خَشُنتِ عَلَيهِ أُختَ بَني خُشَينِ

خَشُنتِ عَلَيهِ أُختَ بَني خُشَينِ

وَأَنجَحَ فيكِ قَولُ العاذِلَينِ

وَأَنجَحَ فيكِ قَولُ العاذِلَينِ

You were harsh to him, sister of Banu Khushayn,

The sister of Bani Khusheen became harsh to him,

and the words of the two reproachers prevailed with you.

And the words of the censurers succeeded regarding you,

أَنَأياً وَاِجتِناباً أَيُّ صَبرٍ

أَنَأياً وَاِجتِناباً أَيُّ صَبرٍ

عَلى البَلوى يُعَرِّسُ بَينَ ذَينِ

عَلى البَلوى يُعَرِّسُ بَينَ ذَينِ

Estrangement and avoidance? What patience

What patience and avoidance, which wedding dress

under affliction can make camp between those two?

On affliction marries between the two?

أَلَم يُقنِعكِ فيهِ الهَجرُ حَتّى

أَلَم يُقنِعكِ فيهِ الهَجرُ حَتّى

بَكَلتِ لِقَلبِهِ هَجراً بِبَينِ

بَكَلتِ لِقَلبِهِ هَجراً بِبَينِ

Was forsaking him not enough for you, that

Didn’t estrangement satisfy you with him until

you mixed estrangement with separation for his heart?

You cried estrangement on his heart with separation?

بِما تَرَشَّفينَ نِطافَ وُدّي

بِما تَرَشَّفينَ نِطافَ وُدّي

وَتَبتَهِجينَ عِندَ حُلولِ دَيني

وَتَبتَهِجينَ عِندَ حُلولِ دَيني

For sipping the drops of my love,

With what you were gentle, intimate affection,

and rejoicing when my debt falls due,

And you rejoiced during the coming of my presence,

لَيالي لا تَرَينَ الدَمعَ تُنسي

لَيالي لا تَرَينَ الدَمعَ تُنسي

شُئونُكِ غَربَهُ حَتّى تَرَيني

شُئونُكِ غَربَهُ حَتّى تَرَيني

on nights when you see no tears, you are made to forget

Nights that do not see tears make you forget

their torrent by your cares, until you see me.

His affairs until you see me,

لِإِسحَقَ بنِ إِبراهيمَ كَفٌّ

لِإِسحَقَ بنِ إِبراهيمَ كَفٌّ

كَفَت عافيهِ نَوءَ المِرزَمَينِ

كَفَت عافيهِ نَوءَ المِرزَمَينِ

Ishaq ibn Ibrahim has a hand

For Ishaq ibn Ibraheem is a palm

that freed his supplicant from needing the two Mirzams' rain,

That protected his well-being from the twisting of the two spears,

وَنورا سُؤدُدٍ وَحِجاً إِذا ما

وَنورا سُؤدُدٍ وَحِجاً إِذا ما

رَأَيتَهُما رَأَيتَ الشِعرَيَينِ

رَأَيتَهُما رَأَيتَ الشِعرَيَينِ

and two lights of eminence and wisdom: whenever

And a light from Sodod and pilgrimage, if

you see them, you see the two Shi'ra stars.

You saw them, you saw the two poets,

وَمَجدٌ لَم يَدَعهُ الجودُ حَتّى

وَمَجدٌ لَم يَدَعهُ الجودُ حَتّى

أَقامَ مُناوِئاً لِلفَرقَدَينِ

أَقامَ مُناوِئاً لِلفَرقَدَينِ

And a glory that generosity would not leave until

And glory that generosity did not leave until

it stood as a rival to the two Farqad stars.

It stood as an adversary to the two horses,

حَليفُ نَدىً وَتِربُ عُلاً إِذا ما

حَليفُ نَدىً وَتِربُ عُلاً إِذا ما

هَتَفتَ بِهِ وَسَيفُ خَليفَتَينِ

هَتَفتَ بِهِ وَسَيفُ خَليفَتَينِ

An ally of bounty, a peer of greatness whenever

An ally of Nada and bred on nobility when

you call on him, and the sword of two caliphs.

