حَلَفتُ بِرَبِّ الجارِياتِ إِذا جَرَت

حَلَفتُ بِرَبِّ الجارِياتِ إِذا جَرَت

وَحَيثُ دَنَت مِن مَروَةِ البَيتِ زَمزَمُ

وَحَيثُ دَنَت مِن مَروَةِ البَيتِ زَمزَمُ

I swore by the Lord of the ships when they sail,

I swore by the Lord of the flowing winds, when they blow

And where Zamzam lies near the House's Marwah,

And wherever they approached from Marwah of the house, Zamzam

لَما زادَني مِن خَشيَةٍ إِذ حَبَستَني

لَما زادَني مِن خَشيَةٍ إِذ حَبَستَني

عَلى الخَشيَةِ الأولى الَّتي كُنتَ تَعلَمُ

عَلى الخَشيَةِ الأولى الَّتي كُنتَ تَعلَمُ

No fear was added to me when you imprisoned me

You did not increase me in fear when you detained me

Beyond the former fear you already knew.

Upon the first fear which you used to know

إِذا ذَكَرَت نَفسي يَدَيكَ نَزَت بِها

إِذا ذَكَرَت نَفسي يَدَيكَ نَزَت بِها

كَراسيعُ زالَت وَالقَطيعُ المُحَرَّمُ

كَراسيعُ زالَت وَالقَطيعُ المُحَرَّمُ

When my soul recalls your hands, it shudders at

When my soul remembers your hands descending with it

Wrists wrenched out of place and the stiff, unsoftened lash.

The Night of Power has passed and the sacred month

أَعوذُ بِقَبرٍ فيهِ أَكفانُ مُنذِرٍ

أَعوذُ بِقَبرٍ فيهِ أَكفانُ مُنذِرٍ

وَهُنَّ لِأَيدي المُستَجيرينَ مَحرَمُ

وَهُنَّ لِأَيدي المُستَجيرينَ مَحرَمُ

I seek refuge in a grave holding Mundhir's shrouds;

I seek refuge in a grave wherein are the shrouds of Munthir

They are a sanctuary for the hands of those seeking refuge.

And they are for the hands of the ones seeking refuge, sacred

أَلَم تَرَني نادَيتُ بِالصَوتِ مالِكاً

أَلَم تَرَني نادَيتُ بِالصَوتِ مالِكاً

لِيَسمَعَ لَمّا غَصَّ بِالريقَةِ الفَمُ

لِيَسمَعَ لَمّا غَصَّ بِالريقَةِ الفَمُ

Did you not see me call aloud to Malik,

Did you not see me calling Malik loudly

So he would hear, when my mouth choked on saliva?

So he may hear when choking closed my mouth

سَتَعلَمُ أَنَّ الكاذِبينَ إِذا اِفتَرَوا

سَتَعلَمُ أَنَّ الكاذِبينَ إِذا اِفتَرَوا

عَلَيَّ إِذا كُرَّ الحَديثُ المُرَجَّمُ

عَلَيَّ إِذا كُرَّ الحَديثُ المُرَجَّمُ

You will learn that the liars, when they fabricate lies

You will know that when the liars attributed lies to me

Against me, when the conjectured tale is repeated...

When the compiled talk circulated

بَني مُنذِرٍ لا جارَ مِن قَبرِ مِنذِرٍ

بَني مُنذِرٍ لا جارَ مِن قَبرِ مِنذِرٍ

أَعَزَّ بِجارٍ حينَ يَدعو وَأَسلَمُ

أَعَزَّ بِجارٍ حينَ يَدعو وَأَسلَمُ

Sons of Mundhir, no protector, compared with Mundhir's grave,

O sons of Munthir, no neighbor can seek refuge from Munthir's grave

Is mightier for a suppliant when he calls, or safer.

