لِاِبنَةِ حِطّانَ بنِ عَوفٍ مَنازِلٌ

لِاِبنَةِ حِطّانَ بنِ عَوفٍ مَنازِلٌ

كَما رَقشَّ العُنوانَ في الرِقِّ كاتِبُ

كَما رَقشَّ العُنوانَ في الرِقِّ كاتِبُ

The daughter of Hittan ibn Awf has dwelling-sites,

To the daughter of Hittan son of Awf’s homesteads

like a heading traced by a scribe on parchment.

Are like the lines the scribe has traced upon parchment

ظَلِلتُ بِها أُعرى وَأُشعَرث سُخنَةً

ظَلِلتُ بِها أُعرى وَأُشعَرث سُخنَةً

كَما اِعتادَ مَحموماً بِخَيبَرَ صالِبُ

كَما اِعتادَ مَحموماً بِخَيبَرَ صالِبُ

I lingered there, seized with chills and feeling feverish heat,

I took shade in them shaggy-haired and hot

as a fierce fever revisits a fever-stricken man in Khaybar.

As one crazed with fever was wont in Khaibar's vales

تَظَلُّ بِها رُبدُ النَعامِ كَأَنَّها

تَظَلُّ بِها رُبدُ النَعامِ كَأَنَّها

إِماءٌ تُزَجّى بِالعَشِيِّ حَواطِبُ

إِماءٌ تُزَجّى بِالعَشِيِّ حَواطِبُ

Dusky ostriches linger there, as though they were

The ostriches flock there under their shade as though

slave women, wood-gatherers, driven along at dusk.

They were slave girls showing their charms after nightfall

خَليلايَ هَوجاءُ النَجاءِ شِمِلَّةٌ

خَليلايَ هَوجاءُ النَجاءِ شِمِلَّةٌ

وَذو شُطَبٍ لا يَجتَويهِ المُصاحِبُ

وَذو شُطَبٍ لا يَجتَويهِ المُصاحِبُ

My two companions are a headlong, swift, nimble she-camel,

My boon friends among noble clans coming together

and a grooved sword no companion finds distasteful.

And those of great merit which no companion could equal

وَقَد عِشتُ دَهراً وَالغُواةُ صَحابَتي

وَقَد عِشتُ دَهراً وَالغُواةُ صَحابَتي

اُولائِكَ خُلصاني الَّذينَ أُصاحِبُ

اُولائِكَ خُلصاني الَّذينَ أُصاحِبُ

I lived for an age with the wayward as my companions;

Long have I lived and raiders were my companions

those are my intimates, the ones I keep company with.

But my true friends were those whom I befriended

رَفيقاً لِمَن أَعيا وَقُلِّدَ حَبلَهُ

رَفيقاً لِمَن أَعيا وَقُلِّدَ حَبلَهُ

وَحاذَرَ جَرّاهُ الصَديقُ الأَقارِبُ

وَحاذَرَ جَرّاهُ الصَديقُ الأَقارِبُ

A companion to one grown weary and burdened with his rope,

A comrade to him whom I supported and held his rope

and whose wrongdoing even close friends feared.

While from pitfalls preserved by a kinsman and neighbor

فَأَدَّيتُ عَنّي ما اِستَعَرتَ مِنَ الصِبى

فَأَدَّيتُ عَنّي ما اِستَعَرتَ مِنَ الصِبى

وَلِلمالِ عِندي اليَومَ راعٍ وَكاسِبُ

وَلِلمالِ عِندي اليَومَ راعٍ وَكاسِبُ

So I repaid, on my own behalf, what you borrowed of youthful folly,

Of the heat of youth I myself did thus dispose

and today wealth has in me a keeper and an earner.

And wealth today for me hath both keeper and earner

لِكُلِّ أُناسٍ مِن مَعَدٍّ عِمارَةٌ

لِكُلِّ أُناسٍ مِن مَعَدٍّ عِمارَةٌ

عَروضٌ إِلَيها يَلجَؤونَ وَجانِبُ

عَروضٌ إِلَيها يَلجَؤونَ وَجانِبُ

Every people among Ma'add has a settlement,

Each tribe of Ma'add hath a home tow'rd which to retire

a district to which they turn for refuge, and a flank.

And precincts to which they may turn and take refuge

لُكَيزٌ لَها البَحرانِ وَالسَيفُ كُلُّهُ

لُكَيزٌ لَها البَحرانِ وَالسَيفُ كُلُّهُ

وَإِن يَأتِها بَأسٌ مِنَ الهِندِ كارِبُ

وَإِن يَأتِها بَأسٌ مِنَ الهِندِ كارِبُ

Lukayz has Bahrayn and the entire seashore;

Lukayz—hers are both seas with the sword ...in its entirety

and if a harrowing onslaught comes to it from India,

And should war against her come from India's environs

تَطايَرَ عَن أَعجازِ حوشٍ كَأَنَّها

تَطايَرَ عَن أَعجازِ حوشٍ كَأَنَّها

جَهامٌ أَراقَ ماءَهُ فَهوَ آئِبُ

جَهامٌ أَراقَ ماءَهُ فَهوَ آئِبُ

they fly away astride wild-bred camels' rumps, as though these were

They take wing from the backs of coursers as though they were

a spent cloud that has poured out its water and is returning.

