معلقة عنترة - دراسة وترجمة إنكليزية

[إدارة الجمعية]

[align=center]cAntarah
(للمرحوم الدكتور إبراهيم المميز)[/align]

cAntarah, described by Nicholson as ‘The Arabian Achilles’ was born c. 530 C.E and died c.614. Known as cAntarah bin Shaddad’, some accounts say, after his grandfather not his father. Other sources say Shaddad was his uncle with whom Antarah grew up. He was called “Split-lipped”,for a lip deformity. The homelands of his tribe, the cAbs, lay between west central Arabia (Najd) and the eastern Hijaz. cAntarah’s mother, Zabiba, was an African slave of Abyssinian origin from whom cAntarah inherited an inferior social status. The son of a slave mother was regarded as a slave unless acknowledged by his father to be free. This acknowledgment was given in haste when ‘Abs’s camels were driven away by raiders. The cAbsites charged the raiders but cAntarah refrained saying’a slave does not know how to fight. He only knows how to milk camels and bind their udders’. His distraught father cried out to him in despair “Charge! Thou art free!”

Aside from his unmatched fiery courage in battle, cAntarah is famous for his love for his cousin cAbla. Although he was acknowledged by his father as a free man, and as her cousin, he had first right to cAbla’s hand, his suit failed repeatedly. cAbla’s father, Malik, cAntarah’s other uncle, had expectations of his daughter marrying into the best bloodlines of Arabia, and did not to waste her on a nobody like her cousin cAntarah. Indeed cAbla was not short of eligible suitors; one was from the prestigious and distinguished Beni Shayban tribe who were lampooned by cAntarah in a poem of his entitled “How dare they come and ask for cAbla’s hand”. cAbla was indeed a quite attractive young woman, with a clear fresh complexion. In his verse cAntarah likens her to “an ivory doll studded with pearl”. She had gleaming dark hair that recalled a succession of clear starlit nights. His uncle saw his nephew as harassing his daughter and pestering her with unwanted attentions. But cAntarah’s poetry shows that cAbla was well disposed to him; describing an occasion when she drew closer to him in a scene of intimacy, but honor prevented him from taking advantage of her. Finally, his uncle relented and agreed to the match but demanded such an exorbitant bride-price that cAntarah could not possibly afford: A thousand rare, milk white pedigree cAsafiriyah (sparrow-like) camels known to exist only in Iraq. Malik was certain that cAntarah would fail to deliver the valuable livestock, hoping he would also perish in the attempt; since the carefully guarded animals belonged to the King of Hira.
On his way to Hira, cAntarah, from his poetry, appears to have spotted and rounded up the prize herd. Captured and led to Hira, he languished in the King’s dungeons, calling down curses on his uncle who drove him to this fate. He was brought before the king who he described as ‘exalted eminence and sublime glory’. At the monarch’s feet sat ‘an ugly lion with a face that makes eyes burn with horror’ whom the king had intended to let loose on the captive, but decided on a contest between man and beast. Still in chains, cAntarah was given a sword with which he sliced off the lion’s head. He then stood before the king in audience, hoping for a gesture of regal munificence. Impressed, and learning of the worthy cause for which this Arabian champion rustled his heard, gave him the thousand camels as wedding gift. However Malik continued to procrastinate until a rival tribe, the Beni Saleh, fired with greed by the influx of so much wealth, raided the cAbsites and took Malik and his son hostage to be held for ransom. Antarah promptly charged the raiders and freed the two captives. Malik, greatly relieved, consented to the marriage. cAbla’s hand was finally won.