A neighbor who is mightier when he calls and safer

فَهَل يُخرِجَنّي مُنذِرٌ مِن مُخَيِّسٍ

فَهَل يُخرِجَنّي مُنذِرٌ مِن مُخَيِّسٍ

وَعُذرٌ بِهِ لي صَوتُهُ يَتَكَلَّمُ

وَعُذرٌ بِهِ لي صَوتُهُ يَتَكَلَّمُ

Will Mundhir, then, bring me out of Mukhayyis,

Will Munthir then bring me out from Mukhayyis

While his voice speaks there with a plea on my behalf?

With him an excuse for me, his voice speaking

أَعوذُ بِبِشرٍ وَالمُعَلّى كِلَيهِما

أَعوذُ بِبِشرٍ وَالمُعَلّى كِلَيهِما

بَني مالِكٍ أَوفى جِوارَن وَأَكرَمُ

بَني مالِكٍ أَوفى جِوارَن وَأَكرَمُ

I seek refuge in Bishr and al-Mu'alla, both,

I seek refuge with Bishr and Al-Mu'allá the two of them

The sons of Malik, truer in protection and more generous

Sons of Malik, most faithful of neighbors and noblest

مِنَ الحارِثِ المُنجي عِياضَ اِبنَ دَيهَثٍ

مِنَ الحارِثِ المُنجي عِياضَ اِبنَ دَيهَثٍ

فَرَدَّ أَبو لَيلى لَهُ وَهوَ أَظلَمُ

فَرَدَّ أَبو لَيلى لَهُ وَهوَ أَظلَمُ

Than al-Harith, who rescued 'Iyad ibn Dayhath.

Against Al-Hárith the savior, `Iyád the son of Dayhath

Then Abu Layla returned it to him, though he was more unjust.

So Abu Layla returned it to him while he was most unjust

وَما كانَ جاراً غَيرَ دَلوٍ تَعَلَّقَت

وَما كانَ جاراً غَيرَ دَلوٍ تَعَلَّقَت

بِعِقدِ رِشاءٍ عَقدُهُ لا يُجَذَّمُ

بِعِقدِ رِشاءٍ عَقدُهُ لا يُجَذَّمُ

And his only protection was a bucket hanging

He was no neighbor but a bucket attached

From the knot of a well-rope, whose knot cannot be severed.

To a rope of sinews, its knot unbreakable

فَرَدَّ أَخا عَمروِ اِبنِ سَعدٍ بِذَودِهِ

فَرَدَّ أَخا عَمروِ اِبنِ سَعدٍ بِذَودِهِ

جَميعاً وَهُنَّ المَغنَمُ المُتَقَسَّمُ

جَميعاً وَهُنَّ المَغنَمُ المُتَقَسَّمُ

He sent back the brother of 'Amr ibn Sa'd with his small camel-herd,

He returned the brother of `Amr the son of Sa`d with his repelling

All together, though those camels were booty to be divided.

All of them while they are the divided loot

فَمَن يَكُ جارَ اِبنِ المُعَلّى فَقَد عَلا

فَمَن يَكُ جارَ اِبنِ المُعَلّى فَقَد عَلا

عَلى الناسِ لا يَخشى وَلا يَتَهَضَّمُ

عَلى الناسِ لا يَخشى وَلا يَتَهَضَّمُ

Whoever is under Ibn al-Mu'alla's protection has risen

So whoever is the neighbor of the son of Al-Mu'allá has then ascended

Above the people: he fears nothing and suffers no oppression.

Above people, fearing no harm or injury

وَأَيُّ أَبٍ بَعدَ المُعَلّى وَمُنذِرٍ

وَأَيُّ أَبٍ بَعدَ المُعَلّى وَمُنذِرٍ

وَبِشرٍ يُنادى لِلَّتي هِيَ أَفقَمُ

وَبِشرٍ يُنادى لِلَّتي هِيَ أَفقَمُ

And what father, after al-Mu'alla and Mundhir

And which father after Al-Mu'allá and Munthir

And Bishr, is called upon for the gravest plight?

And Bishr is called to she who is most silent?

