1. My eyes could not sleep, so I stayed awake
Beware tomorrow, lest it bring harm
١. أَلا أَرِقَت عَيني فَبِتُّ أُديرُها
حِذارَ غَدٍ أَحجى بِأَن لا يَضيرُها
2. When the star appears as the sunset of the sun leaning
And there was no light in the horizons to illuminate it
٢. إِذا النَجمُ أَضحى مَغرِبَ الشَمسِ مائِلاً
وَلَم يَكُ بِالآفاقِ بَونٌ يُنيرُها
3. If the sky was nothing but an arena
Like a spider web illuminating it
٣. إِذا ما السَماءُ لَم تَكُن غَيرَ حَلبَةٍ
كَجِدَّةِ بَيتِ العَنكَبوتِ يُنيرُها
4. So the rescue knew that we are its elite
When the secrets were disclosed, its affairs
٤. فَقَد عَلِمَت غَوثٌ بِأَنّا سَراتُها
إِذا أُعلِمَت بَعدَ السِرارِ أُمورُها
5. When the wind came from fearful fronts
And twisted in the robes of homes, their chests
٥. إِذا الريحُ جاءَت مِن أَمامِ أَخائِفٍ
وَأَلوَت بِأَطنابِ البُيوتِ صُدورُها
6. And we spend money without any doubt
And we do not complain in years for its harm
٦. وَإِنّا نُهينُ المالَ في غَيرِ ظِنَّةٍ
وَما يَشتَكينا في السِنينَ ضَريرُها
7. When the people's dogs fled their master
And it was hard on the weak guest, their dens
٧. إِذا ما بَخيلُ الناسِ هَرَّت كِلابُهُ
وَشَقَّ عَلى الضَيفِ الضَعيفِ عَقورُها
8. So I am the brave one, my home protected
I am generous when the soul narrows its conscience
٨. فَإِنّي جَبانُ الكَلبِ بَيتي مُوَطِّاً
أَجودُ إِذا ما النَفسُ شَحَّ ضَميرُها
9. And my dogs are provoked and trained
Little to whoever tries to make them growl
٩. وَإِنَّ كِلابي قَد أُهِرَّت وَعُوِّدَت
قَليلٌ عَلى مَن يَعتَريني هَريرُها
10. And my pot does not complain when people find fault
I move it from time to time as its master
١٠. وَما تَشتَكي قِدري إِذا الناسُ أَمحَلَت
أُؤَثِّفُها طَوراً وَطَوراً أُميرُها
11. And I bring out my pot in the open, little of it
Its full is seen and not suspected of it
١١. وَأُبرِزُ قِدري بِالفَضاءِ قَليلُها
يُرى غَيرَ مَضنونٍ بِهِ وَكَثيرُها
12. And my camels pledge to be generous
Restless in front of the house when aroused
١٢. وَإِبلِيَ رَهنٌ أَن يَكونَ كَريمُها
عَقيراً أَمامَ البَيتِ حينَ أُثيرُها
13. I consult the soul of generosity until it obeys me
And I leave the soul of stinginess, I do not consult it
١٣. أُشاوِرُ نَفسَ الجودِ حَتّى تُطيعَني
وَأَترُكُ نَفسَ البُخلِ لا أَستَشيرُها
14. And there is no barrier on my fire to hide it
From one lurking at night, but I illuminate it
١٤. وَلَيسَ عَلى ناري حِجابٌ يَكُنُّها
لِمُستَوبِصٍ لَيلاً وَلَكِن أُنيرُها
15. By your father, my neighbor's son does not remain
Circling around our pot however he maneuvers
١٥. فَلا وَأَبيكَ ما يَظَلُّ اِبنُ جارَتي
يَطوفُ حَوالَي قِدرِنا ما يَطورُها
16. And my neighbor does not complain about me except
When her husband is away from her, I do not visit her
١٦. وَما تَشتَكيني جارَتي غَيرَ أَنَّها
إِذا غابَ عَنها بَعلُها لا أَزورُها
17. She will know my goodness, and her husband will return to her
And she did not lack my veils upon her
١٧. سَيَبلُغُها خَيري وَيَرجِعُ بَعلُها
إِلَيها وَلَم يُقصَر عَلَيَّ سُتورُها
18. And horses competing in spearing which I witnessed
And if I were not among them, their excuse would be miserable
١٨. وَخَيلٍ تَعادى لِلطِعانِ شَهِدتُها
وَلَو لَم أَكُن فيها لَساءَ عَذيرُها
19. And a sea of death without any calmness
The chests of the valiant would be its bridges
١٩. وَغَمرَةِ مَوتٍ لَيسَ فيها هَوادَةٌ
يَكونُ صُدورَ المَشرَفِيِّ جُسورُها
20. We were patient with it in its groaning and afflictions
With our swords until its flow of pus poured forth
٢٠. صَبَرنا لَها في نَهكِها وَمُصابِها
بِأَسيافِنا حَتّى يَبوخَ سَعيرُها
21. And the barefoot, disheveled hair, as if they are
The jinn's sons, their pots never cooked
٢١. وَعَرجَلَةٍ شُعثِ الرُؤوسِ كَأَنَّهُم
بَنو الجِنِّ لَم تُطبَخ بِقِدرٍ جَزورُها
22. Umaymah witnessed that we
Are the people of war, its light intensified when we unsheathed it
٢٢. شَهِدتُ وَعَوّاناً أُمَيمَةُ أَنّنا
بَنو الحَربِ نَصلاها إِذا اِشتَدَّ نورُها
23. On a sturdy, severe, barren, trustworthy horse
Whose legs stomp showing no fear
٢٣. عَلى مُهرَةٍ كَبداءَ جَرداءَ ضامِرٍ
أَمينٍ شَظاها مُطمَئِنٍّ نُسورُها
24. And I swore I will not give a king my darkness
While around me are foes, old and young
٢٤. وَأَقسَمتُ لا أُعطي مَليكاً ظُلامَةً
وَحَولي عَدِيٌّ كَهلُها وَغَريرُها
25. They refused me the highborn captives
The generous provided for them, the poor acquired them
٢٥. أَبَت لِيَ ذاكُم أُسرَةٌ ثُعَلِيَّةٌ
كَريمٌ غِناها مُستَعِفٌّ فَقيرُها
26. And a fine, slender one whom young men vied over
One of them had loosened her belt
٢٦. وَخوصٍ دِقاقٍ قَد حَدَوتُ لِفِتيَةٍ
عَلَيهِنَّ إِحداهُنَّ قَد حَلَّ كورُها