نُبِّئتُ رُكبانَ الطَريقِ تَناذَروا

نُبِّئتُ رُكبانَ الطَريقِ تَناذَروا

عَقيلاً إِذا حَلّوا الذِنابَ فَصَرخَدا

عَقيلاً إِذا حَلّوا الذِنابَ فَصَرخَدا

I was told that riders on the road warned one another

I was told travelers on the road warned one another,

of ʿAqīl whenever they halted at al-Dhināb, then Ṣarkhad—

"Beware of ‘Aqil when they pitched tents at Dhinab,"

فَتىً يَجعَلُ المَحضَ الصَريحَ لِبَطنِهِ

فَتىً يَجعَلُ المَحضَ الصَريحَ لِبَطنِهِ

شِعاراً وَيُقري الضَيفَ عَضباً مُهَنَّدا

شِعاراً وَيُقري الضَيفَ عَضباً مُهَنَّدا

a youth who makes pure, unmixed milk his belly's

A youth who shows his inmost thoughts outwardly

inner garment, and serves his guest a keen blade of Indian steel.

And entertains the guest with anger most intense,

مَسَحناكَ مَسحَ الكَلبِ إِذ أَنتَ باسِطٌ

مَسَحناكَ مَسحَ الكَلبِ إِذ أَنتَ باسِطٌ

ذُناباكَ حَتّى اِشتَلتَ لِلناسِ أَعقَدا

ذُناباكَ حَتّى اِشتَلتَ لِلناسِ أَعقَدا

We stroked you as one strokes a dog, while you stretched out

We have stroked you like a dog wagging

your tail, until you raised a curled one before the people.

Its tail fawningly to people knotted in deceit.

عُوَيفَ اِستِها قَد سُقتَ نَفسَكَ تَنتَقي

عُوَيفَ اِستِها قَد سُقتَ نَفسَكَ تَنتَقي

سِوانا فَما فَما فُتَّ الحِمارَ المُقَيَّدا

سِوانا فَما فَما فُتَّ الحِمارَ المُقَيَّدا

O ʿUwayf of her arse, you have driven yourself to choose

Worthless one, you have led yourself to drink

others than us; but you did not—but you did not—outstrip a tethered ass.

Vile water, yet the bridled donkey did not yield.

وَقَد أَسلَموا أَستاهُمُ لِقَبيلَةٍ

وَقَد أَسلَموا أَستاهُمُ لِقَبيلَةٍ

قُضاعِيَّةً يَدعونَ حُنّاً وَأَصيَدا

قُضاعِيَّةً يَدعونَ حُنّاً وَأَصيَدا

And they have surrendered their arses to a tribe

And their chieftains have surrendered to a tribe

of Quḍāʿa, calling upon Ḥunn and Aṣyad.

Of Daws who summon defectors and Asid.

إِذا قُلتُ قَد صالَحتُ شَمُخاً وَمازِناً

إِذا قُلتُ قَد صالَحتُ شَمُخاً وَمازِناً

أَبى السَبَبُ النائي وَكُفرُهُمُ اليَدا

أَبى السَبَبُ النائي وَكُفرُهُمُ اليَدا

Whenever I say, 'I have made peace with Shamukh and Māzin,'

When I said I've made peace with Samh and Mazin,

the distant bond and their ingratitude for the helping hand forbid it.

Events abroad and their unbelief refused consent.

وَأَمّا بَنو بَدرٍ فَلا زالَ وُدُّهُم

وَأَمّا بَنو بَدرٍ فَلا زالَ وُدُّهُم

عَلى الشَرَفِ الأَقصى وَأَبعَدَ أَبعَدا

عَلى الشَرَفِ الأَقصى وَأَبعَدَ أَبعَدا

And as for the sons of Badr, may their affection ever remain

As for the clan of Badr, their affection still

on the farthest height—and may it go farther, farther still.

Endures for the most noble and farthest goal,

وَيوقِدُ عَوفٌ لِلعَشيرَةِ نارَهُ

وَيوقِدُ عَوفٌ لِلعَشيرَةِ نارَهُ

فَهَلّا عَلى جَفرِ الهَباءَةِ أَوقَدا

فَهَلّا عَلى جَفرِ الهَباءَةِ أَوقَدا

And ʿAwf kindles his fire for the clan—

And ‘Awf kindles for his tribe a fire

so why did he not kindle it at Jafr al-Habāʾa?

That blazes high above the drifting sands.