هُمُ النَفَرُ الكافونَ بَيعَةَ ما جَنَت

هُمُ النَفَرُ الكافونَ بَيعَةَ ما جَنَت

بِهِم يُرأَبُ الصَدعُ المُفَرَّقُ وَالدَمُ

بِهِم يُرأَبُ الصَدعُ المُفَرَّقُ وَالدَمُ

They are the men who shield Bay'ah from what she has wrought;

They are the select few fulfilling the pledge of what

Through them the rending breach is mended, and bloodshed redressed.

Their pledge mended the rift and the blood

وَكَيفَ بِمَن خَمسونَ قَيداً وَحَلقَةً

وَكَيفَ بِمَن خَمسونَ قَيداً وَحَلقَةً

عَلَيهِ مَعَ اللَيلِ الَّذي هُوَ أَدهَمُ

عَلَيهِ مَعَ اللَيلِ الَّذي هُوَ أَدهَمُ

And what of one with fifty fetters and rings

And how can one with fifty shackles and rings

Upon him, along with a night that is pitch-black?

Upon him survive the night which is darkest?

أَبيتُ أُقاسي اللَيلَ وَالقَومُ مِنهُمُ

أَبيتُ أُقاسي اللَيلَ وَالقَومُ مِنهُمُ

مَعي ساهِرٌ لي لا يَنامُ وَنُوَّمُ

مَعي ساهِرٌ لي لا يَنامُ وَنُوَّمُ

I spend the night suffering, while among the men

I refused to endure the night and the people among them

Beside me, one stays awake for me, never sleeping, and others sleep.

Staying awake with me neither sleeping nor slumbering

وَلَو أَنَّها صُمُّ الجِبالِ تَحَمَّلَت

وَلَو أَنَّها صُمُّ الجِبالِ تَحَمَّلَت

كَما حَمَلَت رِجلايَ كادَت تُحَطَّمُ

كَما حَمَلَت رِجلايَ كادَت تُحَطَّمُ

And had the solid mountains borne them,

And if it were deaf mountains bearing

As my two legs have borne them, they would almost shatter.

As my feet carried though nearly crushed

أَمالِكُ إِن أَخرُج بِكَفَّيكَ صالِحاً

أَمالِكُ إِن أَخرُج بِكَفَّيكَ صالِحاً

تَكُن مِثلُ ذي نُعمى لِمَن كانَ يُنعِمُ

تَكُن مِثلُ ذي نُعمى لِمَن كانَ يُنعِمُ

Malik, if I emerge unharmed through your two hands,

O Malik if you bring me out safe

You will be like a benefactor to one who used to bestow favors.

You would be as he of Nu'mán to one enjoying favor

فَلَو أَنَّ ضَيفَ البارِقَينِ وَلَعلَعٍ

فَلَو أَنَّ ضَيفَ البارِقَينِ وَلَعلَعٍ

مَكانِكَ مِنّي نازِلٌ حينَ يَضغَمُ

مَكانِكَ مِنّي نازِلٌ حينَ يَضغَمُ

For if the guest of al-Bariqayn and La'la'

And if instead the guest of lightning and thunder

Were in your place beside me when he bites,

Were hosted by me when fate frowned

كَأَنَّ شِهابَي قابِسٍ تَحتَ جَبهَةٍ

كَأَنَّ شِهابَي قابِسٍ تَحتَ جَبهَةٍ

لَهُ مِن صِلابِ الرَعنِ بَل هُوَ أَجهَمُ

لَهُ مِن صِلابِ الرَعنِ بَل هُوَ أَجهَمُ

Like two firebrands from a fire-kindler beneath his brow,

As if the meteors of Qábis were under a darkness

Made of the mountain spur's hard rock—indeed, he is more forbidding—

For him from the hardness of granite, no, he is blindest

لَكانَ فُؤادي مِنهُ أَيسَرَ خَشيَةً

لَكانَ فُؤادي مِنهُ أَيسَرَ خَشيَةً

وَأَوثَقَ مِنّي لِلمَنِيَّةِ مُسلَمُ

وَأَوثَقَ مِنّي لِلمَنِيَّةِ مُسلَمُ

My heart would fear him less,

My heart would be easier to fear him

And one surrendered to death would be more assured than I.

