ألاHear! أبلغtell بنيthe sons of مروانMarwan عناon our behalf
ألا أبلغ بني مروان عنا
فقدfor indeed أعطيتمُyou have been granted كرماnobility وخيراand goodness
فقد أعطيتمُ كرما وخيرا
Hear! Tell the sons of Marwan on our behalf:
Convey to the clan of Marwan from us
for you have been granted nobility and goodness.
That you have given generosity and goodness
أيقتلis ... to be killed? شيخناour elder ويرىand is seen حميدHumayd
أيقتل شيخنا ويرى حميد
رخيat ease البالin mind يستبئhe buys الخموراthe wines
رخي البال يستبئ الخمورا
Is our elder to be killed, while Humayd is seen
Does our elder get killed and Hamid sees this
carefree, buying wines?
With a carefree mind getting drunk?
فناكتthen may ... fuck أمهاits mother قيسQays جهاراopenly
فناكت أمها قيس جهارا
وعضتand may ... bite بعدهاafter it مضرMudar الايوراthe cocks
وعضت بعدها مضر الايورا
Then may Qays openly fuck its own mother,
So their mother, Qais, cried openly
and may Mudar after it bite the cocks!
And after her Mudar bit his fingers
ولاand no واللهby God ماnot كرمتhas been noble ثقيفThaqif
ولا والله ما كرمت ثقيف
ولاnor كانواthey were علىagainst كلبKalb نصيراa helper
ولا كانوا على كلب نصيرا
No, by God, Thaqif has shown no nobility,
By Allah, Thaqif did not give generosity
nor have they lent aid against Kalb.
Nor were they a protector of any dog
فانthen if دمناwe live on بذاكin that state وطالand is prolonged عمرlife
فان دمنا بذاك وطال عمر
بناوبكمfor us and for you ولمand not يحدثbring about نكيراan adverse change
بناوبكم ولم يحدث نكيرا
Then if we live on thus, and life is prolonged
If our blood is shed for this and lives prolong
for us and for you, and brings no adverse change,
We will take turns with you without causing harm
صبحناهمwe shall raid them at dawn غداةon the morning of بناتdaughters قينQayn
صبحناهم غداة بنات قين
ململمةclosely massed مناكبهاits flanks زبوراformidable
ململمة مناكبها زبورا
we shall raid them at dawn at Banat Qayn,
We attacked them one morning, the daughters of Qain
with a closely massed host, formidable in its flanks,
With disheveled hair, reading scriptures
قواصدmaking for للوىtoward al-Liwa ومتمماتand heading toward
قواصد للوى ومتممات
جباthe watering grounds of جنفاءJanfa قدalready نكبنthey turned aside from أيراAyr
جبا جنفاء قد نكبن أيرا
making for al-Liwa and heading toward
Seeking the beloved with determination
the watering grounds of Janfa, having turned aside from Ayr.
Stern, frowning, stumbling backwards
تعسفنthey cross tracklessly الجنابal-Janab منكباتveering away from
تعسفن الجناب منكبات
ذرىthe heights of دبرDabr يعاولنthey race النذيراthe alarm-bearer
ذرى دبر يعاولن النذيرا
They will cross al-Janab without a track, veering away from
Disturbed, turning away, warning
the heights of Dabr, racing the alarm-bearer.
The winds did not stop blowing turbulent
ولمand not تعفefface الرياحthe winds وهنwhile they are هوجraging
ولم تعف الرياح وهن هوج
بذيat Dhu أرلArl وبلعاهand at Bal'ah القبوراthe graves
بذي أرل وبلعاه القبورا
Nor will the winds, though raging, efface
At Dhi Arl, graves swallowing them
the graves at Dhu Arl and Bal'ah.
And when the flags of dawn appeared
ولماand when أنemphatic linking particle بدتcame into view أعلامthe landmarks of صبحSubh
ولما أن بدت أعلام صبح
وجوشand Jawsh الذيلal-Dhayl (the Tail) بادرتraced ahead of النذيراthe alarm-bearer
وجوش الذيل بادرت النذيرا
And when the landmarks of Subh come into view,
And the tail shook, it warned disaster
and Jawsh al-Dhayl, they will outpace the alarm-bearer.
For whichever one its bridle reached
فلأياthen with difficulty ماemphatic particle تناولseized ملجموهاtheir bridlers
فلأيا ما تناول ملجموها
أعنةthe reins of قرحٍmature horses ذهبتwent صدوراin the lead
أعنة قرحٍ ذهبت صدورا
Then only with difficulty will their bridlers seize
It was a fatal wound, chests perished
the reins of mature steeds that have surged ahead.
Partial English translation: 21 of 22 Arabic lines translated.