غَدا أَهلُ حِضنَي ذي المَجازِ بِسُحرَةٍ

غَدا أَهلُ حِضنَي ذي المَجازِ بِسُحرَةٍ

وَجارُ اِبنِ حَربٍ بِالمُحَصَّبِ ما يَغدو

وَجارُ اِبنِ حَربٍ بِالمُحَصَّبِ ما يَغدو

The people on both sides of Dhu al-Majaz set out before dawn,

Tomorrow the people of the valley of metaphor will leave before dawn

but Ibn Harb’s protected guest at al-Muhassab does not set out.

While the neighbor of Ibn Harb remains in the fortified dwelling

كَساكَ هِشامُ بنُ الوَليدِ ثِيابَهُ

كَساكَ هِشامُ بنُ الوَليدِ ثِيابَهُ

فَأَبلِ وَأَخلِف مِثلَها جُدُداً بَعدُ

فَأَبلِ وَأَخلِف مِثلَها جُدُداً بَعدُ

Hisham ibn al-Walid clothed you in his garments;

Like the clothes of Hisham ibn al-Walid

so wear them out, and afterward replace them with new ones like them.

So carry out and procure the likes of them anew afterwards

قَضى وَطَراً مِنها فَأَصبَحَ عادِياً

قَضى وَطَراً مِنها فَأَصبَحَ عادِياً

وَأَصبَحتَ رِخواً ما تَخُبُّ وَما تَعدو

وَأَصبَحتَ رِخواً ما تَخُبُّ وَما تَعدو

He satisfied a desire with them, then went off running,

He accomplished a pressing need for them, so he began the day unencumbered

while you became limp, neither trotting nor running.

While you began the day relaxed, neither shrinking nor exceeding

فَلَو أَنَّ أَشياخاً بِبَدرٍ شُهودُهُ

فَلَو أَنَّ أَشياخاً بِبَدرٍ شُهودُهُ

لَبَلَّ مُتونِ الخَيلِ مُعتَبَطٌ وَردُ

لَبَلَّ مُتونِ الخَيلِ مُعتَبَطٌ وَردُ

So, had elders at Badr witnessed it,

If only the elders at Badr, whose presence bore witness,

freshly shed, red blood would surely have wet the horses’ backs.

Could see the saddles of the horses cinched and returning

فَما مَنَعَ العَيرُ الضَروطُ ذِمارَهُ

فَما مَنَعَ العَيرُ الضَروطُ ذِمارَهُ

وَما مَنَعَت مَخزاةَ والِدِها هِندُ

وَما مَنَعَت مَخزاةَ والِدِها هِندُ

So the farting ass did not defend his charge,

Nothing prevented the camel train their repaired waterskin

nor did Hind avert her father’s disgrace.

Nor did Hind prevent her father's sword in its sheath