أَتَشفيكَ تَيّا أَم تُرِكتَ بِدائِكا

أَتَشفيكَ تَيّا أَم تُرِكتَ بِدائِكا

وَكانَت قَتولاً لِلرِجالِ كَذَلِكا

وَكانَت قَتولاً لِلرِجالِ كَذَلِكا

Does this little one heal you, or have you been left with your ailment?

Do I console you, oh Tayy, or are you left to your own pain?

And she was deadly to men in just that way.

She was fatal to men, likewise.

وَأَقصَرتَ عَن ذِكرِ البَطالَةِ وَالصِبى

وَأَقصَرتَ عَن ذِكرِ البَطالَةِ وَالصِبى

وَكانَت سَفاهاً ضَلَّةً مِن ضَلالِكا

وَكانَت سَفاهاً ضَلَّةً مِن ضَلالِكا

And you have ceased speaking of idle pleasure and youthful passion,

You fell short in mentioning idleness and childhood,

And it was folly, one error among your wanderings.

And that was ignorance, straying from your straying.

وَما كانَ إِلّا الحَينَ يَومَ لَقيتَها

وَما كانَ إِلّا الحَينَ يَومَ لَقيتَها

وَقَطعَ جَديدٍ حَبلُها مِن حِبالِكا

وَقَطعَ جَديدٍ حَبلُها مِن حِبالِكا

And it was nothing but doom the day you met her,

It was just at the time when you met her,

And her cord's severing a fresh cord among yours.

And the new rope cut her rope from your ropes.

وَقامَت تُريني بَعدَما نامَ صُحبَتي

وَقامَت تُريني بَعدَما نامَ صُحبَتي

بَياضَ ثَناياها وَأَسوَدَ حالِكا

بَياضَ ثَناياها وَأَسوَدَ حالِكا

And she rose to show me, after my companions had fallen asleep,

She got up to show me, after my companionship had slept,

The white of her front teeth, and something pitch-black.

The whiteness of her molars and the blackness of your state.

وَيَهماءَ قَفرٍ تَخرُجُ العَينُ وَسطَها

وَيَهماءَ قَفرٍ تَخرُجُ العَينُ وَسطَها

وَتَلقى بِها بَيضَ النَعامِ تَرائِكا

وَتَلقى بِها بَيضَ النَعامِ تَرائِكا

And a trackless, barren waste, whose midst makes the eye bulge,

And a desolate wasteland where the eye goes into its middle

And there you find ostrich eggs left abandoned.

And finds ostrich eggs wandering in your midst.

يَقولُ بِها ذو قُوَّةِ القَومِ إِذ دَنا

يَقولُ بِها ذو قُوَّةِ القَومِ إِذ دَنا

لِصاحِبِهِ إِذ خافَ مِنها المَهالِكَ

لِصاحِبِهِ إِذ خافَ مِنها المَهالِكَ

There the strong man of the company says, as he draws near,

The strong man of the people said to his companion when he feared destruction from it:

To his companion, fearing its deadly perils:

Woe to you, cast a glance around us with the eye, cautiously,

لَكَ الوَيلُ أَفشِ الطَرفَ بِالعَينِ حَولَنا

لَكَ الوَيلُ أَفشِ الطَرفَ بِالعَينِ حَولَنا

عَلى حَذَرٍ وَأَبقِ ما في سِقائِكا

عَلى حَذَرٍ وَأَبقِ ما في سِقائِكا

Woe to you! Cast your eye all around us,

And keep what is in your waterskin.

With caution, and save what is in your waterskin.

And a frightening rugged path I crossed with swiftness,

وَخَرقٍ مَخوفٍ قَد قَطَعتُ بِجَسرَةٍ

وَخَرقٍ مَخوفٍ قَد قَطَعتُ بِجَسرَةٍ

إِذا الجِبسُ أَعيا أَن يَرومَ المَسالِكا

إِذا الجِبسُ أَعيا أَن يَرومَ المَسالِكا

And a fearsome desert expanse I have crossed on a sturdy she-camel,

When the solid ground despaired of reaching the roads.

When the coward was unable to attempt its paths.

