عَفَت ذاتُ الأَصابِعِ فَالجِواءُ

عَفَت ذاتُ الأَصابِعِ فَالجِواءُ

إِلى عَذراءَ مَنزِلُها خَلاءُ

إِلى عَذراءَ مَنزِلُها خَلاءُ

Dhat al-Asabiʿ lies effaced, and al-Jiwaʾ,

The maid with delicate fingers is now alone,

As far as ʿAdhraʾ; its dwelling-place lies empty.

In a virgin abode whose dwellers are gone.

دِيارٌ مِن بَني الحَسحاسِ قَفرٌ

دِيارٌ مِن بَني الحَسحاسِ قَفرٌ

تُعَفّيها الرَوامِسُ وَالسَماءُ

تُعَفّيها الرَوامِسُ وَالسَماءُ

Dwellings of Banu al-Ḥasḥās, desolate,

It lies in a Hijazi waste, abandoned

The burying winds and the rain efface them.

By grazing herds and the rains from high heaven.

وَكانَت لا يَزالُ بِها أَنيسٌ

وَكانَت لا يَزالُ بِها أَنيسٌ

خِلالَ مُروجَها نَعَمٌ وَشاءُ

خِلالَ مُروجَها نَعَمٌ وَشاءُ

And once there was always company there,

Still, it once had a lover, and many a friend

Among its meadows were livestock and sheep.

Shared its lush meadows, and peace without end.

فَدَع هَذا وَلَكِن مَن لَطيفٍ

فَدَع هَذا وَلَكِن مَن لَطيفٍ

يُؤَرِّقُني إِذا ذَهَبَ العِشاءُ

يُؤَرِّقُني إِذا ذَهَبَ العِشاءُ

So leave this—but who can help with a phantom

But let that go! What occupies me instead

That keeps me awake when the evening has passed?

Is a gentle dear one when night comes to bed,

لِشَعثاءَ الَّتي قَد تَيَّمَتهُ

لِشَعثاءَ الَّتي قَد تَيَّمَتهُ

فَلَيسَ لِقَلبِهِ مِنها شِفاءُ

فَلَيسَ لِقَلبِهِ مِنها شِفاءُ

Of Shaʿthaʾ, who has enslaved him with love,

A disheveled sweetheart so stricken with grief

So his heart can find no cure from her.

No healing can offer her heart relief—

كَأَنَّ خَبيأَةٍ مِن بَيتِ رَأسٍ

كَأَنَّ خَبيأَةٍ مِن بَيتِ رَأسٍ

يَكونُ مِزاجَها عَسَلٌ وَماءُ

يَكونُ مِزاجَها عَسَلٌ وَماءُ

As though a stored wine from Bayt Raʾs,

As if she were hiding, shy as a fawn,

Its mixture being honey and water,

In a home perfumed honey and wine.

عَلى أَنيابِها أَو طَعمُ غَصٍّ

عَلى أَنيابِها أَو طَعمُ غَصٍّ

مِنَ التُفّاحِ هَصَّرَهُ اِجتِناءُ

مِنَ التُفّاحِ هَصَّرَهُ اِجتِناءُ

Were on her teeth—or the taste of tender fruit

Or the taste of an apple whose pulp is just pressed

From apples bent down by the picking.

Gives a flavor and fragrance she loves the best!

إِذا ما الأَشرِباتُ ذُكِرنَ يَوماً

إِذا ما الأَشرِباتُ ذُكِرنَ يَوماً

فَهُنَّ لِطَيِّبِ الراحِ الفِداءُ

فَهُنَّ لِطَيِّبِ الراحِ الفِداءُ

If drinks are ever mentioned,

When talk turns to liquor served golden and red,

They are all a ransom for fine wine.

Their bouquet is the life she would gladly shed.

نُوَلّيها المَلامَةَ إِن أَلَمنا

نُوَلّيها المَلامَةَ إِن أَلَمنا

إِذا ما كانَ مَغثٌ أَو لِحاءُ

إِذا ما كانَ مَغثٌ أَو لِحاءُ

We lay the blame upon it if we incur blame,

We blame not the ruby, however it stings,

Whenever there is abuse or a quarrel.

When sickness or sores are the suffering it brings.

وَنَشرَبُها فَتَترُكُنا مُلوكاً

وَنَشرَبُها فَتَترُكُنا مُلوكاً

وَأُسداً ما يُنَهنِهُنا اللِقاءُ

وَأُسداً ما يُنَهنِهُنا اللِقاءُ

And we drink it, so it leaves us kings,

But drink it we do, and like lions we reign,

And lions whom battle does not daunt.

Our courage through battle no clash can restrain.

