لِمَنْbelonging to whom? فِتْيَةٌyoung men مَنشورَةٌspread loose وَفَراتُهاtheir locks
لِمَنْ فِتْيَةٌ مَنشورَةٌ وَفَراتُها
رَواعِفُdripping blood فيin أيْمانِهاtheir right hands قَنَواتُهاtheir spears
رَواعِفُ في أيْمانِها قَنَواتُها
Whose are these youths, their locks spread loose,
For whom are the valiant youths with blades unsheathed,
their spears dripping blood in their right hands?
whose streams in their right hands form abundant tributaries?
تُليحُbring into view بِهِمْwith them جُرْدُsleek المَذاكيfull-grown steeds عَوابِساًscowling
تُليحُ بِهِمْ جُرْدُ المَذاكي عَوابِساً
وقدand already طاوَلَتْrivaled in height أرماحَهُمْtheir lances صَهَواتُهاtheir backs
وقد طاوَلَتْ أرماحَهُمْ صَهَواتُها
Sleek, full-grown steeds bear them into view, scowling,
With them the tribe's warriors scowl severely,
their backs already rivaling the men's lances in height.
their long spears having reached the clouds.
إذاwhen الحَربُwar شُبَّتْwas kindled بالأسِنّةِwith spearheads والظُّبىand sword-edges
إذا الحَربُ شُبَّتْ بالأسِنّةِ والظُّبى
فهُمْthen they حينَwhen تَصْطَكُّclash القَناthe spears جَمَراتُهاits live embers
فهُمْ حينَ تَصْطَكُّ القَنا جَمَراتُها
When war is kindled with spearheads and sword-edges,
When war flares with tongues and sparks,
they are its live embers when the spears clash.
they are embers when the flints collide.
لهُمْthey have فيamong بَنيthe sons of البَرْشاءِal-Barsha' قَتْلىslain men كأنَّماas though
لهُمْ في بَني البَرْشاءِ قَتْلى كأنَّما
أُميلَتْwere toppled علىupon بَطْحائهِمْtheir plain نَخَلاتُهاits palm trees
أُميلَتْ على بَطْحائهِمْ نَخَلاتُها
They have slain men among Banu al-Barsha', as though
Among the sons of Banisha their dead are like
their plain's palm trees had been toppled upon it.
palm trees tilted over their sand dunes.
تَدوسُهُمُtrample them خَيْلٌhorses عِتاقٌnoble-bred وغِلْمَةٌand youths
تَدوسُهُمُ خَيْلٌ عِتاقٌ وغِلْمَةٌ
تَسيلُflows علىalong حَدِّthe edge of الظُّبىthe blades مُهَجاتُهاtheir lifeblood
تَسيلُ على حَدِّ الظُّبى مُهَجاتُها
Noble-bred horses trample them, and youths
Horses, noble and colts, trample them,
whose lifeblood streams along the edges of blades.
their forelocks dripping blood on the sandy ground.
وقدand indeed عَلِمَتْhave learned عُلْياthe noblest of نِزارٍNizar ويَعْرُبٍand Ya'rub
وقد عَلِمَتْ عُلْيا نِزارٍ ويَعْرُبٍ
غَداةَon the morning استُثيرَwas stirred up النَّقْعُthe dust أنّاthat we are كُماتُهاtheir armored champions
غَداةَ استُثيرَ النَّقْعُ أنّا كُماتُها
The noblest of Nizar and Ya'rub have indeed learned,
The clans of Nizar and Yaarub knew
on the morning the dust was stirred, that we are their champions.
when the conflict stirred that we were their ending.
تُلَوِّيtwist أنابيبَthe jointed shafts of الرِّماحِthe spears بطَعْنَةٍwith a thrust
تُلَوِّي أنابيبَ الرِّماحِ بطَعْنَةٍ
مُخالِسَةٍdelivered by surprise تَزْوَرُّrecoil عنهاfrom it أُساتُهاits healers
مُخالِسَةٍ تَزْوَرُّ عنها أُساتُها
They twist the jointed shafts of spears with a thrust
Our spear-tips twist with piercing stabs
delivered by surprise, from which its healers recoil.
that our blades disguise with feints.