And cling to death more readily in resignation

إِذا كَشَرَت أَنيابُهُ عَن أَسِنَّةٍ

إِذا كَشَرَت أَنيابُهُ عَن أَسِنَّةٍ

لَهُ بَينَ لَحيَي مُلجَمٍ لا يُثَلَّمُ

لَهُ بَينَ لَحيَي مُلجَمٍ لا يُثَلَّمُ

When his fangs expose spearheads

When his fangs are bared from incisors

Between his two bridled jaws, never blunted.

Between an unpierced muzzle and unsevered lips

لَهُ اِبنانِ لا يَنفَكُّ يَجري إِلَيهِما

لَهُ اِبنانِ لا يَنفَكُّ يَجري إِلَيهِما

بِأَوصالِ مَعفورٍ بِهِ يَتَقَرَّمُ

بِأَوصالِ مَعفورٍ بِهِ يَتَقَرَّمُ

He has two sons; he keeps running to them

He has two sons who continually run to them

With the limbs of a dust-covered victim, feeding his craving for flesh.

With the limbs of a nimble old man thereby he is nourished

وَأَوَّلُ ما ذاقا لَدُن فَطَمَتهُما

وَأَوَّلُ ما ذاقا لَدُن فَطَمَتهُما

دَمٌ وَبَنانٌ مِن صَريعٍ وَمِعصَمُ

دَمٌ وَبَنانٌ مِن صَريعٍ وَمِعصَمُ

The first things they tasted, from the time she weaned them,

And the first they tasted after weaning them

Were blood, fingers from a fallen man, and a wrist.

Was blood and fingers from a slain man and wrist

نَقولُ لِأَوصالِ الرِجالِ إِلَيهِما

نَقولُ لِأَوصالِ الرِجالِ إِلَيهِما

وَما لَهُما إِلّا مِنَ القَومِ مَطعَمُ

وَما لَهُما إِلّا مِنَ القَومِ مَطعَمُ

He keeps carrying men's limbs to the two,

We say to the limbs of men, to them

And they have no food except from men.

And they have none but the people as food

وَلَم تَرَ مَخضوبَينِ أَجرَأَ مِنهُما

وَلَم تَرَ مَخضوبَينِ أَجرَأَ مِنهُما

أَباً وَيَدَي أُمٍّ لَهُ حينَ تَفطِمُ

أَباً وَيَدَي أُمٍّ لَهُ حينَ تَفطِمُ

Never have you seen two blood-stained ones bolder than these:

You have not seen two more daring than them

A father, and the two paws of his mother as she weans.

A father whose hands, when weaning, are crimson

وَعَلَّمَني مَشيَ المُقَيَّدِ خالِدٌ

وَعَلَّمَني مَشيَ المُقَيَّدِ خالِدٌ

وَما كُنتُ أَدنى خَطوِهِ أَتَعَلَّمُ

وَما كُنتُ أَدنى خَطوِهِ أَتَعَلَّمُ

Khalid taught me the gait of a fettered man,

Khalid taught me the walk of the shackled

And I had never learned even the smallest of its steps.

And I was not lacking his lead, learning

أَقولُ لِرِجلَيَّ اللَتَينِ عَلَيهِما

أَقولُ لِرِجلَيَّ اللَتَينِ عَلَيهِما

عُرىً وَحَديدٌ يَحبِسُ الخَطوَ أَبهَمُ

عُرىً وَحَديدٌ يَحبِسُ الخَطوَ أَبهَمُ

I say to my two legs, upon which lie

I say to my two legs upon which

Shackle-loops and solid iron that blocks each step:

Are fetters and irons restricting each step

أَما في بَني الجارودِ مِن رائِحٍ لَنا

أَما في بَني الجارودِ مِن رائِحٍ لَنا

كَما راحَ دُفّاعُ الفُراتِ المُثَلَّمُ

كَما راحَ دُفّاعُ الفُراتِ المُثَلَّمُ

Is there no one among the sons of al-Jarud to go forth for us,

Is there not among the sons of Al-Járúd a scent for us

As the flood of the breached Euphrates swept forth?

