لَقَد وَلّى أَلِيَّتَهُ جُؤيٌّ

لَقَد وَلّى أَلِيَّتَهُ جُؤيٌّ

مَعاشِرَ غَيرُ مَطَلولٍ أَخوها

مَعاشِرَ غَيرُ مَطَلولٍ أَخوها

Juʾayy has indeed entrusted his oath

Indeed, Juyi has turned his back

to clans whose brother is not left unavenged.

On companions who never failed him, his brothers.

فَاِن تَهلِك جُؤيُّ فَكُلُ نَفسٍ

فَاِن تَهلِك جُؤيُّ فَكُلُ نَفسٍ

سَيَجلِبُها كَذلِكَ جالِبوها

سَيَجلِبُها كَذلِكَ جالِبوها

If you perish, Juʾayy, then every soul

If Juyi perishes, every soul

will likewise be driven to its end by those who drive it.

Will meet the same fate as he did.

وَإِن تَهلِك جُؤيُّ فَإِنَّ حَرَباً

وَإِن تَهلِك جُؤيُّ فَإِنَّ حَرَباً

كَظَنِّكَ كانَ بَعدَك موقِدوها

كَظَنِّكَ كانَ بَعدَك موقِدوها

And if you perish, Juʾayy, then war

If Juyi perishes, know that after you

had its kindlers after you, just as you expected.

War will blaze as you supposed it would.

وَما ساءَت ظُنونُكَ يَومَ تولي

وَما ساءَت ظُنونُكَ يَومَ تولي

بِأَرماحٍ وَفَى لَكَ مُشرِعوها

بِأَرماحٍ وَفَى لَكَ مُشرِعوها

And your expectations did not fail you on the day you departed;

Your suspicions were not misplaced the day

with spears, those who leveled them kept faith with you.

You turned away, spears quenching their thirst.

كَأَنَّكَ كُنتَ تَعلَمُ يَومَ بُزَّت

كَأَنَّكَ كُنتَ تَعلَمُ يَومَ بُزَّت

ثِيابُكَ ما سَيَلقى سالِبوها

ثِيابُكَ ما سَيَلقى سالِبوها

It was as though you knew, the day they stripped away

It was as if you knew, the day

your garments, what their plunderers would face

Your clothes were torn, what despoilers would reap.

لِنَذرِكَ وَالنُذورُ لَها وَفاءٌ

لِنَذرِكَ وَالنُذورُ لَها وَفاءٌ

إِذا بَلَغَ الخِزايَةَ بالِغوها

إِذا بَلَغَ الخِزايَةَ بالِغوها

because of your vow—and vows are fulfilled

Your vows will be kept, vows have loyalty

when those who incur disgrace have reached that point.

When their fulfillment reaches the treasury.

صَبَحنا الخَزرَجِيَّةَ مُرهِفاتٍ

صَبَحنا الخَزرَجِيَّةَ مُرهِفاتٍ

أَبادَ ذَوي أَرومَتِها ذَووها

أَبادَ ذَوي أَرومَتِها ذَووها

We came upon the Khazrajite woman at dawn with keen blades;

We spent the morning as Khazrajite women

their wielders wiped out the men of her stock.

Whose loved ones destruction had bereaved.

فَما عُتِرَ الظِباءُ بِحَيِ كَعبٍ

فَما عُتِرَ الظِباءُ بِحَيِ كَعبٍ

وَلا الخَمسونَ قَصَّرَ طالِبوها

وَلا الخَمسونَ قَصَّرَ طالِبوها

No gazelles, then, were sacrificed among Kaʿb's clan,

Neither ibexes nor fifty were exempted

nor did those seeking the fifty fall short.

In the Kaba, by those who sought them.

وَلا قُلنا لَهُم نَفسٌ بِنَفسٍ

وَلا قُلنا لَهُم نَفسٌ بِنَفسٍ

أَقيدونا بِها إِن لَم تَدوها

أَقيدونا بِها إِن لَم تَدوها

Nor did we tell them, 'A life for a life—

We did not say to them, “A life for a life -

grant us retribution for it, if you will not pay its blood-money.'

Give us the same if you refuse hers.”

وَلَكِنّا دَفَعناها ظِماءً

وَلَكِنّا دَفَعناها ظِماءً

فَرَوّاها بِذِكرِكَ مُنهِلوها

فَرَوّاها بِذِكرِكَ مُنهِلوها

Instead, we sent them forth thirsty,

But we repelled them thirsty

and those who gave them drink quenched them in remembrance of you.

And let them drink deep of your memory.

وَلَو بَلَغَ القَتيلَ فِعالُ حُيٍّ

وَلَو بَلَغَ القَتيلَ فِعالُ حُيٍّ

لَسَرَّكَ مِن سيوفِكَ مُنتَضوها

لَسَرَّكَ مِن سيوفِكَ مُنتَضوها

And if a living man's deeds could reach the slain,

If the dead could know the deeds of the living,

those who drew your swords would surely have gladdened you.

Your swords would bring you joy in their flashing.