جَرى بِعِنانِ السابِقَينِ كِلَيهِما

جَرى بِعِنانِ السابِقَينِ كِلَيهِما

أَبو حَنَشٍ جَريَ الجَوادِ المُضَمَّرِ

أَبو حَنَشٍ جَريَ الجَوادِ المُضَمَّرِ

Neck and neck with both frontrunners raced

The two racers ran with slackened reins,

Abū Ḥanash, like a lean, race-trained steed.

Abu Hanash urging on his dappled steed,

وَما الخَيلُ تَجري حينَ تَجري بِمالِكٍ

وَما الخَيلُ تَجري حينَ تَجري بِمالِكٍ

وَلَكِنَّما يَجري المُعَلّى بِمُنذِرِ

وَلَكِنَّما يَجري المُعَلّى بِمُنذِرِ

The horses, when they race, do not run with Mālik;

Yet horses run not by their rider's will,

rather, al-Muʿallā runs with Mundhir.

But by the urging of the jockey seated high.

لِآلِ المُعَلّى قُبَّةٌ يَبتَنونَها

لِآلِ المُعَلّى قُبَّةٌ يَبتَنونَها

بِأَيدي كِرامٍ رَفَّعوها بِعَرعَرِ

بِأَيدي كِرامٍ رَفَّعوها بِعَرعَرِ

The house of al-Muʿallā has a domed pavilion they build;

For the family of Al-Mu'alla a dome they built

with noble hands they raised it high on juniper timbers.

With hands of generous men who raised it high.

إِذا سَمَكوها بِالمُعَلّى تَضَمَّنَت

إِذا سَمَكوها بِالمُعَلّى تَضَمَّنَت

رَبيعَةَ طُرّاً خائِفينَ وَمُعتَري

رَبيعَةَ طُرّاً خائِفينَ وَمُعتَري

When they raise it upon al-Muʿallā, it shelters

When they hoist the Mu'alla it shelters them,

all Rabiʿah—the fearful and those seeking aid.

A nesting dove, fearful, seeking refuge nigh.

سَبَقتُم إِلى الإِسلامِ حينَ هَداكُمُ

سَبَقتُم إِلى الإِسلامِ حينَ هَداكُمُ

بِهِ اللَهُ إِذ يَهدي لَهُ كُلَّ مُبصِرِ

بِهِ اللَهُ إِذ يَهدي لَهُ كُلَّ مُبصِرِ

You were foremost in embracing Islam when you were guided

You led the way to Islam when God guided you,

by God through it, as He guides every discerning person to it.

For God guides to the truth each prudent seer.

أَخَذتُم لِعَبدِ القَيسِ عِندَ مُحَمَّدٍ

أَخَذتُم لِعَبدِ القَيسِ عِندَ مُحَمَّدٍ

نَجاةً مِنَ المُستَوقِدِ المُتَسَعِّرِ

نَجاةً مِنَ المُستَوقِدِ المُتَسَعِّرِ

You secured for ʿAbd al-Qays, in Muḥammad's presence,

For Abd al-Qais you obtained from Muhammad

deliverance from the burning, fiercely blazing fire.

Salvation from the raging, flaming fire.

وَكُنتُم مَتى ما تَرحَلوا لَم تَنَلكُمُ

وَكُنتُم مَتى ما تَرحَلوا لَم تَنَلكُمُ

يَدا رَبَعِيٍّ مَدَّ أَو مُتَمَضِّرِ

يَدا رَبَعِيٍّ مَدَّ أَو مُتَمَضِّرِ

And whenever you journeyed, you were not reached

When you traveled, no grasping hands waylaid you,

by the outstretched hands of a Rabiʿah man or one affiliated with Muḍar.

No brigand dared accost you drawing near.

رَأَيتَ بَني الجارودِ يُغلونَ ما اِشتَرَوا

رَأَيتَ بَني الجارودِ يُغلونَ ما اِشتَرَوا

مِنَ الحَمدِ ما يَغلو عَلى كُلِّ مُشتَري

مِنَ الحَمدِ ما يَغلو عَلى كُلِّ مُشتَري

You saw the sons of al-Jārūd pay dearly for what they bought

You saw the tribe of Jarud exaggerate

of praise—what costs every buyer dear.

The praise they bought until no buyer could bear.

وَما لِبَني الجارودِ أَن لا يُرى لَهُم

وَما لِبَني الجارودِ أَن لا يُرى لَهُم

عَلى الناسِ مَجدٌ فَرعُهُ لَم يُقَصِّرِ

عَلى الناسِ مَجدٌ فَرعُهُ لَم يُقَصِّرِ

And why should the sons of al-Jārūd not be seen to possess

Yet why should Jarud's sons not win renown

glory above others, its topmost branch never falling short?

With branches reaching out, no failure here?