فَمَن يَكُ أَمسى في بِلادِ مُقامَةٍ

فَمَن يَكُ أَمسى في بِلادِ مُقامَةٍ

يُسائِلُ أَطلالاً بِها لا تُجاوِبُ

يُسائِلُ أَطلالاً بِها لا تُجاوِبُ

So whoever finds himself at evening in a settled land,

So who will dwell in the abodes of those who halted,

questioning ruins there that give no answer—

Asking ruins there that give no reply?

فَلَاِبنَةِ حِطّانَ بنِ قَيسٍ مَنازِلٌ

فَلَاِبنَةِ حِطّانَ بنِ قَيسٍ مَنازِلٌ

كَما نَمَّقَ العُنوانَ في الرَقِّ كاتِبُ

كَما نَمَّقَ العُنوانَ في الرَقِّ كاتِبُ

Hittan son of Qays’s daughter has dwelling-sites,

The dwellings of Banu Hittan son of Qais,

like a heading a scribe has adorned on parchment.

Like lines traced by a writer on parchment.

تُمَشّي بِها حولُ النِعامِ كَأَنَّها

تُمَشّي بِها حولُ النِعامِ كَأَنَّها

أَماءٌ تُزَجّى بِالعَشِيِّ خَواطِبُ

أَماءٌ تُزَجّى بِالعَشِيِّ خَواطِبُ

Squint-eyed ostriches walk there, as though they were

The ostriches walk round them as though they were

slave women urged along at dusk, seeking husbands.

Beautiful maidens, courted in the evening.

وَقَفتُ بِها أَبكي وَأُشعَرُ سُنخَةً

وَقَفتُ بِها أَبكي وَأُشعَرُ سُنخَةً

كَما اِعتادَ مَحموماً بِخَيبَرَ صالِبُ

كَما اِعتادَ مَحموماً بِخَيبَرَ صالِبُ

I stood there weeping, feeling feverish sickness,

I stopped and wept there, feeling deep grief,

as a fierce fever revisits a fever-stricken man at Khaybar.

As a lovelorn man did at ruined Khaybar.

خَليلَيَّ عوجا مِن نَجاءِ شِمِلَّةٍ

خَليلَيَّ عوجا مِن نَجاءِ شِمِلَّةٍ

عَلَيها فَتًى كَالسَيفِ أَروَعُ شاحِبُ

عَلَيها فَتًى كَالسَيفِ أَروَعُ شاحِبُ

My two companions, turn aside from a fleet she-camel’s swift course,

My two friends, press on from Najaa Shamila,

bearing a youth like a sword, splendid and pale.

Over which stands a knight like a gleaming sword.

خَليلايَ هَوجاءُ النَجاءِ شِمِلَّةٌ

خَليلايَ هَوجاءُ النَجاءِ شِمِلَّةٌ

وَذو شُطبٍ لا يَجتَويهِ المُصاحِبُ

وَذو شُطبٍ لا يَجتَويهِ المُصاحِبُ

My two companions are a headlong, fleet she-camel

My two friends, swerve away from Najaa Shamila,

and a grooved blade its companion never finds hateful.

A rough ground no companion can endure.

وَقَد عِشتُ دَهراً وَالغُواةُ صَحابَتي

وَقَد عِشتُ دَهراً وَالغُواةُ صَحابَتي

أَولائِكَ خُلصاني الَّذين أُصاحِبُ

أَولائِكَ خُلصاني الَّذين أُصاحِبُ

I lived long with wayward men as my companions;

Long have I lived while free spirits were my friends,

those are my close friends, whose company I keep.

Those were my true ones I would accompany.

قَرينَةَ مَن أَسفى وَقُلِّدَ حَبلَهُ

قَرينَةَ مَن أَسفى وَقُلِّدَ حَبلَهُ

وَحاذَرَ جَرّاهُ الصَديقُ الأَقارِبُ

وَحاذَرَ جَرّاهُ الصَديقُ الأَقارِبُ

As companion to one who acted basely and was given his own rein,

The mate of him who grieved and donned the rope of death,

whose wrongdoing friends and close kin feared.

And shunned the pull of a kinsman's tie.

فَأَدَّيتُ عَنّي ما اِستَعَرتُ مِنَ الصِبا

فَأَدَّيتُ عَنّي ما اِستَعَرتُ مِنَ الصِبا

وَلِلمالِ عِندي اليَومَ راعٍ وَكاسِبُ

وَلِلمالِ عِندي اليَومَ راعٍ وَكاسِبُ

So I repaid what I had borrowed from youth,

So I discharged on my own part what I borrowed from youth,

and today wealth has in me a keeper and an earner.

