سَمَونا بِالجِيادِ إِلى أَعادٍ

سَمَونا بِالجِيادِ إِلى أَعادٍ

مُغاوِرَةً بِجِدٍّ وَاِعتِصابِ

مُغاوِرَةً بِجِدٍّ وَاِعتِصابِ

We advanced with noble steeds toward our enemies,

We rode our steeds towards the enemies

raiding with resolve and united strength.

Attacking vigorously with valor and determination

نَؤُمُّهُمُ عَلى رُعبٍ وَشَحطٍ

نَؤُمُّهُمُ عَلى رُعبٍ وَشَحطٍ

بِقَودٍ يَطَّلِعنَ مِن النِقابِ

بِقَودٍ يَطَّلِعنَ مِن النِقابِ

We made for them despite terror and great distance,

We terrified them with dread and dismay

on long-necked steeds emerging from the mountain passes.

With a battalion whose spears peered out from their robes

طِوالُ الساعِدَينِ يَهُزُّ لَدناً

طِوالُ الساعِدَينِ يَهُزُّ لَدناً

يَلوحُ سِنانُهُ مِثلَ الشِهابِ

يَلوحُ سِنانُهُ مِثلَ الشِهابِ

Long-armed, he brandishes a supple lance,

Their muscular arms brandished swords

its spearhead gleaming like a shooting star.

Whose blades shone like meteors

وَلَو خِفناكَ ما كُنّا بِضُعفٍ

وَلَو خِفناكَ ما كُنّا بِضُعفٍ

بِذي خُشُبٍ نُعَرِّبُ وَالكُلابِ

بِذي خُشُبٍ نُعَرِّبُ وَالكُلابِ

And even if we feared you, we were no weaklings,

Had we feared you, we would not have shown weakness

at Dhū Khushub and al-Kulāb, speaking out.

With wooden sticks we discipline even dogs

وَقَتَّلنا سَراتَهُمُ جِهاراً

وَقَتَّلنا سَراتَهُمُ جِهاراً

وَجِئنا بِالسَبايا وَالنِهابِ

وَجِئنا بِالسَبايا وَالنِهابِ

And we slaughtered their chieftains openly,

We killed their horsemen openly

and returned with captive women and plunder.

And returned with captives and plunder

سَبايا طَيِّءٍ أَبرَزنَ قَسراً

سَبايا طَيِّءٍ أَبرَزنَ قَسراً

وَأَبدَلنَ القُصورَ مِنَ الشِعابِ

وَأَبدَلنَ القُصورَ مِنَ الشِعابِ

Captive women of Ṭayyiʾ, brought out by force,

Captives from Tayy' we brought out by force

exchanging mountain ravines for palaces.

And turned their palaces into simple huts

فَسُمناهُم فَمُصطَبَحٌ قَليلاً

فَسُمناهُم فَمُصطَبَحٌ قَليلاً

وَآخَرَ كارِهٌ لِلمآبي

وَآخَرَ كارِهٌ لِلمآبي

So we bartered them: one for a scant morning draught,

We led them, some complacent, some resentful of their fate

and another unwilling to return.

Captives from every Tayy' clan

سَبايا طَيِّءٍ مِن كُلِّ حَيٍّ

سَبايا طَيِّءٍ مِن كُلِّ حَيٍّ

بِمَن في الفَرعِ مِنها وَالنِصابِ

بِمَن في الفَرعِ مِنها وَالنِصابِ

Captive women of Ṭayyiʾ from every clan,

Neither were their daughters made captive

including those of its branches and ancestral stock.

Nor taken as concubines, as desirable as they were

وَما كانَت بَناتُهُمُ سَبِيّاً

وَما كانَت بَناتُهُمُ سَبِيّاً

وَلا رُغباً يُعَدُّ مِنَ الرِغابِ

وَلا رُغباً يُعَدُّ مِنَ الرِغابِ

Yet their daughters were no worthy booty,

Nor was their blood shed

nor prizes counted among coveted treasures;

As retaliation we exacted

وَلا كانَت دِماؤُهُمُ وَفاءً

وَلا كانَت دِماؤُهُمُ وَفاءً

لَنا فيما يُعَدُّ مِنَ العِقابِ

لَنا فيما يُعَدُّ مِنَ العِقابِ

nor was their blood full recompense

With a torch as bright as the rising sun

for us, in the reckoning of retribution.

Behind the veil of dawn

وَمَشعَلَةٍ تَخالُ الشَمسَ فيها

وَمَشعَلَةٍ تَخالُ الشَمسَ فيها

بُعَيدَ طُلوعِها تَحتَ الحِجابِ

بُعَيدَ طُلوعِها تَحتَ الحِجابِ

And a spreading cavalry host, amid which you would think the sun,

They tried to snuff it out, but it terrified them

shortly after rising, was beneath a veil.

With its wide and leaping flames

وَكادَت تُستَطارُ فَأَرهَبوها

وَكادَت تُستَطارُ فَأَرهَبوها

بِأَرحَبِ وَاِقدُمي وَهَلا وَهابي

بِأَرحَبِ وَاِقدُمي وَهَلا وَهابي

And it almost took wing; then they goaded it on

Calling "Come forth! Attack! Woe to you! Begone!"

with 'Arḥab!', 'Forward!', 'Halā!' and 'Hābī!'