The two swords of the two caliphs called for it,

سَلِ الجَبَلَ المُمَنَّعَ كَيفَ أَخنى

سَلِ الجَبَلَ المُمَنَّعَ كَيفَ أَخنى

عَلَيهِ زُخرُفا نَكَدٍ وَحينِ

عَلَيهِ زُخرُفا نَكَدٍ وَحينِ

Ask the impregnable mountain how it was laid waste

Ask the impenetrable mountain how the decoration

by the twin splendors of misery and death.

Of misery and hatred wore out on it,

أَزَلتَ الشَكَّ عَنهُم يَومَ رانَت

أَزَلتَ الشَكَّ عَنهُم يَومَ رانَت

ضَلالَتُهُم عَلَيهِم أَيَّ رَينِ

ضَلالَتُهُم عَلَيهِم أَيَّ رَينِ

You dispelled their doubt on the day they were overwhelmed

You removed doubt from them the day their

by their delusion—what a pall!

Misguidance appeared to them in any way,

لَقيتَهُمُ بِحَلّابِ المَنايا

لَقيتَهُمُ بِحَلّابِ المَنايا

بَعيدِ الرِزِّ نائي الحَجرَتَينِ

بَعيدِ الرِزِّ نائي الحَجرَتَينِ

You met them with a death-milker,

You met them at the cistern of death,

whose rumble reached far, whose two flanks lay wide apart.

Far from wealth, remote in the two encampments,

فَما أَبقَيتَ لِلسَيفِ اليَماني

فَما أَبقَيتَ لِلسَيفِ اليَماني

شَجاً فيهِم وَلا الرُمحِ الرُدَيني

شَجاً فيهِم وَلا الرُمحِ الرُدَيني

So you left for the Yemeni sword

So you did not leave the Yemeni sword

no thorn among them, nor for the Rudayni spear.

A wound in them, nor the two-edged spear,

وَقائِعُ أَشرَقَت مِنهُنَّ جَمعٌ

وَقائِعُ أَشرَقَت مِنهُنَّ جَمعٌ

إِلى خَيفَي مِنىً فَالمَوقِفَينِ

إِلى خَيفَي مِنىً فَالمَوقِفَينِ

Battles whose light made Jam' shine,

Events shone forth from them, an army

as far as Mina's two Khayfs, then the two stations.

To the valley of Mina, so the two standing-places,

ثَوى بِالمَشرِقَينِ لَهُم ضَجاجٌ

ثَوى بِالمَشرِقَينِ لَهُم ضَجاجٌ

أَطارَ قُلوبَ أَهلِ المَغرِبَينِ

أَطارَ قُلوبَ أَهلِ المَغرِبَينِ

Their clamor lingered in the two Easts,

Noisy for them in the two Easts, which

and sent the hearts of the two Wests' people flying.

Excited the hearts of the people of the two Wests,

عَمَمتَ الخَلقَ بِالنَعماءِ حَتّى

عَمَمتَ الخَلقَ بِالنَعماءِ حَتّى

غَدا الثَقَلانِ مِنهُما مُثقَلَينِ

غَدا الثَقَلانِ مِنهُما مُثقَلَينِ

You covered all creation with blessings, until

You encompassed creation with blessings until

the two weighty races grew burdened by them both.

The two creations from them became overloaded,

وَلَولا سَيفُكَ الماضي لَسَمَّوا

وَلَولا سَيفُكَ الماضي لَسَمَّوا

خَليلَي مِلَّةٍ وَمُحَمَّدَينِ

خَليلَي مِلَّةٍ وَمُحَمَّدَينِ

And were it not for your keen sword, they would have named

And were it not for your past sword they would have named

two Friends of a faith and two Muhammads.

Two gods, the gods of Abraham and Muhammad,

وَلَكِن قُلتَ وَالمُهجاتُ تَجري

وَلَكِن قُلتَ وَالمُهجاتُ تَجري

مَعاذَ اللَهِ مِن كَذِبٍ وَمَينِ

مَعاذَ اللَهِ مِن كَذِبٍ وَمَينِ

But you said, while lifeblood flowed:

But you said - and the pure hearts were flowing -

Refuge in God from lies and falsehood!

"I take refuge in God from lies and defiance."

مَحَوتَ بِها وَقائِعَ مِن مُلوكٍ

مَحَوتَ بِها وَقائِعَ مِن مُلوكٍ

وَكُنَّ وَقَد مَلَأتَ الخافِقَينِ

وَكُنَّ وَقَد مَلَأتَ الخافِقَينِ

With these you effaced the battles of kings,

You erased with it events from kings

and they had their day; you have filled both horizons.

