يَا أَيُّهَا الجاهِلُ ذُو التَنَزّي

يَا أَيُّهَا الجاهِلُ ذُو التَنَزّي

لا تُوعِدَنِّي حَيَّةٌ بِالنَكْزِ

لا تُوعِدَنِّي حَيَّةٌ بِالنَكْزِ

O ignorant one, given to restless leaping,

O ignorant one given to blaming others,

let no snake ever threaten me with a bite,

Do not threaten me, neither snake with a bite

ولا امْرُءٌ ذُو جَدَلٍ مِلَزِّ

ولا امْرُءٌ ذُو جَدَلٍ مِلَزِّ

دَعْنِي فَقَدْ يُقْرِعُ للأَضَزِّ

دَعْنِي فَقَدْ يُقْرِعُ للأَضَزِّ

nor any stubborn, disputatious man.

Nor a man prone to disputation and contention.

Leave me: the clenched-jawed man may be chastened

Leave me be, for he may get a rap for the slow-witted one,

صَكِّي حِجَاجَيْ رَأْسِهِ وَبَهْزِي

صَكِّي حِجَاجَيْ رَأْسِهِ وَبَهْزِي

عَنِّي وَأَذْرابُ القَنَا ذِي اللَهْزِ

عَنِّي وَأَذْرابُ القَنَا ذِي اللَهْزِ

by my striking both eye-sockets of his head and shoving him

A knock on the pate of the disputatious fellow.

away from me, and by the sharp points of the jabbing spears.

Keep away from me, refuge of the hissing adder,

أَنَا ابْنُ أَنْضادٍ إِلَيْها أُرْزِي

أَنَا ابْنُ أَنْضادٍ إِلَيْها أُرْزِي

أَغْرِفُ مِنْ ذِي حَدَبٍ وَأُوْزِي

أَغْرِفُ مِنْ ذِي حَدَبٍ وَأُوْزِي

I am the son of ancestral kin, to whom I turn for shelter;

I am the son of Anzad, to whom I hurry

I draw from one who cares, and seek refuge

When the cooking pots are stirred,

إِلَى تَمِيمٍ وَتَمِيمٌ حِرْزِي

إِلَى تَمِيمٍ وَتَمِيمٌ حِرْزِي

نَسْقِي العِدَى غَيْظاً طَوِيلَ الجأْزِ

نَسْقِي العِدَى غَيْظاً طَوِيلَ الجأْزِ

with Tamim; Tamim is my stronghold.

To Tameem, and Tameem is my fortress,

We make the foes drink rage that chokes them long;

I give the enemies a draught of long-chafing wrath,

يَلْقَى مُعَادِيهِمٍ عَذَابَ الشَرْزِ

يَلْقَى مُعَادِيهِمٍ عَذَابَ الشَرْزِ

أَنَا ابْنُ كُلِّ مُصْعَبٍ شُمَّخْزِ

أَنَا ابْنُ كُلِّ مُصْعَبٍ شُمَّخْزِ

their enemy meets the torment of rending violence.

They meet the punishment of burning pain,

I am the son of every towering, unyielding one,

I am the son of every honored, high-bred Mus'ab,

سامٍ عَلَى رَغْمِ العِدَى ضُمَّخْزِ

سامٍ عَلَى رَغْمِ العِدَى ضُمَّخْزِ

أُتْرِفْنَ يَشْدَخْنَ العِدَى بِالخَبْزِ

أُتْرِفْنَ يَشْدَخْنَ العِدَى بِالخَبْزِ

lofty despite the foes, massive in frame.

Exalted despite the hostility of the foe.

Pampered, they crush the foes with pounding,

I spend freely, I distribute gifts to the enemy with breadcrumbs,

خَبْطاً بِأَخْفافٍ ثِقالِ اللَبْزِ

خَبْطاً بِأَخْفافٍ ثِقالِ اللَبْزِ

كُلُّ طِوالٍ سَلِبٍ وَوَهْزِ

كُلُّ طِوالٍ سَلِبٍ وَوَهْزِ

trampling with padded feet heavy in their blows.

Pounding them with nimble, heavy-striking hooves,

Every tall, long-limbed one, and every stocky one,

All the tall, plundering, audacious warriors,

دُلامِزٍ يُرْبِي عَلَى الدِلَمْزِ

دُلامِزٍ يُرْبِي عَلَى الدِلَمْزِ

يَبْتَلِعُ الهامَةَ قَبْلَ الضَفزِ

يَبْتَلِعُ الهامَةَ قَبْلَ الضَفزِ

is massive, surpassing even the massive,

Ramming riders nurtured on ramming,

swallowing a head before stuffing its mouth.