When the night, its stars were wagering

قَطَعتُ إِذا ما اللَيلُ كانَت نُجومُهُ

قَطَعتُ إِذا ما اللَيلُ كانَت نُجومُهُ

تَراهُنَّ في جَوِّ السَماءِ سَوامِكا

تَراهُنَّ في جَوِّ السَماءِ سَوامِكا

I crossed it when, at night, its stars

In the atmosphere of the sky, your stakes.

Were seen high in the air of heaven.

With the blood of wild onagers I made its hump flow,

بِأَدماءَ حُرجوجٍ بَرَيتُ سَنامَها

بِأَدماءَ حُرجوجٍ بَرَيتُ سَنامَها

بِسَيري عَلَيها بَعدَما كانَ تامِكا

بِسَيري عَلَيها بَعدَما كانَ تامِكا

On a white, tall, lean she-camel whose hump I wore down,

By traveling over it after it had been complete.

By riding her, after it had stood high and full.

It has two thighs that inevitably goad,

لَها فَخِذانِ تَحفِزانِ مَحالَةً

لَها فَخِذانِ تَحفِزانِ مَحالَةً

وَصُلباً كَبُنيانِ الصَفا مُتَلاحِكا

وَصُلباً كَبُنيانِ الصَفا مُتَلاحِكا

She has two thighs that thrust her backbone forward,

And a firmness like the compactness of al-Safa interlocked.

And a back close-knit like a structure of solid rock;

And a chest you see angularity in its shoulders,

وَزَوراً تَرى في مِرفَقَيهِ تَجانُفاً

وَزَوراً تَرى في مِرفَقَيهِ تَجانُفاً

نَبيلاً كَبَيتِ الصَيدَلانِيِّ دامِكا

نَبيلاً كَبَيتِ الصَيدَلانِيِّ دامِكا

And a chest whose elbows you see slanting outward,

Noble like the house of the apothecary lasting.

Massive and lofty, like an apothecary's house;

And a delicate, firm, masculine head,

وَرَأساً دَقيقَ الخَطمِ صُلباً مُذَكَّراً

وَرَأساً دَقيقَ الخَطمِ صُلباً مُذَكَّراً

وَدَأياً كَأَعناقِ الضِباعِ وَحارِكا

وَدَأياً كَأَعناقِ الضِباعِ وَحارِكا

And a head narrow in the muzzle, hard and masculine;

And a body like the necks of lionesses, perplexing.

And neckbones like the necks of hyenas, and a withers ridge.

To the tumultuous Giver I sent my eulogy,

إِلى هَوذَةَ الوَهّابِ أَهدَيتُ مِدحَتي

إِلى هَوذَةَ الوَهّابِ أَهدَيتُ مِدحَتي

أُرَجّي نَوالاً فاضِلاً مِن عَطائِكا

أُرَجّي نَوالاً فاضِلاً مِن عَطائِكا

To Hawdha the lavish giver I offered my praise,

Hoping for an excellent gift from your gifts.

Hoping for abundant bounty from your gifts.

My she-camel kept aside from all of al-Yamamah,

تَجانَفُ عَن جُلِّ اليَمامَةِ ناقَتي

تَجانَفُ عَن جُلِّ اليَمامَةِ ناقَتي

وَما قَصَدَت مِن أَهلِها لِسِوائِكا

وَما قَصَدَت مِن أَهلِها لِسِوائِكا

My she-camel veers away from most of al-Yamamah,

And did not head for its people seeking your seeking.

And seeks none among its people except you.

She touched some tribes, so she avoided their cisterns,

أَلَمَّت بِأَقوامٍ فَعافَت حِياضَهُم

أَلَمَّت بِأَقوامٍ فَعافَت حِياضَهُم

قَلوصِي وَكانَ الشَربُ مِنها بِمائِكا

قَلوصِي وَكانَ الشَربُ مِنها بِمائِكا

She came by tribes, then shunned their watering pools—

Stingy, while the drinking from it was with your water.

My young she-camel; she drank at your water.