عَدِمنا خَيلَنا إِن لَم تَرَوها

عَدِمنا خَيلَنا إِن لَم تَرَوها

تُثيرُ النَقعَ مَوعِدُها كَداءُ

تُثيرُ النَقعَ مَوعِدُها كَداءُ

May we lose our horses if you do not see them

Ignore us, and we shall be forced to the fight!

Raising dust, with Kadaʾ as their rendezvous.

Victory comes when God gives His light.

يُبارينَ الأَسِنَّةِ مُصغِياتٍ

يُبارينَ الأَسِنَّةِ مُصغِياتٍ

عَلى أَكتافِها الأَسَلُ الظِماءُ

عَلى أَكتافِها الأَسَلُ الظِماءُ

They vie with the spearheads, inclining their necks,

Show patience, if you can, for the day destined

On their shoulders are the thirsty spears.

When God aids whom He will, as His wisdom has planned.

تَظَلُّ جِيادُنا مُتَمَطِّراتٍ

تَظَلُّ جِيادُنا مُتَمَطِّراتٍ

تُلَطِّمُهُنَّ بِالخُمُرِ النِساءُ

تُلَطِّمُهُنَّ بِالخُمُرِ النِساءُ

Our steeds keep streaming onward,

God said He would send me a people to brace,

The women slap them with their headscarves.

The Helpers, whose valor the foe could not face.

فَإِمّا تُعرِضوا عَنّا اِعتَمَرنا

فَإِمّا تُعرِضوا عَنّا اِعتَمَرنا

وَكانَ الفَتحُ وَاِنكَشَفَ الغِطاءُ

وَكانَ الفَتحُ وَاِنكَشَفَ الغِطاءُ

So if you stand aside from us, we shall make the lesser pilgrimage,

Each day we'sre provoked by some Meccan clan—

And victory will come, and the veil will be lifted.

Insults, abuse, or the wounds that they inflict.

وَإِلّا فَاِصبِروا لِجَلادِ يَومٍ

وَإِلّا فَاِصبِروا لِجَلادِ يَومٍ

يُعينُ اللَهُ فيهِ مَن يَشاءُ

يُعينُ اللَهُ فيهِ مَن يَشاءُ

Otherwise, steel yourselves for a day of combat

But we give rhymed meaning to those who offend,

In which God will aid whomever He wills.

And when blood is spilled out, that's where lines must end.

وَقالَ اللَهُ قَد يَسَّرتُ جُنداً

وَقالَ اللَهُ قَد يَسَّرتُ جُنداً

هُمُ الأَنصارُ عُرضَتُها اللِقاءُ

هُمُ الأَنصارُ عُرضَتُها اللِقاءُ

And God said, 'I have made ready an army:

God said He has sent me, His servant, to speak

They are the Ansar, whose aim is battle.'

Truth when truth may bring healing, if ears will but seek.

لَنا في كُلِّ يَومٍ مِن مَعَدٍّ

لَنا في كُلِّ يَومٍ مِن مَعَدٍّ

قِتالٌ أَو سِبابٌ أَو هِجاءُ

قِتالٌ أَو سِبابٌ أَو هِجاءُ

Every day we face, from Maʿadd,

My people gave witness to all I relayed,

Battle, or insults, or satire.

Yet still you reply as you wish or want made.

فَنُحكِمُ بِالقَوافي مَن هَجانا

فَنُحكِمُ بِالقَوافي مَن هَجانا

وَنَضرِبُ حينَ تَختَلِطُ الدِماءُ

وَنَضرِبُ حينَ تَختَلِطُ الدِماءُ

So with rhymes we silence whoever lampoons us,

Gabriel, trusted by God, is our aid,

And we strike when blood mingles.

The Spirit of Holiness knows no blockade.

وَقالَ اللَهُ قَد أَرسَلتُ عَبداً

وَقالَ اللَهُ قَد أَرسَلتُ عَبداً

يَقولُ الحَقَّ إِن نَفَعَ البَلاءُ

يَقولُ الحَقَّ إِن نَفَعَ البَلاءُ

And God said, 'I have sent a servant

Now bear to Abu Sufyan this word from me:

Who speaks the truth, if testing can avail.'

“You're empty inside, all froth, bluster and glee!”

شَهِدتُ بِهِ وَقَومي صَدَّقوهُ

شَهِدتُ بِهِ وَقَومي صَدَّقوهُ

فَقُلتُم ما نُجيبُ وَما نَشاءُ

فَقُلتُم ما نُجيبُ وَما نَشاءُ

I bore witness to him, and my people believed him,

You mocked dear Muhammad, and I have defended,

But you said, 'We will not respond, nor do we wish to.'

But God has prepared for such acts a repayment.

وَجِبريلٌ أَمينُ اللَهِ فينا

وَجِبريلٌ أَمينُ اللَهِ فينا

وَروحُ القُدسِ لَيسَ لَهُ كِفاءُ

وَروحُ القُدسِ لَيسَ لَهُ كِفاءُ

And Gabriel, God's trusted one, is among us,

You mock, yet you have not a feather's worth weighed

And the Holy Spirit has no equal.

