدواso they took payment الضَربَthe blows كَالأَخاديدِlike trenches
فَاِنتَقَدوا الضَربَ كَالأَخاديدِ
Their scabbards bore the ransom to them;
You granted him a lofty life he lived to the full
so they took payment in blows like trenches,
Thanking you in glory and tranquility
مَوقِعُهُits impact فيin فِراشِthe thin bones of هامِهِمُtheir skulls
مَوقِعُهُ في فِراشِ هامِهِمُ
وَريحُهُand its scent فيin مَناخِرِnostrils of السيدِthe wolf
وَريحُهُ في مَناخِرِ السيدِ
their impact in the thin bones of their skulls,
A weak frame, generous soul, poured anguish
and their scent in the wolf's nostrils.
Gushing aid, answered supplication
أَفنىhe spent الحَياةَthe life الَّتيthat وَهَبتَyou bestowed لَهُto him
أَفنى الحَياةَ الَّتي وَهَبتَ لَهُ
فيin شَرَفٍhonor شاكِراًgiving thanks وَتَسويدِand elevation to lordship
في شَرَفٍ شاكِراً وَتَسويدِ
He spent the life you had bestowed on him
Then his shackle became the dove, and his
in honor and lordship, giving thanks,
Right hand could not be freed from its bond
سَقيمَsick in جِسمٍbody صَحيحَsound in مَكرُمَةٍnoble virtue
سَقيمَ جِسمٍ صَحيحَ مَكرُمَةٍ
مَنجودَafflicted with كَربٍanguish غِياثَsuccor to مَنجودِone afflicted
مَنجودَ كَربٍ غِياثَ مَنجودِ
sick in body, sound in nobility,
The passing ones do not decrease in number
afflicted with anguish, yet succor to the afflicted.
Among them, Ali of clenched fists lies
ثُمَّthen غَداbecame قَيدُهُhis fetter الحِمامُdeath وَماand not
ثُمَّ غَدا قَيدُهُ الحِمامُ وَما
تَخلُصُescapes مِنهُfrom it يَمينُthe right hand of مَصفودِa fettered man
تَخلُصُ مِنهُ يَمينُ مَصفودِ
Then death became his fetter, and
Battalions of his waft like spirits
no fettered man's right hand can escape it.
On the winds, unanchored, adrift
لاnot يَنقُصُdiminish الهالِكونَthose who perish مِنfrom عَدَدٍa number
لا يَنقُصُ الهالِكونَ مِن عَدَدٍ
مِنهُof it عَلِيٌّAli مُضَيَّقُwho narrows البيدِthe deserts
مِنهُ عَلِيٌّ مُضَيَّقُ البيدِ
Those who perish do not diminish a host
The first letter of his name their hooves etched
that includes Ali, who makes the deserts narrow.
Into the earth amidst the fray and blood
تَهُبُّblow فيover ظَهرِهاtheir backs كَتائِبُهُhis battalions
تَهُبُّ في ظَهرِها كَتائِبُهُ
هُبوبَthe blowing of أَرواحِهاtheir winds المَراويدِgently roaming
هُبوبَ أَرواحِها المَراويدِ
His battalions sweep over their backs
However the knight may fortify the prince
as their gently roaming winds blow.
Not by his valor or open-handedness
أَوَّلُthe first حَرفٍletter مِنِof اِسمِهِhis name كَتَبَتinscribed
أَوَّلُ حَرفٍ مِنِ اِسمِهِ كَتَبَت
سَنابِكُhooves of الخَيلِthe horses فيin الجَلاميدِthe boulders
سَنابِكُ الخَيلِ في الجَلاميدِ
The first letter of his name was inscribed
His remaining forever is a blessing
by the horses' hooves upon the boulders.
Until solaced is each newborn child
مَهماwhatever يُعَزُّconsoles الفَتىthe young man الأَميرَthe prince بِهِfor it
مَهما يُعَزُّ الفَتى الأَميرَ بِهِ
فَلاthen not بِإِقدامِهِfor his daring وَلاnor الجودِgenerosity
فَلا بِإِقدامِهِ وَلا الجودِ
Whatever a young man may console the prince for,
it cannot be for his daring or generosity.
وَمِنand among مُناناour wishes بَقائُهُhis remaining alive أَبَداًforever
وَمِن مُنانا بَقائُهُ أَبَداً
حَتّىuntil يُعَزّىhe is consoled بِكُلِّfor every مَولودِone born
حَتّى يُعَزّى بِكُلِّ مَولودِ
And among our wishes is that he live forever,
until he is consoled for every child born.
Partial English translation: 50 of 54 Arabic lines translated.
Partial English translation: 27 of 54 Arabic lines translated.