جَهِلتَ عَلَيَّ اِبنَ الحَيا وظَلَمتَني

جَهِلتَ عَلَيَّ اِبنَ الحَيا وظَلَمتَني

وَجمَّعتَ قَولاً جاءَ بيتاً مُضَلِّلا

وَجمَّعتَ قَولاً جاءَ بيتاً مُضَلِّلا

You were insolent toward me, son of al-Haya, and wronged me,

You accused me, son of life, and did me wrong,

and cobbled together words that became a misleading verse.

And gathered words that brought misleading verses.

عَدَدتَ قُشَيراً إِذ فَخَرتَ فَلَم أُسَأ

عَدَدتَ قُشَيراً إِذ فَخَرتَ فَلَم أُسَأ

بِذاكَ وَلَم أَزمَعكَ عَن ذاكَ معزِلا

بِذاكَ وَلَم أَزمَعكَ عَن ذاكَ معزِلا

You named Qushayr when you boasted, and I was not offended

You counted on the peel when you boasted, but I did not complain,

by that, nor did I suppose you excluded from it.

Nor did I prevent you from that.

مَرِحتَ وَأَطرافُ الكَلاَليبِ تُتَّقى

مَرِحتَ وَأَطرافُ الكَلاَليبِ تُتَّقى

فَقَد عَبَطَ الماءُ الحَميمُ فَأَسهَلا

فَقَد عَبَطَ الماءُ الحَميمُ فَأَسهَلا

You reveled, though the points of grappling hooks are to be feared;

You enjoyed yourself while the ends of the clubs were feared,

for the scalding water has gushed forth and flowed down.

For boiling water flowed easily down.

فَإِن كُنتَ تَلحاهُ لِتَنقُلَ مَجدَناً

فَإِن كُنتَ تَلحاهُ لِتَنقُلَ مَجدَناً

لِسَبرةَ فانقُل ذا المناكِبَ يَذبُلا

لِسَبرةَ فانقُل ذا المناكِبَ يَذبُلا

If you reproach him to transfer our glory

If you seek it to move our glory

to Sabra, then move broad-shouldered Yadhbul!

To the tent of travel, it will wither.

وَإِنّي لأَرجو إِن أَرَدتَ اِنتِقالَهُ

وَإِنّي لأَرجو إِن أَرَدتَ اِنتِقالَهُ

بكفَّيكَ أَن يَأتي عَلَيكَ ويَثقُلا

بكفَّيكَ أَن يَأتي عَلَيكَ ويَثقُلا

And I indeed hope, if you intend to move it

And I hope, if you want to move it

with your two hands, that it falls upon you and weighs heavily.

With your palms, that it will come upon you and weigh heavily.

وَنَحنُ حَبَسنا الحَيَّ عَبساً وَعامراً

وَنَحنُ حَبَسنا الحَيَّ عَبساً وَعامراً

لِحَسّانَ واِبنِ الجونِ إِذ قِيلَ أقبَلا

لِحَسّانَ واِبنِ الجونِ إِذ قِيلَ أقبَلا

We held back the tribespeople of Abs and Amir

We kept the living man sullen and flourishing

for Hassan and Ibn al-Jawn, when word came that the two had approached.

For Hassaan and Ibn Al-Jawn when it was said they came.

وَقَد صَعِدَت عَن ذِي بِحارٍ نِساؤُهُم

وَقَد صَعِدَت عَن ذِي بِحارٍ نِساؤُهُم

كإِصعادِ نَسرٍ لا يَرُموُنَ مَنزِلا

كإِصعادِ نَسرٍ لا يَرُموُنَ مَنزِلا

Their women had ascended away from Dhu Bihar,

Their women ascended from Dhi Bihaar

like a soaring eagle, seeking no place to settle.

Like the ascent of eagles that seek no stopping place.

عَطَفنا لَهُم عَطفَ الضَرُوسِ فَصادَفوا

عَطَفنا لَهُم عَطفَ الضَرُوسِ فَصادَفوا

مِنَ الهَضبَةِ الحَمراءِ عِزّاً وَمِعقِلا

مِنَ الهَضبَةِ الحَمراءِ عِزّاً وَمِعقِلا

We turned toward them like a biting she-camel, and they encountered

We turned to them with the compassion of ostriches, so they met

the red plateau's might and stronghold.

