كُنّا نَغارُ عَلى العَواتِقِ أَن تَرى

كُنّا نَغارُ عَلى العَواتِقِ أَن تَرى

بِالأَمسِ خارِجَةً عَنِ الأَوطانِ

بِالأَمسِ خارِجَةً عَنِ الأَوطانِ

We used to guard the maidens jealously, lest you see them

We were jealous of the ladies when they went out

Yesterday, out beyond their homes.

Yesterday from their homes

فَخَرَجنَ حينَ ثَوى كُلَيبٌ حُسَّراً

فَخَرَجنَ حينَ ثَوى كُلَيبٌ حُسَّراً

مُستَيقِناتٍ بَعدَهُ بِهَوانِ

مُستَيقِناتٍ بَعدَهُ بِهَوانِ

So they came out bareheaded when Kulayb lay dead,

So they went out when Kulayb was laid to rest

Certain of humiliation after his death.

Certain after him of disgrace

فَتَرى الكَواعِبَ كَالظِباءِ عَواطِلاً

فَتَرى الكَواعِبَ كَالظِباءِ عَواطِلاً

إِذ حانَ مَصرَعُهُ مِنَ الأَكفانِ

إِذ حانَ مَصرَعُهُ مِنَ الأَكفانِ

So you see the budding maidens, like gazelles, unadorned,

You see the flirtatious girls like frightened gazelles

When his hour of death came, amid the shrouds.

When his death from shrouds drew near

يَخمِشنَ مِن أَدَمِ الوُجوهِ حَواسِراً

يَخمِشنَ مِن أَدَمِ الوُجوهِ حَواسِراً

مِن بَعدِهِ وَيَعِدنَ بِالأَزمانِ

مِن بَعدِهِ وَيَعِدنَ بِالأَزمانِ

They claw at the skin of their faces, bareheaded,

They scratch their cheeks of fair complexion in grief

After him, uttering threats against Time.

After him and they complain of fate

مُتَسَلِّباتٍ نُكدَهُنَّ وَقَد وَرى

مُتَسَلِّباتٍ نُكدَهُنَّ وَقَد وَرى

أَجوافَهُنَّ بِحُرقَةٍ وَرَواني

أَجوافَهُنَّ بِحُرقَةٍ وَرَواني

They wear mourning; their misery has already kindled

Suffering sorrow, and he had flowed

Their insides with burning anguish, and given me my fill.

Into their breasts hot embers and passion

وَيَقُلنَ مَن لِلمُستَضيقِ إِذا دَعا

وَيَقُلنَ مَن لِلمُستَضيقِ إِذا دَعا

أَم مَن لِخَضبِ عَوالي المُرّانِ

أَم مَن لِخَضبِ عَوالي المُرّانِ

And they say: Who will aid the hard-pressed when he calls,

And they say who helps the distressed when they call

Or who will stain the tips of the ash-wood spears?

Or who helps dye the peaks of spears red

أَم لِاِتِّسارٍ بِالجزورِ إِذا غَدا

أَم لِاِتِّسارٍ بِالجزورِ إِذا غَدا

ريحٌ يُقَطِّعُ مَعقِدَ الأَشطانِ

ريحٌ يُقَطِّعُ مَعقِدَ الأَشطانِ

Or cast lots over a slaughter-camel, when at dawn comes

Or who helps the slicing with blades when

A wind that snaps the ropes' fastenings?

A wind rends the knots of tent-ropes

أَم مَن لِاِسباقِ الدِياتِ وَجَمعِها

أَم مَن لِاِسباقِ الدِياتِ وَجَمعِها

وَلِفادِحاتِ نَوائِبِ الحِدثانِ

وَلِفادِحاتِ نَوائِبِ الحِدثانِ

Or who will advance blood-money payments and collect them,

Or who helps in the races of blood-monies and collecting them

And face the crushing calamities of time?

And the calamities of youthful accidents

كانَ الذَحيرَةَ لِلزَّمانِ فَقَد أَتى

كانَ الذَحيرَةَ لِلزَّمانِ فَقَد أَتى

فَقدانُهُ وَأَخَلَّ رُكنَ مَكاني

فَقدانُهُ وَأَخَلَّ رُكنَ مَكاني

He was the reserve against time; now there has come

He was protection from time, but his loss came

His loss, leaving my dwelling without its pillar.

