لَقَد طَلَبَت بِالذَحلِ غَيرَ ذَميمَةٍ

لَقَد طَلَبَت بِالذَحلِ غَيرَ ذَميمَةٍ

إِذا ذُمَّ طُلّابُ الذُحولِ الأَخاضِرُ

إِذا ذُمَّ طُلّابُ الذُحولِ الأَخاضِرُ

Indeed, they sought blood vengeance without reproach—

They sought glory, no ignoble men,

the Akhadir, when seekers of blood vengeance were censured.

When the seekers of fresh glory were blamed,

هُمُ جَرَّدوا الأَسيافَ يَومَ اِبنِ أَخضَرٍ

هُمُ جَرَّدوا الأَسيافَ يَومَ اِبنِ أَخضَرٍ

فَنالوا الَّتي لا فَوقَها نالَ ثائِرُ

فَنالوا الَّتي لا فَوقَها نالَ ثائِرُ

They unsheathed their swords on the day of Ibn Akhdar,

They drew swords on the day of Ibn Akhdar,

and achieved a vengeance no avenger ever surpassed.

And attained what no rebel had attained before.

أَقادوا بِهِ أُسداً لَها في اِقتِحامِها

أَقادوا بِهِ أُسداً لَها في اِقتِحامِها

عَلى الغَمَراتِ في الحُروبِ بَصائِرُ

عَلى الغَمَراتِ في الحُروبِ بَصائِرُ

They slew lions in requital for him, lions that, in charging

They roused a lioness, skillful in her raids,

into the perils of war, possessed keen insight.

With insights into wars and their turmoil.

وَلَم يُعتِمِ الإِدراكُ مِنهُم بِذَحلِهِم

وَلَم يُعتِمِ الإِدراكُ مِنهُم بِذَحلِهِم

فَيَطمَعُ فيهِم بَعدَ ذَلِكَ غادِرُ

فَيَطمَعُ فيهِم بَعدَ ذَلِكَ غادِرُ

Nor was their attainment of blood vengeance delayed,

Their glory did not blind their judgment,

so as to give a traitor hope against them thereafter,

So no traitor afterward coveted them.

كَفِعلِ كُلَيبٍ يَومَ يَدعو اِبنُ أَخضَرٍ

كَفِعلِ كُلَيبٍ يَومَ يَدعو اِبنُ أَخضَرٍ

وَقَد نَشِبَت فيهِ الرِماحُ الشَواجِرُ

وَقَد نَشِبَت فيهِ الرِماحُ الشَواجِرُ

as in Kulayb's conduct when Ibn Akhdar called out,

Unlike Kulayb on the day Ibn Akhdar called,

with the interlacing spears already lodged in him.

When lances bristled up like tall trees,

فَلَم يَأتِهِ مِنها وَبَينَ بُيوتِها

فَلَم يَأتِهِ مِنها وَبَينَ بُيوتِها

أُصيبَ ضَياعاً يَومَ ذَلِكَ ناجِرُ

أُصيبَ ضَياعاً يَومَ ذَلِكَ ناجِرُ

There came to him from them—though among their houses

No help came to him from their dwellings

he was struck down, forsaken that day—not a single hewer.

Though his estate was ravaged, bereft and bare.

وَهُم حَضَروهُ غائِبينَ بِنَصرِهِم

وَهُم حَضَروهُ غائِبينَ بِنَصرِهِم

وَنَصرُ اللَئيمِ غائِبٌ وَهوَ حاضِرُ

وَنَصرُ اللَئيمِ غائِبٌ وَهوَ حاضِرُ

And they were present with him, yet absent in their support;

Absent, they gave him their support in victory,

a base man's aid is absent even when he is present.

The coward's aid, when present, profits him not.

وَهُم أَسلَموهُ فَاِكتَسَوا ثَوبَ لامَةٍ

وَهُم أَسلَموهُ فَاِكتَسَوا ثَوبَ لامَةٍ

سَيَبقى لَهُم مادامَ لِلزَيتِ عاصِرُ

سَيَبقى لَهُم مادامَ لِلزَيتِ عاصِرُ

And they abandoned him, thus clothing themselves in a garment of reproach,

They left him so he wore the garb of blame -

which will remain theirs as long as there is a presser of oil.

A garb that clings to them who press the oil.

فَما لِكُلَيبٍ في المَكارِمِ أَوَّلٌ

فَما لِكُلَيبٍ في المَكارِمِ أَوَّلٌ

وَلا لِكَلَيبٍ في المَكارِمِ آخِرُ

وَلا لِكَلَيبٍ في المَكارِمِ آخِرُ

So Kulayb has no forebear known for noble deeds,

Kulayb was neither first nor last in glory.

nor any successor of Kulayb known for noble deeds;

No first, no last, of glory Kulayb knew.

وَلا في كُلَيبٍ إِن عَرَتهُم مُلِمَّةٌ

وَلا في كُلَيبٍ إِن عَرَتهُم مُلِمَّةٌ

كَريمٌ عَلى ما أَحدَثَ الدَهرُ صابِرُ

كَريمٌ عَلى ما أَحدَثَ الدَهرُ صابِرُ

nor is there among Kulayb, if a calamity befalls them,

No noble soul endured with patience like theirs

a noble man steadfast under whatever Time brings.

When tribes faced hardship - they firm and true.