cAntarah also fought in the ‘Dahis and Ghabraa’ war and in the great battle of “Dhi Qar” in 610 against the Persians which the Prophet lauded as ‘the first the Arabs truly won over the Persians’. cAntarah died while raiding the Beni Nabhan clan of Tayy tribe. Unhorsed the eighty year old cAntarah was unable to remount and had to take refuge in a nearby thicket where a lurking Nabhan archer released an arrow at him. The veteran octogenarian warrior managed to make it back to the ‘Abs tents where he died of his wounds.
His poetry, brimming with epic heroism, with its graphic descriptions of bravery in the battlefield coupled with an evocative tenderness of romance, and the grandiose Jahiliya terminology, made cAntarah perhaps the most popular of pre-Islamic poets. But his poetry is also just as rich in two other aspects: First, there is a definite strain of honor and morality in his verse which we do not find elsewhere in the Mcuallaqat poets. His unmistakably deep love for cAbla is virtuous and free from lewdness. He is held back from any improper close rendezvous with her, always citing honor as the deterrent to voluptuous passion. Secondly, and more importantly, the metaphysical finds its way into his poetry. Classical Arabic critics have identified two verses in his Mcuallaqa which no other poets, before or since, they say, have composed poetry in that strain; one which we would identify today as metaphysical:
“Flies buzz round her in glee, as singer airs his tunes
Tipsy and joyful and loud his soulful songs he croons”
“Joyful, flies rub their wings together in their glee
like one rubbing fire-stick, its flamelet for to see.”
The “Flies” here are just as metaphysical as The “Flea” in the seventeenth century poem, and as closely associated with romantic love.

Selected Bibliography:

General survey, Nicholson Literary History pp 114-116; Ibrahim Mumayiz Arabesques/ Selections of Biography and Poetry from Classical Arabic Literature (Antwerp: Garant, 2006) pp 26-36); On his dates of birth and death Al-Aghani Vol.8, p.235; on his death see Al-Zirkalli Al-Acalaam Vol.5 p.91; Farrukh Tarikh; Zaydan Tarikh Vol.1. p 13; Al-Mawlawi Diwan cAntarah; on his poetry Al-Aghani Vol 8. P.243; On his distinctive “metaphysical” verses see Al-cAskari Kitab al- Sinacatayn (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-cIlmiyya, undated) 1st ed. P. 229; Al-Jahiz Al-Hayawan Vol.3 172; Ibn Rashiq al-Qayrawani Al-cumda fi mahasin al-shicr wa’aadabihi wa naqdih (Beirut: Dar al-jeel, 1981) 5th ed.; on the moral content of his verse see Fr. Lewis Cheikhu Shcuraa’ al- Nasraniyyah (Beirut: Dar al-Mashriq, 1967) Vol.1 p. 882.

[align=center]The Mcuallaqa of cAntarah


1- هَـلْ غَادرَ الشّعراءُ مِـنْ مُـتَردَّم ِ أم هل عَرَفْتَ الـدّارَ بعدَ تَـوَهّم ِ

Have poets left aught that had not before been told?

Do you now know the house you did not know of old.

2- يا دارَ عَبْـلةَ بالجِوَاءِ تَكَـلّمـي وَعِمي صَباحاً دارَ عَبْـلَةَ واسْـلَمي

O cAbla’s “Jiwaa’” home, of beloved ones, do tell (1)

Good morn, cAbla’s home! May you e’er fare safe and well

3- فَوَقَـفْتُ فيها نَـاقَتي وكـأنّها فَـدَنٌ لأقْـضِـيَ حَـاجَةَ المُـتَلوِّم ِ

By it I stopped my she-camel, so grand and fair (2)

Palace-like she was. I, my love pangs had to air.

4- وَ تَحُلّ عَـبْـلةُ بالجِواءِ وأهْلُنا بالحَزْنِ فَالصَّـمّان فالمُـتَـثَـلَّم ِ

“Jiwaa’” cAbla has chosen as a place to stay

“Hazn”, “Samman” and “Mutathallim” were our folks’ way (3)

5- حُيّيتَ مِـنْ طَـلَلٍ تَقَادَمَ عَهْـدُهُ أقْوَى وأقْـفَرَ بَعْدَ أُمّ الهَـيْـثَم

Greetings! Your remains of old now stand all alone (4)

Des’late you are after “Umm al-Haytham” had gone (5)

6- حَـلّتْ بأرْضِ الزّائِرِينَ فأصْبَحَتْ عَسِـراً عَـليّ طِلابُكِ ابنَةَ مَخرَم ِ

She stayed in lands of roaring foes (6). And now you are

So hard to reach, O Makhram’s daughter, (7) and so far

7- عُلّقْـتُها عَرَضاً وأقْـتُلُ قَوْمَهَا زَعْماً لعَمْرُ أبيكَ لَيسَ بمَزْعَم ِ
7. By chance her love struck me, and went against my will
I, intent on her love, whilst I her people kill? (8)

8- ولَقَـدْ نَزلْتِ فلا تَظُـنّي غَيْرَهُ مِـنّي بِمَنْـزِلَةِ المُحَبِّ المُكْرَم ِ
8. I have for you honor’d love, none else should you assume
To doubt otherwise, never should you e’er presume.

