تُسائِلُني بَنو جُشَمَ بنِ بَكرٍ

تُسائِلُني بَنو جُشَمَ بنِ بَكرٍ

أَغرّاءُ العَرادَةُ أَم بَهيمُ

أَغرّاءُ العَرادَةُ أَم بَهيمُ

The sons of Jusham ibn Bakr ask me:

The sons of Jusham ibn Bakr ask me,

“Is al-ʿArādah white-blazed, or solid-colored?”

Is she a chestnut mare or grey?

هِيَ الفرسُ الَّتي كَرّت عَلَيهم

هِيَ الفرسُ الَّتي كَرّت عَلَيهم

عَلَيها الشَيخُ كَالأَسَدِ الكَليمُ

عَلَيها الشَيخُ كَالأَسَدِ الكَليمُ

She is the mare that charged back upon them,

She is the horse that attacked them,

Upon her the old man, like a wounded lion.

With the sheikh on her back like a tame lion.

إِذا تَمضيهِمُ عادَت عَلَيهم

إِذا تَمضيهِمُ عادَت عَلَيهم

وَقَيَّدَها الرِّماحُ فَما تَريمُ

وَقَيَّدَها الرِّماحُ فَما تَريمُ

Whenever she passes them, she turns back upon them;

When she charges them she returns to them,

And the spears have fettered her, so she does not move away.

Her spears restrain her, though she does not care.

تَعادى مِن قَوائِمِها ثَلاثٌ

تَعادى مِن قَوائِمِها ثَلاثٌ

بِتَحجيلٍ وَقائِمَةٌ بَهيمُ

بِتَحجيلٍ وَقائِمَةٌ بَهيمُ

Three of her legs are set apart

Three of her legs move as one

By white stockings, while one leg is unmarked.

With a trot, while one moves slowly.

كُمَيتٌ غَيرُ مُحلِفَةٍ وَلَكِن

كُمَيتٌ غَيرُ مُحلِفَةٍ وَلَكِن

كَلَونِ الصِّرفِ عُلَّ بِهِ الأَديمُ

كَلَونِ الصِّرفِ عُلَّ بِهِ الأَديمُ

A bay of undisputed hue, yet

A bay without white markings, but

Like the hue of ṣirf dye with which leather is steeped again.

The tan color adorns her hide.