إِن تَأتِ عَبسٌ وَتَنصُرها عَشيرَتُها

إِن تَأتِ عَبسٌ وَتَنصُرها عَشيرَتُها

فَلَيسَ جارُ اِبنِ يَربوعٍ بِمَخذولِ

فَلَيسَ جارُ اِبنِ يَربوعٍ بِمَخذولِ

If ʿAbs comes and its clan supports it,

If the hostile Abs tribe and its allies appear,

then Ibn Yarbuʿ’s protected neighbor will not be forsaken.

The son of Yarbou will not fail his neighbor.

كِلا الفَرقَينِ أَعيا قَتلَ صاحِبِهِ

كِلا الفَرقَينِ أَعيا قَتلَ صاحِبِهِ

هَذا القَتيلُ بِمَيتٍ غَيرِ مَطلولِ

هَذا القَتيلُ بِمَيتٍ غَيرِ مَطلولِ

Each of the two sides has made its comrade’s slaying no easy matter.

Both sides have families that lost their loved one -

This slain man is requital for a dead man whose blood has not gone unavenged.

This victim killed, though no blood-debt was owed.

باءَت عَرارِ بِكَحلٍ وَالرِفاقِ مَعاً

باءَت عَرارِ بِكَحلٍ وَالرِفاقِ مَعاً

فَلا تَمَنّوا أَمانِيَّ الأَضاليلِ

فَلا تَمَنّوا أَمانِيَّ الأَضاليلِ

ʿArār was slain in requital for Kaḥl and the companions together.

The women of Arar weep, their eyeblack flows -

So do not entertain delusive hopes.

Do not wish for things not meant for you.