أَبَعدَ عِمارَ الخَيرِ نَرجو سَلامَةً

أَبَعدَ عِمارَ الخَيرِ نَرجو سَلامَةً

وَقَد بَتَكَت آرابُهُ وَمَفاصِلُه

وَقَد بَتَكَت آرابُهُ وَمَفاصِلُه

After ʿImār the good, can we hope for safety,

Beyond peace for virtuous Imār we yearn

when his limbs and joints have already been severed?

Though his joints and ribs are rent and torn

فَلا وَضَعَت عِندي حَصانٌ خِمارَها

فَلا وَضَعَت عِندي حَصانٌ خِمارَها

وَلا ظَفِرَت كَفّي بِقَرنٍ أُنازِلُه

وَلا ظَفِرَت كَفّي بِقَرنٍ أُنازِلُه

Then may no chaste woman lay aside her veil before me,

My hands grasp not the horn to make him kneel

nor may my hand prevail over an opponent I fight,

Nor stallion reins to humble him forlorn

لَإِن لَم أَزُر خَولانَ في عَقرِ دارِها

لَإِن لَم أَزُر خَولانَ في عَقرِ دارِها

بِأَرعَنَ رَجّافٍ تُزَجّى قَنابِلُه

بِأَرعَنَ رَجّافٍ تُزَجّى قَنابِلُه

if I do not visit Khawlān in the heart of its homeland,

If I raid not Khaulān in their abodes

with a mountain-like, surging host whose squadrons are urged onward,

With steeds whose barding clatter as they're borne

وَأشفي غَليلي مِن سَراةِ قُضاعَةٍ

وَأشفي غَليلي مِن سَراةِ قُضاعَةٍ

وَكُلُّ صَقيلٍ يَملَأُ الكَفَّ حامِلُه

وَكُلُّ صَقيلٍ يَملَأُ الكَفَّ حامِلُه

and slake my burning thirst upon the chiefs of Quḍāʿah,

Sate my ire on Quḍā‘ah, every blade

while every polished blade fills its bearer's palm.

That fills the grip made for the hand that's sworn

فَمَن مُبلِغٌ عَمرُو بنِ عَوفٍ رِسالَةً

فَمَن مُبلِغٌ عَمرُو بنِ عَوفٍ رِسالَةً

وَيعلى بنَ سَعدٍ مِن ثَؤورٍ يُراسِلُه

وَيعلى بنَ سَعدٍ مِن ثَؤورٍ يُراسِلُه

Who, then, will carry a message to ʿAmr ibn ʿAwf,

Who bears my word to 'Amr ibn 'Awf's ear

and to Yaʿlā ibn Saʿd of Thaʾūr, sending him word,

And Ya'lā ibn Sa'd whom I have forewarned

بِأَنّي سَأَرمي الحَقلَ يَوماً بَغارَةٍ

بِأَنّي سَأَرمي الحَقلَ يَوماً بَغارَةٍ

لَها مَنكِبٌ حانٍ تُدوِّي زَلازِلُه

لَها مَنكِبٌ حانٍ تُدوِّي زَلازِلُه

that one day I shall strike al-Ḥaql with a raid,

That I shall storm the pasture, a foray

with a curving flank whose tremors thunder?

Whose shocks will shake foundations worn

وَعَمرُو بنُ عَوفٍ هَمّي وَمُنيَتي

وَعَمرُو بنُ عَوفٍ هَمّي وَمُنيَتي

إِذا كانَ لي يَوماً قَرينٌ أُنازِلُه

إِذا كانَ لي يَوماً قَرينٌ أُنازِلُه

And ʿAmr ibn ʿAwf is my concern and my desire,

With 'Amr ibn 'Awf my care and bane

when one day I have a rival to face in combat.

If we should meet in battle's morn

أَقامَ بِدارِ الغَورِ في شَرِّ مَنزِلٍ

أَقامَ بِدارِ الغَورِ في شَرِّ مَنزِلٍ

وَخَلّى بَياضَ الحَقلِ يَزهُرُ خامِلُه

وَخَلّى بَياضَ الحَقلِ يَزهُرُ خامِلُه

He settled in the land of al-Ghawr, in the worst abode,

He dwelled where Death holds court in the worst stead

and left al-Ḥaql's white expanse, its low-lying ground in bloom.

While meadows white lay fallow and forlorn