Who swallow the main body of warriors before the cavalry,

إِذَا الأُمُورُ أُولِعَتْ بِالشَخْزِ

إِذَا الأُمُورُ أُولِعَتْ بِالشَخْزِ

وَالحَرْبُ عَسْراءُ اللِقاحِ المُغْزِي

وَالحَرْبُ عَسْراءُ اللِقاحِ المُغْزِي

When affairs are consumed with strife,

When matters are stirred up with intoxication.

and war resists its battle-stirring conception,

And war, hard to contend with, urging on

بِالمَشْرَفِيّاتِ وَطَعْنٍ وَخْزِ

بِالمَشْرَفِيّاتِ وَطَعْنٍ وَخْزِ

وَالصَقْبِ مِنْ قاذِفَةٍ وَجَرْزِ

وَالصَقْبِ مِنْ قاذِفَةٍ وَجَرْزِ

with Mashrafi swords and piercing thrusts,

With lance-thrusts, stabbing, and piercing,

and blows from a stone-hurler and a cutting sword,

And the impact of the stones slung from the sling,

ما رامَنَا مِنْ ذي عَديدٍ مُبزِ

ما رامَنَا مِنْ ذي عَديدٍ مُبزِ

إِلّا وَقُمنا كَيدهُ بِالرِجزِ

إِلّا وَقُمنا كَيدهُ بِالرِجزِ

no one with an overpowering host has ever assailed us

We did not desire any numerous host,

but we crushed his scheme with chastisement,

Except that we foiled their scheme with poetry,

بِرَأْسِ دَمَّاغ رُؤُوسَ العِزِّ

بِرَأْسِ دَمَّاغ رُؤُوسَ العِزِّ

يَأْبَى وَيَنْبُو مَتْنُهُ بِالهَمْزِ

يَأْبَى وَيَنْبُو مَتْنُهُ بِالهَمْزِ

with a head that smashes the heads of the mighty.

With the foreheads and skulls of the glorious ones,

He refuses to yield; his back rebuffs prodding.

It refuses and its composition swells up with conceit,

تَرَى خُطُوبَ الحَدَثِ المِجَزِّ

تَرَى خُطُوبَ الحَدَثِ المِجَزِّ

يَزْلِلْنَ عَنْهُ غَيْرَ مُرْمَئِزِّ

يَزْلِلْنَ عَنْهُ غَيْرَ مُرْمَئِزِّ

You see the calamities of time, the shearer,

You see the newly created conceits slipping off it, unadorned,

slip off him while he never shrinks away.

When the high-stepping, far-striding she-camels draw away from it,

إِذَا تَنَزَّى قاحِزاتُ القَحْزِ

إِذَا تَنَزَّى قاحِزاتُ القَحْزِ

عَنْهُ وَأَكْبَى وَاقِذاتُ الرَمْزِ

عَنْهُ وَأَكْبَى وَاقِذاتُ الرَمْزِ

When the leaping shocks spring

And the pregnant she-camels, heavy with young, turn away,

away from him, and the stunning jabs fail,

Pregnant, slowly plodding, dying a feeble death,

عَوَاثِراً مُوَّتْنَ مَوْتَ التَرْزِ

عَوَاثِراً مُوَّتْنَ مَوْتَ التَرْزِ

إِنَّ تَمِيماً رِزُّها ذُو رِزِّ

إِنَّ تَمِيماً رِزُّها ذُو رِزِّ

stumbling, slain with a stiffening death.

Verily, the glory of Tameem is lasting glory,

Truly Tamim's rumble carries resonance,

And victory belongs to the strongest,

وَالعِزَّةُ الغَلْبَاءُ لِلأَعَزِّ

وَالعِزَّةُ الغَلْبَاءُ لِلأَعَزِّ

تَسْمُو بِغَصّابِ العِدى مُبْتَزِّ

تَسْمُو بِغَصّابِ العِدى مُبْتَزِّ

and overwhelming might belongs to the mightiest.

They rise above, rending the enemies with sharp claws

It soars through one who overmasters foes and despoils them.