Honor and an impregnable fortress from the red plateau.

دَعَتنَا النِساءُ إِذ عَرَفنَ وُجُوهَنا

دَعَتنَا النِساءُ إِذ عَرَفنَ وُجُوهَنا

دُعاءَ نِساءٍ لَم يُفارِقنَ عَن قِلى

دُعاءَ نِساءٍ لَم يُفارِقنَ عَن قِلى

The women called to us when they recognized our faces,

The women called us when they recognized our faces,

calling like women whose parting had not been from hatred:

The call of women who did not abandon the tribe.

حَنيِنَ الهِجانِ الأُدمِ نادى بِوِردِها

حَنيِنَ الهِجانِ الأُدمِ نادى بِوِردِها

سُقاةُ يَمُدّونَ المَواتِحَ بِالدِلا

سُقاةُ يَمُدّونَ المَواتِحَ بِالدِلا

the yearning cries of noble, pale camels, summoned to water

The camels’ yearning bleated with the milking time

by waterers supplying the water-drawers with buckets.

When the water-drawers offered the keys insistently.

فَقُلنا لَهُم خَلُّوا طَريقَ نِسائِنا

فَقُلنا لَهُم خَلُّوا طَريقَ نِسائِنا

فَقالُوا لَنا كَلاَّ فَقُلنا لَهُم بَلى

فَقالُوا لَنا كَلاَّ فَقُلنا لَهُم بَلى

We said to them, 'Clear the way for our women.'

So we said to them, “Leave the path of our women,”

They said to us, 'No!' We said to them, 'Yes!'

But they said to us, “No!” So we said to them, “Yes!”

فَنَحنُ غِضابٌ مِن مَكانِ نِسائِنا

فَنَحنُ غِضابٌ مِن مَكانِ نِسائِنا

ويَسفَعُنا حَرُّ مِنَ النارِ يُصطَلى

ويَسفَعُنا حَرُّ مِنَ النارِ يُصطَلى

We were enraged at our women's plight,

For we are wrathful defenders of our women’s quarters

and heat scorched us from a fire one warms oneself beside.

And hot cinders from fire are kindled against us.

تَفُورُ عَلَينا قِدرُهُم فَنُديِمُها

تَفُورُ عَلَينا قِدرُهُم فَنُديِمُها

وَنَفثَؤُها عَنّا إِذ حَميُها غَلا

وَنَفثَؤُها عَنّا إِذ حَميُها غَلا

Their cauldron boils against us, but we still its seething

Their cauldrons boil over us, so we stir them,

and cool it to ward it off when its heat boils over,

And scatter them from us when their heat increases,

بِطَعنٍ كَتَشهاقِ الجِحاشِ شَهيقُهُ

بِطَعنٍ كَتَشهاقِ الجِحاشِ شَهيقُهُ

وَضَربٍ لَهُ ما كانَ مِن ساعِدٍ خَلا

وَضَربٍ لَهُ ما كانَ مِن ساعِدٍ خَلا

with thrusts whose gasping sounds like young donkeys braying,

With a stab like the gasping of Mulawwah,

and blows that claim any forearm left unguarded.

And blows from an arm that knew no restraint.

فَلَم أَرَ يَوماً كانَ أَكثَرَ باكِياً

فَلَم أَرَ يَوماً كانَ أَكثَرَ باكِياً

وَوَجهاً تَرَى فيهِ الكآبَةَ مُجتَلى

وَوَجهاً تَرَى فيهِ الكآبَةَ مُجتَلى

I never saw a day with more mourners,

Never did I see a day so full of weeping

or faces laid bare, on which you could see sorrow,

And faces in which sadness was tattooed.

وَمُفتَصَلاً عَن ثَديِ أُمٍّ تُحبُّهُ

وَمُفتَصَلاً عَن ثَديِ أُمٍّ تُحبُّهُ

عَزِيزٌ عَلَيها أَن يُفارِقنَ مُفتَلى

عَزِيزٌ عَلَيها أَن يُفارِقنَ مُفتَلى

or children parted from the breasts of mothers who loved them,

And a dear one severed from a mother’s breast who loves him,

for whom separation from a weanling was grievous;

It was hard for her that the weaned one left.

