1. وخطر الحضر أخيل أبرزا

    حقا من اللجين كان أحرزا

    And Achilles brought out the prize for the footrace:

    a silver bowl he had acquired,

  2. منمنمٌ مكيله ستّاً وزن

    ما مثله حقٌّ بذياك الزمن

    finely wrought, its capacity measuring six measures.

    No bowl equaled it in that age.

  3. زخرفه أبناء صيدا وخرج

    قوم فنيقيا به على اللجج

    The sons of Sidon adorned it, and out went

    the Phoenicians with it across the deep seas,

  4. حتى إذا لمنوس جاؤوا وقفوا

    حيث به القيل ثواس أتحفوا

    until they reached Lemnos and stopped,

    where they presented it to King Thoas.

  5. وإفنس بن إيسنٍ بين العدى

    به ابن فريام لقاوون افتدى

    And Euneus, son of Jason, amid the foes,

    ransomed with it Lycaon, Priam's son.

  6. لذاك فطرقل عفا عن دمه

    والآن قد أبرز في مأتمه

    For that, Patroclus spared his life;

    and now Achilles brought it out at Patroclus' funeral.

  7. أعده خليله للسابق

    وخير ثورٍ قارحٍ للاحق

    His friend had prepared it for the winner,

    and the finest full-grown bull for the runner-up,

  8. وللأخير نصف شاقلٍ ذهب

    من ثم بين القوم ناهضاً خطب

    and for the last, half a shekel of gold.

    Then, rising among the men, he addressed them,

  9. وصاح يا سراة من منكم رغب

    بخوض ذا الميدان حالاً ينتصب

    and cried: O chiefs, whoever among you wishes

    to enter this race, let him stand up now!

  10. فانتصب ابن ويلسٍ أياس

    ثم أذيس اللبق النبراس

    Ajax, son of Oileus, stood up,

    then Odysseus, the deft, the brilliant beacon,

  11. فأنطلوخ سابق الأتراب

    وانتظموا صفا على اقتراب

    then Antilochus, who outstripped his peers.

    They formed a line, close together,

  12. ولهم أخيل أعلن الغرض

    فانبعثوا انبعاث عداءٍ ركض

    and Achilles declared the goal to them.

    They sprang forth like a runner bursting into a sprint.

  13. إذا بآياس سريعاً سبقا

    لكن وراءه أذيس طبقا

    Suddenly Ajax sped into the lead,

    but Odysseus followed close behind him,

  14. يدنو كما النساجة البديعه

    لصدرها قد دنت الوشيعه

    drawing near, as a skillful weaving-woman

    brings the bobbin close to her breast,

  15. إذا بها بنولها أمرت

    سلكاً به تحوك ثم اجترت

    when, with it, she passes through her loom

    a thread to weave with, then draws it back.

  16. خطاه في خطى ابن ويلسٍ تقع

    من قبلما العثير عنهن ارتفع

    His footsteps fell in those of Oileus' son,

    before the dust had risen from them.

  17. يجري على أعقابه ونفسه

    برأس أياس يثور قبسه

    He ran at his heels, and his breath—

    its fiery heat flared against Ajax's head.

  18. والقوم طرّاً يرتجون الغلبه

    له وضجو وهو عادٍ عقبه

    All the men hoped for victory

    for him, and shouted as he ran behind the other.

  19. حتى إذا على الختام أشرفا

    أذيس فالاس دعا وهتفا

    When the two drew near the finish,

    Odysseus called on Pallas and cried:

  20. عونك يا ربة قوي قدمي

    وذلك الدعاء في الحال نمي

    Your help, O goddess! Strengthen my feet!

    And that prayer reached her at once;

  21. فشددت بالعزم معصميه

    وخففت بجربه رجليه

    so she strengthened his wrists with resolve

    and made his legs light for running.

  22. وحين هما أن يصيبا الخطرا

    أياس فالاس رمت فعثرا

    And as the two were about to win the prize,

    Pallas struck Ajax, and he stumbled.

  23. أكب في خثي ثيارٍ ذبحا

    أخيل في مأتم فطرقل ضحى

    He fell face-first into the dung of bulls slaughtered

    by Achilles at Patroclus' funeral, at midmorning.

  24. به امتلا فوه وأنفه وخف

    أذيس أولاً إلى أولى التحف

    It filled his mouth and nose, while off sped

    Odysseus, first to the foremost prize.

  25. وأسرع ابن ويلسٍ يليه

    والخثي حشو أنفه وفيه

    Oileus' son hurried after him,

    with dung crammed into his nose and mouth.

  26. لقرن ذاك الثور حالاً مالا

    وصاح وهو يتفل الدمالا

    At once he turned toward that bull's horn,

    and cried, spitting out the manure:

  27. واخيبة الهمة والإقدام

    فربةٌ تلك لوت إقدامي

    Alas for failed resolve and daring!

    For that goddess twisted my advance,

  28. وعن أذيس أبداً تحامي

    كالأم منذ غابر الأيام

    and always protects Odysseus,

    like a mother, since days long past.

  29. فارتفعت قهقهة الجمهور

    وأنطلوخ صاح بالحضور

    Then the crowd's loud laughter rose,

    and Antilochus called to those present.

  30. قال لهم مبتسماً مسرورا

    وإن غدا مغنمه الأخيرا

    Smiling and delighted, he said to them,

    though his winnings were the last-place prize:

  31. هلا أيا صحب خبرتم خبري

    آل العلى تجل قدر العمر

    Come, friends, have you heard my news?

    The dwellers on high honor the worth of age.

  32. أياس فاتني نعم بنزر

    لكن أذيس إلف ذاك العصر

    Ajax is older than I, yes, by a little;

    but Odysseus belongs to that bygone age:

  33. شيخٌ ولكن ذو جنانٍ نضر

    ما معه قط بهذا الدهر

    an old man, yet with a heart still fresh.

    No one in this age can ever keep pace with him,

  34. خلا أخيل من مجارٍ يجري

    أجاب آخيل لذا الإطراء

    save Achilles, among all competing runners.

    Achilles answered this praise:

  35. ما كنت مداحي بلا جزاء

    لذاك قد زدتك من حبائي

    Your praise of me shall not go unrewarded.

    So I have added to your share of my gifts:

  36. نضار يصف شاقلٍ وضاء

    وعاجلاً نفحه بالذهب

    half a shining shekel of pure gold.

    And at once he bestowed the gold on him,

  37. فراح معتزّاً بملء الطرب

    so he departed proud and filled with joy.