أَلا يا قَيسُ لا تَسِمنَ دِرعي

أَلا يا قَيسُ لا تَسِمنَ دِرعي

فَما مِثلي يُساوِمُ بَالدُروعِ

فَما مِثلي يُساوِمُ بَالدُروعِ

Listen, Qays: do not bid for my coat of mail,

Alas, O Qays, do not bargain for my coat of mail,

For one like me does not haggle over coats of mail.

For one like me does not barter with coats of mail.

فَلَولا خَلَّةٍ لِأَبي جَوَىًّ

فَلَولا خَلَّةٍ لِأَبي جَوَىًّ

وَأَنّي لَستُ عَنها بِالنَزوعِ

وَأَنّي لَستُ عَنها بِالنَزوعِ

Were it not for my friendship with Abu Jawa,

Had it not been for a slip of my father Jawwa,

And that I will not turn away from it,

And that I cannot do without it,

لَأَبَت بِمِثلِها عَشرٌ وَطِرفٌ

لَأَبَت بِمِثلِها عَشرٌ وَطِرفٌ

لَحوقُ الأَطلِ جَيّاشُ تَليعِ

لَحوقُ الأَطلِ جَيّاشُ تَليعِ

I would have come away with its worth—ten [camels] and a noble steed,

Ten or more like it would have been offered

Lean-flanked, surging in stride, long-necked.

At the noise of the running of the piebald one.

وَلَكِن سَمِّ ما أَحبَبتَ فيها

وَلَكِن سَمِّ ما أَحبَبتَ فيها

فَلَيسَ بِمُنكِرٍ غِبنَ البُيوعِ

فَلَيسَ بِمُنكِرٍ غِبنَ البُيوعِ

But name whatever price you wish for it:

But name your price for what you wish of it,

For loss in bargains is nothing strange.

For loss in barter is no disgrace.

فَما هِبَةُ الدُروعِ أَخا بَغيضٍ

فَما هِبَةُ الدُروعِ أَخا بَغيضٍ

وَلا الخَيلُ السَوابِقِ بِالبَديعِ

وَلا الخَيلُ السَوابِقِ بِالبَديعِ

For neither giving coats of mail, O kinsman of Baghid,

Gifts of mail coats, my brother, are not unpleasant,

Nor giving fleet racing horses is anything new.

Nor are racing horses uncomely.