وتُولِغُand make lap فيinto اللّبّاتِthe throat-hollows بِيضاًbright swords فَتَنْثَنيso they turn back
وتُولِغُ في اللّبّاتِ بِيضاً فَتَنْثَني
مِنَfrom الدّمِthe blood حُمْراًred تَلْتَظيblaze شَفَراتُهاtheir edges
مِنَ الدّمِ حُمْراً تَلْتَظي شَفَراتُها
And make bright swords lap at throats, till they turn back
They soak the armor with eggs that then bend
red with blood, their edges blazing.
from the blood, glowing red on their edges.
وهلْand are ...? نَحنُwe إلاanything but عُصْبَةٌa band خِندِفِيّةٌof Khindif
وهلْ نَحنُ إلا عُصْبَةٌ خِندِفِيّةٌ
تَرادَفَfollow one another to غاياتِthe utmost goals of العُلاglory سَرَواتُهاits nobles
تَرادَفَ غاياتِ العُلا سَرَواتُها
Are we anything but a band of Khindif,
Are we not the Kinda band, for whom
whose nobles follow one another to glory's utmost heights?
the heights of glory are their meadows?
تُضَوِّعُexhale أرياحَthe scents of النّجيعِfresh blood دُروعُهُمْtheir coats of mail
تُضَوِّعُ أرياحَ النّجيعِ دُروعُهُمْ
وتَنفَحُand waft مِسْكاًmusk ساطِعاًstrongly fragrant حِبَراتُهاtheir striped robes
وتَنفَحُ مِسْكاً ساطِعاً حِبَراتُها
Their coats of mail exhale the scents of fresh blood,
Their shields scent the camps' breeze with musk
and their striped robes waft pungent musk.
wafting from their tomes in the evening.
وتَدعوand call إذاwhen اسْتَشْرىgrow fierce العِداthe enemies ياO لَغالبٍGhalib, to the rescue!
وتَدعو إذا اسْتَشْرى العِدا يا لَغالبٍ
فتُشْرِقُthen shine مِنfrom أبطالِناour champions قَسَماتُهاits facial features
فتُشْرِقُ مِن أبطالِنا قَسَماتُها
When the foes grow fierce, they cry, 'Ghalib, to the rescue!'
And when foes throng, they call, "O vanquisher!"
so its features shine forth from our champions.
so our heroes' features shine like beacons.
وَهُمْand they فيin سَرابيلِtunics of الحَديدِiron ضَراغِمٌlions
وَهُمْ في سَرابيلِ الحَديدِ ضَراغِمٌ
ومِنْand from قِصَدٍfragments of خَطِّيَّةٍKhatti spears أجَماتُهاtheir thickets
ومِنْ قِصَدٍ خَطِّيَّةٍ أجَماتُها
In their iron tunics they are lions,
In iron armor they are recalcitrant lions
and broken Khatti spears form their thickets.
with upright morals their character traits.
وتَطغَىand surge fiercely بِناthrough us يَومَon the day of الوَغىbattle جاهِليَّةٌpre-Islamic fervor
وتَطغَى بِنا يَومَ الوَغى جاهِليَّةٌ
تَرَدَّدُecho فيin أعطافِناour limbs نَخَواتُهاits proud passions
تَرَدَّدُ في أعطافِنا نَخَواتُها
A pre-Islamic fervor surges through us on battle's day,
On the chaotic day of war, paganism rises in us,
its proud passions echoing through our limbs.
its patterns reverberating in our flanks.
ونَسْحَبُand we drag أذيالَthe skirts of السّوابِغِfull-length mail والقَناand the spears
ونَسْحَبُ أذيالَ السّوابِغِ والقَنا
شَوارِعُleveled والهَيجاءُand battle شتَّىvaried دُعَاتُهاits callers
شَوارِعُ والهَيجاءُ شتَّى دُعَاتُها
We trail the skirts of full-length mail, while the spears
We drag the train of gowns and spears,
are leveled, and battle's callers are many and varied.
the streets and excited throngs of all their callers.
فلِلّهِso praise God for حَيُّa clan مِنْof كِنانَةَKinana أرْقَلواthey hastened
فلِلّهِ حَيُّ مِنْ كِنانَةَ أرْقَلوا
إِلىto رُتَبٍstations لاnot تُمتَطىare mounted هَضَباتُهاtheir heights
إِلى رُتَبٍ لا تُمتَطى هَضَباتُها
Praise be to God for a clan of Kinana, who hastened
By God! Those whom Kinana raised to ranks
to stations whose heights cannot be scaled.
where their plateaus cannot be scaled!
