إِنّيindeed I وَإِنand though كانَتwas تَميمٌTamim عِمارَتيmy tribe
إِنّي وَإِن كانَت تَميمٌ عِمارَتي
وَكُنتُand I was إِلىto القُدموسِthe ancient stock مِنهاof it القُماقِمِthe mighty
وَكُنتُ إِلى القُدموسِ مِنها القُماقِمِ
I, though Tamim is my tribe,
Though Tamim was my home, and though I was the pillar of Qudamis,
and I belong to its ancient, mighty stock,
I praise the young men of Bakr ibn Wa'il
لَمُثنٍsurely praising عَلىof أَفناءِthe clans of بَكرِBakr اِبنِson of وائِلٍWa'il
لَمُثنٍ عَلى أَفناءِ بَكرِ اِبنِ وائِلٍ
ثَناءًpraise يُوافيreaches رَكبَهُمtheir riders فيat المَواسِمِthe seasonal gatherings
ثَناءً يُوافي رَكبَهُم في المَواسِمِ
do indeed praise the clans of Bakr ibn Wa'il,
With praise that meets their caravan in seasons of coming and going.
with praise that reaches their riders at the seasonal gatherings.
On the day of Dhi Qar they halted and fiercely joined battle,
هُمُthey يَومَon the day of ذيDhu قارٍQar أَناخواthey made camels kneel فَصادَمواthen they clashed
هُمُ يَومَ ذي قارٍ أَناخوا فَصادَموا
بِرَأسٍwith a head بِهِwith which تُرمىis hurled صَفاةُthe hard rock of المُصادِمِthe assailant
بِرَأسٍ بِهِ تُرمى صَفاةُ المُصادِمِ
On the day of Dhu Qar they halted and struck
With a leader before whom the bold warriors pale.
with a head that sends the assailant's rock flying.
They halted against Chosroes when his armies came,
أَناخواthey made camels kneel لِكِسرىto face Kisra حينَwhen جاءَتcame جُنودُهُhis troops
أَناخوا لِكِسرى حينَ جاءَت جُنودُهُ
وَبَهراءَand Bahra' إِذwhen جاءَتcame وَجَمعُand the host of الأَراقِمِal-Araqim
وَبَهراءَ إِذ جاءَت وَجَمعُ الأَراقِمِ
They halted to face Kisra when his troops came,
And Bahra when his multitudes approached.
and Bahra' when it came, and the host of al-Araqim.
When they had repelled one flank of the foe, another came at them,
إِذاwhenever فَرَغواthey finished مِنwith جانِبٍa flank مالَturned جانِبٌanother flank
إِذا فَرَغوا مِن جانِبٍ مالَ جانِبٌ
عَلَيهِمagainst them فَذادوهُمso they drove them off ذِيادَthe driving away of الحَوائِمِthirsty camels circling water
عَلَيهِم فَذادوهُم ذِيادَ الحَوائِمِ
Whenever they finished on one flank, another turned
But they drove them off with the onslaught of calamity.
against them; they drove them off as one drives thirsty camels from water,
With famed, flashing swords that when they met
بِمَأثورَةٍwith patterned blades شُهبٍpale-grey إِذاwhen هِيَit صادَفَتstruck
بِمَأثورَةٍ شُهبٍ إِذا هِيَ صادَفَت
ذُرىthe crests of البيضِthe helmets أَبدَتlaid bare عَنfrom فِراخِnestlings (brains) الجَماجِمِthe skulls
ذُرى البيضِ أَبدَت عَن فِراخِ الجَماجِمِ
with pale, patterned blades that, when they struck
The skulls of the white foe revealed the brains within.
the crests of helmets, laid bare the skulls' nestlings.
They did not cease until their women came to mourn them
فَماso not بَرِحواthey ceased حَتّىuntil تَهادَتexchanged gifts نِساؤُهُمtheir women
فَما بَرِحوا حَتّى تَهادَت نِساؤُهُم
بِبَطحاءِon the broad plain of ذيDhu قارٍQar عِيابَbaggage chests of اللَطائِمِthe perfume caravans
بِبَطحاءِ ذي قارٍ عِيابَ اللَطائِمِ
So they did not cease until their women exchanged as gifts
In the plains of Dhi Qar, wandering in distress.
the perfume caravans' baggage chests on Dhu Qar's broad plain.
Sufficient are my people, they who support their leader
كَفىit suffices بِهُمُwith them قَومَthe kinsmen of اِمرِئٍa man يَنصُرونَهُthey defend him
كَفى بِهُمُ قَومَ اِمرِئٍ يَنصُرونَهُ
إِذاwhen عَصِيَتgrew stiff أَيمانُهُمtheir right hands بِالقَوائِمِaround the sword hilts
إِذا عَصِيَت أَيمانُهُم بِالقَوائِمِ
They are kinsmen enough for a man, defending him
When their oaths are tested by disaster.
when their right hands stiffen around the sword hilts.
Men who, when the hound disowns its master,
أُناسٌa people إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) الكَلبُthe dog أَنكَرَfailed to recognize أَهلَهُits own household
أُناسٌ إِذا ما الكَلبُ أَنكَرَ أَهلَهُ
أَناخواthey made camels kneel فَعاذواthen they sought refuge بِالسُيوفِin the swords الصَوارِمِthe keen-edged
أَناخوا فَعاذوا بِالسُيوفِ الصَوارِمِ
A people who, when the dog fails to recognize its own household,
Halt and seek refuge in merciless swords.
halt and seek refuge in keen-edged swords.
Partial English translation: 17 of 18 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1