أنْتُمُ منْ مَناسِبِ الأمْجادِ

أنْتُمُ منْ مَناسِبِ الأمْجادِ

موْضِعُ العِقْدِ منْ طُلا الأجْيادِ

موْضِعُ العِقْدِ منْ طُلا الأجْيادِ

You hold, among the lineages of the illustrious,

You are the people of glorious occasions

the place a necklace holds upon fair throats.

The place of contract from the dawn of generosity

ولَكُمْ منْ مَناصِبِ الفَخْرِ أسْما

ولَكُمْ منْ مَناصِبِ الفَخْرِ أسْما

ها وعِزُّ النّدى وغُرُّ الأيادي

ها وعِزُّ النّدى وغُرُّ الأيادي

Yours are the loftiest stations of glory,

And you have from the positions of pride a name

the honor of generosity and resplendent benefactions.

Lo! The glory of hospitality and the honor of hands

يا لأيامِهِمْ وقد يَبِسَ العُو

يا لأيامِهِمْ وقد يَبِسَ العُو

دُ وغالَتْ شَهْباءُ سَرْحَ البِلادِ

دُ وغالَتْ شَهْباءُ سَرْحَ البِلادِ

Ah, their days, when the branch had withered

Oh what days of theirs when the period returned and the gray hair of the land's expanse turned rare

and a gray drought had ravaged the land's herds!

The leader of Hejaz and Najran met

والْتَقى رائِدُ الحِجاز ونَجْرا

والْتَقى رائِدُ الحِجاز ونَجْرا

نٍ وسعْدُ الإمْحالِ في كلِّ وادي

نٍ وسعْدُ الإمْحالِ في كلِّ وادي

And the pasture-seekers of the Hijaz and Najran met,

And Sa'd Al-Imhall in every valley

while drought's fortune flourished in every valley.

The warner warned the people with his seriousness

أنذَرَ المُنْذِرُ الأنامَ بجَدْوا

أنذَرَ المُنْذِرُ الأنامَ بجَدْوا

هُ وسَحّ النُّعْمانُ نُعْمى عَتادِ

هُ وسَحّ النُّعْمانُ نُعْمى عَتادِ

Al-Mundhir forewarned humankind of his bounty,

And Nu'man smoothed the softness of the well-knit

and al-Nu'man showered blessings from his stores.

So a conversation that bubbles and a fire that blazes

فحُوارٌ ترْغو ونارٌ تلَظّى

فحُوارٌ ترْغو ونارٌ تلَظّى

وطُهاةٌ تَشي ودَاعٍ يُنادي

وطُهاةٌ تَشي ودَاعٍ يُنادي

Then a camel-calf bellows, and a fire blazes,

And flames that rise and a caller that calls

and cooks embroider their fare, and a caller cries out.

And love from the terraces of She San'a

وحُباً منْ مَطارِفِ وشْي صنْعا

وحُباً منْ مَطارِفِ وشْي صنْعا

ءَ بِها كالرِّياضِ غِبَّ العِهادِ

ءَ بِها كالرِّياضِ غِبَّ العِهادِ

And gifts of cloaks, with Sanaa's embroidery

With it like gardens the remoteness of settlements

upon them, like gardens after successive rains.

A group who makes guests into friends

معْشَرٌ يجْعَلُ الضّيوفَ أصْدِقاءً

معْشَرٌ يجْعَلُ الضّيوفَ أصْدِقاءً

كَرَماً والأمْوالَ بعْضَ الأعادي

كَرَماً والأمْوالَ بعْضَ الأعادي

A people who make their guests friends

Generously and wealth into some enemies

through generosity, and count their wealth among their foes.

A group who makes the swords over the boy

معْشَرٌ يجْعَلُ الحُسام على الطفْ

معْشَرٌ يجْعَلُ الحُسام على الطفْ

لِ اعْوذاذا والمَهْدَ ظَهْرَ الجَوادِ

لِ اعْوذاذا والمَهْدَ ظَهْرَ الجَوادِ

A people who set the keen sword over the child

Refuge and the cradle the back of the steed

as a protective charm, and make a steed's back his cradle.