بأيْمانِهِمْin their right hands بِيضٌbright swords مشاريفُMashrafi تَختَليcut down
بأيْمانِهِمْ بِيضٌ مشاريفُ تَختَلي
رُؤوساًheads منof الأعداءِthe enemies مالَتْhave drooped طُلاتُهاtheir necks
رُؤوساً من الأعداءِ مالَتْ طُلاتُها
In their right hands are bright Mashrafi swords, cutting down
With their oaths are brilliant swords that make
the heads of foes whose necks have drooped.
severed enemy heads tilt to their sides.
بأفيائِهِمْin their shade قُبٌّslim-bellied عناجيجُswift steeds تَرعَويreturn
بأفيائِهِمْ قُبٌّ عناجيجُ تَرعَوي
إلَيهمْto them لَدىbeside أطنابِهِمْtheir tent-ropes مُهَراتُهاtheir fillies
إلَيهمْ لَدى أطنابِهِمْ مُهَراتُها
In their shade are lean, fleet steeds; returning
Their young camels are called to them, necks craning
to them beside their tent-ropes are the steeds' fillies.
toward their masters at their halting places.
يَشُبُّونَthey kindle بالبَطْحاءِon the plain ناراًa fire قَديمَةًancient
يَشُبُّونَ بالبَطْحاءِ ناراً قَديمَةً
تَوَقَّدُblaze والآفاقُwhile the horizons خُضْرٌgreen لَظاتُهاits flames
تَوَقَّدُ والآفاقُ خُضْرٌ لَظاتُها
They kindle on the plain an ancient fire,
They kindle on the sand dune an ancient flame
its flames blazing even when the horizons are green.
that blazes while the horizons are still green.
وتَدْمىand bleed عَراقيبُthe hocks of المَطِيِّthe riding-camels إذاwhen حَدَتْdrive onward
وتَدْمى عَراقيبُ المَطِيِّ إذا حَدَتْ
إلَيهمْto them أعاريبَthe nomadic Arabs الفَلاof the wilderness سَنَواتُهاits drought-years
إلَيهمْ أعاريبَ الفَلا سَنَواتُها
And the riding-camels' hocks bleed at the driving
When their racing camels charge the separated bands,
of desert Arabs to them by the desert's years of drought.
their strident cries melt their blades.
إذاwhen ماever (emphasis) عَقَدْناwe tied رايَةًa banner مُقتَدِيَّةًof al-Muqtadi
إذا ما عَقَدْنا رايَةً مُقتَدِيَّةً
رَجَعْناwe returned بِهاwith it خَفّاقَةًfluttering عَذَباتُهاits streamers
رَجَعْنا بِها خَفّاقَةً عَذَباتُها
Whenever we bind a banner of al-Muqtadi,
When we raise our rightly-guided banner,
we return with it, its streamers fluttering.
we return it fluttering, gentle and pure.
يَسيرُmarch حَوالَيْهاaround it المُلوكُthe kings بأوجُهٍwith faces
يَسيرُ حَوالَيْها المُلوكُ بأوجُهٍ
تُباهيvie in splendor with ظُبىthe edges of أسيافِهِمْtheir swords صَفَحاتُهاtheir cheeks
تُباهي ظُبى أسيافِهِمْ صَفَحاتُها
Around it kings march with faces
Kings walk about it with faces that outshine
whose cheeks vie in splendor with their sword-edges.
their swords, pages glittering like its tablets.
إذاwhen رَكزوهاthey planted it فالأنامُthen humankind عُفاتُهُمْtheir petitioners
إذا رَكزوها فالأنامُ عُفاتُهُمْ
وإنْand if رَفَعوهاthey raised it فالنّسورُthen the vultures عُفاتُهاits petitioners
وإنْ رَفَعوها فالنّسورُ عُفاتُها
When they plant it, humankind are their petitioners;
If they anchor it, the people are chaste.
and when they raise it, vultures are its petitioners.
And if they raise it, then the eagles are chaste.
تَرُدُّturn away شُعاعَthe rays of الشّمْسِthe sun عنهمْfrom them أسِنّةٌspearheads
تَرُدُّ شُعاعَ الشّمْسِ عنهمْ أسِنّةٌ
تَذوبُmelt علىupon أطرافِهِنَّtheir tips أياتُهاits radiance
تَذوبُ على أطرافِهِنَّ أياتُها
Spearheads turn the sun's rays away from them,
Tongues deflect the sun's rays from them,
its radiance melting upon their tips.
their tips melting with the signs upon them.
