أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ جيرَتَنا اِستَقَلّوا

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ جيرَتَنا اِستَقَلّوا

فَنِيَّتُنا وَنَيَّتُهُم فَريقُ

فَنِيَّتُنا وَنَيَّتُهُم فَريقُ

Have you not seen that our neighbors have departed?

Did you not see that our neighbors rebelled

Our destination and theirs lie apart.

While our purpose and theirs were poles apart?

فَدَمعي لُؤلُؤٌ سَلِسٌ عُراهُ

فَدَمعي لُؤلُؤٌ سَلِسٌ عُراهُ

يَخِرُّ عَلى المَهاوي ما يَليقُ

يَخِرُّ عَلى المَهاوي ما يَليقُ

My tears are pearls whose ties are loose,

My tears are smooth pearls which freely flow

tumbling into the hollows without clinging.

Down precipices, as befits their start

عَدَت ما رُمتَ إِذ شَحَطَت سُلَيمى

عَدَت ما رُمتَ إِذ شَحَطَت سُلَيمى

وَأَنتَ لِذِكرِها طَرِبٌ مَشوقُ

وَأَنتَ لِذِكرِها طَرِبٌ مَشوقُ

Sulayma passed beyond your reach when she went far away,

You lost Suleima when you cast her off;

while her memory leaves you stirred and yearning.

Yet, for her memory you are sick at heart

فَوَدِّعها وَإِن كانَت أَناةً

فَوَدِّعها وَإِن كانَت أَناةً

مُبَتَّلَةً لَها خَلقٌ أَنيَقُ

مُبَتَّلَةً لَها خَلقٌ أَنيَقُ

So bid her farewell, though she be unhurried,

Bid her farewell, though she's a gracious dame

well-proportioned, with a lovely form.

Of refined manner and delicate art

تُلَهّي المَرءَ بِالحُدثانِ لَهواً

تُلَهّي المَرءَ بِالحُدثانِ لَهواً

وَتَحدِجُهُ كَما حُدِجَ المُطيقُ

وَتَحدِجُهُ كَما حُدِجَ المُطيقُ

She beguiles a man with conversation, playfully,

She charms a man with lively badinage

and burdens him as a capable load-bearer is laden.

And gives him looks that pierce him like a dart

فَإِنَّكَ لَو رَأَيتَ غَداةَ جِئنا

فَإِنَّكَ لَو رَأَيتَ غَداةَ جِئنا

بِبطنِ أُثالَ ضاحِيَةً نَسوقُ

بِبطنِ أُثالَ ضاحِيَةً نَسوقُ

For had you seen us on the morning we came

For if tomorrow you but saw us lead

into Uthal's valley, driving onward in broad daylight—

A herd of camels, bleating as we start,

فِداءٌ خالَتي لِبَني حُيَيٍّ

فِداءٌ خالَتي لِبَني حُيَيٍّ

خُصوصاً يَومَ كُسُّ القَومِ روقُ

خُصوصاً يَومَ كُسُّ القَومِ روقُ

may my maternal aunt be ransom for the sons of Huyayy,

As ransom for my aunts, Bani Huyay's kin,

especially the day the people's horn was shattered.

Especially the day men's souls depart,

هُمُ صَبَروا وَصَبرُهُم تَليدٌ

هُمُ صَبَروا وَصَبرُهُم تَليدٌ

عَلى العَزّاءِ إِذ بَلَغَ المَضيقُ

عَلى العَزّاءِ إِذ بَلَغَ المَضيقُ

They stood firm, and their endurance was ancestral,

They showed patience - lifelong their fortitude -

in adversity, when the narrow pass was reached.

When straitened circumstances played their part,

وَهُم دَفَعوا المَنِيَّةَ فَاِستَقَلَّت

وَهُم دَفَعوا المَنِيَّةَ فَاِستَقَلَّت

دِراكاً بَعدَ ما كادَت تَحيقُ

دِراكاً بَعدَ ما كادَت تَحيقُ

And they repelled death, so it withdrew

So they repelled death's grip till it relaxed

in swift succession, after it had almost engulfed them.

Its hold, when nearly past hope's final mart

تَلاقَينا بِغَيبَةِ ذي طُرَيفٍ

تَلاقَينا بِغَيبَةِ ذي طُرَيفٍ

وَبَعضُهُم عَلى بَعضٍ حَنيقُ

وَبَعضُهُم عَلى بَعضٍ حَنيقُ

We met in the hollow of Dhu Turayf,

Thurayf's absence made us ill at ease

while some of them were furious with others.

