زارَ القُبورَ أَبو مالِكٍ

زارَ القُبورَ أَبو مالِكٍ

بِرَغمِ العُداةِ وَأَوتارِها

بِرَغمِ العُداةِ وَأَوتارِها

Abu Malik visited the graves,

Abu Malik visited the graves

Despite his enemies and their blood-feuds.

Despite the enemies and their strings

وَأَوصى الفَرَزدَقَ عِندَ المَماتِ

وَأَوصى الفَرَزدَقَ عِندَ المَماتِ

بِأُمِّ جَريرٍ وَأَعيارِها

بِأُمِّ جَريرٍ وَأَعيارِها

And at death he instructed al-Farazdaq

And Al-Farazdaq instructed upon death

Concerning Jarir's mother and her asses.

Umm Jareer and her spears

قُبَيِّلَةٌ كَأَديمِ الكُراعِ

قُبَيِّلَةٌ كَأَديمِ الكُراعِ

تَعجِزُ عَن نَقضِ أَمرارِها

تَعجِزُ عَن نَقضِ أَمرارِها

A paltry little tribe, like the hide of a shank,

A tribe like the leather shield

Unable to unravel its twisted cords.

Whose affairs cannot be undone

هُمُ يُظلَمونَ وَلا يَظلِمونَ

هُمُ يُظلَمونَ وَلا يَظلِمونَ

إِذا العيسُ شُدَّت بِأَكوارِها

إِذا العيسُ شُدَّت بِأَكوارِها

They are wronged, and do not wrong others,

They are wronged but do not wrong

When the pale camels have their saddles strapped on.

When al-Ees are tied with ropes

وَلا يَمنَعونَ نُسَيّاتِهِم

وَلا يَمنَعونَ نُسَيّاتِهِم

إِذا الحَربُ صالَت بِأَظفارِها

إِذا الحَربُ صالَت بِأَظفارِها

Nor do they defend their womenfolk,

And they do not prevent their forgetfulness

When war attacks with its claws.

When war prowls with its claws

وَلَكِن عَضاريطُ مُستَأخِرونَ

وَلَكِن عَضاريطُ مُستَأخِرونَ

زَعانِفَةٌ خَلفَ أَدبارِها

زَعانِفَةٌ خَلفَ أَدبارِها

But they are lackeys who hang back,

But the laggards are scoundrels

Riffraff behind its hindquarters.

Like the motes behind the dust.

كَسَعتُ كُلَيباً فَما أَنكَرَت

كَسَعتُ كُلَيباً فَما أَنكَرَت

كَكَسعِ المَخاضِ بِأَغبارِها

كَكَسعِ المَخاضِ بِأَغبارِها

I struck Kulayb from behind, and it did not protest,

I censured Kulaib though she did not deny

Like leaving pregnant she-camels with milk still in their udders.

Like the censure of childbirth with its dust.