نَفى أَهلَ الحَبَلَّقِ يَومَ وَجٍّ

نَفى أَهلَ الحَبَلَّقِ يَومَ وَجٍّ

مُزَينَةُ جَهرَةً وَبَنو خُفافِ

مُزَينَةُ جَهرَةً وَبَنو خُفافِ

The people of al-Haballaq were driven out on the day of Wajj

The tribe of Hablaaq were driven away one fateful morning

by Muzayna, openly, and the sons of Khufaf.

While Muzainah and the sons of Khufaf were adorned

ضَرَبناهُم بِمَكَّةَ يَومَ فَتحِ النَ

ضَرَبناهُم بِمَكَّةَ يَومَ فَتحِ النَ

بِيِّ الخَيرِ بِالبيضِ الخِفافِ

بِيِّ الخَيرِ بِالبيضِ الخِفافِ

We struck them at Mecca on the day of the conquest of the Pro-

We struck them in Mecca on the day of the Opening

phet of goodness, with light, gleaming swords.

With the excellent Prophet and the white swords

صَبَحناهُم بِأَلفٍ مِن سُلَيمٍ

صَبَحناهُم بِأَلفٍ مِن سُلَيمٍ

وَأَلفٍ مِن بَني عُثمانَ وافِ

وَأَلفٍ مِن بَني عُثمانَ وافِ

We attacked them at dawn with a thousand from Sulaym

We took them by surprise at dawn with a thousand of Sulaym

and a full thousand from the sons of Uthman.

And a thousand of the sons of Uthman who had arrived

حَدَوا أَكتافُهُم ضَرباً وَطَعناً

حَدَوا أَكتافُهُم ضَرباً وَطَعناً

وَرَمياً بالمُرَيَّشَةِ اللِطافِ

وَرَمياً بالمُرَيَّشَةِ اللِطافِ

They drove their shoulders onward with blows and thrusts

Their shoulders were cut by striking, stabbing,

and shooting with slender, feathered arrows.

And shooting with elegant arrows

رَمَيناهُم بِشُبّانٍ وَشيبٍ

رَمَيناهُم بِشُبّانٍ وَشيبٍ

تُكَفكِفُ كُلَّ مُمتَنِعِ العِطافِ

تُكَفكِفُ كُلَّ مُمتَنِعِ العِطافِ

We assailed them with young men and greybeards,

We shot them with young and old alike

driving back every unbending foe.

Each one subduing the obstinate fugitive

تَرى بَينَ الصُفوفِ لَهُنَّ رَشقاً

تَرى بَينَ الصُفوفِ لَهُنَّ رَشقاً

كَما اِنصاعَ الفَواقُ عنِ الرِصافِ

كَما اِنصاعَ الفَواقُ عنِ الرِصافِ

You see their volleys between the ranks,

You could see between the ranks their skulls broken

as arrow-nocks dart away from their bindings.

As though they were bottles cast down by a wine-pourer

تَرى الجُردَ الجِيادَ تَلوحُ فيهِم

تَرى الجُردَ الجِيادَ تَلوحُ فيهِم

بِأَرماحٍ مُقَوَّمَةِ الثِقافِ

بِأَرماحٍ مُقَوَّمَةِ الثِقافِ

You see the sleek, noble steeds appearing among them

You could see the polished swords flashing among them

with spears straightened by the shaft-straightener.

With straightened spears of high quality

وَرُحنا غانِمين بِما أَرَدنا

وَرُحنا غانِمين بِما أَرَدنا

وَراحوا نادِمينِ عَلى الخِلافِ

وَراحوا نادِمينِ عَلى الخِلافِ

And we returned with the gains we wanted,

And we went away as victors with what we wanted

while they returned regretting their defiance.

While they went away regretting their opposition

وَقَد سَمِعوا مَقالَتَنا فَهَمّوا

وَقَد سَمِعوا مَقالَتَنا فَهَمّوا

غَداةَ الرَوعِ مِنا بِاِنصِرافِ

غَداةَ الرَوعِ مِنا بِاِنصِرافِ

They had heard our words and considered

And they had heard our speech so they understood

withdrawing from us on the morning of terror.

The morning after being startled by our withdrawal

وَأَعطَينا رَسولَ اللَهِ مِنّا

وَأَعطَينا رَسولَ اللَهِ مِنّا

مَواثيقاً عَلى حُسنِ التَصافيِ

مَواثيقاً عَلى حُسنِ التَصافيِ

And we gave the Messenger of God, on our part,

And we gave the Messenger of God from us

solemn pledges of sincere mutual goodwill.