9- كَيْفَ المَزَارُ وقد تَرَبّـعَ أهْـلُها بعُنَـيْزَتَينِ وأهلُـنَا بالغَـيْلَم ِ

Meet her? While to “cUnayzatayn” her folk were bound?

While our folk in “Ghaylam” spring pastures they have found ?(9)

10- إنْ كُنْتَ أزْمَعْتِ الفِـراقَ فإنّمَا زُمّتْ رِكابُـكُمُ بِـلَيْـلٍ مُظْـلِم ِ

If you’re bent on breaking with me, and will take flight

Your baggage packed, fleeing away in darkest night.

11- ما رَاعَني إلاّ حَمُولَـةُ أهْـلِها وَسْطَ الدّيارِ تَسَفّ حَبَّ الخِـمخِم ِ

By her laden camels, I was by fright quite dazed

Watching them as they, on noxious, black-seed weeds, grazed (10)

12- فبها اثْـنَـتَانِ وأرْبَعُونَ حَـلُوبَةً سُوداً كخافيَةِ الغُرابِ الأسْـحَم ِ

Forty-two milch camels did her baggage train bring

Jet-black they were as pinions of a raven’s wing.

13- إذْ تَستَـبيكَ بذي غُرُوبٍ وَاضِح ٍ عَـذْبٍ مُـقَـبَّـلُهُ لَـذيذِ المَـطْعَم ِ

Her pure, pearl-toothed mouth so enraptures you with bliss

so sweetly tastes and scented, and so cool to kiss.

14- وَكَـأنّ فَارَةَ تاجِرٍ بِقَسيـمَـةٍ سَـبَـقَتْ عَوارِضَهَـا إلَيكَ من الفَم

Like merchants’ lidless musk-jar, her scent you’d ne’er miss

Wafting from her mouth that’s there for a scented kiss

15- أوْ رَوْضَةً أُنُـفاً تَضَمّن نَبْـتَهَـا غَيْثٌ قَـليلُ الدِّمْـنِ ليسَ بمَعْـلَم ِ

Like a verdant oasis, well-watr’d by blessed rain

Beyond beaten tracks, no droppings its fresh air stain.(11)

16- جَـادَتْ عَـلَيْهِ كُـلُّ بِكْرٍ حُرّةٍ فَـتَرَكْنَ كُـلَّ قَرَارَةٍ كالـدّرْهَم ٍِ

To it clouds were gen’rous with rain, copious and cool

Drenching orchards, dirham-like was a water-pool (12)

17- سَحّـاً وتَسْـكاباً فَكُلَّ عَشِـيّةٍ يَجْرِي عَـلَيْـهَا المَاءُ لَمْ يَتَصرّم ِ

Ev’ry evening the rains in pouring torrents fall

Their unbroken rain-lines were ceaseless, straight and tall.

18- وَخَلا الذّبابُ بهَـا فَـلَيس بِبَارِح ٍ غَرِداً كَـفِـعْـلِ الشّارِبِ المُتَرَنِّم ِ

All through this oasis flies swarmed, whose din and drone

Were like drunken singer whose drunken song will moan.

19- هَزِجاً يَحُـكّ ذِرَاعَـهُ بِذِرَاعِـهِ قَدْحَ المُكِـبّ عَلى الزّنادِ الأجذَم ِ

Flies rubbing wings and legs together in their glee.

Like handless man rubs firestick its flame for to see.(13)

20- تُمْسي و تُصْبحُ فَوْقَ ظَهْرِ حشيّةٍ وأبِيتُ فَـوْقَ سَرَاةِ أدهَمَ مُـلجَم ِ

On well-padded bed she sleeps nights, and wakes at day.

Whilst I on a black charger night and day must stay.

21- وَحَشِـيّـتي سَرْجٌ على عَبْـلِ الشّوى نَهْدٍ مَرَاكِـلُهُ نَـبيلِ المَحْزِم ِ

My bedroll is saddle of a stout-legged charger

Whose spurring sides are large, and strap-belly larger.

