أَباهِلَ إِنّي لِلحُروبِ عِوادُ

أَباهِلَ إِنّي لِلحُروبِ عِوادُ

وَإِنَّ رِدائي مُنصُلٌ وَنِجادُ

وَإِنَّ رِدائي مُنصُلٌ وَنِجادُ

O Bahila, I return to wars again and again;

Abu Hilal, I am accustomed to wars,

and my cloak is indeed a sword and a baldric.

My cloak is patched and my arrows sharp.

أَباهِلَ هُزّوا لي فَتىً غَيرَ مُدخَلٍ

أَباهِلَ هُزّوا لي فَتىً غَيرَ مُدخَلٍ

فَإِنَّ سَماءَ الباهِلِيِّ جَمادُ

فَإِنَّ سَماءَ الباهِلِيِّ جَمادُ

O Bahila, rouse for me a youth not of spurious lineage,

Abu Hilal, bring me an inexperienced lad,

for the Bahili's sky is barren.

For the sky of Bahila is stubborn as rock.

إِذا ما رَآني الباهِلِيُّ اِبنُ كَشكَشٍ

إِذا ما رَآني الباهِلِيُّ اِبنُ كَشكَشٍ

تَقَنَّعَ أَو ضاقَت عَلَيهِ بِلادُ

تَقَنَّعَ أَو ضاقَت عَلَيهِ بِلادُ

Whenever the Bahili, son of Kashkash, sees me,

When the son of Kushkush sees me,

he veils his face, or the lands grow cramped for him.

He takes cover or his country becomes too narrow.

وَإِنّي لَشَغّارٌ مِراراً وَرُبَّما

وَإِنّي لَشَغّارٌ مِراراً وَرُبَّما

سَهُلتُ وَعِندي لِلخَليلِ وِدادُ

سَهُلتُ وَعِندي لِلخَليلِ وِدادُ

And indeed, I often lift my leg, though sometimes

And I am bitter in war, and sometimes

I am gentle, and have affection for a friend.

I am easy when my friend is affectionate.

وَهَبتُ لِأَيرِ الضالِمِيِّ إِستَ شاعِرٍ

وَهَبتُ لِأَيرِ الضالِمِيِّ إِستَ شاعِرٍ

وَقُدتُ اِبنَ نِهيا وَالأُسودُ تُقادُ

وَقُدتُ اِبنَ نِهيا وَالأُسودُ تُقادُ

I gave al-Dalimi's cock a poet's arse,

I gave the son of Ad-Dalimi a sharp poet,

and led Ibn Nihya—and lions, too, are led.

And I led the son of Nuhayya while fetters were led.

فَأَصبَحتُ لا أَخشى عَداوَةَ مُجلِبٍ

فَأَصبَحتُ لا أَخشى عَداوَةَ مُجلِبٍ

يَدُ اللَهِ دوني وَاللِسانُ حَصادُ

يَدُ اللَهِ دوني وَاللِسانُ حَصادُ

So I no longer fear the enmity of one who rallies attackers;

So I live without fearing the enmity of Mujlib,

God's hand defends me, and the tongue is a reaper.

God’s hand protects me and my tongue harvests.

أَنا اِبنُ مُلوكِ الأَعجَمينَ تَقَطَّعَت

أَنا اِبنُ مُلوكِ الأَعجَمينَ تَقَطَّعَت

عَلَيَّ وَلي في العامِرينَ عِمادُ

عَلَيَّ وَلي في العامِرينَ عِمادُ

I am descended from the kings of the non-Arabs, whose line came to an end

I am the son of kings of non-Arabs broken down upon me

with me; among the Amirites I have a pillar of support.

While my pillar among the settled peoples stands erect.

خَطَبتُ وَما أَهدى لِيَ اللُؤمُ بِنتَهُ

خَطَبتُ وَما أَهدى لِيَ اللُؤمُ بِنتَهُ

وَشِبتُ وَما يَحمي حِمايَ نِجادُ

وَشِبتُ وَما يَحمي حِمايَ نِجادُ

I courted, but baseness never gave me its daughter;

I proposed but the ignoble did not give me his daughter,

I grew gray, with no baldric guarding my domain.

And I grew old but a protector’s care did not shelter my youth.