وتختالُand strides proudly فيهمْamong them عَزْمَةٌa resolve نَبَويَّةٌprophetic
وتختالُ فيهمْ عَزْمَةٌ نَبَويَّةٌ
إذاwhen الحربُwar طاشَتْran wild وقَّرَتْهاsteadied it أناتُهاits deliberateness
إذا الحربُ طاشَتْ وقَّرَتْها أناتُها
Among them a prophetic resolve strides proudly;
A prophetic resolve shines within them.
when war runs wild, that resolve's patience steadies it.
When war rages, their moaning calms it.
لكُمْyou have ياO بنيsons of العبّاسِal-'Abbas فيin المَجْدِglory سورَةٌa lofty tower
لكُمْ يا بني العبّاسِ في المَجْدِ سورَةٌ
تَبَحْبَحَdwell spaciously فيin حَيَّيْthe two clans of نِزارٍNizar بُناتُهاits builders
تَبَحْبَحَ في حَيَّيْ نِزارٍ بُناتُها
You, sons of al-'Abbas, have a lofty tower in glory,
O clan of Abbas, you have in glory a chapter
its builders dwelling at ease among Nizar's two clans.
that gurgles in the life of Nizar's daughter!
وأنتمْand you أعاليthe upper branches of دَوْحةٍa great tree مُضَريَّةٍof Mudar
وأنتمْ أعالي دَوْحةٍ مُضَريَّةٍ
تَطيبُgrow sweet علىwith مَرِّthe passing of اللّياليthe nights جَناتُهاits fruits
تَطيبُ على مَرِّ اللّيالي جَناتُها
You are the upper branches of a great tree of Mudar,
You are the lofty palms of Mudar's oasis,
whose fruits sweeten with the passing nights.
fragrant through the nights' passage.
إذاwhen انْتَضَلَتْcontended بالفَخْرِin glory كَعبٌKa'b توشّحَتْadorned themselves
إذا انْتَضَلَتْ بالفَخْرِ كَعبٌ توشّحَتْ
بكمْwith you غُرَراًwhite blazes مَشهورةًrenowned جَبَهاتُهاits foreheads
بكمْ غُرَراً مَشهورةً جَبَهاتُها
When Ka'b contends in glory, it is adorned
When Kaab donned the mantle of glory,
with you—renowned white blazes upon its brows.
their foreheads were adorned by your pearls.
إليكمْto you رسولُthe Messenger of اللهِGod أوصىentrusted بأمّةٍa community
إليكمْ رسولُ اللهِ أوصى بأمّةٍ
أقامَتْsettled بمُستَنِّon the course of الرّشادِright guidance غُواتُهاits wayward members
أقامَتْ بمُستَنِّ الرّشادِ غُواتُها
God's Messenger entrusted a community to you,
To you Allah's Messenger entrusted a nation
whose wayward members settled on the path of right guidance.
that set up the pole of guidance firmly.
فمَهزوزَةٌthen shaken إنْif رُوِّعَتْit was frightened أسَلاتُكُمْyour spear-points
فمَهزوزَةٌ إنْ رُوِّعَتْ أسَلاتُكُمْ
ومَغْفورَةٌand forgiven إنْif أذنَبَتْit sinned هَفَواتُهاits lapses
ومَغْفورَةٌ إنْ أذنَبَتْ هَفَواتُها
Your spear-points are brandished if it is frightened,
So long as your roots are firm, if shaken,
and its lapses are forgiven if it sins.
and forgiven, if mistakes occur, it thrives.
ولمْand did not تُشْرِقِshine الأيّامُthe days إلاexcept بِعَدْلِكُمْthrough your justice
ولمْ تُشْرِقِ الأيّامُ إلا بِعَدْلِكُمْ
فَماso how أحسَنَbeautiful الدنياthe world وأنتمْwhile you حُماتُهاits protectors
فَما أحسَنَ الدنيا وأنتمْ حُماتُها
The days have shone only through your justice;
The days did not shine except through your justice,
how fair the world, with you as its protectors!
how excellent is the world with you as its pillars!
وفيكمand in you سجاياqualities منfrom قُصَيٍّQusayy وإنّماand only
وفيكم سجايا من قُصَيٍّ وإنّما
مَساعيthe endeavors of الإمامِthe Imam القائميِّal-Qa'imi صِفاتُهاtheir descriptions
مَساعي الإمامِ القائميِّ صِفاتُها
In you are traits from Qusayy, and nothing but
And in you are the traits of Qusayy. Indeed
the deeds of Imam al-Qa'imi describe them.
the efforts of the Imam al-Qa'imi are their qualities.