Pledges of good fellowship

فَجُزنا بَطنَ مَكَة وَاِمتَنَعنا

فَجُزنا بَطنَ مَكَة وَاِمتَنَعنا

بِتَقوى اللَهِ وَالبيضِ الخِفافِ

بِتَقوى اللَهِ وَالبيضِ الخِفافِ

So we crossed the valley of Mecca and stood secure

So we split the belly of Mecca and held fast

through reverence for God and light, gleaming swords.

By the piety of God and the white swords

وَحَلَّ عمودُنا حَجَراتِ نَجدٍ

وَحَلَّ عمودُنا حَجَراتِ نَجدٍ

فَأَليَةَ فَالقُدوسَ إِلى شَرافِ

فَأَليَةَ فَالقُدوسَ إِلى شَرافِ

And our tent-pole came to rest on the fringes of Najd,

And our pillars settled in the dwellings of Najd

then Alya, then al-Qudus, as far as Sharaf.

From Aleeya to Al-Qudus to Sharaf

أَرادوا اللّاتَ وَالعُزّى إِلَهاً

أَرادوا اللّاتَ وَالعُزّى إِلَهاً

كَفى بِاللَهِ دَونَ اللّاتِ كافِ

كَفى بِاللَهِ دَونَ اللّاتِ كافِ

They wanted al-Lat and al-Uzza as their deity;

They wanted al-Lat and al-Uzza as gods

God alone, without al-Lat, is all-sufficient.

God alone suffices, without the need for al-Lat

أَمِن نَوارَ عَرَفتَ المَنزِلَ الخَلَقا

أَمِن نَوارَ عَرَفتَ المَنزِلَ الخَلَقا

إِذ لا تُفارِقُ بَطنَ الجَوِّ فَالبُرَقا

إِذ لا تُفارِقُ بَطنَ الجَوِّ فَالبُرَقا

Was it Nawar’s worn-out dwelling you recognized,

Have you seen from the light of the dawning the abode’s creation

when she never left the valley of al-Jaww and al-Buraq?

As lightning never leaves the belly of the clouds then flashes

وَقَفتُ فيها قَليلاً رَيثَ أَسأَلُه

وَقَفتُ فيها قَليلاً رَيثَ أَسأَلُه

فَاِنهَلَّ دَمعي عَلى الخَدَّينِ مُنسَحِقا

فَاِنهَلَّ دَمعي عَلى الخَدَّينِ مُنسَحِقا

I stood there briefly, long enough to question it,

I stood in it a little while, so I would ask about it

and my tears poured down both cheeks in streams.

My tears poured down my cheeks, crushed

كادَت تُبَيِّنُ وَحياً بَعضَ حاجَتِنا

كادَت تُبَيِّنُ وَحياً بَعضَ حاجَتِنا

لَو أَنَّ مَنزِلَ حَيٍ دارِساً نَطَقا

لَو أَنَّ مَنزِلَ حَيٍ دارِساً نَطَقا

It would almost have conveyed, by signs, some of what we sought,

It almost made clear some of our needs

had a tribe’s faded dwelling been able to speak.

If the abode of the living had spoken

لازَالتِ الريحُ تُزجي كُلَّ ذي لَجَبٍ

لازَالتِ الريحُ تُزجي كُلَّ ذي لَجَبٍ

غَيثاً إِذا ما وَنَتهُ ديمةٌ دَفَقا

غَيثاً إِذا ما وَنَتهُ ديمةٌ دَفَقا

May the wind forever drive each thunderous cloud,

The winds continued to bring every heavy cloudburst

with rain that gushes when a steady shower has slackened it.

Rain when its folds dripped

فَأَنبَتَ الفَغوَ وَالريحانَ وابِلُهُ

فَأَنبَتَ الفَغوَ وَالريحانَ وابِلُهُ

وَالأَيهُقانَ مَعَ المُكنانِ وَالذُرَقا

وَالأَيهُقانَ مَعَ المُكنانِ وَالذُرَقا

Its downpour brought forth henna blossoms and fragrant herbs,

So it brought forth greensward, basil, its rain

and wild rocket, with muknan and sweet clover.

Yahuqan with muknán and dhuraq

فَلمَ تَزَل كُلُّ غَنّاءِ البُغامِ بِهِ

فَلمَ تَزَل كُلُّ غَنّاءِ البُغامِ بِهِ

مِنَ الظِباءِ تُراعي عاقِداً خَرِقا

مِنَ الظِباءِ تُراعي عاقِداً خَرِقا

And every doe with a nasal cry remained there,

So every singing oryx among the dunes with it

among the gazelles, tending a bewildered fawn with budding horns.

Never ceased, binding the placket

تَقرو بِهِ مَنزِلَ الحَسناءِ إِذ رَحَلَت

تَقرو بِهِ مَنزِلَ الحَسناءِ إِذ رَحَلَت

فَاِستَقبَلَت رُجَبَ الجَوفَين فَالعُمَقا

فَاِستَقبَلَت رُجَبَ الجَوفَين فَالعُمَقا

She ranges there through the fair woman’s dwelling after she departed

They came near the abode of the beautiful one when she departed

and headed toward the broad reaches of al-Jawfayn, then al-Umaq.