Some being with the others quick to take umbrage

فَجاؤوا عارِضاً بَرِداً وَجِئنا

فَجاؤوا عارِضاً بَرِداً وَجِئنا

كَسَيلِ العِرضِ ضاقَ بِهِ الطَريقُ

كَسَيلِ العِرضِ ضاقَ بِهِ الطَريقُ

They came as a hail-bearing cloud, and we came

So they advanced, their company a chill,

like al-'Ird's torrent, for which the way was too narrow.

Like a torrent we found hard to dispart,

مَشَينا شَطرَهُم وَمَشَوا إِلَينا

مَشَينا شَطرَهُم وَمَشَوا إِلَينا

وَقُلنا اليَومَ ما تُقضى الحُقوقُ

وَقُلنا اليَومَ ما تُقضى الحُقوقُ

We advanced toward them, and they advanced toward us,

We walked towards them and they walked to us,

and said, 'Today, indeed, the dues are settled.'

Saying: "this day rights will be paid their part!"

رَمَينا في وُجوهِهِمُ بِرِشقٍ

رَمَينا في وُجوهِهِمُ بِرِشقٍ

تَغَصُّ بِهِ الحَناجِرُ وَالحُلوقُ

تَغَصُّ بِهِ الحَناجِرُ وَالحُلوقُ

We shot a volley into their faces,

We shot them with arrows in their faces

that choked windpipes and throats.

That choked their throats and pierced them to the heart

كَأَنَّ النَبلَ بَينَهُم جَرادٌ

كَأَنَّ النَبلَ بَينَهُم جَرادٌ

تُكَفّيهِ شَآمِيَةٌ خَريقُ

تُكَفّيهِ شَآمِيَةٌ خَريقُ

As though the arrows among them were locusts,

You would think our arrows in their midst were locusts

tossed about by a fierce wind from Syria.

Guided by a shrewd and skillful art,

وَبَسلٌ أَن تَرى فيهِم كَمِيّاً

وَبَسلٌ أَن تَرى فيهِم كَمِيّاً

كَبا لِيَدَيهِ إِلّا فيهِ فوقُ

كَبا لِيَدَيهِ إِلّا فيهِ فوقُ

And never could you see among them an armored warrior

It amazes me to see among them

fallen onto his hands without an arrow-nock in him,

A warrior, save for his hands, in one piece, a part,

يُهَزهِزُ صَعدَةً جَرداءَ فيها

يُهَزهِزُ صَعدَةً جَرداءَ فيها

سِنانُ المَوتِ أَو قَرنٌ مَحيقُ

سِنانُ المَوتِ أَو قَرنٌ مَحيقُ

brandishing a smooth, bare lance bearing

Brandishing a naked sword wherein

death's spearhead, or a deadly horn.

Are death's fangs or else a piercing dart,

وَجَدنا السِدرَ خَوّاراً ضَعيفاً

وَجَدنا السِدرَ خَوّاراً ضَعيفاً

وَكانَ النَبعُ مَنبِتُهُ وَثيقُ

وَكانَ النَبعُ مَنبِتُهُ وَثيقُ

We found the lote-tree yielding and weak,

We found the lotus tree infirm and frail

while the nab'-tree was firmly rooted.

Though its spring was once its strength and counterpart,

لَقينا الجَهمَ ثَعلَبَةَ بنَ سَيرٍ

لَقينا الجَهمَ ثَعلَبَةَ بنَ سَيرٍ

أَضَرَّ بِمَن يُجَمِّعُ أَو يَسوقُ

أَضَرَّ بِمَن يُجَمِّعُ أَو يَسوقُ

We met grim Tha'labah ibn Sayr,

We met Jahim - Tha'labah bin Sayr's ally -

who pressed hard on whoever mustered or drove onward,

Ruinous to those he rallies or holds apart,

لَدى الأَعلامِ مِن تَلَعاتِ طِفلٍ

لَدى الأَعلامِ مِن تَلَعاتِ طِفلٍ

وِمِنهُم مَن أَضَجَّ بِهِ الفُروقُ

وِمِنهُم مَن أَضَجَّ بِهِ الفُروقُ

beside the hills among the ravines of Tifl.

When the flags of some boys became visible

And among them were men whom terror made cry out.

And some of them the horsemen put to flight and scared,

فَحَوَّطَ عَن بَني عَمرُو بنَ عَوفٍ

فَحَوَّطَ عَن بَني عَمرُو بنَ عَوفٍ

وَأَفناءُ العُمورِ بِها شَفيقُ

وَأَفناءُ العُمورِ بِها شَفيقُ

So he defended the sons of 'Amr ibn 'Awf,

They turned away from Amr bin Awf's sons,

and the assorted 'Amr clans, concerned for them.

