ضَمِنتُ لِسَعْدٍ بالأَبارقِ رَدَّهَا

ضَمِنتُ لِسَعْدٍ بالأَبارقِ رَدَّهَا

وكانتْ بنو سَعدٍ تُجيزُ ضَمانِي

وكانتْ بنو سَعدٍ تُجيزُ ضَمانِي

I guaranteed their return to Saʿd at al-Abāriq,

I promised Sa'd with lightning response,

And Banū Saʿd would honor my guarantee.

And the people of Sa'd acknowledged my guarantee,

طلبتمْ بها أَوتارَ يومِ قُرَاقِرٍ

طلبتمْ بها أَوتارَ يومِ قُرَاقِرٍ

وما طَالبُ الأَوتَارِ بالمتوانِي

وما طَالبُ الأَوتَارِ بالمتوانِي

With them you sought vengeance for the day of Qurāqir,

You demanded the strings on the day of Quraqir,

And a seeker of vengeance is no laggard.

But seekers of strings are not hesitant,

ولمَّا حَلَلْتُمْ بالأَيادِ أَمِنْتُمُ

ولمَّا حَلَلْتُمْ بالأَيادِ أَمِنْتُمُ

فَصُبَّ عليكم فَارسُ الغَدَوَانِ

فَصُبَّ عليكم فَارسُ الغَدَوَانِ

And when you encamped at al-Ayād, you felt secure,

And when you came confidently with your hands,

Then the rider of al-Ghadawān came pouring down upon you,

The horseman of the morning raid poured upon you,

أَمامَ جيادٍ يكتُم النقعُ شَخْصَهَا

أَمامَ جيادٍ يكتُم النقعُ شَخْصَهَا

ولو ركضتْ بالهَضْبِ هَضْب ابَانِ

ولو ركضتْ بالهَضْبِ هَضْب ابَانِ

Ahead of steeds whose forms the dust conceals,

In front of steeds whose hoofs conceal their vigor,

Even if they galloped over the heights—the heights of Abān.

As if they galloped with the gallop of Iban,

نزائعُ اما عرضةٌ لِكَريهَةٍ

نزائعُ اما عرضةٌ لِكَريهَةٍ

تُقادُ واما عُرضَةٌ لرِهَانِ

تُقادُ واما عُرضَةٌ لرِهَانِ

Choice steeds of foreign stock, either kept ready for battle,

Either vulnerable to hateful adversity,

To which they are led, or kept ready for a wagered race.

Led along, or vulnerable to wager,

تَخُصُّ السيوفُ المرهفاتُ جِبَاهَهَا

تَخُصُّ السيوفُ المرهفاتُ جِبَاهَهَا

ويأخذُ منها الطَّعْنُ كلَّ مكَانِ

ويأخذُ منها الطَّعْنُ كلَّ مكَانِ

The keen-edged swords single out their foreheads,

Swords, sharp of edge, aim at their foreheads,

And spear-thrusts reach every part of them.

And spears strike them wherever they go,

فأنقذْتُها منهمْ وهمْ يَطردونَها

فأنقذْتُها منهمْ وهمْ يَطردونَها

كما طُرِدَتْ بالقَاعِ شَاةُ اِرانِ

كما طُرِدَتْ بالقَاعِ شَاةُ اِرانِ

So I rescued them from them while they were driving them off,

So I saved them from those driving them off,

As a wild doe from its lair was driven across the open plain.

As the sheep of Iran was driven in the plain.