And now for wealth I have a guardian and earner.

لِكُلّ أُناسٍ مِن مَعَدٍّ عِمارَة

لِكُلّ أُناسٍ مِن مَعَدٍّ عِمارَة

عَروضٌ إِلَيها يَلجَئونَ وَجانِبُ

عَروضٌ إِلَيها يَلجَئونَ وَجانِبُ

Each people of Maʿadd has a settled territory,

For every people of Ma'add there are dwellings

a district to which they turn for refuge, and a tract of land.

To which they repair at times for refuge.

لُكَيزٌ لَها البَحرانِ وَالسَيفُ دونَهُ

لُكَيزٌ لَها البَحرانِ وَالسَيفُ دونَهُ

وَإِن يَأتِهِم ناسٌ مِنَ الهِندِ هارِبُ

وَإِن يَأتِهِم ناسٌ مِنَ الهِندِ هارِبُ

Lukayz has Bahrain and the shore this side of it,

Al-Hirah has the two seas but the sword below it,

yet flees if people from India come upon them.

And should Indians come to it in flight.

تَطايَرُ عَن أَعجازِ حوشٍ كَأَنَّها

تَطايَرُ عَن أَعجازِ حوشٍ كَأَنَّها

جَهامٌ هَراق ماءه فَهوَ آئِبُ

جَهامٌ هَراق ماءه فَهوَ آئِبُ

They scatter from behind wild-bred camels, as though these were

Birds take wing from the backs of a courtyard as though they were

a rainless cloud that has shed its water and is returning.

A rushing torrent whose flow was cut off.

وَبَكرٌ لَها بَرُّ العِراقِ ولن تَخَف

وَبَكرٌ لَها بَرُّ العِراقِ ولن تَخَف

يَحُل به حتى اليَمامَةِ حاجِبُ

يَحُل به حتى اليَمامَةِ حاجِبُ

Bakr has Iraq’s open country, and will not fear

And Bakr whose land is the expanse of Iraq will not fear

Hajib settling there, all the way to al-Yamamah.

Any harm befalling it as far as al-Yamama.

وَصارَت تَميمٌ بَينَ قُفٍّ وَرَملَةٍ

وَصارَت تَميمٌ بَينَ قُفٍّ وَرَملَةٍ

لَها مِن جِبالٍ مُنتَأى وَمَذاهِبُ

لَها مِن جِبالٍ مُنتَأى وَمَذاهِبُ

Tamim has settled between rocky upland and sandy ground,

Tamim lies between ridges and sandy plains.

with mountain retreats and paths of escape.

It has mountains, remote and far extending.

وَكَلبٌ لَها خَبتٌ فَرَملَةُ عالِجٍ

وَكَلبٌ لَها خَبتٌ فَرَملَةُ عالِجٍ

إِلى الحَرَّةِ الرَجلاءِ حَيثُ تُحارِبُ

إِلى الحَرَّةِ الرَجلاءِ حَيثُ تُحارِبُ

Kalb has a lowland, then the sands of ʿAlij,

And Kalb whose war-trained men's succor is the sandy plain of `Alij

as far as the rugged Harrah, where they fight.

Against the noble fighters where war is waged.

وَغَسّانُ حَيُّ عِزُّهُم في سِواهُمُ

وَغَسّانُ حَيُّ عِزُّهُم في سِواهُمُ

تُجالِدُ عَنهُم حُسَّرٌ وَكَتائِبُ

تُجالِدُ عَنهُم حُسَّرٌ وَكَتائِبُ

Ghassan is a clan whose might rests in others;

And Ghassan, alive is their glory among their neighbors,

unarmored warriors and battalions fight on their behalf.

Husayn and armies fight on their behalf.

وَبَهراءُ حَيُّ قَد عَلِمنا مَكانَهُم

وَبَهراءُ حَيُّ قَد عَلِمنا مَكانَهُم

لَهُم شَركٌ حَولَ الرَصافةِ لاحِبُ

لَهُم شَركٌ حَولَ الرَصافةِ لاحِبُ

Bahraʾ is a clan whose place we know;

And the Bahraa, alive we knew well their abode,

theirs is a well-marked roadway around al-Rusafah.

Partners they have round al-Rusafah, ever binding treaties.

