1877.] C. J. Lyall —Translations from the Hamdseh and the Aghani. 445 
9 *9° y ^ *> y& y* O y* , O yOy y 
^J^lx*!! b^| tjui.£ (J-Xs^ g i t j &x.«Ac 
'' y g, — y 
This reading (which follows an introductory verse) avoids the difficulty caused by 
the word alahfd (“alas”) in the Hamaseh’s version; the poem is one of exultation : 
why should it open with “Alas!”? It also, instead of el-welayd , “the weak and 
frightened women,” gives es-sarayd, “ the troops of horse,” and instead of the difficult 
name Qurra, reads qarney , “ the two horns” (that is, probably, the two mountain peaks 
between which the valley of Sahbal lay). The verse may be rendered— 
“ That even when under Sahbal’s twin peaks upon us drave 
the horsemen troop after troop, and the foemen pressed us sore.” 
v. 2 is exactly the same in the Aghani. So is v. 3, except that in the second 
hemistich for nau'ulid the Aghani reads nahduhd , a word of the same meaning, v. 4 
does not occur at all in the Aghani’s version, v. 5 is the same in both as to the 
second hemistich, but the first in the Aghani is— 
/ / ^ / / /> 9 y o y y ** 9 s s 
IjJ r s> Ud*e; !a) 
✓ X 
“ Their ambush beset our road, but there cleared us a space around 
the white swords in our right hands which the smiths had furbished fair.” 
v. 6 is the same in the Aghani and the Hamaseh. 
IV. 
The same, in ward at Mekkeh. 
9' 9 
'fy 
y*> 9 ' f 
S' 
• 
s 
. •• * 
• /• 
9 yO 9 
y 9 
° VAJ 9 S y 
e/ sr- J l v-0 
/ / 
/ 
L-5 J ’ 
/ 
9 yOy 
9 °CS 
9 ^ 9 y y s'* r> ‘5> y y y 
✓ 
o 
o- ^ ✓ 
•Jiy y y 9 y 
I J/® i y IjJ 
y "y>- y ’d \x y y y y ,J y 9 *)s y 
L g i| j l.'LXs^ 
o yjiyy ^ y y &9 O Ijj y ' O &yy 
*9 S>y 9 y ' >»y. 
y < .. z z 
oA 
/ / 
Ls^ 
> 
A<s*j 
C * 
L " 
^i! Hi 
*•/ / 
9 y* y 
33/ yy 
099 y 
n 
S' / V 
**y / /• 
/ H / ^ z' 
^ b 
♦♦ / 
* / 
/ 
.. ✓ 
9yO 9 y y o O 
9 °9 y y 
6" s y 
O 
f y y r> ! y 
^J^UayoG) A] i^Xxso ^ ^gJ) 
/ / / 
Lf> 
X->U yC 
• • 
<-9 ’y 6 uj 
S' 
* J 
S' ++ S’ s' 
My longing climbs up the steep with the riders of el-Yemen 
by their side, while my body lies in Mekkeh a prisoner. 
I marvelled as she came darkling to me and entered free, 
while the prison’s door before me was bolted and surely barred. 
She drew near and greeted me : then she rose and bid farewell; 
and when she turned, my life wellnigh went forth with her. 
Nay, think not that I am bowed by fear away from you, 
or that I tremble before the death that stands so nigh, 