ويَنْسِبُهاand proclaims their lineage شِعريmy poetry بأكْنافِaround بابِلٍBabylon
ويَنْسِبُها شِعري بأكْنافِ بابِلٍ
كماas انْتَسَبَتْnamed themselves وَهْناًlate at night لِصَحْبيto my companions قَطاتُهاits sandgrouse
كما انْتَسَبَتْ وَهْناً لِصَحْبي قَطاتُها
My poetry declares their lineage around Babylon,
And my poetry relates them to Babylon's realms
as its sandgrouse named themselves to my companions late at night.
just as the weak related to my friends' cats.
لكُمْyou have أوجُهٌfaces للعَيْنِfor the eye فيهِنَّin them مَسْرَحٌa field to roam
لكُمْ أوجُهٌ للعَيْنِ فيهِنَّ مَسْرَحٌ
حَكَتْresembled مَشْرَفثيّاتٍMashrafi swords أُرِقَّتْwere thinned ظُباتُهاtheir edges
حَكَتْ مَشْرَفثيّاتٍ أُرِقَّتْ ظُباتُها
You have faces where the eye finds room to roam,
You have faces that delight the eye. In them is a theater
resembling Mashrafi swords whose edges have been thinned.
where gazelles, made sleepless, were depicted.
وأيْدٍand hands كَماas when حَلَّloosened الغَمامُthe cloud نِطاقَهُits girdle
وأيْدٍ كَما حَلَّ الغَمامُ نِطاقَهُ
تُدِرُّpour forth أفاويقَspurts of الغِنىwealth نَفَحاتُهاtheir gifts
تُدِرُّ أفاويقَ الغِنى نَفَحاتُها
And hands, like a cloud that has loosened its girdle,
And hands, around which the clouds wrap their waistbands,
their gifts pouring forth gushes of wealth.
spilling the torrents of wealth in their gestures.
فمَنْso who مُبلِغٌwill tell أفناءَthe branches of خِنْدِفَKhindif أنّنيthat I
فمَنْ مُبلِغٌ أفناءَ خِنْدِفَ أنّني
بأفْنِيَةٍin courtyards مُخْضَرَّةٍgreen عَرَصاتُهاtheir open grounds
بأفْنِيَةٍ مُخْضَرَّةٍ عَرَصاتُها
Who will tell the branches of Khindif that I am
Who will convey to Kinda's meadows that I
in courtyards whose open grounds are green?
am in a verdant courtyard where the dew descends?
يَروحُcomes at evening علىupon صَحْبيmy companions بأرجائِهاthroughout their grounds الندىًbounty
يَروحُ على صَحْبي بأرجائِها الندىً
وتَغْدوand go at morning بأشعاريwith my poems إليهاto them رُواتُهاtheir reciters
وتَغْدو بأشعاري إليها رُواتُها
Bounty comes at evening to my companions throughout their grounds,
The dew roams upon my companions in its corners,
and at morning my poems' reciters bring them there.
and my poems wander to it as narrators.
وتَغليand seethe بأسرارِwith the secrets of العُذَيبِal-'Udhayb ضَمائِريmy inmost thoughts
وتَغلي بأسرارِ العُذَيبِ ضَمائِري
ولكنْbut قَليلٌfew فيin النّوىseparation هَفَواتُهاtheir lapses
ولكنْ قَليلٌ في النّوى هَفَواتُها
My inmost thoughts seethe with the secrets of al-'Udhayb,
My conscience seethes with secrets of passion,
but in separation their lapses are few.
but few mistakes occur in good intentions.
وتُطرِبُنيand moves me to rapture الذِّكرىremembrance فأشتاقُso I long for فِتيَةًyoung men
وتُطرِبُني الذِّكرى فأشتاقُ فِتيَةً
تَدورُcirculate علىfor باغيthe seeker of القِرَىhospitality جَفَناتُهاtheir great bowls
تَدورُ على باغي القِرَى جَفَناتُها
Remembrance moves me to rapture, and I long for young men
Memory excites me, so I long for youths
whose great bowls go round to the seeker of hospitality.
who circle around my abode in the villages.
وأكْتُمُand I conceal ماwhat لوif شاعspread abroad أغرىwould incite بيَagainst me العِداthe enemies
وأكْتُمُ ما لو شاع أغرى بيَ العِدا
فبالجِزْعِfor at al-Jiz' أحلامٌminds خَفيفٌlight حَصاتُهاtheir judgment
فبالجِزْعِ أحلامٌ خَفيفٌ حَصاتُها
I conceal what, if spread abroad, would incite my foes against me;
I conceal what, if spread, would incite the foe.
for at al-Jiz' are minds light in judgment.
