لَمّا رَأَت بُشرى تَغَيَّر لَونُها

لَمّا رَأَت بُشرى تَغَيَّر لَونُها

مِن بَعدِ بَهجَتِهِ فَأَقبَلَ أَحمَرا

مِن بَعدِ بَهجَتِهِ فَأَقبَلَ أَحمَرا

When Bushra looked, her complexion changed,

When Bushra saw him, her color changed

from its former brightness, and it turned red.

To red after joy, so she twisted her finger and said:

أَلوَت بِإِصبَعِها وَقالَت إِنَّما

أَلوَت بِإِصبَعِها وَقالَت إِنَّما

يَكفيكَ مِمّا قَد أَرى ما قُدِّرا

يَكفيكَ مِمّا قَد أَرى ما قُدِّرا

She gestured with her finger and said, “Only

It is enough what I have seen ordained

what is decreed, of all I see, suffices you.”

I am Thu'ba of Mudhij and its summit

إِنّي ذُؤابَةُ مَذحَجٍ وَسَنامُها

إِنّي ذُؤابَةُ مَذحَجٍ وَسَنامُها

وَأَنا الكَريمُ ذُرى القَديمَةِ كُرِّرا

وَأَنا الكَريمُ ذُرى القَديمَةِ كُرِّرا

Indeed, I am Madhhij’s forelock and its hump,

And I am the generous one, offspring of Quda'a repeated

and I am the noble one—the heights of ancient glory renewed.

Tell Mudhij to return to their abodes

قولي لِمَذحِجَ عاوِدوا لِذُحولِكُم

قولي لِمَذحِجَ عاوِدوا لِذُحولِكُم

لَولا يُجيبوا دَعوَتي حَلبُ الصَرى

لَولا يُجيبوا دَعوَتي حَلبُ الصَرى

Say to Madhhij: “Return for your blood-vengeance!”

Or else they won't respond to my call or milk livestock

Why do they not answer my call to draw the stored-up milk?

The pottery was Yemeni covered in dust

كانَ الفَخارُ يَمانِيّاً مُتَقَحطِناً

كانَ الفَخارُ يَمانِيّاً مُتَقَحطِناً

وَأَراهُ أَصبَح شامِيّاً مُتَنَزِّرا

وَأَراهُ أَصبَح شامِيّاً مُتَنَزِّرا

Glory was Yemeni, claiming descent from Qahtan,

And I see it has become Levantine embellished

and I see it has become Syrian, claiming descent from Nizar.

What good are donkeys to submit to Mudhij

ما خَيرُ حِميَرَ أَن تُسَلِّمَ مَذحِجاً

ما خَيرُ حِميَرَ أَن تُسَلِّمَ مَذحِجاً

أَو خَيرُ مِذحَجَ أَن تُسَلِّمَ حِميَرا

أَو خَيرُ مِذحَجَ أَن تُسَلِّمَ حِميَرا

What good is it for Himyar to surrender Madhhij,

Or what good is Mudhij to submit to donkeys

or for Madhhij to surrender Himyar?