So when she came to the sheltering sands and its people,

فَلَمّا أَتَت آطامَ جَوٍّ وَأَهلَهُ

فَلَمّا أَتَت آطامَ جَوٍّ وَأَهلَهُ

أُنيخَت وَأَلقَت رَحلَها بِفَنائِكا

أُنيخَت وَأَلقَت رَحلَها بِفَنائِكا

And when she reached the forts of Jaww and its people,

She knelt down and cast off her saddle in your courtyard.

She was made to kneel and laid her saddle in your forecourt.

And no one’s effort in the people reached your effort, O unique one,

وَلَم يَسعَ في الأَقوامِ سَعيَكَ واحِدٌ

وَلَم يَسعَ في الأَقوامِ سَعيَكَ واحِدٌ

وَلَيسَ إِناءٌ لِلنَدى كَإِنائِكا

وَلَيسَ إِناءٌ لِلنَدى كَإِنائِكا

And no one among the peoples has matched your striving,

Nor is there a container for dew like your container.

Nor is any vessel for generosity like yours.

I heard of generosity, bounty, and gentleness,

سَمِعتُ بِسَمعِ الباعِ وَالجودِ وَالنَدى

سَمِعتُ بِسَمعِ الباعِ وَالجودِ وَالنَدى

فَأَدلَيتُ دَلوي فَاِستَقَت بِرِشائِكا

فَأَدلَيتُ دَلوي فَاِستَقَت بِرِشائِكا

I heard of your famed reach, your bounty, and your generosity,

So I let down my bucket, and it drew with your rope.

So I lowered my bucket, and it drew water with your rope.

A man who could bear burdens, if others than him

فَتىً يَحمِلُ الأَعباءَ لَو كانَ غَيرُهُ

فَتىً يَحمِلُ الأَعباءَ لَو كانَ غَيرُهُ

مِنَ الناسِ لَم يَنهَض بِها مُتَماسِكا

مِنَ الناسِ لَم يَنهَض بِها مُتَماسِكا

A young man who bears burdens; were it someone else

From the people had to carry them, would not remain coherent.

Among men, he could not rise under them and hold firm.

And you are the one who taught me to feather myself,

وَأَنتَ الَّذي عَوَّدتَني أَن تَريشَني

وَأَنتَ الَّذي عَوَّدتَني أَن تَريشَني

وَأَنتَ الَّذي آوَيتَني في ظِلالِكا

وَأَنتَ الَّذي آوَيتَني في ظِلالِكا

And you are the one who has accustomed me to your feathering me with wealth,

And you are the one who sheltered me in your shade.

And you are the one who sheltered me in your shade.

So indeed, you have a share in me of

فَإِنَّكَ فيما بَينَنا فِيَّ موزَعٌ

فَإِنَّكَ فيما بَينَنا فِيَّ موزَعٌ

بِخَيرٍ وَإِنّي مولَعٌ بِثَنائِكا

بِخَيرٍ وَإِنّي مولَعٌ بِثَنائِكا

For in what lies between us, you are devoted to me

Good, and I am inclined towards your praise.

With kindness, and I am devoted to praising you.

You found Ali a builder so you inherited him,

وَجَدتَ عَلِيّاً بانِياً فَوَرِثتَهُ

وَجَدتَ عَلِيّاً بانِياً فَوَرِثتَهُ

وَطَلقاً وَشَيبانَ الجَوادَ وَمالِكا

وَطَلقاً وَشَيبانَ الجَوادَ وَمالِكا

And you found Ali a builder, and became his heir,

As well as Talha and Shayban the generous and your property.

And the heir of Talq, generous Shayban, and Malik.

Radiant seas that sustain the people in every serious situation -

بُحورٌ تَقوتُ الناسَ في كُلِّ لَزبَةٍ

بُحورٌ تَقوتُ الناسَ في كُلِّ لَزبَةٍ

أَبوكَ وَأَعمامٌ هُمُ هَؤُلائِكَا

أَبوكَ وَأَعمامٌ هُمُ هَؤُلائِكَا

Seas that sustain people in every hardship—

Your father and uncles, they are those.

Your father and your uncles: these are the men.