Orators of words on a day of debate

خُطباءُ الأقْوالِ يوْمَ جِدالٍ

خُطباءُ الأقْوالِ يوْمَ جِدالٍ

وكُماةُ الأبْطالِ يومَ الجِلادِ

وكُماةُ الأبْطالِ يومَ الجِلادِ

Masters of speech on the day of debate,

And titans of heroes on a day of fighting

and champions of heroes on the day of swordplay.

Oh their days when the foot slipped

يا لأيّامِهِمْ وقدْ زلّت

يا لأيّامِهِمْ وقدْ زلّت

الرِّجْلُ وزالَتْ شَوامِخُ الأطْوادِ

الرِّجْلُ وزالَتْ شَوامِخُ الأطْوادِ

Ah, their days, when faltered

And the heights of prominences diminished

the foot, and towering mountains gave way!

So dawned Sa'dah with the cheek of Zimr

فشَبا صَعْدَةٍ بثُغْرَةِ ذِمْرٍ

فشَبا صَعْدَةٍ بثُغْرَةِ ذِمْرٍ

وغِرارٌ مُهنّدٌ في هادي

وغِرارٌ مُهنّدٌ في هادي

Then a spearpoint in a brave warrior's throat,

And stirring coals in a valley

and an Indian-forged edge in a neck.

And sparks that are launched and embers that blaze

وصِفاحٌ تُمْضى وسُمْرٌ تلظّى

وصِفاحٌ تُمْضى وسُمْرٌ تلظّى

تقْدَحُ النّارَ في مُتونِ الصِّلادِ

تقْدَحُ النّارَ في مُتونِ الصِّلادِ

Broad blades are driven home, and tawny spears blaze,

Igniting the fire in the insides of flints

striking fire on the backs of hard rocks.

And faces alight and horses athirst

ووُجوهٌ بُسْرٌ وخيْلٌ ظِماءٌ

ووُجوهٌ بُسْرٌ وخيْلٌ ظِماءٌ

كرَعَتْ في مَناهِلِ الأوْرادِ

كرَعَتْ في مَناهِلِ الأوْرادِ

And grim faces, and thirsty horses

That grazed in the waterholes of meadows

drinking deep at the watering places of arriving bands.

And titans whose waterholes the gray hair protects

وكُماةٌ تحْمي موارِدَها السُّمْرُ

وكُماةٌ تحْمي موارِدَها السُّمْرُ

فتُكْوى بها عُيونُ الجُوادِ

فتُكْوى بها عُيونُ الجُوادِ

And warriors whose watering places tawny lances guard,

So they are branded by it the eyes of the steed

thus the steeds' eyes are branded by them.

So it is as if the spears were butts

فكأنّ الرِّماحَ كانتْ رِكازاً

فكأنّ الرِّماحَ كانتْ رِكازاً

وكأنّ الهَيْجاءَ يومُ المَعادِ

وكأنّ الهَيْجاءَ يومُ المَعادِ

As though the lances had been buried treasure,

And as if the fray on the day of appointment

and the battle were the Day of Resurrection.

They came, if you looked you said Bedouins

أقْبَلوا إنْ نظَرْتَ قلْتَ بُدورٌ

أقْبَلوا إنْ نظَرْتَ قلْتَ بُدورٌ

حَجَبتْها سَحائِبُ الأزْرادِ

حَجَبتْها سَحائِبُ الأزْرادِ

They advanced; if you looked, you would say: full moons,

Veiled by clouds of locusts

veiled by clouds of chain mail.

A wonder how the swords do not flow

عجَباً كيْفَ لا تسيلُ سُيوفُ

عجَباً كيْفَ لا تسيلُ سُيوفُ

حمَلوا أنْفُساً على الأغْمادِ

حمَلوا أنْفُساً على الأغْمادِ

A marvel! How do the swords not melt,

They carried themselves over the skulls

when they bear souls above the scabbards?

