أَلا أَبلِغا سَعدَ بنَ لَيثٍ وَجُندُعاً

أَلا أَبلِغا سَعدَ بنَ لَيثٍ وَجُندُعاً

وَكَلباً أَثيبوا المَنَّ غَيرَ المُكَدَّرِ

وَكَلباً أَثيبوا المَنَّ غَيرَ المُكَدَّرِ

Listen! You two, tell Saʿd ibn Layth and Junduʿ,

Convey to Saad ibn Layth and Jundu`,

and Kalb: repay the untainted favor.

And to Kalb - they have enjoyed favors without being embittered,

فَنَهنَهتُ أولى القَومِ عَنّي بِضَربَةٍ

فَنَهنَهتُ أولى القَومِ عَنّي بِضَربَةٍ

تَنَفَّسَ مِنها كُلُّ حَشيانِ مُجحَرِ

تَنَفَّسَ مِنها كُلُّ حَشيانِ مُجحَرِ

So I drove the foremost of the band back from me with a blow,

With one stroke, I dealt the first blow to the people,

because of which every fear-stricken man driven into hiding breathed freely.

From which every wild creature in its lair drew breath,

وَلا تَحسَبنَ جاري إِلى ظِلِّ مَرخَةٍ

وَلا تَحسَبنَ جاري إِلى ظِلِّ مَرخَةٍ

وَلا تَحسَبَنهُ فَقعَ قاعٍ بِقَرقَرِ

وَلا تَحسَبَنهُ فَقعَ قاعٍ بِقَرقَرِ

And do not think my neighbor shelters in a markh tree's shade,

Think not that my neighbor is in the shade of a tree,

nor think him a truffle in low ground on a flat, open plain.

Nor that he has fallen into a deep ravine.

وَكُنتُ إِذا جاري دَعا لِمَضوفَةٍ

وَكُنتُ إِذا جاري دَعا لِمَضوفَةٍ

أُشَمِّرِ حَتّى يَنصُفَ الساقَ مِئزِري

أُشَمِّرِ حَتّى يَنصُفَ الساقَ مِئزِري

And whenever my neighbor called for help in a calamity,

When my neighbor called for help against an aggressor,

I would tuck up my waist-wrap until it reached mid-shin.

I would roll up my sleeves to mid-forearm.

وَلكِنَّني جَمرُ الغَضا مِن وَرائِهِ

وَلكِنَّني جَمرُ الغَضا مِن وَرائِهِ

يُخَفِّرُني سَيفي إِذا لَم أُخَفَّر

يُخَفِّرُني سَيفي إِذا لَم أُخَفَّر

But I am ghada embers at his back;

But I am an ember concealed behind it,

my sword protects me when I am left unprotected.

My sword humbles me if I am not humble.

أَبي الناسُ إِلّا الشَرَّ مِنّي فَدَعهُم

أَبي الناسُ إِلّا الشَرَّ مِنّي فَدَعهُم

وَإِيّايَ ما جاءوا إِلَيَّ بِمُنكَرِ

وَإِيّايَ ما جاءوا إِلَيَّ بِمُنكَرِ

The people insist on harm from me; so leave them

People desire only evil from me, so leave them be,

and me alone, so long as they come at me with wrongdoing.

And spare me what they bring of disgrace.

إِذا مَعشَرٌ يَوماً بَغَوني بَغَيتُهُم

إِذا مَعشَرٌ يَوماً بَغَوني بَغَيتُهُم

بِمُسقِطَةِ الأَحبالِ فَقماءَ قِنطِرِ

بِمُسقِطَةِ الأَحبالِ فَقماءَ قِنطِرِ

If a band ever comes after me, I go after them

If a group one day rebels against me, I will rebel against them

with a monstrous, immense calamity that makes women miscarry.

With a perfect blow that severs the ropes of the bridge.

إِذا أَدرَكَت أولاهُم أُخرَياتُهُم

إِذا أَدرَكَت أولاهُم أُخرَياتُهُم

حَنَوتُ لَهُم بِالسَندَرِيِّ المُوَتَّرِ

حَنَوتُ لَهُم بِالسَندَرِيِّ المُوَتَّرِ

When their rear ranks catch up with their foremost,

When the first of them overtakes the last of them,

I bend toward them with the strung sandari bow,

I will stoop upon them with a polished spear.

وَطَعنٍ كَرُمحِ الشَولِ أَمسَت غَوارِزاً

وَطَعنٍ كَرُمحِ الشَولِ أَمسَت غَوارِزاً

جَواذِبُها تَأبى عَلى المُتَغَبِّرِ

جَواذِبُها تَأبى عَلى المُتَغَبِّرِ

and thrusts like the kicks of she-camels that have gone dry:

With a stab like a spear impaling a largemouth bass,

their milk-withholding ones refuse to yield to the milker seeking the last drops.

Its barbs refuse to be stained with blood.

مَنَنتُ عَلى لَيثِ بنِ سَعدٍ وَجُندُعٍ

مَنَنتُ عَلى لَيثِ بنِ سَعدٍ وَجُندُعٍ

أَثيبي بِها سَعدَ بنَ لَيثٍ أَو اِكفُري

أَثيبي بِها سَعدَ بنَ لَيثٍ أَو اِكفُري

I bestowed a favor on Layth ibn Saʿd and Junduʿ;

I have bestowed favor upon Layth ibn Saad and Jundu,

repay it, Saʿd ibn Layth, or be ungrateful.

With it I reward Saad ibn Layth or disbelieve.

وَقُلتُ لَهُم قَد أَدرَكَتكُم كَتيبَةٌ

وَقُلتُ لَهُم قَد أَدرَكَتكُم كَتيبَةٌ

مُفَسِّدَةُ الأَدبارِ ما لَم تُخَفَّرِ

مُفَسِّدَةُ الأَدبارِ ما لَم تُخَفَّرِ

And I told them: a warband has indeed overtaken you,

And I said to them an army has overtaken you

ravaging the rear so long as no protection is granted.

That disorders the heels unless they are humbled.