لِبَكرٍ لَعَمري بَكَّرَ الدَهرُ بِالرَدى

لِبَكرٍ لَعَمري بَكَّرَ الدَهرُ بِالرَدى

وَقَد عَجَّلَت أَحداثُهُ لِبَني عِجلِ

وَقَد عَجَّلَت أَحداثُهُ لِبَني عِجلِ

To Bakr, by my life, Time came early bearing death,

For my lifetime, alas, the days have hastened misfortune,

and its calamities came swiftly to the sons of Ijl;

And their events were quickly brought on the hasty tribe.

وَتَغلِبُ مِن أَحياءِ تَغلِبَ سادَةً

وَتَغلِبُ مِن أَحياءِ تَغلِبَ سادَةً

وَقَد غَلَبَتهُم قَبلَ مُختَلِفِ الرَجلِ

وَقَد غَلَبَتهُم قَبلَ مُختَلِفِ الرَجلِ

and they overcome chiefs from the clans of Taghlib,

The surviving chiefs of Taghlib were once victorious,

and they had already overcome them before a foot could stir.

But they were defeated before the warring tribes clashed.