تخلَّى عن أبي حَرْبٍ فَوَلَّى

تخلَّى عن أبي حَرْبٍ فَوَلَّى

بِهَيْدَةَ قابِضٌ قَبْلَ القتالِ

بِهَيْدَةَ قابِضٌ قَبْلَ القتالِ

He deserted Abū Ḥarb and turned to flee—

He deserted Abu Harb and fled away,

Qābiḍ, at Hayda, before the fighting.

Grasping his sword before the battle.

ونجَّى قابِضاً وَرْدٌ سَبُوحٌ

ونجَّى قابِضاً وَرْدٌ سَبُوحٌ

يمرُّ كأَنَّهُ مِرِّيخُ غالِ

يمرُّ كأَنَّهُ مِرِّيخُ غالِ

And a swift-galloping bay saved Qābiḍ,

A smooth-flowing torrent saved the grasping one,

racing past like a long-range archer's arrow.

Passing as if it were the evening star.

نَفَحْتَ بهِ اليَمِينَ فَظَلَّ يَهْوِي

نَفَحْتَ بهِ اليَمِينَ فَظَلَّ يَهْوِي

هويَّ الصّقْرِ في يَوْمِ الظّلالِ

هويَّ الصّقْرِ في يَوْمِ الظّلالِ

You drove him to the right, and he kept rushing,

With it you struck the right hand so it kept falling

like a falcon swooping on a day of shadows.

Like a hawk's swoop on a shaded day.

فجاءَ كأنّما يَهْوِي لِنَحْبٍ

فجاءَ كأنّما يَهْوِي لِنَحْبٍ

طَوِيلَ المَتْنِ مرتَفِعَ القَذالِ

طَوِيلَ المَتْنِ مرتَفِعَ القَذالِ

Then he came as though racing for a stake,

So it came as if swooping down on an eagle

long-backed, with a high-set poll.

With a long trunk, lofty in its plumage.

ولَمّا أَنْ رَأَيْتَ الخَيْلَ تَرْدِي

ولَمّا أَنْ رَأَيْتَ الخَيْلَ تَرْدِي

تُبارِي بالخُدودِ شَبا العَوالي

تُبارِي بالخُدودِ شَبا العَوالي

And when you saw the horses galloping,

And when you saw the horses coursing along,

their cheeks vying with the points of the long spears—

Racing with the smooth cheeks of the hillocks,

عَلى زَبَدِ القوائمِ أعْوجيٍّ

عَلى زَبَدِ القوائمِ أعْوجيٍّ

حَثِيثِ الركْضِ مُنْكَفِتِ التوالي

حَثِيثِ الركْضِ مُنْكَفِتِ التوالي

upon a foaming-legged steed of Aʿwaj's breed,

On the foam of the crooked fetlocks

swift at the gallop, drawing in his hind legs—

Swift of gallop, folding back in succession,

حَباكَ بِهِ ولَم يَخْذلْكَ لمّا

حَباكَ بِهِ ولَم يَخْذلْكَ لمّا

رآكَ مُحارِفاً ضِمنَ الشِّمالِ

رآكَ مُحارِفاً ضِمنَ الشِّمالِ

he had given you that horse and had not failed you when

It guarded you and did not fail you when

he saw you destitute, wrapped in cloaks.

It saw you mingled among the left wing.

فإنّك لَوْ رَكَضْتَ خَلاك ذَمٌّ

فإنّك لَوْ رَكَضْتَ خَلاك ذَمٌّ

وفارَقَكَ ابنُ عَمِّكَ غَيْرَ قالِ

وفارَقَكَ ابنُ عَمِّكَ غَيْرَ قالِ

For had you charged, blame would have passed you by,

For had you galloped it would have left you to blame

and your cousin would have parted from you without resentment.

And your cousin would have deserted you.

أَلمْ تَعْلَمْ جَزاكَ اللّهُ شرّاً

أَلمْ تَعْلَمْ جَزاكَ اللّهُ شرّاً

بأنَّ المَوْتَ مَنْهاةُ الرِّجالِ

بأنَّ المَوْتَ مَنْهاةُ الرِّجالِ

Did you not know—may God repay you with evil—

Do you not know - may God requite you ill -

that death is the final end of men,

That death is the goal of men?

فَتَضْرِبَ ضَرْبَةً يَسْمُو إليها

فَتَضْرِبَ ضَرْبَةً يَسْمُو إليها

حَدِيثُ القَوْمِ في الرُّفقِ العجالِ

حَدِيثُ القَوْمِ في الرُّفقِ العجالِ

and so strike a blow whose fame would soar

So strike a blow the report of which will rise

in the people's talk among the hastening caravans?

High in the talk of the people in turmoil.

فَلا وأبيكَ يا ابْن أبي عُقَيْلٍ

فَلا وأبيكَ يا ابْن أبي عُقَيْلٍ

تبلُّكَ بَعْدَها عِنْدِي بلالِ

تبلُّكَ بَعْدَها عِنْدِي بلالِ

Then no, by your father, O son of Abū ʿUqayl,

No, by your father, O son of Abi 'Uqail,

no drop of kindness from me shall wet you after this.

After it you will no longer be soaked in urine for me.

نسيتَ وِصالَه وصَدَرتَ عنه

نسيتَ وِصالَه وصَدَرتَ عنه

كَما صَدَرَ الأَزَبُّ عن الظِّلالِ

كَما صَدَرَ الأَزَبُّ عن الظِّلالِ

You forgot his affection and departed from him,

You forgot his company and turned away from him

as the shaggy camel draws away from shadows.

As the wild cows turn away from the shadows.