وَحَسبُكَ أَنّي مُنذُ سِتينَ حِجَّةً

وَحَسبُكَ أَنّي مُنذُ سِتينَ حِجَّةً

أَكيدُ عَفاريتَ العِدى وَأُكادُ

أَكيدُ عَفاريتَ العِدى وَأُكادُ

It is enough for you that, for sixty years,

It is enough for you that for sixty pilgrimages

I have plotted against the fiends of my foes, and been plotted against.

I defeat the demons of enemies and almost vanquish them.

إِذا الخَطبُ لَم يُقبِل عَلَيَّ بِوَجهِهِ

إِذا الخَطبُ لَم يُقبِل عَلَيَّ بِوَجهِهِ

فَتَكتُ وَلَم يُضرَب عَلَيَّ سِدادُ

فَتَكتُ وَلَم يُضرَب عَلَيَّ سِدادُ

When calamity did not meet me face to face,

When war turns its face away from me,

I struck by stealth, and no barrier was raised against me.

No doors are closed to me.

وَما زِلتُ في رَأدِ الشَبابِ الَّذي مَضى

وَما زِلتُ في رَأدِ الشَبابِ الَّذي مَضى

وَفي الشَيبِ يُرجى نائِلي وَيُرادُ

وَفي الشَيبِ يُرجى نائِلي وَيُرادُ

I have always been, in the bloom of youth now gone,

I have not ceased being in the freshness of youth that is past

and in gray age, one whose bounty is hoped for and sought.

And in old age what I seek is attained and wanted.

أَجودُ العُفاةَ الزائِرينَ وَرُبَّما

أَجودُ العُفاةَ الزائِرينَ وَرُبَّما

طَلَبتُ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ أُجادُ

طَلَبتُ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ أُجادُ

I give generously to visiting petitioners, and sometimes

I am the most generous of visitors who come,

I seek the Commander of the Faithful and receive bounty.

And sometimes I seek the Commander of the Faithful and am bountiful.

وَمِن عَجَبٍ يَعدو عَلَيَّ اِبنُ كَشكَشٍ

وَمِن عَجَبٍ يَعدو عَلَيَّ اِبنُ كَشكَشٍ

بِغُرمولِ كِنديرٍ عَلَيهِ سُهادُ

بِغُرمولِ كِنديرٍ عَلَيهِ سُهادُ

And how strange that Ibn Kashkash attacks me

How strange that the son of Kushkush dares to attack me

with Kindir's cock, beset by sleeplessness.

With a Kunduri camel whose covering is gray hair!

أَبا كَشكَشٍ لَمّا عَرَفتَ قَصائِدي

أَبا كَشكَشٍ لَمّا عَرَفتَ قَصائِدي

شَحَذتَ لَها في راحَتَيكَ زِنادُ

شَحَذتَ لَها في راحَتَيكَ زِنادُ

Abu Kashkash, when you came to know my poems,

Abu Kushkush, when you knew my poems

you sharpened fire-steels for them in your two palms.

You sharpened against them your brown palm sticks.

وَأَنتَ اِبنُ لَقّاطِ النَوى قَد عَرَفتَهُ

وَأَنتَ اِبنُ لَقّاطِ النَوى قَد عَرَفتَهُ

وَجَدُّكَ زِنجِيٌّ أَبوهُ رَمادُ

وَجَدُّكَ زِنجِيٌّ أَبوهُ رَمادُ

And you are the son of a date-stone gatherer—you know him—

You are the son of a picker-up of date pits; you know him well,

and your grandfather is a Zanj, whose father is Ramad ('Ash').

Your grandfather was a Zanji - ashes was his father!

لَقَد كانَ عَبداً لِلقُشَيرِيِّ حِقبَةً

لَقَد كانَ عَبداً لِلقُشَيرِيِّ حِقبَةً

وَبِئسَ الفَتى عولى اليَدَينِ رُقادُ

وَبِئسَ الفَتى عولى اليَدَينِ رُقادُ

He was indeed al-Qushayri's slave for a long time,

He was a slave of Qushayri for a time.

and a wretched youth: [unclear]-handed, given to sleep.

Miserable is the lad whose hands are his livelihood!

يَقولُ لَهُ الكَعبِيُّ في جَنَباتِهِ

يَقولُ لَهُ الكَعبِيُّ في جَنَباتِهِ

عِلاجُكَ يا اِبنَ الفاعِلينَ جِهادُ

عِلاجُكَ يا اِبنَ الفاعِلينَ جِهادُ

Al-Ka'bi says to him, at his flanks:

The Ka’bi says to him in private,

Treating you, you son of fuckers, is a struggle.