22- هَـلْ تُبْـلِـغَنّي دارَهَـا شَـدَنِـيّةٌ لُعِـنَتْ بمَحْرُوم ِالشّرابِ مُصَرَّم ِ

On swift Yem’nite she-camel to her home I’d fly

A she- camel so cursed her udders had gone dry.(14)

23- خَطّارَةٌ غِـبَّ السُّرَى زيّـافَـةٌ تَطِـسُ الإكـامَ بوَخذِ خُفٍّ مِـيثَم ِ

Raising her tail, swagg’ring, throughout the night she pounds

With her doughty pads at hardest and highest ground.

24- وَكأنّـما تَطِـسُ الإكـامَ عَشِـيَّةً بقَرِيبِ بَينَ المَـنْسِـمَينِ مُصلَّم ِ

For a day and a night, breaking rough ground she raced

Like an ostrich, small-eared, head high, and widely paced.

25- تأوي لَهُ قُـلُصُ النّعام ِ كَما أوَتْ حِـزَقٌ يَمانيَـةٌ لأعْجَم طِـمْطِم

Young ostrich gather, unknowing, around this male

Who’s like an alien herdsman who in speech would fail. (15)

26- يَـتْـبَعْنَ قُـلّةَ رَأسِـهِ وكَـأنّهُ حِـدْجٌ عَـلَى نَعْـشٍ لَهُنّ مُخَـيَّم ِ

The young ostrich follow his head, raised high and tall.

A tent-like howdah it was, tow’ring o’er them all.

27- صَعْـلٍ يَعودُ بِذِي العُشَيرةِ بَيضَهُ كالعبدِ ذي الفَرْوِ الطّويلِ الأصْـلَم ِ

Small-headed, to “Al- cAshira” goes his eggs to save.

Looking like an earless, fully fur-clad, black slave.

28- شَرِبتْ بماءِ الدُّحْـرُضَينِ فأصْبحتْ زَوْرَاءَ تَـنفِـرُ عَنْ حِـياضِ الدَّيلم ِ

To the two “Duhrudh” pools willing, she came to drink

But from drinking at the “Daylam pools, she would shrink.(16)

29- وكَـأنّمَـا تَنْـأى بجانِـبِ دَفّها الْ وَحشِـيّ من هَزِجِ العشيّ مُؤوَّم ِ

Trotting at night, she inclines sharply to her right.

As if a cat scratches her left with all its might.

30- هِـرٍّ جَنيبٍ كُـلّما عَطَفَتْ لَهُ غَضْـبَي اتّـقاها باليَـدَينِ و بالفَم ِ

When she, in anger, turns to this cat, for to trounce

With bite and scratch the cat on her is quick to pounce.

31- بَرَكَتْ على جَنْبِ الرّداعِ كأنّما برَكَت على قَصَبٍ أجشّ مُهضَّم ِ

By “Ridaa”’s sparse water, thickly o’ergrown with reeds

Under her weight hollow reeds did, with crackle, yield.

32- وكأنّ رُبّـاً أو كُحَيلاً مُعْـقَداً حَـشَّ الوَقُـودُ بهِ جَوانبِ قُمقُم ِ

With thick, black pouring sweat her head and neck were soiled.

As if ‘twas tar that in a wood-fired pot was boiled.(17)

33- يَـنْباعُ من ذِفْـرَى غضُوبٍ جَسْرَةٍ زيّـافَةٍ مِـثْـلَ الفَنيق ِ المُكْدَم ِ

As she brays on, sweat first pours from behind her ears,

Like a well-tried tough male, away she proudly tears

34- إنْ تُغْدِفي دُوني القِـناعَ فإنني طَبٌّ بأخْذِ الفارِسِ المُسْـتَلئِم ِ

Should you, when seeing me, at once put on your veil

Know that I’m good at slaying knights in coats of mail (18)

35- أثْـني عَـلَيّ بمَا عَـلِـمْتِ فإنّني سَمْحٌ مُخَالَـقَتي إذا لمْ أُظْـلَم ِ

What you know of my good traits, you should others tell

If I am not wronged, with others I fare quite well.

