لَو كانَ ناهٍ لِاِبنِ حَيَّةَ زاجِراً

لَو كانَ ناهٍ لِاِبنِ حَيَّةَ زاجِراً

لَنَهاهُ ذا عَن وَقعَةِ السُلانِ

لَنَهاهُ ذا عَن وَقعَةِ السُلانِ

Had there been an admonisher to restrain Ibn Hayya,

If warning the son of a viper were effective

this man would have kept him from the battle of al-Sulan.

He would have warned him against the doings of Sulaan

يَومٌ لَنا كانَت رِئاسَةٌ أَهلِهِ

يَومٌ لَنا كانَت رِئاسَةٌ أَهلِهِ

دونَ القَبائِلِ مِن بَني عَدنانِ

دونَ القَبائِلِ مِن بَني عَدنانِ

A day when leadership of its people was ours,

One day we were the leaders of our people

to the exclusion of the tribes descended from Adnan.

Above the other tribes of the Adnanites

غَضِبَت مَعَدٌّ غَثُّها وَسَمينُها

غَضِبَت مَعَدٌّ غَثُّها وَسَمينُها

فيهِ مُمالاةً عَلى غَسّانِ

فيهِ مُمالاةً عَلى غَسّانِ

Ma'add grew angry, its lean and its fat alike,

The Ma'add were angry, their fat and plump ones

in that battle, joining forces against Ghassan.

Accommodating Ghassan over us

فَأَزالَهُم عَنّا كُلَيبُ بِطَعنَةٍ

فَأَزالَهُم عَنّا كُلَيبُ بِطَعنَةٍ

في عَمرِ بابِلَ مِن بَني قَحطانِ

في عَمرِ بابِلَ مِن بَني قَحطانِ

So Kulayb drove them away from us with a spear-thrust

So Kulayb finished them off with one thrust

into Amr of Babil, of the descendants of Qahtan.

In the lifetime of Babylon, of Qahtan's sons

وَلَقَد مَضى عَنها اِبنُ حَيَّةَ مُدبِراً

وَلَقَد مَضى عَنها اِبنُ حَيَّةَ مُدبِراً

تَحتَ العَجاجَةِ وَالحُتوفُ دَوانِ

تَحتَ العَجاجَةِ وَالحُتوفُ دَوانِ

And indeed Ibn Hayya went away from it, retreating,

Indeed, Ibn Hayya fled from it in retreat

beneath the dust-cloud, with deadly fates close at hand.

Under coats of mail and attacks renewed

لَمّا رَآنا بِالكُلابِ كَأَنَّنا

لَمّا رَآنا بِالكُلابِ كَأَنَّنا

أُسدٌ مَلاوِثَةٌ عَلى خَفّانِ

أُسدٌ مَلاوِثَةٌ عَلى خَفّانِ

When he saw us at al-Kulab, as though we were

When he saw us like growling lions

lions grappling at Khaffan.

Pouncing on prey over the low hills

تَرَكَ الَّتي سَحَبَت عَلَيهِ ذُيولَها

تَرَكَ الَّتي سَحَبَت عَلَيهِ ذُيولَها

تَحتَ العَجاجِ بِذِلَّةٍ وَهَوانِ

تَحتَ العَجاجِ بِذِلَّةٍ وَهَوانِ

He abandoned the one who had trailed her skirts over him,

He left those who had dragged their tails at him

beneath the dust, in humiliation and disgrace.

In humiliation and disgrace under coats of mail

وَنَجا بَمُهجَتِهِ وَأَسلَمَ قَومَهُ

وَنَجا بَمُهجَتِهِ وَأَسلَمَ قَومَهُ

مُتَسَربِلينَ رَواعِفَ المُرّانِ

مُتَسَربِلينَ رَواعِفَ المُرّانِ

And he escaped with his life and abandoned his people,

And he saved his people by his wisdom

clad in the blood-dripping points of ashwood spears.

Wearing coats of mail and spear shafts

يَمشونَ في حَلَقِ الحَديدِ كَأَنَّهُم

يَمشونَ في حَلَقِ الحَديدِ كَأَنَّهُم

جُربُ الجِمالِ طُلينَ بِالقَطِرانِ

جُربُ الجِمالِ طُلينَ بِالقَطِرانِ

They walk in rings of iron, as though they were

Walking amidst rings of iron as if they were

mangy camels coated with tar.

Camels tarred over with pitch

نِعمَ الفَوارِسُ لا فَوارِسُ مَذحِجٍ

نِعمَ الفَوارِسُ لا فَوارِسُ مَذحِجٍ

يَومَ الهِياجِ وَلا بَنو هَمدانِ

يَومَ الهِياجِ وَلا بَنو هَمدانِ

Fine horsemen indeed—not the horsemen of Madhhij,

What excellent horsemen, not horsemen of Mudhij

on the day of battle, nor the sons of Hamdan.

On a day of skirmish, nor the sons of Hamdan

هَزَموا العِداةَ بِكُلِّ أَسمَرَ مارِنٍ

هَزَموا العِداةَ بِكُلِّ أَسمَرَ مارِنٍ

وَمُهَنَّدٍ مِنلِ الغَديرِ يَماني

وَمُهَنَّدٍ مِنلِ الغَديرِ يَماني

They routed the foes with every supple brown spear

They routed the enemies with every brown spear

and a Yemeni sword of Indian steel, [like] a pool.

And every flashing Yemeni sword