أَبلِغ بَني حَمدانَ في بُلدانِها

أَبلِغ بَني حَمدانَ في بُلدانِها

كُهولَها وَالغُرَّ مِن شُبّانِها

كُهولَها وَالغُرَّ مِن شُبّانِها

Carry word to Banu Hamdan throughout their lands—

Tell the sons of Hamdan in their lands,

to their seasoned men, and the noble among their youths—

their mature men and the illustrious among their youths,

يَومَ طَرَدتُ الخَيلَ عَن فُرسانِها

يَومَ طَرَدتُ الخَيلَ عَن فُرسانِها

وَسُقتُ مِن قَيسٍ وَمِن جيرانِها

وَسُقتُ مِن قَيسٍ وَمِن جيرانِها

of the day I stripped the horses of their riders,

of the day I drove the horses away from their riders,

and drove away, from Qays and from her neighbors,

and led away from Qays and from their neighbors

ذَوي عُلاها وَذَوي طُعّانِها

ذَوي عُلاها وَذَوي طُعّانِها

وَمُهرَةٌ تَمرَحُ في أَشطانِها

وَمُهرَةٌ تَمرَحُ في أَشطانِها

men of lofty rank and men renowned for spear-thrusts,

their men of high standing and their spear-fighters.

and a filly cavorting among her tethering ropes,

And a filly frolics in her tethers,

عاثِرَةً تَعثُرُ في عِنانِها

عاثِرَةً تَعثُرُ في عِنانِها

تَرَكتُ ماصَبَّحتُ مِن فُرسانِها

تَرَكتُ ماصَبَّحتُ مِن فُرسانِها

stumbling as she tripped over her reins.

stumbling, tripping over her rein.

I left the horsemen upon whom I fell at dawn,

I left those of their horsemen whom I raided at dawn,

وَإِبلاً تُنزَعُ مِن رُعيانِها

وَإِبلاً تُنزَعُ مِن رُعيانِها

حَتّى إِذا قَلَّ غَنا شُجعانِها

حَتّى إِذا قَلَّ غَنا شُجعانِها

and camels being wrenched away from their herdsmen,

and camels being wrested from their herdsmen,

until, when the prowess of their brave men proved of little avail,

until, when their brave men were of little avail,

طارَدَني عَنها وَعَن إِتيانِها

طارَدَني عَنها وَعَن إِتيانِها

حَرائِرٌ أَرغَبُ في صِيانِها

حَرائِرٌ أَرغَبُ في صِيانِها

I was driven away from them and from coming upon them

I was driven from them and kept from approaching them

by freeborn women whose inviolability I was keener to preserve.

by freeborn women whom I wish to protect.

أَستَعمِلُ الشِدَّةَ في أَوانِها

أَستَعمِلُ الشِدَّةَ في أَوانِها

وَأَغفِرُ الزَلَّةَ في إِبّانِها

وَأَغفِرُ الزَلَّةَ في إِبّانِها

I employ severity at its proper time,

I employ severity at its proper time,

and forgive a lapse when its due moment comes.

and forgive a misstep in its due season.

يالَكِ أَحياءً عَلى عُدوانِها

يالَكِ أَحياءً عَلى عُدوانِها

نِسوانُها أَمنَعُ مِن فُرسانِها

نِسوانُها أَمنَعُ مِن فُرسانِها

What clans they are, despite all their hostility—

How remarkable you are, O clans, despite your aggression—

their women are more forbidding than their horsemen.

your women are better defenders than your horsemen.