And left vacant the pillar of my abode

يا لَهفَ نَفسي مِن زَمانٍ فاجِعٍ

يا لَهفَ نَفسي مِن زَمانٍ فاجِعٍ

أَلقى عَلَيَّ بِكَلكَلٍ وَجِرانِ

أَلقى عَلَيَّ بِكَلكَلٍ وَجِرانِ

Oh, my soul's anguish at a calamitous age,

Oh how my soul yearns from a woeful time

That has borne down on me with its chest and the underside of its neck,

That cast on me fetters and neighbors

بِمُصيبَةٍ لا تُستَقالُ جَليلَةٍ

بِمُصيبَةٍ لا تُستَقالُ جَليلَةٍ

غَلَبَت عَزاءَ القَومِ وَالنِسوانِ

غَلَبَت عَزاءَ القَومِ وَالنِسوانِ

With a grave calamity that cannot be undone,

With an irremediable monumental calamity

Overwhelming the endurance of men and women.

That overwhelmed the tribe’s condolences and the women’s

هَدَّت حُصوناً كُنَّ قَبلُ مَلاوِذاً

هَدَّت حُصوناً كُنَّ قَبلُ مَلاوِذاً

لِذَوي الكُهولِ مَعاً وَلِلشُّبانِ

لِذَوي الكُهولِ مَعاً وَلِلشُّبانِ

It shattered fortresses that once were refuges

It toppled fortresses that were previously refuges

For mature men and youths alike.

For the mature and youth alike

أَضحَت وَأَضحى سورُها مِن بَعدِهِ

أَضحَت وَأَضحى سورُها مِن بَعدِهِ

مُتَهَدِّمَ الأَركانِ وَالبُنيانِ

مُتَهَدِّمَ الأَركانِ وَالبُنيانِ

They and their wall, after him, have become

After him, their fence and structure

Ruined in their pillars and structure.

Became dilapidated and ruined

فَاِبكينَ سَيِّدَ قَومِهِ وَاِندُبنَهُ

فَاِبكينَ سَيِّدَ قَومِهِ وَاِندُبنَهُ

شُدَّت عَلَيهِ قَباطِيَ الأَكفانِ

شُدَّت عَلَيهِ قَباطِيَ الأَكفانِ

So weep for the chief of his people, and lament him;

So weep for the master of his people and eulogize him

Fine Egyptian linen shrouds were bound around him.

When shrouds were tightened over him

وَاِبكينَ للأَيتامِ لَمّا أَقحَطوا

وَاِبكينَ للأَيتامِ لَمّا أَقحَطوا

وَاِبكينَ عِندَ تَخاذُلِ الجيرانِ

وَاِبكينَ عِندَ تَخاذُلِ الجيرانِ

And weep for the orphans when drought struck them,

And weep for the orphans when they were destitute

And weep when neighbors abandon one another.

And weep at the betrayal of neighbors

وَاِبكينَ مَصرَعَ جيدِهِ مُتَزَمِّلاً

وَاِبكينَ مَصرَعَ جيدِهِ مُتَزَمِّلاً

بِدِمائِهِ فَلَذاكَ ما أَبكاني

بِدِمائِهِ فَلَذاكَ ما أَبكاني

And weep for his neck laid low, swathed

And weep for his neck laid low

In his blood—for that is what made me weep.

By his blood, for that is what makes me weep

فَلَأَترُكَنَّ بِهِ قَبائِلَ تَغلِبٍ

فَلَأَترُكَنَّ بِهِ قَبائِلَ تَغلِبٍ

قَتلى بِكُلِّ قَرارَةٍ وَمَكانِ

قَتلى بِكُلِّ قَرارَةٍ وَمَكانِ

So, for him, I shall surely leave the tribes of Taghlib

I will surely leave the tribes of Taghlib

Slain in every hollow and place,

Slain in every settlement and place

قَتلى تُعاوِرَها النُسورُ أَكُفَّها

قَتلى تُعاوِرَها النُسورُ أَكُفَّها

يَنهَشنَها وَحَواجِلُ الغُربانِ

يَنهَشنَها وَحَواجِلُ الغُربانِ

Slain, whose hands vultures take turns attacking,

Slain, circled by eagles, their shoulders

Tearing at them, alongside hopping crows.

Ripped apart by their talons and the claws of vultures