The poetry of Arab warriors

A translation of a poem by as-Samaw’al

The mountains of Taima’, where the poet as-Samaw’al spent most of his life (Source)

A culture’s poetry is a glimpse into its world, acquainting us with the lives of its people. The miracle of classical Arabic poetry is that it has preserved, through oral tradition alone, a rich testament of a people who would have otherwise been lost to history: the Arab warriors of late antiquity.

The Jewish Arab poet as-Samaw’al was one of these warriors. Today, he’s celebrated for his faithfulness: a popular story goes that when his son was captured by an enemy tribe, he allowed him to be killed rather than betray a guest who was under his protection.

In this article, we’ll review the most well-known poem composed by as-Samaw’al. Not only will it provide us with an understanding of his culture and society, but also a look into the man himself: his values, attitudes, and so on.

Lines 1–5

إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَدنَس مِنَ اللُؤمِ عِرضُهُ / فَكُلُّ رِداءٍ يَرتَديهِ جَميلُ

If a man hasn’t polluted his honor with wrongdoing / Then every garment he wears is beautiful

Many classical Arabic poems begin with a general statement about the human condition, particularly about virtue and proper conduct. Here, the poet speaks…