وَلَم أَرَ هالِكاً مِن أَهلِ نَجدٍ

وَلَم أَرَ هالِكاً مِن أَهلِ نَجدٍ

كَزُرعَةَ يَومَ قَامَ بِهِ النَواعي

كَزُرعَةَ يَومَ قَامَ بِهِ النَواعي

And I have never seen a man of Najd who perished

And I have not seen one perish from the people of Najd

like Zur‘ah, the day the criers rose to proclaim his death:

Like Zur'ah on the day the lances stood erect around him

أَتَمَّ شَبيبَةً وَأَعَزَّ فَقداً

أَتَمَّ شَبيبَةً وَأَعَزَّ فَقداً

عَلى المَولى وَأَكرَمَ في المَساعي

عَلى المَولى وَأَكرَمَ في المَساعي

fuller in youthful vigor, a more grievous loss

Having perfected his youth and grieved deeply over loss

to his kinsman, and nobler in his endeavors;

Of the Master, and was most generous in his efforts

وَأَغزَرَ نائِلاً لِمَنِ اِجتَداه

وَأَغزَرَ نائِلاً لِمَنِ اِجتَداه

مِن العَافينَ وَالهَلكى الجِياعِ

مِن العَافينَ وَالهَلكى الجِياعِ

and more abundant in gifts to whoever sought his bounty,

And most abundant in gaining for whoever came to him

among the beggars and the starving, near to death;

Of the prosperous and the starving paupers

وَأَكثَرَ رِحلَةً لِطَريقِ مَجدٍ

وَأَكثَرَ رِحلَةً لِطَريقِ مَجدٍ

عَلى أَقتَادِ ذِعلِبَةٍ وَساعِ

عَلى أَقتَادِ ذِعلِبَةٍ وَساعِ

and more often journeying on the road to glory,

And most oft journeying on the path of glory

on the saddle-frames of a swift, long-striding she-camel;

On the guidance of stars and hours

وَأَقوَلَ لِلَّتي نَبَدَت بَنيها

وَأَقوَلَ لِلَّتي نَبَدَت بَنيها

وَقَد رَأَتِ السَوابِقَ لا تُراعي

وَقَد رَأَتِ السَوابِقَ لا تُراعي

and readier to tell the woman who had cast aside her sons,

And I say to her who raised up her sons

when she saw the fleet horses, 'Do not be afraid.'

And who saw the early morn regard no more

لَقَد أَردَى الفَوارِسَ يَومَ نَجدٍ

لَقَد أَردَى الفَوارِسَ يَومَ نَجدٍ

غُلاماً غَيرَ مَنّاعِ المَتاعِ

غُلاماً غَيرَ مَنّاعِ المَتاعِ

He indeed laid the horsemen low on the day of Najd,

Indeed the horsemen on the day of Najd

a young man who never withheld his possessions.

Felled a youth un fortress-like in his wares

فَلا فَرِحٌ بِخَيرٍ أَن أَتاهُ

فَلا فَرِحٌ بِخَيرٍ أَن أَتاهُ

وَلا جَزِعٌ مِنَ الحَدَثانِ لاعِ

وَلا جَزِعٌ مِنَ الحَدَثانِ لاعِ

Not exultant when good fortune came to him,

So there is no joy in any goodness that came to him

nor distraught and wailing at life's calamities;

Nor any grief from events that have slipped by

وَلا وَقّافَةٌ وَالخَيلُ تَردي

وَلا وَقّافَةٌ وَالخَيلُ تَردي

وَلا خالٍ كَأُنبوبِ اليَراعِ

وَلا خالٍ كَأُنبوبِ اليَراعِ

nor one to hang back while the horses galloped,

No stillness while the horses charge

nor hollow like the tube of a reed.

Nor empty-handed as the water-skin pourer

شَهيدي بِالَّذي قَد قُلتُ فيهِ

شَهيدي بِالَّذي قَد قُلتُ فيهِ

بَنو بَكرٍ وَحَيُّ بَني الرَواعِ

بَنو بَكرٍ وَحَيُّ بَني الرَواعِ

My witnesses to what I have said of him

Bear witness, O clans of Bakr and Hayy, sons of Rawa'

are Banu Bakr and the clan of Banu al-Rawa‘.