أَلا أَبلِغ لَدَيكَ أَبا حُمَيسٍ

أَلا أَبلِغ لَدَيكَ أَبا حُمَيسٍ

وَعاقِبَةُ المَلامَةِ لِلمُليمِ

وَعاقِبَةُ المَلامَةِ لِلمُليمِ

Hark, carry this message from me to Abu Humays:

Listen: tell Abu Humays there with you—

the consequence of blame falls upon the blameworthy.

and reproach's consequences fall upon the blameworthy—

فَهَل لَكُمُ إِلى مَولىً نَصورٍ

فَهَل لَكُمُ إِلى مَولىً نَصورٍ

وَخَطبَكُمُ مِنَ اللَهِ العَظيمِ

وَخَطبَكُمُ مِنَ اللَهِ العَظيمِ

Have you, then, any protecting ally to turn to,

have you, then, recourse to an ever-helpful protector,

while your grave affliction comes from God Almighty?

when your calamity comes from God the Great?

فَإِنَّ دِيارَكُم بِجَنوبِ بُسٍّ

فَإِنَّ دِيارَكُم بِجَنوبِ بُسٍّ

إِلى ثَقفٍ إِلى ذاتِ العُظومِ

إِلى ثَقفٍ إِلى ذاتِ العُظومِ

For indeed your dwellings lie south of Buss,

For your dwellings lie south of Buss,

as far as Thaqaf, as far as Dhāt al-ʿUẓūm.

as far as Thaqf, as far as Dhat al-Uzum.

غَذَتكُم في غَداةِ الناسِ حِجا

غَذَتكُم في غَداةِ الناسِ حِجا

غِذاءَ الجائِعِ الجَدعِ اللَئيمِ

غِذاءَ الجائِعِ الجَدعِ اللَئيمِ

I fed you on the morning when the people were making the pilgrimage,

Hija fed you at the people's morning hour,

as one feeds a hungry, nose-cropped, ignoble wretch.

the fare of a hungry, underfed, ignoble man.

فَسيروا في البِلادِ وَوَدِّعونا

فَسيروا في البِلادِ وَوَدِّعونا

بِقَحطِ الغَيثِ وَالكَلَإِ الوَخيمِ

بِقَحطِ الغَيثِ وَالكَلَإِ الوَخيمِ

So journey through the lands and bid us farewell,

So travel through the lands and bid us farewell,

amid a dearth of rain and unwholesome pasture.

with rain withheld and unwholesome pasture.