أَلا أَبلِغ بَني الدِيانِ عَنّي

أَلا أَبلِغ بَني الدِيانِ عَنّي

مُغَلغَلَةً وَرَهطَ بَني قَنانِ

مُغَلغَلَةً وَرَهطَ بَني قَنانِ

Hear now: convey from me to the sons of al-Diyān

May I convey to the tribes of Dian from me

A far-traveling message, and to the clan of the sons of Qanān.

Fettered and the clan of Qanan as well

وَأَبلِغ كُلَّ مُنتَخَبٍ هَواءٍ

وَأَبلِغ كُلَّ مُنتَخَبٍ هَواءٍ

رَحيبِ الجَوفِ مِن عَبدِ المَدانِ

رَحيبِ الجَوفِ مِن عَبدِ المَدانِ

And convey it to every chosen man, hollow within,

And convey to every proud, vain soul

Broad of belly, of ʿAbd al-Madān’s people:

Of spacious bosom from the slave of Madan

مَيامِسُ غَزَّةٍ وَرِماحُ غابٍ

مَيامِسُ غَزَّةٍ وَرِماحُ غابٍ

خِفافٌ لا تَقومُ بِها اليَدانِ

خِفافٌ لا تَقومُ بِها اليَدانِ

Harlots of Gaza and spears of reed,

Swords of Ghazza and lances of warriors

Light, which two hands cannot support.

Agile, which no hands can withstand

تَفاقَدتُم عَلى ما هَجَوتُموني

تَفاقَدتُم عَلى ما هَجَوتُموني

وَلَم أَظلِم وَلَم أُخلَس بَياني

وَلَم أَظلِم وَلَم أُخلَس بَياني

May you lose one another for having lampooned me,

You blamed me for what you envied of me

And I did no wrong, nor was I robbed of my eloquence.

Yet I was not unjust, nor failed in my troth