Taking no heed of censure and blame,

لا يَأْخُذُ التَأْفِيكُ وَالتَحَزِّي

لا يَأْخُذُ التَأْفِيكُ وَالتَحَزِّي

فِينَا وَلا طَبْخُ العِدَى ذُو الأَزِّ

فِينَا وَلا طَبْخُ العِدَى ذُو الأَزِّ

Deceit and divination take no hold

Nor the enemies' cooking up schemes.

on us, nor the foes' sizzling concoctions,

And if the foes' legions, fully armed,

وَإِنْ حَبَتْ أَوْشازُ كُلِّ وَشْزِ

وَإِنْ حَبَتْ أَوْشازُ كُلِّ وَشْزِ

بِعَدَدٍ ذِي عُدَّةٍ وَرِكْزِ

بِعَدَدٍ ذِي عُدَّةٍ وَرِكْزِ

even if the heights of every highland creep forward

Were to unite in numbers and preparation,

with armed numbers and a low rumble.

Then if you see me today, O mother of determination,

فَإِنْ تَرَيْنِي اليَوْمَ أُمَّ حَمْزِ

فَإِنْ تَرَيْنِي اليَوْمَ أُمَّ حَمْزِ

قارَبْتُ بَيْنَ عَنَقِي وَجَمْزِ

قارَبْتُ بَيْنَ عَنَقِي وَجَمْزِ

So if you see me today, Umm Hamz,

Brought close to my slaughter and defeat,

I have brought my easy gait and my trot close together,

After the loss of my reckless, vain youth,

مِنْ بَعْدِ تَقْماصِ الشَباب الأَبْزِ

مِنْ بَعْدِ تَقْماصِ الشَباب الأَبْزِ

فِي ظِلِّ عَصْرَيْ باطِلِي وَلَمْزِي

فِي ظِلِّ عَصْرَيْ باطِلِي وَلَمْزِي

after the bucking of bounding youth,

In the shadow of my idle maturity and folly,

in the shade of the two seasons of my folly and my taunts.

Then every excellent or paltry beginning

فَكُلُّ بَدْءٍ صالِحٍ أَوْ نِقْزِ

فَكُلُّ بَدْءٍ صالِحٍ أَوْ نِقْزِ

لاقٍ حِمام الأَجَلِ المُجْتَزِّ

لاقٍ حِمام الأَجَلِ المُجْتَزِّ

For every worthy chief or wretch

Meets the pigeons of fate, the eagles of destiny,

will meet death at the severing end of his allotted span,

Like arrows aimed at the fixed target,

وَرامِياتِ القَدَرِ المُعْتَزِّ

وَرامِياتِ القَدَرِ المُعْتَزِّ

كَالنَبْلِ نَحْوَ الغَرَضِ المُرْتَزِّ

كَالنَبْلِ نَحْوَ الغَرَضِ المُرْتَزِّ

and the shots of overmastering fate,

That one day will smash the boulders of affliction,

like arrows toward a firmly planted target;

When care and blame disobeyed me,

يَكْسِرْنَ يَوْماً صَخْرَةَ الضِرِزِّ

يَكْسِرْنَ يَوْماً صَخْرَةَ الضِرِزِّ

لَمَّا عَصَانِي الهَمُّ وَالتَعَزِّي

لَمَّا عَصَانِي الهَمُّ وَالتَعَزِّي

one day they shatter the rock of the unyielding.

I lifted my tent-pegs and the ropes of the tent-cloth

When care and self-consolation defied me,

Onto the mountain passes of lofty Julal,

عالَيْت أَنْسَاعِي وَكُور الغَرْزِ

عالَيْت أَنْسَاعِي وَكُور الغَرْزِ

عَلَى حَزابِيٍّ جلالٍ وَجْزِ

عَلَى حَزابِيٍّ جلالٍ وَجْزِ

I set my girth-straps and stirrup-saddle high

Or pitched camp at the smooth plain of Nuz,

on a thickset, massive, compact camel,

How often it passed over the gorge and the crevasse

أَوْ بشَكَى وَخْدَ الظَلِيمِ النَزِّ

أَوْ بشَكَى وَخْدَ الظَلِيمِ النَزِّ

كَمْ جاوَزَتْ مِنْ حَدَبٍ وَفَرْزِ

كَمْ جاوَزَتْ مِنْ حَدَبٍ وَفَرْزِ

or a swift she-camel striding like a restless male ostrich.

