تَطاوَلَ لَيلُكَ بالأَثمُدِ

تَطاوَلَ لَيلُكَ بالأَثمُدِ

ونامَ الخَليُّ ولم تَرقُدِ

ونامَ الخَليُّ ولم تَرقُدِ

Your night has grown long at al-Athmud,

Your night grew long with sleeplessness

And the carefree man slept, while you lay awake.

While the tent-dweller slept, you did not rest

وباتَ وباتت له ليلةٌ

وباتَ وباتت له ليلةٌ

كليلةِ ذي العائرِ الأَرمَدِ

كليلةِ ذي العائرِ الأَرمَدِ

And he passed the night, and his night was

And the night passed, and a night like

Like the night of one with a mote in his inflamed eye.

The night of one with a spotted camel passed for him

وذلكَ من نَبَأٍ جاءني

وذلكَ من نَبَأٍ جاءني

وأُنبئتُهُ عن أبي الأسودِ

وأُنبئتُهُ عن أبي الأسودِ

And that was because of news that reached me,

And that is from news that came to me

Reported to me from Abu al-Aswad.

And I was informed of it by Abu Al-Aswad

ولو عن نَثَا غيرهِ جاءني

ولو عن نَثَا غيرهِ جاءني

وجُرحُ اللسانِ كجُرحِ اليَدِ

وجُرحُ اللسانِ كجُرحِ اليَدِ

And had it reached me through someone else's report—

And if news had come to me from another source

And a tongue's wound is like a hand's wound—

And the wound of the tongue is like the wound of the hand

لَقُلتُ من القول ما لا يزا

لَقُلتُ من القول ما لا يزا

لُ يُؤثَرُ عنّي يَدَ المُسنَدِ

لُ يُؤثَرُ عنّي يَدَ المُسنَدِ

I would have spoken words that would never

I would have said words that are not proper

Cease to be handed down from me for all time.

To be preferred from me, the outstretched hand

بأَيِّ علاقتنا ترغبونَ

بأَيِّ علاقتنا ترغبونَ

أعن دمِ عمروٍ على مَرثَدِ

أعن دمِ عمروٍ على مَرثَدِ

Which of our ties would you turn away from?

With what bond do you wish

From avenging Amr's blood upon Marthad?

About the blood of Amr on Marthad

فَإِن تَدفِنوا الداءَ لا نخفِهِ

فَإِن تَدفِنوا الداءَ لا نخفِهِ

وإِن تبعثوا الحربَ لا نَقعدِ

وإِن تبعثوا الحربَ لا نَقعدِ

So if you bury the malady, we will not uncover it;

If you bury the disease we will not hide it

And if you rouse war, we will not sit idle.

And if you ignite war we will not sit

وإِن تقتلونا نُقتِّلكُمُ

وإِن تقتلونا نُقتِّلكُمُ

وإِن تَقصِدوا لدمٍ نَقصِدِ

وإِن تَقصِدوا لدمٍ نَقصِدِ

And if you kill us, we will slaughter you;

And if you kill us we will kill you

And if you seek blood, we too will seek it.

And if you seek blood we will seek it

متى عَهدُنا بطِعان الكُما

متى عَهدُنا بطِعان الكُما

ةِ والحمدِ والمجدِ والسُؤدُدِ

ةِ والحمدِ والمجدِ والسُؤدُدِ

How long have we been familiar with spearing

When did we know submission, praise, glory, and obedience

Champions, with praise, glory, and lordship,

And domed buildings and filled coffins

وبَنيِ القبابِ وَمَلءِ الجِفا

وبَنيِ القبابِ وَمَلءِ الجِفا

ن والنّار والحَطَبِ المُفأَدِ

ن والنّار والحَطَبِ المُفأَدِ

And with building pavilions and filling

And fire and harvested firewood

Bowls, with fire and kindled firewood?

And I prepared for war a quick-walking horse

وأَعددتُ للحرب وَثَّابَةً

وأَعددتُ للحرب وَثَّابَةً

جوادَ المَحَثَّةِ والمَروَدِ

جوادَ المَحَثَّةِ والمَروَدِ

And I readied for war a bounding mare,

Eager and bringing it is like

A fine steed, whether urged on or moving at ease,

The crackling of ignited palm leaves

سبُوحاً جَمُوحاً وإِحضارُها

سبُوحاً جَمُوحاً وإِحضارُها

كَمعمَعةِ السَّعَفِ الموقَدِ

كَمعمَعةِ السَّعَفِ الموقَدِ

Swimming in her stride, headstrong—and her gallop

With tightened bridle, straight and tall

Is like the crackling of palm fronds set alight.

Glittering in the sand like a cold night

ومَشدودةَ السَّكِّ مَوضُونةً

ومَشدودةَ السَّكِّ مَوضُونةً

تَضاءَلُ في الطَيِّ كالمِبرَدِ

تَضاءَلُ في الطَيِّ كالمِبرَدِ

And tightly riveted, closely woven mail,

Its forelegs pour upon the man

That shrinks when folded, like a file;

Like the pouring of the smooth palm tree

تَفيضُ على المرءِ أَردانُها

تَفيضُ على المرءِ أَردانُها

كَفيضِ الأَتيِّ النخلةِ الأَجرَدِ

كَفيضِ الأَتيِّ النخلةِ الأَجرَدِ

Its sleeves flow over the wearer,

With obscure marks on its leg

Like a torrent flowing over a bare palm tree.

If it strikes the bone it does not withdraw

وذا شُطَبٍ غامضاً كَلمُهُ

وذا شُطَبٍ غامضاً كَلمُهُ

إِذا صابَ بالعظمِ لم يَنأَدِ

إِذا صابَ بالعظمِ لم يَنأَدِ

And a grooved sword whose wound is deep,

When it strikes bone, it does not bend.