أَجَاعِلَةٌ أُمُّ الثُوَيرِ خَزَايَةً

أَجَاعِلَةٌ أُمُّ الثُوَيرِ خَزَايَةً

عَلَيَّ فراري إذ لَقِيتُ بني عبسِ

عَلَيَّ فراري إذ لَقِيتُ بني عبسِ

Would Umm al-Thuwayr make a disgrace of me

Does Umm al-Thuwair count it a disgrace

for fleeing when I encountered the sons of ʿAbs?

against me that I fled when I met Banu Abs?

لَقِيتُ أَبا شَأسٍ وشأساً ومالكاً

لَقِيتُ أَبا شَأسٍ وشأساً ومالكاً

وقيساً فَجاشَت من لقائِهِمُ نفسي

وقيساً فَجاشَت من لقائِهِمُ نفسي

I met Abū Shaʾs, Shaʾs, and Mālik,

I met Abu Sha's, and Sha's, and Malik,

and Qays; at meeting them my heart surged in turmoil.

and Qays; my soul surged with fear at meeting them.

لَقُونا فَضمُّوا جانبَينا بصادقٍ

لَقُونا فَضمُّوا جانبَينا بصادقٍ

من الطَعنِ مِثلِ النارِ في الحَطبِ اليَبسِ

من الطَعنِ مِثلِ النارِ في الحَطبِ اليَبسِ

They met us and closed upon both our flanks with unerring

They met us and hemmed in both our flanks with telling

spear-thrusts, like fire through dry kindling.

spear-thrusts, like fire in dry wood.

كأَنَّ جُلُودَ النُّمرِ جِيبَت عليهِمُ

كأَنَّ جُلُودَ النُّمرِ جِيبَت عليهِمُ

إذا جَعجَعُوا بينَ الإناخة والحَبسِ

إذا جَعجَعُوا بينَ الإناخة والحَبسِ

It seemed leopard skins had been fashioned into tunics for them

As though leopard skins had been cut to fit them,

when they made a halt, between bringing mounts to their knees and holding them fast.

when they halted between making their mounts kneel and holding them fast.

ولمّا دخلنا تحت فَيءِ رماحهم

ولمّا دخلنا تحت فَيءِ رماحهم

خَبَطت بكفّي أطلبُ الأرضَ باللمسِ

خَبَطت بكفّي أطلبُ الأرضَ باللمسِ

And when we entered beneath the shade of their spears,

And when we entered beneath the shade of their spears,

I flailed about with my palm, seeking the ground by touch.

I flailed with my hand, seeking the ground by touch.

فأُبتُ سَليماً لم تُمَزَّق عِمامتي

فأُبتُ سَليماً لم تُمَزَّق عِمامتي

ولكنّهم بالطعنِ قد خَرَّقُوا تُرسي

ولكنّهم بالطعنِ قد خَرَّقُوا تُرسي

So I returned unharmed, my turban untorn,

So I returned unharmed; my turban was not torn,

but with their thrusts they had riddled my shield.

but they had riddled my shield with spear-thrusts.

وليسَ يُعابُ المرءُ من جُبنِ يومِهِ

وليسَ يُعابُ المرءُ من جُبنِ يومِهِ

إذا عُرِفَت منه الشجاعةُ بالأَمسِ

إذا عُرِفَت منه الشجاعةُ بالأَمسِ

A man is not faulted for one day’s cowardice

Nor is a man blamed for his cowardice on one day,

if courage was known in him the day before.

if his courage was known the day before.