قَد غَيَّرَ الحَيَّ بَعدَ الحَيِّ إِقفارُ

قَد غَيَّرَ الحَيَّ بَعدَ الحَيِّ إِقفارُ

كَأَنَّهُ مُصحَفٌ يَتلوهُ أَحبارُ

كَأَنَّهُ مُصحَفٌ يَتلوهُ أَحبارُ

Desolation has changed encampment after encampment,

The abandoned places after the past living

as though it were a scripture recited by rabbis.

Are like a book being read by monks.

ما كُنتُ جَرَّبتُ مِن صِدقٍ وَلا صِلَةٍ

ما كُنتُ جَرَّبتُ مِن صِدقٍ وَلا صِلَةٍ

لِلغانِياتِ وَلا عَنهُنَّ إِقصارُ

لِلغانِياتِ وَلا عَنهُنَّ إِقصارُ

I had experienced neither faithfulness nor affection

I had never experienced sincerity or intimacy

with fair women, nor any turning away from them.

With singing girls, nor did I deprive them.

أَسقي المَنازِلَ بَينَ الدامِ وَالأُدَمى

أَسقي المَنازِلَ بَينَ الدامِ وَالأُدَمى

عَينٌ تَحَلَّبُ بِالسَعدَينِ مِدرارُ

عَينٌ تَحَلَّبُ بِالسَعدَينِ مِدرارُ

May the dwellings between al-Dam and al-Udma be watered

I water the abodes between blood and darkness

by a raincloud, streaming copiously over al-Saʿdayn.

An eye shedding tears abundantly.

كَأَنَّما بَرقُها وَالوَدقُ مُنضَرِجٌ

كَأَنَّما بَرقُها وَالوَدقُ مُنضَرِجٌ

بُلقٌ تَكَشَّفُ بَينَ البُلقِ أَمهارُ

بُلقٌ تَكَشَّفُ بَينَ البُلقِ أَمهارُ

As though its lightning, while the rain bursts forth,

As if its lightning and drizzle were raging

were piebald horses, with foals emerging among the piebald horses.

A shining star amidst the stars.

يا شَبَّ إِنَّ الحُبارى لَن يُناظِرَها

يا شَبَّ إِنَّ الحُبارى لَن يُناظِرَها

مُستَلحِمٌ أَسفَعُ الخَدَّينِ مِبكارُ

مُستَلحِمٌ أَسفَعُ الخَدَّينِ مِبكارُ

O Shabb, the houbara will be given no respite

O youth, truly the monks will not gaze at her

by a flesh-hungry, dark-cheeked hunter abroad at dawn.

A smooth-cheeked crying mourner.

يا شَبَّ لَن يَستَطيعَ الحَربَ إِذ حَمِيَت

يا شَبَّ لَن يَستَطيعَ الحَربَ إِذ حَمِيَت

عَظمٌ خَريعٌ وَفيهِ المُخَّةُ الرارُ

عَظمٌ خَريعٌ وَفيهِ المُخَّةُ الرارُ

O Shabb, war, once it blazes, cannot be faced

O youth, he will not be able to wage war when

by a frail bone with watery marrow inside.

His bone has dried up and the deadly poison remains.

يا شَبَّ ما زالَ في قَيسٍ لِئانُفِكُم

يا شَبَّ ما زالَ في قَيسٍ لِئانُفِكُم

رَغمٌ وَرَغمٌ وَأَوتارٌ وَأَوتارُ

رَغمٌ وَرَغمٌ وَأَوتارٌ وَأَوتارُ

O Shabb, in Qays your noses have always met

O youth, the hatred for you still remains in Qais

humiliation and humiliation, blood-debts and blood-debts.

Grudge over grudge and strings over strings.

يا شَبَّ وَيحَكَ لا تَكفُر فَوارِسَنا

يا شَبَّ وَيحَكَ لا تَكفُر فَوارِسَنا

يَومَ اِبنُ كَبشَةَ عاتي المُلكِ جَبّارُ

يَومَ اِبنُ كَبشَةَ عاتي المُلكِ جَبّارُ

O Shabb, woe to you! Do not deny our horsemen their due,

O youth, shame on you, do not disbelieve in our horsemen

on the day Ibn Kabsha was overbearing in rule, a tyrant.