For in anxiety are aspirations with modest pebbles.
وأذكُرُand I remember أيّاماًdays بجَرعاءِat Jar'a' مالِكٍMalik
وأذكُرُ أيّاماً بجَرعاءِ مالِكٍ
رِقاقاًtender حَواشيهاtheir fringes غِضاباًangry وُشاتُهاtheir tale-bearers
رِقاقاً حَواشيها غِضاباً وُشاتُها
I remember days at Jar'a' Malik,
I recall days in Jarud's possession,
tender in their fringes, with their tale-bearers angry.
its margins veiled, wrathful and impetuous.
ولَوand if عَلِمَتْknew بغدادُBaghdad أنّthat ركائِبيmy riding-camels
ولَو عَلِمَتْ بغدادُ أنّ ركائِبي
علىin ظَمَأٍthirst لاسْتَشْرَفَتْwould surely rise ليtoward me صراتُهاits Sarat
على ظَمَأٍ لاسْتَشْرَفَتْ لي صراتُها
If Baghdad knew that my riding-camels
If Baghdad knew my mounts were thirsty,
were thirsty, its Sarat would rise to meet me.
it would have poured out its cisterns for me.
ولكنّهاbut they تحتَunder الأزِمَّةِthe reins خُضَّعٌsubmissive
ولكنّها تحتَ الأزِمَّةِ خُضَّعٌ
إذاwhen جَأْجَأَتْurged with calls بيwith me منْfrom بَعيدٍafar سُقاتُهاtheir drivers
إذا جَأْجَأَتْ بي منْ بَعيدٍ سُقاتُها
Yet they bow submissively beneath the reins,
But it is subjugated in crisis. From afar,
when their drivers urge them onward with me from afar.
its water-carriers babble confusedly to me.
فأوْرَدَهاso brought them to water الرّأيُthe counsel الظَّهيريُّZahiri مَسْرحاًa pasture
فأوْرَدَها الرّأيُ الظَّهيريُّ مَسْرحاً
علىbeside نُغَبٍdraughts of water زُرْقٍblue تَجَلّتْcleared away قَذاتُهاtheir motes
على نُغَبٍ زُرْقٍ تَجَلّتْ قَذاتُها
So Zahiri counsel brought them to a pasture,
Sound opinion made it a theater
beside blue draughts of water from which the motes had cleared.
upon azure carpets where its splendor shone.
وتِلْكَand those رِكابيmy riding-camels إنْif غَرِضْنَgrew weary ببَلدَةٍof a town
وتِلْكَ رِكابي إنْ غَرِضْنَ ببَلدَةٍ
بَكَرْنَdeparted early ولمْand did not تَشعُرْnotice بسَيْريmy departure بُزاتُهاits falcons
بَكَرْنَ ولمْ تَشعُرْ بسَيْري بُزاتُها
Such are my riding-camels: if they tire of a town,
My mounts, if they head to some land,
they depart early, its falcons unaware of my journey.
arrive unsuspected, their tags unnoticed.
تَرودُseek مَصابَthe rainfall-site of المُزْنِthe rain-clouds أنّىwherever تَلَوَّمَتْthey linger
تَرودُ مَصابَ المُزْنِ أنّى تَلَوَّمَتْ
وتُنكِرُand disdain أفلاقَthe shards of الحَصَىgravel ثَفَناتُهاtheir calloused pads
وتُنكِرُ أفلاقَ الحَصَى ثَفَناتُها
They seek where rain-clouds spill, wherever they linger,
They repel the affliction of want wherever it turns
and their calloused pads disdain shards of gravel.
and deny the cheeks of pebbles their wrinkles.
فلاso may not خَيَّمَتْpitch tents إلاexcept لدَيكُمْwith you مَدائِحيmy praises
فلا خَيَّمَتْ إلا لدَيكُمْ مَدائِحي
ولاand may not ساقَهاdrive them إلاexcept إلَيْكُمْto you حُداتُهاtheir camel-chanters
ولا ساقَها إلا إلَيْكُمْ حُداتُها
So may my praises pitch their tents nowhere but with you,
So it is to you my praises incline,
and may their camel-chanters drive them nowhere but to you.
and to you alone my songs carry their reins.