Rain clouds that have shed their waters and wander forlorn

وَبَكرٌ لَها ظَهرٌ العِراقِ وَإِن تَشَأ

وَبَكرٌ لَها ظَهرٌ العِراقِ وَإِن تَشَأ

يَحُل دونَها مِنَ اليَمامَةِ حاجِبُ

يَحُل دونَها مِنَ اليَمامَةِ حاجِبُ

And Bakr has Iraq's hinterland; and if it wishes,

And Bakr owns the Iraq; and if she desire

a barrier from al-Yamamah stands before it.

Before her the Hejaz's summit itself is a barrier

وَصارَت تَميمٌ بَينَ قُفٍّ وَرَملَةٍ

وَصارَت تَميمٌ بَينَ قُفٍّ وَرَملَةٍ

لَها مِن حِبالٍ مُنتَأَى وَمَذاهِبُ

لَها مِن حِبالٍ مُنتَأَى وَمَذاهِبُ

And Tamim settled between rocky upland and a sandy tract;

And Tamim between Qufays and Ramla doth stand

among the sand-ridges it has a retreat and ways of escape.

With her tents' cords far stretched and diverse are her confines

وَكَلبٌ لَها خَبتٌ فَرَملَةُ عالِجٍ

وَكَلبٌ لَها خَبتٌ فَرَملَةُ عالِجٍ

إِلى الحَرَّةِ الرَجلاءِ حَيثُ تُحارِبُ

إِلى الحَرَّةِ الرَجلاءِ حَيثُ تُحارِبُ

And Kalb has a low plain, then the sands of Alij,

And Kalb with is lair—while to fierce forays go they of Ramla

as far as the rugged lava-field, where it fights.

Against the free clans where the squadrons fight and collide

وَغَسّانُ حَيٌّ عِزُّهُم في سِواهُمُ

وَغَسّانُ حَيٌّ عِزُّهُم في سِواهُمُ

يُجالِدُ عَنهُم مِقنَبٌ وَكَتائِبُ

يُجالِدُ عَنهُم مِقنَبٌ وَكَتائِبُ

And Ghassan is a tribe whose strength lies in others;

While life and glory of Ghassan amidst their own Folk

a cavalry troop and battalions do battle on their behalf.

Is with spears defended by warriors formed into columns

وَبَهراءُ حَيٌّ قَد عَلِمنا مَكانَهُم

وَبَهراءُ حَيٌّ قَد عَلِمنا مَكانَهُم

لَهُم شَرَكٌ حَولَ الرُصافَةِ لاحِبُ

لَهُم شَرَكٌ حَولَ الرُصافَةِ لاحِبُ

And Bahra is a tribe whose whereabouts we know;

And the clan of Bahra we know well their place of abode

they have a well-trodden roadway around al-Rusafah.

Partners they amidst the Ruṣāfa but none they beside

وَغارَت إِيادٌ في السَوادِ وَدونَها

وَغارَت إِيادٌ في السَوادِ وَدونَها

بَرازيقُ عُجمٌ تَبتَغي مَن تُضارِبُ

بَرازيقُ عُجمٌ تَبتَغي مَن تُضارِبُ

And Iyad has gone deep into al-Sawad, and before it stand

And Iyad hath swooped o'er the black land while below them

non-Arab war-bands, seeking someone to fight.

Are the foreign Ujums who for combatants seek and take pride

وَلَخمٌ مُلوكُ الناسِ يُجبى إِلَيهِمُ

وَلَخمٌ مُلوكُ الناسِ يُجبى إِلَيهِمُ

إِذا قالَ مِنهُم قائِلٌ فَهوَ واجِبُ

إِذا قالَ مِنهُم قائِلٌ فَهوَ واجِبُ

And Lakhm are kings over men; tribute is gathered for them.

To Lakhm belong all the Kings and unto them

When one of them speaks, his word is binding.

Doth one yield when their chieftain issueth decree

وَنَحنُ أُناسٌ لا حِجازَ بِأَرضِنا

وَنَحنُ أُناسٌ لا حِجازَ بِأَرضِنا

مَعَ الغَيثِ ما نُلقى وَمَن هُوَ غالِبُ

مَعَ الغَيثِ ما نُلقى وَمَن هُوَ غالِبُ

And we are a people with no protective barrier in our land;

While we are a folk ne'er constrained by the Hejaz

we follow the rain, whatever we face and whoever holds sway.

