أَظاعِنَةٌ وَلا تُوَدِّعُنا هِندُ
لِتَحزُنَنا عَزَّ التَصَدُّفُ وَالكُندُ
Relentless she departs, without bidding us adieu
To sadden us; separation and parting ensue
وَشَطَّت لِتَنأى لي المَزارَ وَخِلتُها
مُفَقَّدَةً إِنَّ الحَبيبَ لَهُ فَقدُ
She hastened away, keeping her dwelling from me
Now a place I sorely miss; without the beloved, loss accrues
فَلَسنا بِحَمّالي الكَشاحَةِ بَينَنا
لِيُنسِيَنا الذَحلَ الضَغائِنُ وَالحِقدُ
We do not bear grudges amongst us
Rancor and malice are dispelled by time and the sands
فَلا فُحُشٌ في دارِنا وَصَديقِنا
وَلا وُرُعُ النُهبى إِذا اِبتُدَرَ المَجدُ
No shame in our house, nor in our friend
Nor the chastity of the despoiled when glory is gained
وَإِنّا سَواءٌ كَهلُنا وَوَليدُنا
لَنا خُلُقٌ جَزلٌ شَمائِلُهُ جَلدُ
Equal are our elders and our youth
We have noble traits and steadfast, hardy habits
وَإِنّا لَيَغشى الطامِعونَ بُيوتَنا
إِذا كانَ عَوصاً عِندَ ذي الحَسَبِ الرِفدُ
Greedy men do trespass our homes
When stingy towards the honorable man of pedigree
وَإِنّي لَمِن قَومٍ فَأَنّى جَهِلتِهِم
مَكاسيبَ في يَومِ الحَفيظَةِ لِلحَمدِ
I descend from a people, how could I not know them
On the Day of Reckoning, they shall laudably shine
أَلا هَل أَتى ذُبيانَ أَنَّ رِماحَنا
بِكُشيَةَ عالَتها الجِراحَةُ وَالحَدُّ
Tell me, did the youth come to say our spears
With lethal blades dealt injuries and gashes?
فَأَثنوا عَلَينا لا أَبا لِأَبيكُمُ
بِإِحسانِنا إِنَّ الثَناءَ هُوَ الخُلدُ
Sing our praises – no shame to your fathers
For our kindness – praise is everlasting
بِمَحبَسِنا يَومَ الكُفافَةِ خَيلَنا
لِنَمنَعَ سَبيَ الحَيِّ إِذ كُرِهَ الرَدُّ
Our steeds, on the day of scarcity, stood confined
To defend the living’s capture, though release was preferred
بِمَحبِسِ ضَنكِ وَالرِماحُ كَأَنَّها
دَوالي جَرورٍ بَينَها سَلَبٌ جُردُ
Confined by narrow straits, while spears appear
As warring tribes amidst, devoid of cloaks or robes
إِلى اللَيلِ حَتّى أُشرِقَت بِنُفوسِها
وَزَيَّنَ مَظلومٌ دَوابِرَها وَردُ
Until night shone upon their souls
And the wronged adorned their acts with flowers
تُصَبُّ سِراعاً بِالمَضيقِ عَلَيهِمُ
وَتُثنى بِطاءً لا تُحَشُّ وَلا تَعدو
Pouring relentlessly down the narrow path
Neither congregating, accelerating, nor ambling to and fro
إِذا هِيَ شَكَّ السَمهَرِيُّ نُحورَها
وَخامَت عَنِ الأَبطالِ أَقحَمَها القِدُّ
When the armor shakes and the stalwart heroes tire
And old age overtakes the valiant, thrusting them aside
سَوالِفُها عوجٌ إِذا هِيَ أَدبَرَت
لِكَرٍّ سَريعٍ فَهيَ قابِعَةٌ حُردُ
Their movements zigzagged; when backward they strode
To a nimble, swift retreat – settled they remain still
