ما بِامرِئٍ مِن ضُؤلَةٍ في وائِلٍ

ما بِامرِئٍ مِن ضُؤلَةٍ في وائِلٍ

وَرِثَ الثُوَيرَ وَمالِكاً وَمُهَلهِلا

وَرِثَ الثُوَيرَ وَمالِكاً وَمُهَلهِلا

No lowliness marks a man of Wā’il

No man of the kin of Thawir in Wail

who inherited al-Thuwayr, Mālik, and Muhalhil.

Inherited Thawir, Malik, and Muhallahil.

خالي بِذي بَقَرٍ حَمى أَصحابَهُ

خالي بِذي بَقَرٍ حَمى أَصحابَهُ

وَشَرى بِحُسنِ حَديثِهِ أَن يُقتَلا

وَشَرى بِحُسنِ حَديثِهِ أَن يُقتَلا

My maternal uncle at Dhū Baqar protected his companions,

My uncle, owner of the pasture in Dhi Baqr, protected his comrades,

and bartered his life for honorable renown.

And bought with his eloquent speech that he be killed.

ذاكَ الثُوَيرُ فَما أُحِبُّ بِفَضلِهِ

ذاكَ الثُوَيرُ فَما أُحِبُّ بِفَضلِهِ

عِندَ التَفاضُلِ فَضلَ قَومٍ أَفضَلا

عِندَ التَفاضُلِ فَضلَ قَومٍ أَفضَلا

That is al-Thuwayr; I would not exchange his merit,

That was Thawir - so I do not love, despite his merit,

when merits are compared, for any people's greater merit.

At the time of preference, the preference of a people more preferred,

عَمي الَّذي طَلَبَ العُداةَ فَنالَها

عَمي الَّذي طَلَبَ العُداةَ فَنالَها

بَكراً فَجَلَّلَها الجِيادَ بِكِنهَلا

بَكراً فَجَلَّلَها الجِيادَ بِكِنهَلا

My paternal uncle sought the enemies and overtook them—

My blind uncle who sought the enemies and attained them

Bakr—and overwhelmed them with steeds at Kinhal.

With his cutting white swords in the early morning.

وَأَبي الَّذي حَمَلَ المِئينَ وَناطِقُ

وَأَبي الَّذي حَمَلَ المِئينَ وَناطِقُ

المَعروفِ إِذ عَيِّ الخَطيبُ المِفصلا

المَعروفِ إِذ عَيِّ الخَطيبُ المِفصلا

And my father, who shouldered payments of hundreds of camels, and was the voice

And my father who carried the swords and distinct speaker of kindness

of kindness when the eloquent orator faltered.

When the eloquent orator was most eloquent.