Against the best man of all when the price must be paid.

أَلا أَبلِغ أَبا سُفيانَ عَنّي

أَلا أَبلِغ أَبا سُفيانَ عَنّي

فَأَنتَ مُجَوَّفٌ نَخِبٌ هَواءُ

فَأَنتَ مُجَوَّفٌ نَخِبٌ هَواءُ

Now, tell Abu Sufyan from me:

You cursed a blessed soul, an anchorite gent,

For you are hollow, fainthearted—nothing but air.

God's own True Trustee whose honor was rent.

هَجَوتَ مُحَمَّداً فَأَجَبتُ عَنهُ

هَجَوتَ مُحَمَّداً فَأَجَبتُ عَنهُ

وَعِندَ اللَهِ في ذاكَ الجَزاءُ

وَعِندَ اللَهِ في ذاكَ الجَزاءُ

You lampooned Muhammad, so I answered for him,

But whoever of you should mock God's own Messenger,

And with God rests the recompense for that.

Or whether you help him or keep yourself clear,

أَتَهجوهُ وَلَستَ لَهُ بِكُفءٍ

أَتَهجوهُ وَلَستَ لَهُ بِكُفءٍ

فَشَرُّكُما لِخَيرِكُما الفِداءُ

فَشَرُّكُما لِخَيرِكُما الفِداءُ

Do you lampoon him, though you are no match for him?

My sire and my dam are a fortress to lock

So let the worse of you two be ransom for the better.

Round Muhammad today against each vile mock.

هَجَوتَ مُبارَكاً بَرّاً حَنيفاً

هَجَوتَ مُبارَكاً بَرّاً حَنيفاً

أَمينَ اللَهِ شيمَتُهُ الوَفاءُ

أَمينَ اللَهِ شيمَتُهُ الوَفاءُ

You lampooned one blessed, righteous, and pure in faith,

Now vengeance shall wait upon Bano Lu'ayy

God's trusted one, whose nature is faithfulness.

If I find that dear blood by their hands was let fly.

فَمَن يَهجو رَسولَ اللَهِ مِنكُم

فَمَن يَهجو رَسولَ اللَهِ مِنكُم

وَيَمدَحُهُ وَيَنصُرُهُ سَواءُ

وَيَمدَحُهُ وَيَنصُرُهُ سَواءُ

So those among you who lampoon God's Messenger

This gang helped attack us and bring us such pain,

And those who praise and support him are alike.

Their blood on our hands shall repay it again!

فَإِنَّ أَبي وَوالِدَهُ وَعِرضي

فَإِنَّ أَبي وَوالِدَهُ وَعِرضي

لِعِرضِ مُحَمَّدٍ مِنكُم وِقاءُ

لِعِرضِ مُحَمَّدٍ مِنكُم وِقاءُ

For my father, his father, and my honor

By the pact of Harith's son Abi Dirar,

Are a shield for Muhammad's honor against you.

And the Quraysh treaty we hereby debar!

فَإِمّا تَثقَفَنَّ بَنو لُؤَيٍّ

فَإِمّا تَثقَفَنَّ بَنو لُؤَيٍّ

جَذيمَةَ إِنَّ قَتلَهُمُ شِفاءُ

جَذيمَةَ إِنَّ قَتلَهُمُ شِفاءُ

So if the sons of Luʾayy should ever seize

My tongue's sharp edge faultless shall carry the day.

Jadhima, killing them is indeed a cure.

My sea cannot be made turbid by dirt thrown its way.

أولَئِكَ مَعشَرٌ نَصَروا عَلَينا

أولَئِكَ مَعشَرٌ نَصَروا عَلَينا

فَفي أَظفارِنا مِنهُم دِماءُ

فَفي أَظفارِنا مِنهُم دِماءُ

Those are a people who lent aid against us;

So our claws bear blood from them.

وَحِلفُ الحَرِثِ اِبنِ أَبي ضِرارٍ

وَحِلفُ الحَرِثِ اِبنِ أَبي ضِرارٍ

وَحِلفُ قُرَيظَةٍ مِنّا بُراءُ

وَحِلفُ قُرَيظَةٍ مِنّا بُراءُ

And the pact of al-Harith ibn Abi Dirar

And Qurayza's pact bind us no longer.

لِساني صارِمٌ لا عَيبَ فيهِ

لِساني صارِمٌ لا عَيبَ فيهِ

وَبَحري لا تُكَدِّرُهُ الدِلاءُ

وَبَحري لا تُكَدِّرُهُ الدِلاءُ

My tongue is a sharp sword, with no flaw in it,

And my sea is not muddied by buckets.