36- وإذا ظُلِـمْتُ فإنّ ظُلميَ باسِـلٌ مُرٌّ مَـذاقَـتُهُ كَطَعْم ِ العَـلْقَم

But if I’m wronged, in punishment I’ll be hard and free

And as bitter as bitter-apple e’er could be (19)

37- ولَقدْ شَرِبْتُ مِـنَ المُدامَةِ بعدما رَكَدَ الهواجِرُ بالمَشُوفِ المُعْـلَم ِ

At night I took drink after hot winds came to rest

Drink bought with a coin whose condition was the best (20)

38- بزُجاجَةٍ صَفْراءَ ذاتِ أسِـرّةٍ قُرِنَتْ بأزْهَرَ في الشّمالِ مُـفَـدَّم ِ

From yellow bottle of many a fluted line

And from a white cloth-stopp’d ewer, I poured my wine.

39- فإذا شَرِبْتُ فإنّني مُسْـتَهلِـكٌ مَـالي وَعِـرْضِـي وافِرٌ لم يُكْلم ِ

If I drink ‘tis but my money that wears away.

But my honor, ‘spite drink, intact will ever stay.

40- وإذا صَحَوْتُ فَما أُقَصّرُ عن نَدىً وكَمَا عَـلِمتِ شَمائِلي و تَكَرُّمي

My bounty ne’er falls short after I rise from wine

As you know, my moral traits are e’er so benign (21)

41- وحَـليلِ غَانيَةٍ تَرَكْتُ مُجَدَّلاً تَمكو فَريصَتُهُ كِشِـدْق ِ الأعْـلَم

A belle’s man-friend I slew, and there on ground he laid.

And there, like a fear-gripp’d chewing camel, he stayed (22)

42- سَبَـقَتْ يَدايَ لَهُ بعَـاجِلِ طَعْـنَةٍ ورَشاشِ نافذَةٍ كَـلَوْنِ العَنْدم ِ

A swift preemptive stab from me left him deceased.

A shower of his “cAndam”-red blood was released (23)

43- هلاّ سَألتِ الخَيْـلَ يا ابْـنَةَ مالكٍ إنْ كُنتِ جاهِـلَةً بمَا لم تَعْـلَمي

Inquire, Malik’s daughter, from knights of high renown

Whate’er of me, to you, as yet, is still unknown (24)

44- إذْ لا أزالُ على رِحالَةِ سَـابِـح ٍ نَهْدٍ تَـعَاوَرُهُ الكُماةُ مُكَـلَّم

I’m still mounted on a large, fore-leg swimming steed,

Knights have covered him with wounds that heavily bleed.

45- طَوراً يُجَـرَّدُ للطّعانِ وتَـارةً يأوي إلى حَصِدِ القِـسِـيِّ عرَمرَم ِ

Sometimes on him, at slashing foes I headlong charge.

Sometimes on him, I join a hardy host and large.

46- يُخْبِرُكِ مَنْ شَهِدَ الوَقيعَـةَ أنّني أغْشَى الوَغَى وأعِفّ عِندَ المَغْـنَم ِ

Who saw me in battle will tell I’m e’er prepared

To charge but I hold back only when spoils are shared.

47- مُدَجَّج ٍ كَرِهَ الكُماةُ نِـزَالـهُ لا مُمْعِـنٍ هَرَبـاً ولا مُسْـتَسْـلِـم ِ

Well-armed am I , brave knights decline to challenge me

Surrender I do not, nor far away I flee.

48- جَادَتْ لَهُ كَـفّي بعاجِلِ طَعْـنةٍ بمُـثَـقَّفٍ صَدْق ِ الكُعوبِ مُـقَوَّم ِ

A hard, direct and swift stab my arm to him gave

With a re-smithied, re-straightened, re-sharpened glaive.

49- فَـشَكَكْتُ بالرُّمْح ِ الأَصَـمِّ ثيابَهُ لَيسَ الكريمُ على القنا بمُحَرَّم ِ

I pierced his clothes with along and sharp-pointed spear

Those who with honor charge will not of spears stay clear

50- فَتَركْـتُهُ جَزَر السّباع ِ يَـنُشْـنَه يَـقضِمْنَ حُسنَ بنانِهِ و المِعصَم ِ

I left him for wild beasts to have as their fair share.

Between his head and wrist, they set upon to tear.