The day the son of Kabsha, the tyrannical king attacked.

لَولا حِمايَةُ يَربوعٍ نِساءَكُمُ

لَولا حِمايَةُ يَربوعٍ نِساءَكُمُ

كانَت لِغَيرِكُمُ مِنهُنَّ أَطهارُ

كانَت لِغَيرِكُمُ مِنهُنَّ أَطهارُ

Had Yarbuʿ not protected your women,

If it were not for the protection of Yarbou' over your women

their days of purity would have belonged to men other than you.

Others would have taken their chastity.

حامى المُسَيَّبُ وَالخَيلانِ في رَهَجٍ

حامى المُسَيَّبُ وَالخَيلانِ في رَهَجٍ

أَزمانَ شَبَّةُ لا يَحمي وَنَعّارُ

أَزمانَ شَبَّةُ لا يَحمي وَنَعّارُ

Al-Musayyab and the two cavalry hosts stood in defense amid battle-dust,

The protector has grown old and the two horses in hardship

in days when Shabba offered no protection, nor Naʿʿar.

In the days of foolish youth there is no protection.

إِذ لا عِقالٌ يُحامي عَن ذَمارِكُمُ

إِذ لا عِقالٌ يُحامي عَن ذَمارِكُمُ

وَلا زُرارَةَ لا يَحمي وَزَرّارُ

وَلا زُرارَةَ لا يَحمي وَزَرّارُ

When ʿIqal did not defend your honor,

Since there is no mind protecting your faults

nor did Zurara or Zarrar offer protection.

Nor a coat of mail protecting the armor-clad knight.

إِنَّ الحَواريَّ لَو نادى فَوارِسَنا

إِنَّ الحَواريَّ لَو نادى فَوارِسَنا

لَاِستُشهِدوا أَو نَجا وَالقَومُ أَحرارُ

لَاِستُشهِدوا أَو نَجا وَالقَومُ أَحرارُ

Indeed, had al-Hawari summoned our horsemen,

If the herald called upon our horsemen

they would have died as martyrs, or he would have escaped; the men are freeborn.

They would be martyred or the people would be free.

إِنَّ الفَرَزدَقَ مَن يَعلَق زِيارَتَهُ

إِنَّ الفَرَزدَقَ مَن يَعلَق زِيارَتَهُ

يوبَق بِرِجسٍ وَلِلسوآتِ زَوّارُ

يوبَق بِرِجسٍ وَلِلسوآتِ زَوّارُ

Indeed, al-Farazdaq—whoever becomes entangled in his visit

Verily Al-Farazdaq, whoever ties relations with him

is ruined by filth; he is a frequent visitor to private parts.

Will perish in vileness and dishonor will veil disgraces.

إِنَّ الفَرَزدَقَ يا مِقدادُ زائِرُكُم

إِنَّ الفَرَزدَقَ يا مِقدادُ زائِرُكُم

يا وَيلَ قَدٍّ عَلى مَن تُغلَقُ الدارُ

يا وَيلَ قَدٍّ عَلى مَن تُغلَقُ الدارُ

Indeed, al-Farazdaq, O Miqdad, is your visitor.

Verily Al-Farazdaq, O Miqdad, is your visitor

Woe to Qadd! Who is shut within the house?

Oh what a loss upon those whose house is locked.

أَينَ المُحامونَ مِن أَولادِ مَسلَمَةٍ

أَينَ المُحامونَ مِن أَولادِ مَسلَمَةٍ

أَم أَينَ أَينَ بَنو بَدرٍ وَسَيّارُ

أَم أَينَ أَينَ بَنو بَدرٍ وَسَيّارُ

Where are the defenders among Maslama's sons?

Where are the protectors from the clan of Maslamah?

Or where, where are Badr's sons and Sayyar?

Or where, where are the people of Badr and the caravan leaders?

ما زالَ في الدارِ حامٍ عَن ذِمارِكُمُ

ما زالَ في الدارِ حامٍ عَن ذِمارِكُمُ

عِندَ النِساءِ عَذومُ النَفسِ مِغيارُ

عِندَ النِساءِ عَذومُ النَفسِ مِغيارُ

There has always been a defender of your honor in the house,

There still remains in the house a protector of your faults,

among the women, reproachful of spirit and fiercely jealous.

Amongst the women, hot-tempered and rude.