فَلا تَأَمَنونا إِنَّنا رَهَطُ جُندُبٍ

فَلا تَأَمَنونا إِنَّنا رَهَطُ جُندُبٍ

وَصاحِبُ هَمّامٍ بِذاتِ الأَسارِعِ

وَصاحِبُ هَمّامٍ بِذاتِ الأَسارِعِ

So do not trust us: we are the clan of Jundub,

So do not feel safe from us, we are the band of Junadab

and of Hammam’s adversary at Dhat al-Asariʿ.

And the companion of determined Hammam with his swift horses

سَرى يَبتَغيهِ تَحتَ لَيلٍ كَأَنَّهُ

سَرى يَبتَغيهِ تَحتَ لَيلٍ كَأَنَّهُ

مِثالَةُ سَبعٍ أَو شُجاعِ الأَجارِعِ

مِثالَةُ سَبعٍ أَو شُجاعِ الأَجارِعِ

He went seeking him beneath the night, as though he were

He marched in the night seeking, as though he were

the likeness of a beast of prey, or a serpent of the barren sands.

A hungry wolf or a courageous lion with strong claws

وَمِن دونِ أَحراسٍ وَقَد نَدَروا بِهِ

وَمِن دونِ أَحراسٍ وَقَد نَدَروا بِهِ

فَما خامَ حَتّى حَسَّه بِالأَصابِعِ

فَما خامَ حَتّى حَسَّه بِالأَصابِعِ

And though guards barred his way and had already detected him,

And without guards, while they slept, he crept up on him

he did not flinch until he felt him with his fingers.

Until he could touch him with his fingers

فَأَلقى عَلَيهِ السَيفَ حَتّى أَجابَهُ

فَأَلقى عَلَيهِ السَيفَ حَتّى أَجابَهُ

بِفَوّارَةٍ تاتي بِماءِ الأَخادِعِ

بِفَوّارَةٍ تاتي بِماءِ الأَخادِعِ

Then he brought the sword down upon him, until he answered him

Then he threw his sword at him, until it answered

with a gushing fountain bearing the blood of the neck-veins.

With a fountain that brought forth the water of deception