51- ومِـشَكِّ سابِغَةٍ هَتَكْتُ فُرُوجَها بالسّـيْفِ عن حامي الحقيقةِ مُعلِـم ِ

I strike to prize apart the plates that form a shield.

This marks the prowess that warriors should always wield.(25)

52- رَبِذٍ يَداهُ بالقِـداح ِ إذا شَـتَا هَـتّـاكِ غاياتِ التِّـجارِ مُلَـوَّم ِ

With dice his hands are deft when winter times are lean (26)

And he who bought all wine, leaving vintners tents clean. (27)

53- لَمّـا رَآني قَـدْ نَزلْتُ أُريـدُهُ أبْـدَى نَوَاجِـذَهُ لغَيرِ تَـبَسُّم ِ

When he saw me come, and that I would take his life.

He bared his back-teeth, but was not with laughter rife (28)

54- عَهْدي بِـهِ مَـدَّ النَّهارِ كأنّـما خُضِـبَ البَـنانُ ورَأسُهُ بالعِـظْلِـم ِ

Early in the day, it was him who I descried

All covered with his blood, like one with “’Idhlim” dyed. (29)

55- فَطَعَـنْـتُهُ بالرّمْح ِ ثمّ عَلَوتُهُ بمُهَـنّدٍ صافي الحَديدةِ مِـخذَم ِ

I speared him first, then, from up high, I ran him through

With sharpest Indian sword whose blade to kill was true.

56- بَطِـلٍ كأنّ ثِـيابَهُ في سَرْحَةٍ يُحذَى نِـعالَ السِّبْتِ ليسَ بتَوْأم ِ

A tall champion whose clothes could dress a giant tree.

Glorious; his footwear regal; twinless born was he (30)

57- يا شاةَ ما قَنَصٍ لِمَنْ حَـلّتْ لَهُ حَرُمَتْ عَـليّ وَلَيْـتَها لمْ تَحْرُم ِ

Female quarry! Unclaimed by whom she is his lot

But to me is forbidd’n. I so wish she was not. (31)

58- فَبَعَـثْتُ جارِيَـتي فقُـلْتُ لها اذْهَبي فَتَجَسّسي اخبارَها ليَ واعْلَمي

I sent for my slave-woman, and said to her “Go

Spy on her, and of what you gather let me know.”

59- قالَتْ رَأيْتُ مِـنَ الأعادِي غِـرّةً و الشّـاةُ مُمْـكِنَةٌ لمَنْ هوَ مُرتَم ِ

She said “I saw that lax carelessness there did dwell”.

“And the prey could be had by one who could aim well.” (32)

60- وكَـأنّما التَـفَتَتْ بجيدِ جَدايَـةٍ رَشَإِ مِـنَ الغزلانِ حُرٍّ أرثَم ِ

Her neck is like that of a side-long glancing deer.

Young deer! A white speck on its lip shines bright and clear.(33)

61- نُـبّـئْتُ عَمْراً غَيرَ شاكِـرِ نِعْمَـتي والكُـفْرُ مَخْبَـثَةٌ لنَفسِ المُنْعِـم ِ

cUmar, I’m told, for my favors, no grat’tude shows.

Thanklessness deals the giver’s soul quite painful blows.

62- ولقد حَفِظتُ وَصَـاةَ عمّي بالضّحى إذ تَقْلِـصُ الشّفتانِ عن وضَحِ الفم ِ

I kept what my uncle entrusted to my care

During battles, when tightened lips one’s teeth laid bare. (34)

63- في حَوْمَةِ الحَرْبِ التي لا تَشتكي غَمَراتِـها الأبطالُ غَيرَ تَغَـمْـغُم ِ

From bloody fields of death, heroes ne’er back away.

But of death’s horrors they mutter what they must say.

64- إذ يَـتّـقُون بيَ الأسِـنّةَ لمْ أخِمْ عَـنْها ولَكنّي تَضَـايقَ مُـقدَمي

‘Tween them, and foes spears, they place me in tightest spot.

I cower not, but space to fight I have not got.

