وَلي مِنَّةٌ في رِقابِ الضَبابِ

وَلي مِنَّةٌ في رِقابِ الضَبابِ

وَأُخرى تَخُصُّ بَني جَعفَرِ

وَأُخرى تَخُصُّ بَني جَعفَرِ

And a favor of mine binds the necks of al-Dabab,

I have a favor upon the necks of the clouds

and another is Banu Ja'far's alone.

And another that is specific to the clan of Ja'far

عَشِيَّةَ رَوَّحنَ مِن عَرقَةٍ

عَشِيَّةَ رَوَّحنَ مِن عَرقَةٍ

وَأَصبَحنَ فَوضى عَلى شَيزَرِ

وَأَصبَحنَ فَوضى عَلى شَيزَرِ

That evening they set out from Arqa,

In the evening we took a rest from 'Arqah

and at dawn they ranged freely over Shayzar.

And in the morning there was chaos at Shayzar

وَقَد طالَ ماوَرَدَت بِالجِباةِ

وَقَد طالَ ماوَرَدَت بِالجِباةِ

وَعاوَدَتِ الماءَ في تَدمُرِ

وَعاوَدَتِ الماءَ في تَدمُرِ

Long had they watered at al-Jibah,

Extended has been their arrival with the tax collectors

and returned to the water at Tadmur.

And their return to water at Tadmur

قَدَدنَ البَقيعَةَ قَدَّ الأَدي

قَدَدنَ البَقيعَةَ قَدَّ الأَدي

مِ وَالغَربُ في شَبَهِ الأَشقَرِ

مِ وَالغَربُ في شَبَهِ الأَشقَرِ

They cleft al-Baqi'a as leather is cleft,

They hurried Al-Baqee'ah as the steps of the camels

while the west wore a chestnut steed's hue.

While the West was in resemblance to Al-Ashqar

وَجاوَزنَ حِمصَ فَلَم يَنتَظِر

وَجاوَزنَ حِمصَ فَلَم يَنتَظِر

نَ عَلى مَورِدٍ أَو عَلى مَصدَرِ

نَ عَلى مَورِدٍ أَو عَلى مَصدَرِ

They passed Homs and did not linger

And they passed Hims without waiting

at any watering place or departure point.

At a water-spring or a place of descent

وَبِالرَستَنِ اِستَلَبَت مَورِداً

وَبِالرَستَنِ اِستَلَبَت مَورِداً

كَوِردِ الحَمامَةِ أَو أَنزَرِ

كَوِردِ الحَمامَةِ أَو أَنزَرِ

At al-Rastan they snatched a watering,

And at Ar-Rastan they stole a watering place

like a dove's visit to water, or scantier.

Like the pool of a dove or more scarce

وَجُزنَ المُروجَ وَقَرنَي حَماةَ

وَجُزنَ المُروجَ وَقَرنَي حَماةَ

وَشَيزَرَ وَالفَجرُ لَم يُسفِرِ

وَشَيزَرَ وَالفَجرُ لَم يُسفِرِ

They crossed the meadows and Hama's two horns,

And they cut through the meadows, Qarnee Hama

and Shayzar, before dawn had brightened.

And Shayzar and the dawn had not shone

وَغامَضَتِ الشَمسُ إِشراقَها

وَغامَضَتِ الشَمسُ إِشراقَها

فَلَفَّت كَفَرطابَ بِالعَسكَرِ

فَلَفَّت كَفَرطابَ بِالعَسكَرِ

And the sun veiled its dawning light,

The sun was ambiguous in its rising

so they enveloped Kafartab with the army.

So it wrapped Kafartab with the army

تَلاقَت بِها عُصَبُ الدارِعي

تَلاقَت بِها عُصَبُ الدارِعي

نَ بِكُلِّ مَنيعِ الحِمى مُسعِرِ

نَ بِكُلِّ مَنيعِ الحِمى مُسعِرِ

There bands of armored men came together,

The tribes of Dar'i met them

with every kindler of battle whose domain was inviolate,

With every strongly fortified and inflamed defense

عَلى كُلِّ سابِقَةٍ بِالرَديفِ

عَلى كُلِّ سابِقَةٍ بِالرَديفِ

وَكُلِّ شَبيهٍ بِها مُجفَرِ

وَكُلِّ شَبيهٍ بِها مُجفَرِ

on every swift mare bearing a second rider,

With every preceding one with its follower

and every broad-flanked steed like her.

And everything similar to it, prepared

فَلَمّا اِعتَفَرنَ وَلَمّا عَرِقنَ

فَلَمّا اِعتَفَرنَ وَلَمّا عَرِقنَ

خَرَجنَ سِراعاً مِنَ العِثيَرِ

خَرَجنَ سِراعاً مِنَ العِثيَرِ

Then, when they were dust-covered, when they had sweated,

So when they perspired and when they sweated

they emerged swiftly from the cloud of dust.

They went out hastily from the great numbers

نُنَكِّبُ عَنهُنَّ فُرسانُهُنَّ

نُنَكِّبُ عَنهُنَّ فُرسانُهُنَّ

وَنَبدَأُ بِالأَخيَرِ الأَخيَرِ

وَنَبدَأُ بِالأَخيَرِ الأَخيَرِ

We knock their horsemen off them,

We turn away from their horsemen

and begin with the best, then the next best.

And we start with the latter ones the latter ones

فَلَمّا سَمِعتُ ضَجيجَ النِسا

فَلَمّا سَمِعتُ ضَجيجَ النِسا

ءِ نادَيتُ حارِ أَلا فَاِقصِرِ

ءِ نادَيتُ حارِ أَلا فَاِقصِرِ

Then, when I heard the women's clamoring,

So when I heard the clamor of the women

I called: 'Harith! Come now, desist!

I called, "O Harith, come closer"

أُحارِثُ مَن صافِحٌ غافِرٌ

أُحارِثُ مَن صافِحٌ غافِرٌ

لَهُنَّ إِذا أَنتَ لَم تَغفِرِ

لَهُنَّ إِذا أَنتَ لَم تَغفِرِ

O Harith, who will pardon and forgive

I advise whoever is reconciling and forgiving

them if you do not forgive?'

To them when you have not forgiven

رَأى اِبنُ عُلَيّانَ ما سَرَّهُ

رَأى اِبنُ عُلَيّانَ ما سَرَّهُ

فَقُلتُ رُوَيدَكَ لاتُسرَرِ

فَقُلتُ رُوَيدَكَ لاتُسرَرِ

Ibn Ulayyan saw what pleased him,

The son of 'Ulayyan saw what pleased him

so I said: 'Easy now—do not rejoice.

So I said, "Restrain yourself, do not be delighted"

فَإِنّي أَقومُ بِحَقِّ الجِوا

فَإِنّي أَقومُ بِحَقِّ الجِوا

رِ ثُمَّ أَعودُ إِلى العُنصُرِ

رِ ثُمَّ أَعودُ إِلى العُنصُرِ

For I uphold the right of neighborly protection,

For I stand for the right of the neighbor

then return to my inborn nature.'

Then I return to the tribe