سَقى دِمنَتَينِ لَم نَجِد لَهُما مِثلا

سَقى دِمنَتَينِ لَم نَجِد لَهُما مِثلا

بِحقلٍ لَكُم يا عَزَّ قَد زانَتا حَقلا

بِحقلٍ لَكُم يا عَزَّ قَد زانَتا حَقلا

May two abandoned camps, whose like we have never found, be watered—

Two she-camels that we could find no match for,

yours at Haql, O ‘Azz, which have adorned Haql—

Have adorned your meadow, O Aziz, a beautiful meadow.

نَجاءُ الثُرَيّا كَلَّ آَخِرِ لَيلَةٍ

نَجاءُ الثُرَيّا كَلَّ آَخِرِ لَيلَةٍ

يَجودُهُما جوداً وَيُتبِعُهُ وَبلا

يَجودُهُما جوداً وَيُتبِعُهُ وَبلا

by the Pleiades’ rain-cloud at the close of every night,

The Pleiades came in their glory at the end of night,

drenching both abundantly, then following it with a downpour.

Bestowing generously upon them, following with more.

إِذا شَحَطَت دارٌ لِعَزَّةَ لَم أَجِد

إِذا شَحَطَت دارٌ لِعَزَّةَ لَم أَجِد

لَها في الأولى يَلحَينَ في وَصلِها مِثلا

لَها في الأولى يَلحَينَ في وَصلِها مِثلا

When ‘Azza’s dwelling lies far away, I find

When the Abode of Aziz was adorned, I could not find

no equal to her among the women who reproach me for loving her.

In the first adornment, two nights of union like it.

فَيا لَيتَ شِعري وَالحَوادِثُ جَمَّةٌ

فَيا لَيتَ شِعري وَالحَوادِثُ جَمَّةٌ

مَتى تَجمَعُ الأَيّامُ يَوماً بِها شَملا

مَتى تَجمَعُ الأَيّامُ يَوماً بِها شَملا

Oh, would that I knew—with mishaps so many—

Oh, would that I knew - and events are all confusion -

when the days will someday reunite me with her.

When will the days gather a day in which we are united?

وَكَيفَ يَنالُ الحاجِبِيَّةَ آلِفٌ

وَكَيفَ يَنالُ الحاجِبِيَّةَ آلِفٌ

بِيَليَلَ ممساهُ وَقَد جاوَزَت نَخلا

بِيَليَلَ ممساهُ وَقَد جاوَزَت نَخلا

And how can a devoted lover reach the Hajibite woman,

How can one reach Al-Hajibiyah, journeys beyond count,

whose evening abode is at Yalyal, while she has passed Nakhl?

When it has surpassed the date palms in distance?

فَيا عَزَّ إِن واشٍ وَشى بِيَ عِندَكُم

فَيا عَزَّ إِن واشٍ وَشى بِيَ عِندَكُم

فَلا تُكرِميهِ أَن تَقولي لَهُ أَهلا

فَلا تُكرِميهِ أَن تَقولي لَهُ أَهلا

So, ‘Azz, if a talebearer tells tales about me among you,

So O Aziz if a slanderer slanders me to you,

do not honor him by saying ‘Welcome’ to him.

Do not honor him by saying to him "Welcome!"

كَما لَو وَشى واشٍ بِوُدِّكِ عِندَنا

كَما لَو وَشى واشٍ بِوُدِّكِ عِندَنا

لَقُلنا تَزَحزَح لا قَريباً وَلا سهلا

لَقُلنا تَزَحزَح لا قَريباً وَلا سهلا

Just as, if a talebearer told tales of your love among us,

Just as if a slanderer slandered your love among us

we would say, ‘Move away—no closeness and no comfort!’

We would say "Begone! Neither close nor easy."

فَأَهلاً وَسَهلاً بِالَّذي شَدَّ وَصلَنا

فَأَهلاً وَسَهلاً بِالَّذي شَدَّ وَصلَنا

وَلا مَرحَباً بِالقائِلِ اِصرِم لَها حَبلا

وَلا مَرحَباً بِالقائِلِ اِصرِم لَها حَبلا

So a warm welcome to whoever strengthens our bond,

So welcome, and easy access, to the one who tied our bond,

and no welcome to whoever says, ‘Sever your cord to her.’

And no welcome to the one who cut its rope.

أَلَم يَأنِ لي يا قَلب أَن أَترُكَ الجَهلا

أَلَم يَأنِ لي يا قَلب أَن أَترُكَ الجَهلا

وَأَن يُحدِثَ الشَيبُ المُلِمُّ لِيَ العَقلا

وَأَن يُحدِثَ الشَيبُ المُلِمُّ لِيَ العَقلا

Has the time not come for me, O heart, to abandon folly,

Has not the time come, O heart, for me to leave foolishness,

and for the gray hair now upon me to bring me wisdom,

And for old age to bring wisdom to me?

