أَلا طَرَقَتنا بَعدَما هَجَدوا هِندُ

أَلا طَرَقَتنا بَعدَما هَجَدوا هِندُ

وَقَد سِرنَ خَمساً وَاِتلَأَبَّ بِنا نَجدُ

وَقَد سِرنَ خَمساً وَاِتلَأَبَّ بِنا نَجدُ

Ah, Hind visited us by night after they had fallen asleep.

After they migrated from India,

They had traveled five nights, and Najd stretched ahead of us.

We journeyed five nights until Najd welcomed us,

أَلا حَبَّذا هِندٌ وَأَرضٌ بِها هِندُ

أَلا حَبَّذا هِندٌ وَأَرضٌ بِها هِندُ

وَهِندٌ أَتى مِن دونِها النَأيُ وَالبُعدُ

وَهِندٌ أَتى مِن دونِها النَأيُ وَالبُعدُ

Ah, how delightful is Hind, and a land where Hind dwells!

How excellent is India and the land wherein is India!

And Hind—remoteness and distance have come between us and her.

Yet from elsewhere than it came the distance and the far reach;

وَهِندٌ أَتى مِن دونِها ذو غَوارِبٍ

وَهِندٌ أَتى مِن دونِها ذو غَوارِبٍ

يُقَمَّصُ بِالبوصِيِّ مُعرَورِفٌ وَردُ

يُقَمَّصُ بِالبوصِيِّ مُعرَورِفٌ وَردُ

And between us and Hind lies a sea with lofty wave-crests,

And from elsewhere than it there came one with shifted spear-points,

heaving beneath ships, mane-crested and reddish.

Clad in Busiri mantle, a renowned knight;

وَإِنَّ الَّتي نَكَّبتُها عَن مَعاشِرٍ

وَإِنَّ الَّتي نَكَّبتُها عَن مَعاشِرٍ

عَلَيَّ غِضابٍ أَن صَدَدتُ كَما صَدّوا

عَلَيَّ غِضابٍ أَن صَدَدتُ كَما صَدّوا

And indeed, the poem I turned aside from a people

Now she whom I diverted from the frequenters of assemblies

angry with me because I turned away just as they did,

Is angered against me, angered even as they were angered;

أَتَت آلُ شَمّاسِ بنِ لَأيٍ وَإِنَّما

أَتَت آلُ شَمّاسِ بنِ لَأيٍ وَإِنَّما

أَتاهُم بِها الأَحلامُ وَالحَسَبُ العِدُّ

أَتاهُم بِها الأَحلامُ وَالحَسَبُ العِدُّ

reached the family of Shammas son of La'y; it was only

The sons of Shammas ibn Layl came, and yet but dreams

their wisdom and ancient ancestral honor that brought it to them.

And valorous merit brought them and the numbered progeny;

فَإِنَّ الشَقِيَّ مَن تُعادي صُدورُهُم

فَإِنَّ الشَقِيَّ مَن تُعادي صُدورُهُم

وَذو الجَدِّ مَن لانوا إِلَيهِ وَمَن وَدّوا

وَذو الجَدِّ مَن لانوا إِلَيهِ وَمَن وَدّوا

For wretched is he whom their hearts oppose,

For hapless is he who makes them his enemies,

and fortunate is he to whom they are gentle and whom they love.

While fortune aids whomever they befriend;

يَسوسونَ أَحلاماً بَعيداً أَناتُها

يَسوسونَ أَحلاماً بَعيداً أَناتُها

وَإِن غَضِبوا جاءَ الحَفيظَةُ وَالجِدُّ

وَإِن غَضِبوا جاءَ الحَفيظَةُ وَالجِدُّ

They govern their minds with long, patient deliberation;

They lead dreams very far when they are provoked,

and if they grow angry, protective zeal and earnestness arise.

And when wrathful the watchful valor comes, and merit;

أَقِلّوا عَلَيهِم لا أَبا لِأَبيكُمُ

أَقِلّوا عَلَيهِم لا أَبا لِأَبيكُمُ

مِنَ اللَومِ أَو سُدّوا المَكانَ الَّذي سَدّوا

مِنَ اللَومِ أَو سُدّوا المَكانَ الَّذي سَدّوا

Lay less upon them—may your father have no father—

Condemn them not, neither revile your father's father,

of blame, or fill the place they have filled.

