أَلا أَبلِغ لَدَيكَ بَني تَميمٍ

أَلا أَبلِغ لَدَيكَ بَني تَميمٍ

وَقَد يَأتيكَ بِالخَبَرِ الظَنونُ

وَقَد يَأتيكَ بِالخَبَرِ الظَنونُ

Now tell the sons of Tamim there with you—

Convey to the clan of Tamim that rumors may come to you

And one mistrusted may bring you news—

That our homes are in solid rock

بِأَنَّ بُيوتَنا بِمَحَلِّ حَجرٍ

بِأَنَّ بُيوتَنا بِمَحَلِّ حَجرٍ

بِكُلِّ قَرارَةٍ مِنها نَكونُ

بِكُلِّ قَرارَةٍ مِنها نَكونُ

That our dwellings lie in the district of Hajr;

In every lodge of it we dwell

In every low-lying hollow there we dwell.

To Qalhah the house is ours

إِلى قَلَهى تَكونُ الدارُ مِنّا

إِلى قَلَهى تَكونُ الدارُ مِنّا

إِلى أَكنافِ دومَةَ فَالحَجونُ

إِلى أَكنافِ دومَةَ فَالحَجونُ

Our abode extends as far as Qalaha,

To the ravines of Dowmah, so the lodges

To the outskirts of Duma, then al-Hajun,

With valleys, below them meadows

بِأَودِيَةٍ أَسافِلُهُنَّ رَوضٌ

بِأَودِيَةٍ أَسافِلُهُنَّ رَوضٌ

وَأَعلاها إِذا خِفنا حُصونُ

وَأَعلاها إِذا خِفنا حُصونُ

In valleys whose lower reaches are meadows,

Above if we fear, citadels

And whose heights, when we are afraid, are fortresses.

We camp on its plain, if alarmed

نَحُلُّ بِسَهلِها فَإِذا فَزِعنا

نَحُلُّ بِسَهلِها فَإِذا فَزِعنا

جَرى مِنهُنَّ بِالأَصلاءِ عونُ

جَرى مِنهُنَّ بِالأَصلاءِ عونُ

We dwell upon their plains; then, when alarmed,

Aid flows from them with stalwart men

From them gallop steeds broad in the haunches,

Each towering height and bending dune

وَكُلُّ طُوالَةٍ وَأَقَبَّ نَهدٍ

وَكُلُّ طُوالَةٍ وَأَقَبَّ نَهدٍ

مَراكِلُها مِنَ التَعداءِ جونُ

مَراكِلُها مِنَ التَعداءِ جونُ

And every tall mare and lean-bellied, sturdy steed.

Their camels protected from transgressors

Their heel-struck flanks are dark from galloping.

They are tethered daily with strong ropes

تُضَمَّرُ بِالأَصائِلِ كُلَّ يَومٍ

تُضَمَّرُ بِالأَصائِلِ كُلَّ يَومٍ

تُسَنُّ عَلى سَنابِكِها القُرونُ

تُسَنُّ عَلى سَنابِكِها القُرونُ

They are trained lean each day in the late afternoons;

Hung on their pegs are the spears

Horns are sharpened against their hooves.

Only the brave and valiant complained of them

وَكانَت تُشتَكى الأَضغانُ مِنها ال

وَكانَت تُشتَكى الأَضغانُ مِنها ال

لَجونُ الخَبُّ وَاللَحِجُ الحَرونُ

لَجونُ الخَبُّ وَاللَحِجُ الحَرونُ

And once their ill tempers were complained of—the

They were roused by warriors each day

balking, crafty one, and the obstinate, stubborn one.

Their tents they made pliant

وَخَرَّجَها صَوارِخُ كُلِّ يَومٍ

وَخَرَّجَها صَوارِخُ كُلِّ يَومٍ

فَقَد جَعَلَت عَرائِكُها تَلينُ

فَقَد جَعَلَت عَرائِكُها تَلينُ

And cries of alarm each day have trained them;

Their honor bent their shoulders and tired

Their dispositions have now begun to soften.

Their pegs and roused the eyes

وَعَزَّتها كَواهِلُها وَكَلَّت

وَعَزَّتها كَواهِلُها وَكَلَّت

سَنابِكُها وَقَدَّحَتِ العُيونُ

سَنابِكُها وَقَدَّحَتِ العُيونُ

And their withers have overtaxed them, and blunted are

When the whips against them were raised they yielded

Their hooves, and their eyes have sunk.

That's from their enduring weakness

إِذا رُفِعَ السِياطُ لَها تَمَطَّت

إِذا رُفِعَ السِياطُ لَها تَمَطَّت

وَذَلِكَ مِن عُلالَتِها مَتينُ

وَذَلِكَ مِن عُلالَتِها مَتينُ

When the whips are raised at them, they stretch out,

Their recourse when we return

And that effort from their reserves is strong.

Sword of onion and milk of sheep

وَمَرجِعُها إِذا نَحنُ اِنقَلَبنا

وَمَرجِعُها إِذا نَحنُ اِنقَلَبنا

نَسيفُ البَقلِ وَاللَبَنُ الحَقينُ

نَسيفُ البَقلِ وَاللَبَنُ الحَقينُ

And what they return to, when we come back,

So settle in your lands, a people

Is plucked herbage and milk stored in skins.

When their lands call they become ignoble

فَقَرّي في بِلادِكَ إِنَّ قَوماً

فَقَرّي في بِلادِكَ إِنَّ قَوماً

مَتى يَدعوا بِلادُهُمُ يَهونوا

مَتى يَدعوا بِلادُهُمُ يَهونوا

So remain in your homeland, for a people

Or take refuge in Sinan when it rains

Are humbled whenever they leave their homeland.

For rain clouds gather there

أَوِ اِنتَجَعي سِناناً حَيثُ أَمسى

أَوِ اِنتَجَعي سِناناً حَيثُ أَمسى

فَإِنَّ الغَيثَ مُنتَجَعٌ مَعينُ

فَإِنَّ الغَيثَ مُنتَجَعٌ مَعينُ

Or seek Sinan's bounty wherever evening finds him,

When it comes, it comes like sea swell

For rain is a flowing source of sustenance.

Tossed in its billows, the ships

مَتى تَأتيهِ تَأتي لُجَّ بَحرٍ

مَتى تَأتيهِ تَأتي لُجَّ بَحرٍ

تَقاذَفُ في غَوارِبِهِ السَفينُ

تَقاذَفُ في غَوارِبِهِ السَفينُ

Whenever you approach him, you approach the depths of a sea,

A title for the generous, easy

Amid whose wave-crests the ships are tossed.

And cunning when tested, strong

لَهُ لَقَبٌ لِباغي الخَيرِ سَهلٌ

لَهُ لَقَبٌ لِباغي الخَيرِ سَهلٌ

وَكَيدٌ حينَ تَبلوهُ مَتينُ

وَكَيدٌ حينَ تَبلوهُ مَتينُ

He has a byname easy for the seeker of bounty,

And cunning that is firm when you put it to the test.