When they were many, and you had filled the cosmos,

صَبيحَةَ خازِرٍ أَنسَت وَمَهوى

صَبيحَةَ خازِرٍ أَنسَت وَمَهوى

عُبَيدِ اللَهِ فيها وَالحُصَينِ

عُبَيدِ اللَهِ فيها وَالحُصَينِ

They eclipsed the morning of Khazir, and the fall

The morning of Khosrow erased, and the perishing

of 'Ubayd Allah there, and of al-Huṣayn.

Of Ubaydullah in it and the fortress,

وَفيفَ الريحِ إِذ دَلَفَت مَعَدٌّ

وَفيفَ الريحِ إِذ دَلَفَت مَعَدٌّ

بِأَجمَعِها وَأُسرَةُ ذي رُعَينِ

بِأَجمَعِها وَأُسرَةُ ذي رُعَينِ

And Fayf al-Rih, when Ma'add advanced

And the whirlwind of wind when Ma’add entered,

in its entirety, and the clan of Dhu Ru'ayn.

All of them, and the family of Ru’ayn,

وَأَيّامَ الذَنائِبِ زَعزَعَتها

وَأَيّامَ الذَنائِبِ زَعزَعَتها

وَيَومَ مُهَلهِلٍ وَالشَعثَمَينِ

وَيَومَ مُهَلهِلٍ وَالشَعثَمَينِ

And they shook the battle-days of al-Dhana'ib,

And the days of Dhu Nuwas which it shook,

and the day of Muhalhil and the two Sha'thams.

And the day of Muhalhil and the two plains,

وَأَيّامِ الكُلابِ غَداةَ هَزَّت

وَأَيّامِ الكُلابِ غَداةَ هَزَّت

مُرارِيَينِ فيها مُترَفَينِ

مُرارِيَينِ فيها مُترَفَينِ

And the days of al-Kulab, on the morning they shook

And the days of dogs when in the morning they shook

two pampered Muraris there.

The Marib dam, the debauched acting superior,

أَخٌ تَرَكَت أَسِنَّتُهُ أَخاهُ

أَخٌ تَرَكَت أَسِنَّتُهُ أَخاهُ

تَليلاً لِلجَبينِ وَلِليَدَينِ

تَليلاً لِلجَبينِ وَلِليَدَينِ

A brother whose spearheads left his brother

A brother whose tongues left his brother

felled upon his brow and both hands.

Exhausted, on the forehead and the hands,

وَمِن ساتيدَما بَروازَ فَلَّت

وَمِن ساتيدَما بَروازَ فَلَّت

شَبا فَخرٍ فَسيحَ الطائِفَينِ

شَبا فَخرٍ فَسيحَ الطائِفَينِ

And from Barwaz's Satidama they blunted

And from what destroyed Parwiz, so the pride

the sharp edges of pride, vast in both its bounds.

Of glory shook, wide in the two encampments,

بَلا فيها إِياسٌ كُلَّ لَدنٍ

بَلا فيها إِياسٌ كُلَّ لَدنٍ

وَكُلَّ مُصَمِّمٍ في العَظمِ لينِ

وَكُلَّ مُصَمِّمٍ في العَظمِ لينِ

There Iyas tested every supple spear,

Without despair in it ever, and every

and every supple blade that pierced bone.

Stubborn one submissive and flexible,

وَحُجراً وَاِمرَأَ القَيسِ بنَ حُجرٍ

وَحُجراً وَاِمرَأَ القَيسِ بنَ حُجرٍ

لَيالي كاهِلٍ وَبَني مُعَينِ

لَيالي كاهِلٍ وَبَني مُعَينِ

And Hujr, and Imru' al-Qays ibn Hujr,

And Khajra, and Imraul Qais ibn Hujr

on the nights of Kahil and Banu Mu'ayn.

The nights of Kahil and the tribe of Mu’ayn,

وَيَومَ البِشرِ أَنسَتهُ وَهَدَّت

وَيَومَ البِشرِ أَنسَتهُ وَهَدَّت

وَقائِعَ راهِطٍ وَبَناتِ قَينِ

وَقائِعَ راهِطٍ وَبَناتِ قَينِ

And they eclipsed the day of al-Bishr, and shattered

And the day of good news which erased

the battles of Rahit and Banat Qayn.