Though the days of life for them were gentle and choice from the start,

فَأَلقَينا الرِماحَ وَكانَ ضَرباً

فَأَلقَينا الرِماحَ وَكانَ ضَرباً

مَقيلَ الهامِ كُلٌّ ما يَذوقُ

مَقيلَ الهامِ كُلٌّ ما يَذوقُ

Then we cast our spears, and blows fell

We lunged with spears - deadly blows

on the resting-place of heads—each man tasting them.

Not grazing helmets - all mankind's mortal part,

وَجاوَزنا المَنونَ بِغَيرِ نِكسٍ

وَجاوَزنا المَنونَ بِغَيرِ نِكسٍ

وَخاظي الجِلزِ ثَعلَبُهُ دَميقُ

وَخاظي الجِلزِ ثَعلَبُهُ دَميقُ

We passed through death with no weakened shaft,

We surmounted death's pangs with honor intact,

and a lance stout at its binding, its tang driven deep.

While Tha'labah's slayer's wounds spilled blood red as rich paint,

كَأَنَّ هَزيزَنا يَومَ التَقَينا

كَأَنَّ هَزيزَنا يَومَ التَقَينا

هَزيزُ أَباءَةٍ فيها حَريقُ

هَزيزُ أَباءَةٍ فيها حَريقُ

Our din on the day we met was like

Our battle's fury, when we joined the fight

the roar of a reedbed ablaze.

Was like Aba'ah's blaze with fierce sparks that dart,

بِكُلِّ قَرارَةٍ وَبِكُلِّ ريعٍ

بِكُلِّ قَرارَةٍ وَبِكُلِّ ريعٍ

بَنانُ فَتىً وَجُمجُمَةٌ فَليقُ

بَنانُ فَتىً وَجُمجُمَةٌ فَليقُ

In every hollow and on every rise,

With every group of horse, and every horseman

lay a youth's fingers and a split skull.

A young man's fingers or else a battered head, a part,

وَكَم مِن سَيِّدِ مِنّا وِمِنهُم

وَكَم مِن سَيِّدِ مِنّا وِمِنهُم

بِذي الطَرفاءِ مَنطِقُهُ شَهيقُ

بِذي الطَرفاءِ مَنطِقُهُ شَهيقُ

And how many a chief of ours and theirs

And many a lord of ours and many a lord of theirs

at Dhu al-Tarfa' could speak only in gasps!

Lay prone at Thu'al-Tharaf, his speech a final soft sigh ere depart,

بِكُلِّ مَجالَةٍ غادَرتُ خِرقاً

بِكُلِّ مَجالَةٍ غادَرتُ خِرقاً

مِنَ الفِتيانِ مَبسِمُهُ رَقيقُ

مِنَ الفِتيانِ مَبسِمُهُ رَقيقُ

In every battleground I left a gallant man,

With every warrior whose gaping wounds

one of the youths, with a delicate smiling mouth.

I left on a youth whose smile was kind and his speech gentle, mild,

فَأَشبَعنا السِباعَ وَأَشبَعوها

فَأَشبَعنا السِباعَ وَأَشبَعوها

فَراحَت كُلُّها تَئِقٌ يَفوقُ

فَراحَت كُلُّها تَئِقٌ يَفوقُ

We glutted the beasts of prey, and they glutted them,

We sated the beasts, and they sated them

so all went off gorged and hiccupping.

Till all withdrew, having eaten their fill - nay, more than their part,

تَرَكنا العُرجَ عاكِفَةً عَلَيهِم

تَرَكنا العُرجَ عاكِفَةً عَلَيهِم

وَللِغِربانِ مِن شِبَعٍ نَغيقُ

وَللِغِربانِ مِن شِبَعٍ نَغيقُ

We left the limping hyenas lingering over them,

We left the lame crouching over them

and the crows cawed in satiety.

While crows gloated, cawing their surfeit till they were distraught,

فَأَبكَينا نِساءَهُم وَأَبكوا

فَأَبكَينا نِساءَهُم وَأَبكوا

نِساءً ما يَسوغُ لَهُنَّ ريقُ

نِساءً ما يَسوغُ لَهُنَّ ريقُ

So we made their women weep, and they made

Their women wept and they wept for our women,

women weep who could not swallow their saliva.

Unseemly their weeping and wild their cries and lamentations that start,

يُجاوِبنَ النِياحَ بِكُلِّ فَجرٍ

يُجاوِبنَ النِياحَ بِكُلِّ فَجرٍ

فَقَد صَحِلَت مِنَ النَوحِ الحُلوقُ

فَقَد صَحِلَت مِنَ النَوحِ الحُلوقُ

They answered the wailing at every dawn,

Answering keening with all sorts of wails

for their throats had grown hoarse from lamentation.

