أَتَدري مَن مَنَعتَ وُرودَ حَوضٍ

أَتَدري مَن مَنَعتَ وُرودَ حَوضٍ

سَليلٍ خَضارِمٍ سَكَنوا البِطاحا

سَليلٍ خَضارِمٍ سَكَنوا البِطاحا

Do you know whom you barred from coming to a pool—

Do you know who denied the flowers water

a scion of magnanimous lords who dwelt in the valley flats?

From a pure spring where honorable men dwelt?

أَزادَ الرَكبِ تَمنعُ أم هِشاماً

أَزادَ الرَكبِ تَمنعُ أم هِشاماً

وَذا الرُمحَينِ أَمنَعَهُم سِلاحا

وَذا الرُمحَينِ أَمنَعَهُم سِلاحا

Is it Zad al-Rakb you bar, or Hisham,

Did they forbid the caravan or Hisham

and Dhu al-Rumhayn, most formidable among them in arms?

and the two spears - did their weapons forbid them?

هُمُ مَنَعوا الأَباطِحَ دونَ فِهرٍ

هُمُ مَنَعوا الأَباطِحَ دونَ فِهرٍ

وَمَن بِالخَيفِ وَالبُدُن اللِقاحا

وَمَن بِالخَيفِ وَالبُدُن اللِقاحا

They alone among Fihr defended the valley flats,

They denied the sands, not out of spite

and those at al-Khayf, and the sacrificial camels in milk,

With their swords and bright blades that clash

بِضَربٍ دونَ بَيضَتِهم طِلَخفٍ

بِضَربٍ دونَ بَيضَتِهم طِلَخفٍ

إِذا المَلهوفُ لاذَ بِهم وَصاحا

إِذا المَلهوفُ لاذَ بِهم وَصاحا

with fierce blows in defense of their heartland,

With blows below their egg-shaped shields

when the distressed sought refuge with them and cried out.

When the terrified man sought refuge and cried aloud

وَما تَدري بِأَيِهّم تُلاقي

وَما تَدري بِأَيِهّم تُلاقي

صُدورَ المَشرفِيّةِ وَالرِماحا

صُدورَ المَشرفِيّةِ وَالرِماحا

And you do not know at whose hands you will meet

You don't know which of them you will meet

the points of Mashrafi swords and spears.

With high spirits and spears raised high