هَل بِالحَوادِثِ وَالأَيامِ مِن عَجَبِ

هَل بِالحَوادِثِ وَالأَيامِ مِن عَجَبِ

أَم بِاِبنِ جُدعانَ عَبدِ اللَهِ مِن كَلَبِ

أَم بِاِبنِ جُدعانَ عَبدِ اللَهِ مِن كَلَبِ

Is there anything strange in events and days,

Is there wonder in events and days gone by

Or some frenzy in Ibn Judʿān, ʿAbd Allāh?

Or in Ibn Jud'an, Abdullah's dog's sharp cry?

اِستٌ حَميتٌ وَهى في عِكمِ رَبَّتَهِ

اِستٌ حَميتٌ وَهى في عِكمِ رَبَّتَهِ

في يَومِ حَرباً شَديدِ الشَرِّ وَالهَرَبِ

في يَومِ حَرباً شَديدِ الشَرِّ وَالهَرَبِ

A backside like a ghee-skin, split in its mistress’s pack,

A protector he, though timid when nearby,

On a day of war, fierce with peril and flight.

On a day of fierce battle and men's mad flight.

إِذا لَقيتَ بَني حَربٍ وَإِخوَتَهُم

إِذا لَقيتَ بَني حَربٍ وَإِخوَتَهُم

لا يَأكُلونَ عَطينَ الجِلدِ وَالأُهُبِ

لا يَأكُلونَ عَطينَ الجِلدِ وَالأُهُبِ

When you meet the sons of Ḥarb and their brothers,

When you meet the Bani Harb and their ilk,

They do not eat rotting leather and hides.

Who relish tough skin and pure camel's milk,

لا يَنكِلونَ وَلا تُشوي رَماحُهُمُ

لا يَنكِلونَ وَلا تُشوي رَماحُهُمُ

مِنَ الكُماةِ ذَوي الأَبدانِ وَالجُبَبِ

مِنَ الكُماةِ ذَوي الأَبدانِ وَالجُبَبِ

They do not flinch, nor do their spears miss the vitals

Whose spears, when they charge, like lightning strike

Of champions clad in cuirasses and tunics.

Men whose bodies and robes form a mighty dyke,

فَاِقعُد بَطيناً مَعَ الأَقوامِ ما قَعَدوا

فَاِقعُد بَطيناً مَعَ الأَقوامِ ما قَعَدوا

وَإِن غَزَوتَ فَلا تَبعَد مِنَ النَصَبِ

وَإِن غَزَوتَ فَلا تَبعَد مِنَ النَصَبِ

So sit, big-bellied, with the people as long as they sit;

Sit quiet if they sit, do not stand out.

And if you raid, do not stray far from the standard.

If you march with them, stay in their battle rout.

فَلَو ثَقِفتُكَ وَسطَ القَومِ تَرصُدُني

فَلَو ثَقِفتُكَ وَسطَ القَومِ تَرصُدُني

إِذاً تَلَبَّسَ مِنكَ العَرضُ بِالحَقبِ

إِذاً تَلَبَّسَ مِنكَ العَرضُ بِالحَقبِ

For if I caught you among the people, lying in wait for me,

If I found you midst the folk to trap me lying,

Then your flank would become entangled in the pack-girth.

Your honor would surely end up fried and dying.

وَما سَمِعتُ بِصَقرٍ ظَلَّ يَرصُدُهُ

وَما سَمِعتُ بِصَقرٍ ظَلَّ يَرصُدُهُ

مِن قَبلِ هَذا بِجَنبِ المَرجِ مِن خَرَبِ

مِن قَبلِ هَذا بِجَنبِ المَرجِ مِن خَرَبِ

And I have never heard of a falcon kept under watch,

No falcon before, by this shrine winging high

Before this, beside the meadow, by a male bustard.

Have I known to ambush me from the plain close by.