“Your cure, O son of the dissolute, is struggle.”

فَلا تَشتَرِ الزِنجِيَّ إِنَّكَ مُفلِحٌ

فَلا تَشتَرِ الزِنجِيَّ إِنَّكَ مُفلِحٌ

بِأَحمَرَ فَالزِنجِيُّ عَنكَ عَتادُ

بِأَحمَرَ فَالزِنجِيُّ عَنكَ عَتادُ

So do not buy the Zanj man; you will indeed prosper

So do not buy a Zanji; you will prosper

with a ruddy man, for the Zanj is too formidable for you.

With a red one, for the Zanji is recalcitrant to you.

أَبا كَشكَشٍ وافَقتَ زَيداً لِفِعلِهِ

أَبا كَشكَشٍ وافَقتَ زَيداً لِفِعلِهِ

وَأَنتَ لِأُخرى وَالدَخيسُ عِيادُ

وَأَنتَ لِأُخرى وَالدَخيسُ عِيادُ

Abu Kashkash, you matched Zayd in his deed,

Abu Kushkush, you matched Zayd in his deed

and you are for another deed, while al-Dakhis keeps returning.

While you are for another, and the despicable is customary.

فَأَصبَحتَ تَرجو أَن تَسودَ عَلَيهِمُ

فَأَصبَحتَ تَرجو أَن تَسودَ عَلَيهِمُ

وَهيهاتَ ظَنُّ اِبنِ الخُلَيقِ فِنادُ

وَهيهاتَ ظَنُّ اِبنِ الخُلَيقِ فِنادُ

So you have come to hope that you will rule over them;

So you hoped to have power over them,

far from it! Ibn al-Khulayq's thought is folly.

But far-fetched is the notion of the son of Kulayq as establishment!

لَعَمري لَقَد أَخطَأتَ رَأيَكَ فيهِمُ

لَعَمري لَقَد أَخطَأتَ رَأيَكَ فيهِمُ

وَما كُلُّ ما تَهوى أَصابَ مُرادُ

وَما كُلُّ ما تَهوى أَصابَ مُرادُ

By my life, you have misjudged them;

By my life, you were wrong in your opinion of them,

not everything you desire reaches its intended mark.

Not everything one desires meets with attainment.

فَدَع عَنكَ تَشبيهَ الرُقادِ فَإِنَّما

فَدَع عَنكَ تَشبيهَ الرُقادِ فَإِنَّما

حَلَمتَ وَلا يُجدي عَلَيكَ رُقادُ

حَلَمتَ وَلا يُجدي عَلَيكَ رُقادُ

So leave aside the comparisons of sleep, for you have merely

Give up likening your slumber to them, for it is only

dreamed; sleep will do you no good.

A dream, and slumber will not benefit you.

طَوى المَلكُ أَولادَ الزِنا عَن مُخَنَّثٍ

طَوى المَلكُ أَولادَ الزِنا عَن مُخَنَّثٍ

لِداءِ اِستِهِ مَخطومَهُ وَحَسادُ

لِداءِ اِستِهِ مَخطومَهُ وَحَسادُ

The king withheld the children of fornication from an effeminate man,

The King despised the children of adultery begotten by an effeminate;

for his arse's disease—his bridled one—and envy [syntax unclear].

Their sickness made them contemptible and envious.

وَما دافَعوهُ رَغبَةً عَن سَقامِهِ

وَما دافَعوهُ رَغبَةً عَن سَقامِهِ

وَلَكِنَّ أَولادَ الزِناءِ خِلادُ

وَلَكِنَّ أَولادَ الزِناءِ خِلادُ

They did not ward him off out of aversion to his sickness;

They did not defend him out of desire for his recovery,

but the children of fornication are everlasting.

But the children of adultery are for everlasting.

أَبا كَشكَشٍ لا تَدعُ فينا قَرابَةً

أَبا كَشكَشٍ لا تَدعُ فينا قَرابَةً

عَرَفتَ وَعِرفانُ القَبيحِ رَشادُ

عَرَفتَ وَعِرفانُ القَبيحِ رَشادُ

Abu Kashkash, claim no kinship among us:

Abu Kushkush, do not claim any kinship between us;

you have recognized it; recognizing ugliness is right guidance.

You know, and recognizing the ugly is proper conduct.

