رَهِبتُ وَما مِن رَهبَةِ المَوتِ أَجزَعُ

رَهِبتُ وَما مِن رَهبَةِ المَوتِ أَجزَعُ

وَعالَجتُ هَمّاً كُنتُ بِالهَمِّ أُولَعُ

وَعالَجتُ هَمّاً كُنتُ بِالهَمِّ أُولَعُ

I felt fear, yet I do not quail from dread of death;

I have felt fear, yet nothing makes me more afraid than death,

and I wrestled with care, by which I was beset,

And I have borne worries, though I was inclined toward worries,

وَليداً إِلى أَن خالَطَ الشَيبُ مَفرَقي

وَليداً إِلى أَن خالَطَ الشَيبُ مَفرَقي

وَأَلبَسَني مِنهُ الثَغامُ المُنَزَّعُ

وَأَلبَسَني مِنهُ الثَغامُ المُنَزَّعُ

from childhood until gray hair mingled with my hair’s parting,

A nursing babe, until gray hairs mingled with my parting,

and plucked thagham grass clothed me in that grayness.

And it clothed me in a worn-out garment that was taken off.

دَعاني سُمَيطٌ يَومَ ذَلِكَ دَعوَةً

دَعاني سُمَيطٌ يَومَ ذَلِكَ دَعوَةً

فَنَهنَهتُ عَنهُ وَالأَسِنَّةُ شُرَّعُ

فَنَهنَهتُ عَنهُ وَالأَسِنَّةُ شُرَّعُ

Sumayt called out to me that day for help,

Sumayt called me one day with an invitation,

so I drove them back from him while the spearheads were leveled.

So I hesitated because of him, though the paths were open,

وَلَولا دِفاعي عَن سُمَيطٍ وَكَرَّتي

وَلَولا دِفاعي عَن سُمَيطٍ وَكَرَّتي

لَعالَجَ قِدّاً قَفلُهُ يَتَقَعقَعُ

لَعالَجَ قِدّاً قَفلُهُ يَتَقَعقَعُ

Had it not been for my defense of Sumayt and my charge,

And had I not defended Sumayt and restrained myself,

he would have struggled with a leather fetter whose lock rattled.

He would have coped with a wineskin whose strap creaks as it swings.

وَأَقسَمتُ لا يَجزي سُمَيطٌ بِنِعمَةٍ

وَأَقسَمتُ لا يَجزي سُمَيطٌ بِنِعمَةٍ

وَكَيفَ يُجازيكَ الحِمارُ المُجَدَّعُ

وَكَيفَ يُجازيكَ الحِمارُ المُجَدَّعُ

And I swore: Sumayt repays no kindness—

And I swore that Sumayt will not reward me for a favor,

and how can the ear-cropped ass repay you?

And how can a silly donkey reward you?

وَأَمكَنَ مِنّي القَومَ يَومَ لَقِيتُهُم

وَأَمكَنَ مِنّي القَومَ يَومَ لَقِيتُهُم

نَوافِذُ قَد خالَطنَ جِسمِيَ أَربَعُ

نَوافِذُ قَد خالَطنَ جِسمِيَ أَربَعُ

And what gave the men power over me, the day I met them,

And the people got the better of me the day I met them,

were four piercing thrusts that had penetrated my body.

My ribs having been pierced by four spears.

فَلو شِئتُ نَجَّتني سَبوحٌ طِمِرَّةٌ

فَلو شِئتُ نَجَّتني سَبوحٌ طِمِرَّةٌ

تَحُكُّ بِخَدَّيها العِنانَ وَتَمزَعُ

تَحُكُّ بِخَدَّيها العِنانَ وَتَمزَعُ

Had I wished, a swift-striding, high-leaping mare would have saved me,

Had I wished, Sibuch's she-camel, Tamirah, would have saved me,

rubbing the reins with her cheeks and bounding along.

Rubbing her cheek against the bridle, charging to and fro.