The events of Rabeet and the daughters of Qayn,

وَيَومَ المَصدقِيَّةِ حينَ ساموا

وَيَومَ المَصدقِيَّةِ حينَ ساموا

أَنوشَروانَ خَطباً غَيرَ هَينِ

أَنوشَروانَ خَطباً غَيرَ هَينِ

And the day of al-Masdaqiyya, when they brought

And the day of reconciliation when they

Anushirwan an ordeal that was no light matter.

Asked for the hand of Anushiravan improperly,

فَغاداهُم هَريتُ الشِدقِ جَهمٌ

فَغاداهُم هَريتُ الشِدقِ جَهمٌ

لَدى أَشبالِهِ ذو لِبدَتَينِ

لَدى أَشبالِهِ ذو لِبدَتَينِ

Then a grim, wide-jawed lion came upon them at dawn,

So Herit of the Lion’s Jaw, Jahm, confronted them

among his cubs, bearing two tufts of mane.

Among his cubs, of two hanging sides,

فَأَضحَوا بَعدَ عِزٍّ وَاِختِيالٍ

فَأَضحَوا بَعدَ عِزٍّ وَاِختِيالٍ

وَهُم عِبَرٌ لِأَهلِ المَشرِقَينِ

وَهُم عِبَرٌ لِأَهلِ المَشرِقَينِ

So, after might and swagger, they became

And they became, after might and arrogance,

warnings for the people of the two Easts.

A lesson for the people of the two Easts,

وَلَكِن أَذكَرَتنا يَومَ بَدرٍ

وَلَكِن أَذكَرَتنا يَومَ بَدرٍ

وَمُشتَجَرَ الأَسِنَّةِ في حُنَينِ

وَمُشتَجَرَ الأَسِنَّةِ في حُنَينِ

But they reminded us of the day of Badr,

But the day of Badr reminded us, when

and the tangle of spearheads at Hunayn.

The two tongues entangled at Hunayn,

رَدَدتَ الدينَ وَهوَ قَريرُ عَينٍ

رَدَدتَ الدينَ وَهوَ قَريرُ عَينٍ

بِها وَالكُفرَ وَهوَ سَخينُ عَينِ

بِها وَالكُفرَ وَهوَ سَخينُ عَينِ

You brought the faith back, its eye cool with joy,

You restored the religion while it was delightful

through these, and unbelief, its eye hot with grief.

With it, and disbelief while boiling hot,

أَلا إِنَّ النَدى أَضحى أَميراً

أَلا إِنَّ النَدى أَضحى أَميراً

عَلى مالِ الأَميرِ أَبي الحُسَينِ

عَلى مالِ الأَميرِ أَبي الحُسَينِ

Lo, generosity has become an emir

Indeed, Nada has become the prince

over the wealth of Emir Abu al-Husayn.

Over the wealth of the prince Abu Al-Husayn,

إِذا يَدُهُ بِنائِلِهِ اِستَهَلَّت

إِذا يَدُهُ بِنائِلِهِ اِستَهَلَّت

فَوَيلٌ لِلنُضارِ وَلِلُّجَينِ

فَوَيلٌ لِلنُضارِ وَلِلُّجَينِ

When his hand showers forth his bounty,

When his hand with its attainments began

then woe to gold and silver!

So woe to the delicate and the piercings,

نَوالُكَ رَدَّ حُسّادي فُلولاً

نَوالُكَ رَدَّ حُسّادي فُلولاً

وَأَصلَحَ بَينَ أَيّامي وَبَيني

وَأَصلَحَ بَينَ أَيّامي وَبَيني

Your bounty sent my enviers back in broken ranks,

Your gifts returned my enviers defeated

and made peace between my days and me.

And repaired between my days and me,

فَأَصبَحَ وَهوَ لي طَوقٌ وَأَمسى

فَأَصبَحَ وَهوَ لي طَوقٌ وَأَمسى

مَديحُكَ نُقلَ أَهلِ العَسكَرَينِ

مَديحُكَ نُقلَ أَهلِ العَسكَرَينِ

So by morning it was a necklace for me, and by evening

So it became a necklace for me and your

praise of you was the sweetmeat of the people of the two camps.

Praise spread among the people of the two armies,