لَقَد عَلِمَت عُليا هَوازِنَ أَنَّني

لَقَد عَلِمَت عُليا هَوازِنَ أَنَّني

أَنا الفارِسُ الحامي حَقيقَةَ جَعفَرِ

أَنا الفارِسُ الحامي حَقيقَةَ جَعفَرِ

The noblest of Hawazin know full well that I

Ulayya Hawazin surely knew that I

am the horseman who guards Ja'far's honor.

Am the true knightly guardian, Ja'far

وَقَد عَلِمَ المَزنوقُ أَنّي أَكُرُّهُ

وَقَد عَلِمَ المَزنوقُ أَنّي أَكُرُّهُ

عَشِيَّةَ فَيفِ الريحِ كَرَّ المُشَهَّرِ

عَشِيَّةَ فَيفِ الريحِ كَرَّ المُشَهَّرِ

And al-Maznuq knows that I make him charge

And al-Maznuq knew that I dislike him

on the evening of Fayf al-Rih, with the charge of one renowned.

On an evening when the wind blew like a drawn sword

إِذا اِزوَرَّ مِن وَقعِ الرِماحِ زَجَرتُهُ

إِذا اِزوَرَّ مِن وَقعِ الرِماحِ زَجَرتُهُ

وَقُلتُ لَهُ اِرجِع مُقبِلاً غَيرَ مُدبِرِ

وَقُلتُ لَهُ اِرجِع مُقبِلاً غَيرَ مُدبِرِ

When he shied from the thrusts of spears, I rebuked him

If he weakened at the clashing of spears I scolded him

and told him, 'Return advancing, not retreating.'

And said to him, "Return advancing not retreating!"

وَأَنبَأتُهُ أَنَّ الفِرارَ خَزايَةٌ

وَأَنبَأتُهُ أَنَّ الفِرارَ خَزايَةٌ

عَلى المَرءِ ما لَم يُبلِ عُذراً فَيُعذَرِ

عَلى المَرءِ ما لَم يُبلِ عُذراً فَيُعذَرِ

And I told him that flight is a disgrace

And I told him that to flee is disgrace

for a man, unless he has done his utmost and may be excused.

Upon a man unless he has an excuse and is excused

أَلَستَ تَرى أَرماحَهُم فيَّ شُرَّعاً

أَلَستَ تَرى أَرماحَهُم فيَّ شُرَّعاً

وَأَنتَ حِصانٌ ماجِدُ العِرقِ فَاِصبِرِ

وَأَنتَ حِصانٌ ماجِدُ العِرقِ فَاِصبِرِ

Do you not see their spears leveled at me?

Do you not see their spears assailing me

You are a stallion of noble stock—so stand firm!

While you are a glorious steed so be patient

أَرَدتُ لِكَيما يَعلَمَ اللَهُ أَنَّني

أَرَدتُ لِكَيما يَعلَمَ اللَهُ أَنَّني

صَبَرتُ وَأَخشى مِثلَ يَومِ المُشَقَّرِ

صَبَرتُ وَأَخشى مِثلَ يَومِ المُشَقَّرِ

I wished that God might know that I

I wanted so that God would know that I

stood firm, though I fear a day like that of al-Mushaqqar.

Was patient and fear the like of the day of Mushaqqar

لَعَمري وَما عَمري عَلَيَّ بِهَيِّنٍ

لَعَمري وَما عَمري عَلَيَّ بِهَيِّنٍ

لَقَد شانَ حُرَّ الوَجهِ طَعنَةُ مُسهَرِ

لَقَد شانَ حُرَّ الوَجهِ طَعنَةُ مُسهَرِ

By my life—and my life is no small thing to me—

By my life, and my life is not easy upon me

Mus-har's thrust has indeed marred the fairest part of my face.

The cheek of the freeborn is surely pained by Musahhar's stab

فَبِئسَ الفَتى إِن كُنتَ أَعوَرَ عاقِراً

فَبِئسَ الفَتى إِن كُنتَ أَعوَرَ عاقِراً

جَباناً فَما عُذري لَدى كُلِّ مُحضَرِ

جَباناً فَما عُذري لَدى كُلِّ مُحضَرِ

Then what a wretched young man you are if you are one-eyed, barren,

Evil is the youth if you are one-eyed, castrated

and cowardly! What excuse have I before every gathering?

Cowardly, so I have no excuse before any gathering

وَقَد عَلِموا أَنّي أَكُرُّ عَلَيهِمِ

وَقَد عَلِموا أَنّي أَكُرُّ عَلَيهِمِ

عَشِيَّةَ فَيفِ الريحِ كَرَّ المُدَوَّرِ

عَشِيَّةَ فَيفِ الريحِ كَرَّ المُدَوَّرِ

And they know that I charge against them

And they knew that I attack them

on the evening of Fayf al-Rih, with the charge of one hemmed in.

On an evening when the wind blew like a whirlwind

وَما رِمتُ حَتّى بَلَّ صَدري وَنَحرَهُ

وَما رِمتُ حَتّى بَلَّ صَدري وَنَحرَهُ

نَجيعٌ كَهُدّابِ الدِمَقسِ المُسَيَّرِ

نَجيعٌ كَهُدّابِ الدِمَقسِ المُسَيَّرِ

Nor did I budge until my chest and his throat were soaked

And I did not cast until I pierced his chest and throat

with fresh blood like the fringes of striped silk.

A piercing blow like a strongly-guided piercing spear

أَقولُ لِنَفسٍ لا يُجادُ بِمِثلِها

أَقولُ لِنَفسٍ لا يُجادُ بِمِثلِها

أَقِلّي المِراحَ إِنَّني غَيرُ مُقصِرِ

أَقِلّي المِراحَ إِنَّني غَيرُ مُقصِرِ

I say to a soul whose like is not lightly given away:

I say to a soul the like of which is not magnanimous

'Curb your exuberance; I am not one to fall short.'

Restrain yourself, I am not negligent

فَلَو كانَ جَمعاً مِثلَنا لَم يَبُزُّنا

فَلَو كانَ جَمعاً مِثلَنا لَم يَبُزُّنا

وَلَكِن أَتَتنا أُسرَةٌ ذاتُ مَفخَرِ

وَلَكِن أَتَتنا أُسرَةٌ ذاتُ مَفخَرِ

Had their host been like ours, it would not have bested us,

If they were a group like us, they would not surpass us

but a clan of proud distinction came against us.

But captives came to us, those who boast

أَتَونا بِشَهرانِ العَريضَةِ كُلِّها

أَتَونا بِشَهرانِ العَريضَةِ كُلِّها

وَأَكلُبَ طُرّاً في جِيادِ السَنَوَّرِ

وَأَكلُبَ طُرّاً في جِيادِ السَنَوَّرِ

They came against us with all of wide-spreading Shahran

They came at us with all of al-Shahran

and all Aklub, clad in fine coats of mail.

And hounds swift as the lead camels