مَنَعناwe warded off عَلىin رَغمِdefiance of القَبائِلِthe tribes ضَيمَناoppression against us
مَنَعنا عَلى رَغمِ القَبائِلِ ضَيمَنا
بِمَرهَفَةٍwith a keen-edged sword كَالمِلحِlike salt مُخلَصَةِflawless in الصَقلِpolish
بِمَرهَفَةٍ كَالمِلحِ مُخلَصَةِ الصَقلِ
Despite the tribes, we kept humiliation from ourselves,
We warded off oppression against us, in defiance of the tribes,
With a keen blade, white as salt, polished to purity.
With a keen-edged sword, like salt, of flawless polish.
ضَرَبناهُمُwe struck them حَتّىuntil اِستَباحَتoverran سُيوفُناour swords
ضَرَبناهُمُ حَتّى اِستَباحَت سُيوفُنا
حِماهُمtheir protected lands وَراحواand they departed موجَعينَpained مِنَby القَتلِthe slaughter
حِماهُم وَراحوا موجَعينَ مِنَ القَتلِ
We struck them until our swords overran
We struck them until our swords overran
Their protected ground, and they departed, suffering from the slaughter.
Their protected lands, and they departed, pained by the slaughter.
وَرُدَّand were driven back سَراةُthe nobles of الأَوسِAws إِذwhen جاءَcame جَمعُهُمtheir host
وَرُدَّ سَراةُ الأَوسِ إِذ جاءَ جَمعُهُم
بِطَعنٍby spear-thrusts كَأَفواهِlike the mouths of المُخَيَّسَةِthe penned camels الهُدلِdroop-lipped
بِطَعنٍ كَأَفواهِ المُخَيَّسَةِ الهُدلِ
The nobles of the Aws were driven back when their host came,
And the nobles of Aws were driven back when their host came,
By thrusts like the mouths of penned, drooping-lipped camels.
By spear-thrusts like the mouths of penned, droop-lipped camels.
وَذَلَّand was humbled سُمَيرٌSumayr عَنوَةًby force جارَthe neighbor of مالِكٍMalik
وَذَلَّ سُمَيرٌ عَنوَةً جارَ مالِكٍ
عَلىagainst رَغمِهِhis will بَعدَafter التَخَمُّطِarrogance وَالجَهلِand folly
عَلى رَغمِهِ بَعدَ التَخَمُّطِ وَالجَهلِ
And Sumayr, Malik’s protected neighbor, was humbled by force,
And Sumayr, Malik's neighbor, was humbled by force,
Against his will, after his swaggering and folly.
Against his will, after his arrogance and folly.
وَجاءَand came اِبنُthe son of عَجلانٍAjlan بِعِلجٍwith a burly foreigner مُجَدَّعٍmutilated
وَجاءَ اِبنُ عَجلانٍ بِعِلجٍ مُجَدَّعٍ
فَأَدبَرَthen he turned away مَنقوصَdeficient in المَروءَةِhonor وَالعَقلِand sense
فَأَدبَرَ مَنقوصَ المَروءَةِ وَالعَقلِ
Ibn Ajlan came with a mutilated foreigner,
And Ibn Ajlan came with a mutilated foreigner,
Then fled, diminished in manly honor and reason.
Then turned away, deficient in honor and sense.
وَصارَand became اِبنُthe son of عَجلانٍAjlan نَفِيّاًan outcast كَأَنَّهُas though he were
وَصارَ اِبنُ عَجلانٍ نَفِيّاً كَأَنَّهُ
عَسيفٌa hired hand عَلىon آثارِthe tracks of أَفصِلَةٍweaned camel calves هُملِstraying untended
عَسيفٌ عَلى آثارِ أَفصِلَةٍ هُملِ
And Ibn Ajlan became an exile, as though he were
And Ibn Ajlan became an outcast, as though he were
A hired hand following the tracks of unattended camel-calves.
A hired hand following the tracks of stray camel calves.