And turned away from the stony ground and the crag,

How many a ridge and isolated hill she crossed,

And the watchman who kept vigil atop the goat-hair tent,

وَنَكَّبَتْ مِنْ جُوءَةٍ وَضَمْزِ

وَنَكَّبَتْ مِنْ جُوءَةٍ وَضَمْزِ

وَإِرَمٍ أَحْرَسَ فَوْقَ عَنْزِ

وَإِرَمٍ أَحْرَسَ فَوْقَ عَنْزِ

and how many a hollow and stretch of hard ground she skirted,

And the barren land and the watering-place with little herbage,

and an age-worn cairn above a rocky knoll,

Surrounded by a tract of swaying sand,

وَجَدْبِ أَرْضٍ وَمُناخٍ شَأْزِ

وَجَدْبِ أَرْضٍ وَمُناخٍ شَأْزِ

حُفَّ بِرَمْلٍ مُرْجَحِنِّ العِجْزِ

حُفَّ بِرَمْلٍ مُرْجَحِنِّ العِجْزِ

and barren land and a rugged halting-place,

And a descent where horned animals leap:

ringed with sand, its haunches heavily piled,

A herd of mountain goats and gazelles,

وَمَسْقِطٍ بِهِ ذَواتُ القَفْزِ

وَمَسْقِطٍ بِهِ ذَواتُ القَفْزِ

أَوَاشِرٌ مِنْ أَرَزٍ وَنَفْزِ

أَوَاشِرٌ مِنْ أَرَزٍ وَنَفْزِ

and a lowland where the leaping creatures

When the early morning pasturage flows into the plain,

frolic, crouching and springing.

You would think them pieces of clothing of soft leather,

إِذَا جَرَى رَيْعُ الضُحَى فِي المُعْزِ

إِذَا جَرَى رَيْعُ الضُحَى فِي المُعْزِ

حَسِبْتَ بِيضاً مِنْ ثِيابِ القِهْزِ

حَسِبْتَ بِيضاً مِنْ ثِيابِ القِهْزِ

When the forenoon's swelling heat flows over stony ground,

Or scraps of a garment or a coat

you would think them white garments of qihz cloth,

That a browser of every kind of foliage dons,

أَوْ قِطَعاً مِنْ سَرَقٍ أَوْ قَزِّ

أَوْ قِطَعاً مِنْ سَرَقٍ أَوْ قَزِّ

يَجْتابُها قامِسُ كُلِّ نَشْزِ

يَجْتابُها قامِسُ كُلِّ نَشْزِ

or pieces of silken fabric or raw silk.

And travel is to us an unsteady staggering,

Plunging across every rise, it traverses them,

I converse with successive nights, distressed and weary,

وَالسَيْرُ زَعْزاعٌ بِنَا مُنَزِّ

وَالسَيْرُ زَعْزاعٌ بِنَا مُنَزِّ

ناجِي التَوالِي مُجْرَهِدُّ الحَفْزِ

ناجِي التَوالِي مُجْرَهِدُّ الحَفْزِ

while the journey shakes us, making us leap,

Yet he defied me and came close to provoking me,

swift of hind limbs, headlong in its drive.

Had I no hope in a generous man of judgment,

فَقَدْ عَصَى أَوْ كَادَ مُسْتَفِزِّي

فَقَدْ عَصَى أَوْ كَادَ مُسْتَفِزِّي

لَوْلا رَجاءٌ مِنْ كَرِيمٍ وَجْزِ

لَوْلا رَجاءٌ مِنْ كَرِيمٍ وَجْزِ

What spurred me on would have rebelled—or nearly—

He would pardon you his pardon before your slaughter,

but for hope in a generous, sturdy man.

His resolute intention has no deceit,

يُعْفِيكَ عافِيهِ وَقَبْلَ النَحْزِ

يُعْفِيكَ عافِيهِ وَقَبْلَ النَحْزِ

سَجْلاهُ غَرَّافانِ قَبْلَ النَهْزِ

سَجْلاهُ غَرَّافانِ قَبْلَ النَهْزِ

His abundant bounty showers you; even before prodding,

If he resolves on a grave matter,

his two buckets draw copiously before the tug.

He distances it from blame and inability,

ما فِي اعْتِزامِ رَأْيِهِ مِنْ غَمْزِ

ما فِي اعْتِزامِ رَأْيِهِ مِنْ غَمْزِ

إِذَا حَدَا أَمْراً شَدِيدَ الجَلْزِ

إِذَا حَدَا أَمْراً شَدِيدَ الجَلْزِ

There is no weakness in the resolve of his judgment.

So praise the noble scion of glorious ancestry,

When he drives forward a firmly bound undertaking,

His munificence will pardon you before your ruin.

