أَبلِغ زِياداً وَحَينُ المَرءُ يُدرِكَهُ

أَبلِغ زِياداً وَحَينُ المَرءُ يُدرِكَهُ

وَإِن تَكَيَّسَ أَو كانَ اِبنَ أَحذارِ

وَإِن تَكَيَّسَ أَو كانَ اِبنَ أَحذارِ

Tell Ziyad: a man's doom overtakes him,

Tell Ziyad when a man realizes

even if he acts shrewdly or is the very son of caution.

Though he may gather provisions or be cautious

أَضطَرَّكَ الحِرزُ مِن لَيلى إِلى بَرَدٍ

أَضطَرَّكَ الحِرزُ مِن لَيلى إِلى بَرَدٍ

تَختارَهُ مَعقِلاً مِن جُشِّ أَعيارِ

تَختارَهُ مَعقِلاً مِن جُشِّ أَعيارِ

Did seeking safety from Layla drive you to Barad,

You were forced by fear of Layla into the cold

which you choose as a stronghold from Jushsh Aʿyar,

Choosing it as a refuge from the clashing of blades

حَتّى لَقيتَ اِبنَ كَهفِ اللؤمِ في لَجِبٍ

حَتّى لَقيتَ اِبنَ كَهفِ اللؤمِ في لَجِبٍ

يَنفي العَصافيرَ وَالغِربانَ جَرّارِ

يَنفي العَصافيرَ وَالغِربانَ جَرّارِ

until you met the son of baseness's lair amid a clamorous host,

Until you met the son of the cave of vileness in a rugged valley

driving off sparrows and ravens, vast in number?

Who drives away the little birds and ferocious ravens

إِن تَجمَعِ الشَملَ مِن غَيظٍ وَما أَلَبَت

إِن تَجمَعِ الشَملَ مِن غَيظٍ وَما أَلَبَت

أَو المَحاشي فَأَنتَ الرّائِشُ الباري

أَو المَحاشي فَأَنتَ الرّائِشُ الباري

If you gather the company of Ghayz and those it has rallied,

If you unite the group in anger or what the whisperers incited

or the Mahashi confederates, then you are the arrow-featherer and shaft-carver.

Then you are the scattered one fleeing

فَالآنَ فَاِسعَ بِأَقوامٍ غَرَرتَهُم

فَالآنَ فَاِسعَ بِأَقوامٍ غَرَرتَهُم

بَني ضَبابٍ وَدَع عَنكَ اِبنَ سَيّارِ

بَني ضَبابٍ وَدَع عَنكَ اِبنَ سَيّارِ

So now, inform against the clans you have deceived,

So now spread amongst people you tricked

the sons of Dabab—and leave Ibn Sayyar alone.

The sons of illusion and leave the son of Sayyar

قَد كانَ وافِدَ أَقوامٍ وَجاءَ بِهِم

قَد كانَ وافِدَ أَقوامٍ وَجاءَ بِهِم

وَاِنتاشَ عانِيَهُ مِن أَهلِ ذي قارِ

وَاِنتاشَ عانِيَهُ مِن أَهلِ ذي قارِ

He was indeed an envoy for clans and brought them with him,

He had come as an envoy of people and brought them along

and rescued his captive from the people of Dhi Qar.

And his afflicted one found solace amongst the people of Dhi Qar