The fire is ignited in a conflicting valley

تُضْرَمُ النّارُ في غَديرٍ دِلاصٍ

تُضْرَمُ النّارُ في غَديرٍ دِلاصٍ

وعَزيزٌ تآلُفُ الأضْدادِ

وعَزيزٌ تآلُفُ الأضْدادِ

Fire is kindled in a smooth, gleaming pool,

And a dear one the accord of opposites

and rare is the harmony of opposites.

Who like 'Amr, destroyer of the catapults and forts

مَنْ كَعمْرو مُفْني البَراجِمِ والمُدْ

مَنْ كَعمْرو مُفْني البَراجِمِ والمُدْ

نِ وقد ألْقِحَتْ حُروبُ الشِّدادِ

نِ وقد ألْقِحَتْ حُروبُ الشِّدادِ

Who is like Amr, destroyer of the Barajim and the

And wars of adversaries were sparked

cities, when the wars of the mighty were made pregnant?

A people who inherited guidance from Hood

معْشَر أورِثوا الهِدايَةَ عنْ هو

معْشَر أورِثوا الهِدايَةَ عنْ هو

دٍ فمِنْ مُهْتَدٍ بهِ أو هادي

دٍ فمِنْ مُهْتَدٍ بهِ أو هادي

A people who inherited guidance from Hud:

So from one guided by it or guide

some guided by him, others themselves guides.

For they gave birth to you, oh gem of the living

فلقَدْ أنْجَبوكَ يا عُمْدَةَ الحيْ

فلقَدْ أنْجَبوكَ يا عُمْدَةَ الحيْ

يِ وربِّ البيْتِ الرّفيعِ العِمادِ

يِ وربِّ البيْتِ الرّفيعِ العِمادِ

They indeed begot you, O pillar of the clan,

And Lord of the lofty abode's pillar

by the Lord of the House of lofty pillars,

Glorious, prefered, valiant, clement

ماجِداً مُفْضِلاً شُجاعاً حَليماً

ماجِداً مُفْضِلاً شُجاعاً حَليماً

واسِعَ المُنْتَدى كثيرَ الرّمادِ

واسِعَ المُنْتَدى كثيرَ الرّمادِ

noble, generous, courageous, forbearing,

Of extensive assembly abundant in firebrands

with a spacious gathering-place and abundant ashes.

Oh Abu Bakr, the expected of speech

يا أبا بكْرٍ المؤَمَّلَ للخَطْ

يا أبا بكْرٍ المؤَمَّلَ للخَطْ

بِ المُفدّى وتُحْفَةَ المُرْتادِ

بِ المُفدّى وتُحْفَةَ المُرْتادِ

O Abu Bakr, looked to in calamity,

The ransomed and the elite's choice

for whom ransom would be given, a precious gift to the seeker!

In the way of God glory you inherited

في سَبيلِ الإلاهِ مَجْدٌ توارَثْ

في سَبيلِ الإلاهِ مَجْدٌ توارَثْ

تَ كَريمَ الإصْدارِ والإيرادِ

تَ كَريمَ الإصْدارِ والإيرادِ

In God's cause is a glory you inherited,

Honorable in origin and income

noble in its sending forth and bringing in.

In the way of God your qualities

في سبيلِ الإلاهِ أخْلاقُكَ اللا

في سبيلِ الإلاهِ أخْلاقُكَ اللا

تِي هيَ العَذْبُ في احْتِدامِ الجوادِ

تِي هيَ العَذْبُ في احْتِدامِ الجوادِ

In God's cause are your qualities, which

Which are the fresh in the ferocity of steeds

are sweet water amid the steed's blazing heat.

In the way of God knowledge you narrate

في سبيل الإلاهِ علْم تروّي

في سبيل الإلاهِ علْم تروّي

هِ ونَقْلٌ مُصَحَّحُ الإسْنادِ

هِ ونَقْلٌ مُصَحَّحُ الإسْنادِ

In God's cause is knowledge you transmit,

And transmission corrected in chain

and transmitted lore with an authenticated chain.

