نُبِّئتُ أَنَّ الخَزرَجِيِّينَ حافَظوا

نُبِّئتُ أَنَّ الخَزرَجِيِّينَ حافَظوا

بِأَلفَينِ مِنهُم دارِعونَ وَحُسَّرُ

بِأَلفَينِ مِنهُم دارِعونَ وَحُسَّرُ

I was told that the Khazrajites held firm,

I was told that two thousand Khazraj defended

with two thousand of them, armored and unarmored.

With armor and lances held high

وَما فَتِئَت خَيلٌ تَثوبُ وَتَدَّعي

وَما فَتِئَت خَيلٌ تَثوبُ وَتَدَّعي

إِلى النَمرِ حَتّى غَصَّ بِالقَومِ عَرعَرُ

إِلى النَمرِ حَتّى غَصَّ بِالقَومِ عَرعَرُ

And cavalry kept returning and proclaiming allegiance

And the cavalry never rested, charging

to al-Namir, until Ar'ar was choked with men.

At the leopards until overwhelmed with men

وَقَد صارَتِ الأَسرى لِمَن يَصطَلي الوَغى

وَقَد صارَتِ الأَسرى لِمَن يَصطَلي الوَغى

فَخابَت مِنَ الأَسرى حُبَينٌ وَيَعمَرُ

فَخابَت مِنَ الأَسرى حُبَينٌ وَيَعمَرُ

And the captives fell to those who braved battle's fire,

The captives now belong to whoever survives the fray

so Hubayn and Ya'mar were left without captives.

Among them Hubain and Ya'mar were disappointed

وَسارَت عَدِيٌّ لِلجِوارِ فَأَجزَرَت

وَسارَت عَدِيٌّ لِلجِوارِ فَأَجزَرَت

وَغَيرُ عَدِيٍّ في المَواطِنِ أَصبَرُ

وَغَيرُ عَدِيٍّ في المَواطِنِ أَصبَرُ

And Adi marched for protection, only to become prey for slaughter;

And the Adi went to help their neighbors and were successful

and others than Adi are more steadfast on the battlefields.

While others in their stead were more patient

وَغَنَّمَ عَتّابَ اِبنَ سَعدٍ سِواهُمُ

وَغَنَّمَ عَتّابَ اِبنَ سَعدٍ سِواهُمُ

وَشَمَّصَ بَهراءَ الوَشيجُ المُمَكَّرُ

وَشَمَّصَ بَهراءَ الوَشيجُ المُمَكَّرُ

And others, not they, bestowed spoils on Attab son of Sa'd;

And Attab son of Sa'd plundered their possessions

and stout spear-shafts drove Bahra to flight.

As Bahra the sly and scheming took control

وَحَلَّت هِلالٌ بَينَ حَرثٍ وَقَريَةٍ

وَحَلَّت هِلالٌ بَينَ حَرثٍ وَقَريَةٍ

تَروحُ عَلَيها بِالعَشِيِّ المُعَصفَرُ

تَروحُ عَلَيها بِالعَشِيِّ المُعَصفَرُ

And Hilal settled between tilled land and a village;

The crescent shone between ruins and villages

the safflower-hued return to them at evening.

Sweeping over them in the dusky twilight

أَلا إِنَّ شَرَّ الناسِ حَيثُ لَقيتَهُم

أَلا إِنَّ شَرَّ الناسِ حَيثُ لَقيتَهُم

أَراهيطُ بِالثَرثارِ حَضرى وَوُفَّرُ

أَراهيطُ بِالثَرثارِ حَضرى وَوُفَّرُ

Take heed: indeed, the worst of people, wherever you meet them,

Lo! The worst of men wherever you meet them

are the little clans at al-Tharthar—Hadra and Wuffar.

Are the wanton and reckless, the rabble and riffraff

وَعَمروُ بنُ بَكرٍ لَم تُكَشَّف سُتورُها

وَعَمروُ بنُ بَكرٍ لَم تُكَشَّف سُتورُها

وَحَرَّرتُ عَبدَ اللَهِ فيمَن يُحَرَّرُ

وَحَرَّرتُ عَبدَ اللَهِ فيمَن يُحَرَّرُ

And the veils of Amr son of Bakr were not stripped away;

And Amr son of Bakr, his secrets were not unveiled

and I freed Abd Allah among those who are freed.

As I listed Abdallah among those to be ransomed