The interior of the two months, Rajab and Umqa, received her

حَلَّت نَوارُ بِأَرضٍ لا يُبَلِّغُها

حَلَّت نَوارُ بِأَرضٍ لا يُبَلِّغُها

إِلّا صُموتُ السُرى لا تَسأَمُ العَنَقا

إِلّا صُموتُ السُرى لا تَسأَمُ العَنَقا

Nawar settled in a land that cannot be reached

Nuwar arrived at a land only reached

save by a silent night-going she-camel, tireless at a brisk pace:

By the silence of distance, tireless walking

خَطّارَةٌ بَعدَ غِبِّ الجَهدِ ناجِيَةٌ

خَطّارَةٌ بَعدَ غِبِّ الجَهدِ ناجِيَةٌ

لا تَشتَكي لِلحَفا مِن خُفِّها رَقَقا

لا تَشتَكي لِلحَفا مِن خُفِّها رَقَقا

tail-swinging and swift, even after exhausting toil,

Khattara, after the absence of effort, complaining

she complains of no thinning of her footpad from wear.

Does not complain to Fate about her shoes' thinness

تَرى المَريءَ كَنَصلِ السَيفِ إِذ ضَمِنَت

تَرى المَريءَ كَنَصلِ السَيفِ إِذ ضَمِنَت

أَو النَضِيَّ الفَضا بَطَّنتَهُ العُنُقا

أَو النَضِيَّ الفَضا بَطَّنتَهُ العُنُقا

You see her gullet like a sword-blade, enclosed within her,

You see the throat like the blade of a sword when she sang

or a bare arrow-shaft you have set inside her neck.

Or the flute that the neck hollowed

تَنفي اللُغامَ بِمِثلِ السَبتِ خَصَّرَهُ

تَنفي اللُغامَ بِمِثلِ السَبتِ خَصَّرَهُ

حاذٍ يَمانٍ إِذا ما أَرقَلَت خَفَقا

حاذٍ يَمانٍ إِذا ما أَرقَلَت خَفَقا

She casts off foam with a lip like tanned leather, narrowed

She shakes off sluggishness like the Sabbath has belted it

by a Yemeni cobbler; it flaps when she trots swiftly.

A Yamanite leatherworker when she swayed

تَنجو نَجاءَ قَطاةِ الجَوِّ أَفزَعَها

تَنجو نَجاءَ قَطاةِ الجَوِّ أَفزَعَها

بِذي العِضاهِ أَحَسَّت بازِياً طَرَقا

بِذي العِضاهِ أَحَسَّت بازِياً طَرَقا

She races like a sandgrouse of al-Jaww, startled

She escapes the cry of the wild cats of the air that alarmed her

among thorn trees on sensing a hawk that had come upon her:

With him of sharp claws she sensed a knocking

شَهمٌ يَكُبُّ القَطا الكُدري مُختَضِبُ ال

شَهمٌ يَكُبُّ القَطا الكُدري مُختَضِبُ ال

أظفارِ حُرٌّ تَرى في عَينهِ زَرَقا

أظفارِ حُرٌّ تَرى في عَينهِ زَرَقا

a bold hunter, felling dusky sandgrouse, with stained

A brave lion overthrowing the muddy wild cat with claws dyed

talons, noble; you see blue in his eye.

Free whom you see blueness in his eyes

باتَت لَهُ لَيلَةٌ جَمٌّ أَهاضِبُها

باتَت لَهُ لَيلَةٌ جَمٌّ أَهاضِبُها

وَباتَ يَنفُضُ عَنهُ الطَلَّ وَاللَثَقا

وَباتَ يَنفُضُ عَنهُ الطَلَّ وَاللَثَقا

A night passed over him, abundant in rain-showers,

He spent a night of abundant adversity

and he spent it shaking off dew and clinging wetness.

And he spent it shaking off the vines and twines

حَتّى إِذا ما اِنجَلَت ظَلماءُ لَيلَتِهِ

حَتّى إِذا ما اِنجَلَت ظَلماءُ لَيلَتِهِ

وَاِنجابَ عَنهُ بَياضُ الصُبحِ فَاِنفَلَقا

وَاِنجابَ عَنهُ بَياضُ الصُبحِ فَاِنفَلَقا

Until, when the darkness of his night cleared,

Until when the darkness of his night receded

and dawn’s whiteness opened out around him and broke forth,

And the whiteness of dawn relieved him, cleaving open

غَدا عَلى قَدَرٍ يَهوي فَفاجَأَها

غَدا عَلى قَدَرٍ يَهوي فَفاجَأَها

فَاِنقَضَّ وَهُوَ بِوَشكِ الصَيدِ قَد وَثِقا

فَاِنقَضَّ وَهُوَ بِوَشكِ الصَيدِ قَد وَثِقا

he went forth in the morning, as fate decreed, swooping—and surprised her.