In the way of God through you traditions

في سبيل الإلاهِ منْكَ خِلالٌ

في سبيل الإلاهِ منْكَ خِلالٌ

تَذَرُ الشّهْبَ في حَضيضِ الوِهادِ

تَذَرُ الشّهْبَ في حَضيضِ الوِهادِ

In God's cause are virtues of yours

That leave the gray hair in the valley's basin

that leave the shooting stars in the depths of hollows.

For me there is praise, as you know it She San'a

لي ثَناءٌ كما علِمْتَ هوَ الوشْ

لي ثَناءٌ كما علِمْتَ هوَ الوشْ

يُ وصَنْعاءُ في فَمي وفُؤادي

يُ وصَنْعاءُ في فَمي وفُؤادي

I have praise, as you know, that is embroidery,

In my mouth and my heart

and Sanaa is in my mouth and heart.

So for this what I gather of my praising ties

فلِذا ما أحوكُ عصْبَ امْتِداحي

فلِذا ما أحوكُ عصْبَ امْتِداحي

سابِريّاً مُسَهَّمَ الأبْرادِ

سابِريّاً مُسَهَّمَ الأبْرادِ

Thus I weave the striped cloth of my praise,

My companion, distinguished in miracles

as Sabiri fabric with arrow-patterned mantles,

Its words embarrass the sweetness of its meaning

مُخْجِلاً لفْظُهُ حَلاوَةَ معْنا

مُخْجِلاً لفْظُهُ حَلاوَةَ معْنا

هُ صَحيحَ الأسْبابِ والأوْتادِ

هُ صَحيحَ الأسْبابِ والأوْتادِ

its wording shaming the sweetness of its meaning,

Correct in reasons and pegs

sound in its metrical cords and pegs.

What is it that praises and laudations encompass

ما الذي تحْصُرُ المَمادِحُ والحمْ

ما الذي تحْصُرُ المَمادِحُ والحمْ

دُ وقدْ جُزْتَ غايَةَ التّعْدادِ

دُ وقدْ جُزْتَ غايَةَ التّعْدادِ

What can panegyrics and praise encompass,

When you have attained the utmost extent

when you have passed beyond the limits of counting?

So if I sought aid as I portrayed my gratitude and praise

فلوَ انّي اسْتَنْصَرْتُ إذ رَوَيْتُ شُكْري

فلوَ انّي اسْتَنْصَرْتُ إذ رَوَيْتُ شُكْري

كَ وحمدي لِسانَ قُسِّ إيادِ

كَ وحمدي لِسانَ قُسِّ إيادِ

For had I sought, while recounting my thanks

The tongue of the bow of Eyyad

to you and my praise, the aid of Quss of Iyad's tongue,

And I made the day my parchment so that

وجعَلْتُ النّهارَ طِرْسيَ كيْما

وجعَلْتُ النّهارَ طِرْسيَ كيْما

أحْمي الوُدَّ والظّلامَ مِدادي

أحْمي الوُدَّ والظّلامَ مِدادي

and made the day my parchment, so that

I protect the affection and the darkness my ink

I might safeguard affection, and darkness my ink,

The parchment ran out and the ink and I did not

نَفِدَ الطّرسُ والمِدادُ ولمّا

نَفِدَ الطّرسُ والمِدادُ ولمّا

أحْصِ شُكْري ولا شَرَحْتُ وِدادي

أحْصِ شُكْري ولا شَرَحْتُ وِدادي

parchment and ink would run out before

Count my gratitude nor explain my affection

I could count my thanks or unfold my love.

And when I praise I am not with innovation

وإذا ما مَدَحْتُ لسْتُ ببِدْعٍ

وإذا ما مَدَحْتُ لسْتُ ببِدْعٍ

إنّ في البحْرِ وقْعَ كلِّ ثِمادِ

إنّ في البحْرِ وقْعَ كلِّ ثِمادِ

And if I offer praise, I am no innovator:

If in the sea the fall of every acquirer

for every little pool empties into the sea.