Al-ḍighn means hidden hostility, while al-dāʾ al-dafīn pictures an illness buried within. The metaphor turns an emotion into a physical disease and emphasizes the eruption of what was concealed.
The repetition of resentment after resentment suggests accumulation. It is the speaker’s accusation in a tribal dispute, not an impartial historical finding.
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ʿAmr ibn Kulthūm: Rancour, Tribal Protection and Martial Boasting (verses 39–51)
Al-ḍighn means hidden hostility, while al-dāʾ al-dafīn pictures an illness buried within. The metaphor turns an emotion into a physical disease and emphasizes the eruption of what was concealed.
The repetition of resentment after resentment suggests accumulation. It is the speaker’s accusation in a tribal dispute, not an impartial historical finding.