He went in the morning to a pot he coveted, and surprised her

Then he dived, already certain of an imminent catch.

He pounced while on the verge of catching his prey

لا شَيءَ أَجوَدُ مِنها وَهِيَ طَيِّبَةٌ

لا شَيءَ أَجوَدُ مِنها وَهِيَ طَيِّبَةٌ

نَفساً بِما سَوفَ يُنجيها وَإِن لَحِقا

نَفساً بِما سَوفَ يُنجيها وَإِن لَحِقا

Nothing is swifter than she, and she is content

There is nothing better than her, and she is good-souled

at heart with what will save her, even if he catches up.

With what will save her, even if it meets her

نَفَّرَها عَن حِياضِ المَوتِ فَاِنتَجَعَت

نَفَّرَها عَن حِياضِ المَوتِ فَاِنتَجَعَت

بِبَطنِ لينَةَ ماءً لَم يَكُن رَنِقا

بِبَطنِ لينَةَ ماءً لَم يَكُن رَنِقا

He scared her away from death’s watering pools, so she sought

It scared her away from the court of death, so she took refuge

in the valley of Lina water that was not turbid.

In the soft belly of water that was not murky

يا لَيتَ شِعري وَلَيتَ الطَيرَ تُخبِرُني

يا لَيتَ شِعري وَلَيتَ الطَيرَ تُخبِرُني

أَمِثلَ عِشقي يُلاقي كُلُّ مِن عَشِقا

أَمِثلَ عِشقي يُلاقي كُلُّ مِن عَشِقا

Oh, would that I knew, and would that the birds could tell me:

Oh, if only I knew, and if only the birds would tell me

Does everyone who loves experience a passion like mine?

If my passion meets all who feel passion

إِذا سَمِعتُ بِذكرِ الحُبِّ ذَكَّرَني

إِذا سَمِعتُ بِذكرِ الحُبِّ ذَكَّرَني

هِنداً فَقَد عَلِقَ الأَحشاءَ ما عَلِقا

هِنداً فَقَد عَلِقَ الأَحشاءَ ما عَلِقا

When I hear love mentioned, it reminds me

Whenever I hear mention of love, it reminds me

of Hind, for what has clung to my innards has clung fast.

Of Hind, for she has clung to my entrails, what clinging!

كَم دونَها مِن عَدُوٍّ ذي مُكاشَحَةٍ

كَم دونَها مِن عَدُوٍّ ذي مُكاشَحَةٍ

بادِيَ الشَوارَةِ يُبدي وَجهُهُ حَنَقا

بادِيَ الشَوارَةِ يُبدي وَجهُهُ حَنَقا

How many an enemy stands between me and her, full of hostility,

How many enemies below her have I contended with

his private parts exposed, his face revealing rage,

Whose cheeks show their rancor

ذي نَيرَبٍ نَزِعٍ لَو قَد نَصَبتُ لَهُ

ذي نَيرَبٍ نَزِعٍ لَو قَد نَصَبتُ لَهُ

وَجهي لَقَد قالَ كُنتَ الحائِنَ الحَمِقا

وَجهي لَقَد قالَ كُنتَ الحائِنَ الحَمِقا

a quarrelsome bearer of slander—if I set before him

A despicable, quarrelsome one, if I had set

my face, he would surely say, 'You would be the doomed fool!'

My face against him, he would have said you were wronging, foolish

كَالكَلبِ لا يَسأَمُ الكَلبُ الهَريرَ وَلَو

كَالكَلبِ لا يَسأَمُ الكَلبُ الهَريرَ وَلَو

لاقَيتَ بِالكَلبِ لَيثاً مُخدِراً ذَرَقا

لاقَيتَ بِالكَلبِ لَيثاً مُخدِراً ذَرَقا

Like a dog—the dog never tires of growling; yet if

Like the dog who never tires of barking even if

you pitted the dog against a lion in its lair, it would soil itself.

You meet the dog with a growling lion

وَمُرهَقٍ قَد دَعاني فَاِستجَبتُ لَهُ

وَمُرهَقٍ قَد دَعاني فَاِستجَبتُ لَهُ

أَجَزتُ غُصَّتُهُ مِن بَعدَ ما شَرِقا

أَجَزتُ غُصَّتُهُ مِن بَعدَ ما شَرِقا

And many a hard-pressed man called me, and I answered him;

And a weary one called me, so I answered him

I cleared the lump from his throat after he had choked.

I relieved his hatred after it overflowed