وَأَشمَطَ عُرياناً يُشَدُّ كِتافُهُ

وَأَشمَطَ عُرياناً يُشَدُّ كِتافُهُ

يُلاُم عَلى جَهدِ القِتالِ وما ائتَلى

يُلاُم عَلى جَهدِ القِتالِ وما ائتَلى

or naked, gray-haired men whose bonds were drawn tight,

And a naked man whose shoulder was scratched

reproached for their efforts in battle, though they had not held back.

Who complained of the hardship of battle and what was attained.

لَقيِنا شَراحِيلَ الرَئيسَ وَجُندَهُ

لَقيِنا شَراحِيلَ الرَئيسَ وَجُندَهُ

مِنَ السيرِ قَد أَحفَى المَطِيَّ وأَنعَلا

مِنَ السيرِ قَد أَحفَى المَطِيَّ وأَنعَلا

We met Sharahil, the chief, and his troops;

We met Shurahbil the chief and his troops

his marching had worn the mounts' feet bare, and he had shod them.

Whose riding beasts the journey had weakened and caused to limp.

تَحَمَّلَ حَيّاً مِن كِلاَبٍ وَعَلَّقُوا

تَحَمَّلَ حَيّاً مِن كِلاَبٍ وَعَلَّقُوا

رُؤُوساً تُثَفِّي مَنزِلاً ثمَّ مَنزِلا

رُؤُوساً تُثَفِّي مَنزِلاً ثمَّ مَنزِلا

He carried off a clan of Kilab, and they hung up

He endured living dogs and they hung

heads arranged as hearthstones at one campsite after another.

Heads that concealed dwellings, then dwellings.

وَجِئنا بِأَبدالِ الرَؤُوسِ فَلَم نَدَع

وَجِئنا بِأَبدالِ الرَؤُوسِ فَلَم نَدَع

لِبِنتِ كِلابيٍّ مِنَ التَبلِ مِغزَلا

لِبِنتِ كِلابيٍّ مِنَ التَبلِ مِغزَلا

We brought heads in exchange for those heads, and left no

And we brought the heads' ransoms but left

spindle's worth of blood-debt for a Kilabi's daughter.

No spindle for a Kalbite girl's adornment.

وَأَطلَقَ عَبدُ اللَهِ غُلَّ اِبنِ جَعفَرٍ

وَأَطلَقَ عَبدُ اللَهِ غُلَّ اِبنِ جَعفَرٍ

عُلاَثَةَ مَغلُولاً يُقادُ مُكبَّلا

عُلاَثَةَ مَغلُولاً يُقادُ مُكبَّلا

And Abd Allah released the fetter of Ibn Ja'far,

And Abdullah freed the prisoner Jubayr

Ulatha, who was being led away shackled and bound.

Ulaatha in shackles led bound and fettered.

وَنَحنُ حَسَبنا عِندَ قارَةِ ضارِجٍ

وَنَحنُ حَسَبنا عِندَ قارَةِ ضارِجٍ

لِحَنظَلَةَ العِجليِّ لَيثاً مُكَلَّلا

لِحَنظَلَةَ العِجليِّ لَيثاً مُكَلَّلا

And we reckoned, beside the hill of Darij,

And we reckoned ourselves at Qarat Dharig

a crowned lion for Hanzala al-Ijli.

For Hanthalah Al-‘Ijli a crowned lion.

سَراةُ مُرادِ لا يُحاوِلُ غيرُهُم

سَراةُ مُرادِ لا يُحاوِلُ غيرُهُم

سَقَيناهُمُ بالجَزعِ قَشباً مُثَمَّلا

سَقَيناهُمُ بالجَزعِ قَشباً مُثَمَّلا

Murad's nobles—no others dared the attempt—

Thoroughbreds of Al-Muraadi they attempt nothing else,

we gave them stupefying poison to drink at al-Jaz'.

We quenched their thirst with deadly poison in the watering places.

