يا لَقَيسٍ لِما لَقينا العاما

يا لَقَيسٍ لِما لَقينا العاما

أَلِعَبدٍ أَعراضُنا أَم عَلى ما

أَلِعَبدٍ أَعراضُنا أَم عَلى ما

O Qays, what we have suffered this year!

O Layqis when we met this year

Is our honor a slave's to assail—or on what grounds?

Were our aversions to a slave or because of what we fear?

لَيسَ عَن بَغضَةٍ حُذافَ وَلَكِن

لَيسَ عَن بَغضَةٍ حُذافَ وَلَكِن

كانَ جَهلاً بِذَلِكُم وَعُراما

كانَ جَهلاً بِذَلِكُم وَعُراما

It was not from hatred, Hudhāf, but

It was not out of hatred or rejection

it was ignorance of that, and insolence.

But it was out of ignorance of you and lack of connection

لَم نَطَأكُم يَوماً بِظُلمٍ وَلَم نَه

لَم نَطَأكُم يَوماً بِظُلمٍ وَلَم نَه

تِك حِجاباً وَلَم نُحِلَّ حَراما

تِك حِجاباً وَلَم نُحِلَّ حَراما

We never trod upon you unjustly, nor did we

We never wronged you or acted unjustly

rend a veil, nor declare forbidden things lawful.

Never ripped your veils or anything made taboo

يا بَني المُنذِرِ بنِ عَبيدانَ وَالبِط

يا بَني المُنذِرِ بنِ عَبيدانَ وَالبِط

نَةُ يَوماً قَد تَأفِنُ الأَحلاما

نَةُ يَوماً قَد تَأفِنُ الأَحلاما

O sons of al-Mundhir son of ʿAbīdān—satiety

O sons of Mundhir ibn Ubaydan al-Asadi

may one day dull the understanding.

Glory one day will vanish all dreams already

لِم أَمَرتُم عَبداً لِيَهجُوَ قَوماً

لِم أَمَرتُم عَبداً لِيَهجُوَ قَوماً

ظالِميهِم مِن غَيرِ جُرمٍ كِراما

ظالِميهِم مِن غَيرِ جُرمٍ كِراما

Why did you command a slave to satirize a people,

Why did you command a slave to satirize a people

noble men whom you wronged without any offense?

Who did no wrong yet were noble and eminent

وَالَّتي تُلبِثُ الرُؤوسَ مِنَ النُع

وَالَّتي تُلبِثُ الرُؤوسَ مِنَ النُع

مى وَيَأتي إِسماعُها الأَقواما

مى وَيَأتي إِسماعُها الأَقواما

And the favor that leaves heads upon their shoulders,

She who wears down heads with favors

and whose report reaches the peoples,

Her name reaches all the people and her fame savors

يَومَ حَجرٍ بِما أُزِلَّ إِلَيكُم

يَومَ حَجرٍ بِما أُزِلَّ إِلَيكُم

إِذ تُذَكّي في حافَتَيهِ الضِراما

إِذ تُذَكّي في حافَتَيهِ الضِراما

on the day of Hajr, through what was bestowed upon you,

The day of Hajar and what was revealed to you

when you kindled the flames along its two edges.

As sparks flew from its edges amidst embers anew

جارَ فيهِ نافى العُقابَ فَأَضحى

جارَ فيهِ نافى العُقابَ فَأَضحى

آئِدُ النَخلِ يَفضَحُ الجُرّاما

آئِدُ النَخلِ يَفضَحُ الجُرّاما

The eagle-defying palm leaned there, and then

An ally dwelt therein, who denied punishment

the sturdy palms put the harvesters to shame.

So the palm trunks exposed the ones who sin

فَتَراها كَالخُشنِ تَسفَحُها الني

فَتَراها كَالخُشنِ تَسفَحُها الني

رانُ سوداً مُصَرَّعاً وَقِياما

رانُ سوداً مُصَرَّعاً وَقِياما

You see them like rugged rocks, swept by

You see them like dry wood with fires pouring

the flames—blackened, some felled and some standing.

Black interspersed, rising up roaring

ثُمَّ بِالعَينِ عُرَّةٌ تَكسِفُ الشَم

ثُمَّ بِالعَينِ عُرَّةٌ تَكسِفُ الشَم

سَ وَيَوماً ما يَنجَلي إِظلاما

سَ وَيَوماً ما يَنجَلي إِظلاما

Then at al-ʿAyn, a scourge that eclipsed

Then with the eye a disgrace that darkens the sun

the sun, and a day whose darkness would not lift.

A day whose darkness will never be undone

إِذ أَتَتكُم شَيبانُ في شارِقِ الصُب

إِذ أَتَتكُم شَيبانُ في شارِقِ الصُب

حِ بِكَبشٍ تَرى لَهُ قُدّاما

حِ بِكَبشٍ تَرى لَهُ قُدّاما

When Shaybān came upon you at the break of

When Shayban came to you at dawn

dawn, with a ram-like leader whom you saw pressing ahead.

With a ram whose front you can see at morn

فَغَدَونا عَلَيهِمُ بَكَرَ الوِر

فَغَدَونا عَلَيهِمُ بَكَرَ الوِر

دِ كَما تورِدُ النَضيحَ الهِياما

دِ كَما تورِدُ النَضيحَ الهِياما

So we went against them at dawn, at the first

So we marched upon them early as the roses bloom

watering, as you bring parched water-drawing camels to drink.

