أَلا هَل أَتى أُمَّ الحُوَيرِثِ مُرسَلٌ

أَلا هَل أَتى أُمَّ الحُوَيرِثِ مُرسَلٌ

نَعَم خالِدٌ إِن لَم تَعُقهُ العَوائِقُ

نَعَم خالِدٌ إِن لَم تَعُقهُ العَوائِقُ

Tell me, has a messenger reached Umm al-Huwayrith?

Has the mother of Al-Huwairith been visited by a messenger?

Yes—Khalid, if obstacles have not hindered him.

Yes, Khalid, if obstacles do not impede him,

يُرى ناصِحاً فيما بَدا وَإِذا خَلا

يُرى ناصِحاً فيما بَدا وَإِذا خَلا

فَذلِكَ سِكّينُ عَلى الحَلقِ حاذِقُ

فَذلِكَ سِكّينُ عَلى الحَلقِ حاذِقُ

He seems sincere outwardly, but when alone,

He seems well-meaning in his actions, and when alone,

Then he is a keen-edged knife at the throat.

That is a blade at the throat of the skilled executioner.

وَقَد كانَ لي دَهراً قَديماً مُلاطِفاً

وَقَد كانَ لي دَهراً قَديماً مُلاطِفاً

وَلَم تَكُ تُخشى مِن لَدَيهِ البَوائِقُ

وَلَم تَكُ تُخشى مِن لَدَيهِ البَوائِقُ

And for a long time in days past, he was gentle with me,

For a long time he was gentle with me,

And no treachery was feared at his hands.

And I did not fear traps from him.

وَكُنتُ إِذا ما الحَربُ ضُرَّسَ نابُها

وَكُنتُ إِذا ما الحَربُ ضُرَّسَ نابُها

لِجائِحَةٍ وَالحَينُ بِالناسِ لاحِقُ

لِجائِحَةٍ وَالحَينُ بِالناسِ لاحِقُ

And I, whenever war’s fang was whetted

Whenever war bared its fangs,

For a sweeping calamity, while death was overtaking men,

Raging and chasing people.

وَزافَت كَمَوجِ البَحرِ تَسمو أَمامَها

وَزافَت كَمَوجِ البَحرِ تَسمو أَمامَها

وَقامَت عَلى ساقٍ وَآنَ التَلاحُقُ

وَقامَت عَلى ساقٍ وَآنَ التَلاحُقُ

And it advanced like sea-waves, surging onward,

The waves rose high before it like the waves of the sea,

And stood upon its leg, and the time to clash had come,

Standing on one leg, the pursuit began.

أَنوءُ بِهِ فيها فَيَأمَنُ جانِبي

أَنوءُ بِهِ فيها فَيَأمَنُ جانِبي

وَلَو كَثُرَت فيها لَدَيَّ البَوارِقُ

وَلَو كَثُرَت فيها لَدَيَّ البَوارِقُ

Would bear him up in it, and he would feel safe at my side,

I take refuge in him therein, so my side is safe,

Even if flashing swords multiplied around me there.

Even if many perils surround me therein.

وَلكِن فَتىً لَم تُخشَ مِنهُ فَجيعَةٌ

وَلكِن فَتىً لَم تُخشَ مِنهُ فَجيعَةٌ

حَديثاً وَلا فيما مَضى أَنتَ وامِقُ

حَديثاً وَلا فيما مَضى أَنتَ وامِقُ

But a youth from whom no grievous hurt has been feared,

But a young man whom no calamity feared,

Of late or in times gone by—you hold him dear:

Recently nor in the past were you delinquent.

أَخٌ لَكَ مَأمونُ السَجِيّاتِ خِضرِمٌ

أَخٌ لَكَ مَأمونُ السَجِيّاتِ خِضرِمٌ

إِذا صَفَقَتهُ في الحُروبِ الصَوافِقُ

إِذا صَفَقَتهُ في الحُروبِ الصَوافِقُ

A brother to you, trustworthy by nature, munificent,

A brother to you, trustworthy in perils, mature,

When war’s battering blows strike him.

When wars rattle him with their calamities.

نُشَيبَةُ لَم توجَد لَهُ الدَهرَ عَثرَةٌ

نُشَيبَةُ لَم توجَد لَهُ الدَهرَ عَثرَةٌ

يَبوحُ بِها في ساحَةِ الدارِ ناطِقُ

يَبوحُ بِها في ساحَةِ الدارِ ناطِقُ

Nushayba—no lapse of his has ever been found

Old age did not find for him a stumbling block,

For any speaker to divulge in the courtyard of the house.

Through which it complains in the courtyard of the house.

نَماهُ مِن الحَيَّينِ قِردٍ وَمازِنٍ

نَماهُ مِن الحَيَّينِ قِردٍ وَمازِنٍ

لُيوثٌ غَداةَ البَأسِ بيضُ مَصادِقُ

لُيوثٌ غَداةَ البَأسِ بيضُ مَصادِقُ

He was begotten from the two clans, Qird and Mazin,

It grew him from the best stock of Qirda and Mazin,

By lions, bright-faced and steadfast on battle’s morning.

Lions on the morrow of affliction, loyal friends.

هُم رَجَعوا بِالعَرجِ وَالقَومُ شُهَّدُ

هُم رَجَعوا بِالعَرجِ وَالقَومُ شُهَّدُ

هَوازِنَ تَحدوها حُماةٌ بَطارِقُ

هَوازِنَ تَحدوها حُماةٌ بَطارِقُ

They drove back, at al-ʿArj, while the people watched,

They returned lame, and the people witness

Hawazin, urged onward by defenders, mighty chieftains.

The Hawazin, whom protectors drive back with bright swords.