What rain brings to us we accept be it loss be it pride

تَرى رائِداتِ الخَيلِ حَولَ بُيوتِنا

تَرى رائِداتِ الخَيلِ حَولَ بُيوتِنا

كَمِعزى الحِجازِ أَعجَزَتها الزَرائِبُ

كَمِعزى الحِجازِ أَعجَزَتها الزَرائِبُ

You see the roaming horses around our tents,

Thou wouldst see tribes' steeds curved round our abodes

like Hijaz goats whose pens cannot contain them.

Like goats of the Hejaz from grazing debarred by foreign hordes

فَيُغبَقنَ أَحلاباً وَيُصبَحنَ مِثلَها

فَيُغبَقنَ أَحلاباً وَيُصبَحنَ مِثلَها

فَهُنَّ مِنَ التَعداءِ قُبٌّ شَوازِبُ

فَهُنَّ مِنَ التَعداءِ قُبٌّ شَوازِبُ

So they are given pailfuls of milk at dusk, and as much at dawn;

To spend the night huddled together the same as themselves

from constant running they are hollow-bellied and lean.

For they from trespassing deterred are blocked off as toward

فَوارِسُها مِن تَغلِبَ اِبنَةَ وائِلٍ

فَوارِسُها مِن تَغلِبَ اِبنَةَ وائِلٍ

حُماةٌ كُماةٌ لَيسَ فيها أَشائِبُ

حُماةٌ كُماةٌ لَيسَ فيها أَشائِبُ

Their horsemen are of Taghlib, daughter of Wa'il,

Their horsemen of Taghlib and Bakr's progeny

defenders, armored warriors, with no mixed outsiders among them.

Fearsome and fierce no baseness in them is spied

هُمُ يَضرِبونَ الكَبشَ يَبرُقُ بَيضُهُ

هُمُ يَضرِبونَ الكَبشَ يَبرُقُ بَيضُهُ

عَلى وَجهِهِ مِنَ الدِماءِ سَبائِبُ

عَلى وَجهِهِ مِنَ الدِماءِ سَبائِبُ

They strike the battle-ram, his helmet flashing;

They smite rams white streaked with blood from their blows

across his face are ribbons of blood.

Over faces like shooting stars in the darkness descried

بِجَأواءَ يَنفي وِردُها سَرَعانَها

بِجَأواءَ يَنفي وِردُها سَرَعانَها

كَأَنَّ وَضيحَ البَيضِ فيها الكَواكِبُ

كَأَنَّ وَضيحَ البَيضِ فيها الكَواكِبُ

With a dark host whose following ranks drive its vanguard onward,

With milch camels whose udders they hasten to drain

as though the shining helmets in it were stars.

As if stirring white sauce for the stars to divide

وَإِن قَصُرَت أَسيافُنا كانَ وَصلُها

وَإِن قَصُرَت أَسيافُنا كانَ وَصلُها

خَضانا إِلى القَومِ الَّذينَ نُضارِبُ

خَضانا إِلى القَومِ الَّذينَ نُضارِبُ

And if our swords fall short, their extension is

And if our swords prove short tis our brown lances' long reach

our strides toward the people we fight.

Gainst the foe where we ride and our ranks crash and collide

فَلِلَهِ قَومٌ مِثلُ قَومي سوقَةٌ

فَلِلَهِ قَومٌ مِثلُ قَومي سوقَةٌ

إِذا اِجتَمَعَت عِندَ المُلوكِ العَصائِبُ

إِذا اِجتَمَعَت عِندَ المُلوكِ العَصائِبُ

God be praised for a people like mine, though commoners,

Thus my clan is for me better than any clan known

when the bands gather before kings.

When together are kings and noble clans far and wide

أَرى كُلَّ قَومٍ يَنظُرونَ إِلَيهِمُ

أَرى كُلَّ قَومٍ يَنظُرونَ إِلَيهِمُ

وَتَقصُرُ عَمّا يَفعَلونَ الذَوائِبُ

وَتَقصُرُ عَمّا يَفعَلونَ الذَوائِبُ

I see every people looking toward them,

I see that from them every tribe doth descry

and the foremost chiefs fall short of what they do.

Falling short of their deeds howsoever they tried

أَرى كُلَّ قَومٍ قارَبوا قَيدَ فَحلِهِم

أَرى كُلَّ قَومٍ قارَبوا قَيدَ فَحلِهِم

وَنَحنُ خَلَعنا قَيدَهُ فَهوَ سارِبُ

وَنَحنُ خَلَعنا قَيدَهُ فَهوَ سارِبُ

I see every people shorten their sire's fetter,

I see them all stoop beneath yoke of their rule

but we have cast off his fetter, and he roams free.

While we cast loose their yoke running free far and wide