لَنِعمَtruly excellent is الحَيُّthe clan حَيُّthe clan of بَنيthe sons of كُلَيبٍKulayb
لَنِعمَ الحَيُّ حَيُّ بَني كُلَيبٍ
إِذاwhen ماever (emphasis) أَوقَدواthey kindled fires فَوقَabove اليَفاعِthe high ground
إِذا ما أَوقَدوا فَوقَ اليَفاعِ
Truly, a fine clan is the clan of Banu Kulayb,
How excellent is the tribe of Kulayb
when they kindle fires upon the high ground.
When they light fires on high ground!
وَنِعمَand excellent is الحَيُّthe clan حَيُّthe clan of بَنيthe sons of كُلَيبٍKulayb
وَنِعمَ الحَيُّ حَيُّ بَني كُلَيبٍ
إِذاwhen اِختَلَطَmingled الدَواعيthe rallying cries بِالدَواعيwith the rallying cries
إِذا اِختَلَطَ الدَواعي بِالدَواعي
And a fine clan is the clan of Banu Kulayb,
How excellent is the tribe of Kulayb
when rallying cries mingle with rallying cries.
When motives mingle with motives!
أَلَمhave you not تَرَseen أَنَّthat جارَthe neighbor of بَنيthe sons of زُهَيرٍZuhayr
أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ جارَ بَني زُهَيرٍ
قَصيرُshort الباعِin reach لَيسَis not بِذيpossessed of اِمتِناعِpower to resist
قَصيرُ الباعِ لَيسَ بِذي اِمتِناعِ
Have you not seen that the neighbor of Banu Zuhayr
Have you not seen that the neighbor of the tribe of Zuheir,
has little reach and no power to defend himself?
With short supply, is no match for them?
وَلَيسَand is not الجارُthe neighbor جارُthe neighbor of بَنيthe sons of كُلَيبٍKulayb
وَلَيسَ الجارُ جارُ بَني كُلَيبٍ
بِمُقصىًcast aside فيin المَحَلِّthe encampment وَلاnor مُضاعِabandoned
بِمُقصىً في المَحَلِّ وَلا مُضاعِ
And the neighbor—the neighbor of Banu Kulayb—is not
And the neighbor is not a neighbor of the tribe of Kulayb,
cast aside in the encampment, nor abandoned.
With no refuge or support.
هُمُthey صَنَعواdid good لِجارِهِمُfor their neighbor وَلَيسَتand is not
هُمُ صَنَعوا لِجارِهِمُ وَلَيسَت
يَدُthe hand of الخَرقاءِthe clumsy woman مِثلَlike يَدِthe hand of الصَناعِthe skilled woman
يَدُ الخَرقاءِ مِثلَ يَدِ الصَناعِ
They have done well by their neighbor; nor is
They made things for their neighbor while the hands
the clumsy woman's hand like the skilled woman's hand.
Of the patch-clothed are not like the hands of makers,
وَيَحرُمُand is forbidden سِرُّsexual intimacy جارَتِهِمtheir female neighbor's عَلَيهِمto them
وَيَحرُمُ سِرُّ جارَتِهِم عَلَيهِم
وَيَأكُلُand eats جارُهُمtheir neighbor أُنُفَthe first, untouched portions of القِصاعِthe bowls
وَيَأكُلُ جارُهُم أُنُفَ القِصاعِ
And intimacy with their female neighbor is forbidden to them,
And their neighbor's secrets are sacred to them
and their neighbor eats the first, untouched servings from the bowls.
While their neighbor eats the choicest portions openly.
وَجارُهُمُand their neighbor إِذاwhen ماever (emphasis) حَلَّhe settled فيهِمamong them
وَجارُهُمُ إِذا ما حَلَّ فيهِم
عَلىupon أَكنافِthe flanks of رابِيَةٍa hill يَفاعِlofty
عَلى أَكنافِ رابِيَةٍ يَفاعِ
And their neighbor, whenever he settles among them,
And when war comes upon them,
is upon the flanks of a lofty hill.
On the shoulders of a lofty she-camel,
لَعَمرُكَby your life ماnot قُرادُthe tick of بَنيthe sons of رِياحٍRiyah
لَعَمرُكَ ما قُرادُ بَني رِياحٍ
إِذاwhen نُزِعَare plucked off القُرادُthe ticks بِمُستَطاعِpossible to remove
إِذا نُزِعَ القُرادُ بِمُستَطاعِ
By your life, no tick of Banu Riyah
By your life! The fleas of the tribe of Ri'ah,
can be plucked off when ticks are being removed.
When fleas are picked off, are no match for them!
Sol 6.1