Till their voices were harsh and hoarse, broken from anguish of heart,

قَتَلنا الحارِثَ الوَضّاحَ مِنهُم

قَتَلنا الحارِثَ الوَضّاحَ مِنهُم

فَخَرَّ كَأَنَّ لِمَّتَهُ العُذوقُ

فَخَرَّ كَأَنَّ لِمَّتَهُ العُذوقُ

We killed al-Harith the Radiant, one of theirs,

We killed Al-Harith Al-Waddah, that knight;

and he fell, his locks like clusters of dates.

He fell as though his neck was cut with a sharp blade,

أَصابَتهُ رِماحُ بَني حِيَيٍّ

أَصابَتهُ رِماحُ بَني حِيَيٍّ

فَخَرَّ كَأَنَّهُ سَيفٌ دَلوقُ

فَخَرَّ كَأَنَّهُ سَيفٌ دَلوقُ

The spears of the sons of Huyayy struck him,

Spears of Bani Huyay's sons reached him,

and he fell like a sword slipping from its sheath.

He fell like a bucket pulled up from a well by rope, unstrung,

وَقَد قَتلوا بِهِ مِنّا غُلاماً

وَقَد قَتلوا بِهِ مِنّا غُلاماً

كَريماً لَم تُؤَشِّبهُ العُروقُ

كَريماً لَم تُؤَشِّبهُ العُروقُ

And in return for him they killed a youth of ours,

And they, with him, killed one of our lads,

noble, whom no taint of ancestry had sullied.

A generous soul, untainted by sins that curse and malign,

وَسائِلَةٍ بِثَعلَبَةَ بنِ سَيرٍ

وَسائِلَةٍ بِثَعلَبَةَ بنِ سَيرٍ

وَقَد أَودَت بِثَعلَبَةَ العَلوقُ

وَقَد أَودَت بِثَعلَبَةَ العَلوقُ

And many a woman asked about Tha'labah ibn Sayr,

Tha'labah bin Sayr charged at Sa'ilah

though clinging death had already carried Tha'labah off.

And Sa'ilah destroyed Tha'labah, that fateful day.

وَأَفلَتَنا اِبنُ قُرّانٍ جَريضاً

وَأَفلَتَنا اِبنُ قُرّانٍ جَريضاً

تَمُرُّ بِهِ مُساعِفَةٌ حَروقُ

تَمُرُّ بِهِ مُساعِفَةٌ حَروقُ

And Ibn Qurran escaped us, choking,

Yet Ibn Qurran escaped, wounded,

a willing, fleet mare speeding away with him,

The holes gaping in him like the hollow of a flask scorched black as if coal-charred

تَشُقُّ الأَرضَ شائِلَةَ الذُنابى

تَشُقُّ الأَرضَ شائِلَةَ الذُنابى

وَهاديها كَأَن جِذعٌ سَحوقُ

وَهاديها كَأَن جِذعٌ سَحوقُ

cleaving the earth with her tail held high,

His sturdy she-camel cleaved the earth

her neck like the trunk of a towering palm.

With her flowing tail, and he guided her steadily though his body was marred,

فَلَمّا اِستَيقَنوا بِالصَبرِ مِنّا

فَلَمّا اِستَيقَنوا بِالصَبرِ مِنّا

تُذُكِّرَتِ العَشائِرُ وَالحَزيقُ

تُذُكِّرَتِ العَشائِرُ وَالحَزيقُ

Then, when they were certain of our steadfastness,

When they despaired of our patience,

the clans and the band were called to mind.

The tribes were reminded of their duties, pact, oath - honor's reward,

فَأَبقَينا وَلَو تَرَكنا

فَأَبقَينا وَلَو تَرَكنا

لُجَيماً لا تَقودُ وَلا تَسوقُ

لُجَيماً لا تَقودُ وَلا تَسوقُ

So we spared them, though we could have left

We remained steadfast, though had we left

Lujaym unable to lead or drive.

We'd be denounced as people who wouldn't lead or follow toward,

وَأَنعَمنا وَأَبأَسنا عَلَيهِم

وَأَنعَمنا وَأَبأَسنا عَلَيهِم

لَنا في كُلِّ أَبياتٍ طَليقُ

لَنا في كُلِّ أَبياتٍ طَليقُ

And we showed favor and dealt them misery;

We brought woe upon them and glory upon us

in every cluster of tents is a man we set free.

In every stance you will find us staunch, faithful to our word!