وَغارَت إِياد في السَوادِ وَدونَها

وَغارَت إِياد في السَوادِ وَدونَها

بَرازيقُ عُجمٍ تَبتَغي مَن تُضارِبُ

بَرازيقُ عُجمٍ تَبتَغي مَن تُضارِبُ

Iyad has descended into al-Sawad, and before it stand

Iyad swooped down into the black lands, and below them

bands of non-Arabs seeking someone to fight.

Are the armies of `Ujman seeking those they would fight.

وَنَحنُ أُناسٌ لا حِجازَ بِأَرضِنا

وَنَحنُ أُناسٌ لا حِجازَ بِأَرضِنا

مَعَ الغَيثِ ما نُلفى وَمَن هُوَ غالِبُ

مَعَ الغَيثِ ما نُلفى وَمَن هُوَ غالِبُ

We are a people with no barrier in our land;

While we are a people without Hijaz in our land.

we are always found with the rain—and who can defeat us?

When clouds gather, we are not encountered, and who will conquer?

تَرى رائِداتِ الخَيلِ حَولَ بُيوتِنا

تَرى رائِداتِ الخَيلِ حَولَ بُيوتِنا

كَمِعزى الحِجازِ أَعوَزَتها الزَرائِبُ

كَمِعزى الحِجازِ أَعوَزَتها الزَرائِبُ

You see the ranging horses around our tents,

You can see the raiding parties around our houses

like goats of the Hijaz that lack enclosures.

Like the she-goats of Hijaz, their udders gone dry.

فَيُغبَفنَ أَحلاباً وَيُصبَحنَ مِثلَها

فَيُغبَفنَ أَحلاباً وَيُصبَحنَ مِثلَها

فَهُنَّ مِنَ التَعداءِ قُبٌّ شَوازِبُ

فَهُنَّ مِنَ التَعداءِ قُبٌّ شَوازِبُ

So they are [fed at dusk] with draughts of milk, and the same at dawn,

They go about the water-holes bleating like them

so from galloping they are hollow-bellied and lean.

And end up being plundered, easy prey.

فَوارِسُها مِن تَغلِبَ اِبنَةِ وائِلٍ

فَوارِسُها مِن تَغلِبَ اِبنَةِ وائِلٍ

حُماةٌ كُماةٌ لَيسَ فيهِم أَشايِبُ

حُماةٌ كُماةٌ لَيسَ فيهِم أَشايِبُ

Their riders are of Taghlib, daughter of Waʾil,

Their horsemen are from Taghlib, the daughter of Wail,

defenders, armored champions, with none of mixed lineage among them.

Young, vigorous men among whom are no greying old ones.

هُم يَضرِبونَ الكَبشَ يَبرُقُ بَيضُهُ

هُم يَضرِبونَ الكَبشَ يَبرُقُ بَيضُهُ

عَلى وَجهِهِ مِنَ الدِماءِ سَبائِبُ

عَلى وَجهِهِ مِنَ الدِماءِ سَبائِبُ

They strike the ram of battle, whose helmet gleams;

They strike the ram whose sperm glistens

across his face are ribbons of blood.

White on his face from the spurt of blood.

وَإِن قَصُرَت أَسيافُنا كانَ وَصلُها

وَإِن قَصُرَت أَسيافُنا كانَ وَصلُها

خَطانا إِلى أَعدائِنا فَنُضارِبُ

خَطانا إِلى أَعدائِنا فَنُضارِبُ

And if our swords fall short, their extension is

And if our swords prove short, their slashing

our strides toward our enemies; then we trade blows.

Traces toward our foes patterns for us to follow.

فَلِلَّهِ قَومٌ مِثلُ قَومي عِصابَة

فَلِلَّهِ قَومٌ مِثلُ قَومي عِصابَة

إِذا اِجتَمَعَت عِندَ المُلوكِ العَصائِبُ

إِذا اِجتَمَعَت عِندَ المُلوكِ العَصائِبُ

God be praised for a band of people like mine,

By God, what people like my people, a band

when bands assemble before kings!

When assembled before kings are high and haughty!

أَرى كُلَّ قَومٍ قارَبوا قَيدَ فَحلِهِم

أَرى كُلَّ قَومٍ قارَبوا قَيدَ فَحلِهِم

وَنَحنُ خَلَعنا قَيدَهُ فَهوَ سارِبُ

وَنَحنُ خَلَعنا قَيدَهُ فَهوَ سارِبُ

I see every people has shortened its breeding camel’s hobble,

I see that every nation that approached their might

but we have cast off his hobble, and he ranges free.

And we have slipped our bonds so remain unbridled.