إِذا زَخَرَت قَيسٌ وَخِندِفُ وَاِلتَقى

إِذا زَخَرَت قَيسٌ وَخِندِفُ وَاِلتَقى

صَميماهُما إِذ طاحَ كُلُّ صَميمِ

صَميماهُما إِذ طاحَ كُلُّ صَميمِ

When Qays and Khindif surge, and together come

When Qais and Khundif clashed and every true man fell,

Their two noble cores, as every noble core falls,

How could people advance with Qais behind them

وَكَيفَ يَسيرُ الناسُ قَيسٌ وَراءَهُم

وَكَيفَ يَسيرُ الناسُ قَيسٌ وَراءَهُم

وَقَد سُدَّ ما قُدّامَهُم بِتَميمِ

وَقَد سُدَّ ما قُدّامَهُم بِتَميمِ

How can people advance, with Qays behind them,

When their way ahead was blocked by Tameem?

And the way ahead of them blocked by Tamim?

By Him to whom Khuzeimah's clan came begging,

فَلا وَالَّذي تَلقى خُزَيمَةُ مِنهُمُ

فَلا وَالَّذي تَلقى خُزَيمَةُ مِنهُمُ

بَني أُمِّ بَذّاخينَ غَيرِ عَقيمِ

بَني أُمِّ بَذّاخينَ غَيرِ عَقيمِ

No, by those Khuzaymah finds among them—

The mighty unvanquished tribe of Badr,

Boastful sons of a mother who is not barren—

None but they could clear the path,

فَما أَحَدٌ مِن غَيرِهِم بِسَبيلِهِم

فَما أَحَدٌ مِن غَيرِهِم بِسَبيلِهِم

وَما الناسُ إِلّا مِنهُمُ بِمُقيمِ

وَما الناسُ إِلّا مِنهُمُ بِمُقيمِ

No one apart from them can tread their path,

For mankind is naught but settled thanks to them,

And people abide only among them.

When red-haired Mudar thronged around me gently,

إِذا مُضَرُ الحَمراءُ حَولي تَعَطَّفَت

إِذا مُضَرُ الحَمراءُ حَولي تَعَطَّفَت

عَلَيَّ وَقَد دَقَّ اللِجامَ شَكيمي

عَلَيَّ وَقَد دَقَّ اللِجامَ شَكيمي

When Mudar the Red rallied around me,

Though the rough reins chafed my mouth,

To my aid, my bit having shattered the bridle,

I refused to lead a life of injustice,

أَبَوا أَن أَسومَ الناسَ إِلّا ظُلامَةً

أَبَوا أَن أَسومَ الناسَ إِلّا ظُلامَةً

وَكُنتُ اِبنَ مِرغامِ العَدُوِّ ظَلومِ

وَكُنتُ اِبنَ مِرغامِ العَدُوِّ ظَلومِ

They refused to let me impose on people anything but injustice;

I, son of Margham, the oppressor's victim.

And I was the son of an oppressor who humbled the foe.