With men like lions tried in war and gloom

بِرِجالٍ كَالأَسدِ حَرَّبَها الزَج

بِرِجالٍ كَالأَسدِ حَرَّبَها الزَج

رُ وَخَيلٍ ما تُنكِرُ الإِقداما

رُ وَخَيلٍ ما تُنكِرُ الإِقداما

With men like lions roused to fury by

And horses that would never refrain to dare

goading, and horses that never shrink from charging.

We do not spare them from the swords or care if we despair

لا نَقيها حَدَّ السُيوفِ وَلا نَأ

لا نَقيها حَدَّ السُيوفِ وَلا نَأ

لَمُ جوعاً وَلا نُبالي السُهاما

لَمُ جوعاً وَلا نُبالي السُهاما

We do not shield them from the swords' edge, nor do we

An hour when midday is most afire

feel the pain of hunger, nor heed the arrows.

As a shepherd folds his flock and does not tire

ساعَةً أَكبَرَ النَهارِ كَما شَل

ساعَةً أَكبَرَ النَهارِ كَما شَل

لَ مُخيلٌ لِنَوئهِ أَغناما

لَ مُخيلٌ لِنَوئهِ أَغناما

For an hour at the height of day, as

With youth you see not weary or bored

a rain-threatening cloud drives sheep away with its storm.

And elders hopeful with dreams still stored

مِن شَبابٍ تَراهُمُ غَيرَ ميلٍ

مِن شَبابٍ تَراهُمُ غَيرَ ميلٍ

وَكُهولاً مَراجِحاً أَحلاما

وَكُهولاً مَراجِحاً أَحلاما

Among them are youths whom you see unwavering,

Then they turned back at Al-Hafeeza so forlorn

and mature men of weighty judgment.

As the hot wind scatters dust at morn

ثُمَّ وَلّوا عِندَ الحَفيظَةِ وَالصَب

ثُمَّ وَلّوا عِندَ الحَفيظَةِ وَالصَب

رِ كَما يَطحَرُ الجَنوبُ الجَهاما

رِ كَما يَطحَرُ الجَنوبُ الجَهاما

Then they fled in the hour of defending honor and

That day on your mountain for us and you

standing firm, as the south wind drives rainless clouds.

Was a blessing, had you thanked the endowment anew

ذاكَ في جَبلِكُم لَنا وَعَلَيكُم

ذاكَ في جَبلِكُم لَنا وَعَلَيكُم

نِعمَةٌ لَو شَكَرتُمُ الإِنعاما

نِعمَةٌ لَو شَكَرتُمُ الإِنعاما

That, in your mountain, stands to our credit and your debt:

And when the smoke reminded of dark low clouds

a favor—if only you would give thanks for kindness.

Bringing heavy rains in flooded crowds

وَإِذا ما الدُخانُ شَبَّهَهُ الآ

وَإِذا ما الدُخانُ شَبَّهَهُ الآ

نُفُ يَوماً بِشَتوَةٍ أَهضاما

نُفُ يَوماً بِشَتوَةٍ أَهضاما

And when noses likened the smoke,

For the lighters flash over the valley’s lights

one winter's day, to low-lying hollows,

When their passion makes them burn so bright

فَلَقَد تُصلَقُ القِداحُ عَلى النَي

فَلَقَد تُصلَقُ القِداحُ عَلى النَي

بِ إِذا كانَ يَسرُهُنَّ غَراما

بِ إِذا كانَ يَسرُهُنَّ غَراما

then indeed the gaming arrows would rattle over

With swords in winter they appear

aged she-camels, when wagering on them meant costly loss,

Feeding every hungry soul without fear

بِمَساميحَ في الشِتاءِ يَخالو

بِمَساميحَ في الشِتاءِ يَخالو

نَ عَلى كُلِّ فالِجٍ إِطعاما

نَ عَلى كُلِّ فالِجٍ إِطعاما

in the hands of generous men in winter, who deemed

And tents like hills, horses and arms of red

every winner obliged to provide food.

Protecting from arrows overhead

وَقِبابٍ مِثلِ الهِضابِ وَخَيلٍ

وَقِبابٍ مِثلِ الهِضابِ وَخَيلٍ

وَصِعادٍ حُمرٍ يَقينَ السِماما

وَصِعادٍ حُمرٍ يَقينَ السِماما

And tents like hills, and horses,

In a frontier fort, raiders came forth

and red spears that ward off death,

When the dust merged with the warriors of worth

في مَحَلٍّ مِنَ الثُغورِ غُزاةٍ

في مَحَلٍّ مِنَ الثُغورِ غُزاةٍ

فَإِذا خالَطَ الغِوارُ السَواما

فَإِذا خالَطَ الغِوارُ السَواما

at a frontier encampment, as raiders;

We were the ones pursuing the rest

and when raiding broke into the grazing herds,

When the virgins displayed their gowns at their best

كانَ مِنّا المُطارِدونَ عَنِ الأُخ

كانَ مِنّا المُطارِدونَ عَنِ الأُخ

رى إِذا أَبدَتِ العَذارى الخِداما

رى إِذا أَبدَتِ العَذارى الخِداما

it was our riders who fought to defend the rear,

when the maidens bared their anklets.