And that is only because your two palms are with bounty

وَما ذاكَ إِلّا أَنَّ كَفَّيكَ بِالنَدى

وَما ذاكَ إِلّا أَنَّ كَفَّيكَ بِالنَدى

تَجودانِ بِالإِعطاءِ قَبلَ سُؤالِكا

تَجودانِ بِالإِعطاءِ قَبلَ سُؤالِكا

And that is only because your two hands, in generosity,

That give with generosity before being asked.

Give lavishly before you are asked.

They say, in parity, his biggest concern

يَقولونَ في الإِكفاءِ أَكبَرُ هَمِّهِ

يَقولونَ في الإِكفاءِ أَكبَرُ هَمِّهِ

أَلا رُبَّ مِنهُم مَن يَعيشُ بِمالِكا

أَلا رُبَّ مِنهُم مَن يَعيشُ بِمالِكا

They say his chief concern is lending camels for others' use;

Is - how many of them live off your property!

Indeed, many among them live on your wealth.

You found the collapse of a ridge so you rebuilt it

وَجَدتَ اِنهِدامَ ثُلمَةٍ فَبَنَيتَها

وَجَدتَ اِنهِدامَ ثُلمَةٍ فَبَنَيتَها

فَأَنعَمتَ إِذ أَلحَقتَها بِبِنائِكا

فَأَنعَمتَ إِذ أَلحَقتَها بِبِنائِكا

And you found a breach in ruins and rebuilt it,

Thus you blessed when you joined it to your structure.

And did well when you joined it to your building.

And you nurtured orphans and embraced a girl child

وَرَبَّيتَ أَيتاماً وَأَلحَقتَ صِبيَةً

وَرَبَّيتَ أَيتاماً وَأَلحَقتَ صِبيَةً

وَأَدرَكتَ جَهدَ السَعيِ قَبلَ عَنائِكا

وَأَدرَكتَ جَهدَ السَعيِ قَبلَ عَنائِكا

And you reared orphans and brought young children along,

And undertook the effort of striving before your fatigue.

And attained the utmost in striving before you grew weary.

And no glorious one’s striving in the prominent equaled your striving

وَلَم يَسعَ في العَلياءِ سَعيَكَ ماجِدٌ

وَلَم يَسعَ في العَلياءِ سَعيَكَ ماجِدٌ

وَلا ذو إِنىً في الحَيِّ مِثلَ قَرائِكا

وَلا ذو إِنىً في الحَيِّ مِثلَ قَرائِكا

And no noble man has striven for eminence as you have,

Nor one of resolve in the living like your neighbors.

Nor does any man with a vessel in the tribe offer hospitality like yours.

And every year you launch a raid,

وَفي كُلِّ عامٍ أَنتَ جاشِمُ غَزوَةٍ

وَفي كُلِّ عامٍ أَنتَ جاشِمُ غَزوَةٍ

تَشُدُّ لِأَقصاها عَزيمَ عَزائِكا

تَشُدُّ لِأَقصاها عَزيمَ عَزائِكا

And every year you undertake the hardships of a campaign,

Girding your will for its farthest point.

Strengthening your firm resolve for its farthest reach.

Bestowing wealth, and in praise, prestige,

مُوَرِّثَةٍ مالاً وَفي الحَمدِ رِفعَةَ

مُوَرِّثَةٍ مالاً وَفي الحَمدِ رِفعَةَ

لِما ضاعَ فيها مِن قُروءِ نِسائِكا

لِما ضاعَ فيها مِن قُروءِ نِسائِكا

Bequeathing wealth and, in praise, high standing,

For what was lost in it of your wombs' offspring.

In return for your women's intervals of purity lost during it.

The birds inform them of you with a cry,

تُخَبِّرُهُنَّ الطَيرُ عَنكَ بِأَوبَةٍ

تُخَبِّرُهُنَّ الطَيرُ عَنكَ بِأَوبَةٍ

وَعَينٌ أَقَرَّت نَومَها بِلِقائِكا

وَعَينٌ أَقَرَّت نَومَها بِلِقائِكا

The birds bring them word of your return,

And an eye that settled its sleep with seeing you.

And an eye finds peaceful sleep upon meeting you.