ألا مَن مُبلِغُ النُّعمانَ عَنِّي

ألا مَن مُبلِغُ النُّعمانَ عَنِّي

فَبَينَا الَمرءُ أَغَربَ إذ أَراحا

فَبَينَا الَمرءُ أَغَربَ إذ أَراحا

Ah, who will carry a message from me to al-Nuʿmān?

Will no one take this news to Nu'man's son

For while a man journeys far, suddenly he comes to rest.

That while a man is far away, at ease he lies.

أَطعَتَ بَني بُقَيلَةَ في وِثاقي

أَطعَتَ بَني بُقَيلَةَ في وِثاقي

وكُنَّا في حُلُوقِهُمُ ذُبَاحا

وكُنَّا في حُلُوقِهُمُ ذُبَاحا

You heeded the sons of Buqaylah in having me fettered,

The sons of Buqayl trapped me with their ropes

Though we were a choking sickness in their throats.

And we were as the victims of slaughter.

مَنَحتهُمُ الفُراتَ وجانِبَيهِ

مَنَحتهُمُ الفُراتَ وجانِبَيهِ

وتَسقينا الأَواجِنَ والمِلاَحا

وتَسقينا الأَواجِنَ والمِلاَحا

You granted them the Euphrates and both its banks,

They left us by the Euphrates side

Yet you give us stagnant and salty waters to drink.

To water camels and graze cattle there.