عَلى حين صارَ الرَأسُ مِنّي كَأَنَّما

عَلى حين صارَ الرَأسُ مِنّي كَأَنَّما

عَلَت فَوقَهُ نَدّافَةُ العَطَبِ الغَزلا

عَلَت فَوقَهُ نَدّافَةُ العَطَبِ الغَزلا

now that this head of mine has become as though

When my head has become as if

a cotton-carder had heaped yarn above it?

A decorated spindle were set upon it.

وَنَحنُ مَنَعناَ مِن تِهامَةَ كُلِّها

وَنَحنُ مَنَعناَ مِن تِهامَةَ كُلِّها

جُنوبَ نَقا الخَوّارِ فَالدَمِثَ السَهلا

جُنوبَ نَقا الخَوّارِ فَالدَمِثَ السَهلا

And we defended, out of all Tihama,

And we who were banned from all of Tihama,

the flanks of al-Khawwar’s dune, then the soft, level ground,

From Nuq Al-Kharar to Al-Dumuth's plains.

بِكُلِّ كُميتٍ مُجفَرِ الدَفِّ سابِحٍ

بِكُلِّ كُميتٍ مُجفَرِ الدَفِّ سابِحٍ

وَكُلِّ مِزاقٍ وَردَةٍ تَعلِكُ النِكلا

وَكُلِّ مِزاقٍ وَردَةٍ تَعلِكُ النِكلا

with every broad-flanked bay steed that swims along,

With every brave knight, his sword flashing,

and every fleet, rose-colored mare that champs the iron bit.

And every elegant camel decked in necklaces.

غَوامِضُ كَالعُقبانِ إِن هِيَ أُرسِلَت

غَوامِضُ كَالعُقبانِ إِن هِيَ أُرسِلَت

وَإِن أُمسِكَت عَن غَربِها نَقَلَت نَقلا

وَإِن أُمسِكَت عَن غَربِها نَقَلَت نَقلا

Fleet as eagles when they are let loose,

Darts that fly like eagles when unleashed,

and when reined back from their headlong rush, they step briskly.

And if held back from their setting they are restless.

عَلَيهِنَّ شُعثٌ كَالمَخاريقِ كُلُّهُم

عَلَيهِنَّ شُعثٌ كَالمَخاريقِ كُلُّهُم

يُعِدُّ كَريماً لا جَباناً وَلا وَغلا

يُعِدُّ كَريماً لا جَباناً وَلا وَغلا

Upon them ride disheveled men like whips of rolled cloth; each

Dishevelled hair covers them like sieves, all of them

is reckoned noble—no coward and no interloper.

Count as generous, not cowardly or treacherous.

بِأَيديهِمُ خَطّيّة وَعَلهِمُ

بِأَيديهِمُ خَطّيّة وَعَلهِمُ

سَوابِغُ فِرعَونِيَّةٌ جُدِلت جَدلا

سَوابِغُ فِرعَونِيَّةٌ جُدِلت جَدلا

In their hands are Khatt spears, and upon them

In their hands, lances, and over them

full-length Pharaonic coats of mail, tightly interwoven.

Long coats like those of Pharaoh, plaited.

تَرانا ذَوي عِزٍّ وَيَزعُمُ غَيرُنا

تَرانا ذَوي عِزٍّ وَيَزعُمُ غَيرُنا

مِن أَعدائِنا أَن لا يَرَونَ لَنا مِثلا

مِن أَعدائِنا أَن لا يَرَونَ لَنا مِثلا

You see us as men of might, and others declare—

We see ourselves as honorable, while others,

among our enemies—that they see no equal to us.

Our enemies, claim to see no equals to us.

نُحارِبُ أَقواماً فَنَسبي نِساءَهُم

نُحارِبُ أَقواماً فَنَسبي نِساءَهُم

وَنُصفِدُهُم أَسراً وَنوجِعُهُم قَتلا

وَنُصفِدُهُم أَسراً وَنوجِعُهُم قَتلا

We wage war on peoples, then capture their women;

We fight people, capturing their women,

we shackle them as prisoners and afflict them with slaughter.

Imprisoning them, and inflicting death.

فَيُؤخَذُ مِنّا العَقلُ دونَ دِمائِنا

فَيُؤخَذُ مِنّا العَقلُ دونَ دِمائِنا

وَنَأبى فَلا نَستاقُ مِن دمنا عَقلا

وَنَأبى فَلا نَستاقُ مِن دمنا عَقلا

So blood-money is taken from us in place of our blood,

So reason is taken from us, not our blood,

and we refuse: we drive off no blood-money for our blood.