65- لمّـا رَأيْتُ القَوْمِ اقْـبَـلَ جَمْعُهُمْ يَـتَذامَرُونَ كَرَرْتُ غيرَ مُـذَمَّم ِ

The self-urging host had advanced on us in force. (35)

I wheeled at them straight on, and blameless held my course

66- يَدْعُون عَنْترَ و الرّماحُ كَـأنّـها أشْطانُ بِـئْرٍ في لَـبَـانِ الأدْهَم ِ

They call on cAntarah, midst the thickest of spearfall

On “Al-Adham”; spears long as rope, down wells, falls tall.(36)

67- مَـا زِلْتُ أرْميهِـمْ بثُغرَةِ نَحْرِهِ وَ لَبَـانِـهِ حتى تَسَـرْبَـلَ بالدّم ِ

On my steed I charge, slash away, and at them tear,

Till my steed looks as if a shirt of blood does wear.

68- فَازْوَرّ مِـنْ وَقْع ِ القَـنَا بِلَبَـانِهِ وَشَكَا إليّ بِـعَبْرةٍ و تَحَمْحُم ِ

He reeled from the heavy fall – on his neck – of spear

and to me complained with a choked sob and a tear.

69- لَوْ كانَ يَدري ما المُحاوَرَةُ اشتكى ولَـكَانَ لوْ عَـلِمَ الكَلامَ مُكلِّمي

If dialogue he knew, complaining he would be

If he could talk, conversing he would be with me.

70- ولقد شَفَى نَفسي و أذْهَبَ سُـقْمَها قِـيلُ الفوَارِسِ وَيكَ عَـنترَ أقدم ِ

My soul’s canker when knights to me called out

“Curses, cAntar! Advance and put them to the rout!

71- والخَيْـلُ تَقْتَحِـمُ الخَبارَ عَوَابِساً من بينِ شَيظَمَةٍ و أجْرَدَ شَيْـظَم ِ

Steeds, scowling with horror, tear through low, pot-holed ground

Large, small, hirsute, smooth – all are to the battle bound.

72- ذُلُلٌ رِكابي حَيثُ شِـئْتُ مُـشايعي لُـبتي وأحْـفِـزُهُ بأمْرٍ مُبْرَم ِ

Wherever I lead my camels, me they will e’er obey,

My mind e’er leads me to the straight and righteous way

73- ولقد خَشيتُ بأنْ أمُوتَ ولم تدُر للحرْبِ دائرَةٌ عَـلى ابْنَيْ ضَمْضَم ِ

I’m loath to die while the battle is still not on

With “Dhamdham’s” sons whose vengeful ire is too far gone.(37)

74- الشّـاتِـمَيْ عِـرْضي ولم أشْتِـمْهُما والنّاذِرَينِ إذا لَم الْقَهُمَـا دَمي

They my honor smear, though theirs I never smear

Who dare when I’m gone, but cower when I appear.

75- إنْ يَـفْعَلا فَـلَقَدْ تَرَكْتُ أبَـاهُمَـا جَزَرَ السّباع ِ وَكُلِّ نَسْرٍ قَـشْعَم

What they say of me, I wonder not in the least

for I left their slain sire to eagle and wild beast.

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Notes:

