بَني سَوّارَ إِن رَثَت ثِيابي

بَني سَوّارَ إِن رَثَت ثِيابي

وَكَلَّ عَنِ العَشيرَةِ فَضلُ مالي

وَكَلَّ عَنِ العَشيرَةِ فَضلُ مالي

O sons of Sawwār, if my clothes grow threadbare

O my friends, if my clothes are worn

and my surplus wealth no longer serves the clan,

And my wealth no longer benefits the family

فَمُطَّرَحٌ وَمَتروكٌ كَلامي

فَمُطَّرَحٌ وَمَتروكٌ كَلامي

وَتَجفوني الأَقارِبُ وَالمَوالي

وَتَجفوني الأَقارِبُ وَالمَوالي

then my words are cast aside and disregarded,

Then my words are discarded and neglected

and my relatives and allies shun me.

And my relatives and loyalists shun me

أَلَم أًكٌ مِن سَراةِ بَني نُعَيمٍ

أَلَم أًكٌ مِن سَراةِ بَني نُعَيمٍ

أَحُلُّ البَيتَ ذا العَمَدِ الطِوالِ

أَحُلُّ البَيتَ ذا العَمَدِ الطِوالِ

Was I not among the nobles of Banu Nuʿaym,

Was I not from the chiefs of Bani Nu'aym

dwelling in the tent with towering poles?

Who inhabited the house with the tall pillars?

وَحَولي كُلُّ أَصيَدَ تَغلَبِيٍّ

وَحَولي كُلُّ أَصيَدَ تَغلَبِيٍّ

أَبِيُّ الضَيمِ مُشتَرَكُ النَوالِ

أَبِيُّ الضَيمِ مُشتَرَكُ النَوالِ

And around me is every proud man of Taghlib,

Around me were all the prey of Taghlib

refusing humiliation, his bounty shared by all.

Generous, who shared food without reserve

إِذا حَضَرَ الغَداءُ فَغَيرُ مُغنٍ

إِذا حَضَرَ الغَداءُ فَغَيرُ مُغنٍ

وَيُغني حينَ تَشتَجِرُ العَوالي

وَيُغني حينَ تَشتَجِرُ العَوالي

When the morning meal is served, he is of no use,

When it was time to eat, I was not in need

but proves his worth when the spears clash.

And I was sufficient when calamities stirred

وَأَبقَوني فَلَستُ بِمُستَكينٍ

وَأَبقَوني فَلَستُ بِمُستَكينٍ

لِصاحِبِ ثَروَةٍ أُخرى اللَيالي

لِصاحِبِ ثَروَةٍ أُخرى اللَيالي

And leave me be, for I will not abase myself

They left me, and I am not destitute

before a man of wealth, for as long as nights endure,

To the man of riches who counts the nights

وَلا بِمُمَسِّحِ المُثرينَ كَيما

وَلا بِمُمَسِّحِ المُثرينَ كَيما

أُمَسِّحَ مِن طَعامِهِم سِبالي

أُمَسِّحَ مِن طَعامِهِم سِبالي

nor flatter the wealthy merely so that

Nor am I the flatterer of the wealthy

I may wipe their food from my mustaches.

So I may wipe from their food my moustache

أَنا اِبنُ العَنبَرِيَّةِ أَزَّرَتني

أَنا اِبنُ العَنبَرِيَّةِ أَزَّرَتني

إِزارَ المَكرُماتِ إِزارَ خالي

إِزارَ المَكرُماتِ إِزارَ خالي

I am the son of al-ʿAnbariyya; she girded me

I am the son of Anbar, who clothed me

with the waistcloth of noble deeds—my maternal uncle's waistcloth.

With the waist wrapper of honours, my uncle's waist wrapper

فَإِن يَكُن الغِنى مَجداً فَإِنّي

فَإِن يَكُن الغِنى مَجداً فَإِنّي

سَأَدعو اللَهَ بِالرِزقِ الحَلالِ

سَأَدعو اللَهَ بِالرِزقِ الحَلالِ

So if wealth is glory, then I

So if wealth is glory, then I

shall pray to God for lawful sustenance.

Will call on Allah for lawful provision