أَعاذِلَ شِكَّتي بَدَني ورُمحي

أَعاذِلَ شِكَّتي بَدَني ورُمحي

وكلُّ مُقَلِّصٍ سَلِسِ القِيادِ

وكلُّ مُقَلِّصٍ سَلِسِ القِيادِ

O reproacher, my war-gear is my mail-coat and my spear,

My body complains of my spear and bow

and every long-legged steed, docile to the rein.

And every smooth-running knight

أَعاذِلَ إِنَّما أَفنى شبابي

أَعاذِلَ إِنَّما أَفنى شبابي

وأَقرَحَ عاتقي ثِقَلُ النِّجادِ

وأَقرَحَ عاتقي ثِقَلُ النِّجادِ

O reproacher, nothing wore away my youth

My body complains; indeed, my youth is spent

and chafed my shoulder but the sword-belt's weight.

And the heavy armor chafes my shoulder

تَمَنّاني ليلقاني أُبَيٌّ

تَمَنّاني ليلقاني أُبَيٌّ

وَدِدتُ وأينما منّي وِدادي

وَدِدتُ وأينما منّي وِدادي

Ubayy longed to face me;

He wished he had met me, the obstinate one

I wished it too—but how far my wish lies from me!

And I too, wherever my love was

ولو لاقيتَني ومعي سلاحي

ولو لاقيتَني ومعي سلاحي

تَكَشَّفَ شَحمُ قَلبِكَ عن سَوادِ

تَكَشَّفَ شَحمُ قَلبِكَ عن سَوادِ

And had you met me with my weapons,

Had you met me with my weapons

your heart's fat would have peeled away, baring its black core.

The fat around your heart would be exposed

أُريدُ حِباءَهُ ويُريد قَتلي

أُريدُ حِباءَهُ ويُريد قَتلي

عَذِيرَكَ من خليلِكَ من مُرادِ

عَذِيرَكَ من خليلِكَ من مُرادِ

I wish to give him a gift, while he wishes to kill me.

He wants my love, and wants me dead

Who will vindicate you against your friend from Murad?

Your excuse from your friend, from what he desires

تَمَنَّاني وسابغتي دِلاصٌ

تَمَنَّاني وسابغتي دِلاصٌ

كأَنَّ قَتِيرَها حَدَقُ الجَرَادِ

كأَنَّ قَتِيرَها حَدَقُ الجَرَادِ

He longed to face me, though my ample mail was smooth and gleaming,

He wished for me, while my coat of mail is impenetrable

as though its rivets were locusts' eyes.

As if its rings were locusts’ eyes

وسيفي كانَ من عهد ابن ضِدٍّ

وسيفي كانَ من عهد ابن ضِدٍّ

تَخَيَّرَهُ الفتى من قومِ عادِ

تَخَيَّرَهُ الفتى من قومِ عادِ

And my sword dates from the time of Ibn Didd;

My sword has been, since the days of Ibn Didd

the young man chose it from the people of Ad.

Chosen by the young warrior from the people of ‘Aad

ورُمحي العنبريُّ تَخالُ فيه

ورُمحي العنبريُّ تَخالُ فيه

سِناناً مثلَ مِقباسِ الزِّنادِ

سِناناً مثلَ مِقباسِ الزِّنادِ

And my Anbari spear—you would think it bore

My spear of amber, in which

a spearhead like a flame kindled by firesticks.

Appear blades like the blacksmith’s pincers

وعِجلِزَةٌ يَزِلُّ اللِّبدُ عنها

وعِجلِزَةٌ يَزِلُّ اللِّبدُ عنها

أَمَرَّ سَراتَها حَلَقُ الجِيادِ

أَمَرَّ سَراتَها حَلَقُ الجِيادِ

And a powerful mare—the saddle-felt slips off her;

And a mare whose smooth flank

the racing circuits of fine steeds have hardened her back.

Shows wheals where the straps of warriors have rubbed

إذا ضُرِبَت سمعتَ لها أَزيزاً

إذا ضُرِبَت سمعتَ لها أَزيزاً

كَوَقع القطرِ في الأُدُمِ الجِلادِ

كَوَقع القطرِ في الأُدُمِ الجِلادِ

When she is struck, you hear a buzzing from her,

When struck, it gives a buzzing sound

like the patter of rain on tough hides.

Like the patter of rain on the tanned leather

إذن لوجدتَ خالَك غيرَ نِكسٍ

إذن لوجدتَ خالَك غيرَ نِكسٍ

ولا مُتَعلِّماً قَتلَ الوِحادِ

ولا مُتَعلِّماً قَتلَ الوِحادِ

Then you would have found your maternal uncle no weakling,

So you would have found your maternal uncle quite different

nor a novice at killing lone opponents,

From one who has slain the solitary camels

يُقلِّبُ للأمور شَرَنبَثاتٍ

يُقلِّبُ للأمور شَرَنبَثاتٍ

بأظفارٍ مَغَارِزُها حِدادِ

بأظفارٍ مَغَارِزُها حِدادِ

who turns broad, rugged hands to every task,

Making confused tracks

with claws whose piercing points are sharp.

With claws that scratch like a blacksmith’s