فِدىً لِبَني سَعدِ بنِ ضَبَّةَ خالَتي

فِدىً لِبَني سَعدِ بنِ ضَبَّةَ خالَتي

إِذا أَفزَعَ الرَوعُ السَوامَ المُنَفَّرا

إِذا أَفزَعَ الرَوعُ السَوامَ المُنَفَّرا

May my maternal aunt be a ransom for the sons of Saʿd ibn Ḍabba,

A ransom for the clan of Sa'd son of Dhubyan my aunt

when terror frightens the grazing herds into flight.

When the fright startles the submissive camels

هُمُ قَتَلوا صَبراً شُتَيرَ بنَ خالِدٍ

هُمُ قَتَلوا صَبراً شُتَيرَ بنَ خالِدٍ

وَأَبكَوا لِبِسطامٍ مَآتِمَ حُسَّرا

وَأَبكَوا لِبِسطامٍ مَآتِمَ حُسَّرا

They killed Shutayr ibn Khālid while he was held captive,

They killed patiently Shuraih son of Khalid

and made gatherings of bareheaded mourners weep for Bisṭām.

And lamented for Bistam in long mourning dresses

وَهُم عَصَّبوا يَومَ الشَقيقَةِ رَأسَهُ

وَهُم عَصَّبوا يَومَ الشَقيقَةِ رَأسَهُ

رَقيقَ النَواحي لا رِداءً مُحَبَّرا

رَقيقَ النَواحي لا رِداءً مُحَبَّرا

And on the day of al-Shaqīqa they bound his head

And they wrapped on the day of ash-Shaqq his head

with a thin-edged blade, not a patterned cloak.

Soft sides no embroidered gown

فَلَمّا أَتى الصَهباءَ مَوقِعُهُم بِهِ

فَلَمّا أَتى الصَهباءَ مَوقِعُهُم بِهِ

دَعَت وَيلَها وَاِستَعجَلَت أَن تَخَمَّرا

دَعَت وَيلَها وَاِستَعجَلَت أَن تَخَمَّرا

So when word of their blow against him reached al-Ṣahbāʾ,

So when it came upon as-Sahba' their place with it

she cried, “Woe is me!” and hastened to veil herself.

It called for woe and hastened to be veiled