Neither block up the place they have blocked;

أولَئِكَ قَومٌ إِن بَنَوا أَحسَنوا البُنى

أولَئِكَ قَومٌ إِن بَنَوا أَحسَنوا البُنى

وَإِن عاهَدوا أَوفَوا وَإِن عَقَدوا شَدّوا

وَإِن عاهَدوا أَوفَوا وَإِن عَقَدوا شَدّوا

Those are a people who, if they build, perfect their structures;

Those are a folk who if they build, build nobly,

and if they pledge, they keep faith; if they bind, they bind firmly.

And if they pledge themselves bind themselves solemnly;

وَإِن كانَتِ النُعمى عَلَيهِم جَزَوا بِها

وَإِن كانَتِ النُعمى عَلَيهِم جَزَوا بِها

وَإِن أَنعَموا لا كَدَّروها وَلا كَدّوا

وَإِن أَنعَموا لا كَدَّروها وَلا كَدّوا

And if a favor is bestowed upon them, they repay it;

And if bounty is shown them they give again increase,

and if they grant a favor, they neither sour it nor cause distress.

And if they give they injure not, nor keep back aught;

وَإِن قالَ مَولاهُم عَلى جُلِّ حادِثٍ

وَإِن قالَ مَولاهُم عَلى جُلِّ حادِثٍ

مِنَ الدَهرِ رُدّوا فَضلَ أَحلامِكُم رَدّوا

مِنَ الدَهرِ رُدّوا فَضلَ أَحلامِكُم رَدّوا

And if their ally says, amid a grave calamity

And when their chieftain speaks aloud concerning any happening

of fate, 'Put aside your excess of forbearance,' they put it aside.

Of fate, 'Give back the merit of your dreams,' they say;

وَإِن غابَ عَن لَأيٍ بَغيضٌ كَفَتهُمُ

وَإِن غابَ عَن لَأيٍ بَغيضٌ كَفَتهُمُ

نَواشِئُ لَم تَطرِر شَوارِبُهُم بَعدُ

نَواشِئُ لَم تَطرِر شَوارِبُهُم بَعدُ

And if Baghid is absent from La'y, their needs are met

And though absent from Layl an envier gnash his teeth at them,

by youths whose mustaches have not yet sprouted.

Young growths have not twisted the hair of their chins;

وَكَيفَ وَلَم أَعلَمهُمُ خَذَلوكُمُ

وَكَيفَ وَلَم أَعلَمهُمُ خَذَلوكُمُ

عَلى مُعظَمٍ وَلا أَديمَكُمُ قَدّوا

عَلى مُعظَمٍ وَلا أَديمَكُمُ قَدّوا

And how could you, when I never knew them to desert you

How not, when I know them not to have abandoned you

in a grave crisis, nor to slit your hide?

Against any mighty chieftain, nor twisted at all?

مَطاعينُ في الهَيجا مَكاشيفُ لِلدُجى

مَطاعينُ في الهَيجا مَكاشيفُ لِلدُجى

بَنى لَهُمُ آبائُهُم وَبَنى الجَدُّ

بَنى لَهُمُ آبائُهُم وَبَنى الجَدُّ

Mighty spear-thrusters in battle, dispellers of darkness;

Obeyed in the deadly foray, searching the darkness,

their fathers built for them, and their grandfather built too.

Built up by their fathers, and by heritage a tower;

فَمَن مُبلِغٌ أَبناءَ سَعدٍ فَقَد سَعى

فَمَن مُبلِغٌ أَبناءَ سَعدٍ فَقَد سَعى

إِلى السورَةِ العُليا لَهُم حازِمٌ جَلدُ

إِلى السورَةِ العُليا لَهُم حازِمٌ جَلدُ

So who will tell the sons of Sa'd? For one has striven

So let him who will attain the lofty pinnacle of Sa'd

for their highest eminence—a resolute, steadfast man.

Make haste unto their surpassing meed, resolute, unfaltering;

جَرى حينَ جارى لا يُساوي عِنانَهُ

جَرى حينَ جارى لا يُساوي عِنانَهُ

عِنانٌ وَلا يَثني أَجارِيَّهُ الجَهدُ

عِنانٌ وَلا يَثني أَجارِيَّهُ الجَهدُ

He ran when he raced: nothing matched his rein—

When he runs his course he equals not his driving-gear

no other rein—nor could strain check his racing.