عَلَيكَ بِأَولادِ الزِنا أَنتَ مِنهُمُ

عَلَيكَ بِأَولادِ الزِنا أَنتَ مِنهُمُ

وَما لَكَ في أَهلِ الزَكاءِ وِسادُ

وَما لَكَ في أَهلِ الزَكاءِ وِسادُ

Keep to the children of fornication: you are one of them,

You belong to the children of adultery; you are one of them.

and you have no cushion among the pure.

You have no share among the people of purity and power.

لِساداتِ أَولادِ الزِناءِ مَزِيَّةٌ

لِساداتِ أَولادِ الزِناءِ مَزِيَّةٌ

عَلَيكَ فَلا تَجمَح وَفيكَ فُؤادُ

عَلَيكَ فَلا تَجمَح وَفيكَ فُؤادُ

The masters of the children of fornication have an advantage

For the chiefs of children of adultery there is advantage

over you; do not bolt while there is a heart in you.

Over you, so do not persist and your heart has perception.

وَما كُلُّ أَولادِ الزِنا يَستَطيعُهُ

وَما كُلُّ أَولادِ الزِنا يَستَطيعُهُ

مِنَ آباءِ أَولادِ الزِناءِ جَوادُ

مِنَ آباءِ أَولادِ الزِناءِ جَوادُ

Not all the children of fornication are within the power

Not every child of adultery can attain

of a generous man among the fathers of children of fornication.

What the fathers of children of adultery attain in generosity.

أَباهِلَ فيكُم عُصبَةٌ مُستَفادَةٌ

أَباهِلَ فيكُم عُصبَةٌ مُستَفادَةٌ

لِئامُ القِرى فُطسُ الأُنوفِ جِعادُ

لِئامُ القِرى فُطسُ الأُنوفِ جِعادُ

O Bahila, among you is an acquired band,

Abu Hilal, among you is a tribe to be consulted,

mean in hospitality, flat-nosed, curly-haired.

The scum of districts, flat-nosed, with shaggy hair.

أَباهِلَ رُدّوا أَعبُدَ الحَيِّ إِنَّهُم

أَباهِلَ رُدّوا أَعبُدَ الحَيِّ إِنَّهُم

جِعادٌ وَمِن مالِ الكِرامِ تِلادُ

جِعادٌ وَمِن مالِ الكِرامِ تِلادُ

O Bahila, return the clan's slaves: they are

Abu Hilal, return A’bd Al-Hayy; they

curly-haired, ancestral property among noble men's wealth.

Are shaggy-haired, feeding on the property of the generous.

لَقَد شانَ أَولادَ الزِناءِ سَوادُهُ

لَقَد شانَ أَولادَ الزِناءِ سَوادُهُ

وَإِن كانَ في بَدرِ السَماءِ سَوادُ

وَإِن كانَ في بَدرِ السَماءِ سَوادُ

His blackness has indeed disgraced the children of fornication,

The evil of children of adultery has spread among them

though even the sky's full moon bears darkness.

Even if the blackness in the full moon spreads.

بَني كَشكَشٍ غَطّوا أَساتِيَ نِسوَةٍ

بَني كَشكَشٍ غَطّوا أَساتِيَ نِسوَةٍ

تَزَيَّدُ مِن طَعنٍ وَسَوفَ تُزادُ

تَزَيَّدُ مِن طَعنٍ وَسَوفَ تُزادُ

Sons of Kashkash, cover the arses of women

Children of Kushkush, cover the defects of women

that grow larger from thrusting, and will be enlarged still more:

Who attack more and more and will be assaulted.

بَناتٌ وَزَوجاتٌ وَأُختٌ وَخالَةٌ

بَناتٌ وَزَوجاتٌ وَأُختٌ وَخالَةٌ

بِها مِن شِعافٍ بِالطِعانِ كِبادُ

بِها مِن شِعافٍ بِالطِعانِ كِبادُ

daughters, wives, a sister, and a maternal aunt,

Daughters, wives, a sister, and an aunt

afflicted with liver-ache from passion for thrusting.

With them - how they pierce with sharp tongues!

لَقَد نَفِدَت أَشرافُنا بَعدَ عَذرَةٍ

لَقَد نَفِدَت أَشرافُنا بَعدَ عَذرَةٍ

وَما لِعُيونِ اِبنِ الخُلَيقِ نَفادُ

وَما لِعُيونِ اِبنِ الخُلَيقِ نَفادُ

Our nobles have indeed been exhausted after 'Udhra,

Our noble women have dwindled after pardoning

but Ibn al-Khulayq's springs are inexhaustible.