تَرَكناهُمُ صَرعَى تَخالُ رُؤُوسَهُم

تَرَكناهُمُ صَرعَى تَخالُ رُؤُوسَهُم

بِذِي الرِّمثِ مِن وَادِي الرَمادَةِ حَنظَلا

بِذِي الرِّمثِ مِن وَادِي الرَمادَةِ حَنظَلا

We left them fallen, their heads seeming to you

We left them slain with their heads appearing

at Dhu al-Rimth in Wadi al-Ramada, like colocynth gourds.

Among Ath-Thimthar from Wadi Ar-Ramaadah like Hanthal.

وَقاتِلَ عَمرٍو قَد تَرَكنا مُجَدَّلاً

وَقاتِلَ عَمرٍو قَد تَرَكنا مُجَدَّلاً

يَهِرُّ عَلَيهِ الذِئبُ عَرفاءَ جَيأَلا

يَهِرُّ عَلَيهِ الذِئبُ عَرفاءَ جَيأَلا

And Amr's killer we left felled,

And we left ‘Amr’s killer bejeweled

a wolf snarling over him at a shaggy-maned she-hyena.

As the hyena howled over him, miserable and wailing.

وَنَحنُ رَهَنَّا بالأَفاقَةِ عامِراً

وَنَحنُ رَهَنَّا بالأَفاقَةِ عامِراً

بِما كانَ فِي الدَردَاءِ رَهناً فَأُبسِلا

بِما كانَ فِي الدَردَاءِ رَهناً فَأُبسِلا

And at al-Afaqa we held Amir as a pledge

And we pledged to the excellence of ‘Aamir

against what had been pledged at al-Darda', and he was given over to death.

What was in Ad-Dardaa’ as a pledge, so he was set free.

جَلَبنا مِنَ الأَكوَارِ والسِّيِّ والقَفا

جَلَبنا مِنَ الأَكوَارِ والسِّيِّ والقَفا

وَبِيشَةَ جَيشاً ذا زَوائِدَ جَحفَلا

وَبِيشَةَ جَيشاً ذا زَوائِدَ جَحفَلا

We mustered from al-Akwar, al-Siyy, and al-Qafa,

We brought from Al-Akwaar, As-Siyy, and Al-Qafaa

and Bisha, a vast army swelled by reinforcements.

An army with outstanding superiority and great numbers.

وَهَبنا لَكُم فِيها المئِينَ وَغادَرَت

وَهَبنا لَكُم فِيها المئِينَ وَغادَرَت

مَغارَتُنا خدّا مِنَ الناسِ عُيَّلا

مَغارَتُنا خدّا مِنَ الناسِ عُيَّلا

We gave you hundreds in it, and there was left

And we granted you among them two hundred who remained,

by our raid a band of people destitute.

While our cave sent out people stripped bare.

دَنانِيرُ نَجبِيها العِبادَ وَغَلَّةً

دَنانِيرُ نَجبِيها العِبادَ وَغَلَّةً

عَلى الأَزدِ مِن جاهِ اِمرىءٍ قَد تَمَهَّلا

عَلى الأَزدِ مِن جاهِ اِمرىءٍ قَد تَمَهَّلا

Dinars we levy from al-Ibad, and revenue

Its gold dinars ennobled servants and were bounty

levied on al-Azd through the prestige of a man who acted deliberately,

Upon Al-Azd from the glory of a man who took his time.

عَلى مَوطِنٍ أَغشى هَوازِنَ كُلَّها

عَلى مَوطِنٍ أَغشى هَوازِنَ كُلَّها

أَخا المَوتِ كَظّاً رَهبَةً وَتَوَيُّلا

أَخا المَوتِ كَظّاً رَهبَةً وَتَوَيُّلا

on a battlefield where he enveloped all Hawazin

In a land that overwhelmed all of Hawaazin

in death's brother—crushing anguish, terror, and cries of woe—

With family perishing, terror, and lament.

شَراحِيلُ إِذ لا يَمنَعُونَ نِساءهُم

شَراحِيلُ إِذ لا يَمنَعُونَ نِساءهُم

وَأَفناهُمُ خدّاً فَخَدّاً تَنَقُّلا

وَأَفناهُمُ خدّاً فَخَدّاً تَنَقُّلا

Sharahil, when they could not protect their women,

Shurahbil when they could not protect their women,

and he destroyed them, band after band, moving from one to the next.

And we destroyed them thoroughly, person after person in constant succession.