أَبلِغ بَني لَأمٍ بِأَنَّ خُيولَهُم

أَبلِغ بَني لَأمٍ بِأَنَّ خُيولَهُم

عَقرى وَأَنَّ مِجادَهُم لَم يَمجُدِ

عَقرى وَأَنَّ مِجادَهُم لَم يَمجُدِ

Tell the sons of Laʾm that their horses

Tell the sons of injustice that their horses

are hamstrung, and that their glory-seeker has won no glory.

Have been hamstrung and their glory did not last

ها إِنَّما مُطِرَت سَماؤُكُمُ دَماً

ها إِنَّما مُطِرَت سَماؤُكُمُ دَماً

وَرَفَعتَ رَأسَكَ مِثلَ رَأسِ الأَصيَدِ

وَرَفَعتَ رَأسَكَ مِثلَ رَأسِ الأَصيَدِ

Lo, your sky was showered with nothing but blood,

Indeed, your sky has only rained blood

and you raised your head like the head of a proud, stiff-necked man,

And you raised your head like that of slaughtered prey

لِيَكونَ جِيراني أُكالاً بَينَكُم

لِيَكونَ جِيراني أُكالاً بَينَكُم

بُخلاً لِكِندِيٍّ وَسَبيٍ مُزنِدِ

بُخلاً لِكِندِيٍّ وَسَبيٍ مُزنِدِ

so that my neighbors might become prey among you,

So that my neighbors may be food among you

out of miserliness, for a Kindite and an ignoble captive,

Out of stinginess to Kindah and captives from Azd

وَاِبنِ النُجودِ وَإِن غَدا مُتَلاطِماً

وَاِبنِ النُجودِ وَإِن غَدا مُتَلاطِماً

وَاِبنِ العَذَوَّرِ ذي العِجانِ الأَزبَدِ

وَاِبنِ العَذَوَّرِ ذي العِجانِ الأَزبَدِ

and the son of al-Nujūd, even if he goes forth raging,

And the son of generosity, even if he turns aggressive tomorrow

and the son of al-ʿAdhawwar, with the foaming perineum.

And the son of wickedness, with curled disheveled hair

أَبلِغ بَني ثُعَلٍ بِأَنّي لَم أَكُن

أَبلِغ بَني ثُعَلٍ بِأَنّي لَم أَكُن

أَبَداً لِأَفعَلَها طِوالَ المُسنَدِ

أَبَداً لِأَفعَلَها طِوالَ المُسنَدِ

Tell the sons of Thuʿal that I was not

Tell the clan of Tha'labah that I have never

ever one to do it, for as long as time endures.

Intended to do so for as long as I hold power

لا جِئتُهُم فَلّاً وَأَترُكَ صُحبَتي

لا جِئتُهُم فَلّاً وَأَترُكَ صُحبَتي

نَهباً وَلَم تَغدُر بِقائِمِهِ يَدي

نَهباً وَلَم تَغدُر بِقائِمِهِ يَدي

No, I did not come to them routed and leave my companions

I did not come to them as an aggressor and leave my company

as plunder, nor did my hand betray the sword’s hilt.

As spoils and my hands did not betray those who stand with me