قَد رَحَلَ الحَىُّ الغَداةَ عَمدَا

قَد رَحَلَ الحَىُّ الغَداةَ عَمدَا

وَقَرَّبُوا بُزلاً تَسامَى بُدّا

وَقَرَّبُوا بُزلاً تَسامَى بُدّا

The clan has deliberately set out this morning;

The encampment departed at dawn deliberately,

And they brought up mature camels, towering and broad-chested,

And they brought camels, lofty and splendid.

مِثلَ القُصُورِ مُقرَماتٍ تُلدا

مِثلَ القُصُورِ مُقرَماتٍ تُلدا

غُلبَ الذَّفارَى عافِياتٍ قُحدَا

غُلبَ الذَّفارَى عافِياتٍ قُحدَا

Like palaces, reserved for breeding, ancestral stock,

Like etched citadels newly born,

Thick-naped, well-fleshed, with mighty humps.

docile she-camels overcame unbroken colts.

لَمّا رَأَيتُ الظَّعنَ شالَت تُحدا

لَمّا رَأَيتُ الظَّعنَ شالَت تُحدا

اَتبَعتُهُنَّ اَرحَبِيَّا مَغدا

اَتبَعتُهُنَّ اَرحَبِيَّا مَغدا

When I saw the women's litters rise and depart to the drivers' chant,

When I saw the litters swaying rhythmically,

I followed them on a swift-striding Arhabi camel,

I followed them, travelling spaciously.

اَعيَسَ جَوّابَ الضُّحَى سَبَندا

اَعيَسَ جَوّابَ الضُّحَى سَبَندا

يَدَّرِعُ اللَّيلَ اِذا ما اسوَدّا

يَدَّرِعُ اللَّيلَ اِذا ما اسوَدّا

Reddish-white, ranging through the forenoon, bold and strong,

I restrain the stallion of dawn when it gallops recklessly,

He dons the night as armor when it turns black.

Clothing the night whenever it turns black.

اضخَمَ شَىءٍ مَنكِباً وَعَضدا

اضخَمَ شَىءٍ مَنكِباً وَعَضدا

تَراه تَحتَ الرَّحلِ عَبلاً نَهدا

تَراه تَحتَ الرَّحلِ عَبلاً نَهدا

The most massive creature in shoulder and upper arm,

The largest thing with shoulder and arm,

You see him beneath the saddle, burly and high-built,

You see it beneath the saddle a smooth dune.

مُرتَفِعاً كاهِلُهُ عَلَندا

مُرتَفِعاً كاهِلُهُ عَلَندا

وَفى الزِّمامِ عُنُقاً قُمُدّا

وَفى الزِّمامِ عُنُقاً قُمُدّا

His withers raised high, huge and tall,

Its withers raised like a hillock,

And within the halter, thick and strong of neck.

Its neck arched in the halter.

تَسمَعُ لِلرِّيح اِذا اصمَعَدّا

تَسمَعُ لِلرِّيح اِذا اصمَعَدّا

بَينَ الخُطَى مشنهُ ما ارقَدّا

بَينَ الخُطَى مشنهُ ما ارقَدّا

You hear the wind, when he speeds straight ahead—

You hear the wind when it whistles shrilly,

Its swish between his strides as he races on.

Between the footsteps, making it snore whenever it sleeps.

اِذا تَمِيم حَشَدَت لِي حَشدا

اِذا تَمِيم حَشَدَت لِي حَشدا

كَزاخِرِ البَحرِ اِذا ما مَدّا

كَزاخِرِ البَحرِ اِذا ما مَدّا

When Tamim musters a host for me,

When the tribe amasses around me in throngs

Like the swelling sea when it surges,

Like the abundant flow of sea whenever it surges.

لَم يَرزَء الاَعداءُ مِنِّى زَندا

لَم يَرزَء الاَعداءُ مِنِّى زَندا

عَلَى عَناجِيجِ الخُيُولِ جُردا

عَلَى عَناجِيجِ الخُيُولِ جُردا

My foes take not so much as a fire-stick from me—

The enemies did not slight me out of cowardice

On noble, long-necked horses, sleek-coated,

When the steeds' saddle-cloths were uncovered.

مُلبَسَةً سَبائِباً وَلِبدا

مُلبَسَةً سَبائِباً وَلِبدا

تَحتَ ظِلالِ رايَةٍ وَبَندا

تَحتَ ظِلالِ رايَةٍ وَبَندا

Draped in cloth trappings and felt saddlecloths,

Wearing sword-belts and war-cloaks

Beneath the shade of a standard and a banner.

Beneath the shadows of banners and standards.