أوَ كُلَّمَا وَرَدَتْ عُكَاظَ قَبِيلَةٌ

أوَ كُلَّمَا وَرَدَتْ عُكَاظَ قَبِيلَةٌ

بَعَثُوا إِلَيَّ رسُولَهُمْ يَتَوَسَّمُ

بَعَثُوا إِلَيَّ رسُولَهُمْ يَتَوَسَّمُ

Is it that whenever a tribe comes to ʿUkāẓ,

And whenever a tribe comes to Ukaz,

they send me their envoy to scrutinize me?

must they send me their envoy to look me over?

فَتَوَسَّمُونِي إنَّني أنَا ذَاكُمُ

فَتَوَسَّمُونِي إنَّني أنَا ذَاكُمُ

شاكٍ سِلاحِي فِي الْحوادِثِ مُعْلَمُ

شاكٍ سِلاحِي فِي الْحوادِثِ مُعْلَمُ

Then mark me well: indeed, I am that man before you—

So look closely at me: I am indeed that very man.

fully armed in times of trial, marked out for recognition.

My weapons are keen; in battle I bear a distinguishing mark.

تَحْتِي الْأَغَرُّ وَفَوْقَ جِلْدِي نَثْرَةٌ

تَحْتِي الْأَغَرُّ وَفَوْقَ جِلْدِي نَثْرَةٌ

زَغْفٌ تَرُدُّ السَّيْفَ وَهْوَ مُثَلَّمُ

زَغْفٌ تَرُدُّ السَّيْفَ وَهْوَ مُثَلَّمُ

Beneath me is the blaze-faced steed, and over my skin a coat of mail—

Beneath me is al-Agharr, the white-blazed steed; over my skin, a coat of mail,

supple mail that turns back the sword while it is notched.

supple, repelling the sword and leaving its edge notched.

حَوْلِي فَوارِسُ مِنْ أُسَيْدٍ شِجْعَةٌ

حَوْلِي فَوارِسُ مِنْ أُسَيْدٍ شِجْعَةٌ

وإذَا غَضِبْتُ فَحَوْلَ بَيْتِيَ خَضَّمُ

وإذَا غَضِبْتُ فَحَوْلَ بَيْتِيَ خَضَّمُ

Around me are brave horsemen from Usayd;

Around me are valiant horsemen of Usayd,

and when I grow angry, a dense multitude surrounds my dwelling.

and when I grow angry, Khaddam surrounds my tent.

وَلِكُلِّ بَكْرِيٍّ لَدَيَّ عَداوَةٌ

وَلِكُلِّ بَكْرِيٍّ لَدَيَّ عَداوَةٌ

وَأبُو رَبِيعةَ شانِئٌ ومُحَلِّمُ

وَأبُو رَبِيعةَ شانِئٌ ومُحَلِّمُ

Toward every Bakrī I harbor enmity;

For every man of Bakr I harbor enmity;

and Abū Rabīʿa is hostile—and Muḥallim too.

and Abu Rabi‘a is hostile, as is Muhallim.