رَحَلَ المَطِيَّ إِلَيكَ طِلابُ النَدى

رَحَلَ المَطِيَّ إِلَيكَ طِلابُ النَدى

وَرَحَلَت نَحوَكَ ناقَةٌ نَعلِيّه

وَرَحَلَت نَحوَكَ ناقَةٌ نَعلِيّه

Seekers of bounty have saddled their camels for you,

The camels set out seeking water towards you,

Riding beasts have journeyed toward you in search of bounty,

And a she-camel of sandals has journeyed toward you.

And my she-camel with worn out shoes headed towards you,

And towards you, a she-camel made of my sandals has set forth.

إِذ لَم تَكُن لي يا يَزيدُ مُطيَةً

إِذ لَم تَكُن لي يا يَزيدُ مُطيَةً

فَجَعَلتُها لي في السِفارِ مَطيَه

فَجَعَلتُها لي في السِفارِ مَطيَه

Since I had no mount, O Yazid,

Since I had no mount, O Yazid,

For since I possessed, O Yazid, no mount to ride,

So I made it my mount for travel.

I made it my mount for the journey.

I made of them, for this long journey, my steed.

تَحدو أَمامَ اليَعمُلاتِ وَتَفتَلي

تَحدو أَمامَ اليَعمُلاتِ وَتَفتَلي

في السَيرِ تَترُكُ خَلفَها المَهرِيَّة

في السَيرِ تَترُكُ خَلفَها المَهرِيَّة

It leads ahead of the hardy she-camels and cuts its way;

It walks ahead of the caravan and grazes freely,

It urges on ahead of the sturdy camels, weaving swiftly,

As it travels, it leaves the Mahri she-camels behind—

Leaving behind the swift ones during travel.

Leaving trailing in its wake the swift Mahri breed.

مِن كُلِّ طاوِيَةِ الحَشى مَزورَةٌ

مِن كُلِّ طاوِيَةِ الحَشى مَزورَةٌ

قَطَعاً لِكُلِّ تَنوفَةٍ دَوِيَّة

قَطَعاً لِكُلِّ تَنوفَةٍ دَوِيَّة

Every lean-bellied, broad-chested one—

Every swollen belly of mountain valley echoes,

Outstripping every lean-flanked beast, worn thin by travel,

Crossing every vast, barren wilderness.

Breaking the silence of every sandy dune.

Cutting across every howling, desolate wasteland.

تَنتابُ أَكبَرَ وائِلٍ في بَيتِها

تَنتابُ أَكبَرَ وائِلٍ في بَيتِها

حَسَباً وَقُبَّةً وَمَجدُها مَبنِيَّة

حَسَباً وَقُبَّةً وَمَجدُها مَبنِيَّة

It seeks out the greatest of Wa'il in the tribe's house,

It alternates between the greatest pastures in its abode,

Seeking out the greatest of the Wa'il tribe in his abode,

In lineage and pavilion, with its glory firmly founded.

With lineage, leadership, and glorious dwelling.

In lineage, in high pavilion, and in established glory.

أَعني يَزيداً سَيفَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

أَعني يَزيداً سَيفَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

فَرّادَ كُلِّ شَديدَةٍ مَخشِيَّة

فَرّادَ كُلِّ شَديدَةٍ مَخشِيَّة

I mean Yazid, the sword of the house of Muhammad,

I mean Yazid, sword of the family of Muhammad,

I speak of Yazid, the sword of the House of Muhammad,

The single-handed conqueror of every dreaded hardship.

Who frightens every mighty warrior.

The dispeller of every dreaded calamity.

يَوماهُ يَومٌ لَلمَواهِبِ وَالجِدا

يَوماهُ يَومٌ لَلمَواهِبِ وَالجِدا

خَضلٌ وَيَومُ دَمٍ وَخَطفَ مِنَيَّه

خَضلٌ وَيَومُ دَمٍ وَخَطفَ مِنَيَّه

His days are two: a day for gifts and bounty,

His day is one of blessings and generosity,

His time is twofold: a day for gifts and flowing bounty,

Drenched with bounty, and a day of blood and death's sudden seizure.

And a day of blood and sudden death from him.

Drenched in dew, and a day for blood and snatching death.

وَلَقَد أَتَيتُكَ واثِقاً بِكَ عالِماً

وَلَقَد أَتَيتُكَ واثِقاً بِكَ عالِماً

أَن لَيسَ تَسمَعُ مَدحَةَ بَنسِيَّة

أَن لَيسَ تَسمَعُ مَدحَةَ بَنسِيَّة

And I have come to you, trusting in you, knowing

And indeed I have come to you confident in you, knowing

I have come to you, placing my trust and knowledge in you,

That you do not hear a poem of praise on credit.

That no female praiser's praise will be heard by you.

That you never hear praise only to let it fall into oblivion.