Nor can his pace exhaust his horse however fast;

رَأى مَجدَ أَقوامٍ أُضيعَ فَحَثَّهُم

رَأى مَجدَ أَقوامٍ أُضيعَ فَحَثَّهُم

عَلى مَجدِهِم لَمّا رَأى أَنَّهُ الجَهدُ

عَلى مَجدِهِم لَمّا رَأى أَنَّهُ الجَهدُ

He saw the glory of peoples neglected, and urged them

When he saw the glory of peoples betrayed he roused them

toward their glory, seeing that this was the utmost endeavor.

To their own glory, what time he saw that that was the effort;

وَتَعذُلُني أَبناءُ سَعدٍ عَلَيهِمُ

وَتَعذُلُني أَبناءُ سَعدٍ عَلَيهِمُ

وَما قُلتُ إِلّا بِالَّذي عَلِمَت سَعدُ

وَما قُلتُ إِلّا بِالَّذي عَلِمَت سَعدُ

And the sons of Sa'd reproach me on their account,

And the sons of Sa'd blame me concerning themselves,

yet I have said only what Sa'd knows.

Yet naught have I said save what Sa'd already witnessed;

لَها أُسُّ دارٍ بِالعُرَيمَةِ أَنهَجَت

لَها أُسُّ دارٍ بِالعُرَيمَةِ أَنهَجَت

مَعارِفُها بَعدي كَما يُنهِجُ البُردُ

مَعارِفُها بَعدي كَما يُنهِجُ البُردُ

Hers is a dwelling's foundation at al-'Uraymah; worn away

It has a source of olden time in Urá al-Ghamr, still flowing clearly,

are its familiar traces since I left, as a striped cloak wears thin.

Its unpaid debts like the trailing of the burd after rain;

خَلَت بَعدَ مَغنى أَهلِها وَتَأَبَّدَت

خَلَت بَعدَ مَغنى أَهلِها وَتَأَبَّدَت

كَأَن لَم يَكُن لِلحاضِرينَ بِها عَهدُ

كَأَن لَم يَكُن لِلحاضِرينَ بِها عَهدُ

It lay empty after its people's sojourn, and became a wilderness,

Empty after its households and abiding age-long,

as though those who dwelt there had never known it.

As though the present spectators had not sought enjoyment in it of old;

كَأَن لَم تُدَمِّنها الحُلولُ وَفيهُمُ

كَأَن لَم تُدَمِّنها الحُلولُ وَفيهُمُ

كُهولٌ وَشُبّانٌ غَطارِفَةٌ مُردُ

كُهولٌ وَشُبّانٌ غَطارِفَةٌ مُردُ

As though the campers had never left their refuse there; among them were

As though the halting-places did not know them with long sojourn,

mature men and noble, beardless youths.

Amid them graybeards and youths, smooth-cheeked, with flowing hair;

هُمُ آلُ سَيّارِ بنِ عَمروِ بنِ جابِرٍ

هُمُ آلُ سَيّارِ بنِ عَمروِ بنِ جابِرٍ

رِجالٌ وَفَت أَحلامُهُم وَلَهُم جَدُّ

رِجالٌ وَفَت أَحلامُهُم وَلَهُم جَدُّ

They are the family of Sayyar son of Amr son of Jabir,

They are the sons of Sayyar son of 'Amr son of Jabir,

men whose wisdom is complete and whose fortune is good.

Men whose dreams have swelled, and for them is valor;

إِذا نازَعَ الأَقوامُ يَوماً قَناتَهُم

إِذا نازَعَ الأَقوامُ يَوماً قَناتَهُم

أَبى لَهُمُ المَعروفُ وَالحَسَبُ العِدُّ

أَبى لَهُمُ المَعروفُ وَالحَسَبُ العِدُّ

When other peoples one day challenge their spear,

If the peoples engage in conflict some day over their dykes

their good deeds and ancient ancestral honor will not let it yield.

Good breeding and family escutcheon forbid them;

فَمَن كانَ يَرجو أَن يُساوِيَ سَعيُهُ

فَمَن كانَ يَرجو أَن يُساوِيَ سَعيُهُ

لَمَسعاتِهِم قَدَّ الأَديمَ كَما قَدّوا

لَمَسعاتِهِم قَدَّ الأَديمَ كَما قَدّوا

So whoever hopes that his striving will measure up

So let him whose endeavor falls short of what they have done

to theirs must cut the hide as they have cut it.