And there is no end to the eyes of the son of Kulayq.

وَمُشفِقَةٍ مِنّي عَلى فَرخِ كَشكَشٍ

وَمُشفِقَةٍ مِنّي عَلى فَرخِ كَشكَشٍ

فَقُلتُ لَها بَقياً عَلَيهِ فَسادُ

فَقُلتُ لَها بَقياً عَلَيهِ فَسادُ

And a woman, fearful of me for Kashkash's chick—

And Mushfiqah felt pity for me about Kushkush’s fledgling,

I told her: sparing him is corruption.

So I said to her, “Corruption remains for it.”

وَما في هَلاكِ اِبنِ الخُلَيقِ لِرَهطِهِ

وَما في هَلاكِ اِبنِ الخُلَيقِ لِرَهطِهِ

فَسادٌ وَلَكِن في البَقاءِ فَسادُ

فَسادٌ وَلَكِن في البَقاءِ فَسادُ

Ibn al-Khulayq's death brings his clan

There is no corruption for his people in the death of the son of Kulayq,

no corruption; corruption lies instead in his survival.

But in survival there is corruption.

دَعاني وَما أَصبَحتُ صَوتُ اِبنِ كَشكَشٍ

دَعاني وَما أَصبَحتُ صَوتُ اِبنِ كَشكَشٍ

لِأَنكَحَ أُختَيهِ وَفِيَّ بِعادُ

لِأَنكَحَ أُختَيهِ وَفِيَّ بِعادُ

Ibn Kashkash's voice called me before I had reached morning,

He invited me but I did not respond to the voice of the son of Kushkush

to fuck his two sisters, though I was averse.

To marry his sisters, and I bear grudges.

فَقُلتُ لَهُ عِندي مِنَ الطَعنِ أَربَعٌ

فَقُلتُ لَهُ عِندي مِنَ الطَعنِ أَربَعٌ

صِلابٌ وَما عِندي لَهُنَّ كِرادُ

صِلابٌ وَما عِندي لَهُنَّ كِرادُ

So I told him: I have four thrusts,

So I said to him, “With me are four

hard ones, but I have no kirad for them [meaning unclear].

Who are tough, and I have no cage for them.”

عَلَيكَ بِطاوُوسِ الحُبوشِ لِأَيرِهِ

عَلَيكَ بِطاوُوسِ الحُبوشِ لِأَيرِهِ

مَناعِمُ زَهرٌ مِنهُما وَوِعادُ

مَناعِمُ زَهرٌ مِنهُما وَوِعادُ

Turn to the peacock of the Abyssinians: for his cock

You have the peacock of Abyssinia for its lord;

there are radiant delights from those two, and promises.

Favors are flowers - enjoy them!

نَزا بِكَ زِنجِيٌّ وَأُمُّكَ سَلفَعٌ

نَزا بِكَ زِنجِيٌّ وَأُمُّكَ سَلفَعٌ

مِنَ البُرصِ لا تَصطادُهُم وَتُصادُ

مِنَ البُرصِ لا تَصطادُهُم وَتُصادُ

A Zanj sired you by mounting; your mother is a brazen shrew,

A Zanji coupled with you, and your mother was a Salifa

one of the white-spotted folk; she does not hunt them, but is hunted.

With leprosy - do not hunt them and get hunted!

فَجِئتَ كَبَغلِ السوءِ بَينَ عَرينَةٍ

فَجِئتَ كَبَغلِ السوءِ بَينَ عَرينَةٍ

وَبَينَ حِمارٍ حُطَّ عَنهُ مَزادُ

وَبَينَ حِمارٍ حُطَّ عَنهُ مَزادُ

So you came forth like an ill-bred mule, between an 'arina [unclear animal/name]

So you came like a mule, begotten wrongly, between

and a donkey whose waterskins had been unloaded.

A she-ass and a donkey whose nose-ring was removed.

إِذا صَهَلَت أُمّاتُهُ حَنَّ أَيرُهُ

إِذا صَهَلَت أُمّاتُهُ حَنَّ أَيرُهُ

لَهُنَّ فَكانَت مَحجَةٌ وَسِفادُ

لَهُنَّ فَكانَت مَحجَةٌ وَسِفادُ

When his mothers neigh, his cock longs

When his slave-girls bray, their lord is affectionate to them;

for them; then there is a clear path, and mating.

They have a private part, and he has intercourse!