ما يَلمَعُ البَرقُ إِلّا حَنَّ مُغتَرِب

ما يَلمَعُ البَرقُ إِلّا حَنَّ مُغتَرِب

كَأَنَّهُ مِن دواعي شَوقِهِ وَصِبُ

كَأَنَّهُ مِن دواعي شَوقِهِ وَصِبُ

Lightning never flashes without an exile yearning,

The lightning only flashes when an exile yearns,

As though he were ill from the stirrings of his longing.

As if it is one of the causes of his longing and wakefulness.

أَهلاً بِطَيفٍ لأُمِّ السِمطِ أَرَّقَنا

أَهلاً بِطَيفٍ لأُمِّ السِمطِ أَرَّقَنا

وَنَحنُ لا صَدَدٌ مِنها وَلا كَثَبُ

وَنَحنُ لا صَدَدٌ مِنها وَلا كَثَبُ

Welcome to a phantom of Umm al-Simt that kept us sleepless,

Greetings to the specter of Umm Al-Simt that kept us awake,

Though we are neither near her nor close by.

While we have neither shields nor spears against it.

وُدّي عَلى ما عَهِدتُم في تَجَدُّدِهِ

وُدّي عَلى ما عَهِدتُم في تَجَدُّدِهِ

لا القَلبُ عَنكُم بطولِ النَأيِ يَنقَلِبُ

لا القَلبُ عَنكُم بطولِ النَأيِ يَنقَلِبُ

My affection remains as you have known it, ever renewed;

My love for you remains as I knew it, despite the long absence,

My heart does not turn from you through long separation.

My heart does not change its loyalty however remote you are.

كَفى القَبائِلَ مَعنٌ كُلَّ مُعضِلَةٍ

كَفى القَبائِلَ مَعنٌ كُلَّ مُعضِلَةٍ

يُحمى بِها الدينُ أَو يُرعى بِها لحَسَبُ

يُحمى بِها الدينُ أَو يُرعى بِها لحَسَبُ

Ma'n has spared the tribes every difficult task

The tribes suffice every complicated issue,

By which faith is defended or ancestral honor upheld.

With it religion is protected or provision is made as needed.

كَنزُ المَحامِدِ وَالتَقوى دَفاتِرُهُ

كَنزُ المَحامِدِ وَالتَقوى دَفاتِرُهُ

وَلَيسَ مِن كَنزِهِ الأَوراقُ وَالذَهَبُ

وَلَيسَ مِن كَنزِهِ الأَوراقُ وَالذَهَبُ

A treasury of noble deeds, with piety for its ledgers;

The treasure of praise and piety, its registers,

And silver coins and gold are no part of his treasure.

Not its papers and gold.

أَنتَ الشِهابُ الَّذي يُرمى العَدُوُّ بِهِ

أَنتَ الشِهابُ الَّذي يُرمى العَدُوُّ بِهِ

فَيَستَنيرُ وَتَخبو عِندَهُ الشُهُبُ

فَيَستَنيرُ وَتَخبو عِندَهُ الشُهُبُ

You are the meteor hurled against the enemy;

You are the shooting star enemies are struck with,

So it shines, while other meteors fade beside it.

So they shine while their flames die down.

بَنو شُرَيكٍ هُمُ القَومُ الَّذينَ لَهُم

بَنو شُرَيكٍ هُمُ القَومُ الَّذينَ لَهُم

في كُلِّ رِهانٌ يُرحِزُ القَصَبُ

في كُلِّ رِهانٌ يُرحِزُ القَصَبُ

The sons of Shurayk are the people for whom

The people of Shurayk, they are the ones who

The reed of victory is won in every race.

In every bet, win the stakes.

إِن الفَوارِسَ مِن شَيبانَ قَد عُرِفوا

إِن الفَوارِسَ مِن شَيبانَ قَد عُرِفوا

بِالصِدقِ إِن نَزَلوا وَالمَوتِ إِن رَكِبوا

بِالصِدقِ إِن نَزَلوا وَالمَوتِ إِن رَكِبوا

Indeed, the horsemen of Shayban have been known

The horsemen of Shayban are known

For truthfulness when they dismount, and for death when they ride.

For their truthfulness when they descend and their death when they ride.

قَد جَرَّبَ الناسُ قَبلَ اليَومِ أَنَّهُمُ

قَد جَرَّبَ الناسُ قَبلَ اليَومِ أَنَّهُمُ

أَهلُ الحُلومِ وَأَهلُ الشَغبِ إِن شَغَبوا

أَهلُ الحُلومِ وَأَهلُ الشَغبِ إِن شَغَبوا

People have learned through experience, before today, that they are

People before today have experienced that they

Men of forbearance, and men of strife when they stir up strife.

Are people of forbearance and people of mischief if they make mischief.

قُل لِلجَوادِ الَّذي يَسعى لِيُدرِكَهُ

قُل لِلجَوادِ الَّذي يَسعى لِيُدرِكَهُ

أَقصِر فَما لَكَ إِلّا الفَوتُ وَالطَلَبُ

أَقصِر فَما لَكَ إِلّا الفَوتُ وَالطَلَبُ

Tell the generous man who strives to catch him:

Tell the generous one who strives to reach him,

Desist—you can only chase him, never catch him.

"Desist, you have nothing left but loss and pursuit."