(1) “Jiwaa’”: A valley in the ‘Abs homeland, located by Yaqut al-Hamawi’s Ma’jamul Buldan (Dictionary of Place names), Vol.2 p. 174, “south of “Adana”
(2) It: refers to cAbla’s home.
(3) “Hazn”, “Samman”, “Al-Mutathallim” various high-ground locations surrounded by lowlands.
(4) He is addressing the ruins of c Abla’s former encampment.
(5) “Umm al-Haythem: A soubriquet of c Abla.
(6) He is worried about Abla staying in hostile territory, -‘lands of roaring foes’
(7) c Abla is Makhram’s daughter.
(8) He would like to kill c Abla’s father for refusing to give her to him in marriage.
(9) “cUnayzatayn” is the place cAbla’s folk chose as their spring pastures. “Ghaylam” is cAntara’s spring pastures. The two were very far apart. It would have been unseemly, and improper, he implies, for him to come that long way to visit cAbla.
(10) Spring grazing was over and the pastures were dry except for the noxious black-seed weeds. He was afraid that cAbla’s laden camels would come to grief after cropping that harmful herbage. His love for c Abla extended to being concerned for the well-being of her camels.
(11) cAbla’s scent is fresh, like the air of a well-watered oasis thick with vegetation, lying well beyond camel tracks. Its clean fresh air is thus free from the pungent odor of animal droppings.
(12) The heavy rains filled the orchards with water, forming pools as well-rounded as a dirham, an Arabian coin.
(13) He compares the ecstatic arm-waving singer to a one-handed man working a fire-stick to eagerly see its flame. Flies in the lovely oasis is a metaphysical conceit, highlighting the sweetness of the oasis which attracts flies.
(14) A cursed, milkless camel would be tough, hardy and agitated, and thus more likely to reach its destination quickly.
(15) Young ostrich try to win this male’s affection is as futile as Yemenite camels gather round a foreign herdsman whose speech, ways and conduct they cannot understand.
(16) “Daylam” is referred to by cAntarah’s cAbs tribe as ‘the enemy’s water’. His intelligent she-camel knows this and in loyalty to her master and his tribe, refrains from watering there.
(17) It seems that his camel had fed on certain herbage that gave her a blackish sweat, or perhaps she was bilious. Blackish camel sweat usually turns yellow after it dries.
(18) He means that she need not conceal herself in her veil in fear of him. He is capable of felling armored knights, and thus could protect her from being carried away as a spoil of war.
(19) Bitter-apple – colocynth – Arabic handhal, a desert, lemon-shaped growth was proverbial in pre-Islamic and Arabic culture generally, for its unbearable bitterness.
(20) The coin was in perfect, mint condition; well-struck, gleaming, its markings clearly embossed. It was the ‘dinar’, the Roman silver ‘denarius’. Pre-Islamic Arabs took pride in drinking and gambling as evidence of both manliness and generosity.
(21) He is addressing cAbla, reassuring her that she need not fear his drinking, which will never adversely affect his honor or his virtues.
(22) The slain man, prior to his death was seized by gripping fear that made his pectorals quiver. The poet compares a camel’s masticating mouth to the dead man’s fear of the poet
(23) cAndam: or baqam, a tall tree whose trunk is dark-red in color, and is used to prepare red dye.
(24) Well-known knights know his exploits in the battlefield. He asks cAbla to inquire from them of how well he fights, in case she does not know.
(25) The shield cAntarah is describing is made of plates joined together. He strikes at the grooves between the plates, thus prizing them apart. This, he declares, is what hardy warriors should know and practice in battle.
(26) This is a continuation of the previous verse on the breaking up of shields. He is saying I broke up the shield of a man who was deft at gambling in the long winter months when there is little to do.
(27) Wine-sellers hoist a flag over their tents to advertise their wares. This is also a continuation: He broke the shield and slew a man who had bought all the vintner’s wine that they had to lower their flags to show they were out of stock.

(28 )”to bare his back-teeth”: To open one’s mouth so wide – with fear, anger, laughter, or hate – so that one’s molars show. Here, the man the poet describes opened his mouth wide with anger, hate and fear.
(29) “’Idhlim”: A species of treelet whose leaves are used to make red dye.
(30) Twinless: He was born an only child, having no twin brother to share his glorious presence.
(31) It is said that this line refers to cAntarah’s step-mother, his father’s young wife Sumayya, who incited his father against him for some amorous verses cAntarah recited about her. Here he says that he wished his father had not married her so that she could be his.
(32) His slave-woman is reporting that Sumayya is neglected and he could have her. It seems that he lusts for Sumayya, but deeply and honorably loves cAbla.
(33) It is not clear whether he is referring to Sumayya, or cAbla
(34) This refers to the incident narrated by Nicholson: “cAntarah loved his cousin cAbla, and following the Arabian custom by which cousins have the first right to a girl’s hand, he asked for her in marriage. His suit was in vain; the son of a slave mother being regarded as a slave unless acknowledged by his father. On one occasion, when the cAbsites were hotly engaged with raiders who had driven off their camels cAntarah refused to join the melee saying ‘A slave does not how to fight. He only knows how to milk camels and bind their udders’. His father cried ‘Charge! Thou art free!’.(LHA. p.115). This verse refers to the tribe’s herds of camels entrusted to his care.
(35) Self-urging host: the enemy were loudly urging one another to fight.
(36) “al-Adham” (the Bay): cAntarah’s horse.
(37) cAntarah had slain one “Dhamdham” whose two sons had insisted on killing cAntarah in revenge. cAntarah is afraid he would die before settling accounts with the two vengeful sons.