وأم عيال قد شهدت تقوتهم by Al-Shanfara — Analysis & Translation

Original Poem

وأم عيال قد شهدت تقوتهم إذا أطعمتهم أو تحت وأقلت تخاف علينا الغيل إن هي أكثرت ونحن جياع أي آل تألت مصلعكة لا يقصر الستر دونها ولا ترتجى للبيت إن لم تبيت لها فضة منها ثلاثون سيحفاً إذا آنست أولى العدي اقشعرت وتأتي العدي بارزاً نصف ساقها تجول كغير العانة المتلفت

Translation (English)

And a mother of children who saw their food supply When she fed them or stayed and lessened She fears the monster for us if she gives more And we are hungry, O family of Ta'alat An uncovered woman not hidden by a veil And not expected to stay at home unless she stays She has silver, thirty spears of it When she notices the first of the enemy, she shivers And she approaches the enemy with half her leg showing Roaming like a wild animal looking around

About the Poet

Al-Shanfara (Pre-Islamic era)

Al-Shanfara was a pre-Islamic Arab poet known for his rebellious spirit and association with the Sa'alik, a group of outcast poets. His poetry often reflects themes of survival, defiance, and the harsh realities of desert life.

Historical Context

Literary Form: Classical Arabic poetry
When Written: Pre-Islamic era
Background: The poem reflects the harsh realities and survival instincts of the Sa'alik, a group of outcast poets in pre-Islamic Arabia. It portrays themes of poverty, resilience, and defiance against societal norms.

Sources: https://www.aldiwan.net/poem1205.html, https://shamela.ws/book/22828/193, https://islamport.com/l/adb/5691/524.htm, https://ar.lib.eshia.ir/40925/1/207, https://adab.wiki/wiki/المفضليات/الشنفري_الأزدي, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_poetry

Detailed Explanation

This poem by Al-Shanfara captures the resilience and defiance of the Sa'alik, outcast poets of pre-Islamic Arabia. The opening lines describe a mother who struggles to provide for her children, highlighting the theme of survival. The mention of fearing the 'ghoul' if she increases her efforts suggests the ever-present danger and scarcity in their lives. The imagery of a woman who is not covered by a veil and is not welcomed unless she stays reflects societal norms and the marginalization faced by the Sa'alik. The poem continues with the description of a woman possessing thirty spears of silver, a metaphor for her strength and readiness to defend against enemies. The shuddering at the sight of the enemy indicates the constant threat and vigilance required for survival. The final image of her approaching the enemy with half her leg exposed, roaming like a wild animal, emphasizes her boldness and defiance. Emotionally, the poem moves from a sense of struggle and fear to one of defiance and readiness to confront challenges. The tone is one of resilience and rebellion against societal constraints. Al-Shanfara uses vivid imagery and metaphors to convey the harsh realities of desert life and the strength required to endure them. Literary devices such as metaphor and imagery are prominent, with the 'ghoul' representing danger and the 'spears of silver' symbolizing strength. The poem's structure and rhythm reflect the classical Arabic poetic form, with its emphasis on meter and rhyme. Overall, the poem speaks to themes of survival, resilience, and defiance against societal norms, characteristic of the Sa'alik poets. It highlights the harsh realities of life in the desert and the strength required to navigate them, offering a glimpse into the cultural and social dynamics of pre-Islamic Arabia.

Themes

Literary Devices

Word Dictionary

Word	Meaning	Translation	Transliteration
وأم	والدة	mother	wa-umm
عيال	أطفال	children	iyaal
قد	لقد	indeed	qad
شهدت	رأت	witnessed	shahidat
تقوتهم	رزقهم	their sustenance	taqwatuhum
إذا	حين	when	idha
أطعمتهم	أعطتهم طعام	fed them	at'amat-hum
أو	أم	or	aw
تحت	بقيت	stayed	taht
وأقلت	وخففت	reduced	wa-aqallat
تخاف	تخشى	fears	takhaf
علينا	علينا	on us	alayna
الغيل	الوحش	the ghoul	al-ghayl
إن	إذا	unless	in
هي	هي	she is	hiya
أكثرت	زادت	increased	aktharat
ونحن	ونحن	we are	wa-nahnu
جياع	جائعون	hungry	jiyaa'
أي	أي	oh	ay
آل	عائلة	family	aal
تألت	تجمعت	Ta'alat	ta'alat
مصلعكة	مكشوفة	exposed	musala'ka
لا	ليس	not	la
يقصر	يخفي	covered	yaqsuru
الستر	الحجاب	the veil	al-sitr
دونها	أمامها	by her	doonaha
ولا	ولا	and not	wala
ترتجى	تؤمل	hoped	turta-ja
للبيت	للمنزل	for the house	lil-bayt
لم	لم	not	lam
تبيت	تقيم	she stays	tabit
لها	لديها	she has	laha
فضة	فضة	a precious metal	fidda
منها	منها	from it	minha
ثلاثون	ثلاثون	a number after twenty-nine	thalathoon
سيحفاً	رماحاً	spears	sayhafa
آنست	شعرت	senses	aanasat
أولى	أول	first	awla
العدي	العدو	the enemy	al-adi
اقشعرت	ارتعدت	shudders	iqsha'arrat
وتأتي	وتأتي	she arrives	wa-ta'ti
بارزاً	ظاهراً	exposed	baarizan
نصف	نصف	50%	nisf
ساقها	ساقها	her lower limb	saqaha
تجول	تتجول	roaming	tajool
كغير	كغير	as other	ka-ghayr
العانة	الوحش	wild animal	al-aanah
المتلفت	الذي يلتفت	turning around	al-mutalafit