Bind on for all time, like them he has bound;

أَبوهُم وَدى عَقلَ المُلوكِ تَكَلُّفاً

أَبوهُم وَدى عَقلَ المُلوكِ تَكَلُّفاً

وَما لَهُمُ مِمّا تَكَلَّفَهُ بُدُّ

وَما لَهُمُ مِمّا تَكَلَّفَهُ بُدُّ

Their father paid the blood-money of kings, taking the burden on himself,

Their father devoted the reason of kings unto bounty unstintingly,

and they have no escape from what he undertook.

Nor had they aught of the thing he lavished save the effort;

تَكَلَّفَ أَثمانَ المُلوكِ فَساقَها

تَكَلَّفَ أَثمانَ المُلوكِ فَساقَها

وَما غَضَّ عَنهُ مِن سُؤالٍ وَلا زِندُ

وَما غَضَّ عَنهُ مِن سُؤالٍ وَلا زِندُ

He undertook the blood-prices of kings and drove them forth,

He devoted the prices of kings and brought them,

and neither begging nor a firestick detracted from him.

Nor did he flinch from inquiry or importunity;

حَمالَةُ ما جَرَّت فَتاكَةُ ظالِمٍ

حَمالَةُ ما جَرَّت فَتاكَةُ ظالِمٍ

حَمالَةُ مُلكٍ لَم يَكُن مِثلُها بَعدُ

حَمالَةُ مُلكٍ لَم يَكُن مِثلُها بَعدُ

A blood-money burden for what a wrongdoer's murderous violence incurred,

The portage of what an unjust aggressor wrought,

a royal blood-money burden, whose like had never yet existed.

The portage of a realm the like of which was never seen;

هُمُ حَمَلوا الأَلفَ الَّتي جَرَّ جارِمٌ

هُمُ حَمَلوا الأَلفَ الَّتي جَرَّ جارِمٌ

وَرَدّوا جِيادَ الخَيلِ ضاحِيَةً تَعدو

وَرَدّوا جِيادَ الخَيلِ ضاحِيَةً تَعدو

They bore the thousand that an offender incurred,

They bore the thousand which a tyrant set running;

and returned the fine horses, galloping in the open.

And drove back the horses roving at liberty;

أولَئِكَ قَومٌ إِن بَنَوا أَحسَنوا البُنى

أولَئِكَ قَومٌ إِن بَنَوا أَحسَنوا البُنى

وَإِن عاهَدوا أَوفَوا وَإِن عَقَدوا شَدّوا

وَإِن عاهَدوا أَوفَوا وَإِن عَقَدوا شَدّوا

Those are a people who, if they build, perfect their structures;

Those are a people who if they build, build nobly,

and if they pledge, they keep faith; if they bind, they bind firmly.

And if they pledge themselves bind themselves solemnly;

وَإِن تَكُنِ النُعمى عَلَيهِم جَزَوا بِها

وَإِن تَكُنِ النُعمى عَلَيهِم جَزَوا بِها

وَإِن أَنعَموا لا كَدَّروها وَلا كَدّوا

وَإِن أَنعَموا لا كَدَّروها وَلا كَدّوا

And if a favor should be bestowed upon them, they repay it;

And if bounty is shown them give again increase,

and if they grant a favor, they neither sour it nor cause distress.

And if they give they injure not, nor keep back aught;

وَإِن قالَ مَولاهُم عَلى جُلِّ حادِثٍ

وَإِن قالَ مَولاهُم عَلى جُلِّ حادِثٍ

مِنَ الأَمرِ رُدّوا فَضلَ أَحلامِكُم رَدّوا

مِنَ الأَمرِ رُدّوا فَضلَ أَحلامِكُم رَدّوا

And if their ally says, amid a grave calamity

And when their chieftain speaks aloud concerning any happening

in affairs, 'Put aside your excess of forbearance,' they put it aside.

Of command, 'Give back the merit of your dreams,' they say;

أولَئِكَ قَومٌ لَن يَسُدَّ مَكانَهُم

أولَئِكَ قَومٌ لَن يَسُدَّ مَكانَهُم

شَريكٌ إِذا عُدَّ المَساعي وَلا وَردُ

شَريكٌ إِذا عُدَّ المَساعي وَلا وَردُ

Those are a people whose place will never be filled

Those are a folk none shall replace if all effort be counted

by Sharik, when noble endeavors are counted, nor by Ward.

And none attain their reward or gain their palm;