And we refuse, not drawing reason from our blood.

وَيَضرِبُ رَيعانَ الكَتيبَةِ صَفُّنا

وَيَضرِبُ رَيعانَ الكَتيبَةِ صَفُّنا

إِذا أَقبَلَت حَتّى نُطَرِّفَها رَعلا

إِذا أَقبَلَت حَتّى نُطَرِّفَها رَعلا

Our battle-line strikes the battalion’s vanguard

The columns of soldiers strike our lines

when it advances, until we drive it back squadron by squadron.

Until we force them back disgracefully.

وَأَثبَتُهُ داراً عَلى الخَوفِ ثَملُها

وَأَثبَتُهُ داراً عَلى الخَوفِ ثَملُها

فُروعُ عَوالي الغابِ أَكرِم بِها ثَملا

فُروعُ عَوالي الغابِ أَكرِم بِها ثَملا

And ours is the firmest dwelling amid fear; its mainstays

I stationed it in a house, laden with fear,

are the tips of tall reed-spears—how noble those mainstays!

The branches of lofty trees honoring its load.

وَأَبعَدُهُ سَمعاً وَأَطيَبُهُ نَثاً

وَأَبعَدُهُ سَمعاً وَأَطيَبُهُ نَثاً

وَأَعظَمُهُ حِلماً وَأَبعَدُهُ جَهلا

وَأَعظَمُهُ حِلماً وَأَبعَدُهُ جَهلا

Our fame reaches farthest, our reputation is sweetest,

I distanced it from hearing, perfumed it,

our forbearance greatest, and our folly farthest removed.

Increased its patience, and distanced it from ignorance.

وَأَقوَلُهُ لِلضَيفِ أَهلاً وَمَرحَباً

وَأَقوَلُهُ لِلضَيفِ أَهلاً وَمَرحَباً

وَآمَنُهُ جاراً وَأَوسَعُهُ جَبلا

وَآمَنُهُ جاراً وَأَوسَعُهُ جَبلا

We are readiest to tell a guest, ‘Welcome, a warm welcome!’

I say to the guest, "Welcome and greetings!"

safest for a neighbor, and greatest in numbers.

I shelter my neighbor and broaden the mountain.

فَسائِل بِقَومي كُلَّ أَجرَدَ سابِحٍ

فَسائِل بِقَومي كُلَّ أَجرَدَ سابِحٍ

وَسَل غَنَماً رُبّي بِضَمرَةَ أَو سَخلا

وَسَل غَنَماً رُبّي بِضَمرَةَ أَو سَخلا

So ask every sleek steed that swims in its stride about my people,

So ask about my people every bare knight,

and ask sheep reared among Damra, or a kid.

And ask about sheep kept at Dhumra or Sakhal.

سَواءٌ كَأَسنانٍ الحِمارِ فَلا تَرى

سَواءٌ كَأَسنانٍ الحِمارِ فَلا تَرى

لِذي كَبرَةٍ مِنهُم عَلى ناشِئٍ فَضلا

لِذي كَبرَةٍ مِنهُم عَلى ناشِئٍ فَضلا

All alike, like a donkey’s teeth: you will not see

They are all equal, like the teeth of a donkey,

an elder among them having any advantage over a youth.

No elder among them has virtue over a youth.

وَما حَسَبَت ضَمرِيَّةٌ جَدَوِيَّةٌ

وَما حَسَبَت ضَمرِيَّةٌ جَدَوِيَّةٌ

سِوى التَيسِ ذي القَرنَينِ أَنَّ لَها بَعلا

سِوى التَيسِ ذي القَرنَينِ أَنَّ لَها بَعلا

And no Jadwi woman of Damra has supposed

Nor did a ewe of Dhumra think herself

she had a husband other than the two-horned billy-goat.

Other than a horned goat, that she have a husband.

فَأَبلِغ لِيَ الذَفراءَ وَالجَهلُ كَاِسمِهِ

فَأَبلِغ لِيَ الذَفراءَ وَالجَهلُ كَاِسمِهِ

وَمَن يَغوِ لا يَعدَم عَلى غِيِّهِ عَذلا

وَمَن يَغوِ لا يَعدَم عَلى غِيِّهِ عَذلا

So tell al-Dhafra’ for me—folly is as its name implies—

So convey to Az-Zhafira' that ignorance is her name,

that whoever strays does not lack reproach for his straying.

And whoever errs will not lack reproach for his error.