باعَدَهُ مِنْ لاَمَةٍ وَعَجْزِ

باعَدَهُ مِنْ لاَمَةٍ وَعَجْزِ

فَامْدَحْ كَرِيمَ المُنْتَمَى وَالحِجْزِ

فَامْدَحْ كَرِيمَ المُنْتَمَى وَالحِجْزِ

he keeps it far from blame and incapacity.

He has a leaning that trembles when moved,

So praise him, noble in descent and ancestral stock;

He plunges into hardship for the destitute,

يُعْفِيكَ مِنْهُ الجُودُ قَبْلَ الحَزِّ

يُعْفِيكَ مِنْهُ الجُودُ قَبْلَ الحَزِّ

ذَا مَيْعَةٍ يَهْتَزُّ عِنْدَ الهَزِّ

ذَا مَيْعَةٍ يَهْتَزُّ عِنْدَ الهَزِّ

his generosity showers you before you press him,

When all withhold good, each one stingy,

a man of vigor, who stirs when stirred.

Then that one is a miser, dejected in calamity,

يَقْتَحِمُ الدِّقَّةَ لِلأَمَزِّ

يَقْتَحِمُ الدِّقَّةَ لِلأَمَزِّ

إِذَا أَقَلَّ الخَيْرَ كُلُّ لِحْزِ

إِذَا أَقَلَّ الخَيْرَ كُلُّ لِحْزِ

He plunges into fine points in pursuit of the best,

And a beetle walking in mire,

when every miser gives little bounty.

Who has no fear of ruin with that treasure,

فَذَاكَ بَخّالٌ أَرُوزُ الأَرْزِ

فَذَاكَ بَخّالٌ أَرُوزُ الأَرْزِ

وَكُرَّزٌ يَمْشِي بَطِينَ الكُرْزِ

وَكُرَّزٌ يَمْشِي بَطِينَ الكُرْزِ

That is a miser, tightly shut in his withholding,

And everyone dissenting and hoarding,

and a churl walking with a bulging pouch,

Whether shaggy-haired or curly-locked,

لا يَحْذَرُ الكَيَّ بِذَاكَ الكَنْزِ

لا يَحْذَرُ الكَيَّ بِذَاكَ الكَنْزِ

وَكُلُّ مِخْلافٍ وَمُكْلَئِزِّ

وَكُلُّ مِخْلافٍ وَمُكْلَئِزِّ

unafraid of being branded with that hoard;

As if he were cast of iron,

and every promise-breaker and shrinking miser,

Not the cloud's shower reviving the parched land.

أَجْرَدَ أَوْ جَعْدِ اليَدَيْنِ جِبْزِ

أَجْرَدَ أَوْ جَعْدِ اليَدَيْنِ جِبْزِ

كَأَنَّما جُمِّعَ مِنْ فِلِزِّ

كَأَنَّما جُمِّعَ مِنْ فِلِزِّ

bare or tightfisted, a hard churl,

The eulogist knew you would reward

as though he had been assembled from metal.

His eulogy without disgracing him,

ما ذُو النَدَى المُنْدِي بِمُشْمَئِزِّ

ما ذُو النَدَى المُنْدِي بِمُشْمَئِزِّ

قَدْ عَلِمَ المادِحُ أَنْ سَتَجْزِي

قَدْ عَلِمَ المادِحُ أَنْ سَتَجْزِي

The giver of refreshing bounty does not recoil in distaste.

So I picked from the best of every kind,

The praiser knows that you will reward him

The choicest, noblest steeds,

بِمَدْحِهِ مَجْدَكَ غَيْرَ المُخْزِي

بِمَدْحِهِ مَجْدَكَ غَيْرَ المُخْزِي

فَاخْتَرْتُ مِنْ جَيِّدِ كُلِّ طَرْزِ

فَاخْتَرْتُ مِنْ جَيِّدِ كُلِّ طَرْزِ

for praising your glory, which brings no disgrace.

And my eulogy, when glory vies,

So I chose from the best of every pattern

Will remain and be more enduring than noble steeds.

جَيِّدَةَ القَدِّ جِيادَ الخَرْزِ

جَيِّدَةَ القَدِّ جِيادَ الخَرْزِ

وَمِدْحَتِي يَوْمَ تَغَالِي البَزِّ

وَمِدْحَتِي يَوْمَ تَغَالِي البَزِّ

a finely cut piece with excellent stitching.

And my praise, when cloth commands high prices,

أَبْقَى وَأَغْلَا مِنْ جِيَادِ الخَزِّ

أَبْقَى وَأَغْلَا مِنْ جِيَادِ الخَزِّ

is more lasting and more costly than the finest silk-and-wool cloth.