إِنَّ عَلى أَهوى لَأَلأَمَ حاضِرٍ

إِنَّ عَلى أَهوى لَأَلأَمَ حاضِرٍ

حَسَباً وَأَقبَحَ مَجلِسٍ أَلوانا

حَسَباً وَأَقبَحَ مَجلِسٍ أَلوانا

Indeed, at Ahwā is the basest settled clan,

The tribe of Hima have my heart's disdain;

in lineage, and the ugliest gathering in complexion.

Their camp's unlovely, sordid, and profane!

قَبَحَ الإِلَهُ وَلا أُحاشي غَيرَهُم

قَبَحَ الإِلَهُ وَلا أُحاشي غَيرَهُم

أَهلَ السُبَيلَةِ مِن بَني حِمّانا

أَهلَ السُبَيلَةِ مِن بَني حِمّانا

May God disgrace—and I spare no others—

God frown upon them! None with me agrees

the people of al-Subayla, of the sons of Ḥimmān.

To rid of them this sweet abode of ease.

مُتَوَسِّدونَ عَلى الحِياضِ لُحاهُمُ

مُتَوَسِّدونَ عَلى الحِياضِ لُحاهُمُ

يَرمونَ عَن فُضَلائِها فُضلانا

يَرمونَ عَن فُضَلائِها فُضلانا

They pillow their heads on their beards at the watering pools,

Lolling at ease, upon their haunch, the louts

pelting our noble men away from the finest of them.

Debar the poor and worthy from their haunts:

وَبِحَسبِ قَومِكَ إِن شَتَوا مَطلولَةٌ

وَبِحَسبِ قَومِكَ إِن شَتَوا مَطلولَةٌ

شَرعَ النَهارِ وَمَذقَةٌ أَحيانا

شَرعَ النَهارِ وَمَذقَةٌ أَحيانا

And enough for your people in winter is a scant portion of milk

And did thy clan not come to my relief,

at daybreak, and a watered draught now and then.

Helpless I were in face of shame and grief.