عُلوجَ بَني كَعبٍ بِأَيِّ مَشيئَةٍ

عُلوجَ بَني كَعبٍ بِأَيِّ مَشيئَةٍ

تَرومونَ ياحُمرَ الأُنوفِ مَرامي

تَرومونَ ياحُمرَ الأُنوفِ مَرامي

O louts of Banū Kaʿb, with what intent

How far, O sons of Ka'b, is the goal you seek,

do you seek my goal, you red-nosed men?

With your insolent reddened noses, to attain?

نَفَيتُكُمُ مِن جانِبِ الشامِ عَنوَةً

نَفَيتُكُمُ مِن جانِبِ الشامِ عَنوَةً

بِتَدبيرِ كَهلٍ في طِعانِ غُلامِ

بِتَدبيرِ كَهلٍ في طِعانِ غُلامِ

I banished you by force from the region of al-Shām,

I drove you forcibly away from Syria's side

With a mature man's strategy in a youth's spear-fighting,

By an old man's contrivance and a brave youth's strain,

وَفِتيانِ صِدقٍ مِن غَطاريفِ وائِلٍ

وَفِتيانِ صِدقٍ مِن غَطاريفِ وائِلٍ

خِفافِ اللِحى شُمِّ الأُنوفِ كِرامِ

خِفافِ اللِحى شُمِّ الأُنوفِ كِرامِ

And true-hearted young men from Wāʾil's noble chiefs,

And true young warriors of bright blades from Ghatafan,

Light-bearded, high-nosed, noble.

Soft-chinned but hawks of nose, and honor's flower and main.