As the scent of the gap-toothed Euphrates wafted, rippling

وَمَن يَطَّلِب سَعيَ المُعَلّى يَجِد لَهُ

وَمَن يَطَّلِب سَعيَ المُعَلّى يَجِد لَهُ

صَعوداً عَلى كَفَّيهِ مَن يَتَجَثَّمُ

صَعوداً عَلى كَفَّيهِ مَن يَتَجَثَّمُ

Whoever seeks al-Mu'alla's achievements will find before him

And whoever seeks the efforts of Al-Mu'allá will find for him

A steep ascent, to be clambered up on both hands.

An ascension on his palms he who stumbles

مَساعِيَ كانَت لِلمُعَلّى نَمى بِها

مَساعِيَ كانَت لِلمُعَلّى نَمى بِها

إِلى المَجدِ حَتّى أَدرَكَ الشَمسَ سُلَّمُ

إِلى المَجدِ حَتّى أَدرَكَ الشَمسَ سُلَّمُ

Deeds were al-Mu'alla's; through them grew

Efforts for Al-Mu'allá led him to glory

A ladder toward glory, until it reached the sun.

Until he reached the heights, its ladder complete

فَثِنتانِ مَجدُ الجاهِلِيَّةِ فيهِمُ

فَثِنتانِ مَجدُ الجاهِلِيَّةِ فيهِمُ

وَهُم قَبلَ هَذا الناسِ لِلَّهِ أَسلَموا

وَهُم قَبلَ هَذا الناسِ لِلَّهِ أَسلَموا

Two distinctions, then: among them is the glory of the pre-Islamic age,

So excellent are the two glories of the Ignorance within them

And they submitted to God before these people.

And they, before these people, submitted to God

تُعَدُّ بُيوتٌ في قَبائِلِ أَهلِها

تُعَدُّ بُيوتٌ في قَبائِلِ أَهلِها

وَبَيتاكُمُ مِن كُلِّ بَيتَينِ أَعظَمُ

وَبَيتاكُمُ مِن كُلِّ بَيتَينِ أَعظَمُ

Houses are numbered among their people's tribes,

Houses are counted in the tribes of their people

And your two houses are greater than any other pair.

While yours among each two houses is greatest

عَسى اللَهُ أَن يَرتاحَ لي فَيَكُفَّني

عَسى اللَهُ أَن يَرتاحَ لي فَيَكُفَّني

بِرَحمَةِ مَن هُو مِن أَبي هُوَ أَرحَمُ

بِرَحمَةِ مَن هُو مِن أَبي هُوَ أَرحَمُ

May God take pity on me and shield me,

May God comfort me and restrain me

Through the mercy of One more merciful than my father.

With the mercy of Him who is more merciful than my father

أَعوذُ بِبِشرٍ وَالمُعَلّى وَمُنذِرٍ

أَعوذُ بِبِشرٍ وَالمُعَلّى وَمُنذِرٍ

سِماكانِ كانا ذو سِلاحٍ وَمُرزِمِ

سِماكانِ كانا ذو سِلاحٍ وَمُرزِمِ

I seek refuge in Bishr, al-Mu'alla, and Mundhir:

I seek refuge with Bishr, Al-Mu'allá and Munthir

They were two Simak stars—one armed—and a Murzim;

Pillars they were, armed and helmeted

وَثالِثُهُنَّ المُهتَدى بِبَياضِهِ

وَثالِثُهُنَّ المُهتَدى بِبَياضِهِ

إِلى الخَيرِ في لَيلٍ وَساريهِ مُظلِمُ

إِلى الخَيرِ في لَيلٍ وَساريهِ مُظلِمُ

And the third, by whose brightness one is guided

And thirdly the guided among them in his whiteness

Toward good in a night whose traveler is in darkness.

To goodness in night though it is darkest