أَعِذني رَبِّ مِن حَصَرٍ وَعيٍ

أَعِذني رَبِّ مِن حَصَرٍ وَعيٍ

وَمِن نَفسٍ أُعالِجُها عِلاجا

وَمِن نَفسٍ أُعالِجُها عِلاجا

Protect me, my Lord, from tongue-tiedness and inarticulacy,

O Lord, protect me from distress and fatigue

And from a soul with which I struggle hard.

And from a self I treat with remedies

وَمِن حاجاتِ نَفسي فَاِعصِمَنّي

وَمِن حاجاتِ نَفسي فَاِعصِمَنّي

فَإِنَّ لِمُضمَراتِ النَفسِ حاجا

فَإِنَّ لِمُضمَراتِ النَفسِ حاجا

And shield me from the needs of my soul,

And from my soul's needs, so guard me

For the soul's hidden wishes have their needs.

For my soul's hidden thoughts have needs

وَأَنتَ وَلِيُّها وَبَرِئتَ مِنها

وَأَنتَ وَلِيُّها وَبَرِئتَ مِنها

إِلَيكَ وَما قَضَيتَ فَلا خِلاجا

إِلَيكَ وَما قَضَيتَ فَلا خِلاجا

And You are its guardian; I have disowned it,

You are its guardian, though it came from You

To You; and what You decree admits no doubt.

To You is its return, whatever You decree

وَأَنتَ وَهَبتَها كوماً جِلاداً

وَأَنتَ وَهَبتَها كوماً جِلاداً

أُرَجّي النَسلَ مِنها وَالنِتاجا

أُرَجّي النَسلَ مِنها وَالنِتاجا

And You gave it high-humped, sturdy she-camels,

You granted it a heap of skin and bones

I hope for offspring from them and for new births.

From which I hope for offspring and progeny

فَلَستُ بِحارِمِ الأَضيافِ مِنها

فَلَستُ بِحارِمِ الأَضيافِ مِنها

وَجاعِلٍ دونَهُم بِأَبي رِتاجا

وَجاعِلٍ دونَهُم بِأَبي رِتاجا

So I do not deny guests a share of them,

I do not refuse guests that come from it

Nor set my door as a closed barrier before them.

Or bar them while I take refuge in seclusion

وَتَأمُرُني رَبيعَةُ كُلَّ يَومٍ

وَتَأمُرُني رَبيعَةُ كُلَّ يَومٍ

لَأَشرِيَها وَأَقتَني الدَجاجا

لَأَشرِيَها وَأَقتَني الدَجاجا

And Rabi‘ah commands me every day

And Rabia urges me each day

To sell them and keep chickens.

To buy and acquire hens

وَما تُغني الدَجاجُ الضَيفَ عَنّي

وَما تُغني الدَجاجُ الضَيفَ عَنّي

وَلَيسَ بِنافِعي إِلّا نِضاجا

وَلَيسَ بِنافِعي إِلّا نِضاجا

But chickens do not satisfy a guest on my behalf,

But hens do not suffice my guest

And they are no use to me except when cooked.

And benefit me only with eggs

أَأُهلِكُها وَقَد لاقَيتُ فيها

أَأُهلِكُها وَقَد لاقَيتُ فيها

مِرارَ الطَعنِ وَالضَربِ الشِجاجا

مِرارَ الطَعنِ وَالضَربِ الشِجاجا

Shall I destroy them, when for their sake I have suffered

Shall I destroy it though I’ve gained from it

Head wounds amid repeated spear-thrusts and blows,

The bitterness of blows and stabs of swords?

وَتَذهبُ باطِلاً غَدَماتُ صُهبى

وَتَذهبُ باطِلاً غَدَماتُ صُهبى

عَلى الأَعداءِ تَختَلِجُ اِختِلاجا

عَلى الأَعداءِ تَختَلِجُ اِختِلاجا

And shall Suhba's onslaughts go for nothing,

And the blood of free men flows vainly

As she bounds vigorously against the enemies—

While the foe writhes in death throes

جَمومُ الشَدِّ شائِلَةُ الذُنابى

جَمومُ الشَدِّ شائِلَةُ الذُنابى

تَخالُ بَياضَ غُرَّتِها سِراجا

تَخالُ بَياضَ غُرَّتِها سِراجا

Tireless in her gallop, her tail held high,

My knotted destiny, my long tresses

You would take her white forehead-blaze for a lamp—

My shiny hair shines like a lamp

وَشَدّي في الكَريهَةِ كُلَّ يَومٍ

وَشَدّي في الكَريهَةِ كُلَّ يَومٍ

إِذا الأَصواتُ خالَطَتِ العَجاجا

إِذا الأَصواتُ خالَطَتِ العَجاجا

And my charging into battle every day,

And my voice, raised daily in song

When voices mingled with the swirling dust?

When voices mingle with the warbler's trill