Page:The Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East, Volume 05.djvu/54

the grinding of the upper millstone against the lower, and it will conceive immediately after one birth and it will produce twins.^[1]

"By my life I swear, how good a tribe it is upon whom Husain Bin Zamzam brought an injury by committing a crime which did not please them.^[2]

"And he had concealed his hatred, and did not display it, and did not proceed to carry out his intention until he got a good opportunity.

"And he said, 'I will perform my object of avenging myself, and I will guard myself from my enemy with a thousand bridled horses behind me.'

"Then he attacked his victim from 'Abs, but did not cause fear to the people of the many houses, near which death had thrown down his baggage.^[3]

"They allowed their animals to graze until when the interval between the hours of drinking was finished, they took them to the deep pool, which is divided by weapons and by shedding of blood.^[4]

"They accomplished their object amongst themselves, then they led the animals back to the pasture of unwholesome indigestible grass.

"I have grown weary of the troubles of life; and he, who lives eighty years will, mayest thou have no father if thou doubt^[5] grow weary.

"And I know what has happened to-day and yesterday,

1. The misfortunes arising from war are double.
2. Husain Bin Zamzam's father was killed during the war between the Benî Zubyán and the Benî 'Abs. When peace was concluded between the tribes, he made a vow secretly that he would kill one of the tribe of 'Abs out of the revenge for his father. This he did, but when the Benî 'Abs came to take revenge on him, Hárith Ibn 'Awf offered them one hundred camels as blood money or his own son to kill. The 'Absioms took the camels and spared his son. The poet is now praising them for their act.
3. He killed no one while the peace was in force except the one person on whom he meant to take revenge.
4. By the deep pool is meant war, and the meaning of the lines is that the tribes refrained from war for a certain time, after which they again had recourse to arms.
5. A common term of imprecation.