يَزيدُ أَبو الخَطّابِ أَخرَجَهُ لَنا

يَزيدُ أَبو الخَطّابِ أَخرَجَهُ لَنا

شَفيقٌ عَلَينا في الأُمورِ حَميدُها

شَفيقٌ عَلَينا في الأُمورِ حَميدُها

Yazid, Abu al-Khattab—he brought him forth for us,

Yazid, Abu al-Khattab, was brought out for us

compassionate toward us, praiseworthy in all affairs.

By one compassionate toward us, praiseworthy in his dealings.

وَقائِلَةٍ مِن غَيرِ قَومي وَقائِلٍ

وَقائِلَةٍ مِن غَيرِ قَومي وَقائِلٍ

وَفي الناسِ أَقوامٌ بَوادٍ حَسودُها

وَفي الناسِ أَقوامٌ بَوادٍ حَسودُها

Many a woman not of my people has spoken, and many a man,

And many a woman not of my people, and many a man—

and among mankind are tribes in a valley, envious of her.

And among people are clans whose envious men are plain to see—

عَلى أَنَّها في الدارِ قالَت لِقَومِها

عَلى أَنَّها في الدارِ قالَت لِقَومِها

إِذا ما مَعَدٌّ قيلَ أَينَ عَميدُها

إِذا ما مَعَدٌّ قيلَ أَينَ عَميدُها

Though she was at home, she said to her people:

Yet at home she said to her people,

“When Ma‘add is named, where is its pillar?”

When it is asked of Ma'add, 'Where is her chief?'

رَأَت رَبَّةُ الرَحمانِ أَخرَجَهُ لَنا

رَأَت رَبَّةُ الرَحمانِ أَخرَجَهُ لَنا

وَجَدٌّ وَمَن خَيرِ الجُدودِ سَعيدُها

وَجَدٌّ وَمَن خَيرِ الجُدودِ سَعيدُها

The handmaid of the Merciful saw that he brought him forth for us

The lady of the All-Merciful saw that he brought him out for us [wording unclear].

as a stroke of fortune—and best among fortunes is the happy one.

And fortune—happy fortune is among the best of fortunes.

فَإِنَّ تَميماً إِن خَرَجتَ مُسَلَّماً

فَإِنَّ تَميماً إِن خَرَجتَ مُسَلَّماً

مِنَ السِجنِ لَم تُخلَق صِغاراً جُدودُها

مِنَ السِجنِ لَم تُخلَق صِغاراً جُدودُها

For I say of Tamim: if you emerge unharmed

For Tamim—if you emerge unharmed

from prison, her fortunes were not fashioned lowly.

From prison—her fortunes were never fashioned small.

وَكَم نَذَرَت مِن صَومِ شَهرٍ وَحِجَّةٍ

وَكَم نَذَرَت مِن صَومِ شَهرٍ وَحِجَّةٍ

نِساءُ تَميمٍ إِن أَتاها يَزيدُها

نِساءُ تَميمٍ إِن أَتاها يَزيدُها

How many a month-long fast and pilgrimage have

And how often a month's fast and a pilgrimage were vowed

Tamim’s women vowed, should their Yazid come to them!

By Tamim's women, should their Yazid return to them!

هُوَ الجَبَلُ الأَعلى الَّذي تَرتَقي بِهِ

هُوَ الجَبَلُ الأَعلى الَّذي تَرتَقي بِهِ

تَميمٌ عَلى الأَعداءِ تَخطِرُ صيدُها

تَميمٌ عَلى الأَعداءِ تَخطِرُ صيدُها

He is the loftiest mountain, through whom

He is the loftiest mountain, by whom ascends

Tamim rises over her enemies, her proud men striding tall.

Tamim above her enemies, her proud men strutting.

لَهُ خَضَعَت قَيسٌ وَخِندَفُ كُلُّها

لَهُ خَضَعَت قَيسٌ وَخِندَفُ كُلُّها

وَقَحطانُ طُرّاً كَهلُها وَوَليدُها

وَقَحطانُ طُرّاً كَهلُها وَوَليدُها

To him submitted Qays and all Khindif,

To him Qays submitted, and all Khindaf,

and Qahtan altogether, its old and its young;

And Qahtan, one and all, her grown men and her newborns.

وَبَكرٌ وَعَبدُ القَيسِ وَاِبنَةُ وائِلٍ

وَبَكرٌ وَعَبدُ القَيسِ وَاِبنَةُ وائِلٍ

أَقَرَّت لَهُ بِالفَضلِ صُعراً خُدودُها

أَقَرَّت لَهُ بِالفَضلِ صُعراً خُدودُها

and Bakr, and Abd al-Qays, and the daughter of Wa’il

And Bakr, and 'Abd al-Qays, and Wa'il's daughter—

acknowledged his preeminence, their cheeks tilted in pride.

Their cheeks, haughtily averted, acknowledged his superiority.

إِذا ما أَبا حَفصٍ أَتَتكَ رَأَيتَها

إِذا ما أَبا حَفصٍ أَتَتكَ رَأَيتَها

عَلى شُعَراءِ الناسِ يَعلو قَصيدُها

عَلى شُعَراءِ الناسِ يَعلو قَصيدُها

When it comes to you, Abu Hafs, you will see it:

Whenever, Abu Hafs, she comes to you, you see her

its ode towers above the poets of mankind.

With her verse rising above the poets of humankind.

مَتى ما أَرادوا أَن يَقولوا حَدا بِها

مَتى ما أَرادوا أَن يَقولوا حَدا بِها

مِنَ الشِعرِ لَم يَقدِر عَلَيهِ مُريدُها

مِنَ الشِعرِ لَم يَقدِر عَلَيهِ مُريدُها

Whenever they wished to compose, he drove it onward in poetry—

Whenever they wish to compose, he urges her onward with song,

beyond the power of anyone who aspired to it.

With poetry no one seeking to match hers could master.