عَجِبتُ لِرَكبٍ فَرَّحَتهُم مُليحَةٌ

عَجِبتُ لِرَكبٍ فَرَّحَتهُم مُليحَةٌ

تَأَلَّقُ مِن بَينِ الذَنابينِ فَاِلمِعا

تَأَلَّقُ مِن بَينِ الذَنابينِ فَاِلمِعا

I marveled at riders cheered by a pretty little fire,

I was amazed at a caravan whose travelers were cheered

gleaming between al-Dhanabin and al-Miʿa.

By a beautiful woman flashing among the camels.

فَلَم نَأتِها حَتّى لَعَنّا مَكانَها

فَلَم نَأتِها حَتّى لَعَنّا مَكانَها

وَحَتّى اِشتَفى مِن نَومِهِ صاحِبُ الكَرى

وَحَتّى اِشتَفى مِن نَومِهِ صاحِبُ الكَرى

But we did not reach it until we had cursed its place,

We did not reach her until we cursed where she was

and until the drowsy man had slept his fill.

And until the owner of the inn woke from his sleep.

فَلَمّا أَتَينا مَن عَلى النارِ أَقبَلَت

فَلَمّا أَتَينا مَن عَلى النارِ أَقبَلَت

إِلَينا وُجوهُ المُصطَلينَ ذَوي اللَحى

إِلَينا وُجوهُ المُصطَلينَ ذَوي اللَحى

Then, when we reached those by the fire, there turned

When we came to those around the fire, their faces

toward us the faces of bearded men warming themselves.

Turned to us, men with beards well-groomed.

فَلَمّا نَزَلنا وَاِختَلَطنا بِأَهلِها

فَلَمّا نَزَلنا وَاِختَلَطنا بِأَهلِها

بَكوا وَاِشتَكَينا أَيَّ ساعَةَ مُشتَكى

بَكوا وَاِشتَكَينا أَيَّ ساعَةَ مُشتَكى

Then, when we dismounted and mingled with its people,

When we got down and mingled with the people there,

they wept and we lamented—what an hour of lament!

They wept and complained - oh, what a time for complaints!

تَشَكّوا وَقالوا لا تَلُمنا فَإِنَّنا

تَشَكّوا وَقالوا لا تَلُمنا فَإِنَّنا

أُناسٌ حَرامِيّونَ لَيسَ لَنا فَتى

أُناسٌ حَرامِيّونَ لَيسَ لَنا فَتى

They complained and said, “Do not blame us, for we

They complained and said, "Do not blame us, for we

are Hiramites; we have no generous man.”

Are forbidden folk with no protector."

وَقالوا أَلا هَل مِن فَتىً مِثلَ غالِبٍ

وَقالوا أَلا هَل مِن فَتىً مِثلَ غالِبٍ

وَأَيّايَ بِالمَعروفِ قائِلُهُم عَنى

وَأَيّايَ بِالمَعروفِ قائِلُهُم عَنى

And they said, “Ah, is there any generous man like Ghalib?”

And they said, "Oh, is there no brave youth like Ghalib

And in speaking of generosity, their spokesman meant me.

Reprimanding them for good?" And the center of the people's encampment

وَوَسطَ رِحالِ القَومِ بازِلُ عامِها

وَوَسطَ رِحالِ القَومِ بازِلُ عامِها

جَرَنبَذَةُ الأَسفارِ هَمّاسَةُ السُرى

جَرَنبَذَةُ الأَسفارِ هَمّاسَةُ السُرى

And amid the people’s camp stood a she-camel newly mature,

An old camel, well-traveled, inquisitive,

stout for journeys, soft-footed in night travel.

When I looked over the camels, guarded them well,

فَلَمّا تَصَفَّحتُ الرِكابَ اِتَّقَت بِها

فَلَمّا تَصَفَّحتُ الرِكابَ اِتَّقَت بِها

أُريدُ بَقِيّاتِ العَرائِكِ في الذُرى

أُريدُ بَقِيّاتِ العَرائِكِ في الذُرى

Then, when I examined the riding camels, they shielded themselves with her,

As if I wanted the remaining litter in the pens.

as I sought the fat still left atop their humps.

I said, having cut off her leg with a sword,

أَقولُ وَقَد قَضَيتُ بِالسَيفِ ساقَها

أَقولُ وَقَد قَضَيتُ بِالسَيفِ ساقَها

حِرامَ بنِ كَعبٍ لا مَذَمَّةَ في القِرى

حِرامَ بنِ كَعبٍ لا مَذَمَّةَ في القِرى

I said, having severed her leg with the sword,

"Harm of Ka'b's clan - no blame in the villages!"

“Hiram ibn Kaʿb, there is no blame in hospitality.”

So for my companions, hosts, their guests

فَباتَ لِأَصحابي وَأَربابِ مَنزِلي

فَباتَ لِأَصحابي وَأَربابِ مَنزِلي

وَأَضيافِهِم رِسلٌ وَدِفءٌ وَمُشتَوى

وَأَضيافِهِم رِسلٌ وَدِفءٌ وَمُشتَوى

So that night, for my companions and my hosts

Were messengers, warmth, and gathered wood.

and their guests, there was milk, warmth, and roast meat.