مَن مُبلِغٌ عامراً منّي مُغَلغَلَةً

مَن مُبلِغٌ عامراً منّي مُغَلغَلَةً

أَبا عليٍّ مَقال الحقّ يُعتَرَفُ

أَبا عليٍّ مَقال الحقّ يُعتَرَفُ

Who will carry to ʿĀmir from me a message that strikes home—

Who will convey to Amir a far-traveling message from me?

to Abū ʿUlayy—a word of truth he must acknowledge?

O Abu Ali, the word of truth is acknowledged.

هَلّا حَمَيتَ طُفَيلاً حينَ طافَ بهِ

هَلّا حَمَيتَ طُفَيلاً حينَ طافَ بهِ

منّا حُماةٌ وَسُمرُ الخطّ تختلفُ

منّا حُماةٌ وَسُمرُ الخطّ تختلفُ

Why did you not defend Ṭufayl when around him swept

Why did you not defend Tufayl when he was surrounded

Ḥumāmah, one of us, while al-Khaṭṭ’s dark spears struck back and forth?

by champions of ours, while the brown spears of al-Khatt darted to and fro?

لمّا استجارَ ورأسُ الرمحِ مُعتدلٌ

لمّا استجارَ ورأسُ الرمحِ مُعتدلٌ

عفوتُ عنه وبعضُ العفو لي شَرَفُ

عفوتُ عنه وبعضُ العفو لي شَرَفُ

When he sought quarter, with the spearhead held level,

When he sought protection, with the spearhead leveled,

I spared him—for an act of clemency brings me honor.

I pardoned him; some acts of pardon bring me honor.

لقد شَدَدتُ وَثَاقاً منه مُبتدئاً

لقد شَدَدتُ وَثَاقاً منه مُبتدئاً

والقلبُ منه لِما قد رابَهُ يَجِفُ

والقلبُ منه لِما قد رابَهُ يَجِفُ

Indeed, I had bound him fast, taking him first,

I had indeed tightened his bonds at first,

while the heart within him quaked at what had frightened him.

and his heart was pounding at what had alarmed him.

يا ابنَي نزارٍ لقد لاقيتما عَجَباً

يا ابنَي نزارٍ لقد لاقيتما عَجَباً

منّا ومن سادةٍ عن فعلكم أَنِفُوا

منّا ومن سادةٍ عن فعلكم أَنِفُوا

O two sons of Nizār, you have met a marvel indeed

O two sons of Nizar, you have indeed encountered a marvel

at our hands, and those of noble lords who scorned your deed.

from us and from chiefs who disdained your conduct.

يَمشونَ في حَلَقِ الماذيِّ يَقدُمُهم

يَمشونَ في حَلَقِ الماذيِّ يَقدُمُهم

ضَخمُ الدَّسِيعَةِ ما في سَيرِهِ عَنَفُ

ضَخمُ الدَّسِيعَةِ ما في سَيرِهِ عَنَفُ

They march in rings of Mādhī mail, led at their head

They walk in rings of fine mail, led by

by one vast in bounty, with no rough haste in his stride.

a man of ample bounty, with no roughness in his gait.