قَدindeed أَرقَصَتshe made her mount dance أُمُّthe mother of البَعيثِal-Ba'ith حِجَجاyears
قَد أَرقَصَت أُمُّ البَعيثِ حِجَجا
عَلىon السَواياthe saddle-pads ماnot تُحِفُّshe draws near to الهَودَجاthe howdah
عَلى السَوايا ما تُحِفُّ الهَودَجا
Al-Ba'ith's mother has made her mount dance for years,
on saddle-pads, never drawing near a howdah.
أَولادُthe sons of رَغوانَRaghwan إِذاwhen ماever; an emphasis عَجعَجاhe bellowed
أَولادُ رَغوانَ إِذا ما عَجعَجا
يُرَكِّبونَthey fit فيinto المَراميthe arrows العَوسَجاthe boxthorn
يُرَكِّبونَ في المَرامي العَوسَجا
Raghwan's sons, whenever he bellows,
fit boxthorn into their arrows.
غَرَّهُمُit deceived them لِعبُthe playing of النَبيطِthe Nabataeans الفَنزَجاthe fanzaj dance
غَرَّهُمُ لِعبُ النَبيطِ الفَنزَجا
لَوif كانَhe had عَنin defense of لَحمِthe flesh of مَزادٍMazad هَجهَجاhe shouted to drive away
لَو كانَ عَن لَحمِ مَزادٍ هَجهَجا
The Nabataeans' fanzaj dance has deceived them.
Had he shouted in defense of Mazad's flesh—
مُقابَلٌwell-bred on both sides بَينَbetween سُرَيجٍSurayj وَالخَجاand al-Khaja
مُقابَلٌ بَينَ سُرَيجٍ وَالخَجا
مُعَلهَجَينِtwo of base, mixed stock وَلَداthe two begot مُعَلهَجاone of base, mixed stock
مُعَلهَجَينِ وَلَدا مُعَلهَجا
well-bred from Surayj and al-Khaja,
two of base stock who begot one of base stock—
فيon باذِخٍa lofty height مِنof رُكنِa flank of سَلمىSalma أَوor أَجاAja
في باذِخٍ مِن رُكنِ سَلمى أَو أَجا
نَحنُwe حَمَيناwe protected السَرحَthe grazing herds أَنlest يُهَيَّجاthey be disturbed
نَحنُ حَمَينا السَرحَ أَن يُهَيَّجا
on a lofty height on a flank of Salma or Aja.
We protected the grazing herds lest they be disturbed;
ثُمَّthen اِستَبَحناwe despoiled المَلِكَthe king المُتَوَّجاthe crowned
ثُمَّ اِستَبَحنا المَلِكَ المُتَوَّجا
كُنّاwe were لِأَعداءِto the enemies of تَميمٍTamim كَالشَجاlike a bone in the throat
كُنّا لِأَعداءِ تَميمٍ كَالشَجا
then we despoiled the crowned king.
We were like a bone in the throat to Tamim's enemies.