خَلَعتُ عِنانَ الفَودَجِيَّةِ بَعدَما

خَلَعتُ عِنانَ الفَودَجِيَّةِ بَعدَما

رَمَت بِشُعَيثٍ فَوقَ غُبرِ المَخارِمِ

رَمَت بِشُعَيثٍ فَوقَ غُبرِ المَخارِمِ

I removed al-Fawdajiyya’s reins after

I loosened the reins of my she-camel after she

she had cast Shuʿayth over the dust-grey mountain passes.

Galloped over the dust of ancient ruins

تَبَغَّينَ بُلكوثاً ثَلاثاً يَعُدنَهُ

تَبَغَّينَ بُلكوثاً ثَلاثاً يَعُدنَهُ

وَيَومَينِ ما يَعجُمنَ غيرَ الشَكائِمِ

وَيَومَينِ ما يَعجُمنَ غيرَ الشَكائِمِ

They sought Bulkūth for three nights, visiting him,

Longing for three nights of rest where they count them

and two days, gnawing nothing but their bits.

And two days where none are heard but the wailers

تَبَغَّينَهُ في أَهلِهِ فَوَجَدنَهُ

تَبَغَّينَهُ في أَهلِهِ فَوَجَدنَهُ

عَظيمَ السَوادِ عِندَ مَدِّ القَوائِمِ

عَظيمَ السَوادِ عِندَ مَدِّ القَوائِمِ

They sought him among his kin and found him

Longing for rest among his people, yet there he was found

of great bulk when his legs were stretched out.

Great and dark-coated, standing tall amid the rising tents