وَفِتْيَةٍand young men مِنْfrom بَنيthe sons of سَعْدٍSaʿd طَرَقْتُهُمُI came upon them by night
وَفِتْيَةٍ مِنْ بَني سَعْدٍ طَرَقْتُهُمُ
فَبِتُّso I spent the night أَلْبِسُI mingle in combat بِالْأَبْطالِwith the champions أَبْطالاchampions
فَبِتُّ أَلْبِسُ بِالْأَبْطالِ أَبْطالا
And many a band of young men of Banū Saʿd I came upon by night;
And I came upon young men of Banu Saʿd by night,
I spent the night pitting champions against champions.
so I spent the night pitting champions against champions.
ثُمَّthen انْصَرَفْتُI withdrew وَجُرْدُand the sleek ones الخَيْلِof the horses دامِيَةٌbloodied
ثُمَّ انْصَرَفْتُ وَجُرْدُ الخَيْلِ دامِيَةٌ
صُدورهُنَّtheir chests وَلَمْand not يُكْلَمْنَwere they wounded أَكْفالاin their rumps
صُدورهُنَّ وَلَمْ يُكْلَمْنَ أَكْفالا
Then I withdrew, with the sleek steeds bleeding
Then I withdrew, the sleek steeds bloodied
From their chests, while their croups had suffered no wound.
at their chests, but unwounded in their rumps.
وَكُنْتُand I was أُعْلِمُهُمْinforming them أَنِّيthat I مُجالِدُهُمْtheir opponent in sword combat
وَكُنْتُ أُعْلِمُهُمْ أَنِّي مُجالِدُهُمْ
بِصارِمِيwith my keen sword فَوَفىso he kept faith حُرٌّa noble man بِماwith what قالاhe said
بِصارِمِي فَوَفى حُرٌّ بِما قالا
I had made known to them that I would cross swords with them
And I had told them that I would fight them
With my keen sword—thus a freeborn man fulfilled his word.
with my keen sword; so a noble man kept his word.
